Upheaval: The Breaking Point Upheaval: Reckoning

Upheaval: The Breaking Point And

Upheaval: Reckoning By Visiden Visidane

Table of Contents: ~ Upheaval: The Breaking Point ~ Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31

Things where they should not be The Prince’s Legion Heaven, Moon and Earth The Wheels Turned Confrontations Where Faith Lies Necessary Crimes Wolven on the Move Rage and Resolve Defiant Stand A Violent Welcome Recovery The Next Step Ends and Means Loyalties Divisions Necessity Terrato’s Choice Standing Together Special Operations Black Rose Order and Place First Blood Royalty Other Battles A United Equestria Monarchs Laws and Puncishments A Thousand Years Fire and Fury Irreparable Damage

5 15 25 36 47 56 66 76 84 95 108 118 128 140 150 161 172 183 196 214 226 237 250 263 273 284 296 309 321 332 347

Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Chapter 37 Chapter 38 Chapter 39 Chapter 40 Chapter 41 Chapter 42 Chapter 43 Chapter 44 Chapter 45 Chapter 46 Chapter 47 Chapter 48

Those Who Must Fight Silken Darkness Observations Ambush Chasing Scarlet Prices Paid A Mother’s Concern Healing Wayward Children The Last Straw Harmony The Seventh Rebellion A Desperate Battle Dark Sun Arising Questions Taking Stock Faithful Students

356 369 380 330 401 412 428 439 451 461 471 483 495 512 524 534 549

~ Upheaval: Reckoning ~ Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29

Dragons and Ponies Right and Wrong Dangerous Roads One More Fight Unicorn Magic Two Royal Sisters Divided Feelings Truths and Lies Teachers and Students Fangs and Scales Effigy The Road to Reunification The Royal Guard Heroic Strangers For The Legion Triumvirate Unwanted Legacies The Crystal Grave The Nature of Ponies Dragonkind A Rose’s Weapon Alicorn Matters Canterlot The Greatest of Us All Deep Waters Justifications A Great Enough Need The Younger Sibling Lion Rampant

561 573 584 595 607 618 629 641 654 666 677 689 704 717 731 744 755 768 782 795 808 820 832 846 857 870 883 896 910

Chapter 1 Things where they should not be "Come along, Spike! I'm sensing more gems over there!" For the baby dragon who had been spending all afternoon digging holes and dragging a cartload of gems through the woods, that melodious voice was both a drink of water and a quick break rolled into one. "I'm coming, Rarity!" Spike answered. He stretched his shoulders and pulled the cart onward. The clinking of gems bouncing as the wheels rolled over the uneven ground sounded tempting. His mouth watered at the mere thought of the fine meal just behind him but he didn't dare touch a single bauble. Rarity was making a dress for another bigwig pony who wanted to look like dragon bait and he had the honor of contributing a few hours of mostly unpaid, backbreaking labor towards that goal. He approached the clearing where Rarity was waiting for him. "Right here, Spike," Rarity said. "It's a large cluster this time." "One large cluster of gems coming right up!" Spike replied. He tore through the soft ground with practiced ease and, one shallow hole later, a cache of finely cut gems sparkled in the sunlight. "Excellent!" Rarity said. "This should be more than enough. Thank you again for helping me." "No problem, Rarity," Spike answered. He was beaming as he loaded the gems unto the cart. 'Mostly unpaid', he had thought earlier, but the appreciation of the most beautiful pony in Equestria and a gem from the pile were more than enough payment for all his hard work. "May I add that it is always my pleasure to be able to…Rarity?" Spike looked at the purple-maned unicorn. Her horn was glowing, a sign that she had detected another cluster of gems nearby. Instead of running off to where the gems were, she just stood there with a puzzled look on her face. "Rarity, are you alright?" he asked her. When she didn't reply, he reached up and tapped her with a claw. Startled, she gasped and then looked at him. "What's wrong? Is it another cluster of gems?"

Rarity looked around as if dazed. After a moment of silence, she replied. "Yes and…no," she said. "I'm sensing something but…I don't know. I've never picked up anything like this with my magic. These aren't just some gems." Not sure of what he should make of the her comments, Spike shrugged. "Well, it must be a really special bunch of gems! We should get them. They taste real-I mean they might really look good on a dress!" "You're right," Rarity answered. "This could be the dress to put my star at the center of the fashion world!" Excited by her own guesses, she galloped deeper into the woods. "Hurry, Spike! This way!" she called out. "Hey! Wait!" Spike called after her. "This cart is heavy, you know!" They were deep into the woods by the time Spike had caught up with Rarity. When he did, he found her staring at a small cave entrance by an outcropping of rock. Her horn was still glowing as she looked forlornly at the hole. "Ugh, I hate caves!" she said. "And this one looks like a tight fit. I'll be covered in dirt if I crawl through that!" "Never fear, Spike is here!" Spike said proudly. Here was yet another chance for him show off. The entrance would be just the right size for him. "Oh, would you, Spike? The gems are just inside that cave. If you could go in and get them, I'd be so grateful!" With a nod, Spike went inside in a hurry lest his swelling ego got him stuck halfway through the opening. To his relief, the cave was actually much bigger past the entrance. He realized that the entrance had been partially blocked by a pile of rocks, likely from a cave in. He looked around. The gems should be nearby. He sincerely hoped that they didn't happen to be part of another dragon's pile. He wasn't going to touch another one of those ever. "Spike?" Rarity called out from outside. "Did you find them yet?" The baby dragon looked around some more. The cave was nothing more but a single chamber with a ceiling just high enough to fit a pony and with enough space to fit maybe four without squeezing. The uneven stone floor felt damp under his feet. The only light source in the cave came from the

entrance, making it difficult to get a good look at anything. The cluster of gems should just be around… His eyes focused on it. By the corner of the cave was a single, dimly glowing, turquoise sphere that was the size of a large apple. From a distance it looked perfectly smooth and facet-less like a marble. He hurried over to get it. That beauty would surely get him a lot of points with Rarity. Maybe even a kiss! That was when his foot suddenly caught against something, sending him falling face first to the floor. He stood up, rubbing his nose painfully, and looked at what had tripped him up. It appeared to be a white piece of wood, perhaps a tree root or something. He looked at the thing closer and then gave out a yell. "Spike?" a concerned Rarity called out from the entrance. "Are you alright in there?" Spike edged away from what had tripped him. It wasn't a tree root at all. It was a bone. The foreleg of a pony skeleton splayed across the cave's floor. The bones were clean and dry. They must have been there for ages. The skeleton was still wearing the ragged remains of what clothing it had in life. What had happened here? Was this a tomb? Spike shook his head. The skeleton didn't look like it was placed neatly here. From the way it was positioned, it looked like some poor pony crawled into this cave a long time ago and then died. A sudden chill crawled up Spike's spine as he continued to stare at the pony's remains. For a moment, he was frozen in place, unsure of what to do. "Spike?" Rarity called out again. Spike forced himself to look away from the skeleton. He went over to the gem and grabbed it. At once, he shuddered at the feel of the stone in his claw. It was perfectly smooth as he had expected. It was also warm to touch and made his scales tingly. Regardless, he left the cave with the gem in his claws and presented the stone to Rarity. "Oh my!" Rarity gasped. "That looks absolutely gorgeous! It's going to be the crowning jewel on my masterpiece! Wait, imagine it on a tiara! Or on a

scepter!" She reached out to touch the sphere. Upon touching it, however, her excitement changed to puzzled wonder. "It's warm," she remarked. "Weird, huh?" Spike asked. "Not just warm. It's magical. Can you feel it? It's positively humming! What was in that cave, Spike?" "Well, there was a skeleton and-" "A skeleton!" Rarity gasped. "Why didn't you tell me? This thing could be cursed!" "Not with the curses again!" Spike groaned. "I thought you'd like it!" "And I do." Rarity answered. "But…I know! Why don't you have Twilight Sparkle have a look at it first? She might know what it is. If it's safe, you can bring it to me." "Well, that's true," Spike said. "Twilight would have an idea what this is." The sphere continued to glow a soft turquoise as the two made their way back.

"Spike, I have no idea what this is." Twilight Sparkle held the sphere up with her telekinesis, staring at it with fascination as it caught the light in her house. The gem was definitely magical. It hummed softly the moment she picked it up with magic. Having it near her made her feel tingly all over, especially around her horn. She set it down on a table and then levitated several books from their shelves. "Look up "Magical Artifacts". Maybe we can find a reference," she said. Spike was already flipping through the pages of the book. It was already evening by the time he got back home. Not only that, it was seldom that he felt a lot of enthusiasm for any of Twilight's research endeavors but the sooner he could confirm that the sphere was flashy but harmless, the sooner he could give it to Rarity. He took note of where the gift wrapping was stored in the house. He was probably going to need some soon. To his

disappointment, nothing in the book said anything that remotely had anything to do with the gem. "See anything?" he asked. "No," Twilight answered, the disappointment evident in her tone as well. She set down "Arcane Gems" and picked up another book. "What else did you see in that cave?" "Nothing else. Just the skeleton and that thing." "No clothes or other items?" "Just some rags from whatever it was wearing. It looked like it's been there for a long, long time." "What did the rags look like?" "Uh…like rags?" "I mean the color or patterns. Something that might clue us in on who or what that pony was." "Um…" Spike scratched his head and thought hard. "I don't remember," he said. "Now that you mentioned it, I did leave that cave pretty quickly. I might have missed some stuff." "Well it's settled , we're going to that cave and giving it a thorough search. We should also give that poor pony a proper burial." "I don't know, Twilight. Maybe we should leave it alone. There's something really scary about that place. While I was in there, I felt like…like…" "Like you shouldn't be there?" Twilight added helpfully. "No! Like IT shouldn't be there! It was like I was just minding my own business in this house and some stranger just walked in without saying anything." Twilight's brows furrowed. "That's weird," she thought out loud, "but also more reason to check it out. If we don't find anything, I think we should visit Canterlot and use the library there. It might even be necessary to ask Princess Celestia about this thing."

"If you say so, Twilight," Spike said with a yawn. "I'm going to bed. Dragging that cart around is hard work!" "Good night, Spike," Twilight said. She set another book aside and looked around. Perhaps it was time to for her to get some sleep as well. She gave the sphere on her desk one last look and then headed to her bed.

The next day, Spike found himself wandering the woods once more. He wasn't looking for gems this time and it wasn't Rarity he was walking with. Both facts contributed to the reason why there wasn't a lot of spring in his step despite not having to drag a load of gems behind him. He wasn't exactly thrilled to see the skeleton again either. "Are you sure that it's this way, Spike?" Twilight asked from behind him. She was carrying a bag with her which had a few books she felt might help as well as the strange gem. "Yes, I'm sure!" Spike snapped. It was the third time that Twilight had asked him that question and it had already grated on him the first time. "It's just that we've been walking for a long time now and I think we just went in a circle," Twilight said in a mollifying tone. "It's around here somewhere!" Spike said. "I remember going this way! There's that stand of trees and those bushes and…" his eyes narrowed. The landmarks were all there. The cave should be nearby. He looked around more carefully until his eyes finally landed on a particularly rocky spot. "There it is!" he exclaimed. The two of them hurried over to the spot. "I don't see any cave, Spike." Twilight said. "It should be around here!" Spike said in frustration. "A hole doesn't just get up and walk away…and here it is! No wonder it was so hard to find, it's gotten smaller!" "Smaller?" Twilight asked. "How?"

"Looks like some of the rocks had fallen over and blocked even more of it. It's going to be a tight squeeze even for me," Spike said worriedly. "Don't worry about it. You said that the cave is big enough inside, right?" "Yeah. You should fit in easily." "Alright. I'll just teleport in while you squeeze through." "Gotcha." Twilight focused her mind, her horn glowing as it gathered magical energy. A quick hop of a teleportation spell should be pretty easy. She'll probably need a light spell once she was inside though. She was still thinking this when a sudden burst of magical energy threw her concentration of balance. "Twilight, what are you doing!" Spike asked in surprise. A crackling aura of blue-white magical energy had surrounded the purple unicorn. "I don't know!" Twilight cried out in confusion. "I just cast a teleportation spell!" "The gem!" Spike yelled. "It's the gem! Get rid of it!" Sure enough, the aura was emanating from Twilight's bag. Before she could reach for it, another surge of magical energy exploded from her. The force hurled Spike against the outcropping of rock and then enveloped her as quickly as it had emerged. There was a loud hum and then a flash of light. After that, everything fell silent. And Twilight Sparkle had disappeared. "Twilight?" Spike asked as he looked around. He checked the cave in case she had indeed teleported there. The darkness's silence greeted him coldly in response. Panicked, he looked around even more, climbing up the outcropping to get a better view. He didn't see anyone. "Twilight?" he called out. There was no response from anywhere. "Twilight!" he shouted in desperation. Still no response. Terrified, confused and alone, he fell on his tail and rested his claws to his face.

The moment the flash of light dazzled her vision, Twilight Sparkle found herself falling as if she had been standing on a rug that someone pulled from beneath her and then she kept on falling instead of hitting the floor. She recognized the feeling as that of a teleportation spell, a badly-miscast, out-of-control teleportation spell. She couldn't help but remember her first teleportation spell, a disastrous attempt that ended with far too many rose thorns being pulled out of very hard to reach places. Her vision was still painfully dazzled when she hit the ground. Or at least she hit something. The ground was a little softer than she remembered and it quickly shifted from beneath her, as if it were trying to shake her loose. "Terrato's blood-smeared hooves, get this thing off me!" somepony yelled. A feminine voice by the tone. When Twilight focused, she realized that that somepony was yelling from beneath her. Her vision partially clearing, she did her best to scramble away. Before she could do so, the thing beneath her heaved violently, hurling her to the very hard, very cold ground. "It's a pony!" somepony else shouted. This one came from above her. "Those crazy wolven are chucking ponies around now!" "The wolven didn't chuck this one anywhere, Scarlet, I saw her materialize right above Pyre," a third voice spoke. Twilight's vision finally cleared. She got to her hooves unsteadily and looked around only to find herself flanked by two ponies. To her left was a clearly angry unicorn, white like her friend, Rarity, but with a wild, black mess of a mane that covered her from head to shoulders. The unicorn wore what appeared to be a thick, padded coat that protected most of her neck and torso. To her right was an earth pony, a big, brown stallion with a cropped, corn-yellow mane. He wore some gray-plated barding around his chest, neck and flanks like the royal guards did. He had no angry stare. Instead, he appraised her coldly. She heard the flapping of wings above her and guessed that there was a pegasus hovering there. She didn't look up however, the sight of the unicorn was too menacing to turn her attention away. She backed away slightly, unsure of whether to talk or run. After a moment of silence, it was the earth pony stallion who decided to speak again. "Pyre, look at her flank," he said. The pegasus above them laughed. "Well you're quick to look at that direction, Blademane! Didn't take you for a flank-stallion!"

"Quiet!" the unicorn snapped. She looked at Twilight carefully, her eyebrows furrowing deeper when her brown eyes focused on Twilight's cutie mark. Her nostrils flared as she recognized it. "Chosen!" she snarled. "Blademane!" "Wait! Wha-!" Twilight cried out. Before she could move, the brown stallion charged at her and knocked her down. She struck the ground side-first. Before she could recover, he pinned her in place with his front hooves. His heavy, metal-shod front hooves. "If I see that horn glow, you'll be pulling pieces of it from where the sun doesn't shine, chosen," he said, his baritone voice coldly menacing. "What is going on?" Twilight groaned weakly. The stallion's weight on her shoulders was crushingly painful. "Who are you ponies?" The unicorn walked over and slammed a hoof on her face. Twilight felt the vision in her left eye go black for a few seconds followed by a searing pain that quickly turned into a swelling numbness. Tears sprang from her eyes and she tasted something metallic that leaked into her mouth. "You'll speak when spoken to, chosen," the unicorn hissed, "and we'll be the ones to ask the questions!" "If we kill her, can I skin her flank first?" the pegasus asked. "That star symbol thing would look fetching on my barding!" "Nopony is skinning anypony," said a fourth voice from behind Twilight. On reflex, she tried to take a look but she was still pinned to the ground. "Let her up, Blademane." Twilight felt the crushing pressure on her ease up. She tried to get up but only managed to right herself on her knees. The pony called Blademane walked over to stand with the angry unicorn. On instinct, she turned her gaze towards the newcomer. Against the unicorn's enraged hostility, the earth pony's cold brutality and pegasus's casual threats, the newcomer seemed to offer some refuge. To her surprise, she found herself looking at a walking, pony-shaped mass of black metal. She had seen barding before on Princess Celestia's Royal Guard but even those stern, golden-barded ponies were skimpily clothed compared to this pony. Only the eyes, nostrils and mouth served as signs that there was something alive under all that metal. Even his legs were hidden by a cloth covering, a caparison as she had read from a book somewhere. She guessed that he was a gray, earth

pony. From his tail, she could tell that he also had curly black hair. He was a little smaller than the brown stallion who had been pinning her but his presence made him seem to tower over all of them. The unicorn stepped forward, her face a warring mixture of protest and resignation. "Captain, she's a chosen! Look at her flank!" The heavily-armored pony answered in a deep, growling tone. He sounded more like a wolf than a pony to Twilight. "I can see the big, elaborate star on her flank, vice-captain. The last time I checked, the wolven haven't gouged my eyes out." "The captain's a flank-stallion too!" the pegasus above them crowed. "Oh day of revelations!" Her protest ignored, the unicorn focused her angry stare above them instead. The captain turned his attention on Twilight, who couldn't help but quiver a little at the intimidating sight. "You've broken some of your Princess Celestia's very important laws to go where you shouldn't be, chosen," the captain said softly. "I hope, for your sake, that you can bear the consequences."

Chapter 2 The Prince’s Legion "You've broken some of your Princess Celestia's very important laws to go where you shouldn't be, chosen." The black-armored pony's words struck Twilight even harder than the white unicorn's blow. She had always prided herself as Princess Celestia's favored and most trusted protégé. The mere thought of breaking any law, even the smallest one laid down by the princess, made her guts twist violently. "But I haven't done anything!" she protested. Her own outburst against these hostile strangers surprised her. She struggled to get to her hooves, succeeding after couple of tries. "You've come to this place and you've seen us," the black-armored pony replied. "Your princess has taken great pains to keep either from happening. While my squad is not going to kill you, chosen, I can't say if the same will be true for her." "You're lying," Twilight said indignantly. "Princess Celestia would never want anypony to die. How dare you badmouth her!" The black-armored pony walked towards Twilight slowly. She could feel the ground beneath him vibrate slightly with each step he took. She noticed one more odd thing about him. Strapped to his back was what appeared to be a staff of some sort. Despite her indignation and resolve to face these ponies, she couldn't help but take a few more steps back as he approached. "If she believed that it would protect her realm from a disaster she has been trying to prevent for more than a thousand years, do you believe she still wouldn't?" he asked. "I-I don't understand," Twilight replied. She wanted to believe that this pony was only mocking her but he spoke gently and patiently, as if he was only trying to tell her a truth that even he took no pleasure in. "I don't understand either!" the unicorn behind him spoke up. "Why should we bother keeping this chosen alive? I say we kill her and use her as wolven-bait!"

"But it's not your say now, is it?" the dark-armored pony answered. His patient tone cracked slightly as he glanced back to the rest of the ponies who were standing behind him. "I ordered you to set up camp, vice-captain. The sun's going down and I don't see one!" He looked up sternly and spoke again. "Scarlet, you should be on reconnaissance by now!" With one last glare at Twilight, the angry unicorn turned around and walked away. The pony called Blademane was right behind her. She also noticed that the steady flapping of wings above her had disappeared. For the first time since she came out of the teleportation spell, she became aware of her surroundings. She was standing on a rocky plain that stretched out as far as she could see. There were mountains by the horizon though they were difficult to make out. The sky was overcast with gray, shapeless clouds. Though the sun couldn't be seen, the steadily failing light meant that night was approaching. The ground was rocky while patches of short grass and bushes were scattered across the plain. Twilight wondered just where the miscast teleportation had taken her. After that quick look around, she returned her focus on who she assumed was their leader. "Who are you ponies?" she asked. "Even out here, it's customary to give your name first before asking for somepony else's," he replied. "Oh, um…sorry," Twilight said. "Being attacked by strangers after landing in the middle of a strange place made me forget my manners. My name is Twilight Sparkle." A ghost of a smile seemed to crease the captain's lips. "My name is Captain Vanguard Clash of the Northern Equestrian Legion. The angry unicorn who's setting up camp over there is Pyre Valor. The earth pony who stepped on you is Blademane and the pegasus who was flying around here earlier is Scarlet Rabbit." "Northern Equestrian Legion?" Twilight asked in puzzled tone. "I've never heard of that before." "Not surprising," Vanguard replied. "You're not supposed to." He gestured for Twilight to follow and walked over to where the other ponies were. She noticed the pile of twigs and bits of wood on the ground. Pyre Valor walked over and pointed her glowing horn at the pile. There was a quick flash of

magic and then the pile was ablaze. Vanguard Clash sat just a few feet away and motioned for Twilight to sit by a spot near him. Seeing that Pyre Valor was glaring at her once more, Twilight sat by the spot and edged away from the other unicorn. "Why shouldn't I know about the Northern Equestrian Legion?" she asked. Vanguard was silent for a while. He stared into the fire as if pondering if it was alright for him to answer. Twilight waited patiently. So far, he was her only chance at finding out more on what she had gotten herself into as well as the only one who was going to be even remotely helpful. The last thing she wanted now was to get on his bad side. "The legion…does things out here that would only cause disruptions if it became common knowledge," Vanguard finally answered. "Oh stop coddling her, Vanguard!" Pyre Valor stomped her hoof as she snapped. She had taken a seat directly across Twilight, the firelight making her scowling visage even more menacing. Just a foot to her right sat Blademane, who was content to quietly watch the fire. "Nopony in Equestria Proper knows about us because your mighty and wonderful Princess Celestia likes to pretend that her realm of peace and rainbows doesn't need us!" she told Twilight. Twilight could only stare at Pyre Valor in confusion. "What?" she asked. "That's enough, Pyre," Vanguard said sternly. "She should know," Pyre Valor hissed. "All of Equestria Proper should know!" "That's not for us to decide!" "If not us, then who?" "We're bringing her to the fort once the mission is done. We'll present her to his highness afterwards." "She isn't worth a second of our prince's time," Pyre Valor muttered. "None of them are."

"Prince?" Twilight asked. "His highness?" "Our Prince," Pyre Valor said proudly. For once, her angry expression gave way to something else. "Prince Terrato; Ruler of the Barrier Lands, Defender of Equestria and a damn better ruler than your nag of a princess!" "He's also a pony who won't appreciate having his eldest sister called a nag," Vanguard added. "Nopony is perfect. Not even alicorns," Pyre Valor groused. "Eldest sister?" Twilight asked. The implications made her ignore the fact that her mentor had been called a nag. "Princess Celestia never mentioned she had a brother." "You're in luck then," Vanguard replied. "You're going to meet him as soon as we complete our mission. He'll decide what's to be done with you." "You're going to bring her along on this mission?" Pyre Valor asked incredulously. "She won't make it to the fort alone." Vanguard replied patiently. "We can't afford to send somepony off to escort her either. Besides, a unicorn with enough magical power to go through Celestia's barrier might come in handy." "Or she could just-" "Captaaaaaaaain!" The distant yell broke through the conversation before Pyre Valor could finish. All of them turned towards where it came from to find a pegasus winging his way towards them. Despite the steadily worsening darkness, Twilight could see enough to tell that this pegasus was red as befitted by his name. She didn't have to squint for long however. Scarlet Rabbit moved from being a distant figure to right in the middle of camp so quickly that she gasped involuntarily. Up close, she noticed that his mane was a much darker hue of red, tied off into a long, simple pony tail. Like Blademane, he also wore some barding around his face, chest and flanks but his barding didn't look metallic.

"I found him!" Scarlet Rabbit said. His voice trembled with excitement and he hopped in place as he spoke. "He's not that far and he's about to meet with some wolven! A whole pack of them!" "Wretch," Vanguard growled. "So he really has sold us out." He turned his attention towards the rest of his squad, who were already getting to their hooves. "Move out! We're intercepting that exchange." He shifted his gaze towards Twilight. "You're coming along." With that, he galloped towards the direction Scarlet Rabbit pointed out with the rest of them right behind him. "Wait!" Twilight called out. She jumped to her hooves and followed them. Despite all their armor, they ran swiftly. Scarlet Rabbit had flown off into the distance the moment Vanguard told them to move out. She found herself struggling to keep up as they kept going. She was tired, hungry and her face was still aching. After noticing that Twilight was lagging behind, Vanguard gestured for his second to take the lead and then slowed his pace to gallop next to the purple unicorn. "Stay close to Pyre Valor," he told her. "You'll both be casting spells once a fight breaks out. Just follow her lead and you'll be fine." "But she hates me!" Twilight protested, the words coming out between pants. "True," he replied, "but she hates wolven even more. Just don't get between her and the enemy and you won't end up roasted." Twilight swallowed nervously and nodded without a word. She had to save her breath for galloping. Her heart was racing and it wasn't just from exertion. These ponies were heading towards a fight. They certainly seemed like this wouldn't be the first one either and she was about to be dragged along into their next one. If that wasn't troubling enough, her conversation with Captain Vanguard gave her a hoof-ful of questions for a pinch of answers. What were these wolven and why did they have to be fought? Where was she and why wouldn't Princess Celestia want her to find about this place and the Northern Equestrian Legion? "Hold!" Vanguard called out after several minutes of hard galloping.

The other ponies stopped quickly in response. By the time Twilight shoved aside all the things running in her mind, she was about to run right into Pyre Valor. Her hooves skidded against the ground in a desperate attempt to stop, which she managed to do with only a light bump against the other unicorn's flank. Pyre Valor turned on her so fast that she had to stifle a yelp. "Vanguard wants you alive to be shown to our prince, chosen," Pyre Valor hissed, "but get in my way and I'll show you how much room "alive" gives you for interpretation!" "Quiet!" Vanguard growled. He hunkered down and signaled the others to follow. "I can see their campfire over there. Scarlet, what exactly are we up against?" Scarlet Rabbit had descended the moment the other ponies had stopped. Even though he had hunkered down like the others, his tail was twitching in excitement. "Mostly scouts," he replied. "A few skirmishers too." "What about Cold Hoof?" Pyre Valor asked. "Oh, he's there," Scarlet Rabbit answered. "He's probably given them his info." "That settles it then," Vanguard said. "Recover the information first. Then deal with Cold Hoof. Clean up the rest once that's accomplished." Twilight squinted at the distant lights of the wolven's campfires. They haven't been seen yet mostly because it was now completely dark but also because they were still a good distance from them. Unfortunately, that also meant that she could hardly see what these wolven looked like. She could see some four-legged silhouettes shaped like dogs. They were big, each likely the size of a pony. Each one of them had long, wild fur. Other than that, she couldn't make out anything else although, from the name and what she had seen so far, she guessed that they resembled wolves. There was something else that Vanguard had mentioned as well. "Who's Cold Hoof?" she asked. "That's sounds like a pony's name." "He is a pony," Scarlet Rabbit answered. "I shared a couple of rounds with him. Nice pony."

"Are we here to rescue him then?" "No," Scarlet Rabbit replied cheerily. "He's a traitor who's selling out the layout to our fort to the wolven. We're here to kill him and get them back." "No more talking," Vanguard said. "We're moving in." He reached for his back with one hoof and pulled out the cloth-wrapped, staff-like object he had been carrying. With his teeth, he untied the string that held the cloth in place, revealing what appeared to be a pair of swords with the ends of their hilts stuck together. He held the thing in his mouth and unsheathed the blades. With his weapon out, he signaled for his squad to follow and then galloped straight towards the camp. "Fighting time!" Scarlet Rabbit cheered. He launched himself into the air and promptly disappeared into the night sky. Twilight looked to Pyre Valor and then galloped right next to her, doing her best to avoid getting in the white unicorn's way. Pyre Valor's horn was already glowing a deep orange. Blademane galloped ahead of them, keeping by Vanguard's side. As they came closer, Twilight finally got a good look at the wolven. She had guessed right. They were wolves, enormous, feral wolves with over-sized jaws and front claws. Their eyes glowed bright red in the darkness. They were covered with wiry, grayish-white fur and they wore enormous spiked collars around their necks. Despite their size, they were very lean. The closest wolven spotted them and let out fierce howls before meeting their charge. The others followed suit. In a second, the entire camp was in an uproar. Before Vanguard and Blademane could collide with the rush of oncoming wolven, a coruscating ball of white-hot flames flew past them. The spell alighted gently on the snout of the lead wolven… …and then erupted into a massive sphere of flames that consumed everything in its radius. The wolven near the blast yelped and leaped away. Some of them had their fur ignite and had to roll on the ground to put out the flames. The lead wolven and those who were charging next to it had simply disappeared. The smell of burned flesh and singed fur wafted towards Twilight, who looked at the unicorn next to her in horror. Pyre Valor smiled at her handiwork. Already, her horn was glowing for another spell.

Taking advantage of the hole left in the wolven charge, Vanguard galloped right into the fray. One wolven was still getting up from having put out its burning fur when the left end his two-bladed sword cut right through its chest. With a swing of his powerful neck, he dragged his weapon from the dead wolven and then jabbed its other end to another foe to his right. He charged on, plunging deeper into the fight. Blademane was several feet behind his captain, keeping back several of the wolven to prevent them from closing in on Vanguard and thus surrounding him. He smashed a hoof into one of them, knocking it down to its side, and reared up. Both of his hooves fell on the wolven's head with a sickening crunch. "We're not putting a show on for you, chosen, make yourself useful!" Pyre Valor shouted at Twilight. A pair of wolven broke from the fray and headed straight for them. Panicked, Twilight's mind raced through the spells she knew. She needed something to stop a pair of rampaging wolf-like creatures before they knocked her down and ate her. "Eeyahooo!" The shout came from above them followed by a streak of red that landed directly on one of the charging wolven. Scarlet Rabbit wrapped all four of his legs onto the wolven and then launched himself back up into the air. There was still one more charging wolven however. Forcing her panicked thoughts into order, Twilight concentrated on a spell. Her horn glowed a steady purple light and then the charging wolven soon found its claws no longer touching the ground. A nimbus of purple energy had encased it and then lifted it high into the air. With one swift motion of her neck, she hurled it back for several feet, sending it tumbling across the hard packed ground. "Enjoy the trip!" Scarlet Rabbit shouted above them. A few seconds later, a wolven fell head-first to the ground. There was an audible snap and then it lay there in an unmoving heap. The wolven that Twilight had thrown to the ground stood up and shook its head. With a snarl, it made another charge towards her. "Cute," Pyre Valor groused. "Now try something more lethal!" She pointed her horn at another clustered pack of wolven, sending another ball of flames towards them.

"Lethal?" Twilight fell back as the wolven came closer. She looked desperately at Pyre Valor, who showed no interest in dealing with her attacker. When the wolven got too close, Twilight held it up again with a telekinetic grip. The wolven snarled and clawed at her viciously, struggling as hard as it could against her magic. Beads of sweat dripped down Twilight's face as she struggled to maintain the spell. The exertion surprised her. She could normally lift much heavier weights than this wolven. Why was she having so much trouble? Did that faulty teleportation spell take that much out of her? "What are you waiting for?" Pyre Valor asked. "Beat it against the ground until it's dead!" "But I-!" Twilight hesitated. The savage gleam in the wolven's eyes promised her that if she hurled it somewhere it would simply get up and try harder. "I've never-! I can't!" "You've never killed anything in your life, have you?" Pyre Valor walked in front of Twilight and stared at her face. The question jolted Twilight out of her concentration. The wolven dropped to the ground and leaped, claws and fangs extended. Only to be incinerated in mid air. Pyre Valor's horn stayed aglow, the dark red-orange magic casting her face in a lurid light. There was no scowl on her face this time. Twilight could barely recognize the emotion. A moment later, she pinpointed what it was: contempt. "I am hardly surprised," Pyre Valor said flatly. She turned her back and walked away from Twilight, unmindful of another wolven crashing to the ground just a foot away. Twilight could hear Scarlet Rabbit's distant laughter. The battle dwindled down to nothing quickly under the fierce assault. The wolven campfire illuminated the grisly scene in an orange glow. Several wolven lay across the ground. Most of them had their ribs or the skulls crushed by Blademane's metal-shod hooves. Mixed in with those were wolven killed by falling to their deaths. Twilight felt her stomach heave in protest to the sight. Any trace of hunger she had felt earlier had been completely obliterated. While the sight of the

dead wolven made her gag, it was the ones she couldn't see that were the worst. There were scorch marks all over the place as well as a foul, lingering odor that sent her retching. She looked towards the ponies around her and found them walking away. The sight of their indifference filled her with both outrage and horror at the same time. "Get your guts in control, chosen, let's go!" Pyre Valor called out to her. Twilight followed after them. She kept her eyes focused directly in front of her, trying to blot out the sight of all the carnage. Pyre Valor and the other ponies were following a trail of dead wolven. These ones were slain by enormous slashing wounds across their bodies. Twilight remembered the two-bladed sword that Vanguard carried in his mouth and his fearless dash into the midst of a pack of snarling, howling wolven. She hadn't seen him after that and his companions didn't seem concerned about what happened to him. A moment later, they caught up with Vanguard. His two-bladed sword had been plunged into the ground next to him as he stood over something. As she walked closer, Twilight saw that it was a pony, a dark blue stallion with a long, white braid of a mane. The stallion had fallen on his side while Vanguard stood over him. His face was twisted by a mixture of anger, defiance and fear for his life. She guessed that this must be Cold Hoof. When Vanguard noticed the other ponies behind him, he tossed a bag towards Pyre Valor, who inspected its contents. She paused for a moment as she looked. Twilight noticed her frown and then close the bag. "It's all here," she said. "Good," Vanguard said flatly. He turned his attention back to the fallen stallion. "You are about to be executed. If you have anything to say, do so now. A reason for this insanity would be appreciated, Cold Hoof."

Chapter 3 Heaven, Moon and Earth The sight of the sun slowly rising above the horizon did little to lift Twilight's spirits as she trudged on across the rocky plain behind the other ponies. After the fight last night, they had returned to their camp and slept. At least she tried to. She was exhausted when they came back but, try as she might, she just couldn't fall asleep. The smell of blood and burned flesh lingered around her nostrils. Not only that, she felt sweaty and covered in sooth. The sight of Cold Hoof stabbing himself while looking at her in contempt wouldn't go away. She ended up just laying on the ground for a few hours. And a few hours was indeed all she was given. The squad was up and walking before dawn. None of them had said a word since they started walking. Vanguard had ordered Scarlet Rabbit to fly ahead as a scout, removing the slightest chance of anypony trying to strike a conversation. Twilight also found herself place in the uncomfortable position of being in between Pyre Valor, who walked behind Vanguard, and Blademane, who brought up the rear. She didn't dare say anything. Pyre Valor still looked ready to pounce on anything she might say. Suddenly, she felt something nudge her rear. "Move, chosen," Blademane told her softly. "We should be at the fort by noon unless you delay us." "I'm sorry," Twilight replied. "But we have been walking for some time now. And we didn't even have breakfast." She felt her stomach rumble and looked away in embarrassment. "What's the matter, chosen?" Pyre Valor asked. "Are you scheduled for a cake sampling party by this hour? Do you miss the smell of milk tea in the morning?" "I don't do those things!" Twilight snapped. She was getting tired of the other unicorn's constant remarks.

"Pyre, take the lead," Vanguard said before Pyre Valor could reply. With one last backwards glance at Twilight, she switched places with Vanguard, who slowed his pace to walk next to Twilight. Despite being completely covered in barding, he didn't even seem to be exerting himself. "Here," he said. He pulled out a small pouch attached to the harness where he strapped his enormous weapon and handed it to Twilight. "What's this?" Twilight asked. She opened the pouch to find a yellowish, grain-like substance inside. "Concentrated feed," Vanguard replied. "You get grouchy when you starve. Next thing I know, you and Pyre Valor will be throwing spells around. That should help." Twilight poured a small amount into her mouth and started chewing. Almost immediately, she grimaced. The stuff was grainy and dry. It felt as if she was chewing a mouthful of sand. "It tastes like cardboard!" she said. "The commissary must be improving then," Vanguard replied. "It used to taste like burned cardboard." Twilight forced herself to swallow without any more complaints. She just realized that this feed was probably Vanguard's only meal and he had given it to her. Despite the small amount that she had taken, her belly stopped rumbling. Some of her discomfort also disappeared by having Vanguard nearby instead of the combative Pyre Valor. She looked ahead and saw the fort they were talking about at a great distance. They were still far away from it but the sight of a destination, indeed any landmark, in this barren place gave her some relief and let her focus on something besides the fact that she was lost in some strange land. The fort was huge, a walled, massive structure atop a steep hill. With some of her anxiety settling, she gathered enough confidence to talk to Vanguard. "So…could you tell me about this "chosen" thing?" she asked Vanguard quietly, making sure that Pyre Valor didn't hear her. The white unicorn had walked far ahead, perhaps just to avoid her. "Maybe I'd be less provoked if I knew why she hates me so much." "Not you," Vanguard replied, matching her tone. "I don't really think it's hate either. Pyre needs somepony to blame. You're just a convenient target."

"But what do you mean by "chosen"?" Twilight insisted. "Chosen by who? And why?" "We call ponies who live within the limits of Equestria Proper 'chosen'," Vanguard answered. "Princess Celestia chose you. To be exact, she chose your ancestors. They were to be the pony inhabitants of her realm. That symbol on your flank marks you as a chosen." "My cutie mark? That's not what it means! It's supposed to symbolize my special talent, the skill that makes me unique!" "Really? Then what is your special skill which makes you so unique, Twilight Sparkle?" "Well, my special talent is magic," Twilight said proudly. She wanted to add that she was Princess Celestia's protégé and that she also represented the Element of Magic among the Elements of Harmony but she didn't want to annoy Vanguard with boasting. Besides, all those titles amounted to nothing out here. "So, among thousands of ponies and throughout all the generations for hundreds of years, you can honestly say that you are the only pony ever with the talent for magic?" "W-well…" Twilight was silent for a while. To say yes was simply too proud to be right. "Your "cutie mark" is a symbol of your place," Vanguard continued. "It may symbolize where you specialize but that's so you know where you stand in Princess Celestia's realm. I'm guessing that it makes for good bookkeeping on her part to have all you chosen ponies labeled." "You're wrong. And that doesn't explain why you hate us," Twilight retorted. "I don't for one thing," Vanguard answered. "Suffice it to say for now that you chosen are a privileged lot and those privileges that you take for as "normal" do not apply for the ponies that must live out here." "Why won't you just give a straight answer?" Twilight asked in frustration. "Every time you explain something, you just throw in more questions!"

"It's not my place," Vanguard replied. "Once you meet his highness you can throw all your questions at him." "He's not going to hate me too, is he?" Twilight asked nervously. "Our prince has no time for sharing in the petty hatreds of his ponies," Vanguard replied. "He'll do what needs to be done and that's it." The two of them fell silent for some time. The only sounds came from their hoof-steps, the bits of loose stones rolling beneath their hooves and the slight wind whistling through their ears. As they approached the fort, the landscape began to change a bit. The plain was a lot grassier now with more trees dotting the vastness. Finally, after what seemed like hours, Vanguard spoke once again. "You fought well last night," he said. "No, I didn't," Twilight retorted. "I heard Pyre Valor tell you last night. I was useless and a burden. I couldn't lift one of them without tiring myself out." "I didn't mean against the wolven," Vanguard said. "You stood up to four armed ponies. I can respect that." "You would have killed him anyway," Twilight said. "I didn't do anything in the end." "Whether you succeeded or not isn't what I respect. It's the trying," Vanguard replied. "Don't put yourself down. Pyre said what she said because she expected you to fight as she did. She made an incorrect expectation and naturally got disappointed." "I still don't understand why I got tired so quickly," Twilight said. The sight of Cold Hoof dying still haunted her. She wanted to put it behind as quickly as possible and changing the subject would help. "I can lift heavier things without that much effort." Vanguard fell into thinking for a while. "You're out of your element," he said. "You're a chosen and you've spent your entire life using your magic in Princess Celestia's realm. I'm guessing that, outside her realm, your magic is weakened."

Before Twilight could reply, she saw Vanguard suddenly look skyward. She followed his gaze and then spotted a distant, flying figure closing in on them. A few seconds later, Scarlet Rabbit was already hovering in front of Vanguard. "All's clear up ahead, Captain," Scarlet Rabbit said. "You took your time, Scarlet," Vanguard replied. "I flew into one of the aerial patrols and chatted them up. I just found out something interesting!" "What is it?" "The prince is already on his way to the fort! Everypony thinks it's a surprise inspection or something!" "Well, isn't that an interesting coincidence," Vanguard said. "We find something that needs his attention and he's already there." "Do you think he knows about me?" Twilight asked. "Maybe. How important are you in Equestria Proper? Are you the ruler of some province?" "W-well…" Twilight stammered a little. "I am Princess Celestia's protégé." Scarlet Rabbit let out a whistle. "Wow," he said. "The princess's most trusted student has betrayed her. What a shocking turn of events!" "I did no such thing!" Twilight protested. "I would never, ever betray Princess Celestia in any way!" She looked at both Vanguard Clash and Scarlet Rabbit defiantly. "Well some betraying obviously happened," Scarlet Rabbit remarked with a shrug. "I mean, you're standing here, right?" "Regardless, that would explain how his highness knows," Vanguard interrupted. "I would guess that "protégé" is important enough for the princess to search for you. She's probably already told her brother and he's already tracked you down in his realm."

Twilight could not help but smile and breathe a sigh of relief. Princess Celestia was already looking for her. It would only be a matter of time before she could return to her home. Her friends must be really worried by now. Especially Spike, who had seen her vanish into thin air. She couldn't wait to be back home with a cozy fire and a good book. "Whether he's found out about you or not, we'll see," Vanguard said.

Hours passed before Twilight was walking past the enormous gates of the fort. The structure was even bigger than she had imagined. Three tiered layers of walls surrounded it in a circle, the first one rising well over thirty feet. They were constructed with gray stone and looked as smooth as the surface of an egg. Heavily-barded guards lined the gates of each wall. They reminded Twilight of Princess Celestia's own royal guards but these ones had their faces completely covered in barding save for slits for the eyes and nose. They were also noticeably bigger than the royal guards. They stood perfectly still, a sharp contrast to the bustle of activity all around them. Ponies were rushing about the place. Some of them dragged carts behind them or were carrying a load on their backs. "Welcome to FangBreaker Fortress," Vanguard said. "Why is everyone rushing about?" Twilight asked. "Is this normal?" "Prince Terrato is arriving on short notice," Vanguard replied. "That might mean a lot of things." "Like Fenrir showing up for an all out wolven attack!" Scarlet Rabbit piped in. "Wouldn't that be exciting?" "Fenrir?" Twilight asked. Vanguard looked sternly at Scarlet Rabbit before answering. "That's unlikely," he replied. "This is either an inspection or about you." "Who's Fenrir?" Twilight insisted. "The king of Wolvengard," Vanguard relented. "One of Equestria's prime enemies."

"Captain." Pyre Valor suddenly approached them as they walked past the third gate. "I'll take the plans and report our success," she offered. Vanguard nodded and Pyre Valor went on her way, Blademane wordlessly following her. "I'm off to get a drink. See you at Storm Brew's later, Captain?" Scarlet Rabbit asked. "Not today, Scarlet," Vanguard replied. "I'm taking Twilight Sparkle to a guest room so she can rest until his highness arrives. Then I'm off to my quarters." When the pegasus flew off, he turned his attention to Twilight. "Follow me," he told her. The two of them walked through the halls of the fortress together. As Twilight looked around, she edged a little closer towards Vanguard. The fortress's interior felt oppressive. Decorations were scarce and limited to weapons hung on the walls or the flag of Equestria. The flag caught her attention for a while. She recognized the figures of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna but, rather than form the two halves of a circle, they formed only two-thirds. A third alicorn, a gray one, completed the pattern. Despite the high ceilings, she felt like she was inside a tomb. Everything was gray stone and wood. Even more disconcerting was how each pony who passed them would stop and stare at her flank. She was quick to note that none of the ponies she had encountered had any cutie marks and some of the looked quite old indeed. "Captain Vanguard," she said, trying to catch his attention. "What is it?" "I want to thank you." "For what?" "For not agreeing to kill me, for starters. For trying to be helpful and for trying to cheer me up this morning." To Twilight's surprise, Vanguard suddenly stopped walking. He turned towards her. She couldn't quite see his eyes under the barding but she could feel that he was staring at her with more intensity than usual. Distracted, she nearly stumbled into him.

"Do you mean that?" he asked. "W-Why yes I do," Twilight answered after she had recovered. She steeled herself up, matching his gaze with her own. "I mean every word." In response, Vanguard fiddled a bit with his harness and pulled something out. He handed the object to Twilight, who looked at it curiously. "If you're truly grateful then take this," he said. Twilight inspected the object carefully. It was a coin made of silver. On its face was the picture of a hoof descending from a cloud. What appeared to be a wolf, a bear and a snake were underneath the hoof. The snake and the wolf had managed to turn around and bite the fetlock of what was surely a giant pony. The bear had taken a swipe at the hoof and succeeded in cracking it. On the other side of the coin were the words "No one else needs to suffer" written in simple engraving. "It's beautiful, if a little morbid," Twilight said. "What is it for?" "It doesn't matter," Vanguard said. "Keep it. Don't show or mention it to anyone." He looked so serious that Twilight simply nodded in agreement. She took the coin and placed it in her bag, between the pages of the book she had brought along. "Thank you," Vanguard said softly. With that he led her to one of the doors in the hall and opened it. Inside was a small room bare of anything save for a single bed, a dresser, a chair and a desk. "You can stay here and rest up. His highness will summon you once he's ready." A little confused at his reactions, Twilight nodded and entered the room. She immediately collapsed on the bed. She had been walking for hours and was glad for a chance to rest. She would have appreciated a bath too. She was still sweaty and grimy and she was going to meet a prince. When she turned around, however, Vanguard had already closed the door and left. An hour passed before Twilight heard someone knock on the door. She opened it, expecting Vanguard, and was mildly disappointed as well as intimidated when she found a pair of guards instead. Their full barding made it look like a pair of pony-shaped statues had come to fetch her.

"Miss Twilight Sparkle, his highness, Prince Terrato of Equestria has asked to see you," one of the guards said. His voice was muffled and metallic when he spoke. She nodded and followed them. They walked silently just ahead of her, one at each side. A few minutes later and Twilight was looking up a pair of enormous double doors, each one more than five times her height. They opened into a massive chamber before her. The chamber looked similar to Princess Celestia's throne room only lacking in any decoration. Guards lined the sides of the room and a carpet extended from the throne all the way to the doors. Twilight's gaze followed the carpet as she went in. She was halfway into the room when she saw the pony who sat at the end of the stairs. Atop the stairs was a gray alicorn. He was much bigger than Princess Celestia herself. It wasn't just height either. He was heavily muscled, with powerful wings and a strong neck. His mane was a stream of deep red fire that blazed across the back of his neck, as was his tail. Unlike Princess Celestia or Princess Luna who wore bejeweled broaches around their necks, this one wore a thick chest plate of unadorned, dark gray metal. His neck and legs were similarly covered although he wore no facial covering or any sort of crown. Immediately, Twilight felt her knees grow weak. She knelt on instinct, her face averted. If there was any doubt in her mind before as to whether this Prince Terrato was actually related to Princess Celestia, it was banished. "I am Terrato, the ruler of this realm you're in, chosen," Terrato said. He looked at her with eyes of a darker, almost black shade of gray and he spoke with a deep and powerful voice that resounded across the chamber like a distant earthquake. "Tell me your name." "T-Twilight Sparkle, your highness." Twilight replied. "Something interesting happened to me this morning, Twilight Sparkle, would you care to hear about it?" "As you wish, your highness." Twilight looked up to find that Prince Terrato was descending the stairs. At a closer view, she saw that his horn did not taper into a fine point but rather into a blunt edge, as if the tip had broken off. When he stretched his wings,

she noticed that his left wing was also about a couple of inches shorter than his right. The tip of the wing appeared to end in a rough edge. "This morning, my eldest and dearest sister, Celestia, decided to contact me," Terrato began. "A noteworthy event indeed. She's hardly ever contacted me for so many centuries. Why, for all her avoidance, I'd say that it's almost as if she doesn't give a crap about this place." One of the nearby guards stifled a snort, as if he was about to laugh. Twilight swallowed a protest and kept on her knees as Terrato continued. Despite his words, he didn't sound angry. Indeed, he sounded amused. "A hysterical little dragon had come to her screaming about how somepony called "Twilight Sparkle" had disappeared in a flash of magic. Coincidentally, she felt that someone had just broken through her barrier. A bit of logic later, she decided to task me with find her missing protégé who had accidentally teleported herself a few thousand miles off target and ended up in my realm." Terrato stopped directly in front of Twilight and gestured for her to rise. "You're fortunate that you happen to be particularly important to Celestia. Otherwise, I am obligated to execute you or keep you here forever. Since she insisted, I'm going to send you home." "Thank you very much, your highness," Twilight replied in a subdued tone. Kill her? For just stumbling into this place? All the questions she had been asking silently since she came to this place started coming back. "You look like you have a bunch of questions to ask, Twilight Sparkle," Terrato remarked. "Or is that constipation? I haven't interacted with you chosen ponies for a long time. If it's questions, go ahead and ask. Otherwise, the fort's medics might have something for you." "Your highness, I would like to know why you must keep this place a secret. Why are there "chosen" ponies who must not know anything about you or what you do?" "That's quite a thirst for knowledge you've got." Terrato said with a chuckle. "No wonder you take to Celestia's teaching with ease!" He was silent for a moment. When he spoke, his amused tone was gone. "To explain, I'll have to start at the beginning. Celestia, Luna and I founded Equestria in hopes of creating an ideal kingdom of peace and harmony for all ponies," he began. "Even at the very start, however, the three of us soon came to

realize that such an ideal would remain just that. Equestria was surrounded by other realms; Fenrir's Wolvengard to the north, Arugek's Ursinium to the west and Sesyth's Ophidus to the south. Each of them wanted a piece of our realm and was more than happy to send armies to invade." Terrato's voice darkened as he continued. "Equestria became an embattled realm. While Celestia and Luna governed, I led the ponies who rose to defend their homes against these invaders. We succeeded in protecting Equestria thanks to everypony's courage. That and our neighbors were just as happy to attack each other. Time and again, we repulsed waves of invaders. Celestia, however, wasn't happy with mere victory in battle. The presence of war ruined Equestria for her. Fear and hatred of our enemies was understandably commonplace, as was the desire to learn more about fighting and killing. This was not the Equestria she hoped to rule. She brought this up with me and Luna and we agreed on her plan." Terrato paced the hall as he talked. Twilight couldn't tell if the memory of his past angered or saddened him but he looked quite grim as he spoke. "Celestia took the ponies who were the least influenced by war and gathered them at the center of Equestria. There she raised a barrier, separating them from the rest of the world. The vast place enclosed by the barrier became known as "Equestria Proper" or "Heartland". While Luna ruled by her side, she entrusted me with the task of defending the surrounding lands with the ponies who were not chosen and keep Wolvengard, Ursinium and Ophidus from breaking through. It was a task I willingly accepted. Here I am now, centuries later, and my duty continues. Do you understand know, Twilight Sparkle?" Twilight's eyebrows furrowed in deep thought. She did understand but the implications were horrible. "Princess Celestia kept all this a secret to keep the influence of war away from the realm she wanted to rule," she said in shock. "I can't believe this! All this time we've been living happy and peaceful lives while others did the fighting! And they do so without being recognized!" "That's the gist of it," Terrato said with a smile. "This…this is wrong! This can't continue!"

"Well, that's a reaction I didn't expect. Regardless, I have a question too. How did you get here?" Twilight told the prince her story. At the mention of the skeleton and the gem she found, his eyes narrowed in recognition. "Do you still have that gem?" Terrato asked. "Yes, your highness," Twilight answered. She reached into her bag and pulled out the stone. To her surprise, the sphere was now dull gray and cold. "Looks like a mana battery," Terrato said. "A big one too. No wonder you botched your teleportation. A unicorn could use something that big to blow up a quarter of this fortress." "I've never heard or read of such a thing before," Twilight said. "It's a tool for war." Prince Terrato explained. "Much too dangerous for everyday use. You could have blown yourself up if it wasn't for your high level of magic. I'm going to have to talk to Celestia about this. As for you, it's time to go home." "Your highness," Twilight spoke up, "is it alright for you to share all that information with me?" "Well, you don't look like a blabbermouth," Terrato said. "But that's not important. It's alright for me to tell you everything since you're going to subject yourself to a memory lock spell. You won't remember a thing by the time you get back to Equestria Proper!" "But...but what was the point of telling me if I'm just going to forget?" "It felt good to tell a chosen pony my story. Therapeutic, you might say. However, it's either that or I kill you or you stay here forever. Celestia will not allow any information about the Barrier Lands leak into her realm. It's only because you're her precious protégé that she's risking this spell." Twilight considered refusing but she remembered everyone back home. They would miss her and she would miss them. It was a hard choice. Then she remembered the contents of her bag. Perhaps…

"Very well, your highness," Twilight replied. Smiling, Prince Terrato lowered his head and touched the pony before him with his horn. A flash of light emanated from him, searing away Twilight's vision.

When she could finally see again, Twilight found herself sitting in the middle of her living room. All around her, there were scattered books and papers. "T-Twilight?" someone from a corner asked. Twilight looked about to find Spike huddled by the corner of the room. "Twilight! It's really you!" The baby dragon rushed forward, tackling Twilight with a fierce hug. Tears trickled down his cheeks as he sobbed out his words. "I was so worried! I thought you were gone for good! I…It's so great to have you back! What happened? Where did you go?" Twilight hugged Spike in return. "I…I don't remember," she answered. She cast about her mind, trying to recall what had just happened. She remembered casting a spell by a cave and…nothing. "How long was I gone, Spike?" "You were gone since yesterday noon and it's evening now," Spike answered. He wiped away his tears and looked at Twilight in concern. "Are you alright? Are you hurt? What happened to your eye?" "No," Twilight answered. Her eye felt swollen and painful but she was otherwise fine. That wasn't she was concerned about, however. She was gone for a day, a day she had no memory of. She took the bag she had on and shook out its contents to see if she could find a clue in them. A few books tumbled out but what caught her attention was a metallic ping of something striking the floor. She picked the object up and inspected it. It was a small, silver coin.

Chapter 4 The Wheels Turned With Twilight Sparkle sent safely back to Equestria Proper, Prince Terrato found himself in a fortress of rather anxious ponies waiting for him to issue orders or explain his presence in their fortress. He had heard the frightened whispers going on among some of the legionnaires, that he was here because Fenrir was going to lead the next wolven attack. That was untrue. Several centuries had passed since he, Fenrir, Arugek and Sesyth formed a pact to not involve themselves directly during battles. It was, perhaps, the only thing they agreed on. He still remembered the last battle he had directly participated in. It was here in FangBreaker Fortress where he led his ponies against Fenrir and his wolven. He had charged into the fray, laughing as he faced the giant wolf's gaping maw. The two of them eagerly threw themselves at each other in a frenzy of hooves, horn, fang and claw. When the battle rage in both of them faded enough to let them gain some awareness of the battle, they were already fighting alone. Terrato remembered that sight well, a carpet of corpses as far as the eye could see. The sight was sickening, an image he knew he would carry into the centuries. One look at Fenrir's eyes told him that even the giant wolf knew that they had gone too far. The pact took place only hours later. It was probably because of that battle which was why his presence unnerved the ponies of FangBreaker Fortress. He would have to assure them that that was not his business here. "Clear the room," he said. At once, all the guards in the audience chamber filed out of the doors. Once he was alone, Terrato concentrated on a spell. His horn glowed softly as an image of his older sister slowly materialized before him. "I've done as you asked, Celestia. I trust that your protégé is now back in her home?" "She is," Celestia replied. "Thank you for finding her and bringing her back, Terrato." Terrato stared quietly at his sister for a while. A millennium had passed since he had last talked to her and now, he suddenly gets to speak with her

twice in a day. She was still as he remembered her to be; radiantly white, her rainbow mane soft and flowing, her chiseled features regal and her eyes piercing yet calm. He noticed the change as well. There was an air of tension around her. Tension that he recognized with ease after many interrogations of ponies who had broken his laws. He saw defensiveness, suspicion and a slight hint of fear. He had once had a portion of his wing torn off by a lucky swipe from Arugek but seeing these things on his sister's face was a deeper wound. Outwardly though, he remained flippant. "You're welcome," he said. "You have an interesting student. She managed to use a pretty big mana battery without blowing herself up." "She's my protégé," Celestia replied with a hint of pride in her voice. "Funny things, those mana batteries," Terrato continued. "This whole matter reminds me of an incident out here around two hundred years ago. A rather high-ranking unicorn in my legion decided to see what the realm he had been defending looks like without permission. So he stole a couple of those mana batteries to sneak past your barrier. After that, he sort of just disappeared. You wouldn't know anything about that now would you?" Celestia remained perfectly calm when she answered, "I don't know what you're talking about, Terrato, but if that unicorn threatened to bring war to my realm, he brought whatever fate he met upon himself. Terrato quelled an urge to snort. Being lied to his face was not a pleasant sensation. "That business aside, we didn't really get to chat this morning," he said. "Tell me, how's our baby sister? I hear she's back from her thousand-year time out." "Luna is doing well," Celestia replied. "She's still recovering after all she's been through." "That's nice. Perhaps I'll have a little chat with her later." "Terrato, she's scared that you'll still want to kill her after all this time." "Now where did she get that silly idea? Don't tell me you didn't fill in that crater I left from the last time!" "Terrato."

Terrato let out a sigh. "Alright, I'll admit it," he said. "I still think I should have just executed her. Better a swift death than a thousand-year shackling to an abomination." The defensiveness in Celestia's tone increased. "She's back and she's fine," she answered. "How can you tell me that I made the wrong decision?" "Are you sure?" Terrato turned grim as he spoke. "Can you honestly tell me that there are no lingering traces of Nightmare Moon?" "Why must you bring this up, Terrato?" Celestia looked away when she answered and Terrato already knew the answer to his question. "Because you're doing it again, Celestia!" Terrato stomped a hoof for emphasis, causing the walls to vibrate briefly. "You're hatching another half-baked plan that's going to turn around and bite your flank! You know as well as I do that a memory lock is not perfect, that a unicorn as gifted as your student is capable of breaking it with enough effort." "Twilight Sparkle has no reason to try and break the memory lock. She also needs a trigger and that's something she does not have. After a few days, she will be glad to dismiss that missing time in her mind." "That's a naïve plan." "Enough!" Celestia's voice cracked. "She is my student and a pony of my realm! I will decide her fate, not you!" "Is that so? Then tell me what your decision will be when she does remember! Banishment? Death? Do you think she will submit herself to another memory lock? If she spreads word before you catch her, how many ponies will pay for that slip?" "That will never happen," Celestia answered. The hurt in her tone caused her brother to hesitate. "You promised to abide by my decisions, Terrato." "I promised to defend you," Terrato answered, his tone soft. "I have and I still do."

Celestia didn't answer again. Terrato could only sigh and then dismiss the spell. "See you in a thousand years, dearest sister," he muttered. He left the audience chamber and walked towards the Fortress Commander's office. He had been receiving reports of a large amount of movement from the wolven recently. He may as well see to that while he was here.

It wasn't long before Vanguard Clash heard from one of the guards that Twilight Sparkle had subjected herself to a memory lock and got sent home. In his own quarters within FangBreaker Fortress's barracks, he had plenty of time during his break to think about what had happened. His barding was resting on a stand next to his bed while his weapon hung by a wall. It was going to be some time before he would need them. Part of him was relieved to know that she had not been executed or forced to stay in the Barrier Lands for the rest of her life. Another part questioned why he should even care, the same part that had earlier protested when he gave Twilight Sparkle his legionnaire emblem. It was an impulsive act on his part. He had hoped that Princess Celestia valued her precious student enough to want her back in Equestria Proper. He had also guessed that the only way to accomplish that was to somehow keep Twilight from remembering anything that happened to her here. Counting on those things, he had handed her the emblem with the faint hope that it would help her overcome the spell. It was only after he left Twilight did he start to question why he would do such a thing. What had he to accomplish by having a chosen pony live with the knowledge of what happened out here? He risked Princess Celestia's and Prince Terrato's wrath for a cause he wasn't sure he believed in. Vanguard had never felt the need to be validated for what he did for Equestria like Pyre Valor and some ponies did. He felt no connection to Equestria Proper or its ponies and he didn't care if they knew he existed or not. The Barrier Lands were his home and he would fight to defend his home from invaders. His loyalty to his home also meant loyalty to its ruler and, if Prince Terrato supported Princess Celestia's decision to partition her realm, then he wasn't going to question his leader. He believed that wholly. Why then did he suddenly want to bring the truth to Equestria Proper? 'No,'

he thought. 'This has nothing to do with Equestria Proper. I didn't do this for a bunch of ponies that I've never met.' That train of thought led Vanguard to a conclusion he had suspected but wanted to avoid. It wasn't for ponies he had never met but for a pony that he did meet. "Why won't you give me a straight answer? Every time you explain something, you just throw in more questions!" To Vanguard's surprise, he had actually felt sheepish back then. Leading her on and then giving almost nothing was wrong and he admitted it. He felt that he owed her some answers. Perhaps it was the way she asked. She had an inquisitive nature, a sincere desire to find out that somehow shone through despite being in a strange land and suddenly being exposed to a violent encounter. He wanted to reply to that nature but he also knew that it wasn't his place. Prince Terrato would decide how much she should know. Still, the thought of her leaving this place and returning home with nothing didn't sit well with him. It was that discomfort that pushed that emblem from his hoof to hers. A knock on the door forced Vanguard to put aside his thoughts for later. "Who is it?" he asked. "It's Pyre," came the answer. "May I come in?" Vanguard opened the door and found himself face to face with his vicecaptain. Pyre Valor looked a little surprised when she saw him, likely because he was unarmored. Then she cast her eyes aside, not quite willing to meet his gaze. "Need something?" he asked. "I…I wanted to apologize," Pyre Valor spoke quietly, a far cry from the angry unicorn who looked like she was going to burn everything nearby to a crisp. "I was acting like a nag during the mission, questioning your orders and letting my temper get the better of me. It's just that…the chosen had me seeing red. I didn't expect that actually meeting one would rile me up so badly." She exhaled before continuing. "I'm making excuses. No wonder the commander picked you as captain." "We both know that Dreadstep likely picked between the two of us by flipping a coin," Vanguard answered.

"Well it's clear now that he didn't have to." Vanguard let out a sigh and put a hoof on Pyre's shoulder. "Apology accepted," he said. "Besides, you more than made up for it when we attacked that wolven camp. The entire place stank of roasted wolven once we were through." He said with a grin. "So says the pony who cut his way to Cold Hoof before he could get up and find out what the ruckus was about," Pyre Valor returned the smile when she replied. "Poor nag probably crapped a pile while staring at your blades." Vanguard nodded and then walked over to his bed. "I'm going to catch up on some sleep before our squad gets sent out again," he said. "Need anything else?" The unicorn was silent for a while. Vanguard swiftly noticed the change in her mood. "Vanguard…do you really think that Cold Hoof was insane?" "He tried to sell out an entire fortress of his fellow ponies to Wolvengard," Vanguard replied. "I don't care what his reasons were. Anyone who can run off and let hundreds of ponies die is mad and has to be put down." "I see. Enjoy your break then, Vanguard." With that, Pyre Valor left the room and closed the door. Vanguard lay down on his bed and stared at the ceiling. "Catching up on sleep, huh?" he said to himself. His thoughts shifted from one unicorn to another. Evening was approaching. He wondered if Equestria Proper experienced night and day at the same time as the Barrier Lands. He shook his head. 'I'm over thinking things,' he thought. 'That emblem is probably gathering dust at some forgotten corner of her house, if she hasn't tossed it into a gutter yet.'

Spike was awake to the morning's first rays as was his routine. He had breakfast to prepare then bedrooms to tidy up. The tedium of daily chores never did bother him much but it bothered him even less today. He was only too happy to maintain a house for two occupants once more. 'Gonna

have to tidy up the library too,' he thought. 'She was really at it last night.' He decided to delay breakfast and cleaning up Twilight's bedroom and started tidying up the rest of the house. Twilight was probably still asleep. Who knows what she went through when she disappeared? Not only that, she started going through her books when the weird coin fell out of her bag. She was still at it when he headed for bed. Once most of the house was cleaned up, Spike headed for the library expecting an utter disaster of a mess. When he got there, his jaw dropped. He was partly right. Books had been strewn everywhere; flung across the floor with telekinesis, stacked into piles on the tables or haphazardly replaced in the shelves. What he didn't expect, however, was to find Twilight still inside the library. Several books were open before her and she scanned through them quickly and thoroughly. "Twilight!" Spike said in alarm. "Don't tell me you've been here all night!" "Alright, I won't," Twilight said irritably. She closed one book and tossed it aside. Spike looked at the title; "Arcane Symbols and Associated Meanings". "Help me go through the rest of these, Spike." Spike stepped past several scattered books, glancing at their titles as he did so. "Ancient Equestrian Pictograms", "Magical Bestiary", "A Study on Heraldry", "Giant Ponies: Myth or History?" the pattern was obvious. "Not until you put those books down and get some sleep!" he said. "You look awful!" "What are you talking about?" Twilight snapped. "It's not that late!" "You're right. It's not late, it's early. As in early morning!" Twilight paused and put the book she was reading down. "What?" she asked. "That can't be true." Spike walked over a window and opened it, sending rays of sunlight streaming into the room. "Get some sleep, Twilight," he insisted. "That coin's not going anywhere. Besides, what's so important about it?"

Twilight looked at the silver coin and winced. Even looking at it nudged painfully at her mind. What was this thing? What it did mean? All she knew as that it was a clue to what happened to her during that missing time when she disappeared. Whatever it was caused a lot of uneasiness inside her. That and an incredibly urgent need to find out what it was. But she had found nothing during her frantic search. Not even the smallest reference to anything that the image on the coin could possible mean. The hoof crushing the creatures beneath it evoked wrath and violence but it also stirred feelings of nobility and sacrifice within her. It was probably because whoever the hoof belonged to had paid a price for attacking. The wolf, the bear and the snake seemed like enemies and their reprisal for being crushed looked quite painful. And then there were the engraved words on the back of the coin. No one else needs to suffer. What did that mean? She guessed that it was in reference to the hoof at the other side of the coin. It impressed on her that whoever the hoof belonged to had crushed these creatures and suffered their retaliation so that no one else had to. But all these interpretations were mere guesswork. She needed a reference of sorts. Those creatures may not even represent actual creatures but, instead, served as symbols for less tangible things. She couldn't understand why there were no references in the library and it was certainly a blow to the pride she had on the collection. She tried to stifle a yawn and failed. As much as she wanted to go on, she had to go along with her assistant. "You're right, Spike," she said. "I'm getting some sleep. Could you tidy things up here?" The baby dragon was both relieved and horrified by the response. He looked around him and cringed at the amount of work he was about to do. With a sigh, he got to work. He was going to miss getting to take out Rarity's trash for her. Ah, the sacrifices he had to make... Twilight staggered unto bed, staying upright long enough to place the coin on a bedside table. Despite her sleepiness, she was still thinking about what to do with the coin next. She'd probably have to Canterlot and visit its library. There had to be something there for sure. It was practically the repository of all existing knowledge on Equestria. Maybe she could also ask Princess Celestia.

At that moment, Twilight suddenly felt a sharp pain in her head. She winced and brought a hoof up to massage it. It wasn't just pain as well. The sense of urgency and apprehension she felt when she looked at the coin had increased in intensity. She took it as a sign that she was going in the right direction. With a plan in place, she let herself drift off.

Chapter 5 Confrontations For Twilight Sparkle, going to Canterlot always felt like going home. She had a lot of fond memories of this place; hours upon hours at the Great Library, lessons with Princess Celestia, powdered doughnuts and hot chocolate at Pony Joe's…those were wonderful days. They also felt like another lifetime, days when she didn't really bother with friends. Her time in Ponyville had taught her differently and she knew that her home will now always be that tree house library in a village instead of back here in this glorious city. Today, however, there was something different about the city. Ponies went about their business on the streets as usual but there was an unusual air about the place. Twilight could see it on the faces of passing ponies, worry and fear. There was also a large presence of royal guards out today. Normally, they would remain at the palace and send out a few patrols to maintain order, mostly settling quarrels that had gotten out of hand. A pony who would commit a crime was a rare pony indeed. "Excuse me," Twilight said as she approached one of the golden-barded ponies. "Has something happened?" "Oh, Miss Twilight Sparkle," the guard answered with marked respect. Most of the royal guard recognized her as Princess Celestia's protégé. "We're on a realm-wide search. Princess Luna has gone missing." "What?" Twilight gasped. "When did this happen?" "Around yesterday evening, as soon as the moon was out," the guard explained. "The princess was on a tour of Equestria when her escorts lost sight of her." "How is Princess Celestia taking it?" "Rather badly, it seems. She hasn't left her chambers since it happened. I should be going myself. Ponies might think I'm slacking off. Who knows what it'll do to my paycheck!"

Twilight's eyebrows furrowed in deep thought as the guard left. After Nightmare Moon's defeat, Princess Luna had decided to take a tour of Equestria, to see the world that she had not been a part of for a thousand years. Had she been kidnapped by grudge-holding ponies? That didn't make much sense. Luna had been forgiven by the pony she had harmed the most by her rebellion. Besides, she was still a powerful alicorn who could more than handle an attack by ponies or anything else for that matter. "I'm guessing that this isn't a good time to talk to Princess Celestia then," Spike said. "That's true," Twilight replied. "I hope they find her soon." "Are we still going to the library?" "Yes. We've come here already. It would be a waste to go home without doing anything." A few minutes later and they entered the Great Library. "Let's split up," Twilight said. "We'll cover more ground and get more research done that way." "Okay," Spike said reluctantly. "I still don't get why that coin matters so much to you though." "It doesn't matter. Keep it. Don't show or mention it to anyone." Twilight stopped in her tracks and clutched at her head as she felt a sudden searing pain. 'What is going on?' she thought. 'Why is this coin doing this to me?' "Twilight?" Spike asked worriedly. "Are you alright? Maybe going out wasn't such a good idea." "I'm fine," Twilight insisted. "We're going to do this, if only so I can stop having these headaches!"

"I hope that you find everything in the fort running to your satisfaction, your highness." Terrato stifled a sigh as he walked the halls of FangBreaker Fortress with its commander. "For the last time, Dreadstep, I'm not here on an inspection. I trust you enough to know you can run this place without anypony looking over your shoulder." "Indeed," Dreadstep replied with a cough. He smoothed his mustache as he walked by Prince Terrato's side, making sure to keep a few steps behind as he did so. "I would still wish that you be pleased by how I run things, your highness, even if that is not why you came here." "Well, I am," Terrato said. "I can tell that things are running quite smoothly here. So tell me about the wolven movements these days." "We are expecting an attack soon, your highness," Dreadstep replied grimly. "Our aerial patrols have been noticing a great mass of wolven gathering by our borders, including a great number of brachyurii and their berserkers." "That bad, huh?" Terrato remarked. "I'm sending reinforcements then. We haven't faced Fenrir's elite in a long time. He may have been banking on getting that info on this fort. Triple your security, Dreadstep. I doubt that this Cold Hoof was alone. Fenrir may be a brute but even he knows better than to just throw his best out there without some sort of advantage. He should know by now that he's not getting his info but he's still massing his forces." "Already done, your highness." "See? Without me directing things," Terrato said with a grin. "Now about those-" "Your highness?" Dreadstep asked. He looked at his prince to find the alicorn looking to the side, ears cocked and eyes narrow. The grin on his face had disappeared as quickly as it showed up. "The air here's getting a little stale for me, Dreadstep," Terrato said. "I think I'll go take a little flight. I may as well get out of your mane." With that, he cast a quick teleportation spell, reappearing just above the fortress. He had just felt a presence break through Celestia's barrier, a familiar presence

that he had not felt in a thousand years. 'Does nopony respect the meaning of the word "barrier" these days?' he thought. He winged his way to where the presence was. Far to the south of FangBreaker Fortress was a small circle of standing stones. They had been erected by ponies as a simple monument to the three alicorns who governed all of ponykind. It had been abandoned for a long time when the chosen migrated to the Heartland. Terrato descended just by its edge and looked to see who was there. He already had a good feeling as to who it was though. Standing at the center of the stone circle was a midnight blue alicorn, her mane a dark flowing mass of stars and her flank marked by the night sky. It's been so long since he last saw Luna and the last time they saw each other had been unpleasant. When she had been banished he still tried to remember her as the precious filly of an alicorn who was always by Celestia's side. He had envied Luna in a way. She governed alongside their sister while he led the charge. When she entered the room, Celestia would smile and gesture to her side. When he entered the room, Celestia braced for bad news. Luna's duty was to govern the night but Terrato always considered her companionship with Celestia to be a far greater duty. It was why he was enraged when Luna turned on their eldest sister. The sight of Nightmare Moon was waking nightmare for Celestia and the meaning behind the abomination's mere presence was an utter torment for her. He had wanted to destroy her. He believed it was a better fate than a millennium of imprisonment. If he had succeeded, Celestia would not have to live with the guilt of knowing that their sister still suffered. Not only that, the blame would have been placed solely on him. Terrato approached his younger sister casually. He let the ground rumble slightly as he walked forward as a way to alert her to his presence. Sure enough, she caught sight of him and seemed to hesitate slightly. When he came nearer, she steeled herself and stood her ground. He had to admit that he was a bit impressed. He dwarfed her in size and she was in his territory but she made it look like they were looking at each other eye to eye. "The last time we met, Luna, I'm pretty sure I made a decent effort to stomp you into the bloody dirt," Terrato said casually. "Now, what part of that

exercise in family-bonding made you think that it was a good idea to see me by yourself?" "That would be the part when I was wishing that you had succeeded, big brother," Luna replied. "And that happened often on the moon." "I can only imagine," Terrato muttered. "But that's history. Why have you come here? And why personally? You could have used your magic to contact me." "Our sister can eavesdrop on any communication spell that goes through her barrier and you know this. I came here to ask you a question without her hearing. When was the last time you visited the Heartland?" Terrato raised an eyebrow. "That would be last never," he said after a pause. He didn't consider the time he was there when Luna was banished. That was no time for sight-seeing and he had left immediately afterwards. "Good times," he added. "You should have visited it when it was first established at least," Luna said. "Then you'd understand better what has happened to it now." "What are you talking about?" Terrato asked. "I've been traveling around the Heartland and I can tell that a lot has changed," Luna continued. "The dragons have become more violent, as have a lot of other creatures. The griffons are becoming more and more territorial. Everfree's influence is spreading. There are stories of cockatrice and hydra attacks going around. Even among ponies, there's a great deal more strife than before." Terrato was silent in thought. Celestia's pacifism enchantments were weakening. The dragons and griffons had inhabited sections of the Heartland along with the ponies when Celestia decided to raise her barrier. She was loathe to cast them out so she had agreed to let them stay if they subjected themselves to her enchantments. Had she tried to reinforce them? He shook his head and dismissed the notion. Making it stronger would break the creature affected and turn it into a perfectly calm, walking statue. And then there was Everfree. That damned primordial forest resisted alicorn magic. It was a patch of untamed wilderness within Celestia's carefully ordered realm. "It figures that the dragons would

eventually learn why they have sharp pointy things at the ends of their tails," he said. "Celestia can manage her realm, Luna. These things are not my concern." "It's her managing that's making me worry!" Luna insisted. "Big sister won't say it but I can tell that she's considering banishing the creatures that are becoming too unruly for the Heartland! Banishing them here!" "Good," Terrato said offhandedly. "I could use more legionnaires. A squadron of griffons would be especially nice down south." "Be serious, big brother! Our sister is slowly losing control of her realm! Who is going to be next in line for banishment? Ponies who throw their pies a little too hard?" "And what do you expect me to do about it, Luna?" Terrato asked harshly. "Go over there and take her place?" "Put an end to this division," Luna pleaded. "Come to the Heartland and show everypony the truth. Big sister won't banish you with so many enemies at our borders." "That is not my place!" Terrato growled. "Celestia is Equestria and it is my duty to defend her, not to make her decisions for her! And why should I trust you, "baby sister"?" I can still smell Nightmare Moon on you." He sniffed the air and wrinkled his nose. "It may have been a thousand years but there's no forgetting that cheap soy sauce smell." "If the Heartland turns violent, what do you think this will do to her?" Luna asked. "She needs to let go of this ideal. If not, its collapse will be too much for her. If you really are Equestria's Defender then this is your duty!" "I don't need an abomination-infested rebel of a sister to lecture me about duty," Terrato said menacingly. "Go home, Luna. Celestia will know that you came here. I'll tell her that you snuck here to visit me. You know, to mend things between us and to show me that you're completely free of Nightmare Moon, which I don't think you are. She'll scold you for acting rashly and that's it. Now go. You should be supporting our eldest sister, not plotting behind her back!"

"You cannot hide out here forever, big brother," Luna said. Her hurt expression was painful for Terrato to look at. He had gone too far and he knew it. "The changes will force you to act." With that, her horn flashed a deep purple light. In a blink of an eye, she was gone, on the wings of a powerful teleportation spell. Terrato looked southward, to Equestria Proper's direction. "You are the eldest and it is your will that must be followed. That's just how things go." He remembered telling Celestia. He was so sure back then, so confident that Celestia will steer them through anything. All he had to do was do his duty. She had told him that what she was doing was for the best and he had agreed. It wasn't just him. Every pony agreed, even the ones who were to be left in the Barrier Lands. That was the kind of loyalty she inspired and he admired her for it. He was not going to turn his back on his duty now. He flapped his wings and took flight back to FangBreaker Fortress. He had an impending attack to deal with.

The wolven-shaped target was a good sixty feet away when Pyre Valor lobbed a fireball at it. The tiny sphere flew unerringly through the air, landing gracefully on where the head should be before exploding. The blast was controlled, however. There was barely a scorch mark on the ground when the flames cleared. She had been practicing her aim all throughout this particularly slow morning. Commander Dreadstep had not summoned her squad for any mission and the inactivity was making her uneasy. There was a great mass of wolven out there and she should be burning them by the job lots, not their wooden cut-outs. 'And then what?' she thought to herself. 'I could burn thousands of those misbegotten mongrels and there will be more. There's always more.' "Hey, vice-captain!" somepony suddenly called out. Pyre Valor looked up and found Scarlet Rabbit hovering above her. "This better be important, Scarlet," she said. "It sure is!" Scarlet replied. "You look like you could use a drink. I could use one too so how about we have a few over at Storm Brew's?" "Have you been drinking all this time?" Pyre asked.

"Most of it," Scarlet replied with a grin. "It's not as fun if I'm the only one doing it. Blademane won't even say anything to me and I think the captain's still trying to recruit that chosen from yesterday!" "Trying to do what?" Pyre asked incredulously. "What makes you think he's trying to recruit that chosen?" "Well, I saw him hand her a legionnaire emblem," Scarlet replied with a shrug. "I chased after him after he had said that he was going to escort her to a guest room. I was going to ask him if he'd let me have a couple of drinks on his tab since he wasn't using it." "Focus, Scarlet!" Pyre said, now serious. "Are you certain that he gave her a legionnaire emblem?" "Of course I'm sure! I'm a scout and we're good at spotting things! You're not going to argue with him about that, are you? I mean, that chosen isn't really such a spoiled, filthy nag like you said. I smelled her! She smells like she takes a bath everyday!" Pyre Valor didn't even hear the rest of what Scarlet had to say. She walked off, leaving the perplexed pegasus to hover there by himself. The implications of what Vanguard had done were all coming to her now. He had taken a great risk all for the sake of bringing the truth to Equestria Proper. If he was ever discovered, he would be hanging by the fort's courtyard as an example. It wasn't just the consequences that were shocking. She had known Vanguard since they were recruits whacking at straw-stuffed wolven dummies and galloping laps around the fort. She never expected this from him. Vanguard would often dismiss his promotion to captain as a fluke on a coin toss but she knew the truth of the matter. They were both good at what they do but Vanguard was chosen for a trait she didn't and vowed never to have. He was Prince Terrato's ideal soldier, a loyal, unflinching pony who defended the Barrier Lands without question. It was as if the Heartland and the injustice that its existence represented didn't exist for him. As far as Vanguard was concerned, the Barrier Lands were all of Equestria. Pyre Valor couldn't see it that way. The truth was too important to ignore. In everything that she did, it remained at her periphery, that she was doing all of these things so the chosen could live in their idyllic kingdom. The thought

was sickening. She knew that the truth would have to be shown to the Heartland no matter what the cost. There were nights when the outrage kept her awake and it bothered her. There had been a point when she considered it a flaw on her part. It was why she apologized to Vanguard just the other day. But now things were different. Vanguard felt the same way. He was just far better at hiding it than she was. He was naïve though. He put his faith in a worthless nag of a chosen. His emblem was as good as wasted. Worse, if the chosen did remember, she would most likely immediately run to Princess Celestia and inform the alicorn of what Vanguard had tried to do. Vanguard would be a dead criminal in a matter of hours. Pyre wasn't going to allow that. He was a bit of an idiot but he knew what must be done in the end. If she could force all of the Heartland to see the truth, he may be saved. "Vice-captain!" someone called from ahead of her. Pyre Valor looked ahead to see Blademane walking towards her. He saluted before speaking, his voice monotonous as always. "Commander Dreadstep wants to see our squad, vice-captain. May I ask if you know where the others are?" Pyre gestured behind her shoulder. "You'll find Scarlet back at the training grounds if he hasn't gone back to Storm Brew's. I'll fetch Vanguard. Thank you, Blademane." Blademane merely saluted again and walked on. Pyre Valor's eyes narrowed. The timing was perfect. During this mission, she will have to confront Vanguard about this.

Chapter 6 Where Faith Lies FangBreaker Fortress had always been a renowned place throughout the Barrier Lands. Standing proudly on a lone hill far to the north of Equestria Proper, it was the Northern Equestrian Legion's primary bastion against the armies of Wolvengard. Its walls had witnessed countless waves of vicious wolven soldiers try and fail to take over the Barrier Lands, grand showdowns between King Fenrir and Prince Terrato and the rise and fall of many pony heroes. To be stationed at FangBreaker was an honor among the ponies of the Barrier Lands. It was to stand at very tip of Equestria's north and to stare down the wolven king's gaping maw, to fight side-by-side with the most stalwart of ponies. There were stories of high-ranking officers willing to be demoted if a low-ranking position within the fortress opened. Despite the structure's austere design, something that Prince Terrato had insisted on during its construction, the ponies of FangBreaker Fortress continued to look upon it with a reverent sense of awe. Everything about it just seemed proud and defiant against the forces that continually assaulted it, from its compound walls to its multiple barracks and courtyards capable of holding a large army. Not every area in FangBreaker Fortress was glorious and awe-inspiring, however. Within the fort's inner courtyards was a row of buildings marked by their multiple, perpetually smoking chimneys. They housed the fort's great kitchens where ponies worked constantly to keep the garrison fed. They were supplied by the farms to the south where the land was more fertile. Most of the garrison often avoided the kitchens. It was swelteringly warm and the cooks were often violently short-tempered when somepony got underhoof. Culinary experiments also often occurred there. The fort's cooks were constantly trying to create the perfect rations for long-range patrols. It had to be easily portable, long-lasting, filling and nutritious. The smells from the many failed results have been known to knock unsuspecting passersby unconscious.

Despite the risks, Vanguard Clash often visited the kitchens. It was something that he made sure he did, at least, once a week. This morning, just after the day he had encountered the chosen, he had decided that it was time for another visit. He had arrived just as everypony was finishing clearing up breakfast preparations. The staff already recognized him and quickly passed the word to the pony he wanted to see that he was around. "Sharpfangs!" one of the cooks called out. "Your son's here to see you!" Vanguard watched as his father looked up. Even while surrounded by so much bustling activity, he could spot his father. Sharpfangs stood out in many ways. The name alone puzzled anypony who had never encountered him before. His appearance, however, often left ponies staring in bewilderment. He had a gray coat, something that Vanguard inherited from him, but his coat had noticeably longer hairs which feathered by his hooves. His mane was a wild, feral mess of wiry hair and his eyes were slit and bright red. The most peculiar thing about him was his namesake, a pair of fangs that protruded slightly from his upper lip. "Vanguard!" Sharpfangs exclaimed. "About time you showed up! How did the new concentrate work for you?" "It tastes like cardboard!" Vanguard let himself smile slightly. "A major improvement," he answered. "Excellent," Sharpfangs said. "Looks like commissary did manage to get better supplies this month. Are you here for more then? Don't tell me the concentrate's so good that you've been snacking on it!" "Just seeing how you are," Vanguard replied. "I heard that mother's long range patrol just flew back in. Have you seen her yet?" Sharpfangs snorted before answering. "Your mother has too many things to do to be bothered by an old dog." "So you haven't seen her," Vanguard said with a sigh. "This constant selfdeprecation isn't going to help either of you, father." "Your mother and I will do just fine, boy," Sharpfangs reassured his son. "We're not going to fall apart over an argument no matter how much

equipment ends up broken afterwards." He suddenly looked past Vanguard and smiled. "Besides, you have your own relationships to deal with." Vanguard looked behind him and saw Pyre Valor from a distance. She was walking towards him, her face completely serious. He guessed that their squad was up for another mission. "I'm doing fine with my relationships," he answered. "Which means you haven't proposed to her, right?" Sharpfangs asked with a toothy grin. "Move quickly, boy. You may have not noticed but neither of us are studs. Pass up a mare like that and you may as well cut them off and use them for wolven bait!" "I think I'll keep them a while longer, father." Vanguard replied. "It looks like I'm needed, though. I'll see you soon." Vanguard left the kitchens and went over to meet up with Pyre Valor. She saluted him as he approached, a sure sign that they had work ahead of them. "Captain, Commander Dreadstep has sent for our squad," she said. "Blademane should be on his way with Scarlet Rabbit as we speak." "Understood," Vanguard replied. "Let's go then." A few minutes later and Vanguard was already standing inside Dreadstep's office with the rest of his squad. They saluted their commander with respect. Dreadstep had been in charge of FangBreaker since even before they were foals and he had never led the defense wrong. The earth pony weathered his age well. Despite the lines around his face and his salt-andpepper mustache, he moved about with ease and his eyes remained bright with vigor. "Good that you've arrived, Captain Vanguard Clash," Dreadstep spoke. "Yesterday was a hectic one, what with our prince's sudden arrival and the matter with the chosen. You've yet to be properly congratulated for successfully slaying Cold Hoof and bringing back the information he stole. The Northern Legion's Special Operations Division should be proud to have you and your squad as a part of them." "Thank you, commander," Vanguard replied. "We have merely done our duties in service to the legion."

"Indeed and you're about to serve the legion some more," Dreadstep said. "I have a new task for your squad. Our long-range patrols just reported that the wolven are transporting some kind of large device towards our border. We need a closer look as to what it is and your squad will be our eyes. Sabotage it if you can. Here's its last location." With that Dreadstep handed Vanguard a rolled up map. "Scarlet, I have a different task for you. We need an important message sent to Bastion City down south. Our last messenger ran afoul a squad of wolven bolters. You're our fastest flier and this message can't wait." "Understood, sir!" Scarlet Rabbit replied. To Vanguard and the others, Dreadstep gave a salute as he spoke. "Take care. This will take you right up to our borders. The wolven army is on the march over there." "You mean to say that they are transporting this device…ahead of their army?" Vanguard asked. "Indeed." Dreadstep replied. "It's a curious object; a small structure carried around by wolven. It can't be good news." "We're going then," Vanguard said. He saluted and left; his squad right behind him.

It was already close to evening when FangBreaker Fortress faded completely into the distance for Vanguard's squad. They had been walking silently across the plain for hours now and Vanguard could not help but feel the steadily rising tension between him and Pyre Valor. The unicorn walked directly behind him and he could feel her eyes on his rear. Something was going on and he didn't like the feel of it. He checked the map that he had been provided with. They had made good time so far but the wolven detachment's last location was still a good distance away and it was likely that it had moved on. "Wouldn't a detachment of pegasi be more adequate for this mission?" Pyre asked once Scarlet was gone. "They could swoop in and take out that structure while we trek down here looking for it.

"Our patrols are going out as soon as they're coming in," Vanguard replied. "We haven't recovered from that disastrous ambush from two weeks ago so we're short on pegasi. The fortress just doesn't have any to spare for an aerial raid. The low number of pegasi recruits from this year's draft doesn't help either." "And they even have to pull our pegasus for deliveries. What about reinforcements?" Pyre asked. "I heard that we've got a few squadrons coming in from the southwest. It's going to take them some time to get up here, however." "They'd arrive sooner if they flew directly instead of skirting around the Heartland." "There's no point in complaining about something that's been going on for a thousand years." "And that's how it gets to keep happening for another thousand years." Vanguard didn't bother replying. Pyre Valor had been railing against the Heartland for as long as he had known her, and will likely continue forever. "We'll set up camp here and wait for Scarlet to report. You know the drill, vice-captain," he said. Camp was easy enough to set up. Despite the difficulty in gathering things to use for a fire, they were ready in a matter of minutes. For once, Vanguard wished that they had taken some more time in preparing. The silence between him and Pyre Valor was becoming exhausting. Blademane had gone off to gather more material for the fire, leaving the two of them alone. "If you have something to get off your chest, Pyre, now's the time," he finally said. He sat by one spot near the fire while Pyre Valor sat opposite of him. "I was about to say the same thing, Vanguard," Pyre replied. "I've been speaking my mind often enough. I want to hear what you have to say this time." "What are you talking about?"

"You know the injustice that the Heartland stands for. Even now it's affecting us; reinforcements taking too long to arrive, an untapped population of pegasi, unicorns and earth ponies that could aid the war not being used while we have our backs driven against the wall." "The legion has overcome crises like this before, Pyre," Vanguard replied. "We stand strong on our own, without involving the Heartland." "That we stand on our own is the problem," Pyre insisted. "You're right, Vanguard, the legion has overcome crises like these before. But it has always been at a cost and the ones paying have always been us. It's time to put an end to how things are going. Even you believe this!" "I believe in no such thing!" Vanguard replied angrily. He didn't appreciate anypony putting words in his mouth. "You don't think that the truth should be brought to the Heartland?" Pyre asked. "I don't care a mule's bit for the Heartland!" Vanguard snapped. "It may as well be a myth. I fight for my home, the Barrier Lands. It's about time you did the same too, Pyre Valor." "Then why did you give your legionnaire emblem to that chosen?" Pyre asked. "Isn't it so that she would remember the truth once she reached the Heartland? Isn't it so that it would spread from her to the rest of the chosen?" Vanguard was stared silently at Pyre Valor in surprise. How she managed to find out about what he had done, he didn't know. He recovered swiftly, however. "Is that what this is about?" he asked. "You've put your faith in that chosen. Do you really think she's going to spread the truth once she's home? She's going to repay your trust by sending you off to die for treason!" "I don't expect Twilight Sparkle to spread the truth or some such thing," Vanguard answered calmly. "That's not why I gave her my legionnaire emblem. However, I do trust her enough to not try to kill me." "Then why did you give her the emblem?"

"She wanted to know about this place," Vanguard answered. "I just wanted to give her a chance to keep that knowledge even if she just keeps it to herself." "You're going to die, Vanguard Clash, and now you're telling me that you're going to die over a triviality?" "Call it what you will. It's done." "It doesn't have to be," Pyre Valor said. She was calm all of a sudden and the sudden change of mood disturbed Vanguard. "I can still set things right and save you from this…temporary insanity." "What are you talking about, Pyre?" Vanguard asked suspiciously. "What have you planned?" "I've been thinking about what Cold Hoof had done. You're right. He was mad and needed to be put down but that doesn't mean that there is nothing to be salvaged from what he was trying to do." "Get to the point," Vanguard growled. He didn't like where this was going. He could feel himself tense up. He had sat through all of Pyre Valor's most fiery tirades but this was the first time he felt threatened. "We're expecting a major attack on FangBreaker soon," Pyre Valor began. "Cold Hoof was trying to give the wolven the advantage. Imagine what would happen if the fortress does fall." "Hundreds of ponies will die," Vanguard answered without hesitation. "Wolvengard will gain a foothold in the Barrier Lands. They'll be able to launch raids all throughout the north while the legion scrambled to recover, an utter disaster for all of Equestria." "True," Pyre Valor continued. "The loss will be staggering. Reinforcements from the Western and Southern Legions will never arrive on time. Unless…" Her eyes brightened and it wasn't just from the fire light reflecting off them. "…Prince Terrato demands that Princess Celestia allow his soldiers to travel directly through the Heartland. She'll have to or she's going to have the wolven howling at her very doorstep. Even her barrier won't stave them off forever. The chosen will finally see the ponies that have been defending them for so long! And that may not even be enough.

Ursinium and Ophidus won't miss this opportunity to launch their own attacks. The Heartland's resources will have to be used along with the Barrier Lands'. Drafts would be initiated. Legionnaires and chosen will have to fight side-by-side to recover." Vanguard stared silently at Pyre Valor for a while. He couldn't find the voice to speak. He didn't even recognize who he was talking to. This…unicorn talked of a disaster as if it were the best thing that could happen to Equestria. The way she spoke sounded completely alien. "Hundreds will still die," he answered, his voice rising. "And why are you even contemplating this? Such a thing will never happen!" "But it can," Pyre Valor replied. "You didn't look at Cold Hoof's bag before handing it to me, did you?" "No," Vanguard replied tersely. "I trusted you to check it." He looked around briefly, nighttime was quickly settling. "There was more inside than just the layout of FangBreaker Fortress. Cold Hoof has been in contact with Wolvengard's high command itself. He promised them the plans and he's not alone. There are other ponies in FangBreaker who are willing to hand it to Wolvengard." "You knew this and you did nothing!" Vanguard snarled. He got up to his feet, glaring at Pyre Valor." "I didn't want them discovered!" Pyre Valor answered, her voice matching Vanguard's. "This has to happen, Vanguard! This is the only way we can force Prince Terrato to act!" "Have you already forgotten the hundreds that will die?" "Hundreds of thousands have already died! Died in obscurity while the chosen enjoy their peace and harmony! This is the final push, Vanguard, the final sacrifice that the legion must make so that all of Equestria can join the fray!" "You…" Vanguard said in disbelief. "…you've been planning this for a long time. Even before Cold Hoof!"

"I've given it a lot of thought. I only discovered that a conspiracy was already in place last night. We can take over where Cold Hoof failed. The attack is still coming and the sabotage will still take place." "What do you mean 'we'?" Vanguard asked, his voice low and dangerous. "You're suggesting treason, Pyre, and you want me to take part in it?" "You've already committed treason! Whatever you believe the reason was for what you did for that chosen, I believe that even you want the truth to be known!" "You believed wrongly. This conspiracy ends here, Pyre Valor." "Think this through carefully, Vanguard. We have the chance to change a millennium of injustice." "And where will you be when this 'change' takes place?" "I will stay in FangBreaker and fight to the death. No running away from what I started." "How very noble," Vanguard growled. "That's not enough!" "Nothing I do will ever be enough for the sacrifice that must be made." "Then you have no right to make it!" "Don't do this, Vanguard! I believed in you! I trusted you to see what needs to be done!" "Don't talk to me about trust, traitor!" With both of them on their hooves, Vanguard rushed Pyre Valor, hoping to catch her by surprise and knock her down before she could get a spell off. She had anticipated the move, however, and had run off to gain some distance. He was about to follow when somepony charged against his side. It took him a great amount of effort but he managed to stay on his hooves. With a grunt, he pushed back at whatever was pushing him. He found himself struggling against the larger Blademane. "What are you doing, Blademane? Don't you know what she's planning?"

"Irrelevant," Blademane replied without emotion. "I side with Pyre Valor, right or wrong." Before he could reply, Vanguard cried out as he felt a horrible, searing pain to his right side. He looked to where he was struck and saw that a portion of his barding was smoking. His right side felt like it was ablaze. Pyre Valor had struck him with a bolt of flame. It wouldn't be long before a barrage of them followed. He broke off from Blademane and made a run for it. He knew that he could not take on the two at once and he needed to survive to warn FangBreaker. Pyre Valor was a good distance away when she saw Vanguard make a break for it. She concentrated on a spell and aimed it at the fleeing pony. Vanguard's injury had slowed him down. Despite the darkness, she could see him just enough to make her aim perfect. The fireball flew unerringly as it always did. It alighted gently on Vanguard's shoulder and then exploded. There was no dying cry but, to Pyre Valor's surprise, Vanguard staggered out of the blast. His smoking body fell to the ground and did not move. That he had not burned to nothing surprised her. Did she weaken her spell unconsciously? Still, there was no surviving that blast. All she had done was leave a reminder of what she was forced to do. Blademane came up to her and stared at their fallen captain. "Should we make sure?" he asked. "No," Pyre Valor said softly. She looked away and walked on. "I can barely even look upon him at a distance." "Won't the body be discovered?" "The wolven will be here in a day or two. No one will know. Let's go. We'll set up camp and report back that we were ambushed and had to flee before we saw the structure." Pyre Valor looked at Vanguard one last time. Her lips settled into a grim line as she fought back a wave of unwanted emotion. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I truly am. We'll see each other soon, Vanguard. Take your vengeance then."

Chapter 7 Necessary Crimes For his entire life, this would be the first time Spike would ever say those words to his friend. He had never asked her to give up on anything she wanted to learn about, not even back then when he felt that she could use a bit more socializing. Whenever Twilight studied, she was serious and focused, even relentless at times. Her dedication to magical knowledge was the best proof of why she received her cutie mark and why the ruler of all Equestria wanted to be her teacher. But this was too much. They had been in the Great Library all afternoon and they had yet to get even a sliver of a lead. What bothered him was that she hadn't even taken the time to talk with their friends. All of them had been extremely worried when they heard that Twilight was missing. He was becoming more and more afraid that she was reverting to that time before she went to Ponyville, when all she could think about was magical study and she had to be ordered to go out there and make friends. "Spike, I need to find out about this," was Twilight's answer. Minutes had actually passed between his remark and her answer. She was still going through books at a frenetic pace. "We haven't found anything since we got here," Spike insisted. "Not even a clue. I really think that some pony just engraved a random picture on a coin which randomly ended up inside your bag." "You know I don't accept "random" as a reason for anything," Twilight answered. "There's no other explanation for something that has absolutely no information about it anywhere! We've tried, Twilight. We've got nothing to go on after all this time." Twilight put the book she was holding down and sighed. Spike was right. She had absolutely nothing to go on despite all the time she had spent on this coin. Even a sentence worth of reference would have been enough to spur her on but absolutely nothing was…disheartening. Maybe this was just

a wild goose chase in the end. Perhaps the headaches would go away on their own after some time had passed and that missing time she had wouldn't really matter. "You're right, Spike," she said glumly. "Perhaps it's time to admit defeat on this." Spike fought down a grin that was about to show up on his face. He shouldn't look happy at the prospect of Twilight "losing" to a mystery she couldn't solve through her research but he was relieved that she was finally going to move on. "Let's go home," Twilight said with a smile. Spike didn't take a lot of pride in his empathy but he knew a forced smile when he saw one. "Sure," he said. The two of them walked out of the Great Library to find that the sun was already starting to set. Despite the day almost coming to an end, there were still a lot of ponies out on the streets, including members of the Royal Guard. Curious, Twilight walked over to one of them. "What's going on now?" she asked. "Haven't you heard?" the guard replied. "They've found Princess Luna. Good timing too, it's almost night. I heard that she just walked over to her panicking escorts like nothing was wrong." "Well, that's good news," Spike said. "Indeed," Twilight remarked. "But what's all the commotion out here for?" "Princess Luna is coming back to the palace," the guard answered. "Everypony wants to see if she's alright." True enough, a crowd began to gather around the street. Twilight joined them to get a closer look. She hadn't seen Princess Luna since her brother's wedding. She couldn't help but be a little curious as to how the younger princess was doing. With Spike on her back, she slipped through the crowd to improve her view, making sure that she didn't push rudely against any pony. She managed to get to the front of the crowd in time to see the princess show up.

Princess Luna's appearance was strangely simple. She had walked up to the street quietly with a pair of royal guards at either side. The crowd murmured as she passed by. The atmosphere was a mixture of relief and curiosity with traces of suspicion. Not every pony was willing to forget Nightmare Moon and the threat of eternal night. Luna seemed to bear it all with quiet dignity. She looked straight ahead, her face completely calm. "That's weird," Spike commented, making sure no one else heard him. "I thought she'd be the sort to ride around in a carriage. Why is she even walking?" "She's spent the last thousand years in isolation," Twilight guessed. "She may prefer to take in as much of Equestria as possible. Maybe she's just taking her time." Before Spike could reply, a pony suddenly jostled against Twilight. She recovered in time to avoid getting knocked down but her bag had been knocked about by the bump. She heard the distinct sound of something metallic hitting the pavement and immediately feared the worst. Sure enough, the coin that had brought her all the way to Canterlot on a wild goose chase had fallen out of her bag and was now rolling its way to the princess.

Though she was already walking the streets of Canterlot, Luna's thoughts were still about the Barrier Lands. Her meeting with her brother had gone rather badly. Better than what she had expected but still badly. Despite a thousand years of being confined outside the realm he was defending, Terrato was still fiercely dedicated to Celestia. 'Blindly so.' she thought. What he was doing only seemed loyal but her recent travels across the Heartland had given her a different and unexpected view point. Terrato had to act or the damage will be too much. It was her visit to her brother's realm that was the reason why Luna was taking the time to walk through Canterlot instead of just flying through or using a teleport spell. Just as Terrato had said, Celestia knew of her departure from the Heartland the moment she broke through the barrier. Though she wanted to resume her travels as if the Barrier Lands were just a quick, unscheduled detour, it wasn't long until she received a message that her sister wanted to see her. So she found herself dawdling as she

answered the summons. She had to admit that she was scared. Even though Terrato had provided an excuse for her to use, she was still hesitant. Despite the constant murmurs of the watching crowd, a light metallic ping caught Luna's attention. A small object rolled from the crowd and then bumped lightly against her hoof. Out of curiosity, she picked the thing up and examined it. It appeared to be a coin made of silver. When she brought one of its sides up to see what was there, her eyes widened in surprise. The Equestrian Legion's emblem glinted slightly, catching the dimming rays of the setting sun. "Who dropped this?" Luna immediately asked the crowd. The sudden urgency in her voice set every pony nearby aback. Even her escorts looked shocked. Silence swept the crowd as everypony looked to see who had dropped the coin that was bothering their princess. "I did, your highness." After a few more tense moments, somepony finally spoke up. Luna looked to see who it was and nearly gasped. She recognized the unicorn who was walking towards her slowly with eyes apologetic and movements hesitant. Her two escorts stepped forward to intercept the pony but she motioned them back. "Twilight Sparkle," she said the name softly. Here was a connection she hadn't expected to happen. One of the ponies who had saved her from Nightmare Moon now possessed an object that all but represented another growing crisis in Equestria. "I'm so sorry, your highness," Twilight said. "I was jostled and it just fell and-" "Don't worry," Luna interrupted. She smiled a little to put the unicorn at ease. "I'm not mad, just a little surprised. Where did you get this?" Twilight looked at the coin and winced slightly, something that Luna quickly took note of. "I-I'm not sure, your highness. I've been trying to find out more about it but-" Luna handed the coin back. When Twilight reached out to take it, she suddenly leaned closer and whispered, "Meet me by the palace gardens

after moonrise. Come alone and don't tell anypony. And, whatever you do, don't show that coin to anypony else." Puzzled, Twilight was about to ask what was going on but the sudden serious look on the princess's face stopped her short. She nodded quietly and backed into the crowd as Luna went on her way.

From the palace's gardens, Luna watched her handiwork with a measure of both pride and gratitude. The moon's light filtered gently through the leaves of the garden's various trees, illuminating everything with faint silver. That she could cause something so beautiful lifted Luna's spirits and that her elder sister had returned this duty to her filled her with a sense of gratitude. A lifetime ago, she had been bitter over the seeming lack of appreciation for her task. She was only beginning to discover now that the night was beautiful because of the peace that it covered Equestria with and the sight of ponies being able to rest at the end of the day was just as much tribute as the sight of them enjoying the sun. While standing by herself in the garden, Luna felt some of her resolve falter. Just earlier, her elder sister had spoken to her about what had happened during her tour. She followed her brother's story and was relieved when Celestia believed her. It wasn't a complete lie anyway. She did want to meet her brother and show him that she was free of Nightmare Moon's influence, an effort that ended in her being called an abominationinfested rebel who smelled of cheap soy sauce. Celestia had much kinder words to say about the situation. Just as Terrato had predicted, all Luna received was a very mild admonition about suddenly going off without a word. That she was going about in secret, trying to bring about something that would inevitably hurt her sister, weighed Luna down with guilt. 'I'm not doing this because I believe that she's a tyrant who needs to be deposed,' Luna reminded herself to gather her resolve. 'I'm doing this because I love her and this needs to be done to help her.' Despite her choice of words, Luna wasn't sure about what exactly she was about to do. Twilight Sparkle might arrive any time soon, expecting that this meeting had something to do with the coin she had. All of a sudden, Luna wasn't sure about the entire meeting. She had thought about telling Twilight Sparkle what the emblem on the coin meant,

which would reveal the truth about the legion's existence. But there were a few things that made Luna hesitate. Doing this would surely bring a lot of trouble to Twilight Sparkle. She was Celestia's favored student and one of the Elements of Harmony but even all of that may not save her from being exiled or worse if Celestia believed it was necessary to keep the Heartland "safe". Why was it even necessary for her to know about the legion? Part of Luna wanted to avoid bringing others into this and just confront her elder sister. That same part of her berated her for going through things in a roundabout manner. 'No,' she thought. 'If I speak out, it would just be seen as another rebellion from the jealous little sister. If she hears from one of her subjects that this division is wrong, she may listen.' "Your highness?" At the sound of Twilight Sparkle's tentative call, Luna shook her head, trying to come to a decision. "I'm here." she replied. The guards had altered their patrols slightly to keep this part of the garden private as was Luna's request. As she had also requested, Twilight Sparkle was alone. The baby dragon who was accompanying her earlier was gone. Luna had wondered how her sister's protégé had acquired a legionnaire emblem but yet seemed to have no idea of what she had. She had detected a faint aura of magic around Twilight Sparkle that she recognized as Terrato's. That confirmed what could have happened. Twilight Sparkle must have somehow come to the Barrier Lands and Terrato had cast a spell to cloud her memory. Luna couldn't help but wonder how the legionnaire emblem fit in. Could it be that Terrato planted it there to break his own spell? Was he moving before she even talked to him? Or was it somepony else from the legion? Twilight bowed as was only appropriate when faced with royalty. She had told Spike to go home without her and then came to the garden as she was asked. She couldn't help but be a little excited as well as curious. Princess Luna recognized the coin. Finally, after hours of fruitless research, she had stumbled over a clue. Perhaps the engraving on the coin was so obscure that only royalty knew anything about it. She approached the princess slowly. Princess Luna seemed lost in thought and Twilight was unsure of whether breaking the princess's reverie was a good idea. After some time, the princess snapped out of her distraction and looked directly at her.

"Twilight Sparkle," Luna said. "I haven't thanked you properly for saving me from Nightmare Moon." "I didn't do it by myself, your highness," Twilight replied. She beamed a little inside at the thanks but she kept her tone humble. "All of my friends helped in defeating Nightmare Moon." "True," Luna said. The mention of Twilight's friends made the decision even harder for her. The truth will bring trouble not just to Twilight Sparkle but to all her friends, ponies who will quickly rush to her side without hesitation. She could be condemning six ponies, the same ponies who had done so much for her, to exile. "I should thank them all as well when we meet. Do you have that coin with you?" "I do," Twilight said. She reached for her bag and pulled out the coin. The silver glinted in the moonlight. "If it pleases you, could you tell me more about it?" she asked. "I was going to ask Princess Celestia about it but-" "If you show this to my sister, you will never see or hear about it ever again." Seeing Twilight's surprised expression, Luna softened her tone a bit before continuing. "I understand your curiosity, Twilight Sparkle, but let me warn you now that the knowledge behind this emblem will bring a lot of trouble to you. My sister has done much to keep the knowledge about this emblem hidden and learning about it goes against her wishes." "G-goes against her wishes?" Twilight said in shock. She nearly dropped the coin in her surprise. All of a sudden, it felt unnaturally cold. The picture, though seemingly noble was now tinged with a sinister gleam. "I didn't know that this thing was evil! I should just get rid of it then!" "I never said that," Luna interrupted. Twilight Sparkle's reaction was more proof to her of how much of an influence her sister still had. 'And I'm dealing with her student too,' she thought. This entire thing might backfire or amount to nothing given Twilight Sparkle's loyalty to Celestia. Even if she heard the truth, she could just ignore it or even agree with Celestia's decisions. "Please listen to me carefully, Twilight Sparkle. It's true that my sister does not want anyone to know about what this coin means but that doesn't make it evil. Far from it, should the knowledge get out, it will be ultimately for her own good." "How is that possible?" Twilight asked suspiciously.

"I'll leave it for you to find out," Luna answered. "You can walk away now, Twilight Sparkle. Get rid of that emblem and forget about everything about it. You can go back to Ponyville and enjoy life. Or you can let me tell you the truth about it. Then you'll be carrying a terrible burden. It won't be just you either. Others could be dragged into the resulting mess. But please, trust me when I say that it will be for my sister's sake in the end." Twilight stared at Luna quietly, her face twisting in confusion and indecision. She found herself suspecting that the younger princess was up to something sinister. Perhaps Nightmare Moon had not been completely defeated after all but, looking at Princess Luna right now, that suspicion just didn't seem to hold true. Luna looked right back at her with an intensity that defied any accusation of lying. Twilight had to suppress an urge to take a step back. She looked at the coin on her hoof. The sight of it was causing another headache and the promise of an answer being so close was making it feel worse. What was the story behind this coin? Why all the secrecy? The urge to find out was still strong within her, as strong as it was the moment she saw it fall out of her bag. "H-how do I know that what you're saying is true?" "I can't offer any proof," Luna said. "All I can promise is that you can hear what I have to say and walk away. Whatever you plan to do with what you've learned is up to you." The reassurance did little to quell Twilight's uneasiness. Her natural curiosity wanted to find out but her loyalty to Princess Celestia stubbornly refused to have anything to do with something that went against Equestria's ruler. But why would Princess Luna actually reveal that it was against Princess Celestia's wishes to know more about it? Her uneasiness continued to grow as the realization that Princess Luna was telling the truth crept upon her. Finally, after several agonizing minutes, Twilight nodded. "Please tell me," she said. The back of her mind screamed in protest but she steadfastly ignored it. She was going to find out about this. Once she did, she would decide what to do. Better to know and make her decisions than sit around in the dark. Princess Celestia would understand. She would never do anything to harm her mentor. But if this knowledge could help… "Thank you. This is an emblem of the Equestrian Legion. For you to have this-Twilight?" Luna stopped when she saw Twilight clutch her head with her front hooves. "Twilight, are you alright?" she asked.

The steady buzz inside her head exploded when Twilight heard the words "Equestrian Legion". A flood of images and words suddenly came at her. "Captain Vanguard Clash of the Northern Equestrian Legion." Twilight's mind focused on the image of a dark-barded pony standing on a vast plain, a plain that was both Equestria and not. "The legion…does things that would only cause disruptions if they became common knowledge." The image shifted to an angry, white unicorn whose fierce glare seemed to pin Twilight to the spot despite being only a memory. "Your mighty and wonderful Princess Celestia likes to pretend that her realm of peace and rainbows doesn't need us!" The image shifted again. Enormous, wolf-like monsters leapt from the darkness, red eyes glowing menacingly and fangs dripping saliva. Several ponies charged against these beasts, the dark-armored pony included. Blasts of fire erupted and blood sprayed. She could hear somepony laughing in the distance. Finally, the battle faded and there stood a gray pony, an alicorn even bigger than Princess Celestia with a fiery mane and a broken horn. "And here I am now, centuries later, and my duty continues." Suddenly, everything began to make sense. Something within her mind seemed to resist as she desperately tried to piece together what the images meant. She recognized the presence of magic and fought back. "I…I remember…" Twilight gasped. The block within her memories shattered and everything came flooding back; the legion, Prince Terrato, the war at Equestria's borders… Luna looked at the unicorn with a mixture of shock and admiration. 'Amazing,' she thought. 'All it took was a few words and she broke the memory lock on her own. Just how much potential does your student have, big sister?' That was when she realized that she had done it. She had allowed knowledge of the legion's existence to seep into the Heartland. Despite Celestia forgiving her for her rebellion and giving her back her

duties, she had once again gone against her elder sister. But this time, it was different. A thousand years ago, she had rebelled out of selfishness and petty jealousy. This time, her rebellion will be for Celestia. 'And I was just beginning to enjoy Equestria,' she thought wryly. To Twilight she could only say… "And what you do with that knowledge is up to you, Twilight Sparkle."

Chapter 8 Wolven on the Move He woke up to unbelievable pain, a burning agony that enveloped his entire body. He ran his hooves across his face. He was alive somehow, alive and awake. He felt his wakefulness but he couldn't see anything in the darkness. For a horrible moment he feared that he had gone completely blind. Then he saw a sliver of light from what he deemed was a few feet away. He hadn't gone blind but he was in a dark, enclosed place. He was lying on his side on a makeshift bed made out of large pieces of cloth and each attempt at moving brought about waves of pain. As his senses slowly focused so did his memory he remembered an argument, a quick fight and then the bright flash of an explosion occurring right next to him. "Pyre Valor," Vanguard Clash growled. Even speaking was a difficult effort for him. He was remembering more coherently now. Pyre Valor had asked him to betray the legion with her and he had refused. He had known her for years but he had not expected that she would do such a thing. Not even with all her grousing over the Heartland's injustice. Perhaps he had not known her as well as he thought he had. Years of friendship collapsed to worthless rubble during their last conversation and then Pyre Valor ignited the remains with a fireball that took him out. He tried to raise his head and groaned as he failed. How had it come to this? Did he misjudge Pyre Valor completely? Had he been too complacent? He tried to recall memories of Pyre Valor, looking for things that he had taken for granted. She might have shown signs years ago while he remained steadfastly ignorant. Had they drifted apart without his even realizing it? She had thrown a fireball at him, a killing spell that she favored against her enemies. She had done so without hesitation. Clearly, her belief in this cause of hers was deep-rooted enough to let her sacrifice others. The memory of that last moment when the fireball struck him flashed before his eyes. Then there was Blademane. He had sided easily with Pyre Valor. That part of his betrayal didn't surprise Vanguard now that he thought about it. Blademane had always been by Pyre Valor's side, a silent guardian and

ally who did everything she asked without question. Scarlet Rabbit often poked fun at the quiet stallion for being so devoted. Vanguard had underestimated that devotion. He thought it was simple attraction and Blademane's way of courting. Now the stallion had committed treason along with the object of his affection. He was hurtling headlong to an early demise and he did so without a word of complaint. Vanguard didn't know how he had survived. Pyre Valor was notorious for her fire spells. A direct hit from her fireballs left nothing but scorch marks. There were no burned bodies, piles of ash and certainly no survivors. Perhaps his armor had saved him but it would have also melted into redhot goo that would have fused with his coat. His burns were painful but the pain meant that the damage was skin-deep. A deeper burn would not have hurt at all. That made it clear that the fireball that had struck him was weak. The only answer was one that he despised. Pyre Valor had spared him. Unconsciously or not, she had held back at the last moment. "Curse you, Pyre," he growled under his breath. He could have handled it better if she had tried her best to kill him. He would have considered her an enemy and he could have focused on doing his best to kill her with equal fervor. That his friend might still be in there left him frustrated and angry. "Why do you have to complicate things even more? Why couldn't you have hit me with your best shot only for me to survive out of pure luck?" He winced again as he shifted his weight. He made another attempt to stand but his legs were wobbly and refused to support him. Realizing that he was stuck here for some time, he touched the sides of the space he was in. His hoof felt canvas. He was in a tent. The tent's front flaps suddenly opened, sending a stream of ruddy, redorange light flooding inside. The brightness hurt Vanguard's eyes, forcing him to squint at whoever had opened the flaps. He was greeted by a pair of bright red eyes and a pair of toothy jaws. All of a sudden, he realized that thinking that he had survived Pyre Valor's attack was an overestimation of his fate. He was in a tent with a wolven, likely in the middle of a wolven camp. "So the strange-smelling thunder-foot is awake," the wolven rasped. Vanguard guessed that it was female from the tone. Her words were thick and a little clumsy but she spoke his language well. "Keep your head down

and stay still, thunder-foot. If we wanted to eat you, you'd be bones by now. Do not undo my remedies with your foolish struggling." At "remedies", Vanguard checked his body. He realized that he was covered in bandages. Most of his flanks and torso had been wrapped up. He could feel some bandages around a portion of his face as well. He looked at the view beyond the tent's flaps and noticed that it was night. The light coming into the tent was coming from a large bonfire. Through the lurid glow he noticed a strange, slimy concoction was oozing through some of his bandages, a salve of a sorts perhaps. "Why have you spared me?" he asked. "Our scouts found you half-dead and burned," the wolven replied. "They brought you here thinking to share the meal but I smelled you." The wolven licked her lips as she continued. "I knew what you are from the smell. You didn't smell like a true thunder-foot. Now you stare at me with wolven eyes and I am sure." "You're speaking in gibberish," Vanguard said. "That's because you listen with thunder-foot ears," the wolven snarled. "It doesn't matter what you think, only what I know!" the wolven moved her face closer to Vanguard's until he could smell her reeking breath. He could hear her sniffing and the sounds made him wrinkle his nose in disgust. He then noticed her broken, yellowed teeth and realized that this was an old wolven he was talking to. "I know your smell, breaker. Under all that thunder-foot stink, I can smell the faint odor of wolven. You can hide under all that metal." the wolven glanced at the pile by one corner of the tent. Vanguard followed her gaze and saw his armor. "You can hide in cursed Terrato's herd but I can smell you out." The old wolven cackled and rasped. Vanguard could barely tell where the laughter ended and the hacking cough began. "I know what I am and so does everyone in the legion," he said. "If you think that I'm ashamed of it you're wrong." "That is good for us, breaker!" the old wolven crowed. "Stand strong! Once your legs' strength matches your heart's we will let you go. Go back to cursed Terrato's herd and do what you are meant to! What Old Regiskra

has seen you are meant to do!" With that she left the tent, leaving Vanguard to his thoughts.

Regiskra walked out of the thunder-foot's tent and made her way through the wolven camp. She was in high spirits. The moment the thunder-foot had opened his eyes, he confirmed what she had seen. Everything was going according to her vision. "Regiskra!" a rasping growl of a shout came from behind her. "Why is that half-cooked thunder-foot still alive? We should have been tearing his entrails out the moment the scouts dragged him here!" "The thunder-foot has more important things to do besides fill your belly, Hasrok," Regiskra answered without looking back. "He will walk out of this camp alive." Hasrok, a massive, gray-furred wolven, bounded ahead of Regiskra and snarled at her face. "I lead this pack!" he spat. "He is a prisoner and I will decide what we do to him!" He drew himself to full height. Hasrok was bigger than any of the wolven in the camp, an aspect of him that made sure that he was their leader. He was covered in scars, vertical and diagonal lines that crisscrossed his face and body. These were no pony-caused injuries but marks of challenges against his authority. "He is The Breaker in my vision!" Regiskra snarled back. "He is the wolveneyed thunder-foot fated to break cursed Equestria no matter what he does! If you eat him, I will tell our king that you pushed our victory away from his claws! Then you can fill his belly!" At the threat, Hasrok backed down. He shifted his glare from Regiskra to the tent she had just left. "Your vision," he growled in mockery. "Even pups dream and they wet themselves as they do it. You force us out here in thunder-foot territory while carrying your altar for the sake of dreams! If all of this is a lie, you will fill my belly, old one!" "This old one will choke you while she goes down your throat, pup," Regiskra muttered. She walked past Hasrok and headed for the altar that he had been railing against. She was not worried by his threats. Her vision was coming true right before her eyes. And now, King Fenrir had entrusted

her with this important mission to call out Moon-Shadow, who had just been freed from her thousand-year imprisonment. The wolven altar was a large structure of wood, stone and bone. It rested on a massive cross-beam meant to be carried by a dozen strong-backed wolven while they were on the move. A simple wooden stair led up to a pedestal of stone that rested before a towering monument to their king's companion. Sharpened bones and sticks were lashed together to resemble a waning moon, Moon-Shadow's favorite image. A thousand years ago, Moon-Shadow sneaked into the heart of Equestria, using her cunning to slip past even cursed Terrato, who was distracted by Arugek's blundering invasion. She formed a bond with the fair Luna, the object of King Fenrir's desire. She attempted to cause a rebellion among the thunder-foots and cause eternal night but cursed Celestia had her own sister thrown to the moon, dragging Moon-Shadow along in imprisonment. Only recently had Moon-Shadow managed to return but she was defeated yet again, forced out of fair Luna's body by the thunder-foots. Now, King Fenrir wanted her back by his side. The altar was meant to anchor Moon-Shadow's wandering, incorporeal form. It just needed to be close enough to Equestria. With his companion by his side, King Fenrir could begin his invasion in earnest. "The wolven await your return, blessed Moon-Shadow," Regiskra intoned. "Let our howls guide you back to our pack so you may lend your might to our king." She let out a long, dolorous howl, one which was immediately followed by the rest of the camp. The altar began to glow an ominous purple light as their howls spread across the plain. Then, their howls ceased as a deep purple haze streaked across the sky from the south. The wolven around the camp whimpered and cowered with their tails between their legs as the haze descended upon the altar. Regiskra grinned fiercely and stepped forward. "You honor us with your presence, blessed MoonShadow. Our king wishes you to come to his side as he moves against cursed Terrato and his wretched herd." The purple haze swirled around the altar, its amorphous form creating the image of a pair of eyes. "You have done well, old one." It spoke in an oily and soft voice. "Tell Fenrir that I must stay here for a while longer. I have found a suitable host among Terrato's thunder-foots, a unicorn

who may not match Luna in power but more than exceeds her bitterness and rage. I will return to Fenrir's side with the ruined remains of FangBreaker Fortress as a gift." Regiskra bowed low as she answered. "As you wish, blessed MoonShadow." The glowing haze flared briefly and then faded away. The rest of the wolven camp murmured in awe as Regiskra descended the altar. Hasrok was already waiting for her at the base. "Even blessed Moon-Shadow knows that the thunder-foots are about to fall." Regiskra sneered at the bigger wolven. "Will you still bark your scorn at my visions?" "I see pretty smoke and an old dog talking to herself," Hasrok growled. "I will not believe until I am standing on FangBreaker's rubble and feasting on the thunder-foots who defend it." "Then sharpen your appetite, Hasrok," Regiskra replied. "You will be feasting soon." She turned her attention towards the rest of the gathered wolven. "Blessed Moon-Shadow has heard our prayer! She goes now among Terrato's wretched herd to rend them from inside." The camp erupted in cheers at the mention of Moon-Shadow. "We will do our part as well. We will release the wolven-eyed thunder-foot and send him back to FangBreaker." At that, the wolven fell silent and murmured among themselves. "Do not doubt!" Regiskra assured them. Her rasping voice rose to dramatic heights. "We do not do this out of mercy. He is The Breaker from my vision. He fights for the thunder-foots but he will be their downfall. He will turn cursed Terrato against his sisters and set thunder-foot against thunder-foot. When the blood-haze of their infighting fades, the wolven will feast on the remains!" The camp burst into cheers and howls when Regiskra finished. Still grinning, she retired to her tent to tend their "prisoner." Hasrok could only watch and sneer at her ability to play the crowd.

Vanguard had not remained idle inside the tent when Regiskra left him alone. He struggled to his hooves and, when that failed, he dragged himself closer to the tent flaps to see what was going on. As he suspected, he was in the middle of a large wolven camp. This one was much bigger than the

last one he had attacked. This was no tiny party of scouts. It was an advance unit of Wolvengard's army. There were scouts of course, the smallest of the wolven, but there were also their warriors who were much bigger than their scouts and much more armored. Their collars bristled with spikes while their flanks and shoulders were covered in layered plates of metal. He even saw a couple of their berserkers: enormous wolven that were twice the size of any pony with bulging muscles and freakishly huge jaws and claws. Vanguard knew better than to focus just on the strengths of his enemy, however. Even though he was badly injured and had just gone through the betrayal of a trusted friend, he still took note of information he believed was useful. He saw the argument between Regiskra and the big wolven and noted that there was a power struggle within this pack between the leader of their warriors and what appeared to be some kind of seer or shaman. He also saw what happened at the strange structure at the center of the camp. It must be the same structure that Commander Dreadstep had told him about. So it was an altar meant to call something that had been hiding in Equestria. The mysterious entity that Regiskra called forth was worrisome. Whoever and whatever this "Moon-Shadow" was, it was bad news for the fortress and these wolven made no secret that FangBreaker was their target. It was a shame that he could not hear what the thing and the crone had been talking about. And then there was Regiskra's constant referring to him as "The Breaker". Vanguard snorted at the thought that he was a part of some convoluted wolven hallucination. He had no intention of "breaking" the legion. Far from it, he had to make it back to the fortress now in order to save it from Pyre Valor's betrayal. Still, if it meant that he could escape this wolven camp and make it back, he was willing to go along with their so called prophecies. When he noticed Regiskra walked back to the tent, he dragged himself back to the makeshift bed. The friction from rubbing against the ground caused his burns to sting horribly, a pain he bore quietly. Regiskra poked her head through the tent flaps and grinned at the sight of Vanguard. "Were you watching, wolven-eyed thunder-foot?" she asked. "Look all you want, there is no need to hide it. Play the loyal spy for cursed Terrato. Give him gifts of what you have seen, what you have endured and who you have killed. You will still be The Breaker."

"You spout overconfident lies, crone," Vanguard growled. "The legion will not be broken. Not by your king and certainly not by me." "So I'm a liar now?" Regiskra laughed. Vanguard's nose wrinkled as flecks of her spit landed on his hooves. "We will see, wolven-eyes. Now rest and gather your strength. You will need it for your return to your precious fort." With that she settled over the other side of the tent and closed her eyes. After some time, her breathing became steady and a rasping snore escaped her mouth. Vanguard settled down. With his injuries, he was in no condition to go anywhere. Despite the strange circumstances, he had to take advantage of them and get back to FangBreaker. Still, though he scorned at the so called "visions" of this crone, he felt a great uneasiness. His thoughts suddenly shifted to what he had done just days ago. What if the crone's vision meant that? Had he set about events that would cause the downfall that these wolven were talking about? All he wanted was a chance for somepony to remember what she experienced out here. Perhaps that was a foolish triviality as Pyre Valor had said. Being executed for it was something he could accept. Watching Equestria break because of it would haunt him beyond death. 'Twilight Sparkle…have I made a mistake?' Though he was tired, Vanguard remained awake. He stared at the top flap of the tent thinking of what the purple unicorn was up to. Had she thrown away his emblem and went about her daily life? After seeing what was happening here, Vanguard could not help but hope for that. He was beginning to regret following that impulse days ago. Perhaps she had remembered and Equestria Proper was in turmoil. For the sake of a triviality, he had indeed become "The Breaker". Even the mere thought of it caused Vanguard Clash to shudder in horror.

Chapter 9 Rage and Resolve The loud music that came from Pinkie Pie's house surprised and disturbed nopony in Ponyville. Every passing pony could guess that there was another party inside the strange hybrid of house and cake but that would be as noteworthy as saying that the noon sun currently shining in the skies was hot. Inside, five ponies and a baby dragon enjoyed themselves with dancing and food. There was a sixth pony in the house as well, one who wasn't enjoying the festivities laid out before her. Of all ponies, it was the celebrant. Try as she might, Twilight Sparkle could not bring herself to go along and have fun with everyone. The enormous "Welcome back, Twilight!" banner made her feel a little guilty. This party was for her and, so far, she's been acting like a stick in the mud. It wasn't a subtle act either. It wasn't long before her friends began to notice. Sure enough, a certain orange-coated pony walked up to her with a look of concern. "You okay there, partner?" Applejack asked. "Can't help but notice that you've been under the weather all day." "I'm fine, Applejack," Twilight answered. "I'm…just not really in a celebrating mood right now." "I told Pinkie that we should give it a few days before throwing anything!" Applejack continued. "That filly had to insist that this was what you needed after…whatever it is that happened to you. Can you believe that she threw a "Welcome back" party yesterday? And when you didn't show up, she turned it into a "Hope Twilight finds whatever she's looking for in Canterlot" party?" "Oh, I can believe that," Twilight said with a giggle. "Two parties in a row is actually a remarkable show of restraint for Pinkie." "Well, you're smiling a bit. That's an improvement. Cheer up, Twilight, whatever happened, you've gone past it and that's worth celebrating."

"I guess it is. Thank you, Applejack." Applejack grinned and nodded before heading over to join Rainbow Dash over at the apple bobbing tub. Twilight shook her head in an attempt to clear it and made her way towards the buffet table. Applejack was right. She had gone past the experience. Her friends were here and they were happy. She should be happy too. 'As Princess Luna said, I can just walk away. Give it a few months and I will forget everything about the Equestrian Legion.' She looked ahead and noticed that she wasn't alone. Rarity was sampling the punch after a quick look at the bowl to check for stray alligators. Upon seeing Twilight, the white unicorn approached with an apologetic expression. "Twilight dear, I must apologize most sincerely for the trouble I brought to you," Rarity said. "What are you talking about, Rarity?" Twilight asked in surprise. "You've never brought me any trouble." "If I hadn't found that wretched gem, you and Spike wouldn't have had to go through all that trouble!" "That wasn't your fault at all," Twilight insisted. "You had no idea what gem was capable of and I was the one who was careless with it." "Still, I should have just let it be. I've thought about it and I realized that I was looting a corpse! A truly horrible thing to do!" "A corpse, that's right…" Twilight's voice trailed off. Spike had mentioned the dead pony inside the cave with the gem. Prince Terrato had called it a mana battery, a tool of war that shouldn't exist in Equestria Proper. For the mana battery to have found its way here would mean that the dead pony was probably a legionnaire. What had happened to him and why had he come here? Twilight shook her head once more. How was she supposed to walk away when she kept digging for answers about the legion? "Are you alright, dear?" Rarity asked with concern. "Yes, I am."

"Spike told me that you don't even remember what happened after you used your magic with that gem. Is that what's bothering you?" Twilight hesitated before answering. The answer was the opposite. She had remembered and that was what was bothering her. "Um…yes," she replied. Should she tell them? Part of her, the intuitive part, wanted to. It would ease the burden somehow. They were here friends it seemed only right that she be honest with them. The stern lecturer side of her disagreed vehemently. It was against Princess Celestia's wishes for one thing. The more ponies in on a secret, the less likely it would remain as such. And would she really involve them knowing that they could be punished for knowing what she knew? "I'm sure that everything will be alright whether you remember or not," Rarity said reassuringly. Twilight nodded in response. "Rarity, would you mind if I ask you a question?" she asked. "Well, you're already asking one," Rarity replied. "But of course, dear." "If Equestria was under attack and you were needed to defend it, would you go?" "Why of course! Far be it from me to avoid doing my part if all of Equestria was in danger." "What if the danger never went away? What if you had to keep defending Equestria? You'd have no more time for running a boutique or for any kind of fashion. Would you still go?" The mention of having no more time for fashion caused Rarity's eyes to widen. Twilight could tell that the white unicorn was picturing such a life so she waited a moment. Rarity grit her eyes briefly and shuddered before answering. "That would be horrible!" she replied. "Absolutely horrible!" "Then you won't go?" Twilight asked. "Of course I'll still go." "Even though that would be absolutely horrible?"

Rarity smiled wistfully. "Even if it would be absolutely horrible. That's what it means to give, am I right?" The answer left Twilight a little stunned. When she recovered, she could only nod quietly in agreement. 'That's right,' she thought. "Now, why such a serious question, Twilight? Something on your mind?" "Um…no, not really. Just doing a little speculating." "Oh, I see. Perhaps next time, you can speculate about something a bit brighter? I mean, a life without fashion…ugh! What could possibly be more terrible than that?" "How about if no one even knew what you were doing? That you'd be out there fighting while life went on normally for everypony?" Twilight asked. Almost immediately, she regretted the question. She was still at it, hammering away at a topic she should be trying to forget. Why she even started asking Rarity all these questions eluded her. "Now that's just impossible," Rarity replied with certainty. The answer surprised Twilight, prompting her to ask again despite every attempt to just be quiet. "Why is that?" she asked. "Well, you said that Equestria was being attacked," Rarity continued. "I'm sure that everypony would be doing his or her share. There is no way you could do your part and not have anypony notice." "You're right," Twilight said. "Everypony would be doing their part. This is Equestria we're talking about." Her voice rose with conviction. "Everypony's Equestria!" The sudden determination in Twilight's face threw Rarity into confusion. Were they even talking about the same thing? "You're certainly getting worked up about this, Twilight," she commented. "I am, aren't I?" Twilight answered. "Thank you, Rarity." She left the even more confused unicorn by the buffet table and made her way towards the party's host. Pinkie Pie was dancing at the center of the room with her pet alligator and Fluttershy. "Pinkie!" she called out.

Pinkie looked over at Twilight's direction and gave an excited wave, all without missing a beat with her dancing. "Having a great time, Twilight?" she asked loudly. "I am," Twilight answered. She was sincere when she said that this time. Despite the strangeness of the past few days, her friends proved to be an unfailing source of support. "Thank you for the party, Pinkie, but I have to leave early." Pinkie's mood dropped from bubbly to depressed. Before Twilight could even react, however, Pinkie had gone from that to understandingly cheery. "Sure, Twilight, I understand. Busy as always, huh?" Twilight could have sworn that she had seen laboratory explosions that were less mercurial than Pinkie Pie. "Yes," she answered. "I'm sorry, I'll make it up to you some time." "Oh, you don't have to worry about that! We're friends! It's not like we have to keep score over everything, right?" There was a different gleam in Pinkie's eyes this time. It wasn't suspicion that she was hearing excuses as she would have had some time ago. She had become more trusting and Twilight couldn't help but feel glad to have been part of that change. "You're right," she said. "Thank you again." Twilight left the house with Spike on her back. The baby dragon was a little annoyed at having to leave early. "What's this all about now, Twilight?" he asked. "I was only halfway through that bucket of gems!" "I'm going back to Canterlot," Twilight answered. She made her way back to her house to get some things ready. "Take a letter for me, would you?" "Fine," Spike said. He pulled a piece of paper from…somewhere. Twilight never quite found out how he did that and he wouldn't tell. "Whenever you're ready," he said. "Dear Princess Celestia," Twilight began. She paused briefly. This was the same beginning she used with all of her letters. Given the difference with what she wanted to write about this time, it felt a little…inappropriate. "Well?" Spike asked impatiently.

"Yesterday, I discovered something a little different from what I learn here in Ponyville," Twilight continued. "And today, I've learned something just as valuable. Because of these things, I would like to get a chance to talk to you in person." Twilight paused again. The implications of what she was planning to do were frightening. Even with the resolve she got from her friends, she couldn't help but hesitate. Would Princess Celestia even listen to what she had to say? Her teacher had been following this course of action for hundreds of years. Would she still be able to change it? "Trust me when I say that it will be for my sister's sake in the end." Luna's words were still fresh within Twilight's mind. The rational part of her wanted proof but she couldn't help but feel that the younger princess was telling the truth. She shut her eyes momentarily, trying to keep it together until she sent the letter. She could feel Spike waiting patiently on her back with his pen and paper at the ready. "Which is why I'm going to Canterlot to get a private audience with you. I understand that you are very busy so I will wait there until you find the time to see me. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle." The letter vanished in a fiery cloud of dragon breath and Twilight felt her fate seal. She was now committed to this course. The two of them reached Twilight's home by the time the letter was sent. Spike got off Twilight's back and watched his friend in concern. "Are you okay, Twilight?" he asked. "You're shaking." "Spike," Twilight swallowed as she stared at her home. When she first arrived at Ponyville, she had considered its library to be a temporary stay. It was her home now and the thought of not seeing again left her feeling cold and afraid. The vast plain surrounding FangBreaker Fortress out in the Barrier Lands suddenly seemed like a void that would suck her out there and leave her adrift. "I…I think I might end up being banished at this rate." "What? Banished? To where? Why? What is going on, Twilight?" "If that happens, you're going to have to stay with another pony." She tried to muster a smile. "Maybe you can be a full time assistant for Rarity." "Like hay I will! If you're banished, I'll still be hauling books for you in wherever you're being banished!" Spike said angrily. He sighed and calmed

himself down before continuing. "Tell me what's going on, Twilight. At least let me know why we're getting banished." He put a hard emphasis on "we". Twilight looked at her companion both fondly and sadly. He had always been around to help her no matter how small or large the task and here she was about to get him exiled for his efforts. There would be no convincing him to change his mind, however. With that look of determination on his face, even trying would be an insult. She did owe him the truth, especially after what she put him through when she disappeared and what she was about to put him through now. Would her friends give her this sort of look if they knew what she was up to? She dreaded the thought of sharing what she knew with them as well. She didn't want to uproot them and force them to live in exile for something she did. Better to keep this a secret from them. "I'll tell you then, Spike," she said. "Then it's off to Canterlot once more."

"What do you mean he's dead?" Scarlet Rabbit's cry of surprise and disbelief turned several heads from passing legionnaires. Even Pyre Valor couldn't help but be a little startled even though she had been expecting this kind of reaction. A day had passed since she left Vanguard's body in the middle of what would be a wolven-infested area by now. She made her report as soon as she had returned to FangBreaker. Before a composed and grim Commander Dreadstep, she had explained the mission's failure. She reported of how their squad had run into an ambush by advance wolven troops before they could even reach the location, how Captain Vanguard Clash had died a hero by letting them all escape while the wolven piled up on him and how the main wolven army will likely begin its attack in a few more days. Pyre Valor had no problem calling the stallion she had just killed a hero. He had died trying to protect FangBreaker Fortress and prevent what he believed was a needless waste of pony lives. He was noble to the end. Misguided but noble and it was still something she could respect. Commander Dreadstep had not betrayed a single hint of emotion when she finished her report. He gave his condolences and asked that Vanguard's family be informed. Blademane had volunteered to tell Vanguard's mother while she talked to Sharpfangs. Vanguard's father also took the news stoically.

"Expecting tears, Captain Pyre Valor? My son died fighting for the legion. I'm a little envious at the moment." Pyre Valor had to admit that she was a little envious too. Still, she knew that she was going to do the same soon even if nopony will acknowledge her as they now acknowledged Vanguard Clash. She also didn't fail to notice the title that Sharpfangs addressed her with. For the remaining few days of her stay here in FangBreaker Fortress, she would be captain to two ponies and her first and only act would be to ensure that the fort fell to its wolven attackers. One of her subordinates, however, was reacting to her news much more badly than its previous recipients. With Blademane back at her side, she had delivered the news to Scarlet Rabbit. He had been back long before they were, having completed a day's flight to Bastion City in a matter of hours. "That's impossible!" Scarlet cried out. "He's the captain! The captain doesn't die in a random encounter! You've made a mistake and I'm going to check it out myself!" Blademane rushed forward and held on to Scarlet before he could fly off. "The wolven have already overrun that place," Pyre said. "You'll have bolters on your flank the second you got anywhere near it." "The captain will keep them off me while I extract him! Let go, Blademane!" "Scarlet, Vanguard is dead! There is no mistake." The pegasus squirmed to free himself but Blademane was the bigger and stronger of the two of them and held him fast. "I understand your pain," Blademane said. "But deluding yourself will help nopony." "You understand nothing!" Scarlet snarled as he struggled harder. "The captain's gone and you're having about as much a reaction as a bar of soap! Pyre's alive and kicking so big shock that Blademane doesn't give a crap about anything else!" Blademane hurled Scarlet hard to the ground and stepped on him with his front hooves, pinning him in place. "You will discipline yourself," he said in a low tone. "With or without Vanguard Clash, we are still legionnaires."

Scarlet pushed the hooves aside and stood up. Without meeting either Pyre's or Blademane's gazes, he walked away. To Storm Brew's, Pyre noted. "Try to keep him from getting too rowdy," she told Blademane. He nodded and followed the pegasus, leaving Pyre alone to take care of important matters. First, she had to talk with the ponies who were planning to sabotage the fort's defenses in order to inform them that she was going along with the plan and taking over what Cold Hoof had failed in. They had to be convinced that she wasn't there round them all up and have them executed. Then there would be the actual work of getting things ready for the wolven attack. "Sounds like a lot of work to set up a stage where you can martyr yourself." The voice jolted Pyre Valor out of her thoughts. It's soft and oily tone seemed to settle upon her being. She looked around and saw only the fort's ponies going about their business. The impending attack had everypony on edge. She shook her head. Was she hearing things? Were the things she had done already taking their toll on her psyche? "You've murdered your oldest and dearest friend because he was going to stop you from killing hundreds of your brethren. Did you really have to ask that question?" "Who are you?" Pyre whispered as she rounded the corner of one hall. "My conscience?" She smiled wryly at the suggestion. "You're a little late. Vanguard could have used you." "Conscience is an excuse. A boring, fearful excuse. You'll find me a little more colorful than that." 'Explain yourself or be silent,' Pyre Valor thought. This…thing was reading her mind so she figured that she may as well answer mentally as well. She continued to walk the halls until she arrived at her quarters. There, she closed and locked the door behind her. "Explain myself? That would take forever. How about I just give you a name? The wolven call me "Moon-Shadow" but you ponies use a more elegant name. "Nightmare Moon"." 'I'm talking to an old mare's tale about Celestia's petulant little sister?'

"And I'm talking to an insect who hasn't lived a century but spouts big words like "justice" and "truth". We can trade barbs all day or you can listen to what I have to say." 'Then say what you have to say.' "I'm here to help you-" "I don't need anypony's help. Especially not the help of somepony whose reputation for losing is literally the stuff of legends." "You're right, I lost. I know the path to defeat quite well and I'm quite sure you're galloping on it at the moment. I also happen to know that it took Celestia's strongest magics to subdue me but it will take her a second and an irritated grunt to deal with you." The mere mention of Princess Celestia blotted out the voice in a haze of rage. Pyre Valor paused a moment as she set aside the name of the pony she blamed for everything. Including Vanguard's death. "And so we come to our common enemy. You've made a brave stand here, Pyre Valor, and the sacrifice you're going to make is grand indeed. Nevertheless, do you really think you can reach Celestia and the Heartland with just this? She will overcome this attack and then continue on acting as if you and what you fought for never existed. You and all the ponies of this fortress will die while the rest of the Heartland fusses over the next grand party at the royal palace." 'She will hear me,' Pyre Valor swore. 'All of Equestria Proper will hear the truth no matter what the cost.' "Well spoken. Merge with me, Pyre Valor. Together we can accomplish what we cannot alone." 'At what price?' Pyre Valor asked. 'You're not looking to be martyred. That, I'm sure of.' "Shrewd and determined. You want to threaten Equestria to force it to acknowledge the truth. I want to tear it apart completely. You place your faith in the legion's ability to eventually win despite setbacks and I place my faith in being able to destroy it utterly. I'm not asking for a

price. I'm asking that we make a bet with the fate of Equestria at stake. We will attack it with all our might until Terrato is forced to take desperate measures. If the legion overcomes us, then you win. If we destroy the legion and plunge Equestria into darkness, then I win." Pyre Valor closed her eyes. She hadn't agreed to anything yet but she could already feel immense magical power welling up from inside her. The offer was dangerous and could easily spiral out of control but it would be enough for the truth to finally reach Equestria Proper. If the truth has to shine through Nightmare Moon's darkness… 'So be it.'

Chapter 10 Defiant Stand My dearest and most faithful student Twilight Sparkle, Of course I have time to see you. Especially since your letter sounds so urgent. Come to the palace as soon as you are able to and I will be waiting. Princess Celestia's reply had come swiftly, something that Twilight had come to expect given Spike's abilities. "Dearest and most faithful student" was a point of pride for her but it suddenly felt like a very heavy title. For all of Princess Celestia's faith in her, here she was carrying knowledge that she shouldn't be. 'And I have just as much faith in her as she does in me,' she thought. 'Which is why I'm going to talk to her about this instead of sneaking around.' The threat of punishment loomed over her ominously once more. 'Even…even if I'm afraid of what she might do.' Once more, Twilight was back in Canterlot. It was late afternoon by the time she had arrived and the slowly setting sun cast everything in a redorange light. The city's magnificent buildings didn't feel so welcoming now. Today, Canterlot was not her old home where she spent many wonderful years studying under her beloved teacher. Today, Canterlot was the mighty capital of Equestria, the home of their ruler, the most powerful pony in the entire world, and a testament to the unbroken centuries of her dominion. Canterlot had always been big but this was the first time it loomed over her and she felt very small indeed. On her back, she could feel Spike shiver slightly. That alone told her that he was feeling the same way. "We're really going through with this, aren't we?" Spike asked. "Yes," Twilight answered. "Spike, it's not too late for you. You can go back and forget what I told you." "I won't," was the vehement answer. " Especially if you won't. I've never met anypony from this "Equestrian Legion" but if you believe that you have to do this then I believe in you." "Thank you, Spike. That means a lot."

"Maybe we could stop for doughnuts first?" Spike asked. "They might be the last doughnuts we'll ever eat in Equestria Proper." "Spike." "I'm just kidding. I could use a little humor especially when all these buildings look like they're going to fall on me for going along with you." Despite her fear, Twilight made her way immediately to the royal palace. As she walked through what should be the familiar halls of her mentor's home, she was suddenly aware of details that had escaped her before. The white stone walls looked especially cold today. The halls and chambers looked much bigger and grander. The royal guards posted at the entrances looked especially stern. She couldn't help but wonder why Princess Celestia would need so many stallions to guard her home when danger was so unlikely to come to Canterlot, let alone the royal palace. Finally, Twilight reached the throne room where she faced the long stairs that led to Princess Celestia's seat. Her teacher stood atop the stairs as majestic as ever. Her colorful mane flowed around her despite the lack of wind and her great, white-feathered wings spread out from either side of her. Here in Equestria Proper, Celestia towered over every pony. The elevation of her throne only heightened the great difference between her and the rest of her subjects. To look upon the princess was to look up. "Twilight, you've arrived," Celestia greeted her student. She gestured to the guards that flanked her throne. Without a word, they departed, leaving the throne room empty. Twilight heard the great doors behind her shut, the sound that echoing within the empty room with a sense of finality. Hundreds of chances passed her by on her way to this place and she had ignored each one of them. There was no turning back now. "Your last letter sounded very important," Celestia said. "What did you want to talk about?" Nothing had changed in the way she spoke to her student. For all her mentor's power and rank, Twilight had always been at ease with the princess. Their lessons had always been fun and their conversations casual. She walked forward while Spike dismounted and followed by her side. She was determined to stay honest no matter the cost.

"Your highness," Twilight said. "I came here to talk about the Equestrian Legion."

"Tell me again why we decided to come all the way out here to Canterlot." With a slightly annoyed frown, Rarity directed the question at Pinkie Pie, who was happily leading the group through the streets of Canterlot. "Haven't you noticed how Twilight's been looking really stressed and acting weird ever since she came back from…wherever it was that she disappeared to?" Pinkie answered. "I have," Rarity said. "I don't see where following her to Canterlot fits in." "I figured that we can all surprise her here and help her out. Maybe if we can help her with whatever she's doing, she won't need to go to Canterlot so often!" "Or we could just be disturbing her and our disturbance will result in less of her work being done and making her have to come here even more." When Rarity saw Pinkie's wide, uncomprehending grin, she immediately decided to just be silent. "Gosh, Rarity, if you don't think we should be doing this then why'd you come along?" Applejack asked. "Well she was asking strangely," Rarity replied. "And that odd question she asked…I was curious and, since everypony had decided to go…" "Right," Applejack with sarcasm. "Um…girls?" Fluttershy looked around the city and edged closer to her friends for comfort. Canterlot was huge and bustling with activity. Much more so if compared to Ponyville. "How do we even find her here?" Despite their better judgment, all of them turned towards Pinkie Pie. "I don't know! I didn't plan that far ahead!"

Several hooves encountered their respective faces. "I know!" Rainbow Dash spoke up. "Let's ask one of the guards. They know Twilight, they probably saw her come here and where she was going!" "Listen to what you're saying, dear," Rarity replied. "It's not like every royal guard in Canterlot knows who Twilight is-" Before Rarity could even finish, Rainbow Dash had already flown towards a nearby pair of patrolling guards. When the rest of them came closer, one of the guards was already answering. "Miss Sparkle? I saw her heading for the palace earlier. I heard from the previous shift that she had requested a private audience. Her highness just booted all the guards from the throne room. Makes me wonder why she even has-" The other guard frowned and nudged the talking one hard, prompting him to stop himself. "Er…like I said, she should be in the royal palace." The two guards moved on after that, leaving the five of them by the street. "It's getting a little late but let's wait for Twilight by the palace!" Pinkie said. "Do you think that's alright?" Rarity asked. "Is the palace even open to the public especially when it's getting close to nighttime?" "Can't hurt to try," Applejack said. "We'll wait outside if they won't let us in." With that, the five of them made their way to the royal palace. Despite the palace's precarious position by the side of a sheer cliff, it didn't take them long to get there. They had been there before after all. The palace was bustling with activity when they got there with the royal guards in the middle of changing shifts and preparing for Princess Luna's moon raising. To their relief, they were allowed to enter the palace so long as they didn't get underhoof. "Miss Sparkle is still in the throne room," another guard said when they asked him for directions. "Don't cause trouble while you wait. The next shift

is getting antsy while they have to stand outside and wait for her to finish. She hasn't caused this much of a commotion with the guard since that Cloud Conjuration incident." The guard shuddered before moving on. "I take it back," Rarity muttered. "Every royal guard does know who Twilight is. What a surprisingly well-informed garrison." They reached the hall outside the throne room where a squad of royal guards was indeed waiting. "Wonder what they could be talking about in there," Rainbow Dash mused out loud. "Rainbow, put a damper on that train of thought," Applejack warned. "Next thing you know you'll be-" "Halt!" one of the guards called out. "What do you think you're doing?" The warning came too late already. Rainbow Dash had flown past the guards and put her ear to the double doors that led to the throne room.

"How do you know about that?" When Twilight had asked the question, she had expected a range of emotions from Princess Celestia; anger, surprise, disappointment…she hadn't expected a withering, despairing look that made her cringe on the spot. For a moment, the princess looked as if she was watching a nightmare come into reality right before her eyes. The urge to run nearly overpowered Twilight. "I…" She swallowed hard and steeled herself once more. "I broke the memory lock spell that was placed on me." It was as if something had descended upon Princess Celestia and sucked away all her emotions. Twilight blinked and looked closer. Her mentor appeared…less vibrant. Even her colorful, flowing mane seemed to fall still. Her silence was unbearable. It made the throne room, which had always been a majestic sight, feel like the inside of a dreary dungeon. Finally, Celestia spoke once more. "My brother never liked using his magic," she said. "That is why the ponies who serve under him call him names like "Trampler Terrato" or "Bloody-hoofed Terrato."

Twilight remained silent. Celestia's voice was completely devoid of emotion. It was impossible to tell how her mentor was now feeling. "But that doesn't mean that his magic is weak," Celestia continued. "As strong as you are, you would have needed help, a trigger of some sort. What is it? Do you still have it?" "It was-" Twilight started to answer but she stopped herself. Captain Vanguard Clash would surely get into a lot of trouble if she showed the princess his emblem. Celestia would ask her brother to find out whom it belonged to and it wouldn't be long before he faced punishment. As a legionnaire, he may come out of it worse than her. Celestia continued to stare at her. She had to give some answer. "I can't tell you," she finally said. A hint of emotion crossed the princess's face: disappointment. Twilight practically felt herself shrink on the spot. "You are protecting somepony," Celestia said. "I understand. Twilight, I cannot allow knowledge about the Equestrian Legion spread here in Equestria Proper. I won't ask you how you came upon it but, please, give me the trigger and submit yourself to another memory lock. It's for the best." "Why?" The question put a puzzled look on Celestia's face. "What do you mean?" she asked. "Why would it be for the best?" Twilight asked again. "This is why I came here today, your highness. Why must nopony in the Heartland know about the Equestrian Legion?" The puzzlement on Celestia's face turned to resignation. "If it will convince you to submit to a memory lock then I will tell you." She descended the stairs to her throne so that she was on the same level as Twilight. "As rulers of ponykind, Terrato, Luna and I took it upon us to protect all ponies. We founded Equestria for that purpose. To create a home for ponies everywhere." A frown furrowed Celestia's eyebrows as she continued. Twilight shivered. She had never seen such an expression on her mentor's face not even during her worst miscasting during their lessons.

"We were attacked almost immediately. We never provoked anyone. All we wanted was to live in peace." "Why would they attack?" Twilight asked quietly. "Fenrir wanted Luna to be his bride." Disgust crept into Celestia's tone. "When she refused, he declared that he will tear into Equestria to take her. Arugek hates anything that isn't an ursan while the ophidites consider ponies to be a delicacy. Sesyth doesn't want neighbors, he wants a farm. We kept all of them at bay." The disgust disappeared from Celestia's voice and was replaced by sadness. "But we were losing. Terrato led the legion to one victory after another but it wasn't enough to stop the loss." "I don't understand," Twilight said. "You were protecting Equestria." "I was protecting our territory," Celestia replied. "I was protecting everypony's body but I must also protect who we are. The constant fighting was an assault on our very identity. Ponies are creatures of harmony; of honesty, loyalty, kindness, generosity, laughter and magic. The war was destroying that identity and I could do nothing to stop it. You have been to the Barrier Lands, have you seen what the wolven are like?" Twilight nodded. A shiver ran through her as she remembered the savage, lupine creatures that lunged at her. "Terrifying creatures." Celestia continued. "Fenrir wants his subjects to be as vicious as possible and they are eager to please him. Yet, they are not what I fear most. The stuff of my nightmares is seeing my subjects become more and more like them. Walking past a group of ponies while they talk about the best way to crush a wolven, listening to two captains boast about and compare how many ursans they have killed and then having them look to you for praise, watching a pony get shot to death with poison arrows while the pony next to him just shrugs and goes on fighting." Celestia paused slightly, as if remembering something truly awful. "Watching your own little sister clap excitedly while your brother tells her how he stabbed out the eye of the King of Wolvengard. These were the things that we were

losing Equestria to. These things kept me up at night. Sometimes, they still do. Something had to be done." Through the throne room's great windows, Twilight noticed that nighttime had completely settled. Princess Luna's magic was already at work as a stream of moonlight filled the room. "I am not all-powerful," Celestia continued. "I had to accept that. I cannot wave a hoof and make all our enemies disappear. The legion is needed and there must always be ponies to join it. I cannot save everypony so I did what I could. I took as many as I could with me and created the Heartland. It was a hard decision but it had to be made. Even those who were to be left outside believed that it had to be done." Celestia looked at Twilight earnestly, pleadingly. "Do you understand now?" she asked. "Sacrifices were made to protect Equestria. If you spread the knowledge of what the legion is, they will all be for naught. Please, Twilight, give me the trigger and subject yourself to a memory lock once more." Twilight found herself frozen in place. It wasn't fear but hesitation that kept her paralyzed. Next to her, Spike looked completely lost. He looked up to her trustingly, wordlessly reminding her that he would go along with whatever decision she made. She couldn't ignore the part of her that wanted to agree with Princess Celestia, that she'd be better off just forgetting and trusting in her mentor's decisions. But, try as she might, she couldn't listen to that part. "I can't," she finally answered. "Twilight." Celestia's voice came out stern. "I understand why you did it, your highness, but I can't agree with you on this. No matter what kind of fate awaits ponykind, even if war does change us for the worst, we have to face it together. Not by leaving others behind and forgetting them. Please, your highness, this division must stop. Your brother and the legion stand strong in the Barrier Lands but they will stand stronger with us. Please take down your barrier and let everypony fight for our Equestria!" Celestia looked upon her student in disbelief. Her face twisted in hesitation as the words and their meaning dawned upon her. She was silent for a while, as if fighting a battle with herself. Then she closed her eyes briefly before speaking, her face resolved as she did so. "I won't," she answered.

"This is how things should be. You must understand, Twilight! Understand and go through the memory lock. Otherwise, I will be forced to banish you. I must sacrifice even my faithful student to protect Equestria." And there it was. Twilight had come to Canterlot knowing how real the threat of banishment was and to hear it actually come from the princess left her breathless. The throne room was silent save for the hammering of her heart in her ears. Her life in Equestria Proper seemed to flash before her; her days being with her parents, her days studying in Canterlot, her days in Ponyville… "I'm going to miss this place," Twilight said softly. She looked at Princess Celestia, her mentor and dear friend, and tried to muster a weak smile. "And I'm going to miss you. But I can't just turn a blind eye and walk away. I just can't." A trickle of tears flowed from Celestia's face, dropping forlornly unto the cold, white stone floor. They were mirrored by Twilight's own tears. Beside the purple unicorn, Spike looked away sniffling and burying his face in his claws. For some time they remained silently weeping. And then the tears stopped as Celestia brought forth her royal bearing. Her face was stern in judgment as she spoke harshly. "Then so be it," she said. Her words echoed across the throne room. "For Equestria's sake, Twilight Sparkle, you are hereby permanently banished to the Barrier Lands." Her face softened and her voice cracked. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "But you've left me no other choice." "Wait!" The doors to the throne room suddenly burst open and a sky-blue pegasus flew towards them in a streak of rainbow colors. "Rainbow Dash!" Twilight exclaimed. "Your highness, please don't do this!" Rainbow Dash pleaded as she bowed so low that her forehead touched the floor. "Whatever Twilight did, please forgive her. Please don't banish her!"

One of the royal guards flew in and then tackled Rainbow Dash, knocking her to the ground and pinning her. "Stop right there, pegasus pony!" he said. "Your spree is at an end!" "This is bad," Spike said. "If Rainbow's here then-!" Realizing what was going on, Twilight turned around in horror. As she had guessed, the rest of her friends came charging into the throne room. Princess Celestia gestured at the royal guard, who let Rainbow Dash get up. "Is Dash right, Twilight?" Applejack asked as she came running up to them. All of their friends followed soon after, standing in a protective circle around Twilight. "Are you getting banished?" "What could you have possibly done to merit such punishment?" Rarity asked before Twilight could answer. "I also respectfully ask for reconsideration, your highness," she said as she bowed before Celestia. "I do not wish to do this," Celestia replied. "It is Twilight who has chosen this fate." The other ponies looked to Twilight, eyes quietly asking for an explanation. "I can't tell you," Twilight answered. "Or you'll be dragged into this too." "I'm not getting dragged anywhere!" Applejack replied fiercely. "I'm jumping right in! So spill the beans already, Twilight!" When Twilight refused to answer, Rainbow Dash stepped in. "Who cares what she's done?" she asked. "If Twilight's getting banished then…then I'm going with her!" "Rainbow, no!" Twilight gasped in horror. Of all the times Rainbow Dash's impulsiveness caused trouble, this would be the worst possible occasion. "I'm going too!" Applejack added, not wanting to be outdone. "And I as well," Rarity said. "If nothing else can be done, that is," she added hopefully.

"I…I'm going if my friends are," Fluttershy said. "Count me in!" Pinkie chimed in. "Can we throw a farewell party first? Banishment party?" Upon seeing Twilight's horrified expression, Celestia decided to try and convince her once more. "Now you have a taste of the kind of decisions I must make," she said. "Are you still so willing to stand your ground in this when your friends must share your fate?" Twilight quailed at the thought of involving all her friends in her banishment. Could she do this? How could she even live in banishment with all the guilt? She looked at them pleadingly. "Don't do this!" she implored. "We'll go through this together!" Applejack said reassuringly. "But you have family! They'll miss you!" Twilight insisted. For a moment, Applejack hesitated but her determined expression returned quickly. "They still have each other. I'm not letting you go on alone." "But you don't even know why I'm getting banished! Or where I'm being banished to!" "Doesn't matter!" Rainbow Dash said. "If you believe in it, that's good enough for me. I'm with ya, Twilight!" Twilight looked around her, trying desperately to keep what was happening from continuing. "And don't you go back on your decision either," Rarity said. "This is a sacrifice we're willing to make. Don't turn it around and give up on what you believe in because we held you back." "Everyone…" Twilight sniffed and choked as she tried to speak. "Everyone please…" One more look at their determined faces and she gave up. Her voice quivering, she stood at the center of her friends and faced her mentor. "I won't change my mind. Just as I said, no matter what fate we face, we face it together. This is how ponies should be."

At the sight of them, Celestia looked away. Already, her horn glowed a brilliant white light as she gathered magical energy around them. The royal guards stepped back, fearful of the punishment their princess was about to inflict. "Is there anywhere in the Barrier Lands you wish to go?" Celestia asked. Twilight knew her answer right away. It was the only place she knew anyway and she wanted to do something over there as well. "FangBreaker Fortress," she replied. With a curt nod, Princess Celestia waved her horn above them, surrounding them in a nimbus of brilliant white light. "Well, at least Rarity is coming," Spike muttered. "Barrier Lands, here we come!" There was a flash of magic and then the group was gone.

Once more, Twilight found herself on the wings of a powerful teleportation spell. There was no confusion this time. She knew exactly where she was going and why. She didn't fall on anything this time as well. Her mentor's spell was perfectly precise. She was standing on a stone floor as soon as she felt the spell recede. It was only a matter of time now before the glare gave way and let her see where she was. "Where are we?" Spike asked as he rubbed his eyes. With her vision cleared, Twilight looked around. Her friends were having more difficulty adjusting their eyes. Likely because they weren't used to even short teleportations, let alone a long distance once. They were in the same audience chamber where she met Prince Terrato. There were no ponies besides them around, though. "FangBreaker Fortress." she answered. "Fang breaking what?" Applejack asked groggily. She looked like she was about to throw up.

"I can't believe we actually went through that," Rarity said. She was adjusting much better than the others thanks to her affinity with magic. "I just hope we're somewhere civilized. And somewhere where they appreciate fine clothes." Before Twilight could reply, the doors to the audience chamber burst open. She turned towards the sound, expecting to encounter some guards. A trio of snarling wolven burst through the doorway and charged straight at them.

Chapter 11 A Violent Welcome The wolven were a good thirty feet or so when they spotted Twilight and her friends. She blinked once and they had already closed three quarters of that distance. Around her, her friends were still recovering from the powerful teleportation spell that had taken them to the Barrier Lands. Only Rarity seemed coherent enough to react to the attack. The rest were still groggy and dazed. There wasn't a single moment to spare. Her mind racing, Twilight cast the first available spell that came to mind. The lead wolven suddenly sprouted a bushy mustache. Twilight's heart nearly stopped at the botched spell. Fortunately for her, the sudden growth of hair around its nose startled the lead wolven enough to slow its pace slightly. The two behind it nearly crashed into it, allowing Twilight to get another spell off. This time, the lead wolven levitated from the floor, surrounded by a purple nimbus of light. Twilight hurled it towards the two behind it, sending all three of them tumbling to the ground. "Run!" she shouted at her friends. Already she could see the wolven rising and snarling from the corner of her eye. They would be upon her and her friends in a matter of seconds. The urgency in Twilight's voice helped the rest of them snap out of their daze. Rarity had but to take a single look at the enormous, lupine creatures coming at them to immediately try to get the others moving. "You can vomit later, Applejack," Rarity told her friend urgently as she tried to get Applejack on her hooves. "Right now we need to run!" Applejack tried to run only to lurch to her left. Rarity caught her before she fell over and then proceeded to half-drag and half-carry her to the doors. Behind her, both Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy had recovered enough to follow suit while supporting Pinkie Pie, who was doing her best to run…in the opposite direction.

Realizing that her friends needed more time, Twilight continued to face the trio of wolven. Once more, she was already feeling the strain of using her magic outside Celestia's realm. One of the wolven jumped at her directly while the two circled around trying to either surround her or get to her vulnerable friends. Twilight caught the charging wolven in her telekinetic grip. She hesitated for a second, realizing that she couldn't repeat the same tactic over and over. The wolven were already learning. They had separated to avoid being knocked down as a group and their persistence would mean that she would tire long before they did. "What are you waiting for? Beat it against the ground until it's dead!" The memory spurred Twilight to smash the floating wolven against the stone floor head first. The impact was strong enough to stun it and she hurled it towards one of the circling wolven, knocking it over. When the third jumped at her from her side, she ducked and hoped for the best. Sure enough, it jumped past her. She had successfully avoided its vicious jaws but not without a cost. As she saw the wolven's shadow on the floor near her, Twilight suddenly felt as if her back had caught fire. The agonizing pain jolted her train of thought and sapped the strength from her knees. Something wet and sticky ran down her sides and dripped on the floor. She didn't need to look to know what it was. Despite the pain, she struggled to her hooves and immediately looked to see where her friends were. Rarity and the others had made it to the doors at last. Panic and relief fought within her as she limped towards them as fast as she could. "Twilight look out!" Rarity cried out. She let Applejack go and rushed forward to cover for her limping friend. The wolven had recovered and were in hot pursuit. A faint white glow surrounded one of the wolven but it ignored the spell kept charging, grunting in annoyance as it found its pace slightly slowed. Beads of sweat formed around Rarity's forehead as she struggled to maintain the telekinesis but she couldn't even lift a single paw from her target. "Run, Rarity!" Twilight tried to shout but her warning came out weak and strained. "Our magic is weakened here, just run!"

Rainbow Dash left Pinkie with Fluttershy and flew towards Twilight to support her. They managed to get to the hallway with the wolven just a few feet away. "What are you ponies still doing here?" somepony shouted. "Get to the evacuation a-Terrato's broken horn, they've made it this far already!" A pair of heavily-barded ponies charged into the fray. One of them crashed right into the mustache-sporting wolven just as it was about to land on Twilight. Fangs and claws scraped against metal plating as the guard slammed the wolven against a wall. The other two wolven changed their focus from the seemingly helpless, fleeing prey to the armored threats that had arrived. The second guard followed after his comrade, positioning his back against the other guard and rearing up to keep the other two at bay. "Move, ponies!" he yelled. "Get to the evacuation area!" The six of them ran for it. The sudden fighting had jolted them out of their daze. A sense of panic began to build in their minds as they ran. Evacuation area? They didn't even know where they were. They were going to get lost in a place that's being attacked by giant lupine monsters. To make matters worse, Twilight was hurt. She lagged behind them while drops of blood trickled from her back and onto the gray stone floor. Atop Applejack, Spike watched Twilight with concern. Four gashes marred her back, near her right shoulder. Each gash was about a couple of inches long and slowly seeped blood. They had to find a way to bandage the wounds before they got worse. "Twilight!" he called out. "Do you know where we should go?" he asked. "I've only been here once." Twilight answered as they rounded one corner. "I think…" She looked around to get her bearings. Desperately, she beat back the panic and confusion. 'I think I can get us to the courtyard from here. If the fort is under attack there will be more wolven there but we can also find some ponies who'll know!" "Sounds like you know this place better than any of us," Applejack said. "We'll follow you." Realizing that every pony around her was looking to her for guidance, Twilight led the way. The wound on her shoulder ached whenever she put her weight on her right foreleg but she gritted her teeth through the pain

and ran ahead of everypony. They passed through one hallway after another. She looked around quickly, making snap decisions on where to turn to next based on the one time she had been through the place. She also listened closely for the sounds of ongoing battles to determine if she was heading where she needed to go. There were no ponies in the hallways she passed through and with each corner she turned, she dreaded seeing more wolven. She was panting already when they descended a flight of stairs. That was when Fluttershy ran next to her. "Twilight," Fluttershy said, "we need to bandage your wound." "With what?" Twilight asked as she looked around. This hallway looked particularly familiar. They were getting close. The sounds of fighting were also getting louder. "We don't have anything to bandage it with and we don't have time to stop." "But-but it's all over the floor!" Twilight looked behind her to find a thin trail of blood leading up to her. This was getting bad. She had left an obvious trail for anything to follow. She was also starting to feel a little lightheaded. Each step she took with her right foreleg sent bolts of pain running through her shoulder. If they didn't find help soon, they would be in even greater danger. "No time," she said curtly. "Now, this way." A few more hallways and Twilight was beginning to limp badly. Her efforts had paid off, however. They finally came into the entrance hall of the fortress. They skidded to a stop, however, as soon as they saw what was going on. The main doors had been broken apart. There were splinters of wood scattered across the floor. All around them, an enormous battle raged. The sound of fearsome snarls and angry neighing mixed with the scraping of claws against metal barding and the cries of the injured, turning into deafening cacophony that pressed on them on all sides. Everywhere they looked, ponies and wolven were locked in fierce combat. One barded pony knocked down a wolven and reared up to bring his hooves down on his opponent's skull while a pair of wolven clamped their enormous jaws on another pony's neck and leg to drag him to the ground.

"Where are we?" Rainbow Dash cried out over the din. "What's going on?" Her voice was barely audible with all the noise. The others could only stare in wide-eyed terror as they watched the fighting. Twilight looked around again. This was a losing battle. She could tell with a glance. More wolven were coming in from the main entrance. It shouldn't be long until the ponies were overwhelmed. She looked past the broken doors to see what had happened. To her shock, all three gates that led to the fortress had been blasted apart. It was night but she could see what had happened clearly as the gates were completely ablaze. Enormous gouts of flame lit up the night, bathing the scene of carnage in a red-orange glow. More wolven streamed into the fortress while squads of ponies fought desperately to hold them back. Despite the ponies' efforts, groups of wolven managed to break through and run into the fort. "We can't go through this way..." Twilight said weakly. She didn't know if her friends heard her, she barely had the strength to keep standing. "…there has to be some…some kind of back door." "Twilight, watch out!" Spike shouted. Twilight looked ahead in time to see a wolven jump at her. Its extended claws were a foot away and were about to gouge her face off. Frozen in surprise, she could only close her eyes and prepare for the pain. But the pain didn't come. When Twilight opened her eyes again she found herself looking at black-barded side of a pony. The wolven that had charged at her was dead on the ground, its gut sliced open by an enormous blade. She immediately looked at the weapon that had dealt the horrific wound and recognized the two-bladed sword clamped between her rescuer's teeth. "Vanguard Clash!" she said in relief. The black-barded pony turned to face her. She immediately noticed that something was wrong. His barding looked…distorted in some places, as if some of the plates had been partly melted. He was panting heavily and beads of sweat dripped from between the plates of his armor. "You're hurt," she said. Her vision started blurring as she fought to stay conscious.

"And you're bleeding," Vanguard mumbled through his weapon. For a moment he was frozen in shock when he found himself looking at Twilight Sparkle once more. Even from a distance, the sight of her surprised him but he had convinced himself that it was just another purple unicorn. Standing in front of her and listening to her speak, he was sure now. But now was not the time for extensive questions. Twilight was right. He was hurt. But the pain of his burns meant nothing compared to the sting of his failure. He had left the wolven camp as soon as he could put one hoof in front of the other, donned his barding and made his way desperately back to FangBreaker Fortress. His injuries slowed him down and he had arrived too late. He had to skirt around the gathered wolven and then kill several of them just to get into the fort. Once inside, he had decided that he was going to defend the fortress to the death as penance for failing. Seeing Twilight changed that, however. Whatever the reason why she was back, his priority now was to get her to safety. Without another word, he put his head underneath her and lifted her up to his back. He only grew more concerned when she didn't protest. He saw her wound and knew that she was getting weaker. He looked around and saw the group of ponies that had run up to him. He didn't recognize any of them but a quick look to their flanks told him everything. He replaced his weapon on his harness before talking to them. "Are you her friends?" he asked. "Follow me." With that, he galloped towards the designated evacuation areas. He counted himself lucky for remembering where they were. When he was learning them during training, he had been inclined to forget about them. As if there was going to be a time when FangBreaker Fortress had to be abandoned. "Wait!" a rainbow-maned pony flew up to Vanguard as he ran. "Who are you? How can we trust you?" she asked. Forcing himself to ignore the bizarre coloration of the pony flying next to him, Vanguard answered quickly. "Introductions later. I'm a legionnaire and, right now, it's my job to get you all out of this fort. You can trust me or you can trust the wolven. Your choice." "We need to bandage Twilight's wound," a yellow pegasus said as she flew up to him. "What's that creature on the orange one's back? Put him on mine please."

"I'm Spike!" the creature said as the yellow pegasus placed him on Vanguard's back, next to Twilight. "And I'm a baby dragon!" "Tear off strips of my caparison and use those for bandaging," Vanguard replied. "Capri-what?" "The cloth around my legs. Climb down my armor and tear off pieces of it. Go!" The plan was shoddy at best. Vanguard's caparison was a tattered mess and badly burned in several places. He hoped that Spike could find enough of it to patch Twilight up temporarily while he got her to whatever remained of the fort's medics. He also hoped that the baby dragon would not fall off or he might accidentally step on it while he continued to run. They galloped through one hall and then through several passages. On his back, Vanguard could feel the baby dragon doing what he could with the pieces of cloth. Finally, they emerged through the back of the fortress. Still atop the hill, they saw a long line of ponies fleeing southward. To Bastion City, Vanguard guessed. Squads of pegasi flew above them. Even at a distance, Vanguard noticed that many of them were carrying wounded through stretchers. "We made it!" the rainbow-maned pony exclaimed in relief. "Not yet." Vanguard said grimly. He turned towards the rainbow-maned pony and then pointed at the pegasi. "Think you can catch up with them?" he asked. "Is that a challenge?" she replied. "Sure I can." "Good. Tell them we have wounded and see if they have some spare wings to fly Twilight out of here." The rainbow-maned pony looked a little irked by the orders but she took a single glance at Twilight, who was draped over Vanguard with her eyes barely open, and then nodded. In a blink, she was already soaring towards her target, leaving behind a prismatic streak. 'She's going to give Scarlet a

run for his bits,' he thought in admiration. Then he focused on the rest of the ponies still with him. "Let's go," he said.

About half an hour had passed since Vanguard helped Twilight and her friends escape FangBreaker Fortress. He looked back and was only mildly surprised that the fortress was not on fire. Fenrir's army was planning on using it. The rainbow-maned pony had returned earlier with a pair of pegasi that he recognized from one of the long-range patrols. They put Twilight on a stretcher and flew her ahead. The baby dragon had asked to come along to accompany Twilight and the pegasi obliged him. With the fortress a good distance behind them and no pursuing wolven in sight, he had slowed to a trot instead of a hard gallop. The darkness made it difficult to see anything and the half moon did not help much. He followed the lit torches from the distant fleeing ponies and hoped that he didn't run into too many obstacles. The ponies behind him looked exhausted and he was as well. His burns were hurting from all the exertion and he was about to drop but they were coming closer to the main line of FangBreaker's retreating forces and he needed to protect these ponies. While he kept a calm exterior, he was fighting through each step. "Excuse me, good sir," somepony said. Vanguard looked back in time to see the white pony trotting towards him. "Yes?" he asked. "Now that we're a good distance from the danger, perhaps we can introduce ourselves? We would dearly like to know a lot of things." "My name is Captain Vanguard Clash of the Northern Equestrian Legion," he replied. "You are?" The white pony looked at him blankly at first. He had expected that. "Northern Equestrian Legion" likely flew past her as surely as one of her

pegasi friends. She recovered swiftly from her puzzlement, however. "My name is Rarity," she said. "Pleased to meet you, Captain Clash." Vanguard raised an eyebrow. This pony had just found herself in a strange land and came under attack by strange creatures. Her friend had been badly injured and had to be flown off to be taken care of but she spoke to him with an earnest formality. 'This must be a chosen noble,' he thought. The carefully combed curls on her mane reinforced his guess. "The name's Applejack," the orange pony right behind Rarity said. "Could you tell me where in the hay we are? It's bad enough that we've been banished but banished to the middle of a giant scrap between ponies and…what did you call those monsters again? Wolven?" "My sympathies for your banishment," Vanguard answered. He meant it as well. Applejack's words just confirmed what he had been fearing since he saw Twilight Sparkle back at FangBreaker. "You're in the Barrier Lands, the realm outside the Equestria you know." He studied Applejack a little. Here was a direct contrast to Rarity, a pony who was a little rough at everything from appearance to manners. The other ponies began to introduce themselves as well. The rainbowmaned pony was Rainbow Dash and the pink one with the mane like sugary froth was Pinkie Pie. After a little coaxing, the yellow pegasus introduced herself as Fluttershy. With the introductions out of the way, they resumed trotting in silence. Several minutes passed when Fluttershy spoke up. Her voice was so weak, however, that Vanguard thought she was just talking to herself. It was only when she approached him and repeated what she was saying did he realize that she was talking to him. "Those ponies lying on the ground…" she said. "They were just tired right? They got tired of fighting and had to lie down?" "They're dead," Vanguard answered grimly. Fluttershy seemed to wither on the spot at the answer. Her eyes focused on the ground while her lips quivered. It wasn't just Fluttershy either. His confirmation weighed down on each of them like a thick shroud. He softened his tone when he replied again, aware that his dog's growl of a voice served him poorly when dealing with ponies. He was a little thankful that Fluttershy had not seen

what the wolven did to ponies after killing them. "We will mourn for them later, Fluttershy," he told her gently. "For now let's be thankful that we're alive. Then we make sure that they didn't die for nothing. When all of that is done, then we mourn." "But why were they fighting anyway?" Pinkie Pie piped in. There was something in her voice that seemed incredibly subdued to Vanguard. He guessed that she was far more used to shouting with joy that talking like this. "We fight to defend Equestria," Vanguard replied. "That fortress has been protecting Equestria's north for more than a thousand years." "But we just lost it!" Pinkie pointed out. "There's been a betrayal," Vanguard growled. The thought of how it happened angered him. The blazing gates were a clear sign of the culprit. The other ponies quickly noticed it and backed away slightly. "Somepony will pay for this," he added. Vanguard looked on ahead, cutting off any more discussion among them. They had finally caught up with the rest of FangBreaker's forces. There would be time to talk later. For now they had to rest up and take stock. He had a report to make to Commander Dreadstep, if the pony was still alive, and then he would be off to the medics to have his burns treated and to see how Twilight Sparkle was doing. And then there would be revenge.

Chapter 12 Recovery For those who survived the fall of FangBreaker Fortress, the long retreat towards Bastion City was the most draining and oppressive journey they had ever taken. The distance itself was not great, neither was the speed that they were traversing it as the wolven had not given chase. What sapped their strength was the weight of defeat that hung over them like a dark cloud that seemed to blot out even the stars above them. Eventually, orders were passed out to stop for the night. They had put a good enough distance between themselves and the fortress and they needed to rest before the long trek to Bastion City. Sentries were quickly posted while several ponies collapsed in sheer exhaustion. Even as the survivors set up camps, there were still pegasi flying from the fortress carrying wounded. The surviving ponies were beginning to feel the effects of their sudden exertions. Everything was a flurry of activity when they had been under attack. What had started out as a tense vigil as the fortress saw the great horde of wolven assembling quickly turned into a confused and desperate battle to escape. It all started when a massive explosion shattered the innermost gates. When legionnaires came running to respond, all they saw was a thick bank of black smoke roiling from the courtyard towards the second gates. Another explosion followed and then two pairs of gates had been reduced to blazing wreckage. That was when everypony flung what they could at the smoke; spells, arrows…a few even charged in. Nothing had worked and those who had run into the smoke never came out. When the outer gates collapsed into a burning ruin, the wolven immediately charged in. What followed soon after was carnage that would haunt those who survived it for a long time. It was only when the survivors had distanced themselves from the fortress did the implications of what had just happened begun to sink in. They had lost the fortress. Who knew how many of them died trying to hold it long enough for the others to retreat? With FangBreaker in their possession, the wolven had a foothold into Equestria itself. It could very well mean the slow splitting apart of the northern front at the seams and it exposed Bastion City to a direct attack. It wasn't just the present situation that weighed heavily on

the survivors. The legion had defended FangBreaker for more than a thousand years. Generation after generation of their ancestors had proudly kept the wolven at bay through its walls and it was their generation that had failed. More than a few ponies were beginning to wonder if death in FangBreaker's defense was a better fate than facing the shame of losing it. With all these things troubling the survivors, it was no surprise that nopony paid much heed to the group of ponies that had just joined them. If they had, it would have been a strange sight indeed. Among the legionnaires walked five chosen ponies led by a legionnaire who had just recently been reported dead. Once they moved past the sentries, Vanguard looked behind him. Twilight Sparkle's friends were completely exhausted. Not just physically as well. The reality of the situation they had found themselves in was beginning to catch up with them. "I'd advise you all to get some rest but I doubt any of you will until you've seen how Twilight is doing," he told them. "So let's get to the medics first." They nodded obligingly. More out of necessity than anything else, Vanguard realized. They had just survived a battle against monsters that they had no idea existed. They were lost and surrounded by strangers in a land that was thousands of miles from anywhere they knew. He was the only pony around they could remotely trust. They were holding up well, however. Perhaps concern for their injured friend managed to blot out their other worries. He was worried as well. He looked around to see where the medics had set up. All he had to look for was where the squads of pegasi were carrying their stretchers to. Sure enough, he found the makeshift ward close to the center of the camp. When they got there, they found themselves staring at a veritable sea of stretchers and makeshift beds. Moans and cries of pain mixed with orders being shouted as a small group of ponies in white coats moved from one injured pony to another. The air smelled strongly of blood, burned flesh and, strangely enough, brandy. Vanguard listened closely to the orders being shouted out and then turned towards Twilight's friends. "Looks like Redbrand made it out alive," he said. "Try not to get underhoof or he'll kick you out of camp."

They searched the ward for Twilight while staying clear of the medics who were rushing about. Finally they spotted her near the edge of the ward. Spike had also noticed them and was waving both claws in the air. "About time you got here," Spike said as they came closer. "I was starting to think something bad happened to you on the way!" "How's Twilight?" Vanguard asked. "I'll be fine," came a weak reply. Twilight lay on a makeshift bed, which was barely more than a thin piece of canvas spread over the ground. Her shoulder had been tightly wrapped in bandages. Her friends quickly surrounded her in concern. "You sure you're alright?" Applejack asked "I was so worried!" Pinkie added. "I'm alright," Twilight replied. "I'm sorry I made you all worry." "You darn right you made us worry!" Applejack said. "Just what were you thinking jumping in front of those monsters, girl?" "You gotta admit, it was pretty cool!" Rainbow Dash said. "Cool and stupid," Applejack retorted. "You better not be thinking of trying it out, Rainbow!" "She can't," Pinkie interrupted. "She can't make things float!" While Twilight reunited with her friends, Vanguard turned his attention to Spike. "How did things go when you got here?" he asked. "Did her cutie mark cause some trouble?" "No," Spike replied. "The doctor yelled at Twilight for getting hurt though. When he found out who bandaged her, he yelled at me. Then he yelled at one of his assistants for using too much bandages when they replaced the ones I put." "He only yelled at you?" Vanguard asked. "He's in a surprisingly good mood after all this."

Watching her friends brought a smile to Twilight's lips. Despite the guilt for having dragged them into exile with her, she was glad that they were here. She suddenly doubted her ability to endure the crushing loneliness of surviving in the Barrier Lands by herself. There was one more pony she felt that she could count on though. She looked past her friends and looked directly at the black-barded stallion who stayed at the edge of the circle they formed. "Looks like I owe you my life again," she told him. "Do you?" Vanguard asked. He approached Twilight, her friends parting to let him see her. A little confused by the response, Twilight nodded and tried to muster a smile. "Yes," she said. He eyes narrowed with concern, however, as she looked at Vanguard. "Are you alright?" she asked. "You look like you're about to collapse!" "Then set my mind at ease so I can rest, Twilight Sparkle," Vanguard replied. "Why have you come back to this place?" The smile disappeared from Twilight's face and she cast her gaze downwards. "Come back to this place?" Applejack asked. "You mean you've been here before?" "When I disappeared the last time, I ended up in this place," Twilight said. She faced Vanguard as she continued. "I broke Prince Terrato's memory lock spell. Once I remembered, I tried to talk to Princess Celestia about telling everypony the truth about the Barrier Lands." Her voice lowered as she remembered that painful encounter. "She refused and asked me to go through another memory lock. When I refused…she banished me." "And then we went along with her!" Rainbow Dash added. "There was no way we were letting Twilight be banished by herself!" The answer all but knocked the breath from Vanguard. Then his legs finally gave way, forcing him to fall to his knees. "You idiot," he said softly. "Why would you do such a thing?" Concerned, Spike tried to support him as he fell but the weight of a heavily barded pony was too much for a baby dragon.

Twilight's eyes widened in surprise first and then in indignation. "What?" she asked. "It was the right thing to do! Isn't that why you gave me that emblem?" "So that's where it came from." Spike muttered. Thinking that Vanguard was having trouble breathing, he tried to undo some of the latches that kept the barding around the stallion's head in place. The piece of barding fell to the ground, revealing Vanguard's face. As Twilight had guessed, he had a gray coat and a black mane with curls that fell just past his eyebrows. His eyes were a strange sight. They were slit and so brightly red that they seemed to glow in the dark. She couldn't help but notice the bandages wrapped around his head which covered a portion of his lower jaw and neck. "You're hurt," she said softly. "I gave you that emblem so you, at least, would remember," Vanguard said. "That was all. Princess Celestia has had more than a thousand years to entrench herself in her position. Did you really think you could move her by talking?" A little angry, Twilight raised her voice slightly. "It wasn't a matter of whether I could make her change her mind!" she said. "Somepony still had to say something. I thought that you'd appreciate that I still tried!" "Your life has been ruined, Twilight Sparkle, and I'm to blame. I miss the part where I should be jumping with joy." "Don't martyr yourself!" Twilight snapped. She refused to meet Vanguard's gaze. "I had plenty of chances to walk away but I didn't. I'm here because I chose to be here." With that, both of them became silent. After a few more awkward moments, Rarity cleared her throat to speak. "Well…" she said. "There's really nothing to be done about that. What's done is done. Perhaps we should start thinking about what's going to happen to us now?" Vanguard gave Twilight one more look and sighed before turning his attention to her friends. "The Barrier Lands are your home now," he told them. "You might have noticed that it's under attack. I suggest that you help defend it."

They were quiet once more. As if on cue, they heard the long, dolorous howls of the wolven coming from the distant fortress, reminding them of things to be done. "Has anyone seen Fluttershy?" Pinkie suddenly asked. All of them looked around in alarm. The yellow pegasus was indeed gone.

Seeing that Twilight Sparkle was fine brought a great deal of much needed relief to Fluttershy. Everything had been going so terribly today; being banished, watching her friend get hurt, seeing ponies…die. It was almost more than she could bear. "Coming through!" somepony called out. Fluttershy edged closer to her friends as a pair of pegasi carrying a stretcher between them flew past her. Another pegasus was laying back first on the stretcher; moaning in agony while he raised a badly bent foreleg in the air. "Oh my," she said, already sharing the injured pony's distress. She flew over to take a closer look. "What happened to him?" she asked. One of the pegasi who were carrying the stretcher looked at her inquisitively as if trying to recognize her. When he couldn't, he answered anyway. "Wolven bolter clipped one of his wings, ma'am. He crashed just outside the fort. He's lucky we found him." Moved by concern, Fluttershy flew over to the injured pony. His leg had been bent in an unnatural position and the bone had snapped. It would have to be properly set and then placed in splint if he was ever going to use it again. She looked around her and spotted a roll of bandages that had fallen to the ground. Nopony seemed to notice it, just as nopony seemed to notice the newly arrived patient. The ponies running the ward were clearly understaffed and swamped with work. If she didn't help this pony, he would probably have to wait for a while with his broken leg. "Do you have something we can use for a splint?" she asked the two pegasi. "Uh…you can use this leather sheath," one of them offered. "I was going to have it replaced anyway. It's a bit worn." He unfastened a short blade from his harness and unsheathed it, offering the sheath to Fluttershy.

The leather casing was just long and hard enough to be useful. Fluttershy went to work immediately. "This is going to hurt a little, okay?" she told the injured pegasus soothingly. He nodded in response and grit his teeth as she set the bone in place. Once that was done, she put the splint in place and wrapped the leg carefully. "We'll just set him over there," one of the pegasus carriers said. They flew the newly-bandaged pony over to the long line of laid out patients. Pleased with her success, Fluttershy was about to rejoin her friends when she heard somepony shouting. "You there! Pink-mane! Get over here!" Fluttershy looked around to see who was yelling. One of the ponies working in the ward was looking straight at her and shouting. She pointed to herself and looked at him curiously, silently asking if he meant her. "Yes, you!" the pony shouted. "Get your ridiculously flowery mane over here!" Fluttershy flew over obediently. The pony who had been calling her was a dark brown earth pony with a very dark blue mane that he kept slick and brushed up so that it stuck to his neck and out of his face. He was standing next to another pegasus who was laid up on the ground. To Fluttershy's horror, what appeared to be a large piece of wood was sticking out of the pegasus's flank. Blood oozed from the wound even as she stared at it. She tore her eyes away from the injury and then faced the pony who had called for her. "Y-yes?" she asked. "I'm going to pull that bolt out," the pony said. "You see that piece of metal I've been heating over there?" He pointed to a small fire nearby. One end of a long, rectangular bar of metal had been placed over it. "Take the heated end and cauterize the wound before he bleeds out." "C-cauterize?" she asked. "Yes, cauterize!" he snapped. "I'll need you to do it while I hold him down. This idiot's a real bucker and he'll go nuts once he feels his flank is on fire. Take the brand and burn the wound shut before he fountains his life before you! Are you ready?" He put a hoof over the bolt and looked at her.

"N-no…" Fluttershy squeaked as tried to slowly back out. "That brand's going to stick to his flank or it's going up yours, filly," the pony snarled. "He's going to die while you stutter so move it!" Fluttershy nearly bolted at the threat. Blinking away tears, she went over to the brand and picked up the cold end with her mouth. Then she walked over towards the injured pony while the brown pony held him down. As soon as she approached, the brown pony grabbed hold of the bolt and pulled it out. Blood immediately spurted from the wound and the injured pony grunted in pain. Fluttershy could feel her stomach violently protest. The brand wobbled in her mouth while she desperately tried to keep it together. "Do it!" Fluttershy suppressed the urge to close her eyes and miss as she stuck the white-hot end to the wound. The blood around the injury started to sizzle. The prone pegasus began to struggle violently while the brown pony held him down. "Keep it in there until you smell him roasting, pink-mane!" the brown pony shouted. As soon as awful stench of burned flesh hit Fluttershy's nostrils, she let the brand go. The piece of metal fell to the ground with a clatter. The brown pony let go of the pegasus, who collapsed on his belly, to pick the brand up. "Don't waste a heated brand, pink-mane," he said "We might have more cauterizing to do. Bandages are almost gone." "I'm gonna get you for lighting my flank on fire, filly," the wounded pegasus grumbled. The brown pony smacked the pegasus's head with a hoof. "Shut the hay up, Updraft!" he shouted. "You wouldn't be here if you weren't parading your giant flank for the wolven to shoot at!" "Can I at least get a mouthful from that flask you've got there?" Updraft asked weakly.

"You just threatened one of my assistants, feather-head, I wouldn't give you my piss in a cup." Still grumbling, the pegasus settled down. The brown pony turned his attention towards Fluttershy. "Name's Redbrand," he said. "I lead FangBreaker's medical staff. Or what's left of it anyway. Who in the hay are you?" "M-my name is Fluttershy…" "Speak up, you wallflower, I can't hear you over all the moaning!" "It's Fluttershy!" Fluttershy tried more assertively. "Take this kit then, Fluttershy." Redbrand said as he handed a small suitcase to her. "We've got a long night ahead of us."

As the night went on, the medical ward eventually settled down. The squads of pegasi stopped flying in and the injured stopped moaning and settled down to sleep. Amidst the injured, two ponies were laid up next to each other. With her bound up shoulder, Twilight Sparkle stared up the sky, studying the stars that she had just realized were the same as the ones in Equestria Proper. Spike was nestled against her, dozing away. A foot away from her was Vanguard Clash. His armor had been completely removed, revealing the extent of his injuries. His entire torso was wrapped in bandages. Twilight wondered how he even managed to stay standing for so long. One of the medics had removed the bandages to see what had happened, giving Twilight a view of burned patches all along one side of his coat. "So what happened to you?" Twilight asked. She avoided looking at Vanguard as she did so. She was still a little cross at him for calling her an idiot. "Pyre and I got into a little disagreement about me giving you my emblem," Vanguard replied. "The burns came with her witty rebuttal."

Shocked, Twilight looked at Vanguard to see if he was just joking. His face was completely serious, however. The image of an angry Pyre Valor hurling a fireball came to her mind. Would even the combative unicorn attack her own captain? "It's my fault then," she said. "I'm sorry." "Don't martyr yourself." The two of them fell silent for some time. Twilight looked past the medical ward and saw her friends huddled together at a distance. They had found Fluttershy after some searching and, when they saw her helping out in the ward, they decided to leave her be. Especially since the pony in charge was constantly yelling and looked like he would kick their faces off if they bothered anypony who was working in the ward. "Twilight," Vanguard finally said. "What is it?" she asked. "I'm sorry that you and your friends have been banished and that your return here is just in time to see the start of the worst crisis the Northern Legion's faced for hundreds of years." "I've already told you, that's-" "But I am glad to see you again." Twilight hid a smile and settled for stargazing once more. "Let's just get some sleep," she said. She realized that the night would be over soon and tomorrow would mark her first day as part of the Barrier Lands.

Chapter 13 The Next Step The morning greeted the survivors of FangBreaker's defenders with a cold indifference. The dark clouds which had all but cleared up yesterday had begun to gather once more. It wasn't just the cold, heavy feeling among them as well. The Northern Barrier Land's short summer was already over and an icy chill was beginning to blow southward from Wolvengard. The first rays of dawn found the ponies on the move. There was an urgent need to get to Bastion City before the wolven fell upon them. Despite his injuries, Vanguard was up with the dawn. Those in the ward who were strong enough to get moving were already doing so lest Chief Medical Officer Redbrand catch them wasting time. Twilight Sparkle and Spike, however, were still dozing near him. He moved away quietly to let Twilight get a few more minutes of sleep. She had been through a lot in a short amount of time. Vanguard looked around to see how Twilight's friends were doing. He found them still asleep together just outside the ward. Most of them anyway. Applejack, Rarity and Pinkie Pie had huddled together for warmth and security. Two of Twilight's friends were missing, however. He looked around the ward and found Fluttershy asleep along with four of Redbrand's medics. Redbrand himself was sitting nearby, watching them morosely with an open flask in his hoof. Vanguard couldn't blame the pony for still being grouchy. He was staring at his entire medical staff at the moment and one of them was just a volunteer. One of Twilight's friends was still unaccounted for. As Vanguard inspected his gear, he realized that something else was unaccounted for as well. It didn't take a lot of thinking to conclude that he was going to find the two together. Sure enough, he found Rainbow Dash up in the air nearby with his still sheathed two-bladed sword clamped in her jaws. She flitted about, swiping away at imaginary foes even as he approached her. He looked around worriedly. It was a miracle that nopony had spotted her so far. "Out here, it's impolite to take someone's weapon without permission," he called out to her.

Surprised, Rainbow Dash nearly dropped the two-bladed sword. She whirled at the sound of Vanguard's voice and then descended in front of him, a sheepish expression on her face. She placed the weapon in front of Vanguard and backed away. "Oh, sorry," she said with a grin. "I just wanted to try it out. You looked pretty cool with it while you were saving Twilight last night. It's really heavy though. Don't you find it hard to fight with it?" "It gets easier with practice," Vanguard answered. "Strong jaws also run in my family." He studied Rainbow Dash for a moment. Her strange coloring still left him a little unsettled. She was lean and had a small build but she made up for it with sheer energy. He still remembered her quick flight from last night. "Does fighting interest you, Rainbow Dash?" he asked. "Yeah," Rainbow answered. "If I wasn't going to join the Wonderbolts I was thinking of joining the princess's royal guard! Although, I've never seen the royal guard actually fight…why'd you ask?" "The legion's always recruiting," Vanguard said. "Especially now given our losses." A look of confusion spread across Rainbow's face. "You mean I actually have to sign up?" she asked. "I thought that, since we're going to be living here from now on, we're already a part of the army!" Vanguard raised an eyebrow. "We do have a civilian sector, you know," he said. "Somepony still has to plant crops, mine ore and the like." "Well I'm not the planting or mining type!" "What was your job in the Heartland then?" "I was a weather pegasus," Rainbow answered proudly. "And the best one at that, I could clear the sky in ten seconds flat!" Vanguard stared blankly at Rainbow Dash. "Weather pegasus?" he asked. "Clear the skies of what? Birds? I suppose that would be useful around statuary." "Clouds, silly!" Rainbow retorted. "Speaking of clouds, somepony should tell your weather pegasi to lay off the cold winds and overcast skies. I don't think it's good for retreating across this plain."

"We don't have weather pegasi," Vanguard said. "You mean to tell me that the weather in the Heartland is…managed by ponies?" It was Rainbow's turn to come to realization. "Oh no…don't tell me this is like the Everfree Forest! Clouds moving by themselves…that is so creepy." "The weather takes care of itself," Vanguard said. "No job opening for weather pegasi here, I'm afraid. I'm sure Reconnaissance could use you though." "Sign me up then, sir!" Rainbow answered with a salute. "Why don't we see what your friends have planned first?" Vanguard asked with a smile. He glanced back at the sleeping medics. "Although it looks like Redbrand's already recruited Fluttershy into Medical." "Fluttershy taking care of the injured," Rainbow remarked. "Nothing new there." "Was she a medic in the Heartland too?" "Kinda. She mostly took care of small animals though." "Well, Redbrand can work with that. What about your other friends?" "Why do you keep saying "my" friends? They're also your friends now!" Vanguard paused momentarily. "Is that so?" he asked. Rainbow Dash looked at him as if he couldn't see past his own nose. "Of course! You saved Twilight and you've been helping us ever since we got here. You can ask them yourself what they used to do." "Alright then. Let's go see to our friends, shall we?" With that, he picked up his weapon and motioned for Rainbow Dash to follow him.

With a yawn, Fluttershy rubbed her eyes and sat up. She looked at her surroundings with bleary eyes, still half-hoping that she had just had a horrible dream and that she was back on her bed in Ponyville even though the ground felt very hard and cold beneath her.

"You slept like a log there," somepony nearby said. "Is that how all chosen sleep?" Fluttershy rubbed her eyes again and then brushed aside some of her mane. To her dismay, she was still out in the middle of a plain surrounded by strange ponies. She turned towards the pony who had just spoken. It was the angry doctor from last night, Redbrand. "Um…chosen?" she asked. Redbrand pointed straight at her flank. "I thought you had some bugs biting your flank," he said. "Tried to shoo them off but they wouldn't budge." "Oh, you mean my cutie mark," Fluttershy replied. "Why would you-" her gaze focused on Redbrand's mark-less flank. "Oh dear, you don't have one? Does that mean you don't know your special skill?" "I'm really good at patching ponies up, filly," Redbrand answered. "I've a got a few dozen of them who can grudgingly vouch for that. I don't need a foal's drawing on my hindquarters to prove it." "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by that. It's just that, ponies get their cutie marks once they grow up." "Maybe that's true where you're from." Redbrand softened his tone as he continued. "Look, I don't give a damn about why a chosen is out here. I don't have the time or patience to listen to that harangue going around that some ponies get so worked up about. All I know is that I have half my unit to replace and getting you is better than getting half a dozen recruits who'd amputate their own legs the minute you turned your back." Fluttershy remained silent. She wasn't quite sure what Redbrand was trying to tell her. "Are you listening to me, filly?" Redbrand asked irritably. "I'm trying to recruit you into the legion! As soon as you sign up, tell the logistics officer to send your bug-marked flank over to Medical and that I will saw his muzzle off if he sends you to Reconnaissance. Is that understood?" Fluttershy nodded silently. She found Redbrand completely strange. He yelled almost all the time, he was mean to his assistants and he kept talking so coarsely but, somehow, she just felt that he was a good pony. It

just didn't make sense. She remembered seeing him still working feverishly long after he ordered her to take a rest. While the doctor was harsh with the ponies he worked with, he spared himself least of all. "So what are you waiting for?" Redbrand asked. "Get to Logistics! Talk to some of your friends while you're at it!" Fluttershy backed away slowly, keeping her attention on Redbrand in case he had something else to yell about. Then she turned around and headed for her friends.

Everypony had woken up by the time Vanguard and Rainbow Dash got back to their friends. As soon as they got there, Vanguard began to put on his barding. "Everypony is on the move already," Twilight told Vanguard accusingly. "You should have woken me up!" "You needed the rest," Vanguard replied as he adjusted his champron. He turned towards the baby dragon next to Twilight. "Don't you think she needed some more rest, Spike?" Spike nodded in response. "You've only known him for one night," Twilight told him. "And you're already taking his side?" "What can I say, Twilight?" Spike replied. "He's a really reasonable pony." "Perhaps," Rarity interrupted. Her normally carefully coiffed mane was sagging under stress and lack of care. "But there's nothing reasonable about this place or the weather. I mean just look at what it's done to my mane already! Surely we are heading somewhere warmer, safer and more civilized!" "Your mane's hardly our biggest concern," Applejack said as she shot an annoyed look at the white unicorn. "I'm more worried about those nasty, wolven-critters catching up to us! What should we be doing by now?" "We're heading for Bastion City," Vanguard answered. "It's about a two day trek at our pace. They've already sent some pegasi ahead so the city

knows we're coming. Expect a long walk, however. You should take the time to think about what you're going to do now that you've all been banished here." Everypony started walking along with the rest of the survivors. They lowered their heads at Vanguard's mention of exile. They had been avoiding that truth since they came to this place and having to deal with it gave them a cold feeling inside. They spent the next several moments in silence. "I'm here!" Fluttershy said as she walked over to join them. "Did I miss anything?" "Not much," Applejack replied. "We were just thinking about what we were going to do next." "This…Bastion City, is it?" Rarity asked. "It's an actual city, correct? As in with buildings and shops and ponies?" "Yes, Miss Rarity, that is what the word 'city' implies," Vanguard answered. "It's reasonable to expect it to be rougher than what you're used to in the Heartland but you can ply your trades there. Except for Rainbow Dash here and that's given that your former jobs don't include things like making sure the water is wet or painting the leaves green." "Well, that's a start," Rarity said. "I don't know how I'll begin though. I don't have any money with me and I don't have any materials." "This also doesn't look like a good time to be planting apples," Applejack said. "Even if I did have any seeds or a land to plant them in." "I'm joining the legion," Twilight said. All eyes suddenly shifted to her. Even Vanguard looked surprised. "Are you serious?" Spike exclaimed. The rest of Twilight's friends mirrored Spike's incredulity in their expressions. "I am," Twilight replied. "This isn't something you decide just like that," Vanguard said. "Take some time to think about it."

"I have. 'Prince Terrato and the legion stand strong in the Barrier Lands, but they will stand stronger with us.' That is what I said to Princess Celestia and I stand by those words." "Well that's it," Spike said in a resigned voice. "Sign me up too." "There are other ways to support the legion," Vanguard said. "And joining it is as good as any of them," Twilight answered. "I'm signing up too!" Rainbow Dash added. "It sounds like the job for me!" "Um…" Everypony looked at Fluttershy. "Fluttershy!" Rarity exclaimed. "Don't tell me you're going to join the legion too!" The yellow pegasus nodded. "Doctor Redbrand says that I'd do a lot of good in Medical. Well, at least, I think that's what he said. There are so many ponies getting hurt here that I think that I should help out as much as I can." "Sign me up as well," Applejack said. "I can put up a fight and show those wolven-critters a thing or two! Why, by the time I'm done, they'll be scootin off to wherever they came from with their tails between their legs!" "Has everypony gone crazy?" Rarity asked. She turned towards Pinkie Pie, the last pony she expected to turn to for some sense. "And what about you, Pinkie?" Pinkie was already grinning when she answered. "I'm going where my friends are!" she answered cheerily. She looked inquisitively at Vanguard before continuing. "Can my barding come with streamers, huh? And pink! It's gotta be pink! Not that black isn't pretty. I mean you look pretty good in your barding." Everypony turned their attention to Rarity, who looked taken aback at the turn of events. "I suppose I'm joining as well," she finally said. "I mean Twilight already asked me about it in Pinkie's last party."

"Well, there's going to be drafts anyway," Vanguard said with a sigh. "I just hope that you're joining up because you find our cause to be worthy of a lifetime of service and a violent death." He looked at Twilight. "Not just out of some misplaced sense of guilt or pity." "We're going to fight for Equestria and keep it safe from invaders," Twilight replied resolutely. "What cause would be more worthy of a lifetime?" Her friends nodded in agreement. "Right," Vanguard said. He let himself show a ghost of a smile as he continued. "There's plenty to do for now. I have to make a report to Commander Dreadstep or whoever is currently leading. I'd better present all of you to him as well. Our prince might like to see all of you if he isn't too busy rearranging the entire legion to cope with this attack." "Did he just say prince?" Rarity whispered to Twilight. "He's Princess Celestia's brother," Twilight replied. "I doubt you'll have a chance with him." The white unicorn looked downcast for a few seconds before walking on. "Then it's off to Logistics for all of you," Vanguard continued. "The process" "Captaaaaaaain!" Immediately after the distant shout, a streak of red crashed right into Vanguard, knocking him down. Twilight and the others looked to see what was attacking him only to find a red-coated pegasus pinning him in a tight hug. "I knew you weren't dead!" Scarlet Rabbit exclaimed joyously. "There was just no way you'd die from a random encounter. Pyre and Blademane were just too lazy to search for you!" "Scarlet, you're making a scene," Vanguard told the pegasus firmly. He pried Scarlet off and stood up only to notice that several passing ponies were looking at them now. To his dismay, they quickly shifted their attention towards the flanks of the ponies near him. 'This better not be trouble,' he thought. Fortunately for him, the legionnaires were disciplined enough to

keep walking. Whatever they felt for chosen, it would not be shown today. "Scarlet, where is Pyre Valor?" he asked. "I dunno." Scarlet replied. "Haven't see her or Blademane after the attack." His voice lowered. "I think they're dead." Vanguard remembered Pyre Valor's words during their last meeting. If she had succeeded in giving FangBreaker to the wolven then she would have died fighting just as she said. Blademane would have refused to leave her side. "You should see Sharpfangs, Captain," Scarlet continued. "He was dead set on making a last stand in the kitchen because he thought you were dead. Flight Captain Tailwind actually dragged him out of there and flew him to safety. You should have seen him kicking and cursing all the way to camp!" "Not surprising," Vanguard said. "She just lost her son at that time. There was no way she was going to lose her husband." "Oh, but before that, Commander Dreadstep's already heard about you coming back. He's passed the word for you to meet him." "Right," Vanguard said. "I may as well bring you to him." he told Twilight and the others. "Hold on!" Scarlet suddenly said. He flew slowly towards Rainbow Dash and gave her a long hard look. The look on his face was completely serious. "What is it?" Rainbow asked. She flew back a little when Scarlet's face was just a few inches from hers. "Who are you and why are you made of rainbows?" Scarlet asked in return. "What the-?" Rainbow spluttered. "I'm not made of rainbows!" "Oh?" The serious expression disappeared. "Did you fall into a tub of mixing dye? Wait! Don't tell me you were hit by one of those weird poisons that the ophidites are always cooking up!"

"No and no!" Rainbow answered indignantly. "This is my natural mane color!" "You're a natural rainbow-head huh?" Scarlet remarked skeptically. "So what's your name?" "It's Rainbow Dash." "Oh now you're just making fun of me!" "That's enough you two." Both Vanguard and Applejack stepped in and pulled their respective pony away. "Save the introductions for later, Scarlet," Vanguard chastised his last living subordinate. "Take us to the commander." Scarlet Rabbit grinned in response. "Right this way, Captain," he said with enthusiasm. He flew ahead while Vanguard and his new-found friends trotted behind him. Several minutes passed until Vanguard and the others were walking with Commander Dreadstep. Vanguard explained his story, choosing to omit what the old wolven had told him. Commander Dreadstep's expression darkened when he mentioned Pyre Valor's betrayal. "This situation with the chosen is getting out of hand," Dreadstep said in exasperation. "So Cold Hoof wasn't alone after all and his conspiracy has succeeded with the help of the ponies involved in stopping him. I am almost too ashamed to tell our prince about this." "Was the prince in the fortress when the attack began, sir?" Vanguard asked. "No," Dreadstep answered. "He never came back when he suddenly took off after he sent Twilight Sparkle home." "You mean he didn't help when the wolven attacked?" Twilight asked incredulously. Dreadstep fixed his gaze on Twilight Sparkle sternly until she blanched. "Our prince honors the pact he made with Fenrir, Arugek and Sesyth. With

that pact, all of them promised to never be directly involved in the battles of their armies. If Prince Terrato had joined the battle, King Fenrir would have charged into the fray. What happened to FangBreaker is a true tragedy but trust me when I say that the casualties would have easily tripled if our leaders involved themselves." Dreadstep shifted his gaze from Twilight to the rest of her friends. "I'm not sure if I should be glad or worried that there are now chosen willing to join the legion," he said. "But things will not be so straightforward. FangBreaker's fall is the result of a betrayal, a betrayal rooted in the grudge some of our legionnaires feel towards Princess Celestia's decision to partition Equestria. The saboteurs responsible are likely still out there mingling with the rest of the legion. If I have you chosen join up now, you may well be assassinated before we even reach Bastion City." Rarity swallowed at the thought of being assassinated while Applejack glanced suspiciously behind her. "And then there's the matter of Twilight Sparkle," Dreadstep said. "Me, sir?" Twilight asked. "You may have been exiled but you're still Princess Celestia's protégé. If I put you in danger and you're harmed or killed, she could ask her brother for my head on a platter." "Princess Celestia would never do such a thing!" Twilight said indignantly. Despite her banishment, she had nothing but respect for her mentor. "You'll pardon me if I err on the side of safety. My head and neck happen to enjoy each other's company. We will delay all of your recruitments until we can root out the worst these insurgents. We also have to consult with the prince before we let you join, Twilight Sparkle. For now, you chosen should stay together. Captain Vanguard, I'm assigning you and Scarlet Rabbit to protect them." "Understood, sir," Vanguard said with a salute. Twilight let out a sigh as soon as Commander Dreadstep had walked ahead. "Here I am trying to fight side-by-side and I'm getting special treatment," she grumbled.

Vanguard didn't answer right away. When Twilight looked at him, she noticed a smile moving the corners of his lips. "What's so funny?" she asked. "I was just thinking about the things you've been saying," Vanguard answered. "If you had been born in the Barrier Lands, you'd be a highranking officer by now and I'd be taking orders from you." He looked at Twilight, appraising how she'd react. "Either that or you'd be dead after your first battle." "What does that even mean?" Twilight asked. "No need to rush," Vanguard said. "We've got a long walk ahead of us. You can think on the way."

Chapter 14 Ends and Means The wolven were still feasting when morning found them in FangBreaker Fortress. Some of them were picking away at the remains of the slain ponies. A few were snoring languidly, their bloodlust temporarily sated by the carnage of the previous battle. The main courtyard of the once-hated fortress was covered with gnawed bones and burned out bonfires. They had smeared the walls with triumphant boasting in their own language using pony blood as a crude paint. Not every wolven was complacent in victory, however. Small packs of warriors already patrolled the walls and sentries were placed along the entrances. Squads of wolven stalked the halls of the fortress, hunting for ponies who had hidden themselves. Some of the berserkers, still in the throes of their battle rage, were attacking each other. The white-furred brachyurii, the biggest and strongest of their kin, were content to sit by and watch in amusement. Hasrok watched all of this from the ruined, still smoking remains of the innermost gate where some wolven were crudely putting together some form of barricade. He and his pack were among the first to charge in when the gates fell apart while he himself killed four of the accursed thunderfoots. Their tails now adorned his belt as newly-taken trophies. Despite his role in the battle, it had fallen to his pack to begin repairs on the fortress while his bigger, stronger kin wallowed in celebration. The wolven army may despise FangBreaker Fortress and everything it stood for but they certainly were not going to waste it. "Do you still doubt my visions now, Hasrok?" Regiskra sneered as she walked past him. "FangBreaker is ours thanks to Moon-Shadow's return, as I have predicted." "You rely on dreams and the thunder-foots," Hasrok snarled. "Cursed Equestria will fall by wolven fang and claw, not through that…that thing on top of the fort!" He could not help but look at the figure watching them from

above. Right now, the strangest sight in FangBreaker Fortress was one of the hated thunder-foots. At least Hasrok believed that it was a thunder-foot. It was difficult to tell. The thing was surrounded by a thick bank of black smoke. At the center of the haze was the vague figure of a thunder-foot, ablaze with flames so black that they stood out against the cloud. A pair of red eyes stared out of the figure in a fiery glare that no wolven met without quailing. None of them dared to approach the thing even though they knew that it was responsible for bringing about the downfall of the fortress that had stymied their assaults for centuries. The wolven knew Moon-Shadow only as their king's enigmatic companion. The few who had an interest in lore also knew that Moon-Shadow had been trapped in the moon by cursed Celestia for a thousand years after a failed attempt to turn fair Luna against her sister. Her return heralded what they believed to be their greatest attack upon cursed Equestria, the turning point of a frustrating war that had lasted for centuries. Not even the most knowledgeable wolven lore-keeper, however, could explain the presence of the brown-coated thunder-foot who stood just outside the smoking presence of Moon-Shadow's latest appearance. When the gates were blasted open, he was standing by Moon-Shadow's side, completely uncaring while the wolven swarmed around him and attacked his fellow thunder-foots. The wolven who lunged at him were enveloped in smoke which left nothing of them but ash. Since that incident, the wolven had decided that the brown thunder-foot must be Moon-Shadow's personal slave and they left him alone. After all, they had a fortress to prepare. King Fenrir himself was coming to see his army's handiwork.

From her perch, Pyre Valor watched the wolven in growing disgust as they continued to defile FangBreaker Fortress with their "decorations". Her disgust quickly fed her rage and that rage caused the blackened flames that now bathed her body to burn even fiercer. She felt a sudden urge to dive down upon those filthy wolven and incinerate every last one of them and then burn away everything that they dared to smear on the walls. "My, my, bloodthirsty are we?"

'I would rather drink pony piss than have anything to do with wolven blood,' Pyre told her mental "passenger". She knew, however, that Nightmare Moon was doing much more than just residing inside her. This was not what she had originally planned. She was supposed to be dead by now, slain as a defender of FangBreaker Fortress as payment for what she had had to ask of the legion. Instead, she had all but allied herself with Wolvengard, merging with one of its strongest allies. Everything may just come to pass as Vanguard predicted. With a foothold into Equestria, the wolven could very well spread all across the northern front. Ponies would die by the hundreds-no, by the thousands. Still, she had welcomed the gamble as surely as she had welcomed Nightmare Moon within her. Despite the deaths and the coming desperate battles, the Equestrian Legion would overcome this and, as they did so, Celestia and the Heartland would hear her. Nevertheless, it seemed that the only thing she could count on was Blademane's constant loyalty. She wondered what he was thinking at the moment, standing next to a cloud of smoke and the monster that she had become. She had to admit that she was surprised that he was willing to go this far for her. "I'm a little surprised myself, Pyre Valor. I knew you were strong but even I didn't expect this much power from our unity. Look at what we've accomplished and all this while I mask my presence from that wretch, Terrato." 'Is that supposed to be a compliment? We are not friends, Nightmare Moon. We're using each other and nothing more.' "That's no reason for me to not speak the truth. Princess Luna possesses far more magical power than you but her hesitation and love for her family outweighed the strength of her envy. I could barely access a fraction of her magic. My weak unity with her let us fall victim to Celestia's wretched Elements of Harmony. But you, your rage and determination are a beauty to behold. Our unity will be the stuff of legend for pony and wolven alike!" 'Rage and determination, is it?' Pyre Valor thought. She remembered Vanguard's smoking body where she left it on the plain for the wolven to find. She had hesitated with that fireball and she knew it. The spell barely

damaged his armor and likely let him live. She didn't even have the guts to finish him off even though she knew that he was going to do everything to stop her. Instead, she turned her back and hoped that the wolven would find him and do the job for her. So much for rage and determination. "Undermine yourself if you must. You still struck him down. You have cast aside even foalhood friendship for this and, now that Vanguard Clash is dead, there is nopony holding you back." 'I will not hear that name from you, Nightmare Moon!' Pyre thought angrily. "Touching. You're trying to show some semblance of respect for a fallen friend. But why bother? You trusted him and he spat on your face. He cast aside your friendship first by choosing to put his life on the line for some worthless chosen that he met for a day instead of for the cause you so strongly believe in." 'That chosen,' Pyre thought. She tried to remember the purple unicorn's name. What was it again? Night Sparkle? It didn't matter. The purple unicorn was merely a symbol for everything Pyre despised about the chosen. She remembered their attack on that wolven camp and the chosen's hesitation to kill a wolven that was going to tear her entrails out and feast upon them if it got the chance. That was all chosen were. Weak, spoiled foals of Celestia. They didn't deserve protection, they deserved to be pushed into the front lines. Let the cowards and the weak be destroyed lest they pass both traits on through blood. "Is that a touch of bigotry? You're a pony after my own heart, Pyre Valor." 'Enough of this meaningless conversation! We have a war to fail.' "We'll get to that soon enough. Enjoy the last gasps of the legion. You'll have an eternity of remembering its downfall and your part in it afterwards."

Throughout its long history, few things have ever caused uproar within the royal palace. As the home of Equestria's rulers, it has served as a symbol of harmony for generations of Equestria's inhabitants.

It took but a single announcement from Princess Celestia to cause yet another one. The normally peaceful palace turned into a bustling hub of activity when it was announced that Twilight Sparkle and her friends had been banished to an undisclosed location for committing an unspeakable crime. Curiously enough, it wasn't even Princess Celestia who made the announcement, but an appointed pony. Nopony had seen the princess leave her room since Twilight Sparkle had arrived asking for a private audience. They royal guard suddenly found themselves swamped by an influx of inquiries by concerned and curious ponies. Only hours later, ponies asking for an audience started to pour in. The palace found itself crowded with the guards struggling to maintain a sense of order. Amidst the confused crowd, Princess Luna strode through the halls of the Royal Palace with purpose. She cut through the royal guards so swiftly that many of them failed to bow respectfully. She barely noticed them. All her thoughts were focused on finding and talking to her sister. Princess Celestia's room lay at the top of the royal palace's highest tower where she could enjoy a magnificent view of her realm. Outside her door, a pair of royal guards stood watch. When they saw Luna approaching, one of them ventured to come forward and speak. "Your highness, Princess Celestia has asked that-" "Move aside," Luna said quietly. A look from her caused the guards to immediately step aside with their heads bowed respectfully. The doors were locked and the locks were reinforced with magic. Luna's horn flashed deep purple momentarily as she smashed them aside. The doors flew open and she strode in before they slammed shut behind her. "Big sister-" Even Luna was taken aback at the sight of her sister. Celestia lay on her bed, her face completely dejected. Her colorful, flowing mane was still and limp around her. Her crown had fallen off and lay forlornly on the floor while she stared off emptily ahead of her. "Leave me," Celestia said softly. "Not until I get some answers," Luna replied. The atmosphere within the room suddenly grew heavy and ominous. Celestia's gaze focused on Luna. For a moment, she considered backing

off until her sister's mood lightened. Celestia wasn't angry. Not yet. This was merely a warning, a prelude to something that even she had never seen. Then she remembered why she was here in the first place and she matched Celestia's gaze with her own. "Why have you done this, big sister?" she asked. "Twilight Sparkle is your student. She and her friends bear the Elements of Harmony!" "They left me no choice," Celestia answered. "I didn't want this!" "You do have a choice! End this division, big sister. Bring them back from the Barrier Lands before it's too late!" "I will do no such thing!" Celestia raised her voice slightly. "Without the Heartland, all of ponykind will collapse upon itself. You agreed to this, Luna. Both you and Terrato understood that this had to be done." "I agreed because big brother agreed and he agreed because he'll agree to anything you say. I cannot stay silent anymore, big sister. Things have gone too far. Even your student believes that this division is wrong, isn't that why she refused to submit to another memory lock?" The pained look on Celestia's face quickly reminded Luna of how unwelcome the subject was to her sister. Still, she couldn't afford to relent. There was a lot of pain in the future especially if circumstances were allowed to continue as they were. "Twilight Sparkle said the things she said because she hasn't seen what I have," Celestia finally replied. "When she sees for herself what the legion is subjected to, she will come to realize that what I have done is necessary." A glimmer of hope seemed to flicker within her eyes. "When that time comes, I will ask her and her friends to come back and they will all agree." "Don't be-" Luna began to say. Before she could finish, however, the room was suddenly filled with arcs of magical energy. Energy that, they both realized, came from their brother. Sure enough, Prince Terrato's image materialized in the middle of the room. "This is not a good time, Terrato," Celestia said.

"Good," Terrato retorted. "I'd hate to ruin a good time. It looks like your mood is appropriately sour." "Has something happened, big brother?" Luna asked in concern. "The wolven have just captured FangBreaker Fortress," Terrato replied. Though he acknowledged the question, his focus was entirely on Celestia. "If something isn't done soon, they will make their way to Bastion City and then spread across the northern front." Celestia's eyes widened in horror. "Is there anywhere in the Barrier Lands you wish to go?" "FangBreaker Fortress." "Twilight Sparkle!" Celestia blurted out. "Is she safe, Terrato?" A look of confusion spread across Terrato's face. A moment later, his eyes widened in realization. "Those ponies you sent over the barrier." he said "Twilight Sparkle was one of them and you sent them to FangBreaker?" "Is she safe, Terrato?" Celestia asked again, more urgently this time. "Are they all safe? I sent six ponies to FangBreaker Fortress!" "I'll have to check," Terrato said darkly. "Hundreds of legionnaires just died, Celestia, I'll sort through them to see if your six has survived or not." Celestia didn't seem to hear Terrato. Her breathing quickened in her panic as the situation continued to dawn upon her. "I…I just sent them to their deaths," she breathed. "Why did they have to choose this fate?" she wailed. "We don't know that yet," Terrato said. "We must discuss other things. I've sent reinforcements to help with the northern crisis but FangBreaker's sudden fall was not part of the plan. It may be too late at this rate." When Celestia didn't respond, Luna decided to step in. "What must be done, big brother?" she asked.

"Let my legionnaires pass through the Heartland so they can arrive quicker," Terrato replied. He continued to act as if it was Celestia who was talking. Luna turned towards her sister, who appeared to wither and age on the spot. "And what will you have me say to my ponies when they see your army move among them?" Celestia finally asked. "Tell them it's Equestria's first Stay at Home and Close Your Eyes Day!" Terrato snapped. "I don't care! The north is in danger, Celestia! If we don't act now, it will take decades to root the wolven out!" Luna turned pleadingly towards her elder sister. "Big sister, please," she said. "We have to do something!" Under the weight of her siblings' stares, Celestia appeared to diminish. Her hooves shook as she remained silent for a minute. "Has everything conspired to ruin what I've tried to protect?" she whispered. Both Terrato and Luna remained quiet as they listened. Celestia turned her gaze on Terrato, her eyes defiant. "No. Now more than ever, with the sacrifices I have had to make to protect Equestria, I cannot let this war taint all ponykind. The Heartland will remain unsullied by the presence of war, whether from your legionnaires or the wolven. The north will stand strong no matter the crisis. You are my defender, Terrato, I believe in your ability to do all of this without sacrificing what the Heartland stands for." Under Celestia's stare, Terrato's face twisted in indecision. He had more to say but couldn't find the words to say them. Luna looked pleadingly at her brother. 'Send your ponies through,' she told him wordlessly. 'You can end this, big brother. For the north's sake, for all of Equestria's sake, this division must end.' Finally, Terrato did speak. "I am your defender," he said softly. Luna could only look away in disappointment. "I will stop anything that will harm what you cherish, dearest sister, but you have dictated this cost." Terrato's image dematerialized, leaving Luna alone with her sister. "You have your answers, Luna," Celestia said. "Now, leave me."

"I will go then," Luna said in resignation. "There is nothing more to be done here." She turned around and headed for the doors. Celestia paused, realizing what her sister's words might mean. She looked up in time just as Luna was about to open the doors. "Where are you going?" she asked. "To the Barrier Lands," Luna answered. "Our brother needs help. Since you won't raise a hoof to help him, I will go instead." Even as she spoke those words, Luna was unsure of what exactly she could do. Throughout his conversation with their sister, Terrato didn't as much as look at her. He called Celestia his "dearest sister" and what those words implied was not lost on her. "The Barrier Lands are no place for a princess of Equestria!" Celestia said in shock. "I forbid you to go!" "And what will you do if I go anyway, big sister?" Luna retorted sharply. "Will you banish me to the Barrier Lands too? Will you throw everypony who displeases you to our brother's realm? Or will you banish me to the moon once more?" Luna was about to open the doors when she stopped momentarily and looked at her sister. "But you can't do that," she said softly. "It took you the Elements of Harmony to do that and they are no longer here. You have sent them into danger and, for their sake, I will defy even you." With that, Luna left her sister's room. As she made her way through the halls of the royal palace, however, she was stopped by a large group of ponies. "Princess Luna!" one of the ponies, a red stallion with a green apple on his flank said. He bowed low and the rest of his companions followed. "We heard about what AJ and her friends did and we all came here to ask fer forgiveness. AJ's a good pony, she'd never try hurt anypony. She don't deserve to be banished and all." "Please send her home, your highness," A small, yellow filly who bowed right next to the red stallion said. She was in tears as she spoke and it was hard to make out the words between her sobs. "We all miss AJ. We'll do anything!"

The rest of the ponies, all members of the Apple Family, Luna realized, came forward and groveled before her. Many of them offered to take AJ's place. It didn't take much to understand that AJ meant Applejack. A pair of royal guards came flying towards the group. "There they are!" one of them yelled. "You ponies aren't allowed here!" As they approached, both of them bowed low before Luna. "We're very sorry, your highness, they broke through and ran here before we could stop them." Luna raised a hoof to wave off the guard's apologies. "It's fine," she told them. To the Apple Family, she spoke with both reassurance and determination. "I cannot reverse my sister's edict," she told them. "But rest assured that I am going to do something about it." The hope she saw in the ponies' eyes only reinforced Luna's determination. Something had to be done. Until her brother came to and did his part, she decided that she had to act on her own no matter what the cost.

Chapter 15 Loyalties The trek to Bastion City quickly proved to be a difficult one for FangBreaker's survivors. Many of the injured had to be carried or put on the few wagons that they had managed to save from the fortress. The worst had already been flown ahead, leaving the unicorns and earth ponies to move as best as they could across the plain. The morning cold eased slightly when the overcast sky let a few of the noon sun's rays reach the ponies. It was a small comfort however. Commander Dreadstep urged his troops to go at a brisk pace in order make as good a time as possible. There were defenses to be prepared and Bastion City had to be ready before the wolven even so much as approached it. Despite the pace, they weathered the journey well. A trip from Bastion City to FangBreaker was practically part of basic training. It was the first thing most of them had ever done in order to join the legion. They had moved on to the road that connected FangBreaker to Bastion City which served to ease their journey somewhat. Despite fatigue, the weight of their failure and short rations, they were doing well. Not everypony who was traveling with the survivors endured the trip well, however. Twilight and her friends had traveled through rough terrain before but not at such a pace and after having only a little rest. Twilight in particular, winced with each step of her right foreleg. As the day wore on, even Applejack, the hardiest among them, was showing signs of fatigue. Rarity trailed behind her friends, panting in exertion while sweat dripped from her face. "Surely, a little rest won't bother anypony?" She spoke to no one in particular. She was about to kneel down for a break she felt the cold metal of barding touching her shoulder. She looked to her side to find Vanguard Clash holding her up.

"Keep moving," Vanguard said sternly. It was hard to tell what the expression on his face was underneath his champron but he sounded serious. "We have been traveling all morning," Rarity protested. "And all you gave us for breakfast was a couple of mouthfuls of that disgusting sand you call "feed" and a small cup of water. It's unreasonable to ask us to keep going like this!" "Being reasonable has to step aside for necessity, Miss Rarity," Vanguard answered. He bumped against Rarity slightly, urging her to keep moving forward. "Can I at least ride on those wagons for a short while to rest?" Rarity looked longingly at one of the wagons. Spike had been allowed to ride on them. Vanguard had reasoned that the baby dragon shouldn't tax his friends' strained strength by riding on them and his stubby legs would only cause him to fall far behind. "Your rest will demand payment from the ponies pulling those wagons. Not a good way to endear yourself to them. Let me ask you, have you noticed any sidelong glances being tossed your way?" "Well, now that you've mentioned it, I do feel like I'm being watched." "That's because you are. You've been under scrutiny the moment ponies noticed those diamonds on your flank." "And what does that have anything to do with resting a bit?" "The common perception out here is that you chosen are weak and spoiled," Vanguard said harshly. "If you do things that confirm those perceptions, you will find yourself surrounded by enemies before we can even make it to Bastion City." At this, Rarity swallowed and quickened her pace to catch up. Vanguard's tone softened when he spoke again. "Even if your legs feel like falling apart you have to keep going for now. Respect can be earned but it will be earned in time and with effort." With that, he walked ahead of Rarity and settled into keeping pace with Twilight. "How's your shoulder?" he asked.

"Painful," Twilight replied. "But I'll be fine. How are your burns?" "Annoyingly itchy," Vanguard said with wry smile. "But I'll live." Twilight also smiled slightly. Whether it was out of relief or amusement, Vanguard wasn't sure. They walked quietly for a while before she decided to speak again. "So about your father…" she began. "What about him?" Vanguard asked. His father had found him earlier that morning. There was no burst of emotion from Sharpfangs like Scarlet Rabbit had shown, only a brief hug and a "glad you're back, son." He had also provided Vanguard with enough concentrated feed for several ponies, much to Twilight's horror and her friends' curiosity. "Share it with your new-found friends," Sharpfangs had said. "You should see your mother, boy, she'll be glad to see you're alive." 'I'll think about how glad she is while she's kicking my flank for making her think I was dead,' Vanguard thought. "I've never seen a pony like him before," Twilight continued. "The fangs are disconcerting I take it?" "Well, there's that." "He's a quarter wolven," Vanguard explained. "Well, approximately anyway. Bloodlines don't lend themselves to neat fractions. And yes, that would make me around an eighth of a wolven." Twilight watched Vanguard curiously. His remark about his heritage was so casual it was as if he was talking about his favorite food. Wolven. So that explained his strange eyes. "How did that happen?" she asked. She immediately backtracked once the question left her mouth. "If-if it's alright for you to tell me, that is." "It's not some painful family secret and you won't be the first I tell it to," Vanguard replied. He paused for a moment before continuing, remembering the first time he told this story. From being a controversy, his wolven blood was now nothing more than a curiosity within the legion. With the wolven however…he put the thought out of his mind. The wolven were

deluded and this "breaker" myth their crone was trying to push on him meant nothing. "It started with my great grandmother," he went on. "Her patrol was ambushed by wolven one day and she was captured. To her horrible fortune, that band of wolven raiders was led by a particularly perverted wolven." His expression darkened slightly. "When a Special Operations squad finally rescued her, her wings had been gnawed off and that was only one of the monstrosities that this wolven inflicted on her." "What a monster…" Twilight whispered in disgust. She felt her stomach protest. She had never realized that such depravity existed. Was there anything at all that these wolven existed for that didn't involve hurting others? "…even among wolven." "Perhaps," Vanguard said. "Although I recall that one of the original reasons for the wolven attacking is that King Fenrir wants to take Princess Luna for his bride. Perhaps this one wasn't so particular after all." "Princess Luna?" Twilight asked in surprise. For a moment, she wanted to ask why the king of Wolvengard would be interested at all in a pony but she realized that she was better off not knowing. "Wait, how did you know about that?" "We have books here, Twilight Sparkle, and I read," Vanguard replied. "Naturally, my grandfather horrified everypony that saw him. My great grandmother kept him though. 'Pony blood is stronger that wolven blood.' she said, and she meant it too. She raised him by herself, I'm told." "And he proved her right, right?" Twilight asked hopefully. Such a dark tale deserved a good end. She also took note of the mention of books. Perhaps there was a library in Bastion City. She could spend a day or two in there and learn much about the Barrier Lands. The mere thought of such studies made her a little giddy and put some spring in her step. "He did his best to prove her completely wrong," Vanguard replied. "He ended up a criminal and eventually got caught and hanged. Not before he repeated his father's despicable deed however. Not surprisingly, there was a large outcry for my father to just be killed the moment he was born." Twilight remained quiet despite her shock about Vanguard's grandfather. She realized that Vanguard was here so the story had to take a turn for the better.

"He would have been too until the matter somehow reached Prince Terrato's ears," Vanguard said. His voice took on a slightly reverent tone. "'This is my realm and here, a pony is condemned by his own actions not somepony else's,' he said. My father got his chance and he was a decent enough pony to earn his life and, strangely enough, the affections of a young, up and coming flight captain. So there you go. That's 'how it happened.'" They were quiet for some time. A sudden burst of raucous laughter and high-pitched giggling caused Twilight to look ahead of her. Scarlet Rabbit was flying low and chatting up Pinkie Pie. The two seemed to be sharing jokes, unmindful of the ponies around them. She returned her focus on Vanguard, whom she noticed was also looking at the two. "It must have been hard on you," she said softly. "Hardly," Vanguard said with a snort. "My father's done all the work. He's the one who was nearly killed for being born. All I have to put up with is the occasional "dog" comment." Twilight decided to change the subject. She had been prodding Vanguard Clash about his family too much. "The way you talk about him, you must really admire Prince Terrato." "He's our prince," Vanguard replied. "By his words, I'm alive and by his leadership, the Barrier Lands still stand." "Have you ever met him?" Twilight asked. "No and I don't need to. Serving under him is enough for me. What about you?" "Me? I haven't really gotten to know Prince Terrato to have much of an opinion." "I mean your opinion about his sister. You're Princess Celestia's student. You must know her better than anypony." "Was," Twilight answered sadly. "I apologize if I'm poking at still fresh wounds," Vanguard said quietly.

"It's fine. And I do admire her. She's kind, and patient and wise…the perfect teacher and princess." "I'm a little surprised." "Why's that?" Twilight asked defensively. "You sing her praises even though she's banished you here." A frown creased Twilight's brow. "She banished me because she believes that it's for the good of Equestria. She's always thinking of what's best for Equestria even if…even if I don't agree with her." Before Vanguard could respond, Twilight went on. "I know what a lot of ponies in the legion are thinking. They think she's an evil nag who doesn't care about them. That's not true!" "You don't have to convince me," Vanguard said, trying to placate her. "What do you think of Princess Celestia then?" "I think nothing of her. She's the prince's sister who's done nothing to make me care one way or another." "You don't care that she divided Equestria into the Heartland and the Barrier Lands?" "I defend my home as best I can with what I have because I live here, not because there are ponies a thousand miles away depending on me. Besides, Prince Terrato has worked with this division for centuries. It's never bothered him so why should I be bothered?" "I think you should care," Twilight said quietly. "Because those ponies a thousand miles away would if they knew what was going on here." "Are you going to start preaching about 'the truth'?" Vanguard asked. "Pyre Valor did that often. She went about it the loudest just before she hit me with a fireball and then betrayed the legion." "I'm sorry," Twilight said. She hadn't expected the conversation to take a turn towards Pyre Valor. She was there when Vanguard made his report to Commander Dreadstep and she heard how Pyre Valor had turned on

Vanguard and then sabotaged FangBreaker's defenses. "What she did was wrong. But if she intended-" "She's a traitor," Vanguard growled. "I don't care what she intended, her actions condemn her. Hundreds of good ponies are dead and the north is in danger because of her loyalty to 'the truth'. By the prince's law, I will kill her the next time we meet." "But she was your friend." "And she betrayed that friendship too. Pyre has chosen her side and I've chosen mine." Vanguard's morose tone made it difficult for Twilight to keep on talking. She looked above her. It was already afternoon and it was starting to get cold again. Her shoulder was still painful and the long exertion was gradually making it worse. She hoped that they were going to rest soon. Even the soldiers looked tired. Behind her, Rarity looked like she was about to fall face-first unto the ground. Applejack and Fluttershy walked next to her in concern but they were beginning to struggle as well. Rainbow Dash flew just a little ahead of her, now involved in a loud conversation with Pinkie and Scarlet. "Twilight," Vanguard spoke again. Some of the edge had gone from his tone. "What is it?" "Do you still consider yourself loyal to Princess Celestia?" "Of course!" "Yet you believe that the ponies of the Heartland should know the truth of this place?" "Yes, I do." "But that goes against your mentor's wishes." Twilight focused her gaze on the ground as her thoughts went back to that fateful night in the royal garden with Princess Luna.

"Trust me when I say that it will be for my sister's sake in the end." She was beginning to understand those words a little. "Sometimes...sometimes loyalty to a pony doesn't mean agreeing with that pony in all things," she said. She suddenly laughed wryly. "Listen to me. That sounds like something I should be asking Spike to write down so I can send it to Princess Celestia." Vanguard let himself smile as well. "You make a good point though," he said. "I just hope that my loyalty isn't put to the test in the same way yours was." Twilight nodded and their conversation switched to less heavy matters. Talking seemed to help her ignore the pain of her injury and let the day wear on faster. It wouldn't be long now until they reached Bastion City.

Located at what would be considered the center of the Barrier Lands, ignoring the Heartland, The Gray Sentinel stood watch over Equestria. Atop The Alicorn's Perch, the tallest peak in all of the Barrier Lands, the massive fortress served as Prince Terrato's home. From this place, he directed the Equestrian Legion whenever he wasn't out among them. From the bladelike spires to the individual rooms, no mortal pony was involved in the construction of this place, only Terrato's mastery over stone and metal. No mortal pony lived in The Gray Sentinel either. Silent, pony-shaped guardians of iron and stone performed all the necessary maintenance. He refused to make use of the legion's resources for housekeeping. The Gray Sentinel's size had nothing to do with Prince Terrato's sense of extravagance. Should the legion be faced with the most desperate of situations, he planned to gather as many as possible into the fortress in a final stand until Equestria's enemies bled to death trying to destroy them, a time that he believed would never come. It was also a time that now played out at the very edges of his mind. He consulted the map of Equestria laid out before him. The wolven had broken through his northern front and were bearing down the ponies who lived in his realm. Reinforcements from the western and southern fronts were still on the way and all of this happened merely a day after he left FangBreaker and returned to this place.

"You are my defender." Terrato's eyes narrowed as he stared at the map. Celestia was asking him to work miracles. Part of him felt flattered, even excited at the chance to assure his sister that Equestria was safe while he stood watch. Most of him, however, could only brood over the unnecessary cost of Celestia's socalled faith in him. He was deluding himself if he believed that this situation was a mark of how much faith Celestia had in him. In truth, this situation was proof of how much Celestia wanted nothing to do with him. And to complicate matters, he now had to play foal-sitter for Twilight Sparkle and her merry band of rebels. If they were still alive. 'I told you that it was going to bite your flank, Celestia,' he thought. 'Now I have to worry about whether it's going to take a chunk off.' "You cannot hide out here forever, big brother. The changes will force you to act." And then there was Luna. Terrato was no longer sure what to make of his younger sister. He had suspected, at first, that she was trying to get him on her side in another attempt at taking over their eldest sister's rule and that she still stank of Nightmare Moon's influence. But earlier, she was the one who showed concern over his realm. The look on her face made him think that she was even willing to come over to the Barrier Lands and take up post. And that was something he couldn't allow. He still remembered that moment even if more than a thousand years had passed. He had just come back from his greatest victory over Fenrir. There was wolven blood still spattered over his hide and hooves and his horn had been broken and still smeared with bits of Fenrir's eyeball. He had triumphantly flown back to his sisters with a glorious tale of what he did to those who wanted to harm them. Luna was happy that her "suitor" had been driven back and punished and the sight of her joy warmed his heart. But one look from Celestia destroyed that moment. She had given him a withering, disapproving stare that told him to stop. He knew that, from then on, Luna was off-limits. His relationship with his younger sister cooled and the barrier came to be in that same year.

And then, that was when he felt it. Something went through Celestia's barrier again. Annoyance quickly marred Terrato's face. Just how often was that barrier going to be breached? He recognized the presence of the one who breached it too. 'As if on cue,' he thought. Sure enough, magic began to gather in the room and Luna materialized across the table from him. "What did I tell you about coming here?" Terrato asked. He let some of his annoyance tinge his words. "Our sister doesn't need my support right now, big brother," Luna answered. "You do." "Am I a crippled old stallion so that my little filly of a sister has to help me?" "You need help and our sister won't aid you. Let me." Terrato rounded the table and stared his younger sister in the eye so that his face was but an inch from hers. He saw her quiver slightly but she did not back away. "I will break your wings and kick you back to the Heartland if you won't go on your own," he growled. Luna held his gaze steadily, a move that surprised Terrato. Was this even the same filly who ran crying under him when she first heard what Fenrir intended? "If you want a fight, big brother, look to the north. I'm not blind. There are three chairs in this meeting hall you designed. You've always meant for the three of us to lead a united Equestria together. We can start here!" Terrato snorted and turned away from Luna. She was right. The room he was in was designed as a meeting room that would accommodate him and his sisters. It was an idiotic pipe dream that he kept for some reason. Luna saw that with a glance. "Do what you want," he finally said. "Go north and find Twilight Sparkle if you want to make yourself useful." "Does that mean you'll let me stay and help?" "Stay out of the fighting and concern yourself with Celestia's batch of rebels. If I find out that you've been fighting you're going back to the Heartland with hoof-prints on your face."

Terrato exhaled loudly. 'Well, Celestia's not going to like me any more anyway,' he thought. He froze when he suddenly felt a pair of legs embrace him from the side. "Thank you," he heard her whisper. "For trusting me at least this much." A familiar warm feeling enveloped Terrato for a moment. His own forelegs seemed to move on their own to hug back but he quickly stopped himself. Instead, he pushed her away. "Get going before I regain my sanity," he said. She grinned in return and then cast her spell. In a flash of purple, she was gone. 'I'm sorry, Celestia,' he thought. 'But I have to build miracles out of something.'

Chapter 16 Divisions As night settled across the northern plains, it did so upon the already set up camp of FangBreaker Fortress's survivors. By the end of the day, everypony was completely exhausted. Commander Dreadstep had called for a rest only when the sun had partly set. At their pace, they expected to arrive at Bastion City by tomorrow noon. Already, Bastion City's tallest buildings could be seen as small shapes over the horizon. The mere sight of them brought some relief to a lot of ponies. Twilight Sparkle counted herself among them. She was also glad to finally be able to rest. Her shoulder was really starting to hurt and her legs were starting to give. Right now, however, she was more concerned over somepony else's fatigue. Sure enough, she found Rarity flat on her belly on the ground, panting in exhaustion while sweat dripped from her mane. Even with the cold, the exertion made them sweat. Twilight knew that she didn't look much better. "How are you feeling?" she asked her friend. "Utterly exhausted," Rarity replied between pants. "If this is what life in the legion is always going to be like, I'm afraid I may not last very long." "Don't say that," Twilight chided gently. "I'm sure you'll get used to it. Here, I brought you some dinner." Rarity looked up expectantly. "Please, please, please tell me it's a bowl of tossed salad with some pastries for dessert!" she said. "Even a loaf of ordinary bread will do!" "Sorry," Twilight replied and she placed the small pouch in front of her friend. The sight of it seemed to suck the last remaining strength from Rarity. "More of that disgusting sandy feed," Rarity grumbled. The expectant look became completely downcast. "Cheer up, Rarity. Vanguard says there's lots of decent food at Bastion City and we're almost there."

"It's not that. Well, it's not only that. This feed is certainly depressing in its own right." "So what's wrong?" Twilight asked. "I was…I was just thinking of Sweetie Belle," Rarity said softly. "I hope she's not too terribly upset about me being banished. And Carousel Boutique! It's only been a few days but it's most likely in shambles now! And I didn't even get to finish that last order too. Spike worked so hard to help me with all those gems and it was all for naught!" It was Twilight's turn to look downcast. "I'm sorry," she said."This is my fault." An image of Ponyville came to her mind. How were the ponies taking her and her friends' disappearances? Had they even noticed? What had Princess Celestia told them? To add to her sadness, she realized that she and her friends may have very well been considered criminals since they were banished. And then there were her parents. It must be crushing to realize that their daughter, who had been doing so well, was now an exile. She felt a hoof touch her own. "Don't you think that I'm regretting joining you here," Rarity said with a comforting smile. "That's not true. I just…" The smile lessened slightly. "...I just wish I was given a chance to say goodbye and set my affairs in order. I think all of our friends feel the same way about that." "I understand," Twilight replied. "I wish I could have seen my parents too. Princess Celestia must have been afraid that we would spread the knowledge of this place if we weren't banished immediately." "Well, let's not wallow too much on unfulfilled wishes. Excuse me while I choke down dinner." With that, Rarity poured a small amount of the concentrated feed onto her hoof and started eating. Eating soon turned into a mixture of grimacing and chewing. Twilight nodded and went on her way. She thought of seeing Spike by the wagons to see how he had been doing. Something else caught her eye though, that and a loud, distinct shout that made her curious and worried. "What did you just tell me, chosen?" a deep-voiced pony shouted.

Twilight didn't recognize the voice but she knew the tone it took. She didn't like the word "chosen" but there were two ways that it was spoken here in the Barrier Lands. There was Vanguard's way of saying it which turned it into a neutral word to say where a pony was from. Then there was the way Pyre said it, which turned it into the worst thing a pony could be. The voice just now sounded more Pyre Valor than Vanguard Clash. "You heard me loud and clear!" The response made Twilight hurry. That was Applejack, a rather angry Applejack by the sound of it. She found her friend staring angrily up at a yellow earth stallion. A few ponies had gathered around the spot to watch. "I ain't talking in fancy mathematics!" Applejack said. "You ran into me on purpose and I want an apology!" "If you weren't so slow, I wouldn't bump into you," the stallion growled. "You think you own this plain, chosen?" The stallion stood around a head taller than Applejack but she didn't back up as much as an inch. "This plain is big enough for the both of us and an army of ponies. You bumped into me on purpose, now pony up and say you're sorry!" "The only thing that's going to be sorry here is your worthless hide!" the stallion shouted. He pushed Applejack with a hoof, making her stumble backward for a foot. Applejack quickly stepped forward and shoved back. "So it's a scrap you want, huh?" she taunted. "Why didn't 'cha say so?" "The chosen thinks she knows what a fight is!" one of the ponies who were watching exclaimed. "Rough her up and show her how it's done, Stoneshod!" Stoneshod raised himself to full height and banged his front hooves together. That was when Applejack noticed that his hoof had felt cold and hard when he shoved her and that they clanged when he struck them. "If you're going to move like a crippled mule, chosen, you may as well be one!" he snarled. Some of the ponies in the background yelled in approval.

Applejack held her ground and braised herself. She was still going to kick this pony's flank but she was probably going to take a beating herself. Nearby, Twilight decided that enough was enough. She pushed ahead, ready to intervene with magic if she had to. The yelling suddenly stopped, however, and the gathered ponies parted to let somepony through. "Stand down before I call the Legion Police on you, Stoneshod," Vanguard said. "Vanguard Clash," Stoneshod said in surprise. "What are you doing defending this chosen? They're a spoiled, cowardly lot! All of them!" Vanguard stepped in between Applejack and Stoneshod. "So you're picking a fight with this smaller, unarmed and untrained chosen while wearing your tramplers and with your friends nearby because she's a coward? What a hero you are, Stoneshod!" Taken aback and embarrassed, Stoneshod hesitated for some time. Then, with renewed resolve, he stepped forward again. "They don't deserve any sort of honorable battle," he growled. "This chosen is here because she defied her princess," Vanguard said. He stepped forward as well and matched Stoneshod's stare. "She's been banished for believing that Equestria's division is wrong. You will show her respect for that." "I'll show her how we deal justice!" Stoneshod suddenly pushed past Vanguard to lunge at Applejack. For his trouble, his face encountered a pair of back-leg hooves. Applejack had aimed well. Her kick struck Stoneshod's chin with a resounding thud and the distinct crack of a bone fracturing. The force of the blow knocked him right on his back a few feet away where he lay there for a while, his eyes wide with surprise and his jaw slung open. The collective gasp of surprise escaped the gathered ponies. With a fierce cry, Stoneshod struggled to his hooves only to fall flat on his belly when something landed on him in a streak of red. "Assaulting an unarmed civilian," Scarlet Rabbit crowed as he sat on top of Stoneshod. "We're looking at thirty lashes there, Stoneshod. I hope somepony remembered to take a whip from the fort. I only had time to save some booze!"

Stoneshod struggled against Scarlet but the pegasus's weight was too much. "You ponies over at Special Operations think you're so high and mighty," he growled. He winced in pain and clutched his jaw. No assistance came from his friends and, when he looked up, he found the group already dispersing as a trio of barded ponies made their way towards him. He recognized the barding: Legion Police. "Sounds like loser talk from somepony who didn't make the cut," Scarlet said with a laugh. He flew off Stoneshod as the Legion Police moved in. Several minutes passed as Vanguard explained the situation to the Legion Police. With a nod, they escorted Stoneshod away while the other ponies returned to their business. Twilight and the rest of their friends came over once the Legion Police were gone and they settled down around a campfire that Scarlet had set up. "What was all that commotion about?" Rarity asked. She looked disapprovingly at Applejack. "Roughhousing with the legionnaires already?" "He started it," Applejack replied. "He's going to have to see somepony about that jaw," Fluttershy spoke worriedly. "I hope Doctor Redbrand doesn't yell at him too loudly. It looks like it really hurts." "I heard Scarlet say something about lashing," Pinkie Pie said. "Are they going to pluck his eyelashes for being a bully?" "Maybe, if they didn't get a whip from the fort before we ran for it," Scarlet replied. "That's ridiculous!" Rainbow Dash remarked. "And I hope that this Doctor Redbrand does yell at him for being a jerk!" "Are you alright, Applejack?" Twilight asked in concern. "I'll be fine," Applejack answered. She turned her attention towards Vanguard. "Thank you kindly for stepping in. You distracted him long enough at least. I hope I didn't make too many enemies."

"You probably made a few less," Vanguard replied. "That's quite the kick you have there. If you were wearing tramplers you might have taken his head off." "Years of apple bucking," Applejack said proudly. "A farm pony, hm? Have you worn barding before? Vanguard asked. "No. I tried out Big Macintosh's collar once. Would that count? "We can work with that. They'll probably put you in Infantry depending on how well you handle barding." Vanguard patted Applejack's shoulders and back. "Looks strong," he commented. "You might make it to heavy with some training." "What about this "Special Operations" that Stoneshod was talking about?" Applejack asked. "Is that your group?" "Special Operations is made up of small squads of different ponies," Vanguard answered. "We serve as troubleshooters for the legion." "Could any of us end up in Special Operations?" Rainbow Dash asked. "I doubt it," Vanguard replied. "My squad itself just lost its unicorn mage and earth pony skirmisher," he added darkly. "But we recruit from within the legion, among experienced legionnaires. It's unlikely that new recruits will head straight to our squad." "What about unicorns?" Rarity asked. "Where would we go?" "The legion can always use more unicorn magi. It depends on the spells that you have though. Offensive casters get bundled into firing lines while the defensive ones tend to be distributed. There's still the problem of you chosen unicorns having to deal with using magic outside Princess Celestia's realm." "Isn't there something that can be done about that?" Twilight asked. "I don't know," Vanguard replied. "Perhaps Prince Terrato has a method for adjusting your spell casting for his realm. Or you'll just get used to this place and you'll be able to cast at your best in time."

With the questions out of the way, the group was silent for some time with the only sounds coming from Spike, who had started dozing next to Twilight, and the uncomfortable grunts of Applejack and Rainbow Dash trying get a mouthful of concentrated feed down. Vanguard watched them in amusement and then turned towards Scarlet Rabbit. "Did I hear you right back there?" he asked. "Did you save some booze from the fort?" "Storm Brew gave me a free bottle when I managed to save the last barrel from the brewery!" Scarlet Rabbit said gleefully. "It's Good Stuff too! I hid it under one of the wagons, wanna drink it, Captain?" "Our new friends look like they need help in swallowing my father's feed." Vanguard replied with a grin. Scarlet Rabbit was gone in a streak of red as soon as Vanguard answered. A few seconds later, he was back with a bottle clamped in his mouth and several glasses in his forelegs. "What's that?" Twilight asked as Scarlet poured his captain a glass. The liquid that flowed from the bottle was clear and sparkling. To her surprise, small arcs of blue electricity appeared in random intervals in the liquid. "Storm Brew's Good Stuff!" Scarlet replied as he poured himself a glass. "But what is it called?" Twilight asked again. "I just told you. Good Stuff!" "Storm Brew is an excellent brewer," Vanguard said. He took a sip of the drink before continuing. "Not so good with names, though." "I'll try some!" Pinkie said with enthusiasm. With an approving nod, Scarlet handed her a glass and poured her a drink. "Here goes!" She emptied the glass in a single pull. "That's not a good idea," Vanguard said as he watched the pink pony. He backed away slightly, still remembering the last pony who underestimated Storm Brew's Good Stuff.

"That was delicious!" Pinkie Pie said. "It's like punch but not very sweet and really smooth! It leaves this tingly feeling in your tongue and then leaves a cool feeling in your throat! Is that barley I'm tasting? And then-!" She froze at mid-sentence and looked straight ahead of her. "Here comes the kick," Vanguard said. Arcs of electricity surged through Pinkie Pie, causing her mane to stand on end. A trail of smoke left her mouth as she spoke. "Awesome…" she gasped and then fell to her side. Worried, her friends looked her over while Scarlet held his sides and laughed. "So who else wants a glass?" Scarlet asked. Nopony took up the offer so he poured himself another drink before watching Pinkie doze off with a smile. "She's good though," he commented. "Maybe I should introduce her to Storm Brew." "What was her job in the Heartland?" Vanguard asked. "Well, she lived with some bakers," Twilight offered. " A baker hm? I'm not sure about her fighting skills," Vanguard said. "But maybe she can be a lot of help to my father. She might even make that sandy feed you all hate so much tasty." "A worthwhile goal, I assure you!" Rarity added. "Take a hint from Pinkie Pie," Vanguard said. "Time to turn in, we still have some walking to do tomorrow." The rest of them agreed and turned in for the night.

Some time passed and the entire camp had become quiet. Nearly everypony was asleep save for the sentries guarding the perimeter. Vanguard Clash found himself awake and he quickly realized that he wasn't alone in his wakefulness. Nearby, Applejack was sitting by the fire while her friends slumbered around her. "Something wrong?" he asked.

"Not really," Applejack replied. "I was just thinking about…stuff." Vanguard didn't reply immediately and settled near her. "Say, Vanguard?" Applejack asked. "Yes?" "What Stoneshod said about us "chosen" ponies…is that how all of you legion-types feel? Do you think we're all cowardly and spoiled?" "No," Vanguard answered. "If I thought that then I'd be joining Stoneshod in beating you up. The fact that no one helped him should give you a clue as to how popular his opinion is." "So he's just one disgruntled pony?" "That's not quite true either. The ponies of the Barrier Lands have different opinions on the chosen," Vanguard said. "Some like to treat you and the Heartland like a fairy tale and just concentrate on fighting for their homes. Others acknowledge your existence but put their faith in our prince knowing what's best. There's also ponies who just like a good fight and don't sweat anything else." He looked at Scarlet Rabbit when he said that. "And then there's Stoneshod and his ilk who like to hold on to a centuries-old grudge." "So where do you put yourself?" "I think I'm a mix of the first two," Vanguard said with a smile. "Why would anypony want to hold on to a grudge? We've never done anything to them. If we knew what was going on out in these parts, we'd all have done something to help!" "Don't be so sure to put all your fellow chosen in the same boat," Vanguard cautioned. "As for why hold on to a grudge, who knows? Perhaps it makes them feel superior by playing the victim of injustice. They could genuinely feel that it's the chosens' fault. Or they could just be carrying on their parents' beliefs." A minute of silence passed with the two of them simply staring at the fire. "Speaking of folks…" Applejack said. "I hope your pa's not too upset about

us not liking his sandy feed. To be honest, I don't think it's that bad. It'll probably taste better with a little apple sauce." "I'm sure he's already taking your ability to swallow it with only a little gagging as a compliment," Vanguard replied. "Is that why you were wandering around when Stoneshod ran into you? You were looking for some apple sauce?" "Well…yeah," Applejack answered, her face reddening slightly in embarrassment. "Just plain apples would have done it. I can make apple sauce in a jiff." She paused for a while and then went on. "What about your ma? Is she in the legion too?" "I'm avoiding her for now," Vanguard replied. "At least until I have access to an actual hospital. I'll be lucky if she doesn't assault me on our way to Bastion City." Applejack laughed slightly before speaking. "Sounds like one of my aunties," she said. She was quiet for a while and Vanguard noticed an air of melancholy around her. The smile on her face quickly faded. "It must be nice working with your folks in the legion," she said. "I see," Vanguard replied. He patted Applejack on the shoulder in an awkward attempt at comfort, once more wishing that he had the voice for this. "Perhaps it will help if you look at it this way." Applejack looked at him curiously. At the sight of her scrutiny, Vanguard coughed slightly before continuing. "Though they're far away and you miss them. Try to take comfort in knowing that they're far away from all of this and that they're safe." "That's a nice thought," Applejack said. To Vanguard's relief, some of her smile managed to come back. "Thank you kindly, Vanguard, that's real nice of you." Vanguard coughed again and looked away. "Now, get some rest," he said. "You'll lose the respect you earned today if you collapse in exhaustion tomorrow." "Understood, Captain."

With that, Applejack settled in between Rarity and Rainbow Dash and closed her eyes, leaving Vanguard alone to stare at the fire. The flames reminded him of the unicorn mage his squad had lost. "I don't care what she intended, her actions condemn her. Hundreds of good ponies are dead and the north is in danger because of her loyalty to "the truth". By the prince's law, I will kill her the next time we meet." He had sounded so strong and determined back there. He wondered if Twilight Sparkle even believed a word he said about being able to kill Pyre Valor just like that. She likely saw right through him. Pyre Valor had been one of his very few friends for a very long time. There was no way he would be able to kill her and feel nothing. He felt a little pathetic, sitting by himself in front of the fire. He was the captain of only one pony and his failure to arrive in time still loomed from the north. Helping these chosen, however, gave him some comfort. He had never been one to make friends. He was lucky to have met Pyre Valor all those years ago and he knew quite well that Blademane was not really his friend but Pyre's. Scarlet Rabbit was…an accidental friendship. He remembered being back in that wolven's tent and realizing how little he had when Pyre Valor left him to die. It was a dark and terrible feeling, a feeling that he could put behind him now. 'I've lost two and found six,' he thought. 'Not a bad trade in the end.' A few more minutes passed and he settled down for some sleep himself. Tomorrow, Bastion City awaited.

Chapter 17 Necessity Among the cities of the Barrier Lands, Bastion City had always had a reputation for being a rough and tumble place. As the closest city to Wolvengard in all of the Northern Barrier Land, it was far from anypony's mind when thinking about good places to settle down in. Knowing that it was going to be the first city in the path of an invasion should the wolven move past FangBreaker Fortress, the city's founders built it for defense. Its high walls were built from stone transported all the way from the mountainous regions of the Western Barrier Land and the city was built like a fortress. Several farms lay outside the city, where only the hardiest of crops, ones that could survive in the cold climate, were grown. Mosses and lichen served as staple food out here, to the point where the city was as famous for them as it was for being a dangerous, inhospitable place. Cities to the south traded for these products, considering some of them to be delicacies in their own right. In return, Bastion City received vegetables, quarry and lumber. A nearby lake, through frozen for half the year, provided a supply of water. Bastion City was also famous for another product it had in ample supply: wolven fur. It had a steady stream of them coming in from FangBreaker Fortress and the city's tanners were experts in converting them into clothing, having developed a method for softening the normally wiry fur. Cities in the Northern Barrier Land prized them for their hardy insulation, useful when the often bitter winter blew in. There would be no deliveries coming in from FangBreaker Fortress any time soon, however. News of its fall was already widespread throughout the city. As a result, constructions sprung up as walls were reinforced and barricades created. The farmers had already moved into the city with all the crops they could harvest and the price for a suit of barding and a set of tramplers tripled practically overnight.

"These ponies don't look very happy," Fluttershy commented as she passed through the massive gates of the city. The survivors of FangBreaker Fortress arrived by noon and were greeted with a mixture of relief and grim confirmation by Bastion City's residents. "They're expecting a wolven attack in less than a week," Vanguard answered as he took his place in front of her and her friends. "You'll have to forgive them for not being in a festive mood." "I'm just glad that we've finally arrived," Rarity said wearily. "I hope they have plenty of food to spare." "What are we going to do now, Vanguard?" Twilight asked. Before Vanguard could reply, Scarlet Rabbit came into view. "I just spoke with one of the sentries!" Scarlet Rabbit called to them as he flew in to take his place next to Vanguard. "They got several buildings nearby ready for us to use as soon as they heard we were coming. The commander's just ordered everypony to get there and rest up and then take part in getting our defenses ready." "Good," Vanguard replied. "We'll go there then. First we need to get you chosen some cloaks. We've got maybe a week or so of fall before the first blizzard sweeps in from the north. You won't be much use to the legion as frozen corpses." "Good idea," Rarity said. "It is getting rather chilly." "But fall was just about start back home!" Applejack protested. "Don't tell me that time moves faster out here." "It is fall," Vanguard said. "Or it is down south. Here, we get a short spring and summer followed by winter. I take it that Princess Celestia didn't let you pack before banishing you?" "No," Twilight answered. "Well that answers my old question," Rarity said. "In exile, one packs warm." "We don't have any bits on us," Twilight reminded Vanguard.

"Scarlet and I will foot the bill," Vanguard replied. "You can pay us back when you start earning your pay." "Thank you," Twilight said. "I think you've saved us again." "Don't bother keeping track. Lives are endangered and saved far too often here." Vanguard turned towards Scarlet. "Scarlet, spot us a good deal while I go get some back pay. Hopefully, somepony remembered to save some of the treasury before the fort fell." "On it, Captain!" Scarlet replied. He saluted and flew ahead. About a quarter of an hour passed after both Vanguard and Scarlet went off. When they reconvened, Vanguard had a pouch full of bits while Scarlet was escorting a peddler, a tan-colored pony with a graying, light brown mane and mustache. Behind the peddler was a covered wagon. "Six of your warmest cloaks," Vanguard said. "Make that seven!" Spike spoke up. He had been riding on Applejack's back during the final few miles of the trip, having gotten bored of being alone on the wagons. "Seven then." Vanguard replied. "Six for ponies and a small one for the baby dragon." "I'll give ya a good price since ya legion-types are the ones getting the material anyway," the peddler rasped. The mention of "baby dragon" didn't seem to bother him. He removed the wagon's covering, showing a pile of gray cloaks and boots of varying shades. Twilight and the others moved in to see the merchandise. "They look a little plain," Rarity commented. "But the feel of it is wonderful. Why, you'd think it was actual fur from the texture." The peddler looked at Rarity quizzically. "That's 'cause it is actual fur, miss," he said. Rarity looked at the peddler in both horror and surprise. "A-actual fur?" she asked. "As in this once belonged to an animal and you peeled it off its body?"

From behind them they could hear Fluttershy gag. The others gasped at the revelation. "Well it's not really peelin'," the peddler answered. "Ya need a good 'n sharp knife and some of that smelly tannin. Don't know much of the process myself but ya won't find better treated wolven fur than the ones here in Bastion City." "Wolven?" Rainbow Dash asked. "As in those monsters coming after us?" "Yup," The peddler answered. He turned towards Vanguard. "Strange bunch o' folks yer buyin fer. I'm not even talkin about that filly's crazy mane." "They're new here," Vanguard replied patiently while counting out his money. "So how much are you selling them for?" "We can't wear these!" Twilight protested. "They're cheap, durable and the best insulation you're going to get," Vanguard replied flatly. "You'll wear them or your first Barrier Lands winter will be your last." "It's bad enough that we have to kill them but now we skin them and wear their fur for clothes?" Twilight insisted. Vanguard's face was completely expressionless as he answered. "When the wolven kill a pony, they take the mane and tail for trophies, eat every inch of the flesh and then use the bones for tools and ornaments. Not a single body part goes to waste. Each time a pony is killed, the wolven are sustained. We can't match that efficiency but we do what we can." Twilight's eyes narrowed. "If we do as the wolven do, then we're no better than them," she said. "This isn't about showing off how much better we are than them," Vanguard replied. "It's about surviving. Whether it's against a horde of wolven or a merciless barrage of snow and wind, we do what we must." Twilight looked away. She remembered Princess Celestia's words right before she was banished.

"The stuff of my nightmares is seeing my subjects become more and more like them." "It's still wrong," she said. "Can't we use some other material?" "Look around you. Does this look like a place where you can grow cotton or raise silk worms?" Vanguard sighed before continuing. "Why don't we talk about this some other time?" he suggested. "Spend some time in Bastion City. After you go through a winter storm fresh from the frigid valleys of Wolvengard, we can discuss how wrong it is to skin the wolven." "Uh…are ya buyin' the goods or not?" the peddler asked. "We'll take seven cloaks and six sets of those boots," Vanguard said. "Thanks. I hope they help ya kill more of them wolven." The peddler went on his way and Vanguard distributed the newly bought clothing. To him, they looked as if they were holding the freshly severed heads of the wolven instead of clothing. Irritation suddenly crept up on him and he walked over to Twilight, who looked away as he approached. He grasped her by the shoulders and looked her in the eye. "You said that you would stand with the legion," he told her. "And that you will stand by your words. Was that all a lie?" Vanguard's words seemed to ignite something inside Twilight. She looked right back at him, her eyebrows furrowing in indignation. "I meant every word!" she said. "I don't believe you," Vanguard growled. "All of you wince this much over the fur of a wolven you didn't even kill." He swept his gaze over all of them. "What could possibly be left of any of you when you have to walk over the corpses of the ones you will kill? If this is your limit then go back to the Heartland and beg for your princess's forgiveness. She'll take you back and you can forget we exist." With that, he returned his focus on Twilight. "How do we stand stronger together when you can't even stand strong on your own?" Twilight pushed away Vanguard's hooves so that he had to take a step back. She took the cloak and put it around her while glaring at him. The rest of her friends followed, their eyes downcast. Vanguard doubted that he

shamed them into doing it but the reality of having to kill wolven themselves must weigh in their minds now. Fluttershy looked like she was draping a sheet of fire over herself. "Let's go," he told them. "Scarlet, lead the way to our new barracks."

Hours passed after Twilight and the others bought their cloaks and boots. They were now staying inside one of the buildings the city had provided for legion. For now, they were asked to stay at a single large room with several beds where they waited restlessly for any news of what they should be doing. They intended to join the legion but, due to complications, they had ended up in some sort of vague state of being part of it and, at the same time, not. Vanguard Clash had gone out to check on that matter while Scarlet Rabbit stayed behind. They had been treated to a meal of fresh moss with lichen tea. Though they were a little suspicious of the food's appearance, they quickly agreed that, not only was it far superior to Sharpfangs's sandy feed, it was actually quite delicious. The only complaint came from Spike, who had enjoyed the meal but still wished he had a few gems to go along with it. After the meal, they had taken to lounging about. Impatience quickly filled the room so thickly that it felt like a dark cloud. "Well, I have to admit this much," Rarity decided to say. She was still holding the wolven fur cloak that had been given to her. "Its source is horribly morbid but, objectively speaking, the material is quite good." "How can you say that?" Fluttershy argued. "It's fur! It belonged to another creature!" "I know, dear," Rarity said. "But I'm inclined to agree with Captain Clash. In the absence of other materials, we have to make do. " "Make do." Fluttershy said in disgust as she tossed her cloak aside. "I would rather-" "Die?" Applejack finished the sentence. Everypony in the room looked at her. She sighed and set her cloak aside. "Look, I don't like these things. I think they're disgusting, not 'good material'!" She glared at Rarity as she said that. "But I ain't freezing to death because I'm scared of some dead

critter's fur. 'specially if that dead critter is a dead wolven. At the end of the day, useful beats disgusting." Eager to move on to a different subject, Rainbow Dash turned towards Scarlet Rabbit, who had not been paying attention to any of them. He sat by one corner; whistling to himself. "Hey, Scarlet!" she said. "Just how long are we going to sit here and do nothing?" "Relax," Scarlet replied dismissively. "The captain will take care of it." "What exactly is 'it'?" Rarity asked. "I dunno. But the captain will deal with it anyway. Don't worry your silly flank-pictures off." "They're called cutie marks!" Rarity said. "Not silly flank-" Before Rarity could finish, the door to the room suddenly swung open and Vanguard stepped inside. Rainbow Dash immediately flew over to him. "So?" she asked impatiently. "Do we get to do something now?" "Soon," Vanguard replied. He faced the group as he continued. "We've just received word that Princess Luna is coming to Bastion City with Prince Terrato following soon. Commander Dreadstep will present all of you to them once they arrive so we can decide just how to deal with you." "More waiting," Rainbow said in exasperation. She collapsed on one of the beds and put a pillow over her face. "Wait," Twilight said. "Princess Luna is out here? What is she doing in the Barrier Lands?" "Nopony knows," Vanguard answered. "But Prince Terrato let her stay in his realm so he must have some purpose for her. For now, I'd like you to come with me, Twilight." The request took Twilight by surprise. After a few seconds, she nodded and followed Vanguard as they left the building.

"Why does Twilight get to do everything?" Rainbow Dash complained as soon as they left.

It was already late afternoon but the city remained bustling with activity. As she walked next to Vanguard, Twilight took the time to look at the city sights. Bastion City favored stone buildings reinforced with heavy lumber, both likely transported from someplace else. The buildings tended to be low and flat with gabled roofs to keep snow from piling. A few still had flat roofs, however. The streets were paved for smoother traffic but they showed cracks in several places. All around her, carts of supplies moved back and forth with the ponies pulling them carrying urgent expressions on their faces. "So where are we going?" Twilight asked. "I take it that Princess Celestia didn't teach you any spell specifically for killing wolven?" Vanguard asked in return. "Of course not!" "Then all you have is your telekinesis to fight them. It's a strong spell but the focus you have to maintain to keep it up leaves you open to attack. You need an offensive spell that you can cast quickly and on the move. We're going to get some of those." "Are you taking me to the library then?" "Not quite. Bastion City's library is mostly records. The spell books, especially the ones with combat spells, were placed in FangBreaker's vaults for training unicorn magi. Unfortunately, we saved only a few of those and they're currently in safe-keeping and reserved for legionnaires. I think I might be able to get you something though. Here we are." They stopped in front of a small house at a side street. The light by the window indicated somepony was inside. Vanguard knocked on the door and waited. After a minute, the door opened a crack and somepony's eye peeped through. "Who is it?" a cracking, suspicious voice asked.

"It's me, Vanguard Clash," Vanguard answered. The door immediately swung open and they were greeted by an elderly unicorn couple. "Vanguard!" the blue stallion exclaimed in his raspy voice. Before he could say anything else, however, the white mare interrupted. "Where's my Pyre?" she asked. "Why isn't Pyre with you? Has something happened?" Twilight's eyes widened in realization. She immediately recognized the resemblance; the white coat, the black mane, even the brown eyes. These were Pyre Valor's parents. Vanguard's expression softened and, when he spoke, his voice was heavy. "Pyre Valor fought valiantly when the fortress was attacked," he said grimly. "I'm sorry for your loss." "No…no…no…" the elderly mare's knees gave way and the stallion quickly supported her. "Not my Pyre!" she wailed. The elderly stallion's face crumpled with grief but he held it together when he talked to Vanguard. "Thank you for telling us. You're a good colt, Vanguard. Always were." He looked at his wife and stroked her mane with a hoof. "We knew that this might happen, dear," he said. "We knew." "Do you still have some of her possessions?" Vanguard asked. "The attack happened so quickly…" "I understand," Pyre Valor's father said. "We kept her room exactly as it was when she left for the fort. Go on and take something to remember her by." "We'll be respectful," Vanguard said reassuringly as he entered the house and gestured for Twilight to follow. She slipped past the grieving couple and followed him in. The house was a small, cramped place with only candles and a small fireplace for lighting. Pyre Valor's room was separated from the main room through a hanging piece of fur. Inside was a simple bed with some shelves on the wall and a dresser. Vanguard sorted through the assortment of books on the shelves and then pulled one out to give to Twilight. "Pyre wrote down her earliest spells there," he said. "You should find them useful."

Twilight flipped through the pages. As she scanned them, one word quickly stood out: Fireball. It said much of a unicorn when the first few spells she learned involved making a powerful explosion to kill her enemies. "Let's go," Vanguard said. The two of them left the house while the elderly couple watched from the door. "Miss!" Pyre's father called after Twilight. She turned around to see what he wanted. "You're the new unicorn mage for Vanguard's squad, aren't you?" "Um…well…actually…" Twilight stammered. "Honor your predecessor!" Pyre's mother suddenly snarled. Tears were still streaming down her face while she spoke. "For Pyre Valor's sake, burn a hundred of those flea-bitten, murdering mongrels!" "I will," Twilight said. It was only after the words left her lips and they had already rounded a corner did she realize the implications of what she said. She turned towards Vanguard. "Why didn't you tell them the truth?" she asked. "Tell them what?" Vanguard asked. "That their daughter is a traitor who was willing to get hundreds of ponies, including them, killed? Why do that?" Twilight had no answer. "Why did you bring me along?" she asked. "You could have gone on your own and brought the book back." "I wanted you to see." "See what?" "The things we bear out here. The reason why we do what we must. To try to keep that from happening to everypony in Equestria, even if it's a futile effort, I will kill the wolven by the hundreds and wear their skins." Twilight lowered her gaze and stared at the pavement while they made their way back. "What about you?" Vanguard asked. "Did you mean what you told them?"

"That I'd burn a hundred wolven for Pyre Valor?" Twilight asked in return. "I'm not even replacing her in your squad and I doubt that I could even if I tried." "But you will try. Or are you just as much a liar as I am?" "I…I don't know." They were silent the rest of the way. By the time Vanguard spoke up, they were about to enter the building where their friends were. "Take care of that book. I may have lied to them about Pyre Valor's intentions but I didn't lie about wanting something to remember." "Why this book then? I mean, I know it's to give me some spells to use but is it significant for you as well?" "I gave Pyre that blank book when I was just a colt," Vanguard answered. "It's a remnant of a time when all she cared about was collecting fire spells." He seemed to stare off distantly as he spoke. "Good times." "Are you still going to kill her if you meet her again?" Twilight asked. "If she's somehow still alive…yes. She's a dangerous traitor who needs to be put down. It'll tear me up inside but I will kill her." "Pardon me for saying so but I'm a little glad that it will at least tear you up inside." Without answering to that, he opened the door and the two of them went inside.

Chapter 18 Terrato’s Choice "Welcome to Bastion City, your highness," the pony guard said. Luna dipped her head slightly towards the guard to show her appreciation. The earth pony bowed in response. To her, his face may as well have been chiseled out of rock. It was the same for the other guards posted along the wall where she had landed and it was the sort of reaction that she had expected. The ponies of the Barrier Lands were not quite sure how to feel about her. She knew that many of them despised Celestia and adored Terrato but she guessed that she had not done much to place herself in either of those extremes. Her worry, however, was that these ponies would resent her for being the one who provoked King Fenrir and causing the wolven to avalanche from the north. "Don't flatter yourself," her brother once told her once. It was more than a thousand years ago, before the barrier came up. "He could have borrowed a cup of sugar from Celestia and he would have attacked just as happily if she shorted him one grain." Luna didn't know how much of what her brother said was true and how much of it was meant to comfort her and justify Celestia's refusal to hand her over to the rapacious wolven king even if it meant war. She put those thoughts aside for now, however. She didn't come here to gauge whether Terrato's ponies liked her or not. She was here to find Twilight Sparkle and the rest of the bearers of the Elements of Harmony and to make sure that they were safe. It was nighttime when she had arrived in Bastion City. Though she had teleported out of her brother's fortress, she had only traveled three quarters of the distance to Bastion City by magic. Long-range teleportation was exhausting, far more exhausting than flight, and she wanted to conserve some of her strength in case she had arrived at the city only to find that the fighting had already begun. Though she didn't relish the thought of having her brother's hoof-prints on her face, she was ready to take part in the fighting if it was necessary.

"Do you need anything, your highness?" one of the guards asked. "We are here to serve." It was hard to make out anything from such a neutral voice. Concern, respect, enthusiasm...even scorn or annoyance would have been comforting. It was as if they were reading from a script, a script that her brother provided them. "Some rest," Luna answered wearily. "Do you have some place I can stay?" The guards bowed again. "Of course, your highness. A room has already been prepared for you." They led the way from the walls to what was easily the largest building in Bastion City. Passers-by gave Luna a curious look and nothing more as she went through the streets. She had to admire the discipline by which Terrato's ponies conducted themselves. There was much to do to prepare for the wolven and no time can be spared for gawking at anything, not even their prince's younger sister. The room she was provided with was comfortable enough. It was spacious, with a large bed and a cozy fire by one side. The blankets were fur, something that Luna quickly decided not to think about. It was nowhere near the opulence of the royal palace back in Canterlot but she imagined that it was far better than the average room in this city. She took to the bed and closed her eyes. The plan was simple for now. Get some rest and then search for the bearers of the Elements of Harmony tomorrow. Though Luna had been upset with her sister for banishing Twilight Sparkle and the others, she felt that she was at fault as well. She was the one who helped Twilight break the memory lock, setting off the chain of events that led to this point. She held on to the hope that they had somehow made it safely out of FangBreaker Fortress and got to this place. The thought of finding out that they had died would be crushing.

Morning in Bastion City found Spike curled up on a bed by himself. He had had to share a bed with Twilight when night came. It was but one more small detail to the fear that was slowly forming in his mind. Of all his friends, he was the one whose future in the Barrier Lands was unsure. He wasn't a pony. What place would the Equestrian Legion have for a baby dragon? His best chance was that he would be allowed to continue to stay by Twilight's side and do what he had always been doing for his entire life

but even that role had been diminished. There will be no more letters to Princess Celestia from now on. He sat up and yawned. Two things quickly dawned on him; it was still very early and that Twilight was up. He looked around and found her by one corner of the room with her nose buried in that book she had arrived with yesterday. "Not this again." he muttered. He kept his voice down as he made his way towards Twilight. The other ponies were still asleep. He did note, however, that Vanguard Clash and Scarlet Rabbit were not around. They must have been up and about even earlier. "Don't worry, Spike," Twilight replied without so much as looking up. She kept her voice low as well. "I got some sleep. I just woke up earlier and got right back to studying." Spike sighed and looked around to see if there was something he could turn into breakfast. "First it was that coin and now it's that book," he said. "Every time Vanguard gives you something, you lose a ton of sleep." "Both times, they are important enough," Twilight replied. "I need to memorize at least one of these spells, Spike, so I can show that I can be useful to the legion." Her eyes narrowed. 'That's a good way to put it,' she thought. Learning spells sounded innocuous enough. She had been doing that all her life. But the reality was that she was going to have to kill wolven if she was going to be useful to the legion. The spells she were trying to memorize were all to that effect. Vanguard's words from yesterday had stung her as had his doubt. She had realized that she may have spoken rashly about standing side-by-side with the legion but she was determined more than ever to prove her sincerity. "So how are you doing with those spells?" Spike asked. "Knowing you, you should have one or two down pat by now." "I thought that too," Twilight answered, "but it's a lot harder than I expected." Spike decided not to continue the conversation. He had seen Twilight like this often. The best way to help now was to let her study in peace. Twilight's eyebrows furrowed deeper as she concentrated on the page. There were a lot of reasons why she was having trouble with learning these

spells. First of all, its format was far from the spell books that she was used to. There was no table of contents nor an introduction. When she looked at the last pages, there was no bibliography as well. After some time, Twilight realized that Pyre Valor had not planned on writing down a spell book or sharing this book with others. She had taken Vanguard's gift and decided to write what she wanted, whenever she wanted and however she wanted. The result was a hodgepodge of notes, references and spells that proved difficult to navigate. To make matters worse, some of the notes didn't even have anything to do with magic. Twilight started down one note thinking she had finally come across something she could do, only to find out that it was a recipe for brewed lichen tea. At the very last page was a crudely drawn caricature of what she could only guess was supposed to be an alicorn with its wings torn off and fountains of blood coming out of the stumps. "Celestia" was helpfully written underneath the drawing with an arrow pointing towards it. There was also the handwriting. Twilight understood that this must have been written when Pyre Valor was younger. Just reading the words was a challenge in itself. Pyre wrote with a lot of passion and that showed in the sharp, bold lines and wild loops. The quill often pressed down deeply enough to leave indentations on the other page. Splotches of ink and a few page tears were the resulting consequences of such a style. She even found a broken quill tip between the pages. And then there were the spells themselves. It was through reading them that Twilight realized that if she had a discussion on magic with Pyre Valor, the two of them would likely be at each other's throats in a minute. For her, casting spells meant control. Magic was a force to be carefully shaped, maintained and applied. Whenever a spell went wild and caused unintended consequences, it was the fault of the spell caster which was why each spell had to be studied and experimented with before being used. From the notes and spells, she gathered that Pyre Valor believed differently. For her, magic was a dangerous and violent force to be unleashed, not applied. If a spell harmed unintended targets, it was their fault for getting in the way. There were very little notes on how to aim the spell or how much magic was to be used. The closest she could find were "wing it" and "as much as you want without blowing yourself up". Instead,

Pyre Valor focused on how to gather magical power and how to convert it to some other energy, fire as was always the case in this book. All of those previous observations had come later. The very first thing that Twilight noticed about Pyre Valor's spells was that she really, really loved fire. The first three spells she had deciphered involved projecting a ray of heat to ignite combustible materials, causing a short jet of flame to burst from her outstretched hooves and causing a steady "blade" of concentrated flame to emerge from her horn. There was also the fireball spell whose devastating effect she had already witnessed. Pyre's name should be a dead giveaway but it was the spell choice that really hammered the point in. "Good morning," Twilight heard Spike say. She looked behind her to find her friends waking up. None of them looked very comfortable and she couldn't blame them. The beds were rather hard, certainly not what they were used to back in the Heartland. Rarity stretched out her back painfully and yawned. "Speak for yourself, dear," she said. "This morning is officially good once I find a bath, a comb and a decent breakfast." "I'm fine with finally getting something to do!" Rainbow Dash remarked while wiping the crust out of her eyes. "I can't stand any more waiting!" "Speaking of waiting, somepony's decided not to wait for us," Applejack said. "Where's Vanguard and Scarlet?" "Maybe they're off to get breakfast," Pinkie suggested. "Did somepony mention Scarlet?" Scarlet Rabbit burst through the door with a bag full of loaves of bread tucked in one foreleg and a large canteen in the other. "Breakfast time!" he said enthusiastically. "Day-old bread with C-grade winter moss and some hot lichen tea to wash it down with!" They quickly noticed that he was wearing a different set of barding from what they were used to. Instead of the plain, brown material that served as light barding, he was wearing a fine coat of chain with plates of metal distributed around his chest, flanks and face.

Rarity didn't quite share in the enthusiasm when she received a loaf of the bread. The crust was already quite tough although the moss baked into it helped it go down. Rainbow Dash, on the other hand, wolfed down her share. "So what do we get to do now, Scarlet?" she asked with barely contained impatience. "You're in luck," Scarlet replied. "Vanguard and I got news that Princess Luna just arrived last night! After eating, I'll take you to the public baths so you can fix yourselves up and then I'm going to escort you to the princess." "But what is she doing here?" Twilight asked. "Did you find out?" "To check up on you chosen, I was told," Scarlet replied with a shrug. "You can ask her yourself as soon as you meet her." "These baths…" Rarity began. "How are they? Are they clean? Crowded? I certainly hope they provide soap and towels!" "Well, they've got hot water," Scarlet answered. "It'll clean you without giving you frostbite." Rarity could only sigh and tried to fix her completely bedraggled mane with her hooves. "I suppose we will make do," she said. "Great! Finish up quickly so we can go," Scarlet said as he tore through a loaf of bread. "So where's Vanguard?" Applejack asked. "Ain't he eating with us?" The grin on Scarlet's face drooped a little. "Well…" he said as he scratched his head with a hoof. "We were going back together but we sort of ran into Flight Captain Tailwind along the way. I had to go on ahead since he was going to take some time." Rainbow Dash finished her share of the tea with a single gulp. "Well I'm done," she said. "Let's get going!" Everypony soon followed. They put on their newly-bought cloaks and boots and headed out.

The public baths were not as bad as Rarity had feared they would be. The job of keeping water hot in the bitter cold of the north was a job taken seriously by Bastion City's residents. Public baths were deemed more efficient than getting a constant supply of hot water going through each home so several were built over the course of the centuries. Each bathhouse consisted of two large pools; one for the stallions and another for the mares. Soap and towels were provided but a small fee had to be paid before getting in, a fee that Scarlet happily paid for all of them. The soak was a welcome sensation for them. They had just spent days exposed to the elements out in the wilderness and they were sticky with sweat and covered in dust. Twilight was relieved that the dried blood on her coat managed to wash off. Her injury had healed up well. Enough so that she could soak in hot water without opening it up. "Oh, this is simply divine!" Rarity exclaimed. "It feels like forever since I last took a bath." "I gotta admit that this ain't half bad," Applejack said. "Pinkie, stop that!" she told the pink pony who was swimming around, much to the annoyance of the other bathers. "This ain't a place for swimming!" "I hope Spike is alright," Twilight said. The baby dragon had to go to the other pool. "He's with Scarlet, he'll be fine," Rainbow Dash said confidently. As if to answer Twilight's question, raucous laughter echoed from over the stallion pool. Scarlet's voice reached them despite the distance. "Do that trick again, Spike!" he exclaimed. Twilight looked over to the stallion pool in time to see a jet of green flames appear followed by delighted cheering from the stallions. "See?" Rainbow Dash said with a grin. After some time, they left the public bath with the owner seeing them off. "You can come here any time, baby dragon," the yellow-green pegasus

stallion said. "I'll save a fortune on heating with that breath of yours! Let me know if you need a job!" "I will!" Spike replied happily. Perhaps his worries were going to be unfounded after all. The ponies of the Barrier Lands didn't seem to have any problem with dragons as they did with chosen. Having completed their soak, Scarlet led them through the streets of Bastion City. The same as yesterday, everypony was busy rushing about. Twilight noticed that her group drew more stares now. "I'm betting that those chosen are the reason Princess Luna is here," she heard one passer-by say. "I think she's here to offer herself to King Fenrir so she could put a stop to the upcoming attack." "Her nag sister won't allow that. It would be a defeat for them." The nag comment grated on Twilight but she steadfastly ignored it. These ponies were ignorant, she told herself. They've never met Princess Celestia and their anger over the division colored their judgments. Several minutes later, they were inside the largest building in Bastion City. This building served several functions. The lower part was the Grand Meeting Hall, which gave the building its name. It was big enough to accommodate every pony in Bastion City. The upper parts served as the center of administration. The mayor and most of the officials had their offices and homes built there. As soon as Twilight and the others entered the Grand Meeting Hall, Scarlet excused himself and stayed outside. The Grand Meeting Hall was mostly empty so Twilight quickly noticed the dark-coated pony heading towards them. "Princess Luna!" she exclaimed. Luna felt relief wash over her when she saw the bearers of the Elements of Harmony alive and well. She rushed over to them with a smile and was more than happy to give Twilight Sparkle a hug as soon as they came together. "I am so glad that all of you are safe!" she said. "I was afraid that you were all slain as soon as you stepped out of my sister's teleportation spell and into FangBreaker Fortress."

"We almost were," Twilight replied. "But we made it out safely thanks to the legion." "My brother's ponies are brave and good," Luna said. "I knew I could rely on them. Now, let us get all of you to safety. The wolven will not stop with FangBreaker. They are surely heading here already." Twilight stepped back and looked away. "We know that, your highness," she said. "We were planning on staying to help. I'm joining the legion, you see. We all are." Surprised, Luna looked at them quizzically, unsure if she heard correctly. "You want to…join the legion?" she asked. "Do you really mean that?" "I do," Twilight answered. "Even if the cost is great, I want to do this." "You are very brave, Twilight Sparkle," Luna said. "But I already knew that the moment I heard that you confronted my sister about the division. I was so sure that you would submit yourself to another memory lock." "This division must end," Twilight said. "I couldn't turn away." "At least one pony shares my beliefs." "Make that six, your highness," Twilight said with a smile as she looked over her friends. "Six ponies and a dragon." "I won't stop you," Luna said. "I came here to help myself. But you must prepare yourselves carefully. The wolven are ruthless and depraved. Surely, you've seen this for yourselves when they took the fort?" "We have," Twilight replied. "About that, your highness…" Luna raised an eyebrow. "Yes?" she asked. "Our magic has been weakened here. Do you know how we can adjust to Prince Terrato's realm?" Luna nodded understandingly. "I've noticed that," she said. "My sister's barrier has caused a division in Equestria's magic as well. The magical drift

here is enough to affect unicorns who were born and raised in the Heartland." "Can something be done about it?" Twilight asked. "My brother would know. I can contact him right now. You will need his permission if you're going to join the legion anyway." With that, Luna concentrated and her horn began to glow with magic. The magical drift did not affect her as alicorn magic lay beyond that of mortal ponies. As magic coalesced in the room, the image of Prince Terrato appeared at the center of the hall. At once, Twilight and her friends fell to their knees. Even as a mere magical projection, Prince Terrato was an imposing sight. His fiery mane seemed to blaze even fiercer than the last time she remembered. "Well, well," Terrato spoke. "My little sister was true to her word and she was quite quick about it too. Good work there, Luna." "Thank you, big brother," Luna replied. Terrato turned his attention on Twilight. The entire hall seemed to darken and his voice was accompanied by a distant rumble of the earth shaking when he spoke. "I've spent centuries trying to prevent that face you left on my sister back in the Heartland, Twilight Sparkle," he boomed. "I have a pretty strong urge to put your head between my hooves and squeeze until it pops like the grape you resemble!" Twilight found herself shaking uncontrollably. This was nothing like her first meeting with the prince. Behind her, her friends were experiencing the same terror. She looked to Princess Luna who was already standing between her and Prince Terrato's image. "Surely, you can't blame that on Twilight Sparkle!" Luna protested. "Of course I can," Terrato said. "But there's no point to it. I can't carry out that urge because that would only make Celestia feel worse. So go with my little sister and bring your friends. All of you can stay here in The Gray Sentinel until you go back to the Heartland, no longer matter to Celestia or die of old age."

Twilight forced her legs to stop shaking and raised her head. What she had feared was happening. She was being given preferential treatment instead of being allowed to take part in defending Equestria. "Your highness, wait!" she pleaded. "I don't want to spend my time here in the Barrier Lands hiding somewhere safe!" "Is that defiance I'm hearing?" Terrato asked with a glare. "You thwarted Luna's rebellion, refused to go along with Celestia's division and now you're defying me? Do you have a problem with alicorns, Twilight Sparkle?" "N-no, your highness," Twilight stammered. "All I want is to stand with the legion against Equestria's enemies. We're here to join the legion." "The legion?" Terrato looked perplexed. "You mean my legion? You want to risk your lives by fighting against Equestria's enemies and you want to do it in the place where the fighting will be at its thickest?" "Yes, your highness." "And what will I tell Celestia if you're killed? Should I shrug and say I tried?" "Big brother, Twilight Sparkle and her friends are not big sister's property," Luna interrupted. "In the end, they should be allowed to decide for themselves where to go." Terrato didn't speak for some time. The ominous silence that filled the room was suffocating for Twilight and her friends. "I suppose shrugging and saying I tried isn't such a bad plan," he finally said. "You have brought this upon yourselves. My sisters and I have given you every way out there is and you've persisted. I will respect that decision and Celestia will have to do the same. Stay there if you want, Twilight Sparkle. Do try to be useful in my legion." Twilight felt herself sigh in relief, an expression that her friends echoed behind her. "Big brother, their magic is still suppressed by the magical drift between your realm and big sister's." Luna said. "Isn't there something you can do?" "Yes, there is a ritual for it. You can perform it yourself, Luna, just extend your hooves over them and repeat after me."

With a nod, Luna did as her brother asked. "Toora," Terrato said. "Toora," Luna repeated. "Loora." "Loora." "Lay." "Lay." "Now turn around and keep your front hooves extended." Luna did as she was told. "By moving your flanks, spell out the names of the unicorns who have to adjust." "What?" "Do it now or you'll have to start over." With a confused look on her face, Luna did as instructed. "Twilight Sparkle" was first, followed by "Rarity". Twilight waited patiently for the ritual to end. When she saw how silly Princess Luna looked, she averted her eyes to keep from laughing. The princess was doing this for her and it was beyond disrespectful to laugh now. She waited for some time, expecting some kind of great magical effect. There was no flash of light or an aura of crackling energy appearing, only a tense silence. Suddenly, that silence was broken by a great, booming laugh from Terrato. The rest of Twilight's friends could only look at each other awkwardly. "I can't believe you actually did that!" Terrato guffawed. Embarrassed, Luna put her hooves down and stared angrily at the image. "Big brother!" she exclaimed. "I'm serious!"

"Oh, you just wish there was some magic ritual you could perform would you?" Terrato asked once he settled down. "Unfortunately, there isn't. Your magic will adjust by themselves as you spend more time in my realm. Good luck with recruitment, all of you. I will be there soon." With that, the prince's image dissipated. "Honestly!" Luna huffed. "Joking around in the middle of a crisis!" Twilight suppressed a smile for the princess's sake. "But I'm glad he let us stay," she said. Luna smiled in return. "I'm glad too. Let us see this to the end, Twilight Sparkle." The rest of them looked at each other. It was official now, they were joining the Equestrian Legion.

Chapter 19 Standing Together "Let's hurry back," Vanguard said. "They should be awake and hungry by now. Do you have enough for them, Scarlet?" "Sure thing, Captain," Scarlet Rabbit replied. "I even brought some for that baby dragon although I don't know if his kind likes bread and moss." "Vanguard Clash!" The two of them looked up at where the angry voice came from. Before Vanguard could get a good look, something heavy crashed down on him, knocking him down on his belly with his legs spread apart. He felt his breath blow out of his lungs at the impact and recognized the feel of four hooves stepping on his back. From the voice and the entrance, he guessed with a sinking heart as to who it was. "Good morning, Flight Captain Tailwind!" Vanguard heard Scarlet greet his assailant. "Good morning to you too, Scarlet Rabbit," Tailwind answered. "Move along now, I have some talking to do with my stupid son." Vanguard looked up at Scarlet and nodded, letting the pegasus fly off and back to Twilight and the others. With Scarlet gone, he focused his attention on his mother. Before he could say anything, however, he felt her lift him up by the shoulders and then bang his snout against the pavement. The impact did no damage but he did feel his head ring. "You come back from the dead days ago and you can't even be bothered to tell me?" "I was assigned a mission as soon as I-" Vanguard felt his snout hit the pavement again.

"You owe me twelve dead wolven, you rotten boy. I went on a rampage because I thought you were dead and your father nearly got himself killed!" Vanguard was still rubbing his snout painfully as he walked towards the building where Twilight and the others were staying. Tailwind had decided to accompany him, stating that she wanted to see the chosen for herself when he mentioned that they were going to join the legion and that two of them were pegasi. They were a still a good distance from the building, however, when he spotted them. They were near the end of a line of ponies while Scarlet hovered nearby. He looked towards the other end of the line to find that Logistics had set up a recruiting station. A call to arms must have already been issued across Bastion City and citizens were lining up to join Equestria's defense.

The long line would normally have been a bother to Twilight Sparkle. But, for this time, she was a little glad for it. Being made to stand in line while on their way to recruitment showed that she was no longer being shown any preferential treatment. There would be no more being separated from the rest of the legion and being protected. Now, she could really show that she meant what she said about standing together with Equestria's defenders. As the line moved on, she noticed a familiar, black-barded figure walking towards her. It was easy to spot Vanguard Clash. There was nopony else who had his armor or that enormous weapon he kept strapped to his harness. He was walking with somepony this time, a pegasus mare who was about an inch shorter than he was with a light-blue, almost white coat. Her mane was gray, like the underside of a storm cloud, cut short and swept to one side. A long, thin scar ran along the right side of her jaw. Like Scarlet Rabbit, she wore a coat of chain reinforced with metal plates around her chest, flanks and neck. Unlike Scarlet's gray plates, however, this pony's barding carried a distinct silvery sheen and she wore no champron. A stylized wing was embossed in gold on the left part of the chest plate. "You took your time," Twilight said to Vanguard.

Vanguard glanced briefly to the pegasus next to him as an answer. "Everypony, this is Flight Captain Tailwind. Flight Captain, these are the chosen I was talking to you about." Tailwind approached Twilight's group, carefully inspecting them with bright, blue eyes. She was immediately drawn, however, to Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. "I never imagined that I would meet actual chosen in my lifetime," she said. "I hear that you plan to join the legion, that's commendable." She stopped and gave Rainbow Dash a good, hard look. "Is this the one you mentioned, Vanguard?" Vanguard nodded in response while Tailwind stretched out one of Rainbow's wings with her hooves. "Looks promising," she said. "Is she fast?" "Almost as fast as Scarlet," Vanguard answered. Tailwind nodded approvingly. Rainbow was about the raise her head proudly but the word "almost" quickly caught her attention. On impulse, her gaze immediately landed on Scarlet Rabbit, who was still hovering nearby. The sight of this put a small smile on Tailwind's lips. "And what about this one?" she asked as she turned her attention on Fluttershy. "Redbrand has that one pegged for Medical already," Vanguard answered. "That foal of a nag!" Tailwind muttered. "When did he get to reserve recruits for himself? Fine." She looked at Rainbow, who couldn't help but be taken a little aback by the intense stare. "I'll see you in Reconnaissance. Now, I have to go. The other flight captains will have started arguing over recruit placement and I don't intend on finishing this day with less than a full flight." With that, Tailwind walked off. She patted Vanguard on the shoulder as she passed him. "Stay safe, son," she said softly. "I might not survive the next time I hear you're dead." "She seems…interesting," Twilight said once Tailwind had left. "I heard her call you son," Applejack said. "Was that your ma?" "Yes," Vanguard answered a little sheepishly. "She wasn't very happy that I put off seeing her until we got here but she was more reasonable about it than I expected."

"She sounds like a nice lady," Applejack said with a grin. "Try telling that to her flight," Vanguard snorted. "Move along now, the line's adjusting." The line eventually dwindled until it was their turn to face the recruiting officer. The olive-coated stallion took a sip from the cup of tea on his table and took a good look at Twilight's group. At the sight of them, he nearly gagged on his tea. "What's this?" he asked. "When did we start drafting chosen?" "They're recruits," Vanguard said. "Ignore the marks on their flanks, they'll serve just like everypony else." The recruiting officer glanced skeptically at Vanguard and then shrugged. He then handed the quill to Twilight. "Names and signatures here," he said as he pointed on a piece of parchment on the table. He suddenly stared intently at Twilight when she held the quill. "By signing on, you hereby pledge your complete loyalty to The Equestrian Legion. That you will obey its officers and acknowledge their authority as extensions of the authority of Prince Terrato, rightful ruler of the Barrier Lands. Know that there is no leaving the legion. Even after retirement from active duty you will be expected to serve if called upon. If you attempt to leave once you have joined, you will be tried for treason. Do you understand?" The words only served to highlight the finality of the path Twilight had chosen. Her eyes narrowed and she kept her grip on the quill steadily. It was only after she had signed her name on the parchment did she realize that her heart was pounding. The rest of her friends followed suit. "Unicorns go to Magical, pegasi to Reconnaissance, earth ponies to Infantry. Check in with your respective officers behind me once you're done here," the officer said. Before he could continue, his gaze fell on Rainbow Dash whereupon his eyes widened and then he checked his cup. "Terrato's torn wing, what's in this tea?" "Um…excuse me," Fluttershy said quietly after signing her name. The recruiting officer raised an eyebrow. "What's the matter, filly?" he asked. "You've barely got a hoof past the door and you've got something to complain about already?"

"Oh no," Fluttershy replied. "I wouldn't do that. It's just that Doctor Redbrand said that if you put me in Reconnaissance instead of Medical, he would saw your muzzle off. That sounds pretty painful." "What?" the recruiting officer exclaimed. "But I just sent him a squad's worth of recruits! What did you do to catch his eye? Show him a little flank?" Fluttershy paused and looked at her flank. "Well, he did notice my cutie mark." The recruiting officer put a hoof to his face. "That stallion's old enough to be your father! Alright then, I'll have you go to Medical instead. Let Redbrand duke it out with the Wing Commander." With that out of the way, they all proceeded to the crowded area behind the recruiting officer. Recruitment was taking place at the center of the city where there was an enormous plaza, a parading ground that was now converted into a training ground. It was there that they had to separate and head towards their designated divisions.

Twilight and Rarity quickly noticed that Magical was the smallest group in the plaza, consisting of a small cluster of unicorns. It had occurred to them that they had barely seen any unicorns in the city. They were given magecoats, thick layers of cloth padded with leather inside to help against enemy fangs and claws and reduce the damage from enemy bolts. Although it horrified them to find out that the leather was taken from actual animal hide instead of being magically synthesized like back in the Heartland, they stayed silent about it. Once they had put their coats on, they were ordered to line up. Three rows of seven ponies all in all. Tallest to shortest from left to right with each pony a leg's length from each other. When the unicorns, most of who were about as old as or even younger than Twilight, took some time to get into the required position, the unicorn officer shouted at them. "What's the matter with you foals? We haven't even gotten to spell casting yet and you're already fumbling about! Three rows, seven ponies! Move! Move! Move!"

All the unicorn recruits scrambled, comparing heights and stretching out legs to make sure they were properly spaced. The unicorn officer walked out in front of them. He was a strange sight for a pony, a grayish-white unicorn with a completely shaved mane. His tail was nothing more than a few inches tuft of green hair. Like them, he wore a thick, leather-padded coat. But his was trimmed with gold thread and a stylized horn marked the left side of his chest. "Twenty-one unicorns," he said with scorn. "We're faced with the greatest wolven attack in centuries and my beloved Bastion City comes up with twenty-one unicorns. Nineteen seeing as two of you are chosen." Twilight and Rarity couldn't help but wince when they felt the eyes of their fellow recruits go towards them. "Eyes forward, you morons!" the officer shouted. "Nopony told you to ogle them! Don't make me be the first to send recruits to the whipping post!" Every unicorn in the group flinched and immediately looked straight ahead. "Now let's get down to business. I am Mage Captain Owlsight, not that it would matter to you drill-heads as I will kick your flanks if you address me with anything but "Sir". Before we do anything, we will test you for two things; magical sustaining and magical burst. These two traits will help us determine if you belong to the spell firing line or with the arcane shields. Bring out the spell dummies, Vice-captain!" A unicorn behind the group trotted forward carrying several dummies made from two intersecting poles and a sack stuffed with straw. He then proceeded to stand them up in a row on a patch of earth to the side of the pavement where some bushes grew before trotting back to his place. "First, we'll test you for magical burst," Owlsight continued. "Each of you will step forward and cast, preferably, an offensive spell you know. If you don't know any, a telekinetic 'kick' will suffice. Now, let's get started!" The first recruit stepped forward and cast his spell. His horn glowed a steady green and then projected a raw blob of telekinesis that hurtled towards the dummy. The spell struck solidly, causing the wood to shake as if it had been kicked hard. Seeing the results, he smiled before returning to his place. At the sides, Owlsight looked on, nodded and then scribbled on a notebook he carried.

Several recruits followed, most using the same telekinetic blow to give the dummy a good shake with each hit. One recruit managed to snap the dummy's support, causing it to fall to the ground. He grinned and was about to rear triumphantly when a glare from Owlsight sent him slinking back to his post. "Not bad," Owlsight commented. "It's your turn, purple chosen, show us what you've got." Twilight Sparkle swallowed a large lump in her throat as she stepped up. She was suddenly reminded of the time she received her cutie mark. She wanted to cast a telekinetic kick just as everypony had but she remembered that Mage Captain Owlsight preferred an offensive spell she knew. Her mind went back to Pyre Valor's notes. She had studied them a good deal and she was confident that she had learned one: Burning Hooves, as Pyre Valor had written the spell down. She stood about ten feet away from the dummy and made sure she faced away from anypony before beginning the spell. Twilight had never worked with fire before, beyond lighting candles anyway. It wasn't just because there had never been a situation that she could only solve by a generous dose of burning. Fire was a difficult element to control. It harmed others far too easily and spread quickly at the slightest mistake. But now, she was going to have to try it. She could feel the tips of her hooves grow hot as she gathered the magic. As soon as she felt that heat, she also felt the urge to immediately regulate the energy to make sure that it didn't hurt anyone. She squashed that urge, however. Her usual methods of control would cause this spell to fizzle. Direction was the proper way of controlling Pyre Valor's spells, direction and an instinctive use of the right amount of magic. She aimed her hooves at the dummy and let go. The result was a shock even to her. Twin jets of flame burst from her hooves. They traveled only for a short distance, barely licking the dummy. But that was enough to light it on fire, sending thick clouds of smoke rising upwards for the other recruits to gawk at. "Impressive," Owlsight said flatly. A faint hint of approval tinged his tone as Twilight walked back to her place. "So the first pony to show a spell we can use against the wolven is somepony not even from here but from a place that the wolven don't even directly threaten. Even I'm embarrassed. Next!"

Rarity stepped forward, silently cursing that she had to go immediately after Twilight, the most magical unicorn in all of the Heartland who was probably adjusting to the magical drift already. "I suppose a spell that gives one a fabulous hairdo won't suffice?" she asked sheepishly. Owlsight didn't even look up from the notes he was scribbling. "One more wisecrack, recruit, and I will saw your horn off and chuck you over to Infantry," he said. "They're not connoisseurs of erudite witticisms over there like I am." Swallowing hard, Rarity decided that her only option was a telekinetic kick, even though she had never applied her telekinesis in such a manner before. She had never given her magic much thought, certainly not as much as Twilight Sparkle. For her, it was an excellent tool for dressmaking. She concentrated on gathering the magic and, to her dismay, found it incredibly difficult to even do that. She struggled to maintain concentration, gathering as much magic as she could before violently hurling the magic as a burst of telekinetic force. The target dummy vibrated slightly, shaking a single strand of straw out of the stuffing. Owlsight continued scribbling his notes down as Rarity slinked back to her position with her head down. The recruits couldn't help but turn the corners of their lips at the sight. One of them went so far as to let out a snicker at the dismal performance. Owlsight immediately raised his head to the entire group's surprise. "So you think that's funny, eh recruit?" he shouted. "You think it's hilarious finding out that we're even more short-hoofed than anticipated with the wolven on the way? Vice-captain, give that joker his first five lashes!" The vice-captain pulled the horrified stallion out of the line and led him off. The rest of the group was completely stone-faced by the time he was out of sight. "Let's get on with the Magical Sustainability test," Owlsight said. The second test involved only their telekinesis this time. Several weights were brought out and they were asked to pick one they could lift without struggling and then told to hold it until ordered to stop.

Twilight did well with a weight slightly above the average chosen by the other recruits but the Burning Hooves spell she had cast had taken more magic than she had anticipated and she was sweating with effort by the time she was ordered to put it down. Rarity could only lift the lightest weight but she held it reasonably well before being told to put it down. Nopony made a fuss about it this time. For the rest of the day, they were drilled in maintaining and moving in formation, casting spells simultaneously and the order by which wolven were to be killed starting from high-ranking ones to the lowest grunts. The sun was setting when they were dismissed with each one of them completely exhausted physically and mentally. Rarity half walked and half dragged herself towards the building they were staying when Owlsight's voice stopped her. "Come over here, recruit!" Owlsight called. Rarity obediently did so. The sight of the pony who had laughed limping back to his position had burned into her mind a simple rule: do not anger Mage Captain Owlsight. "Yes, sir?" she asked. "I don't know what I'm going to do with you, recruit." Owlsight said. "You're like a giant water tank with only a pinhole for an opening. Your burst is completely useless but you have decent sustainability. Normally, we'd work on that until we made something out of you but these aren't normal times. If I put you out there in time for the wolven attack, you'll get yourself killed. Worse, you'll probably drag somepony to the grave with you." Rarity found herself staring at the ground in embarrassment. Was she the only one among her friends who has been deemed useless? The thought was extremely painful. "What was your profession before signing up?" Owlsight asked. "I…I was a dressmaker," she said weakly. "Good. I'm going to arrange for you to transfer to the maintenance division of Logistics. Use your sewing skill to patch up ripped clothes and tents or something. Report to Logistics Officer Frostmane tomorrow morning."

"Yes, sir," Rarity said. With that, she made her way back, eager to forget this embarrassing day.

Applejack tapped the pavement with her hoof as she inspected her new gear. Both she and Pinkie Pie had been given a set of medium barding as soon as they signed up with Infantry. Right now, she was wearing a heavy suit of chain with thick plates of metal covering most of her face, neck, chest and flank. It was similar to Scarlet Rabbit's but with more solid plates. She guessed that the pegasi wore lighter barding to stay aloft. She was expecting some cloth to cover her legs like the one that Vanguard wore: Capricorn…capris…whatever that long-tailed word was. She guessed that only high-ranking officers got to wear them. She wore her hat on top of the headpiece even though she felt that it was a little silly. In addition to the barding, she was also given a set of tramplers: heavy metal shoes that made her legs feel a little stiff. "You could have taken his head off if you were wearing tramplers." She now understood what Vanguard had meant by those words. These things were heavy and hard. Having one fall on you would hurt quite badly and to have one smashed into you by a strong pony…bones would shatter for sure. The name "tramplers" was appropriate enough. She almost felt sorry for any wolven who got caught underneath these. All the metal she was wearing, however, slowed her down considerably. The weight around her body was going to take some getting used to. She expected to wake up stiff in the morning. That was when Applejack realized that as hard as this suit was for her, it must be worse for Pinkie Pie. Sure enough, she found the pink pony having trouble just taking a few steps forward. Pinkie had been enthusiastic about getting a set of barding and tramplers. Even though she was a little disappointed that she couldn't choose the color, she was still all smiles when she began putting them on. The weight swiftly crushed that enthusiasm just as surely as it was slowly crushing her. "That's enough admiring yourselves, fillies!" one of the Infantry officers called out. "Fall in!"

Infantry's recruits made the largest group of ponies at the plaza at the end of recruitment. They were organized into three separate groups with thirty five ponies each. The first day of training's objective was simple: get used to your barding. They were taught basic formations and made to walk, trot, turn and stop without breaking them. It was only a matter of time before Pinkie collapsed completely while trotting. The weight was simply too much. She was panting heavily and her sweat dripped on the pavement. "Get up, filly," their officer said. He didn't shout like the other officers but he had a stern tone and a frighteningly disconnected way of talking. "How can you possibly defeat a wolven if an inanimate suit of metal gets the better of you? Get up!" Pinkie tried to get to her hooves but her knees wouldn't follow through. After a second attempt failed, the officer motioned for Applejack and another recruit to come forward and help her up. They helped her to the side and then took of the barding. "Get back to your positions, you two," The officer said. The day finished with Pinkie remaining sidelined. Although completely exhausted herself, Applejack walked over to her. One of the other recruits, a young stallion with a light brown coat and a short, spiky mane of a darker brown named Twocolt, walked with her. He was the other recruit who had been called to help Pinkie earlier and he was also the pony immediately to Applejack's left while in formation. Earlier, Applejack had asked about his name to which he replied "My parents have no imagination. I was their second colt." They found Pinkie looking completely deflated when she heard that they were to report back in the next morning. "Maybe Infantry ain't the place for you, Pinkie," Applejack said. "There has to be a group that doesn't need to wear all this metal." "They'd find a use for her in Logistics," Twocolt added helpfully. "Logis-what?" Applejack asked. "What do they do?" "Lots of stuff. If it's got something to do with food, equipment, transportation and recruitment, Logistics deals with it."

"Well, there you go," Applejack said with enthusiasm. "Sounds like something you can do, Pinkie!" The suggestion seemed to brighten Pinkie up. "Yeah!" she said. "I'm pretty good with food! Especially if they don't make me wear this suit while making it!" Twocolt looked at the pink pony skeptically. "Are you sure?" he asked. "The legion can't run without Logistics but it's not a glory role. Your brothers and sisters set out to win the day while you hang by the rear lines peeling potatoes." "It takes all kinds to make the legion," Applejack said. "You said it yourself." She turned her attention to Pinkie. "Let's get some rest. Let's see if we can talk our officer to putting you there." "He's probably considering it already," Twocolt added.

The recruits for Medical didn't have a place in Bastion City's plaza. They were too few in number and didn't need that large a space anyway. Instead, Fluttershy found herself ushered into one of the nearby buildings. Inside, Doctor Redbrand and two assistants were standing over several recruits. Even at a distance, Fluttershy noticed the fierce scowl on Redbrand's face and the veins pulsing on his forehead. He noticed her in return and immediately shouted. "Fluttershy! About time you showed up! Get your bug-marked flank over here and help out!" He looked over the recruits who were clearly cowed by his yelling. "These idiots can't even do a proper sling! I've got half a mind to break their forelegs and let them figure it out!" Fluttershy immediately rushed over out of concern for two things; to make sure that Redbrand didn't shout himself hoarse and to make sure that he didn't really break the forelegs of his new recruits. Despite being a new recruit herself, she soon found herself playing more the role of teacher instead of student, helping the other recruits master different medical techniques before Redbrand lost his patience. The doctor meant well and he taught clearly and precisely. But he also expected great results immediately and resorted to violent threats when his students fumbled.

Nevertheless, Fluttershy felt that he would only remotely consider carrying out those threats when things got very bad indeed. She was suddenly reminded of Angel. The rabbit was also often grumpy but he always meant well. The thought saddened her, however. How was Angel doing now? Was he still living in her home or had he moved on? Perhaps he had started living with another pony. She wasn't quite sure how to feel about that. She also wondered if he resented her for disappearing or if he was now glad he didn't have to fuss over somepony. "Stop staring into space and help that recruit over there, Fluttershy," Redbrand growled. "He's about to strangle himself with that roll of bandages!" Fluttershy flew over the poor recruit and helped him untangle himself. She had to smile a little though. The thought of comparing little Angel to the tall and gruff Redbrand did seem kind of silly. She decided to concentrate on helping out for the sake of the recruits. It didn't take long for the day to wear down. With the recruits all heading out for the day, Fluttershy decided to stay a little longer to help clean up. "Fluttershy," Redbrand suddenly spoke. She turned towards him in response. "Good job for today," he said gruffly. He opened the flask he seemed to carry with him at all times and took a short pull. "Here. Welcome to Medical." He offered the flask to Fluttershy, who took it gingerly and sniffed at its contents. Whatever was inside smelled quite strong. She looked at Redbrand, who was waiting patiently, and decided that refusing would be rude. She took a quick sip and then quickly gagged. The liquid inside was incredibly strong and, when she forced herself to swallow, it ran down her throat like liquid fire. Coughing, she handed the flask back to Redbrand, who looked amused. "Filly," he said with mock scorn. He put the flask's cap back on and put it away before moving on. "See you in the morning, Fluttershy," he said. Still choking and her head spinning slightly, Fluttershy did her best to nod and smile before heading back to the building she was staying in.

While the other pony recruits trained on the plaza, the pegasi of Reconnaissance trained high above it. Up in the air, Rainbow Dash tried out the new leather outfit that she had been provided. Flying with the added weight was certainly a new experience. She had flown while carrying heavy objects before, even other ponies, but having the weight distributed all around her was different. It had actually taken her a few minutes of adjusting to make sure that the new barding didn't chafe around her wings. In addition to her new barding, Rainbow had also been provided with a few more things; a map of the Barrier Lands in general, a map of the Northern Barrier Land and then another one of Bastion City and its surrounding areas. "Familiarize yourself with these areas, chosen," the Reconnaissance officer had told her. "The rest of your fellows know them by heart for having lived here but you don't. You're excused from target practice today so you can explore before the wolven arrive." And then there was the crossbow. Rainbow held the weapon as if she were holding a sleeping snake. She had never held a weapon before except for Vanguard's two-bladed sword. This was certainly the first time she would actually own one. In addition to the crossbow, she also had a case of bolts strapped to her left side. She took aim, bringing the sight to her eye, just like her officer had showed her, and scanned her surroundings. She imagined a wolven lurking down below, stalking one of her friends with its cruel fangs bared and ready to kill. She would swoop in at the nick of time, take aim and fire in a split second. And just as the wolven would jump in for the kill… …the bolt would catch it right between the ribs and plunge straight into a lung. The force of the impact would knock it the ground where it would lay feebly on its side while wheezing and gurgling its life away. Rainbow Dash shook her head, cursing her ridiculously vivid imagination and for reminding herself of what she would have to do. 'I had to shoot!' she argued mentally. To herself, she realized in dismay. This was hardly any better than arguing with a pile of rocks with a birthday hat. 'It was going after my friend!' "Nice!" somepony said from behind her. "They gave you a Quarrelmark Two light crossbow. Enjoying the feel of it?"

Rainbow turned towards the voice. "Aren't you supposed to be on duty or something, Scarlet?" she asked. "I am on duty," Scarlet Rabbit replied with a grin. "Special Operations, remember? Standing around doing nothing is not the weirdest thing we've had to do." "Sounds like an easy job." "Only if you make the cut. Shouldn't you be at the firing range?" "I was told to explore some of these places." Rainbow pointed to her maps. "I was just about to go." "I'll come along. Gotta make sure you don't get lost!" Rainbow's eyes narrowed as she observed Scarlet. She hadn't forgotten what Vanguard Clash had said just this morning. "Almost as fast as Scarlet." Vanguard wasn't an idiot. He certainly wasn't blind either. He knew what he was saying and who he was saying it in front of. "Almost." That was a baldfaced challenge and Rainbow certainly wasn't going to take that challenge lying down. "Alright," she said. "How about we go to this place?" she suggested and pointed at her map of Bastion City's surroundings. "Frostrock Needle?" Scarlet asked. The Needle, as it was often simply called, was a peculiar formation of rocks several miles to the north of Bastion City that resembled a needle jutting upwards. The story went that the needle rose up when Prince Terrato stomped his hoof on the ground to stab King Fenrir from beneath. "Good choice. Check out the northern areas first since that's where the wolven will be coming from." "How about we race there?" Rainbow asked with a smirk. "Whoa there," Scarlet replied. "Why race?" "Why not? I heard you're fast."

"You heard right but the captain doesn't like me racing. He says it's bad for morale." "And why's that?" "Well, the ponies I beat tend to think they're slow when I leave them behind. I drove one to drink and then she got twenty lashes for showing up for duty while drunk." "You're making me want to race you even more!" "Oh, alright," Scarlet relented. "Just promise me you won't start crying to the captain afterwards." "Oh, you'll be the one crying once I leave you behind!" Rainbow taunted. "Let's start!" From where they were hovering, they could already see the silhouette of Frostrock Needle. Scarlet showed Rainbow how to attach the crossbow to her harness and then hovered next to her. He readied himself for a quick flying start. "Alright, on three," he said. "One…two…three!" The two of them sped off at the same time, leaving behind twin trails. One of prismatic colors and the other of bright red. To her surprise, Rainbow found herself neck and neck against Scarlet. 'He is fast,' she thought. She was flapping her wings as hard as she could and the distance between the two of them didn't change. On his part, Scarlet wasn't even looking at her. As the needle came closer, Rainbow began to feel the burn of exertion in her wings. She gritted her teeth and flapped even harder until the onrushing wind began to send her lips flapping. Scarlet remained at her side, his face split into a wide grin. He was enjoying this. She was straining herself just to lose him and he looked like he was having the time of his life. The needle was a mile away when Rainbow gave it everything she got in one final burst. Finally, she noticed herself pulling slightly away from Scarlet. She looked ahead in time to realize that she had to slow down or slam into the rocks. With her wings flapping backward, Rainbow forced herself to decelerate, her hooves flailing wildly in her attempt. She slowed down enough to strike

the rocks with her hooves without shattering bones. She looked to her side in time to see Scarlet touch the rocks just a split second after her. "Hah!" she cried out between pants. "I won! I beat you!" Scarlet Rabbit was panting too. "Yeah, you did!" he said with a grin. "I can't believe somepony could actually beat me!" Rainbow did a little victory dance in the air. She did it! She showed that Vanguard and his mother! Her wings were on fire and she was panting as if air was going to go out of style after a few minutes but she did it! Scarlet flew over and offered a hoof in congratulations. With a smirk, she took it and shook vigorously. The motion caused Scarlet's barding to jingle slightly. The sound immediately wiped the smirk off Rainbow's face. "Hey, Scarlet, how heavy is that barding you're wearing?" she asked. "Oh, this?" Scarlet asked. "It's called light barding so it's light." "Let me try it on!" "I'm not switching barding with you out here!" Scarlet protested. Rainbow hovered up close and lifted up the metal plate that protected Scarlet's chest. Light her flanks, the plate alone likely weighed half as much as her leathers. Scarlet just raced her wearing a plate-reinforced suit of chain barding. "Who told you to turn this into some handicap match?" she asked indignantly. "What are you talking about?" Scarlet asked. "Did you think I was going to take off my barding and leave it somewhere while we raced?" "Well…yeah!" Scarlet laughed briefly. "That's crazy!" he said. "This thing cost a lot, you know. I leave it somewhere for a few minutes and I'll end up flying naked for the rest of my missions!"

"This race doesn't count," Rainbow said through grit teeth. "Someday, we'll race on even terms!" "Okay, okay," Scarlet said with his hooves raised in front of him. "We'll race some other time and-" The red pegasus stopped and stared at what was behind Rainbow. Curious, she looked towards that direction as well. "Time to head back!" he said. To their north, just at the edge of the horizon, they could already see a steadily advancing mass of dark colors. The wolven were on the move once more. Even Rainbow could tell that they would be by the city's gates soon. Ignoring the burning in her wings, Rainbow followed Scarlet back to the city.

Chapter 20 Special Operations "We've just gotten reports that the wolven are already closing in on the city!" "Preparations are still underway. Terrato's bloody hooves, we won't be ready on time!" "The draft's turned out only half of expected numbers. We need those reinforcements soon!" From his seat, Commander Dreadstep listened as his subordinates piled one problem after another, each one convinced that their problem was the worst of the lot and demanded immediate attention. He had his eyes closed and his forelegs crossed but everypony in the room knew that he was listening to every little detail. He had been beset with problems the moment he stepped foot into Bastion City and that wasn't even counting the problems he was already carrying with him. The city had become complacent during the past few years. He should have recognized it when the number of enlistments began to dwindle or when supply quotas missed an item or two. To his shame, he admitted that it had been possible for the city to be complacent because he was too. They had depended too much on FangBreaker and its centuries of impregnability as if history could protect them instead of vigilance. They had underestimated Wolvengard, thinking that the wolven would be satisfied with raising an army once in a while and inflicting casualties. Worst of all, they had underestimated the dissension within the legion itself. "Commander, what of this group of saboteurs mentioned in some of the reports?" Logistics Officer Frostmane asked. "In addition to somehow bringing down our gates from the inside, we've discovered that a lot of the supplies in FangBreaker had been ruined!" Dreadstep nodded to acknowledge the question. "I've had Special Operations working on it since we started retreating," he answered. "Results should be forthcoming." He didn't add that the pony likely

responsible for destroying the gates, Pyre Valor, was a member of Special Operations. There was no need to play up everypony's paranoia and have them at each other's throats before the wolven even got there. He looked out the window of his office. It seems that Vanguard Clash had slipped in his vigilance as well for not noticing his vice-captain's building betrayal. 'At a time when we were all slipping, disaster strikes,' Dreadstep thought. 'The legion will be made to pay for this dishonor, especially me.' His eyes narrowed. There will be time for punishments once the crisis has passed. Right now, it was time to make up for the lack of vigilance and they were starting with the ponies who dared to side against their kin.

The end of their first day as legionnaires brought both a sense of relief and accomplishment as well a sense of apprehension for Twilight and her friends. They had done well so far. Most of them anyway. Twilight had immediately returned to studying Pyre Valor's old spells. It was a little disheartening for her that she was improving by learning spells that had been discarded by another unicorn as basic material. Still, she had to start somewhere. She looked around to see how the others were doing. Spike had spent the day roaming Bastion City while trying to keep from being caught underhoof. He happily told of how the city found a use for him wherever he went. It had started with the public baths but he was just as welcome in the foundries, the kitchens and the smithies. Twilight was surprised a bit but then she remembered that she was in the northernmost city in all of Equestria. Here, fire was a valuable commodity. Rarity had gone to bed early, much to Twilight's concern. She wished that she hadn't used that Burning Hooves spell and had stuck to a powered down telekinetic kick. Her attempt at pleasing Mage Captain Owlsight had made her friend look twice as bad. It wasn't even within Rarity's control that the tests went badly for her. The magical drift, as Princess Luna had called it, impeded their magical powers. It wasn't fair for Mage Captain Owlsight to judge Rarity's magical aptitude when her powers were hobbled like that. Still, Owlsight's reasoning was sound even with the magical drift factored in. They didn't have time to adjust to the drift properly with the wolven arriving soon. Perhaps it was for the best after all that Rarity be transferred to a part of the legion that didn't put her in direct combat.

Rarity wasn't the only one who went to bed early. Next to her, Pinkie Pie was snoring away. Applejack had told them of how training in barding had sapped even Pinkie's seemingly boundless energy. Twilight guessed that it wasn't just the weight that wore on Pinkie. Marching in orderly lines, moving, stopping and turning when told to and having orders barked at you were things far outside Pinkie's element. As for Applejack, it appeared that she had the best day out of the lot of them. That wasn't much of a surprise either. She was used to manual labor and spending the entire day doing it was nothing new. The barding was an added weight even for her but she looked quite proud of the metal plated suit and made no secret of wanting to try out the "fancier ones" that she had seen the higher ranking officers wear. She had also made a friend among the recruits, a stallion named Twocolt. Twilight had expected Rainbow Dash to do well as well. After all, Rainbow was just as athletic and just as enthusiastic as Applejack. But Rainbow Dash had flown in earlier in an irritable mood, muttering something about making Scarlet regret underestimating her. Fluttershy had come in last. Twilight had asked her how she had done but didn't quite hear the reply. It wasn't just because of Fluttershy's soft voice either. As soon as the pegasus had opened her mouth, Twilight was assaulted by a frightful smell. When asked what she had been eating, Fluttershy answered with embarrassment that it must have been the drink that Doctor Redbrand had shared with her. And then there were the ponies who were not around. Twilight wondered if she should even be concerned with what Vanguard Clash and Scarlet Rabbit were up to. Now that she was part of the legion, she had to consider them as higher ranked soldiers who had their own duties to attend to and could not be bothered to constantly look after a bunch of recruits. She dearly wanted to consider them friends. Life-long, reliable friends, the same sort that she would be writing friendship reports to Princess Celestia about if they were back in the Heartland. But part of her was afraid that they were simply doing what they had been ordered to do and, at some point in time when they were done with those orders, she would walk past Vanguard and he would not even look at her.

The thought of that made Twilight shake her head and concentrate on Pyre Valor's notes. She had things to do. Burning Hooves looked impressive but the range was far too short. She didn't want a wolven to be just ten feet away from her before she could hit it with a spell. Her best option was the Fireball spell, the most difficult spell in Pyre Valor's book. After that, she had to get plenty of rest. Training would begin early tomorrow. Some time went by when the door to their room opened. It was Vanguard Clash but he didn't take a step inside the room. Instead, he seemed to search for somepony specific. "Applejack," he called out. Applejack looked up. She had taken to spit shining her barding when she heard her name. "Need something, Vanguard?" she asked. "Fancy a little evening stroll?" Vanguard asked. The question caught Twilight's attention and she looked at Vanguard to try and gauge his intentions. It was so hard to tell with his barding in the way. She saw that Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Spike had also been caught in surprise. "Well, I was thinking that, after this, I should hit the-" Applejack stopped when she caught the look in Vanguard's eyes. She realized that Vanguard wasn't really asking. "Sure, why not?" she replied. "Lemme get my coat. Looks a mite cold out." It was only after the two of them had left when somepony decided to speak. "What was that all about?" Twilight asked. Spike shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe Vanguard just wanted some company," he suggested. "He sure was quick to pick Applejack in that case." Twilight remarked. "Why not?" Spike answered. "You looked busy, Rainbow was sulking and, no offense, he probably won't have much to talk about with Fluttershy. Or me for that matter." "That's not the reason, silly!" Rainbow suddenly joined in. Her mood seemed to have lightened at the subject. "I know what's really going on!" She motioned for all of them to come closer.

Curiosity overcoming her common sense, Twilight closed the book for now and listened along with Fluttershy and Spike. "Remember that last night we spent out there in the plain?" Rainbow began. "Well, I woke up after everypony had gone to sleep and I saw those two being all cozy by the fire and chatting!" Fluttershy's eyes widened. "Really?" she asked. "Does that mean-?" "What were they talking about?" Twilight asked. "I couldn't hear," Rainbow conceded. "But I saw him pat her on the shoulder. And, when she went to sleep, she had a smile on her face!" Twilight snorted at the hinting. "Is that it?" she asked. "They could have just had a friendly chat." "So why did he ask her out now?" Rainbow asked slyly. "I'm sure there's a good explanation," Twilight insisted. "We're in the middle of a crisis. Vanguard Clash isn't so frivolous as to…well, do those things while he's busy with his duties." "He's Special Operations," Rainbow said knowingly. "They do a lot of crazy stuff as part of their duties. That includes hanging around doing nothing and probably includes asking mares out." "Well, we'll just have to see then, won't we?" Twilight responded before returning to her studying. "No need to be snappish," Spike said with a yawn. "I'm turning in. All of you should too. You're the ones with new, busy schedules."

The night air was even colder than Applejack expected. She was thankful now that Vanguard had insisted that they get these wolven-fur coats. It wasn't just the air that she got the chill from, however. Vanguard had motioned for her to follow and then walked ahead of her. She had felt it earlier but it was clear now that this wasn't some casual walk.

Bastion City looked different at night, scarier and much more grim. The tall buildings rose ominously, blotting out sections of the night sky and partly obscuring tonight's waxing gibbous moon. "So what's this all about?" she finally asked. "Work," Vanguard answered tersely. The two of them rounded several corners and, soon, Applejack realized that she was now lost. Before she could even think about her predicament, she suddenly found herself surrounded in an alley by several ponies, each one of them garbed in mottled gray cloths. Applejack suppressed a gasp. She didn't see or hear them coming. She noticed Scarlet Rabbit hovering above them in a similar outfit. When she returned her gaze to Vanguard, he was also covering his barding in similar cloths. "Alright, can somepony tell me what in tarnation is going on?" she asked. "I don't like being led around like this." One of the ponies produced a sack and placed in on the ground with a metallic clank. Vanguard pulled out a piece of barding from the sack and handed it to her. "Congratulaions, Applejack," he said. "For tonight, you've just been promoted to Infantry Captain." "Infantry Captain?" Applejack asked in surprise. "I just joined up today! And what in tarnation do you mean by "for tonight"?" "Talk less and put it on," one of the other ponies growled. Applejack glared at the pony in response but she took the barding and began to put it on. "We need your help for this mission, Applejack," Vanguard finally explained. "Do you see that tavern over there?" He pointed towards a nearby building with a pair of free-swinging doors for an entrance. The lights were still open and she could hear loud talking and the occasional clink of glasses striking together. "All you have to do is to walk by the entrance, peer inside and then walk back here."

"I may be a legionnaire for only a day so far, Vanguard Clash, but I know when I'm walking into trouble," Applejack said. "I'd appreciate some honesty before I do anything." One of the nearby ponies snorted but Vanguard glared at them for silence. He held Applejack by the shoulders with both front hooves. "I'll honestly tell you three things," he began. "This is important, you will be in danger and I will protect you." Applejack was taken aback for a moment. Up close like this, she noticed just how disconcerting Vanguard's eyes were. They looked so fierce, as if they were constantly glaring ahead of them even though she doubted that he was even trying. They also glowed slightly in this dark place. She remembered seeing the eyes of the wolven doing the exact same thing. "Gosh, there's no need to be so dramatic about it," she said with a grin. "Count me in!" "I appreciate it," Vanguard said. He looked over to the other ponies. "All of us do." "We'd also appreciate it if you told nopony about what we're about to do," one of them said. "Let's do this," Applejack said. The barding they gave her chafed a little but felt fine otherwise. 'Well, I was just thinking about how wearing these caprithings would feel,' she thought. The cloth around her legs felt a little awkward so she took note to watch her step so she didn't trip over it. "Listen carefully now," Vanguard said. "This is what we need you to do…"

The Boozelicker did not enjoy a particularly stellar reputation among Bastion City's taverns. Located in the seedier portion of the city and frequented only by ponies who didn't mind finding a winged insect or two in their drinks once in a while, it made only enough business to keep itself open. Its proprietor, an earth pony named Bottle Spin, didn't mind keeping it that way. For tonight, The Boozelicker entertained an unusually large group of patrons. In addition to its usual customers, a group of five legionnaires

huddled together by one side of the tavern and a lone, miserable drunk was busy besotting himself in a corner. Bottle Spin was normally wary of legionnaires but these ones looked too busy talking among themselves to bother anypony. "We're going to have to act soon," Stoneshod said. Each word was agony to his bound up jaws. "The wolven will be here in a day or two." "We're halfway through," Halftail replied. "We should be ready when the time comes." The other ponies around them nodded, carefully sipping their drinks and looking around. It was then that Stoneshod noticed somepony come by the entrance. "Hush!" he said. "Infantry captain coming inside." They looked down and pretended to enjoy their drinks. Stoneshod eyed the pony by the doors. The Boozelicker was certainly no place for somepony of that rank unless…" he caught a better view of the pony. Even at a distance, he recognized the orange coat and yellow mane. The barding covered her flanks but he knew that there was a picture of three apples there. She peered into the tavern, giving him a clear view of her green eyes before leaving. "Impossible!" he growled. He stood up and immediately went after her. "Stoneshod, you idiot!" Halftail said. He also stood up and followed, prompting the rest of their group to do the same. Her heart pounding, Applejack walked towards the alley at a steady pace. She swallowed nervously as she realized that she was indeed being followed. At the corner of her eye, she noticed several ponies tailing her. It was then that she couldn't help but noticed how dark this part of the city was and how alone she was in walking here. As she approached the alley, she dearly hoped that Vanguard Clash was ready and waiting. The ponies behind her didn't look like they were going to congratulate her for making Infantry Captain. She rounded the corner and walked into the alley, expecting Vanguard to be standing there. To her horror, it was empty. Panicked, she wondered if she had entered the wrong alley or if this was some kind of set up.

"That's enough walking, chosen," she heard a familiar voice speak from behind her. "Who's there?" Applejack asked. "What do you want?" "Infantry Captain!" Stoneshod snarled. "It's a disgrace that they even allowed you to sign up. Now, they make you Infantry Captain in a day? I'm not standing for this!" "Enough talking. Stoneshod," one of the ponies accompanying Stoneshod said. "Let's just kill her and get out of here before somepony sees us." "Why'd ya'll want to kill me?" Applejack asked. "We're all legionnaires now!" Stoneshod spat on the ground and pulled a knife from his harness. "We've endured enough without having to watch chosen play at being legionnaires." "If you kill me, ponies will notice I'm gone," Applejack said. "Ya'll be criminals!" "I've done worse things for the legion," Stoneshod said. "You won't be the first pony to pay for it!" "Sounds like a confession," Vanguard said. Stoneshod suddenly cried out and dropped his knife. A bolt had just gone right through his right hoof. The shadows came alive as several ponies surrounded the group, each one aiming a crossbow at Stoneshod and his ponies. Scarlet Rabbit hovered above them. The bolt had come from his crossbow. "Special Operations!" Halftail quailed. The name was followed by weapons being dropped to the ground. One pony tried to make a run for it. He took two steps and found Vanguard's two bladed sword inches from his face. Vanguard and his group quickly herded Stoneshod and his ponies to a corner and began binding them up. They pushed Stoneshod up the wall and began talking. When Applejack tried to move in closer to see what they were talking about, Scarlet Rabbit suddenly flew in front of her, blocking her path and vision.

"Woah there!" Scarlet said. "Rough night, eh? How about you take off that barding and we head on back to our friends?" "What are they talking about over there?" Applejack asked. She removed a piece of the barding and handed it over to Scarlet, who stuffed it in a sack. "Special Operations stuff," Scarlet replied. After he collected all the pieces, he gently pushed Applejack out of the alley and the hovered by her side. "Thanks again for your help. It made things a lot easier for us!" "If you're really grateful, how's about letting me in on what just happened?" Applejack asked. "Why all this hiding in the dark and why do I need to be involved?" "I suppose I could fill you in on some details. We've been watching Stoneshod since his tussle with you from before. We got a good feeling he was part of a more dangerous group but we couldn't just walk in and arrest him in front of others. Ponies would start asking around about what he did and we'd have to make stuff up. So we thought "what if they went to a dark alley on their own and we just happened to be waiting for them?" That's when you volunteered." "I didn't volunteer for anything!" Applejack protested. "You voluntarily kicked his face," Scarlet insisted. "That made him hate your guts which we found useful." Applejack was still struggling with this logic when Scarlet went on. "Thanks to you, nopony suspects anything while we question them. If somepony still asks, we'll say they tried to kill you," he said. "Of course you'll say it's true if they ask you since that was what they were about to do," he added slyly. Applejack swallowed. That wasn't a suggestion. She recalled the bolt that had gone through Stoneshod's leg and looked at hers. "Special Operations" was sounding more and more ominous. "What's this "dangerous group" you were talking about?" Scarlet was quiet for a time, as if considering if he should say anything. "You were there when we made that report to Commander Dreadstep so I'll tell you," he said. "Don't go blabbing it to everypony you meet though."

Scarlet eyed Applejack carefully until she nodded. Once she did, the grin went back on his face. "Right, they're part of the traitors who helped the wolven take FangBreaker. Who knows what they've been up to in the city? We still have to check things out. You chosen have been really useful though. We've been keeping an eye on reactions to you girls and you've been turning out a lot of suspects!" Applejack stared at Scarlet. The red pegasus was still grinning and he talked so casually but there was a glint in his eye that sent a chill down her spine. Something lurked under all those smiles and cheery banter. She wasn't sure if she wanted to meet that something. "I hope you don't take it against us," Scarlet said. "Take what against you?" "That we're keeping an eye on you too." Applejack stopped momentarily, prompting Scarlet to do the same. "Are you saying that you've been watching me?" "Well, not me," Scarlet said. "I'm tasked to watch Rainbow He- I mean, Rainbow Dash. But, yeah, somepony's watching you to see if more of these traitors show up." "What about Vanguard?" Applejack asked. "The captain? What about him?" "Is he watching one of us too?" "Of course!" "Well, which one?" "Which one what?" "Who's he watching? It's Twilight isn't it? He sure does spend a lot of time with Twilight."

Scarlet's smile split into a wide grin. "Wouldn't you like to know?" he asked teasingly. Before Applejack could reply, they were already standing in front of the building they were staying. "Let's keep this to ourselves, alright?" Scarlet asked with a wink. Applejack could only nod before the two of them entered.

Chapter 21 Black Rose It wasn't long before Stoneshod found himself inside a small windowless room. The ponies who had dragged him here had shoved him unto a lone chair and told him to sit still and wait. It had only been a few minutes but the bare walls of pitiless gray stone were already pressing down on him. He was not tied up but he was led through one corridor after another and past multiple groups of guards. He had the feeling that his captors had taken a circuitous route to subtly remind him that there was no escaping this place. The door swung open and two ponies stepped in. Stoneshod easily recognized Captain Vanguard Clash, having encountered him plenty of times before. The other pony was not so familiar; a blue-eyed, dark blue unicorn mare with her deep purple mane in carefully arranged ringlets. The two of them glanced at each other and approached him from different sides. Stoneshod sneered at the sight of this. "What's going on?" he asked. "Are you going to play good captain, bad captain with me?" "We would, Stoneshod," Vanguard replied, "but traitors like you don't deserve good captains." "So you get two bad ones instead," the unicorn said in a surprisingly soft tone. She stood right next to Stoneshod and leaned on the table with her forelegs. "We'll give you this one chance to tell us what we want to know on your own volition. If you cooperate then we'll lock you up for the rest of your worthless life instead of hanging you like the miserable sack of wolven-bait you are." "What if I don't?" Stoneshod asked. "Then we'll use this," Vanguard answered. He pulled out a small syringe filled with glowing, green liquid from his harness. Noticing Stoneshod's questioning look, he spoke again. "The ophidites call it "Selris Zain", "Liar's Bane" to us. They originally made it but the legion has long since made use of it as well. If you won't tell us the truth, we'll use this to force it out of you."

"That stuff will slither through your brain and dig out the info we need," the unicorn said with a smile. "You can imagine how difficult it is to keep secrets from the ophidites." "Unfortunately for you, our slithering friends down south don't care for the health of their prisoners once interrogation is over," Vanguard added. "Side-effects after this toxin wears off include partial permanent paralysis, loss of memory, seizures, migraines, uncontrollable muscle twitching..." "Or, if you're weak, your brain just dribbles out of your ears," the unicorn finished. "Either way, we're going to get what we can out of you. It's your choice how it's going to come out." Stoneshod snorted. Torture and the use of the enemy's vile tools? Nothing unexpected from Special Operations. "I'll talk," he said. "I'm not going to make it hard for myself." The unicorn looked downcast. "Wise choice," she said glumly. She put a hoof on top of Stoneshod's head and ruffled his mane. "For you anyway. I was hoping you make us melt parts of your brain and then hang you. Don't lie though. I'm pretty good at noticing lies and pretty bad at controlling myself when I notice them." "Captain Nightcanter, work first," Vanguard said patiently. When the unicorn stepped away from Stoneshod, he continued. "First question. How many of you were involved in the FangBreaker Fortress sabotage?" "Eight cells with five ponies each," Stoneshod replied. "Including yours, how many made it here?" "Seven. One cell got trapped by the wolven and died." "What about Bastion City?" Nightcanter asked. "How many ponies did you have here before you came along?" "Ten." Both captains' eyes narrowed in thought.

"What's the matter?" Stoneshod asked with a smirk. "Surprised by our numbers? You didn't think we were some small ragtag group now, did you?" Nightcanter's horn began to glow a deep blue. Suddenly, Stoneshod felt his head caught in a bruising telekinetic grip. The magic slammed his face into the table three times before letting go. Blood streamed from his nostrils as he steadied himself. "You answer questions and nothing more, you filthy nag!" she hissed. "Can you give us the names of these ponies?" Vanguard asked flatly. The sight of the abuse didn't even seem to register to him. "I can't," Stoneshod said, wiping some of the blood from his nose on his hoof. Vanguard grabbed Stoneshod by the mane and pressed the syringe against his neck without quite penetrating. "Wait! Wait!" Stoneshod exclaimed. He winced and put a hoof to his mending jaw at his outburst. "I can't give you their names even if I wanted to! Individual cells don't know the members of other cells in case something like this happened!" Vanguard let go but he kept the syringe on hoof. "Then how do you work together?" he asked. "We get our orders from drop zones," Stoneshod explained. "When cells meet, we put masks on and it's always at night." "You don't even know who in the hay you're working for!" Nightcanter hissed. "You'll betray Equestria at a stranger's whim?" "I haven't betrayed Equestria!" Stoneshod snarled. His face twisted in pain and spit leaked out of his mouth with each word . "We're the ones who have to make the hard decisions while lackeys like you mindlessly plod on, scarfing down every pile of crap that the alicorns leave for you!" Nightcanter slammed Stoneshod's face into the table three more times before Vanguard stopped her. "He won't be able to talk if his jaw falls off," he cautioned her. To Stoneshod, he asked another question. "How do you

identify each other in the dark then?" he asked. "How can you tell if a bunch of masked ponies are working with you or not?" "We use an identifying phrase." "Which is?" Stoneshod hesitated until he felt both captains fix hard stares at him. "Black Rose will bloom once again," he finally relented. For a fleeting moment, Vanguard noticed a look of horror overcome Nightcanter. That moment gave him pause as well. Nightcanter was a hardened legionnaire, a pony who had seen terrible things on and off the battlefield. That a lone phrase could affect her this much was both intriguing and disturbing. And then the moment was gone. The look of horror was replaced with anger. "I'll tear your jaw off myself!" Nightcanter hissed. She leaned forward and grabbed a hold of Stoneshod's lower jaw. "A whining malcontent of a grunt like you has no right to invoke that name!" "I don't even know who Black Rose is!" Stoneshod protested. "It's just the phrase we were told to use!" Nightcanter shoved Stoneshod away before Vanguard needed to separate them. "What were your last orders?" she asked. "We were going to complete a tunnel under the walls. That was our standing order the moment we arrived in Bastion City." "Tell us where it is." "I will. Give me a map and I'll point it out. I've told you all I know." Vanguard's eyes narrowed. "Not yet," he said. "What happened to Pyre Valor?" It was Nightcanter's turn to look at Vanguard with concern. When Stoneshod looked away and stayed silent, Vanguard stepped forward threateningly. "White unicorn mare with a long, wild and black mane, about

as tall as I am, brown eyes and a naturally fierce expression on her face," he said. "I know who she is." "Then answer my question." "She was a newcomer," Stoneshod said. "She came to us at the very last moment. We thought we were done for but she explained that she was joining up 'to a degree' she said. She also said that she was going to blow up the gates to let the wolven in." Stoneshod paused in recollection. "She was also smoking and hot." "I'm not interested in your juvenile attractions," Vanguard growled. "No, foal!" Stoneshod replied. "I meant literally! She was literally smoking! There were these wisps of smoke rising out of her body and it creeped us all out! She was also projecting enough heat to make us sweat even with the cold night air!" He clutched his jaw again. Vanguard turned away. What did that mean? Pyre Valor was a master of fire spells but he had never seen her do any of what Stoneshod was talking about. Perhaps it was some kind of magical transformation. "I'll get a map," he finally said.

Vanguard Clash and Nightcanter left the interrogation room at the same time. They had pumped as much information as they could from Stoneshod. Nightcanter had suggested using the Liar's Bane anyway in case Stoneshod was withholding some scraps of information but Vanguard disagreed. It was more than apparent that Stoneshod was a bottom-rung grunt in the traitorous organization. They had gotten plenty of information regardless. It wouldn't be long until Special Operations gave them another mission. "So tell me about this Black Rose," Vanguard said as they walked down a hall. "Are you telling me you don't know the most infamous unicorn in Barrier Land history?" Nightcanter asked.

"I've encountered a few fleeting mentions of the name time and again. Pyre also mentioned her once. I'd like some clearer details." "She's a legend," Nightcanter began. "Black Rose the Ascendant. Black Rose the Prince's Consort. Black Rose the Arcane Terror. She was a unicorn mage and a relentless commander. If you read enough stories, you'd think there was nothing she couldn't do. It's impossible to separate fact from myth." "Interesting titles," Vanguard remarked. They turned at one corner passed a pair of legionnaires escorting one of Stoneshod's cronies to a cell. "Why was she called "Ascendant"?" "The stories have it that she was a few steps away from transforming into an alicorn," Nightcanter explained. "She was the greatest magic user of her time. Likely the greatest of all time. She had discovered a way to stop aging and had accumulated so much power that she was feared as a monster in Equestria, Ursinium, Ophidus and Wolvengard, giving her the title "Arcane Terror". Under her command, the legion advanced to conquer a large number of territories from all sides." "What about "The Prince's Consort"?" "That's where the stories really vary. One way or another, Black Rose naturally caught Prince Terrato's attention. The romanticists insist that the two of them had a love affair. Some even go as far as to suggest that they had a foal that the prince spirited away to the Heartland. The pragmatists insist that he simply kept her in his favor because she was so reliable. Regardless, the great amount of time she spent with the prince gave her that title." "She sounds more like a heroine made up to inspire fillies rather than an actual mare," Vanguard said. "What happened?" "No happy ending for the fillies here," Nightcanter said darkly. "Black Rose strongly believed that the division was a hindrance to Equestria's rise in power. The popular theory is that she secretly developed a plan to assassinate Princess Celestia and make Prince Terrato the sole ruler of a united Equestria with dominion over Sun, Moon and Earth. The prince found out and confronted her in her tower in the Western Barrier Land."

"That couldn't have ended well," Vanguard said. "Apparently that theory is true, or it was pretty close. The prince laid waste to her tower and killed her," Nightcanter added. "That's where the historical account ends." "Then this shouldn't be a problem. She's dead." "You should brush up on your history, Vanguard," Nightcanter snorted. "You'd think it'd be that easy but no. The legion's dealt with three separate Black Rose rebellions since she died. Malcontents like Stoneshod like to throw the name around to gather like minded ponies. I hope this time's just like one of those times but…" "These are different circumstances," Vanguard finished. "The wolven attacking in force, chosen breaking through the barrier, Princess Luna showing up…I'm guessing this is the biggest Black Rose rebellion the legion has had to deal with." Nightcanter's eyes narrowed. "Right you are," she replied. "We've got our hooves full with the wolven. We don't need a unicorn sorceress who's been dead for seven hundred years to add to the mix." "The legion will overcome. We'll root these traitors out, drive back the wolven and find places for the chosen." "Sounds like a plan," Nightcanter said with a grin. They were soon standing by the exit from the prison. "Turning in for the night?" "Yes," Vanguard answered. He looked at the sky. It was already very late. He was going to get two or three hours of rest at best. "Your place is a long way off," Nightcanter said. She brushed against him deliberately. "My quarters are closer and I've got an extra bunk." "They assigned one legionnaire to a room with two bunks?" Vanguard asked flatly. "Fine, you nitpicker, it's just one bunk," Nightcanter said in annoyance. "It's a really big one though," she added suggestively.

"I'll pass." "That's the eighth time, Vanguard Clash," Nightcanter said in exasperation. "I'm starting to think you prefer colts." "You should stop counting. You'll be annoyed less. And the choice isn't between you and colts." "So is there somepony?" "None of your business, Captain Nightcanter." "Touchy. Fine, I'll go with my third choice then. See you tomorrow, Vanguard." Vanguard waved a hoof and went on his way.

Deep within the mountainous region of the Western Barrier Land was a small lake surrounded by steep, forbidding mountains. It was called "Heavenly Basin" and was inaccessible other than by flight, very powerful magic or somehow traversing the underground rivers that fed it. At the center of that lake was a small island covered with the obsidian wreckage of what was the tower of the infamous Black Rose. Rumors abounded throughout all of the Barrier Lands that the site still contained valuable treasures and powerful spell books but nopony had ever managed to confirm them. The entire site still contained lingering traces of Black Rose's magic in the form of an unnatural aura that seemed to permeate everything in the basin. In the years immediately after Black Rose's demise, legion-sent salvagers and independent adventurers alike braved the difficult journey to try their luck. Most came away with nothing but the unnatural aura pervading the place haunted their nightmares for the rest of their lives. A few simply vanished. As centuries went by and its reputation continued to grow, nopony worked up the courage to venture into the ruins. "Nopony", however, tended not to include Equestria's alicorn rulers. Prince Terrato descended from the skies and landed gently on the island. He eyed the place carefully, noting that almost nothing had changed since he had

last visited this place and that was centuries ago. Heavenly Basin seemed frozen in time to an observer. The crystalline waters of the lake were perfectly still, as was the air. The sky was permanently shrouded with dark clouds that never caused any precipitation to fall on the place. All around him, chunks of obsidian were strewn about: the remains of Black Rose's mighty tower. At the center of the wreckage was a pillar of white stone, driven into the ground like a gigantic spear. Terrato walked over to the pillar and read the inscription near its base, the same inscription he had put there when he drove the thing right down on Black Rose's head. This is the end of Black Rose. The same hard and barren fate awaits all of Celestia's enemies. With his magic, Terrato lifted the entire pillar, carefully pulling it out of the earth without ruining it or the hole it had created. After setting the pillar aside, he inspected the hole and found it empty. There were no bones or clothing. He scoured the spot with magic, looking for even the smallest trace of what used to be Black Rose, and came out with nothing. He sighed and replaced the pillar. Seven hundred years ago, he had made sure with his own eyes that she was dead. Though it pained him greatly, he had lifted this same pillar to check, forcing himself to look at her bloody, crushed remains before leaving them to remain under the pillar forever. To find not even a trace, even though centuries had passed, did not bode well with the growing crisis in his realm. Terrato closed his eyes for a moment, remembering that day he came to this place. "Would you slay me, my prince? The one pony who holds you dearest without condition?" Terrato had believed those words once. Seven hundred years ago felt like another lifetime. He was another pony back then and that pony, that foalish, brash soldier desperate for affection amidst the centuries of his duty, had found solace in Black Rose's seemingly unflinching devotion. She was such a beautiful unicorn mare, sleek and graceful but strong and athletic. She had a silky smooth black coat, a crimson mane that nearly cascaded to the ground and a tail to match. She had eyes of the softest

gray but she could hold anypony's gaze with confidence. He had stupidly showered her with his favor and gave her free reign over his realm. When he discovered the dark side of that devotion he prized so much, the rage nearly threatened to drive him mad. Black Rose may have loved him but she loved power more. She consumed ponies to fight off age and death. She had plans to infiltrate the Heartland and assassinate his sister. Worst of all, she proclaimed that she was doing it for him and for a united Equestria. He had only one answer for that. "Heed me well, my prince. When your younger sister returns from her imprisonment, Wolvengard will start its greatest attack. With her defender pressed on all sides and the Elements of Harmony out of reach, Celestia will be at her weakest. When that time comes, Black Rose will bloom once again." Those were her last words. It wasn't even a fight. Black Rose offered no resistance while he stripped her of every single one of her protective spells and then dropped a pillar of rock on her head. She was smiling at that time, a serene smile left him uneasy. It was as if he was still playing right into her hooves right up until the moment her body was crushed. 'The time is right, Black Rose,' Terrato thought as he inspected the rest of the ruins. Though nothing was physically different, there was a different charge in the lingering magical aura. A disturbance had occurred here recently, a disturbance that somepony took to great lengths to hide. 'Luna is back, Celestia has passed on the Elements of Harmony to her rebellious student and her friends, and the wolven are attacking. All that's left is…' A fleeting shadow caught the corner of Terrato's eye. He looked behind him but found nopony there. Still, he could have sworn that he saw somepony. He suddenly felt like he was being watched. With a snort of frustration, he flapped his wings and made his way north.

Vanguard entered the building where his friends were staying quietly, taking great pains to make sure that he didn't wake anypony up. They had more training ahead of them and they needed their rest. He removed his tramplers before he walked on the wooden floor, setting them aside by one corner of the room.

That was when his eyes lingered on a nearby desk. Twilight Sparkle was slumped over it while dozing away. On the desk were Pyre Valor's still open book and a small puddle of melted wax. Shaking his head, he took a nearby blanket with his mouth and gently draped it over her. To his chagrin, that movement was enough to cause her to stir. She opened her eyes weakly and turned to look at him. "Fenrir's hide, Twilight Sparkle," Vanguard said as softly as he could. "Don't you know the meaning of restraint?" Twilight Sparkle looked at the open book in front of her sleepily and closed it. "I was waiting for you to come back," she said with a yawn. "When Applejack came back with Scarlet…" She didn't finish the sentence and stood up groggily to head for an empty bed. She leaned over to one side, forcing Vanguard to hold her up lest she fall over. "It's not like you'll never see me again," Vanguard said. He helped her onto a bed and draped a blanket over her. Almost immediately, she closed her eyes and fell back to sleep. Vanguard carefully removed the rest of his barding and then lay down on the last empty bed next to Scarlet. After Stoneshod's interrogation, Bastion City suddenly felt a lot more hostile. He wondered if there were bands of ponies out there this very moment; digging away at the defenses, ruining their supplies… 'And now this Black Rose business,' he thought. The legion faced enemies outside and within while the Heartland itself was becoming restless. Where were all these things leading to?

Chapter 22 Order and Place The following morning found Rainbow Dash making good time towards the plaza. She had explored all of the places she had been instructed to yesterday. She even got in an hour of target practice, getting a good feel of shooting with her crossbow. She thought she did pretty good, she was no crack shot but not bad for her first day. "Don't pat yourself on the back yet, recruit," the reconnaissance officer had told her. "Your real targets won't be standing still and they won't be as brightly colored." For today, Rainbow was hoping to improve her aim. She had her leather barding on with her crossbow strapped to her harness, just like Scarlet had told her, as well case full of bolts strapped to her side. To her surprise, her fellow recruits were not lined up by the firing range. Instead, they were clustered over the side of one building and looking at its wall. She flew over to check on what was the commotion about and realized that they were looking at several papers that had been posted on the wall. "What's going on?" she asked a nearby recruit. "They've finished assigning recruits to the different flights," the recruit answered. "What does that mean?" "Yesterday was an assessment period. Didn't you see the flight captains watching us while we were practicing flying and shooting?" Rainbow shook her head. "I was out scouting places," she said. "Wait a minute…does that mean that everypony has been scouted out by flight captains and I didn't get to show my stuff?" The recruit shrugged his shoulders. "Looks that way," he said. "You may as well check the posts for your name." Rainbow Dash squeezed through the throng of gathered pegasi until she was close enough to the wall to read the names of the lists. Each posted paper had the name of a flight with a list of names of those who were

assigned to that flight. Rainbow Dash felt a sense of excitement as she scanned the papers. Each flight had what she thought was a cool name; Flight Bladefeather, Flight Frostshear, Flight Stormdawn…her gaze flitted from name to name, eager to find hers. Finally, after being jostled about a bit she found it. Flight Dreadwing: Rainbow Dash There were other names in the list but Rainbow didn't notice. Dreadwing…that sounded cool. She hoped that they had cool outfits as well. She squeezed her way out of the gathered crowd with barely contained excitement. As soon as she was free, however, she found herself face-to-face with Scarlet Rabbit. "Did you find out which flight you were assigned to?" Scarlet asked with a grin. "Yeah," Rainbow answered. Her excitement was mixed with a little annoyance. She still hadn't forgotten yesterday's race and Scarlet's uncalled for self-hobbling. "Flight Dreadwing," she said with a hint of pride. The grin disappeared from Scarlet's face, replaced by a look of concern with a touch of nostalgia. "Dreadwing, huh?" he replied. "That's Tailwind's flight." Rainbow Dash's eyes widened. "Tailwind?" she asked. "As in Vanguard's mom Tailwind?" Before Scarlet could answer, a familiar voice came from behind him. "That's Flight Captain Tailwind to you, recruit." Rainbow looked past Scarlet and, sure enough, found Flight Captain Tailwind walking towards them. The bluish white pegasus had a smile on her face as she approached her flight's newest member, a smile that conveyed more anticipation than any actual joy. "Come along, Rainbow Dash, the rest of your fellow recruits are already waiting," Tailwind said. Scarlet gave a salute and then flew off, leaving Rainbow to follow behind her new flight captain. "I traded that foal of a nag, Wingslice, three recruits to get you, Rainbow Dash," Tailwind said as they flew towards the northern end of the city. "You better prove me smart!"

"Why would you do that?" Rainbow Dash asked. "I didn't even get to show my stuff during the assessment day!" Tailwind glanced back at her with a knowing look. "Oh, but you did," she said. "I watched your little race with Scarlet. Impressive, I must say." "I lost that race," Rainbow said quietly. It didn't matter, Tailwind heard her anyway. "It's assessment," Tailwind said. "It's not a matter of winning or losing. You should know that you're faster than Scarlet was when he was a recruit." "Really?" Rainbow asked. "I would know," Tailwind grinned as she looked back at her again. "He was Flight Dreadwing before he was transferred to Special Operations." Rainbow Dash felt more of her confidence returning. "Then it's only a matter of time!" she said with a smirk. "It's going to take more than time, you foal," Tailwind said sternly. She stopped mid-flight so abruptly that Rainbow Dash flew past her before stopping and double backing. "You're fast, Rainbow Dash, but you're arrogant and you lack discipline." Tailwind hovered over to Rainbow and looked the younger pegasus in the eye. "You swallowed my stupid son's bait like it was Grade A Winter Moss and then proceeded to challenge the fastest pegasus in the northern legion before you could even get used to your new barding and equipment's weight and without even observing him to gauge his abilities. There's brave and there's reckless. Here in the legion, we honor the brave and turn the reckless into warning stories for the next bunch of recruits." Tailwind's eyes narrowed while her lips curved into a slight smile, causing Rainbow to swallow a lump in her throat and back away slightly. "But that works for me," she continued." I can't make natural talent grow where there's none but I'm confident in my ability to beat discipline into a promising recruit. Literally if I have to."

With that, Tailwind flew ahead, leaving Rainbow Dash to hover there wondering what she had just gotten herself into. "Let's go, Rainbow Dash, you're going to love it in my flight!" Tailwind called out after her.

For Sharpfangs, feeding the legion had always been among the most under-appreciated jobs for a legionnaire. Even in the best circumstances, it was still a hectic job. Legionnaires were not picky with their food. They may complain and joke about it but they ate what was provided. They needed a lot, however, and they needed it quickly. Empty bellies were a disaster in a battle and it fell to Logistics' kitchen division to prevent that. Supplies had to be regulated and the commissary stocked. And that was during the best circumstances, which they certainly weren't experiencing at the moment. It was only during the attack when they were evacuating the fort did they notice that a large amount of their supplies had been ruined. Not only that, the kitchen staff itself didn't escape without casualties. Sharpfangs himself should have been killed in action if his wife hadn't showed up and dragged him out of the fortress. As a result, they were short handed and working with limited resources. Today's breakfast was a small taste of what Sharpfangs expected as the battle continued. The legion's ranks had recovered a bit with the latest draft and the addition of the city's defenders but Logistics was the last to benefit from new troops. Infantry got most of the earth ponies, Reconnaissance all but monopolized pegasi recruits and Magical took all the unicorns. Logistics had to work with leftovers, recruits deemed unfit for front-line combat and were better off with what most legionnaires believed were menial tasks. By the end of recruitment day, Logistics was supporting almost the same number of legionnaires it was when the fort was functioning but was doing so with barely half its casualties replaced. Sharpfangs didn't mind the situation however. He understood the lack of recruits going to Logistics. Rare was the pony who looked forward to a time when this wolven attack was repulsed so that he could boast of how he cooked for the triumphant soldiers who fought gloriously or repaired their tools and transported their luggage, especially not if that same pony could join those who did the fighting. Besides, it wasn't like Logistics came out

completely empty hoofed. This was something his fellow cook, Grassmane, was quick to remind him. "So what do you think of our new chosen recruit, Sharpfangs?" Grassmane asked as he and Sharpfangs managed today's breakfast. He dipped a ladle into a cauldron of bubbling vegetable soup and gave it a sip. Judging it lacking in pepper, he turned around and opened a nearby cupboard. "She looks like a hard worker," Sharpfangs replied while slicing up some fresh fruits. The fresh fruits were the first to go. Winter will soon force them to rely on preserved goods. He eyed the recruit that Grassmane mentioned, a pink-coated pony who had just been assigned to their kitchen this morning. The balloons that marked her flank was a curious sight, curious enough to make him almost forget that it was rude to stare at a mare's flank and that Tailwind would kick his if she saw him. Recruit Pinkie Pie, as she had enthusiastically introduced herself, handled a mound of dough with practiced ease and enthusiasm. She presented a stark contrast to the other cooks around her who moved almost mechanically in their duties. Having been informed that she used to live with bakers back in the Heartland, Head Chef Fullblanch had assigned her with baking duty. While Sharpfangs agreed with the decision, especially now that he saw how well she did, there was something else that concerned him. Pinkie Pie worked with an unusual amount of cheer for a recruit that had just been transferred to Logistics' kitchen division. Most of the time, recruits assigned here worked glumly, as if their transfer was a punishment instead of an assessment of how they could best serve the legion. Not so Recruit Pinkie Pie. She didn't walk to her station, she bounced towards it. Sharpfangs found the gusto by which she went about her new duties a little cute and refreshing, a small reminder that what he and his fellows here in the kitchen did was just as important as routing a wolven attack. As she worked, Pinkie also hummed some sort of lively tune that Sharpfangs found himself tapping a hoof to. In there lay a brewing problem. Pinkie's fellow worker at the bread station was a burly earth pony stallion almost twice her size called Graveleaf. He was a transfer from the Western Legion who served in Infantry until he was caught in a blizzard and lost one of his hind legs to frostbite. Graveleaf had no intention of retiring and

worked with Logistics' kitchen division, relying on a wooden leg to help him hobble about. He was a hard worker although his bread tended to be on the tough side due to the force by which he prepared his dough. Unfortunately, he was a bit antisocial. Sharpfangs and the senior members of the kitchen got along well with him but his silent, intimidating demeanor and his battle-hardened, scar-covered visage intimidated most recruits. Three recruits that had been transferred to the kitchen division had asked for a transfer to other Logistics divisions after a few days of having to work next to him. Pinkie didn't seem the least bit intimidated by sharing a station with him and she bounced around their workplace and all around him while humming. Sharpfangs kept an eye on the two while he prepared the meals assigned to him. The chosen were friends with his son and he thought that he should at least try to step in should Graveleaf suddenly turn on Pinkie Pie and pound her out like one of his dough mounds for being so lively. Sure enough, some time passed and the normally stoic Graveleaf was looking a little distracted. He glanced at Pinkie briefly as he worked on some more dough. Sharpfangs edged a little closer to their station. Next to him, Grassmane seemed to have noticed as well. A few more tense moments passed and then Graveleaf suddenly approached Pinkie while she was watching a batch of bread loaves begin to rise. "Recruit…" Graveleaf's gravelly voice quickly caught Pinkie's attention. She turned around curiously and found herself looking up at him. "Yes?" Pinkie asked. "What is that ridiculously catchy tune you keep humming?" Graveleaf asked. "Is that some kind of ritual humming you chosen do?" "Ritual?" Pinkie asked with a smile. "Oh, no! It's my Legion Bread Baking song! It's a work in progress though." "Does it have words to go along with it?" "Sure!" Sharpfangs noticed Fullblanch raise his head from the main station. It seemed that the Head Chef had been keeping an eye on them as well.

"Well, don't short us with the watered down version, recruit!" Fullblanch called out. "Let's hear the entire thing!" The other cooks voiced out their agreement. Encouraged, Pinkie Pie saluted and then burst into song as she pulled out the latest batch of bread from the oven. Sharpfangs listened intently to her lyrics. True enough, it was a song about…baking bread. His eyes widened in surprise as he observed the singing recruit. Barely a day spent in her new environment and she already had this. He quickly found himself tapping a hoof to the song. Embarrassed, he stopped and looked guiltily at Grassmane, only to find his fellow cook bobbing his head in tune. Sharpfangs looked around him to find the kitchen suddenly alive. Work still progressed but Pinkie Pie's cheer seemed to add an extra spring to even the most menial chore, even Graveleaf flung down some dough with a bit more enthusiasm. From his station, Head Chef Fullblanch gave a hearty laugh. "Welcome to the kitchen division, Pinkie Pie!" he called out with a smile.

Over at the southern section of Bastion City, Hammer Chain had just started up his forge for another day of work. His new workplace was a bit smaller than his old one back at FangBreaker Fortress but he was glad to at least have something to work with. The misbegotten wolven had overrun the fort and, while he was inclined to take a place at the front lines to bash a few of the filthy dogs himself, he had a much more important job. Logistics' armory division had its work cut out for it. Weapons and barding had to be repaired, new recruits had to be armed and armored and ammunition had to be made for crossbows. Hammer Chain himself had spent all day yesterday re-forging barding for the rest of FangBreaker's survivors. Wolven teeth were sharp and serrated and their jaws clamped down with the force of a smith's vice. Even the best barding suffered damage while protecting their owners, owners who turned to Hammer Chain to repair them swiftly. It was late morning and Hammer Chain had just finished a piece when a knock on his door told him that his next order of business had just arrived. He opened the door and found himself looking at a tall, gray earth pony

with strange, red eyes and several burned patches along one side of his body. He was carrying a sack which, Hammer Chain guessed, was full of barding. "Captain Vanguard Clash," Hammer Chain said with a smile. "I didn't expect to see you any time soon. Don't tell me that my masterpiece has finally been damaged!" Vanguard gave a wry smile and handed the sack over to Hammer Chain. The smith's bushy eyebrows furrowed as he opened the flap and pulled out a piece. The black plates had been damaged by heat. That they were was a puzzle. He had crafted Vanguard Clash's barding out of nightsteel, a more expensive variant of regular steel that was stronger and insulated better, on commission by Commander Dreadstep and out of gratitude for the time Vanguard rescued him from a wolven ambush. For the metal to be affected like this required quite a flame. He searched the sack further and found that the caparison that went with the set was a tattered, burned wreck. "This is quite a mess," Hammer Chain said. "What did you do, Vanguard? Jump into a furnace?" "Close enough," Vanguard said. "Can it be repaired?" "It can," Hammer Chain answered. "It should be ready before the day ends." "Thanks, Hammer Chain, how much will it cost?" "Don't even think about payment. I'd have hunted you down if you went to another smith to get it fixed." "Thanks again," With a smile and a nod, Vanguard went on his way. Hammer Chain laid out the barding and inspected each piece. The damage wasn't serious. He'd probably be done in a matter of hours. The caparison, however, was going to take some work. It may even be better off being replaced entirely. Not only was it badly burned, it looked like a wolven had clawed off pieces of it. He looked around the smithy to see if he had the materials to make one. Finding none, he cursed under his breath and prepared to leave, making sure that the forge was well supplied while he

was gone. It was times like these that made him wish that his last apprentice hadn't been eaten by wolven.

While most of her friends had enthusiastically headed off to their new, respective posts, Rarity had gone to hers with much slower step. She reported to Logistics Officer Frostmane whom Vanguard Clash had helpfully directed her towards. She had been assigned to the maintenance division of Logistics and then tasked with repairing miscellaneous damaged items such as tents, blankets and fur coats. A small pile of such things lay to her left while another pile of the same things that had been repaired lay to her right. Some good had come out of the transfer however. It had given Rarity access to a needle and thread. She was even given a pair of scissors. She had sighed inwardly when she levitated the familiar tools with ease. Even with the magical drift hobbling her magic, she could still manage this. One of the first things she turned her sewing skills on was none other than the mage-coat that had been provided to her yesterday. She had been allowed to keep it as protection although actually wearing it was a pretty painful experience to her fashion sense. The coat was a thick cloth padded with leather. Its shape was basically a blanket draped over her as protection. It felt like she was wearing a blanket as well, a thick, heavy blanket that slowed her down far more than necessary. There was nothing to be done about the color but how the fabric fell and weight distribution can be adjusted. Every scrap of free time she got in between repairing materials went to modifying her coat to suit her taste. She snipped off parts she didn't think were necessary and reinforced the padding where she believed needed more protection. Adjusting how the coat fell on her was a bit of a challenge but manageable. By late morning, she was holding up the finished product and inspecting it lovingly when she heard somepony speak from behind her. "That's an interesting mage-coat you have there, chosen, where did you acquire it?"

Rarity whirled to find a unicorn stallion watching her curiously. He had a red-orange coat and a cropped mane of ashen blue. His face was covered with a thick blue beard, long enough to form a few inches of goatee. Guiltily, she floated the mage-coat behind her. "Um…nowhere really," she said in a panic. "Just a mage-coat from the pile." The unicorn extended a hoof. "Let me see that," he said. Rarity was quickly becoming familiar with that tone. It was no request. Left with no choice, she floated the coat over to him unicorn for inspection. "These are quite the changes you've made," the unicorn said as he turned the mage-coat over with his telekinesis. He eyed each modification critically without showing any sign of approval or disapproval. "I see you've taken off some of the padding by the rear. Any explanation why?" "Well, um…sir," Rarity replied. She wasn't sure how to address this unicorn. He looked like a senior legionnaire so she decided to stay humble and respectful. "When I saw the wolven attack in FangBreaker, I noticed that they prefer to lunge at the throat or jump on the back instead of going for a pony's heels. So I took away most of the padding in that area to reinforce those areas. It also gives the wearer more mobility and leaves the hind legs free to buck in case of an emergency." "True," the unicorn said. He returned the mage-coat to Rarity and began to eye her instead of the coat. "What do you do here, recruit?" "I've been tasked with mending these things," Rarity answered and gestured to the piles to her sides. "Am…am I in trouble, sir?" she asked nervously. "Well, I was thinking of having you whipped for tampering with barding design," the unicorn said. "But I've changed my mind. Come with me, recruit." He walked off, leaving Rarity to follow behind. Rarity quickly noticed that they were heading for the maintenance officer's office. Once they got there, the unicorn flung the door open and, without any preamble, grabbed Rarity by a foreleg and dragged her to his side. "Halfstitch, this recruit tells me that she patches up tents and coats for your division, is this true?" he asked.

Halfstitch, a lean, grizzled earth pony with a purple coat with a deeper purple mane frowned at the sight of Rarity. It had only been a few hours since he assigned her to that job and she was causing trouble already. "It's true," he said gruffly. "What's the matter? Was she lying about somewhere? These spoiled chosen…it's the whipping post if that's-" "You mule-headed foal, this mare's too valuable to be patching up random holes in a corner. I want her transferred to the armory division under me." Though he looked offended, Halfstitch leaned forward from his desk and looked shrewdly at the unicorn. "I don't know, Hammer Chain, this recruit's pretty valuable. It's not like we got a bunch of recruits from yesterday's draft." Hammer Chain shook his head irritably. "How about I give you that harness you've been eyeing in my shop yesterday?" Halfstitch grinned and stood up. "I'll get the paperwork ready," he said. Hammer Chain grinned as well and looked at Rarity. "Good. Come with me, recruit."

A few minutes passed and Rarity found herself inside a small smithy. Several tools were scattered about while piles of metal were stacked by one corner. A forge burned brightly, dominating the entire place and making it slightly, uncomfortably hot. Hammer Chain put down the rolls of fabric that he had just acquired and stared at Rarity. "What's your name, recruit?" he asked. "My name is Rarity, Sir Hammer Chain, is it?" "Actually it's just Hammer Chain. I don't know where you got that sir part. What did you use to do over…wherever it is you came from?" "I was a dressmaker." "Ever work with barding? Pounded metal plates into shape? How about weapons?"

"Certainly not! I made formal-wear for balls! I've certainly never had to work with…metal." "Bah! What's barding but a different dress you wear for a livelier sort of party? And what's metal but a tougher, harder to shape fabric?" Rarity wasn't quite sure how to respond to that sort of logic. "Tell you what, Rarity, you've just been transferred to the armory division as my apprentice. I'll let you deal with mage-coats and leather barding while we work and then we'll scrape every bit of time we get out of this war and use them to teach you how to work with metal. Does that sound good to you?" "Um…yes. Yes, it certainly does!" Rarity said. She found herself enthusiastic despite the rather uncomfortable state of her new workplace. She was no longer placed in a station out of convenience. Instead, she was now working where her talents can shine. "Good," Hammer Chain said. "You can start with Vanguard Clash's caparison while I start on his barding. Let's get to work!"

By the end of the day, Bastion City's ponies returned to their homes with a hint of fearful anticipation. Reports of the wolven army being spotted by pegasus scouts were now widespread. It was only a matter of time until they had to deal with an attack. The last few wagons of supplies made their way through the city's southern gates. There would be no more trade from the southern cities until the wolven were repulsed to make sure that wagons are not ambushed. Any supplies now would have to come by air. It was then that the collective fears of an entire city manifested in the form of a horn sounding off. Everypony knew what the sound meant even though most of the citizens had just heard it for the first time. The first wolven had just appeared over the horizon. Panicked citizens rushed to their homes, dragging their children inside with them. Cries of fear filled the air while legionnaires rushed about to occupy their posts.

Commander Dreadstep's office was quickly flooded with reports. The same issues resurfaced; some preparations were still underway, some units were under-equipped, the recruits were far from battle-ready. "The wolven won't attack immediately after a long march," Dreadstep said to his officers. "Squeeze every second for all of its worth. Expect them to begin siege preparations as soon as they come close enough." Every officer saluted and headed off to take care of his group. Dreadstep leaned on his desk and folded his forelegs in front of him. 'This is the second time,' he thought. 'The wolven won't catch me slacking off this time.'

Chapter 23 First Blood From his aerial vantage point, Scarlet Rabbit watched the massive wolven forces arrayed before Bastion City. The wolven had made their appearance during yesterday's dusk and they had continued marching and preparing throughout the night. By the time morning had arrived, the entire city had been surrounded. The chaos and darkness of FangBreaker's fall had made it impossible to gauge the enemy's strength before but now, with the rays of the morning sun breaking through the usually cloudy sky of the Northern Barrier Land helping him, he could make his estimations. Just a crossbow shot away from the walls was a veritable ocean of fur, fangs and claws. The wolven stalked the grassy plain, eyeing the city hungrily, pacing through the short grass and snarling at each other. They hadn't come just by themselves either. At the rear section of the army, Scarlet spotted a dozen or so catapults being dragged forward as well as battering rams, siege ladders and mobile towers. The wolven had come equipped and they were setting up already. It was only a matter of time until the first boulder struck the walls. Scarlet then looked back to his side of the walls. Against the massive wolven army just outside, the Northern Equestrian Legion had the survivors of FangBreaker Fortress, Bastion City's garrison and a contingent of new recruits. Scarlet couldn't help but grin. This was going to be the battle of the century for sure. Several centuries in fact. When had been the last time things were this desperate? Likely, long before he had been born. All his time in the legion he had been fighting in skirmishes with a patrol of pegasi or Vanguard's squad. This would be his first time being involved in a clash between armies. He was almost too giddy to land but he eventually forced himself when he noticed his captain looking up at him. Scarlet also caught a streak of prismatic colors out of the corner of his eye just as he landed. Rainbow Dash was hovering near him by the time he landed next to Vanguard. His grin spread a little wider. Here was something

else that got him excited. Part of him was still reeling from the other day's race. A race that she had refused to consider. The same race that he felt like a winner, but not in a way she understood it. He had never thought he would ever encounter another pony who still appeared to be moving when he sped up and put his mind into it. Finally, a pony who just might catch Scarlet Rabbit. All she needed was a little time under Tailwind's wing, just as he had done. "Those are a lot of wolven," Rainbow Dash remarked. She tried to sound confident but there was a tinge of nervousness in her voice. Her legs quivered a bit and her heart was pounding in her chest. "Steady yourself," Vanguard told Rainbow sternly. "You should be awaiting orders with the rest of your flight." He turned towards the red pegasus. "Scarlet, we have our orders ourselves." Still grinning, Scarlet saluted and flew off while Vanguard ran in the same direction. After running a short distance however, he suddenly turned around. "Rainbow Dash!" he called out. "We'll win this and you can see for yourself how "cool" the legion can be!" Her nervousness reduced slightly, Rainbow made her way towards the northern section of Bastion City, where her flight had been assigned. She passed through street after street of ponies scrambling to get ready. Civilians had run into their homes. Carts of supplies were being pulled away into safe storage while weapons were being distributed. Rainbow touched the crossbow strapped to her harness. How long would it be until she started using it on actual enemies? An hour from now? A few minutes? "Get over here, recruit!" Tailwind shouted at Rainbow from the top of Bastion City's crenelated eastern walls. The rest of Flight Dreadwing lined the walls with her; taking cover behind the ramparts with their crossbows already drawn. Following what she had been taught yesterday, Rainbow landed in front of her flight captain and saluted. "Take your post," Tailwind ordered. The northern walls faced the bulk of the wolven army. All sides of the city were facing a great mass of wolven but it was here where they were concentrated. If the northern gates could be forced open, the wolven could easily swarm the city. Rainbow Dash looked around her. In addition to

Flight Dreadwing's thirty pegasi, they also had another thirty from Flight Frostshear. "Listen up!" Tailwind barked. "The commander expects the wolven to go for an initial rush to see if they can take the city in a single battle before settling in for a siege. It worked at FangBreaker and they have the mutts to spare. Our orders are as follows: settle in and make them pay when they come forward. You all know who to shoot first and how to work your way down their chain of command. Once they bring their engines closer, Flight Frostshear will provide covering fire while Flight Dreadwing will swoop in with these." Tailwind motioned towards several sacks of small, spherical containers. They looked like they were made of ceramic. Each sphere had a small pictogram for fire etched into it that glowed a dim orange. "What are those?" Rainbow asked. The other members looked at her briefly as if she was an idiot but they quickly changed to those expressions to understanding, remembering that it had only been days since she even knew this place existed. "Firebombs," Tailwind explained. "The unicorn enchantments will light them up once the containers shatter and the chemicals inside burns long and hot. Don't use them on the wolven troops even if they're clustered. Aim for their siege engines or supply wagons. Is that understood?" Flight Dreadwing saluted in response and each one took their share. Rainbow Dash was just tying a small pouch of the firebombs to her harness when she heard a familiar voice behind her. "Hey, RD, looks like you got stationed here too." Rainbow Dash squinted at the pony who was talking to her. She recognized the voice but the sight of this barded pony, no taller than she was, was a little confusing. She looked a little closer and saw the yellow mane and the green eyes underneath the metal champron. "Applejack?" she asked. "What the-? It took you that long to recognize me?" Applejack said with mock indignation. "I spotted you a mile away even in your barding!"

"The rainbow mane and tail is a dead giveaway even at two miles." a stallion said flatly as he walked over to stand next to Applejack. "Don't be such a fuss budget, Twocolt, I swear you sound like Rarity sometimes," Applejack said. "Must be a pony with an unbelievable amount of common sense," he replied. "So what are you doing way up here?" Rainbow Dash asked. "You don't even have crossbows!" "Those wolven are going to bring along those giant ladders they've got over there and latch it to our wall here," Applejack answered. "Our platoon got assigned to make sure they don't climb over and get'cha." "So is Twilight here too?" Rainbow asked. "I haven't seen her around. Maybe she got assigned somewhere else." "We better get back to our posts before the captain throws the both of us off this wall," Twocolt interrupted. Applejack nodded in response before turning her attention back to Rainbow. "I'll see you later, Rainbow," Applejack said. Her expression suddenly turned serious. "Stay safe and alive," she added. Rainbow cleared her throat and tried to smile reassuringly. "You too, Applejack," she replied. "If you had a cutie mark, Twocolt, it would be a wet blanket," Rainbow could hear Applejack go on as they went back. Rainbow turned her attention back to the wolven army beyond the walls. Even she could tell that the wolven were getting agitated. They massed in front of the gates, snarling and barking themselves into a frenzy while their siege engines rolled into place. Rainbow tensed as hours seemed to fly by. She saw Tailwind make the signal to take aim so she loaded her crossbow and pointed it at the enemy. As she had been taught just yesterday, she looked for one of the bigger wolven. Size and strength often decided how officers were chosen among the wolven. It was a more difficult task than

she had anticipated. Every time she spotted a big wolven, an even bigger one caught her eye. Then there were the enormous, white-furred wolven at the rear sections. Even from where she was, Rainbow could see their monstrous fangs and scything claws. Each one must be standing, at least, eight feet tall. Rainbow's forelegs were starting to shake again, causing her aim to go all over the place. Gritting her teeth, she concentrated harder, forcing the fear down like a mouthful of that feed she had to eat on the way to the city. A lone howl burst from behind the wolven lines. At the sound of that howl, the wolven surged forward. They crossed the distance between them and the walls so quickly that Rainbow lost the wolven she had been aiming at and had to find another one in a panicky haste. "Fire!" Tailwind shouted. In her haste, Rainbow picked the nearest wolven and fired. A barrage of bolts descended on the wolven, knocking down those who were hit with the force of their impacts. Rainbow couldn't tell if she had hit anything. She saw some of the smaller wolven line up and pull out their own crossbows to take aim at her direction. Unlike hers, their crossbows were huge, about as tall as she was when stood up. "Bolters!" Tailwind shouted. "Cover!" Rainbow was already ahead on the cover part. She put her back against a rampart and waited for the telltale sound of metal striking stone. An enormous bolt flew past just inches from her cover. "Reload!" Tailwind shouted. Rainbow pulled out another bolt from her case and loaded it, pulling the crossbow's crank with a foreleg. "Fire!" Tailwind shouted again.

Rainbow came out of her cover and aimed for the first wolven she saw. There was no time to be picky and the lecture yesterday as to which wolven to pick seemed to fly out of her mind. The wolven bolters were reloading and she didn't want a single inch of her body exposed when they fired. On instinct, she went for one of the smaller wolven with the enormous crossbows. It was winding up its weapon, using some kind of pulley to draw the massive string back for another attack when she saw her shot connect this time. The bolt plunged deep into its ribs and sent it tumbling towards its fellows. Rainbow quickly went back to her cover, took a deep breath and waited. She wasn't just waiting for the sound of enemy bolts striking the stone and flying past her, she was also waiting for…something. The wolven she had hit was surely dead. She had even hit it at the exact same spot she had imagine she would hit her first wolven. The exhilaration was still ringing in her ears while her heart hammered wildly in her chest. 'That wolven is dead.' she repeated to herself. She had killed something. The wolven were vicious, monstrous creatures but she had still killed. Once the exhilaration settled down, she braced herself for guilt, horror, something that would protest violently over what she had just done. "Stop staring off, recruit!" Rainbow looked to her side to find Tailwind right next to her with an angry expression. "They've got their catapults in place, get ready to take off!" Tailwind barked. Rainbow looked around her to see that everypony from Flight Dreadwing were securing their firebombs and crossbows before getting ready to take off. All of them except one. One of the new recruits was lying on his side just behind Tailwind. Rainbow swallowed and wiped the sweat from her forehead when she saw the wolven bolt sticking out of the poor stallion's neck. The first flight of pegasi took off. They dodged and weaved through a barrage of bolts and fired back furiously at the wolven bolters below. "Flight Frostshear is up!" Tailwind called out. "Get a move on!" Rainbow Dash followed directly behind Tailwind as they took off. Flight Dreadwing flew past Flight Frostshear and then swooped in on their

targets. Tailwind led the way, dropping a couple of firebombs on a nearby catapult. The spheres struck true, spilling liquid flame all over the wooden engine. Rainbow Dash tried to do the same on the next catapult when a wolven bolt whistled past her face. Panicked, she forgot the target and dashed upward in an erratic pattern, trying desperately to make herself impossible to hit for the bolters below. "Rainbow!" Tailwind shouted. "Get back in formation!" He flight captain's angry shout brought some focus back to Rainbow. She swooped back down with a couple of firebombs in her hoof. Once she was close enough to one catapult, she hurled them with all her strength. The spheres shattered and another siege engine burst into flames. The wolven crew operating it snarled and barked while trying to put the flames out. Elated over her success, she flew back along with the rest of Flight Dreadwing. A sharp pain to Rainbow's left hind leg suddenly brought her up short. For a single, horrifying moment, she thought that she had just been shot. She looked at the hurting leg and found blood trickling down from a gash. A wolven bolt must have flown past the leg and grazed it. "Don't stop in midair, foal!" Tailwind shouted. She flew towards Rainbow and then grabbed the younger pegasus by the barding. "It's just a scratch, now move!" Rainbow Dash nodded and then followed her flight captain back to the walls. Behind them were several flaming catapults and a supply wagon. She was still waiting for the revulsion and despair to kick in but all she was feeling was a mixture of fear and elation that made everything seem so vivid.

While the two flights posted on the walls made a sortie, it was up to Applejack and her platoon to deal with the wolven trying to swarm them. The wolven brought their hooked ladders to bear, latching them on to the ledges to secure them. Snarling eagerly, they immediately started climbing up once a ladder was secured. By the gate, a battering ram was also in

place. The wolven found it difficult to actually use it, however. Every wolven they sent to use it was cut down by bolts from the walls as well as rocks thrown from machicolations by the gatehouse's towers. A firebomb landed directly on the battering ram, lighting its protective roof ablaze. The first wolven who reached the top of their climbing ladders swiftly encountered the armored hooves of the wall's defenders. Applejack smashed her metal shod back hooves into the face of one wolven, knocking it senseless and sending it falling down on the rest of its brethren climbing just beneath it. All of the wolven that had been climbing up were dragged down, crashing on the ground in a tangle of flailing claws. Applejack rushed towards the ladder and unhooked it from the walls before the wolven could start climbing again. She gave the ladder a push to send it falling to the ground. "And don't you try that again!" Applejack crowed over the fallen ladder and the frustrated wolven beneath. A bolt suddenly struck the rampart just a foot from her face. Surprised, she immediately ducked under as a couple more bolts followed. "Oh sure, present your face for target practice why don't you?" Applejack found Twocolt right next to her with his back against a rampart. A trickle of blood dripped from his right shoulder right where a gap between the plates of barding was. "You're bleeding!" she said. "Lucky wolven slipped in a swipe before I knocked him off his ladder," Twocolt grunted. Before Applejack could reply, another ladder latched onto the wall just a few feet away from them. They both sprang into action. Around them, the rest of their platoon was fighting off even more wolven. A few ladders had been secured and the wolven continued to climb up through them. "Watch out!" Twocolt shouted. One wolven jumped off a ladder and charged straight at Applejack. She dodged to the side to avoid its initial charge and then slammed her shoulder against it to knock it down. Twocolt had already positioned himself by the its other side. He reared up as soon as it was knocked off its feet and then brought both front tramplers down on the wolven's skull.

Applejack couldn't help but flinch and look away as soon as she heard the sickening crunch of bone breaking. When she looked, all she saw was Twocolt kicking the dead wolven off the wall and scraping some of the blood from his tramplers onto the ground. "Damn, I hear it takes forever to get the smell out," Twocolt said. Applejack could feel her stomach heave and it wasn't from the smell. Twocolt was a recruit just like she was but the only emotion he seemed to feel about killing his first wolven was annoyance. "Want to start a-" Before Twocolt could finish, a second wolven slammed to his side, its claws scraping against his barding. His head banged against the ground, stunning him. The wolven immediately went for the throat. "Help!" he cried out. Applejack rushed forward and smashed her head against the wolven's side before it could bite. It fell heavily to the ground and struggled to get back to its feet but she was already standing before it. She smashed a trampler against its face, stunning it and making it squeal in pain. The wolven continued to struggle however. Applejack smashed another hoof against it. When its claws scraped against the plate protecting her chest, she continued bring her hooves down, stomping over and over until it stopped struggling. She stepped back and nearly fell on her tail when she slipped on some of slick liquid on the ground. The wolven was dead and its blood was all over her front hooves, chest and face. She could feel vomit rising all the way to the back of her throat as she realized what she had just done. "Thanks," Twocolt groaned as he stood up. "I thought I was done for there. That makes one actual kill for each of us." Applejack turned on Twocolt. One kill each? Was he keeping score? Was this some sort of game? "Look here-!" she began. Before Applejack could finish, Twocolt's eyes widened and he jumped towards Applejack, dragging her to the ground. "Look out!" he cried out as a last minute warning. Several bolts whizzed past them. To Applejack's horror, she saw one pony fail to duck. A couple of bolts found their marks on the poor legionnaire, plunging deep into his right flank. The force of the impacts hurled the pony to the ground where he lay crying out hoarsely for help. A pair of ponies began to drag him off the wall for medical attention. A

second pony dropped to the ground. There was nopony to come to her aid however. A bolt had found a home in her skull, killing her instantly. The hail of bolts continued. Applejack quickly noticed that they were flying towards them at an even level instead of upwards. Pushing Twocolt off her, she looked at where the bolts were coming from. A massive, mobile tower was rolling towards the walls. Inside was a squad of wolven bolters that were shooting at them. "Darn it!" Applejack shouted in frustration. "What are we going to do with that?" "Stay down!" Applejack recognized the voice. She turned towards its source and found Twilight Sparkle crawling towards where she was. Bolts continued to fly past them as Twilight made her way next to Applejack. Behind her, a squad of unicorns had joined them by the walls. They fired blasts of magical energy down at the wolven. Mage Captain Owlsight lifted one scaling ladder with telekinesis, even with a couple of wolven still climbing it, and then hurled it away from the wall. "We got to do something about that tower!" Applejack said. "I have an idea," Twilight replied. She concentrated on a spell, a spell that she had just learned recently. When she began to feel the heat gathering around Twilight, Applejack backed away slowly. A sphere of coruscating, red-orange energy began to form just above Twilight's horn. "What is that?" she asked softly and in awe. "Fireball," Twocolt replied, his voice also tinged with awe. "You sure you came from the same place as this one?" he asked. For a moment, Applejack herself wasn't sure. Then she remembered that this was still Twilight Sparkle they were talking about. The most magical unicorn in all of Equestria. "I'm sure," she replied with confidence. "Recruit Sparkle!" Owlsight called out. "Add more heat! Make it white hot before you throw it!"

Deep in her concentration, Twilight only vaguely heard the warning from her mage captain. White hot? Wasn't that just an excessive use of magical energy? Fire was fire and all she needed to do was deal with the mobile tower, not test the limits of her spellcasting. "White hot!" she heard Owlsight call out again. Another bolt flew just above her. There was not time to ponder what the point of more heat was. She had to deal with that tower quickly. She waited for a pause from the barrage of bolts coming from the tower, aimed the spell at it and released. The red-orange ball streaked unsteadily towards Twilight's target. She held her breath when it veered off course slightly but it managed to steady itself and land gently on the tower's top section, just before the feet of the wolven bolters. The tiny sphere blossomed into a silent and powerful explosion of flame, sending bits of burning wood flying in all directions. The bolters screamed and then fell howling to the ground below. One of them managed to drop on top of the wall where it flailed about in agony, howling and whimpering as its body continued to burn. The world seemed to slow down for Twilight. The wolven flailed in slow motion, rolling on the ground in a futile attempt to smother the flames all over its body. She tried to tear her eyes away from the sight but couldn't. The stench of burned flesh wafted towards her and the others, making her gag and retch. A few seconds more and the wolven flopped to the ground and lay still. The sight of the charred remains brought her to her knees. The screams from right after her fireball exploded were still ringing in her ears. She heaved to the side and vomited violently. The back of her throat burned with leftover vomit and nausea kept her from standing up. She saw Owlsight stand before her but she didn't have the strength to look up. "And that's why you make it white hot, recruit," Owlsight said. He didn't sound angry, just disappointed and concerned. "Make it hot enough so that you don't hear the screams and you don't see anything but scorch marks and ash." Twilight managed to look up in time to see the pegasi that had flown out come back. Behind them, there were smoking patches within the wolven army.

The battle continued to rage even with the mobile tower now smoking and useless. The wolven were persistent in trying to batter the gates down head on but it was to no avail. The legion defended the walls fiercely despite casualties and made their foes pay dearly for each attempt at breaking through. Finally, after what seemed like hours, another lone howl rose from the wolven army's rear lines. As quickly as they had rushed in, the wolven began to retreat. Their initial rush had failed and it was time to settle down for a true siege.

Rainbow Dash walked over to her two friends proudly. Despite a few hiccups, she had successfully completed her first battle. She was responsible for two burning catapults and she knew she had done her part in shooting down wolven attackers. Though there was much more fighting to be done, they had won this day. Seeing her friends alive and mostly unharmed put a smile on her face although the state they were in concerned her. Both Applejack and Twilight looked completely distraught. Applejack was doing her best to wipe off the blood on her barding with a rag. Her lips were settled into a grim line, an expression that told Rainbow that her friend despised what had to be done but she was going to do it. Twilight looked completely sick. She was lying on her belly, her face almost green with nausea. She didn't look up when Rainbow approached. Instead she just stared blankly ahead of her with lightless eyes. Rainbow couldn't help but wonder why she didn't feel sick or upset. In fact, she felt…exhilarated. They won. At the back of her mind, she knew that the wolven would come again. They burned down a bunch of siege engines but there were plenty more at the rear lines. They didn't even seem to put much of a dent on the wolven numbers. They also didn't win this battle without casualties. She saw several pegasi get shot from the air and fall to their deaths. The wolven swarmed them as soon as they hit the ground. But she was somehow able to put all those bad things to the corner of her thoughts and concentrate on fighting and winning. 'Is something wrong with me?' she thought.

Rainbow felt a hoof touch her shoulder. "Not bad for your first battle, Rainbow Dash," Tailwind said with a grin as she walked past. "Next time, less panicking and more shooting, alright?" Rainbow grinned and saluted. She set aside her worries for now and focused on the tasks ahead; cleaning up, patching up the scratch on her hind leg and sharpening her skills. There were more battles ahead and, for now, she couldn't help but feel a little excited.

Chapter 24 Royalty The city of Canterlot had stood as Equestria's heart for centuries. A bustling hub of commerce and culture, its white stone buildings and its carefully paved streets served as a model for other cities to follow. It served as the home of Equestria's rulers, Celestia and Luna. Their beautiful palace, carved into the side of a magnificent cliff, saw to hundreds of visitors daily. Canterlot did not just serve as the heart of Equestria's economy and government. It also housed the Great College of Magical Arts and the Grand Library, making it the heart of Equestria's magic and learning as well. And the ponies of Canterlot were proud of their city. Some ponies, especially those who lived in the rural areas, would say that it was a pride bordering arrogance. Indeed, some of the nobility who resided in the city did their best to serve as testaments to those beliefs. But for the past few days, the proud city found itself under a very dark cloud indeed. Now, it was becoming the center of a slowly simmering unrest in Equestria. It had all started with that fateful announcement of the banishment of Twilight Sparkle and her friends. The announcement was a shock on many levels. Twilight Sparkle was Princess Celestia's student and confidant, the closest pony to Equestria's ruler for centuries, if not for all time. There were whispers that she was even closer to Celestia than Princess Luna herself. There was also the mere idea of banishment. Banishment was something of an old mare's tale. Like tales of Nightmare Moon, the threat of banishment was more used as a method to scare foals, and sometimes adults, into behaving than perceived as an actual threat. No pony has been actually banished since Princess Luna and that was a thousand years ago. Now, six banishments occurred in a single day. What kind of despicable crime had been committed that merited such a punishment? How could a pony so close to the princess be the one to commit such a thing?

Five days had passed since the news of banishment. On the streets, rumors were everywhere. "It was a crime of arrogance, I tell you!" a light blue pony with a white and blue mane told a few listeners. "Twilight Sparkle was so proud of her magical power that she challenged Princess Celestia herself in an attempt to become Equestria's new ruler!" She reared up for effect, also showing her wand and a wisp of magical energy cutie mark. A few ponies nodded in response. In the absence of any actual news of what Twilight Sparkle had done, they had had to resort to theories and hearsay. An attempted dethroning would be plausible. Twilight Sparkle's crime had to be as despicable as what Princess Luna had done a thousand years ago to merit a similar punishment. This was but one small incident in Canterlot. Indeed, throughout Equestria. Other theories circulated; the ever-studious Twilight Sparkle had delved into forbidden knowledge and had to be banished, Twilight Sparkle had transformed into a new Nightmare Moon that had to be banished, Princess Celestia was in a very bad mood and ran into an ill-timed prank by her faithful student…the stories differed with each pony and with each telling. Regardless of what story was heard or believed, the effect was telling on Equestria's population. Fear. Banishment suddenly went from an old mare's tale to a very real threat. The Royal Guard had always been seen as a little intimidating with their golden barding and their stern demeanor but now, they were a fearful sight. Within the royal palace, the dark cloud that hung over Canterlot manifested at its strongest. Princess Celestia had begun holding audiences again but the change in her demeanor was painfully obvious. No longer were petitioners greeted by a warm smile and a kind word that could make even the most frightened commoner tell his tale. Instead, they were faced with a Celestia who only seemed to be physically present. Her distracted gaze seemed to see things that nopony else could see and her voice seemed to come from someplace other than where she was standing. Despite the changes, Bright Shield, Pegasus Captain of the Royal Guard, strove to continue his duty as if nothing had changed. He was glad that the princess was, at least, up and about now. It was only recently that she didn't even leave her room, leaving the Royal Guard to turn away petitioner after petitioner. Now that news had spread that she had resumed her royal

duties, the ponies that had been waiting restlessly outside the palace were allowed to come to the throne room. Bright Shield had taken it upon himself to keep the strain on the princess to a minimum. Ponies with problems he deemed small were kept outside. The guards had to deal with more than one petty noble who took umbrage over being passed over. Such complaints were met with a terse reply. When two nobles insisted on seeing the princess, Bright Shield had them hurled outside the palace for their trouble. There was a particular sort of petitioner that Bright Shield allowed in without any trouble and these were the ponies that had come regarding the six ponies that had been banished. The six's immediate families came first. Then, almost the entire population of Ponyville. There was also horde of small animals led by a particularly angry rabbit and a cat, some well-known clothes designers and the Wonderbolts. And then there were the Apples; Apple Fritter, Apple Pie, Apple Tart…by the time Bright Shield reached the end of that line, his stomach felt stuffed and he didn't even touch a single piece of food. All of these ponies came for the same reason, to ask why the six had been banished and to request that they be forgiven and allowed to return home. The response from the princess was all but monotonous. Their crime cannot be spoken of and it was up to them to return home. These ponies tried everything to alter Princess Celestia's judgment; they recited litanies of praise for whichever pony they wanted back, they cried, some actually volunteered to take their place or join them. None of these things worked and today wasn't the first time they tried. They had been coming over almost immediately after the announcement had been made. Their efforts seemed to wear on Princess Celestia's fragile state to the point that Bright Shield wanted to chase them out. He did no such thing however. It was not his place to decide where and when the princess's benevolence ended for these aggrieved ponies. There was only one time among those who petitioned for the new exiles that Bright Shield felt that he had to take action. Some of the Apples who had arrived were dragging a cartload of pastries behind them while they made their way to the throne room. Bright Shield and his guards stopped them halfway through.

"What is the meaning of this?" he had asked indignantly. "Do you actually think you can bribe the princess with food? Is she some pet you can lure to the bath with treats? Make your pleas but put those away!" He had expected the ponies to be a little intimidated and contrite. He hadn't counted on them cringing in fear at his reproachful words. He could not help but wonder how the palace's image could change so swiftly. As the day began to end, Bright Shield remembered another situation. Princess Luna was missing again. The moon still rose in time but the Princess of the Night was nowhere to be seen. He had dispatched guards to search for her but Princess Celestia had them recalled. She knew where her younger sister was and there was no need to waste the Royal Guard's time. One by one, the petitioners were forced to return home empty-hoofed. Here was another unprecedented occurrence in Equestria. Never before had any pony come before Princess Celestia and returned homed dejected. "Hold it right there!" Bright Shield heard one of his guards call out. He hurried over to see what the commotion was about in time to see a couple of guards restraining a tall unicorn stallion intent on forcing his way to the throne room. "What's going on here?" Bright Shield asked. Before the guards could reply, the unicorn cried out. "My name is Sun Gazer! It is extremely important that I see that princess!" "I'll be the judge of that," Bright Shield muttered. "What is your business here?" He looked closely at this Sun Gazer. The unicorn stallion had a bright yellow coat with a long, flowing, almost mare-like mane of orange. His eyes widened in surprise however, when he focused on the Sun Gazer's flank. The unicorn had no cutie mark! "What I have to say is for the princess only!" Sun Gazer said vehemently between pants. He was sweating profusely and took deep and ragged breaths. "Let me through, her life is in danger as we speak!" Bright Shield's bewilderment upon seeing a full-grown unicorn stallion without a cutie mark melted away like morning fog at the mention of the princess's life being in danger. Here was something he had never expected to hear.

Since the day he was promoted to the job, Bright Shield never held the illusion that he would one day stand between Princess Celestia and mortal danger. Protecting the princess was officially in the job description but one that was never expected to actually be something that a guard would do. Anything that could even remotely threaten Equestria's immortal ruler would plow through any squad of guards. His job was mostly ceremonial and administrative; giving the appearance that the princess was heavily guarded and dealing with lesser problems not worth the princess's time. That a matter that could threaten the princess's life would actually appear was hard to swallow. That somepony who wasn't even part of the guard would be the one to see and deal with it was likewise as difficult to accept. Still, Bright Shield wasn't the one to take chances. Woe to this Sun Gazer however if his "urgent message" turns out to be a waste of time. "Let him through," he told the guards. Sun Gazer broke past him as soon as the guards let go. The doors to the throne room opened and Princess Celestia, who looked even worse than she did that morning, looked up. "Bright Shield, did I not say that audiences were over for today?" Celestia asked softly. There was no displeasure in her tone but Bright Shield knelt penitently anyway. "Forgive me, your highness," Bright Shield said. "This unicorn is Sun Gazer and he says that he has something urgent to tell you; something that would endanger your life." Celestia leaned forward and quickly noticed what was strange about Sun Gazer. "Where is your cutie mark, young one?" she asked. "Your highness, I come from a place where such things do not appear," Sun Gazer replied after bowing. Celestia's eyes widened in realization at this answer. She immediately turned towards Bright Shield and spoke. "Leave us, Bright Shield. I will deal with this. Make sure that nopony so much as approaches this room while we talk." "Understood, your highness," Bright Shield responded. He left the throne room quickly and closed the doors behind him. He had his guards line the hallway just out of earshot of the throne room while he put himself in the middle of the hallway to make sure.

Celestia stared at the pony before her. It was only a few minutes ago that she felt that somepony had broken through her barrier. This one had arrived in the palace, to her surprise. No search parties were needed. The intruder had presented himself immediately. "You are from the Barrier Lands," Celestia said to Sun Gazer. "Why and how have you come here? You know that you are forbidden to come to this realm and that my brother will punish you with death for what you have done." "Your highness," Sun Gazer replied. "For Equestria's sake I will risk even Prince Terrato's wrath. I came here through this." He placed a large, dull gray sphere on the ground. Celestia easily recognized a mana battery. She was beginning to despise those objects. They had caused so much damage in such a short time. "I stole this mana battery so I can warn you." "What do you mean?" Celestia asked. "Warn me of what?" "Of your brother's plans!" Sun Gazer remained kneeling as he continued. "Your highness, even as I speak, your brother's plan to overthrow you goes on! He has conspired with Princess Luna to acquire the Elements of Harmony so that he can storm your realm and banish you to the moon!" Silence fell upon the throne room. For a moment, Celestia simply stared at Sun Gazer in astonishment. It was as if his message was a bolt of lightning. The words had flashed before her but their meaning was still rolling in. "You're lying," she finally said. Sun Gazer looked up and quailed. Before him, Celestia trembled, her face aghast in disbelief. "Your highness…" he said cautiously. "You're lying! Take back your lies or I will punish you myself!" Celestia's voice thundered across the room and reverberated through the walls. "I do not lie, your highness!" Sun Gazer said, his forelegs rose in supplication. "Prince Terrato has allowed the wolven to penetrate the north to force you to allow him to send troops through the Heartland. Once his ponies have entered your realm, he plans to attack you with the Elements of Harmony at his side and rule all of Equestria!"

Celestia quivered and pressed a hoof against her head, as if trying to contain a headache or stem the tide of unwanted thoughts. "Terrato and Luna are my beloved siblings," she said. "They would not turn on me like this!" "Your highness, I beg your forgiveness for saying this but…" Sun Gazer hesitated for a second before continuing. "Your sister has just recently returned from a millennium of exile. Your brother has been ruling the outskirts of Equestria for even longer than that. A thousand years is a long time…even for immortals." "You know nothing of how my siblings and I perceive the centuries! The love between us is outside time, a constant that sustains us throughout our rule!" "I cannot explain to you your siblings' motives, your highness, only what I have learned. Prince Terrato has planned this for a long time. He has convinced your sister to aid him, tricked her perhaps, and he has done the same with the Elements of Harmony. If his ruthless ambition is not stopped, he will bring all of Equestria under his hoof." "And why do you tell me this? Do you not serve my brother as well?" "I belong to a small group of loyalists in the Barrier Lands, your highness," Sun Gazer said proudly. "We, The Order of True Equestrians, consider ourselves ponies of Equestria, not just the Barrier Lands. Thus, we are loyal to Equestria's ruler above all else, not just the commander of its army." "What proof do you have of this treachery? I will not suspect my siblings on the word of a few ponies." "I carry no physical proof with me, your highness," Sun Gazer explained. "Look upon the events of the past few days and see your brother's hoof in them. All my group has are the notes of what our spies have seen and heard. Nearly all of the Barrier Lands support your brother. If we had done more, we would have revealed ourselves and we would all have been hanged for treason." "You want me to believe that my brother and my sister have turned upon me without any proof?"

"Yes. This is all we can offer, your highness. For your sake, for Equestria's sake, we have risked so much just so I can be sent here. Please! You must believe our warning!" "I will confront Terrato about what you have said," Celestia said sternly. "If you are lying, I will hand you to his judgment. If you are telling the truth then…" Her voice quivered. "…then I will take steps." Celestia's horn glowed briefly and the throne room's double doors swung open. "Captain Bright Shield!" she called out. The captain of the guard trotted forward dutifully and knelt. "Yes, your highness?" he asked. "Take Sun Gazer to one the guest rooms so he can rest," Celestia ordered. "Make sure that he is comfortable but he is not to leave his room or talk to anypony about anything. Not even to you and your guards." "Understood, your highness," Bright Shield replied. He trotted over to Sun Gazer and, with one last bow, the two of them left. Now by herself, Celestia closed her eyes tightly. She refused to believe a word of what Sun Gazer said but scattered events began to piece together in her mind regardless of what she wanted to believe. There was the nameless unicorn who had succeeded in entering her realm centuries ago. She had sent out the Royal Guard to intercept him but he had managed to escape. The guards reported that the unicorn had been severely wounded when they saw him and had used one final spell to disappear somewhere. Word of the Barrier Lands had not spread since that time and she assumed that this poor pony had died of his wounds somewhere. This event would have been a mere isolated incident if Twilight Sparkle had not acquired a mana battery from what was presumably that unicorn's remains from what Spike had reported. Now, suspicions began to arise. Was that unicorn really a fugitive or had Terrato sent him on a suicide mission to bury a seed within the Heartland? A method for somepony within her realm to discover the Barrier Lands accidentally? The idea seemed farfetched. The mana battery could have been consumed by some other spell. It could have simply destroyed an unskilled unicorn who triggered it

or it could have simply never been discovered. But Terrato had ages to wait. He could have also sent more triggers as time passed. Perhaps he already did. But then there was Twilight's failed memory block. She had received a trigger from somepony. Now, that somepony could well have been Terrato himself, secretly sabotaging his own spells to "accidentally" spread information about the Barrier Lands. There was also Luna's secret meeting with Terrato. Her little sister's reasons suddenly seemed suspect. Even now, Luna had gone over to the Barrier Lands to aid their brother. Was that orchestrated as well? Was everything going according to Terrato's wishes? The wolven's recent success, Luna's departure, Twilight Sparkle's defiance…there were so many things happening at the same time. So many things that conspired to bring down everything she had tried to build. Were they all mere coincidences? 'I'm becoming paranoid,' Celestia thought. 'Terrato is violent and ruthless, a source of concern since we founded Equestria. But he is still my brother and he has sworn to defend Equestria not take over it. What happened to Luna was a thousand years ago. We've put that behind us. The three of us are…the three of us…' "I am your defender." Terrato's words repeated themselves in her mind. He had said those words often back when the barrier had not been raised. He sounded so confident each time, dramatic even. He loved being dramatic and he loved showing off. It pained her to think that, all that time, it was all for show. How long could he have held a grudge? Did he seethe within his realm? Did he even feel worse than Luna? Her memories went back even farther. "I don't see why we have to watch over these short-lived, mortal ponies, dearest sister. Their bodies are soft, their minds are weak and their hearts are frail. What is the purpose of caring for them anyway? Whether they live joyously or writhe in pain, father and mother will get them in the end." That was so long ago, around the time they decided to rule Equestria. Celestia remembered Terrato's hard expression softening when he shifted his gaze from the ponies that had been placed under their care to his older sister.

"Personally, I'm not jumping for joy over it but if it makes you happy, I will defend them." And he did. Terrato hurled himself at their enemies with an almost reckless abandon that Celestia could barely understand. It wasn't long before the influence of all those battles on him concerned her. Not only that, he was sharing that influence with Luna. Ultimately, she had to make a decision. "I agreed because big brother agreed and he agreed because he'll agree to anything you say." Luna's words had hit Celestia hard. They took away support that she had thought she had throughout the centuries. Sun Gazer's words began to make sense. Perhaps a thousand years were long enough even for her immortal siblings. Worse, perhaps she never even knew them as well as she thought she did from the start. The royal palace suddenly felt so large and empty to Celestia. Not just the palace as well. It seemed that all of Equestria felt empty. A terrible, crushing loneliness weighed down on her. What if it was true? What if her dear siblings and her faithful student had all turned on her? She laid her head down on the cold, stone floor. She was all alone here in the Heartland, reigning over her little ponies by herself. To stave off the horrible feeling, Celestia hardened her resolve once more. She was going to hear this from Terrato himself. If he had indeed decided to betray her, she would face him head on instead of closing her eyes and waiting for the end. Perhaps it was time for her to see what has been happening in the Barrier Lands herself. But what if Terrato had been waiting for such a move from her? Had he prepared a trap? Was she caged within her realm without even realizing it? A new emotion joined the crushing loneliness. Fear. She had associated fear with Terrato for a long time now; fear of what he had to go through, fear of what he was turning into. However, this was the first time she actually feared him. Her brother could be watching her realm this very instant. He had all the weapons he needed and he could attack at his leisure. Celestia stood up. She was going to have to confront her siblings but steps had to be taken first.

Chapter 25 Other battles While the battle raged fiercely by the walls of Bastion City, a battle of a different sort began for the ponies further in. Civilians locked themselves in their houses as both a final measure to avoid the attacking wolven that might slip past and to avoid getting in the way of the city's defenders. Reserves stood at the ready should reinforcements be needed at any part of the wall. Patrols moved through the streets, keeping an eye out for infiltrating wolven. Though there was yet any combat within Bastion City, its citizens still considered it part of the battlefield. Among the busiest parts of the battlefield was the medical ward where Doctor Redbrand and his subordinates tended to the steady stream of injured that the battle produced. They worked in an empty building close to the northern walls where the fighting was the thickest. There were other medical wards for the other sections of the city walls but it was at the northern ward Chief Medical Officer Redbrand operated. Work began almost immediately after the wolven howl signaled the attack. One unfortunate pony was carried into the ward with a wolven bolt through his right foreleg. Others soon followed; a unicorn with a gash across one eye, a pegasus with a crumpled wing, and bolt wound after bolt wound. Fluttershy was quick to notice the disturbing trend among the injuries. Far too often she has had to pull a barbed, wolven-crafted bolt from somepony and then tend to the terrible bleeding wound that resulted. "This is going to hurt, alright?" she would tell an injured pony reassuringly. They would nod without speaking as they had some rope clamped between their teeth to bite into when the pain came. Then she would pull as quickly as possible. Each time, she would close her eyes involuntarily to avoid seeing the sudden spurt of blood but she could still feel the warm, sticky liquid on her hooves. They had proper disinfectants in supply this time and plenty of bandages so there was no need for burning, red-hot brands. Still, cleaning and bandaging had to be done swiftly. The rate by which the patients were

arriving was increasing and the ward began to struggle to keep up. Redbrand's temper began to flare as the pace started exposing the inexperience of the new recruits in his division. He shouted at them when they fumbled with bandages or forgot a step in a procedure, all the while working on patients of his own. Fluttershy felt sorry for the new recruits. She realized that she was in the same boat as all of them. They were newly brought into an understaffed, overworked division and then thrust into emergency after emergency. It wasn't fair that they be constantly yelled at and, to her mind, all that yelling was probably panicking them and causing them to perform even worse. Even she had felt the bite of a sharp reprimand from Doctor Redbrand when she took too long with a patient. The senior medics didn't seem to mind the least bit. On the rare occasion that Redbrand yelled at them, they corrected what mistake they had been making without even a flinch. Fluttershy wondered if she would eventually reach that kind of state. As for now, she almost jumped each time she heard Redbrand call her out. As the battle continued, more patients were brought in. Each time a pair of ponies brought a patient in, Fluttershy felt her heart skip a beat as she looked to see who it was. She dreaded the moment when one of her friends was brought in. Twilight Sparkle, Applejack and Rainbow Dash were at the thick of the fighting. She knew that her friends were brave and strong. Twilight was the smartest and most magical pony ever, surely nothing could even catch up to Rainbow Dash once she started flying and Applejack could take on anything with her hard work and determination. But one look at the increasing number of laid up ponies filled her with doubts. "We've got a bad one incoming!" one of the senior medics called out. Fluttershy looked to see what had happened. She and the rest of the ward had treated a lot of ponies who had been shot by bolters or badly torn up by the claws and fangs of the wolven attackers. The senior medics had never made such a comment. Just how badly injured was this one to elicit that remark? A pair of pegasi brought in somepony on a stretcher. The darkening expressions from all the nearby senior medics and the horrified expressions on the recruits nearly froze Fluttershy's heart. She caught a

glimpse of the injured pony's coat. Sky blue. A hundred protests reared up in her head and she pushed her way past some of the recruits to see who it was. A clash of emotions brought her up short once she got a better look. To her relief, it wasn't Rainbow Dash but a sky blue-coated pegasus stallion. Guilt quickly followed for feeling relieved even though there was still a badly injured pony. Horror and urgency were not far behind. The laid up pony was covered in enormous gashes and tears. One of his wings was crumpled while the other one was just gone save for a bloody stump. Blood soaked the stretcher and the pieces of cloth that the pegasus carriers were futilely using to stanch the massive bleeding. Nausea wrestled violently with Flutteshy's insides. This was bad. Not just bad, this was horrific beyond what she had ever seen and she had thought just moments ago that she was slowly getting used to the bad stuff. The injured pegasus's breathing was quick and shallow. His eyelids fluttered and his eyes were glassy and vacant. "Move over!" Redbrand snarled as he went to the injured pony's side. "Bolter clipped him on his way back from a sortie," Fluttershy heard one of the pegasus carriers tell a senior medic. "He flew right into the wall and fell into the middle of the wolven. They were tearing him up before Flight Dreadwing managed to chase them off long enough to get him out of there." "Leave it to Dreadwing to never give up on anypony," the senior medic replied. "But I don't think there's anything that can be done for this one." Fluttershy frowned at the answer. This pony needed help more than anypony else and here was a medic who was giving up after just looking! She looked towards Doctor Redbrand. If there was a pony he should be yelling at, it should be this senior medic. Redbrand, however, didn't pay attention to onlookers. He inspected the injuries and then went for something in his harness. Fluttershy expected bandages or some disinfectant. To her surprise, he pulled out the flask that he carried with him at all times.

"Here," Redbrand said. He unscrewed the metal cap and put the open flask against the injured pony's lips. The pony winced and drank several mouthfuls before laying back. "It's medicine," Fluttershy thought aloud. "I see. That's why it tastes so awful. It has to be very strong medicine." "It's brandy," A senior medic said in response. "For the pain and nothing more." "But even if he doesn't feel any pain-!" Fluttershy protested. Before she could finish, she saw the injured pony's quickened breathing grow steady and then stop altogether. She rushed forward to try something, anything, but the senior medic held her back. "King welcome you to the Eternal Herd, colt," Redbrand said softly to the now dead pegasus. He looked over to the ponies watching and snarled. "What's the matter with you ponies? Get back to work!" The other medics scrambled to tend to new incoming patients. Fluttershy remained standing there even as the dead pony was carried away. She tried to move but found herself rooted to the spot. Another emotion welled up inside her, something that she didn't recognize right away. She turned her gaze towards Redbrand and finally put a hoof one what she felt: betrayal. Doctor Redbrand was always angry and always shouting. She thought that it was because he was so dedicated to the point of being a perfectionist and the constant lack of resources as well as the inexperience of his coworkers grated on him. But that wasn't the case at all. He gave up on a pony who needed his skills without even trying. He wasn't a dedicated perfectionist, he was just a grouchy old stallion and a bully who shouted at his subordinates because he could. She hadn't noticed that she was staring for a long time until Redbrand looked up. "I'm not your patient, Fluttershy!" he snarled. "Keep spacing out and I will have you whipped!" A dark cloud hanging over her, Fluttershy returned to treating the next wave of injured. For the rest of the battle, some of the spring in her step was gone and patients had to go through slightly rougher treatment.

The initial wolven rush had ended just as quickly as it started. It wasn't so, however, for Medical. Injured had kept on coming after news came that the wolven had backed off. As a result, it was already afternoon by the time Fluttershy finished with the last patient. The recruits and some of the senior medics collapsed where they stood, glad to be able to get some rest after a frantic first day of the siege. Redbrand watched them for a while, a frown still on his face. He opened his flask and took a pull from it before heading out. Still resentful, Fluttershy followed right behind him. The two of them were walking along an empty street when Redbrand turned around. "What do you want from me, Fluttershy?" he asked. "You should be resting up in case of an emergency." "I can't believe you did that!" Fluttershy said indignantly. "How could you just give up on that dying pony without trying anything?" "Easy. I assessed his wounds, determined what treatment can help and then decided that he was too far gone so I gave up." "That was his life you were dealing with!" "His life was gone," Redbrand said sternly. "The best that could be done was to ease his pain a bit while he died! What did you want me to do, Fluttershy? Patch him up desperately and then cry when he's dead? It would have been a waste of supplies and a waste of time to do so. We don't have a lot of those in case you haven't noticed!" "So you let him die to save on bandages?" Fluttershy said aghast. "I thought you were a good pony but I was wrong. You're a cold-hearted pony who only cares about procedures and supplies, not the lives of others!" Redbrand walked closer until he was but a foot away from Fluttershy. "And who's a good pony?" he asked with a glare. "You? You think weeping and getting angry over a lost cause makes you so much better?" Redbrand's voice rose to a roar. "Well, you're wrong! You have a lot of compassion to go with your skills, Fluttershy, but you're arrogant! Arrogant at a level that is staggering if you think you can pull everypony from the brink of death each and every time! It's about time you learned some humility and if watching

somepony die is what will do it then so be it! So be humbled! Be humbled by how fragile life is and how harsh the world is!" With that, Redbrand turned his back so abruptly that something fell from his harness. Fluttershy glanced at it. It looked like a tuft of lavender hair tied up with a piece of yellow ribbon. She noticed Redbrand's hard scowl soften when he saw it and picked it up. "Be humbled," he said in a more subdued voice, "by how painfully imperfect you will always be." "The stallion's old enough to be your father!" Fluttershy suddenly remembered the recruiting officer's words. She hadn't really noticed before but, right now, Doctor Redbrand did look much older than her. There were lines on his face, especially his forehead for scowling so much, and some stubble on his cheeks and chin. She was suddenly aware that he looked quite tired and that she was intruding on time when he should be resting. Redbrand tucked the ribbon-tied bit of hair back into his harness and walked away without another word. He took another pull from his flask, a longer one this time, leaving Fluttershy behind to stare at his back and wonder about what she felt about him now.

In the southern section of the city, Hammer Chain's smithy continued to operate even with the fighting by the walls. "Put those molds out faster, Rarity!" Hammer Chain called out from his anvil. "I've got a few more uses for them so they better not burn out because you're slow!" With her telekinesis, Rarity dumped a bucket of water on the burning bolthead molds. "Honestly," she said. "We've been making crossbow bolt heads all morning. Just how many of these things does the legion need?" "As many as we can make," Hammer Chain said. "You can read any Barrier Lands history book and you won't find any tale about some hero who was known for his legendary crossbow bolt but the legion goes through these so quickly, you'd think they were rocks that they just picked up from the ground!"

With the molds put out, Rarity dumped the cooled bolt-heads into a small pile and began to file edges and serrations on them as she had been taught just yesterday. "I suppose there are no stories of legendary bolthead makers either?" she asked. She had no problem with engaging in small talk with Hammer Chain. Just yesterday, she was afraid that he was going to be gruff and no-nonsense like Mage Captain Owlsight. However, she discovered that Hammer Chain was a lot less strict. The smith enjoyed small talk even if he had to talk over the loud ringing of his hammer striking his anvil. He showed an interest in what Ponyville was like and she was happy to oblige him with stories while she learned more of his trade. "Bah! You'll find maybe a footnote or two about a smith, that's about it!" Making bolt-heads made up their first lesson out of necessity. The legion needed a lot of them and the sooner she could start helping, the better. Rarity didn't mind. She sharpened each head to a fine point and added the serrations neatly and precisely, paying attention even to the distance between each one. Hammer Chain didn't dissuade her from such a practice, saying that it's fine so long as she didn't lose much time. With another pile of bolt-heads ready, Rarity lifted the pile with her telekinesis into a crate that was full of them. A lone bolt-head escaped her magical grasp however, falling and skipping into a dark section of the smithy. With a grunt of annoyance over the magical drift's messing with her spells, she put the pile inside the crate and then headed over to the fallen bolt-head. As she approached the section of the smithy however, her horn suddenly lit up with magic. Surprised and curious, she followed its pull to a nearby crate. "Hammer Chain, what's in these crates over here?" she called out. "Those? Just some old projects," Hammer Chain replied. "What's the matter?" Rarity opened the crate and discovered the cause of her magic's agitation. Inside the crate was a set of four six-inch long objects bundled together with a piece of cloth. She pulled out the bundle and removed the covering to find four delicately tapering blades. Along the flat of each was a small blue gem, no wonder she started detecting them. She lifted each blade with her magic, marveling at how light they were for their size. "Hammer Chain, what are these?" she asked in wonder.

Hammer Chain finally stopped pounding and then walked over to see. When he saw the floating blades, his eyes widened in horror. "You idiot, watch-!" he stopped however, as he continued to stare at them. "Well, that's interesting." "What do you mean?" Rarity asked. "Those are the mage-blades I helped Magical design. It was supposed to give unicorn magi a set of blades they can use to slice up wolven even at a distance. That way, even if all a unicorn knew was telekinesis, he'd still have a powerful weapon. The mana crystals embedded on them makes them easy to maneuver with telekinesis so a unicorn can move them swiftly and cut up his foes while remaining mobile and alert. The idea was scrapped however." "Scrapped!" Rarity said in shock. "Why would such beautiful things be scrapped?" She marveled at how gracefully she could move the blades and spun them slowly in a circle with the points outward. Hammer Chain continued to watch in interest. "For one thing, the mana crystals work too well. Our testers flung them out of reach or even sliced themselves up when they tried to use them. They were also unstable at times. One moment easy to move, the next moment hard. The amount of precision needed to keep them in control was just too much for your average unicorn mage. When we tried them out without the crystals, the amount of telekinesis needed to maintain hold of a blade and maneuver it at a distance just took too much focus. The same reason why telekinesis isn't so useful in combat. Unicorns were better off learning on-the-fly spells like fireballs and lightning bolts." "But they're not difficult to maneuver at all," Rarity insisted. She spun the blades above her quickly and then made them dance about. "I've noticed," Hammer Chain said. "Maybe it's because of those gems on your flank. Why don't you keep them, Rarity? You never know when you need to slice a wolven up." "May I?" Rarity asked incredulously. "They looked expensive and wellcrafted!" She didn't relish the idea of attacking wolven, let alone slicing them up but she had to admit that having something to defend herself with would be reassuring. Especially since she lacked Twilight's magical power.

"Why not? They were just gathering dust anyway." "Thank you. I'll practice with them when I have time." "Good. I'd hate to lose a good apprentice because she skewered herself with my old failures. Now back to work, you've got more bolt-heads to make." With a smile, Rarity put the blades away and re-wrapped them in cloth before going back to work.

While his friends fought by the walls or worked in their specific stations, Spike found himself wandering the streets of Bastion City. He wanted to stay by Twilight's side while she was off fighting the wolven but Mage Captain Owlsight would have none of it. "The front lines are no place for babies, hmph!" Spike groused to himself. He walked towards the southern part of the city, thinking that maybe he could help Rarity. However, the streets were unfamiliar and he soon found himself second guessing the paths he took. 'Great, now I'm lost.' The southern part of the city was quiet with the residents remaining inside their homes. Spike continued to wander about, hoping he'd chance upon the smithy Rarity was working in. He stopped when he heard loud scuffling sounds come from one alley followed by screams and howls. Curious, he ran over to the spot. "Oh! Hey, Spike, what are you doing here?" Scarlet Rabbit's voice emerged from the shadow corner of the alley, causing Spike to jump in surprise. "Scarlet Rabbit?" he asked. "What am I doing here? What are you doing lurking in an alley? Shouldn't you be helping with the fight?" "Special Operations, remember?" Scarlet said with a smile. It soon became apparent to Spike that he wasn't alone with Scarlet in the alley. As he looked farther in, he saw more legionnaires including Vanguard Clash. They stood over the dead bodies of several wolven and twice as

many ponies. Next to Vanguard was what appeared to be an uncovered sewer opening. "What happened here?" he asked in confusion. "Just a little cleaning up," Vanguard said. As he spoke, another pony emerged from the opening, a dark blue unicorn mare who dusted herself off after being helped out by Scarlet. "Did you collapse it?" Vanguard asked her. "Right on top of another group of them," the unicorn said with a smile. "The wolven won't be using that tunnel again." "Just in time too," Vanguard said. "Let's hope Blaze Trotter's squad got to their target in time as well." "Don't be such a worry wart," the unicorn said. "He'll be fine." She caught sight of Spike and inspected him curiously. "What's this?" she asked. "His name is Spike." Vanguard replied. "He's a baby dragon who came along with the chosen." "Dragon, hm? I've read that there are only a few scattered ones down the Western Barrier Land," the unicorn suddenly lifted Spike up with her magic and held him up to only a few inches from her face. "Aren't you a cute one?" she said playfully. Spike swallowed and tried to back away despite being helplessly caught in the unicorn's magic. He'd been called cute before but not by a unicorn with such a cat-like playfulness on her face. "Captain Nightcanter," Vanguard said sternly. "Oh, relax. I'm not a freak," Nightcanter said. She put Spike back down. The baby dragon immediately scampered near Vanguard. "I can't be too careful with you," Vanguard replied. He turned his attention to Spike. "No mentioning this to anypony, alright?" he said. Spike nodded. He looked at the dead ponies and realized that they hadn't been killed by wolven. There were no bite or claw marks on them. Instead, they had sword cuts, the sort that Vanguard's enormous weapon would leave. "You killed them," he said to Vanguard. It wasn't a question.

"Yes," Vanguard replied. He glanced coldly over the dead ponies. Even though he expected their numbers from Stoneshod's information, it was still unnerving to find these many ponies so willing to turn on their fellows. This "Black Rose Rebellion" was truly an insidious thing. "Equestria has a lot of enemies, Spike. Not all of them will come with claws and fangs." Spike continued to stare at the bodies even as the other ponies with Vanguard began to wrap them up in cloth to drag them away. It was less than week since he found out that Equestria had enemies. Now he had to worry about some of them being ponies? "Now, I'm starting to wonder how we've survived for so long," he said mostly to himself. "One battle at a time," Vanguard answered with a wry smile. "That's how."

Chapter 26 A United Equestria The night following the initial wolven attack on Bastion City was far from a quiet one. Outside the walls, the wolven howled at the moonless night sky. Tonight was an expected full moon, a period which they revered. Instead, the sky was accompanied only by stars which responded to their howls with a cold, uncaring twinkling. Within the walls, the city was alive with sounds despite the day's battle tiring out many of its defenders. Families and friends grieved over the first casualties of what may well be a long siege. Mixing with the mourning were the small celebrations of those who made it through the battle, raw recruits marking a milestone in their path to becoming veterans of the legion. Amidst the sounds of the city, Applejack and the rest of her platoon made their way back from training. With the battle ending by noon, they had resumed training for the rest of the day. Several recruits had paid for their inexperience with their lives and Applejack found herself in a smaller group within the platoon. She was immensely relieved now that Pinkie had been transferred to Logistics. A small part of her was wishing that she had followed suit. Even with the washing, she couldn't quite get the smell of blood from her tramplers or her forelegs. She began to wonder if the smell was actually still there or she was just imagining it after going through the horror of today's battle. To make her even more uncomfortable, the rest of her platoon, including Twocolt, didn't seem to share her trouble with what they had to do. One legionnaire boasted of taking down two wolven at the same time. Another one was talking about how he narrowly dodged a wolven bolter. Applejack mostly ignored the small talk among her fellows. She didn't have much of a story to share herself, having killed one wolven and thrown a bunch of them off the walls, and she didn't like the idea of taking so much pride in killing. A thread of conversation, however, caught her attention.

"Did you see that purple chosen unicorn during that fight?" one of the recruits, a mare named Slimblade, asked. "A few days in the legion and she's throwing fireballs!" "Yup, I saw it alright," a stallion recruit called Mossneck replied. "She took out a squad of wolven and burned down one of their siege towers. I heard that Special Operations is already eyeing her for recruitment." "Hey Applejack!" Slimblade called out. "That purple chosen is your friend, right? Are all chosen unicorns that amazing with magic?" "Naw," Mossneck said before Applejack could reply. "I heard that the white chosen unicorn did horribly during her tests and got sent to Logistics." "Applejack?" Slimblade persisted. "Chosen unicorns can be just as good as any unicorn out here," Applejack said with confidence. "But Twilight's extra special with magic, she takes lessons from Princess Celestia herself!" Mossneck snorted. "Well that explains it," he said with a tinge of derision. "She's the nag princess's pet unicorn mage." "That what princess's pet?" Applejack retorted. "Did you just call Princess Celestia a nag?" Mossneck raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, I did. What's the matter? It's a common expression!" "It's a wrong expression!" Applejack insisted. "You don't call a princess of Equestria a nag!" "Oh really? Then how about this?" Mossneck asked. His voice turned into a mocking sing-song. "All hail the nag of the sun!" "Mule-faced monarch of Equestria!" Slimblade joined in with a grin. "Out here we fight and then we poke fun!" "Of the candy-coated despot, Celestia!"

Half the platoon chortled with glee while the others frowned at the childish antics. Scowling, Applejack was about to rush the two when she felt somepony grab hold of her barding and pull her back. She turned on the one who tried to stop her and found herself glaring at Twocolt. "Unless you can make Princess Celestia appear and prove them wrong, you're wasting your time and causing an unnecessary fight," Twocolt said firmly. "It ain't right that they make fun of the princess!" Applejack protested. "You're right," Twocolt answered. "They're ignorant. Let them have their sing-song fun. We know better." Applejack allowed Twocolt's words to mollify her. He was right. It wasn't a good time to be starting fights. Still, she remembered the faces of those two recruits. She was going to confront them some time. She and Twocolt broke off from the platoon. She was off to the quarters she shared with the rest of her friends although she wasn't sure why Twocolt continued to walk with her. "So what you were saying about that purple chosen…" Twocolt began. "Her name's Twilight Sparkle, not 'purple chosen'," Applejack interrupted. "Right. Twilight Sparkle it is. Was what you said about her true?" "Course it was!" Applejack answered indignantly. "When have I started lying?" "Then why is she out here? Why are all of you out here? The most popular story is that you're criminals and didn't belong in the Heartland so Princess Celestia banished you out here but that's not true now, is it?" Applejack took her hat off sheepishly, dusting and inspecting it for bloodstains. "I'm not exactly the best pony to ask that," she finally said. "All I know is that Twilight was getting banished and I wasn't going to let her go alone." "You let yourself be uprooted from your home to accompany your friend even though you didn't know why she was being banished?"

"Yup." Twocolt put a hoof to his head. "Amazing," he said incredulously. "And I thought you couldn't get more reckless." Embarrassed by her own answers, Applejack was more than happy to change to topic. "So why are you asking all these things now, Twocolt?" she asked. "I wanted to make sure of something. To be honest, I'm still not that sure but I'm going to take a chance with you." "Only Vanguard can get away with that murky, dramatic talk, Twocolt. If you have something to say, say it plainly!" Twocolt stopped walking. "Tell me straight out then, Applejack," he said gravely. "How loyal do you consider yourself to Princess Celestia?" "How loyal? Pretty darn loyal! As loyal as any pony can be!" "Even though she banished you?" Applejack hesitated. "I'm sure the princess had her reasons. I ain't gonna pretend I can completely understand somepony as old and as powerful as she is but I can still believe in her." "Good answer," Twocolt said. "I'll see you around tomorrow, Applejack." "What's this all about, Twocolt?" "I'll tell you some other time. I'm pretty tired right now." Applejack didn't buy the excuse but she shrugged her shoulders and went on her way. Twocolt watched his friend for a while before moving on. He looked around to make sure that he wasn't being followed and ducked into one side street. From there, he moved through one tight passage to another, expertly navigating the twisting back alleys of Bastion City's darker sections. Finally, he found the place he was looking for. In front of him was a small one-roomed house with a sturdy, locked door. He knocked twice and

waited. A single knock came from the other side as a response. That was his cue to put his head close to the door and whisper, "For the one and true Equestria." The door opened and a yellow earth pony mare with a braided, bright green mane ushered him inside. "You're late," Verdant whispered harshly. "Sorry," Twocolt answered. "I had something else to do." Verdant unlocked the trapdoor at the center of the small room, the house's sole feature when viewed by somepony who didn't know what it was for. Twocolt knew better. This unassuming house served as a meeting place for the Order of True Equestrians. It was an order he belonged to, an order dedicated to staying true to the oaths sworn by all ponies of Equestria since the founding of the realm. Twocolt had once believed that Prince Terrato and the Equestrian Legion as a whole remained dutiful to those oaths until just a year ago. His eyes had been opened since then and he saw the movements that the prince made underneath his show of loyalty. The legion was about to rise up and seize power over all Equestria. It was up to the order to put a stop to it. He descended a narrow tunnel into a large, stone-walled chamber where several ponies were gathered. The order itself was a small group compared to the legion. They had members spread out among the cities of the Barrier Lands although he had never met those groups before. The chamber was lit by several candles by the walls, casting everything in a flickering orange light. "It's good to see that you made it through your first battle, Twocolt," one of the gathered ponies spoke. Twocolt's eyes widened in surprise at the sight of the pony who had just spoken to him. He swiftly recovered, however, and responded accordingly. "Thank you, Lady Bright Flame," Twocolt answered reverently. He bowed before the pony who had spoken. Standing before him was a beauteous unicorn mare with a white coat tinged with gold and a flowing, golden mane to complement it. He was surprised to find Lady Bright Flame within Bastion City. She was the leader and founder of the Order of True Equestrians. She was the one who had laid out their purpose to remain faithful ponies of a one true Equestria, not just the Barrier Lands, and to continue to recognize Princess Celestia as their true monarch with Prince

Terrato as commander of the army and Princess Luna as Celestia's second. It was Lady Bright Flame who had also discovered the correspondence between Prince Terrato and some of his highest ranking commanders that detailed a plan to allow the wolven to break through and set into motion a coup that had been centuries in planning. Now that Lady Bright Flame was here, Twocolt found himself worrying. With the wolven at their doorstep, it was simply too dangerous to have the leader of the Order of True Equestrians here. "Do you have anything to report, Twocolt?" another pony asked. "I do," Twocolt responded. "After spending time with one of them, I've come to believe that the chosen remain faithful to Princess Celestia and can be trusted. One of them is even her student! I've contemplated bringing one here but I decided to let the order make the decision." The ponies murmured among themselves. The arrival of the chosen had been a subject of discussion for quite some time. They were worried that these chosen were criminals and that Prince Terrato would easily convert them to his cause. For Twocolt to make such a bold statement… "Your prudence is to be commended," Bright Flame said softly. "We will arrange a meeting with them as soon as possible. Gaining the support of these ponies will be beneficial for the order." Twocolt remained bowed at the praise even though he was beaming inside. He hadn't expected to be complimented by the order's founder and leader. "I must ask that you return to watching the chosen," Bright Flame continued. "Make sure that they are safe from Prince Terrato's so-called "traitors"." "Yes, my lady," Twocolt answered. He stood up and left, Bright Flame's compliment lending some spring to his tired legs. "My lady, is it wise that we trust Twocolt's judgment on the chosen so readily?" one of the remaining gathered ponies asked.

"Twocolt has ingratiated himself well with one called Applejack," Bright Flame said. "Given some more time, he can be used to move them about in some ways, especially if they are as loyal to Princess Celestia as he said." The other ponies murmured among themselves again. How Bright Flame knew the chosen by name went ignored. After all, she must have ways to gather information with ease. "That is all well and good, my lady," the pony continued. "But perhaps you can tell us why you have personally come to this dangerous place?" Bright Flame smiled softly and shifted her gaze towards the ponies around her. "I came here for three reasons," she replied. "The first is to personally thank all of you for the work you have done for the Order of True Equestrians. Your vigilance and your reports on all of the legion's movements will ensure that Prince Terrato's rebellion will not succeed." The murmurs took on a pleased tone while Bright Flame continued. "The second is to tell you that we have successfully sent one of our own to the Heartland. By now, Sun Gazer has made it to Princess Celestia's palace to warn her of her brother's intentions." "Praise be!" one of the gathered ponies exclaimed. "Now, Princess Celestia can take steps to put a stop to her brother!" "Things won't be so easy," another pony cautioned. "The princess will be loathe to believe that her own brother is planning on attacking her." "I believe in Sun Gazer's ability to convince her!" a third pony exclaimed. "Lady Bright Flame wouldn't pick any pony to undertake such an important mission!" "That's true," Bright Flame said soothingly. "Sun Gazer will have fulfilled his task regardless of whether the princess believes him immediately or simply begins to harbor suspicions. Now as for the third reason…" The doors to the chamber suddenly slammed shut through magic. Surprised, one pony tried to open it only to find it held fast.

"Unfortunately, while Twocolt can still be used, the rest of you have become rather detrimental towards Equestria's unification," Bright Flame said sweetly. "The Order of True Equestrians' Bastion City group will only serve to hinder the remainder of my plans here and must therefore be liquidated." The murmurs turned to confused questioning and alarmed cries. "Liquidated? What do you mean, Lady Bright Flame?" "Is this a joke?" "The door won't open!" "I'm afraid it's not joke," Bright Flame answered. "The best way to get a pony to lie for me was to convince him he was telling the truth. Bringing up Sun Gazer was your last task and now it's over. Thank you again for all your hard work." All it took was a single flash of black magic bursting from Bright Flame's horn to silence all the cries. There were no death screams or agonized moaning. When the magical light faded, the chamber was empty and a mana battery was floating before her. "How unfortunate that most of the order here was discovered by Terrato's ponies, executed and disposed of." Bright Flame mused. "Luckily, Lady Bright Flame will have survived to tell you what you need to do later, Twocolt." "L-lady Bright Flame?" The door had opened to reveal one more pony still alive. Verdant stared in horror as Bright Flame's yellow-tinged coat slowly turned a lustrous black, as if ink was being poured all over her. There was another flash of black magic and the last thing that Verdant saw was crimson on black.

While the rest of her friends were heading to bed, Twilight Sparkle walked towards a different location. The streets leading to the Grand Meeting Hall encountered frequent traffic so, naturally, it was among the well-lit places of

Bastion City. She had decided to stop by and pay Princess Luna a visit before turning in, a prospect that she was trying to avoid. She didn't know how much sleep she would be getting tonight, especially with the image of those burning wolven still in her mind. The entrance to the Grand Meeting Hall was guarded by two pairs of heavily barded guards. As she approached however, Twilight saw the entrance doors open and a familiar pony stepped out. "Vanguard!" she called out to him. Vanguard seemed surprised to see her. He gave a brief nod to acknowledge the greeting and walked towards her. "Here to talk to Princess Luna?" he asked. Twilight nodded in response. "Just going to see how she is," she said. "I also wanted to ask her about this moonless night. It's supposed to be a full moon tonight." "I wouldn't recommend disturbing her at the moment," Vanguard replied with a shake of his head. "She's in the main hall, focusing on some spell. My guess is that she's blotting the moon out with her magic and it's taking a lot of concentration." "Why would she want to blot out the moon?" "The wolven are especially crazy during the full moon. Even I feel a little different during these times. Blotting the moon out could lower the chances of them trying something tonight." "I'd better not bother her then," Twilight walked next to Vanguard and the two of them headed back to the building they were staying. "So what were you doing there?" she asked. "I made my report to Commander Dreadstep," Vanguard answered. "Special Operations has been pretty busy, you know." Twilight wasn't sure what to say to that. Applejack didn't want to talk about what had happened when Vanguard asked her out. She tried to talk about something else. "Say Vanguard…" she began. "Something on your mind?"

"When you first killed a wolven, what was it like?" Vanguard stared at Twilight before answering. He noticed a change in her now that he looked closer. He had expected this from the start but actually seeing it before him was still…unusual. Some of the luster in Twilight's eyes seemed to have disappeared. She looked worn and not just physically as well. The mere reality of the Barrier Lands was exacting its price. Once more, he felt a twinge of guilt for bringing this upon Twilight Sparkle and her friends. He could do his best to defend her from the physical dangers of this harsh land but he could do nothing to stop its influence on them. "Frightening," he answered. "And it's not just because I was fighting for my life." "Frightening?" Twilight asked. She had imagined Vanguard's first kill to be a matter of course for him. She couldn't imagine him afraid or horrified after killing a wolven. The ponies of the Barrier Lands certainly made it seem as if doing so was just another task to them. "Why?" "You killed your first wolven today," Vanguard replied. "I imagine that it must be the vilest thing you've had to do." Twilight looked away. The scene with the burning wolven kept playing in her mind. She could smell the horrid stench that wafted towards her and hear the last whimpering sound the wolven made before falling still. Twilight's silence was enough of an answer to Vanguard. "In a way, I envy that revulsion," he said. "It means you're a good pony and acts of violence and killing take you out of your element so your body protests." It was Twilight's turn to stare at Vanguard. As always, he sounded sincere about what he was saying but how could anyone feel envious of what she was feeling right now? "When I first killed a wolven, I felt…invigorated," Vanguard went on. "My first instinct was to find another one and kill it too." "Then it wasn't a problem to you," Twilight said. She tried to hide the dismay in her tone. She had somewhat expected such an answer. Vanguard must think of her as weak for being so weak-kneed over this.

"It was," Vanguard continued. "I was terrified for feeling that way. I wanted to feel guilty and sick, instead I enjoyed it. You were reminded that you are a pony when you had to kill those wolven, Twilight. Take solace at least in knowing that you won't turn into a savage beast so long as you feel that way." "Is it because you're part wolven?" "I would love to blame it on blood," Vanguard said. "But I'm responsible for my actions. That's why I have to control myself at all times. Right now, I'm thankful that Princess Luna is blotting out the moon. I wouldn't want to have to deal with it while doing what I have to do right now." "And what's that?" "Something worse than killing wolven. Killing other ponies." Twilight suddenly remembered Cold Hoof lying on the hard, rocky ground with a knife he put in his own chest. "Are there more ponies like Cold Hoof out there?" she asked. "I thought that only a few ponies bore that kind of grudge." "I was naïve," Vanguard said. "I wish you could have seen the legion during some other time, Twilight, back when we all seemed to stand together. Right now, you're really seeing it at its worst. I'm starting to agree with you in that this division has to be ended." "Is it that bad?" "The legion cannot stand like this forever," Vanguard replied grimly. His thoughts shifted to what he had just learned of the Black Rose rebellions and the story of Black Rose herself. "I've been thinking about it and I've realized that this couldn't have happened just overnight. The legion has been in danger ever since the division was created. We've been complacent for too long by thinking that this is the way it should be." "It shouldn't be how things should be," Twilight said emphatically. "And now we're paying for it." Vanguard's thoughts shifted to something else. He had sifted through the reports for today's battle. There was no mention of the flame-spewing cloud of black smoke that the defenders of

FangBreaker had seen. He had suspected that…thing to be Pyre Valor. Its absence meant that she wasn't around, if she was even alive. "What do you think will happen now, Vanguard?" "I haven't cared much for anything save doing my duty but that's not going to be enough to pull the legion through this. The prince will be arriving soon. I hope he has a plan." Twilight looked up at the moonless sky. She had seen new moons before but Equestria's sky seemed even darker than usual tonight. "I hope so too."

Chapter 27 Monarchs The morning after the initial wolven rush greeted Bastion City with a biting cold wind. Twilight Sparkle found herself shivering on her bed. She sat up with a start and looked around. The rest of her friends were already up and they had put on their fur cloaks. Spike sat by one corner, breathing a steady stream of green flame on his claws to warm himself up. "Morning, Twilight," Spike greeted her. Twilight looked out a window to find snow falling on the streets. "I thought winter was a week or two away," she wondered aloud. "It was." Vanguard Clash answered from the doorway. As always, he was already wearing his barding. Scarlet Rabbit was right next to him, hovering in mid-air. "Prepare yourselves quickly. This snow is a very bad omen." With that, he went ahead with Scarlet, leaving Twilight and her friends to ponder on what he said. "A bad omen?" Rainbow Dash asked. "What's he talking about?" "Dunno," Applejack said. "They're expecting us by the walls anyway." The others looked at Applejack. Like Vanguard, she was already in her barding and tramplers, ready for another day's duty. Her gear was once again clean and carefully polished. Polished with spit, much to Rarity's disgust. All of them thought that it was because Applejack was proud of her barding and wanted it to look as perfect as possible. It was true but Applejack had another reason for such faithful cleaning. She didn't want a single speck of blood to stain her gear. The thought of having to get them bloody again made her shudder but she was going to keep them clean whenever possible. Applejack was the most heavily armored in their group and the sight of her was a daunting one indeed. Her face and coat were barely visible between the gray plates of metal. While she wasn't as covered as Vanguard Clash, the only way to recognize her was peering into the eye-holes of her

champron to see her green eyes or noticing the few glimpses of her orange coat. There was one thing that made Applejack still recognizable however. She kept her hat where it always was. The effect was a little silly but it helped keep some of her appearance's familiarity. "It's too cold for flying into a fight!" Rainbow Dash complained. She flapped her wings a few times to get some blood circulating. Like Applejack, she was also wearing her barding. A set of leather ones, much to the discomfort of the others, especially Fluttershy. "Tell me about it!" Rarity joined in. "It's going to be a pain starting up Hammer Chain's forge like this!" "I hear a lot of complaining but you look rarin' to go, RD!" Applejack remarked. "Of course!" Rainbow Dash answered with a grin. "I still have to make a name for myself!" She looked over to Twilight, who had just finished putting on her mage-coat. "Twilight here's the talk of the recruits. Everypony's impressed by how she fireballed that siege tower. I can't fall behind that!" Everpony stopped and fell silent after Rainbow Dash said those words and then looked over to Twilight. "I didn't cast that spell to impress anypony, Rainbow Dash," Twilight said quietly. She pressed her lips together tightly as she remembered that moment once more. There were no words said but Rainbow Dash suddenly felt as if the entire room had turned on her. The first thing that came to her mind was to immediately look for allies. She looked to the pony who would be the most likely candidate. "Hey, Applejack, you know what I'm talking about. I'm sure the ponies in your platoon are still all over how awesome Twilight was!" Applejack didn't meet Rainbow's gaze. "This ain't a contest, RD," she said somberly. "And if it was, I ain't hankerin' to be called 'Best Wolven Killer' any time soon." Rainbow Dash looked around to see if anypony at all was even on the same page as her. Nopony met her gaze. She suddenly felt a twinge of guilt, not over killing wolven, but over not being like her friends. Cringing inside, she met that guilt that only way she knew how. "Well, I am," she

said defiantly. Her voice rose as she went on. "Best Wolven Killer" sounds like an awesome title to have!" Twilight's eyes widened at hearing that. "Rainbow Dash-!" she started. "It's you girls I don't understand! Why are all of you moping over having to kill wolven? They're trying to kill and eat all of us!" "It's not that simple!" Twilight said. "Oh yeah?" Rainbow retorted. "Yesterday, one of the recruits I was flying with got shot down on our way back. The wolven jumped on her as soon as she hit the ground. I saw one of them run off with her wing in its mouth! Another one carried off a leg so it didn't have to share with the rest of them!" Her voice lowered at the memory. "They're monsters and I don't feel bad about killing them at all. In fact, I'm glad to be able to fight and kill these things." She held her crossbow and made her way to the door. "And now I'm going to get some more practice so I can kill even more of them! You can all sit here and feel sorry for monsters!" Before anypony else could respond to that, Rainbow Dash had already flown off, leaving them to wonder just what was going on among them. Twilight could only look worriedly towards Rainbow Dash's direction. "…seeing my subjects become more like them…" Twilight drew her cloak around her tighter as she remembered her mentor's words. The cold of the Barrier Lands seemed aggressively cold, as if the air itself took delight in stealing warmth from others. She had been through many winters but this one filled her with foreboding. "What in tarnation is wrong with that girl?" Applejack snapped. "She didn't need to blow up like that!" "I hope we can talk about it later," Twilight said with a sigh. "I have to go too. They're expecting me by the walls." "Same here." Applejack said. "And I as well," Rarity added. "Well, not by the walls but you understand." The three of them headed for the door.

"That's it?" Pinkie Pie asked. "We haven't been spending a lot of time together these days!" "It can't be helped, Pinkie," Twilight explained. "All of us now have duties to attend to. I'm sure even you're expected to be at the kitchens first thing in the morning." "That's true," Pinkie said dejectedly. She brightened up for a moment as she continued. "I know! We should plan some kind of party when all of us don't have any duty!" "How about after we drive the wolven away from the city?" Twilight suggested. "Victory celebration," Applejack added. "I like the sound of that!" "Then it's settled!" Pinkie said. "I'll tell the others in the kitchens! They'll love it!" With that, she ran ahead of them and went straight through the door. Twilight looked over the room. With Pinkie gone, that left…just Spike. "Where's Fluttershy?" she asked. "She was out of here before you even woke up," Applejack said. "She looked pretty determined to get back to work. Makes me wonder what happened yesterday." "I suppose Fluttershy being determined should count as good news," Twilight mused aloud. "Are you going to be alright, Spike?" "I'll be fine," Spike answered. "This time, I'm going to make it to Hammer Chain's smithy to help out!" "Come along then, Spike," Rarity said. "Your breath should be handy when it comes to lighting that forge." The baby dragon hopped on her back and the two of them headed out. "So Twilight…" Applejack began. "Hm?"

"No offense, but you have been pretty awesome lately. Is it true that you got Special Operations ponies talking to you?" "What? Of course not! I wasn't that good. A lot of ponies fought hard during yesterday's battle!" "Really?" Applejack raised an eyebrow skeptically. "No invitations? You walked in with Vanguard last night. Didn't he say he needed a unicorn mage in his squad?" "He didn't bring that up at all," Twilight insisted. Applejack shrugged in response. "Oh well. See you later then, Twilight." Twilight watched Applejack walk off before heading off for her post. Snow continued to fall steadily, covering Bastion City in a thin carpet of white. As she walked through the streets, she noticed the expressions on the other ponies and realized that she wasn't the only one who found the snow foreboding. A lot of ponies looked outright frightened. They saw something in this sudden change of weather that she didn't. "Recruit Sparkle!" One of the unicorns in Twilight's unit called out to her from atop the walls. "We're on boulder catching duty for this morning, remember? Get to your position!" As soon as she reached the top of the wall, Twilight headed over to her partners by one part of the wall. Mage Captain Owlsight had instructed them yesterday about "boulder catching". Unicorn magi were positioned all along the walls to "catch" the boulders hurled by the wolven catapults with their telekinesis. They were not required to stop the boulders from hitting the walls but, by combining their efforts, they should be able to slow each boulder down to weaken its impact and save the walls from too much structural damage. It was a dangerous task, as Owlsight was quick to warn them. The danger of being squashed by an errant boulder was a real one, as was getting sniped by a wolven bolter if they concentrated too hard on boulders and forgot to watch out for other dangers. Twilight gradually grew accustomed to watching out for boulders and snipers while working with two other unicorn magi to slow each catapult shot. How easily she was able to slip into a rhythm, however, disturbed her a bit. The wolven army did not seem particularly devoted into their catapult

firing. She could also hear a steady beating of drums coming from their camp as well as a constant howling. What was going on? "I don't like this one bit!" she heard Owlsight grouse as he walked past her. "What are those mutts up to? This snow is making me think that-!" Before Owlsight could finish, the steady drums and howling suddenly erupted into a frenzied pace. A chilling wind picked up and then rose into a howl. Twilight drew her cloak around her even tighter. "Terrato's blazing mane, it's true!" one of the unicorns near Twilight whimpered. "He's here!" Before Twilight could look at whoever had spoken, a wave of fear suddenly washed over her like a torrent of ice-cold water. She fell to her knees, her teeth chattering and her heart racing. There was…something out there. Some feral, primal thing just beyond the walls and the gathered wolven and it was coming closer. She forced her knees to unbend and stand. Each inch was a desperate uphill battle but she made it. Then she looked around. The other ponies by the walls were also affected. Most of the recruits were cowering while the older veterans were rooted to the spot despite holding up a little better. She looked over the ramparts to get a better look. The blowing wind had somehow worked itself up into a blizzard. It was almost impossible to see anything on the plain. All she could see were dark shapes where the wolven had gathered. She noticed that they had parted to let something from their rear lines through. She squinted and tried to see but all she saw was an enormous silhouette.

On another section of the northern walls, Rainbow Dash had fallen flat on her belly while the wind howled all around her. An unnatural fear was crushing her heart with cold, unrelenting fingers. She looked around to see that many ponies had also fallen to the ground in a shivering panic. "Get up, Rainbow Dash," Tailwind said just beside her. Even Tailwind's voice was subdued and difficult to make out from the fierce wind. "At least catch a glimpse of the enemy." Rainbow picked herself up and used the rampart's ledge to keep herself standing. She was so terrified that she hardly felt the physical cold of the

sudden snowstorm. She looked at the plains below to see what was causing this. Out on the plains, a lone enormous figure had walked past the wolven front lines. Rainbow could barely make anything out but, from the shape and outline, it appeared to be a wolven. That realization alone terrified her further. This was a giant wolven. From the size and distance, it had to be at least twenty feet tall. It stopped within crossbow range but nopony from the walls was taking a shot. The wind would have made it impossible but there was no pony among them even willing to try. And then, the giant wolven looked up. Rainbow felt her heart stop when she caught the giant wolven's gaze. A lone, red glowing eye seemed to look at her, look straight through her. She found herself gasping for air. It was so hard to breathe all of a sudden. All she could manage were short gasps. It was just less than an hour ago when she was talking about killing wolven but now she seemed so insignificant to the might of their army. What was that monster? All it needed to do was look at her and she was practically half-dead from fear! There's no fighting that thing! No walls or weapons are even going to slow it down! The city was doomed and everypony within was going to be torn to pieces and eaten. "W….w-what is that?" Rainbow managed to croak out weakly. She doubted that anypony even heard her but Tailwind turned around to answer. Rainbow could tell that Tailwind was also feeling the incredible, crushing fear that the monster just below was radiating. "The king of Wolvengard," Tailwind answered. "Fenrir, the Ravening Fangs of Winter." As if to punctuate Tailwind's answer, the monster let out a long, dolorous howl that put even the ferocious wind to shame. Rainbow felt herself blacking out from terror. The world grew dim and the howling seemed to lessen in volume. A clarion call of a neigh suddenly brought her back to consciousness at the very last moment. Rainbow's eyes flickered wide open and her ears perked up. What was that melodious, uplifting neigh? The oppressive fear melted away and she was able to stand up with no problem. Amazed cries around

her made it clear that the other ponies felt the same way. She looked towards where the sound had come from and was greeted by the impressive sight of a mighty gray alicorn hovering just past the inner side of the walls. She recognized the gray coat and the blazing mane. This was Prince Terrato. She had only seen him once and only through a magical image. To actually see him was…she couldn't find the words. Even the wind seemed at awe before the prince of Equestria. It had died down to a steady breeze. "Our prince is here!" one of the pegasi along the walls cheered. "All hail our prince!" "Hail Prince Terrato!" "Hail the Grand Prince of the Earth!" Prince Terrato answered the cheers with a grim smile and a nod before flying past the walls to land just in front of Fenrir. Princess Luna followed suit and accompanied him by his side. Now that the snowstorm had stopped, Rainbow finally caught a good view of King Fenrir. The king of Wolvengard was a truly massive beast. He dwarfed even Prince Terrato and that was without having to raise himself on his haunches. His fur was a very dark gray, almost black, and it did little to hide the powerful muscles along his neck, shoulders and flanks. His enormous, scything claws dug deep into the ground in anticipation. He had kept his jaws closed but, as Terrato and Luna approached, he let them hang open. Wicked, curving fangs lined his mouth, each one white and razor sharp. Saliva dripped from his open mouth and fell on the ground. Whenever he let out a breath, a great cloud of whiteness escaped from his nostrils. What held Rainbow's gaze however was his eye. King Fenrir glared at the world through a single, bright red eye. His left eye was missing and the blackness of the empty eye socket seemed to go on forever. Rainbow held her breath as Terrato and Luna approached until they were a few feet away from Fenrir. Was there going to be a fight? Was the fate of this siege going to be decided by combat between their rulers?

Standing so close to his ancient foe, Terrato felt a little nostalgic. It had been so long since he had confronted Fenrir like this. Ever since the pact, the two of them had barely seen each other. The thought of missing the giant wolven was amusing. "Why are you here, Fenrir?" he asked. Fenrir's gaze quickly turned from Terrato to Luna. He lowered his face and sniffed at her direction, eliciting a shudder of disgust from her. "It's been so long since I've caught fair Luna's scent," he answered. His voice was a deep, rasping tone followed by what sounded like a frigid, howling wind. "A year without it is painful enough but cursed Celestia tortures me with a thousand! After so long, I had to see for myself when I caught the scent once more." "You come all the way here and frighten my ponies for a smell?" Terrato asked. He took a sniff towards Luna's direction. "It's not that fantastic." "Big brother…" Luna said quietly. "You understand nothing!" Fenrir growled. "Watch your slobber!" Terrato growled in return. "And stop boring me with your infatuation! Why come here yourself? Do you plan on breaking our pact?" "Let us make a new pact!" Fenrir said. "Your legion is on the defensive and my army is on the rise. Surely you will listen! Let us make a new pact while your eldest sister is not here to impose her will!" "Make your case then," Terrato replied cautiously. "What kind of pact are you proposing?" Fenrir focused on Terrato shrewdly."Give me fair Luna as my bride and I will leave. All of us will leave." "Luna isn't mine to give!" Terrato answered. "If that's all your "new pact" is!" "Wait!" Luna interrupted. Both Terrato and Fenrir looked towards her. She swallowed nervously and stepped forward. "If I…go with you, do you promise to never attack Equestria?"

"No wolven will so much as set foot on this land so long as you remain with me," Fenrir replied. His growling voice could barely contain his eagerness. Luna feared that he might go so far as to rush her if he couldn't control himself. Terrato drew Luna aside and whispered to her harshly. "What are you doing?" he asked. "Are you seriously considering marrying him?" "If it means putting a stop to centuries of war, yes." "Celestia will not allow this and that means I can't allow it either." "I am a princess of equal standing to both of you. I'll decide for myself what I can and can't do. My only regret will be if it turns out that I could have done this at the start." Terrato let out a sigh. Once more he had mixed feelings about Luna's newfound assertiveness. "You used to be terrified of being so much as a hundred miles of him," he said. "That was a long time ago. I can do this, big brother." "What is this whispering about?" Fenrir growled. "Are the two of you going to plot right before me?" Luna took another step forward so that she was right before Fenrir. The smell of his breath and the sight of his gaping maw sent a shudder through her but she held firm. "I will be your bride, King Fenrir," she said. "if you promise that you and your wolven will never again be a threat to Equestria." "I will," Fenrir said eagerly. He looked ready to pounce on her but Terrato took a step forward as a warning. "It will be part of our wedding vows in Wolvengard." "Then-" Before Luna could continue, Fenrir's ears suddenly perked up. With a snarl, he jumped to the side as a massive beam of pure white light struck the ground where he was. The fallen snow vaporized on contact and the ground charred and melted into red hot goo.

Aghast, both Terrato and Luna looked to where the beam had come from. Their gazes went directly towards Bastion City. The beam had come from one of the taller buildings. Terrato recognized the spell as a simple light beam magnified to suit the power of only one caster he knew who favored it. Luna seemed to recognize it as well. To their misfortune, so did Fenrir. His sight caught a figure of what seemed to be Celestia standing on the roof. He recognized the mane and the wings, but something was wrong… "Treachery!" Fenrir snarled. "Cursed Celestia hides her scent and then hides behind her younger sister to assassinate me! Coward!" "That's not true!" Terrato shouted. "Calm down, Fenrir!" The entire wolven army was in an uproar and the ponies along the wall followed suit. "Your sister is without honor, Terrato!" Fenrir snarled. "I will honor our pact for the shred of honor that you have but there will be no more negotiations! I will kill you and Celestia! It is the only way I can be sure that Luna is not a trap!" "Wait!" Terrato called after the giant wolven. "This is a mistake!" It was too late however. Fenrir had rejoined his army, dodging and weaving to avoid anymore light blasts. "Moon-Shadow!" Terrato heard Fenrir bellow. Luna could only look on, stunned. "Damn!" Terrato struck the ground with a hoof, sending shockwaves in all directions. He started to fly back to the city. When Luna delayed in following him, he shouted after her. "Come on!"

Twilight Sparkle caught a good look at the powerful blast of light as it streaked past her and towards King Fenrir. Amidst the sudden confusion, her first reaction was to immediately trace the spell's source. To her horrified surprise, she saw what appeared to be Princess Celestia standing on top of one of the buildings. Realizing what the blast had caused, Twilight concentrated on a teleportation spell. The distance from the top of the walls to the building was great but she had to reach that spot before the princess

left. A flash of purple light enveloped her and, in a second, she was standing on the building's rooftop. "I had to do it, Twilight Sparkle," she heard Celestia's voice say. "Luna was going to marry that monster and Terrato was going to go along with it!" Twilight grit her teeth and tried to steady both her breathing and her legs. The teleportation and the magical drift had all but drained her completely. "Drop the act," she said angrily. "I've known the princess far too long to be fooled by it. Who are you? Why did you do this?" "Clever. As expected of Celestia's favored pupil." "Celestia's" voice changed in the middle of the sentence into a softer, slightly deeper pitch. The image of a regal, white alicorn with a flowing, multicolored mane seemed to dissolve into mist. Twilight's eyes narrowed as she tried to get a good look. The mist made it difficult to make out anything. "That was an impressive teleportation, Twilight Sparkle," somepony said. Twilight felt a chill run down her spine as she heard it. "But you've overexerted yourself and underestimated the potential enemy that awaited you at your destination. If I attack you right now, I can kill you with ease and then drink your life at my leisure." Twilight tried to wave the mist away with a hoof. "Who are you?" she asked again. She saw a glimpse of black within mist as well as a hint of a shape. She was talking to a pony. A black-coated pony. The voice belonged to a mare and the magic made it a unicorn. "I'd hate to pluck such impressive talent before it has had a chance to bloom. I'll see you again," the black-coated unicorn mare said. The mist dissipated but there was nopony on the roof besides Twilight. "Twilight Sparkle!" Twilight looked behind her to find both Prince Terrato and Princess Luna landing on the roof. "Where is she?" Terrato demanded. "I know an impostor when I see one!" "She's gone, your highness," Twilight said. "Who could have done this?" Luna asked. "And why?"

Terrato walked over to the spot where Twilight had last seen the mysterious unicorn. He seemed to have noticed something on the ground and bent over to pick it up. It appeared to be a long strand of crimson. The sight of it seemed to plunge him into a shadow. "I know who," Terrato said softly, almost wearily.

Chapter 28 Laws and Punishment The arrival of both Prince Terrato and King Fenrir to the battlefield brought mixed reactions to the ponies of Bastion City. As any settlement of the Barrier Lands would be, Bastion City was honored to receive its prince and, at the same time, terrified of the implications. It had been centuries since Terrato last entered a battle personally but his last battle for FangBreaker Fortress still lived in infamy among the city's records. Ponies of the Barrier Lands often referred to "The Unyielding Gray Sentinel" when referring to their prince as testament to his role in protecting Equestria. "Harbinger of War" however, was just as accurate. The Grand Meeting Hall was easily converted to Terrato's audience hall after the morning's incident. Inside, he stood at the center of the hall with Luna by his side. Also part of the meeting was Commander Dreadstep, leader of FangBreaker's survivors, Mayor Snowsteam, the leader of Bastion City, Commander Galefeather, leader of Bastion City's garrison and, curiously enough, Recruit Twilight Sparkle. "Our supplies will hold us well into spring, your highness," Snowsteam reported. "Even with the additional ponies from FangBreaker." "That may be because we are lacking in defenders, your highness," Galefeather added. "Even with the drafts, we will be sorely pressed to deal with a wolven army this size." "I had expected that the city closest to Wolvengard to have more soldiers at hoof," Terrato said. Galefeather bowed low in response. "Forgive me, your highness. Yearly recruitment has been on a decline for the past few years." "Convenient timing," Terrato muttered. "I'll leave the city's maintenance to the two of you. Keep those supplies guarded and the city safe. I don't want to hear about some 'accidental' fires or contamination. " "Yes, your highness."

Terrato waved a hoof to dismiss the two. They bowed low and left the audience hall. With them gone, he turned his attention to Dreadstep. "And there I was just days ago telling you how I don't need to be constantly breathing down your neck," Terrato said. "Sorry about that, Dreadstep, that was about as idiotic as asking 'What could possibly go wrong?'." "I accept full responsibility for FangBreaker's loss, your highness," Dreadstep said as he knelt. "I am ready to pay with my life." "And what could I possibly do with your dead body?" Terrato asked. "You wouldn't even make good catapult ammunition." Dreadstep didn't reply. "Enough theatrics. I'm not going to kill you, Dreadstep. Now, what's this I hear about saboteurs?" "Special Operations has already started cracking down, your highness," Dreadstep reported. "We've killed several of their cells and captured some of them." "What have you learned?" Terrato asked. "The traitors still have more cells within the city. From what we've gathered, this is another Black Rose rebellion." Terrato still held the strand of hair in his hoof. He put it close to his nose and breathed in. He could smell perfume, a light scent of wildflowers growing on the peaks of the Western Barrier Land's verdant mountains. It was his favorite scent. Of course, she knew that. "Not just another Black Rose rebellion," he said. "We're dealing with Black Rose herself." "Your highness?" Dreadstep looked surprised. "Black Rose? As in the same Black Rose you killed centuries ago?" "Yes, that same Black Rose," Terrato replied. "It's not exactly a popular name." "I beg your pardon, your highness, but isn't she dead?"

"She was," Terrato said darkly. "But the signs are here and I know her handiwork. Keep your eyes open, Dreadstep. Ensure the loyalty of ever pony investigating these traitors. I want them rooted out and hung before they get out of control. Treat this matter as urgently as you will those dogs just outside our gates." "I shall, your highness," Dreadstep said with determination. He felt as if he had been given his second and last chance to prove that his prince's confidence in him was not misplaced. Inwardly, he swore that if he failed again, he would hurl himself at the wolven army and die fighting for expiation. "Big brother, who is this Black Rose?" Luna asked. From her spot, Twilight's ears perked at the name. She also wanted to know more about this "Black Rose". Though there was really no way to confirm it, she did have a strong feeling that the name fitted the mysterious unicorn mare she encountered on that rooftop. Terrato let out a sigh. "To put it simply, Black Rose was my Twilight Sparkle." Twilight raised her gaze reflexively. She looked to see if Terrato was joking but the gray alicorn's face was more melancholic than playful. Even Commander Dreadstep leaned forward to hear well. He only knew Black Rose through old history books. To hear the prince's own account would be an honor. "What do you mean, big brother?" Luna asked in shock. "The analogy isn't perfect of course but it's pretty close. A long time ago, I discovered a unicorn mare with a ridiculous amount of potential. I took her under my wing and she became my protégé. Does that story sound familiar, Twilight Sparkle?" Twilight nodded. That was her story. So this Black Rose was a close pony to Prince Terrato… "Potential isn't good enough a word," Terrato continued. "Everything that she did, she did perfectly. Every battle was a victory. Every campaign was a success. She had the ursans on the retreat, the wolven too scared to

attack and the ophidites slithering into hiding. I was happy to delegate authority to her. At her prime, she ruled almost all of the Barrier Lands in my name." "That sounds too good to be true," Luna said. Twilight couldn't help but nod in agreement. "All good things come to an end," Terrato said. "Black Rose eventually decided that she didn't like Celestia's division. She expressed her disagreement and I punished her. Just like Twilight Sparkle, am I correct?" Twilight nodded again. But she could sense that there was a much more complicated tale behind Terrato's simplifying words. What had happened between the two of them? What exactly did Black Rose try to do? "If things were that simple, we wouldn't be dealing with her now," Luna said. Like Twilight, she also saw that there were more things lurking underneath Terrato's story. "Things…got complicated," Terrato said softly. His casual tone had disappeared and his melancholy deepened. "I had let Black Rose get too close. I trusted her too much and allowed her access to knowledge that she shouldn't have. The resulting mess shames me to this day. I had to put a stop to it. Unlike Celestia, I don't go for exiles and imprisonments. There was only one way to put an end to the matter." "You killed her," Luna said. "But she survived that somehow." "And now she's back," Terrato said. "If she plans to push through with her plans from before then her objective will be Celestia." "What does she want with the princess?" Twilight asked. A stern look from Terrato told her that he didn't appreciate the interruption. "Black Rose wants Equestria not just united but united under her. To accomplish that, she plans to slay Celestia and absorb her power." "That's impossible!" Luna said indignantly. "No mortal pony can hope to take on big sister! Just even thinking it-!" she stomped her hoof on the ground in anger.

Twilight quivered with suppressed anger as well. Kill Princess Celestia? This Black Rose was deluded. But even a deluded, madpony had to be stopped. For the first time in her life, Twilight found herself thinking that destruction was the only fate for a particular pony. This Black Rose just seemed too dangerous to simply exile or imprison. She wondered if even death could stop her when it had failed once already. "What will you do now?" Luna asked. "You can't allow this Black Rose to even try!" "Don't tell me things I already know!" Terrato said menacingly. "I will deal with Black Rose just as I have dealt with her in the past. But first, I'm going to settle two matters right now." Terrato's horn glowed with gray light as he unleashed his magic. Twilight gasped as she found herself enveloped in the prince's telekinetic grip and then lifted high into the air. "Big brother, what are you doing?" Luna asked in surprise. "What's the matter?" Terrato asked Twilight. "Celestia's gifted protégé should easily break my magic, right? You certainly had no problems with my memory lock!" Twilight flailed helplessly in the air for about half a minute before Terrato dumped her unceremoniously on the ground. "Apparently, my analysis isn't entirely true," Terrato continued. "You can't break my magic, Twilight Sparkle. At least not without help. You had a trigger that let you break my memory lock. What was it and who gave it to you?" Twilight froze. The trigger…Vanguard Clash's legionnaire emblem. She had almost forgotten about it. She couldn't tell Princess Celestia about it and she certainly couldn't tell Prince Terrato! "I…I can't tell you, your highness," she answered. "Why not? You have a working mouth don't you?" Terrato asked. His expression darkened in annoyance. "So much for ponies being creatures of honesty then!"

"I was the one who told her, big brother!" Luna interrupted. "And how did you know where Twilight had been and what she had been up to? Celestia wouldn't have gone around blabbing about it! Obviously it was because Twilight showed you something she found!" Terrato turned towards the commander of FangBreaker's defenders. "Dreadstep, bring me the ponies who came in contact with Twilight Sparkle the first time she came to my realm!" he ordered. He quickly amended that order however. "The ones still alive that is." Commander Dreadstep bowed and then hurriedly left the meeting hall. From her spot, Twilight quivered and closed her eyes, hoping that Commander Dreadstep would somehow make a mistake and bring in a bunch of ponies who had nothing do with her. Several minutes passed before Dreadstep returned with both Vanguard Clash and Scarlet Rabbit. The two stepped forward and knelt before their prince. Terrato looked them over before speaking. "Let me get to the point. Which one of you gave Twilight Sparkle the trigger to break my memory lock?" Twilight watched the two helplessly, her heart sinking to her stomach. Scarlet Rabbit looked confused. He clearly had no idea what was going on and what Terrato was talking about. Vanguard, on the other hoof, had no such problems. "It was me, your highness," he replied without any hesitation. "I gave her my legionnaire emblem to help her remember." The upper corners of Terrato's lips curved slightly. "Lies from the chosen, honesty from a pony outside Celestia's realm. How about that? Take off the champron and tell me your name and position, legionnaire." Vanguard quickly did as he was told. The black, metal champron fell to the floor with a clang. "Captain Vanguard Clash of the Northern Equestrian Legion, Special Operations, Third Squad," he said proudly. Terrato's eyes narrowed as he got a closer look at Vanguard. "I recognize you, Vanguard Clash. You're Sharpfangs's colt. I spared your grandfather's life and he repaid my trust by turning into a murdering rapist. Now you've

compounded some interest in that payment with betrayal. A pity too. That nightsteel fullplate barding you have on means you accomplished something truly meritorious for my legion." Twilight stood up and stepped forward to protest. "Your highness-!" "Quiet!" Terrato boomed, causing the floor and the walls to reverberate. "You may be Celestia's favored student in the Heartland, Twilight Sparkle, but you're a bottom-rung legionnaire here! Now sit still and let me lay down my laws!" Twilight fell on her tail, stunned and shaking. Her protest was completely driven her from head by the blast of sound. The entire hall fell silent at Terrato's thunderous outburst. After a few seconds, he spoke again. "Tell me, Vanguard Clash, how is spreading information about the Barrier Lands to the Heartland classified as a crime and what is the appropriate punishment?" "Spreading information about the Barrier Lands to the Heartland is considered treason, your highness." Vanguard answered without fail. "To be punished by death through hanging." "Smart boy," Terrato remarked. He turned his attention to Dreadstep. "What are you waiting for? Hang him." "Hanging?" Scarlet Rabbit said in disbelief. He flew up and was about to charge when Vanguard caught him and forced him down to a kneeling position. "Hanging? Then you'd better hang me too if the captain's hanging!" "Your highness!" Dreadstep protested. "Vanguard Clash is one of our most reliable legionnaires. Perhaps-!" "He made a clear confession and the law is even clearer," Terrato interrupted. "I didn't open this matter for debate, Dreadstep." "Big brother, let us hear him out, at least!" Luna protested. "Fine. Explain yourself, Vanguard Clash. Why did you give her a trigger to break my spell?"

"I have no excuses, your highness," Vanguard said stoically. "I gave her the trigger so she may remember everything that happened to her." "At least somepony is trying to make this easy," Terrato remarked. "Your highness, please!" Twilight cried out. She stood in front of Vanguard's kneeling form, her forelegs outstretched in a futile attempt to defend him from Terrato. "There's nopony more loyal to you than Vanguard! He doesn't deserve to die for what he did!" "Did you do it to break my sister's barrier because you opposed the division?" Luna asked desperately. "No," Vanguard replied. "I did it for Twilight Sparkle's sake. That's all." "This pony is loyal to you," Luna told her brother. "The battle will be hard enough without us hobbling ourselves like this." Terrato didn't reply at once. Instead he looked over Vanguard, who did not so much as flinch from the scrutiny. "I will accept that what you did was a horribly stupid mistake, Vanguard Clash," he finally said. "One born of temporary insanity. I can relate to that." He glanced at Luna. "I will consider the facts that the damage did not spread beyond Twilight Sparkle and her friends, that you intended the damage not to spread, that my little sister has some interest in keeping you alive and that we do need every loyal pony alive. In light of all these things, I am compelled to change your sentence from a traitor's death by hanging to a slap-on-the-fetlock public flogging." A collective sigh of relief escaped Luna, Twilight and Dreadstep. "Sixty lashes will do." "Your highness, that is still a death sentence, a much more painful death sentence if I may add!" Dreadstep protested. "True," Terrato continued. "Forty is the limit so we don't kill them. I will allow Twilight Sparkle to take as many as she wants from those sixty and apply them to herself." He raised an eyebrow as his gaze swept his audience. "Is that satisfactory?" he asked as he stopped on Twilight. "I will take half," Twilight replied without any hesitation.

"There you go," Terrato said to Dreadstep. "Thirty each. A slap on the fetlock for treason. Now get out there and enforce my will!" With one more bow, almost everypony left the meeting hall, leaving Luna alone with her brother. "Is there no mercy at all in you, big brother?" she asked. "That was mercy," Terrato replied. "They're alive aren't they? You have to temper your mercy with some sort of justice or you'll never get any laws respected. Now it's time I settle the other matter. You've done plenty in my realm, Luna; you secured Twilight Sparkle and her friends, you've made an attempt to negotiate with Fenrir and you blotted out the full moon to suppress the enemy. There can only be more fighting at this point and I can't have you involved in this. It's time you went back to the Heartland." "What?" Luna asked in surprise. "No! I can still do much here! I can fight!" "If you so much as kill a single wolven, Celestia will never forgive me." "Why does she get to decide what I can and can't do?" "You are in my realm, Luna!" Terrato said with a glare. "Here, you will respect my decisions. If you want to help, blot out the full moon from the Heartland. I need you to stay by Celestia's side in case Black Rose tries anything!" "No!" "Don't argue!" Terrato roared. He quickly checked himself and lowered his voice. "I need to be assured that Celestia has a sibling by her side. I can't do my duty while constantly having to worry about her!" "Then go to her side!" Luna insisted. "Or better yet, have her come here and stay by yours!" "You already know why I can't do that," Terrato said softly. "You say that big sister won't forgive you if you let me fight but the truth is that she's never forgiven you for going out to fight yourself. She's afraid of what you've become. Isn't that why you never visit her in the Heartland?"

Terrato didn't reply. Luna's eyes widened with sudden realization. "Is that why you let Black Rose get so close?" "Not another word, Luna," Terrato growled. "Or I will show you what exactly I've become." Luna left her brother alone in the silent meeting hall. 'How can we mend the rift between the Heartland and the Barrier Land if we can't mend the rift between you two?'

The walk from the Grand Meeting Hall to the main plaza was a short one. A short one, at least, for most ponies who had the leisure of not expecting something horrible once they reached their destination. For Vanguard Clash and Twilight Sparkle, the walk felt like a humiliating parade that had no end in sight. "Thirty lashes!" Vanguard said incredulously. "Thirty lashes for something you had no part in!" Walking right next to Vanguard on her way to the main plaza, Twilight Sparkle frowned at him in response. "No part in?" she asked indignantly. "What was that 'For Twilight Sparkle's sake' you were talking about? The last time I checked, I'm Twilight Sparkle!" Vanguard shook his head. He had been stripped of his barding which Scarlet had taken for safekeeping. The red pegasus had been overjoyed that his captain wasn't going to hang and had flown off promising to have a bottle of booze ready to help with the pain. Around him, the guards that accompanied them made no reaction towards the bickering between him and Twilight. A group of curious citizens was now following the odd procession down the street. "At least change it to twenty for you and forty for me," he said. "I've been under the whip before while your back is as fresh as a newborn's." "It's thirty for the both of us," Twilight insisted. She put on a brave front but the thought of what was going to happen made her quail inside. Vanguard was right. She had never been whipped. She had never even thought that

such a thing could happen. Now she was going to take thirty lashes in a single day. Part of her wanted to back out and just pray that Vanguard could take sixty lashes. Another wanted to take his offer and have the number reduced. Between the two, a third one remained steadfast. 'Thirty,' she thought. 'Thirty is fair.' The two of them stood at the edge of the city's main plaza. By the time they got there, they were already being followed by a crowd. "Twenty five, thirty five," Vanguard suggested. "Stop haggling like you're buying vegetables!" Twilight whispered harshly. Vanguard's offers were weakening her resolve. She had to stop him before he succeeded. She looked over the crowd and wondered if any of her friends was going to watch. "It's thirty-thirty and that's final!" They were led to a spot with several wooden posts jutting from the ground and then prodded to take their positions. Both of them were given coiled bits of rope. Taking her cue from Vanguard, Twilight placed hers between her jaws, trying to ignore the thought of other ponies having done the same to the unwashed piece of rope she was biting. She reared up and hugged the pole as Vanguard did just a few feet away and swallowed as she saw a pair of earth pony stallions walk into position while holding coiled whips. Two more ponies came up and bound their forelegs securely to the poles. The time between her biting into the rope and waiting for the first lash and the actual lash stretched out to breathless eternity. Just as Twilight was starting to think that there was something wrong, the first lash struck her between her shoulders. The suddenness of the strike nearly made her drop the rope. The searing, white-hot pain that lanced through her back buckled her legs. Tears sprang from her eyes almost immediately after she felt the pain. She nearly fell to the ground but she remembered that that was just one. There were twentynine to go. She glanced over at Vanguard just as he took his first. He clamped hard on his rope but his face didn't even change expression when he was struck. Twilight braced herself just in time for the second strike. 'Two,' she thought. A third one struck in rapid succession. She felt something trickle down her back. The fourth one struck low. Through the haze of pain, she realized that it had struck her cutie mark. Were the star symbols going to be forever

marred by a scar? The fifth and sixth strikes burned out the thought from her mind along with anything else she could think of. By the tenth, or at least she thought it was the tenth, she was no longer sure if she was counting right. She cried out between her teeth. Her jaws were clenched so tightly that she feared that the bones would shatter. The pain sapped the strength from her forelegs. There was a fire raging on her back, an unrelenting blaze that tore off shreds of her skin and flung them away with smoking hooked claws. Her forelegs let go at one point but the ropes held her in place securely. Her vision dimmed and she gazed at Vanguard weakly, her mind still making futile attempts to recall just how many she had received and how many more were coming. The lashing continued anyway.

Chapter 29 A Thousand Years "Look she's waking up!" "Quiet down, Pinkie! And don't crowd her!" "Oh, thank goodness!" It took some time before the garble of concerned voices untangled themselves for Twilight to recognize them. She was lying belly-first on something soft, a bed most likely. The last thing she remembered was agonizing pain and waiting for the next lash and then…nothing. She opened her eyes weakly and tried to stand. Her back protested immediately, making her wince and stay down. "Don't move so much, Twilight Sparkle, you're not fully healed yet." Twilight recognized Princess Luna's voice. The haze of pain cleared up enough to let her see some blurry colors; Princess Luna's dark coat against gray, stone walls, Rainbow Dash's mane, Pinkie's tail... "She's up! Does she need anything?" Fluttershy asked. "Doctor Redbrand gave me something for the pain." "I don't think sipping brandy's gonna do Twilight much good, Fluttershy," Applejack remarked. "She's been out a long time. Ain't no need to knock her out some more." "Stay still, Twilight," Spike said worriedly. "Just keep resting until your injury's gone." A minute passed before the haze lifted. Twilight saw that she was back in their shared quarters with all of her friends surrounding her. Immediately, she tried to get a feel of her back. She braced herself for the rough feel of scars or even the moist, painful feel of still-fresh wounds. To her surprise, she only felt a bit of roughness. The pain was still there upon touching them but not to a degree that she had expected.

"How are you feeling?" Luna asked. The youngest princess of Equestria was standing right next to her bed while the others were crowded around her. "Awful," Twilight groaned. She tried to rise again and winced at the second attempt. "Not as awful as I thought I'd feel though," she amended. That was when she realized that she was sheathed in magic. Luna's dark purple magic. The princess's horn was aglow with power. "Princess?" she asked. "Surprised at your recovery?" Luna asked with a smile. "Give me a little credit, Twilight Sparkle. I am Princess of the Night. Most ponies only think of shadows and monsters when my domain is mentioned. They tend to forget that it is also the time of rest and regeneration." "It's really amazing!" Fluttershy said in admiration. "Your back looked horrible when they first carried you here but it's only been a couple of hours and it's looking much better!" "Yeah!" Rainbow added. "From the look of it, you wouldn't believe that you just got lashed eighteen times!" "There will still be a few marks," Luna told them. "Healing magic works with the body and the body isn't perfect." Twilight stretched her back a little in disbelief. The pain was still there but it was considerably less. "Healing magic," she said breathlessly. "I knew it existed but I've only read a few obscure references." She paused in surprise as she remembered Rainbow's comment. "Wait a minute…eighteen? I was only lashed eighteen times?" "Woah there, partner!" Applejack said. "Only? You're making it sound like a bad thing." "You fainted after the eighteenth," Luna explained. "My brother put a stop to it after that. The rest of the lashes went to Vanguard Clash." "That leaves forty-two!" Twilight exclaimed. She looked around in a panic. Prince Terrato had mentioned that forty was the limit to make sure that the pony being punished survived. "Where's Vanguard?" "He's fine, dear," Rarity said soothingly. "He's over there."

Twilight followed Rarity's pointing hoof and spotted Vanguard's sleeping form by the corner of the room. Like her, he was also surrounded by Luna's magic. Unlike her, he was still fast asleep. Twilight couldn't help but smile. For once since she had known him, Vanguard Clash looked vulnerable. A half-full bottle lay by his bedside table. Still, she was concerned about what he had just gone through. "They lashed him forty-two times?" she asked. Terrato had called what he had done treason. She knew that he was going to get into trouble for what he had done but she realized that it was only now that she understood just how much. "They stopped at forty," Luna replied. "I suppose even my brother is capable of small mercies if he exerts himself." "Actually, it was thirty-nine. I counted," Rainbow added. Luna raised an eyebrow and then glanced at Rainbow. "Thank you for keeping careful count then," she said flatly. To Twilight she spoke in a gentler tone "Don't worry about numbers. The legion won't hold you in debt for those lashes. I think even my brother's stubborn sense of justice will be satisfied with what happened today." "Eighteen…" Twilight said softly. "So much for half and half." Her smile lessened. She felt that she had demeaned herself before Vanguard. She had been talking about taking on thirty and she had fallen short of the bare minimum. "You had noble intentions and it was a valiant effort," Luna said emphatically. "But your time here hasn't been that long. The Barrier Lands haven't hardened you for thirty lashes, Twilight Sparkle. At least not yet." "She shouldn't have taken eighteen to begin with!" Applejack said in indignation. "Twilight and Vanguard have been nothing but good legionnaires. Why'd Terrato have to punish them? Why, he should be rewarding them for their hard work!" Luna opened her mouth to answer but it was Twilight who spoke. "He had his reasons. Princess Celestia's law was broken and, as prince, it was his duty to make sure somepony was punished."

"Haven't you been punished enough for finding out about this place when you got banished?" Spike asked. "It's not fair that you're punished again! And you came here to help out too! I say that prince is just being a jerk!" "Spike!" Twilight chided the baby dragon and motioned towards Luna. "He's her brother!" Spike glanced worriedly at Luna and then crossed his arms. He had seen what Twilight looked like when they first carried her here. He wasn't going to change his opinion even if the pony responsible for that horrible beating was a prince. Luna let out a sigh and looked over to Twilight. The others fell silent as she spoke. "I apologize on my brother's behalf," she said. The downcast look on her face made even Spike hesitate about his opinion. "Terrato does have a gentler side. It's just that…he's very devoted to Celestia and the only way he really knows how to express that is by lashing out at anything he thinks is a threat to her." "Hasn't he ever heard of hugs?" Spike asked. Luna smiled slightly. "He'd try it if Celestia would come close enough for one." Her gaze focused on Twilight. "I feel that I must apologize for my sister as well. This banishment is wrong and it's only going to hurt her and all of you as it continues." There was another moment of silence. Twilight tried for the third time to rise and she managed some degree of success. Enough so she could put a hoof on Luna's shoulder. "There's no need," she said. "None of us here bear any grudges. Not for Prince Terrato and certainly not Princess Celestia." "Well-" Spike was about to say something but Twilight gave him a stern look. "Fine," he said. "No grudges. But he better not get anypony else whipped!" Luna's smile widened. "Why is it so much easier to get along with mortal ponies than my own siblings?" she wondered aloud. "I wish I could stay with all of you but I must leave. My brother wants me back in the Heartland." She focused on Twilight again but she addressed what she

said next to all of them. "Is there something you want me to tell my sister?" she asked. "Tell her we said hi!" Pinkie Pie quickly replied. Applejack frowned at the frivolous reply and stepped forward. "Well, I don't really know what to tell the princess, your highness, but we'd be much obliged if you could tell our folks and friends that we're all safe here. Course, you don't have to tell them where we are or why we're here and all." Luna nodded and then looked at Twilight. "What about you?" she asked. Twilight was quiet for some time. The pain on her back faded to the corner of her mind as she contended with a more painful matter. "Tell her we're all doing well and…" She gathered her resolve as she spoke. "…and I haven't changed my mind despite the difficulties." "I will," Luna replied. With that, she began to concentrate on a spell to transport her back to her sister's realm. "Princess Luna!" Twilight suddenly called out. Luna looked up in response. "Thank you for everything! Oh, and don't tell her about this whole whipping matter. From what you said, your brother and sister aren't getting along very well. I don't want things between them to get worse." "Don't worry, I won't," Luna replied. "Stay safe, Twilight Sparkle." Her horn glowed and arcs of magical energy began to surround her. There was a flash of light and Princess Luna was gone from the Barrier Lands.

Luna's destination was a carefully planned one. She had left the Heartland in a huff and despite Celestia's admonishments not to go. Given those circumstances, just appearing in the throne room as if nothing had happened didn't seem like a good idea. She decided to appear just outside the royal palace's main gates. From there, she would approach Celestia slowly and respectfully. Fortunately enough, she had some good news to share. Twilight Sparkle and her friends were alive and well for now. The wolven were pushing hard, negotiations with King Fenrir had failed and

Terrato's once-dead apprentice was leading a rebellion that would end in Celestia's assassination but at least Twilight Sparkle was safe. Luna emerged from her transportation spell already exhausted. Breaking through her sister's barrier was a difficult task and she had just finished healing Twilight and Vanguard Clash. It also occurred to her that the moon had to rise just a few hours from now and that she was going to have to blot out that moon for tonight as well. "Your highness!" Luna recognized the surprised voice that greeted her as soon as she had arrived. "Captain Bright Shield," she said to the leader of the squad of royal guards heading towards her. "Wait, what are you doing all the way out here?" she asked. Bright Shield bowed low once he came closer. "Welcome back to Canterlot, your highness," he said. "We have all been worried about you." He glanced back at the palace worriedly. "Strange things have happened since you were last here." At that alone, Luna immediately looked towards the palace. There was something wrong here. The very feel of the magic in the air had changed. She could feel the presence of things that she hadn't for more than a thousand years, even before her banishment. "Where is my sister?" she asked. "She is in the throne room, your highness," Bright Shield answered. "Nopony has been allowed in there for some time. Not even the Royal Guard." "I'm going in," Luna said. She rushed towards the palace. "Your highness, wait!" Bright Shield called out from behind her. "Those things guarding the-!" Luna didn't have to hear the rest. She pushed the doors to the palace aside with magic and froze at what she saw. There wasn't a single pony within the palace halls, not even the Royal Guard. Had the palace developed such a fearsome reputation in such a

short time that nopony dared to even come near it? And then she saw the reason for that. At the end of the first hall was a pair of…beings that she hadn't seen for centuries and hadn't expected to see for centuries more. They appeared as pony-shaped blazes of white flame. Each was about Celestia's size and encased in burnished golden barding. Gouts of fire emerged from their backs to form wing-like shapes. Two bright red spots of light burned from where their eyes should be. "Your highness, please be careful!" Bright Shield called out as he galloped towards her. "There are-!" "Equi Ignei," Luna breathed. To Bright Shield it almost sounded like a curse. "Enforcers of the Eternal Herd. What have you done, big sister?" "Equi- what?" Bright Shield asked in confusion. "Your highness-!" "Keep your guards back, Captain Bright Shield!" Luna said harshly. "I have to speak with my sister!" She ran towards the throne room's direction. As she approached however, the fiery ponies moved to block her path. The heat that radiated from them was intense. They were bigger than her already and they raised their "wings" to make themselves even more intimidating. Luna hesitated, a bead of sweat dripping from her brow to the floor. The Equi Ignei were creatures outside of this world. Defeating them would take magic beyond any mortal pony's. Even she would be hard pressed against them but was she even going to try? Fighting against them would be the equivalent of going against… Luna steeled herself and stood tall. She was still Princess of the Night and these beings owed her as much respect as they would owe her siblings. "What is the meaning of this?" she asked indignantly. "Stand aside!" One of them opened its mouth to answer. The first thing that Luna heard however was Bright Shield crying out and falling to the ground. She glanced back to find him flat on his belly, clutching his ears and shaking. The Equi Ignei spoke in a language that she hadn't heard since she and her siblings first came to what would be Equestria.

"Very well," she agreed. "I will see her no matter what. 'Escort' me to her if you wish." The doors that led to the inner halls opened and two more of the fiery beings appeared. Luna looked back at Bright Shield one more time and motioned for him to leave before following them. The Equi Ignei positioned themselves around her with two flanking her, one in front and one at the rear. To their credit they at least maintained a respectable distance and they didn't watch her like hawks. They had also dismissed the heat that they emanated much to her relief. She was worried that they would attempt to roast her with their formation before she even made it to the throne room. She also noticed that the only hoof-falls resounding within the hall belonged to her. For all their grand appearance, her escorts were perfectly silent. Finally, they reached the throne room. Four more Equi Ignei guarded the place. Two stood at the foot of the stairs that led to the throne and two more flanked Celestia herself. "Welcome back, Luna," Celestia said. There was nothing threatening about the words and she spoke softly and respectfully. The mere lack of warmth still put Luna on the defensive. What had happened while she was away? Perhaps her brother was right about sending her back. "Explain yourself, big sister," Luna said. She gestured towards the blazing pony-shaped flames all around her. "Why are they here? What could possibly drive you to risk a gate to the Eternal Herd?" "Precaution," Celestia answered simply. Luna stopped and stared at her sister in befuddled surprise. The Equi Ignei were forbidden to interfere with the affairs of mortal ponies. They could not be sent against the wolven or any of Equestria's enemies. Here in this world, the only creatures they could be sent against would be… "Are you also afraid that I'd allow Nightmare Moon to possess me again?" Luna asked through grit teeth. To her mind, even that didn't make sense. Even during the time she transformed, Celestia had not dared to summon the Equi Ignei. Then again, the Elements of Harmony were still there to be used. 'Elements of Harmony…' she thought. She remembered Twilight and her friends back in the Barrier Lands.

"Nightmare Moon is gone," Celestia replied. "Who else will you need them for if not me?" Luna asked. Her eyes widened at the only option. "Terrato…" she breathed. The lack of immediate response was more than enough confirmation. "You actually think that big brother will come here and attack you?" she asked aghast. "That it would reach the point where you will have to send the Equi Ignei against him? "They are here as a precaution," Celestia reiterated firmly. "Now, will you answer my questions, Luna?" "Is that an order?" Luna asked. "Am I being interrogated?" Celestia ignored the biting questions. "What have you been doing in the Barrier Lands?" she asked. "I went there to find out what happened to Twilight Sparkle and her friends," Luna answered. "Something you should have done yourself, big sister!" A look of concern crossed Celestia's face. It was then that Luna noticed how tired her older sister looked. Celestia's coat lacked luster and her mane was disheveled. Even her eyes looked dull and lifeless while her legs trembled. Merely opening a gate to the Eternal Herd strained even an alicorn's magic. To actually call things out of it… "What did you find out?" Celestia asked. "How are they? Where are they?" "She's safe," Luna replied. "All of them are." She was taken aback as she saw her sister overcome with joy and relief. Another question marred that joy however. "Why aren't they with you?" Celestia asked. "Haven't they seen enough?" "They've seen enough, big sister, enough so that they've decided to help in Equestria's defense. They're with big brother at the moment and they've joined the Equestrian Legion. Twilight Sparkle wants you to know that they're doing well and that she hasn't changed her mind."

The relief melted away and was replaced with complete shock. "They…they've joined the legion?" Celestia asked. Luna grew puzzled at the response. "I just said that they wanted to help, big sister, joining the legion seems the natural result of that." "The legion belongs to Terrato!" Celestia said worriedly. "If Twilight has joined it, he will claim that she belongs to him as well! He will think of the Elements of Harmony as weapons he now has at his disposal!" "The legion belongs to Equestria!" Luna replied. "As does big brother's loyalty!" A hint of anger crept into her voice. It was anger towards the growing rift between her siblings and anger towards herself for letting so much time go to waste while that rift grew. One thousand years…even if with the most modest opinion of herself she could have done something during such a length of time. Instead, she wasted that time over a petty grudge that appeared more foalish with each passing moment. Right now, one thousand years seemed such a long time indeed. She had once thought that it was because she had spent it in isolation. A thousand years must have gone like a blink for her siblings. Only recently had she realized that all three of them had spent about a thousand years in isolation. "Is that right?" "What ideas have you been entertaining, big sister? Better yet, who have you been listening to?" A stern look came upon Celestia. "There is a pony here by the name of Sun Gazer," she said. "He claims that Terrato plans to take over all of Equestria and banish me to the moon with the Elements of Harmony that have now fallen into his hooves. He says that Terrato is conspiring with you." "Bring him out," Luna said, her voice shaking. "I will confront this liar myself!" "No." "Why not? If he is going accuse two thirds of Equestria's royalty, he had better be able to do it face to face!"

"If I bring him out, you might strike him down to silence him." Luna stared at the alicorn sitting on the throne. Was she even talking to Celestia? "You think that I will outright murder a pony right before your eyes?" she asked. "I don't know what to think anymore, Luna," Celestia said with a sigh and a shake of her head. To Luna, that was the same as "yes". "So many things have turned out so differently from what I had expected over these few days. It seems only yesterday that I believed Twilight Sparkle would believe in what I had to do, that the legion will always stand strong and you will always stay by my side. I can't rely on beliefs anymore." "Twilight Sparkle still believes in you," Luna said quietly. "The legion still stands strong. And I am still by your side!" Celestia did not seem to hear any of those words. "I will look into these matters myself." "You would give weight to these lies against big brother?" "Yes." The bluntness of the answer caused something to snap within Luna, something that had wound up each time Terrato said "dearest sister" and each time Celestia had that worried look on her face whenever he was mentioned. "He is our brother!" she protested. "He used to be our brother!" Celestia's voice cracked like a thunder strike, leaving Luna silent. It wasn't intimidation that took away Luna's words or left a mark on her face. It was…realization, a realization that demanded an explanation. Celestia looked away, unable to directly face that demand. "Terrato knew of the dangers when he volunteered to lead Equestria's defenders." Celestia explained. "He knew that war would change him which was why he insisted that he lead the legion alone while we governed. He has been out there for so long, Luna. An ocean of blood has soaked him and the corpses of millions weigh down on his shoulders. You would know of what he has become! When Nightmare Moon possessed you, his first

reaction was to kill you! Even when the Elements of Harmony freed you, he still insists that you were better off dead! How am I supposed to see his actions of late? Insisting that the barrier be breached…turning Twilight into a legionnaire…" "I had a feeling that you were hiding this," Luna said softly. "I just had to hear it for myself. A thousand years has been too long, big sister; for all three of us." "It has," Celestia said. The two of them were silent. It was the first thing they had agreed on all day. "I will see to this matter, Luna," she continued after some time. "In the meantime, please stay here in the palace." Luna glanced at the Equi Ignei surrounding her. "You're confining me," she accused her sister. "Again." "For Equestria's sake-" "You've lost sight of what those words mean."

Chapter 30 Fire and Fury Three days had passed since Twilight and Vanguard's public flogging and the siege was well underway. With no quick victory in sight, the wolven settled down to cutting off supplies to Bastion City. Squads of bolters were placed in strategic positions, ready to shoot down any pegasus attempting to fly in or out of the city. Despite the destruction of several of them, the catapults continued to fire upon the walls in the slow process of bringing them down. Wolven miners began to dig tunnels to undermine the structural integrity of city's defenses as well. Earlier, they had discovered tunnels already made and tried to use those. In response, the defenders of Bastion City dug in and prepared for a defensive war. Rations were strictly controlled at the start to make sure that no supplies were wasted. Unicorn magi guarded the walls in shifts to weaken catapult attacks with telekinesis. When wolven miners began to move in, the legion spotted the tunnels and sent ponies to counter-mine. They discovered the ready-made tunnels and sent ponies to collapse them on top of the wolven who had tried to use them. The result of the clash of tactics was a temporary stalemate, something that greatly displeased the king of Wolvengard. At the heart of his army, Fenrir pawed the snow-covered ground in a rage. As far as he was concerned, "stalemate" meant that Terrato was winning. To further worsen his temper, he had noticed that Luna's scent had moved far, far away. He did not put it beyond Terrato to have Luna nearby to tantalize him and then send her away as an insult. Fenrir knew that he had to strike a blow. It did not need to be the spectacular shattering of the city's walls but it had to be a blow against cursed Terrato's legion so he could remind all of them, wolven and thunderfoot alike, that he had the upper paw. For all his savagery, Fenrir knew the importance of subtlety. A direct attack was not practicable. The defenses were still too strong. While he believed

that if he hurled his entire army at the city, he could overwhelm it, he decided against the idea. This was going to be a prolonged campaign. A single city captured was not enough. He planned on marching straight into cursed Celestia's capital itself and seizing Luna once and for all. To do that, he had to preserve his troops as much as possible. His first few moves required a different sort of approach. "Moon-Shadow!" he growled. The other wolven, even the mighty brachyurii that surrounded him, quailed at his voice. At his command, his trusted ally appeared before him. Moon-Shadow had just recently returned from a disastrous mission that left her stranded on the moon for a thousand years. Her most recent mission had been a success and Fenrir counted on that trend to continue. His ally appeared as a white, horned thunder-foot ablaze in black flame. Moon-Shadow always did have a preference for taking on the guise of their enemies and this time was no different. "I am here, Fenrir," Moon-Shadow replied. She addressed the giant wolf as an equal rather than a servant, a privilege given to no one else. "Does cursed Terrato know that you've returned?" "I have hidden my presence well. He thinks that I was destroyed completely when I was expelled from his sister." "Good. I want you to hurt his legion. Sneak into their city and hurt them. Remind the thunder-foots that they are not safe. Leave before Terrato catches your scent." "I will." As Moon-Shadow left Fenrir's presence, the other wolven backed away from her warily. They could still smell the scent of thunder-foot around her but it was an odor tainted by something so unnatural that none of them dared to even stand close. 'You think that you can just dance your way into Bastion City?' Pyre Valor asked from within. She had allowed Nightmare Moon more control while they remained among the wolven. She didn't know how her hated enemies behaved and she didn't want to do something stupid such as provoke their king.

"Of course not," Nightmare Moon replied. "But you can. You lived there before becoming a legionnaire didn't you? You would know a thing or two about your city's mighty defenses." 'You've been peering into my memories.' "Not really but thank you for confirming what I thought." They left the wolven camp in silence after that. They were a good distance from the sentries when Nightmare Moon spoke again. "Angry again? You have the temper of a newborn volcano, Pyre Valor. I wonder how you managed to not incinerate your 'friends' for such a long time." "You know nothing of friendship," Pyre growled. Out here in the open plain, Nightmare Moon allowed her to control. The mere term was not something she quite grasped even after the time she spent with the spirit. She was still getting used to her new state of being. Being possessed was more than just "carrying a passenger". Nightmare Moon didn't sit inside a room within her, fiddling away with some sort of metaphysical controls and moved her body about like a puppet. They were…fused together, two wills sharing a single body. Even establishing and maintaining control was a complicated affair. The two of them didn't take turns. Pyre Valor felt as if she had complete control over her body at all times. However, whenever she would so much as lift a hoof, she had to contend with Nightmare Moon's will. If Nightmare Moon had other plans for that hoof, she would experience some resistance. She guessed that it must be the same for Nightmare Moon. Moving at all required a degree of harmony between them. If they couldn't agree on what to do then their body would be stuck. An unspoken system had developed between the two of them over time. Nightmare Moon seemed content to allow Pyre to move about most of the time, making suggestions whenever she deemed it necessary. Pyre guessed that so long as she behaved in a manner that aided the wolven, this would be the case. The sharing wasn't complete however. Nightmare Moon heard her thoughts and could use her magic but the opposite wasn't true. Clearly, equality wasn't part of their bargain. Pyre pushed out those thoughts for now. Fenrir had given them orders and she was willing to do as the king of Wolvengard asked. She didn't have to

do it alone either. Far away from the city and the wolven camp was a small tent where one pony waited. When the wolven made their way to Bastion City, Pyre had asked Blademane to run ahead and make camp away from the wolven army. He had complied without a single protest, as he had done since she decided to do this. Blademane was sitting in front of his tent and tending a small fire. As soon as he spotted Pyre, he stood up and at attention. Pyre felt a twinge in her chest whenever she saw that. Blademane continued to act that she was his captain even though it was clear that they were caught in circumstances where that title meant nothing. She had asked him already why he stayed. All he answered was "I am on your side." "I'm going to infiltrate Bastion City through an old entrance I know," Pyre said. "From there, I'm going to launch a quick raid to shake them up a bit." "Do you need assistance?" Blademane asked without hesitation. Pyre nodded. "It's a small passage where Vanguard and I played in as children," she replied. "It's well hidden and should still be there. I can't bring a large group so you'll do as backup." "Understood. When do we leave?" "Nightfall."

The past three days had been relatively easy for Twilight Sparkle. She was starting to get the hang of "boulder catching" and she had managed to stay out of trouble. She had also been granted access to some of the legion's surviving spell books, a chance she happily jumped at. Finally, she was going to read actual spell books from the Barrier Lands. Pyre Valor's notes had been an important source of spells but she can move past beginning spells that had been cast aside. She expected the first book she read to be an eye-opener to the Barrier Lands approach to magic. And it was. She had expected it already given that these were spell books collected by the legion. There were no mustache-growing spells here, only page after page of combat spells. The variety of ways by which the unicorns of the Barrier Lands have developed to hurt and kill was outright

frightening. Fireball, with all its heat and intensity, was just the beginning. Just by flipping through pages, she found a spell that sucked all the water out of its victim, a spell that boiled the blood within its victim's veins and a spell that filled its victim's lungs with poisonous gas. Was it really necessary to try to be so creative in order to kill an enemy? However, Mage Captain Owlsight had her put away the advanced combat spells. "You have a reliable offensive spell, Recruit Sparkle, I suggest you pick up some defensive spells first. 'Shield' is a good starting point." he had said. Twilight considered it good advice. She started on some basic defensive spells and worked on them whenever she had some free time. At the end of another day of "boulder catching" and training along with the other recruits, Twilight made her way back home where she would spend more time studying. "Hey, Sparkle!" Twilight looked to her side to find some of the recruits in her group waving at her. "We're off to get drinks over at Storm Brew's new place! Want to come along?" one of the recruits asked. Twilight shook her head with a smile. "I'll pass!" she replied. "I've got some more studying to do!" "Bookworm!" the recruit called out good-naturedly. They went on, talking among themselves. Twilight couldn't help but notice that she had been getting along quite well with her group especially since the past two days. She rounded the corner of one street with a little hurry in her step. It was close to evening and she didn't want to waste any time before getting to sleep. She was still a few more corners from her new home when she stopped. At just by the next corner, she spotted Vanguard Clash and Scarlet Rabbit. "Vanguard!" she called out. The two saw her and waved in acknowledgment. "Are the two of you still on duty?" she asked once she got close enough.

"No," Scarlet answered. "But the captain here suddenly had a hunch or something and wants to check something out!" Twilight looked to Vanguard curiously. "There are ways into this city besides the main gates," Vanguard said. "I remember an old passageway by the western walls. I want to check it out in case it might turn into a problem later." "Wanna join us?" Scarlet asked. "Scarlet this isn't some outing," Vanguard said sternly. "Oh, why not? We brought Applejack with us the last time!" "That has nothing to do with this," Vanguard said as he turned towards Twilight. "You should be resting," he told her. "Your back hasn't fully recovered, I take it?" "You're the one with forty lashes still on you," Twilight replied. She had wanted to know more about what Vanguard did around the city. "Besides, I don't mind coming along." "Great!" Scarlet crowed. "The more the merrier!" "There is nothing merry about this," Vanguard insisted sternly. "We're just going to check if that passage is still there. I'm not even sure if I'm remembering it right." The three of them made their way to the western portion of the walls as evening continued to settle. It was already dark by the time they made it there. Vanguard led them through a veritable maze of smaller side streets, leaving Twilight completely lost. "So how do you know about this passage?" she asked Vanguard. "I used to play a lot around these parts when I was a colt," Vanguard explained. "Pyre and I found that passage and used it to sneak out of the city at times." "Why would you want to sneak out of the city?"

"Survival camping when we were younger, dueling tournaments when we were a bit older." "Dueling is illegal within city limits," Scarlet added with a grin. Twilight raised an eyebrow. "Duels...as in you fought other ponies?" "I thought it was a good way to test ourselves before we joined the legion," Vanguard replied. "Pyre wanted to throw herself at every aspiring unicorn as soon as she learned her first combat spell." "Didn't you ever get caught?" "The other participants had their routes discovered. Ours never was. Maybe somepony has already found it and closed it up. Or we could have a potential entry point to the city." "It seems there's a lot of-" Twilight began. Before she could continue, Vanguard suddenly raised a hoof to stop them. They had stopped in front of a deserted alleyway. Twilight was a little taken aback at the scattered rubble in it. It seemed that this place was used to store old construction equipment. Bits of wood were scattered about along with old pieces of scaffolding and sacks of broken stones. But, as she looked ahead, Twilight realized why Vanguard and Scarlet had stopped. At the end of the alley stood two ponies. One of them was a white unicorn with a long, wild black mane. The other was a large, brown earth pony. Twilight recognized them at once. "Pyre Valor," Vanguard growled. His hoof went to the two-bladed sword strapped to his harness. Twilight steeled herself for a fight. Pyre Valor looked shocked at the mere sight of Vanguard but the shock was immediately replaced by an angry glare when the white unicorn's eyes focused her. Blademane stepped forward protectively. "Go for backup, Scarlet," Vanguard said right before he clamped down on the hilt of his weapon.

Scarlet hesitated for a second and then nodded before flying off. He was the fastest and it fell on him to call up reinforcements. He didn't like the idea of leaving his captain with Pyre Valor and Blademane however. The last time he did that, Vanguard was nearly roasted. He hoped that Twilight Sparkle's presence will change that outcome. The moment Scarlet flew off, Blademane charged at Vanguard, who met it with a charge of his own. The two crashed into each other with a loud, metallic bang. Blademane had slammed his head against Vanguard's and kept it in place to prevent the two-bladed sword from slicing him up. Pyre Valor's horn flashed dark red before she disappeared. Twilight saw a flash of red on top of a nearby building. "Twilight, don't let her run around loose!" Vanguard shouted. "But be careful!" Twilight nodded and cast her own teleportation spell, reappearing on top of the same building Pyre Valor had teleported onto. With Twilight gone, Vanguard pushed Blademane away and swiped at the brown stallion with his weapon. The blade cut between the plates of Blademane's barding, leaving a deep gash just between his right shoulder and foreleg. Blademane jumped back and hesitated. The narrow space would make it difficult for Vanguard to swing his massive weapon about but he knew that his former captain had fought in similar situations before. His best bet was to keep at the center of the two blades and beat down Vanguard with his tramplers. The narrow alley should keep Vanguard's swings to short ones. The two of them charged at each other once more. Blademane encountered another problem as he butted heads with Vanguard. His former captain's nightsteel fullplate was much stronger than his regular barding. His champron dented on impact, causing starts to burst in his vision. He ignored the pain and reared up to strike with his front tramplers. Vanguard mimicked the move, locking them in a shoving match with their forelegs against each other's. The blades stuck out just above their forelegs. Blademane put his entire weight into shoving Vanguard back but, despite being smaller, Vanguard proved difficult to budge. Suddenly, Vanguard fell backwards. The lack of resistance pulled Blademane off balance, sending him falling forward. With Blademane

above him, Vanguard put both his hind legs against the bigger stallion's belly and kicked upwards, knocking Blademane into the air before turning his head to one side so that Blademane's unprotected belly would land on his weapon's edge. Realizing his predicament, Blademane twisted in mid-air to avoid being gutted. He collapsed clumsily on his back, just a foot from Vanguard, who had already rolled to his hooves. Blademane rolled in time as the twobladed sword thrust into the ground just where his exposed belly was. Panting, he got to his hooves. Blood continued to pour from his injured foreleg, staining the ground beneath him.

"You said that the only pony who knew of that passage was dead." 'That was him. It looks like we somehow came upon the same idea at the same time.' "We're going to have a discussion on how you see the word "dead"." Pyre ignored Nightmare Moon for a while and looked around from her vantage point. She didn't have much time to cause some damage. A few fire spells at food storage building should give the legion a wakeup call. She thought of heading for the main gates and blowing them up but that required a lot of empowerment from Nightmare Moon. With Prince Terrato so close, Nightmare Moon didn't want to risk it. And that was with regular gates. Bastion City's gates were now heavily guarded and magically reinforced. The legion learned quickly from past mistakes and FangBreaker Fortress's fall was a very stark lesson indeed. "Stop!" Pyre turned around to find that the purple chosen had followed her. Her temper flared at the sight of the legion mage-coat on a miserable chosen. She wasn't the only one to recognize this Night Sparkle, however. She also felt some of Nightmare Moon's realization as well. "This miserable unicorn will be the first to die-" 'Stand down.'

"What? You do not command me, Pyre Valor!" 'I said stand down!' The ferocious resistance that Nightmare Moon encountered made her hesitate. Her first impulse was to fight back and remind Pyre Valor just who possessed who but having a contest of wills now would be disastrous. She would have to exert a lot of her power and that may very well alert Prince Terrato. Not only that, she recognized this unicorn. This was the bearer of the Element of Magic, the central figure of the Elements of Harmony that had purged her from Princess Luna. The rest of the elements may be here as well. It may be for the best to let Pyre Valor deal with them for now. Pyre felt Nightmare Moon's presence within her recede. With her body under control, she took a step towards her hated enemy, her horn already glowing with magic. "Take off that mage-coat, chosen filth!" she snarled. "I've never seen a bigger insult to the legion! You're going to pay for this, Night Sparkle." "This coat is standard issue to every unicorn legionnaire," Twilight replied, her horn glowing as well. "That includes me. By the way, it's Twilight Sparkle." "Take it off or I will burn every inch of your skin." Pyre's snarl turned into a low, dangerous tone. "You threatened a scared unicorn who stumbled into this land without knowing anything, Pyre Valor," Twilight replied. "I'm not that same unicorn." For once, she wasn't afraid of this unicorn. The two of them faced off on a wide, flat rooftop a couple of stories from the ground. The roof was covered with a thin layer of snow, making it a bit slippery. She kept her footing however. "Is that so?" A sphere of white-hot flames flew from Pyre's horn. Recognizing a fireball, Twilight answered with one of hers. The two spheres collided between them and exploded, bathing the rooftop in searing heat. Twilight stepped back and raised a portion of her mage-coat to protect her from the blast. "You think you've seen fire? You haven't seen anything!"

To Twilight's horrified surprise, four enormous burning boulders flew from the blast as it dissipated. Each one was about the size of an adult pony, covered with burning cracks and ablaze in lurid red flame. She cast a teleportation spell in time and emerged several feet directly behind Pyre Valor. She appeared just in time to see the boulders converge on where she was standing and explode with a deafening boom. Half the roof top erupted in flames, scattering bits of stone and wood across the entire area. One of the boulders had missed its mark and struck the building on the other side of the alley where Vanguard was. Smoke and flames began to spread from that building. Twilight swallowed hard as she saw the destruction. Pyre Valor was right. She thought she had seen how dangerous fire spells were. She had no idea. Now, it was clear why something as dangerous as fireball was in Pyre Valor's beginner notes. There was no time to look at just how much damage that last fire spell had done however. There was something wrong with where she was standing on. She was faced with Pyre Valor's back and should have some kind of advantage but... That was when she noticed a small glint of red from the corner of her eye. She looked down to find what appeared to be a small ruby pulsing with red light. Suddenly realizing that she was in terrible danger, she cast another teleportation spell. The gem flared up briefly and then exploded, all but destroying the other side of the roof and leaving only the middle section intact. Twilight reappeared to Pyre's side, her body smoking from several burns. Her teleportation had saved her life but not without some of the flames actually reaching her. Pyre Valor quickly rushed Twilight and slammed a front hoof into her face, knocking her down. Twilight tried to focus with Pyre just a foot away and closing in. There was no time for any difficult spell. She concentrated on her telekinesis, enveloping Pyre in a purple nimbus. Pyre's horn flashed with magic, breaking Twilight's telekinetic grip. She slammed another hoof onto her prone opponent's face, rubbing it against the rooftop. "That was pathetic!" she snarled. She pounded Twilight's face repeatedly, trying to take out an unquenchable rage. "Weakling! Chosen filth! They may as well let insects into the legion!"

The violent pounding only increasing her rage, Pyre grabbed a hank of Twilight's mane with her teeth and pulled the purple unicorn to her hooves only to hurl her to the ground to her opposite side. "Faced with an overwhelming attack, you so predictably teleported towards the exact opposite direction it was heading towards. Did you think I wouldn't expect that? And using telekinesis? The first spell any unicorn thinks of a counter spell to when facing another unicorn? Moron!" Twilight raised covered her face with her forelegs as another assault of hooves rained down on her. Her horn flashed briefly and her body was covered with an almost invisible screen of protective magic. The blows continued to hurt but they did much less damage. Pyre Valor trampled her opponent relentlessly, uncaring of what had happened down at the alley where she left Blademane to deal with Vanguard. She noticed the quick spell cast but didn't care. To her mind, "Armor" was a weak, basic spell. Yet more proof at how pathetic her opponent was. "You stand against me as if you had a chance!" she snarled. "I've fought unicorns worth ten of you! When was the last time you looked at a unicorn and thought to yourself 'How can I beat her?' Miserable-!" Pyre Valor's tirade stopped as, suddenly, her left foreleg refused to move. "That's enough!" Nightmare Moon snarled within her mind. "We've wasted too much time on this pony! Kill her and let's go! We can't harm the legion much as it is and Terrato may very well be upon us soon!" Pyre tried to lift her other hoof only to encounter the same resistance. "Enough trampling! She's helpless! Burn her to a crisp!" Pyre's horn flared with dark red light as she readied a killing spell. Before she could cast it however, she heard the distant sound of wings flapping. On impulse, she jumped to one side just as a bolt flew towards her. "Hold still while I skewer you, Pyre!" Scarlet Rabbit shouted. He pulled another bolt from the case strapped to his flank and reloaded for another shot. Behind him, several pegasi aimed their crossbows at the white unicorn. Before they could fire however, their target suddenly burst into black flames. A thick bank of black smoke quickly filled the burning remains

of the rooftop. The pegasi fired their weapons at where they estimated Pyre Valor still was but couldn't tell if they hit anything. The smoke shifted towards the alley near the building, moving as if it were a living creature.

In the alley, Vanguard and Blademane were still fighting. Blademane was now sporting several cuts to his chest and forelegs. His barding was dented in several places and he was breathing heavily. Vanguard was bleeding from one nostril and had a several bruises just beneath the barding of his forelegs. Vanguard was about to charge again when smoke suddenly filled the alley. Gagging, he stumbled out of the cloud. As quickly as it had appeared, the smoke seemed to flow right into the passageway at the end of the alley and then disappeared. He looked around. Blademane was gone as well. He immediately looked towards upwards to the roof where Twilight had teleported to. He saw Scarlet hovering about, directing pegasi to help out in controlling the damage. "Scarlet!" he called out. "How's Twilight?" "Pyre kicked her flank pretty badly!" Scarlet shouted back. "But she'll be fine! Just some burns and bruises!" Vanguard shook his head. That can't bode well. He was at least thankful that he had intercepted Pyre Valor and Blademane before they could do any serious damage. All they had to deal with was a fire and some injuries. Right now, he was torn with feeling stupid that he had brought Twilight along and ended up getting her hurt...again and feeling relieved that Twilight was there to delay Pyre until reinforcements came along. He sighed and stepped out of the alley. He should at least help control the damage.

The following morning, Vanguard found Twilight by her desk with several open spell books. Her burns proved to be minor but she was still bound in bandages. Her face was also pretty swollen. Though it looked as if she had a hard time looking through the swelling around her right eye, she continued to read. The look of determination on her face made him loathe to bother her. Around them, the rest of their friends were still asleep. The sun had yet to rise after all. "Have you slept an hour at least?" he asked.

"I'm fine," she replied. "Those spells are useless if you're too tired to cast them." Twilight paused from her reading and looked at Vanguard. "Then tell me what else I can do," she said. Vanguard was taken aback by the fierce expression. "You know her best. Tell me. How do I beat Pyre Valor?" Vanguard let out a sigh before answering. "Learning more spells is just part of the solution," he said. "You're a very book-smart pony. You need to translate that to fighting knowledge. Sharpen your reflexes and learn all the little tricks that will help you win." "How do I do that?" "The quickest way is to pit yourself against other unicorns. Throw yourself into combat often enough and you'll get better." Vanguard expected hesitation from Twilight, maybe even some revulsion. He didn't expect grim determination. This could be bad. Pyre lit more fires than just the ones he helped put out yesterday. "A word of caution, Twilight Sparkle," he added. "What is it?" "If you walk Pyre's path, you'll end up where Pyre is." "I'll keep that in mind." "Take it to heart. Keeping things in mind is why your face is a swollen mess." Twilight didn't answer. She had been taking things too easy and underestimating this land. Magic was her specialty. It's about time everypony else saw that.

Chapter 31 Irreparable Damage In the centuries he had spent in this world, few things ever disconcerted Prince Terrato. He had seen the monsters that lurked the lands outside Equestria and the ones that lurked within it. He had seen incredible acts of might and magic and he had seen the best and the worst that his own ponies were capable of. All of these things he had looked upon with, at best, mild surprise. As he stared now at the pair of pony-shaped flames before him, being disconcerted was far too inadequate a word for what he felt. It was still early morning when he received word that a brief fire had broken out by the western side of Bastion City. As soon as the legionnaires that had brought the message had left, two Equi Ignei materialized before him. His first reaction was to brace himself for a fight. When they just stood there, curiosity took over defensiveness. "What are you doing here?" he had asked. He had not merely meant his realm but the very world he was in. One of them answered in its own tongue and Terrato was glad that these two had waited until he was alone. He didn't want to lose legionnaires to either deafness or insanity. These two were apparently acting as messengers and escorts. He had expected, at first, that it was his own parents that were sending for him. When they told him that it was Celestia who was summoning him, concern for his eldest sister overrode everything else. "She summoned you, didn't she?" he asked the two. "How many of you did she call up? For what purpose would she need the Equi Ignei?" When the two took too long to answer, his temper flared up. "Answer me!" he roared. One of them answered. Its tone was respectful but far from cowed despite his anger. The Equi Ignei respected the children of their masters but were not beholden to them as mortal ponies were. It was all but impossible to cow beings that stood in the presence of the King and Queen.

Terrato's eyes narrowed at the response. Precaution…he sneered at the idea. Precaution against what? He was his sister's defender. What threat could possibly make her think that she needed something besides…he paused and then stared at the two beings before him. His sister wanted to meet with him alone, in her realm while surrounded by Equi Ignei she had summoned. If he didn't know any better, he'd think that she was trying to assassinate him. He knew what the summons was for. She wanted to test his loyalty, to question him while he was stripped of his protections and outside his realm. "It's me…" he whispered. "I'm the threat she's summoned them for." The Equi Ignei waited silently. The lights that served as their eyes showed no emotion over the increasing anger of the pony they faced. "No," Terrato answered in a low tone. "Tell her I'm busy. In case she's forgotten, remind her that I'm in the middle of dealing with a crisis." The Equi Ignei spoke again. To his annoyance, Terrato felt the magic around the area distort as they did so. It seemed that Celestia wanted Twilight Sparkle and her friends back in the Heartland. 'And so another plan turns around and bites your flank, Celestia,' he thought. It was unlikely that any of the banished chosen would submit themselves to a memory lock. That would leave Celestia two options. She could imprison them somewhere or she was willing to risk spreading word by trusting them not to say anything and letting them loose. Terrato scoffed at the latter. If Celestia had been willing to do that, they wouldn't be in this mess. He also couldn't imagine Celestia locking up her chosen either. 'It's not that summoning the Equi Ignei was high in my list of things Celestia is most likely to do,' he thought. Why would she suddenly be so desperate to get them back anyway? Did she suddenly miss Twilight Sparkle horribly? A sudden onset of guilt? The answer hit him. The Elements of Harmony. He had sensed the power within them when he met them face to face. It made sense now. Celestia was trying to get the Elements of Harmony away from him in some deluded attempt to prevent his imaginary attack. The thought was infuriating. Did a thousand years of devoted protection mean nothing at all? "Twilight Sparkle is neither her property nor mine," Terrato replied. He was getting angrier by the second but he kept his voice calm just to match the formality that they showed him. "I'd ask you to talk to her yourselves to get

her answer but I'm not willing to risk blowing her brains up so I'll clue you in. Luna was here and she tried to convince them to go to a safe place. They refused. I asked them to stay in my fortress until Celestia called them back and they refused. Regardless of how they got here, they're staying on their own volition and I'm not going to insult them by asking a third time." The Equi Ignei spoke again. Their formality belied a persistence that only worsened Terrato's mood. "I don't give a crap if you won't take no for an answer!" he roared. His voice caused the entire building to shake and bits of dust fell to the floor. "You glorified cinders can't touch them anyway! If you have a problem with how I run things in my realm, I'll be happy to face you in battle right here and now!" His voice lowered to a growl. "Now go back to your summoner before I actually lose my temper." The Equi Ignei lingered for a few moments more before simply fading out like dying bonfires. "Hold," Terrato suddenly said. The flickering flames remained after he called out to them. In between leaving and staying, they looked more a small collection of guttering candle flames than blazing, otherworldly entities. He softened his tone. "If my words mean anything at all to her, tell Celestia that I have been and always will be devoted to her." The flickering flames completely faded out, leaving him alone in his makeshift audience hall. He rubbed his temples with his hooves and fell into brooding. Who was he kidding? Of course his words meant nothing to her. If they did, she'd be talking to him through a magical image instead of sending messages through their parents' troops. He wished he could have gone with them. He didn't care if he had to go alone and face Celestia while surrounded by Equi Ignei she summoned. He would have risked it just to actually stand in her physical presence instead of relying on magical images, something which she apparently didn't trust him with anymore. But he couldn't go. Not after last night's incident. That crafty, flea-bitten mongrel, Fenrir turned out to be hiding some trick up his sleeve. Bastion City was raided by a familiar presence, one that he still remembered despite not feeling it for so long. Nightmare Moon was around and Fenrir managed to keep her presence hidden. He couldn't risk abandoning Bastion City now.

Terrato frowned and thought it through carefully. Fenrir possessed some modicum of honor but he was not above manipulating the pact. Nightmare Moon was not involved in their pact and that gave her free reign to attack the legion using her new unicorn mage host. He realized how fortunate he was now that the Elements of Harmony had come to the Barrier Lands. He would have to rely on them. The thought of using Twilight Sparkle and her friends like weapons proved to be an unpleasant one. Celestia will certainly not forgive him for the things he will have to do for the sake of protecting her. "But the truth is, she's never forgiven you for going out to fight yourself." Terrato let out a sigh. Luna was right and he was deluding himself. He was out of Celestia's favor on the very first day he led the legion into its first battle and he had been fighting an unwinnable battle of trying to get back into her good graces ever since. He struck the floor with a hoof, giving the walls of the Grand Meeting Hall a good shaking, and cursed at the presence of the Equi Ignei. In addition to showing him how much Celestia distrusted him now, they reminded him of old times back in the Eternal Herd, times when he didn't have to concern himself with being the defender of Equestria. He closed his eyes and tried to look back past centuries of fighting and killing. He tried to remember galloping through the endless rolling plains of Elys where the golden grass tasted sweeter than any mortal food. Flying through the marble, cloud-covered mountains of Bytos, where springs of crystalline water flowed forth. And then there was Empyrea, the glorious city to which the seven heavenly rivers flowed to. Here, their parents ruled over the Eternal Herd. Most of all, he tried to remember Celestia standing right next to him. He tried to see her laughing and having fun, her bright pink mane flowing out behind her like sea foam, gently caressing her lustrous white coat. How he missed those days. They all came to a halt with one summons from the King and Queen. "Perhaps it is time to go home," Terrato muttered. Their stay here was tearing them apart. No, it had already torn them apart. The damage may well be permanent. He dreaded the prospect of standing before the King and Queen and explaining how it all came about.

Rainbow Dash zigzagged through the row of poles at a high speed. As she did so, she took out her crossbow, took aim and fired at the targets lined up at the sides of the training ground and then reloaded without slowing down. Bolts flew towards their targets in rapid succession and, by the time she reached the end of the training ground, five wolven cut outs had been shot at. She looked back at her handiwork while wiping some sweat off her brow. Two out of five targets had been struck. Two of her shots were close and one was wide. It was far from a perfect result but it was certainly an improvement. Ever since the initial attack, she hadn't flown into battle at all. She didn't like how she had performed that last time; panicking, spacing out, getting grazed…it was her first time in a fight but she still felt embarrassed. Right now, the lack of opportunities to put that dismal performance behind her was making her giddy. She had to focus all her pent up aggression on training and it showed in the mess of practice bolts scattered all across her section of the training grounds. That was when she heard a distant boom coming from somewhere in the city. It sounded like the rumble of thunder and she was about to fly off to investigate when she heard her flight captain call her name. "You're a pretty quick learner, Rainbow Dash," Tailwind called out from the ground. "It hasn't been a week since you first held that weapon and you're handling it well!" Beaming inside, Rainbow saluted and then landed just in front of Tailwind. "Did you hear that loud noise, flight captain?" she asked. "It sounded like an explosion." "Sounds more like our prince being a bit upset," Tailwind replied. "Never mind that. Come along, we've got work to do." Rainbow followed from behind as Tailwind walked towards the center of the training grounds where the rest of their flight was training. "Flight Dreadwing, fall in!" Tailwind shouted. There was a brief scramble. In a few seconds, every pegasus in area had lined up. "Last night, the wolven tried to launch a raid on our city. Thanks to that stupid son of mine and his chosen friend, Twilight Sparkle, they didn't get much done. We've been ordered to pay them back with a raid of our own along with Flight Storm

Dawn. I want everypony to be ready. We'll be hitting one of their exposed supplies by sundown. Is that understood?" "Yes, ma'am!" the flight answered in unison. Rainbow saluted and then went back to training once they were dismissed. Twilight had done it again. For all her squeamishness about what they had to do, she had been the one getting the most done out of all of her friends and making a name for herself. Rainbow couldn't help but feel a little envious. Just how many wolven did Twilight incinerate this time? And that was assuming she was still using the same spell. Knowing her, she probably had ten more combat spells down pat. 'Well, here's my chance to shine!' Rainbow thought. She'll have to find a way to distinguish herself in this raid. She couldn't let Twilight get all the glory. "Hey, Rainbow Dash!" Rainbow was about to have another go at the shot-on-the-wing course when a familiar voice caught her attention. She looked to her right to find Scarlet Rabbit hovering nearby. "Are you following me?" she asked in an annoyed tone. The question, along with the attached annoyance, bounced off Scarlet Rabbit as if she had been throwing pieces of crumpled paper at him. He reminded her a bit of Pinkie Pie, if Pinkie was a hardened killer of a soldier. "It's going to be your first raid tonight!" he said. "Excited?" "Well…" Rainbow was about to say yes when she hesitated. An image of her friends looking at her came to mind. Applejack and Twilight Sparkle were looking away. Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie just looked in concern, unable to understand what was bothering her. They didn't say a word but she could see the disapproval and worry. Worst of all, she could see traces of disgust and fear. They were judging her and she didn't like it. It wasn't her fault that she couldn't feel the same guilt as they did during the last fight. 'They're the ones in the wrong, not me,' she assured herself. They were ponies of the Barrier Lands now and they should be adjusting, not clinging to their ways when they only knew of the Heartland. "Yeah!" she answered with a resolve that surprised even her. "I am excited!"

Scarlet looked a little confused at first and then matched her enthusiasm with a grin. "Great! We're going to have a blast while burning down their supply wagons. I might even show you how to swoop down and pick up wolven so you can throw them to their deaths!" "Wait a minute! Why are you coming? You're not from Flight Dreadwing or Storm Dawn!" "Didn't Flight Captain Tailwind tell you? I'm coming along to help out with raids. Besides, I used to be Flight Dreadwing!" "Used to be doesn't count!" "Oh yeah? I may be in Special Operations now but I'm more Flight Dreadwing than you!" Scarlet shot back. He fiddled with his harness until he pulled out what appeared to be a medal and showed it to Rainbow proudly. She took a good look. The medal was gold and shaped into a stylized feathered wing with a pony skull embossed at its base. She recognized it as Flight Dreadwing's insignia."You're not really a member of the flight until you get one of these!" he boasted. Rainbow's eyes widened. She could just imagine the insignia on her harness. "How do I get one then?" she asked. She didn't even bother disguising the desire in her tone. "The flight captain gives them to anypony in the flight who fulfills one of her three tasks." "What are those?" "A fifty wolven kill count. Don't ask how the flight captain knows, she just does. There's also having a twenty wolven kill count in a single mission. Or you could do what I did." "What's that?" "Take down a brachyurus." Rainbow Dash swallowed. "Brachyurus?" she asked. "As in those really big white ones that hang around their rear lines?"

"Yup. They're not just big. They can jump really high and catch you when you think you're flying out of reach. They're tough enough to take an entire case of bolts without slowing down and they can rip you apart as if you were made of paper! If they don't just swallow you in one gulp!" "How did you kill one then?" "By being really awesome. I timed my shot just as it was about to bite me and put a bolt right down its gullet!" Rainbow looked at Scarlet carefully to see if he was making things up. Brachyurii were the strongest of the wolven. They didn't even belong to the list that pegasi worked down on when picking wolven targets. They were just too big, too strong and required coordinated efforts from different ponies to take out. It was hard to tell if he was lying however. Scarlet was always smiling and always cheery. He talked about killing fifty wolven as if he was talking about collecting stamps. She couldn't help but admire that trait a little. Although it did worry her that staying in this land will eventually make her feel the same. He was certainly the opposite of Twilight and the others, who blanched at the thought of killing even one wolven. "Say Scarlet…" she began. "Hmm?" "Do you ever feel bad about killing wolven?" Scarlet scoffed. "Of course not!" he replied vehemently. "Nothing gets me more pumped than flying into a furious fight, putting bolts through wolven skulls, dropping a few to their deaths and then reporting how awesome I was to the captain!" He flew about in place, barely able to contain his own excitement. Rainbow hovered backwards a bit. She expected that from Scarlet somehow. What she didn't expect was feeling…reassured by the response. "But they're still living creatures, right?" she asked timidly. "Of course they are! You can't kill something that isn't 'living' right? You have to stop getting little details like feeling sorry for wolven get you down, Rainbow Dash. These things will only slow you down and the slow don't last long in the Barrier Lands' skies."

"I am not slow!" Rainbow said in indignation. "I'll show you! Twenty wolven, fifty wolven…even a brachyurus! I'll kill them and get a medal! And it'll look more awesome on me than you!" Scarlet's grin widened. "Sounds like a plan," he remarked. "But you should lighten up. Take some joy out of these things." He put on a mock sagely face. "You're going to be doing this for a long time. If you can't take joy in doing in it, you'll go crazy. Being a legionnaire's only a drag if you let it!" Rainbow returned the grin and glanced at her crossbow. "I think I will," she said. Talking with somepony who seemed to feel like she did whenever fighting lessened the guilty twinge she felt over the matter. Perhaps she had misjudged Scarlet Rabbit. At first, she thought that he was a little crazy for being so cheery despite all the carnage around him. Now that she thought about it, perhaps he made a lot more sense than her friends. He'd been living his entire life fighting the wolven. He was the fastest flyer of the Northern Equestrian Legion…for now. He was also a high-ranking legionnaire who was obviously doing successfully in the legion. His feelings on the matter were closer to hers than her friends' were. He must be right. He had to be right. It was Twilight and the others who had to understand and adjust. "Tell you what," Scarlet continued. "If you can kill even five wolven on tonight's raid, I'll treat you to a drink over at Storm Brew's. The only thing as exciting as a bloody fight is a round of celebratory drinks over at Storm Brew's!" "Deal!" Rainbow replied, her enthusiasm restored. "You'd better get your bits ready!" The two of them continued chatting as Rainbow resumed her training drills. Now, more than ever, she was determined to sharpen her skills and catch up to Scarlet Rabbit. No, not just catch up. She was going to overtake him. She was going to be a faster, more awesome and a better legionnaire than he was. She flapped her wings quickly, relishing the sudden lightness she felt. If she threw away even trying to feel guilty over killing, she just might be able to do it. Maybe that was the secret to Scarlet's speed.

Chapter 32 Those Who Must Fight "Pay attention, Recruit Applejack!" Infantry Captain Iron Jaw's sharp reprimand caught Applejack like a whip lash. She nearly jumped and turned to look at him, only to remember that Twocolt was currently trying to leave some hoof-prints on her face. She jumped back in time to avoid a couple of hoof strikes, one of them narrowly missing her nose. Twocolt looked at her in puzzlement as he continued to charge and attack. "What's the matter?" Twocolt asked in annoyance. "That's the third time you've been distracted. If you won't take this seriously then I really am going to break your face!" "Sorry," Applejack said sheepishly. "I'm serious this time!" The two of them clashed heads and then tried to push the other back. Twocolt was slightly bigger than Applejack but she didn't give a single inch. All around them, the sounds of fighting filled the air. Iron Jaw had split them into pairs and ordered them to spar as part of their training. He stood at the center of the fighting, calling out glaring mistakes and giving tips. Several older members were also roaming about, making sure that nopony got seriously injured as well as making corrections. While they were expected to do their part during battles, the new recruits still had training to do during the lulls of the siege such as the one they were in at the moment. "Alright, that's enough!" Iron Jaw barked. "Fall in!" The noon sun was already shining when he gave the order. He had his platoon start training in the early morning with breakfast barely settling in their stomachs. Now, the growling in their guts signaled for lunch. "Get to the mess hall and quiet those guts! The rest of the afternoon will be for marching drills!" Applejack groaned inwardly as the platoon made its way to mess hall. She didn't like marching drills. She didn't even understand why it was so important to know so many formations and how to stay in them. Still, she was glad for the break.

Lunch wasn't much to look ahead to either. A bowl of plains grass, some D Grade Winter Moss and water waited for them. Applejack munched away stoically, trying to remember when the last time she had an apple or any fruit for that matter. As she set her glass down however, she noticed what appeared to be a small cupcake next to her bowl. A little suspicious, she looked around to see if the others had one. They didn't. She gave the piece of pastry a tentative sniff and took a bite. She found it quite sweet and still a little warm. The small bits of apple in it almost brought tears to her eyes. The cupcake felt like an apology for the rather bland meal, an apology that she was more than willing to accept. She looked around again, wondering how the cupcake got there. She found her answer by the far end of the mess hall. By the entrance to the kitchen, Pinkie Pie was looking over at her, waving excitedly. With a smile, Applejack waved back. "Guess it pays to have friends over at Logistics," Twocolt said. Suddenly embarrassed, Applejack put her hoof down and looked around to see if anypony else had seen that. To her relief, only Twocolt seemed to have noticed. "You can have a bite if you like," she said. She offered the half-eaten cupcake to him. "No, thanks," Twocolt replied. "It's already too small for you alone." With a shrug, Applejack finished the cupcake with one more bite before washing it down with water. "So what's wrong?" Twocolt asked. "You've been out of it all morning." "Huh?" "And there it is again." "Sorry. I was just thinking." "Well, thanks for telling me that much. Mind telling me more? Maybe if you get it off your chest, Iron Jaw can stop calling you out." Applejack hesitated a bit. Twocolt had been a good friend to her ever since she joined Infantry. Surely there was no harm in telling him. Besides, he was probably right. She needed to talk to somepony. The problem was that

she didn't know just how to talk about what was bothering her. Her mind went back to what happened that morning. She had awoken to find Twilight sitting by a desk and reading one of her books. Normally, this would be an innocuous scene. Finding Twilight with her face buried in a book was about as strange as looking up and finding the sky. Finding Twilight reading a book while bound up in fresh bandages and with her face swollen and bruised, on the other hoof, was another story. It didn't stop at there. There was no disturbing Twilight; not good mornings, not questions about what happened, nothing. She looked so focused that Applejack was afraid of going over to nudge her. And then there was Rainbow Dash. Something had come over her ever since her earlier outburst after the first wolven attack on Bastion City. The change wasn't spectacular or even physical. It just felt that Rainbow seemed more distant and more eager to get out and get back to training. Their exchange that morning made it clear that something was wrong. "Hey, RD, got a minute?" "Not really. I have to go, Applejack. The flight captain's gonna kick my flank if I'm late!" "Let's talk about what happened the other day!" "Look, the past is the past alright? Stop getting all touchy feely over every little thing!" Rainbow had flown out after that. Applejack could only hope that it was because Rainbow thought that her new flight was "cool" and not because of some other sinister reason. That Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie and Spike were doing well so far was a welcome relief. Perhaps being away from the front lines helped. "I'm worrying about some of my friends," she finally decided to answer. "What happened?" Twocolt asked. He set down his empty bowl. "Are they hurt?" "Well, Twilight's looking pretty hurt. Crazy filly's making a habit of it too."

"I heard she took on some raiding wolven infiltrators yesterday. That fire over the west section of the city could have been worse if it wasn't for her and Vanguard Clash." "Darn it, Twocolt! How are you getting all these stories? Do you go around every morning picking up gossip?" "I've got a good ear for these things. Looks like Twilight Sparkle is racking up the heroics." "Yup. I'd be happy for her if I could be happy about what it takes to do some heroics out here." Twocolt finished the last of his winter moss and looked at her. "So what's this about?" he asked. "You don't like that she's doing so well?" "No! It's just…darn it, I'm no good at this! It's just that…she's changing. Rainbow too. The scary part is that I think I'm changing too." "You can't have possibly expected to stay the same as the pony you were in the Heartland when you ended up here." Applejack finished off the rest of her water morosely. "I know that!" she answered. "But…all of us came here so we can stay together! What's the point of that if we just fall apart now?" "Maybe it's not as bad as you make it out to be," Twocolt said, trying to placate her. "How long has it been since you've been here anyway? Give yourselves time to settle down." Applejack exhaled and stood up. Lunch was finished and the rest of the platoon was heading out. "I hope you're right, Twocolt," she said. As the platoon made their way back to their training grounds, Applejack noticed what appeared to be a commotion over at a distance. She nudged Twocolt and pointed towards the gathered ponies. "What's going on over there?" she asked. "That's the unicorn mage training area," Twocolt said. "They're doing sparring too. Somepony must be putting on a show."

Suddenly concerned, Applejack galloped over. "Let's take a look!" she called after Twocolt. "We're going to get in trouble for this!" Twocolt called after her. "Oh, what they hay," he muttered. He galloped over as well. The unicorn mage training ground was similar to the one that Applejack's platoon used. It had large, wide open spaces and dummies for target practice. The scorch marks on the ground however, made sure that nopony mistook it as anything else but a place to practice spells. Applejack and Twocolt forced themselves into the crowd of unicorns to take a look. While Twocolt tried to squeeze into every available opening and apologized to anypony he accidentally shoved or whose hoof he stepped on, Applejack rammed her way in with a sense of urgency. She looked around the crowd of unicorns to see if she could find Twilight but was met with no success. That meant that her friend was the center of attention of a crowd once more. The memory of the last time that happened was still fresh in her mind. She swore that if she saw Twilight tied to a post again, she was rushing to stop it, Prince Terrato's orders or not. They made it to the front of the crowd to find two unicorns squaring off in a magical sparring area. One of them was a red-coated unicorn mare with a fluffy, bright pink mane. She looked slightly older than Applejack. The other one was Twilight Sparkle. Applejack had to look a little more closely to make sure. The mage-coat hid the pony's flank, making it impossible to tell if there was a cutie mark or not. The purple coat and striped mane was definitely Twilight's but something else made her hesitate in identifying her friend. It was the eyes. This pony's face was swollen and beaten up just like Twilight's face this morning. Some of the swelling had gone down, letting her see with ease. This pony's eyes focused on her target with an intensity that Applejack had never seen in any pony. These were eyes that didn't see the gathered crowd, only her opponent and every opportunity available to defeat her. Her lips were pressed in a thin, grim line as her horn flashed with magic again and again. The other unicorn was dodging for her life while bolts of purple energy flew from her opponent. Two of the bolts missed and struck the ground heavily. A third one pounded her back with the force of somepony's kick. Before

she collapsed, the unicorn fired several bolts of pink energy from her horn. They flew straight towards her opponent only to fizzle when an enormous purple wall flashed in front of their target, absorbing them. "Even Cloudfree," one of the unicorns next to Applejack said. "Damn, that Twilight's kicking a lot of flank." "I don't know what happened yesterday but she's really on a tear now," another nearby unicorn replied. "She's already proven that she's the strongest recruit and she's just beaten her first senior mage." The name the unicorns used confirmed it. This was Twilight Sparkle. As Applejack shifted her attention to the crowd, she noticed a familiar, blackbarded pony watching. "Vanguard!" she called out. Vanguard Clash noticed her and motioned for her to come closer. She did so with Twocolt behind her. "What are you two doing here?" he asked sternly. "Don't you have training of your own?" "We saw the commotion and we just thought we'd check," Applejack replied. "Oh, so it's 'we' now," Twocolt muttered. "You're being a fuss-budget again, Twocolt. You're here too, aren't you?" Twocolt sighed. "Yes," he said in resignation. "I'm here too." "So what in tarnation is going on here, Vanguard?" "It started out as your typical sparring training," Vanguard replied. "Well, that's what Mage Captain Owlsight told me. Apparently, Twilight trounced her sparring partner in a couple of minutes and then repeated that result for the next two who gave it shot. One of the senior unicorn magi thought that the chosen recruit was acting too high and mighty and challenged her. You just saw how that ended." Applejack watched as Twilight let out a long exhale and then dusted her hooves. Some of the recruits were cheering while the others simply watched her warily. Twilight didn't look happy with her victory. The way she paced around, Applejack wondered if she was waiting for the next one to

step up. Nopony did however. Applejack spotted Mage Captain Owlsight, who looked ready to step in. "That looks fun!" somepony yelled from the crowd. "May I go next?" The crowd of unicorns parted to reveal the pony who had just shouted. It was another unicorn mare. This one had a dark blue coat with a deep purple mane in ringlets. "Nightcanter," Applejack heard Vanguard say in exasperation. "Of all the times-" "Who's Nightcanter?" Applejack asked. "That's Special Operations Captain Nightcanter to us," Twocolt said. Mage Captain Owlsight walked over to Nightcanter. The two of them started talking but Applejack couldn't hear what their conversation was about. Eventually, Owlsight allowed Nightcanter to step into the sparring ground against Twilight, who looked ready for another round. Nightcanter then looked over to Vanguard and winked. "You gotta stop this!" Applejack told Vanguard. "Twilight's awesome and all but she's not ready to take on a captain! Especially not with her face still like that!" Vanguard was quiet for a while before answering. "I'd stop her," he said. "But then I'd have two angry unicorn mares to deal with." He turned his attention back to Twilight. Applejack did the same and then realized why Vanguard had answered her that way. Twilight looked ready and eager. She wanted this. The two unicorns squared off. While Twilight had a serious look on her face, Nightcanter had a confident smile. Their horns flashed with magic at the same time followed by cheers from the gathered unicorns and then the spar was in earnest. A bolt of purple lightning erupted from Twilight's horn and streaked towards Nightcanter. Applejack nearly jumped at the sight. That was fast and that bolt looked dangerous. Twilight was trying to get the jump on Nightcanter with a ridiculously fast spell right off the bat.

Nightcanter had not been caught off-guard however. She jumped to the side, narrowly dodging the bolt, and then cast her spell. A globe of darkness enveloped Twilight, making it impossible to see what had happened to her. As quickly as it had appeared, the globe of blackness dispersed like fog. Twilight's horn shone with bright light as she emerged from the darkness. "Did you see that?" Vanguard suddenly asked Applejack. "See what?" Applejack asked in return. "Twilight being amazing?" "Nightcanter casting another spell as soon as Twilight used a Daylight spell to disperse her darkness. She timed it so that the bright light hid the flash from her horn." "I didn't see her cast anything. Besides, I don't see anything else happening." "Neither does Twilight. That means she just lost." "What are you talking about?" Applejack asked with a frown. "They look evenly matched to me!" "It looks that way to Twilight too," Vanguard replied. "But 'looking' doesn't get you far against a pony like Nightcanter." A barrage of tiny energy bolts, each one the size of a small apple, flew from Twilight, forcing Nightcanter to gallop about dodging them. They struck the ground with the force of hurled rocks and kept on coming. Twilight had concentrated on a sustained offensive to keep her opponent from retaliating while wearing her out. It seemed to be working. Nightcanter was no longer smiling as she continued to dodge. Applejack could only wait until the inevitable happened. Sure enough, it was a panting Nightcanter who stood in the middle of the sparring ground with bolts of energy coming at her from all directions. The bolts struck simultaneously. Only for all of them to pass right through their target. They struck the ground all around her as if she were made up of nothing but air. Nightcanter simply stood there, grinning sheepishly. There were gasps of surprise coming from the crowd. Applejack saw Mage Captain Owlsight shake his head in disappointment.

That was when Nightcanter simply faded into nothingness. Puzzled, Applejack blinked several times to check if her eyes were playing tricks and then looked around. Twilight ran forward to look around as well. Another moment passed and Nightcanter seemed to appear out of thin air right next to her. The dark blue unicorn draped a foreleg over Twilight's neck and said something before patting her on the shoulder and walking away. "What did she just say?" Applejack asked in awe. "She said 'Checkmate'," Vanguard said. "She usually follows that up by slicing your throat out. Like I said, Twilight lost the moment she failed to notice that last spell cast." The gathered unicorns began to disperse. From the way they talked, they hadn't had lunch yet. Nightcanter walked over to Vanguard and brushed against him. "Did you like what you saw?" she asked. "You went too far, Captain Nightcanter," Vanguard answered. "Oh, don't be a foal!" Nightcanter said. "These drill-heads thought that she was just showing off. Your whipping partner was looking to improve herself through experience. She'll be better prepared for that trick the next time and she'll thank me for it as soon as she stops looking so shocked over there." With that, Nightcanter shifted her attention towards Applejack. "And another one," she said. "Have you turned all these chosen into your harem, Vanguard?" Vanguard didn't grace the question with an answer. "So what do you think of Twilight Sparkle?" he asked instead. "Dangerous," Nightcanter replied, her face suddenly serious. "She's accumulating too much power too quickly for the time she's spent out here. Apparently, somepony pulled a few strings to give her access to a bunch of advanced spell books." "She has the talent for it," Vanguard said.

"I'm not doubting the talent. But you're being far too trusting of your new whipping partner, Vanguard. If she burns out, the flames will take out more than just her." "Her heart's in the right place. And I am watching out for her." "You'll forgive me if I'm not very assured. Pyre Valor is still out there, remember?" Vanguard didn't answer and Nightcanter went on her way. "What was she talking about?" Applejack asked once Nightcanter was a good distance away. "What did she mean by Twilight burning herself out?" "The two of you should get back to your platoon," Vanguard said. "If you stay here much longer, it'll be the whipping post for the both of you." Applejack stayed there for a while, still waiting for a proper answer from Vanguard. Twocolt grabbed her by the harness and started dragging her away. "He's right," he said. "We're in trouble enough as it is." As she let Twocolt drag her away, Applejack glanced back one last time towards Twilight. To her concern, her friend was smiling. It was a smile of triumph despite losing and, try as she might, Applejack couldn't bring herself to be happy for her friend.

Night had fallen upon the Barrier Lands once again. While most of the legionnaires active during the day had turned in for some rest, the ponies of Medical remained wide awake. Doctor Redbrand had ordered everypony under his command to stay awake and alert with the pegasi of Reconnaissance making their first raid on the wolven army. There will be injured once the mission was over and every available hoof was needed to tend to them. Among those ponies was Fluttershy. Unlike some of her fellow recruits, who grumbled over lost sleep and extra work, she needed no incentive to stay up and ready to help. Rainbow Dash was a member of Flight Dreadwing, one of the flights assigned to take part in the raid, and she was worried that her friend might come back injured. She had been there just as

the two flights were taking off so she could wish Rainbow good luck. She even tried cheering but worry turned her already feeble voice into a halfdead mouse's squeak. In response, Rainbow had looked at her with mostly indifference and a slight hint of embarrassment. Tense hours passed as Fluttershy waited for Flight Dreadwing to return from their raid. From her post, she could hear distant howls and the sounds of battle. Eventually, those sounds died down and she saw the glow of fire light coming from where Flight Dreadwing and Flight Storm Dawn had headed to. Throughout the waiting, a scene kept replaying in her mind; two pegasus ponies flying a nearly-dead Rainbow to the ward, her trying everything to save her friend, Redbrand offering his flask to Rainbow before closing her eyes for her, all of her friends lamenting the loss. Finally, Fluttershy heard the sounds of wings flapping followed by the sight of pegasi landing nearby. "Don't just stand there waiting for the injured to be brought to you!" Redbrand barked. "Get over there and help!" The medics swung into action. The two flights had suffered plenty of bolter related injuries. One particularly injured pony had lost an eye while another had a crumpled wing. Fluttershy took care of every injured pony that came her way while keeping an eye out for Rainbow Dash. "Hey, Fluttershy! Over here!" Rainbow's voice caught Fluttershy by surprise, causing her to tighten her current patient's bandages a little too hard. Ignoring the angry yelp from the injured pony, she looked towards the sound of the call and found Rainbow and Scarlet walking towards her. To her horror, Rainbow had a large gash that ran from the left side of her snout to her upper lip. Her leather champron had been torn around the area. Her right foreleg also sported a vicious claw mark that was still bleeding. In addition to those wounds, she also had several abrasions all around her body. Despite her wounds, Rainbow was grinning from ear to ear! "Rainbow!" Fluttershy cried in panic. "You're hurt! What happened?"

"This idiot got clipped in the wing and then took a tumble!" Scarlet said laughingly. "You should have seen her jumping around like a madpony while the wolven were running after her rainbow-marked flank!" Scarlet was so busy laughing that he didn't notice Fluttershy's angry glare. She focused her attention on Rainbow instead, forcing Scarlet Rabbit to her periphery. "How about your wing?" she asked as she grabbed the disinfectant. "Can you still fly?" "I'm fine!" Rainbow replied flippantly. She raised the wing in question, revealing a small wound just around the tip. "It's just a bunch of scratches. You should have seen me, Fluttershy, I was awesome! No panicky random flying like the other day! I was a lean, mean, wolven-shooting machine!" With that, she poked Scarlet with a hoof. "I got seven! You owe me a drink, Scarlet!" "I gotcha!" Scarlet said with a grin. "We should celebrate your first successful raid anyway! You better hold your liquor though. I'm not paying for pony puke! On second thought...I might if it comes out rainbow-colored." Rainbow Dash laughed in response while Fluttershy gazed at her warily. She had seen Rainbow laugh plenty of times but the sounds coming out of her friend's mouth sounded so...different. The sound reminded her of a bear's angry growl or a snake's warning hiss. An ominous and dangerous sound. Something was terribly wrong here. The merriment from the two of them disturbed her and took away an relief she felt over Rainbow being safe at the end of her raid. Her eyebrows furrowed as she focused her attention on Scarlet Rabbit. It was him. He was doing something to Rainbow Dash. She didn't know what or how but it had to be something he was doing. "You should get some rest," she told Rainbow Dash. "Are you kidding?" Rainbow asked incredulously. "Scarlet's buying me drinks! I'm not resting yet!" "But you've never drank a drop in your life!" "Well, tonight sounds like a good time to start! You okay, Fluttershy?" "I-! I'll be fine..." Fluttershy finished the last of the bandaging. "Okay then. Thanks for patching me up! Let's get those drinks, Scarlet!"

The two pegasi trotted out of the ward merrily, leaving behind a very concerned Fluttershy.

Chapter 33 Silken Darkness "I have to attend the General Logistics Meeting," Hammer Chain told Rarity. "Just watch the smithy and do what you can for the day. I'll take care of any orders meant for me as soon as I get back." With that, Rarity's new teacher left the smithy to her care, a prospect that filled her with both a sense of achievement and nervousness. It was flattering that she had only been Hammer Chain's apprentice for a few days but he was willing to leave his shop to her care. That trust made the prospect of disappointing him even more nerve-wracking. Fortunately, she didn't have to do it alone. Spike had come along to assist her. The forge was ablaze with green flames. Hammer Chain was a little suspicious of using dragon breath for forging at first but he eventually decided that there were no side-effects and that it was a quick way to start up the forge. With Hammer Chain gone however, Rarity didn't have much use for the forge. She asked Spike to keep it going in case Hammer Chain came back early or if she suddenly needed to make bolt-heads and buckles, the two things that she had learned how to forge so far. She had to admit that forging did give her as much of a sense of satisfaction as piecing together a dress. The ridiculous amount of heat from working by the forge and the sweat that accompanied it, on the other hoof, left much to be desired. Nevertheless, she was already looking forward to another lesson and was disappointed upon realizing that Hammer Chain would be busy for most of the day. "I hope he comes back soon," Rarity said as she pulled up the first order of business for the day. Last night, the pegasi of Reconnaissance went out on a successful raid, having burned down plenty of the wolven army's supplies. However, success came with a price. By the time morning rolled in, there was plenty of damaged leather barding making their way to Hammer Chain's smithy.

"I don't," Spike replied. "My back's still a little sore from all that stuff he had me lift yesterday!" "You did say you wanted to help, Spike," Rarity replied. "Hammer Chain was just being prudent, that's all." Spike stretched his back out and groaned. "I didn't know prudence was so painful," he muttered. "Oh, come now. You should be glad that the legion has a place for you." Rarity lifted a chest piece with her magic. The straps that held it together had all but rotten off. "Goodness, just look at this! You'd think that legionnaires would know better than to leave leather to soak in water! This one simply has to go! Spike, be a dear and fetch me those scissors, will you?" Spike was quick to jump at the request. Hammer Chain's errands were backbreaking and difficult but Rarity could ask him to do twice as much and he wouldn't feel a thing. He found the scissors on top of a nearby crate and handed it over. "Here you go," he said. The scissors had just been enveloped by Rarity's magic when the door to the shop opened. Both of them looked towards the smithy's first visitor. "Our sincerest apologies," she began. "Master Hammer Chain isn't available at the moment and-oh, my stars!" It took all of Rarity's willpower to keep her jaw from dropping but she was still reduced to silent staring when she saw who had entered. Beside her, Spike didn't even get to say a thing before being reduced to a wide-eyed statue. Standing by the doorway was a beautiful unicorn mare. Her coat was a lustrous golden-tinged white while her flowing, golden mane and tail were mere inches from the floor. She had soft gray eyes that looked past sweeping eyelashes. She was wearing a wolven fur coat to protect against the cold outside but, while the usual coloring of such coats was gray, hers was a pristine white. "A pity," the unicorn said. "Fortunately, I'm not looking for Hammer Chain at the moment. I was hoping to find his new apprentice."

"New apprentice?" Rarity asked. She looked around in a panic. She had never heard of- "Wait," she said. "I'm the new apprentice. Y-you're looking for me?" The unicorn laughed briefly. "Yes, I am," she replied. Her silky, deep tone sent shudders down Spike's spine. With her magic, she lifted what appeared to be a legionnaire's mage-coat that had been draped over her back. "I saw you the other day wearing splendidly designed mage-coat. Would you modify mine for me in the same manner? I will pay a fee for your trouble of course." "I-I certainly would!" Rarity answered. "It's an honor that you would find my design splendid, miss, um…" "You may call me Bright Flame. I am but a minor noble from Hearthstone City to the south." 'Nobility!' Rarity thought. 'No wonder! This is a good chance for me to impress!' The prospect of encountering nobility in Prince Terrato's realm had been in the back of Rarity's mind since they had arrived. The Barrier Lands were a hard and savage place. The northern portion was a wilderness uninfluenced by ponies and besieged by both freezing weather and monstrous creatures. Still, she had held out a hope that, farther away from where the fighting was at its worst, there was elegance and sophistication. It had started out as a small hope within her when she had first arrived from the Heartland. It had become resolve, a full-blown principle even, when she first held up the mage-blades crafted by Hammer Chain. Just because something is dangerous doesn't mean that it can't be beautiful as well. The Barrier Lands, with all the violence and savagery within it, still had plenty of room for class and nobility. Lady Bright Flame just proved her right. "It is my pleasure to meet you, Lady Bright Flame," Rarity said. She was beaming inside at the thought that a noble had taken notice of her even all the way out here but she took care to maintain a composed exterior. She had already embarrassed herself earlier. "My name is Rarity." "The pleasure is mine, Rarity," Bright Flame replied. "I never imagined that I would one day meet one of Princess Celestia's chosen."

The word "chosen" brought Rarity up short. She had heard the word spoken plenty of times. Often, it was said with derision. At best, it was said in indifference. This was the first time she had heard the word spoken as if it was something praiseworthy. "Why thank you," she replied. "I'll get to work on it right away." Rarity put aside the leather barding she had been cutting up. This was nobility she was talking about. Of course it was going to take top priority! "It should be ready in a couple of hours." "I will wait then," Bright Flame said. She sat by one corner of the forge. "I hope you don't mind observers. I would love to see how you work." A little flattered, Rarity coughed nervously. "I don't mind," she said. "But it is rather warm in here with the forge and everything. Are you sure you'll be fine?" Bright Flame smiled reassuringly. "Staying in Bastion City has accustomed me to small discomforts," she replied. Her eyes suddenly focused on Spike, who hadn't stopped staring during the entire conversation. "I dare say it has been worth being trapped within this city by a wolven attack to encounter both a chosen and a dragon. What is your name, little one?" Realizing that Bright Flame was talking to him, Spike wiped his mouth with the back of his claw before answering. "I-It's Spike," he said. "It's really wonderful to meet you, Lady Bright Flame. It's almost worth getting banishow!" he suddenly clutched his tail and looked behind him. Rarity was walking off to begin her modifications when she had trod on his tail. "Oops. Sorry about that, Spike." "A young dragon together with a chosen." Bright Flame mused aloud. "You must have a fascinating tale, Spike." Her horn suddenly flashed a dark aura, catching Rarity's attention briefly. 'That's odd,' Rarity thought. 'Did she just cast a spell? But I don't see anything happening.' Figuring it to be her imagination, she went back to work. "Oh, I can tell you all about it!" Spike said. Despite his throbbing tail, he was eager to impress. For some reason, he suddenly felt very comfortable around this pony. Though he had only met her for a few minutes, he felt

that Lady Bright Flame could be a dear and trusted friend. As a matter of fact, she might be already. Bright Flame leaned over with interest, a slight smile curving her lips. "Please do," she said. "I wouldn't mind starting at the beginning." Spike couldn't help but grin a little foolishly when the unicorn mare turned her soft, gray eyes on him. "R-right," he replied. "From the beginning it is!" Hours indeed passed as Rarity worked on Bright Flame's mage-coat. She realized that she could be working faster but her attention kept getting drawn to Bright Flame, who sat there listening intently while Spike told stories about the Heartland. At first, she was worried that Spike would quickly bore Bright Flame with his stories but, to her surprise, Bright Flame seemed to enjoy every word. Spike had not been joking when he said that he was starting at the very beginning. His first story was his first meeting with Twilight, which was just after he had hatched. From there, he launched into anecdote after anecdote. As Rarity listened, she soon found herself marveling not just at Bright Flame's beauty and patience but the depth of Spike's stories as well. For someone so young, Spike had an incredible ability to remember events. He had an encyclopedic mind and an eye for details, both likely honed by years of being Twilight's unofficial secretary and housekeeper. He told stories of Twilight's foalhood and her studies likely better than even the actual pony could ever tell them. When his stories began to dip into his time in Ponyville however, that was when things began to get a little embarrassing. Every time Spike's tales wandered a little too close for comfort, Rarity would clear her throat to warn him away. As the morning wore on, she was hoarse from clearing her throat too much and her progress with the mage-coat was slower than expected. Through it all, Bright Flame smiled and nodded, chuckling at every bit of attempted humor on Spike's part. Rarity couldn't tell if it was genuine mirth or sheer politeness. Bright Flame also asked questions, mostly about Twilight's relationship with Princess Celestia and the Elements of Harmony but she was also interested in Spike's ability to send out his friendship reports.

"Amazing," Bright Flame said. "Not only can your breath behave like any flame but you can transport physical objects before Princess Celestia herself?" "That's right!" Spike answered proudly. "Truly a remarkable race." Rarity felt something stifling her and wondered if it was the heat from the forge or Spike's ego slowly filling up the shop. "It's true!" Spike's tone lowered however. "But I can't do it anymore. Not since we ended up here." "Why not?" "I dunno. I tried it with a blank piece of paper and it just reappeared a few feet away. I guess Princess Celestia doesn't want to receive anything from us anymore." The atmosphere within the smithy darkened with that statement. Without missing a beat however, Bright Flame simply smiled and shook her head. "Nonsense. The distance and the barrier may simply be interfering. If Princess Celestia didn't want to receive anything from you, you would have burned that piece of paper up. Take heart, eventually you and your friends will figure out a way to overcome that obstacle." True to her namesake, Bright Flame dispersed the gloomy atmosphere with ease. She glanced briefly at the forge which continued to blaze with green flames before refocusing her attention on Spike. "You're right," Spike replied. He returned her smile and continued talking. It was noon when Rarity was finally done. She held it up for inspection and looked over every detail carefully. This was her first piece for Barrier Lands nobility. She couldn't afford to mess up. "And that's everything that's happened until this very day," Spike said. "You've certainly led a wondrous life, Spike," Bright Flame remarked. "Thank you for sharing your story with me." She glanced at Rarity. "I am

more honored than ever to actually meet the bearer of the Element of Generosity itself as well as the bearer of the Element of Magic's close companion." "It was my pleasure," Spike said earnestly. He looked a little disappointed that he had reached the end of his story. Rarity found herself blushing slightly at the compliment as well. "Your mage-coat is ready," she said. She held it up with her magic for Bright Flame to inspect. "Splendid as I expected. Shall we discuss your fee?" Rarity smiled and shook her head. "Free of charge," she said. "Having nobility wear something of my design for the first time in the Barrier Lands is more than enough." Bright Flame looked a little surprised at first but quickly matched Rarity's smile with her own. "As befitting of the Element of Generosity," she said. "If you will not take any payment then let me bequeath you with a gift instead." She lifted a single, golden coin from one of her coat's pockets and gave it to Rarity. Rarity enveloped the trinket with her own telekinesis as it floated towards her. She turned it around to admire it. The coin was three times larger than a bit and engraved with an eight-rayed sun at its center. At the center of the sun was the engraving of an eye with a small, brilliant ruby for an iris. "Keep it as proof that you are always welcome in my estate at Hearthstone City," Bright Flame said. "Show it to other nobility so they will know that you have a friend among them. "Thank you!" Rarity replied, barely able to contain her excitement. The coin was more than enough payment for ten of those modified mage-coats. "I have one for you too, Spike, for being good company," Bright Flame said as she leaned over and nudged him with her nose. Spike nearly fainted from the gesture. "For a dragon depended on so much by his friends, I have something more practical." A small black sphere floated out of her coat's pocket.

Spike recognized the shape and size of the object, but not the color. "Is that…is that a mana battery like the one Twilight used to get here?" he asked. "Yes…and no," Bright Flame answered. She lowered her voice to make sure Rarity couldn't hear. It wasn't hard as the white unicorn was currently fawning over the coin she had just received. "This is a replenishment mana battery. It can be used to boost a spell like a normal one but it can also be used to restore the magic of a unicorn who has burned herself out from casting too many spells. From what you've told me, your dear friend, Twilight Sparkle, is in danger of that." "Yes, that's right," Spike said. "This would definitely come in useful." "I would also suggest that you keep it as a secret resource, to be used by your discretion alone. If Twilight Sparkle were to find out about it, she may just use it to boost one of her spells in her drive to master this realm's magic." "That's also true. But why give it to me?" "Because you are the wisest out of all your friends, Spike. In so many of your stories, your friends would have come out much better if they only listened to you. You would know best when to make use of it. If the worst comes to pass and Twilight Sparkle has depleted most of her magic, hold the sphere above her and will its power to flow into her. She will be glad to have someone like you watching out for her all along." Spike stared at the sphere. Its blackness was somewhat ominous but, knowing how he could use it, it looked quite beautiful in its simplicity. It wasn't warm like the other mana battery he had held before but that was alright. "I'll keep it just as you say," he told Bright Flame. "Thanks a lot." "Think nothing of it," Bright Flame said with a smile. She headed towards the door with her new mage-coat. "I must take my leave now. Thank you again for this mage-coat, Rarity." Both Rarity and Spike waved fondly as Bright Flame walked away. They found themselves still staring long after the unicorn was gone.

As Rarity closed the door however, she suddenly put a hoof to her head and stumbled forward slightly. "Oh my," she said. "My head feels a little heavy all of a sudden." "Me too," Spike replied. "Where did this come from?" "I'm sure it's nothing," Rarity said. She looked over Bright Flame's gift once more and put it inside one of her mage-coat's pockets. Despite Hammer Chain's absence, today had been very profitable indeed.

As Twocolt had expected, his sudden disappearance during yesterday's afternoon training resulted in punishment. He considered himself fortunate that he and Applejack had not been whipped. However, he was stuck with the particularly tedious job of training dummy making. The legion went through the wooden cut outs of wolven quite quickly. Reconnaissance eventually destroyed them with crossbow practice while Magical burned through them even faster. "This is the last time I let you drag me into your shenanigans, Applejack," he muttered. "This ain't so bad," Applejack replied while she whittled away at her own piece of wood. It was an hour past noon already and they were just about done. "We're still helping the legion aren't we? It's better than getting whipped." "Oh, so that's your standard now, is it? I swe-" Twocolt stopped himself as he saw a familiar pony out of the corner of his eye. "Cover for me will you?" he asked Applejack. Without waiting for a reply, he dashed towards a nearby alley where he saw the pony. As he had guessed, he found none other than Lady Bright Flame standing before him. "My lady!" he said. He immediately knelt in respect. "It's dangerous to be out here. There are-!" "I know, Twocolt," Bright Flame replied. "I would not come out here if this wasn't important. I have terrible news. Most of the order stationed here have been discovered by Prince Terrato's Special Operations ponies and killed."

Twocolt's eyes widened. He was grateful that he was already kneeling as he now doubted his legs ability to keep him standing. "Most of the order" Lady Bright Flame had said. For all he knew, he was the only pony who hadn't been caught by Special Operations. How had this happened? Was there a spy among them? Had somepony committed such a terrible error that the order was found out? "What…what should be done now, my lady?" he asked. "This will be the last time I will meet with you, Twocolt," Bright Flame answered. "There are agents of Special Operations all around and we will be discovered if we're not careful. I will contact you through missives after this." "Understood. But what are my orders now?" "You have done well in befriending Applejack. It's time to put that bond to good use. Here is what I want you to do…" "Twocolt!" Applejack called out. It had been some time since her friend had suddenly run off, leaving her to finish the last of the target dummies by herself. She walked towards the direction she had seen him go. This might end badly. If Infantry Captain Iron Jaw found him fooling around, their punishment might increase. "I'm here!" Twocolt answered. He emerged from an alley and walked towards Applejack. "Are we done?" he asked. "Yup. No thanks to you," Applejack said. "Where'd you run off to anyway?" "I saw an old acquaintance of mine. I had to go talk to her." "You could have introduced us, you know." "She's the shy type. Besides, one of us had to keep on working." "Uh huh. You owe me now, Twocolt." "You mean we're even."

The two of them headed back to their platoon while carrying the load of training dummies on their backs. Twocolt glanced over his friend. With what was expected from him, "even" was far from the truth.

Chapter 34 Observations Among the various divisions within the Equestrian Legion, none was the subject of more speculation than Special Operations. Whether it was their method of recruitment, the nature of the tasks given to them, the things they did to accomplish the tasks given to them or even the way they were organized, stories continued to promulgate. There were the old, persistent ones that had been around for centuries such as those that posited that the Barrier Lands were not as monolithic as they appeared but those in Special Operations assassinated ponies who went against Prince Terrato's wishes or those about horrifying rituals that each aspiring member had to go through. There were also more recent stories. The general opinion was that the blame for losing FangBreaker Fortress lay mostly upon their shoulders and that they had spies among the populace "removing" anypony spreading defeatist talk. It didn't help that a lot of ponies had disappeared recently. For Vanguard Clash, Special Operations was a far cry from the entire sinister mystique that the rest of the legion often accorded to it. They were ponies just like the rest of Prince Terrato's subjects. They had their role in the legion and they were subject to both success and failure just like any division. And then there was the tedious task that Special Operations shared with its fellow divisions: paperwork. In his small office within one of the many buildings now appropriated by the legion, Vanguard sifted through the pile of papers before him before setting them on a neat pile by his desk. He had just finished sending a report about the section of the city he had been assigned to make a sweep of as well as the chosen he had been monitoring. For this morning, two days after Pyre Valor's attempt on Bastion City, he was going through recommendations. Vanguard was well aware of the fact that his squad was still lacking two more ponies. He needed a unicorn mage and an earth pony skirmisher. Both Magical and Infantry had sent him their recommendations. Special Operations was flexible enough to let him decide on who goes into his

squad but he was also reminded that the sooner he got it back at full strength, the better it would serve the legion during these dire times. He looked through the list of unicorn candidates and frowned. He respected the abilities of these legionnaires but he also knew that Pyre would have plowed through them in single combat if she was still here. 'I have to stop comparing them to Pyre or the position will never be filled,' Vanguard reminded himself. His former vice-captain was both a gifted genius and a very driven pony. Such a combination was a rare thing indeed. The ones recommended by Magical had one or the other but not both. He did know of such a unicorn however...he shook his head. He couldn't involve that pony. The thought reminded him of another thing. As of the present, Scarlet Rabbit was his acting vice captain by virtue of being the only member of his squad. That didn't sit in too well with him. Scarlet was a reliable pony; fast, strong and utterly fearless, but he didn't belong in any sort of leadership position. It was only acceptable now because there were no actual ponies taking orders from him. That left the position to his two potential new members. As he continued to study the candidates, the door to his office opened. He looked up to find Flight Captain Tailwind walking up to his desk. "Do you need something, Flight Captain?" he asked. "Yes, I do," Tailwind replied. "I need to know how long you plan on keeping Scarlet Rabbit hanging around my flight." "I've already explained his purpose there," Vanguard said. "It's not his mission that's problematic, it's the manner he's going about it!" Tailwind thumped Vanguard's desk with a hoof for emphasis. "Tell him to watch subtly from afar instead of constantly fraternizing with Rainbow Dash!" Vanguard frowned. "What's wrong?" he asked. "Did he get her in trouble?" "He introduced her to the fine art of boozing the other day," Tailwind said. "He was smart enough to make sure that she could show up for duty the following morning without falling over herself. Otherwise, I would have had to introduce her to the whipping post."

"It seems to me that Scarlet is showing some restraint for once. He's also offering her some camaraderie. Shouldn't that be a good thing for a chosen?" "It would be coming from any pony besides Scarlet Rabbit," Tailwind retorted. "You should see for yourself as to how those two look at each other. Rainbow Dash sees a target, a pony she can chase in order to be the best. Scarlet…her potential's got him interested. You know that's bad news." "You're the one who insisted that I bait Rainbow Dash into racing against him." Tailwind's face twisted slightly, a sign of embarrassment as Vanguard had come to learn. "I underestimated her speed. I knew she was fast from what you said but I didn't expect her to be fast enough to catch his eye. What's worse, I've underestimated that pride of hers." "I'll tell him to keep his distance," Vanguard said with a sigh. "I can't reassign him. You've seen her speed. He's the only pegasus for the job." "You'd better. I'm not excited about covering up another mess like the one with Overcast." "Noted," Vanguard said tersely. He returned to looking over the recommendations. When Tailwind didn't leave his office, he looked up at her. "You still haven't picked replacements for your squad?" "I've given it plenty of thought." Tailwind looked over the papers from her side of the desk. "These are some good candidates," she commented. "But I suggest you get Twilight Sparkle. I saw her spar yesterday. It's ridiculous how quickly she's improving." "No," Vanguard answered. His response was so quick and vehement that Tailwind looked at him with concern.

"Why not?" Tailwind asked. "So she's only been in the legion for less than a month and she's still inexperienced. You can work with that. A month or two of action and she'll either be dead or one of our best legionnaires yet." "She's out here because I listened to a stupid impulse. She's had to kill wolven, get whipped on my account and get beaten up by Pyre Valor for a grudge she doesn't deserve. I'm not going to subject her to the things Special Operations gets up to." Vanguard's mind went back to the time he saw Twilight after her first battle and then the conversation they had after that. That was just for killing wolven. For killing wolven, Twilight had lost something irreplaceable. Special Operations dealt with ponies and wolven. He didn't know if he could ever forgive himself if he let her lose more by joining Special Operations, whether his squad or somepony else's. "Yet you took the time and effort to convince Owlsight to skip protocol and give her some of the advanced spell books. You can't have it both ways, Vanguard. You can't give her the tools for the job and then tell her she can't do the job." Tailwind raised an eyebrow curiously. "Now that I've mentioned it, why did you go out of your way to help her out like that?" Vanguard looked away. "She could use all the help when it comes to fighting wolven," he replied. "So does every unicorn mage in the legion," Tailwind retorted. "I don't see you tripping over yourself to help them." "It sounds like you have the entire story plotted out in your head," Vanguard said in exasperation. "Why don't you just tell me what you think?" "You want to protect her from the worst of the fighting but she bats her eyelashes at you and asks for more spells. What do you do? You hurry over and hand her what she wants. You've fallen for this mare, Vanguard, and she's got you running in two directions at once." Vanguard sighed. Not this again. "You think I've fallen in love with her or you want me to fall in love with her?" he asked. "Both," Tailwind said without so much as blinking. "Nothing wrong with me wanting my stupid son to settle down with a mare is there?"

"Your stupid son is settled down, mother. I don't need a mare to keep me from wandering off drunk or wasting my time chasing tails and grabbing flanks." "Marrying your work isn't going to pop out any grandchildren for me. I'll be fine with any mare." Tailwind paused. "Except Nightcanter. I don't want that grimy nag for a daughter-in-law." "Equestria will do just fine without more wolven-blooded foals running about." "As if one-sixteenth would even mean anything!" Tailwind walked towards the door but looked back one last time. "Whether it's love or recruitment, you'd better move fast with that one, Vanguard Clash. She's not going to be available forever." "Good day, Flight Captain," Vanguard replied. As Tailwind opened the door to leave, another pony was just about to enter. Nightcanter slid past Tailwind, ignoring the disapproving look from the older pony. "Vanguard, we've got them!" she said excitedly as soon as Tailwind had shut the door behind her. She lowered her tone as she continued. "Three rebel cells are meeting up tonight and we've managed to get the time and location." "That's an unusually good bit of news." "About time, I say. Time to hit these malcontents hard." Vanguard looked over the candidates one more time. Ever since his squad had been reduced to just him and Scarlet, he had been working closely with Nightcanter's squad. "So when is it and what's the plan?" "Tonight," Nightcanter answered. "We're working with Blaze Trotter's squad for an ambush." "Good," Vanguard said. He wasn't a thrill seeker like Scarlet Rabbit but the past couple of days had been uneventful and he was feeling restless. They had threats outside the city and threats within and even a few hours of not dealing with either made him feel like he was wasting time. "We'll be ready by then."

As another day ended, Twilight Sparkle made her way back to her quarters at a steady, satisfied pace. Today had been routine; boulder catching, target practice, several sparring sessions with the senior unicorn mages and then a few hours of study. It seemed so strange that she could find some routine when the city was under attack. It was a siege, as Mage Captain Owlsight had reminded her, and the wolven were here for the long run. Despite the routine, today had been beneficial. With each passing day, she was becoming more and more attuned to the magic of the Barrier Lands. Casting spells was becoming easier and she was able to lift more with her telekinesis. She had added a few more spells to her repertoire as well. "Hey, Twilight!" Spike's voice surprised Twilight. She had expected him to be with Rarity. He had been for the past few days. While Mage Captain Owlsight didn't want him around, Hammer Chain was glad to let him help out. "What are you doing out here, Spike?" she asked. "Shouldn't you be with Rarity?" She stopped briefly to allow Spike to climb on to her back before continuing. "I thought I'd watch how you trained from afar," Spike answered. "I saw the sparring and stuff." Twilight raised her head slightly. As modest as she wanted to be, she was a little proud of her accomplishments. Even the senior unicorn magi were impressed and Mage Captain Owlsight remarked on her mastery of multiple schools of magic, something few unicorns were capable of. "So how was it?" she asked. "You were pretty scary back there, Twilight," Spike said worriedly. "Scary and violent. I thought that third pony who was fighting you had died!" The feeling of satisfaction and pride disappeared. "I did push a little too hard with him," Twilight said defensively. "But he was fine! He said so himself. And there's no need to be scared of me, Spike. I'd never hurt you or any of my friends."

"You're right," Spike replied. His mouth had agreed with her but it disturbed Twilight to notice that rest of him didn't follow suit. Though he said nothing else, she felt the need to defend herself further. "The sparring is necessary, Spike," she said. "It lets us sharpen our skills without being thrown into actual combat and all its risks. It looks dangerous but it's all controlled." Spike still remained unconvinced. "It may be 'necessary', Twilight," he replied. "But necessary doesn't mean you have to be so in to it. I heard the other unicorns say that you've been sparring almost non-stop ever since you came back that day with your face all swollen up! It's like all you've been thinking about these days is how to beat up ponies and wolven." Frowning, Twilight looked back to the last couple of days. Everything seemed to be a blur of activity. When Nightcanter defeated her with a simple illusion, she delved into methods of countering that; noticing when a pony had turned invisible, telling a false image from the real thing, purging invisibility...but, every time she thought she had her bases covered, another method of attack came to mind. Each spar brought more insights which had her searching for more and more means to improve herself. It wasn't just a wide range of spells she needed. There were so many little things she had learned to be mindful of; noticing spell casting in the heat of battle, dodging, timing, feinting, noticing feints…it was all so much to take in. She had a long way to go before being able to hold her own against the strongest spell casters of the Barrier Lands and she refused to believe that Spike was right about her obsessing about this. "I've been thinking of other stuff too," Twilight muttered. She had to think of something to convince Spike that everything was fine. "Like what?" Spike asked. A few ponies walked past them in a hurry. With evening settling in, the streets were quickly becoming deserted. It seemed that, ever since the incident with Pyre Valor, civilian ponies were becoming afraid to come out at night. They feared clashes between the legion and infiltrating enemies. "Well…I have been meaning to write a friendship report of sorts," Twilight said tentatively. That wasn't quite true. It was simmering in the back of her mind for some time now but she never really managed to focus on it. Still, it would mollify Spike for now.

"A friendship report?" Spike asked. "Why? I mean how would you even send it? And what for? We're not exactly learning about friendship out here." "That's where you're wrong, Spike. We're always learning about friendship whether in the Barrier Lands or the Heartland." "And what's this friendship report about?" "It's not really a report. More of a…friendship thesis, if you will. I want to show Princess Celestia that ponies can still be ponies even out here in the Barrier Lands. I'll worry about how to send it later. If I can prove that harmony is stronger than any violence or bitterness that fighting fosters, she'll see that there's no need to keep up this division." Spike couldn't help but look at Twilight and remember her sparring just hours ago. "I hope it is," he said softly. "What's that supposed to mean?" came a hostile reply from Twilight. "N-nothing!" Spike backpedaled. He paused for a while in complete surprise. For a fraction of a second, he had felt his chest grow cold. Was that fear he just felt? Fear for his life? He shook his head. No. That would be ridiculous. Twilight was more than just his dearest friend. She was family. He would never, ever feel that kind of terror of her. "So how are you going to go about this friendship thesis?" he asked, trying to move on from that frightful moment. "Can I help?" Faced with Spike's questioning, Twilight was briefly at a loss. The idea had been sitting in the back of her mind but it was half-baked at best. Maybe not even that. Discussing it with Spike did seem a good idea however. "I'll start with observation at first." she replied. "I'll gather as much proof as I can and then present the best of them with my arguments in an agreeable manner, just like the princess taught me." "I can help with the observing part," Spike said. He brightened at the thought. This would be like old times. Well, as close as it could to being like old times with him assisting Twilight on one research or another. "So who have you been watching so far?"

Twilight stopped. This was bad. She had to come up with an answer before Spike found out that she hadn't even started anything. Her mind latched on to the first Barrier Lands pony that came to mind. "Vanguard Clash," she answered. A few moments of silence passed between the two of them as Twilight continued to walk towards their quarters. "Vanguard Clash, huh?" Spike asked. His tone was more than enough to put Twilight on the defensive, albeit for a different reason. "What?" Twilight asked. "What's wrong with Vanguard?" "So you've been spending your time between beating up ponies and staring at Vanguard?" "I don't stare at him! Besides, this is for research!" The wheels began to turn within Twilight's head. She had answered out of impulse but, as her mind grasped the concept, ideas came naturally. "I mean he's perfect as an example. Princess Celestia is afraid that the ponies of the legion are becoming more and more like wolven. Vanguard actually has wolven blood but I can honestly say that he is as true a pony as any of our friends back in the Heartland. If a pony with an actual wolven lineage can be a true pony by Princess Celestia's standards, any pony from the Barrier Lands can be too." "How'd you figure that?" "Well, he's honest even if it means he's going get hanged, he's loyal to Prince Terrato and the legion as well as his friends, he showed all of us kindness when we all arrived in this place for the first time and he's generous enough so that he shared his food with me and paid for our stuff." "You missed Laughter." "What?" "You've got Honesty, Loyalty, Kindness and Generosity. You're missing Laughter and Magic." "Oh, uh…he smiles often? That's kind of like laughing in a small way right? He knows how to take joy in things whenever he can. He's just not the sort

of pony who bursts into fits. The magic of friendship is what binds these things together and he's able to befriend others." "That laughter part comes off a little weak, Twilight," Spike commented. As he said so, he noticed that they were already by their quarters. He dismounted and walked ahead. "So does that mean you're going to observe other ponies now or are you going to continue 'observing' Vanguard? Maybe try to get him to smile some more?" The snicker that followed the question put a slight frown on Twilight's face. "Spike," she chided him. Spike raised his hands in mock surrender before opening the door. It seemed that they were the first to make it back. The others were still out with their respective divisions. "Well, I'm glad that you're doing other things besides getting better at fighting, Twilight," he said. "Now I'm really hoping there's something that can be done with my dragon fire so it can send messages again and…" Fire. The mention of the word burned out the pleasant mood Twilight found herself settling into. She was suddenly reminded of the burns that still hurt around her underside and the mild pain still all over her face. Pyre Valor's enraged face loomed in her mind. She realized that not every pony would be a good example. Some ponies out here were just cruel, prejudiced, violent, treacherous, hateful… "Uh…Twilight?" Spike stepped back. There it was again, that frigid sensation within him triggered by some kind of mood swing from Twilight. Twilight shook her head to clear it of all the angry thoughts. She forced a smile and headed over to her desk. "Sorry about that, Spike. I think I'll hit the spell books some more before resting." She opened one book on a spell that had grabbed her attention earlier. Spike nodded silently and found himself wishing that the others would come back quickly. For the first time in his life, he was afraid of being alone with family. His attention went to the magical device he had hidden by his bed. If things continued as they are, he'd be finding use for it soon enough.

Chapter 35 Ambush It was already late in the night by the time Vanguard noticed some movement from his hiding place. He was in position for an ambush inside one of the warehouses in the southern section of Bastion City. All around him were crates full of construction equipment as well as piles of bricks and plywood. Next to him were Nightcanter and the earth ponies in her squad. Scarlet Rabbit and the other pegasi involved in the mission lurked the shadowy beams that supported the roof of the large building. He looked over to the other side of the meeting spot where Blaze Trotter and the rest of his squad waited. In addition to Blaze Trotter and Nightcanter's squads, fifth and sixth squad respectively, they were also working with eighth squad under Captain Hoofbreak who was hiding right next to Blaze Trotter. With three and a half Special Operations squads, they had numbers and surprise on their side. The warehouse was dark and shadowy with only a few thinly distributed lanterns providing some sort of light. The time should be about right but Vanguard didn't see anypony from the Black Rose rebels. From the way Nightcanter shifted next to him, he could tell that she was also perturbed by the lack of attendees for the secret meeting. She glared at Blaze Trotter's direction, likely silently swearing to make the other squad captain pay if this information he had shared turned out to be false. Vanguard himself felt some disappointment but part of him was suspicious of the whole scenario. Three entire cells did seem too good a catch to be true. Then, just as he was about ready to consider the mission a failure, a group of five ponies entered the warehouse. 'Well, that's one cell,' Vanguard thought. He was close enough to listen in on the rebels' conversation. "This is crazy," one of the ponies said. "Three cells meeting in one place is a recipe for disaster with the legion cracking down hard on us all." "We don't disobey dead-drop orders," another pony with a husky voice replied.

"I'll bet that those ponies still hanging inside the dungeons did exactly that," was the reply. "Four cells have been caught and executed since we started operations here." "Quiet!" the other pony whispered harshly. "Somepony's coming!" Vanguard watched as a second group of ponies showed up. Just as Stoneshod had mentioned from before, individual cells kept their identities hidden from the others. The two cells that Special Operations had successfully captured had little information to share because of this sort of partitioning. He had considered the implications of such an organization. These Black Rose rebels were being led by somepony capable of moving multiple isolated groups in concert, something that would take a great deal of tactical mastery and an incredibly efficient method of communication. If what he had heard from Commander Dreadstep was true, this pony was none other than Black Rose herself. "Why is there only one cell here?" one of the new arrivals asked. "Where's the rest?" "We just arrived here ourselves. What did you receive in your dead-drop orders?" "Just this location and a mention of an important meeting. Same as you?" Vanguard frowned at this. Even these ponies had no idea why they were here. Unless Special Operations captured whoever had set this meeting up, they would be hard-pressed to pump any useful information out of these ponies. The third cell finally showed up. Like the first two, they didn't know what the meeting was for either. Vanguard tensed. That meant that their leader or at least a pony high up in their hierarchy was going to show up to explain. "Thank you for coming." The voice startled Vanguard, forcing him to grit his teeth and look around. Suddenly, there was a pony standing in the middle of the three cells. From the voice, he guessed that it was a mare. But how did she get there? Teleportation? He hadn't seen any telltale flash of magic. He listened carefully. This could very well be the leader of the Black Rose Rebellion.

"You have all been doing well despite the legion's attempts at rooting you out," the leader continued. "Thanks to your efforts, the movement is at the precipice of getting to Princess Celestia." Some of the rebels spoke among themselves. Vanguard noticed the pleased tone that they took. "The next part of the movement's plan is about to commence and it will require a great deal of magic. In short, we will need mana batteries." "We lost several in FangBreaker Fortress," one of the rebels said. "But I know that Bastion City has a few in stock for emergencies. How much do we need?" "A fifty carat one will suffice." "Fifty carats!" The gathered cells argued among themselves. Even Vanguard couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. Mana batteries were naturally formed in areas where great battles of magical power took place. From what Pyre Valor had told him, it took great amounts of discharged magical power and the blood of magically gifted creatures soaking into the soil to form them. They were more common to the south where battles between unicorn magi and ophidite shamans were vicious and deadly but even here and to the west, they could be found. A mana battery of that size, no, even a mana battery half that size was extremely rare. "We could scour the entire north and not find one that's even near that size!" one of the rebels protested. "You're asking for the impossible!" another one added. The leader threw back her hood, revealing a black coat, a long, flowing, crimson mane and an already glowing horn. "Have faith," she said with an assuring smile. "All we need are fifteen volunteers to give their lives for the cause. You should be honored." The floor just beneath the rebels suddenly burst with brilliant white light, revealing a circle of strange markings that surrounded them. Before they could react, arcs of black electricity erupted from the leader's horn and

surrounded each of them. They cried out and stumbled back. The leader's magic lifted each of them into the air. Several masks dropped to the ground, revealing a lot of horns and a few recognizable faces. Some of these traitors were legionnaires that he knew! "Let's go!" Vanguard whispered harshly to Nightcanter. Both of them burst from their hiding places with blades out and a spell ready to fire. Nightcanter's squad was right behind them. Before they could close in however, the helpless ponies cried out in pain and terror. Their eyes glowed and what appeared to be luminous, white smoke escaped from their mouths. The smoke coalesced just by the leader's horn's tip, forming a large sphere that glowed a soft blue light. As the spell dissipated, fifteen dead bodies dropped to the ground. "Hold it right there!" Nightcanter exclaimed. "We're taking you in, Black Rose!" Though there was no confirmation, she couldn't help but associate this powerful, murderous unicorn with the name. Vanguard could only agree. Black Rose smiled as she found herself surrounded by three squads of Special Operations ponies. "I must say I'm impressed. I only allowed a single small clue to escape about this meeting but Special Operations latched on to it as if I had been sending out singing telegrams for invitations," she said. "Oh, shut up!" Scarlet yelled. He aimed his crossbow straight at Black Rose's head and fired. The bolt whizzed unerringly towards its target and then winked out of existence. Vanguard barely had time to be puzzled when he heard a sharp cry from Scarlet. He looked up to see the red pegasus struggling to stay aloft and wincing in pain. The shaft of a crossbow bolt was buried in his flank. "I'm so sorry," Black Rose said. "I hope it's not too deep." Vanguard refocused on Black Rose, expecting to see a mocking smile or a cruel sneer on her face. The sincerity in both her tone and expression took him aback. The dissonance between the serene look on Black Rose's face and the sight of the dead bodies all around her left him hesitant of what to

do next or if he even had a chance in this situation. The others inched closer, drawing their circle tighter around Black Rose. "Please reconsider any more hostilities," Black Rose told them gently. "You are a squad and a half more than I expected but you are confronting me in a place I set up and at a time of my choosing. If I feel even the slightest bit threatened, I have a hundred escape routes ready and that's because I am inclined to be merciful to such brave ponies of the legion. You may attack and I will simply escape or you can settle down for a talk and end this night on a more productive note. What do you say?" Vanguard looked to Nightcanter and then to Blaze Trotter and Hoofbreak. They nodded at him as a decision silently formed among them. They were in over their heads. It took Black Rose a single spell to kill fifteen ponies. Though she was unarmored, she was likely surrounded by several powerful defensive spells. Scarlet had just paid the price for attacking recklessly. With a brief signal from their captains, the rest of the ambush backed up and lowered their weapons. "Thank you," Black Rose said. "As a reward for this small kindness, I am willing to answer some of your questions to a degree before we part ways." "You killed them," Nightcanter said accusingly. "These ponies were on your side and you killed them because you needed a mana battery?" "Oh, that's where you're wrong." Black Rose replied. "I appreciate you bringing me to an important point I need to make. I didn't start this "Black Rose Rebellion" and I certainly found it offensive that they went about using my name. All I did was chance upon a group of ponies planning to betray the legion and then decided to put their foolish cause to good use." "That doesn't explain why you killed them," Nightcanter insisted. "Unfortunately, they were getting a little out of hand and needed some trimming. I also wasn't lying when I said I needed a mana battery. You should be glad that I made your job a little easier. Please take this as a sign that I still have not just the legion's but Equestria's best interests in mind." "You've allowed the wolven to break past our defenses and you've caused chaos by letting these rebels run about," Vanguard said. "How can you say that you are on the legion's side?"

"We all have our parts to play, breaker," Black Rose said with a sly smile. "You already know a thing or two about going against something out of loyalty to it and your part is far from done." Before Vanguard could say anything else, Black Rose suddenly glanced towards a nearby window. "My, it's certainly quite late. I must take my leave now." "Wait!" Nightcanter called out. "Tell my beloved that he only has to wait for a little while longer," Black Rose said. "Oh, and tell him not to worry, I'll return your fellows eventually." Black arcs of electricity crackled around her horn and then exploded, filling the entire warehouse with powerful magic. Vanguard tried to jump aside but a bolt of lightning struck him on the chest, flinging him across the warehouse and knocking him into several crates. Several crashes followed his. He struggled to stand up and choked as clouds of dust flew up all around him. He could hear a few ponies swearing and groaning of pain. "Celestia drill my backside!" Nightcanter hissed from nearby. "She played us for foals!" Vanguard got to his hooves and looked around. Scarlet was still injured and the blast would have made it worse. "Why did she attack us?" he asked. "If she wanted to escape, she could have done so easily." "I don't know," Nightcanter answered. "Showing off? She didn't need to prove that she had us outclassed. Just refining a mana battery from unwilling sacrifices did it for me." "We'll see," Vanguard grunted. "Is everypony alright?" he called out. "I'm fine!" Scarlet answered. "My flank's still bleeding but I'm fine!" The rest of Nightcanter's squad sounded off as well. Frowning, she called out. "Blaze Trotter! Hoofbreak! What's wrong?" There was no reply. The dust cloud settled down, giving them a better view. Scarlet and the rest of Nightcanter's squad ran up to them. Nightcanter couldn't see a single pony from the fifth and eighth squads. "There's your answer," she muttered darkly.

Vanguard continued to look around to check for any signs of his missing comrades. When he didn't find any, he cursed under his breath. "We just lost two squads," Nightcanter said softly. "I hope you're about to get yours back up to full strength soon, Vanguard. We'll need it." Vanguard looked at the dead ponies. Nightcanter was right. He also realized that the legion needed a unicorn mage capable of matching Black Rose or she will continue to do as she pleased. His thoughts went towards a particular pony once again. He shook his head. "No," he whispered firmly to himself.

It was close to midnight by the time Rainbow Dash made it back to the quarters she shared with her friends. The streets were empty and the only light came from the evenly spaced street lamps. A few of her flight mates had invited her over to share a few drinks with them after training and she obliged. Still following Scarlet Rabbit's advice, she kept the boozing to a few glasses knowing that showing up drunk for work would result in a whipping. All she had to do was remember Twilight being lashed to motivate her to stay sober. Still, even a few glasses could be made to last an entire evening with the right ponies around. At first, Rainbow Dash felt a little annoyed that most of her flight mates called her names like "kid", "newbie" and "wet-wing" but it did have some upside to it. They were happy to show her around and tell her how the flight did things. They were also inclined to be a little lenient at times. Outside duty hours however, Flight Dreadwing knew how to loosen up. Ever since the last raid, she found herself invited often to a little drink after duty. "You showed potential during the first rush, Rainbow Dash, but the last raid was where we could say you were really blooded!" Spring Breeze, one of the senior pegasi, had said. It was a good feeling, being praised and accepted for excelling at something. When she had boasted that she was going to get a Dreadwing insignia soon, they had laughed heartily and clapped her on the back. It wasn't all just boasting and praise. In Storm Brew's pub, she was treated to not just the occasional free drink but also stories of past battles and incidents. She listened eagerly. She didn't care much one way or another

about killing. She had realized that it simply didn't trigger any emotion so, taking Scarlet's advice, she stopped caring about it. The thrill of battle however, of flying through desperate, nigh-impossible odds, of dodging death by the skin of your teeth…that made her feel and it felt good. Even just hearing of past battles got her pumped. As she was flying home now however, Rainbow realized that she may have enjoyed the stories too much. It was late by the time she realized that she needed some sleep. As she winged her way lazily towards the quarters she shared with the others were, she was surprised to find a pony standing just in front of the entrance. "'bout time you showed up!" Applejack said. Rainbow Dash landed hesitantly in front of her friend. She didn't like the tone Applejack used but she didn't want to start anything. "Sorry," she said sheepishly. "Me and some of my flight mates went out for a little drink and I sort of didn't notice the time." Applejack took a sniff of the air around Rainbow and wrinkled her nose. It was just as Fluttershy had mentioned the other day. "You sure it was little?" she asked. "That's a powerful smell for 'little'. You should be careful with that new drinking habit of yours." Rainbow's lips twitched a bit as she looked at Applejack. A second of trying to hold it in later, she burst out laughing. "What is so darn funny?" Applejack asked indignantly. "I'm trying to be serious here!" "I can't help it!" Rainbow said after calming down a little. "I'm being lectured about drinking by a pony named after a drink!" Still snickering, she tried to sidle past Applejack and go through the door. "Not so fast!" Applejack put herself between her friend and the door. "I'm not done yet." Irritation crept across both Rainbow's face and the tone of her voice. "What do you want from me, Applejack? I was in a good mood and you're ruining it."

"I want to talk about you avoiding us. Don't say you're not. You're always in a hurry to leave in the morning and you're always the last to arrive in the evening. What's going on, RD?" "I don't know how you ponies over at Infantry do things but my flight starts its day early and ends it late. And if I want to go out with my flight mates to relax, that's my business!" "And what about those things you told us a few days ago? About feeling sorry for monsters and enjoying fighting?" "There is nothing to talk about, Applejack. I'm in the right here. Sooner or later, you, Twilight and the others are all going to come around and stop feeling sorry over a bunch of monsters." Applejack stared incredulously at Rainbow Dash. Was she serious? The mere idea of her being serious was…horrifying. And infuriating. "Now see here, Rainbow Dash, that's the sort of thinking that's got all of us worried. It's one thing to have to fight and another to enjoy it! Fluttershy says you've been acting weird since you've been hanging out with Scarlet." "I have not been acting weird," Rainbow said through grit teeth. "It's all of you that have been acting weird! At least Twilight is starting to get it but you, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Rarity aren't!" Rainbow stepped back and gestured towards her surroundings. "Look around you, Applejack. We're not on some vacation. This is our new home! Like it or not, we're stuck here forever! You can't afford to keep acting like a…" She hesitated briefly before hardening her expression and continuing. "…like a spoiled, candyhoofed chosen!" Applejack stared at Rainbow quietly, stunned by the angry lashing from her friend. Hurt, she bit back the urge to lash back. "Your flank has a cutie mark just like the rest of us, Rainbow," she said in a low tone. "Toughening up because of this place is all well and good but that doesn't mean you should forget the things we learned in the Heartland. Sticking by your friends for one thing! Have you forgotten why we all came here in the first place?" Rainbow flapped her wings and hovered just above Applejack, allowing her to look down on the orange-coated pony. "I may still look the part but I'm done being a chosen. Scarlet's right, you have to be crazy if you can't take joy in something you'll be doing for the rest of your life. If you can't deal with

that, Applejack, you can run over to Prince Terrato and beg him to take you somewhere safe." Her lips curled into a sneer. "Like a wuss." "That's it!" Applejack jumped Rainbow, grabbing a hold of her neck before she could fly away and dragging her down to the ground. Rainbow struck the stone pavement first, her breath whooshing out of her lungs from the impact. She recovered quickly and smashed a hoof to the side of Applejack's head. Both enraged, the two of them hurled themselves at each other. Applejack remained on top of Rainbow, knowing that if she ever lost a grip on the pegasus, she would be at a disadvantage. She answered Rainbow's hoof to the side of her head with a hoof to the face. Her nose bleeding, Rainbow clamped her teeth down on Applejack's right foreleg and tried to shake the earth pony off. They went at it for some time with Rainbow trying to buck Applejack off so she could gain some altitude and attacking from the bottom while Applejack desperately trying to stay on and raining blows from above. "That's enough you two!" Twilight's voice broke through the haze of violence around the two. A nimbus of purple magic surrounded and then separated them. "What in the world are you two doing? Fighting in the middle of the night?" Twilight asked angrily. The two of them wondered if she was angry because she saw her friends fighting or if she was angry because they disturbed her studies. The others were there as well, rubbing their eyes to clear them of sleep and wondering what the commotion was about. Rarity looked on with concern and disapproval. Pinkie Pie was confused while Fluttershy was completely horrified. Applejack ignored the others for a while. "You've gone into a very dark place, Rainbow," she said. She wiped the blood from a cut on her lip and nursed the bite mark on her foreleg. "Sooner or later you're going to pay for it. All of us probably will." "Look who's talking!" Rainbow said as she wiped the blood from her nose. "You're the one who jumped me. For all your talk about lessons we've

learned in the Heartland, you're the one who resorted to violence first. You're adapting too, Applejack. Stop pretending." With a look of satisfaction, Rainbow went inside, shrugging off any attempt by Fluttershy to see to her injuries. Applejack looked to the ground in frustration stomped a hoof against it. The cold, pitiless stone seemed to stare back.

Chapter 36 Chasing Scarlet Hammer Chain's smithy was alive with activity even though dawn had barely started. Having spent yesterday negotiating with the other Logistics officers, Hammer Chain returned to his work with a vengeance. In his enthusiasm, he dragged along a still sleepy Rarity and Spike. With leather and cloth repairs not yet coming in, he had seized the opportunity to teach Rarity on how to forge her first knife. Thus the clanging that came from his smithy did not come from his practiced strikes but from Rarity's first awkward attempt at metalworking. "Put some more spirit into those hammer strikes, Rarity!" Hammer Chain said. "That's not how I showed you unless you're trying to make a comment on my forging." "I'm sorry, Hammer Chain," Rarity answered with a barely-suppressed yawn. Though the lack of sleep left her sluggish and partly inattentive, she was surprised by the ease bye which she maneuvered the heavy hammer. True to what Prince Terrato had said, all she needed was to stay in the Barrier Lands to eventually attune herself to its magic. She wasn't growing by leaps and bounds like Twilight was doing but her telekinesis had all but returned to its normal strength. Now, if only her sleep hadn't been interrupted by Applejack and Rainbow Dash's fighting, she would be impressing Hammer Chain. "'Spirited' is not quite how I would describe myself this morning if I may say so," she added. "Half-dead, is what I say so," Hammer Chain remarked. "What's the matter? Did you spend the entire night drinking like that rainbow-maned friend of yours?" "Certainly not!" Rarity answered. "I knew I had work in the morning andwait, how did you know about Rainbow Dash?" "Passed by Storm Brew's on my way home yesterday. Rainbow Dash, hm? She was the loudest pony in the barroom. Haven't seen that sort of bragging since Overcast." Hammer Chain paused, as if considering what

he just said. When he continued, his expression had darkened. "Tell your friend to be cautious. Flight Dreadwing doesn't take too kindly to a pegasus who can't back her talk up." Hammer Chain's remark surprised Rarity so much that she stopped hammering on the glowing piece of metal on the anvil. "Don't let that piece grow cold, Rarity!" Hammer Chain warned her. "Oh, sorry!" Rarity replied as she composed herself. She focused on her work. The steady exertion along Hammer Chain's comments snapped her out of her torpor. She looked at Hammer Chain out of the corner of her eye as she continued. "Do you know a lot about Flight Dreadwing?" Spike asked. "Been working with them even before Tailwind took the captaincy," Hammer Chain replied. "A lot of our bolts go to Flight Dreadwing and most of their officers are wearing my work." "What did you mean by what you said earlier?" Rarity asked. "Is Rainbow Dash in trouble?" Hammer Chain stroked his beard with one hoof. "Depends on how seriously the rest of her flight is taking her. How good a flyer is she?" Rarity fell into in deep thought as she continued to work. Before she could say anything however, it was Spike who answered the question. "She's the best flyer in all of Equestria!" he said with enthusiasm. He paused when he noticed Rarity's disapproving frown. "Well, best in the Heartland anyway," he amended. "Sounds bad," Hammer Chain said. "She'd better impress then. Otherwise it's Overcast all over again." "Might I know who this Overcast is and what happened to him or her?" Rarity asked. Hammer Chain looked genuinely surprised as he looked at Rarity. "You don't know?" he asked. "I thought that you'd be familiar with the story since you're with Vanguard Clash and Scarlet Rabbit."

Rarity shook her head. "If it's going to be a concern for Rainbow Dash, I'd like to hear about it," she said. "Me too," Spike added. He had been content with just leaning half-asleep against a crate of metal ingots until Hammer Chain's ominous warning. He had seen both Applejack's and Rainbow Dash's faces after their fight last night and concern for his friends wiped away any trace of sleep. Hammer Chain hesitated. Perhaps he had presumed too much by mentioning Overcast. He considered not saying anything out respect for whatever reason Vanguard Clash hadn't said anything but it may befall their friend as well. He believed that they should know. "Overcast used to be a Flight Dreadwing flyer several years back. He joined up about the same time as Scarlet Rabbit. He was a pretty fast colt and he knew it. Talked up a storm whenever his flight gathered together and he did prove it by beating most of his flight mates in races." Hammer Chain gestured for Rarity to stop hammering and then inspected the blade. After eyeing it critically, he let her continue. "You can't blame him entirely," he went on. "Reconnaissance flights encourage this sort of behavior; trophies, insignias, bragging sessions in barrooms…Overcast shot himself in the hoof but his flight handed him the crossbow." "So that's what happened?" Spike asked. "Flight Dreadwing gave Overcast a crossbow and he shot himself?" "He means that figuratively, Spike," Rarity chided him. She looked to Hammer Chain, silently asking her teacher to continue. "Right, as I was saying…" Hammer chain continued. "Overcast had potential. He and Scarlet Rabbit were easily the best flyers in their flight at that time. Inseparable too. Couldn't count the number of times I passed by those two over at Storm Brew's. To nopony's surprise, Overcast eventually challenged Scarlet Rabbit to a race." Rarity lifted the blade she was working on and dipped it into a bucket of oil to cool. After an approving nod from Hammer Chain, she went over to the grindstone to begin sharpening it. As she continued to listen however, she already noted that there were similarities between this Overcast and Rainbow Dash. She listened intently now, knowing that whatever happens

to this story might be a clue to her friend's fate in the legion. "How did the race go?" she asked. "I wasn't there when they went at it. Flight Dreadwing held it outside the fortress. From what I heard, it was pretty close for the first half. By the second half, Scarlet Rabbit pulled away and won by a wide margin." "I guess Overcast got taken down a peg and had to learn a lesson on humility," Spike remarked. When Hammer Chain didn't respond, Rarity looked worriedly at him. "That's not what happened, is it?" she asked. "I'm sure it was a humbling experience," Hammer Chain said grimly. "Official story is that Overcast was so shamed that he couldn't show his face in FangBreaker anymore so he asked for a transfer to the Western Barrier Land." "So what really happened?" Spike asked. If "official" meant the same as "truth" Hammer Chain wouldn't have used the word. "Everypony did find the transfer strange," Hammer Chain said quietly. "There was no sending off party or even a goodbye from Overcast. Nopony even saw him after the race. The popular story was that Scarlet Rabbit was so livid over his easy win that he threatened to kill Overcast and Flight Dreadwing. Rather than lose their best flyer over murder charges, decided to transfer Overcast." "But he won!" Rarity protested. "Why would a pony be so angry over the fact that he won?" "Because he wanted to lose," Hammer Chain answered. "I saw his face whenever he won a race with his weights still on and whenever he was listening to Overcast. Scarlet Rabbit wanted to lose even without his weights and he really believed that Overcast was the one to do it. When Overcast failed…I doubt that it was a pretty sight." Spike swallowed and hesitated before asking. "So…what happened to Overcast after that?"

"From what Flight Captain Tailwind told me, he tangled with a wrath dragon down at the Western Barrier Land and burned to a crisp. Guess the transfer was a bad idea after all." Rarity was silent for a while as she continued to put a fine edge on her first blade. This was bad news indeed. She didn't know Scarlet Rabbit very well compared to Rainbow or Vanguard but she couldn't have expected something like Hammer Chain's story from a pony who was constantly laid back and smiling. She thought about talking to Rainbow Dash about it but then remembered what had happened to Applejack last night. Now she was at a loss as to what to do. "Let's see how it's turned out," Hammer Chain said as he went over to inspect Rarity's work. He held up the blade to his face with magic and then eyed it carefully. "Not bad for a first try. Let's continue with the hilting and-" Before Hammer Chain could continue, the door to the smithy opened, revealing Flight Captain Tailwind. "What a coincidence," he muttered. As Tailwind walked in, all three of them noticed the enormous crossbow strapped to her back. The weapon was about as tall as a pony when stood up and had a metal prod unlike Rainbow Dash's crossbow. "I need your help with this, Hammer Chain," she said abruptly. "The stock feels a bit flimsy." "That's not exactly standard issue, flight captain," Hammer Chain remarked. "Off on a hunting trip?" Tailwind allowed herself a wry smile. "I need it ready for tomorrow's sortie." "A sortie?" Hammer Chain asked. "What for? Is the siege breaking already?" "I wish," Tailwind muttered. "His highness just said that we've got the first wave of reinforcements from the southern cities approaching and we need to give them a path to the city. I've been tasked with assassinating the brachyurus leading the wolven forces by the southern gates." "That sounds like a Special Operations pegasus' job," Hammer Chain said as he levitated the enormous weapon and inspected it. Tailwind was right, there was a crack on the stock which meant that it had to be replaced.

Luckily, the prod was still useable as was the firing lever. "How'd you end up with it?" he asked. "Who knows what's going on with Special Operations?" Tailwind said. "I do know that Scarlet's laid out in the infirmary with a bolt wound on his flank. I guess none of the other squads could spare their pegasus for the job or I'm the best candidate after Scarlet." "I'll get on it then," Hammer Chain said. "Wouldn't want you to take on a brachyurus with a defective weapon." Tailwind nodded and left. Once she was gone, Hammer Chain let the weapon hover in front of Rarity and Spike to see. "Wow," Spike said as he approached it. "That thing's huge!" "This is a Quarrel Mark Two Windlass-operated Arbalest," Hammer Chain said proudly. Glad to steer the conversation away from Overcast's fate, he pointed to the engraved symbol of a hammer with its handle wrapped in chain on the prod. "One of mine at that." "Its string is so tough!" Spike remarked as he tugged on the bowstring. "I can't even bend it!" "Its dragongut," Hammer Chain said. "Best bowstring material in all of Equestria." Rarity put the strips of leather down and stared at Hammer Chain. "Did you say "dragongut"?" she asked. Spike's eyes widened as he backed away from Hammer Chain. "That's right." "As in the guts of an actual dragon?" Spike asked aghast. "You kill dragons here too?" "Not here," Hammer Chain said. His tone softened in apology. "And only the ones we can't negotiate with unlike you, Spike. The lesser dragons like greed, gluttony and lust ones provide this material. We have to kill them anyway when they rampage through a settlement. Might as well make use of the bodies."

"But I haven't seen any other dragons around," Rarity said. "And the ponies here don't seem to recognize Spike." "You won't find any this far north. You'll find plenty down the Western Barrier Land. Came from there myself." Hammer Chain looked at Spike to see if the baby dragon was mollified. "The dragons don't mind us killing their lesser kin. Those mindless beasts are an embarrassment to them apparently." Seeing Spike relax a little, Hammer Chain went over to Rarity. "Now, let me show you how to hilt that before I work on this thing, alright?" he said. Rarity nodded and pushed aside her worries for now as she watched Hammer Chain. In the back of her mind, fear for her friend continued to nag at her.

Forced to lie on his belly and with his flank bound up, Scarlet Rabbit stared at the infirmary's walls as if they were cage bars. He had been brought here after apparently shooting himself in the flank. If he wasn't so embarrassed by the incident, he would have protested having to spend the night in this place. All it took was a glare from Vanguard to get him to comply. "Redbrand could at least get me some brandy," Scarlet muttered. He flapped his wings impatiently. Just a while ago, he had heard from Vanguard that there was a sortie being planned for tomorrow and that he wasn't going to participate with his injury. It was all that he could do not to burst out of the infirmary and tell Commander Dreadstep that he was ready for action. When one of the medics entered, Scarlet immediately turn his attention on the pony. "Hey!" he called out. "Tell Redbrand…uh…my flank's hurting really badly and I need a drink!" Instead of hurrying away like the last medic who entered, this one approached him slowly. As he got a better look, he recognized the long, pink mane and the yellow coat. "Fluttershy!" he said with a grin. "Am I glad to see you! Say, do you have a drink on you?"

The lack of an immediate response didn't bother Scarlet. He was still smiling expectantly even when he noticed the serious expression on Fluttershy's face. She was but a foot away when he decided that she wasn't as glad as he was for this meeting and that there was no drink coming. "I want you to stop," Fluttershy said in a low voice. There was no hesitation when she spoke. No stuttering and no backing away as well. Scarlet raised an eyebrow. "Stop?" he asked. "Stop what? Shooting myself? I'd love to but-" his voice faltered before he could finish. Fluttershy leaned on Scarlet's bed, her face just a few inches away from his face as she stared. What she had seen last night was too much. Applejack and Rainbow Dash had argued before. They had even fought before. That would not have been a surprise as they were both headstrong and stubborn ponies. But what had happened last night was no simple fight between friends. It was a strain on their friendship itself. For the first time in her life, she was afraid that the damage could be permanent. Rainbow was flying off somewhere she, or any of her friends, couldn't follow and all she knew was that Scarlet Rabbit had something to do with it. Scarlet froze as he stared directly into those green eyes. A chill ran up his spine. He tried to speak but no words came out. The world seemed to blur until all he could see were those eyes. "Whatever you're doing to Rainbow Dash, I want you to stop it!" Fluttershy said. Her normally soft voice had steel underneath this time. A response did come from Scarlet after a moment of staring. A low chuckle escaped his lips and his hooves dug into his bed. So focused was Fluttershy on her stare that she didn't notice those until it was too late. In a burst of speed, he lunged from his bed, knocking her to the ground and then pinning her in place with his hooves. His lips split into a crazed grin as he took quick and heavy breaths. "Found you…" he said, his voice shuddering in a mixture of terror and anticipation. He had raised a hoof for a strike when Fluttershy realized that she was in danger. Before the blow could land, something struck Scarlet first. He went flying to the right before crashing into a nearby table of medical supplies. A hoof extended to help Fluttershy up. Still surprised and more than a little shaken,

she took it and looked to see who had come. It was one of the senior medics. A couple of them had arrived along with Redbrand. Redbrand had turned around after kicking Scarlet and then strode forward. He gestured for the other medics to come and help him. When Scarlet got up, he still had a crazed look on his face and he made another lunge towards Fluttershy. The bandages on his flank seeped blood as the exertion reopened his wound. The medics caught him and put him back on his bed. "Tie him down!" Redbrand snarled. "Use chains if you have to!" He looked to Fluttershy. "Let's go," he growled at her before leaving the infirmary. With one last confused and frightened look at Scarlet Rabbit's trashing form, Fluttershy followed. "What were you doing in there?" Redbrand demanded as they walked out of the infirmary and into the streets. "Some kind of twisted chosen magic?" "I was…I was trying to talk to him…" Fluttershy said. She realized that she was shaking. Just as Scarlet had looked into her eyes, she had looked into his. He had recoiled when "the stare" suddenly came on, just as any other creature did. But instead of staying recoiled, he had snapped loose like a metal spring wound up too tightly and went berserk. Redbrand suddenly stopped and grabbed hold of Fluttershy, forcing her to look at one of his hooves. That was when she noticed that he was trembling too. "This is just from catching a glimpse of your eyes, filly," he said. "You better hope that I'm not doing any surgery today." "I'm sorry." "Forget apologies. Why were you trying to terrify him into talking anyway? Terrato grind me, they could use you in Special Operations with that stare. It'd do wonders for interrogations." "Well…I didn't know it was going to happen," Fluttershy said meekly. "I just wanted him to stop what he was doing to my friend. But…it didn't work on him…" "It worked alright," Redbrand muttered as he continued walking. "It just didn't have the sort of effect you're used to." "What do you mean?"

"Most ponies run when faced with a truly intimidating sight. Either that or they try to placate whatever's scaring them. With groveling and obeying usually. Then you get reactions like Scarlet Rabbit's." Fluttershy looked at Redbrand in confusion. What other reaction to fear was there? She just didn't understand. "There's an old saying here in the Barrier Lands," Redbrand said. "In battle, you bring with you a smart pony, a brave pony, a greedy pony and a stupid pony. The smart pony will lay out brilliant plans, the brave pony will carry them out despite the risk, the greedy pony is quick to see and seize opportunities and stupid pony has no problem running headlong to his death." His eyes narrowed. "You see Scarlet Rabbit fight once and you know he's a stupid pony. Fast and deadly but stupid." Fluttershy swallowed nervously, suddenly aware of just how close she had been to getting hurt when she had thought to confront Scarlet Rabbit by herself. She was fortunate that the other medics had stepped in when they did. She was now convinced more than ever that Scarlet was bad for Rainbow Dash. "I've never seen such a pony before." she said. "You'll get used to it," Redbrand replied. "Spend a few years in Medical and you'll see how the carnage of battle damages a pony. And it's not just their bodies too." "Could it happen to me and my friends too?" Fluttershy asked quietly. "What kind of question is that?" Redbrand answered gruffly. "You're ponies too. Those ridiculous pictures on your flanks won't protect you from this place. Isn't that why Celestia stuffed you all in the Heartland?" He looked around him as ponies from all divisions of the legion moved about urgently. He had also heard of the sortie planned for tomorrow and had spent a good portion of yesterday's meeting with Logistics making sure that his wards were fully stocked. When he looked back to Fluttershy, he found her gaze on the ground, her face marred by worry. Seeing Fluttershy downcast like that suddenly gave Redbrand an urge to put a hoof on her shoulder and try to comfort her. He shook his head and refrained from doing so. What he had just said was a reality of the Barrier Lands, something that ponies had been dealing with even before the

division. There was no use in sheltering Fluttershy from it or trying to "soften" its impact. If it breaks her, so be it. A moment later, he nearly cursed out loud when he found his hoof patting Fluttershy on the shoulder anyway. Fluttershy looked up at him expectantly, her gloom temporarily dispelled. Still shocked and at a loss, Redbrand cleared his throat while desperately thinking of something to say. "Don't mope," he said, forcing himself to sound gruff. "Not everypony ends up partly deranged. Others are strong enough to stay themselves. You and your friends might be among them." A slight smile creased Fluttershy's face as she looked up to Redbrand. He scowled and looked away in response. "You have friends out in the front lines right?" he asked. "Tomorrow will be a test for them. You better be ready too, Fluttershy."

Chapter 37 Prices Paid In all his years of working in the legion's kitchens, Sharpfangs had learned enough to know what the legion's plans were without having to be told. All he needed to do was observe the mess hall. From what he had seen this morning, the legion was expecting a major battle later. The chatter was nervous all around, more so than usual. That meant that they were about to put their lives on the line soon. He can tell who the new recruits were without looking. They were always the loudest talkers whether it was boasting, asking questions or just hinting at a need for support. Most of the kitchen staff was already taking a break. After a busy morning preparing breakfast, they were finally going to have theirs. Sharpfangs stayed around for a while though. Just in case something was needed. "Don't those things hurt?" a high-pitched voice just a few feet to his side asked. Sharpfangs turned to find the kitchen division's latest recruit already moving in and staring at his muzzle. Ever since her arrival, Pinkie Pie had demonstrated an infectious, bubbly joy at everything she did and an absolute lack of perception for personal space. "Don't what hurt?" Sharpfangs asked. "Those pointy things coming out of your mouth," Pinkie replied. "They're fangs right? They look pretty sharp. I guess that's why you're called Sharpfangs. It must be pretty awful for you if you bite your tongue with them. I bite my tongue sometimes when I talk or eat really fast but my teeth are all flat, not sharp and pointy like those." Sharpfangs waited patiently for Pinkie Pie to have mercy and stop assaulting him with questions, all the while thinking that he had sheltered from calmer blizzards than this. Before she could even slow down however, Pinkie Pie suddenly put both her front hooves against his back and started rubbing."What are you doing?" he asked as he stepped back. "Grassmane was right! You coat does feel weird! It's so rough…like sandpaper!"

"Please stop," Sharpfangs said as he stepped back. He looked around nervously. His wife had caught a mare rubbing her hooves against his wiry, long-haired coat before. The resulting incident was still sometimes talked about among the Legion Police and it was always with a shudder. Fortunately, while Pinkie Pie had no concept of personal space, she did have some concept of discomfort. Still all smiles, she backed away a bit. "You're looking a bit happier this morning, Pinkie," He remarked. "Yesterday, you were under the weather." Pinkie Pie paused for a moment, remembering what had happened that day. She had started yesterday morning still thinking of the fight between Applejack and Rainbow Dash. By the end of that day, the two were still not talking to each other, resulting in a very tense mood inside their quarters. She held on to the hope that they would eventually patch things up. After all, this wasn't the first time that they had argued. She had decided that letting that tension get her down would only make things worse for the ponies around her. "Everypony in the mess hall just seems so happy and excited!" she said. Sharpfangs snorted. "They do, don't they?" he remarked. "There's going to be a major battle later on and it's got them worked up." "Do they enjoy fighting that much?" Pinkie asked. "No. They're scared. They think that if they laughed and talked loud enough, the fear would lessen." "That's a great attitude to have!" Pinkie said with a grin. "Just laugh at whatever you're scared of!" Sharpfangs looked at Pinkie a sadly. There was no mockery in her tone. She believed in what she said completely. The way she just said things however, made his heart ache a little. He would love to believe in things she said and he envied the life she must have lived within Celestia's barrier. What made him sad was the thought that the Barrier Lands would steal the belief infused within her words as surely as a blizzard would steal the warmth from anypony and reduce him to frozen husk. "Are you ok, Sharpfangs?" Pinkie Pie asked with concern. "Did you bite your tongue?"

"I'm fine," Sharpfangs replied. He sniffed and the cleared his mind of melancholy. Pinkie Pie decided to come to this place and he respected that but she should face the consequences of doing so. "Why don't we join the others and-" he stopped when he saw Pinkie Pie suddenly shiver violently, her eyes staring blankly ahead of her. "Pinkie! Are you alright?" he asked worriedly. Pinkie Pie's eyes refocused and she hugged herself to stop from shivering. With her teeth still chattering, she tried to speak. "W-w-whoah! It's gotten really c-c-cold in here!" she said. "You're in a kitchen with several cook fires still up!" Sharpfangs replied sharply. "What's wrong? Do you have a fever?" Pinkie shivered for a few more moments and then stopped. She let out a loud exhale of relief before speaking again. "Wow! That was weird. I suddenly felt really cold inside. It's like…having your heart replaced with ice cubes for a minute! It's like a…a doozy! A really cold doozy!" Sharpfangs raised an eyebrow. "No offense, but is this a chosen thing?" he asked. "I've heard of heartburn and I've experienced it once in a while but not heart-freeze." "Oh, it's not the same for all of us 'chosen'," Pinkie replied. "I think it's my Pinkie Sense acting up. But I've never had that kind of reaction from my Pinkie Sense…" "Pinkie Sense?" Sharpfangs was now completely baffled. "What in the frozen valleys of Wolvengard is a Pinkie Sense?" "It's just when I get twitches on my body that means that something is going to happen," Pinkie replied cheerfully. "I don't think you'll find it in the frozen valleys of Wolvengard." Seeing Pinkie still being earnest made it difficult for Sharpfangs to scoff at what she was saying. The idea of such a silly pony being able to predict the future would be a good joke for a nightly drinking session but he wasn't going to laugh in Pinkie Pie's face. "So what does this really cold doozy say about the future?" he asked.

"I don't know," Pinkie replied. "It's the first time that's happened to me. I think…I think it's something really bad and it's going to happen during the battle you were talking about!" "It's a battle," Sharpfangs said. "Bad things always happen in battles. Battles are bad things. Anything specific?" "No," Pinkie Pie bit into a foreleg nervously, her previous cheer all but gone. She looked pleadingly at Sharpfangs. "Can we stop the battle?" she asked. "Just for today!" Sharpfangs looked from the kitchen and into the mess hall just as the ponies were already beginning to leave. "There is no stopping this battle, Pinkie Pie," he said. "Let's just hope that your Pinkie Sense is wrong this time." "But it's never wrong…" Pinkie said quietly.

The residents of the southern section of Bastion City watched from their homes as the legion gathered its forces by the gates. Reactions among them were mixed. More than a few lauded the upcoming attack as brave and dynamic, a sign that the legion may be on the defensive but it was still a force to be reckoned with. Just as many quietly hoped that their troops would make it back alive. Nearly every family in Bastion City had a son or daughter in the legion. Among those gathered closest to the gates was Applejack's platoon. She fidgeted slightly, adjusting the straps of her barding for the eighth time. Or was it the ninth? "Nervous?" Twocolt asked. He was standing right next to her, his eyes betraying his own fears from underneath his champron. "Maybe a little," Applejack answered. She was well aware of the difference between this upcoming fight and her previous one. It was one thing to stand on top of a wall and knock down every wolven that tried to climb up and another to charge out of the gates and into a pack of them. She was also aware that she was part of the group of ponies out in the front and was

expected to be in the thick of the fighting. Reinforcements were arriving and it would be Infantry's job to clear a path for them to take into the city while while Reconnaissance provided air support and Magical blasted the enemy back. Behind her were several squads of unicorns from Magical while pegasi occupied the walls and gates. She looked up as several shadows crossed her vision. An entire flight of ponies were hovering just above them, out of sight of wolven bolters but ready to take off once the attack commenced. She recognized the lead pegasus as Flight Captain Tailwind, Vanguard Clash's mother. "There goes Flight Dreadwing," Twocolt remarked. "They always seem to be the ones heading the pegasi in any major operation. Your friend's really lucky to get picked to join them." Applejack's gaze went from pegasus to pegasus until she found who she was looking for. Rainbow Dash hovered among her flight mates, her head raised proudly while a confident, eager smile curved her lips. She suddenly looked down and caught sight of Applejack looking at her. With a snort and a tilt of her head, Rainbow looked away. "Yeah," Applejack replied to Twocolt. "Real lucky." Applejack sighed. A day had passed since their scuffle and the two of them still weren't talking to each other. She regretted losing her temper during that incident. All it did was make things worse between them. She had made up her mind. After this battle, she was going to pony it up and apologize even if it meant that Rainbow was going rub her nose in it. After that, she was going to try again. It wasn't just Rainbow that Applejack was planning on talking to. Behind her platoon, she caught sight of Twilight Sparkle among the other unicorn magi. Twilight wasn't going on about how they had to go out there and kill wolven like Rainbow was. That was because, for the past few days, the purple unicorn barely said anything to them. She was constantly reading and the slightest interruption irritated her. Spike once told stories about Twilight's nigh friendless days in Canterlot. Applejack wondered if this was something like those times or worse. "Is that Captain Vanguard Clash?" Twocolt asked. "Looks like Special Operations is involved in this attack too."

Applejack followed Twocolt's gaze and saw Vanguard Clash standing by one side of the gate. In his distinct barding, Vanguard looked like statue of black metal. While legionnaires around him paced about and fidgeted in anticipation of battle, Vanguard was perfectly still. Applejack couldn't help but smile wryly at the contrast he presented with Rainbow Dash. One was as colorful as her name suggested, easily among the loudest of her friends and, right now, filled her with apprehension. The other one was about as colorful as a tombstone and just as talkative. Staring at him, she felt some of her own nervousness recede. She reminded herself to talk to Vanguard later. He was born into all of this fighting and he's been doing it all his life. He would know how to deal with all the violence they were exposed to without falling apart. For now however, Applejack concentrated on the task ahead. The attack was about to start soon. She had to somehow survive this battle if she ever wanted to mend things among her friends.

Rainbow Dash hovered impatiently as she waited for the signal to attack. Flight Dreadwing had already received their orders earlier. It was their job to lead the pegasus charge against the wolven, disrupt the enemy rear lines and provide covering fire for the ground troops. Their flight captain had been tasked with assassinating the brachyurus commander in charge of the southern wolven forces. Rainbow was practically swelling with pride. There was no doubt now that Flight Dreadwing was the best flight in the legion and three recruits were traded away just so she could be included in it. During their raid, she had proven herself capable of fighting alongside them. For today's battle, she planned on showing them that she was the best thing to happen to the flight. Finally, after what seemed like ages, the horn that sounded the attack blew and the gates swung open. "That's the signal!" Tailwind barked. "Move out! For Equestria!" Flight Dreadwing mirrored Tailwind's battle cry and took off, winging its way past the southern walls followed by Flight Storm Dawn and Flight Frost

Shear. Below them, several infantry platoons charged past the gate and straight into the waiting wolven forces. Rainbow had little time to watch how the ground troops were doing. As soon as she flew past the walls, she and the rest of her flight was greeted by a barrage of bolts. There was no panicked flying from her this time. She stayed in formation and weaved to the side along with the rest of the flight as she pulled out her crossbow. "Take down their bolters!" Tailwind shouted over the clamor of battle. She pulled out the enormous crossbow strapped to her back. It was already loaded before the battle, a slow difficult process, as Rainbow had observed. "Night Breeze! Spring Rain! Cover me while I move in!" As two of Flight Dreadwing's officers joined their flight captain in flying deeper into enemy lines, Rainbow and the others fire their first barrage into the gathered wolven bolter squads. She picked one bolter who was just about to finish loading his weapon and pulled the firing lever. The bolt whizzed unerringly towards its target and the wolven was flung back when a thick shaft of wood found a home in its ribs. 'Good,' Rainbow thought. 'I'm still in perfect form!' She pulled out a bolt from the case attached to her side and loaded it on the fly. The wolven bolters were just about finished reloading when she let another bolt loose. Another wolven bolter dropped to its side, its neck bleeding copiously. A second barrage of bolts flew from below and the entire flight flew up to avoid it. Rainbow heard a scream from just below her that was immediately cut off. She didn't look however. Her attention suddenly became focused on one part of the battlefield. From the rear lines stalked forth an enormous wolven. It was smaller than King Fenrir but was easily four times the size of a pony. Its white fur made it stand out among its gray-coated brethren. "Brachyurus…" she whispered.

Naralrak chuckled to himself as the thunder-foots stormed out of their city and straight into the fangs of his wolven. For days now he had been waiting while the cursed thunder-foots holed up in their wretched city. Now, he had a chance to release some pent up aggression. Just a few days ago, the western forces had been attacked by flying thunder-foots and their commander, Gelrok, embarrassed himself by letting several supply wagons

burn. This was a chance for him to prove himself to the king as the most competent among the brachyurii. "Forward!" he roared. "Tear these thunder-foots apart!" "Commander, there are thunder-foots also coming from the south!" one wolven howled. "Then kill them too!" Naralrak snarled. Scouts had already warned him earlier of the approaching thunder-foots from the south. Nakiskra, his former scouting leader, had suggested that he call upon the other commanders to reinforce his troops to prevent the thunder-foots from joining up. For such an impertinent suggestion, she later provided him with dinner that same night. Call for help? How humiliating would that be? This march into the thunder-foots' lands will be the greatest battle in Wolvengard's history and there was no way he was going to let himself be overshadowed by any wolven by asking for help. Naralrak looked up to see a large flock of flying thunder-foots descend on his bolters, shooting them while they were still reloading. He also noticed a trio of them separate from the main flock and head towards him. Snarling at this brazen challenge, he advanced upon the three. One of them aimed a large bolter straight at him. "Think you can kill me, thunder-foot?" he roared. "Come then!" With one swift motion, he grabbed a nearby rock and hurled it at the flying thunder-foot while continuing to charge.

"Foal of a nag!" An enormous rock, the size of her head, flew directly towards Tailwind before she could take the shot. With a flap of her wings, she changed directions, dodging the thrown rock just in time. Night Breeze and Spring Rain flew ahead of her and fired their shots at the charging brachyurus. The brachyurus dodged Night Breeze's shot while Spring Rain's struck true, embedding a bolt just above the wolven's left shoulder. It ignored the hit and kept charging. "Flight aptain watch out!" Night Breeze warned. A squad of wolven bolters had detached from their main firing line and were now taking aim at Tailwind. Cursing at the lost chance, Tailwind dodged and weaved as a barrage of bolts came her way. Both her escorts had now reloaded and then refocused their aims toward the squad of bolters. They

fired and a pair of wolven dropped to the snow-covered ground. It was now a race of reloading. The two of them would finish first while the wolven struggled with their heavy weapons but even if they killed two more, they would still have to avoid another barrage. She righted herself and took aim once again, only to find the brachyurus no longer where it was standing. With a vicious roar, the brachyurus jumped from directly beneath her, its claws and jaws outstretched. Tailwind noticed in time to twist her body and avoid being ripped in half. She could feel the brachyurus's hot breath on her coat as his jaws snapped shut just a few inches from her body. To her bad luck however, one of its claw swipes struck the arbalest she was carrying and knocked it to the ground. "Damn!" Tailwind hissed. She immediately grabbed hold of her regular crossbow, aimed and fired while the brachyurus was still falling from its jump. The bolt struck true, burying itself into her target's side. She didn't believe that it was going to slow down however. Its wiry, armor-like fur, its tough hide and its thick muscles made sure that bolts from anything smaller than the arbalest would not penetrate too deeply. Before she could make a dash towards her fallen weapon, a barrage of bolts came flying towards her, forcing her to fly back and get some distance. Out of the corner of Tailwind's eye, she saw what looked like a streak of colors heading towards the fallen arbalest.

Though the battle raged on all around her, Rainbow couldn't help but look at how her flight captain dealt with the enemy leader. The brachyurus was enormous. Even from afar she knew that they were big but seeing one this close was impressive. Its size, its speed...everything about it was completely monstrous. She felt her heart skip when it jumped so high that it nearly bit Tailwind. No wonder all it took was to kill one of these monsters to earn an insignia. When Tailwind's arbalest fell to the ground, Rainbow saw her chance. Normal crossbows hurt the monster but they weren't enough to kill it. It needed one clean shot with the arbalest to bring it down. She made a dash for the weapon, flying low and zigzagging through the swirling battle. Infantry was pushing hard, forcing the wolven lines to break up or be trampled into the blood-soaked snow. There were also ponies attacking

from the opposite side and making their way into the city. The pegasus reinforcements spread out, firing on the scattered wolven to keep them confused and unable to regroup. Casualties were also all over the place. A pegasus crashed just a few feet away from Rainbow, his body riddled with bolts. Two more followed him with the same injuries. She flew past several dead earth ponies and had to duck a swipe from one of the wolven who were savaging their remains. Finally, Rainbow made it to where the arbalest had fallen. Fortunately enough, the weapon had not fired despite the impact. When she lifted it up, it didn't look like it was damaged either. The thing was heavy however. When she flew up, she found herself slowed a bit. "Rainbow Dash!" Tailwind shouted from above her. "Good work! Now hand it over here!" Another barrage of bolts forced her to fly up just to dodge. Unfortunately for them, the brachyurus had also followed where the arbalest had fallen. Its fearsome red eyes locked onto Rainbow as it charged. In the few seconds it took for the monster to reach her, Rainbow had to make a snap decision. The balance threw her off but she aimed the arbalest at the brachyurus and fired directly into its gaping jaws.

The moment the horn sounded and the gates swung open, Applejack found herself carried away by the sudden rush of her fellow legionnaires. "For Equestria!" everypony shouted. Instinctively, she echoed the battle cry. There was little conscious thought involved as she went with the charge. The mere pent up energy of waiting for the attack to begin followed by the sudden burst of sound and movement sent every pony in Infantry running headlong towards the wolven waiting by the other side of the gates. It was like being carried away on a river's current. The foremost ponies crashed into the wolven with the loud bang of colliding metal and flesh. The wolven at the front of their lines were struck and then went down while the charging ponies reared up to trample them. Blood spattered across barding as their tramplers crushed bones. The wolven responded by jumping on the lead ponies, latching on to their barding with powerful jaws and dragging them down. When one pony proved too strong to be taken down by a single wolven, two or three more easily followed

through and a fallen pony was practically helpless as the wolven tore bits of his barding off from the straps and then clamped into the exposed flesh. From behind Applejack came a barrage of magic. Arcs of lightning struck the wolven, charring their hides and leaving them twitching helplessly while the front line legionnaires trampled them to death. A crack of thunder from behind caused her to duck reflexively. An enormous bolt of lightning, much bigger than the previous ones, flashed just above her, striking one of the wolven and knocking it flying back to the enemy rear lines. Instead of a badly singed, twitching wolven, there was only a charred corpse. The spell then scattered into several smaller bolts that struck the wolven unfortunate enough to be nearby, singeing their bodies and leaving them howling in pain. Applejack followed where the vicious bolt had come from and, not to her surprise, she found Twilight Sparkle. The unicorn's horn was still crackling with purple energy and it looked like she was already intoning another spell. The unicorn magi next to her were looking at her in surprise but she ignored them. She didn't even seem to look at the carnage that resulted from her last one. 'Is that what you've been studying so much for, Twi?' Applejack thought. She didn't have time to contemplate however. A wolven had locked its eyes on her and charged, flecks of spit flying from its mouth as it jumped. Applejack was ready for it. She reared up and smashed a trampler directly against the wolven's nose, cracking its snout and knocking it on its back. Her heart pounding, she rushed forward and brought both front hooves down on her stunned enemy as hard as she could. She closed her eyes momentarily as she heard the crunch come from beneath her tramplers and felt the wolven's struggling cease. She heard another howl come from her right and found Twocolt trampling another wolven just a foot away. "Don't do that!" Twocolt admonished. "Do what?" "Closing your eyes in the middle of a fight! Are you crazy?" "Sorry," Applejack mumbled. "I'm still not used to this." She remembered Twilight's expressionless face after that bolt of lightning. Perhaps she was

the only one left who wasn't. She looked ahead, suddenly determined to put more into this battle. That was when she caught sight of an enormous wolven moving from the enemy's rear lines. She had already been taught what this creature was from her training. It was a brachyurus, the biggest and nastiest of the wolven. She also saw several pegasi flying after the thing, firing bolts from their crossbows. She watched in awed horror as the massive creature jumped high into the air and swiped at one of them. Something fell from the pegasus as she dodged the blow. It looked like a crossbow, a really big one. A streak of rainbow colors caught Applejack's attention as it sped towards where the weapon had fallen. 'Rainbow!' she thought worriedly. Her friend was now streaking past the enemy lines, likely to retrieve the crossbow. Several wolven tried to give chase but quickly abandoned the idea once they saw how fast their target was going. Rainbow Dash had managed to get where the weapon had fallen and Applejack saw her hover with the enormous weapon while the brachyurus closed in on her. 'What are you doing?' Applejack thought desperately. 'Fly up! Get out of there!' Rainbow Dash seemed to hesitate for a second and then took aim and fired. At the very last moment, the brachyurus closed its jaws and ducked. Rainbow's shot tore right through its left ear, causing blood to run down its face. Applejack's heart went cold as the monstrous wolven continued to charge. It raised a claw and brought it down on the sky-blue pegasus who was still hovering in front of it. The claw slammed into Rainbow Dash and knocked her viciously to the ground. Clumps of snow flew up from where she struck. Her weapon went flying towards another direction. "Rainbow!" Applejack cried out. Ignoring Twocolt's protests, she ran ahead, dodging and weaving past several wolven.

Naralrak grinned as the strangely-colored flying thunder-foot fell before him. He had overreached when he swiped so that his pads struck it rather than his claws. The ones flying above him were ignored for now. This one was so distinctly marked that it must surely be some high-ranking thunderfoot within cursed Terrato's herd. All he needed to do now was rip its tail off, eat the rest and present the trophy to the others. He opened his jaws and lunged forward, already anticipating the taste of thunder-foot flesh in his mouth. Halfway through his lunge however, something suddenly slammed into his face. He looked ahead of him to find another thunder-foot somehow holding him back. Surprised and enraged, Naralrak pushed back, determined to seize his prey before it recovered and flew off.

Rainbow Dash opened her eyes in a daze. What happened? One second she saw her shot miss and the next second she was flat on her back on the ground. Her head spinning, she tried to remember what had happened in the past few seconds. The brachyurus had struck her. She remembered the impact of the pads of its paw hitting her solidly and counted herself lucky that it hadn't raked her with its claws. She tried to stand but her legs were still wobbly and her vision was all over the place. A deep, cavernous growl brought her up short and she looked ahead. The brachyurus was right before her, licking its lips in anticipation. Rainbow tried to get to her hooves again but her knees refused to do what she asked them to do. She flapped her wings desperately but all she did was hover for a few seconds and then fall face first into the snow. The brachyurus's hot breath on her back, Rainbow closed her eyes and waited for the end. Seconds passed without anything happening. Rainbow opened her eyes again to find an earth pony legionnaire standing in front of her. The yellow tail and the orange coat gave her a good idea of who it was. 'Applejack?' she thought. Her eyes widened as she realized that it was indeed Applejack and she had reared up to hold back the jaws of the brachyurus before them. "What are you waiting for?" Applejack grunted as she glanced back. "Fly!" She was shaking from the effort just to keep the brachyurus from shoving

her aside. Rainbow got to her hooves and flapped her wings. This time she managed to hover properly. Before Applejack could so much as breathe as sigh of relief over her friend's safety, she felt the brachyurus shift before her. The monstrous wolven shook her loose and swiped at her with a claw. Something hot and wet spattered across Rainbow's face as she saw the brachyurus's claw sweep Applejack aside. Her friend flew several feet to the side before tumbling into the snow and lying still. A bright red trail, along with bits of shredded barding, marked where she had tumbled. "Applejack?" Rainbow mumbled, her voice shaking. "Applejack!" She flew hurriedly towards her fallen friend. The brachyurus had focused on Rainbow again. Before it could strike, a pair of bolts found their targets on its side. With a roar, it fell back and switched its attention to the pegasi circling it. "Rainbow!" Tailwind shouted from above. "Get your friend out of there!" Tears streaming down her face, Rainbow tried to get Applejack to her hooves but the orange-coated pony was limp in her forelegs. Blood soaked through her leather barding as she lifted Applejack to her back before taking off. Snarling viciously, the brachyurus prepared to jump again when another pony slammed against its chest. This one was clad in heavy, black plates and had struck directly below its neck, knocking it flat on its back. With a swing of his neck, Vanguard Clash brought his blade against the brachyurus, slicing open a large wound on its side just as it was getting up. He jumped back in time as a claw swiped at him, keeping his head low and waiting for another opportunity to attack. No attack came however. As the brachyurus prepared to charge again, a torrent of flame washed over its face. It fell back while howling in agony. Vanguard glanced back to see who had cast the spell only to find Twilight Sparkle running forward, her face twisted in a rage. The brachyurus was not done despite its horrific injury. Half its face was charred and partly melted and another bolt had struck its side. Still, it

roared and leaped towards Vanguard with its claws extended. Vanguard saw his opening. He matched the leap with a charge of his own and immediately ducked towards the monster's blind side. He moved past the claws and then plunged his two-bladed sword deep between the brachyurus's ribs. A weak howl escaped the brachyurus's jaws and it raised a paw to knock Vanguard back. Before it could do so, it found Tailwind hovered right before its face, the arbalest now in her forelegs with another bolt loaded. "Die, you miserable dog," she muttered. She pulled the firing lever. The bolt flew from her weapon and plunged right into the brachyurus's remaining eye. The impact knocked the monster over, leaving it dead on its back. Before Tailwind could take a closer look to see if the job was done, another wave of flame crashed into the brachyurus, lighting it on fire. She flew back and watched the flames consume her target with a sigh of frustration. This mission had been far too costly. Perhaps she was getting old. Vanguard had managed to pull his weapon out and jump back just before Twilight burned the dead brachyurus to a crisp. The white-hot flames died down as quickly as they had flared up, leaving behind a large, blackened corpse. For a moment, he was reminded of Pyre Valor's handiwork. The flames were the same as was the ferocity of the spell. There was no time to dwell on it however. The horn sounded from the walls again. The reinforcements had made it back and it was time to retreat to the safety of the city. As he was leaving, the wind blew something against his legs. He looked down to find a hat, Applejack's hat, being blown against him. He picked it up and started running back, signaling to Twilight to do the same. Already, he could see wolven coming from the eastern and western sides of the city running over.

The sound of the horn signaling the attack's end was barely audible to Rainbow as she winged her way to the city. Bolts zipped past her dangerously and she was flying out of formation but she didn't care. The only thought she had was getting Applejack to Medical and then doing whatever it took to make sure her friend lived. "My…"

Rainbow felt Applejack shift on top of her. A measure of relief escaped her as a sigh. "Applejack!" she exclaimed. "How are you?" "My hat…" Applejack's voice was so weak that it was almost impossible to hear her. Her hooves moved slightly in some futile search. "Where's my…my hat…" Rainbow Dash could only choke back a sob as she beat her wings harder. Bastion City seemed so far away…

Chapter 38 A Mother’s Concern "Applejack! Applejack!" "Don't die, Applejack!" "This is my fault…this is my fault!" The constant talking mixed with crying was starting to irk Applejack. What was going on? Can't a pony get some sleep without a bunch of other ponies bawling and screaming like they were in a funeral? She had half a mind to get up and give them a piece of her mind. The other half just wanted to turn over and go back to sleep. She was so tired for some reason. She was even more tired than that time she had to harvest all the apples in her farm by herself. She recognized Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash sobbing and wailing. Even Twilight was going at it. "Don't just stand there and cry, filly! Get me my sutures!" That was the grouchy doctor that Fluttershy served under. Redbrand was it? What was he doing here? Shouldn't he be in a medical ward helping injured ponies? "Everypony, we need to stand aside and let the medics work." Applejack recognized Vanguard Clash. There was no mistaking that growl of a voice. It almost made her snicker hearing him use it so softly. It was clearly a voice made for shouting in a fight not singing lullabies. Still, for all its roughness, he did use it quite well when he tried to comfort her while they were out in the plains trying to get to Bastion City and when he was trying to assure her during that ambush he needed her in. For all the gravel in his voice, Vanguard still managed to comfort and assure. Right now, she was just glad that somepony was going to clear the place and give her some peace and quiet. "Stay with us, Applejack," she heard Vanguard say quietly. "Remember the ones you still have back home."

The thought of her family still back at home jerked Applejack awake. The harvest should be over by now. She wondered how they were doing. She was having a hard time opening her eyes for some reason. The voices around her grew muffled and then faded out. 'Okay, now this is getting weird.' she thought. She was sure that she had opened her eyes but why was everything so dark? When all the voices had completely faded away, the darkness finally seemed to recede. From being surrounded by blackness, Applejack was now surrounded by…gray. With a snort of frustration, she walked forward only to realize that she didn't remember standing up or if she was lying down in the first place. What was going on? She extended her forelegs just to make sure that they were there and doing what she wanted them to do. 'This must be a dream,' she thought. Strangely enough, she didn't remember going to bed. Why was she asleep? What was the last thing she was doing? She remembered a battle; wolven coming at her from all sides, her dodging claws and fangs while trying desperately to get somewhere. Then there was giant white wolven, its jaws looming in front of her. She remembered holding back those frightful jaws and then looking to her side in time to see a claw come at her. Beyond that moment, there was nothing. She looked around her carefully. The grayness all around her felt and looked like some sort of fog. She could barely see her own hoof in front of her face. Wherever she was, she was definitely lost. "Tatatataratata…taratatataratata…" Was that somepony singing? Finally having something focus on, Applejack followed the sound. She stumbled through the thick fog, unsure of what she was even walking on. It felt soft yet firm under her hooves but it certainly didn't feel like earth and her steps made no sounds. Finally, she saw the faint figure of…something as she closed in on the singing. The silhouette looked like some sort of large, serpentine creature with oddly-mismatched arms and legs. The sight of the bizarreness of it seemed strangely familiar. The figure became more distinct as she approached so that she could see the mismatched horns, the goat-like head and the large buck tooth. She gasped as it dawned on her as to who it was she was looking at. "Discord!" she exclaimed. She stood low and at the ready, already trying to gauge her chances against the Spirit of Chaos.

Discord, on the other hoof, didn't even seem to notice her. He was walking around and arching his back as low as he could so that his head was almost parallel to his ankles. "How low can you go? How low can you go?" he was chanting to himself. As soon as he noticed Applejack, he straightened up with a wry smile. "You know, this would be so much more fun if there was actually a stick I can go under. You don't have a stick with you, do you?" "What are you doing here?" Applejack asked suspiciously. "Did you do this? Where am I?" "I haven't done anything," Discord replied irritably. "In case you haven't noticed, stone statues don't get to do anything except sit pretty in somepony's garden." "What are you talking about? You're not a stone statue now!" "My body is and-wait. You have no idea what's happened to you have you?" "No," Applejack replied defensively. Something was wrong here. Discord seemed too…grounded. She recognized him but she couldn't feel any sort of threat coming from him. "Well then," Discord went on brightly. "Welcome to Vestibulum! The space between worlds and the most boring place in all of…well, the most boring place ever. Honestly, if The King would just grant me authority over this place, I'd turn it into something wonderful for you almost-dead ponies. But no! He's fine with this eternity of grayness." Applejack listened cautiously. The last thing she wanted was for the Spirit of Chaos to trick her into doing anything ever again. Still, something about what he was saying caught her attention. "Almost dead?" she asked. "What are you talking about? I'm fine!" "You're not fine if you're here," Discord replied. "How did you end up here anyway? Fall down the stairs? Sheep rebellion? A really bad apple for lunch?" "I was…I was fighting. There were wolven and-"

"Fighting? Wolven?" Discord laughed. "Oh my, a lot of changes have happened and I wasn't there to see it! I would love to see how Celestia's taking it if you know all about the wolven!" "I don't want to hear any more of your nonsense, Discord! Now show me the way out of this place!" "Oh, lighten up. We're both stuck here. At least you'll have somepony coming to fetch you soon. I'm stuck here until Celestia decides to either kill or free me." Discord let out a long sigh. "I guess I'll have to wait until Oceanus stops sulking before things get interesting again." "Now see here, I've had just about-!" Applejack stopped short when she felt warm breeze blow through her. The sensation was wonderfully pleasant, a summer breeze that reminded her of working back in her farm. The constantly cold and biting winds of the Northern Barrier Land had almost made her forget all about this feeling. A burst of dazzling white light emanated from behind her, illuminating Discord, who squinted and grunted, and causing the gray mist to recede. "Well aren't you a special little snowflake," Discord muttered. "What are you talking about?" Applejack asked as she turned to face the source of both the light and the breeze. "I'm flattered. The Queen's coming to fetch you and you're still talking to me." The light intensified, leaving Applejack speechless before she could reply to Discord. Something was coming towards them. The light's warmth seeped into her body, flooding her with peaceful feelings and a sense of contented joy and then leaving her on her knees. She squinted to try and get a better view but the light was too intense for her to make anything but a faint outline at the center of the brilliance. Out of the radiance, a voice came forth. Applejack expected a thunderous boom or a powerful rumbling like Prince Terrato's. Instead the words came out soft and melodious. "Leave us, Lexarius. Our meeting does not require your presence," the voice said.

"It's Discord!" Discord shouted in indignation. "Discord! I haven't been that boring lout, Lexarius, in centuries!" Applejack cringed not because she was frightened but because, compared to the voice from the light, Discord's railing sounded especially unpleasant. It reminded her of rusted metal plates grinding against each other. It seemed a crime to sound like that after that voice. The light flared briefly and it was Discord's turn to cringe. "Okay, okay," he said in a subdued tone. "You don't need to pull the smiting out. I'm going." With that, the Spirit of Chaos himself slithered away into the grayness like a beaten colt, leaving Applejack alone with the radiant presence. "Forgive our former steward," the voice said. "He hasn't been himself for so long." Applejack bowed her head as she remained kneeling. Discord called this…being "The Queen". Queen of what, she wasn't sure but she instinctively knew that she should show respect. "Um…beg your pardon, your majesty, but what is going on?" "Despite his madness, Lexarius has answered your questions honestly, young one. You are in Vestibulum, where the souls of mortal ponies are drawn to before they are accepted into the Eternal Herd." Applejack remembered the last thing that happened to her before she found herself here. The brachyurus had struck her. A fearful realization came upon her. Was she dead? Was everything over? "Now, let us greet you properly first, Applejack, bearer of the Element of Honesty. Not since the last stand of Apple Slice has a pony of your clan fallen so valiantly in battle. Rest assured that a place has been set aside for you in the blessed fields of Elys where your ancestors await you eagerly." Applejack felt her spirit sink a bit. So that was it. She was dead. She was a little flattered by what the Queen said and the thought of meeting the Apples of long ago was certainly exciting. But she wished that she could have done more to help her friends.

"But they must wait a little longer," the voice continued, as if sensing her incoming depression. "For our children's sake, we must interfere. How fitting that it is the Bearer of Honesty who has come before us when we need a pony to speak in our stead. Will you bear our message, honest Applejack?" "Of-Of course, your majesty!" Applejack said, hoping that she addressed this being right. "Thank you. We are aware of the growing turmoil in the world of mortals and the rifts between our children; Celestia, Terrato and Luna." Applejack listened intently. So she as talking to mother of Equestria's rulers…no wonder Discord referred to this being as "The Queen". "Kai'hin shivayn atshis.Speak these words to our son, Terrato, and he will believe that you speak in our stead. Tell him that if he continues to refuse to act, his dearest sister will fall from grace completely. Tell him that home is not lost to him as he may believe. Lastly, remind him of his parent's love and his mother's words of prophecy: Nine rebellions shall the King endure before he is roused to anger. Firstborn Oceanus began the cycle and it will be he who will end it. The seventh is coming soon. Let our warning allow him to prepare." Applejack nodded as she committed the words to memory. That was a lot of things to take in. She barely understood what The Queen was talking about but she hoped that Prince Terrato would make more sense out of them. "I'll tell him, your majesty," she said determinedly. "I promise." "Thank you. But we will not send you back without gifts for your efforts, truth bearer." The light swirled around Applejack as if it were liquid gold. She felt a wave of heat not from the light but coming from within her. It started off as what felt like a spark of warmth in her chest, steadily growing into a fiercely burning flame. "Heed our words, Applejack. Jewelry is but symbolism. Remember Astraulis neveth arahn; Harmony comes from within. No shield protects as truth does. You who bear the Element of Honesty, let the truth come before you and the lies will scatter like dust."

"I-I don't understand," Applejack said. The heat inside her suddenly felt painful as she wavered. "Not yet. You are still gripped with doubts and lies. Stand strong, Applejack, and see Honesty as a purifying flame. Those purged by it will see clearly. Now, go back to your friends. They are in desperate need of you." The light stopped swirling and lessened in intensity as Applejack felt the presence withdraw. Suddenly, she noticed that she wasn't alone with The Queen anymore. "Hello?" somepony called out."Is anypony there?" From the voice it sounded like a stallion. The voice was strangely familiar too. As she listened, a pony emerged from the mist, stumbling as he did so. It was a white unicorn stallion. Applejack recognized the wavy, blue hair, the mustache and the monocle. "I remember you! You're that rich feller Rarity met in Canterlot! What was it again? Something to do with pants…" The unicorn's eyes widened in recognition. "And I recognize you! You're one of Rarity's rustic friends…that gardening pony. Finally, a familiar sight! Could you…could you tell me where I am?" "Uh…maybe you could tell me how you ended up here first," Applejack said. She remembered Discord's words and things were not looking good for this stallion if he was here. "I remember walking home from a party when I ran into a group of these strange-looking ponies wearing barding of some sort. They looked like they were heading for the palace urgently. One of them pointed some kind of device at me and then. when I woke up, I was here." Before Applejack could respond, The Queen's voice came from a distance. She could still see a glimmer of light coming from afar despite the mist. "Come with me, Fancypants. Empyrea will always have a place for a noble unicorn soul." Though he was startled a bit, Fancypants brightened at the call. "Excuse me then, miss," he said. "I'll be going now." With that, he galloped off and disappeared into the grayness.

Applejack tried to walk on as well, thinking that she had to go somewhere to get out of this place when a sudden pain to her side brought her up short. "What in tarnation?" She looked to her side. There didn't seem to be anything wrong with it but it was starting to hurt. Her vision was also dimming and the grayness was darkening into black.

Applejack opened her eyes and found herself lying on a bed in a large room. The entire place was quiet save for the gentle snoozing of several ponies fast asleep. She felt around her bed and reveled in the…solidness of everything. She was back among the living at last. For a moment, she wondered if she had just dreamed the entire thing. No. She was sure it had happened. Everything had been too vivid and too…important to be a dream. "You're awake at last," somepony said from the side of her bed. She turned around to find Vanguard Clash sitting next to her bed. He had spoken gently, his growl of a voice almost breaking from doing so. Fluttershy was resting next to him with her head against his shoulder. At the foot of her bed, Applejack found Rainbow Dash with her face buried in the sheets. The spot near her eyes still felt damp. As Applejack looked around, she saw that nearly all of her friends were there. Rarity was sitting by the door asleep while Twilight had fallen on the floor nearby with Spike resting on her back. She also noticed that she was sharing this place with other injured ponies. "How come you're still up?" Applejack asked Vanguard softly. She tried to rise only to be brought up short by a sharp pain to her side. Vanguard put a hoof against her shoulder gently to keep her down. "I'm just good at pacing myself," Vanguard replied. "Stay down and rest. We almost lost you, you know." "Lost me?" Vanguard paused in recollection. "There was a moment when you lay so still that I could have sworn you were no longer breathing and your heart had stopped." His voice trembled slightly. "There's fear when you know that something might happen and it scares you. Then there's that moment when you seem so certain that it has."

"Sorry," Applejack said. "I made all of you worry." To her surprise, she saw Vanguard chuckle. It was the first time she had seen him do more than smile. "What's so darn funny?" she asked, unable to keep herself from smiling as well. "Do you remember that night I first brought you and your friends to the legion?" Vanguard asked. "Rainbow Dash was talking about how 'cool' it was when Twilight was injured trying to protect all of you and you scolded her about trying it out for herself." "I remember that night! I was-oh…" Applejack felt blood rush to her face in embarrassment. "Heh…heh…I did say that, didn't I?" Vanguard let himself smile. "I'm just glad you're back with us, Applejack." "Stay with us, Applejack. Remember the ones you still have back home." Applejack matched the smile with one of her own. "Glad to be back," she said. "Not looking forward to being confined to a bed though." She put a hoof against the one Vanguard still had on her shoulder to gently nudge it away. Embarrassed by his lack of consideration, he backed away and settled onto his seat. Then, with a start, he suddenly reached for something. With a slight flourish, he placed Applejack's hat back on her head. "You almost lost this," Vanguard said. "My hat! No wonder I was feeling extra chilly! Thanks, Vanguard." The two of them heard somepony moan groggily and looked to where it came from. Twilight stood up slowly, letting Spike slide to the floor as she did so. As she focused on Applejack and Vanguard, the two of them noticed a peculiar look cross her face for less than a second before she brightened. "Applejack!" she exclaimed. She put a hoof to her mouth and looked around before lowering her voice. "Thank goodness you're awake. We were so worried!" "Sorry," Applejack said.

"No," Twilight answered softly. "I'm the one who should apologize. I had a spell on that brachyurus before you even got there but the words slipped in my mind at the last moment. I'm so sorry." "Nonsense, sugar cube," Applejack said with a grin. "Don't you use this to punish yourself even more. I know how hard you work on your magic." Twilight sniffed and held back her tears as she smiled. With a final nod at Applejack to signal that he was going, Vanguard stood up and prepared to leave. This will be an emotional time for Twilight and her friends. Though he was becoming more comfortable around them, he felt that he shouldn't stay once they all woke up. Already, the sounds they made were causing the others to do so. He focused on Twilight briefly. Despite her self-deprecation for letting Applejack get injured, she had still showed incredible power during that battle. It wasn't just magical strength. She didn't hesitate when it came to burning and electrocuting wolven. She certainly didn't spend a second vomiting in horror. He remembered his mother's recommendation. Flight Captain Tailwind was no unicorn mage but she had an eye for potential. But killing a wolven was one thing and killing a pony was another. He wasn't sure how well she could handle such a situation. He didn't want to find out. But, as Tailwind had pointed out, it may not even be his choice. He felt as if fate itself was pushing her towards the path Pyre had taken. There was also another problem brewing. Vanguard shifted his gaze towards the sky blue, rainbow-maned pony still asleep by the foot of Applejack's bed. Rainbow Dash had not stopped crying since they brought Applejack into the ward. He could only expect that her confidence had shattered at this incident. What would it take restore that? Her recklessness was dangerous but the legion had no use for a broken wreck. He would have to tell Scarlet Rabbit to stand down for now. "Vanguard!" Applejack called out to him. He stopped and refocused on Applejack, who was looking straight at him. "Need something?" Vanguard asked. "I need to talk to the prince. Can you do something to let me meet him?"

Vanguard paused for a while. That was a strange request coming from a pony who was at the brink of death just hours ago. "I'll see what I can do," he answered. "Any reason why?" "I got a message from his ma. A real important one."

Chapter 39 Healing A day had passed since the first wave of reinforcements made it to Bastion City, bringing a measure of relief to its defenders. With more ponies lining the walls and patrolling the streets, the city felt a little safer and the siege seemed a little less bleak. The reinforcements also brought supplies with them; food, materials and ammunition…even medical supplies and, much to the delight of some legionnaires, liquor. As far as Chief Medical Officer Redbrand was concerned, it was only the last two that mattered. He was starting to feel a pinch on his brandy supply and dreaded having to decide whether he should stop taking nips from his flask so much or operate on ponies without trying to numb the pain. As if to highlight the situation, he had just had to refill his flask moments ago. There were a lot of injured in the last battle and, in the last several hours, he had had to wade through a couple of amputations, a sweater's worth of stitching and what he estimated to be a crate's worth of brandy. And then there was Fluttershy's friend, Applejack. The "highlight" of last night's emergencies. He took a pull from his newly refilled flask and remembered just how that matter settled. "We've got a bad one incoming!" one of the senior medics called out. Redbrand braced himself. Whenever his subordinates called that out, it meant that he was going to have to deal with the next patient personally. "Fluttershy!" he called out. He looked around to see where the yellow pegasus was. She had certainly become a reliable medic in such a short period of time. Perhaps it was about time he exposed her to more serious cases. He found her already going to see to the next patient when she froze in shock. "What's the matter?" he asked. He looked towards what she saw and understood immediately. The door to the ward had just burst wide open. Standing by the door frame was one of Fluttershy's chosen friends. Redbrand could tell from the freakishly colored mane. He ignored the coloration this time however. It

wasn't the bizarre pattern that caught his attention but the blood that stained her coat and mane. On the pegasus's back was a badly injured earth pony. He didn't recognize this one but, from Fluttershy's reaction, it was another one of her friends. "Applejack!" Fluttershy cried out. "Applejack!" She rushed over to the fallen earth pony's side. Redbrand signaled for the other medics to place Applejack on the nearest bed and begin removing what remained of her barding. "Don't just stand there and cry, filly!" he roared. "Get me my sutures!" Even as he sent Fluttershy off, another pony entered the ward. This time, it was Fluttershy's purple unicorn friend, the one that a lot of legionnaires were talking about. She went to Applejack's side right away, her eyes already welling up. Behind her, Vanguard Clash had also entered the ward. He at least had enough sense not to barge into the place. "Please stand back," one of the senior medics said. None of them seemed to hear him. Another medic had completely removed the barding from the injured earth pony and was stemming the bleeding as best he could. Another one washed out the wounds. The sky blue pegasus was even worse for Redbrand. She had grasped the side of the bed and had buried her face into the covers. "This is my fault…this is my fault!" she wailed. His temper already long gone, Redbrand strode forward, lifted the pegasus by the mane and smashed a hoof into her face, sending her tumbling towards the door. "She's not dead yet, you idiot!" he snarled. The purple unicorn, Twilight Sparkle, as Redbrand finally remembered, gasped and looked at him in shock. Fluttershy, who had just arrived with his sutures was also shocked but she kept moving. He ignored the stares and shifted his attention to Vanguard. "Get these bothersome fillies out of my ward, Captain Vanguard Clash," he said. With a nod, Vanguard motioned towards Twilight and the pegasus. "Everypony, we need to stand aside and let the medics work," he told them. Twilight Sparkle looked a little angry at Redbrand but she understood the situation and left. She had to help drag away the pegasus, who was crying

out in rage and frustration in between her sobs. Vanguard stood over the bed for a few moments and said something. Redbrand didn't bother listening. With that, he left as well. With the distractions gone, Redbrand was finally able to focus on his work. Applejack had taken an enormous claw to the side, likely from brachyurus judging from the sheer size of the wounds. The tears were deep and jagged. If he didn't close them up right away, this pony was going to die in a few more minutes. He took the sutures and went to work swiftly. Just a foot away, he could feel the growing mass of anxiety that was his assistant. With a snort, he concentrated on his work as best as he could. It would take a lot for this mare to pull through even without feeling as if somepony was going to rip his head off if he failed. Redbrand looked over the ward from his corner of the room and focused on Applejack. She almost didn't make it. The trauma had been so severe and the blood loss so great that he had felt her life just slipping away from his hooves. But Applejack made it through. He didn't know how. Perhaps it was due to earth pony sturdiness, as he had seen time and again, or it could be some kind of aspect of chosen anatomy. It could even be just sheer luck or something as utterly preposterous as divine intervention. Regardless of the reason, he was just relieved that Fluttershy didn't have to go through the loss of a dear friend for now. He shoved the thought aside gruffly. That was ridiculously naïve. Sooner or later it was going to happen to her so why try to coddle her now? "I'll see you later, Applejack!" an earth pony stallion called out as he left the ward. Legionnaire Twocolt passed by Redbrand on the way out, dipping his head slightly out of respect for a higher ranking soldier. It was almost noon and Twocolt was only the latest of the visitors who had come to see Applejack. Before Twocolt, a pink, earth pony chosen had come. She had rushed into ward so quickly that Redbrand thought that it was another emergency. She was also so loud and distraught about finding out what happened to her friend so late and how her "Pinkie Sense" had warned her about this that he was about to throw her out of the ward. Fortunately for her, Fluttershy and Applejack managed to calm her down.

Pinkie Pie, as her name was, had brought a cake with her as a get well present. At least Redbrand assumed that there was a cake under that cataclysm of frosting and candy. He had thought of going over to the kitchens just to ask how they procured all the ingredients for it. A slice of that cake had somehow found its way to his desk, "as thanks for your part in Applejack's recovery" Pinkie Pie explained. He was polite enough to accept but he wasn't going to touch the thing until he had some stomach medication on hoof. It was before Pinkie Pie had arrived that Redbrand assumed was the most emotional reaction to the incident had occurred. He set aside those thoughts however. With his break done, it was time for work.

"See you later, Twocolt!" Applejack said as she waved at the leaving stallion. Once he was gone, she let out a sigh and fell back on her bed. It had only been hours since she woke up and she was already restless. While on her back, she raised her legs in the air and slowly stretched them to her sides. "Applejack!" The swiftness of Fluttershy's disapproving call nearly made Applejack jump. She could have sworn that the yellow pegasus was still by the other end of the room. All of a sudden Fluttershy was right next to her. "Just how many times do I have to warn you about exerting yourself?" Fluttershy asked. "I was just stretching my legs!" Applejack protested. "Isn't a little exercise a good thing for an injured pony?" "If you pull those stitches, I'm going to nail you to that bed!" Applejack could only raise an eyebrow at the ineffectual threat. "Looks like that grouchy doctor's been teaching you more than just medical stuff," she remarked. "It'll work better if you made an angry face to go along with it and if your voice didn't sound like you were singing me a lullaby."

Fluttershy glanced nervously at the stallion sitting by his desk at the far end of the ward. "Please don't tell him I tried that," she whispered. With a chuckle, Applejack nodded. "So why are you over here again?" she asked. "Don't you have other patients to care for?" "It's time to change your dressings," Fluttershy replied. "We don't want your wounds to become infected now." "Alright, alright." Applejack lay on her side to let Fluttershy take the bandages off. As Fluttershy unwound the bandages and laid them on a nearby side table, she saw how badly stained they were. The white strips of cloth were almost completely brown with her dried blood. "Pretty bad, huh? Fluttershy remarked when she saw what Applejack was looking at. She suddenly paused in surprise once she had removed the bandages. The claw wounds were still there but they were…noticeably better than she had anticipated. Had she been pessimistic about the entire injury? "I sure did make a real mess of things here," Applejack said, jarring her out of her train of thought. "You should have seen Rainbow when she flew you in here. She was so covered in blood that I was scared that she was horribly injured too." The mention of Rainbow Dash perked Applejack's ears up. "So have you seen Rainbow after she left here?" she asked. "Applejack, please settle down," Fluttershy implored. "And I haven't seen her after she left. It looks like she went straight to her flight. I hope she got herself cleaned up first." Applejack frowned at that, remembering the way Rainbow Dash left the medical ward. "Oh I am so relieved to see you alive, Applejack!" Rarity almost ran over to Applejack's bed to give her a hug only to be restrained by Twilight. Inside the medical ward, joyous tears and smiles were all around. Applejack found herself embarrassed by all the attention

but she was glad too. These were the ponies she almost left behind. Even imagining them so distraught as to react like this upon her waking up left her with an ache in her chest. The last one to wake was Rainbow Dash. All of them watched her slowly stir from her sleep and smiled when she opened her eyes. "Howdy, pardner," Applejack said with a grin once Rainbow had fully woken up. "Applejack?" Rainbow's voice was husky and her eyes still red and bleary. Both were from too much crying. Applejack also noticed that one of Rainbow's eyes was swollen as if it had been struck hard."Applejack!" Still grinning, Applejack extended a hoof towards Rainbow Dash…who shrank from it as if Applejack was handing her a poisonous snake. "What's wrong?" she asked. "I…" Rainbow Dash quivered and looked away. She tried to look at Applejack but some invisible force seemed to have grabbed her by the head and was turning it away each time she tried. "I'm sorry…I'm so sorry!" Applejack's grin dissolved into a look of concern. "Hey. Hey now, it's alright," she tried to say soothingly. Rainbow Dash didn't seem to hear a word. Fresh tears poured from her eyes and she started to shake hard. All of them were looking at her in concern now. When Applejack tried to reach in with her hoof, Rainbow bolted, zooming out of the ward so fast that blankets and bandages went flying in her wake. In the background, they heard Doctor Redbrand swearing violently. "I hope she's okay," Applejack muttered. "And I hope that she doesn't think this is all her fault." "I'm worried about her too," Fluttershy said. "She was so broken up about what happened to you yesterday. "Not that I…well…" Applejack looked at Fluttershy carefully. "Well what?" she asked. The yellow pegasus fell silent for a few moments before putting a hoof on her shoulder.

"Applejack. Promise me that this won't happen again. I don't want to see you or any of our friends in here like this again!" Applejack stared at her friend, suddenly realizing that she had underestimated just how badly all of this had affected Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash's reaction appeared the most severe but that didn't mean that the rest of her friends hadn't gone through a lot. "Promise me!" "Sugar cube, I can't," Applejack answered softly. "Not without lying." Fluttershy drew back, sniffed and then wiped her eyes. "I hate this," she said with a quivering tone. "I hate all this fighting you have to do." "You're fighting too. You fought and won last night right?" Fluttershy choked back a sob. "Just…just be careful. You can promise that much right?" "I will." The both of them looked up when they heard the door to the ward open. Twilight Sparkle entered and immediately went over to them. "How are you feeling, Applejack?" she asked once she was close enough. "Doing much better!" Applejack replied with enthusiasm. A little of it was forced. She didn't want her friends to worry about her anymore. She glanced slyly over to Fluttershy. "As long as Fluttershy here doesn't nail me to the bed!" Twilight looked at Fluttershy in puzzlement. They yellow pegasus coughed nervously in response. "I'd…um…I'd better go check on the other patients," Fluttershy said. With Fluttershy gone, Twilight focused her attention on her bed-ridden friend. "I wanted to talk to you some more about The Queen," she said. "I already told you everything, Twi," Applejack answered. "Besides, shouldn't you be on duty?"

"Mage Captain Owlsight told me to take a break," Twilight said with a frown. "Ordered me to actually. And I was only on my second spar. Tell me again about what The Queen told you." With a sigh, Applejack narrated her encounter with the Queen again while Twilight listened intently, a small notepad floating in front of her. "Nine rebellions…and we're already expecting the seventh," Twilight wondered aloud. "I wonder what the first six were. Then there's this Oceanus the firstborn and Discord being called Lexarius." She tried to suppress an excited smile and failed. "So much research!" "Well, I'm glad you're happy about it," Applejack said with a touch of concern. Giving Twilight Sparkle another reason to bury herself in books was not exactly something she was excited about. "And those words that The Queen told you," Twilight said. "Clearly a different tongue used by royalty! I wonder if Princess Celestia and her siblings speak it often among themselves. Are you sure you got the pronunciation right?" "No, I don't," Applejack said flatly. "I can barely say those slippery words. I just hope Prince Terrato will listen to me even if I can't say them right!" "Maybe there are some books in this city's libraries that might help. Want me to-?" Twilight paused when she noticed Applejack's expression brighten a bit as she noticed something behind her. She looked over her shoulder to see what was going on. Another pony had entered the ward. This time, it was Vanguard Clash. With a nod of a greeting, he walked over to Applejack's bed. "Feeling better?" he asked. "Much better!" Applejack replied. Twilight noted the extra enthusiasm. "How'd it go?" "'He has a message from The Queen' isn't exactly an easy to work with pitch to get an audience with the prince, Applejack." Vanguard replied. "It's done though. As soon as you can walk straight, I'll escort you to talk to Prince Terrato. Your barding's also being repaired. It should be finished

once you've recovered enough so just pick it up at Hammer Chain's once you're able to." "Thank you kindly, Vanguard." Vanguard waved a hoof dismissively. "It's nothing. If this message is important, it's our duty to make sure it does reach his highness." "Can I come along?" Twilight asked. "I'd like to see how he'll react to all of this." "We'll see," Vanguard replied. "You're not exactly his favorite pony, Twilight." "He's still mad at me for what I did to the princess," Twilight said glumly. A look of determination crossed her face. "But I still want to be there. Who knows what he'll decide to do when he hears that The Queen wants him to act?" "If he decides to bring down the barrier even if it means fighting Princess Celestia, what would you do?" Vanguard asked. "He won't do that," Twilight replied. "Prince Terrato is violent and has a cruel sense of humor but he would never attack Princess Celestia. That's why he's still mad at me!" "Isn't that why The Queen has decided to interfere?" Twilight didn't reply to that. Sensing the mood darken, Applejack decided to intervene. "Hey now, why don't we leave that to when I can walk straight?" she suggested. Vanguard and Twilight glanced at each other and nodded, letting her steer the conversation to lighter things.

Redbrand watched from his desk as Applejack dealt with even more visitors. "Terrato grind me, that filly has a ridiculous amount of worry-wart friends!" he groused. He took a small bite of the cake on his desk and grimaced. As he had feared, the sweetness was far too much for his liking. "Um…Doctor Redbrand?"

He looked up to see Fluttershy standing in front of his desk. "What is it?" he asked. "Want some more cake? You can take this." "Um…no. Actually, I wanted to apologize." "Apologize? For what?" "When they carried Applejack here. I was so worried that you were just going to give up without trying. Instead, you worked so hard to keep her alive." Redbrand's eyes narrowed. "I'm not surprised about how little credit you give me, Flutteshy," he said. "I've been doing this for thirty years and I know when a pony's life can be saved or not. Stick around and you might learn something!" "I'm sorry." Redbrand made sure that he wasn't looking at Fluttershy when she said that. He had enough of feeling bad for things he shouldn't be. "Stop apologizing already," he groused. He opened his flask and was about to take another pull to take the edge off the sweetness when a hoof stopped him. He quickly glared at Fluttershy but she didn't back away. "You should know better than get between a stallion and his drink." he warned. "Please stop," Fluttershy replied. Redbrand didn't say anything. His silence demanded an answer however. "I'm not as experienced as you but I can tell that whatever pain you're trying to numb with that drink isn't going away." Redbrand looked at Fluttershy and then put his flask's stopper back. "I've been at this for ten years," he said. "What makes you think you can stop me?" Fluttershy answered with a smile that took Redbrand aback. "I'll try my best," she said.

Flight Captain Tailwind sorted through the papers on her desk as reports came in on her flight's condition. The last battle had not been a good one

for her flight. She was down three pegasi and she was disappointed over her own performance. What grated on her was the fact that she needed her son's help to finish off a brachyurus, something that she had never needed before. She looked up as the door to her office opened and pressed her lips tightly together. Here was another issue to be settled. "You sent for me, Flight Captain?" Rainbow Dash asked. Tailwind looked her over. The young mare looked haggard despite her desperate attempts to hide it. "That's quite a shiner," Tailwind remarked as she looked at Rainbow's eye. "How'd you get it?" "The angry doctor over at Medical gave it to me, ma'am," Rainbow answered. "Foal of a nag, Redbrand," Tailwind muttered to herself. "Can't you even make exemptions for ponies who almost lose their friends?" To Rainbow she spoke grimly. It wasn't that she was going to be any different. "That and the fact that you're late aside, I think you know why I called you here." Rainbow Dash remained silent. Tailwind couldn't help but notice that the luster in her eyes was gone. She barely seemed to be in the room at all. "You disobeyed my orders, Rainbow Dash. I told you before that there's being brave and being reckless. You're lucky, and let me stress the word 'lucky', that your friend managed to make it out alive. That being said, it should come as no surprise that some discipline is in order. Report to the whipping post once you leave this office. A few stripes should remind you that while we encourage initiative, it's not at the cost of discipline." Rainbow Dash looked at Tailwind dully. The whipping didn't frighten her. In fact, she welcomed it. She had failed horribly and, what was worse, she wasn't even the one to pay for it. Because of this shame, she couldn't even stay in the same room as Applejack without being crushed by guilt let alone look at her. Some determination seemed to take the edge out of her gloom. "How many times?" she asked. Tailwind leaned on her desk with her hooves and looked at Rainbow shrewdly. "You tell me," she answered.

More fire returned to Rainbow's eyes, bringing a smile to Tailwind's face. It was going to take some work but she might salvage a good flyer out of this wreck yet.

Chapter 40 Wayward Children "Look at them, Terrato. They're lost and helpless. Even with Discord gone, they will suffer for centuries before they can begin to recover." "Our father has ordered us to return, dearest sister. That begins and ends this matter. Let's go." "I won't go. Not yet." "Celestia, what are you doing? Has Lexarius's madness come upon you? Look at what's left of him and see for yourself what happens to those who go against The King!" "Lexarius's rebellion stemmed from his madness and selfishness. I go against our father for the sake of others. He will understand." "And you will risk his wrath for what? These…these mortal spawn of Oceanus?" "Their parentage is not their fault, Terrato." "Nor is their existence here our concern! We were sent here to punish Lexarius and our mission is done. Why make things harder?" "I cannot go back to the Eternal Herd having seen this and done nothing. I just can't." "Then I'm staying as well." "Terrato…" "Don't misunderstand me. I don't care for these mortal ponies. I care about staying by your side." The sound of the doors to his makeshift audience hall opening jarred Terrato out of his reverie, a reverie he didn't even know why he indulged in

the first place. He had been thinking far too often of Celestia these days. This was unacceptable. He had made it through centuries of isolated duty because of his ability to throw the memory of his sisters to the dark recesses of his mind and ignore it. That didn't seem possible anymore if Black Rose and Luna had anything say about it. He looked at the ponies who entered and frowned. It was Twilight Sparkle again. Of course, she was with her partner-in-crime, Vanguard Clash, and one more chosen. "So who's next on the list, Rough Cut?" he asked his recently appointed chamberlain. Besides Rough Cut, there was nopony else in the hall. Having guards for himself was a useless waste of legionnaires. "Legionnaire Applejack is here, your highness," Rough Cut replied. "She had asked for an audience with you three days ago." "Oh, yes. One of Celestia's chosen who somehow had a message for me after almost getting shredded." Terrato gestured for the ponies to come closer before turning towards his chamberlain again. "Three days is rather short to recover from a life-threatening injury. Should she really be walking about?" "Medical apparently cleared her, your highness. It is quite unusual however." Terrato shrugged. The sooner the better, he guessed. He might see into this recovery later if he had time. Perhaps Celestia did more than just put pictures on her ponies' flanks. Perhaps it was something related to the Elements of Harmony. "I hear you have something important to tell me, Legionnaire Applejack," he said. "Let's hear it." He frowned when he saw the earth pony shake a bit and look at him nervously. While she was stuck in bed for the past few days, Applejack had tried rehearsing what she was going to say when faced with the prince. Faced with him for real, all the lines she practiced flew out of her mind like a flock of frightened birds. Here was a great difference between Princess Celestia and her brother. The princess naturally exuded a calming presence which assured even a pony who had never met her before that it was alright to approach her with even the smallest problem. Prince Terrato loomed before her with a disapproving frown and an intimidating presence that told her that she was taking up his time and it had better be for a good reason. She also remembered that this was the prince who threatened to hang

Vanguard Clash and then mercilessly sent both him and Twilight to be publicly whipped. "I-I'm here to give you a message from The Queen," she finally managed to say. The already tense atmosphere around Prince Terrato darkened some more. "Is that so?" he rumbled. "Can you prove it?" "Y-yes, your highness." "Good. Because you won't leave this hall alive if you can't. Not even being Celestia's chosen will save you if I find out that you've falsely invoked my mother." Applejack felt herself shake even more. Why did Prince Terrato have to make this so hard? He could just stand there and glower and she would be hard-pressed to give her message. She felt her tongue dry up and her legs start to move on their own so she could bolt. To her right, Twilight looked to her with a nervousness to match hers. "Steady yourself," Vanguard suddenly whispered from Applejack's left. He pressed a hoof gently against her side. "He'll only kill you if you're lying and I know you're telling the truth." Applejack balled her fear into a lump and swallowed it. She imagined drawing some of that steadiness and strength that Vanguard always seemed to have from the hoof pressed against her. He was right. For all his roughness and violence, Prince Terrato would not harm her for telling the truth. She knew what she had to say. "Kaiheen Sheeveyn A-Atushees." Applejack looked up in a mixture of nervousness and embarrassment. Even she could tell that that was not the way The Queen said those words. Prince Terrato looked at her, his frown softening a bit. He looked as if her mangling of the words had physically hurt him. Finally, after a moment of silence that seemed to stretch into a day, Terrato made his answer. "Kai'hin Shivayn Atshis. The Queen speaks through me. I'm not going to practice my alicornian with you any time soon, Applejack, but I will believe in what you have to say."

Applejack let out a sigh of relief. Despite the embarrassment, that was one obstacle down. She wondered if it was some kind of joke on The Queen's part to make her say such slippery words. "Tell me what The Queen has to say. Don't leave a word of it out." The relief quickly disappeared. Applejack couldn't help but stare incredulously at Terrato. Did he enjoy doing this? It took her a while to concentrate and make sure she remembered everything. Unfortunately for her, realizing that his mother did have a message for him had made Terrato even more impatient and he tapped a hoof on the floor as he waited. Applejack eventually got to tell the prince his mother's message. She stuck as close as possible to The Queen's words for fear that the prince would come into the wrong conclusion and it would be all her fault. At the end of her story, she could only hope that she had done well enough. She had no idea that being a messenger was so dangerous. Terrato closed his eyes in deep thought, leaving all of them to sweat and wait for his response. "First Luna and now The Queen herself is telling me to act." He turned towards Twilight. "You know my dearest sister well, Twilight Sparkle. You probably know her better than I do. Tell me, if I flew to the Heartland and smashed her barrier to pieces, how would she react?" Twilight thought about it carefully. Maintaining the barrier was gravely important to her mentor. 'Important enough to banish even me just to keep it,' she thought sadly. If Prince Terrato were to attack it, it would be enough reason for the princess to fight back. "She would fight you," she answered. Though she had never seen Princess Celestia attack anypony, she was sure that this would be important enough for it to happen. After all, Princess Celestia fought her own sister to protect Equestria from eternal night. Surely, to protect Equestria from the influence of war, she would fight her own brother. "She would, wouldn't she?" Terrato remarked. "We would end up fighting and that would be the seventh rebellion. The Queen may as well have predicted that Celestia will be kicked in the face and then ordered me to kick her in the face." "Your highness…"

The moment Twilight Sparkle ventured to speak again, Terrato's glower returned. "Need something again, Twilight Sparkle? I've sent you home once, let you into the legion and spared your partner-in-crime. What else can I do for you?" Twilight held her ground this time. She was beginning to notice something with her mentor's brother. Prince Terrato resorted to threats of violence quickly and casually. He thundered and rumbled whenever he pleased and he glared daggers in a heartbeat. Yet, underneath all that intimidation, he seemed to admire ponies who are able to keep their composure and stand up to him. He resorted to joking around as easily as he resorted to violence and he was a reasonable prince. "If it's alright with you, I just want to know more about these nine rebellions that The Queen mentioned," she asked meekly. "Twilight Sparkle wants to know about something. I'm shocked," Terrato remarked flatly. There was a moment of silence but Twilight remained composed. If he wanted to refuse, he would have said no already. "Consider the nine rebellions a countdown to a great upheaval," Terrato finally replied. "I'd say the end of Equestria but who am I to say what The King will do when 'roused to anger'? He could just scold us for being so disobedient." Twilight swallowed. "T-the end of Equestria? Why? Why would The King destroy something his children protected for so long?" "Ask your father," Terrato replied quietly. "My father? But he's back in the Heartland! What does this have to do with him?" "Not him. The father you share with him," Terrato snorted, knowing that he was going to have to stop being so vague or he would never get rid of Twilight Sparkle and her questions. As he began to tell the story however, he did feel some sense of nostalgia. He had only ever told this tale to one other pony and that was his former student, Black Rose. Telling this story again, to Celestia's student of all ponies, felt…unusually pleasant. It wasn't that he was keeping it a secret anyway. For him, it was simply because nopony had ever actually asked. "Before you mortal ponies, before even me and my siblings, The King and Queen had only one child: Oceanus. He is the father I'm talking about."

"I didn't know that Princess Celestia had another brother," Twilight said softly. "Don't you call him our brother!" Terrato suddenly thundered. "He cast aside all of his family relationships when he started all of this!" His voice cracked across the room, sending everypony to their knees. He calmed himself quickly however. "I don't know what motivated Oceanus," Terrato went on. "Maybe he grew tired of being just beneath The King and Queen. Maybe he was bored. I wasn't there and I'm not going to be presumptuous enough to think I can understand him solely on the aftermath of his actions. What I do know is that he rebelled against The King and Queen one day and a great many within the Eternal Herd supported him." His eyes narrowed as he continued. "This was the first rebellion. The King defeated him and his supporters and hurled them out of the Eternal Herd. Their battered forms crashed into this world. From the lingering traces of The King's power, Oceanus's own leaking power and his blood, the first of your kind came forth." Twilight stood in rapt attention. She had never read anything like this in any book. It was an account of creation! The first arrival of ponies into this world! "Oceanus didn't care for his new 'children' it seemed." Terrato continued. "He and his followers crawled their way into the depths of the Eastern Waters where they remain up to this day to recover their strength." It was Vanguard's turn to react. Twilight noticed his eyes widen in realization. "The Eastern Waters," he said quietly. "Nopony has ever crossed that ocean. Those who venture too far simply disappear. To think that it holds a rebellious prince in its depths…" Terrato ignored the comment and went on. "These ponies lived, multiplied and died. When the first of them arrived in the Eternal Herd, they naturally caused a stir. When it was clear that you mortals will only continue to multiply and grow, the concern was that the blood of Oceanus within all of you will allow him to exert his influence and gain himself even more supporters. One of the royal stewards, Lexarius, volunteered to go to this world and ensure that mortal ponies embodied harmony rather than Oceanus's rebellion."

Terrato's expression darkened. "He did well for over a thousand years. It was during his time that other…beings followed in Oceanus's hoof-steps and formed their mortal progeny in this world. There wasn't any war at that point as mortals were still developing. Those times didn't last however." Terrato stared hard at Twilight Sparkle. She had done well during her stay in the Barrier Lands. He barely saw the frightened pony he had first encountered in FangBreaker Fortress. Likewise, her friend, Applejack, looked the same. He admired their resilience but the damage he could see in them extended beyond their bodies. These ponies were changing and their change was far from either pleasant or over. "You mortal ponies are a frail lot to a pony like Lexarius. Your bodies are soft while your minds and hearts are easily mislead. As time went on, Lexarius grew to delight less in maintaining harmony and more in toying with his 'subjects'." "That's why he turned into Discord." Applejack said with a nod of understanding. She remembered the outrage in Discord's face when The Queen called him "Lexarius". How much could anypony change as to turn into such a bizarre, insane creature? Especially when this Lexarius seemed to be a high-ranking member of the King and Queen's court. "Discord was given plenty of chances to cease what he was doing and he ignored them all. This was the second rebellion. When messengers couldn't get the job done, The King and Queen sent their children to put an end to his reign." Terrato couldn't help but smile a little. That was his first actual fight. He remembered passing into this world and gaining a body fit for it. Faced by a wave of abominations that Discord had cooked up in preparation, he had charged fiercely while his sisters dealt with the errant steward. "I'm sure Celestia already gave you details of that encounter minus my involvement," he said. Terrato paused again for a moment, thinking back to that time. That was one of the few occasions that Celestia had been angry. She had watched what Discord had done to the ponies left under his care and it enraged her. Instead of slaying Discord and sending his spirit back to the Eternal Herd to face judgment, she turned him to stone with the Elements of Harmony to forever keep him helplessly exiled in Vestibulum.

"With Discord's rebellion dealt with, we were ordered to return to the Eternal Herd while another steward was to be given the task of maintaining harmony. Celestia would have none of it however. She insisted on staying and taking on the task herself. When The King and Queen told her to come home, she refused and then Luna and I joined her. This was the third rebellion." Twilight's jaw fell open in surprise. She could never have imagined that Princess Celestia herself had rebelled against her parents. She looked towards Applejack, who was having a similar reaction to her, and then to Vanguard Clash, who listened stoically. "Under Celestia's reign, Equestria recovered from Discord's madness and grew prosperous. By this time however, the other races were no longer content in staying in their lands and started invading their neighbors. I've told you this already, Twilight Sparkle." Twilight nodded. Her mentor had elaborated on that as well. "The fourth rebellion happened after the division. Luna broke a sacred rule placed upon us siblings and that was to never raise a hoof against each other. She allowed Nightmare Moon to possess her and attacked Celestia to bring eternal night. This assault was the fourth rebellion." Terrato shook his head over that sordid affair, remembering the outrage he felt when he realized what happened. "I brought our parents into the matter and I was ordered to kill Luna in order to send her back to the Eternal Herd and leave her unable to return to this place forever. Celestia didn't want to part with Luna forever so she refused to take that solution. By banishing Luna to the moon instead of killing her as ordered, she committed the fifth rebellion. Again, this is old news to you chosen." With that, Terrato stopped. Twilight continued to stand and listen, expecting more. When a minute of silence passed, she ventured to speak up. "Um…what about the sixth rebellion? The Queen said that the seventh was on the way so-" "I know how to count, Twilight Sparkle," came the sharp reply. Terrato was quiet again for another minute. "I committed the sixth rebellion," he said so quietly that Twilight could barely hear him. "That's all that I've got to say about that."

"That's not fair!" Twilight blurted out impulsively. "You had no problem talking about Princess Celestia's-!" she stopped short when Terrato leaped from his seat and landed right in front of her. "You're going to age and die, Twilight Sparkle!" Terrato rumbled. "But I'm not. Neither are my sisters. Tell me how that's fair and I'll indulge you!" He turned around and walked back. "Wayward children of Oceanus! We weren't supposed to be here and I wasn't supposed to care beyond making my dearest sister happy. Somewhere along the line that changed and now I have to consider attacking Celestia for your sakes! I'd lay the blame of the sixth rebellion on your hooves if I didn't know that it wouldn't matter!" "Your highness…" Twilight began. She had fallen on her tail at the sudden lunge from him but there was something in his tone that made her feel…sorry for him. Before she could speak however, Terrato suddenly looked to the side, his ears perking. "Somepony's broken through the barrier and into this realm." Terrato said. "Just what is going on in there?" As if to answer Terrato's question, the air at the center of the audience hall suddenly came alive with magical energy. A blast of dark purple energy erupted just above them followed by something falling to the ground heavily. Everypony in the room walked over to investigate. "Luna!" Terrato ran ahead of the rest and nudged his little sister with his snout. Luna had materialized in midair following a powerful teleportation spell. There were small burns around her body, including some singed feathers on her wings, and she was barely conscious. "Get some medics in here!" Terrato roared. He gently lifted his sister with his magic and placed her on his back. "What happened?" he asked her, gentleness and urgency warring in his tone. "Big brother…" Luna wheezed. "The Heartland is…the Heartland-!" Before she could finish, Luna fainted, her legs falling limp against Terrato's sides. "Princess Luna!" Twilight cried out as she ran up to the two alicorns with Applejack right behind her. Even Vanguard had come forward out of

concern. They could tell that Princess Luna was smoking even at a distance. Terrato stomped a hoof against the floor, causing it to crack and sending tremors throughout the building. What had just happened? Did Celestia attack Luna? Or did she order the Equi Ignei to do so? Perhaps Luna had gone against the Equi Ignei on her own and they defended themselves. That wouldn't qualify as a seventh rebellion. "Must everything push me into this confrontation?" he growled. "Is the entire world going to rejoice when I raise my hoof against Celestia?" He looked to the south in anger. Something was happening to Celestia's barrier. Even from where he was he could feel the massive magical energies shift and transform. He looked towards the ponies entering the chamber. Several ponies from Medical were already running forward to help. "I'm going to see to what happened myself," he said. "Your highness, what of King Fenrir?" Vanguard asked. "He'll honor the pact," Terrato said. "As for Nightmare Moon, I will leave her to the Elements of Harmony until I return. I cannot ignore this matter any longer!" With that, his horn flared with gray light and he disappeared. Twilight looked worriedly towards the south. "Princess Celestia…" She felt a hoof on her shoulder. "Our rulers will settle things by themselves," Vanguard said. He tried to sound reassuring but she could hear the worry in his voice. "Our job is to make sure that the duties they left us remain fulfilled." Twilight rested her head against the hoof in resignation. All she could do now was hope that her mentor and her siblings make it out of this safely.

Chapter 41 The Last Straw For Breeze Wing and Gale Heart, patrolling the inner halls of the royal palace had always been an onerous task. While it was true that it was an honor to guard the home of Equestria's princesses, patrolling the places where the public didn't go seemed…trivial. For hundreds of years, there hasn't been a single case of trespassing, robbery, or anything that would require the attention of guards in the palace. Appearances were also pointless if nopony even came to these parts of the palace. "What's with the sweating?" Gale Heart asked his partner. "This boring route making you tense?" "No," Breeze Wing replied. "I accidentally passed too close to one of those flaming…things on our way here. You saw it." "I was too busy covering my ears," Gale Heart said. "The last time I checked up on him, Bronze Mane was still complaining of headaches after he heard those things." "Still don't see why Princess Celestia needs a bunch of flaming creatures. Or why they're sticking to Princess Luna like glue." "I'm more worried about Princess Celestia herself. I heard Captain Bright Shield saying that she's been real skittish these past two days." The two of them rounded a corner when Breeze Wing stopped. A dark shape seemed to dart at the end of the corridor just out of the corner of his eye. "Hey!" he called out. "Did you see that?" "See what? I didn't se-!" Before Gale Heart could finish, he was suddenly flung back several feet. Worriedly, Breeze Wing ran over to help him up only to discover his partner's head pierced by a shaft of wood. Gale Heart's eyes stared out vacantly as Breeze Wing backed up. "What's going on?" Breeze Wing cried out. He looked around to find dark-garbed ponies all around him. Realizing

that he was surrounded and caught by surprise, he could only cry out as a final attempt to warn the others before the ponies closed in.

As the day came to an end for the Heartland, Luna concentrated on one of the few things she was still allowed to do in Equestria. Ever since she returned from the Barrier Lands, she had been slowly stewing in her own frustration in the palace. Celestia was almost impossible to talk to, either avoiding her or refusing to say anything. It had been worse for the past two days. Something had happened that had Celestia incredibly distracted and worried. Luna guessed that the barrier had been breached or it had something to do with Terrato. None of the guards were allowed to say anything about it to her, as if she was some traitorous mare who would relay any information she got to her brother. More and more, she felt like a prisoner in the Heartland. To fulfill her promise to Applejack, she had had to resort to sending letters to the families of each of the bearers of the Elements of Harmony. A personal visit would have had them faced with the Equi Ignei, an encounter that might result in harm. She certainly didn't want them around the palace at these times. For now, Luna focused her magic and willed the very moon to begin its steady rise. It was a delicate and important task, one that she felt she had taken for granted over a thousand years ago. Raising the moon required not just a great deal of raw magic but patience and a sense of timing, carefully coinciding with the sun's setting and gently making the transition required… A long drawn out scream from outside her personal chambers nearly ruined her preparations. Luna winced and redoubled her efforts. Ever since the Royal Guard began to move back into the palace and resume their duties, screaming across the halls had become an occasional annoyance. Some guard would make the mistake of wondering if it was alright to touch the Equi Ignei, or to stand around when the beings spoke to one another. Despite admonitions from Guard Captain Bright Shield, incidents still occurred.

The moon was properly in place when Luna heard a second cry. Now that was strange. Two in quick succession? Surely the guards weren't that foalish? She stepped out of her chambers and looked around. The Equi Ignei guarding her door remained perfectly still. "What is going on out here?" she asked. One of her "guards", jail keepers as Luna saw them, responded in its language. She was thankful that there were no mortal guards around. "Intruders? Who would dare to enter the castle at these times?" The Equi Ignei didn't respond but the lack of reaction alone told Luna something already. The intruders were mortal which was why they weren't rushing about already. While she pitied the poor ponies who accidentally heard the Equi Ignei speak, Celestia's "precautions" were forbidden from attacking or even interacting with mortals. Any form of willful assault they make against one would send them back to the Eternal Herd. She decided to see what had happened for herself. As she strode through the hall, the two Equi Ignei followed like clockwork. They maintained perfect formation and remained exactly ten steps behind her. It didn't matter if she suddenly backed up or stopped, there was no shaking them out of place. A nearby explosion that reverberated across the halls spurred Luna from a curious walk to an urgent gallop. The palace was indeed under attack. From the sound of things, there were intruders within the Chamber of Harmony itself. The next turn should bring her to the main hallway leading to it. As she turned the corner, her hooves suddenly slid across something thick and slippery covering the marble floor. She skidded several feet forward before righting herself, glad to keep some form of dignity despite what had just happened. She turned to look at the Equi Ignei irritably. They were still exactly ten steps behind her. She then looked at what exactly she had slipped at. The palace's maids were still adjusting to the presence of enormous pony-shaped flames walking the halls but that was no excuse to leave puddles of slick liquid around the halls. Her indignation turned into horror however, when she noticed what she had slipped on. She left behind her a red trail, having slipped on a puddle of blood. The limp bodies of a couple of royal guards were crumpled by the darkened corner of the hall. 'What happened here?' Despite her revulsion, Luna walked over to inspect the dead guards. Both of them had taken a crossbow bolt to the neck. She

had seen these bolts before, they were the same ones used by the legion and the implications were serious. 'Big brother, when I said you had to act soon, I didn't mean this…' She looked ahead almost gagged at the sight. Strewn across the hall were more dead guards, each one dispatched with a bolt to the neck or head. One of them had large gash across the neck. She shook her head in sadness and disbelief. Celestia's royal guards were brave and strong, each one hoof-picked from hundreds of candidates. They were well trained and well equipped as well. Each one was motivated to serve Equestria as best he could. But Terrato's legionnaires were battle-hardened warriors, exposed at a very young age to a world of violence with years of experience fighting the monsters that threatened Equestria. Even during times of respite, they were pitted against each other, always honing their fighting skills. The difference was far too great. The double doors that led to the Chamber of Harmony were wide open when Luna approached them. Inside the chamber stood her elder sister. Celestia was visibly shaking. Her horn was still glowing and her face was a mixture of rage and disbelief. "Big sister…" Luna began as she stepped into the chamber. "Stay where you are, Luna," Celestia said the moment her younger sister put a hoof. The chamber was empty and the doors that led to the Elements of Harmony were closed. Luna couldn't help notice the smudges of gray scattered throughout the floor. She realized that it was ash. The floor was covered with fine ash, as were the stained glass designs all around the chamber. At one part of the chamber were the slightly less burned remains of a pony. "Big sister, what have you done?" Celestia looked at Luna, guilt spreading across her face. "They forced my hoof, Luna!" she said. "They stormed into the palace to steal the Elements of Harmony and they slaughtered every guard that got in their way! You should have seen them. Even when I faced them they uttered no sound and moved with no hesitation!" Luna looked at her hooves and realized that they had already been smudged with ash. The remains of a dead pony were clinging to her silver shoes. She looked to Celestia, whose normally pristine white coat was

covered with a fine coating of ash. "You burned them, big sister," she said. "There's nothing left of those ponies but ash!" "They were not ponies," Celestia replied, her voice dropping low. "I don't know what they are. I tried to stop murderous, unfeeling creatures that wear the faces of ponies from stealing the Elements of Harmony. These are…these are what Terrato has let his legionnaires become!" Celestia's answer struck Luna like a physical blow. She gaped at her sister for a moment before saying anything. "We're not even sure if these ponies were working for him!" she protested. "Who else has the power to send so many through the barrier? Who else can scramble my spells so that I couldn't tell where in the Heartland they were sent?" "I've been trying to tell you all this time! It's not our brother! Black Rose-!" One look at Celestia's face stopped Luna. Her elder sister looked at her so suspiciously that she realized that there was no point in explaining anything. "Then, why won't he answer my summons?" Celestia asked. "Why won't he return Twilight Sparkle and her friends to my realm?" Luna held herself tall, matching her sister in presence despite the size difference between the two of them. "If I answered your questions, big sister, are you going to believe me?" "There is only one question I would like you to answer to my face, Luna. I am going right now to confront Terrato about his actions. If the worst comes to pass, will you side by me or him?" Luna's eyes widened. "Side by…have you gone mad? I was foalish enough to break the sacred rule between us siblings, big sister! Surely you won't follow in my hoof-steps!" "I have rebelled twice against The King and Queen's edicts, Luna," Celestia replied with some resignation in her tone. "For the sake of my little ponies, I will not hesitate to do so a third time."

It was Luna's turn to start shaking. "You foal…" she said quietly. "You stubborn foal…all you had to do was visit our brother once and you could have seen for yourself what sort of ponies served with him to protect Equestria. You could have seen how he runs the legion and how faithful he has been to the laws you laid down. You had more than a thousand years to spare a day to see him and you didn't. It must be so easy for Black Rose to have you dancing to her tune." "That is enough, Luna!" "You're right for once, big sister! This is enough! You asked me if I would side with you against Terrato. My answer is no! I will not help you start the sixth rebellion!" "Then it is just as Sun Gazer said! The two of you have turned against me!" Sun Gazer. Luna remembered the pony who had spread the lies about her and her brother. He must surely be an agent of Black Rose. If she could capture him and bring him to Terrato…she began to back away. Celestia stepped forward and looked to the Equi Ignei still standing behind her. The pony-shaped flames surrounded Luna menacingly, their wings outstretched. When she tried a teleportation spell, she found it blocked. 'Dimensional Lock,' she thought. It had likely been put throughout the palace the moment she arrived. She had underestimated her sister's growing paranoia. She had thought that there was still a chance to allay it but she was wrong. If things were to continue, she would be trapped here, unable to do anything while her two elder siblings clashed. Left with no choice, Luna threw up a defensive spell and then suddenly flapped her wings hard. She flew right through the Equi Ignei blocking her path to the Chamber of Harmony's exit before anypony could react. Her shield broke almost immediately as she burst through the being's fiery body. Searing pain, the blaze of otherworldly fire, washed over her from head to tail. She nearly fainted and slammed into a wall but she managed to stay conscious and turn at the last moment. The Equi Ignei she burst through had temporarily discorporated and was still reforming as she made a dash for it. "Stop her!" she heard her sister cry out. There was little time for Luna to think extensively. The dimensional lock spell that extended to who knows how far would prevent anypony from using teleportation spells, leaving Celestia and the Equi Ignei as magically

"grounded" as she was so it all came down to flight speed. She beat her wings fiercely, making her way to Sun Gazer's quarters. She hoped to capture the pony and then escape to the Barrier Lands to find out more from him. To her horrified surprise, the door to Sun Gazer's room were open and the guards stationed by them were dead. All she could do was fly by swiftly but she saw the bloodstains on the bed and expected the worst. The pony intruders had made a stop here. How long had they been in the Heartland and what sort of activities had Black Rose made them do? A furious, otherworldly neigh from behind Luna told her that the Equi Ignei were catching up. Spotting a large, nearby window, she sent a blast of force that shattered the glass and flew out to the night sky as fast as she could. The cool night breeze felt soothing against her burns but they continued to hurt badly. The only thing she could hope to do now was fly out of the dimensional lock's range and then teleport to the Barrier Lands. That was going to be very difficult. She was slowing down despite her best efforts to flap her wings even harder. The royal palace was a good distance behind her already when she looked back but Celestia and the Equi Ignei were coming even closer. "Luna!" Celestia called out. The genuine concern in her tone only served to hurt Luna more. "You're hurt! Cease this running for both our sakes!" Realizing that trying to reply would only take from her fleeting strength, Luna kept on flying. Her horn was aglow with constant effort for a teleportation spell, searching for the edges of Celestia's dimensional lock. The range of the spell was incredible. She was flying towards the edges of Canterlot already with the palace far behind her but the spell was still there, a testament to Celestia's magical might. A sudden spark of blackness just ahead of her caused her to instinctively stop. It was as if shadows were gathering, forming the shape of a pony. "Need help, dear sister?" she heard the shape speak in a soft, silky tone. "Who are you?" Luna asked. The shadow form materialized into a beautiful unicorn mare with a long flowing mane of crimson spilling from her head and neck that billowed in the breeze. She had a coat of lustrous black that could match the night sky itself. A pair of pegasi wearing the legion's barding also appeared right next to her. 'No,' Luna thought. This unicorn had wings. An alicorn like her? That was impossible. She would know if

somepony from the Eternal Herd made their way into this world. She concentrated on the pony. The wings seemed so real but she still noticed the faint aura of magic. This only added to her confusion. The wings were partly magical constructs and partly real. Here was a unicorn on the verge of transforming into one of her kind. "I trusted her too much and allowed her access to knowledge she shouldn't have." The implications of her brother's words suddenly struck Luna. 'Big brother…you didn't," She clenched her teeth. Her brother was a foal as well. All he needed to do was speak out and confront Celestia. Instead he had resorted to something like this. Things were worse than she had imagined. It was likely now that it wasn't the sixth rebellion she had to stop but the seventh. "My apologies," the unicorn said. "We haven't been introduced yet. My name is Black Rose and I'm here to help you." Before Luna could reply, Black Rose concentrated and her horn became surrounded by a swirling aura of blackness. A wave of shadows, like a thick bank of smoke, materialized before Black Rose and then blew towards Celestia and the approaching Equi Ignei. The smoke engulfed them completely as they flew into it. "This is the end of her dimensional lock," Black Rose said with a smile. "Please use my distraction to escape and return to my beloved." Luna hesitated. She did need help. She was rapidly tiring and the pain of her injuries were about to cause her to pass out. But this was Black Rose. This was her brother's former student, the rebel who wanted her elder sister dead. How else could she interpret this aid other than one more step in Black Rose's dark plans? "What are you planning, Black Rose?" she asked weakly. Even talking took much from her. "I plan on helping you," Black Rose answered softly. "Then I plan on helping all of Equestria. Even Princess Celestia. Please escape, Princess Luna. I don't want you to get hurt any further." The sheer sincerity of Black Rose's tone frightened Luna. Could there be such a pony who could lie so well that even she felt convinced? Or was it possible that Black Rose really was acting on behalf of Equestria? Which was worse? That was not even counting the power that Black Rose had at

her command. It was no small feat to penetrate Celestia's barrier and Black Rose managed not only that even allowed several ponies to do so. "I understand that you may not have enough strength to make such a long teleportation," Black Rose said. "Let me take care of the rest then." "Wait!" Luna cried out. She suddenly realized that she was surrounded by Black Rose's swirling black magic. She could feel the teleportation spell taking hold. She tried desperately to break the spell but the pain of her injuries slowed her casting, allowing the spell to complete. In a blink, she was gone from the Heartland.

With Princess Luna heading for the Barrier Lands, Black Rose refocused on the pressing concern of dealing with Celestia. A burst of dazzling white light broke through her shadow spell, dispersing the darkness like morning fog. "Who are you and what have you done with Luna?" Celestia demanded. To see this...unicorn was unnerving. It almost felt as if she was in the presence of a fellow alicorn but, at the same time, not. What had her brother been up to? Had he been trying to change mortal ponies into alicorns? They were forbidden to alter the mortal ponies' fate like this! "It's a shame that the Elements of Harmony could not be taken by stealth," Black Rose replied. "But we have rescued Princess Luna and that traitor, Sun Gazer, has been punished. Enjoy the last gasps of your reign, Celestia. My prince will take his rightful place soon enough!" "Your prince…rightful place…" Celestia's eyes narrowed. "So you are more of Terrato's agents! Can't he face me himself? Why does he send his subjects to murder my ponies and steal from me in the dark?" "You will get your wish soon enough, 'your highness'," Black Rose replied mockingly. "Since we cannot take the Elements of Harmony in secret, the legion will have to burn its way to Canterlot and take it by force. Farewell until then." Celestia's eyes widened upon realizing that her worst fears had come to pass at last. Terrato, the same Terrato who proudly called himself her most

loyal defender, was attacking her. Luna, for all her remorse over becoming Nightmare Moon, had turned against her once more. She had precious little time to prepare against an invasion. An invasion of these unfeeling monsters that her brother had made an army out of. She had to go on an offensive. If Terrato shattered her barrier and the legion entered the Heartland, war would consume all of Equestria. Her only option was to reinforce the barrier and then meet Terrato with the Equi Ignei by her side. Perhaps she could defeat him and drive him away. The sight of their prince on the retreat could very well demoralize the legion. She looked to the north and steeled herself. Seeing the princess look away, Black Rose took advantage of the distraction and cast her teleportation spell. She and her allies were gone before another spell could be cast.

At the end of Black Rose's teleportation spell, Luna found herself crashing in the middle of a stone chamber. "Luna!" she heard her brother's voice cry out. So she had made it to the Barrier Lands after all. She crashed to the stone floor, the jarring impact making the pain of her injuries worse. She had to tell him. Black Rose and her agents were in Celestia's realm. The Heartland was under attack. "Big Brother…the Heartland is…the Heartland…" Luna's vision blurred and then failed completely. The last thing she saw was the stone floor.

Chapter 42 Harmony Few ponies in Bastion City knew that their prince had left and that his younger sister was back and badly injured. For those who did, Commander Dreadstep among them, it was better that way. Sitting in his office just above the Grand Meeting Hall, Dreadstep was beginning to feel all his years of service catching up with him. The feeling was heightened by the presence of Captain Vanguard Clash. It seemed that a lot of the major events during these days involved Special Operations's youngest captain. From the look of things, that trend was going to continue. He felt a little envious especially as he saw how calmly Vanguard Clash seemed to take things. "Whatever these 'Elements of Harmony' are supposed to be, it is necessary to keep these chosen together," he told Vanguard. "They will be temporarily formed into their own squad. Given your history so far with them, I am assigning them to your command." "Yes, sir," was Vanguard's neutral reply. "Good. Dismissed." With that, Vanguard Clash turned and walked out of the office without so much as a flinch. Dreadstep suppressed a sigh. How long ago was it when being at the precipice of a major battle left him excited? Such was not the case anymore. He was fretting. Like somepony's grandfather fussing over trivial things, he was in his office worrying instead of waiting impatiently for some action. He had served under the legion's ageless leader even when he was still a colt. Three times he had been stationed in a place which Prince Terrato commanded personally. Equestria's "Unyielding Gray Sentinel" seemed capricious at times but he had always done what was best for Equestria's defense. If Prince Terrato decided to leave Bastion City to take care of an important matter as Captain Vanguard Clash had reported earlier, then it must surely be for the best.

"The best" however, was a rather precarious situation at the moment. First, there was the sudden trade of royalty that Bastion City now harbored. Instead of being assured that Prince Terrato would be there should Fenrir lead the charge, the city now had to play refuge to a badly injured Princess Luna. Dreadstep seldom felt anything for the wolven save for disgust and contempt but he now marveled at wolven honor, an aspect of his enemy that he had never paid attention to before. All wolven possessed a heightened sense of smell. More so their king who, as Prince Terrato had mentioned, had managed to pick up Princess Luna's scent from miles away. Given the unabashed lust that Fenrir had for the Princess of the Night, it was nothing short of a miracle that he had not stormed the front gate in a whirlwind of frost and fangs. The pact held Fenrir in check even with his "prize" so close and defenseless. Dreadstep had to hand it to the king of Wolvengard. Restraint and honor were not things he would have associated with a twenty foot tall monster. Wolven honor only got them so far however. Wolven cunning meant that Fenrir will use every available loophole to his favor to take Bastion City and Princess Luna. That led to the strangest weapon in the wolven's arsenal, this so-called Nightmare Moon who was somehow possessing the former legionnaire, Pyre Valor. Against her, Prince Terrato had left instructions that the Elements of Harmony be prepared to fight as a group. The Elements of Harmony happened to be the six chosen that Vanguard Clash had been tending to since FangBreaker's fall. It all didn't sit in well with Dreadstep. "The Elements of Harmony" didn't quite give him the assurance that a few hundred reinforcing legionnaires did. What could six chosen ponies with less than a month of being in the legion, let alone combat experience, possibly do against a former Special Operations unicorn mage empowered by some spirit that the wolven practically worshiped? A look into the records so far was also far from reassuring. Out of all of them, Legionnaire Twilight Sparkle seemed the most promising. She was the constant talk among the unicorn mage captains for her quick rise in personal power as well as her very frequent spars with her seniors. She was also known for not being very social with her fellow legionnaires and for transforming from being a quiet, meek pony to a veritable spell-casting monster during spars. Dreadstep had first thought that Vanguard Clash had

somehow found Pyre Valor's sister, another very driven, very powerful pony who neither made nor wanted any more friends beyond a small circle of them. Mage Captain Owlsight likely agreed as he had recommended that Twilight Sparkle be transferred to a Special Operations squad. Twilight Sparkle was too powerful to be a rank-and-file unicorn mage, firing energy bolts like the others. She needed to be placed strategically where a well-placed spell did the most damage. Dreadstep had talked to Vanguard Clash about it. The young captain insisted that Twilight Sparkle needed more time before being placed in Special Operations. He had agreed but he wasn't quite convinced by Vanguard's assessment. He knew delaying tactics when he heard them. How Twilight Sparkle continued to perform will decide his decision on that matter. Legionnaire Rainbow Dash was also another fast learner. Dreadstep couldn't help but entertain the idea that both Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle were "misplaced" by Princess Celestia and should have been Barrier Lands ponies from the start. It was seldom that Flight Captain Tailwind ever saw potential among the legion's pegasi recruits. The last time she did was with Scarlet Rabbit, who was still the Northern Legion's best flyer. He was inclined to believe that Rainbow Dash would match that potential, perhaps even exceed it. She was currently out of action however, having been whipped for disobeying orders in battle. He shook his head at that but Scarlet Rabbit was no stranger to the whip either. There was also Legionnaire Applejack, the third of the chosen who were out in the front lines. Not as spectacular as her friends but she was doing well. She was out of action as well, having been gravely injured recently. But Dreadstep was glad to find out that it was for a good thing: saving her friend, as opposed to recklessness and insubordination. How she was already moving about would remain a mystery. She may not show a great deal of potential like Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash but Dreadstep considered her more…stable. Some stability should be a good thing for both the legion and these "Elements of Harmony". Then there were the other three. Legionnaire Fluttershy was a medic, albeit one who had survived Redbrand's scrutiny and temper so far. That should mean something. However, Legionnaire Pinkie Pie was a cook and Legionnaire Rarity was a smith's apprentice. Vital roles but not exactly front

line material. How did they all fit into fighting the monster that destroyed FangBreaker's gates with impunity? Nevertheless, Dreadstep had them all separated from their units for now, grouped together and then placed on standby. He just hoped that they could perform should Nightmare Moon show up. Lookouts were reporting that the wolven were getting restless again. It didn't help that a large group of them had arrived as reinforcements from FangBreaker Fortress. An attack could be well under way.

When he had first heard that his friends were going to be gathered together as a unit and kept on standby, Spike was overjoyed. It felt like a lifetime since they were together for a long period of time. He could only imagine the sort of conversations that would fly about with so many experiences being thrown at them left and right; how everypony was getting along with the legion, Applejack's strange encounter, Princess Luna's sudden arrival...so many things. The reality did not even come close to living up to his expectations. Instead of a fond reunion, what he got was an awkward gathering of ponies. Everypony had their gear on, from Twilight and Rarity's mage-coats to Applejack's medium barding. Rarity even had those strange set of crystalembedded blades which were now circling lazily above her. When Twilight had asked to try and hold one earlier, the blade shot out the moment the magic surrounding it went from white to purple and then buried itself deeply into a wall just a few inches from Fluttershy's face. Spike couldn't help but sigh. They were told to stay together in their quarters and expect an imminent attack. It seemed that that was the only reason they were together, as opposed to being friends and missing one another. Twilight sat by one corner of the room, her nose buried in yet another spell book. Spike approached her in an effort to get her to talk with her friends. "Not now, Spike!" Twilight said when he tapped her shoulder. "I'm trying to get these spells down before Pyre Valor attacks!" "Pyre who?" Spike asked in confusion.

"Pyre Valor! She-" Twilight stopped herself, suddenly aware of why Spike didn't recognize the name. "I mean Nightmare Moon," she amended more quietly. "Prince Terrato expects us to deal with Nightmare Moon if she tries to attack the city again." Twilight looked around worriedly. "I don't know how we're going to do that. We don't even have the Elements of Harmony with us! The only thing we can do is improve on what we can use and hope for the best." She saw the image of the black-maned unicorn in her mind. 'You're not beating me the next time,' she thought. "Twilight, who's this Pyre?" Spike insisted. "She's-" Twilight shook her head irritably. "She's the pony that Nightmare Moon is possessing." "Then we should try to free her," Spike said. "Just like you freed Princess Luna, right?" "No!" Twilight snapped. Seeing the frightened look on Spike's face, she tried to calm herself before going on. "She's different. Pyre Valor wants to do this. Nightmare Moon's just helping her." Seeing the unconvinced look on Spike's face, she went on. "She tried to burn Vanguard up and then betrayed FangBreaker Fortress! How many ponies are dead because of her?" "Then what are you planning to do once you meet her again?" Spike asked. "Kill her?" "I…well…" Twilight hesitated. How many lethal spells had she already learned since Pyre Valor beat her on that rooftop? Burning, freezing, electrocution, melting…did it really escape her notice that she was going to use all her magical power to try and kill Pyre Valor? When she was talking about something similar with Vanguard during her first day in Bastion City, she had thought that it was wrong for him to feel nothing should he try to kill his foalhood friend. She was starting to think that she was the one in the wrong. Perhaps the best thing to do was to not feel anything when the time comes to do what has to be done. "I will," she finally answered. She didn't meet Spike's gaze as she said so. "We'll drive out Nightmare Moon somehow and if Pyre Valor won't surrender then…I'll do it." With that, Twilight went back to reading. Spike didn't have anything to say to that so he left her alone to head on over to Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie

Pie and Rarity. To his relief, the four of them were glad to be together. He looked over his shoulder towards another pony who was making things difficult. Rainbow Dash sat by another corner, as far away from Applejack as possible. She hadn't come back to their shared quarters ever since Applejack had been injured. Spike only found out later from Vanguard Clash that she had been staying in Flight Dreadwing's barracks for the past three days. Her back was wrapped in bandages and she refused to say anything when questioned about them. Whenever anypony approached, she looked away and mumbled her answers. Everypony, after each giving it a try, decided to let her be. Perhaps when her physical wounds healed, so would whatever was troubling her. As the minutes passed, Applejack eventually lost her temper. "Darn it, Rainbow! What in the hay is wrong with you?" she demanded. Her barding jingled as she slammed her hooves against the wall by either side of Rainbow's head, pinning the sky-blue pony in place. "Look at me, darn it!" Despite Applejack's face just a few inches away from hers, Rainbow looked down without so much as a shadow of resistance. "What do you want from me, Applejack?" she mumbled. "I want you to talk to me! What happened to you?" "Applejack, calm down!" Rarity said. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie looked on worriedly, both afraid of another violent confrontation between Applejack and Rainbow like the last time. There was no response. Applejack's face twisted with emotion. She didn't want this. Angry, confrontational Rainbow Dash was far better than this husk of a pony. Her outburst had only served to completely shut Rainbow down. With a snort of frustration, she turned around, realizing that she was probably making things worse. Just what would it take to get things right? "I don't know how we're supposed to beat Nightmare Moon if she shows up," Applejack said quietly once she rejoined the others. "Even if we did have the Elements of Harmony with us, we're not in harmony at all!" "Australis neveth arahn."

The Queen's words suddenly came back to Applejack. 'Harmony comes from within,' she thought. 'What is that supposed to mean? How is that going to help us now?' "Applejack, are you alright?" Rarity asked. "What? Oh, sorry. I was just thinking." Rarity frowned slightly in annoyance before continuing. Right next to her, Pinkie and Fluttershy had their own conversation. "Like I was saying, I'm really quite surprised at how flexible metal can be. I just wish it didn't take so much heat and pounding to shape it. Hammer Chain said I'm improving quickly and, if I keep up with my pace, he'd let me work with nightsteel soon!" Applejack was only half listening. Try as she might, she couldn't ignore both Twilight and Rainbow Dash sitting by themselves. She had to do something but every time she tried to act, she only made things worse. For politeness's sake, she tried to maintain some interest in what Rarity was talking about. "Nightsteel? What's that? Some hoity-toity version of normal steel?" "Certainly not!" Rarity answered indignantly. "Nightsteel is a much stronger metal, superior to normal steel in every way. Naturally, it's much rarer thus only used for exceptional sets of barding. You should be familiar with it, Applejack, Captain Clash wears a suit of one almost all the time!" "Oh, you mean that black metal barding!" Applejack said. The mention of the barding piqued her interest. "So that's what it's called. I'm gonna wear a set of my own one day. You said it was rare so that means it's expensive. How much are we talking about here?" She remembered that they were about to get their first pay soon. Maybe she could buy a small part of the barding for starters and work her way up… "It's not just a matter of bits, Applejack," Rarity replied. "The Equestrian Legion controls the production of nightsteel. You need to have done something truly heroic in its eyes if you want one of its smiths to be commissioned to make you one." "So that means Vanguard did something heroic before," Applejack mused. "Not surprising there…"

"What was that?" Rarity suddenly asked suspiciously. "What was what?" "You had a funny look in your eyes just a moment ago and...oh dear." Applejack raised an eyebrow. "A funny look? What in tarnation are you talking about?" Rarity's eyes narrowed as she stared at Applejack. Then she glanced at Twilight, who was completely immersed in her reading, as if she was looking at a potential disaster. "Applejack," she said, "there are…a lot of complications among us, if you've noticed." Applejack followed Rarity's glance. "Is that what you call it?" she said in a low tone. "Problems is more like it." "That being said. I don't think creating more is a good idea." "Of course not! Why would anypony think that making more problems is a good idea? I'm not dense, Rarity!" Rarity stared blankly at Applejack for a second. Then she let out a sigh. "Nevermind," she said. "Perhaps this one will go away on its own. I hope." Before Applejack could say anything else, all of them heard the sound of horns blowing at a distance. Twilight quickly shut her book and stood up. "We're under attack," she said. For the first time since she was ordered to stay in their quarters and wait with her friends, Rainbow Dash perked up at the prospect of an attack. The others were quick to notice this as well. There was no excited grin on her face, just a grim, determined look. Applejack felt that she should be approving. It seemed that Rainbow was no longer delighted by the prospect of fighting and killing. However, all she felt was more apprehension. The door to their quarters opened, revealing Vanguard Clash and Scarlet Rabbit. The two of them were partly covered in snow. Past the doors, a blizzard was howling in force. "Let's move out," Vanguard said.

"Welcome to Special Operations, everypony!" Scarlet said enthusiastically. "This definitely calls for a party after this fight!" "For the last time, Scarlet, they are not joining Special Operations!" Vanguard admonished. Scarlet didn't seem to hear Vanguard as he hovered next to Rainbow. "Speaking of celebrations, ready for another round tonight?" he asked her. "We have to get some of the stronger stuff this time. That bottle of Storm Brew's Average Stuff barely made a dent on you!" "Scarlet!" Rainbow said in a panic. "Not here!" "Is that what you've been doing these past three days?" Applejack asked incredulously. "Drinking? Why-" Vanguard put a hoof on Applejack's shoulder and turned her towards the door. "Not now," he said sternly. "Get to the northern gates as a group. Scarlet, one more word and I'm clapping you in irons." Applejack shot Rainbow a look, silently telling her that they'll deal with this later. As the group made their way through the blizzard, Twilight ran at the forefront, a mixture of concern and anticipation granting her speed that surprised her. This blizzard was strangely familiar, she had experienced this before. This was… Then it hit them, a paralyzing fear that stopped them in their tracks. Behind her, Twilight saw Fluttershy collapse while the others seemed unable to move. "King Fenrir!" she managed to gasp. "He's…he's spreading that fear again!" Vanguard took a step forward. The wind and snow alone made it difficult already but the king of Wolvengard's presence seemed like chains wrapped around his limbs. "Damn!" he swore. "We can't fight like this. Without the prince, there's no way to neutralize it!" He took another step forward. 'He's not even attacking directly,' he thought. 'Cunning dog. He's beating our defense by just standing there!'

Panicked cries from up ahead told them that the rest of the legion was experiencing the same problem. To make things worse, the howls of thousands of wolven joined the blizzard's howling as the attack commenced. 'We've lost!' Twilight thought in despair. 'The wolven will break through and we won't even be able to put up a fight!' She tried desperately to fight of the wrenching fear. Her heart was pounding wildly, her insides wrestled with each other and her legs trembled violently but she managed to take another step. The effort alone was draining. She was about to collapse in utter defeat when she heard it. It was a neigh. A clarion, melodious neigh broke through the cacophony of howls. The intensity of the blizzard lessened and a great portion of the crushing fear was lifted from Twilight's shoulders. She saw the others stand up, look at each other in amazement and then search for the source of that neigh. They all turned and noticed where it had come from. On one street leading to the northern gates, Princess Luna walked defiantly against the winds. She was wrapped in bandages and she was breathing heavily. She also walked with a limp on one of her forelegs but none of those things detracted from the awe that she inspired from those who saw her. A crackling aura of dark magical energy surrounded her as she continued to walk onward. "Fight on, legion!" Luna cried out. "I will not let you fall while my brother is away!" The nearby legionnaires shouted in unison and pressed onward. The blizzard had not completely subsided and Twilight still felt a twinge of fear coming from the king of Wolvengard. The shout, she realized, was not just to cheer on Princess Luna but also to gather their own courage. She gave a shout of her own, one mirrored by her friends behind her and pressed on. For Applejack, seeing and hearing Princess Luna's defiant neigh only hammered home a point she had long since considered. 'We can't lose now,' she thought. 'Everypony's been fighting so hard. There's just too much counting on us!' She looked to her friends. Their friendship itself was in danger and they were about to be thrust into a fight that they were definitely not prepared for. Rainbow was injured, Fluttershy, Rarity and Pinkie had yet to get into a fight while Twilight was acting very strangely.

Somehow, she had to protect all of them. Even without the Elements of Harmony. "Astraulis neveth arahn." 'I know, your majesty!' Applejack thought. 'How's that going to help? She said she was going to give me a gift but what was it? What should I do?' The group approached the northern gates at last. From the sounds, they realized that the battle had already started. Bolts and spells flew from the walls while the air was filled with both snarls and neighs. A section of the ramparts to the left of the gates was suddenly engulfed in flames. Twilight winced as she heard the cries of agony coming from the pony defenders that were caught in the blast. She saw one blazing pony teeter from the edge and fall into a smoldering heap to the bottom of the wall. She looked at the flames and saw the figure of a pony emerge from the blast. "She's here," she whispered. "Pyre Valor."

Nightmare Moon watched as Bastion City's defenders backed away from her. She laughed as a few shot at her with bolts only to have the projectiles incinerated with black flame before they were even close. "Thank you for making things easy, Princess Luna!" she called out to the injured alicorn. "But Fenrir insists that we destroy everything first before we drag you to him!" A torrent of white hot flame suddenly sped towards Nightmare Moon. Though a little surprised at the boldness of the attack, she remained on guard and matched it with her flame. She looked towards the source of the spell and snarled. "Twilight Sparkle again. That mare is an unending pest!" She could feel Pyre Valor's presence rise up within her. Not this again. What was it with that purple unicorn that infuriated her host so much? 'You will stay out of this one, Pyre Valor. I will deal with Twilight Sparkle myself!' 'You can try, Nightmare Moon,' Pyre Valor replied. 'Kill the rest but I know that I will have to be the one to crush that arrogant mare myself!' "We shall see."

With that, Nightmare Moon adorned herself with a wreath of black flames and jumped towards her foes.

Chapter 43 The Seventh Rebellion The farther he flew southward, the stronger Terrato felt Celestia's presence. This would be a first since she established the Heartland. "And me without a welcoming feast," he muttered. How often had he entertained the idea of her coming to the Barrier Lands? How often had he thought of what he would do on such an occasion? He would hold a grand feast, perhaps a parade and certainly a grand tour to show off his rule and assure her that everything was fine. Except that, right now, everything was not fine. This was not the Barrier Lands he wanted to show Celestia. Not this Barrier Lands with enemies invading or legionnaires turning traitor. The presence grew even stronger. He didn't have to travel that far from Bastion City as Celestia was making her way towards him and doing so swiftly. He noted that she hadn't come by teleportation spell meaning that she was conserving her strength. He was doing the same in preparation for the worst. He checked his surroundings and guessed that they would likely meet near the ruins of The Temple of the Three at the rate they were going. 'Strangely fitting.' he thought. He did have a lot of fond memories of his sisters in that place. Celestia, Celestia Grand Princess of the Sun Light of Equestria Blazing Noble Flame Under your reign we prosper By your vision we set forth Radiant Celestia, your subjects pray For your guidance

The fervent chants filled the main chamber of The Temple of the Three as they always did every month. It was a custom that produced some rather mixed reactions among Terrato and his siblings. Celestia stood at the center of a raised platform, surrounded by well over a thousand ponies and that was only counting the ones inside the building. The Temple of Three was a massive open building of white marble and gold. Its domed roof allowed sunlight to illuminate the central platform through an enormous opening at its center that could be closed if necessary. Outside the temple were even more ponies coming from various settlements for this occasion. "They always start with big sister's part," Luna said quietly to her brother. Standing behind and to the right of Celestia, she watched the gathered mass of ponies with a hint of disappointment. "As they should," Terrato said with a grin. As he stood parallel to his younger sister, he pointed his horn at the foremost pony who knelt before Celestia. The unicorn stallion was clothed in bright gold and white robes. With his golden mane and his white coat to match, he looked like a small shrine to Celestia all on his own. "I like that one over there. Solar was it? He's Celestia's biggest worshipper that one." "Second biggest," Luna muttered. Teratto, Teratto Grand Prince of the Earth Defender of Equestria Unyielding Gray Sentinel At your charge we rise At your neigh we rally Mighty Teratto, your subjects pray For your protection Terrato didn't care much for his section. These ponies didn't need to pray or sing to him, just Celestia. He came with the set so to speak.

Luna, Luna Grand Princess of the Moon Watcher of Equestria Gentle Comforting Darkness Under your stars we rest In your shadow we shelter Sublime Luna, your subjects pray For your compassion Terrato nudged Luna with a wing. "Your section's rhythm is a little off," he said jokingly. "Maybe we should add a syllable to your name. How about Lunalis?" "Your section's rhythm is off too, big brother," Luna retorted. "Maybe you should be called Grand Princess of the Earth to fix it." "Hush, you two," Celestia whispered to them. "You're making them nervous with all your small talk." Terrato watched quietly as Celestia raised her horn as a blessing for all the ponies that had gathered. He noted that she still looked a little awkwardly uncomfortable with all the adulation she was receiving. Perhaps Solar had been a little too zealous with this ceremony. The construction of the temple was his grand plan, one that Terrato wholeheartedly supported by furnishing all the necessary materials. He could have built it too but these ponies should have a great part in it so he let them handle the rest. The fancy white and gold robes, the elaborate rituals, the ceremonial tools, the various holidays...though Terrato believed that Celestia deserved all of it for choosing to help these mortals over returning to the Eternal Herd, even he had to think that she might find it all too much. That was when Solar suddenly rose and stood on his hind legs. With his forelegs outstretched, he cried out in a loud voice. "Praise the sun!" Two ponies joined him and did the same, yelling "Praise the earth!" and "Praise

the moon!" in succession. Terrato snorted and then smiled just to avoid laughing. Luna had to put a hoof to her mouth and turn away while her shoulders quivered. The memory receded as Terrato approached his estimated meeting point. Nothing was left of The Temple of the Three now save for a few broken columns to serve as gravestones for the prospect of ruling Equestria sideby-side with his sisters. There also used to be vast settlements all around the temple at the height of its use. They were gone as well. Nopony wanted to live next to something that reminded them that Celestia and Luna lived in the Heartland while they remained out here. Instead of prosperous towns and a majestic temple, there was only a vast field of whiteness. He was suddenly reminded of Luna, his little sister who still believed in what The Temple of the Three signified. He sometimes wished that he was that naïve. Just as he expected, he saw Celestia approaching. She was a single white dot against the dark gray skies, surrounded by brightly glowing dots that were her new "protectors". He snorted and flew towards them directly. The Equi Ignei didn't frighten him. They didn't even worry him. What he felt for the twelve blazing shapes that followed his sister was contempt. 'These are things she relies on to protect her now?' he sneered inwardly. It was an insult. Celestia was insulting him to his face by having these things by her side. They closed the distance between each other easily enough. They were about thirty feet or so apart when they stopped. For a brief moment, Terrato was breathless. He hadn't seen his sister in the flesh for more than a thousand years. She still had that regal air and that piercing stare. But those were things he could observe through a magical image. Up close, he could still feel that radiant presence that no image could duplicate. This was no time to think fondly of Celestia however. Terrato quickly found himself surrounded by the Equi Ignei. There was nothing calm or friendly from the presence that Celestia herself radiated. She stared at him angrily. During any other time, he would have been hurt by this but this was an improvement compared to the dejected mess he had last talked to when FangBreaker fell. He didn't even mind that he had to be in danger just to see that improvement.

"Terrato," Celestia began. "I'm glad you still remember who I am, dearest sister," Terrato said with a wry smile. "Here I was thinking that you've forgotten even that." "How can I forget after what you've done?" Terrato's voice lowered. "I sent Luna back when she came here looking for a fight. I did everything I can to protect your rebellious little student. Why do you sound like I-" "You sent your…your creatures to murder my ponies and steal the Elements of Harmony!" Celestia's accusing tone cut through Terrato with more deeply than Arugek's claws. "What?" he asked, his eyes widening. "I've done no such thing!" He paused for a moment and then remembered the report he heard about Black Rose kidnapping a couple of squads from Special Operations. "Black Rose…" he whispered. "You've turned Luna against me, you've forced Twilight and her friends into your legion and now you've come to attack me!" "You entered my realm!" Terrato said through grit teeth. "Not the other way around! Twilight Sparkle and her friends joined the legion, your legion, of their own free will. And Luna…" He paused and almost smiled. Just some weeks ago, he would have never imagined himself saying this. "…Luna has done nothing but try to help both of us. What did you do to her? Did you hurt her?" "She hurt herself trying to run. Are you also going to tell me that somepony called Black Rose sent those creatures and not you?" "Stop calling them creatures!" Terrato roared. "They're ponies! Use their damn proper name!" The Equi Ignei flared at the outburst and edged closer, tightening the circle around Terrato. Celestia looked shocked at the sudden intensity from him. At the sight of Celestia's discomfort, he instinctively lowered his voice and remembered why he came here. "Celestia," he said calmly, trying to restart

the conversation. "I didn't come here to attack you. I came here to ask you to bring down that barrier." "You know why I can't do that!" "No. I don't. I used to think that I do but not now. When you proposed to create the barrier, you told me that we needed to preserve the 'identity' of our subjects. That they were creatures of harmony, of honesty, loyalty, generosity, joy, kindness and magic but fighting wars would somehow destroy all of that." Terrato glanced behind him, towards the direction of Bastion City where legionnaires, "his" ponies, were fighting to defend their homes. A thousand years was too long a time for him to remain aloof from the ponies he was charged with. To see them take in the chosen, to fight side-by-side with ponies of Celestia's realm…he had been thinking so much of the division lately. "But you're wrong," he continued. "Yes, I've seen ponies ruined by the carnage they've had to endure but, far more often, I've seen everything that we believe that these mortals should be arise from their struggles. Every day they face the harsh truth of their existence bravely. Thrown into battle, they draw strength in their loyalty to each other. Faced with cruelty and the prospect of death at every turn, they value moments of joy and acts of kindness more. When they are tested to their limits, the bonds of friendship, of magic, that they have only grow stronger. So I'll say it again, Celestia. You're wrong and I was wrong for believing you. There is no repairing the damage that our mistake has caused but we can end this. Bring down the barrier." He paused, trying to gauge Celestia's reaction. "Fight by my side and let our little ponies work together." And then they were both silent. All Terrato could hear was the steady blowing of the wind around them and the gentle flapping of their wings. Celestia stared at him as if he had grown a second head. Then she looked away, her face twisting with emotion. It finally dawned on him how tired and ragged she looked. He fought back an urge to fly towards her and offer his support, knowing that if he advanced so much as an inch from where he was, the Equi Ignei would attack. "I don't believe you," Celestia answered softly.

Terrato could barely hear the words and, when they reached him, he could only stare in shock. A shock that was quickly replaced by frustration. "Celestia-" "How can you say such lies to my face when I've seen the sort of murderers that you reign over in these lands?" Celestia went on. "I will not listen to another word of this. Surrender, Terrato, let Twilight and her friends return with me to the Heartland and accept your punishment." Terrato couldn't help but recoil at the harsh words. He scowled deeply, hiding the pain of being rebuffed underneath a wave of rage. "Who will you expect to fight off Fenrir's wolven, Celestia? Luna? You?" He backed away slightly as the Equi Ignei tightened the ring of living fire around him. "I will find a way." "It's half-assed plans like those keep pushing away everything you hold dear!" The moment the words left his mouth, Terrato winced. He desperately wished he could pluck them from the air and take them back before they reached Celestia but it was too late. He may as well had formed a spear of jagged iron and hurled it at her. It would have bitten less deeply and hurt less badly. Celestia's mouth hung open and she started to shake violently. He opened his mouth to apologize. To beg for forgiveness if he had to. "Terrato!" Celestia flew past the Equi Ignei at blazing speeds and slammed right into Terrato, nearly impaling him with her horn if he hadn't twisted at the last moment. Her charge drove him from the sky and knocked the air out of his lungs. Before he could draw in another breath, the snow-covered ground was hurriedly rising to meet him. Still charging on, Celestia flapped her wings harder to speed up his fall. 'Why?' The thoughts flashed quickly in Terrato's mind. 'All I wanted was to make you happy. Why do I drive you away with each attempt?' The two of them struck the ground where the ruins of the Temple of the Three were. With a thunderous boom that sent snow, stone and soil flying up everywhere, the last remains of the temple shattered. A cloud of white

and brown obscured them from the Equi Ignei, who followed after them at once. The haze of rage receded enough for Celestia to realize her mistake, she rose to her hooves quickly and beat her wings to regain some altitude but it was too late. Terrato held on to her with his forelegs. Now, he was also quivering with anger. "You foal," he growled. "You've committed the seventh rebellion and you've decided to bring this fight to my element." His horn glowed and his magic set to work. The ground beneath them transformed from icy, hard packed earth into a morass of mud and loose stones. The two of them sank into the resulting mess with Celestia trying to push Terrato away while he held on tightly. Once they were completely submerged, Terrato enveloped his sister in a small dimensional lock and then let go. He swam through the earth as easily as if he were flying through open air, leaving her to flail about furiously. He emerged from the ground at a good distance from where she was and cast another spell. The mud transformed into solid stone. 'That should hold her for a bit of time,' Terrato thought. He shifted his attention to the twelve flaming shapes that were streaking towards him. He continued to fly close to the ground where he could manipulate his element with ease. He doubted that a mere entrapping spell could hold Celestia for long but she was tired before she even started the fight and she was far too angry. He was the one whose fighting style worked well with bursts of rage. For Celestia, an excess of emotion only ruined her graceful, insightful technique. The first Equi Ignei flew towards him in a torrent of white-hot flames. His horn glowed once more and the ground opened up beneath the first Equi Ignei. Jagged shards of various gemstones, each one about a foot long, flew from the opening and struck it repeatedly. A pony of flesh and blood would have been sliced to ribbons but the Equi Ignei simply discorporated from the quick assault, buying Terrato just about a minute before it reformed and attacked again. Two more came from behind the first one only to run right into a wall of stone he raised. When they tried fly over the obstacle, he raised it faster and then encased them in a dome of stone. With a flourish, he transformed the stone into diamond, making it difficult even for otherworldly flames to burn through. Before Terrato could cast another spell however, another Equi Ignei blazed towards him from the side. He only had enough time to dodge. The flames barely touched his body but the heat was intense. He could feel his coat

and the skin beneath it char. Furious, he slammed the Equi Ignei with a wave of raw telekinesis, pushing it to the ground and crushing it so that it discorporated. The other Equi Ignei flew after Terrato, forcing him to keep flying and raising obstacles from the ground. His mind worked on three levels now. The first was to keep the Equi Ignei from burning him to a crisp while trapping and slowing them down. The second was to keep track of the Equi Ignei that had simply discorporated as well as his estimated time for Celestia to break out of her stone prison. A third one simply wondered what he was supposed to accomplish in this situation. As of right now, he was simply defending himself. Was he going to defeat Celestia, knock her out and then go on to destroy her barrier? That was unlikely, he was barely keeping the Equi Ignei from overwhelming him and then he would have to contend with his enraged sister once she broke free. 'Which should be any time now,' Terrato thought. Cracks formed by the spot he had trapped Celestia and brilliant rays of light escaped from them. With a mighty explosion, the stone prison broke open and Celestia flew out of the resulting hole. The time she spent trapped worried Terrato more than seeing her escape and become a threat again. She took far too long and it looked like the effort sapped more strength from her than he anticipated. Two Equi Ignei took advantage of his temporary distraction and flew right into him. He cursed at the persistent concern he felt towards who should be his opponent and beat his wings furiously. One of them brushed against a foreleg, severely burning it. Despite the horrendous pain, he glanced at the injury with an annoyed grunt and refocused his attention on Celestia. His sister had raised a foreleg, her magic surrounding her in a glorious nimbus that made her appear like a small sun. A shaft of pure, golden sunlight materialized by her raised hoof, growing in size until it was around ten feet in length. With a cry, she hurled it at him like a spear, an enormous, blazing spear of light and heat. In response, he tore great chunks of earth from around him and formed a gigantic shield of stone to block the attack. There was no impact against the shield however. To Terrato's admiration, there was a flash of light and then hundreds of smaller bolts of sunlight flew around his shield and homed in on him. 'Brilliantly controlled,' he thought. He shattered his shield into smaller, equally many pieces and then surrounded himself, blocking bolt after bolt with precise placement. Before

he could even breathe a quick exhale in relief, a second enormous bolt of sunlight was already flying towards him. In response, he simply flew downward and disappeared into the ground as if he had dove into a lake of water. Still in the air, Celestia looked around and increased her altitude. Terrato used his element well but she had tricks of her own. She shattered the cages he had formed around some of the Equi Ignei and gathered them around her. With her guardians by her side, she unleashed her magic. Her horn burst with hundreds of motes of sunlight that streamed down on the snow-covered ground, melting the ice and revealing the hard packed earth. More than that, she saw the faint outline of Terrato's form moving underground. With a clear target in sight, she aimed a blast of sunlight at the outline. The ground directly beneath Celestia suddenly burst open and a myriad of chains flew out. Surprised, she cancelled the spell and tried to fly out of the way but one chain wrapped itself around a hind leg and dragged her down. Several more followed until she was completely entangled in metal. Sure enough, Terrato emerged from where the outline was. "I know the spells your rely on," he said. "You can see where I am but not necessarily where I lay out my attacks. If you spent more time fighting you'd depend less on detection spells and more on an instinctive sense of danger." "I am not surprised that you've planned how to fight me," Celestia said. "How often had you envisioned this fight while you planned all of this?" Terrato had to dodge and weave once again as the Equi Ignei descended on him, leaving him unable to answer his sister's accusation. From how Celestia looked, his plan now was to survive and defend until attrition put the fight more to his favor. As she was the eldest, he naturally assumed that Celestia possessed more raw power than him. But he had centuries of experience compared to her and he started this fight at a fresher state. Once he bought himself more room to breathe and fatigue cooled her temper down a bit, he may be able to talk to her again. There was another explosion and the glowing fragments of the chains he wrapped his sister in flew past him. He braced himself for another fierce attack. The attack didn't come however. Before either of them could make a move, there was a flash of black magic between them. Terrato's eyes narrowed.

He recognized the color of that magic: Black Rose. Sure enough, his former student materialized before them. The sight of her near complete wings made him recoil painfully. Even the Equi Ignei paused at the sight. They could not harm mortals but they could attack alicorns. This new arrival seemed…stuck in between. "So you've called out your allies," Celestia said to Terrato. Black Rose ignored Celestia and flew over to Terrato. "My prince, you must postpone this fight for now," she said. She raised a horn, conjuring an image of Bastion City. "Bastion City has been breached; the legion needs your direction." To Terrato's horror, the buildings were on fire and his legionnaires were on the run. What's more, the chosen he had relied on had all collapsed on the ground. However, the most heart-wrenching sight of all was the sight of Fenrir walking triumphantly within the city. Between his jaws was Luna's unconscious form, his teeth holding her firmly but gently enough so that they did not pierce her coat. Terrato's nostrils flared. "I'm not going to-" An anguished cry came from Celestia, much to Terrato's dismay. "Luna! Twilight!" she cried out. Before he could stop her she cast a powerful teleportation spell, likely one that would sap even more of her flagging strength. The Equi Ignei were quick to follow suit. Terrato turned his anger towards his former apprentice. "You planned this!" he snarled. "Celestia doesn't know you and her fear and anger are clouding her judgment. Otherwise, she would recognize your lies!" "My prince, all I wanted was to protect you," Black Rose replied. With a look of concern, she approached him and extended her hooves towards his injured foreleg. "You're hurt-" Terrato lashed out, smashing his injured foreleg directly into Black Rose's face. There was a violent bang and a flare of black magic as she flew across the plain and bounced several times against the ground before landing still. Despite the force of the blow and the distance she traveled, she stood up with only a trickle of blood flowing from her lower lip. "You're still angry with me," she said in a hurt tone. "Once I have accomplished my goals, that will change. Please be patient for a little while longer, beloved."

With that, she disappeared, carried away by the wings of a teleportation spell. With a snort of rage and frustration, Terrato cast his own teleportation spell. He could only hope that this trip to Bastion City will settle things. s.

Chapter 44 A Desperate Battle Applejack opened her eyes to find herself propped against the wall of a nearby house. 'What in the-? How'd I get here?' It took her a moment to realize that she was also upside down and her sides were aching badly. She righted herself only to find that she was unable to keep her legs steady. Her vision was still blurry and the distortions caused by the heat and smoke were not helping. 'What happened? How'd I-' She looked ahead of her and got a good idea. Nightmare Moon stood at the center of the street, the very same street that they were gathered on just some time ago. It was hard to make out the shape of a pony underneath the black smoke and the flames but Applejack was sure that there was somepony there. The memory of the last few seconds suddenly came back to her. Nightmare Moon had landed before them in a terrific explosion of fire that knocked them flying. She remembered rolling on the ground, feeling the sharp contrast between the bitter cold of King Fenrir's blizzard and the fierce heat of Nightmare Moon's tainted flames. She was lucky enough not to be touched by any actual fire. That was when she hit her head on something and got knocked out. She looked around worriedly, afraid that some of her friends had been badly hurt or even killed by that first attack. To Applejack's relief, she spotted Twilight still standing before Nightmare Moon. A small globe of crackling purple energy surrounded her. Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy, who had remained close, were huddled inside the globe. She couldn't see the rest of the group. Likely, they were also knocked flying somewhere. Once she felt her legs were stable enough, she rushed back into the fray. "Isn't this a fine sight?" Nightmare Moon spoke. "Without the Elements of Harmony, all of you are mere fillies playing soldier! I'm going to enjoy roasting you until the flesh falls off your bones!"

"You're a coward," Twilight replied quietly. Her words were almost lost to the still blowing wind and the sounds of fighting. Pinkie and Fluttershy couldn't help but huddle close to her at the mere sight of their enemy. "Oh am I? Big talk from the unicorn who can't even protect all of her friends." "Shut up! I'm not talking to you!" Applejack paused from her charge when she heard that. Likewise, Pinkie and Fluttershy also looked to Twilight in confusion. Twilight, on the other hoof, focused entirely on her enemy. "I thought you were a fighter, Pyre Valor! We're not done yet! Why are you hiding behind Nightmare Moon?" For a moment, Applejack noticed Nightmare Moon's flames waver. 'Dunno what she's trying but it looks like it's working!' she thought. Although Nightmare Moon's distraction only lasted a second, it was enough for them to regroup. Scarlet Rabbit flew up in a streak of red and fired a bolt at Nightmare Moon. Rainbow Dash burst out of a small pile of rubble and fired one as well. The bolts were still a good distance away when black flames rose up like enormous claws and grabbed them in mid air. When the flames receded, the bolts were gone. As soon as Nightmare Moon shifted her attention to her aerial attackers, Vanguard Clash galloped from one side with his two-bladed sword in his mouth. With a swing of his neck, he slashed at Nightmare Moon's exposed side. Applejack took this as a signal and galloped from the other side to flank their enemy. As she neared, she leapt with front tramplers first towards Nightmare Moon. The mass of black smoke and flame wavered again as Vanguard struck. Nightmare Moon jumped back in time to avoid the two-bladed sword. She spun to dodge Applejack as well but could not do so completely. A trampler-fitted hoof glanced heavily off her coat. A spark of energy flared as her magical armor took most of the impact. In a rage, she pointed her horn at Applejack, ready to engulf the upstart earth pony in black flame. Applejack recoiled as soon as her hoof struck Nightmare Moon. The heat was intense. For a moment, she feared that her hoof had burst into flame or that her trampler had melted. A quick glance at her foreleg showed her otherwise. She also noticed that she barely even hurt Nightmare Moon. 'Okay, hitting a flaming pony with my legs is a bad idea,' she thought. She

saw Nightmare Moon's horn crackle with magic and realized that she wasn't going to be able to jump back. Desperately, she threw her forelegs in front of her as a futile last resort to protect against the blaze. "Applejack!" Vanguard shouted as he slammed into her in time. The two of them fell to one side as a torrent of flame passed through Vanguard's back. Despite nightsteel's superior insulation, he felt an intense heat brush against his coat. Fortunately, the black plates held. He expected some reddening underneath his fur should he survive this battle however. "Thanks Vanguard," Applejack said from underneath the black-barded stallion. She felt her heart racing. That wasn't the first time she feared for her life but she still wasn't used to the idea. "Save it until we're out of danger." Vanguard grunted. He got to his hooves and faced Nightmare Moon. Applejack followed suit in time to see the enormous bolt of lightning, even bigger than the one she brought forth during the spar with Nightcanter, fly from Twilight's horn and straight towards their enemy. Nightmare Moon countered with her own arc of electricity, one that matched Twilights. The two spells collided with a thunderous explosion. When the blast cleared, there was already a wave of flame about to crash where Twilight was. Pinkie fell to the ground and covered her face in a panic while Fluttershy froze completely at the sight of looming destruction. The wave crashed into the three of them only to part against Twilight's shield. The magical globe fizzled and disappeared but it had done its job. Twilight's focus was so intense that she didn't even blink as the torrent of flames parted mere inches from her face. "You two stay behind me," she told her two friends. They nodded wordlessly, suddenly afraid that even the slightest hint of a protest from them would anger her. Twilight was far from it. She didn't even notice how terrified the two were. For her, it seemed as if the whole world was shrinking. She was only dimly aware of Rainbow Dash and Scarlet Rabbit circling the fight and shooting bolts and of Vanguard Clash and Applejack skirting the edges of the explosions to look for an opening to charge in. It occurred to her that she hadn't seen Rarity and Spike since the initial explosion but, as awful as it made her to be, she couldn't afford to worry about them for now. She had to concentrate on Pyre Valor and be aware of every fluctuation in the glow

of the enemy unicorn's magic. The smallest gestures could mean the difference among the various shapes that Pyre could put into her flame and thus affect how she planned on countering them. Nightmare Moon suddenly became aware of the intensity that Twilight Sparkle looked at her. This was a different pony from the one who had so recklessly charged at her back in Everfree. That pony was a scared little filly who reached out to others just to be strong. This one was a driven and powerful mare, one willing to stand and trade spells with her. She examined her surroundings. This fight was not what she expected. These were the Elements of Harmony, the same ponies that united to drive her out of Luna. She had expected them to have become more resilient after joining the legion and surviving the Barrier Land as well as having learned a few new tricks. She had not expected them to be so…scattered. The light they had emanated during that humiliating day was not there. This was beyond not merely having the physical devices. These ponies were simply not in harmony. The two pegasi likely knew that they were simply serving as distractions. They may as well be mosquitoes flying around her face and buzzing in her ears. The two standing behind Twilight Sparkle were negligible. Then there were the two earth ponies who had flanked and attacked her earlier. Both were dangerous in their own way. The stallion was Vanguard Clash, her host's foalhood friend. Pyre Valor had previously "killed" him but was now having problems just facing him. This dissonance between her and Nightmare Moon, combined with her ridiculously excessive hatred of Twilight Sparkle was a problem. As for the mare, she emanated a different sort of light, one that only Nightmare Moon noticed. Though it was faint, that light was familiar. A hateful light from a place she had abandoned a long time ago. If these ponies had so much as a sliver of a chance against her, that chance would be anchored in that light. Finally, there was the other unicorn and the baby dragon who have yet toNightmare Moon cried out as a sharp pain pierced both her train of thought and her flank. At that moment, Twilight Sparkle unleashed a swarm of purple energy bolts, each one no bigger than a hoof-held rock. The bolts wheeled about and surrounded her, pausing for a moment as if they were a living cloud of creatures and then diving in altogether.

At the last moment, at that one pause before the energy bolts descended, Pyre Valor's fighting instincts kicked in, something that Nightmare Moon took advantage of. Sure enough, Twilight Sparkle fired a thin ray of light from her horn. Nightmare Moon recognized a dimensional lock spell. Twilight had purposely picked a spectacularly flashy spell as a distraction. The lock would have connected and there would have been no dodging that swarm. Nightmare Moon easily deflected the spell and teleported with the energy bolts mere inches from connecting. A terrific explosion rocked the area where she was previously standing. Twilight's look of frustration put a smile on Nightmare Moon's face as she reappeared behind the purple unicorn. Even Pyre Valor felt a brief satisfaction at foiling the offense. The two cowering ponies yelped and moved to keep Twilight between them and Nightmare Moon. Temporarily safe, Nightmare Moon focused on what had struck her. She pulled out what seemed to be a piece of metal with her telekinesis and tossed it aside. A dagger? How could something so mundane have struck her? Three more flew at her in rapid succession but, with the element of surprise gone, she managed to dodge them. She looked around, trying to ascertain their source. She noticed a white glow of magical energy surround the blades and pull them through the air. Following their path, she found the source of the blades. The white unicorn, the one that she had dismissed earlier, had somehow made a successful attack. She focused on this new threat, recognizing the white unicorn as the bearer of the Element of Generosity. The amount of magical energy from this one was laughably weak yet the blade had somehow pierced her defensive magic. It was then that Nightmare Moon noticed a strange twinkling by the white unicorn. A point of light, likely no bigger than a coin, was shining through her modified legion mage-coat. She noticed that the same light thinly covered the blades. The light was not like the one that emanated from the orange-coated earth pony. Far from it. This light had an ominous glow to it. She recognized the aura of alicorn magic but this was not from an alicorn she recognized. Odd as she knew all three who were in this world. Nevertheless, the fact that it was from an alicorn was enough reason to possess the power to pierce her shield. The situation suddenly changed and Nightmare Moon realized that she was in more danger than she had first anticipated. It was true that these ponies were not in harmony and had no chance in driving her out of Pyre Valor's

body. However, there were individual sources of danger she hadn't expected. Toying with these ponies was now out of the question. She stomped the ground with both her forelegs, causing a great torrent of blackened flame towards the white unicorn. Those blades combined with that strange light were dangerous weapons but they were useless as defenses. Sure enough, at the sight of the flames heading towards her, the white unicorn gasped and then froze in panic. "Rarity!" someone cried out. A small figure jumped in front of the flames. Nightmare Moon noticed the purple scales even at a distance. A hatchling of a dragon had somehow found its way to the north and was helping what its kind considered passable snacks. The hatchling exhaled a gout of green dragon fire the size of which was impressive for one so small. The dragonflame momentarily pushed back the black flames. In that moment, the sky blue pegasus swooped from above and knocked the white unicorn out of the way. That space quickly passed and the black flame completely overwhelmed the green one. The hatchling cried out as the flames engulfed it. When they died down, it was flat on its back and unconscious. To Nightmare Moon's irritation but not surprise, it was still alive. Its kind was naturally resistant to fire. "Spike!" the white unicorn, "Rarity" as Nightmare Moon heard her name, cried out. Immediately, she ran towards her fallen ally. The yellow pegasus cowering behind Twilight Sparkle suddenly flew towards the hatchling, ignoring the flames that she was shrinking from just a moment ago. Both ponies looked relieved for about a few seconds when they noticed that the hatchling was still alive. That relief turned into fury for Rarity and the blades floating above her head began to spin swiftly. Nightmare Moon focused her telekinesis on the blades, trying to wrench control over them from Rarity. With the white unicorn's low magical presence, it shouldn't be a problem. Instead, she found herself unable to even slow the spinning. The blades arced up and spread out so that they flew towards her from different directions. Realizing that there was no stopping those blades, Nightmare Moon focused on taking down their controller. She was also aware of the two earth ponies charging at her again, having found their opportunity, and Twilight Sparkle charging up another spell. "Enough! Your attacks are an insult!"

A mass of shadow burst from Nightmare Moon, spreading out in all directions like a gigantic web. It wasn't fire this time. The shadows engulfed everypony nearby, lifting them off their hooves and trapping them in place. Twilight's spell casting halted and Rarity's blades became trapped in the web. The two pegasi were also snared and dragged to the ground. "Now that you're all sitting still, it's time to burn!"Nightmare Moon's horn flashed as she prepared to ignite the shadow strands. The shadow strands did ignite but it wasn't Nightmare Moon's tainted flame that burned through it but a brilliant, silvery flame. The others fell to the ground and immediately began to get the last of the shadowstuff off their bodies. Nightmare Moon recognized alicorn magic. This time, she was all too familiar with the source. She turned her attention to Princess Luna, who looked as if she could barely even stand. "You can barely keep away Fenrir's presence away and you're finding strength to attack me? You've come far from the whining filly who agreed so easily to a merging." "Be quiet!" Luna retorted. "I was sick of your voice the first year we were stuck in the moon!" When she saw Nightmare Moon focus on her, she could only smile wryly. "Are you going to burn me, Nightmare Moon?" she asked. "Your king won't appreciate getting to his "bride" only to find her a little crispy!" "I don't have to. You'll keel over without any help from me."Nightmare Moon concentrated on another spell, ignoring the flagging Luna. The mighty Princess of the Night who once matched Princess Celestia spell for spell in a grand duel for Equestria's throne was reduced to a crumbling figurehead in a backwater city at Equestria's fringes. Luna was a failure on all fronts and a failure didn't deserve any attention. As she expected, the alicorn fell to one knee while breathing heavily. The other ponies had just recovered from her last spell and Nightmare Moon needed to keep them off-balance. Strands of shadow poured out of her horn like a hundred slender tentacles wreathed in dark flame. They writhed and snaked their way towards the ponies surrounding her, cutting off escape routes and threatening to ensnare each one in their burning coils.

Spells continued to race through Twilight Sparkle's mind as she desperately dodged the black tentacles. She tried to dispel them as they came at her but each time she cast the spell, only one strand faded into nothing. She was going to tire herself just stopping this attack. "Twilight, help!" Pinkie Pie cried out as she ducked one tentacle and then jumped over another one that tried to entangle her legs. Twilight concentrated and both tentacles faded away. She needed a spell to subdue these things in one fell swoop. Failing that, she needed to bring down Nightmare Moon with her next spell before she and all her friends burned to a crisp. A frost spell came to mind. Perhaps a big enough cone of pure cold would freeze all these tentacles and cause them to snap like twigs. She was about to concentrate on the spell when a trio of the tentacles reached out for her. "Twilight!" This time it was Vanguard Clash who called out. He rushed towards her and then jumped on the tentacles, crushing them with his hooves. He swung his neck about, slicing up more tentacles that threatened to grab him. One tentacle reared up and struck him like a whip across the back but his barding held true. "Just in time, Vanguard!" Twilight said. "Keep those things off me while I freeze them!" "Nevermind that," Vanguard replied. He reared up and crushed another tentacle. "The rest of us will manage. Did you learn some spells that enhanced physical prowess?" "A few," Twilight said guardedly. She didn't want to admit that she didn't think they were of as much use as the others. Wading into combat was not something she planned on. "Good. Stack every one you know on Rarity over there." "Rarity?" Twilight was incredulous. "Why Rarity?" "Haven't you noticed?" Vanguard ducked another whipping attack from a tentacle. "She's the only one whose attack has gotten through!" He glanced over to where Rarity was. He had sent Applejack over there to protect the white unicorn. Sure enough, there were a lot of the black tentacles concentrated on Rarity. His guess had been right and Nightmare Moon was

going after the one pony who had cut through her defenses. "Rarity is the only who's managed to hurt her so far. For now, boost her with some magical support while the rest of us find a way to get her an opening." Twilight looked over to Rarity as well. Four glowing blades whirled around her friend, slicing up tentacles with ease. With Applejack guarding her back, even a swarm of the things could not get at her. Past them, Fluttershy was tending to an injured Spike. Twilight had noticed the wound on Nightmare Moon's flank. The irony was not lost on her nor did she miss the twinge of envy. Despite so many hours of study and training on her part, it was Rarity who had successfully made an attack. Rarity, who had failed Mage Captain Owlsight's aptitude test, was their best chance at the moment. "I'm on it," she answered. She galloped past the tentacles with Vanguard clearing the way and Pinkie Pie right behind her. With Twilight on her way, Vanguard concentrated on his next task: working with the rest of his new squad to create an opening. Rarity's mage blades were difficult to keep track of and the white unicorn handled them with graceful ease. She could also project them from a good distance meaning that there was no need to get her that up close. What he needed was for Nightmare Moon to waver again. To do that, he fell back to what Twilight had accomplished earlier. He gestured towards Scarlet and Rainbow, urging them to keep firing at Nightmare Moon. Despite having to fly about frantically just to keep from being tangled up and dragged to the ground, they did their best to comply. With that, Vanguard Clash charged headlong into the mass of tentacles and towards Nightmare Moon. Several of the shadowy strands struck him while more wrapped around his torso. Nevertheless, he charged on. "Is this all you've been reduced to, Pyre Valor?" he shouted. "Hiding behind a cloud of smoke while chosen do your fighting for you?" That struck a nerve. Vanguard didn't need to see if the flames bathing Nightmare Moon wavered. He didn't need to hear the shadowy being struggle against a personality far more fiery than anything a spell could conjure. In all the time he had spent with Pyre Valor, he had an instinctive awareness of whether something would set her off or not. This much he could expect of his knowledge of her,even if her betrayal had caught him off-guard. He leaped forward, gathering as much of the fiery tentacles in his

forelegs before crashing to the ground. The flames hurt him but he ignored the pain. "Now, Rarity!" he shouted. Nightmare Moon had aimed a blast of flame at Vanguard Clash but she changed her target at the last moment. With Pyre Valor acting up again, her aim faltered as did her control over the tentacles. The torrent of flame washed over Rarity, engulfing the white unicorn completely. To her surprise, Rarity leaped through the flames without so much as a slightly singed coat. An aura of purple magic surrounded Rarity. Her blades spun towards Nightmare Moon, their formation making them resemble an enormous spinning disc. She readied a teleportation spell but she felt another spell hit her, rooting her to the spot. "No!" So focused was she in keeping Pyre Valor's rage in check and watching out for the alicorn-enchanted blades, Nightmare Moon noticed the thin ray shoot from Twilight Sparkle too late. With the dimensional lock in place, she resorted to jumping aside. The disc cut against her side deeply and it was Pyre Valor's blood that splattered against the snowy pavement. "Miserable wretch!" The number of shadowy strands doubled, turning into a forest of writhing blackness that whipped about in a frenzy. A mass of them wrapped around Vanguard, lifting him off his hooves and then violently slamming into the ground. More chased after Rarity but she sprinted past them with ease while her blades flew back to her, slicing more of them apart. "Vanguard!" Twilight Sparkle cried out and rushed forward. It wasn't just her. The orange-coated pony had also done the same. The light emanating from the earth pony increased in intensity. Nightmare Moon slammed the stallion into the pavement again. It was this foal's taunting that had distracted her and he was going to pay dearly for it. His head struck stone on her third slam and then his legs went limp. His two-bladed sword clattered on the ground. Seeing Vanguard get knocked out and about to be slammed into the pavement for a fourth time caused something to snap inside Twilight. She pointed her horn at the tentacles and a blast of wind even colder than the blizzard around them struck the writhing mass. The flaming strands went out and then froze solid before shattering. She and Applejack got to the

fallen stallion just as more tentacles snaked towards them, cutting off any escape route. "Some really flashy magic's good right about now, Twi," Applejack said as she stomped on one tentacle that got too close. Portions of her coat were already singed from contact with Nightmare Moon's flames and she was panting in exertion. Twilight thought so too. However, she was breathing hard and she had already expended a lot of her strength just fending off Nightmare Moon's attacks and protecting Rarity. Not only that, the dimensional lock will not last long unless she maintained it. The cold was beginning to pick up and some of the fear she felt from Fenrir's aura was returning. Worriedly, she glanced at her mentor's younger sister. Luna had fallen to her knees and looked ready to faint. Without her presence, Fenrir's blizzard would overwhelm the entire city. 'There must be something we can do!' she thought desperately. 'At this rate, the city will fall!' Twilight cast about her mind. The black tentacles were all over the place now and they were closing in fast. There was only room for one more spell, one spell that she was going to have to put all her strength into. An enormous shadow suddenly fell across her in the middle of her spell casting. When she looked up, she saw that a great mass of the shadowy strands had coiled together to form a single massive tentacle about to crash down on them. "Twilight!" Applejack shouted. There was no time to cast a spell, Twilight shut her eyes tightly as the thing descended on them The shadow beneath Applejack grew bigger as a horrible, crushing death descended on them. She glanced at Twilight who had shut her eyes in panic. Her gaze then shifted to Vanguard Clash. The stallion had been hurt just to give Rarity the opportunity to attack. She couldn't do anything less. 'Darn it! Not again! I am not letting my friends get hurt again!' She reared up and tried to catch the enormous tentacle. It was a desperate and futile move. Even forcing herself to be as naïve as possible wouldn't be enough for her to think it would do something. Twilight heard the loud thud of something blunt striking the ground. She opened her eyes and, to her surprise, the three of them were unhurt. Vanguard was beginning to stir but it was Applejack that held Twilight's

attention. She had reared up with her forelegs extended in some desperate attempt to catch the massive tentacle. Now she was looking above her incredulously. "Applejack, what happened?" she asked. What did you do?" "I…I dunno! " Applejack replied. "I thought we were about to be squished but it just…it just bounced off something!" She suddenly paused. "No shield protects as the truth does." "Is…is this what the Queen was talking about?" Twilight squinted. There was something strange about Applejack. Was it just her or was the earth pony…glowing? She rubbed her eyes. The glow was not only actually there but it seemed to take the shape of an enormous golden disc centered on Applejack and just above them. "Applejack! How did you do that?" Twilight asked as she pointed at the disc. "Me? I thought you did that!" The massive tentacle rose again for another strike. This time, several smaller ones followed it. They lashed at the three of them but each one recoiled as soon as it touched the disc. The massive one fell only to bounce off and crash just a few feet away. "What's going on?" Vanguard groaned as he rose unsteadily to his feet. Twilight ignored the stallion for now. She had only one more shot at Pyre Valor. It had occurred to her that the city's continued survival was still unsure even if they drove Nightmare Moon blizzard was getting worse and her heart was hammering in her chest. All around her, past the howling of the wind and the crackle of flames, she heard the sounds of battle. The wolven were getting their scaling ladders up and they were starting to battle the defenders for occupation of the wall. "One more spell for you, Pyre Valor…" she muttered. Her horn glowed bright. Whatever miracle that Applejack had somehow managed had given her this one uninterrupted shot. She aimed the spell straight at the burning, smoking pony at the center of all the tentacles. In the time she had spent studying combat spells, Twilight had discovered a strange thing when it came to fighting. The more powerful sometimes didn't equal more complicated. Magical energy built up all around her,

coalescing into a glowing mass. Her knees started to give way even before she could complete the spell. Summoning the last bit of her strength, she released the energy. A brilliant blast of light, raw magic compressed into a beam with only enough control to tell it where to go, burst from her horn. In response, Nightmare Moon weaved her shadow strands into a single massive wall of blackness. The beam struck the wall, causing it to shake violently. From where she was standing, Nightmare Moon could see cracks begin to appear. Purple light seeped through them ominously. For a moment, despite all the power at her command and her undeniable superiority to these mortal ponies, she felt a shudder of fear. She was in true peril here. The threat wasn't just injury but destruction. Though the chance was small, it was there and she acknowledged that it was there. Another crack raced through her wall and she concentrated all her magic into defending. This attacked contained far too much magical energy to be a simple, thought-out attack. This was Twilight Sparkle's last gamble. Defeating this beam would tantamount to defeating Twilight Sparkle. As the two of them pit their magic against each other in a tense struggle, a sudden cry from above made both Twilight and Nightmare Moon look up. With a flap of her wings, Rainbow Dash tossed her light crossbow aside and charged head first into the wall. The motion was that simple but the speed was such that only Scarlet Rabbit, the only pegasus who could be aware of such speeds and the only one near Rainbow Dash, saw it. For half a second, she was hovering in the air. By the second half, she was gone, leaving only a streak of prismatic colors. The next thing Scarlet noticed was the powerful boom left in her wake followed by another one when something other than the giant purple beam struck Nightmare Moon's wall. An explosive riot of bright colors flooded his vision as the mass of blackness protecting Nightmare Moon shattered like glass. "Beautiful!" he shouted as he laughed hysterically. His own crossbow fell from his hooves. "That was beautiful!" The beam went through and met Nightmare Moon head on. Another explosion followed and a great portion of the pavement tore apart. Most of them dodged left and right as bits of rubble accompanied the falling snow.

Vanguard Clash and Twilight simply stood next to Applejack as large fragments of stone bounced off the golden disc. As the smoke and dust cleared, Twilight collapsed on her belly. She opened her eyes weakly only to find that she couldn't move a single muscle. Vanguard and Applejack looked her over in concern. She wasn't concerned about her own well-being for now however. She fought for consciousness and squinted ahead of her, trying to see how her attack had worked. To everypony's awe, a figure walked out of the titanic blast. It was a unicorn mare. Her wild, black mane billowed in the blizzard. Her white coat was dingy with soot and dust with several charred patches. She was bleeding from a deep cut to her side. Despite her obviously horrific pain, the unicorn kept her intense stare focused onward. "I will admit this, Twilight Sparkle," she said. Twilight strained to hear the words. This was Pyre Valor, the unicorn mage she met when she first arrived in the Barrier Lands, not some possessed traitor. "I will admit that you are strong. Stronger than I would have ever expected. Strong enough for the right to wear that coat." Pyre Valor reared up and struck the ruined pavement with her front hooves. "And it pisses me off even more! How unjust that the Heartland would have such strength but it's us who have to fight out here!" Twilight grit her teeth, her own rage beginning to build. Was there no pleasing this mare? Pyre hated her for being weak and now hated her even more for being strong. It wasn't just that. It that kernel of truth in Pyre's words that made Twilight angry. They have had to fight out here by themselves. "I want to kill you more than ever, Twilight Sparkle," Pyre growled. A creeping blackness covered her legs and slowly went up to taint the rest of her. "For daring to show me this truth, I will kill you." The blackness overtook her completely and she was Nightmare Moon once more. "Time to end this!"

Twilight felt herself shrink. She had given it her best shot and failed. She looked around to see what they still had. Rainbow Dash was face first in a pile of rubble. She had just given it everything she had as well. Rarity was panting and the spells that reinforced her were fading. She had been so focused on keeping off the swarm of tentacles coming at her and her friends that she hadn't had much room for attacking. Vanguard Clash, Applejack and Scarlet Rabbit were still game but they were also tired and didn't have much means to hurt a being like Nightmare Moon. More so Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, both of which were standing next to Spike. The baby dragon was beginning to wake up but it was unlikely that he had anything more to contribute. Princess Luna was flat on her belly and barely conscious. She still kept her magic up desperately, putting in every single ounce of her strength to give the legion a fighting chance. 'We've lost.' Twilight thought. 'There's nothing stopping Nightmare Moon now.' "Twilight!" Spike cried out as he broke free from Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. He was clutching a bag, the same bag that he had been carrying around for some time now, and fiddling with something inside it. "Twilight, are you okay?" he asked worriedly as he got closer. "Steady now," Vanguard said grimly as he eyed the still approaching Nightmare Moon. "I'm all out, Spike," Twilight said weakly. "Sorry." "Don't worry, Twilight," Spike said as he pulled out what looked like a black orb from his bag. "I knew this would be helpful!" he said. He held out the orb over Twilight and gazed intently at it. "Spike what are you-aaah!" Twilight cried out before she could finish. The orb crackled with black electricity which surged through her. Arcs of purple bolts joined with the black ones, surging back and forth between her and the orb. "Spike, what did you just do?" Applejack asked worriedly. "It's a mana battery! It should help her!" "That cry of pain didn't sound very helped!" Vanguard growled.

Spike could only look on worriedly. Then, as quickly as it had acted up, the orb became dormant. Now, it was slightly glowing with purple light. Twilight stood up with ease and then put a hoof on Spike's head. "I feel great. Thank you so much, Spike! That was perfect timing!" she said with a gentle smile. Spike breathed a sigh of relief. Applejack's eyes narrowed. Something was wrong here. Maybe it was that sudden serene smile on Twilight's face or the ominous color of the orb's magic. She just didn't feel as relieved as the baby dragon next to her. One look at the frown on Vanguard's face told her that he felt the same. "Something's coming!" All of them turned towards the source of the high-pitched yell. Pinkie Pie was jumping up and down, her entire body twitching uncontrollably. "What's she talking about?" Vanguard asked. "It's her Pinkie Sense!" Applejack replied. "Something's going to happen!" "Good," Vanguard muttered. "I could have sworn we were all just going to stand still here." Before Applejack could react, a burst of light shone above them. It was as if a small sun had suddenly materialized above Bastion City, warming their bodies and causing the blizzard's winds to fall completely still. "Enough!" Applejack recognized the voice. It was a voice she thought she would never hear again. To her awe, Princess Celestia descended in the middle of all the fighting. She looked a little surprised at the sight but she quickly recovered and brought her regal bearing upon their foe. Applejack also couldn't help but notice how exhausted the princess looked. "Begone, Nightmare Moon!" Celestia said sternly. "Stay and it's me you will face in battle!"

Merely looking at the light emanating from Celestia seemed to pain Nightmare Moon. She faded into black smoke and flew away. There was a renewed cry from the walls' defenders and the sounds of battle increased. "Princess Celestia!" Twilight cried out. She ran towards the princess, her face ecstatic. The look of exhaustion faded from Celestia's face as she turned towards her faithful student. "Twilight!" she said in relief. The two of them met each other with a joyful embrace. Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity and Spike looked just as happy. Vanguard and Scarlet were already focusing on other matters. Applejack couldn't help but feel her unease grow.

Chapter 45 Dark Sun Arising "Listen closely, Twocolt. With most of the order captured or dead, I can rely only on you to carry on the order's goals. Can I trust you to do so despite the risk and can you trust me to have Equestria's best interest at heart no matter what?" "Of course, my lady! I can't back down or fail now that so many of the order have sacrificed their lives! Tell me what to do and it's done!" As Twocolt made his way through the streets of Bastion City, the gravity of his answer to Lady Bright Flame only now just occurred to him. He had abandoned his post in order to do this. As a legionnaire, that proved more difficult than how he had expected it to be. There was the threat of punishment of course. Dereliction of duty was a serious offense in the legion. But what he feared more was the thought of what would happen to others because of this. His fellow legionnaires could very well die because he wasn't there to do his part. "There will come a time when your friend, Applejack, will be called to join her friends and fight away from your platoon. Once this happens, you must make sure that you are nearby and able to observe them. Be brave, Twocolt, you will witness frightening things if you do this. Keep a close eye on Twilight Sparkle and whoever tries to aid her when she falls. One of her friends will produce a black orb and use it. It is of the utmost importance that you get that orb. They will be distracted by this time. When you see it glow purple, knock out whoever has it and get it. After that, escape." "I don't understand, my lady. What is so important about this black orb?" "It is a tool of assassination that Terrato has planted among the chosen. I do not know which but I know that he has convinced one of them that it is a harmless mana battery. Will you do this, Twocolt?" "I will, my lady."

Twocolt didn't understand how his mission could possibly affect anything regarding Prince Terrato's plot against Princess Celestia but he knew quite well that he was but a low ranking stallion within the order. It was only to be expected that he didn't have the knowledge or vision of Lady Bright Flame. He was no leader. He was never going to see what ponies like her saw. But he had his faith and he had his loyalty. He could put these things to good use by trusting in her and doing what he was told. It wasn't easy looking for a single group of ponies in a city under attack. Just earlier, a blizzard had whipped up from out of nowhere, leaving him paralyzed with fear in the bitter cold. It was only later that the blizzard abated slightly so he could move again, albeit with some difficulty. He made his way to the northern gates, where the thick of the fighting was. He had heard that Applejack and the rest of the chosen were formed into a squad of their own and stationed there somewhere. A few ponies speculated that they were all recruited into Special Operations under Captain Vanguard Clash. Regardless of what actually happened, he still needed to find them. He heard several explosions nearby. 'From within the city?' he thought in horror. Despite the danger, he headed towards there. He remembered the sight of Twilight Sparkle's power during her sparring sessions. It could be one of her spells going off as it was quite close to the northern walls. "Once you have the orb, retreat to our meeting place." "But, my lady! The rest of the order was caught there!" "The legion believes that the order has been eradicated completely. With an attack in progress there will be nopony there. I will be waiting anxiously for you in that place. Please don't let me down." Remembering those words spurred Twocolt on despite the horrible cold and the danger he was heading to. Lady Bright Flame was waiting for him. If he failed or ran away now, she would be waiting there for who knows how long only to have the dreadful feeling that nopony was coming slowly creep up on her. He would never be able to face her or himself again. He finally approached the northern walls and what he saw there froze him in his tracks. "You will witness frightening things" was correct. Just past the northern walls was a forest of blackness. The trees had trunks made out of

shadow and dark flames for leaves. Battling this field of monstrosities were several ponies. He immediately recognized Applejack and Twilight Sparkle. The two of them were fighting to protect a collapsed pony from the writhing mass. He fought back the urge to jump in and help out especially seeing Applejack doing her part despite being recently injured. But he couldn't show himself now, he had a job to do. He could only hope that his friend would come out of this battle much better than she did the last one. And then came that great clash. In one moment, Twocolt was watching the group slowly be overwhelmed by the mass of tentacles, especially a big one that somehow kept bouncing off something rather than crushing them. It was then that Twilight Sparkle fired off a massive spell so bright that he had to close his eyes. He heard somepony cry out and then two consecutive explosions. After that was silence. "Enough!" A brilliant sunburst dazzled Twocolt further. With a grunt of pain, he shut his eyes at the lost moment. When the glare faded, he shook his head and blinked. After that, he simply stared. Above the chaos of all the fighting hovered Princess Celestia herself. Confronted by the sight of the alicorn he had been secretly serving despite the dangers, He momentarily forgot what he was supposed to do. This was a day of reckoning for the traitorous leader of the Equestrian Legion. Princess Celestia wasn't alone as well. Enormous gouts of white flame, each shaped like a winged pony, materialized near her. Finally, things were going to be set right. Sun Gazer had succeeded and, despite the losses, Lady Bright Flame's cause was about to be won. 'Wait. The assassination device! Where is it? I have to get it!' Twocolt looked around frantically. As Lady Bright Flame had predicted the other ponies were distracted. Finally, he spotted the black orb in the claws of the baby dragon. With everypony looking at the princess, he snuck up behind his target. A swift blow to the head and the baby dragon was down. Twocolt made sure that his strike was measured and he had taken his trampler off. He wanted to knock Spike unconscious not beat his skull in. Before the purple glowing orb could roll from Spike's limp fingers, he grabbed it with

his teeth and made a dash for it. Just as he thought he was about to make a clean get away, he heard an all too familiar voice call out for him. "Twocolt! What are you doing?" Applejack's confused call sent a pang of guilt through Twocolt's chest. He didn't look back lest he catch sight of her expression. He had to do this. The cause was far more important than any personal friendship he made. For Equestria and for Lady Bright Flame, he would cast aside everything else.

For Applejack, the mere sight of the reunion Princess Celestia and Twilight was warmth seeping into her body. The bitingly cold winds of the Northern Barrier Lands gave way for now. However, it was difficult to fully enjoy the sight. In the back of her mind, she was still worried about what had just happened earlier with Spike and that strange black orb. The others, save for Vanguard Clash, hadn't noticed. She couldn't blame them. Princess Celestia reminded them of home. Seeing that tender hug between teacher and student made it seem that everything was about to become better. Surely this was the turning point of their fates. Applejack looked back in time to see Spike fall face first to the ground. Behind him was a barded earth pony. Despite the armor, she easily recognized who it was. "Twocolt, what are you doing?" she asked in alarm. There was no response. Her friend simply grabbed the black orb and ran. The others didn't even seem to notice. She moved to chase after him, to make him explain his strange behavior and why he wasn't at his post, but she could only take a few half-hearted steps and then look back to Princess Celestia. She couldn't shake the feeling of wrongness in this situation and she couldn't help but stay and try to figure out why. She walked over to Spike, who was waking up…again. "You okay, sport?" she asked. "Ow…" Spike rubbed his head painfully. "What happened?" "Uh…somepony hit you from behind and made off with that thing you were holding." Applejack pressed her lips together. She wasn't lying but even omitting details about the truth made her feel uncomfortable. Still, she didn't want to mention Twocolt to the others until she got to the bottom of this.

"Of all the-" Applejack didn't hear the rest of Spike's words. In fact, in the next moment, she didn't hear anything else. A cry of pain from a voice she never expected to hear it from was all she could pay attention to. Her head snapped towards the sound while her heart hammered against her chest. "Princess Celestia?" she murmured. The princess didn't hear her. From the expression on her face, it didn't seem that she heard or saw anything past Twilight Sparkle. Celestia's face twisted in pain as she looked down towards her chest. Twilight's hoof was glowing black and had touched right where her heart was. Magic, like a barbed blade of ice, pierced her coat and flesh until her very heart felt cold. "Twilight…" The words caught in her throat. When she tried harder to speak, all that came out was a weak, gasping whisper. "Twilight, why…?" Twilight Sparkle withdrew her hoof and stepped back. The hoof she had pressed against Celestia's chest was coursing with dark-colored magic which extended from it like an immaterial dagger. White light, the color of Celestia's magic, flowed through the thing like blood. Without her support, Celestia fell forward and collapsed on her knees. "Please rest assured, Princess Celestia, that your student is as faithful to you as she has always been." It was Twilight's lips that moved and her voice that made the sound but somepony else was speaking. Celestia's eyes widened. "I would even say that her faith is even stronger. She has witnessed your folly but she has not wavered. "Who are you?" Celestia asked. She the words between shallow gasps. The others had galloped over. To their horror, her colorful, flowing mane was slowly transforming into a soft pink. Without the magic that summoned them, the Equi Ignei around them quickly dissipated. When Vanguard Clash advanced with his two-bladed sword in his mouth, "Twilight Sparkle" shook a hoof at him disapprovingly. "I'm just a guest in this house, Vanguard Clash," she said slyly. "The owner won't appreciate it if she returns and finds it in ruins." Vanguard stopped and glared at her in frustration. She turned towards Celestia and gave a slight bow. "I believe we've met already, your highness. I understand that it must be difficult to recognize me like this. My name is Black Rose. Well, a temporary fragment

of Black Rose to be precise. A simulacrum if you recognize the term. No need to panic. In a few minutes, Twilight Sparkle's body will reject me and we will exchange places once more. I will return to the soul jar I gave Spike and she will have her body back. Of course, I will keep this power I've just taken." At the mention of soul jar, Applejack instinctively glanced towards where Twocolt had run off to. "Wishing you had chased after him, Applejack? No need to feel guilty. You would have run into the rest of me and I would have had to kill you. Be relieved that you chose wisely and stayed here." "Celestia!" A thunderous roar caused everypony to flinch as Terrato came flying towards them. He raised a hoof to strike down "Twilight Sparkle" but Celestia raised a hoof to stop him. "Terrato, you musn't! Twilight is…" Celestia winced in pain as she tried to get up only to fail. Terrato's rage gave way to a tender concern as he gently nudged his eldest sister. "Celestia, are you hurt? What did she do to you?" "She will live," Black Rose said. As she spoke, the white light that had enveloped her hoof was already spreading to envelop the rest of her. "I've taken everything else but I left behind enough to let her keep her immortality." "This was your plan all along." Terrato growled. "Yes," Black Rose replied. She looked sadly at the two alicorns. "I never wanted to kill Princess Celestia. When you came upon my plans, it was true that they required that I kill her but I was still refining my methods to avoid that. You always have been so passionate, my prince. I love that, even if it translates to murderous rage at times." Her expression brightened. "From now on, I will be Equestria's sun and it will be a united Equestria that I will shine upon, not this fragmented mess." With that, she turned her gaze upon Celestia. "Why so shocked and sad? You should smile and be happy! I have relieved you of a burden you should have never carried. When I have accomplished all of my plans, I hope that we can all put these terrible proceedings behind us and move on together."

"Why have you done this?" Fluttershy asked. "What did Princess Celestia ever do to you?" "This is not revenge, Fluttershy. As its bearer, you should recognize kindness when you see it." Black Rose turned her attention to Spike. "Speaking of kindness, you have my utmost gratitude for yours, Spike. This would have failed if you had used it with while Twilight possessed so much as a modicum of power to guard against me but your timing was simply impeccable. I will remember this day when I ascend to my rightful place." Arcs of black electricity began to course through Black Rose. She smiled and looked at her hoof. "Right on schedule. Now, excuse me but I have a few more things to take care of before this day is done." There was a flash magical energy and the arcs of black electricity mixed with the white glow before leaving Twilight's body. The purple unicorn fell limply to the ground like a rag doll that had been tossed aside. Her friends surrounded her in concern while Terrato followed the streak of black and white magic with his gaze. He considered following where it went as he would undoubtedly find Black Rose there but he decided against it. It was too late now. He couldn't overtake raw magic and he would be fighting Black Rose on her terms while he was injured and exhausted from fighting off Celestia and the Equi Ignei. None of that actually mattered however. He wouldn't have been able to tear himself away from his two gravely injured sisters. He flew over to Luna and lifted her gently to his back with his magic. 'So you've been wearing yourself out while your two siblings made foals of themselves, hm?' he thought. 'You're starting to make me think that you should have been eldest, Luna.' "Uh…" somepony groaned. Terrato's admiration turned into irritation as he noticed Twilight Sparkle, the real one this time, get up. "What happened?" Twilight asked. She looked around and quickly noticed Celestia's fallen form. "Princess!" she exclaimed. She hurried over in a panic. When she got to Celestia's side, she turned her attention towards her friends. "What happened? Why is she here?" Her eyes narrowed in anger even as the first tears started to drop from her face. "Who did this to her?"

"Twilight, it was…" Applejack hesitated. What was she going to say? The truth could very well break Twilight. She looked to one side to see Spike already on his knees and staring at his claws. He was thinking that it was his fault for using that orb on Twilight. Part of her felt responsible for not going with her gut feeling when she noticed that something wasn't right with Twilight. 'No shield protects like the truth, huh?' she thought. 'Nothing hurts like it too.' "Are you hurt anywhere, your highness?" Fluttershy asked. She tried to look over Celestia but couldn't see any sort of wound. The princess clutched at her chest as if she had been stabbed. Fluttershy could only look on helplessly, thinking that the princess resembled a wilted flower more and more. Celestia tried one more time to stand and then fainted completely. "Princess Celestia!" Twilight cried out. She looked to Fluttershy desperately. "Do something, Fluttershy! Please!" "There's nothing the medic can do," Terrato said. "Celestia will live so calm down. In case everypony's forgotten, there's still a battle to deal with." Enraged, Twilight turned her focus on Terrato. "She's your sister! How can you stand there as if she just slipped and fell?" Terrato didn't respond to that. The other ponies cringed, fearing that he would lash out at Twilight's words. He didn't. His face was a stony mask and he didn't even look at Twilight when he lifted Celestia with his magic to place her on his back as well. "No more standing around, legionnaire," he finally said. "There's more fighting to be done." Before Twilight could reply, a burst of light filled the sky above them. They looked around and saw its source, a great pillar of sunlight emerging from somewhere in the city. "Black Rose blooms once again," Vanguard Clash said softly. Twilight stomped at the cracked pavement repeatedly with her front hooves as tears continued to flow down her cheeks. "Why?" she sobbed. "We've been fighting so hard but we can't seem to protect anypony!"

Twocolt continued to gallop through the city streets, thankful that Applejack had not decided to chase after him. The orb in his mouth felt warm and the magical power within it made him feel uneasy. Eventually, he made it to the order's old meeting place. He felt a twinge of sadness as he burst through the door, remembering that Verdant was no longer around. When he reached the secret chamber, he found Lady Bright Flame waiting there as she had promised. He dropped to his knees and transferred the orb from his mouth to his front hooves to offer it. "My lady, I have it. Just as you asked!" he said proudly. Bright Flame responded with a smile that Twocolt found utterly radiant. She took the orb and gazed at it lovingly before returning her attention towards him. "Thank you so much, Twocolt. You have done more than your part in saving Equestria for doing this!" Twocolt felt some blood rush to his face. He couldn't find anything to say to that. Even the questions he had thought of asking dribbled away. He looked at the black orb that she held with her telekinesis. To his surprise, the purple light that surrounded it suddenly rose up and then flew away in a bright streak. A second later, a streak of black electricity mixed with white light struck the orb. Whatever the light was, the orb couldn't contain it. It shattered like glass, sending shards flying everywhere. Twocolt raised his forelegs to protect himself, gritting his teeth when a couple of shards bit into his flesh. "Lady Bright Flame!" he called out. When he lowered his forelegs, Twocolt found Bright Flame completely unharmed and with her eyes shut. Not only that, she was suffused by the white light he had seen just a moment ago. When she opened her eyes, the same white light shone forth from them. "I will not forget this, Twocolt," she said. Her voice reverberated within the chamber and the walls began to crack. The aura of light around her intensified and shot upward, burning through the ceiling completely. Awed and frightened, Twocolt looked up and saw the sky from where he was. "You have done me a great favor, Twocolt, and I always remember my debts. But I must go for now. There are a few more details for me to take care of." Twocolt looked on breathlessly as Lady Bright Flame's coat changed from yellow-tinged white to completely black. Graceful, feathered wings sprouted from her back and her mane went from golden to a deep crimson. He didn't understand what was going on. Had Lady Bright Flame transformed into an

alicorn? How was that even possible? He said nothing as she flapped her wings and took off, leaving him to stare at the sky as the pillar of light that had illuminated her gently dissipated.

The battle for Bastion City raged on despite everything that had happened within its walls. With the blizzard completely gone, the city's defenders were now pushing against the wolven. Scaling ladders were unhooked and thrown down. The wolven that had managed to climb up were slowly surrounded and then slain. This battle proved to be Bastion City's costliest yet. Dead ponies were scattered along the walls and nopony could keep count of the legionnaires who had fallen outside the walls where the wolven tore through them almost instantly. Blood and feathers rained upon pony and wolven alike as pegasi struggled for control of the skies while wolven bolters shot many of them down. Spells rippled through the air followed by explosions and the howls of wolven. Ugly, red splotches covered the fresh fallen snow. From her vantage point, Black Rose surveyed the battle with a smile. This was the legion she still loved. No matter how desperate the battle, nopony ran away screaming or cowered in a corner. It was time she rewarded their courage. She didn't miss the sight of the giant wolven standing among the rear lines of the enemy. Fenrir had spotted her. From the shock in his stare, she guessed that he knew what was going to happen next. "You sent Nightmare Moon against the city thinking that her being outside the pact was to your advantage. I admire both your honor and your cunning!" she called to the king of Wolvengard. Her voice, soft as it may be, was carried by the power of the sun. It cut through the clamor of battle as easily as sunlight cut through morning mist. She saw more than a few legionnaires look towards her in surprise and awe. "I too am not part of the pact. Fitting that what you believed was your greatest advantage has become the downfall of your army." With that, Black Rose raised her hoof. Sunlight gathered around it, transforming into a dazzling orb of golden radiance. With a flash of magic from her horn, the orb exploded so brilliantly that it was as if the gray clouds that covered the sky had parted to let the sun shine through. The spell was more than light though. Hundreds of beams of light arced from

the burst and streaked towards the wolven. Wherever one struck, a silent explosion flared up, consuming everything around it in golden flame. Howls and panicked shouts went up as chaos broke out within the wolven army. Siege equipment and supply wagons burst into flames. The wolven hit directly by the explosions simply disappeared, leaving not even traces of ash. Those caught at the periphery fell to the snowy ground, howling in agony while their fur caught fire. "Long live the legion," she whispered. She flapped her now true wings once and let a teleportation spell carry her away. Despite his losses, Fenrir will not break the pact. That much she was sure of. 'Tomorrow will be my first sunrise, beloved. My dawn will herald a new age for Equestria.'

"Sally forth!" Dreadstep shouted from his command post. He didn't need to. Everypony still capable of putting one hoof in front of the other was rushing to bring the fight to the wolven. The gates swung open and the legion stormed out with fearsome battle cries and neighs. "Long live the legion!" "Equestria!" "For our prince!" Dreadstep glanced at the sky. The pony responsible for this miraculous turn of events was gone. A single spell from the black alicorn decimated Fenrir's forces as if the very sun itself had attacked. The wolven were scattered and disoriented. Many of them had been blinded by the light and the others were so confused that they were lunging at allies. The ponies broke through their ranks as easily as one could crush a few twigs. With a dolorous chorus of howls, the wolven began to retreat. They were brought down by enraged pursuing ponies while bolts rained upon them with impunity. Everypony understood that each wolven slain meant more time for them to recover. It could very well be centuries before the wolven ever dared to cross their borders again. Victorious cries followed as the ponies eventually broke off pursuit. Even Dreadstep, who always looked to the future with a degree of pessimism, had a grin on his face as he turned

towards his officers. The city was saved. This was victory. The others grinned back at him and raised their hooves in exultation. "We crushed those wolven bastards!" one pony yelled, tears streaming from his eyes. "The legion is invincible!" cried another. Before he could fully join in on the impromptu celebrations, Dreadstep caught sight of his prince approaching him. On the gray alicorn's back were two unconscious ponies and he was accompanied by Vanguard Clash's temporary squad. The grim look on Prince Terrato's face said it all. This wasn't a victory yet.

Chapter 46 Questions Two days had passed since the wolven retreat and the legion had reacted swiftly to their change of fortune. Supply wagons were already on the move while repairs were made to both the walls and their equipment. It was their turn to pursue the wolven and make them pay dearly for this invasion. There was no hesitating lest the wolven find the time to regroup. The first step was to retake FangBreaker Fortress, a prospect that many ponies, especially those who survived its fall, relished. The smithies rang loud with activity while medics hustled about in the wards. The skies were full of pegasus squads returning or heading out to harass the retreating wolven. Sitting on a stone throne within the Grand Meeting Hall, Terrato looked out of a window and stared at the morning sun for a while. Even though it was Black Rose's first attempts at raising and lowering the sun, the cycle of day had not missed a single beat nor had there been any anomalies. He had expected some kind of signature to remind all of Equestria that the sun was under a new pony's control. This show of humility was…unusual. He attributed the lack of mistakes to his former protégé's natural skill and flair. Black Rose took to anything with ease. It also sounded better than thinking that Celestia's former duty was ridiculously easy. He heard the double doors to the hall close and focused his attention on those who had gathered. The effects of the last battle, from the wolven retreat, to the inability of the Elements of Harmony to deal with an enemy they had beaten before and to Black Rose's ascension, were still settling in and it showed on the faces of everypony that had gathered. He surveyed them slowly, gathering his thoughts before this audience began. First, there were his two sisters. Luna was still bandaged up and she trembled with each step she took. Terrato didn't feel too worried for her physical health. Healing was Luna's domain and, once she recovered some of her magical strength, the burns would be trivial. Celestia, on the other hoof, was a different matter. There were no external injuries on his older sister. Not even a mark on where Black Rose had stabbed her with a blade

of enervation. Celestia had slept through the past two days with her student remaining by her side the entire time. He made sure that there was food waiting for her when she woke up just earlier this morning but he hadn't so much as visited her room during the past two days. This morning, both his sisters stood to his right with Luna being the closer one. Celestia looked dazed and lost, her now pink mane limp around her neck. Luna leaned in close to offer support while the other ponies in the hall watched her in concern. Then there were the bearers of the Elements of Harmony along with Vanguard Clash, Scarlet Rabbit and Spike. Terrato focused first on "the guilty ones" as he thought of them. He actually felt sorry for Spike, who was busy groveling before Celestia. To his mind, no one, pony or otherwise, should bear that much guilt at so young an age. Even though Spike was instrumental for Celestia's loss, he didn't even think of punishing the baby dragon. No corporal punishment could even come near what Spike was experiencing now. Next to Spike was Legionnaire Rarity. After it was known what Spike's "mana battery" had done, she handed over the coin she received from this so called "Bright Flame", who was obviously one of Black Rose's false identities. Terrato recognized the scrying device with a glance. No wonder Black Rose was able to easily coordinate her movements with the chosen. This device had also been magically modified to allow Black Rose to channel some of her power to protect her unwitting spy and make sure that Nightmare Moon didn't get too out of hoof. Like Spike, Rarity was weighed down by guilt due to her role in Black Rose's plan. It may be to a lesser degree but the enormity of what resulted because of that trickery made "to a lesser degree" truly relative. The next two were Legionnaires Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. He hadn't much to say about the two except that they looked completely out of their element, much more so than the other chosen. One look at their subdued faces told him that not every chosen can cope with life out here. He would have sent them home if they weren't needed to complete the Elements of Harmony and if he didn't know that they would wilt faster without their friends. After those two were Legionnaires Applejack and Rainbow Dash. Now here were two ponies who looked as if they were made of sterner stuff. Rainbow Dash's back and head were covered in bandages but she bore her injuries with a soldierly indifference that pleased him. Applejack, on the other hoof,

was likely his favorite out of the chosen: a not as much a stand out like Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle yet brave and reliable. He always did favor earth ponies. He doubted that he was her favorite royalty though. Her comrade, Twocolt, was still languishing in a dungeon after being interrogated. She had spent the past two days trying to make sure that he didn't end up hanging. He was going to make a decision about that today. He also noticed that her sides were no longer bandaged. It took a mere five days for her to recover from a life-threatening wound. She was either incredibly tenacious, another trait that he admired, or his mother had gifted her with this favor, which still ranked her high in his list. Captain Vanguard Clash and Scarlet Rabbit looked like the only ponies who were comfortable in the hall, which was odd given that Terrato nearly had Vanguard hanged and Scarlet Rabbit looked far more at home flying about and killing things. And then there was Twilight Sparkle. She hadn't stopped looking worriedly at Celestia. Terrato moved on. What else was there to think or say about Twilight Sparkle? Also in the hall was Commander Dreadstep. The old stallion carried himself with slightly more dignity now, likely because he hadn't lost Bastion City to the wolven despite the strange manner by which it had been spared. There were no guards present in the hall. Terrato wanted to limit the number of Barrier Lands ponies that his older sister was exposed to for now. It was also probably a good idea to not let the city know that their princess was among them and had lost most of her power. "Looks like everypony's here," Terrato began. At his words, Spike slinked back to his friends and stood quietly among them. He focused his magic and summoned a large container that should be familiar to the chosen present. Without any preamble, he opened it and lifted the physical manifestations of the Elements of Harmony to their bearers with his magic. He didn't remember these things as gaudy jewelry but he supposed that, after a thousand years, he shouldn't count on anything he remembered about Celestia and the Heartland as staying the same. "Maybe now that you have these, you'd actually be useful as the Elements of Harmony," he said.

Twilight and the others received the elements graciously enough. However, the look on their faces told him that they were going to need more than just these trinkets for the coming battles. To Terrato, the jewelry looked even gaudier now that it was on them. Especially the crown. The thing looked too big and it marked Twilight Sparkle out as surely as painting a sign on her that said "kill me". He considered having the jewelry broken down to the essential part, something he might discuss with his sisters later. "When did you get them, big brother?" Luna asked. "I made quick trip to Canterlot yesterday," Terrato explained. "I fetched them and then decided to have a look around the city in secret." His voice lowered in displeasure. "I didn't like what I saw." He turned his focus back on the chosen. "Now, some of you are here on a particular agenda." He shifted his attention to Applejack. "Now's the time to speak up." Taking that as her cue, Applejack stepped forward and bowed. "Your highness, what's going to happen to Twocolt?" she asked. "Are you going to hang him? He doesn't deserve to be hung!" Terrato looked to Dreadstep. "Tell me how deep the colt is in," he said. Just yesterday, the legion caught Twocolt hiding out in the cellar of his family home. They had him for dereliction of duty but interrogation revealed a more grievous crime. "He claims that he is part of 'The Order of True Equestrians', your highness," Dreadstep replied. "They're apparently a group dedicated to preserving Princess Celestia's reign and stopping your 'conspiracy' to rule all of Equestria." Terrato frowned at the report. Dreadstep normally kept his feelings out of work but the derision was obvious in his tone. "So where is the rest of this oh-so-noble order?" he asked. "He also claims that Special Operations arrested and executed most of them," Dreadstep replied. "But we have no records of making such arrests." "Black Rose used them and killed them," Terrato said flatly. "Just like the so-called "Black Rose Rebellion" after she was done with them. She's not going to leave loose ends floating about. The fact that she spared this one means she still has plans for him."

"True, your highness," Dreadstep replied, "but wouldn't she have taken steps to protect him instead of leaving him in our clutches?" "Maybe she's banking on our mercy," Terrato said darkly. He shifted his gaze back to Applejack. "Maybe that's why she made sure he was friends with somepony who's willing to speak for him." "I still think he should be spared," Applejack insisted. "He ain't done enough to be hung." Terrato suddenly turned towards Luna. "What do you think of this?" he asked her. "Should I play it safe and kill this colt?" The question caught Luna by surprise so that she couldn't answer right away. Even before the barrier was raised and Equestria was divided, Terrato had never asked her for her opinion on anything important. She recovered swiftly and was glad for this chance. "The boy was deluded, big brother," she replied. "Black Rose used him but he meant well and she knew it. I don't think he should die for this." "I'm not going to have him killed then," Terrato said. "But-" he quickly added before anypony could breathe a sigh of relief. "I'm not giving Black Rose any opportunities to use him any further." He turned towards Dreadstep. "Have him transferred to somewhere he'll be harmless. He can continue to serve Celestia in some small remote outpost. It only follows that he's not to be given any important position and that he is to be kept track of." "Yes, your highness," Dreadstep replied. Terrato looked around to see if anypony questioned his judgment. Applejack's face was downcast. He assumed that it was because she was likely never going to see her new friend again but he saw traces of relief in there as well. "Now that that's settled let's move on to what will be happening from now on," Terrato continued. "The Northern Equestrian Legion will continue to pursue the wolven and reclaim FangBreaker Fortress. I want you chosen to stay together and take part in this advance in case Nightmare Moon is still at it. We will operate under the assumption that, while she seems inclined to help the legion, Black Rose won't be doing any more direct attacks. Reinforcements are still on the way from the Western and Southern Legion. Once FangBreaker has been retaken we will begin our march into Wolvengard."

"Are you saying that we will launch our own offensive against Wolvengard, your highness?" Dreadstep asked. He looked at his prince incredulously. "Not saying. Ordering," Terrato replied. "You've seen the bodies still smoking outside the city. This is the worst defeat that the wolven have taken in centuries. The legion will capitalize on this to bring the fight to Fenrir's realm." His voice lowered and his eyes narrowed as he went on. "I will inflict a loss on Fenrir so great that he will be forced to surrender on my terms. The wolven will never be a threat to Equestria once I extract a promise from him." As Terrato expected, while Dreadstep and Vanguard Clash took to his orders with ease, the rest of the ponies present could not hide their shock. "But what about Black Rose?" Twilight protested. "We have to bring her down and take back Princess Celestia's power!" "Is that so?" Terrato asked. "Sounds like you have a plan, Twilight Sparkle. Do you know where Black Rose is, what her plans are and how she's going to go about them? Do share!" Twilight fell silent but she didn't take her indignant gaze off Terrato. He responded by matching the stare with a glare of his own. "Make no mistake," he went on. "I will kill Black Rose for what she's done and Celestia's power will be restored but I am not wasting this opportunity to lessen the number of fronts we are fighting in. I will take steps towards bringing the fight to Black Rose but the legion will not sit on its tail while we wait for a chance to find her." He turned towards Dreadstep. "The barrier to the Heartland has been down since yesterday. Send some troops there to begin a realm-wide draft. Relay my orders to the other legion commanders. I want an army of chosen reserves ready in six months. They will occupy our walls in the less threatened areas so some veterans can be freed up for the offensive." Dreadstep saluted in response. "Yes, your highness." It was then that Celestia was finally jolted out of her miserable state. "What is the meaning of this, Terrato?" she asked. "You are going to force my little ponies into your army?"

"It is a draft, but I hardly think we'll be doing any forcing." Terrato replied. "Once the chosen see that their nation is at war and their help is needed, they'll be clamoring to take up arms. We'll be lucky if we have enough gear to outfit all of them. Wouldn't that be the case, Legionnaire Twilight Sparkle?" Celestia looked to her student. Hearing the title of "legionnaire" attached to Twilight's name struck her like a blow. Likewise, the sight of her mentor coming to realize that she had joined the legion did the same for Twilight. It wasn't disappointment that she saw in Celestia's eyes but a sort of pained admission. Twilight felt something within her shrivel and her mind went back to the wolven she had burned and electrocuted in the name of Equestria's defense. Did the princess see her as a monster now? "I…" she replied hesitantly to Terrato's question. "It's true that the ponies of the Heartland should be given a chance to fight for their homes. But forcing them…" "Celestia will issue a decree regarding our situation," Terrato said. He turned towards his older sister. "I will leave it to you as to how you will break the news to your little ponies," he told her. He then returned his focus to all of them ponies present. "Black Rose may have stolen Celestia's power but not her authority and she's certainly not going to be residing in Canterlot anytime soon. The chosen should have no problem fighting for their princess as opposed to fighting for a prince they've never met." "And what if I refuse to make that decree?" Celestia asked defiantly. "You can make this transition as easy as possible for the Heartland," Terrato responded. "Or you can force me to resort to cruder methods. I'm going to get that army ready with or without your help." "So this is how it is," Celestia said with a hint of resignation. "You give me orders like one of your legionnaires, Terrato. Am I a princess in name only now?" "You tell me, dearest sister. You say the legion is 'my army' when it's called "The Equestrian Legion". You tell me just what you're princess of now." "Big sister, please," Luna said quietly beside Celestia. The tension rising between her siblings made her nervous. "The legion needs all the help it can get."

Celestia looked around, first to Luna, then to Twilight and then to the other chosen. Her defiance seemed to wilt when she realized that she had nopony's support within the hall. "I will issue the decree," she said softly. "All I ask is that you use them in defense of Equestria and not have them take part in your invasion." Terrato nodded curtly. "Good. You all have your tasks to accomplish," he said. "Leave this hall and get to them." He closed his eyes briefly and let out a sigh as he heard the hoof-steps leaving the hall. When he opened his eyes however, he found Twilight Sparkle still in the hall. "Did all those explosions yesterday leave you a little hard of hearing, legionnaire?" he asked in exasperation. "I said leave this hall!" "I still have something to say," Twilight said. She had been threatened by Terrato far too often to be driven away again. She was still shaking when he loomed over but she no longer had the urge to run. Replacing that emotion was a sense of resignation that if he was going to be so petty as to kill her for speaking her mind then so be it. "Don't you always? Gamble with your life too often, Twilight Sparkle, and the odds are going to catch up with you." Terrato paused and looked towards the now shut double doors to the hall. "Why not?" he muttered with a frown. His strange lapse of attention didn't stop Twilight however. "What do you have against me, your highness? Every time I try to talk, you're always angry. Vanguard said that you don't share in the petty hatreds of your ponies." "He's right, I don't. I happen to have my own petty hatreds." Realizing that Terrato had just brought that topic into a dead end, Twilight decided to focus on what she had stayed to say. "I can't believe you. The princess has just lost her power. The barrier that she's been trying to protect for so long has been brought down but, instead of trying to comfort her, you're ordering her around and putting aside her concerns! How can you care so little for your sister? You're just a bully who cares for nothing other than fighting and killing!" Twilight spoke loud enough to cause her words to echo in the empty hall. For a few moments, the two of them didn't say anything while the sound bounced off the walls. She had expected Terrato to bristle at her words.

With his silence, she allowed herself the smallest sliver of hope that she just might have gotten through to him. "So tell me, Twilight Sparkle, how was your first century?" Terrato asked gently. "My first what? I haven't-" "That's right, you haven't. You don't even have half a century to your name do you? You've been Celestia's student for what? A couple of decades? Less than that?" Terrato's voice rose. "I have fulfilled Celestia's wishes for more than a millennium! Don't you dare tell me that you have even an inkling of what it means to care for another!" Terrato stomped at the floor with both front hooves, causing a section of it to rise just beneath Twilight and knock her on her back. Before she could get up, he was standing over her and staring down. "Do you want to know why you piss me off so much? You stand there with your blink of a lifetime and you spout your little principles at me as if you had an idea as to what they could mean! You've seen and lived through nothing, Twilight Sparkle! I should beat you within an inch of your life. Maybe, while you're threequarters dead, you'll be able to get a view of the Eternal Herd. You'd have a glimpse of what I gave up to stay by Celestia's side. You've spent less than a month in my legion, what could you have possibly sacrificed for her sake?" He let her stand and walked back to the throne, turning his back on her. "You want me to explain how I can care so little? You should be the one explaining, scholar. Explain to me how somepony can spend a blink of a life with Celestia and become so important to her that she would risk what she's protected for so long. Explain how that same pony could betray her and then still be so close to her that she would stupidly let this pony close enough to stab her with a knife-shaped void!" Against the sudden barrage of questions, Twilight didn't even know where to begin. "I…I don't-" "While you're at it, maybe you can explain how my centuries of unquestioning loyalty can be shoved aside by the accusations of the first random unicorn who stumbles into her court!" Terrato's frown deepened into an angry scowl when Twilight didn't answer. "What's the matter, faithful

student?" he roared at her. "Haven't Celestia's lessons prepared you for this test? Give me an answer or I'll break every bone in your body!" Even Terrato's threat was met only with silence. He raised a hoof and pointed it at the double doors. A wave of force struck them so violently that they shattered into splinters. Their stone frames cracked and a cloud of dust rose from the blast. "Since you don't have an answer, maybe your mentor can help you out," he growled. The cloud of dust settled and Twilight saw both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna standing just past the door. Luna had raised a shield in time to protect herself and her sister from the blast. "Standing on stone is not a good way to hide from me, dearest sister," Terrato said. "And I am not surprised that you've forgotten some aspects of my power. It was Luna who stepped forward to speak up, fearing that if nopony continued to answer, her brother might really turn violent. "Big brother, I know you're upset-" "Of course you do. You're Luna and you've consistently showed that perceptiveness ever since you first came to me after your timeout." Terrato exhaled loudly and rested his head on a hoof. "Just get out of my sight, all of you." The three left the hall quietly, leaving him to his thoughts.

Chapter 47 Taking Stock Though the meeting with Prince Terrato over, Applejack walked out of the Grand Meeting Hall as uncertain of the future as she was when she walked in. Like Twilight, and probably the rest of her friends, she had expected Prince Terrato to immediately lay out plans to stop Black Rose and get Princess Celestia's power back. When that wasn't the case, she found herself at a loss as to how to feel about the prince. Princess Celestia was his family and family should come first. For him to set aside getting his sister's power back from this Black Rose was…difficult to swallow. Yet, when Twilight openly protested against Terrato's priorities, Applejack couldn't bring herself to join her friend. She considered herself loyal to the princess. She knew that Twilight was even more so but that didn't make her disloyal. But some part of her held back when Twilight spoke out. Was the difference in their loyalty really that much? She looked towards her other friends. None of them had spoken out either. Perhaps it was simply Terrato's intimidating presence or none of them could match Twilight's devotion to her teacher. With the meeting over, the rest of them were already splitting up to go back to their duties. Rarity had already walked off with Spike on her back. Pinkie Pie was hopping off to the kitchens and Fluttershy looked about to leave as well. The only exception seemed to be Twilight and that was because Applejack couldn't find her. 'Must have went to stay with the princess,' she thought. She had to admire that about Twilight. Banishment, signing up for the legion and the loss of her teacher's power didn't faze her loyalty one bit. Speaking of loyalty, Applejack's gaze focused on a particular pony associated with that Element of Harmony. For the past two days, Rainbow Dash had avoided her entirely. She had always felt that Rainbow Dash's ability to fly gave the pegasus a distinct advantage over her. Trying to pin down one of Equestria's finest flyers in a busy city was nigh impossible. Seeing a chance to do something about it while all of them were still walking, she decided to change her approach. She walked over to Rainbow

Dash who, at the sight of her, was already about to take off. "Hey, RD!" she started. "You were uh…you were pretty awesome during that last fight!" Rainbow Dash hesitated, something that Applejack took as a good sign. "You think so?" she asked cautiously. The still-healing gashes around Rainbow's head made it difficult for Applejack to agree but she forced down her concern like a one-too-many slice of apple pie. "Yeah, without that Sonic Rainboom you smacked Nightmare Moon's wall with, we would have never beaten her!" The corners of Rainbow's lips twitched briefly. Before Applejack could say another word however, Scarlet's voice threatened to halt the small bit of progress she was making. "Hey, Rainbow! You up for tonight? Today's payday and we can go for the really good stuff!" Applejack gritted her teeth as she felt Rainbow start to pull away. "Wait just a goll-darn-!" "No drinking for you tonight, Scarlet, I've got orders for you. Let's go." To hear Vanguard stop what would have been another drinking session between the two was sheer music to Applejack's ears. "But, Captain, it's payday! We're not under siege anymore and Storm Brew's got a fresh batch of 'Good Stuff' lined up!" "I said 'orders', Scarlet, not 'polite requests'. Let's go." As the two stallions were about to leave, Vanguard gave Applejack a quick glance and a nod. His way for apologizing for Scarlet and helping her out, she guessed. She replied with a smile and a nod of her own as he passed by her and then turned her focus back to Rainbow. "Right, like I was…why are you looking at me like that, Rainbow?" "I saw that," Rainbow remarked with a sly smile. It was the first smile that Applejack had seen from her friend in days and it was the sort that she didn't really like. While the two of them were talking again, she knew that Rainbow was doing her best to steer the conversation into other things.

"Saw what?" "You know what I'm talking about!" When Applejack stared at her blankly in response, Rainbow's amusement turned into puzzlement. "You like Vanguard, don't you?" she tried again. "Of course I like Vanguard. What kind of a silly question is that?" "I mean you really, really like him!" Another blank response had Rainbow putting a hoof to her face. "Forget it. There's no point poking you if you won't squirm." "You keep your poking to yourself, RD." The two of them walked on in silence. Applejack noticed that it wasn't long until they came upon the corner which would lead to Flight Dreadwing's barracks. She had to say something now or waste this chance. "About the last fight…" she started again. "It wasn't enough," Rainbow said quietly. "What wasn't enough? Your Sonic Rainboom? But you broke through that wall!" "I mean breaking the wall wasn't enough." "Enough for what?" Applejack asked cautiously. She was getting somewhere here, she could feel it. "Enough to…to…" Rainbow hesitated and looked away. Her wings twitched and she felt the urge to fly off without saying anything. It seemed so much easier than trying to talk things out. But she pressed her lips and closed her eyes briefly, trying to gather some courage. "Enough to make up for what happened to you!" she finally blurted out. Applejack frowned at the answer. "Now listen here. Nopony ever blamed you about what happened to me during that battle. Especially not me!" "I blame me," Rainbow retorted. "I messed up. Badly. I have to do something to make up for it and the last battle wasn't enough!"

"And when will it be enough?" Applejack asked gently. "There ain't some dip stick you can use to tell if you've done enough." "I'll…I'll just know," Rainbow insisted. "I have to go, Applejack. The flight captain's going to get angry if she catches me just hanging around instead of getting back to the flight." Applejack nodded and the pegasus started to fly off. "Rainbow!" she called out at the last moment. Rainbow Dash hovered in mid air for a second. "Stay with us tonight." Rainbow hesitated again, her eyes looking everywhere except at Applejack. "I'll try," she finally answered. Applejack let herself smile. "I'll be waiting for you," she said. With that, Rainbow flew off while she made her way towards her platoon. That was all she was going to get from Rainbow today but she was glad that there was at least something accomplished besides a hoof to the face for either of them.

With Terrato's roar still ringing in her ears, Twilight Sparkle walked next to the two princesses as they followed a pair of guards to their quarters. Prince Terrato had assigned them to the best room in all of Bastion City, a room that had been prepared for him but he had decided to let his sisters use. Like all of Bastion City, even "the best room in the city" was modest at best. By the time Celestia was heading towards the bed, she was already having trouble staying on her hooves. Twilight and Luna stood by either side of her, ready to help as soon as it became necessary. "The prince requests that you stay in this room until he gives the word otherwise, your higness," one of the guards told Celestia. His words tried to be polite but his tone underneath his barding was flinty. "What?" Twilight asked indignantly. "Is he going to keep her prisoner here?"

"We do as the prince commands, Legionnaire Sparkle," the guard replied. "You better remember that if you don't want another go at the whipping post." "Twilight," Luna chastised her sister's student. She looked to the two guards and gave a nod of acknowledgement. "Thank you," she told them. "We'll do just that." The two guards bowed respectfully at Luna and then left. "We will remain outside your door in case you need anything," one of them added before closing the door. With the guards gone, Twilight was about to help her teacher lie down and get some rest when Celestia put a hoof on her shoulder. She looked up to find concern on her mentor's face. "Twilight, what did that guard mean by 'another go'?" Celestia asked. Silently cursing at the guard for his poor choice of words, Twilight struggled to come up with an explanation. "W-well, what he meant was…" She caught a passing glance at Princess Luna. It only took that for the alicorn to tell her wordlessly that the truth was the best option here. "That's because…that's because I've been whipped before, princess," she admitted. "Terrato was going to have the pony who gave her the trigger hanged, big sister," Luna hastened to add when she saw Celestia's eyes widen. "Twilight agreed to be whipped alongside him to save his life." Even though she was still wearing her mage-coat, Twilight felt as if the few remaining marks of the whip along her back lit up for her mentor to see. Twilight closed her eyes, fearing an angry outburst. No such thing came. "I'm sorry." Upon hearing those words from Celestia, Twilight opened her eyes and looked up to her mentor's face in confusion. There was no outraged expression waiting for her, only a pained, sorrowful look that caused her chest to ache. "Princess, you don't-" "I am the one who ordered the division. Terrato did nothing more than enforce my law. I'm so sorry, Twilight."

Choking back a sob, Twilight stepped forward to hug Celestia, who returned the gesture tenderly. From afar, Luna watched the two of them with a smile. After a few moments of silence, Twilight spoke again. "Aren't you angry that I'm a legionnaire now?" she asked. "No." "But I-I did things that were…expected of legionnaires. The things you feared would only turn ponies into monsters like the wolven!" Celestia didn't answer right away. For a moment, both Luna and Twilight feared that she was angry now that she was reminded of that fact. But there was still no anger. Instead, Celestia stared ahead of her sadly before finally replying. "Just a few days ago, some ponies attacked the royal palace," she began. "They killed some of my guards while they were trying to steal the Elements of Harmony. When I got to the Chamber of Harmony and saw what they had done…" She paused and closed her eyes tightly for a second. "I was so angry that I…that I lashed out." Still in an embrace, Twilight could feel Celestia tremble slightly. "I have never killed a mortal before, pony or otherwise," Celestia continued. "It happened so quickly that I couldn't help but be frightened." Twilight looked at her teacher in concern. "Princess…" she started. She felt Celestia's long exhale. Celestia was quiet again. Terrato often commented about how fragile mortal ponies were. She had thought that she understood that back then but to see how easily the ponies she had considered "monsters" withered and burned into nothing before her spell…that was when she understood in the same way her brother understood. "But now I have," she continued. She mustered a weak smile. "I've realized that I'm just as prone to anger and violence as any of my little ponies. Now that I've spent a little time talking to Luna and Terrato, I'm starting to think that I've been too hasty to judge." She pushed Twilight gently so she could look at her faithful student's eyes. Twilight had been recruited into the legion. She had done as legionnaires had done and her eyes showed the toll that her new duties had taken. But…she was still Twilight. Celestia had to admit that. Just as much as she had to admit that she was still Celestia. "I want to see for myself what happens out here and to the ponies who live here. I want to

know if there is a truth to what Terrato had been telling me. I want to see everything first before making a judgment again." "Oh, princess," Twilight said joyously. "I knew you'd understand!" Even Luna couldn't help but smile. At least there was a bit of progress over at this end. The smile quickly faded when she remembered her brother. Terrato did not want Celestia to interact with the ponies in the Barrier Lands yet. She understood the intention. Celestia wasn't a popular figure out here and, in her weakened state, all it would take was one angry pony with a loaded crossbow. How Celestia was going to see this place, she didn't know yet. Their brother's angry resentment would make things worse as well. "You should get some rest, big sister," was all she could say for now. Celestia nodded in agreement and lay down on the bed. The furs disconcerted her a little but she quickly settled down and closed her eyes. With one more fond glance at Celestia, Twilight went over to Luna, who was sitting by a desk with a book. "You should be resting too, your highness," she said. "You really exerted yourself in that last fight." "I'll be fine, Twilight Sparkle," Luna replied as she turned a page. "You should be going. I'm sure you have other duties as a legionnaire and I doubt playing nursemaid to two princesses isn't one of them." "I will," Twilight replied. She walked over to Luna and looked over the princess's shoulder. "Doing some reading, your highness?" she asked. "Where'd you get those?" She looked at the title on the cover: "Barrier Lands Law". "I had some of the guards get them during my last visit," Luna answered. When she noticed the quizzical look on Twilight's face, she elaborated on her choice of subject. "I knew this was going to happen eventually. Now that the division is over, I want to be prepared to rule over a united Equestria with my siblings. Knowing and understanding the laws that Terrato has laid down out here should help." "Sounds like a good plan," Twilight remarked. She didn't hide the admiration in her tone. She hadn't thought of things like that. The three siblings ruling together in a single Equestria…she had almost forgotten that the division's end should be a good thing because of the manner it ended. "I'll be going then, princess."

Luna watched as Twilight Sparkle left the room and then turned her attention to her now sleeping sister. 'This isn't how I hoped it was going to happen but we are finally moving forward, big sister,' she thought. She looked towards the door, thinking of her other sibling. 'Now if only some of us can help instead of making things more difficult…'

The medical ward was quiet by the time Fluttershy made it back. After the initial rush of injured after the last battle, the activity in the ward had slowed down to a peaceful crawl. She was thankful for that much at least. After she had returned to her duties, Doctor Redbrand had given her an earful which the other medics thought was too light after what they had gone through. For today, she hoped that the doctor was in a better mood. She found Redbrand sitting quietly by his desk. There was that morose expression on his face again. She sometimes wondered if it was actually better if Redbrand was angrily shouting at ponies. Whenever he quieted down, he had that depressed expression which only served to highlight every line on his face. She was about to walk over and see if there was something she could do for him when she passed by two senior medics talking: Headwrap and Kneescrape as she recognized them. "Mail's finally here!" Headwrap said with a grin as he held up a bundle of letters. "First its payday and now we get all our mail in one go!" "Good thing the damn siege didn't last long or we'd have a mountain of them to sort out," Kneescrape muttered while Headwrap sorted through the bundle. Noticing Fluttershy nearby, Headwrap looked at her. "You expecting mail, Fluttershy?" he asked good-naturedly. "She's from the Heartland, idiot," Kneescrape remarked. "How is she supposed to get any mail?" "I would love to get some mail, though," Fluttershy said to try and placate Headwrap. "Did you two get any?" "Looks like I got one from my sister here," Headwrap said.

"Doubt I'd get any from my family," Kneescrape muttered. "Probably one from that mule, Goldtouch, telling me to pay off my debt." "Here's one for Redbrand!" Headwrap said, his enthusiasm fading. "Oh throw it away. It's probably his nag of a wife bleeding him dry again. Get rid of it and tell him that it must have gotten lost during delivery if asks around. You'd be doing the old pony a favor." "No way. If he finds out he'll saw my legs off." "I didn't know Doctor Redbrand had a wife," Fluttershy interrupted. "Not exactly something he likes to bring up," Headwrap replied. He gave an annoyed glance at Kneescrape before returning his attention to Fluttershy. "You're always on his good side, Fluttershy, you can give this to him." Fluttershy nodded and then took the plain white envelope in her mouth. While the two continued to sort through the mail, she headed for Redbrand's desk. "About time you came back!" Redbrand snapped at her as soon as she came closer. "Your pay's here." He gestured towards the pouch of bits on his desk. "What's that letter you've got there?" Fluttershy handed the envelope over before replying. "It's from your wife," she said with some enthusiasm. Despite what Headwrap and Kneescrape were talking about earlier, she still felt that receiving letters from loved ones was a good thing. "Bah! The money's on the way as it always is!" Redbrand groused. He opened the enveloped, glanced at the letter and then tossed it into a nearby waste bin. "I don't know why she has to waste time and paper reminding me every month." "Aren't you happy that your wife sent you a letter?" Fluttershy asked in confusion. "Ever been married, Fluttershy?" Redbrand responded. When Fluttershy shook her head, he snorted. "Thank your Princess Celestia or whoever. Nothing sours things between ponies like marriage." He waved a hoof

dismissively and looked away. When Fluttershy didn't leave, he frowned and turned his attention back on her. "What in the hay do you still want?" "Is that why you drink so much and look sad so often?" "Terrato grind me, you're a stubborn filly!" Redbrand pulled out his flask and opened it only to catch a disapproving look from Fluttershy. He lowered the flask briefly and scowled. "You're cruel for keeping an old pony from the few comforts he can afford." "You know that it doesn't work." "And do you have an alternative?" Redbrand snorted again. Before he could take a drink however, Fluttershy moved closer and around his desk. A moment later, he felt her hooves around him. "I'm sorry about your wife." A moment of silence passed before Redbrand grumbled again. He had put the flask aside in the meantime. "I don't see what you're trying to do besides ending up smelling like a brewery on fire." Hearing no protest, Fluttershy stayed that way for some time.

"Don't they have some other pegasus for this?" Scarlet protested. "Why am I always getting tagged for special deliveries?" "Because you're the best pony for the job," Vanguard replied tersely. "These orders need to get to our agents down south as soon as possible and you're our fastest." "Not for long," Scarlet replied with a grin. "What's that supposed to mean?" "You saw it, Captain! That sparkly, flashy exploding thing that Rainbow Dash did!"

"I believe it's called 'Sonic Rainboom'." Vanguard replied. He had asked Twilight about the move a day ago. He was certainly impressed but it also made him worry and he was now seeing why. "She could beat me in a race," Scarlet said, his face now serious. "A fair race. If she did that Sonic Rainboom, she'd blow past me!" Vanguard matched the serious tone with his own. "And if she fails like Overcast, are you going to go into a rage and beat her half to death?" he asked. "I'm not letting that happen again. If it does, mark my words there will be no cover up this time." "There won't be a next time," Scarlet replied. "I know she can do it. Even Tailwind knows she can do it!" "Take your weights off," Vanguard ordered. "We need you at your fastest." With a shrug, Scarlet undid the straps on some of his barding, revealing what appeared to be a large strip of padded cloth wrapped around his torso. A few more straps and the cloth fell to the ground with a heavy, metallic clank, revealing several large bars tucked into the fabric. The pavement vibrated upon impact. "Do not goad her into racing you, Scarlet," Vanguard said. He gripped the pegasus by his harness and pulled him closer. "I don't care if she stands a good chance at beating you. I'm asking as your friend and ordering you as your captain. If you race and she gets hurt, I will tie that noose around your neck myself. "Okay, Captain. If you're that serious about it, I won't." Vanguard let his friend go. "Good," he said. "One more thing. No more heavy drinking sessions with her." "Now that's just unfair! We're just having good times! It's got nothing to do with racing!" Vanguard let out a sigh and patted Scarlet on the shoulder. "I know," he said. "I know you mean well by being friendly, Scarlet, but your friendship is…well, like Storm Brew's 'Strong Stuff'. Not everypony is capable of dealing with it."

"Rainbow Dash can." "No. She can't. She's like that filly who goes into a bar and pretends like she can hold her liquor while the rest of us laugh as staggers around. Keep some distance from now on alright?" Scarlet practically deflated when he replied. "Alright, Captain. I'm taking off now then." "Right, be on your way." Vanguard blinked once and Scarlet was already gone. He tried to scan the sky for the pegasus but he didn't even catch a silhouette. 'Of all the pegasi in Equestria to be gifted with that speed, why did it have to be you, Scarlet?' he silently asked. With Scarlet dealt with for now, Vanguard went on with the rest of his duties. The sun was setting and he was heading back to his shared quarters when he noticed a familiar pony walking just ahead of him. "Applejack!" he called out. The orange-coated pony turned around and smiled when she noticed who it was. "Oh howdy, Vanguard, you done for the day?" Vanguard suddenly felt a dryness in his throat. "Almost." he said. "I was thinking of getting a drink. Would you like to join me?" Applejack raised an eyebrow. "That's not Special Operations talk for catching more criminals is it?" she asked. Vanguard chuckled. "No. There's going to be actual drinking involved this time. Scarlet mentioned that Storm Brew has a new batch of 'Good Stuff'." "I reckon I can stay for a spell and be back to wait for Rainbow in time." The two of them turned at one corner. "By the way, thank you kindly for dealing with Scarlet Rabbit earlier," Applejack said as she walked beside Vanguard. "Did you get to talk with Rainbow Dash?"

"A little. It's going to take more than a talk or two to patch things up but I'm just glad we took a step forward today." "Good. I hope you don't take this against Scarlet. He means well. He just...perceives things differently." Applejack nodded in understanding. The two of them finally reached Storm Brew's new brewery. They were just about to walk through the freeswinging double doors when a white unicorn mare with a bright purple mane that look like she had just been struck by lightning leaped over the counter to greet them. "Vanguard!" she called out. "I knew you'd come for this batch! Where's Scarlet and that new drinking buddy of his?" "They're not coming, Storm Brew, we'll have some of that 'Good Stuff' though," Vanguard replied. Applejack looked at Vanguard in surprise. "That's Storm Brew?" she asked I thought he-I mean she-" "Was some crusty, old, bearded stallion?" Storm Brew asked. "I get that often." She showed them over to the counter just as some more ponies stepped into the building. It wasn't long until both of them had a glass of the clear, crackling liquid in front of them. "Is this going to shock me like it did Pinkie if I drink it?" Applejack asked worriedly. "Only if you gulp it down," Vanguard replied before taking a sip. "This is a drink made for moderation." Following his example, Applejack took a sip and grimaced, expecting an electric shock anyway. When none came, she licked her lips, pleasantly surprised at the tingly feeling in her mouth."She wasn't kidding with the name," she remarked. "This is good stuff!" "And another convert joins up!" Storm Brew said with a laugh. "I don't know about all the things I keep hearing about the chosen but I know for sure that you have good taste." She looked over to Vanguard. "Figures you'd go for an earth pony," she said slyly. "I get enough of that from my mother, Storm Brew," Vanguard replied.

With another laugh, Storm Brew left them to tend to the other customers. Vanguard unfastened his champron and set it on the bar. Applejack found herself staring. Vanguard wore his barding almost all the time so the sight of his face left her feeling…odd. His black, curly mane somehow remained carefully arranged despite being trapped in metal for long periods of time. A few locks proved rebellious and peeked down his eyes. She noticed her hoof suddenly move as if to brush them away until she consciously set it on the bar. 'What in tarnation…what was that all about?' They sat there for a while, quietly sipping their drinks. It was Vanguard who spoke again. "So how are you holding up?" he asked. "Holding up? What do you mean? My injury? It's fine. It doesn't hurt at all." "I mean about Twocolt. The two of you were friends right?" Applejack stared at her drink for a moment. "I should just be happy that his highness decided not to hang him," she said with a wistful smile. "That's good enough, right?" "True." They were quiet again. This time, it was Applejack who broke that. "So you need something?" she asked. Vanguard raised an eyebrow. "A relaxing drink not enough?" he asked. Applejack couldn't help but chuckle. "Not for you!" she replied. "Alright, I'll get to it. I spoke with Commander Dreadstep today. He told me that you and the others are going to stay grouped as a squad to make use of the Elements of Harmony whenever they're needed. He's asked me to lead this squad whenever it's deployed in battle." "So...does that mean you got promoted?" Applejack asked. She didn't like the idea of the Elements of Harmony being "deployed". It just didn't seem like what ponies should think about doing with them. "More like a re-assignment. I assume that this squad is only needed for Nightmare Moon and possibly Black Rose."

"So why'd you need to talk to me about this?" Vanguard looked at Applejack carefully. For some reason, she couldn't match his stare and had to look away. Perhaps it was the eyes, his wolveneyes seemed too intense today. "I need a vice-captain for this squad at least. I was thinking that you should take that position." "Me?" Applejack asked in surprise. "But...but why not Twilight? Her magic's a lot more useful and stuff!" "It's not power or utility I'm looking for. It's restraint. That's why I want you." Applejack felt blood rush to her face. "Couldn't you have said that some other way?" she muttered. Vanguard didn't seem to notice. "Well?" he asked. "I…uh…well alright, Vanguard Clash. I'll do it." "Thank you." Vanguard said with a smile. "That puts me at ease a bit." Applejack emptied her glass hastily. The tingling sensation turned into a jolt that almost made her jump from her chair. Some of the liquid got caught in her throat, making her splutter. "Heh…all your dramatic talk's getting me flustered," she said. To make things worse, Vanguard put a hoof on her back, forcing her to look away to hide her face. "Take it easy, vice-captain." Vanguard said. "We've got work tomorrow."

Chapter 48 Faithful Students "Our nearest contingent is about a week from where the barrier used to be, your highness," Commander Moon Haze of the Southern Equestrian Legion said. "Our nearest contingent will take longer, around ten days at best," Commander Stonewall of the Western Equestrian Legion added. "We're five days to the barrier from SummerSteel City, your highness," Commander Frostbite of the Northern Equestrian Legion said. "I guarantee a batch of chosen recruits in a week once you give an order." Within his new personal quarters in Bastion City's Grand Meeting Hall, Prince Terrato nodded to acknowledge the reports coming from the magical images his legion commanders. Not even half an hour after an audience with his sisters and the Elements of Harmony and he was already hearing responses from his orders. "Let me be perfectly clear on this," he told them sternly. "The legion is going to the Heartland to acquire resources both in ponies and materials. 'Reprisals' of any sort from legionnaires who had a problem with the barrier will be punished severely. Do you understand?" "Yes, your highness," all three replied. Terrato dismissed the communication spell and stared at his room's fireplace. Dreadstep was about to vacate his quarters to give to him but he refused. He took a bit of pleasure in reminding his subjects what his title actually meant. Shaping stone came easily to him, even when he was tired. With a single spell, the Grand Meeting Hall had another room complete with a fireplace. It was modest in size and amenities not only to suit his tastes but also because he refused to stay in a better room than Celestia. With his orders given out and the legion moving smoothly for now, Terrato let himself relax for some time. Already, the tasks ahead were looming over him. He wanted that decree from Celestia as soon as possible but he was certainly not going to go around rushing her. The transition was going to be a complicated process as well. Ideally, once the chosen hear Celestia's

decree they'll move on their own and he could expect volunteers lining up and resources on the move. Of course "ideally" would never happen, especially since after what he had seen when he visited Canterlot. Terrato shook his head and reminded himself that he shouldn't expect his sister to run her realm similarly to how he did his. Judging her capital city by his standards and tastes would be unfair. Still, the glaring colors, the excessive luxuries…he wrinkled his nose in disgust. Though it disturbed him, he did feel an urge to cause an earthquake then and there to see if these ponies could pull it together during a crisis or if Celestia's capital truly was a hive of useless fops. That the other settlements in the Heartland might be the same filled him with concern. Recruitment was only one part of his concerns and it wasn't even the first. He gave the legion six months to produce an army of reserves. In those six months, he should have FangBreaker back and operational so he could launch his invasion in the spring. Six months was optimistic. If Celestia's chosen proved to be uncooperative just how many legionnaires would he have to send over to subdue them? He couldn't afford a civil war even if it was his well-trained army against an army of pie-throwing foals. Converting the Heartland's resources would be a problem all on its own even if the chosen were completely cooperative. That wasn't even mentioning the impact on their economy. He was likely going to take away their hardest workers and then make them supply the legion on top of supporting themselves. He also didn't expect them to start producing weapons and other materials at top-notch quality when they've never had to for centuries. Experts from the Barrier Lands would have to be sent to teach them and set up the proper industries. And that was merely the problems within Equestria. Outside it was a different set of problems. Arugek and Sesyth were likely on the move. The two have been silent for too long. He cast aside the worries for now. Tomorrow morning, he will have reports coming in after his initial plans are carried out. That would be the time to be bothered by all of this. As his mind went to other matters, he concentrated on a spell, pulling a bundle of letters from his personal, extra-dimensional space. He sorted them out with his telekinesis, letting them float in front of him while he read.

Dearest Prince Terrato, It's been a couple of days since I arrived here in Stoneguard Fortress. The situation is rather dire at the moment; resources are scarce, morale is low and the ursans are firmly entrenched in the area. I sincerely apologize for fearing that you would send me someplace "safe" for my first assignment and I thank you for this opportunity to test myself. As a start, I thoroughly investigated this fortress and found Commander Rich Soil guilty of willful negligence and mismanagement so I had him executed. He's still hanging by the courtyard as I write this letter. Most of the fort's legionnaires have taken well to my decision but his family appears to be the vengeful type. I'm going to have to keep eyes on them and make sure those eyes are attached to armed legionnaires. Your faithful student, Black Rose Stoneguard Fortress. Terrato remembered that place well. It was her first step, the beginning of her rise. Her elegant, curving script spoke only of supreme confidence even during her first assessment. Dearest Prince Terrato, Today I had the opportunity to apply your "doomed spies" lecture. We caught a couple of worthless ponies who were planning on deserting this morning. I offered them both a pardon and a chance to be transferred to a less dangerous post if they would deliver a secret message while posing as food delivery to a nearby outpost. I then filled them with false information and sent them through a route that we knew that the ursans were watching. My scouts told me that the ursans hadn't even mentioned torture when they started talking. Of course the ursans caught hold of my "secret plans" and placed their troops accordingly. An entire company of them walked right into our prepared ambush resulting in a glorious victory for the day. I can only hope I have more opportunities to apply your teachings. Your faithful student, Black Rose

She received just that. The pride of seeing his protégé excel using the skills he taught her was one of the most wonderful things he had ever felt. When he learned that Celestia herself had a student, he could understand the reason even if he knew where that path would eventually lead. Dearest Prince Terrato, Things have become rather interesting these past few days. My scouts report of a growing rift between the ursan commander, Gro-bor-haf and one of his more popular warriors, Dro-reg-rob. It seems our recent victories have resulted in a questioning of their commander's leadership. I think this is the time to finish them off. I'm about to launch a two-pronged attack on their main camp during which I will personally lead a force to inflict heavy casualties on Gro-bor-haf's forces while having the ponies engaging Droreg-rob retreat. The effects should be telling. Your faithful student, Black Rose Dearest Prince Terrato, I am writing to you right now from the ursan camp. It's only been a few hours since our second assault. When the dust settled from our first assault, I had my scouts check up on the ursans. As planned, the ruckus of their in-fighting was so loud that I was already preparing troops before the scouts even returned. The final attack was rather disappointing. There was just a hoof-ful of ursans either too injured from all the fighting or drunk from their "celebration" of their new leader. For a none-too-bright brute, Dro-regrob has surprisingly soft fur. He'll make a fine rug and I shall have a wonderful present for you upon my return. I look forward to my next assignment. Your faithful student, Black Rose A knock on Terrato's door brought a frown to his face. With a wave of his hoof, he sent the letters back to his extra-dimensional space. "You should be resting by now," he said sternly when the door opened.

Luna entered the room despite the harsh welcome. "And your temper should have cooled by now," she replied. Terrato turned around, quietly swearing that if Luna looked bedraggled enough he was going to wrap her in chains and put her back in her quarters. He relented when he saw her. She did look a little better despite the short time. Again, he realized that he was underestimating her. "How is Celestia?" he asked. Luna let out a sigh. "She's fine. If you're so worried you should visit her." Terrato returned to staring at the fire place. "After threatening to force the truth on her chosen if she didn't tell them followed by shouting her student down and smashing a door in front of her?" "I don't understand you, big brother. There is nopony in this entire world who cares more for big sister but you keep ending up like this." Terrato smiled morosely. "Clearly I've been going about things wrongly. You're still on a roll, little sister, advise me." Luna raised an eyebrow, unsure if her brother was serious or not. Her brother's temper was volcanic at times and centuries of fighting this war had also left his outlook grim. But this was the same sibling who had her spelling out names with her backside while speaking gibberish. She decided to humor him this time. "You can start by not picking on her student from now on," she said. "For both their sakes." "I never picked on that grape of a pony." "You had her whipped and you just shouted her down a while ago." "First of all, I didn't have her whipped. I was going to have her friend hanged as my laws dictated and she decided that she had a better grasp of those laws. She should consider it a favor on my part that I let her be whipped." "And the shouting her down part?" Terrato's smile disappeared. That was just an hour or so ago and thinking about it was still irritating. "What about it? I'd say she knows that I'm not

going to kill her because Celestia values her greatly and she's an integral part of the Elements of Harmony so she's flaunting that fact by tempting fate repeatedly." "Twilight Sparkle is a good pony, big brother. She came to this place by her own will to help out. At a great cost, I might add. You make her sound like a smug, spoiled filly hiding behind our sister when you can see how hard she's fighting." Terrato snorted. "Well, both can be true, can't they?" "Please try to get along better with her. I'm sure big sister would be able to relax more around you if you treated her student well." "Alright, Luna. If it makes you feel any better, I'm not going lose my temper with Celestia's precious little student again. I will still enforce my laws strictly and the next time she's slated for thirty lashes, she gets thirty." "I suppose that's good enough for now." "Now that the small matters are out of the way, tell me what you really came here for." As Terrato expected, his sister fell silent. A small part of him sensed that this was the time he would come over and assure her that she could tell him anything and that he would listen calmly and reasonably. But the rest of him already had an idea of what this might be about and they were all perfectly fine with it if she was overcome with nervousness and decided not to go through with it after all. Luna did speak again however. For the first time, Terrato was less than pleased by his little sister's newfound courage and initiative. "I want to talk about your student this time." Terrato didn't need to look at Luna to tell that she approached the subject nervously. Black Rose. Of course she wanted to talk about Black Rose. The thought of simply saying nothing until Luna went away was tempting. Let the others see Black Rose as simply a deranged and rebellious student of his and leave it at that. "Go on," he said, consigning himself to the painful recollection that followed. He deserved this after all.

"How did she do that, big brother? No matter how gifted she is, she shouldn't have the knowledge to transform herself like that! The only way to even put together such magic would be to-" "Glean it from the Eternal Herd," Terrato finished his sister's sentence. If he was going to tell the truth about this, he may as well get to the point. "You already have your suspicions, Luna. Out with them." "Then it's true," Luna said sadly. "You taught her the means. I didn't even think it was possible. But why? And how?" "How would the reason and the method matter now?" Terrato asked angrily. He rounded on Luna so suddenly that she hastily took a couple of steps back. "It was a stupid and reckless mistake from a long time ago and it doesn't change what we have to deal with right now!" "It's not about changing our situation now," Luna said in a more subdued tone. "I just thought it would put you more at ease if you told somepony." Terrato caught himself, realizing that he was lashing out again when he should be coming clean. 'So this is for me, is it?'He snorted at the thought. He went back to staring at the fireplace. "I've already told you of how important Black Rose was to me, remember?" he said. "Yes," Luna replied cautiously. "She was your greatest legionnaire and companion." "She was also mortal," Terrato added. "And that never left my mind. It didn't matter how many victories she won or how many favors I showered her with. I knew that she was closer to death with each passing day." Now that he started talking about it, Terrato couldn't help but recall those days. Such a strange time it was when looked back to them; days of fierce pride, nights of fiercer passion and then those waking hours when it was just him, an ache in his chest and a growing sense of dread inevitability. Faced with Luna's questioning eyes, he went on, forcing himself to talk past the melancholy. "Black Rose changed everything. I didn't care for these mortals. They were just tools to make fulfill Celestia's wishes, statistics and resources. Black Rose was different. Oh, I tried reminding myself that they were all meant to die and that they were going to be happy in the Eternal Herd. I just…" He raised a hoof as if to stomp against the ground but he

lowered it at the last moment. "…I just couldn't bear facing forever without her." Terrato's face hardened. He never thought that what he did next it was a good idea. He knew what the consequences were. The stupidity lay in that he wholly believed in its necessity. "So I decided to do something about it," he continued. "Each mortal pony, no matter how far removed from their ancestors, has a spark of Oceanus within. A spark of alicornhood so to speak. If I could somehow enhance that, I could make Black Rose into one of us and have her rule by my side." Luna pressed her lips together. Here was the sixth rebellion at last. It was a law given to all of the Eternal Herd when the first mortal ponies crawled from the blood of Oceanus: do not tamper with their final fate. Lexarius had broken that law by trapping the souls of ponies in this world in a vain attempt to keep what he was doing from the Eternal Herd. She would have never expected such a rebellion from her brother, the stallion who would have killed her without hesitation because The King and Queen ordered it. "I went as far as to contact the Eternal Herd. From the lore I gathered, I created the Ascendancy Ritual, a spell that would grant Black Rose the power of an alicorn." Terrato went on. "But to enhance that spark, it had to be fed the sparks of others. If I wanted to extend Black Rose's life, I needed to sacrifice other ponies." Luna's eyes widened in horror. "You didn't…" she whispered. "You sacrificed ponies to extend her life?" "I was determined to," Terrato replied. "Everything was ready. I had a village to the south about to be "overrun" by ophidite raiders." He closed his eyes. "But I decided against it at the last moment. I destroyed my research and consigned myself to watching Black Rose eventually fade away." His voice grew harsh and Luna realized that this was the turning point for Black Rose. From the legion's greatest champion and Terrato's faithful student, she had turned into something else. "Black Rose discovered my work anyway. She recreated the Ascendancy Ritual and secretly began to use it." Terrato thrust a hoof towards the fire. Despite being so close, he could barely feel any warmth from the flames. How many ponies had Black Rose fed on before he killed her? He didn't know. What he knew was that they

would have been fewer if he wasn't so blind. Memory was a strange thing. When had he really found out about the truth and how long did it take for him acknowledge it enough to act? How many years did he spend trying to convince himself that Black Rose was merely aging very, very slowly? When her brother fell silent, Luna felt the need to say something, anything as a way to comfort him. "Say it," Terrato finally said after some time. "What?" "Say what's on your mind. Say that this is all my fault. I gave Black Rose the means to become what she is today. My selfish desires and inability to perform my duty is the root of this mess." Luna shook her head. "You're looking at the wrong pony if you're looking for blame, big brother," she said. "You're forgetting that I've made my mistakes too. So has big sister." "So you have." Terrato replied. "So much for being the best choice as stewards of this world." Luna set aside her own fear towards her brother and walked to his side. "Black Rose was not just the start of something bad, big brother," she told him. "You've come to care about all mortals afterwards didn't you? That's a good thing." Terrato snorted and put a foreleg around Luna. "The moon is at its most beautiful during the winter, little sister," he said with a smile. "Is that why you're on such a roll?" Luna smiled at the compliment but didn't reply. The two of them simply stared quietly at the fire for some time, wishing that the future would share even the slightest bit of its brightness.

Standing by the ruins of her old tower, Black Rose watched with a smile as the sun descended into the horizon and the heat of day gave way to comforting shadow. The transition between day and night quickly became

her favorite part of her new responsibility. It required a certain degree of cooperation between her and Princess Luna, whose job it was to raise the moon as she lowered the sun. She liked to think that despite the tragic but necessary harm she had to do to Celestia, the Princess of the Night would be impressed, even slightly, by how quickly she took to her new role. She made her way through the rubble, daintily picking through the pieces of obsidian and indulging in feelings of nostalgia. Prince Terrato had raised this tower for her, fashioning it from her favorite material. During the height of her command of the legion, the tower was the most beautiful structure in all of the Barrier Lands. It was an elegant tapering structure of gleaming blackness where she spent many a day crafting plan after plan to bring more glory to her prince's realm. And the nights…she closed her eyes and let the familiar feelings flow through her. These past days have been one thrilling improvisation after another. Now that she was at this stage, she had some time to relax before starting the next part of her plans. She stood right before the great pillar of rock that her beloved had used to crush her. It was a rather crude and brutal end for somepony like her. When she had found out that he was already heading for her home, she had imagined that scenario to have a bit more intimacy; a knife to the heart up close, a strangling with his bare hooves…having a giant rock drop on her head was rather impersonal. Perhaps, should another opportunity present itself, Terrato would choose more to her taste. A second one would have to be placed in the far future. Preparing for the first one required immense resources and careful planning in the form of hundreds of stasis clones scattered all throughout the Barrier Lands, a few even being carefully hidden in enemy territory. Most of them were eventually rooted out and destroyed by her mentor but all she needed was one to survive so she could anchor herself to this world. To increase her chances, she had placed them in a dormant state to make detection more difficult, even at the cost of leaving her in stasis for several centuries. And it did just that. Seven hundred years passed before she awoke to continue her plans, plans that required even more time. It was just in time as well. She had predicted that Nightmare Moon's return would move King Fenrir to make a major assault and she had awakened before that required time. Black Rose's thoughts went fondly towards a certain unicorn mare. Twilight Sparkle, even the name was music to her ears. She had braced herself for

watching more of her beloved Equestria being ravaged by a horde of wolven before the opportunity to act arrived. Instead, she witnessed the miracle that was Twilight Sparkle's rebellion. The change that mare brought with her was…exhilarating. To her, it was as if the entire world accelerated upon the arrival of Twilight Sparkle. The rebels that she had resigned herself to keeping alive for a long time were rendered obsolete after merely aiding the fall of FangBreaker Fortress. The wolven had barely penetrated the north when Celestia was ready to be brought to the Barrier Lands. There was no need to wait for Sun Gazer to educate his grand children about "the conspiracy" let alone his son and there was certainly no more need to keep "The Order of True Equestrians" around. All the tools she had carefully procured and maintained over the years since she awakened had all been thrown out the window by a purple chosen unicorn and her band of loyal friends. It wasn't just the acceleration that excited her. She was presented with an interesting group of adversaries in the form of the Elements of Harmony, a challenge that she was more than glad to accept. She already had plans laid out for each one of them thanks to the extensive profiling that Spike had provided her during that one morning in Bastion City. To implement each of them would be a wonderful time indeed. Upon arriving at her destination, Black Rose set aside the excited anticipation for a while. At a small, untended corner of her island were several unmarked graves. Throughout the centuries they had remained untouched. She was glad that the legion respected her enough to leave her home alone despite her "death". Here, she sacrificed her most loyal servants in preparation for her demise and transition into the future. She concentrated on her new power and channeled it through spells she had long researched from the ancient library of Lexarius himself. She could sense the spirits of her favored servants. They were trapped by enchantments that a powerful pony from the Eternal Herd itself had developed and then they kept dormant to keep them from being noticed. Arcs of powerful magic coursed through the ground and crackled all around her as her summons awakened them. The shadows coalesced and her former officers materialized one by one. There was no need for words. With a sound like the quick passing of a gentle breeze, they recognized her and what her presence meant. All they needed now were physical bodies which she would have to craft or procure

some time soon. She couldn't help but frown however. Of the six she had preserved, only four had arisen. The spells around the remaining two had somehow deteriorated, causing them to cross over to the Eternal Herd. 'Such a shame,' she thought. 'And I wanted to pit my six against Celestia's. It looks like I'm going to have to acquire two new ones from the legion…perhaps even the Heartland.' She let out a brief laugh and then turned her gaze towards the beautiful winter moon out tonight. How bright the future looked. How clear and sublime just like Princess Luna's moon. "Just a little more, beloved," she whispered. "I promise."

~~~ The End ~~~

Upheaval: Reckoning Chapter 1 Dragons and Ponies My beloved subjects, I, Princess Celestia of Equestria, am well aware of the apprehension I have put the realm through during these recent times. It is time I told everypony the truth behind the banishment of my faithful student and her loyal friends. Equestria is under attack, my little ponies. It has been under attack throughout the centuries. At the borders of our realm, my brother, Prince Terrato, continues to lead the Equestrian Legion in protecting our home. In my desperation to protect all of you from the horrors of this conflict, I have kept it a secret from everypony. My faithful student, Twilight Sparkle, wanted to share this secret with all of Equestria for which I banished her. The only "unspeakable crime" committed was mine. I humbly ask for forgiveness from each and every one of you for this secrecy. I allowed myself to be blinded by my own prejudice towards those who I have been counting on. I have failed as your princess to adhere to the same honesty that I have asked all of you to live your lives in all this time. All I can offer is that I face my own punishment for this and that, henceforth, there will be no secrets like this ever again. Now that the truth has been revealed, it is time to act upon it. The war continues to rage throughout Equestria's borders. My brother and the Equestrian Legion have been pushed to their limits and they need our help. So dire is the situation in our borders that it has become necessary to call

upon everypony in Equestria do its share. Soon, you will meet your defenders for the first time. They will ask that each family to have at least one member to join them. My heart goes out to those who must serve in this new duty. Know that if there was any other way to keep our home safe, I would not ask this of any of you. I ask that you see the ponies of the Equestrian Legion as your long lost fellow ponies and not as foreign invaders. If Equestria is to survive in this difficult time, all of us must work together in harmony. I will return to Canterlot soon. For now, my siblings, Terrato and Luna must see to the royal duties that must be tended to. Please treat them with both respect and understanding. Within his quarters, Terrato found himself frowning at the end of the decree he was reading. Celestia's royal seal marked the document as genuine and he knew that copies were likely already circulating the Heartland. Behind him, he could hear a sigh come from his younger sister, who was also reading a copy. "I know that this is necessary but it does seem quite sad. Don't you think so, big brother?" Luna asked. "What it seems is a little too sensitive," Terrato replied. "It can stand to be a bit more authoritative." "Big sister has never been one to impose authority on the Heartland's ponies." "Is that why her capital is full of fops?" Luna let out another sigh. "Of all the cities in the Heartland, you had to visit Canterlot," she said. "There are plenty of places that could have been more to your approval. You should have visited an earth pony settlement since you have a fondness for them." "Forgive me for assuming that a realm's capital would be a good representation of its ponies in general," Terrato replied. He set the decree aside. "I want you to go to the Heartland ahead of me, Luna. Settle their nerves a little before I show up."

"And by 'settle their nerves', you really mean 'settle the barrage of questions this decree will set off by myself', don't you?" "That's true too," Terrato said sheepishly. His tone grew serious quickly. "But that doesn't mean that my point doesn't stand. I have a few more details to take care of here as well. One of them should be responding soon." As if on cue, his horn suddenly glowed. "About time," he muttered. He pointed his horn at the center of the room and an image began to materialize. Luna couldn't help but gasp as the massive image of a dragon, a mere dragon's head, nearly filled the room. Its individual scales were bigger than her hoof and as black as night itself. The four massive, sweeping horns were what commanded Luna's attention. They curled around each other in an elaborate fashion until they resembled a crown. Despite the long time she spent away from this world, she had no problem identifying the sort of being with such an arrogant feature: Pride Dragon. "The annoying frequency of your attempts at contact tells me that this is urgent, Prince Terrato," the dragon spoke. Luna could hear its rumbling voice echo in the cave it was likely in. "What business do you have with me?" "Celestia's barrier has come down, Afralhadar, don't tell me you haven't noticed," Terrato replied. "The affairs of ponies are beneath my notice. What concern is it of mine that your sister has come out of hiding?" "I'm not talking about ponies. I'm talking about the dragons that have been living inside the barrier. The enchantments on them will have disappeared as well and it's only a matter of time before they start feeling the effects. I can only imagine that they've developed a different set of traditions than the ones you approve of. I can also imagine what they'll do once they start acting on their newly revived wilder instincts." Afralhadar paused for a moment. An enormous claw appeared in the image to scratch the scales under his chin. "Dracodar behaving like animals. You are right in bringing this matter to me after all. The Draco'dim will see to this affair." The image disappeared afterwards, leaving the two by themselves.

It was Luna who decided to speak first. "I know that the Heartland's dragons will start regaining their more violent sides, big brother, but what did you just ask that pride dragon to do?" "Afralhadar is a prominent member of the Draco'dim," Terrato replied. "They're a loose coalition of some of the oldest dragons around and the closest we'll get to any form of organized government among them. I just asked them to keep the Heartland dragons in line with Celestia's enchantments likely fading. "Can you trust them to just go into the Heartland without harming the ponies within?" Luna asked. "They might do that but I doubt it. The Draco'dim consider ponies low-class fare. Unless one of them somehow starves while they're there, the Heartland should be safe. A few eaten ponies will also a better alternative to a bunch of dragons rampaging about." "Just what exactly are they going to do there?" "Draco'dim means "high dragons" in their tongue. They're not interested in ruling but they do follow a strict ideal of what it means to be a dragon and that is to carry one's self with a degree of dignity and principle." "I can imagine that there are a lot of pride dragons in this coalition," Luna added. "I've never heard of this group before." "Most of them are. They're also relatively new. They started around eight hundred years ago. I don't care much for their ideals but it has been convenient in keeping problems with dragon attacks. They'll make sure that the Heartland dragons don't give them a bad reputation." Terrato frowned as he went on. "I fear that the most likely scenario is that they will cull most of the Heartland dragons. The greed, lust and gluttony ones that are too far gone will certainly be shown no mercy. The rest won't fare better if they insist on resisting the Draco'dim ideal." Luna shook her head sadly. She was the one who told her brother that the dragons were slowly getting violent but, for the most part, her concern was for the ponies of Equestria. That war and death would also take their toll on the dragons had not really crossed her mind before.

"One more thing," Terrato said. Luna looked up in response. She wasn't expecting anything else before she departed for the Heartland. "Advise me, little sister. It's about that young dragon with the Elements of Harmony." "His name is Spike." Terrato raised an eyebrow. "Not exactly a dragon's name." "He's been raised by ponies and has spent his entire life with Twilight as her assistant. Spike has the body of a dragon but is essentially a pony in everything else." "At first, I was thinking of sending him to one of the Draco'dim." "What?" Luna asked incredulously. "Why? Why let a bunch of pride dragons influence him?" "Because he's looking a little stunted. He's not the first hatchling I've seen living with ponies. Spending a few months in the Western Barrier Land with the right dragon should give him a bit of growth and the proper skills to use his natural weapons. The legion knows little in training dragons." "Are you doing this simply because you want a better soldier?" Luna asked suspiciously. "His friends are getting stronger and the front lines aren't exactly a place for an inexperienced hatchling. I need the Elements of Harmony nearby but they don't include him do they?" "He is still a very important friend to them." "Then they should be glad that he's being transferred to a safer place even if it's just temporary. It's true that the legion stands to benefit from a stronger Spike but that doesn't mean I haven't considered how this would help him." "I know that you mean well, big brother, but, from what you've told me, I don't think the Draco'dim would be a good influence on him." "That's why I said 'at first'," Terrato said with a sigh. "Another problem with that idea is that if the Draco'dim find out that he's been working as Twilight

Sparkle's 'assistant' they will kill him and then demand for her head on a platter." It was Luna's turn to raise an eyebrow. "Then where are you planning on sending him?" "I know of a safer more reliable companion for him for the next six months or so," Terrato said with an assuring smile. "A legionnaire who won't kill him for being "undignified"." "You have a dragon legionnaire?" Luna asked in surprise. The smile lessened. "Not quite. She'll do though." "I think that you should talk to Spike about this, big brother. Given his need to make up for his part in Black Rose's plans, he just might agree but you shouldn't use that to manipulate him to going along with your plans." Terrato didn't reply. Instead, his horn flashed gray and the image of his chamberlain materialized. "Rough Cut, I want you to send for Spike the dragon. Have him meet me here in my quarters." Terrato's eyes narrowed as he went on. "He is not to be accompanied by any of his friends, especially Twilight Sparkle." "Yes, your highness." "Did you really have to put that emphasis on Twilight?" Luna asked as soon as Rough Cut's image disappeared. "I want his decision, not his friends', especially not the unicorn who's been giving him orders all his life," Terrato muttered. "Sounds like somepony I know," Luna remarked. Terrato merely frowned at the jibe and waited. It took less than half an hour to have a very nervous Spike standing before them. Luna put a hoof on her brother's shoulder when she noticed his frown deepen. She knew the signs. Courage and the ability to remain calm before his intimidating presence impressed Terrato, unless it's Twilight Sparkle, while groveling and nervousness irked him. "Am…am I here because you want to punish me for helping Black Rose?" Spike asked. "Am I going to be whipped?"

"Why would I send you to my quarters to have you whipped?" Terrato asked in annoyance. "Are you accusing me of something, Spike?" "Big brother…" Luna said soothingly. Terrato let out a long exhale and spoke of his plan. By the time he was finished, Spike was still staring at him with a dumbfounded expression. His irritation began to grow again as he thought that the dragon hadn't understood a word he had just said. "Well?" he asked impatiently. Spike eventually found his voice and the courage to use it. "This…this legionnaire you mentioned, what's she like? Is she a dragon?" "Her name is Seethe Scale. She gets a little broody at times but I think you can work with her. She's a kirin but she'll know enough to help you." "Kirin?" Confusion spread across Spike's face. "What's that?" "The unfortunate result of a meeting between a unicorn and a lust dragon. Enough about that. You can take your time in getting to know Seethe Scale once you meet her. So what's your decision, Spike?" "I want to go." Both Terrato and Luna's eyes widened at quick response. "Are you sure you don't want to think it through at least?" Terrato asked. "I'm not going to punish you for taking your time on this." "Please don't think you're being ordered to do this, Spike," Luna added. "You were called here because it's a choice you can make." "I've made my decision," Spike said firmly. "And I'm not making it rashly either. I've been thinking about my part in all of this fighting these past three days. I can't just stand around worrying while my friends are working and fighting so hard. I promised myself that if there was anything I could do to be of better use, I'd take it." Luna couldn't help but smile. "That is very noble of you, Spike," she said. "It's decided then," Terrato said. "Settle your affairs here and I'll have you transported to the Western Barrier Lands."

Spike saluted with a smile. "Yes, sir," he said. Spike left the room with that. Terrato noted the lack of hurry in the dragon's steps anyway. As sure as Spike was, breaking the news to his pony friends isn't something to look forward to. "You should be going to, Luna," he said. "Put in a good word for me, will you?" "I will, big brother. I'll see you in the Heartland. Oh and one more thing…" "Yes?" "Try to have a talk with big sister before going." Terrato could only snort while his sister weaved her magic and disappeared. "Sure, Luna," he said, "and while I'm at it, I'll be bringing along the heads of Fenrir, Arugek and Sesyth when I get there."

"Six months?" Twilight said aghast. "Why? Why do you need to be sent away? You're already plenty of help as it is!" It was nighttime when Spike finally brought the topic up. Everypony had arrived to their shared quarters, having finished today's duties. He had his reasons for delaying so much. For one thing, he was afraid of this sort of reaction from Twilight. For another, he knew that he'd be disturbing them in their duties if he brought it up during the day. It's been three days since the wolven were driven from Bastion City. Soon, they were going to be sent out to the front to help take back FangBreaker Fortress. News had already trickled back to the city that some of the wolven were stubbornly holding on to it and were proving difficult to root out. "I'm not being sent away, Twilight," Spike said soothingly. "His highness gave me a chance and I'm taking it. I know it sounds like a long time but I'll be back in the spring." "We're going to miss you, Spike," Fluttershy said with a sad smile. "Don't say that!" Twilight said with a glare at the yellow pegasus. She looked towards the rest of her friends. "Help me talk him out of it!"

"I dunno, sugar cube," Applejack replied. "He sounds like he's made up his mind. You can't argue with anypony who sounds like that. Or any dragon." Rainbow Dash, who had started staying in their shared quarters again simply nodded in agreement. "Let's have a sending off party!" Pinkie said happily. "It will be fun! We can mix it in with our victory celebration!" "I'll bring the booze!" Scarlet Rabbit offered. He was gone before anypony could even react to that. "Take care of yourself, Spike," Vanguard said solemnly. "Maybe the next time we meet, we'll be fighting side by side." Rarity walked over and embraced the baby dragon, who looked ready to faint. "Working with Hammer Chain won't be the same without you, Spikeywikey. You'll bring back a souvenir or two, won't you?" The sight of her friends going along with Spike's departure all but deflated Twilight. Spike walked over to her with a sad smile of his own and a hug. "You're really going to go through with this?" she asked him. "Cheer up, Twilight," Spike said. "I'm more worried about you. At least I'll be somewhere safer while all of you stay in the front line. I'll write to you too. It'll be spring before you know it. Twilight's lips pressed together in anguish. Her brain agreed completely with the reasons why Spike should make this trip but the rest of her had a more visceral reaction. The Barrier Lands and all the fighting in it seemed like a greedy, uncaring entity. It had taken away a lot from her already and she felt that Spike, despite his assurances that he would return, was the next to go. It wasn't just the length of the time he would be gone. These lands were changing them. As sure as she was that a dragon would return to her in the spring, she wasn't sure that it would be Spike. She could feel the rest of the room focus on her next action. She could keep on resisting. She had a feeling that Spike would not go through with this without some form of approval on her part. But how long would it be before her stubbornness would drive him away anyway? She finally mustered a smile. It felt more like a grimace from the effort she had to put in it but she hoped that Spike saw a smile. "Just…stay safe, Spike," she said. Her expression

grew serious. "Tell this Seethe Scale that if I see so much as a scratch on you when you return, she'll have to deal with me!" Spike chuckled in response. "I will," he said. "And you take care of yourself, Twilight." He turned around and looked at Pinkie. "How about that party?" Still grinning from ear to ear, Pinkie was already going for the door. "On it!" she sang out.

For the remainder of the night, Twilight and her friends celebrated. It didn't matter that it was late at night or that she was just one cook in the Logistics' kitchen division. Pinkie promised a party for them when the wolven siege was broken and she promised Spike a party before he left in the morning. True to her word, there was indeed a party ready in the span of less than an hour. "This much of a spread in such a short time and in such an impromptu start…" Vanguard said breathlessly. "I'm impressed." He looked around. Pinkie had even scrounged up a turntable from somewhere. He could only hope it wasn't stolen, even accidentally. The music playing was one of Runthrough's latest records. He could tell from the voice even if he didn't recognize any of the songs. For all its rough and tumble atmosphere, somepony in Bastion City kept up with the latest music from the southerly cities. As for himself, he wasn't really a fan of upbeat dancing songs and he had to admit that if Pinkie played some of his favorites on the turntable, passers-by would think that there was a funeral in here. "Don't be impressed yet," Twilight said as she walked over to stand next to Vanguard. She held two plates with cake on them with her telekinesis and offered one to him. "You should see her with her party cannon. This was at a snail's pace compared to that." Vanguard took the plate with a nod of appreciation. Even as he talked with Twilight, he kept an eye out for Scarlet, who was already helping himself to the bottles of booze he had brought. At the other side of the room, he also noticed Applejack chatting up Rainbow Dash. When he turned his attention back to Twilight, he noticed her giving him a look of what he guessed was concern. The concern turned into awkwardness when she looked away.

"So, uh…that's some interesting music that Pinkie found," Twilight said. "Is it the sort of music that's popular in the Barrier Lands?" "Runthrough does have a large following," Vanguard replied. "From what I heard around the fortress before, he's a little too traditional for some of the younger legionnaires but his music is still quite danceable." "I see…" Twilight's voice trailed off and she filled the silence by taking a large bite of the cake. Vanguard watched Twilight quietly while he chewed on a more modest bite of his slice. "Still sad?" he asked after swallowing. "I can't help it," Twilight replied. "So many things can go wrong with this and that's not even considering that I will miss him." "There's plenty of time to be sad and miss Spike in the next six months," Vanguard said. He turned his gaze on the middle of the room where Fluttershy, Spike and Pinkie Pie were dancing. "But you won't get to be happy for him until he comes back." Twilight was quiet for a moment. "That's true," she finally said. Before she could say anything else, Applejack suddenly trotted over to them. "Don't stand there like a stick in the mud, Vanguard, come and dance with us!" Applejack said with a grin. She grabbed hold of Vanguard's unbarded forelegs and pulled him to the center of the room. "I don't know any of your chosen dances," Vanguard explained awkwardly. "Oh horse apples! Stop thinking about chosen and barrier lands ponies for minute and just move those legs!" Applejack turned her attention to Twilight. "You too, Twi," she said. Twilight let out a long exhale. Vanguard was right of course. She set aside her own melancholy and even the strange twinge in her chest when Applejack danced next to Vanguard while giggling at his awkward steps. She was going to celebrate along with her friends no matter what lay past this night. The smile came less forced this time when she spotted Pinkie at the center of all the dancing. This was her element after all: Joy in the face of all the crushing uncertainties of the Barrier Lands, joy spurred by will not

emotion. For tonight, Twilight was going to wield that joy against the fangs of Fenrir and the machinations of Black Rose. Tomorrow, the rest of the battle will go on.

Chapter 2 Right and Wrong "My cousin's out making a name for himself with the rest of the offensive and what do I end up with? Guarding Princess Pansy." With that, Redtail tapped the stone floor lightly and impatiently with her front trampler. Her fellow guard, Lowlight, looked at her askance. "You sure you should be calling her names when she's so close?" he asked. "Didn't you get a good look at her and hear what's going around the guard?" Redtail asked in return. "She's just some normal pony now. No special hearing powers or whatnot. Those wings and that horn are all probably just there for decoration." "Interesting that you mentioned special hearing powers," Lowlight said flatly. "You better hope her brother's not using his at the moment." Silence filled the empty hall afterwards. This was the fourth day since Bastion City was saved from a horde of invading wolven and the two of them were tasked with guarding their prince's eldest sister. For the most part, guarding Princess Celestia was a monotonous wait. She had spent almost the entirety of her first four days in the Barrier Lands resting quietly inside her room. Meals were delivered at a regular basis. More than a few times, Lowlight had to sternly warn his partner about helping herself to them as they were brought. Princess Celestia didn't dine on moss and lichens like most of Bastion City. Instead, fresh dragonspine grass and mountain wildflowers from the Western Barrier Land were wheeled into the princess's quarters. Redtail's mouth watered with each delivery and she scowled viciously when leftovers were taken out. This morning was different however. When breakfast was finished, both Redtail and Lowlight noticed that the dishes were clean when they were taken away. They took it as a sign that the princess had recovered enough strength. Sure enough, the door to the princess's quarters opened and Princess Celestia stepped out. Both guards snapped into attention.

"Good morning," Celestia greeted them in a pleasant tone. Both of them noticed a hint of tentativeness in her greeting. As they had guessed, Celestia was looking much better since she had first stumbled into her quarters a few days back. Though she towered over them like their prince, she did not have the same intimidating aura as he did. Redtail thought that it was a sign of weakness, yet one more symptom of both Celestia's loss of power and the centuries she spent hiding from battle. "Good morning, your highness," Lowlight replied as he saluted. Redtail said nothing but she saluted smartly enough. He was thankful that the heavy barding that all guards wore hid Redtail's face. Unlike his partner, he sort of liked the much softer presence that his prince's sisters had. For him, the differences among his rulers reminded him that there should be more to Equestria than the legion. Ever since Princess Luna first arrived in Bastion City, he had been entertaining thoughts of a more peaceful Equestria. "If you don't mind, I wish to speak with my brother." "As you wish, your highness. We will escort you to him at once." Lowlight took the lead while the princess walked directly behind him. Redtail brought up the rear. Their instructions were clear when it came to guarding the princess. They were to escort her anywhere within the Grand Meeting Hall but Prince Terrato was to be consulted for anywhere beyond that. Nopony save for assigned legionnaires is to be allowed near the princess and any attempt to harm her was to be met with swift and lethal retaliation. Lowlight could not help but be relieved that the princess made her brother her first stop for the day. It wasn't long until they arrived at the doors of Prince Terrato's newly created quarters.

"He should be arriving within the week," Terrato said. "I will do as you command, your highness," was Seethe Scale's response. Despite her name, she answered in a completely neutral tone. Terrato had come to expect that from her. Even when he had mentioned that he was entrusting a very young dragon under the care of the notoriously antisocial kirin who specialized in hunting rogue dragons, she didn't so much as bat a scaled eyelid. She bowed low and Terrato dismissed the spell so he could focus on other pressing matters.

With initial reports from the siege of FangBreaker coming in along with scouting reports from his spies in Wolvengard, Terrato braced himself for a busy morning. So far, Nightmare Moon had not made an appearance in FangBreaker and Fenrir was staying true to the pact. However… The "feel" of hoof-steps approaching his quarters caused Terrato to pause. He extended his senses to the stone floor, identifying his visitors through tremor sense before they could even come close. He recognized the hoofsteps of two of his heavily barded guards. It was the third pony walking towards his quarters that piqued his attention however. There was no mistaking his light-stepping older sister. Despite being taller than any mortal pony, Celestia walked softly enough to put a filly crawling on a thick carpet to shame. When the door finally opened, he had already set aside the papers he was supposed to deal with so he can focus his attention on her. The two guards bowed upon entering his presence while Celestia hesitated for a moment before stepping inside his quarters. "How are you feeling?" he asked. He gestured for the guards to leave and remain outside his quarters and then shut the door behind them with his magic. "I'm much better now," Celestia replied softly. "Thank you." She took another step towards her brother. Towards any other pony who showed him this sort of nervousness, Terrato would already be annoyed. For Celestia, it was easy to make an exemption. "Do you need something?" he asked. "I would like to walk around this city, Terrato. To see what Equestria is like beyond my barrier." "Are you under my command now, Celestia?" Terrato's answer put a puzzled look on Celestia's face for a moment. Then, with a slight frown, she answered, "Certainly not." "Then why are you asking for my permission to do things?" The frown disappeared followed by a look that Terrato could have sworn was apologetic. "Even if I'm not asking for permission, I still want you to be happy with my decisions," Celestia said.

There was an awkward moment of silence after that. The conversation threatened to shift towards their past but Terrato refused to let it. "Not with this one," he finally said. "I would rather you stayed put for now." Faced with a questioning look from his sister, he went on. "There are a lot of ponies out there who aren't happy with your barrier, Celestia. You risk being attacked if you decide to wander about the city. I can't accompany you and take care of my other duties at the same time so that leaves moving a lot of legionnaires around to keep you safe." "Is the danger truly that great, brother?" Terrato's face twisted in embarrassment. How he wanted to say that he was exaggerating and that the ponies of the Barrier Lands respected and adored Celestia. But the truth was that even the harshest punishments could not hold back centuries of building resentment. He knew the grumblings that his subjects thought they were hiding from him so well. "It could be just one doddering, half-blind pony with a rusty shank and a grudge and I would still have you guarded at all times," he answered. "Perhaps they don't have to know that it's me who's wandering about," Celestia suggested. "Just a touch of transformation magic would do." "True," Terrato replied. "And with all the preparations for retaking FangBreaker, you won't be drawing too much attention." He stepped forward with his horn glowing. Black Rose may have let Celestia keep her immortality but could barely sense any magical power from his sister. He doubted that she could manage basic telekinesis without breaking a sweat. As he moved closer however, Celestia suddenly took a step back. The surprise on her face when she noticed this movement told him that this was instinctive. He stopped and stared at her quietly. Celestia lowered her head and her voice trembled slightly. "I'm sorry," she said. "What's there to be sorry about? Flinching? It hasn't been a week since we fought each other, Celestia." "It's not just about that fight." Celestia insisted. She managed to walk forward until she was a leg's length from her brother. "This 'flinching' is just one symptom. The way I've been thinking of you and treating you, I…" She

stopped upon seeing Terrato's face harden until it seemed as if he was chiseled from granite. "I see where this is going," Terrato said harshly. "Now that you need me more than ever, I'm suddenly your dear brother again, am I right?" Celestia's eyes widened in shock at first, and then indignation tinged her voice when she responded. "What? That is not true at all!" "Then don't do this to me, Celestia! Not when the back of my mind keeps saying that." Celestia took another step back. This time, it came as no surprise to Terrato. When he raised his voice, he had instinctively raised himself up and leaned forward in a combative stance. He cursed at his own reflexes, his volcanic temper and the centuries that created the two. 'I'm sorry, Luna,' he thought, 'but this is going to be much more difficult than I thought.' He lowered his voice and the threatening stance he was in. "I swear I will restore your powers," he said gently. "Until that time, don't do this. Don't bait me with something that I'm terrified that you'll take away again once everything is 'back to normal'." "Terrato…" Celestia extended a foreleg to touch her brother but he suddenly raised his glowing horn and cast a spell. A burst of gray magic erupted from his horn and then engulfed his sister. When the spell settled, he was no longer staring at a weakened alicorn but a lavender earth pony mare no bigger than Twilight Sparkle. Her mane was a much darker shade of purple, cut short swept to one side while her tail was only mere inches in length. "There we go." Terrato said with a small, satisfied smile. "You're Sun Drop, an earth pony volunteer from Hearthstone City. He turned around and walked back to his desk where the reports he had been ignoring awaited him. "You'll look suspicious with armed guards following you about so I'll have Special Operations keep a careful eye on you. Try not to get into any arguments as they will be instructed to shoot any pony who so much as spits in your direction." Celestia looked at her disguise tentatively. "Is there any particular reason you chose this form?" she asked.

"I like earth ponies," Terrato replied. "Oh and, that way, you won't be called upon to use magic or fly. Now get a move on. Redtail and Lowlight will escort you out of the Grand Meeting Hall." Celestia stared at her brother for a little while longer. Terrato had returned to his desk and buried his nose into the reports piled upon it. She wasn't sure what spurred that halting apology from her. Perhaps it was the hurt she saw flash on his face when she had instinctively stepped back. Perhaps it was because she felt obligated after attacking him without cause just a few days back. "You stubborn foal…all you had to do was visit our brother once and you could have seen for yourself what sort of ponies served with him to protect Equestria. You could have seen how he runs the legion and how faithful he has been to the laws you laid down. You had more than a thousand years to spare a day to see him and you didn't." There were also Luna's words, words that had their meaning blotted out by Celestia's outrage over what she felt was a betrayal. Now that things have calmed down, Celestia began to consider them. A single day of visiting…perhaps that could have worked in the past but what could be done know. There was nothing physically standing between her and her brother save for a desk of wood a several feet of air but it felt as if he had already constructed a fortress around him. He has had centuries of experience defending both Equestria and himself. There was getting through to something he wanted shut away. But perhaps there was a way around those walls…she could only hope that she could find such a way by spending more time here in the realm he had been reigning over all this time. With one last glance at Terrato, she walked away and followed her two guards to the Grand Meeting Hall's exit.

Vanguard's hoof smacked into Applejack's shoulder, knocking her down to the ground hard. It wasn't that he had struck her hard or that he was wearing tramplers, the force that sent her sprawling on the pavement came more from the precision by which he picked his target and the timing of his blow. Her barding scraped loudly against the stone, setting her teeth on edge. Nearby, merely watching made both Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie wince.

Fluttershy had her medical kit ready in case of any accident. She looked towards their shared quarters, suddenly reminded of another friend who had just gotten hurt recently. Earlier this morning, Twilight had tried to use Rarity's mage-blades again. One of the blades spun erratically in her telekinesis and then buried itself into her foreleg. Fluttershy couldn't understand why Twilight had to insist on trying to use the weapons in the first place. "I'm starting to see some bad habits here, Applejack," Vanguard commented as he waited for Applejack to get up. "Just because you bear the Element of Honesty doesn't mean that you have to honestly tell me every move you make before making it." Then there was Applejack, another pony that had been full of surprises for the past few days. Twilight had fussed over her, trying to find out more about the strange shield she had called out during their last fight. When pressed to do it again, Applejack had been unable to do so no matter how much Twilight prodded her. There was also her promotion to vice-captain. Everypony was fine with it. At least, Fluttershy thought they were. Twilight has been looking a little edgy ever since Vanguard Clash revealed his decision. "What in tarnation are you talking about?" Applejack asked as she shook off the impact. "I haven't said a word since we started this! How can I be telling you what I'm going to do?" The morning after their celebratory party, Spike had left with a few pegasi and made his way to the Western Barrier Land. The departure was short and simple enough. No tears or long farewell speeches, just a hug for each of them and a wave from Spike. After that, with all of them temporarily grouped together and away from their respective divisions, Applejack had asked her new captain for a sparring session near their shared quarters. The results so far were more than a little eye-opening. She thought that she had been doing well when she sparred with Twocolt but, clearly, there was a difference between taking on a fellow recruit and taking on a Special Operations captain. "Maybe not with your lips," Vanguard replied. "The rest of your body does however. Pay attention to where your eyes linger and how your shoulders and legs tense. Keeping your lips shut doesn't mean anything if your expressions say if you're falling back or about to attack."

"Alright, no more getting knocked on my rear!" Applejack pawed the ground in anticipation as she prepared to make another charge. Before they continue however, Vanguard suddenly looked to the side. Applejack followed his gaze to find a pegasus standing nearby. "Captain Vanguard Clash?" the pegasus asked. "That's me," Vanguard replied. He noticed the legionnaire barding on this pony but he didn't recognize the face. This must be one of the reinforcements from the cities to the south of Bastion City that had only recently arrived. "I heard that you are in command of a squad of chosen, is this true?" The mention of "chosen" caught the attention of the rest Vanguard's new squad. Fluttershy, Applejack and Pinkie walked over to see what was going on. "It's true," Vanguard said. "What of it?" A look of both surprise and relief crossed the legionnaire's face. "My name is One Trick, I'm here on behalf of a high scholar from the Order of Speech." Vanguard raised an eyebrow. The Order of Speech was an ancient organization focused on the maintenance of language in the Barrier Lands. What could it possibly have anything with his new squad? "And what does this high scholar want from the chosen?" he asked. "High Scholar Crow Quill insisted on making the hard journey here to meet the first chosen to come to the Barrier Lands as soon as he first heard the rumors. He wishes to meet with the chosen if it is possible." Vanguard considered it for a moment. They were about to be deployed to FangBreaker Fortress but a brief meeting with a high scholar shouldn't be a problem. He was about to fetch Rainbow Dash from the firing range anyway. "Alright then," he said. "Excellent! High Scholar Crow Quill is staying here in…"

About half an hour later, Vanguard and his new squad were visiting The Snow Mare, one of the many full inns in Bastion City thanks to the influx of

ponies coming in. They waited in the dining area until an old unicorn stallion with a dull, black coat and a gray mane approached them. Vanguard hazarded a guess that this was Crow Quill. He wore an indistinct brown robe as well as a pair of saddlebags, one of which was stuffed with scrolls while the contents of the other could only be guessed at. Out of all of them, it was Twilight who looked on with interest. This was going to be her first encounter with a scholar from the Barrier Lands. Crow Quill approached the group slowly at first but when his gaze alighted on their cutie marks, his step suddenly gained a lot of spring. "It's true!" he said. "Chosen!" He focused his attention on Twilight. "You there, do you understand a word I'm saying?" he asked. Twilight raised an eyebrow. "Of course, I do," she replied. To her surprise, Crow Quill closed his eyes and a couple of tears ran down his cheeks. "Are you alright?" she asked. "I'll be fine," Crow Quill replied. "I simply wish to relish the validation of my life's work and of the life's work of the ponies before me. Despite a millennium of separation, we understand each other clearly. By your words you have brought meaning to centuries of vigilant service." Twilight could not help but be taken aback by the grandiose words. "Um…you're welcome?" she offered. A minute of silence passed before Crow Quill collected himself. "There is one more piece of business to deal with," he said. "As unlikely as it may be, have you perchance heard of the Apple Family?" It was Applejack's turn to step forward and speak up. "Heard of 'em? Why you're looking at one of them! The name's Applejack, how may I help you?" Crow Quill's eyes nearly bugged out of his head. "You…you are a member of the Apple Family?" He shook his head in disbelief and stared at Applejack. "By The Three, if I were to fall down dead this very moment, I would have no regrets!" "Uh…please don't." Applejack said awkwardly. "There ain't a pony here who'd like to see that." "Why are you looking for the Apple Family?" Twilight asked. "How do you even know about the Apple Family?"

Crow Quill fell to his knees and then fiddled with one of his saddlebags. He pulled out what seemed to be a fine silvery chain easily several feet long. With a trembling voice, he spoke solemnly to Applejack. "Centuries ago, during the first few years of the division, The Last Great Apple not only saved my ancestor's life but restored his honor. Before his final stand, he asked that ancestor of mine to somehow find a way to return this to his family. This task has been handed down through the generations and now I have the honor of finally repaying that debt." Applejack turned towards Vanguard in confusion. "Last Great Apple? What's he talking about, Vanguard?" Vanguard was silent for a while. "Apple Slice," he finally replied. He walked over to Crow Quill. "It's unlikely that this is even the same Apple Family as the one Apple Slice was part of. It's been centuries, Crow Quill, that bloodline is probably long gone and a new bunch of ponies have taken up the name." "Aren't there any Apples in the Barrier Lands?" Twilight asked. "From what I've read, Apple Slice was the last. He stayed in the Barrier Lands while the rest of his family migrated to the Heartland as chosen." "This task has been passed down my family despite all the impossibilities of it being completed," Crow Quill insisted. "No matter how distant the relation, this chain will return to the hooves of an Apple." He coiled the chain loosely around one leg and offered it to Applejack. "Please take the burden of this debt from my family, Applejack," he said. "I have no foals to pass this duty on to. It must be fate that I chose to travel to this city." "I'll take it if it means so much to you, old timer," Applejack replied. The chain felt light on her legs, even lighter than most of the ropes she's handled. As soon as she touched the chain, that was when she remembered… "Not since the last stand of Apple Slice has a pony of your clan fallen so valiantly in battle." "Don't worry," Applejack told Crow Quill. "You got the right Apple. You don't owe Apple Slice anything anymore."

"Thank you," Crow Quill said. Before he could continue, he was suddenly wracked by a violent cough. One Trick stepped forward and helped the old unicorn up to his hooves. "I beg your pardon," he said to Applejack and the others. "All this excitement has taken its toll on Crow Quill. I'm going to escort him back to his room now. Thank you for helping him in this, Applejack." As the two made their way out of the dining area Applejack stared at the chain she had been given. What kind of metal could survive for so many centuries? Surely, there was more to it than just being a simple tool for a long dead pony. The rest of her friends walked over to have a good look at it. "Superb craftsmanship," Rarity commented. "Look at the detail on each link! Why it still looks brand new! It's hard to believe that this was made hundreds of years ago." "That's because it's magic," Twilight remarked. Her horn was glowing as she approached. She winced slightly each time she stepped with her bandaged foreleg. "It's a pretty powerful enchantment too. This Apple Slice must have been a powerful unicorn or knew one to be able to do this." Applejack continued to stare at the chain and tried to imagine generation after generation of ponies holding on to it, waiting for a time when the division would be over and they could pay their debt. Her head started to ache just trying to imagine the magnitude. So many ponies waiting and waiting throughout the years… "Say Vanguard," she said. "Hm?" "What Black Rose did was wrong, right? Stealing Princess Celestia's power…hurting and killing ponies to get what she wants…" "Yes." "Is it bad to think that something good came out of it?" Vanguard fell into thinking himself. "No," he eventually replied. "Not at all. Now, get ready, we're moving out."

Chapter 3 Dangerous Roads The march towards FangBreaker Fortress was the exact opposite of the shameful retreat that the legion had gone through. Even though the weather was now worse, every pony made good time. They dragged the supply wagons and siege engines they had brought along with fervor. The thought of bringing the fight to the wolven who had dared to invade their lands warmed them through the frigid journey. With FangBreaker just a day away, the latest wave of reinforcements picked up their pace as snow continue to fall all around them. The pilling snow drifts made each step a struggle but nopony paid too much attention to that, especially the pegasi. Among them, Rainbow Dash not only flew all the way up front but she flitted about in her impatience. Her back still hurt a bit and her head still had some bandages but she was ready for another battle and another chance to redeem herself. For this march, she purposely distanced herself from her new squad mates. Applejack's forgiveness felt…reassuring, as if the earth pony had reached out and removed an enormous load that had been dragging her down. It was for that reason that she needed to keep some distance. It was her fault that Applejack was hurt and she had to do something to redeem herself. It was so tempting to just accept that forgiveness and try to get back to some semblance of how they normally were back in the Heartland but she couldn't let it go that way. She couldn't let Applejack, or any of her friends, do everything. She had to do something truly heroic, something that would show them how awesome it was to be her friend. She couldn't just wait around until one of them was in danger, she had to keep doing things. She looked ahead, past the gently falling snow, and saw the faint silhouette of FangBreaker Fortress's walls. Its retaking will be her opportunity. She had listened often to her flight mates talking about the place. Every member of Flight Dreadwing spoke of the fortress with a reverence she once thought was only reserved for royalty. The fortress was more than just a bunch of buildings to the legion. Even Flight Captain Tailwind had some wistfulness in her tone when the conversation shifted to the fortress. Taking

it back was going to be something of a legend in the years to come. Playing an important part in the process…well, it would help. A lot. Before she could go on, the landscape suddenly turned into a white and gray blur. She felt something hit her from the side and then carry her away like a great blast of wind. Except that this blast felt solid and metallic. She was suddenly hovering high above the line of troops, even above the other pegasi. "What in the-!" she spluttered. A hoof covered Rainbow's mouth before she could say anything else. She focused on what had brought her so swiftly and suddenly here only to find a familiar pony holding her up while hovering. 'Scarlet Rabbit,' she thought. The name shifted her thoughts into an entirely different matter, one that had been talked about between her, Applejack and even Vanguard Clash for the past few days. The red pegasus held her by the arms and carried her aloft without so much as straining slightly. "Shhh!" Scarlet looked down worriedly and then focused on Rainbow with a conspiratorial grin. "Not too loud!" he whispered. "The captain's going to kick my flank if he finds out about this!" Rainbow nodded and Scarlet took his hoof from her mouth. He didn't let her go however, leaving the two of them to hover awkwardly while facing each other. Rainbow tried to free herself only to realize that she couldn't break Scarlet's grip. "What do you want, Scarlet?" she asked indignantly. Inside, she was starting to feel a sense of dread. Scarlet had easily separated her from anypony before she could so much as blink. He held her in an iron grip and, while he was grinning casually, the look in his eyes was a little too intense. "You know, I should be a little mad at you," Scarlet said. "You got pissed because I raced you with my barding and weights on but it turns out you've been holding back on me too. Why haven't you mentioned your sonic sparkly dash to me before?" Rainbow couldn't help but quail a bit at the intense, disturbing stare. "I…uh…well, it just sorta happens." She swallowed nervously when the grin lessened on Scarlet's face. "I can't do it whenever I want to," she continued to explain. "It just happens when it's really important so I wasn't holding back on you at all."

Scarlet's silent, uncomprehending gaze filled the few moments of silence that came after Rainbow's response. After that, his grin returned. "So you still want to race against me seriously?" he asked. "No barding and weights, just Scarlet Rabbit at his very best and Rainbow Dash with her sparkly flashy exploding move!" Rainbow didn't answer right away. A serious race against an unhindered Scarlet Rabbit…ever since that last race they had, she had been thinking of how such a thing would play out. Scarlet was right, she still had the Sonic Rainboom. If she had managed that during their first race, she could have left Scarlet behind easily. Accepting his invitation, even if she wasn't sure she could pull it off, should be an easy yes. Except that she had spoken with Vanguard just the other day. Her mind wandered to how that conversation started. "I think it's wonderful that you're staying here again, Rainbow Dash," Rarity said with an approving nod. Rainbow didn't really have much to say to that. After how she had been treating them, she wondered why any of her friends would be glad to share these quarters with her. But Applejack had insisted and staying here was more convenient than constantly avoiding the stubborn earth pony. Flight Captain Tailwind telling her to stay with the other Elements of Harmony also helped. "What's the matter, Rarity?" she asked with a half-forced smirk. "Couldn't stand not having my awesome self around?" To Rainbow Dash's surprise, Rarity smiled a bit. "I admit I even missed that ego. But it's also because I wanted to talk to you about something." "Huh?" Rainbow eyed Rarity skeptically. She'd been doing plenty of talking with Applejack already; she certainly didn't want to have a repeat with Rarity. "Rainbow, has Scarlet Rabbit…challenged you to a race?" "No. Why are you asking that all of a sudden?" "Well, I just heard this rather disturbing tale from Hammer Chain…"

Rainbow listened despite the urge to just dismiss Rarity's concerns. She had heard something like this from Applejack already; Scarlet's a good legionnaire but his sort of influence wasn't, the things Scarlet does work for him but won't necessarily work for other ponies, Scarlet's a veteran and knows what he's doing in combat. Rainbow wasn't interested in hearing more. It wasn't Scarlet's drinking ability or even his skill at fighting that Rainbow admired but she wasn't ready to talk to anypony about that. But, as Rarity proceeded to recount what Hammer Chain had told her, Rainbow did end up listening intently. Rarity was convinced that Scarlet had done something horrible to this Overcast pegasus, Rainbow wasn't so sure and she wasn't going to simply speculate like the white unicorn. It was better to get the answers straight from the source. Vanguard Clash eventually entered their shared quarters and Rainbow immediately spoke to him about what Rarity had told her. "All of that is true," Vanguard replied after looking around to see if anypony else was listening. Finding none, he continued. "I can't fault Hammer Chain for giving the point of view of an observer and I'm willing to fill in the details if it convinces you not to seriously race against Scarlet Rabbit." "So Scarlet really did kill Overcast?" Rainbow asked in shock. "No," Vanguard said. Before Rainbow could breathe a sigh of relief, he went on. "Because we managed to stop him in time. And that was only because he was slowly beating Overcast to death as opposed to just snapping his neck." Rainbow tried to reply, to voice some kind of skepticism and reason out that Vanguard was exaggerating to keep her from racing against Scarlet Rabbit. But Vanguard had never been the sort to exaggerate. In fact, every time he opened his mouth, nothing came out but growling, somber truth, even when he was trying to be light-hearted. Even now, he spoke so seriously that she couldn't help but be convinced. "But why?" she asked. "Why did he do it?" "You'll need to understand more about Scarlet. He's not a Bastion City pony like most of us in the fortress. He was sent here from the Southern Barrier Land before recruitment." Vanguard paused, hesitating one last

time about telling his old friend's story to a newer friend. "Scarlet wasn't born like you or I was born. He was…built." "Built?" Rainbow asked. "Like a machine? How's that possible?" "His parents came from a line of ophidite slaves. Their owners have been selectively breeding them for pegasus racing and Scarlet was their best result." Rainbow's eyes narrowed. Ophidites. She had heard the term used often during her nights out with her flight whenever the transferees from the south told stories. They were enormous snakes who lived far to the south. She heard a lot of terms about them; Constrictus tribe, Cobrahn tribe, Vipren tribe, Coatl tribe, Sesyth, spitters, poison arrows…now it seemed that Scarlet Rabbit was part of that group."How do you know all of this?" she asked. "I garnered a lot of information from Scarlet himself. I've also spoken with some of his fellow liberated slaves especially after the Overcast incident." Vanguard paused in deep thought, likely remembering things before continuing "Scarlet's masters applied every bit of knowledge they had on producing an unbeatable racing pegasus; experiments, medicines, conditioning…they succeeded to a great degree. To Scarlet's luck I suppose. In Ophidus, pegasus racers were a couple of losses from being dinner. When the Southern Legion managed to attack the holdings of his ophidites masters, Scarlet was already a champion several times over." Rainbow swallowed again. "What does all of that have to do with challenging him to a race? I mean just because he's got special training-" "Don't you understand? The ophidites took away Scarlet's parents, his chance for some semblance of a normal foalhood, even some of his ability to interact with his fellow ponies and feel some emotions. They took all that away and replaced it with speed. That's what I mean when I say he was built. There is no beating him when he races unfettered and I say this after seeing your Sonic Rainboom." "You can't know that until I try!" Rainbow protested. Vanguard held Rainbow by the shoulders and looked her in the eye sternly. "Don't race him. He'll ask you now that he's seen what you can do but he

won't persist if you put your hoof down. If you race him seriously and lose, he'll go berserk and try to kill you. The ophidites conditioned him that way likely so that somepony can prepare the night's dinner." Vanguard's voice lowered and he let his worry tinge his words. "There won't be a second cover up. If he tries it again, he's dead. The only variable is if he kills you first or not. Do you understand now? Don't race him." "Rainbow Dash." For a moment, Rainbow didn't even recognize her own name in the swirl of indecision going about her mind. All of Vanguard's warnings should have convinced her but she felt that all they accomplished was make her want to do it even more. "Rainbow Dash!" Scarlet followed the name up with a vigorous shaking. When he finally noticed her eyes focus on him, he frowned a bit. "What are you doing spacing out? You want that race or not?" Vanguard's warnings played itself in Rainbow's mind. That and the concern all her friends had for her. She should say no. That was all it took to put a stop to this. A single word will stop Scarlet's pestering and keep her safe from that dangerous, ophidite-made…thing that lurked beneath his cheery smile and boisterous laugh. There was still a war to fight, Nightmare Moon, Black Rose, getting Celestia's power back and a hundred more reasons. All she had to do was say"Yes." A smile spread over Scarlet's face. Rainbow recognized this smile. It was the sort of smile Pinkie had…when she spotted another cake to devour. "Great!" he said. His smile widened until his teeth showed. "You tell me when you're ready then we'll plan a nice private spot. Don't worry about witnesses. I'll be the first and the loudest at proclaiming your awesomeness when you beat me!" Before Rainbow could speak again, she found herself hovering alone in the chilly sky. All she caught was a faint streak of red from the corner of her eye. 'Just one word, huh?' she berated herself. She descended as well, feeling a shudder that was more than just from the cold.

Not everypony was excited with the walls of FangBreaker coming ever closer. Trailing behind her friends, Pinkie Pie could not help but quail at the prospect of having to enter battle again. It wasn't fear for her life that put a damper on Pinkie's normal cheeriness. During the last fight with Nightmare Moon, she had done next to nothing to help her friends out. Indeed, instead of helping out, she was actually a burden, having to be protected by Twilight's shield and watching helplessly while Nightmare Moon almost killed her friends. Even despite that, she was being grouped with the rest of the Elements of Harmony and being sent to fight once again. She couldn't understand it. What was expected of her? She wasn't super magical like Twilight, strong and tough like Applejack or fast like Rainbow. At least Fluttershy could help with the wounded and even Rarity had those magic blades of hers. She just…didn't fit in the front line. "What's the matter, Pinkie Pie?" Pinkie easily recognized the soft growling tone which was so much like Vanguard Clash's, only a little rougher. While she got along well with everypony in the kitchen division, she did spend just a little more time chatting with Sharpfangs. "I was just thinking of what I could do when the fighting starts again, Sharpfangs," she replied. When Sharpfangs raised an eyebrow, she continued explaining. "I mean, I'm just a cook. Sure I'm also a bearer of an Element of Harmony and Prince Terrato thinks that we can do a lot more if I'm out there helping out in fights but what am I supposed to be doing? Hey you're a cook too, Sharpfangs, do you have any idea what to do when you suddenly need to fight?" Sharpfangs cleared his throat and waited slightly before replying, in case Pinkie had a few more questions to toss at him. "I don't know how these "Elements of Harmony" are supposed to work, Pinkie," he replied. "I can't help you there. Maybe you should get some weapons training if you're going to be spending time in fights." "I suppose," Pinkie said with a downcast look. "More time in fights" was exactly what she was afraid of. All of a sudden, she found her tail shaking violently. On instinct, she dropped to her belly with her forelegs covering her head. "Twitchy tail, watch out!" she yelled. "Something's going to fall from above!"

As soon as he heard Pinkie yell, Sharpfangs looked up. Pinkie Pie's "Pinkie Sense" was about as preposterous as it got but he was still somehow inclined to believe her. He heard the crashing sound of a wagon falling to the ground and noticed in time as what appeared to be a small pot was about to land on him. He stepped to the side and the pot fell harmlessly to the ground, saved from being shattered by landing on the piling snow. He stared at the pot for a moment and then picked it up. It turned out to be a jar of salt. He looked behind him to find that one of the supply wagons had been upended and the pony pulling it had fallen face-first into the snow. The jar had likely flown from the wagon, narrowly missing his head thanks to Pinkie's warning. He looked over at Pinkie with a mixture of disbelief and gratitude. "Good call," he said. "Thanks." Pinkie replied with a wide grin and then hopped over to see what had happened with Sharpfangs. "So what happened here, Whitesnout?" Sharpfangs asked the wagon's puller. "Prince-damned snow was hiding a shallow pit," Whitesnout grumbled. Several wagons passed by him as he struggled to get his back on track. "I guess I should count myself lucky I didn't break a leg." Sharpfangs and Pinkie lent a hoof and, after several minutes, got the wagon moving again. They were about to get back to the march when they noticed a couple of ponies heading towards them. Upon noticing them, Sharpfang's eyes narrowed and he pulled Pinkie Pie protectively behind him. Surprised and suddenly curious, Pinkie looked over Sharpfang's shoulder to see what was going on. The two earth ponies that were coming towards them looked…odd. Pinkie had not really known a lot of Barrier Lands ponies but she did know the sort of appearance that the ponies of Bastion City favored; thick gray furs, barding on the legionnaires, rugged faces and the like. These ponies were clad from muzzle to tail in thickly layered browns and greens. They wore wide-brimmed, conical hats to protect themselves from the snow. The lead pony still had his face exposed, revealing a young stallion with a dark brown coat and a white mane. The one behind him appeared to be wearing a wooden mask made to resemble a featureless stone pony. "Who are these ponies, Sharpfangs?" she asked. "Do you know them?"

"Never met one before," Sharpfangs growled softly. "But I recognize the outfits. They call themselves 'True Earth Ponies'. They probably came with the other reinforcements from the Western Barrier Land." The masked pony held out what appeared to be a flat piece of slate no bigger than a dinner plate. There were all sorts of strange writings on it as well as four embedded gems set in a cross pattern; a ruby, a sapphire, an emerald and a diamond. The diamond, the gem that was pointing towards their direction, was glowing softly. Upon seeing this, the masked pony turned to his companion and whispered something. The other stallion listened intently and then nodded before turning towards Sharpfangs. "Which one of you was channeling ley energy just now?" he asked. "What?" Sharpfangs asked in confusion. "What are you talking about?" The masked pony whispered something again and then pointed a hoof at Pinkie Pie. The lead pony nodded and then took a step towards her. Sharpfangs blocked his path however. "This doesn't concern you, halfdog," the stallion said angrily. "Our concern is with the novice channeler." "Take your 'concern' and shove them past your tail," Sharpfangs retorted. "I'm not letting you fill this filly's head with your worthless grudges and philosophies." The stallion reared up angrily but, before anything else could transpire, a shadow fell upon him accompanied by the sound of beating wings. "What's going on here?" Flight Captain Tailwind asked sternly. She hovered close to Sharpfangs and glared at the two ponies. "You've got a problem with my husband, colt?" "So the half-dog is married to a bird," the lead stallion said scornfully. Tailwind's hoof went the crossbow strapped to her harness but Sharpfangs stopped her. The masked pony also held out a hoof to hold back the lead stallion. When the lead stallion back down, the masked pony stepped forward and spoke directly to Pinkie Pie. He began talking in a language that Pinkie didn't recognize and he said it with a cracking, aged voice.

More ponies arrived to see what was going on. Sharpfangs noticed even more ponies from the Western Barrier Land. Upon seeing the commotion, the masked pony whispered to his companion and both of them walked away. "What was that about?" Pinkie Pie asked in confusion. "Did any of you understand a word that masked pony said?" "True Earth Pony gibberish," Tailwind said derisively. She patted Sharpfang's shoulder briefly before preparing to fly away. "Stay away from those nutcases," she told Pinkie. "They can't be anything good." With that, she flew off. Before Pinkie and Sharpfangs could follow suit and move on, one of the observing ponies, a white earth pony stallion with a buzz-cut brown mane, trotted over to them. "Sorry about that," he said sheepishly. "They came with my group. I didn't expect them to start acting out though. They were pretty behaved even when they were with unicorns and pegasi." "They probably would have stayed that way too," Sharpfangs replied. "I think something provoked them." He looked over to Pinkie Pie as he said that. "So why are they called "True Earth Ponies"?" Pinkie asked. "I mean, does that mean I'm a fake earth pony? How do they tell?" The three of them continued walking. "The name's Cold Forged," the pony from the Western Barrier Land said. "Don't let their name fool you. There's nothing particularly true about them. Just a bunch of isolationist earth ponies if you ask me. I guess that doesn't sound as good as 'True Earth Ponies'." "So why do they call themselves that?" Pinkie asked. "Well, according to them, they are very ancient group," Cold Forged replied. "They say that a long time ago, even before the reign of our prince, the pegasi controlled the weather while the unicorns controlled both the sun and moon. The earth ponies were required to pay tribute to both for what they did. Their group's ancestors supposedly started a revolt against this and then fled underground where neither sun nor moon could be seen and the weather meant nothing."

Sharpfangs could only shake his head in disapproval at the telling while Cold Forged let himself show a wry, embarrassed smile. "Sounds like hogwash made up to hate unicorns and pegasi to me," Cold Forged said. "I mean pegasi controlling weather?" He laughed derisively. "Just stay away from them, Pinkie." Sharpfangs said. "They're a dangerous lot caught up in their bigoted beliefs. "There's also a very rare sort of them practicing bizarre rituals to create some kind of magic," Cold Forged added. "Earth ponies practicing magic, it's just not right, I tell you." Pinkie Pie was about to say something when she saw Twilight and the rest of her friends galloping towards her. "There you are!" Twilight said in relief. "You should have said something before falling to the back of the line like this!" "Oh hey, Twilight!" Pinkie said enthusiastically. Her confusion about what the masked pony had said faded to the back of her mind for now. "I just met-" "Later," Twilight said. She looked behind her. The walls of FangBreaker Fortress loomed over them now. The rest of the reinforcements were already spreading out to assist the besieging forces. Pinkie only saw that later. Right now, her eyes were drawn towards a great pillar of black flame burning on top of the fortress's highest building. "This will be round two," Twilight said grimly.

Chapter 4 One More Fight It had been less than a month since the wolven captured FangBreaker Fortress and, already, their great symbol of victory represented something else: a giant marker for its new wolven defenders. With the army on the retreat and enraged thunder-foots already surrounding "their" fortress, FangBreaker's wolven occupants had dug down and prepared to be slaughtered to the last warrior. Most of the main army had already retreated to Wolvengard to prepare it for an invasion. Not a single wolven believed that the thunder-foots would be satisfied with simply taking back their fort. A large group of wolven was left in the fort to delay the thunder-foot advance and provide the main army enough time to get away. It was no secret that to stay and fight was a sure and violent death and hundreds volunteered, so much that not every wolven who wanted to stay was allowed. Otherwise, Fenrir would have lost his entire army holding the place. The wolven didn't really understand their ultimate goal in conquering Equestria. They knew of their king's desire for Fair Luna but very few of them really understood it. Settling the land was no great prospect. Indeed, the few wolven who had managed to journey into the western and southern portions of Equestria found the place uncomfortably warm and did not relish the idea of settling in such place. The final goal didn't matter however. The fighting was what did. Most of the warriors who had now consigned themselves to a bloody last stand had joined the army because it was simply the natural thing to do after growing up and the bloody death that accompanied that career at some point was accepted as a natural end to one's life. For Hasrok, that basic choice was not one without some pleasures. He picked his fangs of the last bits of sinew and threw it to the nearby pile of gnawed wolven bones. As far as the physical meal was concerned, Hegiskra was an awful dinner, far too gristly and bony. But Hasrok enjoyed every bite regardless. The old crone was an arrogant witch and it was almost worth seeing the siege of the thunder-foot city fail just to see her

"visions" count for nothing. Not one wolven protested when he meted out her punishment. "Enjoy your meal, pup, you think I was mistaken only because you can barely see past your snout!" Hasrok snorted at his meal's last words. He had never met a more delusional dog in his entire life. He was far too ashamed of her to call her a proper wolven. A true wolven would not rely on dreams and strange creatures. And it was a shame indeed. He had known Hegiskra before old age had broken most of her fangs. Just a few years ago, he would have happily slaughtered thunder-foots by her side. Now she was doing him a final favor by filling his belly and granting him the strength to kill as many of the thunder-foots before falling in this wretched fortress. There was a complication however. Moon-Shadow, the same MoonShadow that Hegiskra dragged him to thunder-foot territory just to summon, was still around. As was her thunder-foot slave. Like the rest of the wolven army, Moon-Shadow had been forced to retreat by the coming of both cursed Celestia and the unrecognized thunder-foot leader who decimated their forces. Unlike the rest of the wolven army, she wasn't doing her part in slowing the thunder-foots down. All she had done so far was stand on top the fortress and glower uselessly for the past few days. 'Here I am just a battle away from getting into the Final Hunting Grounds and it has to be marred by this unnatural…thing,' Hasrok thought. The walls continued to take a pounding while he waited. The thunder-foots didn't seem to have a problem with destroying their precious fortress. The reinforced gate that had been built was also on the verge of falling apart. Even with the final surge of thunder-foots about to happen soon it looked like Moon-Shadow was only there to watch them die.

"How long are you going to put up this infantile resistance?" Just a few days ago, Pyre Valor would have answered Nightmare Moon's angry taunt with a stinging remark of her own. Now, she just didn't have the strength. What was a humiliating retreat to FangBreaker for Nightmare Moon had been a triumphant return for her. The legion had pulled through, just as she knew it would. She wasn't interested in the why's and the how's.

The legion had done what needed to be done, just as she did. Right now, she was already on her final mission. As soon as Nightmare Moon had landed on the fort, she had summoned every ounce of her will to hold her body rigid, rooting Nightmare Moon to one spot and preventing her from aiding the wolven. That was days ago. She had been locked in a battle of wills with Nightmare Moon for all that time and was on her last legs, so to speak. Already, Nightmare Moon was able to partially move some of her legs and was slowly climbing down her perch. She was barely aware of their surroundings, having already given up the use of her senses to Nightmare Moon. She had focused on holding her limbs and shutting down her magic but control over those was also being slowly wrested away. It just seemed that Nightmare Moon's mental strength was limitless while she was only mortal. The faint sound of howling among the wolven brought some ray of light to Pyre's slowly darkening world. The legion was taking back FangBreaker and their last push was almost here. Nightmare Moon lifted her legs with more ease. They were galloping from the rooftop now. Pyre abandoned trying to control her legs and focused all her remaining strength on trying to keep Nightmare Moon's magic down. "They're here." Nightmare Moon's mental tone all but assured Pyre as to "they" were. She had heard "The Elements of Harmony" often enough from the shadowy being and each time the term was used, it was with a tinge of concern. Nightmare Moon feared the Elements of Harmony. The thought of it was amusing if nothing else. Pyre hadn't cared about the Elements of Harmony save for the fact that Twilight Sparkle was part of them. Recently, she had viewed them with a bit more concern. They were important tools, the only tools likely good enough to destroy her now unwanted "passenger". Through Nightmare Moon's enhanced magical senses she had felt the barrier go down. She had seen Celestia appear in the Barrier Lands. For all intents and purposes, her mission had been a success. Nightmare Moon's presence was the final wrinkle in this whole affair and her disposal will be Pyre's final gift to the legion. But then there was Blademane.

With her vision gone and her hearing following, Pyre had no idea what had become of Blademane. He was in the fort somewhere, likely waiting for the right opportunity to die by her side. She had told him to leave even during the siege of Bastion City, begged him when he refused, berated him when begging did nothing, going so far as telling him that his devotion was useless and she was never going to return his feelings. Nothing moved Blademane. She would have been touched but all she seemed to feel was a wish that it was Vanguard instead. A trickle of magic slipped past Pyre and Nightmare Moon used it to float to the front gates. Cursing at her distraction, Pyre shoved aside all her other thoughts and focused.

There was little time to get their bearings once Twilight and the rest of her friends arrived in front of FangBreaker Fortress. The legion was pounding the front gates with catapult shot and fireballs. The snow had let up momentarily, providing a small measure of respite. Vanguard led them the front lines and then went over to speak with the siege commander. "How's the siege going?" she heard Vanguard ask. "We're giving them a thorough beating. Losses have been minimal and we're expecting the final charge pretty soon," was the reply. "What about Nightmare Moon?" Twilight asked. The siege commander looked at Twilight in askance and then glanced at Vanguard, unsure if he should reply or berate this legionnaire for speaking out of turn during a conversation between him and a Special Operations captain. When Vanguard nodded, he spoke with some reluctance. "If by "Nightmare Moon" you mean that black flaming thing that's been perched on top of the fort throughout the siege, it hasn't moved an inch since we started attacking." As if in direct response to the siege commander's words, the burning figure descended from its perch and then jumped, only to float downward the rest of the way.

"Well, will you look at that," the siege commander muttered. "Almost like it was waiting for your group." "She was waiting," Twilight replied grimly. Vanguard gestured for her and her friends to move forward. "Twilight…" Vanguard said. He looked at the gates that the wolven had constructed after Pyre destroyed the previous ones. Their enemies had done well with the time and material that they had but there was no way that their makeshift gates could hold out much longer. It was badly scorched and splintered by the time he and his squad had arrived. "Finish the job," he told his new subordinate. Twilight stepped forward in response. There were still wolven bolters on top of the gates but the pegasi were keeping them pinned with crossbow fire. There were also several earth ponies in front of her carrying enormous shields should a bolter risk getting turned into a bloody pincushion to take a shot. Upon Vanguard's request she remembered the first time she came to the Barrier Lands with her friends and the horrific sight of the ruined gates of FangBreaker. Pyre Valor had destroyed those gates, this time it was she who was going to do something similar. She briefly went through the spells she could use. A fireball won't cut it, in one shot. No, she was going to have to use something with a stronger impact. Chunks of earth began to form in front of her, turning into a large sphere of red-glowing rock. After a few more moments of concentration, the rock burst into flames. The siege commander looked on in awe. He was puzzled at first as to why Special Operations was working with chosen but seeing such an advanced fire spell made it clear now. The lone meteor hurtled towards the gates as if it was launched by one of their catapults. It struck the gates hard, splintering the wood and igniting it. In the next instant, it exploded into a massive blast of red-orange flames. The explosion flung smoldering splinters as far as the rear lines and left a partially burning and open path towards the fortress. There were no cheers at the sight of the gates collapsing. No battle cries followed by a rush of charging legionnaires. For the next few moments, there was only an awed silence, like a brief calm before a storm. Several ponies stared at Twilight dumbfounded until one pony decided to give a

shout. That shout was soon followed by others until there was finally a wave of legionnaires pouring in for an attack. The wolven, after an initial daze from such a powerful blast, quickly filled the resulting opening with their troops. Legionnaires crashed into them so violently that several wolven were actually flung back into their rear lines. The air filled with snarls and howls mixing with fierce neighs, the thuds of something hard and blunt striking flesh and the awful whining of metal grinding against stone. Twilight stepped forward to cast a spell and help out the attackers but Vanguard pulled her back. "Stay together," he told her. "This squad was brought here to deal with Nightmare Moon. Do not let yourself be distracted by anything from that mission." He turned towards the rest of his squad. "Vice-captain!" he called out. From the back of the squad, Applejack trotted forward. In addition to her usual barding, she now had the chain she had received earlier wrapped around her neck. The chain was too short to be used for any form of lassoing she was used to but she still wanted to keep it around just in case. Indeed, from the looks of it, it was probably only decorative. She had been assigned to rear-guard earlier, when Pinkie Pie had been briefly separated from them, to make sure that the squad stayed together. "Need something, captain?" she asked. "Make sure the squad stays together. If the Elements need some kind of formation make sure you can get into it right away. Scarlet and I will see if we can lure her out to a more open place." Vanguard pulled out his weapon and clamped it between his teeth. He gestured at Scarlet, who was already taking to the air. Applejack gave a salute. "Right away," she replied. Twilight watched the exchange in confusion. It was a simple exchange between a higher-ranked legionnaire and a lower-ranked one. That was all. At least, that was what her brain told her. Applejack had told them a few nights ago about her new position. Nopony seemed to have a problem with it. She was certain that she didn't. Yet, that increasingly annoying twinge in her chest was back. It made no sense. Was she envious of Applejack's promotion? 'No,' she told herself. 'Applejack has worked very hard in the legion so far. She deserves it.' A cold, resentful tone badgered her anyway.

'I've been working hard too. And wasn't Pyre Valor the previous vicecaptain in his squad? She was a unicorn mage…' "Twilight, what are you doing?" Applejack's sharp question shook Twilight out of her reverie. The earth pony was already wearing her necklace. "Put your big fancy crown on and let's get everypony here," she added. The two of them turned towards the rest of their friends. None of them actually needed any prompting. The Elements of Harmony were out and ready. Twilight closed her eyes for a moment, trying to get a feel of how ready they were. The Elements of Harmony resonated silently with each other, something she realized she could feel if she concentrated hard enough. There was still a lot of wavering between them: Rainbow Dash in particular but she sensed some in Applejack as well. To her dismay, she also felt a lot from herself. Nevertheless, actually having the Elements of Harmony with them this time seemed to have a reassuring effect. The ones who weren't used to the frontlines: Fluttershy, Rarity and Pinkie Pie, looked a bit more confident. They could still use some more harmony but Twilight was sure that they were coming into this fight in better condition than the last time. Besides, they didn't have Fenrir howling at a distance to paralyze them. It wasn't long until they spotted the daunting sight of Nightmare Moon's blackened aura. Twilight spotted Vanguard slowly backing up while Scarlet was hovering nearby firing bolts. She focused her attention on Nightmare Moon and immediately noticed that something was wrong. This wasn't like their previous battle and it wasn't just because of the different location or their possession of the actual Elements of Harmony. When Nightmare Moon moved past the wolven defenders and towards Twilight's group, it wasn't through the blazing, explosive leap she had done the last time. Instead it was a slow, laborious walk that made Twilight hesitate not out of intimidation but out of sheer confusion. Was this some kind of trap? Was Nightmare Moon baiting them into attacking? Sensing weakness, the other legionnaires were about to charge in but Vanguard warned them to stay back and focus on their more mundane enemies. "Twilight," Applejack said as she looked to the center of their formation. Twilight answered the look with a determined one followed by a nod. This wasn't the same Nightmare Moon who had so proudly attacked them.

The effect was telling. Faced with a weakened Nightmare Moon, their determination to fight on and finally defeat a dangerous foe resonated well. Everypony took a step forward and that lone step increased the flow of magic from one Element to the other. Twilight began to feel her crown hum with energy, a familiar sensation. It was the same one she felt when she and her friends drove Nightmare Moon out of Princess Luna and when they returned Discord to stone. When they took another step forward, she saw Nightmare Moon visibly flinch and raise a hoof as if to step back. More power flowed through the elements.

"Why are you still doing this?" Nightmare Moon snarled. "Twilight Sparkle is standing right there! Don't you want her dead?" There was no response from the wretchedly obstinate Pyre Valor. Nightmare Moon took another step forward to show the Elements of Harmony, who were steadily gathering their courage, that she was not out of the fight yet. She unleashed her magic, or at least tried to. Instead of unleashing, it felt more like desperately coaxing an animal out of its den. The blackened aura of her magic was no longer ablaze with Pyre Valor's own when it finally burst from her horn. This was even worse than trying to fight against the Elements with Luna's constantly hesitant body. Her synergy with Pyre Valor had been superb because the white unicorn never hesitated. When she wanted to do something, she dove right into it so that, when they both wanted the same thing, the resulting power was incredible. Now that Pyre Valor planned on hindering both of them, she did so with equal fervor. Pyre Valor was already weak from the struggle however. Nightmare Moon had control over all their physical form. It was their magic that the stubborn unicorn shackled and that was failing as well. The blackness spread from their body like ink spilling, threatening to engulf anypony that tried to close in. It was no field of dark tentacles but it gave even the Elements of Harmony some pause. The pause didn't last long, Twilight Sparkle had likely gauged the amount of magic she was putting forth and realized how weakened she was. The purple unicorn's horn blazed with magic while the crown on her head began to glow. A wave of dispelling magic burst from Twilight and smashed right

into the gathering darkness around her. Her weakened array easily dispersed, like a guttering candle held up during a gale. "Now!" Twilight Sparkle cried out. More power swirled around the Elements of Harmony, centering on her crown. What started out as invisible wisps of power were now brightly colored streams of light. They swirled about until a prismatic tornado whipped into being. Nightmare Moon let out a cry of rage and frustration. It was happening again. For the second time, she was going to be beaten back by toy-wearing foals! "Let go, damn you!"Nightmare Moon shouted at Pyre Valor. There was still no response. No words anyway. To her rage, Nightmare Moon felt a measure of amusement coming from Pyre Valor. The miserable unicorn was actually pleased by what was happening! She considered abandoning the body, itself a painful process, but it was unlikely that she would find another body remotely even compatible. The prismatic cyclone of light enveloped Nightmare Moon, searing away any magic she tried to use. Desperate, she flailed her front hooves about to push away the inevitable banishing. "Not again!"she shouted in frustration. It couldn't end like this. Trapped in a falling fortress like a rat and then shoved aside by foals like a fly. She felt her grip on Pyre Valor slowly tear away. Desperation seared away any other concern, the only option remaining was… "Master Oceanus, your handmaiden beseeches you!" It was a final plea said more out of rage than any realistic belief that aid would come. The firstborn was still dormant, as was nearly all his followers. But to complete her remaining tasks she had to try. She wasn't going to face him with tasks still to be done. Especially with all the opportunities she had been provided with.

Twilight had to admit that seeing the Elements of Harmony working in full concert was a little surprising and immensely elating. She was worried that they wouldn't be able to get the Elements to work. The light surrounded Nightmare Moon just like it did the last time all it would take now was that final flash and…

"Master Oceanus, your handmaiden beseeches you!" The sudden outburst nearly caused Twilight to lose her focus. Oceanus. She had heard the name before. Hearing it from Nightmare Moon suddenly enclosed her heart in an icy grip. The bright glare of hope that the Elements gave forth wavered. Then Twilight saw it: a small spark of blackness that seemed to pierce the whirlwind of light surrounding Nightmare Moon. She felt the magic that accompanied that spark, a small yet chilling presence that sent the hairs on the back of her neck rising. Something was wrong. Something was going to go horribly wrong. The light from the Elements flashed but the brilliant white explosion was tainted by great arcs of blackness and a long, drawn out and unearthly scream that set Twilight's teeth on edge. One look towards her friends told her that none of them expected it. Around them, the legion continued to fight against the remaining wolven defenders but several had stopped to see what was going on. That was when Twilight realized that something else was still coming after that blast: an immense explosion of harmful magic that could very well destroy her and her friends. "Everypony, stand back!" she cried out. She ran forward and raised a magical barrier. It wasn't as good as Applejack's golden shield but it was more reliable for now. Just as Twilight predicted, another explosion, this one as dark as midnight, erupted from the still fading light. She gritted her teeth and concentrated all her magic on the shield. The last thing she saw was a wave of darkness advancing towards her and then nothing at all.

The sudden explosion of darkness sent Applejack and the rest of her friends flying. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Vanguard try to reach Twilight only to be sent careening off, his armor dragging loudly against the ground. She rolled on the ground for a good distance before finally coming to a stop. The clouds of dust and snow raised by the blast made her cough as well as obscured her vision. "What in the hay just happened?" she asked in between coughs.

"Did we do it?" Rainbow asked as she dragged herself to her hooves just a few feet away from Applejack. "Is Nightmare Moon gone?" "I don't know," Applejack replied. "Things went a little too smoothly. Well, except for that second explosion. I can't believe something can explode twice." "Is anypony hurt?" came Fluttershy's worried call. They saw the yellow pegasus's hovering silhouette slowly approaching them. "I'm fine," came Rarity's reply from behind them. "Pinkie here hit her head on the ground but she's already recovering." "I'm over here!" came Scarlet's enthusiastic call. He flew through the dust and snow and landed next to Vanguard. "Everypony regroup on me," Vanguard called out from the cloud. They followed suit and soon found each other. "Did you do it?" he asked them once they had gathered. "Has the threat been neutralized?" "I dunno," Applejack replied. "I think-" She stopped when she heard a faint, metallic cracking sound just around her neck. Worried, she looked down on her necklace. To her horror, she saw a thin crack near the apple-shaped jewel. The crack quickly spread into a spidery network of lines. "No!" she cried out. "How in the hay-?" The cracks continued to spread for another second and then the necklace completely shattered into fine, powdery pieces. With a gasp, Applejack tried to save the fragments as they fell but a stiff breeze caught them, blowing them all across the snowy plain. Cries of alarm from Rainbow and the others told Applejack that the same was happening to them as well. She looked to them to see Rainbow desperately crawling through the ground to find any pieces and Fluttershy holding up an inch of gold chain, almost ready to burst into tears. "How can this be?" Rarity asked in horror. "The Elements are gone!" She looked around. The dust had settled and she noticed that a lot of the legionnaires around them were also recovering. Where Nightmare Moon was standing was now an empty, still-smoking crater. "Wait a minute," she began.

Vanguard had looked around as well. At once, he saw what had caught Rarity's concern. "Where's Twilight?" he asked. All of them looked around. Vanguard walked over near the edges of the crater to see if Twilight was down there. As he did so, he felt something crunch underneath his tramplers, he raised his hoof and looked down. On the ground was a crushed fragment of large crown.

Chapter 5 Unicorn Magic "What has happened to Master Oceanus?" Bereft of any vision, Twilight focused on what she was hearing recognized the oily, menacing voice as Nightmare Moon's. She tried to open her eyes, only to realize that they were already open. She tried to move about and found that none of her limbs were reacting. "He has already gone dormant as have most of our comrades." A second voice replied to Nightmare Moon's question, this one of a slightly higher pitch. Forgetting the fact that she couldn't feel anything and the only sense that seemed to be working was her hearing, Twilight continued to listen. There was that name again: Oceanus, the prince who had been born before Princess Celestia and her siblings. But why was she hearing these voices now? And where was she? She listened intently when Nightmare Moon spoke again. "I will leave my mortal body here in dormancy while I venture out to strike against any agents the Eternal Herd sends. Thus, I will pave the way for our master's rise without risk of being permanently destroyed. You must stay awake here and turn these mortal ponies into a proper welcome for our master." "How can you affect anything in this world without your mortal body? Have you forgotten how it works already?" "I will work through hosts. There will others out there who will become compatible with me." "As you say then. When our master awakens I will expect the rest of this world to be ready to fall." "And when I reunite with my mortal body, I expect a proper army for him out of these mortal ponies swimming about."

"For the rightful king, Lunalux Umbra!" "For the rightful king, Solis Coruscaria." Twilight wanted to listen some more but, just as things were slowly beginning to make sense something struck her mind violently like an indignant slap to the face. The words halted abruptly and, all of a sudden, she started to feel again. The first sensation to come back was touch. She was cold, freezing in fact. She found herself shivering uncontrollably. Smell and hearing followed suit. She could hear the sounds of snow crunching against hooves…or were they paws? She could hear guttural, unfamiliar language being exchange and smell the familiar foul odor of wolven. Sight and a sense of direction were the last to come back. When Twilight's vision cleared, it was then she realized that she had fallen on her side and was half-buried in the snow. The wolven presence brought back her alertness quickly. She tried to get to her hooves but succeeded only on getting to a kneeling position. She looked around to determine where her enemies were and cringed inwardly. She was somewhere in the middle of a vast field of snow with a pack of wolven closing in on all sides. She felt around her head, the Element of Magic was not on it. Fireball. That was the first spell that came to Twilight's mind. She had observed that the wolven were particularly not fond of fire. She was feeling a little woozy and drained. A fireball would be simple enough to cause some damage and give them some pause to buy her time. Her horn crackled with magic, ready to channel her power into a ball of exploding flame. Before she could complete the spell however, her vision blurred slightly and her balance failed. She staggered a few steps forward, her mind going into a panic. As she expected, the wolven snarled in anticipation at the sign of weakness and closed the distance swiftly. Twilight was still desperately trying to complete the spell when the first wolven's claws were inches from her face. At the last moment however, fire did blaze up and consume her attacker. For a second, she thought that she had completed her spell and was lucky that she didn't blow herself up by using a fireball on a wolven so close. Another second passed and she realized that she was still "holding" her fireball. Some other fire spell had taken out her attacker. The blaze

distracted the wolven as they searched for the source of the new threat, allowing Twilight to lob her fireball towards a trio of them that had mistakenly decided to clump together. The white-hot sphere connected with one the three and erupted into a searing blast. There were no screams this time. She had learned her lesson. The knowledge that she had killed them was still there but the pitched cries that tore at her insides were not. Owlsight's admonition was never meant to completely make it alright to burn wolven with impunity, just to lessen the impact enough to keep her from going mad. The blaze was so intense that the wolven died instantly. Instinctively, she covered her nose with a hoof, still unnerved by the awful spell that wafted from those that burned to death. "What's the matter, Twilight Sparkle? The smell of battle too strong for your delicate little nose?" The familiar mocking tone caught Twilight by surprise. There was no mistaking the stinging remark and the angry voice that carried it. She found herself among the wolven looking for the pony who had cast the earlier fire spell. She spotted the white unicorn mare standing across her, horn already ablaze with another fire spell. She caught a glimpse of Pyre Valor's eyes and, as usual, found nothing but angry contempt in the other unicorn's gaze. "Pyre Valor…" she whispered harshly. Now, she was unsure which to focus her next offensive spell, the pack of bloodthirsty wolven or the traitorous unicorn mage. She assessed the situation briefly. The wolven surrounding them were of the smallest sort, likely a party for the fleeing main army. She didn't even see any bolters. This was likely a foraging party of sorts that accidentally ran into her and hoped for an easy meal. A pair of wolven jumped at Pyre Valor but, without even taking her eyes off Twilight, Pyre lit one ablaze halfway through its jump. With a yelp, it collapsed to the ground, writhing in agony. She sidestepped the other one, already focusing on another spell. The wolven snarled and recovered, rearing up on its hind legs to scratch at her. With a grunt of annoyance, Pyre completed the spell. Her horn sprouted a curved blade of concentrated flame, several feet in length. She ducked the wolven's claws and then slashed up, cleaving it in two. The wolven's halves crashed right next to her. There wasn't even a spatter of blood from its completely cauterized wounds.

Suddenly finding themselves caught between two spell-wielding ponies, the remaining wolven, decided to focus on one target only. Twilight tensed once it was clear that the wolven picked her. She didn't know if she should be flattered that the wolven considered her a bigger threat or angry that they thought she was the easier target. Her heart was racing either way. The wolven were too close and she didn't have a line of earth pony infantry to engage them or even a few friends to rely on. She reared up and pointed her forelegs towards one wolven that was edging in too close for comfort. Twin jets of flame burst from her front hooves. The short ranged spell caught the wolven just at its edges, lighting its fur on fire and sending it rolling on the ground in a panic. "Shield up!" Pyre Valor suddenly shouted. It surprised Twilight at just how easily Pyre's voice could cut through anything occupying her mind at the moment. She dropped the next spell she was about to cast and focused on raising the same shield she had used against Nightmare Moon. Only a second after she completed the spell, she looked up to find a quartet of meteors only a few feet away. She looked away as the meteors collided with her shield. Despite having her eyes closed, Twilight winced at the bright light that penetrated her eyelids anyway when the meteors exploded. She cried out as hard as she could but her voice was completely drowned out by the earshattering boom. She almost fell to her knees and she was afraid that her ears would start bleeding. Her dome-shaped shield dispersed the shockwave and the flames all around it but she couldn't help but feel a prickling sensation all around her at being so close to so much destructive power. The blast dispersed and the clouds of dust, smoke and ashes began to slowly settle. Twilight doubted that any wolven had survived that spell. They had surrounded and closed in on her, hoping to bring her down and then focus on Pyre Valor. That was a big mistake easily capitalized by a unicorn mage whose love of magic was synonymous to her love of fiery explosions. She kept her shield up and waited warily. She fully expected a second barrage of meteors to come at her any moment now with the wolven gone.

Several tense moments passed but no explosions followed. Not even a singular blast of flame or angry curse came from Pyre Valor. As she waited, Twilight fought down one particular feeling that was welling up inside her. It wasn't the disgust at the horrid smell nor was it the fear of facing down a unicorn mage that had previously beaten her in a fight. No. It was a more insidious feeling that she refused to acknowledge. It was…admiration. She now knew a lot of fire spells thanks to all the time she spent studying. She also knew that she could match Pyre Valor as far as raw power was concerned. But the sequence by which Pyre easily took out her attackers was something to watch and learn from. Pyre Valor made it look easy, transitioning from attacking at long range to short range bursts to attacking with a melee without any sign of hesitation or panic. Twilight had to admit that no amount of reading or even sparring could give her that sort of ease, only battle after battle of experience. When all the dust and ashes settled, she found the white unicorn standing just a foot away from her shield. "How long are you going to waste your strength on that shield?" Pyre Valor asked. "The wolven are all dead, coward. We'd better move or more will come looking for their foragers." The mere surprise of having Pyre Valor talk to her instead of attacking was almost enough for Twilight to bring her shield down. She caught herself and kept a guarded stance. "What are you talking about?" she asked. "Aren't you going to attack me?" "No and your inane questions are making that decision difficult." Pyre Valor looked around, ascertaining their position as best she could. Landmarks were a rarity this far to the north and she had to make sure that they were heading towards FangBreaker as opposed to slowly crossing the border to Wolvengard. With the sun already setting, it was easy to determine where south was at least. Now she just had to make sure that the two of them didn't run into the rest of the retreating wolven army. Twilight eyed Pyre warily and then slowly dispersed her shield. She didn't relax though. When Pyre began to walk on, she followed slowly behind. "Wait," she said. "Are you…just you? What happened to Nightmare Moon?" Pyre Valor stopped for a moment. "She's gone," she replied. "I don't know where she went but your last attack banished her somewhere. She

teleported at the last moment and we were caught up in its wake somehow. Now, keep walking." Still perplexed, Twilight obeyed for now. Perhaps once they came to a location that Pyre deemed safe, the white unicorn would start explaining. It was a difficult walk however. She was constantly half a shield spell away. Each time Pyre Valor made or looked like she was about to make a sudden move left her on edge. "Hey," Pyre finally spoke up. Twilight nearly completed the shield spell but stopped at the last moment. "What is it?" she asked. "When you were out…did you experience some kind of vision? Something about Nightmare Moon talking with somepony." "Solis Coruscaria," Twilight said in acknowledgement. "I did. Did it happen to you to?" Pyre Valor was silent for a time. "I thought it was just some worthless dream. I think I'm beginning to understand a little." "What do you mean? What happened during that explosion?" The annoyed look that Pyre shot her told Twilight that the prodding was not appreciated. But this was Pyre Valor. Twilight guessed that the fact that she was still alive was not appreciated from Pyre Valor's end. It wasn't just annoyance that she saw on the other unicorn's face. It seemed that Pyre herself wasn't entirely sure as to why she wasn't hurling angry fire spells. "While we were linked, Nightmare Moon was able to peer into my memories but the reverse wasn't true," Pyre finally explained. "When she was about to be banished from my body, she let her guard down in desperation." "But I was able to see as well, how was that possible?" "Must be because you're such a nosy nag you managed to listen in."

Twilight swallowed an angry retort. She had a lot to find out and she didn't know how long Pyre Valor was going to stay amiable. "That's not a feasible explanation," she said. "I'm surprised you noticed," was the flat reply. "I don't know how you listened in. Maybe it had something to do with the clash of magic. You had Nightmare Moon's collapsing defenses, that touchy-feely beam of rainbows and sunshine and…whatever it was that Nightmare Moon called out at the last moment. Did you add anything to that mix?" Twilight's eyes narrowed. "I threw up a shield to protect the others," she said. "I was also standing at the center of that blast from the Elements of Harmony." Pyre Valor didn't say anything after that. Instead, she quickened her pace. It was starting to get dark. To make matters worse, she could feel the wind beginning to pick up. If they didn't make it to FangBreaker Fortress soon they were going to be caught in a blizzard at night. Twilight Sparkle was still wearing her mage-coat; the outfit should protect her to a degree. "The wind's picking up," Twilight said. She had to quicken her pace as well. This was a familiar sight: trudging across the plain behind an uncaring Pyre Valor. When she still received no response she trotted over and put a hoof on Pyre Valor's shoulder. The next moment, Twilight found herself sprawling on the ground with her face aching. "Don't touch me," Pyre hissed. Twilight rolled to her hooves quickly, ready to defend herself from another attack. Instead, she found Pyre already turning her back and walking on. "Hold on!" Twilight called out. "What's going on, Pyre Valor? What's with this sudden truce? What are you going to do now?" When the other unicorn kept walking, Twilight cast her spell. A thin bolt of lightning, barely enough to give any pony a mild jolting sensation, flew from her horn and past Pyre Valor's face, missing by only an inch. "Stop running away from me!" she shouted. The bolt came close enough for Pyre to feel a little heat on her cheek. She stopped in her tracks, her teeth grinding together as she fought back her natural instincts, instincts that screamed for her to turn around, break Twilight Sparkle's legs and leave her for what would undoubtedly be their

wolven trackers. "I'm trying to keep you alive here, Twilight Sparkle," she said, her voice even. "This is coming from a mare that told me she was going to kill me for showing her that the chosen can be strong too," Twilight retorted. "The situation has changed since then." "How?" "Can't you just take things in stride?" Pyre snapped. "Terrato's bloodsmeared hooves, every time you open your putrid mouth you make this decision twice as hard!" Twilight let out a long, frustrated exhalation. She would have continued to stand still there but the sun had all but completely set. Pyre was right, they had to keep moving. Besides, she also realized that she was completely lost here. Pyre Valor seemed to have a good bearing on where they were and without the combative unicorn as a guide, she would probably wander around hoping that somepony found her and then freeze to death or be overtaken by wolven. The two of them spent some time, hours or perhaps it just felt like hours for Twilight, just walking in darkness. Twilight focused the steady crunching of their hooves and the snow and making sure that she was just a few feet behind Pyre. Though it was difficult to see in the dark, she followed the heat radiating from the white unicorn. Bereft of a mage-coat, Pyre was using another fire spell to stay warm. 'She's steadily using up her magic. At this rate-' Twilight nearly hit herself indignation. That was a horrible thought. Was her drive to beat Pyre Valor that bad? Sure, constant insults and the several attempts on her life merited some hostility but…she shook her head. If she was going to fight Pyre, it was going to be a fair fight. Her mind went to other things. It galled her that she actually needed Pyre Valor to get back to FangBreaker just as it galled her that something had happened during that last clash of magic and she didn't know what it was. The silence didn't really make them move any faster, it just left her to stew on her own. "So how has the situation changed?" she asked again. This time she kept her tone low, submissive even. Perhaps if she could get past the other unicorn's hair-trigger temper, she might get a discussion going.

Her tentative question was met with even more silence. More time passed. Twilight had consigned herself to walking for hours in total silence and darkness when Pyre finally decided to speak. "How's Vanguard?" she asked. "He's fine," Twilight replied. It wasn't the topic she wanted but they were talking now at least. "Those burn marks you left him are still there but he's doing well." "Good." Twilight strained to hear that last word. It was a rare moment of Pyre Valor expressing something besides anger and she didn't want to miss it. To her embarrassment, the white unicorn suddenly looked back in time to catch her leaning in. "Do I get to ask you a question this time?" she asked. Again, there was silence. Twilight picked up her pace so that she was walking beside Pyre Valor. "You're not being fair," she said. "This world is full of injustice," Pyre replied. "And you're just adding to it. Why-" "Are you so desperate to know why I haven't tried to kill you?" "Yes. I mean, not so desperate that I'd do anything but-" Pyre let out a slow exhale. "I still want to kill you, if you have to know," she answered. "I'd be very happy to gut you on the spot right now." Twilight tensed again. This was now sounding like the Pyre Valor she knew. "Why aren't you?" she asked. "It's what you want, right?" "If I had spent my life doing the things I wanted to instead of things I had to, I'd have some pathetic sparkling things on my flank too." "That's not how cutie marks work…" Twilight muttered. "Shut your mouth and listen or we can end this talk right now." "Fine, I'll keep quiet."

"When I woke up, I planned on going north. I was going to throw myself at Wolvengard until I was dead. To my bad luck, I spotted you about to be eaten. I had to change my plans." "That doesn't make any-" Twilight caught herself and fell silent again. Pyre Valor's voice lowered as she went on. "I'm going to die soon, Twilight Sparkle. I had hoped that it was while fighting wolven and not dangling on a rope for the nag princess's amusement." "She's not a nag and your hanging won't amuse her!" Pyre paid the comment no heed and continued. "Before I go, I still want the legion to be as strong as ever. Especially after the price I asked it to pay. You're part of some weapon that can hurt even something like Nightmare Moon. The legion should keep that weapon even if I want you dead. Also…" Pyre's voice trailed off, much to Twilight's curiosity. She wanted to prod the white unicorn but knew that it would only succeed in shutting Pyre up completely. Fortunately, Pyre did continue without the need for prompting. "I want Vanguard to have a strong unicorn mage by his side, somepony who won't throw a fireball at him at some point. The choice was you or Nightcanter and you're a slightly better choice than that ravening ditch pig." "I'm flattered," Twilight muttered. She didn't miss the part about Pyre about to die however. That had her thinking again. How could that possibly feel? Knowing that your death was imminent one way or another…how could Pyre continue to act as she did with that kind of weight upon her? "Quiet!" Pyre suddenly hissed. The urgency in the tone told Twilight that it was important that she did as told this time. Pyre had stopped as well, prompting her to do the same. With her vision almost useless in the darkness, she concentrated on listening intently. "Wings," Pyre said softly. Both of them looked up. Outlined by the light of the moon were the silhouettes of several pegasi flying about. They carried lanterns constructed so that the light focused into a cone-shaped beam. They flew low and seemed to be searching for something.

"Just as I expected," Pyre groused. "You have become important enough." She fired a spell straight into the air: a small but brilliant, sparkling sphere that could be seen from a long way away. The pegasi were quick to converge on them. "Over here!" one of the pegasi said. Twilight and Pyre found themselves surrounded. The sight of Twilight seemed to relieve the pegasi but they tensed up right away when they focused on Pyre Valor. One pegasi took out a piece of paper, glanced at it and then nodded at his fellows. They pointed their crossbows at her, anger and fear mixing on their faces. "Pyre Valor," the lead pegasus said, "you're under arrest for-" "I know what I did, you flying mule!" Pyre snapped. She held out her hooves and scowled in impatience. "Clap me in irons already!" Taken aback by the ferocity of their "prisoner", the pegasi approached her warily and then produced a length of rope to tie her up. Through it all, Pyre didn't so much as flinch. Twilight watched the white unicorn, more unwelcome admiration welling up inside. Another pegasus hovered by her side to offer her a lift. "Your friends are causing a stir in the fort," the pegasus said. "We're lucky to have found you quickly." "Yes," Twilight said softly, not taking her eyes off Pyre, the unicorn mage whose actions she might not fully understand. Pyre's fate seemed perfectly clear, it was a fate that she and Vanguard had consigned herself to. Yet…Twilight couldn't help but dislike that notion. For all the anger the other unicorn mage stirred in her, for all the nights she spent learning every possible means to win their next fight, she didn't want Pyre Valor to die. Not like this. With a flutter of wings, the two unicorn magi were taken aloft and straight to FangBreaker Fortress.

Chapter 6 Two Royal Sisters "Your papers are in order, Sun Drop, glad to see more volunteers coming to help out here. Report to Task Sergeant Mouldbreak over there so you can start." With that, the sentry handed Celestia's "papers" back to her and nodded her along. It had only been half an hour since she left the Grand Meeting Hall and some guards already found her suspicious. She wasn't surprised. Every pony in Bastion City moved with purpose while she wandered about observing all the activity. She wanted to visit Twilight and her friends at first but one of the Special Operations ponies watching out for her had mentioned that the Elements of Harmonies had just been deployed earlier that morning. She ended up wandering about just taking in the sights of the city and all it took was for one sentry to notice that she wasn't doing anything useful to investigate. Fortunately, her brother's Special Operations ponies had provided her with a means to maintain her disguise. Her new papers stayed true to the identity Terrato had provided her: she was Sun Drop, one of the many volunteers now streaming into Bastion City to help prepare for the offensive. However, staying true to her disguise also meant that she had to take part in the work the volunteers were tasked with. She walked over to Task Sergeant Mouldbreak, a burly, square-jawed earth pony with a tan coat and a cropped dark brown mane directing several groups of earth ponies about. He noticed Celestia and gestured for her to come over. "You come to this city alone, lass?" he asked. "Where'd you come from?" "Hearthstone City, sir," Celestia answered. "Hearthstone!" Mouldbreak exclaimed fondly. "Haven't been down there for ten years! Is old Blackdamp still running the mines?" Celestia felt her heartbeat quicken. This was certainly an unexpected situation to come to so early. "I'm afraid I don't know who that pony is," she

replied. A quick and innocent admission will better than a steadily rising mountain of lies for this situation. "Pah! Filly!" Mouldbreak groused. "Anyway, let's put you to work, Sun Drop." He looked at the list he held in his hooves. "Let's see…looks like they need a few more hooves for corpse duty, head on over to the execution grounds to start off." Celestia swallowed a lump in her throat. "Corpse duty" didn't sound like a pleasant task. "May I ask what 'corpse duty' entails?" she asked. Mouldbreak looked at her as if she had asked what the hair growing on her head was called. "We're still cleaning up after all the recent battles," he said tentatively, unsure if the mare in front of him was simply making fun of him. "We need ponies to haul our dead in for identification and burial. You and a bunch of others are going to spend your time dragging dead bodies around and digging graves. Now, get over to the execution grounds. You're starting with that latest batch of Black Rose rebels they just caught." He motioned to a couple of earth ponies, a stallion and a mare, who were already on the move. "Go on and follow them if you don't know where the execution grounds are." Celestia nodded and did as she was told. She felt a little awkward, taking orders from a mortal pony. It wasn't that the feeling was unpleasant. Far from it, there was a certain comfort in being told what to do instead of deciding for others. "So what's your name, miss?" the stallion asked Celestia as soon as they were on the move. They rounded one corner and then took a side road, avoiding the incoming heavy traffic brought by a long line of supply wagons. "It's Sun Drop," Celestia replied. The friendly smile on the stallion's face let her relax a bit. For all her fears of Terrato's ponies being savage monsters, they had so far behaved politely and calmly. "I'm Knifepoint and this is my sister, Hilt Twist," the stallion continued. He had a coppery coat and a long, unkempt mane of green. His sister was a more subdued golden-brown and had a short, curly mane.

Hilt Twist poked her brother with a hoof as they continued walking. "You promised to keep your flirting in line, brother," she said with a frown. She also smiled when she shifted her attention to Celestia. "Did you come to Bastion City all by yourself?" "I came with my siblings," Celestia replied. She paused as she said that and looked towards the direction of the Grand Meeting Hall. Terrato was occupied by his invasion plans and how to best utilize the Heartland. Luna was back in Canterlot, dealing with the mess that she should be dealing with. While they worked on those agendas, she was out here just observing. She couldn't help but feel a little guilty. "They're busy with their own tasks at the moment," she added. "Who isn't?" Knifepoint remarked. "It's been crazy these past few days. First there are all the horror stories about the north about to be overrun by wolven, now we're actually launching our own invasion!" "About time we took the fight to Wolvengard, I say," Hilt Twist added. Celestia appraised the two carefully. These two weren't bloodthirsty killers, far from it, they looked like simple farmers who simply came out here to help. "Do you really think that invading Wolvengard is a good idea?" she asked them. "Of course it is!" Knifepoint answered. "Can you imagine what would it be like if we wiped the wolven out or got them to stop attacking for good? No more worrying about their raiders sneaking into your farm or attacking a vital caravan…a peaceful Northern Barrier Land. We can send support to the west and south so it'll only be a matter of time until they start pushing forward." "I'm only calling it a good idea once we win," Hilt Twist said. "Who knows what'll happen in Wolvengard? Even if we win all our battles, it's going to be a long and brutal march to the north. How many of our own will die before we win?" "Dying to bring an end to Wolvengard's invasions? I think that's a good end." "So how come you haven't joined the legion?"

An embarrassed look crossed Knifepoint's face. "You know I want to," he replied to his sister's stinging question. "But who's going to manage the farm if I sign up? Dad's not getting any younger and you can't do it alone. With Wintercoat and Grizzleback already signed up, the farm can't afford having me gone." "If your farm needs you, why have you come all the way here?" Celestia asked. "Harvest's done for this year. With all the big things happening to the legion recently, everypony should be coming here to help with invasion preparations. Even if it's just a few months worth of volunteer work, I'd-" "We're here already," Hilt Twist interrupted. They stepped out of the street and into their destination. The execution grounds were a wide, flat space of concrete just behind Bastion City Prison where punishment was meted out for criminals of all sorts. The prison itself was small, from what Luna had mentioned earlier, there were few crimes in the Barrier Lands punishable by imprisonment. Preferred non-lethal punishments included whipping, branding and heavy fines. Ponies stuck in prison were those unable to pay their fines and they usually spent most of the day in hard labor. The three of them entered from what appeared to be a back entrance just behind the gallows. Another earth pony mare, this one wearing the chain barding of a legionnaire, stood there as if waiting for them. "About time I got some volunteers for corpse duty over here!" the earth pony said impatiently. "The first batch just got finished! Get over here and haul these rebels to that wagon before the next batch piles in!" Celestia barely heard the barked orders. For a moment, she stared at the huge, wooden gallows that dominated the execution grounds. Eight ponies, their heads covered in black cloth, hung by their necks while a crowd watched from the opposite side of where she was. They were already limp and a steady breeze made them swing slightly. A pony was already cutting them down while Knifepoint and Hilt Twist stood at the ready to haul it to the nearby wagon.

"Over here, Sun Drop!" Knifepoint called out. When the first body dropped on his legs, he and Hilt Twist wrestled with the sudden load briefly before getting a good grip. Celestia went over to them hesitantly. Her facial expression remained calm, all the while she fighting down the horror at what she was seeing. Ponies killing each other; she doubted that she'll ever get used to the sight. She certainly didn't want to. Knifepoint placed the first dead pony on his back and began to carry it over the wagon while the legionnaire on top of the gallows cut down a second body. "Who are these ponies?" she asked. "Why did they have to die like this?" "Save your pity," the legionnaire on top of the gallows said as she dropped the body on Hilt Twist's waiting hooves. "These are Black Rose rebels. Ponies who turn on their fellows don't deserve any mercy." With a grunt, Hilt Twist lifted the corpse onto her back. "Black Rose rebels?" she asked. "What are those?" "Prince-damned traitors are what they are," the legionnaire replied. She cut down a third corpse and looked over to Celestia, motioning for her to get into position. "They were against the barrier set up by Princess Celestia so they decided to help the wolven so our prince would have no choice but to turn to the Heartland for help." Though Celestia had braced herself for the weight, the impact of the body nearly buckled her legs. She shook as she recovered, suddenly aware that it has been a long time since she had lifted anything physically and that she may have overestimated how much she had recovered from having her power stolen. "You alright there, Sun Drop?" Knifepoint asked. He walked over to help but both Hilt Twist's hoof on his shoulder and a shake of Celestia's head stopped him. "Nopony likes being a burden, Knifepoint," Hilt Twist said softly. The two of them walked past Celestia as she walked slowly but steadily towards the cart. She placed the dead body on the cart gently and then wiped some sweat from her brow. She paused midway and then checked her now damp foreleg. Exertion…yet another thing she had yet to get used to. She had tired herself out before, but it was from using up her magical strength.

Sweating, breathing hard and feeling the burn on some of her muscles were not everyday sensations. "What's the matter there, volunteer?" the legionnaire on top of the gallows called out. "Never seen your own sweat before? Hurry, they're lining up the second batch of rebels!" They repeated the same motions, eventually placing all the bodies onto the cart. When the ninth body was loaded, Celestia was panting heavily. She looked up in time to find that the gallows were occupied again. Six more ponies were led to prepared nooses; four of them already had black cloth draped over their faces. The fifth was struggling against the pair of legionnaires that were holding him. "Nags!" the pony shouted. "You nags! Killing me won't bring back the lives that were lost!" One legionnaire struggled to get the black cloth over the struggling pony's head. "You hang us as traitors but we were the ones who did what had to be done! Look to the south! The barrier's gone! Who do you think you should thank? The legion?" The gathered crowd booed and jeered as the legionnaires continued to struggle. Celestia wanted to stop the gristly affair but she knew she would accomplish nothing but cause more trouble. She also thought about speaking to Terrato about his methods but how long had he been executing ponies like this? How many rebels had he killed to protect her barrier? She felt a weight, a weight greater than any corpse slung over her back, come down on her shoulders. She pictured hundreds of ponies hanging by Terrato's orders, all for the sake of protecting the Heartland. "An ocean of blood has soaked him and the corpses of millions weigh down on his shoulders. You would know of what he has become!" 'An ocean of blood has soaked me as well…and I didn't even notice.' Celestia lowered her head, unable to watch the execution. Finally, one of them smashed a hoof against the pony's face while the other one slipped the cloth over his head while he was stunned. They dragged the pony to position and placed the noose around his neck. "Is there no way they can be pardoned?" Celestia asked Knifepoint. The muffled shouting from one of the condemned clawed at her insides. Her

two companions continued to watch as a second wagon wheeled into place behind them. "Why should we even try?" Knifepoint asked. He let himself smile grimly as the proceedings continued. "I hate that barrier too but they turned on their brothers and sisters in the legion…nothing's worth that. They should hang." Celestia looked on sadly as the trapdoors beneath the condemned ponies swung open. They fell and jerked once before going limp. The legionnaires inspected each body, making sure that it was dead. Then they began to cut the bodies down while Celestia and the others moved into place. When all the bodies were hauled onto the second wagon, they were handed shovels. "That is a lot of graves to dig," Celestia said quietly as she stared at the two wagonloads of corpses. A couple of volunteers were already pulling them away. "Graves?" the legionnaire that had cut down the bodies said as he walked past Celestia. "We're not burying these ones! Traitors don't get to be absorbed into our prince's element. No, we're going to have an open pit fire and burn them." A second legionnaire walked over and watched the wagons pull away. Celestia and her companions were about to move on when he spoke. "With the barrier down, maybe the stink will waft all the way to the south and cause Princess Celestia to start choking." The two legionnaires laughed grimly among themselves. Celestia glanced at them briefly before moving on. Her shoulders were aching and she already felt sick. 'She already is,' she told them wordlessly.

"Greetings, citizens of Ponyville," Luna said before a gathered group of ponies. She kept her voice soft this time. She had learned her lesson. While she was not greeted by screams of terror, the town's reception of her did not exactly exude warmth. She had come without any guards for this part of her tour of the Heartland. The presence of armored, stern-looking ponies made it more difficult to talk to the Heartland's increasingly worried citizens. Though, now that she thought about it, the Heartland was going to have to get used to the presence of grim, armed and armored pony soldiers from now on. Even now, she had but to look at the crowd and she could

practically smell the fear. The only reason that they didn't cower like the ponies in Manehattan did was that she had spent just a bit more time to get to know these ponies better. It grated on Luna to admit it but she was relieved that Black Rose continued to perform Celestia's duties. If the sun had stopped rising, Celestia's sudden absence and the strangeness of her decree would have sparked a realm-wide panic that Nightmare Moon had returned and all of these ponies right now would be fleeing in terror. "Your highness…" The mayor stepped forward hesitantly, her head bowed so low that it almost touched the ground. She held up a copy of Celestia's decree with a shaking hoof. "We received this decree some days ago but we're not sure what it means." "And I am here to explain just that," Luna replied. The other ponies stepped closer as she began her explanation. Her first attempts at Canterlot had not gone very well, partly because the ponies of the Heartland found it difficult to even grasp the idea that she was presenting to them and partly because she hesitant and unsure of the best way to clarify the situation. The nobility took some time to let the truth sink in. When it did the reactions were…unclear. There was no panic or rioting, not even outrage over the idea that Celestia had hidden something so important from them. Instead, what she saw was a slow, simmering fear, a fear that she doubted that they even understood or were even aware of when they returned to their homes. An unseen terror was permeating the Heartland and none of its inhabitants had any clue how to deal with it. They instinctively knew that running or hiding in one's house did no good. They couldn't even pinpoint the source of this fear. All they knew that Equestria now had enemies but just how exactly would all these new things affect their lives? There were so many things to consider and worry about that they were simply overwhelmed into inactivity. Even with Luna there to speak about it, the ponies of the Heartland simply could not grasp the gravity of the situation. It was frightening and saddening to think that they would probably only see what was now being asked of them when they were finally faced with Equestria's enemies. 'When legionnaires start knocking on their doors, they might have a clearer idea,' she thought.

"Your highness, what is this Equestrian Legion?" one pony asked. "Are we going to meet this Prince Terrato? Why haven't we heard of him before?" "Is Princess Celestia alright? What happened to her?" "Can I join this legion for a week and then go back here? I can't leave my garden for too long." "Can't the royal guards deal with whatever's attacking us?" It was the same as every settlement Luna had gone through, with only some slight variations. Facing these innocently asked questions was heartbreaking. She almost felt that Terrato was asking for too much. That she as was asking too much. "What about my sister and her friends?" There was no mistaking the childish voice that asked that question. It cut through the confused murmurings of the crowd with ease so that everypony turned to see who it was. She found herself looking at a yellow earth pony filly with a bright red mane. She remembered seeing this one before, back in Canterlot when she was angrily leaving her sister's room. The filly was flanked by her friends, a white unicorn with a curly, pink and purple mane and an orange pegasus. Behind her was the red stallion and the old mare she had also seen in Canterlot before. "The letter said Applejack ain't a criminal so where is she? Is she still banished?" "No, she is not," Luna replied. For the first time since she came back to the Heartland, she found something to smile about. She approached the filly and gave her a reassuring pat on the head. She turned to speak to the crowd. "Applejack and the rest of the so-called 'criminals' are, in fact, heroes and should be welcomed as such when they make their return here!" The wide, beaming smile on the filly's face alone made this trip worth it, as was the wave of joy from her family. Ever since Luna promised the Apple family her help back when they begged for it in the royal palace, she had

hoped to accomplish something like this. The murmurings among the crowd began to take a tone of relief. Ponyville had not dismissed Twilight and her friends as criminals after all. "Then they're coming home soon, right?" the yellow filly asked. She and her friends were already doing a little dance among themselves. "No…" Luna replied, sad that she had to spoil their growing cheer. When their smiles turned into confused dejection, she knew she had to add some consolation. "They're part of the legion now and they have much to do to continue protecting Equestria." It warmed her heart to see some hope return to the three. The pegasus filly spoke up inquisitively. "Then, can we join the legion so we can help them out?" The curly-maned unicorn brightened even more at the idea. "That's a great idea! Maybe we can earn our cutie marks there!" The response took Luna aback. That was something she hadn't thought about: cutie marks. For the first time in the Heartland's entire history, cutie marks involving the legion and the things it did will start appearing. That would certainly be quite a conversation between her siblings now that the barrier was down. Those enchantments were still in place, a strange choice by Black Rose. Will Terrato start marking the Barrier Lands ponies or will he insist on removing the ones on the Heartland ponies? A yank on her tail put a stop to all her speculation. "So can we join the legion, your highness?" they asked. "I'm afraid that the three of you are too young," Luna replied. She was about to add "perhaps when you're older" but she stopped herself. That just didn't sound right. She wished that the need to draft ponies was no longer there by the time these three had grown up. "What about us, your highness?" a pony from the crowd asked. "Are all of us going to join the legion now?" "One pony per family," Luna replied. More questions followed and she began to answer each one in earnest.

The day wore on and it was almost evening when Luna prepared to leave Ponyville. After trying to make the situation as clear as possible for the villagers, she had spent some extra time visiting the families of Twilight's friends, just like she visited the purple unicorn's parents back in Canterlot. Seeing their relief and pride as she told of what had actually happened to their family was likely going to be the one bright spot in this long tour. She wanted it done as quickly as possible. Legionnaires was already entering the Heartland but she had instructed them to camp out in the wilderness, away from any settlements until she gave the go ahead. There were other things entering the Heartland as well. The royal guards had already reported seeing a great amount of rumbling from the dragon territories. The Draco'dim had already begun enforcing their "code". That was another problem that had to be dealt with sooner or later. For now, she had to raise the moon and then fly off to the next settlement.

Chapter 7 Divided Feelings To walk the halls of FangBreaker Fortress again felt like a triumph in itself for Vanguard Clash. It didn't matter that many of the walls were still covered in wolven graffiti, this was his home. More so than the house he was born in back at Bastion City. He hoped that his quarters had not been heavily vandalized. He remembered seeing the look on one Infantry captain's face when they saw that his quarters had been converted into a latrine. His quarters weren't Vanguard's destination for now however. He descended the stairs to the dungeons, one of the first few sections of the fortress that the legion had operational after reclaiming the fort. The battle to secure FangBreaker had concluded quickly after Nightmare Moon's disappearance. The sight of their "Moon-Shadow" being blasted by light so soon after their army had been decimated by a similar spell all but crushed the wolven defenders' morale. What followed was more of a slaughter than a proper battle. The legion smashed the wolven resistance into isolated pockets within the fort and then systematically crushed those pockets. Vanguard kept his new squad out of most of the fighting. When Twilight Sparkle disappeared and their jewelry shattered, most of the fight had been knocked out of them anyway. He had them searching busy searching for their missing friend. It was a fruitless search in the end. A pair of guards stood in front of the main entrance to the dungeons. They were the first of the several pairs assigned to guard the two prisoners that the legion made during FangBreaker's reclamation. Both of saluted when Vanguard approached. "I want to talk with the prisoner," he told them. "Of course, Captain Vanguard Clash," one of the guards replied. He opened the door and stepped aside. Echoing the same principle behind Bastion City's prison, FangBreaker's dungeon was small for the population it housed. Vanguard walked through the torch-lit corridor, passing by four more guards as he did so. At the

second corridor, he finally came upon the cell of one of the fort's two prisoners. Two more guards stood by the cell. He looked at these ones closely, taking note of the dents on their plated barding. One guard's champron was severely dented inward; Vanguard could see some blood from beneath the plating. The other guard's chest plate was badly dented as well. "How's the prisoner?" he asked. "Still alive, Captain Vanguard Clash," one guard replied. The way he spoke only confirmed what Vanguard had guessed. The guard mumbled painfully, likely the result his badly swollen cheek. "I want to speak to her alone." The two guards looked at each other hesitantly. "I don't know, sir, she was a member of your-" "The two of you have already taken some liberties with the pony who almost burned my face off," Vanguard said. "I'm sure you can grant me that opportunity as well." Both guards blanched at his hardened stare. "Just a few minutes," one guard said. Both of them left the hall and closed the door behind them. Once they were gone, Vanguard stepped moved closer and peered between the tempered steel bars and into the cell. After she surrendered to the same scouts that had found Twilight Sparkle, Pyre Valor had been thrown into the dungeons to await punishment. There was no doubting the sort of penalty she was going to get. Indeed, the only reason why she was still alive was that she was to be executed before the prince. "Come to gloat?" Pyre Valor asked in a weak and ragged voice. It was difficult to make her out in the flickering light but Vanguard saw the heavy shackles that bound her fore and hind legs. She dragged herself closer to the cell's door and he got a better view of her. Her left eye had swollen shut while her right was only a little better. She was bleeding from her nose, from a split lower lip and from a long gash across her forehead. A steel band, a horn-lock, had been wrapped around her horn. Embedded into the metal was a small, glowing stone of pink.

Though it hardly mattered, Vanguard felt a little glad that they had a hornlock in supply. Disruptor crystals, even one so small, were rare. The crystal disrupted magic that came within a few inches of it, making it invaluable for keeping unicorns from using their magic. Without it, the legion would have been forced to saw Pyre Valor's horn off. "Why should I gloat?" he asked. "You got everything you wanted, Pyre. The barrier is down and the chosen are being drafted. Oh, and hundreds of ponies are dead. Just as you planned. I'm surprised you're not dancing in your cell." Pyre dragged herself to her hooves and walked closer. "Those deaths were a necessary sacrifice, Vanguard," she replied. "I didn't want them and I certainly didn't plan them." "But they're there aren't they?" Vanguard snapped. He removed his champron and moved closer until his head was touching the bars of the cell. "What do you do with that fact now that your 'cause' is over?" "I'm going to die, Vanguard!" Pyre Valor snarled as she pressed her face against the bars. It was as close as she could get to bring her head against his. "I'm going to hang in front of the legion and die! What else do you want from me?" "How about regret? Or fear? Anything besides your high and mighty, inconsolable, self-righteous anger!" The two of them fell silent and stared at each other. With their faces so close together, Pyre could see the burn that marred one side of Vanguard's face. Some fur was beginning to grow again on the spot but the area was still discolored. Vanguard could pick out each individual bruise on Pyre's face. He could smell blood whenever she exhaled. A minute passed and it was Pyre who finally broke the silence. "I don't feel any regret over turning FangBreaker over to the wolven," she said resolutely. "Responsibility, maybe, but not regret. I'd do it all over again if I have to." "Then you're already dead, Pyre," Vanguard growled. "Your execution's just a formality. Your cause ate and killed you long before the guards dragged you into this cell." He was about to turn away but the sudden softening in Pyre's gaze held him fast. She raised a hoof to touch his face and he let her.

"That's almost true," Pyre said softly. "But I do regret something." She ran her hoof across Vanguard's burn. "I should have never struck you, Vanguard. I'm sorry." Vanguard closed his eyes. For a moment, he was a colt again, sitting in an alley and tending to his bruises while the local gang of bullies dragged themselves out of sight. There was Pyre Valor right in front of him, grinning ear to ear and pressing a damp handkerchief to his face. Two against six and they still came out winners. Then he opened his eyes and he was a legionnaire once more, standing inside FangBreaker's dungeons and talking to a condemned criminal. It was just the two of them here and they had both come out losers. He held Pyre's hoof briefly and then set it aside. "The burn will heal, Pyre. Soon, I'll look in a mirror and find it gone but you'll still be dead." Pyre smiled wryly, stepped away from the bars and lay on the floor. "True," she said. "But you'll have others with you by then, Vanguard. You already do now, right?" There wasn't anything else to say. Vanguard watched Pyre Valor settle down for a moment longer and then turned around. 'Goodbye, Pyre," he said softly as he began to walk way. "Goodbye, Vanguard," was the faint reply. Vanguard opened the door that led out of that wing of the dungeon. As the two guards walked in, he grabbed the both of them by their chest plates. "If I see any new injuries on her by morning, I will murder the both of you in your sleep," he growled. "You won't be the first ones." He shoved them aside and left the dungeon. The dark, dreary atmosphere was starting to bear heavily down on him. He needed something to stave off the awful mood. He had considered going over to visit Blademane but he changed his mind. The stallion had nothing to say to him and, truth be told, he had nothing to say to that stallion either. It was still dark when Vanguard made it to the courtyard. Before he had done so, he had made a quick stop to his old quarters and removed his barding. It had been only a couple of hours since the scouts found Twilight and Pyre and brought them back to the fortress, making it close to midnight. Rather than sleep, the forces that reclaimed FangBreaker were still out celebrating. Several bonfires burned brightly while groups of ponies

danced away around them. Vanguard scanned the crowd and, sure enough, quickly found Scarlet Rabbit. The red pegasus noticed him as well and flew over. Vanguard quickly noticed the bottle that Scarlet was carrying. "Hey, captain, ready to join the party now?" Scarlet asked. "They found a bunch of barrels of booze that the wolven hadn't touched! Can you believe it?" He guzzled the bottle he was holding and let out and excited yell towards the celebrations. It wasn't just Scarlet that had noticed Vanguard. Applejack had also walked over once she spotted Vanguard. He was glad to find her still sober. Leaving Scarlet to fly off and party some more, Vanguard focused his attention on her. "Still up, Applejack?" he asked. "I didn't want to be a party-pooper and go off to sleep while everypony's so happy," Applejack replied. She looked over to the celebrating crowd. "I mean really happy. A lot of ponies were crying and everything when we started to occupy this place." "Not surprising," Vanguard said. "This fortress means a lot to the ponies who defend it and not just because of strategic value. How are Twilight and the others?" "Twilight's gone to sleep in our new quarters. Poor filly looked exhausted when the guards brought her back." Applejack glanced at the party behind her. She didn't mention to Vanguard that all of them were still weighed down by the Elements of Harmony shattering. It was a bleak several hours for them when Twilight was gone and, when she came back it became an unspoken agreement among them to set aside the loss and celebrate with the legion for having defeated Nightmare Moon again and seeing that Twilight was safe. "Rainbow's having fun with her flight, Pinkie's helping out with the food, Fluttershy's asleep in the medical ward and Rarity let Scarlet convince her to try out some of that stuff he's guzzling. She's passed out over there." She pointed towards a quiet section of the courtyard were several legionnaires were sleeping off a combination of exertion, elation and too many drinks. Vanguard let himself smile a little. "You really did keep tabs on all of them, didn't you?" he asked.

"I figured you'd want to know," Applejack replied with a grin. "We're all fine, Vanguard. You should go and have some fun too." A look of concern dampened her cheery mood. "You're looking under the weather." Vanguard's thoughts threatened to go back to the darkened recesses of the dungeon he just left. He stopped himself halfway through and forced the smile to stay. Applejack wasn't buying it for a second. "You need to talk about something?" she asked. Vanguard fell silent for some time and then relented. "Over a drink perhaps," he said. "Sure! Just not whatever Scarlet's drinking." The two of them headed over to the stack of barrels that the legionnaires had brought out. One pony was in charge of refilling mugs as they came while a pair was tasked with keeping the more inebriated ponies from making off with entire barrels. "You're in luck," the pony in charge said as he handed both of them a full mug. "This is the last of the 'Good Stuff'. The next pony gets a mug of Stormbrew's 'Passable If You're Wasted Enough Swill'." With their drinks in hoof, Vanguard and Applejack settled down by one side of the courtyard. "So what's bothering you, Vanguard?" Applejack asked. Vanguard took a sip from his mug. "I just came from visiting Pyre Valor," he said. Applejack recognized the name. That was mostly because Twilight had mentioned it several times. All she really knew about Pyre Valor was that she was the pony that Nightmare Moon had possessed, she was once a member of Vanguard's squad and that Twilight really, really didn't like her. As a good friend, Applejack was inclined to share in Twilight's animosity towards the other unicorn. If that wasn't enough of a reason to dislike Pyre Valor, there was also her betrayal of the legion, beating up Twilight and burning Vanguard's face. Ever since Zecora, Applejack had never disliked a pony before meeting them but this Pyre Valor proving more and more to be the exemption. The lack of any anger or hate in Vanguard's tone when referring to Pyre Valor was a little disconcerting. "So what happened?" she asked.

"Nothing really," Vanguard replied. "I don't know what I was even expecting. She wasn't the least bit remorseful for what she had done to the legion and, even if she was, I wouldn't have been able to forgive her anyway." "Sounds like the two of you were friends," Applejack remarked. She surprised herself as soon as the words came out and then glanced worriedly at Vanguard. She hoped she hadn't offended him. "We were. I think we still are and I don't know if that's good or bad." Vanguard took another sip from his drink. "As ridiculous as it seems, now she has me considering things I shouldn't be." "Ain't a crime to be just thinking of things," Applejack said reassuringly. "What were you thinking about?" "Before you all came here, Pyre asked me to help her with her plans against the legion. I refused and she burned me. Now, I can't help but think that I failed her as a friend by not supporting her even if I knew she was wrong." "If you went and helped her…" Applejack's voice trailed off and she felt her throat go dry. Flustered, she took a large gulp from her mug and winced at the electric shock. She tried to think of what exactly would have happened to her and her friends if Vanguard hadn't been there to meet them during their fateful first night in FangBreaker Fortress. "If you'd done that then I'd be dead. We'd all be dead." Vanguard lowered his mug and looked at Applejack. "Would things really be that dire?" "Ya darn tootin' they'd be! That wolven would have torn Twilight's face off and we'd all have followed! None of us would have made it far out here without your help." "Except that none of you would even be here if it wasn't for me." Applejack softened her tone as she went on. "I'm no good with these messy friendship troubles. I don't study it day in and day out like Twilight used to do and I wouldn't know what to do if I had to fight any one of my friends like you did yours. I sure as hay can't tell you if you did right as a

friend by not helping your friend. But I…" She hesitated, suddenly afraid that she was sounding pretentious. There was no backing out for Applejack, however. Vanguard was now looking at her curiously. "You what?" "I'm just really happy you didn't. We wouldn't have met you if you did. Meeting you…well…" Applejack's voice shrank until it was barely audible. "...it's almost worth getting banished for…" She felt herself shrink to match the mouse-like squeaking that she had used to say those words. Vanguard looked at her as if he didn't even hear a thing. And why would he? The partying was still pretty loud even if it was beginning to wind down. "Now the both of us are getting sentimental," Vanguard said with a chuckle. "At this rate, we'll be maudlin once we get to the bottom of these mugs." Embarrassed and eager to move to a new topic, Applejack readily nodded in agreement. She took another gulp, gritting her teeth and shaking her head at the inevitable shock before setting her mug down on the ground. "We should do something fun!" she said cheerily. "Land's sakes, we're at a party and we're acting like sticks in the mud!" As if to answer Applejack, several ponies suddenly started playing music. She followed the sound and found a group of legionnaires with flutes and a guitar. Vanguard stood next to her, his own mug also on the ground, and listened. The ponies in the courtyard, those not passed out drunk anyway, laughed and nudged each other and then started forming pairs. "Is that a dance they're starting?" Applejack asked. Vanguard bobbed his head slightly at the music. "Yes," he answered. "I know this one: Snakedodge. Looks like somepony has a taste for Southern Barrier Land dancing." He looked at Applejack with a smile. "Come on," he said. The next thing Applejack knew, Vanguard had already grabbed her by one foreleg and was pulling her towards the gathered ponies. "Hey, wait!" she protested. "I don't know that dance!" "Do you really think I'm letting you use that excuse now?"

Now among the other legionnaires, Applejack could only bob to the music as the dancing started. "Snakedodge" was a fast paced jig of a dance. Some of the more tipsy dancers only got in a few seconds of dancing before falling over and laughing. Applejack concentrated on following Vanguard's movements. Seeing such quick steps from him was a little surprising as she was used to him being either ponderous thanks to his armor or awkward. The music began to speed up just as Applejack was starting to get used to the movements. "Snakedodge" suddenly seemed appropriate. The music did have a lively, frantic feel to it. So frantic that she suddenly tripped over her own foreleg, causing her to stumble forward. "Steady there," Vanguard said as he caught her before she could fall face first to the ground. The music began to wind down afterwards, allowing the ponies still dancing to catch their breath. "Sorry," Applejack mumbled, suddenly glad that the early morning darkness made it difficult to see her face. Vanguard didn't seem to hear her, however. He stood still and was looking at somepony. Applejack turned around to see what had caught his attention and then quickly noticed a familiar white unicorn with a bedraggled purple mane. She had to stifle a laugh at the sight. "Rarity!" she said with smile. "You up already?" Rarity answered with a bleary squint from her bloodshot eyes. She stumbled forward, forcing Applejack to step in and hold her steady. "Steady now, partner," Applejack said. Rarity didn't say a word in response. Instead, she leaned against Applejack with her head low and then vomited. "Oh for-! Gross! You got it all over my hooves! That's it, no more boozing for you, ever!" Chuckling, Vanguard stepped aside and let the two of them walked to the sides of the courtyard. "You better take her to your shared quarters, Applejack. In fact, I think it's time we all turned in." "Sure," Applejack replied. "Goodnight, Vanguard." "Goodnight."

As Vanguard watched his new vice-captain carry their friend away, he suddenly felt somepony tap him on the shoulder. He turned around to find his mother standing there. "You watch yourself, Captain Vanguard Clash," she said. "There are some nasty situations even my flight can't provide extraction from."

The halls of FangBreaker were eerily quiet compared to the celebrations going on out in the courtyard. Applejack half-dragged and half-carried Rarity through one stone hall after another, looking around to make sure that she hadn't gotten herself lost. "I saw that," Rarity muttered. "Saw what?" "You foaling around with Vanguard Clash." "We were just dancing, ain't nothing foalish about that." Rarity planted her hooves on the ground, forcing Applejack to stop. "You know that Twilight likes him, don't you?" she asked seriously. Though she still slurred, her tone brooked no nonsense. "Of course she does. He's a likeable pony. You like him too don't you? I'm sure, Rainbow, Pinkie and Fluttershy-" "Oh my stars, how dense can you be? You know what I mean!" Rarity interrupted irritably. "You have a crush on him! You're in love with him! You want to push him to the ground and give him a kiss! And so does she!" "What? No I don't! And Twilight-!" "For the Element of Honesty, you have a remarkable talent for deluding yourself, Miss I-can-do-all-the-farmwork-by-myself!" "Are you picking a fight or something? I'm letting this slide 'cause you're drunk and all but…"

"Oh you don't have to worry about me picking a fight. If there's a brewing fight here, it's between you and Twilight. I'm here trying to nip it in the bud while you pretend that nothing's wrong." Applejack couldn't respond beyond a confused look. Rarity stepped away from her and gave her a good hard look. "I'm prying, I know. I'm sorry. This shouldn't be any of my business. But you're making me worry, dear. We're supposed to be in harmony and it will be simply dreadful if Equestria's fate is lost because of a botched love triangle formed by our captain and two of the densest ponies I know." "That's not going to happen!" "I hope so. You're both my friends, Applejack. Far be it from me to decide who makes a better match for Vanguard but you should know that it's impossible for this to have any pleasant end. As soon as you stop deluding yourself, you have to realize that one of you has to give way." "So why are you only telling me? Have you told Twilight?" "I would. Except that…well…" "Well what?" "She's been quite scary lately," Rarity said sheepishly. "Now she has to deal with her teacher losing power, Spike going away, whatever happened to her this afternoon…making her deal with this might cause something bad. I know this is unfair but you're the more sensible between the two of you. Applejack, you have to step aside while this is still nothing but a passing crush." Applejack's face hardened. "Unfair is right," she said angrily. "I'm not even sure if what you're saying is true. What do you want me to do, start giving Vanguard the cold shoulder?" "Just put some distance between the two of you. No more dancing in the moonlight for starters." "I can't."

Rarity's expression hardened as well. "You mean you won't," she said flatly. "This is only going to get much worse, Applejack. Now, while it's not yet too late-" Applejack turned around angrily. Her expression softened as she placed a hoof over her chest. "Besides," she mumbled, "it probably is already." Rarity could only watch as Applejack walked ahead. "Since you can walk on your own now, I'll see you in our quarters. Get some sleep, Rarity," the orange pony called out to her from across the hallway. "Sleep?" Rarity muttered as she watched one half of a growing problem walk away. "I think I need another drink."

Chapter 8 Truths and Lies The day after FangBreaker's reclamation started out with a chorus of pained groans from the ponies who had indulged themselves with last night's celebrations. The courtyard was a mess, not just from the remains of the wolven occupants but also from the leftovers of the party. Empty barrels and mugs were scattered everywhere. More than a few ponies were still lying on the ground, feeling the consequences of the party. Work still had to go on despite the mess. Restorations were already being done as laborers assembled scaffoldings while waiting for the construction materials to be moved into the fort. Commander Dreadstep wanted FangBreaker Fortress not just operational but completely repaired before the spring offensive. Working through the winter was a tall order but a lot of the ponies stationed at FangBreaker found themselves enthused. The harsh conditions will serve as an additional penance for even allowing the fort to reach such a state of disrepair. Though she had stayed up past midnight, Applejack was up with the dawn. It wasn't because she was needed for pressing matters though. Until she received some kind of order from Vanguard or his higher-ups, she had to stay in this newly formed squad with her friends instead of going to Infantry and this squad didn't seem to have any other duties other than dealing with Nightmare Moon. The rest of her friends were preoccupied as well. Twilight had volunteered to sort out what was left of the fort's library and reshelf the books that the legion had saved during its retreat. After Rarity's talk last night, Applejack felt that maybe she should talk to Twilight. However, when tried to approach the purple unicorn, something inside her shrank back. The information was…too fresh. She was still so unsure about how much of Rarity's words were true. She needed some time to figure this out. "You have a crush on him! You're in love with him! You want to push him to the ground and give him a kiss!"

Applejack shook her head indignantly. 'Rarity's overreacting like she always does; fussing over tiny details and making them out be more serious than they really are. So what if I like being around Vanguard? Nothing wrong with enjoying a friend's company! And what's not to enjoy? He's brave, reliable, honest…kinda good looking…' She shook her head again. 'Darn that Rarity! Now I'm starting to doubt myself!' She looked around to see if she could find any recognizable faces. Fluttershy had slept in the medical ward last night and got right back to work in the morning. There were plenty of injured ponies to keep her and the rest of Medical busy. Both Rarity and Rainbow Dash were sleeping off headaches although Rainbow was already recovering when Applejack left their quarters and had mentioned getting some target practice once she could aim straight. With nothing else to do, Applejack had gone over to the training grounds for earth ponies. The place was still a mess with the walls and floor covered in wolven graffiti. Most of the debris had been cleared however and somepony had been considerate enough to set up a few target dummies. She looked down her chest, painfully remembering that the Element of Honesty had shattered just like the rest of the Elements of Harmony. She didn't know what caused the necklace to shatter but she instinctively assumed that it was her fault. With the elation of reclaiming FangBreaker and the celebrations now behind her, all the foreboding feelings began to crash down. Nightmare Moon was just one problem and she wasn't even sure if they had dealt with her completely. More problems loomed ahead and she felt restless just sitting around waiting for somepony to tell her what to do. That was why she had come to the training grounds. She had brought the length of chain she had received from Crow Quill: the supposed chain of Apple Slice, on a whim. She had no idea what to do with the thing but she figured that something that was passed along generations of ponies just to be given to her had to be useful. Despite being metal, the chain was as light as rope and its length made it easy to carry. But its shortness also made it useless for anything but tying up something small. "Hey there!" Applejack didn't quite recognize the cheery greeting that came from behind her. She had heard the soft-speaking tone somewhere but couldn't place it. She turned around and saw a dark blue unicorn whose purple mane came

down in elaborate ringlets. A few more seconds and she found the name that went with this pony's features. "Captain Nightcanter," she said with a salute. "So formal!" Nightcanter remarked, her crooked smile widening slightly. "No need to stand on ceremony there, legionnaire. By the way, you're that mare that Vanguard was dancing with last night, aren't you? He mentioned your name before. What was it? Applejack?" "Yes, ma'am." "I've never seen Vanguard dance before and I've done my share of trying to get him to." Nightcanter leaned forward and nudged Applejack slyly. "So what happened after that? Did you start rolling your oats once you got somewhere private?" "Rolling my oats?" Applejack asked in confusion. "No, ma'am. I'm more of an apple farmer. Don't know much about working with oats. I do have an uncle who tried his hoof in the oat business once." Her tone grew grim for a moment. "The Oat Family didn't take too kindly to that." The smile on Nightcanter's face lessened slightly. "I meant did you do some horizontal dancing?" "Uh…no, we just stuck to 'Snakedodge'. That was pretty hard too. Not as hard as 'Horizontal Dancing' I reckon. How do you even do that?" Nightcanter stared at Applejack incredulously and then shook her head. "Nevermind," she muttered. "I'll just assume you didn't do what I thought you might have done." More ponies began to enter the training grounds. Some ponies worked on cleaning up the place while the others started exercising to get rid of the lethargy brought about by last night's partying. Nightcanter focused on something else, her eyes landing on the chain that was currently coiled around Applejack's neck. "So what do you have there?" she asked. "Not planning to strangle ourselves, are we?" "No," Applejack replied. "This here chain's supposed to have belonged to Apple Slice but I don't know what to do with it." Nightcanter's eyes widened. "Apple Slice?" she asked incredulously. "As in 'The Last Great Apple' Apple Slice? "

"There's that title again! There are a lot of great Apples out there. Not just whoever this pony is! Why there's-" Nightcanter put a hoof up. "You can list off a hundred of your chosen Apples, Applejack. They might be great but not in the same way Apple Slice was. May I have a look at that chain?" Reluctantly, Applejack handed the length of chain to Nightcanter. The dark blue unicorn inspected it with her horn glowing. "Obviously magical," she said. "How'd you get this?" Applejack narrated her encounter with Crow Quill back in Bastion City while Nightcanter listened intently. She felt a little embarrassed having somepony focus on her so much as if she was something special. "You should be honored," Nightcanter said. An enchanted weapon requires powerful magic." "Magic huh?" Applejack remarked. "I'm sure the unicorns here have a lot of those stashed away." "Not really. We can create temporary ones with some effort. But an enchantment to last through centuries…a unicorn died to make this, Applejack. Probably several." A grim look flashed on Nightcanter's face but she quickly replaced it with an enthusiastic smile. "Anyway, there are a lot of stories about Apple Slice bringing down ursans by lassoing them," she suggested. "Have you given that a try?" "Lassoing?" Applejack asked skeptically. "Just look at how short it is! Sure I could lasso things with it, if those things were a spitting distance away." "That's your earth pony-ness talking." "My what?" "Your earth pony-ness: that stubborn, no-nonsense tendency of yours not to trust anything that you can't get a feel of with your senses. This is a magical object, an artifact even, you have to trust in its magic, not in what it looks or feels like." "I've never used magic before," Applejack said. "I'm no unicorn. Guess I'm better off giving this to Twilight or Rarity."

Nightcanter's horn was still glowing as she stretched out the chain. "Then you'd be handing them junk," she said. "The enchantments here are pretty specific. Think about it. There aren't any stories about any pony in the Barrier Lands wielding a magic chain after Apple Slice. You'd think somepony would have taken up some magical equipment but no. One explanation I'd consider is that it doesn't work for just anypony. If you really are related to him in some way, you're the best candidate." Applejack now looked at the chain with even more distrust. For a moment, she didn't want to have anything to do with the chain now that she knew that some unicorns died to make it. She thought about it for a moment and then decided that it would do those unicorns a disservice. After all, they had sacrificed a lot to create this thing and made sure that only her family could use it. "Just give it a try," Nightcanter insisted. "Alright." Applejack tied the chain into a lasso and then gave it a whirl. Nightcanter pointed her to a distant, unoccupied practice dummy. With a shrug, Applejack tossed the lasso, expecting the chain to jerk once it reached its very short maximum distance. The links stretched out…and then kept flying. Applejack nearly dropped the chain as she watched the looped end reach the target and land on point. Reflexively, she gave the chain a tug once it landed to tighten the loop. The target dummy snapped near its base and then clattered on the ground. Nightcanter walked forward and examined the extended chain. "Force," she said with awe. The other ponies had noticed now and were moving in to see the strange weapon. Applejack chuckled nervously at the increasing attention. "Sorry about the target," she said. "I didn't mean to, I swear I just gave it a good tug." "Did you really?" Nightcanter asked. "It boosts its wielder's strength too. Probably important seeing as trying to lasso say, a rampaging ursan, would be impossible without such an enchantment." The murmurs among the crowd flustered Applejack further. She pulled back the chain and wanted to put it away when links suddenly clicked

together, even going so far as undoing the loop. In an instant, she was holding a simple, short length of chain again. "You lucky pony," Nightcanter said. "To wield the weapon of the legendary Apple Slice…I'd cut off a leg for that honor." A loud, mocking snort came from the gathered ponies around them. Nightcanter frowned and then looked over to them. "Who did that?" she asked the crowd angrily. "I did!" An orange pegasus stallion with a cropped, bright green mane stepped forward. Applejack noticed his barding, which was similar to the one Flight Captain Tailwind wore, including the special, stylized wing. "I heard what you were gushing about. 'Legendary' Apple Slice my flank! The stallion is a glorified murderer who dragged his ponies with him to a massacre!" "Hey!" Applejack said indignantly. "Don't you badmouth my family like that!" "You've only stayed in this place for a short time," the pegasus said offhandedly. "It only makes sense that you have no grasp of our history." He shifted his gaze back to Nightcanter. "I'm surprised that a Special Operations captain is feeding a legionnaire the same sugar-coated tripe that they tell earth pony foals before bedtime." "And I'm surprised that a flight captain thinks I won't strangle him with his own tail just for that snort!" Nightcanter hissed. "You stay out of dark corners, Sunray." "You should hear the truth if you really are related in some way to Apple Slice," Sunray told Applejack. "The stallion is no hero. During the division process, Princess Celestia chose the Apple Family to settle in the Heartland. That same family cast Apple Slice out because he was a budding violent psycho. He then worked his way up the legion's ranks by being a ruthless murderer until he snapped, led his ponies against a horde of ophidites and got massacred. It was such an embarrassment that the legion whitewashed the event as a 'heroic last stand'." He looked at the chain with disgust. "I can only imagine how many…creatures he strangled to death with that thing."

"Celestia drill my backside!" Nightcanter scoffed. "You're one of those conspiracy nags! Don't listen to this idiot, Applejack, he's a damn chosen apologist who thinks Apple Slice must be garbage because his high and mighty clan tossed him out!" The two ponies sized each other up while the crowd continued to watch now more for seeing what would happen between the two quarreling captains than checking out the mysterious chain. "That's enough quibbling!" another pony from the crowd said. It was a unicorn stallion this time, a bright blue one with a long, curly white mane. "You're both wrong anyway," he said haughtily. "Apple Slice couldn't have possibly been a hero or a psychopath. He'd have to exist to be either." Nightcanter rolled her eyes. "Here we go," she said, "another 'earth ponies are useless' lecture from Mage Captain Drizzlecloud!" "I hate to disappoint you but Apple Slice is not real." the other unicorn said to Applejack. "He's a myth created by the legion to inspire earth ponies during that time. Prior to the legend of Apple Slice, earth ponies had no heroes to look up to. Pegasi had Wind Runner and Ash Frost. Unicorns had Afterthought and Moonrage. To keep Infantry recruitment going strong, the legion invented Apple Slice, the noble farmer turned hero who gallantly refused to join his family in the Heartland to continue protecting Equestria. A few centuries later, when the earth ponies finally had actual heroes, some pegasi started spreading stories about how Apple Slice was actually a monster. Likely because they felt that the earth ponies were getting too proud." "Of course the unicorns had a clear conscience in the entire affair," Sunray muttered. "They always do in Drizzlecloud's 'historical facts'." Drizzlecloud turned his nose up. "Don't blame me, blame the truth." "Hold on for one pony-picking minute here!" Applejack finally interrupted. Despite being faced by captains she wasn't going to sit there while they threw one story after another about somepony who might be family. "The Queen told me that Apple Slice fell valiantly in battle during his last stand!" The three stopped and looked at Applejack.

"The Queen?" Drizzlecloud asked. "The Queen as in our prince's mother and one of the Eternal Herd's omnipotent rulers?" "Yes, that Queen," Applejack said. "I believe her," Nightcanter added. "I heard it from Vanguard Clash. The Queen spoke to our prince through this one." "Then I will not doubt that the Queen did speak with you," Drizzlecloud replied. "But as to what she actually told you…that I can throw some doubt on." "What do you mean?" Applejack asked angrily. "Rather convenient to say that the Queen told you that now that Apple Slice's story is the topic of the conversation." "Are you calling me a liar?" Applejack stepped closer towards Drizzlecloud. "I oughta-" "You can roast me over a slow fire if you want," Drizzlecloud interrupted. "It doesn't make you more truthful in anypony's eyes. You're better off showing proof." Applejack fell silent. There was no proof. To be doubted like this was painful, irritating and humiliating to a degree. She wanted to lash out but Drizzlecloud was right, hurting anypony would prove nothing. "And I suppose you have proof, Drizzlecloud?" Nightcanter asked. "I can show you documents if you want," the other unicorn replied. "I happen to have done some research into this personally." "And I've got a few books about the subject back in Bastion City," Sunray said. "No doubt written by pegasi," Drizzlecloud retorted. Before anypony else could say something a sudden blast from a horn sent everypony scrambling. The training grounds cleared in less than a minute. "What's going on?" Applejack asked. "What was that horn blowing for?"

"The prince is arriving," Nightcanter said. She didn't panic like the others but she did show some surprise. "It's to be expected though. Don't know why everypony's in a panic." "Uh…Captain Nightcanter?" "Yes?" "Thank you kindly for helping me out with this thing." Nightcanter smiled in return. "No problem, Applejack. If you and Vanguard do start doing it and need some company, give me an invite. I really want to see him cut loose." Her smile widened playfully. "You don't look so bad yourself." Applejack didn't know if she should smile back or be afraid. "You better get back with your squad. I'm willing to bet that our prince is going to want to see all of you!" With that, Nightcanter walked off. Applejack coiled the chain around her neck and made her way back to the shared quarters.

Despite the initial scramble, FangBreaker's occupants were quick to provide Prince Terrato the best welcome they could manage. The audience hall had been cleared of debris and cleaned up enough to be presentable. Most of the fortress wasn't too worried after the surprise. Their prince didn't care much for pomp anyway. Prince Terrato had arrived by teleportation, appearing within the audience hall to the shock of the workers still there. He had not come alone either. With him were Commander Dreadstep and a tall, slender alicorn with a flowing pink mane and a pristine white coat. Whispers quickly went rampant throughout the fortress especially when the sun symbol on her flank was noticed. Princess Celestia was in FangBreaker Fortress. Rumors were already abounding in Bastion City and they only grew in number now. Most of the morning was spent on inspection. Terrato surveyed his newlyacquired fortress with a sense of pride for his legionnaires and grim speculation. If he was going to use this place as a launching point for his

invasion, expansions will probably have to take place. By noon time, he was sitting by the audience hall and receiving reports with Dreadstep and Celestia. His eldest sister had fallen silent ever since she spent a day in Bastion City as an earth pony. The glumness on her face made his heart ache but, when he tried to ask her about what happened, she had not answered with anything. He had called for the Elements of Harmony. Perhaps the sight of her beloved student would put some cheer in his sister. Then he had an execution to attend. He thought it best to do that without her at his side. When the Elements of Harmony did walk in, however, he realized that they might end up doing the opposite of what he wanted of them. It didn't take long for Celestia to notice as well. Her eyes widened with concern and she leaned forward. Before she could say anything, Terrato spoke first. "You're looking significantly less gaudy than when we last had a meeting," he told them. "Are my aesthetics starting to rub off on you or is there something you'd like to tell me?" It was Twilight Sparkle who stepped forward. She kept her head low while she spoke. "Your highness, the Elements of Harmony….well…they shattered." "Twilight…" Celestia stepped forward and then went to her student's group. All of them gathered around her seeking some comfort. Terrato let them stay that way for some time while Dreadstep looked to him nervously. The old stallion knew the signs of his prince's growing impatience. "That's enough feeling sorry for yourselves," Terrato finally said. He turned towards Celestia in exasperation. "Stop coddling them, Celestia! Astraulis neveth arahn!" Applejack's eyes widened in realization. "Hey, I recognize that! The Queen said it to me before." Celestia shot a disapproving look at Terrato before addressing Applejack. "Harmony comes from within," she said. "Don't be so sad, girls. It's true that the loss of the physical elements is a terrible but all is not lost." "What do you mean, your highness?" Twilight asked.

"True Harmony does not rely on metal and stone," Celestia said with a reassuring smile. "The jewelry you held served as focuses to channel the power of harmony. Without them it will be difficult to call forth the power of the Elements of Harmony but not impossible." Twilight felt some of the weight lift from her shoulders. Hope. It was becoming harder and harder to notice that. "How do we do that, your highness?" she asked. "Tell me first as to how they came to shatter," Celestia replied. Twilight narrated their last encounter with Nightmare Moon. Her friends added their experience after she had disappeared. Celestia fell silent when Twilight mentioned the voices she heard when she was transported into the middle of nowhere. When she looked towards Terrato, the prince had also fallen into a frowning contemplation. "From what you've told me, I can only guess that you and your friends were not in harmony when you tried to use the elements," Celestia finally said. "The devices sensed your great need and activated anyway but the strain of doing so was too much." "So we broke the elements…" Twilight said glumly. "No, Twilight, you broke the devices," Celestia said firmly. "Whatever has come between you and your friends must be dealt with and then…" She hesitated briefly before going on. "It is difficult to explain. You must simply remember that Harmony has personal as well as social aspects. You must grow in both." "We will, princess," Twilight said with determination. She looked to her friends who nodded in return. She noticed that both Rarity and Applejack were doing so with less enthusiasm. "I have full faith in you, Twilight. One more thing." Celestia leaned forward to whisper to her student. "Later, I would like to talk to you about this Pyre Valor." Twilight nodded with less enthusiasm and Celestia walked back to her place next to Terrato who was watching the entire scene with an awkward expression. "Good that you have that settled," he said. "With Nightmare

Moon gone, there won't be much of a need for you to remain a squad. I want you to return to your previous positions and concentrate on your training." "Terrato, perhaps you should let them see their families first," Celestia suggested. "They were forced to leave their homes so abruptly." Terrato paused to consider the option and then returned his gaze to Twilight and the others. "Would you like that?" he asked them. "Would you like to see your families?" "That would be lovely!" Rarity said. The others nodded in agreement. "Go then. I'll give you a couple of weeks. While you're there I want you to help facilitate the drafts. Having fellow chosen tell them the importance of what needs to be done should move your neighbors along. You are dismissed." Twilight bowed along with her friends and then left the audience hall. Once they were gone, Celestia turned towards Terrato. "Lunalux Umbra and Solis Coruscaria," she said. She spoke quietly, just out of Dreadsteps hearing. "The handmaidens of Oceanus. Is he on the verge of returning?" "He's one rebellion short," Terrato replied. "I had thought that all the betrayers had fallen into dormancy. I don't know how those two stayed up but we'll deal with them when the time comes. Hopefully with you back in full power." A knock on the doors of the audience hall drew both alicorns' attention. The guards opened them and a legionnaire and entered and bowed low before them. "Your highness, we have a pony here who teleported into the fortress asking for an audience with you." "You sound pretty urgent, legionnaire," Terrato said. "Something else I should know?" "Yes, your highness. He said that his name was Blue Moon, leader of The Thorns, and that it was imperative that he see you at once." The sudden frown on Terrato's face told Celestia that the guard's urgency was more than justified. "Bring him in," Terrato said.

"Terrato, who is this pony?" "Blue Moon is Black Rose's younger brother," Terrato said. "The Thorns serve as her special tasks group. They should also be dead but the fact that they aren't shouldn't come as a surprise when dealing with her." Celestia felt herself tense. Black Rose: the pony who had brazenly stolen her power during that fateful day. It had been some time since she last heard of the newly formed alicorn. She looked towards the doors and watched as a unicorn stallion, flanked by a pair of guards, walked through them. He was so slender and delicately featured that Celestia almost thought that he was a mare. He had a flowing, silvery blue mane similar to Blueblood's but longer and his coat was a very pale blue. He wore an elaborate soft-clothed coat, partly armored around the neck and shoulders with gracefully curving plates of metal. On his collar was the emblem of a black, five-petaled rose with six thorns protruding symmetrically around it. "Blue Moon," Terrato said. "Your sister has been quite a headache lately." He unleashed his magic as he spoke, looking to break down any magical defenses around Blue Moon before trapping the stallion in a cage of diamond. To his surprise, he found none. He delayed the caging spell for now. "I assume the rest of The Thorns are up and about as well?" he asked. Blue Moon knelt down with his head held low. "Lion Court, Longstride and Sable Steel have all been given their assignments, your highness," he replied. "Rhapsody failed to revive but Black Rose still has the Warsinger and only needs somepony skilled enough to play it. Frenzy Heart also failed to revive and will have to be replaced completely." "That's…unusually informative," Terrato said. "What are you up to, Blue Moon?" "Your highness, I am here to warn you of my sister's plans."

Chapter 9 Teachers and Students "Is there something wrong, little brother? I gave you an assignment like the others but you haven't moved." Blue Moon stood at perfect attention while his older sister reclined on a sofa. He was still getting used to her new appearance since the last time he met her, which was hundreds of years ago. Though still slender and delicate in appearance, Black Rose had more than doubled in size and that growth was accompanied by an awe-inspiring aura of power that she seemed to unconsciously exude. Even staring at her directly gave Blue Moon a mild trembling. Whenever she stretched out her black-feathered wings, the fire light in her new hideout caused them to cast a truly ominous shadow. Nevertheless, she spoke to him with the same fondness that she did back when he was a colt desperately trying to follow in her footsteps. He also didn't miss the ruthlessness beneath her tone. For his entire life, he had never seen his sister angry or upset but he had seen her mercilessly bring about the deaths of hundreds of enemies. "With your permission, I would like to understand something first," he replied. "Of course, what would you like to know?" "Celestia's barrier is down and Equestria is on the path of reunification. The wolven have fled and there doesn't seem to be any imminent threats from Ursinium and Ophidus. You've accomplished everything you set out to do." "How kind of you to say so." Black Rose smiled and dipped her head slightly as if Blue Moon had just complimented her mane. "However, I have not accomplished everything." "Do you really need Princess Celestia's power for your remaining goals?" "I didn't take her power as a requirement for my other goals, little brother. I did so because she was miserable underneath the weight of her responsibility. Celestia lacks the proper disposition necessary to rule over Equestria and it will cause nothing but misery to continue to expect so

much from her. My ascendance is not a matter of ambition but simple logistics: assigning the best mare for the job." "And I believe in your assessment. It's just that I would be more at peace if the methods you used were more indicative of your goal of helping Equestria, Commander." "Come now, Blue Moon. Didn't I tell you that you may call me 'big sister' when we're alone?" Blue Moon didn't respond to that. A look of disappointment crossed his sister's face. "I frighten you as well, do I?" she asked. "Would it put you more at ease if I told you of what I planned to do next?" "Yes." "Then listen closely…" With the memory of his last meeting with his sister replaying in his mind, Blue Moon stepped forward and knelt before Prince Terrato. He had felt the alicorn's magic come upon him the moment he entered the audience chamber. It was only when Terrato relented by not slaying him with hostile magic did he relax a little. His lack of defenses had paid off and he could at least say what he had come to say without being smashed into a bloodstain. "Before I even bother listening to what you have to say about your sister's plan, you'd better explain yourself," Terrato said. "As silly as it may sound, I'm not going to just believe that the leader of Black Rose's special tasks group and her younger brother just decided to betray her on a whim." "It was Black Rose who betrayed me, your highness!" Blue Moon said with a measure of indignation. "I supported her because I believed she had the good of Equestria as her goal." He shifted his gaze to Celestia as he continued. "I believed that the barrier was wrong and that Equestria needed to be reunited. I even agreed with her plan to take away Princess Celestia's power to bring about those changes. But I cannot support her now that I've found out what she's planning." "And what exactly is she planning?" Terrato asked.

Blue Moon paused slightly before answering. He had spent so long both serving his sister and convincing himself that he was independent of her but it was only now that he was finally going to be able to separate the two. "Your highness, Black Rose plans to utilize The Blasphemous Rift." The only outward sign of whatever Terrato felt towards the news was a darkening of his expression. Next to the prince, Celestia clenched her jaw tightly. It was all she could do not to start trembling in both shock and anger. "How does she plan on getting in there?" Terrato asked. "Not even Celestia's full power can open the seals placed on The Blasphemous Rift." "She devised a method after going through the library of Lexarius. As to what it is, I cannot say." Blue Moon looked aside briefly. "She would not trust even her highest officers with that." It was Terrato's turn to fall silent for a while. Black Rose's access to the knowledge contained within Lexarius's library was just one more foolish act of trust that he regretted. He glanced at Celestia and could tell from her expression that she was also piecing together what his former student's ultimate goal could be. Blue Moon didn't even need to say anything more. He can understand why even Black Rose's own brother refused to serve her. She was reaching too high and asking for too much. "Dreadstep, have Blue Moon horn-locked and imprisoned," Terrato told the fort's commander. "I want him heavily guarded by your strongest unicorn magi at all times." He turned towards Blue Moon. "I'm sure that won't be a problem for you now. I need to verify your information and keep you available." "At once, your highness," Dreadstep replied. The old stallion didn't even have a questioning look in his face despite all the information he had just heard. Blue Moon kept his head bowed. "I fully expected this, your highness," he said. The two left the audience chamber along with the guards, leaving Terrato alone with his sister. For some time, they didn't even so much as look at one another. The information was still sinking in; the audacity, the ambition

and the sheer magnitude of what Black Rose was planning…even for immortal alicorns, it was just too much to take in at once. "Your student has gone too far, Terrato," Celestia finally said. "I had her at pitting us against each other and stealing your power," Terrato replied. "Even we don't know what exactly Oceanus left in The Blasphemous Rift before the Eternal Herd sealed it. She is basing her plans on a dangerous unknown!" "We know that Oceanus severely harmed father with it," Terrato said darkly. "And now we know that even taking your power is just one more step for her. Black Rose will not stop short of rulership over the Eternal Herd itself even if it means she has to usurp Oceanus's most monstrous achievements, keep him in the background and bring about the ninth rebellion by herself." "You sound a little proud," Celestia said with a tinge of worry. "Maybe," Terrato replied without meeting his sister's gaze. "I used to praise her for her grand planning and her occasional bold gambles. She's come a long way from clearing out ursan outposts." He shook his head and focused. "Regardless, now that we may have a lead, this will change things. I'm going to have to move more of the legion to the Heartland so we can monitor the entrance to The Blasphemous Rift. I'm also going to send more researchers to the library of Lexarius and have them work on finding out how to undo the seals." The first part of the plan didn't sit in well with Celestia. She had hoped that Terrato would keep the presence of his legionnaires in the Heartland to a minimum at least for the first few years. She could already imagine the grim, vigilant presence of the legion's ponies within every village, their hardened, uniform grays, browns and blacks, Terrato's preferred colors, intermingling with the bright and colorful background. And then there was The Blasphemous Rift. Including the rift where Oceanus first fell in the Heartland's creation was an unfortunate but necessary evil. It lay almost at the very center of Equestria; a dark, gigantic crevice that harbored the lingering traces of the most evil creature in

existence. It was also within the rift that the first mortal ponies came forth. When Lexarius had first arrived in this world, he and several of the highest ranked stewards in the Eternal Herd were tasked with obliterating any traces of Oceanus and his followers. The group had succeeded in almost every area except for the rift. There was something within the darkest bowels of that rift, something that Oceanus left behind when he and his followers desperately dragged themselves into hiding. Not even the combined efforts of the strongest stewards in the Eternal Herd could so much as move the thing. With the King and Queen unable to enter this world without annihilating half of it, the stewards channeled as much of their rulers' divine power as possible and sealed the thing away. Lexarius then built over The Blasphemous Rift to safeguard it from prying eyes. When Celestia took over where the insane Lexarius had failed, she placed her own safeguards over The Blasphemous Rift, hiding even the structures that Lexarius built around it away from her little ponies. The Heartland had no need of any reminder of a conflict none of them should be involved in. Let Oceanus be hidden away until the time of his final defeat arrives. She looked to Terrato. There was still one more puzzle to Black Rose's plan. How was she going to get inside the rift? Terrato's former student was a cunning, manipulative mare now with the power of an alicorn princess but the seals that barred her way represented the authority of the Eternal Herd itself. "Celestia." It took a few seconds more before Celestia realized that her brother was calling her attention. "Yes?" she asked. "Perhaps it's time to bring the Eternal Herd into this. I can open a gate and" "No!" Celestia said vehemently. "If we call for aid and mention The Blasphemous Rift, that zealot, Gravitas, will insist on bringing an army to this world. How much will be destroyed from just the resulting gates he will open? No, I will not call out to the Eternal Herd unless this world is truly on the verge of destruction." "You've opened a gate before," Terrato insisted.

"And it was a foolish, reckless and paranoid thing to do, even if I only called out a small number of enforcers. Gravitas will bring them out by the hundreds without any concern of what they will do to this world or how the other heavenly realms will react." "Surely, the King and Queen will not allow their general to act so rashly." Celestia's brows furrowed. "If I could say without a single doubt that Father and Mother's foremost concern is protecting the ponies that sprang from Oceanus, I would not have insisted on staying after we cast Lexarious into Vestibulum." Terrato shook his head. "Stubborn…" he muttered. "Fine, we'll do everything we can to make sure that the Eternal Herd isn't involved any further. Moving on, I'm going to the Heartland soon. You should come with me. There's only so much reassurance that Luna can provide in your absence." Celestia nodded her agreement. She had also wanted to see how the Heartland was doing ever since her decree. "May I ask you something, Terrato?" she asked. "What is it?" "You've kept Twilight and her friends together in a group before, why are you separating them now?" "I don't need them together right now. They'll serve the legion better in their respective fields instead of hanging out as a group doing nothing." Celestia frowned at the answer. "The elemental foci shattered clearly due to a lack of harmony on their part," she said. "How can you expect them to mend their bonds if you keep them apart?" "Because I want them to depend on each other, not be dependent on each other!" Terrato snapped. He let out a sharp exhale before he continued, mindful of who he was talking to. "They've been together for a long time, they even got banished together as I recall. That's all well and good but now I want them to think for themselves for a while. They've been through a lot and I want them to think carefully of where they stand now with all the changes in their world. If, as a group, their whole is greater than the sum of

their parts then strengthening them individually should produce greater results." "And what if they drift apart further?" "They are the Elements of Harmony. I believe in the strength of their bonds. Coddling them will accomplish nothing. Their bonds should be tempered with some isolation and conflict in the same way steel is tempered with fire and hammer blows." "These are living ponies you are dealing with, Terrato, not lifeless weapons! Their bonds should be nourished and sustained, not strained until they break!" Terrato matched Celestia's indignant glare with a hardened one of his own. "Those ponies have been under your care for a long time," he said. "The results haven't been good enough. It's time I took care of things my way." Celestia reeled from having her brother cast doubt on her methods. The barrier was one thing but for Terrato to suggest that she had failed in properly guiding the Elements of Harmony…"If they break from your rough treatment there will be no turning back," she insisted. "Ponies aren't like tools that you can just repair when broken." "I've ruled over ponies too, Celestia! You've taken a look around and you weren't surrounded by broken tools. You were surrounded by an army that has stood strong throughout the centuries. I believe in my methods." "The greatest result of your methods knifed me with her magic and-!" Celestia stopped, realizing what her indignation was causing her to do. "Terrato, I'm sorry. I've been with your ponies and they're-" Terrato put a hoof up to interrupt Celestia. He looked far away and he spoke with a slight tremble in his voice. Celestia didn't need to make eye contact. If he had placed walls around himself before, they had just been doubled and reinforced. "My student played you like a fiddle and then took what she wanted from you. Hers is an intelligence and drive that Twilight Sparkle can only wish she had." He stood from his seat and walked to the doors. Before opening them, he looked back one more time at his sister. "The assignments stay," he said harshly. "All six of them signed a contract

when they joined up. If they break it by going against my orders, I will smite them where they stand." The doors closed behind Terrato as he left, leaving Celestia to curse at herself.

"Are you alright, your highness?" That was the first thing that Twilight said to her mentor the moment the alicorn entered FangBreaker's library. "I'll be fine, Twilight," Celestia replied. She had not donned any disguise while within FangBreaker. Terrato had briefed his legionnaires earlier about her situation and she now walked with six armed guards in tow, each one hoof-picked by the prince himself. She would have preferred a less imposing escort but her brother would have none of it. When she sat down, the guards positioned themselves at a distance around her. The ponies working in the library gave her and Twilight a wide berth for some privacy. Twilight took note of the choice of words. Her mentor was not fine now. The princess looked tired and visibly shaken. It wasn't physical exertion that weighed down on Princess Celestia. Twilight could only frown as she suspected its source. For all his talk about his "dearest sister", Prince Terrato showed about as much affection for Princess Celestia as he would an unwanted houseguest. For the rest of the afternoon, Twilight had returned to helping out in the library while preparations were made for their departure. The prospect of returning to the Heartland, to Ponyville and her old home, left her both elated and apprehensive. To see everypony in Ponyville again would be wonderful; talking with her neighbors, seeing all the familiar sights…even the warmth of someplace that wasn't so far to the north would be most welcome. But there were also the things that she dreaded to see; how everypony would react to the ponies who had been banished and were now returning from a land of war and seeing the legion's presence in their old homes. No matter how much she wished it were so, Twilight knew that going back to Ponyville was no return to how things used to be. Soon, she will see how war would affect all of the Heartland. To make matters worse, she and her friends had a hoof in making it happen.

Being surrounded by books, however, helped set Twilight at ease. She was horrified to find out that the wolven had been using the books in this place as bonfire fuel. The ones that had survived proved to be a fascinating source of information about the Barrier Lands. She was particularly interested in a book she had found about Starswirl the Bearded. It was surprising to find that the two realms shared some lore. Learning about the Barrier Lands' account of the great unicorn would be eye-opening. That would have to be set aside for later however. Right now, Twilight expected a talk from her mentor that involved a subject she was less enthusiastic about: Pyre Valor. She moved to the princess's side, ready to offer her support as Celestia took a seat by one of the newly set up long tables. With her mentor seated, Twilight took hers as well so they were seated in front of each other. "Tell me more about this Pyre Valor," Celestia said. "There was something peculiar in your tone when you were talking about her while you narrated what happened to you after the elemental foci broke." "Pyre Valor was the first pony I ran into when I first came here," Twilight began. She wasn't very enthusiastic about the topic but she wasn't going to disobey the princess over something like this. "Landed on, to be exact. We…we didn't get along." Celestia settled into her seat and leaned closer to listen. She had to shift her weight a bit because of her size but she was fine otherwise. "Yet she saved your life," she said. "Only because I was useful to her!" Twilight replied. "We've fought a couple of times. She hates my guts and I hate her too! But…" The intensity in Twilight's voice took Celestia aback. She had never heard her faithful student speak of anypony like this before. "What is it?" she asked. Twilight stared at her forelegs and pressed her lips together. Ever since she arrived in FangBreaker after being randomly teleported, her thoughts about the perpetually angry unicorn had been a confused and dark cloud in her head. She tried to think back to her fight with Pyre Valor on that Bastion City rooftop and then during their fight with Nightmare Moon. Her feelings were much clearer during those times; clearer and purer. She had matched

Pyre Valor's anger with her own and used that feeling to fuel her spell casting. The world shrank when she was fighting Pyre Valor. She traded an expansive view for a narrower, sharper one that she could only imagine once the fight was over. Now, she couldn't help but be reminded of previous conversations with Vanguard. He was adamant about treating Pyre Valor as an enemy. It was only now that she really understood why. It was just so much easier. She knew what to do with a Pyre Valor who wanted her dead. She had no idea what to make of a Pyre Valor who had saved her life. "They're going to execute Pyre Valor soon," Twilight finally said. Throughout her reverie, the princess had waited patiently without any intrusion. "They're just waiting for the rest of FangBreaker's troops to arrive so every defender of the fort can see it. She's tried so hard to kill me and I've fought back just as hard but…I don't want her to die. Certainly not like this!" She looked desperately at Celestia, hoping that her mentor would know an answer to put her at ease. "I don't understand, your highness. She's my enemy and she brought this on herself but I just feel that, if she dies, I'll lose something important!" Celestia reached out with a hoof towards Twilight, who trembled and closed her eyes at the touch. As much as it pained her to admit it, there was a small kernel of truth in Terrato's words. She could have prepared her student more for this. She would have if she had anticipated it. Just a century ago, she couldn't even imagine having to prepare anypony for the rigors of strife and everything that accompanied it. Still, it was not too late. "It's alright, Twilight," she said. Twilight opened her eyes a little in confusion. "Your highness?" she asked. "You've done nothing wrong," Celestia said softly. "Showing respect, mercy or even some admiration for an enemy is not a betrayal of what you believe in. You have seen some good amidst all the qualities that you dislike, think about that." "But she's going to die soon…" "Yet not everything she is needs to die with her. Have you tried to talk to her since her imprisonment?"

Twilight's lips pressed into a pout. "She never has anything to say to me. If I try she'll just call me a bothersome nag again." "She's attacked you with worse, hasn't she? A few rude words should count for nothing, especially with her time so uncertain." Twilight's pout disappeared as she pondered her mentor's words for a while. A talk would settle things somewhat. With a determined look, she decided to talk with the abrasive unicorn. And she wasn't leaving that dungeon until she got something. "You're right, your highness," she said. "I should go right now!" Celestia smiled and then nodded in response. She watched her student run off and then went back to her own words. 'Respect for an enemy and seeing good amidst the bad, is it?' she told herself. It was a curious feeling, learning alongside her student. She stood up and headed for her own goal for the rest of the day. Her guards shifted and then followed suit.

With new details to consider, Terrato was going through his troop placements once more. He didn't trust every word that Blue Moon said but he had to admit that it was something to consider. Regardless of what was inside The Blasphemous Rift, it was still a source of power. He also had to consider what Celestia said. Sending even more legionnaires into the Heartland will make it look even more like an invasion. He already passed the word that Black Rose's Thorns were active once again. As he watched night begin to settle from a window, he remembered to warn Luna about Black Rose's agents as well. With The Blasphemous Rift at potential target, his younger sister may be closer to the fighting than originally anticipated. The door to Terrato's quarters opened slowly. "Do you need something, dearest sister?" he asked without even looking. "I need to make amends, Terrato," was the reply. "And not just for what happened today." "I've already told you that I don't want to hear it while you're like that."

Celestia stepped farther into the room. "I am Celestia, with or without my power." She remembered the message that Terrato left the Equi Ignei when they had come with her demand to return Twilight and her friends. "Do my words still mean anything to you?" "You're wasting your time," Terrato growled. "I will stay for as long as it takes. We'll do this your way if that is what's necessary. I will accept any punishment." Terrato snorted and refused to meet his sister's gaze. "Did you come here expecting a flogging or a branding of some sort?" he asked. "As if I could do those things!" Celestia's voice softened. "We have to start somewhere, dearest brother." "That doesn't have much of an impact when you have only one." "That doesn't make it any less true." Terrato let out an exhale and faced his sister. "Do you really have such a problem with how I'm dealing with the Elements of Harmony?" "I'm willing to try your way," Celestia said with a smile. "But let me have a hoof in it as well." Terrato matched the smile this time. "Fine, let's see how we can work that in." The two of them settled down for a talk. Terrato glanced out a window as he did so, just to catch a glimpse of an especially bright moon out tonight.

Chapter 10 Fangs and Scales The journey to the Western Barrier Land had been long and arduous for Spike even if he did spend most of it on the back of a pegasus legionnaire. His escort, Cirrus Wing, was far from the chatty sort and the long periods of silence sapped his energy more than any physical exertion involved. They stopped only for meals and brief periods of rest in order to get to the Western Barrier Lands as quickly as possible. Spike had wondered why Prince Terrato had not simply teleported him but could not work up the courage actually ask. The prince had noticed nonetheless. "Take the scenic route, Spike. It's not what you're used to but you might appreciate my realm's landscape." That was what Prince Terrato said anyway. There were other reasons for sure but Spike didn't know what they were. The landscape was beautiful, especially with the view he had. The vast, rolling, snow-covered plains of the Northern Barrier Land gave way to steadily steeper hills and then to the forested mountains of the Western Barrier Land. Winter had also arrived in this place, covering the tall pines and firs with white. Finally, after hours of flying after their last stop, Spike spotted a city sprawled across the side of one mountain; Wallforge City as it was called. A lot of the trees around the place had been cut down. He could spot a lot of bare, rocky areas that looked like they had been quarried. Just like the previous city he had been flown over, the buildings were mostly stone and close to the ground. As he came closer, he spotted the multitude of stairs that led up and down the city streets, with the mountain's form, the city was as much vertical as it was horizontal: a trend he had observed in pretty much all of the Western Barrier Land he had seen so far. Soon, Spike noticed a squad of around six pegasi fly up from one of the many watchtowers around the city and towards him and his escort. They were barded like legionnaires and armed with large crossbows and spears, each nearly twice as long as a pony, strapped across their backs.

"Halt! Who are you and what's your business here, pegasus pony?" the lead pegasus asked. "Flight Sergeant Cirrus Wing of the Northern Equestrian Legion," Cirrus Wing replied with a salute. "Under the prince's direct orders, I am escorting this dragon to Seethe Scale for training." After some scrutiny, the lead pegasus nodded and then ordered his ponies to fly by Cirrus Wing's side. "We've been expecting you," he said. "I'm Patrol Leader Shale Skin. Land by the northern gates, we'll have an escort to take you to her lair by ground." "What's wrong with flying?" Cirrus Wing asked. "Seethe Scale won't like catching a whiff of dragon flying about close to her lair. She'll put a dozen of her arrows through you before you can come close enough to tell her you mean no harm." With a nod, Cirrus Wing banked towards the northern gates along with the other pegasi. "Doesn't Seethe Scale live in the city?" Spike asked the patrol leader. "Thank the prince, no," Shale Skin replied. "She's scary enough from a distance. Besides, she hates crowds." He paused and then took a better look at Spike. "Not as much as she hates dragons though. Are you sure about this? Even a squad of pegasi won't be enough to stop her if she decides she'd rather eat you than train you." Spike quivered and it wasn't just because of the winter air. For all his talk about wanting to do this so he can be of a greater help to his friends, he was terrified of being separated from them and undertaking this long journey without a single friendly face for miles. He had desperately hoped that this Seethe Scale was a friendly, personable sort who would help ease his loneliness and fears but Prince Terrato said that the kirin tended to brood a lot and, now, the pegasus's words confirmed that his "teacher" was a dangerous one. He shook his head in determination nonetheless. "Let's do this," he said. They landed just outside the northern gates. Now at ground level, Spike looked past the open gates and into the city. It was late morning when he

got to this place and everypony was out working. The ponies outside were mostly earth ponies with a few pegasi and an occasional unicorn. Nearly all of them were involved in hard, physical labor. He had guessed right about the quarries. In addition to the paved streets, long, winding rails crisscrossed the place so train carts of stone can be wheeled about with ease. Even though it was winter, ponies still worked the quarries, pounding away at rocks or hauling about loads of them. At a distance, he spotted mine entrances as well as work areas to turn the broken stone into bricks. Most of the buildings were built low and close to the ground. Smoke rose from well over hundreds of chimneys, whether it was from the workshops or the residences. The most prominent feature in the city, however, was the giant stone statue of Prince Terrato at the center of the city, visible even from where Spike was. "Taking in the sights?" Shale Skin asked. A hint of pride tinged his voice. "Wallforge is one of our prince's favorite cities; a city of hard labor and surrounded by the aspects of the world he governs. We supply building stone to all corners of the Barrier Lands. We've also got a few gem mines so there's no shortage of greed or gluttony dragons looking for an easy meal if they're not going after ponies." He paused and looked towards the mountain's peak. "The city may not show it very much but we're glad to have Seethe Scale around." After a few minutes of waiting a lone, green-coated earth pony stallion approached the squad. He was pulling a large wagon behind him full of assorted sacks. "That's Mudslide over there. He does deliveries to Seethe Scale's lair. He'll escort you for the rest of the way." With that, Shale Skin and the rest of his patrol departed. Cirrus Wing helped Spike climb up the wagon once it was close enough and then explained to Mudslide as to what Spike was there for. He then nodded at the dragon direction. "I've done my duty here," he said. "Take care, Spike." He flew off towards the city, likely to get a few hours of rest and a meal before heading back. Spike waved a claw after him before fixing his attention on Mudslide. "Looks like I got an interesting package to deliver to ol'Seethe," Mudslide said with a grin. He chewed on a long blade of grass as he spoke. "You just

sit tight back there, little dragon. Oh, and don't touch the small sack of gems. She won't appreciate it." Mudslide expertly navigated the wagon through the stony, sloping path while Spike sat on an unoccupied space in the wagon. Around him, the sacks jingled and clanked. He was sitting next to the aforementioned sack of gems, the baubles glinting temptingly at him. He did as Mudslide told him though. He needed to make a good impression on Seethe Scale and eating what was likely her food was not the way to do it. To control himself, he looked at the other sacks. The one behind him contained a dozen or so metal spears; each one had a broad and wickedly barbed head. "Why does she need so many spears?" he asked. "Does she break them often?" "Those aren't spears, little dragon," Mudslide replied. "They're arrows. My sister has the honor of forging them for her. A couple of those in the right spot will bleed even a dragon out." With a shudder, Spike inched away from the sack of "arrows". He looked at another sack which didn't contain such ominous tools. This one contained various grasses, flowers and herbs. "What about this one?" he asked. "More food?" "Whoah! Careful with those. They're poisonous. She uses them for her arrows." Surrounded by poison, dragon-slaying arrows and gems that he shouldn't touch, Spike hugged his knees and stayed at the farthest corner of the wagon. As the trip went on, the slope began to steepen and the air began to get colder. They were really out in the wilderness now. The path they were following was barely a dirt trail and the tall trees had given way to scraggly bushes and grass. Despite the rugged terrain, all Spike had to contend with were a couple of bumps. After a couple of hours of travel, they finally stopped in front of a large entrance to a cave. "We're here, little dragon," Mudslide said. Spike was more than happy to jump off the wagon to take a look around. The first thing that he noticed was the smell. An unfamiliar but incredibly wonderful aroma wafted from deep inside the cave, making his mouth water and his nose tingly. "What is that smell?" he asked softly. The odor had left him in a daze.

Mudslide sniffed at the air and then wrinkled his nose. "She must be cooking up something again," he said in a huff. He unfastened the wagon from his back and then stood at the entrance. "Seethe Scale?" he called out. "It's me. I've got your deliveries here!" "Leave them at the usual spot, Mudslide," somepony answered from within. Spike listened carefully, trying to gauge was Seethe Scale was like from the way she spoke. She had a powerful and deep voice tinged with huskiness and a hint of feminine softness. Though her words were loud, she sounded like she was subduing herself. "I also have a little dragon here with me," Mudslide added. "Wallforge patrol said that he's here to train under you." A few moments of silence passed before Seethe Scale spoke again. "Leave them at the usual spot, Mudslide." With a shrug of his shoulders, Mudslide dragged the wagon to a niche by the cave entrance and left it there. "Just stand there with the wagon, little dragon. I'm off to Wallforge, see you around…I hope." With that, Mudslide trotted down the trail, leaving Spike alone with the wagon. Nervously, he tried to peer deeper into the cave but it was too dark to see anything save for what appeared to be a small fire farther in. Minutes passed while he just stood there, slowly being tortured by the delicious smell and his own apprehension over his first meeting with the kirin. "Come inside," Seethe Scale finally said. Spike wasn't sure if he should be relieved or be frightened some more. He walked towards the fire, expecting a pony with dragon scales or something to jump out of the shadows and eat him. He followed the aroma to what appeared to be a strange lump of…something attached to a metal bar and placed over the fire. As he came closer, he noticed some movement from the shadows past the fire. He squinted but still couldn't see anything clear. "Um…hello?" he called out. "You must be hungry after your trip. Eat up." Spike stared at the thing that was "cooking" by the fire. It did smell delicious but he had never eaten something so strange. He looked around some

more and spotted a pile of gold coins and jewelry by the edges of the fire's light. "Um…can I have some gems instead? I'm also fine with some vegetables or even hay." Seethe Scale didn't reply, leaving Spike in an awkward moment. His stomach rumbled and he almost considered just picking up one of the gems just scattered nearby if he wasn't afraid that the kirin would jump him if he so much as made the attempt. Finally, he gave in to his curiosity. The thing stuck by the fire did smell delicious and there really wasn't any reason for Seethe Scale to poison him. He tore of a hank of the stuff, ignoring the heat from the flame. The stuff was blackened and crispy on the outside but still tender on the inside. It bubbled with some sort of oil and came apart in strips when he tore it up a bit. After one more moment of hesitation, he popped a strip into his mouth and chewed. The sudden burst of flavor nearly made him choke. Whatever this stuff was, it was one of the tastiest things he had ever eaten. He bit into the rest of the hank he had taken and then dug into the lump. Oily juices covered his claws and ran down his chin as he continued to eat. With a slurp and a smack of his lips, he licked himself dry before sitting down to let his stomach settle. That was the best meal he had in a while. "Full?" Seethe Scale asked from the shadows. "Yes," Spike replied. "What is this stuff? It's so delicious! Is it some kind of special dragon food?" "It's boar." Spike stopped and then looked at where Seethe Scale's voice came from in confusion. "Excuse me?" he asked. "Did you just say-?" "Boar. I picked a young one so you can chew easily…you're welcome." Spike slowly turned his attention back to the thing roasting over the fire. Horror and nausea began to creep up on him. Boar! He had been eating with so much gusto and calling it delicious! He stepped forward and pointed towards Seethe Scale's voice. "You tricked me!" he cried out accusingly. "No."

"I wouldn't have touched this thing if you told me it was boar!" "I didn't say it was vegetables either. Your nose and your tongue told you it was good food and you believed them." Spike pulled his tongue out and wrung it as one would do to a washcloth in a desperate attempt to get rid of the taste. He felt betrayed by his own body. That he had enjoyed it so much left him mortified. He had been better off eating poison. "Are you done?" Spike could hear something big sliding against the stone floor. Instinctively, he stepped back just as a stream of fire burst from the shadows. He ducked in a panic and then fell flat on his belly. Even though the flames didn't even come close to touching him, he could feel the heat of their passing. When he looked up, the cave was much brighter. The flames had lit several torches ensconced along the walls. "Stand up." From where he was, Spike felt the ground vibrate slightly as Seethe Scale began to move. He did as he was told quickly. With the cave now properly lit, he could finally get a good look at his host and likely companion for the next six months. At the sight of her, he immediately fell on his tail in shock. Spike had spent his entire life being around other creatures that were bigger than he was. Looking up to ponies was nothing new but he could not have expected this. Seethe Scale towered before him, easily four or five times the size of an average pony. Her head and neck were that of a pony's with a slightly more pronounced and reptilian snout compared to the mares he knew. Her long, straight mane was a very pale lavender color, almost white near the roots. Three horns sprouted from her head, two curved gracefully to the sides of her skull while a third one pointed upward from her forehead. Despite the name, Seethe Scale was mostly covered with fur rather than scales. She had a luxurious coat of long white fur that gave way to equally white scales past her knees and on her long, dragon tail. Her forelegs ended in a pair of claws while her hind legs ended in hooves. She kept a

pair of dragon wings carefully folded to her sides. "Introductions," she said, her tail flicking about lazily. "My name is Seethe Scale." The kirin stared at Spike quietly and expectantly. It took a minute of him just staring in awe before he finally realized that he should answer with his own introduction. "It's…uh…what was it?" He cast about his mind until he found what he was looking for. "It's Spike! That's right, my name is Spike." Seethe Scale lowered her head so that her snout was only a few inches from Spike. He heard her sniff before she pulled back. "You smell correct," she said. "I see the wisdom in our prince's decision now. Dragon in body and pony everywhere else…you're just as much a hybrid as I am." She walked farther into the back of the cave. Despite her enormous size, she moved quietly and gracefully. "Let's start."

To a citizen of the glorious empire, the ophidite city of Ervain Reis could not be farther from an ideal home. As the northernmost of Ophidus's settlements, Ervain Reis was more an outpost and a launching point for an invasion rather than a proper home. The streets were a chaotic mass of soldiers moving about, vendors and slave traders herding their ponies to the nearest bidding stall. It was only to be expected given that it was so close to the pandemonium that was Equestria and so far from the emperor's abode. Hassyth surveyed it all from his manor's balcony with an impatient sneer. Despite the time he had already spent here, he was never going to get used to the rabble or the smell of so many unwashed ponies milling about in the open. Ervain Reis was no home to a noble of the Coatl tribe and it will never be. Of course, whenever Hassyth's thoughts strayed towards that subject, he only needed to glance back to the sad state of his manor to remember that he was barely a coatl noble at the moment. He was down to this one manor at the borders of the empire, a dozen servants, a couple dozen pony slaves and two concubines. It was a far cry from his time in the capital where he was among the very elite of the emperor's tribe. That was long ago, even a

mere decade of misery in this city could make the best of times seem a mere dream. So deep was Hassyth in his reminiscing that he barely noticed the sudden draft and whistle of something flying past him mere inches from his face. With an angry hiss, he unfurled his wings and unleashed his magic, covering himself with a crackling barrier of protective force. He looked behind him to find a quivering arrow stuck to the wooden floor. 'Sniper,' he thought. He cast another spell and the arrow began to glow a thin trail of light began to extend from its fletched end, tracing its path through the air. His gaze followed the trail only to find it go on and on to the late noon sky. He squinted at the distance and noticed something. It looked like the figure of a pegasus but it was so far away that it was barely more than a dot. A second later and it was already gone. 'So Equestria has decided to send assassins after me?' Hassyth thought. It didn't make sense. He had lost his place of importance a long time ago. Equestria had little to gain with his death. He looked back to the arrow that had been shot at him and then finally noticed something. There was a twist of paper tied to the shaft as well as what appeared to be a pair of cards attached next to it. Telekinetically, he separated the paper from the shaft and took a look. Hassyth of the Coatl tribe Greetings. I apologize for the rather rude method of message delivery. I would meet you myself but I am pressed with important matters. I hope you understand. I have done a bit of research lately and came upon your name. You have a past as colorful as your wings and I understand that you have gone down in the world these past years. Attached to this message are a couple of photographs that you are certain to find very interesting. If you wish to pursue this matter, signal my agent in your area, Longstride, through a simple flare spell and he will coordinate with your plans. Sincerely, Black Rose

Hassyth crumpled the note and tossed it aside. He didn't recognize the name. The offer was a bit intriguing though. He took the cards, photographs as he now realized, and looked. "Scarlet Rabbit!" he hissed as he did so. The red coat and the darker red mane were unmistakable, as were the facial features and the wings. Despite the barding, he knew who it was. It was his prize racer, still alive and healthy. He felt himself tremble with excitement. The loss of Scarlet Rabbit was the highlight of that disastrous pony raid on his holdings. He had lost a great deal of resources and the greatest source of his income. To think that the Equestrian Legion now benefited from his most valuable racer! They had likely messed with his conditioning. Already, he imagined reacquiring the pegasus and resetting the proper conditioning. He will corner the races once more and his fortune will return. "And so the brave hunter Nasihihyth ignored the warnings of his fellows and chased after the strange scarlet rabbit. Through brushes, woods and rivers he pursued the creature, firing upon it with his poisoned arrow. For days he could not stop in his chase until he finally ran it down and slew it. With a loud hiss of joy he raised the animal in a triumphant grip. It was then that Nasihihyth looked around and discovered that the creature had led him far away from any known trails. He was tired, hungry, without supplies and lost. The hunter cursed at his folly and was never seen again." Hassyth laughed inwardly as he remembered the old bedtime story of his grandmother. He was no foolish hunter, he was a determined noble who was merely reacquiring his possessions. He put the first photograph aside and looked at the other one. Acquiring Scarlet Rabbit was more than enough for him to consider working with this "Longstride". What else could be there? He found himself looking at the picture of another pegasus. This one was a light blue mare. He could tell from her sleek build and well-developed wings that this one would be a good flyer as well. She was still young and easily trainable if he could get her to a proper racing stable. It was her mane that quickly grabbed his attention however. This pegasus had the most fascinating mane he had seen among pegasi. "Coatl coloration!" he exclaimed. He looked to his own rainbow-colored wings and then back to the photograph. This was a valuable find indeed. Never mind her potential as a racer, if he could present her before Emperor Sesyth's court, a fine pegasus specimen with the colors of the Coatl tribe, the emperor would

reward him with a fortune that not even Scarlet Rabbit could acquire after a lifetime of winning races. He imagined brining her to the palace on that day and having her bow obediently before the mighty leader of the empire. Better yet, if he could train her to dance to "Pride of the Ophidites"…his fortune was assured. "Hashymissa!" Hassyth called out. At once, a female member of the Vipren tribe slithered into his chambers. Hashymissa had been his chief servant even before he had been forced to stay in this wretched city. She was Scarlet Rabbit's trainer and was responsible for all his pony slaves. "You called, master?" Hashymissa hissed. "I have an important mission for you: something that may take you to Equestria itself." "That is a truly perilous mission indeed, master." Hassyth nodded. Equestria was a dangerous place filled with vigilant pony legionnaires who would be more than happy to kill any ophidite who dared to trespass. "I have heard the scouts," he said. "Equestria is dealing with matters by its other borders. If there was ever a time to infiltrate it, now will be the time." He looked down his balcony again. Ervain Reis was marshalling its own troops for a raid on Equestria itself. If it wasn't for the growing crisis of the Crocodilian Rebellions closer to the capital, Ophidus would be launching an assault on its northern neighbor. "Bring eight of our best indoctrinated slaves with you. You are to capture these ponies alive." He tossed the photographs at Hashymissa, who grabbed it with her hands. With that, Hasyth looked up to the steadily darkening sky and fired a flare spell.

Chapter 11 Effigy In its centuries of history, FangBreaker Fortress had seen more than its fair share of executions. The Equestrian Legion valued unflinching duty and discipline; ponies who failed to embody those virtues were looked upon poorly and swiftly punished. Deserters, spies, rebels and those whose incompetence brought about the deaths of many all met their fate at the end of a noose. Hanging was a traitor's death and a punishment that didn't end with merely the criminal's corpse. The shame of the crime often continued to haunt the families of the condemned. The ponies of the Barrier Lands were not above casting some of the blame on a criminal's parentage or even ancestry. As she walked the passageway that led from her cell to the fortress's main courtyard, it was that last sentiment that gave her, at least, a vague twinge in her chest. Her parents were still back in Bastion City. They had survived the siege for sure. She had confidence in the legion's protection. She knew that even without being told. That didn't stop an annoying pony from telling her anyway. "Your parents are still alive and well, you know," Twilight Sparkle said. Huddled against a corner of her cell, Pyre Valor rested her head against a wall without paying attention to the purple unicorn. She now genuinely believed that she was better off having the guards beat her up than put up with this. "And why should I care about them, nag?" she asked. "I just ruined whatever shambles of a name they had. Oh, and I would have let the wolven kill them if the siege had succeeded." "Do you really care nothing about them at all?" "What's going on here, Twilight Sparkle? You come in here and start pestering me for what? Entertainment? How did you get the guards to let you in anyway? Did you convince them that you'll torture me with your inanities?"

"I just…I just want to understand you better!" Pyre leaned forward from her corner. Her face was so swollen and bruised that even scowling hurt her. "We haven't become friends, Twilight Sparkle!" she hissed. "Don't think that, because of what happened before we ended up here, I'm going to 'open up' to you!" "Oh, I know we're not friends," Twilight replied. "Then stop wasting my time and yours!" "There has to be more to this, Pyre Valor!" Twilight insisted. "You'll be executed tomorrow. I can't accept that as the end!" "You've only known me for about a month. What could you possibly know about how it all ends? Tomorrow will be a conclusion that has taken all my life to reach." "So that's it? You're just going to walk out there and hang?" Pyre Valor leaned back on her wall. It was late and she was tired. This was only her second night of being able to sleep without being angry over the division or being possessed by Nightmare Moon. It was probably also her last and she didn't want to waste minutes of it talking to Twilight Sparkle. "Yes," she said quietly."What else do you want, Twilight Sparkle? The pony who kept kicking your flank is going to die." She let herself smile wryly. "You should be dancing jigs not making it sound like you're going to miss me." Twilight reared up and struck the bars with her front hooves. "Don't be flippant!" she said angrily. "I haven't even beaten you yet!" The smile disappeared momentarily as Pyre Valor processed the information. Beaten her? The idea hadn't even occurred to Pyre Valor. She had come to respect the annoying purple unicorn's magical power and focus. That Twilight could stand up to Nightmare Moon, even for a short while, made her worthy of the legion's uniform. But the idea of some form of rivalry…"Is that what this is about?" she asked. "You don't want me executed so you can have the pleasure of killing me yourself?"

"No!" Twilight answered indignantly. She looked aside, unable to meet Pyre's questioning look. "It's not about killing you," she continued, more quietly this time. "But I…I've never wanted to beat anypony before. Not in my entire life." She looked at Pyre Valor as she went on. "You asked me before if I've ever looked at another unicorn and asked myself 'How can I beat her?'. The answer was never. Not until you came along. Ever since that day, I've thrown myself into study and training so I can beat you. I've never studied that way before. That kind of drive and focus…pushing myself and imagining that scene when I win…" Her voice trailed off. Several seconds passed before she completed the sentence. "I liked it…" she said softly, almost just to herself. By the time she was done, she looked embarrassed and unsure of herself. Pyre Valor laughed. At first, a look of confusion spread across Twilight's face but the sheer scorn in Pyre's laugh turned that confusion into anger. "What's so funny?" she asked, her face already reddening from rage and embarrassment. "That was pathetic!" Pyre said derisively. She walked up to the bars of her cell so she faced Twilight directly. Her laughter subsided and she was serious before she spoke again. "Nightmare Moon called me an insect when she first possessed me," she said. "But she was scared when she faced you. I was an insect and you were a threat! Yet here you are talking about your lofty goal of beating me in single combat!" Her hooves shot through the bars so quickly and suddenly that Twilight had no time to react. She grabbed the purple unicorn by the mane and then pulled her closer, slamming her face into the bars. "Protect Equestria, no matter the cost and no matter who pays it!" she growled. "I almost lost sight of that goal because of you. You don't get to make that mistake, not when you get to live while I die! Put it above yourself and whatever small, pathetic, personal goals you might have!" She let the stunned unicorn go and walked back to the corner of her cell. "I'm just one unicorn mage. Tomorrow, I'll just be a corpse. You'll have more enemies ahead. Stop feeling sorry that your little spat with me ended before you could get the upper hoof." Twilight had no answer. She was still rubbing her forehead painfully when Pyre shouted for the guards.

Pyre Valor reached the section of the passage that connected her branch of the dungeon with the branch Blademane was put in. The brown stallion had been led out as well and now walked behind her as they continued. Their guards surrounded them like a wall of silent, moving metal. She looked to Blademane and noticed that he had been severely beaten up too. "Are you alright?" Blademane asked. The genuine concern in his tone was another thing that actually felt painful for Pyre. "Does it matter?" she asked in return. "We'll both be dead soon." "True." They walked on silently for a time. They could see the light from the courtyard at the end of the passageway when Pyre spoke again. "Tell me something, Blademane," she said. "Yes?" "I am never going to be able to return the sort of loyalty you've shown me. You knew this from the start. No more silent treatment. Now that we're so close to the end, tell me why you've come this far." Blademane answered first with his usual silence. Pyre was about to prod him when he decided to speak on his own. "I never expected you to reciprocate," he said. "At the start, maybe I did but it wasn't even about that in the end. Has it really not occurred to you that I might actually believe in your cause?" "It could have if you actually talked," Pyre replied. "My fault then. To be fair, I didn't believe in it right away. I thought that you'd eventually calm down, marry Vanguard Clash and be a quiet, productive legionnaire." "You were wrong." "In more than one way. I agreed with you. I never said I did. I didn't have the courage to be as outspoken as you were. I got my chance to change that when you two fought."

Pyre Valor looked behind her and found the stallion smiling for the first time she had known him. She looked away when she felt a smile beginning to curve her lips. "What a pair we make," she said. "The mare who talked too much and the stallion who talked too little." "Thank you, Pyre Valor." Pyre nearly stopped in her tracks at that. "What could you possibly have to thank me for?" she asked. "Giving me a chance to say something I would never have if I spent the rest of my life serving in the legion. You said all the words and made all the decisions, all I needed to do was stay by your side. Thank you for that." "Now you're talking too much, Blademane." Both of them fell silent when they finally made it out to the courtyard. The open space was full of legionnaires today, all present to see the execution of the two "villains" of the wolven invasion. Any other work around the fortress save for guard duty, had been delayed. As Pyre walked past the rows of legionnaires, she looked straight ahead and towards the gallows. Though she didn't look, she could tell that, somewhere amidst the crowd, Vanguard Clash was watching, as was Twilight Sparkle. Perhaps they were even watching together. On the gallows, she saw the imposing figure of the prince of the Barrier Lands himself. It wasn't until she was climbing up the wooden stairs of the gallows that Pyre Valor noticed something strange. There was no hangpony around. The nooses were prepared but the only pony on the structure besides her, Blademane and their guards was Prince Terrato. Was the prince going to hang her himself? With Pyre Valor standing at the center of the gallows, Terrato gestured for the guards to remove her horn-lock and then leave. "You have some nerve pushing me as you have, Pyre Valor," he said. His voice carried over to every pony present. "Hundreds of your fellows are dead by your betrayal and you aided Nightmare Moon; an enemy not just of Equestria but of the Eternal Herd itself. Every Black Rose rebel has paid with his life by hanging but I think something different should await the pony who has done more."

Pyre held her prince's gaze without flinching. She wasn't going to lower her head in contrition, not when she felt contrite over nothing. When Prince Terrato remained silent, she decided to speak for one last time. "Terrato wait!" Before Pyre could utter a word, she spotted another alicorn fly towards her and land right next to the prince. She didn't recognize the white coat and the pink mane but she could tell who this alicorn was. She braced herself for the rage, the same rage that had smoldered within her nearly all her life. But, to her surprise, all she felt was a mild annoyance and it was more because Princess Celestia had interrupted the procedures than any anger towards the worst of Equestria's alicorn rulers. For a frightful moment, Pyre Valor considered that she might have unconsciously forgiven the nag princess but she realized that it wasn't forgiveness that sapped her rage. She was simply spent. She had thrown what she had at the nag princess and her foul edict and she got the results she wanted. The anger had been slowly dissipating even when Nightmare Moon had still possessed her. Now, she just wanted to get things over. "Celestia, I thought you had your fill of hangings from your time in Bastion City," Terrato said quietly. "You told me yourself that my division was wrong, Terrato," Celestia said. "This pony has done terrible things, as had those rebels in Bastion City, but what end do their deaths accomplish?" Terrato lowered his voice before replying. "Why don't we ask her?" he suggested. He turned his attention back to Pyre Valor. "Do you wish to be spared, Pyre Valor?" he asked. "No," was the quick and sure reply. Celestia shifted her attention to Pyre Valor and couldn't help but take a step back when she met the fierce stare of the condemned unicorn. "Pyre Valor," she said. "Do you honestly wish to be executed like this?" she asked in disbelief. A spark of her old rage lit up in Pyre Valor. "Like this". Celestia certainly had some nerve looking down on her. Terrato took only one look at her and

he quickly understood. He stepped between his sister and the condemned unicorn. "My sister hasn't quite grasped the way things are in my legion," Terrato said to Pyre. He glanced at Celestia briefly before continuing. "I think you understand why there's no hangpony around and why I had your horn-lock removed." "I understand perfectly, your highness," Pyre replied. Terrato raised his voice again so that everypony in the courtyard heard. "The pony who has done more than the Black Rose rebels should be dealt with in a manner different from them. Pyre Valor, you've spent your life taking matters into your own hooves. It's only fitting that your death be of the same manner." Pyre Valor dropped to her knees in response. "This is an honor I don't deserve, your highness," she said. "I've heard your reasons from Vanguard Clash and Dreadstep's reports," Terrato said in return. "Not only that, you could have run off when you had the chance. A lot of Black Rose rebels certainly tried. Instead, you performed one last favor for the legion. Crazy as it may sound, I can actually respect that." After that, Pyre stood up and jumped down the gallows. The ponies closest to her gasped and backed away, fearing an attack. Indeed, Pyre's horn began to glow a deep red as she intoned a spell. From the crowd, Twilight Sparkle moved forward, her horn already glowing with a spell of her own. She knew it! Pyre Valor wasn't just going to fade into nothing like this! She wasn't… A blast of deep red flames engulfed Pyre Valor at the end of her spell. The flames quickly consumed her mane, tail and coat, sending clouds of smoke spiraling upward. She dropped to her knees in terrific agony but she didn't so much as let out a cry of pain. Twilight stopped dead in her tracks, her spell fizzling out before it could be completed. She watched in horror even as the heat and smoke obscured her view. "No!" she cried out. She moved forward again but somepony

suddenly grabbed her from behind and held her still. With a cry of rage and frustration, she looked at who it was and found Vanguard Clash. He looked at her sadly and then looked back to the burning spectacle. Mollified somewhat, she followed his gaze. "And that's why you make them white-hot." She remembered Owlsight's words as she looked at the flames. A whitehot blaze would have consumed Pyre Valor quickly and without suffering. The white unicorn had chosen to lessen the intensity of the blaze. "You foal…" she said with a sob. "This doesn't make up for anything!" Atop the gallows, Celestia moved forward but Terrato blocked her path. With nopony to stop him, Blademane jumped down from the gallows and hugged the burning unicorn. The flames blazed even fiercer and engulfed him as well. Though the crowd had been surprised at first, they soon realized what had just happened and went on to calmly watch the scene. Through it all, neither Pyre Valor nor Blademane made a sound. It was hard to even tell if they had already died because of their silence. Not a single pony spoke as the two burned, so that the only sound that could be heard was the crackling of flames. The blaze eventually died down, leaving behind vaguely pony-shaped masses of ash that crumbled into an indistinct pile. Terrato stared at the pile grimly and then motioned for some guards. "Gather their remains," he told them. "Mark their graves with what exactly they did." As the guards hurried to do his bidding, Terrato passed by his sister, who was still looking at the smoking pile in confusion. "I don't understand," she said softly. "Why did she want to die so badly?" "Want has nothing to do it," Terrato replied. "Get some rest, dearest sister, we'll be at the Heartland before the day's end." With that, he flew off. Celestia glanced back sadly at the smoking pile one more time and then flew off after him. As the crowd began to disperse, both Twilight Sparkle and Vanguard Clash continued to look on. A few more tears ran down Twilight's cheeks when she finally turned away. She wiped them away angrily, silently reminding

herself that she despised Pyre Valor. It didn't work. She noticed her friends already coming over, concern and confusion mixing on their faces. She felt a foreleg go around her shoulders. "Save your grief," Vanguard said. Even his normally stoic voice cracked. "We all knew that this was going to be the end of it, her most of all. If you have a shred of respect for her, you should be glad that his highness granted her the honor of ending her own life." "Is that what honor's supposed to be?" Twilight whispered harshly. "Do you want something like that, Vanguard?" "Dying for something I believe in?" Vanguard asked. "When the time comes perhaps. Put this scene behind you, Twilight Sparkle, you wouldn't want to go home with a burning mare in your thoughts." He let go of Twilight once the others had come close enough and then moved on. He wanted to take part in the final procedures with what remained of Pyre Valor.

A few hours later and Vanguard was making his way towards Storm Brew's newly rebuilt bar and brewery. The ashes were supposed to be buried in an unmarked grave but a discussion arose among the higher-ranked officers. Somepony said that a plaque of sorts should mark the site as a warning for others. Another said that placing a mark would only plant the seeds of Pyre Valor being called a hero. Yet another argued that such a scenario may not be so bad. Through it all Vanguard was only interested in finally laying the unicorn to rest. The squabbling only reminded him that, ultimately, Pyre Valor had gotten off easy. She did not have to live and deal with the events that she had helped set into motion. As he approached Storm Brew's he found a familiar purple unicorn already sitting by the bar. Twilight wobbled slightly and then looked up at him with a half-smile before waving a hoof. "Vanguard!" she called out. "About time you showed up! Does it take that long to bury a pot?" Storm Brew had walked over to Vanguard before he could reach the bar. "How much as she had?" he asked.

The white unicorn rubbed her messy mane with a hoof. "I gave her a mug that's a quarter 'Good Stuff' and three quarters water," she replied. "She's made it to half the mug. Rounding up that is. Super strong magic and zero alcohol tolerance…King help us all." "Thank you," Vanguard said. He took a seat next to Twilight but didn't order a drink of his own."This better not become a new habit of yours, Twilight." "Then unicorns should stop lighting themselves on fire!" Twilight snapped. She stared morosely at her drink and looked like she was about to take another pull but stopped halfway. "I must admit, I didn't think her death would affect you this much," Vanguard said. "She was such a nag…" Twilight mumbled. "Right down to the end she was mocking me. How did you ever put up with that?" "There was more to Pyre than just her anger over the division. If you had only met her a couple of years earlier…she would have been happier knowing you." Twilight remembered Pyre Valor's old notes and the trouble she had with it. "I doubt it," she replied. "We would have never gotten along." "Not as friends," Vanguard insisted. "You would have been great rivals. Sparring duels in the day…boasting and comparing victories in the night. I would have never heard the end of it from her when it came to you." "She would have liked that kind of relationship?" Twilight asked incredulously. "Of course. She'd probably prize it more than some friendships." "I'll never understand her." Twilight looked at her mug and tried to take another pull again. This time, the mug made it all the way to her lips before her stomach protested. She set it down with barely a sip. Some time passed before she ventured to talk to Vanguard again. "Say Vanguard?" she asked. "Hm?"

"Does your squad still need a unicorn mage?" "Why are you asking?" "I want the job." "Why the sudden interest in Special Operations?" Twilight paused briefly as she searched her mind for the reason. Despite the slight fog messing up her thoughts, she still found it. "I'll be able to do a lot more in a small special squad like yours, especially against somepony like Black Rose who doesn't act through giant, predictable armies." "That's a good reason. I hope it's the real one and not because of something Pyre said or did. "Well…there might be that too." "Ask me again when you're sober." Twilight pushed the mug away and stared at Vanguard intensely. "Is that all I need to do?" she asked. Vanguard rubbed his temples and let out a slow exhale. He had expected this somehow. He didn't know why but he did ever since his mother brought it up. Twilight could do the job. She needed a bit more experience but she was certainly going to get that soon. And she was already working with specialized groups anyway as were the rest of her friends. It was now also obvious that, since she already asked, he couldn't ignore this anymore. "What you need to do is to go home, Twilight Sparkle," he answered. Twilight opened her mouth to protest but Vanguard raised a hoof to interrupt. "As soon as you make it back home, go talk to all the friends you left behind when you got banished. Reunite with your family. Reconnect with your old life. Once you've done all of that, ask yourself if you still want Pyre Valor's old job. If the answer's still yes, ask me again. I'll give it some serious thought then."

A smile crossed Twilight's face. She had, at least, made some progress. "I'll do that then!" "Have you made all the preparations?" The smile disappeared from Twilight's face. "Uh…let me check on that!" She ran off, leaving behind the still half-full mug of watered down "Good Stuff". Vanguard shook his head and turned his gaze skyward. "Even dead you're causing me problems, Pyre," he said softly. He walked off to finish his preparations too. Earlier, he had received his latest orders from Commander Dreadstep. He and Scarlet Rabbit, as well as a few more Special Operations squads, had business in the Heartland.

Chapter 12 The Road to Reunification When she heard from her brother that he and Celestia were teleporting to the royal palace, Luna had immediately returned to Canterlot to greet them. After days of going from one settlement to the next, she was both glad and frightened that this day had finally arrived. It was already sunset by the time she made it to the palace and she was just in time to see the gathering gray light of Terrato's teleportation spell arriving. The transition from Barrier Lands and Heartland to a single united Equestria now hinged on how well the next few days went. The teleportation to the palace was done in secret. Terrato's first appearance before the Heartland's ponies needed to be carefully managed. Celestia's new, depowered state merited the same thing. The weight and volatility of the situation was the reason that her heart dropped when she saw her two older siblings step out of the teleportation spell. The two were not even looking at each other and the space between them said more than any explanation on their part would have. Though she had recovered well physically, even traveling on somepony else's teleportation spell seemed to sap Celestia's fragile magical strength. Luna gestured towards the only royal guards so far who had been properly filled in on their princess's current condition: Pegasus Guard Captain Bright Shield, who was still struggling with the nervous tremor in his right foreleg since his encounter with the Equi Ignei, and Unicorn Guard Captain Shining Armor, who was still recovering from the disturbing things he had been hearing about his younger sister: something Luna believed was as traumatizing as hearing the alien tongue of the Eternal Herd's enforcers. It was not yet even a week since she was able to assure the poor stallion that his sister was neither a criminal nor dead. The two of them escorted Celestia to her quarters, ready to assist in case she keeled over. With Celestia in no condition to talk, Luna approached her older brother. The guilty and annoyed look on his face only proved further that they had to talk before tomorrow's "presentation". The two of them headed on over to his prepared quarters.

"You weren't the least bit fair, big brother," Luna said reproachfully. After hearing from Terrato what had happened earlier in the day. It was all she could do to stem some of the resentment she felt. She had never met this Pyre Valor save for her encounter with Nightmare Moon's new host. But even second hoof knowledge was enough to make her feel something over the unicorn's death. They had both been possessed by Nightmare Moon and they had both attacked Celestia in a rage but, while Luna was spared, Pyre Valor was condemned to a slow and painful death. She watched as her brother settled into his quarters and could tell that he had a lot in his mind. The seeming of betrayal of this Blue Moon must be difficult to deal with and the information about the Blasphemous Rift…steps had to be taken. It was likely that he was in no mood for what she had to say but it was because of so many decisions that the three of them had to make that Luna decided to confront Terrato over this brewing issue. When they heard that they were to set up a room for royalty, the castle's staff had tried to outdo themselves in decorations and luxury items. Terrato had reacted to the extravagance as if he had been forced to wear the frilliest dress ever sewn together. "Oh so I'm to blame in this?" Terrato asked once he sat down gingerly. "Isn't it enough that I take what she says into account when it comes to the Elements of Harmony?" The chair was the biggest one available in the palace but he was still too big for it. His uncomfortable expression made him look even more out of place in the royal palace. "I asked you to talk to big sister before I left for the Heartland. I was hoping that things will be better between you two when you get here. Instead they've gotten worse! She protested against that execution and you just shoved her aside!" Luna let out a sigh. "It's good that you let Twilight and the others return to their homes here but 'taking what she says into account' isn't enough. We may get to suggest things but you still maintain absolute control of the legion and the Barrier Lands. "All I did was enforce my laws," Terrato said angrily. "There's nothing-!" "Your laws don't cut it anymore, big brother!" Luna interrupted. "We're done with 'your realm' and 'big sister's realm' remember?" Her frown deepened and she turned her gaze downwards. "Your legionnaires look at you

through rose colored glasses because you've fought alongside the ponies of the Barrier Lands for centuries. They don't consider the fact that you're just as guilty as big sister when it comes to the existence of that barrier. If Celestia was the judge who sentenced them to their fate, you were the warden that enforced that sentence." "Are we going to throw blame around now, Luna?" Terrato asked, his voice dropping dangerously. For a terrifying moment, Luna thought that he might actually attack but she remembered that, even when simply arguing, her brother reflexively fell into a fighting stance. "I'm not interested in blame," she said. "What I want is for us to fix where we keep going wrong! Celestia was wrong for banishing Twilight, you were wrong for punishing Vanguard Clash and you were wrong for letting Pyre Valor burn and the Black Rose rebels hang. We can't move forward with a united Equestria if we keep falling back to the old ways we created! Now, I'm starting to think it was wrong to let you maneuver your legionnaires within the Heartland and prepare for a draft." "What are you talking about?" Terrato asked. "The legion needs resources, I thought you understood that! Didn't you agree when Celestia protested against it?" "I did because I believed it was necessary to protect Equestria. Our Equestria not just yours!" "You have some nerve of accusing me of being a tyrant!" Terrato snarled. He banged the table with a hoof, causing cracks to immediately spread out. "I never wanted to rule over these ponies!" "But when big sister's power was stolen, you had no problem assuming some of her authority!" Luna shot back. "Yet you haven't reciprocated by sharing control over the Barrier Lands!" "The Equestrian Legion," Terrato stressed the "Equestrian" part, "serves not just me but all of Equestria. I thought I made that clear already." "Then prove it tomorrow," Luna insisted. At her brother's questioning look, she went on. "Give me and big sister authority over the legion that's equal to yours so that no major decisions on their part can be accomplished without an agreement between all three of us."

"That's insane!" Terrato protested. "You think I can just wave a hoof and get the legion to accept the two of you as its leaders?" "Certainly not but it's a start. Just as Celestia and I approving of you is only a start to get the Heartland ponies to accept you as a leader." "No!" "I may have spoken on your behalf, big brother, but I will organize a resistance with big sister if I have to. 'Your' legionnaires will have to drag their new recruits kicking and screaming to their posts and they'll have to pillage their resources instead of having them delivered." "I thought you wanted to help, Luna," Terrato growled. "I want to help reunite Equestria under the three of us, not under just you. That's Black Rose's goal, if I recall, and I will fight her every step of the way to prevent that." Luna put a hoof on the table right next to her brother's for emphasis. "You have no idea how to deal with the ponies here, big brother. Big sister has no idea how to deal with the ponies of your realm and I certainly can't deal with both. We need the two of you working together, not going back to your old ways. We either share in ruling this united realm or we fall apart." Terrato crossed his forelegs and fell silent. He did so out of necessity. His immediate response to Luna's words was the urge to go on an attack by questioning the wisdom of the pony who had spent the last thousand years sitting on a barren rock. He swallowed that response though. Angry outbursts had done nothing but hurt his relationship with his sisters. When his temper allowed itself to recede slightly, he forced himself to deal with the fact that Luna was right and her being stranded on a barren rock actually helped her in that regard. Luna didn't have any investment in the Barrier Lands like he did or the Heartland like Celestia did. Instead, what she had was simply an ideal of Equestria as a whole. Her detachment from the divisions he and his older sister had created gave her an insight that, he admitted, he and Celestia didn't and couldn't have. In response, Luna waited patiently. Terrato can be stubborn and hardheaded but she still had faith in him. Celestia had been wrong about Terrato becoming a monster but she wasn't entirely wrong about the change. Luna had taken the time to read up on how Terrato laid down laws

in the Barrier Lands. Terrato expected unquestioning loyalty from his ponies. Questioning orders alone merited punishment. For a thousand years, Terrato's ponies considered it a virtue on their part to never question him while those who did were severely punished. It was no wonder that he found it difficult to rule with anypony as an equal. It was becoming more apparent now that, for all his declarations of devotion to Celestia, Terrato would prefer to just place his sister on a pedestal and shower her with adoration while he commanded the mortal ponies of Equestria. At least Celestia wanted to share with her sister. The last time Terrato had tried, it was with Black Rose. 'Yet another problem I can partly lay at your hooves," she thought at the new "alicorn". It felt like an hour to Luna before her brother finally deigned to speak. "Alright," he grudgingly said. "I will gather the legion's high command as soon as possible and they will swear fealty to you and Celestia. I will commit to your idea of reunification, Luna." He smiled wryly. "You haven't steered us wrong yet." "I'm not blameless in this," Luna replied. "I wasted so much time because I was blind and jealous. Even when I finally returned, I didn't even have the nerve to act until Twilight Sparkle set off the events that brought us to this." She looked at her older brother and matched his smile. "What I've realized is that, left alone, the three of us keep making stupid decisions. But working together…" Terrato stood up. "I will admit that I've had more than a hoof in how this all turned out, just as I admitted to Celestia that we were both wrong when it came to the division. I'll also admit that, lately, I've preferred to do things my way. I figured that letting Celestia make all the decisions was what caused all this trouble." He looked out a nearby window and to the night sky that Luna had just prepared. "My way hasn't been good enough. This reunification will change that." He made his way to the bed. "It's time for us to turn in. We have a lot of work tomorrow." "Goodnight then, big brother. And good luck to all of us."

When she and her friends had gathered together for a teleportation spell from Prince Terrato, Twilight had expected seeing some differences when

she returned to Ponyville. She had braced herself when the alicorn's gray magic enveloped her and her friends. Actually appearing in the middle of Ponyville however, quickly proved to her that she hadn't braced herself enough. It wasn't just the village. It was the very land itself that felt different; the colors were so vibrant that they seemed to hurt her eyes, the fragrance of flowers was so strong that she was dazed in a minute and the warmth…she trembled in response, she never imagined that mere warmth could feel so good. She shook her head and waited for her senses to settle. "Look everypony! They're back!" somepony called out. It took all of a couple of seconds for Twilight and her friends to be surrounded by nearly every pony in Ponyville. Except for Fluttershy, that is. Before anypony could come close, she was already surrounded by a horde of woodland creatures, shielding her from the others in a living wall of fur and feathers.

"Rarity!" Sweetie Belle broke through the crowd and jumped straight at her sister. Rarity answered with a cry of joy and a tight hug. As she did so, however, Sweetie Belle bumped against the saddlebags she was carrying. The clink of metal was unmistakable. "I missed you so much!" the filly said between sobs. Rarity couldn't respond. She was crying too and just being near the loved ones she once thought she'd never see again left her unable to speak coherently. She heard a meow and felt something furry rub against her legs. Before she could look down however, she heard her name called out by another familiar voice. Her parents made it through the gathered ponies and joined their daughters in embrace. After some time, Sweetie Belle finally noticed her older sister's saddlebags. She nudged them and heard the metallic jingling again. "What's this?" she asked. "Did you bring back some presents from the 'Barrier Lands' Princess Luna was talking about?"

"No, Sweetie Belle," Rarity replied, "that's actually-" Before Rarity could finish, Sweetie Belle had opened the bag and lifted out one of the mage blades with her mouth. "What's this?" she asked, her words muffled from having to speak while her teeth clamped on the leather casing. "Some kind of knife?" The casing came loose slightly and her eyes fastened on the brilliant mana crystal embedded into the slender blade. "It's so pretty…" she said in awe. "Do they give one to anypony who joins the legion?" "Sweetie Belle!" Rarity admonished, thankful that she had taken the time to sew up some leather sheathes for her mage blades. She lifted the weapon with her telekinesis, pulling it out of Sweetie Belle's mouth and then replacing it in her bag. She didn't miss the fact that Sweetie Belle knew of her joining the legion. "Can you put in a good word for me so I can join?" "Certainly not! You're too young! Besides, joining the legion is a life-long commitment. You can't just join to see if you'll get your cutie mark there and then leave…" Rarity's voice trailed off. As she was speaking, she had caught sight of her boutique from a distance. She felt some relief at seeing that it wasn't on the verge of collapse or even in any state of disrepair. Some kind pony had apparently maintained it while she was away. It was a nice sentiment, a little unnecessary but she certainly appreciated the gesture. She looked to her sister and her parents. They were probably the ones responsible. The beautifully constructed house, her personal design, beckoned tantalizingly for her to go back to her business. But she remembered what she was saying just now. "Rarity?" Sweetie Belle asked in concern. "Are you alright?" Her younger sister's voice jolted Rarity out of her melancholic thoughts. "I'm fine, dear," she replied. "Let's not talk about the legion for a while, okay? How have you been?"

Apple Bloom had not been far behind Sweetie Belle when the crowd parted a bit. She raced straight towards Applejack. The other Apples were making their way through the crowd as well. In Big Macintosh's excitement, he bowled over a few ponies who were too slow in getting out of his way. Apple Bloom reached Applejack first, jumping up and then wrapping her forelegs around her older sister's neck. Big Macintosh came up and then swept both of them up his forelegs in a crushingly tight embrace. "AJ!" the stallion cried out joyously, his eyes already watery. "Hey, big brother," Applejack said, as soon as she had managed to loosen Big Macintosh's grip a little to keep him from choking her. She closed her eyes returned her siblings' embraces with one of her own, enjoying the familiar warmth and the scent of home. "You missed the harvest, young'un!" Granny Smith said in a mock stern tone. Applejack's lips split into a wide, sheepish grin when she heard it. "Sorry, granny," she replied. "I'll make it up to you somehow." "You darn tootin' you will!" Granny Smith walked over and then gave Applejack a hug of her own once Big Macintosh set both his sisters on the ground. Her forelegs were trembling and it was not just due to exertion. "Double the work for you once Winter Wrap Up and the spring planting starts!" The grin all but disappeared on Applejack's face. "Go then. I'll give you a couple of weeks." "I'm sorry, granny…" Applejack said softly. "I'll be headin' out before spring gets here." Watching the joy on her siblings' faces wane at her words was all but heartbreaking. "But why?" Apple Bloom asked angrily. "Ain't what you did for this legion enough?" "I'll take your place, AJ," Big Macintosh offered. "I can't let my little sister go out there and fight monsters for a living!"

"I can't just quit," Applejack replied. "I signed up for this and I ain't going back on my word." Her siblings looked even more downcast after that. She didn't bother mentioning that she couldn't even if she wanted to. Leaving the legion was considered treason and she had plenty of opportunities to see what the legion did to its traitors. Granny Smith, however, seemed unfazed. "Well then, let's make good use of your time here then. First of all, let's get you fed. Land's sakes, girl, what are they feeding you over that legion you joined? I can see your ribs! And what's that chain you got wrapped around your neck? Some kind of fancypants, big city jewelry?" "No, granny. It's some sort of magical lasso. Now that you mentioned it, I'd really like to talk to you about it…"

Pinkie Pie was jumping up and down the moment she noticed everypony in Ponyville gathering around her and her friends. In her excitement she ran over to the crowd trying to hug as many ponies as possible. Several were happy to return the hug even if it meant being squeezed in with other ponies in her giant embrace. A few patted her back reluctantly, unsure if this was the same Pinkie Pie who had disappeared during that fateful day. "Pinkie!" Pinkie whirled at the sound of her name being called. The Cakes stood at the edge of the crowd, unable to push their way in as Cup Cake was carrying their two foals. She jumped over several ponies and rolled under a few more to reach the two of them. "I missed you guys so much!" she exclaimed and then drew both of them in a hug. She then focused on Pumpkin and Pound Cake. "Especially you two," she said affectionately, playing with their forelegs as she did so. "You've grown since I the last time!" Both foals cooed with delight and happily grasped at Pinkie's front hooves. Pumpkin Cake noticed Pinkie Pie's saddle bags gave it a curious look. Before anypony could notice, her horn began to glow and the bag's front flap opened. By the time Pinkie Pie noticed what she was up to, the bag's content was already beginning to float out. "Oh no!" Pinkie exclaimed. "Pumpkin Cake don't-"

Pumpkin Cake had telekinetically lifted a strange stone tablet from Pinkie's bag. It was covered in strange markings and gems. All of a sudden, the gems glowed briefly and sparked. The magical glow around the tablet disappeared, causing it to fall inside the bag again. Pumpkin Pie cried out in pain and grasped her horn. Her eyes watered and she started to cry loudly. "Oh no…" Pinkie said worriedly. "I'm so sorry, Pumpkin Cake, I should have stopped you faster." Cup Cake inspected her daughter worriedly, taking a look at the foal's horn. When she could see anything wrong, she concentrated on comforting the crying foal. "There, there, Pumpkin, it's alright." "What is that thing, you got there?" Carrot Cake asked in concern. Pinkie lifted the piece of slate to show them and returned it to her saddlebag. "It's some weird device those weird 'True Earth Ponies' gave to me before I came back here," she said. "They said it would help me with something…" Her mind went back to that odd meeting she had with the True Earth Ponies just before she went to the audience hall to meet up with her friends and go home. "Legionnaire Pinkie Pie." Pinkie turned around at the sound of somepony calling her. She found herself staring at the two ponies she had met earlier during the march to FangBreaker Fortress. "Oh, it's you 'True Earth Ponies' again!' she said cheerily. Even as she did so, however, she backed up a step. Sharpfangs and his wife, Tailwind, didn't like these ponies and, the truth be told, they were a little scary. Still, suddenly running off when it looked like they only wanted to talk would be rude. The pony in the funny-looking stone pony mask turned toward his younger companion and said something. The younger stallion listened intently and then shifted his attention to Pinkie Pie. "We did not get a chance to properly converse the other day, Legionnaire Pinkie Pie," he said. "We would like to correct that." "Huh?"

The younger stallion looked taken aback. He paused for a while and then tried again. "We would like to speak with you," he said. "But you're speaking to me right now!" The masked stallion leaned over to whisper again and then handed something to the younger stallion. Pinkie recognized the object; it was the same piece of slate she had seen with the two during their last meeting. "Please take this," the younger stallion said. He handed the bejeweled slate to Pinkie, who took it gingerly; as if it might turn into a snake and bite her if she wasn't careful. "Uh…thanks? What do I do with this though?" Pinkie tried to make sense of all the markings. When that didn't work, she tried pressing on the gems. As a last resort, she bit into the stone. Except for hurting her jaw, she accomplished nothing with the strange piece of slate. At the sight of Pinkie trying to eat the slate, the younger stallion nearly panicked and stepped forward. The masked stallion held him back and whispered something else. "When you begin to channel ley energy instinctively, the device will react," the younger stallion explained. "Once it does, you will learn much from just observing it. We are confident that, once you notice this, you will seek us out to learn more." "Okey dokey lokey," Pinkie replied. She had thought that these strange ponies would ask her to do something that her friends wouldn't approve of but carrying a piece of stone around sounded reasonable. Besides, these two mentioned "channeling ley energy" again. She had no idea what that meant but from what Cold Forged had mentioned earlier, it might be some form of useful magic. The prospect of having something useful during an emergency was too good to pass up. "One more thing," the younger stallion added. "What is it?" "We are aware that you are good friends with a pair of goats," "Goats? I don't recall meeting any goats in these lands."

"We mean the purple one and the white one who marched with you after we last spoke." "Purple one and white one marching with me…you mean Twilight and Rarity? Oh, you silly! They're not goats!" The younger stallion frowned at this while the masked one shifted slightly. "Regardless, make sure that they do not try to use their magic on the device. It will react badly." "Okey dokey lokey!" Pinkie looked apologetically at the Cakes for making their foal cry. "I'm sorry," she said. "I should have put my bags away first." "That thing looks dangerous," Carrot Cake said. "Maybe you should just get rid of it." Pinkie looked at her saddlebag and considered it. Maybe she should just get rid of this stone. It hurt ponies and it might continue to do so. She suddenly remembered the fight in Bastion City again, cringing behind Twilight and wishing that all her friends would be fine… "Sorry," she said. "I think I still need it."

While her friends got swarmed by ponies, Rainbow Dash took to the air, barely dodging a large flock of birds and other flying creatures that were heading for Fluttershy. She had missed Ponyville and she had missed everypony who lived in it. But, somehow, she couldn't bring herself to go among them and try to reconnect with her home. She should be glad to have this break. Instead, she felt agitated and restless. Home was important but she just felt that it just wasn't the right time. It was as if she was in the middle of a sporting competition and then asked to sit it out so she could relax. The sense of urgency just wouldn't go away not matter how much she tried to convince herself to calm down. "Rainbow Dash!" Rainbow looked down and spotted a small, orange-coated pegasus filly standing directly beneath her. Scootaloo looked up at her happily and

expectantly. Despite herself, Rainbow flew down and landed. "Hey, pipsqueak," she said. "How've you been?" "Things got really boring here without you around! I'm so glad you're back!" "Well, don't get used to it, I'll be flying off in a couple of weeks!" Scootaloo looked downcast at this but she quickly perked up again. "Princess Luna said that you joined the legion. Is it great being in the legion, huh?" She hopped up and down in excitement. "It sure is! You get to fight for Equestria's sake, fly into battle and shoot at the bad guys! It's pretty awesome!" "Wow! Is it more awesome than joining the Wonderbolts?" Rainbow halted dead in her tracks. Joining the Wonderbolts…that was her life-long dream when she stayed in the Heartland. All the training and practicing was so she could join that team of elite flyers. Yet, all that training and practicing now felt like a long dream and reality had just caught up with her. She suddenly realized that, even if she wanted to join the Wonderbolts now, it was probably impossible. She knew a lot about the legion's draft, probably more than any of her friends after asking around about it in her flight. The Wonderbolts were Equestria's best flyers. They were likely going to be absorbed into the legion like the Royal Guard once drafting began. Logistics will likely break them up and divide them among the various flights. "Y-yeah…" Rainbow answered with barely a fraction of the enthusiasm she had a few moments ago. "It is. The Wonderbolts are awesome and all but they focus more on air shows and racing. The legion gets up to a lot of hardcore stuff." "Awesome! I should really join the legion then!" "Hey, wait! You can't!" "Why not? You just said it was awesome and Princess Luna said that they were looking for members."

"It's also really dangerous. A lot of bad things can happen to you!" Memories flashed through Rainbow's mind; a giant wolf's paw slamming into her, a bloody Applejack lying motionless on the snow-covered ground…"A lot of bad stuff," she reiterated. "You just said the legion was awesome. Now it's bad?" "It is awesome…and bad stuff happens and…" Rainbow shook her head and began to hover. "Sorry, Scootaloo, I uh…I need to think alone." She flew off in a hurry, leaving her friends and everypony else to take shelter in a cloud. It was a mistake to come back to this place. Out in FangBreaker, everything was clear and straightforward; get better at being a legionnaire, beat Scarlet and rise to the top of her flight. Coming back to the Heartland just muddled things up.

While all her friends met up with loved ones, Twilight found herself dealing with the citizens of Ponyville in general. Somepony had mentioned that Spike wasn't around, making her remember that her assistant was still somewhere in the Western Barrier Land being tutored by a kirin. She wanted to head on to Canterlot so she could see her family but she didn't want to go ahead of her friends. "Twilight Sparkle, is it true that you are a member of this 'Equestrian Legion'?" Mayor Mare asked. "Yes, it's true," Twilight replied. "Then you would know what they're really like!" somepony from the crowd said. "Can they be trusted? What do they really want?" "The legion seeks to protect Equestria," Twilight replied. She remembered that Princess Luna should have come here to allay their fears. That they were still asking these questions was worrisome. It meant that they have yet to completely trust the Princess of the Night despite the time she had spent here before. "They can be trusted," she said as reassuringly as possible. "What about this Prince Terrato?"

"He's Princess Celestia's brother. He may be scary…and rude…and violent…and always in a bad mood…" The crowd started to look even more worried as Twilight continued. She stopped herself, realizing what was going on. "But he means well," she finished with a sheepish grin. The crowd looked a little mollified, but not enough for her to feel sure about them. She looked up in time to see Rainbow Dash fly off. All of a sudden, Twilight realized that this homecoming will have nothing to do with relaxation or reconnecting. She and her friends may have just come here to see the last vestiges of their old lives be consumed by the legion. Night had completely settled by this time. The familiar lights of Ponyville did little to take the edge from her worry.

Chapter 13 The Royal Guard News of Prince Terrato's and Princess Celestia's arrival quickly spread throughout Canterlot. By morning, the city was abuzz with rumors. Nopony save for Princess Luna and the highest ranked among the Royal Guard had actually seen the two but the prospect of finally having Princess Celestia address her subjects after her strange disappearance and edict was both reassuring and disconcerting; likewise, the chance to meet this Prince Terrato, who had been alluded to in the edict and explained by the wandering Princess Luna. With such important and events centering on the capital, The Royal Guard found itself all but swamped with all manners of complications. Merely a few hours after Princess Celestia and Prince Terrato arrived, a small group of armed and armored ponies teleported into the palace as well. The prince explained that they were some of his legionnaires on an important mission and asked the royal guards, who were more than a little suspicious given that the last time the palace witnessed the arrival of strange armed ponies; nearly a dozen of their stallions were killed. Now, with barely a clear explanation as to what happened that time, they were expected to work with these ponies. Representatives of the two martial organizations met inside the planning room of the Royal Guard's barracks. The legionnaires had come unarmed as a show of good faith. The Royal Guard, however, had no shortage of short spears. It was explained to them that the "legionnaires" that had previously attacked the palace in an attempt to steal the Elements of Harmony were mind-controlled agents of the new alicorn, Black Rose, and that these legionnaires were not of the same sort. For Unicorn Guard Captain Shining Armor, it didn't help that the legionnaire he was talking to was covered in black armor from head to tail, that the eyes that stared out of the armored slits were a feral red or that the pony spoke in a growling, wolfish voice when he introduced himself as "Captain Vanguard Clash of the Northern Equestrian Legion, Special Operations, Third Squad". Shining Armor accepted the offer of a hoofshake though. If

there was going to be a breach in relations between Prince Terrato's guards and Princess Celestia's, it wasn't going to start with him or from his companion at the moment, Pegasus Guard Captain Bright Shield. "Captain Shining Armor of the Royal Guard, Unicorn Division," he replied. "This is Captain Bright Shield of the Pegasus Division. It's an honor to work with the ponies who defend our borders." "The feeling is mutual towards the ponies who maintain order within the heart of Equestria," Vanguard said. He glanced at the other ponies lined up behind him. Shining Armor noticed that, while they all wore some barding, none were as heavily armored as this one. They remained completely expressionless except for one dark blue unicorn who looked at him a little too intensely. When she noticed him paying attention to her, a playful smile curved her lips. "The prince has ordered a few squads from Special Operations to work with the Royal Guard," Vanguard continued. "We are to update you on Equestria's enemies, especially Black Rose and her Thorns, assist with the merging between our two organizations and ensure that the prince's address tomorrow will go smoothly. We'd appreciate it if you tell us about potential problem spots in this city for tomorrow's address." "We're still unclear about how this 'merge' is supposed to happen," Bright Shield said. "From what Princess Luna has been saying, it seems that the Equestrian Legion will be absorbing the Royal Guard completely." "That is correct," was Vanguard's answer. "That's absurd!" Bright Shield said. "The Royal Guard has been protecting Equestria as an organization for centuries and now you're just going to dissolve it into your group?" "I'm not here to debate history with anypony, Captain Bright Shield. I have my orders from our prince and I'm sure you have your orders too." Bright Shield gritted his teeth. The black armored pony was right, he did have his orders. Both princesses had already told the Royal Guard about their plans to merge the two groups. He had another retort but a raised hoof from Shining Armor held him back. "You're fine with this?" he asked his fellow captain. Shining Armor closed his eyes momentarily.

"I will be fine here," Princess Celestia said once she entered her room. "Thank you, both of you." Both Shining Armor and Bright Shield saluted and turned to leave. "Shining Armor!" Shining Armor stopped when the princess called him back while Bright Shield kept on going."Yes, your highness?" he asked. Celestia trembled slightly from fatigue. "I'm sorry," she said. "What I did to your sister was wrong. Forgive me." Shining Armor's lips twisted slightly, the only sign of the emotion that the princess stirred up. "I can't," he said. "Not yet, your highness." "Shining Armor-" "It was hard enough to accept that you banished Twiley because she had done something wrong. Now, it turns out that you threw her into danger even when she hadn't. Not only that, I have to find out that you've been lying to me since the day I was born." Celestia tried to take a step forward and then stumbled as she did so, Shining Armor was by her side to offer support in a heartbeat. "I'm surprised you still show this much concern," she said weakly. "I swore an oath to serve when I took this position." Shining Armor's face softened a bit. "Just…give me some more time, your highness. I need to take this all in. I can't forgive you just yet." "Thank you for that much." "No," Shining Armor replied when he opened his eyes again. He continued to stare Vanguard Clash as he spoke. "Not really, Bright Shield, but Captain Vanguard Clash is right. We have our orders and we're sworn to uphold them. The Royal Guard will cooperate with the Equestrian Legion." "I must admit I was expecting a lot of resistance from the Royal Guard," Vanguard said. "Your cooperation is appreciated, Captain Shining Armor."

"But we'll do so with our eyes open," Shining Armor continued. "I'd like to know how the legion deals with 'problem spots' before I share any information. Forgive me but I was part of the clean up when some of your rogue troops attacked this palace." "We will observe for the most part and leave any domestic issues with the Royal Guard," Vanguard replied. "We will act if we determine that Black Rose's agents are involved. Things should remain in simple arrests unless Black Rose decides to escalate matters." "Good." Shining Armor felt a little reassured. He had been worried that the mere of these legionnaires enforcing the laws they knew would only cause more unrest in Canterlot. "Now, about this Black Rose…" Vanguard turned towards one of his companions, who handed him a sheaf of papers.

The following day came about swiftly, far too swiftly for Luna. She doubted that a few hours of rest would be enough for her older sister, who walked the halls with her weakly. A part of her dearly wanted to postpone the event. Terrato had made no secret to her that he didn't like the ponies of Canterlot and it was quite likely that the ponies of Canterlot won't like him either. She envisioned a lot of things going wrong. If Canterlot's inhabitants refused to listen and started resisting, Terrato will certainly order the legion to subdue them violently, if he didn't simply crush them all in anger. Yet it was better to get this out of the way. The longer it took for them to address the ponies of Equestria, the longer the unrest would brew. She looked ahead and saw that Terrato was already waiting by the palace's entrance along with a contingent of royal guards. She looked around suspiciously, noting that not a single legionnaire was in sight. What had her brother put them up to? "About time you got here," Terrato said. He looked towards the direction of Canterlot's main plaza where he and his sisters were to address the citizens of Celestia's capital. Even from where he was, he could see the ponies beginning to gather.

The three of them flew off together. Below, a few ponies still walking the streets gasped and pointed at them. The plaza was abuzz with the worried chatter of ponies when the three reached it. On the ground, some royal guards blew their trumpets to signal their arrival. A hush fell upon the crowd as the three of them landed on an elevated platform. Luna observed the reactions closely. She saw shock, confusion and a great deal of fear. She listened to the whispers among them. "Is that the Prince Terrato were kept hearing about?" "He's so big! And his mane is on fire!" "He's gray like a tombstone!" "He looks angry, is he going to attack us?" "Where is Princess Celestia?" "Isn't she the one at the center?" "That can't be! The princess's mane isn't pink!" "But she looks every bit like the princess except for the mane. Didn't Princess Luna say that her powers were stolen by an enemy?" "I don't know, she looks…smaller. Does losing their power make the princesses shrink?" "Shush! She's about to speak!" Standing so close to her sister, Luna could understand why the ponies of Canterlot even doubted that their princess had come back. Celestia had not changed in size at all. She seemed smaller because she lacked presence, something caused by two things at the moment; her loss of power and the prospect of finally facing her subjects for the first time after the division's end. "My dear subjects…" Celestia began. She spoke through a microphone. Normally, this would not be necessary. The Royal Canterlot Voice was all it

took to address a large crowd but that required a degree of magic that the princess did not have to spare. This was not lost to the crowd, particularly the royal guards stationed around and among them. "Today will mark the beginning of a new period for Equestria. For more than a thousand years I partitioned Equestria into two parts in a misguided attempt to protect ponykind." Luna suddenly found herself breathless. Celestia had mentioned before that she had been too hasty in judgment but this would be the first time ever that she would admit that the barrier was wrong. A single look at Terrato's face told her that he had noticed as well. "That partition is over. My sister, Luna, has already told you of the troubles that have been hidden from you for so long. I now stand here to confirm them." There were no overt reactions from the crowd but Luna could feel a collective sigh come from them. When she had spoken to them of the situation, they had listened earnestly and tried to understand but she knew that part of them still hoped that whatever bad thing that was happening would blow over and they would not be needed. Celestia's words hammered in the reality that such a thing was not going to happen. "Equestria needs your help, my little ponies," Celestia went on. "The Equestrian Legion, led by my brother, Terrato, has come here today for your support." She looked towards Terrato, who kept his eyes on the crowd. "Don't believe her!" a stallion shouted from afar. Everypony's eyes went towards the one who spoke. By the edges of the plaza, a white unicorn stallion with a blond mane walked slowly towards the crowd. Luna recognized Blueblood: Celestia's rather annoying but mostly harmless "nephew". From the way he was acting now, "harmless" might have to be reconsidered. "That's not Princess Celestia!" Blueblood continued to shout. "It doesn't even look like her!" Luna heard a deep-throated growl come from her brother. She placed a hoof by his shoulder in response. "Big brother, please. No earthquakes or one of your 'surprise volcanoes'. This city is dangling by a cliff, remember?" she whispered.

Terrato let out a snort and relax. "I know," he said. He looked on disapprovingly as the gathered ponies listened to the upstart. "The real Princess Celestia would never force us to join some army and go off to a land we've never seen!" Blueblood continued to shout. "This one must be a fake being controlled by those two behind her!" Luna stepped forward to reply to the accusation. "This is the real Princess Celestia!" she said. "I've already explained why she looks like this before!" "A likely story!" Blueblood sneered. "I never trusted your so-called conversion! This is a Nightmare Moon plot! She's trying to recruit us into her army!" "I believe her," another pony said. This one didn't shout like Blueblood but his voice carried clearly through the crowd. Everypony turned to look and found Captain Shining Armor standing next to a squad of unicorn royal guards by the opposite side of where Blueblood was. "I've been with the princesses long and often enough. I know the real Princess Celestia when I see her. In fact…" He turned his gaze towards Celestia. "She's more real now than she's ever been!" "How can we trust you?" Blueblood asked. "Aren't you the same pony who was fooled by the changeling queen?" "And thus the one who's even more vigilant than before!" Shining Armor shot back. "What's really going on here, Blueblood? Are you really doubtful of the princess's identity or are you that scared of the draft?" "Who isn't afraid of the draft here?" Blueblood replied and looked all around him. "Who wants to be part of some army and work," he shuddered at the mere mentioned of the word, "for a prince they've never met?" "I'd fight for Equestria!" a third pony shouted from the crowd. A light yellow stallion, still wearing the uniform of a café worker stepped up. "That's what it's all about right?" Several ponies next to him agreed." "How can we be sure it's for Equestria and not the private army of Nightmare Moon?" Blueblood asked. Some of the nobles walked over to him as a show of agreement. "Why can't they just get the Royal Guard and leave us alone?"

"Nightmare Moon's long gone!" another pony shouted. "I'm siding with Captain Shining Armor! That's the real Princess Celestia and she really needs our help!" The crowd erupted into a confused argument while the guards struggled to maintain control. "I have a family to care for and a business to run! I can't join this legion forever!" "Equestria's in danger and we've been called to help! I say anypony who refuses to be drafted is a coward!" "The nobles don't want to move their rears and help out! What can you expect from those hoity toity do-nothings?" "Let the rabble join up! Surely their numbers will make up for all the ponies needed!" "I still can't believe we've been lied to for so long! How do we even trust this legion?" A powerful boom, like the distant crack of thunder or a far away eruption, came from where the royals were standing. It rolled through the crowd and silenced them in an instant. Everypony turned towards the sound to find that the gray alicorn next to their princesses had clapped his front hooves together. Once he got the crowd's attention, Terrato glanced at his sisters and then stepped forward. "I am Prince Terrato of Equestria," he said. His words rumbled like a distant earthquake. Unlike his eldest sister, he had no problem projecting his voice. "It seems a lot of you have issues over not knowing who I am. There will be plenty of time to do that, given that I'm not going anywhere." His gaze swept over the crowd. Seeing them beginning to cower was an annoyance but he kept his voice even. "For a long, long time I have protected this land from its enemies. If you have doubts, come forth and I will take you to see them for yourself." He paused, waiting for somepony to accept his offer. He could feel his sisters' nervous gaze on him during the silence. Nopony stepped forward, yet one more source of annoyance. He put on a smile when he continued though. "I am glad, though, to meet all the ponies I have been defending for the first time. My

sisters have done well in caring for you during their reign, regardless of a few mistakes we have made. A lot of you fear the legion. I understand that. But what you should fear is what would happen if it falls. The legion and I cannot protect Equestria by ourselves for much longer. Though it pains us to do so, we have to call upon all of you to do your part." Terrato paused again to let his words settle in. He could see many in the crowd whispering among themselves. He heard the doubts and the hesitation and decided that some changes had to happen on the spot. "I must also add that your service to the legion need not be permanent," he continued. "All ponies recruited during the draft will be allowed to leave and go home once the worst has come to pass; though I am confident that plenty will stay once they see the necessity and nobility of the legion's work." Terrato glanced at his sisters and relished the surprise on their faces before going on. "I am asking for a lot of things from all of Equestria now; I ask for your cooperation for we will all fall without it, I ask for your forgiveness, your rulers have made grave mistakes and continue to pay for it, most of all, I ask for your courage, the future ahead is dark but we can go through this together." The crowd was silent after that. No more whisperings among themselves this time. "Count me in!" somepony from the crowd shouted. Others quickly picked up on it and yelled their agreement. The crowd came to life with determined cries. Luna stepped closer towards her brother. "See?" she said. "Not so full of fops after all." "Maybe," Terrato said grimly. He continued to stare and noticed the ponies not so eager to join. Many nobles bunched together around Blueblood and stared at the crowd in horror. While his sister saw the crowd's willingness, he saw the pockets of resistance. Small groups of ponies were trying to get away from the crowd and fall back to their homes or, perhaps, to get away from the city itself. That wasn't going to work, he had already scattered his eyes and ears throughout the city's potential hiding places and exits. It shouldn't be hard with the Royal Guard's cooperation. "You surprised me though," Luna said. "I read from your laws that joining the legion was permanent."

"The old rules don't cut it anymore," Terrato said. "These ponies need hope. They need to see their joining as a service they have to give for now, not a fate they are irrevocably condemned to." "Will the same be true for the Elements of Harmony?" Terrato let out a snort. "They weren't drafted, they joined up on their own even though we discouraged them. I'll have to think about it more. I'm off for now, little sister; I have to coordinate with the legionnaires waiting to enter the cities and I need to have a strict hoof on these things." "Of course, big brother." With a flap of his wings, Terrato took to the air.

After the address had finished, the two princesses stayed to talk with the ponies on a more personal level. Luna had feared that the Heartland's ponies would be resentful and angry, that they would demand some sort of physical punishment for Celestia or even demand that she step down from her throne. It was likely that the very nature of the Heartland was what kept either from happening. Heartland ponies did not believe in swift and merciless vindication in the same way the ponies of the Barrier Lands did. Punishments were rare and they were certainly not turned into public events like Terrato's executions and floggings. It was also likely because these ponies had spent so long in Celestia's benevolent rule that they could not imagine what their life would be outside it. Whatever the reason, the ponies that approached Celestia were not of the vengeful or angry sort and Luna was glad for it. Having the ponies of the Heartland turn on her now would simply break Celestia's heart. Instead, they showed concern over the princess's loss of power and promised their support. Terrato would have called them naïve but their naiveté was going to help now more than any sense of worldliness. Unfortunately, that wasn't likely going to be the case each and every time in the Heartland. It wasn't even so here in Canterlot. Luna looked to the far side of the plaza where the Royal Guard was dealing with a group of nobles led by Blueblood. She wished that they were an isolated case but they were likely only the first of several.

"No!" Blueblood said haughtily. "I refuse to join! I am a prince of Equestria and I will not be reduced to working with common soldiery!" Several of the royal guards scowled at stepped forward but they were stopped by one of their captains. Shining Armor shared in his ponies' desire to show Blueblood that he was talking to "common soldiery" at the moment and they didn't appreciate his tone but he kept his feelings aside for now. "Nopony's asking for your permission, Blueblood," he said. "The draft is mandatory and you're going to represent your family." "Is there no way at all to avoid this 'draft'?" another noble asked. "Perhaps we can hire somepony to go in our place. Maybe a generous donation to the right pony?" "I'm going to ignore that you just asked if you can bribe somepony," Bright Shield replied, allowing a hint of anger to creep into his voice. "The answer to your other question is no. Everypony will do his or her part. You can't hire somepony to do your part for you. For now, we ask that all of you return to your homes and wait for the actual draft. Don't try to skip out of this, the penalties are stiff." Most of the nobles left, nearly all of them deflated by the response. Blueblood stayed however. "I am still royalty," he insisted. "If money won't exempt from the draft, blood will." Shining Armor suddenly grabbed Blueblood by the lapels and forced the stallion to look at Celestia. "This crisis has taken from Princess Celestia herself," he said angrily. "What makes you think her nephew's going to get an exemption? Go home, Blueblood. We may be related but I'll personally throw you into the dungeon if you cause any trouble!" He let go of Blueblood, who stumbled and fell on his rear before running off. "That's not the last we'll hear from him," Bright Shield said as he watched the prince run off. While the rest of the guards went back to their assigned posts, Bright Shield and Shining Armor walked back to the barracks. The legionnaires from earlier had asked for a few strange things; the location of the Coldhorn the Watcher wing, which was really just a small, obscure room deep within the library where nopony goes, the location of Skymirror Lake, which was in the middle of changeling territory, and the location of Everfree Castle. They refused to explain why save for mentioning that it involved Black Rose, the pony who stole Princess Celestia's power.

Shining Armor pulled out the sheaf of papers that the legionnaires provided him with as he walked on. Blue Moon - unicorn mage and leader of The Thorns. Specializes in Abjuration magic. Known best for his part in the Battle for Sharpstone Bridge where he held off an ursan army by himself for two days. Currently under custody. Lion Court - unicorn mage. Served as a diplomat and spy. Credited with two hundred kills from formal duels. Specializes in mind-affecting magic and uses the extremely rare skill of mage-blade wielding. Longstride - pegasus sniper. Armed with a magical bow with line-of-sight range. Sablesteel - pegasus infiltrator. Uses a variety of poisons and extremely dangerous in close range. Stealthiest of The Thorns. Rhapsody - earth pony bard. Plays "Warsinger" a dangerous magical instrument that tears into the enemy's nerves. Believed to be still dead. Black Rose is looking for a replacement. Frenzy Heart -earth pony berserker. Wields a giant stone blade, a True Earth Pony heirloom, with ease. Also believed to be still dead. Equestria's enemies appeared daunting from just reading the information about them. He had to steel himself for facing them for real. He read the descriptions but they weren't what made him worry. "That was some standing up you did for the princess," Bright Shield said. "You're really all in for this legion huh? What did they do to impress you?" "Nothing," Shining Armor replied. "All I know is that Twiley believed in these ponies enough to be banished for them. That's good enough for me." They turned one corner and passed by a group of ponies arguing among themselves about the earlier address. "Legion aside, you never told me how your honeymoon went," Bright Shield said.

"You're right, I never did," Shining Armor replied with a smile. After a moment of silence, Bright Shield grinned. "Oh, that's how it is, eh?" "Maybe if you finally marry Sky Piercer, we can swap stories." "As if that's going to happen. That mare's going to tease me forever!" Shining Armor chuckled in response. They walked on silence for a while until Bright Shield spoke again. "You know, at the risk of sounding bloodthirsty, Part of me is actually glad about all these recent revelations." "Why's that?" "It's just a little comforting to know that there's more to this job than guarding tea parties and the rare attack that will be resolved without us anyway." "Be careful what you wish for, Bright Shield." "I don't have to wish for it. It's happening anyway." The two of them stopped in front of the barracks. "Well, Captain Bright Shield," Shining Armor told his fellow captain. "The Guard's chance to really shine has just come."

Chapter 14 Heroic Strangers The day after she and her friends returned to Ponyville found Twilight Sparkle standing all by herself inside the library. As she looked around, it appeared first that everything was neat and taken care of. It seemed that somepony had taken over the library's maintenance after she had gone and had done a good enough job. Closer inspection, however, left Twilight nearly wide-eyed in horror. The library may be neat but the shelving was in complete chaos; Classics mixing with History, Fiction with Non-Fiction…it was a complete disaster hiding under a veneer of order. She grabbed hold of every book in sight with her telekinesis and dropped them on the floor impulsively. "Spike!" she called out. "Get down here and help-!" She stopped herself. There was no baby dragon sleeping upstairs to wake up and assist her. Spike was somewhere in the Western Barrier Lands training under some…creature called Seethe Scale. Though Twilight had agreed because Spike had felt so strongly about it, she still wasn't fine with the decision. Spike had tried something like that before and he gained nothing from being around dragons. Why would being around a half-dragon be any different? Remembering Spike's absence only served to make the library seem even emptier. Twilight considered setting aside re-shelving by herself and going over to see her friends. However, Applejack and Rarity were likely spending time with their families. She would only feel like an intruder if she cut in on that time. Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy were also spending time with what were basically their adopted families. That left Rainbow Dash. The sky blue pegasus looked uncomfortable all throughout yesterday. Perhaps she could use some company. Twilight replaced the books without any attention to their order and then prepared to head out. She paused for a moment when she opened the door and considered traveling to Canterlot to go to her family. It would likely ease the loneliness a bit than insisting on staying in Ponyville. Besides, today was Princess Celestia's and Prince Terrato's address. She could go there and help out.

Which might be exactly what Black Rose wanted… Twilight peered outside her door, suddenly aware of an enemy she had nearly pushed to the sidelines because of Nightmare Moon and Pyre Valor. Black Rose was out there. It was a sun that she raised that now covered the village with its early morning rays. She could already have agents running around the Heartland this very moment. She might even be in the village in disguise. It would be so easy for her to abduct somepony and then replace him or her. Twilight now felt unprepared. She didn't even bring her mage-coat and none of her friends had come in barding. They were unprepared and surrounded by loved ones should an attack suddenly come. Twilight shook her head and then headed on out. If she started thinking that, she would soon be suspecting everypony of being either Black Rose or a pawn of Black Rose. And all of this because the black "alicorn" had actually succeeded in making sunlight ominous…

Morning always started with a hearty breakfast in Sweet Apple Acres and, with the harvest done and the first snow already beginning to fall, breakfast was heartier and livelier. That was also due in no small part to the return of the Apple Family's lost daughter. Applejack stood at the center of a veritable feast of a breakfast. After the big dinner last night, she reminded herself to show a little restraint lest she find her barding a little hard to fit into by the time she returned to her duties. "…and then I tried again and a bunch of them actually fell!" Applebloom said excitedly. "Ain't that right, Big Mac?" "Eeyup," the red stallion replied. "I can't believe I wasn't around to see my little sister buck her first apple tree," Applejack said. "I'm mighty proud of you, Applebloom!" Applejack grinned and ruffled her sister's mane. She grabbed a slice of apple cobbler and finished it with a few swift bites, washing down the sweetness with a few gulps of cider. All the while, she was careful not to spill anything on the chain she still had wrapped around her neck. After weeks of D Grade Winter Moss and water, having so many apples in one sitting was utter paradise.

"Woah there, AJ, you're done?" Big Macintosh asked. Applejack looked down her plate and realized that it was clean. Had she taken too little? No, she recalled filling it with food before settling down. "I, uh…" She considered filling the plate up again so she could keep pace with her family but she was already feeling full. "I guess I am." The others were barely halfway through their dishes. It was then that Applejack realized that she had been eating as she did back with the legion; with a strict time limit and the platoon captain watching if they were delaying. She was chowing down her plate quickly and efficiently all throughout Applebloom's story and was done by the time her sister reached the end. She suddenly felt the need to start up a conversation as an excuse to remain at the table. "By the way, Granny, I was planning on looking through some of our family records for today," she said. Granny Smith looked vacantly ahead of her for a while and then perked up. "Huh?" she asked. "Oh, records? You know where the family albums are." "I was hoping we had ones that go back longer than those." Granny Smith tapped her chin with a hoof for a while. "Longer than those huh? Just how long are you goin' back?" Applejack thought carefully for a moment. Apple Slice was "The Last Great Apple" who stayed behind while the rest of the Apples moved into the Heartland. That would be around a thousand years or so. "About a thousand years back," she said. She felt her heart sink when she actually said the words. There was no way that they'd have records going back that far. "Silly filly, we don't have albums that go back that far! They didn't have photos back then!" Applejack lowered her gaze in disappointment. "I think we have a bunch of scrolls that might have something. You know us Apples stay close to our roots and best way to do that's to make sure everypony's accounted for!"

Applejack brightened at that. "Great!" she said. "I really want to find out about somepony," she said. "Well, I'll have you know that I know a lot about the Apples of old. Which one are you looking for?" "A pony called Apple Slice. Do you know about him, Granny?" Granny Smith nearly choked on a bit of apple when she heard the name. "Apple Slice, you say?" she asked when she had recovered. "Do you know him, Granny?" Applejack asked eagerly. "Who's this Apple Slice and why'd you want to find out so much about him, AJ?" Applebloom asked. Though Big Macintosh said nothing, he did look on curiously. "Not personally of course," Granny Smith replied. "My great grandpa told me the story of Apple Slice and his great grandpa was the one who told him. It's an old, old story that one." With the siblings finished, Granny Smith led all of them to their living room where the old family albums were kept. She wandered around the room for a while and looked around aimlessly. "Now, where was that again…ponyfeathers, I keep forgetting…oh!" She began to fiddle with the wooden walls until one section slid to its side to reveal a small shelf-like space. She took out a few scrolls and laid them out on the floor. "Now, Apple Slice…Apple Slice…here we go!" Applejack followed her grandmother's hoof as the old mare traced a path from one Apple to another. The scrolls were impressive. There had to be hundreds of Apples listed in there, each one connected to the rest like a branch from a massive apple tree. Eventually, she spotted the name: Apple Slice. At once, she noticed two things; the first was that the name was quite close to the very beginning of this family tree, the second was that the name wasn't attached to anything. "Here he is! 'The One Bad Apple' Apple Slice," Granny Smith said. "Why is he just floating there?" Applebloom asked. "Ain't he related to anypony? How can he be an Apple and not be related to anypony?" "And what do you mean by 'The One Bad Apple'?" Applejack added.

"I was just getting to that until you young'uns interrupted me! Now, like I was sayin' 'The One Bad Apple' Apple Slice lived a long, long time ago when the Apple Family was barely starting out. Even when he was colt, Apple Slice already stood out in all the wrong ways; he couldn't grow weeds even if he tried his best, animals hated him and he was just as bad at trying to trade or sell their harvest. His one good talent was that he was really good at lassoing things but that didn't help much on account of the rest of the family not wanting him anywhere near animals he could lasso. Worst of all, Apple Slice was afflicted with one of the worst conditions that could fall on our family." All three siblings leaned closer and held their breath. Granny Smith gave them a foreboding look in return and paused for dramatic effect. "He was allergic to apples!" Applebloom gasped and Big Macintosh shuddered. Even Applejack felt a twinge of horror at the thought of being unable to be anywhere near apples. "It's true!" Granny Smith continued. "The poor stallion couldn't even touch a single peel without breaking out in hives. Now, being left out does strange things to a pony and Apple Slice was no exemption. He started to blame and hate the Apple Family for the things he couldn't do until, one day, he just went plumb crazy. According to his brother, Apple Peel, Apple Slice lassoed every apple tree he could find and ripped them from the ground, ruining that year's harvest. He then lassoed his family's house and tore it in half." "He must be awful strong to do all that!" Applebloom remarked. Big Macintosh nodded in agreement. "Or have a magic lasso…" Applejack mumbled. "Did you say something, Applejack?" Granny Smith asked. "No…nothing. What happened then?" "Oh, he didn't stop there. Apple Slice turned on the family in a rampage. He even attacked his own pa, Apple Core." Granny Smith shook her head sadly. "Apple turning on Apple, ain't nuthin more tragic than that. After that, he disappeared, never to be seen again. For what he did, the family cast

him out. His name appears on this scroll so everypony can remember that he existed but he ain't connected to the tree 'cause of what he did." Applejack tugged on the chain around her neck in disbelief. "But…but that doesn't make any sense!" Her expression brightened briefly. "Maybe there's more than one pony called Apple Slice. I mean, there can't be only one Apple Slice this long list of ponies right?" "I don't know deary," Granny Smith replied. "After this Apple Slice, nopony in the family dared to name their foals with that name. It's a bad omen naming your foal after 'The One Bad Apple'." "Why are you getting so upset, AJ?" Applebloom asked. "It's because Apple Slice is supposed to be a hero! The Queen said that he died valiantly and that Crow Quill feller said that Apple Slice did something really nice for his ancestor so generations of his family made sure that Apple Slice's magic lasso returned to the Apple Family! In the Barrier Lands, they call him 'The Last Great Apple' because of all the heroic things he did! Wait, since the princess didn't want stories about Barrier Lands spreading through the Heartland, the Apples must have done some changing to it and-" Applejack paused when she felt that her siblings were watching her. She looked up and cringed when her family's eyes all widened. "Apple Slice a hero?" Granny Smith asked. "He had a magic lasso?" Applebloom added. She noticed the chain hanging by Applejack's neck. "Is that it? Is that the magic lasso that Crow Quill feller returned? Can I try it out huh?" Before Applejack could reply, Big Macintosh broke in. "Hold on now, I don't know who this "Queen" is but I think we Apples know our kin best, even the bad ones." He looked at Applejack in disbelief. "Are you honestly going to believe some strangers from a far away land over your kin?" "Well, I-"

"And if that's his lasso around you like what Applebloom was asking about, I don't think you should be carrying it around," Big Macintosh added. "I reckon it might be cursed!" Applejack put her hooves on the chain impulsively. "It ain't cursed!" she protested. "Why, it's mighty useful for what I'm doing in the legion. Besides" "I still don't like it," Big Macintosh insisted. "Maybe you should keep it outside the house." "I'm keeping it right where it is," Applejack said firmly. "Unless I should stay out of the house too?" "Hey, now…" Granny Smith tried to say. "No need to get your manes ruffled up." "Now I'm really starting to worry about you, AJ," Big Macintosh continued. "I don't like the thought of them legion types looking up to somepony who abandoned his family as a hero. Maybe it ain't right for you to be around them." "Now just wait a pony-picking minute here," Applejack said indignantly. "That ain't fair to the legion, Big Macintosh!" "What ain't fair is them thinking that 'The One Bad Apple' is 'The Last Great Apple' and making you fight for them for the rest of your life!" "Nopony made me fight for them for the rest of my life," Applejack said between grit teeth. "I didn't get drafted, I joined up. The legion does good work, Big Macintosh, just because it ain't about apples doesn't mean that it's bad. If a lot of ponies in the legion think Apple Slice is a hero there has to be a good reason!" "There ain't a reason good enough to-!" "Stop!" Both Applejack and Big Macintosh fell silent at the loud cry from their youngest sibling. Applebloom was in tears by the time they noticed her. "Stop fighting please!" she said between sniffles. "Applejack only has two

weeks to be with us and I don't want to spend that time with the two of you being angry at each other!" "Your sister's right, you two!" Granny Smith said sternly. "There ain't gonna be more Apples fighting each other in this house, you hear? Applejack, what are you crouching like that for?" It was then that Applejack realized that she had instinctively fallen into a low stance; all hooves on the floor and ready for a low charge to sweep the bigger enemy off his legs just like she was taught during training. She righted herself quickly and guiltily. "Hey…hey, there's no need to cry, Applebloom," she said soothingly. "Big Mac and I weren't really fighting. We were just…expressing our ideas really loudly. Ain't that right, Big Mac?" "Eeyup," Big Macintosh replied. He moved closer to comfort the filly, giving the chain around Applejack's neck one more suspicious glance as he did so. "I'm gonna take a walk," Applejack said quietly. "I need to cool off."

The bolt flew from Rainbow Dash's crossbow and struck the makeshift bullseye just a couple of inches from the center. She clucked her tongue at the result, loaded another one and adjusted her aim. During this time of the morning, Rainbow Dash would normally still be lying on a cloud around Ponyville, fast asleep. Normal times, however, had long since gone. Now she was by herself in a clearing at the very edge of the Everfree Forest where she had set up a target and decided to just spend the morning practicing. She had been up almost at dawn, a habit she had to learn in Flight Dreadwing, and had proceeded to just wander around aimlessly through the skies of Ponyville. The back of her mind would not stop nagging her about how she should be glad to be back and that every minute of the two weeks she was given should be one heartwarming moment after another but the rest of it seemed to be stuck on just waiting for the break to be over so she could get back to doing her part towards protecting Equestria. She had flown over to Sugarcube Corner, Fluttershy's Cottage and even Carousel Botique but, upon seeing her friends enjoying the time they had with their families, she couldn't bring herself to disturb them.

The second bolt flew straight on and struck much closer to the bullseye. With a grin, Rainbow loaded a third bolt. She was glad now that she decided to bring her crossbow along for the return home and hid it inside one of her saddlebags. Target practice wasn't much but it helped ease her mind a bit. At least she felt as if she was moving towards something useful. She paused for a moment and looked back towards the direction of Ponyville and, once again, thought about seeing the friends she had left behind when she had been banished. She knew every pegasus in Ponyville and was friends with each one of them. It should be easy to strike up a conversation; talk about good old days, tell them about her adventures in the Northern Barrier Land and all the ponies and creatures she encountered there… Yet she couldn't. Some kind of paralyzing apathy rooted her to the spot whenever she thought about doing that. Underneath the need to focus on the fights to come, she felt…tainted; unworthy of going back to a life that she had willfully abandoned for a life in the legion. She remembered what she had told Applejack about candy-hoofed chosen. She also remembered that, during her entire time in the Northern Barrier Land, she had missed nothing. She hadn't even paused for a moment to think about missing her home here in between fighting, training and drinking. How could she now go back here and act like it was the most wonderful thing that had happened to her recently? "Hey Rainbow Dash!" Rainbow easily recognized the enthusiastic greeting. Sure enough, Scootaloo was running towards her excitedly. How the pegasus filly had managed to find this spot was beyond her. "Hey, pipsqueak," she said. "I was looking all over town for you! What are you doing all the way out here?" Rainbow finished loading the bolt and aimed her crossbow at the target. "Just a little target practice," she replied. "Got to keep myself sharp you know." Scootaloo managed to hold still while Rainbow took aim and fired. The bolt struck much farther than the first shot however. "Foal of a nag!" she groused. "What was that?" Scootaloo asked.

Rainbow clapped a hoof over her mouth upon realizing what she had just said. "Nothing!" she said hastily. "Nothing at all! Say, pipsqueak, want to make yourself useful?" "Sure Rainbow Dash! What do you want me to do?" "Go pull those bolts out of the target will you?" The orange pegasus filly galloped over to the target and did as she was asked while Rainbow watched quietly. Scootaloo…wasn't bad. She didn't feel any sort of aversion for the filly's presence. The constant admiration was actually a comfort. Yesterday, she had seen the hesitation on the faces of the other ponies from Ponyville when she and her friends arrived. There was gladness there, certainly, but she also saw the apprehension and knew that they were seen, not just as returning friends but messengers of a war they had been hearing about for some time. It wasn't so for Scootaloo however. The pegasus filly still only looked at her as the same amazing Rainbow Dash. In fact, she probably saw the older pegasus as having become even more amazing for taking part in a war to protect Equestria. Before Rainbow could continue to ponder that, however, Scootaloo had come back with the bolts grasped firmly with her teeth. Rainbow reloaded her weapon again and was about to take a shot when she looked at the filly with a smile. "Want to try?" she asked. "Would I?" Scootaloo sang out. Rainbow handed the younger pegasus the crossbow. As the weapon was still too big for Scootaloo, she stood behind the filly and held the weapon steady. "Alright," she said. "You just keep your shoulders relaxed, take aim and, when you're ready, pull the firing lever." Scootaloo did as she was instructed and fire. Before Rainbow could see how the shot went, a sudden, familiar voice calling from behind them nearly made her drop the crossbow. "What are you two doing?" Twilight asked as she approached the two. She looked disapprovingly at Rainbow Dash, who hastily took the crossbow away from Scootaloo.

"Hey, Twilight, what are you doing all the way out here?" Rainbow asked. Twilight's expression softened a little as she turned her attention towards the orange pegasus. "Sorry, Scootaloo, I need to talk to Rainbow about something, mind playing somewhere else for a while? Preferably somewhere not so close to the Everfree Forest." "But I-!" Scootaloo insisted, she looked to Rainbow for some support. "Sorry, pipsqueak," Rainbow said with a sheepish grin. "I'll catch up with you later!" Scootaloo kicked up a bit of dirt with a foreleg. "Oh, foal of a nag!" she said before running off. "What?" Twilight looked at Scootaloo's distant figure first and then turned an indignant glare at her friend. "Rainbow Dash! What are you doing?" "I didn't teach her that!" Rainbow said defensively. "I…uh…I accidentally said it and she picked it up on her own!" Twilight shook her head in disappointment. "We're going to have a hard time getting her to unlearn that, if we can even do so. And if she spreads that to Applebloom and Sweetie Belle…" The mere thought of Applejack and Rarity finding out made Rainbow cringe inwardly. She quickly changed the subject and made a mental note to talk to Scootaloo later. "Anyway," she said. "What about you, Twilight? Don't tell me that you were just taking a walk and found yourself all the way out here!" "I was looking for you," Twilight replied flatly. "And you found me. Now what?" Twilight frowned slightly at Rainbow's flippant attitude but she put aside her annoyance as she went on. "You just looked really uncomfortable yesterday. Are you alright? How are you adjusting back here?" "I'm not," Rainbow replied.

Twilight looked on with concern. "What do you mean?" she asked. "Aren't you glad to be back here?" Rainbow shook her head. "The princess meant well when she asked the prince to send us here, Twilight, but I just don't think this is what we should be doing right now." "This is our home, Rainbow. Didn't we join the legion to protect it?" "I know that!" Rainbow snapped. "It's not like I haven't tried feeling great about coming back! It's just that…this place just doesn't feel like home anymore." She paced about trying to get her thoughts into the right words. "I mean, all our friends are still here, so are all the sights. I just don't understand what's missing. We spent about a month out in the Northern Barrier Land, how does a month change so much?" "It may have been only a month," Twilight replied, "but we had to take in a lot during our time there. What's the matter, Rainbow? Didn't we join the legion to protect our home?" "Did we?" Rainbow asked. "Tell me, if you had known that Princess Celestia would put down the barrier in a month and we wouldn't be banished anymore, would you have still joined the legion?" The question caught Twilight off-guard. "Well, I…" "I was so sure that the Northern Barrier Land was going to be our new home," Rainbow went on. "I was even making fun of Applejack for not thinking that way! I don't know why but it was so easy to make that change…" "Do you regret it now?" Twilight asked. "Regret what?" "Joining me in getting banished. You were the first to burst through those doors and tell the princess that you're going to be banished alongside me, remember? Was that a mistake now?" Rainbow's eyes narrowed at the insinuation. "Not for a single minute," she replied, her voice steely. She sighed and relaxed before going on. "But the

others…Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and even Fluttershy just looked so happy when they met up with their loved ones. I…I don't have that." "I didn't have anypony specific waiting for me here either," Twilight replied. "Then you'd understand how it feels, right? Or are you just waiting to get back to Canterlot before you get your heartwarming homecoming?" It was Twilight's turn to sigh. "Yes and no," she said. "Of course I want to see my family again but I think I also understand what you feel a bit." She paused for a bit to gather her thoughts while Rainbow looked at her curiously. "If you think about it, we haven't come back anywhere. In a few days, the legion will be here and start drafting ponies. Now that we've found out about the Barrier Lands and the barrier is gone, that Ponyville we were hoping to go back to is long gone." Twilight's gaze turned towards the ground. "And I caused it," she added. "So do you regret getting banished?" Rainbow asked. "What for? It's done and I still think it was the right thing to do." Rainbow noticed the lack of conviction. She knew from that tone that while Twilight may believe that it was the right thing to do, there was still room there for regret. "So what do we do about it?" she asked. The two of them became silent as the minutes rolled by. A cold breeze picked up and rustled through the nearby forest, making them shiver slightly. "How about we pledge to protect this 'new' Ponyville?" Twilight suggested. "Huh?" "It's not so bad. So a lot of ponies will be leaving and a lot of changes will be arriving. It's still worth fighting for." "That's all we have to do?" "I don't think the princess just sent us back here to relax for a while," Twilight said wistfully. "We needed to be reminded of what we were protecting even if that something has changed. Maybe it's a way to get the Elements back and working properly."

"Maybe," Rainbow replied tentatively. She looked towards the direction of Ponyville. Perhaps there was something true in what Twilight was saying. She could reconcile her urgent need to get back to the fighting with a desire to make sure this place was safe. "I'll take that pledge," she said with a grin. "What's this about a pledge?" somepony called out. The two of them looked to where it had come from and found Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie all walking towards them. "What are you two going about here?" Applejack asked. "I could ask the same of you, Applejack." Twilight replied. "I got to walking for a while and decided to see how the others were doing," Applejack replied. "Then we saw Scootaloo and she told us about this place." "The truth be told, I was also worried about how you were doing, Rainbow," Rarity said. Pinkie and Fluttershy nodded behind her. "You did look a bit upset." "I'm feeling a little better now," Rainbow said. "Much better actually!" She laughed heartily as she continued. "I can't believe I had to drag all of you out here for that!" The others followed suit and then came together. All around them, the wind continued to blow and fresh snow began to fall.

Chapter 15 For The Legion Six days had passed since Princess Celestia's and Prince Terrato's public address. Twilight had received news that, while there were a few things to worry about, it had gone about smoothly enough. The past few days had been peaceful enough. She and her friends had done what they could to spend some time with friends and family but she had also taken the time to keep up with news coming from Canterlot and other nearby cities. It was the larger settlements that were the first on the legion's list; Manehattan, Cloudsdale, Baltimare, Canterlot…the big cities with plenty of recruits to gain. It was only now that the legion had started to pay attention to the smaller settlements and that included Ponyville. Twilight watched as the first few squads of heavily barded earth ponies arrived. She had woken up early and started watching for them ever since yesterday when news arrived that they were on the way. She wasn't alone as well. Applejack had thought of doing the exact same thing and stood next to her. "What's with the disappointed face?" she asked the earth pony. Applejack looked on as more legionnaires arrived. When the last of them finally entered the village, she answered. "I was hoping Vanguard Clash would be with them," she said. Hearing the name come from Applejack brought about a now familiar and annoying twinge inside Twilight. "That's completely ridiculous," she said. The tinge of harshness in her voice surprised even her. "He's Special Operations, not a recruiting officer, why would he come here?" "To see us," Applejack replied. She kept her gaze on the legionnaires and got ready to interfere if something went out of hoof. Twilight bit back another harsh reply, berating herself for suddenly being so irritable. There was something anticlimactic about the way the legionnaires entered Ponyville. There were no trumpets or even some kind of procession. A small group of armored ponies simply walked into town as if they were merely visitors. Indeed, it took some time before somepony realized that

the draft had finally begun. Mayor Mare hurriedly arrived to greet the legionnaires while the rest of Ponyville gathered behind her. "Greetings, ponies of the Equestrian Legion," Mayor Mare said. She had a prepared script with her, something that Twilight had helped with earlier. "Welcome to our fair village." Twilight watched nervously as the lead legionnaire stepped forward. They were probably from the Western or Southern Barrier Land as she didn't recognize the barding. She and Applejack moved closer. Amidst the crowd she could see Rarity and the others also looking on. "I am Recruiting Officer Mineshaft," the lead legionnaire replied. "Behind me are legionnaires from the Fourth Infantry Platoon of the Western Equestrian Legion. We greet you, citizens of Ponyville and we look forward to working with you in the fight for our realm." Twilight recognized a carefully prepared speech when she heard one. 'I suppose I should be glad that he at least made a decent attempt at enthusiasm,' she thought. "We request access to your registry list to determine who and how many we are expecting to draft," Mineshaft went on. "We are also going to set up here in your main plaza." "Of course, sir, right away," Mayor Mare replied. She and her assistants trotted back to her office for the required documents. Mineshaft turned his attention to all the ponies that had gathered. "All ponies expecting to be drafted and all volunteers should remain. The rest of you, please return to your daily business." As he was saying that, the rest of the legionnaires were already spreading out to surround the plaza. A few of them asked for chairs and tables while others were already organizing lines and herding out fillies, colts and the elderly; ponies who were not expected to be recruited. "Excuse me, Officer Mineshaft," Twilight said as she approached. The rest of her friends came with her. "Yes, ma'am?" Mineshaft replied.

"Does this mean that all the ponies recruited here will be stationed at the Western Barrier Land?" "That is correct." That was another moment of relief for Twilight. She didn't know much of the other Barrier Lands besides the northern one but she could expect the fighting there to be less intense. Mayor Mare returned with the registry list which Mineshaft promptly took. "Thank you, madam mayor," he said. "The legion appreciates your cooperation." He looked over the list and then eyed Twilight curiously. "By the way, we received a memo that there are already chosen legionnaires currently staying here," he said. "Do you happen to know who they are?" "That would be me and my friends," Twilight replied. "We're from the Northern Equestrian Legion." She proceeded to introduce herself and her friends. "In the thick of the fighting, eh?" Mineshaft said after Twilight had finished. He looked glad to encounter fellow legionnaires while surrounded by chosen. "I can respect that. I understand that you're on some kind of leave at the moment but we'd appreciate any assistance from you in dealing with the chosen." Twilight nodded. She was actually hoping for that. If nothing else, she hoped to make this draft as easy as possible for her fellow villagers. The legionnaires were finished setting up by the time noon rolled around and the lines were already in place. Though she was glad that things were going smoothly, Twilight also felt some disappointment. She had held some belief that, once her fellow chosen understood the situation, at least some of them would join in on their own volition. Yet the looks on their faces were more resigned acceptance than any sort of enthusiasm. As she and her friends looked on from a distance, she couldn't help but feel a little ashamed and was now glad that Vanguard had not come. The legionnaires matched the resignation with emotionless, mechanical movements that was only a little better than outright hostility. "They should really make this into a happy occasion," Pinkie Pie said. "Think of how much better recruitment would be if these legionnaires threw a 'Welcome to the legion' party to celebrate all the new recruits!"

"I don't think our friends and neighbors are in any mood for a party, Pinkie," Rarity said. She took note of the saddlebag that Pinkie Pie was wearing. Earlier, she had seen the pink pony pull out a piece of slate from the bag, fiddle with it for a while and then replace it. "They won't be if these legionnaires keep acting like grumps," Pinkie replied. "Can't they, at least, take off those champrons and smile?" "I don't think the legionnaires are in any mood for that either," Fluttershy answered. About an hour passed when a legionnaire approached Twilight's group. "Legionnaire Sparkle, we would like your assistance regarding a problem," he said. "What happened?" Twilight asked as she and her friends followed. "We've encountered some resistance with one of the chosen," the legionnaire replied. He led them to a house where several legionnaires were standing by the entrance along with a familiar mint-green unicorn. Twilight recognized Lyra and guessed as to who was the pony barricading the house. "Open this door, Miss Bon Bon," one the legionnaires by the door said. "By unified Equestrian law, avoiding the draft is punishable by jail time!" "Never!" a high-pitched voice responded from inside the house. "I don't want to go to some far off land and fight! Leave me alone!" "Bon Bon, please come out," Lyra implored. "You'll only make things worse in there!" There was no answer this time. The legionnaire that brought Twilight and her friends to the place turned towards them. "Maybe you can talk her into putting a stop to this tantrum and show up for the draft," he said. "Otherwise we're arresting her." Twilight nodded and then stepped forward. She knocked on the door briefly before speaking. "Bon Bon, it's me, Twilight Sparkle," she began. "Go away, Twilight Sparkle!" was the immediate reply.

"Bon Bon, the legion needs your help…" "They're not getting it! There are hundreds of ponies out there they could get, they don't need me!" "Don't you care about protecting Equestria?" Twilight asked. "I'm just one pony," Bon Bon answered. "I'm not a fighter! I don't have magic or great strength! What am I supposed to do against monsters? Please, just leave me alone!" "Bon Bon-" "This is all your fault, Twilight Sparke!" Twilight could hear the quiver in Bon Bon's voice when she spoke as well as the sobs between the words. "Why couldn't you have just left things alone? Why couldn't you have just stayed banished to wherever you were? Everypony was happy! Why did you have to ruin everything?" Twilight's gaze lowered. "I just…" she said softly. Seeing that negotiations weren't going anywhere, one of the legionnaires stepped forward, planted his forelegs firmly on the ground and then bucked at the door. Heavy metal tramplers smashed into the house's wooden entrance, breaking it in half and sending splinters scattering into the interior. Inside, Bon Bon gave a panicked yelp and tried to run farther inside but the legionnaires quickly surrounded and restrained her. "You're under arrest," one of the legionnaires said. With his fellows surrounding Bon Bon, he pushed her forward roughly and all of them moved forward. Tears streaming down her face, Bon Bon gave one last angry look at Twilight and then meekly followed. "You're not going to hurt her, are you?" Lyra asked as the legionnaires walked past her. "Our orders are to arrest anypony who tries to avoid the draft. Seeing as this village doesn't have a jail, we'll probably have to transfer her to the nearest city. Now, get to the plaza, Miss Heartstrings, you're on the list too." Seeing Lyra's worried face, however, made the legionnaire soften his

tone. "We won't hurt her unless she makes us defend ourselves," he added. "Coward," Rainbow muttered as Bon Bon was led away. "Rainbow!" Applejack said. "It ain't that simple!" She suddenly remembered Vanguard's words. "Don't be so sure to put all your fellow chosen in the same boat," he had said. He was right after all. Rarity put a concerned hoof on Twilight's shoulder. "Are you alright, dear?" she asked. Her voice took on a reassuring tone as she continued. "Don't let what she said get to you. You did the right thing by going against the division." "But is it really our fault?" Fluttershy asked softly. "Are we the ones who dragged Ponyville into war?" "The war didn't need any help in bringing itself here," Rarity insisted. "It was going to happen eventually thanks to Black Rose's meddling. If there's anypony to be blamed it's her and all the creatures that are trying to invade Equestria!" "We still had a part in it," Twilight said. "But you're right, Rarity." She watched as Lyra ran off to the plaza before the legionnaires decided to arrest her as well. "There's going to be more of these incidents and not just here in Ponyville." It was afternoon by the time the draft in Ponyville was almost finished. Being primarily an earth pony settlement, it was no surprise that most of the recruits were earth ponies but a few unicorns and pegasi had also joined up. Throughout the entire procedure, Twilight kept looking for at least one volunteer but nopony did. She didn't consider the Cutie Mark Crusaders, who, once again, tried to sign up only to be shooed away. "So what's going to happen to all the new recruits now?" she asked Mineshaft. "We've got a large training camp already being set up just under Cloudsdale," Mineshaft replied. "They'll start their training there before being sent off to their new respective posts."

As Mineshaft was speaking, Twilight noticed a large, red stallion approaching the legionnaires. 'Big Macintosh," she thought. She noticed Applejack already moving to intercept the older Apple. "Big Macintosh!" Applejack called out. "What are you doing here? You're not being drafted!" Big Macintosh ignored his sister for a while and walked over to Mineshaft. "Sir," he said politely and firmly. "I'd like to replace Applejack in your legion please." "I already told you that it doesn't work that way!" Applejack said. "I still got to try," Big Macintosh replied. Mineshaft looked Big Macintosh over and then turned to one of the other legionnaires. "Scree Trail! Why aren't we drafting this big, strapping stallion?" he asked. "Just looking at him, I know he'll do well in Infantry!" Scree Trail walked over and inspected Big Macintosh as well. "Which family are you from, stallion?" he asked. "The Apple Family," Big Macintosh replied. "Well, there you go," Scree Trail said. "It says here on this report that the Ponyville branch of the Apple Family is exempted from the draft. The legion already has a member in the ranks." "Well, that explains it," Mineshaft said. "We're not drafting you and the legion doesn't do trades." "But-!" Big Macintosh protested. "Not just any legionnaire too!" Scree Trail went on. "It says here that she's a Special Operations Vice Captain!" Mineshaft gave a low whistle. "A chosen in Special Operations that fast?" he remarked admiringly. "And from the Apple Family too. I'm tempted to think that it's the legend of Apple Slice all over again."

"Wait just a goll-darn minute!" Applejack tried to protest, especially when she saw the look of horror that Big Macintosh gave her. "I'm not Special Operations! That report's made a mistake!" "It's true," Twilight added. "We formed a squad under a Special Operations captain but we weren't part of that group." "Would you like to be anyway?" somepony said from a distance. Everypony turned towards the newcomer. Applejack recognized the dark blue unicorn mare with the curly mane. "Captain Nightcanter," she said awkwardly, not sure if the arrival of a Special Operations captain was a good or bad thing. Behind Nightcanter were several ponies, likely all members of her squad and a few more. She walked towards the gathering of ponies and looked around. "So what do we have here?" she asked. She focused on Big Macintosh who was still staring at Applejack. "You looking to join the legion, big boy?" she asked. "I can think of several uses for you. A few might actually involve fighting." Applejack planted herself between Nightcanter and her older brother. "Why don't we just talk about why Special Operations is here?" she asked, her tone tense but still respectful. Captain Nightcanter may talk playfully often but she was still a high ranking pony, one who had defeated Twilight in a sparring match before. "I…I'll be back in the farm," Big Macintosh said. He looked confused at what he had just heard and seen. When he stepped back and turned around, he did so in a daze. "Big Mac!" Applejack called out to him. "We'll talk about this later!" She pressed her lips together in frustration when he didn't respond as he trotted off. Of all the rotten luck, she had to be talking with a blabbermouth recruiting officer. "So what is Special Operations doing in Ponyville, Captain Nightcanter?" Twilight asked. "Does it have something to do with us?" "Not really," Nightcanter replied. She gestured for Mineshaft and his legionnaires to move on, which they promptly obeyed. She lowered her

voice slightly. "We're here to set up a base of operations and then we're off to investigate the Everfree Forest." "Maybe we can talk somewhere more private than the middle of a public plaza," Nightcanter said. "The library is pretty empty," Twilight suggested. Several minutes later and Twilight found herself playing host to two squads of Special Operations legionnaires and her friends. She peered outside and then closed the curtains. Inside, she noticed Nightcanter cast a spell, temporarily engulfing everything in the tree-house in dark blue light. "Just something to make sure nopony's spying," Nightcanter explained. Most of the Special Operations ponies remained inside the other reading rooms inside the library while Nightcanter sat at the center of Twilight and her friends. "So why do you need to go to Everfree Forest?" Twilight asked. "Not the forest," Nightcanter explained. "Our destination is Everfree Castle. We've received information that it might hold what we need to finally get a grasp of Black Rose's plans." "You mean the goal isn't even to defeat Black Rose?" Rainbow asked. "She's already stolen Princess Celestia's power and we're still just getting to know her?" Nightcanter's eyes narrowed as she set both her forelegs on the table before resting her chin behind them. "Things aren't as simple as your rainbow-stained brain might take them to be," she said. "It's easy with the wolven or the ursans or the ophidites. They want to attack Equestria and the goal is to defend against them. We're in the dark with Black Rose here. We originally thought that she wanted to kill Princess Celestia but she's not dead now is she? Our best lead is the one provided by her brother of all ponies. Special Operations is spread thin and clutching at straws so, yes, our current goal at the moment is to get to know her better." "And you think that there's something in Everfree Castle that could help with that?" Rarity asked. "What could it be? It was empty the last time we got there and all we know is that it used to house the Elements of Harmony."

"You only scratched the surface during your last visit," Nightcanter replied. "We're going deeper than that. Thanks to what we found inside Canterlot's Great Library, we know that the castle is sitting on something even older." "What's that?" Twilight asked breathlessly. She couldn't help but get a little excited at the prospect of new knowledge. "The Last Refuge of Clover the Clever." Twilight nearly felt her heart stop. "You're kidding," she said softly. She had to force the words out in her shock. "How much do you know about Clover the Clever?" Nightcanter asked. "She was Starswirl the Bearded's disciple and a great spell caster in her own right," Twilight answered eagerly. "She helped found Equestria during the Windigo Crisis along with several other ponies." Nightcanter raised an eyebrow. "What? That's not how Barrier Lands lore remembers it?" "No. But it's not about Barrier Lands lore; it's about what we found in the hidden archives in the Great Library." "There are hidden archives in the Great Library?" Twilight asked as her eyes lit up. "Woah nelly," Applejack interrupted. "Let's focus here." "Right," Nightcanter continued. "According to the sealed histories, the ponies before Lexarius's dominion migrated outward from The Blasphemous Rift. The Windigo Crisis prompted a move inward in a desperate attempt to survive." "And then they discovered that the power of friendship and defeated the windigos," Twilight said. The term "Blasphemous Rift" concerned her. She made a mental note to find out more later. The corners of Nightcanter's lips twitched a bit but she controlled herself. "Well, they found something. I don't think it was friendship though." She

grew serious as she went on. "Clover the Clever and her companions strayed very close to the Blasphemous Rift and managed to attune themselves to the lingering power of Oceanus. They used this power to destroy the windigos and claim Equestria." It was Twilight's turn to settle down grimly. 'So much for Hearth's Warming Eve,' she thought. "What happened then?" "While the rest of the ponykind settled the land, Clover and her companions delved deeper into utilizing the power of Oceanus. They built a great capital city around the rift dedicated to further attuning all of ponykind to their progenitor. A lot of bad things were committed during those times; several books worth in fact." Nightcanter paused to remember the mess of dusty old tomes she and several squads of Special Operations ponies delved into. Just thinking about it made her throat itch. "Say you don't happen to have some booze in this library do you?" she asked. "No booze," Twilight replied. "I'll get you some water." Once she set down a glass of water for the dark blue unicorn, she spoke in a grim tone. "Was Starswirl the Bearded attuned to Oceanus too?" "Starswirl the Bearded died of sickness immediately after the discovery of Oceanus and the Blasphemous Rift," Nightcanter replied. "At least that's what the records say," she added with a sly smile. After several gulps of water, she went on. "It was at this point that Lexarius interfered. He arrived into this world and rallied every pony who was horrified with what Clover and her companions were up to in their capital and there were a lot of them. With his army, he met the Oceanites in the battlefield and annihilated them, reducing their mighty city into a rubble-filled crater and then teaming up with his fellow stewards to seal the Blasphemous Rift for good." "Of course that wasn't the end," Rarity said. "You wouldn't be here if that was the end." "Of course not. Clover the Clever survived and fled into where the Everfree Forest is now. She went into hiding and spent the rest of her life trying to find a way to undo the seals and reach Oceanus's power. The sealed histories say that she came up with a way to siphon power from the Eternal Herd to accomplish that but…"

"..but what?" Twilight asked impatiently. "She didn't get to use it. Lexarius found her and intercepted her. That was the end of Clover the Too-Clever-For-Her-Own-Good. Lexarius then sealed away her last refuge. Centuries later, Princess Celestia built Everfree Castle over it for extra protection." "Why didn't they just destroy it?" Rainbow asked. "Clover stored a lot of power in that refuge in order to hide and protect it. That power was distilled from remains of her former companions and the last traces of the Blasphemous Rift she could gather. Destroying the refuge would have spread that power all over Equestria. Who knows what effect it could have?" "So why go there now?" Twilight asked. "Black Rose plans to get into the Blasphemous Rift. She'll need a way how and whatever's in that refuge is a good lead." "She's been on the move for a while now," Twilight said in frustration. "She may have already gone there and taken anything useful." "Maybe. She doesn't have free access to the information we just got like we have. The prince is sure that what she learned from the Library of Lexarius only has vague clues about the sealed histories, which hadn't been disturbed when we got to them. She still needs a means to complete her goals. We just might get the jump on Black Rose this time. At the very least, we can actually be on her trail instead of floundering around." "Then what are we waiting for?" Rainbow asked. "Let's go!" "Hold on there, RD," Applejack said. "This ain't our mission. It's Captain Nightcanter's." "You'll need help, right?" Twilight asked. "We could use some assistance navigating the forest," Nightcanter replied. "We can help with that," Twilight said. "We'd like to go into the castle with you as well."

Nightcanter paused again. "Don't involve the Elements of Harmony," Vanguard Clash had said. "They should be resting and reconnecting with their families, not delving into the lair of a dead cultist of Oceanus." "Sure," she said with a smile.

Chapter 16 Triumvirate From her room in the royal palace, Princess Luna watched with a mixture of satisfaction and apprehension as a group of legionnaires made their way through the streets of Canterlot. It had been six days since her siblings' public address and Reunification was finally on its way. She could only dream about it as recently as a couple of months ago and now it was beginning. She glanced at the piles of reports by her desk and smiled wearily. Just a few months ago, her only duty seemed to be raising and lowering the moon as well occasionally mingle with her subjects. Now, she was up to her neck with reports. Luna walked over to the most important pile; the one which contained the medical reports. As early as before she even left the Barrier Lands for the Heartland, her brother had discussed the health of both his legionnaires and the chosen with her. Though the legion had strict health practices, especially down south where spreading plagues was an ophidite fixation, Terrato suspected that many legionnaires were carrying some disease or another that didn't affect them anymore but were still present. Once they reach the populated areas in the Heartland, these diseases could very well run rampant. "Take as many unicorns from both realms as you need,"he had said and she indeed took plenty. It didn't help that healing magic suffered in its development because of her time on the moon and she had to teach all these unicorns some cleansing and resistance boosting spells. Every single legionnaire had to be magically inoculated and cleansed before stepping anywhere near a populated Heartland settlement. Even then, reports of legionnaires falling sick with Cutie Pox, which they called "Chosen Disease", and chosen coming down with cases of Hiderot trickled in. As Luna read through every gristly detail with each report and mentally noted the necessary spells she was going to have to teach her new division, she glanced occasionally at the pile of reports she wanted to read. She knew about the Special Operations ponies that her brother had brought along with him and when she saw them reporting to him, she had made a request of them: send her some reports of how the interactions

between the Barrier Lands and Heartland ponies went. It didn't have to be formal or extensive, she just wanted to hear the initial thoughts that the legionnaires had of their long lost brethren. She had found some time yesterday and saw that most of the initial reactions had been good. She remembered a particularly interesting one about the first arrivals to this very city… When the first legionnaire recruiters entered the city of Canterlot three days after the public address, the first thing they noticed was the strange manner by which it had been built. The Heartland's capital city hugged the sheer cliffs of an enormous mountain. The effect was a truly grandiose sight that served as a gigantic testament to unicorn aesthetics; tall and stately towers, pristine white walls, luxurious amenities and a touch of fancy over practicality. The earth ponies and pegasi legionnaires were quick to agree that Canterlot must have been designed by a unicorn's unicorn: a stallion or mare who weighed the danger of plummeting down the sheer face of a cliff against visual appeal and then decided that visual appeal mattered more. Comparisons to Arcanotropolis, Canterlot's equivalent in the Barrier Lands, were inevitably made. Even the unicorn magi had to agree that Canterlot was grander and better maintained. They added, however, that Canterlot had no Grand Arena like Arcanotropolis had and likely did not have a tradition as wonderful as the magic dueling tournaments held yearly. They also added that Canterlot served as Princess Celestia's choice of dwelling, which clearly added to its importance which translated to funding. It likely also served as the reason why no earthquakes had touched the city. Arcanotropolis, on the other hoof, was not the capital of the Barrier Lands. That honor belonged to The Great Delve, which was primarily an earth pony city. The mention of the Barrier Lands capital piqued Luna's interest. She hadn't found the time or excuse to see what kind of capital city her brother had and how he managed it. While she had yet to lay eyes on The Great Delve, Luna did get to see some of her brother's management. Barrier Lands ponies were now trickling into the Heartland as fast as her medical divisions could get to work on them. Not all of them were legionnaires; craftsponies, engineers, even scholars were already on the move to integrate Barrier Lands and Heartland technology into a unified whole. Terrato also gave them the same stern warning he gave to the legion; any abuse heaped on the

chosen will be considered sabotaging the reunification effort and will be treated as treason. The movement wasn't one-sided either. Terrato had asked Celestia to pick out "ponies of integrity and influence" among the chosen to be teleported to the various Barrier Lands so they can assess the situation there. It was his hope that these ponies would see the danger and then speak out among their fellows, allowing for a smoother reunification. That was Luna's hope too; that and that the chosen would not suspect that the frightening and stern alicorn had sent these ponies to a far off land, killed them and then replaced them with clones. When her brother later added that he wanted Prince Blueblood among those ponies, even she had to be suspicious. "I like that one," Terrato had said. "His mouth says he's a coward but the rest of him says otherwise. He should see the truth as I want him on my side." Terrato had also made good on his promise to Luna. Just two days ago, he had his high command meet through magical projections and then had them acknowledge the authority of his sisters. Luna could tell that some of the commanders were uncomfortable with this decision which was what she had predicted. Still, know had a grip on the legion and planned on making good use of it. In that same meeting, Terrato also gave more specifics on his plan with the draft; all draftees were required to serve for a minimum of four years and then would be allowed to go home if that was what they wanted. They were to be held in reserve and sent to the rear lines where the fighting was scarce until they racked up some experience. He had done all of this, of course, while he managed the legion still in the Barrier Lands. FangBreaker Fortress still had to be converted to a proper launching point for an offensive. Great amounts of resources and a lot more ponies also had to be transported. As for Celestia…their eldest was spared the brunt of the work. She continued to speak with the chosen, reassuring them that times will get better. Luna took note that their brother would be content with just having Celestia rest but she would have none of it. There were problems to be dealt with and the two of them weren't enough to take care of everything. First, there was the money problem. Incidents had arisen where legionnaires would attempt to buy something with Barrier Lands bits only to

have the chosen storeowner refuse to accept it. The legionnaires took it as mocking Terrato's authority and reacted violently. A new form of currency had to be adapted by a reunified Equestria. At the very least, values had to be assigned so moneychangers could get to work. Celestia had elected to deal with the matter. Then there was the growing booze problem. Alcohol was not a complete unknown in the Heartland. It just happened to be a very scarce commodity for a very small fraction of the population. Sweet Apple Acres, for one, produced about a small crate or two of applejack each harvest time to be shipped to Canterlot and sold at ridiculously high prices. A lone bottle would last a noble for a year as a sipping drink. That was about as much of a presence alcohol had in the Heartland and Celestia preferred it that way. When the legionnaires heard about the scarcity of such a familiar comfort, they were more than happy to bring their own supply. When the first legionnaires arrived in the Heartland, barrel after barrel of cheaply-made, highly potent booze began to pour in with them. With the health concerns worrying them, it was natural that the Barrier Lands ponies to prefer their homeland's booze over the local water. This wasn't bad in itself; the legionnaires have had a lifetime to deal with booze. Faced with especially harsh penalties should they get rowdy and drunk in the Heartland, it was easy for them to moderate their drinking. The trouble, however, started around two days ago when a group of legionnaires, in a commendable but ultimately misguided attempt to ingratiate themselves with the locals, shared some of their booze with nearby curious chosen. Ordinary chosen did not have the same sort of incentives the legionnaires had to moderate their drinking. They knew almost next to nothing about the stuff. They drank, enjoyed the drink and then proceeded to besot themselves. In the following days, the Royal Guard found itself swamped with having to quell the drunken antics of chosen around the streets. Terrato refused to have the legionnaires get rid of their booze as Celestia asked, stating that it was one of the few comforts they had in such a strange land. He did issue orders to the legionnaires to avoid sharing anymore booze but Luna doubted that would be enough of a measure. It wouldn't be long until the chosen applied their resourcefulness to support their newly acquired habit. It was up to Celestia and the Royal Guard to temper that habit with moderation lest even Canterlot turn into a drunken orgy.

Luna sighed as she set down the reports. With so many things to take care of, she hadn't even put a hoof on the problem of Black Rose. She was out there somewhere, planning something involving the Blasphemous Rift, as her brother had mentioned. The legion's Special Operations division had made good use of the hidden archives. It was a secret only known to her and her siblings as well as Lexarius. Terrato seemed confident that Black Rose had not gained access to them yet but doubted the likelihood of things staying that way. With her former teacher actively looking out for her with his magic, it would be difficult for the newly ascended "alicorn" to move about personally without revealing herself. Hopefully, she would be forced to rely on minions. The movements that Terrato asked of his Special Operations ponies concerned her a bit though. She decided to speak to him about it. That led to another issue that Celestia insisted on taking care of. Luna left her room and strode through the halls until she stood outside the room she was looking for. Even as she opened the double doors, she already heard her sister's patient and imploring tone. "All we ask for is unhindered access to Sky Mirror Lake," Celestia said to the magical image of Queen Chrysalis. "We have no intention of attacking your people but it is imperative that we are able to go there." "The changelings owe you nothing, Celestia!" Chrysalis spat. "Tell me why we should bow and part before you and your pathetic little ponies while you make your way through our territory?" For a moment, Luna stood outside the room and looked on quietly. Her brother was also inside, using his magic to facilitate the meeting with Chrysalis's magical projection. Terrato had his eyes closed and forelegs crossed while he listened to the negotiations. Luna could understand why. Celestia had been reluctant to tell their brother about the Canterlot Wedding Incident, knowing the sort of action he would recommend. Even Luna didn't want to bring it up even though what had overcome the changelings was, perhaps, the greatest sign of the barrier's inadequacy. When access to the Blasphemous Rift became necessary, he eventually had to know. "No pony will set foot on our territory!" Chrysalis said defiantly. "Those who try will be sucked dry!"

Both Celestia and Luna noticed the slight twitch in Terrato's eyebrow. Sooner or later he was going to lose his patience and recommend exterminating the changelings as both retaliation for their previous attack and as a precaution against any more interference on their part. It was for that reason that Celestia insisted on taking charge of negotiations. Despite what the changelings had become and what they had tried to do, she didn't want them destroyed like pests. Luna still remembered what the changelings were like before the…change. They were strange hybrids of pony and butterfly gifted with amazing powers of transformation. They delighted in mischief through impersonating others but never meant any harm so Celestia had no problem with their remaining inside the barrier. Indeed, those who displayed good humor towards the changelings' pranks were often rewarded. Sometime during her banishment, the changelings had started becoming more and more withdrawn. Celestia admitted that, while she had found it a bit odd, she believed it was simply a slight shift in their lifestyle and continued to have faith in the changelings' immortal queen. Even when the changelings settled around Sky Mirror Lake, there was little cause for concern. The seals laid down by Lexarius and the other stewards ensured that the power of Oceanus did not infect Equestria. What happened after that was difficult to pin down. By Celestia's account, the changelings isolated themselves further for the next three hundred years. Though she had the Royal Guard keep a vigilant watch, she was loathe to use more militant methods in preparing. At that time, she still hadn't believed that Queen Chrysalis could have changed so much or go so far. After her return, Luna had grown suspicious and worked with one of the royal "nieces", Princess Cadance, to investigate the changelings. Cadance confirmed what Luna had suspected; the changelings had turned into the dark, emotion-feeding creatures they were today and Chrysalis had taken great measures to hide that fact from Celestia. It seemed that even the seals of the Eternal Herd's stewards were not perfect or, perhaps as more rebellions took place, the power of Oceanus grew. Unfortunately, Cadance had not been subtle enough and caught the attention of Chrysalis herself. The changeling queen learned of the wedding plans and chose that time to make a move.

It was only during the Canterlot Wedding Incident did Queen Chrysalis reveal the full extent of what she and her people had gone through. The surprise attack allowed for a Canterlot invasion even with Shining Armor's powerful barrier. The combination of Celestia's hesitation to reveal any great degree of fighting prowess to her subjects, her underestimation of the threat and the sheer surprise brought about by the boldness of Chrysalis's attack nearly resulted in complete disaster. It was what convinced Luna to finally go to the Barrier Lands to talk to her brother, ironic given that it was the incident she hesitated in mentioning. "You are flirting with disaster here, Chrysalis!" Celestia said with a snort and a stomp of her hoof. The sudden angry gesture surprised both Luna and Terrato. "You seem to be ignoring that I chose not to retaliate after your attack on Canterlot. Do not exhaust my options for settling this peacefully!" Luna took more than a small bit of satisfaction at seeing Queen Chrysalis visibly flinch. The changeling quickly recovered however. "Your little tantrum does not impress me, Celestia," Chrysalis replied. "But it's easy to see that this means a lot to you. I'm willing to negotiate safe passage in return for some tribute." Celestia allowed herself a slight smile and Terrato relaxed. "Name your price," Celestia said. "I will think it over first. This meeting is over. I will contact you once I've made up my mind." With that, Chrysalis's image dissipated and Terrato opened his eyes. "I still think we should just destroy them," he said flatly. "Equestria has more than enough enemies," Celestia replied as Luna entered the room. "Which includes them already," Terrato insisted. "They attacked first remember? You may have cowed them for now but they're still a disaster waiting to happen." "The changelings were turned into this. There is still hope in turning them back but that will be impossible if you wipe them from the face of Equestria."

Terrato glanced towards his younger sister. "Luna?" he asked. Luna cleared her throat as she found herself in the middle of her two siblings. "The changelings will have to be dealt with soon," she said, eliciting a frown of disappointment from her sister. "But I think we should bide our time until the reunification has settled some more." Terrato let out a snort. "So what did you come by here for, little sister?" he asked. "Just passing by to see how negotiations went?" "I just wanted to know the reasons as to why you're moving Special Operations about," Luna replied. "You've sent a couple of squads to Ponyville of all places and now you've got more working with the Royal Guard to delve Mount Unicornia. What for?" "If Black Rose plans on opening the seals to The Blasphemous Rift, there should be two ways to do it," he explained. "She can break them externally which would require more power than she has at the moment. She'll have to somehow siphon it from the Eternal Herd which I doubt. She can also break them internally." "What do you mean by that?" Luna asked. "Oceanus's…weapon possesses immense power," Terrato continued. "It's certainly enough to break any seal Lexarius and the other stewards can come up with. Black Rose can slip through the seals and coax that power to go off. This is the same plan as Clover the Clever was likely trying to accomplish before Lexarius struck her down." "So you had some squads sent to Everfree Castle," Celestia said. "But why Mount Unicornia?" "Haven't you been reading from the hidden archives?" Terrato asked. "I hid it away and put it out my mind, remember?" "Mount Unicornia's mines contain The Crystal Grave, a by product of the unicorn massacre that occurred there before Lexarius came. Even though she lost the mine's use, Princess Platinum spent a lot of resources modifying that giant mana crystal with Oceanus's power. Fortunately, after

she retreated to the last city The Six Companions held, Lexarius found it and sealed it away." "So Black Rose's plan is to break through the seals using all the separate projects of The Six Companions?" Celestia asked. "If we're willing to believe Blue Moon entirely," Terrato added. I think it's the best way to open those seals. Even if that's not her goal, controlling these dangerous sources of power is important." He paused for a moment. He had already considered that Black Rose had deliberately allowed Blue Moon to betray her with that much knowledge of her plans so that the legion did most of the legwork in breaking the seals. He spent a great deal of resources monitoring his own Special Operations to ensure that none of them were spies for her but he was banking more on one thing that even she wouldn't be expecting… Luna looked out a window which had, fittingly enough, a good view of Mount Unicornia. Her brother had not mentioned which squads he had sent but she had found out earlier. The First and Third squads, along with a group from the Royal Guard were currently spelunking in that abandoned gem mine. She could only hope for their success.

Though they were already quite deep into the mine, Vanguard and the rest of the Special Operations ponies sent with him found it easy to navigate the tunnels of Mount Unicornia. The walls were lined with luminous gems that served them better than any torch. Nevertheless, they moved slowly. One of the ponies with them was mapping everything down. The presence of the gems begged the question, however. The mine clearly had plenty of resources. Why was it abandoned? Not even Canterlot's residents knew why. The mines were off-limits and they weren't the sort to pry. Vanguard could understand that part. A sense of wrongness permeated the mine's tunnels like thick fog. The walls, the scattered mining tools and abandoned carts…this mine wasn't abandoned because it was depleted. Something happened here a long time ago. "I spent my entire life reading about how Princess Platinum was an insufferable snob but ultimately learned the importance of friendship," Unicorn Guard Captain Shining Armor said grimly. "Now I get to find out that she was up to some horrible things down here."

"You're welcome," Vanguard replied wryly. It was a bit unusual working with the Royal Guard but Special Operations was low on ponies in the Heartland. Vanguard suspected that Princess Celestia requested it and Prince Terrato had agreed to foster better relations between his legionnaires and her guards. He empathized with Shining Armor despite the differences between the realms they came from. He had thought that the Heartland was a place clean of any of the grim incidents that happened often in the Barrier Lands but it turns out that there are still niches of such things carefully tucked away beneath a veneer of peace. The group descended a particularly steep slope as they followed one particularly large tunnel, carefully making sure that none of them started sliding down one of the chasms around them. Vanguard could see stalagmites and pointed crystal formations at the bottom of those chasms, ready to meet any pony unfortunate enough to fall. "So what happened here anyway?" Scarlet Rabbit asked as he hovered next to Vanguard. When his captain looked at him sternly, he grinned sheepishly. "Hey, I didn't get to read from the hidden archive!" "After the Windigo Crisis, Platinum ran a gigantic mining operation here with a city's population of earth pony slave labor," Vanguard replied. "Eventually, these earth ponies developed a magic of their own and started an uprising. Led by Rock Maven, they massacred the small army of unicorn overseers watching over them and fled to the outskirts of Equestria." "Rock Maven…I've heard of that name before," Scarlet said. "Rock Maven, the first leader of the True Earth Ponies." "Well if I-" Before Scarlet could say anything else, Vanguard raised a hoof which caused everypony to stop. "Did you see that?" he asked. He focused his gaze at the far end of the tunnel. The ponies with him readied spells and weapons. At the far end of the tunnel, a dim figure, about the size of a pony, was approaching the group. Vanguard's ears perked but he couldn't hear a single sound despite all the loose rocks and gems around. "Who goes there?" Shining Armor called out.

"Get back to work…" came a faint reply. Shining Armor tensed. He didn't like the sound of that. The figure came closer and into better view. Vanguard heard one of the royal guards gasp briefly. He could understand why. Standing before them was a dark, pony-shaped blob of shadow. They could make out what appeared to be a horn and a mane but the rest of its features were too indistinct. "We're not workers here," Shining Armor told the thing. "Not yet…" the thing replied. Before anypony else could react, the thing gave a loud wail and charged. To the group's horror, more followed as shadows burst from the walls, the ceiling and from the ground itself.

Chapter 17 Unwanted Legacies The Everfree Forest occupied a unique place in the minds of Twilight Sparkle and her friends. Like most ponies, they've always considered the forest to be a dangerous place, full of creatures like cockatrices, parasprites and timber wolves as well as unnatural things like self-moving clouds and independent wildlife. Yet, it was also in this place that they went from random acquaintances to the closest of friends, where they freed Princess Luna from Nightmare Moon as well as the place their friend, Zecora, lived in. Some of the trepidation that came from visiting Everfree had disappeared now that they were back here again. Twilight realized that it may be because they had gotten used to uncontrolled weather in the Barrier Lands as well as being around constant danger. The danger was still there but, instead of fear, all she felt was a heightened sense of caution. The trip to Everfree Castle proved to be uneventful however. The most danger they encountered was when a pack of timber wolves investigated their presence at a distance and then gave the group a wide berth. It was an understandable sight. Predators preferred easy pickings; a lost filly or an injured animal, not a group of armed and dangerous ponies. Twilight had decided to subtly steer the Special Operations ponies away from Zecora's hut as well. She didn't know the Barrier Lands attitude towards zebras but now wasn't the time to find out. It was a late afternoon sun's rays that filtered through the canopy of leaves by the time they were looking up at the ruins of Everfree Castle. While the forest lost some of its mystique to Twilight, the castle made up for it by gaining a dark aura about it. This was a place of betrayals; not just of Princess Luna betraying her sister all those years ago but also of Clover the Clever betraying the legends of her greatness that Twilight had grown up with. She found it odd that, despite hundreds of years of abandonment, the forest had barely even started reclaiming the area around the castle. A few vines and stunted trees were the only attempts on the foliage's part to blot out a site where Clover the Clever did who knew what.

"No lollygagging now," Nightcanter said as she walked past Twilight. The ponies from Special Operations didn't seem affected by the dark atmosphere around the castle. Twilight couldn't say the same for herself. She swallowed nervously, taking note that the sky seemed darker around this place even though it should still be afternoon. She looked to her friends; their expressions told her that they felt something similar. She then trotted after Captain Nightcanter. "So where are we going?" Twilight asked. "We didn't see any other passage the last time we went here." "We're not looking for hidden passageways," Nightcanter replied. "You don't really think that beings like Lexarius and Princess Celestia would simply rely on hidden passageways to hide a place like Clover the Clever's last refuge, do you?" "I suppose not," Twilight said. She looked around. They were back in the Chamber of Elements, the same place where Nightmare Moon was driven from Princess Luna. Nothing had changed since their last visit here. The gray stone walls perhaps looked a little more worn and there might be a few more cracks on the floor. She saw Nightcanter pull out a scroll from a saddlebag and hold it telekinetically. "What's that?" she asked. "Lexarius's incantation to get us to the last refuge," Nightcanter replied. "We'll use it to both enter and leave the refuge. Everypony get close to me, we'll be teleporting there once I read this." Everypony gathered around Nightcanter as she began reading out of the scroll. Twilight couldn't make heads or tails of the words but the language sounded familiar. She turned towards Applejack. "Do you think it's the same language that The Queen used?" she asked. "Dunno," Applejack replied. "I can't even tell where one slippery word ends and another starts, to be honest." Before anypony can say anything else, a circle of golden light surrounded the group. They heard a faint humming sound just before a blinding flash forced them to shut their eyes tight. The familiar feeling of a teleportation spell tugging at them was all it took for them to guess what the incantation was for. This was no ordinary teleportation however, even the earth ponies

and pegasi in the group felt as if they had passed through something; some kind of intangible wall. It took a while for Twilight's vision to clear. The first thing she felt was that she almost neck-deep in some kind of cold liquid. She heard Rarity cry out followed by some frantic splashing and, for a bleak moment, she thought that they were under attack. "Nopony told me we were going to start wading in water!" Rarity said. "This moisture is going to wreak havoc on my hooves!" "What's going on?" Fluttershy yelped. "Help! Something just slithered past my legs!" "That was just my tail," Rainbow said. "I think…" "Shut up and stop splashing about!" Nightcanter snapped. "We're blinded and the first thing you do is drown out any sound?" The splashes and cries stopped at once. Without any distractions, Twilight could now focus on her other senses. A deathly silence had fallen upon them. She didn't know if they were in water or some other substance but it did feel cold and the ground beneath them felt slick. There was a musty and damp smell in the air as well as a foul lingering odor she couldn't quite place. As her vision began to clear a bit, Twilight noticed another problem; it was pitch dark. "We need a light," Nightcanter said. Both Twilight and Captain Foxfire in Special Operations cast the same spell. Two balls of soft-glowing light materialized and floated next to their casters, bathing the nearby surroundings in pale blue illumination. The first thing Twilight did upon recovering her vision was look at what she was standing in. The dead eyes of a pony's corpse stared right back at her. Despite Nightcanter's previous warning, Twilight screamed. She reared up in a panic which quickly infected the rest of her friends. "Where in tarnation are we?" Applejack asked loudly. Fluttershy looked down, shrieked and then flew right out of the water. Rainbow also began hovering even though she didn't know what the

commotion was about. Rarity and Pinkie Pie were floundering about as if they were about to drown. Even the Special Operations ponies looked disturbed. Thanks to the light, the group got a good look at what they were standing in. They were wading in a wide pool of what appeared to be water. Scattered around the bottom of the pool were the bodies of several ponies, their eyes still open. Despite what may well be thousands of years, they were remarkably well preserved. All the trashing also caused the water to displace them, panicking Twilight and her friends even more. "Settle down!" Nightcanter snarled. "It's just corpses!" She looked around and spotted the elevated edges of the pool. They were inside a large chamber with this pool as its central feature. Their lights didn't extend far enough to see the edges of the room. "Let's get out of this pool," she said. Everypony else was all too happy to comply. A minute later and they were collecting themselves by the edge of the pool. "W-w-where are we?" Fluttershy asked. She shivered partly from the cold and partly from the sight she had just seen. The others were concentrating on drying up. Twilight cast another spell, this time conjuring a small ball of flames to help them warm up. Nightcanter looked around. The floor was dark blue marble as were the walls. They appeared in good condition, perhaps as a side-effect of the sealing. 'Got to give it to Clover the Clever,' she thought. 'This may be her last refuge but she still built it with some style.' "Sparkle," she called out. "Can you get your light to the ceiling?" Twilight did as she was asked and pale blue light soon illuminated the ceiling; the rather high ceiling, she now realized. There were no windows that she could see. It was likely that they were deep underground. She tried not to think of the tons of rock that were bearing down on them. Instead, she focused on making her light hover across the ceiling to get a better look at the surroundings. "Check that out…" Nightcanter said breathlessly as the light made its way to the center of the chamber's ceiling. Twilight could understand the sudden sense of awe as she saw it as well.

At the center of the chamber's ceiling was an enormous engraving. Twilight instinctively increased the intensity of her light to give them all a better view. At the very center of the engraving was what appeared to be a pony's head that stared directly down on the pool of water beneath it. Twilight wasn't sure if the head was supposed to be a stallion's or a mare's. Its features closely resembled an alicorn's instead of a normal pony. A great mass of tentacles emerged from the head like a twisted version of the sun's rays, extending through the ceiling so that they reached where the edges of the pool was beneath. Caught in the morass of tentacles were several ponies; unicorns, pegasi, earth ponies and even alicorns. "Oceanus," Nightcanter whispered. "What was going on here?" Twilight asked in an equally soft tone. It was as if they were standing in the presence of the mysterious alicorn himself and were trying futilely to avoid drawing attention among themselves. "This must be the sacrificial chamber," Nightcanter replied. "Sacrifices were done often in the Old Kingdom." She looked at the pool of water and wrinkled her nose in disgust. "The preferred method was drowning. They broke the legs of victims and dumped them in the center of pools like that one." Twilight refused to look at the pool again. It wasn't just the sight of the bloated dead bodies that disturbed her. It was the idea behind them; the idea of ponies sacrificing each other for power. She stared at the central figure in the engraving above them. What kind of alicorn prince would demand that his ponies drown others for his favor? She then remembered the outrage in Prince Terrato's voice when she had called Oceanus his sibling. She understood that outrage now. Oceanus was supposed to be their progenitor, the father of all mortal ponies. That made him her father in a way and the thought of it was disgusting. She felt tainted inside. "That's enough drying off and warming up," Nightcanter told the group as she stood up. "We're not here to get cozy with each other so let's go." The others complied. Nightcanter observed them carefully. Her squad was doing fine as was expected. So was Fourth Squad. Captain Foxfire and the rest of Fourth Squad didn't talk much and they had agreed earlier to let Nightcanter take the lead. The chosen seemed to have taken a hit from just arriving in this place. The yellow pegasus, the pink earth pony and the

white unicorn were looking a little sick. The darkness and dampness were smothering their spirits. Twilight Sparkle, Applejack and the rainbow mare that Scarlet had been hanging around with were holding up better but were still clearly affected by this place. A brief search quickly turned up a corridor leading out of the sacrificial chamber. Nightcanter cast her own light spell to help brighten the conditions. This hall was large enough to accommodate their group with ease. The floor was marble, just like the chamber they left behind and the only sounds came from their steady hoof falls as they walked through the corridor. Nightcanter passed a hoof over the walls as she walked past. They were adorned with an undecipherable, spidery script that seemed to dance about if stared at for too long. "Captain Nightcanter," Twilight suddenly said. "What is it?" "Once I get to Canterlot, you think I can spend some time in the hidden archives? I'd like to learn more about this 'Old Kingdom'." "Not really my call there, Sparkle," Nightcanter replied. "Try talking with one of the royalty." "I will," Twilight said softly. She tried once again to make some sense of the writings. The characters seemed to writhe before her eyes as she focused on them, mocking any attempt at trying to get them to make sense. "Woah, what was that?" Rainbow hollered. Loaded crossbows were quickly pointed towards where she was looking at only to end up being pointed at a wall. The Special Operations ponies looked at her askance. "The wall moved!" she protested. "I swear I saw it move!" "Don't look at those squiggly letters, sugarcube," Applejack said. "They do some funny stuff to your eyes if you look too hard." The group moved on until they came upon an intersection. From where they were facing, the hallways going left and right ended in double stone doors while the hallway straight ahead continued to go on.

"We'd better split up," Foxfire said. She surveyed the group and then looked at their choices. "Two groups of five and a group of four?" Nightcanter nodded in agreement. "Make sure each group gets a light," she said. She looked over to her vice captain, Shale Hide. "Shale, take Riproar, Twilight Sparkle, Applejack and that white unicorn with you. Quillfeather and I will go with the pink earth pony, the yellow pegasus and the rainbow pegasus." "You could at least learn our names," Rainbow muttered as she took her place by Nightcanter's side. "Fourth Squad will take the right hallway," Foxfire said. Nightcanter led her group towards the left hallway and gestured for Shale Hide's group to keep going straight ahead. "Call out at the first sign of our objective or trouble," she told them. With that, the three groups split up.

It took three ponies to eventually pry open the double doors that blocked off Twilight's group. Though Shale Skin was clearly the leader of her group, it was Twilight who walked ahead of them. She shone the light into another chamber, this one smaller than the sacrificial chamber but still quite sizeable. The ball of light hover a fallen bookcase and a large pile of scattered books. With a gasp, Twilight moved the light about quickly and saw even more books around them. "Library," Shale Hide muttered. The dark green pegasus picked his way the scattered books and then looked back to the rest of the group. "See if you can find anything useful among those things." Twilight eagerly went over to the nearest book she could find and opened it. To her disappointment, she was faced with the same spidery script that marked the walls, making the book useless. She doubted that the others would make sense.

"I don't think you should just go around diving into any book that Clover the Clever wrote, Twilight," Applejack said worriedly. "This whole place doesn't feel right and I don't trust any book written by a pony who'd live here." "Clover the Clever is dead, Applejack," Twilight replied. She continued to search through the books anyway. Perhaps, at some point in time, Clover the Clever switched languages. "Knowledge about her and what she associated with can't be inherently evil." "I'm not so sure about that. Anyway, are you really going to head for Canterlot after this?" "Probably. I want to find out more about the Old Kingdom as soon as I get there." "I think you should see your family first." "That goes without saying, Applejack." Annoyance tinged Twilight's tone again. She was having it up to here with Applejack. Even the orange earth pony's presence was setting her teeth on edge. It must be that sweaty farm pony stink that clung to her constantly. Combine that with her better-thanyou "integrity", her shameless flirting, her obsession with apples, those ugly freckles and that ear-grindingly annoying accent, it was no wonder that Rainbow tried to beat her face in back when Bastion City was still under siege. Why couldn't she just fade into the background? Nopony liked her. She was just some backwards, inbred, caricature of a countryside bumpkin. A thought suddenly came to Twilight's mind. The right spell should put Applejack in her place; something flashy to make her an example to others…a fire spell sounded just about right. She could just imagine it, flames charring that orange hide, the flesh melting right off her skull, her cutie mark turning into roasted apples… 'What…what am I thinking?" Twilight pressed a hoof against her head. 'Was I just fantasizing about killing Applejack?' She dropped the book she was holding and looked guiltily behind her. Applejack continued to stare at Twilight as the purple unicorn flipped through book after book. It was becoming more and more obvious that her "friend" had to be put down for everypony's good. Twilight Sparkle was out

of control. She stuck her nose into things she shouldn't be and her magic made her dangerous. Applejack's eyes shifted to the chain she had around her. Twilight's magic was dangerous but if she could slip a lasso around the purple unicorn's neck, she was sure she could snap it with a single tug before the first spell could fly. It wouldn't be too hard either. The miserable bookworm probably had glass bones from the lack of any proper exercise. But a surprise attack was too quick and unsatisfying. No, it would be better to knock Twilight down by shattering her jaw with a single well-placed kick and then choke her. Unicorn magic was useless if they couldn't concentrate. That was a better plan. She was going to enjoy seeing the smug little nag struggle desperately as her lungs started to burn. Twilight's eyes would bulge in terror, realizing too late that all the knowledge she had learned, all the magic she had accumulated and all the plans she had carefully prepared would amount to nothing. Then her tongue would loll and her heart would stop… Applejack shook her head. 'What in tarnation? Why was I-?" She saw Twilight now looking at her. She looked away, suddenly afraid that Twilight had caught a glimpse of what she had just been thinking. Twilight opened her mouth to say something. She felt the need to apologize even though she knew that it wouldn't make any sense to Applejack. "Applejack I-" A scream from a stallion interrupted Twilight's halting apology. Their entire group turned around and then galloped towards the intersection.

Nightcanter found herself looking at a bedroom. While her group spread out, she guessed that this must be the place Clover the Clever slept when she wasn't trying to break the seals on the rift. The trappings of luxury were still in place despite all the centuries; the bedside table had eating utensils on top of it that looked to be made of silver,the canopy bed had sheets of fine red silk embroidered with gold thread and the pillows looked soft and inviting. She suddenly felt an urge to try the bed out. Instinctively she glanced towards the three chosen mares in the room with her. That would be an

interesting situation...she shook her head. That was crazy, she was in the middle of work and she wasn't going to go that far no matter what. She placed a hoof on the bedding. Confirming her observation, it was still soft and looked functional. It was as if the room had removed itself from the passage of time. "Pinkie, are you alright?" Fluttershy asked worriedly. Her friend was visibly shaking. It wasn't even due to the cold as they had already dried off and this room was not even particularly cold. She looked around to see if there was something terrifying in the room. Captain Nightcanter's light didn't show anything of that sort. "What's going on here?" Nightcanter came over and asked. She looked over at the shivering Pinkie Pie. "Is she coming down with a fever or something?" Fluttershy felt Pinkie's forehead with a hoof and shook her head. "We should get out of here," Pinkie said despite her chattering teeth. "My Pinkie sense is going crazy!" "Not until we get what we're looking for," Nightcanter replied. "Now, spread out and look for anything we can use." Fluttershy continued to stay with Pinkie while Rainbow Dash and Quillfeather did as Nightcanter ordered. "Can't you turn your Pinkie Sense off?" Fluttershy asked. "All that shaking can't be good for you!" "I wish I could!" Pinkie answered. "I think my teeth are going to fall off!" She suddenly remembered something and then went for her saddlebags. As she had guessed, the gems on the piece of slate were glowing. The True Earth Ponies had approached her with it after her Pinkie Sense saved Sharpfangs from getting conked on the head with a jar of salt. She pulled it out of the saddlebag and then… Fluttershy gasped as she saw the glowing piece of slate. She looked to Pinkie Pie who had stop shaking and was now staring ahead of her. "Pinkie?" she asked, now even more worried than before. As soon as Pinkie touched the piece of slate, she noticed what seemed to be a stream of faint colors running through the walls, ceiling and floor. She

squinted at the sight. It was as if the walls had become partly translucent and she could barely make out something at the other side. As she looked on, she noticed even more of the stream around her. There was something going on with the walls as well. They looked…squirmy. "Are you alright, Pinkie?" Fluttershy asked again. "Ooooh…" Before Fluttershy could try to make sense out of what was happening to Pinkie, she heard Rainbow cry out followed by a loud thud of something striking the ground. Something flew past her and struck the wall with a metallic clink. She didn't look to see what it was however. Instead she ran over to Rainbow. "Rainbow, are you alright?" she asked. "What happened?" Rainbow was lying on her side. She looked dazed after apparently hitting her head against the wall. Her unloaded crossbow lay right next to her. She shook her head to clear it and then looked worriedly at Fluttershy. "Fluttershy, are you hurt?" she asked. "Are you bleeding?" "I'm fine," Fluttershy replied. She looked back at Pinkie Pie, who was now holding the piece of slate intensely and fiddling with it. "It looks like Pinkie is fine too." Rainbow stared at the crossbow before putting it away. What had just happened? Why was she trying to shoot Fluttershy and thinking that useless, whining mares were better off being put out of their misery? The next thing she knew she was already pulling the firing lever on her crossbow. She had managed to jump to the side to make sure she missed. "What do you think you're doing, Rainbow Dash?" Nightcanter asked as she came over. "I…I don't know. I'm with Pinkie, I think we should get out of here." Before Nightcanter replied, the group heard the scream of a stallion coming from outside the room. All of them swiftly ran out fearing the worst. They encountered Shale Hide's group and then headed straight for the central corridor. It was Nightcanter who first crossed the doorway. "Foxfire!" she

shouted. "What's with all the screaming? Celestia drill my backside, what happened?" The central hallway had also led to a pair of doors. Inside was a circular chamber as large as the one with the sacrificial pool. This one had no pool however. Instead, a large podium stood at the center of the chamber. On top of it was a plain, leather-bound tome. In front of the podium stood what appeared to be a coffin made of black glass All of that was noticed later however. At first, Nightcanter and the others only saw three ponies lying on the ground while a panting Captain Foxfire stood just a few feet away. "Fogbound suddenly pulled a knife on us," she said between pants. "He got both Palemane and Cloven before I took him out." Nightcanter scowled at the sight. "There goes Fourth Squad," she muttered. This was going to be a serious blow to Special Operations. She walked over to inspect the tome while Fluttershy trotted over to Foxfire to check her injuries. "Wait!" Pinkie Pie cried out before Fluttershy could even come close to Foxfire. The others stared at her in puzzlement but she didn't notice them. As she continued to hold on to the piece of slate, the colors slowly became more vivid. Now, it was as if the entire refuge was submerged in a giant river of colors. The walls were still black and translucent but she saw something else as well. Slithering out of the letters were slender black tendrils. They were all over the place, like some monstrous infection. Some were trying to touch her friends but she could clearly see a bunch of them wrapped tightly around Foxfire. "She's the bad guy," she said softly. "What?" Nightcanter asked. She took a step towards Foxfire, who was now staring intensely at Pinkie. "She's the bad guy!" Pinkie said again, louder this time. Foxfire snarled and then pointed her horn at her. Before the unicorn could cast anything however, a pair of bolts and a lone blade struck her side. The group looked towards where they came from to find both Rainbow and Shale already reloading. The blade removed itself from Foxfire and floated back to Rarity, who immediately set about cleaning it.

"Why did she do that?" Rarity asked aghast. "Was she…was she working for Black Rose?" Before anypony could answer, they heard another thud and saw that Pinkie Pie had fallen unconscious on the floor. "What just happened?" Nightcanter asked softly. "It's this place," Twilight answered as she helped her friends carry Pinkie. "It's doing something to us. We need to leave." Nightcanter nodded and then went over to get the tome. It looked like it was the most important thing here. She looked over to the coffin and considered bringing it along as well. "So Clover the Clever spent her last days sleeping in a room next to a tomb," she remarked. "That mare had odd tastes." As Nightcanter touched the coffin, however, the lid suddenly slid to the side. All of them gathered behind her in alarm. The inside of the coffin was still covered by a clear glass. Inside, suspended as if by magic, were the skeletal remains of a pony. Twilight found it difficult to breathe. There was something…familiar about this pony. "Twilight…" Applejack said. The purple unicorn turned toward her curiously. "Why is that skeleton wearing your country music star outfit?" That was when it hit Twilight; the cloak…the hat…the bells… "It can't be," she breathed. "Brace yourselves," Nightcanter said grimly. "We're taking it with us."

Chapter 18 The Crystal Grave "Unicorns, enchantments!" Vanguard called that out as soon as the first swing of his two-bladed sword went right through one of the shadowy unicorns coming at him. He didn't know if anypony heard him through the din, especially as he had shouted while still biting into his weapon's hilt. He took a few steps back and ducked a swing from his frontal attacker. Behind him, the rest of the combined Special Operations and Royal Guard ponies were dodging desperately as well. Their enemies were numerous and were coming at them from every angle, including directly beneath them. Captain Bad Arc of Special Operations Second Squad looked to his squad's unicorn mage and then fired his crossbow at a nearby shadow. The bolt struck a crystal formation a good distance behind his target instead. "Enchantments!" he shouted. "Move it, Moontail!" One shade plunged a hoof into a royal guard's armored chest, the blackness simply passing through the metal plating as if it wasn't there. The royal guard dropped to the ground, shivering violently and his eyes dilating. His attacker simply disappeared into the ground to attack another target. A second guard dropped next to him, also shivering. "Stand next to me!" Moontail, Second Squad's unicorn mage, cried out. His horn already glowed with magic while the others desperately tried to get to him with all the shadows flitting about. Shining Armor wasn't to be left out. Temporarily infusing weapons and armor with magic was part of basic training and, right now, it was they needed it to attack and defend against their enemies. His horn flashed purple, enveloping the weapons and armor of all the ponies close to him. He glanced towards Moontail and saw that the other unicorn had covered the ones he had missed. His two-bladed sword now sheathed in magical energy, Vanguard took another swing at one of the shadowy unicorns. This time he felt some

resistance, as if he was cutting through felt. The shadowy unicorn gave a furious wail and then retreated into the floor. He turned around in time to jump out of the way as a two more of them emerged from the ground to grab him. "Fall back!" he called out. Even with the ability to strike at these things, they were still surrounded by enemies that could literally attack from anywhere. Shining Armor struck another shadow with a bolt of magic, sending it hurtling back. His fellow guards fought back valiantly but it was clear to him that they were inclined to go with Vanguard Clash's suggestion. He spotted one guard, Gold Leaf, about to be overwhelmed by a couple of shadows. Instinctively, he encapsulated the guard in a spherical barrier of magic, forcing the shadows to seek other targets. The barrier disappeared after a second more, allowing Gold Leaf to stumble towards his fellows. "Riot!" one of the shadows wailed. "The new slaves are rebelling! Call the forepony!" With shadows still closing in, Vanguard turned towards Moontail and spat out his weapon to his hooves. "We need a spell that can sweep groups of them," he said. "Not really my forte, Vanguard Clash," Moontail said as he blasted another shadow that was flying towards him. "I've got a fire spell that could work reasonably well." 'Fire,' Vanguard thought. He didn't know how well it would even work. These things seemed to be made of nothing but darkness and cold. Perhaps a blast of heat and light could take them out. Or the flames could simply pass through them. "Do it," he said. "Aim for that cluster that's closing in on Shining Armor's group. With that he grabbed his weapon with his mouth again. Moontail pointed his horn at the targets Vanguard pointed out and a stream of flame poured out towards them. It wasn't a particularly impressive spell but the shadows shrieked at the sight and dispersed towards different directions before it could even touch them, allowing Shining Armor and his guards to regroup. Before he could say anything to Vanguard, the blackarmored stallion was running over to the royal guards.

Free of having to watch out for the other guards, Shining Armor concentrated on another spell. He focused on the ground beneath them, creating a shimmering cover over it. It didn't take much to surmise that they were having the most problems with the shadows attacking right out of the ground. They needed a way to force their attackers to use more conventional directions. One shadow emerged from the ceiling and descended upon him only to be cut down by an enormous two-bladed sword. "I'll watch your back, Captain Shining Armor!" Vanguard said as he positioned himself next to the unicorn. "Concentrate on that barrier of yours and get the nearby walls!" Two more shadows flew towards Shining Armor but Vanguard kept them at bay. The shimmering barrier continued to extend from the unicorn and then began to coat the nearby walls, forcing the shadows to attack only from the ceiling. With their targets being funneled into a single direction, the group of ponies began to drive the shadows back. Moontail's fired another stream of flame at the ceiling, this time striking a pair of shadows. They wailed and then dispersed. The others phased through the ceiling and didn't appear again. A tense minute passed as the group waited for the attack to resume. Most of them were panting with exertion. The other royal guards checked their fallen comrade only to find that the poor stallion had stopped breathing. His body was cold and rigid, as if he had been dead for days instead of just a couple of minutes ago. "Are they gone?" Scarlet asked. He kept his crossbow pointed at the ceiling. "For now," Vanguard replied. "Keep your guards up." "Did we kill some of them?" Bad Arc asked. "How do you kill something that's dead to start with?" Moontail asked. "No, at best we disrupted their physical forms and it will take them time to be able to attack us." "Perhaps we should get some backup," Shining Armor suggested. He looked up at the scorch marks on the ceiling.

"Some more fire would help." "Sounds good," Vanguard said. He looked to some of the guards and one of the ponies from Second Squad. The shadows managed to graze them with their freezing incorporeal touch and they complained of pain and itchiness. Having spent most of his life in the Northern Barrier Land, he knew frost nip when he saw it. These ponies were lucky that what they got was the equivalent of a minor scratch from their ghostly enemies. "Bad time to lose Third Squad's unicorn mage then," Bad Arc said. He stretched out his wings while they continued to watch for a sudden return. "Just as when we need a fire specialist, the best one in the entire legion dies." The rest of the squad glanced at Bad Arc and then at Vanguard nervously but the black-armored stallion didn't as much as flinch. "I'm sure Pyre Valor regrets that her being incinerated inconveniences you, Captain Bad Arc," he replied. Bad Arc didn't seem aware that he might be treading on a sensitive subject or he simply didn't care as he went on. After a couple more minutes without any sign of the enemy passed by, he spoke again. "Wasn't Third Squad going to get Twilight Sparkle as its new unicorn mage? I've seen her fire spells, even she would be a boon to this mission." Shining Armor stopped, his eyes widening. "Twilight Sparkle?" he asked. "What's this about Twilight Sparkle?" He turned towards Vanguard who gave him a stern look in return. Without saying a word, Vanguard Clash delivered his message: mission first. The whole group began to head back and Shining Armor found himself walking side by side with Vanguard Clash. He knew little of what happened to his sister after she had been banished. Now, it seems that she had been associating with these Special Operations ponies. Knowing what these ponies were up to, he found that…disturbing. Before the group could continue ascending the slope they had taken, a cold draft suddenly blew from deeper into the mine. Vanguard pulled out his two-bladed sword. "Damn," he growled. "Looks like they're not done yet!"

Shining Armor raised his barrier again, this time covering all sides of the tunnel to make sure that their enemies came at the front. He considered covering them in a sphere of shielding but that would leave them immobile until the ghosts eventually wore him down. Even what he was doing now was a flawed defense. These things could go under the ground and then emerge from behind them where his barrier didn't cover the front. He hoped that the enemy wasn't particularly good with strategy or adapting. The cold intensified as the wind picked up. An eerie, high-pitched howl assaulted the groups ears, leaving them wondering if it came from the ghosts or merely the distorted sound of the wind passing through the mine's tunnels. And then they came. First was the same swarm of shadowy ghosts that they had thought they had driven back. This time, the shadows didn't attack; they swarmed about in front of them like an angry black cloud of bees. Everypony raised their weapons and the unicorns refreshed their enchantments. That there seemed to be even more of the things was not lost on them. "This rebellion ends here!" The voice boomed from the far end of the tunnels, shaking the entire place. Bits of dust from the ceiling fell on Shining Armor. He didn't have time to pay too much attention however. He could see something approaching. The lights from the crystals at the far end seemed to be extinguishing themselves at first until he realized that it wasn't the crystals. A great darkness was heading straight for them. "Forepony!" one of the shadows wailed. The blackness seemed to coat the sides of the tunnel at first. Then it extended like living ink, coalescing right in the middle of the swarming ghosts. A second later and an enormous shadowy unicorn filled the tunnel. This was no mere shadow, however. It erupted into a blaze of black fire. Even from a distance, Shining Armor could feel the cold radiating from the thing. Also unlike the smaller versions, this one had a pair of "eyes"; two orbs of blue flame shone from its head. "The forepony," Vanguard muttered. "Maybe if we take it down, the others will scatter for good."

"Or we could get ourselves surrounded and killed while committing to that attack," Shining Armor replied. He watched as Moontail cast his fire spell at the enormous shadow. The stream of flame struck true but barely seemed to hurt its target, quashing any notion of defeating the thing head on. In response, the giant shadow let out a ferocious wail that sent the walls shaking. More bits of dust fell on them from the ceiling. This time, Shining Armor paid careful attention to it. "We have to get out of here!" he said. "It's going to collapse this tunnel over us!" "Come on!" Bad Arc shouted. The others made a run for it while he and Scarlet Rabbit fired their enchanted bolts at the shadows. Shining Armor dismissed his barrier and started to retreat as well. The enormous blazing shadow took in the bolts fired at it as if the pegasi had been firing at a pool of ink. It wailed again and the tunnel shook some more. "Look out!" Vanguard shouted. A large section of the ceiling broke loose and threatened to drop right on top of Shining Armor. The black-armored pony dove for it and pushed the unicorn out of the way. The chunk of rubble broke right through the floor leaving behind a gaping crevice as it continued to fall. A network of cracks quickly spread from the initial hole. "Captain!" Scarlet rabbit shouted. He was about to fly forward when Bad Arc held him back. The giant shadow had grown tired of the two of them shooting at it and lunged straight at the two pegasi. They had no choice but to fly back and join the rest of the group. Both Vanguard and Shining Armor got to their hooves. Fortunately for them, the other shadows were still swirling about, seemingly uncaring about anything other than watching the giant one attack. Vanguard was about to take step forward when he looked to the ground. There were cracks all over the place. Suddenly, he found himself in one of the rare moments in his life that he cursed at this armor's weight. The cracks continued to multiply as the two stood still in a desperate attempt to prevent the inevitable. Sure enough, the entire floor around them gave way, sending the two plummeting into the chasm beneath…

"Damn it!" Scarlet Rabbit shouted as they continued to run back up the tunnel. Behind them, the giant blazing shadow continued to give chase leaving him no chances at even looking back to see what had happened to Vanguard and Shining Armor. The group galloped in a panic while shadows dogged their heels. Bits of barding clattered to the ground as some of the guards tried to make themselves lighter as they ran. One guard cried out as a shadowy hoof brushed against his hind leg. He kept running nonetheless, the knowledge that, if he slowed down, he would be killed allowed him to endure the frigid touch of his pursuers. By the time they were running closer to the entrance, their lungs and legs were burning from exertion. The sight of sunlight streaming in from the entrance caused the shadows to turn back with one final wail of frustration. Nearly every pony in the group collapsed at the all clear. "Damn!" Scarlet shouted again. He slammed his front hooves against the ground, sending pebbles scattering. "Damn shadows! Damn falling roof! Just damn!" "Calm down," Bad Arc said. "We don't know if those two died. The ghosts ignored them remember?" "Of course they're not dead!" Scarlet said. "The captain can't die from random encounters." He looked wistfully down the tunnel. "He and that Shining Armor fellow are probably having an adventure this very instant!" Bad Arc raised an eyebrow. 'Interesting subordinate, Clash,' he thought. "Right, let's get reinforced and then get back there for them."

With a groan, Vanguard Clash opened his eyes. At once, he felt around his body to make sure that he was still in one piece. His right shoulder ached badly. He recalled banging it against a ledge while he was falling. The pain was nothing compared to the ache all over his left side. He looked up, trying to find the hole he and Shining Armor had fallen through. He couldn't and that was a bad thing indeed. 'Come on, Clash, time to get a move on,' he told himself.

A groan just a few feet away caught Vanguard's attention. He stood up shakily, glad to know that all four legs were still reliable after that banging he took. "Shining Armor?" he called out. He had caught a brief glimpse of the unicorn guard captain falling with him when the floor gave way. "Here," Shining Armor replied with another groan. Vanguard walked over to find the unicorn lying on his left side. A chunk of rubble pinned his upper half to the stone floor. "Hold still," Vanguard said as he set to work on the chunk of rubble. With a grunt, he shoved it aside. Shining Armor tried to rise as well, only to stumble when he put some weight on his left foreleg. His face crumpled in pain as he dropped to his knees. "I think it's broken," he said almost apologetically. He didn't bother adding that his entire body was aching and he was all too lucky that he came out of that fall with just a single broken leg. He was starting to envy Vanguard Clash's full plate. The armor probably helped cushion the earth pony from their fall. Vanguard touched the injured leg gingerly to inspect it. He could still feel the bone as a whole. "Probably just a fracture," he said. "Come on." He offered a shoulder and helped the unicorn stand. "We're deep in the bowels of a mine, I'm injured and there's a swarm of pony ghosts still lurking about," Shining Armor said wistfully. "Any ideas, Captain Vanguard Clash?" "Let's go look for that Grave Crystal," Vanguard replied without missing a step. He continued to support the injured leg as he walked next to the unicorn. "We should try to secure it at least. With any luck, it might be the key to completely defeating those ghosts." "Maybe we should sit here and wait for the others. We might just get hopelessly lost or outmatched if we keep going." "We're more likely to be cornered by ghosts if we stay in one spot. We should also consider that the others may believe we're dead and reinforcements won't be sent anytime soon."

Shining Armor smiled and wryly limped on. He was glad for the support but there was no way he was going to let Vanguard Clash outdo him in resolve just as he wasn't going to let the earth pony just outright carry him. The two of them looked around. The floor was littered with bones, fragments of barding, ancient mining equipment and rubble from the ceiling above. Vanguard inspected one of the broken picks. The handle had shattered and the sharp point was discolored by what was likely dried blood. It was no difficult guess that this tool had not been used for mining in its last moments. As before, crystals embedded into the rock walls provided them with a reliable light source. Unfortunately for the two, they had fallen into a chamber with multiple tunnels leading out of it. "We should keep descending," Vanguard said. "If Princess Platinum hid something valuable in this wretched mine of hers, she most likely hid it in the deepest parts." Shining Armor nodded his agreement. The two of them agreed on a tunnel to take and began to walk. Progress was painfully slow as well as outright painful for Shining Armor. Though Vanguard did his best, each stepped jarred him ever so slightly and that wasn't even counting the pain of suddenly being a burden. After what seemed like an hour of following a steadily descending tunnel, Vanguard suddenly stopped. "Let's take a rest," he said. "I can still go on," "It's not a matter of being able to go on. It's a matter of being ready if something is waiting for us at the end of this tunnel. You're sweating from exertion and, to be honest, I'm tiring myself." "Fine. A quick break then." The two of them sat with their backs against the cool, stone walls. Fortunately for them, both their water canteens survived the fall. As they took their mouthfuls, they also had to consider that they only had a limited amount of time to spend in this place before thirst became a serious issue. "So," Shining Armor said after swallowing a mouthful of water and replacing his canteen's cap. "How do you know Twilight Sparkle?"

"We've worked together," Vanguard replied. That answer alone gnawed at Shining Armor. Twilight had working with these legionnaires. He had expected it since she had been banished and was probably making the best out of a very bad situation but, now that he was confronted with that reality, it was a disturbing thought indeed. He had yet to meet his little sister after her time in the Barrier Lands. The joyous reunion he had envisioned may not be what's waiting for him. "Is she Special Operations like you?" he asked. "No. Well…" Vanguard recalled Twilight's request back in FangBreaker Fortress. He may have painted himself to a corner. If Twilight still insisted in joining, he would be hard pressed to say no, especially with the pressure on him to get his squad back to full strength. "Well…what?" "It's nothing. You seem particularly concerned about her. How do you know Twilight Sparkle?" "I'm her older brother." It was Vanguard's turn to be a bit disturbed. "Twilight never told me that she had a brother." Shining Armor snorted in amusement, suddenly remembering those conversations during and after his wedding. "Don't take it badly, she didn't tell her best friends about me until I invited them to my wedding. Anyway, how did you meet her?" "She fell out of the sky and landed on my vice captain." Shining Armor chuckled a bit, trying to picture that situation. "Thank you," he said. "That means you were among the first ponies she met when she went to that place and she's managed to make it back safely." "Save your thanks for until you've heard the whole truth, Captain Shining Armor," Vanguard replied darkly. Shining Armor looked at him questioningly but he refused to pursue that thread of conversation for now. "She's a good pony, your sister."

"Tell me something I don't know." Vanguard avoided looking at Shining Armor. He did have some things to say that the unicorn probably didn't know but he didn't bother saying it. Shining Armor likely wouldn't believe him anyway. After several more minutes, he helped the unicorn stand up. "Let's keep going," he said. The tunnel began to descend sharply, forcing them to go even slower to make sure that they didn't lose their footing. It was noticeably getting colder as they descended as well. The tensed as they kept walking, expecting the giant shadowy unicorn to emerge as they went on. It seemed like an unwarranted fear however. After what felt like a couple of hours, several turns and side tunnels later, nothing had shown up. They had continued descending and they were instinctively following the cold. When they took one side tunnel and felt it becoming warmer, they double backed and took another one. Another hour passed and they noticed another thing. The narrow passages were getting wider. As they continued to follow the passageway, they noticed an eerie grayish-blue light shining from the end of it. Vanguard's weapon was firmly clamped in his jaws and Shining Armor's horn was aglow as the light came closer. When they reached the end of the passageway, however, the both of them stopped in awe. The passageway opened up to a massive, brightly-lit chamber. The ceiling was nearly high enough not to be seen. Instead of a natural cavern floor, they were faced with a carefully cut and polished gemstone floor. The walls were also worked white stone, polished to the point that it felt like glass. And then there was the gigantic crystal that dominated the cavern. The two could only stare at the thing; a blue-gray crystal that appeared as a sphere first until they got a better view of the thousands of facets on it. It was a massive object, easily twenty feet in height. It was suspended in midair by some sort of magic that also rotated it very slowly. It wasn't the size, beauty or strangeness of the crystal that held the two immobile however. As they continued to stare, they began that there was something inside the crystal, some vaguely familiar shape… Both Vanguard and Shining Armor tore their eyes away from the crystal long enough to look around for danger. As they had feared, dark shapes

began to swirl towards the crystal from the ceiling. Their first reaction was to immediately back down the tunnel to try and hide. One by one, the shadowy unicorns surrounded the thing silently. They had not been noticed it seemed. "Is that the Crystal Grave?" Shining Armor whispered. "What do you think it has to do with those ghosts?" "Maybe the name is more literal than we expected," Vanguard whispered back. The hidden archives mentioned that it was a giant mana battery but he had never seen a mana battery of that appearance. And that thing inside...perhaps there was more to this thing than what had been mentioned. The giant form of "the forepony" emerged from the ceiling, joining the smaller ones in circling the crystal. "Any plan on what we do now?" Shining Armor asked. Vanguard smiled wryly. "Didn't quite expect to make it here without complications," he admitted. Shining Armor focused on the crystal. He was tempted to use his magic on it to try and analyze it somehow, even if only to see how it reacted to magic. The presence of the ghosts made it too dangerous to try though. They would notice and, once they did, he and Vanguard wouldn't be able to fend off so many. "Shining Armor," "Huh?" "How long can you hold that barrier of yours?" "Days if I have to." "Think you can encapsulate that crystal?" "I could if it doesn't react badly to magic and-"

Shining Armor quickly silenced himself as one of the shadows swirled nearby. The shape had no visible eyes like the giant one but both of them could tell that it was looking around. It stopped mid-flight and then slowly hovered towards where they were. Shining Armor could feel his heart race. This was it. They would be discovered and slain. "Do it," Vanguard said. With that, he sprang from their hiding place and made a run for the crystal. The ghosts sent up a wail and began to congregate around him. Cursing, Shining Armor hobbled as close as he could get to the crystal. He had some idea as to what Vanguard was thinking but neither of them could be sure of it. Something must be tying these ghosts here, especially since they were killed so long ago. Something called "Crystal Grave was a likely candidate. That they were constantly swirling around the crystal helped confirm that theory. With the ghosts chasing after Vanguard, Shining Armor began to concentrate on the crystal. The purplish light of his barrier began to surround the thing easily enough. Halfway through the spell however, he began to encounter some resistance. "Any time now, Shining Armor!" Vanguard shouted. He ran zigzags across the massive cavern with ghosts in hot pursuit. The giant shadow was starting to descend upon him as well. Shining Armor closed one eye in annoyance as some sweat ran down it, causing it to sting. Three quarters of the spell in and it went from trying to push a boulder up a hill to trying to push one up a vertical wall. "Shining Armor!" Vanguard yelled again. He was surrounded now and was waving his two-bladed sword desperately to keep his foes at bay. After what felt like an eternity of struggling, Shining Armor finished his spell. The ghosts gave a long, dolorous wail and then dissipated like smoke. Panting, Vanguard walked over to Shining Armor. "Cutting it a little close, Unicorn Guard Captain?" he asked. "You're not a frozen corpse are you?" Shining Armor replied. "That's good enough."

"How are you holding up?" "It's easier now that I actually completed it. I hope our reinforcements have some willow bark with them though." Shining Armor stared at the crystal. He could only hope that it was worth the trouble. "I have to say I'm glad that my wife and my sister hadn't gone deep enough to encounter these things when they were stuck in the mines," he said. Vanguard didn't reply. That was a curious incident that Shining Armor casually mentioned. Perhaps he could hear more about it once they were safe. Twilight Sparkle wouldn't have been able to proceed deeper anyway. Their group encountered Lexarius's protective seal while they were descending and had to use an incantation to attune themselves to it and pass through. Without any threats so close, the two of them could now focus on staring at the crystal. Just as they had thought, there was something inside it. They could make out a large, pony-shaped figure. They could see a long horn…wings…

Chapter 19 The Nature of Ponies For Rarity, standing on the deck of an airship brought back memories of Canterlot. The cool night breeze blew her mane and tail about a little too strongly for her taste but that was because she was on a smaller vessel designed for quick transport rather than a luxury yacht. They had emerged from Everfree late in the evening with the coffin and the tome in hoof. The airship was just a short walk outside Ponyville. By the time they took to the air, it was almost midnight. Still, just the feel of being on deck was good enough to remember those times. It also helped that she was flying on The Night Skimmer, an airship donated to the legion by none other than Fleur de lis, the widow of Fancy Pants, whose yacht was the same one she had ridden on before. The thought of Fancy Pants darkened Rarity's mood. Captain Nightcanter had earlier mentioned his death at the hooves of mind-controlled legionnaires while explaining how Special Operations got their hooves on the airship. It just wasn't right that the end of a good pony would be delivered so offhandedly by that mare. Rarity was still reeling from the news in fact. She had been thinking about how he would react to the reality of the Barrier Lands and how his influence among the nobility would carry through. She even thought that he would probably be among the first of the nobles to step up and take arms. Now, she would never know. That such a good pony with so much potential would be struck down somewhere and be just an item in a legion report left her aimlessly angry. She knew better than to blame Nightcanter, or those legionnaires that had struck him down. All she had was the distant, unreachable figure of Black Rose. It was for this reason that she chose to remain above deck while the others rested inside. No need to make them worry or expose them to a bad mood. Despite that incident, Fleur de lis had donated The Night Skimmer to the legion as a gesture of goodwill when it became known that they were looking to modify a few airships. "It would have been what he wanted," she

had apparently said. Rarity agreed with that reason although she thought that it was doubly generous considering that Fleur's husband was killed by legionnaires. The Night Skimmer, of course, was already modified to suit the legion's need. It was lightly armored and outfitted with Barrier Lands metal working. One of the crew members had been talking about that combination earlier. Heartland engine design surpassed the war balloons used in the Western and Southern Legions which allowed for bigger and faster vessels but its overall metal working quality was inferior to that of the Barrier Lands. The newly arrived Barrier Lands engineers were horrified to find out that the chosen routinely replaced their metal parts after only a short time due to wear and tear. They were happy to work with chosen engineers in combining Night Skimmer was the first to be outfitted by their collaborations after only a few days and it was granted to Special Operations as a means of quick transport. Right now, the airship was on its first mission: transporting Special Operations's Sixth Squad, the bearers of the Elements of Harmony and some important objects to Canterlot. Rarity continued to watch as the silhouettes of the towers of the Heartland's capital drew ever closer. This wasn't how she imagined her next trip to Canterlot would be. They were supposed to be still on a break but all of them just felt like they should be with the things they discovered when they were brought to the attention of the royalty. All Rarity could do was bid her family a hasty farewell and promise them that she would return as quickly as possible before boarding the airship. "Hey there," Nightcanter said as she approached Rarity from behind. "Good evening, Captain Nightcanter," Rarity replied. She kept her tone polite even though she didn't quite relish having to deal with the dark blue mare at the moment. To her mild annoyance, Nightcanter moved over to stand right next to her. "So...Rarity was it?" Nightcanter said after a few minutes of silence. "Yes." "Are you also throwing yourself tail-first at Vanguard?"

"What?" For a second, Rarity simply stared at Nightcanter to see if the mare had meant what she said and if she was serious. When it became apparent that she did, Rarity frown and let out a sharp, scandalized gasp. "Goodness, no! Captain Clash is a good stallion but he's far too rough and grim for me." "Oh. And here I was thinking that all six of you were in on the action," Nightcanter said wistfully. She looked up at the night sky, quietly speculating. Rarity looked at Nightcanter. "Please stop thinking about what I think you're thinking," she said. "I'm starting to feel dirty." Nightcanter let out a chuckle. "Alright, I'll save it for later," she said. "How about we talk about you?" "I'm just a simple dressmaker from a small town, Captain Nightcanter, nothing you should concern yourself about." "No, you're Legionnaire Rarity of Logistics's Armory Division, apprentice to Master Smith Hammer Chain, Bearer of the Element of Generosity and currently the only pony to be able to properly wield mage blades in centuries." Nightcanter let herself smile. "Did I get all that right?" she asked. "Wasn't it just hours ago when you were calling me 'white unicorn'?" "Oh, that's just me having a little fun. I saw you stab Foxfire before she could get a spell out, withdraw your blade and then wipe it clean without missing a bit. I liked what I saw. You know, with Fourth Squad gone, we've got a lot of openings in Special Operations. I could put in a good word for you." Rarity studied Nightcanter carefully, trying to ascertain if the mare was teasing again."I appreciate the offer," she said. "However, I'm not planning on making a career of this." She looked to one of her saddlebags and lifted her mage blades with telekinesis so that they hovered just in front of her. "One day, I shall lock these up in a display case and then return to making dresses." She paused briefly, envisioning that time. "And maybe some weapons on armor on the side. Moving up the ranks, especially with a group that delves into secrets like Special Operations, will only make walking away more difficult."

Nightcanter's smile widened a bit more. "Not a lifer, hm? I'll just have to respect that." Rarity was quietly speculative for a while. She liked that idea she just came up with. 'Carousel Boutique and Smithy,' she thought. 'Fabulous outfits for balls and battles alike.' She set that aside for later however. "Would you mind if I asked you something personal, Captain Nightcanter?" she asked. "Sure, go ahead." Rarity's lips pressed into a grim line before speaking. "Four of your comrades just died and yet here you are smiling and looking for their replacements. Doesn't it bother you?" "About as much as it bothered you when you stabbed Foxfire without hesitation," "That was different!" Rarity retorted. "I was defending Pinkie Pie!" "Go ahead and nuance as much as you like," Nightcanter said calmly. "It's not 'killer instinct' if that's what's bothering you. More like a really good sense of should be glad to have it." "This isn't about me," Rarity replied. Suddenly, Nightcanter sidled a little closer, much to Rarity's discomfort. "Sure it is." she said. "You're asking me why losing comrades doesn't bother me so much as a roundabout way to find out why your first kill doesn't bother you." "What?" Rarity asked as she moved away. Nightcanter snorted in amusement and then shifted her gaze to the night sky. "I've got an analogy for that sort of thing. Want to hear it?" "I will anyway, won't I?" "Yes. Anyway, it goes like this. Some ponies are like rag bags. Everything inside a rag bag is all jumbled up and connected. You throw something like a severed head in there, the blood will seep into the whole bag and, by the time you open that rag bag, everything smells like severed head. When

ponies like that kill, they have to let it affect everything. They wax philosophical about how the world works and what they truly are as a pony. Ponies like you, me and maybe that Rainbow Dash, we're more like compartmentalized boxes. You put a severed head in there and it gets its own little space; the blood doesn't seep anywhere and the stink doesn't spread. No deep and dark realizations, no life changing revelations. Just one more thing we have to do." Rarity's frown deepened as she focused on the passing scenery. "I am nothing like that," she said. "Sure you are. Ponies like you and me, we're just particularly neat about this whole killing and dying business." Nightcanter turned around and began to walk away. "I'm going to get myself a little snack before we dock," she said. "Want to come along?" "I think I'll stay a while longer," Rarity replied. "I like the view." Nightcanter gave one last glance at the white unicorn's back. "So do I," she said as she left. "Captain Nightcanter!" Rarity called out. The dark blue unicorn stopped. "I've learned a thing or two in my lifetime as well. You may have a point but nopony is as neat as your box analogy. No matter how much they wish for it." Nightcanter waved a hoof and then walked off. "If you say so, Rarity," she said. Rarity tucked away a bit of mane that got in her face as the night breeze continued to blow.

Despite the ordeal that he had just been through, Vanguard was up and about with the dawn. He walked through one hallway of the Royal Palace urgently, having just heard that Sixth Squad had arrived just after midnight. To his dismay, he had also heard that Twilight and her friends had come

along. "Two weeks to be with your friends and family and you barely use up half," Vanguard muttered. "What are you doing, Twilight Sparkle?" "Clash!" Vanguard looked ahead to find Unicorn Guard Captain Shining Armor just ahead. The unicorn stood straight on all four of his legs. About a couple of hours before midnight, the rest of their group found them inside the Grave Crystal's chamber. With several unicorn magi taking Shining Armor's place, it was quick trip to the surface after that. Princess Luna herself had come over to see to the injured guard captain and it took less than half an hour to mend the fracture. "Armor," he said. The two of them walked together as they headed for the chamber where the coffin of Starswirl the Bearded was being kept. "Good to see you up and about." he said. "Have you seen your sister yet?" "No," Shining Armor replied. "I'm probably about to if this Starswirl the Bearded thing is real." A few more minutes of walking and the two entered the chamber. The coffin, along with the book, had been placed where the Elements of Harmony used to be stored. Guards and legionnaires were posted by the door as well as several points along the halls they had walked past. Inside, they found Twilight Sparkle by herself. "Twiley!" Shining Armor exclaimed. He walked forward to give his sister a hug. The purple unicorn's expression brightened in response and the two hugged tightly.A few seconds later, Shining Armor suddenly felt that there was something wrong here. That point was hammered in when his "sister", with her nose still pressed against his chest, took a long, not too sisterly inhale. He pushed her back with a frown on his face and held her in leg's length. Vanguard stepped forward and then took a few sniffs at the air. He quickly recognized the scent. "That's enough foaling around, Captain Nightcanter," he said. "Let's go back to acting like professionals." The image of Twilight Sparkle shimmered and then dissolved from her head to her legs, revealing a dark blue coat and a mane of purple ringlets. "I wasn't foaling around," she said with a mock pout. "He said that he was more vigilant against imposters and I wanted to test him myself!"

"I'm sure," Vanguard said dryly. They looked behind them as the doors to the chamber opened again. This time, it was the real Twilight Sparkle and her friends who entered. "Shining Armor!" Twilight said cheerily. The smile quickly faded when she saw Nightcanter's proximity to her brother. In a heartbeat she was standing between the two and glaring at Nightcanter a sheepish smile, Nightcanter backed off. "It's great to see you alright, Twiley." Shining Armor said. The two of them hugged and some of the cheer returned to Twilight's demeanor. "How's mom and dad?" she asked. "You should go see them, they'll feel a lot better once you do." Twilight noted her brother's indirect answer. She had to see her parents as soon as possible. Perhaps she should have gone straight to Canterlot after all. She glanced towards Vanguard to see how he was doing. "So what happened down there?" Vanguard asked Applejack. He had a frown on his face as he listened carefully. It was just how he had heard about earlier. Nightcanter had gone ahead and taken Twilight and her friends along on a dangerous mission. He was going to have to talk to her about this later, although he doubted that doing such a thing would accomplish anything. Applejack, on her part, narrated what had happened inside Clover the Clever's last refuge. She didn't include the horrible thoughts that suddenly came upon her. She wanted to forget about that as soon as possible. The conversations stopped as all three of Equestria's royalty entered the chamber. All of them knelt reverently, keeping their gazes averted as the three took a look at the coffin and the tome. "Starswirl the Bearded," Terrato said. "I never thought he'd be involved in this." He gestured offhandedly for everypony to rise. He then walked over to the tome and flipped through the pages. "Old Kingdom script. Just our luck."

"He should be given a proper burial," Celestia said as she looked over the coffin, "not put on display like this." "I'll build him a tomb myself," Terrato replied. "After we find out what Clover the Clever was up to with his body." Luna's horn was already glowing as she inspected the coffin. "Big brother, there's more to this coffin than just being a container. I think...I think there are still traces of him still clinging to it!" "What?" Twilight gasped. "She walked over to the coffin to get a better look. "How's that possible?" Luna concentrated on her magic for a few more seconds. "Not him entirely," she replied. "It's most likely that his soul has gone over to the Eternal Herd. What we have are strong feelings and memories bound strongly to the earth." She looked over to her brother. "Big brother, Necromancy is your domain, could you reveal what these traces are?" Terrato walked closer to the coffin and cast some spells of his own. "Lingering memories and a strong desire," he said. "I can project them if you want." When he saw both of his sisters nod, he cast another spell. The coffin began to glow with grayish light and then projected a large image on the floor. Everypony stepped back as the image covered a great portion of the floor's center. Twilight winced as she looked on. She wanted to see this. It was a memory from Starswirl the Bearded himself. Yet, the thought of finding out that he was as awful as Clover the Clever was horrifying. The image showed a small wooden table up close. From the way the perspective shifted about, Twilight guessed that the image came from the eyes of somepony, likely Starswirl the Bearded himself. As she looked on, the image shifted to the right, showing a light purple mare wearing what seemed to be a hooded cloak made of burlap. A clay mug floated in front of the unicorn mare which she placed on the table. She opened her mouth to say something but Twilight couldn't understand a word that came out. "Luna," Terrato said. "Think you can apply a translation spell on the projection?"

Luna didn't reply but her horn glowed brightly as swirls of her magic surrounded the coffin. "-tea, Clover. But why did you bring me all the way out here?" Twilight couldn't help but shudder upon hearing the deep, aging voice that must surely belong to Starswirl. "I wanted to talk to you without all the others around, master."Clover's image said. "Then speak, pupil of mine." "I want you to reconsider your stance towards our people's use of the Deep Father's power." "No. I've already developed a spell to cut off his influence and I'm closing in on the source. It was an evil thing you and your companions did by calling upon the Deep Father, Clover, I only agreed to it because it was the lesser evil compared to the Windigos utterly destroying us. Now, it must be cut away before it infects us all." "It was the Deep Father's power that destroyed the Windigos!" Clover said angrily. She gestured to the landscape behind her; a great plain of green grass that stretched out to the horizon. A wide river of crystal clear water snaked its way across the plain and towards some distant mountains. "Thanks to him, we have been granted this land to settle!" "His power destroyed the Windigos with ease because they too were spawned of it. Do you still not understand, Clover? You and your companions toy with the same force that would have annihilated all of ponykind." "Ponykind itself spawned from the Deep Father's power," Clover insisted. "It is in our nature to attune to his power! Our ancestors turned their backs to it and fled so the Windigos eventually came to punish us. But if we embrace that power..." "...we will be destroyed. Why can't you understand this, Clover? Are you not called 'the Clever' for a reason?"

Clover the Clever didn't respond right away. Her expression darkened as she stared at Starswirl. Twilight could feel her heart race, something was wrong with this scene. As if to confirm her suspicions, the image suddenly shook slightly and then blurred. "What have you done, Clover?" "Isn't it a strange sight?" Clover said calmly. "The unicorn who developed both the poison detection spell and the detoxification spell is now dying of poisoning." The image shook violently and sparks of magical energy appeared around the edges. It's too late to cast anything now, Clover said with a hint of glee. "The first thing that poison attacks is your magic. After that, it's a very, very slow death. Am I clever enough for you, master?" "Heh..." The glee disappeared from both Clover's face and tone. "What's so funny, old pony? Are you having another one of your fits of whimsy? Are you going to make another silly spell or add more bells to your outfit before you die?" "How long have you been working on this poison, Clover?"The labored breathing in Starswirl's voice made Twilight's chest ache. She grit her teeth and cursed silently at Clover the Clever. "Years!" Clover spat. "I made the first test when I began to realize that you were only going to hold me back! You and your pointless outfits and your bowl-shaping spells! I knew I had to put you down at some point. The greatest spell caster of his age reduced to a doddering clown. It makes me sick to this day." She smiled a little as she went on. "You should have guarded yourself better. It's only a matter of time before the student overcomes the master. It's the nature of all things." "So Clover the Bashful finally speaks her mind." "You don't seem to be getting what's going on, old pony, you're going to die and I will continue to use the Deep Father's gifts."

"I'm an old stallion at the end of his rope to begin with, Clover. How much did your poison take away from me? A year? A few months? Tomorrow? You're the one with a lifetime to deal with the consequences of today. As for the Deep Father's 'gifts'..." Starswirl stopped to breathe heavily. "The Deep Father cares nothing for us. We are as mosquitoes to him, trying to nourish ourselves with his blood only to find it full of poison. He does not 'gift' pests." "You would know, wouldn't you?" "Yes, I would. Turn away from this path, my not-so-faithful student, not even my death will make it too late." Clover walked forward and her angry, hateful face filled the could see every line on Clover's face and she felt nauseous at the sight of it. "You're suffering a lingering death and you're still lecturing me! You're still holding me back!" She knocked the table over, spilling the drink on the ground. "This is the end of that, Starswirl the Bearded, Starswirl of the Bells, Starswirl, Father of a thousand useless spells!" She smiled fiercely as she went on. "My spells have already found one of the Deep Father's prime servants. Platinum is already working on digging him out." "Foal!" Starswirl gasped. "That is Regia Carnifex, bearer of the foul weapon itself! If you wake him, everything will be destroyed!" "How do you know that?" Clover asked. Her smile faded as she shook Starswirl. "How do you know that name, old pony? What else have you been hiding from me?" Starswirl didn't respond and the image began to blur. Twilight couldn't bear to watch even if the event had happened long ago. It was clear that Starswirl was dying. "No! You don't get to just rest, Starswirl!" Clover snarled. Her horn flashed with magic and the image itself became tinged with light purple. "You may die but your spirit will remain in that corpse." She grinned again. Twilight recognized a desperate attempt at being triumphant. "It doesn't matter how you know this servant, we will free him and he will raise me above all the others. I will be known for building an everlasting kingdom worthy of the Deep Father's blessings while your legend fades to nothing!"

"Foal to the end,"Starswirl whispered. The image blurred until Twilight couldn't make out anything. Terrato's spell ended a few seconds later. Silence filled the chamber, everypony in the felt that the death of Starswirl, even if it had happened a long time ago, deserved a few moments of respectful quiet. It was Terrato who eventually broke that silence. "Regia Carnifex," he said. "I don't recognize the name. What about you, Celestia?" Celestia shook her head. "He must be one of those who were cast out with Oceanus," she replied. "Starswirl called him 'bearer of the foul weapon'. He must mean the one sealed within the Blasphemous Rift. This Regia Carnifex may have enough affinity with the weapon to blast the seals from the inside." Celestia paused for a while. "How did he know so much?" "I'll find out," Terrato said darkly. "Leave that to me." "But The Six Companions failed to release Regia Carnifex," Luna said. "The Old Kingdom was destroyed right?" Terrato shifted his attention towards the tome. "And that's where this tome and the Grave Crystal comes in. Clover continued to work on freeing him even after Lexarius destroyed the Old Kingdom. This tome likely contains the methods how." "I will work on reading the tome," Luna offered. "I still remember my studies on the Old Kingdom's language." Terrato frowned at the thought. "There's really no need to" he said. "We just need to keep it from Black Rose. Besides, there's a lot of power invested in it." "There may be some information we can use," Luna insisted. "I'll be careful, big brother." "Fine," Terrato replied. "In the meantime, I have to secure that Grave Crystal. If Black Rose succeeds in taking Regia Carnifex's power, she'll have an easy way to get past the Blasphemous Rift's seal."

"Wait!" Twilight suddenly said. The others looked to her in surprise. "Clover the Clever said that she trapped Starswirl in his own body! Is he still trapped in there?" "No," Terrato said. "Whatever spell she used likely used to hold him faded when she died or maybe Lexarius released him before sealing the refuge but his soul has crossed over. Only these lingering memories remain." "You alright, Twiley?" Shining Armor asked as he looked at Twilight. The purple unicorn wiped a tear away and nodded. "I'll be fine," she said. "I'm just glad that one of my heroes was actually heroic." Luna watched Twilight forlornly. "Just one, huh?" she said softly to herself as she glanced at Celestia. "Everypony stay sharp," Terrato told them. "We still have a lot more to do." Twilight nodded with the rest of the ponies in the room. She stared at the floor as if the image of Clover the Clever was still there. 'You're wrong about how things are with teachers and students, Clover,' she thought. 'Your 'everlasting kingdom' was destroyed. You were just a bad student, that's all.' With that, she joined the others in leaving. There was a lot she wanted to do now that she was in Canterlot.

Chapter 20 Dragonkind "Spike..." The very familiar voice shook Spike out of his lethargy. "Huh?" he mumbled. "Spike, pay attention," That was Rarity's voice. Spike focused and then realized that he was sitting on a bed in a brightly lit and elaborately decorated room. He recognized the bunch of pony mannequins grouped by one corner and the sewing machine sat on a nearby table. The bed sheet was decorated with a diamond pattern as were the walls. "Rarity?" he asked in confusion. "What's going on?" "I brought you here, remember?" Rarity replied. Spike couldn't help but be a little intimidated. She looked quite serious as she stared at him. "W-well, what is it then?" "Spike, I'm quite aware that you have... certain feelings for me." "What? But how did you-? I didn't get to say it that time so what could have?" A hoof stopped his spluttering protests. "And, recently, I've become aware that I'm starting to...feel something similar." "Really?" Spike's jaw dropped. "Which is why I brought you here in the privacy of my bedroom so we can explore these feelings properly rather than embarrassing ourselves out on the street or some such thing."

"Oh...uh...sure, Rarity. I don't mind talking about my feelings and-" Spike shuddered and stopped when Rarity's face moved closer to his. She placed both front hooves on his shoulders and gently pushed him on his back. "Talking wasn't what I had in mind..." Spike found himself unable to speak. The room seemed to fade into darkness while Rarity's face came closer and closer and...faded into black as well. Spike still lay there expectantly until the reality of what was happening suddenly settled in. He wasn't on the most beautiful pony in all of Equestria's nice soft bed. Instead he was laying back-first on a hastily put together pile of ursan furs. He now knew why it was so dark, he was in the deepest part of Seethe Scale's cave. The only bit of light coming in was from the far away entrance. With a reluctant groan, Spike rose from his bedding and looked around; a worthless action as far as he was concerned. He was in complete darkness. He had been for a great portion of his first week. Seethe Scale's cave was deep enough to be far away from its entrance, leaving its inner portions with very little access to sunlight and, with winter already here, there was little of that as well. For the first couple of days, Spike relied on the torches positioned along the cave but when they burned out, he couldn't find any replacements. When he asked Seethe Scale about getting more, the kirin didn't even bother to reply. He began gathering bits of dry wood from the woods nearby but the few branches he collected were far from enough to illuminate the enormous cave. Indeed, his first week with Seethe Scale could be summed up perfectly by stumbling in the dark. He was now wishing that the kirin was an angry, cursing sort of teacher like Doctor Redbrand. Even that would be something. Seethe Scale didn't shout or growl at him at all but that was because she would barely even talk to him. He could count on one claw the number of times she would say anything in a day. She hadn't even bothered to set any rules about her lair and the fear of touching something he shouldn't touch or saying something he shouldn't say all but rendered him nearly paralyzed around her. Instead of talking, Seethe Scale spent hours just lying in the dark quietly. Prince Terrato had mentioned that the kirin "got a little broody at times".

The prince had obviously understated that aspect. Seethe Scale spent hours just quietly sitting next to her small hoard of golden coins and jewelry. If she wasn't doing that, she was out getting food. She came home with meat most of the time; but with winter already here; most of the wildlife had gone into hibernation or migrated. On a few occasions, Seethe Scale came back with pickled vegetables from the nearby city of Wallforge. Spike relished the chance to eat something more familiar. Meat was…delicious, he had to admit that. He also had to admit that his pointed teeth were more at home with tearing through meat than grinding plants or gemstones but he still favored the familiar comforts of food he had grown up with. That small comfort did little to make his stay with Seethe Scale however. He continued to wait for some kind of instruction on her part, maybe a test or a lecture but the week passed with him just awkwardly trying to pass the time. But that has to end now. This morning, he was going to talk to Seethe Scale and straighten things out. The kirin was near the cave's entrance and stretching her wings when Spike approached her. "Um…excuse me," he said. No response came from Seethe Scale. She didn't seem to even hear him but he already expected that. He had tried several times to talk to the kirin and he knew that it was an uphill battle to even get her to notice him, let alone speak. "Hey!" he said with a much louder voice. "Down here!" Seethe Scale responded by turning to face Spike. "I heard you," she said. The sunlight from the entrance let him see more of her face than when she just sat in the shadows. The kirin didn't look angry, or even annoyed. "Listen, um…" Spike twiddled his claws a bit. "I'd understand if you don't like me and didn't want me around your cave. If you don't want to have anything to do with me, just say so then I can just go away and find my way back to the Northern Barrier Land." There was only silence for some time after Spike said that. "What makes you think that I don't want you around?" Seethe Scale asked after a while. "Well, I feel like an unwanted guest in your cave for one thing," Spike replied. "I just came here to grow stronger. If you don't-"

"What I feel or want doesn't matter," Seethe Scale replied. "The prince has given me the task of helping you and I will do so." "But we haven't done anything in a week! How is just standing around a cave supposed to help me?" Seethe Scale tilted her head slightly and took a closer look at Spike. "You're upset," she said. The proximity of the kirin's head took Spike aback. "W-well…maybe a little," he replied. Seethe Scale pulled back before speaking some more. "I needed some time just to get used to having you in my cave," she replied. "Just getting used to your presence and scent has been surprisingly difficult." "Well, we could still talk right?" "The process goes two ways. I had to get used to sharing my cave with another and you had to get used to some degree of isolation." Seethe Scale walked out to the sunlight with Spike following close behind. "You've spent too long being a pony," she went on. "You share their love of conversation and need for a great deal of light. I've spent too long living like a full dragon. My first instinct when you first entered my cave was to kill you before you got anywhere near my hoard. I was hoping that we can spend some time adjusting; you as a dragon, me as a pony." "Did it work?" Spike asked quietly. He felt more than a little relieved that all the awkward waiting at least had some purpose behind it. "I don't know," Seethe Scale replied. "I haven't killed and eaten you. That has to be worth something." It was at this point that Spike suddenly became aware of the rows of pointed teeth in Seethe Scale's mouth. "Don't worry. It's worth a lot. But did we really need an entire week for th-?" Spike caught himself too late. "Nnot to question your methods or anything!" "Interesting," Seethe Scale said. "Does a week seem that long to you?" "Well, yeah. Seven days is pretty long."

"For a pony." "Huh?" Seethe Scale flexed her wings some more and then looked around. Game was difficult to obtain during winter. She did have plenty of preserved meat in supply, all of which were carefully smoked, wrapped and buried in several caches. There was also the uncomfortable prospect of trading with the inhabitants of Wallforge. Feeding herself and her guest shouldn't be a problem. There wasn't any need to go flying out for today and she was feeling more comfortable around Spike. Perhaps she could spend some more time performing the task the prince gave her. Instead of flying off, she sat by the entrance of her cave and gestured for Spike to sit nearby. "A week is nothing to a dragon," she said. "One reason it bothers you is because you're in 'pony time'. Slow down and try to perceive things more as a dragon." Spike sat just a few feet from the kirin. A week did feel long to him but, now that he thought about it, he was barely used to being around Seethe Scale or living in a cave. "And what's the other reason?" he asked. "You're waiting for lessons the way ponies teach them," Seethe Scale replied. "You're not here for lessons like some foal in a pony school." Before Spike could say anything in response, he noticed Seethe Scale's ears perk up and her nostrils flare. She stood up and walked over towards the trail to her cave. "That's far enough," she growled. Spike walked over to see who had arrived and why they were causing this sort of reaction. Mudslide had been allowed to approach the cave's entrance and even talk to the reclusive kirin whereas this visitor was kept at a distance and greeted angrily. Even as he went over to look, however, he had to keep his distance from Seethe Scale. The kirin was projecting a great deal of heat, enough to melt the snow near her. Her white fur bristled while her eyes began to light up as if they had small flames within them. "G-greetings, mighty Seethe Scale!" someone said from down the trail. Spike looked more closely and saw a group of five ponies; two of whom were pulling a wagon behind them while the other three led the way. The lead pony, a green unicorn with a long, curly mane of bright yellow had stepped forward to speak for their group. Though he stumbled with his

opening words at first, he carried himself with a degree of confidence despite being faced with an obviously angry and enormous kirin. "Deliveries have been already made," Seethe Scale said, her tone low and dangerous. "I don't like ponies being this close to my home." She snorted, causing a brief stream of dark red flame to billow from her nostrils. "We mean no disrespect," the lead pony said. He bowed low to emphasize his point and the others followed his example. "We are here on behalf of Mayor Gold Plate." Seethe Scale's anger didn't seem to abate. "Leave," she said. "We will, mighty Seethe Scale," the lead pony said. He gestured towards the covered wagon behind him. At once, the two ponies who were not pulling the wagon trotted over and removed the wagon's cover. On it was a sizeable pile of gold coins and jewels. Spike wiped some drool off his mouth. "All we ask is that you accept this tribute from the mayor in honor of your constant vigil over Wallforge." Seethe Scale looked the wagon over, a low growl resounding within her throat. "I said leave," she told the ponies. They unfastened the wagon and then departed hastily after one final bow. Spike could hear their hard gallop as they made their way back to the city as fast as they could. Seethe Scale grabbed hold of the wagon and lifted it with ease, placing the entire thing in front of Spike. "It's yours," she said with a snort. "Eat what you want and bury what's left somewhere outside my cave." Spike's mouth watered as he clambered over the wagon. The gems in the pile sparkled temptingly. He took a particularly impressive sapphire and was about to pop it into his mouth when he looked over to Seethe Scale. The kirin no longer looked angry as she watched the trail to her home. "Are you sure I can have this?" he asked. "Yes," Seethe Scale replied. "But why? Those ponies gave these to you for watching over them!" "No," Seethe Scale said flatly. She looked at Spike as if to explain herself but she changed her mind. Instead, she watched with interest as Spike inspected his new hoard. "How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Great!" Spike replied as she looked over the gems. "Thank you for giving all of these to me!" Seethe Scale continued to quietly observe for some more. Now aware of the kirin's scrutiny, Spike tried to focus on eating but he glanced nervously back at Seethe Scale several times before finally turning around. "Um…do you need something?" he asked. "Your temperance is surprising," Seethe Scale remarked. "Do you not feel any urge to collect more treasure after gaining such a large hoard?" "What? Oh, no! I'm done with that! One hoarding spree is enough for me!" "I see…did you grow at an alarming rate during that time?" "Yup, I turned into a real monster for a day." "Tell me how it all happened." Seethe Scale walked over and lay down just a few feet away from Spike. He related the whole incident, although he was careful enough to avoid mentioning his interrupted attempt to confess his feelings for Rarity or anything to that regard. Throughout the story, Seethe Scale listened intently. "This Rarity…do you love her?" she asked. Spike's eyes widened. "No!" he protested. Then he clamped both claws on his mouth. "I mean, how'd you- I mean why'd you say that?" "The tone you take and the look on your face say it all," Seethe Scale replied. "You may as well wear a shirt with her face on it." "That's not a bad thing is it?" Spike asked. "I mean, I'd understand if you don't like the thought of it because…well…" "Why should what I think matter? Are you going to force yourself on this Rarity and then make her bear a kirin foal?" "What? Of course not! I would never think of doing such a thing to her!" "Then you decide for yourself what to make of your feelings. Spend more time understanding your dragon aspect and then look at your relationships. I will say this, however. This Rarity has been a good influence to you. She's

taught you to control your gluttony, lust and greed. From your story, you've successfully overcome your Appetite Phase thanks to her." Spike smiled at the thought of Rarity being able to help him overcome something. It was true; he had reverted to normal during that time thanks to her. What Seethe Scale had mentioned intrigued him however. "What's this Appetite Phase?" he asked. "It's the first of the phases that dragons go through in their life time. Dragons in this phase of their lives are overcome by lust, gluttony or greed, whichever resides within them the strongest. If your greed had defined you strongly enough, you would have remained a Greed Dragon for the rest of your life." "What about the other phases?" "The Expression Phase which tests your pride, wrath or envy. If you are still not defined by these things, you will go through the Apathy Phase which guarantees that you'll turn into a Sloth Dragon." "Is that it?" Spike asked glumly. "Are dragons always defined by bad things?" "Supposedly-" Seethe Scale stopped herself. "Supposedly what?" "Don't concern yourself too much about these things. They will come in time and what sort of dragon you are will be revealed." Seethe Scale stood up and flapped her wings. "I have to go for now," she said. "Stay in the cave as always." With that, she flew off. Although still confused, Spike popped the first gem into his mouth and savored the crunch in his mouth. He grabbed a handful of gems to snack on and then began looking around for a good hiding place. He doubted that there would be any thieves willing to risk approaching the home of a clearly territorial half-dragon but he wasn't going to risk this bounty. With this pile, he may not have to eat anymore meat. It was already sunset when Seethe Scale returned. During that time, Spike had kept himself busy burying his new loot all around the cave. The frozen

ground was difficult to dig up, even for his practiced claws. During that time, he also reflected upon how Seethe Scale behaved around ponies. By the time she arrived, he had questions already rehearsed. He stood there by his space in the cave and quietly watched her, trying to find some kind of sign that it was a good idea to speak up. "Um…Seethe Scale?" he finally ventured to say. The kirin lay down by her bed before looking at Spike. "How is your vision?" she suddenly asked. "It's fine, thanks, I just-" Spike paused. Fine? He looked around. He should be completely blind in this cave but he wasn't. Seethe Scale lay there in plain sight. He could see the cave as a whole now, albeit in various shades of gray. "W-what's going on?" he asked. "I can see in the dark but it's all weird and gray!" "Hatchlings develop that much earlier," Seethe Scale said. "Yours was hindered by spending too much time out in the light. Did you think that dragons would prefer the darkness of caves if they had to rely on illumination?" "This is…" Spike looked around and walked forward. He could see even the small pebbles by his feet in detail. "This is pretty cool," he said. "A week spent well I suppose," Seethe Scale said. Spike suddenly found himself enthusiastic. "So what are we going to do next?" he asked. "Sleep." Spike ended up waking early the next day. It was barely dawn when he was walking about the cave, marveling at his newfound ability. He picked up a pebble and inspected it, picking out individual grooves and niches on it just for fun. "Cute," Seethe Scale said softly from behind him. "You're acting like a hatchling given his very first bauble." Spike tossed the pebble away in embarrassment. "I can't help it," he said. "I've never been able to do something like this."

"Darkvision has its uses," Seethe Scale said as she rose from her bed. "You're lucky to still be able to develop it." "So what are we doing now?" Spike asked. "Out. I'm taking you with me this time. Before we go we must go over a few rules." Spike felt a measure of relief at the mention of rules. That was one more familiarity he could take comfort in. "What are they?" he asked. "Anywhere in the Western Barrier Land outside my cave, I will refer to you as 'Seifralhadar'. You must answer to this name only and not your real one. The ponies you've encountered in Wallforge have been similarly warned." "What's wrong with 'Spike'" Spike asked. "It's not a dragon name. If the Draco'dim and their agents find out, you'll die along with whoever gave you that name." Any enthusiasm Spike had was quickly crushed by this new worry. "Dracowhat?" he asked. "Who are they and why should they care about my name?" "They are currently the strongest and most influential group among dragonkind," Seethe Scale said. "We shouldn't have too much trouble with them thanks to the Heartland purge keeping them busy." "So they're sort of the dragon rulers and-hey, what do you mean by Heartland purge?" Seethe Scale looked grimly towards the outside of her cave. "Of course you haven't heard. With the barrier down, the Draco'dim are extending their influence towards the Heartland. A purge is already on the way." "And by purge you mean-" "Yes, killing." Spike paused for a moment, outrage temporarily taking away his ability to talk. He remembered all the dragons he had ever encountered in the

Heartland. None of those encounters had at all been pleasant. The dragons of the Heartland had attacked and bullied him but for them to be killed just didn't seem right. "We've got to stop them," he said. "Equestria will never allow dragons to be killed just like that!" "You're wrong," Seethe Scale replied. Her emotionless tone ran counterpoint to Spike's angry words. "Equestria will allow it. The Draco'dim's methods may be harsh but Equestria stands only to benefit from their actions." "What? Why?" "The Draco'dim enforce many rules among dragons. Among them is the rule of not eating ponies and leaving their settlements alone so long as they don't monopolize resources. Without the Draco'dim, the legion will have to deal with more than just your occasional rampaging greed dragon." "So all of Equestria will just let these Draco'dim kill as many dragons as they like?" "Yes." Spike stamped his foot as hard as he could, that it barely made a sound against the cave's stone floor only made him angrier. "But that's not right!" "Right for whom? It's right for ponies to not want to be eaten." "What about the dragons?" "What dragons do to each other is not Equestria's concern." Seethe Scale moved closer towards Spike. There was nothing threatening about her movement but Spike still felt the urge to back up a bit before looking up at her. "I understand how you feel and you're right. The Draco'dim's continued existence will only continue to hurt dragonkind as a race." "Then why do you just let it happen?" Spike asked. "I'm not a dragon. Why should I be bothered if dragons are destroyed by their own pride?" Seethe Scale gazed at Spike intently. "Let the dragons settle this issue among themselves."

"I'm a dragon," Spike said, his tone low and defiant. "Are you sure? It was only yesterday that you could even use your darkvision." Before Spike could make a retort, Seethe Scale's unicorn horn glowed slightly. "I need to be alone," she said abruptly. "Go outside and prepare yourself. We'll be leaving soon." In a huff, Spike left the cave. Once he was out of sight, Seethe Scale pointed her unicorn horn at a cave wall. The projected image of Prince Terrato looked straight at her a few seconds later. "Your highness," she said reverently. "Hey, Seethe Scale," Terrato said with a smile. "How is your new ward progressing?" "Faster than expected," Seethe Scale replied. "And that small detail I mentioned?" "Also progressing well." "Good," Terrato's eyes narrowed as he went on. "Some chosen should have arrived in Wallforge by now, have you noticed?" "Yes, your highness." "Luna's taking a page from my book by having her own personal eyes among them," Terrato said. There was a tinge of admiration in his tone as well as more than a hint of annoyance. "It's possible that she may try to contact you as well. I don't want my sisters to get wind of your other task. Not yet." "She will learn nothing save for Spike's condition, your highness." "Good, and speaking of your other task…" "Nazhadar and Himfadora have already agreed to your propositions, your highness. I am making headway with the others but Spike's progress will be crucial." "I'm counting on you, Seethe Scale."

"I won't fail you." The image disappeared and Seethe Scale began to walk out to meet her "new ward". As she walked out, the dragon kept his eyes on her. Though he was still a little angry, she noticed something in his gaze that wasn't there when he first entered her cave: trust. "Let's go," she said.

Chapter 21 A Rose’s Weapon As more ponies from the Barrier Lands made their way into Canterlot, the initial shock and worry that the citizens met them began to be replaced with a mixture of feelings; curiosity, resignation, suspicion, even enthusiasm. The nobles remained doubtful, even when Princess Celestia picked out some of them to be teleported to the Barrier Lands. The middle and lower class ponies didn't raise as much of a fuss. They still trusted their princess even after the things she admitted. Equestria was under attack and, until it became more obvious that there was something else going on, they were willing to lend a hoof. The legionnaires, for their part, were polite and well-behaved. There were a few incidents where their anger was sparked but, for the most part, they conducted their draft calmly. Many showed some interest towards Canterlot's technology, particularly the train that transported them to the city as well as the airships. They also did put some effort into trying to befriend the citizens despite what they had to do. For Octavia, however, even these efforts only betrayed a more unsettling aspect of these ponies. She sat by a local café and watched as a pair of legionnaires walked past a window. These legionnaires did everything as if they were in a play; they spoke as if they had a script, they acted as if they were choreographed, every move they made was a reflection of restraint and deliberation. Even the two who just walked by did so with their gazes focused and paces in a no-nonsense hurry. 'And to think that, soon, even my friends will be behaving like them," she thought. The gentle rain that had been falling all morning only served to worsen Octavia's melancholy. She had just come from a cancelled recital. When she had arrived, it turned out that a quarter of the orchestra had been drafted and about as much had decided to volunteer. The performance would have trudged on if three-quarters of the audience seats weren't empty. Canterlot simply wasn't in the mood for music right now. Her thoughts went to her friends and fellow musicians. When the draft began, it was her brother who answered the call, sparing her from having to go. Most

of her friends, however, now had the misfortune of being only foals. The Equestrian Legion held no interest in Canterlot's music and their new recruits had to set aside musical instruments for barding and tramplers. She came to her favorite café to try to relax for a while. Her coat and umbrella were still dripping from the rain. She looked towards the cello she kept close to her and sighed. Not that there was going to be much work for musicians like her for a while. Maybe even for good. The sound of bells tinkling brought the earth pony mare's attention to the café's entrance. The door had opened and a golden brown unicorn stallion had entered. He had an impressive dark blond mane, swept back an arranged more like a lion's mane than a pony's and a luxurious beard to match. He took off his coat and hung it on the rack provided by the cafe, revealing a gray suit, tailor-fitted by the looks of it. Octavia's eyes went to his belt, however, and the long swords strapped to it. Sure enough, he had no cutie mark, making him one of the Barrier Lands ponies. Still, his demeanor marked him differently from the legionnaires. He caught sight of her staring, smiled warmly and then bowed in greeting. Embarrassed, Octavia looked away and focused on her cup of tea while he went over to order something. "Pardon me," somepony said. Octavia nearly choked on her tea before she looked up. Whoever was talking to her had a voice meant for opera; a rich, stentorian tone that she certainly didn't expect. She looked to her side and found that the stallion from the entrance had approached her. He still had that smile he had greeted her just a few moments ago. "This café seems a bit lonely at the moment, would you grant me the pleasure of your company while I enjoy this coffee?" Octavia stared for a few more seconds before realizing that this pony was waiting for an answer. "Oh, um…" She caught herself, remembering her manners and that she should match the formality he was showing. Perhaps this wasn't a legionnaire; he could be a noble from the Barrier Lands who had arrived with the Equestrian Legion to visit. "Very well," she said. The stallion dipped his head slightly. "Thank you," he said. "My name is Lion Court and you are?" "Octavia. You are from the Barrier Lands, aren't you? Are you a legionnaire?"

Lion Court sat across the table from Octavia and took a sip of his coffee. "Yes and no," he said. "It's true that I came with the legion but I am not affiliated with them. I came here to experience the Heartland's culture before certain…elements bring about alterations." He glanced at the window briefly just as another pair of legionnaires walked by. Octavia followed his gaze and then mentally agreed. "Is it going to get that bad?" she asked. "Perhaps." Lion Court took on a more reassuring tone. "The legion serves an important purpose, Lady Octavia, but it is all but blind to the things beyond that purpose. Beauty, art, music…the legion has little use for these things." He suddenly glanced at the cello next to Octavia. "Pardon me for noticing but I see that you have an instrument with you. Are you a musician of renown in this city?" Octavia put a hoof over her cello and pulled it a little closer. "Well…I don't mean to brag but I have performed in some very important events here in Canterlot," she replied in as modest a tone as she could. Nevertheless, she couldn't help but show a hint of pride. It wasn't easy to build a career in music here in Canterlot. Nobles were harsh and fickle judges. With so many aspiring musicians eager to take any opportunity coming her way, all it took was a poor performance to toss her out on the street. "Such a wonderful turn of events!" Lion Court remarked. "I have been looking for musicians all over this fine city and haven't been met with success and, while I'm taking a break, I run into one!" "Many of the musicians have been recruited into the legion," Octavia said glumly. Whatever pleasure she could have taken from this pony's elation was washed away by that reminder of Canterlot's state. "Such a tragedy," Lion Court said softly. "But let's not dwell on things we cannot change." He leaned on the table with both hooves and stared at Octavia intently. "Not everypony coming from the Barrier Lands is an agent of the legion. I represent a more…private group interested in preserving the things the legion will simply trample. If what you said is true, it would be my honor to present you to my mistress." Octavia held her cello a little tighter under Lion Court's stare. The unicorn stallion sounded so reassuring and his offer piqued her curiosity. Just a few

moments ago, she was bemoaning the thought of being unable to find much work in the coming days and here comes somepony from the same place as the legion who was offering her some solace. It sounded too good to be true. It could very well be. "Perhaps I should consult with others about this first," she said cautiously. "Of course," Lion Court replied. He produced a card from one of his suit's pockets and placed it on the table. "Both my mistress and I are temporarily staying in this address, come at any time." He took another sip from his cup and set it on the table. "But listen to me, talking about business so quickly after making an acquaintance! Let us set that aside for something more pleasant, shall we?" "Yes," Octavia replied with a smile. She found herself listening more often than talking as Lion Court began to talk about his first experiences with Canterlot and what he thought of Equestria's capital. Just hearing somepony from the Barrier Lands sincerely admiring Canterlot felt great and there was something so…grand about the way Lion Court sounded. She didn't know how many minutes they spent talking but she had noticed that her tea was already cold and his coffee was gone. "I'm afraid it's time for me to go," Lion Court said. He stood up and bowed slightly. "I hope we meet again soon, Lady Octavia." With that, he left the café. Octavia's gaze followed Lion Court until he disappeared from view. She looked to the card he had left with her, taking note of the address. She found it a little odd, however, for a Barrier Lands noble to suddenly decide to stay in Canterlot. Did they not have fine, wealthy cities in that land? She took her cello, left the cup of cold tea on the table along with a small tip and then headed out as well. The earth pony musician barely got two steps out of the door when somepony crashed right into her. The cello flew from her hooves along with her umbrella and then skidded across the damp pavement before stopping against a street light and, to her horror, on a puddle. Something else flew from the collision, it looked like a small stone tablet. "Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't see you coming and, hey let me help you with-!"

Octavia barely heard the high pitched voice from whoever had clumsily plowed over her. She rushed towards her cello and inspected it in a panic. The case had been soaked. She didn't dare open it now and let the rain ruin the instrument completely. All she could do was get it somewhere dry and hope for the best. "Here let me help you with that!" A pink hoof reached over Octavia's shoulder to take the cello. She slapped it away and stood up. She turned towards the stupid, three-legged ox of a pony who blundered into her, a few choice words already about to leap from her lips. When she saw who it was, however, she stopped. There was no mistaking that poofy pink mane and that high-pitched whine of a voice. It was the pink pony. The same pink pony who had ruined Octavia's first Grand Galloping Gala and then followed it up by crashing into Fancy Pants's party at the royal gardens. Both events were among her most important events and the pink pony had blundered into them in succession. "I'm so sorry!" the pink pony said. "I was busy looking at this tablet while walking that I didn't see you. Are you okay? I hope your instrument is okay!" Octavia answered all the questions with a single frigid stare. Without a single word, she took her cello, strapped it to her back and then went her way. She wanted nothing to do with this pink pony. The news about Princess Celestia banishing her own student along with her friends was known all throughout Canterlot. Twilight Sparkle…it was only recently that Octavia was able to put the name and the pony together. She had heard about the princess's protégé but never actually knew the pony in anyway. It had turned out to be the purple unicorn in the plain yellow dress flailing about, Octavia refused to call it dancing, in the garden. More importantly "Twilight Sparkle and her friends" turned out to be the same group that the wretched pink pony belonged to. With Princess Celestia's announcements, it was now plain enough to all that this group of ponies was involved in the legion coming to Equestria. If they weren't completely responsible for it.

'Of course she's involved,' Octavia thought as she tried to hurry away. 'Whatever that pink pony touches ends up being ruined. Should I even be shocked that she and her friends have succeeded in ruining all of Canterlot?' "Wait!" the pink pony cried out as she ran after Octavia. She laid a hoof on the gray earth pony's shoulder, eliciting another withering stare. "Don't touch me!" Octavia snapped. "I just want to-" "You have done enough! Oh, believe me, pink pony, you have done more than enough!" The pink pony stopped in surprise, allowing Octavia to get away. She rounded several corners and then hurried to a shade. She inspected the case and, to her horror, she noticed that it had been somehow badly torn during the fall. Water had already leaked inside. She opened the case, desperately praying that the cello was alright. It wasn't. The water had soaked into the wood, ensuring that the instrument was ruined. Octavia stared at it for a while. Her cello was ruined. Perhaps there was some restoration shop out there capable of undoing the damage. Maybe some unicorn somewhere had the right spell for the job. All she had to do was put some effort into it… But what for? The apathy that clutched at her formed tears in Octavia's eyes. Just considering that question made her chest grow tight. A hoof touched her shoulder again. She was about to push it away in anger when she heard the voice that came with it. "So soon?" Lion Court asked. "Have you come to take up my offer?" Octavia looked around her in surprise, suddenly realizing that she had come to the very address that Lion Court had provided her. "N-no…" she said, trying to compose herself before she faced the stallion. "Not that I could." She forced a wry laugh. "Not when my cello is like this."

Lion Court took a step forward to look at the instrument. "Nonsense," he said reassuringly. "My mistress came to this land to help its culture. A little water damage is not going to stop her. Come, come, I'll introduce you." With that he took her by one hoof and led the way. Octavia let herself be pulled along. It looked like they were about to enter one of the bigger apartments in Canterlot, it was only fitting. Lion Court's "mistress" sounded like a noble from the Barrier Lands, perhaps the first who wanted to be a patron of music from that strange, hostile place. Her eyes widened when he veered to one side and into the alley next to the building. "Wait," she said. "Where are we going?" Her heart sank when he opened the door to what appeared to be a service entrance. She went inside as he stepped to the side and gestured for her to go ahead, expecting to stumble into the kitchens or something. Instead, she found herself suddenly standing inside a magnificent hall that stretched out for around a hundred feet. The floor, walls and ceiling were obsidian, polished so that they reflected perfectly. A pale luminescence filled the entire hallway but Octavia could find the source. It was as if the light was simply…there. Three doors lined either side of the hall while the end had a pair of enormous double doors. Octavia looked behind her to find Lion Court standing there, smiling. He hadn't closed the door behind him as there wasn't one. "Where are we?" she asked. The sight of the hall nearly took her breath away. "My mistress's temporary home," Lion Court replied. "Come, I want to introduce you to her as soon as possible." They walked through the hallway, passing through each pair of likely smaller rooms. The doors were of a silvery crystal, also polished to a mirror-like finish. "These are the rooms my fellow agents and I stay in," Lion Court said. "Wonderful accommodations, especially given how quickly they were created." They came upon the double doors. "And here are my mistress's quarters." Lion Court paused for a while and listened. "Ah, busy as usual," he said with a wry smile. "Your timing will be impeccable." Octavia glanced at her cello. The instrument was in no condition to play. What was Lion Court expecting of her? There was no time to ponder however. The doors opened and she followed the stallion into the room.

If Octavia still had any lingering doubts about the class of the pony she was being introduced to, they crumbled into nothing as soon as she laid her eyes on the room. A luxurious red carpet covered the floor. Every furnishing seemed to be gold-trimmed ebony; the lamps, which held not bulbs but glowing crystals, the desk by one side of the room, the coat rack close to the door… And then there was the raised bed at the center. It was circular, just as the room was. It was hard to make out any details because Octavia's eyes were drawn to the pony reclining upon it. All of a sudden, she felt completely unprepared for this meeting. She was dingy, damp uncombed. There were probably water stains on her normally pristine white collar and her mane was far too uncombed. Lion Court's "mistress" was, perhaps, the most beautiful mare she had laid her eyes on; lustrous black coat, a flowing crimson mane that spilled all around her, eyes of the softest gray…the sight of both black-feathered wings and a horn left Octavia in awe. Every pony she had seen like that had been royalty. She wasn't just faced with a Barrier Lands noble; she was faced with a Barrier Lands princess. "How are Hassyth's little ponies, Longstride?" the princess asked. That was when Octavia finally noticed the multiple magical images lined up before the princess. She tried to get a closer look and recognized some of them as scenes from Canterlot, another one showed a building that she knew was in Baltimare, yet another was of Trottingham. The images were moving as if they were following the eyes of somepony. "Proceeding as planned," was the reply. Since there was nopony else in the room, Octavia assumed that it was from one of the images. "They ran into a little trouble with a legion patrol but they will be in striking position soon." "Excellent, I'm going to nudge Rainbow Dash your way soon. Stay alert." "Yes, mistress." The princess dismissed all the images and looked up to her guests. "Back already, Lion Court?" she asked softly. "And I had expected you to linger in Canterlot to enjoy the sights."

"I will, mistress," Lion Court replied. "But work has to come first." He gestured towards the earth pony mare. "This is Octavia. Octavia, this is my mistress, Black Rose." Black Rose turned her slightly amused scrutiny on Octavia. "Lovely," she said with a smile. "Are you sure you followed Warsinger's signals and not your own tastes?" "Of course." Black Rose gestured with a hoof. In response, something stirred from the back of the room. A globe of red light suddenly floated forward, hovering briefly near Black Rose and then slowly making its way towards Octavia. "Looks like Warsinger approves," she said. "Sterling work as usual, Lion Court." She turned her gaze towards Octavia again. "I've been quite stressed lately; so much at stake, so many plans in motion and I have to do it all while my beloved hunts me like a criminal. Would you play me something, Octavia? Something soothing from the Heartland's musical culture." Octavia gazed warily at the now circling light. Still, she heard what Black Rose said. She removed her instrument from its case. She had done her best to wipe down the cello but she doubted it was going to sound remotely right. "I'm afraid I won't be able to do that," she said. "My cello…" "You needn't worry," Black Rose said reassuringly. "Warsinger is all that it will take." The globe of light landed gently on the cello and then flashed briefly. Octavia gasped and clutched the instrument tightly. When the light faded, however, nothing seemed to have happened. She looked at the cello. The water stains had disappeared. "Please…" Black Rose said. "I would love to hear a short performance. I have a great many tasks ahead of me and your music will be vital to their accomplishment." Before Octavia even realized it, she had already set the cello in place and she was already holding the bow. Something soothing…she picked a quick piece that would fit. She had no idea what was going on but to hear this magnificent princess say that she was needed helped put her at ease. With life in Canterlot seemingly falling apart for her, discovering this new place was nothing short of a miracle. She could play here, where she would be with an appreciative audience, away from that wretched pink pony, her friends and the stone-faced, uncaring legion.

As Octavia played the piece, she noticed something about her cello. Not only was it still playing wonderfully, it seemed as if it was playing better than ever. The notes flowed perfectly, making her smile at her own performance. "Warsinger" sounded ominous but if it could not only repair her precious cello but make it even better, she welcomed it. Black Rose's smile grew wider at the end of the piece. "More than what I had hoped for," she said. "I would love to welcome you to my little group, Octavia. Won't you join me in protecting Equestria from those who would ruin it?" "Yes."

Lion Court had just closed the door after escorting Octavia to her new room. There was more to take care of than just welcoming the earth pony mare. Her records in Canterlot will have to be modified lest ponies start looking for her. What was expected of her had to be explained in better detail. For now, Octavia agreed to stay with them more because she could play her music here as well as Black Rose's sheer presence. Before she could be remotely considered a proper Thorn, she had to be loyal to their cause. That was going to take a lot of slow, steady work. Still, he was in agreement with Black Rose; Warsinger had picked its new player well. Then there were the other things he had in mind. "Are you returning to Canterlot, Lion Court?" Black Rose had asked right before Lion Court began to escort Octavia. "Yes, mistress, I still plan on preparing the Element of Generosity for our inevitable proper meeting." "While you're there, would you mind picking up a present for Blue Moon? He should be reminded that there are no hard feelings between us and prison does get quite boring." "I have just the thing." Lion Court was about to activate his dimensional key when he heard the voice of another Thorn.

"So how was Rhapsody's replacement?" "My dear Sable, Octavia is not replacing anypony. She's a brand new member of our little family." Lion Court turned around and faced the dark green pegasus mare. Sablesteel stood at the end of the hallway and stared at Lion Court with a frown. "If she can get Warsinger playing, she can be whatever she wants to be in this group," she said as she tucked a stray lock of her wavy gray mane from her face. "Black Rose has assigned me the task of getting her ready," Lion Court replied. "I will do just that. Speaking of assignments, I'm surprised you're spending time here, Sable." "Just stopped by for a quick break," Sable replied. "Would you care to do me a small favor?" Lion Court suddenly asked. "What's that?" "I know that you've been assigned to put the Element of Joy through 'a little adversity'. All I ask is that you refrain from actually taking the lives of her loved ones. A broken element will set our mistress's plans back for years." Sablesteel was silent for some time. She closed both her eyes and folded her forelegs in front of her. Lion Court knew the gesture well. Once she had made a decision, Sable always opened one eye first. The blue one indicated a positive response while the green one would often mean a horrifying, noxious death for somepony. To his relief, the blue eye appeared first. "No promises," Sable said as she headed for her room. Before she closed the door however, she paused to say something. "And, Lion Court, if you sleep with that new mare, I will beat you to death with her severed head." "You wound me, my dear Sable." "Oh you'll know if I've wounded you." Lion Court bowed his appreciation and then went on his way. As his mistress had mentioned, there was so much to do…

Chapter 22 Alicorn Matters Although the steady rain made the morning made breakfast a little dreary and her responsibilities now kept her active during the day and night, Luna made it a point to be by the royal dining area for a light breakfast at the start of the day. The process of reunification kept her and her siblings busy but sharing at least a meal a day ought to help with their still mending bonds. At least, that was what Luna hoped for. She had suggested it to both her siblings some time ago. Both of them had agreed in their own way; Celestia with a half-hearted smile and a nod, Terrato with a grunt that sounded more yes than no. They had been true to their word so far. As far as coming to eat was concerned anyway. As they reserved talking about governing issues for formal meetings, silence reigned over their meals in general. Terrato ate like a machine in what Luna could only view as a poorly disguised attempt to get things over quickly. He was always the first to leave, which was something considering that he ate three times as much as his sisters combined. Celestia was a bit more cordial, as was to be expected, but only seemed to truly relax when their brother had left the table. This morning was different however. Terrato had not arrived at his customary time, leaving the two sisters by themselves. Luna took a sip from her cup of tea and studied her sister for a while. She had been worried that all the changes in the Heartland would wear on her sister severely but things have been looking better than expected. "How have you been holding up?" she asked. "I'm doing well, thank you," Celestia replied. She smiled wryly after a sip from her own cup. "Losing my powers has not rendered me completely fragile you know." "I don't just mean physically, big sister," Luna said. "The changes around here have been quite fast. Even the palace itself…"

Celestia nodded. In addition to Necromancy, their brother specialized in Creation Conjurations and Transmutations, especially that of the things he ruled over. Stone and metal may as well be putty in his hooves. Just a few days after he started staying in the royal palace, he shaped an entire hall as well as his quarters from the mountain and added it seamlessly to the palace. When Luna had mentioned that the throne room could use a little renovation to show that all three of them ruled now, he reshaped the entire room to include two thrones for him and Luna. But the physical changes were the easiest to accept. Celestia did have to admire the speed that Terrato could create structures and his attention to detail was impressive. It was the other things that came with him that were a bit harder to deal with. Terrato had legionnaires patrolling side by side with royal guards. That was all that it looked like at first glance but Celestia also knew that there were less conspicuous watchers stationed in specific places all around the palace. The same could be said for the rest of Canterlot if not the entire Heartland. To combat Black Rose, Terrato insisted that he needed "eyes and ears" in every place that Black Rose might strike. Celestia knew that it was only a matter of time when she had to contend with her brother when his measures began to take their toll on everypony's privacy. There was also Terrato's presence in the royal palace. When the Equi Ignei guarded the palace, the servants had feared for their lives and more than a few had decided to stay away. After the flaming creatures seemed to have gone for good, the servants had hoped that a sense of normalcy was returning to their workplace. Now, however, they were faced with the imposing figure of the princesses' brother. Terrato was no slave-driver but neither was he interested in endearing himself to anypony. He strode the halls in a constant, purposeful hurry that sent any servants scurrying and when he turned his gaze on them, they visibly quailed. The sight of ponies unwilling to hold their ground only served to irritate Terrato further which, in turn, terrified them even more. The doors to the dining hall opened as if on cue. Celestia turned towards them, expecting her brother. "Cadance!" Luna exclaimed.

Princess Cadance smiled warmly as she made her way towards the two. The smile didn't last however, a sign that she had returned for official business. "I'm glad to see you're both alright," she said. Luna stood up and walked towards her "niece". Cadance shared titles with Prince Blueblood but that was probably all they had in common. How they viewed that position couldn't be more varied. Blueblood saw only privileges and rendered himself useless by enjoying them. Cadance understood the duty part. Even before reunification, she served Equestria as an emissary and occasional trouble-shooter. "What have you found out?" she asked. "The United Griffon Aeries are in a state of panic," Cadance replied. "The increasing presence of the Equestrian Legion has them convinced that we're going to invade them. I've done all I could to try to assure them but only time will tell." "What about the dragons?" Celestia asked. She had also stood up and was now listening intently. "It's bad," Cadance answered. "Just as Princess Luna said, a group of Barrier Lands dragons calling themselves 'Draco'dim' have moved into dragon territories. The fighting has been constant and, from what I've gathered, half a dozen Heartland dragons have been killed." "A group of dragons fighting can't be good for the surrounding areas," Luna said. "What of the ponies nearby?" "The Draco'dim are careful with where they conduct their 'purge killings'. They fight deep in the mountains, away from any pony settlements. I've even managed to speak with one of them, the one called Afralhadar." "And what did he say?" "All he said that the Equestrian Legion was permitted to take all the dragon bodies and that we shouldn't interfere with dragon matters any further." "Why would Terrato purposely bring these dragons to the Heartland?" Celestia asked with a frown. "Does he really thrive on all these killings? Does he plan on taking those bodies as trophies?"

"Big sister…" Luna said softly. The bodies will not become trophies. She knew that much. Dragon bone, dragon scale and dragon gut were all excellent materials for weapons and armor. It was likely that her brother had cut a deal with the Draco'dim for informing them about the Heartland situation or maybe the Draco'dim simply offered the remains as returning the favor without his prompting. It was a grisly reward but useful, something her brother would definitely not pass on even if Celestia disapproved. Before she could go on, however, the doors to the dining hall flew open again. "Luna," Terrato said as soon as he entered, "I need your help with a spell. Come on." When he spotted Cadance, however, he stopped and stared. Luna was quick to realize what was likely happening. Cadance appeared as an alicorn and would likely be mistaken for one. Terrato wouldn't take too kindly to agents of the Eternal Herd showing up out of nowhere. She stepped in front of Cadance protectively. "Wait, big brother!" she said. "She's not an agent of the Eternal Herd no matter how much she looks like one!" "Oh, relax," Terrato said with a grin. "I can tell. Besides, I've seen mortals like her before." "You have?" Luna asked incredulously. "A long time ago in the Western Barrier Lands. He had convinced a bunch of ponies that he was another prince and was running a rebellious cult by the time I heard about him." Terrato looked a little distant for a second. "Smeared him under his own giant statue…good times." He walked towards Cadance. As he drew nearer, the size difference between the two of them became even more obvious. Cadance flinched slightly as the gray alicorn sized her up but she stood her ground. Terrato's grin widened just a bit more. "But whatever theory I have for why some mortal ponies end up resembling us will have to wait," he said. "Princess Cadance, isn't it? Nice to meet you." Cadance bowed low in response. "And it is an honor to meet you, Prince Terrato," she said. She turned towards Celestia and Luna. "I'll be going for now," she told them. Celestia nodded. "Thank you for your hard work, Cadance. I take it that you haven't seen your husband yet?"

Cadance shook her head. "I rushed back to Canterlot when I heard he was hurt." "Off you go then," Celestia said with a reassuring smile. Terrato waited patiently for the exchange to finish. He had already been updated on the royal nieces and nephews when he had asked about Blueblood. It was certainly an interesting way by which Celestia had expounded on his actions. Prior to the barrier's creation, he had sent three ponies to serve as the foundation of what would be the Royal Guard. They were his "replacements" as he had told them, brothers to Celestia and Luna in his place. Now their very few descendants worked as "nephews" and "nieces", children of some vaguely alluded to sibling of Celestia's until now. When Cadance left, he directed his words at his younger sister. "Luna, I'm going to open a partial gate to the Eternal Herd and I need your help." "What?" Luna replied. Her elder sister also looked on worriedly and curiously. Summoning conjurations were part of Celestia's domain. While the two younger siblings knew how to open a gate to the Eternal Herd, it required a greater deal of effort on their part. A joint spell would lessen the load, which was what Terrato was proposing. "Why do you need to contact the Eternal Herd now?" "We need to find out more about Regia Carnifex. Magnus Chartophylax is bound to have a record of him." "Would he still be willing to associate with us?" Celestia asked. "Why not? We're still the King and Queen's children." "Their rebellious children." "He'll understand," Terrato insisted. "He's our best shot at finding out more about this." "It is worth the effort," Luna added. She trotted over to Terrato. "Let's get started, big brother." The three of them picked the Chamber of the Elements to open the partial gate. It was naturally a private sanctum and used to containing powerful

magic. Terrato and Luna stood by opposite sides of the chamber while Celestia maintained a good distance from them to observe. As she watched the two weave their magic together, Celestia couldn't help but feel left out. It wasn't just because she was standing by the sidelines while her siblings did the work for this spell. Since the reunification began, she had plenty of time to observe the two. Luna had always been able to get along with Terrato much better than she did. She recalled that moment again; Terrato broken-horned and covered in blood and Luna happily greeting him. She couldn't quite point out how she felt about that now; guilty for separating them with her barrier, fearful of Terrato's influence on Luna or hopeful of Luna's influence on Terrato? Regardless, it just seemed that she wasn't going to have a say about how that would go. Another minute of intense spell casting and the gate materialized. All three of them stared at the circular hole, no more than five feet across, that connected this world with a world they had left so long ago. The brilliance of the Eternal Herd shone through the partial gate, illuminating the chamber brighter than any of its own lights. Although this was his idea, Terrato found himself hesitant. This was going to be the second time he would consult Magnus Chartophylax, he doubted that the Eternal Herd's keeper of records would be remotely glad to see him. Luna nervously looked into the partial gate. It has been so long since she had had any contact with the Eternal Herd. Long ago, Terrato had been supposed to destroy her body in this world and permanently return her to the Eternal Herd. Celestia had refused to let that happen and so the fifth rebellion occurred. Did the rest of the Eternal Herd still insist that the King's orders be followed? She dreaded meeting Magnus Chartophylax only for the alicorn to demand that she be executed on the spot before he gave any aid. It was Celestia, however, who was the least enthusiastic about the whole idea. She knew who she was to the rest of the Eternal Herd; Celestia the rebellious princess who defied her father twice and incited her siblings to follow in her hoofsteps, Celestia who favored the mortal spawn of Oceanus over her own kind…

The image of Magnus Chartophylax finally appeared at the opposite side of the gate. The keeper of the Eternal Herd's vast records was a beige alicorn of Terrato's height but not quite his girth. His white mane cascaded all the way to his back in thick curls and he had a beard to match. Bright blue eyes, stern but not angry, looked straight towards the three siblings and then focused on Terrato. "Your highness, it's been a while. Do you need my help for your next rebellion?" "Save the sarcasm, Magnus," Terrato replied. "I know what I did. Right now, I need your help to undo it." "Not the sort of tone you should be taking then." "What do you know of an alicorn called Regia Carnifex?" Magnus's expression darkened at the name. He didn't address Terrato's question right away however. Instead, he shifted his gaze towards the other royal siblings. "Princess Celestia, Princess Luna," he said with a slight bow. "It is good to see the two of you again." Luna answered with a bow of her own. She still remembered visiting the library of Empyrea and her first encounter with its keeper. For all his stern appearance and the sheer magnitude of his job, Magnus was a patient alicorn who always had time to see to the needs of even a first-time visitor. Celestia likewise returned the bow this was certainly a far better reaction that what she was expecting. "Magnus," Terrato said. "And for what purpose are you going to use this knowledge this time, your highness? Are you really in such a hurry to bring about the return of Oceanus?" "This won't be going against our parents, Magnus," Luna said. "We're trying to stop a threat to the Herd this time, not cause one." Magnus Chartophylax studied all three of them before speaking to Terrato. "Back during the first time you consulted me, I approved of you finally doing something without needing Celestia's permission. Now, I see something better, the three of you acting on something together and not just Celestia

dragging her siblings around. I will help you just for that. I can only hope you don't make me regret this." "You won't," Celestia said reassuringly. "Thank you for your help, Magnus." "Regia Carnifex was a high-ranking pony in his majesty's court back when Prince Oceanus was still with us," Magnus began. "When Oceanus openly rebelled, it was Carnifex who first came to his side." The alicorn's expression darkened further. "I was there when he threw down many of our kind. He was Oceanus's most loyal lieutenant and was granted the blasphemous "honor" of bearing the Foul Weapon when Oceanus stepped forward to challenge his majesty." "That would mean that he has a great affinity towards the Foul Weapon," Luna remarked. "You've picked up your brother's rude tendency to interrupt, your highness." Luna froze for a moment at Magnus's sudden comment. "What? No I haven't…besides I-!" She looked away, flustered. Magnus's stern countenance softened with a smile. "Yes, what you said is true. Regia Carnifex does possess a great deal of affinity towards the Foul Weapon. It is likely that he can call it forth if he chooses to." All three of the royal siblings frowned. All it would take was Black Rose manipulating Regia Carnifex and she would have the Foul Weapon at her disposal. And that would be if things went smoothly. If Black Rose was to make a mistake, they would have Oceanus's lieutenant running loose. "Is that all you needed to know?" Magnus asked. "I daresay that I am a little disappointed that the three of you would not know of an important figure in Eternal Herd history, especially since it concerns something that involved your father. If you had spent just a little more time in my library instead of-" "Magnus, you're lecturing again," Terrato said. "We'll get to know all of Oceanus's minions when we start beating them back." "That's the kind of attitude that-"

Before Magnus could go on, another alicorn suddenly peeked from the side. This one was a mare, about as tall as Celestia with a gray mane that looked as if hundreds of small blades were cascading down her neck. "Terrato!" she exclaimed. Centuries of staying in a different world did nothing to dim Terrato's memory of the alicorn mare. "Gladio Saltare," he said with a smile. "Pretty convenient that we opened this gate while you're in the library." "Convenient nothing," Gladio said, matching Terrato's smile. "Ever since I found out that you had contacted Magnus before, I've been spending a lot of time here in case you did so again." "Gladio, that was around seven hundred years ago." The number didn't seem to register across Gladio Saltare's face. "You need to get back here, your highness," she said. Suddenly pushed to the side, Magnus frowned at the interruption from his end of the gate. "Well, your highnesses if you don't need me for anything else…" Celestia looked apologetically at Magnus and nodded before returning her focus towards one of her brother's old friends. "Why would I need to do that?" Terrato asked. Luna and Celestia listened intently as well. "News of Celestia's power being stolen has already made it here," Gladio said. "Gravitas has been using it to push for complete mortal pony extermination." Her face grew grim. "What's frightening is that I think he's making progress." "Mother would never allow such a thing!" Celestia said indignantly. "Gravitas can puff himself up before the Council of Elders but the King and Queen still have the final say!" "Your highness…" Gladio said softly. "The King and Queen have been silent since you refused to send Princess Luna to the Herd for punishment." The three siblings were not taken completely by surprise by that one. For all their power, the King and Queen had very few orders to give. They had

never seen their father emerge from the Silver Sanctum, where he continued to recover from his fight with Oceanus. The few decrees he gave came from closed doors. Their mother, while more open, also preferred to let her subjects move about freely. Ever since, the fifth rebellion, neither had issued any decrees. "That's not entirely true," Luna said. "What about!" Terrato cut off the protest with a glare. Luna frowned but complied with her brother this time. "And without any interference from our parents, the Council of Elders will make the decision," Terrato said. "How bad is it, Gladio?" "He's picking up momentum," Gladio replied. "The Council is still undecided but an opposition hasn't materialized yet. We don't have somepony like Lexarius or Princess Celestia here to argue for the mortals." She turned her gaze to Celestia. "If you can return here and explain the situation, we can still halt Gravitas in his tracks." Terrato saw the frustration build on Celestia's face. There was no love lost between his eldest sister and General Gravitas and the thought of him being given free rein to promote his cause was probably eating her from the inside. "Celestia is in no condition to travel to the Eternal Herd," he said. "I can make the trip," Luna said. "You could," Terrato replied. "And Gravitas could try to detain you and insist that you be properly punished for the fourth rebellion. We need you here." "Then are you going to make the trip?" Luna asked her brother. "I'm not exactly innocent now am I?" Terrato said. "It's possible that Gravitas would want to have me punished for what I've done." He turned towards Gladio Saltare. "We'll have to think this through carefully first." "Of course," Gladio replied. "I don't know what's going on over there, your highness, but I wish you luck." "We'll need it," Terrato said. The gate shimmered and the then slowly faded. For a moment, it seemed as if his old friend had something to say

but the gate was gone before any more words could come out. He turned towards his sisters. "Why didn't you want me to tell her about our mother's message to Applejack?" Luna asked. "Because if mother wanted everypony in the Herd to know that she hasn't been completely silent, they would know," Terrato replied. "We need to do something about Gravitas," Celestia said. "Everything we've done will be for nothing if he succeeds." "Right now, I'm the best candidate to go there," Terrato said. "I have some more things to care of here and I'll see what can be done about it. But it's also possible that we recover your power before the need becomes more desperate. Gravitas is making progress but I doubt he's anywhere near on the verge of convincing the Eternal Herd that the mortals must be destroyed." "He shouldn't even be allowed to come close." Celestia's eyes narrowed. Dealing with Gravitas was unpleasant. She wanted to be the one to go. It wasn't that she didn't believe in her brother's ability to speak for this world but she was the one who had dealt with Gravitas before. "But none of us can actually go," Luna said. "Big sister, I know how much you dislike Gravitas-" "No…no you don't. Not until you've had to argue with him during a council meeting." "We'd better get back to our other duties for now," Terrato said. Celestia nodded reluctantly. "I want to talk to you about the Draco'dim, Terrato," she said. "I'll explain myself to you later, dearest sister," was Terrato's reply. With that, Celestia left the chamber, leaving him and Luna alone. "Big brother, you are needed here," Luna said. "Mother is still on the move, we have to trust her to make sure that the Eternal Herd doesn't decide against mortals."

"I know," Terrato replied. "It's that and our best bet is to recover Celestia's power quickly and have her go. She's the best candidate to speak for this world." Luna's eyes narrowed. Black Rose had placed all of ponykind at risk by stealing Celestia's power. Had she known that the Eternal Herd would react like this? She looked to her older brother. Terrato had confided a lot of things to his "faithful student". It was likely that Black Rose did know and she had taken it into account as well. "You're saying that, big brother, but we don't seem to be taking enough steps to find and deal with her." "Is that what it looks like to you?" "I've been speaking with Special Operations members. We already have several suspected agents of hers there's even been a sighting of The Thorns here in Canterlot but you've ordered them not to make any arrests!" Terrato couldn't help but smile. Luna was already working well with the legion. "I know about Black Rose's agents moving around," he replied. "Arresting them right away will mean playing our cards too soon. It will clue Black Rose in on how many of her agents we've spotted and how many are actually undercover. It's likely that she has more of than a dozen doomed spies out there and it's for certain that none of her agents will be able to lead us to her even if they wanted to. Not even The Thorns. I'd rather keep her guessing as to which agents of hers we have in sight and which ones aren't and try to control the information she's gathering." The struggling look on Luna's face made Terrato shake his head. He stepped closer to his younger sister and put a hoof on her shoulder. "Leave Black Rose's games to me, little sister," he said. "I'll deal with all the cloak and dagger but I need you to claim victory." "Me?" Luna stepped back instinctively. "Why me?" "I can't beat Black Rose completely," Terrato said. "If she wants to, we'll be dancing around each other forever. She's had too much time to observe me and Celestia and familiarize herself with our methods. You, however, have just recently returned. She doesn't know you that well and that's what we'll use." He paused for a while, gauging his sister's reaction. "Have you ever thought about why she didn't steal your power back in Bastion City? She could have you know."

"Then why didn't she?" "Because Black Rose loves having a wild card around," Terrato replied. Luna listened intently. She couldn't help but notice a tinge of nostalgia in her brother's tone. "She hates plans that proceed perfectly and thrives on last minute adjustments and improvisations. If there isn't one in the works, she'll create one. It's always worked for her before." "What's that supposed to mean?" Luna asked indignantly. "That she expects me to play into her hooves anyway?" "Yes." "She's going to regret that move." Terrato's smile widened. "Then you understand. This is one of her very few weaknesses that we can exploit. I'm counting on you." The two of them left the Chamber of the Elements together. Another day's duty still awaited them.

Chapter 23 Canterlot For Vanguard Clash, watching the sun rise over Canterlot should be something special. After all, he was in the capital city of both Princess of the Sun and Princess of the Moon, the architecture, the ponies, even the daily rituals that take place should reflect that identity. This would be his first day in the city where he would get to observe for a while instead of being off on official matters. He had hoped to see how the chosen behaved in their territory and maybe get a better understanding of his friends. Instead, he found himself standing under the awning of the new legion barracks and staring at the steady morning rain. Today wasn't going to be the day to see a sunrise in Canterlot and the truth was that he was never going to get a chance to really see how the chosen were in their territory. With the legion's presence continuing to grow and more ponies from the Barrier Lands coming in, however the chosen behaved among themselves was likely gone forever. "Back to work, Vanguard? I think you've earned a break after your last mission, why not take it and see what Canterlot's got?" Vanguard turned around to see Nightcanter standing behind him, the entrance to the barracks closing behind her. A slight frown creased his face when he replied. "I asked you not to involve the Elements of Harmony, Captain Nightcanter," he said. The smile never left Nightcanter's face. "Yeah, I thought about that and then decided against it," she replied. "And it turned out to be a real lifesaver too! You should be complimenting me for being so prudent!" "They could have gotten killed down there." "I could have gotten killed down there!" Nightcanter frowned slightly. "Celestia drill my backside, you can be such a worrier! Danger's part of the legionnaire package remember? I did you a favor, Vanguard. The more you try to keep them out of trouble, the less prepared they'll be when they run into it by themselves."

"So that was what was running through your mind when you met them in Ponyville?" Vanguard asked. "Or did you just come up with it afterwards when you knew I was going to talk to you about it?" Nightcanter's lips twisted a little, all but answering Vanguard's question. "You know, it doesn't make me any less right either way," she said. "Besides, you 'asked' me, remember? It's not like I disobeyed orders. We're still both Special Operations captains even if you did land yourself a harem of mares. You're not even captain of a full squad." The last remark left Vanguard silent. He had been left too long without a full squad and it certainly reflected badly upon him for delaying for so long. The smile returning to Nightcanter's lips told him that she had guessed what his silence meant. "You know I spotted your vice-captain making her way to the training yard," Nightcanter said. "Why don't you chat her up and see if you can get a squad together before we get sent out on our next mission?" "She's not-" Vanguard caught himself. He was about to explain to Nightcanter that Applejack was only vice-captain because he was assigned to lead them as the Elements of Harmony. He wasn't even suited for that role and Dreadstep likely only needed the group to be guided by more seasoned legionnaire hooves. However, as he thought about it…"I'll see you later, Nightcanter," he said. The unicorn simply waved and went off to finish her report. Vanguard made his way towards the training yard. In truth, he was given a break, a few hours' worth of it but a break nonetheless. Before he took it, however, he wanted to see how his friends were doing. Sure enough, he found Applejack in the training yard despite the rain. Curiously, there were several broken top halves of practice dummies scattered around her. The top halves were well over thirty feet away. The coiled chain around her neck all but indicated how that happened. Right now, however, she seemed to be practicing…dance steps. "Shield up!" Applejack yelled as she rose on her hind legs and thrust her front hooves into the air. Nothing happened. "Um…Golden Shield! Queen's Magic!" There was still nothing.

"Is this some kind of chosen morning ritual?" Vanguard asked as he approached. Applejack nearly jumped when she heard Vanguard coming up from behind her. "Vanguard! How long have you been watching me? N-no, it's not a chosen morning ritual and-! Are you here because we have to go on a mission?" "Relax," Vanguard said with a smile. "I just want to have a little talk. You sure you should be standing in the rain?" "Ponyfeathers! It's just a little drizzle. I'm not wasting a day's training over it!" Applejack shook her head, shaking some droplets from her mane and then looked skyward with a squint. "Why is it even raining anyway? It's winter!" "Something about weather complications with the barrier down, I've been told," Vanguard said. "Fenrir's winter hasn't blown through the Heartland for centuries. The weather factories in Cloudsdale…" Vanguard frowned. He doubted he would ever get used to the idea of "manufactured" weather, or the very existence of Cloudsdale. "…still had a lot of rainclouds in surplus when Barrier Lands weather started to move in. I don't know the details and I honestly don't want to know. I just hope the pegasi manage it." He looked at Applejack in bemused interest. "And what exactly where you practicing just now? Cheering?" Applejack's face reddened. "No," she said sheepishly. "I was trying to get that magic shield thing I did back then." Vanguard's eyes narrowed. "Magic shield?" he asked. "You know, from that fight with Nightmare Moon. I can't get it to come out again." "How did you come upon this ability anyway?" Applejack wasn't sure about that either. She had never been able to do that shield before and now she wasn't able to do it again. "I think the Queen gave it to me," she said. "She said something about a gift before sending me back so that's probably it."

Vanguard frowned in deep thought for a few seconds. "Then perhaps you should consult one of the Queen's children. They might know how to utilize their mother's gift." Applejack brightened. "You know what, that ain't a bad idea," she said. Her spirits dampened a bit however. "Except that how am I supposed to talk to any of them now? They all look really busy." "I'm sure they'll make time for an Element of Harmony. Anyway, where are the others?" Applejack looked around briefly. This was the second time Vanguard asked her for a "group update" and she was getting used to it. "Twilight went off to see her parents," she replied. "Rarity's gone off to check the city out and she brought Fluttershy with her, Rainbow and Scarlet flew off somewhere and Pinkie…well, Pinkie sort of just wandered off with that stone tablet of hers." Vanguard's thoughts went to Twilight. The purple unicorn had finally gone off to see her family. He still remembered his deal with her. If she still insisted on signing up with his squad, he had no more reasons to refuse save for arbitrary insistence on his part. Now that he thought about it, it was likely that she was the one who got the rest of her friends to follow Nightcanter's group out of some deep-seated curiosity about Clover the Clever. No matter how much he tried, she was going to keep getting into the thick of things perhaps… "Hey Vanguard," Vanguard paused and shifted his attention back to Applejack. "Hm?" "Are you alright? I heard that you and Shining Armor went off to fight ghosts." "Just one more mission," Vanguard replied with a shrug of his shoulders. He stopped when he noticed the mare's concerned gaze. Perhaps he had been too focused on just the possibility of Twilight Sparkle joining his squad. He also happened to need an earth pony skirmisher. Applejack wasn't an enormous bruiser like Blademane and she was certainly nowhere near his former squad mate in experience but he had spoken with her

captain over at Infantry and remarks were good. More importantly, between Twilight Sparkle and Scarlet Rabbit, he could definitely use her. Nightcanter called Applejack Vanguard's vice-captain, the concept of it sat surprisingly well with him. He had seen the botched paperwork that indeed tagged Applejack as a Special Operations vice-captain and had already taken steps to correct the issue but perhaps he had been too hasty. And then there were his old reasons for why he didn't want Twilight to join up in the first place… "Uh…Vanguard?" Vanguard shook his head. He wasn't even completely sure that Twilight will insist on joining Special Operations. Maybe the unicorn will return from her family visit with her mind already changed. "I'll see you later, Applejack," he said. The orange earth pony nodded with a smile and Vanguard went on his way. "Hey, Clash!" Vanguard was just about to step out into the street when another familiar voice called out to him from behind. He turned around and saw Captain Shining Armor walking towards him. "Armor," he said when the stallion had caught up to him. "Up and about already?" "I can't afford to take a break," Shining Armor replied. "Between the reoutfitting and all the alcohol-related disturbances, the Royal Guard is swamped." "I'm sorry to hear about the boozing problems; an oversight on the legion's behalf, I'm sure," Vanguard said. Shining Armor answered with a wry smile of his own. "It can't be helped now," he said. "There's some good news for me though, I just heard that my wife has returned to Canterlot." Shining Armor looked around suspiciously and then leaned closer to whisper. "You think if I introduce her to Captain Nightcanter, that unicorn will stop giving me those looks?"

"Quite the opposite," Vanguard replied. "Don't let Nightcanter find out you're married. She'll start going for the both of you instead. Don't let me keep you from your happy reunion though." With a snort, Shining Armor patted Vanguard on the shoulder and moved on. "Clash," he said. "Armor," Vanguard replied. In his mind though, he was already considering that this was another possible complication. Shining Armor is unlikely to take it well if he found out that his sister had joined up with Special Operations. The two parted ways and Vanguard moved on to Canterlot's streets. He paused for a while to take in the sights. Canterlot was like nothing he had ever seen before even without considering the fantastic airships and the train. The overcast sky and the drizzle did nothing to dull the vivid colors and the structures so elegant. Here was, what he could only assume, the picture of Princess Celestia's aesthetics; beauty and elegance in all things. Some of his fellow legionnaires complained that a well-placed catapult shot would probably bring down sections of Canterlot, if the entire city didn't just fall off the cliffs. Vanguard didn't mind those details. Canterlot, even with its weaknesses and oddities, was a welcome change to Bastion City and FangBreaker Fortress. As Vanguard walked on however, he noticed other details. The chosen stared at him warily as they walked the streets, much more so than they did other legionnaires. The black armored plates and the red eyes were obvious reasons. He let the time pass just walking around and observing. And some time did pass, whether it was just several minutes or hours, Vanguard wasn't sure. He did know that the rain had let up for a bit and that he was staring down one street and straight towards a very familiar purple unicorn. "Vanguard!" Twilight called out. She had a very determined look on her face as she approached the stallion. Vanguard braced himself. The faint hope of Twilight having changed her mind was already fading fast.

Though she would rather go back to Ponyville and be with her family for a few more days, Rarity wasn't the sort to waste an opportunity when she saw one. Barrier or no barrier, she still considered Canterlot as the center of Equestrian fashion. She had thought of replacing their wolven fur coats with something not only much more fashionable and just as functional but also didn't require skinning a dead wolf-like creature. She went for the fabrics, the synthetic leather, threads, and even some feathers. This could very well be the opportunity to add some fashion into the legion's outfits. "Do you really think we should be out here shopping, Rarity?" Fluttershy asked. "I mean, what if they need us in the palace?" "Nonsense," Rarity replied. "We're on a break, remember? We've gone out of our way to get that coffin and that book here but that shouldn't mean that it's back to work. We should try to enjoy what's left of our two weeks." "I suppose…" Fluttershy watched as Rarity moved towards the display window of another store. Among the displayed items was a small frilly shirt, likely meant for a very young colt. "Ooh! Take a look at this one, Fluttershy! Don't you think it would make for a darling little outfit for Spike when he comes back in the spring?" "Um…don't you think he'd have grown by that time?" Fluttershy asked. "Grown? What makes you think that?" "Well, he was saying something like that when he was explaining why he had to go remember? Something about Prince Terrato calling him 'stunted' and Seethe Scale fixing that…" "Well, even if he grows, I'm sure I can make the necessary adjustments." Rarity was about to enter when somepony calling out stopped her in her tracks. "Woah there, apprentice!" Hammer Chain yelled. "I think you've got plenty of fabric there already! How about you grab some ore and maybe a new pair of tongs?"

"Hammer Chain!" Rarity exclaimed. "B-but how did you get here? What about FangBreaker and the rest of the Northern Legion and-!" "Yes, yes it's great to see you too," Hammer Chain said once he had come over. "A bunch of us over at the fort got sent here. I'm supposed to work with the chosen and get them started on forging arms and armor." He looked over to Fluttershy. "They got Redbrand and Tailwind over here as well. It's apparently to 'facilitate the exchange of non-magical medical techniques' and streamlining some group called 'Wonderbolts'. It's all too much of a coincidence if you ask me." "Redbrand is here?" Fluttershy asked as she looked around. "I hope he's alright! It's a long trip to Canterlot!" "Bah!" Hammer Chain said with a snort. "He's a crusty old bastard not some delicate flower! He's over at the Canterlot Hospital 'working' with some chosen doctors if you want to see him." Fluttershy glanced briefly at Rarity, silently asking permission to go. With a nod from the white unicorn she was already flying off. With Fluttershy gone, Rarity let her thoughts stray to what Hammer Chain had just said. Redbrand, Tailwind and Hammer Chain…Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and her; this was hardly the coincidence. "Were you specifically ordered by Prince Terrato?" she asked. "The prince gave the order for various professionals to be sent to the Heartland," Hammer Chain said. "I'm quite certain he never mentioned me by name. This is probably Dreadstep or some other pony assigned for the job." He clapped Rarity on the back. "I've got this foundry already set up by the city's outskirts. I hope you've been practicing, Rarity, I don't want to have to start from scratch with you." "I still know them," Rarity said confidently. "Good. Oh, and one more thing…" Hammer Chain fiddled with a saddlebag and then pulled out a very old looking book with his magic. "This is for you," he said. "A book?" Rarity hesitated. If she was Twilight Sparkle, she'd probably be jumping for joy right now. Beat up old books weren't exactly her sort of

thing…unless it was a book on fashion. She enveloped it in her magic and drew it close. "What is it about?" she asked. "You're looking at a copy of 'Mage-blade Combat'," Hammer Chain said proudly. "The original was written by the legendary Lion Court himself! I knew I had a copy somewhere and I looked for it when you first found those mage-blades I made. I only managed to find it when I was already packing my things." "Yet another fortunate 'coincidence'," Rarity said. She flipped some pages over, noticing the illustrations of unicorns with mage-blades floating above them. This was exactly the sort of thing she needed. She knew that the lack of other mage-blade users in the legion would make it difficult for her to improve her skills. A manual was no substitute for an experienced teacher but it was much better than nothing at all. "Coincidence is right," Hammer Chain added. "It was sitting on top of a pile of things when I found it. I still can't believe how I missed it all this time." "Regardless, thank for this, Hammer Chain," Rarity said. "I'm sure to find this useful!" Before she could say anything else, a shadow suddenly passed over her, making her look up. She didn't see anypony above her, however, save for a fleeting blur of rainbow colors. "Rainbow…" she muttered. She remembered seeing Rainbow talking to Scarlet earlier before she left with Fluttershy. She could only hope that her friend still knew what she was doing.

"So where are we going?" Rainbow asked as she flew next to Scarlet Rabbit. The speed by which he was going wasn't lost on her. Time and again, the ease by which he could reach these speeds had her worried. When she had first joined up with Flight Dreadwing, Tailwind had admonished her for not observing Scarlet before challenging him. Well, now that she was doing just that, Rainbow's confidence was starting to falter. Scarlet just flew too easily with all his barding on. She couldn't even tell how much effort he was putting into flying, making it all but impossible to gauge just how fast he could get. "I wanna show you something!" Scarlet replied. The scenery zipped past them while he weaved through the groups of pegasi sharing Canterlot's sky

with them. Even the air wasn't safe from the bustle of all the activity in the Heartland's capital; the more important supplies that had to be moved in and out of the city were carried by pegasi, armed legionnaires already had patrol routes that mixed in with the Royal Guard patrols. Finally, Scarlet landed in the middle of a large gathering of crates. He dove eagerly into one group and then held up a small keg triumphantly. "What is that?" Rainbow asked. "It's a keg of rainbow!" Scarlet crowed. "Can you believe it? When I took a trip to Cloudsdale I had to get one!" Rainbow raised an eyebrow. "A keg of rainbow?" she asked. "What do you need that stuff for? You're not a weather pegasus." "Have you tasted this stuff?" Scarlet asked. To emphasize his point, he turned the tap attached to the keg and took a quick gulp. Rainbow winced. The stuff Scarlet just drank could burn a hole in a pony's tongue. The red pegasus exhaled through his mouth loudly. "Hoo boy!" he said with gusto. "I'm having this stuff shipped off to FangBreaker. I just know Storm Brew can make it into some kind of drink! We'll call it 'Scarlet and Storm Brew's Rainbow Booze'! Wait, wait!" He waved his arms, imagining the sign. "'Scarlet and Storm Brew's Rainbooze'!" Rainbow stared at Scarlet's antics. It was like watching a hyperactive colt instead of a legionnaire. He almost seemed not dangerous at all. But then she remembered Vanguard and Rarity's warnings. "So," Scarlet suddenly said. His smiling face turned into an intensely inquisitive gaze. "How about that race? You'll even get a hometown advantage!" "Scarlet, I don't live in Canterlot." "Then we'll race wherever you want here in the Heartland." "About that…" A slight frown creased Scarlet's face. The sight of it made Rainbow swallow nervously. She could hear her heart starting to race. "What is it?" he asked.

"Is it true that you beat up Overcast because he lost to you?" The frown deepened. "Overcast?" Scarlet asked. "How'd you find out about him?" Rainbow recounted everything Rarity and Vanguard told her, observing Scarlet carefully as she did so. "So is all that true?" she asked. "Well, I remember wanting to kick Overcast's flank but it wasn't that serious," Scarlet said. "I mean, he was alive when they transferred him to the Western Barrier Land right?" "So if I lose…" "You know you shouldn't even compare yourself to that idiot," Scarlet went on. "He talked a good game and got me excited and then didn't even make it a good race! He was a loser, a slow braggart of a loser who deserved a thumping." He walked closer towards Rainbow. "He's nowhere near a pegasus like you, right? You're fast, you've got your Sonic Rainboom and, most importantly, you mean what you say." Rainbow took a step back. She agreed with everything that Scarlet said about her. Though she had never met Overcast, she just knew that she could do so much better than him. Refusing now was to admit her loss no matter how she looked at it and Scarlet would see it in the same way. She had goaded him too much and he'll likely lose all respect for her if she suddenly backed off now. Besides, never finding out just how the race would have turned out was sure to drive her crazy. Yet, the price of failure continued to eat away at her. What was she supposed to do now? "So how about it?" Scarlet asked again. "I…" Rainbow closed her eyes. Every option seemed to lead to something bad, every option except…winning. Beating Scarlet was the only option she could take. She gathered her confidence once more, shoving all her worries aside. She had to win. Worrying would only slow down. She had to have faith in her speed and her Sonic Rainboom. "Alright, let's do this," she said. "Great!" Scarlet crowed. "Pick a place and set the rules!"

The two of them flew off with Rainbow leading the way. If she was to go through with this race, it had to be where Vanguard and the others wouldn't spot them. She didn't want to outright leave Canterlot though. The outermost areas would do well enough. "Twice around all of Canterlot!" she called out behind her. She glanced back and saw Scarlet nod eagerly.

"So how was your visit with your family?" Vanguard took a sip of his coffee after asking. He found the tinge of sweetness in it strange given that he had not so much as added a grain of sugar. Twilight had asked him to join her for a drink in her favorite café: "Donut Joe's". "It was great," Twilight replied as she stirred her mug. She smiled wryly and remembered the tearful reunion. Her mother had not even given her any time to say anything before smothering her with a bone-bruising hug. "Twilight! Oh Twilight!" "It's…ugh, really good to see you again too, mother…" "Oh my little filly!" "I should have visited sooner," Twilight said. "Then why didn't you stay longer?" Vanguard asked. "You could have stayed for a couple of days without any problems." "I thought of that too," Twilight replied as she added a couple of teaspoons of sugar into her coffee. Her mind went back to the coffin still stored in the palace as well as the book. "But if I did, I'd just be overcome with restlessness. There's just so much to do!" She took a sip from her mug and found the coffee still too bitter. "I hope you don't regret this, Twilight Sparkle. Equestria will always have enemies but you won't always have these moments with your loved ones." "I'll see them again when Black Rose has been defeated!" Twilight said. She set her mug down a little too forcefully. Some of the liquid spilled on

the table, causing her to glance apologetically towards the café's current proprietor: Bagel Jane, when the white earth pony mare walked over to clean it up. Bagel Jane had had to take over when her older brother responded to the draft. "I just can't feel at ease knowing that she's the one raising the sun everyday!" she added. Vanguard didn't answer. He had always admired Twilight's determination but he knew just how much trouble that has gotten her in. "Now that I've seen my family, will you let me join your squad now?" Twilight asked. Vanguard sighed and looked at Twilight to see how serious she was. As he expected, the unicorn matched is gaze. "You're really determined to do this, aren't you?" he asked. "Black Rose is the real enemy here," Twilight said. "I'm not going to encounter her across the battlefield in Wolvengard or any place past the Barrier Lands. If I want to confront her, it will be through Special Operations missions." Her gaze hardened. The more she thought about it, the surer she was. The wolven were dangerous invaders. Although she's never seen them, she knew that the ursans and the ophidites were likely just as bad. But Black Rose had hurt Princess Celestia herself, she was going down first. "If you won't take me, I'll apply for a different squad." "You don't need to issue ultimatums," Vanguard said. "I'll take you." He paused for another sip. "You and Applejack," he added. Twilight's eyes widened. "Applejack?" she asked. "Did she ask to join too?" "No," Vanguard replied. "But I'll ask her to join. I also need an earth pony skirmisher after all. I think she'll say yes." Twilight looked away in a futile attempt to hide her surprise. "You alright?" Vanguard asked. "What's wrong?" "Nothing really," Twilight replied after composing herself. "So why Applejack?" "Why not? She's strong, dependable and you know her already."

The two of them were quiet for a while. Twilight had finished her coffee by the time she spoke again. "That's all?" she asked. "What else does she need to be?" Twilight hesitated. It was as if her mouth had gone out of control and she had to rein it in. Why did she have to ask that anyway? What was she expecting Vanguard to say? "N-nothing," she said. "Nevermind. I'm glad you let me join. Won't you need to do some paperwork to it?" "I'll take care of it. Just to make sure, if you're in my squad I expect you to follow orders, Twilight. Don't think I won't hand out punishments if you get out of line." "I know," Twilight said. She paused for a moment. Something was wrong. She should be relieved that Vanguard had finally accepted but she suddenly had this strange feeling that something bad was happening at the moment.

On his hidden perch, Longstride continued to watch the skies patiently as the clouds began to clear up. Though he had only recently made his report to Black Rose, he had been waiting by this spot for well over two days now. Under the perch, Hassyth's indoctrinated ponies and their ophidite handler waited for his signal. He expected to give that signal very soon. Black Rose had promised to "nudge" his target. That could mean a lot of things when it came to how she would do it but he had only one response. His bow lay next to him, the magical inscriptions glowing softly. That was when he saw his mark. He squinted, his enhanced vision making out what was merely a dot with a trail of bright colors following behind it. That was enough. He strung his bow in a couple of seconds and aimed. "This is Longstride," he spoke to the device attached to his collar. His voice carried over to both Black Rose and the ophidite. "Target sighted."

Chapter 24 The Greatest of Us All "I don't understand, mistress. If you want me to kill Pinkie Pie, I have a toxin ready to melt whatever passes for her brain. Has she offended you so much that she must be made to suffer first?" Sable stood firm while Black Rose seemed to mull over her question. Though she took fierce pride in her loyalty to the greatest pony Equestria has ever produced, she never shied away from asking questions about her orders. "I don't want Pinkie Pie dead," Black Rose replied softly. "I want her tested as the Element of Joy. If she breaks then you may go ahead and end her suffering. Her element will be better off with a stronger bearer. However, I do have faith in her ability to grow stronger. The elements would not choose so frivolously." Though her question had just been answered, Sablesteel continued to stare. She could tell that something was wrong with her mistress. Black Rose continued to watch the myriad images that surrounded her as if things were simply business as usual. Something wasn't right though. By now, Black Rose should be enjoying herself immensely. Things were going their way and there were enough little surprises to keep her alert. Seven hundred years ago, she would be smiling widely and humming some nameless tune to herself by now. Instead, the newly ascended alicorn looked downcast. "Are you alright, mistress?" she asked."You look…sad." A small smile curved Black Rose's lips. "I didn't think you would be concerned over my happiness, Sable," she replied. "I'm just worried about you being distracted. The stakes are too high and we have too many enemies." The smile widened. "No need to be. My moods will not be a problem." "I'll be going then," Sablesteel said. She saluted out of habit, once more having to remind herself that she was no longer a legionnaire.

"There's the Sable I know," Black Rose replied. "Be off then." With a snort, Sablesteel shoved aside the recollection. She was in the woods, just a few miles from Canterlot where she was to take care of a loose end before working on the Element of Joy's "adversity". A group of True Earth Ponies, including one of those that Pinkie Pie had encountered in FangBreaker Fortress, were making their way towards Canterlot. The channeler tablet they had given the pink pony guided them unerringly towards her. "These True Earth Ponies have done their part by setting Pinkie Pie on the right path to power. I don't need them burdening her with their useless dogma. Sablesteel, I'm letting you take care of all matters related to Pinkie, including these unneeded ponies." This was the part Sablesteel liked about her current assignment. No vague "tests of adversity" here. All that was needed was a simple ambush. The late afternoon sun filtered through the canopy, providing her with just enough light to spot her prey arriving. She adjusted her breather mask and readied herself. The True Earth Ponies had always been a bizarre lot to Sablesteel. Seven hundred years of dormancy had done nothing to change that opinion. As far as she was concerned, they were just one more cult that hindered Equestria by driving a wedge among its various ponies. There were twelve of them this time. Two channelers, easily recognizable through their stonefaced masks, led the group. The rest were warriors; five armed with large, mouth-held blades and the remaining five armed with crossbows. She studied them carefully. These crossbows were easily three times the size of the standard issue ones that Reconnaissance used. Unburdened by things like flight mobility and lift and possessing a greater amount of stability, these earth ponies lugged about slow-firing weapons that could easily punch bolts through a thick oak door. Against Sablesteel, though, they would only have one shot. Once more, Sablesteel found her thoughts straying towards her mistress. This time, it was what her fellow thorn had to say. "The mistress is merely adjusting to the fact that this is her first campaign wherein she does not have her beloved's approval," Lion Court said as he walked with Sablesteel through the obsidian hallway.

"I don't like it," Sablesteel replied. "She looks weak by sulking like that. We are contending with the alicorns themselves. We can't have Black Rose be weak even for a second." "If our mistress showed not even a hint of regret over having to fight the prince, I would have abandoned her cause in a heartbeat," Lion Court said. "And I would have made sure it was last heartbeat you ever had," Sablesteel growled. "Black Rose is the greatest of us all because she can and will sacrifice everything and everypony necessary for the good of Equestria. All this…regret stains that fact." "On the contrary, her regret proves all the more that what she has given up is truly important," Lion Court said with a smile. "Don't you understand? She could have stayed the loyal commander and our prince would have willfully ignored the deaths needed to make her immortal. She gave up that 'happy' career to push on with her plans. Isn't that the mark of her ruthlessness that you adore so much, my dear Sable?" "I still don't like it." "And we're back where we started. Did I just converse with a water wheel?" Sablesteel snorted and shook her head. She had to focus. She was still frustrated after her talk with Lion Court. These foals were a boon as targets she could take those frustrations out. As she had hoped, the channelers were so busy tracking Pinkie Pie that they didn't notice the tripwire just ahead of them. The first channeler's front legs snagged the trap. Before he could even shout a warning, a volley of darts flew from the vegetation. Three of them found homes on his neck, pumping his bloodstream with a vicious nerve toxin so quickly that he was no longer breathing by the time his partner checked up on him. The true earth ponies aimed their weapons towards where the darts had fired. That was Sablesteel's cue. She pressed a button on her right foreleg device, causing a three-inch long needle to extend just past her hoof, and then swooped in from behind the group. She picked a crossbow-carrying pony who just a little apart from the rest of his fellows and then grabbed him, lifting him screaming high into the air and just past the canopy. A couple of bolts whizzed past her while the rest of the shots were widely offmark.

"Stop struggling, fodder!" Sablesteel muttered. She plunged the needle into the earth pony's gut, dove back into the canopy and then dropped him in the middle of his fellows. The impact snapped one of the pony's hind legs but the pain of a bone breaking went ignored. His guts were already churning violently. "Help me!" he cried out weakly. With an agonized moan, he dragged himself towards his fellows. His abdomen was already swelling with building gas when the others looked him over. Cries of alarm quickly followed but it was too late. The earth pony's midsection burst in horrid explosion of blood and gore, releasing a cloud of toxic yellow haze in the middle of the group. The rest of the earth ponies stumbled out of the cloud, their eyes and noses burning from the poison. Sablesteel swooped right into them, her foreleg devices now sprouting a pair of envenomed short blades. The true earth ponies struggled to focus their attacks on the blur that flew past them to no avail. Sablesteel's first pass sliced open three of them, including the surviving channeler. Before she regained some altitude, she dropped a canister which released another toxic cloud. She circled around them and flew back in, slashing and stabbing with precision. They responded by trying to surround her on her second pass. Instead of flying by, however, she landed in their midst and lashed out. Her hindlegs were also armed. When she kicked out, the curved, poisoned blades near her back hooves cut open the chests of those who approached her from behind. The edges of her wings had slender, curving and feather-shaped blades attached to them. Though useless in flight, she brought them to bear whenever she landed. Her tail also whipped about and another device, a long, coiled weapon that ended with a barbed stinger, buried itself in another pony's neck. Their lungs and eyes on fire and their bodies full of poison, Sablesteel's targets fell to the ground twitching and bleeding out. She landed just a few feet from the killing zone and surveyed her work. Despite seven hundred years of dormancy, her ambush was a success. She had to admire Black Rose's ability to essentially rebuild her body. "W-what's going on here?" Sablesteel froze. This was not part of her plan. She recognized the highpitched squeal of a voice, having studied its source as part of her

assignment. Pinkie Pie was here despite that very fact being impossible. Pinkie Pie's last sighting was all the way back in Canterlot, wandering its streets and consulting her channeler tablet. The pink pony didn't have the instant transport which The Thorns possessed. She wasn't even a pegasus. How could she be here right now? Pinkie Pie is a natural channeler but that is an oversimplification of what she can do. I am assigning her to you, Sable but I want you to stay sharp. Don't let her silliness lull you into a false sense of safety. Black Rose was right yet again. Of course Black Rose was right. The greatest pony in the world was always right. Despite her surprise, Sablesteel turned around confidently. Well, it didn't matter now. She was going to make contact with Pinkie Pie anyway so the pink pony only made things more convenient. Being surrounded by a slowly fading haze of poisonous gas and the still twitching bodies of her victims was an added bonus. With a press of a button, she retracted the blades on her front hooves and slowly approached Pinkie Pie. "Y-y-you killed them!" Pinkie Pie gasped. Her curiosity slowly melted away to fear. It was a reaction Sablesteel was used to on the very rare instances she was sighted. Her breather mask was designed not just to protect her from her own toxic fumes but to intimidate her foes with an alien visage. The rest of her gear was blackened metal, all designed to heighten that appearance in addition to their function as weapons. "I did," Sablesteel replied. The breather mask partly distorted her voice, making it sound hollow. She walked slowly towards Pinkie Pie, who took a few steps back. "My name is Sablesteel, one of the Thorns." As she moved away from the poison clouds, she removed the breather mask and inhaled sharply, closing her eyes for a moment as she did so. A lone green eye glared at Pinkie for a moment. Sablesteel leaned just a little closer to make sure that she was heard perfectly. "Look at these and think of those precious to you, Pinkie Pie. I'm going to do worse things to them." With that she flapped her wings and flew through the canopy before the pink pony could react.

For some time, Pinkie Pie continued to stare at the canopy. She was still unsure of what she had just witnessed. The stone was leading her somewhere but it suddenly veered towards a different course, as if it had picked up a different signal. She wasn't sure how she knew that but she followed anyway. The next thing she knew, she was staring at a scene of carnage. At the center of it all was…something. It looked like it had the body of a pony but its outstretched wings were trimmed with black spine-like things, its legs were also tipped with black material and its tail had some kind of stinger which hung low beneath its hind legs. It looked all in all like a pony crossed with a giant wasp. It walked over and took off its face…helmet as it turned out. The strange creature was a pony. The next thing Pinkie knew, it was gone. "Wait a moment! What did she just say?" Pinkie's eyes widened. She looked around in a futile attempt to find the pony-wasp thing but it was gone. She looked towards Canterlot and then towards Ponyville. What was she going to do? Where was that thing headed towards? Which ponies precious to her did she mean?

"I think you're crazy bringing the ophidites into this, Longstride," Sablesteel said. "This is a pony matter that should be resolved internally." "Rainbow Dash is my assignment," Longstride answered flatly."Do you have a paralytic for the job or not?" "Of course I have a paralytic! I perfected my paralytics when I was still in diapers! Just give me the arrows and I'll have them ready." Longstride handed his quiver to his fellow thorn, who snatched it impatiently. "So what are her chances on surviving your test by your estimate?" Sablesteel asked. "Zero. She's going to die. Possibly on the first day."

Sablesteel raised an eyebrow. "That's harsh even for you. The Element of Loyalty must have chosen her for a reason, right?" "The Element of Loyalty chose randomly. She dropped from her flight school due to discipline issues. Discipline is but loyalty to one's self. She doesn't even have that." "Our mistress asked you to test her, not kill her," Sablesteel said with a frown. "I am testing her." "With something guaranteed to kill her. That's not testing, Longstride, that's murder." "The mistress asked for a test. I gave one. Whether it can be passed or not is not my concern. I repeat, Sablesteel, Rainbow Dash is my assignment." "Fine! Whatever! Just come by me later to get these arrows!" Longstride held the paralytic-treated arrows and nocked one of them. His targets were barely more than spots over the horizon, one trailed by rainbow colors and the other, red. He focused on them, slowly making out features as he did so. "Begin interception," he said to the indoctrinated pegasi who were still lounging about beneath his perch. As his target neared a bit, he saw legs, frantically beating wings and a sky blue coat. Even from a great distance, he made out his target's "cutie mark", a bolt of rainbow-colored lightning emerging from a cloud. It may as well be a bullseye as far as he was concerned. He aimed for that spot and then let the bowstring go. The runes on Longstride's bow glowed brightly as its magic activated, granting Longstride's shot a range that no ordinary weapon could grant any sniper. The arrow was gone in a blink and Longstide waited patiently for a result. "This is Longstride," he said to his communicating device. The sky blue figure suddenly plummeted. "Long range shot successful." He watched as Hassyth's pegasi streaked towards Rainbow Dash. The red figure quickly reacted to the sudden attack and dove straight for the falling pegasus. Longstride nocked his second arrow and adjusted his aim…

Scarlet was grinning from ear to ear as he followed Rainbow Dash to very edges of Canterlot and away from most of the patrols. Rainbow was heading for a good spot. He was already itching to get his weights off and start racing seriously. The mare's rainbow-colored tail fluttered about just a few feet away. He hoped that it was the same sight he would see during their actual race. Suddenly, Rainbow's figure was jolted to one side as if something had slammed into her. Scarlet's eyes narrowed as he immediately dove in after her. "Rainbow!" he called out. The mare didn't respond. His heart skipped a bit as he realized that Rainbow Dash could be dead already. He caught her with his forelegs and breathed a quick sigh of relief when he felt her inhale. Her eyes were open and darted about, her mouth seemed frozen in the middle of crying out. Her wings were still outstretched and resisted stiffly when he gave them a little push. "Rainbow!" he said to her. There was still no response. Though she was breathing, the rest of her was rigid. His eyes went to her flank and spotted an arrow buried right where the lightning bolt met the cloud on her cutie mark. 'Sniper.' The thought barely registered in Scarlet's mind when something struck his flank as well. Shock and pain coursed through his body. Rainbow fell from his grasp as both of them started to plummet. This was impossible, they were a long way from the ground and he didn't see any spot where a sniper could hide in. Where had to the shot come from? Armed with a magical bow with line-of-sight range. 'Longstride,' Scarlet thought. He berated himself furiously for not keeping a better eye out. If he considered something as ridiculous as line-of-sight range, there were plenty of places for that shot to come from. But why was Longstride going after him and Rainbow Dash? He tried desperately to flap his wings to no avail. 'Shot in the flank again…' he thought. He spun in mid air as he continued to fall and, through his periphery, he spotted a group of pegasi flying towards him. 'The captain's going to kill me…'

"Second long range shot successful," Longstride said to his communicating device as he saw both figures plummet. In truth, Scarlet Rabbit was already

expendable, The only reason the red pegasus was still alive was because Longstride had to keep up pretenses that he was working with Hassyth. By the end of this mission, he may very well but an arrow through Scarlet's brain. The pegasi flying to intercept the two were right on target, making this operation a success. 'Too easy,' he thought. It was disgrace that the Element of Loyalty would pick so poor a candidate as its bearer. He could have aimed for Rainbow Dash's heart and the elements would be a bearer short. The pegasi patrols were nowhere near the incident. Longstride wasn't surprised, that was likely the nudge that Black Rose promised. The patrols could be distracted by some other incident; they could very well be her agents already. His job done for now, Longstride flew out of his perch. Hashymissa and her ponies were down there likely already securing their two captives. He had no inclination to help them get out of Equestria and get back to Ophidus. "I like your plan, Longstride, it's bold and interesting," Black Rose said. "Thank you, mistress," Longstride replied. "But it's also dangerous. I don't want to lose Rainbow Dash to the ophidites. If we are coming very close to losing her in Ophidus, kill them. If they break her, put her out of her misery." "Understood." "And, Longstride…" "Yes, mistress?" "Try to have a little faith in Rainbow Dash." Faith in Rainbow Dash…that was something Longstride doubted he'd ever have. To make matters worse, it seemed as if he was the only thorn who noticed just how grave the situation was. He didn't have faith in any of the bearers of the Elements of Harmony, least of all Rainbow Dash, who was the worst of the lot. The best course of action for now is to kill them all and hope that the Elements of Harmony picked better bearers.

But Black Rose believed in the strength of these fillies. He knew that she was something of a gambler but she was risking the fate of Equestria here. He didn't see what could merit that gamble. He didn't' see potential and he wasn't interested in it. Each bearer needed years of experience and training as well as a good show of their discipline and skill before he would even begin to believe that they were worthy of carrying the manifestations of the virtues that Equestria was founded upon. 'If Black Rose really does see something in you worth keeping alive, Rainbow Dash, then you ought to survive this minor test of mine," he silently told the rigid pegasus that Hashymissa and her slaves were now securing. With that, Longstride flew off. Outwardly, it appeared as if his job of helping the Hassyth's group was over and he was returning to his post. In truth, he was going to go to another hiding spot and then keep an eye on this group a little longer. He didn't trust Hashymissa or her pony-shaped snakes not to eat the two on the trip back to Ophidus. If Rainbow Dash was going to die, it will be because she failed miserably, not because some ophidite suddenly thought she was better off being dinner.

"Oh, Longstride, why did you have to shoot her there? It's going to ruin her cutie mark." Black Rose sighed and set aside the magical image. Of all her thorns, it was Longstride she was most worried about. Lion Court was always the gentle colt and Sablesteel knew how to work with delicate substances. Longstride believed in his aim and little else. His rough handling was certainly going to be a challenge for Rainbow Dash. She focused on the other bearers of the Elements of Harmony. Twilight Sparkle was going to need her personal touch. She owed the purple unicorn that much. Applejack was also going to need another nudge. There was also work to be done. Information about Rainbow Dash's capture had to be filtered carefully to gain the required reactions. Everything had to be carefully managed or this could get out of hoof very quickly. As for Fluttershy…well, the pink-maned pegasus was a problem she was still mulling over. Her plan for Fluttershy called for a lot of resources being moved and a great deal of casualties. The whole bordered on not being

worth it. Poking a wrath dragon was less dangerous than trying to tap into "The Stare". With a wave of her hoof, Black Rose dismissed all the magical images and lay her head down on her bed. She began to mumble the words for a short sleep spell. It had come to the point that she basically had to knock herself unconscious or risk suffering from a lack of sleep. Even with these breaks, urgency tugged at her mind. Her agents might discover something that needed her attention. A situation might change or an opportunity might arrive. She couldn't afford to spend hours just lying on her bed with her eyes open. The time window for sleep was a small one indeed. Magically induced sleep, however, was a poor substitute for the sort of rest she craved. It's been a day since she last slept but she could barely recall the last time she was at ease. When she first emerged from her dormancy, she had been confident that she could weather this problem without any trouble. Now, as her plans slowly reached their crucial moments, it was only getting worse. To complicate matters, her thorns were starting to notice. She wasn't worried about betrayal. Even Blue Moon's was already accounted for before it even happened. Morale, however, would certainly suffer if her troops saw her faltering. Unless… Black Rose's thoughts slipped towards a familiar, gray alicorn. The sleep spell was starting to take hold and she wanted her next wakeful thoughts to be pleasant. If it was only possible to smother her worries with memories of those nights…an idea suddenly came to mind. Before she drifted off, Black Rose was already smiling with approval. It was dangerous and certainly a mite reckless but it just might work.

Chapter 25 Deep Waters 'Oh, Clover the Clever, just how deep did you delve?' Luna turned another page, her eyes narrowing as more of the spidery scrip seemed to float before her. Having taken it upon herself to decipher the book and discover Clover the Clever's plan to open the way to the Blasphemous Rift, she had gone straight to the Chamber of Harmony as soon as she finished breakfast. Having to do all this deciphering in the presence of Starswirl the Bearded's coffin was a little uncomfortable but her brother had insisted on delaying the dead unicorn's burial until he was absolutely sure that the coffin and its contents were not needed elsewhere. Reluctantly, Luna had agreed. Propriety demanded that they treat the corpse with respect and let it be buried but worse things than being improper would happen if it turned out that they actually needed it. As for the actual work, progress has been slow. Not only did she have to be constantly disturbed as her other responsibilities demanded attention, the actual reading was difficult. It was clear now why Clover the Clever wasn't called Clover the Elegant Writer. The entire book was also written in reverse, much to Luna's irritation. There didn't even seem to be any purpose for doing so except for making it extra difficult for anypony to make heads or tails of what was written. The earlier sections of the book dealt with an incomplete and crude version of an ascension ritual. Luna didn't bother too much with this part. Her brother had created a complete and more efficient one. It did impress on her that the Six Companions, or at least Clover the Clever, were already aware of Oceanus's spark within each mortal pony. This part wasn't useful to them and only served to ensure that this book's contents must not spread. The next section was Clover's notes on the poison she used on Starswirl the Bearded. Again, more known information as far as Luna was

concerned. What caught her attention was that this section resembled a cross between laboratory notes and a diary. "That mud-brained donkey just added bells to his hat. Bells! He looks like jester going around the villages to amuse foals with bowl-shaping spells and pyrotechnics! At this rate, they'll forget that he was a great spellcaster. All I'll be known as is the disciple of Starswirl the Clown!" Luna shook her head. Just how angry and obsessed did one pony have to be to jot these tiny ramblings down alongside serious work? The notes themselves were meticulous, almost too detailed. Clover savored developing this section. Several pages were dedicated solely to her gloating over having finally murdered Starswirl the Bearded. As Luna read on, she began to suspect that the coffin was not much of a further use. It was a remnant of Clover the Clever's obsession with surpassing her mentor and should be buried at last. Finally, Luna reached the section involving something new. New and disturbing. She spotted the first mention of Princess Platinum's "discovery", likely referring to the still dormant Regia Carnifex. The notes now became more difficult to read. Clover the Clever's writing was further worsened by the excited pace by which she wrote. Various spells, all attempts to free Regia Carnifex were listed down, each one written off as a failure. Luna's lips pressed together tightly as she read the next passage. "A handmaiden of the Deep Father contacted me today. She called herself Lunalux Umbra and told me about who the pony trapped in the crystal was." "Nightmare Moon," Luna muttered. "Of course she's involved somehow." She read on, the dread within her continuing to mount as she did so. "Lunalux Umbra offered to merge with me but I refused. If I had agreed then everything we accomplish will only be to her credit. I will rise in the Deep Father's service on my own." Luna's frown only deepened as she skimmed over more pages of ranting. They were becoming more prevalent now. It appeared that, as time went along, Clover became more prone to these delusions of grandeur. She couldn't stop talking about her "Everlasting Kingdom". Hours passed before something useful showed up.

"The key lies in Regia Carnifex. Through him I can create a mental link to the Deep Father himself and I can do so as far as being a mile away. I cannot do this now with the Deep Father still slumbering but as the time of his return nears, the chances of success will rise." Luna turned the pages more carefully now. After wading through the unicorn's crazy, this was a relief. The words filled her with foreboding though. More than a thousand years have passed since this was written and Oceanus's time was all but looming at them now. The next several pages did not contain whatever spell Clover had developed however. Instead, they were filled with rants against Lexarius. She had to smile as she read on. Lexarius had arrived just in time. "I must get to the Crystal Grave. The spell is ready and, with the amplifier Pudding Head and Smart Cookie created, I can break through the seals that Lexarius created and loose the Deep Father's weapon upon him." Luna stopped on the word "amplifier" for a while. The ponies in charge of sifting through the hidden archives mentioned nothing about such a thing. "The amplifier is gone. Curse you, Rock Maven! There is no time to lose, I must make it to the Refuge Burrows and take it from him." The name "Rock Maven" was a familiar one to Luna. The archive ponies mentioned this one. So whatever "amplifier" that Pudding Head and Smart Cookie came up with was taken by the founder of the True Earth Ponies. Where was it now? Was it still with them? Was it lost when the True Earth Ponies migrated to the Barrier Lands? Where was this "Refuge Burrows" now?" "I am in danger of being caught. Lexarius has been persistent in chasing after me. I have no choice but to write the spell down. If I fail, perhaps one day, a true son or daughter of the Deep Father will take up our rightful destiny." That was the last entry as far as Clover the Clever's movements were concerned. Luna turned one more page out of curiosity. What was this spell that the poor deluded mortal had accomplished? At the turn of the page, however, Luna suddenly realized that she had made a mistake. The spidery letters, much bigger than how the rest of the book was written, danced before her eyes. She tried to look away to avoid reading the words,

but she found herself frozen on the spot. Each letter seemed to burn itself into her mind and it was a slow, slide to completely reading the spell. Upon reading the entire thing, Luna felt as if the floor beneath her simply disappeared. She heard a vague splash and, the next thing she knew, she was completely submerged in water. The Chamber of Harmony had completely disappeared into darkness so deep that she couldn't even see her own hoof in front of her. She tried to cast a spell but her power seemed to fizzle before she could even begin. Fighting the rising panic within her, she tried to get her bearings. The task proved impossible however. She was completely submerged and she couldn't see. She didn't even know if she was upside down or not. The freezing cold water pricked at her skin like hundreds of tiny needles. "What…is…this? It…is…not yet…time…" The voice was barely a whisper and sounded languid, as if the one speaking had been rudely awakened and was barely aware of where he was and what was going on. Still, the mere sound gripped Luna's heart tightly. Oceanus. She had never heard him speak before. She had never even seen him throughout her life. All she knew of her supposed brother was from what she heard and read within the Eternal Herd. Still, she recognized this voice. She wasn't sure if it sounded only within her mind or if it traveled through the water but she refused to answer. Unfortunately, that meant that she had to stop thinking and, deprived of every one of her senses, that was impossible. That was when she felt something touch one of her hooves. The thing felt cold, so cold that it stood out despite the freezing water. She realized that it was some kind of snake or tendril, no thicker than typical rope, when it wrapped around her left hind leg, gently tugging her towards its direction. Disgusted, she tried to pull away but the tendril held her fast. A second one wrapped itself around her other hind leg. There was no fighting back the panic anymore. Her lungs starting to burn, Luna struggled to free herself from the tendrils but all she accomplished was entangle herself even more. A third tendril wrapped around her torso, pinning both her wings in place. Its tip rested right where her cutie mark was.

"Luna…" Disgust mingled with panic when Luna heard her name. More tendrils tangled themselves on her. All her legs were now stretched out in different directions. Another tendril coiled itself around her neck and made its way to her face. "I…am your king…swear…fealty." Unable to open her mouth, Luna could only shake her head. Something was welling up inside her, something that wanted desperately to say yes. With her lungs were starting to give way, she gave up physically struggling and focused everything on holding back this part of her. Even that was a losing battle. Oceanus's voice was gathering strength. Though still weak, its confidence was unmistakable. "You let Umbra inside…you have no defense against me. Upon my return…I will call you to my side… and you will answer joyously…" Luna felt herself slipping away. The tendrils pulled her under effortlessly, dragging her deeper and deeper into the abyss. The freezing pain had gone away, replaced by a numbing ache. "Luna!" Terrato's shout broke through the oppressive nothingness. Luna's eyes fluttered open and she felt a pair of powerful forelegs wrap around her torso and pull. The next thing she knew she had been pulled out of the water and onto a hard, stone floor. At once, she took a great lungful of air and then started coughing violently. "Terrato! She's freezing and soaking wet!" That sounded like Celestia. Luna tried to look around but she could barely make out anything. She tried to rise only to flop against the floor. All she could make out was that she was somewhere that had light and she was starting to shiver uncontrollably. Two pairs of hooves wrapped around her in a tight hug.

"Hold still!" Terrato said. Luna heard felt his magic activate and then heard him exhale loudly. Warmth, blessed and much needed warmth enveloped her, taking away the chill that gnawed at her bones. This wasn't the warmth of sunlight but of the great heat within the earth itself. Luna pressed against her siblings, savoring the feeling when she caught a whiff of something that accompanied that wonderful warmth. Celestia was already coughing and gagging when Luna noticed it. Her nose wrinkled and she poked her brother with a hoof weakly. "Big brother!" she said. "What?" Terrato replied. "Your breath reeks of booze! I swear if I had a match I could light it on fire right now!" "Don't be a prissy milksop!" Terrato said, the chagrin unmistakable in his voice. "I was sharing a barrel with some of the officers when you decided to take your little swim. And it's not like you should complain when you smell of salt spray and dead fish, little sister!" "I asked you to get rid of those extra barrels stashed in the palace, Terrato," Celestia said. "What did you think we were doing?" Celestia was about to say something else but a glimpse of Luna still recovering from whatever happened silenced her. She was willing to put up with the smell and her brother's boozing for now. "Are you feeling better now?" she asked Luna. "What happened?" Luna nodded. Her coat was dry now and she had already cast her own spells to quickly recover. "That Clover the Clever…" she said. "She's created a spell that could link to Oceanus's realm by drawing from Regia Carnifex's proximity." Terrato didn't reply right away. Instead, his eyes narrowed in thought. Luna guessed that he was considering the implications and likely arrived at the same conclusion she did. The power of Oceanus was most likely enough to break through the seals that blocked access to the Blasphemous Rift.

There wasn't even any need to release Regia Carnifex. His dormant form simply needed to be close. "Is that what happened to you? You linked to Oceanus's realm?" Celestia asked. "I think," Luna replied. She looked at her two siblings. This was the first time she had seen the two of them so close to each other in a long, long time. "Clover the Clever needed an amplifier developed by Pudding Head and Smart Cookie but it may not be needed with the ninth rebellion so close." She paused for a moment and looked at the two of them. "How did the two of you get here anyway?" she asked. "I was taking care of some reports when I just felt that something terrible was happening here," Celestia explained. "I rushed over to see and I met Terrato along the way." "I felt the exact same thing," Terrato said. "When we got here, you were floating in mid air with your eyes glowing. We had to snap you out of it and when we did, you were suddenly soaking wet and freezing. Just what did you see while you were in that spell?" "It was too dark to see anything," Luna replied. "He was there though. I heard him speak." Her voice trembled as she recalled those moments. "He toyed with me as if I was some helpless foal and he was barely even awake!" "It's alright," Celestia said soothingly. "It's over now and there's no need to feel ashamed. Oceanus had the might to challenge our father, remember?" Luna nodded. She kept the horrible feeling of joy she felt when Oceanus was speaking to herself. There were too many worries already without adding to those concerns. On the day of the ninth rebellion, she was going to have to find the strength to resist her firstborn brother's influence. She nestled between her two siblings, seeking more of their warmth. 'You're wrong, Oceanus,' she thought. 'I still have some defense against you.' She suddenly paused and then looked back at the tome. There were still a few pages remaining. The spell can be put aside but she still had to check out the remaining notes. There might still be something there to be used.

In a hidden camp, miles away from Canterlot, Rainbow Dash opened her eyes for the first time in what felt like years. Her entire body still felt numb and heavy, likely still paralyzed. A lone fly buzzed around her head and then landed on her ear. When that ear flicked instinctively, she suddenly became aware that she had control over her body again. She stood up, only to find that, while she could rise, she was chained to the spot. Her wings were bound tightly in chains. She was also wearing a set of reins and a bridle. Pain suddenly shot through her body, forcing her to kneel down. She looked towards her flank and found it wrapped in still bloody bandages. 'Where am I?' Even thinking that lone thought felt as if Rainbow was trying to squeeze water out of a rock. Her head felt so heavy and she seemed to look at the world through a haze of garbled unfinished thoughts. All she could tell was that she was inside some kind of tent. What had happened? She tried to remember the last few events before she fell unconscious. Her eyes squinted from the effort but all that came to mind was a dim moment of flying and then falling. The tent flap suddenly rose and Rainbow Dash backed away from it instinctively. She gasped as some creature, a monstrous snake, slithered inside. The thing was around seven feet from its nose to its tail and was covered in dull brown scales. It had a muscular torso, more like an ape's than a snake's, and a pair of arms sprouted from its side. Golden, unblinking, reptilian eyes appraised her coldly while a pair hands rubbed against each other in anticipation. "The coatl-pony is finally awake," the snake creature hissed. "Good, good, now you can stop being dead-weight." The creature fiddled with a ring of keys and unlocked the chains that kept Rainbow bound to the ground. With one hand, it grabbed hold of the reins and tugged at them, forcing her to take a step forward. "Move, coatl-pony!" Rainbow tried to pull back but the snake creature was relentless. Her hooves dragged on the ground as it continued to pull. Coatl-pony? That wasn't her name. Her name was…it was…she shook her head in a futile attempt to clear it. It was Rain…Rainbow…something. It was just so hard to

think. With a powerful tug, the snake creature pulled her out of the tent. She looked upward and saw stars, it was night already. Was it the night immediately after she was knocked out or had she spent an entire day being unconscious? "Stand here," the snake creature hissed. It pulled her to a spot just in front of the tent. Others came toward them and they were surrounded by four ponies, all of them pegasi. Rainbow tried to pull away again. She didn't like all the eyes on her but the chains were heavy and snake creature held her in place. The nearby ponies eyed her with indifference. "This one's spirited," the snake creature muttered. "The Befuddling Grass extract is fogging her brain up but she still insists on putting up a fight!" The snake creature produced some kind of pointed prod, shaped to resemble a snake fang in its hand. With one swift flick of the wrist, it pricked Rainbow's back with the weapon. Rainbow cried out and fell to her knees. The tiny wound burned as if a redhot poker had been jabbed into her back. Her body seized up and the pain spread to her legs. "Nasty isn't it?" the snake creature hissed. "This is called 'Emperor's Tears'. It does little lasting damage but even a drop is pure pain." The snake creature held its face close to Rainbow's. "Do you want me to prick you again?" it asked. Tears welling up in her eyes, Rainbow shook her head. The pain was already beginning to subside and she didn't want to feel it anymore. "Get up," the snake creature said. It produced something else in its other hand. This time it looked like a small piece of white bread. "Eat this." Rainbow took a sniff when the snake creature held it up close to her snout. "Now!" the snake creature hissed. Still frightful of the awful sting, Rainbow bit the piece and ate it. The piece of food was chewy and a little tough, not like bread at all. She hadn't even swallowed when she started to feel it. Elation, like a soothing balm that took away the painful sting, briefly washed over her. For a few seconds, she simply stood there dumbfounded and expecting more. By the time she swallowed, however, the feeling was gone.

"And that is called 'Fool's Cap' or, as you ponies call it, 'the 'shrooms'. Obey me and you may yet find out what a full dose feels like." Rainbow closed her eyes, trying to hold on to the lingering traces of euphoria. The snake creature shook her out of it, however, and forced her to stand again. "Hold still." The snake creature grabbed hold of Rainbow's head and began to feel around her face. "Skull is in good condition," it said. "No deformities." Nearby, one pegasus was writing down on a piece of paper. The snake creature's fingers pried into Rainbow's lips, eventually forcing her to open her mouth. "Teeth are complete and healthy." The snake creature's moved down Rainbow's neck and then torso. "Small build. Wings are well developed. Hips are narrow, possible problems with breeding. Coat is in good condition." Rainbow felt the scaly hands move down her legs. She shuddered when the snake creature took hold of a hoof and lifted it up. "Legs are strong. Hooves show no signs of cracking." The snake creature grabbed hold of Rainbow's tail and held it up with both hands. "Mane and tail are in excellent condition. And the coloration…" The snake creature sounded breathless. "Remarkable." Rainbow seemed to shrink on the spot. The constant staring and attention was just too much. She was about to breathe a sigh of relief that the snake creature's "inspection" was done when she felt its grip on her tail tighten. Before she could tell what was going on, the snake creature lifted her tail for several seconds and stared intently. Seemingly satisfied, it then released its grip. "Good, good," the snake creature hissed. "Hassyth's sources were not exaggerating. This one is an excellent find. We must get her to Ophidus as quickly as possible." "Mistress Hashymissa," one of the pegasi spoke out. "The other one is still struggling against his bonds. Should we use the Befuddling Grass extract on him too?" "No," Hashymissa replied. "Scarlet Rabbit is too angry and too familiar with us. It won't have any effect on him. A pity too. It is likely that we are bringing him back only for Hassyth to personally cut his losses. Make sure his bonds are secure and load him into the cart. As for this one…" Hashymissa rubbed her hands together as she stared at Rainbow. "Such a find. This mare will ensure that we live in luxury for the rest of our lives!"

With that, Hashymissa grabbed hold of the reins. Exhausted, humiliated and still unable to think straight, Rainbow could only let herself be led away.

Sugarcube Corner, once one of Ponyville's busiest places, now found itself in a particular bind. Many of its valued customers had been drafted and had already gone off to the training camp near Cloudsdale. A few ponies still occupied the tables and enjoyed their famous pastries but the mood was not what it used to be and both Cakes knew that it likely will never be what it used to. A loud wail made both of turn their heads. One of their foals was crying, likely having soiled him or herself. "I'll get it," Carrot Cake said with a smile. He trotted off and Cup Cake could only sigh and be glad that he was still around. As it turned out, there was another exemption to the draft. Ponies with very young foals were not expected to join the legion. Cup Cake saw that some of the legionnaires conducting the draft were not happy with this but they followed their rules without complaint. It was early evening and the last customer of the day had just finished paying when the door to the bakery burst open. Cup Cake looked worriedly to see what had happened. To her shock, it was Pinkie Pie. The pink pony was drenched with sweat and gasping for air. She took a few steps into the bakery and then collapsed. "Pinkie!" Cup Cake exclaimed. She ran over to the fallen pony, hesitant as to whether she should help Pinkie to her hooves or get her something to drink. "Mrs. Cake!" Pinkie gasped. "Where's Mr. Cake? And the twins? Are they safe? They're not hurt are they?" "They're fine, dearie," Cup Cake said. "Certainly in much better condition than you. Come on, let's get you to a sofa. Goodness, what happened to you?" "They're fine?" Pinkie's face brightened. "That's wonderful!" The happy expression quickly crumbled into fresh worry. "Quick, you have to get to Canterlot! I could make sure you're safe better there! And I have to get to

Canterlot! She could be after my friends!" Pinkie started to head for the door when Cup Cake pulled her back. "Hold on a minute here!" Cup Cake said. "What are you talking about? Why should we go to Canterlot? And why do you need to get there?" "The pony wasp! I mean Stable Seal! I mean Sablesteel! She's out to get ponies who are important to me but I don't know who! She struggled against Cup Cake's hold but couldn't break free." "What's going on out here?" Carrot Cake asked as he walked back into the bakery with the twins sitting on his back. Both Pumpkin and Pound Cake looked delighted to see Pinkie again. "Pinkie Pie? Shouldn't you be in Canterlot? How did you even get here? Wait a minute…did you actually run here?" "She says that somepony is out to get us, honey," Cup Cake said. "Some kind of seal…or was it a wasp?" "Sablesteel!" Pinkie exclaimed. "She could still be out to get you! I need you somewhere nearby!" "Pinkie, I'm glad that you care so much but you can't just expect us to suddenly move to Canterlot this very minute," Cup Cake said. "I mean we'd have to relocate our whole business and-" "But you'll die!" Pinkie Pie covered her mouth with her hooves after that outburst. Both Carrot and Cup Cake looked at her in shock. Pumpkin, startled by the yell, started to cry and her brother soon followed. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry but I…I just don't know what to do! She could be out there right now! She-she-!" She struggled to break free from Cup Cake but she was just so exhausted that she couldn't. "Pinkie Pie, it's alright," Cup Cake said, rubbing the pink pony's fluffy mane. "We're going to be alright." Pinkie tried to say something else but her lips quivered and then she simply burst into tears. She buried her face against Cup Cake and started sobbing. "I-I just don't-!"

"Shush now, Pinkie," Cup Cake said. "We'll get through this." "You just stay here for the night," Carrot Cake added. "Not even you can run from Canterlot to Ponyville and back again. You get some sleep and, tomorrow, things will be clearer." Pinkie let herself be mollified and brought towards her old room upstairs. As she started to climb the stairs whoever, she caught a glimpse of a pony by the window. She blinked once and it was gone. The image of those horrible corpses by the forest flashed into her head again. She bit her lip and trembled and it was all that both Cakes could do to keep her from bolting.

Chapter 26 Justifications It was already evening by the time Lion Court returned to Black Rose's headquarters. The remainder of the day had not been as interesting as he had hoped it would be. Instead of enjoying a leisurely afternoon getting to know the Element of Generosity a little better, he ended up being kept busy dealing with the details of somepony else's mission. He strode the hall that connected the rooms of his fellow thorns and then smiled when he caught sight of a gray, earth pony mare fiddling with the door to her room. "Octavia," he greeted her. "How was your day?" Octavia seemed startled at first. Then she noticed who it was and dipped her head slightly in greeting. "Mister Lion Court, welcome back," she said. "Mister?" Lion Court asked with mock surprise. "Now where did this formality come from?" A look of confusion crossed Octavia's face briefly. "Well, you are a senior member of our group aren't you?" she said. "Seniority does not rate very high among our group's concerns, Octavia," Lion Court said. He walked closer so that he stood right in front of her. "You may have noticed that we don't carry ranks either. The Thorns stand as equals before each other with only Black Rose as our leader." His lips parted in a warm smile. "So please, my friends call me Lion for short." "A-alright then, Mis-I mean Lion." "Now, may I ask where you're going?" Octavia looked away briefly before answering. "I'm going to tell some of my family about my new job. And possibly some of my old band mates if I could find them." Lion Court nodded in understanding. "Of course," he said. "But the hour has grown quite late and the ponies you'll be speaking with are likely asleep."

Octavia looked around. "Is it that late already?" she asked. "It's hard to tell with these halls." "There are devices in your quarters that can indicate the time of day," Lion Court said helpfully. "I'll help you with them if you like. For now, however, you should get some sleep. I imagine this is a lot to take in." "You're right," Octavia said with a nod. She yawned and then opened the door to her quarters. Before she went in, however, she paused and then turned to face Lion Court again. "Lion," she began hesitantly. "Yes?" "So what instrument do you play?" Lion Court raised an eyebrow. "I dabble a bit in piano and violin," he replied. "But my music is for mere recreation. It's certainly not worthy of even being mentioned alongside yours in any discussion." Octavia closed her eyes and inhaled deeply to compose herself. "Then…why recruit me?" she asked. "I had thought at first that "The Thorns" was a band of sorts but those weapons around your belt and the way Miss Sablesteel was dressed just a few hours ago…is this some kind of private fighting group? I can't…" Her voice trailed off. "Your concern is understandable," Lion Court replied. "Know that we recruited you for your musical talents which means that you are expected perform with those talents, not something else. The Thorns are not mere fighters. We are an elite group that handles most of our mistress's affairs so the talent pool is certainly...diverse." Octavia looked partially mollified by Lion Court's response. His smile widened a bit. This mare was certainly no fighter and he knew that the moment he had spotted her in that café. Still, Warsinger picked her so the inherent talents to wield it must lie within her. There was no need to prod her in anyway. All she needed was a gentle nudge. "But what is Black Rose's goal?" she asked. "Nothing short of Equestria's glory," Lion Court replied confidently.

Octavia stared at Lion Court for a while. Eventually, she couldn't help but return his smile. "I'll just rest for tonight then," she said. "One last thing," Lion Court said. "You mentioned Sable. Is she here at the moment?" "Yes." Lion Court bowed one more time and let the earth pony go back to her room. He made his way through the hall, not to his own room despite his weariness but to somepony else's. He knocked on the door and, when nopony answered, he pulled out his own key and entered anyway. Sablesteel's quarters were easily the biggest out of all the thorns. It was also second only to Longstride's when it came to lack of luxury. Three quarters of the room was taken up by a laboratory where Sablesteel plied the craft handed down to her by her grandfather. Vials, beakers and other sorts of paraphernalia adorned several tables, each one meticulously labeled. One area of the room held containers for various live snakes, spiders and other poisonous creatures while another had a stand which held her gear. As far as comfort was concerned, there was a bed by one corner and a nightstand. Lion Court shook his head at the simplicity. At least it was a step up from the rug that Longstride used. At the center of the laboratory was Sablesteel herself. The pegasus mare was making adjustments to her foreleg devices and replacing its used up poison cartridges with fresh ones. "I'm busy," Sablesteel said. Without even looking, she waved a hoof dismissively. "I imagine you would be," Lion Court replied. He walked into the room and stood just a little behind her. "So busy, in fact, that I didn't expect you to be back here so quickly." "Neither did I," Sablesteel said. "That pink pony is a volatile one. I expected to scare her but not that much. Now I don't even have to follow up. She's probably seeing me everywhere without my help."

"The chosen are more sensitive than you think," Lion Court said. "Of course this means that there really is no need for you to actually kill her loved ones, right?" "I might just to spite you for constantly bothering me about it," Sablesteel replied. She pressed a button on the foreleg device, causing a blade to spring forth. She inspected the piece, making sure that it was still razorsharp and free of any notches or cracks. "I said that I'm not making any promises. I might decide to perform a little corrective surgery on some baker's underbite or try a new formula on some 'random' rock farm." "I'm noticing a distinct lack of smiling on your part, my dear Sable." Sablesteel put down the foreleg device and stared grimly at the table. "You know that I've done a lot of horrible things to a lot of ponies, Lion," she said. "More so than any of us," Lion replied. "You do have the highest kill count in our group and that's without bringing in non-ponies." "But each one of those targets shared one thing in common. They brought it on themselves one way or another; they were a danger to Equestria, they got on Black Rose's bad side, they were idiots…" "True," Lion said. He had a good guess as to where this was going. "And Pinkie Pie?" "Pinkie Pie doesn't deserve this." Sablesteel moved from the tables to where the rest of her gear was and replaced the foreleg device. "She's not a criminal or a spy or even an inconvenient pony to have around. She's just some farmer's daughter who happens to be the Element of Joy. The Blackmoon Blades reacted to threats. They never-!" Sablesteel caught herself and then snorted in frustration. "The Blackmoon Blades died along with your grandfather, Sable," Lion said softly. "We are The Thorns and we do as Black Rose commands." "I know," Sable replied. "It's just…assassinating some traitor is a lot different from scaring some mare witless in order to suck all the joy out of her life."

"And yet our tasks are graver now than they have ever been," Lion Court said, his words taking on a stern tone. "Don't mistake my musings as traitor talk, Lion," Sablesteel hissed. "I'm not like our mistress's spineless brother. Just because I'll make some noise about it doesn't mean I won't skin every foal in the Heartland at her command." "Nopony doubts that," Lion Court said, his tone lightening again. "Nopony better," Sablesteel muttered. She walked towards Lion Court. "I should be going then," Lion Court said. "We both need our rest." "You're not going anywhere." "Oh?" Lion Court looked at Sablesteel askance. In response, she walked right up to him and gave him a vicious shove, knocking him on his back and straight onto her bed. "You think you can just walk into my room and lecture me?" she asked angrily. "You've pissed me off, Lion, you and that wretched pink pony. I'm taking it out on you or my work will suffer tomorrow." "Well, we can't have that," Lion Court said with a smile. His horn glowed briefly, making sure that the door to the room was locked. "I suppose I'll take one for the team." Sablesteel placed her forelegs on either side of the unicorn, pinning him in place. She fixed her eyes on him intently, letting some of her mane droop past her and brush against his face. Lion Court inhaled deeply. The pungent odor of poisonous gas, harmless at this point, still clung to Sablesteel's mane and coat. She had not bathed since coming back from her mission. Though she had likely wiped herself down, she was still grimy and stank of blood and dried sweat. He licked his lips as desire flickered within. "One," Sablesteel said with a snort. She pressed her lips against Lion Court's sword belt and began unbuckling it with her teeth. "If you tire out at one, I'll gut you."

The magical light that illuminated the room dimmed all around the two in response to Sablesteel's will. Black Rose's light enchantments were tailormade for each thorn's room. Black Rose's magic was far from Lion Court's mind for now however. He matched her stare, admiring how the pegasus's green and blue eyes still stood out despite the dim surroundings. "Until you're satisfied then," he said.

It was already evening when Applejack walked the halls of the royal palace on her way to the audience hall. She had decided to take Vanguard's advice and see the royalty but had left off the matter until the day was over. The royalty were, after all, likely busy with so many things and she shouldn't disturb them in the middle of the day. However, instead of winding down, the palace seemed to come even more alive as evening settled. The palace staff were whispering worriedly among themselves while a group of legionnaires walked down the hall urgently. "Applejack!" The earth pony stopped when somepony called her name from behind. She turned around and spotted Twilight Sparkle walking towards her. "Hey, Twilight," she said as the purple unicorn caught up with her. "You need something?" Twilight saluted in response. "I just wanted to talk, vice-captain," she said. Applejack cringed at the gesture and then looked around her. She drew Twilight aside so they could talk in private. "Uh…look, Twilight, I know we're in the same squad and all but there's no need to get all uptight with the rank," she said. "We're still friends first, alright?" Twilight smiled in response. "I was just teasing, Applejack," she said. "Congratulations are in order I suppose." Applejack scratched her head in embarrassment. "Y-yeah," she mumbled. She was still dazed by that development. Just a few hours earlier, Vanguard had asked to talk to her privately and then sprang the invitation. "So what's this about, Vanguard?"

"I'm not going to mince words over this, Applejack. I have an earth pony skirmisher spot in my squad and I want you to be the one to fill it." "I…uh…well…this is so sudden. I mean…I'm flattered and all but aren't there legionnaires who can fight even better?" "Don't sell yourself short. Special Operations has eyes all over the legion to check on candidates and you're not anywhere in the bottom of our list. And there are other circumstances…" "It's because Twilight joined up isn't it?" "Interesting…how'd you know?" "Just a guess. It sounds like something Twilight would do." "She did. That's one more reason. You're still listed as my vice-captain. I don't think there's any need to correct that. Or even consider it a mistake." "Well…alright. You look like you really need the help, Vanguard." Vanguard's looked at Applejack curiously. "That was fast," he remarked. "You know you could say you need to think about this some more." "I thought so too," Applejack replied. "I guess I just can't say no when you ask me all serious like that. Besides, you'll need help reining Twilight and Scarlet in." Vanguard smiled and moved closer, patting Applejack on the shoulder. "True," he said. "I can always count on you, can I?" Applejack shook her head of the recent memory, especially when Twilight started staring at her suspiciously. "S-so, what did you want to talk about, Twi?" she asked. "Well…" Twilight hesitated and, for a few tense moments, Applejack didn't know if she wanted Twilight to continue or just give up and walk away. Twilight eventually made up her mind, however. "Applejack, tell me honestly, do you…do you like Vanguard?"

"Of course I like him, Twi, he's a nice stallion and-" The withering stare from Twilight halted Applejack in her tracks. "You know what I mean." Applejack looked away, fidgeted nervously and then simply let out a long exhale. Of course it would come down to this. Rarity had warned her already but it still caught her unaware. "Well?" Twilight asked impatiently. It was Applejack's turn to fall silent and mull over her next response. There was no trying so sidle out of this conversation. Any more attempts will surely anger Twilight but what was she supposed to say now? She had never prided herself in being able to figure out her friends. It was Rarity who was able to tell things about somepony from just a few signs. She had always been reliant on the assumption that if somepony had a problem, they'd say so honestly. These days however… "No," Applejack mumbled. As soon as the answer left her mouth, she was already questioning why she had said that. Was her answer really no? Rarity didn't believe so back then. The doubts lingered and part of her wanted to take the answer back. Instead of relaxing, Twilight only scrutinized the earth pony further. "Really?" she asked. "You're making that face again, Applejack." It was then that Applejack realized that she was scrunching her lips together and glancing about. She pressed both front hooves against her face and rubbed. When she was sure that her face was blank, she faced Twilight again. "No," she said flatly. More protest welled up inside her but she was more resolute now. "And so is she!" Rarity's words echoed inside Applejack's mind. Dense as she knew she was, even she could now tell that Twilight felt strongly about Vanguard. The unicorn's intensity made it all too clear as to how invested she was on the answer. Rarity was right, their harmony was in danger and she had to do something. Twilight seemed to hesitate when she repeated her answer.

Instead of subsiding, however, the doubt and protest continued to build until she could feel a physical ache in her chest. "Well…okay," Twilight said. She didn't look completely convinced but she backed off. She continued to watch Applejack curiously, however. "Is there something else, Twi?" Applejack asked. She tried to sound emotionless but her voice came out strained from all her internal effort. "I sort have somewhere to go." It was Twilight's turn to look surprised. "No," she said after recovering. "I'll see you later, Applejack." The purple unicorn walked off, a little dazed, as Applejack noticed. With Twilight gone, Applejack pushed everything that had just happened away before a wave of difficult emotions hit her. She was going to meet with one of the royalty. She didn't want to do so looking as if she was about to break down any minute. Another hour passed with Applejack just waiting outside the audience hall. Eventually one royal guard approached her. "Your audience has been granted, Legionnaire Applejack," he said. "Prince Terrato is waiting inside." Applejack let out a sigh. Of the three royal ponies who could have met her, it had to be Prince Terrato. She still remembered the last time she had an audience with him. Prince Terrato enjoyed making ponies squirm. The doors to the audience hall opened, revealing the magnificent sight of the three thrones. Applejack's jaw dropped. This wasn't the audience hall she remembered. A throne of white marble trimmed with gold dominated the central portion of the halls far end, behind the white throne hung a great banner that bore the symbol of the sun. To its left was another throne, this one of obsidian and trimmed with silver. The banner behind the black throne bore a crescent moon. Opposite the black throne was a third one, this one was a plain throne of polished granite with a gray circle on its banner. Stairs led from the thrones and joined together at the center of the hall. "Somepony's admiring my hoof-work I see," a familiar, booming voice resounded within the audience hall.

Applejack quickly focused her attention towards the gray throne and watched as Prince Terrato descended the stairs and walked towards her. She quickly went down on her knees and bowed her head respectfully. "Thank you for taking time to see me, your highness," she said. "Of course I have time to see my favorite almost-dead messenger," Terrato replied. As he approached, Applejack couldn't help but wrinkle her nose a bit. A slightly fishy smell seemed to emanate from the mighty alicorn. "Do you have another one, Applejack? Does mother want me to kick Luna in the face this time?" "Um…no your highness," Applejack replied. "I haven't almost died again. It does have something to do with The Queen." Terrato raised an eyebrow and stayed silent, prompting Applejack to begin explaining. At the end of her story, he walked even closer and examined her. "So you want to know more about this special gift that my mother gave you, hm?" he asked. "Well, The Queen is more of the sort who unlocks the gifts you already have instead of adding things. The most likely scenario is that she provided you a means to tap into your Element of Harmony's more individualized power. If I looked hard enough, I think I can sense it within you and see how you can bring that out. Is that what you want, Applejack?" Applejack nodded in response. Immediately, she felt the alicorn's magic envelop her. A few minutes passed until Terrato "let go". She waited anxiously while the gray alicorn simply frowned and stared at her. "You sure you actually created this shield you said you did?" Terrato finally asked. "I've thoroughly checked and I don't see any particularly strong power coming from the Element of Honesty. In fact, I'm barely sensing the Element of Honesty at all." Confusion spread across Applejack's face. Terrato's words hit her hard. The alicorn may as well have uprooted a tree and smashed her face with it. She could only lower her head further at the result. "I-I'm sorry for wasting your time, your highness," she said. "You didn't," Terrato replied. "Don't think you're failing yet, Applejack. I have a particular fondness for Honesty and Loyalty. Among the Elements of Harmony, their brightness become truly glorious when put to the test."

He eyed her carefully. "Confront whatever's bothering you and we'll see just what The Queen expected from you." Applejack remained kneeling for some time. She had no reply to that.

Vanguard Clash strode swiftly through Canterlot's jail. Around him, royal guards and visitors alike moved out of his way after one look at his grim expression and his bulky armor. Whatever pleasant mood he was in upon Applejack's quick agreement to join had evaporated when he received word of what his other squad member had been up to. He had expected Scarlet Rabbit to be excited by all the new experiences upon reaching the Heartland. The red pegasus had nearly talked his ear off about solid clouds, low altitude clouds, liquid rainbows. All of that was fine. Getting jailed for causing the largest drunken brawl in Canterlot as of date was not. What was worse was that he had dragged Rainbow Dash into the mess as well. "I'm here for Scarlet Rabbit and Rainbow Dash," Vanguard told one of the stationed guards. The royal guard nodded and escorted him through the cells. The Canterlot Jail used to be a small, barely-used building before the legion arrived. Now, a lot of its cells held ponies who couldn't handle their new boozing habit as well as legionnaires who couldn't maintain discipline and, most disturbingly, ponies who disrupted or avoided the draft. He came to the end of one hallway and looked right into one cell. Due to so many new cases, Canterlot Jail was overcrowded and constructions were already underway for additional space. Along with several other ponies was a red pegasus stallion and a rainbow-maned pegasus mare. Both of them were lying on the floor, trying to sleep off a hangover. "Scarlet," he said. The red pegasus got up from and looked at Vanguard, who gestured for him to come over. He obliged and put is face near the bars. "Captain!" he said. "I thought you'd never come!" Vanguard sniffed once before his forelegs shot out, grabbing the red pegasus by the head and then slamming it against the bars. "Who are you and why are you pretending to be Scarlet Rabbit?" he growled. "W-what are you talking about?" the red pegasus asked. He found it difficult to speak with his lips mashed against the bars. "It's me!"

Vanguard slammed "Scarlet's" head a few more times until the red pegasus's nose started bleeding. "Where are they?" he asked. "Scarlet" merely smiled and started chuckling. Vanguard tossed him aside and then turned towards one of the royal guards. "Send word to both Unicorn Guard Captain Shining Armor and Pegasus Guard Captain Bright Shield; Legionnaires Scarlet Rabbit and Rainbow Dash are currently missing and must be found at once." His tone was so urgent that, even though he had no authority over royal guards, they saluted and ran off to do as he said. He glanced back at the impostors. Their deception discovered, they didn't bother maintaining their disguising enchantments. He considered questioning them but it was unlikely that they knew anything at all…

Half an hour passed after Vanguard's visit to Canterlot Jail and he was now looking at his new squad and then some. It was late in the night but both Twilight and Applejack were awake and alert when they heard that some of their friends were missing. He glanced over at his new vice-captain. The earth pony was clearly…distracted about something. He was going to have to talk to her about it later. "Vanguard what's going on?" Twilight asked worriedly. "What happened to Rainbow and Pinkie?" "I've got preliminary reports already," Vanguard replied. "Pinkie Pie has been spotted in Ponyville and is staying in Sugar Cube Corner. I asked Nightcanter and her squad to head over there to pick her up already. As for Rainbow…" Vanguard paused. He could only assume that Rainbow Dash and Scarlet Rabbit had been abducted. Almost as soon as he sent word out, conflicting reports reached him. Apparently, in addition to causing a massive bar room brawl, Scarlet and Rainbow were also seen talking about flying off to Cloudsdale, making their way back to the Barrier Lands, flying off to Ponyville, robbing a local bank and all sorts of incidents. "Rainbow Dash and Scarlet Rabbit are currently missing," he said. Both mares gasped. "Do we have any leads?" Twilight asked.

"That's the problem," Vanguard replied. "We have too many leads. Whoever has taken them has scattered about a hundred decoys to cover their trail." Applejack stomped a hoof against the floor. "In the meantime, who knows what they're doing to Rainbow!" she said angrily. "This is Black Rose's work," Twilight added. "There's no doubting that," Vanguard said. "Both of you get ready; this will be our first mission together."

Chapter 27 A Great Enough Need "I'm telling you, that cellar you have over there is disrupting this entire farm's ley network, especially the ones that affect fortune," Copper Mane insisted. "So long as it's there, your farm will always suffer from a shortage of money even if you have a monopoly over high demand products." "And I'm telling you that we here at Sweet Apple Acres are doing just fine without your "ley watchamahooey"!" the yellow filly replied. She looked over to her companion, a large, red earth pony stallion who stared at Copper Mane with a mild hostility. "Ain't I right, Big Mac?" "Eeyup," the stallion replied. Copper Mane shook his head and turned away. He had come to Ponyville with high expectations when he heard that it was an earth pony settlement but, upon arriving, the dismay nearly made him want to leave at once. It was true that there were plenty of earth ponies in the village and he was heartened to know that its leader was one. However, there was also a sizeable population of goats and birds in the place. "It's a dangerous journey you're undertaking, Copper Mane. The earth ponies of the Heartland do not have access to Rock Maven's teachings. Be wary during your travels there. It is likely that our kin are still slaves to goats and birds." Elder Scatter Scree's warning seemed more and more apt as Copper Mane explored Ponyville. These earth ponies were not wearing chains but all the trappings of slavery were there. Earth ponies pulled the wagons and carriages, worked the farms and did all the manual labor while the goats and birds made themselves comfortable. This was a massive problem that he was attempting to attack and he really had no idea where to begin. "You are young, Copper Mane, young and arrogant. You will soon learn that there is no helping the earth ponies who refuse to follow our ways."

Copper Mane scoffed at the idea. The elders insisted on remaining completely isolated despite the great changes occurring throughout Equestria. Celestia's barrier has come down, opening a clear path to the Heartland and its inhabitants. He had argued before the elders that it was the time to make pilgrimages to the Heartland. The chosen had had no access to Rock Maven's teachings for hundreds of years. The True Earth Ponies should go out of their way to bring the chosen earth ponies into the fold. For his troubles, Copper Mane received nothing but scornful reproaches. That didn't hold him back, however. He went on his own pilgrimage. If he returned to the Great Delve with a group of earth pony converts, he'd prove that he was right and more pilgrimages will follow in his wake. As a start, Copper Mane chose a small earth pony settlement instead of one of the cities. Ponyville was a strange sight to him. It sat on acres of arable land. It certainly had farms but, somehow, it didn't seem like a farming community at all. When he passed by the center of town; there seemed to be a lot of idle earth ponies, birds and goats. He surmised that this place likely started as a farming community that later lost its identity when the birds and goats settled. He had gone to one of the farms in hopes of using his knowledge of ley lines to help improve its lot but, so far, he met no success. He made his way back towards the center of the village to see what else he could do. "Let go! I still have to see my family's rock farm!" "And I've told you that we'll take care of it! You've caused enough problems as it is, Pinkie Pie!" Copper Mane turned towards the sound of the high-pitched shouting and found a pink earth pony mare being lifted by magic. Several other ponies stood around and watched. He recognized the legion's barding on some of them while the others, mostly earth ponies, looked like ordinary villager. "Let go of that earth pony, goat!" he shouted. Seeing the inaction of his kin towards such obvious oppression inflamed him within. He pulled out his channeling tablet and pointed it at the floating pink pony, focusing his mind on harnessing the power of the earth itself. The telekinetic hold around the pink pony broke at his sudden attack. Before anypony could react, he had placed himself between the pink pony

and the legionnaires, one of which was a dark blue unicorn who was maintaining the telekinesis. She shook her head in surprise at his interference, a few of her mane's ringlets falling across her face. She studied him for a while and seemed to recognize his clothes. "This is legion business, true earth pony," she said sternly. "Back away and keep your weird magic to yourself!" The pink pony, instead of running away as Copper Mane had expected, stood behind him. "That stone!" she said. "I got one just like it! Are you one of those 'True Earth Ponies'?" He looked behind him incredulously. A stone just like his tablet? Why would a Heartland earth pony possess a channeling tablet? Before Copper Mane could even say anything, however, he suddenly became aware of what a horrible mistake it was to take his attention away from the goat that was oppressing this pink pony to begin with. Something struck his face hard, sending him sprawling against the dirt. "Oops," the dark blue goat said. "I meant for that to be a warning tap. You really shouldn't ignore me right after attacking my spell." Her voice lowered to a menacing hiss as she walked closer towards Copper Mane. "I have bad reactions to being ignored." Copper Mane shook his head, trying desperately to clear it before the goat attacked again. "You don't scare me, goat," he said defiantly. "I will die before I watch your kind oppress earth ponies and not do anything!" The goat raised an eyebrow. "Oppress?" she asked. "I wasn't oppressing anypony! Celestia drill my backside, you true earth ponies think being tapped on the shoulder is oppression!" She moved past Copper Mane and went over to Pinkie Pie. "Get to the Night Skimmer, Pinkie Pie." The earth pony behind Copper Mane, "Pinkie Pie" as she was called, took another step back. She looked pleadingly at the goat, who was having none of it. "But my family!" she said. "And what do you plan on doing once you make it there?" the goat said in exasperation. "Take on Sablesteel in single combat and win? You think they're in danger? You're putting the Elements of Harmony in danger right now by being far away from them!"

"I…I…!" Pinkie Pie tried desperately to remain defiant but her lips quivered. "I can't just do nothing, Nightcanter!" By the time Copper Mane recovered, he was already surrounded by legionnaires. He tried to take another step towards the goat but several hooves held him in place. "You won't be 'doing nothing'," Nightcanter said, her tone taking a more comforting pitch. "Leave it to us. We'll get your family and the Cakes and whoever else you think is in danger of being assassinated and get them to Canterlot or wherever you think is the safest." Pinkie Pie still looked deflated but she nodded slightly and then walked towards Nightcanter who began to walk somewhere. Nightcanter paused for a moment and then glanced at Copper Mane before motioning for the other legionnaires. "Oh, and arrest that idiot will you? Interfering with legion business and all that." The legionnaires shoved Copper Mane roughly. The bird among them pulled out a crossbow and aimed it at him. "Wait! I want to talk to that pony!" Pinkie Pie told Nightcanter. The dark blue goat let out a sigh. "Fine, toss him inside the Night Skimmer. Confiscate that tablet though." The other legionnaires saluted and led both Copper Mane and Pinkie Pie away.

Despite Captain Nightcanter's reassurances that her family and friends would be protected, Pinkie Pie found it impossible to sit still inside the Night Skimmer. She had barely slept a wink since last night despite her fatigue. Every time she closed her eyes for too long, the image of Sablesteel's wasp-like form standing over those half-melted corpses jolted her awake. She paced about the hold where Nightcanter's Squad had tossed in the true earth pony who had tried to "save" her earlier. His forelegs were bound with rope and his stone tablet had been taken away. When Pinkie had asked to be allowed to talk to him during the trip, Nightcanter had agreed reluctantly before going off to her family's rock farm.

"There's no doubt in my mind that you're an idiot, Pinkie Pie, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt as to whether you're a suicidal idiot. You watch yourself around that true earth pony." The hold's stifling heat and cramped space suited her current mood at the moment. Though the Cakes were secure above decks, she felt as if all the worry she felt was smothering her. Sablesteel could be anywhere doing anything while she was stuck here unable to do anything while other ponies set out to protect her family and friends. It was the same thing that had been happening to her ever since she followed Twilight into the Barrier Lands. While she watched from the sidelines, all her friends did their part to protect what was important. She recalled everything that went down when Nightcanter first burst into Sugarcube Corner looking for her. "Do you have any idea as to the sort of trouble you've stirred up, Pinkie Pie? Special Operations has enough on its plate without having to track you down every time you get it into your empty pink head to run off somewhere!" "But Sablesteel said that she was going to kill the ponies who are precious to me!" "I'm hurt that you're not worried about me then," Nightcanter said flatly. "Time to get back to Canterlot." "No!" "I wasn't asking!" Nightcanter's horn glowed and Pinkie quickly found her forelegs pressed against her sides in a tight, telekinetic grip. She rose several feet in the air and remained suspended there, as Nightcanter walked closer, her face dead serious. "Maybe you haven't noticed, Pinkie Pie, so let me clear things up for you. You're not Pinkie Pie the rock farmer's daughter or Pinkie Pie the baker's assistant anymore. You're Legionnaire Pinkie Pie, Bearer of the Element of Joy. You are expected to be there when called upon, ready to be at Equestria's disposal when the time comes. You mess around like this and you'll be lucky if the only casualties are a couple of families." Without another word, Nightcanter and her squad began to leave the bakery with Pinkie floating helplessly after them.

"Wait," Carrot Cake protested. "There's no need to be so rough! Pinkie Pie came back here because she was worried about us!" "Good that you're so concerned about her because you're coming with us," Nightcanter replied. "Pack your essentials and let's go, all of you." Both Cakes's jaws dropped. "What?" Cup Cake exclaimed. "We can't just close on the spot! And how long are we supposed to stay in Canterlot?" "Until we can make sure you're not being targeted." Nightcanter looked back to Pinkie. "So who else should we uproot from their lives and send to Canterlot?" she asked. Pinkie's lower lip stuck out as she glared at Nightcanter. Tears threatened to burst out of her eyes. "You're a meanie," she said. "I thought you were nice when we went to the Everfree Forest together!" "Why all the anger, Pinkie? Isn't that what you came here to do? You brought this on them, take some responsibility." Pinkie Pie pressed her lips together. Responsibility. There was that word again. She thought that responsibility meant being able to take care of the Cake twins and running the bakery while Carrot and Cup Cake had to be off somewhere. Responsibility never included ponies getting hurt and dying. She couldn't deal with this responsibility with what she had. Not only that, Nightcanter was right. By sending her loved ones to Canterlot, she was going to uproot them. But she didn't want to uproot anypony. She just wanted them safe. She wished with all her heart that neither the Cakes nor her own family had to be involved in all of these things, that she could be cast a magic spell like Twilight Sparkle and keep them all safe without making their lives harder or a spell to make Sablesteel not want to hurt anypony. But she wasn't a unicorn or even a pegasus, she wasn't even a strong earth pony like Applejack. All she had was… "Um…do you need something?" the true earth pony asked. In the blink of an eye, Pinkie was right in front the true earth pony, grasping his head with her front hooves and shaking him. "You're one of those true earth ponies, right?" she asked. She showed him the tablet that had confounded her for several days already. "Can you tell me how to work this

thing? I saw you use one! Can I do magic stuff with it? Something like those shields that Twilight makes? Please, please, please show me!" The true earth pony tried to speak but the constant shaking made it all but impossible. "Hold…on...ow!" He yelped in pain when his teeth clamped down on his tongue. Pinkie Pie let go and back away slightly. "Sorry, true earth pony," she said. "Will you show me how to work that tablet now?" The true earth pony steadied himself and then examined his tongue. "First of all, my name is Copper Mane, not 'true earth pony'. Second, how did you get a channeler's tablet? Are you a true earth pony? Has a sect of true earth ponies actually developed here in the Heartland?" "I'm not a true earth pony!" Pinkie Pie replied. "Wait, I am an actual earth pony but not a true earth pony like you. I mean I am an earth pony like you except not like you with the masks and the weird magic and the thinking unicorns are goats thing." "Then how did you get this tablet?" Pinkie Pie quickly narrated her encounter with the true earth ponies back in FangBreaker Fortress. The mention of a stone-faced mask caused Copper Mane's eyes to widen in recognition. "An elder," he said. "You said FangBreaker Fortress which is all the way up the Northern Barrier Land. You must have met Elder Treefield. He answered the call for reinforcements to that place." "Yeah, he was kinda creepy with that mask and he was always whispering to his friend instead of talking to me. Do your elders-" Pinkie stopped and shook her head. "What am I doing? No time for random questions!" She took a step forward, making Copper Mane shrink back in fear. "Tell me to put up a shield or be able to tell if somepony's going to get attacked! You true earth ponies have that weird magic right? Elder Treefield said that I was some kind of channeler or something. Teach me!" "I will if you promise not to shake all my teeth loose!" Copper Mane exclaimed. He threw his forelegs up in fright and kept them there until Pinkie Pie backed away. "I'm going to teach you because I respect Elder Treefield a lot for venturing forth unlike the other elders. He must have

seen a great deal of talent in you but apparently couldn't follow through with teachings. I warn you though, I'm still a student of ley channeling myself. All I can offer are the basics." "Okay," Pinkie Pie said seriously. She sat down and held the tablet Treefield gave her. "Let's start with a basic shield then!" Copper Mane looked at her disapprovingly. "Let's clear some things for you first, Pinkie Pie," he said. "For one thing, we're not goats." "Duh! Of course we're not goats! We're ponies! Wait…you mean unicorns don't you? Why do you keep calling unicorns goats?" Copper Mane frowned and tried to loosen his restraints. "Because 'unicorns' are a type of goat." "No they're not. They're ponies!" "They resemble earth ponies only in the same way lizards resemble dragons. Regardless, keep in mind that we are not like them. 'Magic' is what these goats do. They possess a personal store of power which they use to bend nature to their wills." Pinkie Pie was listened quietly for a while, her brow furrowing in thought. "You think lizards are dragons?" she asked. Copper Mane ground his teeth so hard that Pinkie could hear them. "Fine!" he said in exasperation. "For the sake of moving past this point, I'm going to call them 'unicorns'! Will that make you happy?" Pinkie Pie nodded eagerly just to please this grouchy pony. She couldn't understand why he was so hung up with names but she needed a way to protect her loved ones. Captain Nightcanter's earlier words had stung her badly because they were right. What was the point of getting to her loved ones if she had no way to stop Sablesteel? Copper Mane cleared his throat. "As I was saying. Unlike go-unicorns, we earth ponies do not have this personal store of power. What we haven instead is a natural connection to the vast amount of power that flows through the earth through ley lines. Through this connection, we can direct the flow of energy to help us. This is why we do not 'use magic' we channel

ley energy. Magic is selfish and unnatural, channeling is harmonious and part of nature. Do you understand that?" Pinkie Pie nodded again. She didn't really understand but she was anxious to get to the part where she could defend her friends. She was beginning to think that these true earth ponies may not like unicorns as much as earth ponies so she guessed that it was important for Copper Mane to say that what he was doing wasn't magic but something else. "Alright then," Copper Mane continued. "Why don't we try some basic channeling? Hold the stone that Elder Treefield gave you." Pinkie sat up straight and did as she was told. "Okay, what's next?" she asked. "Concentrate on your connection to the earth." "My what?" "Your connection!" Copper Mane said impatiently. "Surely, you must have felt it at least once when you accidentally channeled! How else would Elder Treefield have known that you had the gift?" "I dunno, he just came out of nowhere after I saved Sharpfangs from having a jar of salt land on his head." Copper Mane looked at her suspiciously. "And how did you save this Sharpfangs from getting hit by a jar of salt?" "Oh, that's easy" Pinkie said with a smile. "My Pinkie Sense warned me!" "What in the hay is a Pink-" Copper Mane stopped himself. "Never mind what you call it," he said. "Concentrate on it, try to will it to happen." "But I can't just make it happen!" Pinkie Pie protested. "It just does when-" "Hush! Forget about what you think triggers it!" Copper Mane stared intensely at Pinkie, his eyes suddenly knowing. "You've had this 'Pinkie Sense' all your life, correct? For all that time you must have thought that it was just some random, amusing thing that happened to you and it happened to be useful. You've never found a need to find out more or

develop it. It was some quirk and you were fine with it being that way. Now you need it to be more than a quirky, helpful thing. You need it to be effective against your problems and, most of all, you need it to be there on command when you want it, not when it wants to." Pinkie Pie pouted and avoided looking at Copper Mane. The nearness of what he was saying to what really happened made her uncomfortable. It didn't help that it was only a few minutes ago that Nightcanter was telling her something similar. "Twilight tried to find out more about it," she said quietly. "Hmph! Let me guess, this Twilight isn't even an earth pony is she?" "She's a unicorn." "How sure are you that she didn't find out anything then? She may have found out a lot of things and refused to tell you for fear of you surpassing her power!" "That's not how Twilight is at all!" Pinkie protested. "You haven't even met her!" "I don't need to meet her," Copper Mane said as he turned up his nose. "Goats are all alike." "You're doing it again! Unicorns aren't goats!" "We'll get nowhere with that. Go back to willing your power to come forth. Concentrate!" Pinkie held the tablet and stared at it hard. She stared until the muscles in her face ached from the constant frowning and drops of sweat dripped down her chin. Nothing happened. "Nothing's happening," she said at last. "That's because you weren't concentrating," Copper Mane retorted. "You were just staring at the tablet and trying to frown your eyebrows off. Try to recall the last time you used your power; the sensations, the state of your mind…try to will them forth." Pinkie's mind went back to the salt jar incident when she suddenly remembered that something more recent had happened. There was that

time inside Clover the Clever's home. The tablet had activated and she was seeing these strange colors. What had she been feeling back then? There was a deep curiosity for what was going on and this heightened awareness of all those beautiful colors. There was… "There!" Copper Mane said. Pinkie looked down and saw that the gems embedded onto the stone tablet were indeed glowing. As soon as she looked down, however, the light faded and the gems became inert once more. "Don't stop!" Copper Mane said excitedly. "Keep doing what you were doing a while ago!" Pinkie tried again, harder this time. The floor beneath them suddenly lurched. "Did I do that?" she asked. Copper Mane looked around him. "Perhaps," he said. "Or this vessel is moving." He hopped over a nearby porthole and saw that the ground was rapidly becoming farther. He swallowed nervously, beads of sweat already forming by his forehead. "We're flying," he said. "Nopony said anything about flying!" "Duh!" Pinkie Pie said. "We're in an airship. Relax! Tell me what to do next!" "This is unnatural!" Copper Mane said. He huddled by one corner of the hold. "Birds fly, not earth ponies!" It was Pinkie's turn to raise an eyebrow. "Are you scared of flying?" she asked. "S-scared? No! I'm indignant! This is no way to transport a true earth pony!" Pinkie shrugged her shoulders and went back to concentrating on the tablet. "It's useless now," Copper Mane said. Pinkie glanced at him briefly and saw that his eyes watered a bit and he looked a little green around the edges. He was obviously trying to compose himself and was failing for the

most part. "If we're flying, we're far away from the ground. You can't channel here." The words of discouragement threatened to smother the sliver of hope that Pinkie had been nurturing. With a defiant shake of her head, she concentrated even harder. She was starting to get what Copper Mane was talking about. It was like…it was like moving a limb she never knew existed; like a fifth leg or an extra head. She was getting somewhere now and she didn't want Copper Mane's pessimism to ruin things. Then, as if answering her stubborn optimism, the entire hold began to glow softly. Faint rainbow colors, just like the ones she saw back inside Clover the Clever's refuge, lingered around the wooden walls of the airship's hold. Unlike the previous time she saw them, the colors didn't flow like water and seemed barely there. "I did it…" she whispered. She looked at Copper Mane, unable to keep her face straight as excitement flooded her. "I did it!" she cried out. The gems on her tablet shone brightly. In return, Copper Mane stared at her with his mouth hanging open. "That's impossible," he said. "Miles from the earth, what could you possibly be channeling?" He dragged himself forward and then looked down when his forelegs struck the wooden floor. "Of course," he said. "Ley energy flows into trees and small quantities are retained in the wood…" He looked around. "Probably in the metal too. But I've never heard of being able to channel with such minute quantities." He looked at Pinkie, his eyes narrowing. "Try to do something with the ley energy," he suggested. "Do something?" Pinkie asked. She was put at a loss so suddenly that the gems on her tablet began to wane. With a gasp, she concentrated again for an entire minute before daring to say anything else. "What am I supposed to do?" "Look down," Copper Mane said. On instinct, Pinkie did as she was asked. The wooden floor swirled with faint colors as if she was standing on a very shallow pool. Suddenly, the colors directly below her face seemed to ripple, gently at first and then more violently as it went on. Her tail began to twitch and, on impulse, she moved her head slightly to the side before staring at it. It seemed that some of the ripples somehow climbed up her leg and was flowing through her tail.

Copper Mane's drinking glass struck the floor where the rippling was and shattered. Pinkie's eyes widened. "What was that for?" she asked Copper Mane indignantly. "Well, you can now replicate what you did before," Copper Mane said. "I can do that without the fancy swirling colors!" "You've barely scratched the surface of what you can do," Pinkie Pie grabbed Copper Mane's head with both hooves again. "Then help me scratch the surface!" "No shaking!" Copper Mane exclaimed. He put his forelegs up before she could even begin. "I'll help you. It's my responsibility to make sure a channeler with so much potential will grow in the true earth pony way." "Wait," Pinkie said with a tilt of her head. "Does that mean we're friends now?" Copper Mane looked at her suspiciously, his lips seemingly halfway to "yes" when he stopped himself to think. "You are friends with creatures that I do not wish to be friends with, Pinkie Pie," he finally said. "But I think I can be your friend." He put an emphasis on "your". Pinkie Pie answered with a smile. "Well, it's a start!" she said cheerily. The cheer quickly melted into fresh worry, however. "Oh no…that means Sablesteel will try to kill you now as well…" Copper Mane stared at her in alarm. Before either pony could say anything, however, they heard a pony call out from above decks. "Canterlot in sight!" one of Nightcanter's squad members shouted. Pinkie dashed towards a nearby porthole and poked her head out. The white spires of Canterlot were indeed already by the horizon. She let the breeze blow her mane about, reveling in the wave of coolness that blew away the stagnant heat of the hold.

Chapter 28 The Younger Sibling With a quick turn and just a bit more bounce in her gait, Celestia rounded the little circle of pink flowers. On her back, her little brother squealed with delight and held on tightly to her neck and mane. "Take care now, your highness!" her guardian, Animus Arcem called out to her from a distance. The great city of Empyrea housed many gardens, each one a veritable forest on its own. It was the flowers that constantly drew Celestia to them. The riotous explosion of colors and the storm of fragrances, both of which were contrasted by the carefully ordered buildings and streets of the city always enchanted her. "Oh, relax, Arcem," she said with a giggle. "I'm not going to drop my little brother!" She turned to look at Terrato. "Isn't that right, Terry?" The little gray foal would have replied with something if he didn't have a hank of his sister's pink mane in his mouth. A cold breeze suddenly blew through the garden, halting Celestia in her tracks. For a moment, even the warmth of Empyrea itself receded, leaving her shivering and puzzled. She looked around to see what was going on and quickly realized that she wasn't the only pony who had noticed. Animus Arcem ran towards her, his face marred with concern. The moment passed and Celestia put the strange sensation out of her mind. "Your highness!" Animus Arcem said once he was close enough. "I think we should return to the palace now." Celestia barely heard her guardian, however. She looked past him and noticed the lone alicorn walking the street just outside the garden. He was coming from the direction of the palace. There was no mistaking her older brother, Oceanus. His mane was a wave of myriad shades of blue, constantly ebbing and flowing like the waters of the seven rivers. His coat was a silver that gleamed brighter than the spires of Empyrea itself and his

eyes were of a blue so dark and deep that it seemed as if light itself failed to illuminate their depths. He walked down the street with his usual formal gait, graceful and controlled all at once. Right now, however, he stepped with just a bit more force than he normally did. "Big brother!" Celestia called out. Before Animus could stop her, she lifted Terrato with her magic and handed him over to her guardian before running towards Oceanus. It was likely that her elder sibling had just come from the palace after meeting with their parents. His day of ascension must be close! She checked her appearance as she ran, making sure that there were no leaves or petals on her and that her mane was neatly arranged and clean of her little brother's spit. There was no warm smile from Oceanus when his eyes focused on her but Celestia already expected that. Her older brother was the most formal, most regal pony in the entire Eternal Herd, a match even for their father and mother. That didn't stop her from trotting happily just in front of him as he walked. She knew that, past that serious mien, he must be beaming inside. His long strides made it difficult for her to catch up with her short legs but she made up for her lack of height with enthusiasm. "Did you just finish speaking to father?" she asked excitedly. "You must be ascending soon! When's the coronation?" "Get out of my way, Celestia." "What?" Before Celestia could even think about her brother's words, his magic enveloped her, lifting her off her hooves and dangling her right before his face. His magic felt like a sheaf of frost wrapped all around her. She whimpered, tears immediately springing from her eyes. "I said out of my way," Oceanus said. His voice was colder than ice and harder than stone. He flung her to the side, sending her tumbling against the pavement. Animus Arcem was next to Celestia in an instant. He helped her to her hooves and then glared at the passing prince. "You go too far, Prince Oceanus!" he said angrily. "What has your sister done to be treated like

this?" Terrato, curious about what was going on, started climbing down Animus. Oceanus didn't even look back. Celestia galloped towards him again. There was no mistaking it. She must have done something horrible to offend him. She was ready to kneel down and beg for forgiveness once she caught up to him. "Your highness, no!" Animus called after her. She heard him cast a spell and turned her head briefly to glance behind her. When Celestia looked ahead again, Oceanus's sword, a slender, translucent blade of dark blue, was already swinging towards her face. There was no time to try to duck, she closed her eyes and the blade bit into her face, just above her right eye. Pain, pain that Celestia had never felt or even imagined before, surged into the cut and burst into her mind like a violent flood. She flew backwards, tumbled against the unfeeling stone of Empyrea and then right into Animus Arcem's hooves. She pressed a hoof against her right eye and trembled as she felt something wet and sticky trickle down her face. With her left eye she saw that Oceanus had stopped to glare at her. His lips moved but she could hardly hear the words because of the ringing in her ears. She saw the movement, however, and read the words. "What makes you so much better?" "Oceanus!" Animus Arcem charged at the prince, his horn crackling with magical energy. Another second passed and he was careening towards the opposite direction. Oceanus walked on. Celestia wanted to chase after him and ask what she had done wrong. Why did he have to hurt her? More alicorns were arriving in the area as Oceanus disappeared from sight. She heard a soft tapping to her side and looked to find Terrato crawling nearby. A trickle of tears had escaped from Celestia's right eye and then mingled with the blood. The mixture continued to trickle down and then dropped against the floor. Terrato, still puzzled by everything that had just happened, crawled over to inspect the drop with his hooves. The little grey foal tapped against the blood and tears and got them on a hoof. His eyes wide, he brought the hoof against his mouth and gave it a lick.

Celestia opened her eyes with a start and found herself back in her room in the royal palace. After sitting up, she put a hoof to her face and found it still a little moist. She had been crying in her sleep apparently. Her hoof also traced the very thin scar that cut across her right eyebrow. It was difficult to notice, even if somepony was actually looking for it and if it wasn't covered by her mane all the time. However, with so many traces of Oceanus being uncovered recently, she had been more and more conscious of it. "What makes you so much better?" The questioned continued to linger within Celestia's mind. Oceanus had not ascended the throne that day. Their father refused to give his eldest the throne even if it meant delaying the cycle. Though neither he nor their mother made any announcement, many within the Eternal Herd assumed that it was Celestia who will ascend to the throne. The cycle must continue. After ruling for so long, Sanctus Dominus and Divina Gratia must step down, allow themselves to be diminished and rejoin the herd while others took to the throne. That was the way of the Eternal Herd. If it wasn't Oceanus, once so promising and majestic, it had to be somepony else. "What makes you so much better?" She questioned her father's decision so long ago, when she was a hurt little filly clutching at her wounded face. She questioned it now as a princess who had gone against her father's wishes. She had thought that she was doing the right thing only to make so many bad choices and face their consequences. A knock on her door brought Celestia out of her moody reverie. She made sure that her eyes were dry before the second knock. "Celestia?" a concerned Terrato said through the door. "Are you alright? I heard you cry out." "I'm fine," Celestia replied. She didn't recall crying out. She had probably done so while she was asleep. Terrato had heard it somehow. That didn't surprise her this time. Just what part of Canterlot didn't her brother have eyes and ears in?

The door opened and Terrato looked into the room. "You missed breakfast," he said. "Luna asked me to see if you're alright so…are you sure you're alright? You've slept in rather late this time." "Last night was rather taxing," Celestia answered. "I'm surprised Luna is already up and about." "So am I," Terrato said. "Our little sister's been quite busy lately and she says she can't afford to take too much time recovering." His eyes narrowed. "She's been a little too busy if you ask me." The sudden shadow across her younger brother's face was enough to tell Celestia what he really meant by that. Though he officially shared authority over the legion with his sisters, it was hardly a secret to Celestia that her brother had agents out there who answered only to him. She stood up and looked at him. Terrato was careful not to take so much as a single step into her room. Whatever concern he let his voice show, he now masked with his face. He had been noticeably distant these past few days and his actions have been more subtle. There were no grand announcements and no masses of troops marching across Equestria. The draft and training went on but it did so quietly. Yet Terrato was moving. Squads of Special Operations ponies were all over the Heartland, always watching and reporting to him. For all his rumble and roar, when Terrato wished to be silent, he was. It was one of his less understandable moves that now urged Celestia to speak up. Cadance's report had disturbed her and Terrato had been tightlipped about the whole affair. "Terrato," she said. "Tell me your plans with the Draco'dim. Why did you bring them to the Heartland?" "Maybe you should get something to eat first, Celestia; a meal and a bath to help you through the day before we get to those matters." "I'm not a foal that needs your constant nursing, Terrato. Tell me now, and maybe I can enjoy my meal and bath with my mind at ease." "Fine," Terrato replied. He stood there so stiffly that Celestia felt uncomfortable just looking at him. It dawned upon her that she didn't like

seeing him so stone-faced and distant. Fierce and impatient Terrato, always looking for a fight and boisterous with his affections towards his sisters may fill her with concern but this quiet, defensive Terrato left her with an ache in her chest. "You don't need to stand on ceremony," Celestia said. Come inside and sit down. I'm not taking you away from pressing matters am I?" "No." Terrato sat on the floor, still a good distance from Celestia. A few more seconds passed before he spoke again. "The Draco'dim are necessary to keep the Heartland's dragons in line," he said. "In line by killing them in numbers?" "Their methods are brutal, their members are arrogant and their long-term goals are highly suspect. They enforce two rules, however, which remain useful; no eating ponies and no invading their settlements. I would bring them in even if they had no intention of coming to the Heartland just to avoid diverting resources to control these newly un-enchanted dragons. That's not even the case. The Draco'dim have agents of their own and they would have found out about the situation with the Heartland's dragons anyway. All I did was exploit Afralhadar's sense of "honor" to gain some benefits for the legion." "You're said it yourself, Terrato," Celestia replied. "These are pride dragons. They won't stop with 'keeping dragons in line'." "I know," Terrato said. Celestia waited for her brother to say something else; a reassurance from him that the Draco'dim will ultimately not prevail in their tyranny, an apologetic acknowledgement of the whole dragon issue. Instead, she felt as if she was watching a fortress lock down. "And where does Spike fit in all this?" she asked. Luna had already told her about Spike's journey to the Western Barrier Land. "What are you talking about?"

"Before the division, Drelhadar and Reinfadora entrusted one of their eggs to me, one that was enchanted by temporal stasis. Spike hatched from that egg." "Really? Small world. Who broke the temporal stasis?" Celestia frowned at the very obvious lies and misdirection. "Twilight Sparkle," she replied. The whole thing was one giant accident. Several of the directors who were examining Twilight despised her father and didn't want her enrolled. They were able to pull enough strings to gain access to the egg. They then proceeded to 'test' Twilight with a task even full-fledged graduates from the academy would have found impossible. Twilight managed to somehow. Just in time to impress Celestia as she was on her way to the academy to reacquire the egg. "Twilight Sparkle," Terrato said flatly. "Of course." "I don't think it's a stretch to assume you found out about all of these things during your first visit to Canterlot," Celestia went on. "What are you planning for the sole surviving son of the Dragon Scourge?" "I just want him to grow stronger and help out his friends," Terrato said. "Terrato…" Terrato let out a sigh. "Yes, Spike will have a role to play, just like all of his friends," he said. "I won't say more than that." He looked at her, his stony expression cracking slightly. "I don't like this. He's hardly more than a hatchling. However, the defense of the realm must come first." Terrato stood up and looked to the door. "Do you need anything else from me?" he asked. "No," Celestia said. She thought of looking into the matter more deeply. Luna had mentioned that she had eyes in the Barrier Lands already but Celestia doubted whether they would be able to gain any information that Terrato didn't decide to feed them anyway. This was his game and he has had hundreds of years worth of practice. Luna meant well and she led well but there was a great gulf between the two when it came to experience.

Besides, there had to be a better way than the three of them trying to outmaneuver one another. Terrato will speak eventually. If he could just trust his sisters more, there wouldn't be any need for this. Celestia had thought about it and realized that this was something she had to work on. She walked towards her brother slowly and reached out to place a hoof on his shoulder. Part of her face, just above her right eye, tingled and ached. She didn't let this make her back down this time. It was Terrato who flinched. For a moment he looked ready to pull back as if she was trying to stab him with a weapon. He forced himself to settle down and her hoof touched his shoulder. "Take care of yourself, Terrato," she said. "Luna isn't the only one I'm worried about being overexerted." The gesture had caught him off guard. His lips twisted slightly but he didn't say anything else. With a brief nod, he turned around and left.

It was only after he was a good distance from his eldest sister's room did Terrato let himself relax a little and he was only too glad to get back to work. He had pressing concerns coming in from Special Operations. The one that stood out the most was the disappearance of Rainbow Dash and Black Rose's involvement in it. Special Operations was already out in force. As he neared his destination, he actually welcomed the transition from the white and gold halls of the royal palace to gray stone of its barely maintained dungeon. Canterlot had a small jail for most of its very rare criminals. The dungeon was supposed to be for more dangerous political prisoners. Supposed to be anyway. When Barrier Lands ponies arrived to inspect it, the dungeons housed nothing but rats and spiders. After a few minutes of walking, Terrato was joined by a legionnaire; Captain Bladescrape of Special Operations' ninth squad. "The prisoner transfer has been completed successfully, your highness," Bladescrape said after a brief bow. "Good," Terrato replied. "Did he cause any trouble?"

"He showed a great deal of cooperation. We were suspicious, of course, but we didn't encounter any actual difficulties." "So his sister hasn't bothered to fetch or silence him," Terrato mused out loud. "That narrows it down to him not being a threat, being full of misinformation or us actually doing a good job." He looked towards Bladescrape. "Has he said anything else?" "A lot actually, your highness," Bladescrape said. "He's provided us with a lot of information on how to identify Black Rose's agents but he's cautioned us that she has probably changed many of her usual methods now that she knows he's turned on her." "And how has his information been so far?" "Surprisingly effective nonetheless, your highness. We've confirmed several agents already." A shadow fell across Bladescrape's face. "Black Rose has a frighteningly large information network." "Of course she does." Terrato didn't bother hiding his smile of admiration. The two of them stopped in front of Blue Moon's cell. Black Rose's younger brother was both manacled and shackled to the three walls of his cell. He was still horn-locked and six guards stood by his cell at all times. Upon Terrato's arrival, Blue Moon did as best he could to kneel down. The other guards swiftly bowed their greeting. Terrato studied the unicorn for a while. Blue Moon's rise within the legion would have been a legend all on its own. Except that he spent most of his career under his sister's shadow. Among certain legionnaires, he was known as "Legionnaire Almost" in comparison to his sister; almost as powerful, almost as strategic, and almost as pretty. Terrato had carefully watched the unicorn back then. He was concerned that Blue Moon was resentful of Black Rose's acclaim and that he would try to sabotage her. He never did. On the contrary, he worked closely with his sister, supporting her every endeavor and going so far as to lead her special squad.

"I've been hearing about how helpful you've been, Blue Moon," Terrato said. "I wish only to serve Equestria, your highness," Blue Moon replied. "And that's what you'll continue to do." Terrato paused as he continued to study the prisoner. Blue Moon's sincerity seemed genuine. Perhaps he really did go against his older sister because she had gone too far and that his loyalty to Equestria had always been pure and unflinching. Even considering that left him feeling the bitter sting of shame inside. Unflinching loyalty. He had been so confident before that that was one of his strengths. Recent events had left him full of doubt. Things were so much easier when "do as Celestia asks" served as his guiding principle. Reunification had left him examining his own ideas about Equestria and doubting the things he had done and planned on doing. Looking at the unicorn now, it was likely that Blue Moon had gone through something similar. He turned towards Bladescrape. "Let him out of there," he said. "Your highness?" Bladescrape asked as he blinked in confusion. "Keep him horn-locked and under guard but I think Blue Moon deserves a little mobility and a change of scenery," Terrato added. "I'm honored by this show of trust," Blue Moon said. In response, Terrato's horn flashed with magic. Most of the ponies in the room blinked and then looked around. Nothing seemed to have happened. Blue Moon kept his gaze on Terrato, however. The look on his face showed that he understood. "As you should be," Terrato said. He was about to say more when, all of a sudden, he felt an all too familiar wave of magic gently caress his mind. Black Rose. Black Rose was trying to contact him. The brazen move left him astonished for a moment and then made him smile. Why was he even surprised? This was classic Black Rose. He saw the other ponies around him look at him with concern. "Keep on being useful, Blue Moon. I'm in

constant need of agents these days and I'll be happy to take the ones Black Rose loses." With that, he cast another spell and teleported out of the palace. High above Canterlot, Terrato looked around for a secure place and then considered having this meeting with his sisters. He dismissed the thought, however. Black Rose would simply cease trying to contact him if things weren't private. He flew on, distancing himself from the capital until it was a mere speck by the horizon. Only then did he cast the spell that would bring Black Rose's image before him. "It is so nice to see you again, your highness," Black Rose said. In the magical image, she was reclining on a bed, her mane and tail carelessly spread all round her. His gaze lingered on her wings. The black feathers looked lovely. Black Rose wore power well and with ease. As futile as it likely was, Terrato was already working on tracing the spell back to its source. "Black Rose," he said. He focused on the most pressing concern. "What have you done to Rainbow Dash?" "So quick to the point. Indulge me a little and I'll tell you in all honesty." Terrato used to find the little games amusing. That was when they were limited to just the two of them and didn't involve the lives of the Elements of Harmony. "Alright," he said. Her usually playful gaze suddenly softened. "Tell me, beloved, if I returned Celestia's power and turned over my resources to the three of you, can we go back to how we used to be back then?" "Yes," Terrato replied. He matched her tenderness with his own, making it sound like he was imploring her. "Come to Canterlot and restore my sister's power. You can take your place with me once more. You can lead the legion as you used to and I'll defend you from anypony who insists on punishment." The answer actually gave Black Rose pause, her eyes wide in wonder. Then her lips slowly curved into a smile. After a few more seconds, she

burst into laughter. Terrato let himself chuckle a little as well. "Point taken," she said. "I thought so," he replied. There was no need to say anything else to say about that idea. "Now, can we get to more serious things?" "That was a serious thing," Black Rose replied quietly. "But I will talk about Rainbow Dash. She's in a rather uncomfortable situation at the moment." She took a more reassuring tone at the sight of Terrato's concern. "There's no need to worry, my prince, I don't want the Elements of Harmony dead." "Where is she?" "Now where's the fun in just telling you right away? That would leave poor Longstride in a bad spot." 'Longstride," Terrato thought. He remembered the silent pegasus who always kept to himself even when the rest of the Thorns were together. Black Rose was pitting her special squad against the Elements of Harmony. "What happened to 'in all honesty'?" he asked. "Isn't my reassurance enough?" Black Rose asked. She put on a mock hurt face. He snorted in response. "Very well, since you're so serious. I wish to negotiate a trade, my prince. I will set your Special Operations on the right path towards Rainbow Dash. Mind you, I won't hand her to them giftwrapped. I also have a good idea of what's going on in the Eternal Herd. I have some tidbits that you are certain to find useful about the oh-socharming Gravitas." "And what do you want in return?" Terrato asked. "A meeting with you in person," Black Rose replied. Any trace of mocking or amusement disappeared from her face. "Just the two of us in a specified place. No violence or trickery. I will tell you all I have just promised." "What's wrong with magical communication?"

Black Rose's tone saddened. "If you don't understand, my prince, 'stonecold' is too warm a term for you. I think you do understand though. It's just a little difficult to accept because of the things I've had to do.' Terrato did understand. At least, he believed he did. He also knew that dealing with the Ninth Rebellion would be far easier than this. Oceanus would likely be strong enough to rip him and his sisters apart with glee but, at least, he was a complete monster that Terrato could charge at without hesitation. "Name the place," he said. The smile returned to Black Rose's face. "Won't your sisters be suspicious?" she asked. "Shouldn't you consult with them first?" "They already are," Terrato replied. "And with good reason." He could imagine some the responses already. Luna would vehemently refuse and say this was about as blatant a trap as possible and that Black Rose may as well dangle a giant cage over a piece of carrot. She'd have a point too. This had all the trappings of a trap. A void knife to the heart and Black Rose would have power over the sun and the earth, if she didn't explode from taking in too much power. Although it could be argued that the obviousness was the guarantee that it wasn't. Still, this was a certainly a risk he was taking. What for? Some bits of information that he and his sisters could acquire through other means? 'No,' he admitted to himself. He knew the truth. The information was important and were what pushed him to risk this but that he wanted to see Black Rose in person as well was also a reason. As for Celestia…he pushed the thought away with a snort. If this had happened yesterday, he'd have a clear idea of what Celestia would say. But this morning muddled those expectations up. "Well?" he asked. "Let's hear it." "The Heavenly Basin," Black Rose said. Terrato snorted. The Heavenly Basin, the place where it all should have ended. Getting there alone would be quite a trip. Black Rose was giving Longstride a head start. He hoped that Rainbow Dash was made of sterner

stuff. "Let me make some arrangements," he replied. There would plenty of those. He was meeting the enemy in a place of her choosing. Preparations had to be made, including contingencies in case Equestria had to function without him. Perhaps he should consult with Luna and Celestia, just to give them warning about what might happen. If he played his cards right, he could very well find out what her plans for Regia Carnifex were. For an instant, it seemed as if Black Rose's face had lit up in anticipation. After that instant, she had that serene smile once more. "I'll see you there then," she said.

Chapter 29 Lion Rampant Morning in Canterlot found Rarity not out shopping or even in Hammer Chain's smithy but roaming the royal palace's hallways. She had woken up in her new quarters in the royal palace expecting to meet the rest of her friends for breakfast or, at least, see them as they headed off to wherever they were needed. Instead she ended up sharing breakfast only with Fluttershy. The yellow pegasus looked positively heartbroken at the sight of the empty dining hall that Rarity felt like apologizing despite not having done anything wrong. She did, however, harbor a suspicion that her other friends were not exactly absent because they wanted to be. When Fluttershy had flown off to assist Redbrand again, she went through the halls of the royal palace. Though she abhorred violence and really did prefer to work her craft in peace, in truth, Rarity was tired of this. She was tired of being left in the background while Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash and Applejack took to the frontlines. She glanced at belt she wore around her midriff. Attached to it were the mage-blades that she now carried with her at all times, sheathed in leather of her own design. She can fight. She had thought about that encounter with Nightmare Moon back in Bastion City. She didn't have Twilight Sparkle's magical "muscle" but she knew she could do her part if she put her mind into it. It bothered her greatly that she had given so little in helping her friends and all of Equestria for that matter. "She joined what?" somepony exclaimed. Rarity recognized Shining Armor's voice coming from further down the hallway she was walking. She spotted Twilight's older brother talking to a couple of legionnaires. "Is something wrong, Captain Shining Armor?" she asked.

Shining Armor dismissed the other royal guards and then turned to see who was talking to him. Rarity was taken aback when she saw the scowl on his face. Seeing her discomfiture, he quickly calmed himself. "Miss Rarity," he said. "Did you know anything about this?" "Know anything about what?" "Twily joining up with the legion's Special Operations! Applejack too!" "Well…" Rarity looked away in embarrassment. It didn't take much for her to assume that they had joined Vanguard's squad. "I might have suspected something." Inside, she found herself cursing at Vanguard Clash. Twilight Sparkle and Applejack? He obviously didn't understand the situation. Either that or he was the biggest foal in all of Equestria. "Special Operations!" Shining Armor said angrily. "It's not enough that she joined the legion, she has to join the group that gets into the most dangerous situations! And she couldn't even be bothered to tell me first!" "Imagine that," Rarity said flatly. "Wait…do you know where Twilight Sparkle is right now?" she asked. "She and Applejack went with Vanguard Clash in search of Rainbow Dash and Scarlet Rabbit." "Search for Rainbow Dash? Why? What happened to her?" As Shining Armor explained the situation, the frustration continued to build within Rarity. First, Rainbow had disappeared with Scarlet Rabbit. She had warned that mare about how dangerous Scarlet was but Rainbow didn't listen. 'Of course she didn't listen,' she thought. 'As a matter of fact, my warning probably made her want to do it even more!' Then there was the fact that she had been left here without knowing what had happened up until now. Rainbow Dash was her friend too and sitting around not doing anything to help galled her immensely. Thirdly, even if she had been told earlier, what could she have done?

It then occurred to Rarity that Shining Armor had suddenly stopped and looked past her. She followed his gaze and noticed a group of ponies walking down the hall and towards the two of them. At the center of the group was a white unicorn mare with a silvery blue mane. Around her were four heavily armored legionnaires. Rarity recognized the band of metal around the mare's horn as a horn-lock; a device used to suppress a unicorn's magic. "Who's that?" she asked Shining Armor. "That's the prisoner they brought in from FangBreaker Fortress," Shining Armor replied. His eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Why is he out?" As the prisoner came closer, Rarity noticed that her coat wasn't actually white but a pale blue. Even though he was clearly under careful watch and surrounded, the unicorn walked with dignity and he kept his head held up high, as if the horn-lock was a medal rather than a restraint. She caught sight of her and his eyes widened in realization. "Element of Generosity," she said. For a moment, Rarity could only stare. The unicorn mare spoke in such a deep and masculine voice that she thought one of the legionnaires had spoken instead. The entire group stopped when she did. Eventually, Rarity found her voice and some words to use it on. "Y-you know who I am?" she asked. "I know what you are and what your name is, Rarity, the bearer of the Element of Generosity," the unicorn replied. He turned towards Shining Armor. "I won't presume to know who you are though." "And may I know your name?" Rarity asked once she had recovered. "I am Blue Moon, former captain of The Thorns and brother to Black Rose," the unicorn replied. He said his name and everything that accompanied it proudly. That he called himself "brother" made it clear to Rarity now that he was a stallion, not a mare. "Black Rose's brother!" Shining Armor said incredulously. He turned towards the legionnaires. "Why is he being paraded out here instead of being kept in the dungeons?"

"The prince's orders," one of the legionnaires replied tersely. "I had proved cooperative and true to my stated intention of turning against Black Rose," Blue Moon added with a slight smile. "The prince has seen it fit to, at least, let me stretch my legs and see the sun my sister is in charge of now." "Your sister's sun will set soon and never rise again," Shining Armor said in a low tone. "I certainly hope so," Blue Moon replied. "My sister has dealt many a horrid fate towards her enemies but she reserves a special hatred for those who turn against her. I would hate to have her win in the end. " "Wait," Rarity said. "You said you were once the leader of the Thorns." "I did." "Then you must know a lot of Black Rose's plans! Where is Rainbow Dash?" "I've already told the legion every scrap of information I have," Blue Moon replied. "Including what I do know of Black Rose's plans with you bearers. I'm sorry. All I know is that she assigned Longstride to her." "Assign? What do you mean?" Rarity's eyes narrowed. Right next to her, Shining Armor was also listening intently. "It's only right that the bearers of the Elements of Harmony should know," Blue Moon said. "Black Rose assigned a bearer to each member of the Thorns. Our mission was, in her own words, 'put them through adversity'. Black Rose believes that it is only by passing through danger and hardship that the Elements will rise to their truest potential." "The nerve!" Rarity said in disgust. "You mean to say she's putting us to the test? Does she think she knows better than the Elements of Harmony? Who does she think she is?" "You don't understand," Blue Moon said quietly.

"Then help me understand!" Blue Moon's face hardened with resolve, as did his voice. "We are sick and tired of waiting; waiting for our rulers to change, waiting for the Elements to act, waiting for some form of justice to rain down from the Eternal Herd. No more! This much I agreed with my sister. There will be no more waiting around. We will take everything into our own hooves. If Celestia won't change her mind about her barrier, we will force her to change her mind. If the Elements of Harmony are not up to the task, we will force them to be up to the task. If the bearers fail, let them die so somepony more worthy can be chosen." "If you believe that then why did you betray your group?" Shining Armor asked. "Black Rose betrayed me!" Blue Moon said indignantly. "She's reached too far. We are mortals in the end and she's forgotten that. But I've already explained myself to the prince." He turned his attention back to Rarity. "Your friend, Rainbow Dash, is the bearer of the Element of Loyalty. I left the group before Longstride could explain his plan but it will be her loyalty that will be tested." His hardened expression gave way. "The only thing I can offer beyond that is that he is not tasked to assassinate her. If your friend endures, then he will personally ensure that she is returned." "And what if she fails?" "Then he will put an arrow through her brain." "How arrogant!" Rarity said with a stomp of her hoof. "Playing judge and jury over a pony like that! Rainbow may be brash and a little foalish, but she doesn't deserve this 'adversity'." "Nopony does," Blue Moon said. His eyes narrowed. "I understand your worry for your friend, Miss Rarity. However, I'd be more concerned about you." "Me?" Rarity asked. "Why me? I'm still here in Canterlot not wandering off or joining dangerous missions."

"You are Lion Court's assignment. He went so far as to personally request for you. The fact that your blood doesn't freeze at that knowledge goes to show how little information about him remains intact." Rarity swallowed and felt a bead of sweat slowly trickle down the side of her face. It wasn't even particularly warm in the palace. "Why?" she asked. She remembered the "coincidental" appearance of a book that would help her. A book penned down by "the legendary Lion Court" according to Hammer Chain. "Don't let the refined manners fool you should you meet him," Blue Moon went on. "If you fail, you will wish for Longstride's arrow in your brain or Sable's poisons in your blood, even for Frenzy Heart's stone blade in your face if he was still around. You'll wish for all of those and hundred other deaths than what you'll get at the hooves of Lion Court. So, if I were you, Element of Generosity, I'd focus my concern for myself." With that, Blue Moon walked past the two. "Where are you going?" Shining Armor asked. "Outside," the stallion answered without looking back. "I need some sun. Celestia's or Black Rose's, it doesn't matter after spending days in a dungeon." As Blue Moon walked away, Shining Armor looked worriedly at Rarity. "Are you alright?" he asked. "Yes, I'll be fine," Rarity replied. With a nod, Shining Armor also walked off. She remembered the information on the Thorns she read. Lion Court was known for wielding mage-blades. She had considered the possibility of having to fight him at that point. They wielded similar weapons after all. He must have felt something similar when his group was reviewing each bearer of the Elements of Harmony. Blue Moon's warning disturbed her, however. She glanced towards her mage-blades again. What was she supposed to expect from Lion Court? He was supposed to specialize in duels but a duel would not be a test of generosity. She shook her head. 'I'll

deal with that when it comes,' she thought. 'Right now, it's Rainbow Dash who needs help!' An idea came to mind, however, as Rarity left the royal palace. She was Lion Court's assignment, one that he expressed a great deal of interest in. Why else would he go out of his way to pick her and then place a book of his own writing for her benefit? There was a good chance that he was observing her right now or, at least, he had some way of keeping track of her. She could find out a lot if she could talk to him but how could she bait him into coming out? Rarity looked around. Canterlot was a big city with enough nooks and crannies to hide an army of spies and it was probably doing just that with both the legion's and Black Rose's agents running about. Though she had also read up on the descriptions of the Thorns, it was unlikely that she'd spot Lion Court by simply searching for him. However, Blue Moon's warning contained the clue she needed. "Don't let the refined manners fool you," he had said. The Thorn assigned to her was a pony of refinement, even if it was just for show. Perhaps she could appeal to that. Rarity made her way through what was known as the "Delicacy Street", where many of Canterlot's finest restaurants had their establishments and picked one of her favorites, a small but elegant place just by the corner of the street. "Cold Snap and Heat Wave's" belonged to a couple of pegasus stallions, brothers who specialized in Manehatten cuisine. "A table for two please," she told the waiter as she went inside. She had eaten a light breakfast and should still have room for a little brunch. The waiter showed her to her table and offered her the menu. "Thank you," Lion Court said. "I'll have a Manehatten omelet, with extra tomatoes please." "I'll just have the lettuce salad," Rarity added. The waiter bowed slightly and walked off. "This is certainly a nice place you've picked," Lion Court said. "It's a pity that there appears to be very few customers."

"We'll it's not really rush hour isn't it?" Rarity replied. "True." Rarity stopped and then looked at the stallion sitting across the table from her. Her eyes widened and she nearly stood up in surprise. Lion Court! When did he…how did he…instinctively, her horn glowed as she enveloped her mage-blades. Lion Court had somehow entered the place, sat next to her and was making small talk before she could realize what was going on. It didn't even make sense as to how she was able to recognize him. "I like the way you think, Miss Rarity," Lion Court said. "You are probably the only bearer of the Elements of Harmony who would actually consider sitting down and talking to one of the Thorns. Oh, and please relax. I'm not here to assassinate you or anything. You invited me to a meal and I accepted." Rarity continued to stare at the golden brown unicorn. Lion Court's dark blond mane certainly lived up to his namesake. He was wearing a deep red suit and the sword belt around him torso displayed three long blades. He sat with an easy, casual manner as if he was at home entertaining a guest instead of being in a city full of enemies. "How did you do that?" Rarity asked. "One would think you'd be quickly noticed with that bold color you have on." She let go of her mage-blades. It was easy to tell that Lion Court wasn't looking for a fight and starting one would not serve her interests. "Pardon?" Lion Court asked. "You know what I'm talking about." "Ah, you mean my little introductions bypass. 'Lion Court - unicorn mage. Served as a diplomat and spy. Credited with two hundred kills from formal duels. Specializes in mind-affecting magic and uses the extremely rare skill of mage-blade wielding'. That's what it says on my description, correct? You let your guard down, unfortunately. It's easy to fiddle with the mind's recognition ability." He looked at his suit. "Do you think dark red is a little

too much for this occasion? I have a fondness for the color." He looked at her appraisingly. "I think you'd also look lovely in it." "That was rather rude of you to do so," Rarity said, ignoring the compliment. "A gentlecolt would introduce himself." "Rude but necessary, I'm afraid," Lion Court replied. His smile widened and Rarity could have sworn she saw the hint of a fang in his mouth. "I'm here not just as a gentlecolt but as something of a tutor as well. 'Sharp blade, sharp mind'; I believe I wrote that in the first chapter. We won't have much of a dance together if I can easily convince you that left is right and right is left." "Then you really should give me more than a couple of days to read up on your work." Rarity kept her face placid when she replied. She refused to let Lion Court keep her off balance. Lion Court rested his head on a foreleg. "But enough of my reasons," he said. "What could the Element of Generosity want with me?" "To the point then," Rarity said. "One of my friends has gone missing. I would like to know where she is." "That would be Rainbow Dash," Lion Court said. "Seeing as Sable would have to be insane to abduct Pinkie Pie and the mistress isn't the sort to be so direct." 'Pinkie Pie has been "assigned" to Sablesteel,' Rarity noted. 'If Blue Moon's information is correct, Black Rose has probably "assigned" two of us to herself. Maybe even three since he defected.' She smiled politely at Lion Court, just to match his. "So where is she now?" she asked. Lion Court leaned a little closer. "I just might answer that. But first, what are you going to offer me? Negotiations go both ways, you know." Rarity steeled herself for the worst. "A hundred other deaths," Blue Moon had said. "Well, what would you like in return?" she asked.

The waiter returned with their orders. For a minute, both of them simply enjoyed their food. At least, Rarity tried to. It was difficult to enjoy anything when the enemy was sitting across the table. "How about we play a little game?" Lion Court asked as he finished off the last of his omelet. "You'll barter your organization's plans over a game?" Rarity raised an eyebrow. Lion Court looked around him. The few customers in the place had started to leave. Rarity noticed that his horn was glowing as he watched the last pony in the room. "Actually, I'm bartering the advancement of Longstride's plans for the advancement of mine. Though, the truth be told, just making him work hard enough to change that stony expression of his would be worth it even if I stood to gain little else." Rarity watched as the last of the customers left. "You controlled their minds," she said. "I don't have the magical strength to do something so drastic and direct," Lion Court replied. "I just gave them that annoying feeling that they should be off doing something else that they haven't quite remembered yet. They're hoping that it will come to them on the way. We should get some privacy for a quarter of an hour or so." "Assuming nopony else decides to enter," Rarity said. "The sign outside now says closed. A little favor from one of our agents." Lion Court's horn flashed again and the curtains by the windows closed. "And the staff?" Rarity asked. A shout from the kitchen served as an answer. "Also indisposed," Lion Court said. "Don't worry, no harm will be done." With the curtains closed, Rarity couldn't help but be perturbed by the dark atmosphere now within one of her favorite spots in Canterlot. "So what is this game you're proposing then?" she asked, still confident in her tone.

"I propose a duel," Lion Court said. "Mage-blades of course, no mind tricks of any sort from me." "And how will that facilitate any information exchange?" Lion Court stood up and stretched his neck. "The rules are simple," he said. "For each cut we inflict on the other, I will answer one question honestly." The blades on his belt unsheathed themselves and began to float above him in a ring with points out. Rarity studied her opponent's weapons closely; each blade was about three times as long as hers, one had a delicately curving edge, the other was a narrow thrusting weapon while the third slightly shorter but had a wide blade. She pulled out her own mage-blades with her magic and spun three blades in front of her in a triangular pattern."I hope you brought plenty of bandages," she said. "I mean to ask plenty of questions." "That's the spirit," Lion Court said. Before he could say anything else, Rarity's fourth blade suddenly flew from its hiding place beneath one of the tables. He moved his wide-bladed sword slightly, blocking the attack before it reached his shoulder. "Clever…and dirty. You're a mare after my own heart, Miss Rarity." "Your heart?" Rarity said. "Don't be silly, dear, a blade to the heart would silence you and the game would be over." Lion Court pushed the table between them aside and the duel was in earnest. Rarity seized the initiative, attacking from four different directions at once to take advantage of Lion Court's fewer mage-blades and to prevent him from formulating a plan. She had no delusions of being able to defeat this unicorn. He had spent a lifetime perfecting his dueling while she had, at best, read through half the instructional book that he wrote and devoted a couple of hours each day for practice. Still, she had a good feeling that killing her would be a failure for him. She just needed to hold her own and she would come out of this having helped her friends. Mage-blades flickered quickly through the air, occasionally glinting as they caught the few beams of sunlight that the closed curtains allowed through.

Lion Court knocked away two of Rarity's mage-blades with a single sweep of his wide-bladed sword and then stabbed at Rarity through the hole in her defense. She hopped to the side, dodging the lightning-quick thrust from his pointed sword. "Too much movement!" Lion Court said, clucking his tongue in disappointment. His curved blade was already positioned where Rarity had hopped and struck. The weapon spun swiftly and a sharp pain to her side nearly made Rarity drop her weapons. She felt a trickle of blood run down her torso, just past her shoulders. "First cut is mine." "Where is Rainbow Dash?" Rarity asked. "She's still in Equestria." "That's not fair!" Rarity said. She used to of her blades to smash aside his parrying sword and then stabbed at him from his left and right. "I've broken none of the established rules," Lion Court said with a shrug. He caught the stabs with his remaining swords and then used his parrying blade to smash Rarity's blades towards her. They stopped a mere few inches from her face before she regained control. It was his turn to go on an offensive. All three weapons whirled above him as he advanced, forcing Rarity to take a few steps back. The curved sword began to spin and dance through the air, advancing towards Rarity and then floating back when she moved her blades to block. It was his parrying blade that suddenly lunged forward, smashing into three of Rarity's weapons in a violent push. She struggled to keep it back and found herself using three of her blades just to do so. As she had feared, his thrusting sword buried a quarter-inch of its blade into her right foreleg. "Second cut." Rarity stepped back, panting slightly from the exertion. "Where in Equestria?" she asked. "That would be difficult to pinpoint," Lion Court replied. "They're moving after all. Consider that they captured your friend at the edges of Canterlot and that they're moving south. "They're probably almost past the Everfree Forest at this point. They'll certainly be avoiding places like Appleloosa."

'South," Rarity thought. 'They're taking her south…but why did he say "they"? Doesn't he mean Longstride?' She took another step back and winced at the pain from her foreleg. "Who are 'they'?" she asked. "One question too many!" Lion Court replied. His blades swept past her in a confusing array of slashing and spinning. She tried to keep them back desperately but a second cut appeared on her torso, this time on the opposite side of the first cut. "There, remedied. As for your question, why the ophidite that Longstride is working with of course. Along with her motley band of pony slaves." Rarity stepped up her attack. It was clear now that she didn't have the strength to defend against him blade for blade. Lion Court's swings were too heavy to parry without leaving her with any blades for a counter attack. Yet he swung and recovered with speed and ease. She was panting and bleeding and it looked like he was only warming up. His parrying blade smashed into her defense again while his curved blade spun behind her. Rarity answered by jumping directly in front of Lion Court with all four blades at the ready. His parrying blade flew past her, leaving a small gash near her tail. She grit her teeth to ignore the pain and then swung all four blades at him. Lion Court answered with a hoof right against her snout, sending her tumbling backwards and knocking down several tables. "That's two questions," Lion Court said as he looked at the gash near her tail and her cut lip. "Three," Rarity said with a smile. A blood ran down Lion Court's cheek, soaking into his beard. One of her blades had cut open a wound from just beneath his eye to his jaw. "Excellent," Lion Court said with a grin. "Ask away!" "What is Black Rose's final goal?" "I don't know." Rarity's eyes narrowed at the answer.

"I speak truly," Lion Court said. "Nopony knows Black Rose's final goal. Not her Thorns, not even her beloved." "Then what are her short-term goals?" "To strengthen the Elements of Harmony or replace them as seen fit and to make sure the Eternal Herd doesn't destroy all of ponykind." "What does she need the Elements of Harmony for?" "To protect Equestria." "Again with the vague answers!" "I know! Such an amusing game!" Lion Court suddenly rushed forward, leaving Rarity little time to so much as raise her weapons. His front hooves flashed forward, forcing her weave from side to side. His blades whirled in concert with his unarmed strikes, all but transforming him into a whirling storm of hooves and steel. Two more cuts, deep ones this time appeared across Rarity's right side. Horrendous pain surged through her legs, making them wobble. She understood the increase in his pace and the severity of her wounds. Lion Court had decided that he had answered enough questions and wanted the game to end. She stepped back to catch her breath. "Two more!" she said between gasps for air. "Ask quickly," Lion Court said. "You look ready to faint. It would be a pity to suffer wounds meaninglessly." "Why play this game in the first place?" "A simple exercise in giving, my dear Element of Generosity. Your blood for information. How many cuts and how much pain will you take to help your cause? Sacrifice separates the true givers from the false ones. It takes faith as well. Consider that I might be a worthless liar in the end so that all your cuts have been in vain! And finally, I just had to duel with mage-blade wielder. I had feared that the art died with me. You cannot fathom how your very existence gladdens my heart."

"What about..." Rarity paused and then stumbled as her vision began to blur. 'Not yet,' she thought. "What about that sealed alicorn and this Foul Weapon business?" "Equestria will need the Foul Weapon soon," Lion Court answered. "Mortals have few weapons against alicorns and must use what's available. That's three. Let's step up the pace shall we?" His horn flashed and he disappeared from sight. Two possibilities quickly crossed Rarity's mind when her opponent vanished. He had either turned invisible or teleported. On instinct, she whirled to face her back but the pain of her wounds and the blood loss left her body unable to follow. She stumbled again just as she saw Lion Court's foreleg grasp her by the mane. Lion Court pulled her close, inspecting her critically. "Just as I thought," he said. "You look lovely in red." He pushed her aside just in time to avoid a couple of swipes from her blades. Two of Rarity's mage-blades clattered to the floor. Concentrating on all four had proved too difficult. "I'd say this is the end of our duel. Thank you for the wonderful time, Miss Rarity." He suddenly turned his head to reveal a second cut that ran down the side of his neck. " Oh, and I owe you an answer. 'till our next duel!" "Wait…" Rarity said weakly. She took one more step and then fell to her knees. "Stay still, Miss Rarity," Lion Court said without looking back. "If you bleed out, your information will die with you." He opened the door to the restaurant and started shouting. "Help! Help! There's been an attack in here!" Rarity tried to stand up but her vision continued to worsen and the floor only seemed to come closer instead of farther. She couldn't faint now. Others had to be told of where Rainbow Dash was heading. "Of all the worst things that could happen…" she muttered right before collapsing completely.