Justice Itself

by Autocharth

Act III - Ch. 20 The Gala Gatecrashed

Well bugger me rigid and name me President-For-Life, but look at this! It’s done, and much sooner compared to the last chapter and....and....

Well diddle my fiddle, it’s over 15K words long! The longest chapter yet! Woo! It also has my favourite scene EVER in it. You’ll know when you see it because of the link.

Oh yes, there’s a link below. WARNING! The scene requires that you follow the link and listen to the music or the entire scene is ruined, you got me? You’ve read this far and presumably enjoyed it, so trust me and FOLLOW THAT LINK! I promise it will make your day. Well, I promise it made my day. I certainly enjoyed the scene.

So, editor’s notes? Are there any let’s find next time, on- wait, no, let’s find out now! Merujea, GO!

Oh geez, I’m always getting put on the spot. How many of you people actually read what I say-err write, you know what I mean. Come on, let’s see a show of hands here…wait, that might be a tad difficult through this medium…go ahead and start reading the actual chapter, I must leave to figure this dilemma out!

Wonderful! Stupendorifying (that’s a good thing, probably). I hope you enjoyed reading that.

Now, on to the story!

Chapter 20 The Gala Gatecrashed

The day, as Rarity put it dramatically, had come: the day of the Grand Galloping Gala. It was a day greeted in a different fashion by all of its soon-to-be-attendants. They all had their own little ways of welcoming a day destined to give way to a night ponies around the nation waited for with bated breath.

Rarity woke up instantly, her awareness of the day’s special meaning at the forefront of her thoughts. She squealed softly to herself, smiling at the ceiling. She rose and the first thing she did was unroll her long list to ensure today went perfectly. More to the point, to ensure tonight went perfectly. Rarity would not be denied.

In contrast, Rainbow Dash woke up with the sun glaring at her through an open window. She snorted and rolled over, one wing sending a gust of wind that snapped the curtains shut so she could bury her head into her pillow. She was mostly thinking about sleeping for a good couple hours longer.

Twilight woke up and immediately ticked off ‘wake up’ from her bedside checklist. She wasn’t normally this anal, being able to survive on a day-to-day basis without checklists, since she wasn’t crazy. But today was a big day; her second attendance of the Grand Galloping Gala, this time with even more of her friends. Said friends being a zebra with more wisdom in one hoof than most of the Canterlot ‘nobility’ had in their whole bodies and an ancient divine being now in mortal form who had little patience for fools. Fools Canterlot had in spades. The presence of the Princesses did counteract that, when averaging out the relative intelligence in Canterlot’s upper social tier.

Still, it was an important day and she was determined to be prepared for it. She ticked yes on ‘Find Spike curled up with me in bed again?’ and got up careful to not wake him. He had been sneaking into her bed at night for the past few weeks and disavowing any knowledge of it when she woke him. Eventually Twilight had decided to let him work it out on his own, and if he needed to be close to her so be it.

Fluttershy was roused from a pleasant dream of white wings that left her with rosy cheeks by the early birds singing their songs. She took a moment to stretch, smiling as she greeted the day. It was going to be a big day but for now it was simple. She was going to feed the animals staying with her then check on the chickens. After that she would have a very early morning tea with Derpy, the mailmare taking a break from her route as she did most mornings when she was on this route, before taking care of the rest of the little jobs that caring for so many animals required.

In Sugar Cube Corner Pinkie woke up nice and early, trotting happily, if quietly, down to get the bakery started. She was smiling happily when Carrot Cake came down not long later, the two sharing a silent morning exchange. As amazing as it would seem to some, Pinkie could understand why the Cakes preferred to start the day quietly. All she did was hum as she worked, lost in fantasies the day would bring.

Applejack was already awake when the sun rose, hard at work making sure her chores were done with time to spare. A sizable chunk of the day was going to be stolen by Rarity’s need to froufrou them all up and Applejack wasn’t about to leave her brother to deal with her share of the chores. He had little enough life outside of the farm without her piling on extra work. Once her chores were done she set off, not for town but for a secluded field.

As ever, Paladin was already there. He nodded once in greeting and began his instruction. Almost reflexively Applejack clad herself in the soul-forged steel armour. It settled over her as comfortable as her hat.

“Prepare yourself.” Paladin commanded. “You shall maintain your armour for an hour, or our training shall be abstained for a week.”

She nodded, accepting the ultimatum. He was being honest as well. They both knew there would be no point in half measures. When he began to train her ability to keep the armour up and what she could do with it – beyond the obvious – they had agreed that neither could be allowed any room for failure.

Zecora was not entirely certain what she expected the day to bring. Equestrian high society events were not something she had much experience with. In fact she had no experience with them and from what little she had gleamed she was the better for it. She had dealt with literal snake pits before, Zecora had no particular desire to see what a metaphorical one was like, but you didn’t turn down an invitation from the Sun-Raiser.

The temporary hut she was still using was open enough that the sounds of a waking Ponyville flowed in and she smiled from her meditative position. It was a bit less convenient for her frequent trips into the Everfree but she had to admit to a certain attraction to living around others again. There was something pleasant about trotting into the sunlight and having ponies call out a good morning or ask how her day was.

Her smile slowly died. Bowing her head as she meditated in a position most ponies lacked the flexibility to twist their body into, a shiver of something unspeakable ran down Zecora’s spine. She couldn’t identify the sensation, couldn’t name what it was that sent a spike of frost into her heart.

Shaking slightly she closed her eyes and began to recite a quiet chant, asking the spirits of the formless world to dissolve the nameless dread that gripped her. Through her window a beam of sunlight fell and she breathed in the fresh air of Ponyville, letting the sounds of the lively town flow over her. Life begat life, bringing joy and colour to the world.

She smiled, the fear gone. Whatever would come, she was prepared. Zecora was going to be with friends after all, and no force could overcome that advantage.

The first moment there was an empty shelf on the edge of a mountain, wiped clean by the north’s frigid winds. The next the blizzard changed, suddenly centred on the snow covered shelf. The eye of the storm spun around a single pillar of white mist, a fog that thickened slowly. Each passing second the mist gathered until it was no a longer a column. A figure, crude as if made from putty by an unskilled child, made of frost and fog. Ice began to creep across the figure, sharpening the fog into a frozen statue. First a hand, five fingers formed of armour-like plate that carried up into an arm. From the arm its icy breastplate formed and crept down into legs of smooth armour. Spreading from its back the ice branched off almost like the delicate bones of a bird’s wing.

The silent statue of ice began its next change with no first sign to take account of. The ice simply seemed to resolve into plates of icy-white as though it was coming into focus, the point at which it stopped being ice and became celestial steel impossible to determine.

Wings of cold blue fire stretched to the heavens and Ardleon surveyed the frozen north. The blizzard his manifestation had summoned abated and the sun broke through to light the suddenly calm expanse. All was white, snow coating every surface. Had he breath it would have frozen in the air.

His gaze was as cold as the air around him as it sought signs of life. Already he could feel this world attempting to expel him and a portion of his power was constantly expended resisting. Balling a metal fist Ardleon focused his being. The world snapped into focus as he reached out with his senses. The places his energies had reached as he evaded this realm’s wards sung out to him. They dotted the dead landscape, seven places in all.

Even as he searched Ardleon sensed other forces. Beneath ice fields in one direction an echo of hate had been left. Fixing his mind upon it Ardleon seemed to reverse the process of his manifestation all in a single instant, each stage flowing so fast he seemed to melt into mist. His incorporeal being sped across the land with the speed of thought and he reformed, gazing upon the wound left in the ice.

A gaping hole had been shattered as something burst free. He considered it for a moment, curious at the nature of the echo. It felt as though a swarm of some kind, united in mind yet each still separate, had been sealed deep within the ice fields for a long time, long enough to contaminate the ether with their hate. He had seen such places, where powerful demons had been bound during the Eternal Conflict but never in a mortal world, only in the endless maze of Pandemonium, in halls of reality conquered by the Angelic Host.

His purpose, Ardleon reminded himself, was to find Tyrael. The troubles of mortals were no concern of his. Whatever had been here was not demonic for all the superficial feeling of the creatures mark. His power was best conserved and hoarded for the conflict with whatever force that held the Aspect of Justice.

‘Such a force may be linked to his silence,’ Ardleon thought, staring into the chasm. ‘Perhaps the Light of Heaven favours me. Tyrael’s light is hidden from me but to manifest so close to a place of such evil...yes, it may lead me to him.’

“Where evil lurks, Justice shall follow.” He said aloud.

It was an easy task to follow the trail left by the once-bound creatures. Hunger too stained their former prison and their desire to hunt was seared into the spirit of ice. Ardleon dissolved, reforming a mile away. If he could smile, he would have.

The hunters, to quote a cliche, had become the hunted.

“Now, don’t be thinkin’ ya’ll are ever gonna get ta do this again.” Applejack said, following her friend into the spa. Rarity had decided they required the full services of Lotus and Aloe to assist her with preparing her friends.

“I for one would not mind it much.” Zecora remarked from where she lay, smiling slightly at the feeling of the coat brushing she was receiving. It was the kind of luxury she very rarely experienced. “Although I would prefer to stop for lunch.”

Rarity looked stricken, although by which remark she gave no clue to. “Applejack, darling, we must get your mane seen to. There will be time for lunch soon Zecora, just please wait a little longer. Rainbow Dash, you let that mare finish cleaning your hooves or I shall come over there and tie you down – with ribbons! Pink ones!” She trotted away, distracted by the pegasus sitting under the open sky light, Rainbow’s eyes set on the sky to keep herself from running in terror.

The farmer and the potion maker shared a chuckle as they watched the frantic fashionista brow-beat their athletic friend into sitting still.

“She said lunch would come soon an hour ago. Something tells me that will not be so.” Zecora said with a smile at Appejack.

Chuckling Applejack took a seat to wait her turn. “Ah’m guessin’ she’s been like this since ya arrived?” She asked.

Zecora nodded, letting out an ‘mmm’ of satisfaction as Lotus finished the brushing.

“Miss Rarity is not one for letting little mistakes slip through.” The accented spa pony commented. “Shall I get to work on your mane Miss Applejack?” She inquired politely.

Her first thought was to wait for Rarity, since her friend had already planned out every detail. Applejack opened her mouth to say this when a rainbow-trailing blur shot past, following by Rartiy and a length of ribbon held in her magic.

“Sounds good.” Applejack changed her answer without missing a beat. “Better ta let Rares get on with the tough parts o’ the day.”

Ardleon gazed down from the lip of the cliff at the crevasse below. The trail led here and the sensation of his prey had screamed to him as he approached. He had been able to spot the cloud that extruded hunger and hate from miles away. Only as he approached did Ardleon behold the truth of what he hunted.

A herd swarmed above the gully, equines such as the mortal realm held save they were transparent and towards their hindquarters they faded into wisp mist. Their whinnies and neighs filled the sky like the hunting cries of demons, their thirst dominating their cold eyes. Reaching out, he had at first felt only contempt. They were little more than animals, lacking higher intelligence that even humans had. Instinct controlled them and their emotions were bound so closely to it that he doubted a single rational thought ever arose within their joined minds.

What concerned him more was within the gully. Hidden by the palpable storm of simple but powerful emotion from the hate-beasts, three souls were ensconced within a golden barrier at the bottom of the gully. The shield was weak and Ardleon knew he could shatter it without applying any real effort, but the hungry hate-beasts were starved and weak. They would pierce it in time and the morsels within would suffer whatever fate the hate-beasts inflicted on their victims.

Ardleon had no plans on letting that happen. They were sapient and that meant they could reason, comparable to humans at the very least. He needed information and they could provide it. With the fear they were carelessly feeding them their predators would be strong enough to destroy the shield in hours.

With a simple thought his weapons materialised in the same fashion he had. With a single blade in each hand Ardleon leapt into the air, releasing his tight hold over his power the moment before he struck the herd-cloud.

His swords sung with the sound of a blizzard’s cutting wind, weaving through the hate-beasts before they could react. Neighs of fear and whinnies of hate replaced their braying cries of hunger. Ardleon’s holy weapons reaped through the herd with ease. Whatever they were the fact he could harm them seemed to shock the beasts and his cold, mocking laughter was all some heard before they felt their essence extinguished.

Beneath the slaughter, fear became hope and the herd broke, fleeing. He made a sound of contempt as they fled, both from the action and their obvious destination. Afraid and wounded the beasts were retreating to their broken prison in search of comfort even a shattered cage could bring after centuries of occupation.

By the time Ardleon landed the golden dome had dissolved. He stared down at the strange creatures up at him, his heavy steel boots crunching the snow underfoot as he approached. They appeared to share a common element with the hate-beasts, resembling the equines of Sanctuary but smaller. Thick coats covered all three and from their enchantments he could tell they were designed to keep the wearer warm. The largest of the three and the only to have wings was watching him with a wariness Ardleon couldn’t help but approve of. Its clothing was woven with not just hold warmth magic but spells of protection. Its wings were spread out from slits but at a guess he assumed they could return to the protective confines of its clothing if the weather turned harsh.

One of the creatures stepped forward when Ardleon approached. “Why hello there good sir! Thank you for saving us. Gold Hollow’s magic wouldn’t have held the dreadful things back long I’m afraid.” It said in a male voice, seemingly cheerful despite the close brush with such monsters. Its hood fell back to reveal pale blue fur and a smile.

The warrior – Ardleon knew that was what it was – pulled the blue one back and took his place at the front. Despite saving them it was clearly not assuming Ardleon was friendly. The angelic warrior approved.

Friendliness was not a trait angels cultivated.

“I seek my kin, mortals.” His voice was as cold as the biting wind streaming through the gully. It seemed to make the very air shake. “One like me, but he is far grander.”

“We haven’t seen him.” The winged warrior said bluntly.

“Iron Wing, don’t be so unfriendly,” scolded the blue one. “Why, after an encounter with the legendary windigoes I think being friendly and welcoming should be at the forefront of our minds.”

The third, slightly smaller than the others, sighed at the same time as Iron Wing. “Just because this big metal thing saved us doesn’t mean it’s friendly.” It growled in a high-pitched voice.

Ardleon’s scant patience ran dry rather quickly. “If you have not seen my like before, direct me to the central power in this world. I sense great presences, powers that soak this world-” He fell silent, turning sharply to gaze into the distance.

The creatures looked in the same direction, confused by the sudden silence.

“Rainbow Dash, what did Paladin say about teleporting frivolously?” Rarity demanded the moment she found her friend, the brash pegasus having vanished in a burst of light. When she finally reappeared, with a donut, Rarity was very unhappy. Twilight wasn’t the only pony who had schedules they liked to keep. “Where in Equestria have you been?”

“Donut Joe’sh.” Taking a bite of her pastry Rainbow Dash grinned, showing a mouthful of teeth speckled with icing and rainbow sprinkles.

Rarity was highly unamused. “Rainbow Dash, you will sit in that chair, let them finish cleaning your hooves and have your mane sorted out or so help me I do not know what I shall do.”

“If you don’t know, why should I-” began Rainbow Dash.

“But it shall be terrible.” Rarity cut her off, eyes narrowing at her. “So very, very terrible.”

Rainbow Dash found herself faced with a dilemma. She couldn’t just back down, especially not to Rarity. She didn’t kowtow to anypony, not even herself. She hovered in the sky light, looking down at Rarity. On the other hoof, Rarity was giving her a look that was kind of worrying....

“Alright, but I’m staying here.” She said with a pout. Not that she would ever admit to it being a pout.

Sighing, Rarity objected; “Darling, Aloe cannot fly.”

All that got was Rainbow Dash crossing her hooves. “Oh, well, too bad.”

“You can stay under the skylight but you have to come down so she can work. She was nearly done when you lost your nerve.” Rarity said, hiding her smile at the way Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes back at her.

“I did not lose my nerve.”

Rarity turned away, shrugging off Rainbow Dash’s challenging tone. “Oh, of course I believe you. Completely.” She smiled where Rainbow Dash couldn’t see it when she heard the explosive grunt from her friend.

“Fine! I’ll show you that Rainbow Dash doesn’t lose her nerve!” Landing on the chair she had been occupying before the pegasus glared at Aloe. “Alright, get on with it.”

The spa pony just smiled and went back to her work, this time without her customer fleeing to the skies. Rainbow’s eyes did stay locked on the skylight though and she occasionally let out squeaks at touches, squeaks her friends pretended not to hear.

“I felt it.” Ardleon hissed, his gaze piercing mountains. “Tyrael.”

Except even as he said it, he knew that it wasn’t quite true. It had felt like Tyrael yet at the same time not, as though his power had changed in some inexplicable way. The effect was like nothing he had ever experienced and the change alarmed the angelic warrior.

The crunch of snow under a nervously fidgeting hoof reminded him of the mortals and Ardleon looked at them anew. The blue one had started talking at some point, rambling on about ‘expeditions’.

“-so Iron Wing here was assigned by the Princess to keep us safe as we searched for the ore, since frost-iron ore is wonderfully useful-”

Cryptic Word fell mercifully silent when Ardleon turned back to him. Nothing glared at him from the helm’s visor, nothing at all. This isn’t to say he wasn’t being glared at. He was. But it was nothing that was glaring at him. This was more disturbing than being glared at by ominous glowing red eyes. He would have preferred being glared by bloody red lights than the feeling of being glared at by eyes that didn’t seem to exist.

“Mortal,” Ardleon’s voice was cold, “what lies in that direction?” He pointed towards the source of the angelic energy he had sensed.

The blue equine tapped his thoughtfully, his horn lighting up. A minor disturbance of energy around it put Ardleon on his guard but it was too little for him to fear. If that was typical of magic here, a hundred would be needed for Ardleon to even consider caution. At the same time it made him wonder what force had stood in Tyrael’s way if it was typical.

After a few seconds the mortal spoke. “I believe you’re pointing at Canterlot, where the Princesses live if you’re unfamiliar with Equestria. Unless my navigation spell is on the fritz, but that hasn’t happened in months.” He said cheerfully. Cryptic either didn’t notice or ignored the look Iron Wing was shooting him, telling the unicorn to stop telling mysterious metal skinned bipeds with wings of fire where the capitol was.

“Canterlot.” The angel echoed. Without warning or so much as a goodbye he vanished into a pillar of mist.

The three ponies all jumped a foot in the air at sudden shock. Once more they were alone and it slowly dawned on Gold Hollow that, as Iron Wing began to chew out Cryptic Word, their saviour had only driven off the windigoes. The hateful creatures had fled but nothing was stopping them coming back. Nothing was stopping them from freezing all three into frozen pony popsicles.

Twilight smiled at her friends gathered with her as they waited for the royal carriage sent to collect them. Seven mares, all in dresses that were artwork in and of themselves they looked the part for the event. One little dragon was busy munching a gem she had brought to tide him over until the Gala itself.

“This will be much better than last year.” Twilight said a bit too brightly. Her confidence might not be as high as she wanted it to look.

“Never fear darling, this year I have no expectants about being swept off my hooves.” Rarity’s look was far more sour. She had still not entirely forgiven Prince Blueblood for forever tarnishing her view of princes.

Rainbow Dash smirked at the fashionista. “Yeah, this year you’re gonna skip the rest and go straight to the hitting him with cake part.”

Feeling slightly out of her element Zecora looked at Rarity in confusion. “You hit somepony with a baked good? My dear, you should know better than to play with food.”

Quelling a scowl Rarity instead decided to change the subject. “So, Zecora, are you excited? Will this be your first time visiting Canterlot?”

“Yes, my journey to the Everfree did not bring me through the capitol. A shame I think but at the time I was focused upon my goal.” The zebra explained with the smile of a pony looking back fondly on memories.

“Well I think you will find it gorg- Paladin!” Rarity changed subject suddenly, directing a look down the road where the last of their party approached. She pretended to not notice how Fluttershy immediately looked away from her conversation with Pinkie.

The shadows of twilight were cast about the road, looming tress throwing their shade out far, and only his wings gave away his identity. He was rendered into a featureless figure carved from shadows and his silent approached matched the comparison perfectly.

“Rarity.” His deep voice rumbled and his eyes, the only things other than his wings that stood out from the darkness, glanced in her direction before going over the others. “Twilight. Applejack. Rainbow Dash. Pinkie Pie. Zecora.”

Last he looked towards Fluttershy and there was a moment which could, if one where inclined to imagining things, been filled by the intake of breath as he looked at her in her fine Gala dress and carefully prepared appearance.

“Flu-ahem-” He cleared his throat. “Fluttershy.”

Rarity had to put all her control to use not smiling knowingly as her pegasus friend timidly returned the greeting as the others were doing.

“Do come out from there Paladin darling; let the others see my work.” She instructed. “I think they will be rather impressed.”

Only now did he seem to realise he was hidden by the shadow of the tree. He stepped forward into the dwindling light. Many can be said to cut a dashing figure when cleaned up, but he didn’t. A ‘dashing figure’ would be an utter failure in describing him. He gave no impression of dashing and his attire seemed to reflect his nature. His powerful frame was adorned in a military dress uniform, the fine suit tailored perfectly to accent his powerful build without seeming to. There was nothing gaudy about it as so many that night would be, for such beatific nonsense would detract from his presence. The high quality material was a deep blue so dark it appeared black and the only ornamentation it bore was the white edging of the collar and sleeves. Epaulettes of silver and gold added the only other colour to his Spartan attire.

It was nothing like most outfits Rarity made and she had felt this was appropriate. Paladin wasn’t like most ponies she designed for and not just because he lacked ovaries. She had known had there was little she could add without seeming gaudy, so she had instead used this to her advantage. Even lacking nearly any ornamentation he was an impressive figure, radiating strength and a resolve few could miss. Against the darkness of the suit and his own coat Paladin’s wings were brought into greater focus without appearing to dominate his appearance.

Fluttershy, Rarity noticed with satisfaction, was trying very hard not to stare and failing completely. Nor could she keep the colour from her cheeks as the stallion approached the group.

Leaning over to Fluttershy she asked in a whisper; “Impressed?” A wink with the question and she was rewarded with a stuttering squeak and wings being restrained at great effort. She exchanged a knowing look with Zecora as Fluttershy’s face went even redder.

“Fluttershy, you appear unwell.” Paladin said, catching the change in her colour.

“I- I’m fine.” She whimpered, finally getting her wings folded tight against her side.

“Are you certain?” He asked in concern.

“She’s fine, I bet she just wasn’t expecting this.” Rainbow Dash said with a whistle. “You clean up good.”

He shrugged at that but gave Fluttershy another look of concern that just seemed to make her go redder, joining the group as a carriage came into view from the opposite direction. “I apologise for the delay, a request was made of me.”

“Request?” Applejack was the one to ask.

“Yes.” Paladin hesitated. “Your sister and her friends were stuck in a tree.”

Rarity turned from embarrassing Fluttershy to give the stallion a sharp look. “You went up into a tree, in my suit?! You are very lucky you avoided catching it on anything!” She frowned as the rest of the information finally reached her brain cells. “Why was Sweetie Belle in a tree? How- no, never mind. I do not want to know.” She sighed.

“Looky! The carriage is nearly here! Its nearly here!” Pinkie cheered, bouncing as the carriage approached them. “Let’s go to the Gala! The Gala-” She sounded almost ready to burst into song.

Fortunately the carriage reached them in time, drawn by a team of ponies. They drew up to the group, coming to a stop.

“Twilight Sparkle and company?” one asked.

Twilight nodded. “That’s us. Alright everypony, into the carriage. Dash, there’s room on the roof.” She added.

Her friend gave her a grateful look and settled up on the roof. She had not been looking forward to enduring the trip to Canterlot inside the carriage and she knew Rarity would have a fit if she tried to fly all the way and messed up her mane or dress. A windbreaker was in place which she relaxed against. Rainbow Dash grinned, realising things had been taken care of. Her grin turned into a snicker when she wondered how the others would enjoy being trapped in a confined space with a bored Pinkie Pie?

Almost on cue a pink hoof pulled the one and only party pony up onto the roof. She gave her pegasus friend a wide smile.

“Applejack said you might feel lonely so I decided to come up and keep you company!” Pinkie explained as she settled into place. “Good thing Applejack said something, isn’t it? Want to play a word game? My word is chimi-”

Rainbow Dash missed the next part, too busy covering her head with her hooves. She was going to get Applejack back for this.

Inside the carriage Applejack snickered to herself. She sat back and shared a smile with Twilight, both knowing quite well how much fun Rainbow Dash was going to have up there. Looking at her other companions she glanced at Zecora on her other side. Across from them Rarity had just managed to get out from between Paladin and Fluttershy, forcing the two to sit next to each other as she took a window seat. Spike sat opposite Rarity, unable to tear his gaze from her dress.

Rarity was smiling, or maybe it was a smirk, but then Applejack was sure tonight was important to her. Next to the fabulous unicorn Paladin seemed to be struggling to get any small talk going with Fluttershy. Not that it was his fault or hers, both just seemed to lapse into silence every few seconds.

It was a bit odd. But Paladin always preferred the quiet and Fluttershy seemed to like it when things were calm and peaceful so Applejack shrugged it off.

While her friends were busy being annoyed, annoying, amused, oblivious and awkward Twilight was looking out the window. In particular she was looking at the distant lights of Canterlot. The carriage lurched and at last they were on their way.

Ardleon sped across the landscape. It would take him time to arrive, a vexation that burned at him. Something about this world resisted him and taxed his energy. When he tried to teleport the cost in strength grew disproportionately with the distance he was trying to go. Short ranged hops were not worth the toll they would exact and a long distance teleport would drain him far too much.

Lacking his fastest means of movement, he was forced to rely on his second swiftest method and his unique trait. He moved as a cloud of mist, his barely corporal form unimpeded in its journey. It was his most unique ability and a sign of his power. The more powerful an angel was the more unique they were, as exemplified by the Archangels. Ardleon’s ability to teleport was not uncommon, but dissolving into a form immune to physical attacks was. Counted among the most powerful angels beneath the Archangels he had long used his power in Tyrael’s service.

The memories of their millennia long battles together arose, Ardleon serving under Tyrael with the traitor Izual. Just the thought of Izual left a trail of frost across the landscape for a mile along Ardleon’s path. His resolved firmed as he travelled and the growing power he sensed did nothing to weaken it. Whatever the great force ahead was, it would not stop him.

There would be no mercy for whoever or whatever lay ahead, he would cut down any who stop in his way.

From her perch Rainbow Dash watched the other carriages, the long line extending ahead and behind them. Since entering Canterlot traffic had increased and it had taken an agonising amount of time to get this close to the palace. Rainbow Dash knew she could have just flown there in a fraction of the time but she couldn’t leave the others behind or risk Rarity’s anger from damaging the dress.

So she waited on the roof of the carriage with Pinkie nattering in her ear. As much as Pinkie Pie was one of her best friends, when she was excited Pinkie could be a challenge to deal with. Going back to the Gala, which the Princess had promised would be a lot more fun this year, was more than enough excitement to set the party pony off.

Tuning out her friend’s constant chatter Rainbow Dash saw that they were approaching the entrance. Guards flanked the path leading into the palace, a plush gold and silver carpet covering the white stones and leading the arrivals through the doors into the hall. More than few ponies with the look of reporters loitered off to the sides, snapping pictures and occasionally calling out to certain famous figures.

The minute it took them to finally arrive felt like far longer to Rainbow Dash, every second stretching out into an hour but she held herself back. The moment the carriage came to a stop she leapt down, landing elegantly and flawlessly. The move attracted more than a little attention from the reporters, many of whom were able to recognise the distinctive mane and put a name to the face. This just increased their interest, suspecting who would be with her. Where one Element went the others were sure to be close behind.

“About time!” The other ponies leaving their carriages at the same time looked startled by the loud, inelegant declaration but she ignored them. Pinkie bounced down next to Rainbow Dash as the others began to disembark.

Rarity came out first, lapping up the attention as she climbed elegantly out of the carriage. She smiled at the reporters and many obliged with their cameras. She closed her eyes against the flashes as she stepped out of the way.

Next came Zecora, the zebra seeming to attract even more attention. So few of her kind were seen in Equestria and she came with the Elements of Harmony too. The dress she wore merely added to her presence. Wincing at the flashes she quickly moved out of the way to let Applejack and Twilight follow her out, the addition of two more of the Elements adding another layer of buzz to the activity of the reporters. Spike hopped out, his specially shined scales and the suit made to compliment his colours and match Twilight’s dress giving him the confidence to just walk out without any hesitation.

The mysterious stallion who emerged from the carriage was enough to silence the reporters momentarily as he swept his gaze over his surroundings. A few swore they felt like he was picking them part in the moment his eyes were in their direction. Apparently satisfied, he moved out of the carriage door and looked back in.

“Fluttershy, we have arrived.” He murmured as if she didn’t already know.

The reminder stirred the shy pegasus into her slow exit. She had gotten a lot more used to being herself with her friends but a situation like this still set her heart racing and her nerves tingling. Her brief stint with fame as a model hadn’t cured her of this and she whimpered as she stood on the edge of the steps out of the carriage. Fluttershy peeked out and drew back in at the sight of the reporters.

Paladin seemed to notice where she had been looking. With the others apparently getting themselves into order he was left with making sure Fluttershy joined them.

Standing to one side he effectively formed a shield against half the paparazzi with his body. The other half he fixed with a stern glare that almost froze them in their tracks.

“Fluttershy, we are holding up the line.” He said, carefully saying ‘we’ instead of ‘you’. Just a nudge to convince her to come out but without making her feel bad, saying they were the problem, not her. “I know you don’t like the attention but the longer you wait the more interested they’ll get. If we hurry in we can avoid further attention.”

Fluttershy gulped but nodded, taking a deep breath and finally stepping out. The flash of a camera caught her by surprise and she nearly stumbled, saved from the fall by a powerful hoof steadying her. With Paladin’s support she quickly escaped the carriage and joined her friends. She shivered slightly as she saw all the cameras but her friends clearly knew she wanted to get away from them and so they hurried away. Twilight stayed behind for a moment to thank the carriage ponies before catching up with her friends.

When they entered the hall Fluttershy breathed a sigh of relief. She was still edgy, something she shared right now with Rainbow Dash who found even the high ceiling with several skylights and the wall that was entirely a window overlooking the gardens somewhat stifling. But with Paladin’s- her friends’ comforting presences she was able to ignore her worries. The lack of flashing cameras helped too despite the milling nobles around them.

A servant materialised from thin air, or seemed to anyway, as they trotted into the room.

“Lady Sparkle, the Princesses wish me to inform you that she wishes the presence of yourself, the other Bearers of the Elements, Lord Spike, Sir Paladin and Haakima Zecora.” The servant pronounced the foreign title uncertainly but from Zecora’s pleased expression assumed he had gotten it right. “She will begin the introduction ceremony soon.”

“Introduction ceremony?” Twilight asked as the servant led them through the press of nobles. “I knew she was changing the Gala a bit but how does this ceremony work?”

“The Princess will welcome the attendants for coming and introduce certain parties invited to the Gala this year as well as ponies she feels deserve some recognition.” The servant answered, navigating the floor smoothly and efficiently.

Twilight nodded in understanding, realising this probably meant attention for them. Instead of dwelling on this she turned to Zecora. “Haakima? Doesn’t that translate too...” She trailed off, her mind going over the unfamiliar word.

“Healer. Doctor. It is a title which for which I have laboured and finally earned. For any zebra to reach it there is much to be learned.” Zecora looked around the strange gathering, surrounded by even more ponies than Ponyville had. She was no stranger to crowds but it had been a long time and they were far better dressed than most ponies she had seen. More than a few were looking in her direction and she wasn’t quite sure she liked the expressions they wore.

They reached a stand arrayed next to the long stairs leading up into the palace interior. At the servant’s behest they gathered on it, quickly gaining attention thanks to their elevated position. Twilight took the end closest to the stairs with enough room for another few ponies to fit while Pinkie stood next to her. Rainbow Dash put herself between Pinkie Pie and Applejack who was also flanked by Rarity. Zecora calmly waited for whatever the Princess had planned, keeping an eye on Rarity on one side and the nervous Fluttershy on the other.

At the very end Paladin was a pillar of alert, stern pegasus. His unique appearance managed to divide about half the stares towards him when he flexed his wings and they caught the light, an act he would deny as being on purpose to keep attention from making Fluttershy even more nervous as ponies recognised her. Why he would deny it he wasn’t quite sure. He suspected it was out of some sort of odd embarrassment linked to his body’s undiminished desire. Even weeks of being quite in control and not doing a single thing to give any sign of it, Paladin couldn’t help but feel denying himse- his body, not himself, it was his primitive flesh and blood at fault, being around Fluttershy wasn’t actually helping. If anything it was making it worse.

Fortunately for Paladin he was distracted from his very confusing thoughts by a blast of music that silenced the hall. He wasn’t sure how long he had been lost in thought but ponies seemed to have stopped entering some time ago. The sound was brief and simply made for attention, leaving the room quiet for the entrance of the royals.

“Everypony, welcome, to the Grand Galloping Gala.” A matronly, loving voice filled the hall and down the stairs came a pair of alicorns. They were quite literally night and day to each other. Trailing behind, still with the older alicorns but slightly apart came a third princess and at her side her prince. Shining Armour and Cadance gave Twilight quick smiles before turning their attention to the unfolding events.

“It is with great pleasure that we welcome you all here tonight” Added Princess Luna to her sister’s statement. “Tonight shall be different from previous Galas, but one we trust will be enjoyed by all.”

Celestia smiled down at her little ponies, giving another to the eight plus one dragon on the stand. “Introductions are the first order of business, and then the Gala can begin properly. Once again the Bears of the Elements of Harmony have stood against a great evil, one that sought to tear down first Ponyville and had the audacity to strike at Canterlot.”

Attention seemed to turn with the heads of every Gala attendee to the stand. It took all Fluttershy’s willpower not to jump behind the stand and cower, and all of Rainbow Dash’s willpower to not let out a loud ‘aw yeah!’

“For this, Equestria thanks them once again. With Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash stand two more heroes who deserve recognition this night.” announced Princess Luna. “Paladin, as loyal and just a stallion as has ever graced Equestria, stood firm against an evil that existed for a thousand years and was instrumental in its defeat. Were it not for his valour and courage the citizens of Equestria would have suffered dearly.”

Paladin’s expression didn’t change at the praise, merely seeming to accept what was said with no sign of reaction. What he thought was locked behind a steel wall and many nobles stared at him, wondering who he really was. Stationed at every entrance and in various different, highly visible locations along the wall most of the royal guard were mentally praising his poker face. It was worthy of the royal guard poker night, known better to the palace staff as the Night of Brick Walls. Entering a room of serious, emotionless stallions sitting around tables with cards as they tried to out stone wall each other was not for the faint of heart.

Again the Princesses swapped and Princess Celestia took over. “Zecora, a zebra from distant lands, also played a great part in these events. She provided guidance and advice where others would rush in and has displayed all the wisdom I have come to expect of her people. She has more than earned her place. All those who wish to live in peace are welcome in Equestria but Zecora has earned far more.”

The modest zebra didn’t blush, but only just. To be so praised by Princess Celestia was a higher honour than she had ever expected and despite a few rare eyes that seemed to regard her like one regarding a very clever dog she felt a moment of pride. She bowed her head to the Princess in thanks.

“Tonight we shall give both the awards such bravery deserves, but for now let us introduce guests who have graciously accepted invitations as the Gala is opened to other nations for the first time.” Princess Celestia continued, turning attention back to herself. She trotted the last few steps and with her sister, niece and nephew-in-law mounted the stage next to Twilight.

The first of the guests the Princess introduced was a zebra, his coat a more distinct black and white than Zecora’s. He too bore the title Haakima and after giving the Princesses and Elements bows made a gesture that surprised Zecora. She hesitantly returned it, surprised at the honour of such a greeting. Following him came a creature covered in course black fur, a bipedal rat who seemed to eye the watching ponies as though wondering how much they were worth. High Peacelord Ratkik twitched and figured in his fine black robe. The staff he held was engraved with a series of words in the language of the rot rats, the words translating to ‘war’ hastily scratching out and covered with a crudely painted ‘peace’ in Equestrian.

“It is with great pleasure I announce a creature who has been a friend for a long time to Princess Luna and I, and a friend of Equestria. He has asked to take care of his own introduction and so I have deigned to grant this request. He is the last of the guests and with his entrance the Gala shall begin in earnest.”

Two rows of tall, bipedal creatures appeared from the top of the stairs. Fur in various shades of brown marched out in two rows. Wood was woven into their wild manes and the bare skin on their faces were coloured with tribal face-paintings. On the shoulders of one of the tall muscular creatures was another of their kind but smaller, clearly of greater age with greying fur.

They came to a stop, a row on each side of the stairs leading from the foot to the mouth of the hallway leading into the massive chamber. The lights dimmed and it began.

“In the time before Monkey, total chaos ruled the world.” A craggy old voice called, matching the appearance of the wizened primate holding the microphone. “Heaven sent order to earth....”

Appearing at the top of the stairs was a cloaked figure bent over yet still as tall as the princesses. A gong sounded and as one the rows of monkeys going down each side of the stairs let out a cry, a primal caw. Music unlike anything heard at the Grand Galloping Gala begun to play, a cheerful beat running at its heart. The monkeys began to tap their feet. Their bodies swung together in the beginnings of a dance.

From the stand with the others, Pinkie began to tap her hoof as she felt the music building. Her grin grew by the second.

The cloak swayed to the beat as well, taking each step down the stairs in time with the music.

Beneath his cloak his movements began to grow in perfect coordination with the rows of monkeys, long-fingered hands clapping.

The monkeys clapped as their feet came down together. The swaying, dancing figure threw off his cloak to reveal a perfect specimen of monkey-kind. Tall with wiry limbs, muscles like steel cables tight under his fur the Monkey King danced forward. There was only one word to describe the creature in his fine brown fur, artfully carved wooden sigils woven into his wild hairdo and an open vest of tan weaving characters over a dark brown material. Only word to describe the way he moved, the way he danced, the way he swung to the beat. There was only one word to describe what he did.

Clapping and swaying to the beat the monkeys danced their King’s theme. Tails twirled together like nopony had seen before and together they danced, danced to the Monkey Magic.

Reaching the bottom of the stairs the Monkey King kept up his dance as his song kept on going. Ponies cleared a space for him as he danced to the centre of the room. He spun and twisted and boogied as though it was all there was in the world to do, as though it was all he knew.

Without realising it the beat of the song began to intrude into the ponies closest to him. It spread through the room and soon everypony was absently tapping their hooves to the beat. Before she knew what was happening a noblemare in a fine dress found herself in the area apparently designated the Monkey King’s dance floor. He grinned, showing off his teeth and caught her, pulling the mare into the dance with him.

A maid not fast enough to retreat found herself pulled in as well. Her tray of nibbles threatened to slip as she was whisked into the beat. With a wink of his eye and a snap of his fingers the Monkey King’s magic caught the tray. No magic aura around it but its contents bounced in perfect rhythm to the beat, the tray beginning to dance mid-air.

He mouthed the words of the chorus to the blushing maid as he danced with both mares at once. They found it impossible to resist and soon they were consumed by the beat. The ponies at the edge began to move more and more until first one, then another and a third, a fourth, they began to dance.

A snap of his fingers and flashes of light blossomed above the slowly growing herd of dancing ponies. The hall was filled with glinting lights of every colour, bright and shining.

At some point the Monkey King left his two dancing mares, but not alone. Without realising it they wound up dancing together. They looked in one another’s eyes as they danced with closeness both knew was wholly inappropriate. It was unbefitting for a mare of her station to dance with a mare of such standing...

They sung the opening words together, the first ponies to join in, staring into each other’s eyes and seeing something they had never seen before. They kept dancing together. The beat drove them and it drove them to closeness both secretly thirsted for. For moment seen only by a grinning monkey their lips pass within a hair of a kiss.

This time nearly the entire room had joined in. The fabulous Canterlot hall shook as the upper crust broke their crusty attitude, the stiff upper lips loosened, the movers and shakers moved to the music and shook their bodies, the elite danced like the l33t.

In the middle of it all the Monkey King danced. He dominated the floor yet somehow the song drew attention from him to each other until the dance was all that mattered.

Watching the dancing herd, Celestia smiled at the befuddled Bearers.

“I missed his visits.” She said over the music, her head bouncing slightly to the beat and tapping along to it with one golden hoof-shoe.

Rolling his hands around each other, the Monkey King spun in a circle on a single foot at the centre of the dance. As his other foot came down, a hoof came down in perfect time with him. He actually looked surprised for a moment as Pinkie stood on one back hoof and grinned at him. The Monkey King’s expression became filled with excitement and pleasure as she danced alongside him. It was only then that the other Bearers noticed Pinkie was missing from among them. None had seen her move to the dance floor but there she was, matching the Monkey King’s dance flawlessly.

His lips curled back, revealing a toothy grin. With incredible speed he moved, his weight falling on his tail as it supported his entire body going through a bizarre dance routine.

Somehow, Pinkie managed to do the same.

“You gonna challenge the Monkey King, eh?” He asked in a deep voice that fairly brimmed with energy and simple joy.

“You bet your funky monkeys I am!” Pinkie said back with a smile.

Paladin sighed as he watched the Gala unfold. At Princess Celestia’s behest they left the stand to mingle, many ponies tiring of dancing and gathering around the edges to talk and interact.

By pure chance he found Fluttershy nearby, and she was looking at him uncertainly. “Um, are you okay?” She asked, barely audible over the sound of the music.

“Am I okay?” He blinked a few times as if he wasn’t sure of what he was hearing. “I should ask the same of you. It has gone from being crowded to being crowded and loud, neither of which are things you like.” Paladin pointed out.

She blushed slightly. “Oh, well, yes but everypony is having such a good time now and not...staring.”

Paladin nodded and opened his mouth to reply when he felt a cold wind run down his spine. His eyes widened, the sensation not abating. It took him a few seconds to recognise it, the feeling translated differently through a physical body than he would have once felt it. A presence, cold to the core, was nearby.

Ardleon swept through the city unseen, his presence a mere cloud of mist that concealed itself in shadows and seeped through cracks in walls that proved not to be water tight. He had encountered other cities of mortals, all the same type of sentient equine he had encountered in the frozen wastes. Now he had finally arrived in a city that radiated power. He could feel it, energy dominating the landscape. One had impressed itself over ages, celestial power soaking slowly and marking the territory of something powerful. Another power joined the first, different yet somehow kin to the first.

He paused as he approached the palace where the greatest energies lay. There was a peculiar feeling to the elder energy. Concealing all his power and presence he was unable to probe deeper but there was sensation that felt to Ardleon as though the strength of the power had changed. Like it had been weakened for a long time but had recently seen a rise, boosted to greater levels.

His suspicions began to grow. Power akin to Tyrael’s had been present and a local force increasing in strength? The thought that some lesser creature might be siphoning off the might of the Archangel of Justice was nearly enough to break his concentration and unwittingly reveal him but he held on.

Slipping unseen past guards and magic alike Ardleon ignored the gathering. He could feel two powers, one the source of the enduring elemental impression upon the region’s energy and the other the same newer, different source of power that complimented the first. For a moment he felt it brush against his currently limited senses of another but he ignored it, dismissing that three such magics could be on a single significant world that shouldn’t exist.

Before striking the enemy, learn their defences. If they cannot guard their secrets, take them. If they leave their gates unbarred and unwatched, strike before they can seal them. He descended as white mist into the palace, searching for his master.

“Uh, so, I was wondering if....maybe, if you’re not busy....could we maybe...go...dance?”

“Hm?” Paladin looked up from his internal thoughts. “Fluttershy, you look a bit unwell.” He observed. “I’m afraid I missed what you were saying.”

She stared at him with wide eyes, torn between being horrified that she went through with that and he didn't notice, relief that he didn’t get the chance to say no because he didn’t hear and worry that what if he did hear but was just pretending so she wouldn’t be embarrassed?

“I’m going to find a bathroom. I won’t be long, do you want me to get you a drink on my way back? It may help, liquids are often helpful when unwell.” Paladin offered. He knew this because he had read it in a pamphlet Twilight had made. Why she felt there was a need for ‘So You’re New To Having A Physical Body & Need To Know Some Helpful Facts’ pamphlet he still wasn’t entirely certain. He already had all the helpful facts he needed to know.

Fluttershy managed a nod and a squeak that probably meant yes so he trotted off. Paladin felt a bit bad about lying to her but justified it to himself. He would visit a bathroom while looking for the source of the strange presence. Immediately the angelic pegasus scowled, realising he was making excuses to himself again. A painful trait of mortality.

The Princesses seemed calm, he noticed when he looked back from the hall leading from the main grand hall. They were completely at ease and so his worry was probably unneeded. Shining Armour seemed to be relaxed and Bulwark was probably off somewhere keeping an eye on security. Yet he couldn’t convince himself the feeling of a cold presence had been him just misunderstanding some bodily feeling. Paladin was fairly certain in his grasp of his body now. Even when he couldn’t control it he understood it for the most part.

This hadn’t felt like anything before.

Before he got halfway down the hall a pony accosted him. A blue unicorn stallion with a stark white mane glared at him and Paladin recognised the look and smell of a pony drunk.

“Who- I mean, you!” The unicorn grumbled, stumbling about on uncertain hooves. A somewhat tattered robe, ill-fitting as well, covered most of his body. “Pershon! Pony! Wheresh da way back? Ta, y’know, der place.”

The unicorn swayed and nearly fell over. Paladin moved before he could fall and kept the unicorn stable with one hoof on his shoulder.

“Which place?” He asked slowly and carefully. “The Gala?” Had this pony gotten so drunk in such a short time? Paladin bit back a scowl.

Shaking his head the pony glared at Paladin. “No! The Doreen one. Wait, no, not Doreen. She’sh a bitch. Doorsh! That’sh it! Doorsh!” He proclaimed triumphantly. “The place wiff all da doorsh! Like...a shitty of them. Shitty?”

While the unicorn looked around, apparently looking for a sign telling him how to pronounce a word properly, Paladin turned his thoughts from the source of his feeling. Whatever it was he would trust the guards and the palace wards. This pony needed his help, even if it was the unicorn’s own fault.

“You should lie down.” Paladin told the unicorn, getting closer to help guide him to somewhere he could rest. Hopefully a guard could take over soon.

“Lie? Lie down?! What do who think I am! Some kinda...spelunker?!” Demanded the drunk . He pulled back from Paladin and shook a hoof at him. “Ya want an acid arrow to the face? Do ya? Wash- what- watch this!”

If it is possible for nothing to happen in an emphatic way a moment of emphatic nothingness happened. Paladin looked at him with a cocked eyebrow and the unicorn stared right back with an expectant expression. Partly expectant at least, since half his facial features seemed confused on what to do and were sort of twitching.

Nothing continued to happen. Another second went by and somehow nothing happened even more then it had before.

The swaying unicorn glared just to the right of his offending hoof as though he had found it in bed with his wife. "Lishen you!" he slurred, lifting his other hoof to point at the first hoof. “I won’t have any of thish ‘shomantic compo-‘”

Paladin watched passively as the drunk fell on his face. The unicorn took no notice of his fall save to blame it on his hoof, and those other four that were hanging about next to it who he knew were a bad influence.

With a grimace Paladin pulled the unicorn up and began to carry him somewhere he would not hurt anypony-or himself. Once that had been dealt with he would have a look for the source of the presence.

The magic woven into the wards was masterful and beyond what a mortal should be capable of. It was, however, entirely useless against Ardleon. It was somewhat intriguing though. They were clearly designed to resist chaotic influences primarily and to a mind of pure order like an angel’s were beautiful. That made it all the easier for him to reach in and freeze them. They weren’t destroyed and their connection to their creator was left untouched but until he released them the wards were essentially in stasis.

It was delicate work to do while also concealing his power but Ardleon managed it – barely. The constant sap of power was annoyed but continuous. Now he began to creep through the vaults. He could sense hidden items of power and in them he could detect a trace even from this distance. A trace of Tyrael’s power.

The guards standing before the new vault for the Elements of Harmony, kept there for the duration of the ball and the as-yet-incomplete restructuring of Canterlot’s wards were bored. Very bored. They knew the Gala was going on and despite the high alert since the attack on the Princess weeks ago they were allowing themselves to relax. After all, who would be foolish enough to attack Canterlot now, with the full might of the guard above and both Princesses recovered and alert?

A wisp of white mist slipped above their heads. Ardleon pressed his mind against the wards. They were strong and unlike the others he could not simply slip past or freeze them. This would require physical action too, which meant the mortals guarding the gate would have to be disable.

A lay of frost began to develop over the course of nearly ten minutes. Growing where the guards were unable to see the ice was the focus of a single spell and Ardleon had encased the room in another stasis field, his affinity for the cold and its preserving qualities proving useful once more.

One of the guards shivered and suddenly realised his breath was coming out in visible puffs of air. He stared at the soon vanished mist. It wasn’t that cold down here, was-

Before he had even finished the thought a pillar of mist rose at the other end of the chamber and took form. A towering biped clad in silver armour appeared, cloaked in power.

Ardleon’s burning ice-fire wings spread, a wave of power freezing the door behind him. His stasis spell would allow him to use a fraction of his power and take his less subtle physical form for a few minutes without being detected. More than enough to brute force the gate open.

“Stand aside, mortals, or be frozen in heavenly ice.” He declared in a voice made from the chill northern wind.

For all their previously lax attitude the guards responded instantly. One lit his horn and cast a spell all unicorn guards knew. A ringing alarm would erupt and bounce down the corridors, shrill and immediately noticeable. The other cast a different spell and a dozen spears launched themselves through the air at Ardleon.

He made no move to avoid them and simply strode forward. The moment came when the arcane projectiles should have unleashed the stunning magic into him but they shuddered as they pressed against his armour and burst apart. Magic meant to merely knock another unconscious would do nothing against angelic steel.

“Pitiful.” Ardleon growled. His speed of advance began to increase. “They cannot hear you, mortal.”

Cancelling his alarm spell, the first guard joined with the first. Their magic reached for physical projectiles this time, loosening racks of spears laid against the base of the wall behind them. Half a dozen floated behind each for a moment before rocketing towards the oncoming angel.

Ardleon let them nearly hit him before dissolving into a mist that rolled across the floor in an instant. He reformed, a hand around each guard’s throat.

“You were warned.” He hissed. A shudder passed through each pony as his magic wrapped them in ice. They fell, their prisons striking the floor with sounds more likes tones than ice. Ignoring his beaten foes Ardleon lifted his hand and gathered his power. This strike would destroy his secrecy but he had to follow any clue he could. He knew that Tyrael was close.

Paladin entered the grand hall with the Gala still in full swing. His burden had been deposited, a guard taking the drunken unicorn to where he could ‘sleep it off’. Unfortunately the pegasus had soon realised that if he was gone for much longer Fluttershy would likely believe he had just run off. He was not such a rude pony, and was determined to make sure she didn’t think he would just abandon her. After all, clearly friends had to stick close in situations like this. Such large social events were no more her thing than they were his but at least they didn’t worry Paladin the way they did her.

Her possible worry was immediately banished when he got a clear line of sight on her and found a stallion in a likely expensive red suit that with his green fur made him look like a pony shaped pepper. He was talking to her, indicating the dance floor in a way Paladin took to be a request for her to join him.

For some reason Paladin was gripped by the urge to break his legs.

Shaking off the slightly worrying desire to do bodily harm to a random pony Paladin approached the pair. Whatever his original intentions when he saw the nervous look in Fluttershy’s eyes and the way she was trying to back away only to find herself trapped by a nearly laden buffet table Paladin decided that this stranger had bothered her for long enough.

“I have returned.” He announced from behind the new pony. The way the finely dressed noble jumped in fright was oddly satisfying.

“Oh, Paladin.” Fluttershy said with relief evident in her voice and the sigh she let out. “You’re back.” She glanced at the unicorn nervously and made to step around him.

Turning and taking a step to subtly cut her off at the same time the noble looked shocked for a moment when faced with Paladin’s stone wall of an expression. Years of high society and a fifty generation nobility helped him recover though.

“Excuse me, but I do believe I had the lady’s attention first. You may talk to her when I am done.” He said snidely, his self-assured smirk all but screaming that he wasn’t to be messed with by anything less than a duke.

“I had to move a drunk out of the halls.” Paladin said without batting an eyelash, ignoring the noble entirely. Nothing in his manner suggested he was even aware of the now irate looking unicorn. “We had best find drinks together anyway, I’m not sure what you want or what the selection is.”

“Listen here-” The noble took a step forward, presumably thinking his arrogant sneer needed closer range to work.

At the same moment Paladin took a very deliberate step towards Fluttershy. His step and the noble’s clashed and for a moment their hooves slammed against each other’s.

“I am one of Prince Blueblood’s personal friends,” hissed the noble quietly as he began to push. “Be gone before I have you whi-”

The noble, for all his lineage, seemed to forget a number of facts. Primarily that Paladin was far larger than him and that for all their weight in games of politics played by noble family’s genealogy did not in fact have any physical weight. He was pushed back and off to the side, Paladin moving through and past him to Fluttershy.

“I think I saw some drinks over there.” Paladin said to Fluttershy. He continued to ignore the bowled over noble and the looks a number of guests were sending the affray.

Fluttershy was not so lucky, seeing the calculating, outraged and amused faces turning towards them. She nodded and with surprising assertiveness and began to push through the press of ponies in the direction he pointed. “G-good idea.” She squeaked.

He went to follow her, taking only a moment to turn his head towards the shocked noble. Their eyes met and it took all the unicorn’s self-control not to stain his new suit. With that Paladin followed Fluttershy.

After using his superior bulk and the fact he was at least a head taller than nearly every other pony there Paladin found and made a path to the drinks and soon he was standing alongside Fluttershy, watching the dancing. Pinkie Pie’s impromptu dance competition had yet to abate. She was going at it just as hard as ever and the Monkey King seemed to be responding to this dance based revolution just as fiercely. Although they dominated the dance floor’s heart, others were dancing away as the music changed.

It was simple for Paladin to survey the Gala with his height. Rainbow Dash was regaling a trio of uniformed pegasi, her expression full to bursting with glee and happiness. Applejack was, oddly, deep in conversation with a noble pony and Rarity. The monocled noble was nodding occasionally and Paladin wondered briefly what was going on over there.

Zecora and Twilight were both in deep conversation too, their attention focused on the wizened old monkey who had introduced the Monkey King. Spike was at their side, actually looking interested by whatever they were talking about. He took that as a good sign.

Fluttershy watched Paladin as he checked on the others. It was rather sweet of him, to be conscious of others even in such a big, busy event like this. Looking at him Fluttershy wondered what he felt and thought when he looked at the ponies he counted as friends and who counted him as their friend. Things must seem so different, even after the time he had spent with them so far.

The question of what he felt when he looked at her cropped up and despite her best efforts she couldn’t force it away. It didn’t take much for the part of her that was so very curious to point out she could find out, if she really wanted. Fluttershy quickly reminded herself that Paladin didn’t like their powers to be used for trivial things.

‘But....this isn’t trivial.’ She thought nervously. It wasn’t that much of an invasion either, she could just sense his surface emotions. It was like reading a pony’s expression, except a bit more..specialised.

The rationalisation worked for Fluttershy’s current state of mind and she focused.

“P-Paladin?” She asked quietly and nervously. Despite the noise he still heard her and it was only a reminder to herself that they were further from the music now so of course he didn’t hear her before that kept Fluttershy from abandoning her plan.

“I was just wondering....” She began, reaching out with the invisible touch his powers had gifted her with as he turned to look at her. The well of angelic power swirling through her being focused for a moment and she felt-

Celestia, Luna and Cadance all came to a sudden stop as a spike of cold energy reached into their chests. It emanated from deep inside for just a moment and with a surge of dread and guilt in equal measure Princess Celestia realised she had failed to keep her own home secure once again.

Ardleon’s fist stopped an inch from the gate. His helm snapped up to stare at the ceiling. There!

“Tyrael!” The power from his aborted strike came to life again but with a much different purpose. The second he spent blurting the name was the last he spent in that chamber. He vanished into mist, teleporting straight up.

Fluttershy’s eyes went wide as she let out a squeak of pain. Something cold and furious struck her, feelings she could barely comprehend. Her legs shook and the strength seemed to drain from them. She shuddered and collapsed, held up only by Paladin’s quick reaction. He caught her before she hit the ground.

“Fluttershy, are you alr-” He began to ask, his eyes wide with worry.

He was cut off in a most dramatic fashion.

Ardleon appeared in a blast of cold wind that swept the room. His wings flared, casting a blue light across the across ponies staring up in shock at him. Light shone from his reflective armour as he rose.

“Tyrael!” He roared, his power manifesting openly. Spears of ice appeared with a brush of his hand, darting down to seal the exits. “Where is he?”

‘Ardleon.’ “Impossible.” He whispered as he stared at the angel above. He felt Fluttershy shudder and his gaze was torn from Ardleon to her.

“He’s angry.” Fluttershy whimpered. “S-so angry.”

She let out a yelp as the Gala attendants let their fear and shock fill their thoughts. Around them ponies began to scramble away, many letting out cries of shock and distress. They weren’t foolish enough to think this was part of the Gala. After the Changing invasion and the recent attack they were not as secure as they might once have felt. Their fear radiated and Fluttershy’s open mind recoiled from the assault.

Rime frost was already developing on the walls and floor around Ardleon as he glared down. His fury was clear and his lack of willing to wait just as obvious.

“Where is he?!” Whatever patience he had was quickly running out. His sight was fixed on the taller of the two sources of power. Their presence swamped the room, blocking his sense of the lesser creatures around them. “I felt his power, I know he’s here.”

The Monkey King had ceased his dancing and stood next to Pinkie Pie. He retrieved a simple smooth stick from his hair’s wild decorations. His entire hand engulfed the odd piece of wood, hiding it from sight.

“Stand back child.” He murmured to Pinkie, his voice still light and amused. “There’s gonna be interesting times tonight.”

A warm glow spread from Celestia’s horn and the ponies around them calmed. The ice barring the exits melted, leaving not even water in its wake as the magic of the sun removed it. The rime frost slowly vanished as well.

“Don’t worry Mr Monkey. The Princess is here to keep everypony happy and safe and smiling!” Pinkie replied with a smile. Her friends were already gathering around the three Princesses as they advanced to the centre of the room.

“We’re here to help Princess!” Twilight reported, glancing at Paladin. He was still holding Fluttershy up. Whoever this was, they were here for him.

Celestia smiled at her warmly. “Thank you Twilight. Wukong, please see to getting the guests away from here. Paladin, bring Fluttershy over.” She commanded before looking up at the furious angel. “Greetings, warrior of the High Heavens. I am Princess Celestia, diarch of Equestria. What brings you to our world?”

Ardleon locked gaze with her. “Do not seek to stall me, mortal. I felt the presence of my master, the Archangel Tyrael. Yet his power was corrupted and changed. Tell me what has been done to him.” He ordered the Princess. Forming from mist his weapons, two angelic blades, added his unspoken ultimatum. His hands wrapped around the hilts, tightening as though ready to pounce.

“You have appeared in our home, bringing fear to our subjects, and you make demands of us?” Luna glared right back. Behind them the Monkey King looked back from where he was herding ponies and his monkeys out, chuckling at the shout.

Just behind the elder alicorns Cadance winced at Luna’s lack of subtlety. “Uh, Aunt Luna, perhaps we should be a bit more diplomatic-”

“Princess Luna is right! Ya’ll ain’t got no manners an’ got no right ta talk like that anypony here.” Applejack snarled. She added her glare to the visual assault on the angel.

“Applejack!” Twilight hissed at her friend, pulling her back. “Let the Princesses handle this. We don’t have the Elements with us right now.”

While Twilight did that Rainbow Dash floated above the others so she could get a clear shot of Ardleon. “Hey, bozo, who the hay do you think you are?” She demanded.

“Oh, Rainbow Dash.” Rubbing her forehead with one hoof Rarity gripped Rainbow Dash’s tail in her magic and yanked her down. “Please, calm down.”

Paladin left Fluttershy leaning against Pinkie. The aura of Princess Celestia’s magic had shielded him from Ardleon’s sight for now, but he had no idea how long that would last. The appearance of another angel in this place, on a world he thought none knew of, disturbed him. He also knew quite well that Ardleon was rash and a display of anything but obedience would yield nothing but battle.

“Be silent!” Ardleon roared, brandishing his weapons. “I wield the power of the heavens and will have my answers! You who call yourself Celestia, you rule this land? Then reveal to me Tyrael’s location and I will allow you to live.”

Celestia sighed, closing her eyes. Looking up at her Paladin wondered what she would do. Defend him? Lie? Whatever she was going to do, he decided to pre-empt her.

“You need look no further.” Pushing between Celestia and Luna, Paladin strode past them into Ardleon’s sight. “I am here.”

“Wait, Paladin!” Twilight cried, trying not to grind her teeth in frustration. First Applejack, then Rainbow Dash, now Paladin? This thing seemed unfriendly to say the least and she had no idea if it was here to help Paladin or do something far worse.

The declaration left Ardleon confused, staring down at the bright winged pony. Its voice was as close as a mortal could be to Tyrael’s. The idea that the Archangel of Justice could be in such a form was incomprehensible!

“You lie.” Ardleon snarled, pointing one of his weapons down at the pegasus. “Tyrael is the Archangel of Justice, one of the Angiris Council. You are a mere mortal.”

Paladin nodded, his expression not wavering. “I am now. It is me Ardleon, this I swear by the Courts of Justice and all the High Heavens. I am he who was once Tyrael, Archangel of Justice. I was he who destroyed the Eye of Anu to spare humanity the corruption of Hell.”

‘My name.’ Ardleon thought in shock. He stared down at Tyrael. “Tyrael...it is you. You are...mortal...how could...no!” He vanished one instant and reappeared the next. A massive metal gauntlet closed over Paladin’s head.

“Ngh!” Paladin felt Ardleon’s probe, reaching into him and finding the once-angelic essence of his soul.

“Paladin!” He couldn’t tell who shouted his name but the pony responsible for the spear of fire that finally skewered Ardleon was obvious. Only a rapid dematerialisation spared the angel the attack and he reformed atop the stairs once more, crouched as he had been over Paladin.

Celestia advanced until she stood over Paladin, the pegasus collapsing upon his release. Her horn glowed with the power of the sun. “You will do no more harm to any of my subjects. Had you come here peacefully and openly we could have discussed this. If you calm down, we still can.”

“No!” repeated the angel, staring down at the hand that had held Paladin and ignoring her. “No...”

“My sister speaks to you, intruder.” Luna prodded him with an imperious call.

Ardleon rose and his wings rose with him, framing the angel with blue fire. “Subject? You call Tyrael your subject? You expose your evil. You are responsible for this.” His weapons reappeared from the mist and he held them at his sides. “You have declared yourself my enemy.”

Below Twilight and her friends exchanged confused looks. “What do you mean?” Twilight asked, shaking her head. “How did anypony do that? We’re not your enemies.” She reached over with her magic, helping Paladin up.

Staggering to his hooves Paladin looked at Ardleon with worry. “No, Ardleon, stop.” His voice was hoarse from the taxing effect of Ardleon’s spiritual inspection. “There is no reason to fight. You have always been rash but you must see this clearly.”

“Oh, I see clearly Tyrael.” Ardleon gathered his powers and frost began to form along his blades. “They have done as Hell did to Izual! I thought these mortals harmless but I see now I was wrong. That they have dared to seal you in a mortal form shows their depravity.”

Paladin stared at Ardleon as he realised what his former lieutenant meant. “No, it’s not like that. This is not like Izual. I was close to true death from being thrown across reality by the Worldstone’s destruction. They saved me-“

“Saved you?” If anything Paladin’s words inflamed Ardleon more and the cold weight of his rage in the room only grew. “They have used the foul medium of flesh to twist your mind; I will not allow this!”

With that roar Ardleon teleported, appearing instantly behind the group. His spread blades crossed before him and he unleashed a wave of cold magic. It was meant to seal the lesser mortals in ice and freeze their blood but just as the wave closed on them a shield appeared, a dome of magic holding off the attack.

“Nopony attacks my sister.” Shining Armour, seemingly vanished in the chaos of Ardleon’s arrival, stood in the entrance with his horn aglow. Around him hovered roughly twenty spears, still held in the grip of his magic as he cast the shield spell. “No monsters either.”

A lash of fire struck at Ardleon before he could fully recover from the shock of his failure. His left blade rose to bat away the attack and Luna’s strike was revealed, concealed by the flaming energy of her sister’s magic. Four silver stars slammed into his chest plate and knocked the angel away.

“Defiance in the face of justice. You compound your sins.” Ardleon sneered coldly despite the damage to his chest. Hidden though the affect was his armour had been weakened by the strike. These two powers a threat, one he would have to deal with.

He broke into a mist. The white fog swirled in place before suddenly expanding, spreading across the room. Beams of light shone from Celestia’s horn like rays of the sun and dissipated it in seconds, but seconds were all he needed. Distracted and half-blinded they couldn’t see his sneak attack take shape.

A spear of ice rushed at Shining Armour and he instinctively shielded himself. Even as his shield formed his eyes widened at the sight of the true attack, another jagged javelin of frost flying at his sister again. He couldn’t change the placement of his spell fast enough to get it over her before-

It shattered into frozen dust against shining angelic steel. Applejack stood between Twilight and the angel.

“Ya’ll aimed at her because she’s his sister. Ya’ll fight dirty fer all this talkin’ bout justice.” She growled from within her manifested armour.

Twilight blinked and shook her head. ‘Really?’ She wasn’t sure how this stranger could know that...no, he could! He had seen the colour of her magic when she lifted Paladin up and her brother’s shield was the same colour. When Shining said nopony attacked his sister the angel must have realised or guessed which of them it was.

As for the angel himself, he was staring at Applejack. “You wear the armour of heaven?” Fury contorted his next words into a howl. “You defile Tyrael’s power with your filthy magic. I see no end to your madness, to drain the righteous might of Tyrael so you might up-lift yourselves. This sacrilege will be punished!”

“Wait, Ardleon!” Paladin tried again. He was desperate to stop this. On one level he could understand why staunch, unbending Ardleon could not see the truth. It was unbelievable to one of their kind. Ardleon had always disagreed with Tyrael’s willingness to trust mortals, only going along with it out of respect for Tyrael and his belief that the Aspect of Justice knew what he was doing.

“Elements, withdraw! I will deal with this miscreant. Cadance, keep them back.” Luna ordered, her magic gently pushing the girls behind her. All except Applejack, whose armour dissipated the magic before it could even touch her. Deciding Applejack was unlikely to get hurt Luna took to the offensive again, keeping Ardleon from launching another attack.

“Paladin.” Celestia said gently, her horn glowing with gathering power. “He will not wait. I have held back but if he continues to fight I must act with greater power. He is unwilling to listen to reason. He believes you compromised and nothing you say will be credible.” Her expression was dire, letting her sister go forward with waves of moonlight and stars striking at Ardleon as they talked.

Ardleon used his mist form to great advantage, but the magic of many attacks left it with only partial ability to protect him. He swung and chopped and slashed but Luna moved just as fast, twisting away with mercurial grace. The sap on his power grew as he exerted it, the fabric of the realm always requiring power to resist expulsion and probable destruction. But Ardleon was in no mood to hold back, his righteous fury at the despoiling of Tyrael’s very being sending him to heights of rage few angels ever attained.

“You will be punished.” He hissed, flinging a crescent blade of ice formed from the shape of a sword slash at Luna. “Justice is inescapable. The cold fury of heaven reaches all with time.”

She easily dodged it and sent back two blazing blasts of moonlight that seared like the greatest flame. “It seems time is your enemy here, invader. You are unwelcome in our world and it rejects you. You grow weaker by the second.” Luna taunted, judging her foe to be hot blooded despite his frosty power.

Her judgement was proven correct and he pursued her with ever greater vigour. “Be silent!” He appeared above her, risking a teleport and slamming his blades down. A blizzard of frozen particles surrounded the twin blades and struck with the force of an angry storm.

Luna teleported at the same time as Celestia called out to the waiting Shining Armour. “Shining, now! Twilight, help your brother!”

The spears slammed into the ground in a circle around Ardleon, glowing brightly with Shining’s magic. It formed a wall of magic that rose around Ardleon, sealing him within. Twilight closed her eyes and focused her magic, her horn glowing like a star as she added her power to Shining’s. The translucent barrier became nearly solid and only a shape remained visible through.

“He is contained.” Celestia announced with a relieved sigh. “We may begin to calm him. It may take time, but I am confident-”

Whatever she was confident in would be lost to time, for with a roar of chill wind the shield burst. Shining Armour’s eyes rolled back into his head and he collapsed as he felt the feedback from the shattered spell. Twilight gasped and winced in expectation of pain. When it didn’t come she looked up.

“What?” She had time to blurt before a wave of frosty wind stole her breath away. Her brother had taken the full brunt of the rebound, forcing it to hit him fully.

“You think to bind me?” Ardleon’s voice burned with power and he was shrouded in angelic magic. He abandoned any thought of containing his power to defy the world’s resistance, focusing only on victory. “I shall scour the flesh from your bones, freeze your blood in your veins, reduce your mortal being to nothing.”

Paladin stared at Ardleon, guilt crashing against him. Ardleon genuinely believed he was fighting evil-doers, that he was destroying those who had defiled Tyrael’s power. “Ardleon, stop!”

“I will free you, nothing will sway me. Begone, mortals.” A wave of pure power erupted from Ardleon in an unstoppable attack. It held an unearthly chill that seemed to go beyond physical feelings to touch their souls.

A flare of sunlight cut through the precursor cold. Celestia’ horn burned with magic, her wings spread as if to balance herself as she summoned her arcane might. A beam of concentrated fiery solar energy stabbed into the swirling maelstrom around Ardleon.

His blades came up, crossing to catch the attack together. With a sudden blast of heat his magic broke, leaving the angel holding his ground against Celestia. A whine filled the air, the sound of the conflict of energy as his weapons barely held back the solar beam. Around his feet the stones of the grand hall began to melt, glowing cherry red as they were reduced to molten slag.

“I will not be denied.” He roared, pushing back and taking a slow step forward.

Celestia didn’t deign to reply this time, simply narrowing her eyes and focusing her power. It felt good to use her abilities to near their fuller extent after a thousand years of being slowly drained. To feel the magic of the sun coursing through her and expelling it in a single tightly focused beam.

“Ardleon, stop this madness. They aren’t evil, they didn’t-“ Paladin tried again, screaming over the roar of conflict between powers.

“Be silent! I will hear no more lies, no more of the deceptions they force you to vomit.” Ardleon took another step, staring right at the creature defying him. “I....will...”

With a resounding ring of shattering metal his blades were torn apart. Only a narrow dodge saved him, the beam continuing and vaporising a hole through his shoulder. The solar strike had melted through the wall behind him in the second it took Celestia to release the spell.

“It’s over. Surrender, angel, you cannot fight on. Our world threatens to destroy you if you exert yourself.” The Princess commanded. She let out a tired sigh. ‘I guess I need to ease back into having the power to incinerate buildings. It certainly takes it out of me.’

Ardleon slumped to the side on his knees, staring in shock at the remains of his weapons. The melted and scattered shards surrounded him, traces of angelic power wafting like smoke from them. He slowly looked at and despite the lack of eyes his glare was more than apparent.

“This isn’t over. This will never be over until Tyrael is freed and his power restored to him.” He hissed, slowly standing. “If I have to freeze this entire world to do it, I will.”

“No, Ardleon-” Paladin couldn’t help but try again.

Without looking at his former master Ardleon vanished, teleporting away in an instant. The shattered remnants of his weapons vanished with him, drawn by the angel as he departed.

Celestia sighed again, her mane drooping from exhaustion. “He’s gone. Fled, although I do not know where. That is a worry for another time. We must get Shining Armour to somewhere safe he can rest. He absorbed the rebound from a spell that was using more power than he possesses own and he will require care.”

Luna was at her sister’s side while Cadance went to Shining Armour’s lifting him as carefully as she could. Her guilt for being unable to help was clear on her face. Kept from helping in the fight Rainbow Dash had been ready to shout at somepony, probably Cadance, but hesitated and finally gave up the idea in the face of the princess’s expression.

“I got him. Think I remember where your room is meant to be.” She grabbed Shining Armour with one hoof and Cadance with the other. “Hold on.” They blinked away, Rainbow Dash’s smoother teleportation moving them across the palace instantly.

Paladin stared at the empty space his once-lieutenant had occupied. He wasn’t sure how long he was there, staring at in numb shock. Crushing guilt and the knowledge that he had failed not just someone who had looked up to him but his friends by endangering them filled every thought. At some point he was pulled away, saying nothing as he felt self-loathing gnawing at him.

Ardleon fell to his knees the instant he rematerialised. Snow came up to his armoured thighs but the cold meant nothing to him. He dropped one of his half-shorn blades, the hilt landing in the deep snow and his hand pressed against the perfect circle drilled straight through his shoulder. Luminescent fluid, the blood of an angel, dripped into the snow. The sub-zero temperature of the northern night failed to free him.

“Tyrael...” He groaned, forcing himself up on one foot so he was only half kneeling. The other useless hilt fell to the ground and he distantly heard the clank of metal on ice. Through the pain wrecking his being he felt something else, something that began to overshadow the hurt of the wound.

Rage. Hate. They filled him to near bursting and he gave voice to them in a roar that shook the blizzard.

“Tyrael!” He screamed at the night. “I will free you! No matter the cost!”

But even as he swore to do so Ardleon knew he was in no position to carry it out. His teleportation had drained what little energy remained and already he could feel his essence being damaged by the hostile plane of reality around him. It wanted him gone and if he would not go, he would be destroyed.

“Not without him. Not without Tyrael.” He whispered to the uncaring winds. His hate at the equines only grew with the realisation of his impotence. His fury reached new heights as he railed against his weakness.

If he could cry tears of despair and anger would be dripping from his visor. Ardleon felt his armour crash against the ice hidden just behind the thick snow but despite his best efforts nothing could make him move. This new failure simply added to his hate. The angel lay in the snow and ice, hate and fury radiating off him like an invisible, cold sun.

Hooves of wind and frost brushed the snow off Ardleon and they began to gently pull him. The angel slid across the ice and into the gaping hole. For a moment he teetered on the edge, their lack of physical power proving insufficient until, at least, he tried to rise and curse the mortals who had denied him his chance to save Tyrael. The movement was all it took and they drank in the delicious hate as he slipped.

With that last hateful thought, Ardleon fell.