A crooked smile cracked across the silhouetted stallion’s face as his hooves tightened in anticipation against the arms of his monolithic steel throne chair. His sudden excitement could be felt throughout the near black chamber, which prompted the mare who read off the report to stop herself abruptly.
“Is something wrong, my lord?” she asked attentively, curious as to the sudden show of positive emotion from the normally stone-faced colt.
“I have sensed something,” replied the sitting stallion in a silky and iron gilded tone that drummed through the crypt, even though he had only spoken at little above a whisper. “I believe fate has been kind to us, captain.”
“My lord…” said the mare cautiously, understanding the proper etiquette she was expected to give to one of the highest authority. “Does this involve the—human, from Ponyville?”
The mare had nearly uttered a very much inappropriate word when conversing with a Dark Master, but thankfully her own wish of self-preservation had prevailed over distaste of human’s and their barbaric ways.
“Yes,” gleefully hissed the Master in his decrepit voice. “After much waiting our plans may finally commence. If our benefactor was still with us today, she would be most pleased with this news.”
“Could the human really bring about her return?” blurted the mare as she felt her own hooves begin to sweat with energy as her heart raced. Only later did she realize that she had spoken out of turn in the presence of a Master, a crime normally punishable with near unimaginable horror that had been instilled on only a hoofful of unfortunate agents that hadn’t learned to watch their tongues.
Thankfully, the Dark Master’s atypical attitude softened the scenario significantly, in which he only replied with a low chuckle that caused the mare’s muscles to tense.
“Patience, my friend. You have served the Order well and your enthusiasm is most understandable. But we shall continue to take our goals one step at a time, as we always have. You of all ponies should know the importance of subtlety.”
The mare nodded strongly, a smile crossing her own face. “Yes, my lord, I understand fully. I shall inform the others.” With a brisk bow of her head, the mare scurried out of the room giddily while still keeping her military step in mind.
The shadowed stallion sighed happily and leaned back in his throne. Smiling a twisted grin once more, he looked upwards toward the onyx ceiling and stared off into its abyss, imaging his own master looking down upon him with glee that matched his own.
“Everything is transpiring as to your will,” he said aloud. “Soon we will be able to serve you in your rightful domain and the world will once again be ours.”
Although he was met with no audible response, the colt knew all to well that his master was listening.