There was the sound of hooves stomping on marble, coming closer to the doors of Princess Celestia's conciliar throne room, until the heavy wooden doors were opened forcefully by the dark alicorn behind them.
"Sister, why is it that almost a week after their arrest, you have continued to bar from me the prisoners?" asked Luna as she came into the room. "You say they are dangerous, and yet not how, or why. Moreover, you know Cadence and Twilight Sparkle are with me in this. What is really going on?"
Celestia sat still on her throne, almost slumped over, and Luna was almost set to re-evaluate her move. She looked like she had not slept for days. It was unlike her, and that was unsettling for Luna. Her sister was always the calm one, the one to try to see what the real cause of a problem or issue was, and now she was letting them get to her. It was enough that it was interfering with her duties - Luna had had to be the one to lower the moon, and raise the sun that day. It had all started with the letter from Twilight.
"I am doing it," said her sister, in a hoary voice, "to protect you, and to protect Equestria." She almost raised her head, and Luna was shocked at her condition. Her eyes were bloodshot, and she looked like she could barely lift her head.
Luna frowned at her. "Sis, what in Tartarus are you doing? You haven't been sleeping. And today, I had to raise the sun for you." Luna shook her head. "What's wrong? Let me help you." She stretched out her hoof, offering it to her sister.
However, it was in vain. Celestia looked at it for a second, as if expecting something else, but said "No. Nothing is wrong. Luna, I'm all okay." The guards, who had been flanking Celestia's throne since Luna had first entered, gave Luna a subtle signal of their frank appraisal of the sun princess' mental state. That certainly was not good.
"Now you're just lying, Celestia. What is it that worries you about these beings?" asked Luna, her confusion written on her face. "Something is different about you, ever since you got that letter from Twilight. Moreover, I have been talking to the officers of the guard, about the secret plan you made to destroy the diamond dogs. You have changed, sis, and not for the better. Please, tell me why you're doing this." She looked at Celestia now with concern showing.
"No... No, I'm not lying, Luna. Now, please," she begged, looking at Luna, her bloodshot eyes now pleading. "Don't ask about the prisoners again. Just put the matter out of your mind. I'm doing this to protect you, and please... trust me."
Luna bit her lip, and said, "I will... Only if you take care of yourself. Sleep, please, sister. You can't keep going like this, even if you want to." It was not what she had wanted when she had stormed in here, and it certainly was not ideal. Nevertheless, perhaps it was the best that she could do right now.
Celestia clearly hesitated, and then, nodding, she acquiesced. "Yes, my dear sister. Thank you, for- for taking care of me." Slowly, she got down from her throne, and, assisted by one of the guards, made her way out, heading to her bedroom.
As soon as the doors closed, Luna ascended, and took the throne. Looking to the remaining guard, she spoke. "Now, stallion, I need Twilight Sparkle and Princess Cadence brought here, along with the Captain of the Guard. Celestia is not to be disturbed, under any circumstances. Do I make myself clear?"
"Perfectly, your Highness," he said, and he left the room.
"So, my sister," said Princess Luna to the now-empty room. "What have you been doing, and what have you kept secret from me?" She set herself to waiting, and got herself comfortable.
It had seemed a long time, confined in the small cell. Although the guards changed regularly, Johann had lost track of how many times they had changed. The only things that kept the time in the cell were Frederick, leading them in the day's office, and the food.
The food was another strange thing about this land. Hay, as if they were horses. Moreover, these ponies did not understand them, as Twilight had. At least they had given them fresh water. Even so, Johann felt the pain of this starvation diet. Already he was feeling much weaker than he had been before.
There did not seem to be anything changing soon. It seemed like they would just have to wait. At least Frederick was with them. However, although he heard confessions, and gave each of them spiritual strength and comfort, he was looking lean and ready to break himself.
Johann regretted his decision to surrender earlier, and had told Frederick so. "Father, I think I was wrong to throw away my sword. If we had fought, we would not be imprisoned as now - dead, or free. Instead, we die here by inches each day. How can this be the right way?" he had asked, idly drumming his fingers on the ground as they both sat in the cell.
"My son, the Rule of our order says that we can never flee battle, does it not?" asked the priest, rather than answering Johann's question.
"Yes, Father, that is true. But what has that to do with this?" asked Johann.
"And that none should surrender until the beauceant has fallen, yes? It says that also?" he persisted.
"Well, yes. It is true," said Johann, his voice now becoming a little exasperated. "But still, what do these matters have to do with that?"
"What they have to do with that is that you seem to be surrendering or fleeing from this current battle, this battle of wills between you and the foe of mankind. You are telling yourself that the ends justify the means - that by being free, the illicit means by which you seek it are justified. And that is a lie." Frederick leaned over. "Yes, this present situation is wrong. However, the same is true for our brothers imprisoned by the French, for those under the question. They could decide that they had no hope, that there was no hope any more. That would be what the evil one wants. It is wrong. God is always there, and always brings us hope. So, then, while we do indeed struggle, we should never wish that to do some evil for a greater good, because God will work an even greater good through suffering for His name. And we will, at long last, be free."
Frederick had convinced him then, giving him the strength to carry on. Nevertheless, it was not easy. Worst of all, the Lord's day was to come the next day, and still Frederick could not celebrate the Mass. Johann was equal parts despair and anger at it, for it was to be his reconciliatory Eucharist. Moreover, if there were to be no more, if they were to be imprisoned until they died, would he be able to enter the Kingdom of God? Therefore, at each time that they prayed, he offered up a prayer for that intention - that before they were to die, that he would receive the Blessed Sacrament.
It was in one of these times that the door to the dungeon that contained them slammed open. The guards snapped to attention, and another pony came in. Whoever it was, they waited in the shadows beyond the gaol cell until the Templars had finished their prayers, and had gone back to killing time. Then the pony came forward, into the light - it was Twilight Sparkle.
She beckoned to Johann, and Johann came to the bars. Then she said the same five words that she had taught him before they could speak, and pointed at him. He repeated the same ritual they had done before, and with a now-known flash, the spell enacted.
"Hello, again, Johann," Twilight said, nodding her head, in what seemed a pleasant tone. "It is good to see you, and to speak to you."
"Hello, Twilight. And you," Johann replied, and continued, pointing to the tray of hay, "Especially because we have no food." As if to accentuate his point, his stomach rumbled within him, and he grimaced.
"What do you mean?" Twilight frowned. "Hay is a common food here. Do you not eat it?" When he shook his head, she bit her lip. "What, then, do you eat?"
"We eat bread, vegetables, fish, meat, and fruit. Many things, but simple." He shrugged. "Bread without leaven is something also that we would desire, if possible - made with only wheat and water, and cooked on a fire, and wine, unmixed with any preservatives."
Twilight made a face. "You eat meat? You mean you kill other beings for your food?" The thought was almost enough to make her sick.
"Sometimes we eat meat, yes. However, we do not kill people for food, no. We kill animals, but not beings with a person's soul," said Frederick, butting in. "We are not barbarians."
"What does this word 'soul' mean?" asked Twilight, not completely convinced. "We have no word for it in our tongue, and you could be deceiving us by wordplay."
"Were we doing so," replied Frederick, "we could continue to do. Nevertheless, we are not - a soul is what moves or changes a living object. However, a plant has not the same soul as a cow, which has not the same soul as a human. In the same way, our horses' souls are not the same as your souls - which are, more or less, similar to ours."
"A soul animates a being? But how do you know this?" asked Twilight. "Moreover, how can you say that our souls are similar?"
"We know something sets apart a rock and a tree, a tree and a bird, and a bird and a man. A rock does not change unless something acts on it - a beast pushing it, or a man breaking it apart with a pick. However, a plant changes - it grows, its leaves brown and fall, and at its end it dies. Nevertheless, it does not move. A bird, however, can move. Moreover, a human, or you, can think and choose your actions, not based on what impels you from without, but also what impels you from within. That makes our souls similar. Does that make sense to you?" asked Frederick, concluding his explanation.
"I suppose so, but it needlessly creates something with no evidence," said Twilight. "Why couldn't these things, and us, be able to do things like that... Just naturally?"
"Why cannot rocks do that, then? Why can't trees walk, and birds talk?" countered Frederick. "The soul is a necessary thing. Why be so quick to dispute the metaphysical?"
"Because the metaphysical cannot be observed," answered Twilight. "You might as well ask about the future. As best as your guesses are, they cannot be certain."
"Can't they be? I can drop an egg and declare that it will fall, can I not?" asked Johann, re-entering the conversation.
"Only because it is a law of nature that things fall," answered Twilight.
"What, then, makes humans, or ponies, different? If they have nothing different from rocks, then why can their decisions not be predicted accurately?" he continued.
"We have free will," said Twilight, slowly realising what the Templar was getting at. "But... We can't observe that, so what makes me assume it exists? Because we cannot predict ponies' decisions accurately. Therefore, they have free will, which means... Argh. Yes, now I concede your point. The soul gives what we call free will. But then why must animals and plants have one?"
"A plant is different from a rock, is it not? A rock does not grow or shrink by itself, but only if it is acted upon," said Frederick. "A plant does. Something must set the plant apart from a rock. So, then, it must have something that animates it, as we are animated by something. This something is the soul of the plant."
"But wait. We need a soul for free will. Since we can predict a plant's growth, why not leave it to natural processes?" asked Twilight. "We shouldn't assume something that isn't necessary."
"If natural processes do it, then why is a rock different? Something causes that difference. You may have a different explanation for it, but the explanation is necessary," answered Frederick.
"Pardon, but while this discussion is interesting," said Johann, "We do need food. If you don't eat meat, then we can refrain from eating it here, but we do need food, particularly the unleavened bread."
"Oh, yes. Sorry about the discussion, but it was so very interesting to talk with someone from such a different culture who nevertheless was so similar, in ways," said Twilight. "I will communicate to the princess about your dietary needs."
"Is this the same princess who imprisoned us?" asked Johann. "And has she told you why we are imprisoned?"
"No, I am afraid not. Celestia has not told her sister, Princess Luna, who is protecting you now, why you are imprisoned, or on what charges. But she does not have the authority to release you," Twilight said, shaking her head sadly. "Until Princess Celestia gives the order to free you... It looks like you're stuck in there. But Luna can at least give you real food, and real drink." She nodded, and on impulse bowed slightly. "Until next time, my friends. Now you ought to be capable of speaking to the guards for a time. However, be careful. Not all of these guards are with us."
With that, she left, leaving Johann with a list of questions as tall as he was. It seemed like they had stepped out of a relatively simple political conflict into one as complicated as any that he had heard of before. Three rulers, each like unto the other in royal dignity. However, this Princess Luna. Perhaps she would be able to help them. Perhaps she would even try. Nevertheless, for now, they could only trust in Twilight, and God.
Shining Armour continued to lie awake in his bed. It was a comfortable bed; made more so by his wife next to him, but that only seemed to make it worse. He could only think of those beings, those strangers lying in a cell in Canterlot, for no reason but their kindness. And it terrified him.
He rose from the bed, standing up in the large room. It was luxurious by any measure, and represented a great coming-up in the world for him. But the rumblings he had heard threatened everything he had.
There was a saying, among the mountaineering ponies. When you knew the mountains, really knew them, you could almost feel an avalanche coming by the sound of the sheer silence. And that was what he was hearing. There was no message from Celestia, demanding that he answer for his actions, demanding that he explain his defence of the alleged traitors. And that was troubling most of all. If it was like what had happened to them, he should expect a knock late at night, and then them bursting in to imprison them.
It was the dead of night, here in the Crystal Empire, and as he walked to the window, the sounds of the night met him, night birds calling amid the wordless tramping of the city guards. The city below was sleeping, as he himself should be, and he cursed the day that those beings had appeared.
"What did I do to deserve this?" he called out to the night. "What crime have I committed, or what evil did I leave unpunished, that my own good deeds bring me such distress and pain?" He turned at the sound of hoofbeats, to see his wife sleepily standing up to face him.
"Shiny?" she asked, blinking her eyes. "What are you talking about? Is something bothering you?" She walked over to him, concern making itself shown on her face.
"It is nothing," he said, forcing a smile to his face. "I'm alright, dear. I just... Couldn't sleep, is all. Nothing to worry about." He moved over to join her, and rested a hoof on her back. "We should go back to bed. Long day tomorrow, I expect."
"I suppose... Well, if you're sure," she said, biting her lip a little, and turning back to the bed. "It's just," she went on, stopping where she stood, "ever since you brought those... Templars back, you've changed. And... Not for the better. You aren't sleeping. I want to help you, but you won't let me. So... No. I'm not going to let this slide, not anymore." She stood her ground, not budging.
"Cady, it's really nothing," he protested. "I'm just having a little trouble sleeping." He ran a hoof through her mane. "Please, I just don't want to trouble you."
"Well, if it's nothing," she said, "then it will surely be of no great difficulty to tell me, will it?" She looked at Shining, her eyes like nails piercing him through and holding him there.
"I... Argh, yes, okay," he said, wilting eventually under her gaze and looking away. "It's about those Templars. And about what Celestia did with them." He turned to her, his eyes looking haunted. "I was with them every second they were there. They did nothing, nothing that deserved the punishment that Celestia gave them. They should have been praised and thanked, not punished and forgotten."
"Oh, Shine," she said, lifting a hoof to touch his forehead. "Is that it? I've already talked to Celestia, and she's just going to keep them imprisoned. They're not getting as badly punished as you thought." She gave a relieved chuckle. "I suppose it really was nothing." She turned; ready to go back to the bed.
"No, my love. That's not it. There's more," he said, his voice sounding hollow. "Celestia kept her plan a secret from me, from Twilight even. And... I'm worried. For them, but also for... For us. If Celestia imprisoned them without me even knowing, what's to stop her from doing the same to me? To us?"
Cadence froze. "Shiny, you can't be thinking of that. Not now. Not..." She touched a hoof to her belly, before continuing. "Not when we've just found out this news. Celestia isn't like that. And even if she were, she wouldn't do that to you, to us. We're her friends, her family. She'll be celebrating with us. Not trying to get rid of us." She shook her head, slowly at first and then getting faster.
"If she still trusted us, then why didn't she tell me? Why hasn't she talked to me at all following it? Look, Cady..." He stopped, trying to think of what words he could say to convince her. "I'm not talking about trying to get rid of her - not at all! All I'm talking about is... Making sure that the guards in Canterlot are trustworthy. That's all. Nothing bad. Just that if she does something she'll regret we know of it." He stroked her mane, though she pulled back at his touch.
"I... I don't want to talk about this," she said, her voice sounding upset. "I don't want to have to deal with this! I want... I want to just be able to live with you and not have to worry about my, our friends hurting us!" She turned her face away, her eyes glistening with tears.
"I know, dear heart," said Shining Armour, his voice trying to sooth her. "Neither do I want to worry about that. Nevertheless, it is something that I have to worry about. To make sure you don't have to. To make sure that our child doesn't have to." He drew her face back to look at him, gently. "I swore to defend Celestia, and who does she need protection from more than herself?"
"I... I suppose...,” she said, not sounding too convinced. "But... Please, promise me something."
"Anything," he said, though he felt it a lie in his heart. Inside, he whispered 'But not that I should forget this.'
"Husband of mine," she said. "Do not ask me to help you in this enterprise, for it is the death of all that I stand for. And it will break my heart, but I will aid you if you asked. But I ask that you do not." She looked up at him, a tear running down her cheek.
"Yes, of course, my love. I would not ask you to aid me in the course if you do not believe in it," he said, relief echoing through his body. This was the best result of all. Cadence could relax and ignore it, and he could protect her. With the stress leaking out of him like new wine in an old skin, he moved to embrace her, but she stopped him.
"I-I can't. Not right now. Just... Let's go to sleep." She looked pensively at him, and then turned back to the bed, and Shining's heart fell. She got back into the bed, and turned aside.
Shining Armour climbed into the bed besides her, unable to beat down the happiness he felt at having resolved that trouble with the sadness he now had at Cadence's obviously hurt feeling. Nevertheless, despite what he had felt a few seconds ago, he knew that he had done the right thing. Even if he had hurt her a little bit, better that than losing her for good.
The torches burned low in the zebra encampment, and Swift Quill did not like it. It was not his first diplomatic mission that had to be conducted secretly, and he did not desire it to be his last.
It had been a little over a week since he had been sent off into the Everfree Forest, and though the talks had promised to be short, they had been anything but. He had been forced to accept the hospitality of these scum, and though he did not show it, he was beginning to chafe at the bit to be out of there.
Still their leader waited, and delayed. He had never actually seen the Master, as they called him, or her, or it; but they seemed to be deliberately trying his patience. And he was almost through with them. Never mind that this mission had started well, it looked like it was going to end in the worst way - a pathetic way, apathetically.
He laughed hoarsely under his breath. It was just the sort of joke that Captain Shining Armour, one of the most artless soldiers he had ever met, would not have understood. It had been only a short time since they had parted, and he was happy enough to have left his company. The only good thing about him, Swift Quill decided, was that he was a pony, rather than one of these zebras. He probably hadn't even known what his role was, in escorting Swift into the forest. If anything, he had probably taken the mission at face value, and was reporting, even now, that 'poor little Private Fall Bird had never made his way out of the forest'. That was all to the better. The less anypony knew, the less that their enemies could find out if they captured them. And no matter what his combat skill was, he had seen too many 'elite soldiers' be taken prisoner by the sheer number of a foe to trust to his own protection.
However, all this would be for nothing if the zebras didn't give a positive reply to the princess' message. The plan was for a combined strike against the diamond dogs, with the zebras (secretly) taking the brunt of the fighting. Then the ponies could sweep in, and either destroy the zebra threat as well or part on peaceful terms. Of course, the zebras didn't know about the ponies' plans, so there was a chance they would actually take the plan at face value. If they didn't, well, that was what Swift Quill was there for. Nevertheless, so far they had swallowed the bait completely.
Except that they hadn't given them a reply, just 'taking time to ponder it'. Therefore, Swift Quill sat gloomily in the tent that the Master had provided him. It was the first sign of these beings' barbarianism. They lived in the carcasses of animals. Rather than the canvas tents he was used to, they lived in tents made of hide, and of bone. They hunted beasts, not for eating, thank goodness, but for skinning. Personally, he didn't know which was worse. But he couldn't wait to be out of this foul place.
At that very moment, the tent opened up, the flap being lifted by another zebra. As they entered, he felt even more repulsed. It was not a zebra, but a zony. It had wings, like a pegasus, and was coloured almost as if to mock ponykind. He felt a deep anger grow inside of him, but rather than showing it, he smiled and asked, "Well, has the Master made a decision?"
The zony said nothing, and as it sat down, Swift Quill could see that she was a mare. Another subtle insult. Anyone unfamiliar with the Zebras would not see anything untoward, but the zebras did not trust mares. Using her as a messenger was an insult to him, and to Equestria. He waited for a time, and was about to repeat the question when she spoke.
"The Master has decided, pony," she said, and looked into his eyes. Something about her eyes made Swift Quill shiver. It was like looking into the eyes of a dragon, and seeing the eternity that it embraced. "And the decision is in your favour. The Master will send a delegate to your Princess to negotiate the exact details of this strike. But for now, you may go." And with her message apparently concluded, she indicated the flap of the tent.
This was a change. The zebra were not usually like this. Even they respected hospitality, and would not have told him to go as rudely. This meant, presumably, that something had changed, either with their Master or with him. And leaving under these circumstances would be a good idea. He quickly gathered the meagre possessions that he had with him, and exited the tent.
As he did so, he was thrust into a scene of chaos. Zebra fought zebra, and blood was spilled on both sides. The zony joined him, not seeming at all fussed by the deadly fighting in the camp.
She escorted him through the fighting, and he stayed close to her. The few times that any other zebras tried to get close, she wielded the tulwar at her side with such agile gusto that it seemed more a dance than actual fighting. It was almost hypnotising, watching her spill their blood like wine from a goblet. And as he did so, he feared for the mission. If this was an example of what these zebras could do, and do willingly, then what would they suffer at the loss of their force to the diamond dogs?
As the camp fell behind them, he spoke up. "Why were they fighting, back there? For what reason, or what cause?" She looked at him, and smiled.
With a giggle that didn't fit the situation at all, she said, "Hee-hee, you didn't know, did you? I killed the last Master. Now I am the Master. They were my loyal comrades fighting against the old order. When I return, they will be put to right."
Swift Quill went cold. "You are the new Master?" he asked, thanking whatever deities were out there that his voice didn't quaver.
"Why, yes! Of course. Now you must go. I will see you again, don't worry!" she said, and jumped back off, in the direction of the camp. Swift Quill stood for a second, catching his breath, and then fled in what he hoped was the direction of civilisation.
It had been now almost a week since the Templars had been taken to Canterlot by the guards. And through that time, Scootaloo hadn't found anything that she'd been doing with the Crusaders anywhere near as interesting.
They'd been doing almost everything they could think of, as usual, but where she used to find the times she was spending with them fun, exciting, and even a bit reckless, now she didn't really know how to feel about them. They were still alright, she thought, but something was different.
"Something's different," she said to the girls after another day of somehow-uninteresting go-karting down the main street of Ponyville and raiding beehives near the Apple Family farm. All they'd gotten for their troubles was a stern lecture from Rarity and Twilight about respecting other ponies, a bunch of bee stings, and no cutie marks. Although it hadn't really mattered much to Scootaloo in the past, it mattered to her now. Now she wanted something more than just a cutie mark.
"What do you mean, Scootaloo?" asked Sweetie Belle, peering through Rarity's books on magical first aid for something for beestings. "It felt just like usual. Something exciting, then a lot of pain and no cutie mark. It's gotten so I've almost memorised these books," she continued as she closed the fourth book. "Except the one with the beestings."
"Well, it's just... Well, why are we getting our cutie marks?" asked Scootaloo. "I never used to really question it, but... Like, after those diamond dogs. I just wondered... If they'd caught me, would it be... Worth it?" She looked at the others, hoping for an answer.
"Well..." said Applebloom, looking at her long-time friend with a bit of a pondering expression on her face, "I guess it's just that it's part of growing up. And how are we gonna do anything important if we don't know what our special talent is?"
"Yeah, but... Okay, but can't we do the things that we'll do with our cutie mark already? I mean, Rainbow Dash didn't need a cutie mark to win her first race. So we should be able to do whatever our special talent is already. But we spend so much time trying to figure out our talent, and doing nothing that matters," said Scootaloo, trying somehow to express the feelings that she held close. "And that's what I'm feeling is different. I don't really get why we're doing this as much anymore."
"Well," said Sweetie Belle, leaving the books where they were and walking over to Scootaloo, "What do you want to do?" She looked at her friend with her curiosity evident on her face.
"I don't know," said Scootaloo. "All I know is that I want something that's worth doing. And I don't know if I can do that like this." She shrugged her shoulders. "I guess, maybe, I don't want to just 'get my cutie mark'. It seems... A little foalish, I guess."
"Hold on. Are you saying you don't want to hang out with us anymore?" asked Applebloom, a little bit of hurt in her voice.
"No, it's not like that at all," said Scootaloo, defensively now. "But what I do want to do is something that really matters. Like... I don't know. But you remember those people who helped us? They were only with us for a day, and they changed my, our lives. What have we done? Just gone on as if nothing happened. I don't want that to be the case. I want something more."
"Well, what do you mean by something more?" asked Sweetie Belle, sitting down beside her friend. "If we don't understand you, we can't help you. And we're your friends, and we want to help. So please, tell us." She met Scootaloo's eyes, trying to show her concern.
"Well, I guess I mean a bit more serious," Scootaloo said. "I mean, Rainbow Dash and her friends have fun together, but they also do important stuff. And I kind of want to do that. But it seems like all we do is have fun together, without the 'doing important stuff' part. That's what I mean, really." She looked at the others, and took in a deep breath. "So... Are you up for that?"
Sweetie Belle and Applebloom looked at each other, back to Scootaloo, back at each other, and then said in unison, "Of course we are!" "Particularly," continued Applebloom, "If it helps us find our cutie marks."
"Well, I gue- wait, you said yes?" said Scootaloo, still a little surprised. "I mean, of course you said yes."
"Well, yeah, of course we said yes, Scoots," said Applebloom. "We're your friends. If you want to try something, then we're in there with you." She patted Scootaloo on the back. "We're not going to back out on you now."
"Well, then," said Scootaloo, a smile coming back onto her face, "What are we waiting for?" And with that, the Crusaders surged off.
Frederick stood up, and made the sign of the cross. "Deus, in adiutorium meum intende," he said, beginning the final hour of the day.
The other Templars stood up quickly, and each made the sign of the cross, and continued with "Domine, ad adiuvandam me festina."
The five bowed their heads and crossed themselves again, and said as one voice "Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto, sicut erat in principio et nunc et semper et in saecula saeculorum. Amen. Alleluia."
They sang the hymn of the Templars, Crucem Sanctam Subiit, and sat down again as Frederick led them in an examination of their conscience. With that concluded, they sung the psalms. Frederick read from both the Revelation of St John the Evangelist, and the Rule. They pondered the two readings for a time in silence, and then they sang the Nunc Dimittis and the Salve Regina, and finished with another time of prayer. Johann again offered up his petition for reception of the divine sacrament. Frederick dismissed them, and they returned to their own sections of the small cell.
All of a sudden, there was a movement from outside. The guards were changing, and with that, there came another troth of water... As well as a platter of vegetables, bread, and, most precious of all, five pieces of unleavened bread. Johann was about to dig right into the food when Frederick called out. "Stop, Johann. Do not eat yet. That goes for you all," he said, standing between them and the platter. "You shall eat, yes, but your bodies are not ready to eat quickly. So hold yourself fast." Turning to the platter, he took a single loaf of bread, and, breaking off five small pieces smaller than a fist; he gave one to each of the Templars, and kept one for himself.
They ate the bread slowly, finishing the loaf eventually, with Frederick spacing out the consumption. They fell asleep almost immediately, feeling fuller than they had in a long time. When they woke, the food was gone, and Frederick was standing where it had been. "It is time," he said, "for us to celebrate the Lord's Day, as He commanded us to celebrate it."
The sound of industry resounded now through all the halls of the diamond dogs, whether that was the sound of steel being beaten into shape, weapons being made, or works of a more esoteric nature. Him-Enthroned looked at the minions of His working on the great artefact He had ordered repaired with great satisfaction. It was nearly functional, and then He would move it.
The device, unknown until now, was like, as Him-Enthroned understood it, a giant drill bit. With it ready, He could drill into the crystal caverns under Canterlot, and not only harvest a great supply of wealth that would give Him and His scions total and enduring control over the diamond dogs, but then be able to launch a surprise attack on Canterlot. With any luck, He could destroy the princesses, and without leaders, the ponies would be unable to resist. Victory would be assured.
Even now, the latest additions to His personal force were being trained into loyal servants. He smiled a little as He thought of the little pleasures He would take in them soon, and then dismissed them from His mind. He was master of all His desires, and now was not the time to let that slip.
A skeleton of the crew that had previously worked upon it was all that was working on the machine they were recreating. As each section was repaired to working order, the dogs previously working on it had been reassigned. Now, only a fraction of the original crew was working on it. It was time, now, to re-sanctify this device. It was fortunate, then, that His guests - five of the pony soldiers, who His personal army had captured on raids - had just joined Him. They were chained together, and though they continued to look defiant, Him-Enthroned was sure they would soon be begging for mercy, like the cowards that they were.
“Behold,” He said, gesturing with a cruel smile at the machine. “This is the doom of the ponies. You alone have received the gift of seeing the doom of your race before we put it into action.”
“You think that this trinket will help you defeat us?” called one of them. “You fools have no possible conception of what forces you face. Surrender or you will face your own doom.”
Him-Enthroned signalled, and one of the guard dogs punched the petulant fool in the muzzle. “You do not know the truth of the matter, and so I forgive your insolence. However, you are quite mistaken. You ponies have no way of defeating us, your natural superiors. As the others will learn, in time. But you yourselves will learn that so very soon.”
He turned to the dogs still working on the machine. “Whoever brings one of Our guests to the top of the machine shall receive the honour, and the privilege, of slaying them personally.” Not even a second passed before they began to fight with each other to get to the prisoners, each striving to be the first. He turned back to the prisoners. “Your blood will re-sanctify this machine, and purify it and Us. Our ancestors will receive your blood with joy.”
“Not so,” said the same prisoner who spoke up before. “Hear my curse, you foul ones. One the day you use that machine, these halls will be filled with the ghosts of all the ponies who have died, and you will be defeated.”
“What care I of your ghosts?” asked Him-Enthroned mockingly. “We will not need these halls when we have taken Canterlot.”
He turned His back on the screams of terror and of ecstasy that filled the halls, and began walking to the council room. It was time to give the order to move out. These ponies would soon learn the errors they had made. And their blood would fill the streets of their own cities. They would drown in it! And the diamond dogs would be born again, of blood and of the violence of war. No more would the ponies control them. They would be the masters of this world. And they would bring a reckoning down upon all those who opposed them!