Hecate's Orphanage

by BlackRoseRaven

Para Bellum

Chapter Fifty Nine: Para Bellum
~BlackRoseRaven

Hecate stood silently, her metal hands clasped behind her back, as she simply watched the data play over the screen again. The only light that filled this dark, private room came from that screen, and it was dim. Dim and dull and weak, like her hopes had become.

She saw what had happened now, from the debris that had been recovered from the spectacular failure of an assault. Somehow, Thokk had taken over the energy drill. She had accelerated it, causing the energy to eat away at reality itself, making it unstable, while the witch had shattered the bonds of energy that had linked this world to all the others. Incredible, considering that was still something that was more concept than tangible to Hecate, but Thokk had done it.

And then, once the world floated 'loose,' she had finished overcharging the portal, and popped the planet like she'd pop a balloon: the energy drill had torn a hole right into the Nothingness, and Thokk had just had to sit back and watch as the planet had quickly disintegrated.

So many lives lost.

Countless lives lost.

Countless people failed.

Hecate took a slow breath, before there was a double knock at the door behind her. She turned around, framed in the ghostly light, as Thorn entered. They looked at each other for a few moments, and then Hecate nodded once before she said softly: “I'm glad you're back.”

“I apologize for not being faster.” Thorn said, and Hecate gave the faintest of smiles before the sapphire stallion strode forwards and simply hugged her leg. And Hecate sighed as she reached down, silently stroking through his mane.

How she had failed him too: he was bandaged, she could see that he'd been wounded... but at least she'd had the foresight to build him a new prosthetic. The one he was wearing now seemed... obsolete. “There was nothing we could have done. We weren't prepared for this.”

Thorn was quiet for a few moments, and then he looked up and asked bluntly: “Were there any survivors?”

Hecate nodded after a moment, replying quietly: “Yes. Reapers were summoned. They could not save everyone, but Team 0-0 is in medical, being treated. So are most of the demons. They are only fortunate they had someone... willing to pay the price.”

Thorn nodded and shifted his weight slightly, and Hecate both admired and hated the way he looked up at her and said calmly: “I'm prepared for debriefing and to do whatever duties are necessary, Empress Hecate. I know there-”

“It can wait. Go see your friends.” Hecate said softly, and Thorn smiled briefly before Hecate bowed her head, murmuring: “Family is the most important thing, Thorn Blackfeather. I would like you to remember that, better than I have.”

“Alright, Mom.” Thorn said softly, and Hecate looked at him for a moment before the stallion added quietly: “I'll be in contact if you need me.”

“I know.” Hecate said, and Thorn bowed to her politely before he turned and made his way out, and the Empress of Decretum flexed a steel claw slowly before she repeated softly: “I know.”

Hecate looked back at the screen for a few moments, then finally shook her head before she turned and headed out into the hall. She didn't manage to get more than a few steps, however, before a beeping warned her of an incoming message, the mare scowling as she summoned up a holographic screen.

Cowlick was projected on it, the demon saying coldly, even though her eyes were filled with worry: “Hey, Bitch-Queen, we got a problem. Those signals that have been probing us for the last twelve hours just got a whole lot more aggressive. They've locked on to our coordinates.”

“When should we expect Thokk's forces, and where?” Hecate asked coldly, and Cowlick gave a wry grin.

“See, that's what I've always liked about you. You just jump right to it.” Cowlick halted, and then she shook her head and muttered: “They can't hit us below ground level, and I'm confident they won't be able to open a vortex inside any of your insulated facilities. But they can brute-force portals just about anywhere else, and my bet is they'll open them in the wasteland, on the approach to Imperia, and anywhere you've got a big open chunk of road. And for all we know, they could hit us everywhere. Worse yet is that-”

“Decretum is anchored. Thokk is certainly free to waste her time trying, but she won't be able to shatter the tethers binding this world in place.” Hecate said with distaste. “And I don't believe she'll try and open a hole to the Void immediately. It would destroy too many things she's taken an interest in. And I'm sure she wants to crush us herself.”

“Yeah. I got the same feeling.” Cowlick grunted, chewing on the end of her cigarette before she sighed a little and said finally: “Ten hours. Maybe. I'll keep you updated.”

“Ten hours is enough.” Hecate smiled thinly, and then she dismissed the screen as she continued down the hall, pushing her way into her office before she scowled as she found two figures already waiting for her.

One was Hel, and the other was the demon who had summoned the Reapers, Aphrodisia. The demon smiled up at her brightly, and it hurt Hecate's heart to see her so pale, her eyes sunken, and a Reaper's mask propped up on her skull, fierce and draconic, a black cape hanging around her shoulders.

“I lost a darn good Inquisitor, you know.” Hel said mournfully, but there was honest pain in her eyes as she reached up and patted Aphrodisia almost tenderly on the head. “Stupid heretic. Don't you know anything about demons? You should have just saved yourself.”

“I'm only sorry I couldn't save more. But the Great Reaper did his best, I don't think he wanted anyone to die who didn't have to, even if his Reapers just wanted the souls.” Aphrodisia halted, then she smiled faintly as she rubbed slowly at her face. “And Thanatos wasn't so bad. He was really nice, actually! I liked him.”

Hecate only looked at Aphrodisia, before silently gesturing at her to go on, and Aphrodisia brightened a little, some of the light coming back to her eyes as she said: “He said I had to pay my debts, but he said he'd give me a few centuries to get used to it. And maybe in only a thousand years or so I can be relieved of my duties! I'm special, really... I'm a demon but I get to be a Reaper too now, and if I prove myself I can be a Great Reaper, and I can stay around home, so I can be with my big brother and... and maybe I can even come to Decretum sometimes! Thanatos said you had asked for a Great Reaper, but he was nervous about it because of Kismet and all.”

She quieted, then lowered her head and whispered: “I hope I can be a good guy, like him.”

“I'm sure you will be, Aphrodisia.” Hecate reassured gently, and then she sighed a little before turning her eyes towards Hel, asking quietly: “What do you want?”

“Don't sound so defeated, girl! We're gonna get through this together, you and me and everyone, okay?” Hel encouraged as she hopped to her feet, reaching out and gently punching Hecate in the shoulder before she smiled as she leaned back, tapping her fingers together gently. “Hey, you should be real proud of your boy, though. He did great, didn't he?”

“Penumbra and the Fyrjarl are both in custody, yes. I took my time interrogating Surt.” Hecate said softly, glancing down at one of her claws and flexing it slowly. She remembered how he had laughed when she had first entered the room where the skeleton had been restrained, helpless and suspended in the manacles that both kept him alive but also stopped him from moving...

But he hadn't laughed for long.

She had been in no mood for games.

“I'm sure you're aware that he was nowhere near as powerful as he was in the past. But he was also very different: undead, not Voidborn. I think that Thokk must have hated him.” Hel said softly, tapping her fingers together meditatively before she said mildly: “If you're done with him, though, I'd like him for my collection. I got a nice fireplace to cram him into, to keep my toesies-”

“Take him.” Hecate said disinterestedly, and Hel stared at her before the mechanical goddess said simply: “I learned what I needed from him, and I would prefer not to see Decretum become a prison facility. Our main duty is to provide support and exterminate threats to worlds that are beyond their scope. We are not an interment camp.”

Hel clapped her hands together, saying mildly: “Now, sweetie old tin of beans of mine. You're a little down in the dumps, and that's pretty understandable. But hey, don't look so sour or so sad! Thokk is-”

“Thokk is going to be dealt with in roughly ten hours' time. She is coming to us: that is fine. Decretum's forces have suffered massively, but we are still more than strong enough to take on her forces.” Hecate said calmly, as she laced her fingers together and rested her hands on her desk. Her voice remained even, but her eyes burned with a fury so deep and bright it made even Hel shift uneasily back. “Thokk will be crushed. Thokk will be humiliated. I will see her neutralized and terminated. There will be no mercy.”

There was silence for a few moments, and then Hel held up her hands in a gesture of surrender before she said in a low, soft voice: “You just be careful, Hecate. Hell is my domain, not yours. You know, in spite of everything, I'd just really hate to have you as my enemy in the end.”

“I will do whatever must be done to ensure order. Even where others pause, I will not hesitate.” Hecate replied in the same cordial tone.

For a few long moments, the two looked at each other until Hecate finally sat back and said: “If there's no further business, I'll ask you to leave. I have preparations to make.”

“Gosh, you're so rude! But alright, alright. I can take a hint.” Hel sniffed loudly, tilting her nose up before she paused and said meditatively: “Actually I probably can't, but. That's all besides the point. Yeah, I got it, let's get going, kid.”

Aphrodisia smiled awkwardly up at Hel as the ice puppet began to bounce away, and then Hel skidded to a stop at the door, scowling as she turned around and opening her mouth, and then she slumped as her eyes settled on the mare, frosty shoulders sagging and her smile honest and sad for a moment as she murmured: “Oh, my nightshade-flavored muffin. What am I going to tell your parents?”

“I'll deal with it, Hel. It is my responsibility.” Hecate said, and Hel snorted at this, crossing her arms and looking insulted as Aphrodisia lowered her head embarrassedly.

“Hey, I might act like a five year old but I am way more than five years old! I'll do it. I'll do it right now, as a matter of fact!” Hel declared, and before anyone could argue, she simply stomped a foot and vanished in a puff of snow, Hecate sighing and shaking her head briefly before the mechanical goddess turned her eyes towards Aphrodisia.

Aphrodisia looked back at her, and then she smiled before she said finally: “I um... Thanatos wants to talk to you about the Voidborn. It's a little late, I guess, since you're planning to get rid of them and all-”

“Things rarely go according to plan or intention, Aphrodisia. Besides, eliminating Thokk may not destroy all the Voidborn.” Hecate nodded slowly, and then she asked in a quieter voice: “Do you communicate with Thanatos? It's rare that a living being becomes a Reaper, as you have.”

“He says in time I'll be able to. But right now I can just...” Aphrodisia compulsively squeezed her front hooves together, chewing on her lip. “It's because of Elska, because I already bonded with a Reaper's scythe. But she doesn't have my soul, Thanatos does. He says technically I'm already more like a Great Reaper than a Reaper, I'm... but I'm not nearly ready for that responsibility. I have to learn everything else first. It's so hard... I was just getting used to being an Inquisitor and...”

Aphrodisia halted and smiled lamely up at Hecate, but Hecate only looked at her impassively for a few moments before she said softly: “You are always welcome here, Aphrodisia. When I speak to Thanatos, I will see about having you transferred to my care.”

Aphrodisia mumbled in embarrassment, bowing her head but blushing in gratitude, and Hecate gave the smallest of smiles before she asked in a more serious voice: “What other business does Thanatos have with me?”

“Oh, uh...” Aphrodisia rubbed at her head, and then she said finally: “He said something about Cadence, too. He didn't really want to let her go, but he didn't want to keep her around, either. He said that it was best that you keep her, but... you have to keep an eye on her, because Swans are very dangerous, and that the best thing Valthrudnir ever did was destroy them.”

Hecate only grunted at this, frowning slightly all the same: why would the God of Death be concerned about Cadence? “Why?”

“I don't know. He doesn't talk a lot. It's going to be really hard getting used to him and stuff. He's really nice but he's really quiet and I'm really not quiet and stuff.” Aphrodisia said awkwardly, tapping her hooves together before she brightened. “But hey! Maybe that means he'll be really happy to send me out here, then!”

Hecate grunted, wondering moodily if she really wanted to have another bouncy, loud pony around, but she supposed she owed this pony and her stupid family a few favors still. So instead, she only nodded briefly and instructed: “Tell Thanatos I will be ready to meet with him in several days. I have other matters to attend to in the meantime.”

“Yes, ma'am!” Aphrodisia saluted, before she winced as her mask fell down over her face with a clunk, the sockets of the mask glowing faint blue as she said lamely: “Sorry.”

Hecate simply gestured at Aphrodisia to go, and the mare nodded and jumped up to her hooves. She hesitated for a moment, however, and Hecate frowned before Aphrodisia smiled at her beneath her mask, saying quietly: “Remember that you have a lot of friends, huh? Don't... don't think you have to fight this alone. I know my big brother would for sure definitely want to step in to help you, just like you stepped in to help us when you didn't have to.”

With that, Aphrodisia bounded out of the room, leaving Hecate in silence for a few moments. The mechanical goddess slowly tapped a claw against the desk, and then she finally sighed before calling up a holographic screen, ordering: “Seneschal. Prepare an envoy to Looking Glass World.

“It's only polite to keep them informed.”

Cadence awoke with a groan, rubbing slowly at her aching head. All she remembered was... the nothingness.

Her eyes snapped open as she sat up sharply, then she nearly toppled over. But after a moment, she managed to steady herself, breathing slowly as she looked uncertainly back and forth before she murmured: “But... how?”

“We were saved by the Reapers.” Vextus Lux said without a hint of irony in her voice, and Cadence blinked a few times before she turned carefully, her whole body aching, but her strength slowly filtering back in: enough that she was able to lean towards the demon without falling off the narrow medical bed she was in.

Vextus calmly spooned a bit of soup into her muzzle, and then she smiled: she seemed tired, but uninjured, Cadence was relieved to see. And she was surprised when her own stomach rumbled a little at the sight of the bowl of soup on the folding tray by the demon: it did smell good... “Would you like this, dear?”

“I... I'll get the nurses to bring me some after I hurt a little less.” Cadence mumbled, and then she shook her head quickly before she looked back and forth: Tormentas was in another bed, reading, and she saw – to her great relief – Moonflower snoring in another bed, La Croix smiling tiredly from another, Lancer in yet another and Courtly Love sitting on his own and Peridot was... crying?

She couldn't blame her, though. Her entire team... Cadence quieted a little, before she frowned as Vextus murmured: “The cost was very high. Aphrodisia summoned the Reapers, but gave up her own soul to save the rest of us.”

“What?” Cadence asked in disbelief, nearly toppling out of bed before she grimaced when a medic hurried over to her, grasping her and trying to force her to lay down, but she pushed grouchily back against... “Wait a minute, Solstice? What are you doing here, you're from Team D-15. Where are the doctors?”

“We're on Class I Alert. Literally everyone is out getting ready. Only rear-echelon motherbuckers like me have been left behind.” Solstice replied, the tan-gold unicorn used Cadence's confusion to force her to lay back in bed, saying quietly: “Listen, your Dad's already in a corruption bath to accelerate his healing, and you and your team are scheduled for an hour of accelerated treatment each. Everyone has to be ready to fight.”

“I... yeah. Thokk?” Cadence asked, and Solstice nodded, Cadence grimacing a bit. But she didn't try and scramble away when Solstice left: it sounded like her team was going to be placed on the front lines anyway, so there was no point trying to rush off.

Instead, she turned her eyes towards Vextus, asking quietly: “What happened to Aphrodisia?”

“She summoned a Great Reaper and begged him to help us. He did so, but he took her soul as well as the souls of the dead and dying... which I suppose is better than being pulled into the Void, at least. I saw her, though: I think Thanatos selected her for Reaper duties.” Vextus Lux smiled faintly. “We were given authorization to fight by Hel, as well. We'll be staying to assist.”

“Alright. I'm... glad.” Cadence said quietly, as she looked down, before she turned her eyes towards Lancer. She realized after a moment he wasn't asleep, just laying on his side, hugging himself, trembling, and the mare softened a little before she glanced away and murmured: “Don't worry. We're going to make Thokk pay for what she's done.”

Lancer lowered his head slightly, only closing his eyes, and there was silence until Solstice returned with an injector. She fitted the handle onto her hoof, then pushed the large, tube-shaped barrel against the side of Cadence's neck before pulling the trigger, and Cadence cursed at the piercing pain of the needle that shot into her neck before she took a slow breath as she felt nanites and chemicals surge through her.

“Alright. Room A. You know the drill.” Solstice instructed as he ejected the spent needle from the injector gun, and Cadence smiled wryly as she carefully pushed herself out of the bed.

“I'll be back in about an hour. I'm... thank you.” Cadence said, not knowing what else to say, before she turned and headed out of the room and a few paces down the hall to a large door marked 'CHAMBER A.'

She pressed her hoof against the glowing panel beside the door, and she felt a tingle run through her body before it beeped loudly. The mare entered, and didn't resist as a a pony-shaped drone stepped forwards to quickly check her over, before it led her to the glass and steel cradle at the back of the small concrete room. She slipped up to sit in the seat-like recess in the machine, then she reached up to pull a breathing mask down from the roof of the machine and secure it over her muzzle as the drone harnessed her in.

She had learned why the harness was necessary after her first time the healing pod. Not just because of the monitor in the center of the harness, but because it was incredibly hard not to panic.

The drone stepped back, and the cradle beeped before the top of the pod swung down, locking smoothly into place and trapping her inside it. Cadence closed her eyes tightly before she instinctively tensed as air vented around her with a roar, before an oily green liquid gushed into the pod from vents on either side of the machine.

It filled up quickly, Cadence fighting the urge to tear loose, to try and fight her way out the entire time, breathing rapidly through the mask sealed over her muzzle until the tube was full. But the moment it was, she was able to slowly start to relax, all sound muffled apart from a pleasant humming that filled her ears and vibrated through her body.

She could feel her body healing and repairing itself, helped by all these strange chemicals. She tried to concentrate on that, to let herself relax, but while she no longer wanted to panic, she was now also trapped with only her own thoughts, all her fears and worries and frustrations filling her mind, all her regrets, all her failures...

We did not fail. We did everything we could, and we saved those important to us. the Swan reasoned in her mind, and Cadence tried to thrust it away, but the Swan refused to listen, twisting curiously inside of her before it asked: What would you have preferred? To lose your family, but save those who were almost strangers?

There are no strangers in Decretum. We are all Orphans. Cadence thought, before she added sharply: And I would have preferred to save everyone, Danzsöngr.

The Swan only shrugged in response, and Cadence sighed mentally before she frowned when the creature asked her softly: After Thokk is dead, what will you do?

When did it become up to me? Cadence asked mentally, and then she shifted slowly before she sighed a little through the mask, adding after a moment as she rested back in the healing gel: Stay here, I guess. I mean, I'm still a servant of Decretum. I belong here, and Daddy needs to be here...

But that sounded almost like an excuse, Cadence thought uneasily, and she felt the Swan whisper a soft agreement with her before she could quench those thoughts. Cadence scowled at this, then she mentally pushed the Swan away before she shook her head quickly, refusing to question herself at this point. There was too much going on. Too much to prepare for.

For roughly an hour, the mare forced herself to just sit back and keep her mind as still as she could. The time passed faster than she'd thought it would, startling her when the goo rapidly drained from the pod before she shivered and tensed as a spray of water hosed down from the top of the capsule, rinsing her off before a blast of hot, painful air left her feeling crisped more than dried, and the pod finally opened.

But Cadence was able to easily pull the mask off and unharness herself, staggering out with a wheeze before she rolled her stiff shoulders with a grimace: she began to loosen up almost immediately, however, the mare raising her head slightly as she muttered: “Works way too well.”

She shook her head briefly, then she headed towards the door, letting herself out and walking back to the medical lab: she was well-aware of the procedure by now, after all. Solstice met her near the door, the medic quickly checking her over and analyzing her with some strange hoof-held device before she muttered: “Weird.”

Cadence tilted her head, and Solstice shook her own before she tapped a short command across the touchscreen on the tablet device. “You're not at a hundred percent, but my readings say you're pretty damn close.”

Solstice smiled briefly, glancing up for a moment before she turned her attention towards a groggy-looking Moonflower: “Hey, your turn!”

“A hero's work is never done.” Moonflower mumbled, and then he slipped carefully to the side before falling out of bed with an ungainly thump, Cadence sighing a little and smiling faintly despite herself before the stallion wheezed: “I'm okay.”

“I'll get him.” Cadence volunteered, walking over to help the stallion gently up, before she muttered: “Come on, lean on me, idiot.”

“I'm not an idiot. I'm just not made of metal like you are.” Moonflower grumbled, before he wheezed as Cadence half-hauled him forwards, staggering a bit but keeping up with her as they headed back towards the chamber.

It took Moonflower a few tries to get his hoof high enough to rest against the scanner, and as he struggled to do so, he murmured: “We lost a lot of people. I don't think... that's ever happened before.”

“No, it hasn't.” Cadence said quietly, lowering her head slightly before she gently helped the stallion into the room when the door opened, muttering: “And I don't even know where Thorn-”

“Oh, he visited.” Moonflower said with a small smile, and Cadence looked up in surprise, but the stallion only nodded quickly and brightened maybe ever so slightly. “Yes, he looked almost as badly beaten up as... everyone else was, apart from me, obviously, but... he was here!”

“Yes, Moonflower. You're clearly the best off of all of us.” Cadence said ironically, but she smiled a little before she said quietly: “I'm going to see if I can find him after I talk to Vextus, then.”

Moonflower began to reply, but the medical drone beeped insistently at him, and so instead he huffed loudly before he winced when Cadence gently pushed him towards the pod. “Go on, heal up. We're going to need you at full strength.”

“Ha, even now I could...” Moonflower stumbled and fell, but the drone quickly caught him, and the black unicorn gave a lame smile before he allowed the machine to half-carry him towards the pod, mumbling: “Well, I could do more than the average pony.”

Cadence only gave him an amused smile, then she turned and left, closing the door behind her as she made her way back to the medical lab. She was surprised to see both Vextus Lux and Tormentas on their hooves, the demons both stretching themselves out as Solstice checked the latter over, before she muttered: “Incredible. I've heard a lot about demonic regeneration, but I've never seen it on this level...”

“Well, you saw the Destroyers, dear, didn't you?” Tormentas asked easily, and Cadence smiled before she realized that this was the first time she had seen the mare without some kind of clothing on. And she was surprised to note that almost the entirety of Tormentas' body was covered in runic tattoos, studying these with interest before the demon said pleasantly: “If you like, I can give you a few yourself. Although I can't promise you won't have to redo them should you have an accident.”

Cadence scowled slightly, opening her mouth, and she was just as surprised as everyone else when the Swan said: “Yes. We would like that.”

“Well then. I can do it immediately, if you like.” Tormentas said after a moment, smiling almost challengingly even as Vextus Lux gave her an exasperated look, but Cadence felt herself gently nudged by the Swan, and... oh what the hell. This is the worst state Decretum's ever been in and we're under attack by a witch who wants to destroy the universe. Why not do something stupid to memorialize it?

She headed over to the bed she had been in before, laying down as Solstice started tiredly: “Girls, you can't-”

“Mares, and we can. Don't worry. It'll only take a moment.” Tormentas reassured, as she strode over to the side of the bed, studying Cadence for a moment before she said softly: “It will hurt, though. I hope you're aware of that.”

“I can deal with pain. I want...” Cadence stopped, before she frowned slightly as the Swan sent an image through her mind, and the mare nodded hesitantly before she touched her breast, saying quietly: “A bird motif. Something simple.”

“Very well. I know just the perfect design.” Tormentas' horn glowed, before she glanced pointedly at Vextus Lux, and the High Priestess grumbled as she walked forwards before she turned her eyes towards Cadence, drawing her attention even as the ivory mare stiffened as she felt magic beginning to sear her chest.

Cadence forced herself to relax as much as possible, even as her hooves dug into the bed, as she asked in as even a voice as possible: “Where are the others?”

“Morning Glory is staying with Freya. She has great respect for the Valkyrie.” Vextus Lux replied with a small smile, before she shook her head and continued in a softer voice: “The other Destroyers have already been delegated to front line duties by Empress Hecate, and the... mechanical pony, the...

“The unpleasant one. Silver, I think is her name?” Tormentas picked up, and Cadence looked uneasily at the mare for a moment, wondering if... “She was badly injured, but taken somewhere else for healing. And Thorn Blackfeather has returned. His mission was successful.”

“I heard, but... what mission?” Cadence asked, trying to focus through the pain burning through her chest, before she gritted her teeth and rolled her head back, adding before she could stop herself: “And what are you even doing to me? A tattoo shouldn't hurt this much!”

“I'm applying a tattoo through magic while ensuring it remains permanent. It's far superior to ink and needles but... it does tend to sting a little more.” Tormentas admitted, before she added in a gentler voice: “And you'll have to speak to Thorn himself about that if you're so curious, Cadence. It's not our place to say.”

Cadence grumbled under her breath at this, but then she nodded briefly even as she squeezed tighter against the bed, closing her eyes and muttering: “Great. Yeah, I'll hunt him down afterwards, then. I have to see Hecate, too, find out what she wants me to do...”

“Kill things, I imagine.” Tormentas said with a gleam of mischief in her eye, and Cadence gave the mare a sour look as Vextus Lux sighed a little. “Don't worry, though, dear. That's what we're all here for. The killing.”

Cadence grunted moodily, and she fidgeted for a few more minutes before blinking in surprise when Tormentas leaned back and said: “And that is that.”

The ivory mare sat up, then smiled a bit as Solstice walked over with a hoof mirror, the medic studying her before the mare gave a wry smile and said finally: “Suits you.”

Cadence took the mirror in her own telekinetic grip, using it to get a good look at the tattoo across her breast, and she couldn't help but smile a little: it was simple, much like the odd mark she'd had before her entire body had changed, but now in black instead of pink. She studied it for a few moments, then nodded and looked up at Tormentas and said quietly: “Thank you.”

Tormentas only shrugged, and Cadence put the mirror aside before she pushed herself out of bed and headed across the room to where La Croix was still sitting and reading. She smiled at him, and he glanced up and gave her a small smile in return before he gestured with his head towards Lancer, who had put his back to everyone and was curled up in a little ball.

Cadence nodded again, softening slightly before she walked over to the stallion's bed, saying gently: “Hey.”

“Just... leave me alone. Leave me alone until it's time for me to fight those bastards.” Lancer muttered, and Cadence reached up and squeezed his shoulder, the stallion stiffening and gritting his teeth, but then slowly, visibly deflating before he nodded once and whispered: “Okay. It just... it all sucks so much.”

“Yeah.” Cadence glanced across at Courtly Love, the changeling giving her a faint smile, and then she turned her eyes towards Peridot, who at least had calmed down and fallen asleep finally, although she was clutching what looked like a scrap of cloth; likely from Cataskeuastros' cowl, she thought.

Cadence patted Lancer on the shoulder again, then she turned and headed to the door, Tormentas and Vextus Lux both following her out of the room. The ivory mare breathed softly, then shook her head before she turned and muttered: “Okay. I'm going to find Hecate. I guess you two are interested in talking to her first too, huh?”

“I would like to get my equipment back. I can understand why it was taken from me, but I never feel quite right without my armor.” Tormentas said mildly, and then she added almost off-hoof: “And we are also here, of course, to try and investigate whatever this Ithavoll is... if Hel is concerned by it, then... it concerns us, too.”

“I'm worried about it too.” Cadence said before she could stop herself, and both demons looked at her with interest: in spite of her words, after all, her tone... “But I also trust in Hecate and Thorn.”

“Trust is a dangerous thing.” Tormentas said gently, and then she smiled as she asked easily: “Is it wrong of me to hope that in the future we end up as enemies, Cadence? Because while you are a good friend, I think you'd be an even better enemy.”

Cadence only smiled briefly over her shoulder at Tormentas, before the ivory mare turned her eyes back forwards, saying softly: “Let's just focus on the here and now. As much as I respect you... you still have to prove that you're not just all talk, after all.”

Tormentas laughed at this, shaking her head slowly as Vextus Lux shook her head with a sigh, remarking quietly: “I suppose nothing will ever get in the way of mares like you two being... well, the way you are.”

Cadence shrugged with a bit of a smile, but she felt the mood become much more muted as they continued on their way, the mare looking silently back and forth as she realized how empty the facility was. There was only a scattering of Worker Drones on duty, meaning that everyone had either been deployed or evacuated.

Cadence was surprised when instead of finding Hecate, a security orb found them instead, the glass sphere beeping loudly for their attention before Hecate's voice echoed out of it moodily: “Cadence. Status?”

“Ready to fight. Moonflower and La Croix are getting ready, and I assume my father is healing.” Cadence chewed on her lip: she wanted to go see him, but first of all... “I need to know what's going on, Empress Hecate, and what you want me to do.”

Hecate grunted moodily at her, and the orb buzzed for a moment before the mechanical goddess said shortly: “Meet me in my office. Tormentas, Vextus Lux, follow this security orb to equipment storage, I've taken the liberty of updating both your loadouts.”

“Fancy words, dear. I only hope it also means we'll find your touchups useful.” Tormentas said politely, although she seemed a little irked. Not that Cadence could blame her, but she smiled inwardly all the same as the orb flew quickly off and the demons followed after it: she was sure that Tormentas would be more than pleased once she saw what Hecate was capable of.

The ivory mare took a breath, then turned and continued quickly through the hall. She noted on the path to Hecate's office that many of the security systems had been activated: automated turrets whirred slowly back and forth as cameras silently watched the halls for any signs of intruders, and Cadence passed more than one security orb on her way.

She knocked perfunctorily once at the door to Hecate's office before letting herself in, and Hecate looked up and dismissed the multitude of screens that had been floating around her, the Empress of Decretum standing and striding around the table to look down at her contemplatively. Cadence looked awkwardly back up at Hecate, then hurriedly cleared her throat before saluting. “Empress Hecate! Cadence, reporting for duty, ma'am.”

“I have eyes.” Hecate retorted shortly, and Cadence winced and wilted a bit before the Empress of Decretum said quietly: “Tell me what happened after you arrived in the combat zone.”

Cadence shifted a bit, looking down for a moment and chewing on her lip before she shook her head quickly and murmured: “I don't even know what to say. It was insane. Elementals and Husks were everywhere, so many were already injured or...” Cadence halted, then cleared her throat before continuing: “I divided up the team Hel had sent with me, and I went ahead to assist Seneschal and the Command Team secure the area while the rest of the team pushed through the battlefield with the wounded. But...”

Cadence looked down, shaking her head slowly as she continued: “I'm sure you know better than I do what happened. But there was something else there, something that gave these... powerful pulses. It killed Cat... I mean, Cataskeuastros. I think... I don't know why, but I think Thokk was on board. Like it was some kind of ship, even though it looked almost like a moon, and it kept phasing through reality...”

Hecate nodded slowly, before she asked almost abruptly: “When did you die again?”

Cadence smiled briefly, silently reaching up and touching her tattooed breast as she murmured: “Thokk ambushed me in Helheim, sent some kind of demigod after me, Rig-”

“Who is linked to Thesis.” Hecate interrupted, and Cadence looked up in surprise for a moment before she hesitantly nodded, and Hecate narrowed her eyes for a moment before she asked quietly: “Was he terminated?”

“No. He escaped. Thokk had a lot of influence in Hell, though... that seemed to be why Hel wanted us down there, because-”

“I think Hel had a multitude of reasons to want you there.” Hecate murmured, as she reached up and rubbed slowly at her chin before she closed her eyes, and Cadence only looked up at the mechanical goddess in silence, unable to find all the questions she had wanted to ask, only able to sit and wait.

Finally, Hecate opened her eyes and looked down at Cadence, saying quietly: “Decretum is as prepared as possible for Thokk's assault, but I need every Dogmatist and every Orphan ready to do their part. Are you ready to fight, Cadence?”

“Yes, Empress Hecate. I am.” Cadence replied, raising her head high and nodding firmly.

Hecate smiled thinly, and then she asked coldly: “And what about the Swan? Will the Swan be able to stand against Thokk?”

Cadence felt a shift inside of her, before the Swan answered: “Yes. Mother Hel has released us from the control of the Mothers and the Fathers and the Creators. We no longer need to bow our head to any desires but our own. We are eager to destroy Thokk.”

“Good.” Hecate said, apparently neither surprised nor impressed by what the Swan had just revealed, as the enormous mechanical mare straightened before saying calmly: “I will do whatever must be done in order to see this universe protected, Cadence. I want you to remember that. Hel also wishes to impose her own sense of order, and while we agree on many things, we may one day be enemies. Who will you serve in that event?”

“I trust you, Empress Hecate.” Cadence said quietly, although there was hesitation in her voice. And when Hecate glanced over her shoulder at her, the ivory mare shifted on her hooves before she admitted: “It's hard. All my preconceptions have been challenged. Everything I believed in is either a lie or just... different from what I expected. But this place is my home. And you... you scare me sometimes, and sometimes I disagree with you, but I trust you. I honestly do. You and Thorn are going to do great things.”

“No. Thorn will do great things. I am merely fixing what was broken.” Hecate said softly, and then she gave Cadence a rare smile, looking down at her and saying: “I trust you as well.”

Cadence blushed and lowered her head awkwardly, and then Hecate gestured for her to go, instructing: “Head to equipment storage and get ready. I need you to prepare your team for emergency deployment once we pinpoint where Thokk is going to attack from.”

Cadence saluted sharply, nodding firmly once before she turned towards the door and let herself out. She took a slow breath, steadying herself- “Hey.”

The ivory mare flinched in surprise, blinking once before she stared in disbelief at Thorn, who smiled in response. He looked worn-out, she thought, and almost like he had aged a few years over the last few days, but then again, she supposed this conflict was wearing on all of them. “Hey. I heard from Moonflower you visited us.”

“Yes. I arrived back a few hours ago.” Thorn reached up and rubbed absently at his mechanical leg, and Cadence noted this one was a little bit different from his other prosthetic: it had a smaller shoulder with narrower pistons, streamlining the appearance of the mechanical leg. “How are you doing? I heard it wasn't... pleasant.”

“No. No, it wasn't.” Cadence shook her head briefly, then she sighed a little before she said in a quieter voice: “Lancer and Peridot are both going to need some understanding.”

“We'll afford them what we can. But you know how we operate, as well.” Thorn paused, then he shook his head and added quietly: “Although I imagine it will take a few days to get things back into working order after today. Assuming we can repel this attack.”

“Is there any information on that?” Cadence hesitated, then she asked suddenly, as Thorn started to open his mouth: “Where did you go?”

Thorn slowly closed his mouth, giving Cadence a look, and the mare smiled in embarrassment before the sapphire stallion shook his head briefly and answered: “I can't tell you that right now, Cadence. Please just understand that it was important.”

“How far ahead do you and Thokk and Hecate really think? I mean... every time you ask us to do something, is there some secret purpose, have we all been taking part in... I don't know, this big Ithavoll Project without ever realizing it?” asked Cadence, and then she shook her head before hesitating, then deciding she had blurted out enough anyway to go ahead and ask: “Why do both Hel and Hecate act like they're going to be fighting? Are we really keeping order in the universe, or... are we the bad guys, Thorn?”

Thorn smiled at this, and Cadence scowled at him, which just made him smile even more, before he answered in an amused voice: “Cadence, there are no 'good guys' or 'bad guys,' that's you trying to simplify everything again. But even if you want to look at the world that way... we are very rarely the 'bad guys.' Decretum is an empire that will span across the entire universe, but our ultimate goal is to affect these worlds as little as possible. Ubique et invisibilia.”

Cadence nodded hesitantly, rubbing at the back of her head before she said softly: “But why is Hel so eager to fight us when... from what I've learned, she wants to be the same way?”

Thorn hesitated for a moment, and then he simply smiled faintly before answering quietly: “Because we all have roles to play, Cadence. Keeping in control, staying in power, is about much more than just being present, and having that power. You have to give whomever you rule over a foe to rally against, or a cause to chase and achieve. Otherwise the people grow restless and dissatisfied.”

“Peace is war.” Cadence said softly, and Thorn shrugged a bit as the ivory mare shook her head slowly, then asked quietly: “But are we really like that? I mean, is the reason Decretum functions so well really because...”

“There's never going to be a shortage of problems to fix. And maybe that's not such a bad thing after all. Besides, our world has a long way to go before we can even say we're ready for colonization, among other things.” Thorn paused, then he reached up and squeezed Cadence's shoulder gently. “Go see your father and your friends. I've learned that... spending time with family is the best thing you can do when things are rough.”

“I'm glad you have. Come by when you can, too... even if just to boss us all around, okay? I think Moonflower likes that, though.” Cadence said softly, and Thorn smiled briefly before he nodded once, and the ivory mare hesitated only a moment as she gazed at him, feeling both joy and strange sadness before she murmured: “You have to make every last moment count.”

Cadence hesitated, then she turned quickly away, smiling awkwardly over her shoulder as Thorn gazed after her silently, and the ivory mare only hoped that she was wrong about what she had seen, and what the Swan felt would be Thorn Blackfeather's fate.