//------------------------------// // Sister Singe, The Monster Hunter // Story: The Order of the Celestial Sun // by Blade Trail //------------------------------// Princess Celestia stood on the balcony of her chambers in Canterlot Castle, gently coaxing the sun to set. After countless years of practice, the act had become second nature to her, and as she reached out to send the sun on its way, so too did the sun reach back to her, replenishing her strength. When the last ray of sunshine disappeared over the horizon, Celestia set her jaw and steadied her stance. Now came the hard part. Celestia cast her magic out into the ether, probing blindly until she found what she sought. As she felt her magic wrap around the alien entity, she pulled. By now, she had come to expect the sudden surge of resistance, but still it threatened to drag her down. The glow around her horn intensified as she poured more strength into the connection. Her wings flared and she leaned backwards as she set her entire being to her task. Finally, a white light peeked out over the horizon. “Not yet,” Celestia murmured through gritted teeth. “You...need to...rise!” Celestia gave one last great pull, and the light jerked upwards, clearing the horizon. Celestia looked at the light as it hung low in the sky, breathing heavily from exertion. She had done it. The moon, her sister’s prison, was once more in the sky. Another night had begun. Celestia’s eyes lingered on the silhouette on the face of the moon. “It is your charge, sister, not mine,” she whispered. “And it reminds me every day. As heavy to my horn as it is to my heart.” She closed her eyes and took a deep calming breath. The moon would be easier to move now that it was in the sky. She need not linger on it any longer, at least not until it was time for it to set. There was a knock at the door. “Princess?” a mare’s voice called out from behind the door. “It’s me, Fire - uh - General Firefly. You asked to see me?” “Yes, I did. Come in, General. The door’s unlocked,” Celestia said as she walked into her chambers and settled down on the rug by the fireplace. The door creaked open and Firefly’s pink head poked inside. Her blue mane was a mess, as it usually was, and her purple eyes were wide with trepidation. “Is this a bad time?” she asked quickly. “‘Cause, you know, I can totally come back if it is. No big deal. Call me any time. I’ll be right over. I’m always good to go. This is a bad time. I’ll just come ba -” “Firefly,” Celestia said gently. “Now is perfect. I called you, remember?” Firefly let out a nervous chuckle. “Yeah...right,” she said, rubbing the back of her head with one hoof. Firefly hovered into the room and closed the door behind her. She wasn’t wearing any armor, or any kind of clothing at all, for that matter. At first glance, most would find it hard to believe that she was the founder and current leader of the Wonderbolts, not to mention an actively serving general of the E.U.P. Guard. But despite appearances, Firefly was one of the best soldiers, and arguably the best flier, in all of Equestria. A fact that Princess Celestia was well aware of. Celestia was never one to judge a book by its cover, anyway. “Is this about that window I broke the other day?” Firefly asked. “Because I can pay for it! I don’t care what those Canterlot snobs say about me, I’m still a general of the E.U.P. Guard. And that comes with some perks. Though it doesn’t seem to come with the noble-ponies’ respect. Wait...I am still a general, aren’t I? You didn’t call me here to fire me, did you? I need this job! I’ll shape up, I promise! I’ll even wear that dumb uniform they gave me! Even though it’s really itchy. And doesn’t breathe well. Not to mention it’s really hard to fly in. Seriously, half of the Wonderbolts’ time in training is spent just trying to compensate for having to wear those things. But I’ll wear it everyday if it means I get to stay general!” Celestia gave Firefly a reassuring smile. “Relax, Firefly. You’re not in trouble. And you’re certainly not in danger of losing your job. I just called you here to ask about something,” she said. Firefly visibly relaxed. She let out a sigh of relief and said, “Oh, alright then! Whatever you need, I’m here for you, Princess! Though, since I already mentioned it and everything...could we do something about those uniforms? They really are a bother to fly in.” Celestia chuckled. “Alright. I’ll see what I can do about getting them redesigned,” she said. “Woohoo!” Firefly exclaimed while doing a single twirl in the air. “I promise you won’t regret it, Princess. If you think the Wonderbolts are good now, wait till’ you see us when we can fly in something that doesn’t feel like a sack of bricks! We’ll knock your socks off! Not that you usually wear socks. Just those gold slipper thingies. You should wear socks when you see us! So we can knock ‘em off!” Despite herself, Celestia could feel her mood lightening. It was hard to stay somber when Firefly was around. “I’ll be sure to do that the next time you have a show,” she said with a genuine smile on her face. She meant it too. Maybe she’d get some of those long striped ones. The fashion-minded nobles would have a fit! “Speaking of the next show, Princess, I’ve got this awesome idea for a new routine I’ve been working on with the rest of the Wonderbolts…” Firefly began. Celestia let Firefly go off on another tangent and allowed herself to relax. Sometimes it was nice to just have somepony around, somepony who wasn’t too hung-up on being around a...the Princess of Equestria. For all the myriad things being a princess had brought Celestia, friendship was not among them. Her status as well as her agelessness made friendship a rare and fleeting thing. True, she had made her fair share of friends over the years, but it always ended the same way. Candles in the wind, were her little ponies, while she was the blazing sun. Bonding with them was always bittersweet. There have been centuries when Luna had been her only confidant, the one constant in a world that was ever-changing, and now… Celestia did not complete that thought. Instead, she let her eyes fall upon the phoenix egg sitting in the fireplace, unharmed by the fire burning merrily around it. The egg had been a gift, given willingly by its own mother, a phoenix of the Everfree that Celestia had met a few times over the centuries. The phoenix had known of Celestia’s loss, and had presented her with the egg on her last day at the old castle. Celestia had been moved to tears by the gesture, which had come at a point when she thought all her tears had dried up. The phoenix was willing to give up one of her own precious eggs to give Celestia that which she needed most: not a pet, but a friend. A companion that would last for as long as she did. Hurry along, little Philomena, Celestia said silently. I can’t wait to meet you. Celestia turned her eyes from the egg to the blazing hearth in which it sat, and she was reminded of the dossier she had read earlier that day. It had contained all that General Stone’s investigation had managed to find on the Earth Pony named Blazing Hearth, or as he was now known, Brother Blaze. Unsurprisingly, Blaze had been a member of the Equestrian Royal Army. He had shown outstanding skill and valor during the last Yakyakistan war, but had also shown a penchant for brutality and excessive force. Those violent tendencies had culminated in his dishonorable discharge after an incident regarding the deaths of several yak civilians. He had then performed shady, but strictly speaking, legal, contract work for around a year before being heavily injured during a job and disappearing from record. Until now. “- and then I told him to do a barrel roll, but then he goes and does an Aileron roll instead! I mean c’mon! How do you even make that mistake? This is basic flight school stuff!” Firefly said, wrapping up her story. Her eyes went wide as she realized how long she had been talking and she added, “Uhh, anyway...you said you wanted to ask me about something, Princess?” Celestia pulled her thoughts back to the present and said, “Yes. About somepony, actually. I understand this pony is something of a skilled aerial combatant, so I was hoping you might be able to tell me more about her.” Firefly grinned. “A skilled flier, eh? Well, you came to the right pony, Princess! I know everything there is to know about every flier worth knowing. I don’t mean to toot my own horn, but it’s how I know that I’m the best. Can’t make that claim without sizing up the competition, and let me tell ya, they just don’t compare,” she said, landing and flaring her wings proudly. “So, who do you need to know about?” “A pony by the name of Singed Wings," Celestia replied. Firefly’s face lost its enthusiasm. "Oh… her. Yeah, I know her. We go back a ways,” she said flatly. Noticing the change in Firefly’s mood, Celestia quickly added, “I'm sorry. I didn't know you two had history together. If you’d rather not talk about it, I understand. There are other ways for me to get this information.” “No, I can tell you what you need to know, Princess. It’s just that, well, ” - Firefly looked away - “It’s not a nice story.” “Oftentimes, what’s important isn’t exactly what we’d like to hear,” Celestia said. Firefly nodded. “Yeah, that’s true… So where should I start?” she asked. Celestia gestured to a pile of cushions, urging Firefly to take a seat. Once Firefly had settled, Celestia told her, “I’d like to know as much as I can about Singed Wings. Where she’s from, what she’s like, what she can do; any information of that nature would help tremendously. Right now, I know little of her besides her name, and the fact that she is a member of the Order of the Celestial Sun.” “That’s the group that guy Blaze is part of, isn’t it? I saw the report on what he did with the bandits. Crazy stuff. Like, actually crazy. If Singe is mixed in with them...Well, I can see why you’d want to know more about her,” Firefly said. Celestia nodded. “The Order may be small, but if Blaze is any indication, I believe they pose a serious threat to Equestria in more ways than one. Given that, you can start with anything you deem appropriate.” Firefly idly tapped a hoof to her chin. “Well, what she can do is an easy one,” Firefly said. “She’s a spear fighter. One of the best, no question. That mare can use a spear better than most Pegasi can use their wings. And she’s no slouch when it comes to using those, either. Wings, I mean.” “Is she fast?” Celestia asked. “Yeah, but not record-breaking fast. There are plenty of fliers that could beat her top speed no problem. What really makes her stand out is her agility. Singe moves less like a Pegasus and more like those annoying little flies that you can never seem to catch no matter what you do. You know the ones. Perfectly still on a table one moment, then buzzing around your ear the next. That might not sound like a compliment, but believe me, it is. “Singe can twist and turn so fast that you could lose sight of her just by blinking. I once saw a minotaur try to punch her, only to have her zip out of the way, fly up to his head, and kick him in the ear - all before he had fully extended his arm! And the scary part is that she can keep that pace up for hours because she’s not actually moving all that much. I could fly circles around some of the other Wonderbolts in my sleep, but in a match against Singe? I know I’d have to wake up and get some practice in beforehoof. I mean, I’d still win, but that’s saying something,” Firefly said. “And yet, she isn’t in the Wonderbolts. As I understand it, she doesn’t even have a service record. Why?” Celestia asked. “See, that’s where it gets a little more complicated…” ~~~~~ As Princess Celestia and General Firefly spoke in the safety of Celestia’s chambers, high up in a tower of Canterlot Castle, the pony they spoke of walked through the darkness of the Everfree Forest far below. In stark contrast to the natural colors of the forest at night, Sister Singe wore tight-fitting red and gold leather armor. She had no helmet on her orange head, and her red mane was cropped short, leaving nothing to obscure the vision of her sharp blue eyes. Two plain-looking daggers hung at her sides and a white spear with a ring of red gems where its shaft connected to its head lay across her back. The sun had set before Singe had found her quarry, but still she continued her hunt. Occasionally, the sounds of monsters and wild beasts emanated from the forest around her, but she paid them no heed. Most ponies would be gripped by fear upon hearing the roars and growls of the shadowy predators lying just out of sight; Singe, however, felt only disgust. Clearly, the demons still thought that the night was theirs to command, that while the sun slept, they could roam free and unopposed as they have in centuries past. They were fools. With the banishment of the Betrayer, Celestia had taken her rightful place as sole sovereign of the sky and all beneath it. Both night and day now belonged to the Princess of Light, and so Her servants were never beyond the safety of Her intercession, and Her foes had no refuge from the fires of Her judgement. A pity that I don’t have the time to purge this forest of the filth that calls it home, Singe lamented to herself. It would be so satisfying to see these demons burn. Alas, my mission takes priority. It was common knowledge now that the dragons had left Equestria, and it was no mystery to the Order why. Corrupt though they may be, the dragons were a clever lot. They surely knew that while the Night Mare had tolerated their excesses in exchange for their passivity, the Sol Invictus would accept no such extortion. Had they stayed, they would have been forced to face Her judgement, to pit their vaunted dragon fire against the might of the sun. And so in the face of certain doom, all the dragons abandoned their lairs and fled to their own lands, leaving Equestria in peace. All but one. The Dragon of the Everfree had remained in her forest, defying the wisdom of her Dragon Lord and taunting the fury of the light. While the dragon’s very presence within Equestria’s borders was an affront to Celestia, the proximity of her lair to both site of the Sacred Banishment and Celestia’s new castle in Canterlot was nothing short of a direct challenge. And now the Order would answer that challenge. “I’ll bet you thought you were safe, dragon, that a worm like you was beneath the notice of Our Lady,” Singe said aloud into the night. “Ha! Your race may be clever, but you are a fool. All creatures face Her judgement in due time.” A pack of seven timberwolves, attracted by Singe’s voice, leapt out of the bushes and surrounded her. “Some sooner than others,” Singe finished. She smiled as she observed the growling monsters that Celestia had seen fit to array before her. It seemed her Princess would allow her to cleanse this forest after all, even if only in part. And instead of flesh, the beasts were made of wood, ready to burn. This was almost too perfect. “Praise Celestia, for she provides,” Singe said. A timberwolf in front of her howled. A distraction. Singe shot upwards in a blur of motion, evading the timberwolf pouncing towards her from behind. The pouncing timberwolf landed and looked around for its prey, confused. “Up here!” Singe called out. The timberwolf looked up just as Singe skewered it with her spear, causing burst into pieces. Two more timberwolves leapt up at her, and with two quick flicks of Singe’s spear, they too exploded. The other timberwolves growled and eyed her wearily, but hung back. Singe frowned. “Is that all? Pitiful,” she said. The scattered wood beneath Singe began to move. Curious, she looked down and watched the pieces of wood begin to connect. Another timberwolf tried to take advantage of the opening and lunged at her from the left. Singe knocked it aside with the butt of her spear and thrust the spearhead at the timberwolf attacking from the right. She twirled left, evading another lunge, and thrust at the timberwolf she had knocked aside. She looked back to the moving wood to find that it had reassembled itself into a timberwolf. The other timberwolves she had struck down were reassembling as well. “Ah, so that is your gift from the darkness, is it? You reform after being struck down? How arrogant that must make you,” Singe commented. With several bursts of movement, Singe zigzagged through all seven timberwolves, dealing a lethal blow to each as she passed. She hovered above the beasts’ wooden remains and watched with disdain as they began to piece themselves together. “The darkness has cheated you, beasts. You traded your souls in exchange for strength, but your newfound tenacity has not made you strong, merely annoying,” she said. Instead of reforming into seven timberwolves as Singe expected, the wooden pieces all combined to form a single giant timberwolf. The massive beast now stood tall enough to strike at Singe as she hovered without having to jump. The first thing it did upon its completion, however, was let out a mighty threatening roar. Unfortunately for the combined timberwolf, its first act was also its last. Singe darted beneath the massive wolf’s throat as it roared and thrust her spear upwards. The beast’s roar cut off abruptly and it once again burst into a shower of wooden pieces. Almost as soon as the pieces landed on the ground, they started to form together again. “Alright, enough games. You’re starting to bore me,” Singe said. She held her spear upright before her, closed her eyes, and prayed. The sight of my brandished spear All monsters shall come to fear For tis’ lifted in Her name Not for money nor for fame For my faith, I swear to fight All foul creatures of the night By Her grace, I’ll never tire All Her foes, I’ll slay with fire Gloriam Celestia, Sol Invictus! As she spoke those final words, she activated a hidden switch on the shaft of her spear. The gems on the spear glowed and its head began to burn with a flame so intense, one could no longer see the steel beneath it. At the same time, the giant timberwolf finished reforming. This time, it did not roar. Instead, it immediately swiped at Singe with its claws. Singe shot downwards beneath the swipe. She flew between the timberwolf’s legs and shot back up behind it. Before the wolf could figure out where she went, she let out a battle cry and dived, impaling her flaming spear into the back of its head. This time, the timberwolf did not explode. Its glowing eyes flickered then went dark, and its head caught fire. Singe yanked out her spear and hovered above the timberwolf as it collapsed. She watched as the fire spread unnaturally quickly, burning the enchanted wood to ash in seconds. “What a waste of time,” Singe commented. ~~~~~ After a short pause, Firefly continued her tale. “Nopony ever taught Singe how to fight. She was just naturally good at it - scary good - and improved her own techniques over time,” Firefly said. “The same goes for her flying. The way she moves? Bursting from point to point? They don’t teach that stuff at flight camp. Even if they did, you’d have a hard time finding a Pegasus that could actually do it. The amount of control that kind of flying requires, the strain it puts on your wings to stop and turn and go so much and so fast...it’s too much. Most ponies would just hurt themselves, and those good enough to actually pull it off wouldn’t see the point. Flying like that won’t win you a race. It won’t even win you an acrobatics competition. Too much stop and go to be impressive to watch. It’s also impractical to use when setting up the weather. Can’t properly roundup clouds if you’re too busy flitting around and between them. Even soldiers don’t need to move like that. You wouldn’t be able to fly in formation or fight as a group.” “If it’s so ineffective, why does Singe do it?” Celestia asked. “Oh, I never said it wasn’t effective,” Firefly said with a smile. For a moment, Firefly remained seated still on the cushions. Then, there was the sound of three quick bursts of air, and Firefly seemed to materialize right in front of Celestia’s muzzle. She was also upside down. “I just meant that most ponies wouldn’t have a use for it,” Firefly said. “Did you see what I just did, Princess?” “Yes. You accelerated straight up, halted in mid-air, twisted with a kick, then dived downwards and halted again in front of me,” Celestia replied. “Wow, you actually did,” Firefly said, impressed. She righted herself, floated back to the cushions and settled down again. “I think I see what you mean about that kind of movement,” Celestia added. “It is very disorienting for both the flier and the observer, and it also seems to complicate what should be a simple maneuver. There are much easier ways to go from those cushions to right in front of me, even if you did want to end up upside down.” “Yup,” Firefly agreed. “But that’s the whole point. Moving like that is unnatural. It’s unpredictable. Singe didn’t develop that kind of flying to compete or to show off or even just to move. She developed it because it was the best way to survive when you’re all alone and being hunted, or to catch your prey off guard when you’re the one doing the hunting.” “Both situations Equestrian Pegasi don’t find themselves in very often, if at all,” Celestia noted. “I take it that means she’s not Equestrian?” “Hit the nail right on the head, Princess” Firefly replied. “Singe comes from a place far South past the border. She told me once what it was called, but I don’t remember. The way she told it, down there, monsters were a part of life, usually the part that ended it. The environment made for mean living and meaner ponies, so you couldn’t really rely on anypony but yourself most of the time. Apparently, Singe made it pretty big down there. She hunted monsters for bits. I’m pretty sure she hunted ponies too, given how much she knows about fighting other ponies, but she never mentioned it. Didn’t like to talk about her past much.” “How did you come to meet her? Did she leave that life behind and come to Equestria?” Celestia asked. “Yeah, she came to Equestria,” Firefly replied. “Although I guess ‘ran’ is a better word. I don’t know the details, but she mentioned something about a botched job and crossing the wrong ponies. Whatever happened, she managed to make it all the way up through the badlands and into Dodge City, where I was living at the time. The first time I saw her, the poor filly was on the verge of collapse. I don’t know how far or for how long she flew, but with the state she was in, she must not have stopped at all along the way. So I did what any decent Equestrian would do, I took her in, and helped her recover.” Firefly smiled as she replayed the memories in her mind. “You should have seen her face! She couldn’t believe that somepony was helping her just because it was the right thing to do. She kept trying to figure out what my angle was, what I stood to gain. Eventually, I just told her that I was doing my sworn duty as a servicemare in Celestia’s military. She asked who Celestia was. Can you imagine that? Not knowing you, of all ponies!” “It is not as uncommon as you might imagine, Firefly. It has been a long time since I involved myself in matters outside of those that directly affect Equestria,” Celestia said. “I guess,” Firefly said. “It’s still weird to me, though, somepony not knowing who raised the sun, and now the moon, every day. Anyway, I told her about you, about what you’ve done in the past and how you raise the sun and all of that stuff. Nothing major, just some basic foal-level facts. It really seemed to shock Singe, though. Something just clicked in her head then, and she kept pestering me for more details about you and your sister and Equestria in general. It was pretty funny, actually. I’m not usually the one ponies turn to for information. That stuff’s for eggheads. Totally not my speed. But there I was, going on like some sort of history teacher.” “Kind of like now?” Celestia asked with a grin. “I-uh...huh, I guess so,” Firefly said with a laugh. “Don’t sell yourself short, Firefly. You have a sharp mind, and you are an excellent storyteller,” Celestia said. Firefly blushed slightly. “I-if you say so, Princess. Uh, I mean, thanks. Princess. Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah, so she stayed with me for a while after that, and we swapped stories with each other pretty much every day. She taught me how to fly like her, and I showed her some of my tricks too. She was a fast learner, and...well, we got along. I know Singe wasn’t exactly the nicest of ponies - heck, she was downright mean sometimes and really full of herself too - but she wasn’t all bad. Deep down, underneath the haughtiness and bravado, she just wanted to be safe, to not have to be scared anymore. It’s not that she wasn’t brave - that mare had courage in spades. It’s just that she had been forced to be brave and strong for so long already, and she just...didn’t want to need to be anymore, you know? She’d never show it, and definitely never admit it, but she was tired. She was, in a weird way, vulnerable. I didn’t want to be just another random stranger that she had to watch her back for. She’d had enough of those in her life. Call me crazy, but I wanted to be her friend. Because she needed a friend. Am I making sense?” Celestia nodded. “Don’t worry, Firefly. I understand.” “Thanks, Princess,” Firefly said. She sighed and added, “I just wish Singe did too.” ~~~~~ Singe was in the process of crossing a river when the rock beneath her suddenly twisted and attacked. Singe quickly took to the air and zipped to the other side of the river, away from the jaws of the cragodile she had just been standing on. “This place is truly infested,” she said, drawing her spear. “What I would give for the time to cleanse it in fire.” Since burning down the giant timberwolf, Singe had encountered and slain two more packs of timberwolves, a cockatrice, and a crazed bear. Now, she would add a cragodile to that list. “Come on, then, filth! Show me what you can do!” she taunted. The cragodile rushed Singe, and she thrust at it with her spear. The cragodile jerked its head at the last moment and let the spear bounce off its rocky hide. A second cragodile burst from the water to Singe’s left and snapped its jaws at her. She burst to the right then immediately shot upwards as a third cragodile attacked from that side. Safely out of reach of their snapping jaws, Singe looked down on the cragodiles. She could easily leave them be and return to her mission. Their tough hides and penchant for diving beneath the dark water would make them difficult to slay quickly, and she was already much delayed this night. Singe narrowed her eyes and set her spear ablaze. “No,” she said as the fire lit up the area. “You pathetic beasts will not drive me off. Do you have any idea who I am? I am Sister Singe! By my hoof, you will die for your transgressions!” Singe dived downwards and thrust her spear at the middle cragodile, which dived underwater. The flaming spear hit the water and let out a cloud of steam. Singe pulled back the spear, put out the magical flame and vanished into the mist. There was a blur and Singe reappeared atop the right cragodile. The cragodile roared in pain as Singe stabbed it in the eye with one of her daggers. It started to roll to throw Singe off, but she had already taken off again. As soon as the cragodile’s roll brought its soft underbelly up, Singe attacked again, this time with her spear. The spear went through the cragodile’s belly with ease. Singe pulled her spear back and the cragodile began to drift downstream, dead. The steam had dissipated now, and the third cragodile eyed Singe wearily. Singe hovered tantalizingly close to the surface of the water, tempting the beast with an easy target. After a few moments, the first cragodile took the bait and resurfaced with a snap of its jaws, but again Singe was too fast. Singe burst to the side to evade the closing jaws, then curved around and thrust her spear into the cragodile’s neck before it could sink beneath the surface again, killing it. The last cragodile, having witnessed the deaths of its companions, dived underwater, no longer interested in pursuing Singe. “And just where do you think you’re going?” Singe asked. She set her spear ablaze once more and threw it at where the cragodile had been. Then, she drew her daggers and dived towards the water. She knew the flaming spear would not hit the cragodile, but it would give Singe a small amount of visibility in the dark water. However, it would not last for long. By the time Singe hit the water, the spear was already floating back upwards in a cloud of bubbles. Singe was not worried, she had already seen her prey, and it was coming straight for her. Above the water, the cragodile moved fast, but Singe moved much faster. Underwater, the cragodile held the advantage in speed. Singe, however, still moved fast enough. With a stroke of her powerful wings, Singe dived deeper just before the cragodile caught her in its jaws, letting it pass above her. She thrust upwards with her daggers, piercing the cragodile’s underbelly. The cragodile began thrashing about, wriggling its body and beating its legs against Singe’s leather armor while Singe struggled to hold on. She wrapped her hind legs around the cragodile’s belly and forced her daggers in deeper, hoping to hit something vital and hasten the beast’s death. The cragodile, sensing its imminent demise, decided that if it could not throw Singe off, it would drown her instead. It wrapped its legs around Single and dived down deeper into the river, using the last of its failing strength to reach the riverbed in the hopes of pinning Singe beneath it long enough for her to drown. Singe realized what the cragodile was attempting and tried to break away, but the cragodile’s grip held firm. She pulled her daggers free and tried to cut at the cragodile’s legs, but as she was pinned facing its belly, she could not slash with enough leverage to do any significant damage. She felt a slight thud as the cragodile managed to push her down against the riverbed, where it promptly stopped swimming and died. The cragodile began to drift downstream. It was dead, but its death grip on Singe did not slacken. Anger flared within Singe as her lungs began to burn for air. She squirmed desperately, trying to point them upwards, but the cragodile’s heavy rock body, while still buoyant, floated upwards at a snail’s pace. The burning in Singe’s lungs intensified, and her anger gave way to panic, and then, slowly, despair. There was no escape. She would not reach the surface in time. Celestia, forgive me, for in my arrogance, I have failed you, Singe prayed silently as she surrendered to her fate. ~~~~~ “This must be difficult for you to share,” Princess Celestia said. “We can stop here now, if you’d prefer. You’ve already told me more than enough.” Firefly shook her head. “No, it’s alright. I’ve come this far, so I might as well give the full story. Besides, I’ve never told this to anypony before, and...I think I need to let it out. For my own sake.” Celestia nodded. “Alright, then, my dear. You may continue, but if at any point you’d prefer to stop, then do so. I won’t think any less of you for it.” Firefly smiled at Celestia. “Thanks, Princess, but I’m made of tougher stuff than that. I’ll see this through to the end, no sweat. Now, where was I?” Celestia returned Firefly’s confident smile with a reassuring one. “I believe you were briefly recounting the time you spent together. How long did you two know each other?” “Oh, right. Well, she stayed with me for a few moons before taking on some work as a freelance monster hunter. Dodge city is right at the edge of the badlands, so that kind of work was well in demand. I kept telling her to enlist instead, but she just wasn’t having it. Not the type that takes orders very well, I figure. Not much of a team player, either. That might have changed once she felt what it was like to work with ponies you could trust, but I guess we’ll never know for sure. When she had enough bits, she got a place of her own, but we still saw each other just about every day. We even got to work together a few times when a monster situation got particularly bad. “It was like that for a few years until I got promoted and transferred out to Canterlot. I asked if she wanted to come with me, but she said she’d gotten used to life in Dodge, and didn’t want to make the move. Especially not to a city where monster sightings were, and still are, just about non-existent - she’d be out of a job! So I moved away, and she stayed in Dodge. We kept in touch for a while, exchanging letters and whatnot, but it wasn’t really the same as the old days. Singe wasn’t much of a writer, and while I’d tell her all sorts of things about what’s been happening in my life, the letters I got back from her were usually short and low on details.” Firefly shook her head. “Then at one point, the letters just stopped coming. I didn’t think anything of it at the time - I’d just gotten another promotion, and life was getting pretty busy - but looking back, I know that it should’ve set off some alarms in my head. Singe wasn’t the social type. She just didn’t get along with other ponies. It had been years, but I was still just about the only pony she trusted. I was still her only real friend. When she stopped sending letters, I should’ve known something was wrong, but I guess...I guess with so much time apart and with her not really being a regular part of my life anymore, I just didn’t think about her as much, and not hearing from her just didn’t have the impact it should have. “A few moons later, I was sent out as part of a special task force to deal with a situation in Dodge. Apparently, there’d been a series of crimes committed throughout the city by a gang of ponies that had come up from far to the South. When I heard the news, I remembered Singe, and how I hadn’t heard from her in a while. I felt guilty about not checking up on her earlier, or visiting more, and I was worried for her safety. Another stupid mistake. I should’ve made the connection the moment I heard the gang was from beyond the Southern border.” Celestia considered interrupting Firefly’s tale to comfort or reassure her, but she held her silence. That wasn’t what Firefly needed, and she wouldn’t appreciate it. A look at the determined expression on Firefly’s face confirmed this. She really was, as she had put it, made of tougher stuff than that. Oblivious to Celestia’s thoughts, Firefly continued her story. “When we got to Dodge, the first thing I did was try to check up on Singe. I didn’t have a lot of time to look, or a lot of leads to follow, so I hit a dead end pretty quickly. She’d disappeared around the same time her letters stopped coming. Last anypony had seen of her, she had rushed out of her house with a crumpled piece of paper in her hoof one afternoon and had just never come back. Most of the ponies around didn’t really know much about her, or even see her that often, so nopony made a fuss about it, and pretty soon they all just forgot about it. “It...hit me pretty hard that I couldn’t find my friend. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d let her down. Left her hanging. I kept telling myself that I should’ve been there for her more. Even when the raid on the gang’s hideout was well under way, all that was going through my mind were the things that I could have - should have - done differently. Going in unfocused like that, it isn’t really surprising that I got taken out pretty quickly. I remember there was a loud bang as my squad burst in through the door and then I blacked out. “When I came to, the whole place was in chaos. There was fighting everywhere. Our soldiers should have been able to clean up any kind of ‘gang’ in short order, but they weren’t up against your regular, run-of-the-mill thugs. No, these ponies were professionals, and it showed. Their equipment was top notch and they actually had the skills to put it to good use. Still, the battle probably would’ve been won by the time I woke up if it wasn’t for a single Pegasus Pony zigzagging through our fighters, wreaking havoc. “All I knew at first glance was that the biggest threat to my teammates was that pegasus, and that when it came to out-performing pegasi, I was the best there was. Naturally, that made the pegasus my first priority. The pegasus was right there in the thick of it, moving like a whirlwind. Our guys just couldn’t keep up. But I could. I came up on the pegasus’ flank and made to strike, but then I realized what should have been obvious to me right from the get go. Right from the way she flew. It was Singe. “I hesitated for a fraction of a second. That was all Singe needed. She twisted in mid-air, grabbed hold of me from behind, and stuck a knife to my throat. It happened so fast that I didn’t even resist. I was still in shock. Earlier that day, I was worried sick over losing my friend to who-knows-what, and then there she was, holding a knife to my throat in front of my team. “Before I could even think of pleading with her or telling her just who she was holding hostage, she shouted out, ‘Stop, or Colonel Firefly dies!’” Firefly trailed off, her expression distant. Her ears were down, and she had gripped the end of her tail without noticing. Her mouth opened several times as if to continue, but then closed again without making a sound. Celestia said nothing, deeming it wiser to give Firefly time to sort through her own thoughts. For a while the only sound in the room was the soft crackle emanating from the fireplace. Eventually, Firefly spoke up again, although her expression did not change. “She’d been reading my letters. Right up until the last one. The one where all I did was talk about me hitting colonel and how great everything was going without once asking about what was happening to her. Without offering to come visit. To celebrate, or hang out, or just fly, or...something. She still read it. Even if she was in trouble. Maybe she didn’t want to drag me into it. Maybe she didn’t trust me anymore. Maybe…” Firefly’s expression fell. She worked her jaw as she shifted through her own thoughts and feelings. It had been years since she’d gone over this story, and it was the first time she had ever shared it. She never would again. “They did stop,” she continued. “The rest of what happened is...a bit hazy for me. I-I wasn’t really paying attention anymore after that. I just know that at some point, the remaining gangsters ran out to the badlands, dragging me along with them. Singe...she offered me up to them. Trade for her own freedom, or something like that. I don’t really remember. I remember…I remember her telling them what they could use me for, what they could do to me. If you could have seen their faces when...No, it’s not important. The only thing that really matters, really hurt, was that Singe didn’t care. She wanted out. She wanted her shot at a better life, and she would abandon me to get it...like she thought I did to her.” Singe’s face, angry and hurt, flashed in Firefly’s mind. No need to send me a letter about how they’re treating you. I’m sure it won’t bother me. It never bothered you. Firefly took a slow, deep breath before continuing. “Singe got what she wanted. She tossed me to the gang, and turned around to fly off. Left me there, knowing what those monsters planned to do to me. No hint of regret. Not even a goodbye. She didn’t even look back once. She should have, though, Princess. She really should have.” Firefly trailed off again. Celestia, having been addressed, decided to respond. If only to remind Firefly that she was not alone in this telling. “Why is that, Firefly?” she asked. Firefly, her expression flat, looked Celestia in the eye and said, “Because then she could’ve dodged that crossbow bolt.” ~~~~~ Singe gasped as she regained consciousness, then immediately began violently coughing out water. For a long while she remained where she was, shivering, wet, and panting heavily. Alive! she thought as her mind cleared. Still alive. By Celestia’s mercy. Praise Her. Praise the sun. When she had sufficiently regained her strength, Singe shakily rose to her hooves and took stock of her surroundings. She was on the riverbank much further downstream from where she had been trying to cross, but by Celestia’s grace, on the side she wanted to get to. The cragodile’s body was nowhere to be seen. Her leather armor was intact, but she had lost both her daggers and - “My spear!” Singe exclaimed. She looked around the riverbank and out over the dark water, desperately trying to find some sign of the white weapon. Finding nothing, she let out a heavy sigh. Celestia had saved her from certain death, but in punishment for her folly, had also taken away her most potent weapon against the night. Without it, she could not hope to complete her mission. She would be forced to return to the Order in shame. Singe was about to sink down to her knees and pray for forgiveness when she heard a rustling sound from behind her. She turned and saw a manticore walk out from the bushes. It cradled a small assortment of fruits in one paw and its tail was wrapped around Singe’s white spear. Singe froze. In all her years of monster hunting, she had never fought a beast as dangerous as a manticore unarmed. Manticores were not just strong, they were smart. They could think and plan and build. Singe’s experience told her that she stood little chance of defeating the manticore as she was. The manticore could not be tricked as easily as a more common beast, and it would easily shred her leather armor, while her own hooves could do little to harm it in return. Despite her pride, she wanted to run. She had just barely survived her encounter with the cragodiles. She did not want to throw away her good fortune by fighting a hopeless battle against a manticore. The manticore noticed Singe standing stock still on the riverbank and began to walk towards her. Singe would have taken flight right then and there, but her eyes lingered on her spear, and she could not bring herself to flee. That the manticore would appear at this very moment, carrying the one item she needed most, could not be a coincidence. It had to be a test of faith. Singe was no longer the faithless rogue that relied on nothing but her weapons and her will. She was no longer the weak, lonely mare that fled whenever the tide turned against her. She was now a knight sworn in Celestia’s service - an instrument of the sun’s divine light. She had found her place in this world and her purpose in life. With those things came a responsibility to see her missions through to the end, or die attempting to. She needed to retrieve her spear. She had no choice. Only in death does duty end, Brother Blaze’s voice echoed in her mind. Of all her brothers and sisters in the order, Blaze was the most zealous. As such, his words were, at times, the most unbelievable. Many times, Singe had disregarded them as the loud boasting of a weak pony among the strong. She had never heeded them before. Her pride would not allow it. She was strong and she was skilled. She served Celestia without need of intercession. This made her a better servant than Blaze could ever be. Blaze was weak, and yet he seemed to survive a thousand wounds. He always stood fearlessly against Celestia’s foes. He never once fled in the face of impossible odds. Singe felt ashamed at how she had regarded her brother. He had proven himself greater than her from the very beginning. She had just been too blind to see it. Oblivious to Singe’s internal struggles, the manticore casually examined her, tilting its head around the stationary pony and giving a few curious sniffs. It raised the paw that wasn’t holding the fruit and pushed Singe lightly. Singe jumped into the air in response, ready to engage. “Even the mare who has nothing can still have faith,” Singe said aloud. “I am a knight in Celestia’s service. I will not fall, for she stands with me!” Instead of the threatening roar Singe had been expecting, the manticore merely tilted its head, confused at her words. A few moments passed as the two looked at each other. Singe, weary of a trap, and still uncertain of how best to strike at the manticore, did not attack. The manticore, for its part, did not even seem prepared to fight. Eventually, the manticore shrugged and put down its fruits. It reached back towards its tail and took Singe’s spear in its paws. “That is a holy weapon of the light, beast! Sanctified in Celestia’s name and gifted to me by Father Fire himself! It will not aid you against me!” Singe exclaimed. She was nowhere near as confident as she sounded, but she forced herself to believe in her own words. The manticore rolled its eyes and laid the spear down next to the fruits. Then it stepped back, gestured to the items, sat down, and yawned. Singe did not know how to react to this. She examined the manticore, hoping to find some clue to its intentions. The beast was just sitting there. It did not look ready to pounce. Its muscles appeared to be relaxed. It was too far away to swipe at Singe should she land and take the spear. Then Singe realized that the beast’s fur was damp, as if it had just recently taken a swim. She looked down at the fruits next to her spear, and it hit her. “You...you saved me?” Singe asked incredulously as she slowly landed. The manticore nodded. “...Why?” Singe asked. The manticore raised one eyebrow and gave Singe a look that she interpreted to mean, “Really, pony?” Then it pointed to its throat and shook its head. “You can’t speak Equestrian,” Singe said. The manticore nodded. “But you can understand it,” Singe added. The manticore rolled its eyes, which Singe took to mean, “Obviously.” “How…” Singe trailed off as she saw the manticore’s expression. “Right, yes and no only. Like charades. Okay, Firefly taught me...I know this game.” Singe took a moment to think about her next question. Her stomach grumbled loudly, and she remembered the fruits. “Are these for me?” she asked, pointing to the fruit. The manticore nodded. Singe reached down and took an oddly rainbow-colored apple. She hesitated before she put it into her mouth. What if they’re poisoned? she thought. The manticore let out a sigh and got up. Singe immediately dropped the fruit and took up her spear. The manticore stopped and put up its paws, signaling that it meant no harm. It slowly approached the pile of fruit in front of Singe, then picked one up and ate it. After it swallowed, it slowly backed off until it was back to its previous position and sat down again. “Okay, not poisoned,” Singe said aloud. At least that one wasn’t, she added mentally as she placed her spear on her back. Her stomach grumbled again, and she decided to risk it. “Fear denies faith,” she muttered, quoting Brother Blaze. The rainbow apple was without a doubt the best tasting fruit Singe had ever eaten. Her appetite swelled and soon, she was attacking the fruits with more ferocity than she had attacked the timberwolves. There were only a few of the rainbow apples in the pile, but the rest of the fruits were still fresh and just as good to eat, if not quite as good to taste. Some time later, Singe was surprised when she reached down to take another fruit and found that there were none left. She didn’t usually eat that much. She was a little disappointed, but could not deny that she had already eaten more than enough. She turned back to the manticore and found that it had drifted off to sleep. Singe considered her options. The Night Mare was known to have consorted with manticores in the past, but then again, she had once ruled over ponies as well. The Betrayer was a crafty witch, and the promises of the darkness were tempting indeed. To this day, some ponies still believed those lies. No doubt, some manticores did as well. Singe did not believe that it was damning of an entire race for some of its members to have sworn themselves to the darkness. There was, however, a condition for salvation. “Manticore!” Singe said loudly. The manticore awoke with a yawn and looked at Singe groggily. “Do you know of Celestia?” Singe asked. The manticore nodded. “Do you accept Her as the light bringer, the ruler of Equestria, and the sole sovereign of the sky?” Singe asked. The manticore tilted its head at the question. It seemed to consider its response. Singe resisted the urge to reach for her spear. She did not know whether the creature hesitated out of loyalty to the night or simple stupidity. It may be smart for a beast, but it was still just a beast. Slowly, the manticore nodded. It did not find anything factually wrong with Celestia’s fancy new titles. Though, personally, it considered them excessive. What was wrong with simply “Princess” as she was called before? Things had certainly changed since the Two Sisters’ quarrel at the old castle. Singe decided to accept the manticore’s answer. Regardless of whether or not the beast said that simply to save its own skin, she did not need to fight it. Not yet, anyway. There was just one more thing to check. “Did you save me from the river because you knew what I was?” she asked. The manticore nodded. It mentally noted that this was a very strange pony. Of course it knew what she was. She was a pony. A Pegasus Pony, to be precise. And of course it had saved her because of it. That was what you were supposed to do when you saw a pony in trouble. The rest of the forest may have forgotten Luna’s commands, but it had not. Besides, letting a freshly dead cragodile just float past uneaten would have been a crime in and of itself. The manticore remembered a time, many years ago, when it had helped a lost pony messenger get to the Castle of the Two Sisters. Luna had given it a cake as a reward. That had been a very good cake. It wondered if Celestia would give it cake if she found out about it helping this pony. Probably not. Celestia never shared her cake. “I see. In that case, you have my thanks, noble manticore,” Singe said. The manticore’s response had confirmed her suspicions: it had saved her because she was a servant of Celestia. That meant that it had delivered her spear because Celestia wished her to complete her mission. The manticore was not a test of faith, as she had thought, but more aid from on high. Never again would she doubt her sovereign. The manticore merely nodded. It wished its throat could make the sounds needed to speak Equestrian. Then it could have asked what the pony wanted to do out in the middle of the forest. At night. All alone. It may not know much about pony culture, but it knew enough to know that this was not normal pony behavior. A loud roar echoed out into the night. A dragon’s roar. The manticore groaned internally. The dragoness was up again. And cranky. Probably her hatchling giving her trouble. Why did she have to roar now, of all times? She would scare the pony. “That sounded close. Do you know which direction that came from?” Singe asked with an eager smile on her face. Or not, the manticore thought. This really is a very strange pony. The manticore nodded to Singe and pointed in the direction of the dragoness’ cave. “Can you lead me there?" Singe asked. The manticore shook its head. The dragoness was hard enough to deal with on her best days. Barging in on her in the middle of the night right after she’d been rudely awakened? There was no way the manticore was getting involved with that. “I understand,” Singe said. "This is my mission, and I must complete it alone. And so I shall. This is where we part ways, manticore. Thank you for your aid. May you walk ever in Her light.” Without another word, Singe took off in the direction the manticore had pointed. The manticore watched her disappear into the darkness, and contemplated going after her. The pony was sure to get into trouble again if she ran into the dragoness. No, the manticore thought. I've done my part. Let someone else deal with the crazy pony. The manticore got up, stretched, and turned to head back towards its own cave. There was still some time left until sunrise. More than enough time to catch up on some sleep. Maybe it would get lucky and dream of cake. Good dreams were so hard to come by now that Luna was gone. ~~~~~ Firefly leaned back into the cushions. “It was one heck of a shot,” she said. “Singe took off pretty fast after the deal was done, but it still hit her. Hard. It was like throwing a rock at a floating piece of paper. She just crumpled and dropped. “The gangsters started laughing and cheering when Singe hit the ground. They thought she was dead. I knew better. Singe wasn’t the toughest pony around, and she didn’t take pain very well, but you don’t get to make a living hunting dangerous monsters without being able to take a hit. She was hurt bad, sure, but dead? I didn’t believe that for a second. “I didn’t say a word, though. I let them cheer. In fact, when one of them suggested going to make sure, I told them that it didn’t matter because my troops would round them all up soon anyway, dead or alive. They hit me for that, but it got them going. They left Singe there, wounded in the middle of nowhere, and dragged me along as they made a break for the other side of the badlands. They moved fast, but it didn’t matter. They got caught. I got saved. You could ask some of the other ponies involved about the rescue. I’m sure it’d make a great story - it was pretty dramatic. I don’t think I’d be able to tell it right, though. I wasn’t myself anymore at that point. Too much had already happened. “When I got free from both the gangsters and all the post-mission-slash-kidnapping stuff, I just went home. Took some time off after, too. I felt...numb I guess is the best word. I needed time. Fortunately, I wasn’t alone. Not all the time, anyway. I went to visit my family. Spent time with my other friends. I never told anyone about what happened, though. Not the full story. Eventually, I let it slip from my mind. Every now and then my mind still wanders back, and I’d think things like, 'What if?' or 'Why didn’t I?'” Firefly shook her head and looked at Celestia. “Do you know the weirdest thing? I could never bring myself to hate Singe. Not even after all of that. I felt sorry for her...still do. It’s myself I kept beating up over what happened.” Celestia moved closer to Firefly and brought her into a hug. Firefly did not resist. Despite looking and sounding relaxed, Celestia felt Firefly’s body trembling slightly with suppressed emotion. “It’s not your fault, child,” Celestia said gently. “She chose her own path. Mistakes were made, but that is the way of life. Do not burden yourself with the blame. The weight of your loss is burden enough.” Celestia released Firefly and looked into her eyes. “Keep yours eyes forward and your head high. No one cannot undo the mistakes of the past, and only some are blessed with the opportunity to atone for them, but all can ensure that they are never made again.” Firefly stared back into Celestia’s eyes and saw in them a sorrow much deeper than her own, but along with that sorrow, there was also strength. They were the eyes of a mare that had suffered so much, been forced to bend so far, and yet simply refused to break. And now, those eyes looked upon her with the care and understanding of a mother unto her child. Firefly pulled Celestia into another hug. She closed her eyes and fought back tears. Not for herself, but for her princess. You would know, wouldn’t you? she asked silently. More than anypony else, you would know. And here you are, comforting me. Oh, Princess, I am so sorry. When Firefly pulled away, she sniffed and forced out a weak laugh. “Thanks, mom,” she said, smiling. “I’m grown mare, you know? Almost an old mare at this point. I can’t remember the last time somepony called me child.” Celestia chuckled and Firefly laughed again, genuinely this time. “I was already old when your mother’s mother was born,” Celestia said lightly. “You’re all children compared to me. And so small. My little ponies.” Celestia playfully petted Firefly’s head. Firefly snickered and pushed Celestia’s hoof away. “Hey, I’m a general, you know! I’ve been in battles and everything! I’m as big and tough as a pony can get! You’re just...really really big.” Celestia mercilessly assaulted Firefly’s barrel with a series of tickles. “And really really tough!” she added. Firefly was laughing so hard that she was gasping for breath. “Okay! Okay! I give! I giiiive!” Celestia pulled away with a smirk. “That’ll show you not to talk back to your princess, General.” Firefly, still recovering from Celestia’s attack, gave a mock salute. “Yes, ma’am!” Celestia stood and moved towards one of the shelves. “That was quite the lengthy story, General Firefly. You must be parched. Would you like something to drink? Perhaps some tea? I know it’s late, but -” Celestia was interrupted by a knock on the door. “General Stone, requesting permission to enter, Princess,” Grey Stone said from outside. Celestia’s mirth faded. General Stone’s visits were always serious business, but for him to come this late in the night… “Permission granted, General. Come in,” Celestia replied. General Stone walked into the room and bowed to Celestia. Despite the hour, Stone still wore his full set of plate armor, except for his helmet which he carried on one hoof. Unlike usual, he rose of his own accord instead of waiting for Celestia’s command. Firefly noticed this and straightened. This can't be good, she thought. “My apologies for the lateness of my visit, Princess, but I am afraid this is urgent,” Stone said. He turned to Firefly and asked, “May I interrupt your report, General?” Firefly nodded. “By all means, Grey. I just finished anyway.” “You seem troubled, Stone. What is it?” Celestia asked, worried. Stone nodded and turned back to Celestia, his face somehow managing to be more solemn than usual. “Saddle Arabian ships are attacking Baltimare.” Firefly shot into the air. “They’re what!?” she exclaimed. “Princess! I’ll gather the Wonderbolts and head out right now! If we scramble, we can make it there in -” “No, Firefly,” Celestia interrupted. “You’ve had a long day, and while I don’t doubt your or your fliers’ abilities, you’d likely arrive at Baltimare too tired to turn the tide. Assuming you make it there in time to affect the battle at all. Either way, I won’t risk losing some of my best ponies to such a careless action.” “But, Princess...we have to do something!” Firefly said. “And we will,” Celestia replied. She turned back to General Stone. “How did you receive this news?” “Magical missive. Secure, reliable, and instantaneous. There is no doubt that the report is accurate,” Stone replied. Celestia nodded. “So it is confirmed, then. I trust additional reserves were stationed near Baltimare?” “Yes, Princess. As per your command, additional troops were stationed near all port cities at high risk of attack, Baltimare included. As we speak, the Baltimare reserves are en route to engage the enemy forces and reinforce the city’s defenses. Given our lack of intelligence on the enemy, I cannot say for certain if the reserves will be enough to secure victory, but they should be able to hold until additional troops can arrive,” Stone said. “Do we even have any more troops to send?” Firefly asked. “The Protective Pony Platoons are stretched to their breaking point. I didn't even know we had enough ponies for reserves.” “We didn’t,” Stone replied. “The reserves are a mix of military troops, mercenaries, and free agents. As for sending more, if we divert the reserves stationed near Manehattan, they should be able to -” “That would leave the Manehattan area exposed,” Celestia said. “If the Saddle Arabians attack it, then they'll be able to take the city before we can send our troops back to defend. That is a risk that I am unwilling to take.” “I understand, Princess, but the risk of Baltimare falling is even greater if we don't send reinforcements, and there isn't anypony else to send. At least, not any pony that can make it in time,” Stone said. “Baltimare will not fall. I will not allow it,” Celestia said. Firefly’s eyes widened. “Princess, you don't mean…” “My first and foremost duty as princess is to protect my ponies from danger. I intend to do just that,” Celestia said. “Stone, who leads the Baltimore defenders?” “The primary garrison is lead by Commander Jack Fruit, Princess,” Stone replied. “The reserves are under the command of a mercenary guild leader known as Packed Lunch.” “You gotta be kidding me!” Firefly exclaimed. “We’re leaving the fate of Baltimare in the hooves of those two maniacs? Please don't tell me Cross is with them too.” “Actually, the swordspony Cross Roads is in fact one of the free agents among the reserves, ” Stone said. “He even volunteered to work free of charge.” Firefly facehoofed. “This won't end well.” “Perhaps not for the Saddle Arabians,” Stone said, unfazed by Firefly’s reaction. “Those three have an impeccable combat record.” Celestia smiled. Firefly was right to be concerned. Cross, Jack, and Pack were capable, although somewhat eccentric, individuals. The three childhood friends no longer met up very often, but when they did, they were a serious, if inadvertent, threat to life and limb. Normally, that made them a major headache for local law enforcement, but under the circumstances, they may be exactly what local law enforcement needed. “If that’s the case, then I am confident that Baltimare will hold. At least until the Saddle Arabian forces can be properly defeated,” Celestia said. “Stone, prepare the relief efforts for Baltimare. The battle will be over soon, but I expect even victory will not come without a cost. Firefly, tell Alexander to gather his cadre and rendezvous with me on the battlefield. I will not be difficult to find.” Firefly was momentarily confused. “Alexander? Ohhh, you mean Archmagus Caduceus the Magnificent. For a moment there, I actually forgot his original name was Alexander.” Celestia scrunched up her muzzle. “He’s still going by that ridiculous alias?” “Yes, Princess,” Stone replied. “I believe he has legally changed his name to reflect his preference.” Celestia huffed. “Honestly, that boy...Well, nevermind. Relay my message to Caduceus. Be sure to let him know that I expect him to be there within the hour.” Firefly saluted. “Yes, ma’am!” Celestia nodded then glanced up at the moon. Firefly’s story had taken up most of the night, but dawn was still a little over an hour away. I suppose I’ll just have to change that, Celestia thought to herself. She turned back to her generals. “One more thing, Stone: please let the relevant ponies know that dawn will be coming early today. It would not do to cause unnecessary panic. Oh, and also inform the head steward that the solar court is indefinitely postponed.” Stone bowed. “Yes, Princess. It will be done.” Celestia gently lifted Stone’s head. “I’m sorry to reduce you to a mere messenger, General, but you're the best pony for the job right now. Although that doesn’t mean you have to act so servile. Orders aside, you are still an Equestrian general. A salute would have sufficed,” she said teasingly. “Yes, Princess,” Stone said, saluting. “You needn’t concern yourself with the nature of my orders. It is both my duty and my pleasure to serve.” “Thank you very much, old friend,” Celestia said. “And you as well, Firefly. Now, generals, you have your orders, so if you’ll excuse me, I have some business to attend to.” Both Stone and Firefly saluted and left the chambers to fulfill their duties. Celestia stepped out onto her balcony and once more looked up at the moon. A long day had turned into a long night, which now promised to turn into an even longer day. She had not gotten any sleep, but it was hardly the first time for that, and it certainly would not be the last. No, Celestia, like Equestria, would carry on past this day, and there was nothing Saddle Arabia or its overly ambitious Sultan could do to change that. “Alright, moon, it is time to set,” Celestia said, her horn glowing with power. “The sun rises to meet its foes.” ~~~~~ The dragon’s lair had been easy to find. Singe had merely followed the load sounds of a baby’s crying to a large cave. Excited by the prospect of finally completing her mission, Singe entered without hesitation and found a large green dragoness fretting over a small green hatchling. The dragoness groaned as her hatchling began to wail even louder. When she roared, the walls of her cave shook from the force of it, and the denizens of the forest trembled in fear. It was usually enough for her to get her way, but this child simply refused to let up its incessant crying. “Okay! Okay! I’m sorry I roared at you!” she said. “It was just a reaction. I didn’t mean it. What will it take to shut you up, so I can get some sleep for one night?” “I can grant you sleep, dragon,” Singe said from where she stood at the mouth of the cave. “The kind of sleep from which none awaken. The sleep of death.” The dragoness’ irritation rose, and she almost roared again. Instead, she grit her teeth and let out a puff of smoke from her nostrils. She pushed her hatchling onto a pile of gems and turned to face Singe. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m a little busy right now,” the dragoness said upon spotting the pony. “Come back tomorrow and I’ll gladly kill you then, but for now, leave me in peace!” Singe hovered in the air and pointed her spear at the dragon. “You will not live to see another of Celestia’s dawns, dragon. You have had that pleasure too many times already.” The dragoness groaned again. It was just one thing after another tonight. “Being up to see the sun rise is hardly a pleasure. I’d much rather sleep until noon, at least. In fact, I didn’t see the sunrise for a fifty-seven years until -” she cut herself off when she realized that the cave had gotten quieter. The dragoness turned back to her hatchling and found that it had stopped crying. It was now sucking on a large gem half as big as itself and making satisfied baby noises. “Huh,” the dragoness said. “Why didn’t I try that earlier?” “Because you’re a dim-witted fool,” Singe said. The dragoness suddenly twisted and snapped her jaws at Singe. Singe flew backwards to evade. “What is your problem, pony?” the dragoness asked. “Why are you even here? I can’t remember the last time I raided a village. I haven’t been letting out any large clouds of smoke. I haven’t even gone into Celestia and Luna’s old castle! I’ve followed the rules, so it can’t have been me. Do you just want to die? Or are you one of those crazy glory seekers that comes around every few hundred years?” Singe scowled. “Such audacity, worm. You have remained in Equestria when all others have fled. You have made your lair between the the site of the Sacred Banishment and the new royal castle. Your choices are tantamount to a direct challenge to Celestia herself! A challenge that I, as a member of the Order of the Celestial Sun, am here to answer! What rules could you possibly have followed?” “Luna’s rules!” the dragoness snapped indignantly. “The rules of peaceful coexistence.” “And so you confess,” Singe said. “Prepare to die, servant of darkness!” The dragon turned her head back to her hatchling and narrowed her eyes. “This is your fault, you know? I only stayed because of you.” The hatchling spat out the gem and started making spit bubbles, spilling drool over priceless ancient treasures. The dragoness was about to reach out and move her hatchling when Singe attacked. “Burn in the light, slave of darkness!” Singe cried. She lit her spear aflame and shot straight towards the dragoness’ head. The dragoness leaned back and Singe shot straight past her. “A flaming stick?” she asked upon seeing Singe’s burning spear. “You’re trying to kill a dragon with a flaming stick? And you call me stupid!” Singe twisted in mid-air and shot towards the dragoness again. “The fire is but a symbol!” Singe cried. Singe turned sharply mid-dive, anticipating the dragoness’ evasion and aiming for the throat. The dragoness snorted a large cloud of smoke to try and blow Singe away, but Singe pulled up hard and stopped above it. “The spear itself, but a token,” Singe continued. The dragoness snapped her jaws at Singe again, but again, Singe evaded. Singe tried to counter with a thrust to the dragoness’ eye, but was blown back by the wind from a single flap of the dragoness’ wings. Singe righted herself and flew up immediately, narrowly evading a swipe from the dragoness’ claw. “Both are as toys compared to my true weapon!” she cried as she reached the top of the cave and hovered. “Then show me this weapon,” the dragoness said. “I will break it like I will break you!” Singe laughed. “Truly a fool! My true weapon is my faith, and my faith is unbreakable!” Singe said as she dived. The dragoness leaned back to evade the dive. Singe turned sharply to compensate, but the dragoness was prepared. Singe’s turn sent her flying straight into a column of dragon fire. Singe, however, was undeterred. She flew straight through the fire towards the dragoness’ open mouth. The dragoness quickly cut off her attack and ducked. Singe turned again and thrust her spear into the back of the dragoness’ head. The resulting wound was shallow. The dragoness’ scales were too tough and Singe’s momentum too low. Still, the dragoness roared and tried to bat Singe away from her head with a claw. Singe flew upwards, easily evading the attack. Upon hearing its mother’s roar, the hatchling began crying again. The dragoness, however, was too preoccupied to fret over her child. “How?” she asked. “That should have killed you!” Singe, her body smoking, but otherwise unharmed, puffed up her chest proudly. “I am a servant of Celestia, Princess of the Sun! I cannot be burned!” The dragoness noticed magical runes fading from the surface of Singe’s armor. “No, Celestia cannot be burned. You’re just wearing some fancy armor,” she said. Singe did not reply. Instead, she dived again, not at the dragoness, but straight down. She turned at a right angle just above the ground and flew towards the dragoness. The dragoness turned to swipe at Singe with her tail, but Singe flew upwards to evade. Singe then turned down again to evade a backhand from the dragoness’ claw, and then shot forward to thrust her spear into the dragoness’ underbelly. The dragoness roared in pain and tried to swat Singe with her claw. Singe evaded, but was caught in a blast of smoke and disoriented. The dragoness followed through with another swipe of her claw and this time the blow connected. Singe was knocked into the wall of the cave and fell to the floor with a cry of pain. The dragoness clutched her wound with a claw and groaned. The wound hurt. It hurt far more than it should have, considering its size. She felt a burning sensation slowly spreading outwards from it. She looked at the crumpled form of Singe and, in her anger, let loose a long gout of her strongest flame. As she did, her hatchling’s cries grew louder, and her head began to throb. She cut off the flames and found Singe shakily rising to her hooves. “It hurts, doesn’t it?” Singe asked through gritted teeth. She could feel that several of her bones had been broken by the blow, including one of her wings. She knew that she would no longer be able to fly, but she also knew that she no longer had to. “What...what did you do?!” the dragoness asked. Bit by bit, she could feel her strength leaving her. She tried to reach out and grab Singe in a claw, but her vision blurred and she scraped the rock around the pony instead. “What’s happening to me?!” Singe picked up her spear and leaned against it. “I have set upon you Celestia’s judgement. The fires of the sun now burn within you. You should thank me, for you are being cleansed.” The dragoness crashed to the ground, her head landing in front of Singe. “Please…” she murmured. “Don’t bother to beg, worm. Celestia’s mercy does not extend to the Betrayer’s slaves,” Singe said. The dragoness managed to shake her head. The action sent the whole world spinning and she stopped. “Please...my baby. Don’t…” Singe huffed. “As the darkness’ depravity does not diminish the light, so are the sins of one’s family not the sins of oneself. All servants of Celestia know this. I will not harm your child, worm.” The dragoness saw Singe slowly approaching the side of her face. “Thank y -” Singe stabbed her spear into the dragoness’ eye, and watched as the once proud beast let out its last breath. The dragoness’ hatchling stopped crying. It saw its mother’s prone form and waddled towards it. Singe watched it approach its mother’s face and began pawing at it. When its mother did not awaken with her irritated roars as it expected, it looked to Singe and began tearing up. Singe leaned down and looked the tiny hatchling in the eye. It tried to hold her face, but she pushed it away. “I will not harm you, child,” Singe told the hatchling as she held it back. “But I will not care for you either. By Celestia’s grace you will live...or die.” The cave lit up as the first rays of sunshine broke out over the horizon.