//------------------------------// // Chapter 1:27.3 - The Third Sister // Story: Camaraderie is Sorcery // by FireOfTheNorth //------------------------------// Chapter 1:27.3 – The Third Sister 29th Day of the 10th Month, Year 1000 of the 4th Age Fluttershy looked about fearfully as she and Applejack entered Manehattan. The True Faith didn’t tend to go after pegasi unless there were no unicorns nearby to target, but it was still a risk, and she had hidden her wings beneath her druidess robes. This, however, could prove to be a poor decision if somepony recognized her as a pegasus anyway and she was unable to fly away. Ideally, the Brave Companions’ two earth pony members would’ve gone to Manehattan, but Pinkamena had insisted on going to Balte-Maer, so Fluttershy was the next safest choice. Druids and the red priests had more in common than many cared to admit. Both had a reverence toward nature and natural forces, bordering on worship for the druids and displayed as outright worship for the True Faith. Druidism was more of a philosophy and was usually compatible with other forms of worship, including the True Faith, even if they didn’t call for the extermination of magic, monsters, unicorns, and all things non-earth pony. The normally timid pony was out of her comfort zone here, in a city of red brick so far from home. Applejack was also uncomfortable here, but for a different reason. She was no pegasus, but she was a pious member of the Church of One, and the sight of so many red priests in one place sickened her. They seemed to be on every street corner, shouting about the evil of unicorns, the treachery of sorceresses, and Hadish’s holy cause in fighting Alhert and Seaspray, both of whom had fallen under the control of mages. She had been to Manehattan before, but things hadn’t been like this when she’d lived here twelve years ago. Things have changed; there’s a different king on the throne now. She remembered her meeting with Hadish when he was still a prince. He hadn’t been particularly kind to her then, sure that she was an agent of Celestia. Would he remember her, and what would he think now that she truly was an agent of Celestia? King Hadish was an unknown, but all the rulers of the Three Sisters had to be spoken to in order to prevent the Seventeenth Trade War from ever beginning. King Alhert and Duchess Seaspray might turn the others away, but they would never harm them. Manehattan’s ruler, on the other hoof, had made it clear that Celestia was his enemy, and his actions were less predictable. His common title was “the Rash” after all. It was entirely possible he’d imprison or execute them, completely without fear of the wrath Celestia would rain down in reply. Applejack and Fluttershy were within the main city now, across the long stone bridge that connected the outlying bits of Manehattan to the island it had started on. The island was in the middle of a river which flowed down from the center of the much larger Manehattan Isle off the coast of the Equestrian mainland. High red walls surrounded the city of Manehattan on the island, with smaller walls surrounding the areas on the banks connected to the main city by bridges. Atop a hill on the northern tip of the island stood the Kings’ Redoubt, the ancient seat of Manehattan’s kings. That was their destination. The last time Applejack had met Hadish, it had been in the opulent Court of Dragons, but that palace had been demolished after King Wexel’s death. The new king wanted nothing to do with the trivialities of his father’s reign, and this was just one of the ways in which it was displayed. The two ponies barely made it up the hill to the King’s Redoubt when they were surrounded by guards in Hadish’s colors. Applejack had expected as much and had the letter from Celestia ready. It didn’t prevent them from being captured, having their saddlebags taken from them, and being thrown in prison, but it did prevent them from being sent to the really bad part of the dungeons or being tortured. Eventually, a guard came for them and brought them out of the dungeons and up to the castle. King Hadish was always paranoid, and the imminent war only made matters worse. Before they could be taken before him, Applejack and Fluttershy were bound in dimeritium shackles to prevent them from using any witchcraft on the king. In this way, they were brought to the throne room of the Kings’ Redoubt and King Hadish’s court. The king was seated upon his throne in the red-tinted hall. Though it was still early in the day, the windows were shuttered, and the only light came from great braziers around the columns holding up the ceiling, their flickering flame causing the figures to seem to writhe. For Applejack, it almost seemed as if she had stepped into the Abyss and was approaching Ruthus himself. Hadish was surrounded by his kingdom’s nobility, and he waved them silent as his prisoners approached. “So, the Perfumed Corpse has sent her ‘Brave Companions’ to kill or bewitch me then, has she?” the king asked as they stopped in front of him. “Not at all, Your Majesty,” Applejack replied, thinking back to what her Aunt and Uncle Orange had taught her, “If you read th’ letter we were carryin’, it explains-” “Aha! So, it was to bewitch me that you have come!” Hadish interrupted here, “You sought to use that letter to cast a spell upon me, but I am not so foolish, nor are those in my service! As soon as they saw Celestia’s mark, they tossed it into the fire, destroying her plot!” So, maybe the letter hadn’t saved them after all. There was still a good possibility that Hadish would send them back to the dungeons to be tortured after this. “All it said was that she hoped y’ would allow us t’ meet with y’ an’ try t’ convince y’ t’ stop th’ war,” Applejack explained. “Even if there were not some foul witchcraft hidden within her words on the page, what interest would I have in stopping this war?” Hadish asked, “Why should I parley with my enemies before first blood is even drawn?” “Celestia believes there’s a p-peaceful solution that will b-benefit all,” Fluttershy spoke up, not wanting to, but not wanting Applejack to have to hold up the entire conversation on her own, “Consider it before you lose hundreds or thousands in conflict.” “Is this the best argument you have?” Hadish scoffed, “They will die as part of a necessary sacrifice to put my enemies in their places. I will crush Alhert on the field and Seaspray at sea, and Manehattan will take its rightful place on the Shimmering Sea.” “Alhert is willin’ t’ deal with y’ if only y’ will disinherit your son Robar,” Applejack said. She didn’t honestly expect Hadish would accept such a suggestion, but she had to present it. Twilight had made that perfectly clear in her letter the night before. If anything, it would make finding a peaceful solution even harder, but that didn’t bother these kings. They wanted this war, King Alhert so that he could ensure his kingdom and Hadish’s were never merged. King Hadish’s intentions were unclear, but given his interests, he’d probably want either land, tribute, or something involving the True Faith. “Of course he is willing to deal on those terms,” Hadish laughed, “But he knows there must be a war because there is no other way I would agree to something like that but with a sword to my throat, and maybe not even then. King Alhert will never get what he wants from me, and that is final! Is that all?” “Could we continue to stay with you to advise and observe?” Fluttershy asked, following Celestia’s instructions. “Absolutely not,” Hadish said with a sneer, “I have a war to win, and I can’t be concerned with servants of the Shadow Empress near me plotting to assassinate or ensorcel me. Take them away.” “Back to the dungeons, Your Majesty?” the guard that had escorted them here asked, and Hadish looked thoughtful for a few seconds. “No, they know what would happen if they were to try to come for me again or look where they don’t belong,” the king pronounced, “Return their belongings and set them loose to scurry back to their mistress.” *** They had failed in their quest, but it wasn’t exactly unexpected. King Hadish the Rash liked war, and he was good at it. When he was barely a stallion, his prowess on the battlefield was already known, and had convinced the pegasi of the Hill Kingdoms to kneel to Celestia rather than risk an invasion led by this Manehattanite prince. Nineteen years ago, he had turned back the barbarian hordes under Stalliongrad’s Prince Bann the Terrible. He had put down rebellions and cemented his hold on every corner of his dominion. He was so feared that King Alhert of Fillidelfiyaa had agreed to marry his daughter to Hadish’s son, and had inadvertently made it so that the crown of Fillidelfiyaa would pass to Hadish’s line on his death. Of course Hadish wouldn’t be open to negotiating for peace, especially when the messengers came from Celestia, whom he despised with all his being. But, at least Applejack and Fluttershy were alive and unharmed, which was the best realistic outcome they could’ve hoped for. Hadish’s army would be leaving soon, and the roads out of the city were packed, but that wasn’t the only reason Applejack and Fluttershy didn’t leave immediately after they were expelled from the King’s Redoubt. There was one place Applejack had to visit while they were in Manehattan: St. Cassius’s Basilica. Despite Hadish’s purges, the massive and ancient church still stood, towering over all surrounding buildings except for the nearby Temple of the Divine Cleansing Flame. Manehattan was the first place in Equestria that the unicorn crusaders had set hoof after crossing the Shimmering Sea. The city’s name had once been Maene’r Tahn—Maene’s Will—for it had been the call of Archbishop Cassius in the holy city of Maene that had brought them here. Where the crusaders had first met to pray to Faust upon their arrival on this new continent had arisen a church that eventually grew into this basilica, the only one in Equestria. It dwarfed even the great Cant’r Laht Cathedral, though nowadays it was mostly empty. St. Cassius’s Basilica was a magnificent, but also depressing, sight. With fewer and fewer congregants every year daring to attend, they couldn’t afford to maintain such a tremendous structure, and it was beginning to fall into disrepair. Brick walls had been constructed around the entire complex to keep out ne’er-do-wells, but they couldn’t stop everything, and many of the ornate stained-glass windows had been damaged by thrown rocks. Anywhere that was vulnerable or had been hit already had also been bricked up, marring the beauty of the basilica’s exterior. It would not remain much longer before either some incredibly tragic fate befell it, or it had to be abandoned. As Applejack and Fluttershy approached the basilica, it was abundantly clear that all was not well. A brawl was taking place at the basilica’s street entrance, within the protective wall. On one side were normal townsponies wielding whatever tools they thought would make good weapons, and on the other were the basilica guard with their pointed helms, flowing capes, and clubs. The basilica guard were well outnumbered and were taking a beating, but they carried on their task of defending the basilica and knocked their attackers senseless or sent them running. Fluttershy and Applejack were close enough to observe as the guards began dragging the unconscious townsponies away from the basilica and a trio of city guards galloped up. “Stop right there! You’re assaulting innocent Faithful ponies again!” the lead guard accused, no question in his voice. “We defended ourselves and our home, as is our right,” a basilica guard with a broken plume atop his helm replied stoically, “As you can see, we have stood our ground only and did not pursue those who fled. The only fallen are within our wall.” “Sure you did,” the city guard sneered, “You’ve beaten them all soundly is what you did. You’ll pay for this.” “The usual fee, I assume,” the basilica guard replied, “As you can see, we killed nopony, only rendered them unconscious.” “You can act serene if you wish, Diligence, but remember that you won’t always be here,” the city guard said spitefully before departing and ordering his subordinates to check all the unconscious ponies. It didn’t seem like a good time to approach, so Applejack and Fluttershy waited until the last of the attackers were removed to the street and had been carried or led away by the city guards before approaching the basilica. The basilica guards snapped to attention as they approached and drew their clubs, forming a line. The pony the city guard had called Diligence approached them, his weapon still hanging at his side. “What business have ye here?” he demanded to know. “We just want t’ enter th’ basilica,” Applejack answered, “We’ve come a long way, all th’ way from Ponieville.” “Pilgrims? My apologies,” the basilica guard said, and motioned for the others to stand down, “I am Captain Diligence of the Guard of the Basilica of Saint Cassius. Apologies again, but it is rare we receive believers and not troublemakers of the Red Faith.” “They attack y’ often?” Applejack asked. “On nearly a daily basis,” Diligence replied wearily, “The red priests have stirred the ponies of this city up against us, but we must continue to stand our ground and defend the Basilica of Saint Cassius until either the threat is no more, judgement day comes, or we are all deceased. I fear it will be the latter.” “Oh my, you’re hurt,” Fluttershy said as she saw the blood dripping from one of basilica guards, and trotted over, reaching into her saddlebags for healing herbs. “I’ll survive,” the guard said painfully as she struggled to stay on her hooves, but she didn’t stop Fluttershy from administering to her, “Pitchforks are just as dangerous as the tales say, especially when all we have are these clubs.” “King Hadish has forbidden us from using weapons to defend ourselves other than these clubs,” Diligence sighed, “Any day now, I’m sure he’ll forbid those as well, so it’s fortunate that we’re practicing unarmed combat.” “He’s tryin’ t’ wear y’ down an’ get y’ killed without gettin’ directly involved,” Applejack said, and Diligence nodded, “Is that what that guard meant when he said y’ wouldn’t always be here?” “Unfortunately, that’s a far more immediate concern,” the guard captain said, “We have been conscripted into Hadish’s army and are to depart for the Kingdom of Fillidelfiyaa at a moment’s notice. While we are gone, the Basilica of Saint Cassius will be undefended, and I fear for the safety of those inside.” “Have you driven the heathens back?” an elderly mare asked as she trotted out of the basilica. She walked slowly and carefully down the steps, her elaborate crosier knocking on the stones with each step. Atop her head was a mitre embroidered with a horn and wings and a scarf was draped over her robes, words in the Language of the Horns upon it. There were only two kinds of ponies who wore scarfs like that: priestesses and sorceresses, and she was no sorceress. “Your Eminence!” Captain Diligence said as he turned and knelt, and the rest of the basilica guard followed suit, “Yes, the trouble has passed for the moment.” “Dutiful as always, captain. You were wise to choose the name you did. Still, I pray every day that this great burden would not lay upon you forever,” the clergymare said, before turning her attention to the strangers in the midst of the guards, “What’s this? Who do we have here?” “Pilgrims from Ponieville, Your Eminence,” Captain Diligence answered. “From Ponieville, you say. An orange mare in a farmer’s garb and a yellow pegasus wearing a druidess’s robes,” the clergymare said, her eyes widening, “Could you be who I think you are? The Brave Companions? Applejack and Fluttershy?” “Yes, Your Eminence,” Applejack answered, following the lead of Captain Diligence, “I’m honored that y’ know us, an’ embarrassed that I don’t know y’.” “Nothing to be ashamed of; I have heard much about you, but I doubt you would have heard about me,” the mare replied, “I am Cardinal Iessius, shepherdess to a rapidly dwindling flock. Surely you didn’t come all this way just to see the empty Basilica of Saint Cassius, though?” “We came t’ convince Hadish t’ call off th’ war,” Applejack said, “As expected, it didn’t go well.” “The mad king will never halt his reign of terror. He will not be content until he has spread his rule and his Red Faith across all of Equestria. We remain here, in the center of this storm. Alas that we live in such dark times, but we must keep faith,” Cardinal Iessius said somberly, “But, it is unwise for us to linger here, lest other violent-minded ponies arrive. Please, come inside, and we can talk more.” *** Before they spoke to Iessius, Applejack spent plenty of time marveling at the basilica. Here was a structure that displayed the majesty of the great goddess worshipped by the Church of One. Its beauty was unmatched by anything in Equestria, and yet it had once been outmatched by other basilicas of the Eastern Continent, which were now no more, lost either in the Time of Chaos or destroyed at the order of the Zebrikaanian Padishahs. Arches, artworks, and relics: Applejack marveled at all of them. Just as the cardinal had said, however, the basilica was empty. Very few ponies were here other than the basilica’s attendants, and they were far fewer than one would have expected for such an important site for the Church of One. A few congregants were around, but it looked like they too lived here now, no longer safe on the streets of a city that now shunned their religion violently. The glory of the basilica was tainted by the gloom that hung over everything, as if even the pillars and statues of saints knew that these were the last days for this church. Cardinal Iessius knew that things were dire, and that she would inevitably have to abandon the church she’d called her home for years. She refused to do so, however, clinging to hope that the Church of One could reclaim the Kingdom of Manehattan, or at least remain without being wiped out completely by the True Faith. She was constantly writing letters to High Priestess Rubius in Cant’r Laht, who was sympathetic to her plight and sent all the aid she could, but it wasn’t enough. Many of the other cardinals were more concerned with their own interests and dismissive of Rubius, who they’d hoped would be a figurehead, and so she was constantly caught up in struggles with the rest of the Church and could not turn the attention to Manehattan that it needed. Rubius was young and pious, just like her ancient predecessor, but she was no Cassius; there would be no crusade to retake the Kingdom of Manehattan for the Church of One. Once Applejack had finished her open-mouthed admiration of the basilica (mostly), Iessius led them to a bench in a transept to speak with them. The simple farmer from Ponieville never imagined she’d have the opportunity to speak to somepony so high in the Church of One face-to-face, but she’d never imagined that she’d become friends with five other very different ponies, venture into the Everfree Forest to obtain ancient artifacts, and save the world from eternal night. The Brave Companions carried more weight in Equestria than several of them had yet grasped. The story of how they had protected Ponieville’s chapel from a red priest and from Hadish’s stooges had reached Cardinal Iessius, and so she spoke plainly to them about the situation St. Cassius’s Basilica was facing. Perhaps they had been sent here for a purpose even they did not realize, and could be her messengers. “So, what will y’ do when they’re away?” Applejack asked as the cardinal finished talking about how Hadish would soon be stealing away the basilica guard for his army. “We will barricade the doors, hide ourselves away within the basilica, and pray,” Cardinal Iessius sighed, “It is all we can do against such enemies. Fortunately, their preferred tool for destruction is fire, and stone does not burn. It will be a mob that attacks us, urged on by their blasphemous priests, since their armed forces will be with Hadish as well. However, as our own guard know all too well, poorly armed townsponies can do just as much damaged as trained soldiers when they’re determined.” “I’m surprised that they’re willing to fight with the basilica guard at their side,” Fluttershy commented, one of the few things she’d said since they’d sat down with the cardinal, her attention more focused—or so it seemed—on the creatures sculpted around a nearby pillar than on the conversation, “They must hate you just as much as you do them, yet they find it acceptable to have you fight along with them. Odd.” “Fluttershy, that’s it!” Applejack exclaimed, an idea springing to mind. “W-what’s it?” Fluttershy asked uncertainly. “Y’ might be right about th’ Red Faith wantin’ nothin’ t’ do wi’ fightin’ alongside th’ basilica guard,” Applejack explained, “Surely somepony came up wi’ this plan t’ kill them off in th’ fightin’ or leave th’ basilica defenseless, but who was it, an’ was th’ Red Faith consulted? If this was all Hadish’s idea an’ they want nothin’ t’ do wi’ it, he’d have t’ bow t’ their wishes if he truly is as devoted t’ them as he claims.” “The time is long gone when the cardinal of this basilica would be invited to the king’s court, but I have other means of garnering information,” Cardinal Iessius offered, “If this was not Hadish’s plan alone, then it must have come from Burnished Bronze, a high-ranking priest in the Red Faith who serves as his advisor.” “How does that help us?” Fluttershy asked quizzically. “Maybe not everypony in th’ Red Faith supports this plan,” Applejack said, “In which case, y’ might be able t’ convince them t’ oppose it an’ force Hadish t’ change his mind.” “M-me?” Fluttershy asked, “Why would I be the one to convince them?” “You are a druidess,” Iessius said, catching on to Applejack’s plan, “So far as the red priests are concerned, you are already halfway to joining them. It is possible that they would allow you on the Fiery Isle to speak to them.” “I’m also a pegasus,” Fluttershy protested, “What about you, Applejack? You’re an earth pony.” “I would never be able t’ convince them that I was one o’ them,” Applejack dismissed that idea, “Besides, Apple Bloom told me how y’ convinced a cockatrice t’ go away instead o’ eatin’ y’, so this should be no problem.” “That was an animal, not ponies who burn other ponies alive,” Fluttershy said fearfully, “I didn’t come to Manehattan to go to the Fiery Isle. This is not my fight.” “If we don’t do this, then everypony here is almost guaranteed t’ die,” Applejack said, and Cardinal Iessius voiced no objections to her statement, “I know we came here t’ prevent th’ war, but if we can’t do that, then at least maybe we can save some lives.” “O-okay, then,” Fluttershy said after a moment’s thought, “You’re right, Applejack. We can’t give up on doing any good just because we failed at our quest.” “You will do it, then?” Cardinal Iessius asked apprehensively. “I will,” Fluttershy said, though she was still frightened of the dangers ahead. *** The tiny rowboat bobbed up and down in Manehattan’s harbor as it slowly advanced toward Fiery Isle. The bare rock jutted out of the water ahead, upon it Temple Tower rising to the heavens. Temple Tower had been one of Manehattan’s most recognizable sights for centuries, made even more so once King Hadish had added it to the Kingdom of Manehattan’s official banner, uniting his kingdom and the True Faith inseparably. The tower’s base was pyramidal, a blocky and imposing wall of cold stone. From its flat roof rose a high, cylindrical tower, at the top of which billowed an enormous fire, smoke and sparks trailing off into the wind. Here was the heart of the True Faith, where it had all begun, and where Fluttershy would have to go to fulfill the plan. Though the druidess tended to stay landbound, she could have easily flown across the channel separating the city of Manehattan from the Fiery Isle. However, it probably wasn’t a good idea to make one’s entrance to the most holy site of a religion that preached earth pony superiority by doing something like that, so she had stopped at the docks across from the isle instead. There were boats dedicated to transporting ponies to and from the Fiery Isle, and she’d employed the service of one to take her across. The nearby red priests seemed excited at her presence as she climbed into the rowboat, and she noticed a pigeon overtake the boat as they crossed the channel, a message tied to its leg. “Mistress Fluttershy, welcome to Fiery Isle,” a red priest greeted her as she stepped out of the rowboat, “We’ve been expecting you.” “I’m … expected?” the druidess asked, completely taken off guard. “Yes, when we received word that you were in the city, we had hoped that you would find your way here,” the priest replied, and motioned for her to follow him, “Prelate Summer Sails wishes to speak with you.” The priest led her toward Temple Tower, past many other priests, dedicants, and initiates, who watched the pegasus with curiosity or distrust. The island seemed even more barren now that she was on it; nothing grew upon the stony ground other than a few scraggly shrubs trying to creep out from under boulders. Food was brought here from elsewhere, along with the timber that was heaped in great piles near Temple Tower. Several initiates were hard at work breaking the wood into smaller pieces, which they would then carry up the tower’s stairs to feed the fire at its top. The All-Consuming Flame had burned for a thousand years and would not go out on their watch. “Am I allowed inside?” Fluttershy asked as her guide stepped through one of the doors into Temple Tower, fearing a trap. “Of course. Ordinarily you would be correct to be hesitant, for only those who have devoted themselves completely to the True Faith are allowed to enter, but Prelate Summer Sails has requested your presence, so an exception will be made,” the red priest explained, “Come, he is waiting to meet you.” The priest led Fluttershy up through Temple Tower, the ponies they passed watching with the same mixture of curiosity and distrust as down below. When they emerged onto the roof of the tower’s base, there were other ponies around, all of them facing toward the tower and looking up at the flame, except for one. One red priest stood alone on the edge of the roof, staring to the west and swaying slightly as the breeze whistled past. “Prelate Summer Sails of the Path of Air, may I introduce Fluttershy, druidess of the Ponieville Druid Circle,” Fluttershy’s guide proclaimed as they came to a halt behind the lone stallion. The prelate turned to face the druidess and motioned for the other priest to leave. His red robes were the same as every other priest on the Fiery Isle, and there was nothing to distinguish him as an important pony in the True Faith other than the amulet around his neck. Hanging from the string was a small circle of iron with crossbars dividing it evenly into four parts. Where the top of the vertical crossbar met the rim was set a white jewel. “I am glad you found your way here,” Summer Sails said with a sly smile, “We have much to discuss.” *** “The fire is but one aspect of the natural forces around us. It is the most wild, most energetic, and most visible, but it is far from the only one,” the prelate explained later, “The air is another of the great natural forces, and I marvel at it every day. Gusts, winds, tempests, breezes, hurricanes, drafts, tornadoes, and squalls; I revel in them all! What I would give to soar upon the currents above as you do.” “You do?” Fluttershy asked, “But I am a pegasus. I thought the True Faith only accepted earth ponies.” “We can sympathize with you,” Summer Sails said, “Like us, you too were victims of the evil of the unicorns. They made us their slaves, twisted our minds, and you—you they massacred in the millions in order to take Equestria from you. They will be burned away like the sickness they are upon this land, and all will know the Truth.” “Is that why you are involved in Hadish’s wars?” Fluttershy asked, looking for a way to fulfill her quest without arousing suspicion. She couldn’t just come out and say that the Church of One and the True Faith would be fighting together on the battlefield; that would be too suspicious. Somehow, she had to work a mention of it into the conversation, but she wasn’t sure how, not when Summer Sails spent so much time going on about the merits of the True Faith, the evil of magic and unicorns, and how druids were so close to the Truth but had not yet fully grasped it. She also didn’t know if the prelate already knew about the conscription of the basilica guard, or if he was opposed to it. She had no idea what she would do if it turned out that he had been in favor of this plan from the start. “Finally, we have a king who truly embraces our faith,” Prelate Summer Sails said proudly, “Once he is victorious in this war, our priests will be able to move freely in the Kingdom of Fillidelfiyaa, set up temples, and spread the Truth more rapidly.” That sounded like something that would be useful to share with Twilight, like Alhert’s plan to force Robar’s disinheritance. Unfortunately, the communication with the sorceress was one-way only, and Applejack and Fluttershy could only receive messages. Summer Sails was getting closer to where Fluttershy wanted, but he wasn’t there just yet. As he looked over the edge of Temple Tower, Fluttershy followed his gaze, which ended upon an area where it looked like tents had been pitched recently. “The Five Hundred Faithful are already with Hadish’s army and will be among the soldiers to draw first blood in the battles with Alhert’s motley force, extending our reach by the sword as well as by speech,” Summer Sails boasted as he looked at the old camp. That’s it! “I’m sure they will outmatch those from the Church of One on the battlefield,” Fluttershy commented, and was rewarded with the prelate’s stunned response. “What? What do you mean by this?” Summer Sails asked. “King Hadish will be bringing along the guards of Saint Cassius’s Basilica to fight alongside you,” Fluttershy said, “Didn’t you know?” I have him! “I did not,” Summer Sails said, paling, “This is unacceptable. I-I must speak to the Hierarch about this immediately. Please, excuse me.” *** “Your Majesty, this one has informed me that you will be bringing along the guard from that accursed unicorn basilica on your glorious conquest,” Prelate Summer Sails addressed King Hadish, “Is this true?” After learning that piece of information from Fluttershy, the prelate had rushed to the True Faith’s hierarch, leaving her on the roof of Temple Tower. She wasn’t entirely sure what to do next, so she stayed where she was. It only occurred to the druidess that perhaps the hierarch was in on the plot to kill off the last believers in the Church of One when Prelate Summer Sails returned. Fortunately for her, that wasn’t the case, and the prelate requested that she accompany him to speak with King Hadish. Despite her protests that she was forbidden from disturbing the king on pain of death, he insisted. Wary of trusting in the protection of the True Faith, she followed him anyway. With several other red priests, they rowed across the waves to the city of Manehattan. From there, the group proceeded through the city to the outskirts, where the king’s army was packing up their camp and preparing to move out. Fluttershy stuck out of the group, she in her rough, drab druidess robes, and the rest in their fine red garb, and many of the ponies they passed looked their way curiously. Somewhere along the way, Applejack managed to join the group, which caused a bit of protest once the red priests realized she was among them until Fluttershy explained that they were together, and a stern word from the prelate silenced the others. The army was nearly ready to leave by the time they arrived, and they only found the king with much difficulty. For anypony else, Hadish would’ve dismissed them until his return weeks or months from now, but he was a true believer in the True Faith, and upon hearing that a prelate wanted to speak to him, postponed the departure until after the meeting. He had set up a makeshift court in the open field with a chair to serve as his throne, and his advisors gathered around. One of those advisors was Burnished Bronze, Prelate of the Path of Fire, and he stood next to the king. His attire was much the same as Summer Sails’, except that his amulet had a red jewel where the horizontal crossbar met the rim instead. He looked anxious when Summer Sail brought up the basilica guard. “It is, and what of it?” King Hadish asked. “Your Majesty,” Summer Sail said, showing all the proper respect, “I must object.” “Why should you object to the deaths of enemies of the True Faith?” the king asked, looking to Burnished Bronze to see if something was amiss in his reasoning, but receiving no positive or negative confirmation. The Prelate of the Path of Fire was holding his cards close to his chest at the moment. “I do not object to their deaths, but I do object to their deaths on the battlefield, fighting alongside the Five Hundred Faithful and others of great Faith in your army, yourself not the least among them,” Summer Sail explained, “For these heathens to shed their blood in the same great struggle toward our holy cause is a disgrace and an insult. Hierarch Heliotrope concurs that it would be a grave mistake to allow them to accompany you in this war.” “It was you who first presented this idea to me, Burnished Bronze,” Hadish said, turning to his advisor, “What say you?” “I must have erred in my judgement, overcome with the burning fervor to wipe away these heathens and devils in your own city,” Burnished Bronze replied, trapped now but trying to save himself, “What the Hierarch says is true. It is quite fortunate that my fellow prelate has brought this to our attention before we have departed. The blood of these nonbelievers would stain the great cause of this war.” “Very well,” King Hadish said, satisfied with the answer but looking none too pleased by it, “The guard of the basilica will be dismissed from my service for the time being. I would not have them taint my victory.” “Thank you, Your Majesty,” Summer Sail said, and he and his entourage began to depart. “Not so fast. You two will stay and accompany me,” Hadish said, gesturing to Applejack and Fluttershy as they turned back around. “Us, Your Majesty?” Applejack asked, “I thought y’ didn’t want us around because we were Celestia’s spies or somethin’.” “I’ve changed my mind,” King Hadish the Rash said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world to completely reverse course like this, “Better to keep you near me so that you cannot stir up trouble in my realms, and you can also bring word of my victory to the Old Witch as a warning not to trifle with me.” “Very well,” Applejack said, wondering if he’d change his mind again after they’d departed. “Let’s move!” Hadish ordered all the ponies standing around him, “King Alhert has too little time left to wait around for us to attack! He’ll move on us first, and we must prepare an appropriate greeting for when we meet!”