//------------------------------// // Whispers // Story: The Infestation of Equiss Prime // by Jest //------------------------------// I can't believe she sent me back anyway, Blueblood thought tiredly to himself, the colt trudging silently through the long halls of the ancient mansion. The hall itself was long and filled with far too many columns for his sake, as it bordered on silly in his mind. The closest he could think of as far as a metaphor was like having each piece of a salad on a different plate just to show off your silverware. With a sigh he continued to walk the hall, all while giving absolutely no mind to the many busts, paintings and statues of unicorns who were at various stages of worm food by now. Though his accommodations and company had been first rate, and the food he had eaten had been nothing short of culinary delight, all that pageantry meant nothing to him. He was here against his will after all, forced to partake in lessons that he felt stripped him of who he was. Just thinking about it made the colt shudder as he imagined the last lesson he had been forced to partake in. From the way he fell into the Khala, to the way he had a distorted memory of what had happened shortly thereafter. It was strange, and not unlike sleepwalking, only a hundred times more disturbing for numerous reasons. The young colt shook his head vigorously and tried to imagine something more pleasant than the life thrust upon him, only for such a line of thinking to end up conjuring an image of Twilight Sparkle. Though the filly was strange, Blueblood couldn't help but both pity and respect her, as she had been given an unfortunate lot in life and continued on regardless. He remembered fondly the few secret library meetings they had managed to have over time, and how they had always met in the biography section of the royal archives. Though she had been awkward every single time and seemed to believe that it was all an elaborate trick at first, Blueblood was confident that she no longer considered him the enemy his father had nearly made him into. The colt clung tightly to those images he had of his friend, of how he made her smile, of her laugh. A small part of his brain tried to pick her apart, by reminding him that her smile was slightly tainted by a set of sharp teeth, or how she had a way of laughing slightly too loud when she found something really funny, but he refused to listen to that voice. She was his friend, and he was going to be damned before he allowed himself to think ill of her. Unfortunately for the colt, those memories would have to be put on the backburner for now as he neared the door he had come to dread. The wooden object itself was unassuming, following the same white, gold, and electric blue of the rest of the house, with only a small symbol standing out to his well-trained eyes. It was difficult to explain, as the symbol itself was in three parts, with one part being a simple circle that was nestled into a slightly distorted square that hung over the top of it. These two shapes were then cradled by a third that looked almost like a curved blade save for the fact that it had three holes punched in it. With a sigh he raised his hoof, flicked his golden mane from his eyes and entertained the notion of simply not knocking and running away. For about all of three seconds anyway, then he knocked. “Come in,” a voice commanded from within the room. Blueblood gulped down his trepidation and pushed open the door, looking up at the very tall, grey unicorn that was already glaring at him. “You are late,” announced the stallion, his electric blue eyes glaring down at the young prince intensely. “My apologies, Ardent Faith, but I’m afraid I got lost on the way to the bathroom,” Blueblood explained only half-heartedly. Though it was clear that the tall, grey stallion saw through his half-truth in an instant, he did not immediately call him out on it. “Make sure you get another tour, so you do not get lost again,” Ardent Faith replied before turning and gesturing to the rest of the room. “Please take a seat, we were about to begin.” Blueblood nodded, hardly paying attention to the rest of the small, personal classroom he now found himself within. Though there were nearly fifteen desks in the room, only one other was being used by another pony. A pony who was a slim, purple filly with a fair complexion and long braided black hair that hung down past her shoulders. Her orange orbs flicked past BlueBlood with disinterest, the pony merely sighing before continuing to stare off into space. Not wanting to look clingy, Blueblood made sure there was a desk between herself and the other student before taking his own seat. “Good morning, Stoic Star,” he greeted as he sat, smiling politely at the filly, taking note that her bright yellow seven-pointed star cutie mark was as eye catching as ever. “Morning, Bluey,” she replied lazily, not even bothering to look over at him when she said it. “That is quite enough chatter, you two,” Ardent announced suddenly. “Take a seat and pull out your notebooks.” The two students did as they were told, though Stoic took much longer to do so as she chose between three such notebooks before deciding on one that wasn't quite as bright as the rest. Opening his own notebook, Blueblood readied his quill after carefully ensuring that there was the perfect amount of ink on it. Looking up, he noticed that Ardent Faith had already begun to write. “We will begin your lesson today with the Unicornian moral imperatives,” he announced before turning back to the class and pointing at the filly. “Stoic Star, what is the first of such imperatives?” She sighed, and without looking up, answered, “That the weak be ruled by the strong, not out of malice, but out of compassion, for the intelligent have an obligation to assist them in bettering themselves.” “Good.” Ardent’s smile faltered somewhat before he turned to Blueblood. “Master Blueblood, what is the second imperative?” “That we control the means of production and keep them out of the hooves of lesser ponies because they will squander their opportunities,” Blueblood replied, already sweating. “You are partially correct, as usual,” Arden replied. “We must also keep control of the means for not only will they be wasted on the peasant class, but it will also be used for frivolous and often nonsensical purposes, thus morality demands that we ensure this does not happen.” The stallion spun back around and continued to write on the blackboard, his chalk moving in long, elegant motions. “Now then, we will continue with our lesson of the history of Unicornia starting with chapter thirty six of-” The stallion droned on and on, continuing to berate the foals with facts of their history and constant assertions that everything had been better back when unicorns had their own nation. Though Blueblood knew it hadn't been quite as good as Ardent Faith made it out to be, it was difficult to dismiss his arguments out of hoof either. Something Stoic Star didn't seem to struggle with at all, as she merely stared forward, her expression distant and her face slack, as if she were asleep without ever closing her eyes. Blueblood had gotten to the point that he wondered if she actually were asleep before she unexpectedly turned to him, making him flinch and pay more attention to the lesson being presented. He moved so quickly that he nearly missed the small smirk that his classmate shot him, before it too vanished under the careful mask she donned. The lesson continued for over two hours before Ardent slammed shut the book he was holding and placed it on his desk. “-and that concludes this month’s lesson on the history of Unicornia, next week we will pick up with the succession wars.” Blueblood sighed and placed the quill back in his now significantly lower inkwell before waiting a moment and finally closing his notebook and sliding it back into the desk. He nearly stood up and began to prepare for lunch when he noticed Stoic had remained seated and was looking forward. Following her gaze, he noticed that Ardent had already erased everything on the board and simply written the words. Live training. In the center of it. Putting the chalk away, the teacher turned to Blueblood, his glare growing in intensity. “Before you leave this classroom, I need to ask you a few questions. Namely, Master Blueblood, is it true that you mentioned to one of the butlers while reading the morning paper that you were quote unquote ‘rooting for the confederacy’?” “Uhhh.” Blueblood blinked, thinking back to this morning when he had indeed said such a thing. “Yeah? Kind of?” “Kind of, how?” Ardent asked, his eyes narrowing. “Well, it's just they are doomed, right? They are mainly mud ponies out in the middle of nowhere trying to grow crops in sand,” Blueblood explained, the lie quickly coming to mind. “It's like rooting for a snowball’s chance in Tartarus, it's not supposed to be taken seriously.” Ardent Faith stared down at him for several long seconds before reluctantly letting it go. “Understandable, but do try and keep such sentiments to yourself, not all of our maids are as understanding as Subtle Sweep.” Blueblood gulped and glanced over at Stoic, who flashed him a brief, appreciative smile, an expression that vanished the instant Ardent glanced in her direction. Still, the expression was nice, as Blueblood received the distinct feeling that he had an ally in the class. One that he hoped may very well be able to offer him a sense of reprieve from this palace of intolerance he now found himself held hostage within. Plus she was also very attractive, so that was a thing that the colt did his best to try and not think of, only to fail utterly. “Is it also true that you have not been connecting to the Khala fully while you are in Blue Blade’s lessons?” Ardent continued. “Whuh?” Blueblood muttered, shaking the thoughts of the cute filly’s out of his head and forcing himself to look at his teacher. Who sighed and ran a hoof down his face. “I said: Is it also true that you have not been connecting to the Khala fully while you are under the instruction of Sir Blue Blade?” he repeated, his glare somehow gaining even more intensity. “Err, maybe?” Blueblood muttered, looking down. “It's just, really hard.” “Thinking yourself better without embracing the Khala and gaining the strength of our ancestors is an arrogant notion that only fools believe!” Ardent boomed, glaring down at the colt. “Tell me, boy, are you a fool, or are you a unicorn?” Blueblood nodded weakly. “I am a unicorn, sir.” “Good.” Ardent stood back up and tapped the board. “You will be going straight to Blue Blade’s class, but before you do, I would like to say a few words.” The teacher sighed slowly and looked down into Blueblood’s eyes before glancing briefly at Stoic. “We are approaching strange and troubling times, your generation will be the ones to finally bring glory unto the Firstborn, do not shirk from this duty. To stray from the path of ascension, and to not embrace the Khala fully is abhorrent and as a true born son of Unicornia you are called, neigh, commanded to give yourself to the Khala fully, lest you be forgotten by the great historia.” “Yes, Ardent Faith,” Blueblood replied, bowing slightly. “I will not forget your words.” “See to it, young Blueblood. You may be from a more prestigious house than I, but I will not hesitate to break out the paddle should I think that you are following a dark path,” the stallion intoned solemnly before sighing and taking a step back. “Now, if you would please proceed to the practice room, I believe Blue Blade has your armor and weapons ready and waiting for you,” Ardent announced before turning away, already moving to his desk and ignoring the two students entirely. Knowing that this command was not to be ignored, Blueblood proceeded hastily to the door only to realize that Stoic had fallen behind somewhat. Waiting just outside, Blueblood glanced nervously as the filly slowly caught up with him before proceeding to walk with him towards their next class. For nearly a minute things were quiet, and though Blueblood would usually consider such a silence awkward, Stoic Star seemed unconcerned by it and merely kept walking. The colt tried desperately to think of a way to come up with some manner of conversation that would enable him to subtly discover if she had truly bought into Ardent’s endless tirades on honor, duty and moral obligation. Only to come up with a fat wad of nothing, leaving him with little to do but trot awkwardly beside her, until she suddenly spoke up. “There is a way to take without giving, but you know not how it is done. Follow my words and I may be able to teach you just that, though if you speak of this to anyone, I will deny every word,” she announced suddenly in a low, hushed tone. “Listen closely and take heart, for you must walk the path of ascension as lightly as possible, give to the Khala only your errant thoughts, your idle musings and passing ideas. It will be satiated with such mindless drivel and the rest of the houses will not suspect that you do not embrace it as they do. All the while you will revel in its power.” Blueblood gaped like a fish, a million questions came to mind, all of which fought for a spot on his tongue in order to be the first to be spoken to the filly. In the end he settled for the simplest question he could muster. “Why?” A small hint of a smile grew at the edges of her lips. “You lied to him about the incident this morning, you have not drunk the kool aid as the common pony says, and may be a useful ally… one day.” “I, er, what? How do I-” Blueblood began, only to get a hoof stuffed in his mouth for his efforts. Stoic stopped and shot him a brief, but intense look. “We are here.” Blueblood gulped and nodded, prompting the filly to remove her hoof from his mouth. “Got it.” “We will speak more after dinner, for now we have lessons to complete,” Stoic replied before turning and opening one of the many doors that lined the endless hallway. This one had the same strange symbol as the last, a symbol Blueblood knew was only used by those who followed the Khala and took its principles to heart. Stepping inside the room, Blueblood quickly looked around, the colt having found himself inside the mansion’s training room where an almost unnaturally tall, thin unicorn mare of advanced age stood near the front of. Stoic didn't even give a glance at the painted floors or the numerous circles and lines that covered it, nor did she look at the walls which were covered in glowing symbols meant to protect the room’s occupants from accidental harm. The filly merely trotted over to the two floating sets of armor and quickly donned the golden plate, clasping it into place and securing the chest piece with a firm tug. Blueblood didn't want to fall behind and quickly trotted up next to her, taking the other set of armor and following her lead. “Good of you to join us, Blueblood,” the tall mare whispered, her voice low, but containing a surprisingly menacing tone. “Sorry,  Blue Blade,” Blueblood replied, dipping into a short cordial bow as he secured his helmet in place with a magical tug. “You are getting faster at that,” the mare remarked emotionlessly, the silver-furred unicorn slowly circling him, her purple eyes staring down at him intensely. “Good. Though I want you as fast as Stoic by the end of the week. Is that understood?” “Yes, Master Blue Blade,” Blueblood replied, securing the last of his armor and looking up at his instructor. Though the instructor’s deep blue mane hung over both eyes and came down to just above her nose, Blueblood knew that she was glaring at him through her hair. “You two will begin the day with a practice fight,” she began, before turning to his only other classmate. “Stoic, I want you to go easy on him at first and when it seems like he's finally getting the hang of things, show him what a true Firstborn is capable of.” The filly hesitated only a moment before dropping into a short bow. “As you wish, Master Blue Blade.” “Excellent. The match will begin when I give the signal. As usual I want you to keep quiet throughout the fight and when I am speaking, you are expected to listen while also staying focused on your opponent,” Blue Blade announced before taking a step back and gesturing towards the center-most circle of the room. Knowing the routine by now, both Stoic and Blueblood trotted over to their proscribed places, taking position and watching each other closely. Blueblood remembered the first day he had been in this position, his armor hanging heavily over his body as he glanced warily at his opponent. He remembered how scared he had first been to hurt her, to fight a girl with not only real weapons, but truly deadly ones at that. That time was far behind him now though, and this day he knew that it was more likely that he was going to end up hurt rather than the other way around. Stoic herself seemed calm in the extreme, standing perfectly still in her tight fitting, perfectly maintained golden armor. Armor that covered most of her body while still leaving large gaps that were meant to be obvious, in order to better get rookies to start aiming at the joints and neck. The shin protectors were the thickest points of the armor, as it was both meant to shield the wearer’s hooves and was also from where their weapons would emerge. “No magic, no blows to privates or eyes,” Blue Blade announced before nodding. “Honor and Duty.” “Honor and Duty,” both children replied while stomping their forehooves. “Begin!” And with that, the battle was joined, with Blueblood launching into the first attack by raising his right hoof and lurching at his enemy. At the halfway point the shin guard blazed to life and a foot long shimmering wedge of blue force emerged, crackling audibly as it made contact with the air. His strike was fast, and he thought, unannounced, two things he had anticipated would help him in acquiring first blood. Stoic Star was far faster than him however, and the filly simply batted his blade aside with her own identical weapon before leaping forward and swinging at the colt’s exposed side. Her swing was fast, but Blueblood had enough skill to know it was coming and deflected it before taking a hasty step back. When their hooves neared the floor, the blades automatically turned off, allowing them to not have to worry about accidentally destroying the ground they walked on. The two foals stared at one another, each one circling the other slowly, waiting for an opportunity to strike while scanning the other’s form. That was until Blue Blade took a step forward and cleared her throat. “Your forms have both improved, take positions once more and begin again,” she commanded. Both students nodded to their teacher, with Blueblood silently wondering how she had managed to come to such a conclusion after such a brief encounter. But he wasn't about to air any such concerns, lest he be forced to repeat the same exercise again. Both students took their positions quickly and faced off once more, this time they did not look one another in the eye, as they had closed them and were focusing intently on the connection they felt at the back of their minds. This connection felt strange, and altogether alien to Blueblood, no matter how many times he touched upon it. His mind went back to the spot wherein the Khala rested, the connection radiating a feeling so unlike his own mind that he hesitated to indulge at all in what it offered. His teacher’s close proximity dashed any such notion however, and the colt was forced to grab hold of the connection and carefully push a section of his mind into the recess from which the Khala had lay dormant. Instantly a feeling of unreality settled over him, and thoughts, emotions and sensations not his own suddenly poured through the breach in his psyche, filling him with terror. Strangest of all was the whispering that he could hear at the very edge of perception, the feminine voice speaking words he could not understand, but instead, could feel. The connection that was forced upon him as a child had opened considerably since such a time and though it had only been a few short years since the ceremony, the voice was already much, much louder than what it once was. Thus allowing the colt to tell that it was pleased with his connection, yet it also wanted more, to be allowed fully into his mind, offering him power unlike anything he could dream of. Something he refused vehemently. His muscles tensed, his mind seemed to accelerate, his thoughts briefly becoming faster than his body was able to move before it finally caught up. Then he stopped, his mind pulling back from the connection and refusing to allow it to occupy the entirety of his mind as he knew it wanted to. He had, after all, increased strength, speed and reaction time and that was enough in his mind, as the loss of self was far too high a price to pay. Opening his eyes, he looked into the glowing white orbs of his fellow student. A student that now lacked iris or pupil, her orbs glowing with a pale light that exuded twin wisps of equally white smoke from the corners. Her face was as expressionless as he knew his own was, and he also took note of the fact that her muscle mass had increased even more than his own had, the rail-thin filly having been replaced by a muscle-bound foal that rippled with a disturbing amount of power. “Begin!” Blue Blade shouted. This time the colt did not even have the opportunity to consider attacking before Stoic closed the distance, both hooves raised, her blades igniting. Caught off guard by the sheer speed of his opponent, Blueblood took several steps back, only narrowly dodging the cross slash that would have turned his head into mincemeat. In the span of an eyeblink she was already upon him, her right hoof coming down and being deflected by his own before her left followed. The sheer weight of the blows staggered the colt, and her speed was such that he was struggling to keep up, the sharp sound of clashing psionic blades filling the room. Each strike came faster than the last as she twisted this way and that, driving Blueblood further and further back as he was forced to give ground to his attacker. Already he was nearly forced back onto his heels, his forehooves almost becoming numb as the blows continued. Suddenly, he heard the whispering voice change and the emotions slipping through his mind shifted erratically. The voice still spoke in its strange, wordless way, this time promising him even more power, and strength if only he give her more of his mind. Though tempting, he already felt like he was no longer himself, and was even now looking down at a mere puppet of himself from the third person, an experience as unpleasant as it was alien. This resistance to the voice’s offer fluctuated when Stoic Star came close to hitting him several times in a row, the colt forced to leap out of the way of another cross slash aimed for his face. Anger flared in his chest and the voice grew louder, more demanding, yet still he resisted, trying to walk that fine line between giving and taking without committing too much to one or the other. Something that became increasingly difficult as he felt his teacher’s glare become more intense with each poorly timed block and half-hearted counter attack. In only two short minutes the two had fought all the way across the room, weapons clashing together so frequently that the crackle of the blades meeting become near constant. Throughout it all Blueblood could offer little in the way in challenge, though he had begun to notice that Stoic favored powerful dual weapon attacks that would have overpowered most foes. Something that his own defences were able to absorb with relative ease, though not without strain. So when another powerful cross slash descended towards him, he raised both hooves and shoved back as hard as he could. For a moment the filly seemed about to topple backwards, only for his opponent’s eyes to glow brighter and her strength to double in an instant, allowing her to shove Blueblood right back and knock him onto his back. Before he could even move, he felt the heat of her blade over his throat, making him sigh and lay there in defeat. “You win again, Stoic,” Blueblood muttered, his eyes dulling as he pulled away from the connection at the back of his mind, the strange emotions and whispering slowly fading away. The blade at his throat vanished and when he looked up, the terrifying filly was replaced by an utterly normal one, who had a hoof extended, offering assistance. “You fought better than usual, Blueblood,” she remarked dryly, easily pulling the colt up when he took her offered hoof. “Though that is low praise, considering just how weak you are,” Blue Blade spat, stepping forward and glaring harshly at the colt. “You still resist the Khala no matter how many times you lose.” “I tried, it's just-” he began, only to get shut down by an increasingly terrifying glare. “You resist the Khala’s influence and have the gall to say you tried?” The teacher snarled, her lip curling in anger and disgust. “The Khala connects all of the Firstborn to one another, it is meant to be embraced, not shunned, given to, not taken from.” The mare took a single thundering step forward, her sheer height making the colt feel tiny and powerless in the extreme. “Taking without giving is abhorrent in the extreme, young Blueblood. To do so is arrogance of the highest order! What do you have to say for yourself, hmm?” “I’m sorry, it just makes me feel strange, like I’m not myself, like I’m sleepwalking while still awake.” He winced prematurely, only realizing how traitorous his words were after they left his mouth. The colt didn't get a chance to apologize before he felt a hoof upside his head, making him stumble forward. “If you had allowed yourself to become immersed in the Khala fully, you would not be bothered by this sensation, and would instead realize the true power that looking at one’s self would grant. To be whole and empty, is to be able to act within an instance while also viewing it impartially, allowing you to escape the trappings of your emotions, if only for a moment.” Blueblood gulped, silently happy that the helmet had taken most of the blow, though it still hurt even through his armor. The colt looked up at his teacher, only to realize that she had only begun her half rant, half explanation and was even now towering over him. “Tell me, colt, do you have over a millennium of knowledge, of skills, of experience, do you? Or perhaps you already have all that as well as the strength of an earth pony and the speed of a pegasus?” Blue Blade continued, her voice growing more shrill by the moment. “I, uh, well.” He gulped, his mouth moving as he tried desperately to come up with some excuse no matter how lame it sounded. In the end he merely hung his head in defeat and sighed. “No, ma’am.” “I did not think so,” Blue Blade whispered, taking a step back before leaning down and looking him in the eye. “Remember my words well, boy. Any attempt to use the Khala without giving to it will be met with harsh retribution, do you understand me?” The colt nodded weakly. “Yes, ma’am.” “Good, this time I want you to try again, and if I see you taking without giving, you will be training with me from now on,” Blue Blade whispered before taking her usual spot off to the side of the room. Knowing the routine, Stoic Star and Blueblood trotted slowly back into position, with the colt catching a flicker of pity from his opponent. That was until her face became a neutral mask once more, with the stony expression returning in full. Blueblood chose to not think about this particular change as his emotions were already too garbled for his liking, and were inevitably going to get in the way of his training. This time when their eyes met, and closed, Blueblood found the spot in his mind that the Khala occupied quickly and though he hesitated a moment, he ultimately gave it more of his mind than he usually dared. The whisper was encouraging, the feelings of calm and relaxation easing the irritation that came with feeling emotions that weren't his, aiding him transition more fully into the Khala. Though he refused to give himself utterly, he passed the usual threshold. This time when his eyes opened, they blazed with inner fire, dwarfing the intensity of his opponent’s by an order of magnitude. Though he felt no fear himself, he saw fear in the eyes of his fellow student, fear that quickly vanished when Blue Blade spoke once more. “Begin!” she yelled. Blueblood’s corded muscles bulged beneath his fur, his flesh barely able to contain the raw power that he brought to bear. This time he was on the offensive before his opponent could blink, his cold and calculating mind knowing that since she was smaller than him, he would ultimately be able to use this increased size to his advantage. Hooves raised over his head, the colt brought his roaring blue blades down towards his opponent, utilizing his lightning fast speed to cover the distance in a flash. The filly hesitated, taking a moment to consider blocking, only to roll away at the last second, a stray strand of hair being lopped off as he narrowly missed his target. Blueblood knew he shouldn't let his opponent have so much as a moment to think and instantly pushed his advantage, rearing back and delivering a trio of fast stabs aimed at the filly’s face. The result was instant, and Stoic was forced to rear back in order to bring both of her own blades to the task of blocking his fast strikes. This meant she could not back up without nearly falling over herself and getting knocked prone, which was another advantage that he pushed. Switching suddenly, the colt brought both blades down against his opponent, forcing her to block lest she slip and be forced into an awkward situation. Blades met and roared against one another, with the filly forced to give ground as her larger opponent drove his forelegs down against her, making their weapons grow louder as he multiplied the force he exerted down upon her. Then, just as she had seemingly adapted to the force he exerted and began to push back, he took a risky step back and slammed his blades back down against the filly’s guard. The result was immediate, with the filly’s defences beginning to crumble as her legs began to shake. Blueblood’s own muscles strained to keep up with what he demanded of them, but the colt knew that they wouldn't give out until he had already won and he chose to continue to slam his weapons down repeatedly, knowing that his tactic would ultimately give him victory. Sweat poured down the filly’s face, not only from the closeness of her weapons, and the exertion she was under, but from the pure and unfiltered fear she even now experienced. The mana blades clashed repeatedly, their crackle turning into a roar each time this happened, leaving the filly dazed and reeling. This brutal assault continued until she had very nearly been broken completely, her guard beginning to crumble as the colt brought his weapons down in another thunderous crash of blade on blade. This time he did not pull back and instead leaned forward, throwing his entire weight into this last push, intent on shattering her guard completely and finally claiming victory. As their weapons roared against one another, the filly’s hooves beginning to slip, their eyes met. In that moment Blueblood saw the naked fear in his opponent’s eyes for the first time. For a moment both foals remained there, staring into one another’s eyes, one whose pure white orbs blazed like an angry sun and the other that contained only a soft and patient glow. Stoic Star looking up at him with a pleading expression, the filly desperate to dissuade Blue Blood from doing… something. An expression that first struck Blueblood as the desperate bid of a pony about to lose, only for the colt to dismiss such a notion when he truly began to understand the depth in those pleading eyes. They pleaded not for victory, or even the avoidance of defeat, but rather for him, for the colt to refuse to give away the part of himself that he was now handing over to the Khala. With a mental jerk he pulled away from the link, his senses returning to him suddenly and with the force of a hammer blow. To make matters worse, the filly reacted quickly to his sudden shift, shoving hard against his attack and forcing him to break away from the melee. Something that forced him into an awkward position as he had been standing tall on his hind hooves until then. He had learned his lesson though and quickly stumbled back, swiping wildly and keeping Stoic Star at bay long enough for the colt to regain his bearings and enable him to get his guard back up. Or at least, that's what he tried to do, as Stoic pressed harder and faster than before, keeping him perpetually off balance and forcing each subsequent block to become wider and wider. Until finally the colt’s midsection was completely wide open, allowing Stoic to slide forward and press the tip of her blade against Blueblood’s breastplate. The second that happened, a soft golden glow encompassed them both, stopping them dead in their tracks. For a second nothing happened, only for Blue Blade to suddenly realize what she was supposed to do, causing the mare to stumble over to the pair and light her horn, dismissing the enchantment’s hold on them. “That certainly was… interesting,” she muttered, looking down at Blueblood with a mixture of awe and confusion. “What pray tell caused you to stop your attack, young Master Blueblood?” “I was worried that the protection charms wouldn't work if I accidentally used her own blade against her,” Blueblood lied. “I wasn't aware of a time where this had happened and I did not want to test it and end up with blood on my hooves.” “That is…” Blue Blade stopped, the angry tirade she had already planned falling by the wayside. “An excellent thought, though you should know for next time that the enchantment works if it detects any strike that would be considered lethal, even your own.” “Ahh, my apologies, Blue Blade,” the colt remarked, bowing slightly to his teacher. “Yes, well, see to it that you do not let another victory slip between your hooves and all will be forgiven,” the mare muttered before turning to Stoic Star. “You did well, little Star, but you let him maintain the advantage for too long, you must learn to dodge or offer a counter attack, lest you be trapped in a situation that your enemy planned for you to be in.” “Yes, ma’am,” Stoic muttered, casting a cautious glance at her classmate. “Now then, I can tell you are both quite exhausted, so while you disarm, I will be available for questions, after which I will demonstrate form three,” Blue Blade explained, trotting back to the forefront of the room. As Blueblood began to remove the armor he wore, fatigue set in and his movements began to slow as he struggled to remove the larger parts of his equipment. A particularly troublesome strap saw him struggling for nearly a minute before Stoic unexpectedly assisted him, unshackling him from the back plate that he had been fighting against. Noticing that his teacher was eying their interaction a little closer than he would like, Blueblood suddenly spoke up, “Yes, I had a question.” “Go ahead, child,” Blue Blade replied. “Where did these weapons and armor come from? My father has only a single book on the topic, but it makes no mention of their origin, only that it was invented by my family for unicorns to use,” he asked as he placed his helmet to the side. “That is an excellent question,” Blue Blade declared. “The arms and armor you use today are based on ancient designs that Celestia believes were lost during the unification wars. It was only with the noble houses’ vast wealth and the whispers found deep within the Khala were we able to rediscover them in hidden vaults beneath what once was Unicornia.” “Fascinating,” Blueblood muttered, with as much mustered enthusiasm as he could bring to bear. Thankfully his teacher didn't seem to notice and continued to ramble, stars coming to her eyes as she recounted the tale in an increasingly fervent tone. “Oh, it truly is, for you see the Khala not only links all worthy unicorns with one another, but also to the whispers of our ancestors that lay within the link. It is with their help that we are able to uncover lost secrets and learn what has been forgotten by nearly all of pony kind.” “Pardon me, ma’am,” Stoic interrupted, raising a hoof. “But aren't the unification wars commonly referred to as the long night or the Nightmare rebellion?” The proud unicorn mare furrowed her brow and snorted irritably. “That is merely what she would have you believe. We fought not for the Nightmare, but for our independence, for the chance of regaining the glory and honor that was lost when we were forced to recognize the lesser races as equals.” The mare smirked and suddenly regained her proud posture once more. “But I would not worry about that happening again, the great houses have managed to create enough confusion in the castle that Celestia will spend all of her time putting out minor fires and allowing us to move unseen behind the curtains.” “I thought the goal was to make Celestia join us?” Blueblood asked, feigning ignorance. The mare was too distracted by her own emotions to notice this fake ignorance however and visibly shook as she spoke. “That fool has turned our offers of peace down one too many times and after slighting even your revered father, it is clear that she cannot see the light.” “But doesn't she control the sun and moon?” Stoic asked. “It sounds like a bad idea to work against the pony that is able to move the celestial bodies.” The mare smirked and puffed out her chest even more. “Trust me, child, that has been considered, and we have a plan for such an eventuality, should it come.” She shook her head and gathered up the gear that now lay on the floor, levitating the sets of armor off to the side with slow, careful movements. Blueblood raised his hoof and was about to speak when his teacher interrupted him, “Question period is over, and though I know you have more concerns, I cannot answer them for now. Simply remember that with the Khala’s guidance, we can overcome any obstacle, and through its power we will be masters of our destiny once more, and will reclaim our lost homeland.” “I guess, but-” Blueblood began, only to be interrupted not by his teacher, but by a knock at the door, followed by the door opening to reveal a stern-faced butler. “Master Blue Blade, your presence is requested in the war room immediately,” the butler announced in a neutral, even tone. “Did they say why?” the mare asked hesitantly, a look of worry overcoming her features. “I am afraid not. Only that they detected a surge in the Khala,” replied the butler. “In that case tell them… no, I shouldn't make them wait. I will leave immediately,” Blue Blade announced before turning to her charges. “You two remain here, review the literature I have set aside, and if I am not back within the hour, you are dismissed.” The two foals both nodded, and watched as their teacher hastily trotted out of the room, following the stony-faced butler. Once it was clear that Blue Blade was not about to return, Blueblood deflated, flopping out onto the ground and letting out a deep sigh. “Augh, that was terrible,” he muttered. “Tell me about it, I thought you were going to kill me,” Stoic remarked with surprising calm. The colt winced. “I’m sorry, Stoic, but-” “You have no need to apologize, I saw how deep you had become,” Stoic interrupted, a small smile slipping onto her lips. “I experienced it once before and vowed that such a thing would never happen again.” “I think I’ll do the same. That was terrifying, it was like I was looking down at myself and was moving a mere chess piece rather than my own flesh and blood,” Blueblood trembled at the memory. “Me and several others have been working on a way of getting around this while also not tipping off our parents. If you are interested, I could teach you a few techniques,” Stoic explained while smiling down at the colt. Blueblood’s eyes went wide and he stood quickly, his fatigue forgotten. “You could? Wait.” He took a step back and eyed her closely. “Though I agree with you, what are you trying to accomplish with this little club of yours?” The filly sighed and rolled her eyes. “First of all it is not a club, or a secret society, no matter how much Subtle Script calls us ‘The Never Zim’ or whatever. And secondly, how do I know I can trust you with this?” “For one you’ve already trusted me with information that would see you exiled from your family and given me one of the names of your club members,” Blueblood remarked with a smirk. “At this point I don't think it matters.” The foal raised her hoof and opened her mouth to speak, only to shrivel somewhat and sigh. “I suppose it doesn't then, does it? Damn, we really need to get better at this whole secret society thing.” “Anyway,” Blueblood prompted. “Right, well, don't tell anyone but we are hoping to ultimately close ourselves from the Khala, but also keep the power it gives,” Stoic explained. “It's a little far-fetched now, but Quick Quill seems to think that it's possible.” Blueblood found himself grinning from ear to ear by the time Stoic had finished her explanation. “You have no idea how much I like that idea.” “R-really?” Stoic stuttered, looking up at him with wide eyes. “Absolutely, this whole thing has felt wrong since day one and after hearing the whisper more intensely, I can say with absolute certainty that there is something wrong in there,” Blueblood explained. “I know, right?” Stoic grinned. “Our next meeting is during Quick Quill’s birthday party. I’ll get you an invitation.” Blueblood grasped the filly’s forehoof in both of his own, squeezing the limb tightly. “Thank you, Stoic, I won't forget what you've done for me.” The filly hastily tugged her limb from Blueblood’s grip, a blush sprouting on her cheeks. “D-don't mention it. Seriously, don't mention it.” “Don't worry, our secret is safe with me,” Blueblood remarked, flashing the filly a wink.