//------------------------------//
// Chapter Sixty-six: The Knight's Tale 
// Story: A Rather Large Adventure 
// by BradyBunch 
//------------------------------//

There was a constant thudding in his head. It was Noble Blade's heartbeat.

The Nox threw down his wet, bloodied towel and spat at the ground in front of him, then scuttled out to meet the two other guards in the main cell.

"How hard did you flail him this time?"

"Hard enough to hurt, but not enough to cripple the poor idiot."

"Hehehey, you finally got it! You learned from your last prisoner, didn't you?"

"Too bad he died too quickly. O amazing Tart Truffle, we will never forget thee. Thy taste was delicious indeed. Crispy on the outside, crunchy on the bone, soft on the meat. Amazing, really, but nowhere near a tart's true taste. Disappointing."

A quick bout of laughter followed.

"What should we do to him when we're done with him, anyway?"

"I dunno. Do what you do with the others. Chop 'im up into little cubes and slurp up his blood-"

"No, no. He's 'special.' He should get a bit of special treatment before he goes."

"I'm thinking 'Unforgiven' levels of treatment, eh?"

"Yeah, I'm with you on that."

"I like the imagination you have!"

"Can we do it now? Please?"

"No. Only when it's time to finish him properly. We need to keep his body semi-intact for now. That means no teeth pulling, no emasculation, and no amputation."

"Aww."

Overhearing all this, Noble just bowed his head. Yesterday, he had recently realized something profound: They were wrong.

He wasn't special.

He was just raised to be a warrior by his father. Substitute him with any other pony, and they would turn out the same as him. There was nothing particularly special about him in particular. Everything about him came from his father.

His head felt like it was both unwinding and twisting at the same time. From every angle, doubt assailed him. It pulled at the very fabric of who he was. The pain was in every fiber of his body.

Where was Firestorm and Freedom Fighter? Where was Fluttershy to draw out the poison in his head? Where was Twilight and Starlight, the strength he could draw upon? Nowhere. That was just how it was. He was completely, utterly alone.

Not even… her.

"Oh, Faust," he breathed. For some reason, he felt tears squeeze from his ducts. "Where art thou? And where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place?"

"Is he talking?"

"Probably rambling or something. Let him go on."

"Thou art the goddess of ponies, and all free peoples in the universe," he whispered. "But I… am not free. How long wilt thou stay thy hoof and watch me suffer? I beg of thee, come to me and release me from this evil torture!"

A Nox snorted. "This is pretty standard fare. They'll plead for mercy, he'll wait for a minute or two, and when his goddess doesn't come, he'll weep."

Noble Blade waited, urging Faust to come and deliver him. He was hoping, hoping, trying all he could. But there was not even so much as a pressure in his chest.

"See?" mocked the Nox. "Just as stupid as the rest of 'em. You'd think he would be a bit more distinguished, know what I mean?"

"I'm getting kind of hungry," said another one.

"Look around in the kitchen or something. Bring us back something too, all right?"

"Get your own food."

"Fine. Be that way."

The sound of skittering steps faded away as the Nox opened the cell door and hurried off.

Noble's heart was melting. Why?! Why did Faust not come to him? He had asked in faith! Was he just not good enough for her light to reach him? Even Freedom Fighter had received a vision, and that was at the bottom of the sea! How was Noble Blade not good enough? It was either that or… there was no Faust to begin with.

"Oh, you're finally back. Is that a flank piece? Mm, let me get some."

"What'd you being that cauldron along for?" came the third voice.

"I found this bubbling on the stove unattended. I thought maybe we could put it to good use."

"I don't want a hot drink. It's the middle of the desert!"

"This isn't for us."

"Hm? Oh-oooohh, you clever little chrysalis. Good idea."

Noble looked up. The Noxxa in the antechamber were unlocking his cell door. One of them held a bubbling cast-iron cauldron of some kind of boiling liquid.

Noble's heart sank even further than it already was. He knew what this was.

"Hold still," said one of them, grabbing onto his outstretched arm. A second one took hold of his other one. They pulled on his mane, forcing his head up. "You thirsty? Huh? Want to get some of this?"

"No, no!" he hissed.

"What am I saying? You get no say in this!" He signaled. "Come on, do it."

The third Nox, carrying the steaming pot, slowly tipped it over, making sure to tap it on the sensitive end of Noble's horn.

He was instantly covered from head to hooves in a boiling hot, thick liquid that smelled very metallic. It wasn't metal, though. If it was, it would have killed him.

The pouring went on for six seconds exactly. Noble's mane got completely soaked in the liquid. His face was covered in it; some got into his eyes and mouth. He was burned all over his back and chest from how scathing hot it was. He writhed and shrieked in his captor's grip, not caring how much the barbed wire bit into his horn.

When it was done, the Nox callously chucked the cast iron pot aside and high-fived one of his comrades. "That felt good!"

"Come on, let's get back to our food. I don't know when the next shift is going to be."

And the bugs, just like that, departed and shut the door.

Noble spat out some of it. It was too hot for him to identify the taste. He was crying, drooping on his knees with no way to wipe away the sticky stuff that was already coalescing on his body.

He looked down through the tears swimming in his eyes. Puddles of steaming blood--fresh, and not just his own--were in the cell with him.

He had been soaked with boiling pony blood.

And the burns from it were all over his back, exposed to the cold air of the cell.

"Take me out," he whispered. He hissed in pain from moving his back slightly. "Take me out of this world!"

But he knew the Noxxa would not be that merciful.

"Carest thou not that I perish?!" he roared at nothing. "How canst thou lie asleep?"

Blood was pumping through his head so hard, he felt himself droop down and pant as pain wracked his brain. It was enough to make his vision blurry.

In two minutes, he gradually blacked out.





He found himself in a dark and dreary wilderness. It was cold and slimy, with tendrils of black fog seeping into him. He couldn't see five feet ahead of him.

As he adjusted his vision and tried not to move, he became more and more afraid of his surroundings. Was this real? It certainly felt that way. But they were in the middle of a desert. How could he be here?

The black fog suddenly whooshed past him as a figure, shining white, plowed through the mists of darkness, barreling right at him.

Noble braced for impact.

As the shining white pony appeared and skidded to a halt, the darkness itself dispersed and vanished from his surroundings. It was just him and… her.

She was regal. Tall, thin, and bright like the sun, stately in her posture and calm in her expression. She was an alicorn with flowing red hair. Her almond-shaped eyes were royal purple. And they were turned in a loving gaze that Noble found hard to break away from.

"My son," said the pony.

Noble knew it could be only one possibility. Hope rose in his chest.

"Faust…"

She nodded. "You've passed out," said Faust. "This gives me a chance to talk with you. The Noxxa won't let you sleep otherwise, so you had to pass out from the pain. I am so sorry, my son. If I could do otherwise, I certainly would."

Noble suddenly didn't feel so reassured by her presence. In fact, to be honest, he suddenly felt irrationally angry at her. He had every right to be!

"Why?"

Faust gave him a tilted look.

"Why didn't you break me out when I prayed to you? Why didn't you even do all this yourself and save the trouble of innocent ponies? You have infinite power, but you never use it! You never show it to us! When we need you, you aren't there! Why?!"

Faust allowed him to finish, a look of empathy on her face. Then she began.

"When I sent you to the world, Knight Protector, I never said it would be without pain. It was what you signed up for when you agreed to a body that could experience joy and sorrow."

"I'm having a hard time thinking that's good enough for me," he whispered. "Why did you put this trial on me?!"

"Me?"

"Yes, you!"

"What makes you think I had anything to do with it?"

"Thou art an all-powerful being. Anything that happens happens because you either choose for it to happen, or you don't. Why did you decide to make me go through torture? Do I need it? Have I not proven myself to you? Or is this punishment for something obscure I did?"

"Noble Blade," Faust whispered. "I would never dream of harming you. Your torture came about as a result of Blueblood's actions, not mine. I can't force him to not torture you. I will not take away anyone's freedom of choice, and I am no respecter of persons. I won't value one of my sons above the other."

"I…" Noble started. "I know, but…"

Faust leaned down and embraced him. Faust's cheek was wet. She had wept!

"For all these things, Noble, it shall be for your own good," she whispered into his ear. "It will give you experience. It will shine perspective on the world around you. And you will achieve another great blessing as a result. Endure to the end, my son, and you shall receive the Element of Honor."

"The… Element?" he whispered, caught in her arms and unable to move anything else.

Faust leaned back and stood upright once again. "The Elements will be yours if you continue in due course. Not much longer, and you will be set free."

"That's…" He let out a breath. Good to know. But… "Was pouring boiling blood all over me necessary for my own good?"

"You haven't yet suffered like the Unforgiven," Faust pointed out. "Your friends are still alive, and search now for a way to break you out. Are you better than he is?"

Noble was caught in his words. It sounded uncharacteristically harsh from a goddess. And when he heard it, he was instantly reminded…

"I… don't think I'm better than anyone." He pointed at Faust. "You said it yourself. You're no respecter of persons. Neither am I. But… is that the right way to go about doing good in the world?"

"Oh, Noble," she lamented. "I know your flaws intimately well. They are all so familiar to me. And you are not alone in your thoughts. Many others seek constant improvement. Those souls are tired. Confused. Angry and upset."

"Why didn't you show me a way to get past it, then?"

"I can't give every step-by-step instruction to my children at once," Faust said. "They have closed minds. They can't comprehend the end plan I have for them all. Oh, I wish I could, I love my children too much, but… they need the freedom to grow and learn. You wouldn't like it very much if I led you by the hoof everywhere."

"But I need to know the whole plan, O Faust! I… I feel so lost. The bonds of Tartarus feel closed around me. But I know you can fix it. You have the power to correct my path. I just… didn't know why you didn't do it before."

Faust looked… relieved?

"Thank you, Noble. I was hoping you knew about my power. Listen. I didn't help before because it wasn't the time to act. But now, I think, is the time I can provide you illumination."

"I'm not here to tell you what to do," he quickly reiterated. "I just-"

"-Want to align your mind with mine," Faust finished. "Yes, Freedom Fighter is a great friend to know the truth." She extended a hoof. "Come. Let's see where you went wrong and patch it up."

Slowly, Noble extended a trembling hoof towards Faust's and laid it down.

Her hoof was made of flesh and bone! That fact intrigued him more than anything else. He caressed it curiously with wide eyes.

"Look."

He did. Snapping his head up, he suddenly saw himself in his father's old house in Canterlot. The furnishings were elegant but spare, and the floors were of simple wood. Child paintings were hung up on the drywall.

"Oh, my gosh," he whispered, trotting around and examining the surroundings.

All of a sudden a white wolf ran into the living room, with a pale blue colt on her back. He was giggling and squealing as the wolf trotted around like a noble steed.

"Amaria!" Noble whispered. "It's you! Oh, I missed you!"

The door to the home opened and in came a light brown stallion with vivid black hair. "Here, girl!" he boomed.

Amaria trotted back to the father who had entered, carrying the passenger. Amaria bowed her head, sliding the young Noble off with a bound.

"My, my," he chuckled. "A young rider, eh?"

"Yeah!" Noble nodded, stretching up for his father to pick him up.

Strong Heart obliged by levitating him. He gave a little poke in his belly, causing a flood of giggles. "I like where you've started, my little knight. Did you know that's where you're going?"

"Yeah! I'm gonna be a knight!" he exclaimed, imitating swinging a sword back and forth. "Bshew bshew bshew!"

"You're going to be the best knight in Equestria, Noble Blade," his father encouraged. "But first, normal school. I want you to learn everything, not just knightly things."

"Yeah, yeah," Noble boredly said, rolling his eyes as he rolled in the air. "But school is boring."

"Make some friends then."

"But I don't wanna!"

"Can I tell you something?" Strong Heart whispered conspiratorially to him. "Neither did I!"

"So why'd you do it?"

"Because…" Strong Heart paused before holding him physically with an arm and petting the obedient Amaria. "Other ponies make me bigger than myself. They teach me new things. Honor, and selflessness…"

"Did they teach you how to whistle?" Noble shrewdly wondered.

Strong Heart laughed, hearty and cheerful. "No, no. I figured that out myself."

"I wanna learn how to whistle," Noble protested.

"You'll get the hang of it, Noble." Amaria licked his face. "Ah, that's enough, girl! You can go wait in the kitchen for your treat."

Amaria padded off obediently.

"Listen, my little Blade," Strong Heart whispered. "I'll be watching over you the entire way. You may fall a lot. I expect you to. It's an upward journey."

"Like a lot a lot?"

"Yes. A lot. So many times that you'll never reach perfection. But remember, just keep on trying, and you'll be perfect."

"Dad?"

"Hm?"

"What can we eat for dinner?"

"Hmm… how do dog treats sound to you?"

"Eww! No! Those are for Amaria!"

"All right, all right. Pasta?"

"Yeah!"

Faust overlooked the scene with a passive wonder on her face. Noble spotted it. It was clear as day why she felt as she did. Being a parent would be the greatest blessing in the universe, more than being a Goddess of all things.

"Is this when my problems first developed?" Noble cautiously asked.

"No," Faust said. "This is when your father first told you about your destiny. You didn't know it, but that sunk in. Your end was to be the most perfect knight in Equestria? A lofty goal. But there's that word… perfect."

"Is that not what we can be?" Noble asked. "If you are as perfect as you say you are, then it's possible for us to attain your level of purity, right?"

Faust gave a slow nod. "But you cannot do it alone."

"When did I begin thinking that?"

"Look!"

Noble looked. He was in a training ground on a clear, bright day with himself and forty-nine other kids his age. Beside him was a fiery-maned pegasus with brilliant neon eyes.

"This is after I met Firestorm… but before I began official training…"

"Saving him from bullies on the playground will create a friendship never to be forgotten," Faust remarked. "Especially since it was how you gained your cutie mark."

Noble craned his head. There it was on his flank, a sword with butterfly wings on the side. It was both inspiring and humbling to see. Mostly because the pink wings were a bit embarrassing for him at that age.

"Atten-hut!" roared Strong Heart, appearing in the room.

The ponies snapped to attention. Noble Blade especially.

"I am Captain Strong Heart," the grizzled parent introduced himself. "The highest military officer in all of Equestria. And I have chosen you foals and fillies to be the future of this great nation. I will not tolerate swerving from your course in any way, shape, or form. You are to be a leader! You must be because no one else has the capacity to. Therefore, your highest energies are to be spent in the toughest line of work in Equestria."

Strong Heart paced in front of his rows of foals. "From this point on, you are pieces in a machine, to function properly, or we all fall apart. From now on, I am not a comforter, a respecter of ponies, or a lover of persuasion."

He stopped in front of Noble Blade and spoke only to him.

"From this point on, I am not your father."

He stomped to the next soldier, and Noble was left with shock and confusion on his youthful face.

"You will learn discipline and control. Perfection! Unity! Children, I expect you to fail! And I don't care if you do! What must happen is for you to do it again. It will seem hopeless. But you must learn hopelessness before you learn hope. You must know pain before you feel relief. I don't care how rich a family you came from… or if you came from a dirt-poor, dysfunctional family apartment in Cloudsdale!"

Firestorm gave an uncomfortable shuffle.

"You're all the same here. The word special does not exist. You are one. I expect no such thing as pride, or hate, or evil prejudice to disrupt the entire group! Those who exhibit those qualities will be ejected without a second question! Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes sir!" came the unified reply. Noble's face, he realized, was distraught while he said it.

"You think I'm clear, but you still have that evil tendency inside of you! Let me explain another way. You may feel the urge to bully or hate another for their accomplishments. But they will never forget what they do to you, even when you all graduate and move to officer positions, when they're a grand captain while you're a mere corporal. They don't have to be nice to you then. They decide to put you in spots where you live or die. Try to ensure your survival by not being snot-faced pricks who whine and snivel at other children! Am I clear?"

"Yes sir!" came the suspicious reply.

"I hope I am," said Strong Heart, inspecting a yellow unicorn mare and moving on. "Inevitably, you fail in even that. When you do, know that that fault is on you. You are responsible for all of your failures here. If you cannot even take responsibility for your own actions, what are you doing as a soldier whose fate it is to protect the country?!"

Noble's face looked overly resolute but still scared out of his mind. Hearing all that over again was enough for even the present-day Noble to feel a churn in his gut.

"Now we will begin with a hoof race around the field! A mile long! The last pony to finish will stay up on KP duty tonight. And we will do this every day, and the same rules will apply every day. Word of advice: don't be the last. Now! Line up!"

As the vision dissipated, Noble pressed a hoof to his chest. "I… forgot how bad that sounded. I mean, I know that he had my best interests at heart, but… I think I pushed myself a bit more than he wanted me to."

"You didn't see a limit," Faust corrected. "In your eyes, you think, 'How can there be a limit to improvement? If I don't increase myself, that's on me.'"

"Yes!" Noble emphatically agreed, pointing at her. "Yes, exactly the way I thought."

"How do you think that affected your friendships, Noble Blade?"

"I…" Noble fell silent. It was a few moments before he sheepishly replied: "Not… well, I'd say."

Faust indicated a new direction. "Look!"

Noble looked and beheld his dorm, empty except for Firestorm and a few others. It was late outside. The younger Noble was nowhere to be seen.

"Yo, Storm!" one of the red pony colts called to the pegasus. "The girls are having a party in the picnic area. Want to come? Strong Heart isn't here. He said he had a dream to go to the other continent to retrieve somepony or something. He won't be back or weeks, and the sub stinks at keeping us together! Want to come with us? We won't get caught!"

The younger Firestorm licked his chops. "Mm-mm! The best thing in the world! Girls! Now that they're all breaking the rules, that'll make it easier for me to talk to them! They won't reject me then!"

"See? You get it! Come on!"

Firestorm rolled his eyes. "That was sarcastic!"

"Why didn't you use a sarcastic voice when you said it? Now I look like an idiot!"

"Sorry."

"Okay, that's good."

"That was also sarcastic."

"What? Come on!"

"I won't come, dude. I need to read up on my flight techniques."

"You'd rather study while I'm getting all the hot young pussy? Like that idiot Noble Blade who's practicing his marksman training at night while we're having the time of our life? I know where you'll end up."

"You know what? Me too." Firestorm finally faced the red colt. "I'm going to end up a Wonderbolt with the hottest girl in the world, and you'll end up as a permanent Private in charge of resupplying toothbrushes because these chicks you'll supposedly bang will file a sexual assault against you in twenty years and ruin your upward rise through the ranks. That's how these things work. All because you couldn't keep your STD-infected hooey in your sheath for one night. Really, that's up to you, though."

The red colt had changed shade to a color akin to a beet. "You're just a nerd! What do you know about these things?!"

"I'm a successful nerd," Firestorm corrected. "I don't care what you call me."

"You pussy! You're just a big pussy!"

"Oh?" Firestorm mildly asked. "Then get some of this, if you like pussy so much! If not, then you like something else. You're gay!"

The colt jumped up and down furiously. "I'm not gay!"

"Oh, why must you keep this within yourself?" Firestorm sagely asked. "Just let the world know it! They'll accept you for who you are!"

The red colt made strangled noises before turning his back on him. "Come on," he muttered. "I'll be too busy getting all that action to bother with a weiner like him! You've been hanging around that loser Noble Blade too much, and you'll end up wherever he goes!

They left the dorm.

"Fine. I'll play with myself like I always have," Firestorm muttered in return. After a musing pause, he added, "That's not a phrase for 'masturbate,' by the way."

"Nopony thought otherwise until you said that," came a voice. Firestorm whirled around to see Noble come in from the back.

"Ho, Blade," Firestorm greeted. He flopped on his bed. "Gosh, we're nerds."

"We can swing a sword better than anyone else in the group, and we're the nerds?" Noble sagely asked.

"Fine, then. Since you're at the top, you needn't bother with further study. Come and take a night off."

"Why stop when I'm ahead?" Noble asked. "I have the initiative. Now is the time to distinguish myself and build up other skills. If I stop, I fail, and that's all my fault."

"I didn't go to that party because I was waiting for you to come back, Noble," Firestorm said. "So we could do something together. As friends."

"You could come with me to my edible plants study."

"It's the middle of the night!"

"You were going to go to a party late at night. Why is this different?"

"Because… you might want to be the perfect soldier, but you won't become one by whittling yourself to the bone!"

"A soldier must press onward no matter how he must feel, Storm," Noble said. "This is training. A simulation for real life. How will I be different from the other soldiers? How will I have success?"

"Okay, okay," Firestorm relented. "Go to your stupid edible plants study. I'll be here reading up on downdrafts."

"See you!"

Noble left. Firestorm watched him go and muttered, "Goodbye."

The scene dissolved.

Noble held his head near his temple. "I never thought… Firestorm put up with me that much."

"It's what true friends do," Faust simply said. "Just as you helped out Freedom Fighter when you met him and you, he, and Storm went into private training with your father to protect Freedom Fighter."

"What happened then?"

"You grew," Faust simply said. "A soul was in need of help, and you rose to meet the challenge. It was the Unforgiven's arrival that saved your teetering friendship with Firestorm. You and he worked together once more to rehabilitate the wounded warrior. From Firestorm's renewed respect, and Freedom Fighter's debt, you became their leader. Because of your high example, you inspire them to become better. You… have no idea how high the respect they have for you is."

"I likely never will," Noble admitted.

Faust indicated with her head. "Look!"

He did. Noble Blade was by his father's bedside. Both of them were much older. Noble was a young man, and Strong Heart was as white as the crestfallen snow.

"I'm off to the Dragon lands, father," Noble was saying. "A civil war has erupted there, and we must reinstate the proper king Torch. I am so, so sorry, but I… I can't stay for your… your passing. I don't know when it'll be. It could be in a few days or six weeks. I can't stay for that. Who knows how the situation will change?"

"I know," wheezed Strong Heart. "Better than anyone else, I know. Remember the Unforgiven?"

"I keep him in my heart at all times, father. It was necessary for you to go in the middle of my training. But still, I wish I could do…something."

"But you can't," rebuked Strong Heart. "So stop worrying about it."

"Sorry." He bowed his head. "It's just been drilled so far in me now that…"

"That's no excuse, son. I expected great things from you. And you…"

Noble cringed, waiting for the disapproval.

"... You surpassed them all." Strong Heart weakly smiled around the laugh marks near his mouth and eyes sunken deep in his skin. "I was always proud of you, son."

Noble looked surprised. "All I did was-"

"-aspire to become the greatest?" he finished. Strong Heart nodded. "Yes. I know. It's everyone's goal to be the best. But you… are different."

"How?" he bleakly asked. "I seek for honor just like everypony else."

"What do you do with that honor, son?"

"I… protect Equestria, father."

"Then, by all means, you've done more than I could hope for. There is no greater honor than to give your service to your country and your friends." Strong Heart clasped his son's hooves and stared into his eyes.

"You do well by seeking to be the best. Always strive for it. If you fail, make it up. If you fall, walk it off." His face seemed to shine with pride. "Go and do, my son. The Goddess Faust… will never give a commandment… you cannot obey."

Noble bowed his head. "Yes, father. Always." He pulled him in to hug him. "I love you, father. All I've done, I've done to please you."

"When I'm gone, then what will you do?"

Noble pursed his lips. Then he spoke. "I will do it all for my friends!"

"Then go and do all in your power," Strong Heart said. "Always remember. Push yourself. Go beyond. You will go nowhere staying stagnant and being content with yourself. Always become stronger. Faster. Braver."

"Yes, father!" Noble emphatically declared, a hoof over his heart. "My word is my oath!"

Strong Heart smiled warmly. "I truly have… taught you well."

The mist dissipated, leaving two ponies behind.

"My father died while I was out," Noble recalled with a choke in his throat. "I attended his funeral when I came back and inherited his starting fortune. I felt I should honor him and myself by giving it to good causes-"

"Yes," Faust said. "I know."

"Of course you know," Noble realized.

"Your father was flawed, Noble Blade," Faust whispered. "He was bitten to the core by that realization when your mother died in childbirth and he found himself weakened. But he made no effort to correct himself, instead creating a new, better version in you. To honor her memory, and to have a second chance to correct his own flaws, he crafted you from the ground up. He was a good pony. He loved you. But he did not see… that it is not requisite for ponies to run faster than they have strength. All things must be done in a proper order. And in his haste, he pushed a self-destructive message into you that stays with you to this day."

"I know," Noble lamented. "My greatest flaw is, I try to not have any flaws. Pride and self-obsession has taken hold of my heart. I've become the very thing I swore to stamp out."

There was a pause in which Faust thought of what to say. "Noble Blade," Faust finally said with utter solemnity. "Why are many called, but few chosen?"

"I… lack the answer, Faust. Help thou my understanding."

"It is because so many ponies seek the things of this world, and aspire to its temporal honors, that they do not learn this one lesson."

Faust cupped Noble's chin so he could look up into her violet eyes.

"The privileges of harmony are compatible only with the powers of heaven. And no matter how much ponies want to control eternal power, the powers of heaven cannot be controlled except by the hearts of the righteous.

"You know, Noble, that it is the sad disposition of all ponies that, whenever they achieve power, they almost immediately exercise unrighteous dominion. Prince Blueblood comes to mind. He has broken my heart with his choices. There are very few ponies that don't want power, but they would be the best at controlling it. And far too many ponies who lust after it and achieve it, unworthy of wielding it, and so lose it quickly. Hence many are called, but few are chosen.

"Ten ponies were chosen in heaven after the war in heaven to wield the Elements on Equus. But the Element of Honor had to be a special pony among my children. A pony who has a heart without hypocrisy and without guile, who can be taught easily and often. With gentleness, meekness, and unfeigned love."

Noble actually felt himself begin to weep as he knew she was talking about him. Hearing it be spoken by someone who knew more about him somehow made it more real than believing it himself.

"You will never be celestially perfect on Equus, Noble Blade, but I never expected you to be. That's what mortality is for. My work and my glory is to bring to pass the perfection and celestial power of all ponykind. And though you may not attained your lofty expectations, you are good enough. You are! You are! I know your heart, and I have judged it to be good. A good heart cannot bring forth evil, just as how… an apple tree can't bring forth an orange. I won't tell you how many ways you can stumble; there are many. Even I can't count them. But this much I can tell you: that if you watch your thoughts, words, and deeds, and continue in the faith you have now, you are guaranteed a spot in my kingdom when the time comes for you to return home."





Noble gave a little moan and shifted his head while he was passed out in his cell.

"Is he going to wake up anytime soon?" asked a Nox, peering over the others to glimpse him kneeling in his corner.

"Nah. Let him be. We'll just let him wake up, and then we'll tear off his lips or something and fry 'em up in front of his face."

"True. True."

The Noxxa sat in relative silence as they ate; their shift was long, so they had brought in some platters of fried pony meat and a barrel of rich dark wine.

"Did you hear the news?" asked one. "The main invasion force's taken Manehattan."

"Really? When did that news come in?"

"Only about an hour ago. It was a tough battle, though. The yaks were there. You know how they are. Ponies, too. And a lot of 'em. They knew we were coming."

"How?"

"Far as I know, some prophet in Canterlot declared it. Scorpan, the brother of Tirek."

"That son of a bitch?" One threw down a knife onto the platter. "I hate it when brothers go too soft."

"How'd you know about it, anyway?"

"K'ra says he was there in Canterlot. He can vouch for Blueblood, too. He has a legitimate reason to be here, surprise surprise."

"What is it?"

"The Prophet said he would die."

"But Scorpan's a prophet for that Faust whorse," one pointed out. "She's fake, so he's a false prophet."

"Are you saying Faust doesn't exist?"

"What? No! I know she exists! Problem is, she's a false image. She's no Goddess. She's a high-and-mighty jerk who sits there in heaven watching her children suffer, and she smiles and says it's for their own good as they scream and plead. Good Solaris, it makes me sick! I'm so glad we didn't choose her plan when we were in heaven. Solaris knew better than to leave our fate uncertain."

"We got thrown into Tartarus and got these bug bodies instead."

"But think about if we had won! Imagine it! Faust ruling Tartarus, thinking she has control when she really doesn't. If she did have control, she'd have shown it a long time ago."

"I'm looking forward to showing what control over the ponies we have when we invade Appleoosa," snarled another one.

"Oh yeah! That's right! Once the main army's on the mainland, that's the signal for these little camps in Equestria to spring up and attack the nearby towns!"

"You're an idiot for thinking otherwise," another casually said.

"Okay, look, we've been stuck in this rotting filth-hole for months now! I never thought there would even be another step."

"I'm looking forward to it," sighed one as he took a sip of blood wine.

"For me, the younger they are, the better. I remember when I did it to a Rada six-month-old."

"You were there when the Rada were wiped out?" one asked, gaping in awe.

" 'Course I was. Most satisfying thing I ever saw. I specialize in extremes. Ninety-five-year-old grandmothers to infants."

"I dunno, I use the little ones for target practice."

"I kinda wanted to do that to Rarity when she came to the redoubt today."

"Well, what stopped you?"

"The dragon and the warrior in black, idiot!"

"So we kill their protectors and then we do whatever we want with the girls."

"The pink one was bubbly and cute," one observed, stuffing his face full of meat. "I really want to take that away from her. The more purity they have in them, the more satisfying it is to take away. A barmaid is one thing, but an Element bearer? Priceless."

"No, you want to know what I want?" said another on top of the speaker. "The yellow one. Shy, pink curls. Makes me want to vomit. I wonder how much she'll scream when I rip her in half-"

"STOP!"

The Noxxa jolted in their seats and stared in shock at the pony in chains. The bloodsoaked Noble Blade had woken up, and his stare was more furious than anything they had seen out of him.

"Silence, you fiends of the infernal pit! I will not stay here and hear such vile words! I command you in the name of the almighty Faust to cease!"

The Noxxa looked at each other, their hearts thudding harder than ever before. His words had roared like a lion, and he no longer looked helpless and weak. He looked like he was… challenging them.

One Nox took him up on that. Rising from his seat, he skitted over to the cell and clasped him hard around the neck. "I think it's time for you to experience the Unforgiven's treatment."

"Touch me NOT!"

A flash of light blinded everyone. The Nox flew across the cell like he had been shocked by electricity. He collided with the cell wall and dissolved into ash with a resounding crunch.

The other Noxxa were up and out of their seats, staring and blinking at either the pile of ash or the pony who had flung him across the room while being totally bound.

"Faust will smite thee if thou layest a claw on me! For she will not allow me to perish until I have accomplished what I came here to do! My body is in chains… but my spirit is free!"

Then, incredibly, he rose! From on his knees onto one hoof. Then he stood up on both hind legs, straining forward, and affixed them all with a glare of clear, sharp defiance. The barbed wire around his hooves and horn were still grating into his flesh, but Noble didn't look like he cared.

"Your bodies are free, but your spirits are in bondage to evil! If you still insist… if you still desire to continue in your evil… I swear that Faust will make an exception for my position. Both you and I will die this very instant! Along with all of Black Fang Redoubt, the entire desert we are in, and this quarter of the planet Equus itself!"

That struck fear into the black hearts of those evil beasts. Noble didn't look like he was bluffing. And he definitely looked like he could break loose at any given moment and wreak hell on them. What was going to stop him?

The Noxxa whimpered. Noble narrowed his gaze until his eyes were shrouded in shadow. The rest of his blood-covered body seemed to glow with some unearthly power that had lit the cell with a fiery light.

"W… we're sorry," whispered one of them.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said those things," another desperately choked out.

"So sorry."

"Won't happen again."

"I just… I…"

The Noxxa backed away from him into the other end corner of the cell, keeping their fearful eyes on him. Their meal was left unattended. None of them moved, even when Noble went back to his knees and kept his head down. He was still wounded, after all.

For the next four hours, they stayed in the corner, not speaking to him or to anyone else. They simply sat, pawing at the floor. It was only until the next shift came in that they moved to get out, and they did so desperately.

The last one to come out was stopped by the captain of the next crew. "What's with you? How's the prisoner? Leave enough of him for us to take a crack at him?"

"Don't touch him," he whispered. "Don't try to get near him."

The captain gave him a bemused look. "Have I gone mad, or did those words escape your worthless lips?"

"I've been there when the Rada was butchered and I've been in Saddle Arabia and seen their royal courts. I've stood in the presence of Marshal Malice himself. But I have never felt true, divine royalty, until I heard him speak with the power of Faust. I'm too scared to let you unleash it again. Just… don't. This pony has a Goddess on his side."