Stage Six: Padartha, Unbroken Awareness of the Absolute Self
~BlackRoseRaven
The stage is set. The players are in motion. A legendary hero, bound by honor; a warrior driven by pride and fear; a friend, made living death by love; a former queen, dedicated to her new role; and the Emperor and Empress of the Night. The clock is ticking, and both sides of the nation know that all their struggles may be in vain...
The Parable of General Scorpion
Once upon a time, two powerful baronies were at war. Their armies marched to the battlefield day after day, and both sides always reported heavy losses. One side was led by General Bull, and the other side was led by General Scorpion.
General Bull was known for his stubbornness. No matter what he was told, day after day he would send his soldiers marching forwards, no matter how demoralized, weak, or tired they were. And again and again they were met by General Scorpion's troops and killed, but still General Bull wanted to persevere even though he felt his soldiers' pain.
General Scorpion, on the other hand, was ruthless and cold. Even knowing that General Bull was simply trying to push forwards, even knowing there was better ground he could fight on, every day he simply sent his soldiers out to meet General Bull's, despite the fact it caused many casualties on his own side of the field.
Finally, one of his aides was unable to stop from asking: “General Scorpion, why are you fighting General Bull like this? Why don't you take the higher ground here?”
And to this, General Scorpion only replied coldly: “Because I do not care about the lives of the soldiers. It doesn't matter if all our soldiers die as long as they kill all of his, too. They are worthless to me and inferior to me.”
Eventually, General Bull was forced to retreat. But instead of victory, General Scorpion was executed by his own few remaining soldiers. The Baron reconciled their differences over the terrible loss of life and the one justice that had ironically occurred off the battlefield: that an evil pony had been punished for his wrongdoing. And thus is the fate of all those who would treat their own allies as worthless and expendable.