//------------------------------// // Interlude 9: Storm Singer // Story: And so I left // by CrimsonS4ge //------------------------------// Storm Singer POV: The pegasus mare scuffed her hoof anxiously as she waited outside a pair of large oak doors, wincing slightly as she shifted her weight. The bandages on her side and hoof had been removed the previous day, but the lingering pain remained and likely would remain for the next few days. For a normal pony, her injuries would have been debilitating for weeks but as a Royal Guard who had been wounded in the line of duty, she had been afforded access to some of the best medical care in Equestria. However, her brief catharsis from surviving her battle with the creature was quickly soured when she was later debriefed. The Earth Pony mare that Singer had saved five days earlier hadn't been blessed with such a short recovery. In fact, she had died later that night of septic shock. Singer knew logically when applying to the Royal Guard that she would likely encounter death and not be able to save everypony. However, now that an innocent pony lay dead at her hooves because of her failure, it left a particularly bitter taste in her mouth and that is why she was more desperate than ever to get back to duty. “Come in, lieutenant.” A voice called out from beyond the door. Storm Singer was almost paralysed with a strange mixture of fear and dread. When she had sent written requests to her superiors to get discharged from the infirmary early, she had not been expecting to receive an Official Summons from Commander Azure Flame to see him in his office. The only time that the Commander ever issues such summons is for serious reasons like promotions, demotions and firings. Whatever awaited on the other side of this door would either make her career or destroy it forever. Taking a deep breath to summon her courage, Singer pushed the door open and walked inside. The dimness of the room was the first thing that Singer took note of. The large fireplaces on either side of the room were extinguished, not one of the wall-mounted torches was lit and the curtains were drawn, preventing any moonlight from penetrating the gloom. Only a series of scattered candles throughout the room provided any illumination at all. The blue-furred and amber-maned form of Azure Flame sat hunched over behind a large desk and scribbled away at a thick ledger. The candles lit the unicorn and the surface of his desk well enough but touched little else. “Close the door behind you.” The Commander ordered before Singer had a chance to speak. His tone was quiet and monotone but held firmness to it that tolerated no disobedience or dissent. Deciding that obeying that famously austere and no-nonsense officer was likely in her best interest, the mare promptly complied, leaving the cavernous office in even more darkness. Singer then turned back to face her superior and stood at attention, waiting for him to address her. However, after a few seconds of Azure not reacting to her presence at all and continuing to scribble away at his ledger, not even lifting his head, Singer began to lose her nerve and finally spoke up. “You wished to see me, sir?” The pegasus mare asked tentatively, trying to keep her voice cool and professional but a slight warble of anxiety bled into her words regardless. The Commander stopped writing at that, his quill pausing mid-sentence. He slowly set the utensil down before raising his head to meet Singer's gaze. “Officially, I've summoned you because you are being placed on indefinite medical leave and will be dismissed from the active Night Guard roster. ” He stated emotionlessly. The words felt like a bolt of lightning had shot through her system and had literally taken the breath out of her. She reflexively recoiled and took a step back as though she had been physically struck. “Sir!” She cried, aghast. Her job was her life. She had nothing outside the Guard. Her career couldn't end like this. It just couldn't. She tried to voice further words of protest, but she was too shocked to enunciate anything. “Unofficially, however…” It took all of Singer's professionalism and military training not to violently flinch at the voice that had spoken to her from the shadows to her left. “...we have summoned you because your kingdom has need of your services.” Turning her head, the pegasus's eyes finally focused on the pony that she had not noticed before. The mare had a charcoal grey coat with dark blue hair, the colour of which reminded Singer of a vast, deep lagoon. Her bright red eyes were slitted, leathery bat wings were folded at her side and she grinned with a predatory, fanged smile at the lieutenant. The pony was one that Storm Singer recognised instantly. “Captain Sapphire! You're here as well?” The pegasus exclaimed in surprise. The thestral chuckled at her surprise. “Officially, I'm not here at all and when you leave this room, I'd appreciate that you never speak of my presence here.” Gleaming Sapphire, the leader of the Night Guard, replied. Still somewhat caught flat-hoofed by the unexpected situation that she found herself in, Singer didn't know what else to do but nod dumbly at the request. “Lovely.” The thestral commented with a toothy grin. “As I was saying….” Interrupted Azure with an impatient tone, clearly having no patience for his superior's antics. He then addressed the pegasus directly. “...your officially documented reason for attending this meeting is to discuss your potential medical leave. This is a lie, however.” His expression hardened as if daring his subordinate to not take his words with the utmost seriousness. “But, before we go any further, I will need a vow of silence from you. What is to be discussed in this office is confidential and sensitive, pertaining to matters of national security. You will not divulge any of the information you receive here to any other parties for any reason. Do you understand?” More familiar with and used to formalities and procedures from her time at the Solar Guard, Singer instinctively straightened her posture and saluted. “You have my silence, sir, I swear it.” The Commander nodded in acceptance at her declaration. His face betrayed no further emotion. “I assume that you have been keeping up with current events in Everfree City. The continued attacks and the extra patrols?” He idly inquired. “Six more attacks with two more deaths, as well as tripled Guard patrols around the city.” Singer confirmed. She had kept her ear very close to the ground regarding developments around the unfolding security situation. It was concerning, but none of the reported creatures had been nearly as large or fearsome as the one she had faced down. None of them had ventured into the city proper either, mostly attacking foresters, foragers and travellers in the isolated outskirts of the capital. “And you are aware of the cause of the creatures? The Chaotic Hot Spots and the growing fear regarding one of these so-called Super Hot Spots.” The Commander asked leadingly. These questions were clearly building to something, but Singer wasn't sure what yet. “I've been debriefed about the situation. Same as the rest of the Royal Guards.” She confirmed vaguely, not wanting to let on how much she had obsessively followed the ongoing developments. “Well, despite the reassurances we have given the public and nobles, we still have no idea when or if one of these Super Spots will erupt. The clock is ticking towards catastrophe and we know of no way to stop it.” Azure Flame explained gravely. “...Or at least we didn't until now.” Singer perked up at the last line. If the Commander knew of a way to stop the attacks, then why was this not included in the debriefings to the rest Guard? Why was only she being told? “The situation is as follows, Lieutenant…” Captain Sapphire interjected, walking forward out of the shadows and using her wing to place a file on the desk in front of Singer. The pegasus guard recognised it as an intelligence file. “...After the attack five days ago, we took it upon ourselves to review every scrap of intelligence that we can find regarding Chaos Magic and its practice in Equestria. Looking for something that we may have missed initially, and what we found was both undeniable and disturbing.” Still not understanding why she had been summoned here in such an atypical manner, yet the implications of the information that the thestral was about to reveal to her and the services that she was expected to provide, meant that Singer listened intently. “The Discordian Cults have resurfaced.” The pegasus frowned at that. “How? I thought that they were dismantled decades ago.” The Captain shook her head. “Dismantled but never fully destroyed. Their power base was broken by the princesses and their remaining members were scattered, reduced to little more than hobbyists and hermits.” The thestral explained as she began to circle Singer. “However, there has always been persistent, low-grade cultist activity in Equestria but they have never posed a threat to us until now. Something has changed and the balance of power has shifted.” The thestral stopped in front of the lieutenant and met her gaze with a serious expression. “That is why you have been summoned here today. It's not a coincidence that the resurgence of chaos magic in the Everfree Forest coincides with the resurgence of the Discordian Cult. They likely triggered this crisis and they likely know how to stop it. We need your assistance in infiltrating this cult, discovering how to stop the chaos beasts and ultimately destroying them. Do you accept this mission?” The Captain's proclamation was an inspiring one. The exact grand call to duty that she had been waiting for her whole career. A righteous and noble quest to save Equestria from malicious enemies. Despite the danger, it was a dream come true. However, a small tingling of an alarm bell had been ringing inside Storm Singer's head and she almost bit her tongue in an attempt to stop herself from instantly accepting the Captain's offer. There was too much that didn't make sense. Why the secrecy? Why did the Captain not want anypony to know she was here? Why had she been summoned under false pretences? The first campaign against the Chaos Cults had been highly publicised, in which the princesses had rallied the population against a shared enemy. Why weren't the rest of the guards briefed? Why the cloak-and-dagger approach? She would not dive into this mission blind. “There is more to this, isn't there? There wouldn't be this level of subterfuge if this was a simple infiltration mission.” Singer questioned cautiously. She was treading a fine line by openly interrogating her superior. The Sapphire's expression sharpened at the question and she gazed at her subordinate with a more critical eye. “Quite observant.” She remarked with a guarded tone. She looked towards Azure Flame and the two old comrades seemed to have a silent conversation with one another before the thestral sighed. “Very well. It's probably best that you are aware of all the details, lieutenant.” Turning back towards her subordinate, the Captain gave Singer a severe look as if to reiterate the seriousness of the situation. “I'd like to remind you that everything discussed in this room is of the highest confidentiality. If you violate our trust in you, you know the consequences.” The thestral's leathery wings flared and the room seemed to grow colder, the lights from the candles dimmed to almost nothing and shadows grew and wrapped around the Captain until she appeared as a wraith of ghostly darkness. A miasma of fear and dread descended upon her mind as she began to hyperventilate. ‘Thestral magic!’ Singer realised with some panic before rapidly nodding her head in acquiescence to Sapphire's demand for secrecy. “You have my discretion, I swear it.” She reaffirmed urgently. The Captain folded her wings and the room swiftly returned to normalcy. “Glad we can count on you.” She cheered in a remarkably more lighthearted tone. Not sure what to make of the whiplash in her Captain's behaviour, Singer didn't reply and chose to wait for them to explain what information was so sensitive that they felt such secrecy was necessary. It was Commander Azure who answered first. He had been markedly unfazed and unimpressed by the thestral's display of her tribal magic and looked rather impatient with his boss's mind games. “The rapid resurgence of the Discordian Cult is a radical departure from the typical growth patterns that we have historically observed from such cults. There was no slow build-up of power. Instead, an avalanche of Bits and resources flooded into the shattered organisation with expanded recruitment efforts coming only after. This only leaves one possibility…” The question lingered in the air for a moment before the Captain then finished off the explanation. “The Cult is being financed and organised by powerful external backers. Likely members of the upper nobility.” Singer's jaw dropped. “There is a treasonous conspiracy among the nobility?” She questioned incredulously. Gleaming Sapphire nodded gravely. “And this couldn't have occurred at a worse possible time. The Night Guard and the wider Equestrian government are now more vulnerable than ever.” The pegasus frowned in concern and confusion. “Vulnerable?” The thestral looked to the ground and shuffled her hooves, looking almost hesitant to answer. A stark contrast to the intangible menace that her demeanour seemed to exude minutes earlier. “This information will likely come out eventually and I'd rather not have you blindsided by it later. Hopefully, it will also impress upon you how dire our position is at the moment and why the containment of treachery is paramount.” Taking a deep breath, she continued. “Our organisation is no longer afforded the protection of Princess Luna’s Royal title. The night before the attack, our princess abdicated her throne and disappeared into the night.” She explained in a sorrowful voice. Even the muted expression of Azure turned perturbed and distraught at the admittance. Storm Singer's hind legs collapsed out from under her and she fell onto her haunches. Her eyes were wide, her pupils were dilated and she slowly shook her head back and forth. “No, surely not…” She exclaimed in denial. “She would never abandon us.” After seeing no hint of deception or jest on the faces of her compatriots, the weight of the information began to sink in and her voice grew urgent. “We must find her then, Equestria needs both of its princesses! We must convince her to come back. How soon can we begin a search?” She asked as she lurched back to her hooves. Neither of her superiors responded immediately. “We are going to look for her, right?” Azure Flame sighed before responding. “It's… complicated.” “No…” Singer whispered in disbelief. Luna is their princess and one of the founders of the New Equestria. She helped build and protect their nation. Why would she leave and why would they not try to bring her back? “For some time now, it has been a grave concern of both the Night Guard and the Solar Guard that the two princesses might… schism.” He explained, stating the last word with some hesitation. “Schism?” The pegasus enquired sceptically. The Captain stepped in to answer. “The princesses are very good at putting on a united front for the public but in private, things have been deteriorating between them for decades. As Luna was increasingly pushed into the outskirts of politics and Celestia only further entangled herself in court intrigue, it was only a matter of time before things boiled over between them.” “You think that Luna would have tried to overthrow her sister?” Singer asked in a disbelieving tone. “Or Celestia would have eventually tried to force Luna out of power altogether. Whichever happened first.” Azure added pragmatically. “Luna leaving is an undeniable catastrophe, especially with a conspiracy among the nobility. However, the possible alternative of forcing her back might very well eventually result in…” “Civil war.” The pegasus finished. She wanted to rage against their explanation, decry their cowardice and search for Luna herself. However, if things were as politically fraught for the Night Princess as Sapphire seemed to suggest, then would the alicorn even want to come back? Did Singer have any right to force her? She also remembered the reason why she had been summoned in the first place. Treachery and cultists hung over the kingdom like the Sword of Mareocles. She swore to herself that she would find her princess one day but her nation needed her now. As much as she was loath to admit it, she saw the wisdom in the secrecy of her superiors. Luna’s abdication could not become public knowledge. The chaos and disharmony would only strengthen their enemies. She had just been told the most damaging secret in the kingdom and she needed to know how far the truth had spread. “Who else knows about Luna?” She asked her superiors. “Outside of this room, only Princess Celestia…” The thestral replied. ‘Is that why the Sun Princess has become so reclusive recently? I thought she cancelled her court appearances because of the attacks but maybe it's deeper than that. What was she thinking? How would a mind as old and unknowable even process such a personal tragedy? Is she angry or regretful? Relieved or indifferent?’ “ …Luna left a note for her sister. However, Celestia doesn't know that we know as well. A second note for Azure's and my eyes only. Now we have told you as well.” Singer took a moment to digest that. She finally worked up the courage to ask a question that had been stuck in her mind since she had first stepped through the office doors. “Why me?” She asked. “Why trust me with this? Surely there are guards more qualified than I?” The Captain's slitted, scarlet eyes met hers as she answered. “Since its founding, the Royal Guard has always been intertwined with the nobility. Second sons and daughters fill our ranks, many of our best recruits are sponsored by the nobility and some of the more unscrupulous among our ranks are directly on the payroll of powerful Lords and Ladies. If there is truly a conspiracy being orchestrated by some of the nobility, then there is no end to the list of Royal Guards that may or may not be compromised.” She explained The thestral unfolded one of her wings and poked the pegasus in the chest with its tip. “You risked your life and almost died fighting the chaos-beast.” She then used her other wing to gesture to the unicorn who was still sitting impassively behind his desk. “Had the Commander not saved you at the last moment, you would have certainly died. Had you been complicit in this treason, you would not have placed yourself in such peril. Your non-involvement in the conspiracy is a given. Making you one of the only ponies in the Royal Guard beyond suspicion.” Singer wasn't sure whether to be flattered or not by their appreciation of her daring, borderline suicidal last stand but their answer did mollify her curiosity and made a certain amount of sense. “Even if I did agree to this, how would I even find them, let alone infiltrate them.” She asked speculatively. Even if she had the requisite loyalty required for the mission, she still had no training in spycraft. How did they expect her to infiltrate the cult if they had no clue as to its existence until days ago? Sapphire grinned at Singer's question, recognising that the pegasus had successfully been baited and hooked into the mission. Azure frowned at his superior's reaction but kept his comments to himself. He instead turned his focus to the thick file that the Captain had placed on his desk. Grabbing it in his aura, he passed it forward to the lieutenant. Singer took hold of the floating file with her wing and opened it. Applying the speed-reading skills that she had been taught in the Guard, she quickly skimmed through the file as quickly as she could manage. Inside was a stack of papers that looked to be a standard “Pony of Interest” dossier made about a young pegasus mare named Sunlight Breeze, the daughter of an extremely wealthy Cloudsdale merchant. She didn't know what to make of the fairly ordinary file at first. It was a routine document that the Night Guard made for the most prominent ponies in Equestria and their families. Why would the Captain and Commander view its contents as so important? Both ponies did not say a word as she read. They were clearly waiting for her to appraise the information and arrive at some sort of conclusion, or perhaps ask the right question. It was almost certainly a test. As she reached the end of the POI dossier and after learning a frightening amount of intimate information about Sunlight Breeze, she noticed a bound stack of letters at the back of the file. The dozen or so papers were a series of correspondence between Sunlight and a supposed friend named Indigo. Indigo had clearly indoctrinated the young pegasus into a religious organisation of some sort, likely the Discordian Cult. He was encouraging the wealthy heiress to embezzle large amounts of money away from her inheritance and leave her family to join the cult in full. The letters, while interesting, were no great revelation to Singer. The indoctrination of friends and family, especially wealthy ones, was a known tactic that the original cult employed. It made sense that their resurgent remnants would adopt similar tactics. ‘What insights am I supposed to glean from this file?’ Singer thought with frustration. ‘That the cult is emboldened enough to target notable, upper-class ponies? That the cult is pursuing alternative means of funding because they don't trust their benefactors?’ Neither of those were revolutionary observations and too vague to help her find or infiltrate the cult. It had to be more than that. She was missing something. ‘Perhaps I'm thinking about this the wrong way. What if the important information isn't within the file itself but rather the questions raised by the file's mere existence?’ She lowered the papers and met the slitted, anticipating gaze of the thestral. “How did we collect these letters in the first place if we didn't know about the cult until recently and where is Sunlight Breeze now?” The keen grin of the mare's face told Singer that she had answered satisfactorily. “Our agents embedded within the Equestrian Mail Service flagged the communications as suspicious and copied their contents for further analysis. At the time, it was thought that her friend was merely an ordinary, defrauding con artist, masquerading as a member of a long-defunct cult. The exchange was subsequently categorised as low priority. With hindsight, we now know better. As for Sunlight, she apprehended her this morning, shortly before she was planning to abandon her family to join the cult…” The Captain's explanation trailed off as if Singer was supposed to pick up on the missing thread. “...And you want me to go in her place.” The pegasus finished as understanding dawned on her. “That's how I get into the cult.” “Clever Girl.” Gleaming Sapphire congratulated with a widened grin. Once again growing tired with his superior's mind games and tests, Azure Flame interjected with his characteristic brisk and to-the-point tone. “You will be given an enchanted amulet to disguise yourself as Sunlight Breeze and in one week, you will meet Indigo in Manehattan to be inducted into the cult. Until then, you will memorise every detail about Sunlight's life as you heal.” The unicorn explained as he gestured a hoof towards the file. Looking down at the cover of the closed file, Singer took a moment to digest the magnitude of the task that was expected of her. It was an almost unfathomable dangerous mission, borderline suicidal. Yet, it was the chance for glory and exceptionalism that she had been awaiting her whole career, not to mention the countless innocents that could perish if she refused. Storm Singer had no choice but to accept. However, the words to proclaim her acceptance of the mission failed to materialise on her lips as determination was overshadowed by disquiet. Captain Sapphire saw the hesitation in the pegasus's eyes. The thestral trotted alongside the lieutenant and draped a comforting wing over her back. The Commander frowned at the action. “I would not be giving you this mission if I thought that you were incapable of completing it,” Sapphire said with warmth and conviction. She wheeled around to face her subordinate, forcing her to meet the thestral's slitted gaze. “You are one of the promising members of the Night Guard. Your potential is incredible, even if you don't yet see that. I have faith in you, Storm Singer. Will you have faith in yourself?” The pegasus closed her eyes and let out a shaky breath. Taking solace in the Captain's trust in her, she banished the last of her doubt. ‘I have been called to duty by my kingdom. I will answer that call.’ She straightened her posture and opened her eyes to meet the Captain's with a stare of determination. “I'll do it.” She stated definitively. The thestral grinned. The door to Commander Azure Flame's office clicked shut behind the pegasus as she slipped out into the hallway. The meeting had continued for another half-hour before Singer eventually left. They had used the time to hammer out the details and plan the logistics of her mission. After she had apparently passed all the trials and tests that Captain Sapphire had set down for her, the thestral became surprisingly friendly and talked animatedly with the young pegasus officer. Singer felt incredibly buoyed by the Captain's confidence in her. It made the daunting task ahead of her seem more manageable. She made a friend out of the thestral tonight and she wouldn't let her down. Commander Azure's behaviour seemed more strange by comparison. The normally stoic unicorn never lost his frown after the Captain physically comforted Singer. In fact, his mood only seemed to further sour, the friendlier that Sapphire became with her subordinate. The thestral had taken over the conversation by that point with the Commander only occasionally contributing minor clarifications and comments but otherwise remaining silent until the lieutenant's departure. Something was clearly, deeply bothering him but Singer chalked it up to Azure being a stickler of formality and thus disapproving of the Captain fraternising with her far more junior officer. The pegasus didn't give that line of thought much further consideration, however, as she had far more pressing concerns at the forefront of her mind. The mission that she had been entrusted with was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. A plot of daring and desperation ripped straight from the most outlandish works of fiction. It would either immortalise her as a legend of the Royal Guard or it would kill her. For her whole life, she had been waiting for a chance like this to prove herself and she would seize it with both hooves. Dread and doubt still lingered at the back of Singer's mind but she would not allow that to stop her. She was fighting for something far bigger than herself and she was determined to succeed, no matter what After the door closed behind the retreating pegasus mare, the office was cast into a long, hard silence as the two senior officers remained still. The thestral stood in the centre of the room and faced away from her colleague, who was still seated behind his desk and stared towards the large set of doors. “You lied to her.” Azure commented darkly. The Captain made no move to turn and face him. However, he was too experienced with her mind games to be unsettled by her unresponsiveness. “She would not have accepted if we had told her everything.” Sapphire responded simply. Her tone was light and unconcerned, as though she was remarking on the weather. “We need this plan to work, the fate of Equestria depends on it.” Azure gave her a challenging look. “And is she to be led through the gates of Tartarus as a sacrificial lamb, just in the hope that your scheme might be able to succeed?” A red eye peered over the thestral's shoulder as she tilted her head to the side. “Please… don't act as though you actually care about her,” Sapphire scoffed dismissively. “Not after Marigold Rush. Not after Lilic Twirl. This wouldn't be nearly the first time you've sacrificed a subordinate for the greater good. You've never shied away from the ugly decisions before.” Azure's nostrils flared and he ground his teeth at the uncomfortable reminder of a distant past. “Those were very different times. We were besieged by enemies on all sides, I had no choice… “...and we have no choice now.” The thestral Interrupted. “The threat is too great to not respond with speed and decisiveness.” The veteran unicorn reigned in his temper and indignation. He leaned back in his chair and examined his partner with a more critical gaze. “We have been friends for a very long time, Saph. Which is why I've chosen to go along with your plan. However, I also know you well enough to see through your manipulation and plots. This isn't about the Chaos Hot Spots at all, is it?” He queried. The Captain held very still. “I'm not sure what you mean.” She stated ignorantly in an emotionless tone. “You want proof of treason and conspiracy connected to the upper nobility, to hold blackmail above their heads. That's why you've accelerated this mission and wrapped it in shadows.” Azure accused. Sapphire turned around fully at that. “This Kingdom is on the cusp of catastrophe.” She sneered. “The nobles run amok, there is treachery within their ranks and one of our princesses has been forced out of power. We need to get on top of this or Equestria will be torn asunder!” “Luna never wanted the Night Guard to be used as a weapon against her political enemies.” The unicorn pointed out. That line seemed to strike a deep chord within the thestral as her face suddenly contorted in rage. “LUNA ISN'T HERE!” She shouted as she flared her wings. The temperature in the room dropped to subzero and Azure's breath clouded as he exhaled. The flames of the candles withered to almost nothing as the oppressive shadows surrounding him became almost suffocating In their weight. Sapphire's eyes glowed with menace. “Those vermin took the kind and gentle heart of our princess and they crushed it in their hooves! She wanted nothing more than to make Equestria a better place and they systematically crushed her dreams and aspirations until nothing remained!” She spat with venom. “It's their fault that she's gone!” Azure Flame remained unmoved, however. He allowed her tirade and thestral magic to roll off him like waves crashing against a granite cliff face. The pressure only lasted for a few seconds longer as Sapphire's wings collapsed back down to her sides and the room swiftly returned to normalcy. She bowed her head and took a shaky breath as if trying to calm herself. The unicorn's face softened into a sympathetic expression. He knew his friend well enough to see past her mask of menace and self-control. The abdication of Princess Luna had shaken her deeply. “I know how much Luna did for you, Saph. I know how much she means to your kind. However, she left because the nobility, the populace and even her own family turned against her. Even if you can get the nobility in line, it might not be enough to bring her back.” He said softly. “It has to work. I can't lose her…” The last line was said under her breath. “The nobility won't fold so easily. They won't take this lying down.” Azure pointed out. “Storm Singer's mission will have to be the tip of the iceberg. Blackmail, extortion, threats and perhaps even assassinations. That's what it will take and more. Ponies will need to die before your plan is complete ” Sapphire raised her head to meet her friend's gaze. Her eyes were filled with determination and defiance. “There is no cost too great to bring her back, Az. We will see her vision for Equestria realised.” The unicorn Commander sighed in defeat. “You are my friend, Saph, so I will support you in this. I just wanted to make sure that you understand the risks.” The thestral gave a truly appreciative smile at his signal of allegiance. “I knew that I could count on you, old friend.” She said warmly. Taking a step backwards, Sapphire melted back into the shadows. A cold breeze on the back of Azure's neck from an open window was the only indication that the Captain was no longer in the room. With a long-suffering sigh, the unicorn reached under his desk and pulled out a bottle of premium spiced brandy. Shadow wars against nobility required an incredible amount of preparation and logistics. Something told him that he could expect many more sleepless nights in the coming weeks and a massive amount of paperwork on top of his already increased workload.