The crowd of ponies look at me as I help the filly up and bring her over to he mother. The two embrace each other then look up at me, the little filly has a large bruise on the side of her face which makes me feel guilty but I couldn't prevent myself from hitting her. What I can do is heal her. The mother of the filly hands her over to me and even though I did involuntarily attack the filly, she trusts me and doesn't move as I lightly touch her bruise. Within seconds I can see the swelling lessen and the bump vanish. The filly touches the side of her face and then looks back at me.
"Better?" I ask.
The filly doesn't reply, instead she hugs me and runs back to her mother. As I look around the room I can see that a large number of other ponies who are injured, no longer caring about what Discord will think, I go around and start healing the injured. I didn't know I had the power to heal, then I remember that the Element of Chaos assimilated the Elements of Harmony. If the Elements of Harmony had any sort of powers then I'm sure to have them. After the ponies are all healed up I go to leave the cell.
"Wait," one pony says, "Aren't you going to free us?"
I turn back to the prisoners, all of them look eager to go but getting them back is going to be a nightmare. I instead fabricate some supplies for them in the corners of the cell and tell them what's going on.
"Look I know that you really want to get out of here but if Discord sees you then he'll kill all of us, me included. This way is better and you're bound to live through the next several days. I'm going to keep you here until I work out a way to get you guys back home, the supplies I gave you should make this cell a little more comfortable. I've given you food and collapsible beds to sleep on, if this continues then I'll come down every week to restock your inventory but realistically, I don't think that this'll last long."
One pony, an old stallion steps forwards and shakes my hoof.
"We all thank you, Scott," he says, "Be sure not to forget about us when the time comes."
I nod and open up the cell door. As I shut it I cast a spell on it so that the lock won't open unless I'm nearby. Some of the little fillies and colts walk up to the cell door and stare up at me with the most saddening eyes ever. I lean down to them and whisper something that cheers them up.
"I made sure that there's a few things for you guys to play with, make sure you share."
The foals perk up and start rummaging through the piles of supplies to get to them. Some of the older ponies stop them and start distributing the supplies to the other prisoners. It makes me feel good when I realize that I'm almost like the Red Cross giving much needed supplies to POWs in times of war. This is pretty much a war, but it's not a war where blood is spilled for a bit of land and an acre of trees, this is a war where I have to resist the power of Discord so that I don't wind up hurting anypony else. I then run to the cell of the six and I open it up, eager to see the looks on their faces once I heal them of their wounds. I first go to Twilight, she's trying to nurse a few of her wounds but to no success.
"You okay Twilight?" I ask. She looks up at me, her eye still hasn't healed. Not a problem.
"What happened in the other cell?" Twilight asks, "We heard screaming, yelling then some sort of shout. Then nothing."
"I was just a little stressed is all," I say, "But you won't need to worry about the Guardians beating you anymore, they've been downsized."
Twilight smiles but then cringes as she reaches up for her split lip.
"Can I see that?" I ask her. Twilight lowers her hoof and allows me to heal it, she has no idea what's going on but she picks up on it once I fix her eye up.
"How did you-?"
"I have no idea," I say as I move on to Applejack.
Eventually all the six are healed. I step back to admire my work, Fluttershy is rubbing the spot on her head where she had a massive gash, Rainbow Dash rubs her legs and wings after I managed to heal the bruises. Rarity is super pleased that I cleaned the blood from her coat, Applejack took only a second because all she had was a few cuts. Pinkie Pie however, still sits in the same place staring at her hoof which was gushing blood only minutes ago.
"You okay there?" I ask her.
"How did this happen?" Pinkie mutters, "We were only going to a party, how did that turn into the takeover of Discord?"
"Like I've said a million times, I'm sorry that it happened," I say. Pinkie looks up at me, completely emotionless.
"I know you're sorry, Scott. But I want physical proof."
I think I know what that is. But Pinkie's ahead of me, as I step closer she hugs me. I can feel her tears running down my back.
"I'm gonna put a stop to this," I say, "I'll see if I can make you my servants then we can work something out."
"You Pinkie Promise?" Pinkie asks me.
"Sure, I Pinkie Promise."
Why does it feel like that if I fail then Pinkie will kill me along with Discord?
The walk to the room where the Crusaders are being kept seems much longer that it used to. Discord might b messing with the laws of perception again, and speaking of which.
"So is that what happened?" Discord's cold voice drifts through a door. I hide behind the half closed door and eavesdrop on the conversation.
"Yes my lord," the unmistakable voice of the Jailer replies, "It was over in less than a second, several of my Guardians are dead because of him."
"I knew that there was a problem when he told me that the Elements were destroyed. He must have found a way to harness them from Twilight and her friends."
"Wouldn't they be dead, my lord?"
"No, no I think that Scott's been helping them. I knew that he would turn out to betray me like the others, he did get me this far so I'll congratulate him on that."
"What about the fillies who are his slaves?"
"I haven't seen them do anything since Scott took them from you, I think that he's hiding something that those brats know."
"What do you recommend we do?"
Discord gives a heavy sigh and taps on the table.
"Kill Websly while he sleeps, as for those so-called 'Cutie Mark Crusaders' torture them to see what they are hiding. Once you deal with them we'll publicly execute Twilight and her friends. Make sure that their corpses are hung over the castle gates after they are paraded through the towns."
"Yes my lord, it shall be done."
What the hell? Did Discord just order me to be killed and Twilight to be publicly executed? What in the name of God is wrong with that freak? I now know that this is more than just a little bit of revenge, this is pure insanity. Discord's a proper psychopath and I curse myself for not seeing it earlier. If I had seen it coming I would've warned Celestia about it, now the way I see it, Discord has to go, no matter what.
I hide in the shadows as the Jailer and Discord leave the room.
"One more thing," Discord says to the Jailer, "Once Scott is dead you will become the Military commander of my new empire. Don't go disappointing me."
"I shall not my lord!"
The two wander off and I run, no, sprint to the room where the Crusaders are being held. I have to warn them about what's coming their way and if there's anyway I can delay it. The door to their room has about five Guardians with nasty looking torture devices sitting in the hallway, I'm so glad my enchantment worked.
"Open the door!" one of the Guardians say. I trot over and try to remain casual.
"What are you up to?" I ask.
"Sorry sir, not allowed to tell you under order of Discord."
"I can easily figure this out," I say, "You're standing in front of the door that leads to the room of the fillies who I'm keeping as my servants, what's more is that you've got torture devices so I'm guessing you don't want to join in on their tea parties."
The Guardians look at me, then to each other, nod and then draw their weapons.
"Whoa, easy fellas," I say.
"Sorry sir, you must die. Discord wants us to kill you," a Guardian says. I sigh deeply and hold up one hoof, within an instant all of the guardians and their weapons are floating in a red mist. They look fearfully towards me.
"I'm sorry, but it is you who must die. For Celestia."
The Guardians then turn to ash like the ones in the prison cell. I then unlock the door and enter the room, shutting and then locking it behind me. As I look around the room I notice that the Crusaders are hidden, they must have heard what went on outside. I have to see if they're still here.
"Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo. Where are you three?"
"O-over here," Sweetie Belle's voice comes from behind the bed.
"Is it safe?" Scootaloo asks.
"Those ponies won't be coming back anytime soon," I say. Deep down I know that each Guardian I've killed used to be one of the Royal Guards but I can't let them live like monsters, better they die. The Crusaders eventually come out of their hiding place and huddle up next to me, their chains rattling as they quake in fear.
"You're safe now, nopony's getting to you," I say.
"Ah'm not scared because of those ponies, ah'm scared about mah sister," Apple Bloom says.
"Scott, do you know what's happened to Rarity," Sweetie Belle asks me. Oh dear, this won't end well. I tell Scootaloo to take Sweetie Belle aside as I tell Apple Bloom the fate of her beloved sister and Rarity, I know that Sweetie won't be able to take the news.
"Scott, what's happened to Applejack?"
"It pains me every time I think about it, I don't know if you really want to know."
"Tell me! Is she okay? She'd do the same for you, ah want the truth!"
I grimace and look Apple Bloom dead center in her eye and tell her the truth.
"No, she isn't okay," I said, Apple Bloom's eyes start to water, making me shed a tear as well, "She's been kept in the dungeon, she's been beaten and Discord plans to kill her along with the others. But I made her a promise to keep you safe, which is exactly what I'm doing."
Apple Bloom pushes me away and sinks to the floor but I pick her up and hold her close to my chest, she then embraces me and pulls my head closer to hers.
"You have to stop Discord," she whispers.
"I'm going to now," I say, "Just wait for the sound of the pipes and you'll know when the time will be."
Apple Bloom nods and as I set her down I tell her to let Sweetie Belle know about her sister and to comfort her. I also tell Apple Bloom that some more Guardians might be on their way.
"Listen, those ponies are going to hurt you if they get in here. If they do make sure you either hide or jump out of the window. You do not want them to get you, understand?"
"Ah understand but why do you want us to jump out of the window?"
"Because if you don't then you'll die a much slower and painful death."
Apple Bloom cowers but I manage to get her to go over to Sweetie Belle and tell her the future of Rarity. Even from here I can see Sweetie Belle start crying, Scootaloo places a comforting hoof on her back and looks at me.
"I'll put a stop to this, I swear it," I say as I leave the room. Once more I enchant the door just to make sure that the spell wasn't breached. I clean up the ash and toss the torture devices out of the window, hoping that Discord won't suspect anything until later when I can put my plan into action. All that remains in my mind is how I'm going to stop Discord, I have the Element of Chaos and technically the Elements of Harmony as well. If I can charge up the Elements of Harmony then I might just stand a chance against Discord. I have one plan in mind that just might work, hopefully my ability to play the bagpipes is rooted in my blood otherwise I'm dead.