//------------------------------//
// Make Amends 
// Story: PonyHammer 40,000: Magic of War II | Discord Rising 
// by Dragon Heart 
//------------------------------//

	Back aboard the Retribution, the Pony Marines sighed breaths of sorrow for everything that happened. They had not only killed loyal Blood Phoenixes, but have completely stained themselves with the many ton burden of guilt.

Spike appeared onscreen. "Commander Hammerheart, I have recovered the codes we needed." He said.

"So who is the traitor?" Rainbow Dash asked, wanting to finally solve the mystery.

"The decoding rites to identify him are not yet complete." said Spike. "The codes did allow me to uncover additional data from the Harbinger of Damnation, however. I believe I know where the Dark Legion's true base of operations is hidden on Planet Arctika."

Applejack sighed. "These deaths will weigh heavily on our souls until the end." She said. "There can be no absolution to the murder of our own siblings."

"Perhaps," Pinkie sighed, "but we can still destroy the enemy."

"A victory on Arctika will not wash away the blood on our hooves." said Rainbow Dash.

"No, we cannot erase our sins so easily." said Twilight. "But we must fight on, regardless. If we do not, then we simply compound our crimes. And the deaths of our siblings become pointless."

"Let us make for Arctika, then." said Hoovitus. "Harness whatever guilt burns within you and turn it into rage against the traitors and daemons ahead. And after that, should we live, we will continue to another fight, and another, and another."

"It will be... a crusade of penance." said Goliath.

"Assuming we survive." said Pinkie.

Hammerheart contacted Spike again about the further revealed data from the damned ship.

"The Royal Guard's codes unlocked a great deal from the Harbinger of Damnation's logic engine." said Spike. "This record from Apothecary Boldo seems especially relevant:"

Spike played the final part of the recording. "Unicorn Traytus grows more morose by the hour." said Boldo's voice. "He is a mighty asset against the things lurking in this ancient space hulk, but he does little to keep our faith strong. At Morning Prayers he recounted a great battle on a lost world named Arctika. A terrible daemon beset this planet, and summoned mighty warp storms. Blood Phoenixes faced the daemon in a terrible battle at a Chapter Keep. This should have inspired us all, but Traytus made it a tale of woe. He described his siblings dying one by one to bind this daemon, but called their sacrifice pointless. The fiendish creature, he said, was yet free. And somehow, even before Traytus mentioned it, I knew this creature's name..."

"... Nettor." And the log finished.

"A daemon bound in the keep on Planet Arctika." said Twilight. "Surely Skarsend seeks its release."

"I share your thoughts Unicorn." said Spike. "I can locate the keep's remains if we return to Arctika."

And thus did the Retribution make the journey back to Arctika, to put the Dark Legion in their place once and for all.