Starlight and moonbeams were all that lit the way as they made their way to Golden Bale’s homestead. They had come upon one lone watch pony, which Wild Card had dispatched quickly with the butt end of his gun. The big two story house at the far end of the field they crossed was quiet, almost all of the hired hands having gone into town to waste their well-earned bits on salt and sensations. They found the metal doors covering a storm cellar on the side of the house, which had been magically bolted, closed.
“I guess we’ll have to do this the old fashioned way,” Wild Card whispered, slipping a knife from its sheath and moving to one of the windows. With a deft skill, he had the window silently open and was making his way inside. Once inside, he turned back to the window and stifled a laugh. “Obviously you’re not getting in that way.” He mused. The window framed the big earth pony bulk almost comically.
“Meet me at the front door.” Wild Card turned and carefully made his way through the house. Wild card slowly opened the front door. There stood Big Macintosh, yet behind him in the dirt ditch of the main path, was the unconscious form of a unicorn.
Big Macintosh entered and looked about the main hall. Hallways went to the left and to the right on the 1st floor and on the left side of the hall was was a staircase leading to the 2nd floor. An ornate wooden banister ran besides staircase all the way to the top. This had another pair of hallways running parallel to the ones below. The hallways had kerosene lamps lining them. And lamps in the hallways upstairs were still lit but heavily trimmed giving the 2nd floor and warm glow. “How many bits did this pony have in the bank?” He thought.
“Now comes the hard part.” Whispered Wild Card. He turned and started making his way up the staircase.
“Let me guess. Safe?” Big Mac quietly followed.
“If only it were so easy. Golden Bale never keeps it more than a leg’s length away from him.” Wild Card tilted his head and listened. Heavy snoring came from one of the doors at the end of the hallway. He glanced back at Big Macintosh and grimaced. “We’re probably going to have to take it off him.”
They approached the door; Wild Card gently pushed it open. Big Macintosh and Wild Card tilted their heads to glance inside. A sleeping lemon colored earth pony with a shocking green mane was snoring loudly in a king sized bed. Twin kerosene lamps glowed softly on matching nightstands on either side of the bed. On the stand to the right was a glowing orb on a silver chain. Its colors twisted in a swirl of green, dark purple, and a crimson bloody red.
Wild Card signaled for Big Macintosh to wait and slowly crept into the room and over to the night stands and carefully slid the orb into his satchel. He turned back made his way towards Big Macintosh and grinned. “That was easy.” He mouthed. Then he saw the reflection in Big Mac’s Eyes. He dove rolled through the door as a kerosene lamp smashed behind him exploding the place where he had just been with flames. He completed his roll and was back on his hooves in the hallway. “Go!” he howled, breaking into run down the hallway.
A blur of lemon shot through the flames and smashed Big Macintosh into the wall. Plaster was crushed, pierce by twin holes where Big Macintosh’s yoke had ruptured the wall like cannon shot.
“Sweet Celestia.” Gasped Big Macintosh.
“Celestia Can’t Save you!” screamed Golden Bale. A much smaller earth pony had his front hooves digging in against Big Macintosh’s abdomen. Golden Bale’s eyes glowed an otherworldly hue. “Give it back to me now!”
“I don’t have it.” Big Macintosh answered.
“You lie!” Golden Bale turned glanced at one of the kerosene lamps, which flared bright orange and red. Big Macintosh stared, still locked into the wall by the smaller pony, as the lit lamp levitated behind Golden Bale. “Tell me the truth or I will refine the truth from you.”
“Wrong pony bright eyes!” Wild Card stood at the edge of the staircase hefting his satchel. “You took from me, this just about makes us even.”
Golden Bale turned and growled. The lantern fell and Big Macintosh managed to kick it back into the already burning bedroom with his hind hooves. With an unnatural speed Golden Bale sprang at Wild Card slamming into him hard.
The two broke through the banister and spun as they fell through the air. Golden Bale hit the 1st floor with a sickening crunch, with Wild Card descending atop him. The floor splinted, as they hit the cover to a previously hidden stairway into the basement. Down they tumbled into the blackness.