//------------------------------// // Chapter V - Wings of Liberty // Story: Fallout : Equestria - New Roam Innovatus // by Delvius //------------------------------// Chapter V Wings of Liberty "Ah, what a world it would be wherein all people are free from all oppression, and all fear has no substance nor freedom itself any abuse." "... and here, among much else, lies the reason this war must transpire! Hear me, for this is truth: the existence of the pony nation of Equestria is a hindrance to the rise of Roam. They are our antithesis, valuing those things we know to be false. And if by the gods they offend, then by us they offend as well. Therefore, they... must... die!" My hoof slammed hard on the marble podium, an echoing thump resonating through the light-flooded chamber. Immediately a cacophony of return slams drummed into my ears, cheers and shouts of impassioned agreement bringing a satisfied smile to my lips. My eyes focused on the radiant source of light perpendicular to my vision, far off on a distant wall. Then I glanced to both sides, where the flare of the light was dimmer -- there I saw many dozens of zebras in white togas with red sashes, all nodding and smiling and cheering. Then I took a deep breath and stomped, leaning forward. "For Roam!" I bellowed, receiving deafening response as the senators shouted it back. "FOR ROAM!" I nodded to myself in final satisfaction before turning and trotting, my legs taking me to an open circular doorway, at the flanks of which two purple-dressed and muscle-armored praetorian guards stood. I passed by them and descended the spiraling staircase that followed, the cheers of the assembled senate receding into the background as another advocate of the war stepped up to deliver his own piece. "Theodorus! Theodorus!" came a huffing voice just behind me. I turned and looked up the stairs. "Theodorus! Gah, glad... glad I caught up to you," the zebra that had called me panted. He was a lanky fellow, with gaunt cheeks and a scrawny complexion. "Yes, Maladus? What do you need?" I asked, and he motioned for me to give him a moment as he panted there. Then he stood straight and smiled a cheeky grin. "First off: wonderful speech. The others were able to move some senators to nod and agree, but that? The entire assembly cheering you on? Marvelous!" I smiled bashfully and looked down. "Well, thank you. I do pour my soul into each and every speech, so it's quite nice to see the results are as desired." Then I looked Maladus in the eye with an intense fervor, making the other zebra squirm. "Yes, into each and every speech. For when something must be said, it must be said utterly, with nothing to muddle up the essence of the idea. Only then can that aspect of existence be truly understood. Do I want blood? Then I shall say so without shying away. Do I want fury? Then I shall below for anger and hatred! Do I want war? Then by the god Mars I shall cry, 'Havoc!', and let slip the dogs of doom!" I stomped hard, and whether it was the floor or my hoof that cracked, I don't know. Maladus cringed back, his lanky face pale with fear that only morphed into the epitome of fright when I lunged forward, grabbing him the shoulders and glaring into his eyes. I maintained the gaze for many moments until I grinned wide and laughed. "And that, Maladus, is why my speeches are real speeches. Because everything that exists must have its time to shine, and I am merely the vessel through which they make themselves known. Thus, I am morphed by the tides of reality." Maladus nodded and gave a tiny frightened chuckle. "O-oh yes, of course..." he muttered. Then he cleared his throat. "Now, er, b-before you say anything else that may give me a heart attack, I feel I must press on. Secondly: I came to you to, ah... well, there's someone who'd like to speak with you. Oh, make that two of them." "Who?" I asked as I stepped closer. Maladus opened his mouth to answer, but then closed it. He swallowed. "Well, why not just follow me? Off this way!" And then he darted off back up the stairs. I sighed and followed, muttering under my breath as I climbed the steps. When I reached the doorway and another pair of guards acknowledged my presence, I stopped and looked around. "Over here!" he called, waving at me from the dimness of a side-passage. I trotted over, and he darted around the corner. "Maladus, I really don't think I have time for this..." I said, then balked at how incredibly dark the hall beyond the door was. The first few steps of a staircase were illuminated, and a cold breeze wafted from the darkness. I could hear his echoing steps as he himself ascended the steps. "This is my first time in this part of the Forum, Maladus. I'd really like it if I didn't get lost," I called into the darkness as I stepped up, climbing the stairs. As I went, the chill of the air and the speed of the wind intensified. And so I climbed... and climbed... then stopped, to breathe deeply for a few moments as the air thinned. And then I climbed again, made a turn... climbed again, made another turn... The light shone down on me, blinding me and stopping me right where I stood as I blocked it off with a hoof. I cursed, and after a few moments summoned the will to take the last few steps. As I stepped free of the dark hall, a bracing chill wrapped around me as a wind blew past. I withdrew my hoof and noticed I had stepped on a stone path, with lush green grass and bright flowers nearby. A garden. How nice. "It's a wonderful sight, Maladus, but who's so important that I need to be taken to now?" I asked as I looked around. By my sides there was nothing but grass and flowers, so the stone path led only forward. At the end of the path stood an olive tree, its base surrounded by four rectangular marble seats. In front of the tree was a low wall, above which I saw the city of Roam; so, I concluded, I was at a balcony. The sun had gone low in the sky, casting radiant orange light over the world. Such was its angle that I saw three figures conversing below the tree, though they were naught but silhouettes from where I stood. "Maladus?" I asked cautiously as I stepped close. The three figures ceased conversing and looked at me. In air that cold, I could see their breaths. One of them stepped forward, his shadowy shape was cloaked with a fur-collared cape. With a smooth, premeditated tone the shape said, "Ah. Theodorus, the Voice of Roam, well-known and sought-after orator, we come face-to-face at last. I've wished to meet you for a while now, you know. I have need of your skills." "Well, I'm flattered, but cautious as to who's speaking," I replied, glancing off to the side, where the lighting was such that I could confirm one of the other two figures was indeed Maladus. The other two remained a mystery. I focused once more on the one who'd spoken. "Who are you, might I ask?" "Ah, yes. I do believe proper introductions are in order," he said, clearing his throat and stepping close enough such that I could see his face. He was a serious-looking zebra, with sharp features and a reserved air about him. Yet, he was smiling faintly, his well-trimmed mane and groomed face looking the part of the epitome of zebra male appearance. "Decarius, legate of the Aquaeus legions." With a wave at his two companions he added, "And over there is legate Autherius, legate of Legio III Obstinatus Alpina and part-time praetorian tribune. You already know Maladus, head of the Institute of Fundamental Sciences." He turned to me again. "And we are the members of our own little triumvirate -- just a little name, mind you. We rule over nothing more than what has been assigned to us." "Legate Decarius," I said, nodding and smiling. "Well, that adds much for context. I've heard much about your efforts along the coasts, preparing our shorelines against the near-inevitable Equestrian offensive. You've done much for Roam, legate." "We all have done much for Roam," he replied. Then he pursed his lips and asked, "You advocate the war, yes?" "I do," I replied. "Those ponies are just another step on Roam's path to greatness. They've meddled with our affairs for too long, asked for too much coal and given too little gems in return -- blatant, disgusting unfairness. And they own lands that should rightfully have been ours hundreds of years ago. What's more, they stand against everything Roam represents. Splitting authority between two princesses like incapable fools, blaspheming Apollo by saying Celestia reigns over the sun... all of it, sacrilege! I'd have them wiped from the face of the earth. And this war is the perfect means to meet that end." Decarius nodded, smiling. "Well, there are some who would disagree with you. There are some who would say that cooperation, not domination, is Roam's road to prosperity and power." "And those people can go throw themselves off the Tarpeian Rock," I scoffed. "Nature is survival of the fittest. The strong thrive, the weak die. It's just the way it is. Roam is great because we tolerate no weakness, but Equestria tolerates all... even criminals, even cripples, even those who are wrong. Keeping poison in the body does not make sense; expelling it does." I glowered. "Simply letting such a cancerous nation live is an affront to all we stand for. That I cannot tolerate." Autherius stepped forward, his ceremonial chest plate gleaming in the sun. He appeared much younger than Decarius, with fairer features and a more naturally messy mane. "I couldn't agree more. The world is destined to be Roam's. It was merely by twisted luck and such cancer as you've mentioned that our dominion has been reduced to one continent. But..." His voice trailed off as he glanced at his fellow legate. Maladus stepped forward as well, nodding for Autherius to continue. "But?" I asked. Autherius stood straight. "But we aim to change that. This war, we all advocate it. We all believe it is for the greater good of Roam. Many stand against it, though -- many senators, some of the public, lower officials... even Caesar himself. But we believe that, as war is practically assured at this point, we must take matters into our own hooves. Make our own moves, our own decisions. He who does not strike first will be first struck, after all. And we three here, we will make our first strike... but before we do, we were hoping to recruit you." My eyes popped wide. "Recruit me? Into what?" "Well, we want you to join our little rag-tag assortment," Decarius said with a charismatic smile. "We have two legates and a scientist. A worthy bunch, but it lacks significant direct--” He stopped himself from finishing his sentence, and quickly changed his choice of words. “Political clout. Unless, of course, you join us. Someone must be able to sway the workings of the Roaman government to our plans, after all." "But... but I've no real power in the senate," I said. "I'm a freelance orator, a spokesperson of my own. Though I sway, I'm no true official. No, that position belongs to Cicerex. I'd love to help you..." A grin crossed my lips. "Oh, yes, believe me I do. But I can only advocate the war from my current stance, and you want me to do more when I can't. Cicerex would have to resign before the post of Orator Maximus would be vacant. But he doesn't show any sign of wanting to leave, not yet." "Hmm, so if Cicerex were removed..." Maladus mused, eyeing me expectantly. "Then all would be well," I answered, smiling at them. "My hatred for ponykind would drive me to work with you, past all obstacles. My loyalty is to Roam, and any who don't see that Roam is limited by the presence of lesser nations must be cast aside. Even if one such person is Caesar himself." Decarius smiled, trading glances with his fellow legate. "I see... good. Good! Then we are of like mind. A great relief. We've looked long for a fourth member, someone who would realize Caesar as he is now is acting foolish. Someone who would not squeal. For you see, Theodorus, what we of my company aim to do... well, some of it may be drastic. Can you work with that?" "Work with it? Why, I will advocate it," I said firmly. "Evolution only happens at the precipice of a condition. If we don't push the bounds of society with extreme measures, we will stagnate. Morality is nothing but a feeble construct of lesser beings. True freedom comes from a fear of nothing." "Then it's settled," Autherius declared, turning around and trotting to the low wall of the balcony. We all looked to him. Looking out over the city and the afternoon sun, Autherius said aloud, "Cicerex shan't be a problem, Theodorus. Count on it. After all, death comes to everyone. And he is old. None shall suspect if he were to pass away in his sleep, with a smile on his face and his heart showing no strain." He inhaled deeply and looked back to us, releasing his breath slowly into the cold air. "And then you will take his place, and we shall be complete. Us, who will have eyes and ears in every realm of Roam... we will change it. And in changing it, we shall give ourselves our rightful place as the rulers of this world." "All for the glory of Roam," Decarius said, and the others repeated in perfect unison: "All for the glory of Roam." I nodded and smiled, looking between them. "So, Tetrarchs, what comes next? I had an afternoon of speeches to deliver, but if our plans dictate otherwise..." "No, go and do them," Autherius said. "I've yet to work on neutralizing Cicerex. Give me a few days. Until then, maintain contact with us. Then we will think on how to proceed." "But first off, let's get out of this cold," Decarius said, his stoic and reserved tone finally broken by a slight clattering of teeth. "I'm not used to it. My winters were spent near the equator, at the ocean. Being this far south is new to me." Autherius laughed and gestured over at the entrance to the dark hall. "Go, if you wish. But I've to meet a few more contacts here before this day is over. Maladus, I suppose, must continue his work at the IFS; Theodorus will likewise be busy for the rest of the day. But me, I like it out here. Much less cold than the Alpine mountains." "A-alright," Decarius clattered, nodding and drawing his fur-collared cloak close. "We shall keep in touch. All of you, await my contact. This time next week, I expect us to hold a first true meeting, wherein we consolidate and finalize our capital resources. Until then, farewell." And with that, Decarius stepped into the hall, followed by Maladus. I nodded them both a farewell, but stayed behind with Autherius. "I sense an air of tension about you," I said, noticing how intensely he was staring off into the city. "Is something the matter?" "Merely thinking of some... obstacles, and how they may be circumnavigated," he answered. "Obstacles such as?" I prodded, trotting close. He breathed deep. "Caesar's illegitimate son, for example. As an agent of his surrogate-father's will, he may prove to be a great challenge for us to evade if Caesar finds us out and brands us enemies. And that boy... well, he scares me. He's a very capable agent; he's the first of his class, very serious-minded and well versed in philosophy and academics despite his involvement in physical training regimes. If he catches any scent of 'treachery', well..." Autherius shuddered. "I didn't even know Caesar had an illegitimate son," I said, surprised. "Though I suppose you would, given your position as tribune. I suppose Caesar never really thought it as necessary public information. What's his name, this boy?" Autherius glared hard into the setting sun. "He's had many names. He used to be a tribal, you see, from some village up north, before Caesar adopted him. I recall him being called 'Veltrioux-cedan', and also once or twice as 'Veltriaeadon'. Very strange names." "But now? What's he called?" Autherius snorted, shaking his head. Then with a seething contempt he growled, "Veltrio." ~~~~***Roama Victrix***~~~~ I blinked. Then, with a slowness born of an after-sleep stupor, I lifted my gaze from the steel-grey floor, closing my eyes in thought. "Hmm. Strange dream." I shook my head, my neck letting off a few satisfying pops as I stretched. Then I noticed that all was calm inside the cabin, and that I was alone. The aircraft had landed. "Dream?" a familiar voice asked. "I... don't think you were asleep. You were just staring off into the ground, like you were in a trance. Got a bit worried, but then, hey, I thought, 'Gah, probably just tired'." Audrius stepped close from where he stood, beneath the bend of the open door's frame. Holding the eagle close, he planted it firmly onto the floor and leaned against it like a staff. "You were just tired, right? 'Cause that'd explain a lot. The guys and I were scared you broke or something." I shook my head, holding back an incredulous laugh with a grin. "I'm fine, and thanks for the concern." I got up, blinking a few more times to get my head rolling. "Why'd we stop?" I asked as I looked out the doorway, where a drab and dusty concrete floor met my gaze. Sunlight lancing down from the sky cut the stone into equal parts of shadow and light, and in the latter section a legionary stood on guard, his tunic and armor radiantly reflecting the sun. "Oh. Right. Well, it happened out of a biological need, you see..." He coughed and added, "The pilot had to take a piss." I arched a brow. "Oh. I see. And, uh... is he done?" While surely the most basic needs had to be fulfilled before any higher tier of necessity could be pursued, this little side-trip could cost us valuable time. And considering what I was leaving behind and how relatively little time I had to get back, every single second counted. "He should be," Audrius said. Then he frowned, looking back out the door. "Been like twenty-five minutes since he left. He ain't no mare; what the hell's taking so long?" he grumbled. I left my seat, and as I took steps towards the outside, I asked, "You in a hurry, too? To get all this over with?" His gaze shot to me, eyes wide as he stuttered, "H-hurry? No, no, not in a hurry... I just wanna get there already is all. Been months since I've laid down on anything more comfortable than rubber mats and shitty bunks." With a softer, self-conscious tone he added, "I... I just want a break. So tiring out here... so much pain and stress." I shielded my eyes as I stepped free of the cabin, a warm breeze blowing against me that carried with it a musky scent of rot and age. I saw a swarm of dust motes fly by in the light as the breeze blew, and wondered how healthy it was to breathe such air. As I looked the area over, I realized that we were far above ground level: it was atop a flat-roofed building that the craft had landed. The building itself was part of a series of roadside apartment and hotel-style constructs. Our vicinity must have once served as a resting stop for intercity travelers. I trotted near the edge of the building and looked down at the earth, about a hundred meters below. My speculations were confirmed, as aside from the other four or so buildings built next to a wide highway that cut across the land, there was nothing else in sight aside from wide open drylands, occasionally punctuated by a jutting hill or an isolated rock formation. The city of Apollania was nowhere to be seen, and neither was the city of Roam. We were right in the middle of nowhere. The feeling of isolation made me both tense and... exhilarated. This was the outside, so big and open, with no ceilings to hold me back. I could see the sun, the colossal clouds up overhead like massive cotton balls, and the glorious blue sky above them, like an omnipresent blue curtain. I smiled, feeling wings I'd scarcely used before in my life twitch in anticipation, as if at last the dream of unhindered flight was in reach. My heart ached with the need to take off, my body cried out with the want to feel weightless and free. All I had to do was jump, and fly... and flap harder than I had in my life so that I would never crash again. I stepped up and planted my entire body on the low wall on the edge of the building. "Nyaha! Careful, damn it!" a voice behind me squawked, breaking me out of my elated stupor and forcing me off from the ledge. I looked over my shoulder, wide-eyed as my heart thundered and adrenaline pumped through my veins. Just up ahead, a legionary stared at me with an equally shocked pair of eyes, then swallowed and bowed his head, sighing. Then he looked back to me with a sneer. "Well, princess is finally awake, and first thing she does is try to commit suicide," he chortled, shaking his head and giving a deep bow. "Oh, your highness, do tell your servant you've slept well! It would bring much relief to this humble guard's heart to know that you weren't broken." "I slept well," I growled, scowling as I trotted by. I felt a seething disdain flare in me as I passed him. When was it in my life that I'd ever felt so free, so good? Barely ever, and he had to come in and destroy the moment. That fury burning in my eyes, I looked back to the outsider with clear contempt. "Now, you may cease worrying over me. I can take care of myself, my humble guard." I'd dealt with his type before. Bullies that thrived off of their victims' efforts to defend themselves. They loved feeble attempts at retaliation, just as all their ilk did. It wasn't often that I retaliated against them, but when I did I made it a point to smash down their pride and humiliate them, as they deserved. My reply had just the intended effect: the soldier I knew as Lucius looked up to me, his expression was etched with bafflement and uncertainty. "Oh. Okay... er... good to know?" He kept quiet as I moved to the edge of the building again and looked out over the terrain with a glare, my breath steaming through flaring nostrils. He cleared his throat and said firmly, "Hey, look, pony, I was just trying to keep you safe, alright? I don't know what the hell I did to get on your nerves, but..." He paused, seeming to choke on his words. I glanced to him and saw that he was struggling with himself, his voice cracking as he cursed and shook his head. He saw me eyeing him and let off an exasperated breath as he threw his forehooves into the air in resignation. "Fuck it," he said, then turned around and briskly trotted off, head hung low as he muttered and grumbled to himself. I averted my gaze towards the openness of the world again. Then Audrius scampered up behind me, fumbling with the shaft of the eagle. "Ah, uh... d-don't mind him," he said behind me, as if uncertain of his choice of words. "Lucius is, uh, a bit stubborn. Set in his ways and all that; parents bred him that way. I know it wasn't much, but what you managed to get from him there was probably the closest you'll get to an apology." I nodded. I had nothing against Lucius himself, just his deed. I knew maybe I'd overreacted. He was just trying to ensure my safety, though whether or not it was out of genuine concern or a fear for his own reputation, I didn't know. I wasn't blind to the situation. "I know," I sighed. "It's just that... well, I was just enjoying the world. Seeing it like this has... it's made me feel so free. So unshackled, unrestricted. Then he came along, limitation in another from." I hung my head. I felt his hoof tentatively touch my shoulder, and for a moment he awkwardly groped me. "Er... there, there?" I looked to him with both brows upraised, and he withdrew. "Ah, yes, of course!" he stammered, and... was he blushing? "Yes, yes. Of course! Limitation's a terrible thing. But, well... maybe don't go too hard on him. He doesn't know what he did wrong, and frankly I don't think he really did anything wrong. Underneath his jeering and mocking exterior lays a lot of soft yoke. Go easy on him." I nodded again, my irritation ebbing away. "Of course. I overreacted. I'll try not to let it happen again," I said, and as an afterthought I made it a quiet promise to myself. Bullying the bully was a crude way of achieving equilibrium. There were always better alternatives. The refusal to imitate was the best vengeance, after all. Wise words from Gravetanicus. "Now, where are the others? There were eight of you, yet I see only two," I pointed out as I withdrew from the ledge. Audrius next to me, Lucius absent-mindedly wiping his helmet just a ways off... yes, very odd. "They went looking for the pilot," Audrius replied, turning around as he slung the eagle across his shoulder. The golden idol nearly smacked me in the face as I reflexively leaned back. I glared in annoyance. Then he glanced back to me, pointing to the door of a small external construct jutting out of the roof's floor. "Down through there. Said they'd be back soon. That was like ten minutes ago, of course. I'm... I'm starting to worry." He swallowed. "It's like in those books, when the group separates and shit goes down... fuck, you think they're okay?" he asked, eyes pleading for me to say yes. "Hey, you know them more than I do," I said, "So if you think they can handle whatever may be down there, I'll take your word for it." Then my mind conjured up all kinds of monstrosities. Zombie-ponies. Zombie-zebras. Mutants. Twisted abominations... I shuddered, my hide feeling numb from the mere thought of them. "You do think they can handle what may be down there, right?" I found myself asking with the very same paranoia he'd directed at me. "I... I guess," he muttered, not looking too sure. I swallowed, but then smiled. "Okay, good. Then I trust you completely," I said, and he looked up at me with... okay, I was sure he was blushing. Seeming to take notice of that occurrence as well, he averted his gaze and looked elsewhere. "Well, nothing'll probably go wrong. Maybe the pilot just got lost or something. It can happen." He let off a dry, nervous chuckle, then stopped dead. "Oh, thank the gods they're back!" Audrius cried aloud, grinning in relief. In my peripheral vision, Lucius jumped and whirled around, then with similar relief he sighed and smiled. "But... who's that with them? I looked past Audrius and at the door and there they were. They came out in single file, with a bruised and dirtied zebra in a lighter-looking set of legionary armor leading the way. I assumed he was the pilot. Then I noticed that he'd brought a beaten and filthy zebra mare with him, his teeth in her mane as he dragged her along with a scowl as she whimpered and struggled. Not like she could've gotten away even if she let her mane get torn off. No, the six legionaries directly behind the pair wouldn't have stood for it, not the way they too were scowling and glaring at her. The pilot yanked her along and shoved her ragged form to the ground, making her cry in pain. "Fucking bitch nearly killed me!" the pilot panted, drawing a pistol from a holster on his hip. "Damn near took my cock off, too. Was just trying to have a nice piss in a decent bathroom when she came charging at me like a madmare! If it weren't for the gods-damned razor I found on the fucking floor, I'd be lying on the dirt with my neck twisted a full circle!" "And gods, she can take a stab," one of the legionaries growled as we gathered around. I took in the mare's details, from her purposefully intricately-designed and color-edged torn clothing to the beaded necklaces she wore, to the swirling tattoos on her limbs. Blood seeped down her side from a jagged wound cut into her flesh, and her face was a bloodied mess full of bruises as she lay on the floor, panting. A part of me felt sorry for her, but mercy and forgiveness wasn't mine to give. "Still tried to run even with the damned razor in her gut. Fucking insane." Audrius shook his head, grimacing at the tale and the mare laying on the floor in front of him. "Jupiter almighty... it took all seven of you to stop her?" he asked, then got a many set of pointed looks that made him wince and step back. "Yes, it did!" another of the legionaries yelled, his shoulder guards twisted out of place. "She nearly broke my foreleg just trying to get out from under me. I swear to the gods, she has has the agility of a fucking snake. I've never seen anything twist and curve like that." The others muttered and nodded in agreement, all the while casting the beaten mare seething glances. Then the pilot stepped forward and pressed his pistol to her head. My breath left my lungs, my eyes focusing on the gleaming metal of the barrel as an instinctive tension welled up within me. "Well, forget all that. Enough antics. We'll make an example of this one," he said, squeezing the trigger. But his shot went wild as I bucked the gun from out of his grip, inadvertently shoving him down. I froze, and as all eyes went to me it was all I could do to stand my ground and defend my... well, my impulse. "That's not happening," I said firmly, narrowing my gaze to meet the bewildered eyes of the pilot and the legionaries. Lucius stood off to the side, eyeing me and his fellow comrades with wide eyes. Audrius I knew was behind me, though what he was doing I wasn't sure. "What the fuck do you mean, you colored S-O-B?" the pilot growled as he snapped up, eyes blazing. "Didn't you just hear what we said? She nearly fucking killed me! And them! If we let her go, then she'll just go to whatever damned tribe she came from and squeal on us." Lunging close, he hissed quietly, "Damn it, this mission's supposed to be secret. We can't let anyone find us, no matter who they are or what they might think. They're craftier than they look, for fuck's sake. They'll find a way to follow us." I just shook my head, noticing that the mare was inching her way close to me, whimpering and wheezing. It was with great pity that I met her halfway, stepping between her and the legionaries she assaulted. "Perhaps," I said, and swallowed as my mind raced to think of something to say. Then her forelegs wrapped around my hind leg, and suddenly all that mattered was that I keep her safe. "But she's neutralized now. To kill her would be utterly disgusting. You have honor, don't you? A code of conduct? Let us take her along. If she's no enemy, there's nothing to fear. If she is, then you can get information out of her. Is that not better?" "What's better is she gets what she fucking deserves!" the pilot erupted, a murderous glare in his eyes as he pointed the gun at me. But he couldn't pull it, and I knew that. Nonetheless, the sight of the barrel stopped my heart until he growled and jerked it back. "Sweet Nemesis, why the hell do you care so much? She's a savage, for Jupiter's sake." I shook my head, licking my lips. "Savage or no, she's a person. And whether or not either of you like it, she's also Roaman. Justice should equal the wrong done. None of you died, and so she should not die. She has suffered as you have. That is fair." I turned around and helped her to her legs. She stumbled, the bleeding in her side not slowing, but at least it wasn't flowing too fast. Just a good few bandages and she'd be fine. Her eyes looked out at me from behind swollen lids, her gaze filled with disbelief as I moved beside her and helped carry her weight. She was filthy and smelled the part, but I didn't care. She may have been a wastelander, but she was a person. That was all that mattered to me as I moved us over to the aircraft's open doorway. "We should get going," I said. I could feel all of their eyes on me, aghast. "We've delayed longer than we should have." There was a chorus of growls and sighs and more than a few 'fucks' as they holstered their guns and reluctantly came along. For a moment I was scared they'd lunge at me from behind, but it didn't happen. The pilot stomped and kicked at the dirt, cursing and bucking at the air. Then he shot me a prolonged glare and made his way to the cockpit. I moved forward into the cabin, the others behind me as I gently laid her on the seat opposite mine. Then I smiled. "No more death today," I whispered, laying my head back and relaxing as I basked in the righteous pride of my actions. "No more today. Thank you, Jupiter." Then we heard a roar. My eyes shot open, and like all of the others I gazed outside. A manticore had appeared from beneath the edge of the building. We all froze and stared at it, its jaw open to reveal a set of monstrously long fangs. It was an immense creature that was covered with thick, wiry hair all over, with a lion's body, wide, bat-like wings, and a long scorpion's tail. As it prowled closer, we noticed a zebra riding atop it. We also noticed that he just so happened to be dressed exactly like the mare he was staring at in horror. "Nunia?" he asked, mouth dropped. Then he looked to both sides of the cabin, at the legionaries. "No, no, no..." He shook his head, then let out a shrill, howling cry that pierced my ears. All I heard when it was over where responding cries off in the distance, and the unmistakable roar of manticores. "Oh, fuck!" Lucius brought his rifle to bear and opened fire, sending a stream of bullets lancing through the air and straight into the manticore's shoulder. The creature howled and reared, then charged forward as more legionaries let off a cacophony of gunshots that deafened me in the metal space. Their weapons did little to stop the animal's rage, and the manticore slammed straight into the rear of the craft, head popping into the cabin and snapping at the closest soldier. With an agonized cry, the soldier was pulled out of the craft. The manticore tore at him with its powerful jaw. Then he was tossed away, and the beast leapt aside as more legionaries brought their weapons out to fire. As it jumped out of view, the zebra mounting the creature quickly tossed in a tiny metal canister. Then I heard the pilot scream as the manticore went for him, too. The canister clinked and clanked off of several legionary helmets, then landed squarely on my lap. I froze and looked down at it, my heart like an overworked drum as I eyed its tiny form with horror. I didn't need to be told what it was for me to know. "Grenade!" Audrius screeched, and then he yanked me from my seat as they barged out of the cabin like maniacs, leaving the mare behind. I wasn't even able to try drag her along as well as we launched out into the air, landing and falling to the ground, prone and with our hooves over our heads. But though we waited for seconds that felt like an eternity, no explosion went off. One of the legionaries lifted his head from the dirt, glancing back. "What the hell...?" But his attempt to discern what had just happened was interrupted by a heavy thud as a manticore landed in front of us, maw wide open and roaring. We jerked back, the soldiers struggling to get their weapons up when another one of the flying beasts crashed right behind us. They stumbled, some falling to the ground and pulling others down with them. And all I could do was fall as well: I, who could contribute nothing in our defense. I felt useless, like mere decoration, as another emerged from beneath roof-level and flew in a circle above us. Each of the three animals was mounted with a tribal zebra rider, and each one of them looked very pissed. The legionaries twisted and turned, rifles pointed at our attackers. Then the zebra riders pulled forth long wooden spears, and suddenly I found myself crouching low with one of the spearpoints right between my eyes. I swallowed, grimacing and slowly getting up. We weren't outnumbered, but we were completely surrounded. To retaliate would not go well for us. The manticore leapt back into view, bloodied but mostly unharmed. The zebra stallion mounted on its back looked us over disdainfully, then looked into the cabin. His eyes widened, and he jumped off his beast and galloped in. A few moments later he and the mare were clambering out, and the stallion's eyes were filled with seething tears of rage as he held her close. "Animals!" he shouted, bending his heel to crouch on the dirt, the bloodied, swollen mare panting at his side. "You attack my sister-scout? Fine! Do like you all do -- kill, torture, destroy... but you’ll get it back." Holding a vial of glass to the zebra mare’s lips, he glowered, "Kill them, friend-riders. Skewer them like hogs. Start with limbs, then guts, then heads." The wooden spear-point right between my eyes pressed hard against my nose bridge, making me yelp and jerk back. My efforts only served to crash me against Lucius and Audrius as they too evaded the spears. I felt blood roll down the sides of my muzzle as we were herded close, cursing and shouting. Then one of the legionaries dropped his gun and threw his hooves into the air. "Hey! Hey, no taking prisoners? You'll just kill us on the spot? That's damned murder, however you look at it," the legionary called. The zebra narrowed his gaze, teeth bared in a fierce scowl. Then the legionary swallowed as one of the manticores growled in his face. "And... and to be fair, she, uh, she attacked us first," he stuttered. "Just trying to get on our own business, us. The pilot stopped for a little, er... bathroom trip. Then she came along and tried to kill him." I stood still as stone, my own hooves up in the air as my eyes darted to glance to the side. Speaking of the pilot... it seemed he wasn't in any fit condition to fly us anywhere. Or to breathe. Or to live. I slumped, eyeing the mangled corpses of the pilot and the legionary as they lay still in a spreading pool of blood. Well, shit. How to escape now? The stallion's glare wavered, and he looked to the mare. "True? You attack them first?" he asked, tone gentle. She nodded, looking us over with an intense gaze of her own. "Why?" The effort to talk seemed to hurt her, but she got her words out. "Roaman zebras kill tribes. Roaman zebras destroy freedom," she rasped, disgustedly glaring at us. "Roaman zebras attack us and take homes. Friends in Apollania will never return, can't talk to them anymore..." Her gaze turned sorrowful. "Roaman zebras take and give nothing back. Roaman zebras recruit, then mistreat. Roaman zebras promise, then break promise." She sniffled, a tear running down her cheek. "We tribes have only suffered, brother-rider. Now I want them to know how it feels to lose something they love." He nodded, looking us over again. "I know, sister-scout. And I shall make them feel pain, slowly. But no deaths. No, death no fun at all." He looked over at one of us in particular and stood. Then he stepped close and pulled out from behind him a jaggedly-bladed shiv. The saw-like weapon’s handle was attached to a small black plate that automatically threw straps around his forehoof, allowing unrestricted use. It was a common device, used by the zebra military during the war to adopt weapons for hoof-held use, as many zebra cultures had its warriors do. It was one of the few things Roaman and tribal cultures had in common, using that device, the so-called ‘combat-bracer’ -- the epitome of hundreds of years of ramshackle, cobbled-together hoof apparatus. I hadn’t paid much attention to it on the Legion’s soldiers, nor did I ever treat them with any particular attention in the centuria urbanae. But now, with a cruel-looking blade in the hooves of one such as that, I found myself truly acknowledging its utility, and also cursed whoever gave this tribal the means to effectively handle such wicked armaments. "In fact..." he drawled, "We can start their suffering by taking their dearest possession. You make foolish move to come out here with your people's golden eagle." Audrius gasped, hugging the Aquila close and tight. Suddenly the legionaries' gladii were out, their own red-plated, silver-stringed combat-bracers automatically latching onto the sword handles as they drew them out. Then their shields locked together. I was sandwiched in the middle as they huddled close, forming a tight circle that squashed me breathless. I struggled to inch out some breathing room, which resulted in a legionary stepping out and letting me fall flat on the ground before filling the void I'd left in their formation. I made the effort to crawl forward, away from them -- it was my hope that I'd be overlooked, clearly not being a legionary. But it seemed that being a pony all the more earned me their attention, for two of the three spears immediately struck at both my wings, piercing the thin flesh and feathers. I yelped and stumbled, and the mare flinched as she looked at me. Opposite my position outside the circle, the stallion laughed in glee. "Oh, I love prey that fights. Much more interesting!" He entered a tense crouch. "Now, what’s it they say? Oh yes. 'Neutralize them'," he said, then repeated with a nod to his fellows, "Neutralize them!" Then he vanished in a blur as he jumped high, bypassing the shields entirely and landing right in the midst of the soldiers. Audrius was kicked down, falling to the ground and shoving one of his own comrades in the process. The formation broke as the legionaries rushed to face their opponent, only to be skewered from behind by the spears, the points stabbing right into their legs and sides but not actually killing them. Metal clanged on metal, steel flashed bright as blades slashed and stabbed. Yet, the tribal was elusive, possessing agility too great for his opposition to match as he ducked and whirled, kicked and punched, slashed and stabbed. And as the legionaries fell to the ground one by one, their cries and grunts driving me to desperation, I made one more attempt to crawl away, my wings bleeding profusely. Then I was grabbed by the hindlegs and yanked back, my face hitting the cement and aggravating my bloody muzzle. I was rolled over in a daze and felt the sharp sting of a knife at my throat. The sneering face of the tribal was right in front of me, laughing a high-strung chuckle of utter glee. Behind him, the seven legionaries lay on the floor, bleeding and groaning as the three riders and their beasts picked through them with spear and claw alike. "Ah! A pony. Why there pony here, hmm? Strange for Legion to have someone like you with them. Claim to be Roaman government, they do. Why, then, have enemy of all zebras in transport?" he asked, pressing the wicked shiv closer to my flesh after every question. I felt a warm liquid that could only have been the legionaries' blood on its edge, and wondered if he hadn't already cut me. "Look well fed, too. Healthy, like zebras in pictures during war. Not like us now, all sick and radiated. Even Legion soldiers get sick quickly." He pushed the blade against my chin, making me arc my neck backwards such that my nose was scraping against the rough stone. Blood from my brow flowed into my eyes, and I blinked rapidly to see the mare there, sitting on the ground, looking right at me. Her name was Nunia, if I recall. I guess she and I didn't look so different now. "Why you with them, pony?" I grunted as my weight bore down on my bleeding wings. The sting from the appendages was agonizing. "I... I was just supposed to bring a message. I'm a messenger, alright?" I swallowed as the sharp tip of the shiv met my throat, rotating there like some kind of drill. "And what message are you carrying?" he asked. Even in my state, I thought it over. Whoever these people were, they clearly didn't like the Legion. Thus, they were the Legion's enemies, and the message I bore was crucial Legion information. But they knew Apollania had been taken already; Nunia's friends had died there, after all. Still... what if Thanus was wrong and Apollania simply couldn't be taken just like that? What if these people actually had no knowledge of the recent battle, and that the death of Nunia's friends had been long before? "I am to act as ambassador for a tribe down... down south," I lied. "They want Legion help. Wildlife comes at them unceasingly, and they have asked for the threat to be destroyed." I heard the tribal smirk with satisfaction. I heard Audrius let off a gurgling protest from out of sight, and a moment later I heard a sound akin to the snapping of bone. He screamed. Then a zebra stepped in front of my view, the golden shaft of the Aquila planting itself right in front of my face. "I take that," said Shiv-Bearer, and the shaft disappeared from view. Then my head was yanked upright and I faced him directly as he sat there in front of me, shiv in one hoof and Aquila in the other. "Down south, you say? This tribe... there more ponies in it?" "Er... yes?" He grinned wide. "Good! More ponies to take and make as pets! So nice to be greeted every morning with ocean of multi-colored slaves. So lovely!" He chuckled as he withdrew the blade from my neck, and I smiled in relief. Then my eyes popped wide as he brought out a metal collar linked to a chain and clicked it around my neck. Wait a second. He said slaves? Did that mean... that I... "Now, get up!" he said as he kicked me off the ground. "We take you back with us. All of you. Father-Shaman surely will be pleased to know what I've done, and will delight on thinking how to make you all suffer. He has more creative mind than me, you see," he said as he looked to the pounded legionaries, all bloodied and glaring and panting. Then he turned and, dragging me along by the chain on my neck, mounted his manticore again. I fumbled madly at the collar, squirming and yanking, to no avail. "Get on manticore, pony. Unless you like flying with your body dangling," he laughed, tugging at the chain hard and ramming me right against his beast's side. I jerked back fearfully, casting a glance back at the zebras who were to be my protectors and silently begging them to stop this. I didn't want to be a slave, for Jupiter's sake! Help me, you guys. Stop them, damn it. Do something, please! "Erm... brother-rider, perhaps not this one," the mare said weakly, staggering up off the floor and limping over to her brother. My eyes bulged expectantly; yes, please say something to stop this! I'll owe you my whole life, whatever it's worth! "He is different from most. Perhaps you can let this one go?" she requested, blackened eyes glancing between me and him. But to my immense disappointment the stallion just barked a laugh. "Ha! All the more to take him. Different you say; exotic you mean!" He grinned down at me and yanked me up onto the beast's back. My breath left me as a numbing pain surged through my groin, sending me slumping forward like limp meat as my eyes rolled into my skull and my hooves went between my legs. Okay... just hope the damage wasn't too severe... "Okay! We all go now, friend-riders. Take Roaman zebras along unharmed." He casted a quick glance to all the other three, on whose beasts the seven legionaries rode, bound and gagged and bleeding. Some seemed unconscious. Then he hastily yanked my beaten, dirtied saddlebags off of my hips and tossed it on his lap. All my food was in there. And my water. Also the map of Roam... "Alright. Hya!" With a curt kick into the manticore's side, the creature was off, flying into the air. Wind smacked my face as I fought down the maddening sensation of my injured treasure, and behind me the other three manticores took flight. Then the stallion pulled out another metal canister and tossed it over at the abandoned aircraft. A second later a bright flame exploded from underneath the vehicle, consuming the metal in an intense inferno. The old cement beneath the aircraft gave and split open, sending the metal hulk crashing down into the building with a terrific cascade of noise. Then another fiery blast exploded from within the structure as the vehicle was destroyed in a blast of fire and heat. And all I could do was watch, my body limp and numb and bleeding as fire lit up windows and broke down old concrete. It wasn't long until the uppermost floor of the building caved in, and the second collapsed under the weight. Then the next, and the next, and the next... until at last it was nothing but a smoldering wreck of stone, burning to a blackened corpse as we flew further and further off to gods knew where. And as the destruction ended a throng of victorious cries rang out from the zebras as they flew their mounts close to give each other hoof-bumps. That was it, then. We were finished. A life of enslavement was to be my future, captured like a prized hog at a contest, ever to be treated like a sub-being. Our mission would never succeed, and the consequences of that failure could be severe. Death or worse awaited my companions, and all for the sadistic glee of our captors. And bound in chains and rope we flew further from any hope of escape, our bodies weakened and aching from abuse. We were utterly, truly fucked. Unless... As the numbing agony of my broken jewels ebbed away and the regular sting of my cuts and bruises came in and reminded me I was still alive, I dared to grip tightly on the beast's torso, my head laying on its furry hide as my eyes scanned the landscape. Please, I prayed to gods whose existences I didn't believe in, If there's even a hint of truth to your reality, let there be something here that can help me. My eyes strained, picking out every last detail of the land below as we flew further and further off. Something, anything, that could help. Please, let there be anything that could give us a chance... And then I spotted it: a bridge, low in height and simple in make. It connected two roads that snaked across the hilly drylands, and beneath it was a winding, gleaming river. It was shallow near the banks, though. Very shallow. But the middle-waters were deep enough. Perhaps deep enough to save a falling pony from death... I moved my body to the side of the manticore, risking sliding off before the moment was right. This had to be timed perfectly. A second too early and I'd hit the shallows; a second too late and I could miss the river entirely. My pitiful excuses of wings would need to work just this once. If not to fly, then to steer me. If my captor holding my metal leash had any sense, he'd let me go or fall with me to both our demise. We flew right over the river. There was nothing else to do. I kicked off, free-falling for a mere moment before my chain tugged tight at my neck and choking me mid-air. I focused all my energy on creating breathing room with my forehooves as the tribal screamed in surprise, his body leaning dangerously over the edge of his mount. "P-pony! You idiot, you kill us both! I know you can't fly; we pierced your wings! You idiot!" My vision was edged with darkness as I struggled and panted for breath, my hind legs flailing and catching on the manticore's side. My heart ached and thumped to gather enough strength to plant both hindlegs on the creature and extend my body to its limit, pulling the stallion ever further from his seat. He cried in alarm, and through my tear-streaked eyes I could see his friends were rushing to his help him. No! They weren't going to stop me now. This was where my wings would make the difference! Extending my wings wide open, I flapped hard, creating an air current that inched him further and further off his seat. His grip on the beast's fur was loosening; damn it, he had to give up soon! He had to! I flapped like a maniac, shouting into the winds as every muscle of my body burned for freedom, never again to be chained or limited. Flap my wings! Kick my legs! Pump my heart! Freedom... through... pain! He shouted and let my chain loose. Suddenly, all the tension left my body as my muscles relaxed, and I plummeted to the earth, almost curled into a ball. It was so easy, relaxing. No pain, no strain. I was almost tempted to just leave my survival to the chance, that I'd land on my mark. But no. I'd come too far to leave it to chance. Ignoring my captors as they shouted above me, I tore my eyes open and forced my wings apart. The immediate air resistance smashed into my wings like stones, snapping the joints out of place with an agonizing pop. I screamed and I cried, tears of agony and desperation sliding upwards across my temples as I focused on the water below me. Just... hit the mark! Just land... in... the water! With the very last of all my will, I gave a single hard flap that evoked such mind-shattering pain and exhaustion that I couldn't even scream. My heart had given out, as had my mind. I simply passed out right in the air, plummeting towards the river below like an artillery shell. But before the last vestiges of my consciousness faded into the darkness, I heard a distant shout of alarm below that silenced as I crashed into something that most definitely wasn't water. ***Roama Victrix*** I awoke with a torrent of water running by my face, soaking my cheek as I groaned and lifted my head up off of the clammy rocks. My head throbbed with the thunder of thousand drums, and my heart felt strained with every beat that pumped through my chest. Everything else was nothing but dull pain, and my limbs and torso ached like every muscle had been pulled, which was exactly what must've happened. And my wings... oh, my wings. I didn't need to lift a hoof or even glance back at them to know that they were broken and dislocated. The strange numbness that encompassed their entirety told me all, as did the searing pain that burned in the joints as I slowly folded them back in. They'd bought my life with their own. I was alive... but at what cost? I let out a tiny wretched sob and dunked my head back into the water as I suffered through the pain of folding them in. If any goodness in all existence allowed them to work even after all that, then I'd truly believe gods existed. But for now I could only cry to myself and languish as my hopes and dreams of flight lay broken, just like me. It wasn't fair, wasn't fair at all, to tempt a being with freedom only to snatch it from them with cruel circumstance. But at least I was alive, right? Alive and broken, yes. Broken and flightless. A flightless, broken... living... pegasus. Yay... Then I felt the ground beneath me move. It wasn't a vibration like that of a tremor. No, it was as if the earth had breathed, and its rising soil had pressed up right against my chest. At first I thought that maybe I'd just imagined it, but then it happened again, more noticeable this time as the numbness of my body ebbed away. I lifted my head up from the water entirely and looked down at the unconscious face of a pony stallion... with stripes? A zebra pony? A… a zony? My eyes widened as I realized I'd crashed right into him. He may very well have saved from the shallows I'd have plummeted straight into, but I'd knocked him out cold with my landing. I was grateful for the fortunate (or unfortunate) chance of his presence, sure, but would he be alright? I very carefully moved my legs and lifted myself off of the stallion and out of our very... awkward positioning. But not even a moment passed after I lifted my weight off of him when his eyes opened wide and stared off into the underside of the bridge with brilliant indigo irises. He felt my weight on him and looked right into my eyes. An awkward silence ensued. Yes... two stallions, alone beneath a bridge, wet all over... oh, the thoughts that would come to anyone's mind. The zony, with his odd light-blue coat and faint white stripes and jet-black mane and tail, was the first to speak. "Pony, you disgruntle me greatly," he said with clear annoyance, his face bearing the irritated expression of one who was on business before some annoying obstacle came in their way. "Vox Populi finds your intervention a most unfortunate event. Vox Populi demands you withdraw from him." I immediately drew myself up and pulled away, grunting as pain shocked though my limbs. "I... I am sorry. I was simply in a lot of trouble, and, well... I didn't expect to hit anyone in my escape. My apologies, er... what's your name?" "Name?" he asked, confused as he lay there, stretching his limbs. He squinted. "I... do not have one. A name is a given designation, if I am correct. Then I have none, for there is only what I am, and what I embody. I am the Vox Populi, the people's voice in this rotting realm of matter and energy." I rose a brow and took a tiny step back. Okay, so he was delusional. I supposed it was to be expected in the wasteland, but his demeanor still struck me as something that was uniquely odd. Third-person reference, lack of a name, 'identities of embodiment'... all that sounded like the ramblings of a maniac. He stood up with a huff, dusting himself off and shaking the water off him. "Vox Populi finds your tale most odd. And similar. Vox Populi himself has recently escaped trouble... and what great trouble it was." He scowled as he shook the last of the water off his hoof. Then he looked right at me, his indigo eyes blazing with curiosity. "You, pony? What circumstance have you escaped from in this... static, unchanging world?" "I, uh... well..." It stuck in my throat a moment, the sheer gravity of what exactly it was that I'd just eluded bearing down on me. If I'd not seen that bridge... if I'd let the depression take me... I truly would be have become a slave. "I... just escaped being made into a... a slave. At least that's what I think I just did. I doubt that zebra was joking about the whole 'ocean of colored slaves' thing." I shook my head, shuddering. It was a wonderful thing that tribal hadn’t come swooping down to retrieve me. He probably thought I’d died. Considering how very close it’d come, I’d have thought it too. His eyes widened as he looked at me. "You've liberated yourself from a fate most foul before it could take root? Why, that is most excellent! Just like what I managed to do; curse that horrid creature and the torment he puts all those souls through!" he growled, stomping on the rocky ground with a very audible crack of stone. I swallowed as he snarled and cursed to himself. I had no idea who he was talking about, and considering he was probably insane, and that there were probably no souls being tormented, I didn't care. "Eh. Yes. I did," I muttered, then sighed and sat, leaning on my leg as I watched the water run by. What I'd just put myself through had left me tired. So very tired, so achy and sore... and so lost. What to do now? What direction to go? I had no compass, no supplies, no map... all those had been taken from me. I had nothing but a goal, and the rushing need to complete it as each day I spent away from home increased the chance of unrest. Oh, I could just imagine the sorts of questions my people were ready to ask, and the accusations they would be prepared to toss about. The chaos that would ensue would be terrible. And I would be the cause of it all if it came to be. I covered my face and whimpered, choking back a scream of anguish and frustration. Nothing I'd learned, no training I'd endured, could have prepared me for this. No philosophical quote could compel me to do... anything! No quote or inspiration I'd ever cherished could have prepared me for the brutal paralysis that indecision could summon. And no, I couldn't simply let impulse rule. I needed a plan, I needed a direction; something with an obvious connection to the goal I had to accomplish. But what? I knew nothing of the outside, of the people or the place. Was I to simply wander off like a nomad and hope that the one-in-a-million chance of stumbling upon my goal would become a reality, despite the odds? Was I to simply exist, walking day after day until I starved? No! But I couldn't just... I could never... I tore both forehooves away from my face and slammed them into the ground, infusing my strike with all the rage and distress I could muster. Though my aching limbs cried out in protest, I struck again and again, grinding my teeth as I pounded the rocks with utter hatred. Vox had long-since gotten over his own frustration and was now watching me, staring as my fury came to an end and I sat there, panting and breathing in shuddering breaths. "Hmm. Pony is distressed as well, I see. Why? Have you not escaped your terrible fate? Is that not something to rejoice over?" "You don't understand!" I snapped, glaring back at him. "Every second I'm gone, my home's chances of surviving in this poisoned world shrinks. To get back, I have to accomplish a goal; I can't simply return without finishing it. But the people who were to accompany me are captured, ready to be tortured and executed for the fun of those damned slavers..." Vox Populi paused. "Others? Captured? Slavers?" He stepped into view as I thumped my head, struggling to gather my wits. "In what direction were they taken?" I shrugged, shaking my head with exhausted nonchalance. I flopped my hoof lazily off in the direction the manticores had been flying. "There, somewhere... but much as I'd love to save them, I can't. I'm one pony, with little true combat experience. I'd be killed effortlessly, and my corpse would be used to... to decorate some savage's room or something." I sighed, ashamed of myself. Perhaps if I'd not stalled and just let the pilot take that mare's life, we'd be flying off to Roam already. Now seven legionaries were to be tortured because of me. Stupid, stupid Goldwreath... "You can't save them with that attitude, pony," he deadpanned, then yanked me up. "Nor can you do it alone. I can rectify that; the attitude is up to you. Now come. We will find these slavers, and we will destroy them." He started trotting off, to my complete shock. "W-what? No! You can't just wander into a dryland, not knowing anything and just expect to... to succeed!" "I can and I shall," he said, still trotting forward briskly. "I need no tool, no supplies, to make the scum of this world feel justice's burn. No innocent shall suffer again while the Vox Populi brings with him the fury of a million enraged souls, all crying out for retribution. Now, you are either with me, or you shall stay here and rot. The choice is yours." I shook my head, mouth agape. Then I scrunched up my face and let out an exasperated cry as I galloped after him. He had already reached ground level, having hiked a slope beneath the bridge, and was trotting simply into the open lands, off in the direction I'd gestured. He didn't hang his head low for fear of being sighted, nor did he rush for cover of bushes or rocks. His straightforwardness was so blunt it stumped all my attempts to decipher it. The only thing left to do was to follow him, this... 'Vox Populi'. That and hoping beyond hope that we'd get somewhere. It was a fool's hope that we'd find the tribal's encampment, let alone succeed in saving the legionaries, if they yet lived. It was a fool's hope that we'd not die of thirst and hunger under the sun, or be shot by raiders or other such savages in our aimless wandering. But, despite everything, it was a hope... and was a better motivation than anything I could think of at the moment. It was either follow, or wander alone. The choice was clear. "I hope you know what you're doing," I said anxiously as we moved along. "I do. We will make an example of them. They will feel justice, and it will be a glorious moment when they do," he replied firmly, smiling reassuredly. "Sure, sure..." was all I could murmur in reply. Yes, yes, sure they would 'feel the burn of justice'. But first there was quite a bit of dryland to cross. Miles... and miles... and miles of it, in fact. All of it hot. All of it strange and without any clear landmarks. Nothing but daunting, unrestrained size. Oh, how puny I felt in that vast open space. Entry #5 Defender. So that's what mother calls me now. Haha, it's a fine title, I suppose... a bit excessive, but then mother always did fear insects quite a bit. She's asked me to defend her from 'all those nasty crawlies'. Well, I am happy to oblige. I'll do right by her, as I will do by everyone. All companions gain an Endurance point in your presence, and have a 20% chance of taking no damage from a would-be killing strike.