//------------------------------// // Work Load Increased // Story: The Battles Of Today, The Wars Of Tomorrow // by Fryguy //------------------------------// Neffison closed the trap door that he used against Celestia, he planned to check the progress of his slaves on the rebuilding project, he smiled as he walked down the hallway still carrying the axe he used to almost chop Celestia's legs off. The guards did their duties as Neffison walked by, he made a quick stop to his bedchambers, where he looked out the window, it didn't give him a view of his slaves, but a great view of the sunset, a beautiful display of artwork, he thought, when he turned away, he had a guard looking at him. "Your highness, I come for a matter of importance!" Neffison frowned, he gave the guard a cold glare, and snipped. "What is it, like if somepony threw a pie into your face, if that is important, which is not!" He was not in a good mood when the guard came in, but he was willing to hear what was so important. "The enemy forces had camped near the border, and they sent a few scouts to see where the slaves and princesses are kept during the night, and for sure Twilight is plotting against you, you must do something, or you lose this war, meaning you lose your slaves, your imprisoned princess prisoners, maybe even your life!" The guard waited for the king's response, but Neffison acted like if nothing was wrong, he took off his armor, revealing his fiery mane, it had started to get used to being released from it's confinement inside Neffison's helmet, once his armor was taken off, he finally spoke. "Alert the guards who make sure the slaves toil for there regular twelve hours that I'm going to come to them while they are still doing their duty, I have a little plan to 'deal' with this Twilight Sparkle." The guard bowed down respectfully and turned away to carry out the king's order to him. "Ugh! Another slave that needs a good whipping!" One guard says to his partner. "What's wrong with them? They are great builders, right? Or was Neffison bluffing?" Replied the other soldier. "Nah! He never lied to us! They are probably not willing to do it because they won't get payed, because they are slaves." The guards were chatting about Neffison and the slaves that they didn't notice the guard who was carrying out Neffison's order come up to them. "Guys? Guys! GUYS!" The guards quickly turn to the other guard. "What is it? Is it about the enemy?" one of the guards ask. "Um, yes and no, Neffison is coming down here to check on the slaves, he has a plan to deal with Twilight Sparkle." The guards were confused, what plan? "Was there any chance that he told you the plan?" One of the guards ask to the new arrival. The messenger guard shakes his head and says. "That's just it. He wouldn't tell me, all he said was that he was going to come down here to check on the slaves because he has a plan to....I believe do this to Twilight Sparkle." The guard then took his hoof and making a weird noise, he had his hoof cross his neck, the guards eyes' widen, how was Neffison planning on killing Twilight, if he is. "I see, thanks for the message!" the guards solute to the messenger guard as he runs off, unaware that Twilight's friends, who were slaves to Neffison as well as all the others, heard everything. "Oh no, that is not good!" Applejack was quivering, Neffison was planning on killing Twilight, but how? That's when Neffison showed up, he was not in his armor, to the slaves' surprise. He was sort of watching them closely, like if he was expecting something to happen. "Hmmm, okay, not good, really not good." Neffison makes his observations clear, his slaves needed to work harder. He knew just the way. He comes to a guard, and whispers in his ear. "Make a degree for me. The slaves will have their workload doubled, and make sure they finish their work, I don't care if it is nighttime until they finish, make sure they finish their workload!" "Understood your majesty!" Neffison then walks away, for he was going to get Twilight, to finish his master plan. If it was the last thing he'll do. "Attention slaves!" The slaves came to the guard, they had whip marks all over their bodies, they didn't notice, but some of Twilight's scouts were watching them. " "Neffison made a degree that your workload has been doubled! You must finish it, he doesn't care if it is nighttime when you finish your workload, you must finish it!" The slaves groaned, they wouldn't get a lot of sleep for the next weeks. The scouts were alarmed, they turned and ran towards the camp. "So your saying he increased the workload and they might work through the night?!" Twilight was alarmed about this, and she was getting her bow and arrows as her scouts gave the report. "It's true Twilight!" Twilight was mad at Neffison, now he was ruthlessly working his so called slaves harder because he was after her, but that's insane, the only way that would work was if he knew that.... "He knew that I sent you guys! Let's think on how to make him surrender, He won't know what was happening!" Twilight was in fact wanting Neffison to surrender, and give his pony slaves up. They will be free to recover from their time as slaves, Nurse Redheart can tend to their wounds. But first, she needed a plan of when to attack, and she needed one now! "Hey Twilight! I have a plan!" Twilight spun around to see her friend from the first battle, she was holding a dagger. Twilight smiled back, a dagger made by magic can do effective damage to an alicorn.