Midnight’s Shadow
Midnight Begins: Chapter 5
That mare was the worst thing to ever come to Appleton.
-Applesauce
“Being attacked by a tree. That is something new,” Gale said as she and Stalwart landed next to me. “I had only heard tales of such things while in the Long Patrol.”
“A dangerous foe.” Stalwart gave the fallen tree a wary look as the rest of my companions slowly made their way to me. It was of some relief to me that none of them appeared to be injured. The melee had been a vicious and dangerous one, and I considered us fortunate that nopony had been killed. Myself most of all, considering the monster had been intended to slay me.
Subtle Song slowly turned her head to look about the clearing. “Ye declare that ‘twas sent by a warlock?”
“Aye, ‘tis so.” Feeling some of my energy return after a minute’s rest, I stood up straighter. I may have been in deplorable condition from the various scrapes, bruises, clumps of mud, and woodland refuse from the battle, but I could still stand with some dignity.
“What was that thing?” Subtle waved at the chopped-up remains of the tree. “‘Tis rather disconcerting to be nearly slain by something and not even know what ‘twas called.”
“I do not know for certain.” If I had to hazard a guess, I would have said that we were attacked by some form of treant that had been blighted by the corruption of the glade and then bent to the warlock’s control. Such profane acts were not beyond the ken of the likes of warlocks. The problem was that I did not know for certain, and so kept my councel. Being incorrect often opened me to pointed criticism from my mother, so I did not like giving answers when I was not certain.
I shot Stalwart an annoyed glance, knowing of a potential answer to my ignorance that was not currently available to me. “Mayhaps if I possessed Lore Keeper’s Monsterum Totum I would have had the means to identify it.” I was perhaps still slightly bitter about the hours of riding in the chariot with nothing to read but the military manual Stalwart had given me, which had been a bore.
Stalwart failed to rise to my bait, but Subtle was quick to follow with another question. “Ye do not? How many types of killer trees could there be in Equestria?”
“I can think of over a score off the top of my head.” My answer prompted Subtle to give me a flat look that made me explain. “Between beasts natural to Equestria, magical constructs, and extraplanar creatures, the list of creatures that could fit what attacked us are by the score. I have read much, but ‘tis nearly impossible to know everything. There are simply too many creatures that live on this world. Even the tree-monsters can have unique properties between them such as size, intelligence, and unusual abilities. I cannot remember them all without my books.”
Subtle looked like she wanted to continue the conversation, but Stalwart interrupted her. “Are you uninjured, milady?”
I decided against pressing the issue of my books and addressed Stalwart’s question. “Other than aching everywhere, feeling as though I could quite ably lie in the mud and fall asleep from exhaustion, and being as wet as a waterlogged otter, I am as well as could be expected.” Red Steel shot me an unimpressed look. There was something about the judgment within her eyes I did not appreciate. “At least the attack ‘pon us seems to be over. I believe the warlock attacked us from afar given the magics used, so ‘tis likely the immediate danger has passed.”
Stalwart nodded. “If the warlock was here, then he or she should have struck at us again while we were scattered and distracted by the creature.”
Red Steel snorted derisively. “Assuming our attacker is not a coward.” She kicked away a branch. “Probably is given she sent a pile of kindling ‘gainst us instead of facing us honorably.”
“Or the warlock is wise enough to know that facing us directly would only result in us slaying him,” I stated. “Likely that creature would have been more than a match for any single pony or search party happening ‘pon the glade.” I interpreted Steel’s grudging silence as an agreement. Enough earth ponies from the Appleton militia could have taken down the blighted tree, but I could not see it done without any loss of life.
“Then I believe we should be quick in leaving this place,” Gale said. “I do not like the idea of overstaying in a warlock’s place of power.”
Red Steel looked to the glade’s pool where we had discovered the remains of those ponies slain by the warlock. “Though I am loath to delay giving my fellow villagers a proper burial, we will have to recover the bodies later. We will need the right tools to gather the bones from the bottom of the pool, and I dare not do the job while a warlock is loose in my town.”
That struck me as sensible. The blighted treant was probably the warlock’s only significant defense against invaders, but it would be best not to stay and find out if he had more ways of smiting us. “I am in accord. We can make plans for our next move when we return to Appleton.” In truth, in addition to wanting to get away from the place where I had nearly been crushed by sentient flora, I desired to give myself time to think about what to do next. Matters had become significantly more complicated than I originally suspected now that we were dealing with a warlock. Not to mention that I had preparations to make if I was going to deal with the ritual we had just discovered.
Nopony disagreed with the idea of moving down the mountain and within a few hours we were back in Appleton—if more drenched and bedraggled than when we left. The trip back had taken longer considering the light had been fading during the entirety of our trip, while the rain continued its ceaseless downpour. It made me desire to speak with the local weather ponies about exactly why there needed to be so much rain, but there was not time for such diversions.
At Red Steel’s prompting, we returned to Appleton’s courthouse. It had room enough for all of us, and ‘twas unlikely we would be overheard by anypony there at that late hour. The militia captain unlocked the front door for us and we all promptly shuffled inside. While the spacious building offered little in the ways of comfort, it did serve as a welcome relief to the downpour and mud. I was not long in casting a spell to dry out my cloak and saddlebags. My companions were quick to ask if I could give them the same service, and seeing little reason to be discourteous, I did so. Despite my somewhat miserable condition, my magic had recovered more than sufficiently to allow me to manage the minor spell.
Red Steel lit a hanging oil lamp for us, illuminating the interior of the courthouse. “I will see about fixing everypony some tea to warm up. I will be but a few minutes.” Without waiting for any of our approval, she trotted to the stairs leading down to the courthouse’s basement where they kept the town’s records and small prison. I knew not whether the mare’s perpetually foul mood was a result of the late unpleasantness or was just her nature, but I found it irritating either way.
I did not desire to begin talking about what was to be done next without her, so there seemed little to do but await her return. Though now that we were no longer in immediate danger, the fatigue in my body drove me to sit on one of the benches in the courthouse and take my saddlebags off. Shame even those efforts made my body ache. After everything that had happened, it felt as though I could sleep clear through the next day.
Most of the others had wandered about the courthouse, either to talk in pairs, rest like myself, or pace about the room while we waited. I think the evening’s events were all still weighing upon us too much for anypony to desire much in the way of conversation. Stalwart continued to stand vigil over me as I rested. Either he had far more stamina than myself, or he was better at not showing his fatigue.
Gale sat down on the bench next to me, though she also seemed far less weary than I. “Thou art well after the battle?” Her eyes looked me up and down, taking her measure of me. “At least thou art not seriously injured.”
“I fare better than the tree that attacked us.” I rolled my sore shoulders and felt them pop from the motion.
Gale murmured in agreement. “Aye, ‘twas well done when thou sunk it into the mud. Though I would have preferred if thou hadst kept running instead of turning to face it.”
“I knew what I was doing,” I insisted. “I crippled the creature, did I not?”
Stalwart turned to face me, apparently satisfied that the courthouse held no hidden dangers. “‘Tis true, and I do not call your skill into question, but it was clearly attempting to slay you. It only struck at the rest of us when we attempted to stop it. If you had made it a priority to continue evading the creature and had remained out of its reach, it could hardly have accomplished its task.”
Gale nodded in agreement. “Likely our warlock feareth thee the most of us, for thou art most ready to meet his or her mettle in direct battle. At the very least, thy death would have limited our options in finding and facing her.” I could not argue with that bit of logic. Magi were typically the natural predator for warlocks, given our knowledge and training often made us best suited for slaying them. Not that warlocks were ever to be treated with anything but the utmost caution—even by a fully trained magus.
After all, warlocks had become warlocks by breaking the Laws of Magic. By murdering with magic, invading the minds or bending the wills of others, committing necromancy, attempting to travel through time, or seeking the aid of forbidden powers, warlocks were considered to be extremely dangerous for using magics most profane and evil. There was more than one spell that had legitimate and legal uses, but could be used for vile purposes if misused. More than one community had been ravaged when a unicorn had gone mad and either started enslaving the minds of his fellow ponies, created a small horde of undead in the local graveyard, or summoned a demon. That was not even getting into if somepony found some foul artifact or dealt with a demon to gain more terrible power. There were simply things many warlocks were willing to do that a proper magus would not seriously consider. Such as sacrificing a pony to harness the power from the murder. Thus every warlock was to be considered a dire threat.
“I could hardly have left all of ye to face that thing,” I protested. “I am not a coward, nor incapable of defending myself.”
Holding up a hoof to forestall anymore protests, Stalwart said, “As I said, we do not question your ability, nor wish to make you second guess your every decision, milady. Though we do wish to point out the tactical situation we were under. ‘Twould have been more prudent for you to do what you could to deny the warlock of his objective rather than seek to win the battle. Discretion is oft the better part of valour.”
“What is done is done, but remember that thou canst hardly help thy fellow ponies when thou art dead.” Gale’s somber tone was lightened when she gave me a mischievous grin. “Also ‘twould be best if thou didst not slip and fall ‘pon the battlefield, and run headfirst into low tree branches. While humorous after the fact, ‘tis hardly practical in keeping thy hide intact.”
I grumbled as I rubbed at my forehead. It stung when my hoof met the swelling bruise where I had struck the tree branch. “I will keep thy wisdom in mind for the future. Though in truth I—”
Our conversation was interrupted when Red Steel came stomping up the stairs. She held a fierce scowl and her generally choleric demeanor had been redoubled. “Applesauce has escaped,” she announced to us.
‘Twould suffice to say that would explain Red’s poor temperament. “Didst thou not place a deputy to watch over him while thou wert away?”
Red Steel blew an angry breath through her teeth. “Aye, and Cornhusk is missing. If he was overcome before he could put up much of a fight or fled when he saw danger, I do not know. If I had to guess, some of Applesauce’s kin probably came in and allowed him to escape.” Some of her anger seemed to subside as her shoulders slumped ever so slightly. “At least I hope that Cornhusk is well. I do not think the Apple Clan would harm him much for doing as I asked of him, but Appleton has been set to a boil.” ‘Twas not hard to believe that a hooffull of angry and stressed ponies might do something ill-advised. Especially against a lone target ill-suited to protect himself.
“Dost thou knowest where he might have gone?” I asked.
“He’s probably hiding on one of his kin’s farms. Either that or hiding in the woods.” Steel marched her way to the front door. “I will see if I can sniff him out, and maybe find where my deputy has run off to. Also, somepony needs to tell the families of those ponies that were murdered what has happened to their kin, and ‘tis my duty to do so.”
That was a task I did not envy Red Steel for. I considered the idea of offering my aid in that, but quickly dismissed the idea. I was a stranger to the ponies of Appleton, and better they hear the ill-tidings from somepony they knew. Though I did have some reservations about Red informing everypony in town that there was a warlock amongst their numbers. That could potentially cause Appleton to boil over given the town was already tense from the disappearances, and matters would not be helped when ponies learned that ponies they had known all their lives had been horribly murdered in a cannibalistic ritual. But looking at Red, I doubted she could be convinced not to tell everypony what had befallen their loved ones, and mother had warned me of the dangers of giving a pony orders they would not follow. That being the case, I concentrated on pertinent issues.
“Is the stallion dangerous?” I subconsciously rubbed at the bruise on my chest where the earth pony sharecropper had struck me.
Red Steel picked up her recently dried cloak from one of the benches and hurriedly put it on, looking intent on beginning her search without delay. “Normally I would say no, but Applesauce can be a fool on occasion. Especially when other ponies or some strong drink get him riled up. That pony hardly uses the head on his shoulders. He’s probably just holed up someplace and hoping that he can hide until everything blows over.” She let out a snort. “Probably expecting a pardon from the mayor once tempers have cooled. And she will probably give it to him once he’s paid some small fine. Carrot Casserole’s always had a soft touch. Especially when it helps keep the peace.”
“I do not believe a mayor has the right to pardon a pony for striking a royal magus,” I informed her. In truth, I cared little about the stallion as long as he did not make my task in Appleton more difficult, but there was precedent and the law to maintain. Allow a mayor to pardon a pony striking an official of the crown, and ‘twould only encourage anarchy across Equestria.
Sniffing as though she had smelled something rotten, the militia captain narrowed her eyes at me. “Then you can take Applesauce back with you if I can arrest him again, or Her Highness can send somepony to take him. If she can even be bothered with a town on the frontier of Equestria like Appleton.”
Not particularly liking the mare’s belligerent tone, I opened my mouth to retort, but was stopped when I felt Gale place a firm hoof upon my shoulder. She shook her head and whispered into my ear. “This is not a battle worth fighting, Midnight. Alienating Red will gain us nothing.”
I bit down on my tongue as I considered Gale’s advice. While I was in the right legally, winning that argument would only have angered the already choleric militia captain. Given she was likely one of the few ponies in the town I could begin to trust and count on for assistance, driving her to the point of refusing to assist me would only be detrimental.
“‘Tis of little importance.” I waved to dismiss the issue. “I take it thou planst on leaving immediately to find him? Even though we have not discussed what our next move will be ‘gainst the warlock.”
Red Steel nodded. “The trail grows cold by the minute. He might even be fleeing Appleton to escape justice, or worse—be looking to gather a gang to lynch some ponies.”
That last idea sounded particularly unappealing to me. Especially considering I would be a likely target for a lynch mob to hang from a tree. I was willing to bet that they would not even bother doing the hanging correctly by tying weights around my legs to make sure my neck would snap upon being dropped, but instead would sloppily kill me through asphyxiation. They probably would not even measure the rope properly. Really, if one was going to execute a pony, one could at least do it professionally.
I suppose it's a comfort to know that they would be foolish enough leave me to decompose on the noose as a statement. Whereupon my corpse would prove a health hazard and likely cause many to become ill. So I would have a measure of revenge, as little good as it would do me.
When Gale spoke, there was a clear undercurrent of worry within her tone. “Thou dost not intend to go alone? It is almost without question that Applesauce had other ne’er-do-wells to assist in his escape, and I would not see thee wounded because thou didst not have aid. Let me come with thee.”
“Neigh, I will do this without you.” Red Steel’s narrowed when her eyes looked to me and I could feel the contempt in her glare. “No doubt you need to watch your charge. I am sure she is far more important than some blacksmith and militia captain in some backcountry town.” Gale winced at the harsh words, and I wondered why Red Steel had used such venom with my friend. Perhaps it was because of something said between the two on the trail up the mountain? That would have to be something I would have to ask Gale about later.
Still, whatever problems Gale and Red Steel might have with one another, it would hardly do for the militia captain to be slain by Applesauce and his kin. But before I could offer aid, Red Steel lifted up a hoof to forestall me from speaking. “And do not suggest to assist me. All you would likely accomplish is rile up the Apple Clan even more than thou hast. I should be able to handle Applesauce and his ilk. There is barely a pony in this town who knows how to fight, and I am swifter than anypony else should I need to flee.”
“It still strikes me as dangerous for thee to go about alone in such troubled times,” I hedged.
“I can go,” Corporal Silent Forest said, stepping up besides Red Steel. “Barely be noticed. That is, if the magus agrees.”
I saw some wisdom in allowing Silent Forest to assist Red Steel, if she accepted the Long Patrolpony’s help. Silent was more likely to be seen as yet another earth pony by the ponies of Appleton, and thus be less likely to be treated hostilely. Not to mention he seemed to do an admirable job of fading into the background when he chose to. “I have no problems with the corporal escorting thee,” I said.
Red Steel considered that for a long moment before nodding. “I suppose you will do. Let us go. There is no time to delay.” Tightening her cloak about her, she made a slight incline of her head that only made the motion of deference without showing any proper respect. “Gale, m’lady. I will find you when I have done all that I can do.” Without waiting for a reply, she turned and left the courthouse.
After Silent Forest carefully closed the courthouse door as they left, Subtle Song let an annoyed huff as she sat down next to me, opposite of Gale. “I swear that mare could freeze a pony to death with her sunny disposition. Not to mention a poor taste in music, and a sense of humor as dead as a graveyard.”
“‘Tis a hard life out here in the Appleachian Mountains,” Gale defended. “And in hard times due to the ponies that have been murdered by this warlock.” She stretched one of her legs gingerly, hopefully only due to fatigue rather than anykind of injury.
“Mayhaps that is so.” Subtle smiled slyly and nudged my shoulder. “Though I prefer a pony who knows how to enjoy herself,” she said in a way that implied more than what was said, and an implied something that caught me flat-hooved.
Gale loudly cleared her throat and shot Subtle with an unamused look. “That being so, we should probably concentrate on dealing with the warlock before he kills anypony else, neigh?”
Subtle crossed her forelegs and sighed. “I suppose so.”
“Midnight, thou art sure ‘tis a warlock we are facing?” Gale asked.
I took a moment to cast a privacy spell, and felt a shift in the air as the spell fell over us. After what happened in the glade, I did not relish the idea of the warlock listening on our conversation about her. ‘Twas hardly paranoia when somepony had tried to kill me earlier that morning. “Most likely. I felt somepony move about magical energies to activate the blighted tree, and ‘twould explain the leftovers of the ritual we saw in the glade. Otherwise ‘twould have to be some creature capable of using the dark arts, and not just some mindless beast with natural ability vile magics. The trap and the sacrificial ritual precludes that given the efforts that went into them.”
Gale tapped a hoof on the bench. “I agree. Though ‘tis worth noting that there might be more than one warlock in Appleton.”
“That seems unlikely,” I said. “Warlocks rarely find common cause outside of cults, given most are mad and aggressively power-hungry—which makes it difficult for them to work together unless one has managed to dominate others. Even then, such relationships rarely last long before the master’s paranoia results in him slaying his subordinates, or the subordinates slay their master to achieve dominance. Not to mention it becomes much harder for groups of warlocks to hide themselves over time than a single clever and subtle individual.”
“‘Tis rare to see more than one warlock, but it could be possible. Some foul cult of earth ponies working together might be able to achieve what we have seen thus far. ‘Twould not be difficult for a pony to find others with similar motivations, depending on the warlock’s goals. One should always be wary where dark magic is concerned. Especially when there is every possibility of more than one warlock.” My friend was not uninitiated on the subject of magic. Before the Lunar Rebellion, the Kicker Clan had been Pegasopolis’ experts on magic (at least as much as Pegasopolis had), and possessed their largest reserve of warlock hunters. (1) So Gale’s counsel was to be heeded.
1. It’s quite possible that the Kicker Clan’s ties to the magi from warlock hunting was a contributing factor for why the Kicker Clan stayed loyal to Queen Celestia during the Lunar Rebellion. Their greater exposure to magi and unicorns in general probably caused them to have greater sympathies with Unicornia and its queen. It is notable that the Kicker Clan had the largest following of the Cult of Sol Invictus in Pegasopolis, and that Shadow Kicker herself spent a significant period of her life working with the then Magus Copper Spark while warlock hunting.
Subtle puckered her lower lip out as she thought. “But Appleton does not have any unicorns amongst its numbers. Could an earth pony even be a warlock capable of the feats we have seen thus far?”
“‘Tis possible, but a very rare thing.” I closed my eyes as I recalled what my lessons and readings had taught me. “‘Tis easier for unicorns to use spells for evil, but earth ponies can just as readily make pacts with fell spirits and demons to gain power, or find artifacts capable of giving them dark magic. Though if there is some sort of evil cult in Appleton, then that would help explain the feats of magic we have seen thus far. Many rituals and magics are far easier done in groups than alone. Especially where sacrifices are involved to give the practitioners power.”
There were reasons why the magi had spent the centuries doing their best to scour the land of foul artifacts of power, and to remove knowledge of forbidden powers from the lore of ponies. Temptation was often the prelude to falling to the dark arts. So ‘twas considered a preventative measure to remove sources of temptation. Of course, while the magi’s efforts had curtailed such things, likely our efforts would never be completely successful. (2)
2. Midnight has proven to be sadly prophetic on this point even eight centuries after writing her memoirs. We are still suffering from incidents such as an alicorn amulet being bought from a small magic shop and a dark magic book being found in an abandoned castle, and dark spirits such as Discord and Tirek escape from their prisons with distressing regularity.
Subtle sighed and pulled her lyre from her saddlebags, plucking at some strings as she thought. “Then I admit that I am at a bit of a loss for limiting the number of suspects. From the sounds of it, anypony in Appleton could be our warlock.”
“And there is worse news still.” I felt out with my magical senses and felt the magical power from the warlock’s ritual still hung over us like an oppressive fog. “Our warlock has begun some sort of ritual using the energy gathered from the sacrifices in the glade. I do not know what the ritual is for as of yet, but I can tell that ‘twill be significant and to an evil purpose. Likely all of Appleton is threatened, or at least I think that is how we should act given the amount of power I am feeling and its foulness.”
Stalwart fluttered his wings as he glanced about the windows. “Is there anything that can be done about this ritual? From the sounds of it, it will take us time to find this warlock. Time we might not have.”
“Aye, I believe so.” I stood up from the bench, finding the need to pace as I thought. “I think with sufficient preparations I could dispel the energies of the ritual—whatever its foul purpose is.” The events of the day started weighing heavier on me, and I rubbed at my tired eyes. “Though I will need rest before attempting to do so. The counter-ritual I plan on using will require a great deal of concentration, and I dare not attempt it after such a tiring day. I will be working with considerable magical energies, and failure could result in me being left as a charred corpse from the magical backlash.”
“Then ‘twould seem best for us to return to the magnate’s home and get you to bed,” Stalwart said. “There seems little to be gained from marching ourselves into exhaustion at this point.”
Gale stood and nodded in agreement. “Aye, and I could use a hot meal in addition to a warm bed.” She shivered and tried to wipe off some of the water that still clung to her coat. “I will find myself with a cold due to this weather if I am not careful.”
Subtle Song quickly but carefully put her lyre back into her saddlebags. “Both of those things do sound wonderful.”
“I agree.” My stomach had been in a knot from the stress of battle, but the mention of food reminded me of my own hunger. “Dost thou have thine own lodgings, Subtle Song?”
“I have been sleeping on Red Steel’s floor for the past couple of days.” Subtle’s lips curved into a sly smirk. “Though I think I will venture an attempt at staying the night at the magnate’s home tonight.”
I moved towards the front door, ready to find some rest from an exhausting day. “Carrot Casserole might not have much room left considering she already offered hospitality to us.”
Subtle Song opened the door. “Oh, do not worry. I have my ways of finding a warm bed.” The extra sway she put into her hips as she crossed the threshold made me think that Subtle relied upon more than her skill with the lyre to accomplish her goals. (3)
3. One of my co-editors feels the need to note that it’s likely that Midnight is staring in order to note the movements of Subtle Song’s rear. Midnight is probably just too prudish to admit that she was doing as such. Not to mention potentially being too oblivious to see Gale’s motivations.
Gale stepped between me and Subtle, blocking my line-of-sight to the unicorn bard. “Then that will be between thee and the magnate, Subtle,” she said pointedly.
Giving Gale an amused smile, Subtle shrugged. “If you say so.”
The two of them exchanged a long look before I cleared my throat. “Could ye two stop blocking the threshold? I am hungry and desire rest, but ‘tis quite impossible for me to walk through the both of you.”
Gale gave Subtle one last glare before stepping out of the doorway, and thus allowing us to make our way to the magnate’s home.
It should perhaps come as no surprise that Carrot Casserole’s namesake was amazing. I was used to the fine cuisine of Canterlot given I had lived almost my entire life there. I regularly ate the finely and meticulously made meals servants of the palace prepared for me and other ponies who came into the princess’s orbit. So the more hearty spread of food laid out before me on the large dining room table by Carrot Casserole’s family was a unique experience for me. While I was no stranger to feasts, the plates stacked with prepared vegetables, grains, bread rolls, and fruits seemed far more than a single family could readily eat. I was quickly proven wrong on that point as Casserole, her wife Pea Soup, their six children, Grandmother Carrot, Carrot Juice, and her daughter Carrot Slice devoured the food before them. It was a larger gathering for dinner than I was accustomed to. Normally, ‘twas only me and my mother sitting at the dining room table unless she had invited some guest over.
Seeing them all finish one plate after another was almost intimidating as I slowly picked over the plate before me. While I was hungry myself, it hardly compared to that of the ponies around me. That probably wasn’t that surprising. I was not a large pony, especially in comparison to the large and muscular earth ponies that surrounded me at that table. Not to mention that the hard farm life they all lived probably took a great deal of energy.
“You getting enough to eat there, m’lady?” Casserole asked me not the first nor likely the last time. “Really, eat as much as you want.”
“I am fine,” I assured her. Looking down at my half-full plate, my guilt over not finishing the plate fought against my full belly. While I had said that I had enough on my plate, Casserole had insisted that I was merely being modest and kept shoveling more food onto the plate. Decorum demanded that as a guest I try and finish the plate, but I had long met my match.
“Could I have some more mashed potatoes?” Subtle Song asked gleefully while offering her plate. One of Casserole’s children promptly shoveled some potatoes onto her plate, and Subtle went back to eating enthusiastically. While the battle of attrition had long ground me into the dust, Subtle was still in high spirits. I could only guess that the life of a traveling musician was far more rigorous than I originally expected. Either that or she merely had a natural appetite to put most to shame. Gale and Stalwart were each eating their own fair shares, but soldiers were rather well known for their appetites. ‘Twould seem that I would once again be the odd one out.
We had been fortunate in that we had arrived right in time for dinner. The magnate had been little concerned with our disheveled appearance, and had swiftly ushered us to sit and eat. Though I sensed that Casserole wished to hear what news we bore as there was a certain tenseness in her movements and when she looked upon us, but she did not press at the dinner table.
The mayor looked around the table and saw that everypony had their fill. “Pea, wouldst thou mind cleaning up while I speak with Magus Midnight?”
“Of course, dear.” Pea pecked her wife on the cheek and proceeded with clearing some of the plates from the table. She also went about ordering her children about on various tasks with the type of expertise that only came with experience.
Casserole waved for me and my companions to follow her into the living room, which we did. “So what news can you give me from the day?”
I noticed that we had been followed into the living room by Grandmother Carrot. “It might be best if this meeting remained private, mayor.”
Grandmother Carrot snorted derisively. “Ya think Ah don’t have a right to know what is goin’ on in mah own town? Ah have been here longer than anypony.” From her tone, it didn’t sound like she would brook an argument from anypony. The elderly earth pony carefully sat down into a chair that creaked under her weight. “Now Ah am goin’ to sit here and listen, and that is all there is to it.”
I did not particularly enjoy the thought of the old Carrot matron listening to what might be some sensitive information about what I had discovered. True, Red Steel was probably at this very moment revealing some of what we knew, but she seemed to know at least a little bit about discretion.
I directed an unapproving look at Casserole, and her eyes flickered from me to the elderly Carrot. I could see her weighing who she wished to offend before making a decision. “I am sure it will be fine if Grandmother stays. She’s been around as long as anypony, and probably has some wisdom to offer.”
This decision did not please me, but I was too sore and tired to argue the point. “Very well, then.” I cast a privacy spell over the room—something I had a feeling was going to become a habit in Appleton. “I imagine thou wishest to hear everything we learned?” I asked as I sat down on a cushion. Gale and Stalwart each sat down on cushions on either side of me while Subtle Song lounged on one of the couches.
Casserole sat down on her own cushion and nodded. “If you would, Magus.”
I told them about our trip up the mountain, everything we had found in the glade and about the likelihood of there being a warlock committing some sort of vile ritual that threatened Appleton. The mayor swallowed as she tried to digest what I had told her. “That is evil news, indeed. So everypony that has gone missing...”
“Likely they are no longer amongst the living,” Gale promptly stated.
Grandmother Carrot sat so still that it was hard to tell if she was even alive at times or rather a corpse that had only just expired. It almost came as a surprise when her wispy rasp of a voice said, “Ya plan on findin’ whoever did this thing?”
I nodded. “Aye, it might take time, but we will find the one who slew those ponies. After a night’s rest, I will disable the warlock’s ritual. That will at least disrupt whatever the warlock’s plan was. From there we will do what we must to find the warlock and bring him or her to justice.” I was not exactly sure how I would do so without combing the town for evidence, but I would do my duty. One way or another.
“Then it would be best to get you cleaned up and to bed then.” The magnate stood up and gestured for me to stand. “Come, let us get you a quick shower. Most everything you should need should already be outside.”
“Outside?” I asked.
I discovered that the Carrot magnate had indeed set up a shower outside along the side of her home. In a feat of earth pony engineering, the family had a cistern—a metal tank intended to catch and store rainwater—and attached a showerhead to a pipe that ran down from it. It looked like a small watertower, though it seemed that its only purpose was to bathe anypony who stood within the wooden shack that jutted out of the side of the rest of the Carrot home.
Leaving most of my belongings in the guest room, I made for the shower. While it still rained, ‘twas not nearly as heavy as it used to be. Another blessing was that a stone path circled the home, thus allowing me to walk without getting more mud on my hooves.
I had just entered the shower-shed and was about to close the door when Gale entered. She closed the door and gave me a faint smile. “Greetings, Midnight. Needest thou mine aid to attend thy back?”
I shrugged, finding no reason to object. “If thou desirest. Then I can attend to thine.” (4)
4. It should be noted that bathing customs in Pegasopolis and much of Unicornia were significantly different than they are today. While bathing is now a much more private affair, the widespread popularity and availability of bathhouses caused there to be few taboos against public bathing.
“My thanks for that.” Her smile faded as she approached me. “I suppose I should be grateful that Subtle has not beaten me to it.”
I caused me to raise an eyebrow. “Subtle? Why dost thou think she would desire to join me?” I turned on the water and was glad for the spell I had upon myself to protect myself against the cold. Otherwise, the chilly water would have made the experience much less inviting.
“Hast thou not noted how her eyes linger upon thee? 'Tis unbecoming.” Gale looked about the shed before sighting a large brush hanging from the wall. She approached it and picked it off the hook it hung from. “And she is no mere troubadour.” She proceeded to scrub at my back. While I could have done so easily myself with my telekinesis, I felt it polite to let her do so given I would be returning the favor shortly.
I redirected the showerhead so that the water would fall on both of us. “Neigh, I had not noticed.” While Subtle had struck me as a flirtatious mare, I did not perceive her as having any desire for myself. “I do not know why she would do such a thing if 'tis true.”
“Dost thou not?” Gale took the brush out of her mouth to speak more clearly. “Thou art a comely mare, and the daughter of the second most powerful mortal mare in Equestria.”
I took the brush from her and started scrubbing her back. “So thou thinkest she wisheth to take advantage of me?” Mother had often enough warned me about ponies who might try and use my position and influence to their own advantage. Not to mention how coitus could be used to manipulate a pony.
“'Twould be like a bard to do so.” Gale snorted, making it clear how well she thought of Subtle. “Be wary of her, and do not let her find thee in isolation.”
“I will be wary then.” Continuing to rub at Gale’s back to remove the sweat and grime that had collected, I said, “She seemeth an ... odd one to me.”
“Aye. But enough of her, there are other matters to be discussed.” Gale moved on to scrub at my belly.
“Are there?” I picked up a bar of soap that was sitting on a shelf and began lathering up her coat with it.
“Aye. May I speak bluntly, my friend?”
The soap slowed as I considered that. “Aye, thou mayst.”
There was a moment of silence before Gale said, “Ne'er confess thine ignorance. A magus is expected to know all. Thy statements about the tree were unbecoming of one of thy station.”
I was taken aback by the subject, confused as to Gale’s exact meaning. “But I hardly know everything. Neigh, the more I have learned the more ignorant I have come to know that I am. No single pony can know all the knowledge the world possesses. Not even a tenth.”
“Of course. But to confess thine ignorance openly is unwise.” She took the soap and started applying it to my coat. “Thy subordinates will lose confidence. When thou hast declared that thou knewest nothing ‘bout the tree that attacked us, thou only lessenedst the respect of everypony around them, and made them all the more afraid of what they did not know. Our morale was not served well by thy words.”
I frowned as I considered Gale’s comments carefully before speaking. “But how am I to do as such? 'Twill become plain to all if I am ignorant in time, and giving them false knowledge can do all the more harm.”
Gale pushed my cheek so that I looked her in the eyes. “Choose thy words more carefully. Rather than confess thine ignorance, show thy knowledge. I know that thou knewest more than thou saidst back at the glade. Thou couldst have been forthcoming with what thou knewest, and have lost nothing in the eyes of thy fellow ponies. Even if thou didst not know for certain what that creature was, thou couldst have given us a reasonable guess. Ponies expect a magus to be knowledgeable, use that to thine advantage.”
“So I am to give them all the knowledge I possess while not discussing what I do not?” I asked.
She returned to scrubbing my side with her wing. “Just so. And do not betray thine uncertainty. Such a thing can be poison to the morale of thy subordinates.”
“That is easier said than done.” I sighed as I went back to rubbing Gale down with the soap. “I confess that I feel ... ill-equipped to deal with the task before me.”
Gale glanced at me through the corner of her eye. “And why is that?”
I put aside the soap and worked to wash the suds out of Gale’s coat. “I am no great investigator, or warrior, or anything. 'Twas not that long ago that I became a magus. I do not understand these ponies, and do not know their ways. Much less this warlock we face.” My ears flattened. “It all feels overwhelming.”
“'Tis a heavy burden thou dost bear, but one I think thee capable of.” She wrapped a wing across my back and gave me an encouraging squeeze. “When first I joined the Long Patrol, I faced similar worries. 'Twas there that I learned an important lesson: monsters can smell fear.”
“Is that literal, or a case of the metaphorical?” I asked.
“A bit of each,” Gale said. “But I find that all predators recognize fear and uncertainty. And they are drawn to it.”
I frowned at that bit of wisdom. “So thou art advising to show none? Even when one feels fear?”
“Aye.” Gale took a moment to have the water from the spout pour over her face before continuing. “During the war, the Triumvirate always sought to project an image of confidence. Especially when the war went ill. (5)
5. The Triumvirate was what Grandmaster Crossguard, Archmagus and Grand Vizier Sunbeam Sparkle, and Ephor Shadow Kicker were called by ponies after the defeat of Polaris’s army during the Lunar Rebellion. While this was not a formal position, their leadership of the loyalists during the darkest days of the war for the Solars caused many to see the three of them as working in concert with one another.
“There is a reason thy mother ne'er put much effort into denying the rumors that she betrayed Polaris to his doom.” She stated. “Though she did not, the rumor provided an odd sort of reassurance in the wake of his defeat—that e'en this disaster was a part of a grander scheme for victory.”
That much I knew to be true. Mother rarely made more than a token effort to dismiss any misdeed she did. Part of it is because I knew some of them to be true, but as Mother put it, she often wore her infamy as a shield against her enemies. “This is true. I have seldom seen Mother act without confidence in anything she has done, much less the Lady Protector.” Mayhap ‘twas only because I had not interacted with Gale’s mother as much as mine own, but if Shadow Kicker had any moments of weakness I had not seen any.
Gale nodded. “Their confidence inspirest those below them.”
I conceded with my own nod. “And thou wouldst have me do the same?”
“Aye.” She smiled with assurance. “If thou art confident, 'twill inspire confidence in others.”
“I am not sure how confident I can appear.” I sighed. “I am not either of our mothers.”
“Neigh, nor shouldst thou seek to be. Thou art thyself. Now...” Gale lifted my chin up with a hoof. “A smile.” I gave her a smile, and, to my consternation, she flinched. “...We shall work on that later.”
I frowned. “My apologies.”
“There is nothing to apologize for.” Gale pecked me upon the lips. “Pretense at confidence, and in time the reality will follow.”
“I can pray that 'tis so.” I began carefully preening one of Gale’s wings. Perhaps fortunately for Gale, I had gained more experience since my first sorry attempt at doing so.
Gale made a neutral murmur. “Practice at it.”
“Very well.” I took a long moment to breath before drawing myself up straight to appear more confident.
“Very good.” Gale nuzzled me approvingly, causing my heart to feel lighter.
I nuzzled her back and returned to preening her wings. There was a minute of silence between us before I brought myself to speak again. “Gale, if I may ask a question of thee?”
“Of course.”
I hesitated before making myself ask the question. “Dost thou knowest Red Steel? Thou seemest to be familiar with her.”
“I do,” she answered confidently. “'Tis valuable to have contacts all across Equestria.”
It was true that Gale knew many ponies across the realm, but I was not completely satisfied with that answer. “How didst thou come to know her? Near as I know, this village is far out on the frontier of Equestria, and near nothing of real importance.”
I detected a hint of hesitation in Gale as her shoulders bunched up slightly before she answered. “Thou dost not recognize her?”
My head tilted at that reply. “Neigh, I do not. I cannot remember an earth pony such as herself, and I think I would readily remember a mare with such a caustic personality.”
“Ah, of course.” Gale nodded to herself. “She is not an earth pony, and she bears a new name now. 'Twould explain thy confusion.”
I felt consternation as this mystery unfolded before me. “Not an earth pony? What meanest thou, pray tell? She possesseth no horn, and her armor is not so heavy as to cover wings, assuming she was foolhardy enough to cover them.”
“She no longer has wings. They were—” A flicker of emotion that I could not read passed over her face, “—taken from her.”
All attempts at continuing with the bath ceased. “She hath been maimed?”
“Aye, ten years ago,” Gale said softly.
I blinked slowly as the pieces of the puzzle fell into place. “Thou hast said I have met her?”
“Aye. In Manehatten, shortly after she was Clipped.”
I blinked as I finished the puzzle. “Red Steel is Swiftwing?” Memories a decade old flooded back of the Clipped filly on the verge of flowering as a mare. I remembered the daughter of Steel Striker, the paterfamilias and ephor of Pegasopolis, well. ‘Twas rather difficult for me to forget a pony who had viciously attacked me after I had asked about the stumps that remained of her wings after her elder brother had sawed them off. From what I had heard, her brother had been a fool who removed his sister’s wings as part of some sort of ill-conceived plan to gather his father’s approval. Though the idiocy of the plan caused me to wonder if that was the full truth of it. ‘Twas difficult to say considering the young stallion had quickly committed suicide in shame soon after the incident. Needless to say that the brother in question had not received his father’s approval for maiming his sister.
Multiple questions ran through my head, and I grasped one before I was perplexed into indecision. “After all these years she hath come to this town in the middle of nowhere of all places?”
“Aye, 'tis so.” Gale ran her mane through the shower, and I could see the tension that rested in her shoulders. “I am sure thou canst grasp the reasons for her name.”
“The former to allude to her maiming, and the latter after her father,” I quickly surmised. I also guessed the reason for her name change and why she had come to a place like Appleton, though I did not state it. There was the fact that the name ‘Swiftwing’ could only have brought her further pain after her Clipping. I could only imagine what permanently losing my horn would do to me. ‘Twas not a pleasant thought.
As the daughter of one of the defeated ephors of Pegasopolis, there would be those who would seek vengeance for some act committed during the war by the rebels. Nevermind that Red Steel had nothing to do with the war and its conduct. Aye, she had not even been in Pegasopolis when the war started. But ponies did not always act rationally or wisely, especially when they might have kin who had been slain upon the battlefield. Though like many of the rebels, Red Steel was most likely proud of the Lunar cause, and hadth thus taken part of her father’s name as her own.
I was drawn from my thoughts as Gale spoke again. “I would not speak to her of it. 'Tis an old wound.”
“I can see the wisdom of that.” I frowned. “Her origins would explain her hostility to me, I think. My mother had been one of the primary ponies responsible for Pegasopolis’s defeat and the death of her father.” I rubbed at my face as I thought over how this was going to complicate matters. “And she is the pony I count on most in this town.”
Calm steel lined Gale’s voice when she said, “She is of Pegasopolis, e'en absent her wings. She will do her duty, whatever her feelings.”
I closed my eyes and ran my head through the running water as I thought. “That would fit with her actions thus far. Though I fear she will have little love for me.”
“Thou needst not her love, merely her aid,” she stated.
“'Tis true, that.” While she had not treated me in a particularly courteous manner, thus far she had refrained from tackling me in a rage and striking me repeatedly upon the face me like she had in the past. I considered that a significant improvement.
Gale nuzzled me upon the cheek. “The matter is settled, then?”
“Aye, 'tis so,” I said.
“Very good then.” That settled, Gale started running her hooves through my mane to clean it. Her hooves felt soothing, and I fell back into mine own thoughts. My friend must have noticed, for she nuzzled my neck to give comfort. “What troubles thee, dear friend?”
I leaned against Gale, my energy leaving me after everything I had gone through. “I am trying to decide what I should do next tomorrow once I have rested. I will do what I can to disable the energies of that ritual, but I am not sure what should be done after that. Normally warlocks are more obvious in their misdeeds, and are thus easier to find and smite down. But such is not the case here.”
“I have confidence in thy skills.” Once again Gale tipped up my chin with her hoof and smiled into my eyes. “Now, share my confidence.”
The corners of my mouth turned into a small smile. “I will try.”
“Thou shalt succeed.” Gale leaned in and her lips met my own.
I prayed for our sakes that I would as I returned the gesture.
Now clean of the dirt and grime of the long day, Gale and I went back inside the home. There was only the one guest room in the magnate’s home, so Stalwart and Subtle were sleeping in the living room. (6)
6. As the more prestigious guests to Carrot Casserole’s home, it was the social norm for Midnight and Gale to receive the better accommodations. If Midnight’s retinue had been larger, ponies could have expected to sleep in the barn.
I opened the door to the guest room and stopped abruptly at the threshold. I took in the sight before me and screamed at the horror I saw inside. My saddlebags lay open while my possessions were scattered about the floor of the room. Only chaos served to express how my possessions were strewed about. The pages of Stalwart’s booklet had fallen out of their cover, my medical supplies lay in a disorganized pile in a corner, and several vials of my magus supplies had been opened and their contents emptied onto the floor.
There sitting amongst the carnage, I saw the perpetrators of the heinous crime. They turned to me and their ears fell flat upon their heads, knowledge that they had been caught in their horrible misdeeds plain to them.
“What are ye doing with my possessions?!” I roared.
Two of the younger of Carrot Casserole’s children clung to another in fear. “We are sorry, Magus,” the older of the two said. Though I could not recall his name. “W-we did n-not mean to—”
“Mean to what?” I glared balefully at them. “To go through my possessions without my permission and throw them about like toys?”
I felt Gale place a hoof upon my shoulder, and she gently but firmly tugged me back from the threshold. “Midnight, they are but children. Do not be so harsh with them.”
“B-but my possessions,” I replied, my voice breaking into more of a whine than I cared for. “My silver dust is scattered amongst the broken vial of one of my potions. And then there is—”
Gale firmly but calmly interrupted me, “I know, but look at them. Thou hast scared them out of proportion of their misdeeds.” She pointed and I looked. My ears wilted when I saw that the two of children had not moved from the spot where I had found them, and continued to stare at me with wide-eyed fright. While I had been wroth with them, it had not been my intention to frighten them so.
Stalwart came running up the stairs, no doubt responding to my scream. Gale quickly waved at him, motioning that everything was well enough, and to return downstairs. With that taken care of, Gale returned her attention to me. “Children often get into possessions that do not belong to them, for they are curious. While ‘tis not right, aye, even ill-advised for them to do what they have done, thou hast gone too far. Talk with their parents and have them see to their punishment, but not more.”
“Aye, of course.” I nodded to turned back to face the children. “While I am not happy with what ye have done, I should not have raised my voice with you. So I apologize for my actions.”
“‘T-tis fine, Magus.” Though the older of the two said the words, I could not help but sense that he had said them more to please me than actual sincerity. “C-can we g-go now?”
“Aye.” Gale’s maternal smile slowly became a wolfish one. “Straight to your parents where ye can explain to them your misdeeds.” The two little earth ponies moaned at the fate laid at their hooves.