Denuo Fortuna

by Firecaller

Chapter 34 - First Dig Two Graves

Sunbeam stood outside the guard room door, her eyes glowing slightly as she studied the magical auras of the ponies inside.

‘Two sitting down, probably at a table. As they’re closest to my entry point, they’ll be first and second. Another is standing in, what I think is, the kitchen, you'll be the third. And finally, the one laying down, you, my friend, will be the fourth and last to go. So the order of engagement is: two at the table; one stood up; one laying down. Middle, middle, left, right.’ She repeated the motions with her head a few times before taking a breath.

‘Ready… wait.’ She backed into the shadows, her eyes returning to normal, as one of the auras started moving towards the door.

Walking back into the guard room, Misty Night grumbled loudly. “I swear that last beer had something in it. I don’t know how you lot aren't affected, I can’t stop going to…”

He slowed to a stop. Bright Smile was slumped over the table, scattering cards and playing chips everywhere. At least he assumed it was Bright Smile; the pony was missing its head. Shiny Bead was still laying on the bunk bed, a look of surprise on his face... and missing an entire section of his barrel between his fore and hind legs. In the doorway to the kitchen, he could see a pair of hind legs laying on the floor. They were the same colour as Blue Rose’s.

Taking a step into the room, he heard a crunch. Looking down, he found the floor covered in red and white crystals.

His mouth opened and closed as he stood and stared.

Behind him, Sunbeam stepped forward, a dagger in her hoof.

Sunbeam studied the map she’d unrolled and laid on the table. Using piles of playing chips, and one of Bright Smile’s hooves, she’d managed to get the map flat. Tapping her hoof on each guard room she’d cleared, she smiled when she tapped on this one. The exit was unguarded now.

‘Right, that’s all the guard rooms taken care of. Okay I admit it, I was fretting. This is a lot easier than I thought. Three to four per guard room and very poorly trained, if at all. Looks like somepony just gave them weapons and expected them to be able to guard.’ Sunbeam shook her head. ‘Not to mention a complete lack of drilling in what to do if attacked. Most of them just stood there, trying to work out what to do. Not that I’m complaining of course.’

Looking back down at the map, her hoof tapped on the dormitory. Giving a brief nod, she freed the map from the weights, rolled it up and placed it back in her sash. The green sash and the two black handled daggers it held, ones that had been liberated from the last guard room.

“Neutralise all guard rooms: done. Wiping out the main body of this little cluster-buck: next. After that, go see Mast… Brother Adeptus and…” Her smile grew lopsided. “Express my displeasure. Then I got all the time in the world to go rescue Greywing and gloat madly.” Her face turned mock serious. “Internally of course.”

In the locker room, Hardy Shore studied his cards. Seated opposite him, over the bench they were using as a table, Soft Touch studied his.

Soft Touch was supposed to be helping tend the fire with Leafy Scribble back in the dormitory. Hardy Shore had gotten up early and persuaded him to carry on the card game from earlier, he wanted a chance to win some of his bits back. Leafy Scribble hadn’t minded being left alone to tend the fire, stating that she found watching the flames relaxing.

Lifting his cards up over his shoulder, Soft Touch showed them to the green unicorn mare behind him. He pointed to a card, she shook her head and tapped another.

Faintly annoyed, Hardy Shore watched Soft Touch discard the card the unicorn had tapped and picked up another. He tried not to smile too much when Soft Touch pulled a face on seeing the new card. He then threw the unicorn a dirty look, getting a shrug in response.

Hardy Shore went to look down at his cards, when the unicorn, with a puzzled expression, pointed a hoof behind him.

Hardy Shore twisted around to look behind him. All he could see was the door to back to the dormitory. He looked back to ask…

Soft Touch had a dagger buried in the side of his neck, a bloodied tip just protruding out the other side. He sat there with a shocked look on his face, a trembling hoof halfway up to his neck, trying to say something, but unable to find his voice.

The unicorn had her head lowered, her horn pointing directly at Hardy Shore.

Hardy Shore saw a bright flash.

Walking into the dormitory, Sunbeam took a good look around in the purposely low lighting. The dormitory itself had been hewn straight out of the bedrock, with the walls and ceiling having an uneven, rough look to them. There were five rows of beds, three rows of single beds to the left of the central walkway and two rows of bunk beds to the right. The roaring fire at the opposite end of the room, in an attempt to keep the cold and damp at bay, had a single pony tending it. She had her back to Sunbeam.

As Sunbeam silently approached the pony, she could hear light snores and the odd creak-of-a-bed as somepony turned over in their sleep. The pony, engrossed by the fire, never heard her approach.

Sunbeam studied the fire as the ponies’ struggles, like the pony herself, died in her grip. ‘Humm, must be magically transferring the smoke out of here somehow.’

Sunbeam moved back to the centre of the room and looked around the dormitory.

With a puzzled look, she brought up a hoof to her eyes and examined it as it trembled.

‘Get a grip you stupid mare, you’ve retired groups of ponies before.’

She lowered her hoof. Her ears fell flat to the sides.

‘Just... This is more than -all- the ponies I’ve ever retired put together.’

More seconds passed.

‘Oh I hate you Scrolls, namely for making me able to do this. I so don’t -want- to do this, I so don’t want to be here.' She snorted. “Yeah, nopony’s ever said that before have they."

She took a deep breath. ‘Nopony is here to do this for me though.’

A dull milky glow surrounded her horn.

Sunbeam closed her eyes. ‘Still, I’d rather be on a beach right now.’

The dust in the air around her started to glint.

‘A white-sand tropical beach. In a hammock, stretched between two palm trees. In the shade, drinking a cocktail...’

The drain on her reserve became unpleasant.

‘Jungle to the left, sea to the right. I can smell the salty smell of the sea. I can smell the damp-earth smell of the jungle…’

Frost formed around her on the floor. The amount of magic the spell was now needing to be maintained was fast approaching her limit.

‘Hah, I don’t even like the beach! Laying there, listening to your brain bake.’

Reaching a critical level of charge, the spell fundamentally changed and it's demands on her spiked. No longer viable by the amount of magic she could feed it, the spell started forcibly extracting the extra magic it wanted directly from her.

A pained exhale came from Sunbeam as her output exceeded her limits. With the spell feeding itself now, she’d lost all control over it.

‘I can hear the… the sounds of the... jungle. The… sounds of... the sea...’

There was no way she could stop the spell now. It would keep feeding until it initiated itself. The frost started to expand in all directions.

‘S-s-sipping a c-cocktail from a c-coconut husk… Oh, I - I hate p-pain.’

Her coat started to glisten as ice crystals formed in it. The exhales from the ponies in the nearest beds could clearly be seen as little puffs of vapour now.

‘Drin-king the cockt-tail t-t-through…. a-a…. s-str-aw-aw. It has a, a… yellow u-umbrella in it. I c-can taste the...’

The spell entered its final stages. It no longer mattered if Sunbeam remained conscious or not.

‘...Piñ-a c-colada… It’s...’

The spell took everything she had left in her reserve... and triggered.

Sunbeam fell to the floor, briefly losing consciousness.

The last flame in the fireplace sputtered and died. The embers glowed for a few seconds longer… then the frost claimed the log.

Even in the now distinctly duller light cast by the frost coated lanterns, the room glistened with frost.

In the middle of the dormitory laying stretched out on her stomach was Sunbeam. The coating of frost hid her green fur, making it look like there was a white pony laying on the floor, panting heavily, waiting for her shakes to subside.

There was no other sound in the room now: no crackle of the fire; no snoring; no creak-of-the-bed as somepony turned over in their sleep. Just rows of silent, frost covered beds.

Her mind slowly cleared.

“T-that hurt! I think... I think I’m gonna lay here for a bit. So tired. Need to recover before I move on.” She looked around at the beds.

She quickly turned her head away. ‘Don’t count! Don’t count!’

As she lay there, unable to do anything much else, her mind wandered.

‘Think I hit minus one twenty C there, without an amulet. Scrolls would be so proud… may the mother-bucker burn in Tartarus.’

She shifted around to get comfortable.

‘Humm, I wonder how deep Tartarus actually goes? I’ve never been particularly fond of hot weather. I do hope they’ve got air-con and iced drinks. And by the pool I want...’

The memory rose unbidden.

‘I want to get a cutie mark in singing mummy! I like seeing ponies smile when I sing. Can I be a singer when I grow up mummy?’

Sunbeam slowly curled up into a ball.

Twilight paced the chamber.

Applejack sighed. “Darn it sugar, will you settle down. I’m sure that Sunbeam taking this long, without any alarms going off, is a good sign. Probably means she’s doing her best to avoid unnecessary casualties.”

Twilight’s ears fell.

Sunbeam held the dagger up to the Bastion’s unflinching eyes. She glanced over to Brother Adeptus, sleeping on the other side of the room. She’d barely had enough magic to place the silencing spell.

She looked back at the Bastion. “Twilight explained it to me, you’ve been like this too long to come back. I offer you the only release a pony like me can offer. Say something if you don’t want it.”

No response. Sunbeam nodded. She looked at the other two Bastions who she’d made the same offer to. They hadn’t responded either.

Cold water being thrown over him woke Brother Adeptus. He immediately reached for his magic, only to howl in pain as the inhibitor ring around his horn punished him for doing so.

Sunbeam tied him face down on the bed while he was too busy with the pain to resist. Afterwards, she seated herself down by the head of the bed, patiently waiting for him recover.

She jovially patted him on the head as she waited. “Just so you know, you are going to die. I just need to know where my amulet is.” Her tone darkened. “You turned me into a meat puppet. I was a someponies bucking puppet... again.” Taking several calming breaths, her jovial tone returned as she ruffled his forelock. “I do hope you like screaming.”

As an afterthought, she leaned forward and tapped the inhibitor ring on his horn. “With Miss Rarity’s regards.”

Brother Adeptus screamed as Sunbeam broke his hind leg.

She smiled up at him. “Now I have your attention… Where is my amulet?”

He lay there whimpering.

She tilted her head. “Tick tock Brother.”

She placed her hooves on his other hind leg and raised an eyebrow.

“Desk drawer…” He panted out.

She smiled... and broke his other hind leg.

Carefully, Sunbeam opened the second draw in the desk. Sitting there on some papers, was her amulet. Reverently she lifted it up and hugged it to her chest. Almost a full minute went past before she went to close the drawer.

A drawing of a spell matrix on the top sheet caught her eye, it was clearly one from her amulet. Curiosity piqued, she lifted out the papers and started reading them.

“My, you’ve been busy haven’t you Brother. Trying to work out what the last stage of the spell does humm?” Sunbeam scanned the sheet. “Nope, nope… Not even close… Oh! Now you’re just guessing.” She looked over to him. “Would you really like to know what it does?” She lifted an eyebrow. “Well, I’m not going to tell you.” Sunbeam blew a raspberry at him. “So there.” She flipped a page over. “And…”

The shiver went down her spine as she looked at the page. “You’ve identified the second stage! It’s…”

“A necromancy spell!” Brother Adeptus sneered at her. “Oh yes, the noble hero, always trying to do what is right, has been wearing a bauble with the darkest of arts on it all this time. Oh, how noble of you, wearing a spell that captures a soul upon death and imprisons as much of it as possible into the target receptacle. Crude, ancient in design, but effective I’ll grant you. Whatever the third stage does, it’s powered by a soul.”

Sunbeam’s back legs gave way.

He smiled at her shocked look. “If anypony finds what you’re wearing, you’ll be kicked out of every civilized place on the planet. If they don’t kill you first.”

Slowly Sunbeam stood up and walked over to him. Brother Adeptus tensed up, waiting for the blow.

Sunbeam leaned over and kissed his forehead.

He lay there, open-mouthed, as she did a little dance before him.

“Oh thank you thank you thank you. You have no idea how much that was driving me up the wall. I just couldn’t find the spell matrix listed anywhere. By the way, it doesn’t power it, the second stage provides the all-important focus for the third stage. The power source is… unique.”

Sunbeam seated herself back down. “Necromancy! Hah! No wonder I couldn’t find anything in the library. Little-miss-goody-four-shoes couldn’t have anything like that in there, could she? Oh no!” Her smile turned rueful as she rubbed her chin in thought.

Brother Adeptus saw her suddenly shiver.

“The Cutie Mark Crusaders… Necromancers…” Her eye’s widened as watched some internal scene playing out. “Oh buck no! Twilight Sparkle, you go right ahead and keep those books hidden.”

She leaned close to him and whispered. “Trust me on this, there are some destructive powers that are not meant to be understood by ponykind.”

Sunbeam pulled back, her expression turning thoughtful.

“But, back on subject, why the necromancy? Why would the clan have to resort to such a thing? Let's see if we can piece this together shall we.”

Sunbeam started pacing in front of him. “First off, they would have had to leave in a hurry after the failed attempt on the Princess’s lives. With the Night Princess now banished and the Day Princess actively hunting them…” She shuddered at the thought. “They would need to take necessities, not dead weight. Besides, most of the materials they had would have already been used up.”

She stopped pacing and looked at Brother Adeptus.

“So, they end up in the middle of nowhere. Terrified that the Day Princess is about to find them, but with no materials to make the only thing that could offer a chance against her.”

Sunbeam rubbed her face.

“Making the amulet itself is pretty easy, just a spell really, but...!” She held up a hoof. “Magic naturally defaults to a living focus, so without those missing materials, the magic will end up focusing itself through the user. Which, at those levels of magic, is totally inadvisable.” She drew her hoof across her throat, sticking her tongue out the side of her mouth.

Sunbeam paused for thought.

“Soooo… the crux of the problem is: they needed a way to focus the magic through the amulet, not the user, without the exotic materials normally needed.”

She pointed at Adeptus.

“Now let’s add the necromancy into the mix. A spell that grabs a soul upon death and shoves as much of it as it can into...”

Sunbeam blinked. “Oh buck.”

She sat down. “A soul. A soul would work!” Her hoof hit her head, just below her horn. “Kill somepony, take their souls... with the Dagger of Ascension.” Her voice rose in pitch. “Then embed the soul into a ‘suitable target receptacle’… An Amulet of Passage!” Her hoof travelled to her amulet. “And thus, we end up with an amulet that can channel magic, with a safe external focus.”

Sunbeam paled. “Of course, the normal focusing materials are slowly burnt off when we channel magic through them. So we should expect the same to happen to the...”

Lunging forward, she grabbed Brother Adeptus head with both hooves. “My amulet never worked! It’s got an innate life-charge on it. It would have rejected the spell the minute they tried. And therefore it would have released Mr Sable’s soul in the process.” She shook his head desperately. “Tell me I’m right! Tell me I’m right!”

Brother Adeptus managed to speak. “Y-y-y-y-yes.” She released his head, sitting back on her haunches, panting heavily.

He looked at her, waiting for the room to stop spinning before speaking again. “Yes, your amulet is nothing more than a shiny bauble. There’s no soul in there. The necromancy spell never completed it’s initiation protocol. Such a waste.”

Sitting there, holding her amulet, she ran her hoof through her forelock unheeding of his words. “You know, I used to curse the fact that my amulet never worked. I thought myself so unlucky.” Sunbeam looked up at the ceiling “Right now, I’ve never felt luckier. Perspective’s a funny thing eh?”

Standing up, Sunbeam started pacing again. “You know, a normal pony would be totally freaking out about now…” She winked at him. “Just as well I’m not a normal pony, isn’t it.” She looked away. “Okay, maybe a little freak-out is going on.”

She shook her head. “Breathe… breathe… Okay, only myself and the good brother know about this…”

‘And that list is going to get shortened.’

“So... this is contained. I can readily assume that nopony else suspects this, or I would have found a mob breaking down my door in the middle of the night.” Sunbeam took another calming breath. “As I’m still alive, which is a good thing, it means I can chill my plot out. Nopony is going to find out unless I start drawing attention to it.”

Sunbeam placed a hoof over her still rapidly beating heart. “And the clincher being… there’s nothing I can really do about it anyway right now. So let’s put this all to one side and deal with this later. One crisis at a time.”

Sunbeam smiled to herself. ‘Yay, a plan. Okay, it’s an ‘ignore it and hope it goes away’ kinda plan, but, it’s still a plan.”

Sunbeam relaxed a bit and smiled at Brother Adeptus. “Once I get Twi and the others back to Ponyville, then I can deal with this. For ‘dealing with this’, read: massive property damage to the Everfree Forest type freak out. Then I can start, discreetly, sourcing information relating to necro...’

Sunbeam face-hoofed.

“I’m a moron!” Sunbeam dragged her hoof down over her face. “Brother Adeptus, how do you know so much about necromancy? Have you been being… a naughty colt?”

Sunbeam pointed at the door to the Master’s room. “This... this is all about bringing a single bucking pony back to life!”

Brother Adeptus nodded.

“What’s more, you haven’t even got all of this pony, just a part of him. Sitting there on the pedestal.”

He nodded again.

“Do you have any idea how much magic you would need to…” She tailed off and scowled at him. “You do! This entire place, the crystal, is about collecting enough magic to do that!”

She pointed a hoof at him. “Well let’s say you do manage to bring him back. If he isn’t a dripping imbecile, or if he isn’t a raging ghoul, rebuilding the body out of magic isn’t going to work out long term. The magic will eventually run out and the body will start to fall apart. Literally. So unless you’re planning on maintaining the body with frequent magical sacrifices…” Her hoof fell.

Adeptus smiled at her. “Oh ponies have already been willing to offer themselves to his glory. He saved me so I could bring him back. After his return, I will keep serving him in any way I can.”

He looked off into the distance. “I had lost all direction in my life when they banished me. I had been so long in the wilderness, all alone, when I heard him calling. He gave me the strength to continue, the strength to survive, the strength to do what must be done. He gave me a direction in life.” He looked at her. “He wants me to tell you this, you should listen.”

Sunbeam looked around the room and made a clear point of yawning.

“They burnt off my cutie marks when they found me in the bed with both the mayor’s daughters. Said my talent in persuasion was too dangerous. They kicked me out of the village afterwards and expected me to perish in the wilderness. But after finding him, with his strength, I survived. With his guidance, my skill in persuasion grew.”

A look of ecstasy formed on Brother Adeptus’ face. “I went back to the village at night, night after night. I’d pick a pony, tie them down in their own house and convert them. Soon enough, we were numerous enough that my converts could go out and bring ponies back to me. Most tried to resist, but none succeeded, they all converted to his cause. By the time the mayor and his lackeys realised this, it was too late. We burnt the village down, along with those still loyal to the mayor, before moving up here.” He smiled. “I made sure the mayor survived as a symbol of what we were fighting against.”

Sunbeam looked at an imaginary watch.

“With him guiding us, we prospered. As time passed we learnt of a team of archeologists excavating some ruins. Of the crystal they had found. We converted them before they could report their findings. With the crystal secured, all the unicorns, including the mayor’s daughters, were offered up to it. I made the mayor watch as his daughters willingly ascended to glory. Then it was his turn. When the ‘Master’ has returned, he will clear the world of the unworthy and I will take my place by his side as his most trusted of servants.”

Sunbeam gave him a flat look before making circular motions by the side of her head. “And that’s coming from me.”

He looked her up and down and snorted. “You scoff, but I have a cause, while you have nothing. You just exist. You’re just a predator, moving from kill to kill. Oh yes, I can see that in your eyes. I can also see something else quite amusing now I realise it. You're not a wolf in ponies clothing, oh no!” His smile returned. “You’re a wolf that actually thinks she’s a pony!” He snorted. “You may have the memories of the pony whose skin you wear. But those memories are hers, not yours. Make no mistake, wolf, there is only the predator left, that pony no longer exists.”

Sunbeam stood up.

“We can make use of a wolf such as you. We can give you direction, give meaning to your pitiful life. The pony you’re dressed as, her memories, we can wash them away, free your mind, give you a fresh start. Give you certainty in a world that has none. Make you...”

The dagger went through his left forehoof. Brother Adeptus screamed as Sunbeam twisted it.

Standing up, leaving the dagger embedded in his hoof, Sunbeam walked towards the Master’s room. Stopping at the door, she lifted her head slightly but didn’t look round at him. “That little filly had a name you know. In no way did she deserve what happened to her. You will not speak of her.”

Sunbeam pushed the door open. “Your sick little necromancy project here is over Adeptus. Most of your bucked up followers are already dead... And when I destroy whatever’s on the pedestal, it will be all over for you. Then…” Her hoof slid down the door making a screeching noise. “Then you’re going to die Adeptus. You’re going to die screaming.”

Through the pain, Adeptus watched as she walked into the room and smiled.

‘Oh, he is so right! She -will- make a wonderful queen for him. A queen worthy enough to take a place by his side. A queen that can inspire fear by herself, not be some useless decoration. As soon as she looks upon him, she’ll see the light. His power will...’

Sunbeam’s scream came through the doorway.

Brother Adeptus’ smile grew a bit wider. ‘She has seen him! She is his now. My pain is nothing, a pittance for gaining such a deserving queen.’

There was no sound for several minutes, then hesitant hoofsteps coming back could be heard.

Sunbeam stood in the doorway. Shaking, with eyes wide open and her horn glowing, she looked around with a dazed expression.

The Master, encased in a white glow, floated next to her.

Brother Adeptus closed his eyes and turned his head away. “Master! Your loyal servant awaits your instructions.”

Sunbeam staggered towards the bed, sitting down at the head of it. The Master floated up next to her.

Still looking away, he comforted her. “You see the power of the Master now? He may only be a fragment, but all he is, is still in there. All that power. Nopony can resist.” He turned to address the Master. “Yes Master, she will make a fine queen for you. Look at him, wolf, and behold his glory.”

Sunbeam turned her head towards the object floating next to her. She could feel her guts twist at the sight of it.

She just couldn’t look away from it. As soon as she’d taken the cover off, she’d known just what it represented. She looked at the master.

A lump of rock with a crudely drawn face on it looked back at her.

A rock she’d tested, a rock that held no magic at all.

“All...” Sunbeam gestured around her with a hoof. “All of this… is for…?” Her voice tailed off.

“Oh yes!”

She looked down at Brother Adeptus. “You’d been alone in the wilderness for a long time, hadn’t you? You’d been alone for so long before you found the master.”

Brother Adeptus grin grew. “Oh, he gifts you with knowledge, you are honoured. You truly are worthy to look upon him like this. None of the others I have ever allowed to see him like this.”

Sitting back on her haunches, she floated the rock into her hooves. She turned it so the face was looking at her. She tested it for the fourth time. Still no magic.

Her voice was hollow. “Everything, all the killing, all the taking of magic, the torture… everything you’ve done here is to bring... this… back to life?”

“With all the stored magic, and my knowledge of necromancy, I can make him live again. The cult can be rebuilt. He will return to glory. With me as his most trusted servant and you as his queen.”

Sunbeam nodded silently, still looking at the face on the rock.

Sunbeam broke the silence. “What’s it like?” She looked up at Adeptus. “What’s it like, not knowing you’re crazy?”

He gave her a puzzled look

She looked back at the rock before nodding. “Yeah, right. Silly question.”

Finally, she tore her gaze off the rock again and looked at Adeptus. The words seemed fitting.

“You’re flawed.”

Lifting the rock up into the air with both hooves, Sunbeam’s lips curled back.

Sunbeam walked out of the Masters room, dripping wet. She glanced over at the bed.

“You went to all the trouble of putting a shower in there... and then forget to put any towels in the shower!” Sunbeam shook her head before shaking herself, spraying water everywhere.

Still tied to the bed, Brother Adeptus said nothing.

Sunbeam gave herself one last shake and walked towards the door.

Pausing, Sunbeam gave the bed a flick of her tail before she left.

A rock, with a crudely drawn face on it, smiled at her retreating back. A rock that had been carefully placed on the heavily stained bed. A rock that had been carefully placed where the good Brother’s head should have been.

Pinkie moved over to Twilight and put a hoof around her. Twilight smiled slightly back at her.

“Thank you Pinkie. I...”

“I’m here to remind you that you’re still Twilight. Even if you’re hiding things from your friends, you’re are still a good pony.”

“Huh, Pinkie, what…?”

“Shhh, silly. We all pinkie-promised each other we would remind each other of that. If they needed it. I’m just doing that.”

Twilight gave her a questioning look.

Pinkie leaned forward and whispered into her ear. “I mean, just because somepony asked somepony else to do something, and then something happened, a terrible mistake... Well, a terrible mistake doesn’t mean they are terrible ponies.”

Pinkie gave Twilight her ‘best smile’ as Twilight just stood there with a shocked look. ‘I don’t know what’s happened Sunbeam, but I believe you. You didn’t know. You didn’t mean to. I know how truly sorry you are.’

Sunbeam stood to one side and let Sister Read walk past her.

Wearing a set of red librarian glasses, and her nose buried in a report, she never noticed Sunbeam.

Sunbeam stepped back into the middle of the corridor, looking at the back of the Sister.

Sunbeam stepped over the set of red librarian glasses and levitated up the report. She read the first few lines and then shook her head. Screwing the report up in a ball, she threw it over her shoulder.

“A bucking laundry report?”

Sunbeam looked at the dungeon door. “Well, second time lucky for the cavalry Greywing.”

Kicking the door open she strode into… an empty cell.

Both her shoulders and her ears slumped at the same time. “Great! Now I gotta go looking. Greywing, I am sooo gonna gloat my flank off when I finally rescue you.”

Trotting back out into the corridor, she tilted her head, listening. She smiled at the sound of conversation. Following the sound, she stopped and peered around an open door. Two guards were sat at a table, drinking coffee

Pulling her head back, Sunbeam leaned against the wall.

‘Whichever one I capture, I’ll end up having to retire the other one. And it’s bound to be the one I retire that’ll have the info I need. So, patience, one at a time. My reserve still hasn’t fully recovered yet.’ She sighed. ‘I hate waiting.’

Sturdy Backstep looked up as Sweet Harvest stood up. “Ugh, too much coffee, be right back.”

Sturdy looked back down to his coffee as the pegasus walked out the door. He didn’t notice Sweet Harvest suddenly sliding sideways just outside the door.

Sunbeam threw the levitated guard into the cell, making sure that the silencing spell was still in effect.

“What the Tartarus is your bladder made of? I was waiting outside for almost an hour, bored outta my skull. But four cups! I watched you drink four cups of bucking coffee in that hour!”

She shook her head as the guard struggled to his hooves.

“Right, priorities! Where is Greywing? The pony that was in this cell?”

The guard looked up and immediately tried to rush at her. He found himself floating in midair encased in a white aura, with the unicorn smirking at him.

“Not smart, but I need info, you get to live. Now, where is the pony that was in this cell?”

“Huh?”

Sunbeam rolled her eyes. “Great, I get the moron.” She started speaking slowly. “The… Grey… Pegasus… that was in here. Where… Is… He?”

“The grey pegasus?”

Sunbeam nodded, slowly. “Yesssss.”

“They finished his conversion. He was taken…”

Sunbeam held up a hoof, cutting him off. “Horseapples. Bucking horseapples. Finished his conversion you say?”

Sweet Harvest nodded.

“Great, just bucking great.” She looked at him. “That means so much more work. With me, it was a simple magic spell-drug thing to revert. With those mind-games you’ve played, you’ve totally bucked up his mind.” She stamped forward. “Great, that is going to be sooo much more work. Buck! No gloating then.” She sighed. “Still, better go rescue the silly bastard and all that. So, where is he then?”

“Upon his conversion, he was given a sedative and taken to the dormitory. So when he woke up, he would be surrounded by his new brethren.”

Silence. Sweet Harvest shifted nervously, looking at the door.

Sunbeam blinked once. Coming out of whatever trance she was in, she took a step towards him, her voice calm.

“Don’t lie to me. Where is he?”

“As I said, the dormit...”

The white glow surrounded him and he was thrown violently into the wall behind him.

Sunbeam stormed forward, snarling, as he lay dazed on the floor.

“Don’t lie to me! Why do you lie to me? Where is he?”

Still dazed, Sweet Harvest answered automatically. “Dormitory…”

The glow surrounded him again. This time, he was hurled against the ceiling before being thrown down, hard, onto the floor. The sound of several bones breaking could clearly be heard in the small cell.

The glow appeared around his neck and hauled him back up to her eye-level.

Screaming into his face, spittle flying, Sunbeam was almost nose-to-nose with him. “Stop lying to me! Why do you keep lying to me? I’m here to save him! Where... is... he?”

“D - Dorm...”

The sound of the crack echoed in the cell. The glow around his neck vanished and Sweet Harvest fell onto the floor, his head now twisted at a grotesque angle.

Sunbeam looked at the body before giving off a scream of rage. Spinning round, she wrenched the door open and marched out into the corridor.

“Greywing! Greywing! Answer me you stupid bastard! Where are you?”

She looked at the cell door opposite. A glow appeared around the door... and it was then torn from its hinges. She stepped forward and looked into the cell.

Sturdy Backstep could hear the commotion going on out in the corridor. Grabbing a spear, hoping that Sweet Harvest would be along in a minute to back him up, he headed out.

He found a dark green unicorn mare standing in the corridor, looking around with a confused expression. Sturdy Backstep failed to register that none of the cells had doors anymore.

He watched as the mare looked into a cell, pull her head back, then look back into it again. “Greywing?”

He pointed the spear at her. “Halt.”

The mare swung her head round to look at him. He took a step backwards at the look she gave him.

“Where’s Greywing?”

“H-halt. You are ordered to…”

Sunbeam had been using a spell that could rip solid dungeon doors out of the wall. Changing spells would have taken time and energy. Sunbeam didn’t bother to waste either.

Sturdy Backstep was dead from shock before he could comprehend what was happening to him.

Sunbeam looked away. No longer interested, she let go of everything she was holding in the air and set off into the complex.

Brother Speaker bumped his flank against the new converts’ flank. Trying to avoid the burn mark.

“Oh yes, the cult is always welcoming of, new talent.”

She giggled at him. “Oh it is so nice to finally meet a proper gentlecolt. A gentlecolt of position, of looks, of… power.” She bumped her flank against his.

“Let me show you the canteen. They should be getting breakfast ready now. As it’s only us, the guards and the kitchen staff awake now, we’re sure to get the best they have to offer. And with us having…” He winked at her. “Used so much energy recently, we do so need it.”

She giggled again.

Brother Speaker walked into the communal dining area. To his surprise the tables were only half laid out and some cutlery was laying on the floor. They hadn’t even started bringing out breakfast yet he noted.

Seeing the door to the kitchen was open, he walked towards it and called out.

“It’s Brother Speaker. Why aren't the tables laid out? Where is everypony?”

There was a pause, then a green unicorn stuck her head round the open doorway. Obviously new to the kitchen he realised, as somehow, she’d got coffee stains all over her face. Something about her stare though was unsettling.

“Where’s breakfast? It should be…”

She cut him off, her voice cold. “Where’s Greywing?”

Taken back at her impertinence, he stuttered into silence.

The mare took a step forward. “I’m with him, we want our breakfasts. Now why don’t you be a good little filly and go get them for us.”

Brother Speaker galloped down the hallway, his ears pinned back. Blindly he turned this way and that way, no longer caring where he ran to. He’d first ran to the nearest guard room, only to find dead ponies in it. He could still see the scene, one slumped over the table, missing it’s head. One on a bunk, in two parts. One laying in the kitchen and another in the doorway, his throat cut. After that, he’d just kept running.

He didn’t even realize he’d run into a dead end until he nearly collided with the wall.

Frantically he looked around for a way out. He spotted a door.

Diving through the door, he realised he was in a storeroom. Filled with crates and barrels, it had no other exits.

“Block the door, barricade the door…”

With renewed energy, he started hauling everything he could lift up against the door. Slowly, he calmed down when the pile against the door was deemed large enough.

Sitting down he ran his hoof through his forelock. He frowned at finding something there that shouldn’t have been there. Puzzled, he lifted it down to look at it.

He gave a brief scream as he threw away part of the mare’s ear.

He screamed again when there was a knock on the door.

Sunbeam stepped out from the storeroom. Over the remains of the shattered door and barricade. She looked along the corridor.

“Greywing!”

Cheery Skies looked around at the four foals, all trying be be brave and not to cry. She was tempted to break down herself. Little Petal was seated with the foals, unconsciously rubbing her very pregnant belly. Cheery rubbed hers, she was only a month or two behind Little Petal.

“The guard said to stay in here, they were going to try and ambush whatever is loose in the complex by the junction.”

Little Petal nodded. Cheery could see the fear in her eyes. She felt it herself. The three guards had had it as well. They’d gone off to find more guards. The fact they had returned by themselves, obviously looking shaken, had not inspired confidence.

Little Petal forced a smile. “Maybe whatever it is will pass us…”

Screams could be heard nearby.

The silence that followed was worse.

Little Petal held the foals tight as a white glow formed around the door, just before it was ripped off.

Standing there, in silhouette, was a pony with glowing eyes. “I can see your auras through the walls you know. You can’t hide from me.” It took a step in. “Why do you hide from me? I only want to know where Greywing is.”

The pony stepped into the light. Cheery blanched at the sight. It was a unicorn, a unicorn covered in blood. She had a cut on her right shoulder, running diagonally from the base of her neck to her elbow. It looked shallow, if messy, to Cheery’s untrained eyes. Half of her left ear was missing as well. The unicorn didn’t even seem to notice her injuries.

“Where’s Greywing?”

Cheery took a step forward, putting herself between the unicorn and the foals. She felt that the glowing eyes were looking right through her.

Pinkie sat bolt upright. Her eyes looking into the distance.

Rarity leaned in and hugged her. “Girls! I think Pinkie is having another Pinkie-sense reaction.”

Pinkie started shaking her head. “No, no no no...”

Cheery felt the magic lift her up into the air.

“I don’t know who Greywing is… Please…”

Rarity and Fluttershy were now both hugging Pinkie, both felt her tense up.

Pinkie’s hair went straight as she started to shake uncontrollably. “Please don’t.” She whispered.

Cheery could hear the foals crying, could hear Little Petal whimpering and her own heart beating heavily in her ears. But she couldn’t look away from the eyes of the unicorn. Her death looked back at her from those eyes.

“Please... I don’t know where Greywing is! I don’t know even know who he is! Please… The foals… Please, we’re pregnant…”

The unicorn blinked at Cherry Skies. A memory stirred.

“Stop her!” Silver screamed out.

Turning her head, Icefang could see the mare galloping off up the muddy road away from the burning wagons. Pirouetting around her left fore hoof as she threw her flank round, she landed with a splash in a puddle, legs wide, facing the way the mare was running.

‘Not even weaving, nice easy shot.’ Icefang lowered her head and aimed down her horn. ‘At least the rain has stopped. Breathe in, breathe out. In two three, out two…’

The beam caught the fleeing mare on her flank. Her rear half shattered half a second later. The front of her continued running on, balanced on two legs, for another couple of steps before pitching forward into the ground and rolling…

Sunbeam blinked again.

With a puzzled look she watched the light fade from his eyes as he held onto her. “Monster…” His grip on her loosened and he slid down but still looking up at her. “She was pregnant... you... mon… ster…” He fell the ground with a squelch in the mud, the mud quickly becoming stained red.

She could taste the blood…

Pinkie took a ragged breath in... and collapsed into Rarity’s and Fluttershy’s hug. Her curls returned as she smiled up at them.

“It’s okay. It’s okay.”

Cheery watched the unicorn’s tail disappear around the open doorway.

The unicorn’s eyes had stopped glowing; she’d looked around the room; at the two pregnant mares; at the foals; dropped Cheery and ran out with a shriek.

Looking down, Cheery saw she was sitting in a newly formed puddle.

Standing up, her knees feeling like jelly, she walked up to the doorway. Carefully, she looked out. First the way the unicorn had run, then the other way, the way the guards had been waiting in ambush.

Little Petal saw her stiffen. When Cheery looked back in, her face was a deathly white.

“O-okay. Now I want everypony to listen to me. We are going to walk out of here. But you little ones are going to play a game. There will be prizes!” Her smile looked very false to Little Petal.

“I want you all to close your eyes and hold onto one another’s tails. Apple-Seed, you will hold onto mine, the others will hold onto each other’s to form a line. Keeping hold of each other’s tail, we will walk out of here. You will keep your eye shut at all times. This is a game, there will be prizes for those that do, nothing for those that don’t. So remember, do not open your eyes. Do not open your eyes!”

Little Petal threw her a puzzled look. Cheery Skies looked like she was going to be sick.

“The hallways may have some… mud and… and… sticks, yes.. mud and sticks on the floor. If you step in the mud, do not splash in the… mud. The sticks might crack when you tread on them. So don’t be startled and open your eyes. Just remember, keep your eye’s shut. Please, just keep your eyes shut. Now, lets form up.”

Sunbeam had seated herself outside the door to dormitory. She stared at the fog rolling out of the open door.

“You weren't supposed to be in there. Why were you in there? Why? Why couldn’t you have held on just a little bit longer? Why didn’t you…”

Her head fell.

“I should have gone for you first shouldn’t I? I was too busy wanting to kill...”

Her hoof came up to her eyes. “I was supposed to be the good guy today. I - I was supposed to rescue you and be the hero. I was supposed to rescue you and be the good guy for once.”

The hoof fell as she started shaking.

“What am I going to tell them? W-what am I going to tell Twi?”

Standing up, she turned and walked away.

“W-what am I going to say… What can I say...”

Stopping, she looked over her shoulder at the door.

“Greywing… I… I didn’t know… I didn’t mean to… I’m sorry Greywing. I-I’m so so sorry. I’m truly sorry!”

She walked, weaving slightly, down the empty corridor towards the chamber.

Pausing, she lifted a hoof to her right ear and winced when she touched where it ended abruptly.

‘I don’t even remember how that happened...’

Blinking, she found herself outside the door to the chamber, unable to recall actually walking there. Sitting down, she stared at the chamber door. The door was all that separated her from Twilight and the others.

From the looks they'd give her.

The hoof rested on the door handle. She could see the individual hairs of fur on it. The blood stains...

She turned and ran.

Sitting in the corridor, Sunbeam stared blankly ahead.

Slowly pulling a dagger out, she held it up to her eyes. She turned it to-and-fro, studying the blade.

Sitting back on her haunches, her expression never changing, she brought up her other hoof. Turning it over, she shifted her gaze to the inside of her foreleg.

Carefully, she placed the tip of the dagger on her wrist. She angled her foreleg so she could bring the dagger up the length of it in one stroke.

The hoof holding the dagger trembled.

Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and...

The dagger bounced off the wall, clattering noisily on the floor.

She slid down onto the floor.

‘Why is it so difficult? It’s just one more pony Icefang. It’ll be only one more pony...”

She‘d forgotten how long she’d been laying there when her ears pricked up at a distant sound. Lifting her head, she looked round the empty hallway. She still couldn’t make out what the sound was, or where it was coming from, but it was getting louder and louder.

Before she could get up, the sound crystallized, becoming clear and recognizable.

Her hooves flew up, burying themselves into her ears as the sound became deafening.

The screams echoed down the empty corridors.

“Stop laughing at me Scrolls!”

“Stop laughing at me...!”