//------------------------------// // Revelations // Story: An Ancient Threat // by Professor Tacitus //------------------------------// Multi-colored lights pierced the veil of darkness that enveloped the tunnels. Lights of pink and of blue, both light and dark, illuminated the path ahead of the group. At the head of this group, Tacitus strode forward confidently, his horn glowing brightest as he lead the way through the labyrinth. They had been traversing the tunnels for some time now, following Tacitus as he took them from one turn to the next with seemingly no hesitation. He had told them of his conversation with Aeneighus and what he had learned from him, which included the knowledge of the path to the exit. Now, it was only a matter of time before they were free of this accursed place. “We’re almost there,” said Tacitus. “Just a little further.” Something caught their eye. Just up ahead, a bright light was shining at the end of the tunnel. “There it is!” Rainbow shouted excitedly. She immediately took off full speed in the direction of the light. “Dash wait!” Tacitus called. Rainbow quickly came to a screeching halt, but not quickly enough. Just below her, something in appearance akin to a rune to began to glow. The sound of stones shifting was heard, and not a second afterwards, spears shot out from the walls directly at Rainbow. Dash felt something come over her, and she was violently pulled away just before the spears impaled her, landing hard on the ground in front of the rest of the group. “You alright there Dash?” Applejack asked as she helped her back up. “Yeah. I’m good.” “Mighty good thing Tacitus pulled ya out in time. Otherwise you mighta ended up lookin’ like Swiss cheese.” “No kidding.” Rainbow looked to Tacitus. “Thanks by the way.” “No problem. But you need to be more careful and stay close from now on.” “But I saw the exit! It was right…” Rainbow looked to where she had been headed, and saw that there was no light shining like there had been. Behind the mass of spears was just a dead end. “But how…?” “This place is enchanted and filled with booby traps,” Tacitus reminded her. “It was an illusion meant to draw pursuers into a trap. Like I said, you need to stay close.” They continued on, the lesson being taken to heart as the group moved in tighter and closer to Tacitus. Tacitus himself made a point of sticking close to Twilight in particular, whom he was still worried about after her near-death experience. As if justifying his action, Twilight stumbled. Tacitus reacted quickly and caught her, supporting her as she lifted herself back up. “You’re still pretty weak,” Tacitus told her. “Maybe we should stop and rest.” “No, it’s alright,” Twilight protested. “I can keep going.” Twilight seemed to stand taller than she had before and strode forward with greater confidence. That’s one thing that Tacitus really admired about her. She was so strong and kept pushing forward no matter what obstacles stood in her path. “So strong,” Tacitus thought. He began to wonder… “Twilight, I want you to try something.” "Hmm? What is it?” Tacitus unsheathed the sword from the scabbard that was strapped to his back. He held it in his magical grasp and presented it to Twilight. "I want you to have the sword Twilight,” said Tacitus. “You’re more powerful than me when it comes to magic, so the sword will be more useful if you use it instead of me.” “But Tacitus, didn’t Aeneighus-“ “Just try Twilight. Maybe he was wrong.” Twilight slowly nodded, charging her horn and enveloping the sword with her aura, mixing it with Tacitus’s. Tacitus released his grip on the sword, and it dropped like a ton of rocks, the sound of the impact echoing throughout the caves. Twilight struggled and sweated as she attempted to lift the sword, but it would not budge. Panting, Twilight released her grip on the sword. “Let me give it a try,” said Rainbow as she wrapped her hooves around the hilt and tried to lift, only for the sword to remain stationary. “Lemme help,” said Applejack as she took hold of the blade in an attempt to assist Rainbow, but it was futile. No matter how hard they tried, they could not lift the sword. “Um, I don’t think it’s going to move,” said Fluttershy. Applejack and Rainbow released their grips on the sword, exhausted by the effort. The sword had not moved an inch. “That darn thing weighs a ton,” Applejack complained. Tacitus set his horn alight and lifted the sword effortlessly, swinging it back and forth and finding it no heavier than a quill. He gave a disappointed sigh and sheathed the sword. “I guess Aeneighus was right. I’m the only one who can use it. Thanks for trying anyway guys. Come on, let’s keep moving.” They continued on, Tacitus absentmindedly guiding them as he became lost in his thoughts. He was afraid that Aeneighus had not been mistaken when he said that only his bloodline, in other words Tacitus, could wield the sword. He hoped that if Twilight could use it, it would boost her power far beyond anything he was capable of. But, unfortunately, it was impossible. He was stuck with the sword. Then another thought struck his mind. This sword gave him incredible power. Just holding it, he could feel the enormous amount of magical energy it contained. When he held it, he felt as if the energy of the sun itself was in his grasp. With this power, he could do incredible things. He could finally keep the promises he made. He finally had the power to protect his friends. This thought brought a small smile to his face. He wouldn’t be helpless anymore. He would face the danger, not them. He would use this power to stand between them and the darkness. The smile faded. This power, and the burden it carried, was his to bear. He hoped they would understand what he was about to ask them to do. As the smile faded, as he thought on what he had to do, he was somehow aware that they were almost at the end. They were almost free. He finally began to actually look where he was going, and at the end of the tunnel was a bright light, illuminating the darkness far better than the glow of their horns. “Another illusion?” Rainbow asked. “Not this time,” Tacitus said happily. “That’s the exit for sure.” Tacitus quickened his pace as he approached the exit, the smell of fresh air and the howling of wind telling him of how close freedom was. The others soon joined him, eventually galloping at full speed towards freedom. They were blinded momentarily by the sudden brightness of daylight, and their hooves finally left the cold stone and touched snow. Once their eyes had adjusted, they could see the wide field of snow, the mountain range stretching for miles on either side of them. Their cheers of excitement echoed through the mountains. They jumped up and down and embraced one another, joyful that they had escaped that horrid place. Only Tacitus was still. He shifted his hat nervously as he tried to think of how to say what was on his mind. As they settled down, the others seemed to notice his discomfort and moved closer to him. “Are you alright darling?” Rarity asked. “Why aren’t you celebrating with the rest of us?” The others looked at him, waiting for his answer. He took a deep breath before he spoke. “This is where we part ways.” Tacitus ignored their shocked stares and kept going. “There should be a pass back through to the other side of the mountains a few miles west of here. You can use that to get back to the Crystal Empire. It was the path the Three Tribes used to get into Equestria.” Spike was the first to respond. “You’re telling us to leave? But why? Why now?” “The only reason I’m asking you now is because this was the only way out of the tunnels. If there was an exit on the other side, I would have taken you there so you could all go home, but this was the only one.” “You’re not seriously suggesting we just go home are you?” Rainbow asked. “What about Imperius? We need to stop him!” “I have to stop him,” Tacitus corrected her. “I have the sword, so Imperius is my responsibility. There’s no need for you all to put yourselves in danger.” “You really think we’re just gunna up and abandon you ta face that maniac on your own?” Applejack asked him. “No way sugar cube. That ain’t happenin’.” The others nodded their heads in agreement. Tacitus looked to Twilight. “Twilight, please. You know what he’s capable of. You almost got killed. I’m just trying to protect you. Don’t make me put my friends in harm’s way.” Understanding and sympathy on Twilight’s face, she gave him a somber shake of her head. “I’m sorry Tacitus, but we’re not leaving. I know you want to protect us, but you have to learn to trust that we are capable of protecting ourselves and let us help you.” Tacitus’s heart was in his stomach. He looked desperately to each of them, silently pleading for them to reconsider. His gaze fell on Fluttershy, who was looking at the ground and shifting nervously. “Fluttershy, you said in the caves that you wanted to go home. This is your chance. Please.” Tacitus held to a desperate hope that, if she left, the others might follow. Time seemed to slow to a crawl as the company looked to Fluttershy, wondering what her answer would be. Finally, after what seemed an eternity, Fluttershy gave her response. “N-No. Friends don’t abandon friends. I-I’m not leaving.” Most of her friends greeted her with warm, proud smiles, while Tacitus’s face dropped. Not even Fluttershy would listen to him. “Isn’t there anything I can say to convince you?” They all shook their heads, and he gave a disappointed, weary sigh. “Fine…let’s just go.” Twilight wrapped a hoof around him. “We know your heart is in the right place Tacitus, but we made a promise that we would never abandon you, and we’re going to keep that promise.” She and the others gave him the warm smiles that he loved to see, and this brought him some comfort. He smiled back at them. “Come on then. Let’s get going.” He had relented, and they would all journey together. He loved them for not wanting to leave him, but deep down he wished more than anything that they would. *** A lone figure marched through the harsh wind and snow, his cloak billowing and flapping violently behind him. He struggled to march against the strong wind and the deep snow. A scowl was present on his face as he took in his surroundings. “These were once green fields,” Imperius said. “The mighty walled citadels of the Empire dotted this land like beacons of power and order.” The scowl intensified. “Now it’s nothing but a frozen tundra. A wasteland unfit for my rule.” A frightening howl drew his attention skyward, so that he looked directly at the ghostly Windigos galloping through the storm clouds. “This is their empire now.” “But you’ll have a new land to rule master,” the voice of Pranceius spoke from within his mind. “A new Empire for a new age. An empire where I’ll finally have power. Where I’ll finally be somepony.” “Indeed you will, my faithful servant. You will have a place in the Empire of great importance, as reward for your service and loyalty.” A tingling in the back of his head made Imperius stop cold in his tracks, a look of surprise frozen on his face. He could sense Tacitus. “He survived? He found a way out of that labyrinthine deathtrap?” A wicked smile replaced the flabbergasted look. “This boy just keeps getting more and more interesting. How about one more obstacle to see what he’s made of.” His corrupted horn glowed sickly black, the surrounding snow and ice cracking beneath his hooves and black light shining through the fissures. After a moment, Imperius seemed to find what he was looking for. “They’ll do nicely,” he said as he intensified his power, struggling somewhat as he cast the spell. After the trap had been set, he released the spell with a gasp of breath, weariness clear on his face. “Damn your weak earth pony body Pranceius! This is hardly a fraction of what I could do. But I suppose it’s not your fault, and the trap should be a sufficient test for the boy.” He turned his gaze to the distance, in the direction where Nova Domus stood. “Come find me Tacitus. Survive this, and earn your reward.” “Reward master? What kind of reward?” “The best kind of reward, dear Pranceius. Knowledge. Information. And if I am correct, this reward should make him an even more entertaining individual.” Anticipation filled him and the wicked grin grew wider as he contemplated the events to come. He silently hoped that Tacitus would survive. He wanted to see how the “reward” would change him. *** Stinging wind blew against Tacitus’s face as he struggled to push his way through the snow. The cold was almost unbearable. His body shivered violently in an attempt to keep itself warm. The others were fairing no better, as even Pinkie’s usual bouncing movements were slowed and labored as she fought against the cold and snow. “A coffee,” Tacitus said to himself. “My kingdom for a coffee.” “Or some hot chocolate,” Spike added from his position atop Twilight. The snow had become so deep that the young dragon could no longer walk, and had to hop onto the back of his friend. He had resumed using his fire breath to try to keep himself and the others warm, but it was not nearly as effective as it had been before. “This weather ain’t natural,” said Applejack as a particularly fierce wind blew past them. “Indeed it isn’t. Look!” cried Rarity over the howl of the wind. The group looked up to where she pointed, and realized it was not the wind that had howled. A shiver that had nothing to do with the cold passed through them all as they saw the Windigos circling above them, their cries turning their hearts to ice. Despite sharing their fear, Twilight attempted to encourage the others. “Don’t worry,” she said, “they won’t bother us so long as we stick together.” “Let’s keep moving then,” said Tacitus. “We can’t be too far now.” The group soldiered onward, weariness beginning to show its effects in their slow strides and tired faces. They had traveled all day the previous day, and then had stopped to eat and rest for a few hours before continuing on their journey. They could see the mountain in the distance. They were so close now. Something below Tacitus’s hooves began to glow bright. The snow in the surrounding area scattered as if blown away by an unnatural wind. The ice below the snow cracked and broke apart, a thick black aura pouring through gaps and swirling about the company. Something burst out of the snow, the sheer force of which hurled them backwards. They landed hard on the snow, some of them sinking several feet into it. Shaking their heads to regain their senses after being tossed, the group to their horror beheld five great wolves and an enormous bear standing before them. They were a gory sight to behold, for they only had patches of skin still attached to their bodies. Some areas were devoid of skin, exposing the torn and rotting muscle tissue beneath, while others were merely bone with no skin or muscle to speak of. The abominations roared in challenge of the group, and began to lick their lips in anticipation for their first meal of their second lives. The girls and Spike prepared to meet them, ready to defend themselves against the new threat. Before they could move, they found themselves surrounded in a very familiar blue aura that formed itself into a bubble. They were lifted high off the ground and became suspended in mid-air, far out of reach of the grisly pack. They looked below and saw Tacitus, his sword unsheathed and glowing bright, standing alone against the creatures. They began to beat against the bubble, and Twilight attempted to dispel it, but to no avail. “Tacitus!” Twilight called. “Let us out of here right now!” “I’ve got this,” he called back to her. “You all just stay where it’s safe.” Tacitus crouched low, his muscles tense and ready to spring. He had never fought with a weapon before, but he had spent most of their resting period the previous day practicing with the sword. Now it was time to see if it had paid off. Tacitus made the first move. He channeled his energy through his horn as he had done countless times before, but now the sword glowed bright along with his horn. A beam of energy much stronger than anything Tacitus had unleashed before erupted from the tip of the blade, the recoil causing him to stumble back a few steps. The beam struck the ground where the undead beasts stood, the resulting explosion failing to destroy any of them, but did succeed in separating them. “Still need to work on the aim and recoil,” Tacitus said aloud as he readjusted himself. He saw the creatures rushing at him, their rotten teeth barred and their maws filled with sickly green bile. “Right, worry about that later.” Tacitus took aim at one of the wolves, sending another beam straight at it. This one struck true and shattered the wolf to pieces. His small victory was short-lived. The rest of the pack was fast and soon they were upon him. They slashed at him with bloody claws and snapped at him, hoping to crush his neck in their jaws. Tacitus was on the retreat, teleporting out of the way, only to find another wolf waiting to strike at him. He was getting desperate, he hardly had time to cast spells before one wolf or another was inches from his face. He saw they were trying to circle him while leading him toward the bear. He had to do something quick. A wolf leaped at him, trying to deliver a final blow. In a desperate move, Tacitus swung the sword at the airborne wolf. The sword cleaved through the wolf’s neck, severing its head and sending the body careening into another wolf. That attack broke the momentum of the pack and gave Tacitus an opening. He teleported as quickly as he could, getting some distance between him and the monsters. He saw the headless wolf and the wolf it had crashed into begin to recover and attempt to rise. Tacitus had an idea. “Please work,” he silently pleaded as he readied the spell and raised the sword. He stabbed the sword into the ground, causing a fissure in the earth that headed straight towards the two wolves. The ground opened up beneath them and swallowed them. Tacitus then closed the fissure, crushing the wolves trapped in the ground. “Nice. Check that off the list of spells I’ve always wanted to do.” Tacitus had little time to congratulate himself. The bear was charging at him from one side, while another wolf sped toward him from the other. He waited patiently, not moving an inch from where he stood. Seeing this, his friends shouted at him with renewed zeal, calling for him to move. But he continued to simply stand there, the two beasts nearly upon him. The wolf pounced; the bear raised its paw to strike down at him. Just before their strikes connected, Tacitus teleported. Instead of striking Tacitus, the bear struck the wolf, shattering it and crushing its bones to dust. Some distance away, Tacitus allowed himself a cocky smile. The bear had its back to him, and he was readying the sword to fire another blast at it and end this. The smile dropped when he heard the menacing growl come from behind him. He could smell its foul breath, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. He had miscounted. There was one wolf left. He whipped his head around to see the undead creature charging at him, its jaws open and ready to taste flesh for the first time in centuries. In his shock, Tacitus absentmindedly swung the sword, the blade still charged with magical energy. The unintentional slash sent, not a beam, but a curved blade of energy from the sword directly at the charging wolf. The energy headed towards the wolf’s open jaw, cutting through it like a hot knife through butter and leaving the creature horizontally bisected. The areas where the energy had connected glowed red hot, as if a blade of magma had cut through it. “Huh,” said Tacitus as he studied the results of the spell, “that’s new.” Tacitus was so distracted by the discovery, he failed to notice the bear approaching from behind. The bear snuck as quietly as it could, it’s teeth barred and bile dripping from its mouth. His friends, still in the protective bubble he placed them in, desperately tried to get his attention. They shouted as loud as they could, but the magical bubble muffled their cries. Twilight cast a spell to amplify her voice, and shouted in a volume that made the royal Canterlot voice seem a mere whisper. “TACITUS! BEHIND YOU!” Alarmed, Tacitus did a quick about-face. He looked and saw the bear’s gnarled paw swiping, head right towards his head. Reacting as quickly as he could, Tacitus dodged just enough to keep the attack from killing him, but the claws still made contact. They drew across his cheek, leaving a scar dripping blood. Ignoring the small injury, Tacitus charged the sword once again. He filled the blade with energy before slashing the air several times, sending numerous blades of energy hurtling towards the undead bear. The energy slashes cut the bear to pieces, it’s chopped up remains falling to the ground and lying still. Tacitus didn’t let his guard down. He cautiously searched each of the creatures to make sure they were truly dead. Once he was satisfied, he relaxed and set about lowering the bubble he had placed his friends in back to the ground before dispelling it. “Well,” said Tacitus as he sheathed the sword, “that certainly-“ “What’s the matter with you?!” Applejack shouted at him. "Yeah!” rainbow added. “What’s the big deal trapping us and fighting on your own?” Tacitus had suspected they might react like this. “There was no need for any of you to put yourselves in danger. I had the situation under control, so I didn’t need your help.” “Oh really?” Rarity asked, just as angry as Rainbow and AJ. “If we hadn’t warned you, you would have ended up with a lot worse than just a scar.” Rarity pointed to the ugly scar on his face. Blood still flowed from the fresh wound, but it seemed Tacitus had completely forgotten about it. He used the sword’s power to perform a healing spell, causing the scar and all traces of it to disappear completely. “This is nothing,” protested Tacitus, ignoring the fact that he may well have lost his head were it not for their warning. “The point is, this sword makes it my responsibility to face these threats, not yours.” “Ah can’t believe you!” Applejack hollered. “You still don’t trust us! After everything we’ve been through, you still think being alone is better than letting others help you.” "Trust has nothing to do with it!” Tacitus shot back, starting to get aggravated. “I just want you all to be safe. If anything, this attack proves that I was right and that this mission is too dangerous. So I’m not asking this time, I’m telling you: go home.” “Who died and put you in charge?” Rainbow asked incredulously. “Twilight almost!” Tacitus shouted, anger rising inside of him. “I’m done letting you all put yourselves in danger for something that isn’t your responsibility! I told you before, I have the sword and the power, so it is my duty to stop Imperius. This is not your fight and this is not a discussion. Go home. Now!” "Please don’t fight,” Fluttershy squeaked just loud enough to be heard. "Yeah, come on guys,” Spike agreed. “You need to calm down.” The fight hurting their friendship was not the only thing that worried Spike. Windigos, attracted by the fighting, were beginning to congregate around them. The air grew colder and the wind blew fiercer, but the bickering ponies seemed not to notice. "This is our fight,” Applejack argued. “Imperius is a threat to all of us, and we’re goin’ to help you stop him whether you like it or not. We’re not leavin’, so you’d better just get used to it!” Tacitus was seething. He spoke through gritted teeth. “Go. Home. Now.” Rainbow pushed her face right up against his. “Make us.” They stared each other down, pressing harder against each other to make the other back down. Tacitus was about ready to take her up on her suggestion and find a way to force them to go home. They were so caught up in their fighting, they didn’t even notice the ice forming around their hooves. “Enough!” Twilight shouted, breaking the intense silence and the Windigo’s ice both. “This isn’t the time to be fighting and it isn’t the time to be separating! No one is going home and we are all going to stop Imperius together. No more discussions, no more arguing, no more fighting.” Tacitus was about to protest, but Twilight held up a hoof. “That’s a royal order.” The tone of her voice left no room for discussion, and the look on her face chilled him more than any Windigo could. She took a deep breath to steady herself. “Let’s keep moving. We still have a ways to go.” They did as she said and moved on, but they moved in a huff. Tacitus was furious at the stubbornness of his friends, just as they were furious at his stubbornness. He walked silently with a frown on his face. The others, aside from Pinkie, Spike, and Fluttershy, did the same. The next hour was filled with this angry silence. Pinkie had tried to lighten the mood, but her friends refused to be cheered up, the stress and cold getting the best of them. Unable to pull her friends out of their stupor didn’t mean Pinkie herself allowed them to get her down. She found ways to keep her spirits up, and hoped her good mood would rub off on them. After the blizzard had died down somewhat, Pinkie started taking up catching snowflakes on her tongue. She darted to and fro, savoring each snowflake and swearing that each had a unique flavor. She claimed every flavor to be delicious, until the last flake touched her tongue. “Blech!” she exclaimed, spitting violently to get the taste out of her mouth. “That snowflake was disgusting! That didn’t taste like snow at all.” It was then that she noticed that the snow falling around her was an unusual color. Instead of pure white, it was gray. She looked down and saw that the snow beneath her was the same color. The others had also noticed the change, seeing the grey snow stretch almost endlessly in front of them. “How odd,” said Rarity. “Why is the snow such a strange color?” “Because it’s not snow,” said Tacitus, his voice hollow. “It’s ash.” The others looked to the huge mountain looming before them, and saw the cloud of smoke and ash rising from its top. After all these millennia, Vehoovius still rained ash down upon the land. They walked through the valley of ashes, choking coughs echoing as the still warm flakes blew into their faces. A sense of uneasiness and dread filled them with each step they took. This place seemed wrong to them, as if Death itself resided there. They weren’t entirely wrong. It was when Tacitus saw the tops of stone structures and building, all that remained of a city long gone, that the realization hit him. There was no doubt where they were now. “Welcome to Ponypeii,” he said, more to himself than anyone else. “Or at least what’s left of it.” Tacitus loved ancient ruins. They were his passion. They were filled with history and knowledge. He was overjoyed whenever he discovered an artifact or an abandoned city. He now stood atop the remains of a grand city lost for thousands of years, filled with artifacts and treasures of priceless historical value. By all accounts, this place should have brought him overwhelming excitement. But it didn’t. Tacitus felt no love at the sight of this place, nor joy. The excitement that filled him whenever he found a place of historical significance was nowhere to be found. This was no great tomb or temple, where the dead were buried and honored. This was no city that was swept away by natural cause or the decays of time. This was the site of a massacre. An entire city and all its inhabitants snuffed out by a mad emperor who wanted to make an example of them. All the tomes and artifacts buried beneath could do nothing to erase the taint of this place. How many ponies lay buried under a ton of volcanic ash? How many ghosts cried out in terror and pain beneath his hooves? The sight of what appeared to be two petrified hooves sticking up from the ash and clasping each other caused Tacitus to shudder. Was his mind playing tricks on him, a rock or statue seeming to be more than it really was? It didn’t matter. The image of two ponies embracing one another as they were smothered by ash was ingrained in his mind. “Let’s get out of here,” said Tacitus, desperate to leave the horrid place. “Imperius must be close by.” The sound of that vile name caused anger to rise inside of him. He was the one responsible for this desolation, and countless other horrors. He had almost caused the death of one of his closest friends. Tacitus, by nature very calm and forgiving, began to know what hate felt like. They drew closer to the fiery mountain. They could see a red glow emanating from its top, streams of magma still flowing from its peak. A noise like shifting rock grabbed their attention. They picked up their pace, heading towards the source of the commotion. Tacitus unsheathed his sword, readying himself to face what he suspected to encounter. The others did likewise, preparing themselves in their own way to meet the threat. It wasn’t long before they caught sight of him. There stood Imperius, his horn was aglow and a doorway was beginning to appear in the side of the mountain. It continued to slowly open for him until it was large enough for a pony to walk through. He was about to step through when he heard the ponies approach. “Hold it!” yelled Tacitus as he made his way to the front of the group, positioning himself between Imperius and his friends. “So, you made it,” Imperius said with a grin on his face. “It certainly took you long enough.” Twilight stepped forward. “Surrender yourself peacefully Imperius. We’re taking you to Canterlot to answer for your crimes.” Imperius raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised to see her. “I sensed that young Tacitus had survived, but I’m honestly surprised to see you alive after my spell hit you. It seems the years have caused my talent for killing alicorns to become a bit rusty.” A savage grin overcame his face, and his horn glowed black. “Let’s remedy that, shall we?” Imperius sent a blast at energy at Twilight. As quick as lightning, Tacitus leapt in front of her and swung his sword. He batted the blast away, sending it off harmlessly into the distance. “What?!” Imperius shouted in shock. He sent more blasts, this time aimed at Tacitus. Tacitus batted each of them away before sending a blast of his own at Imperius. Imperius dodged the blast, but was surprised at the power behind it. The boy was different from the last time they met. Imperius didn’t have time to think much on it. Tacitus sent numerous energy slashes at him, forcing Imperius to go on the defensive. Imperius was growing increasingly frustrated. The battle wasn’t going his way. How could he be losing to a weakling like this? Suddenly, Imperius realized he had lost sight of Tacitus. The stallion was nowhere to be seen. Imperius decided to switch up tactics and target his friends, maybe use one as a shield. His plan was never put into action. Tacitus teleported directly in front of him, sending a shockwave that sent Imperius flying into the side of the mountain. He slammed into the stone hard, and before he could move, Tacitus put the blade of his sword against his throat. “What is going on?” Imperius thought to himself. “The blade is keeping me from performing spells. What kind of sword is that?” Imperius took a good look at the sword, realization donning in his eyes. After a moment of shock, Imperius let out hysterical laughter. “The Sword of Aeneighus!” he said between laughs. “So you are of his bloodline! You are just full of surprises.” Imperius looked at Tacitus, his face serious and his eyes burning. “Oh, now why are you so upset?” Imperius asked in mock concern. “Is this because I left you and your friends to freeze to death, or is it because of the skeletons? Gack!” Tacitus pressed the blade harder against his throat. “Don’t push me,” he said in a low voice. “I’m in a foul mood.” Imperius smiled. “Good.” Twilight and the others walked closer. “Calm down Tacitus. We still need him.” Tacitus reluctantly eased the blade back somewhat, but still kept it close to his throat. What would he do if he tried anything though? Would he kill him? Tacitus had never killed anypony before. Timberwolves and undead monsters were one thing, but this was a living pony. And yet, part of Tacitus actually wanted to do it. After what he’s done, both in the past and in the present, shouldn’t he deserve death? Even now, Tacitus could feel his anger rising just looking at him, his smug grin taunting Tacitus. His disregard for the lives he took, his attempts to murder him and his friends, his complete lack of remorse; it infuriated Tacitus. But could he kill him? “Uh, Twi,” Applejack said, “how exactly are we gonna get him to Canterlot? We ain’t exactly got a cage or somethin’.” “We’ll figure something out,” responded Twilight. “We have to get him back for questioning.” “But why wait?” Imperius’s rasping voice grated against their ears. “You have me at your mercy right now, so why not question me here? I’ll gladly answer any questions you have. Surviving as you have, you’ve certainly earned that courtesy.” A vile grin spread across his face. “Besides, those poor sick ponies are running out of time. Just imagine how many of those unfortunate souls will die during the time it takes to get me back to the capital. You need a cure as quickly as possible.” Tacitus and his friends looked at each other, conferring in silent deliberation. No matter what they thought though, Twilight had the final say. She nodded slowly. “Fine,” she said. “We’ll question him here.” “Start talking buddy,” Rainbow said in the most menacing way she could manage. The grin never left Imperius’s face as he talked. “Gladly. Why not start with the question you asked back at Nova Domus, about me being the source of the poisoned river. I am indeed responsible. I…persuaded…a talented apothecary to create a toxin imbued with dark magic. I need not explain its effects to you, for you have seen them for yourself. “The reason for it is that I wanted to weaken the population of Equestria so that my armies could sweep in virtually unopposed. However, judging by the strength you all posses, it might not even have been necessary. It seems peace will be your undoing. However, the poison still has a use. I consider the poison to be a mercy. Those that are infected should consider themselves lucky.” Tacitus pressed his sword hard against his throat. “Lucky!” he shouted. “Do you have any idea the suffering you’ve caused them?! Do have any idea of the pain that poison brings?!” “It’s still a mercy. They have never seen the ravages of war. Weeks of suffering in a bed is preferable to slaughter my army will reek in one day.” Something glinted in Imperius eyes, like he was excited for something. “But more on that later. Why don’t I move on to the big picture, the ultimate goal I have in mind?” “Let me guess,” said Rainbow. “You want to take over the world. You’re not exactly the most original villain in history.” Despite the insult, Imperius continued to smile. “You’re only half right child. I do intend to be the ruler of this world, but I have been a ruler before. I have learned from my mistakes and I will not repeat them. I will never allow another rebellion. “The natural order is that the strong rule the weak, thus order and peace will be established. However, no matter how much power I have or what I do to inspire fear, there will always be those that will fight against me. This will always be so long as free will is allowed to exist. Thus I must eliminate free will. To do that,” the smile grew wider, “I must eliminate all life.” Shock. Horror. Disgust. Anger. All of these and more flooded through them as they heard his plan. “You’re insane,” said Tacitus. “If you wipe out life, you’ll be the emperor of nothing.” “Ah, but you forget boy. You forget what my specialty in the field of magic is.” “Necromancy,” Tacitus whispered, kicking himself for forgetting. “Correct. Once I’ve purged the world of life, I will simply raise them from the dead. The perfect subjects: loyal, obedient, and no thoughts of rebellion. I shall rule an empire of the dead, and the world shall be as it should.” “You really are insane,” said Tacitus, anger continuing to boil inside of him from listening to his schemes. “What about a cure?” Twilight demanded. “What is the cure for the poison?” “In good time,” said Imperius. “First I have something especially for young Tacitus here.” “What are you talking about?” he asked. “Oh come now Tacitus. You seem a smart boy, surely you’ve made the connection? Then again, perhaps you not knowing will make telling you all the more fun.” “Talk sense!” “Very well. A toxin such as the one I used is unique, never seen before. When I first created it, its affects were unknown to me. So, I needed to test it before mass producing it and introducing it into the water. While there were numerous subjects here to choose from, I wanted my subjects to be special. "I wanted subjects from Canterlot, so that I could show that I could strike at the heart of your nation and so that the ponies of Equestria got a small taste of what was to come. I randomly chose two ponies to infect with the poison and observe its affect on them. Can you guess who they were Tacitus? They were very close to you.” Tacitus mouth was agape as horrible realization spread across his features. Tacitus knew he’d seen the effects of that poison before. There was no doubt now. The poison that was killing the ponies had killed… “My parents…” “That’s right Tacitus. They were the lucky chosen. That’s how I knew you. Through Pranceius’s eyes I saw the toxin eat away at them, saw it give them unending nightmares and excruciating pain. And I saw you stand by them the entire time, foolishly hoping they would recover. Needless to say, I was very satisfied with the results. I’m even happier now that I know that I killed Aeneighus’s descendents. Strange how fate works.” Imperius looked closely at Tacitus. Pure shock was all that could be seen, his eyes seeming to stare straight through him. He hardly seemed to be breathing. “How did it feel Tacitus? How did it feel to see your beloved parents suffer and die while you sat helplessly doing nothing? And how does it feel now, standing face to face with the one responsible for their deaths? Are you angry? Do you want revenge?” Tacitus still stood in silent shock. Imperius’s face turned into one of disappointed disgust. “Pitiful. Too much of a weakling to avenge the ones you loved. Or perhaps you didn’t love them at all. Maybe I did you a favor in killing those worthless pieces of trash.” That broke him. Tacitus eyes were wild and burned with fury. His blood boiled and his body shook with pure rage. Hatred, murderous in its intent, filled him for the first time in his life. “ARGH!” he screamed in fury as he raised his sword high above his head. “I’LL KILL YOU!” This was what Imperius was waiting for. With the blade removed from his throat, he was free to cast spells. He teleported away just before the blade struck him. It instead struck the mountain, taking a huge chunk of rock out of it. Tacitus searched wildly for Imperius, the ash beneath him clearing and the ground cracking from the intensity of his enhanced power. As soon as he saw his target, he sent blast after furious blast at the source of his hate. Anger made him sloppy however, and Imperius dodged or blocked each one before teleporting into the doorway he had opened in the mountain. He sent a blast into the mountainside, causing rocks to fall and begin to black the entrance. “One last piece of information before I leave,” called Imperius over the rumble of the stone. “The apothecary who helped me create the poison still lives, but not for much longer. Seems he took a bit of his own medicine. He resides in a hut five miles east of here, and he is the only one who knows the cure. So either chase after me, or find the cure. Your choice.” With that, and with the grin still on his face, Imperius ran into the mountain, disappearing into the darkness. The entrance was almost completely sealed. They had to make a choice. For Tacitus, there was no choice. He dove for the entrance, running as fast as his rage-fueled state could push him. “Tacitus wait!” Twilight called desperately. She and the others ran after him, trying to stop him. They weren’t fast enough. Tacitus jumped through the last remaining opening, just before the falling boulders sealed the entrance. “IMPERIUS!” Tacitus shouted the name with all of his hatred behind it. The call echoed through the mountain as Tacitus chased him through the darkness. It was all he heard. He couldn’t hear, or perhaps he chose not to hear, the desperate calls of his friends behind the sealed entrance. The call for revenge was all he heard.