//------------------------------// // A Time And A Place // Story: Utaan // by Imploding Colon //------------------------------// "Commander?" Grand Magistrate Hymmnos peered from the far end of her desk. A night-drenched Frostknife lingered past the windows of her office behind her. "Did you have something else to add?" Commander Seraphimus took a shuddering breath. She lifted her head, staring bleary-eyed at the mare. "I was... mmm..." She cleared her throat, swallowing hard. "...I was only wondering if you would be so kind as to repeat your last statement, Grand Magistrate." "Hmmm..." Hymmnos rubbed her numb hooves together. "And here I thought I was the most exhausted soul in Rohbredden right now." Seraphimus merely stared at her through thin, charcoal eyes. At long last, Hymmnos stifled a cough and leaned back in her seat. "I said, Commander, that the Talon's current task is to stand by in the armory and await further instructions from the Interim Military Cabinet." Seraphimus' feathery brow furrowed. "I'm afraid I'm not... familiar with this term." "That's because it was formulated overnight," Hymmnos said in a dull tone. Her eyes pierced the shadows. "Thus, the reason for the word 'interim.'" "And... ahem..." Seraphimus folded her forelimbs. "Precisely what is the function of this Cabinet, Grand Magistrate?" "Well, chiefly, for the time being, it's to ascertain the nature of that very function. Needless to say, it's aiming to be a new committee for facilitating the use of military might in properly defending Rohbredden and the Queen's interests at large." "Who, might I ask, authorized the establishment of this committee?" "I did, naturally." Hymmnos leaned her head aside. "Not on my own, of course. I had to invoke emergency intercessory legislation, namely Article IV Section B of the Divination Response Bill. I had the entire Council's assistance with that. The measure was voted on overnight. The delegates agreed unanimously to assemble the Interim Military Cabinet. Heh..." She brushed her graying bangs back with a slight shudder. "Funny... just days ago, we could scarcely vote on shoreline taxation bills. But, all of a sudden, we're working together like trusting siblings." She gulped. "It's only fitting, really." "And just what is the function of this Cabinet?" "To assess the threat to the Throne of Verlaxion and intervene by any means necessary." Hymmnos cleared her throat. "We were... also going to vote on a military draft. But, considering that we've received an astonishing number of names enlisting over the past two days..." "How many?" Hymmnos took a deep breath. "Over seventeen thousand." Seraphimus blinked. "Needless to say, at the massive rate at which Rohbredden citizens are pledging their strength to the Central Guard..." Hymmnos folded her hooves together. "...we've decided to put the order of conscription on hold. This new cabinet already has a strong, capable body of soldiers to work with, and—from the look of things—there are plenty of recruits signing up to protect our sworn Goddess and Divine Unifier." "It... is a g-good thing." Seraphimus cleared her throat. "T-to know that so many foals of Verlaxion are willing to step up for their Queen." "It would have been an even better thing yesterday," Hymmnos grunted. "Grand Magistrate?" Hymmnos sighed, gazing at the desktop between them. "It... is with very little pride that I admit to my failings, Commander." She gulped hard. "If I truly cared for our Goddess, I would have worked to enact something like this sooner. Alas, I allowed years and years of political red tape bleach my soul into something jaded... lifeless... and dishonorable." A shudder. "Now... now it's almost too late to save the one Life-Giver who means anything to any of us." She bit her bottom lip, trying to contain a sob. After a long while, she eventually muttered, "I... do not blame you, Commander, for failing to capture the Rainbow Rogue. If anything... the fault lies upon us—the Council—for being blind and foolhardy in our endeavors. We've allowed personal squabbles and selfish ambition consume us... to the point that we ultimately preyed upon our own kind. If nothing else, this... venomous presence from beyond the Blight is the Goddess' way of punishing all of us." "Verlaxion loves all Tribes," Seraphimus said. "I don't see why she would punish us." Hymmnos glared with sudden vitriol. "Including the wyverns?" Seraphimus' clenched her beak tight. "They are the ultimate betrayers here. By harboring the Rainbow Rogue and her new ally from the west... they have brought a pestilence upon our Queen. They threaten to doom us all." Hymmnos sighed. "Besides, you heard the word of Verlaxion spoken before everypony in the Court. Her mercy no longer extends to the Sixth Tribe. Right now, our main concern is finding a way to defend the Starkiss. I doubt even the inhospitable desolation of that land will hold back a creature as ravenous as the Rogue." "With all due respect, Grand Magistrate, what we have here is an opportunity to make things right with our Goddess," Seraphimus firmly said. "Focusing on the rifts between our tribes will only lead to more strife—the likes of which isolated Magistrates Timplan and Vilcheez, leading them to commit heinous acts of terrorism and embezzlement." She stood up tall. "Please. You still have the Talon at your disposal. For righteousness' sake, allow my wingmates and I to engage the Rogue. Surely whatever dark magic she's used to taint the Wyvern Tribe can be undone." Her charcoal hawkeyes narrowed. "Verlaxion has empowered us with her wisdom and ferocity. Now is the proper time to utilize our talents." "And yet..." Hymmnos leaned back, peering at the griffon. "...she made no single mention of you when she blessed us the other day with her presence." Seraphimus blinked. "Commander, the problems that face this nation can't be solved by any single one force—but instead by many. Holding back from that truth is one of the mistakes that's cut us the deepest, I do believe." She stared firmly at the guardian. "Throughout the years—the decades of silence we've endured in the shadow of Verlaxion's throne—the biggest mistake we've made was refusing to accept change. We remained stubborn, and that selfish pride made us blind to the true solutions we have to address the issues at hoof. Well, we've sunk as far as we could possibly go. We've been so... pathetic and self-consuming that it took a messenger of Verlaxion herself to come and wake us up. And now that she's done so—and now that she's made her desires clear and evident—it's finally a time for change. Unless we take her completely at her word, then I fear that we risk backsliding once more into a state of arrogance and misdirection." "What... kind of change are we talking about?" Seraphimus shifted where she stood. "And just where does the Talon stand in regards to it?" "That's just it, Commander." Hymmnos spoke gravely: "Verlaxion made no mention of the Talon." "She made no mention of legislature either," Seraphimus said, her tone slightly growling. "And yet you and the Court has taken it upon yourself to enact Article IV." "True." Hymmnos nodded. "Only because that is necessary utilization of resources on behalf of the foals of Verlaxion, attempting to turn her divine command into reality." "And just what is the Talon?" Hymmnos opened her muzzle, lingered, then ultimately avoided Seraphimus' gaze as she said: "A substitute... f-for precisely the kind of holy thing that we all witnessed the other day." Seraphimus squinted. "...Grand Magistrate?" "The Talon has been priceless in defending the Continental Prefectures from wicked incursions. However—in both purpose as well as in name—the Right Talon of Verlaxion has served as a vital extension of the will and fury of our divine Unifier. Alas, Commander, the Goddess herself has been made manifest in both will and intent. Her purpose is clear, thus—there is no nebulous thing for the Right Talon to represent. The righteous desires of our Queen are more than evident. The Interim Military Cabinet is the Council's vessel for ensuring her request is followed swiftly and faithfully." "Then... precisely what is the Talon's purpose at this particular juncture?" Hymmnos inhaled. "The Council of Verlaxion has decided to assign you and your wingmates temporarily towards protecting the interests of Frostknife and its respective delegates." Seraphimus blinked. Hard. "Guard duty." Hymmnos looked at her. "Call it what you wish. In this time of great peril, the foals of Verlaxion need protection as well." "Meanwhile..." Seraphimus' headcrest rose as she growled, "You're planning to send a fresh batch of inexperienced soldiers into the field to intercept the Rainbow Rogue and some unknown force of wicked intent?" "Your assessment of the Central Guard is very much appreciated," Hymmnos said. "However, they're not as 'inexperienced' as you might think. In addition to that, the Council unanimously agrees that their far superior numbers will be enough to hold the Rainbow Rogue at bay." "The Council is mistaken." "Commander—" Seraphimus' beak snapped. "On her own, the Rainbow Rogue is a chaotic war machine capable of rampant destruction. She can and will outsmart her opposition in ways you can't even begin to contemplate." "We anticipate that," Hymmnos said with a nod. "For that reason, we're sending an army to stop her. Nothing less." "I don't believe it will be enough, Grand Magistrate," Seraphimus said. "I implore you... rethink this strategy... or at least send myself and my wingmates in so that we may assist your forces from a strategic position and properly defeat these demons of Blight." "A fine idea indeed, Commander." Hymmnos cleared her throat. "Unfortunately, it's not up to me." "Then just who does have the authority over the Interim Military Cabinet?" "The newly elected Minister of Defense." "The Minister of Defense?" Seraphimus' blinked. Just like that, her headcrest drooped. She exhaled in a cold breath. "Let me guess..." "Friggin' Hell," Logan grumbled, squatting with his back to the quivering force-field. He dragged a sharpening stone across the edge of his axe and spoke above the noise of the howling winds all around the camp. "This damn blizzard sure is lasting a long-ass time." "Just calm your flanks," Flynn hissed back, tinkering with his steam pack. "I suspect it only has three hours left to blow. Four, tops." "Four hours?!" Logan sputtered. "For crying out loud! By the time we get to Verlaxion's Throne, we're gonna be the Heraldic Popsicle Gang!" "It'll blow over! Just be patient!" Flynn exclaimed. "I am patient," Logan grumbled. "Or else my name isn't Big Show Serenity Logan." He smirked. "Heh." "Ponies with middle names are lame," Flynn grumbled. "You're lame." "No you." "No you!" "Nopony cares!" Ariel growled from where she curled up on a sleeping mat. Kepler's chuckles echoed against the wavering force field as the pegasus continued: "Seriously! Just shut up and let the rest of us rest!" "Yeah..." Bard nodded, sitting with his back to Wildcard and plucking away at his guitar. "What she said." "Hrmmmm..." Kepler rubbed the furry bridge of his nose while rummaging through a wagon full of alchemic agents. "Surrely such squabbling is beneath the Herrald! Might I suggest anotherr rround of musical merrriment?" He smiled softly in Bard's direction. "Perrhaps ourr plus one memberr?" "What about it, Bard?" Flynn droned. "Give it your best?" "Hmmm... lemme see now..." Bard cleared his throat and strummed his guitar with repetitive notes. "Oh this dayum snow sucks and I can't sleep This dayum snow sucks and I can't sleep This dayum snow sucks and I can't sleep But least I'm not Remna Yes, at least I'm not Remnaaaaa" He strung a final note, slapping his guitar with a devilish smirk. "How 'bout that? Hmmm?" Ariel giggled and Wildcard smirked. "Deliriously funny," Remna groaned from the far end of the translucent bubble. "I've a good mind to eviscerate your guts and make a warm sleeping bag out of your skin." "And I'd pay you to do it if ya could fit yer fat flank inside me, ya hussy!" Before Remna could retort— "My little ponies, please," Mortuana blurted from the midst of her deep meditation. She sat on folded forelimbs, her bandaged horn teetering. "A modicum of tranquility, if you can muster it." Remna nodded. "Yes, Mountain Matron," she murmured. Bard cleared his throat. "A thousand pardons, ma'am." "Forgiven." Mortuana breathed in and out. Her ears twitched, and a pair of eyes opened. The alicorn looked to her side. Rainbow Dash sat, hunched over and sighing. Mortuana closed her eyes again. Clearing her throat, she quietly murmured: "What ails you, Austraeoh?" "Hmmm?" Rainbow gulped. "Do I look... ail'd?" "You appear lost in thought. I take it your fellow companions persist in their slumber." Rainbow hugged herself. "Let's face it. They deserve a break." "And you? Does it work both ways?" Rainbow was silent. "This is the first time I've sensed you so deeply contemplative, not that I doubt you capable of introspection. You are—after all—who you are." "Yeah..." Rainbow sighed, hanging her head. "I am me..." "It must be tough having to meditate without them." "Sometimes it's tough enough having them around." Mortuana raised an eyebrow above her closed lids. "Only...!" Rainbow jolted, gazing up at the alicorn. "Uh—only b-because I never wished this crazy adventure on them! Not one bit! I'm not ashamed t-to have them by my side!" "I never said you were, Austraeoh." Rainbow Dash battled a lump in her throat. She looked off. "Still... it kinda sucks having to feel responsible for them all the time." "Would you have it any other way?" "Huh?" "Would you rather be the shadow and one of your marefriends the anchor?" Rainbow winced. "Yeah... that would suck even harder." "How so?" "Because..." Rainbow took a deep breath. "If any pony can carry them to the Midnight Armory and back... it's me." "I'm glad you have a grasp on your own confidence." "It's not confidence," Rainbow said. "It's... just the way things are. And it's how I'm having to deal with it." She bit her lip. "Although... I-I could have dealt with it better." "I presume you're referring to the debacle at the Quade and Red Barge." Mortuana adjusted her bony wings. "It was my understanding that you and your invisible companions worked your way past those hurdles already." "They did... we did." "And you yourself, Rainbow Dash?" The pegasus hung her head. "You've been struggling with a massive weight for a long time," Mortuana said. "I can sense it. My sister's blessing—albeit mostly faded—did much to alleviate the burden. And yet... it's almost as if it's come back." "More like it never left," Rainbow grumbled. "More like it's only gotten heavier." "And yet—haven't you gotten stronger?" Rainbow was silent. "Trust me when I say that we do not choose to protect the Austraeoh lightly, Rainbow Dash," Mortuana said. "If I did not know that you were the one, I would not be commanding my fellow Heraldites to protect you." "You shouldn't have to be commanding them at all." "They obey me whole heartedly—" "That's not the point. All of this? This blizzard? This snowy mess? This... whole friggin' nightmare with Rohbredden and the Talon and... and..." Rainbow Dash winced. "It... it could have been avoided, Morty." "You're a resourceful mare, Rainbow Dash. But no one is perfect. Not even alicorns. My decaying physique is more than enough evidence for that—" "You don't understand!" Rainbow hissed. She looked around fitfully, as if searching for the colors of her "slumbering" friends. Once she saw nothing, she whispered aside: "I could have tried so much harder... made this trip so much... awesomer..." "And what makes you think I don't understand, Austraeoh?" Rainbow sucked her breath in. She looked up at Mortuana with surprise. Mortuana calmly gazed down at her. Rainbow shuddered—as if from a sharp stab of pain. "You... you know—" "I know that challenges are what keep you going," Mortuana said. "And yet, ironically enough, once Verlax started challenging you, it threw off your game by thousands of miles. Despite how it may look on the surface, I'm quite proud of you for finding a new rhythm by which to reassess your journey ahead." Rainbow Dash panted and panted. Her voice squeaked, "I-I'm not proud of it, Mortuana." She sniffed, continuing in a tiny voice: "Bard... Wildcard... the Herald..." She gulped, her eyes growing misty. "My friends... they're all at risk and... and somehow this is the best that I can do?" "I do believe there's only one question that can asked here," Mortuana remarked, leaning her head down. "Are you attempting to do what Verlax expects? Or what you expect from yourself?" Rainbow bit her lip. She shut her moist eyes, shuddering. "... ... ...I've... dr-dreaded these tests of Verlax." She sniffled. "Even before I understood the enormity and... demented nature of them all... they freaked me out super hard. And... and I started wondering if I was actually starting to let her mold me into... into..." Her teeth gnashed. "Whatever friggin' monster she expects me to become!" "As mad as the Divine is, there is a certain degree of truth to her inclinations," Mortuana said. "A great deal of strength and versatility will be expected of you on the dark side... no doubt extending beyond the limits of conventional moral certainty." "Yeah..." Rainbow grumbled, hanging her head. "...so you've made clear." "However..." Mortuana's eyes narrowed on the pegasus. "...no matter how one interprets Verlax's motivations, it's quite clear that her 'tests' are mercilessly punishing you." Mortuana slowly shook her head. "There is no need for you to punish yourself as well, Rainbow Dash." "Isn't there?" Rainbow's teary eyes reopened. "I've made horrible... costly mistakes. Others have suffered for it... and yet I keep going." "Well, you must." "That's no excuse!" Rainbow growled, frowning. "To finish my journey, I gotta live, Mortuana! And that means I gotta live with myself. And... so many cruddy things have been done by my hooves." She gulped hard. "And if Verlax is even remotely correct... then I've gotta do even more cruddy things." "I doubt the Rainbow Dash of Ponyville, Equestria, will settle for such a simple fate." "Right... and that's what I felt. But... after the Quade... I didn't really have many options at my disposal." "And yet you chose one, regardless?" Mortuana remarked. Rainbow nodded, wiping her eyes dry. "I chose the hardest thing I could think of. And even after my friends came back... I've still been following that road." "Even if it's harder than the path Verlax desires of you?" "Yeah, well, it'll still be my path," Rainbow growled. "I... I needed an edge... a way to confound her. I'm... I'm still waiting for a time to spring a trap of my own... to play Verlax at her own tricks, I guess. But until I do... until that moment comes..." She sighed. "...it's a waiting game... a waiting game that's putting everything at risk. If I was smarter, I'd get it over with... but... but..." "What do you believe you are waiting for, exactly, Rainbow Dash?" The mare stifled a whimper. "...to be awesome again." Mortuana nodded. "Hmmmm... a noble thing." After a breath, she leaned down and nuzzled Rainbow's chin until the pegasus looked up. Rainbow blinked at Mortuana. The alicorn faced her and said: "You do not need to wait for something you already possess. This is not a matter of waiting, Austraeoh, but rediscovery... an epiphany that's been slowly blossoming ever since the Quade." Rainbow stared at her, shivering slightly. "I hope I am there to witness you make that rediscovery," Mortuana said. "For I am certain it will be a metamorphosis unlike any other. Will it stun the mighty Verlax?" She flexed and re-coiled her decrepit wings. "Maybe. Maybe not. But I trust it will liberate the confident spirit that resides deep inside of you, a spark that's been waiting to rekindle itself for a long time now. Even if the Herald fails to escort you to the Midnight Armory—I will be ecstatic, at least—that you have made it to such a position of rebirth. For I trust that such a renewed flame will be enough to carry you to the ends of the world alone." "How...?" Rainbow Dash teetered on the edge of sobbing. "How c-can you believe in me so much?" "How can you not?" Rainbow clenched her jaw tight. "Have faith, my little pony." Mortuana caressed her fuzzy chin. "It's the one true thing Verlax has endeavored to leech from you. She wishes to turn you into an unfeeling machine." She shook her head. "The Herald knows you are much more than this. To acknowledge both the atrocities and the blessings you've committed is the true, defining mark of the Austraeoh. My only wish—before your death—is that you strive to acknowledge the latter." Rainbow sniffled. She rubbed her cheeks dry and formed a feeble smile. "You're a lot more like your half-sister than you admit." "Hmmm... how very interesting." Mortuana's vial jostled as she stood up on quivering limbs. "I'll attempt to take that as a compliment." "Heh..." Mortuana lifted her head. "Rise up, Herald. It is time to move." Remna glanced over, blinking. "Mortuana...?" "What? Are you surprised?" Mortuana gazed back calmly. "The blizzard is clearing." Just as she said that, the clouds began to dissipate. The violet forcefield quivered less and less as the Frost Plateau rematerialized in a gray haze around them. Wildcard readjusted his goggles, his headcrest rising in surprise. "Huh..." Flynn's mechanical eye rotated. "That was quick." "A fine omen indeed!" Kepler clapped his tomes shut and packed them back into the wagon. "Let us be off, frriends! A mighty strretch of the plateau awaits! And so does the beacon of Yaerrfaerrda! Hah!" "Don't have to tell me twice!" Ariel said. FWOOOSH! She flew out through the force field and glided ahead. "I'll scout out!" "Don't fly too far!" Remna growled. She hung her head with a surly sigh. "Why do I even bother..." "Trust me, with her?" Rainbow Dash smirked, rolling up her belongings. "Best to just let her have her way. After you, Mortuana." "If you insist, Austraeoh." "Ahem..." A pegasus in armor trotted up to a series of tents built along the upper bluffs of Frostknife. Soldiers and recruits marched around the scene, setting up crates full of weapons and supplies as the camp grew by the hour. "Mr. Chandler, sir." "Please..." The stallion waved a hoof from where he sat at a makeshift table, signing document after document. "Just 'Minister' will do. For the time being, the less my last name is used... the better, I fear." The stallion nodded. "Dear Minister." He saluted. "I came to inform you that the West Brigade of the Central Guard has established a strategic location for the training facility." "Hmmm? Is it in Green Prefecture?" "Due north, sir," the soldier said. "Verdant Prefecture. Reports state that the tundra there has melted. The soil is warm enough for the new recruits to gather and exercise without fear of extreme elements." "When's the soonest that I can inspect the site myself?" "Just say the word, Minister, and we'll have a chariot ready to take you there by sunrise." "I trust the generals' choice in the matter." Chandler took a breath, looking up from his table. "Nevertheless, have a transport ready by midday tomorrow. I might make a trip after my visit to the Frozen Shelves." The guard leaned forward. "Sir?" "I... have someone I've been meaning to meet within those holds," Chandler explained. "Trust me. It's for the good of the operation." The guard merely nodded. "The Council has entrusted you with the authority of Verlaxion, Minister. I stand by your every decision." "Good. I will have you summoned if I need more assistance." Chandler gathered the documents, shuffled them, and hoofed the papers to the soldier. "Please. If you don't mind, have these delivered to the Grand Magistrate's office at once." "Aye." The pegasus nodded, taking the documents. "Will do, Minister." He spun around—jolting from the sight of a charcoal-eyed stare. Seraphimus looked at the guard. The guard gulped, bowed his head... and trotted briskly past her before taking wing. Seraphimus took a breath, then crossed the cold granite panels until she stood directly in front of Chandler. "I see you're quick to assume the control that's been granted you." "Do you believe I would sleep on this, Commander?" Chandler exhaled. He stood from his table and readjusted his bejeweled robe. "Both Verlaxion and the Council has charged me with defending Starkiss at all costs. It would be... veritably traitorous of me to abandon my newly appointed appointed post." "Yes." Seraphimus nodded coldly. "And the Spring Havens forbid that you do anything to betray your own Queen and country." Chandler glared back at her. After a tense pause, he huffed: "Let us put those nasty things behind us, Commander." "I wish that I could, but I can't," Seraphimus hissed. She inched forward, her sharp beak pressing its way towards Chandler's blinking expression. "You're a liar... a murderer... and charlatan. If it wasn't for Verlaxion's good grace—" "And y-yet..." Chandler gulped, fighting the urge to tremble under her glare. "...our good Goddess has exercised her grace. And now she is requiring my assistance in the most important crisis this kingdom has ever faced since Unification." "Listen to yourself." Seraphimus frowned. "You call her 'good Goddess' today... when just a few days ago she was nothing but some banal name to you, hypocrite." "What you call hypocrisy, I call redemption, Commander." Chandler's eye narrowed. "Would you want any less for yourself... for your family?" Seraphimus froze in place. "I know it... must burn you to witness this, Seraphimus. However..." He sighed. "Verlaxion's will is still her will. She's relying on me to fend off the forces that you've failed to stop." "I wasn't the only one who failed," Seraphimus muttered. "Nevertheless, you were there when her messenger made the proclamation with her Divine voice." Chandler took a deep breath. "It's all very... strange to me too, Commander. Believe me... I wouldn't tell this to just any foal of Verlaxion... but I don't entirely enjoy the new weight that's been placed on my shoulders." "Then relinquish it," Seraphimus said. "Give control to this new Interim Military Cabinet back into the hooves of the Court." "After they've appointed me by the righteousness of our Queen?" Chandler raised an eyebrow. "Do you even realize what you're suggesting, Commander? After all that you've pledged to protect?" It was Seraphimus' turn to fight trembles. She stared beyond the stallion. "...I no longer know what I am protecting." "Of course you do. You call me a hypocrite; don't be one yourself. It doesn't suit you, Commander." "What are you speaking of?" "A promise, Commander. And a very solemn one at that." Chandler pointed. "Have faith in me... and when the time comes... and the Rainbow Rogue is defeated... and we once again bask in the glory and vigor of our renewed Goddess..." He pointed. "I shall pray to her... I shall speak to her on your behalf... so that she may at last have your family restored to you." Seraphimus stared and stared. At last, her brow furrowed angrily. "I would much rather bow to the Rainbow Rogue herself," she sneered. "Then entrust the fate of my family to a traitorous serpent such as you." Chandler took a deep breath. "A pity." He wandered back to his table and sat down. "And to think... I once thought of utilizing your gifts... whatever was conceivably left of them." "I beg your pardon?" "It's quite simple, really," Chandler said. "The Talon's time is over. If their last few failures in capturing the Rogue wasn't evidence enough, then Verlaxion's utter ambivalence to their measure certainly confirms it." "Chandler..." Seraphimus frowned. "If you think for one second that any flimsy legislature gives you the authority to minimize our role in defending Rohbredden—" "On the contrary. I defend you quite staunchly!" Chandler said. "When I nearly made the biggest mistake of my career, you came in to hault my endeavors. That is certainly a sign of competence. However, it was not enough to convince the Court. They voted to have you and all of your wingmates decommissioned... with all military resources being dedicated exclusively to the Central Guard." "That..." Seraphimus blinked. "...was not related to me by Grand Magistrate Hymmnos." "What, did you just speak with her?" Chandler nodded. "No doubt she wanted to save faith. She respects you. And believe it or not, I respect you too, Commander. That's why I personally interceded to have the Right Talon preserved." Seraphimus leaned back with a sullen breath. "To what end?" "When the Rainbow Rogue is defeated, I will need the Talon to... rebuild what's been laid to waste by the invaders of the Blight." "You will need the Talon?" Chandler nodded. "My whole life, I sought to reunify the Magistrates and their Prefectures. I thought I could do this through admittedly underhoofed means. Alas, it did not come to pass. Instead, the Goddess herself has appeared before us. She's given me a brand new opportunity, Commander," Chandler breathed emphatically. "This is our chance at a new unification! And when the time comes, I will need the Talon possible to restore the Five Tribes under Verlaxion's banner!" "Verlaxion's, Chandler?" Seraphimus fumed. "Or yours?" "It's a new age, Seraphimus," Chandler said. He looked down at his leftover documents and rummaged through them, reviewing. "Be thankful that I am preparing you a place to roost in it." He hummed. "Whether you accept this benevolent gift or not is up to you. I hope—for Rohbredden's sake—that you make the right decision." At the end of his breath, he grabbed a stamp and slapped it with finality across another sheet.