"You're still up?!" Twilight struggled to keep her balance. She had gotten so little sleep, just endlessly talking to the king. She had practically fallen asleep mid sentence and woke up in her bed. After returning to the balcony she found that it was mid day and that the king was calmly sitting and reading one of the books from her library. It did not appear he had moved an inch since she passed out. As well he looked just the same, his eyes were fresh and calm as they were when she first saw him.
"Well yes... the storms in the north are very VERY powerful, they blot out the sun and moon most of the time, it's honestly kind of hard to tell if it's day or night. The majority of the north became accustom to 30 hour day cycles. However, I being the king have an important role to play, so I normally go much much longer without sleep. I am just not very used to resting every night." He chuckled as if watching her wheels turning. She was young, and she had a lot in her future, a good test for such was to not lie but to neither tell the full truth, then see how long it took them to become aware. Eventually they would look for hidden meanings and motives in all things. Wisdom was always the most important thing for a leader to develop and sharpen.
But the tired Twilight basically sat and blinked, rolling his statement about in her tired mind. He chuckled and shook his head, he would save his lessons and fun for later. "Well no time like the present my little purple friend... if you have nothing else important to do I would be happy to go to Canterlot and write up an official treaty for an alliance and open up trade between our peoples." He stood and gently put the book down. Twilight seemed oddly entranced at how fluid his movements were, the joints to his fingers moved so gracefully as he closed the book. Book sorting and handling was always a bit rougher without magic but the more she paid attention the more she seemed to notice that this wolf was oddly majestic in even his most simple of movements.
"Ah... yes... we can go to Canterlot at any time, the train is just down the street. It will get us there pretty fast."
The king smiled happily as Shaman came out of his shadow chewing on Kaar preserves. The sudden appearance gave Twilight a small jump but she shrugged it off and offered a smile before coming about to go and wake spike to tell him what that day's plans were and to set what needed to be done in motion.
His gaze settled on the Canterlot castle in the distance. "I hope you have not changed too much... Aurinko Pylly..."
"And... and then my daddy punched him right in the snout! But he threw lighting right back. But then..." The little wolf beamed and nearly squealed in glee as Pinkie pie sat listening to her story with almost equal excitement watching the illusion magic display animation to her story telling "... then Oracle stepped in and with just a wave of her hand the lightning arced away from my daddy and struck the ground!.. The evil Shaman had lost his one and only chance of hurting my daddy or the king."
"What happened to him?" Pinkie leaned in with bright happy eager eyes.
"He stood trial for treason and was forced to take the blood oath! Stripped of his titles and property, he was allowed to not be executed nor his family shamed if he was to go and enter the Iron forest alone and fight against the Kaar until he died." Rosie puffed out her chest beaming with pride. Back at home, story telling was the honor of the elders, but at the moment she was the oldest and most revered Susi present so the honor fell to her. It was a default technicality which made her outright giddy.
"Oh! Goodness, the North sounds awesome and scary at the same time." Pinkie stepped back to take some cupcakes out of the oven as she maintained eye contact. "Oh oh oh oh oh! can you tell me any big stories about you or your family? I know the last few had your dad in it, but never was it actually about your family."
Rosie's smile faded slightly but she looked over at Pinkie with some reservation. "W...well... there is one story... but my daddy doesn't like it being told. The king said it was a story all could learn from, but he says a lot of really strange stuff no one understands. I guess... but its... its not a very happy story."
Pinkie's ears lowered a tad but she did not falter. She could feel the story was important. She just could not shake the feeling of confused pain that filled the room. Clearly, the little Rosie could feel it as well, but her youth and naivety sheltered her from understanding such powerful emotion. Pinkie nodded as to agree for the little wolf to begin.
Her hands lit up and like with the previous stories she told her magic flared to show images of the snowy north and a single Susi appeared. Tall and powerful he held a heavy lance in one hand and a heavy mace in the other. "The failed General... My grand father, Inquisitor. He took the name Inquisitor because as the king taught him, you must question everything you can perceive, otherwise you will only see what others desire you to see... It was a lesson that brought him to a strange conclusion. He took all his soldiers and a large portion of his cursed blood, traveled to the far west, past the iron forest and built a citadel there...." Her hands flared up and the image pushed into the space around them showing a young wolf with two swords standing before the old and powerful wolf.
"Father!... this is madness... you cannot be serious..." His hands twitched, it was clear he was torn in two. His loyalty to the throne and his loyalty to his father.
"He lead me to this himself, question EVERYTHING, like why something like him would even exist... The answer is simple. A test, my child... he took control of the North two thousand years ago to forge us into our own rulers. His mere existence is a test that will forever stand as a challenge. In order for the North to become more, we must overthrow the King. It is the only way my son."
The smaller Susi shivered and looked up at his father. "NO!... its not right, he lead us for thousands of years, he freed us from slavery, taught us who we were, he gave us our culture, he made us who we are."
"Did he really?... I have looked over and over again, we were never freed, we simply swapped masters. The king is a warrior, more than just a warrior, he is like an incarnation of battle. But he is not a true king, he is simply a physical manifestation of who we are, or at least a part of it." His eyes stared down at his youngest son but the young wolf's actions only brought anger to the father's eyes.
"NO!!!" The twin blades drew but instantly the heavy mace splashed down and knocked them from his grip nearly rending his fingers from his hands. He grit and bared his teeth up at his father. "Please father, do not do this..."
Another voice boomed into the long hall along with the sound of the doors shattering. The hulking form and skull mask, symbol of the Skull stepped into the great hall. "FATHER!" The mask came off and two eyes stared up at the old general. Though the image of the skull had two eyes, and was very young. His armor shined, free of scratches just as his hide was free of scars.
The response in the father's voice was rage and disgust. "TRAITORS! Who has betrayed me and my command? Who told you of this place?"
The skull shook his head and raised his axe, pointing at his father with a degree of uncertainty. His voice was shaken, but he knew what he had to do. "It matters not father, I was given the knowledge and as such so has the King of wolves. He is coming, he is coming with his armies. I am here before him for one reason, please father... I beg of you, stop this madness, stop it all. There is hope, he will not destroy you if you turn from your course now."
Inquisitor looked down at his oldest son, then back at his youngest son, he slowly stood to his full height fighting off the pain of his kin betraying him. "I will not. You have both shamed me, shamed me with your actions and forgiveness will not come this day."
As if in slow motion The Skull raised his axe and leaped forward just as the younger son took an arrow from his quiver and lunged as if it were a dagger. Inquisitor shed a single tear as his mace lashed back and sent the younger son through the wall, and with a sudden burst, the lance caught fire and was thrown with great force impacting and almost deflecting from the Skull's head burning and penetrating his eye.
All present stared in horror. The soldiers under Inquisitor's command, and the cursed blood taken with their main forces all stood uncertain. Their loyalty was sworn to both their general and the throne. It was more than planned treachery now, The Inquisitor had just committed treason and proved his dishonor by drawing the blood of his own sons. He had taken the blood of his own kin, a most dire sin in the North.
"Susien Kuningas is a lie. He is not one of us, he never was. I have dedicated my life to understanding the ways of this world and I have seen the truth. A truth that casts the shadow of death upon us all. You will listen and obey... or you will perish beneath my rage." He raised his weapon high as the Skull rose from the floor in pain. Looking up at his father. He opened his mouth but another voice echoed through the halls.
"NO!.... You speak Heresy! Your foolishness costs the North the blood of thousands of it's sons and daughters..."
He whipped about and stared at what appeared to be a single cursed blood who stepped out of the formation. The others stared on in horror, but this young Susi who was barely even of age to stand in the ranks of the army stared up at the Inquisitor, the king's most powerful warrior.
"You?... You, a son of the tyrant? A member of the cursed blood would stand against me? And for the sake of the one who enslaved your bloodline for two thousand years?.... your blind faith and loyalty impresses no one boy." He marched forward with his mace extended like an accusing finger levied at the young scrawny wolf.
"Yes, I have faith in the king, I deny you and your claims... but it is not by blind loyalty. You... the king's inquisitor, named such for your thirst of knowledge, your endless search of lore, in all your pondering and thought you forgot the cost of your actions, you forgot to inquire what it would cost and whether it would be worth it. You forgot to inquire of your own motives. You blinded yourself with an answer you WANT to be right. You found an answer, and you refuse to see it as anything but the correct one." The little wolf looked up at the figure before him, towering both figuratively and literally over the young cursed blood.
Inquisitor was now feet from him. "You are mislead... but your bravery and concern is noted." His cold eyes stared down into the hot blooded eyes of the youth. "I am impressed... but before you die, tell me your name, that you would be remembered... No cursed blood have I ever seen before me unbroken and without fear. Despite your betrayal, you honor your kind with such bravery."
The youth looked up and smiled a warm inviting calm and almost blissful smile. "I am Dagfinn of the house Lempo. We... the cursed blood know in our hearts, Susien Kuningas has done his deeds for the north. We and we alone it seems are the ones who not blind in our loyalty. He has been and always will be the Guardian of our kind, of all of the north. He is the shining example of who we should all be. I strive with every fiber of my being to be like him, but I feel, you are lost in your pondering in inquiring... Your lust for the truth was powerful, but it has blinded you."
"Brave words little one, the Cursed blood will be lesser when you die." Inquisitor's mace rose but the calm smile across the youth's lips did not fade.
"I have nothing to fear, and your inquiring mind has blinded you to more than just who and what Susien Kuningas is..."
The mace reached its peak at the tip of Inquisitor's reach far above his head before it began to sweep down bursting into an inferno of blood red flames as it arced through the air. Though before it reached the young cursed blood, he darted forward, stepping further into Inquisitor's reach and gave a soft whirl. The mace shattered the stone floor beneath their feet and with a swift motion the young Susi Dagfinn plunged a dagger into Inquisitor's wrist. What happened next was nearly too fast to be seen. Claws lit up with magical fire and slashed back and forth as the dagger in the hands of the young Dagfinn danced about. The sound of a cold steel blade punching through ribs echoed in the room in front of the Skull. Just as the younger son struggled up from the rubble the eyes of both sons stared at the mortally wounded Dagfinn tearing the dagger out of the heart of their father. The site mortified them both, sickness and rage built up inside but was forced cold when a heavy hand landed on the Skull's shoulder.
"Stand down... He made his choice, this could not have been avoided." Susien Kuningas stepped forward, past the Skull and right up to the young Dagfinn. "Pup, I heard your words, I have noticed your deeds. You stood against what you new was wrong knowing full well what it would cost you your life, I have recognized your deeds, your honor, but even I am confused why you would act. Surely you had faith that I would come and repair this. You didn't need to spend your life." The king slowly kneeled at the side of the young warrior.
Dagfinn looked up from the puddle of blood, deep cauterized wounds in his back from fiery claws. "I do not need blind faith, What we the cursed blood owe to you is without measure. Your mercy to us when we deserved none cannot be repaid, but just like peace. The impossible should always be strived for. I moved because the truth was being subverted. Inquisitor saw many things others did not, but his mind was tainted with doubt and clouded with desire. I am filled with certainty. I too question everything, but I take the answers and I instill them into who I am... I refuse to allow your grace upon my kind to be answered with treachery fueled by half truths. I may die today, but I die knowing I did what was right. And I know this without any need for blind obedience." He smiled up at the king who smiled back looking into the young one's eyes.
"I am honestly surprised and quite delighted. You are so much more than I expected. You, I feel represent what the North is... you are certainly one of it's guardians, and if you survive, then I will ensure that you are rewarded." His hand gently moved to the back of Dagfinn's head and he tilted him back opening his mouth. Taking the dagger from the hand of the downed pup, he drew the blade across his own wrist and bled into the cursed blood's maw. "Drink, drink and we will see how much the soul of the North values you."
The magic fizzed and faded and Rosie's eyes were cast downwards. "As the King says, even when striving to do what is right, you can do what is wrong. My grandfather did both. He earned death, but is still remembered for his service and bravery from before his betrayal. Even as he moved to betray his king, he still wanted only what was best for the north... The fault was simply in his reasoning. Susien Kuningas says that in order to have a good soul, you must see ALL things, not just what you believe concerns you. Ignore the illusion of sides and you will see the truth..."
Pinkie's eyes were wide but her smile not wholly there. She understood it all and it amazed her but she felt strongly the pain of the two sons and of the king. "Well that was amazing!!... though..." She slathered on more frosting atop the cupcakes before throwing one to Rosie who eagerly gobbled it down. "Its kinda a sad story."
"Yeah... it kinda is...."
"Another?"
"Sure!" The smell of cupcakes and magic filled Sugar cube corner as the two continued their day.
"Shaman... stand by until you are needed." The Shaman nodded, taking a single step he vanished into the shadows without a word. This still was unnerving for Twilight the way he seemed so at ease with all his dark powers. Normally magic involving shadows and darkness was something exclusively related to evil.
Twilight could easily tell his power was not malicious but it was far darker than the magic she was used to. "Ahem... well... this has been like very VERY short notice,but I got us in. I do hope that princess Celestia is not busy."
Her soft hoof falls were accompanied by the long even stride of the king just a few feet behind her. The guards gave him a menacing glare of mistrust. He offered back a warm smile, not blaming mistrust of such creatures to a wolf. Never the less he did not break his stride and they did not stop glaring at him with suspicion. They slowed at the door to the main hall and he breathed deeply. "Well... here goes."
Twilight only looked at him for a moment before the door opened and they entered. There were a few ponies there going over things off a list but both Luna and Celestia were there, just another day in the life of a Canterlot Princess. "Ah! Princess Luna, Princess Celestia! Cadence sent us emissaries from the far north. The king of the North himself decided to come."
Luna looked up and nearly froze. Her eyes wide and her pupils small. She looked like she had seen a ghost. Celestia looked up and smiled at Twilight, the tone of her voice made it plain that she did not quite hear what the young princess had said, but she knew the happy tone well. "Well then come right in we have plenty of time left in the day, let's..." Her eyes grew wide and she stared at the wolf with wide eyes.
"Hello Aurinko Pylly... good to see you are doing well... goodness, last time I saw you, you were still just this tall..." He waved his hand at about his waist level. He seemed very calm despite the air turning hot as it tinged with magical power.
The banner behind Celestia caught fire and her lips turned to a snarl. "YOU!!!" Twilight flinched and quickly broke into a sweat. She was very surprised to hear the king speak to Celestia in such a familiar manner, but more than anything, Celestia's response felt downright alien on Twilight's ears, so full of disgust and wrath. "HOW ARE YOU STILL ALIVE?"
The king of wolves smiled and waved slightly dismissively. "Ponies don't have the same combat prowess as Susi, that could have a thing or two to do with it..." He stepped forward without an ounce of malice. He seemed a just a little disrespectfully dismissive, but he did not look to be in any way shape or form, looking for a fight.
However, Celestia's power lit up like the heart of the sun and she leveled her horn at him. Loosing a blast of magical power that could level half of Canterlot. The King shot forward with an open hand. Palming the powerful beam of magic he still closed the gap quickly grasping her horn with a grip of iron. Wrenching her head to the side his open left palm smashed her in the throat and his leg swept her hooves out from under her, pinning the princess with an open palm in a display of martial prowess.
"After all I did for your nation, you have a funny way of showing your appreciation..." His palm left Celestia's neck as he quickly leaped out of the way as Luna dove in as if to impale him on her horn with a quick soaring path across the room. He glanced once at his singed palm he sighed, his eyes falling back to Luna, standing fiercely before Celestia, guarding her sister.
Celestia struggled to her hooves and coughed in a pained raspy voice. "You killed hundreds of my ponies... and for WHAT?... to give us a message?" The guards began to pour into the room and a few near forcefully pulled the confused and panicking Twilight to the side getting her out of the way.
"We never intended for hostilities, but your kind are as stubborn and as prideful as they come, we saved your lives and by default we saved the lives of every non pony race on your continent." His hands tensed and formed into menacing open fists to claw and smash equally, the look on his face showed that if he fought them, it was purely out of necessity and self preservation. Had he desired, it could have been claws and fangs rather than an open palm and restraining grip in response to her magical assault.
"You declared war on us... we could barely even stand on our own and you marched your army into our back yard bringing death with you." A guard rushed forward and presented a large golden halberd which Celestia hefted quickly and gave a twirl before leveling it at him. "I was a filly then... but you will find that I am a far more capable mare now." She rushed in with her weapon firmly gripped within her golden magic. The moment she came within range there was the clash and ring of cold steel. The air turned deathly cold and the head of Celestia's halberd twirled about and sank into the stone wall on the far side of the throne room.
He held her firmly by the throat pulling her up to his level as he held a large axe up to her face. The weapon seethed with elemental magic more powerful than Twilight had ever felt, which was appropriate considering the weapon seemed to just pop out of nowhere. His eyes opened firmly and the whites clouded up with a pitch black as he glared into the eyes of a struggling and gasping Celestia. "Your foolish kind refused to listen to the prophecies of wolves out of petty ignorance and fear of our race, you refused to form armies against the coming darkness, we had little other choice but to force you to move as lest the whole world be swallowed by your ignorance. I understand you were hurt, I understood your pain, but you went far above and beyond what was your right of vengeance."
Gasping as she struggled her wings flapped and finally a hoof came to his knee relieving a fair amount of pressure applied to her throat, pushing her into a position where she could gasp for air and speak. "We had no choice, you monsters were relentless."
For the first time, a touch of anger spilled over his features. "You deceived Roudan, the last of her kind into attacking us. You had more than a choice there."
"And your assaults stopped. You obviously could not win against an old God."
"You really are blind aren't you?" He pressed the axe against her face and Celestia went noticeably pale, not by the threat of the bladed weapon, but by a realization of the ice infused blade. "Our goal was to force you to create an army, we succeeded. But in your desperation and despair, you sent the last of the elementals to kill me. She much like you refused to listen to reason... I was forced to kill her."
"Imp... impossible! You killed her? How?!" Her face twisted into horror and anger as she came to fully realize the weapon he was holding was made from bones.
"We came in peace, now, just like we did back then. And again, you have to step in and piss all over honorable intent, again all I wanted was to bring happiness and security to your world and my own, but you are dead set on the destruction of your people through your ignorance." He glared at her as she returned his gaze, her eyes filled with hate and anger. "But, tell you what... I am more than fair, some even say merciful. I'll give you one last chance, see if you learn the lesson and can set aside your hate. Who knows, maybe you can get some closure."
His eyes drifted back to Twilight who stared on in horror. His eyes betrayed pain and sorrow but he resolved himself and threw the icy weapon. "Shaman! Jätän sen sinulle kunnes asiat on ratkaistu." The bladed weapon was caught in the hand of the Shaman who appeared to simply pop into existence. With a grimace he nodded and turned to Twilight. The guards raised their weapons as he rushed forward. But the moment they stabbed their spears at his form racing towards them, there was an icy blast and just like that he was gone. They looked to and fro, but as the guards readily twitched, their eyes darting left and right, Twilight gasped and shivered, odd power coursing through her, the sensation was alarming and just a touch too much, she barely managed to mumble something to get the guard's attention before she toppled, falling unconscious to the floor.
The king frowned and breathed deeply before releasing Celestia who staggered back and ignited with fiery magic once more, her wrath flaring up at him. But he stood calm and collected, his lips parting to speak once more. "I will have to teach you the lesson the hard way, you ponies are so damned stubborn." To all their surprise he relaxed his stance and sat firmly on the ground in front of a confused, worried, and still quite angry Celestia. "I surrender, go ahead Aurinko Pylly. Take me to your darkest dungeons. We will see what breaks first... your misplaced desire for vengeance, or your love for your nation."