Chapter 30 - A Small Detail
Chapter 30 - A Small Detail
Trapped in a blue magical field, Greywing hung limply, watching the burning torches go past as a unicorn piloted him down the windowless stone corridor. Feathers sticking out in all directions, fur matted and tear stains running down his face, he was past caring how he looked.
His escort, Sleepy Skies and two unicorns, watched him intently for an escape attempt he might make. Of any type.
He closed his eyes. ‘Let them watch me. Nothing I can do now. I failed the Princess, I failed the Elements, I failed Equestria, I failed...’ The pressure behind his eyes started to build again.
Even being in another cell, even with his hooves pressed hard into his ears, he’d been able to hear Sunbeam’s screams. It was the silence that followed that had shattered his composure.
Sleepy Skies nudged him as they approached a door at the end of the corridor. “Chin up there soldier-boy. Nearly there, your new life awaits.”
As the door opened Greywing was hit with a blast of heat. Inside was a large and smoky stone room. A single large brazier in the middle of the room burned brightly, easily casting more light than the dull torches on the walls. Apart from some benches and some ponies milling around, the room was otherwise mostly empty.
It was the smell that had him throwing a hoof over his nose, desperately trying to hold down the contents of his stomach. A nauseating mix of the sickly sweet smell of burnt flesh and the repulsive smell of burnt fur filled the room.
Approaching the brazier, trying hard not to gag, he almost missed Sunbeam laying on the floor.
On the other side of the room, facing away from him, was Sunbeam. Her legs splayed out, a pink glow around her torso, pinning her down, he felt a flicker of hope at the sight of her tail twitching continuously.
‘She’s still alive and…’ The gagging sensation become overpowering. Where Sunbeam’s twin hoof cutie mark used to be was just a circle of burnt flesh, with a ring of blackened fur surrounding it.
The smell of burnt flesh became personal and bile rushed up into his throat. The unicorn levitating him had to sidestep rapidly to avoid the splash.
Sleepy Skies stepped forward, ignoring Greywing as he retched noisily onto the floor. “What the buck is going on here? Why is everypony just milling around?” He pointed to Sunbeam. “And why is she still in here?”
An earth pony, his mane and fur all trimmed short, stepped forward.
“Brother Skies, umm, we had an incident.” He pointed over to an earth pony near Sunbeam who had her hooves pressed to her face with blood dripping from them. A unicorn seated next to her had a foreleg around her shoulders.
“What sort of incident?” A voice asked sweetly from behind Sleepy Skies.
Even with watering eyes, Greying could see everypony stiffening as the blue unicorn in a crimson robe stepped into the room. Three hooded ponies followed closely behind.
The earth pony bowed his head. “Brother Adeptus! Err, this initiate didn’t respond to the cleansing as usual.” He gestured to Sunbeam. He swallowed nervously under Brother Adeptus scrutiny. “After we had removed her marks of bondage, righteously freeing her, Sister Happiness sealed the wounds and took the pain away...”
He shifted uneasily. “Umm, you know after the removal, most ponies are... more receptive to our guiding hoof, after all the magic and pain and all that. Well... after Sister Happiness took the initiate’s pain away, she bent down to welcome the initiate to the fold. Telling her of how fortunate she was…”
The mare holding her face, blood still dripping down it, looked up and angrily called out. “The ‘ucking ‘itch ‘roke my nose!”
Greywing turned his head away.
Brother Adeptus barely glanced at her. “I take it you have checked on the magical charge on the Instrument of Cleansing?”
“O-of course brother.”
Giving the stallion a brief nod, he walked around the brazier and up to Sunbeam. Sunbeam hadn’t looked round yet, she lay there, glaring daggers at Sister Happiness. Only when Brother Adeptus lay down in front of her did she look at him. The only sound in the room was the crackling from the brazier as they stared at each other.
Sunbeam broke first, looking to one side.
Brother Adeptus pulled his head back. “I see hate, so much hate... and fear, a deep, abiding fear. All wrapped under a thin layer of humor and civility.” He tilted his head to one side. “And maybe something else…”
Brother Adeptus pulled himself back up into a sitting position, smiling pleasantly at her. “You know, most ponies upon having their cutie mark removed, are overwhelmed by having their eyes opened. Unbound from the tyranny of their cutie mark,” he spat the word out, “they become so lost and confused when we make them see the real world for the first time.”
He gestured around the room. “They are so grateful when we offer a solid, guiding hoof at that point. We become the rock they anchor themselves to in the sea of confusion. We guide them to the calm waters of enlightenment. Teach them to ignore the lies that their marks of bondage have been whispering into their ears for all their lives.”
Brother Adeptus looked up, placing a hoof on his chest with a smile. “Why we have brothers and sisters that used to be doctors and architects happily sweeping the hallways; accountants and shopkeepers digging ditches with joy; farmers and delivery ponies working in the infirmary with songs in their hearts. Does that not show the tyranny of the bondage marks, the wrongness of locking ponies into a mere single destiny?”
His smile grew. “As we erase the bondage mark, and all its falsehoods, the mind is expanded. As the magic flows through them, it opens their mind to the possibilities we offer. The pain helps clear their mind of their old beliefs and lies. For indeed, what new birth is without pain? We...”
“You’re bucking nuts.” Sunbeam’s flat statement brought the room to a standstill as she looked around the room in front of her. The surprise in her voice was clear to Greywing. “Holy buck, I’m the saniest pony in the Celestia-damned room!”
The pink glow around her torso spread to her jaw, slamming it shut.
Brother Adeptus’s smile didn’t falter. “So much fire in one so young.” He leaned down towards Sunbeam. “Ponies that fight the hardest against us often become the most steadfast of subjects. Their loyalty just needs to be redirected. I look forward to you becoming one of our most devoted of subjects.”
She glared up at Brother Adeptus. With the pink glow still holding her mouth shut, she couldn’t answer. Sunbeam’s eyes narrowed, her right foreleg rose and made a very specific gesture at him. Even from behind Greywing could easily see the gesture, she’d used it on him enough times.
The intake of breath from the others in the room was quite audible.
His smile just grew. “Please, Sister Knot, can you let her up so she can sit.”
He tapped his chin, thinking out loud, as Sister Knot’s pink field forced Sunbeam to sit up. “Now guards have some training which can interfere with re-birth as it makes them hold onto their past… No, even they are affected to a degree by the cleansing. While you my child, appear to be completely unphased by it. Why is it that you can have your mark removed without effect? It normally means so much to the unenlightened.”
Sunbeam just continued glare at him.
“Could it be that yours meant little to you? I wonder...”
He tailed off as her amulet caught his attention. His horn glowed as Sunbeam’s amulet was levitated off her.
The Sister Knot suddenly grunted with effort.
“What do we have here?” The amulet twisted and turned in front of him. His eyes glowed as he examined it. Sunbeam’s eyes never left the amulet as it floated between him and her.
Greywing stared at the back of the Brother’s head. ‘You better hope she never gets her hooves on you for even touching her glorified necklace.’
Brother Adeptus tilted his head. “An intriguing amulet on an intriguing mare. From a cursory look, a three stage spell. I am quite well versed in the application of spells to objects, but this is new to me.”
He leaned in closer to it. “A simple binding agent as the first stage. The second stage is... primitive, ancient in design, but functional.” He glanced at Sunbeam. “The spell involved in the second stage falls well within my area of expertise.“ He looked back that the amulet. “But I have no idea what the final stage is or what it does. I can honestly say I have never seen a spell matrix like this before. So interwoven, so delicate and so speaking of hidden power… But it hasn’t activated… Oh my, how gloriously ironic. All that work that’s been put into the spell, only for it to be put onto a crystal with inherent magic already infused into it. The whole spell is useless.”
Lowing his head he shook it. “Oh, how that must have vexed its creator.” He turned to look at her. “Tell me, do you know what you have here? Or is this just another shiny bauble to you?”
With her back to him, Greywing couldn’t see Sunbeam’s face, but he could hear the low growl.
Leaning forward, Brother Adeptus smiled at her as he stroked her cheek with the tip of a hoof. Sunbeam’s ears pinned back against her head as he did so, a look of disgust replacing the snarl. “My child, it is so infrequent that I am surprised. But your entire group is full of them. I simply must know more about you, your friends, this amulet.”
He turned away, looking at the unicorn holding Sister Happiness. “Sister, will you please do a deep examination of the initiate-to-be here. I am taking a personal interest in her and I want to know as much as possible.”
“Y-yes Brother.” Turning to face Sunbeam, her horn lit up in a green glow.
Brother Adeptus kept looking at the amulet until a sharp intake of breath was heard from the unicorn.
“Sister?”
“P-please, brother. Let me re-examine her. I want to make sure on this.”
Tilting his head, he gestured for her to continue.
This time, Greywing could clearly see the green glow around Sunbeam.
Her eyes wide, never leaving Sunbeam, the sister walked over to Brother Adeptus and whispered into his ear.
His smile grew. Sitting back on his haunches she clapped his forehooves together.
“Oh my! It would seem that Hearthwarming has come early for me this year. Not only six magical assets of unheard of prowess, not only another guard to help train others,” he waved a hoof at a surprised Greywing, “but another pony who is… special.”
Landing back down on his hooves, he pointed to the three hooded ponies. “Let me introduce some of your… kindred spirits shall we say.” He smiled sweetly at her. “You see, I know what you are!”
Greywing could see the look of concern spread over Sunbeam’s face.
Brother Adeptus leaned in close to Sunbeam and whispered a single word into her ear.
Sunbeam’s face went blank for a second, then all the color drained from her face. Eyes wide, she tried to shy away from him.
Brother Adeptus walked over to the three motionless ponies. “These were like you, lost in the world, but of the right age to be of use to me. I sought them out, oh they tried to remain hidden but I found them. They all resisted to start with, but the very thing that they are…” He turned back to look at her. “Was the very thing that allowed me to turn them into perfect bastions of light they are now. Look at them, how perfect and pure they are, no thoughts, no conscience, no remorse, only total devotion to me and the light. Willing to do anything. Anything.”
Despite the heat in the room, Greywing could clearly see Sunbeam shiver at the word.
“Oh yes, I was right. You will become one of our most devoted of subjects.” He looked to Sister Knot. “Take her to a holding room. I must start preparations for her ascension immediately.” Brother Adeptus pocketed the amulet and left, the three hooded ponies following a moment later.
Sunbeam didn’t even struggle as she was floated up and out of the room by Sister Knot. An earth pony followed closely behind the sister as she left.
Greywing watched as Sunbeam was floated out of the room. ‘Even when meeting Princess Twilight for the first time, she didn’t look…’
Sleepy Skies interrupted his thoughts with a prod.
“Thought we’d forgotten about you soldier-boy?” Sleepy Skies nodded to the stallion stood by the brazier.
Greywing stared in horror as the short-maned stallion picked up a rod from the brazier with a rag in his mouth. A white hot glowing disc of metal was attached to the end of it.
The stallion approached his flank with it with a beneficent look on his face. The other ponies the room started a low chant.
“Cleanse the mind, cleanse the mind…”
Greywing’s jaw trembled as he saw the look in all their eyes. He could feel the heat of metal approaching his cutie mark. His fur stood on end as the magical charge on it started arcing out towards him.
- - - - - - - -
Brother Speaker watched impassively as six dazed unicorns were strapped down in the spare alcoves in the chamber. The unicorn standing next to him, in a blue robe, was keeping the silence spell running. Making sure that Twilight and the others stopped being so distracting to the current proceedings.
Brother Speaker spoke up. “Ready to commence comparison test. Crystal has been down to five minutes, twenty seconds so far. We shall see if the extra input from six standard assets is worth the down time of the exceptional assets. All non-shielded personnel to clear the room.”
He gave a nod as the last pony left. “Activate.” The crystal rose from the floor.
Twilight and the others watched in horror as the six unicorns in the alcoves all started screaming. The silence spell had not been applied to the new ponies.
A pink, twisting stream became visible, connecting the crystal to the tip of each horn. As each unicorn writhed against the straps and swung their heads violently, the stream always remained connected to the tip.
Twilight wanted to look away but found she couldn’t, ripping magic from a unicorn was a horrifically fascinating event. The others might sympathize, but only Rarity and Sunbeam could have a real idea of what it entailed. Of what it meant.
‘How could they? It’s like they're not even ponies they're doing it too... How could they… How… How… Why would…’ Finally able to look away, she buried her face into the bench. Her ears pinning themselves down, trying to keep the screams out. ‘How could ponies do this? How could something like this even exist?’ She could feel the tears start. ‘Why?’
The screams became quieter. Their struggles weaker. Then there was no struggles and only silence. The streams connecting the horns to the crystal faded.
Brother Speaker nodded. “Test complete. Secure the Crystal. Remove the test subjects. Please note that all subjects, while still alive, all show signs of total magical loss. High probability of death in coming days. They're not going to be of any use now, so just put them somewhere out of the way. No need to waste any food or water on them at this point.”
The unicorn made several notes while increasing the silencing spells power. It was annoying, all but two of the exceptional assets had become very vocal now.
He shook his head. ‘Perhaps a more permanent way to silence their voices could be found.’
Brother Speaker nodded to a pony standing by the door. “Prepare next set of test subjects. We need a large enough sample size for these tests to be valid after all.”
Twilight’s ears twitched as she tried to bury her head further into the bench. Rarity was busy retching over herself, the silencing spell making it noiseless as she did so.
- - - - - - - -
The holding room had red curtains hung on the windowless walls. Thin tables were pushed against three of the walls, with lanterns giving off dull glows on two of them.
Sitting in front of Sunbeam, Sister Knot studied the mare, pulling her white robe up around her neck as she did so. The pink glow around her horn formed a corresponding glow around Sunbeam’s torso and legs, just leaving her head free as Sunbeam just stared at the floor with a blank look.
“She okay?” Brother Shine asked from behind Sunbeam, himself seated in front of the door.
Sister Knot looked past Sunbeam and shrugged. “No idea, we’ve been here nearly an hour now, not a peep. Think her mind is gone. Delayed reaction from having her mark removed or something. Seen it happen before.”
Brother Shine nodded.
“Buck it. This is boring. Nothing, not a twitch, hardly a blink since we got here. Look!” She took a step towards Sunbeam and waved a hoof in front of her face. There was no response from the mare.
“Oh yeah, her mind’s gone.” She took another step towards Sunbeam, almost nose to nose, and prodded her chest.
Sister Knot leaned past Sunbeam to look at Brother Shine. “This is no fun. See, nothing. I could ride her flank right now and get no reaction.”
Brother Shine snorted and looked away.
She stuck her tongue out at him. ‘Stuck up ground-pounder, he needs to learn to have some fun.’
Smiling, Sister Knot looked back to Sunbeam. ‘He’s so...’
Sunbeam was looking her in the eye, a look filled with hate.
Sister Knot managed to blink once.
Sunbeam’s head shot forward, her teeth clamping around Sister Knot’s nose. Wrenching her head back and to one side, Sunbeam never let go of her nose. The pink glow around Sister Knot’s horn vanished.
Brother Shine looked back towards the mares as he caught a sudden movement out of the corner of his eye.
Sunbeam slowly looked over her shoulder at him. With blood coating her maw and eyes ablaze with fury.
To Brother Shine’s eyes, something out of the depths of Tartarus was staring back at him.
Never breaking eye contact she spat something out. He could hear the soft splat of it landing on the floor but he was unable to look away from those eyes. Behind her, he vaguely noted Sister Knot raising a hesitant hoof up to her face.
Standing up, Sunbeam turned her body to face him. A second passed, then one of Sunbeam’s rear legs shot out, connecting with Sister Knot’s throat.
To Brother Shine, the action was terrifyingly casual in its nature, like it was an afterthought. Sister Knot fell backward, her hooves clutching at her throat. Not once did Sunbeam look round at her.
Sunbeam took a step towards him.
Brother Shine’s foreleg finally moved. Shooting out to the door handle behind him, he grasped madly for it, all the time he still couldn’t look away from those eyes.
The only thought filling his mind was to open the door, to get away from the demon-in-pony-form in front of him.
His hoof found the handle. He managed to open the door... towards him.
In the empty corridor outside, the door opened a few inches. Then a dull thud could be heard as something heavy hit the door on the inside, slamming it shut again in the process.
- - - - - - - -
Sunbeam cleaned her face off on one of the curtains in the room. After a moment’s consideration, she put a hoof behind the curtain and rubbed her tongue vigorously against it as well.
‘Ew, I can still taste… I really need some mouthwash right now. Well, at least it’s not fish. Then I -would- be throwing up everywhere.’ Her shoulders slumped. ‘Annnnd thank you Rainbow Dash for making sure I can’t ever eat fish again… Blegh! I can taste fish now... Damn stupid contest.’
Turning her head as she stuck her tongue out, she caught a glimpse of her flanks. Sunbeam winced at the sight. ‘Deja bucking Vu.’
Stretching out her right hind leg, she carefully noted how it felt. ‘No pain or stiffness present, suppose Sister Broken-Nose knew what she was doing after all.’ She sighed. ‘But all those bits I spent on those damn crystals are now down the drain. Hmm, I wonder how good she actually is...’
Sunbeam pressed a hoof down on the burnt flesh where her cutie mark had been. Not sensing any pain, she pressed harder. Surprised when none came, she withdrew her hoof and thoughtfully looked at her back.
Reaching round, Sunbeam pressed down on her back, gently at first. Then a little harder. Then she pushed down hard...
The spike of pain left her gasping for breath.
“O-O-Owww. Okay, I suppose that was too much to hope for. O-Owwww…” She hit the floor with a hoof. “Damnit why did I do that for? I hate pain!”
Sitting here, waiting for the aching to die down her expression turned to a scowl.
“And what’s with everypony trying to turn me into a mindless drone anyway? I mean Scrolls nearly...”
Her ears flattened and her head lowered as her eyes glazed over. His voice became clear in her head.
‘Weapons do not think, weapons do not have morals, weapons just kill whatever they are pointed at. I will break your precious morals. You will kill on order, without thought, without remorse, without thinking. You will be the perfect weapon. With an amulet, I will point you at cities...’
Sunbeam glazed expression cleared, slowly turning to an evil smile. ‘Oh yeah, I remember you trashing the room when you found my amulet didn’t work. I also remember your expression when you were told that the Dagger of Rites had stopped working and you couldn’t get me another. Oh, happy, happy memories.’
Sunbeam closed her eyes and lost the smile. “I shouldn’t have laughed though…”
Opening her eyes, Sunbeam walked over to Sister Knot. Stopping, she stared down at her for a moment. “Still worth it. To see you looking all lost and unsure like that, a reminder you were still just a pony. No matter what you said.”
Sunbeam lowered her head towards Sister Knot, pausing just before reached her.
“And now these buckers want me as a mindless drone as well! Tartarus, my personality isn’t that bad is it?”
She shrugged. “Mental note, I must speak to Greywing about rectifying that situation.”
Sunbeam took Sister Knot’s robe in her teeth and savagely tugged on it, trying to pull it off her before realizing it was stuck under the body. As Sunbeam rolled her over to free it, she glared down at Sister Knot. “I just hope you haven’t given me anything and…” Sunbeam slumped. “And I really should have got one of you two to take this damn ring off my horn first, shouldn’t I.”
Shaking her head, Sunbeam walked over to the door and opened it. Poking her head out the doorway and glanced both ways along the corridor.
‘Where’s the damn exit in this place?’
Sunbeam pulled her head back in.
‘Right. I need to set achievable objectives. I need a clear focused head, I need...’
Out of habit, she placed a hoof on her neck, where her amulet should have been. There was a stuttering exhale.
‘F-focus you stupid mare. Focus! Its a thing, you can live without it. It’s not a survival objective…’
Sitting there in silence, her head fell as her ears drooped.
‘I-I’ve lost you Mr Sable, I’m... I’m sorry. I couldn’t... I shouldn’t have...’ Her jaw trembled as she looked up at the ceiling. A moment later she rubbed her eyes with a hoof. “Damn dust!”
She slammed the hoof down. ‘Focus! Focus you bucking stupid mare. You need to get out of here. Sitting around here increases your chances of getting caught!’
She didn’t move.
‘Get your bucking act together! You need to rescue the others...’
A look of surprise briefly crossed her face before a small, hopeful, smile took its place. “A natural, unpremeditated feeling of concern for others.” She closed her eyes, reveling in the feeling. ‘I -do- still have some normal feelings left. See Scrolls, you missed some. You didn’t totally mess me up.’
Opening her eyes, she brought a hoof up for a hoof pump. It paused half-way up.
‘Huh, I missed some blood splashes on that hoof.’ Reaching out she wiped the hoof clean on the curtains. The small, hopeful smile never left her face as she did so. ‘See dummy, you’ve still got a chance to be normal, there is some hope left for you.’
Bringing the hoof back, she examined it briefly before completing the hoof pump.
“Yay me!”
Sunbeam took a deep breath. “Right, back to work. How do I rescue the others? What do I know?”
The smile faltered.
“I have no idea of the layout of this place, no idea of guards patrols, or any of the security protocols they have in place.”
Sunbeam closed her eyes as the smile slowly become a grimace.
‘I have no idea where Twilight and the others are, no idea what state they are in… I can’t even use my magic... Horseapples!’
She looked up with an air of resignation, then laughed.
“This is all so bucked up. I haven’t got a chance really.” She hauled herself to her feet. “Buck it… I haven’t got anything else planned for today.”
Sunbeam peered out the door, looking both ways.
‘I think I know the way back to dungeons. Right, I need to stride down the hallways like I own the place. Need to exude confidence! Don’t need ponies thinking I don’t belong.’
Sunbeam strode out into the corridor. ‘This is so crazy it might just… Nah.’
She smirked to herself.
‘If I may quote Uncle Silver Strike: ‘Out of all the crazy things I’ve done… this will probably be the last’.’
She snorted as she thought about it. ‘Nearly was you dirty old stallion. Kissing me like that. You were fifty-three for bucks sake, I was only seventeen. And I still maintain I was being playful when I gave you that black eye.’
She shook her head. “Focus! Not the time for pleasant memories. What do I need to do, right now?”
Her head lifted in contemplation.
‘I suppose it’s too much to hope they’ve marked where the restrooms are in this place?’
- - - - - - - -
Still dazed from walking into somepony, Sister Read knelt down and started picking up her papers strewn over the corridor floor as she offered apologies.
“I’m so sorry. I should have been looking where I was going. It was a very interesting projection report...” Looking up, her words died in her throat as the pony she’d walked into looked coldly down at her.
A green unicorn in a blood-stained white robe stood in front of her, radiating menace. Sister Read recoiled back from the bloodstains.
Seeing her reaction the unicorn leaned forward and whispered gleefully into her ear.
“It’s okay, the blood isn’t mine.” The unicorn pulled her head back and smiled at Sister Read. Sister Read became aware of a sudden need to visit the restroom.
The unicorn looked around. “Enough fun. Can you point me towards the dungeon? Think I got turned around at some point. This place is a bucking maze.”
Sister Read nodded. “Uh…” She pointed down the corridor behind her. “That way second turning.”
The unicorn looked back at her, causing the Sister to flinch.
“Thank you.”
Sister Read watched the unicorn head off.
‘Wow, she was...’
A hooded pony trotted past Sister Read, totally ignoring her as she followed the unicorn.
- - - - - - - -
Brother Adeptus walked into his private quarters. While he had the only private quarters in the entire complex, he made sure he kept them as spartan as possible. Plain stone walls, a single chair, and table, plus a small sleeping pallet were the only furniture he allowed himself.
Turning his head, he glanced at the two hooded ponies with him. “Bastions, stay here. Guard the way. Let nopony through.”
The two hooded ponies slowly nodded.
There were two doors in the room. One door led back to the corridor, the other to led to the master’s room. Brother Adeptus opened that door.
The room on the other side was opulent in the extreme in it’s decoration. Red velvet curtains were hung from both the walls and the ceiling. Detailed landscape paintings were hung on the walls, giving the impression of windows. Lined with a lush red carpet and furnished dark-wood furniture, there was nothing second rate allowed in this room. Gold and bright-red trim was much in evidence everywhere. At the end of the room was king-size four-poster bed on a raised platform. It had bright red and black curtains and an inviting mahogany coloured duvet. The centerpiece of the room, dominating it, was a fluted pedestal with simple black silk cloth covering a domed mound top of it.
Looking round the room Brother Adeptus sighed. The room was barely what his master deserved, but it was still early days, it would get better. He closed the door behind him as he walked in.
- - - - - - - - -
Sturdy Backstep knocked on Brother Adeptus’s door with more than a little trepidation. Brother Adeptus had always stated that he should be woken if the situation warranted it. What warranted him being disturbed had never been made truly clear though.
Several seconds passed before a blue glow surrounded the door, opening it. Sturdy got a good look into the room: A table with some paperwork; a rumpled sleeping pallet and Brother Adeptus, horn still glowing, was all that filled it. The rumors were wrong about his personal quarters.
It was, however, the two Bastions, presumably looking at him from under those hood that held his attention though. Sturdy Backstep shifted his weight from hoof to hoof as felt their hidden stares on him. Like most ponies he found the Bastions unsettling to be around.
Walking up to him, Brother Adeptus blocked his view into the room. Not even attempting to straighten his disheveled rob, he cocked an eyebrow at the guard.
“Brother, why do you disturb my sleep?”“B-Brother Adeptus. One of the Bastions was seen walking around the complex.”
Brother Adeptus nodded at the news. “Come then, we need to find her. She is supposed to be watching the Bastion-to-be, if one is on the move then so is other.”
- - - - - - - -
Brother Starburst’s horn glowed as he continued to talk at the gray pegasus tied face-down on the bench in the middle of the cell.
He smiled as the pegasus struggled to put his hooves in his ears… or on him. Anything to stop him talking.
The glow around the pegasus’s ears gave the Brother’s words not only that extra bite, but made it feel like days of talking had passed to the pegasus instead of mere hours. The same words over and over. Slowly eating into the pegasus’s self-esteem, his self-worth, his identity.
Brother Starburst concentrated on the pegasus, he used to be a guard apparently, so the usual cleansing wasn’t quite enough. They had to scrub out the last his old beliefs with some more traditional methods. He’d felt a surge of pride as Brother Adeptus himself had selected him to finish the conversion.
‘To bring another lost soul to the light, what an honour. The pegasus will surely thank me afterwards. That would make all my efforts worthwhile.’
Brother Starburst could see the signs of him weakening. The magic really did speed things up these days. The pegasus had started to cry again, but this time, he was begging him to stop. A little longer and…
Pulling his chin up, as her hoof covered his muzzle, Sunbeam pushed the dagger into the side of his throat. Standing on her hind legs, she held Brother Starburst tight, staring blankly at the wall opposite until he had stopped thrashing about.
Letting the body go as she fell back onto her hooves, Sunbeam didn’t even look at him as she walked quietly over to the sobbing stallion and put her foreleg around him.
“Shhhhh.”
It took Greywing several minutes to realize the talking had stopped. That his mane was being gently stroked.
Hesitantly he opened an eye. Sunbeam smiled gently down at him.
He tried to open his mouth but Sunbeam placed a hoof on his lips and shook her head. He nodded and closed his eyes as Sunbeam went round releasing his bindings.
After a few minutes, he shakily stood up and saluted. His voice came out as a stuttering whisper. “Sergeant Greywing, r-r-reporting for duty.”
She nodded to him, noting the tear stained face and the shakes he was trying so hard to suppress. That he was trying so hard to not look round at where his cutie marks used to be, was painfully obvious.
“At ease sergeant. We are going to rescue Twilight and the others. That is all you need to focus on right now. Concentrate only on that Sergeant. Can you do that for me, for her, Sergeant Greywing?”
He gave a nod before looking over the body of Brother Starburst.
Sunbeam didn’t have to look around to know where he was looking, the conflicting expressions on his face made that clear. “It’s not a pony over there Sergeant. It’s just a bag. Remember that, there are no ponies in here, there are only bags in here. Walking bags of flesh and bone.”
Lifting his head with a hoof, to look him the eye, her tone was gentle. “Trust me, it makes it so much easier. Retiring… Killing ponies is wrong, opening bags is easy. There are only bags in here. There are no ponies. Remember… Bags, not ponies.”
She held his gaze until she felt a tiny nod in her hoof holding his chin. “T-thank you Sunbeam. They are bags, not ponies...”
Putting her hoof down, Sunbeam gave him a slow nod and an understanding smile. ‘This is the right thing to do. In this time and this place, this is the right thing...’ Her smile became strained and she looked away as she saw the fire growing in Greywing’s eyes. ‘I need a shower.’
Sunbeam took a deep breath before looking back at him. “Now sergeant, before I make a... personal request… Get this bucking ring off my horn!”
- - - - - - - -
A hooded pony stood outside the cell, the glow from a horn showing from under the hood.
“...Get this bucking ring off my horn!”
Her horn glowed brighter.
Two thuds came from inside the cell moments later.
Brother Adeptus walked around the corner, the other two hooded ponies following closely behind him. Walking up to the hooded pony stood outside the cell, he patted her head tenderly.
“Well done.”
Turning to look to the hooded pony on his right. Reaching out, she brushed under her chin. “What am I going to do with you eh? I suppose it was my fault, I did only tell you to watch her, not actually stop her if she did anything. I must learn to be more specific with you.” He looked into the cell. “Oh well, my fault really, I did give you too much of the mix when I elevated you. Lesson learnt.”
The pony stood there motionless.
Brother Adeptus walked into the cell. Kneeling down by Sunbeam, he patted her head. “Only one more waking moment as your old corrupt self my dear. After that, you will be blessedly pure, both physically and mentally.”
He smiled at her. “Freeing a pony from the corruption of thought is easy my child. But finding a mare who has kept herself physically pure... that is so rare to find these days.”
He stroked her mane. “Being untouched by a stallion is what makes you so special my dear.” He looked round at the three hooded ponies. “Just like them.”
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WHY IS IT SO SHORT?! WHY!? *Sob*
Dang, I wanted a slaughter.
They push, they pull, but they forget. The more they twist, the more they will end up with the last thing any dare want, for a snake poisons slowly, and the chill hits so subtly. And then, its to late.
Another great chapter.
That was both, the most cute and the most horryfing hoof pump on history.
4400609
Now, now, 6000 words is a pretty respectable chapter length to aspire to. It''s as long as most of the chapters here, besides when Firecaller went a bit overboard with Ch. 28. Don't worry, more ponywords will be coming soonish.
I honestly don't care about retribution; it's just so much fun to rant about. Really, the only thing I care about is minimizing how much damage they do to others, and even to each other really. It seems like a lost cause though. Is there no end to their capability to hurt? No hope of failure?
It'd be funny if it weren't so horrifying, that the only hope for someone in this living nightmare is to fail.
4400947
Gah, missed one. Thank you, now corrected.
4401682
Oh yeah, rhyming is not my calling. Even when using an online rhyming tool. Next time Zecora appears there is a very good chance she may stop doing it.
4400609
Hehe, I'm aiming for chapters of less than 10k words these days. Chapter 28 was a <EXPLETIVE> to proof-read with my short little attention span.
Just ask Greynoise.
4400609 I find 6k words to be more than enough, length wise, while 1.5-2k is a bit small to me.
If ya want something longer, might I suggest MLP Time Loops? They recently added a 50k chapter, which is a bit long for me to read in one sitting, but they usually update 4-5 chapters at once and each of them is a respectable ~10k words.
Anyways, bad luck Sunbeam. Why did you have to be born under such an unlucky star.
Make them pay for their insolence and lack of sanity! 
4403998
I recently finished MLP Time Loops. Man, was it long! took me a full week to read all the chapters, not counting the weekends.
4403219
I just want to see Icefang freeze some cultists!
Interesting story!
Continue...
I have read this story over the course of three days.
You've caught my attention from the very beginning and held it. 
I absolutely love this story! PLEASE continue to write it, your work is exceptional! 
I look forward to future chapters!
4439440
Aww shucks, thank you. You're gonna make be blush.
Not an air plant's chance in the arctic, my friend. Friends will help, though. Good friends don't care if you're not normal.
1:30 ... AM ... Must... stop... reading...
I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU DIE MOTHER FUCKER!
You know what's so freaky: how close this is to the Season 5 Premier "Cutie Map" episode
Goddamnit, stop stringing me along like this!
RESOLVE SOMETHING!
This story didn't need a mind-raping slave cult. It really didn't. The 'fang' cult or whatever it's called was bad enough. I hate reading about this shit.
I like the story enough to try and push past it, but it's hard. I am really very disappointed in the story for going here; there was enough going on already before this side-track.
6482564
The two cults are one and the same.
Judging by the end of this chapter the next chapter will probably be borderline gore tag. If it's not then Sunbeam is getting a little bit better mentally.