When the Everfree Burns

by SpiritDutch

Chapter 57: Fool on the Hill

As an imperial squire Shining Armor had spent many a grueling afternoon posted to Canterlot’s formidable gatehouses. After that while ascending through the ranks of the Imperial Household Guard, he had elected to sit in on a few lectures at the university about military architecture. Additionally through his acquaintance with the imperial architect Laurel Black from Uncle Flux’s parties, he had been part of a few chats about castles design, fortification technology, and siegecraft.
All in all, it was fair to say he had a grasp of castle design and weaknesses. But with as pitifully few ponies and resources as he had at his disposal, the problem of Fourth Ford stumped him. It didn’t seem possible to infiltrate the fortified city and then storm it in his situation.

It was barely dawn. He’d woken up before everypony and gone for a walk. The riverpony countryside was dominated by flat farmland divided up by raised causeways and hedgerows. So much of it was burned. Acres of charred crops, villages memorialized by charcoalized structure timber, windmills and grain storehouses collapsed into smoldering piles.

“Holy Celestia. Duchess Highlight does not mess around.” Shining didn’t dare approach the burned villages closer than skirting the road, for worry he’d see a burned body. He wasn’t ready to have the day spoiled.

Still, the crisp morning air and stretch improved his mood. He sat in the grass on off the causeway, under the shade of a leafy tree, and watched the sun rise above Fourth Ford. The grey walls were honestly not that impressive, but still sat like mountains out of the flat farmlands of the Crystal River Valley.
“Canterlot ponies are ironically poor mountain climbers.” Shining said to himself.

By the time he returned to the camp the other knights were waking up, cooking breakfast over the campfire.

‘Good morning captain.” They hailed him.

“Good morning.” Shining nodded. “What’s our provision situation? It’s going to be hard finding food in this ravaged countryside. I really don’t want to have to beg the duchess.”

“Fine for now. If needs must a party of us can break south to look for food.” A knight said. “But Fourth Ford is probably feeling the pinch too, what with the local farms burnt. They must be desperately barging in food from up and down the river.”

“Utterly savage.” Another knight tending the campfire remarked. “If the earth ponies do this to their own, imagine what they’d do to us.”

“The deepest strife is between family.” The first knight mused. “Imagine being stabbed in the back by a brother you trust. That’d leave you lost, confused, and very mad.”

“That’s deep.” Shining drawled. “I’ll admit I don’t trust them. That whole weird episode yesterday… I killed their knight and they were just blase about the whole thing. I don’t know what to make of it.”

Everypony murmured their agreement with that sentiment.

“As you were.” Shining took a loaf of bread and wandered back to his tent. For what must have been the fortieth time that week, Shining wondered how his sister Twilight was surviving.

“Ughh, what time is it? Did we sleep in?” Sparrow Showdowner peeked her head out of his tent. “Ruddy get up! We missed breakfast! Ruddy!”

Indistinct mumbling emitted from the tent in reply.

“Oh Captain Armor.” Sparrow noticed Shining watching her. “Feeling better? I’m sorry I should have been more comforting when you fell asleep crying.”

Shining gently nudged her to the side so he could reach into the tent, grabbing his armor and saddlebags. “I don’t need any comforting.” He put on the armor. “I’m a soldier and knight. I give you my comforts out of chivalric duty to those in need, not an expectation of repayment, by emotional support or anything else.”

“If it’s the same to you, I’d help a crying stallion no matter who he was or what he was doing.” Sparrow said. “Except if he was crying because he was evil, and he was all weepy because his evil designs were foiled.”

“The ‘evil’ ponies tend to be made of sterner stuff than the likes of us.” Shining sat in the grass and adjusted his equipment. He checked his saddlebag to make sure all the books, particularly that one, were still there. “And you will find their plans don’t get foiled as often as common fantasy would have you believe.”

“Common fantasy?” Sparrow repeated.

“You’re a musician, right? I’m sure you sing little legends and bardic tales all the time. Chivalric gallantry… and so on.” Shining said, striking a half-hearted heroic pose.

“Oh sure. But common fantasy, commoner fantasy, and even many chivalric tales of heroes are not as upbeat as you give them credit for. They celebrate knights for getting themselves killed in amusing or ironic ways as often as they celebrate their heroism.” Sparrow said. “The troubadours of Foal sing about dead friends, miserable nights alone, the cold mountaintops, and the futility of being serious. The whole bardic tradition there is stewed in irony.”

“I don’t find irony very useful, honestly.” Shining sighed.

Sparrow thought for a moment. “You’re not beaten down enough. I don’t mean to disparage your noble personage, but once you suffer the emotional rollercoaster of life allotted to Equestria’s most miserable, you’ll be happily welcoming the sarcastic detachment that irony provides.”

Shining didn’t feel like arguing the point. “We’ll see I guess. I see the appeal but I’m not there yet. It’s not even like I’m being beaten down, or that my conditions here are so so bad. It’s just…” He stood up. “I’m not happy about the choices I’ve made. Like right now, I’m miserably un-eager to help Duchess Highlight. It’s hypocritical at best, criminal at worst! I feel dirty.”

“You feel bad about being pragmatic?”

“Yes. Pragmatism is foul. I can do better.” Shining Armor promised himself. “Do you think I am naive to believe what I believe?”

“I don’t know your past, sir. I am nopony to criticize a noble knight and leader.” Sparrow shrugged. “I’ll just say that ideological purity is a luxury us commoners can’t afford.”

“It’s funny. I’ve heard plenty of nobles say the same thing about themselves.” Shining hummed. “Anyway, we can pick this conversation up later if I fall into this kind of mood again.”

“Off to talk to the Duchess Highlight?” Sparrow asked.

“Yes. Want to come?” Shining countered.

Sparrow shook her head. “Nah. Mis Raven might.” She ducked into the tent. There was some scuffling and protesting groans A moment later, a bleary-eyed Raven Ruddy emerged from the other side. “Ruddy,” Sparrow backed out of the tent. “Sir Armor here was wondering if you’d accompany him to see her ladyship the duchess, since you’ve been accompanying her for the past while.”

That proposal jolted Raven Ruddy awake. “Err, uhh, I’d really rather not. She’s… kinda intense.” She whispered.

“Oh come on, it’s nothing you can’t handle!” Sparrow said encouragingly.

Shining didn’t particularly appreciate Sparrow foisting the twitchy kleptomaniac on him, but he wasn’t keen on keeping her around camp either. “I would just like you to be there, and if need be speak to my good intention.” Shining said. “No pressure.”

Raven Ruddy glanced around. “I guess… I will.”

“Thank you.” Shining gave a shallow bow.

The sound of wingbeats overhead interrupted them. Flash Sentry landed nearby and trotted over to them. “Captain!” He saluted with a wing.

“Had a look around?” Shining asked.

“Yeah it’s, um, quiet.” Flash cleared his throat, glancing off for a moment. “The Duchess and her ponies are the only ones out here besides us.”

“The other Riverpony lords are staying far away.” Shining mused. “But why? The consequences of this civil war isn’t going to stay contained. Famine radiates out like a disease.”

“I wouldn’t really know about that captain.” Flash was looking unsettled. “All I can do is confirm that we’re alone. What we do now is up to you I guess.”

“Follow through our agreement with Lady Highlight. Little else to be done.” Shining said. “There are errands you could run, particularly alerting the caravan to our situation.” He turned away, squeezing his eyes closed as he thought. “But ehh… Sir Sentry, I think… the plan calls for you to be here.”

Flash’s eyes lit up. “The plan?”

“The plan.” Shining turned back to the younger knight. “The plan needs a pegasus. Yes.” He cleared his throat. “I’m going to check in with the duchess. I’ll be back soon.”

“Aye captain.” Flash grinned. “We’ll be waiting.” He saluted and flew off.

Shining stood there for a while. “Shoot. Now I have to think of a plan.”

Sparrow Showdowner was stifling a laugh. “You awkward cherry. Are all ponykind’s vaunted god-given nobility like this?”

“Don’t get too familiar, mis. That kind of talk won’t stay funny forever.” Shining muttered. “Mis Raven, it’s time to speak with the duchess.”

The two ponies exited the camp, starting on one of the dirt causeways northwestwardly.

“You’re an interesting pony, Sir Armor.” Raven Ruddy ventured.

“I wish you’d said literally anything else.” Shining said quietly.

“Umm, well, sympathize with you. You shouldn’t be so polite with Mis Showdowner, or she will walk all over you, ummm, like she does me.” Raven giggled guiltily. “You really do seem like a nice pony, which isn’t what I expect from a knight with your authority.”

Shining scoffed. “My authority? I lead a vagrant band, so far as you’ve seen. You don’t know anything.”

“Even little kings get as lordly as the god-empress herself.” Raven said, her matter of fact tone dipping into the first notes of scorn Shining had heard from the little mare. “I know I don’t have to tell you, you having lived in Canterlot.”

“I really don’t know what you’re getting at. What does this have to do with Mis Sparrow or my authority?”

Raven hesitated, turning demure again. “N- Nevermind. I was working my way around to apologizing again about taking your book.”

“Shut up about the book. You should forget it exists.” Shining shook his head. “You’ve been brought in on something very dangerous. I can’t handle it. I doubt you could either. But now there’s no escaping it.”

Ruddy cocked her head. “But what is it? A grimoire or something?”

“Not a clue. Not a clue for this world. Or out of it.” Shining continued his heavy-lipped muttering. “I just want to help my ponies. I had aspirations of defending a princess, or an entire city. I’m not up to those tasks. Just maybe I’m up to this.”

Ruddy hesitated. “I’m not the pony you should be asking, my lord. Her ladyship the duchess would be a better, umm, foil for that kind of question.”

“I don’t think her ladyship the duchess has much a mind for helping ponies.” Shining said.

Duchess Highlight’s camp had been built on a slight rise in the flat riverland plan, a lightly forested hill inland from Shining’s camp. The camp was ringed by a rudimentary wall of sharpened stakes, and the space seemed well lived in, proof the retinue had been there a while.

The squires on guard gave Shining strange looks but let him pass. Maybe they recognized him from the day before, or they just shared their liege ’s listless apathy.

The Duchess was sitting outside a big tent at the center of her camp, talking with one of her knights. She was dressed just the same as the day before and her spring green mane looked oily. Shining wondered if she had not even undressed since the last meeting.

“Pardon, one approaches.” The duchess shooed her knight away, standing to meet the newcomer. “Shining Armor, welcome to my home.”

“Regretful of a lady of your status would be reduced to this.” Shining bowed.

“Don’t mock us.” The duchess wrinkled her nose. “Sir, this may not be Canterlot, but we Riverponies have a rich artistic and architectural tradition.”

What was she even talking about? It was a dirty camp in some trees. Shining cleared his throat. “I meant no disrespect. I don’t want there to be misunderstandings, especially after yesterday. And I would sincerely hope to prevent that from happening again. Anything I can do-”

“Oh, you mean the duel? Do not worry yourself. I have slept on it, and I concluded that you were in the right. Anypony who acts so disrespectfully towards visitors to our lands deserves punishment. I should be thanking you, for meting out punishment for me.” Aura said flatly. “In fact you were much more merciful than I would have been. Criminals in my land deserve swift judgement. I would have had him strung up and flayed, I think. I would break his bones and throw him in the river. Have you heard scaphism, sir?”

Shining blinked. “Uh, no my lady, I’ve not heard of it.” He quickly continued before she could explain. “I am usually merciful to a fault so I should not have let myself be so quickly angered. I consider it a personal failing.”

“Don’t apologize so much.” Aura said flatly. “Hard times require firmness. You Canterlot types have had the luxury of mercy.”

“Yes my lady. I have been given much to think on these days, of Canterlot and her ‘luxuries’.” Shining Armor nodded. Again, were times really that bad? Why had things so immediately descended into this level of barbarism?

“If times were normal you would have passed through, like you always do. The Riverponies and their land mean nothing to you but mud and blood.” Aura said, her tone sharpening but her expression remaining blank.

Shining was getting nervous. “My lady I can promise you that is not the case. I have the utmost respect for your land and ponies.”

Aura Highlight scratched behind her ear, thinking. “That can’t be proven for certain, but you seem like a good stallion. You seem willing to learn! I like that out of you unicorns. Sometimes I think you’re all gem-chewing psychopaths. Sometimes I want to turn you all into towels. It would do my ponies more good than you are now.”

“For as long as I am here, and forever afterward, your ponies are my concern. On my honor as a knight I tell you I want the best for them and you.” Shining said.

“Yes…” Aura said trailing off.

What was the best way to describe Aura Highlight? Murderer, predator, or madmare? She reminded Shining of a warlord leading a horde in some war-ravaged place, the likes of whom could be found sitting on a pile of bones, drinking out of a skull. But this was not a savage born on the steppe! This was supposed to be a well-bred daughter of sophistication and honor! Plus she seemed completely aloof to the savagery she was perpetrating. What had gone wrong with this mare?

“Lady Highlight, to the end of restoring you to your throne in Fourth Ford, I’m putting together a plan to infiltrate.”

“Forth Ford? Oh yes, our agreement.” Aura seemed disinterested. “You’re going to infiltrate?”

“Yes we are.”

“When will it be?”

“It’s a bad idea to rush this.” Shining said. It was true that careful planning and perfect timing were key to a successful infiltration, but the rest of the IHG caravan would be catching up. He needed to clear safe passage, or their momentum would faltar and Shining feared his tenuous hold on the situation would fail. If they ever stopped driving towards Foal, all would be lost, so Shining thought. “But we are rushing anyway. My working plan right now might need some limited cooperation from your camp. If you move-”

“Yesterday, you weren’t telling me you needed my cooperation. If you want your free passage and reward, be a good mercenary and do the job.” Aura said, her voice ice.

Shining felt that barb like ice too, a stab to his heart. “My lady you are being cruel. I am working for my followers.” He said, struggling to keep his voice even. “And I didn’t ask for any reward besides passage. I wouldn’t accept it anyway.”

Aura stared at him, then away to some distant corner of the sky. “Am I confusing you with somepony else?”

“I couldn’t say, Lady Highlight.” Shining ground his teeth. Getting her help seemed out of the question. “Nonetheless. I intend to deliver you the city, and promptly.”

“How promptly?”

“A day or two at most. I would have better judgement if I knew the situation inside the city.” Shining said. “I don’t have the ponypower to defeat an entire garrison, but enough for a gate, or the palace, or a strategic position. Then the way will be made open for you.”

“That sounds acceptable.” Aura let her gaze wander around while she spoke. “If you build my anticipation, be prepared to deliver.”

For my sake I better be, Shining thought. “I will send a signal to alert you when a gate is open. Are there any cannon in the city?”

Raven Ruddy spoke up, her first words of the meeting. “Several.”

Aura locked her eyes on the unicorn mare. “Yes… One cannon by every gate, two by the main gate facing south. Most of them haven’t been fired in years. There is a signaling cannon on my keep. It was well maintained.””

“Focussing on the gate cannons, I think then they would make a better signal. I will fire the one at whichever gate has been opened for you.” Shining said.

“Very thoughtful, but what if you are then overrun, and I am trapped at the gate?” Aura posed. “Why don’t we work out a whole system of signals based on the staccato of cannon firings.”

Shining couldn’t tell if she was being sarcastic. “Let‘s keep it simple.”

“Fine.” Aura agreed. “Anything else? No? You’re free to go. Live up to your boast, Shining Armor.”

“My lady.” Shining bowed and backed away.

He exited the camp, Raven Ruddy a few steps behind him. They descended off the forested hill back onto the dirt causeway.

“I don’t know why you brought me along.” Ruddy whispered.

Shining could tell by Ruddy’s lidded, almost pitying glances at him that she thought he had talked himself into a corner. “Was the duchess acting any differently than she usually did when you were accompanying her?” Shining asked.

“Her behavior was inconsistent.” Ruddy said.

Shining didn’t need Ruddy to know that. “And I have to rely on that mare to hold up her end of the bargain.” He sighed. “I’m sorry I have to be asking you this, but there’s nopony else that could answer it.”

“I don’t think she will stab you in the back.” Ruddy said. “Umm, I could be wrong, but the duchess only went back on her word when dealing with the ‘traitors’ she was hunting.”

“That does seem to be an obsession of hers.” Shining nodded.

“I have been tagging along with her for a few weeks. Lady Highlight does not deal fairly to those she is intent to kill.” Raven said. “Several times, the knights of the fiefs she was burning rode out to challenge her to honor duel. She had some of them shot to death with crossbows. Others, she let approach and then had them mobbed, disarmed, and tortured. I couldn’t stand to watch.”

“Why were you even with her?”

Ruddy laughed awkwardly. “I, ummm, was interested in the items from the places she was burning. They would have been destroyed anyway.”

Shining didn’t have the energy to rebuke the mare. “You were in Fourth Ford before the coup?”

“I arrived right before the news of Vizier Fancy Pant's assassination, and I escaped at the same time as the coup was happening, simultaneous to the Eternal Night descending.” Ruddy Raven said. “Plenty of other ponies got out, but they went north or south to the other Riverpony fiefdoms.”

"Funny you mention Fancy Pants." Shining said. "Uh, anyhow, what was the situations as you left?"

"When the duchess fled ponies were using the opportunity to kill and rob each other."

That repulsed Shining even more. How could that be true? Was the whole duchy maladjusted, not just its lady? Normal ponies didn’t start robbing each other as soon as the law was looking the other way. “So two and a half months? Not an insignificant amount of time. Would you be able to act as a guide in the city?”

“Umm, not really… I stayed to a small section of the city where the other musicians lived.” Raven paused. “I, umm…”

“I’m sorry, that was very unfair of me to ask of you.” Shining apologized.

Raven shivered. “It- It is a little unfair.” She didn’t speak the whole rest of the way back to the camp.

Breakfast was over and the knights had packed up most of the camp. Shining summoned everypony over and explained his plan to them.

“Today, in the late afternoon, we are going to infiltrate Fourth Ford by disguising ourselves as pilgrims traveling from Foal towards Canterlot.” Shining said. “Some of you can pull off a convincing Foal accent, some of you can’t, so act accordingly.”

“If they don’t buy it?” One of the knights asked.

“We will have to force the issue. Depending on the situation, we either attack and try to get inside before they close the gate (if they opened the gate to question us), or we surprise attack with magic and allow our pegasi to open the gate .” Shining said. “But if we do get inside, we have to take and hold the gate to allow the duchess’s forces to enter. Who knows how long that could take.”

The knights traded worried glances.

“This is not a rigid plan. Depending on what we see we may wait in the city undercover for a time. We have to be adaptable.” Shining concluded. “I know we’re not trained for subterfuge, so this won’t be easy, but I trust each and every one of you in a fight, and in the end, that is what it will come down to.”

A chorus of ‘Aye’s went up. Some seemed less enthusiastic than others. Maybe they detected how haphazard Shining’s plan was.

Shining cursed under his breath. He felt very unsure of the whole situation.
There was something sinister going on in the duchy. It was making the ponies act in vile ways, willing to hurt their fellow pony. Shining was convinced it was what led to the coup and all the bloodshed since. He didn’t care about Aura Highlight’s struggle farther than it could help his caravan move along, but maybe just maybe, discovering the hidden cause of the strife would make the conflict go away, and allow the IHG to pass in peace.
Shining wasn’t sure how he was going to sell that idea to his knights, so he didn’t mention it.

“Captain, one quick question.” Flash Sentry waved his hoof. “What are the ponies not infiltrating the city going to be doing?”

Shining was caught off guard. “Umm, well that is a situational consideration and I am not ready to commit at this juncture.” Which was a lot of words to say nothing, and the knights knew it. “We are devising another infiltration effort, umm, independent of the main one.”

“We?” Flash queried.

“Yes.” Shining cleared his throat, and did not offer the implicitly requested elaboration. “Okay dismissed. I’ve got to go pack up and make preparations. Everypony please hold other questions until after I’m done with that.” Shining hurried back to his tent.

The longer things were going on, Shining more nervous he felt about his leadership position. The trail heretofore, leading the caravan through the forest, had been fairly straightforward. Everypony agreed that heading east to Foal was the right decision. The moment a real dilemma opened up, Shining was struck with nerves.
It made him wonder about how much he ‘deserved’ his position. In Canterlot he had always been speaking on behalf of somepony else’s authority, as a proxy of Captain Hauseway and therefore the princess. He did not feel confident he had earned the right to lead now, in his own right. Thank the gods nopony had given him cause to punish them, because he wasn’t sure he’d be able to ask his followers to submit to discipline.

He arrived back at his tent as these nervous thoughts swirled in his head. Sparrow Showdowner was idly strumming chords of her guitar, while Raven Ruddy was humming accompaniments.

“This is miserable.” Shining groaned, climbing into his tend and rolling up the bedroll. “Knights and soldiers exist protect ponies, and their leader to help them protect more efficiently. If I can’t do that what good am I?”

Sparrow stopped strumming, “Sir, I think you need a friend to confess this too, not us. We’re carefree mares of foppery.”

“I…” Shining, if he was being honest with himself, had no friends. The closest he had were professional acquaintances. Most of the time he didn’t even know their name, like the Canterlot city guard sergeant, an ally of many years. Then there was Cadence and his sister Twilight, who were both distant yet the only ponies he really had emotional connections to. He didn’t even know where to begin with his knights, considering how often it had been drilled into the IHG trainees that emotional distance to officers was necessary and required. Did those rules still apply?
“I guess so. I need a friend.” Shining sighed. He unrolled himself and played at packing his things for a few seconds. “Buck me, I’m a mess.”

Sparrow shrugged.

“It’s not as though I have time to find a friend or some ersatz confessor. I don’t even have time to complain. I’ve got to act.” Shining said. “A wise pony once said that if you try at something with all your strength and passion you will succeed.” Seeing as Prosser’s advice had led the world to its current point, perhaps he wasn’t so wise.
But the question remained: How was he going to solve the immediate conundrum of conquering Fourth Ford? How could he come up with a plan without a good ally to bounce ideas off of, especially while fretting about real and imagined problems?

“Only… There is someone… something I could ask.” Shining whispered to himself. He unclasped his saddlebag and let it drop off his back. He picked up the simple book. Did he imagine it or did it thrum?

Sparrow eyed him skeptically. “Are you sure that’s a good idea chief? It’s the middle of the day. Not a good time to space out.”

“I would rather I be so foolish here than make a terrible mistake I can’t fix. If I ask the right question I won’t go wrong.” Shining said quietly.

“I have no idea what that means, but sure.” Sparrow shrugged.

“That’s a good thing.” Shining flipped through the pages, to the last one he had seen. As soon as he glanced at the next page after that, he felt the familiar lightheadedness and tingling in his limbs. The symbols danced in front of his eyes, lines and circles, spinning slowly or sawing back and forth. He looked away before he was sucked in. “I don’t need your help this time, so just stand guard or something.”

“Stand guard? Sir I’ve been agreeable to follow your cue but if you want me to follow orders, give me a sword and ordain me a knight.” Sparrow chuckled, flicking at the strings of her guitar playfully. “Perhaps this is as far as I can get with you, and it is time to jump ship.”

“Fine, you mountebank mare. Get out and stop wasting my time.” Shining said roughly. He withdrew into his tent with the book.

Sparrow laughed to herself. “Typical stallion.”

“Are you actually going to leave?” Raven Ruddy asked softly.

“Nah. I don’t think Sir Armor’s song as even properly begun, let alone ended.” Sparrow said. “I would hate to lose this story to some other inferior bard, if it end heroically or tragically. You’ll stay too, right Ruddy?”

“Err, I… I guess so.” Ruddy whispered.

“You’re ever so good a friend.” Sparrow beamed. “But I can tell that you, like me, want to get another look in that oh-so interesting little book. I’ve never heard of a songbook that itself sings.”

Ruddy was less enthusiastic. “That’s really not a good idea Sparrow. It’s not safe. What good is something like that to a pair of songbirds?”

“You’d know better than anypony. Because it’s shiny.” Sparrow grinned.

---

Shining Armor found himself in that place again, the infinite white plain devoid of features. It took him only a second to recover his senses, which made him wonder if he was becoming used to that ethereal realm, and then to wonder if that was a bad omen.
The shimmering entity of light was already there, its nebulous form swirling around like leaves in the wind.

“Hi.” Shining said.

The small luminous whirlwind continued to twirl and spin, ignorant or apathetic to Shining’s greeting.

“Your, umm, highness…” Shining wasn’t sure how to formally address the divine entity. “I need your help.”

The whirlwind of light unwound itself, becoming a stream of coursing energy that surged forward, surrounding Shining Armor in blinding brilliance.

Before Shining could react the light dissipated, but he was no longer in the featureless white world. He was in a small room. A very normal room that reminded him of his parent’s Canterlot townhouse, with practical wooden construction and elegant furnishing.
“I didn’t expect this.”
Shining trotted over to the bay window, overlooking… nothing. The world beyond the room was empty, in case Shining forgot he was in a dream. There were two chairs by a coffee table, so Shining took a seat.

On cue, a shimmer of light bloomed in the second chair. It assumed a pony silhouette for a moment then became an indistinct cloud again.

“This is different. Is this to accommodate me or something?” Shining gestured to the rest of the room.

“Nay.” The entity said, it’s melodious voice warbling in Shining’s mind. “This is an exercise. Rare it is for ones such as I to try new things. Here we are.”

“This space… is a new thing?” Shining asked.

“If you wish to understand this exercise, let us conduct another one: A thought exercise.” The entity said. “Mortals have children. Indeed it is a defining feature of their mortality. The progenitor enjoys a superior position over the progeny for as long as the latter is still undeveloped.”

“Yeah we call that parenthood and childhood.” Shining said.

“One is subordinated to the other, for experience, age, and power. There are many different permutations of relationships among mortals, and many factor in those three noted differences. The relationship of progenitor to progeny, I expect will resonate most with you.” The entity continued. “When the progenitor, clothed in vast knowledge that the progeny has neither the framework nor capacity to understand, wishes to communicate with their spawn they simplify simplify their message.”

“Yeah, they dumb it down.” Shining remarked. “Which you’re doing for me I assume.”

“This is the conversational framework I used with my ‘daughter’ Celestia. If it is overpowering to you, I can simplify further.”

For some reason that unnerved Shining Armor. “This is how you communicated with Princess Celestia?”

The different points of shimmering light that formed the entity began to swarm more rapidly. “Celestia created my dream and this framework of communication for me to speak to inferior entities, herself and you mortals included.” The entity said. “The child gave the parent the dumb language it wished to be communicated to with. Garbled, truncated thoughts, the sputterings of infants, informs the baby-talk of the mother.”

“I get it.” Shining mulled. Celestia was the author of the book. He just needed a name for it now.

“At times the simplicity and naïveté of the child leads it to ideas that the parent would not have considered, out of normative thought paradigms. The older, wiser, and more powerful has something to learn from the younger, stupider, weaker.” The entity’s musical psychic voice became discordant. “So I depart from the artificial constraints that Celestia placed on my dream, to bring you this room. It is an innovation for me, a visual demonstration for you.”

“A demonstration of what?” Shining asked.

“Open The Elements of Harmony.” The entity commanded.

Shining was about to ask what it mean when he realized that there was something on his lap. It was the simple book he'd just entered the dream with.
When Shining looked back up to the entity to ask another question, but the cloud of shimmering light was replaced with a pony. It was a plain beige unicorn with blank eyes and no mark.
“Is this more dumbing-down? What’s going on?”

“No, this is more innovation.” When the plain pony moved its mouth, the entity’s melodious voice was still in Shining’s head. “Open The Elements of Harmony, and use it on this pony.”

As he obeyed, Shining wondered if the entity, which had demonstrated an ability to read his mind, was going through an elaborate pantomime to answer the questions he had entered the dream with, about capturing Fourth Ford.
That wonderment evaporated when he opened the book and revealed a pistol had been tucked between the pages.
“What?” Shining scowled, picking up the gun and inspecting it. It was loaded.

“Use it on the pony.” The entity insisted.

“This is getting too weird for me. Whatever analogy you’re reaching for you obviously haven’t dumbed it down enough for me.” Shining said, exasperated.

The plain pony shook its head jerkily, unnaturally. “This exercise is very literal. Use that gun on the pony. When you return to the waking world, do the same.”

“Good grief.” Shining shook his head. He didn’t understand; The entity had been vague and cryptic to that point. Now it was giving him direct orders. “I can obey you here but you haven’t made a strong case for doing your bidding in the real world.” He checked the pistol again and cocked back the hammer. He pointed it at the pony. “Are you going to incentivize me?”

Before his eyes, the plain pony shifted form, like a piece of dough deforming. It became larger. Then, sitting across from Shining, was Princess Celestia. She had none of her usual adornments, crown or raiment and such.
“Is this incentivization?” Celestia said. This time it was spoken from her own mouth, in her own voice. There was no voice in Shining’s head with it.

Shining felt his jaw clench, his pulse pounding in his ears. “I’m not sure.” He croaked out. He lifted the gun a bit, adjusting for Celestia’s height. “Are we supposed to know what we want all the time?”

“No, which is why I am here.” Celestia smiled, a warm motherly smile that made Shining’s bile rise even more. “Your plan to infiltrate Fourth Ford will work, Captain Armor, if you send a second group to commandeer a barge on the fords, and enter from the harbor. Then you will have your city, to exchange with Aura Highlight, if you can bear it.” Her smile deepened, beyond what a face was capable of into a perverse and unsettling leer. “But in Fourth Ford you will have my task. A creature is there who should not be. You will know them, for they will announce themselves; Their hubris is great. Send them off.”

Shining felt so strained he felt he would pop. Every idle angry thought he had thrown at Celestia, scapegoat of convenience, was swirling around in his head. Every quick prayer or whispered plea he had made to her on the hard road from Canterlot, yearnings for lost normalcy, tied his tongue in knots. Seeing her again, feeling her closeness, was splitting him in half. “What’s my reward?” He whispered.

Celestia leaned in, nudging the gun away and kissing Shining on the forehead. “The Sun has learned her lesson. No more immortal servants. Yet servants she needs to guide mortalkind. You can have powers the likes of which could only be understood by dumbing down, from parent to child.”
She sat back in her chair, looking expectant.

Shining hardly had wherewithal to parse Celestia’s presence, let alone the offer he was being made. “One day at a time, my lady.” He said. “When I meet the fated pony, they’ll be ‘sent off’ alright, but only if I decide so.”
He shielded his eyes and pulled the trigger, but still saw the fatal damage the bullet did to his princess’s head.

Shining woke up so fast he hit his head on the tentpole, dislodging the pole and ripping the fabric with his horn. He staggered froward, dragging the material behind him before he tripped, tangling him face down, trapped and blinded by the tent material.

“How embarrassing.” He heard Sparrow Showdowner remark.

“For sure.” Shining said, but he was too engrossed the lingering visions to be annoyed. As the visions faded and his thoughts were fully his own, then he felt the annoyance. “Your abuse is not charming, Mis. I’ve just had a profound religious experience and I won’t have you mocking me about it.”

“Will you have me helping you then?” Sparrow laughed. She found the tent flap and uncovered Shining. “You can spare me the speech about chivalric self-reliance.”

“Yeah whatever.” Shining cleared his throat. “Thank you for that.”

“Sure.” Sparrow shrugged. “Besides finding your faith, did your space adventure find you any surefire plans, friends, or tangible benefits?”

“It was a pretty fun space adventure, actually. But yes I now have a plan. I can’t tell you though. Operational secret.” Shining smiled.

Sparrow clopped her hooves together. “Yes sir. I am going to love seeing it in action.”

“You’re going to stay here. If you get in the way I’m going to be a lot less playful, Mis Sparrow.” Shining said. He looked to Raven Ruddy, who had been silently listening to the conversation from her seat on the grass. “I don’t think I will be needing your help navigating Fourth Ford after all, Mis.”

“That’s a relief.” Raven whispered.

“Yeah, a relief.” Sparrow echoed. “I’m as disconcerted as I am impressed by your sudden surge of confidence, Captain Armor.”

“I’ll feel the same for you if you hold your tongue for the afternoon. I find your instrument more soothing.” Shining said cooly. He swept his mane away from his eyes. “Time to show some leadership.” He chuckled to himself as he trotted towards the center of camp. “Boys and girls, I’ve got some changes to the plan to announce.”

---

As expected a guard on the gatehouse began shouting warnings as Shining and his disguised band drew closer to the city wall.
“Stay where you are! Identify yourselves.”

Shining wasn’t enthusiastic about the disguises they’d been able to put together: The robes cut from tent cloth only barely looked like a monk’s or pilgrim’s garb, even in the dwindling light of eveningtide. It was Shining and four of the other unicorns. The earth pony and the two pegasi in his party had stayed behind with the other half-dozen unicorns as part of the second phase of the infiltration.

Shining Armor had with him four unicorns.
Shining’s second for the operation was one of the older IHG knights, North Pointe, a sharpshooter and experienced swordsmare in her own right. She had the group’s only pistol hidden in her robes. She had lived in Fourth Ford briefly in her youth but she insisted she remembered very little of it.
Firewind Hosple had been one of the best offensive magic specialists in Canterlot in his younger years, but now pushing forty he was was strained to keep up with the younger knights, but was still a capable instructor, and counted Shining among his former pupils. Since magic was generally seen as an effective tactical force multiplier against earth ponies, Shining expected to lean on Hosple’s skill if it came to a real fight.
Verde Coure was a knight sergeant, and a former mercenary in Griffany and Sahella. As such she had the most actual combat experience among the IHG. Her more notorious trait was her long stretches of silence, broken by bitter rants of hurling abuse at anypony nearby.
Spur Bend was one of the younger IHG squires, but showed promise as a lancer and duelist. He had not volunteered to go with Shining as Pointe, Hosple, and Coure had, believing himself too inexperienced for the task. He’d been chosen when the other unicorns drew lots.

Shining stopped ten meters from the wall, scanning across the battlements. The guard shouting at them seemed to be alone. The cannon Aura Highlight had mentioned poked its muzzle above an embrasure.
“We’re coming from Foal.”

“I can see that.” The guard drawled. “Come on closer then.”

Shining complied, trundling up to the heavy city gate, closed and barred as it was. The protruding barbicans on either side bristled with arrow slits, and murder holes looked down on them from the overhanging structure.

A minute later the guard from before appeared at one of the arrow slits, cocking his head to speak out of the vertical gap. “How’d you get past Aura and her gang?”

“Who?” Shining feigned ignorance.

“Nevermind.” The guard scratched his chin. “What’re you here for?”

“Well food and shelter, you know. The amenities of a modern city.” Shining said, trying to sound confused and unsure. “Is something wrong?”

“Yeah, something’s wrong. What’s your business? Why are you passing through Fourth Ford? Tell me strait.” The guard demanded.

“We’re on a pilgrimage.” One of Shining’s knights, Spur Bend he thought, spoke up.

The guard paused at that. “Eh?”

“Faith has many demands. Most of time those demands are personal. But in troubled times, those to whom faith is everything search for validation, as embarrassing as it is to admit.” Shining said. “So we’re on the way to Canterlot, center of the faith, to renew ours.”

“Won’t do you any good if the princess is dead.” The guard grunted. “Whatever. Y’all’s pilgrimage is none of my business, just your entry into my city. But I’ll tell you, there’s a special pony you can hit up if you need faith that bad, a prophet.”

Who, Shining almost blurted out, genuinely this time. But he had just enough of his mother’s cunning instincts to play to this unexpected tidbit. “Prophecy is the duty of only the most blessed and high. Times must be truly terrible.”

“Keep your hairshirt on, robe boy.” The guard sighed. “You have messed up priorities. Are highfalutin concepts like faith more important than the world around us? Pshh, you don’t even know ‘bout the liege of this land, but you’d jump in with some kooky holy pony.”

“Uhh, I’m not sure how to respond to that. We all serve somepony above us. If by faith or fealty it differs from pony to pony, but we still serve.” Shining said. He wasn’t sure if it made sense but it sounded profound.

“Eh, it’s not like we choose who owns us. If you think we should, that’s another conversation.” The guard grumbled. “Okay, let’s cut the crap. What’s you all’s names then?”

“Shining Hill.” Shining reported. He stepped aside to let his band give similarly fake names.

“Thanks.” The guard mumbled. “Gimme a moment to write those down here…”

The young knight Spur Bend leaned over to whisper in Shining’s ear. “Captain I didn’t see but that one pony on the wall.”

Shining glanced towards the arrow slits around them. “He might be the only guard here.” If that was the case the job of capturing and opening the gate would be trivial.

“What are you bringing with you?” The guard asked.

“The clothes on our back, a little food, and a book.” Shining reported.

“A book?” The guard sounded politely disinterested as he continued to make his notes. “What language?”

“Equestrian. Ponies from Foal speak Equestrian too you know.” Shining remarked.

“Just asking.” The guard said, putting his quill down and peeking through the arrow slit again. “I can’t think of a good reason to keep you ponies out. Can you think of a good reason?”

“You’re… asking us for a reason to keep ourselves out?” Shining asked.

There was a clatter as the guard put the notepad down. “I’m being candid here, robe boy. Though, it’s doubtful you all are really monks, eh? You’ve got a reason to get in, maybe I’ve got a reason to let you in, maybe within your reasons are reasons for me to keep you out. Let’s be up front about them.”

“Is this a shakedown? We don’t have much.” Shining said, grinding his teeth.

“No, this is a toll. I checked my manual here, and its call it an ‘economic barrier to entry’.” The guard said wryly. “If you minches want in, you’ve gotta pay me. Even hell has its tolls.”

Firewind Hosple stepped up, throwing Shining Armor a wink. “How about a magic trick?”

“For a toll?” The guard asked.

“What, you never seen a unicorn that could turn a pony inside out?” Hosple’s horn flickered with magical light, and from behind the slit the guard squealed. “Now that would be a funny trick. Come on now, we just want talk face to face. Economic barriers don’t have to be real barriers, do they.”

“I can see your point.” The guard said, strained. “C- Could you look behind you and see if there’s any pony coming down the road?”

Shining glancing back the way they’d come. “No sir.” It really was seeming like there was just the one guard.

“Okay, then give me a minute to get the gear working.” The guard disappeared from the arrow slit.

“I just gave him a tickle.” Hosple chuckled. “Hope I didn’t scare him off.”

“This is bizarre.” Spur Bend whispered.

“If they’re this understaffed across the city this gives us a lot of freedom. We don’t have to rush to get the city open if we can do it at our leisure.” Shining mused. “That opens the way for the second party.”

“What does that mean for us, sir?” North Pointe asked softly.

“Just follow my cue.” Shining said.

A round of whispered ‘aye’ answered him.

After a minute there was the sound of clanking mechanisms and straining wood as the solid wooden doors unlatched. Shining pressed on it experimentally, and it swung upon slowly.

Stepping past the gate, Shining found himself in a small dirt plaza, wedged between the gatehouse and the first rows of houses. The timber cottages of Forth Ford had been built very close together, reminding Shining of the stretches of the Canterlot Inner City that hadn’t been rebuilt into tenements. A stone-paved street barely wide enough for a cart led towards the center of the town.

But the guard that had greeted them was not alone. There were six of them: The guard that had let them in was nervously whispering to another earth pony stallion, a sergeant or somesuch, while four stallions and mares stood around the intersection, awaiting orders.

“Oh buck.” Shining swore under his breath. Training or skill advantages didn’t mean much when your opponent had a weapon and you didn’t.

“Unicorns? Unicorns? Doesn’t make sense.” The guard sergeant rasped loud enough for Shining to hear. He had the same skirt and gambison as the one who’d let them in, but also had a cape and leather helmet.

Shining stepped aside and let the rest of his knights in. They apprehensively looked to him for orders.

“Throw them back out? Well…” The sergeant turned to face Shining and his ponies.

“Hello there, brothers.” Shining bowed his head. “And sisters.”

“Guts or desperation? Which brought ya here?” The guard sergeant demanded. “There hasn’t been anypony outside that gate in the last ten days that didn’t want to kill me.”

“Sir I am to understand that as an accusation?” Shining acted confused.

“Weapons. What weapons you got on ya?” The sergeant demanded.

“Just self-defense-”

“Put them on the ground. Then stand over there.” The sergeant ordered.
Despite the orders and threats being thrown around, the four guards by the intersection seemed apathetic to what was happening. Shining couldn’t spare them more than a glance.
The guard sergeant snorted in irritated. “Hear me? Put ‘em down and stand over there.”

Shining glanced back at his knights. “We should do what he says.”

As ordered, Spur Bend and Firewind Hosple reached into their robes and pulled out their concealed daggers, tossing them down.

“That it?” The sergeant asked. Before Shining could answer he shook his head. “Well whatever. Unicorns, psshh. Get in the building.”

“The… gatehouse?” Shining asked.

“Yeah! Git!” The sergeant bellowed. He turned to the guard who had let them in. “Stick around, I’ll get orders from the palace. You watch ‘em good, Clay?”

The guard referred to as Clay only sighed. “Nothing’s changed since last time. Why would the palace let-”

“Don’t talk back! Just lock ‘em in there!” The sergeant shoved the key ring into Clay’s hooves. “Get moving, unicorns! Ya don’t wanna get hurt, do ya?”

Wincing at the shouts, Shining and his knights shuffled into the gatehouse structure. The sergeant slammed the door behind them.
The inside of the gatehouse was like most guard posts Shining had been in, disheveled, with bits of equipment pushed into the corners.

Arguing and shouting continued outside. Shining sighed and leaned against the wall. “Sir Pointe, that was a risky move, holding on to your pistol.”

“Sorry, captain.” North Pointe shrugged.

“If you think you did the right thing, you’ll have the chance to prove it soon. For now let’s assess the situation.”
While the knights began scrounging around the dusty gatehouse, Shining went back to the door.

There was a narrow vision slit at head height, letting him peer back out into the dusty street. He saw the guard sergeant berating the guard that had let them in, Clay, interspersed with gestures the other guards seemed to take as commands, for they began shambling down the main street towards the center of town. After a while the sergeant finished yelling and followed the other four, disappearing around the corner of a dilapidated row house, leaving Clay alone at his station.

Clay stood still for a while, seeming to contemplate things, before trotting to the door. “I see you watching me, robe boy.”

“I had a hard time deciphering through the accent, but did your officer tell you to let us out?” Shining asked.

“Laugh it up, unicorn. He’s gone to get orders from the palace. They’re not gunna let him in. He will then either forget about you or come back to kill you. Then he might kill me just for fun.” The guard hissed. “You should’ve run back the way you came. Was bad timing…”

“What was bad timing? The officer showing up?” Shining asked.

“My name is Cuptor Clay, and I’m the last sane pony in this town. Well besides them in the palace, but they’ve got their own thing going on.” Cuptor Clay sniffed. “I don’t care what y’all are doing here or who you’re working for. I let you in to be gratified. That toll, you see… I need it, bad, to pay for my escape!”

Firewind Hosple, hovering near Shining’s shoulder, butted in. “How about I reach out with my magic and merc you instead, boy? Eh? ‘Nother magic trick suite you?”

“Now listen, hornhead. They made this door with feisty unicorns in mind. But pay me, I let you out. That probably sounds more tempting to you than it did outside the gate, when you could just trot off. The fact of the matter is, y’all entered hell. If ya think you can survive, you can pay me for the pleasure.”

Shining shook his head, even if it was hard to be seen through the narrow vision slit. “We weren’t lying. We have nothing of value.”

Cuptor Clay thought about that. “Huh.” He gave a little laugh. “They say unicorns are wise. Load of empire-serving propaganda, eh? Idiots. Y’all came here, thinking you could trot all over us. Nothing to give us, nothing to provide us, only demands. Only needs.”

“Clay, you’ve made me the object of an argument you’ve been having in your head.” Shining said. The sudden political swerve amused and concerned him. “We have nothing to do with what’s happened here, nor do we really want to. You can let us go and it would be like nothing happened.”

“You want nothing to do with us, but you came anyway. Yup, that’s unicorn logic.” Clay spat. “Close your eyes, clear your anxiousness, and think about who you saw when you came in. Think about who the ponies of this good land have become.”

Even if it was just a rhetorical device, Shining did as Clay demanded that. He close his eyes and replayed his memories, with special focus on the ponies.
In the moment he had been focussed on Clay and the sergeant, the other four guards had been only in his peripherals. But thinking back on it, there had been something… wrong with them. They had not been normal.
They looked, as best as Shining saw in his memories, deathly ill. One looked tumor-ridden, with huge growths on the side of their necks or under their tunic. Another was gaunt, dried out, another like they had been pickled. The last one had a melty face, not like a burn victim, but waxy and liquid-looking.

Shining opened his eyes. “So… I’m recalling that the local constabulary are of dubious nature.”

“Oh yeah, ‘dubious nature’. Buck off, Shining Hill. This is life and death. Fourth Ford will kill and replace you as quick as you blink. It has been for us, and it will be for you.” Cuptor Clay was getting more irritated. “The pilgrim to hell, that cometh to pay homage to the devil, scorns Cerberus and doesn’t even give them a bone.”

“Is that a poem or something? Your analogies are getting out of control, my friend.” Shining backed away from the door. “Let me come out, just me, and we can hash this out without a barrier between us.”

There was the faint sound of a sword being drawn from the other side of the door. “Your friends, especially that snarky stallion, better congregate at the back there.”

Firewind Hosple grumbled but complied, trotting to the back of the gatehouse with the other knights.

A few seconds later the latch slid back and Clay pushed the door open. “Come out and close the door behind you.” He heafted his sword. “If your friends try anything, they’ll have to pass their goodbyes through me.”

“Drama queen!” Hosple shouted, before being shushed by North Pointe and Spur Bend.

Shining sighed, stepping back into the sunlight and shutting the gatehouse door behind him. “What’s become of this place?”

“Who cares. Did overthinking things save us? Did it save the empire? So much for philosophy and high culture.” Clay said. “Everything before this… it failed us. No reason to think about it. The only thing that matters… is the present, right in front of us.”

“Would you believe me if I told you I had the same thought today?.” Shining said. “Look, we’re both eager to resolve this before your sergeant comes back.”

“Yup so you better listen,.” Clay arched a brow. “What cost is too great? To escape hell, nothing. To enter it? Everything. So empty out your saddle bag. You mentioned you had a nice book? Show it.”

At the mention of the book Shining felt a flash of anger. “What is cerberus guarding? The entrance, or the exit? That is to ask, would it be earth or hell that would be inundated by the unwelcome, without their canine guard?”

Cuptor Clay smirked and lifted his sword.

“I will show you, sir, my book. I will show you that the fall of the empire is not the death of her honor.” Shining pulled that simple book, The Elements of Harmony, out of his bag. He passed it into his telekinetic grasp and moved it in front of himself, like a small buckler shield. “But you are no cerberus.”
Shining leapt forward, knocking aside Clay’s sword with the book and bucking the earth pony in the chest. Clay tumbled a short distance away but Shining didn’t push his advantage, letting the earth pony recover.

“Imperial dipshit. Your kind ruined everything!” Clay howeled, pushing himself to his hooves with his sword. “My life, my city… ruination! Now I’ll ruin you, Shining Hill.”

“I have nothing to prove to you.” Shining Armor said, though he wasn’t convinced of his words.

“Maybe not to me. But your followers? Your god? Your loved ones?” Cuptor asked bitterly. “Shining Hill, whatever you are… I know your kind! You’re young but you’re already petrified into them old ways. Nothing in Fourth Ford, and nothing in all Equestria, will bring it back.”

Shining tensed to attack again. Did Clay know more than he let on? His accusations and questions were eerily specific. “I think we’ve talked enough.”

Clay lifted his sword. “Oh, we’ll be talking a lot more by the dawn. This city will kill and replace you.”

“Quit messin around captain! Take him down.” Hosple shouted out.

Clay half-turned to the gatehouse. “Quiet, imperial dog!”

That moment of distraction was all Shining needed. He hurled the Elements of Harmony at Cuptor Clay, dinging the earth pony in the head. Then he worked a spell, casting a barrier shield spell around Clay’s head. By the time the pony realized what was happening it was too late. Clay shouted and tried to jerk away, but realized both that he was the only one hearing himself, and that any movement caused the spell to dig into his neck. Clay’s froze, his eyes bugging out as he desperately thought of a way out of the spell.

“Sorry.” Shining said. “It was you or me.”
He circled Clay and nudged open the lock of the gatehouse door. His knights filed out, keeping a wary eye on the spell-trapped earth pony.

“Badass, captain. I trained you well.” Firewind Hosple nodded gleefully.

“Don’t insult the captain by comparing him to you.” North Pointe snorted. “As it stands, we have now infiltrated Fourth Ford. The mission continues.”

Spur Bend stared at Cuptor Clay. Clay stared back through the translucent shimmer of the shield around his head. “I didn’t make heads or tails of half of what this guy was spouting.”

“Maybe that’s for the best.” Shining Armor said. He took a step closer to the earth pony.
Shining watched Cuptor Clay’s expressions cycle through anger, contemplation and panic. They locked eyes.
“It’s either you and yours, or me and the hundreds of ponies counting on me.” Shining said softly, not that he could be heard through the spell. “The sun is nearly set. We’ll see if you can keep your promises to talk more before dawn.”
Shining turned back to his knights. “Is everypony still following my cue? Good. As per the second plan, we are not going to let Aura Highlight into the city right away. We will scout across Fourth Ford to the riverside to meet the rest of the party."

“Captain, I think you should consider if you chose that path for the good of our knights and their families, or the good of your own conscience. In war, the latter has no place.” North Pointe objected.

“What do you know about war, Pointe?” Verde Coure spoke her first words since the operation began. “War is politics. War is violence. War is instrumental. Does our mission have those qualities?”

“Besides, North Pointe, you should listen because the captain is the captain. You don’t need any other reason.” Firewind Hosple said. “I must be loyal to my capo.”

“Eat a fat one, Firewind.” North Pointe rolled her eyes. “I’m loyal. But if I’m to die, I want it to be for us, not them.”

Shining Armor shook his head. “Us? Them? War? Loyalty? We’re Equestrians, and so are they. Don’t let Cuptor Clay’s accusations wear down your sense of community and fealty that binds together ponykind.” But glancing back at the trapped earth pony he felt the hollowness of his own words. Clay was by this point barely hanging on to consciousness from oxygen deprivation. He slumped forward, putting his body weight on his trapped head and neck. Shining held his spell for a few moments longer, then released it, letting Clay collapse on the dusty ground.
“If anyone wants to refuse to follow the plan, go open the gate, let Aura Highlight in, and end the mission that way.”

Nopony said anything.

“Glad to have consensus.” Shining said. What he meant was, glad not to have a challenges to his authority.
He turned away from them, staring down the street whose shadows were growing long in the dwindling light. Like with the grotesque guards, contemplation revealed what first glance had ignored: Doors with broken latches, shattered windows hastily boarded up, discolored splatters against walls and on curbs, and above all the total emptiness. For his contemplative pause Shining could hear how silent it was.
“By my honor, I will discover what has sickened this land’s soul. We will split up to cover more ground. I trust you not to get trapped like we did here. Sir Coure, take care of this pony.” He gestured to the unconscious earth pony before him.

Verde Coure immediately leapt into action, scooping up Cuptor Clay and trotting back towards the wall.

“Sir Hosple, go with her. Follow the wall anti-clockwise, to the rendezvous at the waterfront.” Shining ordered.
Hosple waited for a moment, making sure Shining had said all he was going to, then ran after Coure.

“Who will you take with you captain?” Spur Bend asked.

Nice try, Shining thought. “I will follow the wall clockwise. Alone. Sir Pointe, Sir Bend, you will follow this street straight on through the center of town.”

“Captain you should not go alone.” North Pointe objected.

Shining silently shifted his stance a little, staring at the dissenter.

“Sir Pointe, we should get going. We have less ground to cover to make the rendezvous, but we will have to go more slowly.” Spur Bend encouraged, trying to diffuse the tension. “Sir Pointe?”

“I’m on my way.” North Pointe said, breaking her staring contest with Shining. “Captain, will you at least take my gun as company?”

“Good luck you two.” Shining said flatly, turned and trotting away, following the southern curve of the city wall.

“Well, that was awkward.” Spur Bend laughed nervously. “Does Captain Armor get on your nerves? I always see you frowning at his orders.”

“The advent of ‘captain’ Armor was only very recent, and did not receive the consideration it deserved. He is captain though, and I do not question him now.” North Pointe followed Spur Bend down the desolate main street. “Even if I did I would not tell you, sir. That would go against the harmony the IHG expects of us.”

“Well I mean, we’re not really IHG anymore. RIP, IHG. RIP the princess we protected. But I’m not too sure what we are anymore. I doubt you are either. We’re just kinda… Shining Armor groupies.” Spur Bend meandered. “I find that especially ironic, personally. Even though he was second in command, seemed like Sir Shining Armor preferred the company of the Canterlot city guard more than the IHG.”

“Are these grave streets, where we risk stumbling on guards, raving earth ponies, or any other danger, the best place for this barracks gossip?” North Pointe asked.

“I don’t get to talk to you much, Sir Pointe. I guess I get grouped in with the other junior knights, and you with the more senior.” Spur Bend said. “Umm, I’m sorry if I come off as a bit gossipy I guess. I like to talk sometimes.”

North Pointe shrugged. “Talk if you wish, but not of Captain Armor. At present he is our lord and broaches no reproach.”

“I don’t know much about Sir Hosple. I’m in awe of his mouth though. His banter I mean.”

“I knew what you meant.”

“I wasn’t skilled enough in magic to be his student. Yet. I was practicing before we left Canterlot. Here’s to hoping I can practice more when we reach Foal.” Spur Bend said. “Sir Coure-”

The sun was beginning to set on the city walls, making the shadows melt into the growing dimness around them.

Spur Bend began to whisper, the darkening streets finally convincing him for a need to be more cautious. “Verde Coure, saw a lot of in Canterlot. You might think it’s inappropriate, but I think Sir Coure is gunna lose it and kill one of us.” Spur Bend said quietly, just loud enough for North Pointe to hear. “Back in Canterlot, the squires had a bet on what would make her snap. I thought it would be a junior knight bucking up.”

“Those games are indeed for squires, for they who have learning still to do.” North Pointe said. “Sir Coure has held it together for ten years. I do not see why she won’t for the next ten. I don’t believe the same for you.”

“Oh.” Bend said, thereafter silent.

The farther from the gate, the more the main street become sporadically and unevenly paved, its path curing back and forth, blocked in places by piles of filth. There were still glimmers of old charm though. The houses they passed, be they humble rowhouses, or tall and tidy townhouses, showed every sign of being comfy and well lived in.
That is, before they had been broken into and their contents either stolen or broken. The further Pointe and Bend went, the higher the piles of furniture and trash became. Messages in unknown languages were painted on alley walls in whitewash or red paint. In one place, pottery shards and other broken things had been laid out in odd patterns on the street.

Spur Bend broke his silence with a throaty whisper. “Sir Pointe… A body.”

North Point looked where he was looking. In the entryway of a street-level shoppe, draped over a pile of smashed dressers, was a stallion’s corpse. The shadows made it hard to tell at first that he was missing most of his head.

“Captain Armor is right about this place.” North Pointe said stoically. “Here I thought this city would be peaceful in contrast to the chaos of the duchy around it.”

“Should we…” Bend gulped. “Check it out?”

Pointe shrugged and approached the shoppe. “You were stern to death yesterday. Am I not enough company to bolster you?”

“Sir this city leaves a poor impression. The princess herself could not bolster me.” Bend said, staying a cautious step behind her.

“Fair enough.” Pointe stepped through the broken door to stand over the rubbish and corpse. “My oh my.” She said flatly, kneeling by what was left of the deceased stallion’s head. “This poor bloke was caught by a billhook. See right here, behind the jaw? The hook dug in there and ripped it all away.” She stood up. “Billhooks are a common militia tool for these ponies on the edge of forest or shrubland.”

Bend took deep breaths to hold back queasiness. “Thank you for the lesson sir.”

The banter was ended by a sound, an echo of a voice from outside the shoppe. It was joined by another, and the two echoing voices got louder.

“The guards.” Spur Bend hissed.

North Pointe looked around the Shoppe and adjacent street. “No place to hide quietly.”

Spur Bend let out a strained breath. “Sir, kneel by the body, head down.”

Pointe immediately understood his meaning, turning back to the corpse and prostrating herself in front of it.

The voices outside got closer. “No more ponies means no more looters at least. Don’t have to worry about answering crime reports.”

“It’s sure gotten quiet.”

“With everything that’s happened, I’ve come to enjoy the quiet.”

“Yes… compared to before, it’s good that nothing is happening.”

“Stillness and death is better than the other kinds of death we’ve been seeing.”

“I don’t like how you say that but I can’t disagree.”

As the voices got closer, they became more distinct, slightly. It was two mares conversing, so probably not the group of guards from the gate.

“Someone has been whistling in the night. Have you heard it?”

“No. Is it a powerful whistle? A pleasant one? Tone has become everything.”

“I didn’t hear it myself. I just saw the snakes and things.”

“That makes sense. I just wonder if the- Woah woah, look there! Ponies!”

“Huh? … Unicorns?”

The two voices were right out on the street, and had obviously spotted North Pointe and Spur Bend kneeling in front of the corpse.

“What are unicorns doing here? Well whatever.”
Spur Bend nearly jumped out of his skin as a deafening gunshot sounded from behind him. He hardly noticed the bullet that had zapped past him.

“You missed dumbass.” One of the mare voices said.
Spur Bend, now on his hooves, turned to face the voices. Only one mare was standing there, in the same simple uniform that Clay had worn, her eyes so wide they looked like they might pop out of her head. She was clutching the smoking arquebus she’d just shot at Spur Bend.
“I nicked him, tip of his ear. Wait is that a corpse?” The mare spoke out of either side of her mouth to make the two voices. “Oh goodness, look at that dead stallion. Did they do that… or did… did I?”

“So much for that ruse.” North Pointe grunted, standing back up. “What the hell is wrong with you ponies?”

“Get out of our town, unicorns!” The mare shouted. “Violence and peace, wrath and mercy, in any combination, but always dead!”

“Are you alone? Do you need help?” Spur Bend was shaken up but he tried to stay diplomatic. However the mare didn’t respond to his questions but to stare at him. “Look we have visas. We’re Equestrian citizens and our common fealty to the princess makes us kin under heaven.”

“Kin? Oh yes oh yes. Kinship is very important here. The duchess Aura and usurper Misty, two daughters of two brothers, kill each other because they both believe the other isn’t kind enough to family.” The strange mare head’s lolled around as she spoke. She switched to the other voice. “And have you seen Duchess Aura’s daughters? She was hung outside for a few days, but disappeared! The prophet said somepony ate it. Yeah, sounds about right.”

“Please put the gun down. That sword on your belt too.” Spur Bend decided to be direct. “We can be gracious but you have to put your weapons down.”

North Pointe clucked her tongue. “The first thing a cadet or squire should have learned is when to use force.” She reached into her robes and pulled out the little pistol she had strapped, took aim at the strange mare’s chest, and fired. “After that, how to use force.”
Spur Bend cringed away from the spray of blood that followed the bullet out the mare’s nape. The deceased collapsed into the dirty street.

“Goodness gracious sir!” Spur Bend shivered.

North Pointe began reloading the pistol, an eye to Bend’s nervous prancing. “Look at the uniform. It doesn’t fit her.”

“That doesn’t mean she killed somepony for it. She was-”

“She was mad, yes, but just because we don’t think insanity is caused by devils anymore does not mean they are now angels.” Pointe finished reloading and tucked the gun back under her robe. “This is an infiltration, not a humanitarian mission.”

“I just…” Spur Bend sighed and shook his head. “I’m… I’m upset. Talking about violence to a foal disturbs me like nothing else! Do you think what she said was true?”

North Pointe closed her eyes. “This is an empty city. Draw your own conclusions.”

“Oh gods. You must have noticed how cagey Captain Armor was, during the first briefing he gave. Do you think he knew what we were getting into?”

“Either things in Fourth Ford would be normal, or they would be bizarre. He made a fifty-fifty guess.” North Pointe grabbed the strange mare’s corpse by a leg and dragged it out of the street, shoving it into the corner of the shoppe by the dead stallion. “It’s useless to speculate. Sir, we have a rendezvous to make, and next time we will hide properly. The next shot at you may not miss.” Her eyes wandered to Spur Bend’s ear. “She really did nick you.”

Spur Bend sighed again, craning his neck down to feel the missing edge of his ear. “Have you ever seen a knight die doing their duty?”

North Pointe considered the question, her expression turning sullen. “No. I might not ever.”

“I see.” Bend said quietly. He stood up. “I’ll take point. Let’s go slowly to not be seen.”

Pointe silently nodded, falling behind Spur Bend as the stallion took the lead. She looked back at the two corpses lying in the shoppe. Shaking her head, she went back to following.

---

Verde Coure had a hard time climbing up the ramp to the top of the city wall with a Cuptor Clay slung over her back, but she managed.
Just as seen from below a cannon was positioned by the gatehouse structure, pointing out over the eastern fields. Verde Coure contemplated the cannon for a moment, but trotted past it to the outside curve of the wall.

“Bye.” She said, heaving Cuptor Clay off her back. Clay rolled off the embrasure and over the edge.

Before she could pat herself on the back for doing as Shining Armor had ordered and ‘taking care’ of Clay, she heard the clink of hooves from behind her. She spun around, surprised a pony had been able to get the drop on her.
A pony was crouching by the ramp down... a pony who looked like an exact copy of Cuptor Clay.

“Earth ponies, trickier that you look.” Verde Coure remarked. She leaned backwards, double checking that the pony she’d just dropped was indeed at the bottom of the wall where he’d landed. It was. “Hmm…”

The Clay-clone stared at her silently, his wide green eyes darting over her features.

“Scram.” Verde ordered.

The earth pony looked like he was going to defy her but a noise from below changed his mind.
“Verde! Where the hell did you go?!” The voice of Firewind Hosple echoed out of the city. “Verde, can you hear me?”

The pony that looked like Cuptor Clay reluctantly broke its staring contest with Verde Coure, retreating back and down the ramp, disappearing from Verde’s line of sight.
After a few seconds Verde answered Hosple’s shouts. “Quit yelling. I’m up on the wall.”

Down at ground level Hosple craned his neck up. A few seconds later Verde Coure appeared at the lip of the wall, leering at him.

“What are you doing up there?” Hosple chided.

“You’ll notice I hid the body.” Coure said.

“Uh huh.” Hosple grunted. “Did you spot or get spotted?”

“Did you?”

“Just answer the question Verde.”

“I see a city full of rooftops. Some are collapsed, some are proud. I can see the ducal palace.” Coure said simply. “I saw some other strange things.”

“I’m sure. Get down here already.”

Verde Coure hopped off the lip. A moment before she hit the ground Hosple reached out with his telekinesis and slowed her momentum, softening her landing.
“Thank you Firewind.”

“Are we good to go?” Firewind Hosple asked.

“Lead on.” Coure said.

“And show you my back? Ma’am, I’ll let you go first.” Hosple bowed and gestured forward, letting an unconcerned Verde Coure pass and take the lead. “You must have walked past that cannon up there, eh? It would have been an interesting show to see the guards and Duchess Highlight’s lads collide in that gatehouse, answering a cannon’s call.”

Coure didn’t bother to respond.

“You know, we haven’t had much time to talk. Not like there’s been any dives to huddle in over the last hundred-odd kilometers of forests since we left Canterlot, ha ha.” Hosple talked jovilly. “So uhh, I saw you duck back into that stone tower, yesterday morning. Captain Armor was in a rush to get out so we almost left without you, heh heh! Did you forget something?”

“I had to check on something.” Coure said.

“Right, ‘something’. Keep your mysteries.” Hosple sniffed. “Now, just to make sure, that boy Clay isn’t going to bite us in the behind, is he?”

Coure shrugged. “Threats come in many forms.”

The city wall of Fourth Ford was roughly circular, and the curving path running beside it was increasingly clogged with garbage the farther Hosple and Coure got from the gate. Verde Coure remained dead silent as they climbed over the trash piles, while Hosple began singing a tune.

“My daddy was a crystal miner, hum dee-le dee dum
And I’m a miner’s son, hum dee-le dee dum
But as a soldier for the crown (hooh)
I fight ‘till battle’s done.”

Hosple concluded the verse with a happy laugh. “Those bard mares we met have inspired me, you know. If I hadn’t gotten this mark I would have become a musician myself I think. Do you know any songs, Coure?”

Verde Coure didn’t acknowledge his question.

“Ahem.” Firewind Hosple cleared his throat. “I said, do you know any songs, Coure?”

“Sure I do.” Coure said, glancing back at him.

“Such as… ?”

Coure shrugged. “Stuff.”

“Come on, I’m begging you to elaborate. It would be really interested.” Hosple said, mock pleading.

“Fine. War chants from Griffany, both pony and griffin. Some griffin operatics. Revolutionary songs. Some unicorn folk songs. Whatever the latest chamber music is they were playing at Canterlot Castle.” Coure rattled off with a muted sigh. “Etcetera.”

“You buried the lead there about ‘revolutionary music’.” Hosple said.

“Don’t push it Firewind.” Coure whispered.

Unexpectedly, a voice shouted down at them from above. “Hey, pipe down!”

Hosple froze, scanning the lip of the city wall for the shouter.

“Over here, genius!”

Hosple and Coure turned around, to where an elderly earth pony stallion was leaning out of the second-floor window of one of the disheveled row houses. “Hello there.” Hosple waved.

“Hello to you too, ya git.” The old stallion sniffed. “Four Fords was a peaceful land. Why did you foreigners have to come in and muck it up!?”

“What can I say lad? It’s just in our nature.” Hosple quipped.

Coure was less playful. “Canterlot is not foreign. It’s the capital actually.”

“Don’t act like you don’t know what I mean.” The stallion rattled. “You come in from out there and destroy our, our, our social cohesion! Other kinds of cohesion as well! Corporeal! B- Bodily cohesion!”

Coure’s frown deepened. “Who are the others?”

The old stallion stared for a while, then launched back into ranting. “Like us. So so like us. Yes, whole convoys of ‘em. Coming from inside… In twos, fours, sixes, eights…” He fell silent, blinked a few times, then retreated from the window.

“Hey, we weren’t done talking!” Hosple shouted at the window, but nopony answered. “Huh.”

“I don’t think the gentlepony was yelling at us just because we are unicorns. A fear of something else prevails.” Verde Coure said.

Hosple shrugged. “Something that comes in twos, fours, sixes, and eights? What’s that mean?”

Verde Coure rubbed her chin, glancing back the way they’d come to make sure nopony was following.
“Nevermind.” Verde said.

“Uh huh.” Hosple looked at the window again, hoping the old stallion would appear to say a few more words. But nopony came. “Let’s get going. We have a lot of ground to cover if we’re going to make that rendezvous.”

---

Shining Armor had the farthest to go. The southern curve of the city wall was the longest, and passed palace and main gate, what would likely be the most heavily guarded part of Fourth Ford.
But Shining had a very good reason to want to make the trip alone. Splitting up the other knights had been pretense to isolate himself.

If Shining was going to make the bargain and be an assassin for his god, he would rather make the trade where his knights could not see him. He hoped the target, who the Sun claimed would ‘announce themselves’, would be a sinner deserving of 'sending off'. At least that way he could justify it to himself, that he would have dispatched the villain anyway, and just happened to be fulfilling the sun’s demand; He would imagine the power he’d be rewarded with was for his virtue, not his obedience.
But what if the target deserved life? What if they deserved it more than Shining did?

“That Clay guy definitely knew more than he should have… but he wasn’t the one. No, no, I know they’re still waiting for me.” Shining said to himself. “But Clay offered me the analogy of Hell, and I’ll take it even if I don’t understand it yet.” He tilted his head back towards his saddlebag. Neither bag nor the book inside answered.

Closer he got to the palace, the more built up the city was. Some of the townhouses reached up to three, four, and even five floors, the upper windows able to peek above the city walls to survey everything to the south of Fourth Ford. It was no less lonely though.

“It’s not Canterlot, but I can see why Duchess Highlight misses this place.” Shining said.

But as he was thinking this, the slight curve in the path revealed an obstruction in front of him. One of the townhouses had collapsed forward into the street, creating an insurmountable barricade of lumber, nails, and glass. It looked like other parts of the adjacent townhouses and row houses had collapsed too. There were signs of hacking cuts on some of the lumber, possible evidence the blockage had been made on purpose.

“Is this for me or somepony else?” Shining mused. He looked back the path, trying to remember how far the last ramp up onto the city wall had been, not that it was guaranteed he would be able to get past that way either.
Shining did not get more time to consider his options. A pony emerged from one of the alleyways, blocking his possible backtrack path.

“Time for the rematch.” The earth pony drew his sword.

“Cuptor Clay?” Shining quirked a brow. He was delighted and peeved to see the guard. “I will admit I trusted Verde to coop you up a bit more effectively than this.”

“Shining Hill, we warned you. You resisted hell’s toll, now you face it’s trials.” Cuptor Clay said gravely. “I’m gunna to kill you and read that book.” He lobbed his sword up and snatched it out of the air with his mouth. He assumed an earth’s pony’s dueling stance, head to the side, teeth on the grip, with the blade jutting forward.

Shining reached out with his telekinesis and pulled a short nail-studded piece of lumber out of the collapsed building. The telekinetic effort was much greater than with a light sword, but it would do. “At the least I can thank you for not ambushing me. That’s better than you could’ve gotten for me.”

“History led us to this moment. If you really want to return to the past you glorify, I’ll make you face its consequences.” Clay said, articulating around the sword in his mouth.

“Whatever friend. Don’t make this boring.” Shining trotted forward and squared his stance, hefting the piece of lumber. “Let’s do it then.”

Shining Armor and Cuptor Clay circled each other slowly, looking for any drop in the other’s defense. The longer they circled, their hooves scraping in the dirt as they cautiously dragged their hooves along the ground, the more dusty they became.
Shining was getting tired of holding the piece of lumber faster than he thought he would, but he could also see Clay was having trouble breathing around the sword grip in his teeth. It was less of a duel, more of an endurance test.

In, out, in out. Shining began regimenting his breaths, like a metronome, fighting back against the magical fatigue creeping into his body.
“Huff.” He made a lazy sweep with the lumber, backing away at the same time to avoid Clay’s quicker counter-prod. “In the interest of fairness, mind lending me a hauberk and sword?”

Clay transferred his sword back to his hoof, shifting to a guard position. “Take it off my body when we’re done. That’s what your kind has always done.” He pressed in, testing if Shining would retreat again.

“You don’t know me.” Shining batted away Clay’s sword, forcing the earth pony back to their original positions.

“Do I need to? That mouthy friend of yours called you ‘captain’. You kings, lords, knights… They’re all the same. You’re chains around us!” Clay said. “If you were a good pony, you wouldn’t be one, Captain Shining Hill”

Shining smirked, feeling a bit foolish. “Pilgrims can’t have captains? Whatever complaints you want to lay at my hooves, I’m a pony serving a higher purpose now.”

“Congratulations on having that luxury. I’d feel even better to destroy one of the empire’s slavish mouthpieces, masquerading as humble faith-seekers, than I would destroying the empire’s dumbass managers.”

“Quit preaching and fight already!” Shining swung again, purposefully swinging slowly to bait a counter-attack, but Clay didn’t bite. “Or at least preach about something that makes sense.”

“What makes sense to a tool of out-of-touch nobles?” Clay demanded.

Shining Armor had spent most of his life in Canterlot high society, but truthfully he couldn’t say what they thought about ‘sense’.
“I can only speak for myself. But from what I’ve seen, almost nothing makes sense. Have you ever stood at the precipice of a huge black void, watching the universe come apart? I think you have, strangely enough. Of all ponies, you have. I don’t know why I get that feeling from you, but where I had to dive into a dream to find that feeling, you did it here in your hometown.”

Cuptor Clay let his stance drop. “The difference isn’t so big here anymore.”

Shining thought he had his opportunity. He wound up to smash the timber against the out-of-position earth pony. Clay saw the hit coming but could not avoid it.
With as much force as Shining could put into the swing, the timber crashed into Cuptor Clay’s head. The earth pony was knocked away like an over-filled fruit sack.

Shining released a strained breath dropped the piece of timber. The blood on the nails was quickly absorbed by the dust of the street. “Score two for distraction. Have some discipline, Cuptor Clay.”

To his utter shock, his quip received an answer. “Answers over victory, Shining Hill.” Cuptor Clay rolled onto his stomach and stood up, turning back to the aghast unicorn. The right side of Clay’s head was beyond describing, destroyed by the timber and nails. “My tumble from the wall shattered my back and ribs already. This is nothing.” The destruction of part of his face had left Clay with a lisp. “Things come in twos, fours, sixes, and so on. Even lives.”

Abruptly, Clay turned his attention to something behind Shining. It was the only warning before something struck Shining in the thigh.
Pain radiated across Shining’s leg and spine, and he suddenly wasn’t sure where he was looking. Was he on his back?! He kicked out, a hoof connecting with something soft. An animal scream echoed through the narrow streets.
Shining reoriented himself and jumped back to his hooves. The thing that had knocked him over was another pony. Another… Cuptor Clay. There were two of them! The new one, the one without the macerated head, stared at him with wide green eyes that did not blink.

“Geeze.” Shining coughed, working the leg the new arrival had kicked.

The clone-Clay gurgled and barked, running over to the side of the original.
“All you had to do was pay, Shining Hill.” The original Cuptor Clay said.

“Give it up. Don’t attach too much meaning to your struggle.” Shining said, realizing the deep irony as eh said it. He was optimistic about his chances. Neither of the Clays seemed to be very good duelists.
Shining grabbed the dropped sword in his telekinesis and floated it to his side. “Round three it is, two-headed cerberus.”

The more feral of the two Clays charged forward, screaming and gnashing it’s teeth. Shining reacted the same way he would against an attacking dog, blocking and trying to get at the throat; Only, the animalistic pony was much heavier than a dog, and Shining was knocked on his butt by collision against his upraised leg. The feral pony recuperate and jumped back in immediately, trying to push Shining over. Shining caught the Clay-clone in the chest with a leg just long enough to bring the sword up and hack at its side.

The feral pony retreated only to reveal the original Cuptor Clay striding closer, dragging the same piece of lumber that had gored him, with deadly intent. Shining scrambled backwards and back onto his hooves.
“Have you ever killed a pony, Clay?” Shining asked the earth pony.

Cuptor Clay chortled. “Not ponies.” He pointed a hoof at the wild creature mirroring his shape. “Reflections.”

Shining Armor sighed. “There are more of them?”

Clay jumped forward and brought down the piece of lumber like a hammer, trying to flatten Shining. Shining had made enough space to dance away from the swing but the sword was hit and sent spinning away. The piece of lumber smashed into the dirt, sending up a cloud of dust.
Before Clay could pick the lumber back up and swing again Shining closed in, kicking the earth pony’s hoof off the weapon. Clay tried to grapple with Shining but received a bone-shattering buck to the neck.

Shining didn’t have the room to follow up. The feral pony chose this moment to attack again, latching on to the edge of Shining’s robe with his teeth and pulling him backwards.
“Hey!” Shining struggled to get out of the robe while fighting to keep his footing. The fabric ripped away, the feral pony taking one half while Shining pulled off the other, leaving him feeling naked with only his saddlebag.
“Give… that…” Shining picked up the sword. “Back!”

The Clay-clone released the scrap of the robe from its mouth and let out a deafening shriek like Shining Armor had never heard from pony or animal. Eager to shut it up, Shining stabbed the creature through mouth. Far from shutting up, the feral pony kept screaming, and wretched its head from side to side to pull the sword from Shining’s telekinetic grasp.

Shining glanced over his shoulder to see that the other Clay had pushed its head back into place and was stalking forward with the lumber again.
“Alright, to hell with this.” Shining turned and ran.

“That’s the idea!” Cuptor Clay yelled, trying to clip Shining with a swing of the timber and missing.

Shining galloped into the nearest alleyway. It branched off in several directions so Shining hastily chose the dankest looking one and kept galloping. It was more important to get away from the Clays than make the rendezvous.

“Well, at the very least my suspicion of some supernatural shenanigans has been vindicated.” Shining said to himself. “The next step is finding the root cause and, ahem, sending them off.”

But while the street that ran along the wall had been spacious, the allies quickly became cramped, dark, and hideously dirty. Stinking refuse and rotten garbage was everywhere, but thankfully not impassible.

After a few minutes Shining was satisfied that he was alone again, so he returned to idle thoughts.

---

The trot of the northern arc of the city wall, traversed by Firewind Hosple and Verde Coure as they continued their counter-clockwise journey, was passed in terse silence. Coure didn’t look anywhere but straight ahead, trying to ignore the eyes on the back of her head. Hosple was suspicious but wasn’t sure if he could voice it yet.

Inevitably they came across something to distract them from their own paranoia.
“The northern gate.” Hosple observed. “Luckily we didn’t try to make our ingress here.”

The gatehouse was much the same as the one at the east gate, a boxy structure with barbicans. Unlike the east gate there was nopony there to guard it or open it, because there was little hope of getting it open: a hefty iron beam had been twisted and punched through the frame of the gate, as if sewing it closed. The gears and pulleys of the opening mechanism were scattered around, broken into pieces.

“Wowee. Would you look at that.” Hosple rapped a hoof on the strange iron pretzel jammed into the gate. “Who short of an alicorn has the power to do that to a hoof-thick iron rod.”

Coure looked down the street that led away from the gate towards the town center. There was nopony to be seen. The buildings were more intact but their walls had odd vertical scratches all over.
“Were the ponies... trying trying to climb away from something?” She mumbled, backing closer to Hosple.

“Oh look, there’s the guard.” Hosple said, pointing towards the door into the gatehouse. An earth pony was slumped in the doorframe, dried out and attracting flies. Her face and forehooves were covered in tiny cuts. “What?” He nudged her hoof, revealing a cracked bottle. It was a foreign, twisting design, and made out a completely reflective material. The foreign bottle was broken at the neck.
“I know we should be going but…” Hosple knelt by the dead guard. He tilted her head back, and her slack jaw fell open. Pieces of the same reflective material that made the bottle spilled out of her mouth.

“Ready to pronounce a cause of death, Firewind?” Coure asked.

“... Let’s not tarry.” Hosple quickly stood up and trotted on.
Verde Coure noted that there was no sign that the odd mirrored bottle had held any liquid. What had been inside the bottle to compel the mare to break a part off in her mouth?
She was about to point this out to Hosple but he had already gone out of earshot. Coure realized Hosple had noticed it too and hurried away; Under his veneer of an unflappable jokester, Hosple was getting scared.

Silent as ever, but her stony stoicism wavering, Verde Coure galloped after Hosple.

---

The town plaza of Fourth Ford was as meandering as its streets, with one side near the geographic center of the city, and the other side at the foot of the ducal palace at the southern edge of town. The long plaza snaked uneven betwixt those points, filled with market stalls, statues, greens, and paved courts.

The downside of such an open boulevard was if you were attempting to cross it unseen, even in darkening evening, as Spur Bend and North Pointe were planning to do.

“So this is where all the ponies are.” Spur Bend said, enthralled by the show playing out in front of them.
Several hundred ponies, presumably every survivor still in Fourth Ford, was in the long plaza. It was utterly chaotic, with every kind of milling, clustering, racing, pushing, mobbing, and rioting occurring all across the open space at once. And yet it was quiet. None of the ponies made a sound, with only the occasional grunt of pain rising above the low rumble of their movements.

Crouching by the window of a mostly intact townhouse, Spur and Pointe had a commanding view of the whole area, and its crazed inhabitants.

“This isn’t normal, even for earth ponies.” North Pointe tried to find any pattern in the chaos.

Spur Bend pulled back from the window. “How long do you think that party has been going on?”

“Yes, party.” Pointe coughed. “Let’s not join them. We should backtrack and find an alley going north to circumnavigate the open areas. We will just have to run the risk of getting spotted by that group of guards or somepony else.”

“Let’s do that.” Spur Bend agreed.
He watched the teeming crowd’s movements for a few more seconds before breaking away and following North Pointe back the way they’d come.

---

Shining Armor, not having been given a lesson to be careful like North Pointe and Spur Bend had, and indeed a very compelling reason to go quickly with Cuptor Clay chasing him, trotted right into the open without a second thought.
It was only a few seconds later, when the buzzing of movement became conspicuous, Shining tilted his head and saw the mass of ponies, dancing, crushing, running, convulsing amongst themselves, all throughout the long plaza he had just blundered into. He stared at them for a long while, wondering if he had made a fatal error, that the nearer parts of the mob might suddenly fall on him and tear him apart with a fever.

Yet they ignored him. Those whose eyes fell upon him in the natural roamings of their glance, they laughed, the only vocalizations throughout the whole plaza, then turned away and continued their silent convulsions.

Shining Armor looked around. He wasn’t as far from the city wall as he had thought, as the steps of the elegant ducal palace were to his immediate left. At the top of the steps was a stone wall and an elegant iron gate, blocking him from the palace. There were a few ponies behind the gate, watching the scene in the plaza same as Shining was, but they were too far for Shining to make out.
In front of Shining on the western side of the plaza were the largest and richest houses in town, whose splendor still showed despite the looting.

“Neat.” Shining said to himself. He was starting to learn to live with the bizarre events surrounding him.

Shining was surprised to feel something touch his leg. He looked down to see a small dog, a terrier with a silver collar.

“Wow, the first living animal I’ve seen in a while. Hello living animal.” Shining remarked. He kneeled down to pet the dog but it darted back, barking at him. “What do you want boy?” Shining followed the animal, letting it lead him across the plaza towards the looted mansions. The dog darted between the legs of the silent crowds of ponies, then disappeared down an alley.

Steeling himself for an ambush or some other hostility, Shining entered the alley too. He wasn’t held in suspense long; the dog and its apparent owner were just a few meters into the alley.
Sitting on the stoop of one of the mansions was a unicorn, white fur a tinge more grey than Shining’s, with a golden mane done in braids. He reminded Shining of Blueblood, except that the unicorn before him had shards of metal driven into his skull at different spots!

“One horn wasn’t enough?” Shining asked the unicorn.

The unicorn was too busy petting his dog to face Shining. “It’s fortunate nopony ever relied on you for your humor, sir Shining Armor, or they would come off worse for it.”

“I head somepony mention a prophet. You must be them.” Shining cleared his throat. “Are you going to announce yourself to me?”

“Huh? You mean my name?” The unicorn stood up. “I am Axium.”
Besides the metal driven into his skull, Axium looked normal, rather handsome but otherwise unremarkable. Yet there was an aura around him that made Shining shiver.

“Axium? Is that supposed to mean something to me? You know my name, but I’ve never even heard of yours, which is strange for a pony that looks like you.” Shining said.

The dog barked and the pony laughed. “I was in Canterlot a month ago. Nothing very important, just looking around. You and your family were in the news, what with that Seacrest Blackhorn affair. I happened to pass you on the street and another passerby recognized you by description, and pointed you out to me. You were looking very stern, just as now.” Axium said. “But I didn’t have these on my head back then, so you didn’t notice me, understandably.”

“Yeah whatever.” Shining sighed. “Can we walk and talk? I’m trying to make a rendezvous.”

“Not so hasty now. I was about to invite you inside. I may have answers and, like you said, ‘announcements’.” Axium smiled. “Answers, not just about Fourth Ford, but that book in your saddlebag.”

Shining’s fur bristled. “Make a wrong move and I’ll kick your head catty-corner.”

Axium shrugged. “I wouldn’t want you to hurt yourself by the hitting of me. I have a kettle with some tea, if you’d come in.”

The mention of tea, a favorite drink shared by Celestia, Twilight Sparkle, and Twilight Velvet, struck Shining as deliberate. “Who are you?”

“I’m Axium, I told you.” Axium laughed again. He pushed open the door whose stoop he’d been sitting on, letting the little terrier into the mansion. “After you.”

Shining entered the mansion, cautiously checking behind the door and every corner, but found little to be alarmed about. There were signs of minor looting but unlike the rest of the city it appeared some furniture had been left intact. A firefly lantern illuminated most of the space.

“Go straight on to the sitting room, and I’ll be in with the tea.” Axium promised.

The sitting room had once been lavishly furnished, humbled by the looting. Still there was a set of paisley printed couches set around a table. It reminded Shining of the layout of the dream room the sun had innovated.
Shining took a seat. The terrier hopped up beside him. Getting a closer look at the animal, Shining felt the same kind of unnerving aura as had surrounded the unicorn. The terrier was grey with short curly fur, floppy ears, and alarming red eyes that never blinked. The longer Shining watched, the more he noticed the dog was very deliberate with its movements, not panting, licking, or doing the things dogs did.

“Are ponies turning into animals? Is that’s what’s happening here?” Shining mumbled to himself.

“Good guess but no.” Axium the unicorn came in with the tea platter, setting it on the table, before taking his seat across from Shining. “This good boy and I have nothing to do with the degeneration of the ponies of Four Fords duchy, believe it or not. Would you like to hear about us or the city first?”

“Start with yourselves.” Shining said.

Axium gave Shining a cup of tea and took one for himself. “I won’t be coy. I’m a Star."

“I’ve met one of you.” Shining said, thinking back to his brief and unpleasant encounter with Phyte. “I hope you’re not up to the same BS.”

“Ha ha, no, I don’t get up to the extravagances of my fellow Stars. I prefer to lay low.” Axium said. “For the other Stars, immortality was just a stepping stone to even wilder desires. Living forever was enough to satisfy me.”

“I’m detecting a ‘but’ about to drop.” Shining deadpanned.

Axium arched a brow and the terrier let out a soft yip. “Don’t be disappointed. I’m a fairly normal pony, all things considered.”

“A pony called the ‘prophet’ and you’ve got bits of iron in your skull. Yeah, you’re real normal.” Shining scoffed. “Normal pony, immortal by the way, having normal days, oh and I’m hiding ancient magical power, but still normal.”

“I’m not good at carrying conversations when my truth is on the table already. I tend to keep those sides of my life separate.” Axium looked slightly hurt by Shining’s mockery. “I only brought it up because you are a pony of destiny.”

Shining rolled his eyes.

“No, literally. Destiny. The Sun, architect of Destiny, has been speaking to you through that book. I can smell her on you.” Axium insisted. “You don’t seem like her pawn, thankfully, but I have no doubt the Sun has been manipulating you to achieve her esoteric goals. Perhaps our meeting was by her design.”

Shining almost laughed. It was sure looking like Axium was the target. Did he know the Sun wanted him dead? However the prospect of killing something immortal was even more of a quandary than killing an innocent, in terms of practicality.
“We’ll talk about that later. I’m still interested in you, and your intentions.”

“I came to Four Fords duchy for company, ironically enough. It is a crossroads. North-South, along the Crystal River, and East-West, from Canterlot to the Free Cities of the coast. I was hoping to see a few particular travelers.”

“Oh yeah? Who?” Shining challenged.

“A trio of mares. Assassins. You know who.” Axium grinned.

Shining made an unintentional utterance. Axium was without a doubt referencing the three of mares who had tried to escape Canterlot after killing Fancy Pants. “Wait… I saw them burn to ash!”
But they hadn’t killed Fancy Pants, as Shining had found out. Iillor had! Iillor, who had been working for Twilight Velvet. And Velvet had been the one to burn the assassin mares!
“Holy shit.”

“Alas they eluded me. Perhaps they went west from Canterlot.” Axium said. “I stayed in the city, contemplating my next move, when the Eternal Night descended.”

“But why were you looking for those mares?” Shining asked.

Axium shrugged. “Oh, just politics. They hold a secret to the vulnerability of one of my fellow Stars.”

“How very normal of you.” Shining remarked. “Phyte, right? I remember her mentioning something about losing somepony she cared about. Yes, I could see how a normal pony might want to hit at her vulnerability.”

“It’s of no matter now. I lost my window. I have had to concern myself with happenings in Fourth Ford.” Axium said. “So, how is the tea?”

“Uh, haven’t tried it yet. Too hot for me still.” Shining said, shifting his sitting position. “So, you’ve told me about you, or all that I care to know about you. What about Fourth Ford? Like, what the hell is happening in this duchy?”

“You will have to be more specific.” Axium joked.

Shining paused. “I’m not sure how to be. I’ve seen several bizarre things!”

Axium took a sip of his tea. “Like what?”

“Oh come on. Like you haven’t noticed.” Shining said, irritated. “The most coherent ones are only violent and callous. Some are just completely spaced out. Some are starting to change physically as well!” Shining cleared his throat. “I came to Fourth Ford expecting to get yelled at, expecting trouble, and expecting a fight. But it’s worse than I could have dreamed. Like, this is what I thought I was leaving behind in Canterlot.”

“You’re laying down a lot of things. Ask about one thing at a time please.” Axium said.

Shining hesitated. “Wait so… Lady Aura Highlight’s madness and the deterioration of the ponies inside Fourth Ford have different causes?”

“Yes.” Axium explained. “There was an attempted coup, right at the sun was thought to be falling to earth. While ponies were wailing in the street about the end of the world, conspirators and loyalists fought in the halls of the ducal palace. There were several deaths as a result. Aura Highlight escaped but left her loved ones and wits behind. You already saw and suspected that. Reality is just as it seemed, in this case.”

Shining was silent for a long while before he asked the follow up question. “Then what happened to the ponies of Fourth Ford?”

“The Eternal Night descended, but the botched coup spilled out into raging street fights, until it was too dark to see. Nopony could understand what was happening, either in the city or the skies, so they all withdrew and waited, shocked and fearful.” Axium said with poetic flourish. “But I will not be so dismissive. The coup was its own disaster- The cause of the ‘deterioration’ of the ponies in the city was a magical catastrophe.”

“Go on.”

“I don’t truly know the cause, except that it radiated out from the ducal palace about ten hours after night fell. I was not afflicted, but I could see the symptoms. Everypony suddenly became very sullen, nauseous, and uncoordinated. They lost some self-control, as if they were drunk. It soon became apparent that nopony could fall asleep anymore. The lucky ponies who left the city at this stage, by land or by barge, recovered, and did not suffer the next affliction.
“For you see, ponies began to... duplicate, or perhaps were duplicated. The doppelgangers wandered out from the ducal palace, like zombies, frightening the survivors to hell. There was more confusion and violence as ponies attacked the doppelgangers, and though aloof at first, the doppelgangers began to fight back. Strange things happen when a pony approaches their doppelganger. The ponies’ symptoms of insomnia deepen, driving them mad, while the doppelgangers degenerate in various ways. I tell you, I have even seen the two merge together.”

Shining leaned back in the couch, making it creak. “Wow.”

Axium nodded. “That’s when the worse of the chaos began. I couldn’t really tell which was pony or doppelganger, but regardless they raged around. They destroyed anything they could get a hold of, while most remaining sane ponies grabbed what they could and made a fighting retreat to the river harbor.
“After having a week of sunshine to figure everything out, and with a bit of help from me, the ponies here have calmed down. As you saw most of them are engrossed in their insomnia-driven manic revelries in the plaza. It is chaotic, but less violent.”

“The last thing this place needed was more violence.” Shining deadpanned.

“I don’t know what is going on, but I am keeping it under control.” Axium nodded. “Thus the additions to my head.”

Shining Armor shifted on the couch, trying to hide his disappointment. “Is that all you know? Just that it started at the palace?”

Axium sipped from his tea.

“Not to sound ungrateful but I came in here after a promise of ‘answers’, and I don’t feel like I got my time’s worth.” Shining said. “Nothing you told me has indicated how I solve the problem.”

Axium stifled a laugh. The terrier barked. “Solve the problem? Do you really think you’re the pony for that?” Axium asked. “I appreciate the enthusiasm, truly, but this is out of your depth. This is a problem that only a more powerful creature, an alicorn or Star, could solve. And perhaps I will, when I feel like it.”

“What were you saying earlier, about me being a pony of destiny?” Shining demanded.

“I can understand how you could misconstrue that as a compliment, but I thought I explained what that meant.” Axium said, putting his cup down and scooting to the edge of his couch. “You’re a pawn, Shining Armor. A little bitch. You’re a thousand years late to the party, because without Celestia this world belongs to the Stars. We’ll do whatever we want with it, including nothing at all, in my case.”

“Taking aside knights on a noble quest and insulting them is what you want out of life? You rule the world and you do such petty things?” Shining Armor said. He wasn’t surprised or even disappointed. He knew what to expect as soon as Axium said he was the same kind of creature as Phyte.

“I have no incentive not to be rude, so it is especially magnanimous when I am kind. All the same I apologize. I like you, honestly. I don’t think I’m a bad pony and I don’t want you to think so either.” Axium smiled.

Shining sighed and put his teacup down. “I’m getting tired of getting mixed messages from you divine-types. You’ve gotten used to us being Celestia’s docile pets. Now that I’m here, you’re going to start taking us seriously.” Shining couldn’t believe what he was saying. He felt that aggressive rush again. “I don’t think you’re a bad pony. I don’t think you’re a pony at all. Whatever you are, you call yourself the same thing as Phyte called herself. That's enough reason to hate you.”

Axium’s red eyes came alight with keen interest. “Guilt by association, is it?”

Shining stood up. “Let’s just say… If you were a good pony, you wouldn’t be a Star.”

Axium stood up too. The little terrier jumped off the couch and rubbed against his hooves. “Do you mean to punish me, Shining Armor?”

Shining Armor realized that Axium was not the pony that he was meant to kill. His death solved nothing, nor did it serve the Destiny's plans in any way. The Star was just a weirdo.
But that didn’t stop Shining from deciding that Axium deserved an ass-kicking. Not right away though- Shining wasn’t ready to take the Star on yet, but soon. “I can tell by that look in your eye. You want this fight too. I’ve been accused of representing the imperial ways, but you’re something older and more decadent than that. I won’t let Equestria backslide into your world.”

“If you say so. Name a time and place.” Axium laughed.

Shining smiled back. “Once I finish everything else in Fourth Ford, I’ll clean up with you.”

“Then I had better let you get to it, Shining Armor. I may indeed wake out of the lethargy you accuse me of.” Axium agreed. “However, I can’t face you like this either. This body is keeping all those ponies in the plaza sedated. Those anodes on my head aren’t just for show.”
As he said this, there was the sound of hooffall and creaking wood as somepony descended the stairs. A dark-coated pegasus with a sword strapped at his waist emerged from the hallway and stood by the couch.

“Figures.” Shining grunted.

“I was this pegasus when I saw you in Canterlot. Like I said, I didn’t have these on my head.” Axium tapped his horn. “I was born an earth pony but I’ve grown accustomed to pegasus speed in battle”

The little terrier darted away from the unicorn’s legs and rubbed up against the pegasus’s. The pegasus’s eyes turned a vibrant red, while the unicorn slumped and closed his eyes.

“So you’re just a changeling with extra steps.” Shining said. “Get some sword practice in before I get back. I don’t want to be disappointed.”

“Keep treating me this way and I’ll fall in love with you, Shining Armor.” The pegasus laughing. The terrier barked ecstatically.

Shining Armor trotted to the front door and pushed it open. He felt a radiating heat from his saddlebag, making his barrel sweat. Challenging an entity on the level of a Star was not how he’d intended to spend the afternoon but he was satisfied with the choices he’d made.

The sun had almost completely set behind the city wall. If he was going to the palace, he wasn’t going to make the rendezvous. That was fine: He trusted his knights to take care of things.
Shining trotted back in the direction of the plaza, intending to make his way to the ducal palace.

“Shining Hill!”

Shining sighed and looked behind him. Cuptor Clay was limping closer, his degenerated doppelganger running back and forth and gnashing it’s teeth beside him
“Go away. I’ve had my fill of annoying ponies and their damn dogs!” Shining shouted, picking up his pace to stay clear of the pursuing earth pony.

“All you had to do was pay!” Clay shouted back. He was clearly having trouble moving his body along despite whatever sorcery was keeping him alive. “A pittance! An indemnity! That’s all the tortured victims of empire dared to ask for, and you couldn’t even provide that! I’ll crush you.”

“For the last time, I’m not who you think I am. I don’t give a lick about the empire. I’m just a pony making my own way.” Shining said, talking over his shoulder. The heat from his saddlebag was getting intolerable. “We’re in a unique moment. Society and state are dying. I get to test my limits and discover my own set of rules.”

Clay growled out a response. “Ha! Said the ‘captain’. You rule and are ruled by your followers.”

Shining emerged back into the long plaza. The crowds of silent ponies were still doing their thing. Shining wondered what their behavior would have been like if the unicorn with the metal in his head wasn’t sedating them, though Shining was cautious to take Axium on his word about it.

“Can you really give up on the system that brought you up? That gave you so many pleasures? That dined you on the fruits of an empire?” Clay was starting to trip over his own hooves, and was not nearly as nimble as Shining, bumping into the gyrating ponies in the plaza. “Look around you! These ponies’ blood is on your hooves.”

Shining abruptly wheeled around and shoved Clay, pushing the unsteady earth pony on his back. “I don’t see any blood! Show me the blood!” He retreated as Clay’s feral doppelganger rushed to defend the fallen. “What do you want me to say? What do you want me to pay? I had it good once but I’m just as much a victim as you.”

Clay rolled onto his belly. “How dare you. You’ll never understand how much we’ve lost.”

“Probably not. Must be… because I’m better than you.” Shining said. He felt angry, but the longer he looked at Clay the more he felt a wrenching guilt and regret.
Shining felt like he was awakening to his own daring power, enough to challenge a Star. What had done it? Not the book, or the Sun, though maybe they had helped. Was it freedom to spread his wings? How long ago could he have realized his own strength, if only he hadn't been a navel-gazing servant of the princesses? Could he have used his strength for good, even if it meant defying Celestia? "How can I find forgiveness from the ponies I've hurt?" He asked, voice on pleading.

Cuptor Clay ground his teeth and shook his head. "If you're really better than me, Shining Hill, you'll be able to find that out yourself."

" ... So I shall." Shining Armor turned away from the pony and slavering doppelganger, and mounted the steps up to the ducal palace, to find the answers to all the city's mysteries. The heat out of his saddlebag subsided, telling him he was going the right direction to find the pony he had to send off.