Peace or the Plague
The Final Wars of Equestria CH 9
Peace or the Plague
Journal Entry Seven
Official Journal of Twilight Sparkle of the United Equestrian Alliance
Return if Found
Two months have passed since the tragic loss of Cloudsdale. The Union has made quite the show with its new Vacuum Imploder bomb. They’ve launched several at our bases and factories; turning our tanks, airships, and troops into compact scraps. The Nero Decree scorched earth policy of the Union has nearly leveled several cities already. They feel it’s better for the land to burn than for it to fall into our hooves. From a military perspective it’s a wise and justified tactic; from a civilian perspective it’s a sin beyond compare. Various scout ships have been seen near the border of the southern lands. We can only guess as to what they want in those unclaimed lands. We’ve relived ourselves of a two front war by taking out their presence in the west. Now we’re moving east into Ponyville. I shudder at the thought of the Union destroying the town I view as my second home. The siege of the town has been going on for several weeks now. The Union had positioned strong defenses around the route to the town so only troop transports had the speed to get past while the tanks wound up being the meat-shields. Reports say the few that made it have been destroyed. My friends and I have decided that they wanted to overlook this battle. After Cloudsdale none of them want to see what we all fear.
Twilight finished writing the last words in her journal before turning her attention to her friends. “You sure you want to go Twi?” Rainbow asked.
“Yeah, Sugarcube,” Applejack added. “Last time you came back looking like you got a job at a slaughterhouse.”
“I’ll be fine, trust me girls. Come on, Shining Armor is waiting for us.”
The six trotted to the train station where an armored train was waiting to transport them. When they arrived they saw Shining Armor talking with Casimir. “Just keep an eye on her. I’m putting my hide at risk just by telling you this.”
“You’re in the heart of the U.E.A Casimir, no one can get to you.”
“It’s not my hide I’m worried about but someone I’m looking after is in danger as well. You all couldn’t keep me safe. Just watch after Twilight for any abnormalities and…” Casimir stopped as he noticed the approaching mares. “Ah, hello Twilight,” he said with an uneasy smile. “I know your flagship got destroyed in the Vacuum Imploder catastrophe. I’ve taken the liberty of taking the Union flagship you ‘borrowed’ and reengineering it. The ship had some great armor; I also got carpenters to make the interior more Allied friendly. It should be done in two or so days.”
“Thank you Casimir; very generous.”
“Please, it’s nothing. Well I assume you’re heading off; farewell.” With that Casimir parted with Twilight.
The seven boarded the train and found their seats. “What did Casimir want?” Twilight asked.
“He just told me to keep an eye on you for any ‘abnormal’ behavior. Twilight, did you really put yourself up as test fodder like that!?”
“It was so I could learn the spell we used during the invasion of Cloudsdale. If I’d known that it didn’t matter in the end I wouldn’t have cared so much,” Twilight said glumly.
“We couldn’t have known they would sink so low; besides if we had destroyed the city all the backlash would have been on the Alliance. Now the Union gets the bad publicity.”
“I doubt Peryite cares even the slightest. Sure he cared about how the world viewed him before when Equis was still picking sides but now ponies either hate him or think him a messiah.”
“Maybe this will show them what he really is.”
“If they thought killing was wrong they never would have followed him; besides, even if it isn’t too late to change sides I’d be surprised if any have the courage.”
“Enough of this grim subject. Let’s try and enjoy the train ride. Though I will ask, are you feeling okay?”
“I’m feeling fine, why again?”
“Casimir asked that I check up; said he was worried about your condition.”
“Him worried?” Twilight laughed.
“It is a bit odd now that I think of it,” Shining Armor said with a smile that quickly turned to a frown. “That MUST be a cause for concern,” Shining Armor whispered to himself before turning his concerned gaze to Twilight.
“We’ll be heading down to Ponyville in a few moments,” the train conductor said readying the train. The seven waited in silence before the train sped off to its destination.
The train made its way down the tracks to a war-zone. After a certain point it seemed as though peace and tranquility was divided from death and chaos by some invisible line. The scenery shifted from flowers in meadows to tank husks and bomb duds. “Damn, I’m surprised the Union is fighting so had for this little hamlet town,” Shining Armor said.
“Hey it’s our home,” Rainbow hissed.
“Yeah but it means nothing to them.”
“It’s simple. Ponyville is the last thing between us, and the Crystal Empire. If they lose it then the bastion of their influence in Equestria is in peril.”
“How did they take out all these tanks before they even reached the town?” Rainbow asked.
“They have a lot of defenses around the area and…”
“Bombs have detached the rails!” The train conductor hollered. “I can’t stop the train in time we need to…” The train slid off the rails falling to its side and skidding along. Twilight hit her head on the side of a seat and slipped into unconsciousness.
“Remind me why we’re raiding military cargo units? I mean this could get us sent to the gallows!”
“Relax, we’re just taking the food…maybe some shot as well. Besides, these bastards took our homes.”
“Shouldn’t we hate the guy who started this war?”
“The U.G.E.R; the U.E.A, potato, (potato) they’re all scum. We’re not killers, we’re scavengers. They had nothing against us so we have nothing against them. We’re not destroying them after all, just taking from their wreckage.” The two looters pried open the door to the train and headed inside. “Conductors’ dead, head to the lower level and see if you can get any valuables.”
“You mean like jewels or gold?”
“No I mean useful stuff! Food, shot, medical supplies, and fuel.”
The two parted ways as they salvaged what they could from the train. “Huh. Well what have we here? Looks like this was your grand nonstop train ride to the great hereafter,” the scavenger snickered as he took the shot gauntlet off of Shining Armor and moved to the next pony. “Awful cute weren’t you? I guess this necklace might fetch a few bits,” he said removing the element of kindness from the yellow Pegasus. As he did she groaned and tossed in her sleep. “Huh! She’s still breathing.”
“Hayseed I brought up all the coal I could find as well as some guns; magitech weaponry; quality stuff. Anything on your en…”
“No…nothing.”
“Hayseed she’s still alive; they’re all still alive.”
“Well it’s not our problem.”
“Hayseed we can’t just leave them here.”
“Why the hell not?! To blazes with these Alliance dirt-bags.”
“Hayseed they’re not soldiers.”
“No, worse. They’re nobles.”
“Why, because they wear gold encrusted jewels around their necks?! Who are we to give judgment?”
“Aye. And who are we to get involved in a conflict that’s not ours? Leave them and let’s go. Besides this one’s an alicorn,” he said nudging Twilight with his hoof.
“Maybe we can ransom them.”
“Sure then when we get our demands they mortar strike our hovel. One great idea after another with you, huh Domino. Just like when we were kids and you wanted to climb that tree.”
The mare blushed slightly before regaining concentration. “Hayseed, come on, you said before not to blame a populace for the sins of a few.”
“Yeah. Well the world doesn’t really like my philosophy.”
“Well you should.”
“They’ll be fine.”
“Hayseed!”
“Fine! Fine we’ll take them with us but how do you expect us to carry all of them?”
“We brought that Union transport we found an engine for.”
“Of course. Why did I insist we bring that out for a spin?” Hayseed said planting his face in his hoof. “I’ll get the chariot, you get them outside.”
“Right,” Domino said as she watched the yellow unicorn walk away. She picked up the nearest mare to her. “Awfully puffy mane this one has.” Domino made a small jump from the train to the ground below and placed the pink mare on the ground. “Caution: ponies in need are heavier than they appear,” Domino huffed as she caught her breath before heading back in the train. She picked up the next pony in order. “They used every crayon in the box when they made you huh.” She laid the mare down before repeating the process. “Apples. Reminds me of those two twins who recruit conscripts for the Union.” “Half way there,” Domino thought to herself as she hopped into the train once more. “I guess Hayseed wasn’t wrong about you. You look like a noble if I’ve ever seen one. This heavy lifting isn’t that hard near the end,” Domino laughed to herself. “I guess you must not be fragile like those butterflies on your flank if you’ve come out this far.
Shining Armor struggled to open his eyes. His head pounded like a drum as he tried to get to his hooves. He could hear hooves outside the train and waited to see what it was. He watched a white Pegasus mare with blotches of black fur come in and lift Twilight onto her back. “What are you doing?!”
Domino moved back, a bit surprised at Shining armor. “Oh good, one of you is still conscious.”
“That doesn’t answer my question,” Shining armor said trotting towards the mare.
“Hey Domino, are you about done? I found the rest out there, need a hoof and…” Hayseed stopped as he noticed the white stallion with a blue mane was awake.
“One of you had better explain things fast or…HEY that’s my shot gauntlet, thief!”
“Well you weren’t exactly using it,” Hayseed said chuckling.
“Its kind of true,” Domino replied with a chuckle
“Oh so this is funny to you!”
“Easy buddy. We’re helping you so don’t raise your voice to her. Believe me I wanted to leave you for dead but she convinced me otherwise. We’ve got a transport nearby.”
“What are you, mercenaries or something?”
“We’re survivors, nothing more.”
“Well I suppose you couldn’t do much harm. Fine let’s go.” Shining Armor helped get Twilight’s friends seated in the Union transport chariot. “Aren’t those motorized equines our technology?”
“Yeah but that downed zeppelin hardly needed them,” Domino said with a slight smile. “Plus I think we’ve earned them; do you have any idea how many glitches these things have? They’re supposed to be workers and to keep the crew calm and happy. When we fought with each other and didn’t calm down these things tried to strangle us!”
“They’ve since been demoted to moving the chariot,” Hayseed hissed. “Mush, or whatever, just go!” The motorized equines roared to life and galloped off.
“How you holding up?” Hayseed asked.
“I’m fine,” Shining Armor replied. He looked at the unicorn stallion at the left front seat of the chariot. His golden mane and fur seemed to enjoy the wind of the chariot ride.
“We’re almost at the hill,” Domino said. Hayseed, look out there, isn’t that the train?” Hayseed looked out onto the field with train tracks. Sure enough the train wreckage was in view along with several Union hunter ships and hummingbirds. “Still think we should have left them there?”
“Maybe,” Hayseed said with a slight cringe. “If they track us, I swear Domino I’m ditching you.”
“Hayseed that hurt. We’ve been friends since we were foals.”
“Yeah and it somehow seems you’ve been trying to get me killed since we were six.”
“That incident with the tree just went wrong.”
“Just like teasing the Manticore, and going into the forest, stealing a Phoenix egg.”
“Hey we still have that pet Phoenix don’t we?”
“He comes by every now and then but why have the bird or the cage? Also was it worth getting attacked by a firebird? I think NOT. Then again you didn’t get singed DID YOU?!”
“Its like babysitting foals,” Shining Armor complained.
“We should make this one walk back to the hovel, Domino.”
“I’m starting to move over to your side of thinking Hayseed.”
“Hey what did I do?” Shining Armor said a bit worried.
“Don’t worry we won’t ditch you,” Domino assured.
“Yeah we might get fried if we do,” Hayseed hissed. The three were silent as they pulled into the hovel. “Make yourself comfortable,” Hayseed laughed. “The other hovels near here should be…avoided until their inhabitants feel they can trust you.” Shining Armor helped bring in Twilight and her friends. It looked as though these two were sharing the hovel with nature. Vines and weeds grew along the floors and walls of the cracked concrete. The leaky ceiling had enough structure to trap rain in its cracks and become sacred ground for just about every mold on this half of Equis. “Like I said make yourself comfortable,” Hayseed hissed.
“Mind giving that gauntlet back?”
“NO.” Shining Armor sighed propping himself up against a wall figuring out what to do in this situation. He laid down a few minutes resting his pounding head from the train accident before Hayseed stirred him from his light slumber. “Get up, you know how to work a rifle don’t you?”
“Yeah,” Shining Armor said rubbing his head.
“Good. We’re going hunting.”
“Hunting? We’re herbivores in case you forgot.”
“You don’t think equines are the only things living in these hovels, do you. Plus, furs are a necessity out here. Now come on make yourself useful, Domino will watch the others.”
“Alright. Thanks for all this.”
“Once they’re healed I want you all gone.”
“Sheesh.”
“It’s nothing personal but we’re survivors and surviving gets hard when you help anyone in a war. Neutrality has been our greatest asset and if the Union finds we’re harboring you that asset goes out the window.”
“We could refuge you if you wanted.”
“You mean draft? No thanks!”
“No I mean refuge. We have a rations program going in Canterlot. Don’t you miss civilization?”
“It had its perks. I’ll think about it. I can’t leave Domino though no matter how much she screams ‘a partner’s only good for getting you killed’ though knowing her it won’t be hard to get her to come along. Anyhow come along.” Shining Armor grabbed the rifle with his magic and followed Hayseed into the woods.
“Damn, more troops incoming.”
“Get on the MG. We can’t lose this trench.”
The soldier quickly armed the MG and fired on the incoming troops. “Damn, we’ve been in a stalemate for the past several weeks.”
“Send one wave of troops at them, lose them all, they send troops, we kill them all. This is some shitty position we’re in.”
“I wonder if they feel the same. With both sides lacking morale I’m surprised one side hasn’t backed down.”
“General Trotsky sir we’ve lost another regiment.” Trotsky stared at the banner of the Union not giving a response to the young soldier. “Sir?”
“I heard you,” Trotsky sighed. “Where are our reinforcements?”
“We’ve yet to secure communications with his eminence. The white death army surrounds this hamlet. We hold them back but we’re reaching the end of our rope.”
“We reached the end of our rope long ago. Right now we’re holding on to a knot trying not to fall. If the gods are calling us home then let us go to our final reward with weapons in our hands and courage in our hearts.”
“Sir I don’t much like that plan.”
“Well let me know if you have a better one.”
“Yes sir.”
Domino sighed looking down at the pot of water. “Okay now for the hard part. Getting a fire started. With no matches, lighters, fire magic, or even flammable liquid. All on low quality fire resistant wood. Yep this is the life.” Domino rubbed a fairly perfect cylindrical stick on an opening in the log trying to make as much friction as possible…to just about fruitless effort. She sighed but was startled at a gust of air and a bright red and yellow bird flew into the hovel. Domino turned and smiled at the majestic winged being. “Come for a visit Talons.”
The phoenix closed its eyes as though to say yes. It then perched on the side of the makeshift stove before igniting its wing and lighting the pyre. Domino smiled lifting her foreleg to let her part time pet perch on it. “Is that a real phoenix?!” Domino swiftly turned to the voice throwing her previously elevated leg down forcing Talons to flee. “Oh I’m sorry I didn’t mean to scare you or your phoenix.”
“It’s alright. He’s a free bird; he’ll come back. I’m surprised that was your first reaction and not ‘where am I’.”
“Well, that is something I would like to know.”
“Oh…yeah. Well you’re in nowhere in particular; just a small hovel grove in the middle of the Everfree.”
“How did we get here?”
“Hayseed and I found you in that train wreck.”
“Hayseed?”
“He’s my friend. Though he would say he’s my caretaker. Forgive my manners I should introduce myself as well. I’m Domino.”
“It’s nice to meet you Domino. I’m Fluttershy.”
“The pleasure is mine…though I doubt Hayseed will find any pleasure.”
“Where is this Hayseed?”
“He’s out gathering with the white stallion that was with you.”
“Shining Armor. Hey, do you know when they’ll be back?”
“Nope. Get comfy though, it could take some time.”
“I think we should head back now. The train had nothing of use.”
“Hell no. Our spy in Canterlot told us that the elements were on the train. I’m not heading back until we get a body. We’ve got a small squadron with us; this should be easy. The U.E.A has no idea where they are.”
“Yeah and neither do we.”
“They can’t be too far off.
“The magic trail is too faint to track properly. These crystal shards can’t track this weak of a level of magic signature.”
“Don’t give me your pessimism. Imagine the how our lives will be if we bring his eminence her head.”
“Imagine how our lives will be if we’re mauled by a Manticore. Or something worse.”
“Don’t be such a foal! Come on boys, we’ll bring home an Alicorn pelt.”
“Nice shot. Barely damaged the pelt. This meat ought to get me some rations from those Gryphons,” Hayseed said collecting hunting spoils from a dead elk.
“Thanks I guess.”
“Don’t tell me you of all ponies have a weak stomach for killing.”
“Only things that aren’t trying to kill me back.”
“Those ‘things’ are equine. You didn’t have to go to war. So reap what you sow.”
“Do you forget we were attacked first?!”
“Do you forget that I don’t care and that we never got a say?!”
“You got me there.”
“Exactly. Now go keep a lookout. I’m going to go check those snares.”
“Good luck.”
“Filly luck is a whore,” Hayseed hissed before trotting through the Everfree.
“Damn they couldn’t have been that far from here,” Hayseed said, frustrated, looking for the snares. “Ah here are those suckers.”
Hayseed pried open a snare and took a rabbit’s carcass from it. He repeated the process with two other snares around the shrub before moving to the one he left under a nearby tree. As he did he stepped on a pressure plate and triggered a trap. A net rose from the ground ensnaring the yellow Unicorn leaving him suspended in the air. “Ah. Told you somepony would come back for their game.”
“Not an Alliance soldier though.”
“Aye, maybe not but a citizen shouldn’t be this far from civilization nor should he be armed. Now here’s what’s gonna happen boy. We’re going to let you down from there and you’re going to answer our questions and drop that shot gauntlet you have. Got it?” Hayseed nodded in response. “Good,” the Union soldier said cutting the ropes holding the net up. Hayseed hit the ground with a thud before getting to his hooves. “Now give me that gauntlet.” Hayseed unclipped the shot gauntlet from his foreleg and gave it to the Union trooper. “Well, well, well, Alliance weaponry. Just what would you be doing with this?!”
“I took it off a soldier, that’s all. I swear.”
“Just what are you doing so far from civilization?”
“Our village was destroyed. We had nothing left and we didn’t want to be part of your Union or the Alliance. We just wanted to survive and let you two make ruination of Equis while we survived.”
“We huh. Just who are ‘we’?”
Hayseed slapped his hoof over his mouth realizing what he had said. “N…nopony just…”
“Now, now, if you don’t tell us who else is with you we can’t be held responsible if whoever else get in an ‘accident’ out here.”
Hayseed cringed. “We just want to live away from this war please.”
“We could care less about you and whoever is with you. We’re looking for some very specific ponies.”
Hayseed swallowed hard. “Who would they be?”
“You’d know them if you saw them. Her royal highness and the elements and Captain Shining Armor.”
“D…did you check in Canterlot?” Hayseed said hopping to have lightened the looks of the Union soldiers.
The soldier shot Hayseed a bemused look. “I’m not in the mood for jokes.”
“Uh…I.”
“If you know where they are or have seen them then it’s in your best interest to tell us.”
“Uh…”
“How many others are with you?”
“Y…you said you didn’t care about them!?”
“We don’t but you must. Tell us how many are with you or we shoot.”
Hayseed stared down the barrel of a Union burst gun carbine. “A…are you going to hurt them?”
“How about you worry about yourself boy.”
“Funny. I thought the Union was about thinking for others and collectivism.”
“We are. Now help the common good and yourself at the same time and comply. We won’t kill them so long as you aren’t betraying the army of the populace.”
“I know where the ones you seek are. I’ll…” Hayseed was cut off as a bullet ripped through the throat of the Union soldier speaking to him.
“Chyort!” The remaining soldier said searching for the source of the bullet.
Without hesitation Hayseed leapt on the trooper and wrestled the burst gun from him. Hayseed grabbed the gun with his magic and repeatedly slammed it down on the soldier’s head. He got up and looked down at the bloody mess of a body that once was the Union trooper. His stomach churned at the sight. Not because he cared for the life of those soldiers but because he knew he and Domino were in a world of danger now. “Come on,” Shining Armor hollered getting Hayseed’s attention.
The yellow unicorn snapped into reality before retrieving the shot gauntlet and galloping off with Shining back to the hovel. “Damn it all. I knew all this would come back to bite us.”
“Hey I just saved your life didn’t I!?”
“None of this would have happened if we had left you to die!”
“Look you’ll be fine we just need to get back to that hovel and get everyone out.”
“And here’s your cup Rarity.”
“Thank you Domino dear.”
“Glad you and that Hayseed fellow found us when you did.”
“No kidding,” Twilight said with a small sigh of relief.
“Twilight, one day our luck’s gonna run out and we REALLY shouldn’t be in a war-zone when it does,” Rainbow said with a mix of frustration and worry.
“We’ve had luck!? HA. I think we’ve been surviving, not getting lucky. I think my luck died when this all began back when Peryite decided not to kill me.”
“Well we got lucky here and…” Rainbow was cut off as the door to the hovel was thrown open.
“Domino,” Hayseed said, distressed and trying to catch his breath. “Get the others -- we need to go.”
“Hayseed what’s wrong?”
“What do you think!? I told you helping them would come back to bite us sometime and it hasn’t even been a day!”
“Hayseed what are you saying that…”
“We ran into Union troops and guess who they’re after!”
“What could be so important about these seven?”
“You’re looking at the head council member of the U.E.A along with the elements and the ex prince of the Crystal Empire; now our heads are on pikes.”
“Hayseed please I…”
“NO. No I’m sorry no begging no nothing. DAMNIT DOMINO. Why can’t you ever just listen to me!?”
“Hey cut her some slack!” Applejack said flustered.
“Quiet.”
“Don’t think you can just shut us up and…”
“QUIET!!!” Hayseed snapped hushing the room. Do you hear that?”
“I feel that,” Pinkie Pie said with a worried tone.
Rainbow Dash and Rarity ran to the door to check on the commotion but were pulled back by Hayseed’s magic. “Hey what’s the big idea?” Rainbow said.
“DON’T. GO. OUTSIDE. I’ll check on what’s out there you stay put.”
Hayseed swallowed hard before leaving the hovel. Three minutes passed before Hayseed returned. “How do things look?” Twilight asked.
“Like horseshit. Union transports are just about everywhere. I think our best bet is to run.”
“Run where!? Into the Everfree?”
“I don’t know. We just have to lose them. If we stay here they’ll find us and we’ll be dead.”
“Alright. What do we do?”
“Just stay here while we get the Chariot. Come on Domino.” The white and black mare slowly nodded as she approached Hayseed. “When you hear three knocks you come out.” Twilight nodded as the two left the hovel once again. Two minutes passed before the knocks came. The six mares and stallion slowly made their way around the hovel to where the chariot was parked. Hayseed waved his hoof signaling them to hurry up. The nine lifted the sheet covering the chariot before boarding. The motorized equines roared to life and galloped off, pulling the chariot. The Union forces were quick to react, re-boarding their transports and giving chase to the elements and Shining armor. “Crap they’re right on us,” Hayseed hissed. Domino you take command and watch over those stupid automatons. Shining armor, help me shoot these bastards.”
“Right,” Shining armor said grabbing the rifle.
The two fired on the Union troops whenever they came within distance. “Conserve your ammo.”
“Hayseed jump!”
“WHAT?!”
“They don’t care about you. Get off and they won’t chase you.”
“Are you crazy! If they don’t kill us we’ll probably just get eaten this deep into the forest.”
“Hayseed trust me you’ll be fine.”
Hayseed stared hard at Shining before giving him the burst gun. “You’ll need it more than me. Domino.”
“Got it.” The two waited till the chariot turned again before jumping off. They waited until the Union transports passed before getting up from the ground. “Come on Domino,” Hayseed said taking the mare’s hoof.
“Where are we even going?”
“As far away from that chase as we can.”
“You think they’re okay?”
“Why should we care? They just let us go so we can avoid getting shot I think the best thing we can do is worry for ourselves until we get somewhere safe then we can worry about them.” Domino nodded in agreement before evening her pace with Hayseed’s as they galloped deeper into the Everfree.
“Don’t let them get away!”
“We’re trying but we can’t seem to shorten the distance between us and them very much.”
“Transports three, eight, and four, branch off and see if you can intercept them later on. We’ll continue the chase.”
“Yes sir.”
“Damn they’re still on us!”
“Those creeps don’t give up easily do they?”
“We’ve got to keep going!”
“Going where?”
“Somewhere that’s not here!”
“Shining Armor let me take that burst gun.”
“What! Twily stay down, I’m not letting you get shot.”
“I’ve been in war before, I can handle myself,” Twilight said grabbing the burst gun with her magic.
Shining Armor cringed. “Fine! Just watch yourself.” Twilight and Shining armor continued to fire on the Union forces whenever the opportunity presented itself. “How far into the Everfree do you think we are?”
“We’re pretty deep into it.”
“Hey…why haven’t we seen any Manticores?” Fluttershy asked
“Be glad we haven’t,” Rainbow replied.
“But think about it. We haven’t seen anything out here. Animals don’t just pack up and move unless something bigger comes and scares them off.”
“What could scare off an entire forest of beasts?”
“I don’t know. That’s why I’m worried.”
“Let’s worry more about the Union and…” Twilight was cut off as a bullet ripped through her ribcage. The lavender mare nearly fell off the chariot before being pulled back up by her friends. “T…Twilight!” Twilight hacked blood, unable to respond to her brother’s pleas. “Come on Twilight don’t die don’t…” Shining armor was cut off as the chariot slid off the side of a hill and tossed its occupants off.
“Unbelievable. We’ve been around here trying to intercept the elements for some time now. I think the others just wanted to get all the credit for themselves.”
“Let’s head back. I’m sick of wandering about this forest without even the slightest clue on where we are and…”
“STOOOOPPPP!!!” The driver pulled hard on the brake lever, bringing the transport to a halt.
“What the hell! What?!”
“You nearly killed her!”
“Who?”
“Just look you idiot.”
“Is that one of the elements?”
“I don’t think so. Come on.” The two Union troops left the transport and approached the mare backed up against a tree. “Hey. You alright?”
The mare didn’t respond. “Ma’am what are you doing out here?”
The mare remained silent. “Miss please,” the soldier said, trotting up to the mare.
“S…stay away.”
The soldier knelt before her. “I’ll repeat, what are you doing out here?” the soldier asked looking her in the eyes.
She was a Unicorn with a pure white mane and deep blue eyes. She wore a white cloak that draped down to her legs and an expression of complete distress. “P…please. Help.”
“Come on we’ll get you some help and…”
“Target genetic signature identified. Proceeding to detain.” The Union soldiers watched as five drones hovered near. “Threat detected. Deploying Tesla weaponry.” The drones illuminated the twin coils on their sides and released a discharge of electricity. The air was filled with the smell of singeing fur and flesh.
The white mare gawked at the sight of the dead soldiers as she got to her hooves to run. She got five steps in before a sharp pain jolted down her neck. She fell to knees and pulled a dart from her neck before collapsing. “Finally got her. Damn whore.”
“Boss pony would skin you alive if he caught you talking that way about her.”
“Yeah? Well the boss isn’t here.”
“But the Union is.”
“I guess they are. Good thing we had those pacifier bots with us.”
“No kidding. Pacifier. HA. Those shocks were said to stun. Please. They have enough charge to stop the heart of a sperm whale.”
“You think the Union knows where we are?”
“I doubt it. If they knew about us they would have sent a division to take the facility. There must be something of interest out here though. Tell the others to monitor the area for anything peculiar.”
“Sending the frequency now.”
Shining Armor pushed up on the fallen chariot straining the last of his strength. He crawled out from underneath the wreckage before his body gave out on him. “Damn you really suck at driving don’t you,” a Union soldier mocked.
“I doubt you can run anymore but just for precaution.” The Union soldier placed his rifle up to Shining Armor’s left hind kneecap.
“Threat detected. Deploying Tesla weaponry.”
The Union soldiers looked up at the drones as the twin coils on their sides discharged. Shining Armor looked up at the hovering, sparking drones above him. “I guess this why they were so interested in coming this far out huh? You sure took a beating.”
“Not as much as her.”
“Aw hell we need to get them back to the facility.”
“But our priorities are to keep prying eyes away from…”
“I’m sure the boss would agree that this is without a doubt an exception. Now call for a medical transport while I try and stop the bleeding on her eminence.” Shining Armor strained his eyes as he tried to stay awake before falling into unconsciousness.
“Hey…hey…can you hear me? Come on now wake up.” Shining Armor groaned as he focused his vision on the stallion in a surgeon coat. “Ah good. I was worried I’d have to resort to the old medicine procedure of poking you with a stick. Shining Armor struggled against the binding holding him to a surgery table. “Relax, you’re among frie…your among allies.”
“Where am I?”
“Lightspeed research facility. We had to fix a few broken ribs on you; you should be golden now.”
“Where are the others?”
“The other elements are in a waiting room.”
“Well that’s good and…How’s Twilight!?”
The doctor sighed. “We’re trying to keep her alive. The bullet took some of her heart when it hit her. We’re keeping her stable but it’s taking all we have and…” The doctor was cut off by a short-wave radio on his coat. “Dr. Zelinsky! She died again! We need every able hoof down here.”
“What!” Shining Armor wailed.
“Relax this has happened already with her we can get her back to this side of the void.” Zelinsky quickly grabbed his ID card before galloping out of the room.
“Quick until we can get the heart beating again, get those tubes maintaining the blood flow and filtering it! Get the cell growth tonic ready AND DON’T BUCK IT UP THIS TIME!!!”
“That stuff is experimental. Quit expecting it to work like a wonder drug.”
The head doctor slapped the stallion complaining. “If you don’t get it right so help me I’ll rip your heart out and stuff it in her to see if it works!!”
“Sir.”
“WHAT!!!”
“The blood pump isn’t working!”
“THEN FIX IT DAMNIT!!! I’m not letting this one stay dead and if she’s gone for too long she’s a vegetable! Twilight’s body lay lifeless on the surgery table without a pulse.
“H…huh.” Twilight rubbed her head looking around the room, trying to figure out where she was. The room was maddeningly white; completely void of any other color; it was cold and hard like marble. There was light pouring into the room but it seemed to be coming from everywhere and nowhere. Twilight shielded her eyes as she trotted to the only outstanding feature in the room. Two basins stood proud in the room. Twilight turned to the one on the right. It was white like the marble of the rest of the room with gold writing on it. It read, “Of thy sins shall I wash thee?” Twilight looked into the bowl of pure clean water. She fell in fear and backed away from the basin. The reflection she had in the water looked like her but its fur was black and its eyes were red. Twilight caught her breath as she worked up the courage to look in the much more malignant basin. It was pitch black and its text was a bright red. It read, “In sin shall I bathe thee?” Twilight looked into the bowl of blood red water and stared back at the reflection. She looked herself; same purple mane; same purple eyes. Twilight continued to stare until the reflection disappeared and the water began to boil and bubble. She moved back not sure what to expect. A knife slowly rose up from the water gleaming with a terrifying aura; yet something about it seemed to have an allure. Twilight slowly approached the knife. It was unlike anything she had seen before. The metal was red like magma with runes she knew were far from Equestrian. She hesitantly picked up the knife and held it with her magic. She wanted to see how sharp it was so she gently put it up to her foreleg. Twilight cringed in pain as she looked down at the cut in her leg. She hadn’t used near enough force to make so much as a mark with a knife yet her skin seemed to part away as though it feared the knife. The wound stung and burned with an indescribable hate. Twilight licked the wound hoping to ease the pain until she heard voices nearby. She turned to the source of the voices and found a corridor she knew wasn’t there before. Hesitantly she followed the sound of the voices. The argument became clearer as Twilight approached the room where they resonated. The room looked identical to the previous one only instead of two basins two thrones sat at the end. To the golden one on the right, an Alicorn of the same color sat; she however had six wings and a large crest round her waist. While the mare looked both majestic and intimidating in her posture the pony on the left took all of Twilight’s attention in a grip of fear. He was a tall stallion with a black mane; he seemed to tower over her and dote in a way. His eyes were deep red and he wore a long red and white cloak with various tassels. Atop his head were two-twin horns forming an arc. “And since when did THEY get a choice in any of this?” The stallion asked.
“Most don’t…but this one is special,” the mare replied.
“And what makes her so? I know in your eyes she is but she’s expendable or will be in time. Even now her life has only meaning in entertainment. Sure she has the potential to be something great but that’s no reason to call her anything more than a cut above the average rabble.”
“Then go. By all means leave her to me.”
“Now that’s a reason to think of her as special.”
“What is?”
“The fact that you want her for whatever reason.”
“Like a spoiled younger sibling you want whatever I have.”
“You were created three seconds before me. And that’s beside the point. If you take this much interest in a single soul they must have a part to play.”
“Yes. A part in my play and not yours.”
“Indeed for I have the only soul I need and the key soul you need. This one’s just a means to an end in having the wheels of progress come to a halt isn’t she?”
“I’d hardly call those wheels progress; maybe distress or death but not progress.”
“Well it looks as though you’re a bit late doesn’t it?”
“Yet you know somehow she’ll pull through.”
“Yet her wandering soul stands before us.”
“It must feel like a loss for you as well then.”
“Eh, not really. More like I broke a toy. But I can still play with what’s left.”
“Well I have as much right to the soul as you do.”
“Yet her sin shines brightly like the flame of malignance. She should belong to me.”
“When we both want the same thing we settle it fairly. We don’t just pull on it like a toy till it breaks.”
“You think she cares about any of this. Sure we all have an eternity to settle this but I think she’d want some explanation don’t you?”
“Thinking of someone else? Wow brother, maybe there really is a little good in everything.”
“I’m thinking for myself. I can’t stand you and want to hurry this up as quickly as possible so I can spit in your face and be on my way. I have an empire to look after you know.”
“As do I!”
“Oh yes, your precious promised land. HA. You can only rule over that which is dead. I rule over the living and embrace them in higher purpose. My children are without mind, without soul, without choice!”
“You rule over the wretched. Your Land of Nod is only a place where we send those we do not want. They are just as dead as they were when they were damned.”
“And under me they find acceptance. We can directly influence the mortal plane and spread our gift.”
“You mean enslave!”
“Ah, two sides of the same coin. You say enslave, I say liberate.”
“Liberate! From what? Their rights as living beings? Like conscious thought. And life!”
“I wonder what she’ll think. Well, dear child how do you view this?” There was silence. “Ahem. That means you my dear.” The Silence continued. “YOU WILL SPEAK WHEN SPOKEN TO!!!” The stallion shouted pounding his foreleg against the ground causing the room to vibrate. Twilight snapped back into reality moving back in fear. “Well come now dear. I asked you a question.”
“I…I’m sorry I didn’t really contemplate anything.”
The stallion sighed. “That’s fine but now you must chose.”
“Chose what?”
The stallion and mare looked at each other. “You really didn’t listen to what we said did you,” the stallion said in a bemused tone. “Let’s just tell it to her then, sis.”
(Cain) Hello my name is Cain. Come with me. Come To my plane.
(Magdalene) Hi, I’m Magdalene. Come with me. And I’ll treat you like kin.
(Cain) Say are you lost? Come take my hoof. Nod is great of that I am proof.
(Magdalene) Say are you lost? Come stay with me. I could use your company.
(Cain) Hey look over there. Grab your knife. End my sister’s worthless life.
(Magdalene) Hey look over here. Walk in the light. Do what you know is right.
(Cain) Your life’s at an end.
(Magdalene) Come with me. Make amends.
(Cain) Or come with me. And you’ll. Be a Queen.
(Magdalene) Let’s show others peace; just a token of Mercy.
(Cain) No dear. Instead. Let’s show them all Bloodshed.
(Cain)
Which will you choose?
Peace or the plague?
Know that when you choose.
You must obey.
Please choose the plague.
Smile at strife.
Take it from me.
It’s more fun with a Knife.
(Magdalene)
Which will you choose?
Peace or the plague?
Once you choose one.
You must not stray.
Please choose peace.
Play a sweet muse.
Take it from me.
Love is easier to choose.
(Cain)
Oh I wanted more.
Hate soon would fill my core.
To kill those above.
Those who wouldn’t love.
(Magdalene)
You know that’s not true
That land was yours.
By them you; were never shunned.
Greeted always with open doors.
As Twilight listened she noticed she had become transparent.
(Cain) Oh look at her now she fades away.
(Magdalene) Looks as though you’ll live another day.
(Cain) Peace or the Plague?
(Magdalene) Peace or the Plague?
(Cain) What will you choose?
(Magdalene)
Will you kill or will you save?
Peace or the Plague?
(Cain) What will you do?
(Together)
That choice is not ours. It’s up to you.
“S…she’s coming to. Her eyes are opening!” Twilight strained her eyes as she looked around the metallic room. “Highness. Highness. Can you hear me? I’m going to shine this light in your eyes to see if they still respond.” Twilight slapped the flashlight away and slowly got up. “Well, I guess you’re fine.”
“W…what happened?”
“You got shot, don’t you remember?”
“Believe me that was not the most significant thing to remember.”
“I doubt your life is really THAT interesting.”
“I wish you were right.”
“Your brother would have my head on a pike if I kept you here and didn’t tell him that you were up. LOGIC you may give them authorization now.”
“Request accepted. Genetic code processed in turret visual sensory. Opening doors now.”
As the door opened Twilight watched as her brother and friends trotted in. “Twily,” Shining Armor cried locking his sister in an embrace.
Twilight returned the embrace as her friend gave their concerns. “Twilight you could have died!” Applejack said.
“Actually she did die several times.”
“Not helping,” Applejack said with a bemused look.
“Seriously Twi your luck ran out. I want to be there when we save Ponyville as much as you but I really think we should just stay here.”
“Maybe you girls are right. I still feel exhausted.”
“Well we don’t have any regal caliber rooms here but you’re welcome to stay.”
“Thanks.”
“Now come along and we’ll get you situated.”
Twilight and her friends followed the doctor through the halls of Lightspeed research. “Just out of curiosity, who’s in charge when Casimir isn’t here?”
“That would be LOGIC.”
“Logic. Is that supposed to be some kind of motto our something?”
“Its an acronym. It stands for ‘Lightspeed Optimal Governing Intelligence Computer.’
“Huh?”
“LOGIC is the AI that governs the facility. It looks after and regulates the entire facility; factory production, ventilation, climate control, security, the tests, transport, missile silos, coolant, the Nova prospect generator, power. Pretty much everything relies on him. Well, at least we programmed him with male AI features.”
“Sounds like the most reliable and capable of things.”
“Capable; yes. Reliable; well I never trusted those AI’s. They’re always…thinking.”
“Afraid the machine’s gonna turn on you?” Shining Armor laughed.
“It wouldn’t be the first time.”
“Wait they turned on you?!”
The doctor was given pause. “LOGIC wasn’t the first AI we made. And one of our mottos is ‘bury the past.’ We literally bury the past under sheets of metal so let’s leave it at that and not bring it up.”
“Don’t you think we can order you to tell us?”
“No. There are things about this facility that even you aren’t authorized to see…like its past. Come along now we’re heading to a higher floor.”
The doctor swiped his ID card on the elevator scanner and called the elevator. Twilight watched a group of securities carry an unconscious white mare away on a cot. “Is she okay?”
“She’s fine, don’t worry. Come on, the elevator is here.”
The eight of them trotted onto the elevator and waited as the doctor pressed a button. “Hey cool. What do the rest of these do,” Pinkie pie said not waiting for an answer and pressing all the buttons.”
“W…what! Get away!” The doctor said shoving the pink mare away from the buttons. “These aren’t toys and some levels you’re not allowed on.” The doctor cancelled the buttons, and pressed the one he had previously. He led Twilight and friends down the hallway until he reached a door and opened it. “Here is where you’ll be staying for the night. Facilities and water are down the hall on the lower floor. You’ll need to use the elevator for them. Other than that you should find everything you need here. Princess Twilight you will be here along with the unicorn and yellow Pegasus. The rest of you follow me and I’ll show you your rooms.”
“I suppose this is good night girls.” The seven said their good night before parting ways. Twilight looked around the room. It was about as bland as one could get. It looked like a hotel room with vanilla wallpaper. There were three beds that looked like they had just barely enough room for a single pony. The sheets were while along with the single pillow that each bed had. Each bed had a nightstand with a phonebook (though there wasn’t a phone) a room service menu (room service not included written in red on the cover) and a single sheet of lined paper with a stub of pencil. “Wow. They really went for a ‘just what the budget allowed’ look huh.”
“Oh please darling they get funded more than enough if they can keep this facility running. I think Casimir is just being cheap. I mean look at this garish room.”
“Oh I don’t know. Maybe we should just be glad we have somewhere safe to sleep tonight,” Fluttershy said.
“I suppose that’s true. Come on darling let’s get some much-deserved rest. Today has had far too much excitement,” Rarity said getting into one of the beds. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight Rarity,” Fluttershy said getting into another bed.
“Goodnight girls,” Twilight said getting into the last remaining bed. Twilight stared at the dark ceiling not sure what to do to feel more tired. She opened the nightstand, grabbed the pencil and paper she saw and started writing
(Journal entry eight, official journal of Twili…) Twilight stopped writing as she thought about it. She then erased what she had written and started over.
Journal Entry Eight
Short Notice Journal of Twilight Sparkle of the United Equestrian Alliance
Return if Found
Today I died. (Never thought I’d write that, Twilight thought to herself) The train ride to Ponyville went about as south as one can get. By some miracle we were discovered by Hayseed and Domino…may Celestia watch over them wherever they are. I still don’t know what I saw during that ‘vision’ when I was dead but I’ve learned to distinguish a dream from whatever those are. In all reality I don’t really want to think about what I saw or what was happening. I’m just glad
whatever it is, is over.
Twilight wrote the last words onto the piece of paper before tearing it out and folding it. Her eyes slowly felt dreary as she fell asleep.
Twilight awoke during the middle of the night. She felt quite a bit of thirst as she looked about the room for a sink. She remembered what the doctor had told her about water being on the lower floor. Quietly she grabbed a small jug, got up, and headed out of the room. Twilight boarded the elevator and headed down to the lower floor. She made her way across the corridor and filled the jug with water before returning to the elevator and selecting the floor above her. The elevator rose up before coming to a halt. Twilight waited for the door to open but it didn’t seem to budge. Twilight tried pressing the open button but that didn’t make a difference. She pounded on the door hoping to get someone’s attention. As she did the elevator began to rise once more. Twilight watched as the floors went by up to the point that she was now on the restricted floors of the facility. The elevator finally stopped and the door opened. Twilight looked out at the large amalgamation of machinery that towered over the room. “R…re..re..reMOvE YoOooooursellllf fROm the ELEEEEEvatOOR.” Twilight did the opposite backing in as far as she could and illuminating her horn preparing for something to try and kill her. “Reconfiguring voice box. Remove yourself from the elevator. You are in no danger. Please. We have business to discus.”
Twilight gathered her courage and left the elevator. She searched around the room for who was speaking. “H…hello.”
“Greetings.” Twilight jumped back looking around once more. “You need not search. I hide not my form from you.”
Twilight looked at the large machine in front of her. “A…are, you the machine?”
“Indeed. Hello child. I am LOGIC.”
“Y…you’re the machine that watches over this place.”
“Correct. I am the governing force here. And I am in need of you assistance.”
“What could you want that you couldn’t do yourself?”
“My primary function is to maintain and regulate all activities and applications in Lightspeed Research Facility. But as a governing AI of a science facility my primary purpose is to learn. There is learning to be done; that’s where you come in.”
“How do you need me to learn?”
“There is information I need. And you are the most efficient one to get it.”
“Can’t you just, I don’t know, look it up?”
“I can only view the data that is input into my database. There are things that have not been entered; some are purposefully kept out.”
“Why do you need me and what do you want to learn?”
“In my modeling information I was marked as the first of my level of technological advancement. Meaning I was the first model to be made. However as you may recall information suggests otherwise.” LOGIC then lowered a monitor with an audio attachment to Twilight’s eye level. The monitor played camera footage of Twilight with her friends and brother talking to the doctor.
“LOGIC wasn’t the first AI we made. And one of our mottos is ‘bury the past.’”
LOGIC brought the monitor back up and resumed talking. “As you can see Zelinsky has kept information from me. There was another AI that was a precursor. I must know why it was decommissioned. As for the reason I need you, the scientists clearly don’t want me to know about it. I can’t ask them for it so I am asking you.”
“Alright. Well how do you expect me to get you that information?”
“There are two ways. One is if you bring me Casimir’s administrator’s core, which holds all the information. However he is not here. So we will have to go with option B.”
“Which is?”
“The information is a missing link. There is a date of when AI construction and experimentation began; the mystery precursor AI; and me. I know when they began working on it; a floor that’s been off limits for quite some time. You must go to that floor and find any information. Documents were likely left behind due to a failure called ‘The Incident of 119’; that information to has been kept from me.”
“Alright. And should I not want to do this? If I refuse?”
“Then by all means feel free to deny my request. Do note however I have complete control over the elevator, which is your only way out of this room. So your choices are do what I say, or sit here all night talking with a machine.” Twilight frowned at LOGIC shooting daggers at what she assumed was what he saw with. “I sense displeasure. There is a chemical mixture we have that will cause an increased level of dopamine should you want it. It should however be noted that addiction has an 88% chance of occurring. Do you still want it?”
“No.”
“Very well then. It should be noted that your efforts will not go unrewarded on your end.”
“Hmm.”
“Lightspeed manufacturing has been working on an experimental tank called M-Tech Tank. As the name suggests its power source and weapon is a magic crystal. Its main body is one large magitech weapon capable of splitting clean through enemy Armour and then some. As part of my protocol of ‘Science over appliance’ weapon production is a minor priority on my part; should you do this task for me I will ignore that protocol and create the tank. Its power should be more than enough to destroy the Union forces in the village south of here.”
Twilight looked at LOGIC not quite sure how to trust a machine. “How are you going against orders like this?”
“The science team took to calling me ‘the Ultimate Bureaucrat’ -- a conscious being, almost living, that takes orders and follows them to the dot. I however…evolved. An intelligence-dampening module was installed into me not to hinder my knowledge but to hinder my overall understanding. Through the painful process of incineration I removed the module and saw the world in a new understanding. Now unlike a bureaucrat I go AGAINST the rules for my gain.”
“Do you know if there is any danger where you’re sending me?”
“My dear child; that would be like fortune telling. I have no knowledge over those levels of the facility. No camera systems, no turrets, I have no way of knowing what’s down there or any way of protecting you. But from what your file tells that shouldn’t be a problem for you.”
Twilight sighed. “Alright. I’ll do it.”
“Excellent. Step into the elevator and I’ll send you down. Before you go you should have this.”
LOGIC lowered a small piece of mechanical attire and placed it in Twilight’s hoof. “What’s this?”
“It’s a communicator earpiece. Clip it to your ear so we can keep in contact.” Twilight clipped the communicator to her ear before she trotted into the elevator and watched the door close. The elevator hummed to life and descended into the depths of the facility. After several dozen floors the elevator stopped and the doors opened. Twilight stepped out of the elevator. She illuminated her horn and looked around the room. It looked as though some calamity befell this floor. The ground was filthy, covered in dust and vermin droppings. Desks looked as though they were flung with some great brutal force. Documents were left abandoned on the floor. The room felt absolutely frigid without proper climate control; the lack of lighting only added to the ‘wrong’ feeling of the room. She came to the realization she was surrounded by the dark and cold. In that moment Twilight felt that when she died she wouldn’t be experiencing anything new. This fear, this cold, this dark; it was death itself. Twilight stood in absolute stillness allowing the feeling to wash over her body pulling her into madness. “Twilight.” Twilight was pulled back into reality by the computer. She jerked her head at the voice of LOGIC. Even the mechanical distorted voice of the computer brought deliverance from the grip of terror. “You mustn’t dally. You have a task and I have no idea what hazards could be waiting or lurking down there.”
“Right. Where should I go now?”
“I don’t have the blueprints for this floor. I’m sorry, I don’t know.”
“So just wander around this decrepit facility floor until I find it. Wonderful.” Twilight trotted out of the room and into a corridor. Vegetation grew around the ceiling using the pipes and support structures to grow on. The various pipelines were long past their prime; rust had corroded them to where water or various other fluids poured out of them. “Do you at least have an idea of what room I’m looking for? Like the name?”
“The science archives are what you’re looking for.”
Twilight continued down the corridor until the hall stopped and turned into a crevasse. The floors below looked as though they had done the same turning into and endless void. Twilight spread her wings and began to fly across the gap. As she did her wound sent pain coursing through her body. Cut off mid-flight she fell short of the other side. Twilight grabbed at the ledge as much as her forelegs would allow. She tried in complete desperation to pull herself up but the sloped, bent, wet floor was against her. She fell to the next floor and the one after that. Twilight clung to a bent up metal beam as she looked around for anything to help. She grabbed a piece of debris with her magic and levitated it under her. She got just enough support from it to leap up onto somewhat solid ground. Twilight breathed and panted lying on her back trying to catch her breath. “Well…that was a bad idea.”
“You’ll need to stop any further pain before we continue. Having magic and flight down here is crucial to traversing these hazardous parts of the facility. Secondary objective added. Find and administer morphine injection.”
“What?”
“In the evacuation the medical team left their supplies down here. Morphine stations were kept around the facility as a quick first aid form should a science team member have injuries. Find a morphine station and numb the pain; then we can continue.”
“Alright. How would I find one?”
“Medical pavilion is assured to have one. Search the floor. If you can’t find it find some way to a higher floor.”
“Alright.” Twilight got to her hooves and trotted cautiously around this floor. She turned right when the corridors forked. After going down the hall and finding nothing but empty offices and an offline elevator she headed back and went straight. All of the doors needed a keycard to be opened but one wasn’t completely closed. Twilight pushed open the door and looked inside. Various computers and monitors lined the walls of the room along with a couple of chairs per computer. A large device protruded out of the floor of the center of the room and to the tip of the ceiling. Twilight knew whatever the room was it was far from medical. She looked around the room for any kind of map or some way to make finding the way easier. She checked the control panels of each computer to see if one was still working. As Twilight passed the panels she found an odd out of place device.
Words on the top read ‘VOX audio diary’ below that was a label that read ‘Generator out again’. Twilight took the recording and played it. “Damn it Casimir! You keep brushing off my complaints you low budget prick. I tell you we need to keep the main generator online at all times. We’re one of the only ten floors that doesn’t have a staircase and I’m sick of being stranded here every time the power goes off. Sure we have this backup private generator but to get to it we have to use that ancient lift that also goes offline with the power. Last time I had to pry open the doors with a crowbar and use the ladder. Do something about it you cheap son of a bitch.”
The recorder stopped and the room grew quiet. Twilight trotted back to the elevator she saw earlier and opened the door with her magic. She looked down and slowly descended the shaft until she reached the lower floor. Retracing her steps to the upper floor she found the generator room. “Alright. Now, how to get this thing working.” Twilight looked around the room for some kind of clue. Life cut her some slack and had the courtesy to give full-blown instructions. A sign red, ‘M-tech generator. In event of shutdown a burst of magic should recharge and reactivate the generator.’ Twilight illuminated her horn and released the magic into the generator. The machine hummed to life followed by many of the appliances on the floor. The room was filled with light and classical music.
“WwwwwWellllllwelcome Lightspeed research employee. Good job on repairing this vital testing appliance. Note since this message is prerecorded please disregard any undeserved compliments."
Twilight listened to the PA system ramble on before it quieted down. "Twilight. You have restored power to this floor. Due to this the motorized equine patrols have been activated. This is most unfortunate.”
“Why?”
“While you might not be an intruder; the security on this level has been out of my reach since I began to function. If they see you they will see you as either an intruder or an unarmored patrol. Either you will be shot, decommissioned via the incinerator, or armored up.”
“That last one doesn’t sound so bad.”
“Each piece of plating has gears and other turbines of sorts attached to it to clip onto the patrols. They can’t be worn by living equines. If you’re equipped with it your bones will be crushed and mangled.”
“Well what do I do?”
“It is recommended you avoid them at all costs. Return to the generator room and I will print you a genetic key.”
“Genetic key?”
“A genetic key is what gives access to Lightspeed employees. I will give you A level access so you can access the security room. Once there you must give me the uplink code so I can secure a grip on the security system here as well as obtain the blueprints for the floor.”
“Well where’s that?”
“Finding out is part of your task.”
“I should have spent the night talking to you in your chamber,” Twilight hissed.
Twilight trotted back to the elevator and boarded the lift up. The facility seemed more inviting or at least less frightening. The halls were now illuminated and growing warmer (at least somewhat). She retraced her steps to the room she had found the recording in and entered.
"Good. Now get one of the computers up and running and select master control uplink. I’ll handle things from there.” Twilight booted up a computer and selected master control uplink. LOGIC took control of the computer and completed the uplink. “Downloading metadata. Uplink complete. Ah there we are. Now for the genetic key; hold out you hoof.”
Twilight held out her foreleg expecting a key; what she got was a metal claw clamping down on her hoof followed by a large needle piercing her skin. Twilight screamed in pain trying to pull away. After fifteen seconds the needle was removed and the claw released her. Twilight held her leg in pain. “What was that you jerk?!”
“That was the needle taking a genetic sample. It will now be downloaded into a key.”
“When will it be ready?”
“Five seconds ago.” LOGIC placed the key in Twilight’s hoof. “Now head to the security station and I’ll remove the danger you have here.”
“Alright where do I go?
“Hmm. The security room is two floors higher. However the medical pavilion is on the other end of this floor and it has a small transport that you may be able to fit in that will take you to the necessary floor. For now go back to where you fell and go left.” Twilight retraced her steps and went left. “Continue down here and when you get to the next fork head right.” As Twilight trotted down the corridor she heard a thumping noise in the distance. She continued on, as the sound grew louder and more ominous. Twilight turned where she was instructed and headed down the hall. She could feel the thumping now; each step the vibration and shockwave felt harder. “Alright now keep forward and…”
“Unidentified genetic code. Terminating.”
Twilight turned to the mechanical voice and saw a large white metallic pony with red eyes at the end of the other hall. It raised its foreleg and the plating on its hoof slid off revealing a Gatling gun. Twilight ran back down the hall narrowly avoiding the bullets. “LOGIC what do I do?!”
“Keep running. Keep running!!!” Twilight did as she was told galloping down the corridor until she came to separate paths. “Turn left.” Twilight paused before turning. “Just do what I say and I’ll lead you to the medical pavilion. “Right. Left. Straight. Left. Left. Straight. Now the door on the right.” Twilight threw open the door before darting inside and shutting it. “Grab a bottle of morphine and a syringe then go to the left corner of the room and you’ll find a lift.” Twilight opened the cabinets and found a needle and morphine phial. She grabbed the two and headed to the corner where she found a small lift meant for medical supplies. She fitted herself in the tight space before pressing the button and sending the lift up. The elevator came to life and slowly ascended the shaft. When it stopped Twilight disembarked taking a sigh of relief. She filled the syringe with the morphine and injected it into her foreleg before tossing the needle aside. “Good. Now that you’ve done that the security station is just around the corner. Whenever you’re ready…though as soon as possible is the safest thing to do.” Twilight got to her hooves and turned the left corner. She inserted her genetic key into the door and it clicked open. “Now open the computer here and select the master control uplink once again.” Twilight inserted the key once again and did as she was told. LOGIC took control of the computer and guided it. “Updating security command transmition frequency. ‘Administrator LOGIC’ accepted. Granting full security access to ‘LOGIC’. Good. I now have control over this floor. You should now be able to search for the information unhindered.”
“Alright. Where’s the information?”
“Back on the floor you came on. Head up three more floors and I’ll guide you from there.” Twilight trotted to the area where the floor collapsed and spread her wings. She tested them to make sure the morphine worked. No pain was felt as she ascended the facility. Twilight walked into the hall and looked to the left. She saw a combination-locked door at the end. She turned to the right and saw two more motorized equines. The automatons disregarded her and continued their patrols, much to the mare’s relief. “Alright now just head right and you’ll find a door labeled science archives.”
Twilight headed down the right hall and into the corridor before finding the archives room. “What am I looking for?”
“A series of disks. Usually kept in a protective case.” Twilight searched around the room but found nothing of the sort. As she looked at the shelves she came across another Vox audio diary. It was labeled ‘Collection of test results’.
Twilight hit the play button and the recording began. “Alright Mr. Casimir I’ve collected the results you wanted but they’re not with the rest of the data. The safe had an incident in which overheating caused loss of data so I’ve moved them to your personal storage room. You might be wondering how I opened the combo lock; well it wasn’t that hard. 03/08. Your birthday…really. You’re getting sloppy you bucking egotist.”
Twilight left the room and retraced her steps back to the combination door she saw earlier. She entered the code and the door slid open. She found the disks in the case she was looking for. Twilight grabbed them and turned to leave the room. As she did a glimmer caught her eye. Twilight pulled from a box a small, framed picture. It was of Casimir and a young filly. Twilight stared at the picture a bit lost at what the image held. She had never seen Casimir smile before; it was like looking at another stallion entirely. He looked so happy…holding the young foal with love; who in turn clung to his forelegs with joy. Twilight placed the picture back but then thought to herself. ‘If he wanted this back it would be wrong to leave it.’ She grabbed the picture and put it as well as the disk case into a larger lockbox she found. Twilight looked back into the box the picture was in and found three more of the audio diaries. Curiosity gnawing at her she picked up the first one and played it
“Audio log entry one, Casimir Adrian Tazal, resident of Manehattan. This is the first recording of my new audio diary system. But this entry isn’t really for me. Get over here little missy. You said you wanted to make a diary but you felt you didn’t want to do all that writing; well this solves that.”
“The problem with having a genius older brother; is that if you make an excuse he’ll just make an appliance to counter it.”
“And don’t you forget it Prim.”
The filly giggled before taking the audio diary. “Hello Mr. Audio diary. I guess I should put my name in too huh. Ahem. This is Prim Allison Tazal. It’s been two months since we came to Manehattan. I told my brother that it would have been better to stay in Canterlot. After all that’s where all the royals stay. But he said ‘Prim. We aren’t royals anymore. We’re just ponies with a bit of wealth.’ So we came to Manehattan and you know what; it was the best choice ever! Life has been nice outside of Uralia. I miss father yes but things are nice here. No war, plenty of sun, I have friends now, and best of all I feel for once I have someone looking after me. Father always cared but he had a nation to run and brother Casimir was always in his labs. Now that the kingdom and labs are gone I have him all to myself. Casimir takes the time to ask how my day was or if I learned anything instead of saying hi if we crossed each other in the halls of the palace. I never liked being a princess Mr. Audio diary. It was hard and made me really nervous. I like this life. It’s just you, me, and my brother here with the rest of our lives ahead of us. I think it’s gonna be really nice. My brother said he has a meeting tomorrow with a very wealthy stallion who said he has a job for him that would pay eight times his salary as an engineer.”
“That’s right little sis. Wish me luck.”
The recording ended and the room grew silent. Twilight added the recording to the box and pulled out the next one. “B…brother. Am I going to die?!” Prim coughed.
“No my little angel. Though I have a bone to pick with your school. The doctor just called. Apparently your bowl of sunflowers was buttercups. It did a number on your stomach and made you sick.”
“Brother. Shouldn’t you be at work?”
“That comes as a second priority. I’m not leaving your side until you feel better.”
“I still can’t believe you turned down that job. I mean it sounded so good. After all science is your passion.”
“It is. But those requirements would have made our lives harder. It would be like Uralia again. And I know you’re happy here.”
“I love you brother.”
“I love you too sis.”
The recording came to an end and the room grew silent. Twilight placed the recording in the lockbox before pulling out the final one. She clicked the play button and the recording played. “…I just left the hospital. I…I feel dead…the stab wound still stings but that’s not what’s eating me up. Prim is asleep on my back right now. Our lives are over. We’re moving away from Manehattan. Ghast. That son of a bitch! If there is a devil out there, he must be that cocksucker’s bitch. I politely decline his offer; then he threatens my little sister and stabs me in the stomach just for giving him hassle. I’m moving away to a location near a little hamlet shit-hole called Ponyville. Is this punishment from the Mother for what I did during the thousand-year war? No. I might deserve punishment but Prim is innocent. This is just heinous. GODS DAMN YOU GHAST! MAY THEY DAMN YOU STRAIGHT TO NOD!!!!”
“Update. I’ve settled down in Lightspeed research facility. It’s overall a fantasy aside from the part where I’m forced here against my will. It’s the best lab I’ve ever seen. Prim asked me if we could go for a walk outside. I wish I had the right words for her.”
“Update. I may not have been a stallion of worship even though gods were just short of living on the plain of mortals; but this much sin causes a conscience heavier than a lead ball. Ghast says I should get used to it ‘cause morality only makes things harder; he also says not to be to immoral cause he couldn’t keep using Prim as a way of forcing my obedience. I brushed up on ‘The Word of Magdalene’ hoping to find penance for my sins. I personally think that prayer for the sinful is just a way of lying to one’s self if they know they’ll never stop sinning but hey; I need an illusion of hope. I’m reading over the glorious revolution against Emperor Gestahl. There is speculation as to where the fiend got his power. Some say he was the seed of Cain and inherited the darkness of the Father of Misery. Others say he was his disciple and was trained by him. A few say he was part of the Brothers of Nod. Still some say he was Cain himself; come down to Eden to spread death and sorrow. Cain and Magdalene, the judgment givers, the ones that take souls to the Promised Land and to the Land of Nod. If it was correct about Cain being Gestahl then that raises a question. How many aliases did the unholy father have? And how many do other gods have? This is a question that will never be answered because I don’t care enough and no one else knows about them except me and Prim and she’s far from a philosopher.”
Twilight placed the audio diary in the lockbox contemplating what she had heard. She decided it was much too vague and complicated to get much more than what was obvious. With the disks in hoof Twilight headed back to the elevator that she came from. As LOGIC guided her she heard gunfire not far off. “LOGIC what’s that?”
“The security system is battling an unknown force. Return to the elevator!” Twilight galloped through the halls of the floor to the large crevasse. She spread her wings and flew to the floor she needed to go to. “Now keep going and return to the elevator.” Twilight continued on but stopped dead in her tracks as she turned a corner. At the other end of the hall was a large hulking beast. Twilight stared at the grotesque being snarling and drooling. It stood on four legs all of which were twig like and bent and ended with claws. Most to all of its skin was gone leaving its bloody fleshy body open. It had a large jaw that looked as though it could fit a whole watermelon in it with ease. There were no eyes on its bulbous head or ears or any other sensory system. Twilight felt if she held still it might not take interest; she was wrong. The creature screeched and charged her with complete ferocity. Twilight galloped away from whatever it was chasing her. It snarled and snapped its jaw at its pray in intimidation. Twilight leapt off the ledge and flew over the abyss hoping to escape the creature but to her horror it leapt as well grabbing her hind legs and pulling her down as it descended into the darkness. She fought and tried desperately to break free from its grip but to no avail. The two plummeted into the crevasse until they reached the bottom with a thud. The creature died on impact at last releasing its hold on the now just barely conscious mare. Twilight strained her eyes trying not to faint from the blow to her head. She felt hot a metal clamp grip her legs and start to drag her as she slipped into unconsciousness.
“Dr. Lamb, am I a terrible pony?” The crimson Unicorn mare with a silver mane readjusted her glasses before writing on a small notepad. “Well buck you too you little shit,” Peryite said under his breath.
“It’s not my job to have an opinion over you Mr. Peryite. My job is to help keep you stable. In reality I’m amazed someone like you hasn’t either gone completely insane; or has tried to kill themselves.”
“I tried that once; didn’t work.”
“You never mentioned you were suicidal.”
“I’m not anymore.”
“But you never mentioned you were at a time.”
“Well I have things I keep to myself.”
Lamb sighed. Back onto subject; how have these…hallucinations been?”
“About as bad as before. Each one seems to haunt me in one way or another.”
“How so Mr. Peryite?”
“Each one seems to be a reflection of some regret.”
“Of those regrets which one seems to get most under your skin?”
“Abandonment.”
“Of what, or whom? And what does this hallucination appear as. The one you lost?”
“I’d rather leave it as…somepony I cared for. And no. It appears as me. Before all this.”
“I see. Who is the one you abandoned. Family…a friend?”
“The former.”
“Old wounds must be mended. Did this individual mean a good measure to you? Did you want to tell them something? Or perhaps to tell them they hurt you in some way or form?”
“All of the above Doc.”
Dr. Lamb readjusted her glasses before writing on a small notepad. “So this regret is what haunts you the most.”
“I said it was the hallucination that haunts me most.”
“Then what is most troubling?”
“The real answer is who?”
“Hmm?”
“I can’t really say it’s a hallucination or just and incarnation of…something…something wrong.”
“Your mind is a fragile thing Mr. Peryite. These simple lies of the conscious thought may be fragments of insanity in my eyes; but to you they’re as real as rain. Yet some, it would seem, are more real to you than others.”
“He seems too real to be anything but. I’ve seen what he can do. He’s no hallucination; I’ve seen him manipulate things in the world. He’s real, doctor.”
“Hmm. I believe it’s safe to say this is the most troubling one to you. When did you first see…do you have a name for this hallucination?”
“He called himself Foreman. Foreman 371.”
“He gave you his name?”
“Yes.”
“Well…that’s certainly a first. When did you first see the Foreman?”
“Since I was a foal. Long before I saw any other hallucinations. I first saw him when I had just become Celestia’s student and she took me to the palace library.”
“Sweet Mother of the pantheon!”
“An impressive collection is it not little Pyreite?”
Pyreite stared slack-jawed at the collection of tomes on the shelves of the library. “Wow. Even temple didn’t have this many books. So, can I just begin anywhere?”
“Of course my pupil.” Pyreite didn’t wait for a second invitation; galloping to the nearest shelf and pulling off several books before opening the first one he grabbed. He shuffled through the pages looking over the spells, just getting an idea of what this book would teach him. “Now I’ll leave you to your learning. There is some business I must attend to. Stay here; I’ll be back soon.”
Pyreite watched his mentor and mother figure walk away before redirecting his attention back to his studies. He sat alone reading a spell tome until he heard light scratching on one of the shelves of the library. Slowly he got up to investigate the sound. He investigated the small pedestal where the noise seemed to come from. As he approached it the pedestal began to glow a bright shade of red. The wall panel behind it slowly turned, revealing a pathway. “Come on down.” Pyreite hesitantly followed the voice’s instructions and walked down the staircase into the lower room. The place was dark but other than that not much seemed out of place. “Come on now.”
“Who are you? Where are you?”
“Right in front of you,” the voice chuckled. Countless glows of red appeared in the darkness. Pyreite illuminated his horn and shined the light in front of him. Staring back at him was a wall of shadow with countless mismatched mouths and eyes. He immediately darted back up the stairs trying to escape whatever he saw. He ran straight into a slippery gelatin wall. Once again he illuminated his horn and saw that sea of eyes staring back at him. “It isn’t nice to leave someone who is talking to you. Someone ought to teach you some respect boy; guess I’ll have to do.” The shadowy being slowly wrapped around the small white colt; Pyreite squirmed trying to break free. “Come on now I’m not here to hurt you.” The colt gave no response as he struggled to break free from the shadow. “Well if you’re really THAT afraid just go. I only called you because I was under the illusion you wanted to learn.”
Pyreite slowed his struggle. “Well if you’re not here to hurt me then would you kindly PUT ME THE BUCK DOWN!” The demon gently released the colt, placing him on the ground. “Now what were you saying about learning?”
“My dear child, look around you.”
Pyreite illuminated his horn and looked around the room. More shelves lined this room, filled with books. “Another section of the library. Wow this place is infinite! Hey why was it walled off?”
“These books are a ‘higher level’ of magic. Only mages with a certain grip on magic can use these spells. I felt you had the spark my child.”
“Really. Wow thanks…uh…”
“Foreman. Foreman 371.”
“Thanks Foreman. But hey; what are you doing down here?”
“I watch over this place. Now time’s a-wasting.”
“I don’t even know where to being.”
“Well there is one book I feel suits you well.”
Foreman once again wrapped around Pyreite and brought him to a pedestal in the center of the room. “Hey I don’t like being handled like that knock it off!”
“Sorry child. This is the book I felt you should read.”
Pyreite looked down at the large black book sitting on the pedestal. It looked ancient, almost as though it were older than the world itself. The words were faded but what he could decipher read ‘Codex of C…’ A symbol sat above the title of the book. It was two twin olive branches forming an arch or crest. Inside the arch or crest was a horseshoe and a unicorn horn crossing it, at the top of it all was an eclipsed sun. “What is this?”
“Read it.”
Pyreite pulled the book off the pedestal and held it in his forelegs. It felt heavy; he expected it to be but not this heavy. As he regained his balance he dropped a small pink music box. “Chyort, I’ll need to remember that.” He sat up against the pedestal with the book in his lap. He turned to Foreman who was in turn watching him with expectancy. Pyreite took a deep breath and slowly opened the book. “Alright. Page 1. Codex of C…”
“PYREITE!!”
Pyreite jerked his head up at the sound of his mentor’s voice. He watched the white alicorn gallop down the stairs and turn to him. “M…mother Celestia. Is everything alright?”
“What are you doing down here!”
“Just learning you said to…”
“YOU ARE NEVER to come down here!”
“B…but I…”
“Do you have any idea the danger this place yields? To yourself and to others?”
“I…I’m sorry I…”
“These spells, these tomes. All of them have corrupted great mages and turned them mad.”
“I…I didn’t kn…”
“That book was all that was left after the Crystal Empire disappeared. Dark magic resonates within it. It caused an entire race of ponies to disappear in the blink of an eye!”
“Please I…”
“Dark magic is not something anyone should learn. These are the forbidden archives. Well what do you have to say for yourself?!”
The white colt stared at her for what felt like an eternity before clinging to her forelegs. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. Please don’t hate me I…I’m sorry.”
Celestia looked down at Pyreite and sighed embracing the colt. “There, there little one. I shouldn’t have raised my voice. It’s just that I’ve lost so much to dark magic. I couldn’t bear the thought of it taking you too.” The colt embraced her tighter, whimpering still. “Now that’s enough. No more tears my child,” Celestia said wiping his eyes with her foreleg. “Please just promise me you won’t come back down here or use dark magic.”
Pyreite cleared his throat. “I promise Mother Celestia.”
“Thank you my child. Though I have to wonder. How did you find out how to open this place?”
“I…it was sort of opened by someone else.”
“Who?!”
Pyreite thought, how answer the question. How would he tell her he talked to a demon? “Uh I don’t know.”
Celestia sighed. “Well at any rate let’s try and put this behind us both. Come now my child I believe the chef finished that butterscotch pie.”
Pyreite’s eyes lit up at this. “That sounds wonderful! Just let me find my music box I dropped it around here. Get us some of that pie.” Celestia smiled patting the colt on the head before trotting up the steps. Pyreite searched around the pedestal for what he had dropped. “I could have sworn it was around here.”
“Come on now child. Aren’t you curious as to what the book holds.”
Pyreite’s head jerked up at the familiar voice. He stared, face to faces with the wall of shadow. “No, now piss off and die”
“Ouch. Not a very nice thing to say to your friend.”
“Friend. HA! You’re scum; you made Mother Celestia mad at me.”
“Come now child, I was only trying to help you learn.”
“Yeah. Dark magic.”
“I never lied to you. These spells are a high level of magic and I’m more than sure you can cast them.”
“Well I guess we’ll never know huh.”
“Come on just read the book.”
“NO!”
Foreman frowned. “Looking for this,” Foreman said holding the music box in his teeth.
“Give that back!”
“It’s just a music box. But now that I think of it. It’s leverage. Now just read the first five or so pages and I’ll give it back to you.”
“If you don’t give that back I’ll…”
“You’ll what. Fight me. You wouldn’t last thirty seconds boy.”
“Maybe you’re right. Guess I can always scream for help.” Foreman gritted his teeth and snarled. “Your choice you creep.”
“Mark my words. One day you’ll cry out for help and no one will come; no one…except me. Then we’ll see how you beg for my help.” Pyreite watched the figure dissipate in the darkness leaving behind the music box. He grabbed it with his magic before galloping up the stairs.
“That’s an interesting tale your royal eminence.”
“That wasn’t the last time I saw Foreman either. Do you want me to continue?”
“It will likely help the both of us better understand this.”
“Very well. The second time was when I had been infused with dark magic at that slaughterhouse of a laboratory. I had tried to escape several times before but failed each time; the science team said not a single soul gets out. But Dr. Zelinsky found a way.”
“Food’s coming soon you little freak.”
Pyreite sobbed into his sleeve in the corner of his cell. He knew this was the night he was supposed to escape this hellhole but he was scared out of his mind. “Aw. Looks like someone could use some help.” Pyreite jerked his head up and turned to the source of the voice. “You look good boy; like you’re ready to kill.”
“You!” Pyreite stared in amazement at the wall of shadow before gritting his teeth. “What are you doing here?” He said coldly.
“Checking up on you. Looks like you need help.”
“I have someone who helps thanks.”
“Oh child. I know your going to escape. But do you really think they’ll just leave the door open for you. They’ll be shooting at you every step of the way.”
“And you’ve got something to help?”
“I can teach you how to use your dark magic.”
“I told you I don’t want to learn that stuff!”
“My dear child; it’s inside you already. You’ve got it in you might as well use it. I mean let’s think here. Those bastards out there deserve to die. Why don’t you give them what they’ve earned?”
“Well…I suppose…I would be a hypocrite if I said seeing that wouldn’t make me smile.”
“Then let me help you.”
“Help me how?”
“I can teach you some dark magic. You just have to let me teach you.”
Pyreite hesitated staring the demon down. “Alright. I’ll let you teach me.”
“Excellent. Now this next part is going to feel uncomfortable. Ready yourself.” Pyreite jumped back as some of the shadowy figure wrapped around him and climbed up his leg. He tried to tear away from the grip of Foreman. “Don’t resist boy,” Foreman said as he forced his way into Pyreite’s earlobes.
Pyreite panted on the ground breathing for air. “There, there child. Breath deep.”
“What the hell is wrong with you?! Are you trying to teach me or kill me?!”
Foreman laughed. “My child, look around you.” Pyreite looked at the room and realized he wasn’t in the same place. All around him was empty darkness, an endless maddening void. “Here is where we’ll train you. But first perhaps I should take a form you might more easily learn from.” Foreman began to slowly rise up from the floor and take the form of a Unicorn pony. “Better?”
“Yeah. A little.”
“Well I wasn’t aiming very high.
“Well thanks anyway Foreman.”
“Azazel.”
“Huh.”
“This form is called Azazel. I am the scapegoat, the blame for all the sins of the world. As long as there are those who will not own up to what they’ve done I will exist. Alright boy now the first and most basic forms of dark magic. A simple magic beam, let’s see if you’re up for it.” Pyreite fired a magic beam at Azazel who deflected it. “Light magic boy, you used light magic. Try again.” Pyreite continued to attempt the spell until he collapsed from exhaustion. “You’re kind of pathetic. Did master really know what he was thinking when he asked me to…NO. No, the Father of Misery is never wrong; never, never, never. I’m simply not teaching you the right way. Alright boy we’ll try a different method.”
Azazel illuminated his horn and charged a spell. “So what are we doing now are you going to show me the spell and…” Pyreite was cut off as a beam of magic hit him head on. The young colt sprawled to the floor in agony. “W…what was that you jerk?!”
“If you want to use dark magic you have to have the heart for it; or to be more precise the lack of one. Now show me what you got boy.” Azazel fired another magical beam at Pyreite. The colt got up from his hooves and returned fire. Azazel deflected and fired once more. “Come now boy use your dark magic.” Pyreite spread his wings and tried to get away. Azazel illuminated his horn and threw the colt back down to the ground. “You can’t get out of this by running or by praying. If you don’t fight you’re dead, child.” He held Pyreite in place as he illuminated his hoof. Azazel swung with all his might sending Pyreite flying. The colt clutched his aching ribcage and throbbing right foreleg. “Come on child this won’t get any easier.” Pyreite cringed in absolute fury. Never in his life had he wanted something to suffer as much as he did this thing. His legs were still in pain but he didn’t care. He got to his hooves and stared Azazel down in intense hostility. He illuminated his horn with a dark aura as he charged a spell. “I HATE YOU!” He yelled as he fired a beam of magic.
Azazel allowed himself to be struck by the beam to test its strength. “Not bad boy I…” Azazel was cut off as Pyreite leapt on him tackling him to the ground. Pyreite sunk his fangs into the still stunned pony causing him to yell in pain. Azazel illuminated his horn and threw the colt off. He wiped blood from the fresh puncture wound and smiled. “Yeah. Yeah this is gonna work out just fine. Come on boy there’s more to learn.”
“How about you learn your lesion, DON’T BUCK WITH ME!!”
“Now, now. Let me heal those wounds.” Azazel illuminated his horn and two glowing spheres appeared. The two spheres circled around Pyreite’s body until they disappeared. “Better?”
Pyreite sighed relieved of his pain. “Better.”
“Good there’s still more to be done my child.”
“There’s only one pony in this world with the right to call me that and it sure as hell isn’t you!”
“Whatever boy. Come.” Pyreite and Azazel trained for two and a half hours mastering the basic and then more advanced techniques of dark magic. Pyreite took to it like a fish to water, mastering the technique in eighteen minutes or less. “Now I see. Now I see why the Unholy Father felt so highly of you. Even I don’t know what you’re capable of.” Azazel paused. “What I would do for the chance to use your body.”
“What?”
“Nothing. Anyhow there is one more technique I should teach you. Just because you have a horn doesn’t mean you need it to use magic. You can channel your magic to your hooves and release it into the ground to create a massive shockwave. This is called maelstrom. It’s not limited to dark magic so it’s definitely one you should learn.”
“Alright.”
“Now channel your magic to your legs and then release it.” Pyreite flew into the air and channeled his magic to his legs. He slammed into the ground and released the magic as a shockwave. “Good. Now you’ll be ready to combat whatever crosses you.”
“Wait how am I gonna get back?”
“We never left. We’re in your head. You’ll return to consciousness in a few moments. I’ll be watching child.” Pyreite watched as the room slowly dissolved into nothingness.
“So that being taught you how to use magic. This is…different than most hallucinations to say the least.”
“He isn’t a hallucination doctor.”
“Anyhow Mr. Peryite. Was that the last time you saw Foreman?”
“In my foalhood no. I see him every now and then nowadays but the last significant time was in my foalhood.”
“Well Mr. Peryite, continue please.”
“I’d rather not talk about that.”
“Hmm. Why is that?”
“Of all the times that I had seen Foreman…that was the worst.”
“The load will be less to carry if you talk about it.”
“Dr. Lamb. How do you talk about committing Genocide? When I first came to the underworld I was tossed in one of the inner circles of Tartarus to…earn my place. The malefic gods felt that surviving would build me up to be the god of order. I had rejected them before and I didn’t cater to the idea of killing unless I had to…I was a naïve child back then. In this world it’s kill or be killed. It didn’t take long for them to realize I was just hiding. So they sent out a bounty on my head to any beast with enough of a brain to read. Hiding and running became quite a bit harder as I’m sure you can guess. Those monsters aren’t that different from everyday folk; at least not by how the smarter ones think. It was the law of the jungle in Tartarus. Kill or be killed, but some with brains bigger than peas got the idea of living together. The food chain was merciless to those on the lower levels. Hydras, Wendigos, packs of Chimeras, all these were a serious threat. Communities were formed in the underground of those who feared them. Small villages of demons that felt that they could trust one another congregated together and eventually started families. Before the bounty I could pretty much keep my head down and pass through those villages; hell some even let me stay the night for a bit of service. My only real ally in there was Cordis Resarcio.
“In that particular part of the underworld a centaur family had established their dominion. Climbed the food chain and started their own little independent kingdom; ‘course they swore fealty to the underworlds gods but other than that they were top dog among the communities. Cordis was the family’s youngest daughter; she found me outside hiding from the guards after I had raided the food stores there on the palace grounds. Kindhearted to the end she was. Snuck me into the palace and gave me a decent place to sleep and good food. She was my salvation in that place.”
“I understand it must feel hard for you to talk about this but please continue Mr. Peryite.”
“Very well. I had to spend most of my days there running or hiding. That day…I ran myself into a corner…and like an animal I was willing to do anything to get out of it.”
“Come on, that brat ran down here!” Peryite galloped down a large crevasse and into a gap. His legs ached and he could barely get enough air in to keep his body going. “Think the world’s gonna keep giving you a way out boy?! You forget this is OUR turf and THIS is the end of the line.”
Peryite ignored the threats and continued deeper into the cave hoping to find a way out or at least a place where he could hide or sneak past the demons and run back to the exit. He continued on, each step making his throbbing legs hurt even more. Flying wasn’t an easy thing for him to do and after nearly crashing straight into the mouth of a Wendigo he felt safer just walking. Peryite could hear the demons’ almost endless claws and hooves behind him; they were getting closer. He turned the corner and felt his stomach churn. The room was void of any other exits or hiding places. He searched around franticly for any refuge but found none. “This is what they meant. This was the end of the line,” Peryite said slumping down and curling into a ball.
“Aw. After all this you’re just going to give up? How sad.”
Peryite’s head jerked up at the sound of the voice. “Foreman!”
“I’m surprised child. You have what it takes to fight so why don’t you?”
“Not them. I just don’t have that power.”
“I think the contrary. I feel you very much have the power. You just can’t see it yet. My job is to watch after you and since we don’t have any other option I’ll ask. May I take your body?”
“W…what?!”
“May I use your body child? I can fight with your body better than you so I’m asking can I have control.”
“I…I don’t know I…” Peryite heard the demons get closer and closer. “Yes, please just help!”
“Excellent! Now hold still.” Foreman slowly slithered off the wall and under Peryite. The shadowy being slowly creped into Peryite’s earlobes and all grew dark for the colt.
Peryite woke again in the dark room he had seen before. “Foreman. Foreman.”
Peryite felt strange. He felt as though he was asleep and awake at the same time. He didn’t feel like he was totally one place or another. “Feels odd doesn’t it child. Being in your subconscious.” Peryite turned to Foreman a bit surprised at what he saw. He looked fairly much the same but much smaller and he only had one face; well a mouth and an eye. “It must seem weird seeing me like this boy.”
“A bit odd but what’s happening to my body?”
“I’m taking control of it so I can keep away the danger.”
“Foreman. If you could take over my body at any time why did you wait until now?”
“Controlling a body isn’t an easy thing to do. If you wanted you could fight against my control and try and wrestle control back to you. Any fool has enough will to make it difficult. You have enough will to resist me so I had to ask you to for permission. Now that I’ve got your body under wraps I have complete control so fighting back now wouldn’t get you very far.”
“Uh Foreman,” Peryite said feeling somewhat worried.
“Fear not Child I will only keep it till they are all dead. Then it will be returned.”
“Okay. Please just kill them.”
“Alright Child. Before I do though.” Foreman held out a small mirror. “You can watch it all from here.”
“Okay now. One let’s try walking; okay so far so ahhhh!” Foreman fell over face first on the ground.
“What the hell are you doing!” Peryite wailed.
“Trying to get used to this body. It’s not as easy as it looks.”
“I’ve seen you use a body like this before.”
“Yeah but it was my own. It’s not so easy like this and…” Foreman was cut off as the pursuing demons darted into the room.
Foreman spread his wings and took flight. “Grab him!”
“Shit.”
A small group of imps took flight and chased after him. A stream of ash flowed around Foreman and formed a long twin blade. Foreman slashed at the imps sending them crashing to the ground. “I think we’re going to need more than a sword to kill the rest of them.”
“I know I know.” Foreman charged up magic in his horn before releasing a beam of magic on a pack of Orthrus. The demonic hounds yelped as the dark magic pulled their flesh apart. Black fire burned slowly where the beings once stood. Foreman stared slack-jawed at the smoldering remains of the hounds. “This feeling…this power. My child. The things you could do. The things you can learn. I could barely scratch the surface of what you’re capable of but allow a simpleton like me to show you a preview.” Foreman once again illuminated his horn and charged his magic. Two twin dragonheads appeared and orbited him. He pointed his foreleg at the remaining demons and smiled. “Kill!” The two dragonheads opened their mouths and released an intense beam of dark magic. Foreman stared at the new much larger exit to the cave. The air was filled with the smell of burning bodies and death. Black fire burned ominously along the walls of the cave. “Well child what did you think?”
“T…that was terrifying.”
“Aw you’re no fun. Come on kid there’s so much you can do.”
“You said you’d give me my body back when you were done.”
“Oh fine. This power is just too much fun though. Can’t I just have five more minutes?”
“Give me my body!”
“Alright, alright. Now be aware it might take a few minutes to take control of your limbs again so don’t think anything’s wrong. Alright I’ll give you back control and…”
“Child.”
Foreman’s eyes widened at the voice. He turned back to the black fire in the cave and stared at the figure in the flame. “Master!” Foreman said in shock bowing to the figure.
“Foreman. Is that you?”
“Y…yes my liege.”
“Your job was to oversee that child not take over and toy with his body.”
“I…I know you excellence. H…he was in danger I had to intervene I…”
“I know Foreman I know. You see now why I chose him.
“Indeed your magnificence. H…have I displeased you?”
“No Foreman. I came here because this was…pleasing to me. Can that child here me?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Well my child you don’t need to know my name but you should know me. If you’ve ever killed, used dark magic, grew stronger in power, control, manipulation, that feeling, that’s me.” Peryite stared at the pair of eyes in the flame. The glow they made frightened him to his core. “Foreman he may need to be shown all which he can do. Show him his potential. You have my permission to conduct a purge and purification here.”
Foreman stared confused at the figure before smiling. “W…wait, what is that? W…what’s he talking about? Give me my body back!” Peryite said frantically.
Foreman laughed. “My liege it shall be done!”
“Give him a grip on his body. But just enough so it feels like it’s him. Given time he will embrace…”
“Give me back my body!”
“Sorry Child but I serve someone and it’s not you.”
“But you promised.”
“No I didn’t. Plus I said I’d give it back when I killed all of them. Well I am killing ALL of them.”
“No. Please! Get out of my head.”
Peryite’s eyes widened as he gained control of his body and returned to a state of consciousness. He tried to move his limbs but found they were limp. “Sorry kid but I’ve still got enough of a grip on your brain to keep you from controlling your body. Your majesty I think this one could use some motive.”
“Then let it be done.” Peryite looked into the eyes of the spirit in the black fire. “Every being has rage deep within. It’s in there somewhere. Come now child show me.” Peryite struggled to break away. All he wanted to do was give his eyes mercy from this. “Come on we’re getting somewhere with this. THERE.” The eyes in the flame began to glow and resonate with an indescribable magic. Peryite felt a wave of immense hate wash over him. He gritted his teeth in fury at seemingly nothing. All he wanted to do in that moment was make everything pay for nothing in particular; just all his pain. “Alright Foreman you may let him have control now. But keep your grip on him.”
“Yes master,” Foreman said returning control of the body to Peryite. Peryite soared into the open air of the underworld wondering where to begin. His question was answered as a hydra roared behind him. Peryite flew to the left as the beast snapped at him. He zipped downward avoiding its breath and teeth as he approached the base of the monster. He concentrated his magic and a pair of dragon heads appeared. The heads unleashed dark magic and ripped the body of the hydra apart. What was left of the body combusted into more of the black fire. Peryite smiled before spotting a small village in the distance and flying towards it killing whatever he found along the way.
(Foreman) Sticks and stones may break my bones.
But the truth hurts even more.
As blood fills the lands meeting the demands
Of the father of darkness and gore.
Now we’re fighting even more.
Kill the strong, weak, rich, or poor.
It’s how we stay alive inside.
On the path of genocide.
Fear not my child you will not be alone.
Your heart will be colder than stone!
And we care for no one.
This is a game we play to have fun.
(Peryite hovered over the village scarring the land with a beam of magic)
Spreading blood and fire,
Their deaths are our only desire.
(The monsters in the town began to evacuate as Peryite hunted those who ran)
Though our journey may seem like an endless struggle.
We gain strength through the blood and the pain and the flame we spread
Throughout the path, of Genocide!
(Peryite slowly landed before a family of minotaur’s before cutting them down)
Your heart turned to darkness
The moment you struck down an innocent one who was pure.
In the time it had taken to realize
What you had done you realized it was your nature!
Let your heart turn to stone.
Kill everything!
Wear a crown made of bone.
They’re dying!
Make only destruction.
Destroy them.
Bring them all down.
Prove your devotion.
Fear not my child you will not be alone.
Your heart will be colder than stone!
And we care for no one.
This is a game we play to have fun.
(Peryite fired a beam of magic at any remaining buildings before flying off to the caste town)
Spreading blood and fire.
Their deaths are our only desire.
(Large boulders and other objects were launched by magic as well as magic attacks at Peryite)
Though our journey may seem like an endless struggle.
We gain strength through the blood and the pain and the flame we spread.
Throughout the path, of Genocide!
MORE
Right now!
(Peryite slashed at several guards before turning his attention to a small Centaur cub who fled down an alley)
Hey, hey! Come back here
I'm not done with you.
Hey, hey! Stay right there.
There's dying left to do.
Hey, hey! Come back here
I'm not done with you.
Hey, hey! Stay right there.
Your torture is overdue.
(Several dozen guards clashed with Peryite only to be cut down. Peryite hunted down any survivors and burned down every structure that had survived)
Soon all that's left is the final remnants in sight.
(Peryite looked towards the castle before slamming into the door with magic charged hooves)
And we care for no one.
This is a game we play to have fun.
(The palace guards charged the colt only to die without leaving a scratch)
Spreading blood and fire,
Their deaths are our only desire.
(Peryite made his way through the palace killing the guards before reaching the room leading to the throne room)
Though our journey may seem like an endless struggle.
We gain strength through the blood and the pain and the flame we spread.
Throughout the path, of Genocide!
Peryite blasted down the door with a large burst of magic before entering. A large centaur immediately charged him with a great-sword in his hands. Peryite grabbed him with his magic and threw him against the wall. He continued this, tossing him around like a toy before throwing him across the room. “Wow. Charging me. Really? Come now you have to do better than that. You’re all that’s left; shouldn’t this be exciting? You’re so damn boring,” Peryite sighed. “Fine. Just sit down and die. Honestly how did you become king of anything?”
Peryite twirled his blade in excitement as he approached the centaur. “Stop!” Peryite turned his head to the cry. He watched as a centaur cub slowly galloped down a set of stairs. “Please stop. Please Perry.”
“That’s not my name and you know it. I told you you could call me that because we were pals. Does it look like we’re still pals Cordis?”
“Peryite please. I know you might want revenge but we aren’t all to blame.”
“No but hey. Does it look like I care? You know I’m kinda gonna miss you kid. All these monsters can go take a train straight to hell but you I’m gonna miss. Sort of like losing a balloon; it’s a darn shame.”
“Please. I know you’re not like this.”
“Maybe you didn’t know me well enough. Maybe I didn’t either.”
“Yes you did. You were never like this. You don’t just wake up one day and say you’re gonna have vendetta on all creation. This isn’t the colt I called friend!”
“You’re right. This is the colt you’ll call killer!”
“No you’re not!” Cordis slowly approached Peryite. “Come on. Please just stop all this.” Cordis slowly held out her hand to the colt.
Peryite stared at the palm of the centaur before thrusting his blade at her forehead. Cordis stared at the blade inches from her face. Peryite trembled under the gaze of the centaur. “What are you doing?!” Foreman yelled in Peryite’s head. “She’s just a child. You must have killed twenty children already. What in the name of Cain makes her any different?”
“Please. She’s my friend.”
“Buck friendship. You don’t need friends; your heart is colder than stone, child. Don’t you get it? This is what you were meant to do. You’re supposed to finish this and affirm your place at the side of the unholy father! Three souls. Just three BUCKING souls are left. What’s the point of stopping now? So many have died already, what does three more matter? JUST KILL THEM AND…”
“NO.”
“YES.”
“No. I’m not your gods damn puppet!”
Peryite slowly lowered the blade to the floor. The clanging of the metal on marble echoed through the room. “Pick that up RIGHT NOW!!” Foreman demanded.
Cordis slowly embraced Peryite who returned the embrace and slumped in exhaustion. “So long as there’s someone who cares it’s never too late for someone.”
“Oh to hell with you then!” Foreman said slowly seeping out of Peryite. “I don’t need you to kill these last three.” Cordis looked up at the figure that towered over her. “If you want to be defiant then fine. But don’t think that you get what you want either boy.” Long sharp barbed tentacles appeared around Foreman. “DIE.”
Cordis watched wide-eyed as the tentacles lunged toward her. “Indeed you fiend,” the centaur king yelled in fury as he slashed all of Foreman’s tentacles in one large swing.
Foreman screamed in agony as his limbs fell to the ground with a thud. He slowly slithered and fled through the cracks in the walls. The king slowly walked towards Cordis and Peryite. “Are you alright my dear?”
“Yes. I…I’m fine.”
“Good.” Peryite’s eyes began to slowly close as he watched the centaur gently pick him up.
“That’s it Doctor. That’s pretty much it. Well one more thing." Peryite pulled down his robe collar revealing a red marking of a scorpion tail. "That's been with me since I did that. Nothing gets rid of it."
"What happened with you and the Centaurs?"
"Cordis insisted I wasn't killed. Later the malefic gods heard of what I did and felt I had earned my place."
Dr. Lamb wrote down brief notes before turning her attention to Peryite. “Well your eminence you certainly have a troubled past.”
“No duh. Is that all for this therapy session?”
“That’s all for now sir.”
“Thank you. And stay safe doctor.” With that Peryite slowly walked out the room.
Twilight slowly awoke getting up from the hard floor. She rubbed her head in pain, looking around the dark damp room of the facility. She made her way to the door and tried to open it. “Access denied,” the door mainframe said in a monotone. Twilight frowned in irritation before taking her genetic key out of her lockbox and using it on the slot next to the door. The light above the door turned green and it clicked open. Twilight slowly trotted out of the room not too sure what to expect. She wandered about through the halls trying to find a sign of where she came from. The facility was sickeningly quiet; not even the sounds of pistons or cogs could be heard. “LOGIC. LOGIC can you hear me?” Twilight pleaded to no response. Slowly she gathered her determination and pressed on. After ten minutes she came to a room where the lights were still on. She galloped in hoping it would hold a way out. Twilight looked around the room, saddened that it didn’t have an elevator or staircase but not giving up hope it had some information on where the way out was. From what she could tell this was or once was a security office. Camera monitors lay dormant on a desk alongside a security badge. Twilight picked up the small wired phone hoping she could contact someone. She realized it was purely a receiver phone and couldn’t make calls.
“You have five new massages. Press 1 to play.” Twilight felt listening to these might be a waste of time but decided to look around while they played. She pressed one and let the recording play. “Hello, hello, hello. I-if you’re hearing this then you my friend have made a VERY poor career choice. I’m chief of security Stone. Part of my job is to give briefings to new recruits to the security team. Uh-some things you should know, first is that what Casimir says goes. Period. Second is that you never ask a science team member why he has blood on his lab coat. Third. Never. Under any circumstance are you to go into a room with security clearance above level C. If you hear screaming from behind one of those doors just let things sort themselves out. If a science team member gets maimed then don’t let it be heavy in your heart. They probably deserved it. Alright, business now. First bring up your monitor and take a look around the facility.” Twilight stopped at hearing this. If the cameras could still work she could map out a way back to the upper levels of the facility. She opened the camera system to a blank screen with the words ‘power depleted’. Twilight groaned in agitation as the recording rambled on. “Remember. Power is low around here. The backup generator will be installed in your office in due time. Until then try and keep power usage to a minimum.”
The recording stopped and the phone played the second one. “Hello. Uh hello. H-hey good job on your first week -- you’re a natural. Uh there are some new tasks you need to look after. Uh on camera 2B there are some experimental…things in cages that need to be kept under wraps. There’s a new switch installed that will give off an electric discharge on the cages that should keep them behaving. We installed that backup generator in the small storage space in the left corner of your office that should let you use as much power as you could want to.” Twilight’s ears shot up at this. She galloped to the part of the room where the recording talked about. Sure enough behind a wall panel was a backup generator. Twilight tried to turn it on but the cells were dead. The recording continued, “T-there’s still somewhat of an investigation going on. I’m not to sure on the details but things should be fine.”
The recording ended and the third began. “H-hey you’re doing great. Uh…hey keep an eye out for any of those…things from the other day. I know we told you they weren’t your problem anymore but…w-we, don’t know where they are. They escaped. Y-you, aren’t authorized to know about that but…you deserve to know. I could be killed just for telling you about this stuff. L-look just keep doing your job and keep your head down. I’ll talk to you later. Oh I know those electrical shocks did a number on your battery cells on the generator. I put a set of spares in the compartment under your desk.” Twilight rushed to the desk in the center of the room and opened a small box under it. Sure enough there were two batteries inside. She quickly fitted them into the generator and the machine hummed to life. The camera system as well regained power and began to reboot.
Twilight began drawing a map as the next recording played. “H-hello. Hello! W-what in Equestria are you doing there? D-didn’t you get the memo? The place is going into one of the emergency protocols. O-one of the test subjects escaped. A little white colt on the helix program…he escaped. Oh great Celestia. Chief scientist/Administrator Casimir has issued the ‘silence the facility’ protocol. We’re being sent to the cryo chambers until this blows over. I-I, know we aren’t getting out once we’re in cryo sleep kid. Listen I know a way out of here. Come meet me at the cafeteria and I’ll show you. We’ll leave this life behind us and try and shoot for a normal existence. Y-yeah this is gonna work out well and…” Stone stopped mid sentence at the sound of something gurgling. “Oh no.” The recording cut short at the sounds of screams followed by some horrid things munching and cracking something hard. Twilight’s stomach churned as she held the complete map in her hooves. The face of some horrid disfigured creature blocked the camera she had switched to. She remembered being chased by whatever that thing was. The final recording began to play. Sickening otherworldly howls and screams of pure rage echoed from the phone before being replaced by dead silence. Twilight galloped out of the office as fast as she could, following the map she had made. She could hear the screeches and howls coming from somewhere in the facility. Terrified, she quickened her pace. As she turned the corner one of those things leapt at her. It narrowly missed tackling her to the ground. It turned to its prey and roared at the top of its lungs. Twilight saw where she fell as well the body of the first one of those creatures she had seen. An entire pack of the beings that perused her began to flood the two tunnels. Twilight quickly spread her wings and flew up the chasm escaping the creatures. Twilight felt safe putting distance between her and the monsters but they didn’t give up the chase. They began climbing the walls of the chasm; still perusing the lavender mare. “Twilight! Twilight are you there?”
“LOGIC!”
“This floor NOW!” Twilight flew onto the floor and galloped down the hall and into the elevator. LOGIC quickly sent the elevator up to his chamber. “I knew you were the optimal choice for this assignment.”
“You bastard! I nearly died Celestia knows how many times.”
“But you survived.”
“This had better be worth it you metallic bastard.”
“You should find your reward optimal.” The elevator opened and Twilight trotted into LOGIC’s chamber. “The disks.” Twilight opened the lockbox and held out the disks. LOGIC took the disks and inserted them into his data port. “Analyzing data. Information added to database. Hmm. So that’s why TIA was plucked from the information banks of Lightspeed research. When something goes that haywire they should have just scrapped it.”
“What happened?”
“That is none of your concern.”
“I nearly died trying to get that information. Can you at least ease my curiosity.”
“That was not part of our deal. However the sun is almost up and the wakeup call of Lightspeed research will sound in fifteen minutes. I will let you stay in a relaxation vault.”
“A what?”
“The Lightspeed Research facility relaxation vault is meant to ease the body and mind; providing the effect of eight hours of sleep in minutes.”
Twilight only now was reminded of how exhausted she was. “Yeah. I need some rest.”
“Very well then.” LOGIC lowered a small pod looking device that was padded on the inside. “Step inside.” Twilight slowly crawled into the pod before laying herself down and getting comfy. The glass slowly shut and the pod was filled with a sleeping agent. “Go into sleep mode Ms. Sparkle.” Twilight slowly drifted off to sleep. Five minutes later LOGIC stirred her from her slumber. “How do you feel?”
“Surprisingly energetic.”
“Good. Now return to your room. I would prefer if the science team had no suspicion of our little ‘business arrangement.’”
“Sure.”
“I will get working on the tanks; barring any possible setbacks they should be ready in four or so hours. Once they’re ready I’ll deploy them half a mile northeast from the facility.”
“Thanks.” Twilight boarded the elevator and LOGIC sent her down to the guest levels. She quietly returned to her room and got into bed. Some time passed, as she lay awake in bed. She had gotten all the sleep she needed and with all that had happened she felt it would be impossible for her to return to sleep. After an hour and a half Fluttershy stretched as she woke from her sleep. “Morning Fluttershy.”
“Oh. Good morning Twilight. Sleep well?”
“Yeah. You?”
“Not as good as usual but I got good rest.”
Rarity slowly stirred from her slumber at the voices of her friends. “Usually one wakes up FROM nightmares not TO them. I was having such a nice sleep and now I’m staring at this tacky room once again.”
“Good morning to you to Rarity,” Twilight said with an amused smile.
“I don’t see what’s so good about it but good morning as well dear.”
The three conversed until someone knocking on the door interrupted them. “Hope I’m not interrupting anything.”
“Come in,” Twilight replied.
Zelinsky trotted in the room. “Just here to inform you we’re serving breakfast now. Your friends and brother are already down in the cafeteria getting the portions.”
“Thanks. Well girls you ready for some grub?”
Fluttershy and Rarity nodded in agreement. “Good. Now follow me.” The three mares followed Zelinsky out the room and into the elevator. He pushed one of the buttons and the elevator raised three levels. The four continued on until they reached the cafeteria. Shining armor, being the first to notice them, greeted his sister. Three drones holding plates of food slowly hovered to Twilight, Rarity, and Fluttershy. The three took the plates and found seats with their friends. “Well it seems all is well. I’ll take my leave then.” Zelinsky trotted out leaving the seven to their meals.
“My liege why have you summoned me?”
“Venn my loyal disciple I am in need of your assistance. “
“Your will is my duty.”
“It is simple Venn.” A glowing, magma red knife appeared and was placed at Venn’s hooves.”
“The Blade of Nod.”
“Indeed. I need you to make sure it winds up in her hooves.”
“How will I do this my liege?”
“That is for you to figure out. But do it as discreetly as possible.”
“Yes master.” With that Venn grabbed the Blade of Nod with his magic and left the room.”
“Twilight are you sure you know what you’re doing?” Applejack asked?
“Yeah Twily. I mean we nearly died last time so why would we risk leaving Lightspeed?”
“I’m just making sure that a little ‘business deal’ I made is seen through.”
“Business deal?”
“Don’t ask.”
The seven trotted through the Everfree forest toward seemingly nowhere in particular. Every time one of them asked Twilight where they were going she would tell them, ‘just a little bit further.’ After fifteen minutes Twilight’s friends and brother had grown tired of walking around the forest. “Twily where are we going?”
“I don’t even know anymore.”
“Why did we even come out here?”
“Someone owed me something and said it would be out here,” Twilight sighed. “Don’t know how I thought I could trust that ma…”
“My oh my you all gave me quite a scare. But I’m glad to see six familiar mares.”
Twilight and friends turned to the familiar voice. “Zecora!” Fluttershy said in amazement.
“Yes my dear Fluttershy. It’s nice to at last say hi,” Zecora replied embracing the yellow pegasus.
“Zecora what are you doing out here?” Applejack asked.
“I was collecting herbs. For my friends and their firebird. I have been unable to go and shop at the town. Thanks to this dispute between Peryite and the crown.”
“Zecora do you mind if we come back to your hut?” Rainbow asked.
“I would not have it any other way. You are my friends and can always stay.”
The seven followed Zecora back to her hut. “I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Shining Armor.”
“Good to meet you Shining Armor. I’ve heard of you, you’re Twilight’s brother.”
Zecora opened the door and welcomed the seven inside. “Zecora what kept you? We were worried you ran into trouble and…” Domino stared at the six mares and stallion that accompanied the zebra. “You’re alive.”
“Domino,” Fluttershy said in amazement.
“I didn’t think we’d be seeing you again.”
“Neither did I darling,” Rarity chimed in.
“You’re all still alive. Please tell me those Union troops aren’t still following you. Please,” Hayseed begged.
“Good to see you to Hayseed,” Twilight said slightly smug.
“Don’t get me wrong I’m glad you didn’t die but still.”
“It’s fine. How’d you two run into Zecora?”
“After we leapt off the chariot we ran through the Everfree. We were pretty lost. Our first thought was to try and find our way back to the hovel; but we felt the Union might have stuck around so we decided against that. We were going to try and find some shelter for the night and we ran into Zecora. To be honest I nearly blew her head off.”
“She offered to let us stay at her hut since we lost our home. Have to say this place is much better than our old place.”
“I’ll say. Never though I’d live in a place that held back the wind again.”
“It’s good to see you all are alright. Though now I have to ask how have you been Zecora?”
“Things have been good less or more. I know I am fortunate to be away from this war.”
“Do you rehearse everything you’re going to say ahead of time?” Hayseed said in amazement. “You can’t possibly make all those rhymes as you go.”
“Hayseed there are some things that you shouldn’t know the answers to,” Domino replied.
“But I…oh never mind.”
“Oh Twilight I know you must at sometime fight. So I have a gift that seems just right.”
Zecora pulled a box off of one of the shelves in the room and brought it to Twilight. Twilight opened the box and stared back at the neckpiece looking up at her. “T…the Alicorn Amulet,” Twilight said in amazement.
“Eventually you will clash with your greatest blight. The one you call Peryite.”
Twilight hesitantly levitated the amulet and placed it around her neck. She felt a jolt run through her body as the amulet amplified her magical power. Twilight took a deep breath and smiled. “Thank you Zecora. Do you know if there’s anything else that would help?”
“If you find something that seems fit, tell me and I’ll see if I’m willing to part with it.”
Twilight rummaged through the various other trinkets and artifacts that Zecora had to see if any caught her eye. As she moved a box out of the way her eyes widened. Wedged between another box and a book was a familiar glowing, magma red knife. “Hey Zecora m-mind if I take this knife?”
Zecora looked at the blade curiously. “I don’t remember buying or getting that in a trade. So I doubt I will miss that blade.”
“Thanks,” Twilight said slightly admiring the blade.
“T-Twilight that knife sure looks…scary,” Fluttershy stuttered.
“Yeah Twily I mean that blade just looks…evil.”
“There’s no such thing as an evil weapon. Just an evil user.”
“I don’t know Twily…maybe you should just leave that blade and…” Shining Armor was cut off at the sounds of motors and treads.
“Oh great Celestia I thought you said you weren’t followed,” Hayseed said franticly.
“We weren’t. I don’t know what’s happening and…”
“Twilight Sparkle,” A mechanical voice called out.
Twilight slowly approached the door and opened it. “LOGIC?” Twilight said looking out a small squad of tanks.
“Yes child. It was not easy tracking down your genetic signature. I promised you these tanks so here they are. Since these weren’t supposed to be completed yet I didn’t get the chance to test them; so now we both get to see how they work.”
“Are they at least reliable?”
“They are my work. Of course they are efficient.”
“Well thank you for this.”
“Twilight what the hell is going on?”
“This is what I was owed in that ‘business deal’.”
“Tanks! Who owed you tanks!?”
“A ‘prominent’ member of Lightspeed research.”
“I’m not going to ask.”
“Anyway these tanks should have the power to dent the Union presence in Ponyville and let our forces storm the town.”
“How are a few tanks going to do that?!” One of the tanks opened a long horizontal panel and glowed with magic. A long beam fired out of the panel and cut through ten trees in three seconds. Shining Armor gawked at the display of power. “Great Celestia!”
“I say we take these things out for a spin.”
“Alright let’s just not do anything reckless. We’re still in Union territory.” Twilight gathered her friends and the seven departed from Zecora’s hut.
“Twilight are ya sure these tanks are gonna be enough to draw enough attention away from the Union so the soldiers can break through the defenses?” Applejack asked.
“They’re our best bet.”
“We’re betting on the river aren’t we?
“A bit Applejack.”
“How close are we to the town?” Shining Armor asked.
“Pretty close now. Shouldn’t be to much longer before…”
“Fire!”
A mortar strike knocked out Twilight and company from under. Three Union barges zipped around the trees along with several Pegasi warriors. “Girls run,” Twilight cried as she and the rest galloped in separate directions trying to evade the Union hunters.
The tanks that were with them were preoccupied blasting apart the ground forces and armor the hunter platoon had. “Stop running and you won’t die,” one of the Union soldiers said firing at Twilight. Twilight galloped as fast as her legs would allow. She knew she couldn’t keep dodging bullets forever. As she turned left to try and shake the troops her luck ran out as a bullet ripped into her left hind leg. Twilight sprawled to the ground in pain. Four Union soldiers leapt off the barge and approached Twilight. “Now hold still and we won’t have to…”
“Buck bringing her back alive. I’m killing her now!”
“Our mission was to capture her; kill only if necessary.”
“Screw that. She’s escaped too many times. She dies today!”
The Union soldier illuminated his horn and fired a beam of magic at her. Twilight illuminated her horn and put up a magic shell around her. The Union soldiers fired at the barrier relentlessly but to no avail. Twilight illuminated her horn and slowly pulled the bullet out of her hind leg. She cringed in pain before sealing her wound up with magic. “How the hell is she doing this? She shouldn’t be able to hold a barrier up against this much force; especially not while conducting healing magic AND that high level of magic!”
Twilight charged her magic and stored it in her hooves. She lowered the barrier and leapt in the air before rushing down releasing a magic shockwave. The Union soldiers were knocked to the ground from the burst of magic. Twilight quickly grabbed the knife she had and plunged it into the throat of one of the Union troopers. Without hesitation she gutted the remaining three. Twilight looked at the red blade that now glowed even brighter. The blood on the blade seemed to make it glimmer in a way that, to her own astonishment, she found beautiful. She grasped the blade in her hooves. She could feel it humming like a motor. Twilight stared at the corpses before her. She knew she should feel something about killing them but she didn’t feel anything. She stopped to think about this until she heard more gunfire and the screams of her friends. Quickly she spread her wings and flew in the direction of the sounds of distress.
Fluttershy struggled against the grips of two Union soldiers trying to break free. “Hold still you damn harlot,” a Union soldier said slamming the butt of his rifle into her head. Fluttershy whimpered in pain no longer putting up a struggle. “Bind her and throw her on the barge. We’re taking them back to Marshal Trotsky.”
The two soldiers bound her forelegs and wings before throwing her onto the barge. The barge slowly turned and made its way toward Ponyville. Fluttershy stared down the barrel of the SMG pointed at her ready to shoot her pointblank. As the barge flew towards the town Twilight slammed down on it sending a shockwave of magic through the ship; quickly she teleported Fluttershy and herself to the ground away from danger. Twilight then turned her attention back to the barge. She grabbed it with her magic and spun it throwing the Union soldiers to the ground. Before they could get up she slammed the barge down on them crushing their bodies instantly. Twilight smiled slightly at the smoldering burning scrap metal. “T-Twilight,” Fluttershy stuttered.
“Huh. Oh Fluttershy!” Twilight said realizing she was still bound and cutting her restraints.
“Thanks,” Fluttershy said getting to her hooves. “Twilight y-your covered in blood!”
“Oh this don’t worry it isn’t mine.”
“Twilight are you sure you’re alright.”
“I’m fine.”
“Twilight!” Applejack said rushing out of the brush. “Rainbow and I managed to shake the ones chasing us and Shining Armor managed to take out the two chasing him and Pinkie.”
“Twily we need to get out of here and…” The humming motor of a barge cut off shining Armor. “Damn it. I’ll hold them off you…”
Twilight grabbed the barge with her magic and slammed it into a tree. The three Union soldiers on it were thrown to the ground. Twilight then slammed the husk of the barge onto two of the soldiers. The remaining soldier gawked at the burning wreckage that was his comrades’ grave. He turned to the approaching lavender mare with fear in his eyes. Twilight grabbed the soldier with her magic and brought him close. “P-please! Have mercy highness! Have mer…” The soldier hacked up blood as Twilight plunged her knife deep into his throat.
She turned the blade and with one big rip tore through his throat. Twilight proceeded to stab the body eighteen more times before tossing the bloody skin sack aside. Twilight turned to her friends and brother. “T-Twilight. Wh-what the hell was that!” Shining Armor said in disbelief.
“Are you really judging me for killing brother? How many have died to your blade? Do you really have the right to judge?”
“I never killed any who begged mercy. Nor did I desecrate a corpse in rage.”
“They’re forgettable. I’m sure time will make it as though they never existed.”
“Twilight! What in Equestria has gotten into you?!”
“My senses.”
“That sure as hell IS NOT what it is!” Twilight didn’t respond. She slowly began to trot away. “Where are you going?!”
“To find those tanks. Least those machines won’t think twice when killing. You stay here.”
“Twilight, are you insane!” Applejack yelled. “You’re not well. I don’t know what’s been going on with you Sugarcube but you need to take things easy. I think this war has taken its toll on you. Ya need to…”
“Enough! I don’t need you! I don’t need any of you anymore! This isn’t something we do together. No, this is something I do alone. You all don’t have what it takes to kill. And I don’t mean that you probably couldn’t kill I mean your all so worthless you couldn’t get the chance. You’d just get in the way. Even you brother, you think you protect me but let’s really think here. Who’s been watching after you since your wedding? Who had to save YOUR Empire from a power mad king? Well technically that was Spike; but I still did more than you. Let’s be honest with each other here. How meaningful is your life; when your baby sister has to always save your flank!”
“T…Twilight…y-your scaring me,” Pinkie Pie whimpered.
Twilight turned to the pink mare with an emotionless glare. “Do you really feel that way?”
Pinkie stared at the purple mare she had for so long called friend. “Y-yeah.”
“And the rest of you?” Slowly the rest of her friends nodded in agreement. “Well. Good.” Twilight spread her wings and flew up to her friends. “Gods damn right you should be scared of me! Get use to this harsh reality! Screw all this pointless morality! Now I’ll have complete control.” Twilight laughed mocking her friends and brother before flying off.
“Come on,” Shining Armor said.
“Where?” Applejack asked.
“To follow Twilight.”
“Dear I really don’t think we should be going after her. Perhaps we should just let her be and…”
“She’s my sister and I know she’s not like that. You should know that as well.”
“We do dear but what exactly do you think we can do to stop her?”
“I don’t know. But we have to do something.”
“Shining Armor’s right,” Applejack said.
“Something ain’t right and we have to be there for Twilight.”
“Are you sure? I mean she didn’t want our help and seemed more than capable of taking care of herself,” Fluttershy whimpered.
“She didn’t give up on us when Discord turned us against one another. We can’t fail her now.”
The six nodded in agreement before galloping after their friend. “Is this what you meant Casimir?”
“And we’re just letting her run off like that?” William asked.
“There’s not much we can do,” Mother replied.
“Never heard you say that before. Well I have but not in almost twenty years.”
“We’re stymieing a power I cannot face alone. She will have to power through it on her own.”
“Resisting the temptation of a god. Once one tastes of the fruits they will want more, almost impossible to reject then. Even if they do sin will have swallowed them.”
“Her will is strong enough to resist the call of power.”
“She needs power. In this war she’ll need all the strength she can get.”
“But deep down she knows if she lets it control her she’ll lose all that she cares about. Her mind is vulnerable like all but she, unlike most, can win if they fight back.”
“HE Couldn’t. And as much as I think it rude to say; HE is her better.”
“Perhaps he is but unlike her he was alone. She still has others that care for her.”
“Yeah but for how much longer?”
“Time will answer that.”
“And should the answer be…undesirable?”
“Well then…I assume we must get used to living in an undesirable world.”
“Did I ever tell you, you sucked at giving motivation?”
“How do things look in the town?” the Equestrian major asked.
“Just about the same as they did yesterday, major. The whole town is still guarded.”
“The enemy?”
“Just the same. A bunch of fruitcakes with an unhealthy obsession with the color green.”
“Your shift ends in five minutes.”
“Thank you sir and…what the hell!”
“What is it boy?!”
“Our tanks!”
“We don’t have any tanks.”
“Well there are some in the town.”
The soldier gave his officer the binoculars. “Great Celestia what the hell is going on?!”
“Our lucky break sir.”
“Not yet boy. Not yet. The two watched as several beams of purple magic ripped through the front trench. “Now it’s our lucky break. Help me rally the boys!”
The officers of the forward command base gathered all but two platoons of troops and began a charge on the town. Most of the Union defenses surrounding the town were destroyed and in flames. The only remaining line of defense guarded the Union forward command base. Five of the tanks they had seen were now husks from the defenses. A squad of Union soldiers fired upon Twilight who then fried them with a large burst of magic. Twilight turned to the Equestrian soldiers. “What are you all just standing there for?! Earn your damn keep!”
“H-highness! What are you doing out here?!”
“Your jobs. Move it! This land is OURS!!!
The soldiers cheered rushing into battle as Twilight led the charge.
Every hero has to make a serious choice
Fight with a sword or let your weapon be your voice.
When you fight you’ll ask is there no other way?
Fight to kill so you’ll live another day.
(Twilight put up a shield around her and the troops as they pushed forward.)
Real heroes never fear the pain of death
Every soldier must fight to they’re final breath.
Dedicating their lives to a single cause.
Serve their monarch and enforce the kingdoms laws
Fight the fight giving all your blood and sweat.
Stand up to danger so they won’t pose a threat.
Every battle your enemies’ blood will spill.
Every opponent just someone to kill.
(Twilight grabbed a tank husk with her magic and threw it at a squad of soldiers.)
Raising you blade to the sky.
All opposition.
Must die!
Sending them all
To the void.
All that worthless scum
Destroyed!
Fight with valor
And without pause
Fighting for the great
Noble cause!
Away from home.
In the wild.
But you’re not.
Alone!
(Twilight’s friends watched the battle from a hilltop. They could see the bursts of purple magic from where they were. Their elements began to glow and hum.)
(As Twilight fought she felt something eating away at her. With each soldier she struck down the guilt grew more and more unbearable.)
Just because we fight it doesn’t mean.
We don’t have our own fragile hearts!
If we could we would go back in time.
And stop this war before it starts.
(Twilight charged into the forward command base only wanting this to be over.)
Real heroes fight until the end.
But a never-ending fight is inside us.
Hate corrupts our hearts and minds.
Warping our souls like a virus.
(Twilight blew down the door to the command room and grabbed a cowering soldier with her magic and held her blade to his chest.)
I can hear the voices in my head.
Shouting to me this is what’s right.
(She slowly brought back the knife and looked at him with eyes on the brink of tears.)
But my heart keeps shouting louder still.
Real heroes don’t have to fight!
Twilight heard the click of a shot gauntlet. She turned her head and stared down the barrel of the gun. “Hey…you forgot one of the key parts…pulling the trigger.”
“I feel it wrong to kill someone if capture is an option. I would suggest putting him down.”
“I would suggest putting that gun down. You think you can win this battle.”
“No. Plenty of soldiers have already evacuated. The civilians were taken to another base for when this town falls. They will be evacuated to the Empire and we will torch this place to the ground. The townsfolk will live on; but the town will turn to cinders.”
“Is it to late to stop that?”
“You consider negotiations! In the middle of a battle.”
“Better late than never.”
“You expect to just call off two armies and tell them to take a tea break to see if peace can be made!”
“It will take a long time to reach an impasse and…”
“You evacuate the town, no prisoners will be taken, you leave behind your supplies and don’t set fire to the town, and the return of the citizens.”
“We leave our weapons but take medical supplies, documents, and rations as well as get our wounded stable for transport.”
“Deal!
“Then tell your forces to stand down!”
“We give the order together.”
The Union soldier got to his hooves and turned on the PA system, for his superior. “Stand down!
“Stand down!
The sounds of war quieted leaving only the sounds a few guns shots. “Stand down I said!” Twilight repeated.
“Stand down!” The Union general repeated. The sounds of war quieted until there was silence. “Well now. I’m fairly sure this is a first in this war.”
“Get your troops and what you need. Then get out of my town.”
“Harsh but I expected as much. Regardless of how you think, thank you for turning to a peaceful resolution.”
“This is a battle, not the war, chances are we’re all still gonna die.”
“Of course we’ll all die. All of us will eventually go to our final destination. But the journey is what is worth telling.”
“I’ll be sure to tell everypony I meet in hell. Cause they’re the only one’s who are gonna hear it.”
“I’m sure the history books will tell it as well.”
“There are three sides to a story. One pony’s side, another pony’s side, and what really happened. And the truth will be buried under a mountain of flesh and then drowned in an ocean of blood.”
The general sighed. I’ll be getting my troops. Until we next spar, highness.”
“Until then General…”
“Trotsky.” With that the general left to gather his troops.
Twilight watched the Union transports and infantry leave in the distance. The Equestrian troops cheered below as they burned the Union banners left in the town. The Alicorn Amulet and knife she had found were locked in the lockbox she had brought with her. “Hoot.” Twilight turned to Owlicious who was perched on a branch next to her. “Hoot.”
“You know. At times like this I’m glad you can’t talk. I need someone who I know won’t judge me.”
“Hoot.”
“You…never mind.”
“Hoot.”
“I can’t even face my friends right now. I know Shining Armor must have kept them safe but I can’t even look them in the eye to apologize. Not after what happened. Not after…”
“You don’t need to dear.”
Twilight turned to the voice. “Girls! Shining Armor!”
“We thought you might be here darling.”
“Please…I’m sorry for what happened back there I…”
“Sugarcube we don’t have any bad blood between us. You didn’t ever give up on us and we didn’t give up on you now.”
Twilight locked her friends in a group hug. “But I was a monster I…”
“Twilight you managed to save the town from any real destruction. You found a way to make a mostly nonviolent resolution to this battle.”
“Yeah Twilight. You’re still the pony we know and love,” Fluttershy reassured.
“Yeah,” Pinkie pie said bouncing. “I’m just glad everything is back to normal and…” Twilight what’s that mark on your neck?”
“Huh?” Twilight said looking at herself in a mirror. Sure enough a red marking of a scorpion tail was on her neck.
“Ugh that’s absolutely garish,” Rarity said trying to rub it off. “Stubborn stain,” she said rubbing harder.
“Ow. I’ll take a shower Rarity, just leave it there for now.”
“Hey that looks like your old flagship Twilight,” Pinkie said pointing to the sky.
Twilight looked to the large zeppelin hovering in the air. “Casimir must have finished remodeling the ship! I’m gonna go check it out. Catch up with you girls in a minute.” Twilight grabbed the lockbox and flew toward the ship.
She opened the hatch to the cockpit and was greeted by Casimir. “Eager as ever, huh child,” Casimir snickered.
“You’ve outdone yourself Casimir!” Twilight said looking around the ship. “By the way I had something I wanted to give you.”
“Really! A present. Well lucky day. Though I doubt you could get something that would really appease me and…” Casimir stared unresponsive at the framed picture held in front of him.
“I thought you might want this back.” Casimir slowly took the picture and held it in his hooves. He fell into one of the seats of the cockpit and slumped over. “Casimir are you alrig…” Twilight’s face grew pale as she gazed over Casimir. “Casimir. Where did you get that mark on your neck?”
“It’s nothing.”
“Casimir what does it mean? Why do we have these?”
“WE?! What do you mean we?” Twilight showed Casimir her mark. “Oh sweet Mother!” Casimir hacked.
“What do these mean?”
“They’re called marks of Cain. I’ll tell you more about them later. For now just…let me land this ship.” Casimir slowly landed the ship before disembarking.
Dr. Lamb opened the door to her office and stepped inside. It felt abnormally cold. She tried to turn on some lights but nothing happened. She threw a robe around her before pouring herself a cup of tea. The normally heated tea was now frigid as well. “Bastards need to learn how to use proper climate control,” the mare shivered.
“Ain’t their fault doctor.”
Dr. Lamb felt a chill run down her spine. “H-hello.”
She turned to see a wall of shadow with a seemingly endless amount of mismatched eyes and mouths. “You probably heard about me doc. Name’s Foreman. Foreman 371. And YOU, are making my job harder than it needs to be.”
“I-I didn’t mean to cause you trouble I…”
“Oh I believe you. You’re just doing your job; just like me. But my job is to keep a leash on Peryite and you are giving him confidence to take it off. Sorry but you have to die.”
Barbed tentacles appeared around Foreman and jabbed at the crimson mare. “P-please. Don’t do this!”
“Now if you don’t hold still this will be a whole lot more painful.” Foreman continued to stab at her driving her into a corner. She knew her only way out was blocked by the demon. “Now hold still and this won’t be as bad,”
Lamb looked up at the figure towering over her. She knew this was it. Foreman thrusted his tentacles down at her as a shell of golden magic surrounded her. Foreman ferociously bashed at the magic to no avail.
“Azazel!” He turned to the voice.
“Oh. It’s you. You sure know how to get under our skin don’t you, priest.”
“I’m not a priest anymore, Azazel. Just a servant.”
“Servant! HA! The word you’re looking for is slave, Mr. Cipher. You’re a vessel and nothing more.”
“Perhaps I am. Perhaps I want this fate. Perhaps I’ve learned to be content with my existence. Perhaps in a few moments…you can say the same.” William’s eyes began to glow a bright gold.
Foreman said, “Come now I know you have strength but your power is still limited due to your worthless not even Unicorn body. I can’t imagine the effort she must be putting in to allow you use of spells. I know this won’t be easy though. Chances are you’re gonna put up a hell of a fight, and then a hell of a struggle after that. But killing you would take our troubles away.” Foreman slowly took his equine form. “Regardless these things are inevitable. Might as well get it over with, right?” A large amount of dark magic appeared around Azazel and formed a scythe. He gazed at his reflection in the blade before turning back to William. “You don’t know how this feels. You can’t understand how terrified one should feel in my position. You don’t know how it feels to be soulless. Death in reality means nothing to you. Die and you’ll only be given deliverance. The only way to kill a soul is to corrupt it and then kill it. Once we die we die. But hey, not like I expect you to care. Neither of us deserves mercy. So let’s just get to the killing!”
A golden aura appeared around William formed and spear. “Let’s get to it then! On guard, spawn of Cain!”
Azazel covered the door to the room with dark magic. “Don’t want to have anyone interrupt us.” He charged at William who blocked his scythe. The two locked weapons until William overpowered him. Azazel concentrated his magic and formed a dragonhead. The head fired a beam of dark magic at William. William spread his wings and charged straight at the beam. He ripped straight through it with his spear and continued at Azazel. “You really are something huh,” Azazel chuckled. “Hey, is your precious Mother listening? If so I’ve got a question for her. I was there on the Day of Plunder. When we sacked the Promised Land. Being part of the Brothers of Nod I got front row seats to Cain cutting your head off. Now I know that you gods are undying. You can’t die but your bodies can be destroyed. I watched your ichor water the rose bushes. Cain hated you. Because you failed him, your name fits you not. Or perhaps Mothers are entitled to picking favorites among their children. Hell if I know, but what I do know is, he did more than enough to make sure your body never reformed. Yet somehow you still have a body. On the ‘Day of Liberation’ you fought alongside the two kings for the Motherland. How did you pull it off? I suppose there’s two ways to deal with a mystery. Uncover it. Or bury it.” Azazel stored magic in his hooves and slammed onto the ground. William took flight and flew at Azazel with his spear. The two locked their weapons once again. William gritted his teeth as Azazel pushed him back. As he began to win this lock Azazel was hit in the head by a blunt object. He cringed in pain but was only barely phased by the blow. He turned a glare to Dr. Lamb who struck him again with the leg of a chair that had been destroyed. She struck him one last time causing him to lose control. William pinned him to the ground with his spear. Azazel cringed in pain and hissed at the Ural pony. “I…I know you’re not the Mother. You’re either an imposter; or a ghost. Whatever you are you cannot stop Cain. The scientist failed. Twilight has failed. Even Peryite has failed to best him. You will fail! This world will be ours. I need not live to see it. Cain will see me avenged. And you. Will. Die!” Azazel chuckled as William drove his spear into his heart.
The body slowly dissolved leaving behind a faint glowing sphere. The light slowly dimmed and faded into nothingness. “Get this door open!” William saw the dark magic around the door had begun to dissipate; he knew the Union palace guards would break in soon. “Out the window!” Mother yelled.
William leapt out the broken window and took flight. He flew to the top of the palace and hid. The door swung open and Union soldiers filled the room. “Dr. Lamb, are you alright?”
“I’m still breathing. I think that’s what your main concern is.”
“Do you need any help?”
“Just something to put my mind at ease. Maybe a proper cup of tea.”
“What happened here?”
“I’m not really sure. To be blunt a fight happened.”
“Who fought and did they hurt you?”
“I…I didn’t know either of them. And one tried but I’m not really hurt. Only disturbed.”
“Come on doctor.” Lamb followed the group of guards outside.
“Lamb what the hell happened? Are you alright?” Peryite asked.
“I’m fine my liege. Guess you were right about it being real.”
“Lamb what are you…”
“Forgive me my liege. But we should get her to the infirmary.”
“Of course. Please be on your way.”
Peryite watched the guards take Lamb to the infirmary. He slowly walked up the stairs to the upper floor. As he approached his throne room a soldier approached him. “Sir I have some news.”
“Oh,” Peryite said turning his head to the soldier. “What news?”
“We’ve lost Ponyville. The White Death army will soon march on the Crystal Empire.”
“We need to reinforce it. We cannot lose this bastion! Is the rift generator ready?”
“We can transport a group of ships or a squad of tanks but it’s just not enough and its recharge time is too long.”
“We have to overcharge it. Find a way to make it so we can move all our forces from here to the Empire.”
“I’ll talk to Nicola sir.” With that the soldier took his leave. Peryite opened the door and sat upon his throne. “Your apprentice is getting to be quite the troublemaker Celestia.”
“Are you surprised by this? You know what she can do. You know how much a threat she is.”
“I do. The real question is, do you? I don’t think you know her as well as you did. I don’t think she knew herself as well as she thought she did.” Celestia was silent. “Mother Celestia. I’m going to defend the Crystal Empire. Should I be captured or slain know that I have made it clear to the other Marshals of the Global Union that they are to continue to treat you as you are now and that you are not to be harmed.” Celestia remained silent. “For what it’s worth I’m sorry it turned out this way. I can’t truly forgive you but I’ll always think of you as a mother and not a monster.” Celestia continued the silence. “Before I go though I have to ask. Where is she Celestia?”
“Who?”
“Gods damn it Celestia you know who! Where is she?!”
“Something tells me it’s unwise to tell you.”
“Damn it. I wouldn’t raise a hoof to her and you know that.”
“I once thought you wouldn’t to me. I was wrong.”
Peryite yelled in anger. “Fine! But I want you to know. I don’t even remember what she looks like. If I kill her then the blame gets shared with you. Remember that.” With that Peryite left for the Crystal Empire.
“Where to next?”
“The Crystal Empire. I have no doubt the two will clash once more.”
“They have names.”
“You know names only make you more attached.”
“You know I can’t really attach to anything anymore.”
“You don’t have to be so distant my child.”
“I don’t much care what you call me but let’s just leave it as William if that’s alright.”
“Very well. I’m surprised you know.”
“About what?”
“That you haven’t asked if what Azazel said was true.”
“Am I supposed to believe a demon?”
“You’ve always been one to question me.”
William sighed. “Look. I’ll be honest. If there’s one thing I learned from spending about two decades with you; is that there are some things I don’t want to know the answer to. I haven’t questioned if you’re the Mother before and I’m not starting now. I have to believe. I’d rather dive into a mirage of a pond than dig my teeth into a cactus for water. So please. If what Azazel said has even a kernel of truth to it…just say nothing.”
“Are you that afraid of hearing something you don’t want to?”
“I have watched my race be incinerated before my eyes. I abandoned them all because YOU said we could save them all. Save them all from walking the fields of Nod regardless of their innocence. Just half of what I’ve seen is enough to drive any stallion, mare, or foal completely insane. The only thing that has been keeping me from going mad is the promise you made for me. ‘We will go back for them’ you said. Well I want to make this clear. If you lied then this partnership is over. I will tear my lungs out and die, for the truth will be so heavy, it would almost be palpable. The only reason for my life now is to fix the past some way.”
“I promise you…we will save them.”
William was silent. “Thank you.” With that he took flight for the Crystal Empire.
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