And I Am Your Claw
Across the snow-christened village high up within Pine Prefecture...
A semblance of order had been made. The villagers—who hours before had been sobbing in terror—now gathered together in peaceful clusters around the stave sanctuary and surrounding turf houses. Families hugged one another while fillies and colts summoned the courage to giggle and smile for the first time in days.
Various members of the Right Talon of Verlaxion shuffled back and forth between the heart of the village and a spot beside the cemetery fence where the surviving crooks and mercenaries had been gathered, their hooves bound and their horns capped.
Seraphimus sat alone in a patch of snow beside the gravestones. Still clad in her polished silver armor, she stared straight ahead, her charcoal brown eyes dull and distant.
Soon, Starstorm came shuffling up from where the criminals were seated. She pulled her helmet off, exposing her bright blue feathers to the snowy air and cold mountain winds. “The final count is twenty living suspects. Sixteen unicorns and four earth ponies. Seven of them are in need of special medical treatment. Four of them are missing limbs, though Windburst managed to patch them up. Of those, three are still unconscious.”
“Did you get anything out of them?” Seraphimus asked without looking.
“A few of them were willing to speak without much prodding.” Starstorm smirked under her beak. “You certainly did a lot to intimidate them. We didn't even have to resort to our... usual questioning tactics.”
“And what have you got?”
“Well, half of the group are from Mudtop, which is to be expected. The rest come from the northern prefectures... usual grunts for hired work such as this.” Starstorm cleared her throat, gazing at the villagers. “Their plan—it would seem—was to hold the latest delivery of Dredge Coal for ransom. They intended to use the entire village as a bargaining chip... force the Magistrate of Pine Prefecture to pay an exorbitant amount that they would then funnel to their source.”
“And who is that source?”
“Anonymous,” Starstorm said. “As always. Sound familiar?”
Seraphimus exhaled heavily through her beak nostrils. “How desperate are these vagabonds that the previous examples we've set haven't been enough to discourage them?”
“You can bet the Lieutenant has some words to share with you about that.”
“Mmmmm...” Seraphimus continued staring ahead. Her hawkeyes focused on a lone filly sitting apart from the group. The little pony was hugging herself, sobbing.
“Commander, the Council is well aware of the recent rash of criminal offenses and exploitations in the west central prefectures,” Starstorm said. “But their resources to counterract it are thin. It's been several decades—before your time and mine—but I wouldn't be surprised if the Council starts resorting to conscription to bolster the Rohbredden army.”
“No.” Seraphimus shook her head, frowning beneath her beak. “It mustn't come to that. The Right Talon of Verlaxion is enough to ensure the security of our fellow citizens.”
“With all due respect, Commander, but what if we get overwhelmed?” Starstorm shrugged. “For all we know, this could all be just a test. Some new criminal organization is out there, testing the waters, seeing how much we can juggle on our own. We're good at what we do, but there are only so few of us.”
“If Goddess Verlaxion wills the Council to expand our defense initiative...” Seraphimus' muscles tightened. “Then so be it. But until the Queen indicates anything of that sort, then we are expected to exercise nothing less than our utmost unswerving devotion to every task presented us.”
Starstorm nodded. “But of course, Commander.”
“Be patient and faithful, Sergeant,” Seraphimus said. “No matter of criminal organization, strong or mighty, can outlast the glory of Verlaxion.” She took her eyes off the sobbing filly to glance sideways at the other griffon. “Never forget the glory that empowers you. It is stronger than all enemies... wiser than all prey.”
“I won't forget.” Starstorm glanced over to see Keris shuffling up. “And neither will the Lieutenant, I hope.”
Keris came to a stop before Seraphimus. “Commander.”
“Lieutenant...” Seraphimus stared ahead.
“I've finished my analysis of the Dredge Coal.”
“Do fill me in.”
Keris unrolled a scroll of parchment, his magenta eyes rolling across the figures. “The counters that the Scientific Order provided were most useful. As it turns out... the Dredge Coal that was shipped here matches the composition as those samples we found in the other criminal hijackings.” He looked up. “The supply ambush in Orchard Prefecture? The warehouse seizure in Lotus Profecture?” He nodded. “They all had to have been dredged from the same harvest.”
“Guh...!” Starstorm rolled her eyes. “Verlaxion's Sleet! How does this keep happening?”
“Respect the Goddess' name, Sergeant,” Seraphimus' voice coldly rolled.
Starstorm gulped. “Y-yes, Commander. Of course, Commander.”
“When it was just two instances, it only seemed a mere coincidence,” Keris said. “But this here makes the fifth such situation in three months! Commander, there has to be a reason for this pattern!”
“And you're certain that the material all came from the same shipment?” Starstorm asked aside.
Keris nodded. “Each piece of flammable ore had the same metallic signature on it. That means they all were dredged up from the ocean floor through the same mechanism.” He looked towards Seraphimus again. “Commander, don't you know what this means?”
“No, Lieutenant, but something tells me you're about to tell me anyways,” Seraphimus said, exhaling.
“Someone must be purposefully planning these raids,” Keris said. “Someone who either knows where the Dredge Coal is being sent to—or, even worse—someone who is in charge of it.”
“You mean to suggest that someone wants their own Dredge Coal placed for ransom?” Starstorm exclaimed. “At the risk of total destruction?”
“A wild theory at best,” Seraphimus droned.
“But a very realistic one!” Keris insisted. “Now, more than ever! If there's somepony or some griffon out there with something to gain from this, then it's clearly an affront to Verlaxion and the sanctity of Her foals!”
“Then it is a righteous thing that we are constantly there to dismantle such operations,” Seraphimus said.
“Commander, if I may be so bold, all we're doing is attacking the symptoms of this situation... when all along we should be endeavoring to root out the cause.” Taking a deep breath, Keris strolled closer, gazing at Seraphimus' helmeted face. “For years I've fought and strove for an excuse to investigate the Barges of the shoreline territories...”
“Again with the Barges?” Starstorm groaned.
Keris ignored her. “They're the beginning of the line of bread crumbs, Commander,” he said. “Somewhere between where the Dredge Coal is harvested and the place of distribution is where the answer lies to this latest outbreak of criminal activity. If we hope to stop all of this, we must start at the beginning.”
“Rohbredden Nautical Law presents us from an unwarranted search of outlying resource gathering operations,” Seraphimus said in a dull tone. “Unless the Council grants us the authority to circumvent such legislation, we are to leave areas outside the Continent alone. And quite frankly, Lieutenant, all you have to go by is a guestimation.”
“It's an educated guess, for certain,” Keris said with a nod. “But between two veteran souls, Commander, surely you can recognize the importance of thinking outside of the box. If you allow me to present my findings to the Council, then surely we can make some headway on stopping this cycle of violence for good!”
“And you're so certain it's the Barges?”
“Either White Barge... Red Barge... or South Barge.” Keris slapped his talon against the notes in his grasp. “The ore we've found belongs only to the southwestern shelves. Commander, those locations have enjoyed unmitigated freedom of operation for decades, and while they have provided the Rohbredden continental population with priceless fuel, I'm terribly afraid that they've also become hovels of corruption and moral indecency. The Right Talon of Verlaxion is the means by which our Goddess maintains balance and harmony across her lands... all lands. Above water or below! Don't you think that we should do something so that Her blessing is no longer restricted to just the shores?”
Seraphimus stared ahead in silence.
Keris blinked. “...Commander?”
Seraphimus leaned away from him, gesturing at Starstorm. When the Sergeant strolled closer, Seraphimus pointed at the sobbing filly that she had been staring at the whole time. “Sergeant... what is the story with that little one?”
“You mean the earth pony filly?” Starstorm remarked. Once the Commander nodded, she cleared her throat and said: “We... we still haven't found her parents, Commander.”
“You mean her parents are the two citizens still unaccounted for?”
“Affirmative.”
“I thought Raptr had gone out to search the outlying thickets.”
“Yes, Commander. The rookie still hasn't come back.”
“I see.” Seraphimus stood up, limbs crackling. “Go mind the captured suspects. Send Windburst out to assist Raptr.”
“Aye, Commander.” Starstorm saluted and flew off.
Keris stumbled after the Commander. “Commander? Seraphimus. Won't you please—”
“Shhhh!” The head griffon hissed.
Keris scuffled to a stop. With an exasperated sigh, he stood in place, leaning back with his findings.
Seraphimus trotted up to the filly. Once she was within earshot, her helmet echoed with the small child's squeaky sobs. “Hello there, young one!” she said in a noticeably melodic tone. “What troubles you, my little pony?”
The filly rubbed her puffy eyes. Her nostrils let loose little gunbursts of warm, melancholic vapors. “I want my Mommy and Daddy...”
“Why... are they not here?”
The filly's tear-stained muzzle scrunched as she shook her head. “The bad ponies. Th-they killed them!” She broke into even heavier sobs.
“Now... that's jumping to conclusions, don't you think?”
“I s-saw them take Mommy and Daddy away!”
Seraphimus squatted before her in the soft snow. “Ah... but that's the thing. They were bad ponies, but they wouldn't kill Mommy and Daddy.”
“Wh-why not?” The filly hiccuped. “They h-had big knives and sticks and everything!”
Seraphimus smiled under her beak. “They were cowards—that's what. And when you're a coward, you find it very... very hard to take a life.” The Commander shook her head. “No... those ponies were bad... but they didn't kill your parents. They couldn't have. What's more, they needed them alive... just as they needed you alive.”
The filly sniffed, rubbed her cheeks, then blinked up at the griffon. Her muzzle hung open, quivering. “...you're not a coward... are you...?”
Keris' hawkeyes narrowed from afar.
Seraphimus gazed quietly at the child. Eventually, she shook her head. “No, darling. I am not.”
The filly stared and stared. Her muzzle hung wider.
“Is there something that you see?” Seraphimus asked.
“Your...” The filly gulped. “...helmet is really shiny.”
“Mmmmm?” Seraphimus reached her talons up. She removed the article, revealing a headcrest of blue and silver plumage. “Hmmm... well, I suppose it is. To be honest, I don't even notice until a pretty little filly mentions it to me.”
“You can see your reflection in it.”
“I can?” Seraphimus breathed. She took a look at the polished surface, and her beak opened with a squawking gasp. “It's true!” She squinted at the filly. “It takes a good... clean polish to make sure of that!”
“Uh huh...” The filly sniffled.
Seraphimus looked at the helmet, then at the filly. With a sly squint, she positioned the helmet around... then lowered it gently... slowly over the foal's head.
The filly cooed in awe... ultimately teetering from the weight. Seraphimus helped her up. “Heehee...” The filly tilted the helmet up, peeking an eye out. “It's h-heavy.”
“Indeed it is.” Seraphimus shuffled sideways, plopping her haunches down in the snow beside the foal. “But, trust me, there are things in life that are heavier.”
The filly swallowed a lump down her throat. She gave into the weight; her head tilted towards the ground. “I know.”
Seraphimus tilted the filly's chin up.
The pony looked up at her, eyes watering.
“But carrying that burden makes us stronger,” Seraphimus said. “Tell me, little one, do you love your Goddess?”
“Why... y-yes! Of course!” The filly nodded, forcing the helmet to wobble. “Verlaxion protects us!”
“And do you pray to her?”
“Mmm! Everyday!”
Seraphimus smiled. “So do I, little one. Sometimes... while I'm flying. Even at other times... when I'm in the middle of hunting down prey. But when I'm not praying, I feel Her... and I adore Her. That is what trust means. It's the willingness to exalt Verlaxion in every breathe. And you know what She does for me? She makes my burden all the lighter... and She protects my husband and children just as I protect Her flock.”
The Commander poked the tip of her talon harmlessly against the filly's chest.
“I feel that same love in you, little one,” she said. “It's evident in your boundless concern for your parents. If you just trust in Verlaxion, She will protect them, and She will carry you to far places... no matter the weight.”
The filly gazed up at her, suddenly stoic.
At the sound of crunching hoofsteps, Seraphimus looked over. “Ah...” She exhaled, her headcrest rising amidst warm vapors. “See what I mean? In every moment of every day...” The griffon pointed. “...She is divine.”
The filly looked over. In gasping, the helmet fell completely from her head. “Mommy! Daddy!”
“Snow Leaf?” A mare stammered, limping through the snow with the assistance of a stallion. “Oh, bless the Goddess! You're in one piece!”
“We missed you so much, darling!” the father stammered.
“Found them deep in northwest woods!” Raptr said with a smug grin. “Seems like the bandits guarding the front caught them on a return trip from a nearby supply station.”
Snow Leaf jumped up to her hooves and scampered across the snowy lawn. She flew into her mother's forelimbs, and the adult mare fell on her rump with a breathy laugh. The family hugged each other, sobbing into the drifting snow.
“When we came storming in, the thugs guarding them abandoned the two altogether,” Raptr explained, smoothing back his gold headcrest. “They tried going to the nearby village to get help, but the mother injured her fetlock along the way and they got stalled. I patched her up as soon as I found them.”
Seraphimus stared at the scene. She exhaled warmly, her eyes locked on the tearfully smiling filly. Soon, the rest of the villagers reunited with the returning couple, obscuring the Commander's vision.
“Hmmmf...” Raptr snorted, plopping his helmet back on. “Don't everybird thank me at once.” He strolled over to assist Starstorm.
Meanwhile, Keris shuffled up until he stood besides the Right Talon's leader.
“You did good, Commander,” he said. “The chief reason I value this outfit so much is because you do not let us lose sight of what's important.”
Seraphimus sighed through her vacant smile. “And yet... you forget so easily, Lieutenant.”
Keris blinked. His magenta eyes darted down towards her. “Ma'am?”
With a stifled groan, Seraphimus stood up. “Tell me, Keris, why is it that the Barges... Mudtop... Rust... and all the detritus of the seven seas fall victim to ungodliness?”
Keris cleared his feathery throat. “Uhm... because our guard has constantly been pointed inland, Commander.”
“No, Lieutenant.” Seraphimus picked up her helmet, dusted the snow off, and slowly placed it over her head. “Stop thinking with your rulebooks. And start thinking with your heart.” She pivoted towards him, her charcoal eyes peering icily from within the headpiece. “...and tell me.”
Keris' headcrest drooped. His wings coiled tightly by his side as her shadow drew over him. “Because...” He exhaled with a shudder. “...b-because the Tribes who live out there have lost their faith in Verlaxion.”
“Precisely,” Seraphimus murmured, pacing close by him. “And those who allow their faith to fall...”
“...also fall from Verlaxion's mercy.”
“Lieutenant, in just a few days, it will be the anniversary of the day that our Goddess—in her benevolence and mercy—thawed out this inhospitable continent and gave us land to settle our prefectures. For tens of thousands of years, she has staved off the frigid wrath of windigoes, banshees, and worse. All she requests from us is our faith and devotion... our love.” Seraphimus' talons scuffled against the cobblestone path as she swiveled to face Keris. “This was a blessing she gave to the Continent. The islanders... the colonialists? They had their chance. They had their fair share of it... ten times over. And yet—as we all know, out there in those sporadic hovels where seclusion affords the illusion of superiority—they have abandoned their Goddess.”
“And are you saying that we must abandoned them in turn?” Keris remarked.
“It is not up to us, Lieutenant. You know this.” Her eyes narrowed. “If Verlaxion willed it, we would bring her grace to the outlands. But as the outlanders will it, they are forsaken... and their suffering is their own doing.” She pointed a razor sharp claw. “The Right Talon of Verlaxion keeps this blessed land holy... but you cannot make pristine that which has been built upon filth. Whoever or whatever is the source of these criminal acts—from within or outside—it doesn't matter. Rohbredden is a sanctuary, and they shall not blemish it... not so long as our Queen keeps her throne here. Is that understood, Lieutenant?”
“Yes, Seraphimus.”
“I said...” Her tone took on a hoarse snarl. “Is that understood, Lieutenant?”
All of the sudden, every limb in Keris' body went rigid. With a serious expression, and with well-performed grace—the guard knelt down before the Commander.
Seraphimus calmly extended her talon, and in a show of respect, Keris reached out and touched his beak to her silver gauntlets.
“I am the Right Talon of Verlaxion,” Seraphimus spoke calmly.
“And I am your claw,” Keris dutifully quoted.
“Rise, Lieutenant.”
Keris did as told.
“Know that I have and shall always respect your moral ambition,” she said with a gentle smile. “It is why I elected you to be my chief wingmate. And it is why I am still honored to have you by my side in hunting our prey.”
Keris smiled softly. “As I am also honored, Commander.”
Just then, the air above them shifted.
Windburst squaked in the distance. Keris turned to see him propping his crossbow, aiming it towards the sky.
Raptr and Starstorm echoed with long-ranged shrieks of their own.
“Incoming!” Seraphimus hissed. “Four winged bodies! From the south!”
Schiiing! Keris and the Commander simultaneously extended their wing blades.
Panicked, the townsfolk fled back towards the sanctuary while four swift shadows crept over the village.
Windburst blinked. He squawked again—a duller tone—and lowered his weapon. “Messengers! Bearing the Council's Crest!”
Within seconds of him saying that, four pegasi landed nimbly in the snow. They were thick, furred vests, and their goggles were caked over with frost.
“Stand down, everyone,” Keris spoke aside.
One pegasus slipped his goggles off, shaking the snow loose. Teeth chattering, he gazed up at the group—his eyes eventually locking on the leader. “Commander Seraphimus! My apologies. We meant no alarm.”
“It is quite fine, friend.”
“The village is safe, then?” The pegasus asked, panting for breath. “All citizens safe?”
“Hey...” Windburst strolled past the crooks, gesturing at their bound bodies with a cocky smirk. “Look for yourself, stud.”
“Mmmmfff...” One criminal struggled, frowning. “I demand to see my solicitor—”
“Bah!” Windburst shoved him—muzzle first—into the snow. “Horse rights, my spotted egg,” the griffon spat.
“You've flown far and fast, my friends,” Keris said, trotting up to the group. “What message do you deliver?”
“The Council requests the immediate presence of the Right Talon of Verlaxion,” the pegasus exclaimed. “There has been a terrible incident in the Quade.”
“The Quade?” Raptr blinked.
Starstorm strolled up. “You mean the Luminards?”
“They are homeless now,” the pegasus said. “Somepony infiltrated their monastery and destroyed their Holy Reed.”
Starstorm gasped.
“Sonuvabitch...” Windburst slurred.
“I... I don't get it...” Raptr glanced at the others. “I heard about the Luminards and their Reed. But... but who could have done that to them? I thought that was their only way of communicating with the Goddess!”
Seraphimus was suddenly having a hard time holding her breath in. After a fuming breath, she found the serenity to speak evenly: “Are there witnesses?”
“I... we don't know much more than that, Commander,” the messenger said. “The Council requests your presence right away. It is very urgent. Undoubtedly they will brief you as much as they're able to on the matter.” He pointed a hoof back at the other three pegasi. “We've brought provisions... supplies for the village. And my stallions are quite gifted in the military arts. We've been approved by the Council to watch over this part of the Prefecture until the nearest security detachment shows up.”
“Looks like we're off to Quadeland,” Windburst droned.
“That's up to the Council, Windy,” Starstorm grumbled.
“Seriously... though...” Raptr fidgeted. “Where exactly is the Quade?”
“Rookie, you're in for a long... long flight.”
“Heheh...”
Seraphimus gazed off across the snow-laden village.
“Commander?” Keris strolled closer. “What are your orders?”
The leader exhaled. “As Verlaxion wills it.” She turned towards the rest of the company. “We fly to the Council chamber at Frostknife.”
“You heard the lady!” Windburst motioned to the others. “Gather your blades, your barbs, and your poop! Time to hit the wind!”
Keris shuffled off—
“Lieutenant.”
He froze in place, turning towards Seraphimus.
“Remember...” The Commander looked squarely at him. “I speak for the Right Talon of Verlaxion. If our next business is with the Quade, then that is the matter of our conversation, nothing more.”
Keris swallowed and bowed. “I understand perfectly, Commander.”
“Have faith and patience, Lieutenant,” Seraphimus said. “And, who knows, a blessing may yet come to the Barges someday.”
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I like Seraphimus. I really do. She's a great character so far.
It's too bad she, her position, and her ideology put her directly at odds with Rainbow Dash. Oh, that is going to be one hell of a conflict...
And given her faith, she's probably not going to be thrilled when she hears the news of-
Ohhh...here it comes.
Aaaaaand, there it is.
I'm pretty sure it's rather less-than-legal to loan out children...
Well now Dashie is going to be needing her Desperado friends soon.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaand Que Rainbow Dash.
. That aside, I am liking this unit, keeping eyes on what is important, and admitting that what they do isn't always right. Hope things go well for them and for RD.
*Sounds of shit hitting the fan intensify*
Oh boy. More completely devoted soldiers.
inb4 we capture Rainbow Dash or die trying.
Oh this is going to be awesome. I really like Seraphimus, but a wee bit wary of what her beliefs might lead her to do.
Hmm.. Seraph there is good with kids.. I can respect that.
She has an odd way of commanding though.
That to me just opens the door for those under her command to dissent at any time.
Essentially "disregard the rules, do what you think is right, even if it means defying me."
But that's just how I see it.
Where are you hiding Dashie? Have you found a way to disguise yourself? Or are you still afloat on your raft?
-In the end isolation, hunted by a nation. Utaan.
I'm torn on Seraphimus. On one hand, she's a badass, and clearly has a good heart. But on the other, she scores pretty high on the zealotrometer. And now Rainbow's gone and pissed her off. That doesn't seem wise.
This would be a swell time for Rainbow to have the Pinkie Sense on call, but... well, you know.
6531984
Maybe a fox.
6530445 Verlax ends up haunted by the harmony ghosts of the main 5.
Ouch.
Still unclear to me if the Right Talon is literally just these five or if there are other squads. My guess is that when Dash gets entangled at whatever ends up happening at Red Barge that the Right Talon will catch up after investigating what happened to the Luminards. Then cue explosions.
Yup, Seraphimus is appropriately scary. She's got the kind of faith that means she has no line she won't cross as long as she believes its Verlaxion's will. Dash certainly does run into a lot of antagonists who have drive that rivals her own. With Shell it was blind nationalism and devotion to his country to the point of self destruction. With Seraphimus its religious faith and complete devotion to Verlax. Now the question is, how much is Dash going to end up resembling her previous foes by the end of this book?
WOO NEW CHAPTER HAPPY SUPER TRAMPOLINE!
Hmmmmmm....I be thinking that the roads will converge on the Barge. RD, the Talons, Desperados, and that random small child who probably won't come back into play until at least 42 chapters in, like a certain other lovable scamp. Watch him get adopted by Hard and WC or some such nonsense. Oh! Better yet, by WC and Seraphimus (someone has to pull up the shipping slack since Swan, god-ruler of shippers, isn't gracing us with their presence).
Wait, so, any crime lord just needs to go "abroad" and he'll be "safe", while the Right Talon deals with just the fallout?
) but I believe Keris is on to something.
I don't know, maybe I'm not devoted to Verlax enough (more like "at all"
6532735 ohhhhh dang. I didn't even think about it but Dash and the talons are going to be two sides of the same coin and each will see the other as misguided. And both seem to have equal levels of determination, tenacity, and speed. This will be an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object.
b this truly may lead dash down some dark places if she is determined to win.
6532766 I definitely agree with this; there's been too much talk of them for that not to be where everyone and everything ends up going down.
And this was said in a comment on I think last chapter or the one before but I'm definitely betting on Wildcard to have some past with these folks. And, with Rainbow Dash's luck, he (and maybe Bard) will show up right as she runs into the Right Talon in the Barge.
yup, this whole bit with Seraphimus reprimending Keris about faith in Verlaxion has me pegged her as not willing to listen to Rainbow Dash's reason in the slightest. No matter what Rainbow says, Seraphimus will refuse to listen. Should make for some great conflict when they finally do meet at the barges, since forces seem to be tugging them both in that direction.
I guess we'll have to see if Rainbow and Swab can evade or outsmart the Right Talon. Again, I don't see Rainbow having the slightest chance of victory against these guys if she goes all in like she usually does and tries to think with her hooves instead of her brain. Maybe she can compete one on one, but against the whole group, she's boned.
While Seraphimus is very zealous, I have to respect her she seems to be very kind and understanding otherwise and genuinely believes that Veralxion cares. So I assume one of two things will happen to her, either she will independently stumble on to the truth about Veralxion after rejecting what Rainbow will tell her. Or she will be a zealot up until Veralxion does/says something crazy or evil to her directly or in front of her.
I have a feeling that Seraphimus is not going to be happy when she finds out what went down at the Quade.
6532640
I wonder how it'll fall... or if there'll be more.
6530229 They're called the Prismatic Harem, thank you very much.
I think that Seraphimus' scene with Snow Leaf is a good indication that she won't become the kind of Chaotic Evil villain Shell became. I expect her to either grudgingly help Dash, or at the very least remain an sympathetic antagonist.
Seraphimus is a pretty cool character. Rainbow is gonna have her work cut out for her..
I like Seraphimus. Yeah, a bit too religious, but she's a badass with a heart.
An insider, you say? I wonder... could Chandler have ulterior motives for wanting the Talon to chase after Rainbow — therefore abandoning the Dredge Coal incidents?
I'm guessing the colonialists would beg to differ.
Enter Rainbow Dash.
All of this talk of conscription an tensions with the colonies is somewhat worrying though. Dash has ended a war before and now she's on the verge of starting one. It would definitely fit with Verlax's prediction of many more deaths before she's done.
Compared to Dash, your 'long flight' is nothing but a stroll across the street.
6533221 Lets not throw a party til we're out of Rohbreden.
The Talon are quite cliché characters, but I suppose there is little way around that given their role and function. Rewriting all those silly military rituals into a more fantasy setting instead of just keeping them all the good ol' American way like it was done here usually just ends up making them even weirder, so I suppose there is little ground to complain.
It's true! Losing faith has been known to cause losing faith.
6533250 i wasnt throwing a party...hard to do without the guest of honor
Hmm Seraphimus seems way too lost in her tracks i don't think even sharing the truth will do much good to her, in some way she seems stuck like the Luminards, she probably wouldn't even accept the truth if she saw it since she seems not interested in discovering the truth.
Its more about the task at hand .. or talon and everything beyond that doesn't really matter for her.
Her Lieutenant with the awesome name
on the other hoof seems to sow a more inquiring behavior, i guess thats pretty much why she has him in this position, to compensate for her blind eye there, which implies that she knows about the matter.
At the same time she has him in a position where she can easily control him and she seems to frequently check his loyalty to keep him in line.
Or she just has him in this position because of his experience.
Either way, i think the only way for Dash to reason with those guys would be to get the Commander out of the game in a way that won't utterly piss off the others and then have a talk with the Lieutenant, maybe having a talk with Loyalty will make him rethink his actions, it seems to be an important element for him after all, maybe Wildcard could also add something there.
Considering Dash somehow gets out of her want it need it mood and starts acting normal again.
6533276 Awww.. you didn't get the reference.
And once again the day is saved! Thanks to The Talon!
I would assume it sounds familiar! That human really gets around.
6533349 it sounds familiar, but sadly, I cant think of what you're referencing.
*Meanwhile Rainbow Dash slowly floats east.*
and so it begins, the right talon of Verlaxion's hunt for Rainbow Dash
6533221 True statement.
I sense an epic battle in our future.
Aerial dogfight between Rainbow and Seraphimus??
I'm already ordering the popcorn.
6533433 For the Right Talon does not know what the Left Hoof is doing.
What? She's married? I will still ship her with Dash.
Nooo, Right Talon of Verlaxion, you have to show up in Red Barge with me, as alluded to in chapter three! I don't want to die!
Wait, they're going to Frostknife, where Monket is at this very moment, caught in bureaucratic sludge. So maybe, if East Horse turns up in Red Barge, or if my cargo is as East Horsey as you folks were predicting...
Damn, it's like Innavedr all over again. Everything is going to culminate at that one point, isn't it? Red Barge is our less glamorous and less blue Blue Nova.
6533372
The left 4 dead 1 opening cinematic.
"We made it! I can't believe we made it!"
"Son we just crossed the street...let's not throw a party til we're outta the city."
If Verlaxions Day is in only a few days, it means its far too early for Dash to come in like Quaid and break things up, showing its Verlaxion herself thats been freezing the realm and holding everyone to ransom, so maybe it will take till the depths of so called winter, and the loss of the life giving warmth of the dredge coal, when Dash gets to Verlaxions Seat and kicks rear, and the freeze breaks and winter thaws?
Let's hope Dash doesn't die. It would be quite detrimental to the progression of the story, I reckon.
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6532927 I can't remember for the life of me. Was there anyone between Gold Petals and Roarke?
seraphimus REALLY giving off that lawful good paladin vibe...
And by Verlaxion's sleet I desperately need that confrontation between her and Rainbow 
It's giving me the feels... Not the "omg noes" feels, but the "Awwwwwwwwwww ye" feels 
vilcheez: Did you really just swear by Verlaxion?
yis
vilcheez: ...
...
vilcheez: ...
...
vilcheez: ... Moving on.
the red barge, the white barge and the south barge... with three groups (dash, seraph, and bard/WC) what are the odds that each group will end in one barge ? (we already know bard and WC planned on going to the white one after the quade but maybe they decided to follow a raft in the ocean after the latest events)
6532709
i think the only rule this group follow is "do what you think is right" and I don't think any griffin would be in this unit if they didn't think seraph was the best to know what is right.
So this time, RD is poised to face off against a paragon of law and goodness... Welp.
-Spirit (Utter and Yon)