Hecate's Orphanage

by BlackRoseRaven

Huntresses

Chapter Twenty Seven: Huntresses
~BlackRoseRaven

The world that Freya had let them into, so far, was beautiful and wild: Cadence marveled over the emerald forest they were traveling through, radiant and lush, and La Croix seemed to be enjoying himself as he stopped every now and then to pick up this plant or examine that root. Moonflower seemed uncomfortable, but her father was as calm as ever: Cadence thought most of Moony's worries came from the fact they were following around a very frightening version of Celestia, which probably brought back some unpleasant memories for Moonflower of his homeworld.

Freya was humming absently under her breath, her eye focused mostly ahead, her hooves easily finding the game trails and natural paths through the forest, and where no roads seemed to be, it was as if the trees pulled themselves out of the way for the mare and her companions. Cadence was amazed by it, and how the Swan was being so humble still, in the presence of the Mother... I mean, goddess.. no, Freya! I mean Freya, right. Stop being so weird.

Cadence smiled awkwardly when Freya looked back over her shoulder with a raised eyebrow, as if she'd somehow heard these thoughts, and then she chuckled before turning her gaze back ahead and remarking: “You don't need to be so quiet, you know. Strange that the only one rambling away is the Loa. Not that I've met many Loa, of course, but I always thought the zebra were far more stately than that one is.”

“Hey, we all our own person, Mademoiselle Freya. Besides, Moony might actually learn a thing or two. But I might be a tad plein d'espoir there.” La Croix remarked mildly, gesturing absently with his head towards the one-winged unicorn, who huffed loudly and fidgeted a bit beneath his modular armor.

“I'm capable of learning plenty when I'm not all... girded down in this heavy metal getup!” Moonflower complained, and then he halted and hammered a hoof against his breastplate, grumbling: “What is even the point of this? Everything we fight goes right through our armor anyway!”

Freya rolled her eye, pulling back a tree branch with telekinesis as she led the group onward. “True or not, it's a mark of dignity and honor, and it helps keep a handsome pony like you...” She released the treebranch, and it snapped backward and whacked into Moonflower's helmeted head, making him squeak but only stunning him a little thanks to the heavy helm he was wearing. “Handsome.”

“I. Yes. Well. I suppose.” grumbled the stallion, lowering his head slightly with a huff before he mumbled: “I still don't see the point, though. Or what's dignified about it. Especially when it was forced upon me by Hecate.”

“Aye, as I suppose I forced the Valkyries to wear what I told them. But you can either make it your own, Moonflower, or continue to whine about it. Which makes you seem much more like a bratty colt than a handsome stallion, so it does you no favors there, whether you enjoy mares or prefer to beat your sword with another male.” Freya remarked, and Moonflower looked up for a moment before he giggled a little, and Freya rolled her eye but gave a wry smile. “Aye. You'd fit in fine in Asgard with all the little boy gods.”

Cadence winced a bit at this, and Freya chuckled as she came to a halt in a clearing, saying mildly: “Now, now, you know I mean no disrespect to Valhalla itself. But you cannot say the Aesir weren't childish. The Vanir, too, had their flaws, I will be the first to admit that. But we, at least, didn't see the comedy in body part nor function. Nor did we find joking about the Valkyries loving their horses so amusing.”

She clicked her tongue at this, looking down thoughtfully as she murmured: “Ironic, now. And well, I suppose things could be far worse than being trapped in the body of a magical horse. At least Odin had the sense to make sure these bodies were strong, and could properly handle our spirit. I'd hate to think of what it would be like otherwise, confined in a shape that could not grasp, nor use magic, nor even speak.”

She paused, then grinned slightly, raising her head and adding cheerfully: “Although at least then there'd be no excuse to do nothing but fight all day long, whether in the battlefield or the bedroom. Or bed-field, as I suppose the case would be here.”

Cadence only smiled awkwardly, even thought she knew that with any other pony she'd probably be grumbling or trying to ignore them for now, but with how fawning and adoring the Swan felt over Freya, it made everything the goddess said sound like wisdom, even if by now Cadence was starting to understand that wisdom wasn't always something Freya had in high supply.

Freya paused as she turned her eye back ahead, looking at the other side of the clearing before her eyes narrowed slightly, the mare muttering: “Well, what have we here?”

Cadence looked up immediately, readying herself as Sombra strode forward and tilted his head, studying the other side of the clearing as well before he said softly: “Interesting energy. It's not what we're looking for, but... it may not be hostile.”

“You say that like you think I'm going to leap right into fighting it. I'm not Brynhild, you know.” Freya paused, then she smiled wryly as she looked ahead, adding in a louder voice: “But nor will I hesitate to fight if you try and cause any trouble for us, either!”

There was silence for a moment, and then a pony nervously stuck his head out of the other side of the field. But Cadence frowned immediately, her eyes narrowing slightly as her sharpened instincts picked up on the energy the creature was giving off... “Changeling!”

The Changeling blinked, then hurriedly held up its hooves, blurting out: “Wait! Wait, I don't want to fight, okay?”

“Come out from there, then, and take off that mask before I take it off for you.” Freya's tone was scolding, but also almost playful, Cadence thought, which was probably the only thing that stopped the Swan from leaping forward and slaughtering the creature, especially with the default dislike that Cadence felt for Changelings herself, thanks to her own negative experiences with their race.

Mostly negative... she corrected, thinking for a moment about her strange rival and friend, Miss Take. She threw those thoughts off quickly, however, before she ordered: “La Croix, Moonflower, defensive positions, and-”

“Now now, there's no need to get all worked up. We just want to chat with this fellow, don't we?” Freya said in a more diplomatic voice, before she smiled encouragingly to the nervous Changeling at the edge of the field, who was looking as if he was about to run away at any moment. “Come out now. I was only teasing you, I don't want to hurt you. But I do need information.”

“I... don't know...” The Changeling shifted anxiously, and Cadence thought she could feel Freya starting to already get irritated, her mood changing rapidly, and for the first time even the Swan felt its fawning skip a little into hesitant nervousness: if Freya was already such a roil of emotions, what was going to happen when they ran into actual trouble?

But thankfully, her father stepped forward, Sombra saying gently: “In the past, I have met shapeshifters of every face and shape. Tell me, do you serve a Queen or are you on your own?”

“I uh... I'm on my own. I'm not a drone, no.” the Changeling said finally, hesitantly stepping forward and seeming a little more reassured now by Sombra's gentility. “My name is Domino. It's um... nice to meet you all.”

“Aye, I would say it is, too, but we haven't really met you yet, Domino. Not until you show us your true face.” Freya said gently but firmly: Cadence heard a mix of irritation and polite kindness in that tone, which she thought didn't bear very well for Domino if he didn't start to listen to her. Which, at the same time, Cadence admittedly found a little unnerving herself.

“I'm not exactly easy on the eyes.” Domino gave a little laugh: with his body transformed, he looked much like a blue stallion, relatively handsome and with large, strong wings at his sides. He smiled awkwardly, his green eyes looking uneasily at Freya as he lowered his head politely, saying finally: “I um... I have a place to go, anyway, you know, I was just on my way there now so I don't see why... I mean, I'm very happy to give you directions if you need but otherwise-”

“Now, don't go running off yet.” Freya chided, stepping forward, and then she rolled her eye when the Changeling whimpered and made as if to leap back into the forest. “Oh, what? That afraid of us, are you?”

“I... no... well, yes.” Domino admitted after a moment, lowering his head meekly. “I can see you're a little... different from the other ponies here, but they're all very... they're a very rough bunch, you know. Very unpleasant.”

“Ha! As if any pony could be more unpleasant than I, the master of all evil!” Moonflower proclaimed suddenly, making Cadence wince slightly as Domino looked awkwardly at their group. “My friends and I shall rain down a thousand unpleasantnessesnesses upon their heads yet, don't you fear that, Dominant!”

La Croix only groaned, and Domino held up a hoof and corrected in a lame voice: “Um. My name is Domino.”

“Yes. That is what I said, Dominant.” Moonflower said testily, waving a hoof dismissively back and forth before he continued: “Now. Tell us where these rapscallions are.”

“That's not our job here, fun as it would be.” Freya said mildly, looking pointedly over her shoulder at Moonflower before she returned her eyes to Domino, asking: “About these ponies, though. What would you say they are? Mercenaries, soldiers?”

“Pirates.” Domino said immediately, and Freya cocked an eyebrow at this, looking as surprised as Cadence felt. “Well, the port isn't that far away, and because of the trade routes through the sea, I guess it's... what a lot of ponies turned to. And there's a lot of merchants who pay a lot of money for escorts and guards, although, well... sometimes their own escorts turn on them, too. The sea is a treacherous place.”

“I see.” Freya looked down meditatively, and then her eyes roved up, studying the Changeling for a moment before she asked casually: “How are you using your magic to conceal what you're wearing?”

The Changeling blanched visibly, wincing a bit, and now that Freya had pointed it out, Cadence realized that yes, there was some kind of faintly visible distortion wrapped around the Changeling, who gave a nervous laugh before he said awkwardly: “Like I said. Rough crowd, lots of... lots of dangerous ponies. Gotta take every precaution you can, right?”

“Aye, but there is such a thing as too cautious, and I can't help but find you a little suspicious, Domino.” Freya studied the Changeling intently as he grinned weakly and shrank his head between his shoulders, even as Sombra frowned slightly over at the mare. “What are you doing here, and who are you with?”

“N-Nothing. Just passing through, just... going to see... someone...” The Changeling looked nervously away, rubbing uneasily at his throat and making something hidden under the illusion wrapped around him clink quietly.

Freya began to step forward, but Sombra leaned towards her and said in a low, soft voice: “I don't think this is the most appropriate course of action.”

Freya looked at him for a moment, and then, in near-perfect Istallian, she replied pleasantly: “I think you should mind your own business. This dog had lain down with the fleas and has picked up their ticks himself.”

Sombra's eyes widened slightly in surprise, but then he shook his head and replied quietly in the same language: “Whip the criminal, not his dog. Fleas can be shaken off, especially with a helping hoof.”

“And that's what I'm doing. Providing a helping hoof.” Freya replied simply, before she turned her eyes back towards the Changeling and flicked her horn sharply as it gave a single pulse, and the Changeling squealed in terror as vines exploded out of the ground and wrapped around his limbs, hauling his flailing body into the air. “Now, I believe I was asking you a question, friend.”

“O-Okay, okay!” the Changeling yelped, nodding violently before he squeaked as Freya flicked her horn again as she approached, making him wince as his glammer was dispelled and his true form was revealed to all present.

Sombra sighed softly, shaking his head slowly as Cadence winced. La Croix whistled a little, and Moonflower looked a little ill as Domino flushed deeply in humiliation: he had chitinous black hide with fins instead of ears and a twisted, jagged horn above insect-like green orb eyes, but his body was covered in scars, and he had a large brand visible on his forehead.

Chains rattled around his neck as he shifted, his body covered by a thick, ugly-looking tunic that looked almost as if it was tied to him by thick straps of rawhide. Freya noted the thin chains around his ankles as well, and the gemstones that they were adorned with: nothing to do with style or richness, certainly, but rather... “Control markings. You're bait for a slaver. What are you hunting in the area?”

“I... I don't know!” Domino blurted, shaking his head hurriedly and wincing a bit as he struggled uselessly against the vines, before he whimpered as the tendrils twisted and slithered into the holes that dotted the Changeling's limbs, tightening painfully. “Oh, that hurts! Those aren't supposed to go in there!”

“He was telling the truth when he said he wasn't a drone, anyway.” Cadence muttered, her eyes quickly drawing over the Changeling, and Sombra nodded as Freya tilted her head curiously. “He's bigger. And he's got kind of a... crest there on his head, and the chitin patterning is different... warrior?”

“Yes, I was a warrior for the hive, not a drone. Was sent out on a scouting mission one day and this really hurts so please let me go!” the Changeling pleaded, hissing in pain. “Look, look, okay, if they don't know about you guys they're going to really soon and you and I both don't want to get caught like this!”

“It's been ages since I've fought pirates, you know. Feels like playing a child's game.” Freya remarked, but after a moment, she finally complied, loosening most of the vines from around Domino and setting him down, but making him wince as one coiled around his neck like a leash, before he visibly flinched when several large thorns tore out along the vine's length threatening, dripping poisonous green sap. “Don't try to run away, though. Give us the answers we want, and quickly.”

Domino nodded weakly a few times, wheezing a little before he rasped: “Okay. Okay. Whatever you want. Just... please. We need to be fast, I need to get out of here.”

“We didn't blindly jump to this place, and I'm somehow certain you aren't here for no reason, either. Tell me now, why were you sent here, Domino?” Freya pressed, and Cadence shifted uneasily before she realized why Freya was leaning so hard on this point, instead of asking anything else that might minimize the danger for their team, like where the slavers were, or even what had happened to Domino...

The Changeling looked like he was going to try and dance around the subject, but when the vine tightened around his throat and several more thorns pushed their way out towards his neck, he whimpered and rasped out: “Slavers are looking for something, some... big score! Following... following an energy signature...”

“That explains at least one of those trinkets hanging from your neck. It's not just so they can find you, it's so you can find it.” Freya said meditatively, striding forward and nodding slowly as she examined the creature intently. “How did they plan to capture it?”

“I don't know!” This obviously wasn't the answer Freya wanted, as the vines immediately tightened for a moment, choking the Changeling and making him shiver. The moment they loosened, he coughed for breath, then hurriedly added: “They're not exactly... they're working for someone! I don't know who, I just know they have all these... magic things, and they're hunting down all sorts of weird creatures like me and chaos entities and everything in between...”

“That may or may not be related to Thokk. We'll have to keep our eyes open.” Freya mused more to herself than anything else, and then she nodded once before looking over her shoulder at Cadence, asking: “What do you think we should do with this one?”

Somehow, it didn't just sound like a question: it sounded almost like a test. It made Cadence shift uneasily, but she ignored the answer the Swan wanted to give and instead said hesitantly: “I think we should let him go.”

Freya smiled indulgently at this, and then she looked back over her shoulder at the Changeling. Immediately, the vine tightened, beginning to choke him, and Cadence winced but was helpless to do anything, even as Sombra stepped forward and said quietly but firmly: “We are not killers. Nor do we murder in cold blood.”

“Perhaps you aren't. I'm only doing what is necessary to see things proceed, that is all. This is for your sakes, as much as my own.” Freya replied calmly, and Cadence shifted uneasily even as her father tilted his head and used his own magic to intervene, shielding the Changeling's neck as he coughed and rasped weakly. “Now, you aren't stupid enough to think you're strong enough to stop me, are you?”

“Strength comes in many forms. And I will do what is necessary to see life spared.” Sombra said gently but firmly, as Moonflower and La Croix both shifted worriedly.

“Yeah, this... we don't gotta do this! Give me two minutes and I'll mix up a potion to make him forget we ever existed, how 'bout that?” La Croix suggested hurriedly, and Freya scowled a little over her shoulder, the zebra wincing a bit and lowering his head slightly.

She tapped a hoof slowly against the ground, then suddenly flicked her horn, and the Changeling gave a single loud gargle before the vines tightened violently. Sombra winced as Moonflower looked up in horror and Cadence only stared helplessly, watching as the Changeling writhed weakly, his eyes bulging, head shaking-

And then Domino fell limp, and Freya let the vines drop his body as she said softly: “You all said you would listen to me. Remember that. And remember that it is my judgment that matters, not yours, and I am the commander here. This is not a democracy, and unless I ask you your opinion, then I don't care about your opinions or your philosophy.”

Freya looked around, her gaze deadly cold before she suddenly straightened and smiled, turning her eyes forward and saying easily: “It should be simple enough to track where the Changeling came from. I already feel the forest pointing us towards these slavers. They sound an interesting enough place to start the search for our quarry: I'm sure we can make short work of them together.”

Moonflower opened his mouth, but La Croix hurriedly jumped over and covered it with his hooves, the zebra giving a wide, fake grin as he replied quickly: “Y-You got it, boss! We do that just right quick, don't you worry 'bout that, okay?”

Sombra frowned slightly, but then he glanced towards Domino, studying the fallen Changeling for a moment before his head rose a little, as if in surprise, and Cadence frowned uneasily before the stallion said softly: “Of course, Signora Freya. My apologies.”

“Well, I suppose I can't blame any of you for thinking little of me when I give you no reason to think better.” Freya replied mildly, shaking her head briefly before she said wryly, her eyes flicking towards the unconscious Changeling: “And I suppose it's not fair that I keep running these little games and tests on you, but... I am curious to see what kind of backbones you ponies have. So far, I'm rather pleased. Not entirely, of course, but it's certainly an interesting change to have ponies standing up to me.”

Freya leaned down into Sombra's face, studying him intently before she added quietly: “Even if I could easily crush all of you beneath my hooves.”

Sombra only looked calmly back at the mare, refusing to be intimidated, refusing to even be angry with her, and Cadence was admittedly impressed. The Swan was still a mix of fawning and kowtowing, while she herself felt a little frustrated, a little patronized... but she is our matron. She is a Mother. We are inferior.

Cadence frowned a bit at these thoughts, lowering her head slightly, feeling that... that part of her that felt that was true. That was just inarguable fact, and she should accept her place in the grand machinery, that she was just a cog, a gear, a piece of machinery designed to kill or destroy, and that was her sole and singular purpose...

Cadence shook her head hurriedly: no, she wouldn't accept that. She wasn't, and that was maybe the biggest difference between her and the Swan: her refusal to simply fall into a place, to be a number, to not push to be her best. She could accept that Freya was stronger than her, that she could learn from Freya, that Freya was more experienced, more powerful, but she would never accept that she was less than any other pony. She would never settle for simply being a cog, a gear, a servant. She was better than that. She would make herself be better than that.

Freya looked at Cadence thoughtfully, and then her eyes flicked towards Sombra as he said gently: “Perhaps instead of competing between ourselves, instead we should be trying to find the best way we can work together as one. We are all capable of much, working together.”

“People who always push the peaceful solution annoy me, Sombra. But in your case, purely because of what a handsome stallion you are, I'll bow my head to your so-called 'wisdom.'” Freya replied after a moment, then rolled her eye when Sombra only smiled at her and bowed his head in respect. “Keep lowering your head, lad, and eventually someone will cut it off for you when you're not looking.”

Sombra continued to smile, and Moonflower shifted awkwardly as he looked uncomfortably up, like he wanted to speak, but La Croix cleared his throat and hurried on: “Maybe we best get movin' though, right y'all? Ain't like we gonna have forever before whoever be trackin' that Changeling shows up.”

“Actually, that's a good point. Let's hide here and ambush them.” Freya said after a moment, and La Croix winced as Cadence looked uncertainly at the Valkyrie, but Freya only grinned and shrugged. “It'll be easier on us than wandering all over, looking for either slavers or a destruction entity in hiding, now won't it? Or at least faster. And I'm sure that we can handle a few sots who prey on the helpless and the stupid.”

Sombra hesitated, but then he nodded slowly, saying quietly: “And afterward, we can free Domino, or enlist his aid, if he will accept our apologies.”

“Watch your tongue, boy.” Freya's eye narrowed dangerously as she glared at Sombra, who only looked calmly back even as Cadence felt Freya's emotions do another whirl, the mare almost instantly going from pleasant and almost cheerful to malicious and overpowering.

“He... he's very smart!” Moonflower suddenly blurted, and even if he was stammering a little, he was leaning forward all the same almost aggressively, glaring at Freya; not without fear, but surprisingly determined. “You... you should respect him!”

Freya began to smile thinly, but then, to Cadence's surprise, she simply shook her head and looked up grumpily, muttering: “We don't have time to argue right now, but don't think you're going to get away without a spanking for your tone, handsome stallion or not.”

Moonflower shrank his head down meekly, but Freya shook her head before she ordered in a serious but calmer voice: “Moonflower, cloak us with your magic. La Croix, step into the ether and wait on the other side of the Changeling. Give me a sign when the slavers approach.”

“What should I do? Ain't a whole lot of ways that I can send a message out of the ether, y'know. Ain't exactly easy to communicate with something on the other side of the door.” La Croix said pointedly, before he winced a little when Freya leaned in with a flat look.

“I'm sure you can knock on wood or sing like a bird, La Croix. You'll figure it out.” Freya said shortly, and then she gestured with her head towards Sombra. “Quickly now, we don't have the time to argue or play nice.”

The ponies assembled themselves as Freya ordered; within only a few minutes, three ponies tromped their way into the clearing through the trees, approaching the unconscious Changeling: two were large, burly earth ponies in ugly hide armor, and the last was a robed unicorn with a strange amulet on a chain around his neck.

One of the earth ponies began to approach the Changeling, but the unicorn quickly reached out and caught his shoulder before he could touch Domino, the mage's eyes flicking back and forth before he said coldly: “We're not alone here. And I would appreciate it if you showed yourselves instead of forcing me to dispel your magic.”

A chuckle spilled through the air, and a moment later, Freya emerged from the field of invisibility, raising her head high and smiling calmly as she said pleasantly: “Surprised that you could see me... but rather pleased, too. It means you won't be quite as boring as I had expected you to be.”

The mage growled in annoyance, narrowing his eyes slightly as his bodyguards both grinned at the armored mare, apparently too stupid to be intimidated by either her size or her sheathed swords. But the unicorn was studying her intently, his eyes roving over the mare before he asked shortly: “Who are you?”

“Rude to ask someone else's name without giving your own.” Freya remarked, striding forward before she reached up and fearlessly stroked under the chin of a guard, who looked up at her with surprise as the other bodyguard scowled and huffed. But Freya only turned and winked at him, saying easily: “Now, now, boys. There's more than enough of me to go around.”

Both guards looked up at her as their eyes widened in excitement, but the unicorn only snorted before he growled: “Don't be taken in by this harpy's guiles. She is the enemy. And you, harpy, leave now and go and sing your siren song to someone else.”

“I'd rather sing it here. And you don't have to be jealous now, stallion. There's plenty for you, too.” Freya said kindly, but the unicorn only scowled at her, even as the guards traded almost gleeful looks, and thus completely missed when Freya's eye hardened as the unicorn only began to lean forward aggressively, his horn starting to glow-

Freya didn't give him the time to spit a threat or even prepare a spell: instead, she leapt suddenly forwards, slamming a hoof into his face and knocking him flying backwards in a fine spray of blood with a broken jaw. And before he could even hit the ground, she caught him with telekinesis and half turned to fling him savagely into a tree, the mage bouncing off this before the boughs of the springy oak snapped down and bound the mage's unconscious body tight to its heavy trunk.

Both bandits gaped, and then they looked up in shock as Freya grasped them both around the shoulders, but she only smiled and winked at them, asking easily: “Now, boys, I'm sure you'd much rather enjoy my company than antagonize me, isn't that right? For as your friend just learned, I am not very patient with rude ponies... but I'll reward you both for being good little boys. Can you do that for me? Be good little boys?”

The two stallions stared up at her, before one of them nodded hurriedly as the other shrank down with a whimper, and Freya grinned like a predator as her eye half-lidded. “Yes, that's what I like to see. When my little colts know their proper place.”

“I think that's enough, Signora Freya.” Sombra said gently as he emerged from under the cloaking spell, and Freya huffed grumpily as Moonflower allowed the magic to drop, and La Croix flickered back into reality, looking uncertainly at the unconscious unicorn.

Any fight left in the bodyguards was taken out of them by the sudden appearance of the ponies and zebra, and while perhaps only the glaring Cadence looked half as dangerous as Freya, the bandits seemed to wholly understand that their lives depended completely on the whims of the armored mare who currently had a foreleg around either of them and was studying them much like a cat would an interesting bug.

“I never liked him much anyway!” suddenly blurted one of the stallions, and the other glared at him horribly. “Well, I... I didn't!”

“Neither did I!” he argued, then he quickly looked up at Freya and added hurriedly: “We're just hired muscle, that's all! You uh... I mean, if you're looking for more ponies to get dirty jobs done, then-”

“Then I have my own two hooves for that. I've never minded a dirty job or two, boys.” Freya said easily, squeezing the two around the shoulders and pulling them against her armored breast, and the bandits both whimpered a little as they realized how much larger Freya really was than them as their faces uselessly mashed into the front of her golden armor. But then the mare sighed a little, adding mildly: “But, you see, at least a few of these ponies of my company have soft hearts. And while it is not so terrible a thing, they insist on saving this little Changeling. You don't mind if we wake him up now, do you? And I'm not going to have to worry about more ponies coming this way with some silly notion of trying to 'rescue' any of you, am I?”

“Nope, no, no. I'm sure Salazar doesn't even know we're gone!” one of the guards said hurriedly, and the other nodded quickly in agreement. “We uh... if you're looking for help, we'd be more than happy to join you!”

“I know. I already heard your first offer. Which was silly, since I think I'd already made it clear that you two boys are going to work for me as long as you keep me happy. And if you happen to make me unhappy, well...” Freya smiled slightly, but both stallions quailed at the coldness in her gaze despite her almost playful tone. “Well, then things won't end very well for you, colts. I'm not known for my generosity, nor my patience.”

The bandits traded nervous looks, but then one of them hurriedly said: “Well, you can trust me! Elderstone chose me specifically!”

“No, he wanted me as his bodyguard, you just happened to be the only backup available!” argued the other stallion, and the first bandit glowered at him before the earth pony continued: “But hey, I'll do whatever you want and do it well, and-”

“Stop repeating yourselves, boys.” Freya calmly grasped the stallions by their heads, then firmly knocked them together, making both earth ponies yelp before she asked: “How many other mercenaries work for this Salazar? And how many like him should I expect to have to deal with?”

“Uh...” The bandits traded looks, and then the first one said nervously: “It's not that either of us doubt you, ma'am, oh no, but... they hired the Crimson Hoof, and well-”

“I asked for numbers, sapling, not narratives.” Freya said mildly, and the ponies both dropped their heads lamely. “How many colts like yourselves, and how many mages?”

“Three mages, maybe? And well, they hired us so their crew doesn't have to leave the port... there's maybe twenty I know of, but I can't speak to anything for sure.” one of the mercenaries answered hurriedly, looking uncomfortably back and forth as Cadence approached with a scowl on one side, and La Croix looked suspiciously over the mercenaries on their other side.

Freya nodded thoughtfully, and then she finally stepped back from the mercenaries before she turned around and looked down at Sombra, asking him pleasantly: “Now, what would you suggest we do with these colts? Personally, I would say we should dispose of them, and leave their heads on poles as a warning to the rest of their merry little band.”

Both bandits immediately began to shake their heads violently and beg for their lives as Cadence felt the Swan give a nod of agreement and approval inside of her, but the ivory mare's own feelings on the subject felt much more cluttered and confused. Especially as her father replied quietly: “I would ask for their aid. And, if we did not need it, I would tell them to go free, and use this chance to reflect upon their choices, and perhaps seek a better path in life.”

“You and my brother. Both insufferable, incurable fools.” Freya almost sounded wistful, and she chuckled quietly before she turned her attention towards the trapped unicorn, striding towards him and studying him intently for a few moments before she murmured: “And what about you, mage? “

Freya's horn glowed, carefully removing the amulet and chain from around the stallion's neck and floating it in front of her, and she studied it for a few moments before smiling slightly. Her magic intensified slightly, making the stone inset into the locket glow, and Domino moaned and stirred weakly as his own bonds lit up.

“And if the chains are attached by magic, the mage only needs to throw them at their foe to restrain them or outright enslave them. Cunning. Almost admirable, in fact.” Freya said thoughtfully, studying the glowing chain before she lowered the amulet beside her as she looked up at the unicorn, clicking her tongue loudly. “Now there, lad, open your eyes and don't give me any sass. Time to rise and shine and confess your sins.”

Her horn glowed with magic, and a faint burst of magic struck back and forth across the unicorn's face and made him grunt in surprise, the stallion blinking before he shook his head and looked up in disbelief that quickly turned to anger, the mage growling as he pulled against the branches: “Let me out of here now, wench, or-”

“I would watch my mouth if I were you. Because even a a wench like me is very capable of hurting a big strong stallion like you when he's all tied up with nowhere to go.” Freya said mildly, pointedly gesturing with her horn towards the stallion's face, and he grimaced a bit as he shifted uneasily backward. “Now. I would like some answers.”

The unicorn shifted, and then he hissed in pain as the branches tightened with threatening rumbles around his body, Freya smiling slightly as she said softly: “You don't seem to listen very well, friend. Do you need a reminder that you're not the one in charge here, or would an example do better to get you cooperating?”

The rest of the equines present winced as there was a sudden, sickening crack, and the unicorn howled in misery, his body convulsing for a moment before he gasped as he fell limp, trembling weakly as his body spasmed a little. Freya studied him for a few moments as several streams of crimson slowly ran down the trunk of the tree, and then she asked in a colder voice: “Now tell me, before I lose my temper: what are you looking for here?”

The unicorn looked up defiantly, but he trembled visibly as he glared at her. “You... you can kill me, because I'll never betray Salazar! To betray Salazar is to die!”

“No, lad. To die is to die.” Freya corrected gently, and then she clicked her tongue, and the branches tightened again, the unicorn howling miserably as he yanked himself uselessly back and forth in their grip. “And you have a long way to go before you experience death, boy, so if I were you, I would start talking. These trees have tighter hugs than the bears.”

The unicorn spasmed helplessly, shaking himself back and forth as the boughs constricted further around him before he blurted: “Alright, alright! I'll tell you everything, just... just let me go!”

“I'm not stupid, mage. Speak to me first, then I'll let you down from the tree.” Freya retorted, and the unicorn snarled... but then gasped in pain as the branches tightened even more. “My patience won't last forever.”

“Salazar... Salazar wants slaves for the... the furnace!” howled the mage, as his bones creaked from the pressure the tree was exerting over him. “He wants souls to power the furnace, slaves to keep the machinery moving!”

“Now we're getting somewhere.” Freya remarked almost cheerfully, as the boughs loosened somewhat to allow the unicorn to breathe, his body trembling as he slumped visibly. “Tell me more about this 'furnace,' and what kind of machinery requires slaves to move it and souls to power it.”

The mage shifted, breathing hard in and out, but he seemed defeated as he lowered his head, answering in a mumble: “The... Salazar is the taskmaster for... someone, I don't know his name. He rules these seas, whatever the Oceanic Dominion might say. The pirates fear him, and the ports fear him, and no flag will fly against him. Salazar is his right hand, gathering... whatever he needs in his name.”

“A name that isn't spoken, though, and that is the sign of a coward. So he rules the seas: tell me why I should fear the water while I stand in the forest.” Freya said contemptibly, and the unicorn grinned at her mirthlessly.

“Because, wench, all merchant trade is done through the seas. And the pirates rule the skies and seas, but in this ocean, the pirates pay tribute to the metal island. There's always a bigger fish.” growled the unicorn, and Freya smiled calmly.

“Yes, there always is.” she agreed, and then she studied the mage for a moment before she said softly: “I am going to ask you a few simple questions now, mage, and your answers to them will determine whether I let you live or kill you. Do you understand?”

The mage's eyes widened slightly, and he gave a weak grin, as if trying to gather the courage to challenge the mare, but her gaze was cold, her eye unflinching, and the stallion swallowed thickly before he nodded hurriedly again, lowering his head and saying uncomfortably: “Y-Yes. I do.”

“Good. Glad to see even you can learn your place.” Freya said calmly, and Cadence shivered a little at how dangerous and serious and, worst of all, casual the mare's tone was, like it was simply a matter of fact. “How many mercenaries do I have to worry about, and how many mages?”

The unicorn shifted uneasily, his eyes roving for a moment in the direction of his bodyguards, who were both anxiously shifting at the edge of the camp, but when the roots suddenly tightened around him, he gasped before dropping his head back and wheezing: “Twenty two! Twenty two mercenaries and... there's three other mages!”

“Good boy.” Freya studied him for a moment, and then she asked: “How many prisoners and slaves have you taken? And what are they?”

The unicorn shifted with a grimace, and then he shook his head before muttering: “How should I know, only Salazar keeps a record of-”

The boughs tightened around him, and the unicorn howled in pain, wrenching himself back and forth before he almost screamed: “Thirteen! Thirteen that I know of, most of them just unicorns! Please, please stop!”

“I don't like to repeat myself. I already warned you of the consequences.” Freya said calmly, but then she grimaced when Sombra gently touched her side, the mare looking moodily at the stallion before she grudgingly nodded and clicked her tongue.

The boughs loosened, and the unicorn fell free from the tree with a gasp, hugging himself weakly around the middle as he coughed a few times. His eyes blearily looked up at Freya as she stood over him, looming above the stallion before she said quietly: “Last question, and for your sake, you had best answer it well, mage. Where is the destruction entity?”

There was silence for a few moments as the unicorn shifted, clearly not knowing how to answer, but Cadence saw it. The shift of his eyes, the way he looked away, the surprise: not at what she was asking, but that Freya knew about it in the first place.

The unicorn bit his lip, and then he looked up and said hesitantly: “There are... two, perhaps three in the area, drawn by Salazar's dark magic. There's a hunting party tracking one now, it made itself known when it attacked an outpost near the sea, but the other is the one Salazar seems interested in. I take it you are, too.”

“Aye, I am.” Freya replied calmly, nodding and looking down at the mage with meditative eyes. “So Salazar is a mage of some power himself, is he?”

The unicorn snorted, then he said disgustedly: “Salazar has dark power, but he will never be a mage. He is to be feared, but he is still also a slave hoof.”

“An earth pony with dark powers? Now this is interesting.” Freya murmured thoughtfully, looking to the side before she nodded once, saying shortly: “I have no further need of you, mage. And as I know I cannot trust you, but we are all the same in the company of ponies who would whine if I cut your head from your shoulders, I would recommend you quickly take your leave while you still have the chance to.”

The unicorn winced a bit at this, hurriedly crawling up to his hooves before he scampered quickly backward when Freya stomped a hoof towards him, the mage turning and bolting fearfully into the forest. The mare snorted in amusement at this, and then she straightened and said calmly: “As for you two colts...”

She rounded on the mercenaries, who both shrank down a little under her gaze before she asked teasingly: “I'm not going to have to get rough with either of you, now am I?”

The stallions both hurriedly shook their heads, and Sombra sighed a little, but Cadence was only looking worriedly at Freya, the Swan shifting and rollicking inside her and for once concerned about the same thing. “A mechanical furnace... that sounds a lot like...”

“Valthrudnir, yes. Or rather, his accursed machinery.” Freya said moodily, nodding in agreement. “But I do not think that this is the work of the Jötnar or any of his experiments, and nor do I think we are dealing with Thokk... or at least none of her direct machinations.”

Cadence nodded quickly, but the Swan was more reassured than the mare as Moonflower asked awkwardly: “And what about these uh... handsome fellows you've recruited, Freya?”

Freya smiled slightly at the mercenaries, who both looked helplessly up at the mare before she said kindly: “They might have some use yet. But so long as they behave themselves, they won't have to worry. And they're gong to stay well behaved, aren't you?”

The mercenaries both nodded rapidly again, and Freya nodded calmly back before she returned her eyes to Cadence, saying pleasantly: “Swan, I would like for you to follow the mage. See where he goes: the forest is already warning me that he's not running in any intelligent direction. It's a sad truth that no matter how smart you make a person, there's no cure for neither idiocy nor arrogance.”

“Be careful, mi amore.” Sombra said softly, and Cadence smiled a little as she nodded to her father briefly, understanding the message in his tone: he wasn't worried about her, but rather, what the Swan might make her do.

Freya scowled a little at this, before she shifted her head moodily to the side as La Croix added hesitantly: “You know, mademoiselle, maybe it be better if I go ghostin' after this mage...”

“I already gave my orders. Besides, I have more important jobs for the rest of you.” Freya replied calmly, although Cadence thought she heard an undertone of irritation in her voice. “Now then. Off with you, Swan, and be quick and quiet about your business.”

Cadence nodded; or rather, the Swan nodded, while Cadence felt herself literally brushed aside for the moment as the Swan Maiden took over her body, saying calmly through her mouth: “Yes, Mother Freya. Your will be done.”

The Swan turned before Cadence could do anything, and then they were moving, control shifting gradually back to Cadence: but she knew that if she did anything the Swan didn't like, if she tried to turn around or turn away from this 'mission' that Freya had given them, the Swan would wrench control away from her. The only reason it wasn't trying to rule her now was because, well...

Cadence actually wasn't sure, the mare shifting uncomfortably as she hurried through the forest, ducking beneath branches and grimacing a bit as she moved as quickly and quietly as she could, which unfortunately was still plenty loud in the close-knit forest.

Still, it felt like the forest itself was trying to assist her, boughs moving out of the way, trees twisting as if to show her the path, the air itself seeming to become heavy to muffle the sound of her hooves trodding over grass and leaf. Was it because of Freya's will? Was the Queen of the Valkyries really that powerful, that... commanding?

Well, I am doing exactly what she told me to. Without even considering that this is a bad idea. Cadence thought moodily, grimacing a little as she felt the Swan twist warningly inside of her. “Oh, knock it off. I'm not going to go against Freya's orders, I'm just... you can't seriously think blindly trusting her is a good idea.”

The Swan didn't reply: if anything, it just seemed surprised that Cadence was actually trying to speak to it. Cadence shifted uneasily herself, then she slowed to a trot as she heard something ahead, quickly pushing all other thoughts out of her mind as she lowered her head slightly and did her best to further quiet her hoofsteps.

The mage was just ahead, gasping as he stumbled through the brush, and Cadence slowed further as she caught a glimpse of him through the trees, lowering herself and pausing for a moment. As long as she could keep him in earshot, she was close enough: she didn't want to risk him hearing her or looking back and seeing her through the trees, and she wasn't exactly inconspicuous...

The unicorn was swearing to himself as he stumbled along, though, his attention almost completely on what was in front of him as he pushed his way through the forest. After ten or so minutes, though, he finally slowed and seemed to get himself a little more under control, stumbling his way to a small pond and leaning down to take a few quick drinks from it.

He coughed loudly, then sat back and rubbed at his chest, muttering in a raspy voice: “That bitch nearly killed me... and she took my control amulet. I can't go back to Salazar like this...”

He shook himself out, then slowly pushed himself up to his hooves, closing his eyes. Cadence crept a little closer so she could better see him: and he certainly didn't look healthy, she thought. Bruised, beaten, and a little bloody, and not so steady on his hooves, either. She guessed that Freya had done a lot more damage to him with that tree than any of them had guessed.

Cadence watched as the unicorn turned and started onward, and after a few moments, she followed. Soon enough, the forest began to thin, however, and it made it much more difficult for Cadence to maintain cover while she tracked the mage.

She didn't have to worry too much, however: apart from the occasional glance back over his shoulder, the unicorn seemed focused on something ahead, making it easier for her to follow behind him without being noticed.

To her surprise, the unicorn slowed as he approached the edge of the forest, and the mare was forced to drop on her stomach and carefully crawl her way through the undergrowth, grimacing a bit even as the bushes and hedges and roots all seemed to subtly move to shield her from view as she made her way forward.

She was surprised when she stuck her head out of a bush, only to find the unicorn almost right beside her, looking back and forth as if searching for something. Cadence hurriedly ducked her head back, afraid for a moment that she had been found, but after a few seconds, she heard the unicorn swearing and muttering to himself as he stalked a few feet forward, his attention clearly taken up by something else. “Where is it... where the hell is it...”

The Swan, of course, wanted to leap right into killing him, whatever the unicorn was searching for. But Cadence made herself stay calm and wait for a moment, studying the mage and waiting to see what he was doing, or perhaps get a glimpse of what – or who – he was trying to find.

She didn't have to wait very long before the unicorn finally got frustrated and cast some kind of spell: it made the air pulse with energy, and Cadence felt the Swan tensing inside her again as she only narrowed her eyes, wondering what the unicorn could possibly be trying to contact...

There was a fizzle of static, and then a crunching of leaves and underbrush as something joined them, apparently summoned by the unicorn's magic. Cadence frowned, leaning intently forward, and there was quiet for a few moments before the newcomer said nervously: “You aren't supposed to do that, you know. That's bad manners.”

“Shut up.” growled the unicorn, and Cadence carefully leaned forward, gently pushing some of the branches aside so she could peer out. She could see the mage's back, and beyond him, it looked like... she wasn't quite sure.

The figure was very tall, whatever it was: bipedal, too, she guessed. She could feel its nervous energy from here, as it whimpered a little... and was that a chain that rattled around it when it moved? Was it another slave of the mages?

“I said I'd keep you away from Salazar as long as you helped me. Well, you failed me, so now I have no choice but to drag you to Salazar and see what he'll give me in return for you, monster.” growled the unicorn, and the creature squeaked.

“M-Monster? My name is Atavus! And just because I happen to have a few things in common with... okay, okay! That hurts!” whined the creature as Cadence felt a burst of magic from the unicorn.

The beast stumbled to the side, and Cadence managed to get a good look at it now: the lanky thing was dressed in a tattered pinstriped suit, with a few large, colorful patches here and there in the dirty gray material. It had a bowtie with a gold button tightly done up at its throat, and a little red fez on its head.

But what was it? It couldn't be a draconequus, with how symmetrical it was: its hands were both covered in bristly brown fur and ended in little nubby claws, and its features were covered in black scales, vaguely draconic but with something almost feline in their structure. Little white horns stuck up out of his head, and a tail nervously flicked back and forth behind him as he rubbed uncomfortably at the glowing chain around his arm, the creature saying nervously: “You promised me, though.”

“People lie. You're coming with me. Whatever you are, you're worth a lot to Salazar.” the unicorn growled, and the creature whimpered a little. “Oh, shut up. You should be thankful you had this long to sit out here and enjoy the last bit of fresh air you'll ever breathe.”

“Are... so are you and your friend taking me away, then?” the creature asked nervously as it pointed past the wizard, and Cadence's eyes widened as the unicorn turned around, his expression going from surprise to fury as he began to prepare a spell-

A knife buried into the mage's throat before Cadence even realized that the Swan had taken over. The unicorn gargled, stumbling backwards and clutching at his neck, his eyes bulging in horror before he was slammed down onto his back as the ivory mare sprung out of hiding, a final, finishing hoof smashing down on his face and knocking the last of the life out of him.

The creature staggered backward in horror, covering its mouth and staring in terror at the Swan Maiden as the winged unicorn looked up and said coldly: “You are going to come with me.”

“N-No! You're a killer! I'm not getting killed today!” the creature blurted, shaking its head wildly as it stumbled backwards, and the Swan only narrowed her eyes. “You stay back! Stay away!”

The Swan stepped forward, and the creature yelped before it swung an arm out, blasting the ivory mare off her feet with a wave of force that disoriented the Swan enough that Cadence was able to seize control of herself again, even as her body rolled in the air and landed on all fours. She looked up, opening her mouth to shout, but then swore when she saw the creature had already vanished.

She grimaced a bit, then shivered as she rubbed slowly at her armored body, feeling a painful tingling running over her skin. It was like chaos energy... but different. The entity had been frightened of her, but it sure packed a punch, whatever it had been: was that the creature they were looking for? Either way, it's long gone now... but I should head back to Freya and report this. We might be able to use that amulet she took to track it down, at least.

The Swan only grudgingly agreed, and Cadence nodded to herself before she turned with a sigh to head back the way she'd come, hoping that she could catch up to Freya quickly, and wondering uneasily how the Valkyrie was going to take this news.