The Lunar Chalice

by Spirals95

Chapter 35 - Final Preparations

Chapter 35

“There, I believe I've found the answer,” PAL stated, adjusting the fine tuning knob on the clunky brass microscope Cadance had provided him.

The machine was looking at a filed fragment of the dead golem's armor underneath the medical device, analyzing its structure for a potential weakness. Shadowsteel had been known to be highly resistant to any form of damage, and both the magic-powered robots and Sombra himself were protected by the substance. At first, the other military resources in Cadance's cabinet had doubted that a microscope would do very much good as a testing tool, but PAL had known better serving under a scientist like Tech. A few researchers stood nearby, having watched the curious machine strip a piece of metal out from the golem and examine it closely using their lab equipment.

PAL stepped back from the microscope, and looked at the “corpse” of the Shadow Golem resting on an examination table in front of him, feeling slightly uncomfortable. Sure he was digital and it was magic, but he couldn't help but feel a slight connection to the fallen beast. The magical conduits sticking out of its chest cavity were its wires, and its motors were powered by magic energy... but what was the real difference between the two of them?

His inner processing was interrupted by Spike, who tapped on his right arm. The little dragon was standing on the crystal-topped lab table, and was asking for a turn with the microscope.

“Oh, sorry. You want to see, Spike?” the machine said, stepping back, “here, I'll show you.”

Spike put his eyes over the creaking device's eyepiece and looked at the slide at the maximum power setting. The details of the mysterious metal were clearly visible, the material was composed of a large number of 'threads' of metal woven tightly with a faint dark aura surrounding them.

“Woah, what is this stuff, PAL?” he asked, pulling back from the microscope, “It's like the armor is alive or something.”

“I believe Shadowsteel is a carbon-woven fibrous material with an additional level of energy protection by arcanic means,” the robot explained, confusing everyone present.

He blinked for a cycle before giving the mechanical equipment of a sigh, “It's a high density armor with an anti-damage enchantment of some kind.”

“Oh! So, how can we beat it?” he asked.

“I'm not very familiar with the rules of magic,” answered his tall friend, “but perhaps something that can counter whatever energy is powering the armor would give us the ability to punch through it a little easier.”

“We should probably tell Cadance about this,” Spike reasoned, “I bet she'd know what we could do.”

“I hope so, I'd say that Captain Arbiter and Miss Limpwing were lucky they were able to destroy this golem at all,” PAL said gravely, looking back at the wreckage, “we're going to need any edge we can get if we want to win this fight.”

“Speaking of that, you really ought to check in with the blacksmith and get yourself some armor and a weapon,” the scientist closest to them suggested before she blushed meekly, “although I'm sure Spike doesn't need anything like that to win!”

“Well, humility's super important,” Spike said, clearly bragging as he looked at his fingernails, “but I'm gonna be nice to the blacksmith and...”

PAL bumped the dragon's back with his shoulder, grunting electronically.

“Oh, heh...” the young dragon chuckled, “I mean, I've got my best buddy PAL. Why would I need anything else?”

He crossed his metal arms, “That is not what I meant.”

The machine shook his head as Spike filled a small canvas bag with scraps of Shadowsteel. Then the impudent dragon climbed up his crossed arms and back onto his shoulder where he belonged.

“I know,” he said, “come on, let's go check on the other Crystal Ponies. I'm gonna take some of this Shadowsteel stuff with me in case we need it. There's gotta be some way to break this stuff, right?”

PAL thanked the laboratory mares for their help analyzing the golem armor, and exited the laboratory up a flight of marble stairs with a soft blue carpet that kept his metal footpads from slipping. Once Spike was certain that his loving audience couldn't hear him again, he whispered into his friend's audio sensors.

“The only reason I'm showing off is because the Crystal Ponies really like me. I'm scared of fighting those golems! What if we can't find something that can break this stuff?”

“I'm scared too,” he answered, “do you know our statistical chance of us winning without Twilight Sparkle and the other girls? Let's just say I wish she were here.”

Spike rested his head glumly on the metal shoulder, “Yeah... me too”

---

When they got outside, the courtyard had been lit up with torches and three rapidly assembled furnaces churning away at scrap metal to produce weapons and armor for the crystal ponies. PAL was impressed with the speed at which the empire had set up the crude yet practical pieces of manufacturing equipment, and molten steel bubbled from the top of each of the vase-shaped cauldrons, red hot coal fires underneath heating them up. A couple of blacksmith ponies eagerly tightened their aprons, ready to go to work with their hammers and tongs.

Princess Cadance and Shining Armor were making their rounds through the courtyard, checking up on the activities of the other Crystal Ponies who had volunteered for the militia. Some had put together care packages of bandages and salves, while others had prepared large portions of soup, sandwiches and apple pies for the long day ahead. Away from the dangerous forges, Arbiter and Limpwing were helping some of the mares and stallions learn how to swing staffs made from broomsticks to teach them basic combat techniques.

“Cadance!” shouted Spike while waving his arm in the air, trying to get the princess's attention.

She heard his distinct voice over the bustle and brought her husband with her, “Spike! What did you and PAL find out about the golems?”

The dragon smiled, “Tell 'em PAL.”

“It looks like Shadowsteel is a rather complex enchanted woven material,” PAL relayed to them as simply as he could, “or in other words, it's a cursed super-dense metal. We'll need some sort of counter-magic to punch through it.”

“The Crystal Heart,” Cadance answered, looking up at the center of her palace's tower, “if Sombra was destroyed by it before, perhaps the golems would have the same weakness.”

“We're already relying a lot on the Heart to extend the barrier tomorrow,” Shining warned, “we don't want to overwork it trying to use it as a weapon too.”

“There's got to be a way,” Cadance countered, giving herself time to think, “We could...”

She looked around the courtyard, and spotted the three furnaces bubbling furiously, “we could have the Heart enchant the metal in the furnaces!”

They turned their heads and looked at the tall smoking pots of metal were sitting just within range of the central window of the palace. It would be simple enough to convince the artifact to bestow its blessing upon the slag if asked nicely.

“It could work,” PAL mused, holding a metal hand to his chin, “if there's enough magic for all the smelted materials, all the weapons and armor you forge from it could contain the counter-magic necessary.”

“What if it doesn't work?” Spike questioned.

“Then we're no worse off,“ PAL answered, crossing his arms and rolling his orange eyes, “but you've all seen the Crystal Heart work wonders before, I have no reason to doubt it'll pull through again.”

“Well yeah, the Heart is pretty strong, but it needs time to recover between feats of magic,” Shining Armor said, continuing to remind them, “if we use it to enchant the metal we've got, it might not be at full strength tomorrow.”

Cadance weighed her options silently, and then huffed to herself for a few moments.

“It's your call, honey,” her husband said, frowning, “I'm just thinking about what's best for the empire. We don't want the heat shield falling.”

A thin beam of light started to pour forth from the palace, the doors to the Heart's chamber were opening to the night sky. Usually it was far too bright and woke up everyone who lived within the vicinity of the palace, but the crystalline blast panels were drawing back on their own. The event soon had everyone's attention.

“I guess you've decided?” PAL asked the princess.

“I'm... not doing this,” Cadance replied slowly, eyes wide.

The autonomous decision of the ancient artifact had been made, the bright light illuminating the Crystal Ponies attending to the forges and furnaces. Even Celestia shielded her eyes with her wings from the intensity of the pure light. A column of energy shot from the core into the tops of each of the furnaces, transforming the orange steel into a silver color that glistened rather than bubbled angrily. When the process was complete, the rays of light shot back into the Heart's room and the doors slammed shut with a loud report that nearly deafened the spectators and sent a sharp breeze through the courtyard.

An earth pony stallion standing near the princesses of Equestria stammered, “What in sweet Cel...”

Celestia lowered her wing and glared at him with a pouting expression, pretending to be offended. The color drained from his face from the royal gaze as well as two of the crystal guards giving him a filthy look.

“I mean... that was weird!” he finished dryly, pulling at his work shirt's collar with a hoof, “S... sorry.”

“Now what would your mother say if she heard you talk like that?” Celestia teased, swapping out her faked annoyance for her warm smile

“Nothing good,” he answered, laughing nervously and shuffling on his hooves, “I need to watch my mouth.”

“Oh never mind. Let's go see what happened, shall we?” Princess Celestia ordered teasingly.

“Y... Yes ma'am!”

He galloped over to a wooden ladder propped up against the closest furnace and ascended to the mouth of the machine, getting a closer look. He remembered being unable to get this close from the heat radiating from the ore, but now it felt like the metal was a lot cooler.

“This is getting cold, we need to pour now!” he said, shouting down at the other blacksmiths, “Let's go!”

Agreeing, a strong team of mares and stallions worked together on a set of heavy ropes they grabbed in their mouths. The ends were tied to the tops of the elongated cauldrons, and together with the forces of their back legs they tipped the smelting machines over, melted enchanted metal pouring in a stream of liquid silver like mercury. It glowed with reflected moonlight and was nearly as thick as the molten steel it was made from when the blacksmiths put their hammers to it. Sparks did not fly from the material, but it was very easy to shape into spearheads and armor and felt cool to the touch, just like a soft clay.

“Whatever the Heart did, this isn't really steel anymore,” the stallion said, “it's cool and hammers out easily, but it keeps its shape!”

Shining Armor had him finish a spear and bring the weapon over to him, which he grabbed with his magic and inspected closely. The tip fresh off the anvil rapidly cooled in the air and became harder than any steel with a color and reflectiveness like sterling silver.

“Woah! PAL, get a look at this,” he said, his aura tossing the spear to the machine.

PAL extended a hand and caught the wooden shaft, stopping the flat end of the tip just in front of Spike's nose.

“HEY!” he gasped, “Watch it!”

A metal finger tapped on the tip of the weapon, creating a tiny scratch.

“Is this what we need, PAL?” Shining asked, “What even is this stuff?”

He looked up at the stallion from his fingers and responded, “I believe it is a completely new material altogether. No known metal is liquid at room temperature, hardens instantly when it's done being worked with, and can cut titanium effortlessly. As for the golems...”

PAL raised his hand and opened it up, prompting Spike to give him a piece of the Shadowsteel armor from the little bag. The robot brought down the dark gray piece of metal and held the spear in his other hand before thrusting it. With a surprising spray of arcane yellow sparks, the tip went right through the material as if the 'invincible' shadow metal was made of foam!

“It works!” Spike cheered, pumping his fist, “We're gonna clobber those golems!”

“I think we can beat them with this... Heartium,” PAL mused.

“Is that what we're going to call it?” Shining Armor chuckled, “Heartium?”

“I kinda like it, it's simple,” Cadance said, “and since PAL did all that hard work researching the Shadowsteel, I think he should get to name the new material the Crystal Heart made for us.”

“I appreciate that very much,” he answered, his metal jawline grinning, “but let's not forget that we have a very limited supply of this alloy. We should use it on things that will help the Crystal Ponies the most.”

Celestia and Luna had seen the flash of sparks, and had walked over to investigate, their manes flowing behind them.

“It looks like the new metal the Heart has given us is extremely strong!” Luna marveled, “Have we decided how to use it all yet?”

“Armor and spears,” Shining said quickly, “I don't want anypony getting hurt, and spears don't take much material.”

“That sounds reasonable,” PAL added.

“It looks like spears for the militia and armor then,” Cadance answered confidently.

“You guys ought to get suits of armor too,” Spike suggested, “I bet it'll look cool!”

“It probably would!” chuckled Cadance, “But I don't think I want a suit of armor.”

“What? You are definitely using a suit of armor,” Shining protested.

“If it means one more Crystal Pony gets it instead, then I don't want a suit,” she insisted, holding a wing over her heart, “this is still all my fault for letting Rosseth get out of control.”

“Then I shall not use a suit either!” Luna agreed, gesturing with her hoof, “The citizens of the Crystal Empire will need all the protection they can get!”

Shining Armor was finding himself increasingly outvoted, and looked to Spike and PAL for support in hopes they'd help him make the princesses see that they were crazy.

“Come on guys, we all need armor, right?”

“Scales,” answered Spike plainly.

PAL pounded on his machined chest-plate with his mighty fist, “Carbon-titanium hull. Best armor there is.”

“Right,” the captain answered, looking at the ground, “nevermind.”

It didn't take long for the skilled blacksmiths to churn out a few hundred sparkling spears and suits of armor for the front liners of the militia. But a lot of the Crystal Ponies also chose to go armorless, especially the pegasus ponies who preferred to have their wings unhindered by plating. Once all of the materials had been created and the furnaces were empty, the weapons were stored in the palace for safekeeping. Only a bucket of Heartium was left behind on orders of Shining Armor, who had plans for the material.

Now that the preparations were complete, Princess Luna gathered the attention of the crowd, “Ponies of the Crystal Empire! You may believe you are finished preparing for tomorrow, but you have not! You all need a good night's rest to have the energy for the battle ahead.“

While Luna gave her speech about the importance of sleep hygiene, Princess Cadance felt a tap on her barrel from one of her advisers.

“Your Highness, if you please,” the light blue unicorn mare requested, “follow me.”

Cadance was led away from the crowd by the secretary until they were a good distance away from everyone else.

“What is it Looseleaf?” asked the princess of love, curious as to why she needed to be dragged away.

Looseleaf activated her horn and brought out a pink sheathe made from painted wood, a gold handle and crossguard visibly sticking out. The rain guard and rounded pommel of the blade was encrusted on both sides with a pink and a blue energy gem, which glowed brighter the closer they got to Cadance's body. Fascinated, Cadance pulled the sword out with her magic aura and watched as a blade the length of her own body slid out with a crisp sound. She held the weapon in front of her and moved it around, getting a good look at the fine craftsmanship. It was clearly made from gold, some of the Heartium, and her favorite energy crystal colors.

“A sword?”

“This is for you,” she answered, “the blacksmiths were ordered to not make you anything like you asked, but they wouldn't take no for an answer. So they dragged your husband over and told him he was designing something for you. He picked the sword because... and I quote.. 'I want her beside me the whole time'.”

Cadance smiled lovingly, “Aww, that is just like him.”

“It's true, I'm a big nerd and need my wife,” Shining Armor said, entering the previously private conversation.

The princess re-sheathed the sword and placed it back under Looseleaf's control, turning around to meet him with a swish of her long multicolored mane.

“I thought you didn't want me out there with you,” she said, looking into his eyes, “something about me getting hurt?”

“I married you so we can be together,” he answered, holding out his hoof, “I was letting my worries come first before the way you felt about this. How you want to help save the empire. But hey, now if something happens, we'll get hurt together.”

She felt her lip quiver, and flung herself into his embrace, “You're such a dummy and I love you for it.”

“I know...”

“Ma'am, will you take this sword?” Looseleaf asked, “Or was it just for making up?”

Cadance kissed her partner on the cheek and let him go in order to get the sword back from her assistant, “I'll use it tomorrow. I've never actually swung a sword before in my life, but... how hard could it be?”

“Oh boy,” Shining said, “maybe Arbiter could help you a little before we go out tomorrow, okay?”

“He'll be thrilled!” teased the slender princess, winking at him.

“Good luck tomorrow my lady,” Looseleaf said, bowing.

Cadance fastened the hilt to her side, Shining helping her out by providing a smooth black belt that fit snugly around her middle. Then, she thanked her secretary and left with her husband to see if their one-eyed friend was willing to give her a few lessons!

---

Within the confines of the valley castle, Sombra had assembled the vast swarm of golems in preparation for his sweeping victory against the Crystal Empire. Ten thousand units, all lined up shoulder to shoulder, with purple eyes glowing within their helmets all looked up at the balcony Midnight commanded them from. The soon-to-be prince of the shadows stood at Sombra's right, while Rosseth stood at his left with a rather troubled look on his face.

“GOLEMS!” Sombra bellowed down to this troops, “Tomorrow morning is the dawn of a new age for the Shadow Pony. The Crystal Empire has made a fatal mistake out of their lack of foresight. They have constructed a mighty fortress to the west of their city, merely because my specter took refuge there! But we will be striking from the east, rendering the entire palace and its firepower useless.”

Rosseth was trying to avoid listening to Sombra go on about how deficient the Crystal Ponies were militarily and leaned over to glance at Midnight. The smuggest, most rotten look was on his face, and his horn poured out a weird smoke. But the thing that upset the zebra the most was his sclera, which were starting to turn a sickly yellow color like he was suffering from acute jaundice.

“That dark magic is going to end up destroying him,” the zebra muttered, counting on Sombra's shouting to drown him out, “I'd feel sorry for him if it wasn't for the way he turned on his friends. I'm almost looking forward to watching him explode.”

“And so, my ARMY,” the king declared, slamming his hoof down on the hard stone surface of the ledge, “we are going to split our forces into a main group, and a strike team to flank around to the west! Those fools have moved too many of their guards out of the castle, and have left it weak! If we are able to push the Crystal Ponies back into the city and destroy that steam-powered fortress, they'll have no place to run!”

“Then, Techorse's missile will do the rest! So I'd shut up about how we're going to lose, smartflank,” Rosseth heard in his mind, an intrusive thought coming to him in Midnight's voice.

Nearly choking, he looked back at Midnight, who was now staring at him with his horribly discolored eyes, yellow and red.

Rosseth felt a chill run right through his spinal chord, he could hear Midnight speak, but his lips were not moving, “What's the matter Rosseth? Didn't you know that I'd gain my father's power to intrude on thoughts? Oh, and by the way, why are you so gelded that you can't tell me what you think of me to my face?”

“Stop, Midnight,” he answered with his thoughts, clenching his teeth tightly, “you have my loyalty against the Crystal Empire, and that's all you need to know!”

“Just don't bother coming back if you mess it up,” Midnight warned, letting a cruel laugh loose in the Zebra's mind.

Soon after Midnight's voice left his head, Rosseth felt his brain pound with anxiety and the worst migraine he'd had in years. Now he couldn't even think about standing against the shadow ponies safely.

Sombra finished his speech, “Tomorrow... WE STRIKE FOR THE KINGDOM!”

The golems raised their fists in allegiance, and were then dismissed for the evening so that they could power down to conserve energy. Sombra brought back in his two most trusted allies into the atrium where a tray of hot tea had been brought in by the slaves. The last one of them, just a little pegasus mare wearing her maid outfit, whimpered and scurried off like a kicked puppy when she saw Midnight's twisted eyes.

“We will conduct operations from here using the arcane viewing screen in the war room,” King Sombra informed Midnight.

“This will be over in a matter of hours,” Midnight mused, smiling to reveal his newly gained fangs, “I'm looking forward to winning back that city.”

“As am I,” replied his adoptive father, mane flowing in the breeze from the open balcony door, “but there is still one thing you lack as a successor to my throne. I will have it prepared for you tomorrow morning, make sure that you are bathed and well-groomed for it.”

“As you wish, father,” answered the sapphire stallion, bowing at the knee before leaving.

“Rosseth,” the king said as soon as Midnight had departed the hallway, “I haven't forgotten about you. I have something special you will need. A surprise, you might say.”

The zebra was not eager to learn what the “surprise” was, but knowing he had no choice, followed him anyways. Sombra brought him back to the stained glass windows that he had lectured Midnight in front of, and as soon as they stood in the moonlight in front of the largest piece, Sombra turned his back to him ominously.

“Rosseth... answer me honestly,” the ancient king said dryly, “do you honestly intend to serve me? Or are you starting to have regrets about your decision to bring me back? Did you honestly believe you could control me like some sort of a weapon against Princess Cadance?”

The hybrid felt his stomach start to turn knots, until he realized that was exactly the reaction the king wanted, and relaxed his muscles, “I thought you might pay back what was done to me all those years ago.”

“And I am about to, in full, with interest!” the dark unicorn answered with an honest statement, “yet I can feel that there's rebellion in your heart, Rosseth. A desire to turn on me out of the massive amounts of 'goodness' in your heart. Not moral goodness, mind you, but the knowledge that it's not quite fair that the Crystal Ponies should all suffer just so you can make Cadance's life a horror.”

He had a rather unhealthy tone of joy with his other thought, “Or perhaps Shadow Breeze's demise is what's set you off.”

The potion maker felt the coldness return to his spine, sweat was starting to accumulate under his mane and his heart was pounding away in his ribcage anxiously.

Sombra instantly knew what his zebra servant was thinking, having probed Rosseth's mind from the beginning,

“Oh... neither of those are true.”

With his curved horn glowing red, the ruler turned, tendrils of shadow energy snaking out from underneath his hooves and approaching Rosseth, who tried to back away. Two red eyes were piercing right into the depths of his soul, trying to tear it apart.

“Someone has changed you, Rosseth! But even if you've changed, I demand loyalty you worthless hybrid, and I will show you what happens to traitorous scum like you!”

Sombra did not open with any attacks, but Rosseth felt a strange sensation of water accumulating near the bottoms of his hooves. Looking down he could see that a rising level of cold, icy water the color of the sea was starting to fill the hallway. Panicking, he lifted up his head and screamed, only to find out that King Sombra had vanished!

The level of the frigid ocean rose quickly up to his neck, and the poor zebra feared for his life as it began to rapidly thrash around him. His head was dunked under the surface multiple times and fluid threatened to get into his trachea with each violent wave of the newly formed sea.

“I can't swim!” Rosseth cried, short of breath, “Sombra's going to drown me! Techorse, Flaming, ANYPONY, HEEEEEELP!”

“Ross!”

A beam of light shone from above, he looked at it quickly, to see Princess Cadance reaching out from him from the safety of a beautiful ivory colored lighthouse. She was high up on the ledge of the building, whose spotlight was blinding him and making paddling while avoiding blindness harder. All he could do was squint and make out the princess's desperate eyes and pleading hoof. The waves were coming up and over his head, and it looked like he was doomed to a watery grave.

“Cadaaaaaaaance!” screamed the zebra finally in hopes she could hear him, “Why?! Why did you let this happen to me?!”

The figure of Cadance shouted to him, “Ross! I'm coming! I'm coming to help you!”

In that moment, “Cadance” evaporated in a puff of pink colored smoke and dust, from her figure came a rapidly plunging Lighthearted with love and fear both consuming her eyes. The mare crashed into the zebra, and they both rolled over onto the carpet of the stained glass hallway. There was no more ocean, no more lighthouse, and no more raging tempest around them.

It had all been another poisonous fear curse by King Sombra, who stood before them laughing like a demon at their pain and suffering.

“Ross, oh are you all right?” she cried, ignoring the king's laughter, “you were just standing there, your mouth was foaming!”

“I... you... you saved me, love,” Rosseth said, almost speechless.

“How pathetic, your greatest fear is that you can't swim,” Sombra cackled, “now I know why you wouldn't cross the river!”

Seizing Lighthearted with his aura, he turned her around to face him, “Oh, and what's this, did I hear you call Lighthearted your love? I guess I was wrong in thinking you only lusted after her, I suppose you are capable of romance. Knowing how much you care about her, it's a shame I'm going to have to dispatch this rebellious mare.”

With a yellow flash of energy from his horn, the guillotine from the courtyard appeared in the room around Lighthearted, locking her into it instantly. Rosseth felt his pulse jump into his throat and blood pressure drop as Sombra reached with his hoof for the activation lever. Lighthearted had just enough time to shut her eyes and grit her teeth in hopes it would mean she didn't have to feel anything...

“Wait, don't!” cried Rosseth dryly, putting out his hoof desperately, “Don't do this, take me instead!”

This was exactly what he had wanted to hear, and smiled maliciously, “I don't want your head, Rosseth, I want your undying loyalty. You'll go tomorrow and face Cadance for me to save Lighthearted, won't you?”

“I'll do it,” Rosseth said quickly, “I had planned on confronting her anyways, but...”

“...but now you'll either put an end to the Princess of Love's reign, or meet your own end,” Sombra finished for him, stomping his hoof on the ground, “I suppose this means I can finally count on your loyalty.”

With the same flash of yellow light, the cruel machine was gone, leaving Lighthearted on the ground with a paler look on her face. She ran over to Rosseth and hugged him tightly, tears running down her cheeks.

“I'm so sorry!” she sobbed.

“You saved me, Light. I'm going to save you,” he said assuredly, holding her tight.

The mare vanished from another teleportation spell cast by Sombra, frightening Rosseth again.

“She'll be in the slave quarters for now,” he answered smugly, “as for what you'll do to Cadance...”

Reaching underneath the red flowing cape affixed to his armor, Sombra drew out a sheathe made of obsidian stone. A handle made of a silver metal with jet lining and crossguards was sticking out of it, and Sombra drew the weapon with his red aura before producing a blue gemstone.

“Midnight promised me this would work,” he said as he levitated the stone to Rosseth's forehead and pressed tightly.

The stone flashed, and Sombra took it back, placing it in an indent on the sword's crossguard. Intuitively, Rosseth attempted to move the sword to him with his mind, and the blade floated in front of him, suspended by a blue magical field. Taking a few shallow swings, the hybrid collected the sheathe and tied it to his belt.

“Cut down any who stand in your way,” Sombra reminded him, “and remember to change into the robe I have provided for you in your room. You cannot go charging in without the enemy knowing who you serve.”

“Will you spare Lighthearted if I face Cadance and her friends?” Rosseth demanded, repressing the need to cry.

“I have nothing to gain by ending her now,” he answered, closing his eyes and shaking his head, “so whether you come back alive or dead, she'll be safe so long as your 'meeting' with Cadance occurs.”

Opening his cruel red eyes, he gave him that fake, psychopathic smile one more time, “Now, go get some sleep my general. You'll need to be up early.”

A whirlwind of shadow energy consumed the king, whisking him out of the room, and leaving Rosseth to think. He activated the mindstone again and drew out the sword, looking over the nature of the blade. The material seemed to be reflective, and sharp, but not the same kind of material the golems were made out of. Rosseth thought about what Sombra had asked him to do. He thought over the horrid deal he had been given.

“Whether you come back alive or dead, she'll be safe.”

Thinking over his options, he decided his exact course of action, and sheathed the sword with the sharp sound of metal.

“I'm coming for you, Cadance. This hatred for you ends tomorrow.”

Comments

[Starlight Nova]

7897027
In that case, could you please tell me where I can find the owner of Flaming Ivory?

[Grekoy]

Watch out everypony! Cadance have a sword!

[Spirals95]

8802523
I bet I could talk to the owner and get back to you with a character sheet. Seems like you're interested in what the characters' voices might sound like.