The Dusty Brown Road

Travel was slow in the large company, and that was slightly grating on Twilight given that on the move she had little time to practice her magic or swordsponyship. Still, they had finally made it onto the Empress’ Road, so things were bound to speed up some. Of course, the trip would still be fairly slow-going given they were traveling with a decent-sized troop. They had taken a total of four hundred soldiers, mostly grand army converts, and all seventy-three as of yet unconverted prisoners. Which left a bare minimum of roughly one hundred and fifty to guard Stalliongrad. However, given that the troop was heading south, attention wouldn’t be on them. Most of the Empire and its military’s attention would be on Twilight Sparkle, her master, Masque Raid, and their soldiers. So over a hundred soldiers left under the command of Thunder Cracker would be more than enough to hold Stalliongrad.

Twilight couldn’t say that she’d miss the earth stallion either. He was always so angry and confrontational it was difficult to do anything with him. Not to mention that she did not appreciate many of the things he accused her master of being. There was a time when she would have been happy to hear such things, but…Nightmare Moon had at least earned her trust back for the most part. Though on occasion the unicorn would grow unreasonably nervous of what her master was up to when she couldn’t see the alicorn, and she still didn’t like to be touched much by anyone. It didn’t frighten or startle her, but it did make her skin crawl.

Gildaris had not been heard back from yet, but Nightmare Moon insisted they had waited too long as it was. The Empire would soon figure out its counterattack had failed, and the Lunar Republic had to strike before it could formulate another assault. That was especially now that they WERE out on the road. They were vulnerable here.

Nightmare felt that the gryphons would agree to the offer, though, and trusted Thunder Cracker to at least finalize the deal. Even if she just barely did. Then the Republic’s new ally would be told of their plans, and the first shipment and soldiers would be directed towards the traveling troop. Masque expected they would have it before they reached North Bay. Twilight supposed that if enough gryphons were sent to support the goods sufficiently they could travel by air then he would be right. Otherwise, it would take much longer before the first supplies arrived.

Of course, the young mare was by no means eager for Gildaris to agree to the deal. She knew it was needed, but she also knew that the republic soldiers would have trouble working with gryphons after the incident in Stalliongrad. Plus, from the bits her master had informed her about their society, she knew the gildarin soldiers would not listen to her on the simple basis she was female. It would be a disaster ready to happen, and Twilight knew that if she couldn’t keep her soldiers in line there’d be hell to pay.

A pegasus suddenly landed right next to her, and caused the unicorn to cringe in surprise. The mare paid no attention to it, as she delivered a message, “Magus, her majesty requests your presence at the front of the company.”

“Thank you, uh…” Twilight quickly searched out a ranking emblem on the recolored grand army armor. “Cornicen.”

“You’re welcome, Magus.” The pegasus replied.

As the messenger took off back into the air, the young unicorn began to canter through the large troop. The soldiers paid her mind, and moved aside whenever she needed them to on her way. Their respect still felt odd to her, but she was starting to become more used to it.

It did not take long for Twilight to reach the head of the company. There she found Nightmare Moon leading the way with several guards on either of her sides, including the two praetorians who were with the Republic right now. Blushing, the young unicorn did her best to ignore the view she had of the alicorn’s plot, and trotted up to the former-empress’ side. “Master, you asked for me?” She greeted, quickly regaining her composure.

Nightmare took note of her with the barest hint of a smile. “Yes. Are you well, Twilight?” The obsidian alicorn wondered.

Twilight furrowed her brows in confusion but answered all the same, “Yes. Did you call me here to check on my health?”

“No. Do I need a reason to have you by my side when I ask it?” Nightmare asked rhetorically.

The lavender mare frowned at the reminder she was a slave. Not that she ever forgot, but her master did usually rub it in her face like that. “I have been meaning to ask about your cloak, though. I’m curious as to where you found it.” The alicorn continued.

“It was a gift. For helping save the civilians during the Empire’s retaliation.” Twilight explained.

“That was your duty. It is inappropriate to accept something in exchange for it.” Nightmare admonished, and turned her head slightly to glare at Twilight.

The unicorn immediately jumped on the defense, not wanting to upset her master. “I didn’t want to take it! The villager who gave it to me insisted!” She replied.

Nightmare scrutinized the young mare closely, but eventually turned her attention back to the long wide dirt road that rested before them. “Then I can understand, but do not start taking things in payment for what you were supposed to do in the first place. What I wonder more about anyway is how you enchanted the cloak. You have never so much as written a rune before. Let alone worked a ritual or enchantment.” She pointed out.

“How do you know it’s enchanted?” Twilight asked.

The cloak had only seen use once, and her master had not been there. “Aside from the fact that I can see still fresh splotches of blood on its backside right now? I can feel it. You are bound to me by blood, Twilight. Did you think that only ensures you serve me? I know I have taught you little about blood magic, but you are smarter than that. I can feel when something is wrong with you, and I can feel whenever you use your blood to power a spell. I am surprised the reverse is not true for you yet. Now, do you care to explain how it is you’re using your blood to power a passive enchantment instead of a magic battery?” Nightmare asked.

Twilight was surprised by the revelation of her blood oath’s other functions, and she couldn’t help but wonder if there were even more features to her bonds. She had to answer her master’s question, though. “I just chose runes that would cause them to draw power from what made them. It was…difficult to figure out how to make that happen.” She explained, ashamed to admit to having trouble. “But I made it work.”

Nightmare Moon appeared surprised. “You made the runes draw power from the blood you used to write them? Your cloak hasn’t shown any signs of stress, has it?” She asked worriedly.

“No.” Twilight answered confusedly.

Her master pondered the information for a long while. “That’s…brilliant. I’ve never heard of a passive enchantment being powered by the runes that make it. Of course, that would only work if blood was involved, I’m certain. Though something similar might be able to be created with personal energy.” She supposed in astonishment.

The lavender unicorn blushed at her master’s praise. “I didn’t think it had never been done before.” She replied meekly.

“There she goes again, underestimating her skill.” A bored voiced interrupted.

Twilight looked to her other side to spot Masque Raid with the hood of his green robe pulled up. The young mare ground her teeth in minor agitation at her conversation with her master being interrupted. “What do you want, Raid?” Nightmare asked, her underlying tone indicating her agreement with the lavender unicorn.

“Many things. Right now I could settle for a cart.” The stallion answered with what he no doubt thought was wit.

“What do you mean underestimating my skill?” Twilight interjected before her master could lash back.

“Come now, I’ve seen you training. Do you think magic comes as easily to every other unicorn as you, or that most can conjure spells of the same strength as yours?” Masque wondered.

Twilight hesitated before answering, “No.”

“Correct. Normally it takes a unicorn anywhere from weeks to months to learn spells depending on what spell it is in question, and their spells are usually weaker than your own. Which means your talent is also far above average. There are exceptions of skilled unicorns learning quicker and casting stronger, but I’ve never seen one pick up a new spell in a matter of hours. Nor have I heard of an enchantment like the one on your cloak, or shield spells being used for offense. You’re a prodigy. You have immense power and potential, and that’s why those soldiers look up to you.” Masque explained.

Twilight’s jaw was slightly agape at this. She knew well enough that she was more skilled than most unicorns, but to be called a prodigy? The compliment felt as uncomfortable as her title of magus. She closed her mouth, and grimaced in thought. She had believed the soldiers followed her because they respected her and what she had done for them. Now it seemed they only respected, or perhaps even only desired, her power.

Nightmare Moon must have sensed her upset, as the alicorn rebuked, “That is enough, Raid. You shall not trouble my charge further. Go tend to the troops.”

“As you wish.” The stallion replied, and wandered back into the crowd, still staring at the sky.

Twilight looked up at her master to see the alicorn was doing the same now as well. “It’s not really true is it?” She asked.

“The soldiers’ respect for you?” Nightmare guessed. “Power always plays an important role in leadership…But it is not all there is, nor is it entirely negative. With leadership comes the responsibility to look after those in your care, and guide them. Those soldiers who look up to you respect and see your abilities as a sign that you are capable of leading and protecting them.”

Twilight smiled slightly, and looked to the sky to see what was so interesting. Her brightened mood was spoiled by the sight of dark clouds on the horizon. Rain was coming.

“Ninety-nine mugs of beer on the wall! Ninety-nine mugs of beer! Take one down! Pass it around! Ninety-eight mugs of beer on the wall!”

Daunting Hooves sighed, and shook his head in agitation. Normally, he was all for his soldiers relaxing when they had the chance. However, not only was this song annoying, but it was not a time for celebration. Their plans had not yet moved into significant motion, and it would also seem suspicious that they were celebrating when it was clear now that the attempt to reclaim Stalliongrad had failed.

There was little the pegasus could do now, however. Most everyone was slap-plot drunk. Interrupting would likely lead to rape by one of the mares among the Praetorians. Normally, such a thought would make him excited, but being a gelding removed a lot of the fun in life. It was at times like these when he idly wondered if he would’ve been able gain back his sex drive by flesh binding. If so, he totally should have gone with that. Though he had not been gelded until he reached his current rank, so it would have seemed a pointless waste at the time.

The Prefect’s thoughts were interrupted as the doors to Praetorian Compound opened. In walked a tall five foot gelding wearing leather and chain both for armor. The grey earth pony was accompanied by grand army soldiers who were watching the party going on with apprehension. Daunting smiled, and approached the gelding. “Ardent, it’s good to see you accepted my invitation.” He greeted.

“We are not friends, Prefect. Do not pretend otherwise.” Ardent Fervor warned calmly, as he brushed part of his brown mane out of his face.

“As you wish, Legatus Fervor.” Daunting replied in an attempt to be courteous. “Shall we retire to my office, so we can speak privately?”

“Very well.” Ardent agreed, and turned his head to call his guards.

However, one of them was being corralled into a group of drunk and agitated mares by a red pegasus and an orange unicorn. The rest of the Legatus’ guards were already in among the mares. Before the gelding could call out to them Daunting Hooves interrupted, “Let them have some fun. You’re perfectly safe here.”

Ardent stared at the Prefect mistrustfully before sighing in acceptance. “Fine. Lead the way, Prefect Hooves.” He said.

The white pegasus nodded and smiled in response. Before he turned, and started leading the way further into the Praetorian Compound. Travel was silent for awhile before Ardent asked, “What are your soldiers celebrating?”

“They like to do this every once in a while to blow off steam.” Daunting partially lied.

“Isn’t that undisciplined?” Ardent wondered.

The Prefect shook his head at his younger companion’s seriousness. “You might find that on our own we praetorians are far more relaxed than most ponies seem to be these days. Outside of the Compound, however, you have seen yourself that we are as strict and disciplined as the Royal Guard. Likely moreso.” He explained.

“Moreso?” The Legatus questioned.

When he did not receive an answer after several minutes he continued, “This is not at all what I had imagined you praetorians were really like.”

“Few things are what we expect them to be.” Daunting replied, as he opened the door to his office and private quarters.

Ardent trotted in, and began to look about at the mess while Daunting proceeded to his desk. He took two glasses and a bottle of wine out from inside it, and filled the glasses with the fine spirit. “Why have you called me here?” The earth gelding asked while Daunting put up the bottle.

“You’re not happy Legatus Fervor.” The Prefect answered, and gestured for his guest to sit before the desk.

Ardent stayed where he was and remained silent. “Don’t pull that stoic righteous orderly holier-than-thou whatever bullshit on me. You know exactly what I’m referring to.” The Prefect asserted.

The Legatus Legionis slowly walked towards the desk and sat down. “You know why the Empresses are fighting, don’t you?” He asked.

“So do you, or don’t you trust Empress Celestia?” Daunting Hooves wondered.

After a moment of silence Ardent Fervor answered, “…Her majesty is not the avatar of honesty.”

Daunting smiled at the response, and slid the second wine glass to Ardent before taking a sip of his own. “Wise words, but her majesty is wise as well. The things she said weren’t entirely a lie. For the most part they’re true. Excepting that Nightmare Moon is not doing this out of selfishness.” He clarified.

“Of course not! She is the avatar of generosity! It is against her nature!” Ardent proclaimed, not questioning how the Prefect knew these things.

Daunting rolled his eyes. Religion was a blinding thing, but it served to help the pegasus in this case. “She has had a disagreement with Empress Celestia about the course of the Empire. That is what this war comes from. Celestia believes in order, and Nightmare Moon believes in freedom.” He continued to explain. “And neither one is willing to budge.”

“Without order there is no peace or salvation.” Ardent asserted.

“Your god would seem to disagree with that.” Daunting Hooves pointed out coolly.

The Legatus grew quiet, but the Prefect caught him eyeing the wine. Finally, the earth gelding spoke, “Why are you telling me this?”

“Because we both know that you need to pony up and choose a side. I’m hoping you’ll choose the right one.” Daunting answered.

“I do not wish to fight either empress.” Ardent Fervor replied.

“You’re in charge of four full legions of ponies. You’re a highly respected and looked up to commander, and you’re one of the heads of the Celestial Empire military. Your choice isn’t whether to fight or not. Your position decides that in itself. Your choice is who do you fight.” Daunting Hooves calmly retorted.

“Who do you want me to fight?” Ardent asked.

“Clever.” The Prefect thought before taking a gamble. “Celestia. We both know the things she’s sanctioned and done. Don’t you remember that fiasco down in the southern desert a few years ago? A whole village and its inhabitants burned for settling unapproved below the border. You weren’t high enough then, but you’re high enough now to know the truth. The Praefectus that supposedly engineered the razing was ordered by Rough Cut to do it. Celestia knew this, but your fellow Legatus went unpunished for this war crime, and her subordinates took the fall. Or how about something more recent? Like the Empress’ rape of her sister’s dear slave.”

“And how do I know you’re not simply spouting lies to make me turn on her majesty, or that this isn’t some trick?” Ardent wondered.

“Because I wouldn’t need to trick you to kill you for treason. Legate Artillerus and the other Legatus Legionis hold no love for you. They’d be happy to be done with someone who was so likely to turn traitor in this situation anyway. Indeed, there might be a rift created between the Grand Army and the Praetorians, but I’d hardly call us friends as it is.” The Prefect answered. “And does it matter if I’m lying when I’m asking you to do what you want to do anyway?”

“It matters the world.” Ardent answered.

“I have no proof for you, and I have nothing more to say. I’m asking for your aid in helping Nightmare Moon. Whether you will or won’t is up to you. Just like whether you will walk out that door, or you won’t.” The Prefect stated clearly.

Ardent Fervor glared at the pegasus, and downed his wine in one swig. He knew it wasn’t a threat.

Twilight Sparkle sat at the front of her master’s tent. As she waited for the alicorn she observed the small village they had camped by curiously. “Conquer” some of the soldiers had said. Others had said “control.” Yet to the young mare it seemed more like a temporary arrangement.

This village, this Mareland, was so small that it seemed to Twilight this revolution would never matter to it. The government had only virtual say here. It was too unimportant to butt into, and it had no real guards. Just a few family stallions whose only choice of weapon was a hoe or a woodcutter’s axe. Most of its inhabitants were earth ponies, but there were also a few unicorns here with questionable talent in magic.

The villagers had thought them attackers when they arrived, and their first reaction to Nightmare Moon was to bow and worship. It was odd. The village was relatively better off financially than Stalliongrad, but the ponies here knew so much less about the world. They were…simple. Not to say they were unintelligent, but everything was down to earth here. Twilight admired it in a way, but the lack of knowledge bothered her on a personal level.

Needless to say, the village could offer no objection the Lunar Republic’s forces camping around them even if they didn’t like it. The soldiers were taking some of the village’s food for their own, but Nightmare Moon and Twilight both insisted that they only take a little. These ponies may be mostly farmers, but they needed what they reaped. In exchange for the little extra supplies they did take the republic forces offered protection with their mere presence. The villagers took all these things in stride. The presence of one of their goddesses quelling any upset they had at the sudden turn of events.

Nightmare Moon approached Twilight with an exhausted look. “Are you alright?” The lavender unicorn asked.

“Yes. Dealing with all this reverence wears on me, but I’ll be fine.” The alicorn answered.

“I thought you liked being in charge.” Twilight pointed out.

“An unfair assumption, but not what I meant at all. I despise being considered a goddess. I never wanted it.” Nightmare corrected.

“Then how’d you come to be seen as one?” The unicorn wondered.

“Celestia insisted.” The obsidian mare explained shortly. “And I’m afraid that we won’t be training tonight.”

“What?!” Twilight exclaimed.

“Calm down, I said we won’t practice. I didn’t say I wouldn’t be teaching you. I simply feel seeing us spar might not have the best impact on my subjects here.” Nightmare clarified.

Twilight hesitated before nodding her understanding. “Okay, what am I learning tonight then, master?” She asked.

The former empress lead the way into her fairly large tent, and laid down on her bedroll. She used a wing to gesture to her side, where there was just enough room for Twilight, but the young mare opted to sit across from her master on the ground. It may have been a trick of shadows, but there seemed to be some hint of sadness in the alicorn’s eyes.

Regardless, Nightmare’s horn lit, and so did the candles in the tent. Yet her horn continued to glow, and the dirt along the ground soon arranged itself into a drawing of a square with many open spaces in it. Thirty-two water spheres soon appeared floating above spaces, but each one was clearly shaped differently and had names written on them to indicate what they were. “Strategy.” Nightmare Moon finally answered. “I know it’s hardly a replacement for an actual board and pieces, but it’ll have to do. Do you know how to play?”

It took Twilight a moment, but she soon recognized the piece names. This was chess. She’d seen guards and servants playing it in their down time on a rare occasion back at the castle. She understood the gist of it, so she nodded in response. “Good, now grab hold of your pieces. Don’t worry, they’ll stay intact unless you grow too angry. If that happens then you lose.” Nightmare instructed.

“That seems unfair.” The unicorn commented, as she grabbed the spheres of water in her telekinesis.

“You have to keep a cool head in even the most upsetting situations.” The ruler of the night responded. “In battle, doubly so.”

Twilight offered no argument, and took awhile to plan out her first move. She moved a pawn forward one space with the intent to slide out a bishop behind it. Nightmare smirked and did the same. Twilight raised a brow suspiciously at this, and moved her bishop out into the field a short way, attempting to be cautious. Nightmare moved out her bishop, and in just two short turns the orbs of water were next to one another. Without warning, the former-empress moved her piece over and destroyed Twilight’s. “What!? Your piece was on the wrong side of the field! It shouldn’t have been to able to do that! You cheated!” The unicorn complained, her pieces wobbling slightly.

“Twilight, look at the board. The spaces are not colored. I did not cheat. You simply limited yourself to a rule that is pointless in this situation.” The Alicorn stated.

“That’s not fair! You can’t bend the rules to suit you!” The young lavender mare objected.

“Nothing is fair in love or war, and who makes the rules? Different ponies from you in different situations and times. Rules are important, but they can be bent to suit different things better. Very few things are absolute.” Nightmare Moon explained, and earned a grumble from her student.

The unicorn did not accept what was being taught, too upset over failing. Agitated, she moved a knight out onto the field. Nightmare did the same. “Oh, what? Are you going to tell me they don’t have to move in Ls now?” Twilight asked sarcastically.

“No. The knights’ movement limitation is not centered around the colors of the board.” Nightmare answered seriously.

Twilight huffed, and began studying the game, trying to decide her next move. She slowly grew tenser as all the ways her master might cheat came to mind. “There’s no way I can win this, is there?” She asked through grit teeth.

“Learning to accept losses is an important lesson, but not one I am teaching now. I am not making this impossible for you.” Nightmare replied.

Twilight looked back at her master, clearly annoyed by the situation. She gave a huff and returned to contemplate the game pieces in front of her. Since it would be impossible to predict Nightmare’s movements, the best thing Twilight could really do was strengthen her defenses. She needed to make sure she always had one piece covering another, and hope she could somehow use the alicorn’s cheating to her own advantage during the game somehow.

With a plan of action in mind, she tried to calm down, and moved one of her pawns forward to threaten her master’s bishop. Nightmare countered by moving the bishop two steps over in a straight line. Once again clearly the ruler of the night was clearly breaking the rules for what the bishop was allowed to do, and, even more frustrating, it was now threatening the unicorn’s knight. Still, Twilight had managed to come to one conclusion from the way the bishop had so far been allowed to roam across the board. “So the bishops are essentially queens in this game,” She guessed, as she moved her knight so it now threatened the would-be Bishop in return.

“You should never judge an opponent’s abilities by how they look,” Nightmare Moon said calmly, and moved her bishop up one square to once again threaten the lavender mare’s knight.

Twilight gritted her teeth at this. Her master clearly wanted to be rid of her knight. So if that was the alicorn’s plan, she was not about to let that happen. Determinedly, she moved her knight into the protection of a pawn, and, in the process, put the bishop into capturing position. If Nightmare wanted to claim her knight now the ruler of the night would lose her bishop, a trade Twilight would be more than happy to make. Instead the former-empress proceeded to claim the pawn her servant’s knight had jumped over to get onto the field. The unicorn cursed, as she realized her rook and other bishop were in danger. What was more, there was nothing she could do about it. Desperately, she attempted to move her knight into position to take out the bishop, but she was already too late. She lost a rook. Nightmare Moon gave a little chuckle at the frustrated groan that escaped from Twilight, and the fact that the lavender mare could finally take out her master’s bishop didn’t seem to cheer her up any.

The game continued on in a similar manner. Nightmare taking three of Twilight’s pieces for every one of her own unicorn managed to take out, and the young mare was growing continuously more frustrated over how bad she was losing. Starting to slowly grasp the rules of the altered game was not helping any either. Her master already knew them, and it seemed that the alicorn was constantly making up new ones as well.

The ruler of the night had, without much difficulty, taken one of her knights, one rook, both her bishops and four pawns, and all Twilight had to show for that were three of her master’s own pawns. It was extremely vexing to see how easily the Alicorn had destroyed her defenses. In the end the unicorn had been forced to make a castling in a last desperate attempt to protect her King. Twilight closed her eyes and rubbed at her temples. This game had been nothing but provoking from the moment it had started. As she looked back down on the board Nightmare made her move. She grabbed one of her queens and took out the young mare’s own queen… “Wait! That wasn’t a queen a second ago!” Twilight wailed in frustration and indignation at the quite obvious trick Nightmare was trying to pull.

The second the unicorn had closed her eyes her master had morphed one of her pawns into another queen. Which had then perfectly situated to take out Twilight’s own queen. “You can't do that! That has nothing to do with the colors on--” She began to yell, but fell silent with her mouth agape as all of her pieces suddenly poured out over the game board.

Even if only for just a few seconds she had completely lost her cool. Nightmare looked down at a game board completely empty from Twilight’s pieces. “Looks like I win.” She said calmly before regarding her servant, who was quite clearly fuming now.

“That’s not fair! None of that game was fair!” Twilight screamed.

“We already went over this. It doesn’t matter if it’s fair or not. Your enemies are unlikely to care. YOU have to think calmly and rationally even in the most upsetting circumstances, and if YOU wish to fight fair that’s fine. But you far from need to, and at the very least you need to understand how your enemy can act against to prepare properly for it.” Nightmare lectured.

“But how can I know what they’re capable of when I don’t understand the situation!?” Twilight argued pointedly.

“That situation is the one you are in, Twilight. This rank the soldiers have made for you, Magus, they have given it to you because they respect you, and you are now in a commanding position over all of them. Yet you have hardly any real combat experience--”

“I have plenty of experience.” Twilight interrupted her master in aggravation.

“You have been in two battles. Two! Both of which you have shown great promise in, and your defeat of a gryphon commander in a duel was most impressive as well. You are indeed blessed with great skill and potential, but two battles do not make you an experienced commander of soldiers! You have much to learn and live through yet, and your reaction tonight shows you still have a long way to go.” The alicorn rebuked.

“My soldiers seem to disagree!” The young unicorn shouted.

“OUR soldiers have seen you practicing! They’ve seen you training with me! They’ve seen your skilled improvisation on the battlefield, and, most importantly, you defended them personally! They don’t know just how inexperienced you are!” Nightmare pointed out.

Before Twilight could retaliate there was a knock on the ten flap, drawing the two powerful ponies’ attention. “Yes? What is it?” Nightmare asked more calmly.

“Your glory, we beseech you for an audience. It is urgent.” Came the voice of a mare.

“Villagers,” Twilight realized.

She wanted to tell them to go away. She wasn’t through yelling at her master for the unfairness of the situation, but she knew she had no say in the matter.

Nightmare Moon heaved a quiet sigh before calling, “Come in.”

In entered a weary looking mare and stallion with a very ill colt. “Your grace, we beg your pardon for bothering you, but our son has been sick for two weeks now. Every day he grows worse. Please, we ask that you heal him. We fear for his life.” The stallion said.

Nightmare clearly looked exhausted to Twilight, but to anyone else she would’ve seemed as calm as always. Her eyes turned to the young colt, and she spoke tenderly, “Come here young one. Can you tell me what’s wrong?”

Nervously, the foal approached, and the alicorn gave a soft smile to try to calm him. “It hurts…right here.” He answered, pointing above his heart.

Nightmare Moon frowned sadly, and touched her horn to the colt’s chest as it lit with magic. After several minutes she lifted her head up, and gave a gentle smile that looked extremely fragile to Twilight. “You’re fine now. Go on home.” She said.

Immediately, the foal brightened, and began to run around his parents in excitement. “Oh thank you, your grace! Thank you!” The mother said gratefully.

“I promise, we’ll live by the tenets more fervently than ever!” The father claimed before leading his family out.

Distracted by the events, Twilight asked, “What was wrong?”

“Worms. He probably ate one alive on a dare. Trouble is, they reproduce by spores. I won’t go into more detail. Suffice to say, I couldn’t kill them without killing him.” Nightmare Moon answered sadly.

“Then why didn’t you tell them the truth?” Twilight asked.

The alicorn gave her an odd look. “Sometimes the truth isn’t what you need to hear.” She answered.

“But they’ll only be more hurt in the long run when he does die!” The unicorn argued.

“Not necessarily. They have faith now.” Nightmare countered.

“What?” Twilight blurted in confusion.

“Faith is one of the fuels for magic, Twilight, and it is the catalyst as well. You know this. Do you think it holds no sway with those that don’t have magic? Faith brings things into being.” Nightmare answered.

“What you’re saying’s impossible.” The young mare denied.

“Only a fool denies the impossible. That’s why they’re fools.” Her master countered.

Author's Note

Hello everyone. It's been FAR too long, and I apologize for the wait. No. Seriously. I'm really pissed at myself for taking so long. If it weren't for these fucking hiatuses between the chapters then this story would probably be done by now, and the most aggravating part is that most of it is due to procrastination. Some of it is for a good reason, but mostly it's just procrastionation. I hope you'll all forgive me, and I'll see about getting this story back on track.

I don't really have much to explain in this chapter except that I know the very last bit with the sick foal is going to divide folks. Normally, I'd be on the side of telling the truth, but keep in mind the entire point of that was Nightmare's ending line. The introduction of a concept that won't stick with Twilight for awhile.

Also, I'd like to thank Leonofsweden and the newly renamed CuriousCurse for giving me a hand with the chess scene. I'm not good at chess, so I was stuck there. Anyway, how have all y'all been?