The Storykeepers

Chapter 2: Breakout Part 2: Bravery and Faith

At Sombra’s lair, Sombra prepared for an overview of the games tomorrow.  He couldn’t understand the logic in following a dead earth pony carpenter who by all accounts shouldn’t even exist in the first place if the stories of his virgin mother were true.

I’m that leader known as Sombra

I’m the empire’s mighty conqueror.

All these gods amount to zero.

Who would disagree?

Though my singing’s much to middling,

I won’t stop my fiddle-diddling.

All can burn, I’ll just keep fiddling.

Glory be to me!

I’ll take the glory.

Who’d disagree?

So dictator-y.

Glory be to me!

Follow me.  Don’t be a whiner.

Other leaders are so minor.

Next to my line, none's diviner.

In all modesty.

Though some ingrates may abhor me,

I insist all worlds adore me.

Thou shallt have no gods before me.

Glory be to me!

I’m full of glory…

And modesty!

No guts, no glory!

Glory be to me!

Yes I’m cruel and mean indeed.

I will tax you ‘till you bleed!

And this week, breathing is free.

Christian tales, I don’t enjoy,

And those who tell them. I destroy!

It’s time they bowed to me…!

I’m Mr. Glory…

So glory be!

I’ve got your story!

Glory… Be to me…!

Sombra chuckled as he walked to a 3D model of the stadium as he smirked.

“It’s brilliant.”  Sombra said with a smirk.  “At the games tomorrow, the lions, dogs, and gladiators will come in through the South Entrance.”

“Totally, your highness.”  Sombra’s servant, Gilda said oily.  “It’s brilliant!”

“Hold your tongue, fool!”  Sombra said agitated.  “I’m not finished for then my champion, Nightmare Moon, shall come in from the North Entrance, and finally, the Christians will come in from the East Entrance and meet their doom… That reminds me.  Gilda, call Chrysalis at once!”

“CHRYSALIS!”  Gilda said as Chrysalis walked in and knelt down.

“Hail Sombra.”  Chrysalis said.

“Chrysalis, where are the Christians?”  Sombra questioned.

“They’re being unloaded now, sir.”  Chrysalis said.  “We captured scores of them in last night’s raid.”

“Excellent.”  Sombra said.  “Then have the sandbags placed in front of their cell.  Nightmare Moon shall break their spirits first… And then their bodies.”

In a cell he shared with several other Christians, Rainbow Dash watched as a black alicorn with indigo mane and teal eyes made one swift kick at the sandbags, and they burst open, sand pouring out of them.

“Oh no.”  Rainbow Dash groaned.

Luna panted as she followed Fluttershy up the hill.  Fluttershy had told Celestia and Luna about Rainbow Dash’s parents and hoped they could help.

“Fluttershy, you’re sure this is where they live?”  Luna asked.

“Yup.”  Fluttershy said as she helped Luna up the steep climb.  “She said just behind this villa, and she said one time…”

Luna looked as Fluttershy’s eyes widened with shock, and she saw that the villa had been ruined, obviously by a fire.

Back at the house, Celestia heard about Luna and Fluttershy’s attempt to contact Rainbow Dash’s parents.

“And the neighbors said she lost her parents in the fire!”  Luna finished.

“We’re the only ones who can help her!”  Fluttershy insisted, and Celestia agreed.  It was like her mother said, do what you can to help ponies.

“Help her?!”  Twilight snapped.  “That little brat’s probably spilling her guts to the guards right now!”

“Twilight, she was taken from one of our meetings.”  Celestia said plainly.  “That makes him our responsibility.  Fluttershy’s right.  We’ve got to help him.”

Celestia went up to the Coliseum where the games were played and brought out a large basket of produce and walked up to a guard.

“State your business.”  The guard said.

“Fruit and vegetables for the gladiators.”  Celestia said as he pulled out a large pastry.  “And this for yourself.”

Inside the corridors, Celestia turned to Twilight.

“Twilight, you make a map of these corridors while we look for Rainbow Dash.”  Celestia said.

“On it, Celestia.”  Twilight said as she rushed off.

Meanwhile, Celestia went with everyone else down the stairs as the foals shouted in shock when they saw a skeleton hanging from the wall.

“What was that?!”  Fluttershy called out.

“A not so successful gladiator.”  Celestia said calmly, though truth be told the skeleton had caught her off guard too.

At that point, they heard singing.

“Sounds like Rainbow Dash isn’t alone.”  Luna observed.

“Halt!”  A baby blue mare with a blue mane with navy and purple streaks in it called out.  “Who goes there?!”

“It’s Celestia with stale fruits and vegetables for the prisoners.”  Celestia said as she held up a cake.  “Too bad guards can’t eat on duty.”

“Actually, it’s just about time for my break.”  The blue mare said.

“Applejack, take care of our friend while we feed the prisoners.”  Celestia said with a smile.

Celestia then headed to the cell with everyone except Applejack and Applebloom.

“Celestia…” Flash said weakly.  “Luna…”

“Shh!”  Celestia said quickly.  “Flash, what are you doing here?”

“We were all rounded up in last night’s raid.”  Flash explained.

“Back away you scavengers!”  Celestia called out in the direction of the guards’ break room.  “That’s all the crumbs you get!”

Celestia then turned to Flash and whispered, “Don’t worry.  There’s enough food for all of you.”

“Fluttershy!”  Rainbow Dash called out in a whisper.

“Rainbow Dash, are you okay?”  Fluttershy asked.

“Yes, but tomorrow, they're going to throw us to some mare called Nightmare Moon.”  Rainbow Dash said urgently.

“Don’t panic.”  Celestia said.  “We’ll have you out before then.  Just have courage.”

“Courage?!”  Rainbow Dash whispered.  “Have you seen the size of this mare?!”

“Size has nothing to do with courage, Rainbow Dash.”  Celestia explained.

“Right.”  Luna said kindly.  “Remember David and Goliath?  And Zachius?”

“Who?”  Rainbow Dash asked.

“Zachius.”  Luna said.  “He wasn’t much taller than you, but he had a lot of courage.  You see the ponies where Jesus lived hated Zachius because he collected taxes for the Ronans.  Because he was so short, he liked to look down on everypony.  He was also very rich and powerful, but what ponies most disliked was that Zachius was a cheat.  But for all of his wealth, he had no friends and was alone.

“Now Zachius had heard a lot about Jesus, and really wanted to see him, so he left the house while Jesus was teaching only a few feet away, but Zachius couldn’t get a good look at Jesus through the crowd as he was so short.  Unfazed, Zachius climbed up a tree to take a look at Jesus when he looked up at him.

“‘Zachius!’  Jesus called out.  ‘Hurry and climb down for today I must stay in your house.’

“The ponies complained, calling Zachius a traitor and a thief for all the money he cheated even the Ceaser of Rone out of.  Hearing these things, Zachius turned to Jesus.

“Lord,’ Zachius said.  ‘I will give half of all I own to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone, I’ll pay them back four times as much.’

“Zachius did so, and as he watched, Jesus said, ‘Truly, God’s forgiveness has come to this house today.’

“You see?  It took a lot of courage for Zachius to be honest.  You know what I mean?”

Celestia smiled.  Luna was a naturally born storyteller and Story Keeper.

In the dungeons, Applebloom hid under the table while Applejack handed the mare, Sonata Dusk, several fruits and vegetables.

“Uh… Miss Dusk, party a'one?”  Applejack asked.

While Sonata ate the food, Applebloom snuck out from under the table, took some dough, and imprinted the key to the Christians’ cell on the dough as she walked out quietly.

It took an hour to double check escape routes in case of any problems; Twilight finished up his map and smiled.

“Perfect.”  Twilight said when he ran into the guard at the door.

“Hey, what are you doing in here?”  The guard asked.

“Uh… Me?”  Twilight asked.  “I’m… With the volunteers for arena improvement.”

“Alright, carry on.”  The guard said as he walked off.

“I think getting Christians out of here would be a definite improvement.”  Twilight said as she walked off.

Once the prisoners had finished their food, Applejack smiled and shook Flash’s hoof.

“Now get some rest.”  Celestia advised.  “We’ll be back for you all in the morning.”

“Fluttershy,” Rainbow Dash said.  “Thank you.”

“It’s okay, Rainbow.”  Fluttershy said with a smile.  “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Fluttershy then walked off as Rainbow Dash sighed.  She wasn’t brave.  She couldn’t even tell her new best friend that she and her parents got separated in the Great Fire, and she wasn’t sure where they were or if they were even alive.  She sighed.  Maybe she could pray for courage.