An Elite Guardian

Two hours have passed since I originally met Archivist, and I was currently on my way to the archive with Twilight, Rainbow, and Fleur- none of them knowing why- following me. If there is one current benefit of them being turned into Ifrit it is that they aren't verbally questioning it. I still had no weapons or my old armor on, much as I tried to do so. The Ifrit hand servant assigned to me told me that since I was recently awakened, Laval  did not wish me in combat just yet, and since it was ordered while I was out, I can not over rule it.

Still, I am making the best of my situation by learning what I can of this race. We had just arrived outside the archive when I ordered the three behind me, "Do not speak unless your opinion is asked, and whatever is spoken inside will not leave it. Am I clear?"

"Yes, my liege," the three said.

"Good. Now come. I must not keep him waiting." With that, I stepped foot into the archive, a three story building made of quartz and with an open entrance that offered no protection. On the inside, or at least on the first floor, there was a back wall of shelves filled with books-which lit up Twilight's eyes I noted- and a single Ifrit reading a hard cover sitting in a chair. He looked up. "Ah, my king and his escorts. I was expecting you," he said before closing the book and standing up.

"I do not have all day, Archivist. I am here simply to sate my curiosity, so why did you need to see me?"

"Simply gauge your knowledge on Ifrit history," he said. "But first, may I get you four a drink?" As it fell under the opinion aspect of my orders the three spoke up with yes, while I said no.

Archivist nodded. "Then I will be back," he said before going to a separate room. A minute later, he returned with three glasses on a tray. "My apologies, these are the best drinks I could find that would agree with pony tastes."

"We aren't ponies," Twilight growled before taking her drink and Rainbows in her magical grasp and handing the latter her drink as Fleur took hers, and the three took a sip at the same time.

"Oh, I know," Archivist said. "What I meant to say was the drinks that will do what I want as quickly as possible," he said before the three of them fainted and the glasses dropped and broke on the floor, their drink spilling over the floor. I growled before he held up his hand. "They are alive, simply being freed of a spell Laval places them and everyone he turns to ensure their loyalty to him. That is to say, all converts."

"What do you speak of?" I growled at him.

"Whether the pure Ifrit know it or not, Laval has turned all outsiders thus far into Ifrit that haven't been killed," Archivist said. "Laval is also well versed in mind control as well, and puts a spell on them to ensure they are loyal to him and him alone. Only reason he didn't with you is because I did not let him near you as the ritual was being done on you, Ruso Tafam."

"Why would he do that?"

"Because he has had the throne since Ashen died, and does not wish to give it to you. All Ifrit today but me and him know only his rule, not yours, and all but me are loyal to him."

"So Ifrit have a long life span?" I asked. "That contradicts what Rainbow said; that he was descended from him."

"Self feeding-propaganda for the young ones, which given current capabilities, is not far fetched," he replied. "I, however, am from Ashen's time, the last of the Ifrit he personally created to record our history as it happened with an unbiased eye and granted longevity. I can still die, do not be mistaken, but if I do not die by blade, illness, or poison, I will live until the universe can no longer sustain even a single life. As for how none know the truth but him and me? A combination of loyalty spells, mind wipes, and selective purges of family blood lines."

"And just what did you mean by what you said earlier about the first king waking?" I asked, still on guard.

"What I said: the first King, Ashen, has awoken," Archivist said, and I think I detected a hint of happiness in his voice. "But with him, so have thirteen others: his six guard and the first queen and her guard. The latter group- the queen and her guard- I wish were not."

"Why?" I asked.

"To put it concisely, she and Ashen began a war with her being on one side, Ashen on the other," Archivist began. "It decimated our race, which was enhanced by Laval's purges, and nearly wiped out the ponies, who were the focal point. The queen, her name being Fernis, wanted them wiped out so the Ifrit would be the dominant magic race on Equis, while Ashen did not, and protected them. While he and his allies did win, it was at a great cost, and one of the pony soothsayers of the time foretold of the return of those fourteen, and the war resuming."

He turned around, and took a book off the shelf before turning back around, and tossing the book to me, which I caught. "A copy of Ifrit history, and the only one without Laval's bias in it," he told me. "From Ashen's first hand account of creating the Ifrit to just a week ago, everything is in there. If you wonder why it is so thin, it is because I prefer to have the feeling of a book in my hands, so it has been hollowed out and a data pad placed inside."

I looked at it. "Clever," I said. "But what of Rainbow, Twilight, and Fleur?"

"As I said, the loyalty spell is being removed, and they will wake in the hour. They will still be an Ifrit and see it as a blessing-  side effect regardless of whatever else happens, so do not ask me to remove it- but they will not be loyal to Laval any more. As for why it is in drink form? Most Ifrit spells related to the mind are liquid based."

"That does not answer how you know I am not one" I told him.

"Subtle things," he said. "You feel uncomfortable in Ifrit made armor, you are not overtly hostile to subordinates, and, most importantly, the spell meant to bring Ashen to life failed. In part."

"In part?" I asked.

"Aye, something very odd," Archivist said. "Ashen, though he protected ponies and had their values, did not like being trapped in another's body unable to control it. The ritual failing means either you are not him, or something equally confusing."

"He is content with being a passenger," I concluded, to which Archivist nodded.

"Those are the two I came to, yes," he said before taking a flask from his robes. "Do not fear, this isn't poison," he told me. "It is something i prepared should the latter become true. You may not hear him if he is in you, but he is awake. Drinking this will allow you to."

"And why should I trust your words?" I asked him.

"Because if you do not, the ponies will fall," he said.

I eyed the flask. "I think I can do just fine without his advice," I said. "Still, I will keep it handy should I need the help."

"That is the least I can ask for, I suppose," Archivist said with a head bow as I stowed the flask on my waist. "The Queen, Fernis. Do you know who holds her spirit?"

"No, I do not," he replied. "Simply that it is not Ifrit, nor are the reincarnated guard spirits. Other than that, I do not know."

I sighed. "Never easy, the work of a hero is," I muttered. "So, in regards to Laval, what should I do?"

"As you did not take the potion, I would recommend avoiding him when you can," Archivist said. "As for those three," he said, gesturing to Fleur and the others, "as I said, they will no longer be loyal to Laval, secret or otherwise, but will still be Ifrit and see it as a blessing. However, from what I saw of their memories of you, they would still follow you, even if you weren't pretending. You've earned their respect. That plus Rainbow Dash feels as if she owes you for keeping her secret."

"I'll take what I can here," I said. "Can you do the same for the others that have been converted?"

"Why?" he asked.

"Because they deserve the choice to follow Laval or fight against him. Because even if it won't be agreed upon, the leaders of the world will need to unite to stop this threat, and we they will need every advantage they can get."

"You know they won't follow those they used to, right?" Archivist asked.

"Tell me, what kind of society are the Ifrit? Honor bound, or what?"

"Honor bound mixed with combat prowess," he replied before his eyes widened. "Oh. Well, I can't say for certain, but if you were to defeat the best fighter in this camp, who is turned himself, then the converted would most certainly follow you. The purebloods, however, won't. They see all converted as second-rate."

"I do not care about them," I said. "Only ensuring I'll have as many troops as possible."

Canterlot-war room

Celestia, garbed in her battle armor, was currently meeting with her two generals- the number having been knocked down after Rainbow, Twilight, Fleur, and Ruso left- as to how they were going to handle the Empire.

"Do they suspect anything?" Celestia asked them.

"No ma'am," one of the generals said. "At this stage, the only threat will be the second in commands should Ruso not return, as it is certain when he will, he will come after us."

"Then if he comes back, we share focus between him and the main targets," Celestia said. "Prepare the army, we march on the Empire tomorrow and should arrive in a week.

"And make sure to have broadcast spells so that everyone can see it fall."