Three Wishes

Standing amongst a crowd of my fellow knights with my hands folded, every last one of us hang our heads low in sorrow. Even though I’ve never met either of these two knights before, nor can I even recall their faces, it still woes me to know their gone. Heinrick is standing right beside me, but I’ve had to refrain from speaking to him since we got here. Princess Celestia informed me that all of us need to be respectful and remain silent during the funeral. The sky is still dark with our only sources of light being the stars above, and the candles that have been lit and placed around the garden. The two Princesses stand before a pair of white coffins, decorated with gold lining and brightly-colored flowers resting on top of them. “My knights. . .” Princess Celestia begins. “We are gathered together on a most solemn morning. Two fine knights, mysteriously perished during their everyday duties. Knight Kiln, a smith who has devoted much of his time crafting unique armament for us to defend ourselves. From the swords at our sides to the armor on our backs, none of it could have been achieved without him and his talents. He will be missed not only for his contribution to the Royal Guard, but for his heart. Next, Knight Silversword, a master of his blade. He’s trained many of you to become the remarkable swordsponies you are today. He’s seen many battles throughout his years as a knight, and it’s dreadful to know that ‘this’ is how his tale has ended. Both these knights, brave and courageous stallions, may they find their way to the light.”

“May they find their way to the light,” we all chant in unison. Both Princess Luna and Princess Celestia raise their heads to the sky, their horns glowing brightly as they stretch out their wings as far as they can. I glance up to the moon, and watch as it slowly starts to descend down to the horizon.

“As the night turns to day. . .” With the moon continuing its descent, dawn begins to break, and the sun makes its presence known by bringing a violet tint into the sky. “May the sun guide you to a much more peaceful, wondrous place. . .” The moon vanishes behind the tree lines, and the sun soaks each and every one of us in its warmth. “And your spirits are put at ease.” Princess Celestia lowers her head, and I lean over to Heinrick.

“Heinrick,” I whisper.

“Hm?” says Heinrick with his head down like the rest.

“Do you think it’s true?”

“What do you mean?”

“What Her Majesty says happens after you die.”

“Two-Legs, this isn’t the time to talk about this. We’re supposed to be quiet.”

“I know, but . . . I can’t stop thinking about it. I mean, how would she know what happens if nopony comes back to say?”

“I know it sounds a bit absurd: a place filled with nothing but love and peace; a place where there’s no pain or anything like that. It’s what we’re told when we’re young, and we just . . . grow up believing it.”

“So, you believe it?”

“I do. I’m guessing you’re a bit undecided?”

“I just . . . feel like it sounds a bit too good to be true.”

“Well, then what do ‘you’ think happens?”

“I think. . .” I pause, realizing I haven’t really given it much thought as to what I think might actually happen instead of what I’ve been told. When I think about the outcome Princess Celestia told me, it just doesn’t lead me to believe. I’ve imagined myself dying while lying in bed: my heart suddenly slowing to a stop, and everything just ending. At that moment, I shut my eyes and let my mind just wander. When I try to imagine that peaceful place, I end up finding nothing but darkness and loneliness. Then, it hits me. I think I might know. “Nothing.”

“Nothing?” Heinrick lifts his head to look to me. “Like . . . just nothing?”

“Yeah. . .”

“I don’t get it. So, you think that everything just stops?”

“All of it. All the trees, the sky, your friends, family . . . it all vanishes until there’s nothing but darkness.”

“So, if everything’s just dark, then what happens to you?”

“You just . . . stop ‘being’. I-It’s like when you go to sleep, but instead of dreaming or waking up the next morning, nothing ever happens.” Heinrick raises his eyebrows as he looks side to side confusedly.

“Wow. That’s a scary thought, don’t you think?”

“Isn’t death already a scary thing to think about?”

“It is, but . . . what happens after doesn’t have to be.”

“But what if it’s the truth?”

“Well, let’s look at it this way. . . If nothing happens, and you just ‘stop being’ as you said.”

“Yeah?”

“Then, you wouldn’t even know you’re dead. Everything would be dark, and you wouldn’t even think twice about it.”

“I suppose, but still, isn’t it scary to even think about? One second you’re alive, breathing the air and enjoying everything around you; and the next, you’re gone forever.”

“Come on.” Heinrick chuckles. “Don’t tell me you always think like this.”

“I . . . I can’t help it. . . I wish I wasn’t so afraid.” Suddenly, a strong gust of wind erupts from behind us, blowing out every single candle around the garden and causing the trees in the garden to sway vigorously. Every knight is bewildered by the abrupt gust of wind; but we all disregard it as nothing and resume our stoic silence as the rustling leaves are gradually calmed. Heinrick, with nothing left to say, turns back to the Princesses. They call upon a few unicorn knights, and with a nod from Princess Celestia, the knights’ horns glow with magic. Both coffins are enveloped in the golden glow, and are lifted up from their pedestals and slowly descend into the rectangular hole dug into the ground.

“With their spirits taken up with the sun,” says Princess Celestia. “May their cold bodies be brought to rest under the soil.” The knights cease the casting of their spell, and start filling the holes with soil. “My knights, I thank you all for showing your respect to the deceased. You may resume your duties for the day. Do not let grief hang over your heads; let this cloud pass.” With that, each of us leave the garden in an orderly fashion. Princess Celestia assigned me to roam the eastern halls of the castle for today, and Heinrick is supposed to handle to western halls. It’s going to be quite a boring shift without him around. This is one of the rare occasions she splits us up for a shift. It must be for a good reason I suppose; she must know we tend to goof off a bit when we work with each other.

My legs are starting to ache from walking. I constantly gaze out the windows that line the halls, watching the sun gradually get closer and closer to the horizon. The sky is turning into a mix of orange and violet, colors so calming I could stare at them for hours. The light bounces around the white, porcelain halls, coating everything in a tint of orange. Uncomfortably, I adjust the strap around my shoulder as my crossbow has been tugging down at it for so long. These halls are always so empty, with the only presence being me and the sound of my steps. This is becoming unbearably monotonous. I stop and glance up and down the hall, and there’s not a soul to be found. Perhaps I could just abandon my post for a moment to go and chat with Heinrick for just a few moments. He’s all the way on the other side of the castle, so I’ll have to be swift. Nothing ever happens around here anyway, surely Princess Celestia won’t mind if I leave for just moment. Although, as long as I’m not seen, then I’ll have nothing to worry about.

Like a skittish spider, I sneak and hug the walls as I make my way towards the west side of the castle. Peaking around the corner, I immediately reel back upon seeing a pair of guards approaching. I crouch down and hold my breath, hoping they’ll just pass right by. They come into view, but are too engaged in their own conversation to even notice me. They leave, and I release my breath with relief. I burst out from the hall, and am overcome with shock once my eyes meet another pony that just entered the room. Princess Luna uses her magic to open a pair of double-doors, and close them behind her. There’s no point in retreating, as I’m out in the open. “My, I didn’t see you there,” says Princess Luna upon noticing me.

“Your Highness,” I say as I immediately kneel down.

“You can go on and tend to your business, knight. I’ve business of my own.” Princess Luna quickly attempts to walk away and into the next room.

“Your Majesty, wait!”

“My apologies, but I really must be going.” Princess Luna proceeds to hurriedly try to leave by using her magic to open a door across the room.

“Please!” I beg. “There’s something I’ve been needing to talk to you about for so long, but you’re never around for me to ask.” Princess Luna halts halfway through the doorway. “It’s been tormenting me every night, and it’s only been getting worse with each passing day. I understand you have important matters to attend to, but all I ask is for a minute or two of your time.”

Princess Luna sighs and nods. “Very well.” She closes the door, and approaches me. “You have my attention, knight. What is it that ails you?”

“R-Really?”

“Yes. Also, you may stand. I would like to speak with you casually, if that’s fine with you.”

“Oh, of course.” I rise to my feet. “First, Your Highness—” she holds out her hoof.

“Princess, will do just fine.” She smiles.

“Sorry . . . Princess.” I don’t know what it is, but my nerves are suddenly calm. I’ve spoken to Princess Celestia on countless occasions, and I still can’t shake that bit of nervousness I feel around her. With Princess Luna, I’ve never felt such comfort. “First, let me begin by saying I have such a deep appreciation for the night. I’m not saying this to please you, I just find the nighttime to be a very . . . magical time for me.”

“Well, I’m flattered nonetheless. I’m elated to know you feel that way.”

“I . . . I’m sorry.” I press my hand onto my forehead as a slight chuckle leaves my lips. “I’ve worked for you for so long, yet this is the first time I’ve ever spoken to you.”

“And I am the one to blame. I’ve let my duties get in the way. I realize there is a huge lack of communication between me and knights such as yourself.”

“Well . . . I mean, you’re always around my fellow knights. I’ve seen you speaking with them several times. Whenever I enter the room, you suddenly . . . disappear.” Princess Luna sighs and looks to the floor. Assuming she’s reaching a point of impatience, I quickly attempt to withdraw my statement. “I’m sorry. It’s not my place to say—”

“No. You have every right to speak the way you feel, and I sincerely apologize if I made it seem as though I’ve been avoiding you. Please, continue.” Relieved, I get on with what I’ve been meaning to say.

“Every night, I’m being tormented by these dreams; a-and it’s always the same dream every time.” Princess Luna tilts her head in curiosity. “It started out brief, but they’ve only been getting longer and more vivid.”

“What happens in these dreams?”

“I’m . . . I’m the dark, but there’s just one beam of light shining on me from above. When I take a look around me, I find I’m surrounded by these metal bars: almost like a prison cell.”

“I see. . .”

“Then there’s a voice. It always says the same thing: ‘You’ve been lied to’. It says it wants to help me, and to heed its warning.”

“. . . Whose voice is it that you hear?”

“I . . . I’m not too sure, but . . . it almost sounds like my own.” Princess Luna looks off to the side, pondering to herself. She turns back to me, and I eagerly await whatever she has to say next.

“Does Princess Celestia know of this?”

“No, I’ve never brought it up to her.”

“Good, because I want this to be something that only you and I shall conquer. My sister wouldn’t be able to tap into the fragile fabric such as dreams. I can assure you: you needn’t fear these dreams any longer. We ‘will’ get to the bottom of this, I promise you that.”

“Th-Thank you! You have no idea how much that means to me!”

“There’s no need to thank me. I should’ve been there for you from the start.” She then rests her hoof onto my shoulder. “From this moment on, whenever you need me, just knock at my door.”

“You mean, the entrance to the Royal Bedrooms? But, no knight has being to be back there.”

“Well, I grant you permission. Feel free to stop by whenever you please.”

“I . . . I can’t thank you enough.”

“Later in the night, before you sleep, inform me so that I may monitor the state of your mind.”

With the sun now set, and the moon hanging high in the night sky, I rest in my bed with my hands folded over my stomach and my eyes gazing up at the ceiling. “You should shut your eyes, and allow your mind to be at ease,” says Princess Luna. I turn my head to see the Princess sitting the corner of my bedroom.

“The thing is . . . I didn’t expect you to just sit there and watch me sleep,” I say.

“Do I make you uncomfortable?” Confused by her question, I give her the obvious answer.

“. . . A little, yeah.”

“Just pretend I’m not here. It’s imperative that I am in close proximity to you during the dream state. Only then will I be able to tap into your mind and assist you.”

I sigh. “Alright, here goes. . .” I turn away from her, make myself comfortable under the sheets, and shut my eyes.

“Remember, you must remain calm during your dream. I understand it may be difficult to control, but you must try. High levels of anxiety will jolt you from the dream state, interrupting the connection between our minds.” Moments pass, and I’m able to set Princess Luna’s presence aside. I distract my mind with thoughts of any random thing I can come up with, and eventually, I can feel myself drifting off.

I open my eyes, and I find myself curled up, lying on the pitch black ground. Again, the only light source coming from high above me. I stand, and look around blindly into the darkness. “Hello?” I call. “Is anyone there?” Instantly, the prison bar shoot up from the ground, encaging me in this tight space. I grab hold of the bars, as the sound of my hyperventilating echoes throughout this dark place. Suddenly, something appears before me through the shadows. Princess Luna approaches me, examining the cage that surrounds me.

“Remain calm,” she says, however, her mouth is motionless. “Do not forget what I said about your anxiety.” Just then, another ray of light shoots from high above and down onto her. She fearfully glances in every which direction, taking a sort of defensive stance as if she’s ready to attack.

“I’m glad you’re here, Princess,” says the unknown voice, as another ray of light shoots across from us. My eyes widen with shock upon seeing just who it reveals. It’s an exact duplicate of me, except he’s wearing different clothing: clothing I’ve never worn or seen in my life. He’s dressed in all black with a couple of white stripes running down from the collar of his jacket and along the sleeves. He’s also wearing black, pointed shoes with silver buckles that glimmer in the light. His arms are crossed as he shakes his head to Princess Luna. “You’ve made a mistake showing up here.”

“Who are you?”

“Funny, Princess. Trying to make it seem like to don’t know, because you know he’s listening. I’m assuming you’re not going to tell him the truth: about all the lies you’ve fed him.”

“Princess, what’s he talking about?” I ask.

“You must ignore him,” says Princess Luna with her eyes still locked onto my duplicate. “He’s going to try and pit you against me.”

“What? H-How? Why?”

“No, Aireal, you need to listen to me,” says my duplicate. “Both she and her sister are hiding so much from you.”

“W-What lies?”

“Do not talk to it!” Princess Luna commands.

“Why?” My duplicate asks. “Are you afraid of what he might find out? Why don’t you start by telling him about the prison you locked ‘us’ in?”

“What?” I gasp.

“You are a poisonous thought and nothing more!” says Princess Luna. “Why don’t you reveal what you truly are?”

“You think you can turn this against me?” My duplicate asks. “There’s only one guilty soul here, and that’s you.”

“You spout nothing but lies.”

“It’s a shame your sister isn’t here with you this time. She’s the one with actual power, and you follow in her shadow.”

“Speak poorly of me all you want, it won’t stop me from silencing you for good.”

“You can try, but even if you could, he’ll still have questions.” Princess Luna’s horn glows brightly with blueish light, and a ring of the same color light forms around my duplicate’s neck. He rises up from the ground, desperately trying to breathe. All of a sudden, I can feel a strong pain around my neck. It’s difficult to breathe, as if something is clutching onto my windpipe. Princess Luna notices me struggling to catch my breath, and the glow of her horn vanishes. I can feel the air finally enter my lungs, and my duplicate falls to the ground as he chokes from the lack of air. “You . . . You see?” He struggles to ask, yet with a smile on his face. “You can try to end me for good, but you’ll only end up hurting him as well. Thus, the only answer your sister had was to push me far into this blackness. Far enough that I’d hopefully just disappear.”

“I ‘will’ find a way to rid you from this mind.”

“Well, you should’ve come here prepared. You thought you could do this all on your own, but you can’t. It just goes to show, the truth always catches up with you.”

“Nothing you say is the truth. Aireal, you mustn’t believe anything he says.”

“Yes, don’t believe me when I say that the Princesses you worship are the same ones who imprisoned you. Don’t believe me when I say that everything you think is true about your past is false, and is nothing but a fabrication fed to you by ‘her’.” He points directly at Princess Luna as she is becoming visibly weak. Her legs are trembling, and her eyes twitch as it seems she could collapse at any moment.

“Princess, what does he mean?!” I beg for an answer.

“Yes, Princess, what do I mean? We’re all waiting. Denying can only last you so long.”

“. . . I can’t,” says Princess Luna. My eyes fly open and I sit up from my bed coated in sweat. I turn to the Princess, noticing she’s lying on the floor completely drained of energy. “I can’t,” she repeats.

“Princess, what was that?!”

“I can’t do this, not now.” Just before I can ask her anything else, the sound of a horn can be heard through the walls. The deep tone of the horn rattles my core, as there’s only one reason somepony would blow that horn. “You need to listen. What you saw was a splinter in your mind. It’ll do anything it can to take control of you. It’s too strong for me to handle at this moment in time, but we ‘will’ put an end to it. Now, quickly, there’s an emergency that requires all knights to be present.”

“B-But, what about all the things he said?”

“Lies. All of it. Do you understand?”

“. . . Yes, Princess.”

“Good.” I jump out of bed and dress myself up in my armor, and hang my crossbow over my shoulder. I find Princess Luna struggling to stand, so I try to assist her by grabbing onto one of her forelegs. “No, you must go. I’ll regain my composure, I just need a few moments to rest.”

“Yes, Princess.” I hurriedly open the door.

“And Aireal. . .” She call to me as I stop in the middle of the doorway. “I intend to keep my promise.”

“. . . Thank you.” I leave the room, and dash down the halls all the way to the main hall where every single knight in Canterlot is gathered together in one huge crowd.

“All knights to arms!” Somepony shouts out in the distance. “I say again: all knights to arms!” I join the commotion, my heart already racing as I await further orders. Everyone is confused and in a stir, asking each other for information as to what’s happening. However, no one has an answer.

“Knights!” Princess Celestia calls from a balcony high above us. In unison, we all turn to give her our full attention. “Ponyville is in danger. Rebel forces are terrorizing the small town, and it is up to all of you to protect the innocent civilians. There numbers are small, so they should be easy to extinguish. You all now the rule: if the enemy is resorting to hostile actions, do what you must to protect yourself and those around you.”

“Yes, Princess!” We all salute in unison.

“Good. Now, hurry. Your carriages await you, knights!” Instantaneously, we all rush out of the main hall through the large double-doors that lead outside. Lined up around the entrance are several golden carriages, and a pair of winged stallions strap themselves to the harnesses.

“Two-Legs! Hey!” I hear Heinrick call out from behind me. He and I meet, which already puts my heart at ease knowing that he’s here. “Our brigade’s got carriage three, come on!” I follow him into the carriage along with the rest of our brigade. Heinrick and I take a seat on the cushions inside, and another knight closes the hatch behind us. I hear him bang on the hatch with his hoof, and the winged stallions then take flight. I gaze out the little window on the side of the carriage, watching us drift further and further away from Canterlot. I take in a deep breath, as I never would’ve predicted this day would ever come: my first call to action. Although, that’s cast aside as I think back to what happened between Princess Luna and I. I don’t know what’s happening to me, but I just want it all to end. It's my mind playing some kind of trick on me, that's all this is. All I need to do is listen to what Princess Luna said. Everything he said is untrue. Everything he said is untrue. Everything he said is untrue. “Hey.” I jump in my seat as Heinrick taps my shoulder. “Just relax, don’t be nervous.”

“That’s easy for you to say,” I retort.

“Think about it this way: this is your chance to show those rebels just who they’re messing with.”

“If you’re talking about you two, then we’re as good as dead,” a member of our brigade mocks.

“You say that now, but when ‘we’ have to come rescue you, we’ll be ready to accept your apology.” The knight shakes his head, and Heinrick turns back to me. “Forget about what he said. This is what we’ve been trained for. Trust me, you’ve got this.”

“. . . Maybe,” I mutter. I return to the window, and watch as we pass over trees up in a blaze of fire. Cottages are burning and collapsing, however, there’s not a single soul to be heard. With this type of commotion, I’d expect screaming and shouting instead of utter silence. Our carriage glides towards the ground, giving all of us a bumpy ride as it slows to a stop.

“Alright, let’s get this show on the road,” says Heinrick as he gets up from his seat. The rest of us follow suit as the winged knights who pulled our carriage open the hatch for us.

“Out! Out! Everypony out!” A member of our brigade commands. We all use the fallen hatch as a ramp to get down to the ground. The air is searing with pulses of heat, and my eyes are bombarded with flickers of the violent flames dancing all around the town. “Weapons ready!” Heinrick then draws his sword, I grip my crossbow in my hands, and the rest of our brigade readies their spears. Cautiously, we roam through the neighborhoods, baffled by the absence of any rebels or civilians. “This ain’t right, where is everypony?”

“Don’t let your guard down,” says Heinrick. “They’re here somewhere.”

“Heads up!” I look up and see a glass bottle stuffed with a flaming rag hurdling straight toward us. We move out of the way as it crashes onto the ground, leaving behind a huge puddle of flames. “Incoming! Get to cover!” Another bomb flies through the air, sending all of us scattering about to escape. Half of us take cover behind a burning cottage on the left of the path, while the other half hides behind a cottage on the right. “Now that’s what I call ‘hostile actions’!”

“Hey! I don’t think they’re going to run out of those things any time soon!” A different member of our brigade shouts.

“Two-Legs!” Heinrick shouts from the other cottage. “We’re pinned! We can’t move up unless you take them out!”

“He’s right,” says the knight beside me. “You have to clear the way.”

“. . . U-Understood.” With a bolt loaded and my hands trembling beyond belief, I peer around the corner and search for who’s tossing the bombs. No one’s in the middle of the path, but up above, somepony has already lit a new grenade and hurls it at the other half of my brigade. “Look out!” I yell as Heinrick and the rest move back before the bomb can touch them. Instead, it consumes the side of the cottage.

“What are you waiting for? Take the shot!” I bring the sights of my crossbow up to my eyes, and I lean into the stock as I aim at the rebel atop the cottage’s balcony. I watch as he lights up a new bomb, and begins winding up to throw. My mouth is dry, and the intense heat is causing me to sweat heavily as a droplet runs down my cheek. “Do it!” I pull the trigger, sending the bolt into the rebel’s side. Devastated, I watch him fall to the floor, and the bomb crashes onto the ground below.

“Ha! There you go, Two-Legs!” Heinrick cheers. “Nice shot!”

“Hey, do you hear that?” The knight beside me asks. All of us stop and listen, and the sounds of somepony screaming far in the distance can be heard. “Somepony’s in trouble!”

“There aren’t any more bombers!” Heinrick shouts. “Now’s the time to move!”

“Alright! Go! Go! Go!” The intensity of the knight’s voice jolts me back to reality, and I quickly load another bolt into my crossbow as the rest move out of cover. As soon as I have the crossbow primed and ready to fire, I hurriedly try to catch up with them. As I run toward them, I slow to a stop upon finding them all in combat with a few armed rebels. The rebels do what they can with their blades, but are easily outmatched by the knights. Helplessly, I watch them get knocked straight to the ground and pierced by the knights’ spears. It’s even more difficult to watch Heinrick knock the sword out of a rebel’s grasp, and slash his blade across the rebel’s torso. With every thud of a rebel body hitting the ground, my body trembles immensely.

“Is everypony alright?” Heinrick asks.

“All good,” says one of our brigade members.

“Then let’s keep moving. Two-Legs! Let’s go!” I force myself to hurry to them, avoiding eye contact with the bodies strewn about on the ground. The voice is getting closer, and as soon as we turn the next corner, our boots skid to a stop along the dirt. My eyes widen, and we all gasp at the sight of a pair of rebels. However, the frightening part is the enormous cannon their arming. One of the rebels has a lit match in his mouth, to which he lights the fuse.

“Scatter!” Heinrick shouts. Yet, his warning came too late. The cannon fires, and the explosion sends us flying in all different directions. I land flat on my stomach as my face meets the dirt, and my ears are painfully ringing. I turn myself over in agony, finding that a cottage stands between me and the cannon. I look around for my fellow knights, but I only spot a few of them sprawled out on the ground. As I wonder where the rest have gone, and the sound comes back to my ears, I hear the voice crying out for help once again. I lean up from the dirt, and a sharp pain strikes my side.

“Heinrick. . ! Heinrick. . !” My voice trembles. It’s clear he’d never be able to hear me, so I must act alone. The first thing I was ever taught during my training, was to put the lives of civilians above my own. It’s my duty to protect them; it’s why I became a knight to begin with. Despite the pain, I force myself to get to my feet. With my crossbow in one hand, and the other clutching my side as pain pulses through it at a constant rhythm, I shamble towards the cottage I believe the voice is coming from. The front door is left wide open, and I enter the blazing cottage. I can hear the voice crying somewhere nearby. “Hello. . ? Where are you. . ?” I proceed to limp inside, focusing on only finding the trapped pony. “Don’t be afraid. . . Don’t—” Suddenly, I come across two ponies. One is a mare coughing from the smoke, and the other, a stallion attempting to guide her out of the cottage. He stops as soon as he sees me, and by the filthy, ragged clothing and white cloth tied around his foreleg, I realize he’s a rebel. He looks at me with a look of astonishment on his face, and I’m too baffled to utter a single word.

“I don’t believe it,” he says. “It’s you. . . It’s really you!”

“W-What. . ?” I can feel the energy quickly leaving my body.

“You need to come with us! Our commander will be overjoyed to see you!”

“I don’t . . . I don’t understand.” Suddenly, something bursts through the wall of the cottage beside us. I shield my face with my arm as bits of wood and rubble fly through the air. Once the smoke clears, I find one of my fellow knights has broken through the wall headfirst, and the rebel has fallen to the floor.

“Miss, quickly! You need to get out! My fellow knights will bring you to safety!” He urges the mare as she escapes through the hole he created in the wall. “Oh, there you are,” he says to me. “We were wondering what happened to you.” The rebel tries to get to his hooves, but the knight bashes him in the side of his face with his hoof. The rebel grunts and falls back to the floor, and I overflow with uneasiness. “Now, it’s time to finish this worthless rebel.”

“What do you mean?” I ask. The knight readies his spear, and the rebel cowers whilst still on the floor. “No, stop!” I hold my hand out to him. “Let him go.”

“Why should I? So he can go and cause more havoc? There’s no way I’m letting that happen.” I can see the fury in the knight’s eyes, and the terror in the rebel’s. Something isn’t adding up here, and I feel he’s making a huge mistake.

“You don’t—” The pain in my side forces me to hold my breath and bend over in agony as I wait for it to subside. “You don’t understand.”

“Take a look around you! Do you not see what they’ve caused? None of this is going to stop until we make it stop.” Before I can explain to him, he gets ready to plunge his spear towards the rebel. Realizing he’s not going to listen, and with little time to react, I charge towards him and grab hold of him. He tries to shake me off, and I can feel my grip already loosening around him.

“Go! Get out of here!” I urge. The rebel gets up, and hesitantly escapes the burning cottage.

“What is the matter with you?!” The knight rebukes. With one swift motion, the knights throws me off of his back causing me to stumble onto the floor. I push myself up with my hands, but the pain is too much with my only instinct being to crawl away. “You just set a ‘rebel’ free. Somepony who’s only desire is to overthrow Her Majesty, and destroy society; and you let him go.” The knight walks over to me, and I can already feel the pain that’s about to befall me. He kicks me in the same side that’s already causing me pain, and sending me rolling over onto my back as I writhe in agony. “I guess you’ve decided to side with the rebels then, huh? You’re going against everything the Royal Guard stands for.” The knight bites down onto my forearm, and lifts me up until I unsteadily stand before him. “And if you’re going to save a rebel, and act like a rebel. . .” Before he finishes his statement, he turns and sends me flying backward with a quick buck to my chest. I smash against a window, and the glass breaks. I fall back down to the ground along with bits of broken glass, as my vision is becoming fuzzy. I lean my back against the wall with the broken window, and watch the knight fade in and out of sight. “Then you’re going to die like a rebel.” The knight readies his spear, and charges towards me. With the last bit of energy I can muster, I lift up my crossbow with one hand just enough to point it somewhat in the knight’s direction. Before my arm gives out, I pull the trigger. The knight then stumbles and drops to the floor lifelessly, and everything around me is gradually swallowed in blackness.