Coagulation

When the bell tolls,

When the time comes,

When even the vultures cry their last,

None will be there

None will help you

But I’ll remain

At your side, at last.

Grey.

Grey was all that Lazuli was capable of seeing, at the moment.

Her eyes were forcefully trained on a solid concrete wall, which was identical to the walls on either side. The one directly behind her sported a solid metal door, one which she had only seen once on the way in. From there she had been bound and immobilized. A tight-fitting cloth was wrapped around her muzzle. Her wings were tied firmly to her side and her tail had been strapped to her back. Her legs were all chained and held to the ground so tightly that they might as well have been stuck in the concrete itself. Three sets of rope were lashed horizontally across her back, holding her down from stretching at all, while the collar around her neck still jingled at any attempt to move. It now had a leash attached to it, which was tied to her tail, and prevented her from properly moving her head.

She heard the door swing open, the quiet shimmering of golden magic wrapping around the rags on her face. Her jaw cracked as she was allowed to open it, snarling and gritting her teeth together. “Y-you…fucking son of a-“ She was instantly forced to cut herself off, the bell around her neck jingling loudly and making her body jolt. “FUCK!”

“Now now, Dusk…calm down.”

“What…did you just…fucking…call me?” She said through clenched teeth. Her muscles felt like she’d just been shocked with far too much electricity to safely absorb.

Blind Faith wrapped his magic around her bonds, manipulating them slowly to turn her all the way around, facing him. His bright green eyes gently flashed a light golden colour. “I called you by the name everypony knows you as.” He chuckled, stepping forward and giving her head a pat. Try as she might, she couldn’t do much but move her mouth and her eyes.

“F-fuck off…what the hell did you do to me?”

“Just a simple obedience spell. You Draconies are always horribly resistant to doing as you’re told…” He gently put a hoof under her chin, making her snarl and try to jerk away as he stroked it as though he were petting a cat.

The unicorn sighed. “I can see it in your eyes, you definitely won’t make a good candidate for my…” His voice was exasperated, but still deep and heavy. “Initiation…”

“Then fuck off and untie me.”

“We both know that’s not going to happen. That was almost horribly cliché of you, darling.” He laughed and stepped back a bit. Dusk was acutely aware of a loud groaning noise echoing through the small space. “Unfortunately I’m still busy dealing with the last one who decided not to accept my teachings…”

“Teachings?! You didn’t even try, you sick fuck! You just wanted to get under my tail!”

“Oh no, you misunderstand, Dusk…”

“Stop calling me that.”

“No.” He cleared his throat, his horn lighting up with its elegant golden aura and making a small projection appear on the door. “You see, I run a fairly successful law business, I don’t think anypony can deny that. But I’ve always wanted more…I’ve always wanted to be in control.”

Lazuli rolled her eyes. “Uh huh. So you kidnap mares and do whatever, got it.” She snorted. “Can I go now, or do I need to kick you in that fat stomach of yours first?”

“As much as that would aid digestion…” Blind Faith slowly swung himself around, smirking. "I'll need to pass."

The projection slowly changed to show the image of a grand, white and gold cathedral. “This is my vision. An entire belief system. An entire lifestyle, spread across Equestria and championed by yours truly. I’m the voice. The prophet. Sent down by the gods themselves to bring light to these poor, disadvantaged souls…” He made a mock pouty face at Lazuli, who snarled back at him. “But…well…to make a church, you have to break a few eggs. You have to tell a few lies, work a little magic…” He turned his gaze fully to her, his eyes flashing their deep golden again. “Order a few ponies dead…”

Lazuli snorted. “Okay, I get it. So you’ve contracted me before. Whatever. Your point?”

“I’m offering you a chance. Mainly so you don’t end up like poor little Solar..." Faith shook his head slowly. "Poor mare. Had such a future ahead of her, but she just didn't know when to shut up and say yes."

Blind Faith slowly stepped up right in front of Lazuli, then dragged her forward, under his front legs. He pressed her ear forcefully into his chest. “I would hate to let a mare as talented as you go to waste…”

“Fuck off.” She said flatly, and Faith pulled her out from under him.

“I had a feeling that would be your reaction, so I’ll sweeten the deal. You say yes, and I help you get a better life. How amazing would it be, living in the lap of luxury?”

“I tried that once. Wasn’t my thing.”

“Hrm. Well, is there nothing I could do to sweeten the deal?~” He smirked, his eyes firmly locking with hers. Try as she might, Lazuli couldn’t pull her gaze away. “Nothing at all?~”

The Dracony tried to look away, but his bright green eyes were like hypnotic dots of colour in an ocean of white that terrified her if she looked at it. “I…this…isn’t going to work.” She said, her head beginning to sway back and forth.

“Are you sure, my darling? Maybe we should take a walk and think about it, hm? The air down here is surely messing with your head…”

“A…” Lazuli tried to clear her mind, but as the collar around her neck gently glimmered golden, she couldn’t. “I…a…a walk…sounds…” She gulped, her eyes still fixated on him, her mouth hanging slightly open. “Sounds…lovely…mas…”

“Hrm? What’s that? I can’t hear you.”

“It…sounds lovely…” She took a few deep breaths, her body trembling like it was below zero in the dull grey room. “…master…Faith…”

Faith raised an eyebrow, his grin widening even further. He started to chuckle. “My goodness, I’m better at this than I remembered.” He stepped back, and Lazuli started blinking to clear her vision.

“Wha…who…wh…I…where…?”

“Hush, child.” Faith gently stroked Lazuli’s chin, his horn lighting up and beginning to untie her. “You’re safe with me. Your troubles are over…” He sat down, pulling Lazuli into a tight embrace. “How do you feel, darling?”

“I…I don’t…wh-what…what the fuck did…you do to me…?”

“Shhh…” He let go of her. Lazuli’s first reaction was to sock him across the face – but she couldn’t. Her legs wobbled like a foal’s and she flopped flat on the ground, struggling to pull herself upright.

“What…what…what is this?! What did you do?!”

“Please, you’re surprised by it now?” His horn flashed gently, and Lazuli stood straight upright. “Now…who am I?”

Lazuli had so many words rushing through her mind. ‘Shithead’ was the one she was going to use, but instead her lips formed the words “Master Blind Faith…”

“That’s right.” The unicorn started laughing, slowly standing up. He cast a spell on the collar around Lazuli’s neck, turning it fully invisible. “Come now. Let’s take a walk, child. And perhaps you can help me spread the word of my new…” He tilted his head, tapping a hoof against his chin, before grinning again. “Sanctuary.”

Something wasn’t right.

Fizzlepop could feel it, but she couldn’t put her hoof on it. Lazuli wasn’t acting normal, but she couldn’t pinpoint what it was.

“And he’s just amazing. Really, I never thought after my last attempt I’d ever try it with a stallion again but just…gah, you know?” The excited Dracony sat on her bed, droning on about the unicorn. “He’s introduced me to a whole new way of doing things, and by the gods, I love it.”

“Lazuli?”

“Huh? Yeah?”

“…are you…okay?”

“Oh I am more than okay, Fizzle! You should really come and meet him some time. You’ve probably talked to him before but really, he’s like a whole ‘nother stallion when he’s at home!”

Fizzle gulped. “…I…Laz, you’re acting weird.”

“I am?”

“Yeah, you are.”

“How? Am I talking about him too much? Sorry…I just…can’t stop thinking about him, like, all the time!”

“…Yeah, I got that…but…you’ve been like this all day.”

“I-…” The mare paused, tilting her head. “I have…? But…I started thinking of him this way like…at least five days ago.”

Alarms were blaring in Fizzle’s head now. “Laz, you’ve been talking about him all week. Something isn’t right with you.”

“Well, maybe it only feels longer, to me. It definitely feels like I met him a week ago! I’ve gotten to know him so well! Gods above, I never thought I’d be so happy to come to this town!”

The purple unicorn put her hooves on Lazuli’s shoulders, shaking her a bit. “Laz. Something really isn’t right with you. I’m really worried for you.”

“Psssh, don’t be worried! He’s the perfect stallion, he’d never hurt me.”

“Laz-“

“Forgeeeet it, Tempest. It’s fine!”

“…wha…Tempest? Laz, my name’s-“

“Yeah okay, anyway, I have to go see him again! I’ve got so much stuff to do, like help him make the flyers, and go visit ponies door to door…I’ll see you later!” Lazuli hopped off the bed, and trotted out the door before Fizzle could realize what had happened.

“Laz, WAIT-“ But the door shut behind her.

I need to follow her…Fizzle ran up and opened the door, then quietly began to tail the bubbly mare.

Lazuli found herself staring at grey again. She wasn’t sure if she was supposed to be surprised or scared.

The door swung open again. She heard the gentle plodding of hooves on concrete, again. “And how’s my little messenger filly doing today?”

“Fuck off.” She muttered.

“Oop, looks like someone’s spell wore off…” Faith chuckled, turning Lazuli around to face him again. “So, remember anything?”

“Fuck off.”

“Now now, I don’t see the need for this much-“

“You want me to fucking kill someone, why don’t you just have me do it instead of making me walk around like jerk-off religious nut?!” The Dracony barked. “Kill, kill, fucking kill, that’s all I’m good for, so why don’t you use what you’ve got while you’ve still got it? Or do you have your own cock stuck so far up your ass that you can’t think of anything except getting yourself off watching me obeying you?”

Faith was slightly taken aback, but Lazuli wasn’t finished. “I guess it should’ve been fucking obvious that I couldn’t have a proper life anywhere. Of course some prick like you was gonna show up to mess up my chances. Of course I was going to wind up tied in someone’s basement and making shitty remarks about them while I’m dying inside because it won’t fucking end. Of course, I end up trapped with some stallion who wants to call themselves Sanctuary because they know it’ll make me nervous even though it’s pretty damn obvious he isn’t, because the real Sanctuary wouldn’t be so fucking stupid as to use the best resource he’s got as some kind of marketing tool instead of taking care of his business for him.”

The unicorn snorted, turning Laz’s chin up and glaring into her eyes. “I think that’s enough free time for you.”

“Yeah, go ahead. Turn me back into whatever slave bitch you want me to be, but I think we both know you’re wasting my abilities because you’re scared of ponies finding out.”

“I am most positively not.”

“How can you be so good at lying, and so terrible at it at the same time?”

“Shut your mouth.” Faith’s eyes flashed gold, and Lazuli grimaced. “Be a good mare, and shut your mouth.”

“Go…fuck…yourself…” She groaned, her teeth gritting together as she tried to resist, but his gaze was too strong for a mind in turmoil like her own to resist.

CRASH.

The door was flung open. Faith’s head jerked around, and Lazuli’s vision was swimming with bright colours as she tried to recover. She watched through slightly droopy eyelids as Faith was thrown backwards, his fur fizzling with bright electricity.

Standing in the doorway, Lazuli faintly made out Fizzlepop. Her head swayed, her whole body wanting to collapse as the broken unicorn lunged forward, slamming her hoof into Faith’s chest. The stallion wheezed, his horn lighting up, but Fizzle gave it a painful flick and it fizzled out.

She placed her front hoof down on Faith’s chest again, pushing him down to the ground and pinning him there. “Don’t you dare touch her.” Her voice was low and authoritative, her gaze locked with his, but even when his eyes flashed golden she didn’t budge. Her tone carried an air of almost evil intent. “You’re a sad, shitty attempt at being a stallion.” She leaned in closer, pressing her forehead to his. He grimaced and ground his teeth together as her crackling horn pressed against his. “I lost my friends once. I’m not losing this one because some sorry sack excuse for a stallion thought he could make her pay for whatever shit she dealt him before. Because I’ll deal you a lot worse.”

Faith, who saw no other conceivable option, lit up his horn again. Before Fizzle could prevent him from doing anything, he vanished abruptly in a bright flash of light with no words.

“…coward.” Fizzle snarled, staring at the spot he had been sitting in for a moment before her expression softened and she turned to the mare shivering and bound against the wall. She quickly walked over and started to undo the bonds holding her down…but it seemed they were holding her up, as well. Lazuli collapsed to the ground, her eyes half-lidded and her breath heavy.

“Geez…” The dark purple unicorn gently heaved the Dracony up, helping her stand – but it didn’t seem like standing was an option for her. “Alright…come on…” She grunted, slowly heaving Lazuli onto her back, helping to shuffle her around so she could let her front legs dangle off of either side of her. “Just rest, Laz. You need it…”

Fizzle made sure to walk slowly as she made her way back to the castle. The place Faith had been keeping Lazuli was a mile south of town, so the walk was long, but she didn’t care.

When they arrived back at the castle, Starlight was the only one who saw them. She tried to inquire what had happened, but Fizzle brushed her off with a simple ‘I’ll tell you in the morning’ and brought Lazuli back upstairs.

When she settled the half-awake Dracony in her bed, the mare weakly groaned and cracked a few of her joints in a somewhat painful sounding way. Fizzle winced, gently running a hoof through Laz’s mane. “Just rest…” She muttered. She began to walk back to her bed, then glanced back at her friend, who was writhing slightly and hugging the blankets in a bundle.

“…” Fizzle bit her lip. “I can’t leave you like that…”
The unicorn slowly sat on the edge of the bed, and felt Lazuli’s hooves gently wrap around her leg. She sighed, running a hoof through the Dracony’s mane and shaking her head. “You’re lucky I found you…”