Never Luckyby Ferris the 1stChaptersChapter 2: Shout Until the Luck Runs Out!Chapter 3: Then It Got WorseChapter 4: The Shadow Run, Part 1Chapter 5: The Shadow Run, Part 2Chapter 6: Out of the DarknessChapter 7: PromotionChapter 8: Arrival in SpringrunChapter 9: The Plot ThickensChapter 10: AloneChapter 12: Rescue Mission, Part 2Chapter 13: Homeward BoundChapter 14: A Crack in the GlassChapter 15: New City, New ProblemsChapter 16: A Matter of PerspectiveChapter 17: Sins of the Past...Chapter 18: ...and the PresentChapter 19: Motivation and ClosureChapter 20: FreedomChapter 21: The Face of the EnemyChapter 22: Rage and IceChapter 24: InterventionChapter 25: Welcome to the HERDChapter 26: When you Poke a Stormcloud...Chapter 27: Before the SunChapter 28: Unto the BreachChapter 29: The Cinder RunChapter 30: Treasure HuntingChapter 31: Soldier and CivilianChapter 32: The CallChapter 33: Calm Before the StormChapter 34: In the Dying of the Light...Chapter 35: ...Hope is FoundChapter 36: A Hero's RewardChapter 1: Wrong Place, Wrong TimeChapter 11: Rescue Mission, Part 1Chapter 23: DenialChapter 2: Shout Until the Luck Runs Out!I looked ridiculous. There was no other word for somepony of my stature being outfitted with standard issue armor. I looked like a colt trying on his father's best suit. Adding on to that, the anonymity spell placed on the armor that made all guardsponies of standard ranks, or in my case auxiliaries, have matching white coats and blue manes was not flattering to me. The worst part, however, was the addition to my hoof. A magically linked locator ring was secured tightly around it. If there was any doubt that I was essentially a prisoner in armor, that was going to squash them pretty quickly. The devil-mare herself had secured it, just short of cutting off blood flow, before tasking my escort with seeing me to the armory for outfitting. The ponies there were... less than thrilled with me. From what I could gather from their mutterings, I was “so scrawny that they'd have to make a new measurement for my sorry flank.” Apparently if you aren't built like a monster, you're too small in their eyes. Hopefully that meant that I could go home by not meeting the standards? Why do I think thoughts like that? Since I couldn't fit into the armor as I was, my... friendly escort decided to introduce me to somepony else. If Lt. Cadence was the overmare of Tartarus, this stallion was her eager lap dog, feeding on the misery of everypony around him. Drill Sergeant Booming Skies was about as friendly as a watchdog, glowering at me as my situation was explained to him. In short, the muscle-bound pegasus was put in charge of me and he gave me a short description of how my life was going to go. I was given a bunk in the barracks and a curfew of sundown. In his words, “If you're caught outside after curfew, then you'll deal with me in the morning and the LT in the evening.” I'd had enough of that mare for one lifetime, so sundown sounded good. Letters had been dispatched back home to tell my family and boss that I wasn't coming back anytime soon. Sergeant “Boomer” was given a month to turn me into a “proper stallion.” The way he phrased that to me made me worry for a number of reasons. When I was finally released to enter the barracks, I was tired and worried, but I didn't get to end my day on a neutral note. Stepping into the cramped quarters, I was met with the steel-eyed stares of several ponies twice my size and four times my muscle weight. Each and every one of them was a creature bred for this, whether they had hooves, horns, or wings. Not a single one of them looked away from me or said a word as I slowly worked my way over to the empty bottom bunk at the far end of the barracks. I would grow to hate those stone walls with high set windows in time. As it was, I was all too eager to climb into bed as the sun vanished beneath the distant horizon. ** A sudden cacophony of noise startled me from my sleep. Startled, I instinctively flung myself away from the sound and slammed into the floor, tangled in my sheets. Around me, career guards in training shot to their hooves standing stiffly at attention while the pine green form of Booming Skies entered. His voice definitely lived up to the first part of his name. “Rise and shine, colts, it's a fine day for a run,” the monster given pony flesh came to a halt before my bunk and looked down at me, “Recruit, get on your hooves! Nopony authorized you a Discord-damned security blanket!” I don't know what they fed these stallions, but the sergeant clipped his teeth to the sheets and gave one firm tug that not only yanked it away but also sent me spinning like a top. Staggering to my feet, I stumbled a bit and had to cross my front legs while the world was spinning. Remember how I said this sergeant fed on misery? I didn't even get a second to figure myself out before he was yelling at me, “Sweet, merciful Celestia, recruit, where did you learn to stand!?” I didn't think before answering, “On a planet that wasn't spinning, sir.” Never answer a rhetorical question. “Well, would you look at that,” he shouted with enough spittle to fill a small river, “we've got a damned comedian here! Well, Chuckles, maybe you'd like to make me laugh!? Go on, tell me another joke! Let's see what you've got!” I wisely kept my mouth shut as he continued to scream at me. When he finally got tired of verbally abusing me, we were ushered outside to the training field, or as I like to call it, the Field of Agony. Roughly one hundred yards from end to end, the oval shaped arena of doom had a dirt path running its perimeter while the center was dominated by various methods of torture that they liked to call an obstacle course. The domain of Booming Skies himself. The crazy pegasus had taken wing at some point, hovering above us with his military cut mane that matched his fur, “Let's go, colts,” I had to look around and make sure there weren't any mares in the group; there were not, “twenty laps! Move those hooves!” So, not only was evil, he was also crazy. No pony could possibly run that many- and the career soldiers were off. Not wanting to gain further shouting, I hurried after them and onto the track. Holy immortal sisters, I thought I had built up stamina doing my runs as a delivery colt, but these guards-in-training were machines! Five laps into it, my breathing was so ragged that I could feel every fiber of my being burning and they kept going like it was nothing. Lagging behind was not even close to describing what I was doing as the front of this thundering herd lapped me. I was pretty sure that I was dying and I didn't even get the luxury of doing so in peace. Somewhere around the third lap, I had gained a loud, overgrown bird shouting insults at me as I ran. There was no pity in the stallion above me and the only thing that kept me from throwing in the towel and submitting to the punishment of the court was the shark-like smile of Martial Cadence. To be fair, I did more than I expected, reaching the seventh lap before my legs gave out on me and I slammed into the dirt. No sympathy came from the other recruits. They took my fall in stride and simply hopped over me to continue their runs which made me think that this had happened before. The only one to give me any indication that he'd seen me fall was the sergeant, whom continued to shout “encouragement” at me. “What in Tartarus are you doing, recruit!? Get back on your hooves unless you want to give me thirty laps!” I wanted to shout and curse him out for his insanity. I was just a mortal stallion that had never wanted to be here! I just didn't have the energy to argue. Under the loving chorus of hernia-inducing vocal stress, I pushed myself to my feet and shambled my way along the course. Fear is a great motivator and it occurred to me that if I didn't just get up and continue that the LT had been given hours to consider how best to abuse me. Listening to the sergeant scream increasingly vulgar and demeaning things at me was probably only a one on the scale of things that she would do to me. Not that I had the spare energy to comprehend what he was saying fully. It was all I could do to continue putting one hoof in front of the other. I got a momentary reprieve as I wobbled my way to my ninth lap when he darted to the real recruits and ordered them onto the obstacle course before returning to my side. I felt a cold dread creeping into me as he stopped yelling. He was just staring at me as he hovered at a sedate pace. I don't know what was going through the head of his, but his voice sent a rush of fear through me, “Recruit... you're not cut out for this. Wash out. The Lieutenant's punishment is going to be easier than this.” I panicked. “NO!” I shouted. The word continued to flow from my lips as adrenaline shot into my system. I was running again and everything was blurring together. I could almost hear the subtle hiss of the thestral behind me, an unspoken promise of everything she could think of. It may have just been the rush of wind in my ears as I broke into a full gallop. I'm not sure how many laps I completed on the shock factor alone, but it didn't matter much. Somewhere in my mad dash, my legs slammed together and I went tumbling sideways. Now, the edges of the Field of Agony were slanted, meaning a fall like this lead toward the center. Toward the obstacle course. Caught in my own momentum, I couldn't stop myself from suddenly being in the middle of it all. The first section turned out to be a series of evenly placed barrels to make a pony have to dive through them and train up their agility. I tried to skid to a stop, but gravity was making me its toy as I spun and threw up my hooves in terror. From the outside perspective, I guess it looked like I decided to cartwheel between the barrels. I was so dizzy by the end of it that my hooves slid out from under me and I went flat on the ground. Now, somewhere along the line, somepony decided that it wasn't enough to just have to crawl under barbed wire on solid dirt. To fix that, a pegasus, whom I strongly believed I knew personally, had poured rain water on it and turned it to mud. This gave me a perfectly slick ground to slide across on my belly. Somehow I managed not to nick myself on the barbs, but I couldn't stop. Thanks to one of the horrible laws of motion, I was still going fast enough that the short ramp to the next part couldn't bleed enough speed as I was thrown into open air. I flailed, nostrils flaring in alarm, before one of my hooves found something to grab onto and I clung to the braided rope in front of me for all I was worth. I couldn't cling hard enough though, and as the rope whip-cracked at the end of the swing, I was pitched forward and sent somersaulting down the downward ramp. I wasn't sure what I rolled into, but it sent me into the air and over the high wall, floundering about as I passed over the hurdles from the same jump before finally coming to a rolling stop a bit further down. The silence was deafening as I recovered from my latest fiasco. The sound of wings flapping came just before hooves hit dirt next to me and I looked up. Sergeant Booming Skies was looking at me like I'd just grown a second head and I couldn't really blame him. Hopefully this was the point that he realized just how clumsy I was and confirmed my story to the lieutenant so I could just go home. He dashed my hopes entirely as his shocked look faded into a thoughtful one. After a moment, he nodded to himself before turning toward the recruits, whom had paused to watch my disaster in the making. Some of them even were standing there slack-jawed as they stared at me. The sergeant took a deep breath, “Well, colts!? Are you gonna let the newbie show you up!? MOVE THOSE HOOVES,” the spell broke and they returned to obstacle course with renewed vigor as he looked to me, “and you... if I catch you holding back on me again, I'll have you on latrine duty for a month! Now hit the showers!” “D...don't I still owe you laps?” I asked, hoping to prove that it was all a fluke. He simply glowered at me, “If you want to run another twenty laps, you do it tomorrow, glory-hound! Showers, NOW!” He didn't have to tell me again... Chapter 3: Then It Got WorseOver the next few days, the sergeant made good on his threat when I couldn't give him a repeat performance. Many good brushes were sacrificed to latrine duty and he seemed eager to push me beyond my limits each time. Not that it didn't get results. I'd never bulked up like this before and by the end of the second week, I was looking less lanky than I did when I started. It didn't help that every time I faltered, he liked to remind me of that psycho mare waiting in the wings to do horrible things to me. I'll admit that when I finally reached the point where twenty laps didn't feel like they were going to kill me, the exercise just started to become routine. I barely thought about it when we reached the third week of training and not much was left of the simple country colt... unless you count my sarcasm still existing. I just kept it internal now. About halfway through the third week, we started having to do the running and obstacle course in full armor. Thankfully, I filled it up just enough to satisfy the armory ponies, though I still didn't match it like some of the stallions around me. Speaking of them, it turns out that I made no friends with my accidental performance. Most of them hated me because it forced the sergeant to push them all a little harder, but most of that was simmering resentment. It was the overachievers that deeply hated me. A group of them cornered me at the end of the first week and gave me “a talk.” Of course, they couldn't physically hurt me or the sergeant would have had their flanks, but that didn't mean they had to play nice. From their perspective, I was a lazy colt who didn't have the proper respect for the guard. It was ludicrous. They wanted to stove my head in... because they thought I wasn't giving it all I had, “as a proper guard should.” Trying to explain myself to them was like trying to bring down a brick wall with my forehead. Needless to say, they took it upon themselves to screw with me every chance they got. An extended leg here to trip me, a soft push to force me to the ground there. If only it worked as they intended, but true to form, my Discord-damned “luck” loved to make them look like fools. An unintended somersault putting me ahead of them or a sudden slip into a slide that helped me dodge one of the airborne balls thrown from a pegasus sniper added midway through week two. Yeah, I had no allies on the Field of Agony, but after a while I couldn't help but take a measure of humor from their scowls. I was finally getting into the habit of doing things intentionally at this point, but then Sergeant Boomer had to go and throw me a curve ball. It was the final day of the third week of this glimpse into Tartarus when he called us to attention. Hovering in front of our neat rows of armored stallions, he raised his voice, “Alright colts, so far I haven't been able to convince any of you pathetic whelps to leave.” He paused here to give me a scathing look. “But now we're in the last stretch, and you're going to have an audience! As much as I find it pointless, the upper echelon likes to have a look at the newest members of the guard after I've roughed them up. So, starting tomorrow, whoever feels like watching me grind you miserable sods into the dirt is gonna get front row seats to a place worse than Tartarus!” Boomer slammed one hoof against the other, “So that means we're gonna need something more than this piss awful stomping ground! Well, it just so happens that the Night Guard has graciously allowed all of you to make idiots out of yourselves in their personal course, the Shadow Run,” I heard sharp intakes of breath all around me and the devilish grin on Boomer's face told me what I needed to know, “oh, so some of you have heard of it!? Well make sure to let the less informed know what kind of hellfire they're stepping in to tomorrow!” I wasn't going to get any information directly, so I simply listened as we were hastened to the showers. What I heard was not good. Everything from the “Shadow Run” being a never ending maze to it being a piece of the underworld was being tossed back and forth. There were even a few whispered comments about it possibly being the death of me specifically. Well, that was a lovely thought to head to bed on... ** The next day started like so many before it; we woke to the sound of the trumpet and jumped out of bed. A quick bout of shouting from the sergeant and we were off to our morning run. That's where things started to get different. Instead of heading to the track, we were put in two even columns and marched away from the barracks and onto the street proper of Canterlot. Keeping time with a steady clip-clopping of steel covered hooves, we marched our way through a barren trade district. Normal ponies were just starting to rise with the sun while we were being herded toward the entertainment district. That was not a good sign. It was made even worse as we all realized that we were being lead toward a massive, domed building decorated with the purple banner of the Night Guard. The violet eye on each banner seemed to judge all of us as we passed into the tunnel entrance set aside from the main doors. Several ponies stumbled as we kept marching while our eyes adjusted, myself included. The interior of the structure was dark and lit only by torchlight as we stepped further in. Various paths lead away from our path, but we continued forward, approaching the center of the building. There, it finally opened up and now that our eyes were properly adjusted, we could only gape at what was before us. The positively cavernous room dwarfed the Field of Agony by at least triple the size. The only problem was that as much as it looked like the field we were used to, it had absolutely nothing in it. It was just a massive open field with a track around the edge. I wasn't the only one confused if the murmuring around me meant anything. A sharp whistle drew our attention upwards and as one massive group, we realized that we were surrounded by spectator seats. Five figures sat up the darkness, but a splice of light illuminated the single mare I didn't want to see today. Martial Cadence, fully equipped in armor, gazed down at us with a disgusted look on her face, “Listen up recruits,” her voice didn't boom like the sergeant's, but I was sure we could all hear her, “I'm not a patient mare, so I better not have to repeat myself. Welcome to the Shadow Run, Princess Luna's pride and joy! You may notice that the equipment you're used to isn't here. Well, that's because the Shadow Run is unlike anything you've ever faced before and separates the fillies and colts from the mares and stallions!” She took to the air, the strange light seeming to follow her as she hovered over the empty field. She took a second to observe the formation of armor-clad, white-furred stallions before continuing, “This coarse is designed to train your ability to think and react on the fly. From start to finish, the course is covered in illusion magic to hide the obstacles from you until you come up to them. On top of that, once you enter the field, you will find yourselves under a vision limiting enchantment, so you won't be able to judge what to do by observing those in front of you!” A cascade of uncertain conversations broke out between the recruits around me and I'll admit that my already shot nerves were now on overdrive. This whole thing felt impossible! We were supposed to run blindly into the Shadow Run and hope for the best!? No, we would have all week to learn the course and adjust to it, right? As if she could read my mind, the evil mare decided to shatter my hopes, “Not only that, but each run will be different for you every day! You only get one shot at the Shadow Run each day. Fail to overcome an obstacle, you're out. Refuse to try, you're out. Attempt to cheat, you're out. You have seven days to complete a single run of the course, or you wash out! Any questions?” Oh, there were plenty, but there was no stallion eager to earn the ire of the mare before them so they stayed silent. Her eyes slid over the crowd and I swear they lingered on me for a moment longer than the others. She couldn't possibly identify me, could she? Her gaze continued without incident, “Very well. Sergeant Skies,” the sergeant snapped her a crisp salute, “fill in the rest of the details.” With that, she flew back to her seat and the light faded away, leaving her as just another silhouette in the background. Boomer drew our attention with his familiar shouting, “Listen up, colts! You heard the mare's rules, now here's mine: first rule, there will be a ten second count between each start, going one by one. You keep pushing forward, no matter what. If you stop to wait for a fellow recruit, I will personally throw you out!” He began to pace in front of us, his eyes firmer than normal, “Second: No matter who shows up in those stands today, you are to remain focused. I don't care if the princesses themselves were to show up, keep your eyes forward and don't show off! You're professionals, damn it, and if you embarrass the guard today, I'll have you hung from the gates by your tails!” He came to a stop in front of us and let loose a shout like never before, “And third: make us proud colts! Succeed or fail, only the brave few make it this far, but only the fiercest few make it past this! You all came here for different reasons, but today you stand on the precipice of victory! FOR EQUESTRIA!!” “FOR EQUESTRIA!” thundered back fifty-one voices full of pride and eagerness. I couldn't get myself to give out an equal shout. I was terrified and replaying his words in my head. The princesses could just decide to march in her and watch me look stupid?! What could I possibly do in my life to make it worse than that!? I took a deep breath to calm myself. The princesses were the rulers of Equestria and had better things to do than come watch this disaster in the making. He was just saying that to emphasize a point. Sweet Celestia, it was the most encouraging speech he'd ever given to this lot and each of them looked ready to dive into a dragon's mouth at his command. I sighed, realizing that my luck wasn't going to help me here. There was going to be no one to trip me into a victorious roll here. I splayed my ears back across my skull, realizing that I'd been played. There was no way I was going to do this and a wash out meant that the devil-mare currently in the stands was going to get her hooves on me. I should probably see if they'll give me time to write my last will and testament... Nevertheless, it was already too late to turn back since I was in the middle of the pack as we lined up single file. A soft hum built in our ears as the area of the field just within the track began to fill with a darkness that seemed to swallow light. It was darker than dark; that's the only way I could explain it. It created a uniform box that rose up a good thirty-five yards and blocked our vision of anything within. I gulped, an action mirrored by a few more stallions now feeling a little less sure of themselves. Somewhere up ahead of us, Boomer shouted “GO!” and the first victim dove throw the wall of shadow and vanished from sight. Just before the second stallion was good to go, we all heard it. It was a scream that no mortal stallion should ever make. A thing of terror that shook us to our core. Fifty more stallions now had the hesitation I'd been feeling since the beginning. Boomer simply glanced up at the pony in front of him and said something, looking like he hadn't heard that terrifying noise. The recruit said something in return. I couldn't make out the words, but the shrill disbelief was clear, but Boomer simply spat a few terse words at him and motioned for him to step aside. The third recruit, one of the overachievers squared his shoulders and jumped as soon as Boomer gave him the “Go.” Three more recruits followed suit before another cry of alarm echoed through the building. Thus began a steady process of a few stallions going for it, followed by one or two that would refuse to move. My heart hammered in my chest as I drew closer and closer to the barrier. Boomer looked up at me as I took position at the head of the line. His gaze was stone and his voice was ice, “This is your last chance, Lucky Signs,” I tensed up; he never used my name, “drop out. The Shadow Run eats colts like you for breakfast.” I wanted to. Oh, I desperately wanted to do just that and run screaming from this place. In fact, I even started to turn my head to join the others that had refused to enter the Shadow Run when I looked up. I couldn't see her eyes, but I knew that Martial Cadence was staring right at me. I couldn't see her face, but I knew a fang-filled grin was leering down at me. I couldn't read her mind, but I doubted that the Shadow Run could do anything to me that she couldn't do worse. I froze, slowly putting my hoof down as I turned back toward the barrier. Boomer didn't say anything, but his brow raised questioningly. He shook his head when I didn't answer his unspoken question and counted down from ten under his breath. Each ticking second made me tense. I had seven days to avoid that delusional mare's wrath. 3... 2... 1... “Go!” Boomer shouted and even as I sprang forward, I looked back at the other recruits with what was probably the most demented smile they'd ever seen. I was probably going to die and the only thing I could think to shout back at them was seriously stupid... “Wish me luck!!” Then I was gone into darkness... Chapter 4: The Shadow Run, Part 1Darkness enveloped me and I hesitated for a moment. True to the mare-from-tartarus' words, my vision was limited to little more than a few paces from my own body and everything beyond was just an endless void. There was nothing to mark the course except for the white arrow painted on the ground, urging me forward. As much as I didn't want to, I had to press forward. It was... eerily quiet. No labored breathing except my own, no screams of the poor souls in front of me. I felt alone. The kind of alone that fills the heart with dread and makes mindless fear into an understatement. I shook my head, unable to afford the hesitation. The next stallion would be coming soon and if I was still here, I wouldn't put it past Sergeant Boomer to make good on his threat and throw me out. If that happened, I didn't think I would have the guts to make a second attempt... I broke into a brisk trot, moving as quickly as I dared with my limited vision. It felt like ages went by before I came upon something. I'll admit, it wasn't what I expected. There before me was a cart. Not just any cart; it was my delivery cart. I would know the various scratches, the lean on the left wheel, and the chafing harness anywhere. Did they bring this all the way here just to mess with me? The sound of trotting hooves hit my ears and I panicked. I'd spent too long looking at the cart and the pony behind me was closing in. Shaking my head, I hopped over the cart and broke into a canter, keeping my ears and eyes alert for signs of the first obstacle. I wandered for a few minutes wondering why this walk was taking so long. Where was the first obstacle? Was the field just as empty as it had looked? If so, why were so many of the stallions shouting in terror? There were too many questions and not enough answers. That's when I came across my cart again. I stopped in confusion, blinking like an owl. I cursed under my breath. I had walked in a circle. I was assuming that the spectators had some way of seeing inside and they had just watched me make an imbecile out of myself. I swore softly in the encroaching darkness as I heard hooves approaching again. Maybe if I hurried, they wouldn't accuse me of anything and I could at least make it to the first hurdle without getting disqualified. This time I broke into a gallop as I charged into the darkness, intending to either hit the course or the edge of the barrier. A few more minutes passed, only the thudding of my hooves to keep me company as I squinted in a vain attempt to see further. I tripped over my cart now. I groaned, rolling back to my feet, staring at the aged wood in disbelief. Reaching out, I poked it, flinching as the echo of hoof on wood echoed in the darkness. This was spooky. More hoofsteps in the shadows. At this point, I didn't care about being thrown out, I needed answers. I waited. What suddenly appeared in my circle of vision made me gasp. It was me. Well, not me exactly. Colt me. From years ago; a time before I had my Cutie Mark. The younger me had his eyes squeezed firmly shut as he jumped up into the back of the cart and before my eyes, the stains and wear of age faded, leaving it in pristine condition... just like it had been before it was mine. I could only sit there, watching myself cry as my brain tried to restart. I... remembered this day. I'd been one of the last foals in my class to get a Cutie Mark and like so many before me, I'd been subject to ridicule as a “blank flank.” More often than not, I came to this place to be alone; this cart parked at the edge of my grandfather's fields... There he was, stepping out of the void, just as I remembered the brown, old stallion. Sturdy in his old age, my grandfather, Plum Tucker, had always been an easygoing old coot. As a colt, I couldn't appreciate the wisdom that he carried in his steps as his wrinkled face turned up in an understanding smile. He met the teary-eyed gaze of my younger self and gently patted him on the head before moving around to hitch himself up to the cart. Words weren't needed for the two of us to communicate. Getting carried around the old farm had always calmed me down and his presence had been... deeply appreciated. In a daze, I could only fall in stride with him as he moved forward, leading me through the dark. Just like he always had. It was then that his kind old eyes fell on me. As in the me currently armored from head to tail. He still had that smile for me as he spoke, “Remember a time like this, Lucky? It was easier, wasn't it?” He looped one leg over my shoulders, pulling me close as he walked with me. I could only look back toward the younger me with a dry chuckle, “Y...yeah... I used to be in such a hurry to get my Cutie Mark... then I got it and I...,” I took a deep breath, wanting to lose myself in this moment, but something urged me to ask, “Gramps... what is this? You...” I choked on the next word. His smile faded into a gentle frown, “...Died, Lucky. It's okay to be honest with yourself. Merciful Celestia, it's one of the virtues of harmony to be so. Honest with yourself and others.” He went quiet and I became aware that the world around me was growing steadily brighter. Looking ahead, I gasped again. My grandfather's field spread out before me, reaching over the hill just beyond it and down to the river hiding there. It was as breathtaking as I remembered and I felt my eyes water as nostalgia took over me. This farm had been my constant source of peace... before... The creak of wheels coming to a stop drew my attention as Tucker unhitched himself and looked at me with a sad smile. Gesturing back toward the field, he sighed, “This is your first obstacle, Lucky,” I stared and he chuckled, tapping his head, “up here, you're still stuck around this old place... I'm flattered, but,” he gestured back toward the cart and the gently slumbering foal within, “eventually, the old has to give way to the new...” Shadowy figures appeared not far from the two of us and I heard a whispered conversation that broke occasionally... “...has passed on, there's little reason to keep holding the land...” “...was his pride and joy, and Lucky...” “...is for the good of the family, dear...” I felt my breath hitch. After my grandfather's passing, my parents had been approached by a rich stallion. A complete scumbag. He'd come to them in a moment of weakness, since we were low on bits and couldn't pay the upkeep for the farm, they ended up selling the farm to him... my place of solace. I cocked my head to look to my grandfather only to be met with a simple gravestone. My eyes widened as I read the words etched into its surface: Here lies Plum Tucker, Doting Husband, loving father, and encouraging grandfather. May he rest in peace. I was breathing heavy now as the sky darkened, filling the pure blue with fiery reds and oranges. What in Tartarus was going on here!? A familiar weight appeared on my shoulders and I reached up to touch the harness securing me to the cart and a glance over my shoulder showed that the younger version of myself was still sound asleep. A flickering light drew my attention further back and I felt my eyes widen. A massive inferno rose like a wall of rage and death not far behind me and a whinny like the call of a damned soul sounded from it. The fire whipped and parted before the shimmering image of a pony with a body of smoke and embers, burning eyes staring down at me. A moment passed, my mind, body, and soul all frozen in place as a massive hoof was lifted, trailing flashes of the blaze. Move forward... Run. My grandfather's voice shot through my broken thoughts and I couldn't ignore those instructions. Slamming my hooves into the dirt, I shot forward as fast as I could, barely avoiding the slam of a volcanic limb where I'd been before. Strangely, all I could think of was all the horrible things I was going to say to the lieutenant and sergeant if I survived this. I was in the farm proper now and another glance behind me confirmed that the monster was still in pursuit. Its movements were slow and deliberate, the sheer size of it allowing it to keep just behind me. The acrid scent of smoke hit my nose as its fiery body set the field ablaze. Sadness hit me like a yak at full sprint. As pumped full of adrenaline and fear as I was, it somehow wormed its way into the cracks and settled like a weight on my heart. My already labored breathing got worse, my lungs seemingly refusing to pull in the necessary oxygen. It felt like my legs were turning to stone with how heavy they were getting. An ember touched my back, forcing me to give a startled yelp and look up. I was certainly glad that I hadn't drank anything yet, or I might have pissed myself as I stared up at the pillar of blazing doom hovering above me, ready to descend and crush me. I tried to run, only for my legs to scrape uselessly against the dirt, unable to move the weight behind me. Looking back forced a curse from my throat. My legs might have metaphorically turned to stone, but the cart had literally turned to stone. What sort of messed up place was this Shadow Run!? There was no way I could manage to unhitch myself fast enough to avoid the monster above me, but I had to try. I scrambled for the fastenings, fumbling with them in a panic. “Whoa, whoa, whoa!” came a startled cry from the cart and I looked back just in time to see “me” falling from the cart. The small colt had experienced the mother of all growth spurts... and gained that cursed Cutie Mark somewhere along the lines. As he fell, flailing wildly, his hind hoof kicked something into the air, firelight glinting off of polished metal. My grandfather's sickle came down in an arc and I tensed, twisting my body to avoid the sharp blade as it came down. Slice. I blinked, looking down at the severed lengths of harness that had been holding me to the cart for a moment. Only a moment, since another ember decided to tap me on the flank and remind me of the mortal danger above me. I moved to break into a gallop only to hear my younger self groan. He was still laying on the ground, holding his head in a daze. I'm not sure what possessed me to dart back and scoop him up onto my back before making my mad dash for safety. He was so dazed that he didn't fight it or question it, but as he looked back, I heard him give a startled squeak. He wrapped his hoof on my back, “We have to go back! That's grandpa's farm!” I stumbled as a painful memory surfaced at those words... Standing in front of my parents, not understanding why they weren't stopping the ponies destroying his farm. Shouting, screaming, and begging while my parents tried to calm me down. It didn't belong to them, no matter what a piece of paper said! I grit my teeth, tears stinging my eyes from both the billowing smoke and the weight on my heart. Move forward... “Not anymore, colt,” I said through my teeth, forcing my legs to keep moving, “he's not... not there anymore...” A flash of light in front of me lit the darkened world and I raced for it, plunging into the rip in reality before I could think about it... Chapter 5: The Shadow Run, Part 2I flopped onto the cold earth with all the grace of a dying fish. I was out of breath and scared, pissed, and relieved all at the same time as I took in the stone walls of the Night Guard's building, “What the buck was that!?” I shouted a few octaves louder than normal, but I didn't care. Whirling around, I looked up into the stand, ready and eager to say a number of horrible things to Martial Cadence. Only she wasn't there. Nopony was here. I was left to scan the empty building in confusion. The shadowy box was gone, leaving the field open and bare. No recruits running through some gauntlet of the damned, no sergeant cursing out a line of ponies, and no observers. Just me, alone in the equivalent of a dark castle. I rose to my hooves, the clanking of my armor the only thing breaking the silence. Did everypony go home and forget about me here? I snorted, beginning my journey back to the entrance with every intention of telling them all off, consequences be damned. I was ten steps from the tunnel when a metal gate slammed into place before me, cutting me off. I jumped backwards on instinct only for my back hooves to catch together and send me flank over head. Just in time too as something struck dirt where I'd been a moment ago. The lance that was buried in the dirt up to its cross-guard was a couple stallions in length and the mare that descended to it was the incarnation of evil itself. Martial Cadence retrieved her weapon in a flourish, transferring it from hoof to wing in a single motion where it stayed balanced on her outstretched wings. After realizing that she'd been aiming for me, I shouted, “What the buck are you doing, you psycho!?” Her answer made the blood in my veins freeze. “Killing you.” Then she was airborne. Looking back on it now, I have to admit that there was a lethal beauty to her movements. Lance and mare moved as one being as it twirled off of her wings to her waiting hoof. Curling it up against her body, she dove like a hunting falcon and it was all I could do just to roll to the side and avoid becoming an ornament for her blade. Then I was forced to keep rolling like an obedient dog as she struck with the speed of a viper again and again. Thankfully, the curve of the room made up for my lack of grace and kept me just ahead of the seeking weapon as my old friend, Gravity, asserted itself. A friend that she didn't exactly care for, seeing how she gave a short hop to get into the air again. Where had she come from!? I could have sworn that the entire room was empty a second ago. Was she some kind of ninja on top of being a demon in pony form? At least her frenzied assault had paused for the moment as she hovered above me, staring down at me impassively. “Well? Will you not defend yourself,” she questioned, starting to circle me, forcing me to turn and keep her in my sights, “or will you die helplessly?” I wanted to snort. How did she think I was going to protect myself without a weapon? Strike that, even if I had a weapon, a few weeks of drills would never put me in the ballpark of contending with her. She had to be toying with me. “Come on, Lieutenant, I beat your little Shadow Run! I didn't wash out, so I'm still working for the guard; you don't get to punish me yet!” I was grasping at straws. Why was she suddenly so actively aggressive? Sure, she wasn't exactly a fan of me, but I'll give her that she hadn't been trying to behead me from the start. At the time, she'd been treating me like a foal who had misbehaved. My statement earned me a knowing smirk as she flicked her weapon across her shoulder. Her laugh was starting to make me feel stupid, “Did you,” she asked, “you think you know anything about the Shadow Run? Tell me then, where does it begin... and where does it end?” Scrunching my nose, I peered up at her, “Well, apparently it starts with me see-,” I snorted for real this time, realization dawning on me, “it starts... with me...” I said, trying to comprehend the words even as I said them. Gritting my teeth, I rose up on my hind legs and pointed an accusatory hoof at “Martial Cadence.” “You're not real... none of this is real!” Her smirk never left her face as she drifted lazily across the air, “I'm not real? Is that so,” I never saw her move as a line of pain spread across my muzzle, the blade of her lance flicking in front of my eyes with my blood coating it, “are you still so sure?” I jumped backwards, narrowly avoiding the next thrust of the blade. It was all I could do to keep from being skewered by her as I used every ounce of agility I'd gained over the past few weeks. She was gloating the entire time, “Come now, I expected more of you. You decided the rules don't apply to you and chose to play the hero. Show me what you're made of, little hero. Fight me!” “I told you,” I spat in the middle of my defensive movements, “it was all dumb luck! I never wanted this, I just wanted to be a normal stallion with normal pony problems! Every time, stupid ponies like you just see what you want to see! It! Was! Just! LUCK!” “We are proud defenders of Equestria. Every day and every night we hone our skills to protect our homes from all threats. We don't believe in luck!” The strikes were becoming more frantic as... whatever this was seemed to take offense to my words. I couldn't help but get more and more frustrated as time went on. I hated my Cutie Mark. Ever since I'd gotten the blasted thing, my life had become a string of misinterpretations and I just wanted it to stop. I wasn't a warrior or a guard. Yet here I was, trying not to get run through. True, I wasn't doing a very good job; the clash of metal on metal could attest to that as each of her strikes began to draw closer and closer to hitting their mark. The pain was real enough even if nothing else was. I wasn't sure what sort of sick, twisted game was being played on the other recruits and me, but I had seen enough. I wasn't skilled enough to beat this image of the lieutenant in a fight and I couldn't dodge forever. I could already feel myself running out of steam. ...as much as I hated it, I was going to need some dumb luck. With a sound of defeat, I glanced toward my flank and muttered bitterly, “Don't screw me on this.” Then I threw myself forward, hoping beyond hope that I wasn't about to die. I was so going to die. The lance was aimed straight for my barrel and held tight in both of her hooves for a final strike. She was still smiling in that knowing way as I reversed direction and came toward her. This was the end. We both knew that without a shadow of a doubt. Let me tell you, there's a moment when death is so far beyond certain that you get a sense of peace. Oh, no doubt this was going to hurt, but it was the last pain I was every going to have to deal with. Not to say that I was going quietly. My mind was in overdrive as the shining blade approached. All of the frustrations I'd felt over the years at all the stupid stunts I'd done by accident were boiling within me. Her smile only served to add fuel to the fire. I wanted, for just one moment, to wipe that smile off of her face more than anything. This was going to hurt, but damn it, I was going to have the last laugh as I squared my shoulders and lowered my head. I should probably take this moment to tell you that Sergeant Boomer was eager to rip into a recruit for any small slight. That included scuffs and dirt on your armor, so every day after practice all of us had to clean our armor until it shined. Add into that the natural dark of the building I was currently in and a well-placed torch and you can see why this was all just happenstance. Light, meet helmet. Light's reflection, meet thestral eyes. She shut her eyes with a grunt and her sure stroke suddenly tipped to one side, skidding off my chestplate as I slammed into her. I may be pretty scrawny, but the bone structure of an earth pony is pretty dense and few pegasi, or thestrals in this case, usually have to deal with an earth pony baring down on them. So, with the sudden rush of air being knocked from her lungs, we went sprawling in a heap. The lance clattered away, skidding off into the darkness as we hit the ground. We were equally surprised by this turn of events, but she was quicker to recover and she went from being on bottom to being on top. Pinned as I was, I could only look up at her as her smile gave way to the more familiar scowl. Her lips parted, giving me a good look at those long fangs as she hissed. Rearing back her head, I only got a moment to process what she was going to do before she lunged for my neck and- Suddenly turned into a cloud of bubbles that floated away... “What?” A soft, genuine chuckle filled the air, distinctly feminine, but thankfully not the Lieutenant. Did she even know how to laugh like this? Questions for later. I rolled to my belly and looked around for the source. Peering around didn't help. Much like before, this arena of doom was devoid of life other than myself. “I must say,” came the voice that made my ear flick, “you have an unorthodox strategy for combat. Most would call it foolish, but it appears to work for you.” The structure around me faded, giving way to the void of “I can't see anything.” Well, I supposed that confirmed that I was still in the Shadow Run. The question was rapidly becoming “where does this nightmare end?” Movement to my right caught my attention and I jumped up to face whatever this new threat might be. I was so not ready for what I saw. Just a few paces from me, emerging from the darkness, was a mare on par with the lieutenant for height, but that's where the similarities ended. The mare in question had a deep, navy blue coat and her sapphire eyes gazed at me with a measure of mirth. Both mane and tail were living pieces of the sky pressing points of starlight against the void behind her. If that hasn't given you enough to piece together who I was looking at, here's what put the final nail in that coffin. The mare in front of me had her groomed wings extended to each side and her horn was aglow with azure magic. Yes, wings and a horn... “I'm sure that you have many questions.” Princess Luna herself stated to me.... Chapter 6: Out of the Darkness“P...Princess Luna? Gah, Princess Luna!” I wasn't sure which hoof I should salute with or if I should bow. I ended up with both front hooves at my brow and my face in the dirt, much to her amusement. Her laughter was gentle and reserved. With a soft motion of her hoof, she beckoned me to rise. “Please, don't stand on ceremony. I am no more Luna than you are that young colt you once were. In fact, I am less so,” she tittered at my confused look, “I am an echo. A piece of her magic woven into the structure that she helped build. Come, let me explain.” She turned, urging me to follow and I quickly fell in step behind her. One hoof swept in everything around her, “As you've no doubt surmised, the Shadow Run is not an obstacle course in the traditional sense. When Luna returned from the moon, she was still a creature of a forgotten world. In her eyes, the ponies of today were... skittish, to put it gently.” She paused, turning to face me, “It was difficult for her to accept peace at first and the Shadow Run represents that. In her heart, she held a fear that the enemies of Equestria would not hesitate to take advantage of the lax nature of the ponies around her. When she first started recruiting for the new Night Guard, she refused to accept anything less than the brave few, but how could she find those?” The echo of Luna flapped her wings and hovered just above the ground, allowing her to gesture with both front hooves at the area around us. A small smile flit across her face, “by creating an obstacle course where the obstacles were not physical things, but the things locked deep in a pony's mind. Their fears.” I stood quietly, taking in the information she was giving me. If every recruit was dealing with their unique fear and it manifested like my first one did, then, “...if it's alright to ask, what happens to those who fail an obstacle?” Dropping to her hooves again, Echo (as I decided to call her) nodded to me, “Don't worry, failure doesn't mean anything too drastic. The illusion magic at work here is meant to simulate an experience as realistic as possible. Pain is something that happens here, but if an encounter were to end fatally, the illusion breaks and the pony in question is sent to the center of the field to wait. In truth, it's where you would have ended up if that attack had finished, but I deemed it that you had fulfilled the criteria for victory.” I gazed at her with uncertainty, “...and what exactly is the criteria for victory?” Ruffling her wings, Echo gave me an approving nod, “A fantastic question. The answer is facing what you fear most. There are three steps to this course: past, present, and future. You faced the fear of moving on as your past. Your present was the mare you feel is most dangerous to your way of life. The last I'll let you figure out on your own as it is... confusing, even to me.” The inquiry must have been written on my face as she sighed and gestured for us to continue moving. After a moment of quiet, she spoke again, “Normally, I would not appear to you until the end of the third trial, but yours is... strange to say the least. It is not something that can be conjured here,” she held up a hoof to stall the question on my lips, “it wouldn't mean as much if I just told you what it is.” Looking down at me, her face grew serious, “That being said, there is something to go over. You are not allowed to discuss the intricacies of the Shadow Run with any who have not completed the course in its entirety. Only a hooffull outside of the Night Guard can claim as such. In truth, by its design alone, the Shadow Run is not something that should be able to be beaten.” I hesitated, looking up at her, “What about the recruits that don't complete it? They're going to wash out, aren't they?” A shake of her head answered me, “Nay, that is just a ruse to make sure that the recruits try their best. In truth, all of you were guards ready for graduation. The Shadow Run is mostly used as a way to find... special recruits among you. Your victory puts you in with a small few.” I blinked, then hopped backwards, “Wait, wait, wait! I'm sorry, I don't know what you thought you saw, but all of that wasn't real! I'm no super soldier, I'm just an idiot who winds up in the right spot at the wrong time! I'm just here because I was accused of being a vigilante, see?” I asked while raising my hoof to show the locator band. The mare before me only smiled matronly as she sat down, “Lucky Signs, I possess a fragment of Luna's abilities. I have seen into your subconscious thoughts to find your fears. Your memories, safe as they are with me, are still with me. I, like her, do not believe in happenstance. I do believe in luck, just not chance. There is a strange, thinly defined difference between the two. Regardless, whether you want to believe it or not, you defeated the Shadow Run legitimately.” Pointing a hoof at me, she continued, “When it would have been easier to stay still and be crushed, you moved forward to save yourself from the fire. When you were outmatched by a mare several times your better, you chose to fight back. Now, despite everything you claim, I know what you will do next. Despite how easy it would be to do the opposite.” One of her wings flicked to the side, striking the air and creating a tear in reality. A pale light shone through, making me squint and shield my eyes. When my eyes adjusted, Echo was gone, leaving me with the portal. I just stared at it for a while. She... wasn't wrong, but she wasn't right. I mean, who would just stand there when certain death was hanging over your head? On top of that, what was I supposed to do in that last one? Just lay down as a lance was put through my heart? What I did was something anypony would have done in my position. ...Right? That single, uncertain thought is what doomed me as I look back on it. I was so sure that this was just one, giant mistake, but even an echo of a princess is enough to put doubt into the heart of a pony like me. I don't remember rising to my hooves, nor putting a hoof toward the rift. I had to wonder, what kind of fear was Echo referring to. A fear that couldn't be conjured here? What did that even mean considering the way that my “past fear” chose to rear its head. I hesitated with a hoof in the air. Could I really face something worse than what I'd been dealing with up until now? Did I want to? I felt my heart beat. In a way that can hardly be described, it spoke to me. It spoke of fear and courage, unrest and contentment, and so many other things that I could spend days listing them. Anypony who has been in a position like this knows what I'm talking about. It is a moment caught between backwards and forwards that brings every wall you've put up crumbling down. There, at the bottom, is an eager foal looking forward, asking a simple question: what comes next? I stepped into the light, tensing for whatever was to come... My hooves clacked loudly on stone as I stepped out into the darkened interior of the Night Guard's barracks. The soft crackling of torches returned sound to the world as a signal that I was truly back as I looked around. Somehow, I'd been moved up into the stadium seating above the Shadow Run and looking down into it made me snort in surprise. From up here, the dark box of illusions was see through and what I saw was odd. Toward the center of the box, several stallions in armor were milling about, looking dazed and confused while Sergeant Boomer appeared to be talking to them. The recruits that had refused to enter were sitting together near the tunnel, staring at the box in wide-eyed fear. Meanwhile, the rest of the recruits seemed to be floating about the box, running on air. Strangely, if I looked at one of the floating recruits long enough, the box would suddenly change and reveal what the recruit was seeing, like a live play. Ooh, Spark Plug had a fear of moths? I was so not letting him live that one down anytime soon. “What the buck is this?!” cried an all too familiar voice. Martial Cadence was suddenly in my face and seething. A quick glance revealed that the other ponies in the stands, no longer hidden from sight, appeared to be unicorns focused on powering the enchantment below. That was all the more I got to take in before a sharp jab to my chest drew my attention back to the lieutenant. “How... what... why... when...?” it was almost funny how she seemed unable to pick a question. Not funny enough to laugh when she was already fired up like this. Her wings were swinging up and down like they were on hinges in her disbelief. On top of that, I wasn't sure if her pupils existed anymore with how thin they'd become. She whirled toward the group of illusionists, “Cascade,” she shouted, drawing the attention of a stallion at the head of the group before pointing at me, “EXPLAIN!” I had to credit the pony for the guts to scoff at the lieutenant, “He met with the echo. Everything checks out so there's nothing to explain. He made it through the Shadow Run.” “That's impossible!!” the thestral thundered, wildly gesturing at me. Her next several attempts to communicate slid into some sort of combination of squeaks and gags. She looked at me and all I could do was shrug. She slumped to the ground like someone had grounded her for a month, continuing to point at me. I cleared my throat, feeling a bit more confidant after her display, “Sorry to disappoint you, Lieutenant, but it looks like you won't be deciding my punishment after all.” Silence. Then she was grinning from ear to ear like a fiend as she slid back to her hooves. Thrusting her face near mine, she looked me dead in the eyes... and chuckled. “Oh, you silly little colt,” she practically purred, “you're not getting away that easily. You think I come to watch this charade just because it's funny? Oh, no,” she was starting to freak me out as she slid past me, flicking her tail at my nose, “I come here for one reason, Lucky Signs. Whenever some colt or filly makes it through the Shadow Run, I'm there.” I could already feel my blood starting to run cold as she glanced over her back at me, “Because when they do... they're mine,” my eyes widened the same amount as her grin, “that's right, Lucky... you work... for me now. I expect you in my office bright and early tomorrow for... orientation.” She was laughing the entire way out of the building. As I stood there, all I could think was the same thing I said. “Oh... buck....” Chapter 7: PromotionOne last restless night in the barracks with the rest of the recruits interrogating me about things I couldn't talk about didn't make the hours last long enough. I was not looking forward to the morning and I silently pleaded with Princess Celestia to take a sick day. Either she didn't hear me or decided to ignore me because the sun was up when our wake up call came and I was forced to face the music. An “escort” came to take me directly to the she-devil's office and I was still shaking off a case of the yawns when I was pushed in. I had been told to leave my armor. Right now I wished that I had it. Lieutenant Cadence was in full armor and strapped along her back was a lance that I was going to be seeing in my nightmares. Echo sure liked to be authentic with her illusions. At least the sly smile spreading across her muzzle as she looked up at me was less disconcerting than the stoic expression of her doppelganger. Putting aside whatever report she'd been reading, she gestured to a chair across from her, “Sit.” she commanded. I obeyed, just hoping to avoid her ire today. To her credit, she seemed unusually composed today as she eyed me from across the desk. She seemed to be searching for something in my eyes as she spoke, “You are a strange stallion, Lucky Signs. When you were first marched through that door, I had you pinned as just another 'hero' type, but here we are. Not only have you shown remarkable resilience, now you stand with the honored few to complete the Shadow Run.” I was starting to wonder if she had been replaced by a changeling when her hoof slammed into the desk. Her smile was gone, replaced by a thin frown, “So I started to do some digging. I started to wonder to myself, who is this stallion? Where did he come from? Who taught him so well and what drives him? Do you know what I found, Lucky Signs?” “...Nothing?” I supplied softly. She nodded, throwing me off, “That's exactly right. Nothing. No training, formal or informal. No prior incidents leading up to your little heroics. Nothing about you adds up. So, right here and now, you're going to tell me what it is about you that lead you here and you won't lie to me.” I let out a defeated sigh, my ears splayed back across my head, “Lieutenant, there's nothing I can tell you that I haven't already stressed to you since day one. All of that, all of this,” I gestured around the office, “is one giant misunderstanding. I was here on a simple delivery with every intention of going home before something like this could happen.” She said nothing, prompting me to continue, “I know that I can't get you to believe me, but all I can tell you is the truth. One day, I had an accident. It was a school activity, a scavenger hunt, and the final clue had all of us stumped. Our teacher told us that all of the answers were somewhere within the school yard and we spent a long time looking for it.” Leaning back in my chair, I closed my eyes, “It was stupid. We were getting frantic because everypony wanted to be first to solve the riddle and none of us were watching where we were going. A colt was crawling on the ground, thinking that it would help him find the answer and I wasn't looking where I was going. I tripped over him and rolled down the hill we were on. When I hit the bottom, I was in a bush of flowers I'd never seen before. Of course, worried that I'd been hurt, the teacher was quick to come.” I let out a bitter laugh, “She got it into her head that I'd just hopped up and kept searching, as colts are known to do. Turns out, the flowers were the answer and she was convinced that I'd puzzled it out. That was the same day I got my Cutie Mark. I got praised and at first I liked it. Time went on though and it started to get worse...” I looked into Martial's eyes, spying no hint of her thoughts, “I haven't meant to do a lot of things in my life. They just sort of happen and I would be showered with congratulations that I didn't deserve. It's all this messed up matter of perspective that other ponies seem to have of the situation. I slip and disarm a criminal? They think that I'm some master of hoof-to-hoof combat. Oh, I lose a battle with gravity and complete an obstacle course? They think I've been holding back.” I grit my teeth, “It's just luck.” The tension was thick enough that a lumberpony would be needed to cut it. She blinked. I blinked in return. Finally, with an air of frustration, Martial spoke, “Honestly, I want to believe you and send you on your way. The problem is that it's out of my hooves,” she sighed, rubbing the back of her head with one hoof, “whether we like it or not, Lucky Signs, I'm stuck with you.” I slumped down into my chair in defeat. It sounded like neither of us were happy with the arrangement, but we were just going to have to deal with it. Taking a breath to compose myself, I inquired, “So, what now then? I spend a certain amount of time walking up and down roads and looking guardly?” This mare really loved to dash my hopes with shakes of her head, “Nothing that simple,” she stated, reaching into her desk to produce a folder, “the ponies under my command aren't sit at home types. Due to the relaxed nature of our society, criminals have an easy time building nests right under the noses of the normal guards. We deal with burning them out.” Pushing the folder over the desk to me, she explained, “As of right now, you work with the authority of the crown to investigate a number of cases that local authorities are unable to deal with. These investigations can range from simple information gatherings to tactical assaults on criminal lairs that we find. This,” she pointed at the folder, prompting me to open it, “is your first case.” She was up and pacing her side of the room, talking even as I was reading, “It's a simple mission, one I would usually give a single recruit, but considering your... situation, I'll be sending a veteran with you. The two of you are tasked with looking into rumors of a small cult uprising near the town of Springrun. It's a few days travel from Manehatten and that's close enough to cause some fear.” She paused, turning her head to gaze at me out of the corner of her eye, “Several locals have gone missing and the rest believe that a Nightmare cult is active there.” I froze. Ever since Princess Luna's return, there had been a number of fanatics whom worshiped Nightmare Moon as a goddess. Usually, they were stomped out by quick actions from law enforcement, but like a bad weed they kept coming back. They also weren't known for being the most stable of ponies and had been accused of various violent crimes in the past. Of course, this was all second-hoof rumor. I didn't exactly care much for the news and only heard bits of it during routine deliveries, but what I'd heard was not good. Martial must have felt my dread as she spoke, “You are not to engage the cult forces directly. Let me repeat that,” placing both hooves on her desk, she stared at me, “do not engage any cult members you find. Your mission is determine if there is any truth to these rumors. If they're dug in hard enough to get away with foalnappings, then they're beyond the locals anyways. If you find proof of cult activity, you report back and I'll send a contingent down to wipe them out.” “Noted,” I agreed with a bit of a squeak, “hooves off.” Like I was going to be dumb enough to take on a cult of crazed ponies. If anything, finding the missing ponies was going to be my first goal before bringing down the wrath of Martial's forces. It also wasn't confirmed that a cult was in the workings; those ponies may have just gotten lost at best or run afoul of local predators at worst. The lieutenant gave me a nod, then took a deep breath. Parting her lips, she sat there with her mouth open for a long moment, confusing me to no end. I noticed one of her ears twitch, as if catching a noise I couldn't hear and closed her mouth, “Your partner will be here shortly.” she informed me. I was just about to ask her what she meant when the door opened behind me. Twisting around, I got my first look at my partner. A thestral stallion entered with fur so dark that I thought he was a shadow at first. Then his amber eyes snapped to look at me and I could immediately tell what he thought of me: I was useless to him. Instead of armor, he was wearing a dress uniform with the insignia of a sergeant. “Sergeant Silent Stroke, this is the auxiliary, Lucky Signs. As of today, he's a part of my legion. You've been briefed on your assignment,” Stroke gave a level dip of his head, living up to his name, “very well. Take Lucky and get him equipped as you see fit. Auxiliary, for the duration of the mission, the sergeant speaks with my authority. If he says jump, you better have all four hooves off the ground. Dismissed.” If this stallion said anything, I'm sure I wasn't going to argue. He easily dwarfed me and I wasn't sure who would be foolish enough to try and tell him no. Sweet Celestia, when he motioned with his head to follow him, I wasn't about to hesitate as I jumped to my hooves and cantered after him. One strange thing I did notice was that as we left the dark halls and made for the outside, he pulled a pair of sunglasses out of his uniform and put them on. Hey, if he wanted to go with the “cool guy” look, I wasn't going to judge. He could probably break me in half with his wings alone. We made for the armory, but took a slight detour and came to a hall closed by a sturdy iron gate. A single unicorn in armor stood in front of us until Stroke produced a paper. Whatever was written on it must have checked out as the unicorn lit up their horn to lift the gate out of our way, sliding it back into place behind us. Stroke and I entered into a circular room about half the size of the normal armory. “What is this place?” I asked, unsure as to what I was looking at. All around us I could see what looked like random odds and ends. A white shirt that somehow had no dirt on it, a number of horn and hoof rings, as well as random contraptions that I'd only heard about in stories. The entire thing was lit by a single crystal floating a little above our heads and shining with raw mana. “Equipment,” Stroke stated simply, finally letting me hear his drawling tone, “leftover from the disbanding of the Monster Hunter Organization.” With deft hooves, he tossed me a saddlebag and motioned for me to follow as he produced one for himself from under a shelf just inside the door. At first, he seemed content to fill his own bag with various things, but he finally tossed a medallion at me, “Keep that close. It's charged with a one-way teleportation spell. Should keep you out of trouble.” It just kind of continued like that for a few minutes as he tossed things at me and gave a brief explanation of their uses. A hoof ring that could fire various signal flares. A pair of goggles for seeing in the dark (because apparently he could do that naturally). The sort of things you'd hear about in an Ogres and Oubliettes game. I wanted to question why any of this stuff was necessary for a simple scouting mission, but I figured he was just preparing for a worst case scenario. Then he produced something that startled me. The item was a slim dagger with an edge that gave off bad vibes. Holding it like a venomous snake, I looked at it, then him. He simply stared at me, “Last resort. Forbidden spell. Against one opponent, stab them. Against many foes, stab yourself, deny information.” With that he shoved a train ticket into my hooves and started walking out. What the buck had I just become a part of? I found a sheath for the dagger and made sure to pack it away where it wouldn't be prodding me... Chapter 8: Arrival in SpringrunThe train ride was predictably awkward. Even sitting in general seating and trying my best to converse with some of the other ponies aboard, my intimidating shadow had a way of curbing talk. It had been over a month since my last contact with the non-guard world and this jerk was drawing a line between us and them. I might have been okay with it if trying to get him to talk wasn't like pulling teeth. Silent Stroke had swapped out of his dress uniform and might have looked casual if it wasn't for his attitude. I eventually had to make the excuse of going to the restroom just to go have a real conversation. For the first time in my life, I was eager to learn some news about what had been happening outside of the barracks. Apparently our freshest princess had decided to open a school. Good for her, I wished her nothing but the best. She'd been living in Ponyville long enough that she probably had become a normal country pony, aside from the occasional world ending disaster. The death-like state that Tirek had put everypony in wasn't the best experience. Aside from that, it seemed like the world had been given a bit of a breather from alicorn-related incidents. The ponies I talked to were all hoofball and fashion trend talk. The latter wasn't a surprise, considering the city we were stopping at before marching to Springrun. I returned to my seat before we started pulling into Manehatten Station. I'd never seen such a large city in my life and I tried to take it all in as Stroke took off at a healthy pace, forcing me to hurry after him. It baffled me how buildings so large and made of metal could be possible, but then again I wasn't a construction pony. Sure, some of the buildings in Canterlot rivaled them for sheer size, but Manehatten won the quantity contest hooves down. How did anypony find their way around this city!? Apparently Silent Stroke could as he weaved through a crowd that parted around him like water. They were less inclined to allow me passage and I earned several dirty looks and angry comments before catching up to him. Thankfully, seeing that I was with him discouraged some of the more violent looking individuals from giving me a “warm” welcome. All in all, it wasn't my kind of city. I was breathing a sigh of relief and checking my saddlebags to ensure my equipment and rations were still with me as we left the city proper. I wasn't going to put it past some of those ponies to swipe something off of me since I wasn't in uniform. It felt weird to see my natural fur color after so long of being just another alabaster stallion. To keep up appearances, Stroke decided we were hoofing it all the way to Springrun and camping out at night. It went well enough, with me chatting to myself or the various wildlife and silently cursing Sergeant Boomer for my inability to sleep past the raising of the sun. The way there felt normal and peaceful. For a few days, I got to feel like I wasn't a member of the guard and I enjoyed it. It all ended as we came to the final stretch leading to Springrun. Like somepony had flipped a switch, the life-filled woods gave way to a sense of foreboding. Silent Stroke felt it long before I did as he tensed and began to tilt his head to look around. Birdsong turned to silence and the very air began to feel heavy as we came upon Springrun. Calling it a town was being generous. A more accurate description would be a village; it only had a small amount of buildings and even at midday there were only a few ponies out and about. Entering Springrun earned us a couple wary glances, but nopony approached us. There was an overwhelming sensation of defeat in the very soil beneath our hooves. I know that it sound strange, but it's something that most earth ponies would know. Something about our connection with the world around us gave us a certain... ability to just know. It's the equivalent of a pegasus' ability to tell you how charged a storm cloud is by touching it or a unicorns ability to discern magic signatures from pony to pony. All I could feel here was that something had gone wrong. We made out way to the largest building in the town, though that wasn't saying much, it was just the only building with a second floor. This turned out to be the local inn and was about as lovely as the rest of the town. Being this far out, it didn't possess a lot of modern conveniences, so natural and candlelight were the name of the game. Stroke made a point of getting us rooms at the furthest end of the upstairs. With our stuff safely stowed away for the moment, with the exception of a small bag each, we hit the town. We took a long detour around the wood buildings in order to “get a feel” for it, as Stroke declared, before heading for the local enforcement office. Said office was a small building with a single room and a short hallway with three cells. A middle-aged pegasus with a handlebar mustache looked up as we entered, his gray eyes taking us in. The cream colored stallion stood and was about to say something when Stroke produced a hoofful of official looking papers. A moment of quiet passed as the pony, wearing the jacket and badge of a sheriff, read the papers, then nodded. “You're late,” he stated with a snort, his gruff voice making me tense as its abrasiveness, “two more ponies went missing yesterday.” He pushed over a pair of photos and I pulled my eyes from glaring a hole into his face to look at them. My ears shot up. The smiling faces of two foals, an orange furred earth pony colt, and a blue furred unicorn filly. “Tell us what you know.” Stroke commanded levelly. The sheriff gazed at him for a long moment, “Why should I tell you anything? How am I supposed to know that you aren't in league with whoever did this? You certainly look the part,” he leaned over the desk toward Stroke, “bat-pony.” I wasn't sure what possessed this stallion to be so blatantly racist, but if looks could kill, I would have to try and arrest Stroke for murder. As it was, I had to swallow the lump in my throat and catch Stroke's eyes with a pair of ear flicks. Guard Cant, a series of ear signs to communicate unheard in a crowd. Don't kill. Check perimeter. I'll talk. “I can see that I'm not wanted here. Good luck in your investigation, sheriff.” Stroke stated bluntly before getting up to leave. As the door slammed shut behind him, the sheriff let out a sigh of relief, “I'm sorry to see that you're paired up with one of them, colt,” the one-eighty from his previous attitude gave me whiplash as he held a hoof out to me, “Name's Lone Star. Sheriff around these parts.” Now, I was annoyed at the sheriff's attitude toward Stroke, but I couldn't afford to burn bridges right now. Putting on my best “service colt” smile, I shook hooves with him, “It's a pleasure, Lone Star,” it wasn't, “I'm Lucky Signs. We got word up in Canterlot that you think that... something fishy is going on around here.” A lot of ponies don't know how to test the waters with phrasing like that. I needed to see how open he was with saying it. He nodded, getting a tired look on his face, “Yeah, you could say that. It started about a month ago and me and the boys weren't sure what to make of it. A young mare was passing through on her way up to Manehatten and was staying at the inn. The owner heard a struggle and got in contact with us. All the mare's belongings were still in the room, but it was like she'd vanished of the face of the world.” He leaned back in his chair and sighed at the ceiling, “there was nothing to go on, so we had to suspend the investigation after a couple days. The trend continued for a while with only ponies from out of town going missing. Then when travel started to dry up, a couple of townsponies went missing. Same M.O. No trace of where they'd gone. That is until the day before we sent a message up to Canterlot.” Reaching into the desk, he pulled out a length of folded cloth, black in color, and pushed it over his desk to me, “Found this nearby. I couldn't make heads or tails of it, but one of our older folks started spouting off about cults. Scared the ponies around here senseless until I managed to calm 'em down.” Carefully, I unfolded the cloth and felt my face fall into a deep frown. Plastered across the cloth was the image of a purple eye. It was almost identical to the Night Guard's emblem except for the color. It was easy to see how the locals thought a Nightmare cult was to blame, but something was just off about it. Looking up at him, I asked, “Do you mind if I hold onto this? It might assist the investigation.” When he nodded, I slipped the cloth into my bag, knowing that Stroke would want to see it. My eyes returned to the photos in front of me, “These foals. What can you tell me about them?” A sad look shot through his eyes as he nodded, “Buck Wild and Misty Trails. Twins, if you believe that. Their parents were devastated to hear that they'd gone missing, but nopony in town knows where they went,” he rubbed his neck, “Sunny Trails, their mother, wanted to blame ol' Digger. Nice old stallion who lives alone with his son at the edge of town.” he explained when I looked at him questioningly. “You don't agree?” I asked “Don't get me wrong, Digger and his colt have always been... peculiar, but they've never been the crazy kind. Digger don't talk much, but he does good work on the irrigation lines he's been working on for the local garden. The colt, Onyx Jumper, is liable to talk your ear off about whatever morbid curiosity he has, but they've both lived here for years and have been model citizens in that time. So, no, mister Signs, I don't believe they have anything to do with it.” I nodded, filing that information away. Mulling it over, I inquired, “Is it alright if we talk to ponies around town? See if anypony has seen or heard anything?” Waving his hoof dismissively, Star replied, “So long as y'all don't go stirring up a ruckus. If you can find something we overlooked and figure out what happened to these ponies, we'd much appreciate it.” “Of course. Could you also give me directions to Sunny Trails' and Digger's houses? It will probably turn out to be another dead end, but it doesn't hurt to get some more background information.” Lone Star wasn't shy about giving me directions and seemed like a fairly nice pony aside from the blatant prejudice against thestrals. Hopefully that wasn't going to be the general theme or this was going to be a long mission. Heading outside, I found Silent Stroke pacing back and forth with a grim look on his face. Thankfully his sunglasses were back in place (to protect his photosensitive eyes, as I found out) so his angry face wasn't accented by his predatory eyes. He fell in step beside me as I marched out. “Anything?” he asked tersely. “A couple of names to talk to and something that I want you to have a look at somewhere it won't start a panic. We've still got some daylight, so we might as well get some questions answered if we can... maybe I should do the talking, Stroke,” he ruffled his wings and I held up a hoof in placation, “look, I'm not condoning his reaction to you, but right now we're dealing with ponies that are afraid. They're not going to think rationally and small towns like this aren't going to get a lot of thestrals. Just stand there and look intimidating,” he stared at me, “yeah, like that. These are my kind of ponies, Stroke, they're more likely to talk to me anyways.” I could see the gears turning in his head as we walked until he let out a bitter hiss, “Fine. You do the talking. I'm better at interrogations anyways.” “Stroke,” I said lightheartedly, “I get the feeling that this is the start of a wonderful partnership.” That earned me a snort in response... Chapter 9: The Plot ThickensMeeting with Sunny Trails was easy enough. Her husband and her lived in a house just down the way from the inn and when I mentioned an investigation, she was eager to let us in. True, she gave Silent Stroke nervous glances, but so far he was taking my advice and not bringing his aggressive voice into it. The mare herself matched her colt in color, but had a yellow mane to his oak. It was obvious that she hadn't slept well recently from the bags under her eyes and the redness there was probably due to a lot of tears lately. With her husband out of the house, I wanted to warn her against letting strangers into the house, but we needed answers. Unfortunately, there wasn't much she could give us that the sheriff hadn't. We certainly got a lot of background on the foals as the worried mother was eager to give us their whole biography. Well behaved foals, according to her, that never went out of their way to cause trouble. Misty had just started getting a feel for her magic while Buck was at the point where he couldn't wait to grow up and help his dad. It was heartbreaking to not be able to comfort her in some way beyond assurances that we were going to do everything in our power to find them... I shifted on the couch Stroke and I were occupying. As much as I didn't want to broach the subject with her, I needed to ask, “Missus Trails?” I started, only to be stalled by a hoof as she smiled at me warmly from her chair. “Please, just call me Sunny.” “Alright, Sunny. We just came over from talking to Lone Star and while I don't want to stir up anything, he mentioned that you thought it was another local. A pony named Digger?” Her face morphed into a scowl and her voice escaped through gritted teeth, “I didn't want to think so at first. Digger's always been a strange fellow, but... I have to feel that it's either him or his colt,” I gestured for her to elaborate, “see, recently my foals would see Onyx and feel bad because he was always alone, so they took it on themselves to befriend him not long ago. They really were sweethearts and I was proud of them for it...” Seeing tears welling in her eyes, I gently reached over and patted to back of one of her hooves. Say what you will, but a little kindness goes a long way and she nodded thankfully before continuing, “I never wanted to believe that a colt could be bad, no matter how strange they were. It wasn't until Misty and Buck started getting caught stealing things that I had reason to suspect...” “Your foals were stealing things? Any idea why? And what kinds of things?” She snorted softly, “It was all manner of things. A piece of jewelry here, a spatula there, and other such nonsense. As for why, I asked them about it and they said that Onyx needed that stuff to help his dad, but when the sheriff went asking about it, we didn't find any of the stuff in the house. Digger claimed that he was just as confused and promised to punish Onyx, but this was about the time ponies started going missing from the inn, so it got swept under the rug.” Her eyes went to the floor, “I was concerned, just like everypony, but there wasn't much I could do to help. I thought that Sheriff Star would get to the bottom of it quickly, but it kept happening... then suddenly it wasn't strangers anymore. Friends that I'd know for some time were vanishing as if they'd never existed to begin with. It scared some ponies into moving away, but the rest of us were too stubborn to go... I can't help but think... if we hadn't been so stubborn, Misty and Buck would still...” her words gave way to a fresh bout of tears and all I could do was offer my silent support. When the tears finally started to dry up, I spoke, “You can't blame yourself for not wanting to leave your home, Sunny. If everypony up and left at the first sign of trouble, we wouldn't have the Equestria we have today and besides, none of this is your fault. I promise you, Sunny, we are going to find your foals and bring them back to you.” She was... very vocal about her gratitude for those words and it took a few minutes to calm her down again. In the end, we received permission to examine the foals' rooms hoping to find a clue of some kind while Sunny excused herself to make some tea. Walking to the back end of the house, Stroke leaned over to me, “Shouldn't make promises you don't know you can keep.” he chided me. “We don't know we can't keep it.” I shot back defensively. He snorted, “You should be prepared for the worst.” I decided to let it go if he wanted to be gloomy. Stroke excused himself to search Buck's room while I looked around Misty's. It was definitely a little filly's room considering the strange amount of stuffed animals wearing dresses within. Thankfully, it wasn't colored horrendously with the walls being a baby blue instead of a garish pink. I wasn't exactly sure what I should be looking for as I entered. Nothing really stood out to me and yelled “I'm a clue, pick me!” A small bed to my left, dresser to my right, enough stuffed animals to fill a carnival; it all looked innocent enough. Still, maybe there was something more subtle. Carefully navigating the horde of fluffy toys, I made my way to the dresser and carefully opened the drawers... CELESTIA ABOVE, WHY DID A FILLY HAVE THAT!? I slammed the drawer closed and blushed vibrantly as I backpedaled, wanting to put as much distance between me and the drawer as possible. Of course, with an army of silent, cuddly dolls all over, it was a recipe for a fall. Tripping over a particularly slippery rabbit, I ended up face first in a pony-sized bear's embrace... and bashed my nose into something sturdy. Thoughts of acceptable clothing for a filly took a backseat to curiosity. It took a few moments of fumbling to find a secret pocket sewn into the bear's chest and extract a small notebook from it. My ears perked up as I noticed the words on the cover: Misty Trails' diary Don't Read! Hopefully Misty would forgive me for this small breach of privacy considering the current situation. Now, yes, it's not exactly acceptable to go through anypony's diary/journal for any reason, but it might give me insight into where she might be. Considering that only the last little bit was relevant, I skipped past dates prior to a month ago. At first, I wasn't sure what to make of what I read... ** Stroke and I left the house in silence. The thestral's search had proved fruitless in Buck's room and I wasn't quite ready to share what I'd learned. There were still too many holes in the story and we'd burnt more time than we'd intended already. Already, Celestia's charge was easing toward the horizon and we agreed that staying out after dark wasn't a good idea. Heading back to the inn, we retreated to our room and entered into our temporary base of operations. As soon as the door was closed, Stroke was nose deep in his bag, pulling out a pair of disks covered in magic runes. He placed one under the single window of the room and one on the door. Seeing the look I was giving him, he explained, “Magic seals. Ponies have been abducted out of these rooms. With those seals in place, the door and window are reinforced and removing them will trigger an alarm spell. We should be safe in here for now,” he drew the curtains closed with his wings, darkening the room, “...you had something to show me?” he asked. I nodded, withdrawing the length of cloth from my bag. Unrolling it on the ground, I gestured to the insignia, “Sheriff Star said he found this while checking out one of the disappearances. It looks a lot like the Night Guard banner, but there's just something that isn't... right about it.” Stroke removed his sunglasses and I shivered at the way his eyes seemed to glow with an inner light. His gaze traced the banner and a frown grew on his face, “At first glance, yes, it's very much like the Night Guard's. However, this is amateur work,” he tapped his hoof against the stitching, “uneven. This was meant to make it look like a Nightmare Cult, but the cultists revere Nightmare Moon too much to allow such poor quality.” I looked at him curiously, “Don't take this the wrong way, but you make it sound like you've dealt with cultists before?” His gaze could have frozen liquid magma, “Many times.” Letting that drop, I left him to his musings as I moved over to my bed across the room from him. Periodically, I'd hear him mutter about some part of the banner. Short of questioning Stroke's experience, I'd have to assume that he was right. The only problem was that if it wasn't Nightmare cultists, then who was foalnapping these ponies and why? Sighing, I prepared to sleep... ** I awoke to the sound of tapping. A quick opening of my eyes confirmed that it was still nighttime and I rolled over to face toward Stroke. His eyes were wide open and he slowly lifted a hoof from under his blanket to touch his muzzle in a shushing motion. His eyes roamed to the window and I followed his gaze. A figure was perched on the window seal with a cloak concealing the majority of their form, but I could see them twitching slowly. Judging by the way the hooves were moving, the figure was trying to open the window without much success, creating the tapping that had woken me. I didn't see Stroke move from his bed at first, but he was no longer in it and was crawling on his belly toward the window, staying low to avoid being seen. There was no chance that I was going to be able to move with the same stealth from my position, so I simply tensed under my covers and waited for all Tartarus to break loose. The tapping continued as Stroke drew up under the window and used one hoof to deactivate the seal under it. The window shot up and the figure outside let out a sharp noise of surprise... the moment before Stroke was out the window in a tackle. Springing up from my bed, I rushed to the window and saw Stroke rolling around with the individual on the ground. I rushed for the door, deactivating the seal there as I sprinted for the entrance. The pony at the front desk was startled by my sudden entrance and exit as I rushed around to the side of the building where our window was. Skidding around the corner, I noticed that Stroke's opponent was on their hooves and running away with the thestral in hot pursuit. Digging in my own hooves, I shot after them as fast as I could, but both of them had a lead on me as we rushed headlong through the town. I cursed myself for not grabbing my bag of equipment as a few things came to mind that would have helped, but assisting Stroke had been the first thing on my mind. Stroke had taken to the air and was gaining on the cloaked individual, but we were also approaching the edge of the town. Dense foliage lined this exit and the airborne pony seemed determined to keep his prey from getting away. I should have know that it was too good to be true. No sooner had Stroke descended upon the fleeing pony than another pair of cloaked ponies were upon him. Snarling and biting, Stroke fought back but his assailants struck with tactical precision. With a sharp blow to the back of his skull, I watched as Stroke collapsed. I cried out and dug in for a sprint as I watched the newer ponies drag Stroke into the brush. Seeing me coming, the initial cloaked pony flicked a hoof in my direction. I'd seen that motion during the training drills with sniper pegasi and I hit the ground quickly, narrowly avoiding the throwing dart that smacked into the side of a building behind me. Jumping back up, I searched for the attacker only to find empty space. I panicked, spending several minutes searching the forest closest to the town and calling out for Stroke. I never received an answer and as I shambled my way back to the inn, it finally sank in. Something beyond me was going on here... ...and I was alone. Chapter 10: AloneI had never been more terrified in my life as that moment. Living in a small town myself, I knew that a lot of laws didn't extend past the reach of the guards in bigger cities, but this... this was something else entirely. Of course our scuffle had woken a few of the townsponies and my shouting had alerted a few more. Sheriff Lone Star was among the first to show up and it was a good thing that he did so. I was so panicked that I must have looked like I'd witnessed murder and the killer was on my heels. A resounding smack across the muzzle brought me back to reality and he hurried me inside his office to calm down while he talked down the ponies that had been awakened. By the time he returned, I was numb inside and out and could only stammer out the story to him. I probably should have been more composed considering that I was representing the Royal Guard, but it's difficult to keep a straight face when you're in over your head. Lone Star marched me back to my room and I reactivated the seals on the window and door before managing to fall into a restless slumber... ** The next morning made me feel even worse as I looked over at the empty bed, feeling useless. Silent Stroke was a trained warrior and several times my better at most things and he'd been taken down like the town drunk. I didn't know what to do. I'd written a letter to Martial Cadence, but it would take days for the letter to make it back to Canterlot even if the winds held true for the couriers. Every time I thought about going outside, I froze. I'd never felt fear so intense as this and it was all I could do not to flinch at every little noise that the old building groaned out. Truthfully, I was content to survive on rations until the Lieutenant showed up with a force of guardsponies to find Stroke. Reality wasn't about to let me sit idle, however. Lone Star visited me after the first few hours I was holed up in the room. I'll give it to the stallion, he was good at negotiating through my terror and eventually got me to open the door. He stood in the doorway and I sat on the bed, both of us staring at the empty bed and the saddlebags still neatly arranged next to it. “...Sweet Celestia,” Lone Star breathed out, “here I was thinking he might be sent to cover it all up. If the lad was still here... I'm not sure I could properly apologize to him...” I shook my head, “The best you would have gotten out of him was a grunt... he wasn't one to trade words he deemed unnecessary...” Ironically enough, the sheriff grunted in agreement before fixing his eyes on me, “so... what now? If I can help you with whatever plan you're cooking up in the head of yours, I will.” I laughed bitterly, “Plan? I don't have a plan. I'm not Silent Stroke or Martial Cadence. Merciful sun and moon, I'm not even a soldier! I just finished basic training when I got sent out here. My plan is to wait for the real soldiers to show up and take it from here! As far as I'm concerned, I completed my mission and found proof that something was going on here.” Lone Star's frown was a face I'd seen a lot: disappointment. His eyes narrowed dangerously as he looked at me, “So... you're just gonna leave your partner out there at the mercy of those fanatics? That ain't exactly the kind of thing I want to hear from the Royal Guard? Where's all your honor and oaths, colt?” he spat at me condescendingly. I snorted, “It wasn't even my choice to become a guard, sheriff. I was forced into it. If Stroke or Martial even heard me considering trying to take on these ponies, I'd be flayed alive. We weren't even supposed to confront them, but then Stroke had to get aggressive! I'm staying put until the legion gets here.” I turned away from him, expecting to be shouted at, called a coward, anything like that. In the end, he did something that hit me harder than any physical blow or insult. I heard him cross the room and prepared for him to strike me in frustration only to hear him place something on the bed before his hoofsteps retreated toward the door, “You made a promise colt... I heard Earth Ponies don't make those lightly...” Twisting my head, I noticed a pair of photos next to me. A pair of smiling foals stared up at me from them... ...damn it all.... ** I shifted my saddlebags across my back, each a little heavier from the equipment I'd pulled out of Stroke's bags. I was on edge, ears flicking at every sound as I made my way toward Digger's house. It was small, even for Springrun's standards; just a quaint one room house at the furthest side of town. The underbrush had been cleared away, allowing for flower patches to be planted around the house that looked uniform and well kept. The stallion I was looking for was currently outside doing a little weeding. Digger turned out to be a gray colored unicorn with raven mane and tail. From my position, I had to pause as I caught sight of his cutie mark: a shovel in the dirt of a grave. It was little wonder why the other townsponies were freaked out by him. Even I was starting to get strange vibes as I closed the distance. “Mister Digger?” I called out questioningly causing the stallion to look at me with deep brown eyes. “Who's asking?” he countered guardedly. I paused a few paces from him and answered, “I'm Lucky Signs. I'm with the Royal Guard and I was hoping I could ask you a few questions.” He regarded me with distrust, so I quickly pulled out the papers that Stroke had shown to the sheriff. His guarded stance didn't relax. “I've said my piece.” he stated simply and returned this his gardening. I blinked rapidly, confused by his behavior, “Mister Digger, please, I'm not here to be a bother and I-” “Then leave.” he interrupted without looking up from his work. “I can't do that, Mister Digger,” I took a breath to steady myself and find what little courage I could, “ponies are going missing and we have no idea what's being done to them right now. My partner has joined that list alongside a couple of foals from the town recently. I was told that your son, Onyx, had become friends with them, so he might have some idea of where they've been recently. If I could just-” “No.” “Mister Digger, please! This is an official investigation by the Royal Guard. I won't take up much of your time and I'll be out of your mane in no time.” “I said no, MisterSigns. I don't give a damn if Celestia herself comes down here and wants to talk with him. None of you are going to bother my son, is that understood?” he glared at me and, for a moment, I had the odd realization that this stallion's eyes didn't hold a candle to the shark-toothed grin of Martial Cadence, but judging from his stance he was ready to fight. So I nodded, “Crystal, Mister Digger. I'll leave you alone.” Turning on my hooves, I began to walk away when movement in the nearby window caught my eyes. An almost carbon copy colt version of Digger was looking out at me. For a moment, we simply stared at each other, but then he frantically waved a hoof at me, gesturing toward the back of the house. Looking over, I noticed that Digger was engrossed in his task so I gave the colt, presumably Onyx, a nod and reached into my bag, pulling out a long cloak. A simple “notice-me-not” spell weaved into the fiber made it a simple task to duck off the street and make my way through the brush to the far end of the house. A simple, wooden back door was open on this side and I slid up to it before pulling back the hood of the cloak to break the enchantment. Onyx was waiting for me and looked up at me with a measure of uncertainty. He lead me to the opposite corner of the house from his father and motioned me to lean down closer to him. He spoke in a hushed whisper, equally frightened and hopeful, “They say that you've come to help, but that you don't know where to start. Is that right, sir?” I wasn't certain who “they” were, but I nodded quietly and he lit up his horn. A spark of magic appeared between us and a scrap of paper hovered to me. It was a crude drawing of the town, but off to the side an “x” had been drawn. He gestured to the “x” frantically, “they took Buck and Misty there. Please help them, sir. I don't want Misty or Buck to get hurt.” Things were getting complicated. I gently took the map in my mouth and slid it into my saddlebags before looking at Onyx, “Thank you. This is really brave of you. Do you know how many of them there are or what they plan to do to your friends?” Onyx nodded, “Lots of 'em,” not so useful, “but I followed them into the cave a couple times. They keep the ponies there until this big monster comes to take them away.” “A monster?” I asked, feeling a pit form in my stomach. I received a nod, “Yeah. It's big. Bigger than anypony in the village and it talks funny. It's got claws and feathers and collects ponies for something,” he gulped, “I thought it was to eat them, but none of the missing ponies joined them.” he waved a hoof at the air around us and I was getting more confused by the moment. Shrugging it off, I gently ruffled Onyx's mane, “Don't worry. I'll get your friends back to you. How often does this monster come around?” He thought about it for a long moment before answering, “Once a week... I think. It should be back either tonight or tomorrow... please hurry sir...” he begged me, looking up at me with big, hopeful eyes. Burying my own fear, I gave him a smile, “I will. Now, hurry back inside before your dad decides to check on you.” He bounded away, closing the door behind him as I readjusted my cloak in order to make it back to the inn without being seen. Once I was safely back in the room, I slid the map out and checked it over. It was a foal's rendition of the town, but thanks to a few hastily scrawled notes, I could at least figure out the general direction I needed to go. I swallowed, hardly able to comprehend what I was thinking about doing. I took a seat and dumped out my saddlebags, looking over the equipment I had at my disposal. The things that I didn't have any clue as to their usage I quickly piled into Stroke's bag. Things that wouldn't work for my plan joined them until I had a simple collection of things. The nighteye goggles were a must, along with the teleportation amulet, a hoof ring with a Zone of Silence spell, the flare hoof ring, and the Notice-Me-Not cloak. The last object was something I really wish I didn't have to consider. The sheathed dagger practically pulsated with negative energy as if it were excited at the prospect of being used. I hated myself as I strapped the sheath onto one of my forelegs. I wasn't even sure what it did exactly, but I was certain that it would be bad for whoever felt the sting of the pointy end. Collecting the rest of my chosen equipment, I stuffed Stroke's bag under his mattress and climbed into my own after activating the door and window seals. Settling down to get as much rest as I could, I tried to curb my anxiety. It was going to be a long night.... Chapter 12: Rescue Mission, Part 2If I were to give any advice to a would-be hero-slash-adventurer, it would be to take some classes on cartography. Getting lost in a hostile place can be nerve wracking and make you feel like you've been at every intersection at least twenty times. Add onto that the ever present threat of being on an unknown time limit and you'll start losing your mind. I passed tunnels that lead nowhere, intersections that looped back on themselves, and what appeared to be sleeping quarters multiple times. Almost to the point of being dizzy, I was starting to canter down the empty paths. It was ridiculous. How could I have not found anypony between the pony watching the foals and now? Where had Nightborne gone? I sighed. If there were any time I needed a measure of luck it was right- A series of rapid hoofbeats drew my attention and a cloaked figure darted down a tunnel just in front of me. This was getting... strangely predictable. Picking up the pace, I skidded around the corner and gave chase. If I were a betting stallion, this pony was on their way somewhere important. I nearly lost them a few times, only catching glimpses of flapping cloak. Further and further into the mine we went at such a pace that I nearly missed how the lights had begun to change color. Pools of golden illumination gave way to silvery sheen and it became harder and harder to keep the pony in my sights. Then I began to hear something that chilled my blood. A deep, rhythmic chanting was beginning to fill the air. I could almost feel the steady beat in my bones as I slowed, checking to make sure that my cloak was in place as I rounded a final corner. In front of me, a large cavern opened up, the only natural looking formation I'd seen in this entire place. Roughly twenty yards separated me from a sudden plunge into nothingness. Between myself and the fall, however, must have been roughly thirty cloaked ponies with their heads bowed. I wasn't sure what language they were speaking, but something about the way it hit my ears filled me with dread. My eyes roamed toward the front of the congregation and I felt my breath hitch. What appeared to be an altar made from solid stone had been placed near the edge of the void, covered in strange glyphs that I'm not sure I would understand even if I'd been trained in magic. Just looking at them made my eyes cross. A single stallion stood next to the altar and even from here I could feel the weight of age around him. Even his fur had grayed to a point of giving him an ancient feel... and he was currently conversing with a pony that seemed to be agitated. Movement from the altar drew my attention and my eyes widened. Silent Stroke had been strapped to the altar with enough rope to strange a hydra and I could see his amber eyes boring into the ponies around him. ...Well, I'd found my partner, now I just had to figure out how to get him out with all these ponies here. “I know you're here, little pony.” came a voice that I could hear the dust in. Looking up, I noticed the elder stallion looking my way and in the limited light, his milky gaze was disturbing. The chanting came to a sudden halt at his voice, several eyes glancing about to try and find whom he was talking to. “Come closer,” the only stallion not wearing a cloak said, “my eyes are not what they used to be, but I know the scents of my faithful. There are few among the daywalkers whom would brave this place, a haven of the nightborne.” Ok, so “Nightborne” was a title. ...Of course, the fact that he knew I was here was problematic. Also the fact that I was now flat on the ground with one hoof being held firmly across my back in an uncomfortable position. The hood was ripped from my head, exposing me to those still struggling with the enchantment and I heard a series of murmurs spread through the group. “Excellent work, Top Shot,” Grandpa Creepy stated as he began making his way toward us, “I knew better than to suspect a member of the sun tyrant's guard of cowardice. Unlike my juniors, I know the heart of your kind, foal. You feel that you are always in the right, even when you are firmly in the wrong...” I wasn't sure what to say to that. I was currently gritting my teeth to keep from crying out in pain as my leg was forced higher across my back. I think Top Shot may have been ornery about the fact that I hadn't been where they wanted me to be. It was strange that I wasn't feeling crippled by fear. Maybe I had just been so scared today that I was getting numb to it. Or, maybe the ache in my leg was pushing it to the back of my mind as I watched the time-lost stallion coming toward me. Something happening further back caught my eyes though as a pair of amber eyes met mine and Stroke's ears flicked rapidly. I blinked. Keep him talking. Oh, my dear Silent Stroke, were you asking me to force the villain to monologue? Why would I? Why was Stroke now laying there with his mouth open.... wait.... I kept my inward grin off of my muzzle as I grunted, being hauled to my feet before what I could now identify as a unicorn. What was it with unicorns and being at the heart of weird things? I was beginning to think some of them had their horns on too tight and it was hurting their brains. Taking a deep breath, I chuckled, “I guess you got me,” I grunted as my hoof was twisted, “isn't this the part where you drone on about your self-importance?” My comment earned me a quirked eyebrow. “You are rather chipper for having failed your mission, foal.” “What can I say, failure is something that I'm used to, gramps.” The elder stallion scoffed while Top Shot was doing their best to yank my leg out of its socket, “I suppose that would be true. You and yours have never been able to fully stomp out the truth of our immortal queen of the night. The pretender, Luna, was gifted beauty and power, the right to be her avatar, and now shivers in fear at its call. She was weak.” “Well, I don't know about that,” I intoned sarcastically, hoping to infuriate the old coot, “I'd say getting blasted apart by the Elements of Harmony put Princess Luna as the victor.” Another firm yank at my leg. “Watch your tongue, heretic.” Oh, so Top Shot was a mare. I bet she and Martial would get along just fine. Both of them seemed to take undue pleasure in causing me vast amount of pain. They just differed on mental versus physical. “Now now, dear,” The lead cultist chided, “he is entitled to his opinion and being angry about it at the cusp of victory is beneath us. A pity,” he lamented, “had I found you under any other circumstance, I may have taken you in and... instructed you on your error. The only problem is,” he leaned in close, making me wrinkle my nose as his breath hit my nose, smelling of decay, “you've been meddling with my descendants...” For an old bag of bones, he struck hard when he drew his hoof across my jaw. My ears were ringing a bit as Top Shot said something, forking over an object to grandpa cultist. When my eyes fell on it, I froze. The naked blade of my dagger glistened in the silvery light, looking for all the world like it was gloating. “A remarkable blade for somepony as foolish as yourself. It's edge is so eager to taste blood... perhaps we should let it drink of yours,” he slid close to me, murmuring, “any last words, colt?” Unfortunately for him, ringing my bell had shaken a few things loose. This included a stupid, reckless, half-flanked plan to stall for time. Top Shot had my hoofring of silence held firmly in place across my back, but I still had one trick up my sleeve... or rather, on my hoof. So, I looked into his sightless eyes and grinned, “Sure, I'll humor you. Anyone got a light?” Twisting my free hoof slightly, I triggered my other hoofring. With an ear-splitting sizzle, a spark shot into the air of the cavern before exploding with yellow light. Bright yellow light. With my eyes closed, it didn't hit me near as hard as it hit the various cultists around me. Shrieks of pain sounded throughout the group and Top Shot let go of my leg in order to shield her eyes. Old and Deathly had jumped back defensively from the noise, but he didn't have the judgment to stick the landing, winding up flat on the floor. I was left with a straight shot to the altar and I took it as fast as my injured leg would allow. Reaching Stroke, I saw him looking at me with a stunned expression as I hurried to untie him. He continued to blink and stare as I finished freeing one of his legs, but that was the extent I managed. A few of the cultists, having recovered their senses, were quick to grab me and give me a firm beating for what I'd done, leaving me in a curled ball on the floor. “Lucky Signs, cover your ears!” Hey, if I had learned anything from my short time in training, it was to obey voices of authority. I clasped my hooves over my ears and not a moment later, I heard it through my hooves. It was the most banshee like shriek I'd ever heard in my life and it vibrated through the ground like a directed blast. All around me, cultists fell the the ground, clasping their ears and crying out in pain. Through it all, I looked up at Stroke where he stood on the altar, apparently having taken the time to finish freeing himself, taking a deep breath. His jaws parted and the shriek filled the air again while he swept his head back and forth, the pressure of his shriek striking those around him like a hammer. I might have been a little in awe of his power... or a little scared, considering the blood slowly matting the fur around the ears of the ponies closest to me. Truth be told, it was a miracle that his attack didn't bring the mine down around us. Of course, then he had to go and ruin it all by reading the cultists their rights as prisoners. I mean, how did he think that the two of us were going to- Marching hooves and flapping wings interrupted me as something around fifty ponies flooded into the cavern, the still burning light of my flare illuminating golden armor and plumed helms. Among them, a pony carrying a banner turned and revealed the great standard of Equestria and the princesses that ruled the land. I had never been so happy to see Royal Guards before. From within their midst, a voice rang out, sharp and clear, “In the name of Equestria, you are all under arrest!” Despite this, I could still only wonder how Martial Cadence was going to take the news.... Chapter 13: Homeward BoundLieutenant Cadence did not take the news well. Sitting inside the structure that served as Lone Star's prison with a communication crystal in front of me, I could see by her projection how pleased she was with me. In three words, she was not. I'd been sitting there for a solid hour while she shouted herself hoarse while reflecting on the last few hours. It turned out that the pony I'd sent with my message had crossed paths with a platoon of guards out on patrol. Said messenger had decided it might be a good idea to flag them down and give them my message instead of flying all the way to Canterlot for help and they had been all too eager to come running in search of glory after a pair of freshly rescued foals gave them directions. As a whole, the cultists had been rounded up and were being taken to Manehatten's prison to stand trial there because, by word of law, the ponies of Springrun were too personally invested in the situation. Rightly so. As they were herded through town, the townsponies might have killed them where they stood. The guards had searched the mine thoroughly for signs of the other missing ponies, but had come up empty. When questioned, the lead cultist had said nothing, but a few of the “followers” had been eager to offer information in return for leniency, but that was over my pay grade. Not to say that lead cultist didn't say anything, but his words had been directed at me. “We know your name, Lucky Signs! When the eternal night falls, you shall be the first to suffer!” That didn't exactly bode well, but considering that the old coot was going to be locked away for a long time, I don't think it was going to matter. After a series of tearful and heartfelt “thank you's” to both myself and Silent Stroke from Sunny Trails and Lone Star, we were left to our own devices. Stroke was content to go get some rest, which left me free to go meet with a pony I was just now starting to understand... Coming up to Digger's home, I found the stallion himself waiting for me with a level expression. Beside him, Onyx looked between the two of us with a worried expression as I came to a halt in front of them. Digger stared at me, a tenseness in his shoulders as he unconsciously put a leg between Onyx and me. “Digger, if I was going to do something, I wouldn't be dumb enough to come alone... I just want some answers.” I locked eyes with him, trying to will him to believe me as I spoke. He searched my eyes for a long moment before his eyes glanced over so slightly to his his right. Finally, with a sigh, he nodded, “Ask your questions...” I sat down, trying to get him to relax but, considering the nature of my questions, I could understand his reluctance. He ushered Onyx inside, wanting to talk to me alone as he sat across from me, still looking tense. I decided to just come out and ask, “How long?” “Since I was born and well before I met Onyx's mother...,” He glanced to his right, ears flicking as if listening, “I suppose... I should be thankful, but... it just feels like something that has been years in the making.” I nodded, “I feel like I should be asking forgiveness on behalf of the guard that it took so long. I may not be on their level and they may not like me, but the stallions I've been around during training? They're good ponies.” A mirthless chuckle escaped Digger's mouth, “How could you have known? For generations it's been happening and would have continued for countless more if I hadn't run away... I suppose I should ask how you came to know the truth.” I shrugged, “When a colt has a crush on a filly, they have a hard time not telling them things. Then the filly writes it down before getting foalnapped. Finally, an idiot, fresh out of guard training, stumbles on the writing and puts two and two together after a while. It didn't make sense for a while, but after thinking about it, it started to make sense.” Digger nodded again, “Makes sense...,” he shifted, seeming to be reluctant to ask something, “tell me... what's going to happen to him?” “With any luck, when he stands trial he'll admit to what he's done and Princess Celestia might send him down to Princess Twilight like she did with Discord...” “...and without luck...?” I sighed, “without luck... he'll stay quiet and... he won't bother you anymore.” Digger's shoulders slumped slightly, “Don't take this the wrong way, Lucky,” he murmured softly, “but I hope some of your namesake goes with him... he may be a terrible stallion, but...” I nodded, “Family. I get it. Celestia knows, I get it... but Digger,” he looked up at me, “you should come clean. He may have been the most prime to do it, but others might come to use your past against you.” He was silent for a long moment, his gaze going between me and an unseen individual. He chewed at his lip thoughtfully, “...you really think that they'll be okay with it?” he asked. “At first? No. It's gonna take a lot of work. You want my honest opinion? Go live in Ponyville for a while. It may not be the calmest of places according to recent history, but,” I smiled at him, “with a little luck, I think even an ex-necromancer could find a friend... if you haven't already found one.” I held out my hoof. Kindness. It is one of the Elements of Harmony and yet so many of us forget to reach out once in a while and express it. It can mean the world to a pony or a group. I know that as I stood there with my hoof outstretched I saw it resonate in Digger, like a weight lifting off of his very soul as he clasped his hoof against mine and shook. “I might just have... thank you, Lucky Signs.” “You're welcome, Grave Digger.” ** That brought us back to the present as Martial was winding down from her shouting, “I specifically told you not to engage the cult! I will have your tail as a feather duster, Lucky! I will have your head firmly tied to the nearest-” “Ma'am,” intoned my stoic companion, “it wasn't Lucky's idea to engage the cultists...,” she stared at him, silently demanding an explanation, “when it appeared to be a single individual, it was me who opted to pursue. My capture was of my own recklessness and Lucky Signs was forced to react. Given the situation, I must say that our newest auxiliary acted well.” Martial looked through the transmission at Stroke like he'd grown a second head. Sitting back in her chair way back in Canterlot, she pondered his words. She kept looking at me as if I was going to contest what he said, but finally she sighed, “...Lucky Signs... good work.” Hey, a compliment! If only it didn't sound like it had caused her physical pain. I decided to just give her a salute because I didn't trust my mouth not to get me in trouble. She returned it halfheartedly, “Both of you are to return to Canterlot. Silent Stroke,” the thestral sat up as much as his bruised body would allow, “you will be taking mandatory off duty time to recover. No exceptions. Lucky Signs,” I gazed up at her inquisitively, “you are to do the same, but when you return to Canterlot, a pony of high profile has requested to speak with you.” ...Why did that not help my nerves? ** Returning to Canterlot was a bittersweet feeling. There was no mission on the agenda and for the first time, I was able to feel like a civilian again. My meeting with whoever had asked to talk to me wasn't until later in the evening and Stroke and I had arrived in the early morning a few days after clearing things up in Springrun. I spent the better part of the day using my pay for working as a guard to investigate various eateries and shops that caught my interest. Of course, I stopped into the postal office to send a letter to my parents so they wouldn't worry. Of course, I may have glazed over some of the bigger details. They didn't need to know that my leg was still acting up from the rough treatment of my would-be assassin. Martial had found it necessary to tell me that a number of the cultists being questioned were cursing my name. I still felt like I was missing something. Based on what I'd heard, it seemed like most of the “cultists” had been nothing of the sort. Hopefully some kind of answer would come out during the interrogation. As much as it bothered me, it was above my pay grade. Looking up, I noticed that the sun was slowly moving toward early evening and made my way back to Martial's office. I knocked on the door and was promptly told to enter. Her office was much the same as I'd left it, except another pony had the chair I'd occupied some time ago. I'll admit, she caught my eye immediately. Pristine white fur, flowing pink mane, and a pair of deep magenta eyes. She was a pegasus and something about her felt... right. Somehow I managed not drool and caught sight of the sight of her Cutie Mark while... admiring. It was an image of air lines tracing across a partially obscured sun. Martial cleared her throat, tearing my eyes away from the beauty before me. Groaning inwardly at my boss, I stepped in closer and snapped a salute, “Auxiliary Lucky Signs reporting as requested, Lieutenant Cadence, ma'am.” I stated as was required of me. Martial stared at me for a long moment, probably wondering if I was mocking her. I mean, I did, just not to her face. She probably came to that conclusion as she gestured to the gorgeous mare nearby, “Lucky Signs, meet Dawn Breeze. She works with... management and wished to speak to you personally.” Turning to meet her gaze, I smiled and gave Dawn a light bow, “It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Breeze,” I might have tilted my head and put on the charms as best I could, “unless it's Missus Breeze?” I asked casually. The start of some angry retort built on the lieutenant's face, but she was stalled by Dawn's light laughter. Sweet Celestia, even her voice was perfect. She motioned for me to rise, smiling as she spoke, “Not as yet. I haven't been able to find a stallion able to make the cut. Would you mind walking with me, Mister Signs? I find a nice walk around Canterlot makes conversation lighter.” “Absolutely,” I said, perhaps a bit too quickly as I moved to the door to open it, “do lead on, Miss Breeze.” Dawn tittered softly as she swayed past me, “Such a gentlestallion. Come, let's find somewhere a bit brighter, shall we?” If I hadn't spent weeks in basic training, I might have jumped up and tapped my hindhooves together. I did shoot a sly smirk back to Martial however... ...Why did she smirk back at me? Chapter 14: A Crack in the GlassMy wariness of Martial's knowing smirk did little to deter me from testing the waters with Dawn. I was a little confused when she lead me out of the barracks and into a nearby park, but I wasn't questioning, it. I stayed by her side, trying to figure out the best way to break the ice, but Dawn beat me to it. Sweeping her hoof around us, she asked, “Isn't all of this beautiful,” damn it, I missed a moment to flirt as she continued, “everything at peace in this moment. I admire the guard and all ponies that put themselves before danger and moments like this. How does it feel from the other side?” she inquired as she looked at me with those deep, caring eyes. I wish I could say that my answer was quick in coming, but I was a little caught up in her gaze. In the end, I blinked and brought myself back to reality when she raised a brow at me, “I, uh... well...” I looked at the ground. I knew that I should at least pretend to be another suit of armor, but Dawn had this... aura around her. I didn't want to lie. “To be honest, Miss Breeze-” “Just Dawn, please.” Score! I nodded, “Alright then, Dawn. If I was to be honest I didn't exactly join the guard willingly. I thought it was going to be just another terrible experience in a long line of similar instances, but... well, let's just say that my last mission put some things in perspective for me...” “It was your first mission, wasn't it,” she smiled at my shocked look, “I do tend to keep tabs on ponies at the front of things. Your drill sergeant spoke highly of your abilities, but also mentioned that you had a tendency to hold back. Why is that, Lucky?” I gulped as her innocent gaze bore into me. What was I supposed to tell her? That it was all a sham and that things just happened around me? Talk about a mood killer. I wanted to say something better, but there was that feeling, that sensation of honesty that made me want to tell the truth. “I don't know,” my voice was a stranger in my own ears, “I suppose that I'm just... worried.” What was I saying? Why was I saying it? This wasn't right, I was talking nonsense! So... why did my heart ache at the words? Dawn tilted her head, coming to a halt and forcing me to pause, “About what?” Hundreds of thoughts burned through my head. I was confused and scared because it felt like something was coming up, boiling inside of me. I was angry and I didn't know why. All of it culminated in a panic that shot through my mind and just as quickly I felt myself go numb. “...it's nothing. Just foolish thoughts.” I murmured instinctively. Dawn wasn't buying it judging by the frown that came to her muzzle, but she didn't push me. I'm glad she didn't. I wasn't sure I could answer her. My head hurt and I felt exhausted emotionally. I didn't know why. Dawn nodded slowly, “If you're sure... Lucky, I know the circumstances that lead you here. I know that through it all, you've blamed luck for everything that's happened, but... well, according to the incident reports, you chose to go save those foals and Silent Stroke. There's something more to that than luck,” she turned, starting to walk away, “think about that for a while, Lucky. I'll be keeping my eyes on you.” I snorted in confusion, “Th...that's it? I thought you wanted to talk to me about something?” Pausing, she looked over her shoulder at me and smiled, “We did talk and I got what I needed... for now.” Chuckling softly, she continued away and I couldn't help but admire her as she left, though I hated to see her go. What, I'm a stallion, I notice things! Her words stayed with me though and I found myself unconsciously starting to canter along the stone paths of the park. I wasn't sure why, but I found myself going over and over my own thoughts. I kept trying to figure out why I had said the things I did and yet all it caused me was frustration as I looped back again and again into confusion. Something was missing, but it wasn't and I couldn't put my hoof on it. My canter became a gallop. Things felt better as I focused on the clatter of my hooves on the stone and I didn't even realize how long I'd been going until night fell around me. Moving on instinct, I went to the barracks and collapsed into the familiar mattress and fell asleep. ** Oddly, I dreamed. I say oddly despite how most ponies do so because I never remembered dreaming before. I sat alone in darkness, staring into a hovering mirror that forced me to look at myself. When I looked away, the mirror moved into my vision again and something about the stallion looking back at me made me squirm. His eyes were firm, full of a fiery determination. He was me, but he was not. He was everything that I was not: strong, wise, fearless. I didn't want to look at him because of the panic his gaze filled me with. Moments before I woke to the new day, he uttered six words to me that stabbed terror into me “Why are you afraid of me?” ** I'd never been so eager to get up for a morning run. While I was no longer a trainee, it had long since become a natural thing to do. It also gave me something else to focus on besides the fear still clutching at the corners of my mind. For a time, I felt that I could outrun it. Then I tripped... again. Thankfully, I managed to simply cartwheel forward and land hard in a sitting position and feeling dizzy. It took me a long moment to recognize the angry thestral mare in front of me. I blame the fact that she was wearing her special sunglasses like the kind Stroke had. Martial was staring down at me with a frown, “Auxiliary,” she started, snapping me back to reality long enough salute, “it's come to my attention that your skills in hoof-to-hoof and weapon combat are... lacking.” Well that was about the mildest way she could have put it. I mean, sure, basic training had taught us how to not hold a weapon, but it hadn't been the highest thing on our list. Taking my silence as an invitation to continue, Martial scowled and said, “No member of my legion gets away with such poor performance. At any other time, I would train you personally,” sweet Celestia, no, “but I'm a busy mare right now...” Thank Celestia... “So I found you somepony who could take over for it.” Luna, no! “You'll be joining a small squadron stationed near Los Pegasus and assisting them with their current mission. While you're there, they have my personal clearance to make you a proper fighting stallion.” Have mercy, sweet sisters! I saluted, “Of course, ma'am.” She gave me a moment to see a smirk as she returned the salute, “Keep that up, auxiliary, and I might start to like you,” her scowl returned, “...maybe.” I'd rather keep this relationship strictly professional, thank you very much. I accepted the train ticket she thrust at me and went about preparing myself for the various trials ahead. ** Arriving in Los Pegasus was an experience to be sure. Hailing from a small town, I'd been baffled by Canterlot, but even the great capital of Equestria had nothing on this city. Everywhere I looked were buildings meant to draw attention and performers that wanted nothing more than to be gazed upon. Food, drink, bits, and... other things changed hands more rapidly than I could even guess at. Thankfully, one of my new co-workers was there to catch me before I got swept up into the city. I heard my named barked across the station by a fierce looking pony. I probably had a good couple of hooves on her in height, but she was absolutely full of vinegar. As soon as I approached, I appraised the smallish mare. Built like a pegasus, but sporting the horn of a unicorn, she might have been adorable without the permascowl on her face. Apparently I just had that effect on mares in the guard. She was a light shade of green with a plum colored mane and tail. The slimmer type of armor she was wearing covered her Cutie Mark, but as I was looking her over, she reached up and yanked my head down to her level. “Eyes to yourself, Rookie, or I'm taking first crack at you,” she commanded, “let's get this straight, I'm in charge of you,” she accented this by jabbing me hard in the barrel, “so no funny business. Lieutenant Cadence may take your shit quietly, but I'm not here to be your friend, I'm here to kick your flank until it's firm enough to break a paddle across, got it!?” What is it with all the mares I'd been meeting lately? Aside from Dawn, they all seemed to have something against me before I even said anything. I gave her a salute, but couldn't stop my mouth from running, “All due respect, ma'am, but I don't thi-” The crazy mare kicked me. Like full turn, planting both front hooves, and bucking me like a tree. She must have been using a spell to enhance herself or something, because I wasn't that light, but she sent me skidding for several yards, clutching at my chest as I struggled to breath. “First lesson, Rookie,” she said, ignoring the panicking crowd around us as she flashed a badge of some kind at the nearby security to stall their advance, “don't talk unless I ask you a question. Get up, I didn't hit you that hard,” she stood over me, glaring down at me as I stumbled to my hooves, “good, now grab your shit and follow me.” Okay, maybe I'd pissed off the lieutenant and now she was trying to kill me by proxy... “Rookie! Don't make me repeat myself!” I was quick to grab my single suitcase and limp after her, pretty sure that one of my ribs was broken... if not more... Chapter 15: New City, New ProblemsSergeant Looking Glass, or Agent Glass as she preferred to be called was vastly different to Silent Stroke. Where he had been a quiet warrior, this mare was as vocal as they came, so it might come as some surprise that she was the head of an espionage cell of the Royal Guard. Her idea of a base of operations was the VIP lounge of a local dance club; Shimmer Wings. The staff was a nice mingle of King Thorax's subjects and various ponies. Apparently the management had been among the few Equestrians eager to show the changelings that they were welcome. Of course the changelings didn't seem to mind the arrangement. Those that I could see were wearing big smiles and even flirting slyly like any pony would. According to Glass, this club had been constructed shortly after the official treaty with the changelings and had become extremely popular in just a few months. I'll admit that I was enthralled by the changeling currently working the DJ booth as he kept changing his form to match the feel of the music and earning approving calls while doing so. The VIP lounge was set on the second floor of the building, overlooking the dance floor. We were ushered in by a security stallion quickly and I took a moment to look around. The walls were a mixture of low energy colors to create a relaxed feeling. Spread around the room were various chair of different styles, including some beanbag chairs. Occupying some of those seats, turning their heads at our entrance, was Glass' team. Calling them to attention, she introduced me. The first was a pegasus stallion that matched Glass' fur color, but sported a red mane, looking like a hearthswarming decoration. This was Glass' older brother, Grand Impact and thankfully he was only about my height. I'd had enough of stallions that towered over me for one lifetime. I didn't have the courage to ask about his name or the shattered archery target that made up his cutie mark. Next to him was brown-coated mare; an earth pony like myself. The two of us exchanged nods that communicated more than our companions could understand. You might laugh, but I could tell that she was a career mare by the stiffness of her nod. The green eyes beneath her caramel colored mane told me that she was sizing up and finding a use for me in a number of theoretical situations based on my own nod. Cocoa Surprise was a good mare and she was quite the cook, earning herself a chocolate cake... with a fuse as a cutie mark. We had one other individual with us and he stood out pretty hard in our group. Amber chitin bled into a nighttime blue as it swept from his head to his tail. Corium was an interesting character to be sure and the most socially forward of the group as he made every effort to make me feel welcome. Of course, he had to go and ruin it by telling the whole group that I was giving off “residual attraction.” Whatever that meant... Once the meet-and-greet was over, Glass wasted no time in getting us all sat down to explain things to me. Glass and her crew were in Los Pegasus officially to assist the local law enforcement during the busy time of year. Apparently crime rates spiked during the autumn time and without additional boots on the streets, it was difficult to keep up with it. Unofficially, Glass' team had been tipped off that a drug ring of some kind was based out of the city. While we were out there, we were supposed to be on the lookout for any illegal trafficking. It was another hooves-off investigation and we were just supposed to confirm it so that a strike team could be put together to bust the place. The only problem was that dealers in this town were more slippery than hydra hatchlings in the ocean (don't ask how I know that experience.) They'd been on the job for a few months and they few times they'd come close to nabbing somepony to question, they'd vanished without a trace. I wasn't sure what help I was going to be here, but the locator band on my hoof reminded me that I didn't get a say here. The group had picked up Corium about a month into the job due to his natural ability to blend in and previous experience as a scout during the reign of Queen Chrysalis. Like many of his kind, the poor stallion felt like he needed to prove himself to the ponies around him. The only real problem I had with him was that he didn't exactly understand personal space. That was a minor thing overall though. Glass decided to ruin the moment by reminding me of the second reason I was here... “Alright, Rookie. The LT tells me that I need to get you into fighting shape, so we're going to see what you're made of. Cocoa, on me. The rest of you, fan out, usual search pattern.” Crisp salutes met her orders and we broke into two groups. Cocoa and I followed Glass out of the club and into one of the local gyms. I had to admit, it was a nice place and boasted some state of the art equipment. Unfortunately, we made our way to a section of the gym that was covered in floor mats. Glass turned to face us, eyes narrowing as she looked at me, then toward Cocoa, “Don't break him, but don't pull your hits too much. Let's get a feel for where he's at.” Everything this mare said made me feel like this was going to be terrible. As I stood across from Cocoa, she gave me an apologetic smile as we both lowered our heads and widened our stances a bit. I was conflicted. I'd always been told never to strike a mare but I was pretty sure that Cocoa could break me in half with one hoof tied behind her back. Glass gave a sharp whistle and I found myself flat on my back with pain slowly creeping into my brain... “Celestia's merciful frogs, Rookie! What kind of shitty performance was that!? Martial owes me big time for this, now get back on your hooves!” Cocoa was frowning as I stood, shaking off the ache in my back. Another sharp whistle came and I at least saw Cocoa coming this time as she closed the gap. It didn't exactly help. Wrapping one hoof around my neck and the other around one of my legs, she gave a yank and pulled me off of my hooves, bodily throwing me to the side. “Again!” barked Glass. Over and over, Cocoa handed me my flank with deft, practiced moves. I could tell that she was trying to slow down and allow me a chance to react, but it didn't matter. Time and time again, Glass had a reason to shout obscenities at me and I could see that Cocoa was starting to feel guilty about destroying me so easily. I was not a fighter and my current commanding officer was trying to put my stallionhood in question. All I gained during this hour of torture was an appreciation for Cocoa's skill and a plethora of bruises despite the padded floor... ** We returned to the club and I collapsed into a beanbag chair with a groan. Glass left soon after to join up with the group searching the town, leaving me with Cocoa. The mare was nice enough to provide me with an ice pack for the swelling under my left eye where a strike had gone a bit wild. Thanking her, I applied it and was content to stew in my misery for the moment. “...Why did you not fight back?” Cocoa asked, finally letting me hear her voice. There was a light Trottingham accent to her speech and she looked at me in a measure of confusion and concern. I shrugged, not wanting to really think about my beating, “I mean, at first there wasn't a lot of time to react... and,” I shifted uncomfortably, “call me old fashioned, but my family taught me not to hit a mare. Truly, the attempt probably would have ended with my face in the mat, but... it's the principle of it, you know?” She nodded, but the frown on her muzzle told me that she had some thoughts on the matter. She turned, amusing herself with the mini-bar in the room and I was left to try and recover as best I could for the moment. My mind was drifting as I found myself looking over the ponies rocking out on the dance floor below. There were plenty of mares to admire as they swayed about, drawing in stallions like moths to a flame. In the end, I couldn't help but compare them to Dawn, which wasn't fair. She was definitely a ten out of ten, but that didn't make these mare's any less attractive. “Ooh, somepony tastes good in here!” came Corium's cheerful voice, breaking me from my thoughts. He and I were going to have to talk about phrasing. Lifting my head, I confirmed that the city group had returned. Judging by the light scowl on Glass' face, I guessed that they didn't have much luck today... loving sisters, I hated that phrase. The group broke apart across the room and Corium flopped into a beanbag chair near me, giving me a knowing smirk. I rolled my eyes at him, gaining a chuckle from him. He had all the subtly of a cargo train going full speed, but he turned his gaze to the club below. After a moment, he gave a happy sigh. “Amazing, isn't it,” he asked, gesturing towards the ponies and changelings below us, “a few years ago, I would have thought this was impossible. Changelings like me, undisguised, mingling with ponies...” he trailed off and when I looked at him, I noticed tears forming in the sapphire orbs that were his eyes. Noticing my gaze, he quickly wiped his hoof over his eyes, “Sorry, I've been overly emotional ever since the change,” he smiled at me, the gesture not quite reaching his eyes, “it's been difficult for some. Some of us still wake up in a... what's the expression? Cold sweat? Yes, a cold sweat as we remember what it was like before...” As he trailed off, I decided that our conversation about phrasing could wait... Chapter 16: A Matter of PerspectiveTo my relief, the rest of my first day was to relax. Corium invited me to play chess and I learned very quickly that even when he was prattling on, his mind was extremely tactical. Fifty losses in a row was humbling experience, but he was a good sport about it and tried to help me understand the game a bit better. I could hear the rest of the group snickering at my expense, but I wasn't going to complain. The entire situation felt... normal in a way. Agent Glass took off to somewhere without a word. Impact said that it was normal for her to do this, especially when she was stressed and that she'd be back by morning. When night finally came, we went next door to a large hotel. Like the kind that I couldn't afford even with months of savings, but the Royal Guard had rented us a couple of rooms; one for stallions and one for mares. Impact, Corium, and I entered into our room and I immediately noticed a problem. “Uh... Impact,” the pegasus looked at me, “there's only two beds.” He snorted, “Yeah, well we weren't really prepared to have you with us, bud. You get to bunk with Corium tonight and we'll get another bed brought in tomorrow.” Honestly, despite my hesitation, I'll admit that Corium wasn't a half bad snuggler, though I will never admit it willingly... ** The dream came back that night, only this time I watched my reflection in the mirror. The image was of the gym and the earlier practice. The difference was that in the image, I was winning. Time and again, I saw my doppelganger defeat not just Cocoa, but all the members of Glass' team. When it finally ended, my reflection turned and regarded me with a look of resentment... ** I woke with a gasp, sitting straight up in bed and panting. A soft hoof on my shoulder made me jump and I whirled on Corium where he stood at the edge of the bed. He was looking at me with a worried frown as he levitated a cup full of liquid to me. I didn't even question it as I pulled it to me, realizing that whatever was inside was a hot drink. I didn't care, the cup and the liquid were just something for me to focus on. I drank it. Hot chocolate. Something about the drink slowed my heartbeat, helping me calm down as Corium sat silently nearby, watching me. I looked up at him, then away as I mumbled an apology. He waved off my apology with a hoof, “Nopony can feel guilty for having fear, Lucky. It's part of what makes you alive. Do you want to talk about it?” “I wouldn't even know where to start.” I mumbled sullenly. “At the beginning, I would assume.” he whispered with a light chuckle. Casting a glance at Impact's sleeping form, he gestured for me to follow him. Slipping from the bed, I allowed myself to be lead to the balcony overlooking the city and he closed the door leading to it so that Impact could sleep soundly. Sitting on the balcony, I could only stare up at the moon for a long time. I wanted to talk, I really did, but I didn't know what was going on. With a sigh, I lowered my head and told him everything. All of the events leading up to being coerced into the guard and the things that happened after. Finally we reached the dreams and my conversation with Dawn. He looked thoughtful as I recounted the aspects of both, tilting his head in thought. “Odd,” he mused aloud, “I was under the impression that your Princess Luna was drawn to such nightmares to put a stop to them...” I hadn't thought about it. I'd had plenty of nightmares as a colt before her return to Equestria, so I suppose I just didn't expect things of her. I shrugged in response, “I mean, she is a princess. She must be busy all the time and she probably has her hooves full with the nightmares of fillies and colts.” “Maybe,” he conceded after a moment before standing, “please excuse me, Lucky. I just remembered something I needed to discuss with Agent Glass,” he smiled at me, “try and get some rest, you've probably got a full day tomorrow between assisting our investigation and your training.” I grunted in acknowledgment, but I spent a few more minutes staring at the moon before returning to bed... ** The next day began much slower than I expected, and the sun had been up for an hour or so by the time I stirred. Blinking, I jumped out of bed, cursing to myself at my laxness and the plethora of insults that I was sure Glass would throw my way. In the end though, it was only a gentle laugh that greeted me. Corium was standing near the door, two cups levitated in his magic. Floating one over to me, he came closer, “Relax. It's just you and me today. Glass decided that I should take over training you for today.” I blinked, sipping at my cup. More hot chocolate, “Two things. One, are you qualified to train me? Two, what is it with you and hot chocolate?” My comment earned me a peal of laughter as he set his cup down on the nightstand. “Well, starting with two, it's because chocolate is the closest thing I've found to physical love in Equestria. As to the first, don't you worry, I may not look it, but I'm more than capable,” he grinned, flashing a smile at me, “and when I'm through with you, so shall you be.” “I guess one of us needs to believe in me.” I muttered sourly. “You're right,” he said, his voice suddenly tense and serious, “and that one needs to be you, Lucky.” he jabbed me in the chest and I got a feeling that his chitin was actually much firmer than it appeared to be. Just as fast as it came, his stern look vanished back into a playful smile. Just watching him gave me whiplash. “So, come! Drink your hot chocolate and let's go!” he called to me as he all but pranced his way to the door. I was a bit slower in moving as he lead the way back to the gym I'd seen the day before. I was expecting another round of pain when he lead me to the mats on the floor, but he merely gestured for me to stand next to him. Confused, I did so. Smirking he explained, “There is one thing that Agent Glass and I disagree on when it comes to formal combat. She, and her subordinates, look to combat as a brutish thing that can only be mastered by repeated failures to teach you. I disagree.” Without warning, Corium became a blur of motion. Dodging in rapid circles around me, he lashed out in three consecutive strikes. None of them hit, but judging by the ever-present smile on his muzzle, they weren't intended to. Each one brushed past me by the smallest of margins, the wind from all three playing over my fur. Coming to a stop, he twirled, like actually twirled, his way back in front of me. Rolling his shoulders, he spoke, “changelings, as we were, did not possess the brute strength to bring down the average earth pony warrior. We did not possess the speed to outfly a pegasus and we most certainly did not have the magic to overpower a unicorn mage.” I felt my flanks hit the mat as I sat in front of him. Corium was something of an artist with words, not by the use of extravagant words, but by the conviction with which each one was said. I felt like he was revealing to me one of the great secrets of the universe as he touched a hoof this his chest. “What we possessed, Lucky Signs, was grace and adaptation. During the first invasion, we did not fight head to head with earth ponies, we fought around them, kept them guessing and flailing to catch us. We did not outfly the pegasi, we outsmarted them. We did not overpower the mages, we out-planned them. Our method of fighting... was more akin to a dance. Observe.” He moved again, only this time his movements were slow and measured. With a sense of balance that would make an acrobat green with envy, Corium repeated the same motions he'd first done with lightening fast reflexes. Step by step he moved, circling me slowly and humming a soft tune under his breath. In slow motion, it really did look like he was dancing. “More often than not, Lucky Signs, a criminal who opposes you is confident enough to oppose somepony twice your size. They will crush you if they can,” his stern face had returned, “and there won't always be somepony to help you. Now... up. Follow along with me.” He had to be kidding. He wasn't. He stared at me expectantly, waiting for me to mirror his first motion. I gave him a pleading look, not wanting to embarrass myself, but he didn't budge. Groaning, I rose up onto my hind legs and mirrored his stance, feeling a deep blush appearing on my muzzle. He quirked his head to the side, “Not bad, not bad, but more like this.” Not waiting for permission, the hoovesy changeling grabbed at my limbs and back, aligning them in a way that just felt... odd, yet relaxed. “Now, follow me. Move from this relaxed state into a straight jab. Left hind leg forward, twist, strike,” as he spoke he moved, staring at me until I followed suit, “now back, drift softly and bring your hoof back, curl back against the barrel. Reverse the twist and pull back the leg.” Under his guidance, we simply practiced this move over and over and over for an hour. Asking him about it, he simply told me, “The movement must become instinctive. The body must move without direction from the mind. Your partner expects you to know the dance and you must not disappoint.” He was one crazy bug.... Chapter 17: Sins of the Past...Corium and I left the gym as the time neared around noon. During that time, he'd continued to lead me through a variety of motions, calmly instructing and adjusting me physically. It was a different kind of training, I supposed, as we chatted during the process of repetition for each one. I learned that Corium had been more than a simple scout during the time Chrysalis had been in charge. His missions had been more specific to target analysis and elimination. When I gulped at that, he assured me that by “elimination” he meant making sure that high priority targets were taken and cocooned so that an infiltration changeling could take their place as quickly as possible. It hadn't always gone well and that's why he had training in hoof-to-hoof combat. Periodically, I noticed him wince in regret as he described his actions. During the Queen's reign, it was unheard of for a changeling to defy their monarch and many of them did things that they regretted, he told me. Personally, he preferred his station in life much more now as he tried to make up for everything he'd done. A thought occurred to me as I glanced at him, “Corium? I'm just kind've curious, but during the invasion, what did you do?” Pain. That was the only word I had for the emotion that flashed across the changeling's face. I think I would have hurt him less if I'd actually struck him. I quickly backpedaled, “Never mind, that wasn't cool of me. I'm sorry, Corium.” “Don't be,” he said softly, “sometimes we have to remember what we've done to find the strength to move forward. Where was I, Lucky? I was doing the worst part of the invasion. It was such a quiet thing at first. Canterlot had fallen long before we revealed ourselves and much of it was a direct consequence of the things I did.” He took a deep breath and began to shift into various motions; a coping mechanism. He struggled with himself as he continued, “Let me tell you something, Lucky. If fortune favors you as much as you complain it does, then you will never find yourself in a position where you hold a pony's life in your hooves. You will never have a reason to hate yourself down to your core and you will never feel as empty as I did on the day I committed the sin that I have long since been forgiven for, but can't forgive myself for.” Spinning in place, his hooves lashing out at unseen foes, “It was a task like so many before it. I slipped into Canterlot, right under the noses of the guards and citizens alike. I took many forms reaching the great castle that overlooked the world that your princesses ruled. I moved through those arching halls like a shadow, my constant hunger drawing me to her like a moth to the flame.” I sat still, listening to Corium open up to me. I don't even think he realized I was still here. This was just his confession, “It was a task like all the others. I entered her quarters like a sickness before the purity that she was and is. The task was the same, but she was different.” He turned to me, his eyes eerily hollow, “When I first laid eyes on Princess Cadence, I was conflicted. She bled love like an open wound and she gave it freely, nurtured it into something beautiful... and it was my task to take that away from all of you,” he chuckled bitterly, “if I hadn't been so damn good at my job, then none of you would have suffered at the hooves of my kind... Nopony even knew she was gone. That's how seamless it was to slide an alicorn from her bed and replace her with a queen. I dragged a terrified, confused mare down into the depths of the earth to trap her there. Not even her husband-to-be was aware of anything at first and once Chrysalis spun her magic around him, he was never going to be. Do you want to know the worst part, Lucky? She didn't hate me for it. She didn't lash out in anger, she didn't spit curses at me for what I was doing, and she didn't make any demands of me. I was prepared for those things because she wouldn't be the first to do so. I was even prepared for her to beg me to stop, to tell me that I didn't have to do it... No... what the Princess of Love did to me was the worst thing. As I placed her in that love-forsaken cavern, she asked me a simple question that still resonates in me to this day. She asked me, 'why?' and I didn't have an answer for her. I still don't. No changeling dared challenge the might of the queen before Thorax... and all along, we could have...” He slowed, coming to a stop and I could see his eyes misting over with tears that refused to fall. He met my gaze and gave a sad smile, “She may forgive me, all of Equestria might forgive me, but I can't forgive myself for what I did to an innocent mare who held all the love of the world at her beck and call but chose to share it with everypony... and that is why I am here, Lucky Signs. To make sure that nopony ever has to ask why and receive no answer...” He stepped past me, murmuring, “Come, it's time we started our investigation rounds...” I fell in step behind him as we left the gym. ** I was grateful that Corium could bounce back from his slump quickly. A little bit of a walk and he brightened up again, chatting my ear off about various shops that we passed by. It seemed like he knew everypony in the city despite the sheer achievement that would be. Despite this, I could see that his ears were constantly moving and his eyes took in everything around us. I tried my best to keep an eye out as well, but with the vast amount of ponies in the city it was a fruitless endeavor. Finding a single criminal or even a group of criminals in this crowd was going to be all but impossible. Still, I was going to have to at least try while I was here, or Martial was going to have my head mounted on her wall as a warning to others. Los Pegasus was as lively as it could get. Scattered among the tourists and natives, street performers and hype ponies made their living. I ended up tossing some bits to a performer that was a fair bit more... exotic. That changeling may not have been on par with Dawn in my mind, but hot damn, she could move that body in ways that made you stare. Getting a thank you kiss on the cheek was pretty cool too and may have inspired others to give generously. Somewhere along the line, Corium managed to snag us some hayburgers to scarf down as we walked. I wasn't sure when because it felt like he never left my side. I think he enjoyed it far too much with the way he dove into it with an eager smile. I had to admit that his chipper attitude was rubbing off on me and I found myself laughing with him at his antics. Ponies we passed probably thought I was crazy or (correctly guessed) new in town seeing as how most of them either were content or had lost horribly at one of the various casinos and were feeling down. So when Corium came to a dead stop, his face turning serious, I was confused. I opened my mouth to ask him about it, but he beat me to the punch by pressing a hoof to my mouth, “Don't look now,” he whispered to me, his face returning to a smile, “but we just caught somepony in the act. Directly behind you, the pony in the hoodie. I need you to act like we're parting ways and bump into him. Not hard, just enough to get his attention.” I blinked at him, but nodded slowly. He smiled widely, wrapping his hooves around me and stating loudly, “It was lovely catching up with you, my friend! Alas, I need to see to my business and I've no doubt kept you too long. Ta-ta!” He was definitely the better actor of the two of us as I idly waved and murmured a, “Yeah, see you around” in return. Turning away, I immediately noticed the pony that Corium had been talking about. A turquoise colored stallion wearing a gray hoodie, his disheveled, tan mane just poking out from under the drawn hood. He was starting to move away from what appeared to be a street vendor with his head down. Taking a deep breath, I moved after him, making sure not to run, but going fast enough to catch up. Corium just wanted me to bump him? I wasn't sure why, but he'd been very specific. So, as I passed by him, I snapped my head to the left like I'd heard something in the crowd of noisy ponies and gave him a light hip check. The mystery stallion grunted as my unexpected motion threw him off balance. Scrambling to right himself, he whirled on me, letting me see the blood shot, green eyes beneath the hood. No horn and the hoodie was bunched up around wings, so he was an earth pony like me and he was... mad and nervous at the same time. “Hey! Why don't you watch where you're going, you limp-dicked, bottom colt!” He shouted at my shrilly. Just below the age of adulthood and already throwing out vulgar insults at random ponies. What was the world coming to? I blinked at him, able to show a bit of confusion thanks to his sudden outburst, “Oh, sorry, I didn't see you there,” I lied, “I thought I heard someone calling my name. Didn't mean to bump into you.” “Yeah,” he shouted, his pupils narrowing dangerously, “well maybe you should get some glasses geezer! Almost made me drop my...” he trailed off, one hoof going to the pocket of his hoodie. His movements became frantic after a moment as he searched himself for something. “Looking for this?” a familiar voice called out. Corium stood a few steps away, one hoof raised with a bag of some kind of powder in it. His smile didn't quite reach his eyes, “Hydra plant extract. Extremely powerful hallucinogen and just as illegal in Equestria. Now if only there were a member of the guard to... oh wait,” he stated in false realization, “there is one.” he chuckled, gesturing to me. To his credit, the youth put two and two together fairly quickly. Looking between myself and Corium with wide eyes he thought for a moment and then bolted. “After him!” Corium cried and we gave chase.... Chapter 18: ...and the PresentAuthor's Note Surprise second chapter today! Chapter 18: ...and the Present Weaving through the crowded streets was easier than I would have expected. Of course, that might have been because our target was all too eager to smash his way through everypony in his way. Regardless, he was running like Tirek himself was hot on his tail and keeping a measure of distance between us. Corium made it seem effortless to navigate the carnage he was leaving behind, twisting and turning around some obstacles and hopping over others. I was probably the one who looked most like a clown at that moment, skidding to dodge around ponies that were busy shouting things at the fleeing pony. It was all I could do to keep him in sight, but I could still boast some of that earth pony stamina. The chase lasted a good fifteen minutes and I could see our mark was running out of steam and he was slowing down. He wasn't giving up though as he took a sudden left turn into an alley and broke line of sight. I heard Corium curse and we put on an extra burst of speed, rushing to the alley. We turned into it, eyes wide and ears alert... ...and saw nothing. The alley was long enough that the sudden disappearance of the earth pony was baffling. I looked up, checking the fire escapes against the buildings, but he wasn't there either. Corium was darting about with a buzzing of his wings, carefully checking windows here and there, but I was willing to guess that his shaking of his head meant he was having about as much luck as I was. He landed next to me, wings buzzing in agitation, “How do they keep doing that,” I glanced at him inquisitively and he explained, “this is what keeps happening. Agent Glass and the rest manage to pin down a possible lead and give chase. Just when it seems like they have the suspect they vanish into thin air.” Sitting on my haunches, I took that information with a grain of salt, “Cloaking spell of some kind? Maybe he was wearing something charged with one?” Corium shook his head, “Glass always sweeps the area with spell to check for those. On top of that, a cloaking spell can't stop a changeling from sensing emotions. I had him locked down and his emotions just... went away when he got to this alley.” He scuffed a hoof on the ground in frustration. Standing, I began to pace the length of the alley. I'd known a few unicorns that were well on their way to being proper mages and they loved to tell me the limits of magic whenever I suggested they do something with it. One of those limits was that you couldn't just make something no longer exist. So... our case of Cherry Houdini had to have gone somewhere. The question was where. Stalking through the alley while Corium took to the air once again, I searched for anything that would tell me where he'd gone. There was nothing. I could see why Glass was always so angry if this was what she had to deal with on a daily basis for her investigation. Well, smart, guardly tactics weren't working, so maybe it was time for some silly, small-town pony moves. Trotting back toward the side of the alley we'd entered on, I faced the length of it, pawing at the ground with one hoof. What I was doing probably looked foolish to onlookers, but I'd managed to win a few games of hide-and-seek doing this. Thinking back, I counted a good two seconds between the time the fugitive had entered the alley to the point Corium and I had caught up. With that in mind, I dug in my hooves and charged like I was running recklessly from something. Giving it a two count, I made it roughly halfway down the alley and tried to apply the brakes. The keyword there was tried. The cement that made up the ground here was seamless work... or so I thought. Planting my front hooves down, I ended up pressing my hooves firmly down... and the ground gave out from under them. With a yelp, I slammed into the ground chin first. I might have knocked myself a little loopy and as I tried to recover, Corium darted down, “Lucky, are you...” he trailed off and looking up at him, I saw his mouth was hanging open in surprise. Tilting my head to follow his gaze and blinked rapidly. Part of the cement had come loose, forming a perfect square that stood perpendicular to the rest. I clambered to my hooves and leaned over the top. I could just make out a softly flickering like a fair distance down and the top rung of a ladder offered us a way down. Corium gave a noise that I could only describe as the most masculine squeal I'd ever heard. Seizing me by the hooves, he began to dance around like a foal who'd been told he could have any candy he wanted from the store. He was laughing giddily, “Of course! Underground hideaways! No magic and just enough cement to block out my senses! So simple and yet intelligently so!” He cried out. He stopped about as quick as he started, leaving me spinning around from the momentum as he squinted in focus. His horn lit up with a sudden, electric blue light. I'd just managed to get my uncontrolled rotations dealt with and shook loose the last of the dizziness when he finished. He hopped around eagerly, “Okay, Glass and the others are on the way! Let's go find our mystery stallion!” Before I could explain to him the number of reasons that was a bad idea, he was diving down the hole. I groaned. I'd rather have waited for the rest of the crew before venturing into the unknown, but I couldn't let him go down there alone. With a sigh, I swung myself down onto the ladder and followed. The passage we wound up in was a fairly standard dirt tunnel. Periodically, electric lights flickered ahead of us, illuminating the way. It was something straight out of a horror story. At least that's what I thought. The changeling ahead of me seemed to think of it like a carnival ride as he strutted forward. At least one of us was having fun. Strangely, the air in the tunnel wasn't as stuffy as I was expecting and a quick glance at the walls told me why. Piping in the wall whistled with fresh air coming from somewhere on the surface and that made me nervous. This wasn't something built by twitchy drug addicts. Add on that if all the vanishing suspects were coming to places like this it was starting to look like a large scale project. “Corium,” I whisper-yelled at him, “I don't think we-” He shushed me with a hoof, his ears flicking back and forth. What happened next was something that I wouldn't have believed if I didn't see it. With a soft flicker of magic, Corium vanished. More accurately, his chitin took on the coloration of the dirt wall next to him and he appeared to vanish. Interesting trick, but watching part of the wall start to move stealthily forward was unnerving. Taking the hint, I pressed myself against the opposite wall and started watching my step. Soon enough, I caught wind of what made him go silent. Voices were starting to hit my ears from further up and as we closed in on them, I recognized one as the pony we'd been chasing. The other was an unknown and sounded more annoyed than anything... “You can't even go one day without being discovered?” asked the unknown one. Male by the sounds of it, with an accent I couldn't quite place. “Look, I sold the first bag and then the loony bug snatched the second from me! Cut me a break, dude!” answered our runner frantically. “One bag doesn't get our employer the money he needs, colt. We've done the hard part getting it into the country. All you had to do was sell it and bring the money back. Instead, what did you do? You blow your cover day one...,” a sigh escaped the second voice, “just... stay here and don't do anything stupid. You get one more chance.” The sound of distant hoofsteps echoed down the passage as Corium and I came up upon a wooden door at the end of the tunnel. The hoofsteps were receding on the far side, so there was probably another exit. Looking over at Corium, I noticed that his eyes were shimmering softly and were shifting back and forth. Turning to me, he began to flick his ears in guard cant (I'm guessing Glass taught him.) One enemy. Not alert. Left. Capture and question. I nodded in understanding and took up position with a straight shot at the door. Corium's magic gripped the door handle and I braced myself. The door flew open and I rushed in, angling to the left. I barely had time to register what must have been a small safe room, complete with dried rations in barrels and a single-pony bed in the corner. The room was lit by a single light hanging precariously from the ceiling. Mr. Hoodie was sitting at a small table with his head in his hooves, but it snapped up as I came in. His eyes widened as I cleared the distance between us and bodily grabbed him, wrapping my hooves around him and lifting him from his chair. I'd gotten stronger than I thought. Pushing that to the back of my mind, I slammed him into the ground, knocking the wind out of him, then pinned him to the ground. He struggled, but he hadn't undergone basic training like I had and eventually he fell into grunting obscenities at me. I promptly ignored them. “Alright, buddy,” I hissed into his ear, “this is how it's going to work, I'm going to ask you a question and you're going to answer. Truthfully. Understand?” “Fuck you!” “I don't swing that way,” I snorted and took a page out of Top Shot's book, giving his leg a bit of a yank, “answer to me or answer to my current CO. She's not as nice as I am, so either way, you're going to talk. First question: who's your supplier?” “It's not nice to talk about somepony when they're right here.” The return of the unknown voice threw me for a loop. Then his magic physically threw me. I slammed into the wall hard, grunting from the impact and slid to the ground for only a moment before I was yanked up and tossed into the supply barrels roughly. Thank Celestia that I was pretty sturdy these days. “I'd ask how you got in here, but that would be pointless now.” I looked up and took in the pristine white fur and slicked back, black mane of the unicorn standing over me about the same time that I took in what appeared to be a hammer suspended in his yellow magic. Sweet sisters, this stallion looked every bit like a Jet Bond villain. Several things happened at the same moment. I heard my name called out, I saw the hammer swing, and I felt something slam into my side, pushing me away. A resounding crack! split the air and I heard something flop to the ground. Instinctively, I rolled to my hooves and took in the scene before me. Green liquid stained the head of the hammer that had been meant for me and looking back, I froze. Corium lay amid the barrels that had been knocked over and even from here I could see the cracks in the chitin that covered his head... and the flow of green blood escaping them. I stared in horror as the alabaster stallion surveyed his hoofwork. “Pity. He might have actually been able to catch me by surprise if he sacrificed you. So much for the intelligent plans of his kind...” “SHUT UP!” The words left my mouth in a rush of anger. I'll admit that I wasn't a good fighter, but at that point I didn't have to be. He panicked as I charged him, swinging his hammer toward me. It struck me in the side and I grunted, pushing aside the pain with adrenaline as I tackled him to the ground and brought my hooves to bare. One strike to the horn. His magic failed. Two to the face in my rage. Two more to the abdomen. He tried to arch his back and buck me off, but I rolled with it and used the momentum to lift up and drive both of my hind hooves into his stomach. I lost track of how long I spent hammering into this stallion. It wasn't until I felt strong hooves wrapping around my barrel and the voice of Impact in my ear that my thoughts returned to me, “Stand down, Lucky Signs! Stand down!” he shouted at me and snapping me back to reality. I looked down at the battered mess of a stallion beneath me. It was a wonder that I hadn't killed him. Bruises covered his body and his face was a mess of blood, but he was still breathing... barely. Then I heard Cocoa's voice, calling out a single name that chilled my blood... “Corium!? Wake up Corium!” ** Boop...boop...boop...boop... The steady sound of the heart monitor was the only thing that occupied my thoughts. Corium lay still in a medical bed a few steps from me and yet he might as well have been on the moon. His head had been bandaged and the doctors had been working with him for hours, but... he hadn't woken up yet. It was all my fault. I'd dropped my guard and Corium had payed the price for my folly. Even now, all I could do was sit there at his bedside, praying for him to open his eyes. To crack a stupid joke. To do anything. He wasn't going to... at least not anytime soon. The blow had caused a lot of damage and while the doctors had been able to mend most of it, they weren't sure if he was going to heal. He'd been hurt, possibly fatally, because I couldn't defend myself... Glass and the others had returned to the hotel some time ago. My misery was made worse because even Glass refused to scream at me like I deserved. It was one of the few times that I wished Sergeant Boomer was here. He would scream all the thoughts in my head at me, give them life beyond myself. Now... all I could do was think over the conversations we'd had only a few short hours ago. How open he had been with his past and the mistakes he'd made... how he felt about each one. Sometimes we have to remember what we've done to find the strength to move forward. I grit my teeth hard. She may forgive me, all of Equestria might forgive me, but I can't forgive myself... He didn't deserve this... That is why I am here, Lucky Signs. To make sure that nopony ever has to ask why and receive no answer.. He deserved his answer... Near the bed, set on a nightstand, was a pad of papers and a pen. He needed this. We both did. Taking the pen in my mouth, I wrote... Dear Princess Cadence.... ** I made it back to the hotel as evening rolled in. The three ponies waiting for me there looked up at me in silence that reigned for several long moments. I breathed in, steeling myself. I breathed out. “Teach me how to keep this from happening again...” Chapter 19: Motivation and ClosureSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.Chapter 20: FreedomNearly a month passed after the raid on the drug ring before anything noteworthy came to pass. I wasn't idle during that time, of course. Martial was quick to dispatch me on a number of missions that went by easily enough. Escorts, investigations, and further training went by in a blur and before I knew it, we were coming up on a day I had almost forgotten about. My liberation day. It took a summons to Martial's office for me to even put the pieces together. It hadn't felt like much time had passed since the day I walked into Donut Joe's and been deemed a vigilante. It was extremely surreal to march into the lieutenant's office for what was going to be the last time. I gave her a salute, “You called for me, ma'am?” I'd caught Martial during one of her stranger moods. She glanced at me, gesturing for me to sit before clasping her hooves under her chin. A tense, awkward silence stretched on between us. Finally, Martial broke the silence, “Auxiliary Lucky Signs... when you first appeared in my office, I was angry with you...” She stood, pacing and chewing on the inside of her cheek, strangely enough, “I thought you had no respect for the law. When I first saw you, I saw another pony who was too big for their boots. When you were lead through that door, I saw a selfish colt with something to prove.” She stopped, sighing and I watched her ears droop, “You claimed it was all luck and when you bested the Shadow Run, I wanted to believe that. I wanted to believe that everything about you was luck beyond luck and so I sent you to a mission that was supposed to be simple and without danger to watch you make a fool of yourself. Instead, you not only discovered a band of cultists but also saved one of my senior agents.” “To be fair, ma'am,” I interjected, “I wasn't able to find all of the missing ponies.” “But you gave us the means to start looking for them,” she countered, eyeing me sternly, “don't belittle yourself. If you must, then I will simply move forward to how you broke a stalemate between the law and the cartel acting out of Los Pegasus. Who knows how long the investigation would have continued fruitlessly without you discovering the underground safehouses.” “By nearly falling into one, ma'am.” I reminded her, earning myself a snort. “Continue to claim that it was luck if you must, Lucky Signs. Regardless, in sharp contrast to how I felt about you then, I now find myself at the day I used to look forward to. Today was supposed to be the day I was rid of you, but instead it feels as though I am losing you. Take that as you will.” I blinked rapidly, staring at her. Martial Cadence had been extremely vocal in her displeasure with me up to this point, but now she was singing a different tune. The thestral held out her hoof and I numbly lifted my leg with the band on it. With a few deft movements of a key, she pulled it off and for the first time in months, I was a free stallion. As she dismissed me and I made my way out of her office, I could only ponder how... strange it felt.... ** I found myself wandering Canterlot in a bit of a daze, confused and lost. For a while, I'd been looking forward to being able to go back home and not worry about anything anymore. I could just go back to being a simple delivery stallion avoiding anything that could trigger the curse that had come with my cutie mark. So why did the idea suddenly seem unappealing? Every time I imagined going home, back to my life, it felt like something was missing. It didn't make any sense because I'd hated every moment of being a member of the Royal Guard. I looked up as I heard the sound of running water and my eyes fell on one of the many beautiful fountains that existed throughout the city. With soft steps, I found myself drawn forward until I was staring down at my reflection in the rippling water. I hadn't truly had time to take in how much I'd changed over the past few months. The soft, sarcastic colt that had come to Canterlot to make a delivery wasn't the face that stared back at me. Instead, a stallion I hardly recognized gazed back at me. True, I could still see the spark of sarcasm and humor dancing in my eyes, but the body around it had become stronger and I was standing a bit taller than I remembered so long ago. “Admiring yourself?” I knew that voice. Snapping my head toward it, I spotted Dawn Breeze strolling toward me casually. Crap, come on brain, restart! Witty one liner, witty one liner, something about her being finer! Damn it I was drawing blanks! “Just... thinking about how much I've changed.” I answered automatically as she stood next to me. Sweet Celestia, I could feel the warmth of her body even across the small gap between us. Thankfully, she seemed to be to busy mulling over what I'd said to notice my internal conflict. “Mostly good, I hope?” she questioned. I shrugged slightly, “Guess it depends on your idea of good. I went from a delivery colt who had never even tried to argue with anypony to a member of the Royal Guard. It was actually kind've nice if I'm being honest.” “Was?” I lifted my band free hoof, “What can I say, they let me off the hook for good behavior. I just wish it was so easy to take the hint,” a tilt of her head got me to continue, “I mean, I wasn't really having fun. It was a job that sort of got forced on me and yet... the idea of going home and being a delivery colt feels... empty.” Dawn smirked sideways at me, “That sounds about right,” it was my turn to tilt my head, “I... had a hunch about you, Lucky. A part of me feels that you had a true place in the guard, but the only pony that can make a decision like that for you is you. So, without considering too far into the future, what do you plan to do with your current freedom?” I sat in silence for a moment, mulling over her words and her question. Was it possible that.... I wanted to be a guard? True, it was the kind of thing that any young colt dreamed of once in a while. Few allowed that dream to continue into their adulthood. It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows though, as my first few outings had showed me. On top of that... could I really trust my “luck” not to act up in horrible ways if I was putting myself out there like that? I could only think of one way to answer her, “I'm not sure... I've saved up a fair number of bits lately, so... maybe I'll stick around Canterlot for a few days. See how I feel in the end. What about you,” she jumped a little at my question, “Martial says you work for 'management.' Considering that the guard answers directly to the princesses, might I assume that you work in the castle?” Dawn stiffened and I saw her jaw set firmly, “I... I'm not at liberty to discuss that, Lucky, I'm sorry.” I waved a hoof dismissively, “Don't be. I've been working with the lieutenant long enough to know that classified means 'keep your nose out of it.' Plus, that kinda answered it,” I grinned at her, “so, Dawn, maybe if you're able to free yourself up an afternoon, you might like to join me for lunch at some point?” Loving Luna, she was adorable when she was the one on the backhoof. Her wings snapped open and it was only about that moment what I'd said. Smooth, Roamio, smooth... She stared at me for a tense silence before she cleared her throat, “I don't think you know what you're going on about, Lucky. It almost sounded like you were... asking me on a date.” She was blushing. Like, bright red blushing. Had she never been asked out before? I had to make a move here. Smiling, I nodded, “Maybe I was.” “You hardly know anything about me...” she protested. “Well, isn't that what the first date is for? To learn more about the interesting pony you're talking to? It doesn't even have to be anything deep. You want to talk about you favorite color over a nice dinner? That sounds fine to me.” Maybe I was coming on a little too strong and desperate. I might have to reel it in- “...I'll have to check my schedule and find an opening...” I blinked. She blinked. Nodding dumbly, I said, “I mean, yeah, you're probably busy more often than not. If you could find a day... maybe it would help to unwind a bit?” Dawn looked into my eyes and she actually seemed unsure of herself, “It... might,” she conceded. In the back of my head, I was very glad that Princess Cadence wasn't there at the moment or I might have blamed her using a bit of magic here. Clearing my throat to get myself under control, I tried to lean onto the fountain casually and act cool. The result was rather abysmal as my hoof slipped into the water and I went about halfway in. I about died of shame when I heard Dawn's light tittering, but then she spoke, “I'll let you know if I find a day to be free, Lucky Signs.” Extracting myself from the fountain, I looked after her, “I mean, uh, how are you going to find me?” I received a wink in answer. “I have my ways.” Damn could that mare tease a poor stallion... ** I was walking on sunshine for the rest of the day. Sure, we may not even get to have a date, but she'd at least considered it. That was enough to set my spirits soaring. I was only a few motions short of prancing my way back through town to the small hotel room I'd rented out for a few nights. I was so happy and unprepared that I never saw my attacker coming. Something struck me firmly in the back of the head and my world faded into darkness... Chapter 21: The Face of the EnemyAs my groggy mind began to come back to the world of the living, my ears were assaulted by the noise of grinding machinery. Cracking open my eyes, I hissed as a bright light assaulted them. Squinting and groaning in pains both new and old, I tried to shift and turn away from the light. My attempt was stopped short by the rope that secured me tightly to the chair I was seated on. Memories started to flood back into my brain as I came around. I started to panic, squirming against the bonds that held me, the noise being lost amid the racket of metal around me. Ultimately, the entire effort proved fruitless and I was forced to take a moment and take stock of myself. Aside from the splitting headache that waking up from being knocked out came with, I seemed to be in good shape. For the moment, I was alive and the both relieved and terrified me. Apparently, whoever had foalnapped me wanted me alive, but whether that was because they wanted something from me or just to break my legs, I wasn't sure. What? Working in the Royal Guard and busting crooks gained you a lot of ponies that hated you. Remember the cultists? Looking around, I took in what I could see of the room. A large floodlight was pointed at me, blinding me to the things behind it. Around me and behind me was what appeared to be massive gears and pistons running some form of machine. I wasn't exactly a mechanic, so I didn't know what they were for. I seemed to be alone in the room for the moment, so I craned my neck after a moment and gave the rope an experimental nibble. For one, horrible flavor, and for two, much too thick to bite through in any reasonable time. That left me with very little to do except wait... and wait. I was starting to get bored and started whistling various tunes that came to mind. I was left alone with my thoughts for at least an hour by my estimation before my solitude was intruded upon. A door somewhere behind the floodlight was pushed open to slam against a wall in the darkness. “Ah, good. Our guest is awake.” The voice was deep and proper, spoken with a proper noble accent. More than one set of hooves approached from the darkness and before I could question it, a rather unorthodox group entered my vision. While some of them were ponies, I could also see a pair of minotaurs, felines, and a small pack of diamond dogs. Each of them was currently glaring a hole into my face. The final individual to approach was the one that demanded my attention though. I thought he was a ghost at first as he stepped into the light, completely covered by a white suit with a black undershirt. Looking at him, I could tell that he was a gryphon with feathers and fur that matched his suit, but his mask is what helped me put a name to him. Perfectly shaped to fit over his head and cover the upper part of his beak, the pale mask was marred only by a black sun plastered over its surface. “Sunslayer...” I stated in shock “Oh, so you have heard of me,” the deep voice belonged to him as he approached, “surprising. I made it quite obvious what happened to anypony that dared to speak my name to the law. Of course, you're hardly the average lawpony. Isn't that right, Lucky Signs?” My ears twitched, “You know who I am?” “How could I not know the stallion who is the sole reason that two of my operations were shut down? I was going to rack it up to a fluke when you shut down the old fool I supplied with 'cultists' so long as he brought me fresh pony-power to... work for me.” He stopped a few paces from me, a pair of icy blue eyes boring into me intensely, “then you went and ruined my operation in Los Pegasus. You've set me back quite a bit, my friend,” I felt like the exact opposite, “and I'll admit that for a time, I considered striking you down and being done with it...” He let the silence drag on until I was forced to ask, “Well, not that I don't appreciate it, but it sounds like you changed your mind. Why's that?” A dark chuckle escaped the gryphon before me, “Why? A good question. You might actually manage to appear to not be the fool I know you to be,” suddenly that angry face was pressed up close to mine as he used his talons to tip the chair precariously close to falling, “that's right, Lucky Signs, I know the truth even when your superiors don't.” He rapped me on the nose with a talon, forcing me to flinch as a thin slice was cut into me, “the truth is that you are weak. I did my research, my friend. In depth as opposed to the half-flanked investigations of your bosses. You're a sham, aren't you? Just a silly stallion who happens to be in the right place at the right time. Maybe it's not your fault, mm?” I gulped as he returned the chair to an upright position, returning to his previous position. Lifting one claw, he snapped his talons to summon what appeared to be a young mare to his side. I could just make out her purple fur beneath the cloak she wore, matching the gryphon beside her, “Meet Feral Storm. Several members of her family were among those arrested in Los Pegasus during your raid.” I stared and she met my eyes with the most hate-filled look I had ever seen. While we had the most intense staring contest of all time, Sunslayer continued, “She, of course, would much prefer that I allow her to have her way with you. I have a different use for you and your... talent.” I buried the rising sense of trepidation beneath a facade of confidence... I hoped, “Well, let's say that I'm weighing my options, Mr Sunslayer. What exactly did you want from me that couldn't be discussed over a nice hayburger?” A displeased hiss escaped him, “I'll overlook your vulgar taste in food for now. In regards to the question, I think that even you would be smart enough to figure that a 'criminal' like myself can't be out in broad daylight. As to business? I want you to... recover something for me.” “So let me get this straight,” I interjected, “you want me to pick up a package for you? Considering how much you dislike me, you'll have to excuse me for thinking that it's not that simple.” “Very astute of you,” Sunslayer mocked, clapping his talons together, “it's not something that just any pony, gryphon, or other form of existence can retrieve. I have invested time into training, gathered those with particular abilities, and even bribed the most cunning and vicious creatures I could find to get it for me, but they have all failed.” “Sounds to me like it's impossible. How exactly is a nopony like me supposed to get something that a stallion of your stature couldn't?” “Well, if your ears are working, Lucky Signs, you'd have heard that those individuals had failed me. Skill, talent, training, enchantments, technology? None of it has produced the results I need. So, I started to think outside of the box. What was one thing that I couldn't instill into somebeing?” I didn't like the way he gestured toward my flank, nor the word that came out of his beak. “Luck.” I didn't realize how literal the saying “the tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife” was until now. I stared at him while he gazed at me. I was silently asking him if he was serious and his stance was unmoving. I couldn't help it; I started laughing. The beings around me were not so amused and even Sunslayer was starting to narrow his eyes at me. I looked at him, “Y... you're serious? You want to rely on luck? Do you have any idea how inconsistent that is? You can never rely on it; it just sort of happens whenever it wants. Tartarus, if I could give this 'talent' to you, I would. Then you could make a fool of yourself.” Sunslayer tapped a claw to his chin, “While that would definitely make my life easier, it's not something within our collective abilities. Truthfully, I would much rather cast you from the tallest peak in Equestria to a violent end far below, but my patience is reaching its end. Let's be frank, Lucky Signs. Looking at the facts, you no longer have anypony keeping track of your movements and they couldn't find you anymore if they were.” He lifted a forelimb, pointing at the spot where I had once been wearing a locator band on my own leg. He raised a brow as I took that in. Letting it sink, he continued, “So, let's go with an ultimatum: be my little delivery colt or I let Feral Storm do as she pleases. Make your choice, Lucky Signs.” There it was. The true meaning behind all of this. The gryphon in front of me was demanding for me to do something and threatening my life. The problem was that as the time passed in silence between us, my thoughts were turning toward the two instances that I'd apparently ruined his plans. A bunch of slavers masquerading as cultists, who had been planning to sell foals to this psycho, and a drug ring. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath. Opening them again, I stared into those merciless eyes... “Go buck a cactus.” The result was immediate as the small mare beside Sunslayer darted forward, slamming a hoof into my cheek. Tied up as I was, I couldn't exactly fight back as she proceeded to beat me to a pulp. Over the cracking of hoof on flesh, Sunslayer sighed, “Pity. We could have just gone one with our lives after, but you've chosen your fate.” Turning away, he whistled sharply, drawing the rest of his entourage toward him, “When you're done, Storm, deal with what remains and meet us at the Cinder Run. We'll have to try another way to claim my prize.” The rest of it was lost to me under the hail of sharp, targeted hoofblows raining down on me.... Chapter 22: Rage and IcePutting aside pain and fear, the view from the upper part of Canterhorn Mountain wasn't bad. By the time that Feral Storm had finished venting her frustrations upon me, I wasn't really in a state to pay attention to where she was taking me from. It also wasn't until I realized that the air was bitingly cold that I managed to regain enough brain function to know that I was very, very high in the air. Still bound to the chair. This mare was dedicated to making sure that I couldn't do anything to stop her. Currently, both her hooves were wrapped around the upper rung of the chair and I could hear her grunting with the effort to carry me. She was a bit of a smaller mare, what could I say? Of course, at the time I was more concerned with the lack of ground beneath my hooves and the miles before meeting it again. “Look, Storm right,” she ignored me, “I'm pretty sure that you don't care, but it wasn't anything personal. I was just doing my job. Also, the whole operation lead to one of my friends getting really messed up in the process, so I'd say we're even, yeah?” “You could lose your whole family and all your friends and we wouldn't be even, Lucky Signs.” the mare hissed at me. Well, it appeared that talking her down gently was out of the question. She had enough hatred in her that she would probably cut my throat right in front of Celestia. I started quickly looking for anything that could help me out in this situation. Mmmm... snowcapped mountain, empty air, and an angry mare. Not a lot to work with. Then I got a stupid idea. Like a really stupid idea. It all began when my mind pondered about how much the pegasus holding me up reminded me of Martial with her stern gaze and hostile attitude. If there was one thing that Martial had taught me about fliers, it was that they held their honor in an almost sacred light. So, naturally, I sighed, “Too bad, I'll bet this is gonna leave a stain on your legacy, eh?” She stopped. That was a plus, but now she had her glare firmly locked on me as I craned my neck to look up at her. “What's that supposed to mean?” she demanded. I wiggled a bit in my bindings, causing the mare to have to compensate for the motion, “Well, I mean, just dropping me from a great height? Seems a little beneath somepony like you. I gotta wonder what some of the ponies you know would think about how you could only pummel me while I was tied up,” I let out a dramatic gasp, “would they think that you were too weak to fight me fairly?” The wind howled in my ears as the seconds ticked by. I was just starting to think that my ploy had failed when she growled into my ear, “You think you can take me, ground pounder? I am a pegasus, heir to a legacy of proud warriors and above you, both physically and metaphorically, I-” “Prove it.” I goaded her. Something inside of her snapped; I could feel it. She snorted and flipped into a dive taking us both straight for a rise jutting out of the mountain. Behind me, Storm pulled something from her cloak and the ropes binding me came loose with a snap. I fell into the snow, rolling a few times before I managed to get my hooves under me. “You think playing me like that is going to save you,” oh, her voice was cracking; she was pissed, “it won't! I'll savor this and end you with my own hooves!” I barely had time to register that she was coming in before she struck me like a diving hawk. Getting knocked from my hooves, my already bruised up body wasn't eager for another beating. Too bad for me that Storm was all to eager to strike out at me now. It felt like every time I managed to get up, she was there to knock me back down (she had a damn painful hit) as she whirled around high above me. I had made a huge mistake at this point. As she circled around for another attack, I decided to just stay down and start rolling. While it managed to help me avoid her diving strikes, I also didn't have a lot of ground to move on without reaching either a rocky wall or a long fall. I was either going to have to go on the offensive or figure something else out now that I was free of the chair. It had been a strangely long amount of time since Storm had made an attack... A sharp whistle was beginning to build, screaming over the sound of the wind around me. I glanced up, looking for a source and could just make out a purple dot at the edge of my vision. The whistle was becoming a violent wail as Storm sped toward me. At her speed, there was no way that I was going to dodge her attack and we both knew it. So we were both surprised when the wind whipping around the mountain gave a sudden gust. Catching her angled wings roughly, she was thrown off course and crashed with a peal of thunder into the snow just a few steps from me. The snow beneath us shook as she tried to recover and the mountain opened up beneath our hooves. We fell in a cascade of snow into a small cavern that had been hidden beneath the rise. I gave a panicked cry and Storm seemed too shocked to understand what was happening. Landing hard, I felt the air getting knocked from my lungs as I was forced to go prone from the impact. After getting some much needed oxygen into my system, I looked around. The fall had brought us into what appeared to be an ice cave. The walls around us sparkled lightly in the sunlight that now streamed in from above us. It might have actually been cool looking (no pun intended) if I'd been given longer to take it in. Storm had other plans. She recovered a bit quicker than I did and soon had me pinned against the wall, bringing her hooves to bare against me. Curling my own hooves defensively, I realized that her blows lacked power now. The cave itself didn't give her a lot of room to fly and she was no Impact. I was preparing for a counter attack when I noticed something moving within the cave. Taking short glances between attacks from Storm, I could only catch glimpses of it. On top of that, I'd never seen something like it before as a ghostly figure drifted lazily toward us. It was vaguely equine in shape and seemed to grow more and more visible as it approached us. “Storm,” I tried to warn her as she continued to strike me, “stop!” “Buck you,” she spat in response, “I'll end you Lucky! You and your entire family! When Sunslayer has what he needs, we will watch you burn! Your luck means nothing in the face of ability! I hate you! I HATE YOU! HATE YOU, HATE YOU, HATE YOU HA-” A shrill, otherworldly shriek broke through her rising tempo. Now she decided to turn and have a look with me, one hoof still raised to strike me. The creature before us had a form that flickered like a blizzard and the air about it seemed to leech what little heat there was from us. “No...,” Storm whimpered, “that's not possible... no...” The icy being floated toward us, not possessing hind legs and adding to its spectral look as it bore down on us. It looked between the two of us, squinting at me for a moment with the vibrant white lights that made up its eyes. After a moment, it snorted at me and turned toward Storm. She backed up as far as the cave allowed her, shrinking in on herself as it approached. I only had a single word to describe the being before me: Wendigo. It seemed impossible as the story of Hearthswarming would lead us to believe that they had been wiped out by the spell that day. Yet here one was. Storm whimpered and I snapped out of my shock and awe. It was a breath away from her, gazing at her intently and as I watched, ice was beginning to encase her hind hooves. With the anger in her eyes replaced with fear, she looked so... innocent. Maybe it was an instinctive reaction for a stallion seeing a mare in danger. Perhaps it was some deeply buried hero-complex I had developed here recently. Regardless, despite her attempts to kill me, I found my hooves moving. Then I found myself standing between a wendigo and its prey. The monster stared down at me, snorting in irritation and that stupid part of my brain started spewing words out of my mouth, “Nothing to see here. Move along. No mares with issues, just a stallion who does stupid things... and you're not buying this are you?” To be fair, I didn't expect it to answer anyways. The wendigo gave out a feral noise as it tried to move around me, but in my infinite stupidity, I moved to block it each time. Soon enough, it had decided that enough was enough. Its eyes met mine and I felt an intense cold. It hit me like a hammer deep in my gut and I was shivering more than I had been in the outside air. How do I describe being subject to a wendigo's power? It's like staring into a deep well, knowing that at the bottom something is staring back. Adding on, that thing staring back exuded an aura of anger that made you feel small. Everything you've ever been angry about? It pales in comparison to the raw... “hate” doesn't even begin to describe the sensation that came from that thing. I lost feeling in my hind hooves. Everything about me was growing numb and my vision was starting to darken, seeing only those eyes in front of me. Just when I was sure that I was about to become the worlds biggest stallion-cicle, a bright light filled the cave and I heard a pained sound escape the creature before me. I wanted to turn and look toward the light as the wendigo suddenly decided it had other places to be, but I was too far gone. With my vision gone, I was left with only my ears to catch the sound of lightly flapping wings. Still, I had just enough energy to mumble out. “If you're going to kill me, can I just have this nap first?” Then I was out for the second time that day... Chapter 24: InterventionA soft wind blew between myself and the Alicorn of the Night as we stared at each other. It's truly amazing how much of a conversation can happen when not a word is being said. With every passing moment, I was begging her not to... do whatever it was she was planning. In the same quiet, she was patiently waiting for me to realize that I wasn't getting out of it. “...Do you know why I'm here?” she finally asked to break the silence. I've been told since that Princess Luna has been known to act in ways that make her seem very young, but in that moment I didn't see it. The short distance between us was the span of eons. Just gazing upon the true vision of her gave me this sense that she had seen the rise and fall of great and terrible things. She was an immortal, a goddess given flesh... ...and she was standing there, waiting for an answer. It took me a few tries to find my voice and when it came out, it was just a whisper, “Yes?... no... maybe? I feel like I should, but I don't.” She nodded at my answer like I'd confirmed something as she closed the distance between us. I felt small in her presence. Rumor had it that she didn't stand as tall as her sister, but it was more than enough to make me feel like a foal. “That's to be expected,” she told me, “truthfully, I don't fully understand this myself. While you are not an isolated case, it is among the things that even after thousands of years I cannot begin to fathom. For this, I've had to experiment with treatment even before my banishment and I'm still learning about the true cause.” She stepped around me and gazed down on the farmlands, a small smile forming on her face, “Usually when I bring a pony into their place of safety within the dream realm, it varies between them. Honestly, this one reminds me of my own home so many years ago. Alas that I must come to this place and to you without the time to properly appreciate it all.” I felt compelled to turn and sit beside her, reminiscing about the old place, “It was always a constant,” she glanced at me as I continued, “when the whole world felt fake, it was real. The one place that I could go that didn't throw curve balls at me...” Luna tilted her head, then let out a thoughtful hum, “Strange. It sounds like you know what's going on, but you're... repressing it.” Her response confused me and I looked up at her, “Repressing it? What would I be repressing? No offense meant, your highness, but I've had a pretty good life back home. I wasn't ever part of something that traumatized me, save recent events.” “No? Well then,” she leaned in toward me, her wings coming up. I felt the tips of her feathers brush over my cheeks with a rush of power, “let's see beneath the woken mind.” The farm faded like paint being washed from a canvas. For a few breathless moments, I found myself drifting amid stars and darkness, only the soft touch of her feathers keeping me from floating away. Then the world came crashing back in a flash of memories. If I were to list out everything that assaulted my unprepared mind at that moment, I'd be here forever. In a summary, I was reliving my foalhood since that fateful day that I gained my cutie mark. Just with some slight differences. I didn't remember being unhappy like the images that burned across my mind. It all started a few days after the incident. I'd been working on a school project and putting everything I was into it. I had been putting in real effort, but something had been missing. Then, just as I was about to give up... I slipped. It was... startling really. I'd remembered this moment as my father coming in to help me with the project, but that wasn't what happened in this memory. Instead, I watched my colt-self crash into a cabinet in the kitchen I'd grown up knowing and a spice I still can't pronounce fell into my makeshift “volcano.” The results were spectacular, but I hadn't meant for it to happen. That trend continued over and over throughout the memories. Thoughts of truly trying only for a sudden coincidence to do the work for me. I had never felt so... useless. No matter how hard I tried... it wasn't my success. I felt tremors running through my ethereal form, but Luna held me still with her power. I wanted to run, to scream, to hurl insults at her. Yes, much to my shame, I found myself hating her for several seconds as she broke down barriers that I hadn't even known that I'd put up. The mind is a strange thing. It felt like a small eternity before the rapidly shifting images faded away and we returned to the conjured background of the farm. I didn't know that you could feel... weak in a dream, but as she withdrew her wings, I collapsed and hyperventilated. Curling up into myself, I sought solace in the dirt as I felt exposed and unnaturally naked. “...I'm sorry, Lucky Signs,” her voice registered in my ears, “but this was the only way I could get you to face this. Your friends are worried for you and didn't know what else to do.” The Princess of the Night stood over me, still patient. I felt a gentle hoof press to my side and I flinched instinctively. She recoiled like I'd struck her. I could hear a hitch in her voice as she spoke again, “I hope that one day you'll forgive me. Many ponies understand the way you think, Lucky Signs. Cutie marks have always been a mystery that even after thousands of years, my sister and I still know almost nothing about. I can not tell you why you have yours or why it affects you so. What I can tell you is that it doesn't detract from who you are.” She turned away and began to move away, her form starting to shimmer away like a mirage. As she began to wisp away, she turned back a final time, “If you can not accept your gift for yourself, Lucky, then I implore you to think of others. The greatest gift that our destinies can give us is to let us share what we can do with others. Every day, all beings hope for luck and that keeps them going even when everything around them is falling apart. If you can not be lucky for Lucky Signs, be lucky for your friends. Martial Cadence. Silent Stroke. Corium. Every being that you've met on your journey and for those you have yet to meet.” Her piece spoken, she left. I stayed curled up on the ground as I fought to control my own terror. I felt... sore. Not physically, but mentally and spiritually. The false world began to fade... ** I wish I could say that I hopped out of bed with a new purpose after I woke. I didn't. When I returned from my forced slumber to the waking world, I broke down. I couldn't muster the energy to deaden myself to my swirling emotions and it made me lash out. I shouted at doctors, I cursed the night to a point that almost sounded like treason. They ended up putting a sound-proofing spell over my room and leaving me alone for a few hours, only checking to make sure that I hadn't done something stupid periodically. I was a mess and I knew it. Every fiber of my being wanted to just bury everything that the princess had pushed onto me, but I couldn't. Mostly because she was right. The only thing I could do was lay there and think and every passing moment made it sink in further and further. I had spent a large portion of my life actively avoiding something that most would kill for. The thing about cutie marks was that no matter how sure you were about their meaning, you would still find days that it surprised you. So much of them was about perception or how you chose to interpret them. I'd never taken the time to consider what my little pot of bits and clover might mean. To me it had always represented an inconvenience. So, for the first time in years, I took a breath and thought about it. Pushing aside the times that if had affected me specifically, I thought about when it had worked for others. The time that Vermilion Shakes had been unfortunate enough to discover a bee allergy the hard way and I'd stumbled upon a plant that eased the reaction until we got her to the hospital. The moment that a small fall had put me in a perfect position to catch Quick Silver's prized glass sculpture so it didn't shatter on the floor. So many times that what I'd thought was a curse turned into the saving of somepony's day. By the time that I was freed to leave the hospital, I'd done a lot of thinking. A lot of soul searching. Luna's words haunted me the entire time as I looked at things from a new angle. I was an earth pony. Family and friends meant a lot to everybeing, but to those of us connected to the earth, they were everything. We were taught that from a young age, even if it was only unintentionally. So, when I rose from my bed, I had to stop and look at myself in the mirror. I had to look deep into my own eyes to see it, but I could see that something had changed. There was a hardness, a confidence, that hadn't been there before. I said nothing as I signed myself out and stepped out into the streets of Canterlot. I turned my gaze to the towering pillars of the palace where two sisters shared their talents with the world. History had thrown everything it could at them, from a mad god of chaos to the ultimate battle between siblings, and still they got up every day to brighten our days and protect our nights. I glanced back at my own cutie mark and took a deep breath. The path to Martial's office held a somber mood today and the guards I passed were surprised to see me. Even though I wasn't technically a guard anymore, none of them made a move to stop me as I raised a hoof and rapped lightly on the door. “Enter.” came her usual gruff command. I pushed the door open and stepped in, shutting it behind me. I knew she expected whatever guard was in front of her to start speaking right away with a report, so I stayed quiet. Her eyes were on the paperwork in front of her, but when no immediate report came spilling from my mouth, she looked up and prepared to chastise somepony. Instead, her eyes fell on me and I delighted in the shock in them. I took a moment to breathe, knowing that after this there would be no backing out. I met her gaze and said four words. “Where do I sign?” Chapter 25: Welcome to the HERDWhen I pictured a super secret agency's headquarters, I pictured an underground cavern filled with top of the line equipment. What I did not expect was an old, dusty room sequestered in a portion of the castle that nopony went to. I'll admit that the fact that we had to go through the castle didn't help my nerves and sometimes I felt like somepony was watching me. Then we entered this place. It was barely bigger than Martial's office and most of the space was taken up by various filing cabinets. The far wall seemed to be dedicated to some form of conspiracy wall with various lines of thread shooting back and forth between pictures. I had also been expecting to meet some more of the HERD, but it was just the gathering of Stroke, Martial, Glass, and myself. Apparently Dawn had been called away by Princess Celestia to oversee something. In the meantime, Martial and Glass decided to give me a basic rundown of the HERD's history. The entire thing had been composed in secrecy after the Monster Hunter's Agency had been disbanded due to redundancy. With most monsters cataloged and countermeasures in place, it wasn't necessary. True, it had only happened a few short years ago. Then the problems of today began. After the return of Princess Luna, a power balance that had been tediously tended to by Celestia began to tip. With the threat of enemies coming out of the wood works to fight against Equestria's rising power, the HERD was founded by a small group of ex-hunters with extraordinary talents and a drive to protect their home. Back then, groups of small, mercenary bands were the main thing that the HERD had to deal with, but as time passed, the threats began to grow. Soon, it was more than a hooffull of agents could tackle and the recruitment began. Before long, they had turned into a small army of ponies with a mission: keep Equestria on top of all threats. The unfortunate part was how difficult it was to organize all of them, so sudden threats like Tirek and Discord caught them by surprise. Eventually, the founding members of the HERD had retired and left it in the hooves of veterans. By that time, the group had grown large enough to have bases of operation in most large cities around the nation. Now I was joining this crazy group of ponies. After giving me a brief history of the place, Martial started explaining to me about how they were organized. The different talents of the ponies in the HERD forced the group to start researching cutie marks to militaristic goals in contrast to the more academic, philosophical studies. Among these studies, the managed to classify themselves into certain groups: Seers, Fighters, Investigators, Builders, Defenders, and Specialists. Seers, as the name implied, tended to have talents that allowed them to see things that most couldn't. This ranged from magical auras to brief glimpses into the future. Agent Glass actually fell under this category, holding the ability to briefly view individuals she'd seen before on any reflective surface. Fighters and Defenders fell under similar categories with their classifications blurring a lot. Defenders were usually big ponies who could withstand significant physical punishment and were scattered among Royal Guard stations quietly. In the same vein, Fighters were those that could deal out a lot of damage in fights. Martial Cadence turned out to be from the small group that blurred the two. Investigators tended toward those that often had “hunches” that could put them on the right track. While they lacked the foresight of the Seers, Investigators could find that needle in the haystack if they really wanted to. Builders ranged from physical to magical capabilities, but worked together to create structures or siege engines that were nigh indestructible. The physical builders were among some of the most innovative individuals you could find and could construct a keep out of sand if they wanted to... or so I was told. Meanwhile, magical builders usually could be found weaving spells into the very stonework their fellows were putting up. Finally there were the Specialists. The group of ponies that worked in the HERD that either couldn't be classified or held an ability that could be a part of every category. According to the other ponies in the room, this was the category my talent fell into. Already I'd shown that my luck could affect a lot of things while out on missions. After that long winded explanation, it was Silent that brought us to the real problem, “Talents strange. Hard to study. Two things certain. Trigger and limit.” Martial nodded, turning her gaze on me, “Silent is correct. While our own researchers have been hard at work trying to unlock the secrets of our talents, we've only been able to determine those things. Each talent has a trigger that activates it and a limit to what it can do. For example, my own talent is triggered by a fear response. It gives me three seconds of unparalleled combat abilities, but after that I'm left weak for several minutes.” “So the question, Rookie,” Glass cut in, “is what your trigger and what your limit is. To be honest, we have no bucking idea what either of them could be for you. All the missions you were sent on beforehoof were supposed to help us narrow it down, but it seems so... random.” I shrugged slightly, “Well, that might be a big problem. As far as I can tell, it is just random. That's why for the longest time I avoided anything that could trigger it.” “Then we search,” Silent interjected, “high and low. Your talent is vague. Possibilities endless. Luck. Messenger happens upon patrol. A seamless passage found. Large scale. Curious, does it work in fights?” I made to shake my head, but paused as I thought about it, “Err... maybe? When I stopped the robbery of Donut Joe's, it just triggered in such a way that looked like a fight...” “Then we start there and work our way outwards.” Martial stated. ** I hated every idea that came out of that mare's mouth. An hour after that became our plan I was unfortunate enough to find myself on the receiving end of Martial's prowess. She'd been effortlessly applying her hooves to every part of my body imaginable. A few came much too close to my pride for my liking. “...I feel like you're not taking this seriously, Lucky.” she deadpanned. “Gee, thanks,” I snarked as I wobbled to my hooves, “you get punted around by somepony several times your better and tell me how you fair. Look, this isn't working.” She paused, sighing as she slid out of her combat stance and flattened her ears in irritation, “it would help if you had some idea of how it worked! You effortlessly took down an armed pony before, so where is your luck!?” “He was trying to kill me, Lieutenant! You're just using me like a punching bag!” “...He was trying to kill you, hmm?” she asked with a cold detachment. I actually shivered at the way they slid out of her lips. Before I could ask what the crazy mare was thinking, she stepped away from me. In a flash of practiced movement, she shed her armor, revealing her full form to me. I saw her cutie mark, a blade surrounded by shields before I noticed where she was going. The room we'd selected was once a dining room that had long since been forgotten. Wide open with towering pillars, it would allow her to easily fly at top speed. Various pieces of equipment lay in a pile near one of the doors for when we moved up in the training. ...Or that was the plan. Martial went for the one thing that made me dread her more than anything else. The slim, silver lance that served as her primary weapon almost seemed to mold to her hooves. It had been a long time since I'd felt this same fear and back then it had been an illusion. “What are you doing?” I asked quietly. “...Killing you.” she stated just as quietly. I'd become stupidly accustomed to the sensation of time dilation in the face of mortal danger. A few months ago, I would have passed out just from her voice at that moment, but now I stood there with my eyes widening as she moved. I watched her wings snap out and flash at her sides, shooting her forward with the tip of her weapon aimed at my chest. I wanted to believe that she was pulling my leg, but there was that hardness in her eyes. I'd seen that look as she mercilessly struck down members of the syndicate back in Los Pegasus. She wasn't joking. Her aim was true and she meant to kill me. I felt something snap inside of me. It felt like a taunt string had settled in my chest and the pressure had finally broken it. She shot forward and I turned to try and run, but there was a strange... sense of correctness to the motion as one of my legs tilted and caught on the knee of the other. I fell. Wind whipped across my shoulder as I whirled around, pushed into a full spin by the airflow as a wing clipped one of my ears. I reached out to find something to stop myself only to find my hoof catching a similar feeling surface. Martial gave out a noise of surprise as I caught her hind hoof, arresting a portion of her momentum. I was still blinking in surprise when she twisted sharply, her eyes alight with a light that matched the sheen of her weapon. Whack, whack, WHACK! Three sharp blows rained down on my, striking my skull, shoulder, and knees as I fell to the ground. I groaned as I looked up at her, watching the light leave her eyes after a breath. Then she too collapsed, panting and looking like she'd just run a marathon. Despite all this, she was starting to laugh. “What in Tartarus is so funny?” I groaned out as my head throbbed. She continued to laugh, “I think we found at least one of your triggers.... now let's see how far its limit goes. We'll go again once I've recovered. You should be proud. Not many can trigger my talent these days.” “I'll get right on the pride when I can feel my hooves again...” Chapter 26: When you Poke a Stormcloud...I came to the conclusion that Martial Cadence was a little on the mentally unstable side. As she continued to try and run me through with her weapon, she seemed to relax and start having fun. Strange, right? She even started carrying on a conversation with me between swipes at my head, heart, and stomach. Something about not having an excuse to really go all out. I don't know, I was a little busy trying to stay alive. The good news was that my luck held out for the duration. Of course, I wasn't able to avoid a few nicks and cuts, but they weren't life threatening. It gave us a bit of a frame of reference that while my talent helped me in avoiding lethal damage, it didn't cover everything and I was probably as good as dead if I took too many hits. The medics were horrified by the state my body was in when she finally limped me in to them. Thankfully, they discouraged any further attempts on my life and ordered me to take it easy until I healed up. I was fine with that, considering that I was looking a bit like a mummy when they were done. The HERD agents currently in the castle reconvened later in the day to hear my report on Sunslayer. All of them were stoked to learn Sunslayer's species and sent that information out to their various spies. Snow white griffons were a bit on the rarer side, so hopefully he'd stick out like a sore hoof. In the meantime, they were eager to puzzle out the rest of what I'd told them. “The Cinder Run? I've never heard of a place like that in Equestria...” Glass pondered. “Then we assume that it's not in Equestria,” Martial countered, “send out messages to our ponies in the other nations. Any hint of this place is to be given top priority. We have Sunslayer by the wings and I want him clipped as soon as possible.” “Easy to say, hard to do,” Silent chimed in, “smart bird. Avoided detection until now. Easier to do if objective is known.” “I agree with Silent,” Dawn, having joined us, said, “chasing after Sunslayer is only going to end in failure. What we need is to know what he wants and why he wants it. If we do that, we can be a step ahead of him for once.” “Any suggestions?” Glass asked and received a nod from Dawn. “We get our prisoner to talk.” ** Feral Storm was not a happy mare. Anypony could tell that from the look on her face as she stared impassively at the one-way glass. She'd recovered from the wendigo attack easily enough, but any attempt to get her to open up had been met with silence. It was shocking to see the difference between the mare who'd been scared for her life and the one before me. Glass had given me the rundown. After the two of us had been retrieved from the cavern, Storm had been treated and moved to solitary confinement. Periodically, somepony would bring her into the small interrogation room with its single table and two chairs to coax her into divulging information. She had remained resolute and defiant. Standing there in the relative safety of the observation room, I frowned. Something felt off about the entire thing, but I couldn't put my hoof on it. The birth certificate that had been dug up for Storm put her at being a fairly young mare, barely out of her fillyhood, but she had been an orphan for some time. She'd run away from the orphanage in Cloudsdale and vanished off the face of the planet. Presumably Sunslayer had found her at some point and taken her in. There was an extreme loyalty to the gryphon in her and... I wanted to know why. So, against the flurry of protests, I went in. Storm looked up at me and her scowl deepened as she registered who I was. I said nothing as I moved to take the seat across from her. Silence reigned in a battle of wills as we stared at one another. Storm broke the silence first, “Sunslayer was right,” she intoned quietly, “I shouldn't have left anything to chance. I should have just dropped you from the top of Canterhorn and been done with it...” “But you didn't,” I shot back, raising a brow at her, “you answered my challenge and probably would have beaten me to bloody paste in the snow if your last attack hadn't made us fall into the cave.” There it was, a subtle wince as I referenced the cave. Now it made sense. Feral Storm was repressing her emotions. A tactic I was all to familiar with. “...Why did you save me?” her question caught me by surprise. Leaning toward her, I asked, “What do you mean?” “Don't give me that,” she spat, “you could have saved yourself and run while it was killing me. Why did you intervene? Trying to in-debt me to you so that you could coerce me into doing something for you?! If you think that I'm going to do anything for you, you're wrong! I'll die before I let you control me!” I blinked. Call it a learned thing, but a delivery pony that paid attention could start to learn things about a pony by the way they reacted. Storm was being aggressive and harping on the idea that somepony was trying to force something on her. Something had happened to her... “You're wrong,” her eyes narrowed as I spoke, “I'm not that kind of pony. Look at me, Storm. Do I look like the kind of pony that thinks that far ahead? I did what I did because I could. Because I just wanted to. That's what ponies do. We help each other.” She scoffed, “You say that, but it's just a lie you feed yourself.” “Speaking from personal experience?” I prodded. “Of course I am,” she thundered, slamming her hooves in the table, “how could I not!? The princesses couldn't just finish off their enemies and let them come back to hurt us again!? They let Discord come back and instead of putting him down like the monster he is, they offered their hooves in friendship!? Are you kidding me!?” I was playing with fire now, but she was worked up. Just a little more... “What does Discord have to do with this?” “EVERYTHING,” she shouted, “he came back and turned our entire world upside down and my parents died for it! He only deserves a noose or an ax, but the princesses gave him life! They're just as much to blame and Sunslayer is going to bring about a true age of peace when he destroys our enemies!” “And how does a simple gryphon think he's going do what the immortal alicorns couldn't?” I probed. “By being willing to do what they could not! Your precious sun princess has all the power she could ever need to wipe out any threat to Equestria, but she's too weak and scared to use it! Once we have the spear, we'll-” she stopped, her eyes widening as she realized what she'd said. I smiled innocently, “Thank you for your cooperation, Feral Storm.” As I left, she lived up to her name vocally. I don't think any pony should be able to make that noise. Martial, Glass, and Dawn were looking at me in shock as I re-entered the observation room. I shrugged at their glances, “Hey, she doesn't like me. She was bound to get worked up if I poked at her a little bit.” ** Some time later, we were in the HERD office, sans one Dawn Breeze who had gone to report to Celestia. Silent and I were standing to the side of the door while the mares were neck deep in various reports. I'd tried to help, but they had told me to stay out of the way. Something about not wanting me to disorganize things. They'd been at it for at least an hour since moonrise and seemed to be getting more and more frustrated. As I had been expecting, it was Glass that broke first. Throwing down a file, she shouted, “This is bucking pointless! There's at least a thousand different magical spears and none of them even sound remotely like what Storm was describing.” “Agreed,” Martial said tiredly, “perhaps we should rest and start looking again in the morning. We're not helping anypony doing this right now.” A general noise of agreement sounded through the room and we all began to leave. I ran face first into an armored chest. Not as fun as it sounds. Pulling back and rubbing my nose with a groan, I looked up at the steel-eyed guard glaring down at me. I wasn't sure what I did, but this guy obviously was not a fan of me. “Lucky Signs?” he questioned gruffly. “The one and only.” I said sarcastically, not earning myself any brownie points with him. “Your presence is requested in the throne room.” I paused in nursing my nose, looking up at the stallion. Again, what did they put in the water around here to make them get that big? Regardless, I was still processing his statement and the only verbal response I could give was, “Say what now?” He scowled, “Ears open this time. Princess Celestia has requested your presence in the throne room.” “Oh. That's what I thought you said...” Chapter 27: Before the SunI don't know when the last time you were on your way to meet royalty was, but it's terrifying. I didn't know what I was being summoned for, but I was hoping it wasn't because of the damage to the old dining room. Even on guard pay, I didn't have the bits to pay for that. My escort was completely oblivious to my inner turmoil. Or getting a kick out of it. Either way, he brought me to a stop in front of the pair of large, gilded doors that lead into the center of power of the nation. There are no words to describe the vast array of feelings coursing through me. I didn't belong here, but here I was. The mare on the far side of this door had no reason to speak to me, but she'd summoned me. I was a small-town earth pony and I had no right to be within the same room as an alicorn. My escort opened the door and ushered me in. I found myself in a massive room, its ceiling reaching up further than anything I'd ever seen before. At its apex, it arched toward a mural of the alicorns that ruled us circling one another with the expanses of night and day accompanying them. The walls were lined with crystal-crafted windows depicting powerful moment in Equestria's history, ranging from the first unification of the tribes to the accomplishments of the Bearers. Across the marble floor from where I stood, a single path of red carpet drew my eyes forward to the rising platform that held the twin thrones of the Sun and Moon. Then there was her. I froze at the sight of the alicorn mare that had ruled Equestria for longer than most of my family line had been alive. Framed by the aurora colors of her mystical mane, her pristine white coat gleamed with an inner light. Golden regalia shifted slightly as she lifted her head to look across the room toward me. Her magenta eyes pierced through me, seeing into the depths of my soul. All I could do in the presence of Princess Celestia, Alicorn of the Sun, Sol Invictus was have the dumbest thought to ever run through my mind. ...Lucky... don't fart.... If I'd been wearing armor at that moment, I'm sure that it would have been rattling together as I moved. The room was empty, the true Day Court having ended hours ago, so there was nothing to draw her attention away from me as I approached. The already massive room felt gargantuan in size; it took forever to reach the base of the steps. I looked up at her in awe and she stared down at me with an amused understanding. It finally clicked just where I was and who was in front of me and I almost biffed it trying to bow. Her laughter had a musical quality to it, making it seem like she was about to burst into song, “Rise, my little pony.” she spoke. It wasn't a command, but I couldn't imagine not doing exactly as she said. I rose to my hooves, looking up at her as I swallowed, “Lucky Signs, reporting as requested, your majesty.” I stated mechanically. “So you are,” her tone carried a hint of mischief, “but is that why you're here?” I blinked, feeling for all the world that my answer to that question meant far more than it should. I was never good at riddles and my confusion must have shown on my face as she let out a small chuckle, rising from her seat. Every fiber of my being told me that I shouldn't be any closer to her, but I couldn't step away as she descended to stand in front of me. I felt my heart skip several beats as she leaned down, looking into my eyes, “Relax.” The word rippled through me like a shockwave and I felt an unseen weight lift from my shoulders. The otherworldly quality of the mare in front of me diminished slightly, allowing me to breathe normally again. I found myself stammering out an apology, “I-I'm sorry, your highness, I just...” “Never believed that you would stand in that spot? That you would trade words with me? You are not the first to feel overwhelmed and you won't be the last. Take a moment and calm yourself. Then we may talk.” Her assuring smile was more powerful than any weapon or fear and, for a moment, I forgot anything was wrong as I took a deep breath. When I was finally composed enough not to be an awestruck mess, she settled down in front of me. I found it strange that she didn't go back to her comfy looking throne, but I wasn't in a position to question her. I sat as well, unintentionally breathing in the soft wisp of vanilla scent she gave off. “I heard that you managed to convince Feral Storm to break her silence. You have my congratulations.” Celestia broke the silence. “Uhm... thank you, your highness,” I responded, “if... if it's alright for me to ask, what's going to happen to her?” The matronly smile I was gifted spoke of pride, “I'm glad that you are concerned for her. Sometimes, I see things that make me wonder if we've truly learned unity at all. Don't worry, she'll be receiving counseling to help her move forward.” I let out a sigh of relief. She may have tried to kill me, but I was getting to the point where ponies that had tried that were getting too numerous to count. I just hoped that whatever propaganda Sunslayer had fed her could be worked through. That brought up a question though. “Your highness,” she quirked a brow at me, prompting me to continue, “as much as I disagree with her philosophy... I was just wondering... why do you spare your enemies. Surely some of them are just... beyond Harmony?” She stiffened and I feared that I'd overstepped my bounds. It only lasted a moment as I watched the immortal alicorn let out a tired sigh, “Why do I spare them, Lucky? Let me ask you a question in counter: would you spare me if you held the power to bring me low?” I was caught of guard by the question, “Uhm... I don't see myself ever being able to do that...” “Is that so,” she asked with a sad smile, “you believe that I am unbreakable? That I can not be brought to heel by mortal means... if only that were true.” With a deft motion, she kicked one of her gilded shoes off and turned her hoof so that I could see the bottom. Staining the otherwise immaculate surface was a simple scar. As I gazed at it in confusion, she spoke, “Perhaps I can not die by age or disease, but I still bleed like you. In truth, Lucky Signs, you stand in a position to be the pony that could end me. It's true that I was a warrior-princess before I was just a princess. In combat, there are few than can match me without an outside source of power. However, it would only take one strike to wound me mortally. One lucky strike.” she emphasized to me. I suddenly found myself looking at my hooves intently. It was such a ludicrous notion to think that I could ever slay an alicorn, but the more I thought about her words, the more I realized the hint of truth in them. Perhaps not me, but somepony with a similar talent who was stronger and more skilled than me... The image of standing over a broken princess nearly made me wretch. She caught the sound and pointed her hoof at me, “That. That emotion right there is why I choose to spare my foes, Lucky. Because the thought of taking their life is so foreign, so disgusting to me that I can not. Death is a means of disharmony, Lucky. Even Discord, in all of his chaos, never meant for anypony to die. To him, it was just a joke and he acted like a foal. So, like a foal, my sister and I put him in time-out.” I couldn't fight the smirk or chortle at the thought of the god of chaos sitting on a stool in a corner. Celestia took this as a sign to continue, “Now look at him. While he may not be everypony's idea of a perfect citizen, he stands at our side. If that isn't enough, then consider this Lucky: what greater weapon is there than to turn an enemy to your cause? To use their own knowledge against them?” Hey, I wasn't going to argue with a mare that might have known my many-great's grandfather. It did help the strange knot of indecision to settle in my chest. I looked up at Princess Celestia with a sudden thought, “I feel that there's a reason we're having this conversation...” She laughed, the musical quality of it still present, before turning her gaze upon me once more, “A tug of destiny, perhaps? Or coindidence. Or perhaps I just had to see the stallion that had my sister so confused,” another titter, “whatever the reason, Lucky, we most likely won't truly understand it until everything is said and done.” I rubbed the back of my head, “I was never good at riddles, your majesty...” I admitted sheepishly. “Who said that I was giving you a riddle? It's almost like you think that I can see the future.” I shivered lightly at the thought. A princess that could see the future? She'd have quite the place in the HERD because she would probably be far more powerful than most of the Seers. “...If I could,” she said in a conspiratorial whisper, “I'd recommend getting plenty of rest tonight. Tomorrow might be bringing the next step with it.” As I was dismissed from her presence, I couldn't help but feel like I'd been duped... Chapter 28: Unto the BreachLet it not be said that alicorns do not have a sense of humor, however dry it might be. It felt like I'd barely put my head to the pillow in the room I'd been granted within the castle when I was being shaken awake. A wide eyed Agent Glass was all but tossing me off the mattress. She was screaming something about a lead as I was half-lead, half-dragged into the office I'd become familiar with. Apparently Sunslayer was starting to slip up. One of the spies had spotted the featherbrain in the industrial section of Manehatten. So much for not going out during the day. Martial scrambled our small group for departure. Dawn was currently doing her job and would take too long to gather (according to Silent). Not wanting to give Sunslayer time to depart from the city, we left a letter to tell her what had happened and rushed to the armory. I'd thought I'd seen some advanced equipment in the armory that Silent had taken me to before, but it was nothing compared to the priority one gear. It was the kind of stuff that required at least three agents to gain access to and had enough security warded into the walls and doors that I doubted Twilight Sparkle herself could have broken in. The pride and joy of the Builders. Pristine hoof and horn rings, Suits of shimmering armor, wing blades crackling with stored lightning, and things I'd never be able to describe in my life lay in organized piles. This was the kind of stuff that cost the bits that only the biggest nobles could afford... ...and Glass was chucking various pieces at me, calling out their purpose in a rush. In short order, I was given an enchanted ear piece that could connect to similar devices to send and receive orders and information. Following it came an amulet filled with stored energy in case I tired myself out, then a pair of hammer hooves that felt oddly light. Featherweight enchantment. Less weight, but all of the impact. Finally, a cloak was tossed my way, enchanted with a shielding spell to protect me from high speed attacks. As all of this was being thrown at me, Martial was rattling off the plan. For what it was. We were going to storm the castle in a sense; going in weapons drawn to bring down Sunslayer once and for all. According to the report, he'd been sighted near a warehouse between the poorer districts and industrial and hadn't been seen leaving yet. So we loaded up on the train first thing in the morning, doing our best to blend in with all of our equipment stashed away in our bags. I still have no idea where Martial stowed her lance away. Our train was quietly granted highest priority and authorized to push the engine to its limits. That was how I discovered that I hated motion sickness... Somewhere between my groans and proclamations of my own death, Martial made contact with the Manehatten branch of the HERD. After quickly confirming that Sunslayer still hadn't left the warehouse, we prepared for war as the train slid into the station. The staging area of the attack was a small diner near the warehouse. The owner had been informed about what was happening and had closed up shop for the day, giving us the room to quickly don our gear. It had been a while since I'd been in full armor and forgotten how naked I felt without it. We met with our contact, a unicorn named Quick Fix, and he pointed out the building to us. Honestly, it wasn't something that screamed “crazy villain here.” It was just a warehouse with a faded red paint job. Nothing special. A single, massive door stood sealed at the front with a smaller door offset from it slightly. With Martial leading the charge, we darted for the door, fully equipped and ready to fight. A message had been sent to the local authorities to lock the area down and keep anypony from going in or out, so when we kicked in the door, there were no civilians to worry about. The door opened into darkness, the light from outside only reaching a few yards in. Night vision goggles came out for those that couldn't see in the dark and we let out a collective gasp. Crates littered the area, ranging from small boxes to towering containers. But it was what was in front of us that concerned us. A line of creatures stood in a loose line, including the minotaurs I had seen before. Right in the center was the albino gryphon himself complete with mask... A loud thunk echoed in the warehouse and we all cried out in alarm as we were temporarily blinded by the lights coming on. As we struggled to pull off our goggles, Sunslayer spoke, “Welcome, friends. We've been expecting you. Come, let us show our guests the proper hospitality!” “Ambush!” cried Martial as all Tartarus broke loose. Before my vision could finish adjusting, I noticed a large shape blot out the light in front of me. Quickly, I raised my hooves defensively and caught a strong blow against them that sent me staggering. Hopping backward on my hindlegs, I blinked rapidly to get my sight back while my opponent continued to press forward. It was one of the minotaurs bearing down on me with a dangerous look in his eyes. The charcoal colored bovine was opting to go hoof-to-hand with me and had plenty of power to do so. It was all I could do to weave around the attacks and keep myself from taking a rough hit. Thankfully, he was all muscle and no agility. A quick glance around told me that the other agents were equally engaged, some of them fending off two opponents. Martial Cadence had decided to go for the head of the snake and was spiraling around the warehouse in pursuit of Sunslayer. I returned my attention to my own combatant as he let loose a bellow and charged. Leading him around a stack of crates, I lashed out with a flurry of blows. He barely reacted to each hit and swung his fist toward my head and forced me back. For every one attack that this tank of a creature missed, I slammed a trio home, but it was quickly becoming apparent to me that he didn't care. What were they feeding this beast? With the rest of my group fighting just as hard, I wasn't able to rely on backup and this minotaur was pushing his advantage. I was draining my amulet quickly after a couple of minutes of trying to make this guy so much as flinch, but he might as well have been made of steel. I was only able to keep scrambling for so long before I felt a firm hand grip my hoof. With a snort, I was lifted bodily off of the ground before being intimately reintroduced. The air left my lungs in a rush before I found myself sailing through the air courtesy of Minotaur Airlines. My flight was stalled mid-air as I slammed into somepony else. Silent let out a grunt as I realized the minotaur had used me as a projectile to strike him and we fell to the ground roughly. In fact, it looked like most of us had been thrown into a pile... and a circle of weapons faced us. The only one still fighting was Martial as she soared after her target, hurling insults at him. Sunslayer, for his part, was chuckling as he grasped a saber in his talons, parrying her attacks. I hadn't seen anypony who had the skill to match Martial, but the two of them twirled in a lethal dance. “I'm impressed, Martial Cadence,” Sunslayer taunted between strikes, “the stories about you are true, oh Mistress of the Lance. However, it would appear that our game is over.” The demented gryphon gestured to us with his free claw to us and I watched Martial's eyes grow wide in horror. “I'll tell you what, Lieutenant... I've heard that your talent makes you unstoppable in the art of combat. I wish to see it for myself,” Martial looked at him disbelievingly, “a small deal, Miss Cadence. Activate your talent and land a single blow on me and I will release you and yours.” Martial scowled and I opened my mouth to tell her not to take the deal, but a sword point at my throat, held in the hand of a Diamond Dog kept me from speaking. I could tell that Martial was getting played; call it a gut feeling. I wasn't sure how, but if Sunslayer knew about her talent, then he wasn't going to make that deal if he wasn't sure that he could beat her. Against my silent wishes, Martial flicked her head, tossing her helmet away, “Not only will I strike you, Sunslayer, but I will also bring you to heel!” Closing her eyes, Martial took a deep breath, a technique I'd come to know as her pulling on a memory to trigger her talent. Her eyes flashed open with a silver light as she charged Sunslayer, who floated there, his free claw going into the fabric of his cloak. The magic happened instantly, confusing myself and those around me as Sunslayer simply... teleported. No fanfare or burst of magic. He simply was in one place and then he was in another. Martial's face scrunched incredulously as she spun to find her target hovering a few paces behind her. “One.” he stated smugly. Martial flashed forward with a burst of superpony speed, her lance at the ready. The point met empty air. Sunslayer appeared above her in a moment. “Two.” he counted again. Desperation filled Martial's eyes as she spun in place and gripped her lance tightly. Twisting with a swift wing motion, she hurled the weapon toward Sunslayer. It cracked light thunder as it blasted through the space that the gryphon had been a moment before. We could only watch in horror as Sunslayer materialized a breath from Martial as the light faded from her eyes. “Three...” he finished before twisting his saber and striking Martial with the flat of the blade. The thestral mare fell to the unforgiving floor of the warehouse with a grunt and lay still. The clatter of her lance landing somewhere in the back was the only thing that broke the silence. I could only stare open-mouthed at the spectacle before me. “Amazing, isn't it,” came Sunslayer's voice, his gaze meeting mine as I looked to him, “a gift from my own benefactor. One of many enchantments lost to time under the tyrannical hoof of your princesses, Lucky. I must say that I'm impressed that you still live, but you are... unpredictable, aren't you?” Reaching down, he gripped Martial by her mane and dragged her toward me. The circle of weapons parted for him as he tossed her down at my hooves. I made to reach for her, only to find my hooves halted by the gryphon's saber. The tip moved from me to the back of Martial's neck. “It does present an opportunity to make a new deal. Lucky Signs, you are going to do a little job for me or I will bleed each of your companions dry until you either comply or they all lay dead at your hooves. What say you?” I didn't have a choice... Chapter 29: The Cinder RunBlindfolded for a while and then tossed into a room, I didn't have much to do except overthink the current situation. After uttering the words to damn myself, Sunslayer was quick to make sure that I understood where things stood. My fellow agents were being held somewhere with his gang having orders to start executing them if I didn't have the item Sunslayer was after within a week. The only exception was Martial Cadence, whom the gryphon had taken as a personal hostage. The floor beneath me vibrated and I planted my hooves as the sensation of rising took over. My best guess at the time was airship. I wasn't really sure how long I was in that room, but since I found myself sleeping a couple of times, I'd guess the same amount of days, which grated on my already frazzled nerves. They at least fed me, but it was a crappy tasting slop and don't even get me started on how embarrassing it is to use a chamberpot... Then I found myself being forcibly dragged out of my small cell by one of the minotaur twins. I think this one had a personal vendetta against me, considering the rough way he treated my mane. Two things hit me as I was dragged out onto the deck of the airship (called it.) The first was the intense heat that caused me to start sweating immediately and the second was the thick, billowing smoke that obscured the air. Breathing was difficult and I could feel myself building into a coughing fit before something was roughly shoved on my face. A breathing mask. Aside from the noise of my own breathing in my ears, I heard Sunslayer's voice, “Welcome to the Dragon Lands,” his voice escaped through the breathing mask he'd traded for, “specifically, the Cinder Run. Charming place. It got it's name from the locals considering that there are fires here that have been burning for over one thousand years.” I spotted the mad bird-cat standing next to the edge of the deck, a hog-tied Martial Cadence next to him with a blade at her throat. He'd at least given her a mask as well, but that did little to alleviate the gravity of it all. Sunslayer gestured down into the cloud of smoke that hid the ground below. “You have no idea how many years I spent trying to find this place. My family is an old one that can trace its line back to before the banishment of Nightmare Moon. While I'm sure that Princess Celestia has purged the truth of history from your own land, she could never reach the old tales of mine. Did you know that before the rise of Discord, the Dragon Lord was the greatest tyrant ever known?” “I assume this is going somewhere?” I asked, still peeved about everything. “Easy, if you make me tense, Martial here might pay the price for it,” he pressed the blade a little more firmly against her, “but to answer your question, yes. Back in those ancient times, gryphons had many tales about the Lord of Air and Fire, Ragnarok. A beast that dwarfed even the mighty Lord Torch and the power it took to strike him down. Water boiled at his touch and the earth trembled beneath his claws, so what power could harm him? The same power that is monopolized by your precious princess. For all her talk of compassion and harmony, she wasn't so restrained in her youth. She subjugated all but the most powerful creatures beneath the fires of her fury.” He gave a pointed look at the smoke cloud, “The Cinder Run also goes by another name: The Sun Scar. Everything beneath us has felt the true wrath of your princess and her power suffuses the very stone far below. However, dragons have always been highly resistant to magic, so it was no mere spell that struck down Lord Ragnarok. Somewhere below us lies a weapon thought lost to time: the Reach of Sol.” His gaze returned to me, “To save your friends, you're going to retrieve this weapon.” I narrowed my eyes at him, “And... how exactly have you not been able to get it?” He scoffed, “Come now, you must recall our previous conversation. I have sent some of the best, brightest, and strongest of my number down there, but... there are creatures drawn to this place. On top of that, something else stalks this place, a force of magic that lashes out at those that make it furthest. We're going to hope, for the sake of your friends, that you fare better, Lucky Signs.” He nodded his head to the minotaur behind me and I was lifted bodily while the bovine brute slung something on my back akin to a saddlebag that settled in the center of my back. My captor named the device as a parachute and gave me a quick rundown in its use and my eyes widened. “Wait, you expect me to jump!?” I shouted in disbelief. “No, Mister Signs, I expect you to fall.” Sunslayer chided me a moment before I was tossed overboard by the creature behind me. I shouted in rising panic as I flailed about in the air. I was not born a pegasus, I did not have the natural instincts of a flier and had never considered base jumping as a recreational activity. Thankfully, during my wild flailing, I caught the loop connected to the draw string and deployed the chute. That was the good part. The bad part, as I came to understand it, was that the updrafts from the heat below me played all sorts of chaos with my flight to the ground. I lost track of the airship in the dense smoke and could only breathe thanks to the mask firmly strapped to my face. I was sweating like I'd been stranded in a desert for weeks when I finally hit the ground. No, that was not a figure of speech. I bounced off of the rocky ground several times as I was dragged forward by the chute before I managed to unhitch myself from it. I groaned as I tallied up several more bruises to add up in my life. Crawling to my hooves, I tensed as the stone beneath me crackled slightly under the pressure of my weight. Every ancient instinct of ponykind was screaming at me that I shouldn't be here and every little hissing noise or rumbling of the ground made me feel surrounded by unseen monsters. On top of that, it didn't take a scientist to tell that I wasn't going to last long in this place. I also had no idea which way to go. Lost in the smoke, I had no way of even figuring out which way I was facing in regards to the airship. This was beginning to feel like a hopeless endeavor. I shook my head. My friends and fellow agents were counting on me and all I had to do was find a weapon of some kind. Rolling my eyes to myself, I closed them and spun in a circle for a moment and took off in a random direction after I recovered from the dizziness. All around me, I could hear fire crackling and the unseen flames cast an orange hue around me. Somehow I managed to avoid the fires proper. Every few minutes, the ground shook beneath my hooves and I paused, waiting for everything to wrong. When it settled, I continued forward, wondering where the creatures that Sunslayer had talked about where. Not that I was eager to walk up on them. To be honest, this was starting to feel li- Who treads upon this place...? I froze, ears perked and eyes wide as I spun around in search of the voice's source. Sound seemed to fade away from the area as the rumbling, monstrous voice filled my ears. It sounded like the very stone around me was vibrating with the disdain that filled those words and the smoke around me seemed to be watching me now. Do you not respect the sanctity of death? So many come now... you all come for what is mine! I will not surrender it to anybeing, not even in my suffering! Leave this place... or burn. There was... a presence. It pushed down upon me with a force unlike anything I'd ever felt before, like it could crush me into paste with its metaphysical hoof alone. Despite the sweltering heat, my blood ran cold within me. At any other time, I probably would have turned around and sprinted away as fast as I could. This time, however, the images of my friends filled my mind. If I stopped here, not only would I most likely die of heat exposure, but they would die at the talons of the bird-cat somewhere above me. So I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Then I took a step. Then another. ...Your will is strong, but you come here on a foolish errand. Come then, little one. Come where I can see you properly. Let me look into your eyes as you fall. I planted my hooves against a sudden gust of wind that swept around me and parted the smoke before me like a curtain. Before me, shimmering, obsidian stone was revealed where it rose into the sky. A pillar of darkness reached into the sky and made me wonder how this had been hidden in the smoke just from its size. Welcome to my throne, little pony... I gulped behind my mask as I brought my eyes back down toward the earth. A bright light drew my gaze to a break in the mass of shadow and I stepped forward. A cave entrance large enough to fit twenty ponies side by side greeted me. Within, the light revealed itself to be streams of lava dripping through holes in the ceiling. A soft clanking sound drew my attention toward what appeared to be a pile of soot-covered armor hidden near the entrance. Arcane runes covered the plate, their power long since spent and now just adorning it with their scratched symbols. Other things began to show: saddlebags that bore signs of charring, weapons snapped in half, and even bones that varied in size here and there... Abandon all hope, ye who enter here... Another gulp escaped me as I stared into the lava-lit passage, “...I am so not going to die here... I still need to get that date with Dawn...” I stated numbly before stepping in... Chapter 30: Treasure HuntingThe air within the cave, while a fraction cooler than the air outside, was much staler. It was the equivalent of marching into a tomb of some kind with the various remains of previous spelunkers littering the floor around me. True, the bones and equipment was getting more and more sparse, but what came after was far more horrifying. Over there, a hole in the wall just large enough to fit a pony in while on the other side was a pile of rocks with the floor stained with dried blood. The voice had departed some time ago, leaving me alone with the sound of my own breathing heavy in my ears. My thoughts were equally loud in my skull as I skirted small pools of magma, carefully watching the ceiling in case something decided to drip. On more than one occasion, I found the ground breaking under my hooves and sending me sprawling to the ground. The entire time, I found my path was slowly leading upwards. I marveled at the sculpted look of my path, but it wasn't my objective. Gathering my thoughts, I tried to figure out exactly what I was looking for, this weapon called the Reach of Sol. I'd gotten a crash course in enchantments and possible effects from Glass, but the entire thing was vague. From the story Sunslayer had given me, I could assume that it was linked to Princess Celestia in some way, but in what way? It could range anywhere from being a light on a stick to some world ending armament. I was going to lean toward the latter considering the distance the featherbrain was willing to go to obtain it. That left me with a powerful question: what was I going to do? I couldn't just hoof over something like that to Sunslayer, but to keep it away from him would be to sacrifice Martial and the rest. That thought sat wrong with me in so many ways, but what was my alternative? I shook my head. Theoretical thoughts had to be pushed to the side right now because it all meant nothing if I couldn't find the damned thing and I was on a ticking clock. I wasn't sure what sort of enchantment was on the mask I was wearing, but it was invaluable at the moment. Judging from the tint the air was taking periodically, it would have killed me to breathe the air in here. The path I was following took a sudden turn and began to spiral upwards, leading me to believe that I was following a path that had been carved out of the stone. What do you think of my lair, little pony? I spent years forging a throne that I could rule from; crafting a palace to ensure that my subjects knew how far beneath me they were... and then your kind came. Oh great, he was back. After my initial fear had given way to a grim determination, I found that spooky voices from nowhere were more annoying than anything else. Especially when they were self-important jerks. Where was a silence spell when you needed it? Your precious rulers invaded the sanctity of my home. They demanded that I tell my kind, the beasts of air and fire, the one true alpha predator, to cease their ways. Arrogance. Prey demanding anything of their hunters!? There was only one way to answer such foolishness... I suppressed a snort. It probably wasn't a good idea to start chattering sarcastically at the spirit of a Dragon Lord. How was that even a thing? Part of me wished I had a unicorn on hoof to explain all of this to me, but it was a little late for that. Yet still you persist on coming here. Equines, felines, canines, bovines! The strong, the weak, the intelligent, the stupid! You all come to this place seeking something! You will answer me, pony! What is it that you all want so desperately as to come to this place!? I paused in my step, flicking my ears. Well, if the big, bad dragon lord had information, perhaps that would make this easier, “I'm afraid that I must answer your question with a question, my lord,” I intoned respectfully; stories said that dragons were suckers for that sort of thing, “but have you ever heard of a weapon called the Reach of Sol?” The effect was immediate. As the words left my lips, the mountain shook as a spectral hiss filled the tunnel around me. So, the wench of the sun desires the thing that served to end me!? I will not surrender it! It is mine now! I have claimed it for my hoard as repayment for the injustice she delivered upon me! My soul is eternal and I will rise again! I will drive her own weapon into her flesh and we shall see how she fares with it stuck in her bones for a thousand years! He continued to grumble to himself as I started moving again. Well, it wasn't much to go on, but I guessed that I was on the right track. I wasn't sure how long I spent following the spiraling path upwards, but I finally emerged into the open air again. A flat expanse of obsidian stretched out around me and could have housed the majority of Canterlot on its surface. The smokescreen that had accompanied me up until this point seemed reluctant to cover this place. Clear air dominated the peak of the dark mountain, but it was the thing filling the great expanse that drew the breath from me in awe. Most ponies will probably never have any idea just how big a dragon can get. Sure, there were stories about those that towered like small mountains and breathed fire that could devastate countrysides, but it's one thing to hear about them and another to see them. While the dragon before me was not among the living and lacked scale or flesh, its skeleton was bigger than anything I could ever begin to describe. Some form of twisted magic kept it whole, even as the spine vanished off the far side of the mountain. To either side of me, gargantuan claws, seared into a dry, cracked alabaster color dug into the stone, anchoring the thing to the place. Not even a few yards from myself, the skull towered over me like a skyscraper in Manehatten. The empty sockets far above me held a swirling, eldritch light that bore down into me. This had been a beast of legend, a king of kings and even in the strange undeath that surrounded him, Ragnarok's presence was a physical force that sought to bring me to my knees. Gaze upon me, pony. Know the wrath that will come down upon your pathetic race when I am freed of this prison of her making! This is my gift to you out of praise of your spirit! Now, begone before I bring down my wrath upon you as well! I was beginning to hate being me. Letting out a long sigh, I did my best to ignore the gaze far above me and wandered closer. The spear was somewhere in this bone yard if I could take this guy at his word, stuck into his skeleton. Passing beside the massive jaw, I wondered just where somepony would strike to bring him down. The heart maybe? It was just a guess, but I had to start somewhere. The entire journey was made irritating as Ragnarok continued to hurl insults and threats at me. As if it wasn't bad enough that there was literally miles of bones to search for this thing. Of course, this was all assuming that everything stayed more or less calm like this. It did not. Only about ten minutes had passed when a deep hissing drew my attention. Whirling my head around, I caught sight of a large shape lumbering around the plateau with me. Then another... and another. They were bulky, quadrupedal things covered in thick, leathery hides. Over the grumbling of the spirit watching my every move, a crackling began to grow in volume. Finally, one of the creatures decided that there had been enough build up. Landing in front of me, it revealed itself. Lizard in shape, but covered in jagged skin that formed a sort of armor over its body. A bright orange underbelly was barely visible as it glared down at me with reptilian eyes while the rest was a burnt brown. As the creature glared down at me, its back suddenly ignited like a miniature inferno. Salamanders are wonderful creatures, aren't they? Ragnarok taunted, and they do make the most delightful treats. It's been agony watching them build nests in my remains. An eternity of hunger- I stopped listening at that point as I was forced to dodge away from a swipe of the salamander's claws. The familiar, cord-snapping sensation filled my chest as I flopped backwards in time to avoid a snap of another's teeth. Grunting as I forced myself to twist and clamber to my hooves, I darted away from the creatures as fast as I could. Snarls and hisses surrounded me as I fled deeper into the rib cage of the fallen dragon lord. Salamander's of all shapes and sizes nipped at my hooves from alcoves within our alabaster maze. Above it all, the mocking laughter of Ragnarok shook the peak around us. For a time, the only thoughts I had were of survival as I jumped, ducked, flopped, skidded, and squeezed my way out the jaws of the salamanders over and over, but I was running out of steam. Wouldn't you know it that during my wild run, the fire of a nearby salamander glinted off of something golden. It was on the other side of a wall of angry fire-lizards, but it had to be what I was looking for. New plan, get it and get out before I became lunch! I let out a yelp as a pair of jaws snapped closed in front of my face. Instinctively, I put both my forehooves on the massive nose in front of me as it pushed forward, only for a similar sensation to hit my back hooves. Panicked, I pushed off of the leathery surface behind me and narrowly managed to avoid landing on the fiery back of another. I had very few options in the matter, so I continued to push forward. Slide, jump, pray, and hope. That was the name of the game as I darted between salamanders, leaving them to bite at each other and the snarls of pain might have been funny if I wasn't running for my life toward the glint of gold... several feet above me. How in the Tartarus was I supposed to- Whack! A tail blindsided me with the force of a cannon and I was airborne. Again. I was really starting to hate the feeling and wondered how the pegasi and thestrals managed it. Thankfully, it was sending me in the direction I needed to go and I wrapped my hooves around the object in question and grunted as I slammed belly first into one of Ragnarok's ribs. Held firm in my hooves was a... rather simple looking spear. On first glance anyways. The haft was composed of an ebony wood with segments of gold looped around it every little bit. It was the head of the spear that drew attention though. The gilded blade was sunk into the rib and the guard depicted the image of a golden alicorn with its wings spread wide. The Reach of Sol was in my grasp. ...Now I just had to dislodge it.... and escape this death trap. Grunting with the effort, I tried to ignore the fact that not only was there a nest of hungry fire creatures blazing beneath me, but also a dead dragon lord shouting about how the spear was his. Pressing my back hooves against the rib in front of me, I strained, yanking on the damned thing for all I was worth. It didn't budge. Matters were made worse by the fact that I was essentially a hanging treat and the salamanders had remembered what jumping was. Aside from a few moments of hot breath on my flank, everything seemed to be going well... until I felt jaws lock around my hanging tail. Standing on the back of one of its fallen brethren, a salamander had me and was starting to pull down on me as I held onto the spear for my life. I wasn't sure which was going to give first: my hooves or my tail, but as fate would have it, the answer was neither. As I gritted my teeth and growled in pain, the fire-breathed abomination was doing what I hadn't been able to do. With a sudden crack, the spear came loose and the three of us, myself, the salamander, and the Reach of Sol, fell toward the ground. I wasn't quite sure what happened as we hit the ground. All I know is that it went salamander, then me, then spear. As countless maws closed in on me, eager to devour me, I closed my eyes and prepared for the end. Then, with a clink, the spear hit the ground... ...and the world exploded. My hooves wrapped tightly around the spear, I watched in lethal-time as the ground fragmented around the blade of the weapon I was holding. In a burst of brilliant, golden light, salamanders were sent flying in every direction as the cracks in the ground spread from the point of impact to the edge of the plateau. Everything stood still for a breath... and then the world caved in. More accurately, the roof of the mountain collapsed and fiery, orange light appeared between the cracks. Ragnarok joined in me in a scream of mortal terror as we and a plethora of salamanders began to fall towards bubbling lava. In the chaos of it all, I never noticed the lone figure standing at the relative safety of the rim. I was still screaming in fear as I felt something catch my hind hoof and tighten, swinging me to slam into the rock wall some distance away. Momentarily stunned, all I could do was instinctively cling to the artifact in my hooves as I watched the mighty skeleton of Ragnarok descend into the unforgiving pool below and sink below the surface. When my brain finally decided to reboot, the only thing I could do was start laughing hysterically. “I'M ALIVE!!” Chapter 31: Soldier and CivilianSo, there I was dangling over an active volcano, clutching an ancient artifact of incomprehensible power. My sole lifeline was the length of rope tangled around my hind hoof and I was laughing like a crazy stallion. Makes a bit more sense now, doesn't it? I also might have forgotten to mention that the volcano had only recently become active and was still bubbling viciously from being woken. I was still riding the high of life and laughing myself silly as my unknown rescuer began to pull me up toward the rim of the volcano. Just like that, the universe decided to give me a massive shot to the chin as I came into sight of the pegasus glaring at me. I stared at her, “Hi Storm. I have two questions: how are you here and is it too late to jump into the volcano?” Feral Storm snorted at me, her wings flaring to either side of her as she cleared the immediate area of smoke. Glancing between myself and the spear, she spat, “Like your Royal Guard friends could hold me. We're square, Lucky. You saved my life, now I've saved yours.” I had several comments that came to mind, but that was thrown to the wayside when the soft puttering of an airship drew closer. The pristine white form of Sunslayer dropped from the airship and dove down to us, dropping Martial roughly before landing. He spared a glance toward Storm. “Ah, I was wondering when you would return, Storm. Welcome back,” his gaze turned to me or, more accurately, the weapon in my grip, “bravo... bravo indeed. You've definitely surpassed my expectations of you, Lucky Signs. Now... give it to me and I'll let your friends go...” He held out a talon toward me, staring into my eyes with a firm, predatory look. I flinched, eyes trailing down to the spear. I couldn't just hand this thing over to him... not after what had just happened. The conflict must have been clear in my face as he moved his talons down to grip Martial's head roughly, earning a cry of pain from the mare. I flinched again, turning my gaze to her. Martial was gritting her teeth, one eye clenched while the other was locked on me. It was that look that told me that her opinion on the matter was to tell the featherbrain to go buck a cactus. She was a stubborn mare... Then Sunslayer dug his talons into her head, drawing rivets of blood. At her restrained groan, I held up a hoof, “Wait! Wait... okay...” Moving on three hooves, I plodded my way toward the gryphon, who maintained his grip on Martial with one talon while holding the other out toward me. With a great measure of reluctance, I slid the ebony haft into his grip. With a dark glee, Sunslayer dropped Martial again and stepped off to one side to admire his new toy. My attention went to my thestral companion as I quickly made to untie her. Her body was covered in bruises and dirt, telling me that she had not been treated kindly in my absence. She looked up at me silently as I checked her for more severe injuries, “You should... have chucked it... into the lava.” she stated through her mask. “Yes, he should have,” Sunslayer agreed, his eyes falling on us once again, “but he did not. He traded the future of Equestria for you. Heartwarming... and foolish. Know this, Lucky. I do admire your devotion to your fellow agents, but there is a mighty difference between them and you.” He jabbed a claw at Martial, “They have had years to perfect their craft. Some of them were born into it. They are soldiers, heroes even! Each and every one of them would give everything that they are for the greater good! They would sacrifice each other for it! You?” He chuckled as he stalked in a slow half-circle around us. He was taking a sick delight in all of this and his words struck hard, “You're just a delivery colt. A civilian. You had the luxury of deciding what is right and what is wrong. To be fair, that is the way with most of Equestria, isn't it? All of you think that you're better than the rest of us. From the lowest to the highest, you think your precious Harmony makes you right! Well, take it from somebeing who has seen how deep the pit can get, pony: sometimes you don't get that luxury... it's time that you all learn that and find it in yourselves to keep your noses out of other creatures' businesses!” He rose to his hindlegs, the Reach of Sol parallel to the forelimb holding it as he pointed the tip toward us. With a devilish grin, he laughed, “I am destined to be king, Lucky Signs! So let this be my first proclamation: you are far too dangerous to leave alive! You are unpredictable! Uncontrollable! For the good of our world, beyond your precious Equestria... you shall die. I know the language that this weapon responds to!” A strange, otherworldly noise escaped his beak and the tip of the spear began to glow softly, “Witness the demise of your world! The wrath of the sun!” I had seen enough to know that I didn't want to be where I was. The problem was that Martial was not in a good condition to move and I wasn't going to be fast enough to save us both. So I did the one thing I could do. As the air filled with the scent of ozone, I flung the freed mare as far as I could from me. Light erupted around me and my world went blindingly white... ** Excerpt from the field report of Lieutenant Martial Cadence concerning the events of The Cinder Run I had always considered myself a strong mare. Born into a family with a long history of guards for various reasons. Pain and defeat were things that I knew well, even with my talent and training and I also knew the art of liars. Sunslayer was one such individual. He had planned on killing Lucky Signs from the beginning, but keeping me weak had made it all but impossible to warn the poor colt. Part of me was angry that Lucky had handed over the spear, but he was still a civilian at heart. The other part of me was happy that he had thought I was worth saving in my failure. Then he decided to save me again by tossing me to safety. Even as I slammed into the ashen ground, adding to injuries slightly, Sunslayer activated the magic held within the Reach of Sol. A beam of light, brilliant as the sun and hotter than dragonfire, swept out in a cone from the weapon and washed the stone in its fury. It always hurt to lose somepony. Losing Lucky hurt far more deeply. I'd never admit it to his face, but his sarcastic attitude had been... uplifting. Now he was gone. I wanted to scream, to rip Sunslayer apart with my bare hooves, but my body refused to respond. The cowardly gryphon took his pegasus companion and returned to the airship hovering above. The gloating issuing from his beak told me that their destination was Canterlot, but I was in no position to pursue. In the end, all I could do was watch them fly away, leaving me to die from heat exposure or suffocation. Copious amounts of smog covered the area that had been devastated by the magic blast and heat blossomed outwards from it. I looked around, hoping beyond hope that Lucky would come striding out of it to give a witty remark, but he didn't. A series of heavy wingbeats filled the silence and I forced myself to my hooves to defend myself. The smokescreen broke across a series of scaled forms. Dragons. They ranged through various sizes and shapes and could obviously see me. They weren't attacking however. I discovered why when a blue dragoness in golden armor drifted down to the ground before me. She exuded an aura of authority and I recognized the form of Dragon Lord Ember soon after. Giving her the quickest version of events that I possibly could, I pleaded with her for transportation to Equestria. Needless to say, the other dragons were firmly against the idea, but for her size, Ember had quite a pair of lungs. I made a personal note to thank Spike the Dragon in any way I could when she mentioned him. She chose the quickest among her number to fly me to Canterlot as quickly as possible. If the princesses were not alerted, the damage that Sunslayer could cause was going to be enormous. I wasn't sure how the gryphon thought he was going to win a battle against the capital, but his confidence in his chances shook me as well as the raw magic currently in his talons. We were still conversing when one of her drakes called out from the annihilated ground. I couldn't believe the words when he spoke, but he was digging through something within the slowly clearing smoke. “Dragon Lord! The other pony is over here!” At first, my rational mind told me that he had simply found Lucky's body. Between the heat and blast, there was nothing short of a dragon that could have survived the attack Sunslayer had unleashed. Then Ember rushed over and her comment filled me with hope. “If this isn't the luckiest pony ever, I don't know which one is...” The smog cleared enough and I saw the truth of what had happened. Sunslayer's aim had been off, striking the ground a distance from Lucky primarily. Stone had been ripped up by the strike, forming a makeshift wall even as more stones had tipped over to create a shelter of rock. It was from this pile that the dragons pulled a maroon form that groaned as he was pulled free. Lucky Signs, the crazy stallion, blinked groggily as he came around, his body marred by cuts and bruises from the stones that had covered him. I saw him look around at the astounded faces of the dragons around him and mutter something under his breath. It took me several moments to find my voice, shouting to him in disbelief. He turned his head toward me, one ear flicked sideways in confusion, “Who else,” he asked me, flashing a grin that morphed into a serious expression, “Martial... we need to go.” I had never agreed with something so readily in my life. Chapter 32: The CallI was... pretty sure that I was dead. In an instant of heat and light, the world had vanished and faded to black. The only problem was that I could hear my own breathing. I couldn't feel anything, though, which was mildly concerning. Lucky... I was getting pretty tired of ethereal voices in my mind, but at least this one was a pleasant, female voice. I couldn't bring myself to answer and opted to simply lay there. There was no way that I could have survived Sunslayer's attack and... I was strangely fine with that. There was an intense drowsiness creeping up on me, lulling me into a sensation of numbness. Hear me, Lucky Signs... I could hear her just fine, why was she talking like that? I was just tired now and wanted to sleep. I'd done what I could. I'd saved Martial and she would figure out a way to stop Sunslayer. My job was done. Nay, it is not... hear me, Lucky Signs... I lifted my head in the oddest way. I could feel myself move and yet nothing changed, save for a white light hovering some distance away. There, framed by the mystic glow, a slender, feminine form stood. Strength flowed from her like fresh water and a proud horn stood prominent on her brow, but then she unfurled a pair of wings against the light. “Celestia...? Luna...?” I grumbled out, my voice echoing in the void around me. Neither, my little pony. You know me and yet you do not. I have always been there in times of desperation. I groaned, “Sorry, but... could you not speak in riddles? My head hurts and I just want to sleep.” Hoofsteps rang out around me and I felt a gentle hoof brush through my mane. Raising my eyes, I beheld a figure... only now, when I look back and try to remember, the image escapes me. I remember the exhaustion being blown away by an awe that filled every fiber of my being. She was... great. With a capital “G” with the meaning of greatness redefined by her. That's all I can remember. That and her words. I know, Lucky, and I wish that I could allow you to rest. However, I have need of you. I let out a sigh, “Is this another guard thing, like the Shadow Run? What more could you all want of me? I've done everything you asked...” Yes... but I don't ask anything of the guard known as Lucky Signs. I would rather speak to the pony called Lucky. To the little colt who rushed blindly into the world with his gift. The one who did not question his place in the world or how his talent would change that. I was... compelled to listen. Perking my ears, I found a strange clarity filling my mind as I waited for her to speak. I would ask you to be nothing more than the delivery colt that you've been so far. The kind-hearted pony that did something he didn't even know he could do. Lucky Signs, will you be my delivery colt once more? “What am I supposed to deliver?” I mumbled softly. Hope. Nothing more and nothing less. Right now, we stand on the brink of a time without it. Sunslayer moves to crush it beneath his talons and all of my little ponies, including my daughters, will need it. Both for this and what comes after. “How am I supposed to do that?” By trusting in yourself. In your destiny. You've made great leaps in coming together with your talent, but still you fight it. It is not a separate part of you, Lucky Signs, it is you and you are it. She stepped away and I could see the light starting to fade as she spoke once more, You must hurry. The Reach of Sol is only at a fraction of its full power and to gain the rest, Sunslayer seeks to drain Celestia of her magic. If he succeeds, the true enemy will win without contest. Good luck, my little pony. I coughed and groaned as I was pulled from one reality into another. A firm set of claws held me around my barrel as they lifted me up, stones clattering about. Gazing up at the faces of the dragons around me, I gulped, “I come in peace and do not taste of gems...” “Lucky!?” Martial's shrill cry split the tension and I tilted my head. She stood there, her jaw dropped and eyes as wide as saucers. It was a sight I found all too amusing as I flashed a cheeky grin. “Who else,” I let my smirk fall, gazing at her, “Martial... we need to go.” Thankfully, it seemed that Martial had been haggling for transportation from the dragons. It's a strange feeling to be flying on dragonback and the wingbeats were enough to make some of our bruises flare up, but we didn't have the time to treat our injuries. So we bore with it and held on as our ride rocketed towards Canterlot... ** Equestria passed below us in a blur as our orange-scaled flier pushed their body to the limits. We were rushing forward, but the idea that we weren't going fast enough kept surfacing in my mind. I think Martial shared that sentiment with the way her narrowed eyes stared into the distance and her tail flicked. The truth was, I was also worried because I had no plan. We were unarmed and racing after a gryphon currently in possession of a powerful weapon he was planning on draining Princess Celestia with. If I'd been born a unicorn, I might have some indication about how something like that would work, but I didn't have the foggiest idea. All I knew was that somehow, we needed to stop him. Somepony was going to have to explain this mystical lottery that lead alicorns to tossing ponies like me in the deep end... Mount Canterhorn slipped into sight on the horizon and I tensed. Somewhere out there was a gryphon holding a spear capable of blasting the entire city with sunfire. A quick scan of the airspace around the mountain as we drew closer failed to reveal Sunslayer's ship. It did, however, reveal the small flock of pegasi guards flying to block our path. Our dragon companion slowed, coming to hover at a distance while Martial hailed them. Once we had clearance, our escort dropped us off on the landing platform of Canterlot Castle with a grumble before flying away. Martial was already hard at work rallying the forces of the guard. Trotting away and shouting out orders, the mare was definitely back in her element. I wasn't sure what to do at this point. I'd never really been part of a national security risk. Sweet Celestia, I'd never even been a part of a schoolyard fight! All the training I'd undergone and yet I felt so unbelievably useless. I couldn't help but sit down and look at the cement under my hooves, wondering just what I was supposed to do. I didn't have any orders and I... ...what was I going to do? I'd been riding the high that had followed in the wake of being lucky and surviving the blast from the Reach of Sol and now I was at a loss. Martial and the Royal Guard was going to figure out something to stop Sunslayer... ...so why did it feel like it was my fight? I turned my gaze away from the castle and strode to the edge of the landing platform attached to it. Gazing down, I found my eyes sweeping over the paved streets and rising buildings. I could almost feel the presence of Sunslayer down there somewhere, a tension forming across the air... and in my chest. I turned away and rushed into the castle... Chapter 33: Calm Before the StormI found Martial rallying several ponies for a war council in one of the larger rooms available to us. Located near her office in the barracks, the halls around it were a flurry of activity as I saw guards scrambling to get their gear. I was honestly surprised by the sheer number of ponies filling the place; I didn't know there were that many guards in Canterlot. On first glance, our makeshift war room looked like it had been an archive of some kind, as the walls held shelves of old looking scrolls and tomes. A large, round table sat in the middle of the room and Martial was seated there along with a number of veteran looking guardsponies in full armor. A unicorn among their number was projecting an image of Canterlot on the wooden surface before them while Martial explained the situation to them. I walked in on the tail end of her explanation, “...and we don't know how or where Sunslayer is going to strike. What we do know is that his target is Princess Celestia, so increasing guard presence in and around the palace is paramount.” “A nice theory,” cut in a guard to her left in a gravelly voice, “but if this weapon is as powerful as you say, I doubt that a hooffull of guards are going to be able to stand against him. We should evacuate Princess Celestia from the city and-” “Her highness won't abandon her ponies, no matter what,” interjected a voice from behind me as Dawn appeared from seemingly nowhere, “she's made that very clear. I've informed her of the situation and she is adamant about not failing her subjects again.” “Foalishness!” cried another guard. “Mind your tongue, whelp,” shouted a zealous elder, “Princess Celestia has seen more of conflict than you could imagine! Say something like that again and I'll tan your hide!” That comment didn't help as the group devolved into an argument. I couldn't help but ponder Echo's words about how Luna saw modern ponies as skittish while these “veterans” squabbled like foals. In the end, a sharp crack silenced them as Martial struck her hoof against the table, “Enough! It is not our duty to question the motives of the princesses! Our duty is to protect not only them but our home as well. We are the proud guardians of Equestria and far too often have we failed to safeguard the ponies that rely on us both day and night!” The thestral stood, pacing around the table as she continued, “I don't know about you ponies, but when I joined the guard, I made a solemn oath! I swore that if a threat came to these shores, I would be there to hold the line against fire, claw, and death! Look at yourselves! You've become lax!” A series of grumbles met her remark, but she silenced them with a hiss, “when Chrysalis came, what were we doing? Grumbling about extra shifts and not keeping our eyes open! When Tirek came, what did we do? We tucked our tails and stood frozen in fear! But, you know what? Perhaps those were beyond us and we were not prepared.” Her eyes bore into the ponies around her and I could see why ponies would flock to her. She gestured toward the image on the table, “This is not some alicorn level threat. This is one gryphon who has become too big for his feathers and thinks he can rule the world. Well guess what, there is always some fool who wants to rule the world! But they are fools because they won't succeed. The changelings tried twice to break us and failed. We survived the antics of Discord himself! When Sunslayer shows his beak around here, he will not find an easily broken city!” She paused, lifting a hoof to the sky, “He will find a legion of ponies who find themselves in the position to do their sworn duty! He will find an unwavering wall of defense and a hail of blades to halt his advance! No matter what Sunslayer has to throw at us, he will find only failure at our hooves, because we... WE ARE THE ROYAL GUARD!” Probably one of the more spontaneous speeches I'd ever heard, but it got the job done. The ponies around her and even some passing by in the hall were standing or sitting a little taller and a round of “ooh-rah's” rushed around the table. Even I was feeling a bit more roused to battle... a little. Talk turned towards an increase in patrols and strategic placements of troops throughout the city. I actually found it odd that Sunslayer was giving us so much time to prepare or maybe he just figured that Martial wasn't going to be able to make it back in time to warn them. I was brought out of my musings when Dawn Breeze hip-checked me and motioned me to follow her. Confused, I followed her as she lead me away from the war room and into quieter areas. Once we were out of the ear shot of the armored forms, she spoke, “Lucky... Princess Celestia has asked you to attend her for the duration of this crisis.” I stared at her quietly for a long moment. “Uh... why?” I asked stupidly. “I don't know... she just seemed like she thought everything was going to be okay. Her exact words were 'if I have luck on my side, we'll be fine. Send Lucky Signs to me.' I... find myself agreeing for different reasons. You're not a soldier, Lucky, and this is very quickly bordering on a true battle.” I sputtered indignantly, wanting to argue on this point, but... I couldn't. Not honestly anyways. I'd proven multiple times how bad I was at fighting and there was no amount of luck that could change that. So why did being relegated to the position furthest from the possible fighting not sit well with me? Why was I so eager to put myself back in the blast zone of that weapon? Long story short, I found myself trotting my way after a guard that Dawn had tasked with taking me to Celestia. A call from the princess is not something you just turn down. It definitely left me with a series of questions. The kind that usually ended with “why me?” She had a castle full of guards far more capable, so why was the Sun Princess asking for me? I'd expected the guard to take me to the throne room, but instead, we made our way to the single largest staircase I'd ever seen in my life. I had to give it to the castle staff that didn't have wings; their cardio must be amazing! Thankfully, we stopped on a landing a while before the top and my escort knocked on a sturdy oaken door. Celestia's voice rang out, beckoning us to enter. Well, at least me anyways and I did. I found myself in a warm, welcoming room built in a circular shape. The usual vibrant whites and golds of the palace gave way to an earthy tone of tans and browns. To my left, a modest fireplace was placed and empty currently while on my right was a wall covered with different painting and photos of ponies. I recognized some of them from history classes, but not all of them. Across from me, the wall gave way to a massive window overlooking Canterlot. It was there that I found Celestia. She stood with her back to me, peering down on the capital with a blank expression. Closing the door behind me, I found myself making my way to her side and following her gaze down to the throngs of ponies wandering around, unaware of the danger pressing in around them. Watching them with her, a question sprang to my mind. “...Were you ever like them, your highness?” “A heavy question,” she said sadly, “and one I must answer with both a yes and a no. My sister and I were not always princesses, Lucky, and at one time we never thought we would be. In a time so long ago that it has become a fading memory, we too had our leaders that ensured that we would never face the threats of the world in fear... but times change...” I nodded. I knew all too well how things could change, rapidly or slowly, “Why did you ask for me, your highness?” I asked, changing the subject. She let out a long, slow sigh as she turned to face me. A haunted look filled her eyes and then she did something I wasn't expecting. Lighting her horn with golden magic, she lifted her crown from her head and set it a corner of the empty room. The rest of her regalia followed soon after and I bore witness to Princess Celestia without the burdens she'd carried for so long. “Fate has a very dry sense of humor, my little pony,” she murmured, “in one moment, you find yourself on top. The next, despite every advantage you have, despite all the power you can accumulate over years, you find your hooves tied.” She lowered herself gently to the floor, her eyes going back to the city below us. After a moment of silence, she began again, “My sister and I... we are the head of state and yet we are the least. The freedom our ponies enjoy is bought by the surrender of our own. Even though we willingly pay that price, it sometimes isn't enough...” Her head drooped and I saw her eyes glimmering with tears, “Sometimes, to ensure peace and harmony, I must order innocent lives forward into darkness and chaos. I never know who I will have to ask to make a sacrifice until the path is presented to me. The truth, Lucky, is that Sunslayer is coming. Many times have I tried to deny the path of fate and each time, it backfires upon me.” She shook her head, “I can only find one way for this to end well and to do that, I must ask you to make a sacrifice, Lucky... I must ask you to wait and when the time comes... I must ask you to give up yourself for the good of Equestria...” I was confused and opened my mouth to give life to my question. Just as I was finding my voice, a resounding BOOM filled the air. I tore my gaze from Celestia and looked out upon Canterlot. Looking down, I saw part of the city burn... Chapter 34: In the Dying of the Light...Flames licked across the outer wall of Equestria's capital and even from here, I could see the surge of guardsponies rushing to the scene. Standing beside the resting form of the solar princess, I watched in horror as the fire rose in the wake of the explosion that had sparked them. The horror intensified as the air above Canterlot shimmered and parted like a veil of water around the prows of airships. I gaped at them, realizing that there must have been at least twenty of them and all of them bore a flag with a black sun. I couldn't believe what I was seeing! There was no way that Sunslayer had that many supporters! As if she were reading my mind, Celestia spoke, “Equestria's enemies are often eager to flock to a banner against us... Sunslayer has been a patient foe and now he moves for the checkmate. No doubt he had called in all of his allies,” she gestured toward the airships, floating on giant balloons reinforced with steel, “I recognize the build of those ships. They were originally part of the Storm King's attack.” I took in that information with a gulp. I'd only heard bits and pieces about the Storm King and his occupation of Canterlot. At the time, said king hadn't been thorough in bringing every little village under his control, so I'd only seen the effects from afar. Still, that didn't bode well. It was also disturbing that he had access to magic that could hide that many ships at once. Movement beside me told me that Celestia had risen, but it was the sudden flash of magic that startled me. I tried to look at her, but I found my body unresponsive. I panicked, trying to shift at all, but unable to move an inch. While I freaked out internally, her voice entered my ears, “I'm sorry, Lucky, but I need you to stay quiet and out of sight for this... and I can't trust you not to do something foolish...” Another flash of magic before golden magic surrounded me and moved me to a corner of the room. Straining my eyes as best I could, I noticed that I couldn't see my body anymore. Minutes ticked by as I began to hear the sounds of mass hysteria closing in. More explosions rocked the air and a deep thrum of an airship crept up to the tower. From my position, I watched as Celestia opened a portion of the massive window in front of her before stepping back. A white-feathered gryphon wearing his signature mask landed in the room a moment later. Sunslayer and Celestia stared at one another while the former place his pilfered polearm perpendicular to the ground and leaned on it. Celestia's gaze briefly shot to the weapon with a disgusted look before her face changed to one of reserved disappointment. Sunslayer was the first to break the...relative silence against the din of fear outside, “I expected more from you, Celestia. For all the stories that caution against stirring your wrath, here you stand, alone and unmoving. Your rigid pacifism is set to crumble around you and still you refuse to bring your power to bare?” Celestia's reply was cold and sharp, “Would you have me burn away everything? Fire is not something to resort to, Sunslayer. If you are not careful, you will find yourself burned and even if you manage to avoid that, fire is insidious. Yes, perhaps I could bring the wrath of the sun down upon you and your allies... but my own subjects would be destroyed as well...” “Acceptable casualties,” Sunslayer retorted, making me wish I could bristle, “according to legend, you were not so reserved a thousand years ago. You have grown soft, your highness, and now your past returns to haunt you...” “Yes,” the princess intoned with a pointed look at the Reach of Sol, “it does. Listen to me, Sunslayer. I have walked the path that you find yourself on. I once thought myself above it all with the power I wielded and let my pride blind me. It nearly cost me everything...” “Nothing that you could not afford to lose,” the gryphon snarked, “you could have ruled the world, Celestia. Bent it to your design and forced your harmony upon it. All you would have had to do was sacrifice a few pawns. They call you the great chess-master; surely you understand the concept?” “But those pawns you sacrifice have the potential to be much more. To rid yourself of all your pawns weakens you far more than you could possibly imagine.” Celestia allowed herself a small smirk. “Enough,” thundered Sunslayer as he unfurled his wings aggressively, “I did not come here to trade barbs with a living relic! If you will stand by your foolish ideals so stubbornly, then know this: I still have some of your ponies as prisoners. Surrender your magic to me, or I shall turn them into nothing but glassed earth just as I did with the bumbling foal who was kind enough to retrieve the spear for me!” Silence reigned for a long moment between them and I quietly encouraged Celestia to blast Sunslayer with all the magic she had. If he wanted it so bad, give it to him the most violent way possible. Of course, if she'd done that, she wouldn't have been our beloved princess. I watched in horror as Celestia gave a short nod and lowered her head to offer her horn to Sunslayer, whom eagerly pressed the tip of his weapon to it. A spark passed between the two and I watched Sunslayer burst into flame. I wanted to whoop, thinking that the crazy gryphon had just been given the most literal lessons in playing with fire. Then he started to laugh within the fire while Celestia collapsed limply to the floor. Her cutie mark was gone. The fire swirled around Sunslayer, charring the floor beneath him and causing me to sweat a bit from the proximity. Slowly, it pulled in toward the gryphon, dying down until it closed in around his form fully. Fire continued to flick off of his stretched wings and a crown of flames danced across his skull. Meanwhile, the Reach of Sol glowed with a radiant light. “I knew you were powerful, princess,” Sunslayer admired between laughs, “but this is... everything I could ever need and more. This whole retched world will kneel before me or burn! I will do what you could not and finish off the greatest threats this world has ever known!” His laughter was turning more and more crazed as admired his new fiery look. Celestia was struggling just to lift her head, but the expression on her face was... pity? She looked upon the sun-powered bird-cat and weakly told him, “This is your last chance, Sunslayer. Don't do this.” “You're in no position to making demands of me princess,” Sunslayer gloated as he turned toward the window, “and I'm going to make sure that they all know it. With all the power you've claimed over the years, not even your precious sister, your naive student, or your boorish niece can stop me! They will all burn for your sins!” With that said, he dove from the window in a flurry of feathers. As his laughter faded into the distance, I found my body returning to my control even as my form shimmered back into existence. I rushed to the fallen princess and gently helped her back to her hooves. “Why,” I demanded in a mixture of fear and rage, “why did you give up your magic!?” I couldn't help it. It was like watching the world fall apart at my hooves and knowing that it was my fault. I should have just chucked the damn thing into the lava when I had the chance. Now there was a loose-canon wielding the magic of an alicorn in a fancy stick! Celestia turned her face to me, looking far more tired than she had a second ago. She smiled at me, “For the same reason that you couldn't sacrifice Martial. And because I trust in you Lucky.” “Trust in me!? This is all my fault and I'm not going to be able to fight him! Especially not when he's all flamey like that! What could you possibly trust me to do!?” Her smile took on a devious look and I found myself thinking about how misplaced it was in the current situation. Lifting one hoof, she hooked it around my shoulders and said, “To blunder your way to victory.” With that, Princess Celestia, alicorn of the sun, and wise ruler of Equestria... pushed me out the window. Between not expecting it and the fact that I looked like a foal next to her, it didn't take much effort. “BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCKKKK!” was the only sound I could come up with as I fell. The fall wasn't a long one before I struck another unsuspecting form. Fire crackled on either side of me as I slammed into Sunslayer from the swoop he'd been going into to reach the airship hovering below the tower. He grunted in surprise as my sudden weight threw him to one side and sent both of us crashing through the glass of another window. Rolling as a pair across the floor, I unintentionally introduced Sunslayer to the staircase from earlier. We must have looked utterly rediculous going heads over tails as we bounced down the steps. After a small eternity of the world spinning, we finally crashed into the open hallway. Groaning and cursing at every motion, I stood up and the action was mirrored by the other living creature in the room. Oh, he was livid. The angry gryphon whirled on me in a fury, “Who dares to-,” he stopped short, beak parted in disbelief, “You!?” “Me,” I shouted back in a knee-jerk reaction, throwing my hooves up “surprised? So am I!” It was about this point that I realized that Mr. Flamey was a little less... on fire now. The empty space in his talons made my eyes widen as I looked around. Unfortunately, the Spear of Fiery Doom was missing currently. The saber at his side wasn't. He drew it in a flash, his eyes twitching behind his mask, “What does it take to kill you!?” he snarled at me, his feathers puffing up a bit. “You know, at this point, I'm not sure,” I answered in the sort of fear that makes you say stupid things, “but I'll be sure to let you know when I figure it out.” “Oh, no,” he growled as he started stalking toward me, “this time we're going to find out together. This time I am going to finish the job and carve you to pieces! Then I'm going to set those pieces on fire, lock them in separate anti-magic boxes, and bury you in segments across the world.” “That sounds like a lot of effort. Maybe we could just not?” The shrill avian cry of wrath I received in return told me that he wasn't against that sort of effort.... Chapter 35: ...Hope is FoundI jumped backwards to avoid the flashing steel of Sunslayer's blade. The usually somewhat refined gryphon was coming at me like a wild animal with a number of feral noises and it was all I could do to keep such a short distance between us. I hadn't had much chance to observe his fight with Martial beyond the final moments, so experiencing his frenzy first-hoof was an experience. Then he started cheating. Winking out of existence, he appeared beside me and planted a hind-foot into my skull. I spun like a top and flailed out one leg instinctively and found a curtain that came loose with a little persuasion. Another avian cry sounded off and, thinking fast, I tossed the curtain toward it. The fabric caught Sunslayer full in the face and allowed me to quickly roll out of his warpath. Letting loose a guttural growl, he slashed the curtain to pieces with his talons and glared at me. I couldn't help the sarcasm dripping out of my mouth, “don't you know how much that costs,” diving forward, he took a swipe at me, “okay, we'll just bill you!” Pushing me back further and further, Sunslayer appeared to be trying to push me into one of the walls, but I wasn't about to let that happen. I tried to dive to one side only to find my hoof caught in a firm grip as Sunslayer yanked me in the reverse direction and sent me sprawling. The gryphon was on me, fast as lightning, his blade coming down toward me. I flailed about, trying to find something to defend myself with and when my hoof connected with something, I quickly swept it up in front of me. As Sunslayer's blade connected with the Reach, the blade sparked with light and the two of us found ourselves skidding away from one another. Somehow, I managed to keep my hold on the spear as I rolled away, slamming through a pair of double doors and into the sunlight. I'd rolled onto a massive balcony that could probably have held the entirety of the barracks comfortably. Around me were what appeared to be various dining tables and chairs, but I didn't get much time to appreciate it. With another vanishing act, Sunslayer was upon me and forcing me to react to his attacks. The only problem was that the more flustered the gryphon got, the faster his attacks came and the more often he simply warped around me. While a few quick tugs of my talent kept me from taking a strike to something vital, I was way out of my league and the few return thrusts I attempted with Reach were useless. I had to get away from him and make my way back to Celestia. If I could somehow get the spear to her, maybe she could regain her power and bring it to bare against Sunslayer and his friends. The problem there was that the mad creature was Tartarus bent on carving me into pieces. I was starting to seriously wish that I knew how he had gone fire mode with the spear! I was finally at the end of my rope as I was forced to hold Reach defensively across my chest to block an overhead strike. The gryphon didn't look it, but he was strong and he was pushing my back against the stone railing at the edge of the balcony. I was doing everything I could to keep the edge of his blade away from me that I didn't notice his free claw moving down until his talons sank into my exposed belly. The pain was... excruciating as he sank them in and gripped onto something inside of me. My grip slackened and he pushed in closer, driving his claws in deeper and extracting a cry of agony from me. He was peering at me through his mask with a predatory glee, “Can you feel that, Lucky Signs? It looks like I finally got something good.” He squeezed and I cried out again, this time coughing a bit of blood across his mask. Withdrawing his claws, he curled them together and punched me in the same spot, forcing me to curl around the blow and drop my weapon. Letting me fall to the floor as blood began to pool around me, he retrieved the weapon, re-igniting above me as he glared down at me. With a flourish, he turned the blade toward me, “You came so close, colt. Closer than any have for some time and that infuriates me. You are neither a great warrior nor a powerful mage. You have no right being the one to come so close! Who are you to stand here as my final fight!?” While I was too busy trying to suppress the urge to cry as I clutched at my wound, something did. As his rant filled the air, it felt like all other noise vanished and I heard Celestia's voice fill my mind... Perhaps I can not die by age or disease, but I still bleed like you. I looked down to my blood as it escaped my fragile body. As I did so, Sunslayer continued to rant, “You're nothing! A nopony, but by the stroke of luck, you defy me time and time again! You are nothing without your luck! Just... die!” A ghost of Luna echoed from within my mind, Cutie marks have always been a mystery that even after thousands of years, my sister and I still know almost nothing about. I can not tell you why you have yours or why it affects you so. What I can tell you is that it doesn't detract from who you are... “You will die here,” Sunslayer declared as he snarled a command that caused Reach's blade to glow molten orange, “because your luck... has finally run out...” A final voice spoke out between us, It is not a separate part of you, Lucky Signs. It is you and you are it. Staring up at Sunslayer's wild eyes, I felt... right. Like something had just slid into place. It was a simple thought... I was Lucky Signs. With a soft breath, I watched Sunslayer strike down toward me. In response I raised a front hoof and struck out... and the tower beneath us shook. I watched the sky explode in a shimmer of rainbow colors that expanded beyond my sight, but what mattered was the aftermath of the shockwave. Standing on his hindlegs for the strike, Sunslayer's stance wasn't able to save him from being thrown off course. The heated blade of Reach stabbed into the ground next to my head and hissed as it sank into the ground. My hoof slammed into his beak with an equal measure of gravity and my own strike. With a grunt and hiss of frustration, both of his talons flew to his now bloodied nose, his signature mask clacking to the ground nearby. Forcing myself to my feet I noted two things. First, Reach cooled off really quick and second, Sunslayer's airships were not alone in the air. Streaking through the air were the sleek, blue uniforms of the Wonderbolts leading flights of pegasi armed with storm clouds. It was like his allies had kicked a hornet's nest and were now dealing with the consequences. It didn't make any sense considering that the Wonderbolts were based in Cloudsdale miles away. I returned my gaze to Sunslayer as he finally moved his talons from his face. The first thing I found going through my brain was that he looked younger than I thought he would. The legitimate hatred in his gaze took away from the innocence of it all though. His eyes quickly took in the situation and he grit his beak into a furious expression, “I'll admit, I didn't expect you to have time to rally them for battle before getting here. I thought that even if that mare managed to limp her way to Equestria fast enough that she'd come straight for Canterlot.” I shrugged, “Don't look at me, feather-head. We did come straight to Canterlot.” “Regardless,” he spat, “it doesn't matter. I have my prize and with it in claw, I will raise this world against you. You can't stop me from leaving, Lucky Signs.” He had a point, considering my condition, but I put my hoof on Reach's handle as he twirled his saber. I scrunched my face in confusion as I pulled at the haft only to find that the ground had cooled as well, leaving the blade stuck fast. Sunslayer laughed, “Too bad. Maybe if you knew ancient Equestrian, you'd know how to activate the enchantment and have a chance at beating me. I'll be taking my spear now...” He started toward me while I was deep in thought. My eyes were tracing the length of Reach and I saw something odd that made me smile. “Maybe I can't stop you from leaving,” I murmured past the pain, “but you're not leaving with this magic.” Leaning down, I pressed my shoulder against the spear and shoved for all I was worth. A web of razor-thin cracks crossing the handle gave way under the force of a grown stallion and with nothing to brace upon, the weapon snapped in half, spraying splinters all around me. A pulse of magic sprang forth, throwing me over the edge of the balcony and I barely managed to catch myself before falling to my end far below. A feral roar of defeat split the air around me before Sunslayer's face appeared over the balcony, filled with fury and madness. Reaching down, he wrapped his talons around my throat and lifted me to eye level with him. The tip of his blade pressed to my throat... … a silvery lance burst through his chest. His eyes slowly moved down toward it in shock even as Martial Cadence's face appeared next to his own. With a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, she murmured in a sultry manner, “Teleport away from this...” Withdrawing her lance, Martial quickly grabbed me and hauled me over the balcony as Sunslayer staggered away. His saber hit the ground as he stumbled a few steps, turned back to face us, and then fell backwards. Tumbling over the edge, the gryphon vanished from sight. Sunslayer was gone... I was feeling... good, oddly. I'd lost track of the pain a while ago and now that the adrenaline was starting to run dry it felt like everything was fading. Martial had my face in her hooves, making me look at her as she shouted something. I chuckled at her, “Why are you... yelling? We... won.” My world faded to black... Chapter 36: A Hero's RewardI drifted in and out of consciousness for a while. Sometimes I had moments of clarity and I remembered groaning as ponies in medical gear rushed around me, their voices sounding far away. One of them would always come forward and inject me with something that sent me back into the darkness around me. Other times, I could swear that I could hear Princess Luna or Princess Celestia calling out to me from the shadows. In the end, there was only one noise that filled my ears as I starting drifting back into the waking world... Beep...beep...beep...beep I hadn't heard that sound since Corium's accident. Hearing was followed by feeling and that caused me to let out a pitiful whine. I felt weak, but a particular area was just... sore. The smell of sterilization came next, telling me that I was probably in a hospital. Opening my eyes confirmed that after my eyes adjusted to the bright lights above me. I was laying in a bed and hooked up to a number of machines near the bed. It took me a few heartbeats to remember the events leading up to waking up here, but when I did, I sat up... way too quickly. I shouted in pain as my side gave a twinge. Pulling the blanket down, I observed the bandaged section of my body and gingerly touched it, hissing as pain sparked off from it. A quick glance outside told me that I was still in Canterlot, but with a lot less fire and airships. Fortunately for my sanity, my awakening drew the attention of one of the doctors. Originally coming in to check on a brief spike in my heart rate, he was ecstatic to find me awake. After confirming that I was actually awake and not semi-conscious like I'd apparently been previously, he asked me if I felt ready for visitors. I said yes on the simple grounds that I had absolutely no idea what was going on. Of course, I wasn't expecting to get swarmed by my fellow HERD agents. All sense of discipline went right out the window as all of them, including Silent, tried to speak at the same time. I was on the verge of getting overwhelmed when a single voice stood out, clearing her throat. Princess Celestia's mere presence caused the rest of the assembled ponies to snap crisp salutes and shut their mouths. She was looking leaps and bounds better than when I'd last seen her sans magic. Even her cutie mark was back, so I guess snapping Reach in half didn't have any negative consequences. We stared at each other for a long time and I could see the group of agents fidget between us. “...You pushed me out the window.” I stated dryly, arching my brow. “You broke my spear.” she shot back, raising her own brow. “...We'll call it even.” I decided, inclining my head with a slight smirk that she mirrored. I didn't have the strength to argue the ethics of pony versus magic artifact abuse. I was just happy to be in a position that any form of disagreement was possible. Looking down at my side, I scanned the faces in the room, “How long was I out?” “Two weeks,” Silent informed me, “talons pierced a lung. Emergency surgery. Touch and go. Nearly died several times,” his ears folded to the sides, “glad you're alive.” A murmur of agreement came from all of them. I blinked, letting that information settle in as I asked my next question, “What happened? Sunslayer's forces were attacking the city, but then next thing I knew, the Wonderbolts were on the scene and we were fighting back. Also, when did all of you get back?” I asked the former hostages. Glass stepped up to answer me, “Well, as it turns out, Dawn got our message only a couple of hours after we left. When she arrived on the scene and couldn't contact any of us on our hoofrings, she got the local guard together and came running. We managed to take most of the gryphon's lackeys into custody. We decided that we would rather be safe than sorry and sent out a general alert to the EUP stations and the Wonderbolts. When they saw a dragon speeding toward Canterlot, they mustered the primaries and the reserves as well as the local EUP before racing for the city.” Martial nodded her head, “I wasn't sure where you'd gotten off to, but I didn't have time to look for you. When the attack came down, we moved out to secure the city as best we could, but realized that the ships weren't trying to drop ground troops. Our best guess was that they didn't intend to stay long. After previous invasions, the EUP has been practicing a number of countermeasures and they must have known that.” She smirked, “Of course, they probably expected it to take a while for all of them to get moving and that they would have time to get in and out before troops arrived. Then a certain stallion decided to put a wrench in their plans by keeping Sunslayer from leaving long enough. I'll admit, that new Wonderbolt's Sonic Rainboom is a sight to see up close and personal... now if only her ego could get put under control.” We all shared a laugh at the mare's expense until Celestia made her way to my bedside. Leaning her head down to look into my eyes, she spoke, “Lucky Signs, despite all thoughts of the contrary, you acted as a key figure in this attack on Equestria. This nation and all the beings that call it home owe you a debt that could never be truly repaid, but if there is anything that the crown can do for you, simply ask.” It was a large, blank check that Celestia had just handed me and yet I couldn't think of anything to ask for... or could I. Smirking deviously, I bid the princess to come closer and whispered into her ear, “Any chance you could give this nice mare named Dawn Breeze a day off?” ** Epilogue “So... yeah,” Lucky Signs stated, wheeling his hoof about in the air, “it only took me several years and the near collapse of Equestria to do it, but I got myself a date. You always did say that I'd get one over on Nimbus, didn't you grandpa?” He looked down at the gravestone that marked the final resting place of his family member, settled right next to his grandmother. The spot was a beautiful one: a gently rising hill overlooking the lands that had once held the farm. Even with the new buildings set on the land, it was hard to say that the view didn't hold special memories for him. The part that made him feel the best about it was how, if he closed his eyes, he could almost feel his grandfather's hoof on his shoulder. Even when he'd failed in the past, old Plum Tucker had always loved and been proud of his grandcolt and the feeling still persisted in this place. “The only part that I still don't get,” Lucky stated with a tap of his hoof, “is why everyone thought it was funny that I was asking Celestia to be my wingpony on this. Come to think of it, I never did find Dawn that day, but I just figure that she was busy. Also, I think Princess Cadence may be rubbing off on her aunt, because apparently me going on a date with one of her assistants is enough to make her blush...” Lucky shrugged it off, “Well, that being said, I probably need to get going. The train back to Canterlot leaves in a little bit and if I'm not on it, I'm not going to make it back in time for my date. Who knows, grandpa... maybe I'll get lucky,” he started, “I mean, not like that, but like... maybe Dawn's the one, you know? Okay, I just made this awkward; I'm going now! Love ya, gramps!” Trotting away, Lucky started to hum to himself as he rushed toward his next adventure... Author's Note And with this chapter, the first book of Lucky Sign's adventures comes to a close. Of course, there is still much for the silly stallion to experience and learn, so a sequel is in the making! What sort of crazy antics will he get up to in the future? Stay tuned to find out! Chapter 1: Wrong Place, Wrong TimeSo, there I was, dangling over the edge of an active volcano, my sole life-line being the rope tangled around my hoof, holding an ancient artifact whose purpose I could only guess at. My life had become a series of progressively worse events leading up to this point. ...Confused? Congratulations, now you know how I felt most of the time in the months leading up to that. Now that you're in the proper mindset to understand how little I can explain, let me go back to the beginning of it all. My name is Lucky Signs. Lucky for short and I'm anything but so. I'd like to think I'm a fairly handsome earth pony, but I think most of the mares would consider me more... lanky and cute in most cases. If only that worked on my boss. From the tips of my ears to the frogs of my hooves, I'm a maroon colored pony with an offsetting mane and tail of navy blue. Ironically, my cutie mark is a four-leafed clover coming out of a pot of golden bits. Don't let that fool you. Ever since I was a colt, I had a habit of being accident prone and yet most ponies would tell you I'm incredibly lucky. It all started on the day that I'd won a scavenger hunt at my school by happenstance. Everypony had made it to the last clue, but none of us could possibly figure it out. I'd climbed up to the top of the slide to try and get a better view, hoping that the vantage point would help me see something that would sound right. Well, one of the other foals decided to be in my way and trip me. That began a long series of falling onto the teeter-totter, being thrown across the playground to roll down a hill, and landing face-first in the answer. That became the general feeling of my life. If there's one thing that's lucky, I guess it's that I haven't been fired from my job as a local delivery colt. Not the best job I could have landed, but I didn't exactly trust myself with something bigger, like being a lumberjack. So long as I avoided anything out of the ordinary, I managed to not make a fool of myself. Then came the day that my parents contacted me to hire me. It was supposed to be simple. I just needed to deliver a letter to my aunt in Canterlot. They even payed for the trip, so it was a walk in the park. Of course I had jitters about going out of town for a job due to the chance at doing something stupid, but they were paying me well, most likely because they were my parents. I didn't even have to stay long. Just deliver the letter and head back home. Not nearly enough time to get caught up in strange things, right? Wrong! Very wrong. Oh, it went well enough at first. I made it to Canterlot without destroying the train and made the delivery before I could end up being accused of assaulting a noble. For once, everything seemed to be going my way, so I made the mistake of stopping in at one a Donut Joe's for a victory treat. I was sitting at one of the booths, minding my own business when a stallion dressed all in black and wearing a mask entered. It was surreal as I watched the strange pony draw a loaded crossbow and point it at the poor cashier. I was in the middle of a robbery! What else could I do but the same thing everypony else was doing and comply with his demands! “Everypony up against the wall! Nopony tries anything funny, I don't put a bolt between their eyes,” he shouted, flailing the weapon wildly while the little unicorn mare desperately tried to open the register for him, “no heroics! I've got a nifty blade here for anypony who thinks that they can take me while I reload!” Whether his claims were true or not, nopony felt like testing the crazed stallion. He was herding us toward the wall furthest from the door when it all went wrong. Now, it would be uncouth of me to comment on a mare's weight, but the one in front of me definitely... enjoyed her food. So much so that she was still chomping on a cream filled donut as she walked. My eyes were a little too focused on the gentlestallion with a weapon to notice how her noisy chomping was causing her to drop cream filling all over the floor. As I was just passing by the criminal, my hoof landed in some of it and I lost my balance. Snorting as I fell, I flailed my hooves and I felt my back hoof smack into something sturdy as I spun in a dizzying circle. The crossbow skittered across the store as I landed on my back, looking up into the shocked eyes of the stallion. He was a big one. Easily standing head and ears over me and filled out just as well, he glowered down at me, brown eyes full of rage as a hoof shot to his pocket and drew out a long knife. He hadn't been lying, if that wasn't apparent. He glared a hole into my skull as he snorted, “What did I say about heroes, colt,” he demanded as he readied the blade, “guess I gotta make an example out of you!” I brought all of my hooves up defensively, stuttering out, “No, wait-!” That was all I got out as he stepped into the same glob of goo that had sent me sprawling. His eyes widened in surprise moments before his fell face first into one of my hooves. Locked up in fear, the appendage had no give and I heard his jaws clack together... hard. I could only stare as his eyes rolled up into his head and his body went limp, sliding off to one side with a loud thump! A moment of silence passed before one of the patrons poked at the limp form, “Sweet Celestia,” the individual, a stallion if I remember correctly, “you knocked his lights right out!” Thank you, Captain Obvious. Speaking of Captains, this was about the time that a trio of guardsponies burst through the door, ready for a fight. Which is why they were extremely confused by the crowd of ponies helping a maroon stallion to his feet and praising him. I was in the same boat. It took a few minutes for them to sort everything out. Apparently, during the moments when the stallion had turned his back, the mare behind the counter had crushed an emergency alarm crystal to alert the guard. Good on her. They collected a full report from everypony, but... there was a little detail that most of them decided to get wrong. Despite my insistence to the contrary, the patrons of the store had somehow gotten it into their heads that I was some kind of black-belt karate master and had done it all on purpose. In the end, they felt it necessary for me to go down to the local barracks to fill out an incident report. It was there that I met the devil-mistress herself: Lieutenant Martial Cadence. Don't ever comment on her sharing a name with Princess Cadence unless you want to end up as her personal punching bag. She takes way too much pleasure in defining the difference between, in her words, “a prissy pink princess” and a “mistress of the lance.” As a word of warning, my fellow stallions, also not something to comment on. Poor Private Vermilion... he'll never be the same... When I met this horrible, horrible pegasus, she was every bit as intimidating as one could imagine. I was beginning to think that most of the ponies in Canterlot had something against normal heights as she towered head and neck over me. Truth be told, she could probably look Princess Luna in the eyes without tilting her head. Not to mention that she was wearing full armor. Even the helmet. While sitting behind a dark wood desk in a room lit mostly by torchlight. Did I also mention that she was a thestral? Let me emphasize that to you, thestral, not bat pony. How was I supposed to know? I was a country colt and my town had never seen one before! If she was anything less than a ten on your fear-o-meter up to this point, the hint of sharp fangs and the doom glare she'd perfected would break the meter! “What is this,” she demanded of the pony escorting me to her office, “why have you brought this stallion to me?” If she wasn't so angry and loosened her tone a bit, she might have an attractive voice. As it was, I could only stand there and gulp as my escort moved to her side and whispered into her ear. I did not like the sudden attention I was getting from those piercing blue eyes with their slit pupils. It was at this point she decided to stand up. Even with the armor on, I could tell that she had a toned body with short, lustrous, amethyst fur covering her. I couldn't see her mane, but the regulation length tail of orchid hair gave me a good guess. She stared at me like she was trying to see into my soul, “My second tells me that you single-hoofedly apprehended a criminal attempting to rob a Donut Joe's. He was armed and you were not, according to eyewitnesses. Explain yourself.” Not like I was going to argue with her. Not there was much to say as I crumpled under her stare, “I, uh... I slipped, ma'am.” I choked out, trying my best not to squeak. There was a tense pause as she regarded me, blinking once. Only once. “You... slipped?” I nodded, “Y-yes ma'am. There was some cream filling on the floor... when I went to pass him and get up against the wall, I slipped...” “...and disarmed the culprit?” “J-just the crossbow. It was an accident as I was falling, I wasn't trying to do anything...” “Then he pulled a knife on you and you struck him?” “N-no ma'am. Well, yes, he pulled a knife on me, but he slipped as well and I was just trying to defend myself, so I had my hoof up... and he just.... fell into it.” She wasn't buying it. I could tell it by the way one of her brows continued to climb toward her helmet line with each word I spoke. She circled me once as I finished my explanation, then returned to her seat, clasping her hooves beneath her chin. “...Mr... Lucky Signs, was it,” she waited for my confirmation, “I have been part of the guard for some time now and I have been told all manner of stories, ranging from the mildly believable to the absolutely ludicrous. You're story... is absolutely crab-apples!” she shouted as she rose up, slamming one hoof into her desk and pointed the other at me. “You, a newcomer to Canterlot, happened to be in such a predicament and ended the situation without assistance! I don't know what they teach you back home, Lucky Signs, but here in Canterlot, taking the law into your own hooves is not acceptable! Apparently you knew that and decided to come up with a foalish story and thought that would get you off without consequence!” I backed up, sputtering, but found my way barred by my previous escort. He simply stood there, stone-faced and unmoving as the crazy mare jumped over her desk to jab her hoof directly into my face. She was still mid-tirade, “Shame on you! There are laws against such reckless behavior for a reason! No matter how sure of your own abilities you are, others could have been hurt!” She was fuming as she turned and began to pace back and forth in front of me, “I will not have the law of my city trampled underhoof by somepony like you, understand! You will be punished,” a leap over her desk with a light flap of her bat-like wings landed her in her seat again, “I will see to it that you are publicly-!” A flash of magic interrupted her as a small scroll landed in front of her. I was blinded by it long enough for her to have opened and read whatever message she had received. If the deepening scowl on her face was any indication, it wasn't good news. She confirmed as much when she looked up at me with malice in her gaze. “...it would seem... that we are at an impasse... my boss has seen fit to offer you a choice,” she practically hissed at me, “for your transgressions... here is your ultimatum... you can work off your charges by joining the guard as an auxiliary...” I blinked. Did she think I was crazy, “uh... not that the offer isn't generous, but what's the other option...?” She gave me a dangerous grin, full of evil. If this mare wasn't the second coming of Nightmare Moon, I didn't know what was. Her answer was just as terrifying, “the other option is that I get full choice of your punishment, the current letter of the law notwithstanding.” Apparently I was crazy, “Errr... well, where do I sign up?” That was how I ended up joining the Royal Guard of Canterlot.... Chapter 11: Rescue Mission, Part 1Night came much too soon for my liking. As Luna lifted the moon into the sky, I climbed out of bed and secured my chosen arsenal. The plan was a simple one: go in under the effects of the cloak, save any pony I found inside, and lead them out before whoever our foe was knew I was there. Even I didn't have much faith in it going so perfectly, but if I stopped now, I was going to lose my nerve. I couldn't stand the thought of two innocent foals becoming the victims of some monster... and I'll admit that guilt pushed me to find Stroke as well. I slid out of the inn quietly, pausing to re-orientate myself with Onyx's map and slipped toward the edge of town. Even with the cloak, I moved carefully and quietly, every nerve alive and every sense heightened. It felt like every shadow was a cloaked figure coming to strike me down and every noise was death approaching. I made it into the encroaching woods and slid on my night-eye goggles, squinting as the world lit up and the darkness receded into a low light. My hammering heart was an unsteady rhythm to push me forward and my breathing felt much too loud. I had a lot of ground to cover and not much time if Onyx's time table held true. Of course, that was assuming that I could even find this cave that the colt told me abou- Oh, hello gravity. I didn't see you there on the other side of that bush. I fell down a steep incline and scrambled to catch myself as I rolled. I wasn't sure how far I went, but my first instinct was to check my gear and make sure nothing had come lose during the fall. Everything was accounted for, but then I became dimly aware of a flickering light somewhere ahead of me. Sliding forward as quietly as I could, I went prone and peered through a bush in front of me. I noticed that the light was coming from an opening in a nearby hill and a wobbling figure staggered in the fire's glow. If the cloak was anything to go by, I'd found my destination. I looked back at my flank with a scowl and whispered, “Buck you too.” Somehow, the pony hadn't heard my fall... in fact it sounded like he was singing drunkenly. The off key notes eventually drew the attention of another cloaked figure that hurried into the light and seemed to be speaking rapidly. Drawing my cloak tight around myself, I slid forward, staying in their peripheral. Sneaking close enough, I caught the tail end of the conversation. “...who cares,” asked the drunken sod, “when the night reaches its zenith, she will drink the blood of her chosen and lead us into the eternal night. One stupid guard isn't going to stop that even if he was foolish enough to come here.” His companion, another stallion, reached over with a hoof and took something from the former. I assumed his poison of choice, “This is no time to get sloppy,” chided the sober one, “Royal Guards don't mess around. If we want the ritual to go off without a hitch, everypony needs to be doing their job. Yours is to keep watch and make sure we're not discovered.” Drunky snorted, “As if. Didn't you hear? The other one is as green as it gets and scared pissless. He ain't coming out here for anything. My thinkin' is that he'll wait for reinforcements before moving and Top Shot has it out for the stallion. He'll be dead before dawn.” “Regardless, nothing can be allowed to stop the ceremony. On top of that, they'll be here for the foals just after, so we need to be sure everything is ready. That means there's nopony out here to watch your sorry flank if you get jumped and don't sound the alarm. Keep your eyes open,” he flicked his hoof sideways and I heard a liquid hit the ground, “and lay off this swill.” Drunky had a few choice words for his companion, but the wiser stallion ignored him, retreating into the cave. So, in being dumb enough to come out here I'd dodged a bolt from this “Top Shot” pony. I wasn't sure if I should be happy about that or not. Either way, that wasn't my priority at the moment. It was comically easy to slip past the lookout between my cloak and his inebriation. Entering into the cave proper, I adjusted my goggles and looked around. The interior of the cave was dark, but a small light at the back drew me closer. A wall had been knocked down in the back and poking my head in revealed that the cave had been connected to a mine shaft of some kind. I groaned inwardly as I realized that I had three options: a path to my left and right with one more going forward. Spotting movement to my right, I caught sight of the more sober pony walking quickly toward the furthest end of the way. This one seemed to be checking up on others, so maybe he would lead me to where I needed to go? Slinking forward, I hurried after him as fast as I dared. The weakness of the cloak is that if somepony where to be actively looking for me they'd pierce the illusion and this stallion seemed to be tense and alert. Despite that, he was apparently on a mission as he continued to march past several openings. I was doing my best to mentally map the route, but realized very quickly that I didn't have the brain power for it, cursing myself. I was in it deep now. My unknowing guide finally broke off from the main path down a side shaft and I was forced to pause as he came upon another pony who seemed to be standing guard. Someone really needed to tell groups like the guard and these cultists that matching uniforms were really annoying. Huddling up against the wall, just in case, I tilted my ears to catch the conversation... “Hail, Nightborne.” Greeted the pony who'd been standing guard, giving my guide a small bow. So, he was higher up on the ladder than this stallion. It would make sense that he would be more invested in whatever they had going on. I wasn't sure if Nightborne was a name or a title considering the reverence it was given when said aloud. Either way, “Nightborne” simple gave a curt nod, “Is all in readiness? Our... ally will be along after the ceremony to collect them.” My ears perked up. Could they be talking about the foalnapped ponies? With any luck, I'd be able to round up both the foals and Silent Stroke in one go... well, any good luck. The guard nodded, “Yes, Nightborne. His delivery will be prepared for him by the time the ritual is complete,” there was a deep pause, before the guard sighed, “how long must we keep up this charade? That old fool is going too far this time.” The change in tone made me curious. Nightborne chuckled, “Let the old stallion have his moment. If he wants to believe that the thestral's blood will bring back his 'immortal queen' and rid us of the nuisance at the same time, it's no skin off our bones. We're almost done with this town anyways and then we'll be rid of him.” Thestral's blood? Stroke! What were these crazy ponies doing to him? It must have something to do with this “ritual” they'd been talking about. I was going to have to move fast because it sounded like my partner was in real danger. I shook my head, focusing. One problem at a time. Nightborne didn't keep me waiting long as he came back and I pressed up tight against the wall. I didn't dare breath as he slowed just in front of me, his ears flicking slowly from side to side. I could hear my heartbeat quickening. Had he discovered me? I couldn't afford to be caught just yet. I brought one hoof slowly to the sheath on the opposite foreleg, hovering just over the dagger there. I could swear that the blade shivered in delight... A second ticked by. Then another. Just when I was sure that I was going to have to do something drastic, a soft clack of stone on stone echoed from somewhere within the mine. Nightborne gave a start before shaking his head and striding away. I waited until he was long gone before letting out a sigh of relief. Stepping into the hallway once more, I crept toward the lone watchpony and wondered just what I was going to do. Sure, I'd been drilled in basic take-downs, but it was different in practice and I had never been a violent pony. I looked at my opponent, sizing him up. He was... barely out of foalhood. Sweet Celestia, he still had such a young look to him except for his eyes. His eyes were the kind that had experienced something that haunted him to this day. I couldn't bring myself to strike him. Suppressing a sound of displeasure, I lifting up onto my hindhooves and shimmied past the stallion as quietly as I could. The passage that he was guarding lead to a circular room. At one point, other paths had lead out of the room but had collapsed at some point, leaving only one way out. Off to one side I noticed what appeared to be a chamber pot and wrinkled my nose in disgust, but the other thing I noticed is what held my attention. Two foals, Buck Wild and Misty Trails, huddled together at the center of the room. Their eyes were bloodshot from tears shed and both of them looked haggered. Quickly, I pulled off my my Hoofring of Silence, activating the enchantment in the doorway so that I could speak with them privately. When I drew back my hood, the foals gasped and huddled closer to one another, staring at me fearfully. I sat on my haunches, smiling reassuringly at them, “Hey, I'm here to help,” I said softly, “Buck and Misty, right?” Their ears perked at their names, a small sparkle of hope appearing in their eyes. “How'd you know our names, mister?” Buck asked. I continued to smile as I sorted through bag, “Your mother is really worried about the two of you. Lone Star and her sent out a message to the Royal Guard to come find you and the others. Is anypony else here with you?” Misty answered me this time with a soft shake of her head, “It was just us for a while, but they brought in this scary looking pegasus that looked kind've like a bat.” I nodded, “That's my buddy, Silent Stroke. Do you know where they took him?” I finally found what I was looking for, fishing out the teleportation amulet. Misty shook her head, “He got into a fight with a couple of them, but they hurt him real bad,” tears were appearing in her eyes, “why are they doing this? We never hurt anypony!” she was verging on hysterics, but Buck stepped in, wrapping his hooves around his sister. He looked up at me with a determined look, “You're a Royal Guard, mister,” I nodded, “then... you're gonna make the bad ponies pay, right?” I couldn't dash his hopes, no matter how much I felt that fate was cheating by making a foal ask that question. Hey, I wasn't exactly lying when I told him I would. I'd already sent a message to the lieutenant and she would bring down the hoof of law on these psychos. For now I was content to help them escape and find Stroke. Gathering the two together, I looped the amulet string around them both. Thankfully, the enchantment would activate on anypony wearing it, so when I activated the amulet with the mental picture of Misty's room they vanished in a flash of light. That would make their mother's night, I'm sure. Retrieving my ring, I put my hood back up and stealthed past the guard again. I chuckled inwardly at the look I imagined would be on his face when he realized the foals were gone. In the meantime, I needed to find Stroke... before something bad happened to him... Chapter 23: DenialThankfully, I didn't wake up tied to a chair this time, but I did wake up to the wonderful smell of sterilization. Cracking open my eyes slowly, I found myself staring up at pastel white panels forming a ceiling. Beneath me, I could feel a mattress pressing against my sore skin. Groaning, I tried to sit up only to have a firm hoof stop me. “Stay still. Still recovering.” “Silent?” I asked in confusion, turning to see the thestral seated in a chair beside my bed. His neutral expression remained in place as he eased back into his chair. The rather large book next to him told me what he'd been doing prior to me waking up. He nodded to my question and started speaking in his usual way, “Multiple fractures, bruised and battered body, and near hypothermia,” he nodded at me, “still alive. Good job.” Tilting his head to one side, he parted his jaws and I watched as he issued a supersonic call. When he returned his attention to me, I asked the important question, “What happened?” The response I got in return was not encouraging. He shook his head, claiming, “others will tell you.” With nothing left to do as he returned to his reading, I let out a sigh and stared at the ceiling while we waited. It wasn't a long wait. The handle of the nearby door turned and permitted a few familiar faces to enter. The first was none other than Martial Cadence herself, followed by Agent Glass, but it was the final pony that caught me by surprise. Dawn Breeze finished off the group that came into my room and for a moment, I had the vague hope that maybe I could steal a kiss. It wasn't meant to be, however, as Martial came up beside my bed. She was looking at me with a peculiar expression. Then, to my surprise, she pulled off her helmet, letting her orchid mane cascade down her neck to where it terminated just over her shoulders. I have no idea how she hid it so well. “Lucky Signs, on behalf of the organization, I must apologize for the current state you find yourself in.” I stared at her. Who was this mare and what had she done with the lieutenant. I looked down at myself, taking in the bandages that covered most of my body. I assumed that some sort of numbing agent was in the cloth, because I couldn't feel much. “Okay, I'll bite,” I responded after a moment of thought, “what organization and why do you need to apologize on their behalf?” There was a collective hesitation among the assembled ponies that I didn't like. Glass looked at Martial, Martial looked at Dawn, and Dawn was trying to look anywhere that wasn't at me. Now, I wasn't the type of pony to be overly paranoid, but the entire situation here stank of conspiracy. It was Dawn that finally broke the silence, “We had thought that you would at least be safe in Canterlot proper. We knew that you were in a... critical point and didn't want to approach you until you'd had proper time to consider your own feelings. If we had acted sooner, we could have moved you somewhere that Sunslayer couldn't find you.” I let my gaze travel between the three mares, letting my brow raise higher and higher with each passing moment without an explanation. Finally, I had to ask, “Who is 'we?' And why does it sound like you all know something that I do not?” The three of them exchanged another look before nodding. In a flash, Glass cast a spell that settled over the room with the slight glow of magic. Earning my questioning look with that move, she told me, “Privacy spell, Rookie. Nothing major, we just don't need anypony out of the loop overhearing.” Martial took the lead now, standing rigidly at attention. It was something she did when she was uncomfortable, “Normally, we would be going through several more tests, but our time table has been drastically reduced. Lucky Signs, we are here now representing the Heavy Equestrian Response Division. No, you have not heard of them and if anypony asks, you still haven't. The HERD has had its eyes on you since the first incident here in Canterlot. We consist of ponies that may not be the strongest on a field of battle, but each individual possesses their own unique talents. Talents that can change the tide of things by their presence alone.” Dawn Breeze stepped forward, giving me a soft smile, “Coming from all walks of life, the HERD recruits ponies that we believe have nearly superpony abilities. On the surface, they don't look like much, but each of them can affect a mission before or during the active phase. We've been tracking reports of this Sunslayer for nearly a year now, but we'd never had the breakthroughs we needed until you entered the picture. Lucky,” she stepped forward and took my hoof in her own, “the HERD needs you.” At any other time, I was sure that I would have been putty in her hooves. Right at that moment, however, I'd just survived an attempt on my life. Specifically my life. I'd never had anyone dislike me with that kind of passion before and I wasn't sure how to deal with it. So, when I pulled my hoof back, they all looked at me in shock, “No.” I stated simply, feeling my emotions shut down. I hated the feeling, but it was just something I did whenever I was feeling overwhelmed for one reason or another. I turned away from them, looking out the window nearby at the clear sky beyond it with a shudder. Immediately a trio of voices were shouting various things at me, but I ignored them. I'd served my time. All I wanted was to not get wrapped up in something that was over my head again. They few times that I'd done anything worthwhile had been times where I'd had no other choice. I'd give them the information that I knew, but that was it. I was done. I'd go play dead and never show my face again. Strangely enough, it was Silent Stroke that boomed the loudest, “SILENCE!” he roared. The three mares froze like he'd cast a spell on them. In his own strange way, Stroke berated them, basically explaining all the things that were going on in my head. Well, most of them, but I wasn't going to stop him when he was on a roll. I missed the vast majority of him quickly shooting down attempts to convince me. By the time that I tuned back in, he was shooing all three of them out the door. He made as if to follow them out, but turned an eye toward me, “Lucky. You've done enough. No one blames you. Just desperate. Go home, while you can...” There was a sadness in his voice as he left the room... ** Unfortunately, it wasn't as easy as just leaving. The doctors were sure to inform me that I wasn't going anywhere until they were sure I wasn't going to keel over the second I stood up. It was a wonder how I managed to avoid fatal injuries from being pummeled, dropped into an icy cavern, and nearly frozen solid. In the end I was going to have to stick around for a few days, but I made it very apparent that I didn't want anypony working for the Royal Guard or its subdivisions visiting me. I felt tired. Tired and, much to my displeasure, scared. Even without my request, they had decided to make sure that I had a group of guards all around my room. I could see pegasi flying outside and a pair of unicorns scanned all the doctors that came to check on me thoroughly. You would have thought that I was some sort of secret weapon for all the precautions they took to keep any assassins from sneaking in. I'll admit that after a while, I was starting to go stir crazy. Corium even came by on the second day to see me. He'd heard through the grapevine that I had been seriously injured, but for some reason, that wasn't what caused him to pause at the door. He and I both knew what he was feeling as he stopped there with on hoof raised. He'll never know how grateful I was that he didn't ask about it. He let me have my thoughts and keep them to myself as we chatted about random bits that had happened in Los Pegasus. When he left, I was still staring at the ceiling tiles, wanting to just wake up and realize that everything over the past few months had been a bad dream. Speaking of dreams, I could feel my eyelids starting to droop. I remember thinking that it was odd, since it was still daytime outside, but I couldn't resist the urge. Closing my eyes, I slipped blissfully into unconsciousness.... ** I was back on the old farm. Just the way it had looked so many years ago before the land was sold. I don't know why, but I was seated in the back of my wagon, staring out over the fields that stood between me and the house. It was a simple thing, a three-room, one story house made of wood. My ears flicked as I scanned over the waving grain, catching movement between the stalks. I trembled there, unwilling to move. Fear, real fear, closed in around me like a noose. I could hear Sunslayer's voice, see the rage filled eyes of Storm through the gaps in crops, and feel the cold that settled in all around me. Then I heard hoofsteps. Clear and gentle, but firm and commanding. As they drew closer, the field stilled. Silence came upon the air, warmth filled my body, and I could forget how much that little mare hated me. I could sense somepony standing behind me, but I didn't want to turn. To turn around was to admit something... to them and myself. It hurt because I didn't know what it was I was admitting. “...look at me.” came the soft-spoken order and I could feel the sheer weight of the presence behind me. She was strong, stronger than I could ever be and we both knew it. I looked down at my hooves, shaking as I clenched my eyes shut. “I...I can't...” “Yes you can. Look at me.” “No... I can't... if I do...” “You'll see the truth?” “...Yes...” “...I understand your fear. I truly do, but now is not the time for fear, Lucky Signs... turn... look at me.” I couldn't ignore or disobey her for multiple reasons. As much as I didn't want to, I could feel my body turning to face her as tears slid through the gaps in my eyelids. I had never felt more scared in my life and not knew why. All I knew was that if I looked at her, she was going to make me face it. “Open your eyes...” I'm stallion enough to admit that I was sobbing as I slid my eyes open. As the wavy vision I had cleared, I looked upon a mare as tall as Martial, but twice as confidant. She looked down upon me with a firm, but gentle look as her blue eyes regarded me. A piece of the night sky graced her features in place of a mane and the black regalia marked her for the royalty she was. Princess Luna, Diarch of the Night, Shepard of the Moon, and Co-ruler of Equestria looked upon me and I knew... I knew that I was going to break...
Chapter 2: Shout Until the Luck Runs Out!I looked ridiculous. There was no other word for somepony of my stature being outfitted with standard issue armor. I looked like a colt trying on his father's best suit. Adding on to that, the anonymity spell placed on the armor that made all guardsponies of standard ranks, or in my case auxiliaries, have matching white coats and blue manes was not flattering to me. The worst part, however, was the addition to my hoof. A magically linked locator ring was secured tightly around it. If there was any doubt that I was essentially a prisoner in armor, that was going to squash them pretty quickly. The devil-mare herself had secured it, just short of cutting off blood flow, before tasking my escort with seeing me to the armory for outfitting. The ponies there were... less than thrilled with me. From what I could gather from their mutterings, I was “so scrawny that they'd have to make a new measurement for my sorry flank.” Apparently if you aren't built like a monster, you're too small in their eyes. Hopefully that meant that I could go home by not meeting the standards? Why do I think thoughts like that? Since I couldn't fit into the armor as I was, my... friendly escort decided to introduce me to somepony else. If Lt. Cadence was the overmare of Tartarus, this stallion was her eager lap dog, feeding on the misery of everypony around him. Drill Sergeant Booming Skies was about as friendly as a watchdog, glowering at me as my situation was explained to him. In short, the muscle-bound pegasus was put in charge of me and he gave me a short description of how my life was going to go. I was given a bunk in the barracks and a curfew of sundown. In his words, “If you're caught outside after curfew, then you'll deal with me in the morning and the LT in the evening.” I'd had enough of that mare for one lifetime, so sundown sounded good. Letters had been dispatched back home to tell my family and boss that I wasn't coming back anytime soon. Sergeant “Boomer” was given a month to turn me into a “proper stallion.” The way he phrased that to me made me worry for a number of reasons. When I was finally released to enter the barracks, I was tired and worried, but I didn't get to end my day on a neutral note. Stepping into the cramped quarters, I was met with the steel-eyed stares of several ponies twice my size and four times my muscle weight. Each and every one of them was a creature bred for this, whether they had hooves, horns, or wings. Not a single one of them looked away from me or said a word as I slowly worked my way over to the empty bottom bunk at the far end of the barracks. I would grow to hate those stone walls with high set windows in time. As it was, I was all too eager to climb into bed as the sun vanished beneath the distant horizon. ** A sudden cacophony of noise startled me from my sleep. Startled, I instinctively flung myself away from the sound and slammed into the floor, tangled in my sheets. Around me, career guards in training shot to their hooves standing stiffly at attention while the pine green form of Booming Skies entered. His voice definitely lived up to the first part of his name. “Rise and shine, colts, it's a fine day for a run,” the monster given pony flesh came to a halt before my bunk and looked down at me, “Recruit, get on your hooves! Nopony authorized you a Discord-damned security blanket!” I don't know what they fed these stallions, but the sergeant clipped his teeth to the sheets and gave one firm tug that not only yanked it away but also sent me spinning like a top. Staggering to my feet, I stumbled a bit and had to cross my front legs while the world was spinning. Remember how I said this sergeant fed on misery? I didn't even get a second to figure myself out before he was yelling at me, “Sweet, merciful Celestia, recruit, where did you learn to stand!?” I didn't think before answering, “On a planet that wasn't spinning, sir.” Never answer a rhetorical question. “Well, would you look at that,” he shouted with enough spittle to fill a small river, “we've got a damned comedian here! Well, Chuckles, maybe you'd like to make me laugh!? Go on, tell me another joke! Let's see what you've got!” I wisely kept my mouth shut as he continued to scream at me. When he finally got tired of verbally abusing me, we were ushered outside to the training field, or as I like to call it, the Field of Agony. Roughly one hundred yards from end to end, the oval shaped arena of doom had a dirt path running its perimeter while the center was dominated by various methods of torture that they liked to call an obstacle course. The domain of Booming Skies himself. The crazy pegasus had taken wing at some point, hovering above us with his military cut mane that matched his fur, “Let's go, colts,” I had to look around and make sure there weren't any mares in the group; there were not, “twenty laps! Move those hooves!” So, not only was evil, he was also crazy. No pony could possibly run that many- and the career soldiers were off. Not wanting to gain further shouting, I hurried after them and onto the track. Holy immortal sisters, I thought I had built up stamina doing my runs as a delivery colt, but these guards-in-training were machines! Five laps into it, my breathing was so ragged that I could feel every fiber of my being burning and they kept going like it was nothing. Lagging behind was not even close to describing what I was doing as the front of this thundering herd lapped me. I was pretty sure that I was dying and I didn't even get the luxury of doing so in peace. Somewhere around the third lap, I had gained a loud, overgrown bird shouting insults at me as I ran. There was no pity in the stallion above me and the only thing that kept me from throwing in the towel and submitting to the punishment of the court was the shark-like smile of Martial Cadence. To be fair, I did more than I expected, reaching the seventh lap before my legs gave out on me and I slammed into the dirt. No sympathy came from the other recruits. They took my fall in stride and simply hopped over me to continue their runs which made me think that this had happened before. The only one to give me any indication that he'd seen me fall was the sergeant, whom continued to shout “encouragement” at me. “What in Tartarus are you doing, recruit!? Get back on your hooves unless you want to give me thirty laps!” I wanted to shout and curse him out for his insanity. I was just a mortal stallion that had never wanted to be here! I just didn't have the energy to argue. Under the loving chorus of hernia-inducing vocal stress, I pushed myself to my feet and shambled my way along the course. Fear is a great motivator and it occurred to me that if I didn't just get up and continue that the LT had been given hours to consider how best to abuse me. Listening to the sergeant scream increasingly vulgar and demeaning things at me was probably only a one on the scale of things that she would do to me. Not that I had the spare energy to comprehend what he was saying fully. It was all I could do to continue putting one hoof in front of the other. I got a momentary reprieve as I wobbled my way to my ninth lap when he darted to the real recruits and ordered them onto the obstacle course before returning to my side. I felt a cold dread creeping into me as he stopped yelling. He was just staring at me as he hovered at a sedate pace. I don't know what was going through the head of his, but his voice sent a rush of fear through me, “Recruit... you're not cut out for this. Wash out. The Lieutenant's punishment is going to be easier than this.” I panicked. “NO!” I shouted. The word continued to flow from my lips as adrenaline shot into my system. I was running again and everything was blurring together. I could almost hear the subtle hiss of the thestral behind me, an unspoken promise of everything she could think of. It may have just been the rush of wind in my ears as I broke into a full gallop. I'm not sure how many laps I completed on the shock factor alone, but it didn't matter much. Somewhere in my mad dash, my legs slammed together and I went tumbling sideways. Now, the edges of the Field of Agony were slanted, meaning a fall like this lead toward the center. Toward the obstacle course. Caught in my own momentum, I couldn't stop myself from suddenly being in the middle of it all. The first section turned out to be a series of evenly placed barrels to make a pony have to dive through them and train up their agility. I tried to skid to a stop, but gravity was making me its toy as I spun and threw up my hooves in terror. From the outside perspective, I guess it looked like I decided to cartwheel between the barrels. I was so dizzy by the end of it that my hooves slid out from under me and I went flat on the ground. Now, somewhere along the line, somepony decided that it wasn't enough to just have to crawl under barbed wire on solid dirt. To fix that, a pegasus, whom I strongly believed I knew personally, had poured rain water on it and turned it to mud. This gave me a perfectly slick ground to slide across on my belly. Somehow I managed not to nick myself on the barbs, but I couldn't stop. Thanks to one of the horrible laws of motion, I was still going fast enough that the short ramp to the next part couldn't bleed enough speed as I was thrown into open air. I flailed, nostrils flaring in alarm, before one of my hooves found something to grab onto and I clung to the braided rope in front of me for all I was worth. I couldn't cling hard enough though, and as the rope whip-cracked at the end of the swing, I was pitched forward and sent somersaulting down the downward ramp. I wasn't sure what I rolled into, but it sent me into the air and over the high wall, floundering about as I passed over the hurdles from the same jump before finally coming to a rolling stop a bit further down. The silence was deafening as I recovered from my latest fiasco. The sound of wings flapping came just before hooves hit dirt next to me and I looked up. Sergeant Booming Skies was looking at me like I'd just grown a second head and I couldn't really blame him. Hopefully this was the point that he realized just how clumsy I was and confirmed my story to the lieutenant so I could just go home. He dashed my hopes entirely as his shocked look faded into a thoughtful one. After a moment, he nodded to himself before turning toward the recruits, whom had paused to watch my disaster in the making. Some of them even were standing there slack-jawed as they stared at me. The sergeant took a deep breath, “Well, colts!? Are you gonna let the newbie show you up!? MOVE THOSE HOOVES,” the spell broke and they returned to obstacle course with renewed vigor as he looked to me, “and you... if I catch you holding back on me again, I'll have you on latrine duty for a month! Now hit the showers!” “D...don't I still owe you laps?” I asked, hoping to prove that it was all a fluke. He simply glowered at me, “If you want to run another twenty laps, you do it tomorrow, glory-hound! Showers, NOW!” He didn't have to tell me again...
Chapter 3: Then It Got WorseOver the next few days, the sergeant made good on his threat when I couldn't give him a repeat performance. Many good brushes were sacrificed to latrine duty and he seemed eager to push me beyond my limits each time. Not that it didn't get results. I'd never bulked up like this before and by the end of the second week, I was looking less lanky than I did when I started. It didn't help that every time I faltered, he liked to remind me of that psycho mare waiting in the wings to do horrible things to me. I'll admit that when I finally reached the point where twenty laps didn't feel like they were going to kill me, the exercise just started to become routine. I barely thought about it when we reached the third week of training and not much was left of the simple country colt... unless you count my sarcasm still existing. I just kept it internal now. About halfway through the third week, we started having to do the running and obstacle course in full armor. Thankfully, I filled it up just enough to satisfy the armory ponies, though I still didn't match it like some of the stallions around me. Speaking of them, it turns out that I made no friends with my accidental performance. Most of them hated me because it forced the sergeant to push them all a little harder, but most of that was simmering resentment. It was the overachievers that deeply hated me. A group of them cornered me at the end of the first week and gave me “a talk.” Of course, they couldn't physically hurt me or the sergeant would have had their flanks, but that didn't mean they had to play nice. From their perspective, I was a lazy colt who didn't have the proper respect for the guard. It was ludicrous. They wanted to stove my head in... because they thought I wasn't giving it all I had, “as a proper guard should.” Trying to explain myself to them was like trying to bring down a brick wall with my forehead. Needless to say, they took it upon themselves to screw with me every chance they got. An extended leg here to trip me, a soft push to force me to the ground there. If only it worked as they intended, but true to form, my Discord-damned “luck” loved to make them look like fools. An unintended somersault putting me ahead of them or a sudden slip into a slide that helped me dodge one of the airborne balls thrown from a pegasus sniper added midway through week two. Yeah, I had no allies on the Field of Agony, but after a while I couldn't help but take a measure of humor from their scowls. I was finally getting into the habit of doing things intentionally at this point, but then Sergeant Boomer had to go and throw me a curve ball. It was the final day of the third week of this glimpse into Tartarus when he called us to attention. Hovering in front of our neat rows of armored stallions, he raised his voice, “Alright colts, so far I haven't been able to convince any of you pathetic whelps to leave.” He paused here to give me a scathing look. “But now we're in the last stretch, and you're going to have an audience! As much as I find it pointless, the upper echelon likes to have a look at the newest members of the guard after I've roughed them up. So, starting tomorrow, whoever feels like watching me grind you miserable sods into the dirt is gonna get front row seats to a place worse than Tartarus!” Boomer slammed one hoof against the other, “So that means we're gonna need something more than this piss awful stomping ground! Well, it just so happens that the Night Guard has graciously allowed all of you to make idiots out of yourselves in their personal course, the Shadow Run,” I heard sharp intakes of breath all around me and the devilish grin on Boomer's face told me what I needed to know, “oh, so some of you have heard of it!? Well make sure to let the less informed know what kind of hellfire they're stepping in to tomorrow!” I wasn't going to get any information directly, so I simply listened as we were hastened to the showers. What I heard was not good. Everything from the “Shadow Run” being a never ending maze to it being a piece of the underworld was being tossed back and forth. There were even a few whispered comments about it possibly being the death of me specifically. Well, that was a lovely thought to head to bed on... ** The next day started like so many before it; we woke to the sound of the trumpet and jumped out of bed. A quick bout of shouting from the sergeant and we were off to our morning run. That's where things started to get different. Instead of heading to the track, we were put in two even columns and marched away from the barracks and onto the street proper of Canterlot. Keeping time with a steady clip-clopping of steel covered hooves, we marched our way through a barren trade district. Normal ponies were just starting to rise with the sun while we were being herded toward the entertainment district. That was not a good sign. It was made even worse as we all realized that we were being lead toward a massive, domed building decorated with the purple banner of the Night Guard. The violet eye on each banner seemed to judge all of us as we passed into the tunnel entrance set aside from the main doors. Several ponies stumbled as we kept marching while our eyes adjusted, myself included. The interior of the structure was dark and lit only by torchlight as we stepped further in. Various paths lead away from our path, but we continued forward, approaching the center of the building. There, it finally opened up and now that our eyes were properly adjusted, we could only gape at what was before us. The positively cavernous room dwarfed the Field of Agony by at least triple the size. The only problem was that as much as it looked like the field we were used to, it had absolutely nothing in it. It was just a massive open field with a track around the edge. I wasn't the only one confused if the murmuring around me meant anything. A sharp whistle drew our attention upwards and as one massive group, we realized that we were surrounded by spectator seats. Five figures sat up the darkness, but a splice of light illuminated the single mare I didn't want to see today. Martial Cadence, fully equipped in armor, gazed down at us with a disgusted look on her face, “Listen up recruits,” her voice didn't boom like the sergeant's, but I was sure we could all hear her, “I'm not a patient mare, so I better not have to repeat myself. Welcome to the Shadow Run, Princess Luna's pride and joy! You may notice that the equipment you're used to isn't here. Well, that's because the Shadow Run is unlike anything you've ever faced before and separates the fillies and colts from the mares and stallions!” She took to the air, the strange light seeming to follow her as she hovered over the empty field. She took a second to observe the formation of armor-clad, white-furred stallions before continuing, “This coarse is designed to train your ability to think and react on the fly. From start to finish, the course is covered in illusion magic to hide the obstacles from you until you come up to them. On top of that, once you enter the field, you will find yourselves under a vision limiting enchantment, so you won't be able to judge what to do by observing those in front of you!” A cascade of uncertain conversations broke out between the recruits around me and I'll admit that my already shot nerves were now on overdrive. This whole thing felt impossible! We were supposed to run blindly into the Shadow Run and hope for the best!? No, we would have all week to learn the course and adjust to it, right? As if she could read my mind, the evil mare decided to shatter my hopes, “Not only that, but each run will be different for you every day! You only get one shot at the Shadow Run each day. Fail to overcome an obstacle, you're out. Refuse to try, you're out. Attempt to cheat, you're out. You have seven days to complete a single run of the course, or you wash out! Any questions?” Oh, there were plenty, but there was no stallion eager to earn the ire of the mare before them so they stayed silent. Her eyes slid over the crowd and I swear they lingered on me for a moment longer than the others. She couldn't possibly identify me, could she? Her gaze continued without incident, “Very well. Sergeant Skies,” the sergeant snapped her a crisp salute, “fill in the rest of the details.” With that, she flew back to her seat and the light faded away, leaving her as just another silhouette in the background. Boomer drew our attention with his familiar shouting, “Listen up, colts! You heard the mare's rules, now here's mine: first rule, there will be a ten second count between each start, going one by one. You keep pushing forward, no matter what. If you stop to wait for a fellow recruit, I will personally throw you out!” He began to pace in front of us, his eyes firmer than normal, “Second: No matter who shows up in those stands today, you are to remain focused. I don't care if the princesses themselves were to show up, keep your eyes forward and don't show off! You're professionals, damn it, and if you embarrass the guard today, I'll have you hung from the gates by your tails!” He came to a stop in front of us and let loose a shout like never before, “And third: make us proud colts! Succeed or fail, only the brave few make it this far, but only the fiercest few make it past this! You all came here for different reasons, but today you stand on the precipice of victory! FOR EQUESTRIA!!” “FOR EQUESTRIA!” thundered back fifty-one voices full of pride and eagerness. I couldn't get myself to give out an equal shout. I was terrified and replaying his words in my head. The princesses could just decide to march in her and watch me look stupid?! What could I possibly do in my life to make it worse than that!? I took a deep breath to calm myself. The princesses were the rulers of Equestria and had better things to do than come watch this disaster in the making. He was just saying that to emphasize a point. Sweet Celestia, it was the most encouraging speech he'd ever given to this lot and each of them looked ready to dive into a dragon's mouth at his command. I sighed, realizing that my luck wasn't going to help me here. There was going to be no one to trip me into a victorious roll here. I splayed my ears back across my skull, realizing that I'd been played. There was no way I was going to do this and a wash out meant that the devil-mare currently in the stands was going to get her hooves on me. I should probably see if they'll give me time to write my last will and testament... Nevertheless, it was already too late to turn back since I was in the middle of the pack as we lined up single file. A soft hum built in our ears as the area of the field just within the track began to fill with a darkness that seemed to swallow light. It was darker than dark; that's the only way I could explain it. It created a uniform box that rose up a good thirty-five yards and blocked our vision of anything within. I gulped, an action mirrored by a few more stallions now feeling a little less sure of themselves. Somewhere up ahead of us, Boomer shouted “GO!” and the first victim dove throw the wall of shadow and vanished from sight. Just before the second stallion was good to go, we all heard it. It was a scream that no mortal stallion should ever make. A thing of terror that shook us to our core. Fifty more stallions now had the hesitation I'd been feeling since the beginning. Boomer simply glanced up at the pony in front of him and said something, looking like he hadn't heard that terrifying noise. The recruit said something in return. I couldn't make out the words, but the shrill disbelief was clear, but Boomer simply spat a few terse words at him and motioned for him to step aside. The third recruit, one of the overachievers squared his shoulders and jumped as soon as Boomer gave him the “Go.” Three more recruits followed suit before another cry of alarm echoed through the building. Thus began a steady process of a few stallions going for it, followed by one or two that would refuse to move. My heart hammered in my chest as I drew closer and closer to the barrier. Boomer looked up at me as I took position at the head of the line. His gaze was stone and his voice was ice, “This is your last chance, Lucky Signs,” I tensed up; he never used my name, “drop out. The Shadow Run eats colts like you for breakfast.” I wanted to. Oh, I desperately wanted to do just that and run screaming from this place. In fact, I even started to turn my head to join the others that had refused to enter the Shadow Run when I looked up. I couldn't see her eyes, but I knew that Martial Cadence was staring right at me. I couldn't see her face, but I knew a fang-filled grin was leering down at me. I couldn't read her mind, but I doubted that the Shadow Run could do anything to me that she couldn't do worse. I froze, slowly putting my hoof down as I turned back toward the barrier. Boomer didn't say anything, but his brow raised questioningly. He shook his head when I didn't answer his unspoken question and counted down from ten under his breath. Each ticking second made me tense. I had seven days to avoid that delusional mare's wrath. 3... 2... 1... “Go!” Boomer shouted and even as I sprang forward, I looked back at the other recruits with what was probably the most demented smile they'd ever seen. I was probably going to die and the only thing I could think to shout back at them was seriously stupid... “Wish me luck!!” Then I was gone into darkness...
Chapter 4: The Shadow Run, Part 1Darkness enveloped me and I hesitated for a moment. True to the mare-from-tartarus' words, my vision was limited to little more than a few paces from my own body and everything beyond was just an endless void. There was nothing to mark the course except for the white arrow painted on the ground, urging me forward. As much as I didn't want to, I had to press forward. It was... eerily quiet. No labored breathing except my own, no screams of the poor souls in front of me. I felt alone. The kind of alone that fills the heart with dread and makes mindless fear into an understatement. I shook my head, unable to afford the hesitation. The next stallion would be coming soon and if I was still here, I wouldn't put it past Sergeant Boomer to make good on his threat and throw me out. If that happened, I didn't think I would have the guts to make a second attempt... I broke into a brisk trot, moving as quickly as I dared with my limited vision. It felt like ages went by before I came upon something. I'll admit, it wasn't what I expected. There before me was a cart. Not just any cart; it was my delivery cart. I would know the various scratches, the lean on the left wheel, and the chafing harness anywhere. Did they bring this all the way here just to mess with me? The sound of trotting hooves hit my ears and I panicked. I'd spent too long looking at the cart and the pony behind me was closing in. Shaking my head, I hopped over the cart and broke into a canter, keeping my ears and eyes alert for signs of the first obstacle. I wandered for a few minutes wondering why this walk was taking so long. Where was the first obstacle? Was the field just as empty as it had looked? If so, why were so many of the stallions shouting in terror? There were too many questions and not enough answers. That's when I came across my cart again. I stopped in confusion, blinking like an owl. I cursed under my breath. I had walked in a circle. I was assuming that the spectators had some way of seeing inside and they had just watched me make an imbecile out of myself. I swore softly in the encroaching darkness as I heard hooves approaching again. Maybe if I hurried, they wouldn't accuse me of anything and I could at least make it to the first hurdle without getting disqualified. This time I broke into a gallop as I charged into the darkness, intending to either hit the course or the edge of the barrier. A few more minutes passed, only the thudding of my hooves to keep me company as I squinted in a vain attempt to see further. I tripped over my cart now. I groaned, rolling back to my feet, staring at the aged wood in disbelief. Reaching out, I poked it, flinching as the echo of hoof on wood echoed in the darkness. This was spooky. More hoofsteps in the shadows. At this point, I didn't care about being thrown out, I needed answers. I waited. What suddenly appeared in my circle of vision made me gasp. It was me. Well, not me exactly. Colt me. From years ago; a time before I had my Cutie Mark. The younger me had his eyes squeezed firmly shut as he jumped up into the back of the cart and before my eyes, the stains and wear of age faded, leaving it in pristine condition... just like it had been before it was mine. I could only sit there, watching myself cry as my brain tried to restart. I... remembered this day. I'd been one of the last foals in my class to get a Cutie Mark and like so many before me, I'd been subject to ridicule as a “blank flank.” More often than not, I came to this place to be alone; this cart parked at the edge of my grandfather's fields... There he was, stepping out of the void, just as I remembered the brown, old stallion. Sturdy in his old age, my grandfather, Plum Tucker, had always been an easygoing old coot. As a colt, I couldn't appreciate the wisdom that he carried in his steps as his wrinkled face turned up in an understanding smile. He met the teary-eyed gaze of my younger self and gently patted him on the head before moving around to hitch himself up to the cart. Words weren't needed for the two of us to communicate. Getting carried around the old farm had always calmed me down and his presence had been... deeply appreciated. In a daze, I could only fall in stride with him as he moved forward, leading me through the dark. Just like he always had. It was then that his kind old eyes fell on me. As in the me currently armored from head to tail. He still had that smile for me as he spoke, “Remember a time like this, Lucky? It was easier, wasn't it?” He looped one leg over my shoulders, pulling me close as he walked with me. I could only look back toward the younger me with a dry chuckle, “Y...yeah... I used to be in such a hurry to get my Cutie Mark... then I got it and I...,” I took a deep breath, wanting to lose myself in this moment, but something urged me to ask, “Gramps... what is this? You...” I choked on the next word. His smile faded into a gentle frown, “...Died, Lucky. It's okay to be honest with yourself. Merciful Celestia, it's one of the virtues of harmony to be so. Honest with yourself and others.” He went quiet and I became aware that the world around me was growing steadily brighter. Looking ahead, I gasped again. My grandfather's field spread out before me, reaching over the hill just beyond it and down to the river hiding there. It was as breathtaking as I remembered and I felt my eyes water as nostalgia took over me. This farm had been my constant source of peace... before... The creak of wheels coming to a stop drew my attention as Tucker unhitched himself and looked at me with a sad smile. Gesturing back toward the field, he sighed, “This is your first obstacle, Lucky,” I stared and he chuckled, tapping his head, “up here, you're still stuck around this old place... I'm flattered, but,” he gestured back toward the cart and the gently slumbering foal within, “eventually, the old has to give way to the new...” Shadowy figures appeared not far from the two of us and I heard a whispered conversation that broke occasionally... “...has passed on, there's little reason to keep holding the land...” “...was his pride and joy, and Lucky...” “...is for the good of the family, dear...” I felt my breath hitch. After my grandfather's passing, my parents had been approached by a rich stallion. A complete scumbag. He'd come to them in a moment of weakness, since we were low on bits and couldn't pay the upkeep for the farm, they ended up selling the farm to him... my place of solace. I cocked my head to look to my grandfather only to be met with a simple gravestone. My eyes widened as I read the words etched into its surface: Here lies Plum Tucker, Doting Husband, loving father, and encouraging grandfather. May he rest in peace. I was breathing heavy now as the sky darkened, filling the pure blue with fiery reds and oranges. What in Tartarus was going on here!? A familiar weight appeared on my shoulders and I reached up to touch the harness securing me to the cart and a glance over my shoulder showed that the younger version of myself was still sound asleep. A flickering light drew my attention further back and I felt my eyes widen. A massive inferno rose like a wall of rage and death not far behind me and a whinny like the call of a damned soul sounded from it. The fire whipped and parted before the shimmering image of a pony with a body of smoke and embers, burning eyes staring down at me. A moment passed, my mind, body, and soul all frozen in place as a massive hoof was lifted, trailing flashes of the blaze. Move forward... Run. My grandfather's voice shot through my broken thoughts and I couldn't ignore those instructions. Slamming my hooves into the dirt, I shot forward as fast as I could, barely avoiding the slam of a volcanic limb where I'd been before. Strangely, all I could think of was all the horrible things I was going to say to the lieutenant and sergeant if I survived this. I was in the farm proper now and another glance behind me confirmed that the monster was still in pursuit. Its movements were slow and deliberate, the sheer size of it allowing it to keep just behind me. The acrid scent of smoke hit my nose as its fiery body set the field ablaze. Sadness hit me like a yak at full sprint. As pumped full of adrenaline and fear as I was, it somehow wormed its way into the cracks and settled like a weight on my heart. My already labored breathing got worse, my lungs seemingly refusing to pull in the necessary oxygen. It felt like my legs were turning to stone with how heavy they were getting. An ember touched my back, forcing me to give a startled yelp and look up. I was certainly glad that I hadn't drank anything yet, or I might have pissed myself as I stared up at the pillar of blazing doom hovering above me, ready to descend and crush me. I tried to run, only for my legs to scrape uselessly against the dirt, unable to move the weight behind me. Looking back forced a curse from my throat. My legs might have metaphorically turned to stone, but the cart had literally turned to stone. What sort of messed up place was this Shadow Run!? There was no way I could manage to unhitch myself fast enough to avoid the monster above me, but I had to try. I scrambled for the fastenings, fumbling with them in a panic. “Whoa, whoa, whoa!” came a startled cry from the cart and I looked back just in time to see “me” falling from the cart. The small colt had experienced the mother of all growth spurts... and gained that cursed Cutie Mark somewhere along the lines. As he fell, flailing wildly, his hind hoof kicked something into the air, firelight glinting off of polished metal. My grandfather's sickle came down in an arc and I tensed, twisting my body to avoid the sharp blade as it came down. Slice. I blinked, looking down at the severed lengths of harness that had been holding me to the cart for a moment. Only a moment, since another ember decided to tap me on the flank and remind me of the mortal danger above me. I moved to break into a gallop only to hear my younger self groan. He was still laying on the ground, holding his head in a daze. I'm not sure what possessed me to dart back and scoop him up onto my back before making my mad dash for safety. He was so dazed that he didn't fight it or question it, but as he looked back, I heard him give a startled squeak. He wrapped his hoof on my back, “We have to go back! That's grandpa's farm!” I stumbled as a painful memory surfaced at those words... Standing in front of my parents, not understanding why they weren't stopping the ponies destroying his farm. Shouting, screaming, and begging while my parents tried to calm me down. It didn't belong to them, no matter what a piece of paper said! I grit my teeth, tears stinging my eyes from both the billowing smoke and the weight on my heart. Move forward... “Not anymore, colt,” I said through my teeth, forcing my legs to keep moving, “he's not... not there anymore...” A flash of light in front of me lit the darkened world and I raced for it, plunging into the rip in reality before I could think about it...
Chapter 5: The Shadow Run, Part 2I flopped onto the cold earth with all the grace of a dying fish. I was out of breath and scared, pissed, and relieved all at the same time as I took in the stone walls of the Night Guard's building, “What the buck was that!?” I shouted a few octaves louder than normal, but I didn't care. Whirling around, I looked up into the stand, ready and eager to say a number of horrible things to Martial Cadence. Only she wasn't there. Nopony was here. I was left to scan the empty building in confusion. The shadowy box was gone, leaving the field open and bare. No recruits running through some gauntlet of the damned, no sergeant cursing out a line of ponies, and no observers. Just me, alone in the equivalent of a dark castle. I rose to my hooves, the clanking of my armor the only thing breaking the silence. Did everypony go home and forget about me here? I snorted, beginning my journey back to the entrance with every intention of telling them all off, consequences be damned. I was ten steps from the tunnel when a metal gate slammed into place before me, cutting me off. I jumped backwards on instinct only for my back hooves to catch together and send me flank over head. Just in time too as something struck dirt where I'd been a moment ago. The lance that was buried in the dirt up to its cross-guard was a couple stallions in length and the mare that descended to it was the incarnation of evil itself. Martial Cadence retrieved her weapon in a flourish, transferring it from hoof to wing in a single motion where it stayed balanced on her outstretched wings. After realizing that she'd been aiming for me, I shouted, “What the buck are you doing, you psycho!?” Her answer made the blood in my veins freeze. “Killing you.” Then she was airborne. Looking back on it now, I have to admit that there was a lethal beauty to her movements. Lance and mare moved as one being as it twirled off of her wings to her waiting hoof. Curling it up against her body, she dove like a hunting falcon and it was all I could do just to roll to the side and avoid becoming an ornament for her blade. Then I was forced to keep rolling like an obedient dog as she struck with the speed of a viper again and again. Thankfully, the curve of the room made up for my lack of grace and kept me just ahead of the seeking weapon as my old friend, Gravity, asserted itself. A friend that she didn't exactly care for, seeing how she gave a short hop to get into the air again. Where had she come from!? I could have sworn that the entire room was empty a second ago. Was she some kind of ninja on top of being a demon in pony form? At least her frenzied assault had paused for the moment as she hovered above me, staring down at me impassively. “Well? Will you not defend yourself,” she questioned, starting to circle me, forcing me to turn and keep her in my sights, “or will you die helplessly?” I wanted to snort. How did she think I was going to protect myself without a weapon? Strike that, even if I had a weapon, a few weeks of drills would never put me in the ballpark of contending with her. She had to be toying with me. “Come on, Lieutenant, I beat your little Shadow Run! I didn't wash out, so I'm still working for the guard; you don't get to punish me yet!” I was grasping at straws. Why was she suddenly so actively aggressive? Sure, she wasn't exactly a fan of me, but I'll give her that she hadn't been trying to behead me from the start. At the time, she'd been treating me like a foal who had misbehaved. My statement earned me a knowing smirk as she flicked her weapon across her shoulder. Her laugh was starting to make me feel stupid, “Did you,” she asked, “you think you know anything about the Shadow Run? Tell me then, where does it begin... and where does it end?” Scrunching my nose, I peered up at her, “Well, apparently it starts with me see-,” I snorted for real this time, realization dawning on me, “it starts... with me...” I said, trying to comprehend the words even as I said them. Gritting my teeth, I rose up on my hind legs and pointed an accusatory hoof at “Martial Cadence.” “You're not real... none of this is real!” Her smirk never left her face as she drifted lazily across the air, “I'm not real? Is that so,” I never saw her move as a line of pain spread across my muzzle, the blade of her lance flicking in front of my eyes with my blood coating it, “are you still so sure?” I jumped backwards, narrowly avoiding the next thrust of the blade. It was all I could do to keep from being skewered by her as I used every ounce of agility I'd gained over the past few weeks. She was gloating the entire time, “Come now, I expected more of you. You decided the rules don't apply to you and chose to play the hero. Show me what you're made of, little hero. Fight me!” “I told you,” I spat in the middle of my defensive movements, “it was all dumb luck! I never wanted this, I just wanted to be a normal stallion with normal pony problems! Every time, stupid ponies like you just see what you want to see! It! Was! Just! LUCK!” “We are proud defenders of Equestria. Every day and every night we hone our skills to protect our homes from all threats. We don't believe in luck!” The strikes were becoming more frantic as... whatever this was seemed to take offense to my words. I couldn't help but get more and more frustrated as time went on. I hated my Cutie Mark. Ever since I'd gotten the blasted thing, my life had become a string of misinterpretations and I just wanted it to stop. I wasn't a warrior or a guard. Yet here I was, trying not to get run through. True, I wasn't doing a very good job; the clash of metal on metal could attest to that as each of her strikes began to draw closer and closer to hitting their mark. The pain was real enough even if nothing else was. I wasn't sure what sort of sick, twisted game was being played on the other recruits and me, but I had seen enough. I wasn't skilled enough to beat this image of the lieutenant in a fight and I couldn't dodge forever. I could already feel myself running out of steam. ...as much as I hated it, I was going to need some dumb luck. With a sound of defeat, I glanced toward my flank and muttered bitterly, “Don't screw me on this.” Then I threw myself forward, hoping beyond hope that I wasn't about to die. I was so going to die. The lance was aimed straight for my barrel and held tight in both of her hooves for a final strike. She was still smiling in that knowing way as I reversed direction and came toward her. This was the end. We both knew that without a shadow of a doubt. Let me tell you, there's a moment when death is so far beyond certain that you get a sense of peace. Oh, no doubt this was going to hurt, but it was the last pain I was every going to have to deal with. Not to say that I was going quietly. My mind was in overdrive as the shining blade approached. All of the frustrations I'd felt over the years at all the stupid stunts I'd done by accident were boiling within me. Her smile only served to add fuel to the fire. I wanted, for just one moment, to wipe that smile off of her face more than anything. This was going to hurt, but damn it, I was going to have the last laugh as I squared my shoulders and lowered my head. I should probably take this moment to tell you that Sergeant Boomer was eager to rip into a recruit for any small slight. That included scuffs and dirt on your armor, so every day after practice all of us had to clean our armor until it shined. Add into that the natural dark of the building I was currently in and a well-placed torch and you can see why this was all just happenstance. Light, meet helmet. Light's reflection, meet thestral eyes. She shut her eyes with a grunt and her sure stroke suddenly tipped to one side, skidding off my chestplate as I slammed into her. I may be pretty scrawny, but the bone structure of an earth pony is pretty dense and few pegasi, or thestrals in this case, usually have to deal with an earth pony baring down on them. So, with the sudden rush of air being knocked from her lungs, we went sprawling in a heap. The lance clattered away, skidding off into the darkness as we hit the ground. We were equally surprised by this turn of events, but she was quicker to recover and she went from being on bottom to being on top. Pinned as I was, I could only look up at her as her smile gave way to the more familiar scowl. Her lips parted, giving me a good look at those long fangs as she hissed. Rearing back her head, I only got a moment to process what she was going to do before she lunged for my neck and- Suddenly turned into a cloud of bubbles that floated away... “What?” A soft, genuine chuckle filled the air, distinctly feminine, but thankfully not the Lieutenant. Did she even know how to laugh like this? Questions for later. I rolled to my belly and looked around for the source. Peering around didn't help. Much like before, this arena of doom was devoid of life other than myself. “I must say,” came the voice that made my ear flick, “you have an unorthodox strategy for combat. Most would call it foolish, but it appears to work for you.” The structure around me faded, giving way to the void of “I can't see anything.” Well, I supposed that confirmed that I was still in the Shadow Run. The question was rapidly becoming “where does this nightmare end?” Movement to my right caught my attention and I jumped up to face whatever this new threat might be. I was so not ready for what I saw. Just a few paces from me, emerging from the darkness, was a mare on par with the lieutenant for height, but that's where the similarities ended. The mare in question had a deep, navy blue coat and her sapphire eyes gazed at me with a measure of mirth. Both mane and tail were living pieces of the sky pressing points of starlight against the void behind her. If that hasn't given you enough to piece together who I was looking at, here's what put the final nail in that coffin. The mare in front of me had her groomed wings extended to each side and her horn was aglow with azure magic. Yes, wings and a horn... “I'm sure that you have many questions.” Princess Luna herself stated to me....
Chapter 6: Out of the Darkness“P...Princess Luna? Gah, Princess Luna!” I wasn't sure which hoof I should salute with or if I should bow. I ended up with both front hooves at my brow and my face in the dirt, much to her amusement. Her laughter was gentle and reserved. With a soft motion of her hoof, she beckoned me to rise. “Please, don't stand on ceremony. I am no more Luna than you are that young colt you once were. In fact, I am less so,” she tittered at my confused look, “I am an echo. A piece of her magic woven into the structure that she helped build. Come, let me explain.” She turned, urging me to follow and I quickly fell in step behind her. One hoof swept in everything around her, “As you've no doubt surmised, the Shadow Run is not an obstacle course in the traditional sense. When Luna returned from the moon, she was still a creature of a forgotten world. In her eyes, the ponies of today were... skittish, to put it gently.” She paused, turning to face me, “It was difficult for her to accept peace at first and the Shadow Run represents that. In her heart, she held a fear that the enemies of Equestria would not hesitate to take advantage of the lax nature of the ponies around her. When she first started recruiting for the new Night Guard, she refused to accept anything less than the brave few, but how could she find those?” The echo of Luna flapped her wings and hovered just above the ground, allowing her to gesture with both front hooves at the area around us. A small smile flit across her face, “by creating an obstacle course where the obstacles were not physical things, but the things locked deep in a pony's mind. Their fears.” I stood quietly, taking in the information she was giving me. If every recruit was dealing with their unique fear and it manifested like my first one did, then, “...if it's alright to ask, what happens to those who fail an obstacle?” Dropping to her hooves again, Echo (as I decided to call her) nodded to me, “Don't worry, failure doesn't mean anything too drastic. The illusion magic at work here is meant to simulate an experience as realistic as possible. Pain is something that happens here, but if an encounter were to end fatally, the illusion breaks and the pony in question is sent to the center of the field to wait. In truth, it's where you would have ended up if that attack had finished, but I deemed it that you had fulfilled the criteria for victory.” I gazed at her with uncertainty, “...and what exactly is the criteria for victory?” Ruffling her wings, Echo gave me an approving nod, “A fantastic question. The answer is facing what you fear most. There are three steps to this course: past, present, and future. You faced the fear of moving on as your past. Your present was the mare you feel is most dangerous to your way of life. The last I'll let you figure out on your own as it is... confusing, even to me.” The inquiry must have been written on my face as she sighed and gestured for us to continue moving. After a moment of quiet, she spoke again, “Normally, I would not appear to you until the end of the third trial, but yours is... strange to say the least. It is not something that can be conjured here,” she held up a hoof to stall the question on my lips, “it wouldn't mean as much if I just told you what it is.” Looking down at me, her face grew serious, “That being said, there is something to go over. You are not allowed to discuss the intricacies of the Shadow Run with any who have not completed the course in its entirety. Only a hooffull outside of the Night Guard can claim as such. In truth, by its design alone, the Shadow Run is not something that should be able to be beaten.” I hesitated, looking up at her, “What about the recruits that don't complete it? They're going to wash out, aren't they?” A shake of her head answered me, “Nay, that is just a ruse to make sure that the recruits try their best. In truth, all of you were guards ready for graduation. The Shadow Run is mostly used as a way to find... special recruits among you. Your victory puts you in with a small few.” I blinked, then hopped backwards, “Wait, wait, wait! I'm sorry, I don't know what you thought you saw, but all of that wasn't real! I'm no super soldier, I'm just an idiot who winds up in the right spot at the wrong time! I'm just here because I was accused of being a vigilante, see?” I asked while raising my hoof to show the locator band. The mare before me only smiled matronly as she sat down, “Lucky Signs, I possess a fragment of Luna's abilities. I have seen into your subconscious thoughts to find your fears. Your memories, safe as they are with me, are still with me. I, like her, do not believe in happenstance. I do believe in luck, just not chance. There is a strange, thinly defined difference between the two. Regardless, whether you want to believe it or not, you defeated the Shadow Run legitimately.” Pointing a hoof at me, she continued, “When it would have been easier to stay still and be crushed, you moved forward to save yourself from the fire. When you were outmatched by a mare several times your better, you chose to fight back. Now, despite everything you claim, I know what you will do next. Despite how easy it would be to do the opposite.” One of her wings flicked to the side, striking the air and creating a tear in reality. A pale light shone through, making me squint and shield my eyes. When my eyes adjusted, Echo was gone, leaving me with the portal. I just stared at it for a while. She... wasn't wrong, but she wasn't right. I mean, who would just stand there when certain death was hanging over your head? On top of that, what was I supposed to do in that last one? Just lay down as a lance was put through my heart? What I did was something anypony would have done in my position. ...Right? That single, uncertain thought is what doomed me as I look back on it. I was so sure that this was just one, giant mistake, but even an echo of a princess is enough to put doubt into the heart of a pony like me. I don't remember rising to my hooves, nor putting a hoof toward the rift. I had to wonder, what kind of fear was Echo referring to. A fear that couldn't be conjured here? What did that even mean considering the way that my “past fear” chose to rear its head. I hesitated with a hoof in the air. Could I really face something worse than what I'd been dealing with up until now? Did I want to? I felt my heart beat. In a way that can hardly be described, it spoke to me. It spoke of fear and courage, unrest and contentment, and so many other things that I could spend days listing them. Anypony who has been in a position like this knows what I'm talking about. It is a moment caught between backwards and forwards that brings every wall you've put up crumbling down. There, at the bottom, is an eager foal looking forward, asking a simple question: what comes next? I stepped into the light, tensing for whatever was to come... My hooves clacked loudly on stone as I stepped out into the darkened interior of the Night Guard's barracks. The soft crackling of torches returned sound to the world as a signal that I was truly back as I looked around. Somehow, I'd been moved up into the stadium seating above the Shadow Run and looking down into it made me snort in surprise. From up here, the dark box of illusions was see through and what I saw was odd. Toward the center of the box, several stallions in armor were milling about, looking dazed and confused while Sergeant Boomer appeared to be talking to them. The recruits that had refused to enter were sitting together near the tunnel, staring at the box in wide-eyed fear. Meanwhile, the rest of the recruits seemed to be floating about the box, running on air. Strangely, if I looked at one of the floating recruits long enough, the box would suddenly change and reveal what the recruit was seeing, like a live play. Ooh, Spark Plug had a fear of moths? I was so not letting him live that one down anytime soon. “What the buck is this?!” cried an all too familiar voice. Martial Cadence was suddenly in my face and seething. A quick glance revealed that the other ponies in the stands, no longer hidden from sight, appeared to be unicorns focused on powering the enchantment below. That was all the more I got to take in before a sharp jab to my chest drew my attention back to the lieutenant. “How... what... why... when...?” it was almost funny how she seemed unable to pick a question. Not funny enough to laugh when she was already fired up like this. Her wings were swinging up and down like they were on hinges in her disbelief. On top of that, I wasn't sure if her pupils existed anymore with how thin they'd become. She whirled toward the group of illusionists, “Cascade,” she shouted, drawing the attention of a stallion at the head of the group before pointing at me, “EXPLAIN!” I had to credit the pony for the guts to scoff at the lieutenant, “He met with the echo. Everything checks out so there's nothing to explain. He made it through the Shadow Run.” “That's impossible!!” the thestral thundered, wildly gesturing at me. Her next several attempts to communicate slid into some sort of combination of squeaks and gags. She looked at me and all I could do was shrug. She slumped to the ground like someone had grounded her for a month, continuing to point at me. I cleared my throat, feeling a bit more confidant after her display, “Sorry to disappoint you, Lieutenant, but it looks like you won't be deciding my punishment after all.” Silence. Then she was grinning from ear to ear like a fiend as she slid back to her hooves. Thrusting her face near mine, she looked me dead in the eyes... and chuckled. “Oh, you silly little colt,” she practically purred, “you're not getting away that easily. You think I come to watch this charade just because it's funny? Oh, no,” she was starting to freak me out as she slid past me, flicking her tail at my nose, “I come here for one reason, Lucky Signs. Whenever some colt or filly makes it through the Shadow Run, I'm there.” I could already feel my blood starting to run cold as she glanced over her back at me, “Because when they do... they're mine,” my eyes widened the same amount as her grin, “that's right, Lucky... you work... for me now. I expect you in my office bright and early tomorrow for... orientation.” She was laughing the entire way out of the building. As I stood there, all I could think was the same thing I said. “Oh... buck....”
Chapter 7: PromotionOne last restless night in the barracks with the rest of the recruits interrogating me about things I couldn't talk about didn't make the hours last long enough. I was not looking forward to the morning and I silently pleaded with Princess Celestia to take a sick day. Either she didn't hear me or decided to ignore me because the sun was up when our wake up call came and I was forced to face the music. An “escort” came to take me directly to the she-devil's office and I was still shaking off a case of the yawns when I was pushed in. I had been told to leave my armor. Right now I wished that I had it. Lieutenant Cadence was in full armor and strapped along her back was a lance that I was going to be seeing in my nightmares. Echo sure liked to be authentic with her illusions. At least the sly smile spreading across her muzzle as she looked up at me was less disconcerting than the stoic expression of her doppelganger. Putting aside whatever report she'd been reading, she gestured to a chair across from her, “Sit.” she commanded. I obeyed, just hoping to avoid her ire today. To her credit, she seemed unusually composed today as she eyed me from across the desk. She seemed to be searching for something in my eyes as she spoke, “You are a strange stallion, Lucky Signs. When you were first marched through that door, I had you pinned as just another 'hero' type, but here we are. Not only have you shown remarkable resilience, now you stand with the honored few to complete the Shadow Run.” I was starting to wonder if she had been replaced by a changeling when her hoof slammed into the desk. Her smile was gone, replaced by a thin frown, “So I started to do some digging. I started to wonder to myself, who is this stallion? Where did he come from? Who taught him so well and what drives him? Do you know what I found, Lucky Signs?” “...Nothing?” I supplied softly. She nodded, throwing me off, “That's exactly right. Nothing. No training, formal or informal. No prior incidents leading up to your little heroics. Nothing about you adds up. So, right here and now, you're going to tell me what it is about you that lead you here and you won't lie to me.” I let out a defeated sigh, my ears splayed back across my head, “Lieutenant, there's nothing I can tell you that I haven't already stressed to you since day one. All of that, all of this,” I gestured around the office, “is one giant misunderstanding. I was here on a simple delivery with every intention of going home before something like this could happen.” She said nothing, prompting me to continue, “I know that I can't get you to believe me, but all I can tell you is the truth. One day, I had an accident. It was a school activity, a scavenger hunt, and the final clue had all of us stumped. Our teacher told us that all of the answers were somewhere within the school yard and we spent a long time looking for it.” Leaning back in my chair, I closed my eyes, “It was stupid. We were getting frantic because everypony wanted to be first to solve the riddle and none of us were watching where we were going. A colt was crawling on the ground, thinking that it would help him find the answer and I wasn't looking where I was going. I tripped over him and rolled down the hill we were on. When I hit the bottom, I was in a bush of flowers I'd never seen before. Of course, worried that I'd been hurt, the teacher was quick to come.” I let out a bitter laugh, “She got it into her head that I'd just hopped up and kept searching, as colts are known to do. Turns out, the flowers were the answer and she was convinced that I'd puzzled it out. That was the same day I got my Cutie Mark. I got praised and at first I liked it. Time went on though and it started to get worse...” I looked into Martial's eyes, spying no hint of her thoughts, “I haven't meant to do a lot of things in my life. They just sort of happen and I would be showered with congratulations that I didn't deserve. It's all this messed up matter of perspective that other ponies seem to have of the situation. I slip and disarm a criminal? They think that I'm some master of hoof-to-hoof combat. Oh, I lose a battle with gravity and complete an obstacle course? They think I've been holding back.” I grit my teeth, “It's just luck.” The tension was thick enough that a lumberpony would be needed to cut it. She blinked. I blinked in return. Finally, with an air of frustration, Martial spoke, “Honestly, I want to believe you and send you on your way. The problem is that it's out of my hooves,” she sighed, rubbing the back of her head with one hoof, “whether we like it or not, Lucky Signs, I'm stuck with you.” I slumped down into my chair in defeat. It sounded like neither of us were happy with the arrangement, but we were just going to have to deal with it. Taking a breath to compose myself, I inquired, “So, what now then? I spend a certain amount of time walking up and down roads and looking guardly?” This mare really loved to dash my hopes with shakes of her head, “Nothing that simple,” she stated, reaching into her desk to produce a folder, “the ponies under my command aren't sit at home types. Due to the relaxed nature of our society, criminals have an easy time building nests right under the noses of the normal guards. We deal with burning them out.” Pushing the folder over the desk to me, she explained, “As of right now, you work with the authority of the crown to investigate a number of cases that local authorities are unable to deal with. These investigations can range from simple information gatherings to tactical assaults on criminal lairs that we find. This,” she pointed at the folder, prompting me to open it, “is your first case.” She was up and pacing her side of the room, talking even as I was reading, “It's a simple mission, one I would usually give a single recruit, but considering your... situation, I'll be sending a veteran with you. The two of you are tasked with looking into rumors of a small cult uprising near the town of Springrun. It's a few days travel from Manehatten and that's close enough to cause some fear.” She paused, turning her head to gaze at me out of the corner of her eye, “Several locals have gone missing and the rest believe that a Nightmare cult is active there.” I froze. Ever since Princess Luna's return, there had been a number of fanatics whom worshiped Nightmare Moon as a goddess. Usually, they were stomped out by quick actions from law enforcement, but like a bad weed they kept coming back. They also weren't known for being the most stable of ponies and had been accused of various violent crimes in the past. Of course, this was all second-hoof rumor. I didn't exactly care much for the news and only heard bits of it during routine deliveries, but what I'd heard was not good. Martial must have felt my dread as she spoke, “You are not to engage the cult forces directly. Let me repeat that,” placing both hooves on her desk, she stared at me, “do not engage any cult members you find. Your mission is determine if there is any truth to these rumors. If they're dug in hard enough to get away with foalnappings, then they're beyond the locals anyways. If you find proof of cult activity, you report back and I'll send a contingent down to wipe them out.” “Noted,” I agreed with a bit of a squeak, “hooves off.” Like I was going to be dumb enough to take on a cult of crazed ponies. If anything, finding the missing ponies was going to be my first goal before bringing down the wrath of Martial's forces. It also wasn't confirmed that a cult was in the workings; those ponies may have just gotten lost at best or run afoul of local predators at worst. The lieutenant gave me a nod, then took a deep breath. Parting her lips, she sat there with her mouth open for a long moment, confusing me to no end. I noticed one of her ears twitch, as if catching a noise I couldn't hear and closed her mouth, “Your partner will be here shortly.” she informed me. I was just about to ask her what she meant when the door opened behind me. Twisting around, I got my first look at my partner. A thestral stallion entered with fur so dark that I thought he was a shadow at first. Then his amber eyes snapped to look at me and I could immediately tell what he thought of me: I was useless to him. Instead of armor, he was wearing a dress uniform with the insignia of a sergeant. “Sergeant Silent Stroke, this is the auxiliary, Lucky Signs. As of today, he's a part of my legion. You've been briefed on your assignment,” Stroke gave a level dip of his head, living up to his name, “very well. Take Lucky and get him equipped as you see fit. Auxiliary, for the duration of the mission, the sergeant speaks with my authority. If he says jump, you better have all four hooves off the ground. Dismissed.” If this stallion said anything, I'm sure I wasn't going to argue. He easily dwarfed me and I wasn't sure who would be foolish enough to try and tell him no. Sweet Celestia, when he motioned with his head to follow him, I wasn't about to hesitate as I jumped to my hooves and cantered after him. One strange thing I did notice was that as we left the dark halls and made for the outside, he pulled a pair of sunglasses out of his uniform and put them on. Hey, if he wanted to go with the “cool guy” look, I wasn't going to judge. He could probably break me in half with his wings alone. We made for the armory, but took a slight detour and came to a hall closed by a sturdy iron gate. A single unicorn in armor stood in front of us until Stroke produced a paper. Whatever was written on it must have checked out as the unicorn lit up their horn to lift the gate out of our way, sliding it back into place behind us. Stroke and I entered into a circular room about half the size of the normal armory. “What is this place?” I asked, unsure as to what I was looking at. All around us I could see what looked like random odds and ends. A white shirt that somehow had no dirt on it, a number of horn and hoof rings, as well as random contraptions that I'd only heard about in stories. The entire thing was lit by a single crystal floating a little above our heads and shining with raw mana. “Equipment,” Stroke stated simply, finally letting me hear his drawling tone, “leftover from the disbanding of the Monster Hunter Organization.” With deft hooves, he tossed me a saddlebag and motioned for me to follow as he produced one for himself from under a shelf just inside the door. At first, he seemed content to fill his own bag with various things, but he finally tossed a medallion at me, “Keep that close. It's charged with a one-way teleportation spell. Should keep you out of trouble.” It just kind of continued like that for a few minutes as he tossed things at me and gave a brief explanation of their uses. A hoof ring that could fire various signal flares. A pair of goggles for seeing in the dark (because apparently he could do that naturally). The sort of things you'd hear about in an Ogres and Oubliettes game. I wanted to question why any of this stuff was necessary for a simple scouting mission, but I figured he was just preparing for a worst case scenario. Then he produced something that startled me. The item was a slim dagger with an edge that gave off bad vibes. Holding it like a venomous snake, I looked at it, then him. He simply stared at me, “Last resort. Forbidden spell. Against one opponent, stab them. Against many foes, stab yourself, deny information.” With that he shoved a train ticket into my hooves and started walking out. What the buck had I just become a part of? I found a sheath for the dagger and made sure to pack it away where it wouldn't be prodding me...
Chapter 8: Arrival in SpringrunThe train ride was predictably awkward. Even sitting in general seating and trying my best to converse with some of the other ponies aboard, my intimidating shadow had a way of curbing talk. It had been over a month since my last contact with the non-guard world and this jerk was drawing a line between us and them. I might have been okay with it if trying to get him to talk wasn't like pulling teeth. Silent Stroke had swapped out of his dress uniform and might have looked casual if it wasn't for his attitude. I eventually had to make the excuse of going to the restroom just to go have a real conversation. For the first time in my life, I was eager to learn some news about what had been happening outside of the barracks. Apparently our freshest princess had decided to open a school. Good for her, I wished her nothing but the best. She'd been living in Ponyville long enough that she probably had become a normal country pony, aside from the occasional world ending disaster. The death-like state that Tirek had put everypony in wasn't the best experience. Aside from that, it seemed like the world had been given a bit of a breather from alicorn-related incidents. The ponies I talked to were all hoofball and fashion trend talk. The latter wasn't a surprise, considering the city we were stopping at before marching to Springrun. I returned to my seat before we started pulling into Manehatten Station. I'd never seen such a large city in my life and I tried to take it all in as Stroke took off at a healthy pace, forcing me to hurry after him. It baffled me how buildings so large and made of metal could be possible, but then again I wasn't a construction pony. Sure, some of the buildings in Canterlot rivaled them for sheer size, but Manehatten won the quantity contest hooves down. How did anypony find their way around this city!? Apparently Silent Stroke could as he weaved through a crowd that parted around him like water. They were less inclined to allow me passage and I earned several dirty looks and angry comments before catching up to him. Thankfully, seeing that I was with him discouraged some of the more violent looking individuals from giving me a “warm” welcome. All in all, it wasn't my kind of city. I was breathing a sigh of relief and checking my saddlebags to ensure my equipment and rations were still with me as we left the city proper. I wasn't going to put it past some of those ponies to swipe something off of me since I wasn't in uniform. It felt weird to see my natural fur color after so long of being just another alabaster stallion. To keep up appearances, Stroke decided we were hoofing it all the way to Springrun and camping out at night. It went well enough, with me chatting to myself or the various wildlife and silently cursing Sergeant Boomer for my inability to sleep past the raising of the sun. The way there felt normal and peaceful. For a few days, I got to feel like I wasn't a member of the guard and I enjoyed it. It all ended as we came to the final stretch leading to Springrun. Like somepony had flipped a switch, the life-filled woods gave way to a sense of foreboding. Silent Stroke felt it long before I did as he tensed and began to tilt his head to look around. Birdsong turned to silence and the very air began to feel heavy as we came upon Springrun. Calling it a town was being generous. A more accurate description would be a village; it only had a small amount of buildings and even at midday there were only a few ponies out and about. Entering Springrun earned us a couple wary glances, but nopony approached us. There was an overwhelming sensation of defeat in the very soil beneath our hooves. I know that it sound strange, but it's something that most earth ponies would know. Something about our connection with the world around us gave us a certain... ability to just know. It's the equivalent of a pegasus' ability to tell you how charged a storm cloud is by touching it or a unicorns ability to discern magic signatures from pony to pony. All I could feel here was that something had gone wrong. We made out way to the largest building in the town, though that wasn't saying much, it was just the only building with a second floor. This turned out to be the local inn and was about as lovely as the rest of the town. Being this far out, it didn't possess a lot of modern conveniences, so natural and candlelight were the name of the game. Stroke made a point of getting us rooms at the furthest end of the upstairs. With our stuff safely stowed away for the moment, with the exception of a small bag each, we hit the town. We took a long detour around the wood buildings in order to “get a feel” for it, as Stroke declared, before heading for the local enforcement office. Said office was a small building with a single room and a short hallway with three cells. A middle-aged pegasus with a handlebar mustache looked up as we entered, his gray eyes taking us in. The cream colored stallion stood and was about to say something when Stroke produced a hoofful of official looking papers. A moment of quiet passed as the pony, wearing the jacket and badge of a sheriff, read the papers, then nodded. “You're late,” he stated with a snort, his gruff voice making me tense as its abrasiveness, “two more ponies went missing yesterday.” He pushed over a pair of photos and I pulled my eyes from glaring a hole into his face to look at them. My ears shot up. The smiling faces of two foals, an orange furred earth pony colt, and a blue furred unicorn filly. “Tell us what you know.” Stroke commanded levelly. The sheriff gazed at him for a long moment, “Why should I tell you anything? How am I supposed to know that you aren't in league with whoever did this? You certainly look the part,” he leaned over the desk toward Stroke, “bat-pony.” I wasn't sure what possessed this stallion to be so blatantly racist, but if looks could kill, I would have to try and arrest Stroke for murder. As it was, I had to swallow the lump in my throat and catch Stroke's eyes with a pair of ear flicks. Guard Cant, a series of ear signs to communicate unheard in a crowd. Don't kill. Check perimeter. I'll talk. “I can see that I'm not wanted here. Good luck in your investigation, sheriff.” Stroke stated bluntly before getting up to leave. As the door slammed shut behind him, the sheriff let out a sigh of relief, “I'm sorry to see that you're paired up with one of them, colt,” the one-eighty from his previous attitude gave me whiplash as he held a hoof out to me, “Name's Lone Star. Sheriff around these parts.” Now, I was annoyed at the sheriff's attitude toward Stroke, but I couldn't afford to burn bridges right now. Putting on my best “service colt” smile, I shook hooves with him, “It's a pleasure, Lone Star,” it wasn't, “I'm Lucky Signs. We got word up in Canterlot that you think that... something fishy is going on around here.” A lot of ponies don't know how to test the waters with phrasing like that. I needed to see how open he was with saying it. He nodded, getting a tired look on his face, “Yeah, you could say that. It started about a month ago and me and the boys weren't sure what to make of it. A young mare was passing through on her way up to Manehatten and was staying at the inn. The owner heard a struggle and got in contact with us. All the mare's belongings were still in the room, but it was like she'd vanished of the face of the world.” He leaned back in his chair and sighed at the ceiling, “there was nothing to go on, so we had to suspend the investigation after a couple days. The trend continued for a while with only ponies from out of town going missing. Then when travel started to dry up, a couple of townsponies went missing. Same M.O. No trace of where they'd gone. That is until the day before we sent a message up to Canterlot.” Reaching into the desk, he pulled out a length of folded cloth, black in color, and pushed it over his desk to me, “Found this nearby. I couldn't make heads or tails of it, but one of our older folks started spouting off about cults. Scared the ponies around here senseless until I managed to calm 'em down.” Carefully, I unfolded the cloth and felt my face fall into a deep frown. Plastered across the cloth was the image of a purple eye. It was almost identical to the Night Guard's emblem except for the color. It was easy to see how the locals thought a Nightmare cult was to blame, but something was just off about it. Looking up at him, I asked, “Do you mind if I hold onto this? It might assist the investigation.” When he nodded, I slipped the cloth into my bag, knowing that Stroke would want to see it. My eyes returned to the photos in front of me, “These foals. What can you tell me about them?” A sad look shot through his eyes as he nodded, “Buck Wild and Misty Trails. Twins, if you believe that. Their parents were devastated to hear that they'd gone missing, but nopony in town knows where they went,” he rubbed his neck, “Sunny Trails, their mother, wanted to blame ol' Digger. Nice old stallion who lives alone with his son at the edge of town.” he explained when I looked at him questioningly. “You don't agree?” I asked “Don't get me wrong, Digger and his colt have always been... peculiar, but they've never been the crazy kind. Digger don't talk much, but he does good work on the irrigation lines he's been working on for the local garden. The colt, Onyx Jumper, is liable to talk your ear off about whatever morbid curiosity he has, but they've both lived here for years and have been model citizens in that time. So, no, mister Signs, I don't believe they have anything to do with it.” I nodded, filing that information away. Mulling it over, I inquired, “Is it alright if we talk to ponies around town? See if anypony has seen or heard anything?” Waving his hoof dismissively, Star replied, “So long as y'all don't go stirring up a ruckus. If you can find something we overlooked and figure out what happened to these ponies, we'd much appreciate it.” “Of course. Could you also give me directions to Sunny Trails' and Digger's houses? It will probably turn out to be another dead end, but it doesn't hurt to get some more background information.” Lone Star wasn't shy about giving me directions and seemed like a fairly nice pony aside from the blatant prejudice against thestrals. Hopefully that wasn't going to be the general theme or this was going to be a long mission. Heading outside, I found Silent Stroke pacing back and forth with a grim look on his face. Thankfully his sunglasses were back in place (to protect his photosensitive eyes, as I found out) so his angry face wasn't accented by his predatory eyes. He fell in step beside me as I marched out. “Anything?” he asked tersely. “A couple of names to talk to and something that I want you to have a look at somewhere it won't start a panic. We've still got some daylight, so we might as well get some questions answered if we can... maybe I should do the talking, Stroke,” he ruffled his wings and I held up a hoof in placation, “look, I'm not condoning his reaction to you, but right now we're dealing with ponies that are afraid. They're not going to think rationally and small towns like this aren't going to get a lot of thestrals. Just stand there and look intimidating,” he stared at me, “yeah, like that. These are my kind of ponies, Stroke, they're more likely to talk to me anyways.” I could see the gears turning in his head as we walked until he let out a bitter hiss, “Fine. You do the talking. I'm better at interrogations anyways.” “Stroke,” I said lightheartedly, “I get the feeling that this is the start of a wonderful partnership.” That earned me a snort in response...
Chapter 9: The Plot ThickensMeeting with Sunny Trails was easy enough. Her husband and her lived in a house just down the way from the inn and when I mentioned an investigation, she was eager to let us in. True, she gave Silent Stroke nervous glances, but so far he was taking my advice and not bringing his aggressive voice into it. The mare herself matched her colt in color, but had a yellow mane to his oak. It was obvious that she hadn't slept well recently from the bags under her eyes and the redness there was probably due to a lot of tears lately. With her husband out of the house, I wanted to warn her against letting strangers into the house, but we needed answers. Unfortunately, there wasn't much she could give us that the sheriff hadn't. We certainly got a lot of background on the foals as the worried mother was eager to give us their whole biography. Well behaved foals, according to her, that never went out of their way to cause trouble. Misty had just started getting a feel for her magic while Buck was at the point where he couldn't wait to grow up and help his dad. It was heartbreaking to not be able to comfort her in some way beyond assurances that we were going to do everything in our power to find them... I shifted on the couch Stroke and I were occupying. As much as I didn't want to broach the subject with her, I needed to ask, “Missus Trails?” I started, only to be stalled by a hoof as she smiled at me warmly from her chair. “Please, just call me Sunny.” “Alright, Sunny. We just came over from talking to Lone Star and while I don't want to stir up anything, he mentioned that you thought it was another local. A pony named Digger?” Her face morphed into a scowl and her voice escaped through gritted teeth, “I didn't want to think so at first. Digger's always been a strange fellow, but... I have to feel that it's either him or his colt,” I gestured for her to elaborate, “see, recently my foals would see Onyx and feel bad because he was always alone, so they took it on themselves to befriend him not long ago. They really were sweethearts and I was proud of them for it...” Seeing tears welling in her eyes, I gently reached over and patted to back of one of her hooves. Say what you will, but a little kindness goes a long way and she nodded thankfully before continuing, “I never wanted to believe that a colt could be bad, no matter how strange they were. It wasn't until Misty and Buck started getting caught stealing things that I had reason to suspect...” “Your foals were stealing things? Any idea why? And what kinds of things?” She snorted softly, “It was all manner of things. A piece of jewelry here, a spatula there, and other such nonsense. As for why, I asked them about it and they said that Onyx needed that stuff to help his dad, but when the sheriff went asking about it, we didn't find any of the stuff in the house. Digger claimed that he was just as confused and promised to punish Onyx, but this was about the time ponies started going missing from the inn, so it got swept under the rug.” Her eyes went to the floor, “I was concerned, just like everypony, but there wasn't much I could do to help. I thought that Sheriff Star would get to the bottom of it quickly, but it kept happening... then suddenly it wasn't strangers anymore. Friends that I'd know for some time were vanishing as if they'd never existed to begin with. It scared some ponies into moving away, but the rest of us were too stubborn to go... I can't help but think... if we hadn't been so stubborn, Misty and Buck would still...” her words gave way to a fresh bout of tears and all I could do was offer my silent support. When the tears finally started to dry up, I spoke, “You can't blame yourself for not wanting to leave your home, Sunny. If everypony up and left at the first sign of trouble, we wouldn't have the Equestria we have today and besides, none of this is your fault. I promise you, Sunny, we are going to find your foals and bring them back to you.” She was... very vocal about her gratitude for those words and it took a few minutes to calm her down again. In the end, we received permission to examine the foals' rooms hoping to find a clue of some kind while Sunny excused herself to make some tea. Walking to the back end of the house, Stroke leaned over to me, “Shouldn't make promises you don't know you can keep.” he chided me. “We don't know we can't keep it.” I shot back defensively. He snorted, “You should be prepared for the worst.” I decided to let it go if he wanted to be gloomy. Stroke excused himself to search Buck's room while I looked around Misty's. It was definitely a little filly's room considering the strange amount of stuffed animals wearing dresses within. Thankfully, it wasn't colored horrendously with the walls being a baby blue instead of a garish pink. I wasn't exactly sure what I should be looking for as I entered. Nothing really stood out to me and yelled “I'm a clue, pick me!” A small bed to my left, dresser to my right, enough stuffed animals to fill a carnival; it all looked innocent enough. Still, maybe there was something more subtle. Carefully navigating the horde of fluffy toys, I made my way to the dresser and carefully opened the drawers... CELESTIA ABOVE, WHY DID A FILLY HAVE THAT!? I slammed the drawer closed and blushed vibrantly as I backpedaled, wanting to put as much distance between me and the drawer as possible. Of course, with an army of silent, cuddly dolls all over, it was a recipe for a fall. Tripping over a particularly slippery rabbit, I ended up face first in a pony-sized bear's embrace... and bashed my nose into something sturdy. Thoughts of acceptable clothing for a filly took a backseat to curiosity. It took a few moments of fumbling to find a secret pocket sewn into the bear's chest and extract a small notebook from it. My ears perked up as I noticed the words on the cover: Misty Trails' diary Don't Read! Hopefully Misty would forgive me for this small breach of privacy considering the current situation. Now, yes, it's not exactly acceptable to go through anypony's diary/journal for any reason, but it might give me insight into where she might be. Considering that only the last little bit was relevant, I skipped past dates prior to a month ago. At first, I wasn't sure what to make of what I read... ** Stroke and I left the house in silence. The thestral's search had proved fruitless in Buck's room and I wasn't quite ready to share what I'd learned. There were still too many holes in the story and we'd burnt more time than we'd intended already. Already, Celestia's charge was easing toward the horizon and we agreed that staying out after dark wasn't a good idea. Heading back to the inn, we retreated to our room and entered into our temporary base of operations. As soon as the door was closed, Stroke was nose deep in his bag, pulling out a pair of disks covered in magic runes. He placed one under the single window of the room and one on the door. Seeing the look I was giving him, he explained, “Magic seals. Ponies have been abducted out of these rooms. With those seals in place, the door and window are reinforced and removing them will trigger an alarm spell. We should be safe in here for now,” he drew the curtains closed with his wings, darkening the room, “...you had something to show me?” he asked. I nodded, withdrawing the length of cloth from my bag. Unrolling it on the ground, I gestured to the insignia, “Sheriff Star said he found this while checking out one of the disappearances. It looks a lot like the Night Guard banner, but there's just something that isn't... right about it.” Stroke removed his sunglasses and I shivered at the way his eyes seemed to glow with an inner light. His gaze traced the banner and a frown grew on his face, “At first glance, yes, it's very much like the Night Guard's. However, this is amateur work,” he tapped his hoof against the stitching, “uneven. This was meant to make it look like a Nightmare Cult, but the cultists revere Nightmare Moon too much to allow such poor quality.” I looked at him curiously, “Don't take this the wrong way, but you make it sound like you've dealt with cultists before?” His gaze could have frozen liquid magma, “Many times.” Letting that drop, I left him to his musings as I moved over to my bed across the room from him. Periodically, I'd hear him mutter about some part of the banner. Short of questioning Stroke's experience, I'd have to assume that he was right. The only problem was that if it wasn't Nightmare cultists, then who was foalnapping these ponies and why? Sighing, I prepared to sleep... ** I awoke to the sound of tapping. A quick opening of my eyes confirmed that it was still nighttime and I rolled over to face toward Stroke. His eyes were wide open and he slowly lifted a hoof from under his blanket to touch his muzzle in a shushing motion. His eyes roamed to the window and I followed his gaze. A figure was perched on the window seal with a cloak concealing the majority of their form, but I could see them twitching slowly. Judging by the way the hooves were moving, the figure was trying to open the window without much success, creating the tapping that had woken me. I didn't see Stroke move from his bed at first, but he was no longer in it and was crawling on his belly toward the window, staying low to avoid being seen. There was no chance that I was going to be able to move with the same stealth from my position, so I simply tensed under my covers and waited for all Tartarus to break loose. The tapping continued as Stroke drew up under the window and used one hoof to deactivate the seal under it. The window shot up and the figure outside let out a sharp noise of surprise... the moment before Stroke was out the window in a tackle. Springing up from my bed, I rushed to the window and saw Stroke rolling around with the individual on the ground. I rushed for the door, deactivating the seal there as I sprinted for the entrance. The pony at the front desk was startled by my sudden entrance and exit as I rushed around to the side of the building where our window was. Skidding around the corner, I noticed that Stroke's opponent was on their hooves and running away with the thestral in hot pursuit. Digging in my own hooves, I shot after them as fast as I could, but both of them had a lead on me as we rushed headlong through the town. I cursed myself for not grabbing my bag of equipment as a few things came to mind that would have helped, but assisting Stroke had been the first thing on my mind. Stroke had taken to the air and was gaining on the cloaked individual, but we were also approaching the edge of the town. Dense foliage lined this exit and the airborne pony seemed determined to keep his prey from getting away. I should have know that it was too good to be true. No sooner had Stroke descended upon the fleeing pony than another pair of cloaked ponies were upon him. Snarling and biting, Stroke fought back but his assailants struck with tactical precision. With a sharp blow to the back of his skull, I watched as Stroke collapsed. I cried out and dug in for a sprint as I watched the newer ponies drag Stroke into the brush. Seeing me coming, the initial cloaked pony flicked a hoof in my direction. I'd seen that motion during the training drills with sniper pegasi and I hit the ground quickly, narrowly avoiding the throwing dart that smacked into the side of a building behind me. Jumping back up, I searched for the attacker only to find empty space. I panicked, spending several minutes searching the forest closest to the town and calling out for Stroke. I never received an answer and as I shambled my way back to the inn, it finally sank in. Something beyond me was going on here... ...and I was alone.
Chapter 10: AloneI had never been more terrified in my life as that moment. Living in a small town myself, I knew that a lot of laws didn't extend past the reach of the guards in bigger cities, but this... this was something else entirely. Of course our scuffle had woken a few of the townsponies and my shouting had alerted a few more. Sheriff Lone Star was among the first to show up and it was a good thing that he did so. I was so panicked that I must have looked like I'd witnessed murder and the killer was on my heels. A resounding smack across the muzzle brought me back to reality and he hurried me inside his office to calm down while he talked down the ponies that had been awakened. By the time he returned, I was numb inside and out and could only stammer out the story to him. I probably should have been more composed considering that I was representing the Royal Guard, but it's difficult to keep a straight face when you're in over your head. Lone Star marched me back to my room and I reactivated the seals on the window and door before managing to fall into a restless slumber... ** The next morning made me feel even worse as I looked over at the empty bed, feeling useless. Silent Stroke was a trained warrior and several times my better at most things and he'd been taken down like the town drunk. I didn't know what to do. I'd written a letter to Martial Cadence, but it would take days for the letter to make it back to Canterlot even if the winds held true for the couriers. Every time I thought about going outside, I froze. I'd never felt fear so intense as this and it was all I could do not to flinch at every little noise that the old building groaned out. Truthfully, I was content to survive on rations until the Lieutenant showed up with a force of guardsponies to find Stroke. Reality wasn't about to let me sit idle, however. Lone Star visited me after the first few hours I was holed up in the room. I'll give it to the stallion, he was good at negotiating through my terror and eventually got me to open the door. He stood in the doorway and I sat on the bed, both of us staring at the empty bed and the saddlebags still neatly arranged next to it. “...Sweet Celestia,” Lone Star breathed out, “here I was thinking he might be sent to cover it all up. If the lad was still here... I'm not sure I could properly apologize to him...” I shook my head, “The best you would have gotten out of him was a grunt... he wasn't one to trade words he deemed unnecessary...” Ironically enough, the sheriff grunted in agreement before fixing his eyes on me, “so... what now? If I can help you with whatever plan you're cooking up in the head of yours, I will.” I laughed bitterly, “Plan? I don't have a plan. I'm not Silent Stroke or Martial Cadence. Merciful sun and moon, I'm not even a soldier! I just finished basic training when I got sent out here. My plan is to wait for the real soldiers to show up and take it from here! As far as I'm concerned, I completed my mission and found proof that something was going on here.” Lone Star's frown was a face I'd seen a lot: disappointment. His eyes narrowed dangerously as he looked at me, “So... you're just gonna leave your partner out there at the mercy of those fanatics? That ain't exactly the kind of thing I want to hear from the Royal Guard? Where's all your honor and oaths, colt?” he spat at me condescendingly. I snorted, “It wasn't even my choice to become a guard, sheriff. I was forced into it. If Stroke or Martial even heard me considering trying to take on these ponies, I'd be flayed alive. We weren't even supposed to confront them, but then Stroke had to get aggressive! I'm staying put until the legion gets here.” I turned away from him, expecting to be shouted at, called a coward, anything like that. In the end, he did something that hit me harder than any physical blow or insult. I heard him cross the room and prepared for him to strike me in frustration only to hear him place something on the bed before his hoofsteps retreated toward the door, “You made a promise colt... I heard Earth Ponies don't make those lightly...” Twisting my head, I noticed a pair of photos next to me. A pair of smiling foals stared up at me from them... ...damn it all.... ** I shifted my saddlebags across my back, each a little heavier from the equipment I'd pulled out of Stroke's bags. I was on edge, ears flicking at every sound as I made my way toward Digger's house. It was small, even for Springrun's standards; just a quaint one room house at the furthest side of town. The underbrush had been cleared away, allowing for flower patches to be planted around the house that looked uniform and well kept. The stallion I was looking for was currently outside doing a little weeding. Digger turned out to be a gray colored unicorn with raven mane and tail. From my position, I had to pause as I caught sight of his cutie mark: a shovel in the dirt of a grave. It was little wonder why the other townsponies were freaked out by him. Even I was starting to get strange vibes as I closed the distance. “Mister Digger?” I called out questioningly causing the stallion to look at me with deep brown eyes. “Who's asking?” he countered guardedly. I paused a few paces from him and answered, “I'm Lucky Signs. I'm with the Royal Guard and I was hoping I could ask you a few questions.” He regarded me with distrust, so I quickly pulled out the papers that Stroke had shown to the sheriff. His guarded stance didn't relax. “I've said my piece.” he stated simply and returned this his gardening. I blinked rapidly, confused by his behavior, “Mister Digger, please, I'm not here to be a bother and I-” “Then leave.” he interrupted without looking up from his work. “I can't do that, Mister Digger,” I took a breath to steady myself and find what little courage I could, “ponies are going missing and we have no idea what's being done to them right now. My partner has joined that list alongside a couple of foals from the town recently. I was told that your son, Onyx, had become friends with them, so he might have some idea of where they've been recently. If I could just-” “No.” “Mister Digger, please! This is an official investigation by the Royal Guard. I won't take up much of your time and I'll be out of your mane in no time.” “I said no, MisterSigns. I don't give a damn if Celestia herself comes down here and wants to talk with him. None of you are going to bother my son, is that understood?” he glared at me and, for a moment, I had the odd realization that this stallion's eyes didn't hold a candle to the shark-toothed grin of Martial Cadence, but judging from his stance he was ready to fight. So I nodded, “Crystal, Mister Digger. I'll leave you alone.” Turning on my hooves, I began to walk away when movement in the nearby window caught my eyes. An almost carbon copy colt version of Digger was looking out at me. For a moment, we simply stared at each other, but then he frantically waved a hoof at me, gesturing toward the back of the house. Looking over, I noticed that Digger was engrossed in his task so I gave the colt, presumably Onyx, a nod and reached into my bag, pulling out a long cloak. A simple “notice-me-not” spell weaved into the fiber made it a simple task to duck off the street and make my way through the brush to the far end of the house. A simple, wooden back door was open on this side and I slid up to it before pulling back the hood of the cloak to break the enchantment. Onyx was waiting for me and looked up at me with a measure of uncertainty. He lead me to the opposite corner of the house from his father and motioned me to lean down closer to him. He spoke in a hushed whisper, equally frightened and hopeful, “They say that you've come to help, but that you don't know where to start. Is that right, sir?” I wasn't certain who “they” were, but I nodded quietly and he lit up his horn. A spark of magic appeared between us and a scrap of paper hovered to me. It was a crude drawing of the town, but off to the side an “x” had been drawn. He gestured to the “x” frantically, “they took Buck and Misty there. Please help them, sir. I don't want Misty or Buck to get hurt.” Things were getting complicated. I gently took the map in my mouth and slid it into my saddlebags before looking at Onyx, “Thank you. This is really brave of you. Do you know how many of them there are or what they plan to do to your friends?” Onyx nodded, “Lots of 'em,” not so useful, “but I followed them into the cave a couple times. They keep the ponies there until this big monster comes to take them away.” “A monster?” I asked, feeling a pit form in my stomach. I received a nod, “Yeah. It's big. Bigger than anypony in the village and it talks funny. It's got claws and feathers and collects ponies for something,” he gulped, “I thought it was to eat them, but none of the missing ponies joined them.” he waved a hoof at the air around us and I was getting more confused by the moment. Shrugging it off, I gently ruffled Onyx's mane, “Don't worry. I'll get your friends back to you. How often does this monster come around?” He thought about it for a long moment before answering, “Once a week... I think. It should be back either tonight or tomorrow... please hurry sir...” he begged me, looking up at me with big, hopeful eyes. Burying my own fear, I gave him a smile, “I will. Now, hurry back inside before your dad decides to check on you.” He bounded away, closing the door behind him as I readjusted my cloak in order to make it back to the inn without being seen. Once I was safely back in the room, I slid the map out and checked it over. It was a foal's rendition of the town, but thanks to a few hastily scrawled notes, I could at least figure out the general direction I needed to go. I swallowed, hardly able to comprehend what I was thinking about doing. I took a seat and dumped out my saddlebags, looking over the equipment I had at my disposal. The things that I didn't have any clue as to their usage I quickly piled into Stroke's bag. Things that wouldn't work for my plan joined them until I had a simple collection of things. The nighteye goggles were a must, along with the teleportation amulet, a hoof ring with a Zone of Silence spell, the flare hoof ring, and the Notice-Me-Not cloak. The last object was something I really wish I didn't have to consider. The sheathed dagger practically pulsated with negative energy as if it were excited at the prospect of being used. I hated myself as I strapped the sheath onto one of my forelegs. I wasn't even sure what it did exactly, but I was certain that it would be bad for whoever felt the sting of the pointy end. Collecting the rest of my chosen equipment, I stuffed Stroke's bag under his mattress and climbed into my own after activating the door and window seals. Settling down to get as much rest as I could, I tried to curb my anxiety. It was going to be a long night....
Chapter 12: Rescue Mission, Part 2If I were to give any advice to a would-be hero-slash-adventurer, it would be to take some classes on cartography. Getting lost in a hostile place can be nerve wracking and make you feel like you've been at every intersection at least twenty times. Add onto that the ever present threat of being on an unknown time limit and you'll start losing your mind. I passed tunnels that lead nowhere, intersections that looped back on themselves, and what appeared to be sleeping quarters multiple times. Almost to the point of being dizzy, I was starting to canter down the empty paths. It was ridiculous. How could I have not found anypony between the pony watching the foals and now? Where had Nightborne gone? I sighed. If there were any time I needed a measure of luck it was right- A series of rapid hoofbeats drew my attention and a cloaked figure darted down a tunnel just in front of me. This was getting... strangely predictable. Picking up the pace, I skidded around the corner and gave chase. If I were a betting stallion, this pony was on their way somewhere important. I nearly lost them a few times, only catching glimpses of flapping cloak. Further and further into the mine we went at such a pace that I nearly missed how the lights had begun to change color. Pools of golden illumination gave way to silvery sheen and it became harder and harder to keep the pony in my sights. Then I began to hear something that chilled my blood. A deep, rhythmic chanting was beginning to fill the air. I could almost feel the steady beat in my bones as I slowed, checking to make sure that my cloak was in place as I rounded a final corner. In front of me, a large cavern opened up, the only natural looking formation I'd seen in this entire place. Roughly twenty yards separated me from a sudden plunge into nothingness. Between myself and the fall, however, must have been roughly thirty cloaked ponies with their heads bowed. I wasn't sure what language they were speaking, but something about the way it hit my ears filled me with dread. My eyes roamed toward the front of the congregation and I felt my breath hitch. What appeared to be an altar made from solid stone had been placed near the edge of the void, covered in strange glyphs that I'm not sure I would understand even if I'd been trained in magic. Just looking at them made my eyes cross. A single stallion stood next to the altar and even from here I could feel the weight of age around him. Even his fur had grayed to a point of giving him an ancient feel... and he was currently conversing with a pony that seemed to be agitated. Movement from the altar drew my attention and my eyes widened. Silent Stroke had been strapped to the altar with enough rope to strange a hydra and I could see his amber eyes boring into the ponies around him. ...Well, I'd found my partner, now I just had to figure out how to get him out with all these ponies here. “I know you're here, little pony.” came a voice that I could hear the dust in. Looking up, I noticed the elder stallion looking my way and in the limited light, his milky gaze was disturbing. The chanting came to a sudden halt at his voice, several eyes glancing about to try and find whom he was talking to. “Come closer,” the only stallion not wearing a cloak said, “my eyes are not what they used to be, but I know the scents of my faithful. There are few among the daywalkers whom would brave this place, a haven of the nightborne.” Ok, so “Nightborne” was a title. ...Of course, the fact that he knew I was here was problematic. Also the fact that I was now flat on the ground with one hoof being held firmly across my back in an uncomfortable position. The hood was ripped from my head, exposing me to those still struggling with the enchantment and I heard a series of murmurs spread through the group. “Excellent work, Top Shot,” Grandpa Creepy stated as he began making his way toward us, “I knew better than to suspect a member of the sun tyrant's guard of cowardice. Unlike my juniors, I know the heart of your kind, foal. You feel that you are always in the right, even when you are firmly in the wrong...” I wasn't sure what to say to that. I was currently gritting my teeth to keep from crying out in pain as my leg was forced higher across my back. I think Top Shot may have been ornery about the fact that I hadn't been where they wanted me to be. It was strange that I wasn't feeling crippled by fear. Maybe I had just been so scared today that I was getting numb to it. Or, maybe the ache in my leg was pushing it to the back of my mind as I watched the time-lost stallion coming toward me. Something happening further back caught my eyes though as a pair of amber eyes met mine and Stroke's ears flicked rapidly. I blinked. Keep him talking. Oh, my dear Silent Stroke, were you asking me to force the villain to monologue? Why would I? Why was Stroke now laying there with his mouth open.... wait.... I kept my inward grin off of my muzzle as I grunted, being hauled to my feet before what I could now identify as a unicorn. What was it with unicorns and being at the heart of weird things? I was beginning to think some of them had their horns on too tight and it was hurting their brains. Taking a deep breath, I chuckled, “I guess you got me,” I grunted as my hoof was twisted, “isn't this the part where you drone on about your self-importance?” My comment earned me a quirked eyebrow. “You are rather chipper for having failed your mission, foal.” “What can I say, failure is something that I'm used to, gramps.” The elder stallion scoffed while Top Shot was doing their best to yank my leg out of its socket, “I suppose that would be true. You and yours have never been able to fully stomp out the truth of our immortal queen of the night. The pretender, Luna, was gifted beauty and power, the right to be her avatar, and now shivers in fear at its call. She was weak.” “Well, I don't know about that,” I intoned sarcastically, hoping to infuriate the old coot, “I'd say getting blasted apart by the Elements of Harmony put Princess Luna as the victor.” Another firm yank at my leg. “Watch your tongue, heretic.” Oh, so Top Shot was a mare. I bet she and Martial would get along just fine. Both of them seemed to take undue pleasure in causing me vast amount of pain. They just differed on mental versus physical. “Now now, dear,” The lead cultist chided, “he is entitled to his opinion and being angry about it at the cusp of victory is beneath us. A pity,” he lamented, “had I found you under any other circumstance, I may have taken you in and... instructed you on your error. The only problem is,” he leaned in close, making me wrinkle my nose as his breath hit my nose, smelling of decay, “you've been meddling with my descendants...” For an old bag of bones, he struck hard when he drew his hoof across my jaw. My ears were ringing a bit as Top Shot said something, forking over an object to grandpa cultist. When my eyes fell on it, I froze. The naked blade of my dagger glistened in the silvery light, looking for all the world like it was gloating. “A remarkable blade for somepony as foolish as yourself. It's edge is so eager to taste blood... perhaps we should let it drink of yours,” he slid close to me, murmuring, “any last words, colt?” Unfortunately for him, ringing my bell had shaken a few things loose. This included a stupid, reckless, half-flanked plan to stall for time. Top Shot had my hoofring of silence held firmly in place across my back, but I still had one trick up my sleeve... or rather, on my hoof. So, I looked into his sightless eyes and grinned, “Sure, I'll humor you. Anyone got a light?” Twisting my free hoof slightly, I triggered my other hoofring. With an ear-splitting sizzle, a spark shot into the air of the cavern before exploding with yellow light. Bright yellow light. With my eyes closed, it didn't hit me near as hard as it hit the various cultists around me. Shrieks of pain sounded throughout the group and Top Shot let go of my leg in order to shield her eyes. Old and Deathly had jumped back defensively from the noise, but he didn't have the judgment to stick the landing, winding up flat on the floor. I was left with a straight shot to the altar and I took it as fast as my injured leg would allow. Reaching Stroke, I saw him looking at me with a stunned expression as I hurried to untie him. He continued to blink and stare as I finished freeing one of his legs, but that was the extent I managed. A few of the cultists, having recovered their senses, were quick to grab me and give me a firm beating for what I'd done, leaving me in a curled ball on the floor. “Lucky Signs, cover your ears!” Hey, if I had learned anything from my short time in training, it was to obey voices of authority. I clasped my hooves over my ears and not a moment later, I heard it through my hooves. It was the most banshee like shriek I'd ever heard in my life and it vibrated through the ground like a directed blast. All around me, cultists fell the the ground, clasping their ears and crying out in pain. Through it all, I looked up at Stroke where he stood on the altar, apparently having taken the time to finish freeing himself, taking a deep breath. His jaws parted and the shriek filled the air again while he swept his head back and forth, the pressure of his shriek striking those around him like a hammer. I might have been a little in awe of his power... or a little scared, considering the blood slowly matting the fur around the ears of the ponies closest to me. Truth be told, it was a miracle that his attack didn't bring the mine down around us. Of course, then he had to go and ruin it all by reading the cultists their rights as prisoners. I mean, how did he think that the two of us were going to- Marching hooves and flapping wings interrupted me as something around fifty ponies flooded into the cavern, the still burning light of my flare illuminating golden armor and plumed helms. Among them, a pony carrying a banner turned and revealed the great standard of Equestria and the princesses that ruled the land. I had never been so happy to see Royal Guards before. From within their midst, a voice rang out, sharp and clear, “In the name of Equestria, you are all under arrest!” Despite this, I could still only wonder how Martial Cadence was going to take the news....
Chapter 13: Homeward BoundLieutenant Cadence did not take the news well. Sitting inside the structure that served as Lone Star's prison with a communication crystal in front of me, I could see by her projection how pleased she was with me. In three words, she was not. I'd been sitting there for a solid hour while she shouted herself hoarse while reflecting on the last few hours. It turned out that the pony I'd sent with my message had crossed paths with a platoon of guards out on patrol. Said messenger had decided it might be a good idea to flag them down and give them my message instead of flying all the way to Canterlot for help and they had been all too eager to come running in search of glory after a pair of freshly rescued foals gave them directions. As a whole, the cultists had been rounded up and were being taken to Manehatten's prison to stand trial there because, by word of law, the ponies of Springrun were too personally invested in the situation. Rightly so. As they were herded through town, the townsponies might have killed them where they stood. The guards had searched the mine thoroughly for signs of the other missing ponies, but had come up empty. When questioned, the lead cultist had said nothing, but a few of the “followers” had been eager to offer information in return for leniency, but that was over my pay grade. Not to say that lead cultist didn't say anything, but his words had been directed at me. “We know your name, Lucky Signs! When the eternal night falls, you shall be the first to suffer!” That didn't exactly bode well, but considering that the old coot was going to be locked away for a long time, I don't think it was going to matter. After a series of tearful and heartfelt “thank you's” to both myself and Silent Stroke from Sunny Trails and Lone Star, we were left to our own devices. Stroke was content to go get some rest, which left me free to go meet with a pony I was just now starting to understand... Coming up to Digger's home, I found the stallion himself waiting for me with a level expression. Beside him, Onyx looked between the two of us with a worried expression as I came to a halt in front of them. Digger stared at me, a tenseness in his shoulders as he unconsciously put a leg between Onyx and me. “Digger, if I was going to do something, I wouldn't be dumb enough to come alone... I just want some answers.” I locked eyes with him, trying to will him to believe me as I spoke. He searched my eyes for a long moment before his eyes glanced over so slightly to his his right. Finally, with a sigh, he nodded, “Ask your questions...” I sat down, trying to get him to relax but, considering the nature of my questions, I could understand his reluctance. He ushered Onyx inside, wanting to talk to me alone as he sat across from me, still looking tense. I decided to just come out and ask, “How long?” “Since I was born and well before I met Onyx's mother...,” He glanced to his right, ears flicking as if listening, “I suppose... I should be thankful, but... it just feels like something that has been years in the making.” I nodded, “I feel like I should be asking forgiveness on behalf of the guard that it took so long. I may not be on their level and they may not like me, but the stallions I've been around during training? They're good ponies.” A mirthless chuckle escaped Digger's mouth, “How could you have known? For generations it's been happening and would have continued for countless more if I hadn't run away... I suppose I should ask how you came to know the truth.” I shrugged, “When a colt has a crush on a filly, they have a hard time not telling them things. Then the filly writes it down before getting foalnapped. Finally, an idiot, fresh out of guard training, stumbles on the writing and puts two and two together after a while. It didn't make sense for a while, but after thinking about it, it started to make sense.” Digger nodded again, “Makes sense...,” he shifted, seeming to be reluctant to ask something, “tell me... what's going to happen to him?” “With any luck, when he stands trial he'll admit to what he's done and Princess Celestia might send him down to Princess Twilight like she did with Discord...” “...and without luck...?” I sighed, “without luck... he'll stay quiet and... he won't bother you anymore.” Digger's shoulders slumped slightly, “Don't take this the wrong way, Lucky,” he murmured softly, “but I hope some of your namesake goes with him... he may be a terrible stallion, but...” I nodded, “Family. I get it. Celestia knows, I get it... but Digger,” he looked up at me, “you should come clean. He may have been the most prime to do it, but others might come to use your past against you.” He was silent for a long moment, his gaze going between me and an unseen individual. He chewed at his lip thoughtfully, “...you really think that they'll be okay with it?” he asked. “At first? No. It's gonna take a lot of work. You want my honest opinion? Go live in Ponyville for a while. It may not be the calmest of places according to recent history, but,” I smiled at him, “with a little luck, I think even an ex-necromancer could find a friend... if you haven't already found one.” I held out my hoof. Kindness. It is one of the Elements of Harmony and yet so many of us forget to reach out once in a while and express it. It can mean the world to a pony or a group. I know that as I stood there with my hoof outstretched I saw it resonate in Digger, like a weight lifting off of his very soul as he clasped his hoof against mine and shook. “I might just have... thank you, Lucky Signs.” “You're welcome, Grave Digger.” ** That brought us back to the present as Martial was winding down from her shouting, “I specifically told you not to engage the cult! I will have your tail as a feather duster, Lucky! I will have your head firmly tied to the nearest-” “Ma'am,” intoned my stoic companion, “it wasn't Lucky's idea to engage the cultists...,” she stared at him, silently demanding an explanation, “when it appeared to be a single individual, it was me who opted to pursue. My capture was of my own recklessness and Lucky Signs was forced to react. Given the situation, I must say that our newest auxiliary acted well.” Martial looked through the transmission at Stroke like he'd grown a second head. Sitting back in her chair way back in Canterlot, she pondered his words. She kept looking at me as if I was going to contest what he said, but finally she sighed, “...Lucky Signs... good work.” Hey, a compliment! If only it didn't sound like it had caused her physical pain. I decided to just give her a salute because I didn't trust my mouth not to get me in trouble. She returned it halfheartedly, “Both of you are to return to Canterlot. Silent Stroke,” the thestral sat up as much as his bruised body would allow, “you will be taking mandatory off duty time to recover. No exceptions. Lucky Signs,” I gazed up at her inquisitively, “you are to do the same, but when you return to Canterlot, a pony of high profile has requested to speak with you.” ...Why did that not help my nerves? ** Returning to Canterlot was a bittersweet feeling. There was no mission on the agenda and for the first time, I was able to feel like a civilian again. My meeting with whoever had asked to talk to me wasn't until later in the evening and Stroke and I had arrived in the early morning a few days after clearing things up in Springrun. I spent the better part of the day using my pay for working as a guard to investigate various eateries and shops that caught my interest. Of course, I stopped into the postal office to send a letter to my parents so they wouldn't worry. Of course, I may have glazed over some of the bigger details. They didn't need to know that my leg was still acting up from the rough treatment of my would-be assassin. Martial had found it necessary to tell me that a number of the cultists being questioned were cursing my name. I still felt like I was missing something. Based on what I'd heard, it seemed like most of the “cultists” had been nothing of the sort. Hopefully some kind of answer would come out during the interrogation. As much as it bothered me, it was above my pay grade. Looking up, I noticed that the sun was slowly moving toward early evening and made my way back to Martial's office. I knocked on the door and was promptly told to enter. Her office was much the same as I'd left it, except another pony had the chair I'd occupied some time ago. I'll admit, she caught my eye immediately. Pristine white fur, flowing pink mane, and a pair of deep magenta eyes. She was a pegasus and something about her felt... right. Somehow I managed not drool and caught sight of the sight of her Cutie Mark while... admiring. It was an image of air lines tracing across a partially obscured sun. Martial cleared her throat, tearing my eyes away from the beauty before me. Groaning inwardly at my boss, I stepped in closer and snapped a salute, “Auxiliary Lucky Signs reporting as requested, Lieutenant Cadence, ma'am.” I stated as was required of me. Martial stared at me for a long moment, probably wondering if I was mocking her. I mean, I did, just not to her face. She probably came to that conclusion as she gestured to the gorgeous mare nearby, “Lucky Signs, meet Dawn Breeze. She works with... management and wished to speak to you personally.” Turning to meet her gaze, I smiled and gave Dawn a light bow, “It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Breeze,” I might have tilted my head and put on the charms as best I could, “unless it's Missus Breeze?” I asked casually. The start of some angry retort built on the lieutenant's face, but she was stalled by Dawn's light laughter. Sweet Celestia, even her voice was perfect. She motioned for me to rise, smiling as she spoke, “Not as yet. I haven't been able to find a stallion able to make the cut. Would you mind walking with me, Mister Signs? I find a nice walk around Canterlot makes conversation lighter.” “Absolutely,” I said, perhaps a bit too quickly as I moved to the door to open it, “do lead on, Miss Breeze.” Dawn tittered softly as she swayed past me, “Such a gentlestallion. Come, let's find somewhere a bit brighter, shall we?” If I hadn't spent weeks in basic training, I might have jumped up and tapped my hindhooves together. I did shoot a sly smirk back to Martial however... ...Why did she smirk back at me?
Chapter 14: A Crack in the GlassMy wariness of Martial's knowing smirk did little to deter me from testing the waters with Dawn. I was a little confused when she lead me out of the barracks and into a nearby park, but I wasn't questioning, it. I stayed by her side, trying to figure out the best way to break the ice, but Dawn beat me to it. Sweeping her hoof around us, she asked, “Isn't all of this beautiful,” damn it, I missed a moment to flirt as she continued, “everything at peace in this moment. I admire the guard and all ponies that put themselves before danger and moments like this. How does it feel from the other side?” she inquired as she looked at me with those deep, caring eyes. I wish I could say that my answer was quick in coming, but I was a little caught up in her gaze. In the end, I blinked and brought myself back to reality when she raised a brow at me, “I, uh... well...” I looked at the ground. I knew that I should at least pretend to be another suit of armor, but Dawn had this... aura around her. I didn't want to lie. “To be honest, Miss Breeze-” “Just Dawn, please.” Score! I nodded, “Alright then, Dawn. If I was to be honest I didn't exactly join the guard willingly. I thought it was going to be just another terrible experience in a long line of similar instances, but... well, let's just say that my last mission put some things in perspective for me...” “It was your first mission, wasn't it,” she smiled at my shocked look, “I do tend to keep tabs on ponies at the front of things. Your drill sergeant spoke highly of your abilities, but also mentioned that you had a tendency to hold back. Why is that, Lucky?” I gulped as her innocent gaze bore into me. What was I supposed to tell her? That it was all a sham and that things just happened around me? Talk about a mood killer. I wanted to say something better, but there was that feeling, that sensation of honesty that made me want to tell the truth. “I don't know,” my voice was a stranger in my own ears, “I suppose that I'm just... worried.” What was I saying? Why was I saying it? This wasn't right, I was talking nonsense! So... why did my heart ache at the words? Dawn tilted her head, coming to a halt and forcing me to pause, “About what?” Hundreds of thoughts burned through my head. I was confused and scared because it felt like something was coming up, boiling inside of me. I was angry and I didn't know why. All of it culminated in a panic that shot through my mind and just as quickly I felt myself go numb. “...it's nothing. Just foolish thoughts.” I murmured instinctively. Dawn wasn't buying it judging by the frown that came to her muzzle, but she didn't push me. I'm glad she didn't. I wasn't sure I could answer her. My head hurt and I felt exhausted emotionally. I didn't know why. Dawn nodded slowly, “If you're sure... Lucky, I know the circumstances that lead you here. I know that through it all, you've blamed luck for everything that's happened, but... well, according to the incident reports, you chose to go save those foals and Silent Stroke. There's something more to that than luck,” she turned, starting to walk away, “think about that for a while, Lucky. I'll be keeping my eyes on you.” I snorted in confusion, “Th...that's it? I thought you wanted to talk to me about something?” Pausing, she looked over her shoulder at me and smiled, “We did talk and I got what I needed... for now.” Chuckling softly, she continued away and I couldn't help but admire her as she left, though I hated to see her go. What, I'm a stallion, I notice things! Her words stayed with me though and I found myself unconsciously starting to canter along the stone paths of the park. I wasn't sure why, but I found myself going over and over my own thoughts. I kept trying to figure out why I had said the things I did and yet all it caused me was frustration as I looped back again and again into confusion. Something was missing, but it wasn't and I couldn't put my hoof on it. My canter became a gallop. Things felt better as I focused on the clatter of my hooves on the stone and I didn't even realize how long I'd been going until night fell around me. Moving on instinct, I went to the barracks and collapsed into the familiar mattress and fell asleep. ** Oddly, I dreamed. I say oddly despite how most ponies do so because I never remembered dreaming before. I sat alone in darkness, staring into a hovering mirror that forced me to look at myself. When I looked away, the mirror moved into my vision again and something about the stallion looking back at me made me squirm. His eyes were firm, full of a fiery determination. He was me, but he was not. He was everything that I was not: strong, wise, fearless. I didn't want to look at him because of the panic his gaze filled me with. Moments before I woke to the new day, he uttered six words to me that stabbed terror into me “Why are you afraid of me?” ** I'd never been so eager to get up for a morning run. While I was no longer a trainee, it had long since become a natural thing to do. It also gave me something else to focus on besides the fear still clutching at the corners of my mind. For a time, I felt that I could outrun it. Then I tripped... again. Thankfully, I managed to simply cartwheel forward and land hard in a sitting position and feeling dizzy. It took me a long moment to recognize the angry thestral mare in front of me. I blame the fact that she was wearing her special sunglasses like the kind Stroke had. Martial was staring down at me with a frown, “Auxiliary,” she started, snapping me back to reality long enough salute, “it's come to my attention that your skills in hoof-to-hoof and weapon combat are... lacking.” Well that was about the mildest way she could have put it. I mean, sure, basic training had taught us how to not hold a weapon, but it hadn't been the highest thing on our list. Taking my silence as an invitation to continue, Martial scowled and said, “No member of my legion gets away with such poor performance. At any other time, I would train you personally,” sweet Celestia, no, “but I'm a busy mare right now...” Thank Celestia... “So I found you somepony who could take over for it.” Luna, no! “You'll be joining a small squadron stationed near Los Pegasus and assisting them with their current mission. While you're there, they have my personal clearance to make you a proper fighting stallion.” Have mercy, sweet sisters! I saluted, “Of course, ma'am.” She gave me a moment to see a smirk as she returned the salute, “Keep that up, auxiliary, and I might start to like you,” her scowl returned, “...maybe.” I'd rather keep this relationship strictly professional, thank you very much. I accepted the train ticket she thrust at me and went about preparing myself for the various trials ahead. ** Arriving in Los Pegasus was an experience to be sure. Hailing from a small town, I'd been baffled by Canterlot, but even the great capital of Equestria had nothing on this city. Everywhere I looked were buildings meant to draw attention and performers that wanted nothing more than to be gazed upon. Food, drink, bits, and... other things changed hands more rapidly than I could even guess at. Thankfully, one of my new co-workers was there to catch me before I got swept up into the city. I heard my named barked across the station by a fierce looking pony. I probably had a good couple of hooves on her in height, but she was absolutely full of vinegar. As soon as I approached, I appraised the smallish mare. Built like a pegasus, but sporting the horn of a unicorn, she might have been adorable without the permascowl on her face. Apparently I just had that effect on mares in the guard. She was a light shade of green with a plum colored mane and tail. The slimmer type of armor she was wearing covered her Cutie Mark, but as I was looking her over, she reached up and yanked my head down to her level. “Eyes to yourself, Rookie, or I'm taking first crack at you,” she commanded, “let's get this straight, I'm in charge of you,” she accented this by jabbing me hard in the barrel, “so no funny business. Lieutenant Cadence may take your shit quietly, but I'm not here to be your friend, I'm here to kick your flank until it's firm enough to break a paddle across, got it!?” What is it with all the mares I'd been meeting lately? Aside from Dawn, they all seemed to have something against me before I even said anything. I gave her a salute, but couldn't stop my mouth from running, “All due respect, ma'am, but I don't thi-” The crazy mare kicked me. Like full turn, planting both front hooves, and bucking me like a tree. She must have been using a spell to enhance herself or something, because I wasn't that light, but she sent me skidding for several yards, clutching at my chest as I struggled to breath. “First lesson, Rookie,” she said, ignoring the panicking crowd around us as she flashed a badge of some kind at the nearby security to stall their advance, “don't talk unless I ask you a question. Get up, I didn't hit you that hard,” she stood over me, glaring down at me as I stumbled to my hooves, “good, now grab your shit and follow me.” Okay, maybe I'd pissed off the lieutenant and now she was trying to kill me by proxy... “Rookie! Don't make me repeat myself!” I was quick to grab my single suitcase and limp after her, pretty sure that one of my ribs was broken... if not more...
Chapter 15: New City, New ProblemsSergeant Looking Glass, or Agent Glass as she preferred to be called was vastly different to Silent Stroke. Where he had been a quiet warrior, this mare was as vocal as they came, so it might come as some surprise that she was the head of an espionage cell of the Royal Guard. Her idea of a base of operations was the VIP lounge of a local dance club; Shimmer Wings. The staff was a nice mingle of King Thorax's subjects and various ponies. Apparently the management had been among the few Equestrians eager to show the changelings that they were welcome. Of course the changelings didn't seem to mind the arrangement. Those that I could see were wearing big smiles and even flirting slyly like any pony would. According to Glass, this club had been constructed shortly after the official treaty with the changelings and had become extremely popular in just a few months. I'll admit that I was enthralled by the changeling currently working the DJ booth as he kept changing his form to match the feel of the music and earning approving calls while doing so. The VIP lounge was set on the second floor of the building, overlooking the dance floor. We were ushered in by a security stallion quickly and I took a moment to look around. The walls were a mixture of low energy colors to create a relaxed feeling. Spread around the room were various chair of different styles, including some beanbag chairs. Occupying some of those seats, turning their heads at our entrance, was Glass' team. Calling them to attention, she introduced me. The first was a pegasus stallion that matched Glass' fur color, but sported a red mane, looking like a hearthswarming decoration. This was Glass' older brother, Grand Impact and thankfully he was only about my height. I'd had enough of stallions that towered over me for one lifetime. I didn't have the courage to ask about his name or the shattered archery target that made up his cutie mark. Next to him was brown-coated mare; an earth pony like myself. The two of us exchanged nods that communicated more than our companions could understand. You might laugh, but I could tell that she was a career mare by the stiffness of her nod. The green eyes beneath her caramel colored mane told me that she was sizing up and finding a use for me in a number of theoretical situations based on my own nod. Cocoa Surprise was a good mare and she was quite the cook, earning herself a chocolate cake... with a fuse as a cutie mark. We had one other individual with us and he stood out pretty hard in our group. Amber chitin bled into a nighttime blue as it swept from his head to his tail. Corium was an interesting character to be sure and the most socially forward of the group as he made every effort to make me feel welcome. Of course, he had to go and ruin it by telling the whole group that I was giving off “residual attraction.” Whatever that meant... Once the meet-and-greet was over, Glass wasted no time in getting us all sat down to explain things to me. Glass and her crew were in Los Pegasus officially to assist the local law enforcement during the busy time of year. Apparently crime rates spiked during the autumn time and without additional boots on the streets, it was difficult to keep up with it. Unofficially, Glass' team had been tipped off that a drug ring of some kind was based out of the city. While we were out there, we were supposed to be on the lookout for any illegal trafficking. It was another hooves-off investigation and we were just supposed to confirm it so that a strike team could be put together to bust the place. The only problem was that dealers in this town were more slippery than hydra hatchlings in the ocean (don't ask how I know that experience.) They'd been on the job for a few months and they few times they'd come close to nabbing somepony to question, they'd vanished without a trace. I wasn't sure what help I was going to be here, but the locator band on my hoof reminded me that I didn't get a say here. The group had picked up Corium about a month into the job due to his natural ability to blend in and previous experience as a scout during the reign of Queen Chrysalis. Like many of his kind, the poor stallion felt like he needed to prove himself to the ponies around him. The only real problem I had with him was that he didn't exactly understand personal space. That was a minor thing overall though. Glass decided to ruin the moment by reminding me of the second reason I was here... “Alright, Rookie. The LT tells me that I need to get you into fighting shape, so we're going to see what you're made of. Cocoa, on me. The rest of you, fan out, usual search pattern.” Crisp salutes met her orders and we broke into two groups. Cocoa and I followed Glass out of the club and into one of the local gyms. I had to admit, it was a nice place and boasted some state of the art equipment. Unfortunately, we made our way to a section of the gym that was covered in floor mats. Glass turned to face us, eyes narrowing as she looked at me, then toward Cocoa, “Don't break him, but don't pull your hits too much. Let's get a feel for where he's at.” Everything this mare said made me feel like this was going to be terrible. As I stood across from Cocoa, she gave me an apologetic smile as we both lowered our heads and widened our stances a bit. I was conflicted. I'd always been told never to strike a mare but I was pretty sure that Cocoa could break me in half with one hoof tied behind her back. Glass gave a sharp whistle and I found myself flat on my back with pain slowly creeping into my brain... “Celestia's merciful frogs, Rookie! What kind of shitty performance was that!? Martial owes me big time for this, now get back on your hooves!” Cocoa was frowning as I stood, shaking off the ache in my back. Another sharp whistle came and I at least saw Cocoa coming this time as she closed the gap. It didn't exactly help. Wrapping one hoof around my neck and the other around one of my legs, she gave a yank and pulled me off of my hooves, bodily throwing me to the side. “Again!” barked Glass. Over and over, Cocoa handed me my flank with deft, practiced moves. I could tell that she was trying to slow down and allow me a chance to react, but it didn't matter. Time and time again, Glass had a reason to shout obscenities at me and I could see that Cocoa was starting to feel guilty about destroying me so easily. I was not a fighter and my current commanding officer was trying to put my stallionhood in question. All I gained during this hour of torture was an appreciation for Cocoa's skill and a plethora of bruises despite the padded floor... ** We returned to the club and I collapsed into a beanbag chair with a groan. Glass left soon after to join up with the group searching the town, leaving me with Cocoa. The mare was nice enough to provide me with an ice pack for the swelling under my left eye where a strike had gone a bit wild. Thanking her, I applied it and was content to stew in my misery for the moment. “...Why did you not fight back?” Cocoa asked, finally letting me hear her voice. There was a light Trottingham accent to her speech and she looked at me in a measure of confusion and concern. I shrugged, not wanting to really think about my beating, “I mean, at first there wasn't a lot of time to react... and,” I shifted uncomfortably, “call me old fashioned, but my family taught me not to hit a mare. Truly, the attempt probably would have ended with my face in the mat, but... it's the principle of it, you know?” She nodded, but the frown on her muzzle told me that she had some thoughts on the matter. She turned, amusing herself with the mini-bar in the room and I was left to try and recover as best I could for the moment. My mind was drifting as I found myself looking over the ponies rocking out on the dance floor below. There were plenty of mares to admire as they swayed about, drawing in stallions like moths to a flame. In the end, I couldn't help but compare them to Dawn, which wasn't fair. She was definitely a ten out of ten, but that didn't make these mare's any less attractive. “Ooh, somepony tastes good in here!” came Corium's cheerful voice, breaking me from my thoughts. He and I were going to have to talk about phrasing. Lifting my head, I confirmed that the city group had returned. Judging by the light scowl on Glass' face, I guessed that they didn't have much luck today... loving sisters, I hated that phrase. The group broke apart across the room and Corium flopped into a beanbag chair near me, giving me a knowing smirk. I rolled my eyes at him, gaining a chuckle from him. He had all the subtly of a cargo train going full speed, but he turned his gaze to the club below. After a moment, he gave a happy sigh. “Amazing, isn't it,” he asked, gesturing towards the ponies and changelings below us, “a few years ago, I would have thought this was impossible. Changelings like me, undisguised, mingling with ponies...” he trailed off and when I looked at him, I noticed tears forming in the sapphire orbs that were his eyes. Noticing my gaze, he quickly wiped his hoof over his eyes, “Sorry, I've been overly emotional ever since the change,” he smiled at me, the gesture not quite reaching his eyes, “it's been difficult for some. Some of us still wake up in a... what's the expression? Cold sweat? Yes, a cold sweat as we remember what it was like before...” As he trailed off, I decided that our conversation about phrasing could wait...
Chapter 16: A Matter of PerspectiveTo my relief, the rest of my first day was to relax. Corium invited me to play chess and I learned very quickly that even when he was prattling on, his mind was extremely tactical. Fifty losses in a row was humbling experience, but he was a good sport about it and tried to help me understand the game a bit better. I could hear the rest of the group snickering at my expense, but I wasn't going to complain. The entire situation felt... normal in a way. Agent Glass took off to somewhere without a word. Impact said that it was normal for her to do this, especially when she was stressed and that she'd be back by morning. When night finally came, we went next door to a large hotel. Like the kind that I couldn't afford even with months of savings, but the Royal Guard had rented us a couple of rooms; one for stallions and one for mares. Impact, Corium, and I entered into our room and I immediately noticed a problem. “Uh... Impact,” the pegasus looked at me, “there's only two beds.” He snorted, “Yeah, well we weren't really prepared to have you with us, bud. You get to bunk with Corium tonight and we'll get another bed brought in tomorrow.” Honestly, despite my hesitation, I'll admit that Corium wasn't a half bad snuggler, though I will never admit it willingly... ** The dream came back that night, only this time I watched my reflection in the mirror. The image was of the gym and the earlier practice. The difference was that in the image, I was winning. Time and again, I saw my doppelganger defeat not just Cocoa, but all the members of Glass' team. When it finally ended, my reflection turned and regarded me with a look of resentment... ** I woke with a gasp, sitting straight up in bed and panting. A soft hoof on my shoulder made me jump and I whirled on Corium where he stood at the edge of the bed. He was looking at me with a worried frown as he levitated a cup full of liquid to me. I didn't even question it as I pulled it to me, realizing that whatever was inside was a hot drink. I didn't care, the cup and the liquid were just something for me to focus on. I drank it. Hot chocolate. Something about the drink slowed my heartbeat, helping me calm down as Corium sat silently nearby, watching me. I looked up at him, then away as I mumbled an apology. He waved off my apology with a hoof, “Nopony can feel guilty for having fear, Lucky. It's part of what makes you alive. Do you want to talk about it?” “I wouldn't even know where to start.” I mumbled sullenly. “At the beginning, I would assume.” he whispered with a light chuckle. Casting a glance at Impact's sleeping form, he gestured for me to follow him. Slipping from the bed, I allowed myself to be lead to the balcony overlooking the city and he closed the door leading to it so that Impact could sleep soundly. Sitting on the balcony, I could only stare up at the moon for a long time. I wanted to talk, I really did, but I didn't know what was going on. With a sigh, I lowered my head and told him everything. All of the events leading up to being coerced into the guard and the things that happened after. Finally we reached the dreams and my conversation with Dawn. He looked thoughtful as I recounted the aspects of both, tilting his head in thought. “Odd,” he mused aloud, “I was under the impression that your Princess Luna was drawn to such nightmares to put a stop to them...” I hadn't thought about it. I'd had plenty of nightmares as a colt before her return to Equestria, so I suppose I just didn't expect things of her. I shrugged in response, “I mean, she is a princess. She must be busy all the time and she probably has her hooves full with the nightmares of fillies and colts.” “Maybe,” he conceded after a moment before standing, “please excuse me, Lucky. I just remembered something I needed to discuss with Agent Glass,” he smiled at me, “try and get some rest, you've probably got a full day tomorrow between assisting our investigation and your training.” I grunted in acknowledgment, but I spent a few more minutes staring at the moon before returning to bed... ** The next day began much slower than I expected, and the sun had been up for an hour or so by the time I stirred. Blinking, I jumped out of bed, cursing to myself at my laxness and the plethora of insults that I was sure Glass would throw my way. In the end though, it was only a gentle laugh that greeted me. Corium was standing near the door, two cups levitated in his magic. Floating one over to me, he came closer, “Relax. It's just you and me today. Glass decided that I should take over training you for today.” I blinked, sipping at my cup. More hot chocolate, “Two things. One, are you qualified to train me? Two, what is it with you and hot chocolate?” My comment earned me a peal of laughter as he set his cup down on the nightstand. “Well, starting with two, it's because chocolate is the closest thing I've found to physical love in Equestria. As to the first, don't you worry, I may not look it, but I'm more than capable,” he grinned, flashing a smile at me, “and when I'm through with you, so shall you be.” “I guess one of us needs to believe in me.” I muttered sourly. “You're right,” he said, his voice suddenly tense and serious, “and that one needs to be you, Lucky.” he jabbed me in the chest and I got a feeling that his chitin was actually much firmer than it appeared to be. Just as fast as it came, his stern look vanished back into a playful smile. Just watching him gave me whiplash. “So, come! Drink your hot chocolate and let's go!” he called to me as he all but pranced his way to the door. I was a bit slower in moving as he lead the way back to the gym I'd seen the day before. I was expecting another round of pain when he lead me to the mats on the floor, but he merely gestured for me to stand next to him. Confused, I did so. Smirking he explained, “There is one thing that Agent Glass and I disagree on when it comes to formal combat. She, and her subordinates, look to combat as a brutish thing that can only be mastered by repeated failures to teach you. I disagree.” Without warning, Corium became a blur of motion. Dodging in rapid circles around me, he lashed out in three consecutive strikes. None of them hit, but judging by the ever-present smile on his muzzle, they weren't intended to. Each one brushed past me by the smallest of margins, the wind from all three playing over my fur. Coming to a stop, he twirled, like actually twirled, his way back in front of me. Rolling his shoulders, he spoke, “changelings, as we were, did not possess the brute strength to bring down the average earth pony warrior. We did not possess the speed to outfly a pegasus and we most certainly did not have the magic to overpower a unicorn mage.” I felt my flanks hit the mat as I sat in front of him. Corium was something of an artist with words, not by the use of extravagant words, but by the conviction with which each one was said. I felt like he was revealing to me one of the great secrets of the universe as he touched a hoof this his chest. “What we possessed, Lucky Signs, was grace and adaptation. During the first invasion, we did not fight head to head with earth ponies, we fought around them, kept them guessing and flailing to catch us. We did not outfly the pegasi, we outsmarted them. We did not overpower the mages, we out-planned them. Our method of fighting... was more akin to a dance. Observe.” He moved again, only this time his movements were slow and measured. With a sense of balance that would make an acrobat green with envy, Corium repeated the same motions he'd first done with lightening fast reflexes. Step by step he moved, circling me slowly and humming a soft tune under his breath. In slow motion, it really did look like he was dancing. “More often than not, Lucky Signs, a criminal who opposes you is confident enough to oppose somepony twice your size. They will crush you if they can,” his stern face had returned, “and there won't always be somepony to help you. Now... up. Follow along with me.” He had to be kidding. He wasn't. He stared at me expectantly, waiting for me to mirror his first motion. I gave him a pleading look, not wanting to embarrass myself, but he didn't budge. Groaning, I rose up onto my hind legs and mirrored his stance, feeling a deep blush appearing on my muzzle. He quirked his head to the side, “Not bad, not bad, but more like this.” Not waiting for permission, the hoovesy changeling grabbed at my limbs and back, aligning them in a way that just felt... odd, yet relaxed. “Now, follow me. Move from this relaxed state into a straight jab. Left hind leg forward, twist, strike,” as he spoke he moved, staring at me until I followed suit, “now back, drift softly and bring your hoof back, curl back against the barrel. Reverse the twist and pull back the leg.” Under his guidance, we simply practiced this move over and over and over for an hour. Asking him about it, he simply told me, “The movement must become instinctive. The body must move without direction from the mind. Your partner expects you to know the dance and you must not disappoint.” He was one crazy bug....
Chapter 17: Sins of the Past...Corium and I left the gym as the time neared around noon. During that time, he'd continued to lead me through a variety of motions, calmly instructing and adjusting me physically. It was a different kind of training, I supposed, as we chatted during the process of repetition for each one. I learned that Corium had been more than a simple scout during the time Chrysalis had been in charge. His missions had been more specific to target analysis and elimination. When I gulped at that, he assured me that by “elimination” he meant making sure that high priority targets were taken and cocooned so that an infiltration changeling could take their place as quickly as possible. It hadn't always gone well and that's why he had training in hoof-to-hoof combat. Periodically, I noticed him wince in regret as he described his actions. During the Queen's reign, it was unheard of for a changeling to defy their monarch and many of them did things that they regretted, he told me. Personally, he preferred his station in life much more now as he tried to make up for everything he'd done. A thought occurred to me as I glanced at him, “Corium? I'm just kind've curious, but during the invasion, what did you do?” Pain. That was the only word I had for the emotion that flashed across the changeling's face. I think I would have hurt him less if I'd actually struck him. I quickly backpedaled, “Never mind, that wasn't cool of me. I'm sorry, Corium.” “Don't be,” he said softly, “sometimes we have to remember what we've done to find the strength to move forward. Where was I, Lucky? I was doing the worst part of the invasion. It was such a quiet thing at first. Canterlot had fallen long before we revealed ourselves and much of it was a direct consequence of the things I did.” He took a deep breath and began to shift into various motions; a coping mechanism. He struggled with himself as he continued, “Let me tell you something, Lucky. If fortune favors you as much as you complain it does, then you will never find yourself in a position where you hold a pony's life in your hooves. You will never have a reason to hate yourself down to your core and you will never feel as empty as I did on the day I committed the sin that I have long since been forgiven for, but can't forgive myself for.” Spinning in place, his hooves lashing out at unseen foes, “It was a task like so many before it. I slipped into Canterlot, right under the noses of the guards and citizens alike. I took many forms reaching the great castle that overlooked the world that your princesses ruled. I moved through those arching halls like a shadow, my constant hunger drawing me to her like a moth to the flame.” I sat still, listening to Corium open up to me. I don't even think he realized I was still here. This was just his confession, “It was a task like all the others. I entered her quarters like a sickness before the purity that she was and is. The task was the same, but she was different.” He turned to me, his eyes eerily hollow, “When I first laid eyes on Princess Cadence, I was conflicted. She bled love like an open wound and she gave it freely, nurtured it into something beautiful... and it was my task to take that away from all of you,” he chuckled bitterly, “if I hadn't been so damn good at my job, then none of you would have suffered at the hooves of my kind... Nopony even knew she was gone. That's how seamless it was to slide an alicorn from her bed and replace her with a queen. I dragged a terrified, confused mare down into the depths of the earth to trap her there. Not even her husband-to-be was aware of anything at first and once Chrysalis spun her magic around him, he was never going to be. Do you want to know the worst part, Lucky? She didn't hate me for it. She didn't lash out in anger, she didn't spit curses at me for what I was doing, and she didn't make any demands of me. I was prepared for those things because she wouldn't be the first to do so. I was even prepared for her to beg me to stop, to tell me that I didn't have to do it... No... what the Princess of Love did to me was the worst thing. As I placed her in that love-forsaken cavern, she asked me a simple question that still resonates in me to this day. She asked me, 'why?' and I didn't have an answer for her. I still don't. No changeling dared challenge the might of the queen before Thorax... and all along, we could have...” He slowed, coming to a stop and I could see his eyes misting over with tears that refused to fall. He met my gaze and gave a sad smile, “She may forgive me, all of Equestria might forgive me, but I can't forgive myself for what I did to an innocent mare who held all the love of the world at her beck and call but chose to share it with everypony... and that is why I am here, Lucky Signs. To make sure that nopony ever has to ask why and receive no answer...” He stepped past me, murmuring, “Come, it's time we started our investigation rounds...” I fell in step behind him as we left the gym. ** I was grateful that Corium could bounce back from his slump quickly. A little bit of a walk and he brightened up again, chatting my ear off about various shops that we passed by. It seemed like he knew everypony in the city despite the sheer achievement that would be. Despite this, I could see that his ears were constantly moving and his eyes took in everything around us. I tried my best to keep an eye out as well, but with the vast amount of ponies in the city it was a fruitless endeavor. Finding a single criminal or even a group of criminals in this crowd was going to be all but impossible. Still, I was going to have to at least try while I was here, or Martial was going to have my head mounted on her wall as a warning to others. Los Pegasus was as lively as it could get. Scattered among the tourists and natives, street performers and hype ponies made their living. I ended up tossing some bits to a performer that was a fair bit more... exotic. That changeling may not have been on par with Dawn in my mind, but hot damn, she could move that body in ways that made you stare. Getting a thank you kiss on the cheek was pretty cool too and may have inspired others to give generously. Somewhere along the line, Corium managed to snag us some hayburgers to scarf down as we walked. I wasn't sure when because it felt like he never left my side. I think he enjoyed it far too much with the way he dove into it with an eager smile. I had to admit that his chipper attitude was rubbing off on me and I found myself laughing with him at his antics. Ponies we passed probably thought I was crazy or (correctly guessed) new in town seeing as how most of them either were content or had lost horribly at one of the various casinos and were feeling down. So when Corium came to a dead stop, his face turning serious, I was confused. I opened my mouth to ask him about it, but he beat me to the punch by pressing a hoof to my mouth, “Don't look now,” he whispered to me, his face returning to a smile, “but we just caught somepony in the act. Directly behind you, the pony in the hoodie. I need you to act like we're parting ways and bump into him. Not hard, just enough to get his attention.” I blinked at him, but nodded slowly. He smiled widely, wrapping his hooves around me and stating loudly, “It was lovely catching up with you, my friend! Alas, I need to see to my business and I've no doubt kept you too long. Ta-ta!” He was definitely the better actor of the two of us as I idly waved and murmured a, “Yeah, see you around” in return. Turning away, I immediately noticed the pony that Corium had been talking about. A turquoise colored stallion wearing a gray hoodie, his disheveled, tan mane just poking out from under the drawn hood. He was starting to move away from what appeared to be a street vendor with his head down. Taking a deep breath, I moved after him, making sure not to run, but going fast enough to catch up. Corium just wanted me to bump him? I wasn't sure why, but he'd been very specific. So, as I passed by him, I snapped my head to the left like I'd heard something in the crowd of noisy ponies and gave him a light hip check. The mystery stallion grunted as my unexpected motion threw him off balance. Scrambling to right himself, he whirled on me, letting me see the blood shot, green eyes beneath the hood. No horn and the hoodie was bunched up around wings, so he was an earth pony like me and he was... mad and nervous at the same time. “Hey! Why don't you watch where you're going, you limp-dicked, bottom colt!” He shouted at my shrilly. Just below the age of adulthood and already throwing out vulgar insults at random ponies. What was the world coming to? I blinked at him, able to show a bit of confusion thanks to his sudden outburst, “Oh, sorry, I didn't see you there,” I lied, “I thought I heard someone calling my name. Didn't mean to bump into you.” “Yeah,” he shouted, his pupils narrowing dangerously, “well maybe you should get some glasses geezer! Almost made me drop my...” he trailed off, one hoof going to the pocket of his hoodie. His movements became frantic after a moment as he searched himself for something. “Looking for this?” a familiar voice called out. Corium stood a few steps away, one hoof raised with a bag of some kind of powder in it. His smile didn't quite reach his eyes, “Hydra plant extract. Extremely powerful hallucinogen and just as illegal in Equestria. Now if only there were a member of the guard to... oh wait,” he stated in false realization, “there is one.” he chuckled, gesturing to me. To his credit, the youth put two and two together fairly quickly. Looking between myself and Corium with wide eyes he thought for a moment and then bolted. “After him!” Corium cried and we gave chase....
Chapter 18: ...and the PresentAuthor's Note Surprise second chapter today! Chapter 18: ...and the Present Weaving through the crowded streets was easier than I would have expected. Of course, that might have been because our target was all too eager to smash his way through everypony in his way. Regardless, he was running like Tirek himself was hot on his tail and keeping a measure of distance between us. Corium made it seem effortless to navigate the carnage he was leaving behind, twisting and turning around some obstacles and hopping over others. I was probably the one who looked most like a clown at that moment, skidding to dodge around ponies that were busy shouting things at the fleeing pony. It was all I could do to keep him in sight, but I could still boast some of that earth pony stamina. The chase lasted a good fifteen minutes and I could see our mark was running out of steam and he was slowing down. He wasn't giving up though as he took a sudden left turn into an alley and broke line of sight. I heard Corium curse and we put on an extra burst of speed, rushing to the alley. We turned into it, eyes wide and ears alert... ...and saw nothing. The alley was long enough that the sudden disappearance of the earth pony was baffling. I looked up, checking the fire escapes against the buildings, but he wasn't there either. Corium was darting about with a buzzing of his wings, carefully checking windows here and there, but I was willing to guess that his shaking of his head meant he was having about as much luck as I was. He landed next to me, wings buzzing in agitation, “How do they keep doing that,” I glanced at him inquisitively and he explained, “this is what keeps happening. Agent Glass and the rest manage to pin down a possible lead and give chase. Just when it seems like they have the suspect they vanish into thin air.” Sitting on my haunches, I took that information with a grain of salt, “Cloaking spell of some kind? Maybe he was wearing something charged with one?” Corium shook his head, “Glass always sweeps the area with spell to check for those. On top of that, a cloaking spell can't stop a changeling from sensing emotions. I had him locked down and his emotions just... went away when he got to this alley.” He scuffed a hoof on the ground in frustration. Standing, I began to pace the length of the alley. I'd known a few unicorns that were well on their way to being proper mages and they loved to tell me the limits of magic whenever I suggested they do something with it. One of those limits was that you couldn't just make something no longer exist. So... our case of Cherry Houdini had to have gone somewhere. The question was where. Stalking through the alley while Corium took to the air once again, I searched for anything that would tell me where he'd gone. There was nothing. I could see why Glass was always so angry if this was what she had to deal with on a daily basis for her investigation. Well, smart, guardly tactics weren't working, so maybe it was time for some silly, small-town pony moves. Trotting back toward the side of the alley we'd entered on, I faced the length of it, pawing at the ground with one hoof. What I was doing probably looked foolish to onlookers, but I'd managed to win a few games of hide-and-seek doing this. Thinking back, I counted a good two seconds between the time the fugitive had entered the alley to the point Corium and I had caught up. With that in mind, I dug in my hooves and charged like I was running recklessly from something. Giving it a two count, I made it roughly halfway down the alley and tried to apply the brakes. The keyword there was tried. The cement that made up the ground here was seamless work... or so I thought. Planting my front hooves down, I ended up pressing my hooves firmly down... and the ground gave out from under them. With a yelp, I slammed into the ground chin first. I might have knocked myself a little loopy and as I tried to recover, Corium darted down, “Lucky, are you...” he trailed off and looking up at him, I saw his mouth was hanging open in surprise. Tilting my head to follow his gaze and blinked rapidly. Part of the cement had come loose, forming a perfect square that stood perpendicular to the rest. I clambered to my hooves and leaned over the top. I could just make out a softly flickering like a fair distance down and the top rung of a ladder offered us a way down. Corium gave a noise that I could only describe as the most masculine squeal I'd ever heard. Seizing me by the hooves, he began to dance around like a foal who'd been told he could have any candy he wanted from the store. He was laughing giddily, “Of course! Underground hideaways! No magic and just enough cement to block out my senses! So simple and yet intelligently so!” He cried out. He stopped about as quick as he started, leaving me spinning around from the momentum as he squinted in focus. His horn lit up with a sudden, electric blue light. I'd just managed to get my uncontrolled rotations dealt with and shook loose the last of the dizziness when he finished. He hopped around eagerly, “Okay, Glass and the others are on the way! Let's go find our mystery stallion!” Before I could explain to him the number of reasons that was a bad idea, he was diving down the hole. I groaned. I'd rather have waited for the rest of the crew before venturing into the unknown, but I couldn't let him go down there alone. With a sigh, I swung myself down onto the ladder and followed. The passage we wound up in was a fairly standard dirt tunnel. Periodically, electric lights flickered ahead of us, illuminating the way. It was something straight out of a horror story. At least that's what I thought. The changeling ahead of me seemed to think of it like a carnival ride as he strutted forward. At least one of us was having fun. Strangely, the air in the tunnel wasn't as stuffy as I was expecting and a quick glance at the walls told me why. Piping in the wall whistled with fresh air coming from somewhere on the surface and that made me nervous. This wasn't something built by twitchy drug addicts. Add on that if all the vanishing suspects were coming to places like this it was starting to look like a large scale project. “Corium,” I whisper-yelled at him, “I don't think we-” He shushed me with a hoof, his ears flicking back and forth. What happened next was something that I wouldn't have believed if I didn't see it. With a soft flicker of magic, Corium vanished. More accurately, his chitin took on the coloration of the dirt wall next to him and he appeared to vanish. Interesting trick, but watching part of the wall start to move stealthily forward was unnerving. Taking the hint, I pressed myself against the opposite wall and started watching my step. Soon enough, I caught wind of what made him go silent. Voices were starting to hit my ears from further up and as we closed in on them, I recognized one as the pony we'd been chasing. The other was an unknown and sounded more annoyed than anything... “You can't even go one day without being discovered?” asked the unknown one. Male by the sounds of it, with an accent I couldn't quite place. “Look, I sold the first bag and then the loony bug snatched the second from me! Cut me a break, dude!” answered our runner frantically. “One bag doesn't get our employer the money he needs, colt. We've done the hard part getting it into the country. All you had to do was sell it and bring the money back. Instead, what did you do? You blow your cover day one...,” a sigh escaped the second voice, “just... stay here and don't do anything stupid. You get one more chance.” The sound of distant hoofsteps echoed down the passage as Corium and I came up upon a wooden door at the end of the tunnel. The hoofsteps were receding on the far side, so there was probably another exit. Looking over at Corium, I noticed that his eyes were shimmering softly and were shifting back and forth. Turning to me, he began to flick his ears in guard cant (I'm guessing Glass taught him.) One enemy. Not alert. Left. Capture and question. I nodded in understanding and took up position with a straight shot at the door. Corium's magic gripped the door handle and I braced myself. The door flew open and I rushed in, angling to the left. I barely had time to register what must have been a small safe room, complete with dried rations in barrels and a single-pony bed in the corner. The room was lit by a single light hanging precariously from the ceiling. Mr. Hoodie was sitting at a small table with his head in his hooves, but it snapped up as I came in. His eyes widened as I cleared the distance between us and bodily grabbed him, wrapping my hooves around him and lifting him from his chair. I'd gotten stronger than I thought. Pushing that to the back of my mind, I slammed him into the ground, knocking the wind out of him, then pinned him to the ground. He struggled, but he hadn't undergone basic training like I had and eventually he fell into grunting obscenities at me. I promptly ignored them. “Alright, buddy,” I hissed into his ear, “this is how it's going to work, I'm going to ask you a question and you're going to answer. Truthfully. Understand?” “Fuck you!” “I don't swing that way,” I snorted and took a page out of Top Shot's book, giving his leg a bit of a yank, “answer to me or answer to my current CO. She's not as nice as I am, so either way, you're going to talk. First question: who's your supplier?” “It's not nice to talk about somepony when they're right here.” The return of the unknown voice threw me for a loop. Then his magic physically threw me. I slammed into the wall hard, grunting from the impact and slid to the ground for only a moment before I was yanked up and tossed into the supply barrels roughly. Thank Celestia that I was pretty sturdy these days. “I'd ask how you got in here, but that would be pointless now.” I looked up and took in the pristine white fur and slicked back, black mane of the unicorn standing over me about the same time that I took in what appeared to be a hammer suspended in his yellow magic. Sweet sisters, this stallion looked every bit like a Jet Bond villain. Several things happened at the same moment. I heard my name called out, I saw the hammer swing, and I felt something slam into my side, pushing me away. A resounding crack! split the air and I heard something flop to the ground. Instinctively, I rolled to my hooves and took in the scene before me. Green liquid stained the head of the hammer that had been meant for me and looking back, I froze. Corium lay amid the barrels that had been knocked over and even from here I could see the cracks in the chitin that covered his head... and the flow of green blood escaping them. I stared in horror as the alabaster stallion surveyed his hoofwork. “Pity. He might have actually been able to catch me by surprise if he sacrificed you. So much for the intelligent plans of his kind...” “SHUT UP!” The words left my mouth in a rush of anger. I'll admit that I wasn't a good fighter, but at that point I didn't have to be. He panicked as I charged him, swinging his hammer toward me. It struck me in the side and I grunted, pushing aside the pain with adrenaline as I tackled him to the ground and brought my hooves to bare. One strike to the horn. His magic failed. Two to the face in my rage. Two more to the abdomen. He tried to arch his back and buck me off, but I rolled with it and used the momentum to lift up and drive both of my hind hooves into his stomach. I lost track of how long I spent hammering into this stallion. It wasn't until I felt strong hooves wrapping around my barrel and the voice of Impact in my ear that my thoughts returned to me, “Stand down, Lucky Signs! Stand down!” he shouted at me and snapping me back to reality. I looked down at the battered mess of a stallion beneath me. It was a wonder that I hadn't killed him. Bruises covered his body and his face was a mess of blood, but he was still breathing... barely. Then I heard Cocoa's voice, calling out a single name that chilled my blood... “Corium!? Wake up Corium!” ** Boop...boop...boop...boop... The steady sound of the heart monitor was the only thing that occupied my thoughts. Corium lay still in a medical bed a few steps from me and yet he might as well have been on the moon. His head had been bandaged and the doctors had been working with him for hours, but... he hadn't woken up yet. It was all my fault. I'd dropped my guard and Corium had payed the price for my folly. Even now, all I could do was sit there at his bedside, praying for him to open his eyes. To crack a stupid joke. To do anything. He wasn't going to... at least not anytime soon. The blow had caused a lot of damage and while the doctors had been able to mend most of it, they weren't sure if he was going to heal. He'd been hurt, possibly fatally, because I couldn't defend myself... Glass and the others had returned to the hotel some time ago. My misery was made worse because even Glass refused to scream at me like I deserved. It was one of the few times that I wished Sergeant Boomer was here. He would scream all the thoughts in my head at me, give them life beyond myself. Now... all I could do was think over the conversations we'd had only a few short hours ago. How open he had been with his past and the mistakes he'd made... how he felt about each one. Sometimes we have to remember what we've done to find the strength to move forward. I grit my teeth hard. She may forgive me, all of Equestria might forgive me, but I can't forgive myself... He didn't deserve this... That is why I am here, Lucky Signs. To make sure that nopony ever has to ask why and receive no answer.. He deserved his answer... Near the bed, set on a nightstand, was a pad of papers and a pen. He needed this. We both did. Taking the pen in my mouth, I wrote... Dear Princess Cadence.... ** I made it back to the hotel as evening rolled in. The three ponies waiting for me there looked up at me in silence that reigned for several long moments. I breathed in, steeling myself. I breathed out. “Teach me how to keep this from happening again...”
Chapter 19: Motivation and ClosureSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.
Chapter 20: FreedomNearly a month passed after the raid on the drug ring before anything noteworthy came to pass. I wasn't idle during that time, of course. Martial was quick to dispatch me on a number of missions that went by easily enough. Escorts, investigations, and further training went by in a blur and before I knew it, we were coming up on a day I had almost forgotten about. My liberation day. It took a summons to Martial's office for me to even put the pieces together. It hadn't felt like much time had passed since the day I walked into Donut Joe's and been deemed a vigilante. It was extremely surreal to march into the lieutenant's office for what was going to be the last time. I gave her a salute, “You called for me, ma'am?” I'd caught Martial during one of her stranger moods. She glanced at me, gesturing for me to sit before clasping her hooves under her chin. A tense, awkward silence stretched on between us. Finally, Martial broke the silence, “Auxiliary Lucky Signs... when you first appeared in my office, I was angry with you...” She stood, pacing and chewing on the inside of her cheek, strangely enough, “I thought you had no respect for the law. When I first saw you, I saw another pony who was too big for their boots. When you were lead through that door, I saw a selfish colt with something to prove.” She stopped, sighing and I watched her ears droop, “You claimed it was all luck and when you bested the Shadow Run, I wanted to believe that. I wanted to believe that everything about you was luck beyond luck and so I sent you to a mission that was supposed to be simple and without danger to watch you make a fool of yourself. Instead, you not only discovered a band of cultists but also saved one of my senior agents.” “To be fair, ma'am,” I interjected, “I wasn't able to find all of the missing ponies.” “But you gave us the means to start looking for them,” she countered, eyeing me sternly, “don't belittle yourself. If you must, then I will simply move forward to how you broke a stalemate between the law and the cartel acting out of Los Pegasus. Who knows how long the investigation would have continued fruitlessly without you discovering the underground safehouses.” “By nearly falling into one, ma'am.” I reminded her, earning myself a snort. “Continue to claim that it was luck if you must, Lucky Signs. Regardless, in sharp contrast to how I felt about you then, I now find myself at the day I used to look forward to. Today was supposed to be the day I was rid of you, but instead it feels as though I am losing you. Take that as you will.” I blinked rapidly, staring at her. Martial Cadence had been extremely vocal in her displeasure with me up to this point, but now she was singing a different tune. The thestral held out her hoof and I numbly lifted my leg with the band on it. With a few deft movements of a key, she pulled it off and for the first time in months, I was a free stallion. As she dismissed me and I made my way out of her office, I could only ponder how... strange it felt.... ** I found myself wandering Canterlot in a bit of a daze, confused and lost. For a while, I'd been looking forward to being able to go back home and not worry about anything anymore. I could just go back to being a simple delivery stallion avoiding anything that could trigger the curse that had come with my cutie mark. So why did the idea suddenly seem unappealing? Every time I imagined going home, back to my life, it felt like something was missing. It didn't make any sense because I'd hated every moment of being a member of the Royal Guard. I looked up as I heard the sound of running water and my eyes fell on one of the many beautiful fountains that existed throughout the city. With soft steps, I found myself drawn forward until I was staring down at my reflection in the rippling water. I hadn't truly had time to take in how much I'd changed over the past few months. The soft, sarcastic colt that had come to Canterlot to make a delivery wasn't the face that stared back at me. Instead, a stallion I hardly recognized gazed back at me. True, I could still see the spark of sarcasm and humor dancing in my eyes, but the body around it had become stronger and I was standing a bit taller than I remembered so long ago. “Admiring yourself?” I knew that voice. Snapping my head toward it, I spotted Dawn Breeze strolling toward me casually. Crap, come on brain, restart! Witty one liner, witty one liner, something about her being finer! Damn it I was drawing blanks! “Just... thinking about how much I've changed.” I answered automatically as she stood next to me. Sweet Celestia, I could feel the warmth of her body even across the small gap between us. Thankfully, she seemed to be to busy mulling over what I'd said to notice my internal conflict. “Mostly good, I hope?” she questioned. I shrugged slightly, “Guess it depends on your idea of good. I went from a delivery colt who had never even tried to argue with anypony to a member of the Royal Guard. It was actually kind've nice if I'm being honest.” “Was?” I lifted my band free hoof, “What can I say, they let me off the hook for good behavior. I just wish it was so easy to take the hint,” a tilt of her head got me to continue, “I mean, I wasn't really having fun. It was a job that sort of got forced on me and yet... the idea of going home and being a delivery colt feels... empty.” Dawn smirked sideways at me, “That sounds about right,” it was my turn to tilt my head, “I... had a hunch about you, Lucky. A part of me feels that you had a true place in the guard, but the only pony that can make a decision like that for you is you. So, without considering too far into the future, what do you plan to do with your current freedom?” I sat in silence for a moment, mulling over her words and her question. Was it possible that.... I wanted to be a guard? True, it was the kind of thing that any young colt dreamed of once in a while. Few allowed that dream to continue into their adulthood. It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows though, as my first few outings had showed me. On top of that... could I really trust my “luck” not to act up in horrible ways if I was putting myself out there like that? I could only think of one way to answer her, “I'm not sure... I've saved up a fair number of bits lately, so... maybe I'll stick around Canterlot for a few days. See how I feel in the end. What about you,” she jumped a little at my question, “Martial says you work for 'management.' Considering that the guard answers directly to the princesses, might I assume that you work in the castle?” Dawn stiffened and I saw her jaw set firmly, “I... I'm not at liberty to discuss that, Lucky, I'm sorry.” I waved a hoof dismissively, “Don't be. I've been working with the lieutenant long enough to know that classified means 'keep your nose out of it.' Plus, that kinda answered it,” I grinned at her, “so, Dawn, maybe if you're able to free yourself up an afternoon, you might like to join me for lunch at some point?” Loving Luna, she was adorable when she was the one on the backhoof. Her wings snapped open and it was only about that moment what I'd said. Smooth, Roamio, smooth... She stared at me for a tense silence before she cleared her throat, “I don't think you know what you're going on about, Lucky. It almost sounded like you were... asking me on a date.” She was blushing. Like, bright red blushing. Had she never been asked out before? I had to make a move here. Smiling, I nodded, “Maybe I was.” “You hardly know anything about me...” she protested. “Well, isn't that what the first date is for? To learn more about the interesting pony you're talking to? It doesn't even have to be anything deep. You want to talk about you favorite color over a nice dinner? That sounds fine to me.” Maybe I was coming on a little too strong and desperate. I might have to reel it in- “...I'll have to check my schedule and find an opening...” I blinked. She blinked. Nodding dumbly, I said, “I mean, yeah, you're probably busy more often than not. If you could find a day... maybe it would help to unwind a bit?” Dawn looked into my eyes and she actually seemed unsure of herself, “It... might,” she conceded. In the back of my head, I was very glad that Princess Cadence wasn't there at the moment or I might have blamed her using a bit of magic here. Clearing my throat to get myself under control, I tried to lean onto the fountain casually and act cool. The result was rather abysmal as my hoof slipped into the water and I went about halfway in. I about died of shame when I heard Dawn's light tittering, but then she spoke, “I'll let you know if I find a day to be free, Lucky Signs.” Extracting myself from the fountain, I looked after her, “I mean, uh, how are you going to find me?” I received a wink in answer. “I have my ways.” Damn could that mare tease a poor stallion... ** I was walking on sunshine for the rest of the day. Sure, we may not even get to have a date, but she'd at least considered it. That was enough to set my spirits soaring. I was only a few motions short of prancing my way back through town to the small hotel room I'd rented out for a few nights. I was so happy and unprepared that I never saw my attacker coming. Something struck me firmly in the back of the head and my world faded into darkness...
Chapter 21: The Face of the EnemyAs my groggy mind began to come back to the world of the living, my ears were assaulted by the noise of grinding machinery. Cracking open my eyes, I hissed as a bright light assaulted them. Squinting and groaning in pains both new and old, I tried to shift and turn away from the light. My attempt was stopped short by the rope that secured me tightly to the chair I was seated on. Memories started to flood back into my brain as I came around. I started to panic, squirming against the bonds that held me, the noise being lost amid the racket of metal around me. Ultimately, the entire effort proved fruitless and I was forced to take a moment and take stock of myself. Aside from the splitting headache that waking up from being knocked out came with, I seemed to be in good shape. For the moment, I was alive and the both relieved and terrified me. Apparently, whoever had foalnapped me wanted me alive, but whether that was because they wanted something from me or just to break my legs, I wasn't sure. What? Working in the Royal Guard and busting crooks gained you a lot of ponies that hated you. Remember the cultists? Looking around, I took in what I could see of the room. A large floodlight was pointed at me, blinding me to the things behind it. Around me and behind me was what appeared to be massive gears and pistons running some form of machine. I wasn't exactly a mechanic, so I didn't know what they were for. I seemed to be alone in the room for the moment, so I craned my neck after a moment and gave the rope an experimental nibble. For one, horrible flavor, and for two, much too thick to bite through in any reasonable time. That left me with very little to do except wait... and wait. I was starting to get bored and started whistling various tunes that came to mind. I was left alone with my thoughts for at least an hour by my estimation before my solitude was intruded upon. A door somewhere behind the floodlight was pushed open to slam against a wall in the darkness. “Ah, good. Our guest is awake.” The voice was deep and proper, spoken with a proper noble accent. More than one set of hooves approached from the darkness and before I could question it, a rather unorthodox group entered my vision. While some of them were ponies, I could also see a pair of minotaurs, felines, and a small pack of diamond dogs. Each of them was currently glaring a hole into my face. The final individual to approach was the one that demanded my attention though. I thought he was a ghost at first as he stepped into the light, completely covered by a white suit with a black undershirt. Looking at him, I could tell that he was a gryphon with feathers and fur that matched his suit, but his mask is what helped me put a name to him. Perfectly shaped to fit over his head and cover the upper part of his beak, the pale mask was marred only by a black sun plastered over its surface. “Sunslayer...” I stated in shock “Oh, so you have heard of me,” the deep voice belonged to him as he approached, “surprising. I made it quite obvious what happened to anypony that dared to speak my name to the law. Of course, you're hardly the average lawpony. Isn't that right, Lucky Signs?” My ears twitched, “You know who I am?” “How could I not know the stallion who is the sole reason that two of my operations were shut down? I was going to rack it up to a fluke when you shut down the old fool I supplied with 'cultists' so long as he brought me fresh pony-power to... work for me.” He stopped a few paces from me, a pair of icy blue eyes boring into me intensely, “then you went and ruined my operation in Los Pegasus. You've set me back quite a bit, my friend,” I felt like the exact opposite, “and I'll admit that for a time, I considered striking you down and being done with it...” He let the silence drag on until I was forced to ask, “Well, not that I don't appreciate it, but it sounds like you changed your mind. Why's that?” A dark chuckle escaped the gryphon before me, “Why? A good question. You might actually manage to appear to not be the fool I know you to be,” suddenly that angry face was pressed up close to mine as he used his talons to tip the chair precariously close to falling, “that's right, Lucky Signs, I know the truth even when your superiors don't.” He rapped me on the nose with a talon, forcing me to flinch as a thin slice was cut into me, “the truth is that you are weak. I did my research, my friend. In depth as opposed to the half-flanked investigations of your bosses. You're a sham, aren't you? Just a silly stallion who happens to be in the right place at the right time. Maybe it's not your fault, mm?” I gulped as he returned the chair to an upright position, returning to his previous position. Lifting one claw, he snapped his talons to summon what appeared to be a young mare to his side. I could just make out her purple fur beneath the cloak she wore, matching the gryphon beside her, “Meet Feral Storm. Several members of her family were among those arrested in Los Pegasus during your raid.” I stared and she met my eyes with the most hate-filled look I had ever seen. While we had the most intense staring contest of all time, Sunslayer continued, “She, of course, would much prefer that I allow her to have her way with you. I have a different use for you and your... talent.” I buried the rising sense of trepidation beneath a facade of confidence... I hoped, “Well, let's say that I'm weighing my options, Mr Sunslayer. What exactly did you want from me that couldn't be discussed over a nice hayburger?” A displeased hiss escaped him, “I'll overlook your vulgar taste in food for now. In regards to the question, I think that even you would be smart enough to figure that a 'criminal' like myself can't be out in broad daylight. As to business? I want you to... recover something for me.” “So let me get this straight,” I interjected, “you want me to pick up a package for you? Considering how much you dislike me, you'll have to excuse me for thinking that it's not that simple.” “Very astute of you,” Sunslayer mocked, clapping his talons together, “it's not something that just any pony, gryphon, or other form of existence can retrieve. I have invested time into training, gathered those with particular abilities, and even bribed the most cunning and vicious creatures I could find to get it for me, but they have all failed.” “Sounds to me like it's impossible. How exactly is a nopony like me supposed to get something that a stallion of your stature couldn't?” “Well, if your ears are working, Lucky Signs, you'd have heard that those individuals had failed me. Skill, talent, training, enchantments, technology? None of it has produced the results I need. So, I started to think outside of the box. What was one thing that I couldn't instill into somebeing?” I didn't like the way he gestured toward my flank, nor the word that came out of his beak. “Luck.” I didn't realize how literal the saying “the tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife” was until now. I stared at him while he gazed at me. I was silently asking him if he was serious and his stance was unmoving. I couldn't help it; I started laughing. The beings around me were not so amused and even Sunslayer was starting to narrow his eyes at me. I looked at him, “Y... you're serious? You want to rely on luck? Do you have any idea how inconsistent that is? You can never rely on it; it just sort of happens whenever it wants. Tartarus, if I could give this 'talent' to you, I would. Then you could make a fool of yourself.” Sunslayer tapped a claw to his chin, “While that would definitely make my life easier, it's not something within our collective abilities. Truthfully, I would much rather cast you from the tallest peak in Equestria to a violent end far below, but my patience is reaching its end. Let's be frank, Lucky Signs. Looking at the facts, you no longer have anypony keeping track of your movements and they couldn't find you anymore if they were.” He lifted a forelimb, pointing at the spot where I had once been wearing a locator band on my own leg. He raised a brow as I took that in. Letting it sink, he continued, “So, let's go with an ultimatum: be my little delivery colt or I let Feral Storm do as she pleases. Make your choice, Lucky Signs.” There it was. The true meaning behind all of this. The gryphon in front of me was demanding for me to do something and threatening my life. The problem was that as the time passed in silence between us, my thoughts were turning toward the two instances that I'd apparently ruined his plans. A bunch of slavers masquerading as cultists, who had been planning to sell foals to this psycho, and a drug ring. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath. Opening them again, I stared into those merciless eyes... “Go buck a cactus.” The result was immediate as the small mare beside Sunslayer darted forward, slamming a hoof into my cheek. Tied up as I was, I couldn't exactly fight back as she proceeded to beat me to a pulp. Over the cracking of hoof on flesh, Sunslayer sighed, “Pity. We could have just gone one with our lives after, but you've chosen your fate.” Turning away, he whistled sharply, drawing the rest of his entourage toward him, “When you're done, Storm, deal with what remains and meet us at the Cinder Run. We'll have to try another way to claim my prize.” The rest of it was lost to me under the hail of sharp, targeted hoofblows raining down on me....
Chapter 22: Rage and IcePutting aside pain and fear, the view from the upper part of Canterhorn Mountain wasn't bad. By the time that Feral Storm had finished venting her frustrations upon me, I wasn't really in a state to pay attention to where she was taking me from. It also wasn't until I realized that the air was bitingly cold that I managed to regain enough brain function to know that I was very, very high in the air. Still bound to the chair. This mare was dedicated to making sure that I couldn't do anything to stop her. Currently, both her hooves were wrapped around the upper rung of the chair and I could hear her grunting with the effort to carry me. She was a bit of a smaller mare, what could I say? Of course, at the time I was more concerned with the lack of ground beneath my hooves and the miles before meeting it again. “Look, Storm right,” she ignored me, “I'm pretty sure that you don't care, but it wasn't anything personal. I was just doing my job. Also, the whole operation lead to one of my friends getting really messed up in the process, so I'd say we're even, yeah?” “You could lose your whole family and all your friends and we wouldn't be even, Lucky Signs.” the mare hissed at me. Well, it appeared that talking her down gently was out of the question. She had enough hatred in her that she would probably cut my throat right in front of Celestia. I started quickly looking for anything that could help me out in this situation. Mmmm... snowcapped mountain, empty air, and an angry mare. Not a lot to work with. Then I got a stupid idea. Like a really stupid idea. It all began when my mind pondered about how much the pegasus holding me up reminded me of Martial with her stern gaze and hostile attitude. If there was one thing that Martial had taught me about fliers, it was that they held their honor in an almost sacred light. So, naturally, I sighed, “Too bad, I'll bet this is gonna leave a stain on your legacy, eh?” She stopped. That was a plus, but now she had her glare firmly locked on me as I craned my neck to look up at her. “What's that supposed to mean?” she demanded. I wiggled a bit in my bindings, causing the mare to have to compensate for the motion, “Well, I mean, just dropping me from a great height? Seems a little beneath somepony like you. I gotta wonder what some of the ponies you know would think about how you could only pummel me while I was tied up,” I let out a dramatic gasp, “would they think that you were too weak to fight me fairly?” The wind howled in my ears as the seconds ticked by. I was just starting to think that my ploy had failed when she growled into my ear, “You think you can take me, ground pounder? I am a pegasus, heir to a legacy of proud warriors and above you, both physically and metaphorically, I-” “Prove it.” I goaded her. Something inside of her snapped; I could feel it. She snorted and flipped into a dive taking us both straight for a rise jutting out of the mountain. Behind me, Storm pulled something from her cloak and the ropes binding me came loose with a snap. I fell into the snow, rolling a few times before I managed to get my hooves under me. “You think playing me like that is going to save you,” oh, her voice was cracking; she was pissed, “it won't! I'll savor this and end you with my own hooves!” I barely had time to register that she was coming in before she struck me like a diving hawk. Getting knocked from my hooves, my already bruised up body wasn't eager for another beating. Too bad for me that Storm was all to eager to strike out at me now. It felt like every time I managed to get up, she was there to knock me back down (she had a damn painful hit) as she whirled around high above me. I had made a huge mistake at this point. As she circled around for another attack, I decided to just stay down and start rolling. While it managed to help me avoid her diving strikes, I also didn't have a lot of ground to move on without reaching either a rocky wall or a long fall. I was either going to have to go on the offensive or figure something else out now that I was free of the chair. It had been a strangely long amount of time since Storm had made an attack... A sharp whistle was beginning to build, screaming over the sound of the wind around me. I glanced up, looking for a source and could just make out a purple dot at the edge of my vision. The whistle was becoming a violent wail as Storm sped toward me. At her speed, there was no way that I was going to dodge her attack and we both knew it. So we were both surprised when the wind whipping around the mountain gave a sudden gust. Catching her angled wings roughly, she was thrown off course and crashed with a peal of thunder into the snow just a few steps from me. The snow beneath us shook as she tried to recover and the mountain opened up beneath our hooves. We fell in a cascade of snow into a small cavern that had been hidden beneath the rise. I gave a panicked cry and Storm seemed too shocked to understand what was happening. Landing hard, I felt the air getting knocked from my lungs as I was forced to go prone from the impact. After getting some much needed oxygen into my system, I looked around. The fall had brought us into what appeared to be an ice cave. The walls around us sparkled lightly in the sunlight that now streamed in from above us. It might have actually been cool looking (no pun intended) if I'd been given longer to take it in. Storm had other plans. She recovered a bit quicker than I did and soon had me pinned against the wall, bringing her hooves to bare against me. Curling my own hooves defensively, I realized that her blows lacked power now. The cave itself didn't give her a lot of room to fly and she was no Impact. I was preparing for a counter attack when I noticed something moving within the cave. Taking short glances between attacks from Storm, I could only catch glimpses of it. On top of that, I'd never seen something like it before as a ghostly figure drifted lazily toward us. It was vaguely equine in shape and seemed to grow more and more visible as it approached us. “Storm,” I tried to warn her as she continued to strike me, “stop!” “Buck you,” she spat in response, “I'll end you Lucky! You and your entire family! When Sunslayer has what he needs, we will watch you burn! Your luck means nothing in the face of ability! I hate you! I HATE YOU! HATE YOU, HATE YOU, HATE YOU HA-” A shrill, otherworldly shriek broke through her rising tempo. Now she decided to turn and have a look with me, one hoof still raised to strike me. The creature before us had a form that flickered like a blizzard and the air about it seemed to leech what little heat there was from us. “No...,” Storm whimpered, “that's not possible... no...” The icy being floated toward us, not possessing hind legs and adding to its spectral look as it bore down on us. It looked between the two of us, squinting at me for a moment with the vibrant white lights that made up its eyes. After a moment, it snorted at me and turned toward Storm. She backed up as far as the cave allowed her, shrinking in on herself as it approached. I only had a single word to describe the being before me: Wendigo. It seemed impossible as the story of Hearthswarming would lead us to believe that they had been wiped out by the spell that day. Yet here one was. Storm whimpered and I snapped out of my shock and awe. It was a breath away from her, gazing at her intently and as I watched, ice was beginning to encase her hind hooves. With the anger in her eyes replaced with fear, she looked so... innocent. Maybe it was an instinctive reaction for a stallion seeing a mare in danger. Perhaps it was some deeply buried hero-complex I had developed here recently. Regardless, despite her attempts to kill me, I found my hooves moving. Then I found myself standing between a wendigo and its prey. The monster stared down at me, snorting in irritation and that stupid part of my brain started spewing words out of my mouth, “Nothing to see here. Move along. No mares with issues, just a stallion who does stupid things... and you're not buying this are you?” To be fair, I didn't expect it to answer anyways. The wendigo gave out a feral noise as it tried to move around me, but in my infinite stupidity, I moved to block it each time. Soon enough, it had decided that enough was enough. Its eyes met mine and I felt an intense cold. It hit me like a hammer deep in my gut and I was shivering more than I had been in the outside air. How do I describe being subject to a wendigo's power? It's like staring into a deep well, knowing that at the bottom something is staring back. Adding on, that thing staring back exuded an aura of anger that made you feel small. Everything you've ever been angry about? It pales in comparison to the raw... “hate” doesn't even begin to describe the sensation that came from that thing. I lost feeling in my hind hooves. Everything about me was growing numb and my vision was starting to darken, seeing only those eyes in front of me. Just when I was sure that I was about to become the worlds biggest stallion-cicle, a bright light filled the cave and I heard a pained sound escape the creature before me. I wanted to turn and look toward the light as the wendigo suddenly decided it had other places to be, but I was too far gone. With my vision gone, I was left with only my ears to catch the sound of lightly flapping wings. Still, I had just enough energy to mumble out. “If you're going to kill me, can I just have this nap first?” Then I was out for the second time that day...
Chapter 24: InterventionA soft wind blew between myself and the Alicorn of the Night as we stared at each other. It's truly amazing how much of a conversation can happen when not a word is being said. With every passing moment, I was begging her not to... do whatever it was she was planning. In the same quiet, she was patiently waiting for me to realize that I wasn't getting out of it. “...Do you know why I'm here?” she finally asked to break the silence. I've been told since that Princess Luna has been known to act in ways that make her seem very young, but in that moment I didn't see it. The short distance between us was the span of eons. Just gazing upon the true vision of her gave me this sense that she had seen the rise and fall of great and terrible things. She was an immortal, a goddess given flesh... ...and she was standing there, waiting for an answer. It took me a few tries to find my voice and when it came out, it was just a whisper, “Yes?... no... maybe? I feel like I should, but I don't.” She nodded at my answer like I'd confirmed something as she closed the distance between us. I felt small in her presence. Rumor had it that she didn't stand as tall as her sister, but it was more than enough to make me feel like a foal. “That's to be expected,” she told me, “truthfully, I don't fully understand this myself. While you are not an isolated case, it is among the things that even after thousands of years I cannot begin to fathom. For this, I've had to experiment with treatment even before my banishment and I'm still learning about the true cause.” She stepped around me and gazed down on the farmlands, a small smile forming on her face, “Usually when I bring a pony into their place of safety within the dream realm, it varies between them. Honestly, this one reminds me of my own home so many years ago. Alas that I must come to this place and to you without the time to properly appreciate it all.” I felt compelled to turn and sit beside her, reminiscing about the old place, “It was always a constant,” she glanced at me as I continued, “when the whole world felt fake, it was real. The one place that I could go that didn't throw curve balls at me...” Luna tilted her head, then let out a thoughtful hum, “Strange. It sounds like you know what's going on, but you're... repressing it.” Her response confused me and I looked up at her, “Repressing it? What would I be repressing? No offense meant, your highness, but I've had a pretty good life back home. I wasn't ever part of something that traumatized me, save recent events.” “No? Well then,” she leaned in toward me, her wings coming up. I felt the tips of her feathers brush over my cheeks with a rush of power, “let's see beneath the woken mind.” The farm faded like paint being washed from a canvas. For a few breathless moments, I found myself drifting amid stars and darkness, only the soft touch of her feathers keeping me from floating away. Then the world came crashing back in a flash of memories. If I were to list out everything that assaulted my unprepared mind at that moment, I'd be here forever. In a summary, I was reliving my foalhood since that fateful day that I gained my cutie mark. Just with some slight differences. I didn't remember being unhappy like the images that burned across my mind. It all started a few days after the incident. I'd been working on a school project and putting everything I was into it. I had been putting in real effort, but something had been missing. Then, just as I was about to give up... I slipped. It was... startling really. I'd remembered this moment as my father coming in to help me with the project, but that wasn't what happened in this memory. Instead, I watched my colt-self crash into a cabinet in the kitchen I'd grown up knowing and a spice I still can't pronounce fell into my makeshift “volcano.” The results were spectacular, but I hadn't meant for it to happen. That trend continued over and over throughout the memories. Thoughts of truly trying only for a sudden coincidence to do the work for me. I had never felt so... useless. No matter how hard I tried... it wasn't my success. I felt tremors running through my ethereal form, but Luna held me still with her power. I wanted to run, to scream, to hurl insults at her. Yes, much to my shame, I found myself hating her for several seconds as she broke down barriers that I hadn't even known that I'd put up. The mind is a strange thing. It felt like a small eternity before the rapidly shifting images faded away and we returned to the conjured background of the farm. I didn't know that you could feel... weak in a dream, but as she withdrew her wings, I collapsed and hyperventilated. Curling up into myself, I sought solace in the dirt as I felt exposed and unnaturally naked. “...I'm sorry, Lucky Signs,” her voice registered in my ears, “but this was the only way I could get you to face this. Your friends are worried for you and didn't know what else to do.” The Princess of the Night stood over me, still patient. I felt a gentle hoof press to my side and I flinched instinctively. She recoiled like I'd struck her. I could hear a hitch in her voice as she spoke again, “I hope that one day you'll forgive me. Many ponies understand the way you think, Lucky Signs. Cutie marks have always been a mystery that even after thousands of years, my sister and I still know almost nothing about. I can not tell you why you have yours or why it affects you so. What I can tell you is that it doesn't detract from who you are.” She turned away and began to move away, her form starting to shimmer away like a mirage. As she began to wisp away, she turned back a final time, “If you can not accept your gift for yourself, Lucky, then I implore you to think of others. The greatest gift that our destinies can give us is to let us share what we can do with others. Every day, all beings hope for luck and that keeps them going even when everything around them is falling apart. If you can not be lucky for Lucky Signs, be lucky for your friends. Martial Cadence. Silent Stroke. Corium. Every being that you've met on your journey and for those you have yet to meet.” Her piece spoken, she left. I stayed curled up on the ground as I fought to control my own terror. I felt... sore. Not physically, but mentally and spiritually. The false world began to fade... ** I wish I could say that I hopped out of bed with a new purpose after I woke. I didn't. When I returned from my forced slumber to the waking world, I broke down. I couldn't muster the energy to deaden myself to my swirling emotions and it made me lash out. I shouted at doctors, I cursed the night to a point that almost sounded like treason. They ended up putting a sound-proofing spell over my room and leaving me alone for a few hours, only checking to make sure that I hadn't done something stupid periodically. I was a mess and I knew it. Every fiber of my being wanted to just bury everything that the princess had pushed onto me, but I couldn't. Mostly because she was right. The only thing I could do was lay there and think and every passing moment made it sink in further and further. I had spent a large portion of my life actively avoiding something that most would kill for. The thing about cutie marks was that no matter how sure you were about their meaning, you would still find days that it surprised you. So much of them was about perception or how you chose to interpret them. I'd never taken the time to consider what my little pot of bits and clover might mean. To me it had always represented an inconvenience. So, for the first time in years, I took a breath and thought about it. Pushing aside the times that if had affected me specifically, I thought about when it had worked for others. The time that Vermilion Shakes had been unfortunate enough to discover a bee allergy the hard way and I'd stumbled upon a plant that eased the reaction until we got her to the hospital. The moment that a small fall had put me in a perfect position to catch Quick Silver's prized glass sculpture so it didn't shatter on the floor. So many times that what I'd thought was a curse turned into the saving of somepony's day. By the time that I was freed to leave the hospital, I'd done a lot of thinking. A lot of soul searching. Luna's words haunted me the entire time as I looked at things from a new angle. I was an earth pony. Family and friends meant a lot to everybeing, but to those of us connected to the earth, they were everything. We were taught that from a young age, even if it was only unintentionally. So, when I rose from my bed, I had to stop and look at myself in the mirror. I had to look deep into my own eyes to see it, but I could see that something had changed. There was a hardness, a confidence, that hadn't been there before. I said nothing as I signed myself out and stepped out into the streets of Canterlot. I turned my gaze to the towering pillars of the palace where two sisters shared their talents with the world. History had thrown everything it could at them, from a mad god of chaos to the ultimate battle between siblings, and still they got up every day to brighten our days and protect our nights. I glanced back at my own cutie mark and took a deep breath. The path to Martial's office held a somber mood today and the guards I passed were surprised to see me. Even though I wasn't technically a guard anymore, none of them made a move to stop me as I raised a hoof and rapped lightly on the door. “Enter.” came her usual gruff command. I pushed the door open and stepped in, shutting it behind me. I knew she expected whatever guard was in front of her to start speaking right away with a report, so I stayed quiet. Her eyes were on the paperwork in front of her, but when no immediate report came spilling from my mouth, she looked up and prepared to chastise somepony. Instead, her eyes fell on me and I delighted in the shock in them. I took a moment to breathe, knowing that after this there would be no backing out. I met her gaze and said four words. “Where do I sign?”
Chapter 25: Welcome to the HERDWhen I pictured a super secret agency's headquarters, I pictured an underground cavern filled with top of the line equipment. What I did not expect was an old, dusty room sequestered in a portion of the castle that nopony went to. I'll admit that the fact that we had to go through the castle didn't help my nerves and sometimes I felt like somepony was watching me. Then we entered this place. It was barely bigger than Martial's office and most of the space was taken up by various filing cabinets. The far wall seemed to be dedicated to some form of conspiracy wall with various lines of thread shooting back and forth between pictures. I had also been expecting to meet some more of the HERD, but it was just the gathering of Stroke, Martial, Glass, and myself. Apparently Dawn had been called away by Princess Celestia to oversee something. In the meantime, Martial and Glass decided to give me a basic rundown of the HERD's history. The entire thing had been composed in secrecy after the Monster Hunter's Agency had been disbanded due to redundancy. With most monsters cataloged and countermeasures in place, it wasn't necessary. True, it had only happened a few short years ago. Then the problems of today began. After the return of Princess Luna, a power balance that had been tediously tended to by Celestia began to tip. With the threat of enemies coming out of the wood works to fight against Equestria's rising power, the HERD was founded by a small group of ex-hunters with extraordinary talents and a drive to protect their home. Back then, groups of small, mercenary bands were the main thing that the HERD had to deal with, but as time passed, the threats began to grow. Soon, it was more than a hooffull of agents could tackle and the recruitment began. Before long, they had turned into a small army of ponies with a mission: keep Equestria on top of all threats. The unfortunate part was how difficult it was to organize all of them, so sudden threats like Tirek and Discord caught them by surprise. Eventually, the founding members of the HERD had retired and left it in the hooves of veterans. By that time, the group had grown large enough to have bases of operation in most large cities around the nation. Now I was joining this crazy group of ponies. After giving me a brief history of the place, Martial started explaining to me about how they were organized. The different talents of the ponies in the HERD forced the group to start researching cutie marks to militaristic goals in contrast to the more academic, philosophical studies. Among these studies, the managed to classify themselves into certain groups: Seers, Fighters, Investigators, Builders, Defenders, and Specialists. Seers, as the name implied, tended to have talents that allowed them to see things that most couldn't. This ranged from magical auras to brief glimpses into the future. Agent Glass actually fell under this category, holding the ability to briefly view individuals she'd seen before on any reflective surface. Fighters and Defenders fell under similar categories with their classifications blurring a lot. Defenders were usually big ponies who could withstand significant physical punishment and were scattered among Royal Guard stations quietly. In the same vein, Fighters were those that could deal out a lot of damage in fights. Martial Cadence turned out to be from the small group that blurred the two. Investigators tended toward those that often had “hunches” that could put them on the right track. While they lacked the foresight of the Seers, Investigators could find that needle in the haystack if they really wanted to. Builders ranged from physical to magical capabilities, but worked together to create structures or siege engines that were nigh indestructible. The physical builders were among some of the most innovative individuals you could find and could construct a keep out of sand if they wanted to... or so I was told. Meanwhile, magical builders usually could be found weaving spells into the very stonework their fellows were putting up. Finally there were the Specialists. The group of ponies that worked in the HERD that either couldn't be classified or held an ability that could be a part of every category. According to the other ponies in the room, this was the category my talent fell into. Already I'd shown that my luck could affect a lot of things while out on missions. After that long winded explanation, it was Silent that brought us to the real problem, “Talents strange. Hard to study. Two things certain. Trigger and limit.” Martial nodded, turning her gaze on me, “Silent is correct. While our own researchers have been hard at work trying to unlock the secrets of our talents, we've only been able to determine those things. Each talent has a trigger that activates it and a limit to what it can do. For example, my own talent is triggered by a fear response. It gives me three seconds of unparalleled combat abilities, but after that I'm left weak for several minutes.” “So the question, Rookie,” Glass cut in, “is what your trigger and what your limit is. To be honest, we have no bucking idea what either of them could be for you. All the missions you were sent on beforehoof were supposed to help us narrow it down, but it seems so... random.” I shrugged slightly, “Well, that might be a big problem. As far as I can tell, it is just random. That's why for the longest time I avoided anything that could trigger it.” “Then we search,” Silent interjected, “high and low. Your talent is vague. Possibilities endless. Luck. Messenger happens upon patrol. A seamless passage found. Large scale. Curious, does it work in fights?” I made to shake my head, but paused as I thought about it, “Err... maybe? When I stopped the robbery of Donut Joe's, it just triggered in such a way that looked like a fight...” “Then we start there and work our way outwards.” Martial stated. ** I hated every idea that came out of that mare's mouth. An hour after that became our plan I was unfortunate enough to find myself on the receiving end of Martial's prowess. She'd been effortlessly applying her hooves to every part of my body imaginable. A few came much too close to my pride for my liking. “...I feel like you're not taking this seriously, Lucky.” she deadpanned. “Gee, thanks,” I snarked as I wobbled to my hooves, “you get punted around by somepony several times your better and tell me how you fair. Look, this isn't working.” She paused, sighing as she slid out of her combat stance and flattened her ears in irritation, “it would help if you had some idea of how it worked! You effortlessly took down an armed pony before, so where is your luck!?” “He was trying to kill me, Lieutenant! You're just using me like a punching bag!” “...He was trying to kill you, hmm?” she asked with a cold detachment. I actually shivered at the way they slid out of her lips. Before I could ask what the crazy mare was thinking, she stepped away from me. In a flash of practiced movement, she shed her armor, revealing her full form to me. I saw her cutie mark, a blade surrounded by shields before I noticed where she was going. The room we'd selected was once a dining room that had long since been forgotten. Wide open with towering pillars, it would allow her to easily fly at top speed. Various pieces of equipment lay in a pile near one of the doors for when we moved up in the training. ...Or that was the plan. Martial went for the one thing that made me dread her more than anything else. The slim, silver lance that served as her primary weapon almost seemed to mold to her hooves. It had been a long time since I'd felt this same fear and back then it had been an illusion. “What are you doing?” I asked quietly. “...Killing you.” she stated just as quietly. I'd become stupidly accustomed to the sensation of time dilation in the face of mortal danger. A few months ago, I would have passed out just from her voice at that moment, but now I stood there with my eyes widening as she moved. I watched her wings snap out and flash at her sides, shooting her forward with the tip of her weapon aimed at my chest. I wanted to believe that she was pulling my leg, but there was that hardness in her eyes. I'd seen that look as she mercilessly struck down members of the syndicate back in Los Pegasus. She wasn't joking. Her aim was true and she meant to kill me. I felt something snap inside of me. It felt like a taunt string had settled in my chest and the pressure had finally broken it. She shot forward and I turned to try and run, but there was a strange... sense of correctness to the motion as one of my legs tilted and caught on the knee of the other. I fell. Wind whipped across my shoulder as I whirled around, pushed into a full spin by the airflow as a wing clipped one of my ears. I reached out to find something to stop myself only to find my hoof catching a similar feeling surface. Martial gave out a noise of surprise as I caught her hind hoof, arresting a portion of her momentum. I was still blinking in surprise when she twisted sharply, her eyes alight with a light that matched the sheen of her weapon. Whack, whack, WHACK! Three sharp blows rained down on my, striking my skull, shoulder, and knees as I fell to the ground. I groaned as I looked up at her, watching the light leave her eyes after a breath. Then she too collapsed, panting and looking like she'd just run a marathon. Despite all this, she was starting to laugh. “What in Tartarus is so funny?” I groaned out as my head throbbed. She continued to laugh, “I think we found at least one of your triggers.... now let's see how far its limit goes. We'll go again once I've recovered. You should be proud. Not many can trigger my talent these days.” “I'll get right on the pride when I can feel my hooves again...”
Chapter 26: When you Poke a Stormcloud...I came to the conclusion that Martial Cadence was a little on the mentally unstable side. As she continued to try and run me through with her weapon, she seemed to relax and start having fun. Strange, right? She even started carrying on a conversation with me between swipes at my head, heart, and stomach. Something about not having an excuse to really go all out. I don't know, I was a little busy trying to stay alive. The good news was that my luck held out for the duration. Of course, I wasn't able to avoid a few nicks and cuts, but they weren't life threatening. It gave us a bit of a frame of reference that while my talent helped me in avoiding lethal damage, it didn't cover everything and I was probably as good as dead if I took too many hits. The medics were horrified by the state my body was in when she finally limped me in to them. Thankfully, they discouraged any further attempts on my life and ordered me to take it easy until I healed up. I was fine with that, considering that I was looking a bit like a mummy when they were done. The HERD agents currently in the castle reconvened later in the day to hear my report on Sunslayer. All of them were stoked to learn Sunslayer's species and sent that information out to their various spies. Snow white griffons were a bit on the rarer side, so hopefully he'd stick out like a sore hoof. In the meantime, they were eager to puzzle out the rest of what I'd told them. “The Cinder Run? I've never heard of a place like that in Equestria...” Glass pondered. “Then we assume that it's not in Equestria,” Martial countered, “send out messages to our ponies in the other nations. Any hint of this place is to be given top priority. We have Sunslayer by the wings and I want him clipped as soon as possible.” “Easy to say, hard to do,” Silent chimed in, “smart bird. Avoided detection until now. Easier to do if objective is known.” “I agree with Silent,” Dawn, having joined us, said, “chasing after Sunslayer is only going to end in failure. What we need is to know what he wants and why he wants it. If we do that, we can be a step ahead of him for once.” “Any suggestions?” Glass asked and received a nod from Dawn. “We get our prisoner to talk.” ** Feral Storm was not a happy mare. Anypony could tell that from the look on her face as she stared impassively at the one-way glass. She'd recovered from the wendigo attack easily enough, but any attempt to get her to open up had been met with silence. It was shocking to see the difference between the mare who'd been scared for her life and the one before me. Glass had given me the rundown. After the two of us had been retrieved from the cavern, Storm had been treated and moved to solitary confinement. Periodically, somepony would bring her into the small interrogation room with its single table and two chairs to coax her into divulging information. She had remained resolute and defiant. Standing there in the relative safety of the observation room, I frowned. Something felt off about the entire thing, but I couldn't put my hoof on it. The birth certificate that had been dug up for Storm put her at being a fairly young mare, barely out of her fillyhood, but she had been an orphan for some time. She'd run away from the orphanage in Cloudsdale and vanished off the face of the planet. Presumably Sunslayer had found her at some point and taken her in. There was an extreme loyalty to the gryphon in her and... I wanted to know why. So, against the flurry of protests, I went in. Storm looked up at me and her scowl deepened as she registered who I was. I said nothing as I moved to take the seat across from her. Silence reigned in a battle of wills as we stared at one another. Storm broke the silence first, “Sunslayer was right,” she intoned quietly, “I shouldn't have left anything to chance. I should have just dropped you from the top of Canterhorn and been done with it...” “But you didn't,” I shot back, raising a brow at her, “you answered my challenge and probably would have beaten me to bloody paste in the snow if your last attack hadn't made us fall into the cave.” There it was, a subtle wince as I referenced the cave. Now it made sense. Feral Storm was repressing her emotions. A tactic I was all to familiar with. “...Why did you save me?” her question caught me by surprise. Leaning toward her, I asked, “What do you mean?” “Don't give me that,” she spat, “you could have saved yourself and run while it was killing me. Why did you intervene? Trying to in-debt me to you so that you could coerce me into doing something for you?! If you think that I'm going to do anything for you, you're wrong! I'll die before I let you control me!” I blinked. Call it a learned thing, but a delivery pony that paid attention could start to learn things about a pony by the way they reacted. Storm was being aggressive and harping on the idea that somepony was trying to force something on her. Something had happened to her... “You're wrong,” her eyes narrowed as I spoke, “I'm not that kind of pony. Look at me, Storm. Do I look like the kind of pony that thinks that far ahead? I did what I did because I could. Because I just wanted to. That's what ponies do. We help each other.” She scoffed, “You say that, but it's just a lie you feed yourself.” “Speaking from personal experience?” I prodded. “Of course I am,” she thundered, slamming her hooves in the table, “how could I not!? The princesses couldn't just finish off their enemies and let them come back to hurt us again!? They let Discord come back and instead of putting him down like the monster he is, they offered their hooves in friendship!? Are you kidding me!?” I was playing with fire now, but she was worked up. Just a little more... “What does Discord have to do with this?” “EVERYTHING,” she shouted, “he came back and turned our entire world upside down and my parents died for it! He only deserves a noose or an ax, but the princesses gave him life! They're just as much to blame and Sunslayer is going to bring about a true age of peace when he destroys our enemies!” “And how does a simple gryphon think he's going do what the immortal alicorns couldn't?” I probed. “By being willing to do what they could not! Your precious sun princess has all the power she could ever need to wipe out any threat to Equestria, but she's too weak and scared to use it! Once we have the spear, we'll-” she stopped, her eyes widening as she realized what she'd said. I smiled innocently, “Thank you for your cooperation, Feral Storm.” As I left, she lived up to her name vocally. I don't think any pony should be able to make that noise. Martial, Glass, and Dawn were looking at me in shock as I re-entered the observation room. I shrugged at their glances, “Hey, she doesn't like me. She was bound to get worked up if I poked at her a little bit.” ** Some time later, we were in the HERD office, sans one Dawn Breeze who had gone to report to Celestia. Silent and I were standing to the side of the door while the mares were neck deep in various reports. I'd tried to help, but they had told me to stay out of the way. Something about not wanting me to disorganize things. They'd been at it for at least an hour since moonrise and seemed to be getting more and more frustrated. As I had been expecting, it was Glass that broke first. Throwing down a file, she shouted, “This is bucking pointless! There's at least a thousand different magical spears and none of them even sound remotely like what Storm was describing.” “Agreed,” Martial said tiredly, “perhaps we should rest and start looking again in the morning. We're not helping anypony doing this right now.” A general noise of agreement sounded through the room and we all began to leave. I ran face first into an armored chest. Not as fun as it sounds. Pulling back and rubbing my nose with a groan, I looked up at the steel-eyed guard glaring down at me. I wasn't sure what I did, but this guy obviously was not a fan of me. “Lucky Signs?” he questioned gruffly. “The one and only.” I said sarcastically, not earning myself any brownie points with him. “Your presence is requested in the throne room.” I paused in nursing my nose, looking up at the stallion. Again, what did they put in the water around here to make them get that big? Regardless, I was still processing his statement and the only verbal response I could give was, “Say what now?” He scowled, “Ears open this time. Princess Celestia has requested your presence in the throne room.” “Oh. That's what I thought you said...”
Chapter 27: Before the SunI don't know when the last time you were on your way to meet royalty was, but it's terrifying. I didn't know what I was being summoned for, but I was hoping it wasn't because of the damage to the old dining room. Even on guard pay, I didn't have the bits to pay for that. My escort was completely oblivious to my inner turmoil. Or getting a kick out of it. Either way, he brought me to a stop in front of the pair of large, gilded doors that lead into the center of power of the nation. There are no words to describe the vast array of feelings coursing through me. I didn't belong here, but here I was. The mare on the far side of this door had no reason to speak to me, but she'd summoned me. I was a small-town earth pony and I had no right to be within the same room as an alicorn. My escort opened the door and ushered me in. I found myself in a massive room, its ceiling reaching up further than anything I'd ever seen before. At its apex, it arched toward a mural of the alicorns that ruled us circling one another with the expanses of night and day accompanying them. The walls were lined with crystal-crafted windows depicting powerful moment in Equestria's history, ranging from the first unification of the tribes to the accomplishments of the Bearers. Across the marble floor from where I stood, a single path of red carpet drew my eyes forward to the rising platform that held the twin thrones of the Sun and Moon. Then there was her. I froze at the sight of the alicorn mare that had ruled Equestria for longer than most of my family line had been alive. Framed by the aurora colors of her mystical mane, her pristine white coat gleamed with an inner light. Golden regalia shifted slightly as she lifted her head to look across the room toward me. Her magenta eyes pierced through me, seeing into the depths of my soul. All I could do in the presence of Princess Celestia, Alicorn of the Sun, Sol Invictus was have the dumbest thought to ever run through my mind. ...Lucky... don't fart.... If I'd been wearing armor at that moment, I'm sure that it would have been rattling together as I moved. The room was empty, the true Day Court having ended hours ago, so there was nothing to draw her attention away from me as I approached. The already massive room felt gargantuan in size; it took forever to reach the base of the steps. I looked up at her in awe and she stared down at me with an amused understanding. It finally clicked just where I was and who was in front of me and I almost biffed it trying to bow. Her laughter had a musical quality to it, making it seem like she was about to burst into song, “Rise, my little pony.” she spoke. It wasn't a command, but I couldn't imagine not doing exactly as she said. I rose to my hooves, looking up at her as I swallowed, “Lucky Signs, reporting as requested, your majesty.” I stated mechanically. “So you are,” her tone carried a hint of mischief, “but is that why you're here?” I blinked, feeling for all the world that my answer to that question meant far more than it should. I was never good at riddles and my confusion must have shown on my face as she let out a small chuckle, rising from her seat. Every fiber of my being told me that I shouldn't be any closer to her, but I couldn't step away as she descended to stand in front of me. I felt my heart skip several beats as she leaned down, looking into my eyes, “Relax.” The word rippled through me like a shockwave and I felt an unseen weight lift from my shoulders. The otherworldly quality of the mare in front of me diminished slightly, allowing me to breathe normally again. I found myself stammering out an apology, “I-I'm sorry, your highness, I just...” “Never believed that you would stand in that spot? That you would trade words with me? You are not the first to feel overwhelmed and you won't be the last. Take a moment and calm yourself. Then we may talk.” Her assuring smile was more powerful than any weapon or fear and, for a moment, I forgot anything was wrong as I took a deep breath. When I was finally composed enough not to be an awestruck mess, she settled down in front of me. I found it strange that she didn't go back to her comfy looking throne, but I wasn't in a position to question her. I sat as well, unintentionally breathing in the soft wisp of vanilla scent she gave off. “I heard that you managed to convince Feral Storm to break her silence. You have my congratulations.” Celestia broke the silence. “Uhm... thank you, your highness,” I responded, “if... if it's alright for me to ask, what's going to happen to her?” The matronly smile I was gifted spoke of pride, “I'm glad that you are concerned for her. Sometimes, I see things that make me wonder if we've truly learned unity at all. Don't worry, she'll be receiving counseling to help her move forward.” I let out a sigh of relief. She may have tried to kill me, but I was getting to the point where ponies that had tried that were getting too numerous to count. I just hoped that whatever propaganda Sunslayer had fed her could be worked through. That brought up a question though. “Your highness,” she quirked a brow at me, prompting me to continue, “as much as I disagree with her philosophy... I was just wondering... why do you spare your enemies. Surely some of them are just... beyond Harmony?” She stiffened and I feared that I'd overstepped my bounds. It only lasted a moment as I watched the immortal alicorn let out a tired sigh, “Why do I spare them, Lucky? Let me ask you a question in counter: would you spare me if you held the power to bring me low?” I was caught of guard by the question, “Uhm... I don't see myself ever being able to do that...” “Is that so,” she asked with a sad smile, “you believe that I am unbreakable? That I can not be brought to heel by mortal means... if only that were true.” With a deft motion, she kicked one of her gilded shoes off and turned her hoof so that I could see the bottom. Staining the otherwise immaculate surface was a simple scar. As I gazed at it in confusion, she spoke, “Perhaps I can not die by age or disease, but I still bleed like you. In truth, Lucky Signs, you stand in a position to be the pony that could end me. It's true that I was a warrior-princess before I was just a princess. In combat, there are few than can match me without an outside source of power. However, it would only take one strike to wound me mortally. One lucky strike.” she emphasized to me. I suddenly found myself looking at my hooves intently. It was such a ludicrous notion to think that I could ever slay an alicorn, but the more I thought about her words, the more I realized the hint of truth in them. Perhaps not me, but somepony with a similar talent who was stronger and more skilled than me... The image of standing over a broken princess nearly made me wretch. She caught the sound and pointed her hoof at me, “That. That emotion right there is why I choose to spare my foes, Lucky. Because the thought of taking their life is so foreign, so disgusting to me that I can not. Death is a means of disharmony, Lucky. Even Discord, in all of his chaos, never meant for anypony to die. To him, it was just a joke and he acted like a foal. So, like a foal, my sister and I put him in time-out.” I couldn't fight the smirk or chortle at the thought of the god of chaos sitting on a stool in a corner. Celestia took this as a sign to continue, “Now look at him. While he may not be everypony's idea of a perfect citizen, he stands at our side. If that isn't enough, then consider this Lucky: what greater weapon is there than to turn an enemy to your cause? To use their own knowledge against them?” Hey, I wasn't going to argue with a mare that might have known my many-great's grandfather. It did help the strange knot of indecision to settle in my chest. I looked up at Princess Celestia with a sudden thought, “I feel that there's a reason we're having this conversation...” She laughed, the musical quality of it still present, before turning her gaze upon me once more, “A tug of destiny, perhaps? Or coindidence. Or perhaps I just had to see the stallion that had my sister so confused,” another titter, “whatever the reason, Lucky, we most likely won't truly understand it until everything is said and done.” I rubbed the back of my head, “I was never good at riddles, your majesty...” I admitted sheepishly. “Who said that I was giving you a riddle? It's almost like you think that I can see the future.” I shivered lightly at the thought. A princess that could see the future? She'd have quite the place in the HERD because she would probably be far more powerful than most of the Seers. “...If I could,” she said in a conspiratorial whisper, “I'd recommend getting plenty of rest tonight. Tomorrow might be bringing the next step with it.” As I was dismissed from her presence, I couldn't help but feel like I'd been duped...
Chapter 28: Unto the BreachLet it not be said that alicorns do not have a sense of humor, however dry it might be. It felt like I'd barely put my head to the pillow in the room I'd been granted within the castle when I was being shaken awake. A wide eyed Agent Glass was all but tossing me off the mattress. She was screaming something about a lead as I was half-lead, half-dragged into the office I'd become familiar with. Apparently Sunslayer was starting to slip up. One of the spies had spotted the featherbrain in the industrial section of Manehatten. So much for not going out during the day. Martial scrambled our small group for departure. Dawn was currently doing her job and would take too long to gather (according to Silent). Not wanting to give Sunslayer time to depart from the city, we left a letter to tell her what had happened and rushed to the armory. I'd thought I'd seen some advanced equipment in the armory that Silent had taken me to before, but it was nothing compared to the priority one gear. It was the kind of stuff that required at least three agents to gain access to and had enough security warded into the walls and doors that I doubted Twilight Sparkle herself could have broken in. The pride and joy of the Builders. Pristine hoof and horn rings, Suits of shimmering armor, wing blades crackling with stored lightning, and things I'd never be able to describe in my life lay in organized piles. This was the kind of stuff that cost the bits that only the biggest nobles could afford... ...and Glass was chucking various pieces at me, calling out their purpose in a rush. In short order, I was given an enchanted ear piece that could connect to similar devices to send and receive orders and information. Following it came an amulet filled with stored energy in case I tired myself out, then a pair of hammer hooves that felt oddly light. Featherweight enchantment. Less weight, but all of the impact. Finally, a cloak was tossed my way, enchanted with a shielding spell to protect me from high speed attacks. As all of this was being thrown at me, Martial was rattling off the plan. For what it was. We were going to storm the castle in a sense; going in weapons drawn to bring down Sunslayer once and for all. According to the report, he'd been sighted near a warehouse between the poorer districts and industrial and hadn't been seen leaving yet. So we loaded up on the train first thing in the morning, doing our best to blend in with all of our equipment stashed away in our bags. I still have no idea where Martial stowed her lance away. Our train was quietly granted highest priority and authorized to push the engine to its limits. That was how I discovered that I hated motion sickness... Somewhere between my groans and proclamations of my own death, Martial made contact with the Manehatten branch of the HERD. After quickly confirming that Sunslayer still hadn't left the warehouse, we prepared for war as the train slid into the station. The staging area of the attack was a small diner near the warehouse. The owner had been informed about what was happening and had closed up shop for the day, giving us the room to quickly don our gear. It had been a while since I'd been in full armor and forgotten how naked I felt without it. We met with our contact, a unicorn named Quick Fix, and he pointed out the building to us. Honestly, it wasn't something that screamed “crazy villain here.” It was just a warehouse with a faded red paint job. Nothing special. A single, massive door stood sealed at the front with a smaller door offset from it slightly. With Martial leading the charge, we darted for the door, fully equipped and ready to fight. A message had been sent to the local authorities to lock the area down and keep anypony from going in or out, so when we kicked in the door, there were no civilians to worry about. The door opened into darkness, the light from outside only reaching a few yards in. Night vision goggles came out for those that couldn't see in the dark and we let out a collective gasp. Crates littered the area, ranging from small boxes to towering containers. But it was what was in front of us that concerned us. A line of creatures stood in a loose line, including the minotaurs I had seen before. Right in the center was the albino gryphon himself complete with mask... A loud thunk echoed in the warehouse and we all cried out in alarm as we were temporarily blinded by the lights coming on. As we struggled to pull off our goggles, Sunslayer spoke, “Welcome, friends. We've been expecting you. Come, let us show our guests the proper hospitality!” “Ambush!” cried Martial as all Tartarus broke loose. Before my vision could finish adjusting, I noticed a large shape blot out the light in front of me. Quickly, I raised my hooves defensively and caught a strong blow against them that sent me staggering. Hopping backward on my hindlegs, I blinked rapidly to get my sight back while my opponent continued to press forward. It was one of the minotaurs bearing down on me with a dangerous look in his eyes. The charcoal colored bovine was opting to go hoof-to-hand with me and had plenty of power to do so. It was all I could do to weave around the attacks and keep myself from taking a rough hit. Thankfully, he was all muscle and no agility. A quick glance around told me that the other agents were equally engaged, some of them fending off two opponents. Martial Cadence had decided to go for the head of the snake and was spiraling around the warehouse in pursuit of Sunslayer. I returned my attention to my own combatant as he let loose a bellow and charged. Leading him around a stack of crates, I lashed out with a flurry of blows. He barely reacted to each hit and swung his fist toward my head and forced me back. For every one attack that this tank of a creature missed, I slammed a trio home, but it was quickly becoming apparent to me that he didn't care. What were they feeding this beast? With the rest of my group fighting just as hard, I wasn't able to rely on backup and this minotaur was pushing his advantage. I was draining my amulet quickly after a couple of minutes of trying to make this guy so much as flinch, but he might as well have been made of steel. I was only able to keep scrambling for so long before I felt a firm hand grip my hoof. With a snort, I was lifted bodily off of the ground before being intimately reintroduced. The air left my lungs in a rush before I found myself sailing through the air courtesy of Minotaur Airlines. My flight was stalled mid-air as I slammed into somepony else. Silent let out a grunt as I realized the minotaur had used me as a projectile to strike him and we fell to the ground roughly. In fact, it looked like most of us had been thrown into a pile... and a circle of weapons faced us. The only one still fighting was Martial as she soared after her target, hurling insults at him. Sunslayer, for his part, was chuckling as he grasped a saber in his talons, parrying her attacks. I hadn't seen anypony who had the skill to match Martial, but the two of them twirled in a lethal dance. “I'm impressed, Martial Cadence,” Sunslayer taunted between strikes, “the stories about you are true, oh Mistress of the Lance. However, it would appear that our game is over.” The demented gryphon gestured to us with his free claw to us and I watched Martial's eyes grow wide in horror. “I'll tell you what, Lieutenant... I've heard that your talent makes you unstoppable in the art of combat. I wish to see it for myself,” Martial looked at him disbelievingly, “a small deal, Miss Cadence. Activate your talent and land a single blow on me and I will release you and yours.” Martial scowled and I opened my mouth to tell her not to take the deal, but a sword point at my throat, held in the hand of a Diamond Dog kept me from speaking. I could tell that Martial was getting played; call it a gut feeling. I wasn't sure how, but if Sunslayer knew about her talent, then he wasn't going to make that deal if he wasn't sure that he could beat her. Against my silent wishes, Martial flicked her head, tossing her helmet away, “Not only will I strike you, Sunslayer, but I will also bring you to heel!” Closing her eyes, Martial took a deep breath, a technique I'd come to know as her pulling on a memory to trigger her talent. Her eyes flashed open with a silver light as she charged Sunslayer, who floated there, his free claw going into the fabric of his cloak. The magic happened instantly, confusing myself and those around me as Sunslayer simply... teleported. No fanfare or burst of magic. He simply was in one place and then he was in another. Martial's face scrunched incredulously as she spun to find her target hovering a few paces behind her. “One.” he stated smugly. Martial flashed forward with a burst of superpony speed, her lance at the ready. The point met empty air. Sunslayer appeared above her in a moment. “Two.” he counted again. Desperation filled Martial's eyes as she spun in place and gripped her lance tightly. Twisting with a swift wing motion, she hurled the weapon toward Sunslayer. It cracked light thunder as it blasted through the space that the gryphon had been a moment before. We could only watch in horror as Sunslayer materialized a breath from Martial as the light faded from her eyes. “Three...” he finished before twisting his saber and striking Martial with the flat of the blade. The thestral mare fell to the unforgiving floor of the warehouse with a grunt and lay still. The clatter of her lance landing somewhere in the back was the only thing that broke the silence. I could only stare open-mouthed at the spectacle before me. “Amazing, isn't it,” came Sunslayer's voice, his gaze meeting mine as I looked to him, “a gift from my own benefactor. One of many enchantments lost to time under the tyrannical hoof of your princesses, Lucky. I must say that I'm impressed that you still live, but you are... unpredictable, aren't you?” Reaching down, he gripped Martial by her mane and dragged her toward me. The circle of weapons parted for him as he tossed her down at my hooves. I made to reach for her, only to find my hooves halted by the gryphon's saber. The tip moved from me to the back of Martial's neck. “It does present an opportunity to make a new deal. Lucky Signs, you are going to do a little job for me or I will bleed each of your companions dry until you either comply or they all lay dead at your hooves. What say you?” I didn't have a choice...
Chapter 29: The Cinder RunBlindfolded for a while and then tossed into a room, I didn't have much to do except overthink the current situation. After uttering the words to damn myself, Sunslayer was quick to make sure that I understood where things stood. My fellow agents were being held somewhere with his gang having orders to start executing them if I didn't have the item Sunslayer was after within a week. The only exception was Martial Cadence, whom the gryphon had taken as a personal hostage. The floor beneath me vibrated and I planted my hooves as the sensation of rising took over. My best guess at the time was airship. I wasn't really sure how long I was in that room, but since I found myself sleeping a couple of times, I'd guess the same amount of days, which grated on my already frazzled nerves. They at least fed me, but it was a crappy tasting slop and don't even get me started on how embarrassing it is to use a chamberpot... Then I found myself being forcibly dragged out of my small cell by one of the minotaur twins. I think this one had a personal vendetta against me, considering the rough way he treated my mane. Two things hit me as I was dragged out onto the deck of the airship (called it.) The first was the intense heat that caused me to start sweating immediately and the second was the thick, billowing smoke that obscured the air. Breathing was difficult and I could feel myself building into a coughing fit before something was roughly shoved on my face. A breathing mask. Aside from the noise of my own breathing in my ears, I heard Sunslayer's voice, “Welcome to the Dragon Lands,” his voice escaped through the breathing mask he'd traded for, “specifically, the Cinder Run. Charming place. It got it's name from the locals considering that there are fires here that have been burning for over one thousand years.” I spotted the mad bird-cat standing next to the edge of the deck, a hog-tied Martial Cadence next to him with a blade at her throat. He'd at least given her a mask as well, but that did little to alleviate the gravity of it all. Sunslayer gestured down into the cloud of smoke that hid the ground below. “You have no idea how many years I spent trying to find this place. My family is an old one that can trace its line back to before the banishment of Nightmare Moon. While I'm sure that Princess Celestia has purged the truth of history from your own land, she could never reach the old tales of mine. Did you know that before the rise of Discord, the Dragon Lord was the greatest tyrant ever known?” “I assume this is going somewhere?” I asked, still peeved about everything. “Easy, if you make me tense, Martial here might pay the price for it,” he pressed the blade a little more firmly against her, “but to answer your question, yes. Back in those ancient times, gryphons had many tales about the Lord of Air and Fire, Ragnarok. A beast that dwarfed even the mighty Lord Torch and the power it took to strike him down. Water boiled at his touch and the earth trembled beneath his claws, so what power could harm him? The same power that is monopolized by your precious princess. For all her talk of compassion and harmony, she wasn't so restrained in her youth. She subjugated all but the most powerful creatures beneath the fires of her fury.” He gave a pointed look at the smoke cloud, “The Cinder Run also goes by another name: The Sun Scar. Everything beneath us has felt the true wrath of your princess and her power suffuses the very stone far below. However, dragons have always been highly resistant to magic, so it was no mere spell that struck down Lord Ragnarok. Somewhere below us lies a weapon thought lost to time: the Reach of Sol.” His gaze returned to me, “To save your friends, you're going to retrieve this weapon.” I narrowed my eyes at him, “And... how exactly have you not been able to get it?” He scoffed, “Come now, you must recall our previous conversation. I have sent some of the best, brightest, and strongest of my number down there, but... there are creatures drawn to this place. On top of that, something else stalks this place, a force of magic that lashes out at those that make it furthest. We're going to hope, for the sake of your friends, that you fare better, Lucky Signs.” He nodded his head to the minotaur behind me and I was lifted bodily while the bovine brute slung something on my back akin to a saddlebag that settled in the center of my back. My captor named the device as a parachute and gave me a quick rundown in its use and my eyes widened. “Wait, you expect me to jump!?” I shouted in disbelief. “No, Mister Signs, I expect you to fall.” Sunslayer chided me a moment before I was tossed overboard by the creature behind me. I shouted in rising panic as I flailed about in the air. I was not born a pegasus, I did not have the natural instincts of a flier and had never considered base jumping as a recreational activity. Thankfully, during my wild flailing, I caught the loop connected to the draw string and deployed the chute. That was the good part. The bad part, as I came to understand it, was that the updrafts from the heat below me played all sorts of chaos with my flight to the ground. I lost track of the airship in the dense smoke and could only breathe thanks to the mask firmly strapped to my face. I was sweating like I'd been stranded in a desert for weeks when I finally hit the ground. No, that was not a figure of speech. I bounced off of the rocky ground several times as I was dragged forward by the chute before I managed to unhitch myself from it. I groaned as I tallied up several more bruises to add up in my life. Crawling to my hooves, I tensed as the stone beneath me crackled slightly under the pressure of my weight. Every ancient instinct of ponykind was screaming at me that I shouldn't be here and every little hissing noise or rumbling of the ground made me feel surrounded by unseen monsters. On top of that, it didn't take a scientist to tell that I wasn't going to last long in this place. I also had no idea which way to go. Lost in the smoke, I had no way of even figuring out which way I was facing in regards to the airship. This was beginning to feel like a hopeless endeavor. I shook my head. My friends and fellow agents were counting on me and all I had to do was find a weapon of some kind. Rolling my eyes to myself, I closed them and spun in a circle for a moment and took off in a random direction after I recovered from the dizziness. All around me, I could hear fire crackling and the unseen flames cast an orange hue around me. Somehow I managed to avoid the fires proper. Every few minutes, the ground shook beneath my hooves and I paused, waiting for everything to wrong. When it settled, I continued forward, wondering where the creatures that Sunslayer had talked about where. Not that I was eager to walk up on them. To be honest, this was starting to feel li- Who treads upon this place...? I froze, ears perked and eyes wide as I spun around in search of the voice's source. Sound seemed to fade away from the area as the rumbling, monstrous voice filled my ears. It sounded like the very stone around me was vibrating with the disdain that filled those words and the smoke around me seemed to be watching me now. Do you not respect the sanctity of death? So many come now... you all come for what is mine! I will not surrender it to anybeing, not even in my suffering! Leave this place... or burn. There was... a presence. It pushed down upon me with a force unlike anything I'd ever felt before, like it could crush me into paste with its metaphysical hoof alone. Despite the sweltering heat, my blood ran cold within me. At any other time, I probably would have turned around and sprinted away as fast as I could. This time, however, the images of my friends filled my mind. If I stopped here, not only would I most likely die of heat exposure, but they would die at the talons of the bird-cat somewhere above me. So I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Then I took a step. Then another. ...Your will is strong, but you come here on a foolish errand. Come then, little one. Come where I can see you properly. Let me look into your eyes as you fall. I planted my hooves against a sudden gust of wind that swept around me and parted the smoke before me like a curtain. Before me, shimmering, obsidian stone was revealed where it rose into the sky. A pillar of darkness reached into the sky and made me wonder how this had been hidden in the smoke just from its size. Welcome to my throne, little pony... I gulped behind my mask as I brought my eyes back down toward the earth. A bright light drew my gaze to a break in the mass of shadow and I stepped forward. A cave entrance large enough to fit twenty ponies side by side greeted me. Within, the light revealed itself to be streams of lava dripping through holes in the ceiling. A soft clanking sound drew my attention toward what appeared to be a pile of soot-covered armor hidden near the entrance. Arcane runes covered the plate, their power long since spent and now just adorning it with their scratched symbols. Other things began to show: saddlebags that bore signs of charring, weapons snapped in half, and even bones that varied in size here and there... Abandon all hope, ye who enter here... Another gulp escaped me as I stared into the lava-lit passage, “...I am so not going to die here... I still need to get that date with Dawn...” I stated numbly before stepping in...
Chapter 30: Treasure HuntingThe air within the cave, while a fraction cooler than the air outside, was much staler. It was the equivalent of marching into a tomb of some kind with the various remains of previous spelunkers littering the floor around me. True, the bones and equipment was getting more and more sparse, but what came after was far more horrifying. Over there, a hole in the wall just large enough to fit a pony in while on the other side was a pile of rocks with the floor stained with dried blood. The voice had departed some time ago, leaving me alone with the sound of my own breathing heavy in my ears. My thoughts were equally loud in my skull as I skirted small pools of magma, carefully watching the ceiling in case something decided to drip. On more than one occasion, I found the ground breaking under my hooves and sending me sprawling to the ground. The entire time, I found my path was slowly leading upwards. I marveled at the sculpted look of my path, but it wasn't my objective. Gathering my thoughts, I tried to figure out exactly what I was looking for, this weapon called the Reach of Sol. I'd gotten a crash course in enchantments and possible effects from Glass, but the entire thing was vague. From the story Sunslayer had given me, I could assume that it was linked to Princess Celestia in some way, but in what way? It could range anywhere from being a light on a stick to some world ending armament. I was going to lean toward the latter considering the distance the featherbrain was willing to go to obtain it. That left me with a powerful question: what was I going to do? I couldn't just hoof over something like that to Sunslayer, but to keep it away from him would be to sacrifice Martial and the rest. That thought sat wrong with me in so many ways, but what was my alternative? I shook my head. Theoretical thoughts had to be pushed to the side right now because it all meant nothing if I couldn't find the damned thing and I was on a ticking clock. I wasn't sure what sort of enchantment was on the mask I was wearing, but it was invaluable at the moment. Judging from the tint the air was taking periodically, it would have killed me to breathe the air in here. The path I was following took a sudden turn and began to spiral upwards, leading me to believe that I was following a path that had been carved out of the stone. What do you think of my lair, little pony? I spent years forging a throne that I could rule from; crafting a palace to ensure that my subjects knew how far beneath me they were... and then your kind came. Oh great, he was back. After my initial fear had given way to a grim determination, I found that spooky voices from nowhere were more annoying than anything else. Especially when they were self-important jerks. Where was a silence spell when you needed it? Your precious rulers invaded the sanctity of my home. They demanded that I tell my kind, the beasts of air and fire, the one true alpha predator, to cease their ways. Arrogance. Prey demanding anything of their hunters!? There was only one way to answer such foolishness... I suppressed a snort. It probably wasn't a good idea to start chattering sarcastically at the spirit of a Dragon Lord. How was that even a thing? Part of me wished I had a unicorn on hoof to explain all of this to me, but it was a little late for that. Yet still you persist on coming here. Equines, felines, canines, bovines! The strong, the weak, the intelligent, the stupid! You all come to this place seeking something! You will answer me, pony! What is it that you all want so desperately as to come to this place!? I paused in my step, flicking my ears. Well, if the big, bad dragon lord had information, perhaps that would make this easier, “I'm afraid that I must answer your question with a question, my lord,” I intoned respectfully; stories said that dragons were suckers for that sort of thing, “but have you ever heard of a weapon called the Reach of Sol?” The effect was immediate. As the words left my lips, the mountain shook as a spectral hiss filled the tunnel around me. So, the wench of the sun desires the thing that served to end me!? I will not surrender it! It is mine now! I have claimed it for my hoard as repayment for the injustice she delivered upon me! My soul is eternal and I will rise again! I will drive her own weapon into her flesh and we shall see how she fares with it stuck in her bones for a thousand years! He continued to grumble to himself as I started moving again. Well, it wasn't much to go on, but I guessed that I was on the right track. I wasn't sure how long I spent following the spiraling path upwards, but I finally emerged into the open air again. A flat expanse of obsidian stretched out around me and could have housed the majority of Canterlot on its surface. The smokescreen that had accompanied me up until this point seemed reluctant to cover this place. Clear air dominated the peak of the dark mountain, but it was the thing filling the great expanse that drew the breath from me in awe. Most ponies will probably never have any idea just how big a dragon can get. Sure, there were stories about those that towered like small mountains and breathed fire that could devastate countrysides, but it's one thing to hear about them and another to see them. While the dragon before me was not among the living and lacked scale or flesh, its skeleton was bigger than anything I could ever begin to describe. Some form of twisted magic kept it whole, even as the spine vanished off the far side of the mountain. To either side of me, gargantuan claws, seared into a dry, cracked alabaster color dug into the stone, anchoring the thing to the place. Not even a few yards from myself, the skull towered over me like a skyscraper in Manehatten. The empty sockets far above me held a swirling, eldritch light that bore down into me. This had been a beast of legend, a king of kings and even in the strange undeath that surrounded him, Ragnarok's presence was a physical force that sought to bring me to my knees. Gaze upon me, pony. Know the wrath that will come down upon your pathetic race when I am freed of this prison of her making! This is my gift to you out of praise of your spirit! Now, begone before I bring down my wrath upon you as well! I was beginning to hate being me. Letting out a long sigh, I did my best to ignore the gaze far above me and wandered closer. The spear was somewhere in this bone yard if I could take this guy at his word, stuck into his skeleton. Passing beside the massive jaw, I wondered just where somepony would strike to bring him down. The heart maybe? It was just a guess, but I had to start somewhere. The entire journey was made irritating as Ragnarok continued to hurl insults and threats at me. As if it wasn't bad enough that there was literally miles of bones to search for this thing. Of course, this was all assuming that everything stayed more or less calm like this. It did not. Only about ten minutes had passed when a deep hissing drew my attention. Whirling my head around, I caught sight of a large shape lumbering around the plateau with me. Then another... and another. They were bulky, quadrupedal things covered in thick, leathery hides. Over the grumbling of the spirit watching my every move, a crackling began to grow in volume. Finally, one of the creatures decided that there had been enough build up. Landing in front of me, it revealed itself. Lizard in shape, but covered in jagged skin that formed a sort of armor over its body. A bright orange underbelly was barely visible as it glared down at me with reptilian eyes while the rest was a burnt brown. As the creature glared down at me, its back suddenly ignited like a miniature inferno. Salamanders are wonderful creatures, aren't they? Ragnarok taunted, and they do make the most delightful treats. It's been agony watching them build nests in my remains. An eternity of hunger- I stopped listening at that point as I was forced to dodge away from a swipe of the salamander's claws. The familiar, cord-snapping sensation filled my chest as I flopped backwards in time to avoid a snap of another's teeth. Grunting as I forced myself to twist and clamber to my hooves, I darted away from the creatures as fast as I could. Snarls and hisses surrounded me as I fled deeper into the rib cage of the fallen dragon lord. Salamander's of all shapes and sizes nipped at my hooves from alcoves within our alabaster maze. Above it all, the mocking laughter of Ragnarok shook the peak around us. For a time, the only thoughts I had were of survival as I jumped, ducked, flopped, skidded, and squeezed my way out the jaws of the salamanders over and over, but I was running out of steam. Wouldn't you know it that during my wild run, the fire of a nearby salamander glinted off of something golden. It was on the other side of a wall of angry fire-lizards, but it had to be what I was looking for. New plan, get it and get out before I became lunch! I let out a yelp as a pair of jaws snapped closed in front of my face. Instinctively, I put both my forehooves on the massive nose in front of me as it pushed forward, only for a similar sensation to hit my back hooves. Panicked, I pushed off of the leathery surface behind me and narrowly managed to avoid landing on the fiery back of another. I had very few options in the matter, so I continued to push forward. Slide, jump, pray, and hope. That was the name of the game as I darted between salamanders, leaving them to bite at each other and the snarls of pain might have been funny if I wasn't running for my life toward the glint of gold... several feet above me. How in the Tartarus was I supposed to- Whack! A tail blindsided me with the force of a cannon and I was airborne. Again. I was really starting to hate the feeling and wondered how the pegasi and thestrals managed it. Thankfully, it was sending me in the direction I needed to go and I wrapped my hooves around the object in question and grunted as I slammed belly first into one of Ragnarok's ribs. Held firm in my hooves was a... rather simple looking spear. On first glance anyways. The haft was composed of an ebony wood with segments of gold looped around it every little bit. It was the head of the spear that drew attention though. The gilded blade was sunk into the rib and the guard depicted the image of a golden alicorn with its wings spread wide. The Reach of Sol was in my grasp. ...Now I just had to dislodge it.... and escape this death trap. Grunting with the effort, I tried to ignore the fact that not only was there a nest of hungry fire creatures blazing beneath me, but also a dead dragon lord shouting about how the spear was his. Pressing my back hooves against the rib in front of me, I strained, yanking on the damned thing for all I was worth. It didn't budge. Matters were made worse by the fact that I was essentially a hanging treat and the salamanders had remembered what jumping was. Aside from a few moments of hot breath on my flank, everything seemed to be going well... until I felt jaws lock around my hanging tail. Standing on the back of one of its fallen brethren, a salamander had me and was starting to pull down on me as I held onto the spear for my life. I wasn't sure which was going to give first: my hooves or my tail, but as fate would have it, the answer was neither. As I gritted my teeth and growled in pain, the fire-breathed abomination was doing what I hadn't been able to do. With a sudden crack, the spear came loose and the three of us, myself, the salamander, and the Reach of Sol, fell toward the ground. I wasn't quite sure what happened as we hit the ground. All I know is that it went salamander, then me, then spear. As countless maws closed in on me, eager to devour me, I closed my eyes and prepared for the end. Then, with a clink, the spear hit the ground... ...and the world exploded. My hooves wrapped tightly around the spear, I watched in lethal-time as the ground fragmented around the blade of the weapon I was holding. In a burst of brilliant, golden light, salamanders were sent flying in every direction as the cracks in the ground spread from the point of impact to the edge of the plateau. Everything stood still for a breath... and then the world caved in. More accurately, the roof of the mountain collapsed and fiery, orange light appeared between the cracks. Ragnarok joined in me in a scream of mortal terror as we and a plethora of salamanders began to fall towards bubbling lava. In the chaos of it all, I never noticed the lone figure standing at the relative safety of the rim. I was still screaming in fear as I felt something catch my hind hoof and tighten, swinging me to slam into the rock wall some distance away. Momentarily stunned, all I could do was instinctively cling to the artifact in my hooves as I watched the mighty skeleton of Ragnarok descend into the unforgiving pool below and sink below the surface. When my brain finally decided to reboot, the only thing I could do was start laughing hysterically. “I'M ALIVE!!”
Chapter 31: Soldier and CivilianSo, there I was dangling over an active volcano, clutching an ancient artifact of incomprehensible power. My sole lifeline was the length of rope tangled around my hind hoof and I was laughing like a crazy stallion. Makes a bit more sense now, doesn't it? I also might have forgotten to mention that the volcano had only recently become active and was still bubbling viciously from being woken. I was still riding the high of life and laughing myself silly as my unknown rescuer began to pull me up toward the rim of the volcano. Just like that, the universe decided to give me a massive shot to the chin as I came into sight of the pegasus glaring at me. I stared at her, “Hi Storm. I have two questions: how are you here and is it too late to jump into the volcano?” Feral Storm snorted at me, her wings flaring to either side of her as she cleared the immediate area of smoke. Glancing between myself and the spear, she spat, “Like your Royal Guard friends could hold me. We're square, Lucky. You saved my life, now I've saved yours.” I had several comments that came to mind, but that was thrown to the wayside when the soft puttering of an airship drew closer. The pristine white form of Sunslayer dropped from the airship and dove down to us, dropping Martial roughly before landing. He spared a glance toward Storm. “Ah, I was wondering when you would return, Storm. Welcome back,” his gaze turned to me or, more accurately, the weapon in my grip, “bravo... bravo indeed. You've definitely surpassed my expectations of you, Lucky Signs. Now... give it to me and I'll let your friends go...” He held out a talon toward me, staring into my eyes with a firm, predatory look. I flinched, eyes trailing down to the spear. I couldn't just hand this thing over to him... not after what had just happened. The conflict must have been clear in my face as he moved his talons down to grip Martial's head roughly, earning a cry of pain from the mare. I flinched again, turning my gaze to her. Martial was gritting her teeth, one eye clenched while the other was locked on me. It was that look that told me that her opinion on the matter was to tell the featherbrain to go buck a cactus. She was a stubborn mare... Then Sunslayer dug his talons into her head, drawing rivets of blood. At her restrained groan, I held up a hoof, “Wait! Wait... okay...” Moving on three hooves, I plodded my way toward the gryphon, who maintained his grip on Martial with one talon while holding the other out toward me. With a great measure of reluctance, I slid the ebony haft into his grip. With a dark glee, Sunslayer dropped Martial again and stepped off to one side to admire his new toy. My attention went to my thestral companion as I quickly made to untie her. Her body was covered in bruises and dirt, telling me that she had not been treated kindly in my absence. She looked up at me silently as I checked her for more severe injuries, “You should... have chucked it... into the lava.” she stated through her mask. “Yes, he should have,” Sunslayer agreed, his eyes falling on us once again, “but he did not. He traded the future of Equestria for you. Heartwarming... and foolish. Know this, Lucky. I do admire your devotion to your fellow agents, but there is a mighty difference between them and you.” He jabbed a claw at Martial, “They have had years to perfect their craft. Some of them were born into it. They are soldiers, heroes even! Each and every one of them would give everything that they are for the greater good! They would sacrifice each other for it! You?” He chuckled as he stalked in a slow half-circle around us. He was taking a sick delight in all of this and his words struck hard, “You're just a delivery colt. A civilian. You had the luxury of deciding what is right and what is wrong. To be fair, that is the way with most of Equestria, isn't it? All of you think that you're better than the rest of us. From the lowest to the highest, you think your precious Harmony makes you right! Well, take it from somebeing who has seen how deep the pit can get, pony: sometimes you don't get that luxury... it's time that you all learn that and find it in yourselves to keep your noses out of other creatures' businesses!” He rose to his hindlegs, the Reach of Sol parallel to the forelimb holding it as he pointed the tip toward us. With a devilish grin, he laughed, “I am destined to be king, Lucky Signs! So let this be my first proclamation: you are far too dangerous to leave alive! You are unpredictable! Uncontrollable! For the good of our world, beyond your precious Equestria... you shall die. I know the language that this weapon responds to!” A strange, otherworldly noise escaped his beak and the tip of the spear began to glow softly, “Witness the demise of your world! The wrath of the sun!” I had seen enough to know that I didn't want to be where I was. The problem was that Martial was not in a good condition to move and I wasn't going to be fast enough to save us both. So I did the one thing I could do. As the air filled with the scent of ozone, I flung the freed mare as far as I could from me. Light erupted around me and my world went blindingly white... ** Excerpt from the field report of Lieutenant Martial Cadence concerning the events of The Cinder Run I had always considered myself a strong mare. Born into a family with a long history of guards for various reasons. Pain and defeat were things that I knew well, even with my talent and training and I also knew the art of liars. Sunslayer was one such individual. He had planned on killing Lucky Signs from the beginning, but keeping me weak had made it all but impossible to warn the poor colt. Part of me was angry that Lucky had handed over the spear, but he was still a civilian at heart. The other part of me was happy that he had thought I was worth saving in my failure. Then he decided to save me again by tossing me to safety. Even as I slammed into the ashen ground, adding to injuries slightly, Sunslayer activated the magic held within the Reach of Sol. A beam of light, brilliant as the sun and hotter than dragonfire, swept out in a cone from the weapon and washed the stone in its fury. It always hurt to lose somepony. Losing Lucky hurt far more deeply. I'd never admit it to his face, but his sarcastic attitude had been... uplifting. Now he was gone. I wanted to scream, to rip Sunslayer apart with my bare hooves, but my body refused to respond. The cowardly gryphon took his pegasus companion and returned to the airship hovering above. The gloating issuing from his beak told me that their destination was Canterlot, but I was in no position to pursue. In the end, all I could do was watch them fly away, leaving me to die from heat exposure or suffocation. Copious amounts of smog covered the area that had been devastated by the magic blast and heat blossomed outwards from it. I looked around, hoping beyond hope that Lucky would come striding out of it to give a witty remark, but he didn't. A series of heavy wingbeats filled the silence and I forced myself to my hooves to defend myself. The smokescreen broke across a series of scaled forms. Dragons. They ranged through various sizes and shapes and could obviously see me. They weren't attacking however. I discovered why when a blue dragoness in golden armor drifted down to the ground before me. She exuded an aura of authority and I recognized the form of Dragon Lord Ember soon after. Giving her the quickest version of events that I possibly could, I pleaded with her for transportation to Equestria. Needless to say, the other dragons were firmly against the idea, but for her size, Ember had quite a pair of lungs. I made a personal note to thank Spike the Dragon in any way I could when she mentioned him. She chose the quickest among her number to fly me to Canterlot as quickly as possible. If the princesses were not alerted, the damage that Sunslayer could cause was going to be enormous. I wasn't sure how the gryphon thought he was going to win a battle against the capital, but his confidence in his chances shook me as well as the raw magic currently in his talons. We were still conversing when one of her drakes called out from the annihilated ground. I couldn't believe the words when he spoke, but he was digging through something within the slowly clearing smoke. “Dragon Lord! The other pony is over here!” At first, my rational mind told me that he had simply found Lucky's body. Between the heat and blast, there was nothing short of a dragon that could have survived the attack Sunslayer had unleashed. Then Ember rushed over and her comment filled me with hope. “If this isn't the luckiest pony ever, I don't know which one is...” The smog cleared enough and I saw the truth of what had happened. Sunslayer's aim had been off, striking the ground a distance from Lucky primarily. Stone had been ripped up by the strike, forming a makeshift wall even as more stones had tipped over to create a shelter of rock. It was from this pile that the dragons pulled a maroon form that groaned as he was pulled free. Lucky Signs, the crazy stallion, blinked groggily as he came around, his body marred by cuts and bruises from the stones that had covered him. I saw him look around at the astounded faces of the dragons around him and mutter something under his breath. It took me several moments to find my voice, shouting to him in disbelief. He turned his head toward me, one ear flicked sideways in confusion, “Who else,” he asked me, flashing a grin that morphed into a serious expression, “Martial... we need to go.” I had never agreed with something so readily in my life.
Chapter 32: The CallI was... pretty sure that I was dead. In an instant of heat and light, the world had vanished and faded to black. The only problem was that I could hear my own breathing. I couldn't feel anything, though, which was mildly concerning. Lucky... I was getting pretty tired of ethereal voices in my mind, but at least this one was a pleasant, female voice. I couldn't bring myself to answer and opted to simply lay there. There was no way that I could have survived Sunslayer's attack and... I was strangely fine with that. There was an intense drowsiness creeping up on me, lulling me into a sensation of numbness. Hear me, Lucky Signs... I could hear her just fine, why was she talking like that? I was just tired now and wanted to sleep. I'd done what I could. I'd saved Martial and she would figure out a way to stop Sunslayer. My job was done. Nay, it is not... hear me, Lucky Signs... I lifted my head in the oddest way. I could feel myself move and yet nothing changed, save for a white light hovering some distance away. There, framed by the mystic glow, a slender, feminine form stood. Strength flowed from her like fresh water and a proud horn stood prominent on her brow, but then she unfurled a pair of wings against the light. “Celestia...? Luna...?” I grumbled out, my voice echoing in the void around me. Neither, my little pony. You know me and yet you do not. I have always been there in times of desperation. I groaned, “Sorry, but... could you not speak in riddles? My head hurts and I just want to sleep.” Hoofsteps rang out around me and I felt a gentle hoof brush through my mane. Raising my eyes, I beheld a figure... only now, when I look back and try to remember, the image escapes me. I remember the exhaustion being blown away by an awe that filled every fiber of my being. She was... great. With a capital “G” with the meaning of greatness redefined by her. That's all I can remember. That and her words. I know, Lucky, and I wish that I could allow you to rest. However, I have need of you. I let out a sigh, “Is this another guard thing, like the Shadow Run? What more could you all want of me? I've done everything you asked...” Yes... but I don't ask anything of the guard known as Lucky Signs. I would rather speak to the pony called Lucky. To the little colt who rushed blindly into the world with his gift. The one who did not question his place in the world or how his talent would change that. I was... compelled to listen. Perking my ears, I found a strange clarity filling my mind as I waited for her to speak. I would ask you to be nothing more than the delivery colt that you've been so far. The kind-hearted pony that did something he didn't even know he could do. Lucky Signs, will you be my delivery colt once more? “What am I supposed to deliver?” I mumbled softly. Hope. Nothing more and nothing less. Right now, we stand on the brink of a time without it. Sunslayer moves to crush it beneath his talons and all of my little ponies, including my daughters, will need it. Both for this and what comes after. “How am I supposed to do that?” By trusting in yourself. In your destiny. You've made great leaps in coming together with your talent, but still you fight it. It is not a separate part of you, Lucky Signs, it is you and you are it. She stepped away and I could see the light starting to fade as she spoke once more, You must hurry. The Reach of Sol is only at a fraction of its full power and to gain the rest, Sunslayer seeks to drain Celestia of her magic. If he succeeds, the true enemy will win without contest. Good luck, my little pony. I coughed and groaned as I was pulled from one reality into another. A firm set of claws held me around my barrel as they lifted me up, stones clattering about. Gazing up at the faces of the dragons around me, I gulped, “I come in peace and do not taste of gems...” “Lucky!?” Martial's shrill cry split the tension and I tilted my head. She stood there, her jaw dropped and eyes as wide as saucers. It was a sight I found all too amusing as I flashed a cheeky grin. “Who else,” I let my smirk fall, gazing at her, “Martial... we need to go.” Thankfully, it seemed that Martial had been haggling for transportation from the dragons. It's a strange feeling to be flying on dragonback and the wingbeats were enough to make some of our bruises flare up, but we didn't have the time to treat our injuries. So we bore with it and held on as our ride rocketed towards Canterlot... ** Equestria passed below us in a blur as our orange-scaled flier pushed their body to the limits. We were rushing forward, but the idea that we weren't going fast enough kept surfacing in my mind. I think Martial shared that sentiment with the way her narrowed eyes stared into the distance and her tail flicked. The truth was, I was also worried because I had no plan. We were unarmed and racing after a gryphon currently in possession of a powerful weapon he was planning on draining Princess Celestia with. If I'd been born a unicorn, I might have some indication about how something like that would work, but I didn't have the foggiest idea. All I knew was that somehow, we needed to stop him. Somepony was going to have to explain this mystical lottery that lead alicorns to tossing ponies like me in the deep end... Mount Canterhorn slipped into sight on the horizon and I tensed. Somewhere out there was a gryphon holding a spear capable of blasting the entire city with sunfire. A quick scan of the airspace around the mountain as we drew closer failed to reveal Sunslayer's ship. It did, however, reveal the small flock of pegasi guards flying to block our path. Our dragon companion slowed, coming to hover at a distance while Martial hailed them. Once we had clearance, our escort dropped us off on the landing platform of Canterlot Castle with a grumble before flying away. Martial was already hard at work rallying the forces of the guard. Trotting away and shouting out orders, the mare was definitely back in her element. I wasn't sure what to do at this point. I'd never really been part of a national security risk. Sweet Celestia, I'd never even been a part of a schoolyard fight! All the training I'd undergone and yet I felt so unbelievably useless. I couldn't help but sit down and look at the cement under my hooves, wondering just what I was supposed to do. I didn't have any orders and I... ...what was I going to do? I'd been riding the high that had followed in the wake of being lucky and surviving the blast from the Reach of Sol and now I was at a loss. Martial and the Royal Guard was going to figure out something to stop Sunslayer... ...so why did it feel like it was my fight? I turned my gaze away from the castle and strode to the edge of the landing platform attached to it. Gazing down, I found my eyes sweeping over the paved streets and rising buildings. I could almost feel the presence of Sunslayer down there somewhere, a tension forming across the air... and in my chest. I turned away and rushed into the castle...
Chapter 33: Calm Before the StormI found Martial rallying several ponies for a war council in one of the larger rooms available to us. Located near her office in the barracks, the halls around it were a flurry of activity as I saw guards scrambling to get their gear. I was honestly surprised by the sheer number of ponies filling the place; I didn't know there were that many guards in Canterlot. On first glance, our makeshift war room looked like it had been an archive of some kind, as the walls held shelves of old looking scrolls and tomes. A large, round table sat in the middle of the room and Martial was seated there along with a number of veteran looking guardsponies in full armor. A unicorn among their number was projecting an image of Canterlot on the wooden surface before them while Martial explained the situation to them. I walked in on the tail end of her explanation, “...and we don't know how or where Sunslayer is going to strike. What we do know is that his target is Princess Celestia, so increasing guard presence in and around the palace is paramount.” “A nice theory,” cut in a guard to her left in a gravelly voice, “but if this weapon is as powerful as you say, I doubt that a hooffull of guards are going to be able to stand against him. We should evacuate Princess Celestia from the city and-” “Her highness won't abandon her ponies, no matter what,” interjected a voice from behind me as Dawn appeared from seemingly nowhere, “she's made that very clear. I've informed her of the situation and she is adamant about not failing her subjects again.” “Foalishness!” cried another guard. “Mind your tongue, whelp,” shouted a zealous elder, “Princess Celestia has seen more of conflict than you could imagine! Say something like that again and I'll tan your hide!” That comment didn't help as the group devolved into an argument. I couldn't help but ponder Echo's words about how Luna saw modern ponies as skittish while these “veterans” squabbled like foals. In the end, a sharp crack silenced them as Martial struck her hoof against the table, “Enough! It is not our duty to question the motives of the princesses! Our duty is to protect not only them but our home as well. We are the proud guardians of Equestria and far too often have we failed to safeguard the ponies that rely on us both day and night!” The thestral stood, pacing around the table as she continued, “I don't know about you ponies, but when I joined the guard, I made a solemn oath! I swore that if a threat came to these shores, I would be there to hold the line against fire, claw, and death! Look at yourselves! You've become lax!” A series of grumbles met her remark, but she silenced them with a hiss, “when Chrysalis came, what were we doing? Grumbling about extra shifts and not keeping our eyes open! When Tirek came, what did we do? We tucked our tails and stood frozen in fear! But, you know what? Perhaps those were beyond us and we were not prepared.” Her eyes bore into the ponies around her and I could see why ponies would flock to her. She gestured toward the image on the table, “This is not some alicorn level threat. This is one gryphon who has become too big for his feathers and thinks he can rule the world. Well guess what, there is always some fool who wants to rule the world! But they are fools because they won't succeed. The changelings tried twice to break us and failed. We survived the antics of Discord himself! When Sunslayer shows his beak around here, he will not find an easily broken city!” She paused, lifting a hoof to the sky, “He will find a legion of ponies who find themselves in the position to do their sworn duty! He will find an unwavering wall of defense and a hail of blades to halt his advance! No matter what Sunslayer has to throw at us, he will find only failure at our hooves, because we... WE ARE THE ROYAL GUARD!” Probably one of the more spontaneous speeches I'd ever heard, but it got the job done. The ponies around her and even some passing by in the hall were standing or sitting a little taller and a round of “ooh-rah's” rushed around the table. Even I was feeling a bit more roused to battle... a little. Talk turned towards an increase in patrols and strategic placements of troops throughout the city. I actually found it odd that Sunslayer was giving us so much time to prepare or maybe he just figured that Martial wasn't going to be able to make it back in time to warn them. I was brought out of my musings when Dawn Breeze hip-checked me and motioned me to follow her. Confused, I followed her as she lead me away from the war room and into quieter areas. Once we were out of the ear shot of the armored forms, she spoke, “Lucky... Princess Celestia has asked you to attend her for the duration of this crisis.” I stared at her quietly for a long moment. “Uh... why?” I asked stupidly. “I don't know... she just seemed like she thought everything was going to be okay. Her exact words were 'if I have luck on my side, we'll be fine. Send Lucky Signs to me.' I... find myself agreeing for different reasons. You're not a soldier, Lucky, and this is very quickly bordering on a true battle.” I sputtered indignantly, wanting to argue on this point, but... I couldn't. Not honestly anyways. I'd proven multiple times how bad I was at fighting and there was no amount of luck that could change that. So why did being relegated to the position furthest from the possible fighting not sit well with me? Why was I so eager to put myself back in the blast zone of that weapon? Long story short, I found myself trotting my way after a guard that Dawn had tasked with taking me to Celestia. A call from the princess is not something you just turn down. It definitely left me with a series of questions. The kind that usually ended with “why me?” She had a castle full of guards far more capable, so why was the Sun Princess asking for me? I'd expected the guard to take me to the throne room, but instead, we made our way to the single largest staircase I'd ever seen in my life. I had to give it to the castle staff that didn't have wings; their cardio must be amazing! Thankfully, we stopped on a landing a while before the top and my escort knocked on a sturdy oaken door. Celestia's voice rang out, beckoning us to enter. Well, at least me anyways and I did. I found myself in a warm, welcoming room built in a circular shape. The usual vibrant whites and golds of the palace gave way to an earthy tone of tans and browns. To my left, a modest fireplace was placed and empty currently while on my right was a wall covered with different painting and photos of ponies. I recognized some of them from history classes, but not all of them. Across from me, the wall gave way to a massive window overlooking Canterlot. It was there that I found Celestia. She stood with her back to me, peering down on the capital with a blank expression. Closing the door behind me, I found myself making my way to her side and following her gaze down to the throngs of ponies wandering around, unaware of the danger pressing in around them. Watching them with her, a question sprang to my mind. “...Were you ever like them, your highness?” “A heavy question,” she said sadly, “and one I must answer with both a yes and a no. My sister and I were not always princesses, Lucky, and at one time we never thought we would be. In a time so long ago that it has become a fading memory, we too had our leaders that ensured that we would never face the threats of the world in fear... but times change...” I nodded. I knew all too well how things could change, rapidly or slowly, “Why did you ask for me, your highness?” I asked, changing the subject. She let out a long, slow sigh as she turned to face me. A haunted look filled her eyes and then she did something I wasn't expecting. Lighting her horn with golden magic, she lifted her crown from her head and set it a corner of the empty room. The rest of her regalia followed soon after and I bore witness to Princess Celestia without the burdens she'd carried for so long. “Fate has a very dry sense of humor, my little pony,” she murmured, “in one moment, you find yourself on top. The next, despite every advantage you have, despite all the power you can accumulate over years, you find your hooves tied.” She lowered herself gently to the floor, her eyes going back to the city below us. After a moment of silence, she began again, “My sister and I... we are the head of state and yet we are the least. The freedom our ponies enjoy is bought by the surrender of our own. Even though we willingly pay that price, it sometimes isn't enough...” Her head drooped and I saw her eyes glimmering with tears, “Sometimes, to ensure peace and harmony, I must order innocent lives forward into darkness and chaos. I never know who I will have to ask to make a sacrifice until the path is presented to me. The truth, Lucky, is that Sunslayer is coming. Many times have I tried to deny the path of fate and each time, it backfires upon me.” She shook her head, “I can only find one way for this to end well and to do that, I must ask you to make a sacrifice, Lucky... I must ask you to wait and when the time comes... I must ask you to give up yourself for the good of Equestria...” I was confused and opened my mouth to give life to my question. Just as I was finding my voice, a resounding BOOM filled the air. I tore my gaze from Celestia and looked out upon Canterlot. Looking down, I saw part of the city burn...
Chapter 34: In the Dying of the Light...Flames licked across the outer wall of Equestria's capital and even from here, I could see the surge of guardsponies rushing to the scene. Standing beside the resting form of the solar princess, I watched in horror as the fire rose in the wake of the explosion that had sparked them. The horror intensified as the air above Canterlot shimmered and parted like a veil of water around the prows of airships. I gaped at them, realizing that there must have been at least twenty of them and all of them bore a flag with a black sun. I couldn't believe what I was seeing! There was no way that Sunslayer had that many supporters! As if she were reading my mind, Celestia spoke, “Equestria's enemies are often eager to flock to a banner against us... Sunslayer has been a patient foe and now he moves for the checkmate. No doubt he had called in all of his allies,” she gestured toward the airships, floating on giant balloons reinforced with steel, “I recognize the build of those ships. They were originally part of the Storm King's attack.” I took in that information with a gulp. I'd only heard bits and pieces about the Storm King and his occupation of Canterlot. At the time, said king hadn't been thorough in bringing every little village under his control, so I'd only seen the effects from afar. Still, that didn't bode well. It was also disturbing that he had access to magic that could hide that many ships at once. Movement beside me told me that Celestia had risen, but it was the sudden flash of magic that startled me. I tried to look at her, but I found my body unresponsive. I panicked, trying to shift at all, but unable to move an inch. While I freaked out internally, her voice entered my ears, “I'm sorry, Lucky, but I need you to stay quiet and out of sight for this... and I can't trust you not to do something foolish...” Another flash of magic before golden magic surrounded me and moved me to a corner of the room. Straining my eyes as best I could, I noticed that I couldn't see my body anymore. Minutes ticked by as I began to hear the sounds of mass hysteria closing in. More explosions rocked the air and a deep thrum of an airship crept up to the tower. From my position, I watched as Celestia opened a portion of the massive window in front of her before stepping back. A white-feathered gryphon wearing his signature mask landed in the room a moment later. Sunslayer and Celestia stared at one another while the former place his pilfered polearm perpendicular to the ground and leaned on it. Celestia's gaze briefly shot to the weapon with a disgusted look before her face changed to one of reserved disappointment. Sunslayer was the first to break the...relative silence against the din of fear outside, “I expected more from you, Celestia. For all the stories that caution against stirring your wrath, here you stand, alone and unmoving. Your rigid pacifism is set to crumble around you and still you refuse to bring your power to bare?” Celestia's reply was cold and sharp, “Would you have me burn away everything? Fire is not something to resort to, Sunslayer. If you are not careful, you will find yourself burned and even if you manage to avoid that, fire is insidious. Yes, perhaps I could bring the wrath of the sun down upon you and your allies... but my own subjects would be destroyed as well...” “Acceptable casualties,” Sunslayer retorted, making me wish I could bristle, “according to legend, you were not so reserved a thousand years ago. You have grown soft, your highness, and now your past returns to haunt you...” “Yes,” the princess intoned with a pointed look at the Reach of Sol, “it does. Listen to me, Sunslayer. I have walked the path that you find yourself on. I once thought myself above it all with the power I wielded and let my pride blind me. It nearly cost me everything...” “Nothing that you could not afford to lose,” the gryphon snarked, “you could have ruled the world, Celestia. Bent it to your design and forced your harmony upon it. All you would have had to do was sacrifice a few pawns. They call you the great chess-master; surely you understand the concept?” “But those pawns you sacrifice have the potential to be much more. To rid yourself of all your pawns weakens you far more than you could possibly imagine.” Celestia allowed herself a small smirk. “Enough,” thundered Sunslayer as he unfurled his wings aggressively, “I did not come here to trade barbs with a living relic! If you will stand by your foolish ideals so stubbornly, then know this: I still have some of your ponies as prisoners. Surrender your magic to me, or I shall turn them into nothing but glassed earth just as I did with the bumbling foal who was kind enough to retrieve the spear for me!” Silence reigned for a long moment between them and I quietly encouraged Celestia to blast Sunslayer with all the magic she had. If he wanted it so bad, give it to him the most violent way possible. Of course, if she'd done that, she wouldn't have been our beloved princess. I watched in horror as Celestia gave a short nod and lowered her head to offer her horn to Sunslayer, whom eagerly pressed the tip of his weapon to it. A spark passed between the two and I watched Sunslayer burst into flame. I wanted to whoop, thinking that the crazy gryphon had just been given the most literal lessons in playing with fire. Then he started to laugh within the fire while Celestia collapsed limply to the floor. Her cutie mark was gone. The fire swirled around Sunslayer, charring the floor beneath him and causing me to sweat a bit from the proximity. Slowly, it pulled in toward the gryphon, dying down until it closed in around his form fully. Fire continued to flick off of his stretched wings and a crown of flames danced across his skull. Meanwhile, the Reach of Sol glowed with a radiant light. “I knew you were powerful, princess,” Sunslayer admired between laughs, “but this is... everything I could ever need and more. This whole retched world will kneel before me or burn! I will do what you could not and finish off the greatest threats this world has ever known!” His laughter was turning more and more crazed as admired his new fiery look. Celestia was struggling just to lift her head, but the expression on her face was... pity? She looked upon the sun-powered bird-cat and weakly told him, “This is your last chance, Sunslayer. Don't do this.” “You're in no position to making demands of me princess,” Sunslayer gloated as he turned toward the window, “and I'm going to make sure that they all know it. With all the power you've claimed over the years, not even your precious sister, your naive student, or your boorish niece can stop me! They will all burn for your sins!” With that said, he dove from the window in a flurry of feathers. As his laughter faded into the distance, I found my body returning to my control even as my form shimmered back into existence. I rushed to the fallen princess and gently helped her back to her hooves. “Why,” I demanded in a mixture of fear and rage, “why did you give up your magic!?” I couldn't help it. It was like watching the world fall apart at my hooves and knowing that it was my fault. I should have just chucked the damn thing into the lava when I had the chance. Now there was a loose-canon wielding the magic of an alicorn in a fancy stick! Celestia turned her face to me, looking far more tired than she had a second ago. She smiled at me, “For the same reason that you couldn't sacrifice Martial. And because I trust in you Lucky.” “Trust in me!? This is all my fault and I'm not going to be able to fight him! Especially not when he's all flamey like that! What could you possibly trust me to do!?” Her smile took on a devious look and I found myself thinking about how misplaced it was in the current situation. Lifting one hoof, she hooked it around my shoulders and said, “To blunder your way to victory.” With that, Princess Celestia, alicorn of the sun, and wise ruler of Equestria... pushed me out the window. Between not expecting it and the fact that I looked like a foal next to her, it didn't take much effort. “BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCKKKK!” was the only sound I could come up with as I fell. The fall wasn't a long one before I struck another unsuspecting form. Fire crackled on either side of me as I slammed into Sunslayer from the swoop he'd been going into to reach the airship hovering below the tower. He grunted in surprise as my sudden weight threw him to one side and sent both of us crashing through the glass of another window. Rolling as a pair across the floor, I unintentionally introduced Sunslayer to the staircase from earlier. We must have looked utterly rediculous going heads over tails as we bounced down the steps. After a small eternity of the world spinning, we finally crashed into the open hallway. Groaning and cursing at every motion, I stood up and the action was mirrored by the other living creature in the room. Oh, he was livid. The angry gryphon whirled on me in a fury, “Who dares to-,” he stopped short, beak parted in disbelief, “You!?” “Me,” I shouted back in a knee-jerk reaction, throwing my hooves up “surprised? So am I!” It was about this point that I realized that Mr. Flamey was a little less... on fire now. The empty space in his talons made my eyes widen as I looked around. Unfortunately, the Spear of Fiery Doom was missing currently. The saber at his side wasn't. He drew it in a flash, his eyes twitching behind his mask, “What does it take to kill you!?” he snarled at me, his feathers puffing up a bit. “You know, at this point, I'm not sure,” I answered in the sort of fear that makes you say stupid things, “but I'll be sure to let you know when I figure it out.” “Oh, no,” he growled as he started stalking toward me, “this time we're going to find out together. This time I am going to finish the job and carve you to pieces! Then I'm going to set those pieces on fire, lock them in separate anti-magic boxes, and bury you in segments across the world.” “That sounds like a lot of effort. Maybe we could just not?” The shrill avian cry of wrath I received in return told me that he wasn't against that sort of effort....
Chapter 35: ...Hope is FoundI jumped backwards to avoid the flashing steel of Sunslayer's blade. The usually somewhat refined gryphon was coming at me like a wild animal with a number of feral noises and it was all I could do to keep such a short distance between us. I hadn't had much chance to observe his fight with Martial beyond the final moments, so experiencing his frenzy first-hoof was an experience. Then he started cheating. Winking out of existence, he appeared beside me and planted a hind-foot into my skull. I spun like a top and flailed out one leg instinctively and found a curtain that came loose with a little persuasion. Another avian cry sounded off and, thinking fast, I tossed the curtain toward it. The fabric caught Sunslayer full in the face and allowed me to quickly roll out of his warpath. Letting loose a guttural growl, he slashed the curtain to pieces with his talons and glared at me. I couldn't help the sarcasm dripping out of my mouth, “don't you know how much that costs,” diving forward, he took a swipe at me, “okay, we'll just bill you!” Pushing me back further and further, Sunslayer appeared to be trying to push me into one of the walls, but I wasn't about to let that happen. I tried to dive to one side only to find my hoof caught in a firm grip as Sunslayer yanked me in the reverse direction and sent me sprawling. The gryphon was on me, fast as lightning, his blade coming down toward me. I flailed about, trying to find something to defend myself with and when my hoof connected with something, I quickly swept it up in front of me. As Sunslayer's blade connected with the Reach, the blade sparked with light and the two of us found ourselves skidding away from one another. Somehow, I managed to keep my hold on the spear as I rolled away, slamming through a pair of double doors and into the sunlight. I'd rolled onto a massive balcony that could probably have held the entirety of the barracks comfortably. Around me were what appeared to be various dining tables and chairs, but I didn't get much time to appreciate it. With another vanishing act, Sunslayer was upon me and forcing me to react to his attacks. The only problem was that the more flustered the gryphon got, the faster his attacks came and the more often he simply warped around me. While a few quick tugs of my talent kept me from taking a strike to something vital, I was way out of my league and the few return thrusts I attempted with Reach were useless. I had to get away from him and make my way back to Celestia. If I could somehow get the spear to her, maybe she could regain her power and bring it to bare against Sunslayer and his friends. The problem there was that the mad creature was Tartarus bent on carving me into pieces. I was starting to seriously wish that I knew how he had gone fire mode with the spear! I was finally at the end of my rope as I was forced to hold Reach defensively across my chest to block an overhead strike. The gryphon didn't look it, but he was strong and he was pushing my back against the stone railing at the edge of the balcony. I was doing everything I could to keep the edge of his blade away from me that I didn't notice his free claw moving down until his talons sank into my exposed belly. The pain was... excruciating as he sank them in and gripped onto something inside of me. My grip slackened and he pushed in closer, driving his claws in deeper and extracting a cry of agony from me. He was peering at me through his mask with a predatory glee, “Can you feel that, Lucky Signs? It looks like I finally got something good.” He squeezed and I cried out again, this time coughing a bit of blood across his mask. Withdrawing his claws, he curled them together and punched me in the same spot, forcing me to curl around the blow and drop my weapon. Letting me fall to the floor as blood began to pool around me, he retrieved the weapon, re-igniting above me as he glared down at me. With a flourish, he turned the blade toward me, “You came so close, colt. Closer than any have for some time and that infuriates me. You are neither a great warrior nor a powerful mage. You have no right being the one to come so close! Who are you to stand here as my final fight!?” While I was too busy trying to suppress the urge to cry as I clutched at my wound, something did. As his rant filled the air, it felt like all other noise vanished and I heard Celestia's voice fill my mind... Perhaps I can not die by age or disease, but I still bleed like you. I looked down to my blood as it escaped my fragile body. As I did so, Sunslayer continued to rant, “You're nothing! A nopony, but by the stroke of luck, you defy me time and time again! You are nothing without your luck! Just... die!” A ghost of Luna echoed from within my mind, Cutie marks have always been a mystery that even after thousands of years, my sister and I still know almost nothing about. I can not tell you why you have yours or why it affects you so. What I can tell you is that it doesn't detract from who you are... “You will die here,” Sunslayer declared as he snarled a command that caused Reach's blade to glow molten orange, “because your luck... has finally run out...” A final voice spoke out between us, It is not a separate part of you, Lucky Signs. It is you and you are it. Staring up at Sunslayer's wild eyes, I felt... right. Like something had just slid into place. It was a simple thought... I was Lucky Signs. With a soft breath, I watched Sunslayer strike down toward me. In response I raised a front hoof and struck out... and the tower beneath us shook. I watched the sky explode in a shimmer of rainbow colors that expanded beyond my sight, but what mattered was the aftermath of the shockwave. Standing on his hindlegs for the strike, Sunslayer's stance wasn't able to save him from being thrown off course. The heated blade of Reach stabbed into the ground next to my head and hissed as it sank into the ground. My hoof slammed into his beak with an equal measure of gravity and my own strike. With a grunt and hiss of frustration, both of his talons flew to his now bloodied nose, his signature mask clacking to the ground nearby. Forcing myself to my feet I noted two things. First, Reach cooled off really quick and second, Sunslayer's airships were not alone in the air. Streaking through the air were the sleek, blue uniforms of the Wonderbolts leading flights of pegasi armed with storm clouds. It was like his allies had kicked a hornet's nest and were now dealing with the consequences. It didn't make any sense considering that the Wonderbolts were based in Cloudsdale miles away. I returned my gaze to Sunslayer as he finally moved his talons from his face. The first thing I found going through my brain was that he looked younger than I thought he would. The legitimate hatred in his gaze took away from the innocence of it all though. His eyes quickly took in the situation and he grit his beak into a furious expression, “I'll admit, I didn't expect you to have time to rally them for battle before getting here. I thought that even if that mare managed to limp her way to Equestria fast enough that she'd come straight for Canterlot.” I shrugged, “Don't look at me, feather-head. We did come straight to Canterlot.” “Regardless,” he spat, “it doesn't matter. I have my prize and with it in claw, I will raise this world against you. You can't stop me from leaving, Lucky Signs.” He had a point, considering my condition, but I put my hoof on Reach's handle as he twirled his saber. I scrunched my face in confusion as I pulled at the haft only to find that the ground had cooled as well, leaving the blade stuck fast. Sunslayer laughed, “Too bad. Maybe if you knew ancient Equestrian, you'd know how to activate the enchantment and have a chance at beating me. I'll be taking my spear now...” He started toward me while I was deep in thought. My eyes were tracing the length of Reach and I saw something odd that made me smile. “Maybe I can't stop you from leaving,” I murmured past the pain, “but you're not leaving with this magic.” Leaning down, I pressed my shoulder against the spear and shoved for all I was worth. A web of razor-thin cracks crossing the handle gave way under the force of a grown stallion and with nothing to brace upon, the weapon snapped in half, spraying splinters all around me. A pulse of magic sprang forth, throwing me over the edge of the balcony and I barely managed to catch myself before falling to my end far below. A feral roar of defeat split the air around me before Sunslayer's face appeared over the balcony, filled with fury and madness. Reaching down, he wrapped his talons around my throat and lifted me to eye level with him. The tip of his blade pressed to my throat... … a silvery lance burst through his chest. His eyes slowly moved down toward it in shock even as Martial Cadence's face appeared next to his own. With a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, she murmured in a sultry manner, “Teleport away from this...” Withdrawing her lance, Martial quickly grabbed me and hauled me over the balcony as Sunslayer staggered away. His saber hit the ground as he stumbled a few steps, turned back to face us, and then fell backwards. Tumbling over the edge, the gryphon vanished from sight. Sunslayer was gone... I was feeling... good, oddly. I'd lost track of the pain a while ago and now that the adrenaline was starting to run dry it felt like everything was fading. Martial had my face in her hooves, making me look at her as she shouted something. I chuckled at her, “Why are you... yelling? We... won.” My world faded to black...
Chapter 36: A Hero's RewardI drifted in and out of consciousness for a while. Sometimes I had moments of clarity and I remembered groaning as ponies in medical gear rushed around me, their voices sounding far away. One of them would always come forward and inject me with something that sent me back into the darkness around me. Other times, I could swear that I could hear Princess Luna or Princess Celestia calling out to me from the shadows. In the end, there was only one noise that filled my ears as I starting drifting back into the waking world... Beep...beep...beep...beep I hadn't heard that sound since Corium's accident. Hearing was followed by feeling and that caused me to let out a pitiful whine. I felt weak, but a particular area was just... sore. The smell of sterilization came next, telling me that I was probably in a hospital. Opening my eyes confirmed that after my eyes adjusted to the bright lights above me. I was laying in a bed and hooked up to a number of machines near the bed. It took me a few heartbeats to remember the events leading up to waking up here, but when I did, I sat up... way too quickly. I shouted in pain as my side gave a twinge. Pulling the blanket down, I observed the bandaged section of my body and gingerly touched it, hissing as pain sparked off from it. A quick glance outside told me that I was still in Canterlot, but with a lot less fire and airships. Fortunately for my sanity, my awakening drew the attention of one of the doctors. Originally coming in to check on a brief spike in my heart rate, he was ecstatic to find me awake. After confirming that I was actually awake and not semi-conscious like I'd apparently been previously, he asked me if I felt ready for visitors. I said yes on the simple grounds that I had absolutely no idea what was going on. Of course, I wasn't expecting to get swarmed by my fellow HERD agents. All sense of discipline went right out the window as all of them, including Silent, tried to speak at the same time. I was on the verge of getting overwhelmed when a single voice stood out, clearing her throat. Princess Celestia's mere presence caused the rest of the assembled ponies to snap crisp salutes and shut their mouths. She was looking leaps and bounds better than when I'd last seen her sans magic. Even her cutie mark was back, so I guess snapping Reach in half didn't have any negative consequences. We stared at each other for a long time and I could see the group of agents fidget between us. “...You pushed me out the window.” I stated dryly, arching my brow. “You broke my spear.” she shot back, raising her own brow. “...We'll call it even.” I decided, inclining my head with a slight smirk that she mirrored. I didn't have the strength to argue the ethics of pony versus magic artifact abuse. I was just happy to be in a position that any form of disagreement was possible. Looking down at my side, I scanned the faces in the room, “How long was I out?” “Two weeks,” Silent informed me, “talons pierced a lung. Emergency surgery. Touch and go. Nearly died several times,” his ears folded to the sides, “glad you're alive.” A murmur of agreement came from all of them. I blinked, letting that information settle in as I asked my next question, “What happened? Sunslayer's forces were attacking the city, but then next thing I knew, the Wonderbolts were on the scene and we were fighting back. Also, when did all of you get back?” I asked the former hostages. Glass stepped up to answer me, “Well, as it turns out, Dawn got our message only a couple of hours after we left. When she arrived on the scene and couldn't contact any of us on our hoofrings, she got the local guard together and came running. We managed to take most of the gryphon's lackeys into custody. We decided that we would rather be safe than sorry and sent out a general alert to the EUP stations and the Wonderbolts. When they saw a dragon speeding toward Canterlot, they mustered the primaries and the reserves as well as the local EUP before racing for the city.” Martial nodded her head, “I wasn't sure where you'd gotten off to, but I didn't have time to look for you. When the attack came down, we moved out to secure the city as best we could, but realized that the ships weren't trying to drop ground troops. Our best guess was that they didn't intend to stay long. After previous invasions, the EUP has been practicing a number of countermeasures and they must have known that.” She smirked, “Of course, they probably expected it to take a while for all of them to get moving and that they would have time to get in and out before troops arrived. Then a certain stallion decided to put a wrench in their plans by keeping Sunslayer from leaving long enough. I'll admit, that new Wonderbolt's Sonic Rainboom is a sight to see up close and personal... now if only her ego could get put under control.” We all shared a laugh at the mare's expense until Celestia made her way to my bedside. Leaning her head down to look into my eyes, she spoke, “Lucky Signs, despite all thoughts of the contrary, you acted as a key figure in this attack on Equestria. This nation and all the beings that call it home owe you a debt that could never be truly repaid, but if there is anything that the crown can do for you, simply ask.” It was a large, blank check that Celestia had just handed me and yet I couldn't think of anything to ask for... or could I. Smirking deviously, I bid the princess to come closer and whispered into her ear, “Any chance you could give this nice mare named Dawn Breeze a day off?” ** Epilogue “So... yeah,” Lucky Signs stated, wheeling his hoof about in the air, “it only took me several years and the near collapse of Equestria to do it, but I got myself a date. You always did say that I'd get one over on Nimbus, didn't you grandpa?” He looked down at the gravestone that marked the final resting place of his family member, settled right next to his grandmother. The spot was a beautiful one: a gently rising hill overlooking the lands that had once held the farm. Even with the new buildings set on the land, it was hard to say that the view didn't hold special memories for him. The part that made him feel the best about it was how, if he closed his eyes, he could almost feel his grandfather's hoof on his shoulder. Even when he'd failed in the past, old Plum Tucker had always loved and been proud of his grandcolt and the feeling still persisted in this place. “The only part that I still don't get,” Lucky stated with a tap of his hoof, “is why everyone thought it was funny that I was asking Celestia to be my wingpony on this. Come to think of it, I never did find Dawn that day, but I just figure that she was busy. Also, I think Princess Cadence may be rubbing off on her aunt, because apparently me going on a date with one of her assistants is enough to make her blush...” Lucky shrugged it off, “Well, that being said, I probably need to get going. The train back to Canterlot leaves in a little bit and if I'm not on it, I'm not going to make it back in time for my date. Who knows, grandpa... maybe I'll get lucky,” he started, “I mean, not like that, but like... maybe Dawn's the one, you know? Okay, I just made this awkward; I'm going now! Love ya, gramps!” Trotting away, Lucky started to hum to himself as he rushed toward his next adventure... Author's Note And with this chapter, the first book of Lucky Sign's adventures comes to a close. Of course, there is still much for the silly stallion to experience and learn, so a sequel is in the making! What sort of crazy antics will he get up to in the future? Stay tuned to find out!
Chapter 1: Wrong Place, Wrong TimeSo, there I was, dangling over the edge of an active volcano, my sole life-line being the rope tangled around my hoof, holding an ancient artifact whose purpose I could only guess at. My life had become a series of progressively worse events leading up to this point. ...Confused? Congratulations, now you know how I felt most of the time in the months leading up to that. Now that you're in the proper mindset to understand how little I can explain, let me go back to the beginning of it all. My name is Lucky Signs. Lucky for short and I'm anything but so. I'd like to think I'm a fairly handsome earth pony, but I think most of the mares would consider me more... lanky and cute in most cases. If only that worked on my boss. From the tips of my ears to the frogs of my hooves, I'm a maroon colored pony with an offsetting mane and tail of navy blue. Ironically, my cutie mark is a four-leafed clover coming out of a pot of golden bits. Don't let that fool you. Ever since I was a colt, I had a habit of being accident prone and yet most ponies would tell you I'm incredibly lucky. It all started on the day that I'd won a scavenger hunt at my school by happenstance. Everypony had made it to the last clue, but none of us could possibly figure it out. I'd climbed up to the top of the slide to try and get a better view, hoping that the vantage point would help me see something that would sound right. Well, one of the other foals decided to be in my way and trip me. That began a long series of falling onto the teeter-totter, being thrown across the playground to roll down a hill, and landing face-first in the answer. That became the general feeling of my life. If there's one thing that's lucky, I guess it's that I haven't been fired from my job as a local delivery colt. Not the best job I could have landed, but I didn't exactly trust myself with something bigger, like being a lumberjack. So long as I avoided anything out of the ordinary, I managed to not make a fool of myself. Then came the day that my parents contacted me to hire me. It was supposed to be simple. I just needed to deliver a letter to my aunt in Canterlot. They even payed for the trip, so it was a walk in the park. Of course I had jitters about going out of town for a job due to the chance at doing something stupid, but they were paying me well, most likely because they were my parents. I didn't even have to stay long. Just deliver the letter and head back home. Not nearly enough time to get caught up in strange things, right? Wrong! Very wrong. Oh, it went well enough at first. I made it to Canterlot without destroying the train and made the delivery before I could end up being accused of assaulting a noble. For once, everything seemed to be going my way, so I made the mistake of stopping in at one a Donut Joe's for a victory treat. I was sitting at one of the booths, minding my own business when a stallion dressed all in black and wearing a mask entered. It was surreal as I watched the strange pony draw a loaded crossbow and point it at the poor cashier. I was in the middle of a robbery! What else could I do but the same thing everypony else was doing and comply with his demands! “Everypony up against the wall! Nopony tries anything funny, I don't put a bolt between their eyes,” he shouted, flailing the weapon wildly while the little unicorn mare desperately tried to open the register for him, “no heroics! I've got a nifty blade here for anypony who thinks that they can take me while I reload!” Whether his claims were true or not, nopony felt like testing the crazed stallion. He was herding us toward the wall furthest from the door when it all went wrong. Now, it would be uncouth of me to comment on a mare's weight, but the one in front of me definitely... enjoyed her food. So much so that she was still chomping on a cream filled donut as she walked. My eyes were a little too focused on the gentlestallion with a weapon to notice how her noisy chomping was causing her to drop cream filling all over the floor. As I was just passing by the criminal, my hoof landed in some of it and I lost my balance. Snorting as I fell, I flailed my hooves and I felt my back hoof smack into something sturdy as I spun in a dizzying circle. The crossbow skittered across the store as I landed on my back, looking up into the shocked eyes of the stallion. He was a big one. Easily standing head and ears over me and filled out just as well, he glowered down at me, brown eyes full of rage as a hoof shot to his pocket and drew out a long knife. He hadn't been lying, if that wasn't apparent. He glared a hole into my skull as he snorted, “What did I say about heroes, colt,” he demanded as he readied the blade, “guess I gotta make an example out of you!” I brought all of my hooves up defensively, stuttering out, “No, wait-!” That was all I got out as he stepped into the same glob of goo that had sent me sprawling. His eyes widened in surprise moments before his fell face first into one of my hooves. Locked up in fear, the appendage had no give and I heard his jaws clack together... hard. I could only stare as his eyes rolled up into his head and his body went limp, sliding off to one side with a loud thump! A moment of silence passed before one of the patrons poked at the limp form, “Sweet Celestia,” the individual, a stallion if I remember correctly, “you knocked his lights right out!” Thank you, Captain Obvious. Speaking of Captains, this was about the time that a trio of guardsponies burst through the door, ready for a fight. Which is why they were extremely confused by the crowd of ponies helping a maroon stallion to his feet and praising him. I was in the same boat. It took a few minutes for them to sort everything out. Apparently, during the moments when the stallion had turned his back, the mare behind the counter had crushed an emergency alarm crystal to alert the guard. Good on her. They collected a full report from everypony, but... there was a little detail that most of them decided to get wrong. Despite my insistence to the contrary, the patrons of the store had somehow gotten it into their heads that I was some kind of black-belt karate master and had done it all on purpose. In the end, they felt it necessary for me to go down to the local barracks to fill out an incident report. It was there that I met the devil-mistress herself: Lieutenant Martial Cadence. Don't ever comment on her sharing a name with Princess Cadence unless you want to end up as her personal punching bag. She takes way too much pleasure in defining the difference between, in her words, “a prissy pink princess” and a “mistress of the lance.” As a word of warning, my fellow stallions, also not something to comment on. Poor Private Vermilion... he'll never be the same... When I met this horrible, horrible pegasus, she was every bit as intimidating as one could imagine. I was beginning to think that most of the ponies in Canterlot had something against normal heights as she towered head and neck over me. Truth be told, she could probably look Princess Luna in the eyes without tilting her head. Not to mention that she was wearing full armor. Even the helmet. While sitting behind a dark wood desk in a room lit mostly by torchlight. Did I also mention that she was a thestral? Let me emphasize that to you, thestral, not bat pony. How was I supposed to know? I was a country colt and my town had never seen one before! If she was anything less than a ten on your fear-o-meter up to this point, the hint of sharp fangs and the doom glare she'd perfected would break the meter! “What is this,” she demanded of the pony escorting me to her office, “why have you brought this stallion to me?” If she wasn't so angry and loosened her tone a bit, she might have an attractive voice. As it was, I could only stand there and gulp as my escort moved to her side and whispered into her ear. I did not like the sudden attention I was getting from those piercing blue eyes with their slit pupils. It was at this point she decided to stand up. Even with the armor on, I could tell that she had a toned body with short, lustrous, amethyst fur covering her. I couldn't see her mane, but the regulation length tail of orchid hair gave me a good guess. She stared at me like she was trying to see into my soul, “My second tells me that you single-hoofedly apprehended a criminal attempting to rob a Donut Joe's. He was armed and you were not, according to eyewitnesses. Explain yourself.” Not like I was going to argue with her. Not there was much to say as I crumpled under her stare, “I, uh... I slipped, ma'am.” I choked out, trying my best not to squeak. There was a tense pause as she regarded me, blinking once. Only once. “You... slipped?” I nodded, “Y-yes ma'am. There was some cream filling on the floor... when I went to pass him and get up against the wall, I slipped...” “...and disarmed the culprit?” “J-just the crossbow. It was an accident as I was falling, I wasn't trying to do anything...” “Then he pulled a knife on you and you struck him?” “N-no ma'am. Well, yes, he pulled a knife on me, but he slipped as well and I was just trying to defend myself, so I had my hoof up... and he just.... fell into it.” She wasn't buying it. I could tell it by the way one of her brows continued to climb toward her helmet line with each word I spoke. She circled me once as I finished my explanation, then returned to her seat, clasping her hooves beneath her chin. “...Mr... Lucky Signs, was it,” she waited for my confirmation, “I have been part of the guard for some time now and I have been told all manner of stories, ranging from the mildly believable to the absolutely ludicrous. You're story... is absolutely crab-apples!” she shouted as she rose up, slamming one hoof into her desk and pointed the other at me. “You, a newcomer to Canterlot, happened to be in such a predicament and ended the situation without assistance! I don't know what they teach you back home, Lucky Signs, but here in Canterlot, taking the law into your own hooves is not acceptable! Apparently you knew that and decided to come up with a foalish story and thought that would get you off without consequence!” I backed up, sputtering, but found my way barred by my previous escort. He simply stood there, stone-faced and unmoving as the crazy mare jumped over her desk to jab her hoof directly into my face. She was still mid-tirade, “Shame on you! There are laws against such reckless behavior for a reason! No matter how sure of your own abilities you are, others could have been hurt!” She was fuming as she turned and began to pace back and forth in front of me, “I will not have the law of my city trampled underhoof by somepony like you, understand! You will be punished,” a leap over her desk with a light flap of her bat-like wings landed her in her seat again, “I will see to it that you are publicly-!” A flash of magic interrupted her as a small scroll landed in front of her. I was blinded by it long enough for her to have opened and read whatever message she had received. If the deepening scowl on her face was any indication, it wasn't good news. She confirmed as much when she looked up at me with malice in her gaze. “...it would seem... that we are at an impasse... my boss has seen fit to offer you a choice,” she practically hissed at me, “for your transgressions... here is your ultimatum... you can work off your charges by joining the guard as an auxiliary...” I blinked. Did she think I was crazy, “uh... not that the offer isn't generous, but what's the other option...?” She gave me a dangerous grin, full of evil. If this mare wasn't the second coming of Nightmare Moon, I didn't know what was. Her answer was just as terrifying, “the other option is that I get full choice of your punishment, the current letter of the law notwithstanding.” Apparently I was crazy, “Errr... well, where do I sign up?” That was how I ended up joining the Royal Guard of Canterlot....
Chapter 11: Rescue Mission, Part 1Night came much too soon for my liking. As Luna lifted the moon into the sky, I climbed out of bed and secured my chosen arsenal. The plan was a simple one: go in under the effects of the cloak, save any pony I found inside, and lead them out before whoever our foe was knew I was there. Even I didn't have much faith in it going so perfectly, but if I stopped now, I was going to lose my nerve. I couldn't stand the thought of two innocent foals becoming the victims of some monster... and I'll admit that guilt pushed me to find Stroke as well. I slid out of the inn quietly, pausing to re-orientate myself with Onyx's map and slipped toward the edge of town. Even with the cloak, I moved carefully and quietly, every nerve alive and every sense heightened. It felt like every shadow was a cloaked figure coming to strike me down and every noise was death approaching. I made it into the encroaching woods and slid on my night-eye goggles, squinting as the world lit up and the darkness receded into a low light. My hammering heart was an unsteady rhythm to push me forward and my breathing felt much too loud. I had a lot of ground to cover and not much time if Onyx's time table held true. Of course, that was assuming that I could even find this cave that the colt told me abou- Oh, hello gravity. I didn't see you there on the other side of that bush. I fell down a steep incline and scrambled to catch myself as I rolled. I wasn't sure how far I went, but my first instinct was to check my gear and make sure nothing had come lose during the fall. Everything was accounted for, but then I became dimly aware of a flickering light somewhere ahead of me. Sliding forward as quietly as I could, I went prone and peered through a bush in front of me. I noticed that the light was coming from an opening in a nearby hill and a wobbling figure staggered in the fire's glow. If the cloak was anything to go by, I'd found my destination. I looked back at my flank with a scowl and whispered, “Buck you too.” Somehow, the pony hadn't heard my fall... in fact it sounded like he was singing drunkenly. The off key notes eventually drew the attention of another cloaked figure that hurried into the light and seemed to be speaking rapidly. Drawing my cloak tight around myself, I slid forward, staying in their peripheral. Sneaking close enough, I caught the tail end of the conversation. “...who cares,” asked the drunken sod, “when the night reaches its zenith, she will drink the blood of her chosen and lead us into the eternal night. One stupid guard isn't going to stop that even if he was foolish enough to come here.” His companion, another stallion, reached over with a hoof and took something from the former. I assumed his poison of choice, “This is no time to get sloppy,” chided the sober one, “Royal Guards don't mess around. If we want the ritual to go off without a hitch, everypony needs to be doing their job. Yours is to keep watch and make sure we're not discovered.” Drunky snorted, “As if. Didn't you hear? The other one is as green as it gets and scared pissless. He ain't coming out here for anything. My thinkin' is that he'll wait for reinforcements before moving and Top Shot has it out for the stallion. He'll be dead before dawn.” “Regardless, nothing can be allowed to stop the ceremony. On top of that, they'll be here for the foals just after, so we need to be sure everything is ready. That means there's nopony out here to watch your sorry flank if you get jumped and don't sound the alarm. Keep your eyes open,” he flicked his hoof sideways and I heard a liquid hit the ground, “and lay off this swill.” Drunky had a few choice words for his companion, but the wiser stallion ignored him, retreating into the cave. So, in being dumb enough to come out here I'd dodged a bolt from this “Top Shot” pony. I wasn't sure if I should be happy about that or not. Either way, that wasn't my priority at the moment. It was comically easy to slip past the lookout between my cloak and his inebriation. Entering into the cave proper, I adjusted my goggles and looked around. The interior of the cave was dark, but a small light at the back drew me closer. A wall had been knocked down in the back and poking my head in revealed that the cave had been connected to a mine shaft of some kind. I groaned inwardly as I realized that I had three options: a path to my left and right with one more going forward. Spotting movement to my right, I caught sight of the more sober pony walking quickly toward the furthest end of the way. This one seemed to be checking up on others, so maybe he would lead me to where I needed to go? Slinking forward, I hurried after him as fast as I dared. The weakness of the cloak is that if somepony where to be actively looking for me they'd pierce the illusion and this stallion seemed to be tense and alert. Despite that, he was apparently on a mission as he continued to march past several openings. I was doing my best to mentally map the route, but realized very quickly that I didn't have the brain power for it, cursing myself. I was in it deep now. My unknowing guide finally broke off from the main path down a side shaft and I was forced to pause as he came upon another pony who seemed to be standing guard. Someone really needed to tell groups like the guard and these cultists that matching uniforms were really annoying. Huddling up against the wall, just in case, I tilted my ears to catch the conversation... “Hail, Nightborne.” Greeted the pony who'd been standing guard, giving my guide a small bow. So, he was higher up on the ladder than this stallion. It would make sense that he would be more invested in whatever they had going on. I wasn't sure if Nightborne was a name or a title considering the reverence it was given when said aloud. Either way, “Nightborne” simple gave a curt nod, “Is all in readiness? Our... ally will be along after the ceremony to collect them.” My ears perked up. Could they be talking about the foalnapped ponies? With any luck, I'd be able to round up both the foals and Silent Stroke in one go... well, any good luck. The guard nodded, “Yes, Nightborne. His delivery will be prepared for him by the time the ritual is complete,” there was a deep pause, before the guard sighed, “how long must we keep up this charade? That old fool is going too far this time.” The change in tone made me curious. Nightborne chuckled, “Let the old stallion have his moment. If he wants to believe that the thestral's blood will bring back his 'immortal queen' and rid us of the nuisance at the same time, it's no skin off our bones. We're almost done with this town anyways and then we'll be rid of him.” Thestral's blood? Stroke! What were these crazy ponies doing to him? It must have something to do with this “ritual” they'd been talking about. I was going to have to move fast because it sounded like my partner was in real danger. I shook my head, focusing. One problem at a time. Nightborne didn't keep me waiting long as he came back and I pressed up tight against the wall. I didn't dare breath as he slowed just in front of me, his ears flicking slowly from side to side. I could hear my heartbeat quickening. Had he discovered me? I couldn't afford to be caught just yet. I brought one hoof slowly to the sheath on the opposite foreleg, hovering just over the dagger there. I could swear that the blade shivered in delight... A second ticked by. Then another. Just when I was sure that I was going to have to do something drastic, a soft clack of stone on stone echoed from somewhere within the mine. Nightborne gave a start before shaking his head and striding away. I waited until he was long gone before letting out a sigh of relief. Stepping into the hallway once more, I crept toward the lone watchpony and wondered just what I was going to do. Sure, I'd been drilled in basic take-downs, but it was different in practice and I had never been a violent pony. I looked at my opponent, sizing him up. He was... barely out of foalhood. Sweet Celestia, he still had such a young look to him except for his eyes. His eyes were the kind that had experienced something that haunted him to this day. I couldn't bring myself to strike him. Suppressing a sound of displeasure, I lifting up onto my hindhooves and shimmied past the stallion as quietly as I could. The passage that he was guarding lead to a circular room. At one point, other paths had lead out of the room but had collapsed at some point, leaving only one way out. Off to one side I noticed what appeared to be a chamber pot and wrinkled my nose in disgust, but the other thing I noticed is what held my attention. Two foals, Buck Wild and Misty Trails, huddled together at the center of the room. Their eyes were bloodshot from tears shed and both of them looked haggered. Quickly, I pulled off my my Hoofring of Silence, activating the enchantment in the doorway so that I could speak with them privately. When I drew back my hood, the foals gasped and huddled closer to one another, staring at me fearfully. I sat on my haunches, smiling reassuringly at them, “Hey, I'm here to help,” I said softly, “Buck and Misty, right?” Their ears perked at their names, a small sparkle of hope appearing in their eyes. “How'd you know our names, mister?” Buck asked. I continued to smile as I sorted through bag, “Your mother is really worried about the two of you. Lone Star and her sent out a message to the Royal Guard to come find you and the others. Is anypony else here with you?” Misty answered me this time with a soft shake of her head, “It was just us for a while, but they brought in this scary looking pegasus that looked kind've like a bat.” I nodded, “That's my buddy, Silent Stroke. Do you know where they took him?” I finally found what I was looking for, fishing out the teleportation amulet. Misty shook her head, “He got into a fight with a couple of them, but they hurt him real bad,” tears were appearing in her eyes, “why are they doing this? We never hurt anypony!” she was verging on hysterics, but Buck stepped in, wrapping his hooves around his sister. He looked up at me with a determined look, “You're a Royal Guard, mister,” I nodded, “then... you're gonna make the bad ponies pay, right?” I couldn't dash his hopes, no matter how much I felt that fate was cheating by making a foal ask that question. Hey, I wasn't exactly lying when I told him I would. I'd already sent a message to the lieutenant and she would bring down the hoof of law on these psychos. For now I was content to help them escape and find Stroke. Gathering the two together, I looped the amulet string around them both. Thankfully, the enchantment would activate on anypony wearing it, so when I activated the amulet with the mental picture of Misty's room they vanished in a flash of light. That would make their mother's night, I'm sure. Retrieving my ring, I put my hood back up and stealthed past the guard again. I chuckled inwardly at the look I imagined would be on his face when he realized the foals were gone. In the meantime, I needed to find Stroke... before something bad happened to him...
Chapter 23: DenialThankfully, I didn't wake up tied to a chair this time, but I did wake up to the wonderful smell of sterilization. Cracking open my eyes slowly, I found myself staring up at pastel white panels forming a ceiling. Beneath me, I could feel a mattress pressing against my sore skin. Groaning, I tried to sit up only to have a firm hoof stop me. “Stay still. Still recovering.” “Silent?” I asked in confusion, turning to see the thestral seated in a chair beside my bed. His neutral expression remained in place as he eased back into his chair. The rather large book next to him told me what he'd been doing prior to me waking up. He nodded to my question and started speaking in his usual way, “Multiple fractures, bruised and battered body, and near hypothermia,” he nodded at me, “still alive. Good job.” Tilting his head to one side, he parted his jaws and I watched as he issued a supersonic call. When he returned his attention to me, I asked the important question, “What happened?” The response I got in return was not encouraging. He shook his head, claiming, “others will tell you.” With nothing left to do as he returned to his reading, I let out a sigh and stared at the ceiling while we waited. It wasn't a long wait. The handle of the nearby door turned and permitted a few familiar faces to enter. The first was none other than Martial Cadence herself, followed by Agent Glass, but it was the final pony that caught me by surprise. Dawn Breeze finished off the group that came into my room and for a moment, I had the vague hope that maybe I could steal a kiss. It wasn't meant to be, however, as Martial came up beside my bed. She was looking at me with a peculiar expression. Then, to my surprise, she pulled off her helmet, letting her orchid mane cascade down her neck to where it terminated just over her shoulders. I have no idea how she hid it so well. “Lucky Signs, on behalf of the organization, I must apologize for the current state you find yourself in.” I stared at her. Who was this mare and what had she done with the lieutenant. I looked down at myself, taking in the bandages that covered most of my body. I assumed that some sort of numbing agent was in the cloth, because I couldn't feel much. “Okay, I'll bite,” I responded after a moment of thought, “what organization and why do you need to apologize on their behalf?” There was a collective hesitation among the assembled ponies that I didn't like. Glass looked at Martial, Martial looked at Dawn, and Dawn was trying to look anywhere that wasn't at me. Now, I wasn't the type of pony to be overly paranoid, but the entire situation here stank of conspiracy. It was Dawn that finally broke the silence, “We had thought that you would at least be safe in Canterlot proper. We knew that you were in a... critical point and didn't want to approach you until you'd had proper time to consider your own feelings. If we had acted sooner, we could have moved you somewhere that Sunslayer couldn't find you.” I let my gaze travel between the three mares, letting my brow raise higher and higher with each passing moment without an explanation. Finally, I had to ask, “Who is 'we?' And why does it sound like you all know something that I do not?” The three of them exchanged another look before nodding. In a flash, Glass cast a spell that settled over the room with the slight glow of magic. Earning my questioning look with that move, she told me, “Privacy spell, Rookie. Nothing major, we just don't need anypony out of the loop overhearing.” Martial took the lead now, standing rigidly at attention. It was something she did when she was uncomfortable, “Normally, we would be going through several more tests, but our time table has been drastically reduced. Lucky Signs, we are here now representing the Heavy Equestrian Response Division. No, you have not heard of them and if anypony asks, you still haven't. The HERD has had its eyes on you since the first incident here in Canterlot. We consist of ponies that may not be the strongest on a field of battle, but each individual possesses their own unique talents. Talents that can change the tide of things by their presence alone.” Dawn Breeze stepped forward, giving me a soft smile, “Coming from all walks of life, the HERD recruits ponies that we believe have nearly superpony abilities. On the surface, they don't look like much, but each of them can affect a mission before or during the active phase. We've been tracking reports of this Sunslayer for nearly a year now, but we'd never had the breakthroughs we needed until you entered the picture. Lucky,” she stepped forward and took my hoof in her own, “the HERD needs you.” At any other time, I was sure that I would have been putty in her hooves. Right at that moment, however, I'd just survived an attempt on my life. Specifically my life. I'd never had anyone dislike me with that kind of passion before and I wasn't sure how to deal with it. So, when I pulled my hoof back, they all looked at me in shock, “No.” I stated simply, feeling my emotions shut down. I hated the feeling, but it was just something I did whenever I was feeling overwhelmed for one reason or another. I turned away from them, looking out the window nearby at the clear sky beyond it with a shudder. Immediately a trio of voices were shouting various things at me, but I ignored them. I'd served my time. All I wanted was to not get wrapped up in something that was over my head again. They few times that I'd done anything worthwhile had been times where I'd had no other choice. I'd give them the information that I knew, but that was it. I was done. I'd go play dead and never show my face again. Strangely enough, it was Silent Stroke that boomed the loudest, “SILENCE!” he roared. The three mares froze like he'd cast a spell on them. In his own strange way, Stroke berated them, basically explaining all the things that were going on in my head. Well, most of them, but I wasn't going to stop him when he was on a roll. I missed the vast majority of him quickly shooting down attempts to convince me. By the time that I tuned back in, he was shooing all three of them out the door. He made as if to follow them out, but turned an eye toward me, “Lucky. You've done enough. No one blames you. Just desperate. Go home, while you can...” There was a sadness in his voice as he left the room... ** Unfortunately, it wasn't as easy as just leaving. The doctors were sure to inform me that I wasn't going anywhere until they were sure I wasn't going to keel over the second I stood up. It was a wonder how I managed to avoid fatal injuries from being pummeled, dropped into an icy cavern, and nearly frozen solid. In the end I was going to have to stick around for a few days, but I made it very apparent that I didn't want anypony working for the Royal Guard or its subdivisions visiting me. I felt tired. Tired and, much to my displeasure, scared. Even without my request, they had decided to make sure that I had a group of guards all around my room. I could see pegasi flying outside and a pair of unicorns scanned all the doctors that came to check on me thoroughly. You would have thought that I was some sort of secret weapon for all the precautions they took to keep any assassins from sneaking in. I'll admit that after a while, I was starting to go stir crazy. Corium even came by on the second day to see me. He'd heard through the grapevine that I had been seriously injured, but for some reason, that wasn't what caused him to pause at the door. He and I both knew what he was feeling as he stopped there with on hoof raised. He'll never know how grateful I was that he didn't ask about it. He let me have my thoughts and keep them to myself as we chatted about random bits that had happened in Los Pegasus. When he left, I was still staring at the ceiling tiles, wanting to just wake up and realize that everything over the past few months had been a bad dream. Speaking of dreams, I could feel my eyelids starting to droop. I remember thinking that it was odd, since it was still daytime outside, but I couldn't resist the urge. Closing my eyes, I slipped blissfully into unconsciousness.... ** I was back on the old farm. Just the way it had looked so many years ago before the land was sold. I don't know why, but I was seated in the back of my wagon, staring out over the fields that stood between me and the house. It was a simple thing, a three-room, one story house made of wood. My ears flicked as I scanned over the waving grain, catching movement between the stalks. I trembled there, unwilling to move. Fear, real fear, closed in around me like a noose. I could hear Sunslayer's voice, see the rage filled eyes of Storm through the gaps in crops, and feel the cold that settled in all around me. Then I heard hoofsteps. Clear and gentle, but firm and commanding. As they drew closer, the field stilled. Silence came upon the air, warmth filled my body, and I could forget how much that little mare hated me. I could sense somepony standing behind me, but I didn't want to turn. To turn around was to admit something... to them and myself. It hurt because I didn't know what it was I was admitting. “...look at me.” came the soft-spoken order and I could feel the sheer weight of the presence behind me. She was strong, stronger than I could ever be and we both knew it. I looked down at my hooves, shaking as I clenched my eyes shut. “I...I can't...” “Yes you can. Look at me.” “No... I can't... if I do...” “You'll see the truth?” “...Yes...” “...I understand your fear. I truly do, but now is not the time for fear, Lucky Signs... turn... look at me.” I couldn't ignore or disobey her for multiple reasons. As much as I didn't want to, I could feel my body turning to face her as tears slid through the gaps in my eyelids. I had never felt more scared in my life and not knew why. All I knew was that if I looked at her, she was going to make me face it. “Open your eyes...” I'm stallion enough to admit that I was sobbing as I slid my eyes open. As the wavy vision I had cleared, I looked upon a mare as tall as Martial, but twice as confidant. She looked down upon me with a firm, but gentle look as her blue eyes regarded me. A piece of the night sky graced her features in place of a mane and the black regalia marked her for the royalty she was. Princess Luna, Diarch of the Night, Shepard of the Moon, and Co-ruler of Equestria looked upon me and I knew... I knew that I was going to break...
