A Shattered Crystal

It was during the early morning hours that I woke up to a loud bang. I darted out of my bed, and my horn lit up for any potential threat. But... nopony was there. I remained still for a moment, and then again:

BANG!

I knew that sound, knew it all too well by now. I moved over to the Window and looked out towards Ponyville. Immediately, I could see what was going on. The Inquisition was doing its job.

BANG!

Another Body dropped dead as the Gunshot's echo rang through the Town. I moved away from the Window and towards the Door to my Room. As I opened the Door, I realised something peculiar.

Wasn't I the 'Grand Inquisitor', Leader of the Solar Inquisition, appointed by none other than the Empress herself? How come the Inquisition acts on its own behalf without informing me!

My slow trot from before turned into a sprint as I darted down the Hallway of the Castle. Spike waved and greeted me as he left the Bathroom, but I had no time to return the favour.

I shoved open the Great Doors of the Castle and charged outwards towards Ponyville. The small band of Inquisitors had lined up Ponies from all over Ponyville in front of the Town Hall. About half of them already laid dead.

As I turned the final corner, I spotted one of them pushing the muzzle of his Rifle against the back of a Pony's head.

"STOP!" I yelled, using my Magic to knock the Inquisitor's Rifle out of his hooves. He and the others immediately snapped to Attention and bowed before me as I came to a halt in front of them.

"Grand Inquisitor!" the one who had held the Rifle gave out, "we were just about to-"

"Silence! You speak only when I allow you to!" I barked back at him. He and his colleagues complied.

I turned my Head and looked at the carnage. 4 Ponies laid dead, blood flowing out from wounds in the back of their skulls. 3 other ponies laid next to the corpses: blindfolded and chained. Completely defenceless.

I knew those Ponies. Both the Dead and the Living. Some of them I considered good friends, once.

"Inquisitor," I asked the Stallion as I turned my Attention back to him, "who leads the Inquisition?"

The group looked at one another for a moment before one of them stuttered "Y-you, Grand Inquisitor!"

"Good," I applauded sarcastically, "so then how come I haven't been informed about your little 'excursion' into my hometown? Did you forget about the values of Harmony in Order, as our God-Empress has taught us?"

"No!" they all gave out in a panic. "We would never forget!"

I moved closer to them, inch by inch, my Horn lighting up. "You fools realise insubordination like this is met with the Death Penalty, don't you? Harmony can only be achieved through Order, and you as Inquisitors should know what happens to those who defy the Order of things in the Empire."

They remained silent, cowering before me.

"And these... Ponies," I gestured towards them with my hoof. "What is their crime? Are they heretics?"

"W-well, there have been rumors, you see," one of them stuttered timidly.

"Rumors? What Rumors?" My Horn once again lit up, brighter than before.

"Yes, well, there are rumors that "Resistance" Cells are forming, one of them in Ponyville. We came here and decided to take the liberty to-"

His speech was cut short as a blast of Fiery Magic pierced his head. He twitched for a moment, then collapsed to the floor, just like the Ponies he had executed before.

"I will remind you one last time," I said to the remaining Inquisitors as they stared at their deceased brother. "I am the Grand Inquisitor! I lead you and I decide who is heretic and who is not."

The Inquisitors nodded and bowed before me in fearful respect.

"We heed your call, Grand Inquisitor," one among them said, "but how shall we now proceed with the remaining Ponies? What is your verdict?"

I looked back over to the row of Ponies. I recognised them. All of them. My frown from before turned into a grin as I put the pieces together in my head.

"Grand Inquisitor?" an Inquisitor asked again.

"Burn them. I want them burnt at the sake, like true Heretics."

They all raised an eyebrow, clearly somewhat surprised.

"The Light that our Empress brings us can cure anypony of corruption and evil. We shall guide these poor souls to the light by giving their bodies to the light and flames. We may only pray that, in the Light and Glory of the Empress, they may find rest and guidance."

The Inquisitors nodded in agreement, and rushed over to the few remaining captives. One after another, they were dragged off deeper into the town, where the local Solar Temple was. There, they would burn for their crimes.

"All is as the Empress commands," I said to myself, some of those who had gathered around me clearly listening. "Harmony must be protected from evil, both outside and inside our lands. And if there are traitors, Heretics who do not approve of our Harmony and new ways, then it is my Duty to rid the Empire of them. Once and for all."

As the Group of Inquisitors vanished between the rows of Houses, I made my way back to the Castle. And as I made my way through Town, Ponies watching me with fear and respect both, I contemplated if perhaps I had been too zealous to that Inquisitor back then.

I shrugged off that thought quickly. Clearly not. He acted on his own, ignored the order of the Inquisition. Those who are unable to accept Order must be removed, such is my task, after all.

"She didn't listen at all, huh?" Spike said as he brought over a stack of books.

"I tried to convince her but... no chance. She is the Empress, after all. If she wants it, nopony can convince her otherwise." I sighed, reading through various reports and forms. A Signature here, a hoofstamp there. It was tedious work, but the kind of work the Empress knew I did well, better than anyone else in the Empire.

"I just wish I hadn't screwed up, Spike." I dropped what I was doing and rested against the back of my seat. Without my friends, the Map Room was really empty nowadays. Just me and Spike. "If only I could have convinced Cadence..."

"Hey now," Spike said cheerfully, "it's not exactly your fault now, is it? Your mission was basically hopeless from the start, given the circumstances."

I looked over to Spike with a frown.

"Oh. That didn't really help, did it?"

"Everyone counted on me, Spike. Most important of all, the Empress did. I'm the reason thousands have already died in this war between Equestrians and Crystal Ponies. Millions might die, still, before this war comes to a close! And why?" My head sank in disappointment. "Because I failed, Spike. I failed everyone, not just the Empress. I failed myself, too. I wanted to be successful, not just because the Empress asked it of me, but because I knew the repercussions if I failed. I wanted to..."

I sniffed as a tear ran down my face.

"I wanted to keep Cadence and my Brother safe, Spike. I really did want to preserve Peace, to stay friends with all of them but... I couldn't make it."

Spike moved over and gave me a soft pat on the back. "Remember what you told me? Cadence never said she disliked you, did she? She still held you close to heart, both as a friend and a family member. She would never hate you. The same can be said about your Brother, surely."

I looked up at Spike and smiled slightly, tough still sobbing. "You know... I guess you're right, Spike. Perhaps there's hope yet. Perhaps, when this whole 'war' business is over, I can reunite with them all for good. Perhaps they'll finally see reason and join us, too!"

"Eh," Spike scratched his head, "I wouldn't count on the latter, personally."

I pulled Spike towards me to embrace him in a hug, but just as I did, his tummy began to rumble. I knew all too well what that would mean.

"Here it comes!" Spike blurted out before burping out a scroll.

I levitated the Scroll and opened it. It was by the Empress, of course, though this one was much shorter than most other messages she had sent me. From experience, I could tell: the shorter the message, the more urgent the problem.

The Scroll itself was a direct Order from Daybreaker to make my way to Canterlot at once. There was an urgent issue that needed to be addressed not just by her alone, but by me as well.

I dropped the Scroll on the table and stared straight ahead in an empty gaze. "A Problem that required not just the Empress but me, as well?" I thought. There wasn't much time to think about it. The Message was urgent, and I wouldn't fail my Empress.

Not this time...