4 months ago
Time: 9:45 PM ~ Date: April 2nd, 2010
Location: Yomiyawa Prefecture, Osaka

Night rolls around, seeing the temple once more. Nero takes a few steps down past the Torri gates. The wind blows past his face, blowing up his long black hair with tips colored white and tied in a ponytail. The wind passes as a cool mist kisses his cheek. "It looks like it'll rain here soon."

“Take care on your way to the part, nephew.” Kiyoshi states, smirking at the lad, “Don’t drink too much when you're there, or I may have to pull you out, heh.” He laughs as he waves his hand towards his descending nephew.

“Of course not, uncle. Even though I am of age, I rather limit myself. Besides, someone needs to be the one to get the drunkards home or to a hotel." Nero chuckles while he shakes his head in amusement. "Have a good night uncle and tell Tourmaline I will see her tomorrow for archery practice.” He waves back as he continues to head down the steps, getting a confirmed ‘I will!’ from Kiyoshi as he hits ground level.

The lad takes a deep breath as he sees the cherry blossom trees, blooming as the season changes. “It is always beautiful, this time of year. No matter how long I have seen this view, I never grow tired of it,” he mutters to no one in particular. He releases an amused breath from his nose, continuing the trek down the destined dirt path.

He feels his phone buzz as he checks to see a message from his boss saying, ‘Nero, where are you, child? It is late and we have started without you but I have saved you a drink, can’t be the only one having all the fun. Hurry up sweetheart, don’t keep us waiting.’

A shiver rolls down his spine, memories coming back to a familiar time from when the boss had him drink till he dropped, it was not a pretty site. “Christ. Hope she can slow down on the alcohol to take care of her health more, the older she gets in the future, the worse off she will be. She landed in the hospital last time, that drunkard.”

Nero pockets his phone in the back pocket as he sees the city coming into view, but.. something feels off about this one, chief, as he steps past the median line between dirt road and paved streets. He stops his trek, trying to get a feel for his surroundings. His odd senses are acting up again, warning him about something bad nearby. Yet, this same sense has him compelled for a fight or flight response.

Then a thought surfaces, “a man will be tracking me down, a templar knight with a book in hand. I don’t know when he will show, best to be on my guard at all times.” He nods to himself as he looks around one more time but a voice catches him off guard.

“Greetings young man. Having a fair night?”

The lad hears the voice resound from his left, looking over to see a man standing underneath a streetlight, who smiles at Nero, waving a hand in his direction. The lad analyzes his person and notices an item on his tool belt. His eyes squint, finding the same man he was warned about, rather quickly. “He is indeed carrying a book on him, looks like a pouch for him to holster it on his belt,” his eyes also note what clothes the man wears and the blade on his back, “another knight of Solomon and he wields what looks like a claymore. This will be rough…”

The knight looks at the youth, confused as his eyes suddenly light up in realization. “Ah. I might have forgotten, that this is not my homeland. How did it go? *Ahem* Eigo wa wakarimashita?" He tries to ask the youth in Japanese if 'he understands English' but his native tongue causes him to butcher the wording. "Was that correct, I think it was.”

Nero lets out a sigh of annoyance before responding, “I do understand English and to answer your previous question. It is a good night, isn’t it? Did you need something? Are you lost and in need of directions?”

“I see! You speak perfect English, most excellent.” He claps his hands together as he rubs them, “But no need for any help. Just one question I would like to confirm. Are you Nero Mist by chance?” The man gives the lad a closed-eyed smile, reaching into his left pocket to take out a coin, and begins to fiddle with the coin in his left hand, fluidly moving through his fingers.

The lad squints in thought, pondering if he should deny the name and hopefully by himself some time. But then he looks at the man and back at the dirt path, thinking about what will happen if he walks past him, towards his uncle’s home.

This thought shakes him out of his process, “That would be me. May I ask, who you are if you know my name so well?” he questions, as his left hand slowly moves to grasp the back pouch he is carrying, unfurling the cloth to reveal a sword underneath.

“Apologies. My name is Conroy Matthews. I have come to complete a mission given to me by my Lord.” The knight remains unfazed, seeing the boy sliding his sword into the left hip holder. The man pulls out the book in question from his right pouch with a calm smile on his front. “My mission is to find and capture the demonic presence that roams these lands. If capture is not viable then… smiting the entity would be their end. “

Nero raises a single brow curiously as he takes a step back with his left foot, slightly bending his knees, unlocking the mechanism that holds the sword to the sheath with his thumb. “Interesting. If it’s a demonic presence you seek, then you will be surprised, Mr. Matthews. There are plenty of demons or Yokais in our region here to find.”

“I have heard of such an issue. But no, the one they reference is most certainly, YOU.” He begins to open the book in one hand as he flips through the pages seamlessly. “I wish I had come in good faith, you seem like a kind aspiring youth. So full of life and yet… I am presented with a problem.” His thumb stops at a certain page as he mutters under his breath, “Deus me fortitudinem det et me benedicat spiritu sancto suo.1” A surge of wind picks up as it surrounds the templar before dispersing into the air.

Nero remains still, a brow raised to the unnatural wind gust blown around the knight but sets the thought aside as he watches for any signs of an opening, waiting for the first strike. “A problem? Does it have something to do with me? Like all the other knights who had issues with me before, right?”

“Why, yes. You see boy, a prophecy was given to us by our Lord in Heaven and we were given a mission. I am sent here to… for a lack of a better term. Deal with the harbinger and detain him or smite him if he were to resist.” He slowly draws out the claymore behind his back with his left hand as he swings it downward to ready his poise.

“You have been deemed too dangerous to remain unchecked, Nero Mist. Your very existence will bring about a great deal of calamity or worse, the end of the world as we know it.” His right hand flips through the pages once more, “I wish to not harm you like this, but this is God’s will. The Lord is my witness, for I am his servant and his blade. So, I ask of you. Please, make this easy on yourself and surrender. I will make sure your cleansing is painless at the monastery.” The knight's tone speaks in a caring demeanor for the lad but even he knows, not to fall for this act.

“No… I don’t think I will do that, Conroy.” Nero unsheathes his blade as he braces himself to launch forward. “If he will not attack, then I will.” Tilting the sword diagonally, one hand above the other, with its gleam that shines off the blade, demonstrating its sharpness to the adversary.

Conroy sighs in sadness, shaking his head in disappointment. “I wish it didn’t have to come to this, son. I am sorry, but this will end in pain.” He begins to chant in a foreign language, “tempestates voco, ut iram pluat, adversarium feri– !” The words are cut short as he gasps, blocking the diagonal slash from Nero, just in time.

Chink! Krrrzzz!

“I don’t think so!” Nero lands from his dash as the swords begin to wrestle for control, the start of the first encounter. The blades grind with a screeching noise heard from the connection, both men hold their ground for a few seconds. This ends with the lad passing the claymore over his left shoulder and using the momentum to slash Conroy’s left side. “Tch! Not deep enough.”

The blade strikes true, as blood seeps and stains his tabard. “Ker! Mrmph!” The templar steps back, stowing the book back into the pouch. “You cur! I will strike you down!” He shouts in anger, dashing forward, swinging his claymore for a downward slash.

Nero, with quick thinking, swiftly dodges to the side. “Hmm… he is quite fast but, not fast enough.” He takes a back step, intercepting a horizontal swing with a guard, bringing both of their faces close to each other.

A few seconds of dominance pass, before both slash away from each other and step back to analyze the situation. Silence emerges, the wind blowing the leaves into the air. Then, Conroy is the first to move in, his speed improving more quickly than before. He brings his right hand to grasp the claymore, adding more strength and speed to his swings. The blade is swung diagonally but is intercepted. Another swing from left vertical yet guarded. Swing, guard, swing, guard, swing, and guard in quick repetition.

Nero intercepts the tenth swing, recognizing the speed and the strength has now increased for his adversary. “Christ. He must have been holding back earlier or… maybe, that book...” His eyes scan the pouch on the right hip and he decides to remove the book from the equation. The lad uses his blade to push the opposing sword to the left side before bringing it down and stomping it into the dirt with his heel as he aims to slash the pouch off.

“Ooh, no you don’t!” Conroy stops the incoming slash by kicking in Nero's direction to push him back, causing the lad to block the kick with the flat side of his blade.

Nero rolls to the left from the force of the kick before raising his katana to guard the oncoming downward swing. The lad, now down to one knee, grips his sword tightly and makes a ditch effort to shift the claymore over to his right shoulder before letting it fall, causing his shoulder to get a slight cut in the process. “Tch! Mft!” He rises from his knee and hops back to gain some distance, taking breaths as he does.

The templar tosses out a few smoke bombs to cloak himself, pulling out the book to finish his chant. “Tempestates voco, ut iram pluat, adversarium feriat. Affer eum aeternum dolorem, nam est Nephilim, antichristus!2” After the words, Conroy stows the book and backsteps to ready himself.

Nero dashes through the smoke, his left eye glows briefly before going dim. He swings horizontally, cutting through the smoke, and is guarded by the templar's blade. He clenches his teeth in frustration, but the loud rumbling from above grabs his attention. He quickly scans up to see dark storm clouds forming, lightning coursing through. “Did he cause a storm? What the hell.”

The storm continues to surge and Conroy brings back his blade to swing again to stop Nero’s movement. They clash with their respective diagonal slashes, the thunder growing louder. A dastardly chuckle leaves the knight, causing the lad to look at him in confusion. Then the knight suddenly relaxes his grip to hop back away as a bolt of lightning strikes down.

Crack! Vrtzz!

“Shit!” Nero shouts suddenly and without looking up, he hops back away just in time. Yet, the bolt traveling downward takes a horizontal shift as it speeds toward the unsuspecting lad. He brings his blade up to block the bolt but it is a futile attempt.

“Kuh! AAARRRGG!” The lad is struck, as raw electricity jolts through his body and begins to run throughout his entire being. He feels his heart quicken in faster beats, and a thoughtless plan emerges. In a breath, he hisses out as the feeling of power begins to well up inside his inner being.

Nero’s left eye begins to shine once more and shift in iris color, his natural hazel eyes turning into a cherry red rippling color. He controls his inner soul and bodily function to send down the volts towards the ground, using himself as the conductor. He prevents his organs from taking any more damage and after a while, he falls onto one knee, tilting his head downward as his arms fall limply, his body still shaking from the shock. He lurches forward slowly, on the brink of losing consciousness.

Conroy looks at the boy, seeing him collapsing from the attack. “Seems like the deed has been done. Even if you had dodged a second time, the lightning will always find his adversary. This makes my job easier and… I wish there were another way. Yet, this is the righteous path I must take.”

The man’s eyes sadden for a moment, closing the distance as he looks at the boy before bringing his blade up to give the final strike. “This is God’s will, that I will always follow. May he have forgiveness upon your soul.” He strikes downward but his eyes widen before turning the blade to guard a sudden upward slash.

Chink!

“Woo! Now that was a-close.” He backs away again, feeling a stinging pain from his chin. “Seems to me that you still have some fight in you. You are not as sturdy as you look, I will agree. You almost struck true at my chest, but only to nick my chin.” Blood trickles down his chin, sweat forming on his brow from barely blocking the slash. He takes a few more steps back to regain poise.

Nero barely stands back onto his feet, breathing heavily. The volts had taken their toll on him, the strike that would kill a human, or at least, some may survive miraculously but be down for the count. It’s different with him as he is not a normal human but something more.

He takes in staggered breaths, slowly as he hones into his power further and heightens it. This causes his left eye to glow brighter in aura as the tips of his hair shine. The lad shakes his head as he flexes his back muscles, making sure that nothing is out of place as he looks over at Conroy with analytical eyes.

“So, you finally show your true form. You are, as they say, a being born from a human and an angel, who has fallen from heaven. A Nephilim.” The man chuckles at the notion, flipping through the tome once more with his thump. He stops a certain page and begins to chant but a gust of wind emerges towards him, knowing who it is. “You are tiresome. Damn fiend!”

Chink! Krrrzzz!

“Yo-you think I-I will let you d-do that a s-second time! I-I will cut off your arm and destroy that accursed magical tome!” He brings his blade to the side and slashes but is guarded. Nero furrows his brows, using all of his added power, and flings the claymore upwards in a parry as he roundhouse kicks into the knight's chest.

The knight is pushed back a few inches by the kick as he stabs the ground to grind to a stop. He coughs harshly with the wind knocked out of him as he tries to take deep yet stuttering breaths. “Koff, kokk! Haaaa... haaaa... you… are… a. Mrph! Cheeky one, aren’t you?” He puts the book back into his respective pouch before bringing out a vial of greenish liquid stirring within. He pops the cork off as he tilts his head back to chug the liquid in one go before tossing the empty bottle into the trees.

Nero looks on in confusion at the vial that was thrown away. “What did he just drink? Some type of medicine?” He disregards the thought as he dashes forward for a jumping downward slash.

In response, Conroy guards head-on as Nero holds the airborne position before landing and passing the knight's blind spot. Yet the templar turns around sharply and drives a center thrust towards the lad’s chest.

Chink!

The templar's eyes widen as Nero manages to guard the thrust, with the tip of the claymore striking the center of the katana's flat side – this being known as an irregular guard. “To be able to pull such a gambit and for his blade to remain intact. Impressive.” This gusty move causes Conroy to smirk.

Nero, in quick movement, passes the blade over him once more after letting go of the guard and dashes past Conroy’s left side. The lad spins around in fluid motion to drive a quick upward diagonal slash towards the unprotected back. The connection was able to hit as the blade slashed through the chainmail armor through the tabard, inflicting a wound stretching from the man’s lower left side to his upper right shoulder blade. “Got him.”

Blood oozes from the wound as the templar turns his body around, swinging the claymore with the inertia to clash the lad’s katana. Nero is sent back skidding back a few steps before coming to a stop. The man steadies himself, the wound causing him discomfort, feeling the blood run. “Mmft! God! …This boy, is surprisingly good. It is no wonder why my other brethren lost to him. Now… Now I see why.” The man staggers back a few steps before coming to a stop, putting distance between the lad and himself.

The lad continues to operate as if he was not wounded earlier from the lightning strike but now that the initial power and adrenaline passes. He feels his body slow down as he controls the shaking of his arms, to not show any signs of weakness to the knight. “Damn. How is he still standing?! Do I… do I have to kill him… shit!” He wards off that notion as he readies himself for the next set of clashes.

Conroy reaches behind him to grab a different vial that carries maroon-colored liquid inside. He downs it in one go, counting the seconds in his mind before the effects take hold. “I am impressed, Nero. You are a good fighter, if not the best that I have met. It no longer surprises me on how my brethren have lost to you many times. If this were a different situation, I would have preferred to have your strength by my side like brothers-in-arms.”

The lad being fed up with seeing the man drinking those vials of 'medicines,' lowers his blade slightly to ask, “What good is that drink going to do for you? I can’t imagine any form of medicine will help with such wounds on your body.” He watches with squinted eyes, stepping forward as he raises his sword again.

“It is no normal medicine, my boy. This vial here was created by Father Michael, to help remedy the wounds of those in the higher-ranking knights, like myself. To be able to continue in battle without fear of losing too much blood or fainting. It is like a blessing from God himself.” The man smiles, feeling the effects go underway. His wounds begin to sizzle before they close themselves up as if time were played in reverse, feeling comfort from the healing process as the wounds close up in real time.

The man flexes his back and gives it a few pops before shifting into position. “Alright. It’s time to continue this battle. Be prepared for a challenging time, I was taught by the best.” Smirking, he twirls the blade in his left hand, demonstrating great handling of his blade. He brings the claymore forward as he changes his stance once more.

“Fine then, give me your best. I will just have to wound you over and over again until you can’t heal anymore. I will subdue you just as quickly as your fellow knights!” Nero shouts in frustration, rushing towards the knight who moves his left leg back for a needed anchor.

This fight would go on for a long time, it seems…

~~~~~<

An hour and a half has passed since the fight has started. Clashes of swords, glints, and sparks resound as they fight back and forth, again and again. Finally, it ends at a standstill. The two men take exhausted breaths, neither of them seem to have mortal wounds. Just a few nicks and surface-level cuts here and there, appearing scuffed up, sweating profusely, and exhausted from the drawn-out fight. Neither takes the first initial step to continue, instead, they give each other time to breathe, out of respect.

“Haaa… haaa… haaa… fuuu!” Nero gasps some air in, his eyes squint in annoyance, looking at the knight. “You… haaa, are one tough bastard. To last… haaa… this long in a fight.” He stands upright, clearing his throat from the dryness. “You are nothing compared to the others. I can say you are stronger and faster than the knights who fought me before.” He says out of respect, clutching his right side with the left hand, pain setting in from the lightning strike that hindered his body. His right arm, which holds the katana, begins to shake as the weight of the sword becomes too much to handle. Yet, he keeps a cool front.

“I am... haaa... thankful for your words… fuuu… well as I have mentioned before, you are fighting the best of the best, my boy. Let me say in turn, that I am impressed by your skills. Nobody has been able to keep the same pace as me. Albeit you are faster and stronger than a normal human, but enough to keep me on my toes! Either way, I think it is time to put an end to this charade, don’t you?” He pulls the tome back out from the pouch, stabbing his claymore into the ground as he flips through the pages with his left hand. He finds the spell that will finally put an end to the Nephilim.

“As if I will let you!” Nero staggers forward only to come to a halt as his legs tremble. “Shit! This pain… mmm, mmfft! Keh! Damn it, it’s getting hard to move this wounded body.” He steels himself once more, as he breathes in and out slowly, trying to fight through the pain. Small winds encircle the man, as his left eye glows once more. “Christ. Using any more of my power will put even more strain on my body. I might pass out if I continue this fight any further.” That lightning strike was definitely not a normal one, if it were, the lad would be able to handle it with no issue. But, thanks to the magical tome the knight holds, it has turned that strike into something more vicious.

….

Silence flows through as no words are spoken among them. The knight, who is currently flipping through a book that he holds in his right hand, stops at a certain page. Words flow from his lips, spoken in an unknown foreign language that is heard, once again. “Rogo te, Deus in caelis, ut ab hoc terreno regno hanc damnationem exuas. Portae Purgatorii!!” The man shouts, as he moves his right foot forward in a stomp while holding his left open palm, face down, towards the ground.

This final act that sends the whims of time winding forward to the present...

Time: 11:35 PM ~ Date: August 7th
Location: Interrogation Block C, Canterlot, Equestria

“Then,” Nero begins, “With his ‘spell’ activated. A dark hole emerged from the ground, pulling me and Conroy into its maw. Which, lead me to believe that it sent us both into Equestria, but in separate locations.” Nero finishes explaining his side of the story, but he leaves out information about him using his powers. He does not want to give Teal more ammunition, to turn the tables on Nero. To say that the lad could use his powers, to morph his features to appear as someone else.

“So, that’s it then? Not trying to paint me a false tale, Nero?” Teal stares daggers into the lad, waiting for signs of the spell activating. "Cause in truth, a knight being sent to attack you because you were some evil pest that disturbed their church, sounds far-fetched. I feel that you are holding some secrets, so I will ask one more time. What is the real reason behind his altercation with you?”

“Believe what you will, captain. But this is my truth and that is all you will get from me.” Nero shakes his head tiredly, a yawn escaping him. “So, this proves my theory. The spell did not activate. If you lie, then an adverse effect will occur, but if you remain silent or give vague truths, it will not. Interesting…”

Teal scratches the top of his head, letting out a tired sigh. He waits a few seconds but gets no more responses from Nero. He leans back in the chair and closes his eyes in thought. “I think it’s time to ask him about his four-month stay in Equestria and what he was doing during that time. The night continues... how troublesome.”

The lad feels his stomach complain in hunger and sleepiness is setting in. “God. I am hungry and exhausted, with this chair not doing me any favors. Keeping me confined with these uncomfortable ground anchors.” He lets out a frustrated groan before leaning on the table with his head resting on his right palm. “Captain, can’t you just ask me, if I was the cause of the insurrection in the city and call it a day? Remember, if a lie is spotted, then pain is all I get in return. So, why not ask?”

The guard gets annoyed for the last time by the lad's attitude and before he can respond, an audible click noise is heard. “Seems that time ran out. Let’s pursue the line of questioning tomorrow morning.” He feels the mental drain that this session has dealt to his mind, deciding that it is best to head home since his family is waiting for him to come home early, but he was so caught up in this mess.

“Alright then, ending session one, interrogation of the suspect, Nero Mist. He will be put in a holding cell until the following morning for another session of questioning,” Teal announces as he rises from his chair and goes to the door, to step out of the room.

“So, what? Is it over? Am I allowed to leave or am I going to be chained here until morning? Because, that would be cruel, even for you, Teal.” Nero says with false dread, as the guard clicks his tongue before opening the door to speak with the guards outside.

“Sergeant Bower, Private Glow. Escort the suspect to his holding cell and be sure to have the night guard take watch once you leave your post. In addition, get a meal for him. And just as a reminder, do not engage with his notions nor will you harm him. Understood?” He gives quick orders as he receives salutes from both guards with a sharp ‘Yes, Sir’ before they move in to move the lad into his prison cell.

~~~~~~<

After the ending announcement for the first interrogation was said, Celestia moved to stand, casting a wave of magic in the surrounding area to alleviate the sore stiff muscles of the people around her. They look at her in ‘thanks,’ to which she gives them a warm smile as the door opens and Teal walks into the room.

The guard gives out a low sigh, before clearing his throat as he closes his eyes and bows to the princess in respect. “If I may, your highness. This session has proven to be rather… difficult. I can’t say that I trust the young man’s words but if the spell should have activated at any point, then he did in fact lie...”

He stands upright to look at the window and sees the guards removing the ground anchors as they begin to escort the lad out. “But, what if it was not enough to prove his innocence to the citizens? What if he has dealt with pain, his whole life? Maybe his body has built a slight resistance to spell?” He voices his concerns.

The princess closes her eyes, crossing her arms under her bust in thought. A nervous tic sprouts as she begins to gnaw on the inside of her cheek. “I do not blame him for these doubts. I also imagine that, with Nero being an outworlder, some sort of resistance to sicknesses or our magic could be a possibility. Yet, I still do not fathom that idea.”

Celestia opens her eyes as she looks over to the now-empty room of the interrogation. “I can assure you that the spell is operating, just as practiced. The spell not activating frequently could only mean that he speaks nothing but the truth.” She states, “Luna has used that spell for over a millennium on many species we have engaged with, from *Aarakocra to *Dragonkin. They went through all the same if not worse adverse effects as the ‘suspect’ had experienced.”

She looks back on the spell activation, to see if anything was amiss, but finds none. The only thing she could imagine that might have been different was Aurora's intimate placement of the spell, even though, a single touch on the shoulder was all that was needed. A feeling that she could not understand, at the time, welded up inside her but she dismissed it. She looks back to Teal, who waits patiently for the princess to continue.

“Do not worry, captain Featherhoof. You are doing a most excellent job in questioning the ‘suspect’ and being able to steel yourself when he was trying to make you falter.” Celestia gives him a warm motherly smile, lifting her hand to guide him outside the room. “For now, you are to get some food and rest. You deserve the break and do not worry about your family. I made it prudent to inform them of the extra time you were to remain. Go now, captain, they are waiting.” She mentions in a calm voice, her smile never leaving her face.

He bows once more before giving a salute, “Of course, your Highness. Thank you for your kind words. I will be here in the morning to continue with the interrogation. I bid you goodnight.” He says with a professional tone, turning about-face, as he leaves the room. The door shuts, leaving Celestia and a few of the people inside the room, who are packing up to go home for the night.

...

Alone with her thoughts, she moves to the window, placing a hand as she gives out a low sigh in sadness. Before she can mellow any further, her attention is drawn to her younger sister's return, as she walks into the room.

“Dearest sister, is it now finished? Will he finally be freed from this ridiculous notion, we call an interrogation?” Luna’s tone carries slight annoyance in it as she looks to the crystal ball in question, which holds the recording of the rest of the session, which she was absent to view.

Celestia's eyes widen from the tone her younger sister speaks but then she realizes the reason. "Is it the Nobels again, sister? Do they still come to you in hopes of strongarming you so that you will conform to their opinions?" She lets out a whimsical sigh as she walks closer to her. "Remember to put on a façade and disregard their words, but do not make it evident." She smiles at the thought of her sister using the royal canterlot voice if Luna were to be pushed to her limit.

"It matters not, 'tis a problem that can be solved quickly. If we were to strip them of their titles... but you speak in truth. Yet..." Her words heighten in emotion but settle down, reviewing the interrogation, the cruelty of the insurrection, and Aurora's spell cast.

She dissuades the thoughts, before voicing her opinion. “We both know he is no man of destruction and no man of vial cruelty. Yet, we test his loyalty of friendship through these dastardly means.” She crosses her arms under her bust as shame starts to take her front, “will he even forgive us?”

Celestia frowns at the thought of that notion. If Nero would be able to forgive them for the accusation, the imprisonment, and the spell that was casted onto him. Yet, they do not know the truth, but the man of the year himself will be the only one to tell. “It is almost over, just two more days. Nero will be proven innocent through the provided evidence and the people can only do but accept his just trial.”

She perks up at the idea as she cups Lunas’ cheek with her right hand, caressing her face and giving her sister a loving smile. “Everything will be fine, Lulu. Two more days and he will finally be back by our side. Once this is over, the people will no longer be able to hold him accountable, for the actions of Las Pegasus. We both know he is not the man behind the siege, but we must remain neutral.”

The younger sister cups the hand that caresses her cheek, a small smile etching on her lips. “You are right, dearest sister. 'Twill end with his innocence and all will understand who the real threat is to our very country…” She looks down, slight anger starts to set on her front.

Both remain quiet for a time. Thoughts plague them as the man, who was finally named, Conroy Matthews. Another outworlder who has started the insurrection, bringing power to a church through false ideologies. False ideologies have caused their citizens suffering and some who have sadly died. This was a historical event, much like the three tribes when they had their issues with each other’s ideologies of who was the best subhuman kind but it did not end in bloodshed, unlike the current predicament.

After some time, Luna looks toward Celestia, her expression shifting to annoyance. “In truth, we must have word with our runic mage Aurora. The method she chose to bastardize our spell in such an inappropriate way. 'Tis an insult to our very way of spellcraft.” She adopts a scowl, recalling what transpired during the spell cast.

The older sister gives a soft giggle to her sister's disposition, “I do believe it is time for me to retire for the night, Lulu. However, do keep your anger at bay when speaking with your runic mage. No need to scare off the vampling that learned your runic spellcraft in two years, which took centuries for others to even decrypt your runes.”

She strides toward the door, touching the handle with her aura as she turns to look at Luna one more time with a smirk on her lips, “Besides, you are a princess. Keep your expressions in check or others may misunderstand your... true intentions~” She opens the door and leaves, giggling as she does.

Luna tilts her head in confusion at her sister's wording. She ponders for a few seconds until a small blush of embarrassment spots on her cheeks. She speed walks out of the room but does not get to see a glimpse of her sister in the hallway. She rolls her eyes as she releases a huff of amusement. “Ha! 'Tis a jest you throw at me, dearest sister. Wait til' the following morn’ and see what we will prepare for your folly.” She smirks at the ideas that pop up, one after another, shaking her head in the amusement of her older sister's playful nature.

She walks back inside and she spots the recording crystal, reaching to view the clip of the session. She holds the crystal to play the recording but remembers that her night court is still ongoing. “Hmm… maybe we can view it in the throne room. Yes, this will help stave the boredom of waiting for any commoners to arrive. It is this late in the night, after all.”

Time: 12:15 AM ~ Date: August 8th
Location: Cell room, Canterlot, Equestria

Nero finally arrives at his cell, his tired eyes soften when he sees the room, which turns out to be his old room. The sisters were considerate enough to have his cell room be that of his old room, when he stayed in the castle for the month and some days.

One of the guard's magic opens the door with their maroon color aura. They usher the suspect inside the room as the lad spots a faint blue shimmer of magic, coating the windows and room door, a security measure to make sure no escape was to be made.

Nero hums in thought, “I assume… if I were to force my way past the magic coating, every guard will be alerted or maybe it's an electric fence type deal. Smart play, but rather inconvenient.”

“Turn around," one of the guards starts, "let’s see if we can get those bindings off of you. Sweets over there has your food ready for you to eat.” Nero looks over to the guard on the left, who moves to leave a tray of food for him on the writing desk beside the bed.

The male guard continues, “a little reminder, no sudden moves or we will be forced to keep those chains on you and bind you to the bed, capiche?” He warns Nero, using the key given to him to remove the chains but leaving the shackles on his wrists.

Nero gives a good stretch of his back and shoulders, bones popping as he does. “I appreciate it. Thank you for removing the chains. Any chance the shackles can come off too?” He says hopefully.

“Sorry, but that is not going to happen, I’m afraid. Those shackles are there to make sure that, if you have any form of magic, will seal and render you inept. “ The guard gives the lad a deadpan expression, showing the severity of the situation. “Can’t be having you escape this room with any type of power you may be hiding. One that can help you disable or not trigger the magic field sensors.” After he finishes his statement, he straightens his poster, turns about-face, and takes his leave with Sweets on his tail.

They both stand outside his room as the spell reactivates, creating an odd wobbly blue film to appear in the space of the doorframe. Once it is finished, the two guards continue their walk down the halls, leaving the door open and a confused Nero.

“They plan to leave me here with no guards to watch the door. They are rather reckless, bold, or both… hmm,” he mutters under his breath as he moves to close the door but a sudden noise from above the entrance catches his attention.

Sounds of wings flap as two unexpected guards land on either side of Nero. “Na!? What the!?” He is startled by the sudden appearance since he had not sensed these two earlier when entering the room.

He looks closely at the two guards who eye him back. He sees that their armor color is dark blue, the complete polar opposite of the golden armor-colored guards. They also have paler complexion on their faces, their pupils shaped like a feline, and the noticeable lunar princess cutiemark encrusted on their center breastplate.

…

No words are exchanged between the night guards and Nero, as they both give the lad acknowledging nods before walking out and closing the door behind them. The situation was odd for the lad, but he shrugs it off.

He then moves over to the desk which sits on the right side of his bed.“Well… that explains the guards. Were they up there this whole time? Che, forget it. Time to get some food in me.” He scans the room, getting closer to the desk. A smile etches on his lips, seeing everything as how he remembered it. He walks past the desk, towards the window, as he looks out, seeing the night sky shining beautifully even at this very moment.

His eyes squint in worriment, thinking about the situation with the interrogation and Conroy... “Conroy… why is he also here? Better yet, what caused him to start a religious insurrection, I wonder?” He bites his inner lip, moving back to the desk to see the tray of food given to him.

The contents of the tray, contain vegetable pasta, mixed grains, and fruit with bread as the full main course. A drink of a pineapple juice box on the side and a note was given to him. He picks up the note and sees that it was written surprisingly by Princess Celestia, herself. It reads,

Dear, Nero Mist

I write to you in hopes that the treatment of the interrogation was not too strenuous for you. I wish nothing more than to free you from this predicament, but my citizens ask for fair trial and judgment. I want to apologize for not being by your side through this, yet I ask of you. Please, find it in your heart to forgive my people, for they do not understand you as a person, like the few that have spoken with you. Know that me and my sister will do everything in our power to make sure that you are treated with the utmost care and I do wish to speak with you the following morning. Until then. May you have a restful night. See you soon.

Yours truly,

Celestia

P.S. My student wishes for your return so that you can continue the conversation about Earth’s technological advancements and Fluttershy mentions that the animals miss you dearly. Also, Pinkie Pie has the dessert you requested for a while. She called it 'mochi' I believe. They all miss you and wish you luck, in pulling through this endeavor.

A warm smile sports on Nero's lips, releasing an amused breath from his nostrils as he begins to eat the food. He hums in delight and ideas of what to do in the morning, for his daily workout, surface. “Maybe using my powers inside will be fine since there is no audience to view me.” He nods to this idea as he continues to eat the meal.

…

After finishing the contents, Nero’s biological functions remind him that nature calls. He swiftly steps over to the open restroom, finding the toilet near the sink as he flaps up the seat to fish out his manhood and let out the waterfall.

A few seconds later, he gives a few quick tugs and puts the snake back into his pants. He moves over to the sink to wash his hands and gets to brush his teeth. Once that’s done, he leaves the restroom with an empty bladder and fresh minty breath.

The lad moves next to the left side of his bed as he sits with his left knee relined up to rest his arms on it. “Damn… I had almost forgotten about the soft texture of this bed, heh. The castle sure has its perks.” He hums in delight to the texture as his thoughts roam, a game plan needing to be made.

Nero lets out one last sigh, shifting onto the bed as he lies down on the sheets, forgoing the cover. “Hopefully tomorrow this charade of an interrogation will end and then Conroy’s adversary will pay him a visit, to end his madness.” He turns to lie on his left side to feel more comfortable. He looks to the desk where the note is left as his eyelids grow heavy. A familiar tune starts to play in his mind and his eyes close, letting sleep overtake him.

Author's Note

*More phrases of Latin to English/English to Latin (rough translation of Latin since I used lingvanex translator)

1May God give me strength and bless me with his holy spirit.

2I call upon the storms, to rain down his wrath, to strike my adversary. Bring him everlasting pain for he is a Nephilim, the antichrist!

**Types of species explained for their humanized counterparts.

1. Aarakocra - a bipedal griffin or anthropomorphic one, who live in the heart of Griffinstone.
2. Dragonkin - A being advanced in their age of power thus they undergo a transformation by coming close to human but still retaining their dragon traits.