After rupturing the eyes of each colt, Patience had remained in place for several minutes, watching them flail and holler. He wanted to be certain they were blinded. Holding the six knitting needles aloft like spiders dangling from threads above their prey, he stayed hidden in the bushes. Oh, how they screamed. Oh, how terrified they were. They stumbled and fell, declaring at the top of their lungs that they couldn’t see. Tears spilled from their functionless, bleeding eyes. Patience was satisfied with the results and withdrew the needles, washing them in the pond before creeping away.

Patience sped through the undergrowth, brushing aside low-hanging branches as leaves crunched under his hooves. Birds flocked and chirped above, chanting their accompanying chorus as the shrieks and wails of the three colts slowly faded. Patience smiled to himself, his breath breaking into giggles as he scurried home. So much time, pain and effort was finally coming to fruition. It was simply glorious.

The next day at school, the headmaster held an assembly. He was shaking as he spoke. News had spread that there was a maniac on the loose. Three colts from the school had been stabbed in the eyes. Nobody had seen the attacker. Patience nearly laughed at that remark, but remained silent and stoic. The three colts wouldn’t be coming to school for the foreseeable future. It was a dangerous place out there for colts and fillies, the headmaster told them. Their parents had been notified, and a village-wide effort was being made to keep everyone safe.

Serenity and Persistence brought Patience home from school. They said they planned to do this every day from now on, and to accompany him there. This created a problem that Patience hadn’t anticipated, as he wished to spend more time with Meddik in the forest. He ruminated on this, considering that he could reveal to his parents the truth of the incident with the colts. Then there would be no need to fear an attacker, for Patience himself was the culprit.

“It’s so terrible,” Serenity said. “Who could do such a thing? Praise be to Sol that it wasn’t Patience or Mercy who were attacked.”

“What do you mean, mother?” Patience asked. “I am confused.”

“My son, you are perhaps too young to understand the troubles these colts and their families must face. It is not a fate I would wish on anyone.”

Patience grew frustrated by those words. “But mother, this is all part of Sol’s plan, is it not? She must have had a reason to blind those colts. They surely have a trial to overcome.”

Serenity recoiled and looked to Persistence. The stallion cleared his throat. “Perhaps, but this is still a cruel thing to happen. Sol does not wish suffering upon us. We must pray for them.”

Patience was struggling to hide his anger. He remembered all the suffering he had endured, how his trial had had meaning. Sol had led him away from the wolves, to Meddik, and offered guidance and opportunity. This was his purpose, and yet his mother and father could not conceive it. In that moment, Patience decided not to reveal his actions. Nobody could know until the time was right, until everyone could understand.

“Sol will cure them,” Patience said with confidence. “That is Sol’s plan.”

“My dear child,” Serenity said warmly, planting a kiss upon his forehead. “That is an excellent thing to hope for. But please, do not lose yourself to anger. We must accept this world for what it is.”

Patience felt that hope was such a meaningless word. The path to paradise was there in front of him. What was there left to hope for? The colts would be cured, just as he had decided many days ago. Patience would learn to heal just as Meddik had healed, and bring the colts’ trial to an end. Sol had told Patience that the three must forego sight just as he must forego sugarcanes, only to feast when the time was right. They must succumb to neither rotten mind nor rotten body. That was the will of Sol.

Patience observed an expression upon his father, one of suspicion and worry, as he looked upon Serenity’s knitting needles. The worry quickly faded, and the family had supper.

At school, everyone was talking about the three blind colts. Many were sad or frightened. Some said they wanted to find the culprit and blind them too. Some were happy about it. No longer would they be bullied. Some did not come to school out of fear. There were absent desks in each classroom from those who stayed home. This gave Patience an idea.

Persistence and Serenity would walk him to school, but he would feign embarrassment just before the end of the path and ask them to leave before he entered, then head off in secret. Patience attempted this the next week, but the plan did not work the first day. Persistence and Serenity simply told him to calm down. Patience was adamant that there was no need to be so careful, that they were within reach of the school at the path’s end. He insisted, and a few days later they complied, but kept watch of him until he had stepped into the building. Patience expected this, but also predicted that they would soon relax their regime and give him a chance to break away before his teachers knew. Another week went by before his wish was granted.

Patience sowed another seed to his plan, feigning sobs to the teacher while the other colts and fillies were not present. “I have tried to be strong!” he wailed. “They were good friends of mine! I am struggling so very much!” The teacher suggested he take a break from school for a while to recover. It had gone even better than Patience had expected.

Patience saw his chance the next day and took it, returning to Meddik’s grotto. The stallion welcomed him gratefully. “Shouldn’t you be in school today, dear child?”

Patience shook his head. “No.”

“I know a lie when I hear one,” Meddik said with a smile.

“But please!” Patience cried. He wasn’t going to back down. “I must learn from you!”

“I will make an exception, dear child. I can see that you are determined.”

Meddik made it clear that Patience should not forego his schooling, and agreed only to occasional visits. However, for each time Patience arrived, Meddik’s heart grew fonder, and he began to excuse it. “You know you shouldn’t be here,” Meddik would say, then he would smile and shake his head. “But so long as you are here, we might as well make the best of it.” He was very lonely, and simply could not hide it.

Meddik showed him how to make herbal remedies from the flowers and mushrooms of the forest. Patience could grasp this, but he was not satisfied. He wanted to learn the magic that Meddik had performed on the day they had first met. “We must start with the basics,” Meddik said. “To learn such things cannot be rushed.”

The training was difficult and tiring. Meddik explained the concept of life-force and how to purify one’s magic to replicate this powerful essence. He would scar the flesh of a hanging fruit, its innards laid bare, then focus his energy. The fruit, enveloped in a holy glow, would bend to his will, the skin growing to cover the wound, the fruit left hanging plump and fresh. Patience made many attempts without result. Several times he nearly passed out from exertion, and Meddik would lend him some of his own power, transferring his own life-force unto him. But still, it took everything Patience had, and even Meddik came close to reaching his limit and would suspend the exercise, the two feasting on nutritious vegetation. It was the levitating of the pencil all over again, an impossible weight to be lifted. But despite failure after failure, Patience would not give up. Drained of energy from magic use, he soldiered on under Meddik’s kindly guidance.

In what Meddik deemed miraculous, Patience was able, for just a moment, to tame the life-force and heal the fruit at the end of the third day of practice. The stallion was brought to tears. “It is as if you were born to do this.”

“Of course,” Patience replied. “It is part of Sol’s grand plan.”

Patience and Meddik spent much time conversing. “Your powers could save so many,” Patience said one day. “Why must you live by yourself among the trees?”

Meddik sighed. “It is true that I am a powerful healer, perhaps the most powerful who has ever lived in all of Equestria. I have saved so many others over years and years, but this comes with a price. This world of races; ponies, dragons and griffons alike, are imperfect. Power corrupts in ways that are left unnoticed by most, the burden of guilt falling on the innocent.”

“But you are not corrupt,” Patience said.

“I wish I could agree, my child, but my own corruption is the reason I reside in this forest. I have spent much of my life believing in a cause I thought divine, only to turn my back on it, then to adopt one anew and see the cycle of undoing repeat itself. I daresay I have run out of things to believe in.”

“That’s awful!” Patience cried out in despair. “How has this happened to you?”

“I have lived far too long,” Meddik said sadly. “Far longer than you could know. My ability to heal may appear benevolent to one such as yourself, but I am one who fell to dire temptations. I lusted for power simply for the sake of power. I neglected those who deserved better from me, and by the time I attained what I had sought, my transgressions were forgotten to the world. I was showered with praise and looked up to as if I were a God. It changed me, made me unable to see just how wretched I had truly been.

“In a short space of time, I was relied upon, seen as a given right to those around me. If I could help one sick foal, I could surely help two. If I could help two sick foals, I could surely help three. And if I could help three sick foals, I could surely help thousands. No matter how much I did, it was never enough. The villagers took my presence for granted and prevented my pursuit of anything beyond their needs.

“I realized then, as their demands swelled to match my fury, that I had been just the same. The awful things I did in my quest for power had been turned upon me. I fled that place and vowed to start anew, hoping that wherever I might stand next would bring me some optimism. But in the end, my strings pulled me further into a life of neglect and abandonment. I have done questionable things, my child. Out of anger. Out of spite. Out of a false sense of superiority. That is why I must remain here by myself.”

Patience pondered on this for a moment. “Must power always lead to such things? I do not wish to accept it when so much good can be done.”

“Power can indeed be good, but the world is seldom ready. Either we push forward and risk something terrible, or we bind those powers in chains, forsaking us to a world without its benefit. The latter is often easier.”

“So then, why did you reveal your powers to me?” Patience asked. “You could have fed me to the wolves instead.”

Meddik was silent for a while. “I suppose I took pity on you out of weakness. But now that you are here, I see not a mirror into my own soul, but a beacon of hope. Given all that I have told you, of my own wretchedness and the anguish I have suffered, do you still wish to learn?”

Patience nodded. “There are those I must help no matter what.”

A tear descended Meddik’s cheek. “Then I have made the right choice, my child.”

Patience’s ruse against his parents and teachers felt like it would last forever. Though his sister Mercy was aware of his disappearances, she had been sworn to secrecy. Patience’s power grew, as did his insight under Meddik’s tutelage. Seeing that Patience had become adept at manipulating plant life, Meddik took a sharp stone and bore a wound into his own flank, tasking Patience with stopping the blood flow and stitching the flesh back together.

“Life-force comes in many forms, each with their own intricacies. However, all can be connected to a single thread. Spew forth your strands until you find that thread, then focus everything unto it.”

For almost three weeks, Patience dedicated his time to this development, his progress accelerating to untold heights. However, one day Meddik refused to pay him notice.

“I have been selfish, my child. My loneliness has blinded me to how far I have pulled you from your life. You must go now, and not come back for a long while. You have already surpassed any expectations that could have been put upon you, but you cannot shy away from necessities.” Patience pleaded, but Meddik was stern. “You must learn to take no for an answer. Your cries now fall upon deaf ears. Go.”

Patience skulked away, dejected. He understood that Meddik’s intentions were pure, but the thought of returning to his old regime brought no joy. Patience knew, however, that Meddik would eventually soften, and the path towards the light could continue.

The morning register would have already passed, Patience figured. He did not wish to return to school and have to explain his lateness or recent absence. Having grown accustomed to the sweet smell of flora, he roamed about the forest, stopping occasionally to admire the beautiful blossoms and buzzing insects that surrounded him. He wondered how far his newfound healing abilities could take him, whether the wings of a dragonfly could be grown anew, or a rotted tree stump could be made to sprout forth a bed of green. He wandered deeper, straying from the usual path.

Distracted, Patience failed to notice two figures creeping up on him in the distance from either side. He had unknowingly set hoof in wolf territory! As the wind began to settle, a deathly silence came over the woods. The wolves drew nearer, disturbing the underbrush. Patience froze and whisked around. He instinctively felt something was amiss. His heart began to beat faster as he tried to track the predators that lurked ever closer.

Finally, he saw one. Piercing eyes glowed at him from behind a nest of brambles just a few yards away. In an instant, the wolf darted from behind the bushes and launched itself towards him, fangs bared in a monstrous scowl. Patience had no time to think. In a moment of sheer panic, he grasped the wolf in a magical glow and sent it hurtling over his head. In a stroke of pure luck, the wolf collided with its companion, the two beasts yelping as they crashed to the ground, flailing their legs and scrambling to regain their footing. They turned to Patience once again, circling him as they let out horrific snarls.

Patience knew he couldn’t outrun them. For a brief moment, he wondered if this was truly his time to see Paradise, if Sol wished for Meddik to turn him away, sending him to the wolves. Patience considered this, but it made no sense to him. His training was far from over. He had only just begun. Feeling self-assured, Patience saw this moment as a new test, one for him to bring forth everything he had learned thus far. It was the only logical conclusion.

Before either wolf could attack, both were imbued with a holy white light. Patience lifted them both above his head. They squirmed and shook, trying to break free from Patience’s grasp, but to no avail. Their grotesque snarls of rage were replaced by panicked tremors as the white light lifted them higher and higher, overwhelming their struggles, each attempted movement becoming gradually subdued. Patience sat in awe. He had gained power enough to manipulate knitting needles and pencils, but to think he had grown powerful enough to bend wolves to his whim was a shock. Patience smiled. The question was, what to do next? It would accomplish nothing to leave the wolves hanging, and while Patience would do well to hurl the wolves far away and flee to safety, the feeling remained that there was still much to be done. This was an opportunity that simply could not be wasted.

Patience lowered the wolves, their forms frozen as if embedded in ice. He walked back through the forest with them floating above his side like balloons, emitting faint whimpers. After a few minutes of searching, he found what he was looking for. Beside a small pool of rainwater lay an arrangement of rocks. Pressing the two wolves over the edge of a small embankment, Patience took one of the larger stones and got to work.

Perched over the verge, the wolves’ bones snapped effortlessly as the rock came crashing down upon their legs. Working in a methodical fashion, Patience first broke their forelegs, then, deftly rotating the wolves one hundred and eighty degrees, he split their hind legs cleanly in half, the appendages hanging limply. Patience thought it surprising how little they bled. The wolves were whimpering more fiercely now, so Patience forced their mouths shut and wrapped their snouts with fresh green stalks. Bringing his eyes upwards, Patience brought down some sturdy branches and snapped them from their trees, continuing a few times until he managed to break off two cleanly cut stakes. Wary of killing the wolves prematurely, Patience nestled the first stake behind one of the wolves’ shoulder blades and forced it through to the other side, burying the stake deep into the soil without penetrating the wolf’s ribcage. The same surgical maneuver was performed on the wolf’s opposite side, and Patience released his magical grip. The wolf’s head and torso shook, the beast trying desperately to stand up. Its efforts were useless. The wolf closed its tearful eyes and began breathing violently, but appeared to give up on its attempt to escape. Considering this a success, Patience repeated the same preparations for the second wolf, pinning the two desperate creatures to the dirt. Once this was done, he released his telekinetic hold entirely and took a moment’s respite against the trunk of a tree, breathing deeply.

Gazing upon the terrified animals, Patience felt something. He had no way to describe it yet, but would eventually attribute to it the word ‘irony.’ It was ironic, Patience would later muse, how confidently they had prowled after him as a means to feed. They were certain, Patience thought, that he was easy prey. And for the longest time, Patience had been taught to fear wolves. Mother had said it was okay to kill wolves if your life was in danger, because they posed such a threat. It was ironic then – Patience would also later muse – how quickly the tides had been turned. After a short while of pondering, Patience got to work.

Though Patience had healed Meddik’s self-inflicted cuts on occasion, reforming broken bones was a much more difficult task. Patience closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Willing the life-force to his whim, he meandered around the wolf’s flesh with his magical tendrils, repeating the mantras that Meddik had taught him. When he opened his eyes, the leg was once again fixed into a single piece, the wolf’s skin covering the wound. However, upon closer inspection, the joint appeared taut and disfigured. Feeling dissatisfied by this attempt, Patience used a rock to break the limb and start again.

Animal flesh was far more difficult to heal than plant or fungi, Patience had come to understand. What also became apparent was that Patience’s only practice on animals previously – sealing over the cut on Meddik’s flank – was little more than facilitating the inevitable. A broken leg, however, was not destined to return to its original form in due time. The bone, cartilage and muscle tissue could very well be strewn awry by such an injury. Patience knew he would have to dig deeper.

Hours passed. The wolves’ whimpering became less exasperated. This made it easier for Patience to focus. After much strain and effort, he succeeded in healing one leg to near perfect degree. Patience laid upon the dew-coated grass and let out a cheer in triumph. Sol’s trials were a joy to endure. Picking himself up, Patience got to work on each other leg in succession, the task becoming easier each time. But Patience had noticed that the light from the sun was fading. He had lost track of time and was uncertain whether he could still return to school before the bell had tolled. Begrudgingly, he decided to end his session here, with a hind leg from one wolf and a foreleg from another still left swinging in the breeze.

Curious as to his success, Patience walked a short distance away and removed the wooden stakes. He wanted to see how well the wolves could walk, and was ready to restrain them again with his magic if need be. To his surprise, the wolves did not move at first. Patience called out to them. One began to squirm, and fell head-first over the ledge, wriggling amongst the blades of grass. After some initial trouble, the wolf pulled itself to its feet and began a frantic sprint away from Patience. The other wolf had watched this happen and followed suit, scrambling after its brethren.

The two wolves tripped many times, getting caught on tree roots and dashing blindly into bushes. Their manic nature made it difficult to discern the practicality that their working legs offered them, but Patience was pleased enough. They had managed to scurry away, at least, and had made it a fair distance from the embankment.

Patience’s eyes were drawn to a form they were clamoring towards. Peering from a grove were two other wolves. They gazed at Patience, then saw to their kin as the two injured wolves reached them. Then another wolf appeared from the green. Then another. Each glanced between him and the wolves he had broken. Patience was growing anxious. He could not tell how many wolves lay in wait up ahead, and the light was fading. He imagined an entire army of wolves rushing him in the darkness, camouflaged by the forest. That would be too dangerous to face, even for him. Patience turned and ran, soon returning to the forest outskirts and retracing his steps to reach the path by the school.

Patience ground to a halt. His mother and father were interrogating his teacher, panic in their voices. Mercy watched this unfold with tears in her eyes. The truth had undoubtedly come out. Patience’s ruse was over. Unable to figure a way out of the inevitable situation, Patience strode on. He was immediately spotted and scooped up in his mother’s forelegs. A barrage of questions began.

“Where were you!?”

“What have you been doing?”

Patience answered mostly in truth. He admitted to lying to each of them, saying that he had been wandering the forest.

“Do not do that again.”

“Praise be to Sol that you’re safe.”

Patience said there had been nothing to worry about.

“The forest is a dangerous place.”

“What of the attacker who blinded those colts?”

Patience said he’d been training in order to help them.

“You have scared us half to death!”

“We trusted you, Patience. You have been lying to us!”

Patience looked to his sister. “But Mercy knew about it too.”

“That is not an excuse,” Persistence said, shaking his head. “You are her older brother. You should be setting an example. I am very disappointed.”

Patience’s eyes were beginning to burn. He felt very upset. “I was doing the right thing, just like you told me to do, father.”

“Let us go home,” Serenity said. “We should rejoice that he is safe for now.”

Once inside the cottage, Mercy was sent to play with her toys in the garden so as not to bear witness to the continued interrogation. Patience’s explanations did not appease his parents. They repeated the same questions over and over. Patience didn’t know what answers they were expecting. Meddik had given strict instructions not to speak of him, but keeping his teachings a secret was becoming difficult. Persistence and Serenity knew Patience was hiding something and were not giving up. It was no use.

“A stallion in the woods?” Persistence exclaimed. “Whatever do you mean?”

Patience repeated his explanation. “He has been teaching me magic.”

Persistence and Serenity were aghast. They grew even more panicked than before. Patience didn’t understand. Sol’s plan was absolute. Setting each trial in logical succession that culminated in a fortnight of intense training was more than simply a fleeting act of chance. It served a purpose. Patience felt closer to Sol than ever before. He bathed in her light, emboldened with a revitalized faith. But his mother and father would not accept this. They were scared. They kept asking questions. They forbade him to venture into the forest ever again.

In that moment, with a fervor that eclipsed any feeling he had ever had, Patience wished with all his heart for a chance to prove his message to his mother and father. He closed his eyes as their voices continued to assault him, and prayed.

“Oh mighty Sol. Please hear my plea. I fear the journey on which you have elected me to walk has gone awry. Please guide the way, oh mighty Sol!”

Nary a minute later, Patience’s prayers were answered. An ear-piercing scream had come from outside. Next came a cry for help. It was Mercy. Patience, Persistence and Serenity rushed towards the garden to find a pack of wolves. Patience knew then that they had come for him. They had followed his scent!

Mercy was covered in blood. The wolves had ripped away the flesh from her flank. She had scratches across her neck and face. Patience watched as a wolf latched onto one of her hind legs and shook its head with terrifying speed, sending Mercy tumbling helplessly onto the ground. Her screams continued. Serenity screamed next, taking a step towards Mercy before a moment of trepidation as the other wolves slowly approached, their teeth bared. They knew what they were doing. This was a revenge attack. Patience locked eyes with Mercy as she begged for help. It pained him tremendously to watch her suffer. He loved Mercy more than anyone else in the world. He would…

…

…

…?

He would do anything for her. All at once, Patience’s fear dissipated. All he felt was anger. His mother’s words ran circles in his mind.

“Patience! Stay back!” Persistence ordered.

Patience took no heed. He pushed past his parents and the wolves lunged in response. In an instant the two wolves at the front were smothered in a holy magical glow. Patience raised them high above the ground and brought them down repeatedly with tremendous force, wielding them like great hammers as he pummeled the rest of the pack. A lone wolf managed to dodge the blows and made a leap at Patience’s throat but was sent hurtling into a nearby tree, its form bent out of shape as it wrapped around the trunk.

The air was filled with the sounds of breaking bones and terrified yelps as the wolves were thrown about, their limbs twisting and contorting like ragdolls. Patience couldn’t forgive them for what they had done. Their legs snapped, their ribcages cracked, and their skulls were split open. Patience continued his assault, raining wolf corpses across the garden. A lone wolf had realized that all hope was lost and began to limp away pitifully. Patience couldn’t let any of them escape after what they had done to Mercy. He lifted the wolf higher and higher, far above his home, before extinguishing his telekinetic grasp and watching the beast fall helplessly to its death.

Mercy, Persistence and Serenity had all stopped screaming as they watched this unfold, their faces in perpetual shock. Patience had expected them to be surprised. Last they knew, all his magic amounted to was simple knitting. Now he was capable of so much more! But the most important task was still to follow.

Patience came to Mercy’s aid, his focus on her wounds. There was a lot of blood. Her flesh had been torn to shreds. It was more than Patience could possibly be ready for. If something was not done quickly, she would surely bleed to death. Patience breathed deeply and planted a kiss on his sister’s forehead. “Do not worry, Mercy. I am going to save you.” Mercy nodded as tears spilled down her cheeks. “Please, close your eyes and try to relax.” Mercy did as she was told, and the healing began.

First to be dealt with was Mercy’s hind leg. Concentrating on all he had learned that day, Patience first reformed the bones. Next came the muscles and tendons. This was the most difficult part. Patience began to waver, almost exerting himself to the point of exhaustion, but the fear of Mercy dying in pain kept him resolute. At last, Mercy’s leg was back as it should be, nary an imperfection aside from the missing fur. The bite marks along Mercy’s shredded flank were sealed over.

“How is this possible?” Persistence asked.

“Be quiet,” Serenity instructed. “Let him finish. By Sol, this is a miracle.”

Patience did everything he could manage. Mercy looked upon herself, speechless. Tears of agony became tears of joy. Patience was almost finished, his attention on the bloodied scratches across Mercy’s face. He began his work but it was all too much. Patience had exerted himself to the absolute limit. His vision faded and he collapsed in a heap.

Later, Patience awoke in bed, laying on his back, quickly making out the shapes of his mother and father at his bedside. Feeling something on his right hoof, he turned to see his sister Mercy cradling it. Her fur and mane were slightly wet, having had the bloodstains washed from her body. As Patience stirred, Mercy leaned in and gave her brother a tight hug.

“Thank you,” Mercy said. “Thank you so much!”

Patience returned the embrace. Mercy was safe, and that was all that mattered. Upon his mother’s instructions, he finished a bowl of potato and leek soup to get his strength back.

“Come now, Mercy,” Persistence said. “Leave your brother to sleep.”

Mercy’s expression was downcast. She was shaking like a leaf. “Must I?” she asked.

“It is okay, father,” Patience said. “Let her stay with me.”

Persistence and Serenity exchanged brief glances. “Alright,” Serenity said, and the two left, extinguishing the oil lamp. Only a small sliver of moonlight peeked from behind the curtain, barely illuminating the room.

Mercy clambered into Patience’s bed and held tightly onto his right foreleg, resting her head on his shoulder. “I was so scared,” she said meekly, her lip quivering. “I thought I was going to die.”

Patience smiled. “There is nothing to be afraid of,” he said. “I will always be there to save you.”

“Do you promise?” Mercy asked.

“I promise.” Patience kissed Mercy on the forehead and closed his eyes. Despite his earlier rest from having overused his magic, Patience was still exhausted. Holding onto his sister’s foreleg, he quickly fell asleep.

During the night, Patience was awoken by the sound of wails and muffled screams. He bolted upright, only to realize that it was Mercy. He called out her name and she awoke with a gasp, covered in sweat. She looked up at her brother and burst into tears. She grabbed him by the chest, breathing rapidly. “I saw them,” she whispered amongst the sobs. “The wolves are coming back. They’re going to kill me!”

“That is not true,” Patience said assuredly, stroking her mane. “You are safe here. The wolves are gone now, see?”

It took some time, but Mercy finally calmed down and went back to sleep. Patience was disturbed by his sister’s turmoil. All he wanted was for her to be happy. For the first time in his life, Patience began to understand the meaning of hope. Giving a quick prayer to Sol, he clung onto Mercy until morning.

Patience and Mercy got up and had breakfast. Persistence and Serenity had rid the garden of wolf carcasses. Patience asked where they had gone but wasn’t given a straight answer. “You do not need to worry,” Serenity said. The blood had been washed away by the rain during the night too, leaving no trace of the massacre that had occurred only one day ago.

“We both owe you our thanks for saving Mercy,” Persistence said. “You have grown so much more powerful than we could have ever imagined. However, you must understand that what you did was very dangerous. You must never do such things to ponies.”

“Do not worry, father,” Patience said. “I remember the lessons mother taught me very well.”

Serenity and Persistence exchanged glances. “What lessons?” Serenity asked.

“That it is not bad to kill them,” Patience said. “If they are a threat to our lives, they should die instead of us. Just as you told me, mother, you would kill a wolf to save any of us. But ponies will not try to kill us, so we have no need to kill them. Am I right?”

“Yes. Of course,” Serenity answered, looking to her husband. Persistence wore an uneasy expression. “Also, Patience, we owe you an apology.” Serenity bowed her head. “You told us of the stallion in the woods. Did he teach you that magic?”

Patience nodded. “Yes. I wanted to learn so I could heal the three blind colts.”

“I see,” Persistence said. “Can we meet him? We owe him a great deal of gratitude.”

Patience pondered on this. “I will have to ask him.”

Though initially against the idea, Persistence and Serenity allowed Patience to enter the forest by himself a few days later. Patience found Meddik and explained the situation.

“My child, I did not wish to be known by anyone outside of this forest.” Meddik was apprehensive. “That said, it was my own fault for allowing you to spend your time here in the first place. It was obvious that your secret would soon be found out.”

“I am sorry, truly I am,” Patience said. “I had no other choice.”

“I understand, my child. Still, one thing puzzles me. Why would the wolves venture so far? It is not like them.”

Patience was hesitant to speak. “I’m afraid I crossed paths with them after you sent me away. They must have followed me.”

“You should know not to delve into the deeper parts of this forest! A lesson learned too late, it seems. However, I still find it hard to believe that they would go to such great lengths.”

“I may have antagonized them. They attacked me and I acted in self-defense.”

Meddik shook his head. “Do you see now the ripples that come from a single stone? If you had taken heed of my warnings, your sister would not have been attacked. Recklessness is the greatest of all sins. A world without evil is still doomed to burn if the righteous live without care.”

Patience hung his head in shame. “I am so sorry. Please forgive me.”

“Alas, I ask that you forgive yourself. Only then shall I bestow my own forgiveness.” Meddik was silent for a long while. “After much deliberation, I shall meet your mother and father, my child. To tell the truth, I had envisioned such an outcome since the day I met you.”

Patience was thrilled. He led Meddik through the undergrowth and to the edge of the forest, his parents in sight.

“This is a great step for me, my child,” Meddik said. “I dare not say how long it has been since I set hoof in the land of the living.”

“You always talk of how much time has passed,” Patience said. “One would think you were as old as the hills.”

“Yes, it would seem that way,” Meddik said. “Perhaps I have spoken too much.”

Meddik introduced himself to Persistence and Serenity with great hesitation. He appeared to be expecting a somewhat hostile welcome. However, Persistence and Serenity were friendly and polite. With introductions out of the way they soon invited him to their family home. Meddik brushed the notion aside, saying he didn’t wish to cause any undue hassle. But the family insisted, and Meddik eventually obliged.

“Thank you so much for your hospitality,” Meddik said as they reached the cottage. “You have raised a fine son. Now that I have had the pleasure of meeting you, the reasons are all too clear.”

Meddik was invited to bathe, given a bowl of piping hot soup and a mug of tea. “Please accept our thanks,” Serenity said. “I dread to think of the world we might be living in had you not bestowed Patience with your knowledge.”

Meddik and Patience shared a glance. Both of them knew that Mercy would not have needed saving had Patience not wandered into the forest depths. Meddik looked away and sighed. “Your son believes it is all part of Sol’s plan. I am inclined to agree.”

With even greater success than Patience had expected, his mother and father agreed to allow Meddik to continue teaching Patience from then on, provided he could still also continue his school studies. “You truly mean it, mother?”

“We would be foolish to ignore a blessing from Sol,” Serenity said.

“I must insist, though,” Persistence interjected, “that I bear witness to this training.”

“You needn’t doubt him, father,” Patience said.

“It is not doubt,” Persistence said. “I merely wish to observe. It is a father’s duty to watch over his foals.”

Patience noticed a peculiar expression on his father’s face. It unsettled him in a way he couldn’t describe. Meddik, meanwhile, appeared to know all. “You will understand when you are older,” Meddik said.

From that point onward, Patience lived by a new regime. He returned to school to further his academic studies, spending many of his evenings and free days with Meddik. To begin with they would only frequent the grounds near Patience’s family home, but after a few months passed Persistence finally allowed visits to the forest outskirts. Patience preferred this, as Meddik was uncomfortable with inflicting the more extreme injuries upon himself around the family, allowing Patience to face a worthy challenge.

Through this journey, Patience learned of ways to increase his blossoming magic potential. The roots and herbs of the forest that he had been so quick to ignore turned out to be of immense use in growing his powers. “You are truly remarkable,” Meddik would say. “I have no doubt that you shall one day surpass even me.”

For all that was right in the world and for all the things Patience had wished for coming true, he was battling a terrible misery. “Meddik, I am thankful for all that you have taught me. I never thought I could heal plant and beast alike of their ailments. But I must know at once, are there not ways to heal the mind?”

Meddik was taken aback by this. “Whatever do you mean, my child?”

Patience explained. Ever since the wolves had attacked, Mercy was not the same. Patience spent every free moment outside of his studies by his sister’s side, reading to her, playing games, going for walks by the stream and caring for vegetables in the garden. She was still as angelic as ever, but she was plagued by constant fear. She would leap at the sound of a distant animal call. She would freeze at a strong gust of wind or shimmering bush. She would wail in the dark as if lost in an endless void. On many nights she would scramble into Patience’s room with tears in her eyes and hold onto him for dear life. Patience would always say the same things. “Everything is okay. You are safe now.” His words did little to quell Mercy’s fears, leaving him to do nothing but hold tight onto her trembling frame and pray to Sol for the horrors to be vanquished. The wolves were gone, but Mercy’s woes continued night after night.

“It is not fair,” Patience said, his eyes full of tears. “She does not deserve this. She is the kindest pony in the world. I pray and pray every night to Sol, but no answer comes to me. Please, you must teach me how to help her.”

Meddik was silent for some time, deep in thought over this predicament. “My child, I am afraid to say that my answer will not please you. There are no spells that I can teach that are capable of healing minds in the way that you wish. To my knowledge, such things are not possible.”

“But magic can do so much!” Patience wailed. “Surely there is a way!”

“Magic that presides over the mind is dark and dangerous, my child. It cannot solve such problems. However, that does not mean there is no hope. Time is a great healer of mind and spirit. Mercy must persevere so that one day her fears will dissipate into nothingness. She must remain strong, and you too must remain strong by her side.”

“But it has already been so long,” Patience said. “She is still suffering. All I want is for her to smile.”

“These things can take ever so much time, often more than seems fair. But this is the world we live in, and we must accept it as such. You must be ready for the day that Mercy will no longer cower, that she will have overcome her demons. Look at you, Patience. The day I met you, you were a shell of yourself. You wished to be fed to the wolves, yet now your eyes shine bright with vigor, as if nothing upon Equus could stop you. Mercy too will find her way in time, and the wait will be worth it for the both of you. Do you understand?”

Patience nodded. “Yes. I can wait as long as it takes.”

As time passed, those fateful words bore a meaning that Patience could not have anticipated. While he was more than capable of waiting for whatever joy might flourish in the distant future, the same could not be said of his sister. The night terrors continued on and on. The routine reached not a stable plateau, but a steady climb to even greater heights of despair. Mercy grew irritable and began to lash out. By the age of fourteen she had hardened somewhat, but could falter and break at a moment’s notice. She said such things that Patience could not bear to hear from the sweet, beautiful filly who was once so soft-tempered and full of wonder. Her restless nights spun into lifeless days. She would hold onto Patience, crying with all her might, begging anything and anyone for a way to end the torture. But still the ghosts of the wolves taunted her with their growls and gnashing teeth, ready to rip her to pieces at a moment’s notice.

“I cannot stand it, dear brother,” Mercy wept. “I am not strong enough. Sometimes I wish I were dead!”

Patience could wait as long as it would take, but Mercy, as it seemed, could not. More years passed without such reprieve. Patience felt the need to make a difficult decision. It was for Mercy’s sake.

Persistence and Serenity had often told stories to Patience and Mercy about the land of Paradise. In Paradise, there was no such thing as pain or suffering. The world was lush with sprawling meadows and glistening mountain ranges. Each blade of grass that one felt under-hoof was as soft and green as one could possibly imagine. Each flower bloomed in the most beautiful of colors. Luscious crops and succulent fruit would sprout endlessly across the land. Thorns that would once have pricked the skin did no such thing. Animals that would once have bitten and scratched acted kindly to all. All races as one, without fear, without hatred, without violence, without death. A world greater in size than a billion oceans, but every place within reach of even the tiniest foal. The sick would become healthy again. The crippled would sprint across fields with ease. Twisted minds would be undone. No worries, no harm, no more bad memories. For year after year, century after century, stretching out for all eternity, never ending, in a world of pure happiness and love, where all dreams came true, watched over by the benevolent Sol. The wondrous place that waited for all once their mortal form perished. That… was Paradise.

Patience was content to wait until his time came to go there. Sol still needed him to carry out her plans on Equus. But Mercy had no such duty. She suffered ever so much. Patience considered that Sol was relying on him to help Mercy reach the end of her path. It was not an idea that Patience relished. He loved Mercy more than anyone in all of Equestria. The last thing he wanted was to part ways with her. It would be heartbreaking. Still, Patience considered that this could simply be another trial. Sol was testing him. Sol wanted Mercy to reach Paradise. It was all part of Sol’s plan.

Patience called Mercy down to the river that ran through their village. They marveled as the fish darted about below them. Patience was nervous. A sudden fear gripped him like a vice. Surely Sol did not wish for her children to harm one another? Would Sol admonish him for taking Mercy’s fate into his own hooves? Patience considered this and put his hooves together in prayer.

“Sol, please forgive me if I am acting too rashly. Whatever punishment you deal upon me I will take without resistance. Whatever suffering awaits me, I shall endure it. Even if I must lay awake in agony for the rest of my days, I will accept it. Sol, oh mighty Sol, all I ask is that Mercy makes many friends in Paradise. Please, don’t let her be lonely without me.”

“What are you muttering about, dear brother?” Mercy asked. “And why are you crying? Are you hurt?”

Patience turned to Mercy. “It is nothing,” he said, wiping away his tears and smiling. “Come, let us go to the river. If we peer closely, we can see the fishes.”

The pair approached the riverbank. “It is so peaceful here,” Mercy mused, pawing at the water. “There is no-one around but the two of us.”

“It would be tremendous if every day were like this, wouldn’t it?” Patience asked. “Would you wish for it?”

“Of course,” Mercy replied.

“I would do anything to make it come true. Mercy, I want you to know that I love you.”

Mercy smiled. “I already know, dear brother. I love you too.”

Patience pushed both hooves against the back of Mercy’s head, forcing her face underwater. The filly flailed and struggled, bubbles billowing to the surface. Patience wanted to stop. He didn’t want to do this. But this was the only way for Mercy to be happy. Mother and father had told him about Paradise. They knew better. Everything that happened was according to Sol’s plan. That’s what mother and father had said. There was no pain or suffering in Paradise. That’s what they said. If Sol did not wish for it to happen, it would not happen. That was how the world worked. Mercy’s struggle became fiercer. Patience pressed harder, putting his entire weight on top of her. Mercy would run happy and free in Paradise. That’s what mother and father had said. The bubbles stopped coming up. Patience could wait to see Mercy again. Mercy’s struggles grew weaker. Patience was very good at waiting. Mercy would never cry ever again. Mercy’s body fell limp. Patience kept forcing her head down just to be sure. Mercy would never again fear the wolves. They would see each other again. It was all part of Sol’s plan. Mother had said that kindness was the act of losing something for someone else’s gain. It had been several minutes now. Mother and father would understand. A few more years of life was but a drop in the ocean compared to an eternity in Paradise. The wait would be worth it. The birds in the trees were chirping. This was all under the eyes of Sol. Patience took his hooves away from Mercy’s head. Great Sol. Loving Sol. Mercy did not move an inch. It was all as intended. Sol had a plan for Patience. Mercy floated like a lily pad. That’s what mother and father had said. Patience waited just in case. They knew better. Patience loved Mercy more than anyone else in the world. A light breeze passed over the river. The sun was shining. Mercy was in Paradise now. What a wonderful day.

Patience pulled Mercy’s body from the river and embraced it with all his strength. He cried and cried, burying his chin into her nape. Mercy’s eyes were closed. She looked as if she were only sleeping. She was sweet, innocent, beautiful Mercy once again. Patience held her there for a while longer, brushing through her limp, soaking mane. It had all gone according to plan. Patience smiled through the tears, managing a cheerful laugh. “I’ll see you soon,” he said, kissing her on the cheek. “I’m sorry I couldn’t join you, but I still have work to do. Don’t forget about me in Paradise, okay?” Patience looked up at the clear blue sky, imagining Paradise just beyond the horizon. “I love you forever.”

Patience did as Patience does,

As Patience does,

As Patience does,

As Patience does,

…

He did the right thing.

*DING DONG DONG DING*

“Attention, everyone! Now that my personal visits to each killing game participant have been concluded, the rules of the killing game are back in full effect! You are now free to leave your rooms! However, one very important amendment has been made to the rules. From now on, disposing of potential evidence by flushing it down the toilet is now strictly forbidden and punishable by the severing of a limb! Happy murdering! Bwahahahahaha!”

I stared blankly at the ceiling as the announcement played out. I had been ready to leap out of bed, eager for a return to the life outside the door, but the story I’d had whispered into my ears by the anonymous messenger still had me enraptured. To hear it was an event so immense that Monobunny himself had cowered in fear. Once I knew that, my own fear had been completely lost. It was amazingly therapeutic.

I weighed up everything else I’d learned since my stay in the dome. One instance immediately stuck out – being presented with the newspaper article after the first trial. A mare had slaughtered an entire orphanage as well as her husband. Was this also an act of kindness, as lined out in the story of Patience? It seemed to be an obvious connection, but then why was I the only one privy to this story? I first started hearing it after solving the first trial. Was the fact that I’d solved it the reason, or would I have been told the story regardless? Why me?

“It’s all true, isn’t it?” I said aloud. “A demon with a heart of gold.” My mind leapt back to Shetland’s plan, to Elsie’s sacrifice, to Dish Panner’s plot to trap the spy. I sighed, looking up at the nearest camera. “Just what is it that you’re trying to tell me?”

Author's Note

This is the music track that came to mind while writing this chapter. I hope you can appreciate it.