The Ghost of Coltistrano: Restless Peace

by EthanClark

Rating: teen
Tags: Princess Luna, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Rarity, Romance, Thriller, Gilda, Adventure, Shining Armor
Length: 86316

Canterlot's war of hatred is quelled, but the Ghost's enemies aren't done with him yet. Against his most lethal foe yet, and haunted by the sins of his mentor, the race has begun to rescue the Crystal Empire from a fury that would swallow it whole.

In just fifteen months, the story of what transpired in Manehatten Bay spread to all corners of Equestria, and whispers of a cloaked crusader from beyond the grave began to rise from the mouths of its citizens. Eyes of thugs linger on the sky for a moment longer, pirates shiver at the sounds of their very ships, and the members of Shield Wall's conspiracy breathe easy knowing their wicked business is long behind them. Over, but not yet forgotten.

Wounds left behind from such business now fester, denied time to heal as tattered shadows linger over the heroes of Manehatten Bay, threatening to shatter the oaths they swore and undo the gentle peace they sacrificed so dearly to preserve.

-----------------------------------------

Finally, the sequel to The Ghost of Coltistrano is complete, expanding upon the world and characters and diving deeper into the themes of heroism and sacrifice explored in the previous installment. As always, there are some hidden little easter eggs are references to other pulp hero properties I hope you enjoy recognizing. Thank you, and enjoy! Check out the final installment!

Again, cover art provided by the ridiculously helpful Siansaar!

Published 2021-10-16 22:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2021-10-27 00:34:21 UTC

Chapter 3: "There’s no better pair of eyes in all of Canterlot.”

The stillness of Canterlot’s streets was shattered by the first beam of warm, glittering light from over the horizon beyond. Then another, and another joined the race to paint the city of brilliance as the sun took its first steps into the morning sky, pushing the stars back with its light. The city below began to stir and its dark streets became dotted by weary ponies, ready to start the day.

One such street guided a carriage along its neat cobblestone. The transport traveled through rows of sleek white buildings, all adorned with as many styles and decorations as there are stars in the now diminished night sky, and its occupant took a few sacred moments to lean his head out the window and breathed deep of the fresh mountain air. The city was just as he left it.

“I forgot you don’t sleep,” Gilda grumbled from her corner of the carriage, huddled in her own feathers.

“I basically live at night. You know, Darrox once tried to condition me to stay awake for two days at a time.”

“I would’ve eaten his changeling hide if he made me do that.”

“It was awful at first, but this morning air is to die for… I miss him.”

“Me too, raghead,” Gilda said, managing to shoot a weary smile to Silver from beneath her wing.

“How do you think he’d react? You know, to Shield Wall being dead.”

“I think even he would get himself wasted on cider. Ain’t no celebration too great for that psycho’s death.”

“Right...”

Silver returned to peering out the carriage window. It was a few moments more before the carriage made its way into the east quarter of the city. The deeper the carriage went, the less life lined the city streets, replaced by regular guard posts and cloaked agents Silver could just barely see skulking on nearby rooftops. With a jerk forward the carriage was brought to a halt before a knock reached the door.

“Halt! There is to be no traffic through these parts, by orders of her majesty, Princess Luna.”

Silver leaned out of the carriage to see a guard standing on the street, dressed in standard issue gold armor and sporting a scowl.

“I am Lord Aristo,” Silver said in a nasally tone, flipping his mane with a dainty hoof. “And I am the personal guest of the Nine Night Company upon their invitation.”

“Nine what? My lord, forgive me for the inconvenience, but there is to be no traffic through this quarter. An escort will take you-”

“Crafty? What are you doing, you lummox?”

Another guard stepped over to the scene, sporting the red plumage of an officer, and slapped Crafty in the back of his helmet. “Forgive me, my lord, Princess Luna sent word of you this early today, and this halfwit decided to join us after this morning’s assembly.”

Silver waved his hoof again and the officer quickly opened the door to the carriage and led both him and Gilda into the commotion. Through an alleyway populated with guards and unicorn investigators, the trio arrived at the center of a devastating scene littered with debris, scorch marks, and tarps laid out along the ground producing the outlines of pony-shaped bodies beneath them. Silver’s eyes followed the grizzly display toward the sight of cracked stone along the mountainside.

“The princess will be here soon, my lord. Is there anything I can assist you with?”

“What are we looking at, sergeant?”

“Well, I’ll be frank in saying it’s a right mess. Four dead in the center there, along with four more on the surrounding buildings, not to mention the big pile of rock where the prison entrance used to be.”

“Any witnesses?”

“None, I’m afraid, but the princess has already been briefed. She’ll be able to help you.”

“Thank you, sergeant.” Silver watched as the pony walked back through the alleyway and out toward the checkpoints. Gilda leaned into his ear.

“How’d you know his rank?”

“The feather on his helmet, city sergeants get red. I was in the military once, you know?”

“Heh, right, I forget you were a regular ‘G.I. Jerk’. So, uh… where do we start?” Gilda’s coarse laugh diminished as she returned her attention to the not-so-hidden bodies before her.

“Maybe with the cause of death? At the very least, we can tell if it was magical or not. From there we should probably scan the area for traces of the killer.”

“So just pull back the bedsheets and play with the dead guys, huh?”

“Pretty much,” Silver groaned.

“Guh, I should’ve had more coffee.”

“Darling!”

Silver and Gilda spun around to see a stark white unicorn frantically waving to them. Her violet curls bounced in rhythm over the straps of her saddlebag with each step as she nearly sprinted from her escort, wrapping a foreleg around Silver’s neck.

“Rarity?” Silver blurted out, returning Rarity’s affectionate embrace. “Luna brought you here, too?”

“Of course! I received the Nine Night letter and came as soon as I could. Oh heavens, Silver, to think something so tragic could happen here. In Canterlot, of all places.”

“I didn’t think you would come.”

“Why not? This isn’t the first time you and I have worked together, now is it?”

“You know I love your work,” Silver said with a smirk, which quickly faded. “But this is different, ponies are dead. It’s pure carnage.”

“I know, it’s horrible… oh! I’m so sorry, I tuned out there for a second. Gilda, dear, how are you doing?”

“Groggy. Good to see you, Rarity.” Gilda managed to give Rarity a weary smile.

“It’s wonderful to have you both here, though I wish it were under better circumstances. I take it you also received a letter, Gilda?”

“What? Oh, no, the whole ‘secret code with the princess’ deal is Silver’s game, I’m here to see how much of General Tightwad’s body they’re able to dig up. Gorn and I got a running bet.”

“There were issues back home,” Silver interjected. “Some of the remnants of Shield Wall’s conspiracy attacked the house looking for Aristo. They looked like the Night Guard.”

“They attacked the house? Oh gracious, Silver, is everypony unharmed?”

“Thankfully. Their commander managed to escape, but just looking around tells me these two attacks might be connected.”

“What makes you say that?” Rarity asked.

“Well…” Silver’s comment fizzled out as he turned his gaze toward one of the covered bodies. He led Rarity and Gilda over to the tarp, reached out a hoof, and pulled away the sheet to reveal the mangled body of a bat pony in dark blue armor.

“Oh, goodness.”

“Yikes. Is that a hole in his… yeesh.”

“Verily. ‘Tis a most unpleasant sight.”

The trio lurched at the sudden comment. Behind them stood a tall and dark blue pony, sporting both wings and a horn and shrouded in a wispy, starry mane that swirled in the breeze. Rarity immediately took a knee before the pony, with Gilda and Silver soon following suit. Even surrounding guards and investigators took notice. After a moment of silent reverence, the three rose to their hooves.

“Princess Luna,” Silver said. “Still light on your hooves, I see.”

“As we assert thee of similar aptitude. It calms us to know you received our missive, albeit with delay. Pray tell, why?”

“Coltistrano recently had its own problems with our nocturnal friends here. They were stalking me, intercepting my mail, and assaulted the house just last night.”

“Beyond coincidence, methinks.”

“I agree. Can you tell us what happened here?” Silver watched as Luna slowly approached the bodies of her fallen followers.

“Of course. We, who guard the dream realm, know of many plots against us and our station. Most are mere triflings of imagination. Others, however, entertain a far more involved role in our demise. ‘Twas one night we peered into the minds of our subjects, these Night Guard, to prune the poisonous tree before its fruit be borne. ‘Tis no mystery our reaction to such designs of treachery.”

“The Night Guard were defecting,” Silver stated.

“Truly a disturbing proposition.” Luna sent a firm glare toward the bodies, with traces of a scowl forming at the corners of her mouth.

“Had you ever suspected such a thing before?” Rarity inquired. “The Night Guard are your personal soldiers. To think they would betray you is difficult to imagine.”

“Never before hath these notions been entertained. Our servants are loyal, cunning, and possess the hearts of true warriors, and yet here they lie.”

“Could you tell us why Midnight Gavel was here? Was he sent on your order?”

“Verily. ‘Tis Gavel’s duty to make penance for his many crimes, and his task to us and dear sister was to uncover the elusive remnants of his blighted accomplice’s conspiracy against us and Equestria. He was no stranger to this place, though not a resident, yet he hasn’t the gall to turn thrice traitor. His escorts would ensure his cooperation.”

“Did you know they would attack the prison?”

“Nay. Though loyal and ideally honest, the Night Guard possess strong minds. We could only sense their intent, not their methods.”

“A pity, but no matter, if you two could step aside. Silver, darling, would you help me with this?”

Silver stood next to Rarity as she guided him around the scene of the crime. Investigators recognized Princess Luna’s personal guests before vacating the area, and the two began to unveil the corpses. Silver immediately recognized the deep indigo fur of Midnight Gavel, now stained in blood. Rarity, however, made her displeasure with the image far more obvious to the group, allowing a hoof to rise toward her mouth in anticipation of what might escape it. Silver came to her side once all tarps were removed.

“Are you okay? You don’t have to be here.”

“No. No, I want to be here, just… bad memories of the tunnels... and Serenade.”

“Right.” Silver placed a hoof around her shoulders. He gently rubbed her fur until Rarity managed to summon her resolve and face the scene before her.

It was an assortment of bodies. Two wore sets Night Guard armor scoured in blemishes and jagged holes along the dark metal. Rarity leaned closer and found deformed skin and burnt fur toward their flanks and sides. Some areas were bleached white and twisted around themselves, while others were missing completely from the bodies. As she scanned the surrounding area she found other, smaller streaks along the stone forming a ring of white lines.

“It’s hard to say exactly what killed them, but I would guess some sort of spell. Powerful, too, judging by the radius.”

“Are you familiar with such a spell?” Silver asked.

“No, but I know a pony or two who-” Her comment was soon lost as another gag crept up her throat, her eyes making contact with a dried puddle of a dark green substance. She turned her head into Silver’s shoulder to save her sight. “And I have no idea what that is.”

Silver peered over Rarity’s mane to inspect the puddle for himself. At a glance, it seemed to form a solid substance where it landed. Silver abandoned Rarity where she stood and leaned closer. A horrid aroma hit his nostrils and nearly knocked his head back with its stench as he forced himself closer, and he was able to spy small divots in the ground where the substance had landed, sinking just slightly into the stone around it. Peering around the edge of the puddle, Silver spotted four hooves still sitting in place, uneaten by the substance.

“It’s some kind of acid. It melted this pony, most likely another Night Guard, but it’s not a weapon.”

“What do you mean?” Rarity asked as she managed to look back at the scene.

“It only hit one target, namely this poor fellow, but the pool didn’t spread. Risky to use at close range like this.”

“Or was it a sneak attack? Something to scare or at least deter the other guards here.”

“You’re probably right, but it seems… familiar. Specific.”

His hoof swiftly probed his ornate tailcoat and produced a smooth leather case from within which, when unrolled, revealed a series of instruments and tools of an alchemical nature. Silver glided his hoof over them and grasped a thin rod and collected a sample of the ooze, carefully scooping it into a vial, corking it, and stowing it away before shifting his focus beyond the horrid scene and toward the indigo pony in the center.

“Now that just leaves you, doesn’t it?”

Both he and Rarity scrutinized Gavel’s corpse. Blood was splattered across his fur and coat, covering most of his torso, and a small hole connected both sides of his head in a clean passage through. Silver gently prodded the body. Some parts were still firm and only slightly damp, while a few spots around the barrel of his chest gave way to Silver’s touch.

“He was beaten.”

“Yes, he certainly gives that impression, doesn’t he? It’s curious, though, why did none of the prison guards interfere?” Rarity hesitantly guided a hoof towards Gavel’s face, pushing away stray hairs.

“I’m trying to piece that together, myself.”

Rarity once more scanned the scene around her, lingering for a moment on the placement of the bodies around Gavel. She leaned down and inspected their hooves. Silver merely watched as she scrutinized each forehoof still attached to a body before moving on toward the demolished section of mountainside. She found traces of metal bars protruding from the stone, and as she ignited her horn a magnifying glass drifted to her eye. The rubble was inspected for a few moments more. Silver’s mouth opened to call her, but was stifled as Rarity quickly began patrolling the crime scene itself. She peered through the glass and along the ground before returning to the group of eager ponies in the center of the alleyway.

“Most unusual,” she hummed.

“Uh huh?” Silver looked to Rarity expectantly, gesturing for her to continue.

“At first, I wondered if these traitorous ruffians were responsible for Gavel’s sorry state. They surround him, you see, and one would suspect they did this to intimidate him, but none of their hooves are bloodied. Well, save for his, or what’s left… but they weren’t to blame for his killing. Now, if we stand just like so, we can see the Night Guard surround him in almost a triangular fashion, but Gavel is facing toward this empty spot, here. Somepony must have stood here to deliver his beating.”

“So, there’s another one?” Silver asked as he followed her gesturing hooves with his eyes.

“Indeed, but here’s where things become truly strange. Gavel collapsed here, yes, but there’s a wound through his head that couldn’t have been caused by his aggressor. Do you see?” Rarity guided Silver’s gaze toward the wound and he quickly saw one hole sat higher on Gavel’s skull than the other.

“It’s coming from the side, but not the prison. It came from the buildings?”

“Precisely. Yes, Gavel must’ve been pulled from the prison and assaulted in this very spot, but somepony else killed him.”

“What do you mean ‘pulled’? He would've been ambushed.”

“If he were attacked why didn’t he call for help, or why aren’t his escorts out here, as well? The door must’ve been left open, otherwise the entrance wouldn’t have collapsed the way it did and broken the mechanism.”

“They sneaked in. They sneaked in and pulled Gavel out, like you said, and then… blew the prison?”

“Maybe, I’m not sure at this point.”

Rarity pressed a hoof to her chin, nervously rubbing it as she stared at the rubble. Silence drifted like a breeze through the alleyway, causing everyone to shift in place, until Silver’s once drifting gaze began to dart across the scene. He clasped a frantic hoof on Rarity’s shoulder.

“Wait! Whoa, hold on a second, you said there was another attacker, right?”

“Yes...”

“And this attacker killed Gavel?”

“Yes?”

“Who is the only pony Gavel would be here to see?”

“Well, I suppose… Shield Wall. Gavel’s been interrogating him for months, and… Oh! You said Night Guard were in Coltistrano just recently, working for Shield Wall.”

“Yes, and I’d bet my bottom bit these bat ponies were, too. That’s why they targeted Gavel. For the same reason they targeted Aristo.”

“They must’ve wanted to free their employer, but just these three and one possible fourth couldn’t be enough to storm the prison.”

“There were others found on the surrounding buildings, so these ponies here had to be the team inside the prison trying to bust Shield Wall out.”

“How horrifying,” Rarity said.

“How many do you think ambushed them? Five? Maybe a squad of nine?”

“One.” Rarity’s comment earned a double take from Silver. “Look around, darling. No damage to the buildings, no crossfire, and one, very clinical strike against Gavel. You were a soldier once, is that a common outcome in warfare?”

“Not against the Night Guard… okay, so one pony. They probably took a position on that rooftop, zapped Gavel, melted one of them, and hit them with whatever kind of spell that leaves a blast mark like this. Why not just zap Gavel and… holy horseshoes.”

“What? Silver, what is it?”

“Do you think it’s odd that whoever this murderer is, they just happen to stage this execution on the same night a massive team of Night Guard also target Gavel? The same night Coltistrano is also invaded by the Night Guard, looking to kill its governor? Because I do.”

“You’re saying this pony was hunting them?”

“I’m saying this pony was waiting for the perfect time to strike. Whoever they are, they waited for this exact moment, when they were planning to bust Shield Wall out, to kill as many of his followers as they could, execute his former right hoof pony, and then bury Shield Wall in his own cage. The murderer’s been stalking them.”

“But why kill Gavel, then? He was working with us. If the murderer knew all this they would’ve at least known of Gavel’s turn to our side, yes?”

“It’s vengeance, Rarity. I can’t be sure, but it takes a lot more than good community spirit to do all of this.”

“Then they’ve claimed it, yes? If Shield Wall is dead then what’s left?”

“Fancy Pants, Vice General Stratos, half of Canterlot’s nobility, and anypony else who’s been tied to the conspiracy.”

“So, a large group of Night Guard, loyal to Shield Wall, possibly have a plan to break him out and kill Midnight Gavel. They storm the prison and, potentially, kill everypony inside, but they’re intercepted. One pony attacks from the rooftops and manages to not only kill the Gavel and the team who captured him, but destroy the prison and everypony inside... I’m not sure I’m entirely sold.”

“What do you mean?”

“That prison was built into the side of a mountain, darling, you would need far more explosives than one pony could carry to accomplish this. It’s more logical that Shield Wall’s followers planned to destroy the prison, instead.”

“Okay, fair point, but if they were going to blow the prison… to what end?”

“Damn, you two are smart,” Gilda said with a low whistle.

“Unquestionably. Prithee, what shall be thy next step? If there is some murderous marauder loose in the city, then they must be dealt with, posthaste.” Princess Luna and Gilda approached the two before taking one final look around the crime scene.

“I’m afraid there isn’t much more we can do, princess,” Rarity said. “Much of what we know is based on informed suspicion, and I hate to admit that, without another murder, we won’t have anything more to go on.”

“But these are Night Guard, right?” Gilda asked.

“Well, yes.”

“And we, like, know for sure they’re defecting now, uh huh?”

“‘Tis the conclusion which befalls us,” Luna sighed.

“That means if Gavel and General Tightwad are the only ones this killer-weirdo wanted offed, then we won’t see them again. But what if they’re hunting Night Guard, too?”

“Whatever for, darling? The Night Guard are foul, to be sure, but not complicit in the conspiracy.”

“Cuz they’re Tightwad’s goons? Dude, you said this whacko was on a vengeance trip, yeah? That means going after everypony who helped him, including these guys, including the nobility, and including you-know-who.”

“‘Everypony who helped him’… Abby. Sweet Celestia, we have to warn her. She’s the one Shield Wall tricked into keeping the nobles’ support.”

“Then we haven’t a moment to lose,” Rarity said, hurriedly. “Princess, can you warn the rest of the nobility?”

“We shall gather what aid we trust and dispatch them, though the countess hath not yet returned to Canterlot. Her vessel shall make port by sunset.”

“‘Vessel’? She’s on an airship? Who knows? Is it public knowledge?” Silver quickly closed the distance between him and the princess, eyes locked onto hers.

“‘Tis no secret, for the countess travels to and from the city regularly, but you fear the murderer might intercept her?”

“I’m afraid they might blow her ship out of the sky. Gilda, I need you to get back to Gorn and tell him to keep an eye out for her ship. Find its name if you can. Rarity, we need to find another lead, any lead, we’ll brainstorm on the way. Princess… uh…”

Luna stared at Silver with a curious look, anticipating his next word as it hung on the tip of the earth pony’s tongue. Silver looked to the guards surrounding the scene then stepped closer to the princess, enough to safely speak with a hushed tone.

“We have some help we can call in. He, um, has his own way of doing things and… Luna, I can’t let something happen to Abby, or anypony else, and my friend can-”

“You have our permission, noble rogue, to enlist both sides of your identity.”

Her words came through a soft chuckle and covered Silver’s face in bewilderment before she continued.

“We hath seen your dreams, Silver Spade, so worry not our judgement. Go forth and do what needest be done.”

“Oh… w-well, thank you, princess. Gilda, take the sending stone and let me know when you and Gorn are ready. Rarity, do you know a good place to start?”

“There must be Night Guard outposts in the city, yes? Someplace they rest and plan?”

“Aye,” Luna said. “We shall have a map procured for thee.”

Luna waved down one of the guards and ushered him over to the group. Though Gilda made a grand display of spreading her wings and taking to the sky with a forceful flap, Rarity kept her gaze on Silver as his eyes darted everywhere and nowhere, fidgeting in place and tapping his hoof. She approached him, slowly.

“Silver, are you alright?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I just… thinking about what you said with the prison, and now Abby’s in danger and… well, I’m sure I’d be in better sorts if I slept last night.” Silver released a low, raspy chuckle. They shared a laugh, one that managed to curl the corners of Silver’s growing smile.

“That’s something we need to fix as soon as possible. Do you think we missed something? I can’t stomach the thought of misreading something obvious.”

“No, I think you were amazing. There’s no better pair of eyes in all of Canterlot.”

“Pfft, flatterer,” Rarity scoffed, a thin line forming along her cheeks. “Will you be in Canterlot long?”

“As long as the murderer is, I suppose.”

“I do hate how we always meet when something terrible has happened. It’s almost routine with us, at this point.”

“I would hardly call Baltimare ‘routine’.”

“Oh, please! You walked right into my boutique, covered in Celestia knows what, carrying some device that had no right to be in a dress shop, and you had the nerve to ask if I would ‘inspect’ it! I always adore when you visit me, but perhaps next time you could leave the bombs at home, yes?”

“Got it, no mystery weapons, but what about dinner? Once the case is closed?”

“Silver Spade! Only you could ask a lady to dinner just steps away from a corpse.”

“Is that a ‘no’?”

Rarity shoved a playful hoof in Silver’s face. Soon after, one of the guards delivered the marked map to them before leading them out of the alleyway, back toward the carriage. Silver held open the door for Rarity. She gave a mocking bow before accepting the gesture and climbing into the carriage, and once Silver entered they were off down the street, leading toward the massive clocktower at the heart of the city. Rarity produced a violet notebook from her bag and pressed a quill to its pages.

It appears as though tragedy has struck. Silver’s visit is hardly the teasing little escapade I had hoped, but a request for my aid in finding a murderer. A most terrible crime has befallen Canterlot. Several are dead, Midnight Gavel among them, and the prison where that vile Shield Wall resided has been reduced to rubble. Now, we seek to warn Abundant Glow of whatever danger this murderer poses to her. She’s lucky to have a friend such as Silver.

Speaking of whom, the poor dear looks completely drained. He’s brave to put on his display, and he may fool everypony else, but I can tell just by looking that he’s beside himself. I know how much Abby meant to him. Now, with her at risk and so much going on I can only imagine the maelstrom of worry brewing beneath that mane of his. I wish he would talk to me, but that’s my dear Silver Spade. Hiding everything except infuriatingly cute witticisms behind a mask.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried, but I take comfort in the probability Shield Wall has finally met his end. Although, for as much a monster as Shield Wall was, I shudder to imagine who could kill him.

Chapter 4: “Damn you, Gavel.”

“This is the place, sir. Glint and everypony else are inside.”

“Finally.”

Shield Wall crossed the threshold of the building with a groan. The interior was dreary, and with hardly any furnishings he could detect in the darkness cast by blocked windows. A few steps more and his hooves clacked against tile in the lobby. Beside him, Nox moved out across the hall, guided by his innate night vision, and into another room as he reached for one of the curtains and gave it a tug. Sunlight poured through the windows. Shield Wall’s eyes were graced with the sight of an ornate, open mansion, decorated with banners sporting Princess Luna’s cutie mark, dark accents of walnut wood, and silver finery lining some of the mantles. Before him stood the grand staircase.

“Forgive me, sir, I sometimes forget you don’t share bat pony abilities. Just upstairs is a washroom for-”

Shield Wall spared no time in stomping up the staircase as quick as his weary legs would allow. The walls of the second level were similarly ornate, as were the flanking rooms. At the end of the hallway, however, was a large room sporting a clean bed, surrounded by stacks of crates covered in ropes. He ignored it all, turning into the master bathroom next to him.

Gold magic ensnared the knobs of the shower, summoning steam and blistering hot liquid from the showerhead and into the porcelain tub, barely having landed on the surface before Shield Wall entered. It hurt him. The sting of the water trailed down his fur and flesh, but the only emotion he gave was a deep, raspy sigh that echoed in the bath.

“At last. Civilization.”

His tolerance for the heat came to an end as his magic turned the knob slightly, cooling the water by just a bit. A sleepless night urged his eyelids shut as he swayed in the stream above him, before visions of the attack flooded his mind. He counted the water droplets trailing down his cheeks and recalled the mysterious attackers movements, studying his own memory of whoever this pony was who could outdo him. The smell of the bubbling acid returned to him, putrid and with hints of seared flesh, but he could find nothing of value. He twitched and cracked the shower wall with a strike.

Midnight Gavel invaded his mind. The longer he held onto the image of Gavel’s bloodsoaked face the more he felt his magic compressing the shower’s knob, threatening to break it, but a hissing sigh escaped, instead. Gold magic turned the knob back to its previous position as chilling air kissed the light scalding of his skin. Then came an offending voice.

“Forgive the intrusion, sir, the Night Guard has gathered. Whenever you're ready.”

Shield Wall’s eyes shot open to glare in the direction of the voice, but he forced another sigh in response and emerged, steam surrounding him as a towel floated from behind and patted him dry. He returned to the bedroom to find a familiar tailcoat along the surface of the bed, navy and lined with an intricate golden trim. He savoured his approach to the garment. Golden eyes traveled from the coat, to one of the now-opened boxes, and back to the coat to inspect the glittering officer’s bars along its left breast, it’s hefty fabric, and the embroidered insignia of his cutie mark upon the shoulder. Try as he might, Shield Wall couldn’t help but smile.

He pulled the coat from the bed and slowly, methodically, slipped into its sleeves, relishing the almost tingling sensation that traveled along his skin as the coat enveloped him in its pleasant heft. A quick hoof snatched the officer’s bars from his breast and cast them aside, scoffing at the sight of them colliding against the floor before turning his back on them.

After descending the grand stairs, Shield Wall was greeted by the sight of nearly two dozen bat ponies, all draped in dark armor, standing at attention before him as he entered an imposing dining hall just off the main lobby, adorned in Luna’s insignia and sharing the same dark tone as the rest of the house. They saluted in unison, with one of their ranks stepping forward.

“Vice general, sir, I’m Commander Glint. Welcome back. First Sergeant Nox has already filled me in on the details. Thank the moon you weren’t hurt.” His words were punctuated by a loud ‘oorah’ from the gathered soldiers.

“Only my pride, commander. Am I to assume that you are the one in charge here?”

“That’s correct, sir, and in command of other sleeper forces within Luna’s court.”

“Surprising… now, where is the first sergeant?”

“Here, sir. How may I help you, sir?” Nox’s voice carried over the assembly as he approached Shield Wall.

A flash of golden light illuminated the room as a small beam entered Nox’s forehead and emerged on the other side, sending the bat pony crumpling to the floor below. The other ponies turned their attention to the scene, some struggling to maintain their composure as a commotion of muttered voices began to rise from the crowd. Glint clenched his jaw firmly and watched as Kindle, still bruised and battered from the night before, moved quickly to the front of the crowd. His mouth opened, but a harsh glare from Glint was all it took to return the Kindle to silence.

“I have been waiting hours to do that,” Shield Wall said with a content sigh.

“Insubordinate, sir?” Glint asked, returning his attention to Shield Wall.

“A damn embarrassment, but thankfully you and your troops appear far more capable.”

Shield Wall spoke as he walked toward the head of the table, bathed in the sunlight creeping through the window behind him, and secured the large leather chair facing the Night Guard before him.

“Is this location secure?”

“Yes, sir, it will take some time before the princess learns we were present at the prison, and this isn’t the only Night Guard safehouse in the city, or Equestria. We are safe for now, sir.”

“Excellent, and might I ask how it was you procured my possessions?”

“Most of them were kept in storage in the Investigations Bureau, sir. As commander of the Canterlot Night Guard, I’m granted certain freedoms within their department. It’s how we found where you were.”

“Yes, a most annoying inconvenience,” Shield Wall said with a growl. “But enough pleasantries. Dispose of the first sergeant and give me a situation report.”

“Yes, sir.”

Glint raised a firm hoof toward two of his subordinates, and in unison they marched toward Nox’s body, eyes on the floor, and dragged him from the room while Glint spoke.

“In the fifteen months since you were incarcerated, the Night Guard has been working to establish a network of recon units throughout Equestria. After the trial, though, much of the network established by Serenade was dissolved. Kindle, the map.”

Kindle flinched, eyes still following Nox’s body, snatching a roll of parchment passed by another Night Guard and emerging from the crowd organized around their leader, rolling out the map along the table. Shield Wall immediately recognized the dotted lines and criss-crosses along its surface as flight routes, and various symbols were stamped over towns and cities.

“Our network consists of Night Guard, spies, and the occasional bandit or mercenary, anypony willing to deal in information for coin. At this time, sir, we number roughly fifteen-hundred and growing, and while access to safehouses and resources isn’t an issue, anonymity has been almost impossible since the end of the trial and the veritable witch hunt the EUP launched against the conspirators. Many of them have become informants for the crown.”

“Do you have a list of those informants?”

“I do, sir, as well as a report detailing possible members of the Investigations Bureau spearheading the operation against us.”

“Excellent work, commander, we will need to make a priority of crossing off those names.” The statement caused some of the Night Guard to squirm, most of all Kindle. “Now what of these points? I deduce they are faction symbols for our new agents.”

“That’s correct, sir. Our influence is felt primarily in the southern to western areas of the country, and these signs denote factions that are either by affiliation or conscription.”

“Hardly what we had before, though I suppose Manehatten is barely worth recovering after… the incident. We shall move the bulk of our force to Baltimare. It is defensible and much of the criminal element is loyal to me.”

Glint twitched at his leader’s words, breaking eye contact. Silence filled the room, and the clinking armor of fidgeting ponies only served to intensify Shield Wall’s growing scowl. The commander finally spoke.

“S-Sir, um… We lost Baltimare months ago.”

“Forgive me, commander. Did you say you ‘lost’ Baltimare? And could you inform me of how, exactly, you managed to lose our only stronghold in the east? The same stronghold I managed to hold for two decades?”

“The Ghost, sir.”

Shield Wall muscles tensed, pushing against the snug fabric of the coat as he slowly stood from his seat. Glint’s blood went cold. The searing intensity of his leader’s glare almost burned a hole in his fur, but to his surprise Shield Wall began to relent. His leader’s shoulders went slack as the unicorn reflected on the confession. He peered around the room at the bat ponies before him, averting their gaze from him, locking eyes with the only one frozen in place.

“Is it normal for your subordinates to gawk, commander?” Shield Wall’s comment forced Glint to double-take at Kindle.

“No, sir, but... Kindle is new to the outfit, sir. He’s not yet used to how we operate.”

“Perhaps, but that does not excuse such disrespect.”

“Of course, sir, but he survived the Ghost, like I did, and is a good soldier. Right?”

Glint turned to Kindle. His words were met by the same piercing glare Shield Wall gave him.. For a moment there was only silence in the room, fueled by the invisible tension that drifted between the two bat ponies, before Kindle spoke in a low, trembling voice.

“Yes… sir.” He gave a limp salute before slowly returning to the group, head dipping low.

“Well, I suppose I could hardly blame you,” Shield Wall continued. “It takes a conditioned mind to engage that particular pony in combat. Did you, at least, recover any supplies from the Baltimare compound?”

“No, sir, the Ghost… no, sir.”

“Pity, but I have won wars with far less… tell me, why have we not reclaimed territory in Coltistrano? It was a most advantageous position in Serenade’s time.”

“There were attempts, sir, but-”

“But the Ghost, yes? How is that petulant little pest these days?”

“As you say, sir, a ‘pest’, but we have plans of dealing with him.”

“Oh, come now commander, you are clearly outwitted. There is no shame in acknowledging the prowess of a superior opponent. Especially one who has shaken you, so.”

Glint bit his tongue and stood up straighter than before, quelling the slight tremor in his hooves at the mere mention of the Ghost, but now his leader’s piercing eyes tore down his resolve. Glint gave a long, ragged sigh.

“He’s not normal, sir. We went in as a squad of six to Coltistrano, trained and ready for anything, but the Ghost tore us apart. We never saw him, not until he toyed with us at the end. We had to wait three hours until we could go back and retrieve Kindle from the authorities. He… I think he enjoys it.”

“Oh, that he does, commander. You will learn, as I have, this new Ghost is far more than his predecessor. His mentor dealt in pompous displays of sanctimony, the withered old bug, whereas the Ghost of today is far more cunning and tenacious… you try so hard to hide the limp, commander.”

“Forgive me, sir,” Glint almost whispered.

“There is nothing to forgive, commander. You faced a superior foe and, as expected, lost. Though, the fact you returned again shows you have the strength to carry the better world we shall create upon your back. Would you not agree?” Shield Wall stood to cross the room, placing his hoof softly on the commander’s shoulder.

“I-I… thank you, sir.”

“Of course, unlike the petty Midnight Gavel, you and your soldiers remained loyal to me. For that, commander, you shall all be rewarded, but we must keep focused on our goal. I trust nopony has been made aware of the operation?”

“Absolutely not, sir.”

“Keep it that way. In the meanwhile, we must find a way out of the city. The ports may be our only option, but send a small squad to investigate magical means of exit, something to escape the city without the crown’s notice.”

“Yes, sir.” Glint waved a hoof to signal three of the Night Guard beside him as they quickly sped out of the dining hall. “Now, sir, what about the attack at the prison?”

“Does this concern you, commander?”

“Yes, sir. If somepony has managed to compromise one or more of our agents it’s a threat to the operation’s integrity, even ignoring the fact they were clearly targeting you.”

“‘Clearly’. It is a most disturbing revelation. However, this is a boon in disguise.”

“Sir?” Glint watched Shield Wall return to his seat, perplexed at his leader’s relaxed response.

“This is not the first assassin to have come for me in the night. Many times they preferred more respectable methods, like poison, incendiary traps, curvaceous cutthroats, and so on, but I have watched the movements of this new aggressor. She is something far different than an ordinary assassin.”

“‘She’? Do you know her, sir?”

“Of course not, but the way she moves, how she holds her balance, and the tone of her voice is all indicative of a mare, and an older one, at that. Her abilities, though, are… impressive. As I recall, the late first sergeant revealed the entire squad sent to liberate me must have been slaughtered by her. Brandy.”

Glint blinked at the sudden demand. Once his mind had caught up he hurried toward one of the cabinets along the wall and produced a bottle and glass, placing it before Shield Wall as his magic poured a heavy drink.

“Excellent. As I was saying, this interloper will serve as a distraction for the authorities. True, they will assuredly investigate the scene, but there will hardly be anything for them to suspect I have been freed, and while their attention is on the murder of their double agent we shall be free to move about Equestria as we see fit.”

“Unless she follows us, sir.”

“Which is unlikely, depending on how many have possession of a map like this. No, commander, we shall soon be gone from this cursed hole of aristocratic hedonism and nopony will be the wiser. And once we are gone so too will this threat.”

“Yes, sir, but… what about the Ghost?”

Shield Wall drew from the glass in his magical hold. Dark liquid passed through his lips and coated his mouth in a flavor he had almost forgotten, swishing it around gently before allowing it to pass deeper within him as a drawn out sigh escaped. He took another sip, greedily, before facing the commander.

“No doubt the princess has the Ghost and his allies investigating, personally. They will be following the trail of the murderer, and should our paths cross again we shall give the Ghost what he seeks. What matters, commander, is he does not know I live. Am I clear?”

“Transparent, sir.”

“Then we shall have no issues. The Ghost will be tied up with another grand caper, the crown will be hunting criminals on the outskirts of Equestria, and we shall have a clear path toward our goals… does the target suspect anything?” Shield Wall took the glass in his hoof and tipped it over his lips, allowing the rest of the drink to fall into his maw before slamming the glass onto the dark table.

“No, sir, we’ve kept tabs on her since you were imprisoned. None of our agents have alerted her to our presence.”

“Excellent, and you are completely, absolutely certain it remains in her possession?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good, ensure no one learns of this. We remain vulnerable until we escape the city.”

“I’ll have the guard search for alternatives. The city will be locked down, but we may still have a way out through the port.”

“Then go. Report back to me when you succeed.”

Glint gave a firm salute before issuing another silent command with his hoof, ushering the rest of the squad out of the dining room. Shield Wall sat alone. Though he could detect a measure of nostalgia swirling within him, it was hardly enough to stand against the sudden silence he was plunged into. His teeth grated against each other. Images of blood filled his vision, and the loud crack of his former friend’s skull and flesh crept into his ears as he replayed the moment over and over in his mind, feeling heat in his cheeks. He was angry. A directionless fury that radiated from his person, threatening to sear the tapestries that fluttered along the walls.

“‘Midnight Gavel’. Bah, traitorous...”

“‘Traitorous’? Harsh language from a career traitor, Shield.”

Shield shot up from his seat, nearly knocking the leather chair to the floor and locking his feral eyes onto the empty space before him, ears trained for the slightest sound. To his horror, the visage of pristine indigo fur slowly entered his sight, giving way to a pony Shield only recognized as freshly dead, yet his eyes saw him full of life. The unicorn strode across the floor with a certain pomp. He leaned over to sniff the open bottle of brandy, recoiling at the pungent scent.

“I prefer our tea visits, stressful as they were.”

“You… are not real,” Shield sighed, allowing himself to smirk. “A phantasm of the mind.”

“Is that today’s story? I told you once, my friend, and I will confess it again, your obsessions are ruining your otherwise brilliant mind.”

“This is not some visit for therapy, Gavel,” Shield grumbled.

“Yes, yes, of course,” Gavel said with a dismissive hoof. “You’re here to grumble about the boy, yes? Always with the boy.”

“Boy? That boy has ruined me, Gavel! And you aided him!”

“I did no such thing, you ungrateful brute! Everything I have done, good or bad, has been in the interest of your vision. Your twisted, demented vision.”

“My vision is pure. You simply lacked the spine to see it through as I told you to, and instead you fall into the company of that whelp after everything we accomplished.”

“And remind me, what have we accomplished?” Gavel’s question forced Shield’s words back into his mouth with its impact. “If successfully scaring the wits out of the aristocracy and wasting our money is your vision, then by all means, claim your victory. Otherwise, we are back at square one.”

“I was in control,” Shield seethed, his shoulders becoming tense. “Control of Aristo, control of the court, and in control of you.”

“Oh, please! You could hardly maintain control of yourself, let alone your ‘aspirations’.”

“My aspiration has always been the same: to unite our nation against the evil that threatens it!”

“And as far as our nation is concerned, the only evil it needs uniting against is you.”

Shield Wall was stunned. He stood before a figment of his imagination, a conjured image of the greatest traitor he ever knew, and its words managed to dig ever so slightly into the flesh of his ego. It stung more than the rest of his brandy sliding down his throat, his eyes never leaving Gavel’s. The indigo unicorn held no smirk. He simply stood, just along the threshold of Shield Wall’s peripheral vision with a cocked brow and a dignified frown. Even acknowledging it made Shield’s ears burn.

“Heroes are seldom celebrated in their time.”

“Oh, you’re a hero now? Do not insult me, Shield, I know you better than that. Heroes are not the ones put on trial for treason and murder. Instead, they swoop down and capture the pony escaping from said trial.”

“They were fools! The damn princesses, arrogant and vapid! I have accomplished more for this country in ten years then either of them in a century, all in the name of unity and protection.” As he let out another ragged breath, Shield could almost feel a hoof land on his shoulder.

“I have known you since your earliest days, Shield, and you never gave a damn about unity. Not until you met-”

Shield Wall roared. A furious hoof swung and collided with the image of Gavel and brought it to the floor. He slammed against the face staring up at him. Crash after brutal crash sent splinters up toward Shield Wall, each strike drawing another pained shout from his throat, echoing through the mansion. He struck again, and again, and again until a loud snap of wood finally brought him from his bloodthirsty trance.

Shield Wall’s chest heaved as fast as his heart beat. When he looked to the crater below him he found no one. No traitor to his cause, no dearly departed friend. Only evidence of his fury, surrounded by an empty room. His breath began to slow.

“Damn you, Gavel.”

Chapter 5: “You’re putting up with me. That’s payment, enough.”

Two sets of hooves clacked against the sidewalk in a weary canter. This morning, the pair of ponies wore a spotless vigase of prestige as they set out across Canterlot, turning over every rock conceivable in search of something connecting to their quarry.

That was many hours ago.

“Silver, darling, maybe we should take a break? We’ve been searching all across Canterlot for… for… what time is it?” An exhausted Rarity struggled to blow the wet, sweaty strands of hair from her face.

“Three,” Silver replied, scratching underneath his undone and damp shirt collar.

“Sweet Celestia, it is, isn’t it? Darling, I mean it, we should at least eat.”

“Where was the next safehouse? Was it on Perry or Parsnip Boulevard?”

“Parsnip, but… no! No, no, no, no, no!”

With strength enough to surprise him, Rarity wrapped a foreleg around Silver and began pulling him down the street, earning the curious gaze of onlookers gawking at the frazzled couple.

“Rarity? Come on, we have a job to do.”

“And we’ve been doing it for seven hours! We haven’t eaten, you haven’t slept, and my hooves are killing me.”

Rarity stomped straight past Parsnip Boulevard and rounded the corner toward a rather colorful park area. She didn’t even register the eyes of ponies glued to her and her captive as she trudged through the crowd and toward a quaint little shop with a bright yellow awning. With her free hoof she pushed open the door, her firmness punctuated by a soft bell.

“Oh! Miss Rarity! Welcome back. Is everything alright, you look exhausted,” the lemon-colored pegasus said from behind the counter.

“Miss Twist, always so perceptive.” Rarity’s compliment escaped through gritted teeth as she glared at Silver. “I’m so sorry for the state of me and my partner, here. Might we have something cool and refreshing? With cucumber, maybe?”

Miss Twist nodded approvingly and led the duo to a table beside the shop's large bay window. Silver was all but forced into his chair by Rarity before she took hers, and in just a few moments Miss Twist returned to two very tall glasses of sparkling liquid, adorned with cucumber, dripping with a cool condensation that pooled on the table where they landed. Miss Twist then produced a small notebook.

“Anything I can get you two? Oh my, sir, you look famished.”

“He does, doesn’t he? I would die for a rainbow salad with vinaigrette, and my stubborn stallion here will have that outstanding stuffed eggplant sandwich, both with coffee.” Rarity’s smug grin was an inescapable fixture in Silver’s gaze.

“That’s no problem, it’ll all be out in a jiffy. Any preference on the coffee, miss?”

“Strong, the poor boy needs it.”

Miss Twist nodded and smiled before retreating behind the counter and relaying the order to the kitchen, leaving the two across from each other at the small table. Silver found the strength to chuckle before speaking.

“This brings back memories.”

“Doesn’t it? But honestly, Silver, doesn’t it feel refreshing to get out of the sun and stop running around aimlessly?” Rarity’s glass rose from the table and pressed against her lips, releasing its contents to her.

“And not work on the princesses’ case?”

“Like we’ve been doing all day? Silver, please, I know this is your work but even you have limits.”

“Can’t let the bad guys know that.”

“The only one who doesn’t know is you, silly, now drink your water. You’ll drop dead if not.”

The truth in Rarity’s words was written all over his face. He could feel his vision sway across the table as he clumsily guided his hoof the glass. It was heavier than he expected, the condensation threatened his grip, but as he finally managed to pass the cool refreshment through his lips his body immediately reacted, compelling him to hold the glass still and imbibe more. The need for air was all that stopped him.

“Better?”

“Better,” he gasped. He placed the glass down and reached for the collar of his coat, pulling it off and onto the back of the chair.

“Not the shirt?”

“We’re in public, aren’t we?”

“True, but you don’t see me being so prudish.”

“Well, you don’t have a piece of modern art stretched across your back.”

“Hmm, post-modern. I know a pony or two with such tastes who would love the gnarled flesh aesthetic.”

“Maybe I should be getting lunch with them, instead.”

“If you could remind yourself to eat, at all.”

At that Silver gave a light, cheerful laugh, supporting himself with a limp hoof as he tried to control the sudden outburst, hardly noticing that Rarity had joined in. When Miss Twist arrived with their order the two were a tired, giggly mess.

“Here you are, Miss Rarity. Are you two having a good time?”

“The best,” Silver replied. He gently batted Rarity’s hoof aside, passing Miss Twist payment of his own before she left again.

“I thought I was the one treating you?” Rarity said.

“You’re putting up with me. That’s payment, enough.”

“You’re telling me.” Their chuckles died down after a moment, leaving them in a comfortable silence as they began eating.

“So, what’re you thinking?”

“About the case?”

“Yeah,” he replied through a bite of eggplant. “You don’t find it weird that every safehouse we went to was either empty or destroyed?”

“Oh, I certainly do, but it gives us nothing to go off of. Had they left behind something, like a manifest or report, then we’d at least have a lead.”

“I think we do. I think this only confirms the murderer has been stalking them.”

“What makes you say that?”

“The fact that not all safehouses are destroyed. I think we stumbled upon a few locations the murderer managed to track the Night Guard to, and then firebombed in an attempt to either kill them or smoke them out.”

“But that would destroy any information they could use. Why would the murderer do that?”

“My guess is they don’t care, or maybe they already know what the Night Guard is up to, so there’s no reason to hold onto anything.”

“Wild, premeditated violence certainly sounds like vengeance, but for what? What did the Night Guard do to them?”

“Probably nothing. I don’t think it’s a coincidence the murderer ambushed a prison break where the Night Guard, Midnight Gavel, and Shield Wall would be present. If anypony wronged them, it has to be the conspiracy.”

“And the destroyed safehouses support the notion they’re targeting more than its leader.”

“You know it,” Silver said before downing the rest of his glass.

“To consider a list of Shield Wall’s possible enemies is, well… it’s impossible. He hurt so many, and once it all became public the princesses had to issue protection for those who came out as members, for fear of retaliation. For Celestia’s sake, half of Manehatten fits that description.”

“All we need is a lead. Once we have something more than dead traitors and acidic ooze it’ll just be a matter of time.”

“Of course...”

Rarity’s eyes trailing along Silver’s body, slowly taking in the details. She lingered on his face, watching his eyes dart from the food before him, the window beside him, and the space between them both as a soft tapping from his free hoof put a rhythm to his movements. He held a small smile, but Rarity was perceptive enough to see it was the only part of him holding any stillness.

“Silver, are you all right?”

“I am now,” he grinned, gesturing toward the half eaten plate of food.

“Well, of course, but I mean… how are you feeling? With everything that’s going on?”

“Fine? It’s tragic, yeah, but it’s not the first time we’ve done this… which is actually really sad, now that I think about it.”

“You’re not upset about anything?”

“Like what?”

“You know ‘what’.”

Silver’s chewing halted. Some of his flavorful lunch almost threatened to creep back up his throat, if not for the growing lump keeping the feeling at bay. He swallowed, painfully, placing what food was left in his hoof down onto the plate.

“You mean Gavel, and Shield Wall?”

“Of course. All this talk of victims and I almost forgot you were one of them. They did such horrible things to you, and I know what Abby meant to-”

“They’re both dead, right? If they’re dead then I won’t have to worry about it anymore. It’s not like he’s still hanging around, right? Haunting me.” Silver’s tone became sharp.

“Darling, he’s the reason you’re wearing that shirt.”

“Yeah, well, what do you want me to say?”

“If it’s bothering you I want to know. You know you can talk to me.” Rarity’s hoof traveled across the table to his trembling one.

“About what, Rarity? About getting flogged and dropped in the ocean to die, while he trampled my life into the dirt? About how I can’t actually have ponies call me by my real name anymore?”

“Yes. It’s bothering you, darling, I can tell. Please, Silver, I’m here if you need help.”

“You want to help? If you want to help, Rarity, then how about you dig Shield Wall’s head out of that rubble so I know he’s dead, because if that vile bastard managed to escape he’s going to kill you, and everypony else I love! Just like my father, and just like Darrox!”

The eyes of the cafe followed Silver as his outburst came to an end. Rarity had leaned back in her seat, as if to dodge the heat coming off Silver, but in time she met his gaze and placed a hoof on his seething, reluctant face.

“Silver, look at me,” Rarity whispered, tilting his gaze to her. “It doesn’t matter if he died in the attack, or if he’s out there right now, plotting some horrid scheme. We’re not going anywhere, okay? Please believe that.”

“But if he’s alive-”

“Then we’ll put him right back in his hole, never to see the light of day again.”

“Right. Right, I just… I’m sorry.”

Rarity leaned up and placed a soft peck in Silver’s forehead, gently leading him from the table before signalling Miss Twist from the counter. She arrived, packaged the food to go, and passed it off to Rarity as Silver once more donned his tailcoat and followed Rarity out the front door. The sun still sent its rays to them, glittering from above. Silver turned to Rarity, searching for something to say before a forehoof reached around his neck and pulled him in.

“Don’t ever be afraid to talk, okay?” Rarity whispered.

“Maybe next time at a party, or a coronation, or somewhere ten times more embarrassing for you than here.”

“Yo? Yo! Raghead, answer the magic rock!”

Silver lurched at the sudden interruption. With the tender moment now broken, Silver cursed and fumbled around in his coat pocket, finally producing the pulsating stone before he waved his hoof over the glowing sigil.

“Gilda? What’s going on?”

“Finally, ‘bout time you answered,” said Gilda’s magically simulated voice. “Look, your ex’s ship made it in, still in one piece. She and her entourage are on their way home.”

“Thanks for the heads up, we’ll head over there now.”

“Yeah-huh, but make it quick, will ya? Gorn’s popped the cork on another bottle and I won’t sit through another of his war stories.”

“I believe in you, Gilda,” Silver said. “We’ll be there soon.”

He swiped over the sigil again as it lost it’s glow. Rarity laughed at the exchange, playfully pushing Silver’s foreleg away as he flagged down a carriage. Once the carriage arrived, he opened the door and led Rarity in before turning to the driver.

“Where ya going, sir?”

“The Glow Estate.”

--

Silver and Rarity could almost see themselves in the mirror-like surface of the floor. Every inch of the estate’s lobby was immaculate, with its circular construction framed by the two curving staircases leading up a towering stain-glass window in the second level, depicting the crest of the House of Glow. Sunlight danced across clean white walls adorned with roses and tulips of deep red and brilliant yellow. Though they stood in silence, the sheer size of the room was enough to carry the faint echo of servants from other parts of the house.

“Surely lives up to its name, doesn’t it?” Rarity said as her eyes trailed off around the room.

“Yeah, it’s a lot brighter than I remember.”

A third pony descended the stairs to join them. He was a wrinkled, mustard-yellow stallion sporting a dress coat and bowtie, approaching them with trained poise.

“Lord Aristo and Miss Rarity, I presume?”

“Yes,” the duo said in unison, whipping their heads around to the source of the question as he gave them an amused stare.

“If you both would be so kind, the countess has retired to the study upstairs. Follow me, please.”

Together, the three ponies climbed the marble stairs to the second floor, hooves clacking against the polished stone, filling the lobby with a soft echo. They traveled down the large, open hallway beside them decorated with white walls and marble statues, the calm breeze fluttering from open windows that rippled the thin drapery. Only once they reached the study did Silver’s pace begin to slow. Just over the top of a large sofa in the center of the room was a familiar tangle of deep red curls that spilled over the edge. The elderly servant cleared his throat.

“My lady, if I may present to you two visitors. Miss Rarity and Lord Aristo of Coltistrano.”

The curls flailed around the back of the sofa as a pair of vibrant, sea green orbs locked onto Silver. Slowly, she stood. She only took a few steps to join them but Silver’s mind had frozen, lingering on the image of the creamy yellow mare walking towards him for the first time in what felt like eternity.

“Silver.”

“Abby.”

Silence weighed down on them both, carefully watching each other’s movements to not interrupt the other. Silver stepped forward, slowly, hesitating at the slight backstep Abby took before returning the gesture, and when the two finally crossed the room to each other the silence between them was palpable.

“It’s wonderful to see you, Silver,” Abby said, finally

“You, too. How have you been?” Silver found the courage to return his gaze to Abby’s sea green eyes.

“Oh, well enough, a bit tired from the trip home. Yourself?”

“Well enough.”

The silence returned. Rarity cautiously stepped up to the two ponies, clearing her throat as she did.

“Countess Glow? I’m Rarity, we met at the gala last year. Do you remember?”

“Oh? Oh! Oh, Rarity, yes I remember, your gown was absolutely gorgeous. I never managed to ask Cadence about scheduling a commission with you afterwards because of… well, you remember.”

“Yes, I’m sure we all do.” Rarity nudged Silver, shooting him a grin. “Do you mind if we join you? I’m sure we all would love to catch up.”

“Please do! Berry, would you fetch us some tea?” Her request earned a bow from the aging servant, exiting just as the trio sat beside the study’s large bay window, coated in the soothing rays of the setting sun.

“I’m sure you hear this often, Countess-”

“‘Abby’, please. I think pleasantries are far behind us after all we’ve been through.”

“I suppose you’re right, but you have a magnificent home. I’ve only ever seen it from the outside, which hardly does it any justice.”

“Oh, gosh! I’ve never invited you over, have I? Forgive me, I forget these things, between the trial and work, and all the travelling in between. I’ll have Cadence take a break sometime so you can join us.”

“Oh, that would be so lovely, right Silver?”

“Definitely.” His quick, soft comment brought Abby’s attention back to him, and once again he felt the burden of the growing silence.

“How is Ms. Hearts, Silver? I haven’t been able to write to her in months, but from what she tells me Coltistrano is back on its hooves.” Abby’s words were followed by attentive eyes.

“It’s getting there, but there’s only so much a pile of gold can do.”

“And what about your more mysterious business?”

“That’s… actually why we’re here. There-”

Silver’s words were cut off sharply by the arrival of Berry, carrying with him a pewter tray of tea, biscuits and sweets that clacked against the table between them. Abby nodded to him, ushering him away and returning to Silver with rapt attention.

“Forgive him, Berry’s very prompt.”

“Very… just last night, Rarity and I received the Nine Night letter from Princess Luna, and I suspect yours is waiting for you in the mail. There was an attack on Shield Wall’s prison.”

“Did he get out?!” Abby lurched forward from her seat, nearly knocking the tea cups over and shaking the small table between them. Silver reached out for her, trying his best to calm the fear painted across her face.

“No, no, the prison was destroyed. There’s no sign of him.”

“Thank goodness. I’m sorry, Silver, I didn’t mean to, um… oh, this is embarrassing.”

“It’s okay, but there’s a problem. Gavel’s been murdered. We’ve found evidence to suggest Luna’s Night Guard have defected. Somepony killed eight ponies last night, and we think they might be coming for you.”

“What, me? Why would they want such a thing?”

“So far, it seems the killer is targeting ponies connected to Shield Wall’s conspiracy,” Rarity said, sipping from her tea. “We don’t have a whole lot to go off of, but what we can determine is, whoever the killer is, they’re very resourceful and quite dangerous.”

“We’re working on finding a lead, but Luna will be stationing guards around the house until further notice.”

“Is he dead?”

Abby’s pained voice tugged at Silver as she looked on with strained, almost hopeful eyes. His mouth hung open slightly, searching for his words before Rarity interjected.

“We don’t have any reason to suspect he escaped, but we won’t know for sure until the prison’s been uncovered.”

“If there’s any way I can help, please let me know… will you be staying long?”

“Until they’re caught,” Silver said.

“Will you… will you need a place to stay?”

Her words forced Silver to sit up straight in his chair. There was a noticeable blush across Abby’s muzzle as her eyes locked onto him, and even Rarity blinked at the brazenness of the offer.

“That’s not a good idea.”

“Right. Of course.”

“In the meantime, Abby,” Rarity interrupted, nervously looking between the others. “I know you haven’t been back for long, but have you heard or noticed anything unusual? Anything at all?”

“Nothing beyond the usual, I’m afraid. We returned to Canterlot hardly more than an hour ago, and I spent most of the time back home in a carriage.”

Abby sipped again from her tea with a focused look on her face, trying to recall the events of the day before she turned to look out the window at the setting sun.

“The killer; did anypony see who they were?”

“Not that we know of,” Silver returned.

“Nothing about a figure in a dark grey robe?”

“Pardon?” Rarity cocked an eyebrow.

“Maybe with a faint green glow about them? Because if they did, it would look an awful lot like that.”

Silver and Rarity shared an incredulous look before peering out the window, themselves. Just as they did, a quick flash of green spilled over the bay window, forming a large crack along the glass pane before a mass of worn grey cloth smashed against it. Shards of glass exploded from the impact. Rarity hardly had enough time to form a shield, if only a partial one, before the thud of hooves cracked against the table between the trio. Silver’s vision recovered to see the figure Abby described.

Tall, draped in tarnished grey rags, with the glow of a sickening green power seeping from beneath the large hood, the pony he could only guess was the killer stood between them all like a terrifying obelisk.

The hood turned, and Silver’s heart stopped as he found Abby caught in its glare.

Chapter 6: “Don’t lecture me… they’re all monsters.”

“Why are you- no! No!”

“Sweet Celestia! Silver!”

Muscles twitched beneath his skin. Like mighty cords they grew taut with strength as Silver lunged from his chair and onto the table with a speed that forced the two panicking mares beside him to flinch. He was face to hooded-face with the attacker. Green power leaked from beneath the lip of the tattered cloth, and before a powerful beam of putrid energy could engulf Abby it was twisted away and up towards the ceiling, the attacker’s head caught in a pair of forelegs. Rarity stepped to Abby’s side and erected a barrier.

“Abby, come with me!”

“But what about Silver?!”

“He’s a big colt, he can handle himself!”

Silver struggled against the impressive strength of the invader, and with strained eyes he watched Rarity escort Abby, clinging to Rarity’s side, away from the scene. He allowed his muscles to rest and disengaged with a graceful flip back, off the table.

“Now listen here, intruder, I am Lord Aristo of Coltistrano, and I shall call the guard if you persist.”

The mass of grey rags stepped off the table, coughing as it did and rubbing its neck, until words came forth from within its form.

“Silver Spade.” The words leaked out like acid, yet their intended recipient showed no change, save a cocked eyebrow.

“So, you know me, too? In that case…”

With a quick swipe of his hoof, Silver produced a small glass orb that crashed against the floor, producing a vast cloud of smoke, filling half the room. Green streaks fired wildly into the vapor. They sailed through the fog as the sheen of gold stitching emerged from the cloud. A duck cleared the intruder of the flying tailcoat’s path, but was hardly enough to dodge the gloved hoof that crashed against their jaw, sending them skidding back along a carpet of shattered glass.

“I can entertain you all I want, you murderous miscreant, but if you know who I am then you certainly know what happens when you threaten her.”

The stallion emerged in full regalia. With a strong flap of the ebon cloak, the Ghost was propelled through the fog-filled air and overtop the invader, whipping the dark tendrils of cloth over the emerald light of a counterspell, snuffing it out. What the Ghost didn’t expect, though, was a display of furious agility that guided the invader’s rear hoof into his midsection, stunning him for long enough to cartwheel out of the cloak’s grasp and into a fighting stance.

“That’s the point, Ghost,” the invader said in an aged, feminine voice.

“So, the stoic slayer has a voice. Perhaps you can educate me on this strange new venture you’re on? I have a bit of an interest in polititical murder.”

She unleashed a flurry of green hail against him, bouncing harmlessly off the cloak’s dark hide as it shielded the Ghost’s charge. A few solid blows found their path between the gaps in the rags, but his final kick was caught and deflected against the nearby wall. His collision was followed closely by hail of a different kind. Glass shards rose from the carpet, sheathed in green power, and soard toward him.

“As if I need to justify killing that monster!” Her onslaught was nimbly dodged, save for a single shard that grazed the Ghost’s foreleg. The Ghost chuckled and rubbed his fresh wound.

“Oh no, don’t get me wrong. I would love to melt Shield Wall’s face, too, were it not for my nagging moral compass, but killing Midnight Gavel and the Night Guard was going too far.”

“Don’t lecture me… they’re all monsters.”

She launched herself into the Ghost faster than he could react. A sharp hum in the air announced her charge, crashing into him like the lightning before thunder, sending them both hurdling against the far wall. The Ghost tumbled across the floor. After a painful cough he managed to catch his breath, just in time to evade another green bolt, nearly singeing his cowl. Back on his hooves, the Ghost struck against the side of her head, and another to the soft meat of her throat, before whipping the cloak out toward one of the discarded chairs, snatching it in the cloth and catapulting it toward her.

The explosion of wood and splinters preceded a loud pop from her hip. Stumbling away, the invader struggled to evade more of the Ghost’s strikes, but it seemed no matter how far she retreated the dark fabric of the Ghost’s enchanted cloak always managed to steal another bit of her resolve with blinding speed. Then a glowing vile appeared in her hoof.

It sailed across the spaces between her and the Ghost. He flinched at the sight, recognizing the putrid solution within the vial and only just managed to dip below its path of flight, hearing the shatter against the floor behind him. That was all the time she needed to return her leg back to its socket and send a kick into the Ghost’s back. He tripped forward, his muzzle inches away from the bubbling patch of liquid the vial left behind. The mare wasted no time running for the exit. She could see the hallway and the lobby beyond, before the familiar wisping sound of the cloak reached her ears and the study’s main sofa obstructed her vision, violently colliding with the doorframe and wedging itself inside.

“A magnificent mixture, if I may say. Did you make it yourself or do you have to foalnap a supplier?”

The mare screamed, spinning on her good leg to throw a second vial of acid, but the Ghost was already far above her and wrapped in his cloak like a dark, formless missile that struck her with a fearsome knee. She smacked against the doorframe and clambered over the wedged sofa into the hallway. The Ghost dove through the small opening after her and took chase down the hallway and into the estate’s main lobby. The mare skidded to a halt at the railing and spun to grab the Ghost, using her momentum to hurl him over the ledge. With a snap of his wrist, though, the cloak reached out with two strands that grabbed both the railing and her, saving him and dooming her to collide with the pristine marble floor.

The Ghost landed with a clack of his hooves. Glinting metal soared and met his approach, the mare’s thrown knife slipping past the defenses of the cloak and slicing into his chest. He fell to one knee as she recovered to her own.

“Nice trick,” he managed to say, grasping his wound.

“Keep fighting and I’ll have to show my next one.” She dragged a foreleg across her concealed mouth, leaving a dark and wet stain of what the Ghost guessed was blood.

“Don’t suppose we could end it here, huh? Watching you kill my friends is hardly my favorite kind of magic show.”

“You call them friends? Midnight Gavel kept you dead to the public. Shield Wall tried to murder you. Even Glow thought she was helping when she convinced half the nobility in Canterlot to wage a war. Are you really defending them?” The mare stood upon quivering hooves, just barely keeping her balance.

“Just her I’m defending, but if you really know as much as you flaunt, then it’s no surprise why.” The Ghost drew a sharp breath as he stood.

“You’re letting them get in the way of what matters.”

“And what’s that? Reckless murder mixed with a horrid fashion sense?”

“If you knew half of Shield Wall’s crimes, you wouldn’t be making jokes.”

“I know every last one… and I’m giving you the chance to convince me there’s one I don’t know, yet.” His voice was cold.

“How about the Night Guard? Did you know they were hunting Gavel, or working behind Luna’s back?”

“You’ll have to do better than that,” the Ghost said as he gripped the cloak.

“They’re still out there, and they’re probably already out of the city by now.”

“Heading where?”

“Ponyville. They have a plan that involves the princess living there, and I don’t think they’ll be as pleasant with her as I was with them.” Her sudden confession left the Ghost frozen, staring in response.

“Let’s say I believe you. What’s in Ponyville?”

“We can find out together. You don’t have to hunt me, Ghost, not when there are more ponies out there who hurt us. The Night Guard, the conspirators, all the darker parts of Equestria fear you. Help me find those traitors, and we can make sure they never hurt anypony, anyone ever again.”

“By killing them all, right? Because that’s a fantastic way to convince absolutely no one it’s what’s right.”

“It’s the only way that works.”

“No it’s not… it’s not only the battle you must win, but the discourse. That’s where the true strength of the mission lies.”

A heavy blanket of silence covered them and the room, with only the faint sounds of dripping blood a threat to its all encompassing veil. After a moment the Ghost’s expression shifted into one of confusion, gazing intently at the mare when a slow, stuttering breath escaped her lips.

“Don’t say that…”

“What?”

“Don’t say that!”

From beneath the tattered rags flew forth green rays, wild and unpredictable, that lashed out at everything in sight like a vile tempest. Nothing was spared from the sudden burst of power, not even the now steaming blood at her hooves as the Ghost wrapped himself in his cloak and huddled to the floor to weather the onslaught of spells screaming through the air. Though the cloak was strong, magical force still battered his shelter, and the shattering of the polished floor almost deafened him. A final burst pushed him back before the world became still.

He recovered, peering over the edge of the cloak to the mare standing before him, surrounded by a ring of black on the floor. Through her heavy, labored breathing, the Ghost’s weary eyes could make out small streaks traveling down her face to the already filthy rags. He slowly approached.

“It doesn’t have to end like this, we can-”

He flinched and raised his cloak to block the second flying dagger. Once he whipped the edge of his cloak out to strike her he found himself alone. Careful eyes scanned the room. All around him were the remains of the same gorgeous lobby he had stepped into just minutes before, tarnished and broken.

“Rarity? Abby? Where are you two?”

A click was heard from one of the walls, and behind the concealed doorway came the two unicorns, joined quickly by Berry as he bolted from the other side of the lobby. The Ghost limped halfway to them before falling into Rarity’s outstretched hooves.

“Oh, goodness, Silver! Where are you hurt? Oh, silly me, you’re hurt everywhere, and… Silver! That wound is bad. Over here on the stairs, now.” Rarity’s frantic diagnosis brought a smile to Silver’s face, but his jubilation was short-lived as Abby firmly wrapped him in a hug of her own.

“Silver! I was so frightened. Berry, fetch one of the kits. Does it hurt?”

“Hurt? Me? No, no, just sore from the worko-” He yelped as Rarity felt along his midsection, glaring at her before spying the thread, needle and gauze float from her saddlebag. “You just carry that stuff with you?”

“Don’t forget, darling, your adventures aren’t the only ones I partake in, now stop squirming. If I can stitch a mantua and petticoat on less sleep then you’ve had, I can surely sew up that wound.”

“I can stitch myself, thank- ow!”

“Yes, but you’re terrible at it,” Rarity quipped.

“Maybe I’ll be your apprentice? You can teach me how to properly sew up my mistakes and I’ll be your personal ponnequin as payment.”

“Oh! How generous. That way you can get blood over all of my designs, not just the ones you buy.”

Rarity and Silver laugh at the sarcasm, almost forgetting the painful display of thread in flesh between them. Abby, however, could only watch as Berry finally returned with a kit of medical supplies, taken from him by his employer as she offered one of the bottles of iodine.

“Hold still, Silver, I hope it doesn’t hurt too much,” she said, removing the cork and tipping the bottle over the wound.

“I don’t think I could tell at this point. Thank you. Where did you three go?”

“Into one of my safe rooms. After I heard about the one you have in Coltistrano, I decided to install a few around the house, just in case.”

“It’s quite cozy in there too,” Rarity said. “Plenty of wards defending the room. I hesitate to say we all might have been perfectly safe in there, but you wouldn’t dream of letting a challenge pass you by, would you darling?”

“‘Ha ha’,” the Ghost mocked.

“Don’t bully him too much, Rarity, he did marvelously against that terrible pony. I heard you two talking, did she say anything helpful?”

“She’s violent, easily provoked, and skilled. Very skilled. She might be former military or something similar.”

“Perhaps a Night Guard agent gone rogue? Trying to clean up the mess they’ve been making?” Rarity suggested.

“Maybe, but whatever she is, we were right, she’s clearly a victim of Shield Wall’s conspiracy. And… well, she knows who I am, and I mean knows who I am.”

“How is that possible?” Abby asked, placing a hoof on the Ghost’s shoulder.

“I don’t know, and honestly I don’t want to think about it. The fact she knows anything about me is disturbing enough.”

“‘Disturbing’ is certainly a word I’d use, with those dreadful rags.” Rarity shuddered at the mere mention, magic from her horn tearing the thread, freeing her needle from the wound.

“But this ‘Ragged Mare’ can’t have known all this, could she?” Abby bit her hoof as she spoke. “She knew where to find the prison, knew how to follow Gavel, and even when I would be returning for her to strike. Silver, have you told anypony that you’re you?”

“Less than I would’ve liked... but nothing that could lead to this. I haven’t even told Shining Armor or Cadence.”

“Then this is truly disturbing. Silver, I think we know much less than we initially thought, and we need to find out who this mare is as soon as possible, but first…”

Rarity helped the Ghost to his hooves, struggling a bit to carry the stallion before all four hooves were firmly planted on the burnt floor. She looked around and gasped as Berry appeared before her with a slightly dusty red and gold tailcoat in his hoof.

“Oh! Berry, how thoughtful, thank you.” Rarity said as she took the coat.

“He’s very good at his job. Berry, will you alert the authorities? Aunt Luna will want to know about this development. What will you do now, Silver? Surely, you won’t be fighting in your condition.” Abby’s attention was fixed on Silver, ignoring her servant’s eager exit through the entrance of the manor.

“She mentioned Ponyville, said the Night Guard are heading there. Besides, this is only the second time I’ve been stabbed in the past day.” He pulled off his cowl and carefully folded the shadowy costume back into his tailcoat.

“Second?! Honestly, Silver, does that drab getup protect you at all?” Rarity nearly shouted.

“Well, the cloak does a lot of the protecting, and-”

“Clearly not enough. Abby, I’m so sorry our meeting ended terribly, but it was lovely to see you again.”

“You too, Rarity, where will you two go now?”

“Well, right now we’re going to my boutique for supplies. After that, we’re off to follow up on a lead from the crime scene this morning.”

“Wait, ‘we’? As in you’re coming with me?” Silver asked.

“Nopony else is going to stitch you up, and I have a few choice words for her and the Night Guard if they think they can bring their criminal circus to my home, so I hope you’ve cleaned up that hollowed-out tree you call an airship… and there will be no ‘buts’, understand? We’re in this together, now.”

Silver’s laugh came through, chuckling as he finally managed to slip into his tailcoat, albeit uncomfortably, tucking the rest of his cloak away. As he hobbled after Rarity towards the door, Abby rushed to his side and pulled on his shoulder.

“You’re leaving so soon? I know so much has happened, but I would hardly call this a proper visit. It’s been so long.”

“That’s the way it is with me, nowadays, but I have to go. Once Luna hears about what happened this place will be crawling with guards she trusts. You’ll be safe.”

“Of course, but… I haven’t felt safe for a long time. Not until you came to see me.”

“I’m not excited about it, either, but nopony in Ponyville is safe until I bring her in. Besides, it’s not like I could take you with me.”

“Why not? I’m still quite keen in a fight, and you need to have somepony watching over you.” Abby looked to Silver with hopeful eyes, and a thin blush crossed his face at her suggestion.

“I-I’ll be fine. I’ll be out of commission for a few days, and besides, the gang is more than capable. I don’t want you to be in danger.”

“I’m in danger regardless. Wouldn’t you-”

“Abby, please.”

Silver’s voice became firm, reflecting the rising heat in his face as he glared at the floor. “Just… It’s safer here than with me. Please stay, okay?”

Abby’s eyes remained fixed on Silver for a moment before shifting to Rarity, who politely tried to shift her gaze. She shifted back to Silver. After a second’s hesitation she sighed and lifted a hoof to his bruised cheek.

“For you, Silver, but you stay safe, too.”

He smiled and turned toward the door. Together, he and Rarity exited the Glow estate, passing through the growing crowd of guards that had formed around the house. A few tried to stop them but were quickly shoved aside by Rarity as she escorted the limping stallion away from the grounds and out onto the city streets.

“To the boutique then?”

Her question was returned with a simple nod from Silver, allowing silence to overtake the two. She waited until the Glow Estate was finally out of view before speaking to her wounded friend.

“Well, at least it’s over. I could tell how uncomfortable you were.”

“Sometimes, Rarity, you can be a bit too perceptive.”

Chapter 7: “That’s quite a large ‘if’ you’ve presented, Gorn…"

Much care was taken in removing her large claw from the door to the captain's cabin. She drew it shut and gently pulled it past the latch, and with a satisfying click it was finally nestled into the wood frame. Gilda turned to face the deck.

The Tornado was drifting silently through the nighttime sky, mingling with the stars above on its course through the cloudless air as Equestria slumbered below its hull, casting its shadow in the moonlight above the sea of twinkling lights from towns below. The gryphon turned her head towards the helm and spied Gorn. He stood firm, defiant to the temptations of sleep as his grip on the wheel tightened. When the two shared a glance he simply nodded. Gilda scanned the deck and found only one pony out at this time of night, and her violet locks waved gently in the breeze.

“What’s shakin’?” Gilda asked once she crossed the deck to Rarity.

“This boat,” she returned with a chuckle, pushing her saddlebag aside to welcome the visitor. “Oh, only another grand capper you’ve managed to wrap me into. How are you?”

“Shocked you decided to come with. No offense, but even after Manehatten I never thought you were one for getting into scrapes.” Gilda stood beside her, leaning against the railing and peering out over the world below.

“I’ve been known to get into the ‘rough and tumble’ once or twice, Gilda, and as I recall I’m ahead on our little game by four.”

“Oh, yeah, little miss marshmallow? Well, you heard about the eight Night Guard that broke into Silver’s house, right? Guess who bagged them. Yours truly.” Gilda flourished her talons and flexed, letting her wingspan spill out over the deck in a display of strength.

“But of course, dear, I’ve heard all about how Silver incapacitated the main squad before wounding the straggler enough for ‘yours truly’ to catch him.”

“Hey! Who do you think snagged B-team, huh? Uh, moi, as you prissy types like to say.”

“Well, as I live and breathe, Gilda, it seems we’re tied.”

“Bet your sweet flank we… wait a minute…” Gilda’s eyes went from fiery to flummoxed as she counted her claws carefully, only locking eyes with Rarity after her grin went sour. “Yeah, we’re tied.”

“Don’t feel too bad about it, you took a serious gash to your leg while we were in Baltimare. That earns you some sympathy points.” Rarity giggled a bit as she patted the gryphons now ruffling feathers.

“You’re a smart ass.”

“Ahem, I am a lady.”

“Sorry, a dignified smart ass.”

“Much better.”

Rarity’s triumphant sigh carried on the breeze as she peered out across the glittering landscape below. Her eyes traced the paths between distant towns, the thin clouds on the horizon, the soft light twinkling in the air.

“I missed this, Gilda. For all your coarse edges you truly are a joy to talk to.”

“Y-Yeah, thanks. Kinda cool hearing that from you. I haven’t had a lot of girl friends since joining this crew.” Bashful stammering was highlighted by a claw reaching up to scratch her feathered fringe.

“But you’ve taken a lover, yes?”

“What, no! Did that dork tell you? Is he pranking me? Imma go hit him, just once.” Gilda’s eyes shot daggers at the door to the captain’s cabin.

“No, no, Gilda, you’re missing a primary,” Rarity said, pointing a hoof to Gilda’s left wing. “Forgive me, I suspected you had given it to someone.”

“Oh... you knew that? I mean, that gryphons...”

“Of course. My clients aren’t only ponies, you know, and more than once I’ve fitted a wedding gown with the given primary feather as a centerpiece. I think it’s a beautiful tradition.”

“Wow… that’s, like, actually really cool, Rarity.”

“Thank you, dear. Have you ever thought about it, someday?”

“Eh, someday. Would make running the bakery easier”

“You bake? Gilda, that’s so unexpected! What’s it called?”

“‘Golden Goods’. Well, I wanted ‘Suga-pocalypse’ because, trust me, if I had pony teeth they’d’ve fallen out after all this time, but I’m trying to be all professional, so here we are.”

“Simple, memorable, almost rhymes. Ooh, Gilda I love it! Do you enjoy it? I’m sure it’d be difficult not to, with a little company.”

“It’s a lot more fun than I thought it’d be. Silver bought the building and gave it to me.”

“Ha! Of course he did.”

“It was, like, six months ago, and you should’ve seen how much he ate on opening night. Like he hadn’t eaten cake in years.”

“Well, knowing him, he probably hadn’t,” Rarity giggled.

Gilda shook her head and gave a rough chuckle, reveling in the banter, before letting out a content sigh.

“Of course, that was before he was so… um…”

“Tired?”

“Yeah. I think all the fun from Manehatten died out after a few months, and now he’s just kinda coasting, you know?”

“Yes… How is he?”

“Out cold. Dweeb would’ve never gone to sleep if we had stayed in Canterlot.”

“Does he usually do that?” The question leaked from Rarity’s mouth slowly, trembling toward the end.

“Eh, kinda? This gryphon likes her beauty sleep, so I don’t know what he actually does at night, but probably.”

“Oh, dear, he’s running himself ragged. I could tell from the moment I saw him.”

“Eh, he’s tough. He can take it, but it doesn’t take a genius to tell he’s a little loco in the coco,” Gilda said with a smirk, spinning one of her claws beside her head.

“You never worry about him?”

“Why would I? Silver’s a nerd, yeah, but we’ve both seen him in action, and it’ll take more than a couple sleepless nights to put him in a hole. Don’t worry about him.”

“You wouldn’t be saying that if you saw him today.”

“Did you bring up the whole ‘dual lives’ thing?”

Rarity silenced herself, letting the steady breeze speak for her as Gilda gave a long, forceful sigh. Gilda’s sharp eye could spot Gorn from where she stood. She guessed he was listening in, with the way his vision flicked back and forth between them and the airborne path ahead. She chose to ignore it, waving a lethargic claw in his direction as she returned her attention to Rarity.

“He just never talks to me,” Rarity said.

“Yeah, he doesn’t talk to anyone, that’s his big problem. I’ve caught him mumbling to himself in his dumb ‘nerd cave’ more than once, rambling about the stuff he’s lost thanks to General Tightwad.”

“But doesn’t that bother you? The fact that he just bottles it up inside and does nothing about it?”

“I’m not good at the whole ‘empathy’ thing, that’s pony stuff, but if he’s got something wrong he’ll talk about it on his own. Least, that’s what Ms. Hearts says.” Gilda’s breath was unsteady, her wings tightened around her chest, and her firm eye contact with the ground below told Rarity just how little Gilda believed her own words.

“I think you’re very good at empathy, Gilda, just not too skilled at expressing it,” she said softly, placing a hoof on Gilda’s shoulder.

“Ha! What gave you that idea?”

“Your sarcasm, for starters, and the playfully coarse way you laugh off compliments.”

“Ouch, read me like a book. And what about you, then, little miss marshmallow? What’s your baggage?”

“I haven’t the slightest idea what you mean.”

“Uh-huh, because totally normal ponies with totally normal lives join up with the Ghost for totally normal adventures.”

“There’s the sarcasm again,” Rarity smirked.

She turned to look out over the landscape drifting below them. Even in the pale light of the moon and stars Gilda’s uncanny vision could see every small movement of Rarity’s eyes, never focusing on one thing, drifting from point to point within the space before her, and along her muzzle was a soft underline of color. The silence grew longer, and Gilda’s beak was soon wearing a smirk.

“Yep, Rusty owes me ten bits.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“You ain’t the only one with ‘special eyes’, Rarity. I know what that look means.”

“What look?”

“That look.”

“I haven’t the slightest idea what you mean,” she pouted.

“And that must be your go-to line for hiding something, right?”

The accusation clamped Rarity’s mouth shut, and instead allowed an irritated frown to form. Gilda, however, lost all restraint and broke out at the precious display put on by Rarity as she slapped the ship’s railing in a half-hearted attempt to regain control of her emotions.

“I do not appreciate being picked apart like that,” Rarity said, turning her attention from Gilda sharply.

“I thought you’d like to know I learned a thing or two about detecting from you.”

“W-Well…” Rarity’s hooves fidgeted as she tumbled them over themselves.

“Sorry, sorry, gryphons are a little less serious about feelings than ponies.”

“I will assume the teasing means we’re friendly, yes?”

“You got it, and don’t worry. I ain’t gonna tell nobody.”

“Just between us girls?”

“Yeah,” Gilda said, watching Rarity rest her haunches on the deck and give a long sigh.

“I wish I knew what to say.”

“‘Sup babe’ always worked for me.”

“Yes, well, ‘sup babe’ is hardly how a lady courts somepony. There’s interest and comradery, and to let them know the depth of your emotions before two hearts become one. One cannot just dive into it, not without knowing how the other feels, too.” Rarity became more and more articulate as she spoke, a warm bravado in her voice. Gilda simply cocked an eyebrow.

“Yeah, and when was the last time that worked?”

“Oh please, Gilda, you act as if I’m incapable of finding romance with any-”

“With somepony who mattered?”

Again, Rarity found herself muted by Gilda’s bluntness. Her mouth flapped in search of something witty to retort with, but try as she might the knowing and unamused stare from the gryphon kept her silenced. Gilda huffed.

“All that prissy edicate stuff might work for the rich airheads you hang out with, but the rest of us schmucks all gotta find love the only we can.”

“B-But there’s a protocol to this, Gilda. Courting is a delicate practice.”

“No it’s not,” Gilda deadpanned.

“Well, what would you suggest I do?” Rarity asked, annoyed.

“Say it.” Gilda’s words seemed to slap Rarity across the face.

“You say that like it’s easy.”

“Cuz it is. Not everything’s a mystery.”

“I can hardly do it now, though.”

“Well, no shit, we’re chasing a murdering weirdo across the country. Do it when we’re done.”

“Just like that?”

“Just like that.”

A breeze jostled Rarity’s mane. As she sat on the deck of the Tornado, leaded against the railing and gazing into the space between her and Gilda, she couldn’t help but release a soft and airy scoff into the wind. Gilda watched the grin form on the unicorn’s face and found one growing on her, in return.

“You’re far more empathetic than you give yourself credit for, Gilda,” Rarity finally said.

“Yeah, yeah, you weirdos have softened me up… a bit.”

“Ladies.”

A voice spoke from across the deck, nearing them. The matted and aged face of Gorn came into their vision as his jagged claws clacked against the wooden deck. “Apologies fer interruptin’, if I could ‘ave a word with Rarity.”

“Gorn,” Rarity said, almost dismissively. “Of course… Gilda, you’re a dear. Talk tomorrow?”

“Sure, Rarity.” With that, Gilda retreated across and below deck through the cargo port, leaving the two alone.

“I, err… I hate t’be botherin’ you.”

“Oh no, the ‘bothering’ is already done. Can I help you?” Rarity watched an uncharacteristic twitch in Gorn’s beak as he fumbled over his words.

“When last we spoke, I imagine ye ‘ad a right sour impression a’me.”

“A fine descriptor,” she interjected.

“Aye, but I was angry, an’ a tad too deep in the hooch that night. An honest mistake I’ve come to regret.”

“Forgive me, Gorn, but I’m not sure there’s much left in you that’s honest.”

“Well my word is, an’ I’ve come to apologize. Ye might think me a bastard, but even a bastard knows when a line’s been crossed, savvy?”

Rarity stared at Gorn with a piercing gaze, as if analyzing each and every word the aging gryphon gave her. Her expression softened.

“Thank you, Gorn, better late than never.”

“Aye. Ye’ve a good heart, miss. The bilge rat always spoke well of ye.” A smile stretched across his face, accentuating his crooked beak. “

“‘Bilge rat’?” Rarity asked.

“Eh… Silver, the lad, said ye got the keenest mind in Equestria, which is why I been wantin’ to ask ye somethin’... ye believe ‘em? ‘Bout Shield Wall bein’ dead, an’ all?”

“Well, there hasn’t been evidence to the contrary. Not yet.”

“An’ that’s my point. There ain’t. Nary a piece a’his rotten hide beneath all that rubble.”

“The rubble is what killed Shield Wall, Gorn, the Ragged Mare buried him.”

“Did she?” His voice grew colder as he spoke. “No surprise to ye, but I’ve pulled a swindle or two in my time, an’ nary once ‘ave I seen a stunt as backwards as this. Putin’ a spell through Gavel’s head, blastin’ the whole lot with another, even meltin’ a poor sod, only to bury the one ye hate more than anythin’?”

“Murderers are hardly ever so thorough in their plans, like the wild attack on Countess Glow.”

“Aye, aye, but she tried to use magic on her, right?”

“I don’t understand your point, Gorn.”

“Then how ‘bout this? Shield Wall ain’t under that mess. The bomb was a diversion while the bastard was off escapin’ the city.”

At first, Rarity felt the urge to simply leave the conversation, but Gorn’s proposal lingered in her ear. Her mind wandered through itself, putting the pieces together in a confusing web of knowledge, reviewing the tragic events of just the last day. Her brow furrowed.

“That’s quite a large ‘if’ you’ve presented, Gorn… and if true it would mean we’re being played. How do you suppose he could be alive?”

“I fought ‘im alongside Darrox for years. There ain’t no one more clever or more brutal, an’ I know the bastard scarcely ever was a step behind. I’m guessin’ he planned the break with those Night Guard lot. To ‘ave ‘em bust in, snatch Gavel, and blow the prison to put everyone in the same trap yer in now. He just never thought to be gettin’ interrupted durin’ a prison break.”

“You think, from prison, he’s managed to fool both us and the entire city of Canterlot into thinking he’s dead?”

“Aye, an’ it works ‘cause we all want it to be true.”

“But how could Shield Wall be capable of such a stunt?”

“‘Cause it’s what he does.”

Even Gorn’s failing vision could see the words sink into Rarity’s ears like knives. Before she could respond she watched Gorn slowly walk across deck, toward the cargo port, before he turned to face her again. “Give it some thought.”

With that, Rarity was left alone on the deck of the ship, her only company a sharp tingle crawling up her back, and suddenly the brisk night air became warm against her fur, standing on edge. She slid against the railing and landed on the deck. From the saddlebag, still beside her, floated her journal, flipping to the first empty page and pressing her quill to it.

If we weren’t in the thick of it before, we certainly are, now. The dear Countess Abundant Glow has been made a target of this vicious murderer, and I shudder to think what would’ve become of her had Silver and I arrived even a moment later. He fought her, of course, valiant as always, but the true struggle was watching him and Abby awkwardly fumble over their words to each other. He never told me why they separated, though I’m not complaining. A fact Gilda made painfully clear to me.

Oh, Gilda. Coarse, brutally honest, and a terrific friend, once you accept her crassness. It would be a challenge to overstate just how relieved I am to have a voice of reason along on this journey, despite her penchant for reading others. An ability I struggle to appreciate fully. Now I must not only uncover the identity of this killer, but keep my own emotional responses in check, too. For now, anyways.

That leads me to Gorn. He was kind enough to apologize for his utter disrespect on the mountain on that cursed night, and his many offences since, but now he’s gotten it in his head that Shield Wall could be-

She hesitated at the word. With a ragged sigh she steadied herself, returned the quill to the page, and continued, slowly this time.

It’s a wild notion, to be sure, but even despite my better judgement I can’t help but consider his proposal, wild as it may be. Were that monster still alive then our journey would become far more perilous. Another crooked plot, another trail of chaos, and my darling Silver caught once more charging off into the fray, as if nopony else could. He’s so tired. Everypony sees it, and I’m scared to think such a revelation might break him. The very thought is agony.

Rarity’s gaze drifted from the journal and up toward the night sky. Cold air nipped at her ears, growing numbness failing to distract her from the truly chilling thought swirling in her mind. Gorn’s words echoed within her. She shivered.

Chapter 8: “If nopony else, he will die.”

“Bolt the door! Now! Don’t let anypony through!”

Glint stumbled back from the towering wooden door of the barn. Quick glances to all sides checked for any breaches in the wood, or weaknesses of any kind, before he finally convinced himself they were safe. A heavy sigh left him, almost painfully. Drops of blood marked the bale of hay he collapsed upon, reaching up to remove the stifling helmet from his head and watching it fall to the floor. To his right, a familiar face approached.

“Commander, we’re missing some ponies,” Kindle said, looking no better than Glint. “How’ll they get in?”

“If they’re out there with her, then they won’t.”

“What? We’re leaving them out there?”

“That’s the order, Kindle.” Glint wiped sweat and muck from his forehead, unaware of the scornful expression possessing Nightshade.

“That’s Dusk and Indigo out there! I’m leading some of the boys to go ge-”

“It is an order, Kindle!” Glint hushed himself, quickly looking off to the end of the barn before speaking in a quiet tone. “From the vice general. Just... obey the order.”

“To leave our brothers to die? What kind of order is that?”

“The kind you follow, Kindle, for the last time!”

Glint seethed, avoiding Kindle’s desperate stare, who watched for any change in his stern face as the commander abandoned him at the door, crossing the floor of the dim, musty barn, the scent of mold invading his nostrils. He passed the rest of the unit scattered around him. Some nursed their wounds, burns and scrapes, others straightened their equipment or discarded what had been broken, but all averted their gaze when the commander looked upon them. At the far end sat his superior, who merely glanced over his shoulder as Glint approached.

“Sir, we’re secure. The fugitive has no way into the compound.”

“And she has taken the bait?”

“... Yes, sir.”

“Excellent.”

Shield Wall stood from the heavy crate that was his chair, stretching his neck and giving a twist to his spine, watching the muscle flex as an orchestra of cracks and pops drew Glint’s attention to them. Shield Wall locked eyes with him.

“Prison is a nightmare on the body, Glint. Pray you never find yourself there.”

“Every night before bed, sir, but now that we’ve come to Ponyville, what’s our next move? With respect, sir, I can’t keep commanding the forces to fight if they don’t know what they’re fighting for.”

“The goal, then? So be it. You and the Guard have proven yourself more than capable…”

Beside the crate was a saddlebag. Once thrown over Shield Wall’s back, he gestured for Glint to follow him away from the crowd of weary warriors and up to the barn’s scaffolding, leading them alongside a large window looking out over the town of Ponyville. Glint peered out along the cityscape, glistening with the light of street lamps and torches holding back the dark of night, but his attention was stolen by a firm cough.

“Focus, commander.”

“Yes, sir, forgive me.”

Shield Wall held his cocked brow a second longer than Glint was comfortable with, but relented and pulled a thick leather tome from the bag, floating in Shield Wall’s golden aura between them.

“This is a collection of information curated by the late Midnight Gavel, a series of ‘back-up plans’, if you will. This one in particular is our goal.”

Glint gazed upon the aged paper. Swirling characters and symbols were all he could make out among the arcane etchings, but his eyes soon acclimated to the terrible imagery. Shapes of mangled ponies, the depiction of a massive palace, a contorted face missing it’s horn.

“It’s horrifying, sir.”

“Yes, is it not? Gavel put much effort into capturing the despair of the old magic, but the artistry of a traitor is hardly the point. This, you see, is a meticulously crafted copy of the old writings of King Sombra, former monarch of the Crystal Empire. What do you know of it, commander?”

“As much as any other pony, I suppose. Former enemies lost to the frozen wastes, rescued by Princess Twilight and her friends, and ruled over by Princess Cadence and Shining Armor… but why are we in Ponyville?”

Shield Wall slammed the book shut. Glint blinked at the sudden impact, enough to miss Shield Wall approaching the window and gazing over Ponyville, eyes fixed upon the largest structure in the city. A crystal tower that loomed over everything else.

“Princess Twilight’s palace is a treasure trove of lost magic and arcane knowledge. She will have the tools needed to complete the ritual, and with it, the key to controlling the Crystal Palace.”

“A heist, sir?”

“Very astute, commander, yes.” A grin spread across Shield Wall’s face. “The darling new princess would never assist us, so we are forced to take what we need through other means. From there, we will infiltrate the empire, at the peak of which sits the Crystal Heart, their ultimate defense and our ultimate objective. Prince Shining Armor is well trained, and he will no doubt bolster security once we successfully rob Twilight’s palace. We must proceed with caution.”

“Of course, sir, but… what do I tell them? The Guard is loyal, but they need to know there’s a plan in place befo-”

“Do you doubt me, commander?”

Glint’s words caught in his throat. The piercing glare of the unicorn dwarfed him, as if pushing his very spirit deeper into his body, drawing a quiver from his hooves. His lips flapped, but Shield Wall closed the gap between them.

“If you doubt my motivations, or your loyalty to me, then you are free to express yourself, regardless of the... consequences.”

“I… I don’t, sir.”

“Correct, and you will be sure to not doubt me as we move forward. Once dawn breaks you will send two scouting parties to survey the palace. We have limited time, and we must act quickly if we are to evade both this fugitive and the Ghost that follows her.”

“The Ghost?” Glint’s eye’s locked onto Shield Wall, ears twitching. “You think the Ghost is here?”

“I know he is here.” Shield Wall could almost feel the energy coming off Glint as he stepped forward.

“Then we should split the guard, half to recon the palace and the other to find him. I’ll lead the hunting party, personally, and I promise th-”

“What did I say about doubts, commander?!” The unicorn’s roar shook the building, forcing Glint’s resolve to crumble with its force, frozen in the face of the pony now looming over him, golden eyes boring into him. “There is a reason I allow him to move about freely, and that is because he is hunting the fugitive, not us! So long as he pursues her, she will be pressured, pressured to make mistakes! Mistakes that I shall take advantage of! Must I spell everything out for you?!”

“I-I… I never thou-”

“Of course not, you buffoon! That is why I am here; to think for you. Our purpose here, since you seem unable to figure it out, is to rescue Equestria from the petty, weak-chinned bureaucracy that infects her, and we will use the power of the Crystal Heart to do just that by taking control of the empire, but not until we allow the Ghost to unmask her for us! That is the plan, commander, or is such simplicity somehow beyond you?”

Glint was silent. Not even his breath could be heard as the thumping in Shield Wall’s mind slowly calmed, speaking again once he felt capable of doing so.

“Commander, you possess something none of your subordinates do. Hatred. Hatred for the Ghost, an enemy of Equestria. One who seeks to disrupt our plans to save our nation. He has brought such pain upon you, yes?”

“Y-Yes, sir,” Glint finally said.

“Yes, he has, and the crown defends him. Your mistress even works with him. How many did you lose?”

“I’m sorry, sir?”

“In Baltimare? How many did the Ghost take from you?”

“Baltimare, we… six, sir. Streak and Glider were the last ones.”

“And what would you give to take your vengeance? Vengeance for your friends?”

Glint clenched his jaw, unprepared for Shield Wall’s soft tone and the visions of black snatching his friends away, returning to his mind. A dampness formed behind his eyes. With a sharp snort, biting his tongue, Glint stood straight, glaring out the window before him.

“I would give everything, sir.”

“Then I do not ask for everything, only your patience and faith. The enemies of Equestria will suffer for their transgressions against us, and you will have your chance at vengeance, Glint. That is a soldier’s promise.”

Glint’s heart finally steadied itself, coming down from its tumultuous rush of emotion, and once his hooves finished shaking was Glint able to stand still, calm. Shield resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the sight of the commander taking a deep breath, holding his composure desperately.

“What are your orders, sir?”

“Reconnaissance must commence at first light, commander,” Shield Wall began. “It is imperative we are not seen until the right time. In the meantime, have that pesky Kindle and two others send missives to the units in the surrounding areas, have them summoned to the Everfree Forest where we can remain hidden. Their support will be absolutely vital, for without the horsepower we will fail in holding the palace from Prince Armor.”

“Are the royals targets, sir?”

“No. The Prince and Princess are to remain unharmed, but their palace and stations are of particular interest to me. I suspect the Crystal Empire has not yet had the time to establish proper defences, and the fledgling nation still lacks a proper administration. A weakness I intend to exploit. No, commander, infiltration will be simple, and usurpation even simpler with all the tools in place. Once we control the palace, the royals will be forced to obey our whims, but they must not be harmed, understood?”

“Transparent, sir, I’ll give the order for a troop rally inside the Everfree. Recon will be sent out at oh-six-hundred hours.” Glint gave a passionate salute before he turned, catching himself on his heel and allowing a single question to escape his lips. “We’ll kill him, right sir? The Ghost?”

“Most spectacularly, so. He will die, and Equestria will be saved.”

That was all the confirmation he needed and Glint was off to meet with the rest of the Night Guard. Shield Wall could hear the orders being passed between them, staring over the railing at the shuffling bat ponies below. A gentle throbbing entered his mind. Pulsations of anger surged through his skull, threatening to overtake what patience he managed to keep so late into the night. Only the image of the Ghost brought him any measure of focus, of peace, as he took a painfully slow breath and sighed.

“If nopony else, he will die.”

--

Rarity trotted gleefully through the open streets of town, humming in the brilliant light of midday. Ponies passed by, waving, sharing pleasantries with her and the two figures beside her. They all smiled back. Many of the residents followed suit in the display of hospitality, with only a few hesitating at the sight of the large gryphon accompanying her. Rarity huffed in response, gently leading Gilda and Silver away, closer to a large building near the center of town, adorned in patterns of pink and powder blue along its round exterior.

“The nerve of some ponies. Gilda, dear, I’m so sorry you had to experience that.”

“Hey, it’s cool, last time I was here, I… well, yeah.”

“Yes, yes, but a little ‘forgive and forget’ goes a long way. Silver, darling, you’ve been rather quiet.”

“Huh? Oh, sorry, just taking in the sights,” he said, gazing around the little town with a wide smile. “This place is amazing. It’s everything I’ve ever hoped home would be. Bright, open, peaceful.”

“I’m shocked you’ve never visited before, though I suppose there isn’t much hero work to be done around here, is there?”

“Clearly.”

Silver scanned the various buildings that lined the city streets, hardly taller than three stories, but each possessing its own unique visage. In his eyes, Ponyville was a palette of vibrant color. A trio of pegasi greeted them from overhead, and some of the stall workers called Rarity out by name, all sharing well-wishes to the trio.

A whizzing bushel of feathers and laughter nearly slapped Silver in the face as it flew past him, followed by the giggles of other foals stampeding through the street around them, chasing the young pegasus wearing an all too familiar garment. The child fluttered about in a long, dark cloak. Her pursuers followed him across the stalls, along the fences, shouting threats and laughing as the young pegasus flipped and rolled with the signature inelegance of a child.

“After her,” one child shouted. “Don’t let the Ghost escape!”

“A ha! Creepy and cantankerous cretins like you will ne- woah!” A stiff breeze yanked the cloak in one direction as she settled on a large crate, nearly toppling her. “Ha ha! Not even mighty winds can stop me from saving Ponyville. The Ghost now rests her sights on you!”

Silver nearly stopped in his tracks, their infectious laughter threatening to take him as the young filly dove for the crowd of make-believe wrong-doers. He was beaming now. It wasn’t until Gilda gave him a quick nudge he returned to his senses. She gave him a look, and spotted the most genuine smile she’d seen since leaving Coltistrano. Rarity, however, merely looked forward with excitement.

“And, voila! The Carousel Boutique, where everything is chic, unique, and magnifique!” Rarity giggled at her own slogan, opening the door for the others to enter. “Gilda, I know you’re not too comfortable with being here, but you’re more than welcome to make yourself at home. Silver, though, needs to join me in my workroom. We have much to discuss.”

They were met by the magenta-colored display room that was Rarity’s boutique, adorned in fine drapery, with looming checkered ceilings above them. Gilda and Silver slowly crossed the display floor to the other end of the room, finding a small kitchen area just beyond the row of fitting rooms, opposite a curiously plain stairway leading up to the second level.

“Upstairs?”

“Yes, dear, just upstairs. Go on, I’ll be with you in a minute.”

Silver looked from Rarity to Gilda before making his way up the clean white staircase. Once he passed out of sight, Gilda peered over to Rarity.

“‘Join me in my workroom’, huh?”

“Oh hush, Gilda, there’s hardly any time for that kind of behavior, is there?”

“No, you’re right,” Gilda said with a wry smirk. “Just kind of funny that your ‘workroom’ is also your bedroom.”

“I-It is not!”

“Uh-huh? Must sleep in the kitchen, then. Bet it’s real cozy next to the oven.”

“I’ll entertain your pestering no further, just make yourself at home, quietly… and I would have you know there are many rooms on the top floor, thank you!”

Gilda’s sharp, gravely laugh was all Rarity could hear as the gryphon watched her flustered attempt to climb the stairs, resisting a powerful urge to turn around and knock some sense into her. The laughter died out as Rarity crested the stairs. She inched her way down the hallway to her workroom, a maelstrom of fabric and thread littering the floor, watching Silver survey his colorful surroundings. A huff escaped her lips as she entered.

“There’s got to be more color in this room alone than I’ve seen in my entire life.” Silver’s comment summoned a smile from her face.

“You should see it in summer. More shades of green than Celestia has years of life, but you’re more for darker colors, yes?”

“‘Color’, singular, I think.”

“But you wear it so well, darling.” Rarity’s magical aura ensnared various implements from around the room, orbiting her.

“Like I wear bruises and knife wounds. You could say I have a sharp eye for fashion.”

“Oh, yes dear, I could not agree more,” Rarity playfully mocked, rolling her eyes at the attempt at humor. “That’s exactly why you’re up here, though. We need to do something about your proclivity for harm.”

“I thought I did well against the Ragged Mare.”

“Silver, I put enough thread in you to stitch a dinner jacket. Your cloak is powerful, true, but it can’t do all the work.”

“Worked well enough for Darrox. Blocking magic, tying ponies up, gliding. The stories about what he could do with this thing… heck, even he didn’t know everything it could do.”

“Yes, well, your darling mentor also never knew the luxury of splinted mail, or at least something more functional than spider’s silk.”

“Darrox was always hardy, even he-… wait, ‘splinted mail’? Like, real armor?”

“Well, of course, I’m not going to send you out there in some frilly ‘Rarity Original’. No, darling, proper protection.”

“Holy smokes. ‘Rarity, the armor-smith’. I never would’ve thought.” Silver’s chuckle earned a withering look from Rarity.

“Cooks and tailors are two ponies you should never mock, Silver. Cooks poison your food, while tailors…”

Silver yelped at the surprise jab of a needle in his side, followed by another sharp sting for Rarity’s own amusement. He jerked away, cradling his midsection, defending it from a feared third attack. She chuckled.

“I’ve had my fair share of experience with more complex orders, Silver, and a lady is always up for a challenge.”

“Clearly.” Not even the fading pain in his flesh could dissuade his warm grin. “And here I thought you wanted me not to be stabbed?”

“I reserve the right when you become bothersome.”

“So, always?”

“Always.”

They didn’t notice how close they stood to each other, not until one of Rarity’s violet hairs fell across Silver’s face, urging them to pull apart. He retreated into the encroaching coil of a measuring tape, pushing his saddlebag from his clothed back. It slid along his body methodically, Rarity’s eyes following all the while.

“Do you have any requests? Something like a symbol or pattern?”

“No, thank you, kind of hard to see against the black.”

“Good. I love the mystique of your look… are you feeling alright?”

“What? Yeah, why?”

“Awake for two days, fighting in between, and everything that happened yesterday. You must’ve been tired.” Her eyes strayed from the animated tape measure, shifting to his. “You look tired.”

“No, I slept great. Plenty of catching up, you know?”

“Silver…”

His grin faded. The flutter in his stomach held his words hostage, almost choking him, only speaking after forcing a long, stuttering breath.

“Abby doesn’t understand. She thinks things can go back to how they were.”

“Have you spoken to her about it? To anyone?”

“Who would I talk to? Mom’s desperate to move on, Gilda has her own love life to worry about, and Gorn… I think it’s best to just leave it alone.”

“You could talk to me. I worry about you, sometimes.”

“I can’t bother you about it. You have your work, your friends, your life. I can handle it, Rarity, honest.”

“Silver, you’re my friend, too. You don’t have to bottle everything up and hope it disappears. I want to help, if I can.”

“But what would I do? It’s not like I can just show up at the estate and say, ‘Hey, Abby, been a while. Let’s talk about how we’re different ponies now and try to salvage everything we lost’.” His rant was accentuated by a mocked performance of himself, a wide, false smile across his face.

“But that’s exactly what she wanted.” Rarity’s focus shifted to a rising bolt of black fabric. “Couldn’t you tell how desperate she was to talk to you? How long has it been since you came back from Manehatten? Since you last spoke to her?”

Silence filled the room. He held his gaze on the floor before him, fidgeting whenever Rarity tried to meet his amber eyes.

“You haven’t, have you?”

“A letter, here and there, but I’m not avoiding her.”

“I didn’t say you were.”

“Well… it felt like you were.”

“Silver.” Rarity pushed away the floating tools around her, pulling Silver’s face gently to her. “If something is bothering you then you need to talk about it. Either about her, or your home, or that cloak, but whatever it is please don’t neglect yourself. It hurts me to see you like this.”

“Rarity, I’m-”

Her hoof sealed his mouth, pressing firmly against his lips.

“Don’t lie to me, Silver, just promise we’ll talk when this is over.”

Her gloomy eyes threatened to tear down his resolve. With a gentle hoof he took hers and pulled her into a soft, warm hug, rubbing her back, desperately holding back the quiver in his lip.

“I promise.”

“Thank you, Silver.” She stroked his back, closing her eyes. “I just hope I’m wrong, and you’re not hurting as much as I fear.”

“That would be a first,” Silver chuckled.

They leapt at the loud bang from the window beside them. Silver, with powerful forelegs, forced Rarity behind him as he faced down the cyan pegasus screaming outside. She waved her hooves in front of the glass.

“Rarity! Rarity! Get downstairs, there’s a problem at AJ’s!”

The two spared no time in bolting from the room, gathering their things, almost gliding down the stairs, and barreling into the showroom. Silver’s nod urged Gilda’s powerful wings to open. As soon as they were outside she scooped the two ponies up and blasted off toward the sprawling orchard at the edge of town. The cyan pegasus flanked them in the sky peering towards Gilda, nearly losing her balance as the two locked eyes, breaking contact just as quickly as the trip came to a sudden stop. The four landed on the soft earth of Sweet Apple Acres, greeted by a single orange pony with red in her face.

“Rainbow! Ah said get Rarity, not all these jokers. Sorry fer the confusion, you two, but… wait a tick. Gilda?!”

“Uh, yo?” Gilda waved a sheepish claw to the earth pony.

“Landsakes, Rainbow, didya take a pit stop in Griffonstone on the way to Rarity’s?”

“No, no Applejack, these are my friends from out of town.” Rarity gestured toward Gilda and Silver. “You already know Gilda, a story we’ll get to later, and this is S-”

“Aristo,” Silver blurted out.

“Y-Yes, they can help. What’s wrong?”

Applejack and Rainbow eyed each other, shifting in place as the farm pony coughed and spoke. “Not sure just how much good these two’ll be, there’s a nasty, uh… mess. In the storage barn. Bad mess.”

“Yeah, really bad,” the pegasus, Rainbow, piped up. “Juicy, uh… spill. Not sure it’s a good idea for them to get dirty. You know, cuz of the… dirt.”

“I may be perceptive, but I’m not a psychic. Applejack, would you please tell me what’s happened?”

Applejack pulled Rarity in close, huddled next to Rainbow, whispering between the three as Silver and Gilda looked on. They shared a look.

“Okay, featherface, how bad do you think it is?”

“Five bits says a body. Maybe two, by the smell of it.”

“Ragged Mare said the Night Guard were stopping by. Must’ve thought they were safe here instead of an outpost.”

“Yup,” Gilda punctuated. “Judging by the barbecue she left in Canterlot, I don’t blame them. Wanna sneak around the back?”

“No, these are Rarity’s friends. Let her handle them.”

Gilda watched, fidgeting as she eyes the cyan pegasus intently. Her feathers ruffled along her neck.

“Are you okay?” Silver placed a hoof on her shoulder.

“Remember all the talk about ‘no friends’ I had last year? When we met?”

“I remember. You said… oh.”

“Yeah, ‘oh’.”

“Everything going to be okay between you two?”

“We’ve made up, doesn’t mean some things aren’t a little tender, y’know?”

“Yeah, yeah I know.”

Silver’s gaze shifted to Rarity, focused entirely on her silent conversation with the other two. The hushed murmuring eventually died out, freeing the unicorn to return to the dup on the sidelines, still keeping her low tone as she spoke.

“So, don’t be alarmed, but Applejack here has found the bodies of Night Guard out in the north orchard, and there’s signs of a break-in at the barn.”

“Called it,” Gilda said.

“Yes, rather disturbing how normal this has become for us.” Rarity gave them a sheepish look. “Regardless, they’ve asked us to look into the situation. I’ve convinced Applejack to give us some space while we investigate. Shall we?”

Rarity led the party toward the towering wooden barn at the border of the north orchard, not noticing Silver reach into his coin purse and toss five glinting coins to Gilda, smirking in response, until the sudden scent of decay wafted toward her in the breeze. A claw grasped her beek.

“Guh, jeeze,” she groaned.

“You said it, darling,” Rarity said through a white cloth.

“Well, uh, Applejack,” Silver said. “Could we have a moment to look at the scene? I promise we won’t damage anything.”

“It’d be hard to hurt it anymore than it is, but knock yourself out. Barn door’s open and the two poor fools are just over yonder… and Rarity, I'm still calling the guard. Can’t let Applebloom come home to see this.”

Rarity acknowledged Applejack with a dainty hoof. She stepped beside Silver and Gilda, joining their path to the barn, scanning for any detail. Silver quickened his pace and pried open the barn door. True to Applejack’s word, the interior was a wreck.

“I won’t lie to you, darling, I’m not sure what we’ll find in this mess.”

“I’m scared to agree, but we should try. Gilda, could you help Rarity search for clues? I’m going to examine the bodies.”

Rarity nodded, and Silver made his way toward the treeline. The view above him was a calming one, red orbs glistening in the sunlight, bouncing on branches as the wind blew through them. Sunlight peeked through the verdant canopy of the orchard, here and there, even upon the grizzly scene before him. There laid mangled bits upon the dirt, none particularly whole.

“This must be the scene, and… yep, that’s a leg.”

His eyes traveled from limb to limb, eventually finding the largest lump of flesh, half melted and dressed in destroyed black armor. He whispered thanks upon discovering the corpses still possessed their heads. Their eyes were blank. Silver leaned down to inspect one and the many small creases along the forehead, the curl in the mouth’s corner.

“They were afraid. She must’ve gotten them, too.”

Following the puddles of melted muck leading away from the body, Silver spied a darker patch of baark upon one of the towering apple trees. Upon closer inspection it, too, had been eaten away by the magical substance, though not as much. He made sure the coast was clear before pulling the cloak from his bag and swiped the trunk with practiced form, freeing the dead bark and placing it within a cloth. He returned his attention to the crime scene, but even his perceptive eyes struggled to find anything among the carnage he’d not already seen, save the small pattern upon one of their tarnished saddlebags. A shield and spears. Silver winced at the sight.

“Yo, nerd. Barn’s a bust. Nothing but broken wood and the smell of a locker room.”

“An apt description, Gilda, and a pity, at that. Just once, I wish our adversaries would lea-”

Rarity halted in her tracks at the sight of the carnage. Her white cloth returned to cover her mouth, and her dignity, as she quickly turned from the scene. “Please tell me you’re finished, Silver?”

“Yeah, I am. Nothing new here. Well, except for the fact I can’t tell whose legs belong to who.” His words caused Rarity to gag.

“Dead end, then?” Gilda asked, leading the group away and out of the orchard.

“Maybe, unless Rarity’s expert source can shed some light on the case. Are we able to meet with them?”

“Yes, darling, she’s just on the other side of town. The large tower, there.”

Silver stopped in his tracks, eyes locked on the looming crystal structure dwarfing the rest of Ponyville. He recognized it.

“Twilight? Shining Armor’s sister is your contact?”

“Well, yes, she’s the most academically gifted unicorn I know. There's no problem, is there?”

“She’ll recognize me. We used to know each other, back before I disappeared.”

“Dude, seriously, that’s what you’re hung up on? We’re chasing some psycho melty lady and an army of trained assassins and you’re worried about embarrassing yourself in front of the bookworm?” Gilda’s incredulous expression snatched the voice from Silver’s throat.

“N-No, just… if they connect her to us, to me, they might come after her.”

“She’s a princess, darling, and the one who defeated Tirek. Nopony’s so foolish as to threaten her, and if we want answers there’s nopony better to ask.”

Silver swallowed what weak words he had left, electing to nod at Rarity’s statement and making his way down the field and back into town. Gilda and Rarity exchanged a glance, wordlessly, before hurrying behind the argent pony.

Chapter 9: “I am your princess, and I command you all to stop your fighting this instant!”

It was the single, most intimidating collection of books Rarity had ever laid eyes upon, surrounding her like the imposing walls of a fortress. They formed the border of the intricate laboratory space she stood in. Her eyes followed the flow of liquid through glass tubes and beakers, the fluttering flame warming the concoction, its glow illuminating the carefully sorted array of crystal lenses orbiting around the crime scene evidence and Rarity failed to hide just how impressed she was. Its observer hummed.

Violet eyes peered through the lenses. Her wings twitched at her sides, announcing every excited chirp from the alicorn princess. Rarity giggled at the sight but kept an eye above her, watching the thin space between the shelves and the darkness beyond the skylight, a feat impossible for the purple alicorn now moving to another instrument.

“Rarity, I just want to say thank you so, so, so much for asking me to help you. You never tell me anything about your adventures outside of Ponyville and, I mean, come on! This stuff is fascinating!”

“I’m glad you appreciate it, Twilight, but keep this between us, yes?”

“Don’t worry, Rarity, a true friend would never compromise another friend. Even with the law… which I guess is aiding and abetting, isn’t it?”

Rarity laughed again, watching Twilight shrug off the thought and return to the crystal lens. The chirps and hums soon stopped.

“This substance is strange, and I mean really strange. You say you found this on one of Applejack’s trees?”

“My partner did, yes.”

“You mean… that partner?” Twilight bounced in place, biting a lip.

“Twilight, please, this is important.”

“Sorry, sorry, sorry, you’re right. I’m just excited. I mean, I’ve heard of alchemical solvents, and I’ve brewed hundreds before, but this stuff is almost specific. This bark sample you brought is almost untarnished, like the solvent couldn’t hurt it, but the sample from Canterlot is far more volatile. Come, take a look.”

Rarity approached the complex instrument and placed an eye to the lens. In an instant she recognized the difference between the two samples. The bark was dull, dried, with a barely defined border between the affected area and the rest, but the vial from Canterlot was still viscous and emitted the same noxious odor she had become accustomed to.

“Have you any idea how this could be?” Rarity pulled her head from the lens, rescuing herself from the urge to gag, and met with Twilight’s stern face.

“I’ve been thinking about that, myself. I first wondered if it could be a difference of living and nonliving matter, but they are both living samples, biologically and magically. This suggested something more… disturbing. Watch this.”

From a small box beside the display, hidden beneath a clutter of papers and baubles, Twilight removed a sizeable purple shape, coarse and lagged along some edges. She slowly guided it past the lip of the vial and made contact with the substance. Much to Rarity’s surprise, nothing happened.

“I don’t get it,” Rarity stated plainly.

“This is one of Spike’s scales. Now, he’s a dragon, and the substance becomes inert just on contact with it, but you found this on a pony, right?”

“Right?”

“So, that could mean this particular solvent was brewed especially to hurt ponies. I’m scared to think who would even dare to make something so foul.”

“How revolting! To think somepony would stoop to such depths. Please tell me you know something more, something that can help us find who concocted such a wretched thing?”

“Ah ha! That’s what this is for,” Twilight chirped, pointing toward the boiling array of beakers and tubes.

The princess stepped away, floating a quill and parchment to herself. Rarity watched as Twilight lost herself to a trance of watching the fluids flow across her vision and mindlessly writing notes upon the page, stopping only to correct her spelling or check her results. Again, Rarity found herself looking toward the ceiling. In the dark corners of the laboratory, just above the towering shelves, she could make out a shape, hardly moving and silent. It was watching her.

“I’ve done it!” Twilight’s announcement caused Rarity to jolt. “I’ve gone ahead and made a list of what, most likely, are the ingredients for the potion. Be careful, though, some of those are pretty, um… oh, I’ll just say it. Necromancy. It’s necromancy.”

“‘Razor powder, manticore fur, shavings of a weeping stone…’ Truly? Twilight, I haven’t even heard of half of these.”

“Not many ponies have. You don’t just find a weeping stone. I mean, I had to create my own, and it took me two weeks! Whoever is making these solvents has to be exceptionally powerful.”

“Or exceptionally wealthy,” Rarity muttered. “Now, what about the spells. I’m sorry we don’t have more than just our testimony.”

“Well, from the way you described it, they’re still powerful spells, but anypony skilled enough could cast them. Shockwaves are almost basic considering stuff like this.” Twilight gestured enthusiastically at the samples beside her.

“Of course.”

Rarity stewed in her own thoughts, focused on the list of ingredients in her hoof. Silent seconds passed before she noticed Twilight peering over the page, subtly, slightly bouncing again.

“Something wrong, dear?”

“Huh? No, no I’m good. ‘A-Okay’, just… are you going to meet with him now?”

“Who?”

“You know…” Twilight’s dragged out comment made Rarity chuckle.

“Yes, I am.”

“Can I meet him! I’ve read all of the stories, but you never tell me anything. Is he tall? What about his favorite color? Can he actually see into the hearts of ponies?”

“Twilight, darling, I keep it secret because he asks me to. He’s not a very public pony, as I’m sure you guessed.”

“Well, yeah, but it’s like getting to meet Daring Do, or Starswirl. Okay, maybe not Starswirl, but definitely like Daring Do! Can I meet him, please?”

“Twilight…”

“Please?”

Rarity shook her head at her friend’s stubbornness. Smiling, she looked up to the ceiling and spoke.

“Darling, will you be joining us?”

Twilight held her breath, eyes darting around the room, trembling. Rarity cocked an eyebrow before a familiar gust of air gently brushed her mane. Both ponies watch as a shadowy figure lept from the bookshelves, shrouded in his signature cloak, circling the perimeter of the room before gently landing on all fours beside them.

“Holy smokes, it’s you!” Twilight exploded like a boiling teapot. “I mean, of course it’s you, nopony else glides around quite like that. And you were watching us! That’s really, really creepy, butI can’t believe I finally get to meet you! Can I have your autograph?”

From the middle of one of the shelves flew a hefty tome, Hard-Trotting Heroes and Other Tales of Extraordinary Capers. He restrained the nervous laugh building in his chest, and after a pause Rarity nudged the Ghost to pass a quill to him. Aged pages flipped aside to a blank space now bearing his signature.

“Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you! Rainbow Dash will be so jealous when she hears I got to meet you. So you were, just, up there? Listening in on us?”

“I was.”

“So cool…” Twilight’s gushing brought a tiny smile from the Ghost, perceptible only to Rarity. “But here I am, freaking out when you’re here for serious work. You must have questions.”

“Only how somepony could gain access to these substances.”

“Yeah, that’s the disturbing part, isn’t it? Solvents are pretty easy to make, especially in large batches, but this has been altered. This stuff reeks of dark magic, and the ingredients don’t come easily.”

“Are they harmful?”

“Not really, not on their own. Well, except the razor powder because it’s, well, sharp, but otherwise no. You see, alchemy is a lot like basic chemistry. Adding ingredients together to make something new. Solvents are especially easy, and good for alchemy, because they naturally take in new ingredients, or ‘solutes’, as well as whatever magic the alchemist wants to pour into the solution. This stuff though? Oh my Celestia, is it evil! Necromantic power is one of the most dangerous types of magic in the world, and when distilled into a potion like this it could be catastrophic if done incorrectly. You need multiple ponies, a scryer on stand-by, maybe a familiar if you’re going for the ‘evil, druidic White Tail’ look, but you hardly see any of those and I’m rambling, aren’t I?” Twilight sheepishly blushed, watching the Ghost and Rarity chuckle at the sudden outburst of knowledge.

“Yes, you are, but you’ve been more than helpful, Twilight.” The Ghost gave her a warm smile.

“Phew! I’m sorry, but this stuff is just so strange. I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

“And what you said is true,” Rarity interjected. “About the amount of effort this needs?”

“Oh yeah, definitely. Unless you’re somepony like me, or a princess, you probably need at least two other alchemists to help control the mixture. And that’s low balling it.”

“Which means, darling, the Ragged Mare must be well connected.”

“Another conspiracy,” the Ghost groaned.

“Twilight, do you know of anypony who could achieve this? Anyone?”

“Your guess is as good as mine, Rarity. There are dark mages in Equestria, but this stuff… there’s not much more diabolical than a potion that exclusively hurts ponies.”

“I agree. Rarity, if the Night Guard are in Ponyville then we need to find them before the Ragged Mare does.”

“I can’t agree more, and maybe end this madness.”

“Hey, guys?”

“And maybe set a trap for her. Subdue the Night Guard and lure her in?”

“Not in your condition, we’re not. You’re still nursing some nasty wounds.”

“We might not have a choice. She won’t be able to take the four of us.”

“Guys? Hello?”

“Fine, fine, I just want this nightmare to be over. But I’m billing you for all the thread-”

Rarity was cut off as she and the Ghost were pulled to Twilight in a wreath of the princess’ magenta magic. Their heads were craned upwards, forced to witness the small figures soundlessly walking along the skylight. Twilight spoke with a quiver.

“I found your Night Guard.”

The skylight shattered to pieces under the force of a silent explosion, followed by blasts of light around the trio. They staggered back as the bat ponies descended into the room. The exit was blocked, glass raining down upon them, and a heavy strike sent the Ghost flying against the towering shelf, threatening to topple it. Once the light cleared he was met with a familiar face.

“There you are!” Glint brought a second blow upon the Ghost, colliding with his jaw.

“Everypony is secure, sir,” said a second guard. “Ready to sweep and retrieve.”

“Do it.”

Of the dozen Night Guard in the room, three exitted. The Ghost could see through blurred vision Rarity and Twilight restrained, runed rings around their horns, and thrashing against their captors. Another blow reminded him of Glint’s presence.

“Not so tough when I’ve got the drop on you, huh?”

“Sure, buddy,” the Ghost spat, reaching into his pocket. “Too bad I’ve got my own back up.”

The faint chime of the sending stone reached Glint’s senses. Only a second after did a furious gust of wind fill the room, staggering the guards, with Gilda ramming into two from above with an ear-piercing screech. All eyes turned to the imposing gryphon as she tossed her prey toward the recovering crowd, giving the Ghost a chance to send a hoof into Glint’s exposed chin.

“This is your chance to surrender, Glint.”

“Damn monster!” Glint tackled the Ghost against the shelf, cracking the wood.

In the chaos, Rarity ensnared her captor in her hooves, violently sending him over her hip and slamming him into the glass-ladened floor, now glaring to Twilight’s. Her kick shattered his muzzle with a sickening snap. Together they freed their horns and joined the fray.

Glint’s wild strikes glanced off the Ghost’s wispy form. He ducked and weaved through the volley and drove a knee into the bat pony, caught by his guard and forced to the ground, toppling the Ghost in a takedown. They rolled over each other before the Ghost launched his cloak toward the blocked door to pull himself free.

“I know how to beat you, Ghost. Get in close so you can use that damn rug!”

“And how’s that working out for you?”

A warcry announced Glint’s charge, but the Ghost wrapped himself in the cloak and nibly rolled over the stampeding commander and sent him tumbling into a bookshelf. He launched the limbs of cloth, grabbing his enemy’s legs and swirling him around the room, watching him soar and crash against the far wall. The Ghost flinched, though, at the thin streak of green from behind him. When he turned, he watched the blocked exit door begin to bubble and melt. The Ragged Mare stepped through.

“Get back, Ghost, they’re mine!”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Sharp pin pricks dotted his cloak, each one stinging his hide with its force. The verdant volley cast its glow across the room. Rarity released a blast of her own but was knocked to the floor by two guards, and Glida slowly became buried in the rest of the intruders, who desperately tried to restrain her wrath. In the center of the tempest Twilight stood as a blinding radiance poured out from her horn. She arose, sheathed in light.

“This violence will cease! I am your princess, and I command you all to stop your fighting this instant!”

Her voice was inescapable, and sure enough the combatants below began to yield. Then came a second glow. Golden, glittering, and slithering its way from the tip of Twilight’s horn to all parts of her regal, alicorn form, then tightening with an almost audible snap. Twilight whimpered as her wings folded back. Her fall to the floor was mirrored by a second pony, stepping casually on small disks of magical light as he descended to the center of the library. The Night Guard formed around him.

Rarity's whole body froze, her very breath trembling at the sight while Gilda’s eyes snapped to the invader’s position, sharp as knives and punctuated by a deep growl. The Ragged Mare found the bravery to charge him, if not for colliding with the force of a glimmering, golden barrier surrounding him and the ruined workstation.

The Ghost could only stare. Heat rose within him. His vision narrowed.

“Are you the best Celestia could find?” Shield Wall spat. “How underwhelming.”

“Oh, heavens, Twilight!”

“I’ll put you back in the ground, jackass!”

“Murderer! Murderer!”

The tempest of anger scattered against Shield Wall’s smug grin. He looked down on them from his position, standing overtop Twilight, digging one of his hooves painfully into her neck and drawing a yelp from her. Even the Night Guard seemed stunned by his entrance and stood in awe, cheering.

Only the Ghost was silent. Searing heat surged through his limbs, singing the tips of ears. His teeth ground together. Before him stood the very object of his torment, aged as he was, shooting his wicked grin into the Ghost’s very soul, punctuated with a sharp scoff.

“Forgive my tardiness, I was of half a mind to arrive, at all.”

“You should’ve stayed dead, then. Let Twilight go!” Rarity’s brilliant blue magic gathered in her horn.

“Miss Rarity, I have so relished the opportunity to remind you of your place. Siding with them, pursuing vanity instead of progress. A traitor to your kind.”

Rarity leaned her head forward, preparing to release the blinding ball of power, before another strained yelp from Twilight stopped her.

“Careful, Miss Rarity,” Shield Wall said. “All it takes is one good squeeze and the dear, disappointing princess’ neck will snap, with you to blame. Please, give me a reason.”

He snickered, watching Rarity’s anger drain from her face before turning his attention to the prone mare just outside his barrier. The Ragged Mare stood, seething.

“I don’t have any reservations, you bastard. Let me in that wall so I can kill you, myself!”

“I know not what I did to earn your ire, but idle threats will win you nothing but pain and death.”

“Like what you gave him? You killed my brother! Murdered him in cold blood and left me with nothing!”

“Your brother?” Shield Wall’s brow furrowed. “Do you know just how little that narrows it down? Brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, am I to remember every pitiful soul who stood against me? Though perhaps I would, were he truly worth this measure of vengeance.”

The Ragged Mare charged the barrier, flailing her hooves against it’s twinkling structure. Shield Wall laughed at the futile display.

“Adorable. Perhaps I will force the truth from you. I do so enjoy tales of my conquests.”

“Enough!”

Shield Wall’s grin immediately vanished upon hearing the voice, cast from the cloaked figure at the edge of his vision, approaching the barrier grimly. The Ghost’s amber eyes locked with the molten gold ones of his enemy.

“Let her go, Shield Wall.”

“You...” He released his hold on Twilight, stepping forward to meet the Ghost. “You must have known Luna would fail to hold me. Did you enjoy my little parlor trick?”

“Hardly.” The Ghost’s voice came out as a ragged hiss.

“A tad wrathful, are we, whelp? Of course, you must have wished I was dead after the demolition of the prison. Did you celebrate my demise?”

“Not nearly enough, now I’ll only tell you one more time. Let her go.”

Shield Wall paused, eyes squinted and scanning the dark form before him, grinning.

“You are angry… and yet you try to hide it. I can see it. You are trying to provoke a fight from me, make me risk capture, yes?”

“I am,” the Ghost stated. Shield Wall stared back at him, baffled.

“Far braver than I gave you credit for, confessing your scheme in the midst of battle, as if I would let you spring this little trap. I am holding the cards. Now you, and your traitorous friends, will surrender to my authority. I will only ask once.”

The Ghost’s eyes drifted to Twilight, writhing on the floor and staring back at him. Slowly, he shifted to the side, and with a gloved hoof pointed to the Ragged Mare, who still shook with anger before them both. He forced himself not to smile.

“She tried to kill Abby.”

Shield Wall froze. Rarity and Gilda stood with their mouths agape, focusing on the Ragged Mare, watching the Ghost’s scheme unfold. Golden eyes locked onto the fugitive. The unicorn behind the barrier tensed every muscle in his body. His deep, navy coat began to strain under the building pressure of Shield Wall’s strength, and the Ragged Mare could almost feel the murderous glare upon her face.

“Did she, now?”

“Just yesterday.”

“And how, pray tell, did she plan to murder her?”

“The same way she did to your cronies.”

Shield Wall’s breath was hot steam as it leaked from between his teeth, jaw clenched, hooves scraping the floor in anticipation. The war against his own bloodlust was on display for all to see. Now, at the edge of his discipline, he turned to the Ghost.

“I know when I drop this barrier, you will fight me, too.”

“Sounds like a ‘win-win’.”

The Ghost glared at his enemy, watching his face twitch, waiting for the fruit of his words. It took only a few seconds for the barrier to become a blinding dome of golden light, bursting out across the room, singeing the floor and scarring the walls. Roars and thundering hooves announced Shield Wall as he lunged for the Ragged Mare. He took her to the ground, ignoring the Ghost as he went to free Twilight from her bonds. Rarity rushed to his side.

“Darling, are you crazy? You’re not trying to subdue them both at once, are you?”

“I can handle them if they’re fighting each other. Get Twilight to safety. Gilda!”

Gilda pushed upwards with her wings and broke free from the mound of guards around her, floating to Rarity and Twilight. Bat ponies desperately fluttered on damaged wings away from the scene.

“Get Rarity and Twilight a safe distance away, then get Gorn. We can’t let them escape.”

“Dude, those are two of the baddest ponies in Equestria. You’ll die if you fight them now!”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence. Now, go!”

The Ghost stood and charged into the raging battle behind the group. Gilda loaded Twilight onto her back, keeping one eye on the brawl, urgently looking to Rarity expectantly. Rarity paused, but urged Gilda out of the room anyway as the Ghost joined the fray.

His cloak reached out and ensnared their heads. Now covered in the oppressive darkness, they flailed and shook violently against the impervious bondage. Shield Wall wrapped a hoof around the length of fabric and pulled, knocking the Ghost off balance and threw a kick into his side. The Ragged Mare followed the pained grunt and did the same, urging the cloak to release them. There they stood, in a circle, waiting for the other to make the next move.

“I gave you a chance, Ghost. We could’ve taken him down, together.”

“Enough! Whatever scheme this is, it ends right now!” The Ghost wrapped a hoof in his cloak.

“You will learn, my dear, this new Ghost is hardly any fun,” Shield Wall sneered.

“And you will go back to prison!”

“Not with his head, he won’t.” The Ragged Mare lowered her stance, verdant energy seeping out from her hood. “Shield Wall dies tonight!”

“Be quiet, impudent witch! Continue to defy me and you will be silenced... just like the whelp’s dearly departed mentor.”

The Ghost swiped with his cloak, but the Ragged Mare met Shield Wall first, with a violent scream. Blow after blow landed against him, rippling the magical barrier protecting him from the devastating strikes. Her hoof was snagged by the cloak and pulled back. The Ghost launched himself forward, using her as leverage, and threw his rear hoof into Shield Walls face and shattered the barrier with a thunderous boom, flinging the Ragged Mare against the wall.

Shield Wall held his stance and struck the Ghost’s midsection with a firm jab, enough to knock the wind from his lungs. He bellowed as his strikes bounced harmlessly off the cloak’s surface. Once the barrage ended a familiar gloved hoof rose from between the gap in his defense, deflected with a foreleg before Shield Wall took a knee to shoulder, the Ghost cartwheeling to amplify the force of impact. Across their vision flew three glowing vials that crashed beside them. Shield Wall lunged away as the Ghost followed his extended cloak upwards.

The Ragged Mare fired shot after piercing shot into the chaos. The bubbling floor and its putrid glow illuminated her form, and from just between the tarnished wraps the Ghost could see a face, jagged teeth barred between jet black lips. A blast knocked him from his place, clinging to the wall, and sent him tumbling to the floor, colliding with broken glass from the skylight as one shard flew against him with a golden trail.

A frantic foreleg wrapped around Shield Wall’s shoulders as the Ragged Mare yanked him closer to the puddle of solvent. He struggled against her strength, but from within her rags he spied the glint of a dagger, which he used to pierce the mare in the soft flesh of her abdomen. She cried out. The same sharp hum announced her retreat, and the two watched the furious beating of wings. Thin, translucent, with a subtle sheen to them. The three managed to recover, limping back into a treacherous circle.

“Those wings…” The Ghost’s eyes were fixed on the Ragged Mare.

“My, my, that is unexpected.”

“A fitting end, you scum,” the Ragged Mare spat. “That one of the hivefolk, a race you mercilessly hunted, would be your end.”

“You’re a changeling, and he killed your brother…” The Ghost shifted his gaze between his two foes, giving a silent gasp. “He killed your brother. The brother who taught you the knife trick, the same one I know. You… you’re Darrox’s sister. You’re Alate.”

All humor left Shield Wall’s face at the revelation, and they both watched the changeling pull back the tattered hood from her face. She was old, very old, with jet black chitin lining her wrinkled scowl. The crooked horn atop her head stood tall, chipped in some places, and several more spots of damage trailed down her form, leading to a patch of colored chitin the Ghost recognized, though missing its luster. She huffed and lowered her stance, but Shield Wall’s poisonous cackle chipped at her resolve.

“How beautiful! Another bug, an enemy of Equestria, to squash beneath my hoof.”

“No, you won’t.” The Ghost stood between them both, the cloak raised to defend her. “No one is dying.”

“I don’t need your protection, Silver. He killed my brother, your mentor! He deserves to die.”

“Not like this, Alate,” he said, spinning to face her.

“How else, another prison? They broke him out and you know he can do it again. I’m only doing this because you won’t”

“You’re murdering innocents.”

“I’m getting vengeance for Darrox!”

“And I’m honoring his memory by making sure you, both of you, don’t kill each other out of pain and spite.”

“How dare you!” Alate flared her wings, a spurt of magic crackling from her horn. “I know what happened, and he died defending you. He believed in you, and for what? You won’t end the battle passed on to you. Did you love him, at all?”

“I loved him! But I won’t taint his memory with blood!”

“Then he was never family to you!”

“She makes a strong argument, whelp. I almost agree with her.”

“Quiet!”

The cloak snapped and ensnared Shield Wall’s throat. As the Ghost twisted the length of cloth it began to constrict, tighter with each twist, until his prey’s face became blush. The cloak coiled even tighter, the smirk on Shield Wall’s face fading.

“This is your fault! You took me from my home. You killed my father. You poisoned Abby for your own twisted ends. You killed Darrox! I can’t even say my own name because of you! I hate you!”

Shield worked to coil the cloak around his forelegs and pull, but his efforts were met with another tight squeeze and the cloak, tensed like a muscle, lifting him up and slamming him back down onto the scorched floor. The Ghost’s vision was tunneled on his enemy. He hardly even noticed the lingering form approaching from behind.

“Then end it, Silver,” Alate said, hushed, carefully stepping forward. “Take your life back. Put Darrox’ soul to rest.”

“H-He wouldn’t… I c-... I…”

The second corner of the cloak whipped at Alate’s face, knocking her back as the Ghost unleashed a vicious, desperate scream that echoed through the entire castle. The cloak relinquished its hold on Shield Wall and let him fall. He coughed violently and gasped for air to soothe his burning lungs. The Ghost slumped to his knees, gasping.

“I can’t… I can’t…”

He could barely see Shield Wall as he limped from the scene, ascending through the skylight on steps of golden light, Alate holding onto the wall beside her. Blood surged through his skull. The heat and throbbing blurred his vision as he swayed in place upon his knees. Her words traveled to near-deaf ears.

“You have failed him, Silver Spade.”

The Ghost found himself alone when his vision returned, sitting atop shards of glass and surrounded by wreckage. Pain flooded his limbs when he stood, stumbling a few times to get it right, gripping the only untarnished table in the room for support. Cool night air drifted down from the open skylight. It kissed his open wounds as to remind him he was, in fact, still alive. Then, a voice called to him. Her gentle hooves wrapped around him, breaking his fall as he lost his grip on the table.

“Darling? No, no, no, please be alive. Please be… darling!”

“Holy smokes, dude! Lemme help you, Rares, I- guh! He’s bleeding, like, a lot.”

“Help me stop the bleeding. Be careful. Twilight! Twilight, please call somepony… please! Silver, please say something.”

“The ship’s here, we can get him to-”

“No! We can’t risk moving him. Silver, please just… not like this. Not like this.”

Chapter 10: “It’s official, dear, you definitely need a new uniform.”

There was a streak of warmth along his left hoof, and a softness that enveloped him. A scent of something strong and bitter lingered in the air. From the right a series of soft gusts, almost rhythmic, gave him something to focus on as he gathered the resolve to open his eyes. He wasn’t ready for how difficult it was. Moving anything, let alone his eyelids, was a chore in and of itself, but in time he managed to gaze upon the small bedroom he rested in, and the soft daylight streaming in through the open balcony.

Silver winced. Everything hurt. From the throbbing pain in his bandaged chest, to the numbness at the ends of his legs, every movement he made came with another reason to stay absolutely still. He managed to look to his right. Rarity was curled up in a large chair, wrapped in blankets and sleeping peacefully. Beside her was the pristine cloak and the tattered remains of his costume. It was a pitiful sight, one that filled Silver’s mind with images of the battle. A soft click came from the door before him.

“Hey, Rarity, you need another cup of mud? This pony junk is kinda weak, but… Silver? You’re awake!”

Gilda’s cheer was silenced by Rarity’s stirring, rolling over in the chair and returning to her motionless state. The gryphon walked softly towards the bed and leaned down. She handed the mug to Silver.

“You want some? Bet you need it more than she does.”

“I-If… if I could even… grab it, yeah.”

“Well, I ain’t feeding it to you, pal. Sorry.” Gilda’s words managed to put a smile on her friend's face as she sipped from her own mug. “You look terrible, dude.”

“I feel worse,” Silver returned.

“You wanna know how much glass we pulled out of you? We’ve got a whole damn bowl of it in the other room. Probably rebuild that window with all of it.”

“I’ll take your word for it.” Silver slowly, carefully, pushed himself up from his cocoon of bedding. He released a hiss at every ache but managed to sit against the headboard. “What happened?”

“Not much, besides saving you from your fate as a pin cushion. Rarity was in here all night with the nurse they called, stitching you up and talking with Twilight, who’s been super fidgety since last night, dunno if she’s slept. She’s supposed to come talk to us once you’re ready. The guard cleaned up the mess and caught a few Night Guard, but they look like Tightwad’s goon squad, probably don’t know much. I called Gorn after pulling the girls out, but… uh…”

“What?” Silver watched as Gilda stared at her mug to take a sip, a long sip, before answering.

“He found out Shield Wall’s alive, and he’s mad. Like, really mad.”

Silver’s groan was loud enough to cause Rarity to stir again. Carefully raising his hoof, he pulled it down his face, using the other one to gesture to the steaming coffee mug Gilda left beside him. She passed it over and watched him greedily drink from it.

“So, what happened? Someone was screaming toward the end, there, I guess that was you. Did something bad happen?”

“I…” He sighed, pausing before giving Gilda a somber look. “I had him, right there, the distance between you and me, and I… sweet Celestia, Gilda, I wasn’t ready for it. The Ragged Mare is Darrox’s sister, Alate, looking to kill Shield Wall for his death. She blamed me, I think, and all I tried to do was keep Shield Wall from killing her, and he just… I just couldn’t take it.”

“Silver… shit, dude.” Gilda’s eyes were locked onto Silver, who now stared into his mug.

They sat in silence for a few moments, and not even the warmth of sunlight and coffee could lighten their spirits. Silver fumbled with his mug. Before he noticed, Gilda pulled closer and wrapped her powerful claws around him, carefully, and held him in a firm hug. The scent of ozone from her feathers and heat of her body took him by surprise, but before he could react she tightened her hold.

“If you ever tell anyone I did this, I’ll make sure your outsides match your insides.”

Silver’s mouth gradually became a smile, and a series of soft, airy chuckles applauded Gilda’s gesture of kindness, his own forelegs wrapping around her in return. He nuzzled into the down around her neck.

“We’re gonna get that freak show. Screw their mind games and screw them, dude, if they pull a stunt like that I’ll pull his teeth through his ass.”

“Thanks, featherface,” Silver chuckled.

“Gilda…”

Gilda was back in her seat faster than Silver could blink, staring at Rarity as she slowly awoke. The unicorn yawned, rubber her face, begrudgingly pushing the blankets from her body as her eyes slowly opened to meet the Silver’s face across from her. She found the strength to rush from the chair and to his side.

“Silver! Thank Celestia you’re awake, I-I-” She yawned again, earning a giggle from Silver as he placed a hoof on her shoulder. “I’m sorry, dear, we were all working so late last night.”

“And you still got your beauty sleep. Glad someone here is a good influence.”

“I’ve been hoping some of that would rub off on you,” she chided, pulling Silver into a hug. “I’m so glad you’re alright. What happened last night? Did they both escape?”

“Yeah, they did, but we know who the Ragged Mare is. Darrox’s sister from the hive, Alate.”

“His younger sister? Oh, goodness, Silver that explains her vendetta against the conspiracy. Was there anything else, anything she said or did? And how did that vicious cretin, Shield Wall, even survive? Oh, Gorn will be furious.”

“You bet, sister,” Gilda piped up. “He found out this morning. Those guardponies suck at staying discreet. Last I saw him, he’s flipping out on the ship, looking for Silver.”

“If that’s the case, Gilda, would you fetch Twilight, let her know we’re ready?”

Gilda gave a mock salute as she stood. As she exited the small bedroom Rarity returned her gaze to Silver, still fumbling with his half-empty mug. She gently sat beside him on the bed.

“It’s official, dear, you definitely need a new uniform.”

“And a new kidney, judging by how it feels.”

“With all those wounds, your kidney is the least of your worries. I have pin cushions with less wear than you.”

“Gilda said you were in here last night, helping the nurse. You didn’t have to do that.”

“I think I’m entitled to ensure my investments pay off, what with all the thread I put in you.”

“Is it a personal or professional interest in my body, then?” Silver achieved a weary smirk.

“Strictly professional, because with the way things are going there won’t be enough left for it to become personal.”

“Oh, I hate how true that sounds. I’ll frame a piece of it for you before it’s all gone”

“It’d be worthless, darling... I prefer you whole.”

She placed a hoof on his chest, overtop the bandages, stealing glances at him when he wasn’t glancing at her. Slowly, Silver’s hoof rose from his mug and covered hers. The sunlight from outside covered them, now, and in her azure eyes Silver could almost see a sparkle of anticipation. Despite the pain it caused, something urged him deeper into her embrace, his gaze traveling down to her encroaching lips.

“Good morning! Gilda told me you were finally awake, and we have a lot to cover from last night. First, you need to know the guard was successful in… oh, am I, uh, interrupting something?”

Twilight’s entrance, punctuated by the clack of papers in her magical grip, caused Rarity and Silver to pull away with a jerk, the latter clenching his teeth to hide the sharp ache shooting through him. Rarity brushed her hair aside before gesturing to Twilight, ignoring Gilda’s smug expression.

“Right, I’ll knock next time. As I was saying, the guard managed to arrest two of the bat ponies who attacked last night, but they were just fodder. I think Gilda already told you. The real worry is what those other three went looking for. Just for curiosity’s sake, are any of you familiar with divination magic?”

“Let’s assume ‘no’,” Gilda answered.

“Well, that’s a shame, because I’m missing a scroll from my personal vault. It’s an incomplete spell scroll used for locating dark magic, or anything emanating dark magic.”

“Do you know why somepony would steal it?” Rarity asked.

“Well, most of the scrolls in my vault are powerful, but this is still just a tracking ritual. They would need to know what they’re looking for in order to use it.”

“There must be something we can use to track them, some clue they left behind?”

“If we still had the scroll I could tell you what, exactly, it’s used for, but all I have are my notes. I can make a copy, but I’m sorry it’s not more.” Twilight raised the sheaf of paper and watched as the one pile became two with a flash of her horn, drifting to Rarity. “Now, before we continue, and Rarity, I know they’re your friends... but could somepony please tell me who broke into my house!”

Twilight’s mane frizzed at the sudden outburst. All eyes went to Silver, sitting up from the bed and trying to maintain some semblance of posture.

“His name is Shield Wall. He was a vice general with the EUP in Canterlot, and the head of a conspiracy that nearly put Equestria into a war with Griffonstone. He controls the Night Guard, is a master of abjuration magic, and…”

“And he tried to kill your brother’s best friend,” Gilda spat out, earning a shocked stare from Silver.

“What? Shining’s… you mean Silver Spade? That can’t be. He died at sea, I read the letter when Shining did, so how could… wait…”

Twilight squinted her eyes as she stared at the pony before her. A few long, agonizing seconds passed as he battled the urge to hide his face with a pillow, or take his chances and escape, but he took too long. Twilight gasped.

“Silver? You’re alive, but how? A-And Rarity, you know, too? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I told you, he asks me to keep it secret.”

“With good reason,” Silver said, eyes still on Gilda.

“But you’re alive! We have to tell Shining and Cadence. Does Abby know? Wait, of course she does. Shield Wall was behind the Manehatten attack, and the Ghost stopped that which… you’re the Ghost, too?! Silver Spade is the Ghost. Ooh, just wait until Shining hears about this.”

“You can’t!”

Silver lurched forward, but the pain of his wounds halted his advance and doubled him over, nearly falling out of the bed. Rarity and Gilda rushed to help steady him. Red splotches began to slowly spread beneath the bandages, but Silver’s attention was on Twilight, standing before him.

“Why not? He’s your friend, isn’t he? He was torn apart when he heard you had died.”

“Please, Twilight, just don’t. Please.” Silver spoke with a ragged breath, clutching his midsection as he finally managed to stand.

“I-I don’t understand? Wouldn’t you want to let him know? What about Cadence? You were all friends back then, and I know he would still want to see you.”

“It’s not that easy, Twilight, I can’t just-”

“Bilge rat!”

There was a crash from the balcony as dark and tattered wings blocked out the sunlight. Gorn stomped into the room, past Gilda and Rarity, and with powerful claws hoisted the weakened Silver from the floor and slammed him against the wall.

“Ye spineless, scum suckin’ flotsam! Ye let ‘im go! That murderin’ bastard was in yer sights, and ye let him go!”

“Get off him, Gorn!” Gilda wrapped her claws around Gorn and pulled him from Silver, dodging an errant swipe.

“Quit sidin’ with ‘im, girlie!”

“I’m gonna if you don’t let this go,” Gilda squawked back.

“Let it go? I told ye that vile bastard was alive, and ye doubted me,” he yelled, pointing to Rarity with a jagged claw.

“Oh, for pity’s sake, Gorn, what was I supposed to do?” Rarity shot back. “Lead us on another wild chase? This is rash, even for you.”

“Oh, I’ll show ye rash, tramp.”

Silver stomped his hoof before Gorn. His glare held back the gryphon’s fury, who held his stance, as Silver slowly consumed his vision.

“You will not threaten my friends, Gorn.” Silver invoked the name with a chilling voice.

“I’ll be doin’ as I please, you little milksop. The vile bastard murdered Darrox, before ye very eyes, and ye let him go! Darrox gave everything to ye, everything!” His claw thrust towards the cloak, dangling from the wall. “That be his legacy, the very reason I joined him decades ago, and yer tramplin’ all over it. I told him ye never should’a been given it!”

“Chill out or get out, Gorn, now!” Gilda yelled.

“Oh, I plan to, for as far as I can see none of ye’s willin’ to do what needs to be done, ‘specially this coward.”

Gorn spat at Silver before turning back toward the balcony, and with a flap of his wings was off over town, soaring away from the crystal tower. Everyone was silent. Rarity pinched her muzzle and slowly, softly, managed to speak.

“We should look at your wounds, Silver, make sure they haven’t reopened.”

“W-What just happened?” Twilight asked.

“Don’t worry about it,” Gilda hissed. “Imma get back to the ship, make sure he doesn’t steal it.”

Silver watched as Gilda flew off. He avoided the lingering eyes of Twilight, not even focusing on the pain from Rarity prodding his bandages, only gazing into the sunlight beyond the door. He could find no warmth in it anymore, only his mistakes in full view under its brilliance. He stared, terrified any other action would only bring another failure, clenching his teeth until his skull hurt.

In the light of a new day, broken and wounded, he could only stare.

--

Labored breathing echoed against towering columns of moss-covered wood, the rows stretching on into the pitch blackness of the forest as agile wings navigated the gaps in between, effortlessly. Kindle twitched at every sound or sight that passed his as he flew. Up ahead, his keen senses detected the sounds of chatter, familiar screeching and chirps signalling his rendezvous. Leathery wings spread wide and brought him to a silent halt before the rest of the camp.

There was no firelight in the center of the bivouac. Glossy eyes, instead, reflected the soft light of the moon above, penetrating even the thick treetop above and gave them all the light he needed to see his commander approach. Kindle saluted.

“Commander, the objective is secure,” he said, producing an encased scroll of aged parchment..

“Can you confirm nopony followed you?”

“Yes, sir, any guard presence was lost at the treeline. They won’t cross into the Everfree at night.”

“Good, check in with the sergeant. I’ll deliver this to the vice general.”

“Glint…”

Kindle’s words froze the commander in place. Glint managed to straighten and turn, meeting the knowing stare head on.

“That’s ‘commander’, Kindle.”

“I-I know, sir, but… we just attacked royalty. Royalty.”

“And your point is…” Glint huffed.

“Glint, you know I respect you, but that’s Twilight frickin’ Sparkle in that palace! I thought we were about saving Equestria from its enemies, not its leaders.”

“She may not be our enemy now, but she would’ve stood against us. We did what we had to for the mission.”

“But what kind of mission is breaking into Princess Twilight’s palace and stealing her private possessions?”

“Don’t make a mistake in thinking the princesses have your best interests in mind. The vice general has done more for Equestria than any of them have in a thousand years, Princess Twilight included.”

“What we’ve done, Glint... it’s treason.” Kindle’s candid words drew a sharp breath from Glint as he rose to his full height, leathery wings flaring.

“That is the last time you question orders! I have been far too kind in entertaining your notions of virtue while we have so much at stake. Discord, Chrysalis, Tirek! Our home is on the brink of collapse and you want to undermine the only pony with the guts to do something about it?!”

“Guts? Glint, he murdered Nox right in front of you!”

“Quiet!”

Glint’s narrow irises locked onto Kindle. His muscles tensed, and soon the commander was leaning over his subordinate with a furious expression across his face. A forceful hoof pointed toward one of the tents, wordlessly ordering Kindle out of his sight. He paused, stunned, before disappearing into the sizeable crowd of soldiers populating the bivouac. Glint gave an annoyed huff and speedily walked to the only tent amongst the series of crates and cots. Candlelight flickered between the tent flaps as he slowly entered.

“Commander,” Shield Wall sighed, speaking without facing Glint. “I trust this means the scroll has been secured?”

“Yes, sir.” Glint placed the case upon the center table, beside a hefty leather book he recognized. “The scouts just returned and informed me we are, for the time being, anonymous.”

“Wonderful.”

Shield Wall turned with a limp toward the table. With each step came a soft grunt, concealing the ache he felt throughout his body, before enveloping the case with his magic, removing the scroll. Glint averted his gaze from the prominent red line around the unicorn’s neck.

“Please, commander, if you would give me the rest of your report?” His request snapped Glint into attention.

“Sir, of the guards sent on the operation, only two have not returned. An acceptable loss. Only minutes ago, we received notice of the second company arriving from Appleloosa, and their sergeant informed me two more from Vanhoover and Tall Tale will rendezvous with us on the way. They’ll rendezvous with us along the Crystal Mountains.”

“Four hundred and forty at hoof now, with at least five hundred more at the border. More than enough for my purposes.” Shield Wall’s eyes were fixed on the scroll, gently laying it over the grotesque notes left in the leather tome.

“Yes, sir, but I’m not sure of how safely we can transport that many troops without being detected. We’ve caught their attention, and any movement will be a risk.”

“We will take control of the local express train. It has the needed capacity, and will be our most discreet option for escaping the region.”

“Of course, sir, I’ll send a squad to reco-”

“No need, commander, I sent them off forty-six minutes ago.”

“That… during the heist, sir?”

“Of course,” Shield Wall said, quickly glancing up from his work. “A situation at the palace would be the perfect distraction, would you not agree?”

“Yes, sir, I just didn’t know that was part of the plan.”

“You will let me worry about the plan, commander, you simply worry about keeping the soldiers safe from the Ghost and whatever threat he brings down on them.”

“Yes, sir… why did you engage the Ghost, sir?”

Shield Wall’s eyes shot up and glared at Glint. The commander froze in place, barely able to choke down his breath as his heart sank into his hooves, the gaze chilling his core. Shield Wall slowly squinted.

“Do you question my methods, commander?”

“No, sir, but I am honor bound to keep you safe, and…”

“I am more than capable of defending myself from the Ghost. Your only worry should be ensuring our objectives are met.”

“Of course, but… your neck, sir.”

Shield Wall instinctively raised a hoof to the bruise in question. He adjusted his collar, straightened his tailcoat, and slowly made his way around the small table and closed the distance between him and Glint, each step causing his subordinate to flinch.

“The one neck you must worry about, commander, is your own. My actions, my capabilities, nor my chosen engagements are within your understanding. As such, I recommend you keep your insubordinate behavior to a bare minimum.” Shield Wall’s growl crescendoed as he leaned into Glint, forcing him to crumble beneath the force of his stare. “Am I clear?”

“Y-Yes, sir.”

Glint followed the trail of his leader, returning to the scrolls upon the table. He searched for something to say, until Shield Wall’s still strained voice spoke aloud.

“You will meet with the commander of the second company and travel with him to the train station. You will find two of your subordinates, identified by the Night Guard’s rally cry, and board the train with the rest of our local forces.”

Glint said nothing, only saluting before walking through the flap of the tent, leaving Shield Wall alone.

Shield Wall sighed. The minor annoyance of the commander only magnified the headache the two pieces of magic parchment before him induced as he firmly placed them over each other in an attempt to find some commonality between the two. Every now and then his horn would fizzle, sending sparks of magic into the paper in hopes he would spark a reaction. Once or twice he was close, but not close enough. He groaned. Finally, he cast them aside and turned his attention to his long-standing ally and constant companion as a bottle of brandy floated from a small chest beside his bed.

The pop of the cork brought a waft of aromas that called to him with a familiar warmth. He slowly drifted the bottle beneath his muzzle to savor the experience. A glass joined him at the table, gently clacking against the surface, filling with the brown liquid he craved so much in recent days. He took a sip, and the sigh he released took all his tension with it. He took another.

“‘She tried to kill Abby’,” he murmured.

He lingered on the statement, mulling it over as he sipped again. It was a distraction. She was a distraction. Try as he might, the welcoming visage of a red mane and sea green eyes filled his mind, the sensation of caressing her face tingling in his hoof, and for a moment the scent of the brandy was overtaken by the sheer memory of her perfume. Shield Wall shut his eyes, meticulously reliving each sensation his mind could uncover. Then, he dared to let his mind wander.

The tent melted away into the office from Canterlot, its walls decorated in military memorabilia, lined with high bookshelves, and one imposing window positioned behind his dark mahogany desk. Another sip of brandy conjured the forms of Shining Armor and Princess Cadence. They smiled at him, dressed in royal regalia, and from across the office, through the door of his imagination, walked the object of his current desires. Countess Abundant Glow stared at him rapturously, longingly.

Then came the darkness.

Shield Wall lurched forward, gasping for air as the images of black, billowing cloth faded from his mind, lingering in the painful reminder around his neck. His hoof traveled the red sore gently. He could still feel the tightness, the singe in his chest, and something he could only identify as a twinge of concern. He took the rest of the glass’ contents within him before abandoning it on the table, pulling his precious scrolls and works to him and loading them into his saddlebag as he exited the tent.

Chapter 11: “Well, a lady is allowed some secrets...”

“Where do you want these crates, Ms. Gilda?”

“Just slide them up the gangplank, I’ll shove ‘em in the hole later.”

The dock worker gave a limp salute, his forelegs aching from moving crates of supplies onto the deck of the Tornado. Gilda gave no such signals of weariness. She hefted another, then another crate across the treacherous gangplank and onto the deck, casually ignoring the plummeting height the airship was docked at and the impressed stares from other ponies.

Canterlot’s airport was bustling with creatures of all kinds. A few faces stood out to Gilda who, electing to ignore them, dropped the boxes in her claws as a larger, regal airship crossed the Tornado’s port side, glimmering with gold and a brilliant white hull as it docked up ahead. It was the fourth ship she had seen flying past since they arrived.

“Pfft, showoff.”

None of the other crewponies bothered to notice Gilda’s remark, electing instead to murmur at another pony emerging from below deck. He wrapped his trembling hooves around one of the crates. A sharp grunt alerted Gilda to Silver’s struggle as she spun around and jolted to him, snatching away the crate.

“Whoa, dude, easy on the supplies. You can’t be schlepping the heavy stuff in your condition.”

“It’s just a box, Gilda, it’s not going to stab me,” Silver stated, unamused. “Gotta pick up some slack now that Gorn’s gone.”

“Yeah, but Rarity’ll be all up in my feathers if she hears I let you break your neck like this. You’ve only been out of bandages for like, what, twenty minutes?”

Silver huffed, relinquishing what little hold he had on the crate, stepping away. Gilda flagged down one of the crewponies and tossed him the box. It was caught, with a huff, as he staggered away and down below deck. She stepped aside, close to Silver.

“Dude, you’re pushing yourself too hard. Like, way too hard.”

“I don’t want to be here any longer than we have to. We still need to pick up a trail if we want to find either Shield Wall or Alate.” Silver’s tone held strength, but was betrayed by a tired sigh.

“We’ll find something, okay? Rarity’s the sharpest eye around, if anypony can get a clue it’s her. Why are you so grumpy?”

“Do you really have to ask?” Silver shot her a glare as he walked toward the helm.

“Wait, you’re riled up about that thing with Twilight,” she said, almost stomping after him. “Dude, you weren’t gonna tell her, anyway.”

“You’re right, I wasn’t. You didn’t just tell her I was alive, you blew my secret identity in front of her.” Silver jabbed a weak hoof into Gilda’s chest.

“You already had your mask off, and I don’t remember you fighting to hide much else. Like your cutie mark, maybe?”

“She didn’t recognize me, and I was covered in bandages.”

“So? We brought a murderer, a super murderer, and an army of crazy bat-ninja ponies into her house, and you never thought to at least explain why? I thought you two were friends, once.”

“Yeah, we were, but that doesn’t mean you had to remind her of that!”

“What? Seriously?”

Gilda’s strained voice almost reached an irritable squawk, glaring at Silver with a cocked eyebrow. Her wings flared, feathers puffing, and Silver could almost feel the heat radiating from her anger.

“What is it with you? Why do you give all this lip about wanting your old life back, to the point where you’re actually ranting to yourself, only to just… not? You saw how happy Twilight was. Why won’t you do it when it’s literally that easy?”

“Because they’ll be in danger. Did you forget how many ponies Alate has killed? Do you really think I can just bring everypony I love into my world and not be just a little concerned for their safety?”

“She’s a damn princess, doofus! She almost stopped the fight just by telling them to stop. Shit, I almost stopped fighting.”

“That doesn’t mean she would be safer knowing who I am!” Silver yelled, watching Gilda rub her temples in sheer annoyance.

“Dude, holy smokes, you are not this dumb. With Tightwad back in the mix, things are way different. He’s gonna target your friends and us whether you’re alive or dead. Which, if you forgot, you almost actually died!”

“I don’t care! I’m telling you, right now, don’t slip up like this again. We already lost Gorn.”

“That’s not your fault! By Guto’s ass, Silver, stop trying to protect everypony.”

“That’s what I do!”

“Well you’re starting to really suck at it!”

Silver lurched forward as far as his aching muscles would allow, his teeth clenched, but relented almost as soon as he started. He turned his gaze to the deck. Gilda was still fuming, eyes twitching with every miniscule movement Silver made, before allowing herself to relax with a ragged sigh. A hesitant claw reached up, hardly catching his attention. Silver took it, limply.

“I don’t want to be angry at you, Gilda, but this is serious.”

“I know, dude, but… just look at you. You’re more sliced up than my first attempt at marble cake, and I can hear you frickin’ groaning from across the deck. This psycho chase is gonna ruin you and... I don’t wanna lose my friends, either.”

Silver felt along his midsection, finding every new crease of flesh just beneath the thin fabric of his shirt. Finally, he looked to Gilda.

“I’ll take it easy, okay? But… let’s talk about this when we’re done. Deal?”

“Sure, dude,” she sighed, pausing for a moment. “You should go talk to Rarity, too. I think she needs your help with something.”

Silver gave a wistful smile and turned toward the captain’s cabin, pushing gently on the door. He was met with a room dominated by bolts of fabric, littered with tools and implements, and the unicorn in question sitting before a table of equal messiness, bathed in sunlight from the cabin’s full window. She muttered loudly to herself. Every now and then, some magically ensnared object would soar overhead toward her, plucked from the air and toyed with before being cast aside by the same power. Silver was silent as he approached.

“Rarity? Gilda said you-”

“Oh, goodness gracious!”

Rarity lept from her chair, sending spools of thread scattering across the table, and with frantic hooves she rushed to gather up her lost supplies. Warmth returned to Silver’s face as he leaned over to rescue a few spools from the dark wooden floor.

“Silver, darling, I didn’t hear you enter. Forgive me, I was lost in thought.” Rarity blushed at his chuckle as she received the spools.

“Not the worst thing to happen today, for sure,” he said.

“Right, I heard some of your… conversation with Gilda. Are things alright? Is it about what happened with Twilight?”

“It’s fine, Rarity, we didn’t kill each other.”

“Can’t imagine you’d have much fight in you, if it came to that.”

“Gilda said you needed me for something,” he interrupted, ignoring the smirk on her face.

“I do, actually, I need you to try these on.”

From all corners of the organized chaos covering the cabin came a swarm of garments and accessories, swirling around them both in Rarity’s signature crystal-blue haze. She eyed a few before carefully arranging them around Silver.

“Alright, darling, take off the shirt.”

“You know, some say I’m more naked with it on.”

“I’m sure every lowlife tells you that. Come now, there’ll be plenty of time for games, later. Off with it.”

Slowly, Silver lifted aching forelegs and pulled the garment from him. Rarity’s eyes were graced with the expanded series of patterns etched into his flesh, far more polite than the gnarled scars along his back and midsection. He avoided her gaze.

“Darling, you don’t need to be so bashful. I’ve seen it, already.” She passed a set of boots and gloves to him, firm to the touch and with some heft.

“Still weirds me out, though.” Silver slowly pulled them on, wiggling his hooves deeper into them.

“It’s only skin, dear, and you know what they say about book covers… oh, wonderful, they do fit.”

“Pretty well, actually. I’m surprised you got it on the first try.”

“Well, I am a professional, and there was plenty of time to size you up while you healed.”

“‘Professionally’, of course.”

“Of course, darling. I, alone, pulled four shards of glass from your body, Silver, and I hardly cherish the thought of doing it again. Okay, take them off, this one next.”

Silver bared himself once more and lifted a patchwork of fabric and padding over his back, slipping his forelegs into what he could only imagine was some sort of jerkin. It sat lopsided upon him. Rarity fed the laces through each other and pulled them tight, causing Silver to silently wince, paying it no mind and continuing to fiddle with the garment.

“I’m sorry Ponyville was such a disaster,” Rarity finally said.

“It could’ve been a lot worse. I’m just glad Twilight is alive and the city is still standing.”

“On that, we agree. Oh, of course the seam isn’t straight.” Rarity was too engulfed in the jerkin to notice Silver’s glances toward her.

“But it wasn’t… entirely awful.”

“Which part, dear?” Rarity’s focused hooves slowed as she removed the garment from Silver.

“The part where I could hear you snoozing in the chair next to me.”

“You could hear…? Oh, goodness.”

“What?” Silver watched as she quickly hid her mouth with a hoof, her muzzle alight with red color.

“How unladylike of me.”

“No, it was great,” he chuckled.

“My snoring was ’great’?” She said, incredulously.

“What? No, you weren’t snoring, Rarity, I was just happy to know you were with me.”

Silver’s statement caught up to them both, now sharing the same line of red across their cheeks. She wordlessly passed him a small jacket, which he hurriedly donned, and returned to the inspection of her creations, fighting to overcome the distraction. She was failing, as was he.

“Was that it? My snoozing?”

“No, I just like… being with you.” His voice lowered to a whisper, drifting between them.

“Should we talk about it? You know, what almost happened?” She lingered on his eyes, her hoof gently grazing his bare flesh.

“Not unless you want to try again.”

Their eyelids grew heavy, mouths barely hanging open as the space between them began to vanish. Their breath intermingled.

“I could be convinced,” she cooed.

“Dude, you’re not gonna believe who’s barking up your… oh…”

Gilda’s invasion earned a sharp inhale from Rarity, wearing a shocked expression, as her piercing gaze locked onto the gryphon standing in the open door. Though Silver wore a blush as deep as Rarity’s, it was the latter’s crazed eyes Gilda slowly inched away from.

“Gilda, darling,” Rarity hissed through her teeth. “We were just having a fitting for Silver’s replacement uniform. It’s a rather delicate process.”

“Uuuh, yeah, I can see that, but there’s something, uh… look, I don’t know how but your ex is here.”

“What?” Silver broke from Rarity’s hold on him.

“Yeah, just kinda showed up. I told her you weren’t really talkative right now, but I don’t think she wants to listen to me.”

Silver, as quickly as he was comfortable, walked past them both and out onto the main deck. A blanket of grey clouds covered the sky. The wind whipped Silver’s argent mane as he approached the gangplank and froze when met with the sight of two ponies looking up at him. The stallion, Berry, was familiar to him, whose hoof held a parasol over the mare beside him, gazing at Silver with even more familiar eyes.

“Silver! I’m so sorry to interrupt, but I had hoped you would be available for lunch. You’re not too busy, yes?” Abby asked, slowly crossing the gangplank onto the deck.

“Abby, what are you doing here?”

“Inviting you to lunch, as I said. I hardly ever see you this often in a single week… Silver, you’re hurt!”

Abby rushed to his side and, much to his frustration, began prodding the barely healed wounds along his side. At first he endured her affections, but another careless jab made him flinch. He pushed her away.

“I’m fine, okay? Why are you here, and how did you even know we were here, at all?”

“Well, a lady is allowed some secrets,” she giggled, failing to amuse Silver. “The estate’s charity work keeps me tied to the port authority, and from the looks of it I arrived at the right time. What’s happened to you? It’s as if a building fell on you.”

Silver sighed, silently agreeing with her observations, and from behind him came the sound of clacking hooves. Rarity arrived, with his dark shirt in tow.

“Silver, dear, you- oh! Abby, forgive me, I was giving Silver a fitting and he left his shirt behind. Here you are, dear.” Rarity passed Silver the shirt, unaware of Abby’s eyes following her.

“A ‘fitting’, you say?”

“Why, yes. Silver, have you told her yet?”

“I was getting to it,” he said as his head popped through the loose collar. “Ponyville was a bust. We were overrun by the Night Guard, the murderer escaped, and… and he’s back. Shield Wall is alive.”

Abby blinked, more than once as her gaze lost focus, her mouth agape. Then she gasped. She clutched her chest and slowly brought her eyes back to Silver’s.

“I… I don’t know what to say.”

“Well, neither do we. He ambushed us with the Night Guard and he’s missing, too.”

“Are you alright, Abby?” Rarity asked. “I can’t imagine this is easy for you.”

Abby failed to respond to her question, until her head snapped to Rarity, fumbling over her words as Rarity raised an eyebrow.

“Just, so much has happened in such a short time. To know he’s alive is terrible news.”

“Of course,” Rarity muttered. “Well, no point in dwelling over it, right? Would you like something to drink, Abby? A ship’s provisions are hardly world-class, but some delectable barley tea just arrived if-”

“Actually, Rarity, I was hoping to see Silver alone.” The interruption successfully silenced Rarity, gasping silently.

“Oh… of course. Another time, then?”

Rarity shared an uneasy glance with Silver, rubbing his shoulder as she turned to leave. They watched her retreat into the captain’s cabin and, once the door was shut, the playful smile returned to Abby’s face. Silver faced her.

“Not feeling very social, today?”

“Hmm? Oh, no, no, Rarity can be such a joy, but I’ve come to see you. Though, you two seem to be fast friends.”

“Well, I’m not so sure she’s happy about that fact, given the circumstances.”

“Hmm… I think she’s very much happy about it,” she mumbled.

Silver bit his tongue as it threatened to go off. He locked onto the floor and sighed before, with as much calmness as his body would muster, he continued.

“Is there a reason you’re here, Abby?”

“When I heard you were in town I absolutely had to drop by. Come now, Silver, you could hardly call last time a proper visit.”

“Abby, Shield Wall is back,” he stated coldly. “Ponies are dead, Twilight’s castle was robbed, and the Ragged Mare is still out there.”

“Well, yes, I heard about the robbery. It’s all very disturbing when you put it like that.”

“When I put-... Abby, look, I appreciate you stopping by, I really do, but we’re in a tough spot right now.”

“Do you need help? I still have some friends in the EUP who would be glad to assist if you needed it.”

“No, no, we don’t have any leads. The Ragged Mare is gone, Shield Wall’s gone, and we lost track of the Night Guard after we fought them off.”

“Maybe Auntie Celestia could help? It’ll be like that time at Saddle Lake in summer, when we got lost near Rambling Rock Ridge with my family. Do you remember?” Abby’s excitement sharply contrasted Silver’s waning patience.

“Y-Yeah, I remember. Luna already said she doesn’t know how to track the Night Guard, and if Shield Wall is leading them they could be miles ahead of us, already. Look, we have a lot of work to do. Thanks for stopping by, but-”

“We could work together!” She chirped, plowing through Silver’s words. “Since the attack at my home I’ve done some sleuthing of my own, and if we put our heads together I’m certain we could capture Shield Wall before the week’s end.”

“Abby... how close are you to this?” The question hung in the air, numbing Abby’s words as she fumbled for a response.

“C-Close, Silver?”

“The Ragged Mare tried to kill you, and now you suddenly have ‘friends’ in the EUP? The port authority?”

“I figured you could use my help, so yes, I’ve pulled some favors,” Abby managed to say, averting her gaze from Silver’s. “Don’t forget I’m part of the Nine Night communications, Shield Wall is my responsibility, too.”

“That doesn’t mean you have to stick your neck out for me.” Silver quickly closed the distance, and Abby felt her face turn flush at his approach. “Abby, I… this is getting dangerous, really dangerous, and you’ve already been made a target.”

“But that’s what you do every day, Silver, and everytime you do it I think back to the day you left on that ship and… and what he did to you.”

“And I won’t let him do the same to you. So, please, stay safe and stay out of this.”

Silver began to turn from Abby, unaware of the dejection creeping along her face, a sense of panic filling her chest. With each step he took her breath quickened.

“Silver, wait!” She stamped the ground with a frantic hoof, snagging his attention. “I-I… I might have heard something come out of Ponyville. It’s just a rumor, but some of the guard say there may have been another robbery. There’s a train missing… heading north.”

“How’d you hear about this?”

“My friends in the EUP. I hear things, sometimes.”

Her eyes locked onto Silver’s as her voice withered. There was a pause between them. Only the whistling of the high mountain breeze dared impede the silence. Abby glanced away first, brushing her ruby mane from her face.

“But perhaps I should go. It’s always wonderful to see you, Silver.”

She turned away. His eyes followed her down the gangplank and back into the company of Berry, shading her with the parasol as the clouds began to move away. Abby turned to look back only once before disappearing into the crowd of eager passengers of workers, leaving Silver to linger on the deck as he silently, pensively, stared into the crowd where she vanished.

Chapter 12: “Don’t use him like that! Like a cloak to hide behind."

The world outside the cabin’s bay window swayed slightly with the rocking of the airship as it glided through the calm night air. Gentle gusts could be heard echoing through the wooden walls. Flickering candles illuminated the table around which they sat, and upon it sat sheafs of paper, stained cloth, the Nine Nights letter, and every scrap of information the trio could scrounge up to be put on display, all surrounding a map of Equestria. An uncomfortable silence filled the captain’s cabin.

Green flames burst from just in front of Rarity. A scroll produced itself from the embers and landed softly onto the packed table, bouncing before she caught the letter and broke the ornate wax seal. Azure eyes scanned each line of the missive. Gilda and Silver fidgeted where they sat, glancing between each other, resisting the compulsion to demand explanation before Rarity was done. The scroll was placed on the table.

“She was right,” Rarity finally said.

“No shit?”

“I can’t believe it.”

“It’s been confirmed, I’m afraid. After Twilight received my letter, she was able to conduct her own investigation and confirm Abby’s claims. An express train has been commandeered from Ponyville. It’s heading for the Crystal Empire.”

Gilda slumped in her chair and hissed, ignoring Silver as he slipped his face deeper into his hooves. The scroll joined the pile of evidence between the three as Rarity retook her seat.

“We’ve just been chasing somepony... chasing somepony else,” Silver groaned.

“That appears to be the case, dear.”

“So, Tightwad and his goons hop a train and beeline it for the Crystal Empire, why?”

“We don’t know what his plan is, Gilda,” Silver said, lifting his face from his hooves.

“Well, he must be looking for something,” Rarity interjected. “Twilight’s notes say the scroll he took is part of some tracking ritual, something that would allow him to find dark artifacts. I haven’t the slightest idea what that could be, though.”

“Twilight didn’t happen to mention any possibilities?”

“The Crystal Heart is the only object of note, but that’s in the center of the palace and the most pure object in the empire, so I’d hardly call it dark.”

“So, another dead end?”

“It would seem so, but at least we know where they’re headed.”

“What about Alate?” Gilda leaned over the table to face Rarity. “So far, everywhere Tightwad’s gone, she’s gone, too. She probably knew where he was going before we did.”

“I hate to admit you may be right, Gilda, and I shudder to think what havoc they may wreak in the Crystal Empire.” Rarity paused for a moment, sending a careful glance over to Silver. “Silver, dear, I know you aren’t comfortable with the idea, but if Shining Armor and Princess Cadence knew about the situation then they may be able to help us.”

“Cadence and Shining are already safe from anything Shield Wall could do. Bringing them in might force his hoof, or Alate’s. That’s something I won’t risk.”

“Yeah, what’s up with that? Why is the pretty-boy up north that jerk’s favorite?”

“I don’t know, G, something about ‘unicorn purity’... what matters is he hasn’t hurt either of them and I want to keep it that way.”

“We might not have a choice, darling. If Shield Wall’s plan, however illusive, is half of what his plans were for Manehatten they’ll have to know.”

Rarity could feel the tension in Silver and he fumbled his hooves over each other, eyes drifting across the table, aimlessly. His silence preceded a long sigh as he rubbed the bridge of his muzzle.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it, Rarity. Now, about Alate.”

“What about her?” Gilda scoffed.

“She’s Darrox’s sister. Even if she’s killed ponies, I can’t just ignore that.”

“Well, we can’t do nothing,” Rarity interjected. “She’s a fugitive, wanted by Luna, herself. I doubt any familial ties will do her good in court. She’s melting ponies, remember?”

“Vividly.”

“Yo, what if we teamed up with her?” Gilda’s suggestion drew all other eyes straight on her.

“What?” Silver balked.

“Yeah, it’s crazy, but hear me out. Shield Wall’s got dozens of dudes with him, maybe more if he had to steal a whole frickin’ train to escape Ponyville. We know Alate hates his guts, kicks flank, and doesn’t actually want to kill us, too. If she’s been smackin’ him around everywhere he goes then maybe she can help us stay on top of him.”

“It’s not a terrible suggestion, Gilda,” Rarity said, earning Silver’s astonishment.

“And who’s going to take responsibility when she kills somepony on our watch? I want to help her, not give her permission.”

“Darling, I agree, we all do, but with every encounter we have, with either of them, we’re reminded just how little we actually know. Alate, however, has been keeping pace with Shield Wall since the start. She must have access to something we don’t.”

“Like what, exactly?”

“Information, resources, and somepony covering the cost of her crimes. Twilight made it abundantly clear the solvent she uses is too potent for one pony to brew, alone. Alate may have somepony working with her, and Gilda’s suggestion, however risky, might be the only way we can figure out who.”

“Yeah, dude, there’s no way an old changeling like her is gonna get all that hardware alone, and I bet anypony who hates Shield Wall half as much as she does would help off him.”

“She has a family,” Silver began. “Alate was the youngest changeling in her group, and her siblings all knew what Darrox was doing when he left the hive. It’s possible they heard about his death and came looking for vengeance. When I was in the EUP, we would send units into the mountains to hunt down changeling hideouts and clear them out, so there may be a network Alate’s using.”

“Goodness, I hope not. Could you imagine what happened in Canterlot happening in the Crystal Empire?”

“That’s what I’m saying! If we find her and team up, we have a shot at taking both her and the anti-Tightwad squad in. Silver, come on, it’s a good plan.” Gilda watched Silver glare at the table, almost sensing the gears turning in his head with each passing second.

“Yeah, it’s a good plan,” Silver finally said. “We offer a trade. Tell her what we know of Shield Wall’s plan and offer to help undo it, in exchange for the names of her contacts. Use her obsession against her.”

“Thank you!” Gilda happily leaned back in her chair with a grin, licking a talon and marking the air before folding her claws behind her head.

“But there’s still the matter of what to do once we’re in the Crystal Empire. Shield Wall got the drop on us last time, and if he tries again, well… Silver, dear, I haven’t enough thread to stitch you up again.”

Silver couldn’t help but chuckle at the comment, earning a smile from Rarity, too.

“I’ll be careful. I don’t know too much about Night Guard tactics, but it’s clear they never go anywhere alone. A smart move, but the numbers they travel in are enough to attract attention, especially if Shield Wall is bringing more into the Crystal Empire.”

“How many do you think he could summon?” Rarity asked.

“Well, what I do know is Night Guard have outposts all throughout Equestria, even in the wild. Just between us and the Crystal Mountains, I’d guess there are a dozen or so such camps with five to ten troops stationed there, but we can’t count out the possibility that Shield Wall called for reinforcements from other parts of the country.”

“A rough estimate, then?”

“Regiment size, that’s over one thousand soldiers… maybe more.”

Rarity and Gilda stared at each other, refusing to accept Silver’s words before the other did, first. Gilda cursed under her breath as she stood and walked from the table, gazing out the window. Rarity managed to catch her breath.

“He… goodness, he wouldn’t be so bold as to attack with such a force, would he?”

Silver gave her a look.

“Ah, yes… of course.”

“This is, literally, the second time he’s done this,” Gilda blurted out, coarsely. “I’m about this close to killing that psycho, myself.”

“We are not entertaining that notion, Gilda,” Silver declared.

“Why not? This corrupt bastard keeps finding excuses to be a colossal prick, and it always ends in someone dead. You don’t even have to do it, I will. Just once, okay? I’ll only kill him once.”

“I said, no!”

His hoof slammed against the table and shook every object upon it, even giving Rarity a start at the impact. Fierce amber eyes lost their fire as Silver soon glanced downwards to the floor. Gilda, however, locked her gaze onto the argent pony.

“What is your problem? Ever since we started this little field trip you’ve been going from one bad mood to the next. Always jabbing back, always skulking away like you do when you think we aren’t looking. You pulled this crap back home, too, so what is up?!”

“‘What is up’ is the most evil pony I know is loose out there and I don’t know how to stop him!” Silver stood from his seat, meeting Gilda’s eyes.

“Well, no duh, none of us know what to do, why does that mean you get to be such a little twerp about it?”

“Because I’m not the one talking about killing ponies like Alate’s been doing for the past week!”

“Are you serious? Okay, fine, I won’t kill him. Happy? Jeez, bite my wings off, too, why don’t ya?”

“This isn’t abo-”

“I think it’s high time we all went to bed, hm?” Rarity interjected, jabbing her hooves into Gilda and Silver. “It is, clearly, too late in the night to be having such serious discussions. We’ll pick this up tomorrow.”

“Rarity, there’s work to-”

“Tomorrow.” The word stabbed Silver in the chest, and her firm expression held whatever thoughts he had at bay.

Wordlessly, Rarity led Gilda out of the cabin and onto the deck, not even looking back as the door closed, leaving Silver alone. He let out a sigh. Heavy steps made their way around the cabin as Silver snuffed out the candles, allowing only the moonbeams from outside to illuminate the room. Falling into his small bed along the bay window reminded him how tired he was. Then, he heard a click.

From beneath the bed flew a bolt of black fabric that wound around Silver hooves. He rolled into a low stance, carefully scanning the darkness. An open segment of the window clacked against itself. Something looked at him from a distance.

“It's true what they say… nopony can sneak up on you.”

“Alate.” Silver watched the rag-covered changeling step into the moonlight. “How long have you been following us?”

“Since Canterlot. I’m not here to fight.”

“Then don’t be here at all.”

“I heard what you three were discussing. A smart plan, offering me the weapon of my enemy in return for the source of my own.”

“Too bad the cat’s out of the bag.”

“‘Too bad’, indeed,” she said, pulling back the tattered hood.

There was something disturbingly calm in her tone. Small cracks formed along the farthest edges of her chitin, and the exposed flesh of her tired eyelids wrinkled with each careful movement, silently watching Silver. Like any changeling, she had no mane to speak of, and nothing more than the layered plates of her carapace draped in her signature tattered cloth.

“Who told you? About me?” Silver’s gaze narrowed.

“I’m a changeling. I get around.”

“That’s not an answer.”

“It’s the one you’re getting,” she shot back with a soft chuckle. “Don’t think I would reveal everything to you just because you knew my brother. This way, I keep you vulnerable.”

“My identity is very secret, and I’m not the only one you’ve made vulnerable.”

“You think I would kill your friends? Your family? Don’t insult me, Silver, I only hunt Shield Wall’s allies, not yours.”

“Like you’ve been doing tonight?” He pointed a hoof to the stains of blood along her hooves and the rags that covered them. “You’ve been busy.”

“Busy doing your job.”

“My job doesn’t include killing my enemies, and neither should yours.”

“Empty words, considering what you almost did in Ponyville. How close you were to avenging yourself and my brother.”

“I’m not the murderer here, Alate.”

“And you think I want to be?” There was a tremble in her voice. “Darrox was a hero. I know how disgusted he would be with me, but don’t you try taking the high ground when it was your cloak around Shield Wall’s neck.”

“It’s not just my stance, Alate, it's your brother’s.”

“Don’t use him like that! Like a cloak to hide behind. You want Shield Wall dead just as much as I do.”

“If you’re here to convince me to kill him, you’ll be leaving disappointed.”

“I don’t have to. I know now how far you want to go. That’s something we share. We would do anything to uphold Darrox’s memory, the only difference is I don’t have the weight of the Ghost on my conscience. That’s why you’re here, on this ship, hunting a madpony instead of living a life with the mare you once loved.”

“I won’t spit on Darrox’s memory to do it.”

“All evidence to the contrary,” she seethed. “I saw you. I could almost feel how much you wanted to kill him, and you were so close. All you needed to do was twist!”

Silver was silent. From the darkness, he could feel her pale eyes upon him, gazing into his soul, and with each passing second Alate’s smile grew.

“It was plain as day. You had him. If it were anypony else, you would choke them out and leave them for the guards, but he isn’t just ‘somepony’, is he? He’s the one who killed your mentor, my brother, after he left you in the ocean to die. He ruined your life, why not ruin his?”

“Because it’s not what Darrox would want.”

“Darrox doesn’t want anything… he’s dead.”

“But you love him, just like I do.”

“No!” She stamped the floor with a furious hoof. “I love him enough to leave the hive. I love him enough to become a monster so he won’t die in vain! You only love him as much as you love pretending to be him! You only know the Ghost, you don’t know my brother!”

“I know your brother saved my life and gave me a chance to undo Shield Wall’s evil,” Silver shouted back, closing the distance. “Nopony asked him, but he did, and I vowed to uphold his mission in honor of his death.”

“Because of ‘the discourse’, right? Darrox never stopped talking about ‘the discourse’, like it was his excuse to abandon us, his family, to go play hero with ponies, and now you're doing the same thing!”

“Because it’s what’s right!”

“Then why doesn’t it work?! What did Darrox ever accomplish by preaching ‘the discourse’? Decades of fights and plots and plenty of praise from ponies he never knew, but the only threat that ever mattered is still out there, ruining more lives every day. Shield Wall doesn’t heed ‘the discourse’, Silver, because he doesn’t care about it. He stamped it out like he did Darrox, and he’ll do it to you, too.”

Silver was stunned. His eyes were fixed on Alate as her chest heaved with exhilaration, slowly calming herself as the electricity in the air dissipated, leaving only silence.

“Silver, we have the chance to find real justice, and not even Shield Wall with all of his troops could stop us. We can do it together. I’m not asking you to kill every criminal you meet, Silver, just him.”

“I… I can’t do that… not to him.”

“Why not? Because of ‘the discourse’? Because you made an oath to him?”

“A promise.”

“And you’d let Darrox die, in vain, for something as silly as that?” Alate’s voice trembled as her eyes watered. “I’m giving you the opportunity to stop him for good. No more attacks, no more broken families, but you would let them all suffer because you made a promise?!”

The echo of her words suck in Silver’s mind, ringing like church bells. He could only watch as she slowly neared the open window. Moonlight washed over her and revealed just how worn and tarnished her carapace was, with sullen and aged eyes still looking at Silver, her fresh tears holding his gaze in place as a shiver ran through Silver’s entire body.

“Decades of this fight, Silver, and for what? My brother is dead, your father is dead, and soon your entire life will join you in the grave because you let that cloak tell you right from wrong instead of your own heart.” She broke her gaze and silently placed her hoof on the windowsill. “Shield Wall killed Darrox, but the Ghost dug his grave.”

Her insectoid wings buzzed and lifted her from the floor. She flew from the cabin and into the night, rags fluttering behind her as she disappeared in a wispy flash of green magic. Silver looked on. An inescapable fog filled his senses as he fumbled back toward the bed, still draped in the cloak.

The airship continued to rock as it travelled north.

Chapter 13: “Ye never meant t’do a lot of things, ye stupid colt, an’ that’s just the problem."

Order’s flew from the commander’s mouth faster than she was flying, leading a tight formation of indigo armor that soared through thick clouds and fog. She barked to pull left, and left they turned. Bursting through the cloud cover, the lights of the world below reached up to greet them, glistening off their armor as they soared, wingtip to wingtip, toward their destination. More pegasi flagged them down to a landing strip upon a long stretch of cloud. The impact of hooves kicked up some of the fog.

The leader of the formation gave a firm salute to another team readying their own ascent into the dark sky above. Once the team was out of sight, she saluted the rest of her own and marched into the fortified structure just beyond, standing tall along the border separating the Crystal Empire from the rest of Equestria along the imposing Crystal Mountains. The signal lights of other outposts dotted the mountain range. She came to her post at the top of the tower and sighed, shaking her wings to defend herself against a stiff, chilling breeze.

Something caught her keen eye. Out in the distance was a dark, bulbous shape closing in on her location.

“Airship! Airship!”

The call was heard by other guards, flying from the outpost and spreading out along the airstrip, standing ready. It slowly came into view, and soon the pegasi were racing off to intercept it, returning only a few moments later with their prize. The commander marched out.

“Attention unknown aircraft. You have crossed into the lands controlled by the Crystal Empire. Who is your captain?”

She strained her ears, carefully listening for a response among the mountain wind.

“I repeat, who is your captain? Failure to comply will lead to an impounding of your vessel and imprisonment.”

“Whoa, whoa, that’s me! Totally me,” a gruff voice called out, peeking her head over the railing. “Captain… Gilda, I guess. Sorry, kinda new to this.”

“Captain, I must inform you that by order of her majesty, Empress Mi Amore Cadenza, the Crystal Empire is on high alert. Any air traffic is to be searched and verified of pure intent before passage may be allowed. If you comply we shall board your vessel and begin our search, otherwise you are free to turn around and leave. Understood?”

“Uh… yes?”

Without warning the pegasi flocked onto the deck. Gilda did her best to stay out of their way as the boarding party scanned every inch of the airship before them. Slowly, she made her way to the door of the captain’s cabin, giving it a knock as the cabin’s occupant emerged into the mountain air.

“Ah, hello,” Rarity said with a wave. “I hope we aren’t being a bother. Silly me, I should've checked earlier with Cadence about any travel restrictions.”

“Lady Rarity,” the commander stated, urging the others to attention. “Forgive me, ma’am, but we weren’t aware you were coming.”

“Oh, that’s quite alright, darling. It’s wonderful to see such fine soldiers doing an equally fi-”

“If you will be patient, we’ll summon the prince at once. Esmerelda, the chalk.”

“You… oh?”

Esmerelda wasted no time in passing a glimmering stick of chalk to the commander. She kneeled onto the deck, dragging lines along the wood in the shape of a large circle, carefully filling the empty spaces with an indecipherable script. Gilda’s beak opened to say something, but a firm hoof from Rarity allowed the commander to finish in silence. Once all lines were connected, the intricate diagram began to glow.

After three pulses of power, a shape began to form in the center of the circle. All pegasi saluted the hastening figure, bathed in violet light, that soon took the form of a tall unicorn in a heavy, polished set of plate armor upon his pure white fur. The two-tone navy fringe of his helmet swayed in the breeze. Once his body had fully materialized he took his first step onto the deck and beside the commander.

“Hail, Prince Shining Armor!”

“Hail!” The rest of the pegasi squadron saluted while Rarity and Gilda looked on in awe.

“Okay, now I see why he’s the favorite,” Gilda whispered.

“Rarity,” he said with a commanding tone, smiling at the unicorn. “I’m sure this is the last thing you expected, right?”

“There’s a lot of that going around, that’s for sure,” she replied.

“Twilight sent us a message about what happened in Ponyville. So, tell me straight… is it true? Is he back?”

“I’m afraid so,” Rarity murmured to him, watching his face fall.

“Then all this security hasn’t gone to waste. Commander, I’ll be escorting this vessel to the palace, myself, thank you for alerting me. Continue with your patrol.”

The commander nodded firmly, ushering the rest of the squadron to exit the vessel. The Tornado lurched forward and continued past the border checkpoint. Shining Armor pulled his heavy helmet from his head, letting his flowing navy mane drift in the wind.

“How much has Twilight told you, Shining?” Rarity asked.

“Everything. She didn’t feel letting you three come up here without some help was a good idea.”

“She’s always such a dear, isn’t she? If nothing else, I’m glad you’ve been made aware of how serious the situation is… did you say ‘three’?”

“Where is he?”

“Who?” Rarity’s voice softened as Shining closed in on her and Gilda.

“The Ghost, Twilight said you were working with him.”

“Oh… oh, yes, he’s here.”

“Not sure you’d wanna talk to him, though,” Gilda chimed in, glancing at Rarity.

“Perhaps later, yes? We’ve been flying for days, now, and-”

“I’m sorry, Rarity, but I’m already taking a risk trusting him. I need to make sure he’s worth the trouble.” Shining Armor stomped past the two, straight for the cabin door.

Despite their efforts to stop the determined unicorn, his magic gripped the knob and swung open the door. He was surrounded by mouds of fabric, leather, chemicals, and obscure materials, but the cabin stood empty of all life besides the trio. Gilda managed to squeeze past him, followed by Rarity.

“I’m gonna kill him,” Gilda huffed.

“I don’t get it. Where is he?”

Rarity’s eyes scanned the room and landed on the only object still moving; the open portion at the far end of the bay window. Her face turned red. Hoof by hoof she marched to the open window and threw her head out of it.

The Ghost could barely hear the obscenities Rarity shouted as he dived toward the earth below. The unnatural cloak fluttered behind him. Empty air rushed past as he set his sights on the flickering lights of the Crystal Empire and the colossal spire in its center. The cloak spread like dark wings around him, converting every inch he fell into speed as he soared across the snow swept landscape draped in the aurora above. Over valleys of white-capped fir trees, the Ghost followed the roads leading from the border towns, flapping the cloak to hold altitude, eyes fixed on the capitol. Another flap lifted him higher.

Wind against his face helped distract him from the scene at the Tornado, and he allowed himself to smile. The tension in his chest dwindled with the approach of city lights just beyond. Outside the glow, however, a shape glided toward him, and before he could divert his course they collided. Instinctively, his hoof found its way into the attacker’s midsection, enough to loosen their grip and allow the Ghost to break free.

The shape fled towards a small cliff overlooking the city. When the Ghost landed, shock betrayed his fighting stance.

“Gorn?”

Tarnished wings twitched, freeing them from the snow, and the gryphon grunted.

“Can’t ye take a damn hint?”

“A hint? You tackled me out of the sky!”

“Good t’know ye still got that mean hook.” Gorn gently held his gut, taking slow breaths.

“I don’t suppose you’re here to apologize.”

“Damn right I’m not, but that don’t mean I’ll listen to yer sobbin’, either.”

“Why are you here, Gorn? Better yet, how are you here? You ditched us back in Ponyville two days ago.”

“An’ I followed the bastard for most of them two days, I’ll ‘ave you know. Might bit more than sittin’ in a bed, bleedin’ away next to yer squeeze.”

“I’m going to need a real answer, or you’ll know what the other hook feels like,” the Ghost said with a strained groan.

“Ha! Least ye got some fight. I told ye, I know the scum, an’ he’s not as clever as he thinks. He pulled the train trick in Appleloosa ‘bout fifteen years ago.” Gorn took a final, strong breath as he twisted his body against itself, cracking his spine. “Maybe ye’d like t’know where he’s gone, eh?”

“Forgive me if I don’t seem thrilled at the idea of working with you, seeing as you nearly tore my head off in Ponyville.”

“Yer still a right moron, but I can’t hit the compound by myself.”

“Compound?”

“Aye, right along the city, over yonder,” Gorn said with an outstretched claw, leading the Ghost’s vision to one of the six corners of the city’s star-shaped border. “Just over there is an old weapons depot from King Sombra’s time. It’s rundown an’ damn near fallin’ apart, but Shield Wall an’ his goons are in there, alright.”

“How many?”

“Too many.”

“Maybe you should’ve thought about that before spouting off like you did and running away.”

“Ye want an apology? I don’t need t’kiss yer hooves and play make-up, you want Shield Wall same as I.”

“A little respect goes a long way when you need somepony to fight your fight.”

“Respect? Is that what yer on about? Like you skulkin’ around and dodging hard questions constitutes as respect for Gilda or Rarity.” Gorn gave a sharp scoff, ignoring the Ghost’s stomping hoof.

“We work as a team, and as far as I’m concerned you haven’t wanted to even be on this team since Darrox died!”

“Well, yer right about that,” Gorn jabbed with a smile.

“Holy… AAAGH!”

The Ghost screamed against the cold air. His cry echoed into the night, waking bats and birds from their resting places in the trees, frantically escaping the perceived threat. Gorn was amused by the display, but the firm stare that locked him in place managed to tame his smile.

“You never respected me! It’s always ‘Bilge rat, quit yer yappin’’ or some snide comment about how I’m not fit to replace Darrox!”

“‘Cause ye never quit with yer bellyachin’, somethin’ I thought Darrox had beaten outta ye when, for some reason, he thought ye’d be a good fit!”

“Well guess what, jackass, he did choose me! I’m the one out here fighting his fight. I’m the one saddled with his dream.”

“Then maybe ye shouldn’t of made such a scene when we burned him, bein’ all ceremonious with yer vows an’ all, but I guess even Darrox had t’make a mistake sometime.”

“You… you have no idea what it’s like being him!”

“Ye aren’t him! Yeah, ye go through the motions. Ye got the fancy words and everythin’ t’make a spectacle outta yerself, but ye aren’t Darrox. Ye… I was a youngin’ when he found me, scrapin’ by with nary a bit an’ all the anger in the world swirlin’ like the sea in me head, but he gave me a chance. Ye think he was a second father t’you, well he was everythin’ t’me! We burned my father that night, an’ everyday I see ye prancing about like ye are him, an’ when I see ye whimperin’ ‘bout everythin’ ye lost and had t’lose all I see is what ye truly are. A blubberin’, frightened boy, wearin’ the greatest person I’ve ever known as a mask t’hide his shame! So don’t ye ever, ever so much as dare t’demand respect from me so long as ye make a mockery of him! And if ye ever cared about him then ye will head them words!”

Gorn’s tearing scream silenced the Ghost. The world fell silent, the air now calm as Gorn shook where he stood.

“I… I-I never meant t-”

“Ye never meant t’do a lot of things, ye stupid colt, an’ that’s just the problem. Had ye considered the weight Darrox passed off before ye started carryin’ it, maybe ye’d have dropped yer own, first.”

The Ghost struggled to even make a sound. Gorn held his gaze for a moment, shook his head, and turned to look over the city once more. His brow was tense.

“Now, are ye gonna help me with this?”

Wordlessly, he stepped to Gorn’s side and the two unfurled their wings of feathers and cloth, tipping gracefully over the cliff as the air broke their fall. The Ghost focused onto the darkened corner of the city, partially hidden by the obelisk-shaped buildings made of crystal. It’s luster was thinner than the other buildings. Even from the air, he could see many of the structures along the city’s outer limits were in similar disrepair.

“Pretty bold of him to hide this deep in enemy territory,” he said over the wind.

“E’erywhere is enemy territory fer that bastard. We can hit the weak wall on the south side.”

They tilted in unison toward the neglected corner of the city, far above the oblivious heads of crystal ponies meandering through the city on their nightly duties. The Ghost scanned the area with focused eyes. He snatched Gorn’s claw and pulled him to one side, wrapping them both in the cloak and made a landing behind one of the larger structures. Gorn coughed on impact.

“The blazes was that about?”

“Quiet, look.”

Guiding his vision, Gorn could see the small, almost ethereal shapes of ponies flying overhead, dressed in dark armor, nearly invisible against the omnipresent night sky. The Night Guard patrol began to descend toward the depot.

“Eyes ain’t what they used t’be. We gotta get closer.”

“I can find a path along the buildings, but you need to stay close. The Night Guard can hear better than either of us could ever see.”

Gorn nodded. The Ghost began his long, silent run along the crystalline rooftops, leaping across alleyways and latching to the iconic obelisks with the cloak. He swung through the longer stretches of the city with Gorn fluttering behind him. All along the path to the depot he could see the same silhouettes from before in windows, behind street corners, soaring overhead, lingering like shadows with no body, and even the brighter parts of the city were prey to their silent station.

Finally, the rooftop of the depot came into view as the duo hurriedly climbed onto it, ducking out of sight. Gorn managed to peak over his cover and found a large skylight just within range. He signaled to the Ghost before crawling the rest of the way over. After tense seconds ticked by in his mind, the Ghost saw the signal to advance.

The two peered into the building. It was a massive storeroom of siege weapons and munitions, and far below, in the center of the large room, dozens of Night Guard went about their tasks. Checking supplies and weapons, maintaining equipment, all the while a small area had been reserved for a single pony, complete with full furnishings. The grey mane struck them both.

“There he is,” Gorn snarled.

“Not yet.” The Ghost held the gryphon back with a firm hoof.

“I’m old, not dumb.” Gorn reached for a small crank beside him and twisted, lifting a patch of the window free. “We’ll find a way around, nab him from behind.”

Slowly, they crawled into the complex, easing their way along the ceiling before touching down gently onto the catwalks. Even blending into the shadows of the complex did little to ease their nerves when the occasional bat pony flew by, oblivious to the danger, and their eyes met the sight of dozens more below, but step after tepid step the two came within range of Shield Wall, speaking to a bat pony the Ghost recognized.

“... and not a moment later, understand? The ruins are only a few miles away, waiting any longer will risk the princess’ retribution.”

“Yes, sir, a distractionary force will be dispatched prior to our departure. I think a group of thirty will do, sir.”

“Yes, a solid number, large enough to cause a diversion but not enough to alert real military intervention. Now, what news of the dig team? Have they found it?”

“Their most recent report was an hour ago. As far as we know, they’re still making their way deeper into the caverns, but progress is being made.”

“Hmm, behind schedule…” Shield Wall peered through one of the towering windows nearby. “Perhaps it was wrong of me to station Kindle with the dig team. His performance has hardly been satisfactory. What do you think, commander?”

“Sir?”

“Of Kindle? More than once I have watched him question your authority, and by extension mine. Insubordination is a punishable offense.”

“He’s not a bad soldier, sir, just needs time to understand what we’re fighting for.” Glint’s eyes fell upon the unicorn’s unphased expression. “He’ll shape up, sir, you’ll see.”

“I disagree, commander,” Shield began. “There have been many soldiers under my command, and of those who would come to support my vision of a strong and supreme Equestria, none shared his insipid meddling. I have seen it with my own eyes. The way he speaks to you, as if to dissuade you from your mission.”

“Kindle’s only been with us for a short while, and even I-”

“He lacks your strength, Glint. You see, of my many supporters, traitorous or no, there were only a select few I could rely on.”

“Rely on, sir?” Glint’s stunned words barely had the strength to reach Shield Wall’s smirk.

“One needs only to look around to see the fruit of your many labors, and how sweet a fruit it is. We have infiltrated one of the most powerful cities in the world, completely under the muzzle of its princess, and smuggled in troops and weapons enough to start and end a war, all because I had somepony as strong as you at my side. And unlike Gavel, you stayed loyal.”

“I-I can’t take all the credit, sir. Your genius and leadership is what brought us here, and the troops have done most of the heavy lifting. I only-”

“Do not sell your achievements short, commander.” Shield Wall stepped to Glint’s side, placing a gentle hoof on his armored shoulder. “We are all soldiers fighting for our country, something the poor Kindle has yet to fully grasp. And even after all you and I have accomplished, I still…”

Shield Wall suddenly stopped, gazing into the space between him and the floor. His ears twitched. All breathing slowed as the unicorn seemed to freeze in place, taking in every minute sensation that reached him. From above, the Ghost and Gorn desperately held their breath.

“Sir?” Glint asked, quizzically.

“I still suspect there may be other attempts to sabotage us, commander,” he continued, slowly.

“Nopony knows we’ve infiltrated the Empire, sir. So far, our scouts have maintained complete anonymity.”

“Yes, yes, but there is somepony on our trail, is there not?” Shield Wall slowly walked from Glint. “Somepony beyond the standard powers of authority.”

“We lost the Ghost in Ponyville, sir,” Glint stated, hesitation in his voice.

“Wrong, commander, we simply have yet to see him.”

“Sir!”

From the side, a bat pony frantically rushed toward the two, skidding to a halt and panting hard. She gripped her chest and gasped before finally standing and giving a weak salute.

“Sir, r-report from the dig team. There was a small cave-in. Most of the team is either dead or wounded, but we found it, sir.”

“You see, commander,” Shield Wall chirped. “All it took was a little faith in the plan, and now everything is on track. Except, however, you seem… unfamiliar.”

“S-Sir?”

Shield Wall closed in on the bat pony before him, eyes glued to hers. Metal swung in a fearsome arc toward him, the gleaming point poised to dive into his neck, but crashed against a thin field of Shield Wall’s power, cracking the blade. He struck her once, twice, and shoved her into the middle of the floor with a kick. The Ghost and Gorn watched, from above, as the facade washed away in a green haze, revealing Alate to all in view.

“Very brave, but this little stunt will cost you your life. Something I take great pleasure in.” Shield Wall grinned as he strode toward her, other Night Guard closing in.

“Then you and your lackeys will have to fight for your meal.” Alate took a low stance, baring her fangs.

“The enemies of Equestria will be given no quarter, and as you are guilty of murdering an appointed royal official, we are merely performing our civic duty… unless you would like to stop us!”

His words carried up to the catwalks where the Ghost and Gorn were crouched. The gryphon turned to him with a firm glare, slowly shaking his head against Shield Wall’s offer. The Ghost could only make the smallest movement before a claw grabbed him.

“Don’t you dare.”

He was trapped in Gorn’s raspy command, but turning his head once more to the desperate scene now unfolding helped him find the will to resist as he lunged over the railing. Fluttering wings guided him around the room like a shadow. Some of the Night Guard below flinched as he soared, others swiped at him with hopes of pulling him to the ground. One lap was all it took to put the eyes of every enemy in the room on him as he landed softly between Alate and Shield Wall.

From this angle the crowd appeared far, far larger.

Chapter 14: “He was right, though, at least the whelp is a challenge.”

A sea of fierce yellow eyes drowned his vision. Moonlight slipped through the worn and cracked parts of the building and bathed the Ghost’s enemies in its glow, succeeding only in highlighting their snarls and bared teeth. To his back stood Alate, shifting uncomfortably in place. The Ghost resisted the urge to find Gorn among the darkness of the catwalks, fearing he would give him away, but his gaze was instead caught by the parting of the sea, allowing two ponies through. One was dressed in signature dark armor that clinked with each stomp toward the Ghost. It was the other that brought a chill up his spine.

Shield Wall wore only his navy tailcoat and a terrible smirk as he cut through the sea of Night Guard. He stayed behind Glint, allowing the commander his moment of intimidation, before taking one step closer and basking in the scene.

“How truly precious,” he sneered before addressing his warriors. “To those unaware, the enemy before you, who has slain many of your fallen brothers and sisters in such gruesome fashion, is the kin of the Ghost’s mentor. Now, he seeks to protect her. Protect her from us.”

Yelling and harsh words flew from the soldiers’ mouths, fired like arrows toward the Ghost and Alate, still holding firm before their threats.

“As such, this heinous offence makes him an accessory to her crimes, a traitor, and an enemy of Equestria. One who shall pay for his crimes… but! We are better than his kind, are we not? Yes, we are, and he shall be granted the opportunity to justify himself to us before the end… do you have anything to say, whelp?”

Shield Wall’s mockery failed to evoke a response from the Ghost. Instead, he tensed the cloak around his shoulders, scanning the mob around him carefully, searching for an opening. Finally, his gaze returned to Shield Wall.

“Showponyship doesn’t look good on you.”

“Neither does that cloak, yet you persist in wearing it,” he spat. “You have chased us across the country, into the capital of the Crystal Empire, and despite all your drive you lack the spine to finish me. Now, you aid the very murderer you sought to imprison.”

“Don’t talk to me about conflicted interests, Shield Wall. You could’ve killed us all at Twilight’s castle if I never reminded you of your little crush.” The Ghost snuck a smirk.

“Watch your words! Do not forget it was I who escaped with both his prize and his life. You, however, barely escaped with your pride.”

“And that proves what, exactly?” The Ghost caught a glimpse of something black leap between the shadows above.

“That I am the one in control, Ghost.” Shield Wall motioned around the room. “Our plans are unknown to you, you are surrounded by Equestria’s deadliest warriors, and are without means of escape. Normally, I would be inclined to offer surrender, but we have a score to settle, no?”

Shield Wall raised his hoof. Eyes of the bat ponies locked onto the firm appendage, waiting for its signal to relinquish all restraint and rush their quarry. Glint glared at the Ghost, never breaking contact. Alate spun around and pressed her back against the Ghost to better defend against their full enclosure of foes. All the while, the Ghost stared at Shield Wall.

Before his hoof came down a screeching call rang out, diving from the darkened ceiling above and onto Shield Wall. The unicorn flailed against the weight of an almost feral Gorn, who swiped and hacked away at the object of all his rage and fury, staggering the lines of Night Guard caught by surprise. This was when the Ghost and Alate made their move. From within his cloak, the Ghost produced five small orbs and slammed them against the ground to release a huge, bulbous cloud of smoke and gas that engulfed the area, it’s fumes blinding even Night Guard eyes. The cloak shot up to the catwalk, with another length of it wrapping around Alate. She fired green bolts against those few Night Guard who followed as they were pulled upwards. Flash after flash reflected off the now dissipating cloud below.

“Why are you even here?” Alate barked.

“Saving your life, naturally.”

“No! I had a plan, and it would’ve worked had you just-”

“We don’t have time! Look, you know his plan, so you have to get out of here. Find the Tornado, tell Rarity and Gilda what you know and help them stop it.” The Ghost whipped around to the sight of Glint and two more Night guard landing on the catwalk before them.

“I don’t take orders! Least of all from you!”

“Then don’t, Alate, but just go!” He watched her pause then turn from the fight, blasting the few Night Guard who pursued her, before he met his gaze with a furious Glint.

“You need to make up your mind, Ghost,” he said, taking a stance. “You’re either fighting for Equestria with us, or you’re another traitor like her.”

“Spoken like a true lackey. Tell me, Glint, do Streak and Glider still have nightmares about me?”

That was all Glint needed to lunge into a tackle, his other two soldiers buzzing around him looking for opportunities to hit the living shade they did battle with. The cloak struck them faster than they could react, and powerful blows rippled against Glint’s armor, staggering him. Their grunts and cries, however, were drowned out by the chaos below.

Gorn drove his claws deep into the magical barrier Shield Wall had desperately erected around himself. The gryphon’s fury could not be contained. Some night Guard pulled his tail and wings, another climbed over his back, all of whom were cast aside like paper dolls in a hurricane by Gorn. He dove again, this time snagging the unicorn’s grey mane in one claw and pounding against the shield with another. Much to Shield Wall’s horror, the barrier began to crack.

“Damn, meddlin’, pompous, murderin’, colt-lovin’-!”

“Silence, you cursed bird!”

A shockwave from the dispelled barrier threw Gorn and other Night Guard along the stone floor, but with a practiced roll he was back on all fours.

“Pretty magic ain’t enough t’stop the ass whoopin’ that’s comin’!”

“Violent, ill-tempered, and with the subtle reek of rum and swill… yes, I think I remember you. The cabin boy, correct?”

“‘Captain’, you swine!” Gorn’s wings shot him straight for Shield Wall with blinding speed. A small field of magic, though, appeared around his leg, stopping all of his momentum and forcing his leg out of the socket with a wet click, collapsing him onto the floor.

“Yes, I do remember you. You were in Appleloosa with the Ghost, decades ago. I paid five-thousand bits to have the local gangs assault that pitiful spec of a town.”

“Too bad yer only a might bit dumber than I, or ye’d have ye left the money unguarded.” Gorn laughed through a wince as he hobbled onto his good legs.

“How clever, but I do expect recompense…” His horn began to glow as more Night Guard approached. “Five-thousand fold.”

He was tackled by two of the guard, who only barely held on as Gorn flailed his entire body in a mad attempt to shake them loose, unaware of the charging ball of light radiating from Shield Wall’s horn. From the shape flew a wild stream that whipped along the ground, arching to slice into Gorn as he was held at bay. A shadow flew toward Shield Wall’s horn, slicing its base and causing him to cry out, and with two sharp cracks of glass the guards restraining Gorn cried out in agony as alchemical smoke bubbled and rose from their eyes. The Ghost landed between the gryphon and his impending doom. The spell’s deadly light reached the stretched cloak of the Ghost and cascaded along its surface, managing to push him back before the power dissipated into the air.

Wordlessly, the Ghost and Gorn acknowledged each other before standing back to back, their eyes falling upon the thinning fumes that held the bulk of the force at bay. Furious stares locked them in place as the rest of the Night Guard moved in around them, suffocating the precious little space they had left, but no glare held more malice than the fuming unicorn slowly approaching, face marked in a thin streak of blood.

“Got any more surprises in that cloak?” Gorn muttered, claws twitching at each movement of the crowd.

“If I find one, I’ll let you know,” the Ghost said.

He wrapped a foreleg in the cloak, preparing whatever counterattack he could muster against overwhelming numbers. None, not even Shield Wall, spoke to the position the two had found themselves in. The Ghost twitched, though, then again, breaking his composure to find the source of a strange humming sensation shooting up through his leg. He looked to his rear boot. There was a small gap above the sole, torn out, with a soft blue glow flowing from the tear. Then came a voice.

“You are such a dumbass,” stated the annoyed voice of Gilda from the soft glow.

Windows shattered at the impact, and the already crumbling walls of the depot finally gave way as cannonfire tore through them, soaring overhead and piercing through the other side of the building. A second volley erupted from outside. Through the holes they punched out, the Ghost and Gorn could see the outline of the Tornado as it drifted outside the building. Many of the Night Guard turned to face their new attacker, but were met with rows of gleaming indigo armor marching through the demolished entryway. At the front, tall and firm in his stance, stood the prince.

“Crystal Corsairs! Charge!”

Shining Armor sprinted, followed by organized rows of crystal pegasi that broke out in formation, filling the room as a massive wave of armor and feathers, crashing down upon the Night Guard. Bodies were tossed everywhere. Hooves and weapons impacted on each other in a ferocious exchange of might as both sides became focused on dominating the other. Shining Armor cut through the enemy and came to the only two allies still fighting in the center of the horde.

“They said you’d be here. Got to say, pretty crazy idea to ambush them on your own,” Shining Armor said to the Ghost.

The Ghost found his attention divided. A smirk crept across his face, reminiscing on the time he and Shining fought side by side against their enemies, and his strikes started to land with more force. He smiled. Two Night Guard came barrelling toward him and Shining, but in a fantastic display of agility the Ghost cartwheeled in front of the prince and snagged the two aggressors in the cloak. With a tug they spun out of the air and crashed into a crate.

“Nice moves,” the prince said as he hefted one Night Guard over his head and sent him screaming over the battlefield.

“Not bad, yourself,” he said. “Good to see royal life hasn’t cost you all of your skill.”

“A ha! There’s the Ghost’s famous wit.”

They fought together, synchronized as one, in a way that gave the Night Guard pause when they rallied their efforts. A chorus of leathery wings filled the ruin as the Night Guard transformed from an army and into a swarm, flying in tight formation as a single sea of dark armor that crashed against the Corsairs’ flank. Shining Armor barked orders to dig in and helped erect a shield around the overrun soldiers. It was enough, and the swarm of outnumbered bat ponies once again struggled against the might of the Crystal Empire. Shield Wall merely watched his forces fall, one by one, to the ambush before rushing from the scene, cursing the whole way. Gorn’s eyes followed him.

“Filthy coward’s gettin’ away!”

“Gorn, wait! Gorn!”

The Ghost sprinted after him, dodging the flying combatants filling the air around him. One such bout landed just before him, two Night Guard trampling one of the Corsairs, and the Ghost lunged over them, using a single length of his cloak to ensnare and toss the Night Guard away. The Corsair’s thanks were left unheard as the Ghost continued his mad dash through the crumbling complex, desperately keeping pace with Gorn as he slowly escaped his view. After weaving through the relics of war he followed the path out into the cold night, beyond the city and towards the wilderness beyond.

Gorn ignored the Ghost’s call. His senses were fixed on the aged unicorn that now sprinted away from him. Bolts of power were cast back toward him, pillars of magic rose to block him, but nothing managed to break Gorn’s will as he shot himself forward with a terrifying flap of his wings. All around him became a blur except for the unicorn now coming into full view, but something gripped him hard.

Shield Wall spun around and held his hooves out. With impeccable timing, he clamped down around Gorn’s neck just as he leapt off the snow-covered ground, throwing Gorn off course and diverting his force into a powerful bodyslam. They skidded a ways before Shield Wall finally saved his balance, looking down on the wounded gryphon.

“I… I’ll kill ye… kill ye like ye killed…” Gorn coughed, desperately trying to stand as Shield Wall chuckled.

“I do remember the little hatchling, always tending to Darrox’s every whim, always squawking whenever somepony spoke ill of him. Good to see you still have yet to be any real threat to me. Hardly a ‘sidekick’, more of a servant.”

“A better life at his side than under yer hoof.” Gorn swung a fast and fierce claw at Shield Wall, who ducked and threw a knee into his stomach.

“Spare me the prattling, you came looking for vengeance but all you will receive is a quick and unceremonious end befitting of your kind.” Shield Wall raised his foreleg, avoiding the tail swipe from Gorn and prepared for the incoming flurry.

“Yer a damn bastard, and I’ll be the one t’save us from yer evil!” His blows, though mighty, were deftly parried by the unicorn as a hoof crashed against his ribs, breaking them.

“Aw, you want to be a hero, and how must that feel? All your years of dedication and unflinching loyalty, only to be passed up by the whelp.”

“Shut it an’ fight me!” His dark wings flapped, kicking up the snow as he lunged forward, narrowly dodged by Shield Wall.

“Was he a father to you? A role model? The selfish old bug was so absorbed in his delusions he never saw how much you idolized him. How desperate you were to be him.”

“Don’t ye dare speak like that!”

“He was right, though, at least the whelp is a challenge.”

Only cries of rage flew from Gorn’s beak as he poured every ounce of his strength into a tackle. The Ghost finally arrived, witnessing the gryphon’s brutality as he and Shield Wall rolled on the snow, struggling for dominance. Shield Wall could see the mass of black approaching. With a wince of pain from his wounded horn, he summoned enough magic to lift Gorn from him and throw him against the Ghost, tumbling to the ground.

The Ghost tried desperately to speak, but Gorn was too fast in rummaging through the cloak and stealing the hidden dagger. When he tried to hold Gorn back, the gryphon struck back against him, knocking the Ghost’s head against the ground before charging again. Shield Wall watched the dagger slice the air as the panting gryphon sluggishly swiped the air just outside his intended target.

Each attack came slower than the last. A swift kick to the knees forced Gorn to tumble, and another crashing blow on his beak sent him to the snow with a splash of blood. Limp claws gripped the ground. The dagger was pulled from his grasp as a firm hoof pressed down on Gorn’s broken body, drawing a scream from his bruised beak, and with another jab he felt something snap deep within him.

As the Ghost’s vision recovered, he was met with the sight of Shield Wall standing over Gorn, and the glinting dagger hovering dangerously close. He stumbled to his hooves and rushed as fast as he could to them. A golden flash struck his shoulder, bouncing off the cloak and staggering him back, then another passed just beneath the cloak and clipped his hoof. He fell to his knees with a hiss, his eyes finding the weary gaze of Gorn.

Through a pain shout, the Ghost poured all of his strength into a final whip of the cloak, stretching out toward Shield Wall. Its dark limb sliced through the night. A whistle rose from it’s flight that echoed in the air as it homed in on its nefarious target, and Gorn could see it traveling closer and closer. A hoof blocked its path. Shield Wall shot a frightening glance to the Ghost, the cloak caught firmly around his hoof, and the only sound he could hear was the sickening tear of flesh as the dagger was plunged into Gorn’s neck.

“Damn bird.”

The unicorn turned his gaze to the Ghost, still limping and struggling to stand. Shield Wall spared himself the sight, turning away with a smirk and relinquishing the cloak before trotting off into the snow-covered night as the Ghost finally managed to crawl across the ground to Gorn, choking and sputtering. Blood stained the white earth. The Ghost pulled Gorn’s head up and felt around the wound. The blade was deep enough to contort Gorn’s face in agony with each subtle movement, and he could see the skin already turning pale beneath the dark feathers of Gorn’s face. Puffs of hot, shallow breath rose into the cold air.

“You need… you need to keep still, Gorn. The blade’s not that deep. There’s blood, but I can pull it… and your… oh, no.”

A large patch of matted feathers on his side announced his broken ribs, with points of bone threatening to break the skin. Gorn wheezed. Hooves fumbled over his body in search of another ailment, something within his power to heal. Limp eyes stared at him.

“Quit it,” Gorn choked. “Yer lettin’... lettin’... get away.”

“He doesn’t matter, Gorn, you’re bleeding out.” The Ghost timidly placed a hoof on the dagger, but the flinch from Gorn forced him back.

“D-Dammit, boy, forget me a-... do yer damn… damn job.”

“No!” The Ghost’s cry carried across the cold air as his whole body shook and trampled beneath the cloak. “I’m not leaving and I’m not letting you die out here! Just let me save you!”

A claw forcefully grasped the Ghost’s shirt. It pulled him in to meet Gorn’s weary and pale face, a harsh whisper rising from his beak with what strength he had left.

“Stop it… stop tryin’ t’be… yer a boy. Ye never a-asked fer this life. I’m sorry... he forced it on ye, robbin’ ye of… of yer…”

A wet cough forced more blood onto the snow, landing at the Ghost’s knees.

“Don’t do what I did, Silver… don’t live yer life for him. Yer blind to life and love and… and the whole world. Quit tryin’ t’save a dead changeling, and quit tryin’ t’save me… save yerself.”

His limp claw hit the ground. A final breath escaped his broken chest as the final holdouts of life faded away, leaving the Ghost alone. He couldn’t move. No scream or cry or desperate whimper, only shock painted across his face like blood across the snow, and a haunting expression that lingered on Gorn’s motionless body. Not even his ears perked up at the sounds of shouting from the city and the clinking of armor as ponies approached the scene.

He ignored the questions, the cursing, and the muffled scream that followed. His knife, standing like a bloody, spiteful totem, had cut him deeper than any before.

--

There was silent milling about the small campground established at the foot of the large mountain. Only the minimum of supplies was stored for the vanguard of bat ponies stationed there. Lamps, shovels, and barrels of blasting powder. The Night Guard diligently continued their work unearthing worn, protruding columns of dark crystal in a path that led to a glossy black opening of a crystal cave. Far above, the stars still blanketed the sky in their flickering presence, but the faintest line of red color began to stretch across the eastern horizon. Dawn was approaching, and so was their leader.

Shield Wall firmly stamped across the chilled ground, a saddlebag around him. Glint was beside him, sending silent orders to the other Night Guard with sharp eyes and whispered chirps. The unicorn shrugged off the cold air that kissed his fresh bruises and scrapes, relishing the sting, and glared at the small detachment that hurriedly came to attention around him.

“Vice general!” Their cry was in unison.

“Kindle,” Glint called out, summoning the bat pony to him. “We need a report. How is the digging progressing?”

“We’ve almost finished. The crystal is tough to get through, but the powder’s been enough to shatter it into movable chunks, but we’re not sure if the cave is traversable. It’s dark in there, unnaturally so.” Kindle’s eyes warily traveled to Shield Wall’s distracted face.

“Thank you, Kindle. What are your orders, sir?”

“Hmm? Ah, of course, establish a perimeter. We only have so much time until the prince finds us. Forgive me, commander, I was relishing.”

“Relishing what, sir?”

“The Ghost’s reaction.”

Glint hesitated to share in his leader’s enjoyment, nervously ignoring the statement as he sent out chirps and screeches to his troops and watched them slowly close in around the entrance, eyes trained on the city far away from them. Shield Wall, Glint, and Kindle made their way to the mouth of the cave.

As Kindle said, the cave was dark. Glint’s eyes strained to focus, and every time he managed to glimpse the inside, an oppressive darkness came over his vision once again. Kindle, too, struggled to navigate and gave out a loud screech. Their trained ears were sensitive to the sound now bouncing off of every surface the cave provided, giving them a near-clear image of an imposing cavern, with countless rows of stalactites that hung like fangs in a predator’s mouth. Another screech from Glint revealed even more of the cave. Twisting passages and frozen lake beds could be detected through their echolocation.

“Visibility is limited. We can set up routine excursions deeper, but we’ll need to request supplies from the main force. Two scouts will take an hour to-”

“There will be no waiting, commander, step aside.”

Even blindly, the confidence of Shield Wall’s stride could be felt as he passed the two bat ponies and stepped deeper into the cavern. He could feel something curl around his hooves. Tendrils, something he knew quite well by now, but far more animated flicked and writhed beneath him, and as one began to travel up his leg he snatched his hoof away and slammed it down upon the living shadow, smothering it. Then, he produced the scroll.

From his saddlebag flew the tracking ritual, unfurled in a wreath of golden magic. Shield Wall allowed his own power to spill from his horn, bathing the parchment as it began to float on it’s own. Glint and Kindle could now see faint shapes in the darkness. Spirals and runes began to emerge from the parchment and defy the darkness around them, drifting just in front of Shield Wall as he poured even more power into the ritual. He grunted, but the darkness began to retreat. With another exertion, Shield Wall’s golden aura sent a shockwave across the cavern floor and beyond that seemed to push back the spell of darkness for a moment before it slowly returned, covering the trio in shadow again.

“Sir,” Glint whispered. “Did… did it work?”

Shield Wall’s eyes began to glow a brilliant white and through his enhanced vision he could see the cavern around him inverted. He followed the tendrils on the floor to a singular shape in the distance, the only spot of darkness still hidden to him. He grinned. Stepping forward he could feel another tendril, stronger this time, reach up and grab hold of his leg. A blast of golden magic severed it from the larger whole, and Shield Wall wasted no time in summarily terminating the rest of the living darkness as he progressed down the cavern, blasting at it when it dared lash out.

“The way is clear, gentlecolts. Follow me.”

Glint and Kindle hesitated, but soon they were close at their leader’s side and following him deeper down the passage. They both could tell the darkness was beginning to lift as their vision slowly returned with each blast of Shield Wall’s magic. Kindle, with his sensitive ears, could almost hear the shadows as they retreated, hissing and gurgling all the way into the darkest corners. Soon, the path led downward, and the cavern opened up into a truly dark and cold clearing.

At the center of the blackness was a soft red light.

It glimmered from the tip of something curved and sharp, leading upwards to the twisted shape of something resembling a pony that hung upside down from the ceiling like it was one of the stalactites, itself. Shield Wall could make out its distorted features. Ghastly, creeping limbs stretched out from it towards the floor, frozen in place by the black crystal that protruded from what he could only assume was flesh, though the figure was half formed. Strings of material suspended the pony from the ceiling, and long strands of a black mane dangled near the floor.

“‘Hail to the king’,” Shield mocked.

“Sir… i-is this…?”

“It most certainly is. Take a fine look, you two, at what remains of the cursed and traitorous King Sombra, cast to these dreary confines upon his pitiful defeat. It would seem he attempted to regain form before he finally died.”

“It looks awful,” Kindle said, attempting not to gag.

“Good. A death befitting an enemy of Equestria.” Shield Wall dismissed the putrid display and reached into his bag once more, producing his large tome.

“W-Well, um, if we’re going to recover the… the body, we’ll need some serious equipment.”

“Not the body, commander, let it rot. We need only the horn.” Shield Wall’s statement caught Kindle’s attention.

“The horn, sir?”

“The horn is cursed and filled with dark magic. Much of the so-called king’s power lies in the deals he made with evil forces, and his horn was the catalyst of said otherworldly powers.” Shield Wall slowly flipped through the pages of his book, glowing eyes settling on a single, horrific page. “Such power is the key to seizing the Crystal Heart and overthrowing the Crystal Empire, as it did millennia ago.”

“You… you want to…” Kindle stammered. “We’re going to use it? But for what? King Sombra enslaved the whole empire with that power.”

“Then you have answered your own question,” Shield said, dismissively.

Kindle’s next words were cut off by a glow of magic from the book. White eyes soon turned green, and black smoke trailed from the corners as dark power took hold of Shield Wall. The bubbling magic upon his horn coalesced into a single point. The resulting wave of power landed upon the book, and the pages screamed a horrid cry. Ink drained from the paper and onto the floor, trailing to the dangling corpse and slowly reaching up, climbing on top of itself and connecting with the horn. Screaming echoed through the cavern until the entire horn was covered and, in a flash of red light, fell from the body and clinked onto the crystal floor. The darkness that once blanketed them shrieked loudly before disintegrating, allowing them sight once more.

“Finally.”

Shield Wall watched as the enchanted ink peeled itself away, revealing the perfectly severed horn. He gently picked it up in his hooves. Upon close inspection, he found rows of tiny symbols of an ancient script dotting its surface, flowing around the horn in a swirling pattern he recognized as channeling paths. A grin crept across his face until Kindle spoke up once more.

“But you can’t use it, right? Sombra was immortal, like a living shade or something. It’s not like you could just stick it on your head and use dark magic, right?”

“One could, but there are far less barbaric means of harnessing its power.” Shield caressed the horn, studying its every feature.

“But, I mean… should we?”

Shield Wall froze. Slowly, his head turned to face the bat pony, now regretting his words, and slowly approached as the horn slipped into his bag. Each step closer forced Kindle’s stomach to sink that much lower before his leader was upon him, fierce golden eyes consuming his vision.

“What did you say?”

“Sir, please forgive Kindle. He’s on disciplinary-”

“What did you say?!” Shield Wall ignored Glint entirely, his wrath focused on the lone soldier before him.

“Sir, I… the horn is d-dangerous, and if we use it… I don’t want anypony to be hurt by th-.”

“I decide who is worth hurting, not you! I decide who is to be saved and who is collateral, who lives and who dies! You are to remain quiet until I have need of you!”

“Vice general, please,” Glint managed to say before golden eyes locked onto him.

“Silence, unless you wish to take his place!”

“Glint, please,” Kindle muttered. “This is insane. We can’t just let this happen. There are thousands of ponies in that city.”

“Then there shall be thousands of graves, should I will it so!” Shield Wall seethed, glaring, an inch away from Kindle’s trembling face. “You remind me of another soldier, Kindle. A sergeant, a whelp, who persisted in seeing I was undermined at every turn. He inspired mischief, spat in the face of proper discipline, and every breath he took held the stench of insurrection. And what did I do to him? I drowned him. Carved him into meat and cast him into the sea before I killed his father, conquered his city, and claimed his mare. What do you think I would do to you?”

“Glint… please,” Kindle whispered.

Glint looked on, stunned, confused at the scene unfolding before him. His silence was enough to bring a chuckle from Shield Wall’s throat, deep and sharp, echoing across the cavern as he slowly stepped to his side.

“The commander understands that peace can only be secured after war, that prosperity can only be sown from pain.” Shield Wall leaned in close to Glint. “Are you still loyal to our cause?”

“... Yes, sir.”

“Then kill him. There is no room for traitors in our nation.”

“... Sir?” Glint stood stiff, locking eyes with Shield Wall as the unicorn glared back.

“You heard me, commander.”

“Sir, w-with respect… Kindle isn’t-”

“Reliable? Diligent? A true ally to our cause? There are many things he fails to be, commander, yet he succeeds in distracting you from your duty.”

“My duty is to the troops, sir.”

“Your duty is to me!” Shield Wall’s voice shook the cavern, rumbling in Glint’s head as a hot breath touched his face. “You told me, swore to me, that you would give everything for our mission. For Equestria. But unlike the nation we love so dearly, I am generous and ask you only to kill this foul, insipid worm before he compromises you further!”

“Glint, please, he’s crazy,” Kindle declared through a shaky voice. “He killed Nox, and he’s gonna kill more!”

“Those who lack the strength to carry our burden should never stand at all, lest their weakness topple our dream!”

“Who even talks like that?! Glint, don’t let him do this, man. He’s insane!”

“Kill him!”

Between the cries of his leader and the whimpering of his friend, Glint felt a heavy fog in his mind, and with each word fired between the two ponies could be felt in his very core like cracks of thunder. It shook him like nothing else. He tried to focus his vision on Kindle and conjure some form of defence against his own confusion, but he couldn’t. The same indifference he felt towards Nox now entered his mind, and things became clear.

The firmness in Glint’s eyes told him everything. In a second, Kindle lunged for Shield Wall’s saddlebag, causing the unicorn to spin around and launch a thin beam of light. It grazed Kindle’s hip, and with a flailing hoof he managed to snatch the saddlebag and pull it from Shield’s back. Then he bolted. His wings carried him as fast as the treacherous cavern would allow as the sound of yelling and hoofsteps rang out behind him, and soon his keen eyes could see Glint charging after him as he approached the mouth of the cave. Kindle ejected from the dug-out path and tumbled along the cold earth, scrambling to his hooves as his eyes met his new surroundings.

The bat ponies that once stood guard were now dead. Bubbling pools of viscous green fluid stained the ground, with carnage strewn across the patches of pure snow. A cloaked figure stood before them, slowly turning to see Kindle, and pulled a vile of sinister liquid from her tattered rags. Kindle raised his hooves towards her.

“No, no! Don’t kill me!”

“A pitiful last request,” the Ragged Mare said with a gravelly tone.

“No, you don’t understand, I’m not with them anymore. I swear!”

“You sure look like them.” She lifted the vial higher in the air.

“No! You can’t melt me, I know what he’s planning!

“KINDLE!” Glint’s fury arrived in a thunderous cry from the cave, and Kindle turned frantically to the Ragged Mare.

“If you’re going to melt anything, melt the entrance to the cave. They’ll be trapped for a while, just please trust me!”

The Ragged Mare paused for a moment, but when another loud roar came from within the cave she hurled the vial overhead, sending it crashing against the entrance and turning the top layer of crystal into a slimy, putrid wall of muck that oozed down to the ground.

“Talk,” she demanded.

“That place is King Sombra’s tomb. I-I don’t know what the vice general did, but there was some weird ink, and living darkness, and… whatever! He wanted his horn. It’s the key to using whatever evil junk Sombra was using while he was alive, and the vice general wants to do Luna-knows-what to the Crystal Empire when he attacks. But I have it and we’ve got to keep it away from him!”

“If it’s dangerous then give it to me.”

“N-No! No, no, no, no, no, I’m taking it to the Ghost.” Kindle clutched the saddlebag close, ignoring the shouting form behind the melted wall of crystal.

“I can always kill you and take it,” the Ragged Mare said as she closed in on him.

“Maybe, but I know his full plan. Numbers, supplies, locations, everything! And I’ll spill, but to the Ghost, not you.”

The Ragged Mare was silent. Even as the shouting grew louder from within the cave, she remained fixed on Kindle, who met her gaze with one just as fearsome. A crack was heard from the cave wall, and the Ragged Mare gave a raspy sigh.

“Get going… but if you even think of running, you’ll join your friends in their puddle.”

Kindle’s stuttering words were silenced by the eruption of crystal and stone from the mouth of the cave. Shield Wall emerged, eyes frenzied, a piercing glow at the tip of his horn. As he stomped up the incline towards Kindle and the Ragged Mare, the hooded changeling threw the rest of her ammunition at him. They disintegrated against a wreath of golden power.

Once the blasts of magic began flying, so too did Kindle, frantically spreading his wings and taking to the sky as fast as he could. Shouting, cursing, and even a roar followed him into the night, soon joined by an equally frantic changeling that hurried to his side. From the corner of his eye came a flash. A streak of power sailed toward like a bolt of lightning. On instinct, Kindle shifted his weight to the left, allowing the beam to glide past his right pectoral and off into the sky, and the two doubled their speed. A hoof found its way to his barely rescued hide, a part that had not yet fully healed, and Kindle gave a manic laugh.

“Ha ha! Thank you, Ghost!”

Chapter 15: “I’m scared…”

A heavy fog had rolled in from the early morning. The world was blanketed by the gray, oppressive cloud, nearly suffocating the color of buildings and streets. Crystal shaped towers managed to poke out from the fog, and the massive obelisk that was the Crystal Palace could still only be seen from the scant bits of light reflecting from its polished surface. It was an atmosphere of bleakness.

Beyond the towers stood the city’s airport. Ponies in indigo armor milled about the complex, calling out orders and following checklists, securing all incoming munitions and supplies meant for repairing the damage done the night before, though beyond the commotion stood a solitary vessel. The deck of the Tornado was silent, even between its crewponies, who wouldn’t so much as share a glance as they shuffled to their stations and idly completed their tasks. A sentiment shared by the ship’s new captain.

Gilda stood at the helm of the Tornado, keen eyes attempting to pierce the veil of fog and spot any of the crew. From where she stood, coiled in fog, she may as well have been alone. Solemn groans of the crew reached her ears like moans of the dead through the sea of grayness before her. What she could see, though, were the crooked claw marks left in the wood of the ship's wheel collected after countless voyages, many she had partook in. She fought off her growing scowl.

A familiar white pony caught her eye. Rarity appeared at the bottom of the helm, looking up to her with weary azure eyes, but the only response Gilda could manage was a lethargic wave. Rarity took each step under her hoof to reach her. A glance was shared between them. Gilda fought to keep her eyes on the deck where she was safe, where she still felt alone, but the bobbing of violet curls in her peripheral reminded her of their inevitable task. With a hoof, Rarity gently took Gilda’s claw and led her down. Down to the door of the captain’s cabin.

Once their composure was summoned, Rarity pushed open the door and led Gilda through. The inside of the cabin was pitch black, pierced by the invading crack of light, and nopony other than its silent occupant. He sat in a chair, turned away from them, and gave no indication he was even alive, let alone aware of their entrance. Rarity summoned a candle to her. With a spark of her horn the orange glow spread out, and after a few more the room was almost welcoming. They shared another, more timid glance between each other, almost daring the other to approach the argent pony. It was Rarity to move first.

“Silver, are you awake? It’s morning, already.”

No sound came from the chair before them. She gestured as if to speak, but her breath caught on her hesitation, leaving Gilda to call out.

“Dude, uh… you’ve been in here for a while. Like, a long while. Some grub might do-”

She almost gasped as the chair slowly turned toward them both, and Silver’s amber, bloodshot eyes trapped them in a gaze of despair. He was disheveled, to say the least. Clothes were discarded, leaving his scars on full display. His mane unkempt, and what effort was put into dressing his wounds was distracted and lacking. Only his soft puffs of breath could be heard as he watched them both.

“Y-Yeah, some grub would definitely do you some good. Rarity’s not big on grunt food, but we can make due, right?” Gilda gave a weak smile and nudged Rarity.

“I’ll have you know I can handle most things, but the Corsairs were kind enough to offer breakfast after all that’s… well, can’t make plan without a good me-”

“You’re both going home.”

The statement shook Gilda and Rarity, magnified by Silver’s unflinching stare.

“Uh, what? Dude, last time I checked, home is almost a thousand miles away.”

“Then you’ll take the ship.”

“Darling, even after what happened, we can’t be so rash.”

“You are going home. That’s final.”

“Silver, we’re not going anywhere,” Gilda said, fighting her own irritation.

“Then you’ll die like Gorn did.”

“Hey, don’t think you’re the only one who lost someone last night. Gorn was a prick, but he was one of us, and you can’t tell me this isn’t my fight.”

“I can, and it’s not.” Silver finally stood from his seat to contest Gilda stomping toward him.

“You better watch that mouth, grass-fed! Quit trying to boss us around every time something goes to shit!”

“I wouldn’t if you’d listen to me in the first place!”

“Okay, okay, stop, that’s quite enough,” Rarity stated, shoving herself between Silver and Gilda. “What happened last night was truly awful, yes, but this bickering is unbecoming of you both.”

“Quit trying to mediate everything,” Silver shot back.

“I… I beg your pardon?”

“We’ve been at it for weeks and neither of you have figured out just how dangerous this is, and maybe you’d understand that if you didn’t try stopping me, first.”

“Well, I never! Suddenly, I am to blame? You called me to help in your hair brained adventure, remember?”

“Yes, and I was an idiot to ask you. Either of you!”

“Wait, wait… are you serious?”

Gilda lost all control as a torrent of sharp laughter spilled from her beak. Both Rarity and Silver watched her in confusion, until her faux smile became the scowl she had long struggled to contain.

“What the buck happened to you?!” She bellowed. “Sweet Guto’s ass, Silver, you were one of the coolest ponies I had ever met. Downing half a cake in one evening and kicking flank the next, spouting stupid one-liners like you were and actual, honest-to-Celestia superhero, but now all you do is whine!”

“I’m trying to keep you alive!”

“Screw that! You’re trying to push us away, just like you did Shining and Cadence, just like you did Abby!”

“Don’t bring them into this!”

“No! I will, because you’re actually so damn stupid you’re throwing away everything you once had and everything you have now. I’ve got no idea what’s gonna happen, but if we leave you out here alone then we’re never gonna see you again!”

“If that’s what it takes to save you then I’ll make sure of it!”

“Stop trying to save everyone!”

Her scream rocked the flickering candles around her, their flames shaking violently before she turned her teary face from them and stomped through the cabin door, slamming it behind her. A moment of silence left Silver stunned. Rarity, sighing, stepped into his view with a tired gaze and a firm pout.

“Explain.”

“There’s nothing to say.”

“Then give your best try, Silver, because I’m tired of guessing.”

As Silver began to protest, the ominous chair from before slid behind him, shoving his knees and catching him in the seat, a blue wreath of magic fading with the light of Rarity’s horn. Her eyes were piercing.

“It’s not a mystery, Rarity.”

“On the contrary, it’s the only real mystery I’ve encountered since I left Canterlot. Every single time something has gone wrong you recoil just like you’re doing now, and it’s only gotten worse since Alate attacked Abby.”

“I won’t justify trying to keep you safe.”

“To what end, Silver? To the point where all of us are either so far away you might as well be dead, or to where we’re all living happily in your idyllic Coltistrano?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Silver snapped.

“Gorn, Ms. Hearts, Gilda, you brought them all to Coltistrano. You even bought Gilda her bakery and invited her to live in town. She told me.”

“And that has ‘what’ to do with anything?”

“You brought the ones you care about to live somewhere under your control, where they’d be safe. All the while, you’ve pushed away those you thought you could never be with, like Abby. You’re trying to be protective.”

“I don’t believe this,” Silver chuckled. “You’re interrogating me.”

“Because that’s the only way to learn anything about you. About what you’re feeling or what’s going on in that thick head of yours.”

“It doesn’t matter, Rarity. I’m trying to keep everyone safe, and in case you don’t remember, that’s pretty damn necessary so long as Shield Wall is running around.”

“Is that what’s bothering you?”

“Of course it bothers me, Rarity, you’re not safe!” He shouted, standing from the chair.

“Then why don’t you trust me, dear?”

Silver froze in place. Her gaze had gone soft as she looked up at him with the same gentle eyes he had seen many times before, eyes that dug deeper into him than any knife ever did. He stammered out the makings of a response, flimsy as it was, but with each desperate attempt he always came back to the face that pulled every painful truth out of him, tearing out the bedrock of his soul as numbness filled his head and his whole body tensed.

A pained cry left him as the chair was sent across the cabin with a powerful kick. He readied another strike but fought against his own body, writhing in place before crumpling to the ground, gripping tight to his chest. Rarity could hardly watch the display as Silver beat the floor with his bare hoof, whispering curses, before she cautiously attempted to hold the wailing stallion.

“I’m scared…”

“We all are, dear, but you don’t have to shut yourself out.”

“What else am I supposed to do?!” Silver shot up from the floor, face damp with tears and trembling. “Every time I try to take something back I lose something else. I… I wanted them all back so bad. I wanted it so much I told Darrox to go screw himself and his mission, but… but I dragged you into it. Serenade died, and Darrox ended up taking the fall for my mistake. Mine!

“And I promised him. I promised I would do whatever I could to keep his mission alive. That I would be him! So, I… I can’t let him down, Rarity. He always managed to save everyone, even me, but I keep losing the ones I care about. Dammit, Rarity, look at me! I have ‘failure’ written in every scar and wound I’ve gotten since I was dropped in the ocean. If I had just done it then Gorn would still be here!”

“Done what?”

“Kill him!” The cry shook Rarity, staring into the crazed and teary face of Silver. “I was so close. When he attacked us in Ponyville, so much was going on, it just happened and… I can still feel him choking! But I just… I wanted it. I wanted it so bad. And Alate, she was so damn sure it was right that… gah! What more do I have to give up?!”

“No! No, Silver, that is not fair. Darrox gave everything, even his family, so he could be the Ghost.”

“So why can’t I?”

“Because Darrox wasn’t perfect! Because our actions have consequences, and him leaving Alate behind to traipse about as some caped crusader turned her bitter and cruel.”

“It’s not his fault she wants vengeance.”

“But it is his fault he was never there for her. Instead, he disappeared for decades and left her without a brother. Sweet Celestia, Silver, can you imagine what it’s like to have someone you care about and be forced to treat them like a memory?”

“But… But I’m not… I wouldn’t...”

He fell. Hooves wrapped around Rarity as Silver fell to his knees, gripping with a desperate strength. Tears matted her fur and were joined by a few of her own. Time faded away as they simply held each other in the dim light of the cabin. She slowly rocked him, feeling his grip tighten once more before it slowly loosened and his breathing became steady. Carefully, she lifted his face to meet hers.

“Do you understand now, Silver?”

“I… I have been such an idiot,” he whispered.

“Don’t be hard on yourself, there’s been enough of that.”

“No, it’s true.” He stood, offering a hoof to Rarity as he brought her to her hooves. “I’ve been awful. To Abby, to Gilda, and to you. I was scared to trust any of you. I… Rarity, I don’t want to be a memory. Not anymore.”

Rarity’s eyes popped open as she felt Silver kiss her cheek, freezing her in place. His silent thanks drew a blush from her cheek as he pulled away from her, freeing her with a warm smile.

“I’m so sorry, Rarity,” he said, still with the hint of a tremble in his voice.

“Darling, your heart was in the right place… even if you have been a proper imbecile about it.”

“What should I do?”

“Have faith in us, and in yourself. Believe no matter what happens, no matter how terrible today becomes, we’ll all be there tomorrow.”

“But Darrox and Gorn-”

“Made their own choices. Silver, my dear, you can’t control everything, even if it’s for the best intentions. Darrox wanted to fight his fight, and Gorn, stubborn as he was, wanted to do right by someone he loved. Their choices, not yours.”

“I never… I don’t know if I can let go like that. I can’t risk losing you.”

“You’ll lose me if you don’t. You may be a ghost, Silver, but your memory is what will truly haunt me.”

Silver lingered in Rarity’s words. Breath passed between them, crossing the distance of mere inches before the two embraced once more.

“I won’t let this happen again.”

“I hope so, but I’m not the only one who needs to hear it.”

Silver’s eyes locked onto the imposing door to the cabin. He remembered the thunderous crash it made in Gilda’s fury, and the piercing scream that still lingered in his mind. The embrace was left in favor of striding toward the door. Rarity gave him a nod, urging him forward as a courageous push brought the grey light of the outside world into the cabin.

Streaks of light had managed to pierce the veil of fog surrounding the city. Some ponies on deck spotted and gave a feeble salute, while others continued on their way as Silver surveyed the deck, cautiously searching for her. It was the sound of light gasping that signaled Silver behind and up by the helm. As he cautiously climbed the stairs he could clearly see Gilda leaning over the railing, her back heaving slightly and wings trembling. An errant step earned a squeak from one of the floorboards.

Gilda spun around with rage in her eyes and tears down her face, and the sight of Silver did little to pull her out of a low, threatening stance. Silver held his breath. Soon, her outstretched wings slowly came down to her sides, mellowing her posture and expression as she returned to her solemn perch along the railing.

“If you’re here to tell me to pack, then I’ll tell you where to cram the duffle bag.”

“I don’t want you to leave.”

“Oh, yeah?” Gilda spun around again, slamming a claw to the floor. “You were pretty damn convincing back there, all broody and full of your own bullshit.”

“I was wrong, Gilda. I’m sorry.”

“Damn right you are! You don’t get to drag me out here, a thousand miles away from home, chasing down some psycho, just to kick me out like you’re doing me a favor. What happened, huh? You and Rarity have a sappy pony talk in there, kissing and making up like it’s all better now?”

The mockery stung, but not enough to deter Silver from approaching Gilda. She flinched, eyes glued to him. Once he crossed the helm to her he stood square before her, eyes baring down with a firmness she had rarely seen.

“Hit me.”

“What?” The command made Gilda cock an eyebrow.

“Hit me like you did on the beach, that made me eat sand and put a smile on your face.”

“Oh, you’re gonna regret this, pretty boy.”

“You hit with your claw, not your mouth, feather face.”

Gilda paused for only a second before her face contorted in anger and fearsome limb reached out faster than Silver could see. He stumbled back. Spots danced before his vision long before the pain in his jaw was registered, but once it did he gripped the tender point of impact, trying to keep his balance. His brain swam in a dazing ocean, stirred up by Gilda’s still tensed fist. What he could see, though, was the tiny smirk forming at the corner of her mouth.

“T-Told you,” he muttered through clenched teeth.

“You deserve a lot more than that one, raghead.”

“I know, I know. Maybe you’ll get a chance to see it… I meant it, G. I’m sorry for what I said, back there.”

“Yeah-huh, and you’re gonna make it up to me, starting with giving me the best reason you can think of why I should let you off the hook.”

“Well, I’m scared,” he said, smiling. “The ‘sappy pony talk’ did wonders.”

“Wait, you... ?” Her speech was cut off by tears and laughter, crying out the rest of her frustration in a chorus of airy chuckling. “Silver, you absolute dweeb, weren’t you the one who told me to not let myself be alone?”

“Yeah… damn, I can’t believe you remember that.” Silver rubbed his jaw, slowly working out the pain.

“How could I not? One of those scars is from me, remember?”

“I think it’s two, now.”

Gilda slowly approached Silver and tilted his head up, looking over the fresh welt upon his chin. A claw came up, feeling around the impact zone, before she gave a light tap to his jaw, clicking the bone into alignment.

“There you go, you would've looked crooked, otherwise. You’re still an idiot, though. Why would you go off on us like that?”

“Because I don’t want you to die, G. You’re my friend, my best friend. If it had been your neck my knife landed in I… I can’t even think about it.”

“You think I would’ve gone after him alone? C’mon, dude, I’ve seen the way Shield Wall can smack you around. Give me a little credit.”

“I know, I know, I’m sorry.”

Gilda rolled her eyes and smirked. She rubbed her claw as they walked to the railing of the ship and stared out into the thinning fog, standing silently at thin rays of sunlight falling toward the earth like gentle waterfalls. Silver sighed, feeling the tremble that had once infected his body slowly wash away in the light. Chirps of morning birds drifted in the air. Their chorus put them both at ease, and at last the first glimpse of the sun was seen through the clouds above.

“So… ‘best friend’, huh?” Gilda chided, playfully.

“Y-Yeah. So what?”

“Nothin’. Always knew you had good taste.”

“I remember when you wouldn’t have agreed with me,” Silver chuckled. “At least you laughed at my jokes.”

“What can I say, I like stupid, and hoo boy did you have some bad ones. ‘Down’? Seriously?”

“That joke was perfect! And as somepony lacking feathers I’m rather proud I came up with it, at all.” Silver jabbed a hoof into Gilda’s shoulder, feigning offense.

“I only laughed because I never thought castaways could be that dumb…” Gilda shoved back, intentionally jabbing him with a claw, before their elation slowly died out. “That, back there? That was when I needed saving.”

“What?”

“You saved me back in Horse Shoe Bay, when you wouldn’t let me run away. I don’t think I could ever have tried being with others again if you hadn’t been so annoying. W-Well, not annoying, definitely a pain in the… you get what I mean, right? No one ever stuck it to me like that, like you spoke my language, ya know? I’m here, and a better person, because you saw something, something that really needed saving.

“But, you’re drifting out of touch, dude. You think saving people means flying around in a mask and beating up weirdos, but look what that did for Darrox. He’s dead, his sister’s crazy, and he’s got you convinced his way is the only way to do this.”

“You don’t think the Ghost is enough?” Silver asked, hesitantly.

“I think you’re enough. Not as the Ghost, he’s kind of a jagoff, but as Silver Spade. Your heart is, like, always in the right place, even when everyone else’s isn’t, ya know, but you keep getting in your own head. You did it with me, you saved Manehatten, but Shining and Abby and the rest of us know the risks. We know what we’re in for. It’s like... I don’t know, dude. I just don’t think you can save something that doesn’t need saving.”

Silver stood quietly, eyes fixed on Gilda as she finished pouring her heart to him, harsh truths that furrowed his brow and forced him to gaze into the distance, pondering her words. Warm sunlight graced his bare form. Every now and then, Gilda would look over, searching for a response. She inched closer along the railing that connected them. Cautiously, she lifted a claw to poke him, but was held at bay by the intensity of his expression.

“I need to see Shining and Cadence,” he declared after minutes of silence.

“You, uh, sure about that?”

“I’m very sure.”

“Well, you’re not going anywhere like that.” Rarity’s voice called to them from the stairs leading up to the helm. A glittering wreath covered a box hovering in the air.

“I think the dumbass should go naked. Think of it as punishment.” Gilda’s wicked yellow eyes punctuated her grin.

“Heavens, no! Silver, old friends or no, you will be visiting royalty, and most likely in your own unexpected ways. That’s why I’ve brought you this.”

The box landed deftly on the deck, catching Silver’s gaze. It was sleek, dark, made of a sturdy material resembling expertly polished wood contrasted with two metal latches clasping the lid shut. He ran his hoof across it and felt a chill run through him. Reverent hooves reached for the latches and flipped them open, and slowly he raised the lid up.

“This… this is it?” Only Silver’s words were directed toward Rarity, for his eyes were locked on the contents of the box.

“It is. No need for a fitting, though I do expect you to put it through its paces.”

“Shit, Rares,” Gilda announced with a whistle. “That’s slick, even by your standards.”

“Rarity, how can I repay you for this?”

Rarity chuckled. Violet hairs graced Silver’s head as she came down to kiss his cheek, peering into the box to marvel at her craftship with him.

“Put it to good use.”

Chapter 16: “Silver… my love, I’m so sorry…”

One by one, guards in crystal armor marched from the throne room, the final one taking one last sweep of the area before gingerly shutting the large double doors behind him, as ordered. The click of the latch was sharp and echoed lightly. Even in the obscuring mist of this morning the crystal walls still managed to dance with glimmers of sunlight, faint as they were, and gave a comforting show of color to the room’s few occupants. Flanked by imposing pillars of polished stone and facing the expertly cut throne of the same material, they faced the same stallion from the night before.

“So, are you going to tell us what this is about?”

Shining Armor’s voice was urgency covered by patient sympathy. To his right, atop her brilliant throne, Princess Cadence sat and waited for their two guests to give some indication for their meeting, but didn’t share the slight tap in her hoof that Shining politely tried to hide.

“Of course,” Rarity began, eyes occasionally darting around the room. “Firstly, I wanted to thank you for your help last night with… well, with that unpleasantness. It was never our intention to put either of you in harms way, and-”

“Rarity, please,” Cadence interjected. “There’s no need for formalities. We’re friends, but something terrible seems to have taken root in our home and we’re at a loss for how to combat it. Did you have something to share with us?”

“Y-Yes.” Rarity’s voice shrank, eyes still scanning the ceiling, but a sharp glance from Gilda beside her strengthened her resolve enough to speak again. “The three of us have information to share with you.”

“‘Three’?” Shining gave an inquisitive look to the only two in his sight.

“Yep, took a lot of convincing to get him to show himself, but this has been a long time coming.” Gilda raised a lethargic claw to the ceiling, giving the royal couple a sly smirk.

Cadence and Shining looked up. From atop one of the pillars was a dark shape. As they peered up, squinting to get a better look in the fading light the shape looked back, causing Shining to step before his wife and adopt a fighting stance. The shape lept from the pillar and spread its dark form across their field of vision. Fluttering cloth trailed behind him as covered hooves clicked against the polished floor with metal-tipped boots, and the cloak slowly receded to its normal size, draped along the dark and sleek uniform adorning its wielder. Shining’s gaze trailed along the two-tone ensemble of black and dark grey until, just above the armored tunic, two amber eyes met him from behind their cowl.

“Your highness,” the Ghost smirked.

“You always make a show like that?”

“It works most of the time.” The Ghost flicked the cape over one side, took a step forward, and gave a deep and dignified bow to Princess Cadence. “Princess.”

“My husband may not be entertained by your performance, but I am.” Cadence rose from her throne and stepped past Shining Armor, extending a regal hoof to the Ghost. “Auntie Luna has told me much about you, Ghost.”

“Hopefully not too much,” he replied, taking the hoof. “That would ruin the surprise.”

“Surprise?” Both Cadence and Shining shared a curious look before the Ghost stood upright.

“It’s no secret what happened last night: Shield Wall has escaped from prison and brought a force large enough to stage a coup in the Crystal Empire, and I’m not so foolish to think he won’t use every means at his disposal to ensure he wins. Last night’s engagement was… a mistake.”

He looked to Rarity, silently cheering him on with muted words and a warm smile.

“There’s some other scheme in play, your highness. Shield Wall can’t take the palace alone and he knows it, especially with myself and the Ragged Mare searching for him. So, I’m here, personally, to ask for your help in stopping a disaster.”

“We’re more than willing to stop that bastard,” Shining interjected. “But we need more than just your support. We need information, troop numbers, tactics…”

“All of which we’re more than willing to find for y-”

“And above all a reason we can trust you. Last night wasn’t very convincing.”

Amber eyes held their gaze on the stalwart unicorn. The Ghost could feel the presence of Gilda and Rarity behind him, as if to keep him from running away, but he kept his hooves planted where they were. His breath was still and a thin smile began to grow.

“You’re right…”

Shining seemed taken aback by the Ghost’s words. Cadence, too, looked to the masked pony with curiosity, though neither were ready to watch one of his gloved hooves slowly travel upwards. Dark fabric was tugged. It gently fell back across his scalp as he pulled. The cowl gave way to argent hairs that fell across his face and neck, faintly shimmering in the sunlight. A visage reached out to them both, but only Cadence still had the power to speak.

“Lord… Aristo?” Cadence muttered. “You’re the Ghost? Well… I suppose as far as secret identities go, I never could’ve suspecte-”

Shining Armor pushed past his wife. Step after firm step placed him face to face with the now unmasked pony before him, a face that still lived somewhere in the depths of his mind, and left him frozen save for a few choice, timid words.

“This isn’t… Silver?”

It was all he could manage to utter. The tall, brilliant prince of the Crystal Empire was stripped of his presence, capable only to stare at the pony in utter disbelief. Cadence squinted for a moment. Then, her hooves found their way to her mouth in time to suppress a sharp gasp that sent her on her haunches. Sharp pricks gathered in Silver’s throat.

“You’re dead,” Shining mouthed, barely above a whisper.

“Not anymore.”

The exchange was all it took for Shining Armor and Silver to fall into each other. Firm forelegs ensnared them both as seven years of pain fell from their contorted faces as tears, and not too long after Cadence flung herself into their embrace and was quickly accepted. Silver, most of all, surrendered to the smothering wash of relief within him, relishing in the grip two souls from a once-lost time now had on him as evidence of his joy fell from his face. In the wordless moment, Gilda leaned silently to Rarity.

“I think we did it, huh, Rares?”

“I think we did, too.”

The two watched as the pile of emotion slowly rose and cleared their tears, with Shining still holding onto Silver to assure himself he was, in fact, real.

“You were dead… that bastard, he killed you. Where have you… why didn’t you tell anypony? Why didn’t you tell us?”

“There’s a lot of fear and emotion wrapped up in that answer, Shining,” Silver said. “I never felt like I could, not until now.”

“Abby! Silver, does Abby know?” Cadence grabbed him in alarm.

“She knows, she knows, just… I haven’t been the most social with her.”

“What are you talking about?!” Shining slapped Silver on the shoulder. “You disappeared for years and you didn’t even get back with her?”

“Shining! I’m sure he had his reasons.”

“Right, right, I know, but… you fought Shield Wall alone! Silver, why didn’t you ask me for help? I would’ve busted his chops right alongside you had I known what he’d done!”

“Definitely would’ve been twice as easy with you around,” Silver said, returning the slap and a hearty laugh. “I’ll tell you everything, buddy, I promise, but please know I’m here now.”

“To think you’ve been doing all this, for so long. Silver, as Princess of the Crystal Empire, I’m granting you authority to work with Shining to find Shield Wall and put him away, where he belongs.” Cadence then turned to Rarity and Gilda. “I don’t have the words to express just what you two have helped do for us. Thank you.”

“Psh, don’t sweat it,” Gilda said, gently blowing on her talons as Rarity rolled her eyes.

“Cadence, there’s much to discuss,” Rarity began. “We don’t know how great Shield Wall’s force is, exactly, but there’s a third element in this fight.”

“The Ragged Mare, yes. Twilight included that in her letter to Shining. Is she as dangerous as they say?”

“Perhaps more so. She is a changeling, bent on bloody vengeance against Shield Wall and all of his followers, including those who came forward about the conspiracy, like Abby.”

“Was Abby attacked?” Cadence’s voice became firm.

“She’s alright, safe in Canterlot under Luna’s protection. Right now, though, we’ve lost track of her, and who knows what she’ll do once we, or Shield Wall, makes a move.”

“We’ll double patrols, the Crystal Corsairs will scour the city until we find her,” Shining declared.

“Fat chance, Shining,” Gilda began. “If Silver’s a ghost then she’s a damn wraith. The bat boys are easy enough to spot from the air, if you know what you’re looking for, and pretty lame in a fight, but she’ll come out of thin air and melt you before you have time to think of a response.”

“We need the Corsairs and whatever forces you can spare to patrol the city for Night Guard forces,” Silver said as he returned to Gilda and Rarity’s side. “We can’t risk Shield Wall getting the upper hoof while we don’t even know where he is. If we find him, we’ll find Alate.”

“So where do we start?” Shining returned to a tall, stoic pose.

“We’re not sure,” Rarity replied. “The Night Guard are nothing if not evasive, especially with their wicked leader guiding them. Waiting for the patrols to turn something up might be our best option.”

As Silver, Rarity, and the royals deliberated on their next course of action, Gilda’s head slowly tilted past them. A shape had begun slowly inching its way through one of the far windows, gently placing a hoof onto the floor upon its entry. Its familiar face scanned the room before being caught in Gilda’s predatory gaze. To her surprise, though, the bat pony slowly raised his hooves in surrender.

They shared a silent conversation. He nudged to the group and to his saddlebag, responded in kind by a subtle growl and the clacking of a talon upon the floor. It captured his attention. With trepidation, he placed his hooves together, pleading with an irate Gilda, and very soon she had enough of the pitiful display and tapped Silver on the shoulder.

“Hey, dweeb, mask up. We’ve got a guest.”

All eyes fell upon the pony in question. Kindle maintained his pose until a tall, masked, and terrifying shadow traveled across the throne room to him.

“Woah! Easy! Easy, easy, easy, I-I’m not here to fight… doubt I could anyway, right?” Kindle’s jest held no sway on the Ghost’s firm face.

“I’m going to give you one chance to convince me not to throw you back out that window.”

“I-I-I’m here to help! Please, I swear, I know I’ve messed with you in the past, but Shield Wall is crazy!”

“You only realize that now?”

“Oh, ‘ha ha’, I’ll remember that the next time he sics my friends on me.” Kindle slowly rose from the floor, taking great care not to provoke the vigilante before him. “Look, I know what he’s planning, and I’ve got it right here.”

Everyone in the room flinched as Kindle reached for his saddlebag, but the object that emerged from within was more than enough to subdue them. Cadence recoiled at the sight, gripping to Shining Armor, while Rarity held a hoof to her mouth in shock. Gilda wasted no time in stomping toward the now trembling visitor, held back only by the Ghost.

“Okay, I know it looks bad-”

“It is bad,” the Ghost deadpanned.

“But this means he doesn’t have it! And I’m giving it to you.”

“Just like that?” Rarity snapped. “That isn’t just some common trinket, it’s the horn of King Sombra!”

“How did Tightwad even manage to find it?”

“By using the scrolls stolen from Twilight’s palace.” The Ghost approached and took the horn, returning it to Kindle’s saddlebag despite the subtle chill it sent through him. “Cadence, do we have somewhere to hide it from Shield Wall?”

“Tartarus, maybe,” she spat. “But I’ll have it placed somewhere safe when we’re done. Now…”

Cadence stood to her full, princessly height, towering over Kindle with a glare that could cut the very stone they stood upon.

“You are an invader and a threat to the Crystal Empire. You may have had a chance for sympathy in Equestria, but you’re not in Equestria. So, to have any hope of freedom when this invasion is put down, you will tell us everything you know. Otherwise, the mines of the White Wastes to the north could use another worker. Are these terms… agreeable?”

Kindle had never nodded his head harder in his life. The famous Princess of Love held him in a gaze of pure, undistracted malice. Even the Ghost beside her could feel the fury radiating from her face and watched every individual hair of her rosey fur stand on edge.

“Begin.”

“There are at least three thousand of us!” Kindle blurted out the words almost faster than the others could hear. “They’re not all here yet. Or maybe they are, I don’t know, I’ve been on disciplinary duty for a few days now at the dig site. B-But I’ve heard stuff! Bad stuff. He’s been talking with Glint, mostly. A lot of talk about saving Equestria and using the Crystal Palace for something bad. He… wants to take over.”

“‘Take over’ what?” The Ghost pressed.

“Everything. The palace, the empire, the ponies… everything.”

“Cadence, what could Shield Wall do with the horn in this place? Could he accomplish that?” The Ghost asked.

“King Sombra once polluted the palace and used it as a seat of his power. It fuelled him, but the horn is just that. A piece of him, not something Shield Wall could use alone.”

“What about when he possessed the Crystal Heart,” Shining suggested. “That was how he performed most of his magic, like subjugating the crystal ponies.”

“But this is King Sombra’s magic we’re talking about,” Cadence contested. “Shield Wall would have to break into the palace, take control of it, then corrupt the Heart with a horn that isn’t even his own. I doubt even somepony like Sunburst or Twilight could accomplish something so heinous.”

“Wanna bet?” Gilda’s crude interruption sent a twinge of doubt through Cadence’s chest, prompting her to turn once more to the Ghost.

“We can’t let this happen,” she said resolutely.

“It won’t, but we need to work fast.” The Ghost stepped to Kindle and kneeled down, with a face far less severe than before. “Kindle, for all I know this is a trap and you were sent to scare us into making a mistake. That’s how Shield Wall operates. For all I know, he’s outside right now, ready to do all of the terrible things you say he’ll do, but I’m going to take a chance and trust you.

“This is your chance to help us undo everything he’s done, and finally do something that helps Equestria, not hurt it. And with your help, we may even be able to stop him before he hurts anypony else. Are you on our side?”

Kindle was stuck in his own mind. The Ghost, the object of his nightly torment and the terror of his comrades, now extended his hoof to him as an ally. He was stunned, his mouth flapping lightly, trying to find something to say in response, but all he could muster was a jagged breath and the trembling hesitation of his own hoof. One look in his amber eyes, though, was all it too, as they looked to him earnestly.

A single, steady breath pushed his hoof forward into the Ghost’s, and together they stood from the floor. Tremors still rocked his body, but slowly Kindle felt the tightness in his stomach fade.

“Hoo boy… I-I, um… they’re gonna kill me, for sure.”

“Better us than somepony else.”

“R-Right, right… wow, you’re really serious about it, huh?”

“Just don’t get too comfy, newbie,” Gilda sneered, slowly closing the gap between them both. “You remember what happened the last time you took beef with us… right?”

Kindle’s eyes were captured by the firm claw that gripped his shoulder, the one just above the scar just along his right wing, and memories of the feathered missile tackling him out of the night sky hit him like a sack of bricks, strengthened by the subtle squeeze she gave him.

“You’ll be working with Cadence and the guard,” the Ghost said. “Tell them everything you know, help them plan a solid defence for when Shield Wall attacks. Rarity, can you help them? Nopony’s better suited to force Shield Wall out of hiding.”

“Hmm, you always resort to flattery when you need something,” she said with a giggle.

“Only when it’s desperate.”

“Oh, you must be hopelessly lost without me, then,” she teased. “Cadence, with your permission, I can get started right away.”

“Of course, Rarity, but what about the Ragged Mare?”

“I think I have an idea,” Shining said, slapping the Ghost on the back. “You wanna go ‘on patrol’?”

“It might be best if I go alone. You’ll be needed here to coordinate a defence, and if you-” Rarity shoved her elbow expertly between the layers of padding in the Ghost’s suit, earning a sharp grunt from him. “It’ll be nice to have help, for once.”

“If you’re looking for info about the killer, we’ve been tailed by her for weeks,” Kindle announced. “It’s almost uncanny. She’s managed to follow us everywhere we’ve gone, no more than half a day behind us. Would’ve melted me back at Sombra’s crypt if I hadn’t offered to help.”

“‘Offered to help’?” Rarity inquired.

“Yeah. She showed up after the fight last night and… w-well, melted everypony, but I told her about the horn and that I was gonna give it to you. And, trust me, it was not easy convincing her! Guess she doesn’t hate you all that much.”

“Intriguing,” Rarity said, slowly. “Do you know how she managed to find you so quickly after the battle?”

“Glint sometimes said that maybe she was hiding among us, but the Vice General never let secrets slip. Kept everything real close to the chest. Best guess is she has a pretty tight intel network, or she’s just that determined.”

“Aren’t the Night Guard, like, supposed to be basically invisible?” Gilda leaned over between Kindle and the Ghost. “How is one angry changeling supposed to find you at all?”

“Wait… she’s a changeling?”

“Gilda’s right,” Shining said. “The Night Guard are elite. Best of the best. It’s doubtful she could’ve found them alone if they managed to hide their involvement in the conspiracy from the Investigations Bureau.”

They deliberated around her. Rarity ignored them, keeping her eyes focused on the empty space before them, her ears beginning to burn with the heat of her furious deductions. Kindle’s testimony disturbed her to the point of self-reflection, and the series of her experiences rolled out before her like a brilliant crimson carpet as a timeline of her observations. She started at the beginning.

The murderer eluded them at every turn. Her most valuable target led a frenzied chase into the Crystal Empire. A simple murder led them all into a conflict beyond her expectations. Nopony knew what could happen next, but somepony had to. Rarity wracked her mind for some loose detail, something that could tie every symptom of this endeavour together under a single cause. Alate was simply a knife. Rarity needed the wielder.

She set her eyes upon Kindle. The fact he survived almost disturbed her, given the gruesome memory of every other victim wearing his armor. Dozens of murdered guards, traitors or no, left as nothing more than sizzling piles of muck in her wake, without the skill of somepony such as Silver of Shield Wall to evade Alate’s wrath. Nopony survived the Ragged Mare. Nopony.

“Oh! Oooooohh!” Rarity’s outburst sent a jolt through the others in the room and her frantic hoof began slamming itself rapidly against the Ghost’s shoulder. “Darling, I-I think I figured it out, who’s been helping Alate, but… I’m not sure you’ll like it.”

“Rarity, at this point, I’ll take any lead I can get.”

“Y-Yes, but dear… I really-”

“Cadence! Cadence, are you and the hubby here?”

All eyes snapped onto the massive entrance of the throne room, whose doors had been pushed open to welcome a single mare and assistant. Two guards stood at the entrance, an unsure look between them, as the ruby hair of the mare bounced in time with her hoofsteps, thin and pretty shoes clacking against the polished stone floor and followed by a familiar, elderly pony dragging her luggage behind him. She beamed at the sight of the group. With a dainty hoof she hurried the elderly pony behind her and waved down the others.

“Silver! I can’t believe it, you did it! Shining, Cadence, I’m so sorry I never told you about him, but I was sworn to secr-”

“Abby… what are you doing here?” Each pair of eyes now gazing at Abby seemed to share the Ghost’s sentiment.

“I wanted to come visit Cadence and Shining, maybe let them know of the danger. With the amount of security, though, I take it they already know.”

“It’s always lovely to see you, Abby.” Cadence stepped past the others, nodding to Berry and giving the unicorn a hug. “But things are dangerous, right now. There was an attack last night, and not everyone walked away.”

“Cadence, I’m perfectly capable of looking after myself. I survived Shield Wall’s house of horrors, did I not? I can certainly survive a day in the palace.”

“Abby, that’s not the point,” the Ghost interjected. “Shield Wall is here, in the empire, somewhere. You know what he’ll do if he finds you here.”

“All the more reason for us to work together then, yes? Afterall, I was the one who gave you this lead.”

“Mysteriously, so,” Rarity muttered, catching Abby’s attention.

“I’m sorry, Rarity, I hope there’ll be no problem,” she said curtly. To her side, Berry’s gaze slowly reached Rarity and held firm.

“N-Not at all, um… darling, we should talk.”

“About what?” Abby took a quick step forward.

“About the source of our problems,” Rarity replied, sharply, a look of pleading in her eyes as she stared up as the Ghost. “Sh-Shall we?”

“Are you sure you know who it is?” The Ghost asked quietly.

“Who ‘who’ is?” The quiver in Abby’s voice began to draw attention, prompting Gilda to proactively step between her and the other two, wings threatening to spread.

“Silver… my love, I’m so sorry…”

“‘My love’?! What d-... the nerve!”

“Rarity.” His eyes locked onto Rarity’s teary azure orbs, a hoof stroking her cheek as he felt the sensations of needles return to his throat. “A-Are you sure?”

She pulled her forelegs around his neck. Gentle lips pressed themselves against his cheek and she could feel the quiver of his jaw as he returned her embrace. The crowd was stunned by the display, and Gilda’s firm wings shot out to stop Abby’s advance.

“Silver? What is she saying to you? S-Silver… oh, dear, what’s wrong? Silver!”

His cowled face turned from the crook of Rarity’s neck. Slowly, he freed himself from her, walking languidly toward the frantic unicorn held at bay by Gilda. He nudged her aside, and the gryphon allowed Abby to cross the distance she so aggressively had sought, falling into the Ghost’s chest. What she saw haunted her. His eyes, narrow and fierce, glared down upon her like two indignant suns. She babbled a response, anything to save her from the intensity of who she desperately clung to. Her strength was wasted as a defiant hoof slowly pushed her away, and the Ghost spoke in a low, rumbling voice betraying both his fury and despair.

“It was you.”

Chapter 17: “Because I hate what you stand for!”

The shadow threatened to engulf her, coiling outward from his back like the canvas of night. Her eyes locked onto him. Everyone else in the room stood in place as the tension traveled to them, their voices so restrained by the very notion Rarity presented and the Ghost’s firm, lingering stance over the accused, that not even the threat of breaking the silence could enter their minds. Even the wind outside was quiet. Abby managed to correct her posture as much as the Ghost’s looming gaze would allow, coming closer to his eye level. She placed a hoof upon his shoulder and, to her surprise, she was not pushed back again.

“Silver?” She whispered to him, his once statuesque expression starting to diminish.

Sea green eyes went from warm to white hot as the other unicorn stepped up from behind him. Rarity became trapped in Abby’s gaze, a predatory glare that followed her every step, but pushed herself to join the Ghost’s side, now stepping into a furnace of malice with all its heat being directed squarely at her.

“Abby, there’s a chance t-”

“Don’t you dare speak to me!” Abby’s fanged response quelled Rarity’s voice. “I come here in good faith that I may be of some help, to both him and everyone here, but instead I’m met with wild accusations and baseless conclusions! And now you seek to, what? Turn him against me?”

“It was brash, yes, but I’m sure Rarity had her reasons. We’re all on the same side, here.” Cadence’s attempts at peace were shot down by a haughty scoff from Abby.

“Oh, of course! The reward for information and assistance in the hunt for a murderer, not to mention from a near victim, is certainly slander, yes?”

“I, for one, would like an explanation,” Shining Armor declared, stepping forward. “Abby’s our friend, Rarity, I think you owe us that much.”

“Oh, please! If you wish to entertain this deceit, you will do so without me.”

“Hey, cool it,” Gilda spoke up, extending a claw to Abby. “Why are you gettin’ so worked up if you’ve got nothing to hide?”

“Because it is unfair! I patiently mind my own business for over a year and, suddenly, when I have the ability to help Silver perform his duties I’m admonished for it. More so, I’m vilified for it! And I will not hear another putrid word against my honor.”

“Abby…”

The chilling sound of the Ghost’s voice was enough to freeze Abby’s blood. Upon his face she found no traces of the anger from before, only a somber expression that seemed to tug at her, almost begging her to stay. He made no movements. A blade of fear ran through his flesh, digging at each and every vulnerable part of him as it slowly cut away his composure. It took every muscle in his body to suppress the quiver in his chest as the Ghost turned and urged Rarity, with a weary hoof, to continue.

“In fairness, Abby, you weren’t my first choice,” she bagan. “Honestly, you were my last. At first, I suspected Midnight Gavel when I heard of the destruction of the prison. Nopony else had as strong a connection to Shield Wall than he. Perhaps revenge, or some other twisted emotion, could’ve driven Gavel to orchestrate such an elaborate scheme: to stage a break-out and assassinate Shield Wall once he escaped, but… well, the outcome is obvious.

“With Gavel dead I had no other prospects. There were only so many ponies who knew where Shield Wall was being held, those within the Nine Night circle, which includes you. It was so early in the case, though, that when we came to first visit I couldn’t have suspected you of anything. You had just returned to Canterlot, an alibi from Princess Luna, herself, and we even witnessed an attempt on your life. That was enough to stump me for weeks.”

“How does this even accuse Abby of-” Shining recoiled at the slap on his shoulder from Gilda, shushing him.

“Well, alone, it doesn’t. We would spend our time following the Ragged Mare from Canterlot to Ponyville and, wouldn’t you know it, another crime scene. Far from Canterlot, and far from you. It wasn’t until we sought help from Twilight that we had any new information.” From her saddlebag, Rarity produced a small vial of green fluid. “This is residue from Alate’s acidic potions. It’s not like other weapons of its kind, and according to Twilight is extraordinarily difficult to produce. It only hurts ponies. Twilight confessed that only a supremely skilled mage could create something like this… unless they had money.

“Then, our worst fears were realized, and we learned Shield Wall had survived the demolition of the prison. In the chaos afterwards, I’ll admit I almost forgot about the case, entirely. Until we returned to Canterlot, where you were waiting for us.”

“Word travels quickly, Rarity, a lady of your stature should know that,” Abby huffed. “I wanted to ensure everything was alright, and when I saw Silver in his sorry state of course I was prompted to action. Watching him limp across the deck like that… it’s as if you don’t even care for him.”

“I care more than-…!” Rarity caught herself, smothering the growing fire in her belly with a long, ragged breath. “What matters is what you said. When we were completely lost, you were the one to give us the clue that led us here.”

“Because I had to!”

“Yes, but how did you know? How did you know, less than a day later, of a crime that, at that point, was completely unrelated to the attempt on your life? How did you know we would be arriving at the Canterlot port that next morning? How do you know so much about events you never witnessed?”

For once, Abby was silent, and the eyes of the room fell on her. Even the Ghost’s face began to lose it’s sorrowful visage and twisted into a squint.

“This is what bothered me. Shield Wall’s location was a closely guarded secret, yet somehow an entire contingent of his corrupt forces managed to liberate him from his prison. Gavel was executed on the spot, dozens of Night Guard have been slaughtered, and Shield Wall is more desperate than ever thanks to the ravenous efforts of the Ragged Mare, hunting him every step of the way. Alate has every reason to do it, true, but not the ability to do it alone. Equestria is a big place. She needed help.”

“And you think, in this phantasmal fantasy of yours, that I am the one aiding her? That, in my attempts to deceive you, I’ve overplayed my advantage?” Abby let loose a sharp giggle that bounced across the throne room. “You must think so little of me, Rarity. If I was orchestrating assassinations why would I give you any reason to suspect I was involved?”

“Because you never expected him to escape.” The subtle smirk on Abby’s face vanished. “You hired Alate to assassinate Shield Wall, armed with specially brewed potions, by leaking knowledge of his location to the Night Guard, all to set the prison break up as a trap where Shield Wall would be killed, but it failed. Now, you’re trying to clean up the mess by siccing us on Alate and Shield Wall before it’s too late. That’s why you’ve been so eager to help us. Not to bring in the Ragged Mare, but ensure you aren’t made out as her accomplice.”

Rarity’s words lingered in the air for a moment, filling the ears of everyone present, helping to digest the masterstroke of Rarity’s deductions. Abby’s eyes scanned the room. Everyone was either fidgeting in place of giving her a subtle glare, all except the Ghost. He stood there silently.

“You must be rather proud of yourself,” she stated. “But it’s utterly ridiculous. To think I have the time or the inclination to pursue such a grand caper. And for what? If you’re accusing me of unleashing an unhinged murderer on Equestria, then you’d better have a damn good reason as to why.”

“Vengeance. Vengeance against Shield Wall for all he’s done to you. Losing your lover, foalnapping you, manipulating you into helping him.”

“‘Vengeance’?” Abby mocked. “Shield Wall was put in a hole, the conspiracy done in, and Silver returned to me even beyond his supposed death. I still hold my title, my influence, everything! What do I have to be vengeful for?”

Rarity gasped and searched for her retort, but nothing appeared. Each passing second of silence was another inch Abby’s smile grew across her face, and in time she began to shrink where she stood, taking a step back from the smug unicorn as she brushed her ruby curls from her face.

“W-Well, of course there’s a motive, but…”

“But you can’t find one, yes? Because it isn’t there? Perhaps General Stratos or Fancy Pants would want revenge against him, but neither of them know just how much of what I lost was returned to me, and neither do you. You didn’t lose anything.”

“Yeah-huh, that doesn’t explain how you knew about the train,” Gilda said, coarsely.

“I travel the country doing charity work, Gilda, I’m what you would call ‘connected’. Connections that paid off when you were looking for the compound in Baltimare, if I recall.”

“That doesn’t mean you’re off the hook.”

“I think it does,” Cadence interjected, putting herself between Abby and the glaring gryphon. “I’ll admit, the coincidence is strange but that doesn’t mean she’s guilty. If rich, wrathful, and hurt by Shield Wall are the only criteria Rarity’s looking for then she just described everypony who testified against him in court.”

“Why don’t we ask the turncoat over there? Sounds like he’s been more exposed to the Ragged Mare than anyone here.” Shining shot a fearsome hoof at Kindle, who lurched away with two raised hooves of his own.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, don’t drag me into this! I don’t even know who she, you, or this ‘Silver’ pony are. I’m just the delivery colt.”

“There! Not even the enemy has a clue as to what’s going on, Rarity, so why should we listen to anything you have to present?” Abby closed in on the Ghost, pressing a hoof to his chest, gently. “I don't need vengeance. I already have everything I want.”

Bickering continued to float among the group, but it was all silent to the Ghost as he stood there, taking in the scene before him. He looked to Abby. She wasn’t paying attention to him, save for her ginger hoof caressing his padded chest, but her eyes shot daggers at Rarity, beside him, who had slowly slunk back, almost trying to hide behind the Ghost’s cloak to shield herself from Abby’s gaze. Rarity occasionally looked to him but always snapped away, and he could see red at the tips of her ears and a quiver in her lip.

A nagging in his mind pulled his attention to the side where Shining and Cadence stood. To him, it was painfully clear how frustrated they were with the entire scene. Shining swapped between demanding answers from Kindle and dismissing pointed statements from Gilda, while Cadence slowly approached Abby, patting her back and speaking in a soft voice. He didn’t pay attention to what she said.

He carefully combed his memory of all the moments Rarity referred to. Each detail about Alate’s dealings, Abby’s appearances, and the maelstrom of worry and pain the hunt for Shield Wall put him through. Images of tortured corpses and bubbling filth made themselves known at the same time the pained cry of Twilight did, when she fell from the ceiling of her own castle. Something remained, however. An image that followed him throughout the days that led him to where he stood. He looked to Abby again, who wore the same scowl he saw on the dock. A stronger, purer form of the harsh looks she gave after the attack at her home, carrying with it the same emotion he felt when they separated fifteen months ago.

“You don’t,” he finally said.

“W-What was that, dear?” Abby looked up at the Ghost.

“You don’t have everything you want. There’s something missing.”

“I don’t understand… don’t I? My home and my life are intact, my friends are alive, and I have you, yes?”

“Not in the way you want.” A gloved hoof raised to push hers away. “It’s never been the same since I came back, has it? I’ve been off keeping Darrox’s dreams alive, carrying his responsibilities, all while you ‘mind your own business’ and pretend like nothing is wrong, but I did something, didn’t I? I ignored you.”

“Silver, don’t say it so harshly. You were tending to what’s important to you, and that’s what matters.”

“But not to you. You asked for Silver to come back from the island, not the Ghost. You asked for us to be together again, but I refused.”

“And that’s alright,” she said, coming closer to place a foreleg around him. “You found a new purpose when you returned and… yes, it wasn’t pleasant when you declined, that doesn’t mean I hate you for it. Everything can go back to how it was once this is all over.”

“It can’t. It won’t.”

“Don’t say that…”

“No matter what you do to change it.”

“But I… haven’t done anything.” The bickering that once plagued the room suddenly silenced itself.

“Then how come, out of everyone in this room, there’s only one you’ve made out as your enemy? Only one that’s earned your ire?”

“W-Well she accused me of such horrid things! I’m not one to roll over and take it, you know that.”

“I’m not talking about today,” he began, Abby’s face growing a shade paler. “I’m talking about the little things: the curt comments, the interjections, the looks from the other side of your lobby. I’m talking about every cold stare you’ve given Rarity since we first visited you in Canterlot. I want to know why.”

“I didn’t know it meant so much to you. I-I’ll gladly apologize if-”

“You won’t mean it.” He took a step forward, forcing Abby back. “You’ve had every opportunity to make amends. I told myself it was the shock after Alate’s attack, but I know you better than that. You and Rarity worked together when we took down Shield Wall, who’s done much worse things to you than Alate could ever muster.”

“Please, we… we can talk about everything later. Silver, I promise, we’ll-” Another forceful step pushed her back, threatening to send her to the floor.

“But you didn’t stop. It only got worse. You may have kept it under control in the beginning, when I was still trying desperately to keep you at a distance, but I’m here now, and all I see is you lashing out against her.”

“L-Lashing out? Silver, I-I don’t-”

“Did it bother you that after six years deserted on an island the first mare I kissed was her? Or maybe that I was more comfortable going to her than to you when the cloak became too heavy?”

“Stop! That… that’s not fair!” A final step forward brought Abby to her knees as the Ghost’s hot breath fell upon her with his next, haunting statement.

“That was when you hatched a scheme, wasn’t it? Something that would put you back into my good graces. Not because you wanted to do good, or perform another act of charity… you were jealous. You thought killing Shield Wall would somehow win me back, but why? You know I would never approve of it. Better than most, Abby, you know my responsibilities, what I stand for.”

“Because I hate what you stand for!”

Black droplets pattered against the floor, evidence of mascara ruined by her tears. They shook loose from her cheeks and stained her dress as she shot up to meet the Ghost, eye to eye, her furious face laid bare for all to witness. Cadence stepped away with a hoof to her mouth. Gilda closed in, lowering her stance. Rarity, startled, gripped to the Ghost’s side. Even Berry, silent and stoic, allowed a surprised glance to appear upon his face.

“Six years! Six! All spent waiting and wishing you would somehow return, that you hadn’t truly been swallowed by the sea or some other cruel fate, every night a new terror. You were my world, Silver! We… We even talked about marriage! Don’t you remember? The night before you left? Pretty words and awkward laughs and all the wonderful things we imagined, but the only one who came back was… you.”

The word flew from her mouth like a vengeful arrow, coated in a poison that leaked from every wicked glare she gave the stallion in front of her.

“This thing, this… monster, it took you from me. Twisted you into some sort of prowling predator who wears your face like a mask. I was happier than I had ever been when you returned to me, rescuing me from Shield Wall, and putting that awful chapter behind us so we could be together. But you didn’t! You left me!

“It was that thing on your back. It was the Ghost! It took months of being left out in the cold to realize you weren’t yourself, a-and I thought… I knew I had to do something. You were obsessed with dismantling Shield Wall’s conspiracy, so I decided I’d do it for you. To ‘nip it in the bud’, yes? Without Shield Wall the conspiracy would die… and so would the Ghost.”

“Abby, please,” the Ghost begged, softly. “You had to know it wouldn’t work. That’s not th-”

“I had to do something! The one I love, who I committed my heart to, was still lost even after he returned to me, but without Shield Wall you wouldn’t have a reason to be the Ghost. I would free you, and we could finally be together again. So, imagine my surprise that after everything I’ve done for you, everything we’ve been through, and all the promises we made each other, you fell in love with her!”

The pained shout was all it took. Slowly, everyone in the room began to gather behind the Ghost, each wearing a look of shock. Abby panted hard from her exertion. It took a few moments for the rush to wear off, and when it did she found herself at the wrong end of every pair of eyes before her, her anger melting into a gnawing fear in the pit of her stomach. She shrank under their collective gaze.

“Abby,” Cadence whispered, loosely held in Shining Armor’s forelegs. “P-Please, tell me that’s not true.”

“Cadence, I… it isn’t so bad. It’s not like I wanted to start a war, not like Shield Wall did.”

“That’s not the point! Ponies are dead, Twilight was hurt and threatened, and now the empire is at risk. How could you do this?!” Cadence’s outburst was restrained by her husband, who was only capable of holding his dismayed glare.

“I never wanted this, Cadence! I wanted to put an end to Shield Wall’s evil, to finally return to how things were before! How was I to know he would escape?”

“The babe’s gone bonkers, dude,” Gilda muttered to the Ghost. “How do you wanna handle this?”

“‘Handle’ me, Gilda? Am I the enemy now?”

Gilda’s vicious eyes locked onto Abby as her feathers ruffled, prompting Berry to step between them both with a huff.

“Step aside, Jeeves, your boss is crazy and I don’t want pulverizing an old pony on my conscience. Don’t ma-”

She skid across the floor before she even registered Berry’s hoof against her chest, a loud thwack that shook all who witnessed it, and before they were able to assemble around Gilda the sound of shattering glass reached them, followed by the sickening green glow of four large puddles dividing them from their initial focus. A fifth vial soared from Berry’s hoof straight for Rarity. Before it could even reach her face the vial was ensnared by a black length of cloak shot from the Ghost’s hoof and returned the offending potion to him, focused on its source.

Green embers flickered along the aging stallion’s body and burned away to reveal black, glossy plating along smooth and wrinkled skin. Pale green eyes greeted the Ghost angrily.

“Alate? Could it really… goodness, the whole time?” Rarity’s stammer betrayed her shock as the changeling before her craned her neck with a crack.

“I’ve had far less comfortable disguises, but somepony had to make sure you never got too close.”

“Abby, you’ve really been working with her?” Shining Armor threw an indignant hoof toward Alate. “This is insane! Do you have any idea how many ponies she’s murdered?”

“I never wanted it like this, I promise, but there wasn’t another way! What else was I supposed to do?”

“Abby, you can still put an end to it,” the Ghost shouted. “I know you’re hurting, and it’s my fault you are, but that doesn’t mean we can’t find a better way!”

“No, Silver, no! It’s the Ghost, he’s the one to blame, and I’ll free you from him. I promise! Alate, do it!”

A missile of chitin sped from the otherside of the molten moat of green and hurled a sixth vial toward Cadence and Shining. While the Ghost leapt to their side, throwing the cloak over them and watching the vile liquid crash and sizzle away at its impervious hide, Alate flew right over them towards Kindle as he hurriedly turned away, tumbling across the floor with the bat pony.

Gilda recovered from the blow, nursing the red bruise on her chest before barreling toward Alate as she fought with her prey. The changeling, however, worked with quick hooves and pulled more of the potion from her rags. With a crack Gilda was bathed in the putrid substance, stumbling back. Rarity cried out after her and the Ghost yanked his cloak from the rescued couple and prepared to charge until Gilda stood once more to face the Ragged Mare, the solvent dripping harmlessly from her feathers and dressed with a wicked grin.

“Not a pony, bitch!”

Alate had a single second before Gilda’s claw collided violently against her jaw, so much so she was cast back and slammed against one of the columns surrounding the throne. Gilda hoisted Kindle to his hooves, but his attention was elsewhere, frantically patting his sides.

“The bag’s gone, the bag’s gone! Where’d it-... oh no.” Kindle found the source of his panic in the hooves of the Ragged Mare.

She managed to stand, using the pillar as support, and wiped some trickles of blood from her mouth before Kindle and Gilda charged her. The Ragged Mare was still nimble enough to duck the attack and roll away toward one of the windows. Blasts of pink and purple flew from the royals after her, with one clipping her leg, before a light blue one in the shape of a thin diamond jabbed into the wall just inches before her eyes. Rarity approached, laying down a stream of magical fire that her target struggled to evade, drawing blood with a clean shot to the knee.

It was only when she saw the Ghost come running toward her that Alate gave a loud scream, risking what wounds Rarity’s onslaught would give her and desperately threw herself from the throne room’s windows, aching wings carrying her out into the city. A final vial crashed against the windowsill, halting the Ghost’s advance as he shielded his eyes from the resulting splatter.

The Ghost whipped around to face Abby, only to find one of the large double doors hanging open, the unicorn gone from the room. All that remained of her wild confession was the slowly withering pile of verdant ooze on the floor. Shining Armor wasted no time in stepping around the flood and summoning the guard while Cadence joined him, giving direction and leading them out of the throne room. Those who remained gathered in the center, and a terrible epiphany crept into their minds.

Abby was now their enemy.

Chapter 18: "We have the ultimate bargaining chip and you want to just give it up?”

There was a pounding of blood in her ears. Polished suits of armor sat in the peripheral of her blurred vision, dashing down the large, crystalline corridor to somewhere. Anywhere, but not where she ran from. A few guards shouted after her and tried to follow, losing her as quickly as she came. Then, there was a call. A sharp, violent melody rang through the air as a siren to any and all guards within the castle walls, and the dutiful guardians soon put the pieces together and began to give chase.

Abby knew very little about the Crystal Palace. Her working knowledge was enough to get her into the throne room with minimal effort, but now she found herself lost in the twisting hallways of the castle and with the metallic clack of hooves not far behind her. Every now and then she could spy a guard just around a corner behind her, forcing her to pump her legs ever faster. She cursed the tower-like construction of the palace, robbing her of a quick escape. Trapped in the middle of a hallway, Abby awaited her capture when something brutally yanked her tail, pulling her through a small opening in the stone wall, sliding shut behind her.

When she stood to brush herself off she froze, locked in place by the face of a dark and very angry figure.

“You blew it,” Alate seethed, her jaw clenched.

“Where are we,” Abby panted as she scanned the dark and cramped room. “H-How did you evade them?”

“Servants’ passage, the castle is full of them, not like you would know. Now... “ Alate closed in on Abby. “Why did you tell them?!”

“Oh, don’t be ridiculous, a reveal was always part of the plan.”

“So soon? You couldn’t wait until after Shield Wall was dead? Are you that desperate?”

“Don’t insult me! The only reason you even have the chance to kill him is because of me, remember?”

“So you keep reminding me…” Alate relented, stepping back against a cabinet in the cramped servants’ room. “I hope you have a plan, because we not only have Shield Wall, but the Ghost on our tails.”

“I-I know, just… just let me think.”

Alate huffed. Watching the yellow unicorn pace around the small room, muttering and staring into nothingness, drew a long and irritated hiss from between her teeth. They both snapped from their relative comfort when the stomping of hooves passed by, just outside the room, but quickly moved on down the hall and allowed Abby to continue her frantic meditations.

“This is ridiculous,” Alate grumbled.

“Well, I would love to know your great plan, yes?”

“How about we start with ‘Not letting the only pony who can stop us in on the scheme’? You completely spilled your guts to him.”

“Give it a rest! Yes, perhaps I was… forward, but this isn’t yet unsalvageable. We can still appeal to them, let them know-”

A withered chuckle came from within Alate’s chitin-covered chest, drawing a heat to Abby’s ears as it continued. The changeling rubbed her wrinkled eyes with a hoof.

“You ruined it, countess, admit it. Now, your lover won’t even dare listen to us, especially after how you insulted his mare.”

“He is not hers!” Abby stomped toward Alate, a wicked glare in her eyes that almost made Alate flinch. “We still have a chance to correct this, to give some meaning to the bodies you’ve piled up and, if nothing else, appeal to his mercy.”

“‘Mercy’? Pfft, they won’t give us mercy, but we don’t need them to. We have the horn.”

“The horn? The horn… yes, yes that’s it! If we turn over the horn to him, he’ll have no choice but to agree to our help.”

“What?! You want to just give it to them?”

“And I suppose you have a better idea?”

“You haven’t even thought about it, have you?” Alate pulled the long, slender object from within her rags, it’s shape seemingly absorbing what scant light the room had. “This is the horn of King Sombra. Shield Wall wants it for his attack. The princess wants it sealed away. We have the ultimate bargaining chip and you want to just give it up?”

“It’s of no help to us, we can’t even use it,” Abby said, swiping her hoof toward the horn as it was pulled away.

“They don’t know that! Shield Wall can’t complete his plan without it, so he’ll come looking for it. All we have to do is force him out of hiding, with this as the bait, then we strike. The Crystal Empire will be saved, Darrox will be avenged, and you’ll be free of your lover’s curse.”

“That isn’t why I hired you, Silver will never forgive me if we don’t help him now.”

“Then perhaps you should’ve thought about that before you confessed to him.”

“Oh, don’t you dare start with me,” Abby stated, firmly. “I’m the one who found you, who gave you what you needed to avenge your brother. Everything you have is because of me. And, if you’re keen on keeping it that way, I would highly suggest you watch your tone.”

Fierce sea green eyes met the pale orbs of the changeling and held. Seconds of silence ticked by between them, and soon Alate gave another chuckle and broke contact.

“I’ve drained the love from more ponies than I have years of life, but yours is the only one too sweet for me.”

“And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“You’re obsessed.” Alate’s words forced Abby to stumble back. “Lose the one you love for all that time, now all of a sudden he’s back but just out of reach? It’s the makings of an addiction.”

“I seem to recall telling you to-”

“‘Watch your tone’, yes, I remember, but like it or not we’re stuck together, and if your wild craving for him is going to interfere with our purpose here then I might not wait for another slip up...”

“I am still in charge, here,” Abby stamped.

“But you’re not in control.”

Even in the darkness of the servant’s passage the two managed to share a firm glare. With a sharp huff Abby relented, throwing her hooves in the air and backing against the wall opposite her partner, sliding to the floor with a pout. Alate ignored her and slid the horn back between her rags when something reached her ears. She perked up and faced the empty hallway. There was a soft tapping at the edge of her vision, and an occasional chirp nearly forcing her to jump in surprise as the sound came ever closer, unimpeded by the darkness until it suddenly stopped. Alate looked up.

She froze in the gaze of dozens of sharp, yellow eyes bearing down on her from the ceiling. Matte armor disguised the bat ponies in the darkness. Abby looked up from her stupor to Alate and nearly screamed. One by one, the Night Guard slid down the walls of the hallway like rivers of dark water and surrounded them, and soon parted for another figure. Tall, grey mane, smirking.

“Ladies,” Shield Wall crooned.

Alate wasted no time in reaching for a vial of potion, but a wave of dark hooves collapsed around her and pinned her to the floor, leaving Abby to stand in utter fear before the unicorn. Her mouth trembled. Short breaths escaped her heaving chest as golden eyes consumed her vision with each step closer.

“Y-You… b-but I wa-... they-”

“Careful, my dear, save your breath.” Shield Wall reached a gentle hoof to Abby’s shoulder, causing her to flail against him in terror, the Night Guard moving to react. “No! If one touches her, then two will die!”

Abby watched as every hoof that dared to reach her vanished from sight. Another pony, with grander armor and a wild look in his eyes, approached Shield Wall and leaned toward his ear.

“Sir, the regiment is in place, all they need is your order.”

“Ahead of schedule, commander? Wonderful, such an improvement from before, would you agree?” Shield returned his gaze to Abby, ignoring his subordinate. “Forgive me, Abundant, but when I was informed of your arrival I was urged to come for you, but imagine my surprise when I learned that you were behind Gavel’s murder, with this creature as your weapon.”

Alate spat at the unicorn’s hooves, prompting a bat pony to clamp her mouth shut.

“Unruly, these changelings, yet you managed to tame-”

Hoof met cheek in a powerful slap across Shield Wall’s face. The eyes of the room fell upon Abby, with a tangible wrath in their gaze, but when the first step forwards was taken Shield Wall rose up against them with bared teeth and frenzied eyes, enough to scare the Night Guard away. The low growl in his throat soon faded and he caressed the fresh welt on his face.

“You wound me,” he chuckled.

“Y-You… you dare touch me, after what you’ve done?”

“Consider it a blessing, my dear, since you and your pet are hopelessly outmatched.”

“Then you wish to fight us?” Abby said defiantly.

“Of course not. My forces are under orders to ignore you and, if need be, protect you, but we both know how… productive your meeting in the throne room was.”

“You were spying on us?”

“My dear, I spy on everyone.”

“When I tell Silver you’re here, there will be no escape for you!”

“Tell him?” Shield Wall paused for a second, until a smile crept across his face.

The smirk produced a sound. A deep, frightening chuckle that grew into a bold and bellowing laugh, loud enough to threaten discovery by the world outside the small passageway. Some of the leering faces around Abby joined in. They mocked her, and the rhythmic laughter of so many foes began to dig into her skull, traveling like a poison to her soul before Shield Wall ceased.

“The whelp would sooner arrest you than help you, my dear, you know that.”

“N-Not if he knows you’re here… Silver-”

“Has abandoned you. I was merely an onlooker to the horrendous display of apathy, but you were there, staring him in the face. Did you see any compassion, or remorse? Perhaps initiative to repair what he so willingly left to rot? Or was all you saw a mask, lingering over the face of somepony you so desperately loved, even to defy even me, while he gives his heart to another? Somepony less deserving?

“The gall of her, to walk so brazenly into a heart you once filled, as if she could replace you. You. The mastermind behind a plot that fooled even I, sending my forces and the Ghost onto a wild chase across Equestria in fear for our very lives. Such talent, yet he chooses her.”

Abby shook where she stood, her eyes flickering between Shield Wall and Alate, still pinned to the floor, as if she would hold some rebuttal. Instead, the changeling’s eyes were on Shield Wall, a death glare he passively ignored. Ruby hairs dangled in front of her face, concealing tears welling in the corners of her eyes. She flinched, though, when Shield Wall reached a hoof for her chin, slapping it away and glaring at him.

“What do you want, you bastard?”

“For you to join me.”

This was the one statement she never expected. Hushed muttering drifted between the Night Guard, and even Alate managed a double-take from her prone position. Nopony moved as the proposal sunk in.

“I know your tricks, Shield Wall,” Abby finally said.

“This is no trick, I promise, merely an affirmation of what I told you once, long ago in Manehatten Bay. He forgot his place, and I only ever meant to rescue you from that single mistake.”

The confession was met with the side of Abby’s face, dignified in its ignorance toward him, staring off into the space before her as Shield Wall felt a heat rise from within him, threatening to burst from his mouth before he quelled it with a sharp breath. Another second of silence from the countess urged him to release that breath in a long, trembling exhale of tension. Instead of pressing, he turned to face the restrained changeling.

“And then there is the matter of you,” he said, recovering his composure. “Another old, withering bug, a bane to my existence in all forms. To think I would be so lucky to kill not one, but two such meddling vermin.”

Alate gave a smug grin from the floor she was held on. With a wave of his hoof, though, Shield Wall beckoned the soldiers to release her and she rose to her knees, directly in the unicorn’s line of sight exposed to the building fury beneath his stoic face. Again, she smirked.

“I’m pleased to know I’ve made your life as miserable as you’ve made mine,” she chided, happily.

“All you have accomplished is forcing me to waste time and resources, like a constant thorn in my hoof, but I am forced to deal with you.”

“You can blame the countess for tha-”

A terrible crack rang out across the room. Shield Wall had thrown his hoof violently against Alate’s exposed face, threatening to chip the chitin, almost sending her back to the floor. The veil of stoicism had fallen, replaced by a seething grimace.

“Filth does not address its superiors, least of all her!” The same hoof propped her back onto her knees as he continued. “Now, you possess something of mine, something that traitorous Kindle managed to steal from me and I want to know where it is. Consider me merciful for not allowing my soldiers to tear you apart and granting you the chance to save your own pathetic life. Now, where is it?”

The same staggering silence he received from Abby return from his prisoner, with the addition of a mocking smile dressed across her face, stained green from her blood. He struck her again. Droplets fell across the floor and wall beside them, hardly making contact before another strike landed, then another. Only Abby winced at each crack that reached her ears.

“I do not have time for this game any longer… I have you within my power. I need only give the order and the sad, little flame of your life will be extinguished. You will tell me its location or I will wring it from your lifeless corpse!”

“You have such strong talk,” Alate said through a gurgling chuckle. “But the boy hits much harder than you do.”

“Must I resort to torture, then?!”

“Do your worst, little colt, I know your methods well.”

“I disagree.”

His first hoof shot out to restrain her jagged horn, the sudden action painting Alate’s face with shock as the second swung in an arc, fast enough to whistle through the air, slamming into the base of the horn. Black specks of chitin and bone fell from her forehead, followed by an agonizing wail that made even the Night Guard recoil. She fell again, feeble and writhing, as she grasped the wound with trembling hooves. Abby stumbled back. Shield Wall, though, gave a wicked sneer, wide-eyed and leaning over the changeling, igniting his horn to wrap the discarded one in his power. It dangled close to Alate, slowly pressing its tip into her neck.

“That is my method, worm.”

“Enough of this! Stop!” Abby forced herself between them, throwing herself over Alate and knocking the severed horn away. “Does your cruelty know no bounds?”

“She brought this pain upon herself by defying me!”

“Because I asked her to! If you wish to hurt somepony, then hurt me.”

“This wicked insect knew her offense when she decided to oppose me. Do not sully yourself with her foolishness.”

“You’re one to speak of sullied hooves, Shield, with the bodies you’ve buried in your madness.”

“And you are different, my dear? How many lives have ended for your own single-minded pursuit, or do you believe yourself better for ushering their ends through your pet?”

As the unicorns bickered, Alate lay on the floor in a haze. The pain, followed by the distortion of magical power in her skull, cast visions before her eyes, with mumbled words and half-spoken statements leaking from her mouth like blood from her shattered horn. Her legs felt weak, cold. Her near-lifeless limb found a shape as it fell numbly across her body, poking her with enough force to remind her of its presence. With weary eyes she looked down and found it, resting in her rags.

It blended perfectly along her chitin. Her attention never deviated from the horn in her rags, even before she began to feel an icy chill seep into her body from its touch. Then came the voice. It was low, hardly registering as more than a growl, but its melodious tone spoke a wordless plea in her mind. The runes upon its sleek surface began to glimmer. Alate shifted her limp gaze to Shield Wall, towering over her and Abby like an obelisk of pure malice. The voice came again, and this time she listened.

Shield’s bickering with Abby ended abruptly when the object of his desire entered his vision. The Night Guard followed his gaze and tensed. Even Abby, still draped over Alate, was aghast as she watched her comrade hold the horn close to her chest. With a steady and threatening voice Shield Wall extended his hoof.

“Give it to me…”

His words fell on deaf ears as Alate turned to Abby.

“Move aside, Abby,” Alate mumbled, drawing the horn closer. “You’re in the way.”

Abby hardly had time to blink before a screeching torrent of dark power flew from Alate’s forehead, announced by the crack of bone and a terrible shriek. Some managed to retreat and avoid the wild whips of pure shadow lunging out for them, while others were swallowed by the green flame that coated the hallway. Shield Wall stood defiant, barely holding on behind his magical barrier as he was pushed back against the wall. When the display of dark power had ended, he found himself being lifted from the floor by Glint.

“Sir, there’s no more time. We can secure the Crystal Heart and lock down the castle, just give us the order.”

“Then do it. Go!”

A shrill chirp left Glint’s mouth, and all at once the remaining Night Guard fluttered down and out of the servant’s passage, following their command to flood the palace. They both smashed through the passage door and into the brewing chaos. The palace hallway was slowly being overrun by a flood of Night guard clashing with the palace soldiers, but a single glance toward the small passageway revealed Alate, standing in the doorway with a wreath of vile magic about her. The horn rested upon the fresh wound, green blood still flowing from the seal between her flesh and it’s cursed shape, its runes slowly spreading onto her chitin to complete the union.

The streams of smoke and power from her eyes were all Shield Wall needed to flee the scene. He sped down the hallway, avoiding his forces engaging with the Crystal Corsairs and guards, never once looking back at the wrathful changeling charging after him.

Chapter 19: “I was following orders!"

“Get moving, corporal! Mobilize the second division and push them back!”

“We can’t, your highness, the palace is cut off. The perimeter’s been compromised!”

“What do you mean compro-... dammit!”

Fluttering bat wings scoured the scenery outside the throne room windows like a terrible flock of darkness, beating against the walls of the castle to the point of shaking them. Sunlight fought desperately to enter between the hundreds of Night Guard that now circled the Crystal Palace, lobbing glowing rods onto the crystal surface of the palace, bursting into clouds of magical darkness. In the center of the throne room, Shining Armor cursed as he pushed the corporal back toward the entryway before stomping back to the rest of the group.

“This is insane,” he huffed. “There’s no response from the outside and the soldiers in the palace are being overrun. How could that bastard have breached the palace?”

“Servant’s passages, perhaps, maybe even Sombra’s old tunnel network,” Cadence offered. “But what matters is they’re here now and we need to stop whatever they’re planning. Silver, what’s our next step?”

“We need to find Shield Wall and Alate. If Shield wants the horn then Alate is going to be his target, and even in this mess he’s more than capable of finding her. Keeping them apart should buy us enough time to get reinforcements from the outside.”

“Fat chance at that,” Gilda piped up. “Alate’s a changeling, remember? Hiding is kind of her thing, and in all this insanity who knows where she’ll be?”

“Then we’ll have to split up. Darling, Gilda and I can find Alate.”

“By yourselves? Rarity, there’s thousands out there, and I-”

“Silver...” Rarity’s pleading eyes held him at bay, soothing his fears enough to bring a worried smile to his face.

“Alright, but stay out of the main passages as much as you can. There’s more than any of us can handle, alone.”

“Then you and Shining should hunt Shield Wall together.” Both stallions perked up at Cadence’s words, sharing an excited grin.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” the Ghost declared.

“Good, meanwhile I’ll head out and rally what soldiers we have, try to push back against the invaders.” Cadence felt a tug against her from Shining, his face dressed in concern.

“Cadence, wouldn't it be safer to stay here? There’s thousands of them out there?”

“I could help.” The eyes of the room turned to Kindle, standing there with a limp hoof and a sheepish expression. “I-I know their tactics and flight pattern, and could point out their commander if we spot him… uh, your highness.”

Cadence’s lips grew into a smug grin as she stepped closer to Kindle. The bat pony shrunk where he stood in the presence of the alicorn princess, but a gentle hoof on his shoulder eased the storm of nerves building in his brain as he spotted the approving faces of everyone in the room looking upon him. The moment ended when a loud bang echoed from beyond the throne room doors.

“Alright, everypony knows their role?” The Ghost was met with a unanimous nod from his comrades. “ Shining, when you’re ready, open the door.”

As the prince jogged to the door, joined by Cadence and Kindle, the Ghost felt another hoof tug at his cloak. Rarity stood beside him.

“Darling, we… oh, gosh, it’s awful, isn’t it? So fast and so… but when this is over, I-I mean if it’s… if we make it out alive, you... w-well, I-”

She was silenced by a firm pair of lips against her own. Their eyes stayed shut, falling deeper into what they both feared was their last chance for honesty as the battle raged on outside. They didn’t notice the curious eyes of the others, or how the cloak gently curled around them both, or even the fear of death that once lingered over them. It all rested beyond the veil of what they silently confessed to each other. Slowly, they pulled away.

“We’ll make it,” the Ghost whispered.

They walked together to the door, flanked on both sides by their allies. Gilda nudged the Ghost and smirked with silent approval, while Shining took his place beside him. The Ghost allowed himself one last look to Rarity before the throne room doors were thrust open, revealing the true scope of the battle being waged. The six of them split off into their teams, with Shining and the Ghost sprinting together into the chaos.

Disaster decorated the palace half-lit hallways. Wounded soldiers on both sides struggled to escape those who weren’t, with the palace guards retreating to the heavenly cry of Cadence from down the hall. A cacophony of pops and magical bursts filled the air, with strands of conjured darkness flowing from different rooms and windows along the entire palace. The two eventually made their way into a large, open lobby from where all passageways originated. The walls were crawling with Night Guard. Their yellow eyes abandoned their prey and locked onto the Ghost and the prince, their sleek wings fluttering in preparation as they clung to the domed roof.

“Two of us against an obviously superior foe?” Shining offered with a grin.

“It’s like Saddle Arabia all over again.” The Ghost coiled his hoof in the cloak. “Which direction to the heart? That has to be where Shield Wall’s heading.”

“That second passage, to the central caracole leading up, but what do you recommend we do about our guests?” Shining’s horn glowed a fierce violet, sending sparks cascading along the floor.

“We show them the door.”

A piercing screech announced the Night Guard’s descent upon the two stallions. They twisted like a tornado of wings and fury, encircling them both and flooding their vision with their display. Shining, however, planted his stance and released the charged power in his horn as a radiant orb of magic, knocking many of the bat ponies away and warding off the rest. From within the Ghost’s cloak flew a barrage of glass orbs that crashed against their armor and sizzled. The resulting smoke sent many of the crawling away, hissing at the pain on their skin and in their eyes. With the offensive broken, the duo went on the attack.

Tendrils of black lashed out from behind Shining’s barrier. One by one they cut across the exposed flesh of their enemies, forcing them to retreat as more took the charge. The barrier burst into a show of glittering shards of magic that trapped the charging soldiers in a cloud of choking arcane dust. Each downed soldier received a firm strike from the two stallions, with the prince heaving one over his head and hurling them across the floor, into an encroaching squad.

The Ghost worked his way through the crowd. Precise strikes landed between the gaps of ebon armor, with his new metal-tipped gloves making short work of the tender flesh they landed upon. The Night Guard struck him with errant limbs, concealed weapons, and whatever objects they could salvage from their wounded comrades, but their efforts glanced off of the sturdy surface of his armor, bending and flexing to protect him from each strike. One was brave enough to charge with a jagged knife, furiously jabbing into the air the Ghost once inhabited as he ducked and weaved before leaping over the bat pony, flipping and coiling the cloak around his enemy’s midsection before slamming him against the stained crystal floor.

Both Shining and the Ghost clamped their hooves onto their ears as a shrill cry rang out. The bat ponies recovered and lunged into the air, returning to their original formation, before the Ghost watched a cylindrical shape soar across the air, swelling with light. He dashed to Shining and wrapped them both in the cloak as it went off. A subtle pop was all that could be heard, but in a moment the light of the room began to wash away to trap them both in a world of complete darkness, punctuated by the painful sound of utter silence.

“Shining, you still with me?” The Ghost reached out for the unicorn, who returned the gesture.

“I’m still here, bastards hit us with a silencing rod. Where are they?”

“Surrounding us, probably. Get ready.”

Flank to flank they stood, desperately peering out into the darkness. Not even the glow from Shining’s horn could hope to pierce the veil of blackness which draped them. Shining grunted as a loud thwack sounded from his side. Another formless strike cracked the Ghost in the jaw, threatening to topple him. Shining fired wildly into the shadow before him, but succeeded only in distracting himself from another blow, this time knocking him to the ground.

“Cowards!” He shouted, stumbling a bit before returning to his hooves and spitting out blood. “Can’t even beat an outnumbered enemy without needing to hide!”

The Ghost stayed silent. His frantic eyes darted from one dark corner of his vision to another, searching for any sign of movement, but even with his keen sight the power of the dark fog was oppressive. Even his hearing was less than useful. The subtle chirps of his enemy echoes all throughout the lobby, their source unknowable, but among all this was the sensation of the cloak wrapped around his hoof.

“Shining, get ready,” he said softly, kneeling to the floor. “I’m going to try something.”

He spread the end of the cloak out along the floor. As he gently twisted the cloth its fibers tightened, gripping the stone tight like the silk it was woven from. Then came the first sensation. Within his mind, the Ghost was overwhelmed by the foggy image of the room around him, conjured by everything the cloak could feel through the vibrations traveling around them, shooting up along the cloth and into the cowl. A second sensation conjured an image of the surrounding room within his mind, swirling like grey fog.

“You better not be taking a knee to beg for-”

“On your right!”

On the Ghost’s cue, Shining fired a blast of magic in the declared direction, and a pained squeal followed the impact upon dark armor. More orders flew from the Ghost’s mouth, each one met with haste by Shining as each bat pony who dared come too close was struck down.

“Could you always do that?” Shining quipped, stepping closer to the Ghost.

“Apparently.” Both ends of the cloak touched the stone, giving him a far clearer image of the enemy. “We’re going to need a shield on my signal. They’re preparing for something.”

“A ‘retreat’ kind of something, or a ‘final assault’ kind?”

“Take a guess.”

Night Guard clambered over each other, crawling along the walls and lifting from the floor to meet at a single point on the domed ceiling. They sat just above the two stallions, and through his cloak the Ghost could feel them gather into a single point. Shining could only imagine the image. Each chirp and shriek sending orders to the others, the rustling of plate armor, every enemy they hadn’t yet beaten, the image it conjured sent a very real chill up his spine. He could only stand by and wait for his friend’s order. The looming horde fell.

“Now!”

It was a swarm of fierce, violent wings beating against the air, swirling as a unified whirlpool of aggression that swallowed the purple sphere, the only barrier between the swarm and its prey. From within the stallions could see vicious faces pressed against the barrier, beating against its glimmering surface. Shining dug in, forcing every ounce of magical might into the shield around them while the Ghost felt across the room with the cloak, but the image was hazy. With all the violence around him, whatever picture was conjured in his mind was a chaotic reflection of reality. Then, he felt something. His attention focused on the far end of the room, toward the second passage.

Glint stood just beyond the conflict. With piercing yellow eyes he took in the grand display of the Night Guards’ tactics, smirking at the sight of the Ghost smothered in offensive. Two soldiers stood beside him, immune to the darkness of the room, signalling the main force with quick, measured chirps.

“Their commander is in the passage,” the Ghost announced. “We have to get there.”

“Uh-huh, and just how, exactly?” Shining felt his stance slip, and thick streams of sweat began to sting his eyes.

The Ghost searched through the pouches on his armor. His storage of capsules was running low, and to his side he followed a small crack in the barrier trail upward along his vision. Again and again the furious hooves of the Night Guard beat down upon the weakening dome. He turned to Shining.

“Whatever you do, don’t drop the shield.”

Before the struggling unicorn could react his abdomen was snagged by the cloak, and with a loud grunt the Ghost pivoted on his hooves, spinning Shining and the dome along with him. The sudden movement forced many of the Night Guard to retreat. Those who didn’t were struck by the magical flail, cast aside enough for the Ghost to line up his target. With one final spin he shouted and released Shining, sending the improvised missile, and him along with it, rocketing toward Glint’s position.

They all landed with a crash. Magical shards were scattered like glass before dissipating, Glint and his subordinates skid across the floor into the hallway, and the Ghost just barely managed to stay standing after his sudden collision. Behind him, the disoriented bulk of the Night Guard began to recover. A violet ray shot over his shoulder, and Shining’s magic shattered the crystal archway, causing it to collapse into a hulking pile of rubble, blocking the pathway. The sound of scrambling alerted them both. Shining rose to his hooves and the two bolted down the hall, chasing Glint into the heart of a grand staircase. Another pop rang out and darkness spilled over them.

“Damn, how many of these things do they have?!” Shining’s question was answered by a swift strike to his jaw, knocked backwards by his two assailants before they were captured in the cloak’s grasp and flung brutally against the far wall.

The beating of leathery wings reached his ears, and the Ghost barely managed to dodge the oncoming strike, bursting forth from the darkness. He followed the sound across the room until it disappeared entirely. Slowly, he placed the cloak onto the stairs and felt the room around him, searching for his opponent.

“Another evil trick of yours?” Glint’s voice bounced around the room, but as soon as the Ghost had a lock on him, the image in his mind dissipated.

“No tricks,” the Ghost said, still focused on the ground. “You don’t have to keep fighting, Glint. You don’t have to give your life to him.”

A gust of wind hit the Ghost, rolling out of the way as Glint dove past him with an errant hoof nearly grazing his head, disappearing into the darkness again.

“The vice general didn’t terrorize my soldiers in Baltimare. He didn’t work with a traitor to undermine those trying to save Equestria.”

“But he sent you and your soldiers on a suicide mission,” the Ghost shouted into the shadow around him. “Three thousand soldiers, besieging the Crystal Palace? With the Imperial Army just minutes away? You could never take this place, let alone hold it.”

“We aren’t afraid to die for our country, Ghost, something a traitorous monster like you couldn’t understand!” Another dive, announced by a shout, barely missed the Ghost and returned to the darkness. “He wants to save Equestria, and all he asks for is loyalty!”

“Loyal enough to kill your own? Like Kindle?”

The next strike landed. A rock solid impact along the Ghost’s side pushed him back as furious hooves swiped and jabbed at him from every angle. His armor held, and Glint’s crazed eyes pierced the magical shadow, fixed on his target. The Ghost snagged an incoming limb, twisted it backwards, and pushed against the stressed joint hard enough to send Glint crashing face first into the corner of the stairs.

“Kindle was your friend. You risked yourselves to rescue him from Coltistrano. So why, after all your loyalty to him, would you try to kill him?”

“Because soldiers follow orders!” Glint beat his wings and charged the Ghost, landing a glancing blow on his protected forehead before a length of cloth coiled around his rear hoof and pulled him to the stairs again.

“Soldiers aren't weapons, Glint, and they aren’t tools, but you were the most useful tool he had.” Two more strikes were deflected, allowing the Ghost to drive his reinforced glove into Glint’s side. “Take a moment and think about everything he’s done. Everything he’s ordered you to do.”

“We’re. Saving. EQUESTRIA!”

Each word announced another fearsome strike against the Ghost, pushing him against the railing and threatening to topple him over. Instead of fighting it, though, the Ghost grabbed Glint’s armor and fell backwards, catching himself in a glide as the frenzied bat pony was just barely able to break his own fall, rolling against the floor with a pained grunt. A brutal knee crashed into Glint’s side and sent him sliding farther.

“I used to think the same thing, Glint… I used to think everything I did, night after night, was to keep everypony I loved safe. I trained, fought, and bled for this country’s creatures, every last one, but I would always give too much of myself. I almost turned against the very friends who fought beside me, just like you did to Kindle.”

“Shut it!” A flicker of metal emerged from beneath his armor and was sent soaring toward the Ghost, the knife deftly knocked away by the cloak. “You’re a traitor in a rag! You don’t know what it’s like to swear oaths, to fight with comrades! I dedicated my life to Equestria! What’ve you done? Sit brooding on some building, looking for another mugger to pulverize? While you play make-believe, we fight every day!”

“Is that why Kindle defected? Because Shield Wall finally gave him an order his conscience couldn’t follow… or because he still has one?”

Glint snapped. With all of his strength he lunged for the Ghost, nimbly dodging the lengths of cloak that snapped at him and tackling him to the floor before resorting to a furious barrage of strikes, over and over, viciously beating against the barrier the Ghost’s cloak had made. Nothing stopped the savagery. Howling, panting, even tears, a flood of emotion poured from Glint.

“I was following orders! I was following orders! I was following orders!”

The mantra rained upon Glint’s enemy almost as forcefully as his blows, but the Ghost remained firm in his defence. Slowly, he transitioned his guard to one limb as the cloak, almost moving on its own, began to coil around his forelegs and tense. It squirmed, encasing the Ghost’s battered forelegs in a sheath of faux-muscle, and with a pained shout he threw the bolstered limb up into Glint’s jaw with a thundering crack. The bat pony was thrown from atop the Ghost before meeting the stone with a thud. With a groan, the Ghost stood and his cloak flowed freely once more.

“W-We… We’re going to save E-... Equestria,” Glint mumbled as he desperately gripped the floor, trying to crawl to the Ghost. “He… He’s our only hope against… you.”

“I’m not the one you need saving from, Glint…” The Ghost knelt beside his half-conscious foe. “I’ve made oaths before, Glint, one I would’ve given my life to uphold, and there is no greater purpose than the call to protect everything you love. But the harder you fight, the more you risk losing the things you’re fighting for, until you end up… here. In the dark, bloodied and alone.”

A few, struggling attempts to grasp the Ghost’s leg was all the fight Glint had left before his grip loosened and he slipped into unconsciousness, falling limp against the floor. The Ghost sighed. He slowly made his way up the stairs towards an equally unconscious Shining Armor, shaking him firmly to snap the prince from his state, awakening with a jolt.

“Gah! Wha-... Silver? What happened?”

“They got you good, and their commander nearly got me,” he said, pointing to Glint’s limp body beyond the staircase.

“That’s their ‘XO’? We gotta get him to Cadence, maybe we can learn something or arrange a surrender.” Shining’s horn went alight and carried the body of Glint up the stairs and to the duo. “The Crystal Heart is through there and up, to the very top of the palace. Get there and bring that miserable bastard down.”

“Wait, you can’t carry him back alone! There’s still a battle going on in there.”

“We can’t risk letting him wake up and escape, especially if he’s commanding the troops here.”

“Shield Wall is the one in charge.”

“So go kick his flank, then,” Shining laughed, slapping his friend’s shoulder. “You’re the Ghost, remember? Some crazy old geezer should be no problem.”

“Shining…”

“No, listen. You came back. I don’t know how you did it, why you’re the Ghost, or what you’ve been doing the past seven years, but you pulled off the impossible and became a damn hero doing it. For years I felt guilty for not being there with you at the end, but you showed up today and let me know what happened wasn’t my fault, that you felt safe enough to come back into our lives. You trusted us. So there is nothing, absolutely nothing, I’ve seen today to convince me the best damn soldier I know can’t walk up there and save my home. So let me do what I can in return, okay?”

A wordless grin was shared between them. They bumped hooves, and Shining trotted back down the hallway, carrying the limp body of Glint upon his back, as the Ghost smirked and turned to face the grand staircase. An alien sensation flowed through him. It tingled in his mind, fluttering down his throat and into the warmth of his gut, and the sudden sense of relief urged him to take that first step towards his enemy.

Chapter 20: “I ran out of options…”

Never once had it occurred to Gilda her strength may be too much for ponies as she knocked another Night Guard away with a mighty strike, sending him hurtling toward his comrades like a ragdoll. In fact, it almost put her at ease. The Night Guard became almost fixated on the gryphon tearing through their ranks, with swipes of her claws and beats of her broad wings, escorting the white unicorn behind her whose magical fire only accentuated Gilda’s fearsome form.

Still, more of their enemy crawled in through the windows, poured out from the stairways, and whatever palace soldiers had managed to make it as far as the girls already showed signs of pain and wear. Again and again, Gilda clawed at the armor of the charging bat ponies. When a cylinder was thrown from behind the enemy ranks it was met with a clear blue bolt of power from Rarity’s horn, shattering the silencing rod and raining shrapnel down upon its source.

“Hot damn, Rarity!” Gilda hollered. “That was cool as shit! Now check this one out!”

“Gilda, it’s not a competi-!”

A flurry of feathers whizzed past Rarity. She could only watch as the shape performed a barrel roll, mid-flight, drilling into a squad of Night Guard like they were bowling pins. Gilda recovered and hoisted one over her shoulder to be thrown down the hallway.

“We have a mission, remember?”

“Well, we gotta get through, right? Alate’s gonna beeline to Shield Wall, so we ca- argh!”

Fierce eyes turned to spy a fresh wound along her hindleg, a small bloodtrail leading to her assailant. Gilda’s claw squeezed his armed foreleg while the other came crashing into face. Rarity stepped to her side, charged her horn, and in an instant released a flowing wave of magic soon focused into several pointed thorns, landing against Night Guard armor and holding them in place while she escorted Gilda down one of the less-destroyed hallways.

“Lean here, let me look at it,” Rarity demanded as she took Gilda’s hindleg, prompting a hiss from the gryphon.

“Hey, ease up, it’s not that bad.”

“Wounded in a battlefield is one of the worst things you could be right now.” Rarity pulled a bandage from her saddlebag and quickly dressed the wound. “There, much better, thankfully it wasn’t that deep. Can you still fight?”

“Ha! ‘Can I still fight’, she asks. Can you find Alate in all this?”

“I’m not even sure I could find the way back, let alone a changeling, and given the state of things I don’t know how much time we have to figure something out.”

“Let’s get out of this mess, first.”

Gilda covered Rarity as the two slowly retreated farther down the hallway. Once they had reached relative safety, she turned to keep pace and travel deeper into the palace, keeping a sharp eye on the ceilings for any movement. Rarity’s horn was alight, their only reliable guide in the conjured patches of darkness that littered the palace corridors.

“Yo, answer me this,” Gilda whispered. “How’d you know it was Abby? I thought she and Silver were friends.”

“There was too much evidence against her, and her subtle clue about the express train to the Crystal Empire all but confirmed my suspicions, though to be frank, I had avoided the thought as much as I could. To think she, of all ponies, could be capable of this.”

“The only rich, well-connected pony in Equestria who was close enough to the case, huh?”

“Precisely,” Rarity sighed.

“That’s crazy, I thought she loved him. What even was the point besides whacking a few of Shield Wall’s goons?”

“Maybe she thought she was doing something good, or that her actions would somehow avenge her manipulations by him,” Rarity said as approached a corner, peering into the empty passage before continuing. “I suspect, though, she did it all to impress Silver, maybe even do his job for him.”

“Yeah, pretty obvious how Abby feels about Silver’s recent life choices… hey, lemme take point.”

Gilda stepped in front of Rarity as the sight of firelight came into view. Her piercing yellow eyes focused on the flame, and as they approached she watched as the streaks of fire scarring the floor travel to a much different flame. Green, wispy, emanating a subtle chill as they flickered in the air. Gilda growled.

“Dark magic. Not good.”

“The only source this could be is the horn, you don’t think…”

“What I think is we’re on the right trail. Stay close, alright? Silver would skin me if I let his squeeze get cooked.”

“His ‘squeeze’?” Rarity said indignantly, prompting Gilda’s sharp, airly laughter. “Really, Gilda, this is hardly the time for that.”

“I’m just glad you finally did it. Only took a full-on invasion to work up the courage, huh?”

“Another word and I’ll be the one to skin you.”

Rarity blushed, deeply, forgetting the danger around them for just a moment as they followed the putrid flames down the corridor. The trails arched around the walls, slicing through doors and tapestries and anything else in their path, even the conjured darkness. A scream pierced the silence. The duo hugged the way as tight as they could, frozen in fear, eyes lingering on the suspected source of the outcry. Another scream came, this time followed by the lifeless, shriveled body of a Night Guard soldier thrown against the wall.

A shadow approached the corpse. It was hunched, stumbling with each step, decorated by splotches of luminescent green across its form and face, culminating at the twisted shape atop its forehead. A few more steps and both Gilda and Rarity could see the distinct shape of rags fluttering along its body. Its victim let out a final, gurgling moan before it was silenced by a firm strike.

“Goodness… is that…?”

“Shit, she found us. Run!”

Gilda yanked Rarity away from the grisly sight and sped down the hallway. Her wings carried them both, beating harshly against the air and nearly scraping the walls beside them, but even Gilda’s impressive speed failed to escape the sudden rush of shadow that flew over her shoulder, landing at the mouth of the corridor. A putrid green glow decorated the horn and fired.

With only a split second Gilda tucked her wings, clutched Rarity to her chest, and forced herself onto the floor, barely dodging the blast as it set even the crystal alight with its verdant flame. When another came, Rarity pried herself from Gilda’s claws and sent a pale mass of power to intercept it. The collision burst into a wispy flash of light that singed the walls. Gilda groaned, but was pulled to her paws and stood her ground beside Rarity.

“Alate? Oh, sweet Celestia, what happened to you?”

“I ran out of options…” she said to Rarity, taking a step forward.

“Hey, hey, hey! No sudden moves, sister, or I’ll twist you into a knot.” Gilda lowered her stance, drawing her claw with a fearsome swipe.

“I’m the one you’re threatening? I’m the one you-” A stream of black left Alate’s quivering mouth, sputtering with each cough as the duo looked on in horror. “I… I don’t have time for you two. I have to find Shield Wall, so… step aside.”

“You know we can’t,” Rarity declared. “We both want Shield Wall’s defeat, but that horn on your head is dangerous. Please, turn yourself over to Princess Cadence, she’ll find a way to help you. We can even-”

“No!” A shockwave of green flame emanated from Alate’s hoof as she stomped, green blood dripping from her brow. “I stood by and followed her orders, leading you all on that stupid chase while Shield Wall kept killing, but Abby never wanted him dead as much as I do, and I am too old to wait any longer!”

“Alate, I beg you, we can stop Shield Wall and make sure he never hurts anypony again, but we need you to help us.”

“Help you? I watched Silver cower like a foal when given the chance to prevent everything around us. He’s the cause, and I’m done following orders from ponies who aren’t willing to finish the job!”

“It’s no use, Rarity, she’s starting to crack,” Gilda said as she readied herself.

“We all want to help you, Alate. Darrox would never want this darkness for you, can you at least agree with that? Please, with how much you love your brother, more than any of us, this is the time to show it!”

“Don’t try to help me… help yourselves.”

More jets of flame spewed from the crooked horn atop alate’s head, scarring the air and crystal around Rarity and Gilda. They were forced apart, hugging their respective walls to avoid being burned. Gilda moved first. She dug her claws in deep and yanked herself forward, wings narrow, headed straight for the corrupted changeling. Alate was quick to notice her, but not quick enough to dodge the claws that raked across her carapice. The blow stopped the spout of flame, giving Rarity the freedom to back up Gilda with thin bolts of magic, shaped like arcane needles, which flew against the wispy form of Alate as she tried to escape the barrage. Now, transformed into shadow, Alate sped off into one of the branching rooms.

“Stack up on me,” Gilda ordered, motioning to her side for Rarity to join. “We’re not gonna last long if she splits us up like that again.”

“We have to take that horn from her, she’s too dangerous with it on.”

“Yeah? Well, forgive me if I’m not keen on getting too close.” Gilda peeked through the open doorway, detecting the lingering scent of charred wood and rot.

They entered into a large mess area, a gorgeous dining hall decorated with banners on each wall, flanking the open windows from where shadow continued to leak in and spill across the floor. Many of the long tables were either shattered or overturned, obscuring their already limited vision. A rattle caught their attention. A banner matching the insignia of the Crystal Corsairs fluttered above them, followed by the clattering of wood in the far corner. Every few seconds came another noise that forced Gilda and Rarity’s eyes across the room in all directions, with nothing as their source.

“She’s screwing with us,” Gilda growled, prompting Rarity to step in front.

“Alate, we can get to Shield Wall faster if we work together. Every second we spend fighting each other is another he’s allowed to roam free, working to capture the palace. You won’t let innocents fall to his evil, will you?”

Emerald fire whizzed past her muzzle as Gilda pulled her out of the way. Rarity returned fire, locking on to the slithering mass that shot around the room, speeding up the walls and knocking loose the ornate paintings, sending them crashing onto the floor. Again, Rarity spoke.

“I don’t understand! Abby was ready to betray you, to use you as bait for us to follow and clean up her mess, so why are you still working with her?”

“I’m not!’

Neither of them were prepared for Alate’s entrance, slamming against the floor just before their hooves and releasing a stream of green fire, barely held at bay by the pale blue barrier erected by Rarity. Gilda beat her wings once, lifted Rarity, and retreated back behind a row of tables, kicking and throwing chairs at the changeling with brutal force. One cracked against her face and forced her back. Once Gilda had flipped an intact table onto its side they hunkered down as Alate regained her balance.

“That brat wasted too much of my time. He would’ve been dead by now, but all she cared about was Darrox’s apprentice.” She spat another glob of black ooze from her mouth. “Young love, I suppose, but Abby was distracted from the start. I only agreed because she was my only option!”

“Why not come to us, then? Silver loved Darrox, he would’ve done anything to help you.”

“Anything except what matters!”

There was a hiss, then Gilda clutched Rarity and dove as half of their cover was eviscerated by a wall of fire. She went on the offensive. Jets of fire shot around her, nimbly dodged with every lunge forward as a clenched claw rose up and crashed against Alate’s jaw, sending her stumbling back. Another, and another, and another blow landed with practiced form as Gilda clobbered the changeling with everything she had until her final strike caught nothing but air. A dark wisp flew past and materialized behind her, and Gilda screamed as the searing touch of dark fire met her hide in a brilliant blast. She fell to the ground, limp.

Rarity’s horn grew to a furious white glow and released a bolt so fierce it tore along Alate’s chitin, digging deep into her side. She stepped forward with every shot. Her magic was strong enough to hold back the dark magic for a while, but the sheer intensity of Alate’s power only grew as she closed in. When fire failed, Alate turned her horn to the floor, summoning a field of jagged crystals from below to entrap the unicorn, tightly circling her. Rarity struggled against their hold until a putrid vial dangled before her eyes, hanging in Alate’s power.

“Twenty years! My brother abandoned his hive twenty years ago, me and our family, so he could help your kind! So he could help the same nation that hunted us like vermin. The rest of the hive folk may have renounced his name, marked him as a traitor, but I’ve given everything so my brother won’t die in vain!”

“But that’s what we’ve done, Alate! Darrox affected all of us, Silver more than anyone, and everything we do is to honor him.”

“You never knew him, you only knew the Ghost!”

“And that was who Darrox wanted us to remember him as.”

“No!” Alate slammed her hoof into the crystal beside Rarity’s head, cracking it. “That cloak killed him, that life killed him, and because of that madness I’m still waiting for a brother who’s never coming home!”

Alate’s haunting visage was snatched away by a blur, and from her crystalline cage Rarity could see Gilda whiz by with a nasty burn along her back. The two collided against the far wall between two towering windows. Alate struggled to recover, but a thundering punch collided with her skull, and one after the other fell upon her as Gilda let loose a howl.

“Quit making excuses!” Gilda threw one final strike, sending green specs from Alate’s mouth across the window beside them.

The jagged horn glowed. Quick paws side-stepped away from the burst of magic that shot up against the ceiling, charring it’s masterful design, allowing Alate to stand. Another burst let off as she closed in and began grappling with the furious gryphon. The cursed power of the horn fueled Alate, enough to almost overpower her opponent in a frightening display of strength, until Gilda brought one claw around the changeling’s neck. Using her wing for leverage and a push from her hindpaws, Gilda tossed Alate effortlessly and slammed her against the edge of a table.

“Darrox is dead and you’re mad, big whoop! You think you’re the only one? We all knew him, and none of us like how you’re dragging his name through the mud to make killing people okay.”

Tarnished wings emerged from her stained rags as Alate charged, only to be grabbed again as Gilda snagged her head, drove her elbow between the two buzzing wings, and slammed her against the same wall.

“And I’m not gonna let you keep talking that shit! So either give up or buckle up, cuz I’m about to give you the flank-whooping of a lifetime.”

Alate stood, blood dripping from her lips, and glared at the indignant gryphon. With a quick hoof she launched a vial, crashing against Gilda’s guarding talons harmlessly, but gave Alate the opening she needed. Each strike landed against Gilda’s side with a grunt, leading up to the joint of her left wing, producing an audible crunch. When Gilda went to swipe Alate ducked, throwing her foreleg out to sweep the other claw. A fierce uppercut kept Gilda from collapsing onto the floor with its sheer force. Smoke fell from the horn, now lowered and almost touching Gilda as she stumbled back.

Alate gasped. A jolt of pain shot through her as Gilda’s firm claw seized the horn and twisted the still raw ring of flesh where it connected. Then came the first strike. Leathery claws clapped both sides of her head, the force echoing deep in her skull and sending her ears ringing. An elbow raked across her jaw with a crack. Alate, dazed, raised her hooves to defend herself but Gilda was already around her with a powerful beat of her right wing, and black talons soon found their way between the plates of chitin and into changeling flesh, summoning a terrible scream. With a final display of strength Gilda abused her newfound leverage and hoisted Alate high over her head before sending her soaring across the room and crashing against the piles of debris.

Strained wing flaps carried Gilda up to the banner of the Crystal Corsairs, where she tore it from its frame and bound it around Alate. Ragged breaths escaped her beak, along with a trickle of deep red blood. She dragged the changeling, who struggled limply against her bindings, to Rarity and began pulling at the crystal.

“Ooh! Gilda, my goodness, are you alright? I could hardly see from here but… well, you look awful.”

“Heh, yeah, you should see the other guy,” she sneered, snapping a piece of crystal loose with a grunt, allowing Rarity to squeeze out from her prison. “Come on, let’s get her back to Cadence. Can’t have much fight left in her.”

“What about Silver? Should we find him?”

“He’s got the pretty boy with him, they’ll be fine, but…” Gilda stumbled, falling into Rarity’s hooves as she caught her balance. “Yeah, I-I ain’t doing so hot.”

“Gilda, lay back, let me look at it…”

Limp eyes watched Rarity examine Gilda’s wounds, applying aid where she could, but Alate continued to struggle against the tight fabric surrounding her. Evidence of the battle echoed from down the hall, beyond the dining room she lay in, and with each clash of metal Alate struggled more. Ignoring the pain of her limbs and the throbbing in her skull she pushed and squirmed, but each effort took more energy from her, energy she knew she would need. She steadied herself.

Rarity was shook by the sudden burst of power and the violent, haunting scream that followed as the makeshift bindings burned away in dark fire. Alate immolated herself. The desperate act freed her, flames licking at the cloth and tearing it away, and with almost supernatural haste Alate charged out of the room. Her speed was barely enough to suffocate the flames, but the agony of her spell fueled her even more as she sped through the halls towards the highest levels of the palace, to her last and final target.

Chapter 21: "I loved you."

Polished crystal stood between his ears and the cacophony of fluttering wings just beyond the walls. Another step upwards, following the long spiral of stairs that was the palace’s main transportation up it’s pristine tower, cast in the shadow of the invading swarm, their cloud of violence and treason blocking any light that may yet fall through open windows. He would slink to the far wall when an errant Night Guard broke free from the flock, but the cloaked pony marched on. Up, and up, until he came to a final room.

The circular landing was bordered by several windows, a spyglass trained out of each one. Discarded books and scrolls littered the floor. Among the more solid areas of the wall hung charts displaying stars and trajectories, pathways through what he could only guess were the airways between the capital city and the rest of the empire, though most showed signs of wear and abuse, tossed haphazardly aside in the ensuing chaos. The pony stood puzzled. He was utterly alone in the disheveled observatory. No guards, no watch, no obstacle to defend their loathsome leader.

“Silver…”

An urge swelled up in his chest, one to grasp his umbral cloak and lash out against the soft, timid voice calling his true name. Instead, he stood still. Hoofsteps, faint as they were, reached his ears as he prepared for whatever pain may come. He turned.

Abby’s ruby mane fell to all sides, clinging to the streaks of black makeup down her cheeks, and the slightest quiver in her lip stifled the many muffled words she tried to utter. The once immaculate dress she had arrived in was in tatters. Evidence of black soot, dangling threads, and the occasional deep, red stain only accentuated her pitiful state. The unicorn had witnessed battle. Words finally rose from her mouth.

“Silver… I… I never wanted this… any of it.” Abby’s statement urged fresh tears from puffy, bloodshot eyes. “It was him, only him. I promise, my love, I-I… this isn’t what I wanted.”

The stoic shadow said nothing, a silence that summoned another whimper through her bared teeth.

“You know me, yes? This chaos, the m-... murder… you know I would never want it, not without good reasons. I-I thought I did everything right. Alate was the perfect accomplice. Shield Wall was somewhere he couldn’t escape. All I needed to do was make the arrangements and… please stop looking at me like that. Please…”

Abby averted her gaze from the Ghost. Tired, amber eyes peered down on her, framed in the black cloth of his cowl, like nightmarish orbs of fire and judgement. She grit her teeth and whipped her head back to face him.

“He deserves it! They all do! Monsters and criminals who ruined my life, who ruined yours. Every night for six years I begged for you to return, for you to whisk me away like you once promised you would, and when you did the trampled pieces of my heart could finally heal, now that you were back… but you weren’t. Not really. You were this… thing. Some nightmare woven from the face of my greatest love. S-So, yes, I made a plan, one that would save you like you saved me. From him.

“You told me enough about Darrox to find his family, and when I told Alate what happened she… I should never have trusted her. Old and bitter, furious at her brother’s death. Did you know she wanted to kill you, too? And I stopped her. It was my order that you wouldn’t be harmed, only Shield Wall and his minions... but she doesn’t care anymore. Oh, goodness, Silver I’m so sorry.”

Her audience was unmoving, statuesque in the face of her confession, save those same tired eyes. They never once looked away. Each second she was trapped in his gaze she felt her ears begin to burn, her stomach flutter, until the pressure scraped at the surface of her restraint.

“Stop looking at me like that!” Her frantic howl shook the room. “I did all this for you, to free you! Everything I’ve done was to rescue you from whatever foul thing that cloak is. This life you’ve chosen… it’s killing the life we could’ve had. I sacrificed my safety, my sanity, my everything to free you from a fight that was never yours to begin with!

“So why are you still looking at me like that?! Why did you forget everything we promised? Why did you stay away from me, to be with her? I love you! A love powerful enough to do all this. Does that mean nothing to you? Why can’t… we can… don’t you love me? The way we stared up at the stars and promised the world to each other, don’t you remember? You love me.”

Even the sounds of terror surging through the palace failed to pierce the silence between them. Abby’s sobs and fierce eyes were all the Ghost could focus on, a face that drained him of whatever zeal he had making the long climb to this somber point. Finally, he moved. Abby froze as a gloved hoof reached up, tugged at the lip of his cowl, and slowly pulled the mask from his face, allowing argent locks to tumble across his neck as he looked to her with a gaunt face.

“I loved you.”

The hollow, haunting statement brought a shiver up her spine and her knees buckled. Abby collapsed. Her wailing echoed in the observatory and beyond, overwhelming his senses as he fought back tears of his own, but the broken mare before him filled his chest with an inescapable emptiness. He could feel the urge to lean down, to take her in his embrace, something to satisfy the sharp pain in his throat, but he didn’t. With his face still bare he turned from her and crossed the room to the final staircase leading to the very top of the palace.

It was only twelve steps to the observation deck. Frigid air blew around him, sending the cloak aflutter, his exposed face almost burned by the frost and saved only by the warmth of the setting sun. Grunts and a sharp cry reached his ears before he crested the stairs and walked out onto the deck. Before him, in the center of the large pavilion hovered a large heart-shaped gem, shining brilliantly and flanked by two ponies. One lay on the floor, struggling, flailing angrily at the powerful hoof of the other, pressed against her head as he slowly turned his attention to Silver. Lips curled into a smirk.

“I expected you sooner. A disappointment, as always, whelp.”

The cloaked pony closed the distance, fighting the chill creeping into his limbs before pausing at the sight of green blood speckled across the floor. In the waning light of day he could see a tapestry of blood and lacerations across Alate’s carapice, leaking onto the floor, her dull eyes refusing to let Shield Wall out of her sight. The horn on her head pulsed with a dark fog that grew slightly with each ragged breath from Alate.

“Removed the mask, I see? Looking to relive your previous victory over me, no doubt.” Shield’s hoof dug deeper into Alate’s temple, drawing a whimper from her. “If you have come to rescue this… thing, you are more than welcome to what remains when I am done. She was at least formidable. Far more than your bird.”

Silver tensed, and Shield Wall’s eyes flickered in the sunlight. The grin grew wider.

“I could hardly call Gorn a threat. Far too wild and undisciplined, much like the rest of his kind. This creature, however, has managed an extraordinary amount of control over these dark powers. Admirable, if not blasphemous.”

He glanced at Silver, but twitched when his comment was met with silence, his shrouded nemesis doing little more than glaring at him. Into him.

“But, of course, you must be here to stop me,” he spat. “You are welcome to try, but my forces have already breached the palace. Perhaps I shall thank this creature for her interference, and for returning the cursed horn, but you stand unprepared to stop me this time. The empire is mine, and once again my world can be realized.”

His hoof moved from Alate’s bleeding temple to her fused horn. The slightest touch drew a seething whimper from her as the wound began to open again, spewing blood down her face, and with a spiteful tap against it she writhed. Wicked eyes stared Silver down, scanning his flowing form.

“And then what?” SIlver deadpanned.

Every ounce of malice evaporated from Shield Wall’s face. His mouth hung open. A few airy words left his lips, silent babbles of confusion, until he barked back.

“What do you mean, ‘and then what’?! I win! The empire is mine, and very soon Equestria will be, too, unless you dare to stop me.”

“No, no, I mean what happens next?” Silver took a slow step forward, again watching Shield’s anger melt away. “You dig that horn into the heart and… what? Corrupt everything? Turn this entire country into your own private army, then march on Equestria?”

“Of course, you ingrate! Darrox’s soul must be in tears to see your ineptitude on display.”

“So, how long will that take? A week, two weeks? Months? How quickly can you mobilize the entire empire before Celestia and Luna march up here and take it back?”

“Do not speak to me of logistics, whelp, I-”

“Things were easier when you had power, right? Station? When you were in command you had ships, trained soldiers, money, and the authority to hide it all away. Now look at you…” A small smile graced Silver’s face.

“Careful with your insinuations, I am still in control!”

“No you’re not. You have a cobbled-together insurgency and the illusion of a plan.”

“Yet, here I stand, my forces locked in battle and my ultimate goal within reach. Tell me, whelp, what is that if not control?”

“Hubris, like when you tried to assassinate Celestia. Or when you smuggled gold to bribe dragons to attack Equestria. The yak invasion, my death, the attack on Manehatten. In all those grand plans, how many of them actually succeeded?”

“You mock me,” he seethed.

“I do,” Silver declared. “Because for twenty years you’ve tried this same plan, over and over, and every time something or someone stops you.”

“This is not some petty villainy like your mentor so joyously imagined, this is what it takes to build a better world. A stronger world! One where the forces of evil would not dare threaten our glorious home.”

“Then why isn’t it working!”

The sudden outburst stunned Shield, leaving him staring dumbly at the now fuming pony before him. The ends of the cloak coiled up to accentuate the tension in Silver’s face. Even Alate ceased her pained moans when his thundering voice nearly shook the pavilion around them. Silver huffed before speaking again.

“How many more have to die in the name of your perfect world?”

“As many as it takes,” Shield Wall spat back. “This is not some storybook heroism, the real world is hardly so juvenile. I am working to save Equestria!”

“You could’ve saved Equestria years ago. With all that power and charm, all that money and influence, you had the chance to put all of that towards a better future, but you chose war! You chose murder and hatred. You ordered my father killed, you murdered Darrox, and chose to attack the very country you love so much.”

“Obstacles! All of them, obstacles. Vile traitors daring to stand against a better world, traitors lacking vision to see what I see!”

“All I see are good ponies standing against whatever madness you’ve fallen to. Ponies who know real evil when they see it, and aren’t afraid to stand up to it. Ponies like Midnight Gavel.”

“Do not say his wretched name!”

“He was your friend, he loved you, and even he saw the depths of your nefarious nature.”

“Silence! Silence or I will-”

“And you planned to murder him, for what? Because he saw the truth, or because you didn’t like the truth?”

“He was weak, weak and foolish!”

“Like everypony else who bought into your madness, but they all saw the truth, didn’t they?” At this, Silver smirked. “The terrible Vice General Shield Wall, guilty of murder and high treason, the most dangerous pony in Equestria. Not for the bodies he’s buried, but for thinking his evil was righteous.”

A terrible sound thundered forth from Shield's hoof as it slammed against the crystal floor, cracking it, every crease of his contorted face illuminated by the sunset, accentuating eyes of molten fury.

“They must die, all of them! The posh and elite, the scores of undeservings below them, below me, all who fail to grasp just what I am trying to do, so of course they fight. Like children, they lash out towards that which they cannot understand, and I am forced to resort to such base methods to finally make them see, yet still they defy me... and then there is you…

“The Ghost… the champion of their defiance. When I plotted to rally the bandit clans against the crown, your mentor struck at their leadership. When I rob the treasury of its gold to sail to the Dragon Lands, again, he interferes and casts me from my own vessel. When I stage war on the northern border, you arrive to thwart me through sheer dumb luck! And at the moment of my victory, the prize I spent twenty years to claim, your band of traitorous cretins manage to defeat me! You rob them of the chance to become stronger, only for them to fight for you, instead? How am I to save the world when the world keeps fighting back?!”

“You can’t save a world that doesn’t need saving, Shield.”

Words left him. All that remained was icy air singeing his lungs with each ragged breath, his skull throbbing. Amber eyes held him in a phantasmal grasp. Then, with a twitch of his lips, a riotous laugh flew from him and around the pavilion.

“You… you are trying to undermine me, yes? To invalidate my mission. Your mentor has tried this before, but not even his cunning was enough to sway me, and the only difference is his argument was sound. ‘Does not need saving’? Bah... that is exactly why you are here. To save the world! To save it from…”

The final word dangled from his lips, so close to the edge that both he and Silver could almost hear it, but for the moment he merely stood there, frozen. Painful pressure removed itself from Alate’s head as the offending hoof retracted. She limply pulled herself away as Shield Wall’s gaze began to drift, scanning the world around him in a daze. First to her and the horn upon her head, still dripping it’s cursed smoke and green power onto the floor, but his eyes more closely observed the wounds upon her body, many of which he recognized, until he met Silver’s gaze and took in every detail of the unmasked visage before him. Just to the left, along his collar, Shield could see the start of a twisted line of flesh, a marker of his own twisted work upon Silver, just barely creeping beyond the confines of the fabric. The cries of battle from below began to wane.

“You finally get it,” Silver said, each word a sharp stab, slowly closing the distance. “This was never about saving the world, not for you or Darrox, not even for me. All I wanted for six years was to be rid of you. That’s why I came back, to protect those I loved from your sick schemes and make sure nopony would ever know your evil again, but that was it. Was that what you wanted, just to keep your home safe from what you thought were threats? Look around. Even here, ponies stand against evil threatening their home, without your direction, and they’re winning. This insane plan was foiled before you even hatched it, only now you finally see you’re not the hero. Ponies like you and me don’t save the world, we just save it from each other.

“But don’t take this epiphany as forgiveness. You’re a monster, and the only comfort this nightmare will bring is knowing by the end of it your vile vision of a new world will never be realized. This is your final plot, Shield. It’s over.”

Shield turned to face the Crystal Heart, floating just before him, and peered into the reflection of the old and withered unicorn staring back at him. Grey hairs danced across the warm brown fur of his face and across tired eyes. In the corner of this sight he spotted another, a familiar unicorn of deep blue staring back at him, blood trickling from the hole in his head, filling Shield with a chill to dwarf the biting breeze encircling him and his nemesis.

“It is, is it not…” He gave a long, ragged sigh. “I do not love many things, but I do love my country. Yet, my country provides home and aid to its enemies. Changelings, sorcerers, monsters. Those who seek to tear down all we have built we meet with little more than tolerance. Tolerance… tolerance does not claim victory, only stalemate. Victory over our enemies is achieved through strength, discipline, and the will to become something far more deadly than we are. My country recoils at the thought, but it is the only way. Good walls make good neighbors, after all.”

“Not if the people are backed against them.”

“Then they are forced to grow,” Shield snapped, the venom in his voice evaporating as soon as it was uttered. “But… yes. Too many times have I toiled to force the world to work, when… it worked all along... congratulations, then, you accomplished what your master could not. You killed the dream.”

Silver cocked an doubtful eyebrow. “Just like that?”

“Do not insult me. It does not take one of my intelligence to appreciate the power of perspective, especially in the case of my life’s work, and after all we have suffered, you and I. So, yes, ‘just like that’... but not for us.”

His turn was slow, forsaking his own haunting reflection in favor of the pony in black, who responded with a lowered stance and a firm, unerring gaze. Glittering gold danced along Shield’s horn, power shining against his scowl.

With a wordless acknowledgement Silver took one end of the cloak in his hoof. Shield Wall spread his stance, tucking his chin and pointing his glowing horn directly at his target. Only once did Silver allow his gaze to divert, peering over to the struggling Alate. He gave her a nod, permitting her to escape through a cloud of dark smoke that trailed off and away from the tower, limply gliding against the stiff breeze. Silence fell upon them both. No more orders shouted from below, or sounds of clanging metal, no more screams from the battle that once raged throughout the palace, replaced by the rush of pumping blood in their skulls.

Dark cloth cracked in the air on its path towards Shield Wall’s face, colliding with the glittering surface of his barrier before being taken in his grip. Shield pulled hard, forcing Silver off balance, and followed with a mighty swing upwards that scraped against his jaw, but was soon met with a fierce kick propelled by the force of Silver’s falling body. When both ponies recovered, they charged.

Their hooves locked in a furious exchange of blows. Silver allowed his cloak to follow his strikes, jutting out from his hooves like spears with each jab and cross, keeping Shield on edge even when at range, but the unicorn took the chance to dive low. Ducking another jab allowed Shield to dive straight for Silver’s hind legs, and with a grunt he was hoisted over Shield’s back and bucked hard against one of the columns surrounding them. Silver barely had time to stand before a volley of golden bolts showered upon him. They rapped against the fabric like a violent storm of hail, prompting Silver to risk releasing a length of cloak upwards, snagging on the pavilion's supports with a grip strong enough to hoist him from the floor and soar overhead. A bolt or two managed to find their target, but left little more than singe marks against his reinforced chest, failing to stop Silver from diving down onto Shield Wall with a furious knee.

Silver was atop his nemesis, unleashing the most brutal, wild blows he could muster, each one striking with a force great enough to shake Shield Wall’s chest even from within his now failing barrier, but Shield took advantage of Silver’s frenzy with a measured strike to his eye. Another direct blow landed against the padding on Silver’s side, and before he could recover he found himself slammed backwards against the floor in a leg lock. Shield rolled off of him, horn glimmering in desperation to repair his cracked and crumbling magic. It was when he looked back to Silver, though, he saw the cloak wrap tightly around his enemy’s arm with audible tension, and with a low roar Silver threw the reinforced limb square into Shield’s face, sending him spinning through the air as shards of his shattered barrier followed him.

The polished crystal floor beneath him began to grow red, painted in the warm blood slowly falling from his mouth and nose, and the very sight twisted his face into a deep, feral scowl. Blood flew from Shield’s mouth as Silver approached, spat straight into his eyes, allowing Shield the opening he needed to funnel each terrible ounce of wrath into a flurry of savage blows. They crashed against Silver’s jaw, his sides, his throat, everywhere the mighty cloak shouldn’t guard was Shield’s target. Two hooves shot out from within the flowing darkness and pulled Shield’s face directly into Silver’s skull with a crack. Once he wiped the blood from his eyes, Silver ensnared Shield’s offending limbs and forced him to the ground before spinning into a wheel kick that collided with his shoulder, spinning again to deliver one final strike. Through one limply lidded eye Shield could see the blow rocketing towards him, and with a bloody smirk he loosed a bolt from his horn, one that clashed with Silver’s hoof, stopping it in its path. He yelped at the white hot blast, grasping his charred glove, casting it off before the searing spell could melt his flesh, as well.

Shield Wall limply stood to his hooves. Silver gave a ragged huff, cradling the singed hoof, wincing each time it was assaulted by the stiff, cold wind. Their gazes met. Golden eyes, framed by streaks of blood, never strayed from Silver as he found the courage to stand in his injured hoof. Their weary limbs dragged against the floor as they closed the distance, staggering back into some semblance of a fighting stance. Then, Shield’s eyes twitched.

Silver could almost feel the heat against his neck before he pivoted on his back hoof, swiping the cloak out behind him and slicing into a turquoise bolt of magic as it soared, watching it fizzle in the air. The fading sparks revealed its source. Smoke rose from a unicorn’s horn, framed by gentle ruby hairs across a twisted face of tears, heavy breaths falling from her lips in jagged puffs of steam. Here once pristine dress was torn at the skirt to allow her full range of movement. Abby stood before him, seething.

“Abby, what’re you-”

“No! No, not another word! No more lies, no more tricks! Give him back to me! I want you gone, gone from my love and gone from this world! Give him back!”

Another, then another bolt flew from her as she steadily advanced, each one caught and dispelled by the cloak. Caught off guard, Silver floundered to maintain his stance as Shield Wall looked on, but his trembling jaw began to loosen with each impact against his foe, and soon a crooked, toothy grin spread across his face. He charged Silver. As his enemy caught another blast Shield barrelled toward him and released a powerful kick to his midsection, sending Silver flying against one of the hulking columns of the pavilion.

“You see now, Abundant?” Shield asked, recovering. “Everything you once loved in him is gone, replaced by this creature.”

“S-Stay away from us,” Abby barked, thrusting her blinding horn toward him.

“Please, my dear, listen to me, you are not the only one his cursed influence has tainted. He destroyed my dreams, just as he has your love. Let me help you.”

“Damn you, and damn your help! Why should I ever, ever listen to another vile word from you?”

“Because I have killed the Ghost before...”

She froze. Each long, silent second she went wordless was another length Shield Wall’s wicked grin grew as he reached his hoof to her cheek. Silver readied his cloak, clasping this head with one hoof until ringing in his head passed, revealing the scene before him.

“I can kill him again… if you help me.”

“Abby! Shield, get away from her!”

“This is a trick,” Abby stammered.

“You said it yourself, you want him gone from this world.”

“B-But you-”

“Are the only one who understands!” Shield grasped her forelegs, manic. “Look at us, both: I have lost my purpose, you your dignity, all because of the one thread of hatred we share. The Ghost. All the terror he has wrought upon our lives can be undone, but only together! I took your love once, but let me deliver him back to you. I am the only one who can!”

Silver rose to his hooves just in time to find Abby’s piercing gaze upon him, her face a pale and ghastly. To her side, Shield Wall leaned into her ear. Silent words passed between them, and Silver watched them both slowly spread apart, orbiting in a painfully slow path until they stood on either side, flanking him, trails of sparks falling from their horns. Silver’s head whipped to either side as he dug in. Abby fired first.

The turquoise bolt whizzed toward him, caught by the cloak, allowing Shield Wall a clear shot of Silver’s exposed head. Golden flame spit forth before it collided with the redirected spell flung by Silver, bursting into a cloud of sparks that forced Shield back, blind to the lunging kick that slammed against his jaw. Another bolt fired, this time colliding with Silver’s leg. He stumbled as he landed, his balance soon compromised by three more bolts from Abby, the final one bursting and pushing Silver along the floor. Through squinted eyes he watched Shield return to Abby’s side.

“I loathe to admit it, Silver, but you were right,” he sneered through a bloody grin. “I cannot force the world to work as I wish, it is fickle and foolish, but neither can you. All your talk of purpose, your master’s mission… was it all bluster, or were you simply so blinded by the old fool’s words to see anything beyond? To see her?”

Silver kept his eyes on Abby as he stood, searching for some evidence of a response. Instead, her eyes danced around the space before her, incapable of holding contact for long.

“The very reason you returned, the very reason you fought with such vigor in Manehatten, abandoned. You chose the musty hoof-me-downs of a raving old bug over her.”

“Abby, he’s not trying to help you, you know that. Don’t listen to him.”

“Or what? What can you offer her? I think the only thing you fear more than letting her decide for herself, is who she may choose. After all...” Shield gently placed his hoof over Abbys’ shoulder, placing his face beside hers. “She hates you almost as much as I do.”

Without hesitation Silver stormed toward Shield Wall as a bolt of darkness and fury. They crashed onto each other and landed at the edge of the pavilion. Each end of the cloak, every available scrap of surface, pinned Shield to the floor, leaving the manic unicorn defenseless to Silver’s silent, focused, and ferocious beating. He shunted the pain in his singed hoof away as he struck the field with force enough to bend it, crashing into whatever part of Shield’s body fell prey to the murderous assault, blood pooling in the field as its occupant took it all. The twisted face he wore, however, slowly began to unravel with every strike as he struggled more and more. Then, Silver choked.

He was pulled back by the cloak, dainty yellow hooves wrapped around the fabric. From the corner of his eye Silver found Abby prying him from atop Shield Wall. Writhing and thrashing against her, reaching down toward Shield’s returning smile, Silver finally tumbled back, Abby stepping between them, her horn brilliant. The sea green eyes he once dreamed of years ago peered down upon him with intensity enough to match the pain that wracked his body. Haggard breaths failed him, his voice lost to the terrible, sinking fear of the image before him. His slightest movement brought those fears into reality.

A thin, glimmering length of power flew from her horn, past the small gap in his cloak and piercing the soft material between his padding and out the other end. No scream left his lips. He fell to his knees, grasping the site of the open wound, left to watch as Abby lifted Shield Wall to his hooves. With a flash and a wet cough a golden light sprung from Shield’s horn. A piercing screech filled the air as he turned.

“Do not dare think this is the end, Silver Spade. You have spared this city its fate, but know the fault of what comes next lies with you, for daring to give me clarity. I do not need a world that bends to me, only a world without you.”

The fluttering of leather wings reached their ears and Shield offered his weary hoof to Abby. She glanced between them both. In her bloodshot eyes, Silver could see the final few tears that threatened to fall as he limply motioned to her, fighting the pain in his side.

“Abby… please, I’m… I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

A final streak fell from her face as, slowly, she took Shield’s hoof.

The two fell back, off the tower and into the open air. Silver summoned what strength he had left and sprinted after them. He leaped from the ledge and followed them down, plummeting towards a cloud of wings and armor. Silver shot his hoof out towards Abby, reaching for her, and for a moment he could almost see her begin to reach back before she was snatched away by the unicorn falling behind her. A final blast from his horn collided with Silver’s face and sent him tumbling through the air as Shield and Abby were caught by the swarm of remaining Night Guard, fluttering away from the city. Silver fumbled over himself in the air before managing to grasp the ends of the cloak. The garment spread to catch the air, slowing him enough to only tumble as he crash landed on one of the nearby rooftops and slammed into the chimney.

That was when the pain came out. Silver screamed her name into the frigid air, limply pounding the stone beneath him as it slowly became painted with his own blood. A familiar beating of feathered wings reached him, the gentle embrace of talons on his shoulders, but the comforting presence did nothing to stop his voice from calling out to the ever shrinking cloud of black in the distance.

Chapter 22: “What kind of Ghost do you wanna be?”

Dark clouds, gathering over the quaint little town beneath them, rolled in the sky. Their haunting shapes were somber, broad and lingered in place for the past two days. They robbed the city below of the sun’s grace, selfishly hoarding its warmth for themselves.

In a flash, streaks of color rose up from the city below, launching themselves skyward and through the oppressive barrier in practiced formation. The squadron hurdled through the air and struck on their descent. The pegasus weather team assembled to take back the solar gift, and each powerful impact along the darkened clouds freed more and more light for the city below.

Newly won rays of sunshine reached towards a small gathering below, and following them was a single pony speeding toward the clay tiled roofs below. He weaved through a few pegasi who hovered above the ground as he threatened to crash upon the clean cobblestone of Coltistrano’s main square. Many ponies around him gawked. A sheepish grin met their gazes as leathery wings twitched and folded against his sides before he trotted along one of the branching streets flanked by rows of freshly painted buildings, ranging from teal to orange to white. He hugged the far side of the street until he pushed through a slate colored door sporting a golden ‘G’.

“Ah, Mr. Kindle,” the pony behind the counter greeted. “Delivery for the governor, yes? Gilda told me you were coming. I’ve got the order sitting right here.”

“Thank Luna’s stars, uh… wha-what do I owe you?”

“Oh! The order’s already been paid for by Ms. Hearts, she said it-”

Kindle’s thanks barely left his mouth before he was off again, snatching the box of sweets and balancing it across his wings. Even rushed, he slowed his trot just enough to pass his sight over the rows of stalls lining the center avenue, housing a myriad of goods and wares, drawing the attention of the dozens of other shopping ponies. Beyond the bustle his keen eyes could spot small crowds of hard hats, hoisting clay and mortar up the scaffolding to the tops of the worn and aged buildings.

Then came the bells. Colistrano’s clock tower released its gentle chorus across the town, pushing Kindle’s legs into overtime as he bolted toward the governor’s mansion. Not a moment after his hooves passed the front gate was he fumbling with the knob to the tall, oaken doors that soon gave way to him, until a voice pierced his very ears as he hurriedly stepped across the red carpet of the lobby.

“Kindle! Where have you been?” The chestnut mare stomped toward him. “The guests have already arrived… and where is your bowtie?”

“I-I’m sorry, Ms. Hearts, I have it right here! I didn’t mean to be late-”

“No, no, forgive me, Kindle, I’m just shocked you can only arrive promptly when you’re invading my home, and not when you’re repaying its owner.”

“I think helping Princess Cadence defend the palace earns me a little credit, right?”

“Yes, which is why you’re allowed a bed in the very home where you tried to kill my son. Now, come on, grab that tray and follow me.”

Once the bowtie was flush across his neck, Kindle hoisted a tray of drinks and dutifully followed behind Honey Hearts. Along the cliff face, just behind the governor’s mansion, stood a somber gathering, each member adorned in dark colors and staring into a tiny skiff that earned each of their attention. Carved grooves in the wood almost framed the draped form inside and the bed within was littered with white lilies. Much like the Tornado, a small violet balloon floated just above it.

Silver was the one to step up. Where everyone else fidgeted in place, or simply tried to look away, he walked with calm determination to the side of his friend. A jagged beak peered up at him through white cloth. There was a moment where he almost smiled, remembering sharp words and hurtful truths that only the skiff’s occupant was brave enough to say, and Silver gently stroked the carved wood holding the once-ornery gryphon.

“There’s not much I can say now he never said, himself,” Silver began, turning to his friends. “Gorn was a crass, foul-beaked hardass, and never once did he ever tell me ‘good job’. Day in and day out, he made it his personal mission to criticize everything I did as the Ghost, right down to how I put on my boots. ‘Darrox’d have ‘em on an’ be out the door by the time yer lazy ass was outta bed!’ He said that, once.”

Silver watched as his friends’ tension waned, smiles and soft giggles daring to let themselves be heard in such a somber setting.

“I never understood why he stuck around, to be honest. There were days I was sure he hated me, but only recently I learned it wasn’t because he found me particularly charming… it was because he did care, in his own way. Gorn was loyal. Loyal to Darrox and his dream, loyal to keeping that dream alive, and even when I couldn’t see it, he was loyal to us. He…”

His eyes hovered just over the familiar site on Gorn’s neck, the one that was bound the most by the white shawl that covered Gorn.

“The last time I was here I burned a dear friend, cried my tears, and made a promise I didn’t know I couldn’t keep. Gorn knew, though. Before the end, he told me to save myself, to stop trying to be somepony I wasn’t and have the courage to just live. It was exactly what I needed to hear, but I wish his death wasn’t what finally made me listen.”

With a quick glance to Gilda she stepped to his side, a small torch in her claw. She peered over him. There was a moment where she almost lost her grip on the flame before Silver helped steady her with soft hooves on her shoulders, careful to avoid the healing burns. With his encouragement, she gently placed the torch into the skiff and watched as the orange ropes of flame began to spread, filling the vessel as heat rose into the balloon just enough to lift it from the ground. Together they pushed, and the skiff made its solemn journey out from the cliff and away through the air.

“You good, dude?” Gilda asked, her trembling claw wrapped around his hoof.

“No... you?”

“No.”

They wrapped each other in a hug while the rest of the party gathered around them, sending their well-wishes after the flickering skiff that sailed away from the mansion. Alone, Rarity stood behind them, and wiped a tear from her face as she retreated into the house, working through the hallways until she found herself in the main study. The presence of books and of a gentle, warm breeze through open windows helped ease the quiver in her lip. From a small pouch on her side she produced a violet journal, lifting a quill and ink from a side table before collapsing into the cush embrace one of the sofas.

Funerals are such an awful affair. Not one I’ve been to has held any modicum of joy in any respect, this one especially. I suppose I’m thankful not many have come, evidence of Gorn’s callus attitude, no doubt, but it’s much easier to get away and write after so long. Still, Gilda spoke the truth when she said he was one of us. I know Silver will miss him.

Out of everyone dressed in black, he was the only one who looked comfortable in it. It’s tragic how used to death he’s become, and since we came back to Equestria he’s carried himself differently. He’s much more… present. He spent hours with Shining and Cadence after the battle, no doubt catching up on all they’ve missed together, and to my knowledge he hasn’t once addressed himself as ‘Aristo’ upon returning. He’s changed. My love has changed.

Ms. Hearts, though, is an entirely different matter. News of Abby and Shield Wall, the attack on the Crystal Empire, has brought out more maternal stubbornness than ever before, and she’s put poor Kindle through the ringer in an effort to get even. It’s surprising how helpful he’s been. Ms. Hearts fears he may turn us over to his former allies, but I don’t believe a word of it. He’s far too scared of her to dare try.

And that leaves my darling Gilda. Silver offered her the Tornado, which she happily took before the words even left his mouth, and has wasted no time in claiming it as her own. She even commissioned me for a captain’s tricorne, imagine that? She’s been in good spirits even after the horrors up north. I never know how to say it, but crass as she may be I’m thankful for all she does for us.

“Why don’t you check on Rarity, hm? See if she could use some refreshment?”

“O-Of course, Ms. Hearts, but… could I at least take a little br-”

“Oh no, no, no, we’ve only begun your recompense for breaking into this house and threatening to put my son’s head on a plate!”

“I-... Yes, Ms. Hearts.”

Rarity peered over the cover of her journal just in time to see Kindle, carrying a tray of glittering glasses, enter the study. He crossed the large fireplace and offered the tray to her.

“Thank you, Kindle,” Rarity hummed, lifting one away. “I hope Honey hasn’t made you regret your desertion of the Night Guard.”

“What? No! No, I love it here, it's a lot different during the day, I just… well, I never thought she could be so… so-”

“Scary?”

“Oh, you have no idea,” he whispered, almost too fast as Rarity chuckled in response.

“Don’t fret, Kindle, this is nowhere near the worst she can do.”

“Oh, thank Luna’s sky-... wait, what?”

A light cough from the doorway signaled Silver’s arrival. Kindle shot up, nearly dropping the tray in his hoof as the pony entered. He chuckled at the sight.

“S-Sir,” Kindle stammered.

“I’m not you CO, Kindle, despite what my mother tells you.”

“I… right, sorry, still getting used to life outside of them, you know?”

Silver chuckled, but Kindle watched him with intense focus. A small, dopey grin made itself known and Silver sighed in anticipation.

“So… you’re the Ghost. I mean… you? The Ghost!”

“Yes,” Silver hummed.

“You were the target… Aristo, I mean, the same noblepony who helped expose Shield Wall the first time, but you were also the Ghost. Was it you all along?”

“Silver takes great pride in his performance that night,” Rarity piped up, sipping gingerly from her glass with a smirk.

“I seem to remember you even asked for a ‘midnight encore’,” Silver shot back, his half-lidded eyes watching hers.

“You mean the night of the gala? The Night Guard had us review that incident, like, a dozen times in case we even ran into you. I only ever heard the name ‘Aristo’ a few times before the mission, probably because he isn’t really you, right?”

“Aristo is one of our more brilliant ideas,” Silver continued. “Somepony wealthy enough to have some sway in Equestria, but so pompous you’d never want to talk to him about it. Though I think he’s outlived his usefulness.”

“So you’re just ‘Silver’, now?”

“Thankfully.” He glanced at Rarity, giving her a soft smile before Kindle continued.

“Well Silver, you… I think you saved my life back in the empire, and I’m sorry about your friend.”

“I’m sorry about yours,” Silver returned, taking a glass of his own. “Have you found any trace of him? Or the rest of the Night Guard?”

“Not yet, but I can’t say I’m surprised. Glint was never just another guard, he was always the best the vice general had. To think he got away...” Kindle felt a hoof touch his shoulder.

“You’ll find him, and for what it’s worth I think you’re the only one who can reach him, now. Are you going to be alright for recon?”

“Yeah, yeah… honestly, I’m surprised you, uh, trust me.”

“Well, ‘trust’ is a strong word. I have faith in you... and faith in Gilda to knock you on your ass if you try to steal the Tornado. Welcome to the team.”

Her name caused Kindle to tremble as Silver patted his side, a tender scar just below his wing, shaking the glasses on the tray as he and Rarity watched the bat pony make his way out of the study, leaving them alone. Then they looked to each other. Rarity was the first to break eye contact, her gaze fluttering between him and the empty seat beside her, taking care to ensure the growing smile across her lips was noticeable. That grin spread even farther when she felt his weight land beside her. He gazed upon her bashful face, surrounded by a halo of sunlight that dripped through the white curtains of the study, tiny rays poking through her violet curls.

Then, she began to fidget. Silver could spot a thin line of red forming across her muzzle, filling her cheeks, but his attention was caught by her foreleg coming up from her side, seemingly unsure of where it was going, and landing on the back of the sofa. Rarity slouched. A gentle whip of her hair pulled Silver back to her face quick enough to watch her mouth struggle to form her next few words.

“Um… ‘s-sup, babe?”

An eternity passed between them in utter silence.

Warm, unrestrained laughter filled the study. Silver fell against the backrest of the sofa, occasionally pushing his face into it as Rarity grew beet red. Before she could turn, though, her flushed cheeks were caught in long kisses pressed against them, the first movement Silver made to close the distance between them both.

“Thank you,” he managed to say, still giggling.

“F-For what?”

“For… you.”

“Oh, goodness,” she chuckled. “An attempt like that hardly deserves any flattery.”

“Would you rather I stop?”

“I’d rather you keep going…” Brushing her mane aside she pulled herself toward him, falling into the forelegs slowly closing around her. “It was Gilda’s idea, I promise.”

“I have no doubt.”

“She’ll have an earful for this, for sure.”

“Don’t.” Silver pushed past her mane to plant a kiss on her forehead. “She might pull the ‘saved your life in the palace’ card.”

“Tch, you’re right… I’m sorry... for what happened.”

Her soft words forced an image of biting wind and tearful eyes into his mind, and Silver responded only by squeezing Rarity just a bit more, pulling her closer. He said nothing. A few times Rarity could see his lips part slightly, only to shut when the tease of words fell short of speech.

“Shining and Cadence were in good spirits, though,” she blurted out. “Even after all that happened, are you glad you reached out to them?”

“I am,” Silver replied, releasing his staggered breath. “It… was nice. Shining is still mad about me not telling him, though. Says he wants a letter at least once a month.”

“And a generous donation to their reconstruction, I’m sure.”

“Yeah...” Silver drew out with an airy chuckle. “Cadence didn’t seem too torn up about it, all things considered, but she’s already been asking me about better ways to hide people in the palace. Did you know she and Shining have a baby?”

“You didn’t know? Silver, darling, it was all the papers could talk about for weeks. Twilight was there, even.”

“Never thought I was that out of touch.”

“Well, we’re going to fix that, you’ll be caught up in no time. Speaking of, um, knowing things… are… well, are we…”

“Together?” The word hung between them for a moment, drifting along the rays of sunshine. “Do you want to be?”

“W-Well, yes, but considering what happened, a-and Abby’s…” Rarity pressed a hoof to her mouth, collecting herself before giving the most dignified cough she could manage. “I would like that very much.”

Their manes fell atop each other in the gentle breeze. Silver held her face to his, greeting her with a slow, firm welcome upon her lips that softened when she returned his affection, stroking his back with her hooves as if to pull every part of him into herself. A giggle escaped the corner of her mouth. As she moved to his cheek Silver could only sigh in response, relishing the sensation of her touch, her warmth, and the gentle hold she kept on the back of his head, but he retained enough of his senses to find a new target.

“Ooooh,” Rarity cooed, quivering in response to the soft nipping on her neck. “You are in so much trouble for that one, sergeant.”

“You’ll have to court marshall me, ma’am.”

“Ha, freaky…”

Two sets of horrified eyes snapped toward the source of the third voice, standing smugly in the doorway. With a lidded expression and a grin to match, Gilda let loose a low, rhythmic pur that summoned a deep red color from Rarity’s cheeks. Silver, however, could only laugh.

“You gotta learn to knock, G,” Silver chuckled.

“Sock on the doorknob, bro, you know the rules. You wanna do the thing before this gets too spicy?”

Silver nodded. A shout flew from Gilda’s beak, and from down the hall came Kindle at a brisk, nervous pace, glancing behind him every so often before joining the rest of the study’s occupants. Silver faced Rarity again, beet red but still sporting a small smile. A comforting kiss landed on her lips before he stood and approached the side table, next to the large fireplace, and with a quick stroke of the sketch beside it the stone moved away.

“Whoa!” Kindle gawked at the contraption. “This is where you were hiding?”

“Among other places.” Silver shot him a sly smirk before leading the troup down the dark stone staircase.

Again, Kindle stood in awe of the carved structures surrounding him, the stone columns that supported the mansion’s undercroft and reached out toward what he guessed was the cliff face itself. Sconces ignited by themselves as they passed. With each step the undercroft was illuminated to reveal the heart of their secret operation. In the center stood the tall, imposing glass case housing the cloak Kindle learned to both fear and respect, flanked by workstations of every sort. Silver approached the largest of them, a wall-sized map of Equestria surrounded by tools and small baubles.

“We have a situation,” Silver began. “Since the attack on the Crystal Empire Shield Wall, the Night Guard, and Alate have practically vanished. Cadence and Shining Armor are running recon along the border for any trace of their escape, but I think it’s fair to assume they’ve returned to Equestria. What we need is a trail to follow. Kindle, where would they go?”

“O-Oh, um… well, we deployed from our safehouses along the western Crystal Mountains, north of Galloping Gorge, but we closed off travel too and from the empire after the battle. Best guess says they may have hoofed it through here, this gap in the mountains’ eastern slopes.”

Kindle pointed to the map that, to his shock, illuminated his target with a glittering blue light.

“Any guess where they went from there?”

“Not one. From that point, all of eastern Equestria is open to them. We have a few safehouses north of Cloudsdale, but nothing strategically valuable.” A yellow light appeared where he pointed.

“Did he have an escape plan? Anything he shared with you?”

“No… I don’t think he thought he’d lose.”

“Of course,” Silver sighed. “Gilda, I don’t want the Tornado too far from home. What do you think a good path for recon looks like?”

“I mean, we can push it between Neighagara Falls and Dodge City, but he could be all the way in Vanhoover for all we know. We kinda whooped his flank in the empire, remember? My guess is he picked somewhere far away from us to lie low.”

“I agree with Gilda,” Rarity piped up. “Shield Wall’s losses were devastating to any future plans he may have had. With Kindle’s help, we may want to consider focusing our efforts on intercepting Night Guard operations.”

“Kindle, can you do it?”

“Yeah, I’ve still got the maps and tools we were using to plan the siege and-”

“No, I mean will you do it?”

“Oh…” Kindle’s voice shrank and his leathery wings fidgeted against his sides. “I-I don’t like it, but what the Guard did… I can do it. I will.”

“What about Alate?” Rarity stepped forward, casting her own spell to produce an emerald light upon the map, stationed at the Crystal Empire. “You said she vanished during the fight with Shield Wall. With the horn in her possession, she’s far too dangerous to leave alone.”

“My guess is she’ll keep following the Night Guard,” Silver replied. “Even for someone like her, running solo in her condition will be dangerous. Whatever move she makes against Shield Wall will have to be worth it.”

“We’ll have to be especially careful, darling. I’ll reach out to Twilight. With some luck, she may have a way to follow whatever traces that terrible thing on Alate’s head will leave.”

“If you feel she can help, then by all means, we need as much as we can get. That just leaves…”

A soft teal light appeared over Canterlot, where Silver’s vision lingered. Flashes of her teary face came to him like wisps of smoke and danced along his vision, and for a moment his jaw clenched at the premonition of her voice, echoing through his mind.

“It’s been more than a week since Abby defected. Princess Luna reports she hasn’t returned to Canterlot, and her estate sits empty. I’ve reached out to the Investigations Bureau to check Aristo’s holdings in Abby’s charity foundations. My guess is, if she’s really turned on us, her accounts will be empty.”

“That’s not so bad, is it?” Gilda asked, prompting Rarity to speak.

“She was a countess, a direct descendant of Celestia. Even on her own, she commanded considerable wealth and resources, not to mention royal authority.”

“‘Kay, so how much damage could she do in a week?”

“More than I dare imagine, Gilda. Her authority holds little power in the Crystal Empire, but we haven’t the slightest idea what orders she may have issued before we informed Princess Luna. I shudder to think what she could’ve done to help that monster.”

“So we find her first,” Gilda began. “If Tightwad’s using her for money and power then she’s his evil sugar mama. We find the babe, cut Tightwad off from her cash, then bring the hammer down on him before he can give Manehatten a sequel.”

“It seems the logical starting point,” Rarity said to a frowning Silver. “Finding her means finding Shield Wall, and I’m sure our newest acquaintance is more than willing to track his former colleagues’ whereabouts for us, yes?”

“I’ll get right on it!” Kindle’s enthusiasm followed his brisk trot to the stairs, just before he froze. “R-Right after I help Ms. Hearts clean up.”

Silver’s smile finally appeared as he watched Kindle ascend from the undercroft. Gilda and Rarity slowly approached, standing beside him as Silver’s gaze returned to the glittering colors upon the map’s enchanted surface.

“So, you good?” Gilda whispered.

“I’m good, I’m… I’m better than I’ve been in a long time.”

“Even with everything that’s happened? Darling, just the thought of it.”

“I guess…” Silver peered over his shoulder at a pony-sized glass case, sitting in the middle of the lair. “What do I do now? So much of my life was spent trying to live up to Darrox, trying to live as Darrox. Now I’m me again, really me, and believe it or not I have no idea where to start.”

“Way I see it, you’re the one wearing the cloak,” Gilda stated. “What kind of Ghost do you wanna be?”

“I… I want to be the kind who loves without fear. I want to be the Ghost who only hides his face, not his heart.” Silver approached the case and peered into the cowl’s dark eyes. “I want to be the kind of Ghost who fights to promote all I’ve been taught to be. Honest, loyal, compassionate and to never be controlled by fear.”

“Then that, my love, is the perfect place to start,” Rarity said, closing the distance with a kiss to his cheek.

“‘Bout time, too, got tired of listening to you rant and mope down here,” Gilda chided with a smirk.

“You’re welcome to join me if you start feeling sorry for that nasty patch of charred fur on your hide,” Silver shot back, chuckling.

“Hey, my burns are awesome. ‘Tasteful’, as Rarity would say, and everyone in town wants to hear how I got ‘em, too. Maybe you should try it?”

“Maybe…”

Silver offered a foreleg to Gilda, watching her yellow eyes roll to the side as she took the stallion in a firm embrace. Another leg wrapped around Rarity. In the low light of the undercroft the three stood before the glass case, and Silver gazed upon the cowl with a soft, pensive smile.

For the first time, it fit the reflection staring back at him.

Author's Note

And that's it! The sequel finally complete, and with plans to expand the story into a third installment and a possible side series, reviving the Assorted Adventures. Thanks to everyone reading and following the story!

Chapter 1: “That is no Ghost, you imbecile!”

“Did you hear me, Shield?”

The unwelcome sound broke the equally unwelcome atmosphere. Dark grey walls lined his vision. All around him were the omnipresent sounds of dripping water, chittering rats, and the distant clinking of metal from down the gloomy hallway, all muffled by the heavy iron door that stood between him and any chance he had at silence. His ears turned from side to side atop his head, twitching at the slightest stimulus. A throbbing coursed through his brain. Again and again, the soft dripping of water from so far away scraped at his patience, eroding his sanity with each small impact against the stone, and it took all of his willpower to not scratch at the iron ring strapped tightly to the base of his horn.

Shield Wall shifted his gaze, glaring through strands of a grey mane, resisting the urge to react to the voice from beyond the bars separating him from his visitor. His only visitor. Save for the occasional negotiator sent to squeeze information from him, or the royal magistrates looking to find him better accommodations, the disgraced Vice General Shield Wall had only one pony with reason to visit him. He hated every second of it.

“Bold to assume I am not always listening, Gavel. Though, I suppose there is something to be said for your persistence.” His voice was deep and firm.

“The princesses have adjourned, Shield. They have agreed to sentence you to reformation if you provide the rest of your contacts.”

“You mean your contacts. After all, you found them for me.”

“You kept secrets from everypony, old friend, even me.”

“Do not call me that! You betrayed me. Turned your back on everything I fought for. Everything I sacrificed for!” Shield Wall lurched from the stone beneath him and lunged for the cell door.

“Because it was insane. A rushed attack on Manehatten, one of Equestria’s most populated cities? A false-flag plot to start a war with Griffonstone? All to instill fear in the populace? It was lunacy.”

“It was perfect!”

“If it was so perfect then you would have succeeded, and your precious war would be underway and my fate would not be tied to the princesses’ will.” Gavel stood his ground against the aged unicorn, unphased by the anger. “How many times must I tell you? You were never going to win.”

“I had everything I needed to save Equestria. I even killed the damned bug!” Shield Wall gave a vile chuckle. “Everything was in place, until-”

“Until the Ghost stopped you.”

“That filthy little whelp doesn’t deserve to call himself that! His mentor was brilliant. My near-equal.”

“Yet, despite all your boasting and plotting, he still managed to stop you. This is exactly why you lost, Shield. You became so focused on him you forgot the plan.” Gavel rubbed his indigo hoof against his brow, pushing firmly against the tense flesh.

“Just like you forgot your place,” Shield Wall growled.

“Oh, you ingrate!” Midnight Gavel stamped his hoof firmly against the stone beneath him. “I toiled away at your schemes and conspiracies for decades, all because I was so enamoured with your conviction. ‘Follow me, Gavel, and together we will make Equestria a shining utopia of justice!’ What malarky, though you were so brilliant I couldn’t help but agree. So please, if for no other reason than to repay the debt you owe me for years of unquestioning servitude, be as smart as I thought you were and accept the damn offer!”

Shield’s voice dwindled in light of the sudden outburst from his once trusted friend. Gavel, however, stood with a scowl on his face, the heat of his anger threatening to melt the very bars holding the pony he was trying to save. The ambience returned. Shield Wall could only gaze at his visitor with a firm, blank face, but inside he secretly mulled over the options before him. His memory reached back to Gavel’s previous visits to his cell and how, time and time again, the futility of his mission would arise. Even now he shunted away the gnawing fear it brought. When he did, though, images of flowing black took root in his mind.

“You seem to have found your bite since I was put in here, Gavel.”

“Don’t change the subject.”

“But I mean it,” Shield Wall said calmly, his voice rediscovering its refined enunciation before sitting. “Before the trial you could hardly raise your voice when I cast you out. Now, though, there is something pushing you. What is it?”

“We are discussing your possible release from this dreary hole you call home.”

“They must have made you an offer, too.” Shield Wall’s piercing gold eyes locked onto Gavel. “Under the condition I agree to their terms, though, yes?”

“My arrangement with the princesses is none of your concern,” Gavel said through clenched teeth. “What is your concern is deciding if that muck-covered floor is worthy of carrying your treacherous flank, or if you desire something less evocative of a death sentence.”

“Your punishment, too, should you fail to persuade me? I’ve never known Celestia to be so final. Luna, on the other hoof...”

“You’re looking for something to use against me, Shield, don’t be coy. I recognize that measured tone.”

“There’s nothing measured about it, Gavel, but I am curious just how much this ordeal has changed you. You walk taller now.”

“And this is the part where you attempt flattery, since your usual volley of threats and violence has failed you. You’ll say something along the lines of ‘Oh, it takes such skill to barter with the princesses, of all ponies. How did you accomplish such a task?’ then wring me out like a towel for any information you deem useful. Is that correct?” Gavel cocked an unamused eyebrow.

The scowl returned. Gavel’s words struck Shield Wall like a kick to the gut, leaving him unable to produce much more than a grunt in response, the sight of which caused Gavel’s expression to soften.

“Please don’t treat me like a foal. I know you, remember? All your tricks and tactics, so please, recognize the opportunity the princesses are giving you to not only restore some semblance of honor, but your freedom as well. It is a mercy they rarely grant.”

“You would do well not to patronize me, we both know full well how-”

Shield Wall’s voice pettered off as his ears twitched. His gaze tensed, focused on the empty space before him as Gavel began scanning his surroundings, searching for the imperceptible source of Shield Wall’s distraction. He turned to look down the hall and, standing in the dim light, was a single figure. Gavel’s stance lowered.

“I still have time with the prisoner,” he shouted down the hallway. “I will be done momentarily.”

Torchlight reflected off the polished face of a bat pony’s dark armor. Armored hooves clopped toward Gavel with a constant pace, and each metallic clack forced his heart to sink even deeper into his chest. Gavel produced a scroll from within his coat, holding it in the magical grasp between himself and the stranger.

“Night Guard, on behalf of your mistress, Princess Luna, I act here with full authority of the royal court. Another step and you will be held in contempt and court marshalled for obstruction of jus-”

One of the metal hooves swiped across Gavel’s face, with blinding speed, and sent him face-first into the stone wall beside him. With a thud he fell to the cold floor. The bat pony had already turned from the scene and peered through the tight grate of the cell and into the face of its sole occupant.

“About damn time,” Shield Wall said. “And which of your company is blessed with the part of my rescuer?”

“Nox, sir, First Sergeant Nox.” The pony pulled a small key from within his armor and placed it against the door. It began to hum, vibrating in Nox’s grasp as the deep sound of the prisons’ wards filled the cell before being cut off by a sharp pop. The cell door swung open.

“‘Sergeant’, hm? A cursed rank, if ever there was one.” Shield Wall stood from the cold floor, approaching Nox before pointing a hoof to the base of his own horn. “If you could be so kind.”

Nox raised the key to Shield Wall’s forehead. The ring around his horn began to glow, with runes appearing along the dull surface of the iron band that hummed much like the now dispelled wards. Another pop, and the metal band clacked against the stone at their hooves.

“Finally,” Shield Wall said, instinctively reaching for his horn, trying to soothe the right red rash along its base. “Where is your unit, Nox? What is your number?”

“A squad of eight, sir, with two positioned at the entrance to the prison. The rest are stationed outside to watch for interference.”

“Excellent, and transport has been secured?”

“Yes, sir, an airship is waiting at port. By sunrise, we’ll be fifteen clicks out and nopony the wiser.”

“And the charges?”

“In position.”

“Hmm, I shall deliver my regards to your commander for such excellent planning. If only you had not waited fifteen months to liberate me.” Shield Wall’s tone was sharp enough to cut flesh.

“Y-Yes, sir.” Nox could feel his fur stand on edge in response to the cold glare his master gave him. “The prison was well hidden, and coordinating without Princess Luna’s knowledge was difficult, sir.”

“Oh, of course, because nopony could keep secrets from the princesses for too long. Not even for twenty years, hm?”

“I… We have no excuse, sir.” Nox bowed his head low. Golden eyes rolled in response to the gesture as Shield Wall huffed.

“We will discuss your tardiness once we are away. For now, you can carry him.”

Nox crossed the hallway and reached for the grumbling Midnight Gavel on the floor, hoisting the unicorn over his back and following Shield Wall down the hallway. They passed other cells, and various sets of eyes followed their movements. Nox could identify a few changelings, gryphons, and one chimera who growled from within its cell as they passed through the holding area of the prison, and torchlight danced in the distance. Soon the floor became decorated with the bodies of guardponies clad in gold armor, and two bat ponies stood at attention before the entrance. They saluted and led Shield Wall through the door.

Instead of the outside, they were met with a single, narrow set of stairs leading up to a solid stone wall. One of the bat ponies tapped against the stone in a rhythmic pattern, urging the door to begin slowly sliding to the side, revealing the nighttime world. The moon hung high over what Shield Wall recognized as Canterlot’s east quarter, along the mountainside, with a gentle breeze rolling through the alleyway they found themselves in, prompting Shield Wall to stand still as the wind passed along his neglected form. The breeze kissed the sore beneath his horn and filled him with lightness he had long been denied.

“W-What… Where am I? Are we…”

The stirring prompted Nox to toss Gavel to the pavement. He grunted on impact before limply shuffling his hooves, trying to stand. The display brought a smile out of Shield Wall.

“How kind of you to join us, old friend.”

“Shield? How… oh, of course, these must be your contacts.”

“Unsurprised? How disappointing, I had hoped to have you just like this, on your knees, as you cowered in fear.”

“The only thing surprising me is the identity of your hired help.” Gavel’s face was unchanged, but Shield could spy a bead of sweat trailing down his brow. “Night Guard, truly?”

“Indeed, now…” Shield Wall’s horn glowed for the first time in too long, enveloping Gavel in a sheath of glittering gold magic. He flinched at the power covering him as it brought him to his hooves. Once in place, Shield Wall approached slowly, his face slowly distorting into a scowl as the field lowered to cover only Gavel’s hooves.

“Is this where you kill me, Shield?” Gavel quivered.

“No.” A powerful strike landed on Gavel’s muzzle, causing him to cry out. “This is where I beat you for questioning my methods.”

Blood splattered against the ground as another blow landed. The might of Shield Wall’s spell forced Gavel to stand and endure a swift kick to his exposed abdomen.

“This is where I break you for your betrayal.” The bat ponies looked on as their master pushed a knee into Gavel’s ribs, summoning a loud crack and a scream from within him. Another strike crashed into Gavel’s face and sent him against the ground, the weight of his body ignoring the spell’s hold.

“And this,” Shield Wall said, tilting Gavel’s swollen face upwards. “This is where I slaughter you for choosing that cape-wearing whelp over my glorious future!”

A streak of light caught Shield Wall by surprise. Emerald green flashed against the darkness of the alley and his eyes could follow a small beam sailing into one side of Gavel’s head and out the other, forcing him to erect a glimmering forcefield on instinct. Nox crouched beside him and the four scanned the area for the source of the spell.

“Nightshade, Whisper, do you copy?” Nox spoke into a small sending stone on his armor. There was no answer, and before Nox spoke again there was a loud thump before them. The bat ponies all locked eyes onto the source of the noise.

“By Luna’s mane,” Nox whispered. “It’s Mourne.”

The discarded corpse of their fellow Night Guard began to bubble, melting into a pool of glowing, putrid green slime that just barely reached the body of Midnight Gavel. Shield Wall strained his eyes to scan the darkness just beyond his vision until he spied something fluttering in the distance. His breath caught in his throat.

Another beam of power launched at him, landing square on his chest and deflecting off the barrier. It was then the glowing pile of muck illuminated a shadowed figure as it launched itself towards the group. Shrieks emanated from the bat ponies as they fluttered around each other, dodging the swipes and blasts flying from their enemy. Nox broke off from the scuffle and reached a retreating Shield Wall.

“The Ghost found us. I’ll escort you to the dock, we can-”

“That is no Ghost, you imbecile!”

Shield Wall shoved past Nox and charged his horn. Even in his unpracticed state, magical power crept up the length of his horn and culminated in a brilliant orb that fired off into the middle of the fight, catching the two bat ponies and the assailant in the blast. It was a silent shockwave of magical power, tearing through everything in the area except he and Nox. Shield Wall watched the two bat ponies fall to the ground, shredded by the spell, while the attacker was nowhere to be found.

“You… You killed them,” Nox said.

“A far more merciful fate than that,” Shield Wall shot back, pointing to the puddle of glowing muck. He walked toward the center of the blast. Careful eyes scanned the ground, gazing over the now-charred body of Gavel and the two dead Night Guard. Between them was a worn, dark grey robe, just as torn as the rest of the alleyway.

“A powerful illusion,” Shield Wall muttered.

“Or a trap.”

The voice called down from above, giving Shield Wall hardly enough time to evade another blast of emerald energy. Nox watched as a dark figure fluttered down from the night sky and landed between him and his superior. A green glow washed over the street, pouring out from beneath their hood.

“Nox! Blow the charges!”

“Sir, we need to get clear first.”

“Do as I say!”

The glow peaked and flew from the figure between them, colliding against another of Shield Wall’s barriers. Nox flapped his leathery wings and took to the sky. As the fight continued below him, he pulled a metal box from within his armor, waved his hoof over the glowing red rune on its face, and slammed it down hard.

Shield Wall could feel the tremors in his hooves. As the attacker looked back toward the prison, following the sound of fire and shattering stone, Shield pushed his barrier out as a wall of force toward them, launching them toward the prison to be engulfed in fire, debris, and metal. The stone cracked and burst forth in a brilliant display of destruction. Shrapnel covered any surface not already tarnished by the earlier conflict and Shield Wall quickly turned tail and sprinted out into Canterlot proper, Nox following close behind.

The fireball caught the attention of passersby, drawing a crowd toward the unremarkable street corner. The shouting of guards was heard over the raucous crowd as they formed a line to push them back. Shield Wall barely heard orders being barked between the guards. One gold-plated pony rushed toward the towering Royal Palace, and Shield Wall spared no time in making his way toward the dock.

Chapter 2: "I trust their intel, but we’re Night Guard. We expect monsters.”

Under the light of Luna’s waning moon a trio of ponies skulked across Colistrano’s rooftops. Their forms were illuminated by the dim streetlamps below, just barely highlighting their journey toward the governor’s manor at the cliffside. Light ignored their matte armor. They moved silently, with not even the clash of hooves against the freshly tiled roofs alerting the few ponies below to their presence as pairs of leathery wings carried them across the longer gaps of the city center. They glided across the night breeze as if part of the wind itself until they finally landed atop the row of houses just opposite the manor.

“Nightshade, you’re on recon, we’ll wait for your all-clear.”

Nightshade leapt from the roof. The leader produced a small stone from a side pouch, illuminating at his touch. “Team two, status.”

“Team two here.” An image rose up from the stone, taking the shape of another bat pony. “Status is nominal. Cliffside clear for ascent with sightlines to package. On your mark, commander.”

“Kindle, deploy the field.”

“Roger, commander.” Kindle produced a round capsule from his saddlebag. Along its polished surface were small runes that gave no discernable light of their own, but glimmered in the falling moonlight above. With a quick throw it sailed through the night, traveling over the mansion’s stone and iron fencing as it burst into a silent spray of sparks that twirled around each other before settling along the house’s perimeter.

“Commander Glint, we’re all green,” Kindle said. “House is silenced. Ready to move in”

“Copy. Nightshade should be-”

Glint’s words were silenced by a high-pitched screech from the manor. Nightshade had perched himself upon the roof, releasing a series of chirps across the night air to the only other ponies with the ears to hear his cry.

“That’s the signal. Let’s advance.”

Glint tapped the sending stone twice before he and Kindle spread their wings and lept from the building, gliding across the barren street to join their third member. Together they slowly crept along the roof to the western edge of the house. Glint paused and peeked over the edge. No light came from within the windows, and not even the moon’s dwindling glow reached this side of the house, allowing the three bat ponies the cover they needed to climb over the edge and slowly descend with controlled flaps of their leathery wings. They reached the first row of windows and slowly pushed one open.

“Inside looks different from the reports,” Kindle whispered.

“It’s been months since we lost this outpost,” Nightshade replied, slipping in behind his team. “Of course he changed it.”

The interior was draped in darkness, though not even the shadows could hinder the trio of bat ponies’ sight. Their trained night vision gave them a clear view of the upper floor and all of its posh adornments. Trotting silently through the hallway of rich wooden decor and large paintings lead them to the grand staircase at the center of the house, a wide lobby area flanked by more hallways, and carefully they descended in practiced formation.

“Fan out, find Aristo. We’ll meet back here in fifteen.” Glint’s order was acknowledged by his subordinates as they dispersed throughout the manor. While Nightshade and Glint went to explore the east wing of the house, Kindle followed the path to another room.

He found himself surrounded by looming bookshelves, filled with tomes of both the recognizable and the obscure. He skulked around the room with precise hooves and eager eyes. Books on proper edicate and ancient magic lined the walls, worn photos showing a trio of happy ponies sat beside one of the room’s two sofas, and trinkets whose origin Kindle could only scarcely imagine sat on display along the mantle of the fireplace. His eyes followed the smooth mantle to the side table next to him where he spied a lone frame housing the sketch of a pony.

“Kindle.” Glint’s announcement almost knocked the bat pony from his hooves as Kindle clutched his chest. His superior, however, frowned at the sight.

“Y-Yes, sir?”

“Nightshade’s still clearing the east wing and the master bedroom is locked,” Glint whispered, pointing a hoof towards a spiral staircase in the corner of the study, leading up. “That’s the other access point.”

Kindle nodded, following behind Glint as they silently crossed the room toward the staircase. Glint went first, skipping every other step to aid his ascent as Kindle kept watch on the study, before ascending himself. Passing through the top of the stairs revealed a large, open bedroom lined with white drapery along the row of open windows. The fabric rippled in the breeze and brushed against Kindle as he stepped onto the bedroom floor. Beside him, Glint stood still.

“I don’t believe it,” he said, eyes fixed on the bed. In the center of the room sat a large, white and utterly pristine bed that, as far as Kindle could see, held no occupant.

“Where is he?” Kindle asked, scanning the room.

“He should be here. Our reports say he’s in here, every night, in this exact spot.”

“Maybe he’s taking a piss or something?” The jab earned Kindle a sharp nudge.

“Don’t joke,” Glint said flatly. “That prissy bastard screwed the vice general and landed him in prison, and there’s nothing he’d like more than Aristo’s head on a plate when Nox and his boys break him out.”

“Right… sorry.” Kindle could only stare as Glint walked towards the bed, his head low and surveying every detail his keen eyes could find. Kindle hesitantly joined in the search, distracted by his partner’s almost feverish searching. He left Glint to his hunt and walked to the bedroom door. Upon close inspection, Kindle could see a series of runes circling the ornate door knob that glowed a fluttering blue light. His hoof reached out for it before he lept back at sudden banging against the other side.

“Status!”

“I didn’t touch anything! Something just.. there’s something outside the door.”

Glint and Kindle stood flank to flank before the now still door. A firm glare traveled from Kindle to the door as the commander carefully stepped toward it and, as if scared to offend it, reached bit by bit for the knob and twisted. The door swung open.

“Nothing… what did you do?”

“I-I don’t know. There’s runes on the knob, a-and the damn door just-”

“You don’t know?” Glint’s powerful foreleg pressed Kindle against the wall, his tongue held in place by two firm eyes. “You don’t get to ‘not know’. You don’t get to misjudge. When you don’t know, your intel is bad. When your intel is bad, you make mistakes. And when you make mistakes, that’s when he shows up!”

“W-What, who? You m-mean… him?”

“Bingo, now stick close, we’re checking the rest of these rooms, then we regroup with Nightshade and team two.”

Kindle’s hooves quivered as he eagerly obeyed his commander’s orders. A long row of windows stretched out before them on the left side of the hallway, and Glint stepped in front of the first door on their right. He studied the lock before producing a small metal rod from beneath his armor and slid it into the lock, carefully twisting the tool in his hoof, and pushed open the door. Inside was a bedroom nearly half the size of the previous one and sparsely decorated.

“Next one,” Glint stated. The two approached the second door.

“So… you’ve seen him?”

“I’ve fought him.”

“What happened? Is he really a pony?”

“You’re trotting on thin ice, soldier.”

“I’m sorry, sir, but… I wanna know what I’m in for.”

Glint paused his lockpicking and turned to Kindle. His once callous expression began to wane, and with a final click of the lock he pushed open the second door before he spoke.

“We were ordered to move weapons from Baltimare. Bombs and such. They were supplies for Nox’s team to break the vice general out of that hidden prison, left over after we lost Manehatten Bay, and too much contraband in one place was bad for business. I was tasked with guarding the transport with Streak and Glider. You’ve never met them, and I’d never heard them scream before. We were on the transport heading out of town along the south road toward our camp in Horse Shoe Bay. Before I knew it, that… thing was on them, and it just lashed out at me whenever I tried to save them.”

“‘It’? Luna’s mane, he isn’t a pony, is he?”

“The Ghost is a monster. A monster that can see in the dark, hunt us down no matter where we hide. Even with the speed of the transport behind me I couldn’t outrun it, and when it gets you it’s like being trapped in darkness. Real darkness. No stars, no moon, just the Ghost and whatever it… I had to leap from the bridge just to lose it.” Glint took the time to catch his breath and his composure before opening the door to an empty office room. “It… He’s been following us ever since.”

“Do you think he’s here?” Kindle whispered.

“Our scouts don’t think so. I trust their intel, but we’re Night Guard. We expect monsters.”

“But if they’re wrong, a-and I’m not saying they are, what’s our exit strategy?”

“We find that pompous jackass, take his head, and bolt out of here like our lives depend on it, because who knows what the Ghost will do if he catches us.”

“Which he won’t… right?”

Glint’s expression hardened as they continued toward the final door. Met by yet another empty room the two returned to the staircase and made their way down, bathed in the moonlight of the towering window behind them, walking close to the railing as they scanned the lobby for signs of their third.

“Nightshade, report.”

Nightshade emerged from the dark behind the staircase on Glint’s order. Kindle nearly lept at the sudden entrance, but Glint showed no emotion, following Nightshade’s path toward them.

“The lower east wing is clear, and so are the south grounds along the cliff face.”

“What about team two? Any word from them?”

“Negative,” Nightshade said, prompting Glint to produce the sending stone from his equipment.

“Team two, report. What’s the status of the upper east wing and the grounds?”

Silence traveled between the three invaders. As Glint once more tapped on the sending stone and spoke, his ears twitched at the small magical pinging that bounced along the room. His head snapped from side to side, prompting his partners to search for the source of the noise, before Kindle’s frantic eyes turned upwards. The scream he had suppressed all this time finally escaped. Three bat ponies fell from the ceiling of the lobby.

“Lock that down, Kindle!” Glint barked.

“He got them! The Ghost got them!”

“Shut up, Kindle!” Nightshade crossed the distance between him and the panicking pony before slamming a hoof over his muzzle.

“Operation’s compromised,” Glint said hurriedly, stamping toward the front door. “Evac through the corridor and break for the nearest exit. We’ll regroup at the foot of the gorge in-”

A cascade of metallic clicks rang out through the mansion’s halls, each offending sound louder than the last, and familiar runes began to glow brightly along the heavy front door. The three bat ponies soon found themselves flanking each other in the center of the lobby. Nightshade produced a dagger and held it in his teeth, ears trained for the slightest sound, and Glint craned his neck to survey the darkness around them, but Kindle could hardly keep his legs straight, knees trembling as his senses desperately reached out to find something, anything, that could spare him from what he feared was coming. His last words gnawed at Glint’s mind.

“G-Glint… I don’t want to die.”

“Gentlecolts.”

The single word shattered their resolve. A powerful blast of smoke erupted from the space between them as they spun around each other, nearly tripping against their hooves, struggling to maintain formation. Stinging fumes slowly invaded their senses. Tearful eyes desperately scanned the room as each agonizing second passed without sight of their stalker, a series of painful coughs spilling from their lips. Then, Kindle’s muscles froze. Their prison of fog began to dissipate, and the bat pony’s eyes locked onto the top of the grand staircase, where he was met with the silhouette of his fears, standing against the moonlight.

“You handled the ‘entering’... why don’t I do the ‘breaking’?”

Nightshade snapped from his smoke-induced panic and charged up the stairs towards the shadow. A hoof came down upon his muzzle, bringing a loud crack from the strike and forcing Nightshade to the ground. The other two invaders moved to attack the Ghost as he launched himself from the top of the stairs and draped the group in his cloak’s grasp. Powerful blows lashed out against the bat ponies. With each strike Glint’s resolve was splintered, and with flailing hooves he managed to dig himself out from under the cloak’s grasp, clamoring away along the cold stone floor.

He felt a tug against his hind leg. As he looked back he followed the length of black from himself to it’s shadowy source before gravity surrendered its control of him, soaring through the air and crashing against a far wall. The Ghost stood to his full height and prepared himself for Nightshade’s advance. The bat pony swiped through the air with the knife, inches away from the wispy form of the Ghost and growing more ferocious with each attack. The onslaught was halted against a gloved hoof landing just below the ribs, knocking him to the floor with a groan. Kindle, alone, remained standing on trembling legs as the smoke finally faded.

“P-Please… don’t kill me! W-We’re just here for Aristo. We… We thought we lost you!”

“Bold to assume you could.” The Ghost began his slow, creeping advance toward Kindle.

“No! No, no, no, I-I meant no disrespect mister… Ghost… sir.”

Air was leaving Kindle’s quivering lungs faster than it could enter, and his blurring, stinging vision only amplified the dreadful visage now consuming his sight. He barely even noticed the gloved hoof latch onto his saddlebag, slowly turning it’s flap to inspect an icon of a shield and crossed spears upon it. The Ghost grimaced.

“You’re one of Shield Wall’s conspirators,” he growled. “Maybe killing you isn’t so bad an idea, after all.”

“No! No, please don’t. If you let us go, you’ll never see us again. Promise!”

“Breaking into a noble’s home, threatening to take his head, all in the name of your criminal master? I think I’d much rather keep you right here, within my grasp.”

A jolt shot through the Ghost’s leg. He spun towards the image of a knife plunged into his flesh by Glint, still crawling on the floor and shooting him a wicked glare.

“Run, Kindle! This bastard’s mine.”

Glint’s warcry announced the sudden flurry of hooves that collided against the cloaked figure. The Ghost weaved through the strikes, ignoring the searing pain in his leg and stepping over the unconscious bodies of Glint’s comrades. Glint threw a strike against the fluttering cloak and nearly tripped as his leg landed on Nightshade’s torso. With his opponent off balance, the Ghost pivoted around and threw his hoof up into Glint’s chin and sent him soaring across the lobby and into the staircase. He spied the Kindle fleeing the scene.

Instead of giving chase, the Ghost approached the front double doors and dispelled the runes with the wave of a small key. A length of his cloak shot out and upwards, whipping along the front of the house and pulling him through the doorway, onto the roof, with tremendous speed, watching Kindle clamber onto the roof.

“No point running, Kindle. Surrender now and no more harm will come to you.”

“Where’s the commander? Oh, Luna’s mane, you killed him, didn’t you! S-Stay away from me, don’t kill me!”

A sigh escaped the Ghost’s lips as Kindle frantically ran to the edge of the roof. With a wince the knife was pulled from the Ghost’s legs and launched toward the bat pony, slicing into Kindle’s side, causing him to stumble. Still, he flapped his leathery wings and lifted off into the sky. The Ghost merely looked on.

“Gilda,” he called out, signalling a sudden gust of wind that sent his cloak fluttering beside him. The large gryphon landed beside him, brushing her white fringe back with a claw.

“Sup, raghead.” Her piercing yellow eyes stayed fixed on the fleeing pony.

“Would you catch him for me, please?”

“Wassa matter? Screw the pooch with that little knife trick of yours?”

“Did you like it? That knife was a gift from one of our guests. He wrapped it in my leg.”

“Should’a thrown it sooner, now look at him. The doofus can hardly fly.” Gilda waved her claw out in front of her, pointing at the bat pony flailing in the air.

“That’s the point, feather face. I sliced his pectoral so that you-”

“Catch him. Yeah, yeah, I’m on it. When Gorn asks, tell him who really saved the day, okay?”

Gilda’s smug face vanished in a blur of fur and claws as the feathered missile glided beneath the stars, far over the struggling Kindle. The Ghost watched her imposing wings eclipse the moon with their full length. Then she dove. Powerful brown wings snapped tight to her body and Gilda fell toward Kindle with outstretched claws, earning a shriek as she snagged him in her grasp and carried her victim along the air and down toward the entrance of the mansion. The Ghost gingerly lept after them, spreading his cloak and gliding safely to the ground. He found them in the open doorway of the mansion, before a suspiciously empty lobby.

“Spill it, bat boy, where’d your boss go?”

“I-I don’t know!”

Kindle held two trembling hooves between Gilda’s glistening claw and his own face, a single eye peering through the gap at the Ghost. Gilda turned with a huff.

“They’re all missing! Now this dweeb is giving me the runaround.”

“I’m not, I swear! Please, I don’t know anything more.”

“What was the plan, Kindle,” the Ghost said, now looming over the bat pony. “You and five other ponies, wearing Night Guard equipment and sporting his symbol, break into this house to kill an aristocrat. Why?”

“The commander said he was one of the vice general’s enemies, some kind of sting operation with the crown. We were… here to kill him.”

“And that’s it? Nothing else you’d like to share with me?” His cloak began to move on its own, slithering around the quivering pony.

“N-No, sir, I… I…” Kindle’s eyes rolled into his skull, and with a final sigh he fell backwards onto the floor.

“Oh great, you scared him to death.”

“He’s not dead, he’s unconscious. Should be out for a few minutes. Call Lily at the Patrol and Protection office and tell her Aristo needs her. She’ll have Kindle sorted out.”

“Got it, lemme bag ‘em, first. Maybe you’ll be smart enough to make some kinda ‘sleep gas’, next time.”

“Didn’t hear any complaints about my alchemy when it melted your cage back in Baltimare. And here I thought you’d be grateful.”

“Yeah, yeah, your freaky new hobby saved my ass, big whoop. Go check on the others while you’re laughin’ it up, I’ll deal with your latest victim.”

Muffled swearing could still be heard as Kindle was hoisted onto Gilda’s back and the Ghost entered the mansion, turning down the hall toward the study. A hoof reached out toward one of the oil lamps and twisted the key, summoning a small spark from within as light covered the rows of books. The same hoof pulled away his masked cowl to reveal a long silvery mane. He rubbed the argent hairs vigorously, attempting to relieve any stress he could before approaching the large fireplace before him. He rested his hoof against a small picture frame housing a familiar face. Amber eyes admired the rendition of Darrox before pulling on the sketch, awakening a series of clicks traveling down from within the stone fireplace, pulling apart the construct before him and revealing a long, narrow passageway downward.

He descended. At the bottom of the stairs was the flickering of torch light, and soon the Ghost found himself surrounded by the tall stone pillars of the mansion’s undercroft. Domed ceilings loomed above him, roaring fires were housed in sconces lining the entire room, and in the center of the stone forest sat a well lit and well supplied workshop.

“Silver!” A chestnut mare dashed to him, wrapping her forelegs around him in a hug. “Are you okay? I heard all the commotion upstairs and… Silver, you’re bleeding!”

“It’s fine, mom, just a flesh wound,” he laughed.

“Come over here, sweetie, right in this chair. I’ll fetch the gauze… Silver Spade, you get in this chair and let me stitch that wound!”

“Alright, I’m going!” Silver hurriedly limped toward the chair, chuckling the whole way as his mother walked toward a workstation decorated with metal boxes.

“Where are the others? They didn’t leave you alone down here, did they?”

“Oh, no, Gorn is… well, you know that callous old gryphon could never sit still.”

“Not the most comforting thought.” Silver preemptively winced as an alcohol-covered cotton ball closed in on his open wound.

“Stop being a foal. You fight criminals, for Celestia’s sake.”

“You always use too much, though. Besides, I can stitch myself up just fi-.” A sharp hiss escaped his lips.

“You have such a loose definition of ‘just fine’, sweetie. You nearly stitched it crooked last time.” She traded the cotton ball for a nearby needle, carefully plunging it past the white fur and into Silver’s leg.

“Hey, Ms. Hearts, is he being a big baby again?” Gilda’s commentary earned a stare from Silver and a giggle from his surgeon. “The fuzz just picked up our nutjobs, minus their leader, of course. Where’s Gorn?”

“‘Bout time ye rounded that rabble up, Gilda.”

The source of the raspy voice soon revealed itself and stepped into the undercroft, torchlight barely reflecting off the aged gryphon’s black and greying feathers. On cue, Gorn stepped out from one of the undercroft's flanking rooms, searching for the source of his name, eyes locked onto Gilda.

“Bilge rat, need a word with ye.”

“Glad you could finally join us,” Silver said, wincing at the final tug of thread through his stitched leg.

“Don’t be takin’ an attitude. While yer in here lettin’ mommy kiss yer boo boos I been takin’ some ‘initiative’, as you fancy folk like to say… no offense meant, Honey.”

“Oh, none taken,” she replied with a wry eyebrow.

Gorn produced a hefty stack of letters, pulling them from a saddle bag with his dark and jagged claw and tossing them onto a table as he approached Silver. Scrolls, letters, and sheafs of paper peaked out from the lip of the bag.

“Found meself these. Lookin’ like they been a touch too nosey, of late.”

“They’ve been intercepting my mail? They’re all open, too. I guess they really were thorough with those reports on me.”

“Aye. Hope none of yer more private affairs are betwixt those letters. ‘Specially that one.”

The jagged claw pointed toward the largest letter of them all. Thick, bound in a glossy blue ribbon and decorated with a large wax seal depicting the featureless head of a pony. Silver discarded the rest of the stack and admired the thickness of the parchment as it rolled open. He read aloud.

“‘Dearest Lord Aristo. It is with most humble apologies that I write to you now, for your admirable donations to us and our cause are naught but true charity. Dealing in wine, as you know, can be a most trifling business, and one that demands true devotion to not only the craft but to those so adventurous to explore it. As such, it is with a heavy heart I inform you the shipment of Baltimare Reserve has been lost in transit and cannot be recovered. Your long-standing patronage, however, is one that shall not be forgotten even in the event of such disservice, so we, the stewards of the Nine Night Winery invite you to our headquarters in Canterlot, with all expenses paid, to taste our newest Canterlot Bar Dry as a most sincere thanks for your commitment to our brand. We eagerly await your reply. Sincerely, the Nine Night Wine Company.’”

“Silver, I didn’t know you drank wine,” Honey Hearts said.

“Not, eh… not exactly what I thought ye’d be into, there. And ‘ere I thought it’d be important.”

“Princess Luna wants me to come to Canterlot. The royal dungeon is compromised.”

Everyone in the room simply stared at Silver. They occasionally shared a glance between each other, as if searching for the answer to the silent question their eyes all asked. Silver let out an airy laugh.

“Princess Luna and I set up a system to make sure Shield Wall couldn’t get out of prison. We kept it secret and set up the Nine Night Company as a cover for the princesses’ maximum security facility in Mt. Canterlot. The ‘us’ and ‘our’ tells me it’s a letter from her, and the ‘lost in transit’ kind of speaks for itself.”

“Not really,” Gilda chided.

“It’s code for if control of the prison is lost, but then she used ‘cannot be recovered’ which… which means the prison is destroyed.” His brow tensed at the declaration.

“Destroyed, does that mean… does that mean he’s gone?” Honey looked to Silver with hopeful eyes.

“I don’t know. Luna would’ve said ‘delivered to another patron’ if a prisoner had escaped, so… maybe.”

Silver could almost hear the gears turning in the minds of his friends as they processed his revelation, and soon the undercroft was alive with the cheers of its occupants. Honey collapsed onto the bloody chair Silver once used. She glared at the stone floor with a firm gaze as she nearly went limp,hooves covering her quivering mouth. Gorn, however, cracked the widest smile Silver had ever seen the gryphon make as he reached into his bag and pulled out a thick, molasses colored bottle and popped the cork.

“Ye hear that, Darrox? He’s dead! The vile bastard’s dead!” The gryphon’s cry echoed across the pillars, slapping Gilda’s shoulder.

“By Guto’s ass, he better be!”

“Do you know what this means Silver? That horrible stallion can never hurt anypony again. Not Abby, not your father, nopony!” Honey stood from the chair and fell against Silver. Tears trailed from her cheeks as Silver held her with his free hoof, staring into the dim light of the undercroft.

Despite the jubilation around him his mind was elsewhere. A lightness filled his head. Fuzziness built up behind his eyes as Silver’s vision faded out and in again, as if his mind was incapable of fully accepting the words in the letter.

“‘Cannot be recovered’,” he whispered, reading it again and again until the shock finally waned.

“So what about the rest of that stuff? Does it say how he died?” Gilda looked to Silver with a wicked grin, eager to hear more.

“What? Oh, no. No, the letter’s not about him. Luna says ‘Canterlot Bar Dry’ in this. The ‘Canterlot’ is, well, the city, and ‘Bar’ is our codeword for Midnight Gavel, Shield Wall’s old partner turned informant.” Silver watched as Gorn spat at the mention of the name.

“That milk drinkin’ sod? An’ what be his role in this?”

“He’s dead. ‘Dry’ means he’s been murdered. Poor guy.”

“‘Poor guy’? Seriously? Didn’t he help Shield Wall for, like, twenty years or something?” Gilda asked, her excitement diminished.

“Until he confessed in court. He’s been on our side since, squeezing Shield Wall for information and following up on any leads he could inform the princesses about. He’s the reason we knew these Night Guard were going to attack the house tonight. If he’s been killed...”

“Are you going to Canterlot?” Honey asked.

“It’d be bad to ignore a summons from Princess Luna, and I think this is worth our attention. With some luck we’ll at least learn who was behind the attack tonight. Gorn, get the Tornado ready to head out tomorrow morning, if you’re lucky maybe you’ll find one of his teeth.”