Failure, Eternally Retold, Part Three: Morality

Kai woke up and opened his eyes. He was sleeping in a pile on a stone floor. It wasn't a cold stone floor, but rather very warm, almost comforting. As he shifted his limbs to a more comfortable position, he heard a familiar voice.

"Good, you're still alive."

Kai turned around to see Bright Eyes sitting behind two locked cage doors. "What happened while I was out?"

"She's safe," assured Bright Eyes. "She made it back to your encampment, and while she was met with the assassin, she was promptly rescued. The sun in all her glory has granted her safety, as much as can be expected."

Kai breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn't the answer to the question he'd asked, but it was what he needed to hear. "She knows where to go next. With any luck, she can find out the last location while she's there. What about you?"

Bright Eyes gestured to the cell that surrounded him. "I was accused of treason. I told them honestly everything I'd done, from aiding you to keeping information to myself. It was for the good of the world, so I stand by my decision, as it would be the greatest gift I could give to the greatest number of ponies, but they were unconvinced. I am in here, awaiting my sentencing. You have already been sentenced."

"I'm not even granted the courtesy of a trial?"

"My brother was unconvinced. I wish he would see reason, but his vision has been obscured. Though he refuses to accept it, he needs my help now more than ever."

Kai sat back against the wall. "Is there any chance of escaping here?"

Bright Eyes looked up to the ceiling. As he was about to answer, they heard a noise outside the door. Somepony was coming. He put his hoof up to his lips, urging Kai to remain quiet about what was said. The door swung open, and the stallion who had led them through the temple and started the fight walked in.

"Oh, good, I can skip the step where I wake you up."

"I'm already awake," answered Kai. "Why am I being held here?"

"You're being held because you're the spawn of darkness. The only reason we haven't killed you yet is because your cohort has evaded us. You are to tell us where she is."

Kai puffed up his chest. "She is in a safe place. She has found a place where she is to be protected by the sun herself."

"I've heard enough of your lies!"

"He is not lying, Cloud." Bright Eyes stood up and walked to the door of his cell. "I have seen where she is hiding, and the sun has granted her protection."

Cloudy Eyes turned to face his elder brother. "You have caused a great upheaval among our ranks. The paladins are divided in their decision as to how to deal with you. You've always been beneficial to us in the past; I don't understand why you have chosen now to betray us."

"I haven't betrayed you," answered Bright Eyes. "Even now, I serve the light as a faithful watcher. It is telling me that the world is in danger, and I believe that this pony and his companions are the key to saving it. You must believe me. I would not lie to you."

Cloud stared into Bright's face before answering. "You would hide information that is crucial to the survival of the world. You haven hidden it from the best ponies on the planet, from your paladins, even from your own brother."

"You were not the one that the world needed."

"And he is!?" Cloud gestured to Kai. "He can't even convince me that he's not an agent of darkness!" He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "And it would seem that he has pulled the wool over your eyes. I make no promises, but I hope that you can be saved."

Bright Eyes, seeing that he could do nothing more with this conversation, returned to his bench and sat down without another word. He needed to be patient. One day, his brother would see the light, he just knew it.

"Put your hooves through the bars," demanded Cloud, turning to Kai. "And no tricks. I don't have the key to your cell, and the one who does will not hesitate to kill you if you try to hold me hostage."

Kai had his hooves through the bars before Cloud was finished speaking. He was swiftly shackled as another bleached pony, an earth pony this time, came in with a key and a leather whip. The cell door was promptly unlocked, and the earth pony took his position behind Kai.

"Now, let's try this the easy way," smiled Cloud. "I'm going to ask you a question, and you're going to answer it. Let's start with an easy one. What is your name?"

"My name is Akaitora."

Cloud turned to the earth pony and nodded. The whip lashed across Kai's back, sending a shock through his system. "Let's try that again, and give me an honest answer this time. What is your name?"

Kai scowled "My name, given to me at the time of my birth, is Akaitora!"

Once more, the whip dragged across his back. "That is not a real name! Tell me the truth!"

"I am!" insisted Kai. "My name is Akaitora!" He yelped at the lashing of the whip. "I cannot control what my name is!"

"But you can tell me the truth! What is your name!?"

Kai didn't like the idea of lying, especially in such a place as this, and over something of so little consequence as his name. "My name is Purple Shirt!" he lied. "I'm the daughter of a dragon, an alien from space, and a flying skull! I have thirty legs and I breathe lightning!" He was lashed multiple times for that, as those came up as obvious lies.

"Now that's just silly," chuckled Cloud. "Now you're only lying to set us off. You can't even tell the truth with something as inconsequential as your name. How can you think that you have any hope of saving the world when you can't do something any foal can do? Pathetic." He turned and walked out of the room. After a few more lashings, the pony with the whip left as well, locking the cage door and unlocking Kai's shackles.

Once they were alone again, Kai looked up at Bright Eyes. "You were about to answer my question about escaping?"