Blight of The War Horse (Reforged)

BANG!

Celestia, quickly reacting to the violent closing of a heavily reinforced door, carefully levitated the small battalion of stained, dry coffee cups and a field of scattered papers off the not-so-secured table quaking in front of the two-way mirror.

Sadly, she couldn’t say the same for the two guards sitting nearby at the table in their chairs, toppling back and accompanied by harsh armor clashing against the cold concrete floor. As the perpetrator of this violent rumble, Luna, fumed and huffed in temporary silence, Celestia helped the shaken guards to their hooves and returned each floating accessory to their rightful spots. Unfortunately, her efforts to keep a tidy observation room were in vain, as one destructive blast of dark-purple magic struck the wall on its originator’s right- away from everypony present, shaking the room again and tarnishing Celestia’s work.

“Curse that infernal wretch!” Luna bellowed angrily, circling in place, her bloodshot, pin-prick eyes broadened in rage; all the while, the guards chose the logical approach of fleeing. “Never in my life would somepony this- this…infuriating cause me such ire!”

Sighing internally, Celestia placed a tender hoof on Luna’s shoulder and stopped the frazzled alicorn of the night. “So I take it you got nothing?” She rhetorically asked.

Luna huffed, “I implore you to ponder such a fruitless inquiry.”

Managing to temper her white-hot anger, Luna guided her older sister until the two alicorns peered through the two-way mirror. On the other side, reclined in his chair with both hooves bound by cuffs attached to a table, Thunder Charge whistled alone in the spartan interrogation room. His eyes alone nearly elected a round of enraged profanity from Luna when shifting to look in her estimated direction.

During the month following the Everfree’s invasion of Ponyville and Thunder Charge’s squad capture, the royal guard prodigy’s interrogation on who offered the reward for Storm Breaker’s head had yet to show results. Not that Luna didn’t try. In addition to keeping the masses quiet and helping Luna investigate the slandering newspaper articles, Celestia hadn’t felt this exhausted since her first bloody bout with Discord. It’d been simple to silence the dishonest journalism, but doing so would be seen as corrupt and unlawful, even if she wasn’t whole-heartedly opposed to such slimy tactics. That’s beside the point; none of her or Luna’s interrogation tactics forced a pep from Thunder Charge, and Celestia was close to reflecting her sister's current feelings.

Resorting to more…barbaric means would’ve disgusted her then, but options waned day after day of repeated failure.

“Sister, time runs thin. If we don’t get a confession, who knows what under-hoof ploys his lawyers would pull.” Luna grimaced. Back then, the accused’s trial would’ve taken no longer than a few days; now, from what Luna learned, ‘court hearings’ could take months- even years -to end, if that. What’d become of offenders defending their freedom instead of paying a silver-tongue groveler and standing witness to a gaggle of random ponies?

Snapping out of her trance, Celestia nodded in agreement. “Yes, so it seems.” She sighed, absentmindedly nudging a broken mug under the table. “Then we must hasten our efforts in the only way I know how.” A tiny voice objected to her reckless idea.

“Oh? Do tell me.” Luna requested.

“Remember the day of Thunder Charge’s squad arrest, the comment you made about intimate interrogation, no?” Celestia said, a confused expression appearing on her sister’s face.

Then, it struck the nightly alicorn like a sack of stones, “Huh?! I thought you were against my proposition, ‘Tia!” Luna cried in disbelief, taking a step back. “You said Storm Breaker needed time to recover.” She added, pointing an accusing hoof.

Celestia, much to her sister’s perplexion, giggled lightly, “Correct, I remember well what I said then. However, knowing the mare, she’s recovered quickly and, most definitely, caused a stir in Ponyville out of sheer boredom- starved of action, as you had phrased it.” Celestia’s eyes narrowed at Thunder Charge, causing her to drop her subtle grin as he rested his head on the table. “Although I hate to resort to this, I won’t dance around the issue any longer. As long as you permit, Luna, I’ll allow you and Storm Breaker free reign to get what we need. While I believe he will serve a sentence regardless of its length, bribery and desertion among my guard is something I cannot tolerate.” She stated firmly.

A chill of fear shook Luna, seeing the deep glare looming where Celestia’s once warm eyes belonged, replaced by unfeeling ice. “Then I’ll agree.” Her older sister’s request seemed more like a command, but she brushed the feeling away. “Luckily, I've sent an escort to notify me of her and Sir Branch’s return.”

Discord, Sombra, Tierek, Chrysalis, it didn’t matter if it happened in or out of Equestrian borders. Each dastardly fiend caused her homeland and its neighbors harm because of her unwillingness to act.

Even her father…but there’d been nothing she could do then, unlike now.

Too many times had ponies lost their lives to others falling into the darkness; too many times she failed to stop them in time, and too many times she bore the weight of unpaid sins and grief. Now, it was occurring within her most trusted circles. And she still felt like an inexperienced fool. Questions of doubt and anger flowed through her head like unruly ocean waves. Why had Thunder Charge done this? Was it worth the trouble for an extra sum to take another life? What caused such a promising young stallion to fall this far from grace? She loved everypony in Equestria like her child despite any crimes they committed, with an exception or two- like murder. Because, at the end of it all, everypony had an ounce of good in them if one were to look deep.

Storm Breaker, in her eyes, was an Equestrian for all intents and purposes, a pony still in need of guidance and homely embrace to eradicate a cloud of darkness raining above her.

And some of her ‘children’ had tried to kill their fellow pony-in-arms over a promise of riches, not showing a grain of remorse or regret.

As far as Celestia was concerned, a thousand years in the sun’s core would’ve been a mercy for Thunder Charge had she taken the matter in her hooves if not for her practiced emotional control. She knew no ruler should feel this—unfeeling toward a subject, yet no warmth birthed by pity or sympathy lit her heart the longer she stared at Thunder Charge.

Celestia nodded, never taking her frigid gaze off him.

“Good.”

Stirring awake from his deep slumber, ruffling his feathers, Sky Slicer’s drossy avian mind returned to the waking realm to the sound of uneven sobs.

Sure, he’d heard the occasion wailing, unruly child or broken-hearted pony in his past territory, but it wasn’t the source of the raven’s confusion. It sounded familiar, the voice. Parting closed beady eyes, looking past the large cage the old pony got for him, and focusing on the bed, Sky Slicer immediately found the source. Upon the bed, his savior and the aforementioned elder equine lay in each other’s embrace, the former’s head buried in the old pony’s helmetless head and scraggly brown mane as she sadly sang.

Worry washed over the uneasy bird; his savior is in trouble! Crying meant something terrible, right? Dropping off a stick perch secured to the cage’s side, Sky Slicer hopped hurriedly across the black plastic plain of scattered straw and stuffed toys, arriving at the metal bar door. Luckily, the old pony forgot to lock his domain’s entrance, allowing the avian’s beak to push it open, followed by a flapping of wings.

Sky Slicer soon took to the sky, his wings having healed by now, gliding toward his sorrowful savior and landing on her bed’s headrest. He cawed to announce his presence, but neither acknowledged him.

“Sh, It’s going to be alright.” The old pony whispered, attempting to soothe Sky Slicer’s savior, saying sweet nothings.

Cocking left and right, Sky Slicer’s bobbing head examined the pair. They- or were -hurt, new scars decorating their bodies. The old pony’s stomach displayed a light, jagged line no longer than Sky’s frontmost feather, blending into his coat alongside minor scrapes and cuts. Sadly for the avian, he noted whatever occurred largely affected his savior’s massive figure, new vicious strokes of light and dark gray flesh, a small bandage or two adorning her flank, and what looked like bite marks lining the underside horizontally. Blips of memory flashed, the numerous times starving cats came close to eating their next meal, sending a shiver through his obsidian-colored body. A caw of sympathy escaped. He’d never been a bruiser kind of bird, but Sky Slicer wordlessly vowed to peak whatever hurt his savior to death!

“I-I can’t face anypony like t-this!” She sputtered, grounding the distracted avian. “Even y-you. Nothing b-but an embarrassment!”

The old pony shook his head the best it could while lying down. “You’re not an embarrassment, darling!” His voice oozed sweetness, patting her withers as Sky’s savior squeezed him a fraction tighter. “And don’t worry, nopony will. Since I teleported us here, not one soul will bother you.” A tired chuckle left his lips, exhaustion evident in his complexion.

Minutes trudged past of silence broken periodically by his savior’s whimpers, and Sky Slicer had moved from the improvised perch to a clearing in the pillows the pony’s heads hadn’t covered. The old pony flashed him a mixed look, nothing else. Otherwise, whether she knew or not, Sky Slicer cooed quietly and pressed himself closer to his savior’s head. If not for her crying, the moment between the three would’ve been welcoming. Oh, how he desperately wished to talk to her, but she wasn’t like the kind pegasus mare who lived in the cottage.

“O-Olive..?” Looking down following thirty minutes of somberness, his savior’s tear-stained face grimaced heavily, “Tell me the truth, why do you…” The words died in her throat momentarily, the old pony showing curiosity. “I-...is there something wrong with you?” She finally said, shocking the pony in her grasp.

“Huh?” He retorted dumbfoundedly, eyes widening.

She grunted, “I’ve seen and heard how royal guards feel about me.” Removing her forelegs, the mare’s giant frame rolled, leaving her to gaze at the bare ceiling. “In some aspects, if anypony else had taken your place, there’d be shit pinned on me to get punished eventually- especially what happened in the marketplace. Nopony’s suspicion would rise. You’d be an idiot not taking a shot at ‘doing the right thing.’” A chuckle, then a head turn to look at the old pony. “But you didn’t, even when you had the chance.”

Ridiculous! Since his stay in the giant white building, Sky Slicer’s never seen a scrap of hate in the shiny banana ponies' faces. They were always generous to homeless street creatures, giving food and leftover treats that bread-throwing old ponies in the park never gave.

“Why?” She repeated.

Yet, he couldn’t deny his savior's word. Some shiny banana ponies held a foul air around themselves wherever his savior was in the same room. Were they responsible for her condition? No, he added thoughtfully. Sky never saw one of them with jaws big enough to cause his savior’s stomach wound nor the other miniature bite marks. Besides, the old pony used to wear a shiny banana guard’s hard peel shell, including the top and middle, and he didn’t seem bad in Sky’s eyes in spite of his rot-colored fur.

Meeting her glazed eye, the elder stallion smiled softly and reached for her left cheek, cupping it in his hoof. “Because I like ya~.”

Wha-?

“Because I like ya~.”

Storm Breaker’s previously nonstop, emotional train-wreck of a mind came to a screeching and utter halt, then crashed, exploded, and burned in front of the wall labeled ‘deep end’ it tried to stop from ramming into. Why in all cruel pits of hades had Olive said that?! Like…her? Obviously, the delusional coot’s withering brain somehow concluded it was sane and healthy to form a friendship with a crazed, bloodthirsty soldier.

But…

WHY DID HE SAY IT LIKE THAT?!

“T-The Hades you sayin’?” She whispered.

Olive chuckled, “You heard me, darling.” He said.

Don’t worry: she knew what reached the disbelieving, swiveling ears mounted atop her skull very clearly. The meaning of those words was another story. Low, teasing, and suggestive, one of the three stayed true to Olive’s bantering personality, not so much for the rest, with a half-lidded smirking expression he displayed. They’re friends, allies, comrades even, a truth she couldn’t ignore anymore. However, a rising warmth appeared, ravaging her chest like a roaring flame to wood, rivaling the hottest infernos and blazes anypony could create. ‘Like you’ as a friend? She could see that. ‘Like you’ was different.

‘Like’ meant various things, most being a total loss on the ancient mare until her studies into modern culture and social norms shed light on a specific subject.

Romance.

A hazy thought, no better than one of morning breakfast or an afternoon activity one thinks back on: she remembered seeing it lay there among the pile of guides and informational texts during her studies. ‘Willow’s peak.’ it shouted in bold, elegant lettering, the image of two ponies beneath moments away from locking lips. Nearly throwing the book aside, Storm Breaker’s curiosity got the best of her after forcing her eyes in its direction several times, parting its hardcover face.

She hated it. Greatly so.

In contrast to her lack of advanced reading comprehension and skills, even the brutish warrior mare believed the two-inch-thick erotic love tome in her hooves was the worst form of torture she endured.

It had Cheesy, over-the-top characters, a lackluster ‘peasant-meet’s-royalty’ plot, generic elements and themes, an overabundance of weirdly super-detailed sex scenes, and the works. The fact trash so bland and revolting managed to attract a modicum of attention both amazed and baffled her- and they paid for it!

Yet, she never threw, destroyed, or rid herself of the offending book. And, just maybe, found some en-

NO!

Ugh, there she went, overthinking crap again, letting her thoughts run rampant! It’s plain as a scolding hot branding iron searing her flesh that Olive’s messing around again. A joke, that’s all. He’s trying to make her feel better; there’s nothing else to it! There’s no reason to think back on a shitty romance novel, much less imply a correlation to this situation. To think somepony would see her more than anything past a mere friendly face was laughable at the least- a fantasy. Crummy emotions were doing this to her, and she’s escalating a minor exclamation of friendship to an omission of love; it’s the only reasonable explanation. Right, who would care about a monster?

Was she in her bed with him? Yes. Did they hug each other for a long time? Embarrassingly, yes. So, does any of it mean he loved her? NO!

Then…why did the thought of such hurt so bad?

“Darling?” Flinching, feeling Olive’s touch shift upon her face’s scarred flesh, she saw the old stallion staring worriedly at her.

“You’ve been spacing out for a full two minutes. Is there a problem?” He asked.

“N-No,” She rushed to reply, “W-What do you mean?” Pursing her lips into a faint frown, Olive hummed thoughtfully.

He closed his eyes, then opened them, looking left and right until eventually settling back on Storm Breaker’s face, smiling. “I don’t know how else to put it: you did nothing but sit there silent for two whole minutes?.” He shrugged, mashing the sheets closer to his pillow in doing so. Suddenly, the elder stallion glided back sharply due to a frantic Storm Breaker shooting up, looking flustered. “W-Wow, settle down, dear!”

Holding back a frustrated groan, she closed her eye tightly and grounded her teeth, “Idiot! That’s not what I meant!” She cried, but tears had dried up, heat rising in her face. A stark look of shock crossed Olive’s face, his mouth forming an ‘O’ shape.

“Oh, I see,” He said, sitting up as well, “Well, for a while now, I’ve been harboring a fair bit of feelings for you. Of course, it didn’t start that way; you were just one of the ‘weirder’ moments of my long career. Eventually, they became a wild deal that spun out of control. I always prided myself on reading a pony’s character,” Reaching out, a hoof settled on her left knee, “And the moment we met, I knew you weren’t all bad and tough like everypony else said; everything that’d occurred afterward proved my belief. Sure, you’re a pain in the flank sometimes, but you’re also far from unpleasant to me. Because, seeing the real Storm Breaker behind raging brimstone, I saw a kind, prideful pony too afraid to show her emotions in favor of using strength to protect others- who could go overboard sometimes -and didn’t know what to do in an unfamiliar place. Among other things in you that I could relate to. Me? I’m an old, lonely stallion in need of somepony in my life who isn’t constantly giving me salutes or commands. You, however, have outgrown yourself as a friend, and I can’t help but love it. A welcomed wrench in this rusted machine I call life.” He joked, chuckling.

A shaky smile spread across her quivering lips, “H-Hey, this is a good joke and all, but you’re really dragging this out.” She said nervously, ignorant of a visible blush on her face. Why did she pull back from his hoof?!

Olive’s smile dropped somewhat, “I’m not joking, darling. Sorry if this is sudden; I’m not too good at this ‘confessing love’ stuff either. Perhaps I’ve finally gone senile, doing this? But, after today, I couldn’t hold back when seeing you suffer anymore, and I want to help you with whatever years I have left by your side.” An amused huff escaped Olive, “It’s alright if you don’t desire this…but-”

“-Can this foolish old coot have the pleasure of bringing Storm Breaker on a date this week?”

Date, huh? Yeah, she knew its meaning.

Clenching her forehooves and chuckling, Storm Breaker’s shaky grin shrunk to a soft smile as she hung her head. “Jackass. At a time like this?” She laughed lightly. “I…don’t know, Olive. Maybe? I need time to…think.” She added.

So, the old coot secretly had a crush, she thought. While she didn’t support the ability to discern what raging emotions swam wildly in her sore, tired body that fueled her decision, Storm Breaker focused on the stallion before her. Olive wasn’t a terrible stallion in looks and personality upon closer inspection. Lacking his duo armor pieces and looking beyond refreshed after the attack, the old stallion’s frame looked younger and fit despite the new set of false teeth between his jaws and silver strands of hair, not that they were a problem. She’s just lucky her mother’s side of the family is naturally youthful in their older years- hypocrite arrow half-dodged! And, personality-wise, she didn’t mind.

Although, should she reject his offer? Canterlot’s jaded royal population wasn’t fond of Storm Breaker thus far despite her duty as a guard. Would Olive be safe associating himself with her further and risk having glares directed at him? He was loyal to a fault, but his same affliction of protecting and helping ponies may do more harm than good to himself because of a desire Storm Breaker herself wasn’t too sure about fully meeting. It’s been a long time since anything like this happened.

She prayed to the Goddess she didn’t make this mistake again, for his sake.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

Instantly shooting their unexpected gazes in the sound’s direction, the door to Storm Breaker’s room cracked ajar before slowly swinging inward with the assistance of a dark blue hoof belonging to a lunar guard. Poking his head in, the thestral stallion found Storm Breaker and Olive, raising a brow.

“Um, Sir. Branch, is this a bad time?” He awkwardly questioned. Luckily, before a highly red-faced Storm Breaker unleashed her embarrassed fury, Olive Branch spoke while pressing a hoof to her chest.

“Uh, no, at ease, soldier.” He commanded, the midnight-hued guard standing straight under the door’s frame and saluting. “Mind telling me why you’re here?” He said.

The lunar guard dropped his formal stance, “Orders given to me by Her Majesty, Princess Luna, stated I was to escort Private Storm Breaker and Sir. Branch to the Canterlot Castle’s underground interrogation quarters. But, upon seeing your absence on the arriving train, I returned here in hopes of catching you two if anything had caused a delay in your return.” He stated unwavering; however, a slight crease appeared on his brow. “That’s the moment leading to here, sir.” He added.

Olive Branch’s muzzle wrinkled in a faint grimace, “Is that so? Tell me, what is the reason for our presence?” He asked incredulously, confusing Storm Breaker with the undertone of dreadful hesitation.

“I’m not able to say, sir,” The guard answered, “Her orders gave no additional information.”

The elder stallion sighed, running a hoof down tired eye-bags, lime-light surrounding his horn as the golden helmet and chest piece rose from the floor and over Olive’s body. “Alright, son, wait outside and stand by until we’re ready.” Cracking his usual smile, Olive and Storm Breaker watched the leaving guard salute and disappear, the sound of rubbing armor stopping shorting after. “What’re they thinking?” He muttered.

“Hey, mind telling me what that was?” Storm Breaker said, rubbing any tear-streak remnants off her face as he hopped off her bed.

“It’s Thunder Charge.”

Halting her effort to throw away the sheets covering her, Storm Breaker's hoof clenched tightly with the soft fabric straining in her grip. “Who?” The dubious word felt colder than ice, and a sickly familiar, gross heat threatened to build. Even though her furrowed brow caused her exposed eye to close halfway, her pupil shrunk to dangerous degrees.

His answer tentatively awaited release from his throat, a lump he quickly swallowed blocking it. “Loud, bouldering, nearly had his stallion run you through in Ponyville’s town hall, remember?” He listed.

In and out. In and out. In and out. In and out. Do it slowly. In and out. In and out.

Storm Breaker’s nostrils exhaled slowly, accompanied by a curt nod.

“We…well, Luna and Celestia, have conducted several interrogations of him and his squad before the upcoming trial sends them behind bars. His goons have confirmed the existence of the bounty for your life but didn’t say who the pony issuing it was. Apparently, Thunder’s the only one of the five who saw their face during face-to-face conversations, but judging her highness and her sister’s declining morale, it’s like talking to a brick wall.” Olive retold, helping Sky Slicer back into his cage and refilling his feed bowl.

“Figures…”

Olive Branch turned to Storm Breaker, “You say something?” He inquired.

Resuming and finishing her previous action, a snort of exasperation escaped her as Storm Breaker stood to her full height. “I’m sure you know; even they couldn’t get their own subject to talk.” She said, rounding the bed and stopping before Olive. “He’s got somepony backing him. I’ve seen it before.”

“Really? How’d you figure?” Olive requested.

She didn’t reply, growing a frown. During the war, information would prove more valuable than any outpost, army, or weapon a pony could throw at each other. Where do you get information? Books might’ve been a good pick, only if most ponies not of royalty or riches back then could read. No, all valuable information came out of ponies themselves, enemy ponies. Targets of importance and value couldn’t be hurt- yet. And that also meant prisoners. So, capturing P.O.W’s, as the term goes, wasn’t uncommon to Storm Breaker, who personally interrogated a few in her line of Vanguard service. Following grueling hours of ‘convincing,’ prisoners would be handled accordingly, deciding whether to let them live or die.

The most annoying type of P.O.W.? A cockly yellow belly that couldn’t be touched in fear of the offender suffering the consequences of whatever connection protected them. To have two alicorns as his interrogators- his leaders, nonetheless -and still hold steady in defiance presented two explanations.

One: his head still needed recovery. Two: the pony causing his silence is powerful enough to render any jail time or punishment given by the soft-hearted princesses null- or it could be fear keeping him from speaking. Still, while the second explanation presented a new batch of questions, Storm Breaker knew he wouldn’t talk if the princesses couldn’t even do it. “We’ll see.” Storm Breaker sighed, switching to the door.

“Let’s get this over with, I’m tired.”

“I hear you.” Olive Branch chuckled. “Say, after this, we could rest and read together if you want?” He offered.

Allowing the elder stallion to walk ahead, she flashed him a smile as the guard outside readied himself. “Sure, but maybe I’ll have to do all the reading since you look like death itself.” She jested, getting a small laugh from her partner.

“Are you prepared?”

Knocking Storm Breaker from her tuned-out state, the titanic mare realized the marble walls and carpeted floor had shifted into cold, mute-colored brick and concrete devoid of life. Facing down at the smaller alicorn who voiced herself, she watched a flash of apprehension cross Luna’s features. Another quick examination of the area revealed it to be the fabled interrogation quarters the lunar guard, who she recognized as a thestral from the nightmare night ball, informed her and Olive about. Luna stood next to her, Olive leaned against the wall furthest from a large window-like surface across from him, and Celestia stood in front of the rectangle cutout guarded by a wooden table.

Storm breaker nodded, quelling Luna’s concerns slightly. She probably zoned out during the walk, a heavy pressure pressing down on her head. “Yeah, no sweat.” She said flatly, locking her gaze on Thunder Charge. Molten hate festered in her heart, and she used whatever control she had to bite her inner cheek.

“Good, don’t hold back. If this doesn’t work, we’re out of luck.” Luna said venomously.

The way the Lunar and Solar diarch acted, the latter glaring at the smug unicorn behind the window, Storm Breaker fully knew what raged behind their blazing eyes, wordlessly sympathizing. Generally, one could see Thunder Charge wasn’t charming in the slightest, but it ran deeper than a simple dislike for somepony’s foul personality. The alicorns had a nation to watch over, and a high-ranked pony willing to ruin it or add to the filth guards like herself fight every day would piss anypony in their horseshoes off too.

Horn sparking to life, Princess Luna’s magic encased a thick metal door situated next to the window and, with a sharp click, opened it.

“Hooves on the table and head held up, prisoner.” Celestia resided, her command practiced to a faultless degree. Thunder Charge rolled his eyes, following Celestia’s instructions, but raised his muzzle higher than necessary while smirking, visibly irritating Luna.

Instead of falling prey to his taunts, Celestia nodded to Luna.

“This, again~?” Thunder whined sarcastically, a narcissistic tone lining his words, “Celestia, I’m telling you to give up and run home. I don’t know of any ‘bounty reward’ you keep accusing me of taking. Now, we’re all friends here, so why not be a good, righteous mare and send me back to my cell, OK? It’s freezing here- you don’t want one of your subjects to develop pneumonia, would you? And so close to my trail~.” He continued taunting. However, when no response or alicorn came, he raised a confused brow. “Oh, what’s the hold-up? Usually, you or your tailcoat-riding sister come raging in, demanding answers to a non-existent problem. Got cold hooves?” He guffawed.

Silence.

A nervous droplet of sweat rolled down his temple despite the room's chilly temperature, “Hello? Did you leave and forget to lock the door?” He spat in annoyance.

Silence.

“Heh, here I thought those two couldn’t get any more stup-”

Storm Breakers echoing hoofsteps rebounded off the solid walls as she entered, the door closing behind and sealing both ponies inside with a click. The looming pony that was his new questioner peered down at him, devoid of emotion, a phantom ache strangling his neck and skull. In between her teeth: a standard issue royal guard side-blade glistening under the fluorescent light above.

For the first time in a month, the bound and defenseless Thunder Charge’s confident smirk dropped completely.