Rising Flames

Transcript Excerpt of Lady Turquoise’s inauguration speech as Grand Master of the Knights Jubilant, three days after her return to the Diarchy.

“I thank you, my brothers and sisters, for the great honor - and greater burden - I now bear. While it was through the grace of the returned Saints and their Paladins that I now stand before you all today, after a year of chilling captivity, made whole again, it is your support which fills my heart with warmth.

“It is my hope that together we can put the Order Jubilant back on course after much time adrift. Now, more than ever, we need to present unified guidance, a purposeful message for any who may have lost certainty in the wake of recent, troubling developments. And through enlightenment, anyone can glean the insights the Saints may provide to us, without room for miscommunication.

“A beautiful new era is beginning, my friends and comrades! With Book in hoof and wisdom in heart, we shall bring peace, unity, and stability back to our great country! And then, civility at last to the entirety of the world! Not with force or fear, but the truth inherent in our gospel!”

Emberglow sat, stewing in a morass of mixed emotions. Rarity was curled up beside her. Both of them just barely fit atop the decayed remains of a chaise lounge, the half-rotted wood threatening to give out at any moment. The cushions were all long gone, replaced by a fresh blanket, and the windows were boarded up, only allowing slivers of dusk’s light to peek through.

The safehouse was quite near a building Rarity was intimately familiar with, the Canterlot Carousel, hence why she had been able to teleport them almost directly to it. Unlike the boutique, this room was still in disrepair. It had been an underground gambling den for the rich and daring. Much like the Diarchy and Crystal Empire today, gambling had been illegal in most places back then, too, according to Heartwing. Rarity was surprised to learn such a place had even existed under her muzzle so close to the Carousel.

But, well, it had been a well-hidden place for clandestine activities back then, and remained such now.

While the Houses of Revolution - embassies of the Discordant and Resplendent in the city - were far more well-guarded, they were also obvious targets for the ire of any angry loyalists. Rarity had suggested they might be safer beneath a veil of secrecy than behind any number of spears and rifles, hence this course.

With the shot glasses cracked, playing cards reduced to dust, and the once vibrant reds and greens of the decor faded, the gambling den wasn’t much to look at. The ancient room was illuminated by the flickering orange light from a couple of oil lamps, too dim to be spotted from through the intentionally opaque windows unless one was already right outside.

It reflected her inner turmoil rather well, Emberglow thought.

Across from them, Heartwing laid beside Terminus as the pegasus leaned against the wall. Throughout their telling of the events that had transpired on Cathedral Row, the stallions’ faces had run the gamut of reactions. Details on the amulet plan prompted everything from confusion and outrage to great sympathy. Heartwing and Terminus’ encounter with Saint Twilight and Saint Fluttershy had sounded downright balmy to Emberglow in comparison, even with them being run out of the city.

Rarity took a long, centering breath, shifting beside Emberglow. Emberglow squeezed her reassuringly with a wing, despite her own nervous instability. “That covers most everything which occurred on our end, I believe,” Rarity finished, her tone clipped and all business. “Which brings us to the present.” She shot Emberglow a brief, kind smile that did not quite reach her eyes.

There was a pregnant pause as the two stallions absorbed the full gravity of their words, exchanging sympathetic looks.

“Dear Luna, I am so sorry you had to go through all that,” Heartwing said, shaking his head. “If I’d known something like that was going to happen, then I would never have let you two go by yourselves.”

Emberglow sighed. “Don’t apologize. It’s not your fault. If we had known, we wouldn’t have needed to go in the first place.”

“Even your own parents…” Terminus muttered, his ears lowering. “I can’t imagine what you must be going through, Emberglow. I haven’t spared a thought about mine in years.”

Though her gut churned anew at the reminder, it wasn’t as bad as it had been in the moment. Her brows rose in curiosity. “You know, I don’t think you’ve ever really mentioned your family at all to us before, Terminus.”

At her statement, Terminus shrugged. “That’s because they really aren’t my family. I share my life with you, not my parents.” He looked pointedly from Emberglow to Heartwing, who let out an affectionate hum as the stallions hugged one another.

Rarity cooed in turn, copying them and holding Emberglow tightly with her own soft, white wing. “Terminus has a point. Maybe it’s time you put them out of your mind, rather than let their disappointment affect you.”

Emberglow hummed and looked away, frowning. “Yeah. I don’t particularly want to unpack all this right now, not when we have more important matters to worry about.”

“Your emotions matter, too. What would Topaz say?” Terminus pressed.

Probably that she was just clinging to old memories and making herself sad for no real reason. But Emberglow said nothing.

Still, Terminus must have seen something in her eyes. He nodded and faced Heartwing, his expression laden with unspoken weight. “Letting go of ponies who let you down can be hard. But often, it’s for the best.”

“Oh don’t look at me like that,” Heartwing sighed, pouting. “Memories of the good times are worth keeping in your heart. Much as how the Carousel just down the road was worth preserving.” He gestured to Rarity.

Rarity hummed. “That is true, yes. Though battered, my shop still remained.” She paused, looking at each of them in turn. “We’ve all lost ponies important to us. Memories are what we saved of them.

“And despite everything, we’re still here. Still together, still ourselves.”

“Through whatever happens. ‘Til death do we part,’” Emberglow whispered. She nuzzled Rarity, feeling her heartbeat beneath her fur.

She and others managed small smiles.

“We should rest, take the time to process all this,” Heartwing declared as the moment faded, his grin fading. “I’m sure the others in Old Canterlot are thinking along the same lines.”

Terminus hummed in agreement. “Yeah. And it’s getting late.”

Emberglow peered over Rarity’s head toward one of the windows; between the heavy curtains, she could see a hint of the red glow of sunset. Between waiting for Heartwing and Terminus to fly over, recomposing themselves as best they could given the magnitude of the day’s events, and sharing their respective experiences with the Saints, it was already dinnertime.

“Some self care of any sort would be heavenly right about now,” Rarity sighed. “If we were still back at the palace, I’d already be halfway to the spa, but alas. Eating a bit is fine instead, I suppose.”

Emberglow smiled at that, but it was a fleeting thing. “It’ll still be there when we get back.”

Heartwing chuckled and shook his head, gesturing to Terminus. Without being told, he helped Heartwing back into his wheels so Rarity could stand up and extract the food from their bags. Emberglow didn’t move, tucking her hind legs even more deeply beneath herself.

Though she didn’t have much of an appetite, Emberglow forced herself to eat with the others, nibbling on trail mix and tough, compressed bars of hay between sips of water. Rarity’s muzzle had initially scrunched up in displeasure at the lack of better options, but she soon dug in without complaint.

At first, her wife’s brief distaste brought forth a grin on Emberglow’s face, but then her thoughts returned to herself.

Everyone had their own little quirks and shortcomings. Rarity’s were adorable, but her own…

Especially after they’d recounted everything, Emberglow’s own shortcomings stuck out all the more. Her vast medical knowledge, built up over years of hard work and study, mattered not when the communicable disease being spread was propaganda.

Her words alone hadn’t been enough to treat the cause, only delay the symptoms. She hadn’t done well enough. And that did not bode well for their chances of resolving this brewing conflict peacefully.

The only sound in the safehouse was that of chewing for some time, until Heartwing broke the silence. “You know, I have a theory. About where these Saints are actually from. But take it with a grain of salt.”

“Oh?” purred Rarity, her interest piqued somewhat. She set down her bag of trail mix, turning her head to face him. “And where would that be? Tartarus?”

Emberglow’s tail twitched. Rarity’s delivery had been so perfectly straight that she couldn’t tell whether her wife was joking or not.

But Heartwing responded with another question. “You recall the physical appearance of the Paladins, yes? Tall and thin, only four limbs?”

Rarity nodded.

Terminus raised an eyebrow, swallowing a bite of hay. “It’s difficult to forget. They’re as horrifying to look at as what they might do if left unchecked.”

“They’re not… that bad,” said Emberglow before turning to Heartwing. She didn’t want to imagine what Terminus was thinking. “Yes, I recall their appearance. I figured they were from an exotic bipedal race like Abyssinians or Minotaurs. It’s a big world; lots of unexplored places.”

“Right. There are actually many creatures that could fit,” Heartwing said, meeting her eyes. “Besides those, they could be some rare Diamond Dog breed, wingless Gargoyles or Harpies, or even small Cyclopes or Stormborn. All we can really rule out are Changelings at this point.”

“Right, the Diarchy would have caught them, were that the case,” Rarity swished her canteen in her magic as she considered this. “I suppose we’d need to unmask one to tell for certain.”

“Easier said than done,” Terminus noted before taking another bite of his trail mix. “And probably not worth the risk.”

“Half of those creatures are basically myths at this point. The magic we saw could be attributed to any of them,” Emberglow pointed out, scratching the side of her head. “Unless one of you ponies knows something I don’t?”

“Even I've never met a Cyclops. So I have no idea,” shrugged Heartwing, munching on his bar.

Emberglow’s ears lowered briefly. For a moment, she caught a glimpse of something in Heartwing’s face that she couldn’t identify. He opened his mouth to say something, only to close it a moment later with a shake of his head. Emberglow wanted to gently ask him to share, but Rarity spoke first.

“Regardless, I don’t think knowing would change how we’re going to deal with them at all. So let’s not think about such things right now.” Rarity turned to plant a kiss on Emberglow’s cheek, redirecting her train of thought into a mental field of flowers.

She appreciated the affection. She always did. But right now she couldn’t bring herself to be as responsive as she could have been. Heartwing’s mere broaching of the topic caused Emberglow’s mind to race. They needed to know more. What was the Saints’ real objective? But she said nothing, setting down her now empty bag of rations with a sigh.

Part of her wished Topaz and Lofty were here for the extra support, but the other part was glad they hadn’t been forced to experience what she and Rarity had.

Terminus has also finished eating, and slumped onto his pack in an attempt to get comfortable. “Rarity, would you mind lowering the sun a few minutes early for us?”

Rarity tittered at that. “I didn’t break the schedule before, and I’m not about to now.”

“Mmm, sleep does sound good right about now,” Emberglow wheedled gently, her tone leading as she leaned into Rarity.

“Coming from you, I am tempted… but no,” Rarity replied, booping Emberglow’s muzzle. “You can wait twenty minutes with everycreature else.”

“Boo,” Emberglow pouted.

And wait they did, slowly getting settled in. The four of them made small talk, but there was no real energy in it.

Twenty minutes later, Rarity lit her horn to raise the moon. Despite having seen the display many times, Emberglow was nevertheless transfixed by the brilliance Rarity radiated as she moved the heavens. She was never forceful, merely giving the moon the magical equivalent of a polite nudge, but Emberglow’s awe remained.

As night fell, Terminus snuffed the lamps, wisps of smoke curling gently into the air. Then Emberglow pulled the covers of the simple cot she shared with Rarity overtop it.

Only the rhythm of Rarity’s long, slow breaths against her side managed to at last lull Emberglow to rest.

Before she nodded off, a fleeting thought danced across the peripheral corners of her mind: Heartwing had never actually voiced his theory.

Emberglow’s sleep had been cold and restless, devoid of dream and nightmare alike. She awoke tangled in the sheets, her fur matted, feeling like she’d only slept maybe half as much as she actually had before.

Blinking blearily, she pushed herself up, her mane tangled and twisted. Rarity at least managed a more ladylike yawn as she awoke, and Terminus and Heartwing both appeared to be attempting to look up and alert, but it was easy to tell that sleep had been equally fleeting for each of them.

Once she’d had time to get dressed, freshen up, and chug some tea Rarity made, Emberglow felt more like her usual self.

Emberglow at least felt rested enough to look back on yesterday with a more level head. The circumstantial presence of her parents had been somewhat distracting, but now she was totally focused on stopping the immediate spread of the amulets. They had time to turn things around. And Emberglow would certainly assist to ensure that happened.

After each of them had finished their breakfast, Emberglow re-tied her mane into her signature tight ponytail, ready to face whatever would come next. Rarity, too, was looking properly regal once again after a preening and much mane brushing. Heartwing stood tall in his wheel harness, and Terminus stretched his freshly preened wings.

“So, what’s the plan?” Emberglow asked, clearing her throat. “What do we prioritize first?”

Heartwing raised a hoof. “Before we get into that, I’d like to get a more updated picture of affairs. A Discordant Knight, Gossamer Tread, will be here shortly with the latest reconnaissance.”

“Ah, that sounds good. Let’s give them some time to arrive, then,” Rarity said.

True to form, only moments later, as if on cue, a pony pushed open the heavy door their pastel green mane tangled and matted. Between that and the weathered jacket they wore over their gray coat, Emberglow would have assumed they were a rough-and-tumble scavenger hunting for lost wealth had she not known better.

The moment the Knight was inside, Knight Gossamer saluted Heartwing. “Here with the latest reports, as requested, sir. And Highness,” they added, nodding at Rarity.

“You weren’t followed, were you?” asked Terminus.

“No, I made sure of it,” Gossamer confirmed. “And the perimeter is secure. I even checked the air, nopony’s nearby. If anything, it’s almost too quiet, as if no ponies have been picking over the ruins around here lately. There used to be at least one stallion.”

Heartwing hummed at that. “Well, I’m not going to complain about that. Excellent work.” Straightening his neck, he was all professionalism. “First, what’s the status of New Canterlot City? And more specifically, how has North Wind responded to the Saints? The pair Emberglow and Rarity met said they were operating behind his back.”

“NCC remains stable, for now,” Gossamer responded. “As for North Wind, he seems to have acquiesced to their presence and shared influence, at least in regards to the Jubilant and Vigilant. Word is they’ve pretty much already started taking over those two orders overnight, picking up the pieces Steadfast left behind and reorganizing. The Vigilant had a bit of a head start, but various internal factions were still divided, and the Saints promoted their cooperation.”

“That makes sense,” Terminus said, his tail swishing with unspent energy. “He’s smart enough to realize there would’ve been riots calling for him to step down if he didn’t.”

“Still, the Diarchy remains like a hydra. There’s internal tension we can exploit,” noted Rarity, flicking her eyes back to Gossamer.

“It is as you say, Princess. However, if I may, the High General’s decisions might also have something to do with this ‘enlightenment’ he and a bunch of Knights have already received from the Saints.” Gossamer sounded skeptical. “But details on that are sparse.”

“Some sort of subtle mind control?” Terminus asked, peering across Emberglow and the others. “I had meant to probe the Saints on that earlier, but then the crowd turned against us.”

“Yes,” Emberglow admitted with a sigh. “But some of the Knights here have a bit of experience dealing with mental magic already. I’m sure their respective Grand Masters have already put those in question on the case. If it is mind control, they’ll find out soon, and take steps to counteract it.”

“And if they discover anything, they’ll share it with us,” Heartwing assured. “But regardless of the method they’re using to manipulate the Diarchy, the latter is still the far larger and more active group.” He turned back to Gossamer.“What’s the current status of the Adamant and Mystic?”

“The blues? North Wind is keeping his grip there, though we’re already seeing friction,” they added. “Saint Twilight is apparently very convincing, not to mention Saint Rainbow Dash herself. The Mystics, meanwhile, have pulled in, being even more secretive than usual, which is saying something. Couldn’t get any info there one way or the other.”

“Fantastic,” Rarity groaned. “Would it have been too much to hope for a juicy tidbit or two to leak as we’re inundated with new conspiracies?”

Emberglow patted her shoulder consolingly with a hoof. “It’s probably not as bad as you’re imagining, Rarity. And even if it is…” she trailed off, taking a calming breath, “we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it, together.”

“I suppose. A mare in my position can never be too careful, though,” Rarity said.

“Right,” confirmed Heartwing. “I’m assuming the First Lady hasn’t made any moves yet either, correct?”

“Exactly,” Gossamer replied. “She and Grand Master Mirror are in the same position you are right now: still planning. Tensions in Old Canterlot remain high. For now, security has been tightened, but not much else has been done yet.”

Rarity nodded at that. “That’s plenty for now. Any overt moves would likely prompt the ire of the Diarchy at large.”

“Right. We can’t be hasty,” Heartwing noted, expression grim. “One stray spark, and the whole powder keg could go boom.”

Emberglow’s own ears pressed against her temples. “I don’t want another war,” she murmured. “Nopony should. Even if it’s a long shot, we have to be better, have to try settling this without bloodshed. Somehow.”

Terminus solemnly nodded assent. “In an ideal world, yes. But we should also prepare for the worst.” He looked over his shoulder. His rifle case rested against the wall.

“Rarity and I already put our respective guards and orders on high alert,” Heartwing said, stepping closer to his husband.

“I don’t like our odds if it comes to that, though,” said Rarity, her gaze distant. “If all the Saints and Paladins are as powerful and capable with magic as the ones you met, Heartwing, who knows what other tricks they have up their sleeves?”

Emberglow did not want to entertain the thoughts that image conjured. Her throat suddenly dry, she grabbed her canteen and took a few swallows before setting it back down.

Meanwhile, the others continued. “Speaking of, do the Discordant have any idea where the Saints are now?” pressed Terminus. “Is that even possible to know with all the teleporting?”

“It’s as you suspect, Sir Terminus, the Saints are proving difficult to track for that very reason,” Gossamer continued. Sorry we couldn’t find anything more,” they apologized, ears drooping.

“It’s alright, you did more than enough given the circumstances,” Heartwing said, waving off their self-deprecation. Then, he stomped a hoof, the dull crack echoing through the old den. “Regardless, let’s endeavor to resolve this in a civilized manner. The Saints seem level-headed, if nothing else.”

Rarity exhaled and ruffled her wings a little. “Yes. Of course. I’m sure if we extend an olive branch, or provide some other incentive, they’ll meet for negotiations. I refuse to accept that there’s no scenario where other ponies accept unicorns living as themselves in Equestria.”

“That’s the spirit!” Terminus exclaimed.

A ghost of a smile made its way onto Emberglow’s muzzle. “That said, since we’re definitely not going to threaten them, I’m not sure what ‘other incentive’ we could use to open negotiations with the Saints. What else do they even want?”

“Honestly, after learning what we did yesterday, who knows at this point?” Rarity asked, a hint of exasperation working its way into her voice. “More followers, maybe?”

Emberglow nuzzled Rarity comfortingly as Heartwing mulled that over. “You might just be on to something there, Rarity,” he said, scratching his chin. “Maybe they are just cultivating influence for now. Even just presenting the option of living with unicorns while ‘safe’ from their magic earned them sympathizers.”

“So we should, what, offer to give them extra supplicants?” Terminus said, his expression twisted wryly. “They seem to be doing a fine job of that themselves.”

Here, Heartwing seemed to study him, and his point, critically. “No, you’re right. That does give me an idea, though I’m unsure if I should even be considering it.”

“It can’t be that drastic, if it’s coming from you,” Emberglow said, turning her good eye his way. “What’s the harm in sharing?”

Rarity and Terminus both gave him expectant looks.

“Alright,” Heartwing began. “Here it is: We invite them to Angel’s Rest and allow them to proselytize after our initial meeting. Assuming the council agrees.”

Emberglow didn’t know what she’d been expecting, but it wasn’t that. “Why? The residents of Angel’s Rest won’t be receptive to that at all.” Memories of all the kind folks living there, free from their old oppressors, welled up in her mind’s eye.

“Exactly. Plus, for all we know, their Paladins could be even more hostile in that setting than a Knight Mystic,” Terminus objected. “There’s a reason we vet everyone looking to enter the city!”

“Yes, but there are positives. I can think of two reasons giving ourselves the home-field advantage would be beneficial,” countered Heartwing, tapping his hoof on the floor. “First and mainly, the one edge we know we have over the Saints and Paladins is numbers. The Paladins are numbered, and we have yet to see any above twelve. With all that intricate armor, I wouldn’t wager there’s more than twenty, tops. And via this intel just now, we’ve confirmed they aren’t directly coordinating with the Diarchy. Meanwhile, we have hundreds of Knights and other creatures who work with us.”

Terminus’ posture relaxed, and he hummed in consideration.

“Oh, I see,” Emberglow said. “So then by inviting them to Angel’s Rest…”

Heartwing nodded. “We can tie them down for a while, giving our allies free reign to spy on and sabotage their plans. Have some shipments of amulets ‘get lost.’ Render materials for their construction unusable. You name it.”

Emberglow didn’t know quite what to make of this idea. She tried to gather her thoughts. Heartwing’s idea had merit, that much she accepted, but as he’d admitted, there were issues.

However, Rarity objected before she could, her eyes unfocused. “Couldn’t we do that regardless? Sure, it would be more difficult, but not impossible. There’s no need to put Angel’s Rest at risk.”

“I believe the gamble would pay off,” Heartwing countered. “Besides, we could section off part of the city. As you said, Terminus, we need to give the Saints a carrot they wouldn’t be able to just pluck from the soil otherwise. Anything less and they might not give us the time of day. If the Council were to set up a cordon around Town Hall and let people know what’s happening in advance, they could ensure only those curious individuals prepared to take that risk and volunteer will be present. The Saints will still get their captive audience; it just won’t be the whole city.”

Emberglow’s brows rose. “Wouldn’t the Saints take offense to being cordoned into a small section of the city, though? Especially if we implied they’d get to speak to everyone there?”

“And why Angel’s Rest specifically?” Terminus pressed. “I feel as though too many things could go wrong if we tried that approach.”

“Yes,” Rarity agreed. “Couldn’t we simply pick any neutral ground far away from the center of the Diarchy and accomplish the same thing?” Rarity asked.

Her ears drooped as she continued. “Moreover, we shouldn’t be making any assumptions about the Saints. If they’re even half as charismatic as our friends were…” trailing off, Rarity shuddered and leveled a look at Heartwing. “Then they might actually be able to convince some in the city that siding with them actually is the best course.”

Emberglow’s own heart sank at that, an emphatic portion of Rarity’s own doubts. Concerned, she turned to Heartwing expectantly.

“I was getting to that,” Heartwing said, pensive. “But that’s where reason number two comes in. We can guarantee a lack of Diarchy interference in Angel’s Rest. It lets us take a page from their playbook without worrying they’ll undo it somehow.”

“And what page is that, exactly?” Rarity said, perplexed.

“Moonbeam’s Truthful Aura,” Heartwing answered. “Enchant some crystals, and we’ll know whenever a creature lies in front of one.”

“Oh, duh!” Terminus exclaimed in recognition. “Conducting a meeting around one of those would most definitely be an advantage. And we really need to gain some sort of advantage right about now.”

Emberglow remembered, too. It was the same spell Hollybright had used during her interrogation what felt like a lifetime ago. Except this time, they’d be the ones asking the questions.

By inviting the Saints to Angel’s Rest, they could both clear away this fog of confusion surrounding the Saints and hamper their existing operations. While there was a chance their relationship could sour further, and put the residents in danger from their powerful magic, the potential benefits were also great. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, as the saying went. Heartwing continued to improve his reputation as a tactician in her mind.

“Indeed,” Heartwing added, placing a hoof to his chin. “Using that enchantment, we’d only have to worry about lies of omission.”

“However, if we do use this ‘truthful aura’, we’d be admitting that we don’t trust the Saints to negotiate honestly without it,” Rarity interjected, evidently not feeling the same as Emberglow did. “And they might still be able to beguile creatures in the crowd with fractional facts alone.”

“They already know we don’t trust them,” Terminus said. Leaning against Heartwing, he flexed his free wing. “I’ll just be glad if everything stays civil.”

“I still don’t like it,” Rarity countered. “We don’t know enough, yet. I trust you a great deal, Heartwing, but such a bold plan at this stage is arrogance.”

Emberglow looked back and forth between them, squeezing Rarity with a wing. Though she was in favor of it, the strategy hadn’t been her idea. So she would leave Heartwing to try and convince Rarity in her stead first.

“I agree with you in that we don’t know enough,” Heartwing began. “But Rarity, this is precisely how we fill in those gaps! What are our other options?” he posed, his brows twisting in some small sadness as he lowered his voice. “Continuing to give the Saints the home-field advantage? Sitting around and doing nothing? All choices have risks, Rarity.”

“Yes, but there has to be a safer path to take!” Rarity exclaimed, whipping her tail before turning away. “I just… can’t think of one right now which doesn’t also leave the Saints free to go about their business.”

“Exactly.” Heartwing’s expression deepened. “Full disclosure, I also want to get ‘Fluttershy’ and company out of the picture as soon as I realistically can. They should stay in our memories, where they belong.”

Emberglow and Terminus turned to Rarity as she thought. Soon, Rarity continued, her features pulled taut in careful consideration. “The promise of truth from their lips is tempting, yet I still think this plan of yours does have the significant chance to backfire and make relations worse between us.” She then spun to study Emberglow and Terminus in turn. “Do you agree with him, Emberglow, Terminus?”

Emberglow sighed, keeping all traces of hardness from her tone as she shared her take. “It’s a sound plan. I do believe the Saints would want the opportunity to try and convert the people of the city, and I do believe it’s far more likely they’ll fail than succeed, given the sort who call Angel’s Rest home. We can use the Saints’ blatant hubris to our advantage. And perhaps they would want the chance to hear us be truthful, too.”

“As if we haven’t been already,” Terminus noted, draping a wing over Heartwing’s back. “But yes, Rarity, I’m also behind Heartwing’s idea. It’s not a flawless route by any means, but I trust him.”

“Who knows, it might even go better than we expect, and we can convince them to drop this amulet scheme entirely,” Emberglow added. “At worst, we still get critical information we can use later.”

So, when the three of them looked her way expectantly, Rarity acquiesced with a sigh. “Fine. I’m on board.”

He returned her gaze with a small smile. “Thank you, Rarity.”

She closed her eyes for a moment, recomposing herself. When she opened them, Rarity was back to her usual demeanor. Emberglow smiled.

“If we are committing to this, then there’s no time to lose,” Rarity declared with a nod. “We must pen some letters and dispatch a messenger with haste. The future of a better Diarchy hangs in the balance!”

“We don’t actually know where the Saints’ base of operations is yet, and they’re often on the move,” Gossamer said. Emberglow flinched. She had totally forgotten they were even present throughout that entire discussion. “It might be difficult to locate Saint Twilight.”

“That doesn’t matter. We have her name and face, so we can just use a dragonfire scroll.” Heartwing gestured to where he had stacked said scrolls earlier, a bit of his typical slyness returning to the fore. “This occasion is more than vital enough to warrant the expense, don’t you think?”

“Oh, certainly,” Rarity confirmed, tossing her mane with poise. “With that, I believe our course is set.” After receiving their looks of confirmation, she turned. “Knight Gossamer Tread, was it? Thank you, you are dismissed.”

With another salute, Gossamer silently left the safehouse.

Emberglow, Rarity, and Heartwing set about composing messages to the council in Angel’s Rest and Saint Twilight. Terminus opted to keep watch.

Their proposal was this: A group from Angel’s Rest would meet the Saints and their retinue in the middle of nowhere a few days from now, then escort everyone back to Angel’s Rest where they would be allowed entrance. Inside, Emberglow and company would be waiting.

Heartwing sent the first letter along to the council. Meanwhile, they worked on the multiple drafts of the letter to the Saint on normal paper, trying to get the tone right, but the basic contents of the correspondence didn’t change much from the previous one.

After an hour and a half of anxious fretting, their verdict arrived:

Your emergency measure is accepted, Heartwing. We’ll gather all the creatures and supplies needed for the operation and get to work before your arrival. May the true Princess Twilight and her friends grant us success.

Cobalt, Ninelives, Top Brass, Mayor Cactus Flower

That was it, then. They were doing this.

Rarity transferred their missive for the Saint to a scroll, then she and Heartwing signed it. After trading long, uncertain stares with her comrades, Rarity set the parchment ablaze with a quick spark spell, sending the scroll into the sky in a small burst of smoke.

Saint Twilight’s reply came back far more quickly than expected. Emberglow was just finishing up with recollecting her things for the trip when green flames flared in front of Heartwing, burning in reverse to construct a sheet of paper. Immediately, they huddled together to read it. Between the white, perfectly rectangular paper and the clear, precise letters, it was obviously typewritten, though the quality was high even by those standards.

Emberglow rapidly scanned the letter:

Your proposal is acceptable, with one additional caveat. I request that Empress Mi Amore Cadenza of the Crystal Empire attend the negotiations as well. I have been meaning to speak with her on the matter of future relations between the Empire and the Diarchy, but I am a busy mare, and the Empire is rather distant. She may bring as many additional servants and guards as she requires.

Besides myself, Saint Pinkamena and Saint Fluttershy will be in attendance. There is no need to send a confirmation to the Empress; I have already sent her a copy of your original missive, as well as this document. She will agree.

- Saint Twilight Sparkle, Returned Arbiter of Magic

“Huh,” Terminus intoned. “Well, we should be grateful to have the Empress as backup.”

“As I would expect, any version of Twilight has an answer for everything,” said Rarity, her lips curled slightly.

Emberglow was banking on the former outweighing the latter. Besides, while Sunset won’t like the extra workload, she was certainly capable of taking the reins for a short time. “Cadance will almost certainly bring Topaz and Lofty along, too,” she noted, her spirits lifting already. “We’ll be able to pose a united front as the Elements, be it with the actual artifacts or not.”

Heartwing folded the Saint’s letter and grinned. “Overcoming adversity with the power of friendship, just like old times.”

“Don’t forget the sternly worded arguments, we’ll be using plenty of those as well,” Rarity joked, giving Emberglow a nudge. “Isn’t that right, Emberglow?”

Emberglow was glad she didn’t seem to be letting their disagreement weigh too heavily on her. “For real,” she replied, a smile rising unbidden. “I have plenty to say to that mare.”

“We’ll all get the chance to take some verbal cracks at her,” Heartwing said, pantomiming a few jabs. “For me, it’ll be a rematch.”

“Let’s not keep her waiting and head out for Angel’s Rest as soon as possible,” Terminus suggested, his wings flexing with unspent energy at his sides. “Everyone will need time to prepare.”

“That’s an understatement,” Emberglow noted.

It was the best solution to combat her misgivings, lest they compound with the others’ and waste precious hours over indecision. She couldn’t afford to rest on her laurels; the trajectory of countless unicorns’ lives hung in the balance.

When nopony added anything else, she studied their expressions. Largely, they were full of resolve. But Rarity’s tail was twitching almost imperceptibly, Terminus couldn't stand still, and the corners of Heartwing’s mouth were pinched.

They were as ready as they’d ever be. That would have to be enough.