A War on Two Fronts

Ignoring the lab ponies' hushed murmuring, I turned my attention to the rest of Sombra's lackeys. I repeated the same procedure on each of them, bending them to my will. They fought, they resisted, but the outcome proved inevitable. With each successful attempt, my understanding of the procedure grew, my actions becoming more efficient, faster with each new addition and by the end, before me stood nine ponies loyal to my will.

"Now," I said, hand clasped behind my back, pacing before my obedient ponies in formation next to each other. "Which of you is the leader?"

A unicorn stepped forward. She removed her helmet, revealing her to be the first of Sombra's minions I turned to my side. “Acting lieutenant Permafrost, sir,” she saluted, her posture rigid in a perfect example of military poise.

“Acting lieutenant? Where's your superior?”

“Deceased, sir. He fell shortly after our initial assault. As the next highest ranked pony, I assumed command of our platoon and continued to lead the attack on this facility.”

“You bastards!” A voice shrieked. All eyes diverted to its source, a unicorn mare, one of the eggheads with pink coat and her curly mane a lively shade of green. Her little face twisted in a hateful snarl, poised to lunge at the black armored ponies. “You killed our friends, our colleagues and for what? What did we ever do to you? Why did you attack us?”

I looked back to Permafrost, who remained unfazed by the smoldering gaze of the pony. “Answer the question,” I ordered and she did so immediately.

“Our assault on the facility was in lieu of an invasion of Vanhoover. Our scouts found it a few weeks back. Further surveillance indicated this to be a research outpost of some kind. Command have the order to infiltrate and secure this facility."

"For what purpose?"

"To secure or destroy anything that may be used against the Empire, and to eliminate those who would conspire against Sombra."

"So it's true?" A small voice asked. A fearful lab pony, a pegasus mare with lively orange coat and blonde mane. "Vanhoover is under siege?"

"The first stage of the invasion should be taking place by now," Permafrost said stoically, her voice devoid of warmth or sympathy. The lab ponies shared troubled looks.

"I'm sorry, Sunny Side," Twilight said. "I know you had family in Vanhoover."

The mare shook her head. "No, no. It... it's okay. They left for Dodge Junction a few days ago."

One of the armored ponies, the ones fighting against Sombra's invading forces, spoke up. “And what good does that do for us? Imp reinforcements could show up at any minute."

I looked to Permafrost for confirmation.

“No reinforcements are incoming, sir,” she said crisply. "Our mission was fairly low priority in regards to the invasion. Not many outside our platoon are aware of this facility's existence and none will pay it much mind. They have a city wide invasion to deal with."

I nodded in satisfaction. Last thing any of us needed were additional forces storming in and causing even more trouble. But the fact still remains that I needed a plan for the immediate future. As of the moment, Vanhoover was falling victim to an invasion. Going there would be an absolute no-no. I would need a means of escape from the Palindrome. Hopefully a vehicle of one sort, if these ponies have them. If not then… I dunno. I suppose I could have a few of them strapped to a cart of some sort and act as my personal draft beasts?

Seems a little demeaning…

But that can wait. I still had a set of ponies unaccounted for. Sombra’s lackeys now sweared fealty to me and they converged around the rest of the ponies. Now to sort them out. Unlike my new minions, these ponies were outside my control. They saw me, they were aware of my existence and knew to a degree what I was capable of. To simply let them loose and risk the very possible scenario of them mouthing off about me was unacceptable.

For the moment, I'd much rather remain anonymous, at least until such time I gained a better understanding of this world and letting these ponies go free would be detrimental to that. No, for the moment, I couldn't allow them to go.

I turned to my new lieutenant. "We need a way out of here. A way to remain unnoticed by both Sombra and Celestia's forces and put distance between us and this siege."

Permafrost eyed the armored ponies still trapped in their stone prisons. "The scouts reported an airship under these ponies' possessions, hidden beneath a cluster of trees nearby. If we can commandeer it, we should be able to hide in the clouds and remain unnoticed."

"And make a swift retreat while we're at it," I murmured to myself. This would do for now.

At my command, the ponies under my spell removed their counterparts’ helmets. All stallions, eyeing me with either anger, fear or wariness.

I addressed what looked to be the eldest among them, a stallion with a slate grey coat, no horn or wings. A particularly impressive specimen. Despite his weathered age, his body was powerfully built and a steely resolve evident in his brown eyes.

“Your name, if you please,” I said, trying to go the courteous route this time.

“Anchor Weigh, captain of this company,” he growled, his voice gravelly, a permanent growl etched into it.

Captain? What a fortuitous set of circumstances.

"Anchor Weigh," I said imperiously. "Do you swear from this moment forward to follow me and obey my commands, be they good or ill, even if following such commands are detrimental to your life? Swear fealty to me, lay down your life at my honor and you will be rewarded beyond your wildest dreams."

His eyes bugged out, his teeth bared and he exploded in a string of unpleasant insults and remarks, some very much creative. I was somewhat impressed, but unsurprised.

"So be it."

His stone prison dissolved into grains no bigger than sand. I had no intention of allowing him to live, of course. It became clear almost immediately that I'd be unable to sway him to my cause and even if I could force him to obey me, he was a captain and so held some measure of influence or authority—both of which could be used against me.

His body hung ramrod stiff in midair, my magic paralyzing his muscles, allowing him only command of his eyes and lungs. The remaining ponies watched in morbid fascination or dread, knowing the captain would soon expire; but this would be no normal death. An example had to be made out of him.

I closed my eyes, bringing my palms together. The world surrounding me grew faint as I meditated, breathing deeply. The Triforce surged with power as I called forth dark magics alien to this realm of existence. The air grew cold, almost unbearably so and the amber glow emanating from the torchlights dimmed as an unnatural force permeated the room.

Opening my eyes, I saw them slowly take shape—a dark miasma that had not been there moments ago. Their forms coalesced, dark and ghostly, their faces cowled and slender arms that ended in wicked talons. Six wraiths altogether that hovered above their offering, leering down with eyeless masks, appraising the terrified pony.

An unearthly, earsplitting screech escaped one of the wraiths as it swooped down, its immaterial body phasing through the helpless pony. The rest followed suit. Not even my magic could hold back his screams now. His fur sloughed off, skin erupting in boils and blisters and tearing in seams as the wraiths devoured him. His muscles melted, his blood boiled, his bones caught on fire and his body steadily deformed amidst the feasting of the wraiths until all that remained was the stench of organic waste, a pile of ash and something that resembled snot.

Their job done, the wraiths vanished and I paused to inspect their handiwork. My attention then settled on the remaining ponies. Unadulterated fear and terror marked their features as they gawked at me. A couple of the weaker-stomached eggheads had lost their dinner.

"Now," I said as I stood in front of a certain pony. "Do you, Twilight Sparkle, swear your undying fealty to me and to follow my orders to the best of your ability, be they good or ill?"

Violent tremors wracked the little mare's body as she looked up at me in pure horror. Her mouth worked wordlessly and her eyes grew misty. Nevertheless, she pushed on through the fear and uttered the words that would prove her salvation.

"I do."