Heart Of Equestria

Chapter 5

“Hey Glaze, did you let the guards know to reinforce the southern railing? I get the feeling some of the stock is going to try and jump.”

Sunny Chaser trotted along the corridor to his brothers office with a frantic look; everything had to be arranged perfectly if the two of them wanted to keep their wings.

“Glaze? Glaze!”

Still his brother didn’t respond. Sunny Chase groaned in annoyance and took a detour to his brothers office, pushing through the door without a thought.

“Glaze, will you just answer first time for… once.”

Sunny looked around in horror at the scene before him; Glaze had collapsed at his desk, his face planted firmly against the oak table. Around his head and on the floor were several bottles that while unmarked Sunny didn’t need much to figure out exactly what his brother had been doing.

He crossed the room in a few strides.

“Glaze, wake up! You can’t do this again, if you get caught doing this again you’re going to get run in and I won’t be able to back you this time!” Why today of all days? Why had his brother chosen now to fall back to his old ways? And how in the hay had he even found the stuff, the factory had produced none of it for months.

Glaze gradually forced his eyes open and yawned, interrupted half way by a coughing fit. Even with his mouth open only briefly the repugnant smell of his breath filled the room, remnants from the bottled liquid no doubt.

“Oh my, ack! Couldn’t you have at least distilled it first?” Sunny mumbled, one hoof clamped over his nose.

Glaze turned to Sunny like a lumbering zombie; he must have been out for over an hour, his eyes were showing none of the more tell-tale signs of his… habit. Still though his eyes were bloodshot and unfocused.

“Ugh, hello Sunny. Is it time for the Monarchs new pet to throw us out yet?” He mumbled, his mouth seemingly unable to decide whether to scowl or grin.

Sunny facehoofed.

“It will be if you show up like this.” He growled, pulling Glaze out of his seat and keeping his wings pressed to his back until he could stand steadily. “Honestly Glaze, now? Of all times you choose now?!”

Glaze tried to look indignant but instead looked slightly confused.

“Hey, I’ve kept away from it for over half a year, isn’t that impressive?”

“It would be if there had been any to steal in that half a year. Where in the hay did you get the batch you just guzzled?” Sunny replied, sniffing one of the empty bottles with an annoyed glare.

Glaze seemed to be racking his brain for a moment before another grin overtook his features.

“Welp, remember the newer batch of stock?”

Sunny whirled to face his brother, his face a mixture of fear and anger.

“You didn’t, Glaze please, PLEASE, tell me that you are just too out of it to know what you’re talking about?” A hint of a plea was in Sunny’s voice now but he was disappointed; the dopey grin on Glaze’s face was answer enough.

“ARRRGGHHH!!!”

Exactly how much Glaze was aware of the hooves smashing into his muzzle repeatedly was unclear but in his frustrated outburst Sunny Chaser didn’t particularly care. All he cared was that his hooves were inflicting as much pain on this stupid, irresponsible mess of a brother as possible.

Again and again he slammed his hooves down, Glazes head smashing into the wood of his desk over and over again, blood was now flowing steadily from a clearly broken nose and blood was also seeping from under his green spikes of mane, some of it staining the green in horrible shades.

“I think that might be sufficient.”

Sunny froze; the voice was unfamiliar but he could not have been given more shivers if somepony had emptied a snow cloud over him. No doubt who it belonged to.

Well, he thought, it’s been nice knowing you brother.

Sunny turned away to face the unicorn, wincing as he heard Glaze slump into a mess on the floor behind him. He didn’t dare turn away to check if he was conscious or not.

King Sombra stood as imposing as he had when he had once ruled the Crystal Empire; while he was not a particularly large unicorn, indeed he was thinner and slightly shorter than Sunny Chaser, his appearance more than compensated, a mane that flickered and whirled like pitch black fire, eyes of red surrounded by an unnatural glowing green where white should have framed his irises. His armour was elegantly crafted and covered almost his entire body; a long and royal looking cape flowed from his shoulders that occasionally seemed to flutter despite the obvious lack of wind. His face was fixed on the scene before him, a mixture of disapproval but also amusement.

“I appreciate a bit of blood sport as much as the next pony Sunny Chaser but I think it may be wise to stop before you do some permanent damage to your brother. I’m afraid he is still very necessary.” Sombra spared a glance to Glaze, now babbling incoherently into the floor. Sombra sighed in irritation and focused on Glaze; a green glow with flecks of darkness enveloped him briefly before fading once again, leaving Glaze staring around confused and once again coherent. Glaze only looked around briefly before he spotted Sombra and gave a grudging but clear salute.

Sombra nodded.

“Now then, assuming that there are no more Pegasi turning their brains into mush when they should be working, can I please ask you to show me what exactly The Monarch has had you working on?”

Sunny Chaser nodded and bowed again.

“Absolutely Sombra, Glaze, if you stay here and oversee the incoming delivery I will show Sombra around.” Sunny shot Glaze a look that clearly ended any arguments before they began and trotted from the office, Sombra behind him.

****

Princess Luna was awakened by a slight jolt as their carriage finally touched down; she could feel that Twilight had cuddled into her side during their sleep and gently extracted herself to clamber out of the door that one of their royal guards was opening: it was still the middle of the night, Shining Armours inauguration would surely have begun by now.

She sighed. The questions about that particular call would be uncomfortable when they arose; she could almost hear Twilights lecture in her head already.

“Princess, shall we awaken the Elements?” The lead Pegasus of their guard asked her, still stood straight and proper.

Luna shook her head.

“No good guard; there is something I must attend to first. Please guard the carriage until I raise the sun and then awaken them, though I must admit I imagine Pinkie Pie will have seen to that for you.”

“Understood.”

Luna shared a nod with the guard before she stretched her wings and took off, ignoring Ponyville and heading right for her true destination.

The Everfree Forest.

Ever since she had heard the rumours of an assault of the undead on Ponyville Luna had feared the worst; to have it confirmed seemed to chase any doubt but still, until she witnessed her suspicions confirmed first hand she could not be certain.

She would cling to that flimsy hope as long as it was possible.

The alternative was… painful to imagine.

Bypassing the dangerous paths of the forest entirely, Luna followed a path through the treetops that to many would seem like zigzagging nonsense but to her it was a clear, defined flight path, and one which she had hoped that neither she nor anyone else would ever follow again.

“By Equestria…”

Luna fought the tears but they still forced their way through.

Before her a village stood; not a burnt and hollowed ruin as should’ve stood, no, a true village, as though somepony had merely scooped away a section of Ponyville and dropped it in the Everfree without anypony the wiser.

Luna shook her head in desperation, hoping against hope to see the village disappear, to have been hit by a hallucinogenic plant, to see Discord laughing at her suffering or hay even to find that she had passed away and was in Tartarus.

All were preferable.

“So, planning to explain this?”

Luna whirled around, magic gathering in her horn and wings flared to the side in a combative pose, prepared to strike down whatever abomination had been foolish enough to approach her.

“Well, Princess?”

Luna felt her heart freeze; in the glow of her magic stood Sora and Kairi, keyblades drawn and with angry glares on their faces. She racked her brain, desperately trying to think of a plausible explanation but Sora cut her off.

“Don’t bother Princess, we don’t want to hear anymore lies like we always here whenever someone in power makes a mistake; we just want to know what we’re dealing with because that really doesn’t look like Heartless to me.” Sora’s tone was strangely empty, there was no cheer but also no anger, just undertones of accusation.

Luna considered telling them that it was simply none of their business but soon relented and allowed herself to sag, knowing that lying would be futile.

“Very well. I will tell you and the Elements everything… but first there is something I must do.”

Sora nodded but kept his keyblade trained on Luna as she, much to his and Kairi’s shock, walked straight toward the village.

The reaction was instantaneous; the moment Luna put a hoof over the perimeter of the village the joy seemed to be sucked from the world as buildings and ponies alike rotted before their eyes, buildings became overgrown or burnt wrecks and ponies lost their manes and rotted their skin away until the undead creatures from the previous night once again stood in view.

The undead ponies hissed collectively and all began glancing around for the disturbance before their eyes, or what should have been their eyes, fell on the advancing form of Luna. Immediately a pony threw itself at her hooves.

“PLEASE, I beg of you Princess Luna, we performed your duty as commanded, we couldn’t have expected the help they had, PLEASE let us die, pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease…”

The ponies begging dissolved into unintelligible sobbing as Luna looked around at the assembled crowd, still horrified but now also confused.

“My subjects; who on Equestria ordered you to attack Ponyville?”

If the undead had the ability to look confused, they would’ve done.

“Y-y-you did, p-p-princess. Y-you ordered it, as –r-r-recompense during the late hours o-of last night.” The pony at her feet sobbed once again, Luna had to hide a look of revulsion as she realised the pony had been sobbing blood all over her hooves.

Luna considered the possibilities.

“You are certain this pony was me?” She questioned gently.

“Y-yes, we knew it h-h-had to be you, the Princess who bears t-the strengths of all ponies and the weaknesses of none.”

A nasty shiver seemed to run through the crowd at this but Luna ignored it; she suspected that this was the most useful info she would get.

Now, to correct a millennia old mistake.

Luna’s eyes closed for a brief moment before she snapped them open again dramatically, the light of the full moon shining from her sockets as Luna rose from the ground without even flapping her wings, magic enveloping her.

Sora tightened his grip on his keyblade which had been lax as he observed the scene.

“PONIES OF SUNNY TOWN; YOU HAVE COMMITTED ATROCITIES UNDER THE FALSE PRETENCE OF HAVING MY SISTER AND I’S APPROVAL. YOU HAVE SUFFERED MY WRATH FOR OVER A MILLENNIUM AND I, AS PRINCESS OF EQUESTRIA, DECLARE YOUR SENTENCE SERVED; GO IN PEACE MY LITTLE PONIES, AND PRAY THAT THE AFTERLIFE IS MORE MERCIFUL THAN I!”

The Royal Canterlot voice caused Luna’s voice to reverberate across what seemed to be the entirety of the Everfree but both humans and ponies alike could care less, transfixed as the moon above them almost burned with moonlight, focusing on the clearing like some heavenly spotlight.

The moment the undead ponies came into the moonlight they became to fade, not as the violent puffs of shadow as they had from the keyblades strikes but gradually, their bodies shifting from hollowed bones and rotted flesh to tiny orbs of light which dispersed, no longer forming solid shapes as they faded away into the night. As the last of the ponies disappeared it was clear to see the rage, bloodlust and cruelty leave them; only relief graced what was left of their forms as they faded away, allowed to rest in peace at last. Luna even heard a brief “bless you”, hidden underneath renewed sobs as the pony at her feet faded away to join her friends in the afterlife.

Luna allowed her tears to fall before turning back to face the Keyblade Warriors; their faces reflected exactly what she expected, fear and confusion.

“It would seem… that it is time to, as Rainbow Dash would say, “fess up””.

****

“Noble, I mean really. The only part of that which is true is that she’s a royal pain.”

The gathered nobles gave themselves a chuckle at the joke of Prince Blueblood as he nodded to Vinyl Scratch, who had not moved from her table and seemed content to indulge herself in the fine wines on offer, her marefriend was busy on the next table with what looked like a member of her ensemble.

“I say Prince Blueblood, could you not simply have her removed?” Jet Set inquired as he wrinkled his nose in disgust as Vinyl downed a glass of wine in one gulp.

Blueblood shook his head.

“I am afraid not, she is of royal blood and only on our new “Regents” authority can I have her escorted from the palace.” Blueblood said, getting a lot of groaning from the gathered nobles.

“Well, surely a stallion of your standing could simply make Shining Armour see reason; you are Princess Celestia’s niece after all.” Responded uppercrust, whose nose was held so high it was threatening to cause her to fall backwards.

Blueblood gulped; this was a very delicate situation.

“Ahem, um, very well, I shall indeed request this of our dear Shining Armour, excuse me all, shouldn’t be a moment.” Blueblood excised himself from the crowd and made his way to the still armour clad Shining Armour, who was conversing with a slender and beautiful unicorn Blueblood knew only by sight.

“Ahem.”

Shining Armour didn’t seem to notice but instead laughed at a joke the unicorn was telling.

“Ahem.”

Once again Shining Armour did not respond.

“Oh, your majesty-“

“I’ve told you sir; please just call me Shining Armour.”

The suited unicorn gave a chuckle with Shining Armour, both completely oblivious to Bluebloods jaw dropping almost to the floor behind them.

“Anyway, Shining Armour, I was wondering whether I could trouble you over that research funding I was after; I was hoping to get some business done tonight.” Fancypants asked looking slightly guilty but Shining Armour waved a hoof.

“It’s no problem Fancypants; after all, I’ve looked at the project, I’d be amazed if you weren’t invested in it as much as you have been. I think it’s so inspiring to see a pony as rich and powerful as you giving so much money to a cause like this.”

Fancypants and the unicorn looked slightly saddened, the slender unicorn nuzzling Fancypants safely.

“Well, you understand of course, we do have a personal reason for this?”

Shining Armour nodded, suddenly sombre.

“I know, and believe me; even if this project is a failure, I promise to do everything I can to help you, even if I have little of worth.” Shining Armour placed a hoof on Fancypants shoulder and nodded as their eyes met.

The trio wandered off to a side chamber, away from the bustle of the grand hall.

By now Prince Blueblood was fairly certain that he had begun collecting flies in his open mouth, which he snapped shut, enraged at being ignored for some businesscolt and his trophy wife!

He felt his blood boil as he heard a loud whoop of laughter that could have only come from one pony; sure enough, he saw Vinyl Scratch laughing at some poor noble who had evidently fallen over her outstretched legs and was now spouting off insults that she clearly didn’t understand.

Right then, Blueblood decided, magically tightening his bowtie as tight as it could go; time to show her how royalty actually handles ruffians. He pulled himself up to his fullest height and marched over the table, making a show of seating himself opposite the alabaster unicorn who, to his fury, didn’t seem to acknowledge him.

“You, Ms Scratch, I do not approve of being ignored.”

The unicorn hesitated, her horn pulsing momentarily before she pulled herself to face Blueblood.

“Oh hey, you’re that noble guy who doesn’t know what happens when you stop in the middle of a crowd.” She said, chuckling slightly and not looking at Bluebloods face.

Blueblood twitched in annoyance.

“Correct, I am indeed the royal stallion who you assaulted at the castle gates, and I am here to tell you Miss Scratch, that you are not welcome here.” Blueblood looked immensely pleased with himself as he saw her ears droop slightly.

“Now come on guy, I haven’t even done anything that bad here; the guard even said you can’t have me chucked for bumping you a bit.”

Blueblood smirked; he loved when people brought up the guards, it meant they knew he had them on the ropes.

“On the contrary Miss Scratch; by your behaviour, hay, your very presence at this event, you make a mockery of the Canterlot Elite and of our Regent. As if the mere fact that a parasite such as yourself even existing among our noble ranks wasn’t bad enough.”

He was surprised by the reaction he got; Vinyl Scratch shot up from her chair, her horn illuminating briefly again and she took a step back, obviously trying to keep from crying.

“H-How did you find out? WHO TOLD YOU?!” The mare sounded like she was in hysterics.

By now several ponies had stopped to observe the scene, some even gave approving nods to Blueblood.

He decided to press this unknown weakness; whatever it was, he could clearly use it to his advantage. He leaned in to whisper into her ear, feeling her jump as he did so.

“I know all about your dirty little secret; it’s honestly quite embarrassing and frankly I think disgusting but then, I really don’t think it would matter. I can think of very few ways a mare such as yourself could contribute to society, and honestly I doubt you could be competent at even those pitiful existences.” Blueblood smirked as Vinyl fell on her haunches, her lip quivering as she desperately fought not to cry.

He allowed himself a chuckle at his triumph, which was shared by several other nobles around him. It didn’t last however, as stars exploded before his eyes when a hoof connected with the back of his head.

“You foul, evil, little mule!”

Blueblood tried in vain to shield himself from a fury of blows being rained on him by at least to sets of hooves, failing miserably as he felt his nose break and pain explode in his sides as he was kicked ferociously, the strength of an Earth pony clearly behind one set of hooves.

Even as he writhed on the floor guards quickly advanced to pull his assailants away but his satisfaction was momentary as he also felt strong hooves restraining him to the ground as well.

“What in the name of Celestia do you think you are doing, unhand me you gormless grunts or I’ll see to it you guard the gates of Tartarus for the remainder of your lives.”

“Really? Will you Blueblood?”

The guards parted and allowed Blueblood to stand; he could now see his attackers had been the grey mare accompanying Vinyl Scratch, who now sat comforting the sobbing unicorn and, he wasn’t sure whether to be amused or offended, the slender and delicate looking unicorn who Shining Armour had been conversing with. The unicorn appeared to have a cut lip but didn’t seem to notice it, glaring at Blueblood with more hatred than he would’ve thought possible.

“Well Blueblood?” The voice repeated.

Blueblood panicked; though he kept it internalised, he panicked, all control was gone in his brain as he turned to Shining Armour, who looked murderous.

“Is this the Canterlot Elite? Is this what you all are? I heard a ton of bad things from Twily but I never thought it could all be right, but this? This is a bucking insult.” Several nobles gasped at the cursing.

Ignoring the loud objections of the Prince, Shining Armour grabbed Blueblood by the over-groomed mane and dragged him into the centre of the Grand Hall before dumping him on the floor.

“Well, it appears my first trial as Regent is on; an impromptu night court hearing shall now commence, Prince Blueblood is accused of blackmail and bigotry.”

Blueblood spluttered.

“Blackmail! What in the world are you blathering about you grunt in royal clothing?!”

Both stallions ignored the loud gasps and mutterings, content to glare at each other.

“You threatened a pony to reveal a disability in an effort to discredit them and get them to remove themselves from this event, under full knowledge that you could not do so via legitimate complaint.” Shining Armour nodded to Vinyl, who by now had calmed down and was nuzzling Octavia.

Blueblood stared in shock; what in Celestia’s name had he stumbled into?

“Well, Blueblood. We’re waiting to hear your defence.”

Blueblood decided do the one thing any noble pony would do in his situation.

Call in his acquaintances to back him up.

“Ponies of the Canterlot Elite I beseech you; will you stand for this sham. This stallion, barely, to lord over-“

“Enough.”

The voice was calm but it echoed across the Grand Hall with an effortless authority.

“And who are you to object-“ The snarl died in Bluebloods throat. “-to me?”

Fancypants had marched to join the two stallions in the centre, the slender unicorn on his hooves; both were looking murderous.

“Who am I? I doubt you need to be told Blueblood but just in case you are as dense as you appear, allow me to clarify for you: I am everything that you should be, I am wealthy beyond imagine, I am influential in those who have power within our city and I am held in high regard by many.” Fancypants crossed the distance between them, Blueblood was now practically nose to nose with him but he still spoke loud enough for all those gathered to hear. “But unlike you Blueblood, I am not some pompous ass who is content to use his titles, which I might add you inherited and I earned, to bully other ponies for my own amusement; I am a stallion of principle, why just moments ago I was discussing with our Regent on a new charity venture but now rather than contributing to the good of Equestria we are pulled away to deal with the waste like you!” Fancypants was advancing slowly, backing Blueblood toward the double doors. The guards were ready to leap in but for now did nothing.

Blueblood desperately glanced around for aid but he could see his associates nodding along with Fancypants, Jet Set and Uppercrust seemed to be whispering to others in support of Fancypants.

“And finally Prince Blueblood, I must simply express my relief that you are not our Regent, clearly the Princess shows her wisdom even in her absence. Now, do a favour to all of Equestria for once in your miserable life, AND LEAVE!!!” The shout caught Blueblood off guard and he stumbled back. Unaware that Fancypants had backed him to the top of the staircase.

The trip to the bottom was a blur of humiliation and painful knocks from the staircase, leaving Blueblood to pull himself to his feet and glance back up at the nobles now gathered atop the staircase, seething. He knew he could do nothing.

The Shadowbolts would be sure to hear about this, he thought as he adopted his usual dignified march and left the palace.

Shining Armour looked to Fancypants with a worried expression.

“Perhaps it might be better to end the night?”

Fancypants nodded.

“Agreed. Would you mind me and Fleur staying to hash out details of our arrangement?”

“Of course not, but what about Vinyl?”

Fancypants turned to look back at the mostly composed DJ, who was glaring daggers at Bluebloods retreating back, Octavia ready to restrain her.

“She stays; this is for her after all.”

Shining Armour was suddenly reminded why he respected Fancypants so much.

“That’s great Fancypants, she and her marefriend should have a say in this. I’ve got to say it’s nice to see such kindness among the elite.”

Fancypants shrugged.

“What sort of father would I be if I didn’t?”

****

“As you can see Sombra, we have all you could need to execute your plans in our wonderful facility-“

“I am not a tourist Sunny Chaser. I want to know the exact capabilities of these devices and to see your livestock. After that I will tell you what I require of you, firstly that you get your idiot brother under control.”

Sunny flared his wings and faced Sombra.

“I won’t let you insult Glaze, Sombra. He’s proven himself more useful than you have so far, he’s operated with a lack of resources for years and kept his loyalty, while all you managed to do was get yourself sealed away then shattered to pieces!” Sunny slapped a hoof over his mouth at his outburst and waited for the inevitable fiery death that Sombra would inflict.

Instead, he chuckled.

“Hmm, that’s admirable bravery Sunny Chaser. It will be necessary for the upcoming war.”

Even as Sunny sighed in relief he felt himself lifted from the floor in a green glow and slammed into the wall, before rocketing forward into the opposite wall. This repeated a few times before Sombra dropped him to the floor.

“But be careful who you direct it at; you and your brother cannot stand against me and you will obey me or I will personally put you through suffering beyond even what you two inflict on others. Now shall we continue?”

Ignoring his aching body Sunny continued down toward the main production line.

“This is where the magic happens as they say. As you can see the machines external devices and mechanics seem like they need no modification, as to what you want to modify on the insides I can have one dismantled and shown to you in greater detail within an hour.”

Sombra nodded.

“Do so now; it would be prudent to modify these devices as soon as possible, lest we run into any problems in development.” Sombra was not looking at Sunny but examining what he could see of the machine before him with what looked like awe in his eyes.

Sunny nodded and signalled to one of the Pegasi who were constantly flitting around the room and signalled for a dismantling; she nodded and sped off to collect the appropriate mechanics.

“Now then, is this where you store your livestock? The reinforcement seems excessive.”

Sunny Chaser glanced back to Sombra and felt the bottom drop out of his stomach.

“DON’T TOUCH THAT YOU FOOL!!!”

Sombra recoiled as if the huge vault door had burnt him and glared in annoyance.

Sunny Chaser shook his head.

“Apologies Sombra but that is a high security cell; The Monarch herself reinforced this door with her magic, nothing ever goes in and nothing EVER gets out.” Sunny Chasers voice was filled with fear, which caused Sombra to smirk.

“Really? Fascinating… From what I’ve seen of your world, do tell what could possibly be so evil and twisted that even you ponies feel it should be locked away?” He sounded caught between mocking and genuine curiosity.

Sunny Chaser shivered and shook his head wildly.

“Alright, alright! Understood Sunny Chaser, now please show me to your livestock.”

Sunny Chaser nodded and moved over to a corridor leading further into the facility, past several empty blocks of cells before coming to a locked door.

“This is where we’ve been keeping those that you snatched from Ponyville; so far we’ve heard not a peep out of them.”

Sombra narrowed his eyes.

“And you consider this a good thing?”

Sunny Chaser looked at him in confusion.

“Well, yes. If they aren’t making any noise then we don’t have to-“

“Check on them and ensure they aren’t up to something?” Sombra growled.

Sunny Chaser suddenly knew what Sombra was getting at and didn’t know whether to laugh or simply humour him.

“Look Sombra, I appreciate that you obviously have experience at this but a bunch of foals aren’t going to be able to cause a problem for the strength of the Pegasi.”

Sombra growled and flared his magic, blowing the door off its hinges.

“Tell me then, oh masterful Pegasus, does this look right to you!?”

Sunny Chaser followed him into the cell block and promptly wished he hadn’t.

“Can you explain this Sunny Chaser? Is this a typical part of your prisoner restraint system?” Sombra’s voice was mirthless as the two ponies stared in stunned silence at a doorway that had opened into an open field, the dense trees of a thick forest on the horizon.

“But-but-but-“

Sombra ignored the stunned Pegasus and lit his horn, scanning the world before him, his influence spreading itself over the entirety of this bizarre pocket of forest. He smirked as he recognised traces of unicorn magic, clearly someone simply trying to delay the inevitable, they must have some-

His eyes glowed red and widened as he recognised a familiar power in the illusion.

“Stay. Here.” He snarled to Sunny Chaser. “If anything tries to get out, you kill it, understood?”

Sunny nodded and adopted a combat stance.

Sombra focused his energies and gradually felt his physical form unravel, replacing his physical form with that of the cloud of shadow that had previously limited him but now complimented his power; he took off and sped through the woods, murder on his mind and a name ringing through his head in a mantra of hatred.

Cascade, Cascade, Cascade, Cascade…