Scalpel had been rather taken aback when she had [i]admired[/i] his work, usually the response was one of dread and fear at the attempt to understand and pursue the forbidden, but this mare was different.

She had been ecstatic.

The coldness began to drop a little from his voice and he actually gave her a genuine smile, “My, my good doctor, it’s rare that I encounter someone of your persuasion. Usually ponies are just so” - he pulled a face- “Skittish about these things, but not you…”

He signalled to the two Risen and they ceased their pacing, drawing back just behind their father and standing to attention. 

His face changed again, still smiling, but with an underlying curiosity as well as danger and spoke again.

“You interest me.”

“As for my Risen, I have no fears of their replication but by any hooves but mine, they represent years of study and innovation, decades of learning and accumulated knowledge. I believe you understand from your brief glimpse that this isn’t something every hack and their shoddy tools could do, this requires refinement and understanding… understanding which only I will ever have, unless I allow it.”

A flicker of magic coursed from his horn and a shining orb flew out from the shadows behind him and levitated to the centre of the room. On close inspection, it revealed its true nature, a crystal orb covered in runes and magic, pulsing Cherenkov blue and lighting up the room, but not enough to reveal the numerous Drones which lingered still in the darkness. 

As the two Risen hooded themselves once again the Doctor continued, his pose less aggressive, but still cautious, his face a mixture of interest, as if he had just discovered something deeply fascinating. 

“As for my true name I shall keep it to myself as I have always done, I have had decades to accumulate names and titles all across this nation, but you may call me ‘The Noxferus’.”

The doctor turned and signalled for her to follow suit and continued down a corridor, the floating orb taking point whilst the two Risen moved to take positions either side of her, still silently observing her ever action analytically.

“The Book you refer to? [i]The Marvels of Science?[/i] I do indeed have a copy of that volume and have done for many years, in fact I have several editions, varying in age and structure of course, but what would one expect from a book which was banned even before the Inquisition existed? Most of the text is a frustrating mixture of truth and falsehood, real inspirational truths and discovery melded with conspiracy theory and pseudo-science. The trouble is separating fact from fiction, but hopefully you will be able to find what you seek.”

Continuing along a corridor coated in lairs of dust he cast spells of various nature, as he continued the dust rose from the ground and began to slowly sift out of the building, leaving behind the unspoiled nature of the grand house. From underneath the dust arose walls lined with pictures from many centuries ago, doubtless worth a fortune to the correct buyer, fine mahogany floors which now shone dark and polished under hoof, and crisp wallpaper covered in golden patterns of almost alien design. As he passed the various candleholders on the walls, they burst into life with small puffs of flame, lighting up the room further and discarding the darkness which had once ruled undisturbed for years.

“I have already exhausted the secrets and speculations which are hidden within that volume and I have no qualms about trading it, especially given the presence of that volume I acquired from the Manehatten black market within this very house. But as you have stated this is a trade... and I believe you may have something that I require.”

He stopped before a great brass door, a creation of cooper and gold melded together in an unusual near perfect circular design, asides from its flattening at the bottom where it reached the mahogany floor. The entire thing coursed with inscriptions and straight lines branching off in different directions, ending in circular indents in the door. A great indent was set in the centre of the door, a clear spherical cusp covered in matrixes and various changeable locks, requiring a code to fully understand.

Scalpel signalled to the sphere and it whooshed down from above, settling in his hooves as he placed it within the indent in the door. With a solid clunk it sealed itself to the door and began to throb rhythmically. Covering it with his form, Scalpel slowly began to turn the orb in various ways, each turn ending with a definite number of clicks, his ears listening keenly as he did so, every so often he would pause and whisper something inaudibly to it, with a sound returning back as if a bolt lock had just been pulled back. Eventually, with one final thud, the glowing orb stopped and Scalpel lit up his horn and pulled open the door, revealing a dark room within. 

Levitating a candle out of its holder, he brought it close to him and stepped into the room, illuminating its mysteries. The room was a large portion of the building, its ends unseen and nestled in shadows, and its vaulted ceiling lost to darkness, but what was seen would have been breathtaking. The entire room made of brass and covered in the same symbols, inscriptions and lines as the door, huge metal bookcases reached far into the sky, towering above them covered in brass metal boxes of uniform sizes, each one big enough to hold one large volume of ancient lore, and each sealed away with the same indentation as the door. 

The doctor turned to her and smiled wolfishly, his eyes ablaze with knowledge and an unquenchable enthusiasm for the unknown. “Welcome to the Library, please follow me closely, the darkness is alive with wards against intruders.”

As he progressed into darkness with his companions the metal door closed with a thunderous boom, locked until the houses master decided to open it once more. 

“This room is one of many scattered across Equestria, what you see is a fraction, but still… I lack so much for it to be called a complete collection, and this brings me back to what I want from you in return…”

Has he said this he stopped before a circle of bookcases in what seemed to be another circular indent, but this time the size of a boulder, at least three meters across and smooth asides from a ring of circles orbiting around a central circle. With a flicker of magic the indent sprung to life with blue fire, languidly coursing up from nothing and rising high into the air and giving off a heartening glow of warmth. Uncaringly Scalpel ran his hoof through the flames, coming through unscathed despite it flickering around him and grinned.

“Magical fire, it glows, it warms us, but it does not burn.”

The light had revealed two heavily cushioned armchairs, and Scalpel took position in one, motion for Solar Lens to take the other, as one Risen took place behind each of them, standing like statues in the light of the fire. 

“What I want is a very obscure and very rare volume of lore. In the wrong hooves it is absolutely useless, and for almost all ponies and lore keepers it has been an inescapable mystery. Only the Sea Ponies of myth are said to have even understood a fraction of what was found there within, and only at considerable loss to themselves.”

“It is called [i]The Black Sun Prophecies[/i] and for hundreds of years, perhaps even thousands, it has been indecipherable, written in a strange language or code which no pony now living understands, or perhaps will ever understand. The tome itself is considerably rare, but likely undervalued given its meaningless nature, but I understand there are a few ponies in this nation who still have a copy of it in the hopes that it will be understood one day. I have come upon some… valuable information these last few weeks which could ensure certain possibilities regarding such a book. That, my dear Dr Solar Lens is my price, if you can bring me it I will solidify the deal and give you my copy of [i]The Marvels of Science[/i] and perhaps I shall consider even joining your organisation as an independent agent.”

Snapping his attention upwards he sent out a flicker of magic and grabbed a hold of one of the metal boxes far above them. Levitating it downwards he took a tiny orb out of his pocket and began to unlock it in the same fashion as the door. With a click the box unlatched itself and opened, and Scalpel took out a large leather bound tome, turning it to face his guest he revealed the title of the book, [i]The Marvels of Science[/i].

Casually flicking through the various pages Scalpel concluded, “I show you this so that you understand that I tell no lies regarding my possession of the book, and in regards to our deal I will uphold my end of the bargain. When you happen to recover the volume the exchange will take place under my own conditions and under a location of my choosing. But for now I have some questions regarding you and your organisation, most notably your history, just who this Director is and what he stands for…” here his tone grew serious, “and whether your organisation has any involvement with the Gods which now dwell upon our land.”

“If you have questions of your own I will answer them… to a point, I would prefer it if you reserved yourself from ones of a personal matter.”

Locking away the book again and returning it to his position, he relaxed into his chair, legs folded inwards and head propped up on a ornate silk cushion.

“So my dear doctor Lens, are you willing to arrange the deal?”