Dr. Lens sat at the the bar alone, sipping on some apple cider. It was evening now, many hours after Lightwing flew with all haste to Manehatten. With any hope, he would be able to enter the city with little fuss (and many bribes) by now. The tavern operated by the Inn was filled with many ponies, wanting relaxation after a long day of work. Pipes were lit, songs were sung, and ponies had a merry time.

"So is this seat taken?" asked a stallion to Lens. She looked at the strong orange buck who, from the dirt on his hooves, must have been a farmer or woodsman.

"You can take it, but I prefer to drink alone," she said, no emotion coming from the words. "And in silence."

The buck sighed and returned to the table, were he was greeted by gawfawing from his friends. It was all in good jest - he had little luck with mares anyways. Of course, he was but the third pony that attempted to flirt with Lens. And like the others, got the same answer.

The barmaid looked at lens and quirked an eyebrow. "So what brings you here to our little village? Seems odd that a scientist would come here of all places." She smiled as she was wiping some cups. Lens decided to answer, deciding that she preferred a conversation that wasn't focused on getting a date.

"Just traveling back from the Canterlot Mountains, attempting to negotiate setting up a Observatory on the south end of the chain. Alas, I was denied by the local Magisiter."

The mare set down the glass, and picked up another. Lens wondered how an Earth Pony was able to do that without breaking them. "Sorry to hear that. Though, I guess they didn't want anypony trying to spy on their land. But why were you consorting with the Baldies?"

"Baldies?"

"That new cult, ones that say they work for a Lady of Purity, fixing things up in town. The ones with the shinny scalps."

"Ah yes, one of my interests is learning about new social phenomena. With the coming of these new Alicorns, quite a few cults have arisen. I find the topic interesting, and wanted to see who this Lady they spoke about."

"Thinking about joining them?" There was a hint of an edge to the question. Lens wondered if the town disliked the Sweeper mission.

"No. Just curious is all." She took a drink from the ale. "Besides, I like my mane."

The barmaid laughed, having not expected such a comment from the icy Scholar. "So how long are you staying?"

"Maybe a week or so. It was supposed to be for a day, but I found the architecture here to be very interesting - another subject of mine. Probably spend a few days through the town records." But Len's thoughts were on the Noxferus, and she began to blush.

"Are you sure it's not thinking about anypony else?" said the barmaid. She had seen the look of many of a lovestruck pony before.

"Um, er… not right now," Lens said. "Another ale please."

---

Lilly sat on a marble seat in the graveyard, sweat getting into her eyes. If there was one thing she missed about her light brown mane, it was the fact that it was like a sponge. She used her hoof to clean her eyes. "It took all evening, but we did it."

Three others were with her, one a unicorn, the others pegasi. Of the group, only Longsight the unicorn had a mane, a short dull violet that contrasted with the bright-yellow coat. The moon was now casting it's light over the town, and in the distance gaslight glowed.

"I wonder who would have disturbed this place," muttered Longsight. They had reset the tombstones, leveled out uneven ground, repaired damaged stones if they could. The coffins themselves were already buried, but in such a hasty manner. Lilly wondered about that, but the town watch had already taken care of the matter. The Watch did not say anything about the missing bodies.

"Probably a bunch of hooligans. Whatever, we should get back to our camp," said Honeybee, a golden pegasus. "I just hope we don't run into any drunkards like last night." Absentmindedly she lifted a hoof over a blackened eye. Lilly nodded, and they began to pack their equipment into their cart. But then they heard a scream in the night, coming from the forest near the yard. Longsight lit up her horn, casting light over the graves. But despite this they could not see under the trees very well, only making out vague shadows.

There was a long silence.

Then they saw a silhouette of a pony shambling in the woods. There were sounds of gasping and gurgling, and one leg seemed to be motionless. The shape began to move towards the light. Lily was about to make a move to help, but Honeybee grabbed her. "Could be the Laughing Cult or something worse - let's wait until we can see who it is," she whispered.

The figure was getting closer, but before they could see the figure in the full light it fell. And then something else came, a blur or a motion, that took the pony. The fallen one was gurgling and yelping, frantically trying to shake off whatever took him. But soon both was gone. The four missionaries stood in fear, motionless in the night.

Amaretto awoke with a groan, grumbling something about the sun being the best, and most annoying, sharp shooter in the world, somehow always hitting right on target. Said target was, in this instance anyway, the small gap between the curtains in front of the window, and his eyes. His silver eyes opened fully, glaring death and damnation at the curtains failing to block out the thrice damned sun. Sure, he liked the sun for what it did, and enjoyed its warmth on a nice summer day, but that appreciating died when it tried to wake him up in such a rude way.

He lay still for a moment, letting the memories of yesterday resurface. He and Amber had had a pleasant conversation, though doing their best to avoid the topic of the war going on in the world. It wasn't entirely possible, though, as it was sort of the elephant in the room, or the world even. They'd glanced upon it briefly before going onto other topics, such as how life in Northwatch was, where Amaretto had grown up in the north and so on. Small, innocent topics where he, at least, made sure not to reveal anything that could be used against him. While he didn't like lying to her, he had used the cover story he'd made up; that he had lost his family and was now trying to find some other purpose. As it turned out, Amber knew of his family and the raid on their mansion. She'd been in Redheart's refuge when it happened, and heard the story when he and what remained of his family arrived there. They hadn't spoken then, but she knew he was there.

There was a knock on the door, prompting Amaretto to try and get up, only to find that he was held back by a pair of gentle, yet strong hooves. He looked behind him and saw a sleeping Amber, the pegasus mare holding him tightly with a content look on her face. He couldn't help a small smile from tugging at his lips. They'd done nothing the night before, but he guess he should have expected her to sneak into his bed once he was asleep himself. Shaking his head, he slid out of her grasp and approached the door, opening it to see Bifrost with a tray, of what Amaretto assumed was breakfast, on his back.

"Had a pleasant night?" Bifrost asked, a knowing smile on his face. He glanced over at the bed, noticing the happily snoozing Amber, prompting his smile to widen. "Seems like it. Haven't seen her smile like that for a long time."

"Right. Good thing I made her happy then," Amaretto grumbled, lifting the tray off of Bifrost's back before replacing it with the empty tray from the day before. "I'll be leaving in a few hours. I trust that's okay?"

"No complaints. Have a good day, then." Bifrost nodded and turned around, heading downstairs again.

The door clicked shut behind Amaretto as he turned around and placed the tray on the desk. The ruffling of sheets and a dainty yawn brought his attention back to the bed where Amber was currently rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. "Morning," she said, smiling as she got out of the bed. "Smells nice. What is it?" She cocked her head towards the tray on the desk.

"Breakfast. Oatmeal, biscuits, some milk or juice, I suppose." He reached out with his magic and took off the tin foil covering it. "Yep, oatmeal, a few biscuits and some juice. Enough for two, it seems." He shot a glance at Amber. "You often stay with your costumers overnight?"

That got a blush out of her. "Only the ones I really like. Either because I want a second round, or because they were just nice to be with. You're part of the latter, obviously." She paused, then suddenly smiled at him. "Say, sure you don't want to...?" She gave the bed a meaningful look.

"No."

"Should've guessed," she chuckled, walking up to the desk and taking one of the plates of oatmeal in her teeth, carrying it with her to the bed.

They ate in silence, Amaretto dividing the biscuits between them. He had to admit, he enjoyed Amber's company. She was young, yes, but still less than ten years younger than himself, if he had to guess. Mid to late twenties would be his immediate assumption. And much like he'd said yesterday, she truly was a beautiful mare. He almost lamented having to leave her here. Someone as kind and gentle as her shouldn't have to live a life like this. Sell oneself to survive. A sad fate, but nothing I can do. I have my own mission. That takes priority.

He finished his oatmeal, placing the plate back on the tray, and went over to where he had discarded his armour in the corner. He immediately went around putting it back on, lifting the individual pieces and tying the leather straps tightly. He was so occupied by donning his armour that he almost got hit by the door to the bathroom swinging open as Amber tore it open and dashed in, retching her guts out in the toilet hardly a second after.

"Sick?" He asked through the door, magic still working at putting his armour on.

"Yeah, I've been for the past few days. Pretty annoying, really." More of her breakfast forced its way out. "Could you pass me some juice? Or water? I need to wash my mouth." A glass of water hovered from the sink to her waiting hooves. "Thanks," she gasped after draining it. She paused for a few moments, nose scrunched up, before she flushed and stepped away from the toilet. "I think it's over... for now." She turned around, and whistled as she saw him in full barding. "Did I mention that I like stallions in a uniform?" She asked, a playful smirk on her lips.

"You didn't, but now I know you do." He hoisted his saddlebags onto his back and turned to the door. "It was nice meeting you, Amber, but I have to go get some provisions before I leave for my next destination." He gave her a nod and made for the door, stopping only because Amber called out.

"Wait!" She ran up to him and, reaching up, planted her lips on his cheek. "There, a good luck charm. I hope to see you again some day."

He didn't quite know what to say to the unexpected gesture, so he simply gave her a mumbled thank you and went out the door, leaving Amber behind.

[hr]

It had been about two hours since he had left the inn to get some more provisions, and he was now stocked up on both whiskey (of his own brand. Half the time had been taken by looking for someone who sold it) and food, as well as water. It was another 3 days trek to where he would find this Silver Scalpel.

He knew little of the stallion, save that he was a doctor and apparently quite the powerful, and intelligent, unicorn. All he knew was that he would have to sell the lie and story of why he was there, and then find out what he was up to.

He grit his teeth and started walking, armour clinking with every step. I swear to Celestia, if this Doctor tries to get me to stop drinking, I'll personally cave in his face regardless of whether or not he's guilty of whatever Theá suspects.

A young unicorn guard walked along the street. The air was crisp and with a definite nip in the air. The young unicorn mare shuddered from a chilling breeze and wrapped her longcoat all the tighter around herself. Stalliongrad was quiet, its inhabitants tucked away cozy and comfy around their hearths. The young guard almost felt sorry for the slaves in the domes that lined the large wharf she did her rounds at. Without proper heat or clothing they were sure to be freezing. She snorted and continued on.

Before long a haze started to come in form the harbor. It wasn’t unusual, Stalliongrad often saw foggy days even when pegasi managed the sea-side city’s weather. Though unicorn magic tended to get the job done much faster. Something caught the mare’s ear, both perked in the direction of the docks. Is someone singing? The fog started to thicken as she could make out another mare’s voice, serene and calm. The guard squinted to make out the figure that walked toward her. What looked like a lithe earth mare was walking toward her. She was singing, her bright green eyes almost glowing in the mist. What the hell is one of the slaves doing here? She made to pull her blade out but found she couldn’t. She didn’t feel the need to. She shook off her feeling of clam and took a threatening step toward the strange mare.

“You there halt?!” she warned, her blade ringing in the night as it slid from its scabbard.

The mare ignored the warnig and continued toward the guard, her voice gaining volume. The guard felt almost tired in the clam that threatened to consume her. She got a better look at the mare. She’s so beautiful… The strange mare stopped before the guard, her voice ringing in the guard’s skull. Something flashed from the singing mare’s side and the agurd felt something wet and warm hit her hooves. She looked down, almost curious at the red liquid that splashed on her armored hooves. Her eyes widened as she realized her throat had been slit. She stumbled back from the stange mare with a gurgle. She tried to call for help.

Blood pooled around her as she looked up at the earth pony. She saw strange appendage’s pressed to the mare’s side. The singing stopped and the siren leaned down, revealing edged teeth,” Good night enemy of the Sea.” The guard’s vision faded as she bled out. The siren started forward again, her voice ringing in the night. Other voices joined her as more like her waded through the mists toward the slave domes.

Inside the domes, earth ponies and even a few pegasi looked out to see what the strange singing was. Within moments they felt compelled to go to the see. As if in a trance many started to walk toward the docks.

---

Across the city Red Sash, a decorated royal guard and Captain of the Stalliongrad city guard was in a strange mood. He felt a chill as he looked out his window. A deep fog had settled and he didn’t like it. He always had a feeling about such things, so he decided to listen to his reliable instincts. He roused the day guard and sent many to the city checkpoints to see if any strange events had occurred.

“Are you alright sir,” his second in command, Battered Shield asked as she trotted into the room. She was worried for the old dark brown stallion she’d come to respect the last six years she had served under him.

“just a bad feelin’,” he grunted as he sat at his desk. Forms of every kind lay strewn across the desk.

She was about to respond when a young buck came rushing in. Sweat poured form his brow and he lloked as if he had run a marathon. His shaky knees told he had.

“-SSir,” the young guard gasped,” Bodies were found near the wharfs. The slave domes are empty as well.”

“A riot?” Red Sash raisaed an eyebrow,” How come we hadn’t heard of this?”

“We don’t think it was riot sir,” Battered offered him a flask of water, which he accepted gratefully. He took a greedy drought before continuing his report,” Strange singing was heard near the market district near the docks so we investigated. Strange ponies were walking calm as can be. We counted at least fifty before Sergent Flare sent me to report to you.”

Red Sash frowned at this news,’So again my instincts are right. This sounds like a trick House Whiotegold would play but he knew they avoided direct tactics like this. He thought in silence for a moment before nooding approval to the young buck before him.

“Good work coming as swiftly as you did. Go rest you’ve earned it.” The unicorn buck saluted and trotted off.

“I’ll rouse the Legionnaires,” Battered Shield saluted and left the room. Sash smiled after the mare. He had always liked her initiative. He walked over to his armament chest and started pulling his armor and weapons out. There would be blood this night.

---

Crashing Wave swam calmly through the water of Stalliongrad Grand Harbor. Blood was in the air and he felt his insides scream to join the fray but he had to wait for his turn to strike. Already the Serenities were at work pulling slaves out and dispatching what guards they could before the main force arrived to back them. He smirked at Sunpearl’s deceptive approach at warfare. Even though the sea pony race rarely saw battle they were still well versed in how to fight and even conquer if need be. After all they followed the lessons the sea had to offer. Among the first of these was fight viciously or die pathetically.

Crashing felt his inner darkness roil at the prospect of release. He felt the need to allow the beast out. After all what kind of God of Freedom would he be if he caged the beast? He told himself to be patient. Soon enough his blade’s would slice flesh and his teeth will rend flesh. Behind him a large sea pony Crashing had come to know as Razor Reef saluted the God.

“My lord,” he greeted,” The second wave is ready to proceed at your call.”

“Very good lad,” Crashing said,” Let’s give ‘em a show then.”

Razor nodded and a trill escaped his throat. Well over a hundred sea ponies in shell armor rose up from under the surface and made toward the docks. Crashing watched in anticipation. He was the last resort as he called it. He felt a thrill at the idea of what would occur.

Soon…

---

Spectrum and his guide soon reached the small town of Woodswatch. The rain had let up and was only mildly sprinkling. Vantage led him to the town’s tavern aying that it some iof the best honeyed ale. Spectrum declined the invitation to join the old buck. He disliked alcohol in taste and purpose. The ubnicorn wished to be in control of his facilities at all times. They walked into the tavern and vantage made a beeline ofr a table nearest the hearth. Spectrum thanked him and went up to the bar.

“What’ll ya have?” a young earth stallion chirped form behind the old wooden counter.

“Nothing save directions thank you,” Spectrum said with a small chuckle at the colt’s energy.

“Well there ain’t much out here,” he said,” What ya lookin’ for mister?”

“A mansion if you can believe it. Very old too. A friend of mine lives there.”

“Oh the old mansion further down the path near the graveyard,” the buck shivered slightly,” Creepy place it’s a good twenty minute walk from here. Just pass the graveyard on the path leading to the south. Can’t miss it.”

“Thank you,” Spectrum said and pulled out a small bag of nits,” For your help.”

“Thanks mister,” the colt beamed as Spectrum left the tavern. The unicorn trotted toward aforementioned mansion with a new vigor. The colt’s shivers was all the indication he needed that the residence was occupied by Silver. He traveled down the path but before long heard a noise in the tree line along the path. It sounded like voices, cheerful ones. Within minutes a small spere came rushing out of the darkness. Spectrum ducked, barely avoiding being hit.

“Father said I can use my blades,” the strange sphere chirped,” I’m gonna cut you up good!” Several blades jutted out from the sphere’s frame. Spectrum felt simply curiosity at the small sphere. Spectrum moved out of the way as it whizzed by. He felt its blades nick his flesh but ignored the pain as he prepared a spell. The darkness rioled around him as the sphere made a sharp u-turn its foal-like chattering falling on deaf ears. Suddenly inky black tendrils erupted around Spectrum and seemed to pool around him.

Sevral tendrils caught the sphere and it whined as Spectrum brought it close to examine it.

“Hey let me go,” it screeched,” Father said I could chase away the naughty things!”

“Fascinating,” the unicorn whispered as he turned the whining sphere over. He couldn’t quite discern what it was exactly but it seemed to be some form of necromancy meeting machinery. Spectrum probed it with his tendrils and focused his spell. It shrieked as if in pain. “Simply fascinating.”

He looked up at the road before him and gripped the sphere in his magic and continued ion toward the mansion. It tried in desperation to get away but the unicorn’s magic grip held strong. When he came to the large house he had been looking for he allowed himself a chance to smirk before rapping a hoof on the door.

“I wish to speak to the master of the house,” he said with a slight amplification to his voice,” Tell him an old friend comes to visit.”

Followed by the two unrobed Risen - Lambda and Tsan - Honey opened the door to meet this impertinent old friend of her uncle. Blinking rapidly in the light of the day, he eyed him up critically, taking account of the dust on his clothes and the well travelled appearance of him, as well as those dark eyes which seemed to hide malice and fire under a calm exterior.

She give him a surprisingly cold and impassive stare in return.

“My uncle has been expecting you for some time Astral Spectrum, you have been causing quite a stir amongst his agents, but he allowed you enough leads to continue regardless. He cannot deny that he is curious of what exactly you intent, although if it is unsatisfactory…” Honey shrugged “He believes you can fill in the gaps yourself.”

Honey turned towards the captured Sphere and frowned, “I would advise you sir to cease your hold on the Sphere you have captured, the doctor will not take kindly of it if you continue. Now will you follow me, Uncle Silver is in the Library.”

Honey turned and began striding back into the hallway, now with much of its boards removed and allowing the light to stream in to reveal its recently cleaned elegance, floors shining and freshly waxed, and various antiques of oriental origin, such as giant late Dao period vases from beyond the far Indus, covered in prancing images of deer and dragons. As the Risen turned they shot Astral a cold glance which hid beneath its icy purple waters a hidden rage against the torment of one of their brothers, however they would obey their Father rather than give into their baser urges.

So the group traversed deeper into the house once more, as they had done before with the arrival of the Scholar before Astral, deep into the house and its secrets. They crossed through the open door of the great library and entered the room, now lit by numerous flaming blue magical torches on the ends of the bookcases to alleviate the darkness. Around them flittered dozens of Spheres, moving back and forth amidst the shelves and occasionally picking up the bronze sealed books, only to flit away into the darkness with them grasped in a weak levitational hold. Others returned used books to their positions and prowled the darkness looking for spies, still others moved back and forth whispering messages to a dark figure on the far end of the room as he directed and instructed them, before flitting away beyond sight further into the cavernous mansion.

As they passed each book case, in between stood a Warrior Drone, hissing and spitting at Astral in outright hostility, its face a whirl of knives and glowing purple mechanical eyes, and front hooves scratching off the floor like blades being sharpened in preparation for the slaughter of cattle. Upon passing they followed behind in ever increasing numbers until Honey and their guest stood before Scalpel himself, whereupon they surrounded them both in a semi circle of perhaps forty Drones.

Scalpel himself sat in a high backed armchair encapsulated by three great working desks covered in numerous ancient books and scripts in dozens of languages and codes. Some seemed to be based on esoteric magic, others the machines and alchemy of the mad scientists of the early years, still others maps and locations of subterranean points of unknown use. Some of the books were recognisable even as common scientific journals, espousing bizarre theories and ideas, and there was even a gigantic book laid before Scalpel himself which suggested the most dire of possibilities, for it was named “The Great Leviathans”.

Amongst it all the Scholar dwelled, jotting down on fragments of paper and scrolls with many pens, pages of near illegible data floating back and forth as he turned to stare at a titanic map of Equestria currently attached to the massive metal wall behind him. With an approving sound he flicked a small purple flag up to a specific point in central Equestria and pushed it in with a flicker of magic.

Rotating back around he began hoofing through is work, barely even looking up at the figures now standing before him, engrossed in activity. Eventually however he spoke, face frowning as he dug through a copy of Unaussprechlichen Drachen Kulten, still taking notes with numerous quills hovering about himself.

“So Astral…”

“At last you find me.”

Turning to give him a cold look from the depths of his ice blue eyes he continued, “Doubtless you are surprised at my knowledge of your investigations? No? It does not matter anyway, you are here now in my presence and all the answers to your questions may be given… or is it something else you have come for? Perhaps a bargain or deal of sort, you always were an intriguing type of equine, full of subtlety and secrecy, I’ll give you that.”

Stretching back he rested his numerous quills down in an orderly fashion back into their various holders and tided the papers into an arranged pile. Now without any distractions he fixed Astral with a dark look, “However, your investigations have dug up a lot on my current position, and possibility compromised by safety by disturbing what should have been left to the past. I predicted long ago that you probably knew my death was falsified, and that you would come looking for me, but not at such a… delicate period of time, when the eyes of many have been so fixed upon the search for me…”

A flicker of discomfort flashed across Scalpels face, “There are many who would seek me dead on some pretence vengeance Astral, and you may have led them this way with your search. Many of my agents cleaned up after you moved from location to location, but the taint is still there, leading them straight to here… So I trust my old friend, that you have something of definite interest to me which will offset this information leakage, otherwise I cannot assure you of your safety within these halls, not even for old times’ sake.”

“So Astral” he concluded, a small smile crossing his face, “Do tell me, what brings you to my neck of the woods?”

Morning reached Woodwatch, and the sleepy village began to awake. Lens was already up and ready when the sun began to peak through the trees. Looking out from the second story of the Inn, she saw how beautiful the forest looked. Amazing, no wonder ponies came to settle this land. There's nothing like it in Manehatten, she thought. Donning her Scholar cloak, she began to leave her room.

A part of Lens wanted to go back to Scalpel's mansion, the one usually set aside so logic could dictate her actions. The only time that side of her ever shown was in the presence of her grandfather. Among his wondrous labs and projects, the elderly stallion was unlike any other. That is until she meet the Noxferus. He was, perhaps, the only pony that could equal grandfather Prancer.

But the icy logical side prevailed, for her passions were not as strong as her will. I can't go back to the Mansion, at least until the Text arrives. For one, if I interrupt the Noxferus, he may become annoyed and call off the deal. Director Prancer will not want that. Second, I must not let any pony suspect or become interested in the Mansion. Having regular guests over there is bound to attract attention. Attention that could endanger the Doctor.

Sighing, she headed down the stairs. Her destination was the town hall, which served not just the residence of the mayor but also the records and library. After all, Lens had to keep up her cover story. And by chance, the Hall was on the other side of town from the Mansion. That would help prevent any interest in that direction. But waiting in the lobby was Lily.

Lens looked at the tired Earth pony - her eyes had rings around them, her scalp bristling with stubble, dirt still covering her sackcloth. "Doctor Lens! I'm glad you're still here. I feared you already left the town."

The Scholar was a bit surprised, considering the followers of Sweeper tended to stay clean. And for Lily to seek her out so early in the morning. "Good morning, Miss Lily. What do I owe the pleasure?" Lily told her the details of the frightening night.

Once the missionary was finished, Lens nodded and looked deep in thought. "So you went to the town watch, and they checked the woods in the morning… Did they find anything?"

Lily nodded. "Blood, lots of it. But… that's all they found."

"You sure it was a pony in those woods?"

"No… it was just too dark to tell. It looked like a pony, but it didn't speak."

Lens gave a kind smile to ease the other pony. It was another rare moment where her friendly side appeared - if it was needed to reassure a patient or a test subject. "Night tends to cause our imaginations to run rampant. I believe the artist Greeny once said 'Fantasy without reason produces monsters.' And at night, in the dark, in the woods, all ponies lose their reason." She motioned for Lily to take a seat by her.

Lily obeyed and nodded.

"It could have been a deer or a moose. You did well by not going in until you knew more. That animal could have been prey to some tiberwolf, a parasprite, or even a feral bear. And no doubt, that's the other shadow you saw in the night. Or maybe your friend was right, and the approaching form was some Cult horror. Then luck was on your side that it didn't get out of the woods."

Lily didn't say much, clearly still frightened by the events. "Did you get any sleep last night?", Lens asked.

"No… neither did the others with me. Even with the sisters who that wasn't there keeping a watch, I couldn't sleep."

Lens shook her head. "Well, in my professional opinion, you need the sleep. I can prescribe something to help settle your mind."

Lily smiled. "Thank you, Doctor Lens. The Lady certainly is fortunate to have you in her service."

"No problem. Now lets get to the bar - a good hot cider will help. And I wouldn't mind a drink as well." Lily eyebrows quirked at the suggestion as Lens led the way. But the Scholar's mind was on something else. The Noxferus… I wonder if his creations were responsible for the incident? In any case, I need to make sure Lily doesn't investigate this, or bring any more unwanted attention to it.

[i] And I hope the Noxferus doesn't send his creations after Sweeper's missionaries. If any of them die, it may get the attention of that alicorn as well.

Summer Winds raised an eyebrow, “It’s just Summer Winds, or Hoplite Winds. And sorry, no cake. It would’ve been eaten by now anyway, with whiskey drizzled over it.” She pulled out another flask, “I’ve got plenty of the latter though, your sister seems to like it… a lot.”

Armifera chose that time to materialize next to the pair and telekinetically pluck the flash from Summer Wind’s grip, draining it in a few gulps. Scrunching her eyes shut for a moment as the burning liquid washed down her throat, Armifera grinned in satisfaction.

“Ahh, you Stormwing pegasi know how to make that shutff niice.” She chortled, “S’s’good as whatever those Nhorse ponies make ifIdosaysomyself!”

Summer Winds cast her eyes up to the heavens in exasperation, whispering to Sweeper, “The things immortal beings get up to.” before turning to Armifera, “Just how much have you drunk today?”

Armifera snickered, “A lot. Lots and lots and lots and lots and lots.” She sang, as she levitated another flask out of a pouch of her own, downing it slower and savoring the taste.

“Ye’ wanted to know how Summer here and I met?” She asked Sweeper.

“Well, it was a fateful encounter. There I went! Soaring through the atmosphere! And then I hit the ground. And then Winds and her platoon arrived a short while later to see what the strange falling star was!” She took a breath, taking another swig of whiskey. “Good stuff, did I mention that? Anyway-”

“She dragged me into a crater. And then drank me under the table later. And did it again. And again.” Summer interjected.

“Exactly!” Armifera concurred, “Battle-drinking-buddies! The best kind!” She passed the flask to Summer, who accepted it. Though the look on her face suggested that this time it was a different reason than drinking contests, “Why are you even drinking all the whiskey right now anyway?”

“Seemed like a good idea at the time.”
_________

Steel Storm watched the scene on the lake unfold with wide eyes, and then with growing concern and horror at the abominations in the lake. She didn’t know much about the Cult of Laughter, but something about them, and the one in the jester hat speaking to the alicorn, unnerved her.

With a start, she saw Comet Trail moving behind his boulder, it almost looked like he was going to… “The idiot!” She hissed to herself, “Don’t do it, don’t do it, don- shit!” She swore, as her boneheaded partner rushed shouting out from behind the boulder at the gaggle of macabre monstrosities. Storm was smart enough not to go after him.

She averted her gaze, not wanting to see what happened next, and to her surprise saw two other ponies near the lake, seemingly ignored by the cultists. I have to get them out of here! She thought, Get them to safety and get reinforcements!

She lunged to the tree next to her, breaking into a swift combination of low flying and launching herself across tree branches. Within a short time she was near the ponies she’d seen, though Storm didn’t take notice of whatever it was they were doing.

Dropping down from the tree with a clank, she urgently called to them, “Hurry! I need to get you out of here! If you can’t tell there’s an alicorn and cultists about to destroy Old Ponyville even more, come on!”

Astral realized the sphere and followed the filly. He found her curious. She appeared smarter than her age dictated and even showed scars that no one so young should have to wear. He stayed quiet as she led him through the halls. It was a beautiful house to say the least but what intrigued him wasn’t the dicore but the constructs. He regarded their cold stares with further curiosity. Silver had indeed come far in his field. Oh what Spectrum would give to examine their magic aura and the method that brought them about.

When they passed the cages he was again fascinated by the machine’s behavior. This was on another level entirely. He couldn’t believe his luck. His old friend had the basis of an army here that was sure. When they came to Silver he regarded the stallion with the same cold exterior. He listened with a lax expression. When Silver gave that smile he returned it with a smirk of his own.

“I apologize for my interrupting your work,” Spectrum said as he stepped forward,” And forgive my uncovering your position. I don’t believe I was followed and no, I am not surprised you knew of my sniffing about as it were. But I can assure you that my reasons are well worth the discomfort of the situation.” He waved a hoof through the air,” As I am sure you know there have been multiple sightings of alicorns in recent months. I had disregarded them until The Fortress of the Moon suffered an attack at the hooves of one.

“It engaged my Lunar Guard and matched them blow for blow. It acted as a decoy so its followers, a group of what looked like pirates of all things, made off with most of our slaves. Now this is of no consequence to me. Slaves can be replaced. No what intrigued me was how close to death the alicorn came. Blood was everywhere and I was able to view the battle. They brought him within an inch of his life of that I am sure. If it hadn’t been for two of his followers,” a scowl darkened his features,” One of which was a traitor to the Moon Guild no less making off with the alicorn, we would have assuredly killed it.”

“As to why I am here I was able to come into something you might be able to use in your research.” Spectrum pulled out the horn. It was wrapped in Clothe. He set it down on Silver’s desk as carefully as he would handle a foal.

---

Grimwing sighed in relief as the Leviathan cleared the mists. He had decided to follow Charter’s advice and make the trip back to Equestria. A nagging feeling in his gut told him that they would be needed. Deckhoof sat beside him barking orders to make more wind. The sea seemed particularly churned today by the pegasus’ account. He had a bad feeling something was happening and the look of the sea didn’t help that matter none.

Scalpel listened with interest to Astral’s report, despite his connections in Moon and Star Territories he had not managed to discover this, and the news invigorated him. The discussion of a god almost reaching a deathly state was almost delicious to him, the viscera and carnage it must have wrought, the flesh and blood he could have analysed, he wished deeply that he could have been there.

When Astral brought forth the cloth bound object Scalpel eyed it suspiciously and with a hint of incredulity. What object could the pony have brought that could possibly change the course of his studies? Unless… no, the other had been careful with such things, he expected as much from this one – Crashing Wave? If he recalled the rumourmonger’s whisperings correctly- the gods were fickle…. Still…

Scalpel began unwrapping it slowly, not wanting to be disappointed with a sudden reveal of something else and replied to Astrals inquiries in a careful manner.

“Indeed I have heard of such rumours, although I gave them more credence than yourself given the falling of one of these- “- he waved a hoof in a impatient gesture – “Gods or Demigods as they may be. On my way back to this Greater Abode after the Trottingham incident I even managed to meet one of them in person.”

One eye peered up for a reaction before looking down again at his work.

“Don’t worry yourself about it, you are not missing anything. Foul tempered imperious creatures they are, and I doubt they’d give a lick of salt about most of mortal kind, especially given their current disastrous influences in Old Hoof and – if I am not mistaken – Star Harbour, both ending in the near eradication of both populations, one of which I witnessed firsthoof.”

“Yes… it does seem that these new gods bear no resemblance to their forbearers, all we can hope for at this rate is that there will be enough of us left by the time they are finished with the planet.”

Reaching the end of the roll of fabric, and with only one thin wrap of cloth separating him from the hidden prize, he paused, heart in mouth at the prospect of what awaited him.

Slowly, carefully, he levitated the last fold of cloth away…

And his eyes widened in shock and elation. His face turned from that of one of trepidation to almost madden enthusiasm and desire, rippling with profound ecstasy and rapture. If Scalpel had been on his hooves he would have staggered, instead he flopped back on his high arm chair and let out a sign of contentment.

Already his mind was churning, the Machine god within him howling with laughter which sounded like the slicing of knife blades and the crackle of flashing electricity. Images and designs flashed through his head like wildfire and a he could barely keep track of it all, but what he grasp was revolutionary to the highest degree.

The God Machine must be built.

Tremulously, Scalpel held the long, beautiful Alicornal horn before him, its divine elegance radiant despite its loss from its master, its crafting pure perfection created by the forces of nature, guided by “She”. Despite it not being part of the Alicorn anymore, he could still feel the immense magical pulse which lingered over it, a pulse which under his ministrations and machines would become a fount of power that had been unknown in the world before this time.

Already he could see it, the divine eldritch blade which would pierce the realm of magic open and lead to his arising. Forged from the two materials of ethereal majesty, and combined under rituals all but lost to time, but now unearthed from the sands by himself, and used to access the powers of the Mundus in full.

And then… Godhood.

Already he could feel the thrill of magic dance around his hooves as the machine god and he revelled in the power which had been laid before them, their forms becoming closer and blending into one enough slightly. Gradually amidst the darkness his eyes blackened, the pupils darkened from watery blue to deepest purple with a glow of magic, his hair became more luxuriously silver and mane gaining a hint of golden bronze, for that moment god entity and equine were combined in awful perfection.

Looking out he let out something which Scalpel almost never did.

He laughed.

A deep sonorous chuckle both as foreboding as it was divine, mixed voices of that of a god and a stallion combined with the ethereal grinding and slicing of machinery and magic.

“Oh̬̤͈ͣ̔̃ͪ̔̂̚ ̫̖̩̗ͥͅA̞̱̪̣ͅs͈͚͕̦͌ͥ̿̌̈t͌̓̅̓̓r̬̱̱̲͎a̮̯͙̲̞̠̯͋̊l̦̘̪̺,̦̹͆́̍ ̥̥̭̯̹y̖̭͙̫̗̘ͥ͗ͨ̆̽̇ō͂́ü̳̱̖̣̫͉ ̪̖̮̖̟͖͈ͩ̇̃̂ͦh̦ͬͧͥ̇â̮̥̰̫̽̓v̻ȅͫ̏ͫͬ̌ ̹ͥ͒b͎̱̟̲̮͈̎ͫr̮̣̿ͦ̅ͥ̈́͑͆o̘ͬ̽ͩ͒̈́ͦu̥̯̱̤̜͙͑͐̒ͩ͗ͅg̍h̘͉͈͇̠̙ͪṯ ̟̻͍̭͎̯͚̆ͪ͑̀m͕̞ͦͥè͙̲ͬͬ̂ ̭̅ͪ̅̓̉̇a͑̇͊̇̚ ̻̤̬̭̖̙̇̑̋͋̔m͚̗̞̳̗̞̳ͪ̋̃ī͉̮ͬg͆ͣͤ̆h̰͇̰̞͓̲̲ͫͭ̈͂̾̊t͙̐y͔̗̜̭̭͖ͨ ̮͔̼̠͈̀ͪͩͨͥͦͨg͖̖̯̪̽͒ͬ̔͐ͤ̓i͙͖̗ͅf̝͖ͯ͆ͫ͐̇t̘͍̥̼̯̄ ̱̥̀ͪi̟̬͇̗̣͔͛n̠̰͈̈̂̐͊͑ͬ̿dͬ͊͐̓̂e̞͕͍̜ͮ̂ͮe̦̼̠̗̻ͮ̄ͤͧd̥̺̝̯̜̊.͎̠̣̻̿ͯ͑ͧͩͦ.̱̗̘̥̄ͦͭ.͎̤”

The Machine ponies stiffened, and all at once turned to look at Scalpel directly, the most expressive of them, the Risen positively gawping at the voice coming out of their Father.

“The Lord Within speaks to us!” Lambda proclaimed, knelling before the figure in the chair which was both their Father and their God, “Holy is this day.”

“I ̳͈͉͙res̩̲̹͉̭̠c̖͙͈͍̞͔i̩̟̖̗n͕̣̟d̩̜͇̪ ͖m̯͉͈̖͎̜̘y ̟͇t̟͖h̝̗̰r͇̱̳̰̰̥e̻̯̺̤̻̠ͅa̪̯̮t͍͈s̳̝̝ ̞̯̺͔̘̖A͕̝͕̥̣s͉̹̯ͅt̝̪̬̮̖̦̮r͓̖̩a̦̥l̰̗͚͇͈,̙͔̣̳͙̺̠ ̟͉w̹͉̯͔̯i̘̭t̥̥͇̗̘͔ͅh̻͚ͅ ̘̺t̲̤̥̣̣h̼̤i̥s͔͉̬̺͖̜ ̠̥̤͖̞g͇̥̜̤̰ͅi͔͔̱f̯̮̝̫͍̞t̥̮̞̩̥̯ ̯̭͎̖̱yo̦u̘ ̩͎̗̝̲̹̥h̜̤͉̺̤̞̰a̼̭͙̠̥͎̳v̹e͕ s̗̥̗e͉̲̮͇̳c͔̲̖͍̠̞̹u̱͔͖̗̺ͅr͇̠͇̟͇̠ed͇̠̱ ̦̼͎̺͇y̠̖̬̳̭ọ̯͓̩u̪r̞s̞e̯lf̗̖̜͙͙̝̘ ͍f̗̗̱o̖̗̟̬͚̜͕r͍̼ev͇ͅe̺̺͈͚̥͇̤r̖̞̮̥̞̥m̼̼͇o͍̭̭͙r͓̤̱̮e̻̻ ͕̺͖̩w̻̖͇i̝t̜͍͉͍͓h̭̮̦͓̟͔̘i̻̗͖͔̭n̼ ͍͈t͔̺͚h̠ͅͅi̼̠͇͕s̞͓͉͈̳͇͚ ͚̥̺̗̟̣͇p̖̼̦̭l̳̗̥ḁ̳͇̩̖̱c̳͉͕͇e̜͓̼͓̩͈͕.͍͍ ̲̝̯̣B̖u͇̥̬̟̺̫͈t̲̩̜ ͚̘̥̫̥͇I ̯͈s̹͔̱̱͎̫̝e̙̰͔̮ṇ̥s͇̼e̘̤̭̗̭̗̙ ͙̠͔̜̼̻̥t̟͕̘h̙̫̜̜͉i͖͇s̘͍̞ ̠͔͙̬̲is͙̗̱̜͕̰̬ ̙̬n̲͈̩͕͖ͅo̥͙t̬̪̤̗͚̫ m̤̠̲͚̙e͈͉̖r͇͍̝̲̭̮̩el̬̪̭y͓̘ͅ ̤̣̻̹͓̥͈i̫̫̟͔̮̫n̟̺͔̠̱̤ ͚̻̖͕̫̠̹t̖̘̰̝h͇̩e ̜i͙͓̮͔̗͓n̖̭̤͉̭te̫r̘̣̺e̗̟̳̜̻s̞̪̼̬t̲̮̩̺̯͍s̥̮ ̯o͙͕̤̟f͕̻̖̣͙͎ ̤̮̤͖̺m͔y͎͇͙͍ g̪͍̤͓o͔̗͇a͍̪̰̺͈̭̞l͔̰̖s͎̞, b͉̬̝u̼t̜̟̗̦ p̰͎͔̬̯͚a̟r͔̗͎t̰̼̹͓ ̤͎͚̫̹o͕f̹ ̠̥̹̤y̲͔͎͎̦̞o͈u̙̠͖͚r̯̜̖͕̰̻ ͍̣͙o̱̙w̭̼̫̖̬͈ṉ a͍̺̲̭̯s͖ ͇̹̮̘͖̤w̤͙̼̟̠̠e̟͈͖ͅl͔̪̹l̦̠͍̯.̦̣͎̬̫̩͉.̦̫͉͔͖. ̯̺͉̹Ṣ̗o ̘̠̝͇̠̼̳t̟͇̘̤̫̦̟e̮̥l̖̺̠̗l̞̺̺̠̹ m̲͙̲e ̺̺̝̦̬ͅA̭̜̮͓̱st̬̱̬̟̲r̫̼̙͇̖͇a͕̝̲̙͉̗̪l̮̤͇̟ͅ,̣ͅ ẉ͈͍͓̭̗̮h̦̫̭̭̮̰̣a̭̘͕̭͍͍͎t ̳̩i̭̺̠͍̥ͅs̖̟̻͙̻ ̠͓̼̬̥t͓͇̖̫̮̲hẹͅ ͍̬̦̜̰̜̰p̰̻̗r͓̦ḭ̼̲̟c̘͙̭͇e̳̻͍͔͎ ̹̝̝̬͕͓͚o͙̝͈f ͇̤̫̖t̥͔͈̯̝̮̺hi̘̫̝͔ṣ ̩a̺̬r͈̤͔͚t̺̗̲͙̪̫̜i̙̯̟̩̣f̭̤̮͈͔̣͔i͎̱̫͈͎̘c̹̭̝e͚̜̻ ̜̬o̪͕͍͍͉f̫͓ ̻͔͎̘͈̦h͉͚̻̜̟͔͈e͙̣̮͔͍͕a̟̻̱̭͉̺̪ṿ̟͖̣̺̩e͔̩̦̥̯n͎?̘̹͕͔̝̰̪”

Scalpel again laughed, but this one a deep and welcoming one almost unheard of since he was a young foal. At this point, with the blade of heaven within his grasp, Scalpel would be willing to part with much to secure it, His eyes ablaze still with otherworldly magic, his enthusiasm untroubled.

A new age awaits us… The age of Gold has come to pass in blood and horror… the age of Silver now arises upon the horizon… and that age shall be filled with machines, fire and magic.

Astral Spectrum held his shock at bay. Had Silver made some dark pact? This was not normal by any means. Even more so the unicorn before rarely laughed. If it weren’t for his experience with the Nightmares and constant training with the Thestrals in their Umbramancy- after all such magic forced you to face your darkest demons and control their fear- his fur would have stood on end. And he would sooner prostrate himself before one of the fickle Gods than allow fear to control him.

His expression stayed neutral,” Do you wish to know of my real reason for seeking you out? I shall tell you my old friend, to make Equestria one again. For too long we’ve waged a war sparked by the petty needs of revenge among the wayward Elements. It is true I myself have pledged myself to Twilight Sparkle but at least she among the others has vision and ambition enough to bring Equestria back into the light.” He couldn’t help but smirk at that,” But she herself believes the alicorns are infallible. As for the others they need to be disposed of and this damned civil war ended. I hope that the Archmagister can see reason that equestrian has suffered from alicorn rule but if she cannot embrace the change Equestria needs then she will meet the blade as well. The Elements need to be brought to heel and their armies humbled.”

Spectrum cast an eye at the constructs in the room,” Already you have the makings of an army and with that horn now in your possession you will be quick to usher in a new era. My price is your word that I will live to see that era come to fruition. I will be honest with you, I’m dying. I’ve months to live. A debilitating disease has infected my body and no form of Restomancy or medicine can cure me. I want only to see Equestria whole and able to drive off the enemies that clamor at her borders. When that is done then you may bring the blade across my throat yourself.”

Spectrum regarded the unicorn before him. He had a feeling that there would be betrayal. He was a careful stallion and telling Silver that he was indeed dying was a gamble but a calculated one. It had its own advantage. More often than not an opponent thought to be too weak to fend off assassins was underestimated but where his body was failing him his mind and magic more than made up. Even though he doubted he could go against a God he was confident in his abilities to defend himself.

Spectrum resolve hardened,” These are my terms Silver Scalpel.”

_____________________________________________
Red Sash stood with his guard at his back. Many were battered and exhausted. For most of the night wave after wave of these strange ponies had come through the illusion thick mists that threatened to choke Stalliongrad. Most slaves in the city had heard the call of the sirens and trotted aimlessly into the mist, as well as a few weak minded guards, never to return. More than likely they were dead, Red gathered. He had sent his fastest seraph to the capital to report the information. He only hoped they could hold the line. They could do he kept telling himself. After the last wave all had gone silent.

Beside him his lieutenant shivered,” It’s too quiet.”

He nodded, his steely eyes fixed forward. The waves had come in meticulous waves of twenty to thirty every thirty minutes without fail. They’d been waiting of the next wave for over an hour. It was nearly midnight and the moon above peaked through the vapors with a haunting yellow light. This only added to the creepy atmosphere. What were they planning?

Suddenly a tremor shook the ground followed by a bellow that would make the biggest dragon’s sound like a hatching’s squeak.

“Hold!” Red Sash shouted as his ponies began to panic. It’s a trick it has to be. “Hold!”

“Keep it together you ninnies!” his lieutenant barked. He couldn’t have been more proud of her.

Then they saw something coming through the mists. They all took a battle stance, ready to end the tall figure with a barrage of spell power. Red squinted to get a better look. The figure came to light. A tall white pony with dark blue hooves walked slowly toward them. From Red’s vantage he could see leather wrappings clinging to the pony’s form and a massive horn jutting from its head. It walked as though it was on an evening stroll. Red Sash didn’t like this. One. Bit.

Finally it stopped before them, its eyes shining despite being black as pitch. Sash’s eyes widened as he noticed the massive wings on the sleek pony’s back. It was one of the alicorns!

There was silence as it just stared ahead before grinning revealing a row of pearl white serrated teeth.

“Judgment be on ye fools!”
______________________________________
Crashing lunged forward, his hoof connecting with the leading mare’s throat. She let out a strangled gurgle as her neck snapped from the force of the blow and sent her barreling into the soldiers behind her. His twin scimitars came free of their sheaths as the, what Crashing could only guess was the leader of this pathetic force, started barking orders as his own blade floated into the air.

A blinding slash from one blade ended one fool’s journey to skewer the ailcorn with a spear. The other found a throat as its caster began weaving a spell. Crashing saw the leader, a distinguished old buck but still in prime condition, lunged with a blade. Said blade met water as Crashing became a puddle of clear water. He moved quick as a viper after a field mouse and became corporal behind the stallion. The buck raised a thick shimmering barrier as two of Crashing’s silver tail hooks sought flesh. They clanged harmlessly against the barrier and the old buck dropped it and slashed out with his blade.

Crashing stumbled back as blood oozed from just above his muzzle. This one has some fight alright! He cackled madly and slashed down with both of his blades only to be blasted off his hooves by a telekinetic blast. Crashing flipped and landed on his hooves and skidded back, leaving deep gouges in the street. A few of the unicorns had put their magic together. The alicorn chuckled and licked some of the errant blood that flowed from the gash above his muzzle.

“My turn lads,” he summoned magic to his horn and unleashed a thin wave of water he collected from the air. He thanked Mother for Sunpearl’s incite to use mist as cover. Some ducked but a few unlucky wretches were beheaded. The old buck form before gathered magic to his own horn as he pulled up from a roll. Twin ethereal swords appeared and went sailing at the alicorn. Crashing yawned and shattered them with his own. The old blades had been made from the bones of twin sea dragons very useful for dealing with annoying constructs such as those.

Crashing pulled his arquebi out and lined up a shot. A shot rang out in the night and the old buck looked down at the hole that appeared in his chest in confusion. Blood started to flow, soaking his uniform shirt. He looked up at Crashing in shock. The alicorn smiled as the buck fell on his side. Silence filled the air until one of the soldiers screamed and charged Crashing only to get a hole through his head as well. I love these things. Crashing set to reloading the weapons as he flashed his blades out at the oncoming unicorns.

The death of their leader had sparked a fury in them and it made them reckless. Two throats were opened before another took a shot in the eye. Twin tendrils of water shot out and lifted a unicorn in the air. Crashing focused and a moment later, ripped the poor sod in two. It wasn’t to say he wasn’t suffering damage as well. Gashes, puncture wounds, and burns from magic bolts marred his fur but healed at an accelerated rate.

Crashing saw another hanging back, her horn glowing fiercely. Crashing aimed an arquebus and took the shot. He cursed as a barrier went up around her. He cursed and ripped the fool that had saved her life’s throat open with vengeful jaws. Blood filled his mouth and Crashing nearlt lost himself to the delicious taste of the fool’s life-blood. He ripped tendon and blood vessel free and swallowed greedily. Another fell to his searching jaws and whimpered as Crashing gave his neck a shake, snapping the soldier’s throat.

The limp body fell from his jaws and he looked to the moon a bellow ripping from his throat. Another roar answered his call and the earth trembled. Avur seemed hungry as well. It would be shame if he didn’t get his pound of flesh.no! Crashing dug deep and held his wrath at bay.

No…the message had been sent and the mages of Canterlot would know what transpired here. An army would be sent he was sure and when they arrived they would fill Avur’s belly. Inside his mind his Darkness raged for release but Crashing promised it would get its pound of flesh as well. The lesson was still to be learned and they would be taught.

She watched.

The world was in chaos, bloodshed aplenty, and corpses littering the grounds, filling up mass graves or rotting in pools of their own blood. It was the kind of thing She had hoped to never see, but even with Her vision and Her powers, She couldn't return things to the way they were. Or rather, She wouldn't. For while She could, it would be interfering when She had no right to.

She turned Her gaze, a fraction of Her mind shifting its attention to the bright, coloured lights shimmering on Equestria.

Take heed, my Children. You are their guardians. You must defend them from themselves.

---

Theá perked up from where she was sitting in the forest, eyes darting around as her eyes swivelled this way and that way, trying to catch any sound or spot any glimmer of metal or shift in the leaves. Nothing. She could feel the presence of birds and rabbits, flies and beetles, but aside from that there was nothing. But... she could've sworn that she felt something. Something had looked at her, but what? Who?

She shook her head and stood up, shuffling her wings into a better position before she started for the edge of the forest.

While Amaretto is on his way to Woodswatch to find this Silver Scalpel, I should look around before he gets there. See if I can find something. She turned due south, opposite of where she was walking before, and took a moment to take on the form of a sleek doe, large enough to be fast, but small enough to not stand out or get in the way of too many branches.

Woodswatch lies at the foot of a mountain south of here, she thought to herself as she took off, jumping and running at the same time. At the edge of trees. An owl, perhaps, would be a decent disguise. Perhaps a stray dog. They're carnivores after all, and a forest should be filled with food for one such, but it would crave companionship... Stray dog it is.

---

It took her several hours of running, even for her, to reach the edge of the forest. She was still another two hundred metres from where the tree line was when she stopped. Flexing her mind and forcing her body to change, she shrunk in stature, her fur grew out and cloven hooves became little paws. Barely a few moments passed before the graceful doe had been replaced by a shaggy dog, dirty and with muddy paws and all. She looked like any other stray dog who had just travelled through a forest for days would.

Nopony saw her as she snuck into the town, and nopony seemed to pay any attention to her either when she stopped sneaking and simply wound her way through pony legs and alleys, listening for anything that might prove useful. She lamented her lack of ability to enter a tavern or other such inn, as such places were usually ripe with rumours of every kind.

I can't go in myself. But maybe... She started looking for the nearest inn, and quickly found it. Though she knew she would be kicked out immediately if she went in herself, there was a small chance that a kind pony might take her in to give her something to eat and drink. It wasn't many minutes of waiting before luck was with her, as an elderly stallion was about to open the doors when his eyes fell one her shaggy dog-form. She looked, for all intents and purposes, like a lost pup, malnourished and lost. He said nothing as he picked her up by the scruff of her neck and place her on his back between his wings. Calm yourself, Theá. Get over the humiliation of being carried like a foal. It's necessary.

The stallion pushed through the doors, giving her a quick glance and a warm smile over his shoulder as he made for the counter. The elderly stallion carrying her and the stallion behind the counter exchanged a few words, the former ordering something to drink for himself and something "For the pup." The innkeeper nodded and went out back, bringing with him a plate of some scrap meat, presumably from some of the few gryphon patrons they had, or whatever ponies with weird tastes got through. There was also a small bone for her to chew on, should she so desire.

The stallion got his drink and went for a table, carrying the plate in his mouth and the mug of... whatever it was on an outstretched wing. The plate was set on the floor beside him, and he took his place by a secluded table. Hunger gnawed at her gut, so she went about eating the offered meat as quickly as she could. Meanwhile, the stallion just watched her as she ate, as well as listening for any rumours about a newly arrived doctor with a foal.

That night she heard nothing, but she met up with the stallion each and every night until finally Amaretto made it to town, and she approached him in secret.

Scalpel grinned, eyes flashing with rapture and zeal, staring down Astral with the utmost intensity, judging his sincerity with keen eyes. When he realised that what Astral spoke was undivided truth he let out another barking laugh and rose from his chair, moving past the desks and directly in front of the stallion.

“Tr̫͉̬̤uly͎͈̞̘̼͔ ̞̰̮̹͕As͍͇̬͎͙tr̪̭̹̲͉͖al̗̰̞̦̟?͕̥ ̥̣Y̫̣̲ou̱ ̬͈̪w͔̻̙̭̘̦͓i̲̫̯ͅs̺̰h ̣͓͇͇ͅfo͕r p̫͚̞͓̳e͔̞̱̝͖̦̤ac͉e̻̪ ̖̯̻̪͙̦̞an̞̤̯̱̱͓d͈̲ ̺̘a̪͔̗̙ ̜new̗͚̬̩̞̣ ͇̩͖̻̠̣h͚̯̘ar͖̜͉͍̙̪̳m̻̭o̠̖͔̣̺n̰̞̮̩̰̹y̳̬͚̙̗̫ ͔̗͇u̼̝̗̜͓̩ṇ̮̖̞̘͚d̳̪̯̼̦͉iv̮͔͖̘͈̯ḭd͍͖̜ͅͅe͇ḓ̼͍̖̯̘ ̟̤̥̭i̘͍̥̟̠̜̫n̜̹̝̝͈̮ ͕͚͇̗̖̪̬t̲h̯̲͖i̞̹͕̖s̘̼͚̲͖ͅ ̹͔̦̻̰̯la̝̫͓̩͓̺n̯d̯͙̭?̥͈ ̖̮͈S͓̤̰̘̤̰o͚̗̥̦͉͉͎ i͎t̫̪̪̭̟̯ ͕͚̼̳̬̦̹s͎̤̟̟h͚̝a̻̻l̥̻͉̬̞̩l̫̗̖ ̞̦̹̜b͙̪̲̣̘e̫̣ do͙̺͓͎̜̗̲n̹e̤̫̤̩.̺ ̯I ͚sh̲̦̗̭a̰̲̠̱ͅl̞̠̯l̻͖̻͕͉̭̗ ̱̤̰͈̦s̞͙̗w̲̤̜e̯͖̝͎̼̪ep ̙̬̜a̠̮c̤͎͓̮͉ro̪̬s̜͓s̺̞ ̱͎̳͚͚E̬̪̤̭̪͔q̦̱̳̰u̟̫e̦̲s̹̗̳̘t͕͉̜̖̙̯r̻̜̪̞̯i̘͓̺a w͕̼͖i̖͉̮̮e̙͉̹̝̲̠ḷ̙̭d̳͓̖͇̗͉i̳̥͍n̮g ̗̰̮̼̰ͅiṉ ̱h̤͍̠̺̥̥̺o̬̘͚o͓̙̼̥̘̦ͅf̫̩͕̩̳̮ ͖̗̘̦a͎ ͍F̟̝̲̥̩ͅl̩a̮̩̻̼͕̟̰m̜̠̼̦̳͍i̫̩n͎̳͕g͕̺̻̹̩ ͔͉S͈̞̹͎͖w̳̙̭̘o̙̬͚r͚̯d͍̞̱͎̗̩̹ a̘̰̹n͈̹d̮̫͕͔̭ ̪͇̼̫̻a͉̬͚̰̭n̤͕̭̖̖̹̰ ̯͇I̟v̙̞̝̟or̫̣̥y̮͖̬ ͅD̩̝o̘̘͙͚̬v͖̹̟͖͍̗̱e,̞̭̙̰͓ ͓̬t͎͖̻̤hḛ̩͕̥͓͍ ͓̙c̺̜̝h͓̦̯̬̦̙̬o͔̯̤̹̤̳i̘̙̬͎̭͉c̺͍e͉̺̯̹ ͙̥͎o̼̰̯f̤ ̦͔̺̤͉̼͙e͎͖̩̖̞̤qu͕̪̟̬̙̣̞i̮n̪e̲̼̮͚k̰̤i̞̪͓̝nd͕͉͖̭̫͇͓ ̫͔̩͕͉̟̠s̘h̥̯͈a͓̣̟͇̝ḽͅl͕͔ ̪ḻi̠̠̩̗̱̲ͅe̠̹̙͙̗ ̗̺i͕̜̝͕͉̰n̦̙͓̮̼̱ ̟̼̰͇̞̮t͍̦͍̼̰ẖ̺͈̣̭os͖̪ͅe̪̮͕̠ ̻̪̠̞̘̰̱sy̘̭̗̯̙mb̠͍̦̳͈͍o̮̖͚l͉͎͚̗̯s̰͕̻̗ ̭͖̭̯͓̺ͅa͚n̹d͓̮ ͕͈̘̯̺̳t̙͖h̪e͙̟̬̮ ͈de̪̺̟̬c̹̙͇ͅͅi̜̮s͕̣̺̗̲͍̟i͓̜͖̼͍̫ͅo̜͉̦̝n̳̪̖̮ ̗̦̲̙̺̬͖b̻̤͉e̺̫̠̮̝t͓̞̭̲we͚͖̻e̩̺͎̝̝͚̰n ͓͇̖̝̩̙t͙̜̳̝̻̭̼h͕e̫̯̙̳̫̯͉ ̼̜̯̜t͈w̞͉̩̹o̤̮̤̟̳̮.̪͇͇̩͕͙̬ E̳̻̩q̟̞̦̻̞u͓͙̭͖͇e̯̭͉̪s̤̝t͇͉͉͈͓r̟͉͚͍̫̦i͙͓a͙̱̺͉͚͓ ̫̹sh̤a̙̩̰͕͚l̼͖̭l͚͓͚͎ n͚e͇͖v̜͔̣̯͍͎͇e̫̞͙͎̗r̳͕̩̻̞ ̱̳̱̪r͚̳̩͉͇͖ḛt̟̥͖̦ụr͙͍͇̫̳͖n̟̟͓ t̟̝̖o̰͙ ̳̥̬̦͍͈͚t͈̠̜̬̯̜h͇͚̥͍͉̲e̞̟̝̥ ̟p̬̪r̩̱͚̗̭̮e-̣̠̯͉̠̳̣w̰͕̝̦̜a͈̹r̟̮͖̮̠͍ ̙͔̮̩̣̞͓d̻̜͔̰͔̟e͈̱͓̯̻̬ͅb̞̣̬͇a̺̥̣̭̦͎se͇ṃ̫̪͍̭e͇n̠͓̦̬ts̪̖͍̬̺̙̝,̭̮̦ ͚͇̬͔̤̦n̜or̙̘ ͙͉̩͇̝̬i͓̥͓̦̣s̙͉͕͉ ̞͕̞̬̖t̙̫̦͉̻͕h̞͙̮̼͔̙a͓̳̬̫͔͖̦t̬͈̺̦͉̣̣ ̘̲̘̦d̗͇e̙̤̠̳̝͇s̘̼̮̱̣͍i̺̜̩r̩̤͎̙̘̺̟o̺͔̖̘͙͎͚u͓̤̤̠̪̹s̱̺ ̠̞͎f̱̣̞͕̩͈ͅo̯̼̜̙r̞ ͉̣t̜̬̼̲̬̟̭h̭e̺̥̤̹ ̟̣̣̺͇̥w̠o̝r̤̹ld̟̮͈͙͉ ̭pl͙͇͙̳̤̺̙a̳̣͕̟c̲e̳̳̖d̘̟̦̪̘̝ ̝̗̬͙̭̩̮t̜̖͇̪̥͇̫o̬͇͓̯̩̰ͅo͎̯ ̻̫̖mu̜̭̱͎c̼͙͉h̦̪ ͉r̩̬͕͚͉e̫̤͕͙̗li̘͎a͓̝̠n͔̪͇̫͇̠c̞͓̫e͇̬̰̥̰ ̬͉i̹̳̘n̮̣̮̫̘ ̱̣̣̭͇̪t͍͙͍̭h̺̲̺̦̗̞ͅe̦ ̞͓͙̤̺̲͙f̪͎̯̭ick̜l̲̝̹͈͇͍̬e̬̯̻͉͈̱̟ ̪̩h̙o̬͕o͈̹̳̱͇̘v̰͍̯̭͎̫e͈̫̫s̼ ͙̥͙̱̻o̠̦̘̻̱͓ͅf̞̬ͅ ̗g̰̘̻̜o̱̗̠̱d̦̖s͈̼̺͍͈̩̹,̩͍͍ ̮͕̱̯͖͕̱a͔̹ ̩̙̠̮̪̲͕n̮̦̦̳̱͇̞e̱̗w̰͉̫̜̻̖̝ ̝͉̟̙͈̠͓o̘r̦̭͉d̳̭̹e̬r̼̘̖ ̻̹̘̣s͚͇ha̦̣͚͙l̫͍l̤̼̝͕͙ ̟ạ̣̻r̤̜̫̖̖̞i͓͚͍s͎̪͉̠̫͓̫e̬,͍ ͚a͕͔͇̺n̻͕͙͍̫̩ o̗̯r͔̺͙̘͚ͅd̮e̘̩͓̲r͚̭̰͈ ̩̳o̗̝͈͉͍̺f̱̫̙̯̪̞ ̦̖͔̲̘͖th͕̗̻̯e g̮̠̝̞̣̪r̳̖͉͇̬͙̙e̹͇̼̫a͎̹ͅṱ̦͙̳es͎̝͎͔̘̮̙t̼ ̱̲̦̻̦m̼̺̹̟͖͇̘i̻͖̗̗̳n̮d̜̞̖̩̩̮̩s̟,̺ ̦͉̞̳̘͍̗aṋ̞̼d̬̠͚̖ ̺̙̹̤u̼̫̱̘͖͈̫n̝d̹e͎̘̪̱͖r͓̪̣̠͓̥ ̥̺͎i͍̭̠͎̟͙t̳ ͚̟̣e̝̣̮q̝̼̱̳̥̖̞ui̠̬̰͉n͍̦ek̪͓̭̟̬͓ͅi͈̪̼̮n̦͕̗̹͕d̠͉͎͎̫̦̩ ̙͔̫͓̭̰s̫̱̜̥̲h̥͚͈̤a͎͈̹͙̪l̺͓̩̣͇l̻̤͔̱ ͅe̞͍͓̬̩̙̭nt̬̫̣e͈̤͚̭̮r͎̯͔̫̤̞ ͚̫̮̠a̦̥̭͕͈̩ ͍̤̯͍n̳͓͕̬̮̠e̬͈̞̜w̤̗̮̥̼̮ͅ ̻̮a̰͉̝̺ge̤̱̝̘̙̭ ̖̞̰͍̮̲̳o͕̤̯̱̮̳f̖̥ ̱͈͕̰͎̞͚e͓̻͎ld̗̤̻̜͙͔̹r̝̩i̭͙͍͕t̝̤͍̲̗̪͇c̣̘͓̝h g̟͚̲l͔o̻̪̘͖r̺̯̠̤̗̣͖y ̩̼u͚̥̼̘̩̲̖ṉ̣̳̟̝s̮̯̤̣͇̱̫e͖͚̤͔̺̺e͔̯n̟͉̳̺ ͓̥͙s̯̜͎̬͍i͚̲̹̤̦̤͎n͇͎̪͍͍̪c͙̗̩e̩͓͉̼͚̗̜ ̫̲͔͕ͅt̫̖̮͎ḥe͔̯̦̲ ͎̣͖͓͕̲d͉̟a͕̪̠̩ͅͅw̙̟̖n̳̣̤̜̹ ̜̱ọ͔̫̗̬̬f̟͙̜͖ ͈̹͇̞͖ti̼m̠͍̩͎̼͉e̙̭̞!̺̟̼
̳̭̮̻
̣̳̤̖͕T̥͚̥̱̦h̯̟̙͇̦̝i̥͇̫͈͈s̘̯̖̱̱ is̠̹̠̩ͅ ͙̻ṭh̳e̫̟̗͎ ̞̹̺̠t̘̯r̦͎̥̯̭ͅͅu͚͍t̹͙̮̜h ̻o͚̲f ̩̟̪͎͚th̘̙ḙ̣̦͚̬̗̯ ̦̱̳̞̤ͅm̭a̘̺̱̤͎c͈̯̺h̺͕̦̯̳i̯̘̣͕̪͍̪ne̞̭͚,̠̣̞̹̝̝ ̻̖̙͓͉t̲̜h̞̲̪is̥ ̩̭i̼͖͍̬s̫̙̲̗̖̣̞ ̬̝͉͔̯̜͔t͙̦̝̼̮he͇̳ ̯̫̣͓̲̦p͍̻̣͉̗͎̬r̙̰o͖̗̥̺̲͎m̗͓͖̱i̺͚s̹͕̳͔͕̝e̝͚̘̦̪ ̖̥̠̜̗̮o̬f̩̪̖̯̱ ̠͔͍͚̬̤t̳̫̩̟̯h͕ͅe͍̙̞͎̩ ̮͙͖͓t͖͍̬̪͇w͍o͓͕̥f̳̻͍̩͖̱̼o͎̬͍̦̠̲̠l̟̻d̪͚͕͓ ̭̳̤̮̠m̙̼͓̘̳ͅin͓̝d̤̻̮͓͉̟ͅ,̼̗͈̗̫̩̥ ̝̜̗͖͙s̲͚͕̳͔̳͔o̼ ̻ṯ͈͉̳ͅh͈̹̰a̦̪̞̙͙̲t̗̜̯͓͙̘ͅ ̜̺͇̠̖f͖̲̖̤̺r͔̣͎͔͚ọ̞̹̱͉͕͚m͓̥͈̖̙ ̣̤̝̠ț̠͉h͔͖͉̱e̙̘̘̳͎̗ ͈̺͕͈͈ͅͅd̬a̪̤̹͔͎̰r͙̟̖̳͕̘̣kn̥̙̤̱e͚̜̣s͓̟̱̙s̞̞.̥̜͚.̲̭͍ͅ.̯a̗͔̖ ̦͖͈̗͍M̭̰̜̯̼̦e̹̖̺͔̻̲̙c̩̳͚̬h̫͕̳a̱̫̺ͅn̺͈̟̝̱ͅi͉̜c̭̭̼̩̻͈a̳̙̼̦l ͎͚̠̥̼̭̙P͇̬̬a͔͉̞͇̟͖͉r̩̩̳̦̖̯̙a̻̰̬̲d̦̞͉̳͇ͅi͎̰s̳̞̬̣̲͍̞e̪̜ ̹̲̜w͇̼̙i̝̰l̪̲͙l̯̣̙̜̬ ̝b̺̗̤͔̥͉l̙̘͈o̺̬o̦̜̠̠̜͇̩m̻̮̜̥!̟̬̬"̫̤͖͕

The light began to fade from his eyes and slowly his body lost its lustre and otherworldly qualities, Scalpel staggered somewhat, his frame sagging, but the enthusiasm and rapture never left his eyes.

“I promise you this Astral… for it has always been my goal, in the dawn of the second age ponykind shall taste the fruits of knowledge and immortality, and they shall in a flash of brass and lightning know the truth of gods, and the mysteries of time.”

His eyes darkened somewhat, his smile falling, and he stared at Astral with something more akin to a friend rather that the restrained hostility he had held before, an emotion not frequent to his expression.

Compassion.

“You have gifted me a tool to alter the entire world Astral, and yet you tell me your body is failing and that you may not live to see the glories which I shall spread, and the peace I shall bring… this troubles me…”

He began pacing back and forth, stopping at intervals to consider possibilities, before turning and casting a spell to alter his view of into the realm of magic. Before him Astral was filled with light in the inner core of his being, pure and perfect as the light of magic unconstrained, but the body was maligned, failing, troubled with a cancer which could not be exercised by magic or science, only through death would he be cleared of this affliction…

Suddenly an idea hit him and he almost laughed in glee, restraining his excitement to a singular question.

“The form you have is weakening Astral, failing and corrupted beyond any means of healing, but the Spirit is strong and powerful, untouched by the malignancies of the flesh and the failings of life. You have sacrificed much to give me this artifice of heaven, and it is only rightful that I should return upon you a favour.”

His eyes widened and he smiled once more, slightly mad but hopeful all the same for the possibility of saving his old friends life. “I could give you a new form Astral, not as you see before you in these vessels! No! no! a form free and beautiful of the corruptions of biology, a form wonderful and powerful, untouched by time, or disease, or corruption by any means. A form which shall be akin to that of the new divinity, the new god, flesh of metal, magic and infinite complexity! Flesh resilient and pure beyond that of anything seen upon this earth! Free to do as you will until you shall no longer will for anything, free of the trappings of mortality and the debasements of biology. This shall be my gift to you Astral… you need only accept, but do not hold restrained disagreement within your heart, for the spirit of that unwilling to return rarely returns perfect, or sane… but if you accept entirely, you shall know the glories of my Heavenly Paradise in full and undivided. ”

The power returned to his eyes once more, and the semi-circle of Drones around them slowly began bowing in reverence before the now floating Scalpel as raw power began to arch around him, purple lightning surrounding him like the Corona of some strange otherworldly star.

W̠̣̬̜̝ͅẖ̱̩a̗̻̟̱͎͙͈t̯̣̺͚͔̠ͅ ͕͍̗͈͕̱̻s̪̘̩̣aͅy̯ ̗y͓o̤͈̳̹̱u̦̖͍ ̺͙̠̰̹͍ͅA̭̼̦st̜r͕̰̲a̲̦͖ḷ̟̱ͅ?͈̪̗ ̭͇̲̼̩Sh̦̭̩a͈͇͕͚͚̰̝l̲̲͓̞͓l͚͔̮̱̜ ̦̠̬I̤̳̣ ̪̲̙͇̟̪̮g̻̪͖̭̜i̝f̟̠̲̮̫̦t̰̲̩ ̪̭͍y̝̲̙͉̹̲o͙̺̳̭̹̫̯ṳ͚͎̫̫ ̱͉w͈̪͚i͎̥̼͚̹͎t̳̪̺h̠̬̮̰̬ ̦̤a̮̥͈̝̻ fle̻̲̠͈̦s̳̤̫̬̩h͓͍ ̼͚p̮a̲̯̦r̹͍̦̦t̘l͓y͖̰̻ ̻̖th̪̹̤͉a̟̣͔̞͖t͉̟̦͙̙̭ͅ ̟̪͕̗͇o̫̭̜f̳̳̭̲̟̯ͅ ̟ț̪̭ͅͅh̺̰e ͚̜̣̰̪͙d̗̮͓̙̩̤ͅi̤͈vi͖̬̼̩̱͉n͖̦̞̜̗e̦̳?̮͈̹̭̳̰ ̮͎̗ͅo͎̲̬̙r̪̞̫͇̮̝̳ ̤̻̗͚̞s̬̺̻̯h͎̻̗̥̟a͚̲͎͓͓͕̲ll̦̱ y̳o̼̤u͈̱̦̞͇͈ ͙̝̩͖m̹ai̖̟̺͙̘͎n̻̱̬̰̙ͅt͚̼̫͚a̹̳̯i̜̙̳̦̺n̤̼ ̦̠̺͓̣t͈̮̼̪̫ḫe ̪͍̯̖͓̙̠tr͓̳̟̰͕̦͈a͕p̝͉̪̭̤̞̜p̗̟̯̲͙̣i̻̬n̤͈gͅs̤̬ ̺o͚̠̭̼̩f̱̙̙͖ ̝̩̗m̹̩̥̪͎o͕̳̩̫͓͖͇r͉̻͈̗͎t̤̥̱̼͕̭ͅạl̬i̜̲t̥̘y̩͓͇?̫̦̬̘

Sweeper smiled at Summer's reply, despite the news of the soldier not having a commission and no cake. The alicorn started to get lonely with Arcon and Scroll having a chat, and Winterjet being a bit excited. Poor mare has so much happen in one morning, probably too much for any pony to handle. She needs some room to take it all in , thought Sweeper. Hoplite Winds was willing to talk at least.

Armifera sudden appearance between the hoplite and alicorn was a surprise, but a pleasant one at that. She chuckled at Armifera's tale. "You know, that's how I meet Scroll too. He was waiting by the crater I made upon landing, and he seemed like a perfect pony as my High Priest. Though we didn't have much to drink, but plenty to clean."

Looking at Summer, Sliver spoke, "Thanks for being there for my sister. I've been so busy in the past months, I haven't had the chance to visit any of my siblings. I'm glad to hear she has a battle-drinking-buddy." She went silent for a moment, and frowned in thought. "What you need is a nice title. Being a friend is fine and all, but you Summer deserve at least that for your service."

Sweeper looked at Amifera, "Sis, why haven't you given Summer here a title for her? She doesn't even have a nice rank. Summer is a nice name, and Hoplites are important. But I think our followers should have something personal and official to be called." Had Scroll been part of the conversation, he would have hooffaced at the remark. The Lady of Cleanliness gave titles away when it suited her random desire. It was part of her nature.

And once again, Sweeper's attention wandered. Had the Buffalo meet her, even they would be exhausted by her nomadic thoughts. "You know, I don't think I've ever had whiskey. There's this one band of mercenaries, Joy's Legion, who are my followers. They like the stuff, but I didn't try it. Maybe I should now - Can I have a taste?"

---

After Charter had told Grimwing of the Scholarship and Lady Sweeper, they headed out to sea at once. How they were going to find Lord Crashing was beyond him. Nevertheless, the Scholar wondered why he needed to see the Sea Lord. His gut told him that he was needed, and that he had to talk to him.

I'm not sure what I can do though Charter thought. I could give him a list of contacts, and let him know Sliver Sweeper could come to his aid. But something is pulling me towards him, and he may need my help.

But is that what I really want to meet him for?

Cold, numb, the unicorn looked at the harsh sea. He didn't know what to think, or feel. Should he be angry at Crashing for taking away Vast? If so, why wasn't he feeling rage? He didn't even feel anger at Grimwing or the crew. Then again, they had little to do with the tidal wave.

You're going to fail. You're going to destroy-

Shut up Charter told the other voice. A dark shadow was in the sea, taking the shape of a mocking face - The dread face he saw in Foaledo in that bunker. Closing his eyes, he tried to meditate, focusing on the wind on the sails, the splash of the waves, the motions of the ship. Here he was at peace, the sea was part of his blood, calling him since the night he was conceived.

The Sea - vast, fantastic, dangerous. Open sky, creepy depths below. Fish, kelp, whales, and life living in the cold. And yet to many it was doom. But no pony could resist it's cries. And at that moment, Charter knew it was crying out for the Alicorn who ruled the sea long ago.

Despite the incredulity of the waitresses, Lilly and Doctor Lens were imbuing in fine beverages long before noon.

"Isn't it a bit early?" asked the maid, the one who typically served breakfast.

Lens pulled out document from her cloak. "I'm a medical doctor, and in my professional opinion that my patient here need some hard apple cider." She indicated the tired and dirty looking missionary, dark shadows under Lilly's eyes. The waitress relented at the sight.

Another patron had entered the restaurant, one of the night watch getting done e with his watch. Sitting down at a table, he took a quick glance in the room. "Hey Petals, where's that one dog?"

The waitress stopped at the table. "What dog?"

"The mutt I see in here every night before my shift starts, with that one pegasus fellow."

"Don't know, she's not our pet. Why are you interested?"

"Huh, I thought that she was sort of a mascot of this place."

Petals shook her head. "Nope, just another customer. Speaking of which, don't you eat breakfast at your apartment, Pathfinder?"

"Don't have much time today, and I'm still on duty. Watch master is having us check the forest - apparently something spooked the Baldies last night when they were working the graveyard. Went to the watch station, but we didn't check it out 'til dawn."

"Aww, how sad," Petals mockingly said. "You had to leave your desk to actually do some work."

"We found… well something."

Petals looked at Pathfinder with a confused expression. "Eh? Well what did you find?"

The stallion closed his eyes and shook his head. "We think it might be a hoof."

"Think?!"

"Could be from a deer … Look, it's way too early to talk about this. Just get me some juice and oatmeal", he said. Pathfinder didn't want to eat anything too hard, not after seeing the blood. He still had an investigation to conduct - needing to go deeper in the forest and make sure it was an animal.

During this conversation, Lens was listening to the pair's conversation. Lilly was busy drinking and focusing on the music being played in the background. Her eyes were drooping, face less tense, a slight blush on her face and nude scalp. She didn't hear Pathfinder. Good, the last thing Lilly needs is another scare , thought the Scholar. But I hope the Town Watch doesn't find anything. I wonder if the Noxferus been bribing them. Her thoughts went to the Doctor and the tome he sought. Lightwing should be on his way back, hopefully on a airship on the Golden Pines parcel route.

In fact Lightwing and two other Scholars were on the road to Woodwatch. They had arrived sooner than they expected, but it was still long walk to the settlement.

Nocturne wiped a her forehead with a dirty maintenance cloth as she went outside, mopping up sweat from her exertions down in the core of the house, and the immense maintenance still required for the Corona Star to function. The doctors creations had assisted greatly in putting the machine together, but sometimes they required a guiding hoof in preparing the systems, and dealing with some of the finer points of the schematics. More than once they had installed a portion of the device only for her to have them remove it so she could fix some minor oversight that they had failed to take into account.

Still, they were good, tireless workers and she couldn’t fault them for their enthusiasm, even as she assisted the doctor with her rudimentary training in the electricals of the device they were learning, progressing, becoming more efficient in their duties. In less than a week the empty factories the doctor had created many years past had suddenly awoken in the howling of steam, the heat of furnaces and the ordered whir and clank of tools as more and more worker Drones manned the workshops, machines and furnaces of the great underground construct.

The entire venture had probably been the most exciting time of her life, and the most strenuous. The doctor was a wondrous person, half scientist, half magician, all occultist. His work was inspirational and a symbol of innovation and discovery in these dark times, and the progress he had made over the years until this point showed in the sparks and sinews of his children. Already he was preparing for something of infinite complexity, something she didn’t entirely understand, but which would be something Equestria had never seen before, and might never see again.

Yes, she was glad she had joined with him.

Under his unofficial tutelage, her understanding of many things had grown immensely, in ways she could have never perceived before. Perhaps it was the blessing of studying in practice, not under the guidelines of a university or curriculum, but in the wild world of the maddest kind of people.

Yes, It had been a blessing really.

She trotted down the gravel pathway, little pebbles skipping in front of her lithe dark grey limbs, and the smell of wildflowers all around her as they bloomed upon the hill surround the mansion and laboratory of Silver Scalpel. She stretched her wings out from her side and revelled in the feeling of the a slight breeze on her wing membranes, she had been cooped up in that dark house for far too long and she was itching to flap her wings and rise into the sky.

Changing her trot into a light jog she gave a huge flap of her wings and rose into the air, soon enough she was circling the town on the air current, smiling as her aching joints slowly eased away and she enjoyed the miracle of flight once more. For a time she simply enjoyed the little things, the sun, the warmth of the breeze, the picturesque view, but soon she felt a rather poignant thirst take a hold of her.

She could do with a pint.

Ever since moving to main Equestria from her mountainous homeland she had enjoyed the flavour of the native alcoholic substances. She wouldn’t say she had a drinking problem, although the local Woodswatch barpony definitely thought so, but she did enjoy a good drink now and then. Unfortunately due to her work with the doctor she hadn’t managed to grab one in the past week or two, occultism, ressurectionism and old magic had taken precedence over such luxuries.

As she swooped down from above, she landed just before the inn, pausing at the town fountain to pick out any imperfections in the clear waters. As she stared into her reflection she took in her slightly frazzled bright creamy white mane, tutting at the the memory of it being hit by a rogue electrical charge, still it was functional. Her green slit eyes peered at her brightly despite the time of day. Normally she would have been asleep during this time, but due to the doctor’s schedules she had adapted for daylight hours, well, that and the miracle of coffee imported from Zebrica. Her dark grey fur was relatively clean asides from a few minor oil stains, and she was wearing clean clothes of a black shirt and a red waistcoat and tie, making her seem quite polished overall, despite the occasional rough patches here and there.

Satisfied that she looked presentable, she shouldered her way through the inn door. The place was near deserted asides from a few ponies here and there, she recognised Pathfinder from the night watch and a few other denizens’ of her drinking establishment in the vicinity. As she made her way up to the bar and took a stool she noticed two other ponies in the place, a very beautiful looking mare and another mare who was curious bald. Vaguely she recollected that these were some weird god cultists the doctor had mentioned.

“Mornin’ Nokky!” the barpony, Foamy Tankard exclaimed, a big smile on the earth pony’s face as he worked his way over, a dishcloth and mug in hoof as he did so, “Surprised to see you back here again, figured you had left town when you packed up. What was it, miss being our special town drunkard and resident bat pony?”

Nocturne smiled and shrugged, “Found myself a bunk with an old friend, Tanky. Better than living in this pisshole you call an Inn, it actually has running hot water for example.”

Tankard let out a barking laugh at the counter to his ribbing, “Fair enough Nokky! I take it will be your usual?” with a nod of affirmation he headed back to the spouts and began filling up a large foaming mug of beer and returned to her with it. She tossed him a few coins on counter.

“So Tanky, what’s the local news?” she asked raising her glass as she queried and exclaiming “Skal” before taking a large draft of her brew, “Can’t be much I imagine, quiet little town like Woodswatch.”

Tankard settled his elbows on the table and frowned slightly, “Well ever since you hitched up and left with that friend of yours there have been a lot of little odd things going on. Nothing terribly alarming, but the woods seem a lot emptier of wildlife than before, and the travellers from other parts are saying there are a lot less bandits on the road than there should be, given our location. Lots of noises from the woods at night too, very loud, and now this strange figure seen by them Baldies-” Here he gestured towards the bald mare across the bar, “-getting carted away tha’night before, ‘parently could just have been a deer and a wild animal, but they found a bit of hoof this morn, can’t tell what it is though.”

Inside her mind Nocturne heard her hoof smack her forehead in a grumble, she and the doctor had told them to stay away from the town, and she guessed that a bandit had managed to get the slip on one of the packs. Well… she thought, at least they didn’t let him stay alive. Nocturne shrugged and took another deep swig of her beer, “Was probably an animal goin’ for a meal, we haven’t had anything weird up this side of the country since the war began. I figure at worst it could have been a stray laughing dead, although that’d certainly be unusual” she shrugged again, “Doubt its anything to worry about.”

Tankard nodded in agreement, but still a slight frown creased his brow. “You sure you’re not going to join up with the Night watch again? The lads there really miss you it seems, and I am sure they could use an extra pair of hooves.”

Nocturne snorted, “the only thing they want back is a pony that can see in the dark so the lazy buggers can unload the job on me again, I don’t get paid enough to offset the boredom of flying in circles seeing nothing Tanky, they can handle that themselves.”

Tankard gave her a small grin, “Suit yerself, nice to see you again Nokky, the Inn ain’t the same without your catatonic drooling face plastered over the counter.”

Nocturne chuckled, “Same to you, you daft earthy bastard, now let me enjoy my pint before it gets warm.”

Grabbing her pint with an outstretched wing, she balanced it as she headed over to one of the corners of the room, settling at an untaken booth near the two other ponies, and began taking in the outside scenery as carts and villagers passed quietly through the town. More than once she eyed up the two mares across her way with some level of suspicion, they definitely didn’t seem like locals that was for sure, Nocturne would have encountered them long before this if that was the case. Suddenly her mind was lit up with a flash of recognition, she recognised the other more scholarly looking mare from what the doctor had told her about their visitors deal the day before.

Dr Solar Lens.

Suddenly an immense sense of suspicion settled over her, and she had to stop herself from rising and going back to the house to inform the doctor.

After all, what was a scholar of her type doing fraternising with new god cultists?

Astral Spectrum considered the offer. To be granted a new body? The idea, if he had to be honest, scared him but at the same time was tempting. Oh so tempting at that. This…being that Silver seemed to have allied himself with promised much and in the back of Spectrum’s mind a voice screamed caution. But the Legends of the world became so when they gambled with Fate and this case the reward outweighed the price by a staggering amount.

Time was short enough as it was and his own mortal coil kept him from being able to realize his goal. Even when the Elements were brought low it would still be some months before Equestria was in its former glory and it would require the guiding hoof of those willing to do what was necessary. Spectrum himself had no wish for power, political or otherwise he only wished for peace. But it was power he would need to complete his goal.

“I accept your offer my friend,” he said finally,” And then I will do what I can to aid you in bringing about this Mechanical Paradise.”

---

Grimwing looked at the horizon, a chill running unbidden down his spine. His wings twitched at his sides showing his current mindset.

“What’s going on?” Deckhoof breathed.

Grimwing didn’t know, the entirety of the north coast from what they could see was covered in a thick fog. Normally he wouldn’t be bothered by this but there was a feeling in his gut, a feeling every hoof on deck shared, that something was wrong, horribly wrong. The feeling of foreboding was crushing. The entirety of the crew froze when a roar ripped through the air.

“W-what was th-that?” Deckhoof stammered.

Grimwing look at his friend, a bead of sweat ran down the side of his face. He couldn’t forget the source of that roar even if he tried. He had been there when Captain Wave had freed the first slaves from a merchant ship three months ago. The experience had been burned into his memory, he even had nightmares form time to time of the event that brought him his freedom.

“That is a Leviathan mate,” Grimwing set his jaw and swallowed his fear. Now wasn’t the time for pussyhoofin’ it. If a Leviathan was out and about then that meant the Captain wasn’t far behind. Grimwing retook the wheel and steered it toward the source of the noise.

“What are ya doin’?!” one of the other pirates shouted at the Pegasus. Most looked at him like he was mad and maybe he was but he wasn’t leaving his Captain to fight alone. The crew erupted in argument with most screaming at Grimwing to turn the ship ‘round.

“Th’ Cap is in battle lads,” he yelled over the din of the priates’ squabbling,” An’ if ye don’t ‘ave th’ salt ye promised when ye became part of th’ fleet then ye best throw yerself off th’ ship now. We all owe ‘im our freedom an’ if I’ve ta die fullin’ me debt so be it! Now lads are ye a bunch soft furred landlubbers or are ye tide ‘ardened scourges of th’ sea!?”

Silence reachd his ears until Glint stepped forward. The griffiness stared at the Pegasus and he stared right back. She stayed like this for a few moments before whirling on a talon,” Ya heard ‘im you lot! Get those sails up an’ out. I want full speed an’ Faust’s mercy on any lollygaggers I catch!”

“Aye Ma’am!” the crew chorused before setting to work, invigorated by the words of Grimwing. Glint looked up at him with a sense of respect before nodding. He returned it and set his sights on the horizon.

Charter relaxed once the crew went back to their duties. He had feared a mutiny was on hoof, and unsure what would happen. If the crew turned, the Scholar was going have to fight back to defend Grimwing. There a myriad of thoughts going through his mind - his duty to Sweeper, his desire to talk his Crashing, and his the heat of his boiling blood. His mother's side began to scream, for Mutiny was one of the unspeakable and heinous crimes a crew could commit. Anger that the crew would think that filled the unicorn's heart.

Wanting to kill again, don't cha?

Thankfully this did not happen, and the crew went back to their duties. Charter shook his head to clear his thoughts. He rushed back to help with the sails, stumbling a bit as he still wasn't used to the sea. The ship was going into the fog, and closer to destiny.

---

Lens noted the entry of the bat pony at the local inn. It was an unusual to see one since they migrated back north. Pathfinder seemed annoyed, trying to avert his eyes from Nocturne, and frowning while eating his oatmeal. But otherwise, nothing seemed odd - Lens did not know who Nocturne was or who she worked for.

The Scholar returned her attention to Lilly, who after two drinks looked pretty relaxed. She didn't look tipsy, but the fear and stress of the last night was gone. Lens smiled at the success. Warm milk probably would have the same effect, but liqueur is quicker , she thought. Besides, I could use a drink. Come on Lightwing, don't foul this up.

"So have you meet the Lady?", asked Lilly. While the voice was a bit nervous, the missionary was now talking.

"Alas, I have not seen been in her presence," said Lens. "My grandfather has meet with her and taken an oath." Lens did not mention that the Director Prancer did not take the full oath. He was willing to serve Sweeper for her help in the Project, but did not swear to protect her siblings. Sweeper didn't force the issue for some reason.

Chances are, it was because she wanted to get something to eat.

"So did you meet the Lady?", asked Lens.

Lilly nodded. "Yes… two months ago. Before that, I was a wreck. Living in the streets or the mud soaked streets of The Fork. I lost everything after the Battle of Sunny Hills, and was sick, dirty, infested, and alone. No one would hire me even to fix a toilet or a sewer.

"It was raining that day, and I was weeping on the street. Everything seemed hopeless. But in the puddle I was in, I saw a reflection of the most beautiful pony I have ever seen. Her coat was sliver and her eyes bright. I looked up, and saw Sliver Sweeper and the High Priest on her back." Lilly chuckled. "Looking back, it was a pretty funny sight. Imagine a beautiful alicorn, wearing a poncho and a soaked pony riding her. But even then, she was so pretty. Sweeper looked at me, her horn glowed. Soon the mud fell off my coat, the pests in my hair died, I was clean! The High Priest came down and gave me some cake he was carrying."

"So what happened next?"

"Well, she continued on her way and I followed. I saw many marvelous things - repairing the ruined statues of the town, helping restore the local waterworks, cleaning the dirty and sick… the Lady was wonderful. Several other ponies had began to follow her, and asked for her advice. Sweeper spoke into the night and the morning, telling us of her quest and hopes."

Sounds about right. Scroll and the Director have told me of Sweeper's long ramblings thought Lens.

Lilly continued. "We asked if we could serve the Lady, help her in her mission. After we took the Oath, Sweeper smiled, gave us a hug, and said 'There you go!'. She then patted my mane."

Sounds far different than how she selected the Scholars Lens smiled, seeing how Lilly's eyes glowed. Her renewed enthusiasm was just infectious. "And you've been on the road, cleaning Equestria?"

"Yeah, and we managed to get more followers. Alas, we're not quite welcome everywhere. We were chased out of the last town. Would have went back, but the High priest said not to risk ourselves. 'If you are in danger, leave. The Lady wishes you to be safe,' he wrote. Now that I think about it, what do you do to help the Lady?"

Lens set her mug down. "My order helps in many ways - her messengers, her scribes, helping whatever she wishes. We existed before to help preserve knowledge. Sweeper likes that, so we continue our mission for the most part."

"So what did the one unicorn have to do with the Lady, the one that lives in the mansion?"

Lens had anticipated such a question. "Like many of our order, the pony we seek is quite intelligent. We needed his help in developing spells to help in the mission of restoration. Something of a hermit, he doesn't like company." Lilly nodded and seemed to accept the answer. Lens changed the conversation. Both were unaware of any nearby listeners.

Meanwhile, Lightwing and his entourage trotted the road to Woodwatch. More travelers were on the road, but they still kept their guard. It was approaching noon.

Theá was happily munching on a piece of dried meat the older stallion, Powder Pick, had bought her. She had to admit, he was a pleasant stallion and someone she felt she could trust, even if he did know of her true identity which he, at the moment, did not. Still, she had enjoyed her time with the stallion in the week she had been in Woodswatch, walking around the streets in the hopes of hearing rumours, and spending the evenings in the tavern with Powder. She'd been beside him when he had talked to some other old stallion--a friend, she supposed-- and discovered that he was an old miner back in the days before the war. That explained the image of a boring, grey pick on his flank, she had thought.

Theá found herself sitting with Powder in the tavern one afternoon after about a week of looking for rumours, during which she had found many, and could pin-point the location of this Silver Scalpel's base of operation. While it may have been easier for her to just sneak inside as a rat and stayed in the shadows to keep an eye on him, she found it more likely that a stallion such as Amaretto would get useful information. Especially since she expected some sort of magical protection, and since she knew she wasn't going to be able to break through it, or dispell it, without arousing suspicion. So getting somepony inside, to work alongside him and have him share his secrets... that was the best course of action. She would, and probably could, follow him inside. If anything then just in case he was discovered and needed protection.

She was in the midst of getting her ear scratched when a familiar presence entered her radius. She perked up, curious puppy eyes darting every which way until they settled on the door. She jumped down from the bench she was on and darted towards it, Powder in her heels with a curious expression of his face.

---

Amaretto had finally arrived at Woodswatch. It had been something like seven and half a day since he'd left for this small backwater town with hardly more than three houses and a share pisshole. Or, well, that was what the pessimistic and grumpy part of his mind said. Even if he had reunited his family again he still found that some part of him was the stallion who would do anything for the safety of those he cared about, despite how gruesome and cruel it would be.

He grimaced, not wanting to think about it, and shook his head. Thankfully, any further musing of his past, borderline monstrous, self was interrupted by the excited bark of a small dog. He looked down and saw a small blond puppy with large floppy ears, a pair of innocent eyes looking up at him. He knew immediately who it was, especially when those eyes seemed to change from dark to a clear green for just a moment. Regardless, he played the part and swooped her up in his telekinesis, scratching her ear for all it was worth as an elder stallion approached him.

"That your pup?" He asked, nodding towards the dog held in Amaretto's magic.

"She is. I've been looking for her for weeks by now! I live in a small town a few days travel up north." He sighed, setting Theá on his back. "I'm sorry, sir, if she's been any inconvenience. I... She's all I have left, and... You know how it is." Amaretto's voice had changed from its usually serious and no-nonsense tone to that of a stallion concerned for the well-being of someone he held dear, even if they were only a dog. He hadn't taken any drama classes, but he thought his act enough to fool just about anyone who didn't know him. It worked, if the softening expression on Powder Pick was anything to go by.

"I see. Good to know that you finally found your pup. I've been feeding here the past week she's been here. And no, you don't have to pay me; she's been fantastic company, incredibly friendly and loveable. It's a great dog you have there."

Amaretto smiled, nodding his head once. "Thank you. Anyway, I'd best get going. I have a fried who I think I can stay with 'til the morrow. Good day, sir, and thank you again." At the following nod from Powder, Amaretto turned around and headed the same way he'd come.

At one point when they passed through an alley, Theá abandoned the shape of a dog and assumed the shape of a beetle instead, placing herself between his ear and mane, out of sight but at a place where she could speak to him without anyone else hearing them. As they walked, she told him of everything she had found out; where Silver Scalpel's base was (having been discovered by her due to the smoke coming from it, as well as the rumours and, when she had visited the surrounding area, the feeling of a familiar presence. She told him of the rumours that someone were pillaging graves (caught from some of the guards and other ponies who had to clean up after whoever it was).

"Sounds enough proof for me," he grunted as he turned a corner, keeping his voice low. "Why don't you just tear him down?"

"Disappearing corpses, smoke from a previously abandoned building, and a lower amount of bandits in the nearby area is no grounds for smiting him. I do not kill without due reason."

Amaretto only nodded, turning another corner, the mansion Theá had told him about coming into view. "This is the place?" he asked, not waiting for a reply before he strode forward, though she did whisper her affirmative.

The mansion was impressive, to be sure. Large and luxurious, even if it was clearly old and weathered. But still, it stood strong and proud, and undoubtedly with secrets hidden within. As he walked up to the front door, Theá whispered a few final words of warning and caution before she went silent, cautiously observing as he lit his horn, banging hard on the door with his telekinesis, making sure that it would be heard far into the old building and, hopefully, get the attention of this Silver Scalpel.

Come out come out, you bastard. The sooner you get here, the sooner I can expose you and have you smited, and I can get home to my family again.

The light faded from Scalpels eyes and he once again touched the ground, all aspects of the other within himself disappearing as quickly as they had appeared.

“And so the deal is struck, we accept to abide by each other’s agreements and terms… and as for this..” here he turned to the alicorn horn, cradling it in his hooves like the most precious delicate thing in the world, before handing it over to Tsan, “this will go to the Inner Sanctum with Tsan and be stored until I have the necessary means of finalising my work, Tsan! Take ten of the War Drones with you and have them stationed there, I don’t want this disappearing.”

Tsan nodded, his face a picture of wonder and loyalty, and took the horn, wrapping it up in cloth and hurrying off with the War Drones on his mission. Before long the two remaining ponies heard the clanking of metal hooves on stone as they descended into the darkness on their way to the darkest regions of the house.

“Now, I believe that concludes our business here, If you wish you make leave and make your way in the world until my plans are completed with the artifice, I will send for you when the time comes for process to be put in motion. Otherwise I am sure my children will see to your needs if necessary, and provide you with food and place to sleep. You will have access to all but the Inner Sanctum if you wish to explore, but I wouldn’t advise attempting to breach my defences there for the sake of curiosity, the network of spells there is quite deadly for the uninvited.”

A heavy thumping on the door distracted him and for a moment a paralysing sense of fear settled over him, and he paused to look at Astral in suspicion. “It seems I have another visitor…”

He signalled to the Drones and Lambda to follow and they rose from their prostrated positions and hurried after him, eyes ablaze with zeal and religious fervour.

Scalpel hadn’t expected anyone else today, and the situation filled him with unease, had Astral been followed? Honestly the past two days he had seen more visitors than he had in a very long time, and the arrival of two in the same day was a very unusual circumstance.

Arriving at the door, surrounded by a ring of Drones, and a nearby Lambda in case things turned foul, Scalpel prepared himself for a very unexpected and unwelcome guest. Dragging open the door slightly he peered through the crack into the daylight and at the brooding form which had dropped itself on his doorstep.

On his doorstep was a massive unicorn, grotesquely huge in proportion to a normal pony and covered relatively heavy armour of chain and plate. There was something rough about him, a grim face plastered over a brightly coloured coat and mane of mint green and amber colouration. Scalpel eyed him up critically.

“Well, just for brevities sake I will conclude three possible reasons for you being here, No I don’t want whatever quackery you are selling under the pretence that it works, No I am not looking for hired muscle, I have more than enough of that as it is, and no, syphilis is incurable and you should have checked before you bedded that whore, so there isn’t anything I can do for you…”

His eyes glinted, blue orbs of malice and paranoia shining in the midday sun, still holding the door nearly closed as he continued “…Now that we have concluded those possible conversations, would you please tell me what you want? If it was one of the above however, I’d be obliged if you could fuck off now, I am busy.”

"He's slow," Amaretto muttered. "No way the place can be so big it takes several minutes to answer the fucking door."

"Patience," Theá chided in a whisper. "Lose it, and your hunt will fail, your prey will escape."

"This isn't a bloody hunt, it's me visiting him."

"Be that as it may, you still need to be patient... He's on his way."

Amaretto didn't reply, he just kept silent and watched the door, his expression one that clearly spoke of not giving a flying fuck about anything. The door opened, and he looked down at what one could call an average unicorn stallion. He wasn't much to look at, not a lot of muscle which indicated lack of training or ever wearing armour. He looked, if anyone, like a mean bastard. He certainly didn't give the best impression of caring about niceties by the way he glared balefully at Amaretto. Or, well, he couldn't really see much in the way of the stallion's body, but judging by how he spoke and what little he could see of his face, he found that he lacked the grittiness that he had come to associate with soldiers. Either that, or he was just a guy with a stallion body and a foal's face.

"I've come for none of those things," he said, voice calm yet powerful. "Rumours are abound with a stallion named Silver-something who has been working with resurrection. I'm looking for him, and what you said certainly makes you sound like a doctor so I'll just assume that you're him. I've come to buy your services; I lost most of my friends and family in a Whitegold raid a while back, and I want them back." He paused for a moment, studying what little he could still see of Scalpel's face. "And I can pay, not in gold or gems, but something else. Something far more valuable."

Scalpel’s eyes darkened further and his face from a scowl to a grimace at the pony in front of him, “So you’re here to make me an offer I can’t possibly refuse in return for some necromancy? Why didn’t you just go to some Laughing Psycho’s and get it done there? Because trust me ressurectionism is very different from what you’re asking me for. Ressurectionism is the returning of a body to actual life, but that doesn’t entail that the hmmm… original soul will return with it, in fact it largely doesn’t asides from the occasional quirk or piece of knowledge. What you are asking me for is necromancy, physically dragging the soul out of whatever afterlife of aether that it dwells in and stuffing it in a decaying corpse in a state of undeath. The effects vary given the willingness of the pony to return its body, most of the time it drives them insane however.”

Scalpel sighed and opened the door slightly revealing himself in full in a black suit and heavy black greatcoat lined with gold thread, “… But if you still want to go through with it then maybe I can work something out by combining the two techniques, they are not incompatible after all, but you have to take into account the fact that your friends might as well come back insane and with a taste for living flesh.”

He shrugged a bit, then gestured for the others to back off a little bit, which they did so, receding to darkened positions near the walls asides from Lambda who stayed as he opened the door in full. “If you are willing to accept the risks of the procedure step right on in and we will work this out in the living room, if not, you’re free to leave so long as you keep quiet about my presence here… I have been having… difficulties with some people and I’m sure you’d prefer not to wake up with swords going through your neck on some godforsaken night.”

Leaving the door he proceeded to cross and open a pair of double doors on the right of him, opening the way to a darkened room. Lambda eyed the stranger with a measure of hostility and suspicion, but made way regardless. “Stay a good length away from Father, make any move which suggests violence and I will deal with you myself” he stated in a passionate if almost electrical voice, before following his creator into the darkened room.

Scalpel utilised some magic and the torches around the room spluttered into life, revealing a host of expensive artefacts from many ancient cultures and a series of bookcases around the room, and a Dao Vase taking up each corner. To the right of them two great windows lay boarded up, only small beams of light making their way through the tight wooden boards. The floor was covered in large piles of hundred year old Saddle Arabian Carpets, covered in almost hypnotic and startling symbology. The central part of the room opened a way for two couches made of leather, and embroidered with various ancient languages, and a great armchair covered in the same text.

Scalpel took a seat in the armchair before continuing, “But before I agree to anything I want to know and have proof a number of things. The first being this: how did you discover where I was? The second, What is this valuable thing you are talking about, how did you discover it and why will it interest me? The thing I want from you is proof that this thing actually exists and you aren’t stringing me along, I want physical proof, not pipe stories and thrift store maps, otherwise this deal is off. Finally, I want your name, and don’t lie to me or I’ll dig through your skull like a knife slicing through rotten fruit.”

“Oh” Scalpel concluded, making a small humourless smile at the pony, “And don’t even think about betraying me, because there isn’t a god or demon that can save you from me if I find out you have done so.”

“Now, nameless pony, I believe you better get started on your story” Scalpel finalised, utilising a dart of magic to levitate a decanter of dark whisky over to his side, before pouring it into a glass and placing the decanter on a side table next to him, and forming some ice from magic to drop in the glass before taking a draught.

“I hope its good.”