The fighting had not long settled when Scalpel made his way through the Stormwing mining camp. Around him the air was saturated with the rich smell of blood and the bodies of multiple Stormwing guards lay in shattered heaps across the shanty town.
Death had come to Dragonpoint Mines, and it had been bloody.
Scalpel stepped over another broken corpse, this time one of Stormwing’s conscripted recruits. It was a Pegasus this time, his features young and soft, untempered by the blood of war, a look of surprise etched into his last moments. He’d probably not even seen his death coming before it was upon him, assault from all sides from armoured foes after a breach of the palisade, and death from above as the Spheres sliced throat and wing tendon in a mad cacophony of slaughter. Within twenty minutes the camp had been decimated and not one guard that resisted had survived the bloody encounter.
Passing through another winding street between the miner’s quarters, more corpses were there to meet him, scorch marks and blood from magic and blade scattered across the walls, and in a distant corner a pile of crates burned. Beyond this he encountered his Medical Drones dealing with bodies; they looked up blankly as he made his way onwards, already prepping the remains for use later on. He nodded to them, and they returned to work carting away the carnage and gore in reclaimed carts from his path.
Beyond this he saw his Risen, dressed in armour and robes alike unlocking the prisoner barracks and herding out the roughly awoken miners, who stared in either shock or terror at their newfound occupiers.
They were not the saviours they had prayed for, and now they worried what would happen to them. Would they become chattel slaves for a Warlord? Experiments for a demoniac necromancer? What was to become of them?
Soon they would know, and their worldview would change forever.
He arrived at a small plaza just before the mine, and saw the Risen shepherd the local mining slaves towards him in a mass of several hundred. Before the mine there had been erected a small stage, or rather gallows from which announcements could be made and executions completed, but he’d repurposed it for another goal. Upon it many huge sacks and chests, locked and sealed with thick rope lay, hiding a cargo which would have made a bandit kings heart stop and a beggar dance a jig. Its lure alone might sway many of the prisoners to his service.
He climbed on to the makeshift stage and two other Risen joined with him on either side, One of his experiments and Zodiac, both would be necessary for convincing them on his sincerity. The prisoners were a huge mess of various age groups, races, genders and appearances, all bundled together in one confused hubbub. Some were Fallen, their wings torn from their bodies and forced to wear leather masks of shame. Others were dehorned unicorns forced north by the Earthborn and into the hooves of Stormwing, Still others were a motley collection of various races, lean and ill looking, half starved under brutal repressive conditions.
Then amidst them all was the occasional child, connected with the thin and wasted refugees, or orphaned, pushed into mining operations just to do away with them, or because their size helped in the brutal conditions. Many seemed to be families, but a fair amount seemed not to be, still he could appeal to them through appealing to the safety of their families.
Behind him the hangpony’s noose hung, empty for now, its arm creaking a little in the wind. Scalpel turned around, activated his magic, and ripped the entire structure in half. The crowd erupted in a shocked murmur of voices, wondering the meaning of what was going on. He turned back to them, giving them an even stare, a small smile crossing his face.
“Many of you are wondering what is going on here, doubtless many of you are thinking that I’m a roving Warlord come to enslave you , a slaver to come and sell you, or perhaps I am one of the cult of laughter come to practice foul necromancy…”
He paused, giving them an even look; their faces appeared tense as they waited on a response.
“I am none of these people.” He answered, signalling the cordon of Risen to open behind them, allowing a road straight through to the gates of the now deserted palisade. “All that I ask of you now is to listen and hear my words. I will not hold you here against your will as did your oppressors, I will not torture and beat you, I will not even demand that you heed my request, but if you would give me time, I wish to tell you of a vision I have forseen.”
“It is true that you may leave here freely, you could scatter across Equestria, and maybe some of you would escape to better lands if you avoid recapture… But we all know war is eternal. You cannot truly escape it. Sooner or later, you will be forced back into bondage, enslaved, tortured and maimed by the forces of the enemy. And that enemy is all around us…”
He thrust a hoof out, pointing south, “In the south! The Earthborn host rides in on a tyrannous rampage of war, brutalising all before it, spreading is racial supremacist diatribe and dehorning and slaughtering any uncorn which has the misfortune to get in their way. Many I see have suffered this fate, and its monstrosity repulses me!”
His hoof moved again, his voice picking up fervour as he continued, getting more and more invested in the role. “In the North the Stormwing pronounces dictatorship, holding to their Spartan ways, and any without wings being nothing more than second class citizens and cannon fodder, no better than serfs or slaves to their arrogance. They kill all pegasi who do not serve them, whether it is the swiftness of the blade or the slow death of a work camp. They allow no caution, no second guessing, and those that do question their fool hardiness are dishonoured! Their wings carved off and forced unto the ground, shamed and spat upon by society!
“In the East the racist slaver, Twilight Sparkle collaborates to make all unicorns above those of the other races! She enslaves and tortures any who fall into their hooves, and her foul inquisition ruthlessly burns both knowledge and ponies, in their quest to strengthen their ignorant and debased religion!
“And in the West the cannibal tides of savage barbarians seek an end to all we hold dear, bringing with it the scourge of the Everfree and all its horrors upon the land, as if it was some sort of blessed gift!”
He brought his head down, bowed as if in prayer, closing his eyes with an intense expression,
“My friends, we have been betrayed… betrayed by those we trusted and put our faith in.”
He heard a murmur of agreement. It was low, but he could sense it. Once forgotten grudges were rising and anger began to seep forth, he had snared them but a little, now to reel them in.
“Celestia and Luna have abandoned us, the state that was forged on their presence rotted when they walked away from it, allowing it to crumble into nothingness and discord in a matter of weeks! The peace which once ruled the land is now dead, only the shallow grave and the numbness of death exist in comparison to what once was.
“But not even the grave is safe for us, for no flesh is sacred enough for the bane of the Laughing cult and her depraved decadent followers. The bones and bodies of our brothers, sisters and friends rise in unholy symphony to devour and destroy the living, cursing the land with their foetid putrescence!
“Those sisters have made the tyrants we now call rulers and masters! The forged them, moulded them, and brought them to power, and now we must suffer the consequences of their short-sightedness! Our children slaughtered, our bones picked over by carrion, they have laid us a banquet of sorrow!
“All of them are foul. All of them are without mercy. All of them are corrupt and worthless of loyalty of trust…
“But what choice do you have? There is no other way in this word, the tyrants hold their cards close and they’ve dictated our lives for two decades. Unscrupulous in their corruption, without concern for what damage they cause… And around them they pour flaming oil, burning what was once left of Equestria’s glory to cinders, self-destruction and oblivion is all that remains in their minds! All that matters is that they spite their enemies by denying them anything!
The murmuring was growing more distinct, an angry helpless element was emerging, he’d worked them up, now he could bring in the temptation…
“But what if I told you there was another way?”
The crowd suddenly went quiet, waiting on him to continue. He made note that none had turned to leave, whether out of fear or interest he could not tell.
He continued, a feverish grin on his face, his eyes alight with passion and drive, infecting the crowd with his aura. “What If I told you that the age once lost to us could be revived? That peace, order, security and liberty could be resurrected and filled with newfound purpose and vitality! What if I told you that your families would never have to face hunger or thirst, famine or disease, death or disaster again?”
“What if I told you that you could live in a world where you would be safe, the cities ordered, the roads clear of bandits and evil? What if I told you that any injury or loss of limb could be restored, that your children would be given good education, prospects, safety and food? What if I told you that your pride and dignity could be restored?
“That my friends, is my dream.”
“A world without tyranny beckons, where equality and security reigns once again in the hearts and minds of all equnity! A world of political freedom and toleration, where the people decide who rule! Not those strapped up tyrants and dogmatic fundamentalists who argue from “tradition” and the “hereditary”! A world where science and progress will lead to all ponies’ happiness! A world where want and suffering are broken before the tides of plenty and fortitude!”
He paused, a moment of silence giving drama, he could sense them leaning in, interested, enraptured by this strange person who offered so much.
“Perhaps many of you think that I lie, that this cannot be done. Equestria is hell you say! And this is true. But I tell you now, if Equestria is hell, I will invade it, tear it down and build a nation upon it! And that nation will be bound to the fundaments of truth, courage, innovation and freedom!”
He raised a hoof, point directly at the crowd, a frown of almost religious piety entering his voice. “Those of you who have lost your horns, and those of you who have lost your wings or hooves, step into the light!”
Nervously, a significant portion of the mining slave stepped forward, Fallen, dehorned unicorns and earth ponies with lost limbs stepped forward, casting each other worried looks.
Scalpel scanned many of them, most were refugees, but he could tell a number of veteran warriors stood amongst them as well, mostly from the Fallen, but sometimes elsewhere in the glean of an eye.
“You all have lost something deeply connect to you, something intrinsic to a ponies very nature, to your very souls! You pegasi have been dishonoured, your wings carved off so that you may never fly again. Dignity and years of loyalty broken before corrupt officials, suicidal death charges and gross incompetence of others wasting of your skills. Perhaps some of you did act cowardly… perhaps. If so then this is a chance to reclaim your pride, reclaim your courage and dignity, and reclaim that birthright which was stolen from you!”
Scalpel tore off the robe which hid his nearby experiment, revealing it to the crowd. The ponies gasped as they took it in, a relatively normal looking Pegasi Risen, legs and body still of flesh and blood but whos wings had been crafted from delicate sharp blades of metal, machinery and crystal. It’d taken him days to perfect it, but once he’d connected once again with the Pegasus magic they responded like any other set of wings, except these were harder… and far deadlier.
The Fallen eyed the wings eagerly, but there was an element of suspicion to them, and he sensed it.
“A demonstration then, to show you the truth my invention.”
He gestured to the Risen and it nodded in response, opening its wings to an awed group of spectators. With a few cursory flaps to ready itself, and then leaped into the air, beginning to power into the sky with powerful steady beats.
Within a matter of seconds it achieved the same speed of a normal Pegasus. Looping, twisting and turning in acrobatic feats which would have been difficult for most of its kind. The crowd looked on in shock and approval, already he could see the desire in the Fallen’s eyes, they’d sell their souls to get their wings back, never mind their loyalty.
“And to those of you who have lost their horns…” he nodded to Zodiac, and she returned it, pulling down her shroud for the audience to see the occult crystal and metal portion of her horn grafted to her skull. With a pulse of light, dark purple magic erupted from it in a strong energetic beam, lifting up the broken arm of the gallows with ease and levitating it about without even noticeable strain.
Now it was the unicorn’s turn for their eyes to become greedy.
Zodiac continued by bringing a hoof forward, revealing the advanced mechanical leg to the disabled earth ponies. In a matter of a minute, he’d ensnared them.
Now to tighten the knot.
“I see you find this appealing; you wonder what would be the dire cost of gaining such things back? What would I ask of you? Well I shall answer…”
He opened his hooves, giving them a cheerful honest grin.
“Nothing.”
He heard them mutter again, confused but hungry for more, their eyes filled with something that probably hadn’t been there for years.
Hope.
“All I ask in return from you is that you stay loyal and true to my cause, and assist me in building my great vision.
“To practice your talents and gifts, where you are soldier or sorcerer, farmer or scientist, architect or artisans are all I ask in return from you. I have the power to build my dream, but I require minds and innovative thinkers to form and stabilise it and guide it to its logical conclusion. In return I will offer you opportunities undreamed of, security and civilisation, equality and toleration and of course…”
He turned his eye to the chests he’d set up on stage, and with a rush of magic ripped them open and toppled one to show its contents. In a tide of metal thousands upon thousands of golden coins were cast out in a glittering tide.
“Wealth beyond measure.”
Now all eyes were upon him, the offer was too great to throw away. Who wouldn’t want to see such a ‘utopian’ vision come to life? Who wouldn’t want to fly through the air, or cast magic again, or simply run once more? And who could resist the lure of gold?
“There shall be no bondage, nor chattel slavery or ignorant tyranny forced upon you, I shall treat all as equals before my eyes and I will ensure your lives are bettered to the highest degree. I shall pay you to assist me in this venture and bring about the rebirth of Equestria, strong militarily, but also economically and culturally in ways unseen even before the eternal war broke out!
“Through manipulation of the current tyrants, food shall never be an issue again, land, property and power shall be gifted on those who commit themselves to my vision and assist in crafting its greatness. All I ask is that you maintain the pretence of this mining operation whilst gifting me with your talents, my workers shall see to the demands of the tyrants upon you for raw resources….
“Ah… but you wonder how I will build this city do you not? How could I build something so strong without resistance… well my friends! The enemy cannot resist what it does not know exists! I could not build an Empire without attracting attention, so it must be deeply hidden, where none but those loyal to me may find it.”
With a sudden flourish he raised a hoof and gestured to the mine, a crafty grin on his face, already being shared with many of the crowd.
“The city shall not be on the land, nor in the wastes of dead Equestria. The city will be the first of its kind. A fortress of peace, security and reason, beyond with even the eyes of a god may reach.
“A city under the Mountain!”
“Those of you who join today will be the first and foremost to reap the benefits of the new kingdom, and with my vision and your guiding hooves, we shall prevail!”
“The Reign of the tyrants is over! They shall be eclipsed by us free equines, a black sun shall rise and beckon a new age of glory upon this world! A silver age! An age of machines, and logic and progress! A world of liberation and benevolence! The age of harmony has passed, the age of discord must die, and the age of reason must rise up and bring order to this shattered land!
“This is the promise, this is the dream! Who will follow me to make that dream a reality? Step forward and be counted amongst the blessed family!”
Silence ruled momentarily, and Scalpel felt his heart sink slightly. Perhaps none would join…
But then the first of them stepped forward, a small colt with a dirty greyish mane and brown coat, a determined look on his face, a look of respect.
And then more followed, Fallen casting aside leather hide facemasks to reveal rekindled pride and purpose, Unicorns with appreciation to his ideals and the lure of restored magic, and Earth ponies, fully agreed with his politics, his sense of family, the call of reason and the restoration of their natural magic.
All of them stepped forward.
None of them left.
A great sense of power spread across Scalpel, a sense that he’d just created something world changing, a sense that for a moment, he was the pivot from which Equestria would be restored. He nodded to them all, face giving them a look of respect and veneration… as well as compassion.
“Thank you, all of you…
“There is much work to be done, hardships endured, troubles and conflicts to be defeated, cities to be built and tyrants to be deposed…
“But the Black Sun Nation shall rise...
"For so long as dictators die…”
“Liberty shall never perish!”
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