Chapter 32

CISS Embassy, Canterlot

Metrophanes plopped his tired form onto one of the many plush chairs decorating the embassy suite. Without a moment’s hesitation he opened a bottle of complimentary wine he’d found sitting on the table, taking a few liberal swigs. It was decent enough wine, but it lacked the same punch as the wine back home did. Still, it did wonders to help him relax.

Ever since he was sent to this wretched place, he was always running around, tailing the chancellor’s daughter like some kind of perverted stalker. Metro couldn’t understand why the chancellor was making him do it. A guard would’ve been much better suited to the task.

Just as he was about to take another sip of wine, the communication mirror started vibrating inside of his cloak. It surprised him so much that he ended up spilling the remainder of the glass all over his lap. With an irritated snort he put the mirror on the table but quickly wiped it away when he saw the chancellor’s face materialize on the other end.

“Viceroy, are you alone?”

“Umm…yes milord, I’m the only one present.”

“Excellent. My trip to the Crystal Empire was a success, the amulet has been retrieved. However, it was not without difficulty. There was some unexpected…resistance which resulted in violence. I’m afraid we’re going to have to move our plans forward faster than anticipated.”

“Forgive my ignorance, but I thought you said that the ponies had no idea of the amulet’s true purpose.”

“I did say that. Unfortunately, the lunar princess was visiting for some reason and she saw through my ruse. She engaged me in combat and I barely escaped with my life. If it weren’t for the amulet, I would have surely perished.”

“What would you have me do?”

“Fetch Ariadne and do try to be discreet about it. I don’t want the entire Equestrian army pursuing us. For now, I’ve teleported my airship to the excavation site in Zebrica. It has drained my magic reserves considerably…so you might have to utilize an alternate means of transportation.”

As Metro bit his lip in thought, the door to the suite slowly swung open. Behind him stood Commander Damiskos, with a look on his face that was equal parts rage and shock. The Viceroy slowly turned around when he heard the distinct sound of a blade being unsheathed from its scabbard.

“Viceroy what is the meaning of this?”

Metro sighed. “I was hoping that you would remain ignorant of our plans. It would’ve made things so much easier. However, now that the cat’s out of the bag, lying won’t do me much good. I located Ariadne quite some time ago. I was merely waiting until the opportune moment to seize her. She is integral to the chancellor’s plans, you see.”

“What?! Why would you need to capture her? An arranged marriage shouldn’t warrant such…”

“It wouldn’t. The arranged marriage was merely a cover story. She ran away for an entirely different reason. To put it simply, Ariadne is the key to unlocking the near limitless power of our ancestors. Only her voice, along with Starswirl’s key, may open the chamber where it lies. Ever since she was a little lamb, she was aware of her gift and I believe she began to suspect her father’s plan. That is the real reason she ran away.”

Damiskos narrowed his eyes. “I…can’t let you get away with this! You’re tampering with forces that you can’t even begin to comprehend. And what of Ariadne? Does her well-being mean nothing to you?”

“Sometimes, sacrifices must be made in the name of a greater cause. Just think commander, our people could rule the planet once more! No one could stop our might, not even the alicorns. Lay down your weapon and swear fealty to the chancellor. I promise that you’ll be given a position of authority and respect in our new order.”

“No, I refuse. My loyalty lies with the sheep of our nation, not in the hooves of some madram!”

“Then you stand before me as my enemy.”

Metrophanes gathered what magic he could, bracing for the commander’s inevitable attack. While not quite as adept with spells as the chancellor, he was competent enough to rival any unicorn in Equestria with his skills. He wasn’t sure if it was the magic or the adrenaline coursing through his veins, but Damiskos’s attack seemed to be coming at him in slow motion.

In the instant before impact, an aquamarine hued barrier spell gurgled to life, repelling the commander’s attack. Seizing the opportunity, Metro charged forward, delivering a swift kick to the other ram’s underbelly. Damiskos grunted in pain as he was knocked against the wall, sending his sword clattering across the floor. The armor prevented him from breaking any ribs but the sheer force of the magically augmented blow still felt like getting hit by a train.

The commander crawled across the floor to try and retrieve his lost blade, but instead found his body being levitated by an aquamarine aura. He flailed his hooves out of sheer desperation, trying to gain back some facet of control. It was all in vain. Damiskos knew that the only way to combat magic was with more magic…and he was no sorcerer.

Metro bellowed with laughter. “Well look at you. The commander of the navy, reduced to flailing around like a little lamb. How the mighty have fallen!”

“I never trusted magic and I shouldn’t have trusted you either!”

“Hindsight is always 20/20, dear commander. Now what should I do with you? I could just get this over with quickly and snap your neck. But…it would be far more entertaining to smash you against the wall until every bone in your body breaks.”

Damiskos spit in his eye. “Do it then you coward!”

Using his magic, Metro yanked off the commander’s helmet and struck him in the face with the back of his hoof. The blow was hard enough that a few flecks of blood dripped onto the floor beneath them. Metro stripped the rest of Damiskos’s armor off, as to ease the task of dispatching the commander. He broke off a leg from one of the chairs and began savagely beating the poor ram.

Once Metro was satisfied that the commander couldn’t put up a fight any more, he released the ram from his magical grasp. He did so with an air of disinterest, similar to someone tossing away garbage. With a savage grin, the viceroy exited the room, leaving Damiskos for dead.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fluttershy’s Cottage, Ponyville

Fluttershy affectionately nuzzled Ariadne’s fluffy form, while they sat in front of the fireplace. Neither of them said a word, both were simply content to enjoy each other’s company. With each passing day, Shy gradually began to feel more comfortable with the idea of Ariadne being her special sompo—ewe. While she couldn’t deny that Ariadne was pretty, it was her personality that truly won the pegasus’s affections. She could be a tease sometimes (which embarrassed Shy to no end) but her kind and gentle nature far outweighed that.

Oddly enough, Shy was actually feeling uncharacteristically impish at the moment. She noticed that Ariadne had dozed off and was quite vulnerable to a Fluttertease attack. With a manic grin, Shy gently nibbled on the end of the ewe’s ear. She had only recently learned that sheep’s ears were extremely sensitive. The reason for this was simple: sheep ears were thinner and had far more nerve endings on the surface. It wasn’t entirely dissimilar to the nodes on a pegasus’s wings.

Ariadne let out a soft moan as her hind leg twitched slightly in response. Shy stopped for a moment, trying to recover from the near diabetic levels of adorableness her poor heart was being subjected to. After a few moments of recovery, Fluttershy’s streak impishness eroded away. It was replaced with a swelling wave of warm affection. She planted a gentle kiss on the tip of Ariadne’s ear and proceeded to wrap the ewe in a feathery hug.

Thirty minutes later Ariadne awoke from her slumber, feeling a familiar presence beside her. She prodded the buttery pegasus in the stomach with her snout, in an attempt to wake her. Her effort was rewarded when Shy blinked her eyes a few times and let out a heavy yawn. Ariadne wrapped her hooves around Shy’s neck and kissed her. The pegasus squeaked in surprise but didn’t resist as Ariadne’s tongue wrestled with her own. After a few seconds, Ariadne broke off the kiss, wiping off a thin strand of Shy’s saliva from her mouth. Fluttershy blushed heavily when she felt her wings begin to stiffen.

“Oh…my. That was certainly an interesting wake-up call.”

Ariadne laughed nervously. “I wanted to give you something pleasant to wake up to.”

“Aria, is there something wrong? You sound like a filly with stage fright.”

“Well I…”

Shy rubbed her back. “It’s ok, you can tell me anything. I promise that I won’t be mad.”

“I…haven’t been completely honest with you.”

“About what?”

“Pretty much everything.”

“D-does that mean y-you don’t…love me?”

“By the gods no! My affection for you is one of the few things I have been honest about. I’m referring to other things, like my past and why I’m here.”

Shy wrapped her in a fierce hug. “Oh thank goodness! I-I’ve never felt this close to anypony before a-and the thought of you leaving…I don’t think I could bear it!”

“Shhh it’s alright, I’m here to stay.”

“O-ok that makes me feel a lot better, but what were you lying about?”

“I wasn’t running away from home because of an arranged marriage. I ran away because of what my father wanted to do with me, or rather how I fit into his scheme.”

“Umm…I’m not sure I understand.”

Ariadne sighed. “For as long as I can remember, my father has had an obsession with our people’s ancient past. My ancestors supposedly were the most powerful and technologically advanced race on the planet, possessing a power that could rival any magic. But that was all thousands of years ago. Now, all we have is a little chain of islands in the southern ocean. What my father seeks to do is reclaim that ancient power source and use it to start a campaign of conquest. Unfortunately…I’m the one of the keys to obtaining that power.”

“Is this power source anything like the elements of harmony? I guess you could say that I’m kind of a key, since I wield the element of kindness.”

“The power source of the ancients, also known as the συλλογικός, behaves quite differently from the elements. It isn’t something that needs it’s wielder to exemplify a certain virtue. What makes it so wonderful and utterly dangerous at the same time is that it’s essentially a collective consciousness, forged from the spirits of past rulers and mages. It is literally a sapient mass of pure magical energy.”

“I’m not an expert on magic but that does sound rather dangerous. But I still don’t understand how all of this relates to you.”

“According to our legends, the last Emperor sought to harness the power source as a weapon of conquest. In his arrogance, he didn’t realize that the συλλογικός didn’t approve of his actions. For many months, it allowed him to use its power…until he concentrated a large portion of it to essentially form a gigantic magic bomb. On the day it was finally formed, the συλλογικός punished him and his people by detonating at the heart of the empire. It transformed an entire continent into nothing more than a hoof-full of islands.”

“…oh my.”

“While the empire was ruined, many survived the cataclysm. One of the survivors was a powerful court mage known as Stariselos the Long Beard. He recovered the συλλογικός and vowed to seal it away so that no other living being could ever lay claim to it. It is said that he locked away the συλλογικός behind a great door that can only be unlocked by his amulet and the siren’s song. That’s where I come in. I possess the ability to cast the siren’s song.”

“Umm…if all you have to do is sing, then why can’t anybody just open the door?”

“It’s not that simple. The siren’s song is a type of magic incantation that can only be performed by a trained high priestess or those born with the gift.”

“No offense, but you don’t look like a priestess to me.”

Ariadne’s ears flattened. “I’m not. My mother was a high priestess and she passed on her gift to me. I’ve been able to cast magic songs ever since I was a lamb. That’s how I was able to get the forest guardian to leave us alone.”

“You said your mother was a high priestess, did she do something wrong to lose that title?”

“No, she never lost it…she’s no longer alive.”

“Oh no! I’m so sorry. I didn’t know!”

“It’s ok; she died a short time after I was born. I don’t really remember her…”

Rather than offer any words of condolence, Shy simply chose to wrap the ewe in a gentle hug. She felt Ariadne tense up slightly, until the sheep finally relented by sobbing quietly into the crook of her neck. Shy did her best not to cry as well but found that her resolve was quickly crumbling away. A few stray tears rolled down her cheeks as she stroked the top of Ariadne’s head, much like how a mother would comfort a foal. After one final squeeze, the sheep broke away from the embrace and wiped her eyes.

“I’m sorry Shy, I don’t know what came over me. I didn’t have a very pleasant childhood and I guess all of it's catching up to me.”

Fluttershy nuzzled her cheek. “I don’t mind. I’ll always lend you my shoulder if you need somepony to cry on.”

“Thanks…I really appreciate it. Other than Uncle Dammy, you’re the only other she—pony I’ve ever felt this close to.”

Both of them turned their heads when they heard the door violently swing open. Behind them stood an elegantly robbed ram flanked by two armored guards. He took a few steps towards them before rubbing his chin in thought.

“I really hate to interrupt such a touching moment, but I have a schedule to keep.”

Ariadne’s eyes widened with surprise. “V-viceroy what are you doing here?!”

“I was searching for you, of course! It’s only natural to look for someone who goes missing, right? In any case, it’s time for you to return home.”

“You know damn well that I’m not going. I’ll have no part in father’s twisted scheme.”

Metro sighed. “Oh well, at least I tried being civil. I’m just going to have to persuade you a little bit harder…”

The viceroy pointed his hoof towards Fluttershy, enveloping her body in his aquamarine aura. She desperately pawed at the floor, trying to stop herself from being dragged towards the ram but it was no use. Metro manipulated her body into a prone position in front of him, similar to how a mare would present herself to a stallion when she was in heat. The poor pegasus began to sob openly while Metro walked around her.

“I have to give credit where it’s due, Ariadne. This mare is positively gorgeous.”

Ariadne growled. “Don’t you dare touch her or I’ll…”

“You aren’t really in a position to be threatening me. I have all the cards, so be a good little lamb and listen.”

“Fine.”

Metro pulled out his dagger. “Good. Here are your options: I have her ravished while you watch or…I slit her throat. But don’t worry. She doesn’t have to go through any of that. All you have to do is agree to come with me. Ah and no sneaky magic or putting up a fight later. If you do that, then our deal is off.”

Ariadne walked over to the viceroy and used his dagger to cut off a sliver of her wool. To give one’s wool away was a highly symbolic act in sheep culture. It signified one of two things: A gesture of love towards a mate or an admission of total surrender. During ancient times, a general would demand the wool of his foe as a trophy, to signify his dominance as the victor.

Such a gesture hadn’t been used in centuries, but Mertophanes understood its significance. He chuckled to himself. She’s more like her father than she realizes. They’re both obsessed with ancient stories and traditions. Metro clapped his hooves and the guards immediately began to bind both ewe and pony. The guards ushered their new prisoners out to a small clearing, where a small airship was moored.

Once inside, they were escorted to a lavishly decorated room with a single bed. After a few moments, Metro walked in and commanded the guards to stand outside the door. Both Ariadne and Shy squeaked in surprise when they suddenly found themselves unbound via the viceroy’s magic. He shut the door using telekinesis spell and took a seat on the bed.

“This shall be your quarters for the remainder of our journey.”

Fluttershy raised her hoof. “Excuse me…but why are we in such a nice room? I was kind of expecting to be thrown in a dungeon…n-not that I’m complaining of course.”

Metro laughed. “You ponies are so silly sometimes! This is a diplomatic vessel, not some barbaric prison ship. Even if we were onboard an official military vessel, it would only have a single holding cell. Dirigibles aren’t designed to transport criminals.”

“Oh well I guess that’s good news…”

“Make no mistake mare, you are still my prisoner. I may have been a bit harsh with my threats earlier, but I assure you that I am not an excessively cruel ram. Jamming the both of you into a dank dungeon would accomplish nothing more than making you miserable and diseased. And while I primarily need Ariadne alive, she is far more pliable with you that way too.”

“Umm…there’s only one bed.”

“I don’t really see why that’s a problem. You’re lovers aren’t you?”

Shy blushed. “Y-yes but…”

“Ah, you’re worried about privacy! Fear not, for I have instructed my guards not to bother you and if that wasn’t enough, I’ve also sealed the room with my magic. So go ahead and fornicate like little rabbits, no one will hear you.”

“That’s not…”

“Trust me little mare, you’ll get bored. You are going to be confined to your quarters for most of the journey. All I’m suggesting is way to entertain yourself. As for now, I suggest that you get some rest.”

Author's Notes:

συλλογικός = Collective in Greek.