I didn't have to do this. I could have just waited for the fallout to hit and dealt with it then. But if I, or the Spartans rather, want to be looked upon as the real peacekeepers of the world, this has to be done. I didn't think of what to say on the trip here. I didn't think of anything really. Any thoughts I tried to make immediately went back to home. That Unfamiliar. He has the potential to take away the only things I ever cared for. My friends, my family, my home. I don't know if I'll sleep well if he stays there, if he stays alive even. I can't trust him.

That's where the problem arises. I don't trust him, but I trust Celestia. Because of that, and only because of that, I'm taking this massive risk. There's nothing to be gained here. Not from where I'm sitting at least. He's practically said it himself. When the chance arises he'll either make a run for it or strike at our backs when we aren't looking. There's nothing to gain from keeping him other than a look into the Kroth culture. History notes versus the death of my family... I didn't think on the way here. It was better that way.

My silence was abruptly overtaken by the thunderous din of rain and harsh winds colliding into the side of my I.T.A. Alongside that went the alarms, reminding me that I still haven't figured out how to deal with this fucking storm. It's reminding me that I still have dozens of food processors to go back to for repairs. It's yelling at me that I still have work to do, despite how tired I am. Three trips back and forth, two down south, two battles, and all of the political plotting and backstabbing on top of roughly four hours of sleep.

"Approach in thirty seconds." I let out a small groan. I guess I'll complain about it later.

"Let's do this," I mutter as I stand up and slide my helmet back on. I grab the handrail as the ship finishes its landing procedure, the lights going from red to green. The door slides open, washing the courtyard to the Lions-heart Castle ground green. The barren landscape reflects the pale light with its signature grey tone. The same throughout the rest of the Griffin Colonies. I give it a moment's notice before marching towards the imposing building.

The Lions-heart castle was built for Ulfric after his ascension to king of the griffins. I'm sure if the acidic rain hadn't tore away at it for the past six years it would be a marvel to see. But, alas, it has. There are some sections that have caved in, probably due to pre-existing structural issues. The rest of it looks as if it's been abandoned for years. Boarded up windows, cracks with clear signs of erosion, and a menacing sky have destroyed what was once the beacon of a proud nation. I march to the door and knock loudly, getting it to open slightly.

"He's expecting you, royal chambers," the guard behind the door tells me in a gruff, motioning forward with a tilt of his head. I nod back to him, eyeing the rifle on his back. It's a goblin long rifle, a sight all too common here these days.

The halls here are nothing more than empty stone walls. Any paintings or other types of art that were here before were sealed away for safekeeping back when the storms first started. We actually assisted with that, not that they thanked us. Just the start of bitterness, I guess.

I make it to the plain bed chamber door and knock on it, stepping back and resting my hand behind myself. It takes a moment before I hear him make his way towards the door. How do I even start this? Sorry I invaded your nation, but what the fuck are you doing with the Unfamiliar? You know about that invasion I did the other day? Well, it was because you've been harboring my people’s mortal enemies for some time, so... yeah. How am I going to-

"Hello Miles." I look up from my thoughts and freeze. Standing in the doorway is an Unfamiliar. He's wearing what I assume are normal wrappings for his people and... is smiling. "We have much to discuss. You can come in, or we could do it in the hallway. There are more windows here." He steps away from the door chuckling to himself, leaving me alone in the hallway. I glance to the large windows beside me before I draw my pistol and enter the room.

He's standing in the center of the room, just smiling at me. No armor, no weapons, possibly has magic, but it's not active right now. With him being... less of a threat, I begin to march around the large room. I check the closets, bathroom, heck, I even check the drawers for any potential threats that might be looming nearby. He just... watches me. Chuckling, staring at me, smiling. I keep my pistol on him the entire time, waiting for him to make the wrong move.

"You won't find anything. But please, check under the bed. There might be a monster there." I glare at him for a second before moving over to the large round bed. I give the bottom a quick kick, finding that there isn't an area beneath. "Looks safe-"

"Who are you?" I demand, bringing my entire focus on him.

"I am Kileh, leader of the Kroth. And you, are Miles Eremita. Leader of humanity, or, what's left of it." He chuckles again at that, making my stomach turn over. "I am surprised that you haven't shot me yet. Have the equines changed you so much?"

"I haven't shot you yet because I plan on taking you in. You're more useful to me alive than dead. For now at least." He smirks at that. Before I could say anything else, several lines appear on my HUD leading from out the small windows in the room. I bring a hand up and run it through the beam, instantly identifying them at laser sights from some form weapon.

"How about... a temporary ceasefire, hm? You lower your gun, my kro lower theirs, yes?" I keep my gun up as several more lines appear from different windows. Last time I was lucky to get away. It was a stroke of fortune that the bullet didn't break through my helmet. This time... I wouldn't make it through this many rounds.

"Temporary?" I ask, leaving it as vague as possible. He wants to ramble on about something, so I'll let him. Gives me time to think of an answer. He chortles at my response, beginning to pace around me slowly. For every step he takes, I take one in the opposite direction, keeping him at the other side of the room.

"The new world order is coming, Miles Eremita. This much is obvious. And as much as you'd like to claim neutrality, we both know which side you and I have taken."

"Do you really think the Griffins will win a war like this? Assaulting another nation with little to no assistance, won't end well." Keep him talking, look for something, anything.

"I believe that the world is much more fragmented than you'd like to think. Every nation wants to believe that they will emerge as the superior species, but we know better. Don't we, human? Though the soldiers have changed, the war still rages on." He comes to a stop to glower at me, still smirking. "Human or Kroth? Who will rule this planet? Who will rise from the ashes of this ancient war and claim the universe as their own? What say you, human? Are you up for a little wager?" I laugh at that, lowering my pistol for a moment.

"A wager? You want to bet on who will win this war? I'll humor you, what's at stake?" He gives a toothy grin before pulling out a holo-stick and tossing it at the ground, making a hologram of the world appear between us.

"Equestrian, Griffin, whoever wins this war will be the ones to dictate the new world order. After this, there will no longer be these worlds of isolationist. You know this to be true, yes?" I don't answer him, not openly at least. He takes my silence as it is though. "We have backed opposing forces. When they collide, so shall we. And, in the end, which ever side claims victory shall be the ones to end this ancient feud-"

"So you're saying winner takes all? Seems a bit one sided, don't you think?" He laughs at that, taking my sarcasm as naivety.

"How about it? One true final war. Old rivals, new blood. Who will take Terra finally? Who will last throughout the eons? Let history declare its author!" We stare at each other for a moment longer, waiting to see who will budge first.

I can't tell if he's serious or not. He hasn't said anything to lead me to believe otherwise. I know there is a war coming. I know Equestria will be targeted. And I know the Griffins possess a real threat to them. But I don't see how they will claim a lasting victory. It's... just not possible. Not without the killing of every alicorn, noble, and Element Bearer in one quick strike. Does he really believe he'll do that? Is he really that foolish? Let's see if he is.

"Why not continue now?" I ask as I bring my pistol back up. I walk across the room and press it against his skull. He laughs at that, making no attempt to move away.

"Yes, kill another citizen of the Griffin Colonies, Miles Eremita. Even with how old our war is, we still have to abide by the rules of these lesser beings. Well, you Spartans have to at least. We didn't proclaim ourselves the mediators of the world. Kill me now, you'll only bring the war to Equestria that much faster. So, please, pull the trigger. It'll only hasten my own goals."

I hate it when my enemy is right. I can't make any more rash moves in the G.C. Not now at least. I imagine that we're on the edge already. Any wrong move now would only hurt Equestria. I can't kill him, not here at least.

"If not here, then let's take it elsewhere," I tell him, motioning to the door with my pistol. He laughs at me again, taking a seat at the end of the bed.

"No, no I think I'll stay here. There is nothing you can do to me right here, right now. Try and take me by force, and my kro will kill me. Though, I imagine Ulfric placing the blame elsewhere. But, do tell me, how many alicorns are you willing to put into harm's way before you quit?" I lower my pistol for a moment, making him smile even more. "Oh ho-ho-ho. Did you really think you'd keep that a secret?"

"Depends on what you know." All of that work trying to hide Tempestive, gone! All because I couldn't keep my fucking composure!

"Heh heh heh, I know plenty. But, I do have to wonder, how many more abominations will Terradisia create before they learn that perfection cannot be crafted?" I bite my lip, thinking back home. I have to get Tempestive out of there. Topaz Falls will be the safest, though the most difficult. I guess we'll just have to have that talk a bit earlier than expected. But what about Rampant? We can't leave him out in the open either. Or Speaks Softly, for that matter. Is hiding really going to solve anything though? It didn't before. Maybe I can- "But, I am curious, did you plan on creating the king as a means to take over Equestria, or was that just luck?"

"... explain."

"I mean, if I could create Ulfric and command the griffins... well, it would be tempting. But, alas, I lack the resources to create new beings. I'll just content myself by knowing that I'd utilize it properly-" He... thinks that the King... and I... are different people. He doesn't know we're the same person... Our bluff worked. "I guess in the end, it won't matter. In the end, we only need to take care of the three. The others will fall in line afterwards. Now, I'll ask one last time. Do we have an understanding?"

"... A temporary ceasefire until the war breaks out?" I ask to clarify.

"And then we shall have our war!" he replies excitedly.

"Winner takes all?" I lower my pistol a bit.

"This galaxy and beyond, are we in understanding?" I think about it for one last moment. I don't believe him for one second that there's going to be any form of ceasefire. Not openly at least. What is he really asking for? The stakes are true, but what are his real intentions? Does he really think he can take over the entire world with just the griffin army?

"Alright, I'll play along," I tell him as I holster my pistol, making him smirk. Like he said, all of the laser sights drop from my field of view, telling me they're at least off. "Let me give you a little warning though."

"Oh? Do tell," he says excitedly.

"Don't play this game unless you're ready to lose. Humanity has lost too much up until this point. Now, we're striking back. You know what a human opposition can do, and I know what an Unfamiliar opposition is capable of. One last go, and let that be the end of it."

"Shall we set the terms of war?" he asks curiously, leaning forward slightly. I think about it for a moment before deciding to push my luck.

"Win or lose, no harm shall come to civilians." He chuckles again, slapping his knee as he stands back up.

"And here I thought you humans were without honor. Or, perhaps, it took you three thousand years to learn it. Very well, win or lose, civilians shall be granted amnesty from battle-"

"For life," I cut him off, making him lose his smile. "Let the soldiers do the dying. And once this is all over, let us be done with it." He mulls it over for a second, weighing the pros and cons. "Unless you are going for total annihilation, I'd take the insurance."

"Hmm.. very well. But! Only if we ban the use of super archaic weapons. After all, we want to live on this planet afterwards, don't we?" I don't want to agree to that. He probably doesn't even have any. But, I don't want Tempestive or Luna being targeted in case the worst should... Luna.

"Very well, no harm to civilians and no super archaic weapons,"I say as I stick my hand out quickly, getting him to chuckle. He grabs my hand and gives it a strong shake, chuckling to himself lightly.

"To the end, and may it end there."

"Of course. By the way, Princess Luna and Celestia are Terradisian citizens, you can't target them." He loses his composure completely, stunned by what I said.

"You're lying-"

"They have been for several thousand years now. Back when we were getting ready to repopulate the planet’s surface. Actually, you know how you said I was trying to make myself neutral? Well, that's simply not true. A world cannot progress past itself while fragmented like this, you should know this. I've been plotting to connect this planet long before these people knew of humans. I hope you can rely on the griffins being able to take them out, because if an Unfamiliar even touches them, I'll set the world ablaze in archaic fire." I leave it at that, leaving the room before he could say anything further. But the look on his face tells me plenty. He wasn't ready for that. He didn't even think of that.

Looks like we won this first exchange.

FLASH

The moment we appear in the forest I fumble forward until I fall to my knees and lurch over, puking out the remaining contents of my stomach. Despite my fears sobering me mentally, I guess I'm still physically out if it. Go figure. I give a few more heaves before finally calming down enough to look myself over.

"Darn it," I grumble as I fall back, sitting on my bottom. I got a bit of my bile on Miles's nice shirt. It's just a white button up, but it's one of the nicer shirts that he owns. Oh well, I'll just have to clean it later. I wipe my mouth off with the sleeve, seeing as it needs a cleaning anyway, and try to stand on my new feet.

"Do you require any assistance?" Blueblood asks. I grab a nearby tree and use it for support as I work my way up, slowly making progress.

"No.... I-I can.... manage... on... my... own!" I push myself off the tree and stand up, waving my new arms around to keep my balance. After a few moments of standing, I give a satisfied sigh before quickly grabbing the pants around my waist. I'm much thinner than Miles, but I'll have to wear his pants until I can find something better. Holding them with fingers feels... weird. I try to grab them with my magic, but it's not there. The feeling is so... foreign. But, not so foreign that I won't be able to walk myself to Topaz. It's not that hard. And Miles complained about learning to fly. "Right. See? Wasn't that hard."

"Can you walk?" I roll my eyes at that. Of course I'll be able to walk. I just had to figure out how to balance myself properly first. Walking should be a breeze. I move my leg forward to take my first step-

THUD

... and immediately crash into the ground. Face first.

"Allow me," Blueblood says over my angered mumbles. He levitates me up to my feet and stands beside me, holding my shoulders as I adjust to the position. "Whenever you're ready."

"Right... just one at a time," I mutter as I start to move my legs. Each step is unbalanced and flimsy, but Blueblood stands nearby, aiding me the entire time. "So... why were you at my home to begin with?" I ask to pass the time, seeing as we're making next to no progress.

"I was picking up an order from Miss Rarity's shop when I saw the prince walking around town. I didn't think it would be wise for him to be seen like that, so I convinced him to take me to your home. Which I do apologize for intruding like so, but I felt it was best. Given the circumstances." I nod to that, eyeing my legs. I just need to mimic the way Miles does this... how does he do this?

"I thought he was supposed to be at Sweet Apple Acres. I'll have to give him a talking to... once I turn back that is." We go a few more feet before a loose rock nearly takes my feet out from under me. I quickly grabbed onto Blueblood to stop myself from hitting the ground. He gives a little jump but stands there, waiting patiently for me to correct myself. "I'm a little surprised you're going this far out of your way to assist me. How much favor are you vying for?"

"I will not lie, when I brought Tempestive home I had some thoughts of favor being won." I hum to that, expecting it. "But, once I saw you... the way you were, I knew actions had to be taken."

"The one time I get drunk, and this had to happen. Just my luck," I grumble. Blueblood looks away from my, biting his lip softly. "Given the circumstances, I'd ask that you speak your mind. This is probably one of the few times you'll ever get to." He looks me in the eye for a second before looking away again, weighing his options. I let him think about it as I try to stand again, getting slightly better at it.

"... this is not the conduct of royalty," he states simply.

"Of course it isn't-"

"If this were any other noble or family member, they would be publicly chastised and could possibly lose everything they've worked towards. You are the Queen of our nation and a mother no less. There are, or rather, should be standards that you should be held to, just like the rest of those that work alongside you. The fact that you are the leader of that same body of government and lack any form of reprimand is unfair."

"... that is true. What would you have happen?" I ask, curious to see what he has to say on the matter.

"There is nothing to have happen. As I said, you are the Queen. You do not have to follow such rulings. Which is why I said it was unfair. I'm sure there's something that could be done, but the amount of effort it would take to make any form of change would be pointless. There isn't any evidence, no witnesses, and in the end would only harm myself. So, there is nothing to have happen. Because you are the leader of our nation-"

"Second to Miles," I cut him off, getting an odd look from him. "You are right, this is not the conduct of a national leader. There should be some form of... what?" I ask when he gives me an odd look.

"What exactly do you think Miles is going to do to you?" he asks curiously, raising an eyebrow. "He doesn't take our government seriously. Not even in the slightest. He's conquered us before and is probably plotting to do so again. Miles wants a unified world under his old banner. Anypony who's watched his behavior enough knows this. Forgive me for this, but he'll only make this into some kind of joke and probably use it for some perverse scheme-"

"You will not speak so candidly of our love affairs, not ever," I cut him off firmly, making him bow his head deeply.

"I apologize. I was too heated in my words and didn't think them through," he says with a slight bow, almost making me fall over again. "But there is truth in my words. Miles will not willingly punish you for something so... trivial, in his mind at least. He may be king, but he still has the mentality of a commoner. You know this to be true."

I keep quiet after that. I won't openly admit it, but he's right. Miles has been looking to restore Terradisia back to its former glory ever since he came here. Earlier probably. I don't know how he plans on doing it, but I know he's been plotting it. I've asked him in the past about it. He avoids it like the manipulator he can be. Nah, I've already done that. He has technically. That's partly why Celestia and I have been trying to get him to be more involved in our government. Being hopeful, he'll learn to let us be. On the other hoof, dealing with that will take time away from whatever plans he's making. But that doesn't mean I don't have a few tricks up my own sleeves.

After a long, and silent walk, we finally make it to the road to Topaz Falls. Miles had it built a few years ago, but never finished it completely. It doesn't connect to Ponyville, even though it leads right to it. Two legion bots stand guard at the entrance. They spot us and take defensive stances, watching our every move closely. I push off of Blueblood and take a few tentative steps towards them.

"I am Luna Eremita, and this is my guest Blueblood. I wish to enter Topaz Falls," I tell them. Red lines appear from their eyes as they scan us over, scaring Blueblood slightly.

"Verified. The transport will take you there. Have a nice day." They stand down, going back to their stoic stances. I take a deep breath and start to walk into the cave, inwardly amazed I haven't fallen over yet.

Inside, the cave has changed so much since I've last been here. Instead of being a giant hole in the ground, a massive tram system has been built, going down at a steep rate. Unlike the trams of Equestria, these ones are built on the sides of the cave instead of the ground beneath. Lights line the middle of the ceiling, with even more coming from the tram itself. Two lines are here, one probably at Topaz, while the one on the right has its doors waiting for its passengers. They're nothing special to look at. Just three steel boxes with windows and benches.

I walk into the closest tram and fall into the first seat I come across. Blueblood follows and takes the seat across from me, eyeing everything neutrally. The doors slide shut and the car jostles a bit before it begins to travel down the line. Oddly enough, even though the line goes practically straight down, the car stays level. It's a marvel Miles had this built so quickly. Then again, when your work force doesn't sleep, there isn't much you can't do.

The trip down only takes a few minutes. When we make it to the bulkhead we have to wait for it to open. I remember it opening by sliding up, but now it slides to the right. I guess Miles needs it to open more quickly. I have to catch my breath when I get my first glimpse of the city inside, though. It's nothing like I remember it to be.

All of the destruction and death has been removed. The once tattered buildings now resemble the buildings in Miles's memories. The air is busy with aircraft moving from one direction to another. The once severed P.C.H. now stands as its prior regal self, almost reaching the top of the dome. Its light illuminating the massive spire and shinning down on the now alive city around it.

"By the stars... this is Terradisia?" Blueblood mumbles as he gawks at the city. I can only nod dumbly as I stand there with him. How could Miles have accomplish all of this in only six years? Where did he get the resources? And why would he go through all of this? This can't be just to restore his former home... could it?

"May I have your autograph?" I jump slightly when a red utility bot walks up and asks me that. I stare at him, unsure why he asked that. I thought only Easy asked that.

"Um... I'm in need of new clothing. Can you point me to the nearest boutique?" He stands there for a second before walking forward and pointing down the road.

"Proceed down Grandeur drive and make a left on Richfront lane. Your destination will be on your left... Do you require assistance traveling there?" I look down to Blueblood, who shrugs, before nodding to Easy. "Follow me, please." We follow after him, distracted by everything around us.

Every shop we pass grabs our attention immediately. It would appear as if these shops were cleaned out and ready for business, but lack any goods to sell. Empty shelves, barren racks, and vacant displays are all being kept by various utility bots. Though they are lacking in merchandise, there is an odd sense of cleanliness here. I guess with the lack of goods and the knowledge of the actual destruction, in addition to my previous experiences, I was just assuming that this place would always be the graveyard of an ancient battle.

After a few blocks I start to let my pants sag a bit in an attempt to walk on them. Walking on the sidewalk is proving to be much more strenuous than it used to be. I never truly understood before, but now I can relate to why Miles continues to wear clothing in human form. Though, I do feel as if the shirt and pants are a bit much. I guess some things are just hardwired into me.

"Where is everypony?" Blueblood asks, breaking me from my thoughts.

"Well..." I don't know how to answer that. The population of the humans is kind of a secret with Miles. He let's the other nations run with the thought that there are millions of humans, when in reality there's only one. Well... two now. "That's a bit of a tricky question-"

"The human populace has been decimated to near extinction," Easy tells him, making us both stop. Why is he answering that so easily!? "There are currently only two humans alive. Though, with proper regulations, the species may be able to rise again within the next few centuries."

"P-proper regulation?" I ask, caught off guard by that. What is Miles planing exactly?

"Recessive genes that could lead to disease or disability may become an issue with future generations due to the required course of action. But, the technology to ensure healthy, productive lives are still present today. Terradisian Codex dictates that it is with the utmost importance that humanity be preserved so that it may continue on indefinitely. As the protectors of humanity, we bots will dedicate ourselves to that goal. Do you wish to know more?" I try to form a response... but I can't seem to find the words for it. Is Miles really planning on having our future children become... that? How would he even do that?! Tempestive isn't even human! Or... he's not human physically, at least. His soul acts very human... is that enough?

"I think we should continue. This... seems like a personal matter," Blueblood mentions. The two of them start to walk off without me, leaving me in my daze. How could Miles even come to that conclusion? Is he really that desperate to seem humanity rise again? I thought his ambitions for Terradisia were bad enough, but this... This is a whole new level of... crazy. "Queen Luna?"

"No, I mean yes! I mean, coming!" I stutter out before chasing after them. I want to leave these thoughts behind, but I can't! I need to talk to him as soon as possible. The second I get back I'm calling him and setting this straight. No member of my family is going to perform such a disgusting act. I simply will not allow it to happen.

Not after all those rumors of me and Celestia from the past.

I try to distract myself with window shopping, but there's nothing here to look at! How is every shop here empty!? I remember there at least being remnants of merchandise left behind. Maybe all of the bots are fixing them in the back? That would make the most sense. But why fix them? Who does he plan on selling them to? Mooseden is too small of a community to have a viable market. Maybe Ponyville? But that would hurt Rarity's business immensely, and I can't see Miles doing that to her... unless she was a part of it. But I haven't heard anything of the likes from her. And she would be the one to tell me.

"We have arrived." We both come to a stop before the unassuming building and stare at it for a second. Eam Voluptatem? That rings a bell, but why? Hmm... oh dear.

"Um... Easy? Is there anywhere else I can get clothing? Anywhere?" I ask, slightly blushing from those memories.

"All other clothing is currently undergoing repair to stylize for the Mundi Collatione. This is the last remaining option for women's clothing. The next option would be boys’ clothing, as it has not been worked on yet. But it would take some time to repair to a functional form."

"What's wrong with this store? And what's the Mundi Collatione?" Blueblood asks. I grit my teeth as I try to think of a way out of this. I could just keep going in Miles's clothes, but I don't know how long I'll be in this form. Plus, I don't want to keep pulling up these heavy pants. I guess I can find a skirt and something more towards the modest side... maybe. I could at least look.

"Why is this the only store that has lasting clothes?" I ask rhetorically.

"After initial scans, it would appear someone set an enchantment during the Fall of Topaz to alter the flow of time within the store. For what purpose is unknown. But we are studying the spells effect to hopefully learn from it." Why would someone put such a powerful spell in here? Why this store?

"I'm going to take a look inside. You two wait for me out here," I tell them before hefting my pants up and marching inside. Once inside I lock the door and let my pants drop down. It feels so foreign to wear those. The most I've ever worn was a dress or maybe one of those get ups for Miles. I could not imagine wearing pants all day long.

I look around the store and note the cleaning that has occurred here. The dust and debris is gone. And all of the items have been stocked neatly on the shelves. Despite my current irritation, I still think fondly of this place. The quality time Miles and spent here was amazing, even if it revealed some demons within Miles. And myself, to an extent. I have been planning to come here to surprise him for his birthday for some time... but I'll still have to postpone that. There are more pressing matters at... hand.

I go straight for the clothing aisle and start to sift through the various outfits, trying my best to find the most modest collection. It would seem that, no matter the costume, I'll have to reveal my stomach and most of my legs. That doesn't bother me, but I know it isn't modest for humans. I'll just have to hope that human sleaze will pass for Equestrian modesty. Actually... it might.

I start to make a pile of clothes when something catches my eye. I don't know how it caught my eye, but it did. Sitting on the edge of the shelf is a Virgum de Marcas. I thought Miles brought that with him when we left here the first time. Curious, I go to the bar and reach out for it. When my fingers run over the smooth metal, I tense up. Last time, Soul Fire told me it wasn't my time. Is now my time? I pull it out and start to look it over. This one seems... new. The previous one had burn marks where you would put your hands, but not this one. It's just a silvery bar with etchings where my hands should go. Would it be wise to do this now? Given, I might be stuck like this for awhile. Not to mention I'll probably be human in the future as well. The only reason I wouldn't do this now would be that Miles isn't here to help... though, there isn't any way for him to help should something happen.

To quote Miles, "Do or die." I take a deep breath and slide my hands to their appropriate place. I feel my grip weaken due to my nerves, but I hold on tightly regardless. I stare at the metal bar and wait for something to happen. I've seen Miles's memory of this, so I know it can take awhile. I also know that it can be very painful. Actually, with how Miles has affected my soul this will most likely be painful. Better move somewhere I won't-

"AAAAAAH!" I let out a scream when the bar suddenly begins to glow cherry red. That was a lot faster than Miles. I feel the energy within me begin to be sucked within the bar, as if it was consuming it greedily. I grit my teeth and try my best to get through this. All I have to do is hold on and wait it out. Keep a tight grip and be patient. It will hurt now, but it will pass.

"GAH!" I drop to my knees when the amount of energy being pulled is doubled. I can take it though. I've been through far worse to let something like this take control of me.

Impressive.

I blink when I hear that voice in my head. Soul Fire?

I knew she would be.

Who is that? Or, rather, who are you?

Unconventional, but worthy.

No better option... best of the worst... she'll due... for now.

What of the boy?

Different Cause. We'll need this one... we'll need them all.

You're almost out of time, hurry!

I grit my teeth as more and more voices begin to fill my head. I don't understand, who are these voices? What are they talking about? Where is all of this coming from?

"AAAAAHG!" I let out another scream when all of the energy begins to rush back into me. At the same time, even more voices begin to fill my head. Each of them seem to be screaming at either me or one another. But they're all coming from the same place...

Could... could it be that these are all of the Soul Fires? Miles's Soul Fire made mine, are they related. If so, then maybe these ones were the ones to make all of the prior ones... there's only one way to know for sure.

"EREMITA! EREMITA, PLEASE! ANSWER ME!" Another surge of energy forces me to double over as the intensity of all the voices grows. I feel tears begin to roll down my cheek as it quickly becomes too much to bear. Then, suddenly, it all stopped. I lay onto my side and attempt to catch my breath. My vision has gone blurry, but I can still make out the broad details. I look up to see a light blue haze standing before me. At first I thought it was my Soul Fire, but that can't be. Mine's a lot darker shade of blue. "E-eremita?"

One answer, but hurry.

One answer? Well, that is what I asked for. I... don't know what to ask. There are plenty of things I can ask. Who was Miles's father? What is Soul Fire? Why do we have Soul Fire? Why am I worthy now, but not before? No, no I can't waste an opportunity like this. I need to ask something that can help with our future. Something that will help Tempestive.

Hurry.

"Why?" I ask meekly, trying to sit up to look at her. "Why all this power? What reason is there for all of this?" I don't know how I can tell, but through all of the haze and confusion, she smiled at me. She walks over to my side and keels beside me, lowering her head to be by my ear.

Death.

Before I could even rationalize any thoughts to that, all of the energy that was sucked from me was suddenly forced back into me. I let out another scream as dark lines begin to grow along my skin. They start at my hands and feet and etch their way along my skin. I try to watch it for a moment longer, but the pain forces my eyes shut again. I start to taste a coppery liquid in my mouth, making me let out a choked breath. A swath of blood falls out, telling me that I must have bitten my tongue pretty fiercely. The pain from the bar is so immense, I didn't even register nearly biting my tongue off. I look up to call out to Eremita for help, but she's gone. I look behind me to see the figures of Blueblood and Easy out on the street. Easy is trying to keep Blueblood from entering. He must be able to read the intense energy levels inside.

I let out a sudden breath when all of the pain and growth comes to a stop. I take the lapse in pain to catch my breath, and spit out a few more globs of blood. I check over my body to see the progress. The dark lines have carved their way up my arms, stopping just shy of my shoulders. The lines on my legs have had a similar growth, ending just before my waist. At each of my hands and ankles are the magical portals that are jetting the soul energy. That was intense, but I know the next part will be worse. There's still one more to go. I brace myself as best I can for this, waiting for it to come. I'm not entirely sure how I can prepare myself for this, but anything will help.

It didn't take long for the final wave to come. And when it did, I wasn't nearly as ready as I had hoped I was. It hit me like the tail of a dragon swatting away a pest. All I can really say from it was that I let out a final scream, and everything turned white.

Once I had my talk with the Unfamiliar, Kileh, I make my way to the throne room to talk with Ulfric. I know what I want to say now. I'm not going to outright say it, but I hope to gear the conversation towards it. I don't doubt he'll try his best maneuvers to keep me from that point, but I know what I want to say now. The guard in front of the throne room sees me walking down the corridor and opens the door for me. Good, he knows I'm here, we can get to the point then.

I march in and make eye contact with him immediately. He's sitting at his throne with his sons to his right and his advisers to the left. I don't know most of them by name, with the exception of Regina, but we've all met from time to time. I've heard tales from townsfolk mostly about them mostly, nothing out of the ordinary really. They're all either in military uniforms or expensive-looking clothes, except one griffin. He looks rather common, compared to the others. I pay them little mind though. They're not why I'm here.

I stare Ulfric down as I march towards him. He's sitting with his head held high, wearing his best robes of blue and gold. He's keeping a neutral face on himself. He'll probably try to do little of the talking. I can try to bait him, but that most likely won't happen.

"What? No army this time? Or are they waiting for your signal?" Skald, Ulfric's youngest son asks condescendingly.

"I see your youngest still has a thing or two to learn, Ulfric," I respond when I make it to the end of the hall. I take a moment to take in my surroundings. Unlike the throne room of Equestria, the Lions-heart throne room is built in the center of the castle. Typical Griffin engineering. Put the most valuable possession in the center of their fortress. There were tapestries and various treasures on display around the area, but they've been moved to safer locations, just like the rest of the castle. Now it's just an empty hall with some torches lighting the area.

"Let's not waste time with sour words," Korir says, leaning in to whisper something to Skald. He doesn't seem to like it, but he nods anyway. "We are here to discuss your invasion of the Griffin Colonies. How do you-"

"Is this a trial?" I cut him off quickly, getting a scowl from him. "Do you really think you have the authority to pass judgement over me?"

"You invaded ourlands. We are the keepers of the law here. You will be submit or there will be consequences," one of his advisers tells me harshly. Here's where the crossroads split. If I were to follow old Spartan policies, I'd make an example out of him. I'd take him out without a moment's thought. But this is different. Before, we had a national government to back us. We had massive public support too. Now, I don't have either of those.

"You may not have known this, but the Unfamiliar and Terradisians have been at war for eons. I assaulted my enemy, just as I have before." It's true, my bots have assaulted the Unfamiliar here before. It's part of their programming really. They see Unfamiliar and they attack. But it's never been this large before. And there's never been troops on the ground. I doubt this argument will stand.

"The skirmishes from before have only been tolerated because Regina has informed us that these 'machines' can't tell the difference. That, and they have only assaulted military targets. We will not stand for the targeting of civilians that are under the jurisdiction of the Griffin Colonies!" Anguin, the military adviser, exclaims. I smile at that. It came up much sooner than I had expected.

"Show me the document." I demand. "Show me the document that subjugated the Unfamiliar to your rule." The room goes quiet. I knew it. The Unfamiliar would never lower themselves to being ruled by someone else, let alone a human creation.

"The agreement is currently undergoing ratification in the lower courts-"

"Then they aren't your people, now are they?" The room goes quiet again. A few of them are whispering to each other, but none seem to involve Ulfric. It's time to up the ante. "Now I have some... concerns of my own to bring up. Why, in all of your wisdom, have you allied yourself with the enemies of my people?" Regina steps forward from this, apparently having something to say already.

"Just because you are at war with them doesn't mean we are. We invited them into our borders to aid them-"

"Aid them?" I ask with a laugh. "It doesn't take an idiot to see what is happening here, Ulfric. Buying up arms, allying yourself with a militaristic force to compete with Terradisia, pushing for more food processors so you can feed your people, it would take an idiot to not know what's going on here."

"And what would that be, Captain?" Skald asks smugly. I was about to go off on him when I had a sudden thought. Why all the presentation? Why deliberately bring me in here to yell and scream? If they wanted to hide this, let it go without incident, this wouldn't be the path they'd be walking right now. Why are they trying to get me to go off like this? This would only lead to...

They want me to escalate things. They want to pin the start of the war on me, make me their scapegoat. This way, they could pit themselves as the oppressed victims. If they blatantly start a war then everyone else would jump them. But, with the Unfamiliar being an unknown entity, it would look as if I started the war.

"Well? Captain? What exactly is happening here?" Skald asks again, getting a few of the other members to smile alongside him. I can't start this war. It would undo all of the work I've been putting into the world. There has to be another way around this. I need time to think.

"How are you going to feed an army when I shut down the food processors?" I ask quickly. I need something to pin it back towards them. Anything. I wish I wasn't so tired right now.

"Do you really think all of the food processed there went to griffins?" Schor, the air admiral, asks. "We've been stocking up on food since the beginning. Plus, the Kroth will be able to fix whatever you try to do."

Why choose now for an alliance? Why make it present now? They went six years without being found, what makes today any different. They probably already mobilized their troops. For all I know they could be on the shores of Equestria right now. No... no, that's not it. I would have been notified if anything like that happened. What else could it be?

"And the people? What happens when I start telling them what's happened here. This isn't the first time we've clashed before. The public knows about the constant war-"

"All they know is that you are the puppet of Equestria and that you've been having your war on our lands." I don't know this guy. He's the one in the commoner clothing. Maybe some new politician? Maybe, I'll find out later.

"So, this is it then?" This is it. I don't know what to say or how to say it. The line has been drawn, and there's nothing left to do. "Do you realize the implications of what you're asking for? A war with Terradisia... you can't win."

"You don't know our resolve," Skald says proudly.

"Your resolve will be torn down with automatic fire," I tell him, trying to sound as diplomatic as possible.

"You are not the only one with guns-"

"I am the only one with army of automatic guns. I have the technology to burn the very air away, if I so chose to. I've done the math. It would only take three to four days for me to conquer this nation-"

"Don't flatter yourself. No nation would fall that quickly-"

"Three... to four days," I say again, angering him further. That's when I get an idea. "So, how exactly do you see this going down? You march over to Equestria, lose out on the sun and moon, and then... what? Let Kileh take over afterwards?" No one speaks after that, making me smile. "What? Think I didn't know about that?"

"It's just a name. One you probably heard when you were out with the commoners," Skald says dismissively, getting an irritated look from the commoner griffin.

"You know, I spoke with him not too long ago. In your bedroom no less. We were discussing the new world order actually. We're placing bets on who will win this war and who will take over after that-"

"Liar!" Skald yells, stepping towards me aggressively.

"It even went as far as a temporary cease fire. That is, until someone starts the war. So, Ulfric, is this what you really want?" The room stays quiet as everyone turns to Ulfric. He simply closes his eyes and thinks to himself. Should I press the matter? No, no I shouldn't be overbearing right now. I need to let him see the pointlessness of this. It's there for him to take, he just has to accept it.

"Give us a moment of silence." No one questions him. They simply bow, and leave the room. Skald pauses by me and glares at me, trying to provoke me. I stand my ground. I can't attack, not right now. Let him throw his attitude around, he won't actually do anyth-

THUD

I reel back when he slugs me across the chin, knocking me down. Immediately, I retaliate by lighting my hand and throwing it up, taking some of the stone flooring with me. I grab him by the throat with it and lift him off the ground. He gurgles out in rage as he tries to break free, but I only tighten the stone around his neck as I stand back up. The others have all surrounded me, demanding that I release him. I ignore them as I weave my magic through the rock. It slithers around his body until the points sharpen by his eyes. I can see the fear in him. He's a coward, pathetic at the core.

"Release him!" I look to the side and see Ulfric stand. More importantly, I can see the fear. Eyes widened, stance ready to attack, breathing increased. For the first time ever, I can see something beyond the stoic leader; a father's fear.

"How can you ready for war when you aren't willing to lose anything?" I ask him as I release Skald. He falls to the ground and begins coughing the air back into his lungs. His brothers rush to his side and usher him out quickly. I let them leave. "You really think you're in a position to win a war? And people call me the puppet." I laugh at that, eyeing the griffins around me. They aren't a threat to me. Ulfric, though...

"We are not here trying to start a war-"

"Then end your relations with the Unfamiliar. You will lose everything if you don't." I light my other hand, getting the griffins around me to back off slightly.

"Is this the leader you are, Captain Eremita? Is this the kind of people Terradisians are? We have done nothing but show kindness to those who have known nothing but pain and suffering. Is there no peace between your people and theirs?" I laugh at that.

"Any peace that could have been made died with their planet eons ago. They're after blood now, are you willing to pay for it? Are your sons?"

"It doesn't have to be this way."

"I agree. We will discuss this at the Summit meeting in one week's time. We will discuss what will happen there." He blanches at that, caught off guard. "Unlike you, I do not pass judgement over people I do not rule. The world will hear me and they will know what you are planning. It's over, Ulfric."

"You think the world will turn on me just because you say a few words. Have you learned nothing in your time here? If you go to the Summit to pass judgement over me, nothing will come of it." I extinguish my hands and straighten my posture. This is unlike the Spartans of old. They would have killed Skald, Ulfric, any who sided with the Unfamiliar. But... I have to be different. That won't work here, we simply don't have the numbers to do it. And... I'm tired.

"The world will hear me. After that, it will do whatever it deems necessary in response to what I say. That is the course that I must take." He thinks to himself for a moment before nodding to me. I don't return the gesture. I just turn and walk back out into the rain.

I could have started a war. I could have killed Skald. I'm sure there will be repercussions for all of this, but I'll have to deal with them when they arise. I left far too much unaddressed to have left that quickly. But, I stopped the war from starting today. Or I fast tracked it to starting earlier. I won't know until next week. I look up at the clouds above me and watch as the droplets fall onto me. I should get out of this, but at this point I'll need new armor anyway.

Besides, I need a moment to relax.

Cultural Reference Guide: Terradisian Archetypes