It wasn't often that the Praetorians were assigned to duty outside of the palace, or even outside of Canterlot; such tasks typically fell under the supervision of the Equestrian or Royal Guard. Today was different. A valuable cargo had been sent from out west, near the old front lines -- wagons full of stolen gold and personal belongings, reclaimed by Legion and Equestrian Guard units in the area that had pushed the Whtietail out of occupied Equestrian territory. Such a shipment was far too valuable to be trusted to normal soldiers, and with the Legion camped not far from the Whitetail capital that left the Praetorians to pick up the slack.

A trio of sky carriages had taken twenty of their number a fair distance from Canterlot, out to the small settlement of Dragon Crest. It was a long flight, and the pegasus guards made sure to stay low to avoid being seen from any great distance.

Some of the Praetorians were thrilled by the thought of getting way from Canterlot for a while, while others simply tried not to be sick from the constant ups and downs that came with skimming the terrain. Tercio fell into the latter category, a fact he was all too aware of as the contents of his stomach threatened to leap from his mouth.

"You alright there?" Rimeberry asked, unfazed by the jostling and bumping.

"I'll manage," Tercio answered, his eyes shut tight and his hands firmly gripping the seat.

Besides Rimeberry, Tercio shared the left-most sky carriage with Frost Wind -- who complained nearly constantly that he should be flying beside the carriage, not riding in it -- and Baer'barisater, known to all simply as 'Bear'. The quiet zebra didn't complain much. In fact, he didn't talk much at all, from what Tercio had seen of him.

"You ever been in a sky carriage before?" Rimeberry asked. Bear simply shook his head.

"I have not."

"Really? You look like you've done this a hundred times. Tercio could learn a thing or two from you, eh?" Rimeberry found his own joke hilarious. Tercio, less so.

"I am not bothered by flight, my friend, for I have nothing to fear from it."

"What if the yoke snaps and we all fall to our deaths?"

"You mean if the rest of you fall to your deaths," Frost Wind added.

"Yeah, fine, the rest of us. Fuckin' pegasi and your fancy wings..." he mumbled.

Bear shrugged, looking out from an open-air window. One of the other Praetorians from the central wagon was heaving his lunch from the side. "If we should fall to our demise then it will be over with quickly, and I may join my ancestors in the life beyond life."

"Wish I was as confident about a horrible death as you."

Finding an opportunity to take his mind off the flight -- and none too soon, thanks to a bump that sent him flying out of his seat several inches -- Tercio kept the normally silent zebra talking. Who knew when the next opportunity would come? He'd always found Zevran culture fascinating, like it was from another world instead of across the sea.

"Do all zebras believe in this...life beyond life?"

"Not all, of course," Bear answered. "Just as not all ponies believe in the same gods, not all zebras believe in the same ancestral afterlife. For some, it is a place of eternal youth and joy, where they may live among their friends and families for all time. For others, it is an ascension to a place of understanding and knowledge that cannot be put into any mortal words."

"And what do you believe?"

"I believe none of us can truly know. After all, are we not still alive? There are shamans who claim to have seen the afterlife, but such things are vastly different from tribal land to tribal land. I like to think I will see my elders again, but I am confident there is more beyond this life." Bear took a drink from his water skin and pointed to Tercio. "What about you, my friend? Do you believe as most Equestrians do?"

"I suppose I do," Tercio said. "I have never been much of a praying man but I believe in the gods, and I believe I will join them when I die. Until then, I hope Acresius the Brave watches over me in battle, just as I hope Autumn Bounty blesses my father with a strong harvest and healthy crops. Old gods, new gods...whoever sees me through my days, I am thankful."

"And do you believe these gods brought you to Equestria?"

That was a question he'd thought about a lot. He could never find a definitive answer either way. "I...don't know. I may never know where I'm from or who gave birth to me, but Equestria is my home, and it's only because of the kindness of my Equestrian mother and father that I have become the man I am today. If it was the gods, then they clearly had a purpose in doing so." He shrugged. "I just live my life like everyone else."

Bear nodded, seemingly content with the answer. "That is all that can be asked of us."

Tercio felt the carriage slow down and gradually descend. It wouldn't be long now.

Dragon Crest was an eerily quiet place. At the outbreak of the war it had been one of the first settlements to fall, and to this day it remained mostly abandoned by its former inhabitants. Most of the buildings were intact, their owners having left before the whitetail passed through, but leaving their farms untended for months on end had resulted in most of the crops dying off. Only a few ponies still called the place home, and even they barely scratched out a living from the hardscrabble soil that had frozen with the coming of winter. Some of them watched from their windows or stood in the knee-deep snow to catch a glimpse of the Praetorians and their ilk, and Tercio couldn't help but feel a pang of regret and anger that they had lost so much to the whitetail invaders.

The sky carriages disgorged their cargo and left just as quickly, leaving the soldiers to their task. Tercio held his shield close, shivering in the cold despite his layers of wool garments.

"Praetorians, marching formation!" Stonewall shouted. Everyone knew it was for show, a display for the few ponies left. Stonewall wanted them to know the Equestrian military was there for them, and that they had nothing more to fear from the whitetail menace. Perhaps more importantly, at least in the eyes of many Praetorians, it made them look good for the waiting Legionaries who stood at sharp attention at the opposite end of the foot path in the center of town.

"Damned Legion," the Imperator swore under his breath. Some of the battle-scarred Legionaries sneered at the Praetorians across the way, the long-standing feud no less relevant simply because there was a war going on. No one seemed to know when the rivalry had started, only that it still raged, and that was enough.

"Forward!"

Tercio hefted his shield and spear, second in line on the right side of the formation, just behind Polaris. He and the others were fully kitted for any potential conflict; besides their tower shields and long, powerful spears, each soldier carried a pair of throwing pila, their personal blades, and a long dagger. Their gear clanked as they marched together in formation.

Tercio could see most of the Legionaries were focused on him; no real surprise there. Being a third taller than their largest soldier made him stand out like a sore thumb, and no doubt they were wondering exactly what he was and why he was wearing the colors of Equestria's military. Let them wonder, he thought. They would not be the first, nor would they be the last.

"Praetorians, halt!"

As one they came to a stop. Stonewall and Balustrade stepped forward, the latter wearing a combat saddle proudly displaying a red banner of Equestria with the letters "EQ" in gold to either side. Opposite him, the leader of the Legion unit did the same. Whoever he was, he struck an imposing figure -- a stout earth pony with a close-cut mane and a coat the color of wet earth. A large gash ran along the side of his head and culminated in a patch over his left eye.

"Imperator Stonewall, 105th Praetorian Guard." Stonewall saluted, and the Legion commander returned it smartly.

"Legatus Alvarus, 32nd Legion. I've heard much of your actions during the attack on Canterlot, Imperator. You have my respect."

"And you've mine, sir."

Alvarus motioned to Stonewall's wooden left foreleg. "You sacrifice much to protect the Princess."

"I would sacrifice more to see Equestria safe from harm, sir. Old stallion like me? Well, not much left besides duty these days."

"A noble sentiment. We could use more of your type." Alvarus gave a shrill whistle and two ponies came forward, each tied to a harness that jointly pulled a single, large wagon. Its sides and top were covered to conceal its contents from prying eyes. "I trust you've been briefed on the contents of this wagon, Imperator."

"That I have. It'll be good to get it sorted and returned to those it belongs to. Gods only know how many ponies have lost everything since this war started."

"Indeed so. It will be a long trek back to Canterlot from here, and I'm afraid we must make haste in returning to the front. Can I trust you to see the contents of this wagon returned safely?"

Stonewall nodded. "Without a doubt, sir. We'll get it done, or die trying."

Satisfied, Alvarus gave the signal for his soldiers to unfasten themselves from their harnesses. "With good speed and roads permitting you should be back before nightfall." He looked beyond the Equestrian banner and pointed to Tercio, raising his voice to be heard. "You, soldier. You are Centurion Tercio Krosus, are you not?"

"Yes, sir!" Tercio answered.

"I have heard of you, strange creature that you are. Your brother fights well with the 44th. You should be proud."

Victus was still alive! It had been nearly a month since he'd last heard of him. A welling of pride and joy came over him, and he couldn't help but let a small smile come across as he spoke.

"Thank you, sir! You honor my family with your words!"

Alvarus turned back to Stonewall. "This creature is a good soldier?"

"Human. And yes, one of the finest," Stonewall answered.

"Hmm. All walks of life, and that sort of thing. I'll take your word for it. Now, if you'll excuse us, Imperator Stonewall, we must be on our way." The commanders saluted each other once more, and Stonewall stood at attention as the Legionaries turned as one and marched off under Alvarus' orders. He waited until they were down the road before addressing his charges.

"So, that's the Legion," he said plainly. "Damned fine soldiers, but the personalities of timber wolves." The Praetorians chuckled at his joke, finally able to return to a less formal stance. "Looks like you're famous, Krosus."

"So it would appear, sir. I am not entirely sure I enjoy being referred to as a 'creature', however. At least he sees me on par with a house cat, I suppose."

More laughs, and someone behind him knocked him on the ass with a hoof.

"When it comes to his kind you take what you can get, believe me." Behind him, the wagon loomed surprisingly large. It was no wonder they couldn't simply fly it back to Canterlot. Stonewall let out a low whistle at the sight of it. "Would you look at that. There must be enough gold and valuables in there to supply an army for a year, and it was all taken from the hooves of countless Equestrian citizens. Damned whitetail. We'll have to see to it that these poor folks in Dragon Crest get their things back as quickly as possible." He pointed to two of the Praetorians. "Rimeberry, Iron Thresh, you've got cart duty. Get yourselves nice and secure, it's gonna be a long trot back. The rest of you fall in to either side. Thunderburst and Bear, you've got rear guard. Let's move it!"

Tercio had forgotten what it was like to walk for almost the entire duration of a day. Judging by the groans and swears of the others, he wasn't the only one. Long marches were standard fare for the Equestrian Guard, but he was also a younger man back then, a fact that his body took every opportunity to remind him of. There had only been a few brief stops for meals or rest, so the Praetorians kept their minds occupied by idly talking with one another. As long as they kept watch, Stonewall didn't seem to mind.

"Hey, Bear, let me ask you something," Thunderburst said from the rear of the formation. Tercio eavesdropped on the conversation, having nothing much else to do. His position near the back gave him ample opportunity to do so.

"What is it you wish to know, Thunderburst?" Bear replied in his heavily-accented Equestrian.

"Where are you from?"

"Zevran," the zebra said without a hint of sarcasm. Thunderburst blinked.

"Right, I know that much, but, you know...where specifically?"

"Why do you ask?"

"We fight alongside each other, don't we? I'd just like to know more about you."

Without looking, Tercio could tell Bear was hesitant to answer.

"This seems to be a common question among the Praetorians."

"Of course it is, we're brothers after all. I know where everyone else hails from; Rimeberry is from the northern expanses, near Icedale. Polaris grew up in Marestopholous. Even Tercio is from Summervale, sort of. Isn't that right, Tercio?"

"That I am," Tercio answered.

"See? No big deal. So where are you from?"

Perhaps realizing he wouldn't win, Bear finally relented. "I suppose it could not hurt. I hail from the yellow forests of eastern Zevran, in the Mw'atut'ze tribal lands. It is a place very different from Equestria."

Thunderburst was plainly surprised to get an answer. "Yellow forests, huh? You mean, like, the leaves are yellow?"

"Not quite, my friend. My village sits on the edge of a great lake, but it is a dangerous place. If one crossed the lake to the other shore, one would end up in a land foreign to all of the senses. Trees that are both plant and animal, with roots that bleed when cut. The sound of their hearts fill the forest like a thousand drums. If you were to step onto the soil, you would find it viscous and yellow, like a foul-smelling sludge. Many things call such a place their home, large and small, and all of them would eagerly drain you of your very blood or devour you whole."

"Come on, now you're making things up," Thunderburst said. "Animal trees? Blood-sucking monsters? That's ridiculous."

Bear shrugged. "I can see how it would seem so to those who have never seen it, but I speak only the truth."

"We have dangerous creatures too. Hydras, dragons, that kind of thing."

"Yes, but you do not have Bem'balae in Everfree, and for that you should be thankful."

"Bem-what now?"

"A beast as tall as three huts that walks on three tall, slender legs, with six eyes that cover its circular body that hangs from the center of its legs, like a hub on a wagon wheel. It is fond of swallowing zebras whole. The sound of someone you know being slowly digested alive, screaming in agony and praying for death, as the creature stomps away, immune to your weapons...it is something I will never forget."

It was silent for a long time after that.

Bear slipped into the rhyming speak that was common to his people, as if reciting poetry from memory. "Across the lake you must not tread, for the forest does not give up its dead. Through the mists and fog our tribe stands guard; the hours long, the trials hard." He went back to his normal way of speaking, though he now had the attention of most of the Praetorians who listened in interest. "Among my tribe, it is believed that those lost to the forest return as tortured spirits, inhabiting the bodies of the terrible beasts that killed them and lashing out at the village. Only by destroying the creatures can we put their souls at rest." He smiled. "And you thought the Everfree forest was a dangerous place, yes?"

"Not anymore," Thunderburst answered sincerely. "Assuming you're not just yanking my prick, I have to say: I can't imagine living in a place like that. Who would possibly live there voluntarily?"

"In the old times, before the unification of the tribes, the creatures of the yellow forest would sometimes gather in great numbers and wander the land, devouring or killing any they came across. Our tribe was created to stop them, a task we have upheld for the last twelve generations."

"And that's what you did?"

"Yes. I destroyed many things, some of which would not believe if I told you."

Tercio turned back and spoke to Bear. "You have my respect. I am not sure I could have done such a thing."

"Is that why you left Zevran? Because you grew tired of fighting monsters?" Thunderburst asked.

Bear dipped his head, just slightly, and a shadow crossed his face as he seemed lost in memory for a brief time. "That is not why. I am afraid that is a very personal thing. I am sorry, but I cannot tell you more than that."

Thunderburst put a hoof on Bear's armored shoulder.

"Well for what it's worth, Bear, I'm glad you're with us. You're a good stallion." The others echoed his sentiment.

"Thank you, my friends. I am glad to be in Equestria, and honored to be among good company."

The sun was beginning to set when they finally caught sight of Canterlot in the distance. Tercio and the others gave sighs of relief now that their destination was no more than another couple of hours away. He would finally be able to get out of the damnable cold. A hot meal, followed by a hot bath -- that would be best. A hot bath with Celestia would be better...

"Everyone hold up," Stonewall ordered. Time to change out cart-pullers again. Iron Thresh and Frost Wind gladly unhooked themselves from the yoke. "Stop your whining, fillies, we're almost there. You can nurse your bumps and bruises once we're done. Centus, Cloudtop, you're up. Try to be careful of the pot holes this--"

A loud crack sounded from the right side of the formation, like a thunder clap, and as the Praetorians turned they were greeted by the sight of Iron Thresh being lifted into the air in a field of crackling, emerald-colored magic that arced over his armor and wrapped around him like writhing vines made of pure energy. Instinctively he called for help, only to have a long, jagged spear of glassy crystal puncture straight through his chest. He gave a pained grunt and thrashed his legs uselessly, and just as fast as he'd been lifted he was dropped to the ground, impaled half way up the weapon.

"Ambush!" someone yelled after a brief moment of shock. Nineteen blades were drawn from their sheathes in an instant, and a shield wall was hastily erected. A flight of arrows bounced off the wall or embedded themselves into the wooden fronts, and several crystalline spears dug themselves into the defensive line.

"Weapons front!" Stonewall shouted, peeking his head over the wall just long enough to get a survey of their attackers. Tall, lithe bodies clad in green, glassy armor. "Whitetail soldiers ahead!"

"What are the fucking whitetail doing here?" someone shouted over the sound of more arrows scattering off the shield wall.

"Nevermind that, keep that wall up!"

Tercio saw glimpses of them flitting between trees, perhaps fifty yards out. They were so fast! Was this what Victus had been fighting against for all these months?

The Praetorians were quick in assuming their three-tiered formation, with the hastati up front, their spears sticking out from between the small gaps in their shield wall, the principes behind them with their throwing pila at the ready, and the triarii in the back row with arrows nocked.

"Take aim!"

An obsidian-headed arrow pinged off Tercio's shield, slicing into the unprotected underside of his arm as it passed. Warm blood streamed down his arm, and he bit back a shout of pain.

"Release!"

On Stonewall's signal nearly a dozen arrows flew from the back of the formation, followed a split second later by half a dozen pila. The arrows struck home first; most of them had no effect, bouncing off whitetail armor, but a few found their mark, toppling deer where they stood. Soon after, the pila came down with their heavier, piercing impacts. Several whitetail fell, only to be quickly dragged off by the others.

"Formation, advance!"

Tercio kept himself low, ducking behind his shield as heavy impacts were thwarted by his tower shield. It felt like they were advancing for hours. Beside him, Polaris' shield was enveloped by green magic and ripped from his grasp. It tumbled end over end before slamming into a tree beyond the formation's reach. The others reacted quickly, closing the gap in the wall before the whitetail could take advantage of it, and Polaris fell back to the rear.

"Keep your wits about you, there's a skilled magic user out there!" Stonewall said over the sound of another volley of arrows being exchanged between the two sides

The deer were closer now, and Tercio could plainly see their features -- almost uniformly shades of brown with white spots, clad in green, crystal-like armor that glinted in the setting sun's light. How had they managed to get so far into Equestria? They shouted to one another in deertongue, at once oddly pleasing to listen to yet harsh in its tones.

"Felaniin, doer hashaan! Equestrii cal'inax!"

Something about their words caught Tercio's attention. Even as he obeyed the orders shouted by Stonewall he carefully listened to the enemy's own language. It was so...familiar.

"On my word, we're going to break ranks and charge, understood?!"

"HAH-OOH!" the Praetorians shouted, both a battle cry and an acknowledgement.

The whitetail seemed to be in disarray, their numbers scattered and attacking from poorly thought-out positions after the initial attack had failed. Stonewall meant to take advantage of their inexperience and finish them off.

"Kasaliiri Equestrii fien nicyys!"

"HWAH!"

More call-and-response by the whitetail. For all of their running around, they still sounded like a fighting unit. A small group of bucks, their tall antlers glowing with white and emerald magic, charged the formation. They carried deadly-looking spears and floated long, conical daggers, galloping at full speed at the shield wall. What could they possibly hope to accomplish against such a formation?

"Brace!" Stonewall ordered, and the Praetorians slammed their shields into the ground and leaned into them with their shoulders. Two of the bucks collided with the shield wall, their spears piercing straight through and puncturing the throats of two unfortunate ponies. The third deer lagged behind, and as his comrades fought against the wall he leapt into the air and was instantly lifted above the others in a crackling magical field, accompanied by a thunder crack. Surprised Praetorians lashed out with their spears, but could not reach him before he landed on his hooves behind them with his weapons at the ready. A stomp sent twin armor-blades locking into place, and a vicious trio of stabs caught Frost Wind in the right hind leg. The pegasus fell heavily to the snow-covered ground, grasping at his wound and yelling in pain. The whitetail soldier struck again, as quick as lightning. His quinn-blade punched through Frost Wind's torso armor, and a horrible, agonized shout was, for a brief time, the only thing Tercio could hear. He wanted to turn around and tear into the deer with his blade, but he had to trust the rear guard to do it for him. Keeping the shield wall together was the difference between life and death.

The whitetail wasted no time in attacking a new target, lashing out at Thunderburst in a ballet of swift, precise movements designed to keep the Praetorian off guard. Stonewall and Bear joined in from the deer's left side, thrusting spears that bounced off the rounded armor segments. It was soon four on one, but the deer was holding his own.

Tercio was immediately occupied by the deer in front of him, who had stepped aside after impaling Centus and was now intent on wearing him down. Blow after blow thwacked into his shield or was deflected by Nocturne, and the longer he fought the more he felt the magical blade conforming to his combat style. It made him strong, kept him focused, and every time he struck a successful slash and drew blood the weapon sent a jolt of warmth up his arm.

The buck spun around and kicked his hind legs into the shield, hard enough to dent the iron backing, but Tercio had been waiting for just such an opportunity. With all of his strength he lifted his shield , throwing the buck's legs into the air and exposing his belly. A vicious jab sent Nocturne through the deer's stomach, and Tercio pushed all the way to the hilt until the tip of the blade stuck through the front of its neck, gored from back to front. The deer convulsed and twitched as he withdrew the weapon, and a plunging death blow made sure there was one less whitetail soldier left in the fight. Nocturne glowed white for a brief second, and Tercio felt its vibrations -- it was pleased to have destroyed an enemy of Equestria.

Behind him, Stonewall and the others had finally managed to dispatch the deer warrior, and they rejoined the protection of the wall. There were still a good number of deer ahead of them, from what Tercio could see. How many had they brought? As one the Praetorians pushed forward again, releasing their last volley of pila and arrows.

By now the whitetail forces had retreated back to the edge of the forest. Equestria's finest soldiers would soon be forced to fight in terrain favorable to their enemies, and Tercio knew it. He swore under his breath. What choice did they have? They couldn't possibly allow the whitetail to escape, only to spring up somewhere else and cost more ponies their lives.

"Stay on your guard in there, and stick together!" Stonewall warned them, mirroring Tercio's own thoughts. Scattered arrows struck out to meet them, but the barrage was a fraction of its former strength. Rimeberry could be heard muttering to himself, chomping at the bit to finally break free from the wall and get into combat proper.

The forest was so close. They stepped over the bodies of dead whitetail and finished off those who were wounded and would not surrender. The Praetorians were ready.

"Praetoria Victor!" Stonewall yelled, hefting his bloodied weapon in the air.

"PRAETORIA VICTOR!"

At once the formation split in practiced precision, and Tercio and the others charged at full speed toward the waiting whitetail with fearsome battle shouts. This was what he lived for, the thrill of battle pumping through his veins, the sound of his brothers alongside him. Rage-words be damned -- he was going to cleave a path through the whitetail of his own accord!

The first deer to stand in his way had a look of genuine shock about him as the armor-clad human rammed into him with his tower shield, sending the whitetail sprawling against a tree. Tercio stabbed through him hard enough to embed Nocturne in the bark behind him, and as he withdrew his weapon he saw the others meeting the enemy head-on in violent clashes of steel, crystal and blood. A buck with tall antlers bounded at him from his left, narrowly missing his throat with its armor-blades. Tercio stepped back and deflected a trio of attacks with his shield, then brought Nocturne down with a vicious yell, slicing through antlers and severing the deer's head in a single attack.

A sharp pain bit into his shoulder from behind, and he wheeled around to find the offending whitetail withdrawing a conical quinn-blade. Enraged from the pain, he swung his shield around hard enough to crack bone and knock the enemy off his hooves, then slammed it down edge-on to crush the deer's throat in a shower of gore.

"Polaris, to your right!" he yelled above the din of combat, pointing to a deer warrior that was rapidly advancing on his comrade. Polaris acted quickly, yanking a pilum from a dead deer with his magic and hurling it into the chest of his would-be attacker. The deer tumbled to the ground, dead where he lay.

"My thanks, Tercio!"

Stonewall ran up and down the line, shouting encouragement to his soldiers. "No quarter! Hah-ooh!"

As far as Tercio was concerned, that was just fine. Anyone who dared attack Equestria, who dared kill his brothers, deserved to die. He would fight them to the last -- with his spear, with his sword, with his bare hands. A whitetail soldier barreled into him, knocking the magical blade from his hand and sending him to the ground, and he scrambled to cover himself with his shield. A glancing blow dug into his thigh, drawing a stream of blood. He managed to reach for the dagger tucked into the sheathe strapped to his leg, and he jammed it into the deer's throat over and over. The copper taste of blood met his lips and he spat it away as he pushed his defeated foe off of him.

Nocturne had landed on its side in the loose soil, a short distance away. Breathing heavily, and with pain shooting through his body, he limped over and reached for it.

He jerked to a stop. Green magic filled his vision and a booming clap of thunder sounded in his ears, and without warning he found himself flung through the air. Trees flitted past as he flew backwards and slammed into a tall oak with a clattering of armor, denting his helm and knocking the air from his lungs. Distantly, he was aware of someone shouting his name. A tall, lithe figure stepped before him as he drifted in and out of consciousness, pinned to the tree by magical forces. Tiny antler stubs, no more than a few inches, jutted from the top of the figure's head, glowing an emerald green.

"Let me get a good look at you, human." The voice was soft and sweet, decidedly feminine in nature. Tercio struggled to move his head, to move any part of himself, but it was useless. The doe had him paralyzed. How far had he been pulled from the others? Did they even know where he'd gone? "So this is what all the fuss is about. I must say, I was expecting something different."

"Let me go," he demanded through gritted teeth. The doe laughed.

"Oh I don't think that's going to happen, nesha'yyl. Your equine friends are of no concern, but you? There are deer who would pay very handsomely to see you brought before them on your knees. A wagon full of gold is nothing. I'll let the others deal with your...colleagues." She leaned in and whispered in his ear. "Coming across you was a happy coincidence." Slowly, she moved closer and kissed his cheek, then laughed to herself in accomplishment. "Come along, human. We have somewhere to be."

Tercio felt himself being lifted from the ground, and he managed to latch onto the tree trunk to stop from being carried off.

"Don't be difficult, nesha'yyl, or I won't be as gentle next time."

A jolt of electricity shot through him and he grunted in pain. "Go to hell."

"Perhaps one day. Until then..."

A sensation like a thousand needle points finally made him surrender his grip, and as thrashed in defiance as he was levitated beside the doe. She began to trot deeper into the forest with an amused grin.

"Tercio!" distant voices called. "Tercio, where are you?!"

He tried to shout back, but could do no more than whisper. All of his years of training, the countless hours of drills and sparring, and it all counted for naught. He had survived an attack on Canterlot, saved the Princess, fallen for her completely, and driven off whitetail attackers, only to be carried away by a doe as if he were a play thing. The more hopeless he felt, the more it burned inside him. Disappointment, anger, sadness...rage.

"No," he growled as another wave of electrical pain cut into him. "I will not be controlled..."

"What was that, love?" the deer said in a sickeningly sweet, mocking voice.

"You will not...control me..."

She giggled at the thought. "I'd say you're a little late on that. Come now, don't be difficult."

A red mist began to cloud his sight, swirling and solidifying until it tinted everything before him. He could feel the power inside of him, growing by the second. The blood dripping down his arm, covering his leg, staining his armor -- it drove him to a maddening frenzy. He wanted more, needed more. Flashes of combat filled his vision, gouts of blood and bright arterial sprays from sword and shield and spear.

All at once he found the magic enveloping his body to be a physical thing, forming and dissolving as he fought against it. He could see the lattice of ethereal energy, felt the bond it formed to the doe's vast power. It conformed to him like a tightly bound sheet, and as he focused on it the jagged, arcing power it began to ripple and coil in on itself.

The doe stopped, gasping at the sensation and putting a hoof to her head. "What are you doing?" she demanded, drawing a dagger from her leg scabbard. Tercio contorted and twisted as he gave himself freely to the unstoppable anger within, shouting with pain as it wracked his body and made him stronger. The doe sent shocks of agony through him, again and again, but he would not relent "Stop this at once or I will kill you right here, human! Do not think to test me!"

Tercio could not hear her words, nor could he feel the magical assault on his body. He was entirely focused on escaping, frantically searching the incorporeal spell for a weakness. He knew it was close, as if guided by an unseen hand.

There, above his chest. A tangled knot of light and energy. Something cold and sharp built in his mind, arcing through him and twitching his muscles. A thousand flashes of the magical point flooded his thoughts, and then, at once, joined into a single image.

He let out a deep, terrible yell and arched his back, and the emerald field collapsed in a flash of light, stumbling the doe as she yelled in pain and shock. Tercio fell to the ground, his breaths ragged and animalistic, and he pounded his fist on the ground as he pushed himself back to his feet. The doe managed a surprised yelp before he was upon her, grabbing her by the throat and slamming her against a tree hard enough to crack her crystalline armor. She gagged and kicked as he began to squeeze the very life from her.

"Please...no..." she pleaded in a choked voice as she thrashed in his grip. The rage within him screamed for her blood, filled his mind with visions of her mutilated body slumping to the ground, his hands thick with her gore.

KILL HER. KILL HER. KILL HER. KILL HER.

The voice, his voice, echoed all around him until it was all he could hear. All he had to do was give in to the urge, and he could be unstoppable. Invincible. He could slaughter the whitetail. He could destroy everyone weak enough to think themselves his better -- deer, pony, it mattered not. He alone could reshape nations!

And then, as if in a dream, he saw the sparring ring from the mountain camp. Rimeberry was there with him, the sound of steel on steel echoing across the great expanse of wilderness untouched by civilization. He saw himself fighting against the darkness inside, felt the burning as Nocturne fought to keep him from losing his will. There was the blood lust, the insatiable need to slaughter his opponent, thick and heavy. But he fought back. He defeated it. It would not win, not ever again.

The doe was still in his grasp as he snapped back to consciousness; tears streamed down her face and her struggling grew weaker by the second. He looked her directly in the eyes, yelled in fury, and threw his fist forward.

It crunched into the tree bark beside her head and sent splinters of wood into his hand. There he stayed for several seconds, unmoving, before releasing the doe from his grip. She dropped to the ground and gasped for air, sobbing and choking, too weak to move or fight.

"Tercio!" Someone had found him, and they were close. He was sure of it. Galloping hoof beats came to a stop beside him. "Thank the gods you're alive! We feared the worst when you--"

Polaris drew his weapon and prepared to strike the very second he saw the deer.

"Wait!" Tercio said weakly. "Wait, Polaris -- don't kill her." Polaris didn't strike, but he didn't put down his weapon, either. "She'll be more valuable to us alive. Think of the intelligence should could provide."

"She's the one with the strong magic, isn't she?" Thunderburst asked, his armor caked in blood and dirt. "She killed Iron Thresh. Fuck her, she deserves to die!"

"Stand down, Thunderburst," Polaris said, lowering the Praetorian's weapon with his foreleg while sliding his own back into its scabbard. "That's quite enough for one day. Tercio's right; she may be able to tell us how such a large force of whitetail managed to travel so deeply inside Equestrian territory. She lives."

"Fuck you, and fuck her! No one--"

Polaris lifted Thunderburst by the collar with a flash of magic. "She lives, decanus. Do you understand?"

Thunderburst landed on his hooves and jerked away from Polaris. "Fine. Whatever you say. But she's still dangerous. You really wanna trot back to Canterlot for the next two hours with someone like her in our ranks?"

The doe had finally started breathing normally again, though she had not moved from her place on the wet ground.

"Tercio, it's your call. What do you suggest?"

He shot a glare at the doe, and she skidded back against the tree. Clearly she hadn't expected him to have a hope of escaping her, much less nearly squeezing the life from her with his hands. "Bind her legs and keep her in the dark. She will not be a further problem." He flexed his bloody hand into a fist, making sure she saw him do it. "If she tries anything she will find I am not so merciful after all."

Polaris motioned for several of the others to do as they'd heard, and he took Tercio aside several paces to speak. "Are you alright, my friend? We saw you disappear into the forest, but the damned whitetail were intent on keeping us from reaching you. We're lucky to have found you at all."

"I'm fine," Tercio said, pulling a length of bandages from a pouch at his side. It was a painful process, now that the adrenaline and rage had worn off. "I've been wounded, however. Thrice, at least. I do not believe it's serious, but it hurts like hell."

"So I imagine. You look like you just bathed in blood. Remove your armor and we'll staunch your wounds until you can be seen by a proper apothecary back in Canterlot." Tercio did as he was asked, wincing as his steel and gold segmented armor scraped against raw flesh. Even the soft touch of his purple cloak was painful. He sat on the ground with a sigh of relief. "Looks like you've got a gash on your arm, nothing too bad there. Nasty quinn-blade wound on your leg, though. Since you're not bleeding to death I'm assuming it didn't cut your artery. Superficial wound once we get it cleaned." Polaris unrolled his own bandage wrap and wrapped it tightly around Tercio's leg.

"I've another, in my shoulder. I don't think it went all the way through, but--"

"Shit," Polaris muttered as he stepped around to check. "I'm not gonna lie, it's deep. You're not going to bleed out immediately but it can't wait too long..." A slight touch of his hoof was all it took to send a surge of pain through Tercio's body, and he yelled out loud enough to draw the attention of the others for a brief moment. "Yeah...this is bad." Polaris whistled for two others to come over. Rimeberry and Bear were at his side soon after, searching through the medical bag they'd grabbed from the wagon.

"Hang on there, brother," Rime said. Tercio noticed he was wounded as well, a gash along his side where a blade had found a gap in his armor. "Go help out the others with that doe, would you, Polaris?"

Polaris nodded. "Of course." A strong magic user was not something to take lightly.

Tercio pointed to the dark cut on Rime's side. "You're hurt?"

"I'll live. Compared to that son of a whore in the crystal cave this was like fighting a bunch of amateurs."

"I'm all too aware," Thunderburst added, lifting his wooden foreleg. "At least he didn't take my wings, eh?"

"Shoulda taken your tongue, if you ask me."

"You're too kind, Rime."

Rimeberry laughed despite his surroundings. "Yeah, I know. Put some pressure on that wound, would ya?"

Tercio did not enjoy the sensation of an open wound being held down with what felt like a blacksmith's anvil heated to red-hot, but he knew he didn't have a choice. He gritted his teeth and asked, "did we get them all?"

"The whitetail? Yeah, that we did. Fucked those deer bastards up. Your doe friend there," Rimeberry jerked his head in her direction, "is the only survivor."

"Weren't there -- argh, gods damn this pain! -- others who asked for mercy?"

"A few did not wish to die and surrendered," Bear answered, "but I am afraid we could not administer aid before the battle was over. Their wounds were grievous."

Rimeberry pulled two small pouches full of some kind of powders from the medical bag. "Some of the whitetail cowards tried to run, but Stonewall was a step ahead. He and a hoof-full of others had flanked around behind the deer early on. He cut 'em off and cut 'em down."

"Old stallion's still got it," Tercio said.

"That he does." Rimeberry grabbed a twig from a nearby tree, about as long as Tercio's hand, and wrapped it in cloth. "Bite down on this. This stuff I've got here will stop you from bleeding out, but it's gonna hurt like a son of a bitch. Trust me on this one. Bear, when I tell you to, you're gonna lean into Tercio with all of your strength. Keep him sitting up, got it? Good." For the first time, Rimeberry looked apologetic. "Sorry, brother."

Reluctantly, Tercio bit down on the wrapped twig and waited. "Just be done with it."

Behind Tercio's back, Rimeberry mixed the two powders together. Small wisps of smoke rose from his hoof, and he nodded to Bear. The zebra threw himself into Tercio and dug his hooves into the wet soil just as Rimeberry clapped the mix of smoking powder into Tercio's wound.

Tercio jerked, then yelled out as the mix of black and white powders ignited, cauterizing the wound and staunching the flow of blood. The pain was immense, worse than the stab of the quinn-blade itself had been, and it burned like an iron poker heated in a forge.

"Hold on, brother, hold on..."

Rimeberry added his own, not insignificant weight to Bear's in an effort to keep Tercio from thrashing around and reopening the wound before it could close. Long seconds passed before the worst of the pain subsided, and Tercio spat out the wrapped twig. He'd bitten down hard enough to break it in two different places. Tears had mixed with the blood and dirt on his face; he was glad Celestia wasn't around to see him in such a state.

"You alright?" Rimeberry asked, checking to make sure the bleeding had stopped.

"I never want to do that again," Tercio replied half-jokingly. He wiped the tears from his eyes with the back of his hand just as Stonewall came trotting over.

"Good to see you yet live, Krosus," he said. The Imperator's armor was almost completely red along one side, from crested helm to flank guard, staining and matting his cloak. "Don't worry about me, that's not my blood. How do you fare?"

"I've been better," Tercio said. "Damned whitetail got a few pieces of me out there. Almost got carried off by her." The doe who had given him so much trouble was now firmly tied and had a cloth bag draped over her head. She wouldn't be going anywhere. "I've never seen such magic."

Stonewall grumbled. "We were lucky there was only one. A doe like her is worth half a dozen bucks in combat, or at least a few stags. Polaris says you want her taken in for interrogation."

"That would be best, I think. I'm eager to know how and why the whitetail were so far from the border."

"Then that makes two of us. Smart thinking, Krosus."

"Thank you, sir."

Stonewall yanked on a cord at his side, and a long, wrapped bundle fell from a loop on his saddle bag. "I believe this belongs to you."

Tercio grabbed the cloth bag and managed a weak smile through the pain. He'd almost lost Nocturne on his first encounter. It was pleased to have returned to him, and he could hear a quiet hum of energy as he brushed his hand against the metallic grip.

"Thank you," he said sincerely, then slid the magical blade into its sheathe at his side. "Sir, how many did we lose in the fight?"

"Five," Stonewall frowned. "Iron Thresh, Frost Wind, Palaenius, Haftus, and Cinder Sage. Damned shame..." A quarter of their number, gone in minutes. The survivors were too exhausted or too injured to grieve; that would come later. "We made the cowardly tree-rutters pay, though. They payed dearly. By our last count we took out at least thirty of their own, possibly more. I'm going to request that Canterlot and the surrounding area be put on high alert for the time being, once we return. Can't be too careful with the whitetail sneaking around." Stonewall offered a hoof and helped Tercio to his feet. "We'll get you looked at once we're within the palace gates. Go take a seat on the wagon, I don't want you opening that wound again. We'll gather our dead and be on our way."

Tercio gathered his armor and saluted weakly. Stonewall returned the formality.

"You fought well today, Krosus. I'm proud of you."

With his gear tucked under his arm Tercio hobbled to the wagon, stepping around bodies of dead Praetorians and whitetail soldiers alike. He'd been lucky, and the only thing he could think of was the others who hadn't been. He would celebrate their lives in due time. For now, he wished more than anything he was home.

For the first time in many nights, Princess Celestia had to worry once more about the whitetail. Not since the start of the war had they been spotted in Equestrian territory, and never so close to the capital. Where had they come from? How did they know the wagon carrying stolen valuables was traveling the roads from Dragon Crest? There were too many questions, and almost no answers. The interrogation of the whitetail doe -- Alinalyys, she'd said her name was -- had revealed only that she was picked by an officer in their military to lead the small group, and even then, she had admitted that gold coins were far less of a prize than taking Tercio alive.

"He is known to many soldiers and officers," the doe had told Celestia. "There is a great reward for his capture."

Level-headed though Celestia liked to think she was, the thought of someone carrying Tercio off like a trophy infuriated her. She had not even had the chance to see him since his return, as he'd been taken to the apothecaries by his comrades as soon as he'd arrived. Hopefully he would be alright.

She'd had to step away for several minutes before she could return to speak with Alinalyys once more. It became clear after some time that the prisoner did not know much else about the inner workings of the Whitetail armies beyond the typical rank structures and formation sizes that were common knowledge to Equestria's leaders already. Disappointed and frustrated, Celestia had left the prison cells with more questions than she'd entered with. The doe would remain in their custody until the end of the war, under heavy guard by the best of the palace's magic users, with the promise of a more comfortable cell if she told her captors anything of value before then.

Too tired to think on it any more, but unable to sleep, Celestia had chosen to remain in her chambers and pass the time with some light reading -- plays from old playwrights of her youth, great poems of adventure and intrigue. Some of the dusty tomes were marked with blue ink in the margins; notes and musings from Luna, written in ancient Equestrian, during her many years of royal studies. Inside the front cover of an old history book, a simple drawing of the sisters caught her eye, created with the charming simplicity of a child's mind. "Lulu", the crude letters spelled above a blue scribble that vaguely resembled an alicorn. Next to it, a pink scribble with a tiny crown. "Tia". It took her back; back to the grand castle in the Everfree forest, to the library filled with every subject imaginable, to the countless nights spent playing in the courtyard while their parents sat on the balcony and shared stories of their own childhoods. It had been so long...

"Princess?" Someone called to her from the doorway. She'd forgotten to close them again. "My most sincere apologies for interrupting you, Your Highness, but I have an urgent delivery for you." The Royal Guardspony bowed and produced a small, wrapped package from a saddle bag.

"It's alright," she reassured him. "Please, come in. What do you bring?"

"I cannot say for sure, I was told it was to be delivered to you unopened. Imperator Scorpius from the 19th Royal Guard found it while sorting through the wagon brought in by the Praetorians several hours ago. He says there was a note attached to it, from a Decanus Victus Krosus in the 44th Legion. It was to be given to you at the first available opportunity."

Tercio's brother? A Legionary contacting the palace without going through a superior officer was an unusual occurrence at best. Whatever it was, it must have been important.

"Thank you, Quintus," she said, taking the package with her magic. The guard saluted and returned to his post, and Celestia shut her doors to be sure of privacy. The wrapped bundle was small and plain, the size of her hoof, and tied with twine. She pulled it open and a small object tumbled out. As she levitated it before her she read a folded note that had come with it.

"Princess -- myself and a few others have been investigating, and fighting against, the Nightmare Moon cults for the past several months. During a recent raid on a supply caravan we happened upon a young fawn who had been taken slave by the cultists, as well as further proof of connections between the cult and the whitetail military itself."

Celestia remembered the young whitetail -- Aliis, was his name -- and had spoken with him briefly before he was given to a foster family. She hoped he was doing well.

"The fawn gave us this pendant as a reward for rescuing him. He believed it to be a shiny bauble, but myself and the others recognized it for what it truly was: a way for the cults to communicate with Nightmare Moon herself. We have not been able to figure out how to use it, but perhaps you will find a way, so that we may use it against them. May you remain in good health. The Legion is with you. - Victus Krosus"

Celestia had heard of these pendants before, but she had never seen one. A way to commune with her fallen sister? Such a thing could not possibly exist, she was sure of it. And yet, even if it were a remote possibility, she had to try.

The pendant was ornately carved from what appeared to be ivory, circular in design, with a deer and a pony chasing one another around a central star made of orange crystal. It looked familiar, almost exactly like...

She gasped, nearly dropping it to the floor. She hoped she was wrong, wished for it more than anything as she frantically searched through her cabinets. It had to be a mistake, a coincidence!

There, under a stack of scrolls, tucked into the corner of a drawer, was the pendant's twin. She held them up, studied them intently under candle light. They were the same, down to every little detail. Dizzy with the realization, she sat on her bed and tried to find a reason, any reason, for it to not be true.

But it was. The new pendant was an exact match to the one given to her, so many months ago, as a harmless gift by--

"...Elinwynn?"