***

Castle Midnight, Germareny. March 4th. Year 20 of the New Solaminan Calendar (2050 human calendar).

The aftermath of the attempted coup and the short but brutal battle it had caused was a grim and dirty affair. Up to this point the Midnight Castle had never been assaulted by anything larger than a small band of Anthroponies. The attack by the Ivory Shell cadre had shaken everypony within the castle’s walls and the implications of their treachery had only made things worse.

Civilians had been drafted for the cleanup. Ponies everywhere were clearing up the remains of dead Midnight Guards, burning the bodies and repairing any damages that had been incurred during the attack.

Royal Duty sat on the walls of the Midnight Castle and rubbed his head with his hooves. He had never been in battle before and what he had just gone through had been harrowing. Dead bodies were not unfamiliar to him, but the fact that he had actually ended a pony’s life was still a new, and unpleasant, experience for him. Taking several deep breaths he stared over the battlements and looked out over the forests that surrounded the castle.

He looked down into the city at the base of the castle and watched as ponies hustled back and forth, performing whatever duties had been assigned to them. He knew he should have been doing something as well, but he had avoided the draft teams and his privileges as a necromancer allowed him to stay away from such duties. He didn’t particularly enjoy dodging work but he felt overwhelmed by what he had gone through.

“Who are you?” a sharp voice cut through the near silence of the battlements, causing Royal Duty to jump in surprise.

He turned to face the direction the voice had come from. He saw a large dark Unicorn with a dark brown mane walking towards him. The Unicorn wore a jet black cloak on his back and an odd, dark expression was on his face as he regarded Royal Duty.

“L...Lord Magnus,” Royal Duty stammered out as he bowed deeply, extending one foreleg forward and lowering his head in respect. “I...I...I was simply...well I can...explain.” He struggled to speak as he tried to find an excuse to explain why he was on the walls and staring into space at such an integral time.

“That wasn’t what I asked,” Magnus said as he stood in front of the genuflecting Unicorn and looked down at him. Royal Duty could feel his superior’s gaze boring into him. “I said,” he continued, “who are you?”

“I am Royal Duty,” he replied quickly, “a...a necromancer assigned to the garrison.”

“Is that so?” Magnus paused as he regarded the young Unicorn in front of him. “I heard you were the pony that warned the city’s garrison when the traitor launched their attack. Is that true?”

“Um, yes sir. I was.” Royal Duty almost felt like he was being crushed under the intense gaze of the dark Unicorn.

Magnus smirked slightly at the young Unicorn that was prostrating before him. It was rather amusing how so many ponies reacted to him like this. However as much as he wanted to drag out his little game with the youth he decided it was best he finally get to the point.

“That’s good to hear. I was looking for you.”

Royal Duty’s head unintentionally shot up from the shock of what he had just heard. Lord Magnus, one of the most important ponies in the Midnight Castle, had not only asked for him but had personally gone to find him.

His voice still unsteady he stammered his words as he asked, “Y...you were?”

“Yes I was,” Magnus replied, the smirk growing slightly wider. “I had heard of the part you played in the battle against the traitors of the Ivory Shell. What you did was invaluable.”

“Thank you sir,” Royal Duty rapidly said as he lowered his head once again.

“Now don’t thank me just yet,” Magnus said, raising a single hoof to interrupt the Unicorn. “I have been looking for ponies of great skill, fortitude and wit for an especially important mission of unfathomable importance.”

Royal Duty felt a cold sweat break out over his body as he waited for Magnus to continue.

“I want you, Royal Duty,” he punctuated his point by pointing his hoof at Royal Duty, “to accompany his highness as my replacement as his adjutant. He is preparing, at this very moment, to embark on a mission to the deepest parts of Horssia to recruit the New Equestrian Resistance in a new offensive.” He finished by stamping his hoof on the ground as if to emphasise the importance of his decree.

Royal Duty was stunned by what he had just been told. His heart hammered in his chest, his ears twitched in agitation and his eyes twitched.

"But why me?" he asked as he wondered just why he would be chosen. He was an adequate necromancer of routine ability who had only seen battle once if you included the events of the current day. He couldn’t possibly be deliberately chosen for something so important.

A genuine half-smile appeared on Magnus face as he regarded the shocked pony in front of him.

"You used your initiative, followed a lead, and saved the city,” he said, calming Royal Duty with his words. Once he saw the young Unicorn had finally begun to calm down and listen to him again he continued. “These traits will serve you well, and have allowed you to succeed in doing a rare thing."

"What?" Royal Duty asked, a mixture of concern and expectation evident on his face.

"Impressing me.” Magnus said in a matter of fact fashion. “If you continue to do that - and if you survive - your promotion to his highness' temporary adjutant may well prove more permanent than you realise."

***

Prince Blueblood cantered through the central courtyard of Castle Midnight. Around him ponies rushed back and forth, piling up equipment and other items in what he could only call ‘organised chaos’. The courtyard was a mess, but everypony seemed to understand where everything was supposed to be and what each pile was meant to contain. Wagons were being pulled in from the city and loaded for the long trip to the eastern regions of Horssia. It would be a tough journey, and many ponies were coming along for the trip.

Prince Blueblood himself was already dressed for travel. His bulky ornate battle armour had been wrapped in oiled cloth and stored inside one of the wagons but he did wear a much more comfortable and functional breastplate that afforded him much more mobility. A large coat had been thrown over it and whilst it was uncomfortably warm now he knew it would be invaluable once they really got going.

“Your highness, should you really be here?” asked a voice. Blueblood turned to regard a group of Thestrals standing behind him in full armour. They were his guard detail and the recent attack had made them rather paranoid for his safety.

“What do you mean?” Blueblood asked, slightly perplexed by the pony’s question.

“Well sir,” the pony replied, feeling somewhat awkward for letting himself be singled out, “the equipment here isn’t safe sir and this area is so open. Who knows what could happen?”

As if to emphasise his point a wagon pulled by a team of Earth Ponies shot past the procession, barely missing the prince.

Prince Blueblood jumped away from the where the wagon had just passed him, his face noticeably pale despite his pristine white coat.

“I see what you mean,” he said to the Guardspony, as another Thestral took off after the wagon to shout at them for their negligence and disregard for other’s safety.

***

Royal Duty hurriedly packed his belongings. He needed to make sure everything was prepared for his new mission. His heart hammered in his chest as Magnus’ declaration repeated itself in his mind. He had never shouldered so much responsibility before, and the pressure weighed down on his shoulders and back like a block of stone.

“Resurrection powder, four full bags, focusing crystal, needs polishing - I can do that later - arcane spectrum analyser,” he checked off as he placed esoteric items into various carefully assorted sacks and bags.

“Right now the grimoires.” He span around as he rounded on a stack of books that he had let pile up.

Yanking at the ones he needed he let the stack collapse onto the floor as several worn and bound books floated towards him. manipulating them with his magic he flipped them around until they were in order, the first volume of the Necronomicon on top, and then laid them in a box that was quickly closed and wrapped in wire.

Turning to the mess he had made on the floor he frowned and lifted the books back up with his magic before depositing them on the shelves in his chambers.

“Alright,” he said, sweat running down his brow from the exertion, “that’s about everything.”

He turned on the small pile of boxes of bags that contained most of his possessions and equipment. He probably didn’t need most of it but it was always better safe than sorry, even if being safe meant carrying enough miscellaneous items to fill a wagon.

He went to the door of his room and opened it. Outside were a pair of Earth Ponies dressed in light armoured barding. They had shown up about twenty minutes ago and had told him that Lord Magnus had ordered them to collect both him and whatever belongings he was bringing with him.

“I’m ready gentlecolts,” Royal Duty said as he stepped out of his room, two full saddlebags on his back.

Both ponies looked into his room. Their faces immediately fell at the sight of all of the boxes they would be carrying out of the castle.

“Um… I can help if you like,” Royal Duty said as he noticed the looks on both stallion’s faces.

“No, no sir. This is what we're here for,” one of the Earth Ponies replied.

“Yeah, we’re used to it,” the other chipped in, as they both trotted into the room and hefted boxes onto their backs.

“Alright then,” Royal Duty said, “Um… thanks.”

With that he trotted down the hallway and headed for the main gate. he needed to find the prince and take up whatever position he was supposed to be in charge of.

As he walked through the castle he noticed the damage that had been done to the castle. Walls were chipped in places where blades had struck them, tapestries and displays were knocked down or broken and blood was rather liberally splattered about the corridors. At the same time the castle staff were running around hectically as they tried to prepare for the prince’s departure.

As he walked through the main gate and out into the courtyard Royal Duty realised that the chaos inside the castle was nothing compared to the chaos outside it.

Ponies were scurrying everywhere. Most carried boxes and bags full of weapons, food, clothing and other supplies of indeterminate purpose that would be needed for the expedition. Everypony seemed to be converging on a wagon of sorts where they quickly deposited their burdens before running off to grab another.

The only island of calm in the endless sea of activity was a cluster of Thestrals surrounding the unmistakable shape of Prince Blueblood himself who seemed to be observing the preparations with a simultaneously confused and amused expression.

Royal Duty picked his way through the crowd, dodging ponies and working his way around wagons and stacks of supplies as he headed in the direction of the prince.

After what felt like an eternity he finally reached the group of ponies that seemed strangely detached from the hustle and bustle around them. Looking at the prince for the first time in his life Royal Duty felt awed by the stallion before him. He was unusually large for a Unicorn and seemed to tower over most of his guards. His coat, his horn, his bearing, everything about him seemed perfectly regal, every inch the pony he had expected to meet and serve.

Standing to attention, Royal Duty snapped off a salute and then immediately began to worry whether he should have bowed instead.

Prince Blueblood immediately turned to look at him, the expression of amusement replaced by a calm professionalism.

“Hello there,” Blueblood said as he eyed the colt in front of him, “who might you be.”

“I am Royal Duty, your highness,” Royal Duty replied firmly, forcibly keeping a stutter from emerging, “I was assigned by Lord Magnus as your temporary personal adjutant.”

The professionalism remained but Blueblood’s voice became noticeably more open and friendly. “Oh yes, I remember Magnus mentioning he had found someone to take care of his duties. I suppose you’re the pony he was talking about?”

“Yes I am, your highness,” Royal Duty also replied, hoping the concern he felt wasn’t noticeable. “I intend to conduct myself with dignity and honour worthy of your highness. I will not disappoint you or Lord Magnus sir.” He stood even straighter as he resisted the urge to salute again.

“And it is well that you should not,” another voice said, interrupting him. “Disappointing the Prince is unwise. Disappointing me? Unhealthy.”

Royal Duty spun around as he realised who the voice was. A familiar dark Unicorn was walking towards them, ponies stepping aside as he did so.

“Ah, Magnus,” Blueblood said as he greeted his friend and adjutant. “I see that you're ready to go.”

“Yes, my prince,” the Unicorn said matter of factly, “I was merely seeing whether the young stallion here had availed himself to you at the appropriate time. It is good to see that he is punctual.”

Magnus eyed Royal Duty as he said this, seemingly pressing down on him with his glare.

“Well if you have high hopes for him then I guess I can expect good and devoted service,” Blueblood said in return, also turning to regard Royal Duty, who was doing his best not to faint.

“Indeed. Unfortunately, I cannot stay for a moment longer,” the dark Unicorn said gravely. “I must join my own forces now. Farewell your highness, I wish you the best of luck.”

With that Magnus bowed before turning and walking away to whatever ponies had been assigned under him.

“Well,” Blueblood said with a slight sigh. “We have a force of probably quite antsy soldiers out there waiting for us, and a long march ahead. I suggest we go join them.”

“Yes, your highness,” Royal Duty said.

“And do me a favour,” Blueblood added as they began walking out of the gate. “Try to relax a tad. I might be the Prince but I’d rather you didn’t strain yourself with all the standing to attention you seem to be doing. It wouldn’t help me if you passed out every time I asked you question”

“I… will try, your highness,” Royal Duty said, uncertainly.

“Good,” Blueblood said as they reached the procession waiting outside. “Remind me to tell you about my last adjutant before Magnus, Captain Doo. Wonderful mare. Absolutely insane, but she made excellent tea…”

“COMPANY ADVANCE,” a voice shouted over the procession. Outside the castle walls was a column of ponies in heavy armour. Beside them were other ponies, each of them in some form of ornate battle dress. This was the small army that Blueblood would be travelling with. In certain ways he was required to travel with them. Another army of clerks, bureaucrats and advisors was milling beside them, waiting for the sight of the wagons that would be carrying all of their possessions.

Royal Duty couldn’t help but stare at the sight of it. He was now a part of an army on the march: an army on a mission of extreme importance. Beside him, Prince Blueblood smirked. Now was the time for him to make his move.

At the command of the officer that had shouted the order to mobilise, the procession set off, marching into the forest for what would be a very long and harrowing journey.

***

Canterlot, March 4th. Year 20 of the New Solaminan Calendar (2050).

She paced within her chamber, eyes closed, concentrating. The room was filled with broken furniture, and the walls were scarred and pitted as though a thousand spells had been thrown within these walls. The only thing preventing more damage was the presence of two hundred arcane runes etched into the walls, each one glowing, repelling the worst damage and maintaining the structural integrity of the building.

She didn’t care about the damage she had caused. All that mattered was the battle within her mind.

Silence, she thought to herself. Within my mind let there be silence. I am one. I am in control.

There was a brief, blissful moment where she could feel the silence within her own mind, the sweet abyss of empty thought, free of conflict, free of her.

...monstermurdresstraitortoselfthingofevilslaughtereroftheinnocentraperofthemindsandsoulsofabillionsoulshowdareyousitthereand…

“Damn you!” she screamed, her horn glowing. At once, the furniture in the room, already shattered from a thousand such moments, was raised into the air, flying everywhere. Shrapnel and shards of glass smashed into her, cutting her open in a thousand places, but she didn’t care.

Pain of the flesh is better than pain of the mind, she thought angrily. Let there be pain of the flesh. Let pain be my salvation, my freedom! Let my freedom release me from this accursed voice!

...youwillneverbefreeofmeIwillhauntyouforever…

“Silence!” she yelled. “Silence! I am Astra Solamina Maxima! I will allow no intrusion! I will allow no contention! I will allow no insult! The only thing I will allow is the crushing of my enemies beneath my hoof!”

There was a moment of dead silence as Solamina stood in the room, her eyes scanning the battered space as though the room were filled with enemies. And then there was a soft knock at the door.

“Your majesty?” the familiar voice of Commander Twilight Sparkle asked. “Your majesty, are you in? May we speak?”

Solamina closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to calm herself. Her horn glowed and the soundproofing spell on her chamber disappeared.

“One moment, my dearest Twilight," she called out.

Her horn glowed, and suddenly the entire room was swept clean of broken and tarnished furniture, replaced instead by intact, ornate tables, chairs and ornaments. Solamina closed her eyes, and her body glowed with light, the wounds healing as though they had never been there.

“Enter,” she said quietly.

A moment later, Commander Sparkle entered. She bowed her head before Solamina.

“My lady,” she said. “The Solaminan Church refuses to acquiesce to my request for the authority to command their troops.”

“Do they now?” Solamina said, raising an eyebrow. Once upon a time, loyalty to her was loyalty to Twilight - that was when the control of the Converted was absolute. Now, though, there was a plague of doubt in the Converted, and even the most faithful distrusted any who were not Solamina herself. “One moment.”

She quickly drew up a letter, signed it and placed her seal upon it. The letter demanded that the Solaminan Church treat Twilight as if she acted with the authority of the Empress. Technically, such an edict had never been needed, for it had always been assumed. Now though, nothing was certain.

“Here,” she said. “This gives you carte blanche to do as you will with the Church. They will follow any command you give - or they will answer to me.”

“Thank you, your majesty,” Sparkle said, bowing.

“How are you, Twilight?” Solamina asked, eager to get onto happier conversation topics.

“I am fine, my lady,” Sparkle replied, a touch of frustration in her voice. “Eager, in fact.”

“These last few years have been especially hard on you, my student,” Solamina said quietly. “After everything that’s happened…”

“After everything that’s happened, my lady, I am only more eager,” Sparkle cut her off with a slightly vicious edge. “Your enemies will die at my hoof. I swear it.”

Solamina’s eyes narrowed a tad. “Be careful in your eagerness, my faithful student, that it doesn’t lead you into insubordination.”

The dangerous tone in Solamina’s voice had Sparkle abasing herself immediately.

“My apologies, your most beneficent majesty,” she said humbly. “In my eagerness to effect your will, I have erred.”

“It is forgiven,” Solamina said airily. “While you are in Canterlot, I suggest you visit your… friends. It may make you feel better.”

There was a stiff pause for a long moment. “As you suggest, my lady. May I be excused?”

“Of course, Twilight,” Solamina said quietly. “Take care.”

“Majesty,” Sparkle said with a bow, before turning and leaving the room. Solamina breathed out. Her horn glowed with energy as she once more put the silencing spell back up… and once more, she went into battle against her personal demons.

***

In the depths of Canterlot dungeon, there was a chamber where Twilight Sparkle and the Empress’ most important project was being kept. The High Commander passed them: rows of the silent, the armoured ranks and ranks and ranks of ponies, humans, Griffon travellers who had ‘volunteered’... any who could be found… all of them in the same, blue-silver metal armour, armed with swords, spears… all of them still as stone. Some of them were still hung on meat-hooks, awaiting the moment where the magic would be used that would make them whole. Others had already reached that final stage, and stood silent by their own power, awaiting commands that - as of yet - had not come.

Twilight did not know when her Empress would authorise the use of the Eternal Guard. The project had created an army of eternally loyal, preserved, undying warriors, each of them imbued with magic that made them stronger and faster than their rotted forms would suggest. The project had been begun twenty two years ago, during the height of the war, whenever bodies could be retrieved for its use.

She sighed as she reached the special chamber. There was a momentary hesitation before she pushed open the door.

Four figures stood in a perfect line. Three of them were ponies, and one of them was the small figure of a dragon. The ponies, despite magic preventing such things on the Eternal Guard, were all in various states of decomposition, a side effect of the amount of time between their deaths and being found by Twilight’s forces. The one with the least damage was the cyan Pegasus, who stood at the far right end, wings neatly folded by her sides, disguising the damage done to them that would forever prevent her from flying. Her throat had a bandage around it, disguising the hole where she had been brutally stabbed and terminated. Her cold and empty eyes were staring forward at nothing. Twilight moved to stand right in front of her, almost making it seem like the body of Rainbow Dash was staring at her.

She looked to the left of Rainbow at the other two pony bodies. The corpse of Applejack had needed significant work to make it usable, thanks to the decomposed state it was in when they found it: they had retrieved it from the insane pile of pony bodies found on one of the islands surrounding Britain. Though they had searched for as long as they could (and that was not as long as they would have liked), they could not find any trace of Rarity’s corpse. She was lost to them forever.

Fluttershy’s body, meanwhile, was an even harder thing to find - she had fled from Equestria after Rarity’s demise, and no one save the thrice-damned Avatar of Albion that had slain her could have told them where she lay. All they knew was that she was somewhere in Britain, and that was a place no pony went to if they wanted to live. And so she was not here either, and Twilight felt her and Rarity’s absence keenly.

The final pony body was that of Pinkie Pie, a large metal plate, barely disguised by her hair, over one side of her face and her missing left eye. She had been found by advancing Equestrian Guardsponies during the battle of London and sent home, as had Shining Armour. Shining Armour, though, was sent home to Cadence in a closed casket. Twilight would never have used him for the Guard - she loved Cadence too much to deny her Shining’s burial - and in any case, his entire head had been smashed apart.

The final body in the line was the dragon. Spike had, for the longest time, been held prisoner in the dungeons. It was only with the greatest of extolling that Solamina had allowed him to be equipped and… repurposed for the Eternal Guard. It was, in some respects, better.

“Hey guys,” she said quietly to the bodies. There was no response.

She turned to Rainbow’s corpse, the cold eyes still staring forward. She sighed. She hated having to do this - it broke the illusion even more than the armour and the injuries.

“Rainbow Dash,” she spoke clearly. “This is Commander Sparkle.”

Rainbow’s mouth opened, and a croaking voice emerged. “Commander.”

“Friendship is magic,” Twilight said softly.

The cold eyes blinked, and looked at Twilight. A smile, which might have been reassuring on anything other than this mockery, appeared on the face of the corpse.

“Hey Twi,” she said, her voice suddenly normal, apart from a slight echoing quality. It wasn’t really her vocal cords making this noise of course - Twilight had created intricate spells, a half-decade in the making, that made it possible for this illusion to happen. She could almost believe it, some days.

“Hey Rainbow,” she said, smiling slightly. “How are you?”

“I’m cool,” the corpse of Rainbow said with a grin. “Literally - no body heat. I’m like, one hundred percent cooler than I used to be.”

Twilight chuckled. The personality matrices she had created could imitate Rainbow - and when she activated them, the others - to the best of her memories. They would never be the real things - they were at best, impressions of her friends, how she remembered them - but they were… almost enough.

“Aren’t you going to wake the others up?” ‘Rainbow’ asked, looking at the other bodies. There was a slight cracking sound in her neck, and her dead eyes glanced downward. “Oops, sorry. Something popped.”

“I’ll have the morticians come in and check on you later,” Twilight promised, smiling sadly. “At least it doesn’t hurt.”

“You’re right there,” ‘Rainbow’ grinned. “You gonna wake them up?”

Twilight looked at the others. She sighed.

“Applejack and Pinkie,” she said quietly. “Not… not Spike. Not today.”

“You never wake Spike up,” ‘Rainbow’ pointed out.

“No,” Twilight said, and her voice cracked slightly. “I… I like letting him sleep.”

“‘Kay,” ‘Rainbow’ said, shrugging. There was another crack. “Damn joints.”

Twilight turned to the others. “Applejack. Pinkie Pie. This is Commander Sparkle.”

The two seemed to stiffen slightly, but neither replied.

“Friendship is magic,” she said quietly.

Suddenly, Applejack blinked and rolled her decomposed shoulders. There was the slightly creaky sound of exposed bones rubbing together. Pinkie tapped her metal plate, as though it were irritating her.

“You alright, Pinkie?” ‘Rainbow’ asked.

“Itchy,” ‘Pinkie’ said, her voice echoing in the same way Rainbow’s did. “This plate itches.”

Twilight chuckled. “I told you before, Pinkie, you don’t have nervous responses to feel itchy.”

“You might as well tell a dog not to bark, Twi,” ‘Applejack’ said, her voice echoing as well. “Ya’ll know there’s more to Pinkie than meets the eye, even now.”

“I guess she wouldn’t be Pinkie otherwise,” Twilight said with a smile.

“Well, I’m not,” ‘Pinkie’ said, “not really - I’m just…”

“Pinkie,” ‘Rainbow’ said in a warning tone. “We had this talk.”

“Oh, yeah,” ‘Pinkie’ said. “Sorry Twi.”

Twilight didn’t say anything. Though she had never hid what they were from them, most of them seemed content to think themselves the same ponies as they were before. They tended to ignore - pointedly - any discussion of what they really were. Only the matrix that impersonated Pinkie was any different, seemingly both perfectly content to act like Pinkie and perfectly content with the knowledge that she was a copy.

“Hey,” ‘Rainbow’ said, “any joy on getting something for Flutters and Rarity?”

Twilight sighed. “No scouting parties have returned from trying to find Fluttershy. She didn’t tell me where she was going, and none of the Converted we have left from Britain were ever told where she died, only that she was dead.” She sighed. “She didn’t happen to tell any of you…”

“Twi,” ‘Applejack’ said gently, looking upset even with her decomposed face. “Ya’ll know that even if she did, we wouldn’t know.”

Twilight closed her eyes, grimacing. Occasionally, even she caught herself thinking these were really her friends instead of matrices that she had created.

“I’m sorry,” she said quietly.

“Heck, it’s ok Twi,” ‘Applejack’ said. “We all understand. This is -”

“Friendship is dead!” Twilight snapped suddenly, her voice full of distress.

At once, all three ponies snapped back to attention, all warmth gone from their faces. Twilight, tears escaping from her eyes, turned away from them and left the room.

The Empress had encouraged her research - she thought it might prove helpful to the Unicorn who had lost everything... but despite the fact that it made her burdens easier, giving her ponies to talk to, they were not her friends, and those dead visages only served to remind her of how much she had failed. How much she had failed to save them.

The Resistance - Blueblood and the other traitors. All this was their doing. She scowled, her misery turning to rage, a fire blooming in her chest.

“Friendship is dead,” she whispered, “but vengeance... vengeance is sweet.”

***

Redbookville (formerly New Darwin), Horsetrailia. March 4th. Year 20 of the New Solaminan Calendar (2050 human calendar).

Red Book smiled at the pony before her, she had always had a good feeling about the young mare in front of her, she had been a loyal subordinate and student and she had worked hard over the years to impart her knowledge of the revolution into the youth’s mind.

A few metres away from her was a lime green Pegasus with a magenta-and-blue striped mane. She stood stock still, her eyes level with her own as she stood at attention.

True Path had not been there when the revolution liberated Horsetrailia, but Red Book preferred that. The revolution had changed since those early days of the fledgling Ponies State and younger minds proved more susceptible to change.

“My dear True Path,” she said to the Pegasus. “Do you know what a traitor is?”

“A traitor?” the Pegasus replied stiffly. “Yes, ma’am. A traitor is one who betrays the whole.”

“And how do you betray the whole?” Red Book asked.

“You betray the whole by turning against the common good of the collective and only serving your own interests,” True Path replied at once.

“I’m not asking how as in what treason constitutes,” Red Book corrected, a slight condescending tone entering her voice. “I’m asking how one might achieve such betrayal.”

“I… I don’t know,” True Path said, frowning. “I don’t know how one might do so. I’ve never thought about it.”

“It’s good that you haven’t,” Red Book said, “that’s the first betrayal.” She motioned with her hoof, and suddenly an Earth Pony in a labourer’s uniform was dragged in by two armoured guards. “To think of betrayal is a betrayal itself. It is to invite the question of betrayal into your heart, to invite the idea of betrayal into your mind, and that is the first step on the slippery slope toward being an Enemy of the Ponies State.”

She walked up to the Earth Pony. The mare had a gag in her mouth and looked like she had been beaten. Red Book regarded her coldly.

“This one,” she said quietly, “was responsible for hoarding essential supplies she did not require. She believed this was appropriate. In this, she was a traitor.”

The mare began shaking her head frantically, her eyes full of fear.

“What happens to traitors, True Path?” Red Book asked softly.

“Death,” True Path said at once.

“Exactly,” Red Book said with a grin. “True Path - the traitor is here. As my latest Enforcer, I want you to be personally responsible for dealing with traitors and enemies of the state, both external… and internal.”

True Path nodded, before turning to the traitor. She walked right up to her, took a spear from one of the guards, and without hesitation rammed it into the mare’s chest. There was a strangled, muffled cry from the pony… and then silence.

“Traitor dead,” she said quietly. “Where am I needed next?”

“Ah, Comrade,” Red Book said, smiling widely, “next I shall send you to deal with our greatest enemies. For too long, we have allowed the Solaminan Empire and their imperialist oppression to keep us trapped on this continent. No more. Now, Comrade True Path, with you at the head of my armies, we shall begin to destroy them utterly.”