It had taken a couple hours, and I had to resort to every underhanded, inhumane interrogation technique that I could possibly imagine, but the assassin finally cracked. She told me everything I needed to know and more just to make me stop. I took no pleasure in watching her curl up into a ball on the floor, sobbing her eyes out, but it had to be done in order to protect the ponies I had come to care for in this new and uncertain world.
I turned around, knocking twice on the cell’s door to let Swift know that I was ready to come out. It swung open with barely a sound and I walked out, leaving the broken mare behind me as the solid wall of metal slammed home once again. I turned to look at my companion, but the soldier wouldn’t meet my eyes as we began to walk back the way we had come. I thought about opening a conversation, but the body language I was receiving from the mare told me that now was not the time or place.

Yet we were not alone for very long, as the thunderous echoes of many hooves met our ears, quickly followed by the appearance of not only Princess Celestia and Luna, but all of the Element Bearers plus Lyra and Bon-Bon. The princess’s long legs granted them the speed to get to us first, although it was a close thing as the others slid to a halt behind them. All of them were wide-eyed and their gazes kept switching from me to the cells behind us and back again. Finally, as they regained their breath, Celestia’s jaw closed and formed a hard line as her royal gaze bore down on me.

“You interrogated the assassin without us.” It wasn’t a question. “You deliberately disobeyed a direct order and went over our heads when you knew it would get you in trouble. The only thing I want to know is, why?”

I didn’t hesitate or avert my gaze, keeping my eyes firmly locked with hers as I replied, “Because it was what needed to be done.” I kept going as Luna scoffed in disbelief, “I know what you are going to say, and I can tell you right now, no amount of persuasive words or tenderfoot tactics would have had any effect on that mare. She was more scared of what her coven would do to her then of anything you could come up with, so I had to use some of the less pleasant methods from back home to get past that indifference.”

“And those methods would be?” Luna inquired, her narrowed eyes shifting from me to the averted gaze of Swift beside me.

I shook my head, “I won’t repeat what I had to do, not even to you, Princess, because it is something that should never leave the walls of that cell behind us. I would rather die as the only one who knows then allow the poison of my old life to spill over into this world.”

“And how do we know that the information that you acquired was accurate?” Twilight spoke up as she and the girls moved to flank the princesses, “For all we know you could have been fed misinformation in order to send us in the wrong direction.”

I reached into my pocket and pulled out a small metal ring, tossing it to Celestia as she caught it in her magic field. “I know because there is one thing that unicorns value more than anything else in this world.”

The alicorn’s eyes widened as she looked at the suppression ring in her grip, her panic spreading rapidly as both she and Luna moved to rush past me. Yet before they could take a single step from their positions, I reached into my other pocket and pulled out another object, their legs locking as their eyes widened in shock and horror. Twilight screamed while Rarity and Lyra outright fainted. Rainbow and AJ looked green around the gills while Fluttershy hid behind a wide-eyed Bon-Bon. Pinkie’s mane deflated like a popped balloon and her eyes filled up with tears as she stared at what was in my hand.

My fingers curled around it in a gentle grip, was the assassin’s horn, shorn off just a few millimeters from where it had attached to her skull, the broken base covered in a thin layer of blood.

Celestia and Luna covered their mouths with a hoof, their wings flaring wide to hide the gory appendage from the view of the others as they visibly fought to keep their lunches down. Luna’s gaze shifted over to Swift, her eyes lit up with understanding that I knew all too well as she raced to the earth pony’s side. I put the severed horn back in my pocket, allowing the others to breathe as their shock began to wear off. Luna was hugging Swift with both her front legs and her wings, shielding the mare as the smaller pony wept into the alicorn’s chest. I averted my gaze from my friend, allowing her to vent her emotions as I sized up Celestia, who was managing to get her stomach back in line as the green faded from her cheeks.

And yet, I was completely unprepared for the raw fury that smoldered in her eyes as her gaze met mine once again, and I nearly took a step back as she began to approach me with careful and measured steps. She stopped only when her muzzle was inches from my nose, her breath hotter than a furnace as it washed over my face.

She didn’t ask me what I had done, because that would have been redundant. She didn’t ask why, because I had already told her. What I was not expecting, was for a single tear to run down her face as she asked, “Did you at least finish the job after you broke off her horn?”

The question caught me off guard, but I shook my head anyway as I replied, “No, why would I do that? I got the information I needed, why would there be any need to kill her?”

Celestia’s gaze softened for a moment, her head turning to take in the others as Twilight and her friends did what they could to revive Lyra and Rarity, “Because a unicorn’s magic is so closely tied to our beings, that to lose a horn is nearly the same as loosing the will to live.” She turned back to me with a gaze that was filled to the brim with sadness, “Unicorns were once punished for their crimes by having their horn removed, before the unification of the tribes and my sister and I took the throne. Do you know what happened to them after the fact?”

I shook my head, although I was beginning to dread the answer.

“They committed suicide because the loss of their magic was too much for their minds to take.” She kept her voice low enough so that the others couldn’t hear us, “It is such an integral part of our being that to lose the ability to wield it, it would be the same as if you had robbed them of their cutie mark and then branded them with a hot iron in its place.”

My mind went back to the desperate pleading the assassin had spewed when I had threatened to take her horn, but I had chalked it up to just her trying to keep her magic so she could use it against us once she got the chance. Now it was starting to make sense why she acted that way, and my eyes widened in horror as I realized what I had done.

Celestia’s nod was all I needed to see to know how much I had fucked up, “I hope the information was worth it, because if you don’t finish the job and kill that mare, somehow, some way, she will find out how to do it herself after what you have done.” Her gaze lingered on the pocket where the assassin’s horn was, her own lighting up for a moment before the weight in my pocket disappeared. “I think it would be best if that was put someplace out of sight so nopony else finds out.”

It was only as she turned away, that I realized that there might be another option than death. It was risky, and most of my mind was screaming at me that this was the stupidest thing I had ever thought of, but the guilt of what I had done was going to crush me if I didn’t at least try.

I placed a hand on Celestia’s shoulder as she turned to walk away, her head shifting back to me as I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat.

“Would it be possible to take her back to Ponyville with us?” Celestia’s eyes narrowed in confusion as I continued, “She’s not a threat now that her magic is gone, at least for the most part, so why don’t we show her that there is still a life that can be lived if she chooses to move past what I did? I know that there is no way she could ever forgive me, especially now that I know what I’ve done, but could we at least try to save her instead of letting her die?” Celestia’s eyes softened slightly as I began to ramble, trying to get my point across as I paced back and forth before her, “I know it’s selfish and stupid and I should just let it go, but after hearing what you said, I just can’t let it be. She may be our enemy, and she probably hates me now more than ever, but could we at least try, if not for me then for her own sake?”

Celestia forestalled any further words with a hoof on my shoulder, her gaze locked with mine and yet tender as she slowly spoke, “Your compassion in the face of your actions is commendable. I know that you did not mean to cause her as much harm as you did, but at this point there is very little we can do. The loss of her magic will be nearly impossible to overcome, and even if you did take her back with you, she would most likely spend every waking moment trying to kill you after what you did. I’m sorry, but there is no way you could safely rehabilitate her back in Ponyville, even if you somehow managed to keep her from killing herself.” A long sigh escaped the princess’s lips as she turned her attention to Luna, who was still holding onto Swift even though the mare had long since stopped crying, “Focus on the friends and allies that need you right now and let me handle the assassin. Did you manage to get her name after all of that?”

I nodded, “Lavender Blade. Her name is Lavender Blade.”

Celestia nodded in return, “Then I shall tend to Miss Blade while you and the others prepare for the battle ahead. If you have managed to lock down the location of the necromancers’ base of operations, then maybe this war can come to an end before too many ponies get hurt.”

“The base isn’t in the Everfree like we originally thought,” I added as we slowly began walking out of the dungeon, the others falling in behind us but staying well clear of me as we climbed back up into the castle proper. While it hurt me to know that my friends and lovers feared me to a certain degree now, I hoped that the information I had gathered would be worth it in the long run, “it’s in one of the old pre-Unification fortresses in the western part of Equestria. Someplace called Platinum’s Keep.”

“I thought we checked all of the old fortifications when we sent out our spies, sister.” Luna spoke up as she increased her speed to walk beside us, “Why weren’t we informed that the enemy had taken refuge there if our agents checked over every possible location?”

“Because there’s a perception filter over the entire outlying area.” I answered, “It makes ponies think they walked through the middle of the village and then through the fortress beyond, but in reality, they walked in circles for several minutes at the edge of the field and then were sent back the way they had come. It’s a very subtle magic, and one that most of the guard would probably have difficulty spotting even if they knew it was there. My guess is that they know that their agent was captured, so if we don’t get a move on soon, they’ll probably change locations to avoid getting caught out in the open. The only thing I can’t understand, is how they managed to make us think they had been hiding in the Everfree all this time when they were really hiding out on the other side of the country.”

“Magic can do many things,” Celestia muttered, “and there are lost arts that even my sister and I do not fully understand when it comes to the dark power these necromancers wield. We will muster the army, you must return to Ponyville to complete your training while the Element Bearers go with Colonel Swift Blade to Fort Reinwright to begin their own combat training. Time is a luxury we no longer have on our side, so make all haste to train Princess Rosie in every way you can, as well as to hone your combat skills for the battles ahead. We will alert you when we have prepared the forces necessary to take on these dark magic users, and then we will march on the fortress in order to take them down for good.”

“Why don’t you just use your magic to obliterate them from afar?” I asked, “Isn’t that something you could do?”

“While it is within my power,” Celestia’s tone was careful as she glanced over my shoulder at Luna, “the last time Luna and I fought using that much power was against Discord before we discovered the Elements. The Badlands are the result of that conflict, and I will not allow the same to happen a second time unless there is no other choice. We will have to rely on the common pony and their strength to overcome this foe, or else we risk destroying the very land we are trying to protect.”

Silence fell over the group as we returned to the main floor of the castle, the Bearers following along as Swift directed us to the train station, leaving Celestia and Luna behind as the diarchs walked off to begin their own preparations. Rosie met up with us near the entrance, although her excitement was quickly extinguished by the mood of the others as she fell in at my side. None of the others could even bring themselves to meet my gaze, and I knew it would be a long time before any of them could look at me the same way again.

The ride back to Ponyville was somber to say the least, and I caught Lyra crying softly into Bon-Bon and Twilight’s chests as my herdmates comforted the distraught unicorn. I wanted so very badly to sit down and hug the poor thing with all my worth, but I understood that now was not the time. She would come around, eventually, but for now it was best to let them be and to process what I had done.

The train stopped at the station adjacent to the military base, allowing Swift and the Bearers, minus Twilight, to exit, leaving Rosie and my herd alone in the car as the engine let out a forlorn whistle before it began moving again. I stayed on the far side of the car and allowed my herdmates to comfort one another as Rosie glanced between me and them, her expression a mixture of sadness and confusion as the Ponyville station slowly came into view.

“So, what exactly happened?” She asked me as we stepped off the train, “I know that you had to do something to make the assassin talk, but was it really that bad?”

I glanced behind us as Twilight and Bon-Bon helped Lyra off the train, the unicorn’s eyes bloodshot from crying as our herdmates helped her to walk back towards the castle. I nodded, not feeling like answering verbally when it was plain to see that I had done something that the others weren’t happy about. Rosie wisely let it be as we followed the girls back to the castle, the mares climbing up the steps to Twilight’s room and disappearing behind the door, leaving me and the gryphon hen alone in the foyer. Spike wandered in and asked us a question that neither of us paid attention to, his dejected face following our line of sight as Twilight walked down the steps alone. Her eyes were red and her tail was tucked between her legs as she walked up to me, her voice barely above a whisper as her eyes leveled with mine.

“I’ll go and get that training room fixed up for you and Rosie.” Her voice was hoarse but firm as she turned away again, tossing the remaining words over her shoulder as she went, “Bon-Bon and Lyra are asleep wright now, so please let them be. It’s been a long day and I would rather let them rest after what we’ve been through.”

I winced as the alicorn turned down a hallway, leaving the three of us standing with nothing to do for the moment. Spike excused himself, making a hasty exit while Rosie simply walked away to do her own thing, forcing me to come to terms with my actions alone as the clicking of claws faded into the distance.

I turned and left the castle, feeling like I needed some time to think on my own while the rest of my herd had time to process what had happened back in Canterlot. My feet took me through the streets of the village, my arms waving absentmindedly to passerby as I allowed my body to take me wherever it wished. I found myself at the top of the hill where I had first discovered my Auramancy once my mind came back to reality, and I sat down with my back against the trunk as my gaze traveled over the rolling hills beyond the edge of Ponyville. The sun was still high in the sky, but in the shade of that tree, for a moment, I allowed myself to relax and close my eyes. I was drained from what I had done and heard in the dungeon, my heart pulsing with guilt as my mind’s eye returned to the assassin as she begged me not to take her horn.

I shook my head, opening my eyes again as I pushed myself to my feet, my jaw clenching in determination as I turned back to face the castle and the mares I loved, “I’m not going to let this bring me down. I won’t stop doing what needs to be done just because it hurts. This is war, and people get hurt in war. It’s a fact of life. I’m going to keep moving forward, and I’m going to make sure no one has to make those types of decisions again. I swear it.”

With my resolve held firmly in my chest, I marched back through the village, entering the castle proper, and making my way all the way up to Twilight’s room. I paused a moment to cool myself with a deep breath before I opened the door, my eyes adjusting slowly to the darkened room as I spotted Twilight and Bon-Bon lying on either side of Lyra in the bed. I was slightly surprised to see Twilight in the bed, but knowing how powerful her magic was, it stood to reason that she had probably gotten a sizable head start on our training area before coming back up here. Twilight lifted her head and saw me standing in the doorway, although she didn’t make me leave as I had originally thought. Instead, she used her magic to pull the covers off of herself and the others, inviting me into their embrace as Bon-Bon turned to see who was standing in the doorway.

I slowly made my way over to them, making sure to keep my movements careful and non-threatening, hoping that it would help them to see that I meant no harm. My heart swelled with emotion as they scooted to either side, allowing me to move onto the bed and hold onto Lyra as the unicorn finally opened her eyes.

For a moment her eyes widened in fear, and my heart clenched in pain before she wrapped her hooves around me, pulling me into a crushing hug as the others did the same.

“Promise me you’ll never have to do something like that again.” Lyra whimpered into my chest, her tears wetting my shirt as she buried her face between my breasts, “I don’t think I can handle seeing something like that again.”

I nodded, carefully pulling her body against mine as her horn came to rest against the side of my neck, “I promise. Knowing now what it does to the pony involved, I will never do that again for as long as I live. You have my solemn vow that I will find another way.”

Lyra nodded her understanding, her soft sobs fading as she managed to fall back asleep, my own eyes slowly closing as Twilight and Bon-Bon curled up on either side of us. In my heart I knew that they still loved me, but after what I had done, there was going to be a long road ahead of us before they could fully bring themselves to trust me again. I knew that, and they had good reason, but it didn’t hurt any less as we fell asleep, our hearts beating as one and our breathing smoothing out as the world faded out around us.

Author's Notes:

Well, here we are again, gearing up for another action-packed training chapter as the ponies get set to go to war. Did everypony enjoy this little number? I hope so because I plan to update roughly once a week instead of the twice-a-month bit I used to do. Keep your eyes out for more updates and I'll be waiting for your reviews.

A shout out to my Patron Earthpatriot117 for his continued support, as well as a huge thanks to all of my faithful readers who have stuck with this story for so long. We have officially moved into ACT 2, where the battle between the ponies of Equestria and the Necromancer Coven is building up into the war that has been promised since the beginning.

Hope you are all ready for the surprises and plot twists that are soon to come. I certainly am looking forward to it.

See you all next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.