"I named him friend once, my respected leader and ally. I helped name him King, helped him build the paradise he so desperately wished for us all and for a time, that was enough."

~The newly appointed Fate of Wisdom

/ / / Canterlot Castle / / /

With barely a noticeable whisper of sound a tiny blur of motion dashed across one of the castle's many private courtyards, rustling a few dead leaves as it passed before ducking into another shadow. From here it skirted along the wall, taking refuge behind raised planters and other decorative features.

It moved with an unnatural swiftness, each momentary dash across the open perfectly calculated, nothing wasted. A shadow that moved within the shadows, evading the advancing rays of the morning sun that filtered in through the trees. It was more akin to a phantom, there one second and gone the next, blink and you would miss it.

Beady little eyes watched from under a bush, giving away nothing as the little intruder waited for the oblivious guard to walk past, the Paladin’s armor clinking softly as she continued on. More quietly than even a mouse the pair of eyes crept forward, spindly little amphibious arms gripping at the ground in perfect silence, observing as the guard dutifully scanned the path ahead of her.

Darting forwards the newt scurried along, under another bush and behind a fountain before anyone could see him. Stopping for a brief moment to watch the guard turn and disappear around a corner Tillook waited until his sensitive ears told him that she would no longer be a problem, not so much as twitching a muscle until she was gone.

After nearly a minute of this lingering Tillook slowly advanced to his next objective, leaving the cover of the fountain for the stems of a few scattered flowers, he made his way to the far end of the courtyard. Once there he eyed the obstacles that barred his path, another Paladin flanked either side by a pair of unicorn guards, all adorned in the ceremonial armor of the royal Honor Guard.

Tillook clicked his tongue quietly, one set of his fingers drumming the ground as he studied the equines. He did not have the time for this lot, the unicorns posed him no threat, but even a useless moron can still sound an alarm. He focused his attention on the Alicorn, noting how little the Paladins had changed since he had last bothered with this place. Good, that meant that all of the old tricks still applied…

Allowing himself just a moment to reminisce on an old insult about how gauche all of that gold armor was Tillook turned from the doorway the ponies were guarding, it was far too obvious an entrance anyway. Instead he slunk back towards the bubbling little fountain, still somewhat hidden by the deep shadows cast by a large tree that stood across the courtyard.

Once behind the fountain and relatively safe from prying eyes Tillook leaned his back against the decorative little water feature, craning his neck up to look at a window a few stories above. Conveniently enough, it was open, just waiting for him.

It was not an ideal route, though the speed of it made for a tempting offer. Rolling his shoulders Tillook stepped towards the wall, having made up his mind. The rewards outweighed the potential risk of being spotted. There simply was not time for him to properly dupe every pony he came across.

Studying the wall for a moment Tillook widened his stance, memorizing every little detail about the magically carved marble. Taking a deep breath he kicked off the ground, leaping over half the distance before reaching out and gripping a meager hold.

Not wasting a second he thrust himself upwards, tiny fingers digging into the slightest imperfections in the rock. Quick as a flash Tillook was up the wall, climbing the vertical surface with no trouble at all. Reaching the top he heaved himself over the edge, flipping gracefully into the air and landing on his feet without a sound.

Hearing nothing to indicate that his presence had been detected Tillook dropped back to all fours, scurrying along the floor until he came upon a set of stairs. Climbing to nearly the top of one of the many towers he finally found what he was looking for.

Set into the wall at the end of a long hallway was a door, a heavy looking thing with thick iron banding holding it together. The door itself looked as though it could have withstood a hefty blow from a battering ram, and that was before one took into account the layers upon layers of enchantments cast upon it.

None of that was of any concern however, not as Tillook’s gaze scoured the otherwise empty approach. He was nobody’s fool, as his eyes continued their search he quickly spotted the additional pair of Paladins, the Alicorn guards thinking themselves hidden beneath their energies of concealment. Such pitiful spellcraft might swindle the senses of mortals, but he had long since grown beyond such things.

With an irritated huff Tillook rose to stand upright, flexing his hands as he decided on a more, direct approach. Stepping out where he could be seen he strolled casually down the hall, the faintest trace of a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth as he walked. He watched as the Paladins suddenly stiffened upon spotting him.

Their weapons and spells meant nothing; it was their silence that he required, and getting past them unseen would require time and energy that he simply could not spare. As he approached and they in turn advanced, the distance between them shrank rapidly as the towering Paladins moved to more effectively cover the door, their senses undoubtedly picking up on his unusual nature.

With a motion so fast it went unseen even by the Alicorns themselves Tillook raised his hands, palms out and fingers curling inwards in a grabbing gesture. Instantly the advancing guards stopped, their once intent gazes suddenly vacant and distant. Without a word they returned to their posts, dutifully watching down the hall as though nothing had occurred.

Satisfied with his work Tillook pushed on, striding right between the guards without further incident. They would remain like that for only a few minutes, and once freed from his will would have no memory of the occurrence, only a slight feeling of boredom.

It was a cheap trick to be sure, but one that had proven useful in many situations that denied him the time to work out more interesting solutions. Very much like his quick fix for dealing with magical doors that could survive for more than a minute on the sun itself.

“Silly ponies,” Tillook muttered under his breath. “You really should learn to construct a proper door.” With that said he dropped back to all fours and flattened himself to the floor, scurrying right under the massive obstruction like a roach.

Reaching the other side he peered out from underneath the last sentinel between himself and his goal, beady little eyes sweeping back and forth over the darkened bedroom. Eventually his gaze came to firmly rest over the large rounded bed, his senses cutting through the dark as though it were daylight. With barely a thought he was beside the bed, a dangling piece of the linens clutched in his bony hand, a twisted little smile contorting his features.

Leaping like a cat Tillook sailed up to the top, landing just as gracefully, his toothy smile glinting in what little light there was. He could see the three of them lying there, sharing in the peaceful bliss of sleep, oblivious to his presence. With all the patience of a predator he slithered forwards, negotiating his way between the folds of fabric, moving around the protective embrace the queen had wrapped over her foals.

For nearly a minute he stood there, not so much as blinking as he listened to the sounds of breathing around him, of Aeterna and her children. Then, agonizingly slowly, he crept closer. Reaching out he gently grasped at a lock of Luna’s brilliant blue mane, easing it aside to reveal the short stub of her horn, the Alicorn’s young energy crackling for a moment as it interacted with his own.

Releasing her curly bangs Tillook held his hand up to inspect the miniscule amount of energy he had collected, impressed by its unexpected strength. She would indeed grow to be formidable! He glanced at her tightly folded wings, the feathers little more than fluffy down, he would return to see her fly if all went well in the coming weeks.

Tillook then turned his attention to Celestia, somewhat disappointed that he had not had the opportunity to observe her sooner. He had of course sensed her birth as well, but was otherwise engaged at the time, his ruse with Grogar in Tartarus far too important to drop.

He watched the sleeping filly's face for a while, her contented smile threatening to worm its way into the few slightly less frozen places within his heart, at least if he still had a heart. He scowled, once again reminded of why he was here. Reaching carefully Tillook placed a hand to her forehead, just below her horn. The sickeningly childish dream nearly broke his hold, but he endured, delving deeper until the Princess's subconscious unraveled before him.

This was where a pony truly resided; this was where he could truly see Celestia for what she was. This was her hopes and dreams, memories and fantasies, her experiences and desires in life. Although only having just begun, her existence already whispered of great potential, showing a knack for wisdom and leadership. Things that would prove quite useful to him if properly encouraged, and nurtured. That, combined with her power, oh how her strength would grow. The prospect of it excited him.

Just as carefully as he had entered Tillook withdrew from the little princesses’ mind, diligent to ensure that there would be no lasting traces of his intrusion. “The two of you are certainly going to keep things interesting,” he whispered quietly under his breath as his eyes flicked up to look at the queen.

He watched Aterna shift in her slumber, a restless look slowly spreading over her features. This was the closest he had been to the mare in well over a thousand years; an adult Alicorn was never in a more vulnerable state, and he could scarcely ask for a better chance. It would be easy, made even less of a challenge what with Malithion granting him access to a fraction more of his strength.

Tillook took a step closer, his gaze focused on the barely visible vein running down the side of the mare’s neck, watching the pulses of life giving blood. He stopped short, fists balled at his sides, tiny jolts of purple electricity sparking between his fingers. It would be easy, but foolish and would destroy everything that he had yet to accomplish. Tillook glanced again at the sleeping fillies as Celestia twitched in her sleep and Luna cooed. He knew that for now at least, Aeterna was still a necessary cog in the machine. For today, this was as far as things went, but tomorrow was anyone’s guess.

He had waited this long, held as a prisoner within his own mind, what was so bad about waiting for Fate to place the last of the stones for him. There were only so many actions he could take without drawing too much attention from the others; they thought of him as broken and weak, and he very much wanted to keep it that way.

Still, he thought for a moment as he surveyed the children, if he destroyed them all here and now then perhaps Malithion would finally find the motivation to end him and his suffering. It was just an intrusive thought, a loose tangent really, not something to be taken too seriously. He had far too many resources invested into these fillies to even consider the notion and besides, he liked children.

Speaking of errant thoughts, where in the hell had that come from? They meant nothing to him and in the long run, they would be cast aside when no longer needed. He peered down at Luna, his body going still as she squirmed closer to her mother and sister, something somewhere in his ancient mind sparking for but a moment out in the endless darkness. It was a dull dingy damaged thing, a fragment of a memory not thought of since-.

-With a shake of his head it was gone, banished beyond reach with anything else that might distract him from his goals. Children were just as exploitable as when they grew up, he had committed to this long ago and would do anything to see his plan succeed.

Tillook spared the queen one last look, his gaze going dark with a rage few possessed and fewer still could hope to match. When the time came, which was inevitable to happen, he would release it upon this world and watch with indifference as it burned. He had survived too much, lost too much and given too much. All of that and more, for what, so that these creatures might know life?

He stared at Aeterna, for how long was a mystery, though he was certain that it was longer than he had to give. A part of him wanted to wake her, to tell her of the things to come so that he might see her face, to watch the turmoil spread. It was little more than a dark fantasy of his, having given up on a happy ending long ago, his only motivation now was to see his plan through. To whatever end it brought him.

Tillook had nothing else; he was reminded of that every time he so much as looked at a pony. His fists clenched tight, the knuckles going white as he stood there, staring at one of the keystones to his downfall. He wished he could still truly feel his hate, the pure essence of his emotions locked away with everything else that had made him unstoppable in the past.

The air grew colder around him as he tried to remember what it had felt like, small whispers of things floated around his consciousness. Traces of anger, sadness, regret, and for the briefest of moments, joy. He focused on these little snippets of his old self, remembering why he started down this path, and why they would pay.

Tillook knew his time was coming, had felt it in the very bonds of reality around him as they strained to continue this doomed cycle. He knew even as he watched Aeterna stir and begin to rouse that the Alicorn would meet her undoing soon enough and that all he would need to do, was wait. So as Aeterna’s head rose and her lids began to flutter, Tillook decided that patience would continue to steer his course and with a final glance at the foals he was gone…

Aeterna opened her eyes, her heart thudding in her chest as she awoke suddenly, unaware of what had roused her. Her blood was cold with fear, her hide quivering as she quickly glanced about the room. She could sense nothing and yet her heart told her that death had been upon them just now.

With a deep breath she set her magic about the room, scouring every nook and crevice, yet finding nothing amiss. Her children still slept peacefully and the guards remained at their posts. The only thing that seemed odd was one of the far windows had come open slightly, its heavy shutter swinging ever so slowly in the gentle mountain breeze. They were unquestionably alone.

She watched the thin rays of light leaking into the room, the beams landing just shy of little Luna’s face, causing the filly to squirm and whimper in her sleep. Aeterna reached out with her magic and shut the window, turning the latch before leaning down to kiss both of her daughter’s foreheads. Perhaps it was just a mother’s worries getting the better of her, this was the safest room in the palace after all. If she and her foals were not safe here surrounded by their protectors then neither would they be anywhere else…

/ / / / / /

Their Majestie’s royal Guardspony and officer of the Elite Valkyrian Pegasi Flying Blades, Ardarius, found himself momentarily confused. The warrior had trained intensively, pushed himself in the art of mental discipline to ensure that this very thing could never happen and yet it had. He was bored…

Ardarius had done much for his King and Queen, accepted any task without question. He had risked life and limb over far off lands and done the very same right here within their own Kingdom. Yet never once in all his military years, no matter the dismal thankless posts he had stood, had he ever once allowed something as trivial as boredom cloud the edges of his thoughts.

So why then, as he found himself quickly checking the airspace around him, did he suddenly feel like he had been guarding these windows for years…?

/ / / / / /

Tillook had very nearly reached the bottom of the mountain, his little legs beating the ground in a blur as he sprinted, thoroughly enjoying the exercise after his time spent in Tartarus. Though it was certainly true that he could have left at any point he wanted, he had needed the absence.

Just as he had begun to think that his little stunt would go unnoticed he once again sensed the Watcher’s eyes upon him. He knew that there would be consequence for his actions, though it did nothing to lessen his annoyance.

Slowing his pace slightly Tillook looked to the sky, his eyes narrowing when he spotted the being that now approached. “Incoming.” He muttered sarcastically, already well aware of what was about to happen.

Barely a second later and a small mass of feathers rocketed out of the sky, a pair of talons crashing down on the newt’s back, driving him into the ground. The impact was strong enough to shake the surrounding trees, not that Tillook cared, he barely felt it.

“Wisdom,” Tillook wheezed, his face buried in the dirt. “To what do I owe the pleasure? A visit from Malithion’s right hand overseer of Fate is always highly unprecedented.”

“Spare me your gifts of soiled pleasantries, Tillook,” Came the reply as the talons slowly removed themselves from Tillook’s spine.

Finally allowed to free himself from the soil and roll over in his tiny crater Tillook took a closer look at another of his jailors, the mighty Fate of Wisdom and a constant thorn in his side. Taking the form of a small horned owl Wisdom blended into the surrounding world with little difficulty just as he did, keeping an eye on things like the others of his kind.

“Very well then, if my polite gestures offend you so, what do you want, Wisdom?” Tillook asked, his tone changing to reflect how he really felt about the situation. "Did Malithion send you to keep an eye on me? Or perhaps you just wanted me to take care of some more of your dirty work behind her back?"

“You think I know so little,” Wisdom replied dangerously, his face like thunder as he stepped down on Tillook’s chest, his eyes burning with warning as he ground the tiny newt back into the dirt. “If you ever make such a threatening display towards them again, I will personally exhaust the Nexus upon you until you are beyond repair!”

“Do not tease me with such thoughts of fancy, Wisdom.” Tillook gasped out, grabbing at the avian leg pinning him down to keep it from crushing him, the ground cracking under his body from the force. “What would dear Malithion think?”

Taking a moment to calm himself Wisdom eventually relented, lifting his talons and turning away, allowing the gasping creature a chance to stand. “If you were still deserving of my apologies,Tillook, I would offer them. But those fillies are far to important to allow you the chance to meddle in their lives. Whether Malithion approves or not, if you come near them again, you will suffer…”

“Oh undoubtedly,” Tillook muttered sarcastically, throwing up his hands defensively when Wisdom turned to glare at him again. “Relax, I could more easily tear off my own head than bring harm to those girls,” He assured, waving the still glowing bands around his wrists for the owl to see.

Though the owl’s eyes narrowed he seemed satisfied with this response, having seen first hand the crippling effects the prisoner’s bonds could inflict upon him. “Then why come at all? If you truly bore them no ill will then what purpose could your presence here serve? Especially when your commands clearly demand your presence elsewhere.”

“That question holds a simple answer really.” Tillook replied, brushing the dust from his body before turning to look back at the castle in the distance. “I came to see them, Wisdom. Even I respect their importance, the birth of a new Alicorn is a rare and treasured occasion. I mean, if most other species went that long without a fresh batch they would go extinct.”

“A crude but, succinct summation.” Wisdom muttered as he spread his wings, preparing to take to the skies once more. “Very well, Tillook, then if we are done here I must insist that you not dawdle. Valkris is on the move and I suspect the Paladins will not last long against the Iridescent known as Roh.”

With those final words the owl took flight, quickly disappearing around the side of the mountain. Tillook watched for a few minutes until he was well and truly alone, that tiny wicked grin just barely visible on his lips. “Oh Wisdom, we are so very nearly done, very nearly indeed…”

All right gang, sorry about the wait we had a slight issue last week but things are back on track now I think. Also just to clarify, I cannot promise you a chapter every Sunday, that is not our official posting day just the one that tends to be the most convenient for all those involved.

That said we are still quite committed to getting chapters out on a regular basis, so don't be too worried if we disappear for a few days, or a couple weeks, this thing ain't going away anytime soon! And if there are delays, you will get a P.S.A. explaining why. Or just one of us standing there jangling keys... Look at it this way, a slight delay usually just means a bigger chapter is coming anyway...

So thanks again to everyone giving us their time, we hope you enjoyed this latest installment! As always feel free to leave us feedback, it really helps motivation and moral around here, and helps us improve for the future!

Thanks again. ~Dollars