Wandering aimlessly in circles Valkardian finally pushed Shadow into a small shop with no customers and led her around till they were out of sight. Before she could ask him what was happening a hand teached out and a jolt of energy went through her body. The color of her fur changed as her body morphed into an Arabian mare with lavender fur while he had turned into a dark blue stallion.

"Okay so... Were we being followed?"

"Just a precaution. Remember they tracked you and as a thestral you really stand out. Remember this is just an illusion so if you move your wings..."

"Got it. Now what?"

"We do a little spying on the spies."

Hurrying into the street they continued on their way now blending into the crowd better and Shadow had to admit that not getting a lot of stares was a nice change. Before leaving the store he had pulled her protective cloak away so that the magically hovering cloth would not gain any unwanted attention. While it exposed her delicate wings and the membrane to the burning sun she had little choice but to ignore the burning sensation and keep walking.

Passing through a very sprawled cluster of very nice houses Valkardian ignored them and kept walking till they were in a middle class area then made a sharp turn down a side street. The buildings were densely clustered together and they walked in silence as his eyes darted back and forth searching.

Smirking he spoke across their link saying that the building to their right with the blue pot outside was the one but walked past the building.

Shadow was confused a little and following the unspoken rule fired a question back on their mental link: "Why are we walking past it?"

"I have no idea what is behind that door."

"That did not stop you flow blowing a door off its hinges earlier!"

"True but that was an emergency while this is not. Time may not be on our side but a little caution is still in order."

"What do you mean time is against us?"

"We just killed the spy masters entire spy ring for this part of the region. It is only a matter of time before their failure to check in tips her off and they make a break for it."

"Then what are we doing?"

"In here."

Valkardian walked up to a house and looked it over a moment before opening the door and walking in uninvited. Shadow was worried that there might be someone home but that was not the case and going up a flight of stairs he stopped by a window giving a view of the other house in the distance.

"They might return at any time Valkardian..."

"True but an invisibility spell would solve that. Now let me focus."

Hands moving and eyes glowing slightly he watched the other building intently. Looking over his shoulder she was not impressed with the structure and its basic, no frills design. Then again if a spy master stayed in a mansion that would raise suspicion so it also made sense to conduct shadowy business farther from the spotlight.

"Shadow. I see absolutely nothing, just a hole. Care to guess what that means?"

"Magical protection?"

"Very good, but not strong enough to keep us out."

"Cant you just... Power past the defenses?"

"That would trip the alarms."

"Ah... So?"

"I want you to go out and walk down the street a few buildings till you can no longer see the building then fly up onto the roof. Work your way along quietly and slip behind them and make sure no one runs out the back. Oh and here."

Another jolt went up her arm.

"A little extra protection never hurt. Now hurry up."

"What about you?"

"Well knocking on the front door never hurts now does it? Would you really expect your enemy to come right up to your front door and knock?"

"No... Alright then."

Heading out and down the street Shadow walked calmly till the house was out of sight then flapped her wings and flew atop the row of houses. Walking quickly she could just make out Valkardian walking up the narrow street and getting her bearings from him found the correct house and swerved till she could see the back.

A small overhang of cloth obscured the back and squatting down to watch carefully she noted there was no one in the tiny back yard that divided this row of buildings from the next. No escape routes either unless they blasted through a door or back window but farther off was a metal gate. She could make good time swooping down on them if they tried.

With an ear turned the other way she listened intently and waited with bated breath when the sound of muffled knocking reached her. A muffled yelp sounded not long after and below her Shadow could make out little of what was going on but someone had just been thrown hard enough to break something. A mass flurry of hooves pounding gave away a second occupant along with a shout.

Patience was not a virtue for Shadow as the commotion continued before going silent a split second later as hooves again pounded away only going up and towards the open window below.

Watching the open window like a hawk the sound of Valkardians boots pounding on stairs echoed heavily as magical blasts went off and she could feel whatever magic protected the building had just been shattered.

A pony sprang from the open window and fell down from the second story onto the cloth overhang below crashing through with a pained grunt bag in hand. Flaring her wings out and readying to dive they stood staggering for a moment before breaking into a dead run for the far gate. Valkardian's head poked out of the window seconds later as Shadow dove off the building.

Walking up to the door Valkardian waited a moment before knocking spells in mind and ready to fire off. A young Arabian stallion answered the door and when he opened his mouth was met with a fist. A yelp left his mouth as his body fell backwards. Stepping inside quickly Valkardian grabbed him from the floor and pounded him into a wall shattering the shelves and knocking him out cold.

During all of this a mare had called out from upstairs and after the first blow fell hooves announced their fast approach but when she reached the bottom in time to see him pounding her companion into the wall she turned tail and fled back up the stairs.

Letting him fall to the floor he raced after her and after getting to the top had just enough time to see her grabbing a bag and running for the window. There was not enough time to fire off a spell as the panicked mare blasted through the open window.

"GET HER!"

Her target hardly had time to look back before Shadow collided with them knocking the bag free and sending them both to the ground in a heap. Springing up the mare made a dash for the bag but magic yanked it away and into the air. Chasing it for a moment before realizing who was moving the bag away the mare changed her mind and fled the other way in an attempt to escape.

Barreling into her they again went to the ground as Shadow pounded her opponent down and straddled their back wrapping her hands around the others neck and tightening.

Legs and arms flailing to get a grip on her Shadow heaved their chest up and slammed them down into the dirt hard but it had little effect. Twisting and turning to face the bat sitting on her back the mare was unable to fully turn but managed to push enough to make a swing catching Shadow in the upper shoulder.

"Fly!"

Shadow beat her wings and grunted bringing both of them into the air till they hovered just above the rooftops. Looking down Valkardian was waiting below and beckoned.

"Drop her."

The mare was gagging and flailing her legs now that they were high in the air with Shadow's grip acting like a noose and loosening her grip she let the mare fall. Before hitting the ground magic grabbed her from the air and she dangled there in front of Valkardian while Shadow landed beside him. A jolt of energy from his other hand knocked the mare out and nodding they both turned and walked into the spymasters house.

"Well that was intense..." Shadow had finished tying the two up while Valkardian studied the bag quietly. "You going to open that?"

"I am not the only one who knows to put protective spells on important containers. Whatever is in here is well protected but not well enough."

"Sooo?"

"Later when I have more time, its not going anywhere. Now for these two. Shadow allow me to introduce Tulip the spymaster and her cohort Dahliad."

"Alright, so torture time?"

"No. I want you to search the place for anything out of the ordinary, even something small and obscure could be important but be careful, while I have dispelled the overall protections on this place any other traps will still be in place."

Nodding Shadow left and began exploring while Valkardian sifted through their pockets and undressed them looking for anything that might hide something useful. Everything looked perfectly normal in the house though save some broken items in the hallway near the door. Books but no papers. No writing implements of any kind could be found which was a red flag.

Kitchen was empty and after tearing everything apart and even seeing if they stored anything in the jars Shadow was getting a little fed up.

"Nothing yet, the place is empty. Too empty."

Joining her he scanned around then looked at the floor for a minute before going upstairs.

"The bag came from up here so maybe they have something here."

"Wouldn't it be easier just to you know... Rip the information out?"

"Yes but I want them alive for a little while longer. Just... TAKING the information is no fun."

"You mean we have been doing all of this for fun?"

"Yes of course. Life is about enjoying the little things like destroying one of Celestia's spy rings. Using magic to solve everything does not always work but it also becomes boring after a time."

Tracing her fingers along the wall she made out a slight bump and poking it felt the wall give just slightly.

"Found something."

Looking it over and touching it he looked at the nearby table and retrieved a flat long knife and began sawing under the bump. No debris came out though as the cover slowly slipped free revealing a small compartment full of papers. Pulling them free carefully he laid them on the table and told her to keep looking.

Very little was in the room and walking around did not help nor checking under the bed or its frame. Shadow had read a spy novel now and then but this was more boring than the books made it out to be. Entering the primary bedroom little stood out except a decorative piece made from glass.

Taking a closer look it appeared to be rather pricey and held a crystalline orb in the middle. Shadow almost touched it but stopped herself remembering the warning, if this was important it would be protected magically since it was in the open unlike the papers which were simply sealed inside the wall.

"Well these papers are interesting. Bet the locals would be rather ticked off if they found out what this little gaggle was up too. They didn't even bother to encrypt anything... Find anything useful?"

"Yes, what is this?"

Shadow pointed to the ornate glass display. Valkardian walked up to it and watched it quietly before smiling.

"Communication orb."

"With who?"

"WHOM. Now guess."

"Celestia?"

"Very good! Hiding it in plain sight like this was clever since no LOCAL would know to pay much attention to it and the people's of this region have no magic like this so they would not know either."

Waving his hands around for a moment he plucked it up and looked closer.

"Just one problem with these things. Once in the wrong hands that know how to use them they work as a two way conduit for information. Depending on where the other is anyone with the right word can gain control and spy on the receiving end."

"How long till they know?"

"Lets go find out."

Both spies were now pinned to wall while the windows and doors had been shut tight with spell's laid in place to prevent calling for help. He had even placed a spell blocking them from mentally calling out just in case but what really made her grimace was prying their mouths open and searching. The Arabian had a loose tooth and he yanked it out violently and examined it before tossing it aside.

"Umm... Why did you just..."

"Oh that. Thought it might be a suicide tooth. Fake tooth with poison inside, knock it loose and bite to release the poison. Turns out he just had a loose tooth was all."

Ouch. She kept watching as he went over their bodies with a fine toothed comb looking for anything out of place before stepping away and snapping his finger. The first to wake up was the stallion groaning in pain that only grew before he gagged on the blood in his mouth from the hole left from the torn tooth.

He was of little interest though, Shadow wanted to know about the mare. Tulip. Almighty spy master for Celestia in all of Zebrica and Saddle Arabia, she just had to have some stories to tell.

Tulip was slower to awaken than her friend but when her eyes finally opened and realized the position they were in the mares body went rigid. Holding up the papers for her to see Valkardian asked some innocent questions about their purpose and other mundane things but only got tight lips in response.

"Tell me Dahliad, do you know what a gelding means?"

He nodded slowly but refused to talk.

"Well dont worry, I wont be doing that to you. Only amateurs stoop that low since once the parts are gone there is no pain to play upon. So instead I am debating what else to do and right now I only want to use you as a demonstration to your friend of what waits for her if she fails to talk."

Straight faced without a smile and almost in a monotone his words sank in causing a silent debate as they two looked at each other. Tulip shook her head but Dahliad was not quite so convinced. Dropping his illusion for a moment got a choked gag from Tulip.

"So she has told some about me... Now lets find out how much. Tulip, enlighten me as to who stands before you."

"Valkardian. Murderer, psychopathic and sociopathic madman."

"Short and to the point but your gagging means she told you far more than just that. Alright that means YOU are the one with information I want while your friend here is expendable since he is looking rather confused by all this."

Returning to Dahliad he brought a hand up and a small wisp of electricity formed.

"Alright Dahliad I am going to torture the hell out of you till she talks. Reasonable right?"

Shaking his head furiously Valkardian gave him a zap, just enough to make him panic but not much else.

"Okay Tulip since you know who I am care to enlighten Dahliad on what will happen to him?"

"Burn in Tartarus. Celestia will avenge us!"

"No she wont. In fact she will never know who took you. Dahliad I have something I want you to see."

Opening his pouch and allowing a wraith out the stallion gave a strangled scream.

"This is your fate. Don't worry about dying because when you finally do your soul will be trapped and turned into one of these. Care to tell me anything Tulip?"

Grinding her jaw she looked away.

"Okay. Now hold still this is going to hurt."

A jolt went up his leg making his body convulse and Shadow felt a little ill by all of this. Just killing them was one thing but this... Ripping apart their minds killing them was also okay in her book somewhat since they died quickly enough.

Pulling on their link she asked him what was the purpose of all this, it was most certainly not fun or amusing. His only response was to just watch.

One set of questions and another jolt had the stallion looking wild eyed as the wraith reached out and caressed his face. Staring at Tulip pleading she puffed her chest up in defiance and looked away.

"Promise not to do... That... To me and I will tell you anything you want but I refuse to betray my sultan!"

"DEAL."

Shadow let out a sigh of relief she did not know was being held as the wraith departed and the confessions began to flow. While threat of death was one thing Valkardian had not offered death but undeath and an eternity of torment. It was all unnecessary but now that she could see what the plan had been it was rather amusing to play one against the other like that. Then again the sultan should train his spies better.

Confession's continued for quite a while as he spilled every detail of Celestia's involvement in the region but would not touch on his sovereigns involvement or planning. Valkardian told him he had no interest what so ever in that but to just keep talking about Celestia. Tulip on the other hand was furious with him and spitting fire but Dahliad just kept blathering a mile a minute.

Celestia was indeed after the spear, that they knew but she had hatched a plan to use magic after getting the first piece to find the other two. Now with the only known piece missing again that had put the kabash on her plans. Spying on the military and priesthood, bribing people in the guild for information, the list kept growing.

One tidbit that made Shadow's ears perk was a plan to utilize the bandits to impress upon the locals the importance of her ideal of a unified government under her careful gaze to ensure harmony would prevail. Hearing that and knowing Celestia's past made Shadow wonder just how much she had changed or if somewhere under that sweet smile some of that viciousness still remained.

Valkardian had simply listened quietly and held out a small crystal, when Dahliad was done Tulip just hung from the wall with her head hanging having long given up. Pocketing the crystal he asked if Tulip would like to add anything and she tried to spit in his face but a slap stopped her halfway sending spittle flying.

Grabbing her head Shadow knew what was coming and soon the sounds of shrieking filled the room before her body went limp and slid free of the wall. Opening a pouch he lifted the body and did something to it before stuffing it inside before turning to Dahliad.

"We have a deal..."

"Yes and I am going to uphold it. You will not be turned into wraith or anything else."

Dahliad let out a sigh of relief and relaxed. Motioning for her to step back Shadow moved away from him as the magical hold let go and Dahliad stepped free and looked around ready to bolt. Before he could however a bolt of power left Valkardians hand and blasted the stallion leaving nothing but a smoldering pile of ash.

"But you never agreed to let him to alive."

"Correct. Also I did not want to leave a body to cause us trouble while we enjoy the remainder of our stay. A pile of ash can be swept away a body not so much and I did agree not to raise him from the grave."

"Makes the agreement we had back then seem interesting. I never agreed to be your slave while alive."

"It was implied. Besides letting him go free would mean more problems if he rounded up any friends he kept secret from Tulip and I am certain there are no short supply of them."

"So it was necessary to kill him."

Nodding Valkardian walked to the door and opening waved a hand sending the ash into the street before walking out. Nothing was said on the way back till they reached their hotel room where he laid out their collection of papers and items.

"How long will it take you to open the bag?"

"Not long."

Waiting was a pain but after a few hours the bag was opened and a variety of papers and items came free. Laying them out Shadow looked them over and found them to be very unremarkable items, mostly bureaucracy but the papers were very interesting detailing a great amount Dahliad had not spoken of.

"So what are you going to do with all of this?"

"Well its useless to me but I know someone who would be thrilled to have all of this including the crystal orb, Tulip's sacrifice was not in vain as I now have the control word for it."

"Who?"

"Betu. You are going to send him a box with all of this in it. A present. I am certain he will be thrilled with your gift."

"Why would you have me send it to him?"

"To annoy the hell out of Celestia that's why. Consider it extended retribution for your kidnapping. Also it will keep this part of the world out of her grasp for a great deal longer."

Shadow nodded as he gathered everything up and gave her some instructions on what to write while also making out his own letter to Betu including the password. Valkardian was right, when the priests got their hands on this heads would roll as they hunted down informants and wiped the slate clean. The government would not be pleased with this information and if they made it public Celestia would have to keep her face hidden for a long time to come.