The large door rumbled loudly, alerting Rolling Thunder and Shining Armor. Light began pouring into the circular room as the door slid off to the side, grinding stone against stone. The two Royal Guards were now face to face with an imposing silver-maned Inquisitor who stood taller than either of them by at least half a head. He stared blankly at the two intruders in the tunnels for a moment before stepping into the room.

Rolling Thunder and Shining Armor reacted in unison, swiftly placing themselves at either side of the Inquisitor. Shining Armor's horn glowed softly, ready to channel a spell at a moment's notice, and Rolling Thunder's wings flexed in anticipation of an attack, but the expressionless foe showed no signs of aggression.

"I yield, Royal Guard," he stated flatly. "I have no desire to fight you. I simply request an audience with Princess Celestia. You may escort me, if you like."

Shining Armor and Rolling Thunder glanced at each other, then back to the large stallion.

Rolling Thunder scoffed. "You can't be serious."

"You expect us to lead an enemy right to the throne room? You're insane." Shining Armor added.

The Inquisitor nodded. "I understand that you don't trust me, but the information I possess must reach the Princess at once. Please take me to her, or stand aside."

Rolling Thunder positioned himself before the Inquisitor, adopting an aggressive yet well-guarded posture. "You can go back the way you came, or you can come as our prisoner. Those are your options."

The Inquisitor paused, seeming to weigh the options in his mind. "Very well," he began after a brief delay, "on the condition that I be permitted to speak with Her Highness, I will go as your prisoner."

"This isn't a negotiation!" roared an irate Rolling Thunder.

The Inquisitor, ignoring the outburst, turned to Shining Armor. "The Order of Canterlot has nearly everything they require to revive the fallen Alicorn, Queen Chelsea. I possess sensitive information regarding the plan, but I will only relinquish this information to somepony with the means to use it wisely. Namely, Princess Celestia."

Shining Armor scowled. The stallion before him was an enemy, and certainly not to be trusted, but as Captain of the Royal Guard, he would be remiss to ignore the possibility of an enemy defector bringing vital information with him.

"May I ask why you're offering this to us?" Shining Armor asked, gesturing for Rolling Thunder to be silent.

"I learned - regrettably, far too late - of what the Scarlet Queen will do to this world once she is revived. Fragmented and hidden away within our archives were the clues which eventually led me to the truth. Now that I know what it is these mad fools intend to do, I have to try to stop it. With so few resources and allies within the Order, I had to seek out a large, well-equipped group with interests similar to my own. Who better than the Canterlot Royal Guard?"

Shining Armor turned to his subordinate, searching for an opinion, which was eagerly offered.

"I don't trust a word of it, Captain. He's a traitor to the crown. We should put him in irons and throw him into the smallest cell in Canterlot while we figure out how to punish him properly."

Shining Armor's eyes returned to the Inquisitor, who remained still. Had this foe been so inclined, he likely could have overpowered them both with brute strength alone, yet he chose the path of nonviolence, volunteering himself as a prisoner. If this was some sort of ruse and he planned to attack Celestia, she could easily fend off a lone earth pony, even one this large. Her entire personal guard would also be present to assist, granting them a colossal advantage in numbers and strength. Shining Armor concluded that the likelihood of this stallion being a threat to the Princess was infinitesimal at best.

"Tell me your name, Inquisitor," the Captain ordered, "and I will grant you your audience with the Princess."

Rolling Thunder scarcely managed to choke back his disapproval. He remained silent out of respect for the decision of a superior, but stared daggers at the Captain.

"My name is Adrastos," he paused to remove a small insignia from around his neck, allowing it to fall to the floor before he crushed it beneath his hoof.

"...former inquisitor of the Order of Canterlot."

"-never thought I'd see..."

"-historic day for..."

"-revive... Queen..."

Taylor, still recovering from whatever Sophie's spell had done to him, could only catch bits and pieces of the conversation through the intense ringing in his ears. He could vaguely recall the very brief assault against the Grand Inquisitor, and the events leading up to that point, but they were hazy at best. His memories from Terminus, however, remained perfectly in tact.

"Let me GO!" shouted a feminine voice. Taylor's eyes opened slowly to find a pair of hooded unicorns placing Lyra in chains, using magic to encase their victim, presumably to avoid being on the receiving end of her spells. Suddenly alert, he attempted to rush to her aid, but found himself shackled to a large T-shaped structure made of a silvery metal. His violent struggle against the bindings drew attention from everyone in the room.

"Excellent, you're awake," the Grand Inquisitor greeted him, approaching the chained Human. "The revival of an Alicorn is truly a magnificent spectacle to behold, one which would be impossible without your contribution. For that, I thought it only proper that you be conscious to see with your own eyes the fruit of our labor."

The voice had come from the Grand Inquisitor, who stood to Taylor's left, accompanied by two heavily-armored stallions, looking upon the Human with restrained curiosity.

"Think about it. Centuries of effort, thousands of our kind working tirelessly toward this goal. It's truly a magnificent accomplishment, and you get to be the center of it all. Do you not feel honored?"

"Honored? No. Pissed off? You'd better believe it, pal. Fuck you, fuck your centuries of effort, fuck your whole organization, and fuck your Queen." Taylor snarled at the Inquisitor.

"Well, that's rather disappointing. I sincerely hoped you would be more willing to lend us your assistance. After all, we offered you safe passage back to your own world, no different than what the Princess would have given you, but compared to her excessive demands, I believe our price was quite the bargain."

"A bargain for which of us? You and the rest of these animals get what you want, and I sacrifice everything and everyone to save myself. Sounds like a terrible deal, even if I did trust you not to kill me as soon as I stopped being useful to you - which I don't. Not one bit."

"You speak as if you have some sort of stake in the future of this world," The Grand Inquisitor scoffed. "You've been here for only a few short days. I refuse to believe that in that time, you've found something here which you value more than your own safety."

Taylor's eyes narrowed. "Oh, you don't believe it? Maybe you will once I get out of these chains and beat you into a red stain on the floor!"

The Grand Inquisitor laughed heartily at the threat. "Oh how quickly you seem to have forgotten the outcome of our last encounter. Perhaps I struck you too hard."

It was true, Taylor's attack against the Grand Inquisitor was an utter failure, and he had learned of no vulnerabilities or other weaknesses. He would likely fare no better in another fight, especially without his weapon.

Taylor averted his gaze from the Grand Inquisitor, eyes falling upon Lyra once more. The same two hooded figures who had bound her were now busy placing a thick metal band on her horn. It didn't appear to be anything special, save for faintly glowing black crystal shards which dotted its surface. The Inquisitors secured it with two leather straps which fastened both behind Lyra's head and around her neck, the latter of which had several small metal studs facing inward. Taylor didn't understand the purpose of the device, but he recognized just how devious it was in its construction. Any attempt to forcefully remove the metal band would place pressure on the strap which crossed over the wearer's throat, jabbing them with the dull metal studs. It wasn't meant to asphyxiate or puncture - though with sufficient force, it could likely do both. Instead, it seemed designed to cause as much discomfort as possible to an uncooperative wearer without inflicting any lasting damage.

"The suppression device is secure-" the larger of the hooded ponies stated, allowing the barrier around Lyra to fall. As it did, her horn sparked and sputtered, accomplishing nothing.

"...and performing admirably."

"Wonderful!" the Grand Inquisitor called out enthusiastically. "Position the subjects. We are mere moments away from the return of our Queen!"

The Inquisitor's two brutish lackeys shifted the post to which Taylor was bound, turning him to face a large cylindrical structure in the center of the room. The body was a glossy black, trimmed with gold and engraved with red symbols all across its surface. The center held a massive crimson "I" suspended in what appeared to be some form of unnatural glass whose surface rippled gently, yet never lost its shape or rigidity. Seven golden pillars - each one standing approximately eye level to a human and topped with a different colored sphere of light - surrounded the entirety of the structure.

Taylor's eyes fell upon Bon Bon and Sophie standing off to the side. The former was looking just as sullen and defeated as she had in her cell, while the latter appeared cold, analytical, and detached from the current situation. Taylor's stare met hers, and a sensation of peace washed over him. He became less tense, less resistant. It was a nice feeling, just like how he felt when he was in the garden at Canterlot Castle.

Taylor recognized the spell being used on him. He squeezed his eyes shut and fought against the sensation, shutting down Sophie's spell with no small effort. When he opened his eyes once more, he saw the unicorn wore a look of mild annoyance. Taylor sneered, pleased with himself for being able to beat her as he mouthed an obscenity which she probably didn't understand.

The sounds of a struggle turned Taylor's attention toward Lyra again, who was being dragged by her chains toward him, struggling wildly against her captors with a primal fervor more appropriate for a wild horse from Taylor's world, rather than the civilized pastel ponies of Equestria. She jerked the chains as hard as she could, closing the gap between herself and the two Inquisitors just long enough to kick one solidly in the ribs. He stumbled, but was able to recover before Lyra could land another blow.

"Such an uncommon ferocity for such a diminutive mare," the Grand Inquisitor mused. "You are impressive, Ms. Heartstrings. Truly, it saddens me to know just how unlikely you are to survive this process."

That caught Taylor's attention.

"What the hell do you mean by that!?" he spat.

The Grand Inquisitor raised a hoof to his chin as he considered the question.

"I fear one so very unfamiliar with the nature of magic - that's you, in case you were wondering - wouldn't fully understand it. For simplicity's sake, I suppose one could liken it to forcing an ocean through a drinking straw. So much magical energy will pass through her body at such a tremendous rate, it's almost certain to tear her apart from the inside out. Everypony we've tested this process on has reacted in such a manner, and I have little reason to expect different results for Ms. Hearstrings."

"Am I to assume this will happen to me as well?" Taylor asked, a grim expression darkening his face.

"I must admit, I don't know the answer to that. Your innate magical resistance has been an extraordinarily challenging variable for us to work with. For obvious reasons, we've never been able to test any of this on one of your kind. At the very least, I can assure you that your odds of survival are significantly greater than hers."

Lyra's eyes had grown wide with fear, and her struggle against the chains grew increasingly frantic as the Inquisitor continued to speak, making it nearly impossible to restrain her. After several failed attempts to secure her, the unicorn who had previously attached the ring to Lyra's horn stepped in to assist, muttering something about the incompetence of earth ponies.

With Lyra and Taylor now in position and unable to escape, the Grand Inquisitor bowed deeply to both of them. Every other Inquisitor in the room quickly followed suit, Bon Bon and Sophie included.

"Your contributions this day shall be preserved within our archives. Let none forget the heroes who returned Equestria to its proper ruler." the Grand Inquisitor spoke with a sincere reverence before ending his bow.

With a wave of his hoof, a series of blue-tinged lenses, each roughly the size of a dinner plate and set in a gilded filigree descended from the ceiling, suspended from articulated brass arms. They positioned themselves in a semicircle around Lyra. A cloudy white crystal of some sort was then lowered, stopping just above her horn. Lastly, an immense lens several times the size of the others moved into place between Lyra and Taylor, the arm which held it creaking loudly under the strain of moving such mass.

From an adjacent room, six unicorns in highly decorated white robes filed in. Aside from their abnormally-colored clothing, which set them well apart from the normal crimson-clad Inquisitors, they all wore a semi-opaque white shrouds, obscuring their faces. Each one bowed to the Grand Inquisitor, softly whispered a phrase to him which Taylor couldn't quite hear, then took a place by one of the lenses, leaving the center position for him. Without any more ceremony, they began channeling radiant beams of energy into their respective lenses which converged at the crystal. For several moments, nothing seemed to be happening, but the crystal soon began to emit a gentle hum, which quickly developed into a deep rumble. A faint glow shone through from its core, gradually intensifying until it became difficult to look at directly. Small lightning-like arcs danced between the crystal and Lyra's horn, increasing in frequency and duration as the crystal grew brighter until they became a constant stream.

A deafening crack echoed through the room as an intense surge of energy from the crystal struck Lyra's horn. Her eyes flew open, and an agonized scream escaped her lips, almost entirely drowned out by the sounds of the crystal, the Inquisitors channeling into it, and her own horn, which was sparking and crackling violently. Taylor could hear her, but saw nothing other than the blazing light magnified through the lens before him.

Seconds after the cracking noise, a narrow beam of energy, rapidly growing in intensity, radiated forth from Lyra's horn. It took on the bluish tint of the lens as it passed through before terminating at Taylor's chest. He felt a mild pressure where the light touched him, which became more noticeable as the beam widened, but he felt no pain. As if on cue, a loud groaning noise filled his ears and the lens shifted, slowly moving closer to his body, focusing the beam down to a single intense point. The pressure on his body became an unbearable burning sensation, as if he were being set ablaze from the inside out, and his agonized cries soon joined Lyra's.

The post to which he had been bound glowed and resonated gently with the energy now beginning to flow into it through Taylor. Previously unseen marks on the floor began to draw light from the base of the silvery column, forming a series of lines which radiated out from where Taylor stood and connected to each of the seven golden pillars at the center of the room. The liquid-like center of the Oculus churned violently with the sudden introduction of energy, distorting the crimson mark suspended within. The entire hall began to quake ominously, a deep rumbling filling the entire Sanctuary.

Over the thunderous cacophony, a voice called out, "Now! Do it now!"

In an instant, the room erupted into chaos. A small number of inquisitors began launching spells around the room, striking others of their order, who either ran for cover or attempted to fight back. Volleys from both sides crashed against the walls, scattering debris in all directions. A stray spell flew just over Taylor's head, striking the supporting arm of the large lens and making it sizzle and sputter. This was followed by two more in rapid succession which severed the brass cylinder, sending the massive lens plummeting to the floor where it shattered into innumerable fragments.

Taylor, still dazed, looked around at a room which seemed to be exploding before him. Each side had taken positions at opposite ends of the room, with little cover. The side which had opened fire first seemed to be all unicorns, and the defending inquisitors seemed to be a mix of unicorns and earth ponies, the latter of which had built a defensive line before their horned brethren, shielding them from incoming attacks. At the center of the room, Sophie appeared to have freed Lyra and was now ushering her toward the smaller of the two forces.

"Stop staring and move!" ordered a voice.

Taylor spun on his heel to find Sophie - or rather, her doppelganger, Starbright - had removed his bindings as well. With little choice but to go along with her demand, Taylor wasted no time in making a break for the relative safety of Sophie's group of defectors, where Bon Bon and Lyra were already huddled. His reckless sprint seemed to be working in his favor until a spell obliterated a section of the floor just in front on him, tripping him up and sending him tumbling gracelessly into cover next to Lyra.

"Strange how you only listen to me when you're in immediate danger and need me to save you." Sophie remarked derisively, standing over him.

"Yeah, sure, just go ahead and salt the wounds," Taylor groaned, "because high-fiving the floor with my face wasn't enough."

Sophie ignored the sarcasm, her attention was focused entirely on the retreating Grand Inquisitor. She launched several spells at him, all of which were deflected with a significant effort on his part, leaving him visibly fatigued. Another volley forced him to seek refuge behind his loyalists.

"We've got him pinned!" one of the defectors announced between shots.

"Aim high! Bring the ceiling down on him!" shouted another.

"No, we can't risk killing him! Stay on target!" ordered Sophie before turning her attention to Taylor, Lyra, and Bon Bon. "Once the Grand Inquisitor is ours, I'm taking you three with me to the surface. Word is going to spread, and the Order will be hunting us. Canterlot is likely to become a battleground before the day is done."

"We can go to the princesses for protection. They'll know what to do." Lyra suggested.

"They'll protect you three, and probably accept Magnus as a prisoner," Sophie said, her eyes fixated on Taylor, "but I know Celestia would throw me right back to the Order."

"So we vouch for you, simple as that," Taylor stated, matter-of-factly. "What choice would she have but to go along with it? Is she really going to risk losing me, Lyra, and Bon Bon?"

Taylor turned his attention to Bon Bon, finding her wobbling unsteadily on her hooves, staring wide-eyed at something he couldn't see.

"The hell's wrong with her?" Taylor asked.

Taylor, Lyra, and Sophie followed the mare's gaze, quickly finding the answer. At the center of the room, from within the liquid-like surface of the Oculus, something was emerging. First, a crimson wing, missing most of its feathers, twisted and gnarled as if it had been broken in several places. Next, a cloven hoof the color of charcoal, then a single long conical horn with a series of fractures running its length. A pair of eyes the color of Autumn followed closely behind, partially veiled beneath an unkempt black mane. The Alicorn's coat looked as if large patches of her fur had been torn away, leaving much of her scarred and mottled flesh visible.

All activity in the room had ceased. Both sides looked on with fascination, horror, and everything in between as the grotesquely mangled Scarlet Queen pulled herself into the world, looking like death itself. The Grand Inquisitor was the first to regain his senses and rushed to Chelsea's side, followed by his personal guards.

"My Queen! Are you well?"

Chelsea stared down at the Grand Inquisitor with a blank expression, then raised her head slowly to observe the room. After a very long an uncomfortable silence, she stepped down from the Oculus.

"How long has it been?" the Queen rasped.

"Thousands of years, your majesty. The princesses remain in power, and are likely already aware of your revival," the Grand Inquisitor warned. "They will certainly be coming for you, and they already control the human."

Chelsea's eyes fell upon Taylor, looking him over.

"This one bears no scars of battle and cowers in fear behind allies. It is an untested whelp and poses no threat to me," Chelsea stated dismissively.

"Shall I dispose of it for you, my Queen?"

"No," Chelsea said, turning her attention back to the Grand Inquisitor. "I have a greater task in mind for you."

"Anything, my Queen," the aging stallion replied, bowing deeply.

Wordlessly, Chelsea lowered her horn. A barely-visible wisp emerged from the Grand Inquisitors chest, drifting toward the Queen's horn, then another, and another, the number increasing exponentially until it formed a constant stream. Chelsea's scars seemed to sink into her flesh, vanishing entirely beneath her newly-grown vibrant coat of red. Her damaged wing swiftly straightened back out to its proper shape and regained all of its plumage. At the same time, the Grand Inquisitor's body seemed to age at an astonishing rate, as if the Queen were siphoning away his life.

The Queen terminated the spell and raised her head with a satisfied sigh, flexing her wings. "Yes, this should be more than enough to get started," she said, sounding much healthier than before, "though I'll certainly need more to quell whatever resistance my daughters plan to send here."

The Grand Inquisitor, whose body had become pale and skeletal, let out a raspy breath, fell to the side, and convulsed pitifully before life slipped away from him.

"As of this moment, I am assuming control of the Order of Canterlot," Chelsea announced to the loyalists. "You will obey me without question."

Chelsea turned toward the small force consisting of Sophie, Taylor, Lyra, Bon Bon, and the three remaining defectors.

"Your first order is this: kill the human and those who protect him."

Author's Notes:

Aw yeah. Shit just got real.

As always, feel free to strike me with a shovel if you find a typo and I will fix it at once.