Soul Survivor chapter 3: An Attack on Canterlot

  Ponies are much like the horses from my own world, except they're smaller and more compact. Furthermore, their eyes take up most of their face with little space left for the combined nose and mouth. This might give you a creepy impression, but the effect is actually rather adorable. Their coats are warm and fluffy as well and the way they behave is almost human. My curiosity about this world is only increasing but hopefully I'll soon have my answers. New things are happening all the time and it's never dull in Equestria.

CHAPTER 3 PART 1: AN ATTACK ON CANTERLOT

  "So let me get this straight. Princess Celestia raises the Sun in the morning and the Moon at night?" Lars asked with clear disbelief to his tone.

  "It's the truth!" Granny Pie chuckled and looked up at him. "Things here in Equestria only happen if we help it. Pegasuses make the rain up in Cloudsdale, and every spring we remove the snow and wake up all the animals."

  "I'm sorry, but I find all that very hard to believe." Lars scratched his neck and looked out at the plaza around them. Though large, it felt small and constricted with the sheer amount of ponies gathered. The centre of attention was a large statue of Celestia rearing on her hind legs and with horn glowing.

  "Doesn't anyone take care of the seasons back where you come from?" Granny Pie asked surprised.

  "Well, you know, nature more or less does whatever it wants to back on my Earth."

  "Now that sounds incredible," she replied and jabbed him in the side.

  The horizon lightened behind the mountains and the mood reached new heights. The crowd roared and stamped the ground with their hoofs. Lars held his ears and crouched down to Granny Pie to get his voice through. "So what's going to happen exactly? Will she spring alive from that statue or something?"

  "Oh, the Princess isn't here," she shouted back at him. "She visits a different city each year and begins the festival from there."

  "I see. I guess I never even thought of other pony cities... how big is Equestria?" As if to glean an answer, Lars looked around. The world was still illuminated only by torches bellowing thick smoke.

  "I couldn't give you a straight answer, dearie. I've travelled around in my days and I still haven't seen all there is."

  The first rays of light broke and the cheering exploding. Like a wave eating the darkness, the Sun climbed higher and higher until all of Canterlot was bathed in its warmth. Hats went flying up in the air along with all the dust kicked up. Lars was swept away by the emotions and jumped up from leg to leg. The sunshine washed over the plaza and the all ponies followed it, spreading out to all sides in a stampede. Lars clutched his kneecaps and laughed from his hearts with tears rolling down his eyes.

  "This reminds me of Remembrance Week," he said and wiped a tear. "Man I miss Remembrance Week."

  "Having fun?" A familiar pony crept up from behind and Lars straightened up instantly. Fearfully turning around, he was faced with Loyal Crescent. The captain put up a hoof before Lars could say anything. "Fear not, Mr Leland, I am not here to put you to work! I'm just celebrating as well and caught you in the crowd, thought I'd say hello. You stick out like a sore thumb as tall you are."

  A zebra in gilded armour stood next to Crescent with a mien of dignified silence and avoided eye contact.

  "Good to see you too off work," Lars said and relaxed his shoulders, pointing at the zebra. "Who's Mister Sunshine here?"

  "Ah, that's my lieutenant. Karrod. He's deaf and dumb, so don't expect to hear his life story." Crescent reared his head and laughed shrilly at his own wit. "Well, another Summer Sun Celebration and no accidents yet. Not an easy task with so many ponies, mind you. Ta ta!"

  Crescent swished his tail and the zebra followed him. Granny Pie looked up at Lars and made her presence known again. "You know the Captain of the Royal Guard?" she asked in surprise.

  "Yeah we've met... unfortunately." Thinking back on it made Lars droop like all his energy had been sucked out of him. He raised his head as a thought occurred to him. "Why haven't I seen more zebras around?"

  "Zebras are, well, I'm not sure," Granny Pie said and smiled as crowd thinned out almost entirely. "We don't see too many of them in Equestria yet, so I can't really answer you."

  Lars noted the ponies around them taking the festivities elsewhere with a hoof around their buddies.  "So happens now?" Lars asked and arched his back with a crack.

  "You have a good time now, dear." Granny Pie patted his hand and smiled up at him. "You won't find any fun trailing around with an old mare."

  Guards were just about the only ones left on the plaza, cleaning up the mess from streamers and lost hats. Lars felt himself drawn by the singing and blowing of horns coming from all corners of Canterlot.

  "Yeah, I think I will!" he said and started off. "I still haven't had a chance to see the city properly either." He looked over his shoulder to wave goodbye when the statue caught his attention. It was shaking. The guards looked up from their cleaning duties curiously. "I thought you said she wouldn't appear from that statue."

  Granny Pie turned to where he was looking as well and took a step back. "This isn't part of the festival," she stated in all seriousness.

  "God I hope it isn't goblins again." Just to be sure, he grabbed for the claymore on his back.

  The statue broke down the middle and Celestia's horn fell to the ground where it shattered. The pedestal split open and a hoof appeared in the rift, then another and another until a metallic earth pony had lifted itself up from the hole. It was difficult for Lars to suppress his instinctive urge to flee upon seeing it. With its six legs, it quickly scampered across the ground. The guards were too slow to draw their swords and it was almost upon Granny Smith when Lars cut in front and brought his claymore down into its face.

  The fabricant was unhurt and grabbed the blade with its mandibles. He held on to it obstinately even as the fabricant jerked side to side. It looked up at him with emotionless eyes shimmering like headlights. Lars stared back and didn't see the lightning quick strike from the stinger. The needle-like instrument at the end hammered into his left shoulder and sent him stumbling backwards.

  He landed on his behind, clutching the affected area with a pained expression on his face. The fabric of his suit had prevented penetration and also absorbed some of the shock. The fabricant rushed towards him with its large mandibles clicking furiously. Just as the stinger lifted up again, the fabricant gave a pitiable shriek and collapsed.

 Loyal Crescent landed next to it with his hooves wrapped around his sword, a slim dai-katana in the same black and red colour scheme as Lars' claymore.

  "This is no time to be fooling around, Mr Leland. If you want to help out, make sure not to get yourself killed," the captain lectured and gave him a stern look.

  Lars got up again and found his claymore, discarded carelessly by the fabricant. "But my sword can't cut through their armour," he replied angrily.

  "You're looking with the eyes of your own world. Look through ours and tell me what you see." Loyal Crescent waved a hoof towards his guards. With their greenish-tinted claymores, they easily slashed through the metal surface of the fabricants. "You're not afraid of a little magic, are you Mr Leland?"

  Lars clutched his own claymore, his eyes fixated on it. He wet his lips nervously and hesitated with a reply.

  "No, don't even answer that," Crescent said and shook his head. "Celestia's blessings have endowed our swords. As long as she lives with the goodwill of all ponies, our swords will cut anything. Call upon your unique sword's magic and make short work of these... these machines! Do not make me repeat myself."

  Loyal Crescent joined the fray again, clutching his sword in his right hoof and running with the other three. Lars closed his eyes and rested the tip on the ground. Sweat poured from his brow as he slowly started to overcome natural fears that could only have been instilled in an early age.

  "Lend me your powers," Lars said calmly. "Please?"

  The dark blade burned in his palms but his hand was glued to it. He opened his eyes in surprise and saw that the sword was engulfed in a brilliant light. A chill wind blew and rustled his hair, seemingly coming from the blade itself. The black turned to most brilliant white with a yellow band down the sides. The hilt turned orange and an opalescent orb emerged at the bottom, grabbed by three spindly fingers.

  "Well now, isn't this interesting," a masculine voice said and gave a short, fake laughter.

  "What? Who's there?" Lars asked and looked around the plaza. Granny Smith had retreated away and all the guards were too far from him.

  "Down here of course." Though the sword had no mouth, the orb blinked in rhythm with the voice.

  "Good Lord, am I hearing things?" Lars asked concerned and clutched his head.

  "Of course you are! You're hearing my handsome voice after all."

  "How can you talk? I mean, how is this even possible?" He lifted the claymore up before his eyes but found nothing to explain what he was experiencing.

  "Is that really what you want to worry about right? Don't you have an invasion to take care of?"

  He lowered the sword again and looked up. Though the guards were outnumbered, they didn't seem to mind. With swords clenched between teeth, their hoofs wrapped around them and some even using their tails, the guards were pressing the fabricants back. Lars plunged into the battle with renewed vigour. He found an earth pony fabricant, jumped on its back and plunged the claymore into the armour. The fabricant screeched and collapsed, dead.

  A second one charged directly at him. It was a second type of fabricant based on the unicorn and looked more normal except it had spikes down its back. The tail swung and extended to pound its block-like adornment into him. Lars blocked the attack and took a step back, but the fabricant was already on him with its claws scratching at him. He kneed it in the abdomen to push it off and then lobbed the head off it.

  Another few of the fabricants met their end at his sword, their chest ripped open or split in half. His hands and front were drenched in oil when Loyal Crescent approached him again. They stood before the ruined statue with the empty shells of mechanical ponies around them.

  "Good job, Mr Leland. Well, well. Looks like the sword likes you," Crescent said and sheathed the sword into the scabbard around his belly.

  "You know about this?" Lars asked and held the claymore up.

  "Maybe a little," he replied and looked away with a grin. "You're not the first to wield that sword, let's leave it at that."

  Loyal Crescent climbed up on the cracked pedestal and looked down the yawning hole.

  "Let's not!" Lars said angrily down from the ground. "What do you know about this sword?"

  "It's a boring story really. You wouldn't much like it." Loyal Crescent's voice echoed as his head reached further and further down.

  "I'd like to be the judge of that myself! What is with my sword?"

  Loyal Crescent sighed and looked down at him again. "It's older than pony memory and many have tried to wield it over the years. They were all driven mad by power and greed. With each new owner, the sword became blacker and blacker until it was as dark as a coal miner's ass. I designed my own sword after it."

  "And you gave it to me knowing that?"

   "Haha, relax Mr Leland." Loyal Crescent dismissed Lars' fears with a wave of his hoof. "I would have killed you personally before anything like that could have happened. Now if you don't mind, I need someone to investigate this hole."

  "It spoke to me," Lars said calmly and murderously, putting the claymore away.

  "Yes, it has a habit of doing that. Don't believe everything it says, legends say it's full of hot air. Now about this hole?"

  "Forget it," Lars said and shrugged off the scabbard from his back. "The danger is over and I would like to try and celebrate this day."

  With an unseen gesture from Loyal Crescent, guards went in front of Lars to block him.

  "Please don't make me do this the hard way, Mr Leland. I just want to be your friend here." Loyal Crescent dropped down from the pedestal and calmly walked up next to Lars. He had picked up the sword again and spat it out before the human's feet. "Please?"

  The guards around him had they swords sheathed and their eyes fixed on him, but he was not for a moment in doubt of their speed. They could draw their swords before he could even blink. Lars grunted and quickly snatched the sword up again.

  "You have a strange way of showing your friendship," Lars said and hoisted the scabbard back on to his shoulders.

  "Only because you make it so difficult!" Loyal Crescent replied with a broad smile and clapped Lars on the back.

  A guard carrying a ladder strode past them and threw it down the hole. Although it was almost eight times his length, the top just barely protruded the ground. Lars had to swallow a lump as he climbed up on the plinth. The rear legs of the statue were all that was left still fastened on either side of the hole. The rest of the stone effigy was spread around the ground.

  Lars grabbed the ladder and started his descent. Before his head could disappear, a guard reached up to him with a red metal lantern in his mouth. Lars accepted it and continued downwards. The natural light quickly became a small speck above him and his only source of illumination was the small flame inside the metal and glass cage.

  "How about we do some introductions?" the aloof voice said again. Lars nearly fell off the ladder and dropped the lantern. It took awhile before the thud could be heard.

  "Great," Lars said sarcastically.

  "Oh don't worry. Anything a small lantern could do, I can do better."

   The orbed pommel exploded like a flash grenade and Lars had to clutch his face with a yelp. "ARGH. Could you maybe turn it down a little? You're glowing like a frigging mini-sun."

  "Too bright for you? How is this then?"

  The light diminished until the brown earth was again visible. He craned his neck and could see almost all the way down, as soon as the light spots disappeared.

  "I'm Greenhately," the sword said. "I'm kind of a big thing, just so you know it. Wars has been fought over me, I am just that desirable."

  "More like obnoxious," Lars muttered and resumed his climb down. "Lars Leland. I was a security officer back in my world and now I am not entirely certain how I came here."

  "We have more in common than you think then! What is up with these ponies anyway? Whoever gave them the right to be free-thinking?"

  "You're from Prima City too?" Lars asked in surprise, completely glossing over Greenhately's other statements.

  "Prima City? Never even heard of the place. Hey, I bet it can't compare to the Eastern Continent though! Does your place have an intrinsic transportation system? Or wiped out all known diseases? I didn't think so."

   A vein throbbed in Lars' temple. He dropped the rest of the way down and had a look around, feeling the walls with his hands. The tunnel was crudely made with no supports, but the dirt had been stamped smooth and slanted down. He followed it as far as it took him, until his progress was halted by a cave in. A new opening had been made on the right by a broken pillar now lodged into the wall.

  "Flimsy design made in haste... I wonder if this is even safe," he thought and slowly climbed out on the cylindrical stone structure. His breath was taken from him when he saw the enormity of the room below.

  A brown, threadbare carpet in a t-pattern grabbed for doors off to either side. Tall pillars held up the ceiling and some were even still standing. Others lay in a disorderly heap where they had fallen. The walls were part wood panels, part rough blocks of bluish grey stone. Heavy iron cast torches lined them and were still lit, illuminating the room. The sparse furniture consisted of red leather couches that had not aged well.

  "Bah, the architecture on the Eastern Continent is much more practical," Greenhately said offhandedly.

  "I don't care, this is definitely Prima City style," Lars said, almost forgetting to breathe. "This is amazing and yet... impossible. It can't be... is my world buried beneath Equestria?"

  A wild shot pierced the pillar just inches from his feet. So taken in by his discovery, he had not seen the fabricants before now. They were rather small from all the way up to his position, but they were not alone. A second species of robots fought against the fabricants, looking more like Lars but much bigger and with disproportionate limbs. They were dressed in blue boiler suits with red caps and gloves, their hands wielding guns.

  Lars had to swallow a lump. "This must be where the fabricants came from then," he muttered from his crouched advantage point. "But what is with the other machines?"

  "I know. The Eastern Continent had much better robots with power saw elbows and laser eyes," Greenhately bragged.

  "Shh! You'll reveal our location!" Lars whispered.

  Greenhately laughed arrogantly before replying. "When you talk with me, only I can hear you."

  "Really?" Lars looked around him and saw that the robots were still busy with each other. "So... I could even shout if I wanted?"

  "You COULD do that, but I would not appreciate it, boy."

  Lars straightened up and carefully stepped back into the tunnel. "So why do I even need to talk with you? Couldn't you just read my thoughts?"

  Greenhately gave an insincere laugh. "Ahaha. I was voted Mr Awesome six years in a row, not Psychic of the Decade."

  The last of the fabricants blew up in a spectacular light show that Lars gave a few seconds of interest. The human robots assumed a state of dormancy and slumped forward with no other objective in sight.

  "I have to let Loyal Crescent know about this. IM's – right below our feet... and hoofs too I guess."

CHAPTER 3 PART 2: AN ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT

  "But why not? I can't go back down there alone; I would be killed in an instant!"

  "Look at my boys, Mr Leland. This is what happened to them – out in the open and on home turf." Loyal Crescent waved his hoof around the plaza. Though they had fought to a decisive victory, there was not one guard without blood on his white coat or a dent in his armour or nursing a gash. "We are sealing that hole. It's simply too dangerous to have open."

  "But that facility could be the only clue to my past!" Lars shouted angrily and placed a flat hand on his chest. "You can't seal it until we've had a chance to investigate it!"

  "And don't you care what happens to the guards?" Crescent retorted and jabbed a hoof into Lars' abdomen. "We were lucky to get out of this with no casualties, but what about next time?"

  "I will be there and I have my magic sword. You're not thinking of your men, you just don't want me to die so you can keep exploiting me!"

  "As long as Celestia is out of town, I have supreme command over Canterlot and my word is law. That hole is getting sealed and I'd be happy to seal you away with it."

  Lars had his fist by his side, shaking with anger and ready to beat someone. Still he bit down and looked away. "Then so be it. Seal me away with it if that's what you desire. I'd much rather be back in my world down there than up here with you."

   He stormed away towards the hole again but two guards crossed their spears and blocked his path. Behind them, a carpenter unicorn was banging nails into a trap door to cover the hole. The ladder was lying on the ground behind him.

  "Please calm down," Crescent said with an air of superiority, taking off his helmet and freeing his green and white hair.

  "Let me through," Lars said angrily, his back turned to Crescent.

  "That would be wholly irresponsible of me. As stubborn a mule that you are, you are still a diplomat of your race here in Canterlot and it is my duty to ensure your safety. Even if that means I'd have to restrain you."

  Lars turned around slowly and was met with Crescent's usual, sickening grin. Lars crossed his arms in defiance and remained silent.

  "So I have your attention then? Good. I'm concerned about the Princess' safety when she returns. Could you speak with one of my informants in 'The Winged Minotaur'? He should be the only pegasus there aside from the barkeep."

  "Do it yourself," Lars snarked, but Crescent simply gave a high-pitched laughter.

  "I have another engagement that I couldn't possibly set aside, and I still have to report this event. Just go to the bar and enquire about your 'uncle's farm' and come back to me."

  Crescent stroked his hair back and put the helmet on again. He left the plaza in a hurry with his zebra lieutenant galloping up next to him. Lars waited by the guards in hopes that they would yield. Their spears remained crossed and he left with a scowl. He reached the edge of the plaza before noticing he was all alone. Granny Pie had inexplicably disappeared as well and it was only him and a few guards left. The other citizens were all celebrating elsewhere.

  "You're not lost, are you?" a familiar voice said behind him. A guard pony with a broad, welcoming smile approached him. His light purple eyes were filled with mirth and his guard uniform looked banged up.

  "Butterscotch Delight?" Lars asked, cautiously optimistic.

  "You remember me!" the guard said and grinned. "It's the eyes, isn't it? So what are we up to now?"

  "Well, Crescent has me run another one of his errands," Lars said and rolled with his eyes.

  "Come, my friend, today is a day of celebrating! Let's wrap this up quickly and I'll treat you to a mug of cider." The guard wrapped a hoof around Lars' waist and pushed him into a walk. "Tell me about this errand."

  "Getting me to the 'Winged Minotaur' will suffice. I'm meeting an informant there," Lars said, feeling anger oddly subsiding in the presence of this pony.

  "Ah, excellent choice!" Butterscotch said and nodded. "It's the most popular place in all of Canterlot. The barkeeper is a retired guard, you know."

  The streets were alive with a buzz of entertainment. Most ponies were drunk on the excitement and many were drinking and eating in abundance. The restaurants and bars they passed were all filled with singing, laughing and chatting customers. Everywhere they went a roar of noises mingled with the aromas of cooking. They had not gone far before Lars was swept away as well. A smile formed on his lips and his gait swung in rhythm with the many musicians they passed.

  The Winged Minotaur was no different with several ponies sitting outside and enjoying the sunlight. The entrance was set into the corner of the building with a narrow patio all around. Tables and chairs were lined up and the drinks flowed like blood on a battlefield. A small hallway inside had stairs in both directions and Butterscotch led him down, turning and ending in a large room. Unicorns sat around tables, trading one ludicrous story after the other. The sight of Lars made them remember tales of other creatures that were way more frightening.

  "Always a great mood here," Butterscotch said as they passed round the bar. "You should see it at night when they've got singers and performers."

  "Riveting," Lars commented in awe. A guy cracked a joke about him, making his girlfriend trying to shush him down. "Why don't you start the drinking without me? I don't want to ruin this day with another one of Crescent's wild-goose chases."

  "Hehe, don't worry about me. I planned on doing that anyway while you go about your business."

  Butterscotch clapped Lars on the back and went straight for the bar chairs. Immediately he started chatting up a female unicorn, ordering a drink for them both.

  Lars strode across the stone floor and looked from wooden table to wooden table. Nothing but unicorns as far as the eye could see. He went to the very end that was less well lit. A shady unicorn with an eyepatch offered him a game of cards but Lars ignored him. He had caught sight of his target.

  A burly pegasus sat in the far corner directly beneath a torch. His coat was like newly-shed blood and his mane like blazing fire. He was absorbed in a book and didn't put it down even as Lars took a seat opposite him.

  "I hear you can help me with my 'uncle's farm'," Lars said and placed an arm on the table while looking away.

  "Dunno what you're talking about, outlander." The pegasus flipped a page.

  "Barkeep, a round for me and my friend," Lars hollered. The barkeeper nodded and fished up two wooden mugs.

  "Who sent you?" the blood-coated pony asked with vague interest and smacked the book shut, finally looking up at Lars.

  "C," Lars replied simply, thinking back to the Black Dagger contract. The pegasus cracked up in a wide smile and laughed loudly.

  "Of course that lazy sod sent you! Brother Scream at your service," the pegasus said and slammed a hoof into the table, then added more quietly. "Don't ask me how I got that name, you don't want to know."

  "I think I can guess why," Lars commented wryly. The barkeeper came to their table and placed two mugs of foaming cider in front of them. His raspberry red mane went full circle around his face and made him look half like a lion.

  "That'll be ten bits, gentlemen."

  "On my tab, Crasher," Scream said. The barkeeper nodded and trod away again. "So, outlander, you want the weekly status report?"

  "I'm surprised. I'd have thought Crescent would do this daily," Lars said with a smile. Scream howled with laughter and banged the table so that the cider sloshed everywhere.

  "Right you are! Normally I'd say the old cat has lost his mind to paranoia, but you've got to be right sometime."

  "Are you saying someone actually IS planning to murder Celestia?" Lars took the cider to his lips, blushing the moment it entered his mouth. Again Scream laughed and slapped his knees. "Mmm. Not bad."

  "Good stuff, isn't it! But in all seriousness, yes," he said and wiped his eyes with a hoof. "I'm not sure who is behind it or why, but they'll strike soon. I'm sure of it."

  Lars took another swig of his mug. "And you know this how?"

  "A little trade secret," Scream replied and tapped his nose. "Now run along back to Crescent's lap. I'm sure he'll give you a treat for this."

  An eyelid twitched nervously as Lars put the half-emptied mug away. To his surprise, Butterscotch was no longer sitting at the bar. The young unicorn was being hit on by another, more inebriated guy. Lars looked around but could see Butterscotch nowhere. He went all the way out into the street before a guard approached him.

  "Did you find anything?" he asked, making Lars jump from surprise.

  "Don't sneak up on me like that," Lars replied and clutched his chest. "Well, Brother Scream wasn't exactly much help. He just said that assassins were planning an attack, nothing concrete."

  "Yes, I heard something like that as well," Butterscotch said quietly. "We've seen a few Black Dagger defectors over the last few days. Some of them can be quite informative if you know how to ask."

  "That bunch is still in business?" Lars asked surprised. "I thought for sure they would dissolve after I killed their leader."

   Butterscotch shook his head. "Walk with me," he said and started up the street. The castle lay at the opposite end. "Yes, but their new leader hasn't been able to hold on to them very well. They plan to make it or break it with this one."

  "Well I'm not going to let them get away again," Lars said and cracked his knuckles. "We should tell Loyal Crescent immediately so he can prepare a welcome for them."

  "No!" Butterscotch said and jerked his head towards Lars. As Lars recoiled in surprise, Butterscotch quickly continued. "I mean, they can smell a trap from miles away. That's how they survived for this long."

  "Okay, what do you suggest instead?" Lars asked and relaxed in his body. Butterscotch was quiet for a time before turning into an alley off the street. He stopped up and leant in closer, his eyes investigating their surroundings.

  "I hear it said that the assassins will ambush the Princess in her chambers. Hide in there and surprise them back."

  "But I can't do anything on my own if there's a lot of them," Lars said and crouched down.

  "Don't worry. 'He' wouldn't be able to bring that many with him on this mission." Butterscotch wrapped a hoof around Lars to bring their heads closer and their voices lower.

  "And by 'he', you mean that snotty brat I held hostage?" Lars enquired to which Butterscotch nodded.

  "Handsome Masquerade was the second in command before you killed their leader. He will infiltrate the castle soon but he's young and inexperienced at leading. Kill him too and the Black Daggers are sure to fall apart."

  Butterscotch broke free and waved farewell as he quickly vanished into the crowd. Lars got up again and went the other direction; back up towards the castle with wonderment furrowing his brows. "How do you know which pony I held hostage?" he muttered.

  Lars entered the castle fifteen minutes later only to realise he had no idea of where to go. The halls snaked off in every direction and each one branched off into several others. There were plenty of ponies wandering around the entrance hall, mostly guards and assorted servants, which he could ask for help. His suspicion of each and every one of them prevented him however, until he saw Granny Pie.

  "Granny!" Lars called out and rushed up towards her. She sat behind her desk by the entrance and looked up from a book when he called out to her. "Are you all right? You just vanished from the plaza."

  "I'm terribly sorry, dearie." Granny took out a rag and levitated it to rub Lars' cheeks. "The Captain tasked me with informing the Princess of the attack. She's rushing home this instant."

  "Good call, but I still need to figure out how the Black Daggers fit into all of this. That attack with all the fabricants seem somehow too elaborate for them... Will you knock that off!" he finally said and yanked the rag out of its spell and placed it down on the counter.

  "Is something the matter?" she asked and put the cloth back into her shawl. "You didn't catch something down in that dreadful hole?"

  "No! I mean, no, that's not it. Look, there's no time to explain. The Black Daggers are planning to assassinate the Princess so I have to find her chambers immediately."

  Granny pushed her half-glasses up on her nose and pointed down the left hall. "The Princess lives in a room at the far end of the west section. Why don't I show you, dearie?"

  "I know I should turn down your offer, but I'm pressed for time," he said and bit his lip. "Fine, just don't hang around. The Black Daggers do not fool around."

  She dropped down from her stool and went ahead of him. The halls were long and seldom unadorned. Enormous paintings hung from floor to ceiling and either displayed a scene from the ancient past or a prominent pony of history. The floor was marbled as anywhere else and often furnished with carpets and stands or cabinets of some kind. They came to a staircase of finest dark brown wood, creaking from centuries of usage.

  They met only the occasional untroubled guard. Most of them greeted Granny Pie heartily, commenting her or throwing a remark her way. They also tipped their helmets at Lars but otherwise remained silent to him. The upper floors had a breathtaking view of the gardens, the windows larger than him and with heavy curtains hugging the edges.

  Granny Pie eventually stopped before a pair of ornately carved oaken doors. She took a set of keys from her shawl, flicked through the bundle and inserted the correct one. The doors creaked opened slowly and warmth flowed out into the cold hall. A bright fire burned in a hearth along with a few torches along the walls. Drapes and rugs ensured a cosy feeling and Lars stepped inside.

  "I'm sure she won't mind if you sit on her bed," Granny said and smiled motherly at him.

  "Great. Could you lock the door behind me? I don't want to alert the assassins," Lars said, unable to take his eyes off the splendour. The doors were surrounded by a green aura and closed shut. The lock clicked, followed by her hooves echoing back down the hall.

  As instructed, Lars said down on the bed, a soft, round arrangement of pillows and drapes. His cheeks suddenly began to burn and he clutched the fabric of his legs nervously.

  "Even smells like her," he commented, too embarrassed to do anything but sit very still and feeling foolish. Time dragged on in snail pace and all he could get himself to do was study the room from his sitting position. His eyes fell on the only painting. It caught his interest particularly from the portrayed pony's inclusion of both wings and a horn.

  She had a stern look on her face, her coat darkest blue and hair waving on an unpainted breeze. The background was cast in darkness with a large moon illuminating the mare. "The ruler of the Sun... and the ruler of the Moon?"

  He spent the rest of the time transfixed on the painting, his hands in his lap. He made a mental note to inquire further about it when he heard the lock click again. Tiptoeing across the fuzzy carpet, he placed himself behind the door on his left. Hushed voices carried through the cracks.

  "I can't believe how easy this is," a masculine voice said.

  "The Princess has grown lax over the years of security," a familiar one replied. "Will you just hurry it up?"

  The right door swung open and a black-robed pony entered with a dagger in his mouth. He didn't see Lars pressed up against the other door. The human smacked his hand down on the dagger, forcing it out of the assassin's mouth. The pony looked up but got a prompt elbow to the face. He staggered back and fell to the ground.

  A second assassin galloped inside. Lars drew his sword and whacked him over the head with the blunt side. The assassin slumped to the floor, unconscious. The third leapt just behind the second. Lars just had time to parry the dagger.

  "This must be my lucky day," the assassin said with stoic calm and landed back in the doorway. It was indeed the one he had held hostage, with a hunter green coat and long magenta mane down his neck and the sides of his face. "I get to assassinate the Princess AND the human on the same mission."

  One of the assassins groaned, clutching his bleeding nose.

  "Why is it so important for you to do this?" Lars asked and rested the tip of his claymore on the ground.

  "The Black Daggers were not the same after you killed our beloved leader." Masquerade wrapped his hoof around the dagger with murderous calm. "We will either make it or break it with this mission."

  "Well I won't allow you to kill the Princess!" Lars bellowed and spread his legs apart, hands tightly gripping the sword.

  "Oh, I'm sure you won't mind after I kill you."

   Masquerade jumped again and Lars awkwardly guarded himself. The claymore was large and unwieldy, his movements burdened. It was all he could do to keep himself alive. Masquerade was much quicker, vaulting around him and slashing, alternating between dagger in mouth and hoof.

  "You think you have an advantage," said a lofty voice in his head. "'My sword's bigger than his,' is that what you're thinking?"

  "Greenhately, this is neither the time nor the place," Lars said frustrated as his sword smashed into the floor. The resulting vibrations nearly shook it out of his hands and made the painting fall to the ground.

  "You have a magic sword at your disposal. Use its magic!" Greenhately encouraged.

  Masquerade stabbed at Lars who took a step back. "I know about magic, not how to use it," he countered and sliced the air sideways where Masquerade had been.

  "Let yourself go and feel my hands upon yours." Goosebumps erupted on Lars' arms as something or someone brushed up against them. Rather than aiding, the spooky feeling unsettled him and allowed Masquerade to bump Lars into the nightstand. "Taka. I told you to let yourself go."

  A lamp fell off and broke only inches from his face. He quickly rolled to avoid the dagger and leapt to his feet. "Well maybe if you didn't feel me up my arms!" he responded angrily and swung the claymore horizontally.

  "I would never!" Greenhately said affronted as Masquerade somersaulted backwards. The claymore continued into the nightstand and splintered the spindly thing to kindle. "You will not win your fights if you don't allow me to help you."

  "Just shut up! There's a reason swords aren't supposed to talk!" Lars lunged forward with the claymore like a lance and forced Masquerade to back away through the door. His tangled tail suddenly began to glow and lifted him up. The unexpected burst of magic forced the dagger out of his mouth as he gasped.

  Lars stopped his momentum shortly before Celestia. Her horn glowed in the same blue colour as Masquerade's tail. The rest of him struggled to get free, kicking and punching into the air, but Celestia pinned him up against the yellow plaster ceiling.

   Guards accompanying her streamed past Lars and into the bedroom while Masquerade was dropped to the floor. Two more guards threw themselves on top of him and attached a ring to his horn.

  "Your effort was unnecessary, but greatly appreciated," Celestia said, more serious than last they had met. "Thank you, Lars Leland."

  Lars sheathed the claymore on his back and fell backwards against the wall. "What do you mean, unnecessary?" he asked and clutched his face tiredly. Two guards carried the other assassins out of the chamber with impassive faces and nodded at the Princess.

  "I have lived a long time and I have learnt how to defend myself. This is not the first attempt at my life, so please don't do something this reckless again," she said and strode into her bedroom.

  "I apologise... also for the mess," he said and massaged his sore upper arms.

  "Think nothing of it," she replied serenely. Her horn glowed again and the nightstand debris separated.

  Lars picked up the painting that had fallen in the struggle. It glowed blue and jumped to its nail in the wall. A mournful smile passed Celestia's lips for a moment. He took notice of it but didn't bring it up. He got a feeling it was something best left alone and started for the door again.

  "Leaving without your reward?" she asked and retrieved something from the broken wood of her nightstand. A necklace flew up into the air and landed around Lars' neck. "Wear it and move swiftly and silently."

  "Thank you, Princess," he said and bowed to her. He felt its weight in his hand and studied it. It was extravagant, a golden cross with a large green stone covering it and a smaller red embossed into the first.

  "I have no need of it, a useless collar from another time. May it serve you as well as it has me."

  Lars looked up from the necklace and to Celestia and back again. Unsure what to say, he instead nodded and left. He went out of the castle again and across the plaza. He looked up at the square building where the vines attempted to block out the white coat on the bricks. The barrack was as always crowded with chatting ponies. An elderly unicorn with a wide-brimmed straw hat talked about her purse being stolen. The guard wrote down a description of the culprit.

  He went into the side room on the right and up the stairs, down the corridor and into the large room with a raised platform in the middle. He went up the steps but Loyal Crescent was nowhere to be seen. Instead sat a mint green filly on the red stone floor and played with a toy pony. She looked up with inquisitive eyes shining at Lars' erect shape. He in turn looked down at her with no less sense of curiosity.

  "Hey there little one. I'm looking for Loyal Crescent, maybe you know him?"

  The filly clutched her stuffed doll tight and remained vigilant. Lars sat down on the bench behind her and stretched out.

  "You know, I have a daughter probably around your age. Her favourite toy was also a doll." Lars groped around his suit, up and down his torso and down the legs, before retrieving a human effigy with a blue dress and buttons for eyes. He leant forward and held out the doll. "I could never make anything this delicate, but it was nothing to her mom. It was her favourite toy in the whole world and she would never sleep without it."

  "Then why do you have it?" a deep voice from behind asked. Loyal Crescent stepped out from behind a bush.

  "She gave it to me when I went on my mission," Lars said and put it back. The filly followed it with her eyes, but what fascinated her most was the real human.

  "I see. Lyra, if I've told you once, I've told you a million times. Wait in my office and stay there. Don't just go wandering off by yourself," Crescent scolded.

  "Sorry," Lyra said and bit into her doll, freeing her limbs for running through the park to the back of the room.

   "She looks so much like me, but by Celestia she takes after her mom." Crescent wiped his face and lay down next to Lars on the bench. "Well, what brings you here since you took care of the whole affair by yourself? And why are you giggling?"

  "Sorry," Lars said and coughed slightly. "Just not used to see you so human. Or whatever the pony equivalent is."

  "Ehehe, very funny. Make this quick, won't you? Her mother's going to pick her up again in a few days."

  Lars grabbed his kneecaps and looked down at the ground before him. "Did you send the Black Daggers to kill or banish me?"

  The suddenness of such a serious question took Crescent by surprise and he was silent for a long moment. "Would my reply matter to you? You already seem certain of the answer."

  "Then, do you know the names of all your guards?" Lars asked and looked up.

  "Naturally. What kind of captain would I be if I didn't?" Crescent rubbed his chest plate proudly, the dark moon shining brightly.

  "Do you have a pony in your employ by the name of Butterscotch Delight?"

  "What is this all about?" Crescent retorted.

  "Did you provide me with a guide?" Lars pressed.

  "No. Are you telling me this Butterscotch Delight has pretended to be a royal guard in order to guide you around Canterlot?"

  "You didn't think it odd how I could find my way on my own?"

  "Well, no. If you needed a guide, I assumed you would have asked for one."

  "Goddammit," Lars said and pounded a clenched fist into his thigh. "That son of a bitch has been leading me around the nose, probably drove me right into the goblin's arms."

  "Mind your tone, Mr Leland. I assure you, it is absolutely impossible to pass for a guard without my knowledge," Crescent said calmly as Lars got up on his feet.

  "How? The magic of the armour makes you all look alike, no?" he stated heatedly. His rage was palpable with fists and voice shaking.

  "Ah, but HOW would he have gotten the armour?" Crescent said with a wink to his eye. "No one has reported their armour stolen and we only have as many as we have guards."

  "I... I don't know." Lars looked away. It seemed for a moment that he would lash out. His nails dug into his palms and broke the skin, making little drops of blood stain his hands. Loyal Crescent was collected in his demeanour but his gaze like stone. At last Lars unclenched his fingers and stormed out.

  "I'll look into it," Crescent called after him, but Lars slammed the door shut on his way out.

CHAPTER 3 PART 3: CELESTIA'S CHAMPION

  Lars' hand was lying on the armrest and the sleeve of his outfit rolled up. A young unicorn with a red coat sat next to him and drew a replica in great details. The pencil skidded across the paper like a deer on ice but the result was a vivid depiction of his limb. On his left side sat an older unicorn with an indigo coat and took notes.

  "So that covers the basics of your society," the older pony stated and dotted the page hard. He ripped it off the notepad and added it to a small pile on the table next to him. "We will go into greater detail later, but I think the readers would also be interested in knowing a little about you."

  "Hmm," Lars replied and tapped his stubbly chin. "I'm married?"

  "Yes, yes, good angle!" the pony said and scribbled furiously. "What's her name? Any children? How did you meet?"

  "Slow down!" Lars said and chuckled. He carried on with a slight cough. "Her name's Charlotte and we met when I was stationed on the Virgin Islands. There had been some disturbances so they sent a small detail of officers to gauge the situation. It was my night off and there she was at a bar. She was so beautiful I had to fight off the other recruits just to get a date. The way she smiled would make your heart melt. We were married three months later. And we have a daughter, Diane. Hold on."

  Lars reached into his pockets and found a small picture crinkled from use. "I had a hard copy made as a precaution. She was only two when I left them for my mission." Lars stood more cleanly shaved, holding a little girl in his arms and with a big grin on his face. Charlotte had her arm around him and kissed his cheek. Diane seemed reluctant to sit still and struggled out of Lars grip. She looked like her mother with long red hair but had the unruly behaviour of her father.

  "Flex your muscles," the younger unicorn said. Lars tightened his arm, making his biceps more prominent.

  "Don't you miss them?" the older one asked. A serene smile passed Lars' face as he clutched the picture tightly. His eyes were lost in the lantern dangling from the ceiling for a long moment before answering.

  "Of course I do. I was travelling through space for so many years; Diane would be a woman when I would see her again. But I had no regrets when I accepted the mission and I would gladly do it again." He turned towards the older pony with a determined smile. "I WILL find a way to get back. Whatever happened on the spaceship, however I got here, it doesn't matter. It's the thought of reuniting with my family that drives me through Equestria."

  The older pony made a few notes with his floating pencil. "This mission into space, what was it about?"

  Lars opened his mouth to answer but the door gently creaked opened and Granny Pie entered. A tray with tea and biscuits hovered above her head, caught in the lime green aura projecting from her horn. It gently landed on the table between stacks of papers and sketches. The teapot and two saucers ejected from the tray and landed in front of the ponies hard at work.

  "I hope I'm not disturbing you gentlecolts," she said, beaming at them all.

  "Not at all, ma'am," the older pony said and poured himself a cup.

  "Yeah, we've been working pretty hard all day," the younger one chimed in. Granny Pie hoofed them both a plate and served them biscuits before turning to Lars at the other end of the table.

  "Dearie, the Princess requests your presence in the throne room immediately."

  "Oh? What about?" he enquired curiously and rolled up the sleeve.

  "She wouldn't say, just that it was important."

  Lars looked at the unicorns while stuffing the picture back into the fabrics of his uniform.

  "It's okay," the older one said with a nod. "You've been very helpful. Hopefully we can get the book assembled quickly."

  "You're welcome, Crimson Warning." Lars took a biscuit from the glass bowl and bit into the cookie pony. "And Charmer, please the get the terms right this time. Humans have hands, not hoofs."

  The young pony smiled sheepishly. As Lars hurried out the door, he caught a glimpse of Charmer rubbing the title of his illustration with an eraser.

  Lars had his hands full of cookie animals that he nibbled on along the way. He had to descend a few stairs and then cross a plaza from the royal library. When he stood before the gilded doors of the throne room, he had only crumbs left. He paused to brush them off, looking up when he heard voices escaping the cracks. He could not help but listen and inched closer.

  "With all due respect, Your Highness, I must protest your decision!" It was the voice of Loyal Crescent and he sounded agitated. "I urge you to reconsider your decision."

  "I have my reasons, Crescent Heartstrings." Celestia was otherwise calm but firm.

  "It's because of the human, is it not? Why else would you want to risk my guards for this foolish endeavour... with all due respect."

  "You'll find out once Lars Leland stops eavesdropping and enters the room."

  The guards on each side of the door snickered but quickly quieted when Lars looked up at them in surprise. Their unyielding faces offered no answers to the questions he may have had about the Princess knowing he was there. He dusted the last of the crumbs off on his legs and pushed the doors open. It was just Loyal Crescent at the foot of Celestia's throne. He had his air of dignified calm around him mixed with an uncertain amount of suppressed hostility.

  "To what do I owe the honour, my kind benefactor?" Lars asked with a wink in his eyes and went up next to Crescent.

  "You are too kind. I hope you have been well?" Celestia asked with a smile. Lars nodded slightly and her face hardened. "A mysterious disease is afflicting my city," she said gravely. Her many-coloured mane waved like a flag in a breeze. "Ponies are unwilling to do their job. They have become listless and unmotivated and I fear the worst."

  "Your Highness, it's only a few days after Summer Sun Celebration," Crescent interjected and shifted the weight on his hooves. He put a helmet with a comb like his green-white hair down on the ground and rested his hoof on it. "It's only hangovers."

  "I wouldn't be so certain," Lars said with some concern. "Three days of lethargy is a long time and sound much like the onset of Crimson Plague."

  "Crimson Plague? How could a disease from your time possibly be here in Equestria?" Crescent scoffed and looked at Lars.

  "It must be coming from the hole..." he said and stared off into the distance. Darkness was overtaking the sunlight outside and the torches around the walls burst into flame. "I suppose the facility could have had specimens of the disease on cool. The fabricants must have disturbed them."

  "I was thinking the same thing," Celestia said in a serious tone, her eyebrows furrowed. "Is there a way to stop this Crimson Plague?"

  Lars shook his head. "We tried to find a cure for fifty years, Princess. The old and the sick were the first to die. We eventually had no choice but to look to the stars for a new home."

  "Then we must act quickly." She turned to Crescent Heartstrings, her voice hardening. "Go into the hole and find the source of this disease. Stop it if you can."

  "Yes, Your Highness," Crescent said and bowed with a hoof to his chest. "But I do not think that Mr Leland should be accompanying me."

  "And why the Hell not? That facility is from my world. You'll be lost without me!" Lars retaliated and angrily neared Crescent, but Celestia shone her horn. Its brilliant light divided them and filled them with calm.

   "This mission is too dangerous for a civilian," she interjected.

  "But I'm a soldier!" Lars exclaimed and gripped his chest instinctively. "I practically had the same position as Crescent!"

  "And whose word other than your own do we have for that?" Crescent asked smugly.

  "Enough, both of you!" Celestia said, her horn glowing to a more frightening effect that made the windows clatter. "Lars Leland, there is still one way I could allow you to join the expedition."

  "What is it?" Lars asked and went down on one knee.

  "You can become my champion."

  The silence was all the more accentuated by her outburst only seconds prior. There was not a trace of humour to be found on her face either. None of the gathered dared speak up for long moments until Loyal Crescent finally took a step forward.

  "Your Majesty, the champion is an archaic title and has no relevance today!" he protested.

  "I am aware of that," Celestia said and looked down at them sternly. "But there is one thing that such a title will still bestow upon its wielder. Military authority."

  "All right, so I become your champion and I'll go with him. How do I do that then?" Lars asked and got up again, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.

  Loyal Crescent chuckled at the question for a moment before bursting into laughter. "Mr Leland, the only way to attain that title is by beating me, or a substitute of my choosing, in a duel."

  "I have to... duel you? With swords?" Lars looked stupefied from one to the other in hopes of being pranked.

  "Or any weapon of your choosing," Crescent said casually. "But you will not be duelling me, no. I call upon my right for a substitute and I choose my lieutenant – Karrod."

  "Then it's settled," Celestia said ceremoniously, her authority shining more and more through. "Tomorrow at noon Crescent Heartstrings will be off with a small detail. The matter of championship will be settled two hours earlier."

  Crescent equipped his helmet and turned to leave with a self-satisfied grin on his face. "Good luck, Mr Leland. You will need it. Karrod has never lost to anypony before."

  "Maybe not anypony. But how about anyone?" Lars muttered and waited for him to leave before turning towards the Princess. "Celestia, what happens if I fail?"

  "Nothing," she said tiredly and lay down her head in her lap. "But I would not be able to guarantee your freedom if you entered that hole."

  "Is everything all right?" Lars started up the stairs but Celestia closed her eyes.

  "It's nothing. I'm just a little tired." Lars lingered so Celestia reassured him. "Really. Now be on your way, you have an important date tomorrow."

  He nodded and left the room, wandering down to the foyer and outside in his own thoughts. The mountain air was fresh and crisp, the sun slowly setting and casting its dying lights over the city. The boundary between castle and city was fluent and though Lars didn't register where he was going, his feet carried him to a park he had seen a few days prior. Monkeys and birds fled as his feet stalked the grass. There he unsheathed the claymore and held the tip to the ground.

  His hand caressed the blade while the waning light shone down upon it. Though the surface felt like metal it looked like stone and it cast no shadow, only the hilt. It was of it the light was swallowed whole by the blade. "What have I gotten myself into?" he said and turned the sword to see if any part of it would reflect the Sun's rays. There was no one around to reply, so he looked up at expansive sky. "Will I ever see you again? And am I even doing the right thing?"

  "You certainly are inquisitive," the voice of Greenhately said. "You know, I could guarantee your victory tomorrow."

  "How so?" Lars swung the sword around, each slash of the air bringing him out of balance.

  "Allow me to help you."

  Goosebumps crept up Lars' arms, spooking his hands into releasing the claymore. "At least warn me before you're going to do that," he said angrily and rubbed his arms to make the feeling go away.

  "This is going to be a long night," Greenhately said with a deep sigh.

  "Why do you even want to help me?" Lars asked and picked up the sword again. "No offence, but you're a living sword. What's in it for you?"

  "It's been so long since hands have held me. If just for the short period of your life that you will feed me the blood of your enemies, I couldn't ask for more. Who knows, you might even be able to wield me."

  "Aren't I wielding you already?" The goosebumps returned, but this time he bit it in. The sword instantly felt lighter so Lars gave it a few twirls. His movements were fluid as he spun, jumped, stabbed and slashed.

  "I am NOT just a sword. It takes much more than simply picking me up, I assure you."

  "You seem to have the hang of it, dearie." Lars diverted his attention for but a second and the sword lodged itself in a tree. "Or not," Granny Pie chuckled.

  "Hey!" Lars said happily and put a foot to the tree in hopes of yanking out the sword. "What are you doing here?"

  "I heard about your little duel tomorrow and thought you might need some help," she replied and bit into his suit. With the joined effort, the sword suddenly slithered out so Lars lost his balance and tripped.

  "I'll accept all the help I can get. I just picked up my first sword less than a week ago and now I'm already going up against someone beyond my experience." He got up and patted his bum.

  "The guards aren't to fear, not even Loyal Crescent or his lieutenant," Granny Pie said and walked around him. "It's the paladins you ought to worry about."

  Lars ran a hand through his sticky brow and let slip a deep puff of air. "Even so, I need to get into that facility. There might be technology down there that can get me home."

  "Then how do you feel about taking advantage of your opponent's weakness?" Even through Granny's wrinkles, a young mare smiled slyly out at him. He couldn't help but grin as he rested the hand on his face.

  "What, like cheating?"

  "Nothing like it!" She looked around the garden. The animals peeked out of their hiding spots and stared uncomprehending at them. "I know for a fact that Karrod doesn't sleep in the barracks along with the other guards."

  "Yeah?" he asked, curious about where this old pony was going.

  "The lieutenant actually sleeps in the inn above the Winged Minotaur. Sometimes he pays a mare for company."

  "And how do you know this?"

  "I used to dance there in my younger days."

  Lars snorted with laughter and stood back up again. "Is that the reason why you don't speak with your son anymore?" He instantly regretted his choice of words. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to –"

  "It's okay," she said, again sounding like a frail old mare. "I still keep in contact with Rain Crasher, the barkeeper. I could convince him to send Karrod's favourite girl up to his room and keep him entertained through the night?"

  "So he would be tired tomorrow... You sure this isn't cheating?" Lars asked sarcastically and picked up his claymore again.

  "With everything Loyal Crescent has done to you so far? I'd rather call it evening the odds a little."

  "I'll take that. Yeah, sure, why not!"

  The animals scampered away again as the sword cut through the air again. Granny Pie left him and he was alone with the disembodied voice.