Virgo pushed open the doors to the great Fort Canterlot, headquarters for the Solar-Maria. The great facility was easily mistaken for a castle; In fact, there was a legend that the Maker herself took up residence in Canterlot Castle, which would later become the Maria's F.O.B.
Virgo marched through the halls, past the swarm of his fellow soldiers. He saluted those who were a higher rank than he, and nodded to his subordinates. He had no time for small talk among his equals, he rarely did. Virgo moved with purpose for a while before stopping in front of the huge chamber that had been dubbed The Throne Room. He pushed open the door and stepped in.
The walls were actually great big mosaic windows, the stained glass painting out the shining white coat and maroon mane of the Maker. There were a dozen mosaics on each side of the room, each displaying the Maker in all of her shining glory. General Celestia was near the back of the room, inspecting the mosaic that was farthest from the door and on the right.
"General Celestia." said Virgo. Celestia turned, with a small look of surprise on her face. It was a common occurrence for her to get lost in thought while gazing into the Maker's eyes.
"Ah. Lt. Col. Virgo. How are things?" asked Celestia.
"Where is General Luna? I was under the impression that I would be reporting to you at the same time." said Virgo.
"My sister is currently on a mission that came up rather suddenly. I assure you, you can report to me just as you would if Luna were here." said Celestia. Virgo met General Celestia's gaze uneasily. Virgo knew that Celestia was much less kind in regard to failure than her sister and, while Virgo didn't technically fail, he wasn't sure how Celestia would react.
"I met with Twilight Sparkle. When I offered her a position in our ranks, she refused." said Virgo. Celestia's face fell into a scowl, and Virgo felt the need to try to make her a little happier. "However…"
"However?"
"However, she will accept. Eventually." said Virgo.
"We do not have 'eventually', Virgo. We are at war." snarled Celestia.
"Yes, but Twilight Sparkle is a very devoted pony. She is not the type to just drop her loyalties." explained Virgo. "And we can't force her to join. Twilight Sparkle will only be useful to us if she defects on her own accord. But I promise you, she will. Is there anything I can do in the meantime?"
"Are you aware of our plan to take Ponyville?" asked Celestia. Virgo nodded. "It is of the utmost importance that we secure Ponyville, as well as the Everfree Forest. In order to do this, we must eliminate certain prestigious targets. You will be leading a squad made up of you and three others. You will eliminate these targets to ensure the success of our attack on Ponyville."
"Yes, ma'am. Who are the other three I am to work with?" asked Virgo. This time, it was Celestia who looked uneasy.
"I do not know their names, but Luna promises me that they are they are three of the best soldiers we have." said Celestia delicately. "One is a unicorn, one is a pegasus, and one… is an Earth Pony."
Virgo's eyes grew wide in complete shock. If he were talking to anyone other than General Celestia, he might've started shouting indignations. He tried to get together the words to refuse without being disrespectful.
"I will be damned for eternity if I serve alongside such filth." said Virgo. "The Maker would never forgive me for such a sin."
"Normally, I would agree with you. However…" said Celestia.
"However?"
"However, she is a special Earth Pony. She was born with the Maker's mark." explained Celestia. "Not like the ones before her. This is a sign from God. We must use her to serve God's will."
"No disrespect, ma'am, but what if you're wrong?"
"Then it is I who shall be damned, not you. You will be serving your superiors under the knowledge that it is God's work. If I am wrong, I am to blame for lying."
"Very well." sighed Virgo. "Where shall I find them?"
"I gave them orders to await for you at our base in a settlement to the southeast, by the name of Appleloosa." said Celestia. "I trust that you can ignore your soldier's unfortunate birthing?"
"If that is what the Maker wants of me." said Virgo, shaking his head. "Permission to teleport?"
"Granted. They have directions to brief you upon your arrival. Good luck, Virgo." said Celestia. Virgo saluted Celestia one last time before shrouding his horn in orange light. The light collapsed on him with a pop, and he vanished from the Throne Room.
Virgo stepped out of his teleportation, surveying his barracks. He stepped off of his cot and grabbed his armor off of the rack. He slipped into his golden leggings, the soft leather inside hugging his body, before sliding into his boots. He hovered his cuirass off of the hook, untying it with his magic. When the chestplate was split from the backplate, Virgo began his prayer.
"Don the Holy Armor that God has gifted unto thee, to guard thy faith and thy honor." said Virgo, pressing the front plate of gold to his chest. He tied the back to the front, covering his entire midsection in golden armor. Virgo grabbed his belt of pouches and knives, and strapped it around his waist. Below his armor rack was his sheathed shortsword, which he attached to his hip.
"Draw the Holy Blade that God has gifted unto thee, to defend thy faith and thy honor." said Virgo. "Thou art a soldier of the Maker, an elite guard of her will, made from her own flesh. Thou shalt protect thine ideals from those who wish to sin against Her might and Her wisdom."
Virgo let out a small puff of breath. His prayer, as it usually did, filled him with vigor and fire. Just the knowledge that he was serving his god was enough to push him through anything.
"We are the Maker's soldiers. We will chase her through flames. We shall be the ones to execute the sinners, and I shall tie the noose." he said. His horn was surrounded in orange light, and he vanished yet again.
Virgo reappeared before three mares, sitting outside of a small fort near what Virgo took to be the center of the settlement. The mares stood up immediately and saluted. One was a cyan pegasus, her eyes a sharp magenta. The other was a pure white unicorn with bright, piercing blue eyes. The last was a freckled orange Earth Pony, emerald green shining in her eyes. Virgo gazed at each of his troops, and their equipment. The pegasus had a quiver of arrows on her back and quiver of crossbow bolts on her hip. She held a long bow slung over her shoulder, and her crossbow was in her left hand. The unicorn had what appeared to be a modified claymore strapped to her back, about half the size of the standard blade. Virgo guessed it was so the mare could swing it more effectively. In her left hand was a round, steel shield.
The Earth Pony seemed to be at a severe disadvantage when compared to her teammates. While the unicorn's armor was golden, and the pegasus' was cerulean steel, the Earth Pony wore dented, rusted iron armor. Her weapon was a dusty, dull-pointed morning star.
"Before anything gets done, I would like to see the mark for myself." said Virgo. The Earth Pony nodded and silently started untying her chestpiece. The armor fell off of her when both strings were undone. She pulled her tunic down slightly to show the Maker's mark, two horseshoes overlayed and tilted into a heart, over her breast. Virgo leaned forward to get a closer look. Unlike the other "Maker's marks" he'd seen before, this did not seem painted on, or scratched in. As General Celestia said, it seemed a genuine mark that had plagued the mare's chest since birth.
"Very well. Replace your armor." said Virgo. The mare stooped down and started to get redressed. Virgo turned to the unicorn. "You there, miss. Your name and rank?"
"Lieutenant Rarity, sir!" she said, saluting again.
"Pegasus?" asked Virgo.
"Second Lieutenant Rainbow Dash, sir!" she said. She saluted just as Rarity had. Virgo sighed and turned to the Earth Pony.
"And what does your master call you?" asked Virgo. The Earth Pony opened her mouth, looked at Rarity, then closed it again. "Answer me!"
"Private Applejack." she said after a while. She saluted stiffly. "Sir!"
"Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack the Earth Pony." said Virgo. "Rarity and Dash, my name is Lt. Col. Virgo. Earth Pony, you are to refer to me as Master Virgo. Understood?"
"Sir, yes, sir!" said the three in tandem.
"General Celestia has informed me that one of you would be briefing me. We have no time to waste, so let's go." said Virgo. His team stood quiet. Virgo stared at Rarity, who shook her head vigorously. He turned his questioning gaze onto Rainbow Dash, who shrugged her shoulders.
"Nopony knows what we're supposed to be doing here?" asked Virgo angrily. He was so frustrated that he didn't notice Applejack to his right, struggling to get words out. "How are we supposed to carry out the Maker's will if none of you can pay attention to our superiors?"
"Sir?" said Rainbow Dash. "General Celestia didn't give me any information."
"Nor I, sir." agreed Rarity.
"Then who did she tell?" asked Virgo. Understanding dawned on him, and he slowly turned to face Applejack. "Are you withholding information from me, Earth Pony?"
Applejack slowly nodded. Virgo slapped her across the face with the back of his hand as hard as he could, knocking the mare to the ground. Her helmet flew to the side, revealing a head of dirty, greasy blonde hair.
"What did Celestia tell you?" asked Virgo. "Answer me, filth!"
"We're lookin fer an Earth Pony by tha name of Brute Strength." she said finally. She rose to her hooves and wiped the blood from her nose. "They call him 'Tha Beast from tha East'. He's holed up in Baltimare. He fights with a flail and greatshield, and his armor is bout three times as heavy as standard Heart gear. Makes him harder ta hurt, but easier ta dodge. He likes ta work real lonesome-like, so we shouldn't worry too much bout reinforcements. That's bout it. Sir!"
"Why did you think you could withhold that sort of information?" asked Virgo.
"Ah'm sorry, sir. Ah ain't know what ta do. Never had more than one master givin me orders before." she said.
"Who else was giving you orders?"
"Lt. Rarity. She told me ta 'shut mah inbred mouth' or Ah'd be sorry." explained Applejack.
"In my defense, sir, I am deeply offended and insulted to be working alongside this filth." said Rarity. "And then it started to talk and I thought that I might have to end up killing it."
"From now on, it will be I who gives the orders." said Virgo. "Earth Pony, you will obey all of our orders, but you will obey mine first. If I give you an order that goes against what somepony else said, follow my order. Am I clear?"
"Sir, yes, sir!" said the mares.
"Very good. Before we move out, I want to see Cutie Marks and hear of any useful skills." ordered Virgo. The mares dropped to the ground and pulled off their boots and leggings. Rarity's Cutie Mark was a trio of diamonds. Dash's was a multicolored lightning bolt, while Applejack's was a set of three apples.
"I have the ability to uncover objects hidden beneath the Earth's surface." said Rarity. "My primary jobs before today involved discovering, removing, and disabling enemy traps."
"Which will certainly come in handy." said Virgo. "Dash?"
"I'm fast." said Rainbow simply.
"How fast exactly?"
"One time, I raced a lightning bolt to the ground. I won." bragged Dash. "In five seconds, I can draw and fire my bow six or seven times."
"Very impressive. And the Earth Pony?" asked Virgo.
"Mah talent is-" began Applejack.
"Besides brute strength, her only other skill is the ability to mate with her own brother." said Rarity. The unicorns burst into laughter, and even Rainbow Dash chuckled a bit. Applejack wasn't too disturbed. She was very used to mistreatment, either from her owners or her colleagues.
"Ah don't have too many skills that we could use in fights." said Applejack. "Fore General Luna came fer me, Ah worked on an apple farm. It made me strong, but that's bout it. Ah can lift nearly twice mah weight."
"Which is quite a bit." shot Rarity.
"Enough. It's time for us to go." said Virgo. "We will formulate a plan of attack when we are a few kilometers from our target. Let us depart."
The mares rose to their hooves and followed Virgo. They walked in silence along the dusty, sandy roads of Appleloosa. Within a minute, they were outside the boundaries of the desert town. They entered the area known as No-Man's Land, a zone that belonged to neither the Solar-Maria nor the Sparkle Heart. Virgo kept his guard up at all times. Statistics show that the chances of a soldier being ambushed is almost doubled when in No-Man's Land. Oddly, the odds are significantly lower when in an enemy territory, as opposed to a neutral area.
"Sir? You never told us your talent." said Rarity. "Do you mind my curiosity?"
"Of course not. I never told you my talent because it's irrelevant. I almost never use it." said Virgo. "Well, I almost never use it to it's full extent. If it comes up, I will explain then."
"Scuse me, Master Virgo, but Ah got a question." said Applejack. "Why are we walkin? Can't ya just teleport us there?"
"I can teleport myself and one other. Lt. Rarity can teleport herself, with no passengers." said Virgo. "Someone will be left behind. That someone would be you. You are, apparently, blessed by the Maker, so we cannot leave you behind during our holy quests. But, Rainbow Dash is far more useful than you are, so we have to bring her. If she were to stay behind, we might fail, and anger the Maker. So, the only solution is for all of us to walk there. Do not question my methods again, Earth Pony."
"Yes, sir." said Applejack. She looked over to Rarity, who leered right back. Applejack stifled a small chuckle, so small that an ordinary person would mistake it for a cough. Rarity, however, saw it for what it was.
"What exactly is so funny?" asked Rarity angrily. "I did not give you permission to laugh, nor did anypony else here. So what gives you the right to be amused?"
"Sorry, ma'am. Ah just found it kinda funny that you can only teleport yerself. Why is that? Most unicorns can bring at least one other person." said Applejack. "Is there sumthin wrong with yer horn?"
Rarity's palm met with the side of Applejack's face with a passion. Unlike when Virgo struck her, Applejack stood on her hooves. She spat onto the floor and wiped her face. Just as she was about to open her mouth in retort, Rarity brought the back of her hand against Applejack's face, just as viciously as before.
"Enough." ordered Virgo. "What has it done to deserve this?"
"It disrespected me. It insinuated that I am inferior." said Rarity. "Then it spat near me. Disgusting creature!"
"Next time it mocks your magic, remember that a bit of rather weak magic is far better than no magic at all. It is a filthy slave, while you are the Master Race. You are above it. Remember that."
"Am I meant to sit there and allow it to disrespect me?" asked Rarity.
"Of course not. But there is something you are forgetting." sighed Virgo. He wanted to like Rarity, and he felt like he would eventually learn how. But for now, she was a bit too pompous and hot-headed for his liking. "You keep forgetting that it's opinions are easily ignored. You do not need to dirty your hands to punish it for saying something you disagree with, especially as a unicorn. Her attacks at your magic are easily reflected back to her, because it is a dirty Earth Pony. No horn, not even wings. Absolutely useless."
"I just... I apologize, sir. I let it get the better of me. Forgive me. It will not happen again."
"And as for the Earth Pony, I can only say that it will stay silent, or it will face dire consequences." snarled Virgo. "I will not tolerate disrespect on my team, whether marked by the Maker or not. Let us continue, before it gets too late."
They continued walking in silence for hours, stopping periodically along the way. Virgo kept them on the right path, although he had no map or compass. The Lieutenant Colonel mysteriously knew where they should be turning and when. Into the third hour of walking, Virgo stopped his team for a break.
"We don't have time for a meal, but we should at least stop for water." said Virgo. "Does anypony have canteens?" Dash reached to her hip and ripped four small, steel canteens from her belt, handing one to each of her comrades.
"Master Virgo?" said Applejack. "Where are we 'posed to get water? There ain't a pond or lake or nuthin for what's gotta be a couple kilometers."
"Did you forget? You have me here?" said Rainbow Dash. "And I'm amazing." Rainbow Dash pulled off her helmet, running her hand through her messy, multi-colored hair. She ripped off her chest plate and her boots before flapping into the air. Rainbow floated up to the cloud layer, and grabbed one grayish cloud out of the sky. She brought it to the ground and ripped it in four.
"Here you go." said Dash. She held a chunk of cloud over Rarity's canteen and squeezed, letting a small waterfall pour downwards and into the container. She repeated the process for Virgo, herself, and finally, Applejack. They took a seat on the ground, removed their helmets, and began to sip and plan.
"How much further is it, sir?" asked Rainbow Dash.
"About five kilometers, but we're too far south. We need to head north by six degrees, or we'll walk right past it." said Virgo.
"How do you know? I haven't seen you look at a map once since we started." said Rarity.
"I don't need maps. The earth itself gives all the direction one needs. I'm the only one who seems to be able to see it." sighed Virgo.
"With all due respect, I've taken more than my fair share of navigation courses, and I know all about the clues left by the earth. I still don't know how you can be so exact based off of trail depressions and fauna."
"Who said anything about trail depressions? I never took any nav courses. It's all a part of my talent." said Virgo. "Trust me on this one. When we start moving, I'll get us going on the right path. In the meantime, we should devise a plan of attack. I'm open to suggestions." To Virgo's surprise, it was Applejack who spoke up.
"He'll probably be in or near a river or creek. Baltimare is chock-full of em." said Applejack. "We should probably get him to tha water. That way, Second Lt. Rainbow can pick em off with some thunder clouds. If we can't get em to the water, Ah think we should have Dash stay back and cover us while we go in with a 2/1 attack formation. Ya'll, Rarity and Lt. Col. Virgo, will teleport behind tha enemy while I attack from tha front. Ah pressure em back so ya'll can finish em."
Rarity took a deep sip from her canteen, turned to Applejack, and emptied the rest onto her head. Cold water ran down Applejack's head and neck, and she sat in shock, mouth agape.
"Are you done?" asked Rarity. "Do not speak. Your voice infuriates me. And another thing: you will address me as Lt. Rarity, or Miss Rarity. You will show me respect, you disgusting animal."
"While that was a rather solid plan, I was mostly asking Rarity." said Virgo. "But, in fairness to the Earth Pony, her plan is surprisingly well thought out. We will follow it, and I will not punish you, providing you do not speak out of turn again. Understand, Earth Pony?"
"Yes, sir." said Applejack quietly.
"Very good. Dash, go on ahead." commanded Virgo. "Scout out the area. Remain hidden or we will lose the element of surprise. That is all."
Rainbow flapped into the sky and shot forward. She zoomed away, and vanished from sight. In a few moments, she returned. Horror painted her face as she dropped to the ground and hastily returned her armor.
"Has anypony seen this guy?!" asked Dash. "He's huge! I think he might be one of those carnivore Earth Ponies."
"Those ain't real." said Applejack. "Us Earth Ponies can digest meat bout as well as y'all unicorns and pegasi."
"I've heard the stories. A bunch of Earth Ponies got really angry a while back and just stopped growing food." insisted Rainbow Dash. "They let all the crops die to kill the unicorns. They survived on rabbits, cows, chickens, and stuff."
"Ah don't know who in tha hell told ya that load of malarkey, but they was lyin. Ah ain't never meet no Earth Pony who sees a chickity and thinks its grub."
Virgo gestured for his team to fall silent, an order they obeyed swiftly. He broke out into speedy jog with his teammates on his heels. Virgo pulled a knife from his belt and twirled it in his hand in preparation. He rose up a grassy hill and dropped to one knee. Near the base of the hill was a mammoth Earth Pony in heavy purple armor, about four heads taller than Virgo. Not much of him could be seen, but his coat was as black as coal, and his eyes were small, fierce, and blood-red. He had a thin, crooked scar running down his chin, past his adam's apple. Virgo wondered how far down the scar went, and if he could exploit it in some way. In his right hand was a huge flail and, in his left, was a shield made of glittering lavender steel that was about as tall as he was. Virgo noticed, above all else, that Brute Strength had a large hoop of gold pierced into his nose.
"Did I tell you or what?" whispered Rainbow Dash. "He's giant!"
"I have larger Earth Ponies working on my plantation." said Virgo. Burnt orange light surrounded his horn. "As soon as Lt. Rarity and I are gone, you two are to attack in the way that makes you most comfortable. Dash, keep yourself above him at all costs. Elevation is key. Earth Pony, strike swiftly and sharply. Keep him close to the base of the mountain. Rarity, with me."
The team nodded in agreement. Rarity surrounded her horn in an aqua glow and drew her claymore. Applejack pulled her morningstar from her hip and gripped it tightly while Rainbow Dash aimed her bow down the mountain, with three arrows drawn in the string. Virgo smiled slightly. His team wasn't perfect, but he could get them in shape.
POP!
POP!
Three arrows stuck Brute in his lower back, slipped in through the chink in his armor. He spun to discern the source of his attacker only to be met with the hilt of a sword to the back of the head. He let out an angry growl and swiped his shield back, smacking Rarity back a few feet.
"Marias!" bellowed Brute Strength. He raised his flail and brought it down, aiming for Rarity. She rolled out of the way and stabbed forward while Virgo slashed down on his chest. Virgo's knife barely scratched Brute's thick armor.
"You think you can just ambush me? In my own territory?" growled Brute. "Typical unicorn arrogance!" He grabbed Rarity around the waist with one hand and flung her up the hill. She crashed into Applejack and they tumbled down grass.
"Is it arrogance if it's justified?" asked Virgo. He jumped back to avoid Brute's flail, then dodged to the left, the right, and back again. Virgo could see why they called him "The Beast from the East"; He fought like a rabid, savage animal. Of course, Virgo saw him as that anyway.
"The only thing justified will be when I break open your skull and paint my rivers red!" shouted Brute. Virgo threw his knife with all of his might. The blade scratched Brute's chin without much effect.
"Why don't you shed some of that armor?" asked Virgo. He swung his hoof into Brute's leg, again with no effect. An arrow hit Brute's armor and broke without even scratching the surface.
"I'll take off my armor when I'm done taking off your skin." responded Brute. His coat suddenly faded from black to blood red, and his eyes began to glow. He let out a blood-chilling shout and swung fiercely four times into Virgo. The Lieutenant Colonel flew to the side, landing in an aching heap next to Applejack and Rarity.
"Why are you still sitting here?" grunted Virgo. "Get up and help."
"Apologies, sir." said Rarity, rising to her hooves. "It's unconscious. Don't bother trying to wake it. We will be lucky if it wakes before next week." Virgo pulled another knife from his belt before pushing himself to his hooves. His head swam, so he took off his helmet, letting his golden-tipped locks blowing gently in the wind.
"Perhaps the 2/1 plan wasn't such a good idea." said Virgo. "I'll have to stop treating it's advice as gospel."
"YOU CANNOT IGNORE ME, MARIAS!" bellowed Brute. He dropped his shield to the ground and grabbed his flail in both hands. He rushed forward and swung, just barely missing the Marias. Virgo kicked at Brute's left ankle while Rarity stabbed at his right knee, bringing him to his knees. Virgo delivered an elbow to Brute's forehead, and his helmet flew back. The red painting his coat faded, but stayed vibrant on his long, shaggy mane.
"I will not be defeated here!" said Brute Strength angrily. He tried to push himself back to his hooves with much difficulty.
"Whatever magic you used has drained you of your energy." said Virgo. "You can't even stand."
"I don't need to stand to rip you apart!" Brute grabbed Virgo by the throat and raised him up into the air, constricting his windpipe. Virgo choked and gasped, fighting for air. Dark, pulsing red tinged the corners of his vision. His fighting died down slowly as the air left him. Rarity slashed at Brute Strength with all her might without doing more than angering him. Virgo slapped at Brute's wrist one last time.
An arrow soared through the air. The sharp metal pierced Brute's throat, splattering blood onto the floor. His grip failed, and Virgo hit the ground at the same time as Brute.
"Hell yeah!" shouted Rainbow Dash from atop her hill. "Do I get a promotion or what?" Virgo chuckled in spite of himself.
"We'll see, Dash." croaked Virgo. He hacked out a cough and pushed himself onto his hands and knees. "Rarity, check him. Make sure he's dead."
A hand slammed into Virgo's side, throwing him on top of Applejack's unconscious body. Brute Strength rose to his feet yet again with his coat, mane, and eyes glowing emerald green.
"My Vitality has saved me from many kill-blows." growled Brute. "You will fall, Marias."
Virgo raised his head slowly, dizzily. He could Rarity's blurry figure swiping at the massive frame of The Beast. He saw her claymore shatter against Brute's armor. Brute threw Rarity into the dirt and stepped over her body with his flail held high above his head.
"Die, unicorn scum!" bellowed Brute. Pain stabbed at his face, sharp, deliberate pain in his nose. He dropped his flail to the ground as his nose ring pulled to the left, in the direction of Virgo. The ring jerked suddenly and pulled right from Brute's face. He let out an animalistic groan of agony, and gripped his face to halt the blood. Virgo dropped the ring from his hand and leapt forward, burying his shoulder into Brute's side. He took a knife from his belt and it launched forward, stabbing through Brute's left wrist and pinning it to the ground. He pressed his hoof against Brute's throat and glared at him with contempt. Virgo's eyes had changed. His left was belted with thin lines of red while his right was surrounded by strands of blue.
"My talent, Lt. Rarity, is a skill that nopony else will ever be able to possess. I am Virgo of Magnetism." said Virgo. He pulled a knife from his belt, which flew into Brute's ankle. "I have the ability to give a positive or negative magnetic charge to most any object." He fired another knife into Brute's remaining arm and leg. "I can sense and manipulate magnetic fields, which is what let me steer us here. And I will not stand here and let one of my soldiers be murdered by a filthy Earth Pony."
"Murder? This is war!" shouted Brute in agony. "She would not be a victim. She would be a casualty!"
"Flint." said Virgo, pulling another knife from his hip. "Give me a chunk of flint, and cover the Earth Pony with as much plant matter as possible." Rarity's horn began to glow, and a shard of dark grey rock rose from the ground. Virgo grabbed it and teleported away. He returned a minute later with a handful of dead twigs, which he scattered across Brute's chest.
"What are you doing to me, unicorn?" asked Brute, struggling to pull himself from his crucifixion. Virgo muttered a strange phrase under his breath, striking the flint with his knife.
"Speak up, dammit!" growled Brute. "Do you not even have the backbone to say what you have to say directly to me?"
"I offer to you, oh powerful Maker, a blaspheming, sinning, barbarian Earth Pony." said Virgo. "May it rest with it's makers; In the depths of hell!" He swiped the flint one last time, sending a spark onto the twigs. The kindling caught quickly, the fire spreading without regard for whether it was wood or flesh fueling it. Brute's screams drowned the sounds of the crackling flames licking his flesh.
"May it's sacrifice please you." said Virgo. "Dash! Grab the Earth Pony! We're returning to Fort Canterlot!"
Virgo grabbed his helmet and returned it to his head. He returned his knife to his belt and sighed. The bands around his eyes vanished as Virgo of Magnetism silently began the long march to Canterlot Castle.
