Chapter VIII: Beheading of two-headed all-power

Part I: Bitter-sweet anticipation


One day was enough and not enough at the same time: some managed to rest, some not; some conquered moral grounds, someone was conquered by the couch. This time was enough to correct the old plan, but it was certainly too little time to make a new one.

Everyone gathered in the dining hall, at the same huge table. Every creature expected some kind of a speech, but no leading pony could find strength to say even a word. Any excess sound could make friends doubt the leaders' certainty. But silence says the same.

Friends! - winged pony finally got up from her chair - No point in lying or sugarcoating, no point in delaying this for another time - we have some kind of a chance only now, only today! We are not many, but there are still more of us than we think! All of Equestria wants the same as us! We cannot just sit and watch how our kind is being massacred in Canterlot right this instance!

If anyone wants to - they can stay. - the king hintingly lowered his head - We all can die, after all. Raise your legs, who are ready to fight for their rights and will go with us!

Not a single hooved being stood aside - nobody was going to leave winglings to genocide! Surprising determination even made Moonrise open his eyes, as he did not believe his senses. Followed by some spell of his, which reflected on everyone. Almost everyone.

..What did you do? - the horse shifted her head to the side.

Certainty. Closeness. Compassion.

He.. Seemingly tied every one of us with each other. - horned draconid walked away from the table - No, wait! ..I feel only those who stand near me!

New fighters' morale took itself to a completely next level. Every creature felt they can personally break necks of guards who bullied them, every being wanted to take a weapon for themselves! However, the pony already managed to disappoint about the last point:

..Not only us are not many, but equipment as well! Not everyone can fit in old-equestrian armour, weapons also forged for other creatures! We will have to improvise right there, in that hell. You certain you want-

Ye-eah! - everyone shouted in unison.

Then listen..!

Fighters for a new world listened to the same thing Moonrise proposed in private. But if the thought was only one of thousands possible scenarios at their arrival, now it had details more than mere survival - who will go where, who has which role, and who will go with whom.

We won't have any outside help - only us and winglings. Those are pegasi, but they are different - you'll distinguish them immediately! Spare no effort on deers - they will not pity you! Only.. - pony hesitated for a moment - Try not to hurt Garden. She is good - she will certainly be on our side!

How we're supposed to know it's her anyway?

We will all be near, you'll hear it! Moon will prevent unicorns from bombing us with spells and distract the majority, dragons will help with artefacts, we.. - mare pointed at other ponies - ..together with changelings will try to force our way through, and you'll cover from flanks with everything you can! Hooves, teeth, horns - doesn't matter! As best you can!

Not many liked that companions will be almost stuck in each other. But nobody also wished to spread out - dulled spears were still spears, they are no less capable of inflicting injuries. But what artefacts are those, so they would help stand against warrior hordes?

The brain. - one more unicorn's illusion brought the sphere with lots of engravings and segments - Guards, in courtyard.

Give me, I want to try! - Verstandig already grabbed a big piece of platinum - ..And some said it is some morphirium. It's nothing but platinum! Simply.. Oh. - scaly beast majestically laughed - Wow. What a thing..

He already understood? - solar pony's eyes widely opened - You broke your head for so long over it, and he understood right away?!

Yes. Opvliegend will take Oldstar.

Let it go to Hersenen. - dragon did not like that everything was decided for her - I can cast spells, if you hadn't noticed.

..And what will I have, then? - Sombra also did not appreciate his mace seizure - Telling me to fight with hooves?

..And he, like lucky rams and sheeps, ended up with common weapons, by old standards. Top-notch rapiers, halberds, amazing bracelets.. Equestrians could only dream of stuff like this. As well as such division of fighting forces - the grand stallion stood equal to other ponies. All hooved creatures were going to stand with each other and protect the spell-weavers.

..Maybe we will at least name ourselves somehow? - unicorn in regalias stayed unamused - A secret society, yet we behave like a syphilis dynasty.

Cabal-lo. - instantly expressed Moonrise.

..Wha? - Empyrean knocked on her head - Caballo?

No. Cabal-lo.

What does that mean?

..Don't get it completely, but I like it! - Sunshine clapped with her hooves - This totally has a meaning! It sounds nice!

Laughs meant only one thing - time to act. Adventurers were surprised at the absence of any other artefacts, but they were quickly and briefly explained, that magical fishing rods will help in battle as much as their own horns. Whereas some talismans could be strapped on.

..Why are you not telling everything? - suddenly spoke Empyrean - Why Sun speaks so little? Why are your words not reflecting reality lately?

I told you already! You've overbu-

Then remind us! Promised to help with artefacts, that we will manage, that there's lots of us - where? Why all these baubles? You're leading us to slaughter!

And you go after her. You believe. They believe. - another unicorn's illusion spoke with an unusual easiness - Our house never was combative. We can build peace, not war. Strength is in knowledge; in spells.

If you want peace - prepare for war. - reminded Vice - One particular vision cannot be shared peacefully, if one doesn't know how to.

After the first strike goes the last. Or excessive luck. - Moonrise answered similarly - Cloth, leather, plate mail - will not save, if one doesn't know how to use it.

..Yet adventurers were surprised even more by a still surviving automaton. It could not recharge itself from anything, the machine will certainly not last long! How were friends even going to get into the castle anyway? Is one and only pickaxe enough, albeit a magical one, to manage in such a short time?

Ready? - dark blue stallion addressed an approached unicorn.

Yes. - snowwhite pony brought the tool and a small scroll with her - I think I got it. But my strength is definitely not enough. I wrote down my understanding on paper - try it yourselves. I'm sorry that-

Not letting down. Saving us.

While wooled and horned creatures got used to their new condition, dark unicorn rummaged through symbols with closed eyes. He silently followed the instructions, made some kinds of corrections, and differently touched the pick at times. Until he abruptly stood in place.

..I understand.

And others also understood. Completely. Sorcerer's realisation shared with everyone in the room, to the littlest of details, to the smallest thought threads! Such a huge flow of another creature's understanding deeply frightened the rest. Nobody thought so quickly and much, nobody was told what would happen!

Stay hardened. - the unicorn has not even thought of asking for apology for his incantations - You react so sharp already. What will happen next? What if your friends will die?

We already know about difficulty! - little horse stomped the floor - Don't pressure! We - are not you! This isn't some story or a book, this is real life! You are not counting feelings in, you haven't considered them back then!

..He is right. - Hersenen nodded his head - This is not a story, but we are making history. It won't be forgotten just like that, even if we fail. But shall we all take a lesson from this - depends solely upon us, and how we compare it with our experience. Experience cannot be completely shared and perceived, it needs to be learned!

You yourself decided to tell everything inside and out. - green-eyed mare saw contradiction in her friend's thoughts - Why you complain about the same approach now?

..I am exhausted! - red-eyed pony almost wailed - No, I'm fucking sick..!

Conflict was swiftly stopped. Why hurt the morale and mood in the very end? Why would one even want to argue? Friends themselves have not understood that. But they realised, that they should depart now - every one is ready, every thing is ready. All that is left to do is get there..

So how are we going to do it? - Empyrean did not calm down - Isn't it easier to teleport right then and there?

It is not. - Curiosity led the company to a gathering point - They will immediately understand where books and knowledge is hidden! Do you know how the preserver is supposed to work, in theory?

It can get you the needed mineral, or.. a thing below ground safe and sound. - thought solar pony.

True, correct. But there is one amazing catch.. - the mare giggled and trotted in place - If you think good enough, it can work like a skeleton key.

..Oh god. - only the winged horse understood what she spoke about - This is genius!

There, again! - another winged pony, oppositely - This is just spazzing, explain for fuck's sake! Without these head-tearing tricks!

Tall unicorn swung and struck the ground with the pickaxe. The land immediately broke and drifted away, forming a ready, wide passage under the soil before the friends. Pillars made of earth and other ores would hold the ceiling for long, but one can run on the ground, too! Why the schemes?

We won't run all the way, we will move by leaps! - Sunshine quickly understood that she should explain at least that - They will be confused when they see so many teleportation trails!

Couldn't canterlotians understand that they follow one chain? - guessed Verstandig - This is obvious!

Not for them - they are too stupid! Far too much! That is why we will succeed!

Tunnel goes until mountain middle. - added Moonrise - From centre goes to different places. Will take long to check them all.

They won't even check anything if we get there quick enough! - little pony stayed especially determined - Everyone is here? All accounted for?

Sheeps are here, ponies - too. Dragons cannot be left unnoticed, like the snowwhite bug. Only Ommatidia did not respond. At least she was quickly found - she stood very close to the rest with closed eyes, as if she suddenly thought about something deep inside.

Is this how it was with you? - asked Vice.

Whiskers. - plated insect pointed at referent's antennas - Moving.

Why isn't she responding then? - worried orange mare - If not moulting, then what?

I am guessing. Time will tell. Move!

The need in carrying the bug changes things, but not much - adventurers still walked through the tunnel, jumping with the help of magic from time to time over huge distances. Not even half an hour had passed, when companions appeared in the very centre of Equestria. Although beneath the ground.

Where to, now?

Upward.

Moon showed the pick's abilities again, burrowing a few dozens of passages above. The mountain will certainly not look nice after that, but this sacrifice is needed. The royal guard cannot be given even a chance, even if there will be few of them and all are dimwitted. Sometimes even one pony is enough..

And this bunch of troublemakers will be enough! They crawled out on a square, and already encountered the resistance in the face of.. screaming aristocrats. Anyone would be frightened over flying pavement in a paradise, but what is scary in such mixed coloured company?

Although, for the rich folk, any signs of independent will is scary. And there, when before them stood dragons, and insects.. It is a miracle how the screamers have not yet lost their voices and consciousness. A miracle, how few guards ran towards their screams. A miracle, how easily they were defeated by common rams!

Time to get to the castle!

..No. - referent spoke as if through a trance - We will not be enough.

Revolutionaries stood without a doubt in their goals. Yet Sunshine was concerned by such profound antennae wiggling. Seems like Ommatidia tries to call her kin! What if they were already fighting all Canterlot warriors? After all, she acts like yellow hive advisors during that battle!

We have to help! - the pony stopped all of a sudden.

But we are so close! - Sombra wanted to advance with all his might.

They want to help us! We also have to help them!

Let me do it. - Verstandig tried to understand the insect with the help of spells - They are already near the castle! All of them!

How did they get there so quickly? How long did Ommatidia control her hive? Does not matter - only helping changelings matters now! Adventurers urgently proceeded deeper into the city, closer to the giant castle. Through the arrogant citizens, through the whole rain of fire, and lone watches.

Some were not even aware of such large-scale attack! Several few simply walked around, not afraid for themselves or other lives! As if this very guard will be enough to hold off both bugs and higher pegasi! But they were not enough. All of them had it very rough.

Changelings did not spare themselves at all. They covered the wounded winglings with their bodies and jumped straight at other's antlers. Deers were not much different in their confidence - their mistakes were so big, that they themselves kept losing numbers, with a notable advantage of theirs.

And, they were not helped by the guards. Spear-wielding ponies simply stood aside and did not let anyone walk away from hooves and horns of northerners! Only when new enemies approached, canterlotians did actually move. But their armour did not at all save them from the automaton and real weapons. And ingenuity.

Stop fighting! - Sunshine flew to the very heat of battle - You are killing your own kind! Canterlot wants you all to mow each other down, not any other way!

..I hear Sunshine! - sounded a familiar voice - Warden, I told you! We are doing the wrong thing!

The company got through to the middle of the battle almost without a fight. Revolutionaries pushed the broken stallions almost without a problem, and artsy deers ran away themselves, not caring about the spear rows. Except, probably only Rebuke and his private retinue. Whiskered one also woke up from sudden changes:

..You are evil! - she got off of another creature's claws - What are you doing? We are good!

Don't listen to them! - the deer leader shamelessly covered himself with one of his kind - We - I have to survive!

Leave him! - the doe tried to push the pathfinder chief from his body shield.

We have to survive! We - I are left with no choice!

..I hate when you are right, Garden!

Suddenly, one of the deers pierced Rebuke's neck with his horns and dropped them, nimbly evading other antlers. He was helped by minutes earlier hostile insects and pegasi, and together they forced the loyal horned beings to retreat to the castle. When the doors momentarily closed right before them.

Sunshine's words confirmed themselves. But nobody could even imagine, how much. Those lucky enough to hide in the keep did not let even their own warriors inside - the very same ponies, in every senses. The watch held the gates with indescribable cold-bloodedness.

But even that was not enough, when a big tough brass machine dashed onto them! Scary noises and unusual strength piled on the doors, almost blowing them off of their hinges. But the flung marble did not kill the gate propping stallions. They were killed by inquisitors.

Evil ponies in black gutted their own at a mere look back. They wanted for defenders to jump at the attackers, even when weapons were raised just before them! Elites were not bothered by lives - they were nervous at the doubts in orders and absence of results.

Verstandig, it is time!

Orange pony came out to the front rows. She was going to be jumped by tens of spear holders, when they were suddenly stopped by smoke. Smoke in the form of very tall ponies, with giant weapons and impenetrable plate mail. All that the attackers could see in their foes - angry mouths of these colossal hooved creatures.

Phantoms. - Moon smiled - My favourite.

Illusionist vanished in an instant, as if all this time there was a dupe near friends. Even more illusions appeared near them - each created something of their own, every one tried to distract villains and push them farther. Until inquisitors themselves faced their own medicine.

Older by service warriors did not let the younger ones retreat. Hierarchy and command crumbled right before the band's eyes, and not even a drop of blood was spilled. If, of course, counting only two sides facing each other. So far, only one party fought for now, and even then - with itself.