Forsaken

by Iron_Hooved

Ius means Justice

A gale blew through the empty streets of Canterlot, twirling a few maple leaves through the air, alongside an abandoned newspaper. Not a single shadow could be seen upon the stone pavement stretching out beyond the grassy hills. The usual chirping and singing of the birds was entirely absent from hustle and bustle of the mountain city... not that there even was any hustle and bustle. Activity all around had ceased and the businesses stood deserted. It was as if everypony had suddenly gone on vacation. The truth, unfortunately, was much, much grimmer.

An old stallion rested his haggard hip on a fine chair, upholstered in crimson stuffing, contemplating the dire scene from his office window. He buried his head into his front hooves, laying his elbows on the mahogany desk in front of him, lost in thought. The solemn expression on his face was accentuated by the somber decor around him. Though his mind had been inevitably addled by age, he still had some of his old flare left in him. He took off a pair of squarish spectacles and set them right next to him, rubbing his eyes morosely. He blinked a couple of times, trying to take in the blurred outlines surrounding him.

How far had his eyesight deteriorated throughout the years? Surely it wasn't as bad as the doctors claimed...

The veteran lifted the glasses and held them at eye level, examining them carefully.

Yes, they were far thicker than the very first pair he'd owned but still, it wasn't as if his eyes were entirely useless now.

The teal unicorn let out a prolonged sigh, replacing them on top of his snout and the effect was almost instantaneous as his surroundings suddenly came into sharp focus.

There it was again. The fleeting moment of hope crushed by the heavy weight of reality. He had indeed gotten older, much older than he'd anticipated. Not that he hadn't expected to reach old age, it's just that it hadn't occurred to him that his body would be getting older with him. It isn't something many ponies grasp after all. Mobility is something most ponies take for granted until the steady advance of time starts slowly chipping away at it. First to go are your knees and other articulations, all consumed by the merciless advance of arthritis. Then your hip starts failing, forcing you to spend more and more time getting acquainted with your couch. The muscles follow immediately after, slowly deteriorating from the lack of exercise into hanging lumps of useless flesh.

Yes, such was the unavoidable passage of time. Still, if there was some sort of goodness to be found in all of this was that, at the very least, the continued loss of his eyesight had been for a just cause.

He turned his neck sideways to look at the towering bookcases that covered almost all the walls around him and his lips curved into a satisfied smile.

After nearly fifty years exercising his profession, judge Absolutus Ius had reached the very pinnacle of juridic knowledge. True, it had taken him a lifetime of continued study and practice to do so, but he couldn't have been more satisfied with the results.

After all, what was the purpose of life, if not to resolve oneself to achieve great goals, and leave behind an everlasting legacy that other ponies might benefit from it?

Legacy.

The tired judge buried his forehead into his hooves again, tutting with regret.

How was it that Equestria, the land which gave him birth, the country which he spent so many years helping shape into a model of prosperity and peace, had fallen so low?

All of a sudden, the set of double doors in front of him burst open violently. One of the brass handles flew right out of the cherry wood with a resounding crack, and landed a couple of feet away from him. Absolutus remained immobile as ten guards filed in and quickly surrounded him, lances at hoof. A single ray of sunlight penetrated the gloomy office, casting its reflection upon a fine crafted table sitting on a rug in the middle of the room. The smell of perturbed dust wafted through the room, as the soldiers lowered their weapons to point them at the judge.

"High Chancellor Ius," called a white stallion as he stepped into the office.

The unicorn said nothing, merely giving him a flash of his purple eyes before dropping his sight back to the surface of his desk.

"I'm corporal Spear Head. We have a warrant for your arrest," the stallion persisted, lifting up a piece of parchment with a seal on it. "You are being charged with treason against the State and obstruction of justice," he continued, seeing the lack of response from the judge. "How do you plead?"

Absolutus sighed and set both hooves on the desk before answering. "Innocent naturally, but I doubt that will do me much good now, will it?" He asked in a dreary voice. "I have to ask though, what are the grounds for such wild accusations?"

"Earlier this morning you abused your vested powers to secure the release of no less than fourteen insurgents, after they openly declared war against the State and attacked the Imperial Gu—"

"Ahh!" Exclaimed the stallion with unmistakable amusement in his voice. "So that's what prompted you to declare martial law, wasn't it?" He asked narrowing his eyes into a thin line. "Taking over the Parliament was not good enough for you, eh? Had to shut down the judicial system and suspend due process as well to accommodate your goals, didn't we boys?" He added nastily.

"You admit to it then?" Inquired the guard angrily.

"Oh yes, I do!" He answered nonchalantly. "You see, those... insurgents you called them? Were actually just concerned citizens exercising their right to freedom of speech and assembly, as guaranteed by the Magna Carta of Equestria. And that attack on the Imperial Guard? Well, forgive me but I haven't heard of anypony dying from having tomatoes thrown at them. Unless you are allergic to ketchup that is?" He added, lifting his eyebrows in mock concern.

"Furthermore," continued the soldier, a faint flush of color rising in his face, "we have received intelligence that you're responsible for the subtraction and disappearance of fifty-three classified documents, as well as a hundred and twenty-eight lesser documents, pertaining to the on-going investigation of the attempt on Princess Celestia."

"Now, I wonder where I could've put those," pondered the judge out loud, rubbing his chin.

"I suggest," said the soldier, his anger rising, "you tell us where you've hidden them, and we might be lenient on your sentence."

"Are you sure you didn't just misplace them?" Offered the stallion calmly.

Spear Head forcefully brought down a hoof upon the desk, leaving a dent in it. "Do you have any idea of who you're dealing with here?! Tell us where the documents are now, or else!"

The unicorn took off his glasses one more time and, pulling a handkerchief from his black gown, he began wiping the lenses. "I have a fair idea of who I'm dealing with son, more so than you think," he said. He put on his spectacles once more and resumed, "you see, about a week ago I received a letter from an old student of mine, and then another one two days ago."

An uncomfortable silence settled in as the soldiers watched the old stallion with apprehension, a strange sense of dread crawling through their stomach.

"Such an interesting letter it was..." continued the unicorn. "He seemed to think that the Imperial Guard was plotting to kill him, after he'd so unwisely revealed that he'd received testimony that you lot tried to execute a filly, nothing more than a suspect at the time, in order to avoid a trial. Very much like what you are doing now." He added in an undertone with a smile.

The soldiers said nothing and continued to stare at the judge, the lines in their faces becoming more pronounced with each word he spoke..

"The second letter was far more interesting than the first, indeed it was," he said, and at this he paused to examine the rapt audience before him. With a satisfied grin he witnessed a shiver run through the group, and so he carried on with his little tale. "Apparently my former student caught up with the suspects at some point and subjected them to a full interrogation of the events prior to the summer sun celebration. And wouldn't you believe it? He seemed to think they were innocent!"

The white stallion in front of him went, if possible, paler. His casual breathing throughout the conversation had evolved to agitated exhalations, and then into heavy snorts.

"Moreover," said the judge, louder still, "he was forced to conclude, after all this evidence, that somepony else had perpetrated the attack. Somepony, or rather a great deal of someponies, within the military...." he finished, his casual smile cast aside to scorch them with a stern look.

Their worst fears confirmed, the corporal in charge of the group approached the judge in what he hoped would be successful attempt at intimidation.

"If you value your life I suggest—"

"Don't!" Yelled the judge, suddenly heaving himself up with both his front hooves on the desk. "Don't even try it sonny!" He warned the soldier yet again. "You think you can come here and intimidate me?! It's my turn to ask now: just who the hay do you think you're dealing with here?!" He barked, thrusting his snout into the one of Spear Head, who was forced to stumble away in surprise at the judge's sudden outburst.

"I. Am. Absolutus. Ius. Great, great grandson of Iustus 'The Just'! I come from a long line of judges and jurors, and I will not allow you to make a mockery of justice, and especially not in my country!" He breathed, punctuating every word to pierce his opponent like the sharpest of swords.

The veteran then resumed his seat, taking his old wig from its stand and placing it over his grayish mane. "Don't think I didn't know how this would end, you're gravely underestimating me if you do. I moved the documents at my students request and had them delivered to a safe location of which even I am unaware of, at the hands of one of the secretaries in the D.A.'s office."

"Miss Light Hooves...."

"Too late. She's already gone into hiding, sonny. I daresay those documents will soon be made public for everypony to see, and then your deception will end, and your coup shall crumble," he said, resting his front hooves one on top of another. "Dictatorships, are always short-lived."

The corporal regained his composure, his face livid with anger and his mouth obscenely contorted into a lopsided smile. "If you won't talk, then your niece shall."

"She won't," replied the stallion simply. "Now, stop wasting my time and do what you came here to do."

It all happened in one swift moment that seemed to stretch out into eternity. Absolutus didn't even have time to register the corporal's orders as he felt the pointed blades penetrate him from different angles, severing muscle and puncturing organs. The coldness of the steel invaded him as he shuddered, the sharp pain in his body now strangely numbed. The ancient stallion uttered a few words that would be forever lost, and then he moved no more.

******

Nemo was awoken by the dripping sound of water. She looked at her surroundings in a daze, her eyes adjusting to the darkness around her. She swayed on the spot as she tried to get up, and was immediately assisted by somepony next to her.

"Are you okay?"

The aqua filly turned around to look at her helper and saw the blurred outline of a plum unicorn, with a dark-slate blue mane, and fuchsia highlights.

"Twilight?"

"Here," whispered the filly, lifting up a glass of water and tilting it gently into Nemo's mouth, "drink this, it'll make you feel better."

Nemo simply obeyed and gulped down the liquid, feeling the icy water trickle down her esophagus. She hadn't realized how sore her throat was up until that moment.

"What happened? Where are we?" She mumbled looking aghast at the cobblestone walls, covered in moss, enclosing them.

Twilight took a deep breath before launching into an explanation, "we've been taken deep into the dungeons of an old prison in the outskirts of Canterlot. You were knocked out the whole way from Fillydelphia. Though I'm still not sure why they didn't just dispose of us right there and then," she remarked with a pensive look.

"Knocked out?" Asked the filly feebly, pulling herself to her hooves and immediately she felt a dull pain throbbing on the side of her head.

"Easy," said Twilight, lending a friendly shoulder to the injured filly as she swayed once more. "You were hit pretty hard, so it's best if you stay put for a while."

"Uhm," said a hesitant voice behind them, "I tried to fix your glasses?" Suggested Spike, as the ponies wheeled around to look at the young dragon holding a pair of broken spectacles, heavily patched with duct tape. Nemo took a look at Spike's handiwork, and cringed as the remaining lens fell out of the frame and shattered against the ground. "Sorry," he muttered, watching the dismayed look on the pony's face.

"Err, don't worry. You did your best," the filly assured him.

"The others were taken to a different cell," Twilight resumed, "it seems they've singled us out for a reason, but I'm not sure why."

Nemo merely ran a hoof through her short fuchsia mane, tucking it behind her ear. "Whatever it is, I have a feeling we're still alive because of it. No point in giving us a trial, even if it is a mock one, when they've been so keen on getting rid of us."

"I hope you're right," replied Twilight, "while that reason persists we still have some hope left."

The fillies exchanged a dark look for a brief moment, and started examining their surroundings.

"You think there might be a way out?" Asked Nemo, pressing her hooves against the iron bars of the cell.

"Don't know, but it won't hurt to try and find one," returned Twilight, tapping the cobblestone walls in search for a hollow passage.

The girls and the dragon spent the next twenty minutes combing every inch of their cell, checking every corner, prying every stone, testing each bar in search for a weak spot. Their hopes were waning with the passing minutes as they submitted each element to careful observation, looking for a sign of decay in the old cell that might allow them to break free. When their search came up with empty results they dedicated their minds instead to the pursuit of a feasible escape plan, exhausting every option to the fullest of their analytical capabilities. They didn't get far though, as they still didn't know much about the place.

"What about magic?" Suggested Nemo.

"Nope," answered Spike. "Already tried that. It doesn't work."

"There's either a magic field or an enchantment of some sort over this place that prevents me from casting even the simplest of spells," explained Twilight.

"Hmmm," pondered the attorney out loud. "Oh! Doesn't that mean that the guards can't use magic either?! That's gotta count for something, right?" She pointed out triumphantly.

"Already thought of that as well Nemo," said Twilight. "What that simply means is that if neither one of us can use magic, then whoever has the physical advantage will win. Need I remind you this place is crawling with soldiers trained for combat?"

"We don't have to fight them head on, we could outwit them and find a way out."

"Yes, but that would require a plan, which would in turn require knowledge of the layout, the schedules, and the defense mechanisms. All of which we, unfortunately, lack."

"Well didn't you get a good look when we were brought in here?"

"We were blindfolded and lead here."

"Oh."

As much as she loved being right, Twilight had to admit that it wasn't exactly playing to her favor under the current circumstances. Her head seemed to crack under the tremendous amount of pressure she was putting into it, thinking of a way out. She'd been so busy with it that she'd ignored that little voice in the back of her head, telling her something was off.

"Say Nemo..."

"Hmm?"

"Don't you think it's strange that the three of us were singled out, even though everypony else was bound to have heard everything there was to know about the coup?" Twilight said, giving her a quizzical look.

"What? That again?" She asked rolling her eyes, "it doesn't exactly help us to speculate over little details, when we ought to be focusing on finding a way out, don't you think?"

"I'm just wondering," pressed on Twilight, "what do the three of us have in common that would warrant such a measure?"

"Well," said Spike, holding up one of his hands as he started listing things with his claws, "we shared a room back in Stableside, we came into direct contact with the gunpowder, we were held accountable for blowing up a cruise, even though that was most likely Silver Tongue's doi—" The dragon clasped both hands over his mouth apologetically. He'd forgotten Nemo got riled up every time she heard mention of the stallion's name. He was surprised to find, however, that rather than filling up with tears, the filly's eyes had widened into a significant look. He turned to look at Twilight and found that she too, had a look of dawning comprehension on her face.

"Nemo, you don't think..." she began, turning around to look at her.

"That this has something to do with him?" She finished for her. "I think it might, but right now it escapes my mind," she admitted, furiously rubbing her forehead, hoping to stimulate her brain.

"Think! Was there something he did on that cruise, that could've potentially undermined the military?" Twilight urged her.

"Other than blowing it up you mean?" Interjected the dragon skeptically.

"Not helping Spike!" Yelled out Twilight, trying to turn his mouth into a zipper, only to remember that she couldn't use her magic.

"I"m trying, I'm trying!" replied Nemo with her eyes closed, her mind frantically racing through her memories.

"Did he leave any sort of evidence that could have survived the explosion?"

"Yes! I mean no! I mean..." the filly stammered, shaking her head furiously, "he wrote down everything both of you told us during our sessions, but I don't think those survived the wreck. They sunk alongside the cruise!" She finally managed.

"They must have!" Twilight insisted, "They must have or else the military wouldn't feel the need to keep us alive at this very moment! They think we know where he hid them!"

"Yes Twilight, except it doesn't matter where he hid them: the cruise sunk. Alongside whatever records of your and Spike's interrogation were left behind," replied Nemo irritably.

"He could've given them to somepony else!" Piped up Spike, now partaking in her mentor's enthusiasm.

"No Spike, you two were the only ponies we knew there, and there's nopony he would have trusted that information to. Especially if he suspected the military was invol—" Nemo's voice trailed off, her eyes strangely unfocused, her jaw hanging open as she slowly brought a hoof towards her mouth.

"Nemo? Are you okay?" Asked Twilight, examining her with an air of concern.

"The letters..." she whispered.

"Huh?"

"The letters! Silver Tongue sent two letters to somepony else! One at the beginning of our travel, just before we left Ponyville, and then another one through the air courier at the cruise, right after we met up with you two!"

"That makes sense!" Yelled out the unicorn, savoring a faint taste of victory in her mouth, "if Silver Tongue managed to sneak the records of the investigation off-board then this whole fiasco the Imperial Guard staged could be easily brought down!" She concluded excitedly.

Nemo felt the uplifting sensation in her chest as she mulled things over. "The military would need the continued support of the populace in order to prosecute us. If we're killed and the truth gets out that the bombing was staged by the military they'd be turning us into martyrs, and then a rebellion would be sure to break out!"

"They also wouldn't be able to touch Princess Luna! Nopony would believe that the griffins were responsible if they knew the military was the one that tried to kill Princess Celestia!" Blurted out Twilight, now rolling with it.

"They'd need to destroy the records to prevent the truth from getting out, and so they'd have to stall our execution until they could get their hooves on them, and so those records are—"

"Where?" Finished Twilight.

The scholars exchanged a worried look.

Everything: the life of the princesses, the future of the Equestria, their very survival hung on this crucial piece of information. As long as the records remained hidden then they still had some hope left, even if they didn't know where they were, but that meant that time was also against them. The Imperial Guard would tolerate them so long as they believed that they had useful information that would help them uncover the location of the files.

Twilight felt a pang in her stomach.

This also meant that her friend's were in grave danger, not having interacted with either Nemo or Silver Tongue and therefore not likely to harbor any useful tips. Wasn't the fact that they alone had been singled out proof enough that their lives were somehow a little more valuable to the soldiers than those of her friends? She needed to convey all of this to them and fast, lest the soldiers discard them like trash. And then there was that little inconvenience: they didn't know where the files were. How long would they last under the scrutiny of interrogation before the military realized they knew nothing at all?

They had to get their stories straight, lead them on and stall for time. The soldiers had but two days before the attempt on Luna's life, they'd come at them with everything to make them talk. In the meantime they needed to come up with an escape plan and, most importantly, to figure out who was Silver Tongue's mysterious correspondent and the content of the letters. With that information at hoof, they would easily discover the location of the records, and bring down this whole façade.

"We need to talk to the others and warn them about all of this! If the soldiers think they might know something about the records then they won't kill them!" Said Twilight, a growing sense of anxiousness gripping her.

"But how?" Asked a defeated looking Nemo. "We don't even know where they're being held!"

"Uh, girls? I think you'll get that chance sooner than we think," said Spike.

The fillies turned around and listened. Sure enough a set of hoofsteps could be heard approaching the prison cell.

"What do you think they want?" Wondered the young assistant shivering on the spot.

"With any luck, they just want to have a little chat...."

Comments

[TheAssumingMage]

*puts on 3D glasses for torture scene*

[Guardian]

Oh no.

[Evocator]

if they lay a hoof on twilight im going griffin all up on their asses
and im talking dragon blood fueled griffin, he got eaten by dragon and IT died,
bring it BITCHES

[Arcanix_Firemane]

Sic Semper Tyrannis

lets hope that how ever the information rises to the public eye that it arrive there in time to save lives. i'm quite sure i want to see these military ponies hang...

[insightguy]

1008258
Who needs that when you got a fully automatic AA-12 with 12 extra drum mags.

[Unwitting Brony]

1009079 I'd rather see them get fwooshed by a certain undead warlock, but hanging is good too.

[Csquared08]

I applaud Ius. His final act was pretty epic.

The torture(?) scene should be interesting next chapter. I'm looking forward to the next update. Happy writing

[Lolsternater]

1009137
Nuke. That is all.