"Well done, Celaeno. Your rewards will be great when we conquere this place!"
Katrina turned and examined Snowy, watching him through her dark grey eyes- until she was satisfied.
"You love Naomh, no? You want the best for her, and would do anything to protect, harbor, and shelter her, no? Do not deny it is so- I see that clearly. I've been watching you."
Katrina began to pace, calling her magic cloud with the Iron Circlet into her grasp. With a light gesture with her hoof, and a slight whispering of words, the circlet floated in Snowy's sights, rotating dutifully before him.
"Do you know what that is, pony? It is called the Iron Circlet- forged from strongest iron, cooled in dragon's blood, enchanted with the strongest magic of the North. Placed upon the head of a young mare, it creates and harbors the qualities of the strongest queens- cool judgement, military genius, excellent planning, foresight, and the ability to use, harbor, and teach Dark Magic. The very nature of the Iron Circlet is to corrupt light ponies and to harbor in them what makes excellent Dark Queens- including the Blood Rage that is familiar in their vein."
Katrina paused, and returned the circlet to it's hiding place in the folds of her magic.
"On the head of Naomh, it will finish what has begun, making her a bitter, strong queen, with no compassion, no remorse, and no conscience. She will rule Ponyland with an iron fist, and return this land to it's former magical glory!"
Katrina paused to conjur an image (of her making) of the possible Future of Ponyland- the cold, iron fist of Naomh could be seen, sitting upon a stone throne, laughing darkly as things were burned and ponies knelt before her in terror. It floated before Snowy a moment before it dissipated into the air itself.
"You would do anything for the love of Naomh- she, you. And so, for you, she will sacrifice her freedom, her good qualities, and the life she knew to set you free. Because if she doesn't, you will die slowly, in agony, with great pain."
Katrina called the largest of the spiders- it was her master work. She had spent several days discovering the spell that would give her beast powers- and this was the result. A huge spider, larger then even Auug, thundered from the woods, leaving destruction in it's wake. It rolled over, falling on it's back, leaving it's gold underside exposed, a sign of submission. It's void eyes stared at Katrina.
"Up." She commanded, and it did so. It looked at Snowy with a fierce hunger that wasn't even funny.
"Not yet, Drach. Snowy, meet Drach, the largest of the spiders, and the most fiercesome. Avashi!" Katrina cried to the spider, and on feet like the wind, it had disapeared into the trees. The thin whirring of spinning could be heard. It was spinning another web.
"So you can see, Snowy, Naomh will be sacrificing herself for you- and the result will make her strong. If you so choose, you could join at her side, and become her counciler, or her chief tactician, or whatever purpose you chose to serve. I doubt you are strong, but Naomh may have ... other uses as well, once she has the circlet in her blood."
Posted on Sep 12, 2001, 1:42 PM from IP address 206.107.181.68