//------------------------------// // Chapter 8: Smiling in the Darkness // Story: The Birth of Grenth: Where we went wrong... // by Nightshade shadow kitty //------------------------------// Grenth and Silence froze when they heard the scream. They looked at each other then bolted in the direction they guessed the scream came from. They ran through the alleyways as another blood curdling scream sounded nearby. They rounded a corner and froze. They had found the source of the scream, but it was far too late. A... thing... was already busy tearing apart what was left of a mare. Grenth couldn’t quite put his hoof on it, but the creature looked somewhat familiar. The creature realized that it was being watched and turned around to see who was behind it. A sickly smile was frozen on its face, blood dripping from its mouth and chin. Grenth clenched his teeth in anger. “Glam...” He muttered angrily. Silence turned to Grenth with a look of shock. “You KNOW this freak!?” The creatures smile widened (if that was even possible). “Well would you look at that... looks like little Grenth has decided to take his big brothers advice for once. Tell me, did father put up much of a fight when you left? Or did you sneak out when he wasn’t looking?” Grenth stomped his hoof angrily. “I DIDN’T take your advice! The only reason I’m not with father anymore is because he was found out! He’s dead!” Glam shrugged. “It matters little to me what happened to that deranged lunatic. What matters is that I’m no longer under his control!” Grenth took a few angry steps forward. “I don’t know how you are still alive... but what you are doing is unacceptable!!!” Glam cocked his head to one side playfully. “My dear little Grenth, you cannot kill what was never truly alive.” His smile quickly faded. “And I don’t recall YOU ever being the boss of me! I no longer answer to ANYPONY! No living thing can control me! I am free to do as I please!!!” Dark energy began to seep from Glam’s body and his smile returned. “Now since you took the liberty of bringing desert I think it’s time for the three of us to play a little game! Oh, and do try to last longer than my last victim... she was rather pathetic after all...” Silence took a step back, fear frozen on her face. “No... not again... I can’t...” She turned and ran down the alleyway. “Silence! Where are you going!?” Grenth called out to her but Glam knocked him aside with a tendril. Glam then giggled to himself. “It’s been a while since I’ve played with a mare with that kind of energy. This’ll be EXTRA fun!” He giggled again and began to trot after Silence at a leisurely pace. *** “One... Two... I’m coming for you...” The images that coursed through Silence’s mind brought tears to her eyes making it difficult to see. She kept running, with every ounce of energy she had. “Three... Four... Death knocks on your door...” She rounded a corner into another alleyway. “Why am I running? Wasn’t I going to avenge them? Wasn’t I supposed to fight?” Her mind kept scolding her for her cowardice. “This was my chance. I could’ve avenged everypony... So why am I so afraid? What IS it about that thing that fills me with such fear!?” She emerged onto the city streets. “Five... Six... Your bones break like sticks...” “I can’t let that THING get away with killing them... but I can’t stop running... why won’t I stop!?” She was getting tired, her legs began to burn and her lungs felt as though they were on fire. “Seven... Eight... You’re far too late...” Her legs gave out from under her. She had no more strength left to run. The air around her suddenly got very cold. She turned to see IT walking slowly towards her, its repulsive grin never leaving its smug face. It stopped with its face inches away from hers. “Nine... Ten... This is the en- ACK!!!” Glam was cut off when a black tendril wrapped around his neck and pulled him backwards. He stumbled and fell onto his back and struggled to remove the tendril with his hooves. “Useless... things! Curse you... father... for not giving me... claws!!!” Grenth emerged from the shadows, his tendril still wrapped tightly around Glam’s throat. His glowing red eyes were filled with murderous intent. “What are you... doing... brother!? Why are you... helping this... insignificant... pony!?” Grenth now stood over Glam. “These ponies may be insignificant to YOU... but they are NOT insignificant to ME!!!” Grenth’s voice was practically DRIPPING with hate. Glam just let out a strained giggle. “You were... always a little... slow... brother...” “What’s that supposed to mean!?” “Don’t you... remember... why we were... created? We were... supposed to... be... the ultimate... race. These ponies... are nothing... more... than toys... to us!” Grenth looked upon his brother with a look of utter disgust. “You’re pathetic Glam... You haven’t changed at all. Father should have locked you up and thrown the key away!” Glam giggled again. “Oh Grenth... you say the... nicest things. Besides... this is... what father... intended... for us.” Several more tendrils emerged around Grenth, their tips were like spears. “It’s over. Go back to hell brother!” The tendrils skewered Glam and lifted him into the air. Several more pierced through his body. Glam laughed through the entire ordeal. Finally the tendrils hooked into Glam’s body and began pulling in opposite directions. “This isn’t... the last... you’ll see of... me... little... brother! MARK... MY... WORDS!!!” And with that, Glam was torn to pieces. His body began to disintegrate, leaving only his bones. Grenth walked over to his brother’s skull and crushed it under his hoof. “And STAY dead this time!”