//------------------------------// // Night as a shadow // Story: Nights light // by soulyman //------------------------------// A hunched figure lingered on a tiled rooftop watching his helpless prey walk through the street alley. With his charcoal coloured cloak flailing with the cold wind, he gracefully leaped across the silent alley to land upon the next brown rooftop with ease. Turning to stand back at the edge of the roof the slender navy blue unicorn brushed his long knotted hair from his face, revealing his tired ocean blue eyes. He took another stride over to the building opposite pursuing his prey, all the while taking in the beautiful view of the glistening white moon and how it softly illuminated wonderfully decorated buildings of Canterlot. The icy wind on his heated body sent an enjoyable chill down his spine allowing him to appreciate the cold darkness. Landing on the popular double story cafe that served many busy city goers during the day, he noticed his prey cautiously scanning up and down the dark damp alley, as mice do when exiting their home in the wall. As he edged his way towards and peered over  the roof, he gave his target a deadpan stare not noticing anything out of the ordinary in which headquarters had informed him of. With her grey coat and brown eyes, she looked just like any other unicorn that wandered the streets of Canterlot during the day. A single citizen could have a thousand reasons for wandering the streets at night ranging from a simple stroll to a late night date. Though the stalkers doubts were put to rest as the unicorn spread her wings out wide, summoning summoned green flames around her to vaporize at the fleshy body. The night-watcher from above raised a hoof in front of his face, protecting his eyes from the radiating flames. Even from his heightened position he could feel the heat of the intense light singing the ends of his hairs. When the glow upon the walls of the alley began to died down, he gazed back at the figure finding that the grey pegasus had disappeared only to be replaced by a black pony like creature. The flames faded to nothing revealing the smooth black shell of the mysterious creature beneath the disguise. With a dark green glow from it’s hole punctured horn, a puff of smoke formed a parchment and pen in the air. Staring through the darkness, the nocturnal adventurer attempted to read over the shoulder of his target, but with the writing too small and light scarce, the stalker from above knew that with her attention averted, this was his best opportunity. Reaching under his cloak, he unsheathed both of his two polished steel daggers from their homes and held each firmly in his fore hooves. Leaping from his perch, he threw one of his daggers downwards, watching it slam into the floating parchment, pinning it to the ground. Before the saber toothed creature could turn to hiss at her assailant, a weight was brought down pushing her to the ground crushing her bones with an audible crack and splitting a hole through her chest. She opened her mouth to scream but not a breath escaped her lips, no air or sound whatsoever, just red blood as it dribbled it’s way to the floor. With her cheek to the dirt she could only glimpse from her green compound eyes a shadow, blurred into the ground across the alley brought by the rising moon. An intense sharp pain shot through her body as the double edged knife retreated from her body causing a rasped gasp for what little air would be accepted by her dying lungs. “Please…” She whispered to the floor as her world was consumed by darkness. An impassive voice answered her call, whispering like an angel of death from above. “I’m sorry,” The voice replied looking down with his red eyes. “I just missed your heart,” The bloody cutlery accelerated downwards, splitting apart the flesh and opening a deep wound to the chest. ______________________________________________________________________ With one still bloody blade sheathed in his belt the relentless stallion tugged the other from the ground bringing the dusty parchment that the unfortunate creature was writing on with it. He pulled the note from the blade, sheathing his dagger with his gaze still fixated on the unfinished writing. Taking a closer look, he made his best attempt to read the fancy writing. Whilst struggling, he read aloud to himself. “To my coo-een, it ap-pearz that I will not be returning to hoof this to you myself as see-curity is tight. I have gathered that there is going to be a…” The stallion stopped and sighed before tearing up the paper letting the pieces drop to the dirt as nothing more was to be read. Turning towards the limp body laying in the alley, he sat,staring into the lifeless green eyes the creature itself had once looked through. The glow that had once gifted it with night vision was gradually dimming and becoming a lifeless grey the longer he watched. He lowered the eyelids as to allow eternal rest befall the unfortunate mare, before he himself closed his eyes, allowing himself a moment's reprieve. Breath. That was all that he could hear. The soft wisps of wind as it slowly twirled in and out of his lungs. The first and last thing that would be done from the beginning until the end of a life. Breath. The chilly wind suddenly dragged him from his restful moment as it whistled in his ears. Looking up, he sighed noticing that more than his intended moment had passed. The moon had floated it’s way across the black sky signifying that dawn was creeping closer. A black hole emerged on the wall next to the navy unicorn as he lit his horn with a dark colourless glow. He reached into the mouse sized hole and taking no notice of his disappearing hoof, pulled out a roll of white bandages followed by a dark stained rag. He then proceeded to circle the deceased body, cleaning the blood from around the wounds and bandaging them with care stopping any more red liquid from leaking. After rolling the body over many times and inspecting his handy work he carelessly threw the stained rag and remaining bandages over his head into the pitch black void that sat like a painting on the wall. As the glow of his horn dissipated, so did the mystical black shadow that was hung on the wall until neither was to be seen. Hoisting the body onto his back, he crept through the side streets and dark alleys towards his most familiar destination. He covered ground quickly having traveled the streets many a time at night. More beads of sweat trickled down his forehead the closer he was to his destination, but not once did he delay at the thought of having to wait longer to reach the convenience of home. It wasn't long before he splashed through a puddle reaching the old wooden door hidden near the end of an alley. Knocking heavily on the wooden door, he waited a few moments expecting it to fly open, but when the door stayed ajar he quietly let himself in. He laid his load over the maps and other reports that sat flatly on the table in the center of the room with a loud thump. The sudden rumble woke the three sleeping ponies that sat around it. The eldest of the bunch was the first to respond to the commotion. “You know not everypony wants to wake to see a dead changeling on their table. Dare I say that back in my day...” The wrinkled brown stallion ranted on, boring the room with his history lesson. Wit, still the grumpy old stallion that you were the day I met you. “Put it away old timer,” Rose Cheek yawned. “Just do your job unless you want to get reassigned to the Canterlot boring history division,” Rose, you better watch what you say to old ponies. You’re lucky he can’t run anymore. “You can’t talk about others not doing their job,” The daisy mare shot back. “Especially when your lazy flank can’t even find anything about him-” She gestured to the cloaked stallion standing among them, “-Even after working with him for three years,” She said expectantly. An exasperated sigh came from the stallion standing before his crowd. “It’s okay, Keen eye. He does what he can. Could you just get started on the body before I go?” “You can’t stay? Not even for a few minutes?” She cooed, widening her eyes and pouting her lips adorably. “How about finally giving us a name?” She pawed the air adorably, hoping for an answer. To her disappointment her attempt  was in vain as the body was swiftly picked up and carried through a door into another room. Rose and Sharp looked at each other before snickering behind Keen’s back. “Do you two have something to say?” She threateningly spoke instantly silencing the room. Worrying that somepony was about to get sucker punched, Sharp quickly broke the silence. “I don’t know why you even tried that,” He began in a frustrated tone. “You should know by now that he’s not interested with getting close to anypony. Not you nor anypony else, so give up the lovey dovey stuff kid. Just let it go,” A mix between irritation and embarrassment caught her off guard as her cheeks flourished red like a rose. “Hey, making people tomato faced is my job” Rose laughed, leaning back in his chair inviting it to be knocked over by an angry mare. “And how would you know that, Oldy?” She huffed. “Have you ever had a crush or, been in love?” The comment seemed to hush the old stallions tone close to a whisper. His eyes drifted to the scratched wooden table in which they sat at. “Well, who hasn't, but it’s a wasted effort. He’s not looking for a relationship,” “Why say that?” Rose questioned as he picked himself up. “He’s strong and handsome, I mean if I weren’t so popular with the mares I’d go for him too,” His joke called for a shove to the stomach sending him to the ground once more. “It’s all in the eyes, boy. You can say what you want, and lie to any face, but the eyes are gates to the truth. It takes a lifetime to learn how, but if you do, you can read a person like a book just by looking at them,” He said as his knowledge was passed on. “I feel like you've deviated the topic. What are you talking about?” Keen asked suddenly interested in the old ponies weird rant. “That stallion’s got them, the eyes that that have seen all and can now, tell all. But trust me when I say, they don’t come cheap.” He uttered gloomily. “He’s done and seen things long before he should have, one of which was dead on this very table. You may see it happen, but taking a life in a war is very different than sitting in the back lines,” An uncomfortable silence ran through the room keeping everyone’s eyes glued to the walls and furniture. The once embarrassed mare now sat confused in her thoughts. As the minutes passed more and more questions arose until the dam had to be released. “Why are you saying all of this, Oldy?” Rose asked. “What’s gotten into you? What’s with all of this preaching?” Sharp Wit pushed his chair in before heading for the alley door. Without turning to face his colleagues he finally answered. “It’s not something I can explain ms Eye. All I can say is that nothing has changed for him and it’s beginning to hurt him whether he knows it or not. Injuries are born from tragedies and mistakes, but even after a lifetime not all of them heal,” He ushered as he swung the wooden door open, exiting into the darkness. “Good night kids,” “I think he’s finally lost it,” Were the first words heard echoing through the room. “How could you say that?” She exclaimed, turning to the joker standing next to her. “With my mouth,” he jested. “I mean, old people lose their common sense after a while, he’s just reaching the stage where things only make sense to him. Either that or we’re a part of a really bad author’s story,” “Sometimes I think you're mad. If there was such a thing as ageism, you’d be a labeled as one,” she said shaking her head in disapproval. Following the hoof steps of Quick Wit, he too made his way into the night, but not before leaving his signature mark. “Actually there is such a thing as ageism. Now i’ll leave you two lovers alone,” He yelled back. Keen released her stress, rubbing her fore hooves around her temples for a minute while thinking of sunflowers and ice-cream. She eventually made her way into the next room where she found a silent stallion at the window gazing into the night. Without a word she approached the splayed body on the table in the room, picking up a pen and clipboard along the way. The next few minutes were spent with Keen examining the changeling taking notes every few seconds with a single ceiling lamp as her only source of light, while her silent assistant gazed towards  the midnight diamonds through the only open window of the room. Eerie silence condemned any sound made. The only noise to be heard was forged by the painful scratching of pencil on paper. An hour passed with long descriptive words being etched onto the clipboard by the focused mare. Her concentration only broken when the door of the room was swung wide, slamming into the opposing wall revealing the red pegasus pony made of muscle standing behind it. “Hello beautiful,” He introduced, but then turned to the quiet pony next to the window. “So this the famous, stupendous and may I say mysterious knight that everypony talks about?” The stallion spoke with arrogance as he approached the uninterested other stallion of the room. “Don’t look as amazing as everypony says back in the castle, if you ask me that is,” The stallion spat, proceeding to stroll into the room slowly gaining everyone's attention. “Oh, someone new. You here for cleanup duty?” Keen interrupted with a slightly annoyed tone. Before the stallion could even answer she continued without hesitation. “Then you should take the body to this address and this identification report with it,” She said sternly whilst hoofing him a few pages covered in boring words. “I’m done here so I’ll be heading home,” “Hey, missy,” He said throwing the paper away as he sat next to the much smaller stallion throwing a wing over the cloak. “Why don’t you grab me a drink on your way out while I have a chat with your friend, huh?” “Take care of what you say to him,” she called out from the front room as she put her brown trench coat on pulling the collar up to her cheeks hiding most of her face. “Or you might regret talking to him in the first place,” The room door slammed shut as the mare trotted through the darkness, leaving the two stallions sitting next to the window in each others uncomfortable company. “So what makes you so special, huh?” He questioned in a condescending tone, still with his wing resting intimidatingly on the pony’s cloak. “Why does everypony think you're so good that you deserve your own room in the castle. Yout think you're so much better than us? Is that it?” He leaned in closer making the pony seem even smaller than he already was. “I bet you’re just a chicken hiding under that piece of trash you've got there. You don’t even look like guard material. You're so tiny you look like a mare,” He added obviously trying to cause a reaction, but when none came his short patience was worn even thinner. “You even listening to me little colt? Answer me!” He demanded placing the ponies neck under his wing and squeezing to hold him in a headlock. And as if he had awoken from a dream, the shadow under the hood finally spoke in a calm expressionless manner. “If you're done with these games little colt, I would like to see that you finish your job so we can both go home,” “WHY YOU LITTLE…!” The grown stallion yelled as he brought his hoof down towards his provoker’s head. The few words spoken had hit a nerve, sending the pegasus’ mood into the red zone. The strong toned foreleg of the pony would have cracked a skull that night if the pony that was held under-hoof hadn't suddenly vanished into thin air leaving nothing in his grasp. In confusion the pony searched the room, accidentally falling over and crushing the table behind him. Laying on his back he opened his eyes finding a dark figure looming over him. “You should be more careful, the body could have been damaged if I wasn't quick enough,” The pony said before disappearing again as a hoof swiped at his face. The embarrassing fact that he couldn't find a pony in such a small room only aggravated him further. “Show yourself and I’ll put a hoof in that smug face of yours!” The angry pony tempted, forgetting how useless his provoking words were against his opponent. “I’m just like another bucking changeling aren’t I? You enjoy killing, don’t you? I bet you kill them just for the laughs, you little piece of… uurrrgh,” he grunted as a powerful force was brought to his chest sending him flying across the room until his back slammed into the wall. Shaking his head he began regaining his composure when a cold steel met his neck causing to him instinctively freeze.  “IF YOU DARE SAY THAT AGAIN IN MY FACE I SWEAR ON THE NEXT SUNRISE THAT YOU WON’T SEE IT!” He growled with teeth clenched grating on one another in fury. “WOAH WOAH CALM DOWN! WHAT’D I SAY!? WHAT’D I SAY!?” He pleaded pushing against the wall in vain as he tried to create distance between the sharp implement and his delicate throat. “IF YOU THINK THAT MY JOB IS FUN THEN I SHOULD LAUGH AS YOUR LITTLE LIGHT FADES!” He shouted in his victims face, his voice being drowned out by another deeper more sinister voice resonated in the air and rattled the floor boards with each word. Instants of time seemed to last minutes as the room was plunged into darkness each time the light failed to subdue it. Shadow’s all around, seemed to wobble and change shape, growing into creatures with red eyes and sharp teeth that glowed. For the frightened stallion, his situation only grew worse as the air became thick and heavy making the next breath more difficult than the last. He turned away from the horrifying scene unfolding in front of him and shut his eyes, waving his hooves in front of him in a vain attempt to keep anything from approaching. “What the hell is going on!?” He cried, terrified as sweat dripped from his chin. “Okay Okay I’m sorry! I’ll never say anything like that again! Please just let me go!” Light slowly returned confidently to the globe, brightening the room and shooing any darkness away bathing the two opponents in a dim light. The shaking stallion stood slowly as he looked around the room noticing he was no longer under the charm of a steel blade. He leaned against a wall allowing a moment for him to slow his heavy panting that was creating the most noise within the room. “That’s all I wanted to hear. Once you’re ready-” The cloaked pony said sternly and confidently as he distance himself from the frightened pegasus. His voice now gentle as it had been originally. “-you will take the body to the address Keen gave you and place it in the open coffin along with the other papers. I’m sure you can work out the rest,” He assured, walking up to the lone open window and slowly begin climbing through it. “Wait a sec,” he requested only to have the cold unicorn ignore his pleas. Unsure of why he did, the white pegasus continued to asked a simple yet most challenging question. “Who are you?” he whispered through the cold still air. “What are you?” The stallion froze at the question, slowly climbing back into the room. The air was completely silent save the rise and fall of two chests. An icy breeze ran through the open window revealing hot moist breath ejecting from under the hood of the cloak. A firefly buzzed it’s way towards the still figure landing on his head whilst glowing brilliantly in the gloomy room. A long saddened sigh was discharged before an unexpected tear hit the floor. “That is a very good question, isn't it?” He breathed, finally leaping from the window into the shadowy domain. ______________________________________________________________________________ The long soft royal red carpet that decorated every marble hall soothed his tired hooves as he tiptoed quietly through the hallway. The tall pillars aligned with ancient pictures of sunlight and moonshine reminded him of the loyalty and fortune that had been bestowed upon him. Tall stained windows coloured sections of the floor as the moonlight shone through. The stallion embracing the nostalgic feeling of seeing his teacher again for another class. He approached a double door entrance a few rooms down from his. Guarded by two unblinking fierce looking bat ponies in purple armor he turned to give them both an acknowledging nod before he approached. Few guards had met him despite his lengthy time within the castle gates, but the few who had, admired his humble glory. Looking up at the archway he examined the crescent moon, halfway between a full moon and a lunar eclipse and reminded himself of who he was about to see. He knocked three times as he did almost every night, not having to wait more than a few seconds before he heard a familiar voice usher him in. “It is good to see you,” The tall mare acknowledged as she gestured him to come closer. “And you as well, Luna,” He greeted as he made his way past her immensely large bed to meet her next to the balcony door. He pulled off his hood. “Before we start… umm…” “Yes,?” She urged, raising a brow in both expectation and surprise. “What has thy done this night?” “Oh, i-it’s nothing. Just if someone does complain about us perhaps… assaulting them just brush it off. It wasn't even that big of a deal,” Luna sighed as she placed a hoof on his shoulder. Whether it was for comfort or for his complete attention he didn't know. “The time where you must accept other ponies for their good and bad will come, and for your sake I wish it to be soon. I shall not be here to veil it forever,” “We know, we know. It’s just that his words went in the worst direction possible,” He grumbled. “He spoke of your profession, did he not?” When the only response she received was him turning his head away, she immediately understood. “You have spent far too long in the castle. We think it would be best if you were to re enter into the world,” He laughed at the thought of busy streets and his reaction to being caught in the middle of it all. “We think we’ll be fine where we are now,” “That was not a decision we were leaving to you,” She giggled as she watched his eyes widened. “Wait, but.. you can’t… where do we… WHAT?!” His jaw dropped to the floor leaving an expression mixed between stunned confusion on his face. As nothing more was being said by the paralyzed stallion, Luna decided to try to calm his nerves. After all, she was his mentor and that made it her responsibility to comfort him. “My sister’s own student was once apprehensive about such a change, but after the experience she never turned back and decided to continue her studies elsewhere. Perhaps you will choose a similar path,”  A sigh came from the tired stallion, one that had accepted his fate. “So how long did you plan on making us go for?” His question brought a devious smile to the mares face. “Until the next Galloping Galla,” “What?! But that’s ages away and you know I've never attended those before. Just because some rich stuck up designer wants to see the personal prototype thingymabob of Luna herself, doesn't mean we’ll turn up,” “Ah, but this time I give you no choice. You must turn up AND you must bring a friend along as well,” “WE HAVE TO BRING SOMEONE AS WELL? Arrrrggghhh. You're making this impossible for us,” “Don’t be like that, I’m sure it will be better than you think. Also, just to make it that much more impossible, you’re leaving first thing tomorrow morning,” An irritated grumble came from the distressed pony. “Do you also want us to take the train miss ‘turn your life upside down’? Or should we just crawl there, hooves tied?” Luna’s bright and sincere expression quickly changed to one of rigidness. “Don’t use that tone with me!” She stamped her hoof on the ground sending a small shock wave throughout the castle. Two guards rushed in asking if anything was the matter only to be sent away being told that it was trivial. With a much less strict tone she continued. “You will be taking an air carriage there,” His ears perked at the sentence. “And where exactly is ‘there’?” “Well, it’s a nice quiet place that we have had the pleasure of visiting a few times. It is a small town where my sister sent her student to for her first time away,” She paused for a moment before leaning in close taking him in a warm embrace. “Know that this is for your own good and I would not do this if I did not think that you would benefit from it,” “Yeah, I know,” He replied as he wrapped his own forelegs around her. “Thanks, we guess that’s all you do,” “Stay safe,” She whispered, “And try to keep ‘him’ in line,” Leaving the hug she pointed towards the entrance of the room. “Now off to bed, now that you are waking during the day we wish you to be fully rested,” He made his way to the exit, pulling the hood of his cloak up as he did so. “Don’t worry about a thing, I’m sure we’ll survive a few months in a quiet town. With a new lifestyle to look forward to, he walked off to pack and rest for his new life in a new home. He slowly paced his way to his own room located much further away from Luna’s quarters, allowing the guards to once again shut the entrance behind him with a quiet yet still audible creak. After a short stroll, he found himself opening the tall sturdy double doors to his room. Flicking a switch to his left, the small chandelier hanging in the center of the room, blinked to life to illuminate his few belongings. These included: a double sized bed against the wall, a matching cupboard and drawer set and a desk covered with rare books only found in large libraries such as the Canterlot archives. He shut the doors behind him as slowly and quietly as possible as to not send a reverberating sound through the castle halls and wake the off-duty guards from their rest. Undoing the ribbon of his cloak which hugged it to his neck and unbuckling the brown straps that held his daggers, he carefully placed each where they belonged. He took his time folding his delicate cloth before tucking it neatly into the top drawer along with his belt and tools of the trade. Satisfied that his long night was finally at an end he turned around to bound across the polished wooden floor to land on his messy bed that had rarely been made. Curling into a ball, he threw the sheets over himself to shut out the light and be consumed by the darkness where he could disappear from the world. Packing for his new social life could wait until tomorrow.                                                                  ______________________________________________________________________________ The rain poured down, drenching anything it could reach. Dirt roads turned to muddy rivers and saplings could be seen swimming with the tide. Unusual clouds from the Everfree blocked any sunlight from warming the hearts of townsfolk who looked for a stop to the torrential storm. Icy wind blew open windows only for them to be closed instantly by the cold ponies in their homes. Children shivered in their beds as all heat was taken from their bodies. “It will be okay children,” The aqua coated zebra soothed with her soft delicate voice. “The storm will blow right over our heads. Do you know why?” She asked, not expecting a response from the colts and fillies that were wrapped up in their blankets. “Because the orphanage is the strongest building there is. I could even say that it even…” She was interrupted by a loud thunderous knock at the door. “Who in the world would be out in this weather?” Rushing over to the entrance she slowly opened the rickety wooden door. The wind gushed in throwing her off her hooves for a moment before she pulled her head outside to take a peek at her unexpected guest. Looking around, she found nopony waiting in the horrendous storm. “HELLO?” She called out. Her voice barely audible over the whipping wind. “IS ANYPONY THERE?” She yelled one last time. When no response came she shrugged and was about to haul her head back inside when she heard a cry. A high pitched cry that screamed in short bursts, muffled by some sort of cloth. Looking passed the wind that forced her blue eyes to squint she looked down at her hooves to find a ball. A round ball of cloth. One that yelled louder than the storm itself. Quickly picking up the mysterious noise maker, she tucked it under her foreleg and made her way inside, hurling the door closed behind her. She trotted to her room as to not wake the children from their sleep before laying the thing on her bed. She began to unravel the soaked cloth finding that it was actually a scarf. Underneath the scarf was a young pony foal no more than a few months old. His dark blue coat and black mane was an unusual combination which made the mare’s eyes widen a little, but once the crying baby opened his eyes she couldn’t look away. His large adorable blue eyes were teared up with emotion. There was a moment of peace where the two stared at each other in the calmness of the company before lips quivered and he began sobbing again. “Hush, hush,” She whispered picking up the foal  from his damp cradle. “It’s going to be alright. You're safe now,”