Chapter 15:Closing time
Theran Razorblade
Theran clenched his sharp teeth in rage as the white pony outside ran for it. “Oh no you DON’T!” He snarled and cast a teleport spell. He reappeared outside next to the smashed window and found he was in an alleyway. He also just so happened to appear right in front of the Earth pony and blocked his exit. “Going somewhere mate?”
Before the stallion even had a chance to react Theran lunched himself forward and tackled him to the ground. He dropped the crossbow as they went tumbling head over hooves into the snow. They came to a stop with Theran on top. He extended his hoof blade to try and jab it in the hunter’s shoulder but he had other ideas. As Theran’s hoof came down the hunter grabbed it, placed his hind knee on Theran’s stomach and threw him over. Theran gasped in surprise as he flew through the air and landed on his back. The Earth pony goon was now on top of Theran and he was raining hoof blows down on his face. He hit him about five times till he felt his nose break under the hammer like blows. It hunt like hell, sending a wave of pain up his snout. The pain left him feeling dizzy so he put up his forelegs to block the rest of the goon’s blows. “Ah thought you were supposed to be a challenge!” The goon taunted, still hitting Theran’s armoured forelegs. “Almost makes putting a bolt through Teara’s head pointless!”
Theran had had enough of putting up with this bullshit. He bucked the goon in the groin making his face twitch in agony. Theran then punched him hard in the chin and he collapsed to the side. He muttered something and his broken nose made it sound all muffled. “Well…hope that turned you around asshole.” He lay there for a moment on his back panting and gazing up at the light grey sky. If his nose wasn’t broken he might have actually enjoyed this moment of peace.
He was so exhausted he actually found it hard to stand. He got to his hooves and looked at the Earth pony. Theran felt his anger boil over when he noticed the purple bubbling foam coming out his mouth. “Brilliant!” Theran yelled at himself. “Only had to do one thing and you go and fuck it up, well done Theran well done for being the biggest moron in Equestria!”
His nose was bleeding pretty bad and even more blood came out when he pressed one of his nose with his hoof and blow. He then reset his nose with a loud crack, letting out a pained sigh. Theran then just stared at the body for a second and came to the conclusion if he couldn’t talk to him he would just have to look him over. He rolled the body on its stomach and got to looking through its many pouches. There was not much on him just some, tools, resin pack, a bottle of water, which Theran took a swig of, two daggers and a note. Theran was interested in the note so he opened it to see what it said.
The note was actually a letter and it was from a mare named Silver. “Hay Mundy ah was wondering once this job is over me and you can go some place and have a few drinks together…” The note went on and Theran realised it was just this Silver asking this now dead sod named Mundy out on a date. He got to the end but it said nothing about where they were going except for a place called the Golden Egg. Apart from that little bit of info the trail had gone cold. Theran crumpled up the letter and threw it in any old direction. He screamed in anger and kicked the dead Mundy.
“Mr Razorblade, Mr Razorblade is that you out there!?” A familiar voice asked. Theran turned to the low window and saw Merry peeking through it. “Oh..” She said, “You got a bleeder there.” Theran wiped his bloody nose and winced as he realised his nose hadn’t healed yet. It continued to bleed as Merry looked at the dead pony and asked. “He dead?”
Theran glanced over his shoulder at the body then back to Merry. “Yep.” Theran confirmed in a muffled voice as he held his hoof over his nose. “Dead as a door nail.”
She viewed the broken window. “Did you teleport?”
Theran rolled his eyes. “No I became a very small…Ouch!” Theran winced as he accidently moved his nose. “Am comen in through the front door, sod magic um too tired.” He didn’t bother waiting for a reply as he limped around the corner. Some villagers came up to him to see if he needed help but he just waved them away. Soon he was at the front and when he went through the doors they were all standing waiting for him.
Violet was there too and she seemed to have been glaring at Lilly’s boss but when she turned her head and saw him she looked stunned. “Theran!” Lilly passed Violet a rag and she limped over to him. “What happened to you? Was it them again? Theran answer m…”
Theran took the rag with his magic then used his hoof to press it to his nose. “It’s fine Violet.” He said, his voice muffled again. “I dealt with it.” His nose would probably take a few hours to heal. Hours he was not looking forward to.
Violet looked concerned, mostly to do with the fact she didn’t know he couldn’t die and he wanted to keep it that way. The less she knew of him the better. Lilly’s boss stepped forward and started talking and already Theran wanted to kill him. “There is still the matter of paying for all the damage to my inn. They were after you and your…” He looked at Violet and she gave him a glare. “Family after all so it is your fault and I want compensation.”
Theran stood on his hind legs purely out of habit and pointed the bloody rag at him. “I’ll compensate you with my blade up your ass you arrogant little…”
Violet put her good hoof on his chest and whispered with the side of her mouth to him. “As much as I want to strangle him I think it wouldn’t help us much.”
Theran considered that for a moment the decided she was right and he had to admit in his head he was too tired. He took a deep breath, went on all fours and said in a dull uncaring voice. “Well I have no money to give you so that’s not going to happen.”
Lilly’s boss sat down and crossed his forelegs. “Then we have a problem.” He shrugged. “Well I guess you’ll have to leave then, I don’t want you here if you can’t…”
Lilly stepped in and interrupted her boss. “Wait Mr Yollital don’t ya think that’s a bit harsh? Ah mean he did after all get rid of the ones who damaged the inn so…”
Mr Yollital put his hoof up “Unless he has a way to pay me they can’t stay.”
Lilly looked at Theran and there was a spark of hope in her yellow eyes. “Why not…allow him to work here and help repair the inn. He stays here as long as it takes to fix it. Think about it boss ya’ll be hiring him for free an it will cost you nothing to get him to fix the damage.” Mr Yollital looked to be thinking while Lilly turned to face Theran and Violet. “So what do ya say sound like a plan?”
Theran was slowly shaking his head till he looked at Violet and noticed she was nodding at him with a stupid smile while glancing at Lilly. He then slowly started nodding as well and sighed. “I’ll do it, if he allows it.”
All eyes turned to Mr Yollital who was still quietly thinking. He was scratching his chin with one of his wing’s feathers as he mulled it over. The more he scratched the more Theran wanted to sink his teeth into his face. “Ok I’ll allow you to do it.” A sigh of relief came from Lilly and Violet but Theran was still waiting. “But I’m not going to pay or give you my food and drinks for free.” There was the catch.
Theran just shrugged. “Fine by me.”
Lilly shook her head. “Mr Yollital surely ya can offer them some food and drink free of charge. Ya’ll did after all dealt with…”
Mr Yollital stood up and went for the door. “They’re lucky I’m even considering this Lilly. The real reason I haven’t fired you yet is because if I did your Father would have my head or roast me alive.” He then looked at Theran and pointed at him with his wing. “And you, I don’t normally tolerate your kind. Half dog half pony it’s disgusting, but looks as if I have no choice but to let you stay. Now I’m going to leave before you bite me or something.”
He left and Theran had a real hard time controlling his temper. “Am going to kill that bastard I just know it.”
Violet patted him on the shoulder. “It could be worse.”
Theran huffed at that. “With me around anything’s worse.” He looked to Lilly now and he frowned at her. She made a sheepish grin at him and he asked her. “Why did you do that for us anyway?”
Lilly looked down and crossed one forehooves over the other. “Before ma boss dragged me back here ah got to see Tim at me parent’s house. Ah…ah still can’t believe what those monsters done to him…”
She started to tear up and Violet was by her side. “Hay it’s ok.” She gave Lilly a hug and she hugged her back.
“Am sorry.” She said wiping her tears away. “Ah just wish it hadn’t happen to him is all but at least he’s alive and the important thing is you saved him Mr.” She looked Theran in the eye. “You brought him back alive and ah am eternally grateful for that.” She stood tall and proud, “So the fact you lied to ma face about you being a family don’t matter no more.” She glanced up to the rooms above. “And ah don’t care whatever she is up there just don’t let ma boss see her like that or he will lose his marbles.”
Theran did look up the broken staircase and thought about Haze. “How is she?” He asked Violet.
Violet seemed worried. “She’s still asleep. Can’t really blame the poor thing.”
“What happened to put her so out of it?” Theran asked.
Violet shrugged or tried to shrug. Having a busted up shoulder didn’t help much. “I don’t know really, I think she said something about the Earth pony choking her.”
“Was he a white stallion?” Theran asked plainly.
“Yes.” Violet confirmed.
“Then he’s dead I killed him outside in the alleyway and the prisoner down in the basement is dead as well.” Theran was still very angry about the prisoner being dead.
Merry suddenly came out of the basement and ran up to Lilly. She looked shocked as if she had seen a ghost. “Lilly, Lilly!”
Lilly turned to Merry with a confused look. “What? What’s the matter?”
Merry took some breaths and looked urgent. “It’s the prisoner she’s still alive!”
Theran’s eyes went wide this time and a wave of surprise came over him. “What, but that’s…she had a bolt in her through her skull?!” The gods themselves must have been messing with him today if the prisoner was still alive.
Merry’s eyes were still wide as she just shrugged. “Ah don’t know, she’s still as any dead guy but she’s still breathing.”
Lilly looked at Theran and then pointed up to the rooms. “Me an Merry can handle this you’ve done enough.” Lilly and Merry rushed off and Theran wanted to go too but Violet stopped him.
“No Theran just…come on you look tired and I’m tired too so just come up.”
Theran mulled it for a few seconds then just rolled his eyes. “Fine whatever you say mother.” He said in a sarcastic tone.
Violet
It was a pain getting back up stairs do to her shoulder but she managed with Theran’s help. It had been such an insane night that she had hardly any real sleep and it was weighing down on her mind. “Oh well.” She thought, “Wasn’t going to do much anyway today.”
They went to Marven’s and Ricky’s room and Marven was there sitting on the door handle. “Oh yee finally back now.” He said in his weird deep yet high-pitched actsent. “Ah was starting ti wonder if yee ever would come back at all.”
“Thank you Marven.” Violet said with gritted teeth as she made glancing gestures at Theran. She knew he was pissed off and she didn’t want him to snap. “How nice of you to greet us.”
When she actually looked at Theran he was giving her an odd look and that made her cheeks heat up.
Marven chuckled and hovered away from the door handle. “Well I won’t keep yee two love birds waiting.”
Violet’s face was red hot now when Theran started glaring at Marven and said in a stern voice. “We are not love birds.” He growled and Violet could swear she saw him blushing.
Marven just shrugged. “Ok whatever you say cowboy.”
Violet’s face felt like it was on fire with embarrassment so she made an effort not to look Theran in the eye. She could tell when a pony’s buttons have been pushed and Theran looked as if some buttons that should never be touched have been pushed. “Can we just go inside please?” She wanted to get out of this situation as quickly as possible. “I wanna check on Haze.”
Theran opened the door and stood back. Violet looked at him. “You go on in I’ll just be a minute.”
Violet studied his face for a second but found nothing on that stone face expression of his. So she went inside and just as she had left her, Haze was still asleep. Violet had to wonder how she did it, how she could after all that had happened just sleep it off. She envied her in that regard that she could sleep so peacefully despite the mental trauma. They had gotten lucky last night but Violet still wondered if this was all just a dream. She wondered if Hammer Head had beaten her into a coma and this was all in her head. The more she thought about it the more it terrified her but when she looked at little Haze. Heard her cute little soring and watched as her little hooves twitched in her sleep made Violet think twice.
Ricky was still asleep as well and was snoring loudly, not in a cute way. Violet just ignored it though as she sat on the sofa Haze slept on. It was the comfiest thing she had ever sat upon. Really other ponies didn’t know how good they got it. She let out a big sigh as her weight was lifted off her legs, letting them relax. She might have just fallen asleep right then and there if Theran hadn’t open the door and come in with his saddle-bag.
He dumped it on the floor with the bow he had for some reason and he just collapsed on top of them. “UUUUUUUHHHHHH.” Theran groaned and didn’t say anything.
Violet sat up and watched him in concern. “You ok?” She asked.
Theran lifted his head up and looked at her with a glum expression. “Oh never better.” He sarcastically sighed. “Am going to sleep now.” And dropped his head on his bag again.
“Don’t you want to sleep up here?” Violet asked him, hopping he would.
“No.” He said with his face buried in his bag.
Violet felt let down by that but she still insisted. “You can at least take your armour off. Wouldn’t you think you’d be more comfortable?”
“Will you stop nagging me if I do?” He asked in an annoyed tone.
“Yes.” Was all she felt she had to say. He sat up with a sigh and started to unstrap his chest plate. It was made into two parts, the front and back. Once his chest plate was off she got to see the new cuts in his underclothing. “Theran what happened to your cloths? Those weren’t there before.”
He frowned in confusion and looked down. “What? Oh that.” He looked back up with a sheepish grin. “Guess a blade must have grazed me or something. I had to fight my way out you know. They had me in a mine up in the hills, the sneaky bastards had their whole operation in there.”
Violet tilted her head as she examined the cuts in the clothing. “Where’s the blood?”
Theran looked confused again. “What?”
“I know you must of healed yourself with your magic cause you have no wounds but where’s the blood?”
Theran got very annoyed all of a sudden. “Why dose it matter?” He pointed at himself. “I’m back ok.”
Violet looked down feeling depressed. “Sorry I…I just worry you might be hurt and…”
“Don’t Violet.” Theran snapped. “Dinny worry about me ok I don’t need that.” Violet was struck silent as Theran took off more of his armour. That hurt her inside like a cold breeze on her chest. She noticed him glancing at her and when he struggled to undo one strap and when he failed he sighed. “Look Vi I’m sorry I didny mean to be so harsh, you don’t deserve that.” He looked down cast as he fiddled with the difficult strap. “Just…you dinny have to worry about me Vi worry more about yourself and her.” He gestured to Haze. “She needs more help than me.”
Violet got off the sofa and went over to him. The strap was attached to a curved plate on the back of his neck. There was two in total and the last one looked stuck. Violet reached out to touch it when Theran flinched and stared at her. She slightly recoiled at his reaction but after a moment he sighed and let her do her thing. “Looks to me you do need some help.” She started fiddling and tugging the strap. “Like being crap with your armour.”
Theran huffed and did his half smile and for some reason she liked that smile. “Hay I’m not that bad.” He complained. Violet smiled at that and after some tugging the strap came undone, letting the plate fall free form his neck. He tilted his head side to side till she heard some loud cracking sounds come from inside his neck. “Ahhh that feels better.”
Violet cringed. “Eww doesn’t that hurt?” She asked.
Theran shook his head. “Nope just takes off the stiffness.” He got to taking off his foreleg gauntlets while Violet held the neck plate in her hooves.
It looked like steel but it was so light and she realised the black wasn’t paint it was the colour of the metal. It wasn’t smooth ether cause its surface looked as if it had seen many battles and it also looked very, very old. “What’s this made out of?” Violet asked Theran.
He looked at the plate she was holding. “It’s made out of Night-steel, very tough better than normal steel and much lighter if made correctly.”
Violet was confused. “Night-steel, I’ve never heard of Night-steel before.”
Theran huffed again. “ I’m not surprised really, it’s a rare metal and it’s not cheap to forge ether.”
“It looks so old. Where did you get it?” Violet asked, she was very interested in this subject.
Theran Looked at the armour and frowned as if he was finding it hard to remember. “I…I canny remember, some blacksmith look I dinny know.”
Violet noticed something was bothering him but what? “Are you ok Theran you seem…”
Theran looked up and made eye contact with her. She found herself staring at those wolf like eyes, like they were putting her into a trance. “I seem like what?” He asked in confusion.
Violet didn’t really know what to say. She found herself drawn to his eyes for some reason and she couldn’t think. “Um…well…uh you seem kind of…uh…uneasy” This felt so awkward for her, she wasn’t really used to having these sort of conversations with anyone. Theran narrowed his eyes ever so slightly at her as if he was trying to need her mind. “Oh gods!” Violet thought. “Please don’t actually need my thoughts. Oh who am I kidding Unicorns can’t read thoughts. They can’t right?” she gulped.
After a few more seconds he looked away and sighed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, I’m fine.” He said flatly.
Before Violet had a chance to speak again she heard something like moaning and she shook her head. She turned to see Haze squirming in her sleep. “Haze?” She put down the neck plate and went over to her. Haze’s face was going all twitchy and she was moaning loudly. She must be having a nightmare. “Haze? Haze sweetie wake up.” She whispered and when that didn’t work she tried shaking her gently. “Haze wake up, Haze?” She didn’t wake up and Violet felt worried. “Theran she’s not waking up.”
Theran was beside Violet now and he seemed to be studying Haze’s movements. “Hmm let me try something.” He levitated her up and placed her in his forelegs. She moaned and twitched her legs as he rocked her back and forth.
Violet was confused at what he was doing. “Theran what are you…”
He hushed her. “Shh just let me work my magic.” He continued and then he started to hum something like…like a lullaby.
Summer Haze
Haze had no idea how she managed to get back home without any pony in Ponyville seeing her. She ran so fast from the school she got to her antae Stela’s home in minutes and the moment she was through the door she bolted for her room. To her horror antae Stela was in the house, she could hear her calling from the kitchen. “What was that? Summer was that you?” Haze didn’t reply, for fear had overwhelmed her mind. Once upstairs Haze ran into her room, slammed the door shut and locked it.
Haze stared at the door, her heart was pounding in her chest and everything under what was left of her fur itched. She scratched the itches but it only made it worse and the more she itched the more her fur fell on the carpet. The blue carpet was slowly starting to turn tan with all her shedding fur. “What’s happening to me?” She said out load as she watched some strands of her blue mane fall out. “What…what is this…”
“Summer?” Antae Stela’s voice was now right outside her door. “What are you doing here you’re supposed to be in school?”
“I…uh…” Haze quickly thought of an excuse. “I’m…I’m not feeling well.” Her shoulders were itching the most. It also felt like her shoulder blades were heating up to an uncomfortable rate under her skin.
Antae Stela wasn’t buying it. “Oh, if that were the case Miss Cheerlie would have phoned me and I would have picked you up.” She knocked on the door. “So stop telling me fibs and open the door please.”
“NO!” Haze blurted out as more chucks of her fur came out. She could see her skin now, it looked black and was covered in blisters.
Antae Stela sounded startled from Haze’s sudden outburst. “Summer what…is everything alright? What are you doing in there anyway?”
“Nothing!” Haze wanted antae Stela to go away more than anything right now. “I’m fine just…!” Haze paused as she felt something in her mouth. She spat it out and to her horror discovered it was one of her teeth.
There was a pause till antae Stela asked in confusion. “What’s all this, is this…fur?” She knocked on the door again. “Summer what’s going on? Open this door right now.”
“GO AWAY!” Haze screamed. “LEAVE ME ALONE!” Haze noticed bits of her hooves were coming out and it hurt. They were even bleeding a little.
Antae Stela started fiddling with the door handle and she sounded worried. “Summer what’s happening in there? You’re starting to scare me now.” She thumped the door. “Open this door right now!” She yelled.
“NO!” Haze screamed again. “JUST GO AWAY!” The door was rattling now and Haze looked around for anywhere to hide. There were none.
“That’s it!” Antae Stela shouted. “I’m coming in whether you like it or not. This nonsense ends now!” Haze did the only thing she could. She grabbed her bed’s covers and threw them over herself as her room door opened and antae Stela came inside.
Haze was trembling and she made an effort not to itch but it was so hard. “Summer?” Antae Stela sounded strangely calm when she heard Haze sobbing. Haze covered her mouth to muffle her sobs but it was too late. She felt antae Stela touch the covers. “Summer…why are you crying? I didn’t mean to yell at you.”
“Please…” Haze begged. “Leave me alone I…you can’t see me like this.”
Antae Stela tried to sound comforting. “Oh Summer come on, see you like what?”
Haze tried one more time to get her to go. “Please just…just let me…leave me be ok.”
Antae Stela wasn’t listening. “Come on Summer stop being a silly filly and let me see you.”
“No!” Haze shouted.
“Yes.” Antae Stela stated and pulled the covers away.
“NOOOO!” The covers came off the antae Stela slowly gasped in shock as she saw her. Her green eyes just stared at Haze for a long time as she took in the clumps of fur, bits of fallen out hoof and her black blistering skin underneath.
“Summer.” Antae Stela said very slowly and with a hint of fear. “What…how did…”
“Please don’t be mad at me.” Haze pleaded. “It’s…I don’t…”
“Mad?” Antae Stela said as she shook her head. “Why would I be…” Haze’s tears were streaming down her sore and itchy face. Antae Stela sat down in front of her and touched her right cheek. “What…what happened to you Summer? How did…how did this happen?”
“I don’t know.” Haze wept. “One minute I was arguing with that bully at school and the next…” She shakily gestured to herself. “My fur just started falling out and my hooves.” She showed them to her. “Look at them.” Antae Stela pulled her hoof away from Haze’s cheek and with it a load of her fur went with it. She looked up at her and she lost control of her overwhelming trauma. “What’s happing to me Antae Stela make it stop please!?” She hugged her antae’s stomach and buried her face in her chest. “Make it stop!” She repeated over and over till all she was doing was crying.
Antae Stela wrapped her forelegs around Haze and hugged her tightly. “Shh it’s ok, sweetie. It’s alright we…we’ll call a doctor and figure this out.”
Haze felt sick now as pain started in her head and chest. “Am…am I gunna die?” Haze asked through her sods.
“No sweetie heart no don’t say that you’re going to be fine.” Antae Stela said reassuringly, stroking the back of her head and feeling more fur come out.
Haze sobbed loudly letting it all out. Antae Stela rocked her back and forth, humming a lullaby to her and it seemed to make her drift off. When she opened her eyes again she was looking up at a familiar wolf like face. “Th…Theran?” She groaned. Her throat still felt sore and swollen after that Earth pony had choked her to an inch of her life. “What are you doing in my room?”
Theran along with Violet standing next to him smiled. “Hay there Pip.” Theran said. “You looked as if you were having a nightmare.”
Nightmare? The nightmare or more like a memory was already fading, retreating to a deep part of her subconscious.
“How did you do that?” Violet asked Theran and Haze had no idea what she was talking till Theran said.
“I’m uh…lets just say I’m good with kids.”
Violet sounded like she didn’t believe that nor did Haze. “You, good with kids? Now that’s a sentence I wouldn’t use.”
“Me ether.” Haze chimed in just to annoy Theran.
Theran just rolled his eyes. “Whatever. You ok now Pip?” He gave her a little boop on the nose and she giggled.
“Yeah, I guess I’m fine now. Can you put me down please?” Theran huffed once more and put her down on the sofa. She sat up and buzzed her stiff wings. “So…what’s going on, what did I miss?”
Theran filled in the gaps for her. “Well…Lilly’s boss showed up, he was a…real charmer, bet he reads books you’d like him.” Some how Haze knew he was being sarcy so she didn’t buy want he said for a second. “Then that bas…” He stopped himself short when he glanced at Violet. “That…lovely guy who gave you a big squeeze in the neck showed up again and you know what I did to him?”
Haze sighed. “I don’t think I wanna know.”
Theran nodded with a well-expected expression. “Well ok then but I will tell you he won’t be bothering you again anytime soon or even better, never.”
Haze slowly glanced at both of them. “So what happens now?”
Theran kept his mouth shut while Violet explained. “Well…we get to stay and Lilly is fine with the way…” She gestured at Haze. “Well the way you look normally.”
“And I got a fine job here.” Theran finally cut in. “So we might be here a while. Not sure how long but we have some what of a permanent spot here at the moment.”
“Really?” Haze was surprised. “What did you do to get a job here?”
“Smashed up the place.” Theran said plainly.
Haze gave the “really” looked and she was unimpressed. “Really that’s how you got it?”
Theran made a sheepish grin and just shrugged. “Well I didn’t directly smash the place but I did break down the basement door so…yeah we stay till I fix the place.”
“But…” Violet chimed in. “This means we’ll be safe here and well get to um, know the town’s ponies.” Violet didn’t sound too chuffed about that. “Guess…guess…” She yawned loudly and shook her head. “Gah sorry. I…I think I’ll just go and take a nap.”
Violet lay down on the sofa and almost in seconds she was sleeping. Haze looked back to Theran who was also lying down with his stuff. He looked a lot different without his armour on, more skinny but not too skinny. His clothes also looked tattered and tore in places. He looked at her. “You can do what you want Haze just make sure you look different before going outside.” He stopped and looked to be pondering. “Actually stay in the inn and make sure Lilly, Merry or Marven can see you. I might have driven those bad guys off but they might still be around.” He yawned, and she got to see all his razor sharp teeth. They stopped being pointy when they hit the middle of his jaw and then they were just flat. He made a big sigh and rested his head. “Stay out of trouble Pip.”
Before she could ask him anything he was already asleep well he looked it. She hopped down from the sofa and crept up to him. His eyes were closed and he seemed to be asleep till he said with his eyes still shut. “You got to be a lot quitter than that if you want to sneak up on me Pip.” He waved his hoof lazily at her. “Now go off and do…whatever it is you do.”
He didn’t say anything more after that so Haze got the message and she left him alone.
She went out the door that was still open and saw Marven fluttering around. He saw her too and fluttered down to her level. “Ah little bug girl is finally awake.”
Haze frowned at him. “You can talk.”
Marven just laughed. “So what you gonna do today little one?”
“My name is Summer Haze not bug girl or little one.” Haze stated and added. “And I think I’m just going to enjoy myself for once and…do some art.”
Somewhere in the barrier lands: Six days later.
“Life is so complex. It is filled with wonderful things big, small, weak and mighty.” A lone dark figure stood next to a window of a building built into a mountain, over looking the barren, frozen wasteland below. Her long slender body dawned black leather plating that hid most of her reptilian features was an intimidating sight to behold. Strapped to those plates were many small blades, all designed for throwing. She had midnight black fur and scales, with a short silver mane, which covered the earless sides of her head. She kept on talking in a smooth yet reptilian kind of voice. “Life also has a way to create new things. Things that go beyond our understanding, things that cannot be explained.” She turned from the window, her claws dragging across the stone floor that could send chills down a spine. One spine in particular attached to the head of the female unicorn with white fur, blue eyes and a ginger mane. She had a cut on her left cheek and it had long since scabbed over with stitches sown through it. She approached the unicorn slowly, stepping down the stone steps with her hooves clapping on the stone and her long lizard tail that had a tuft of silver fur, came form behind her. The look of fear on the unicorn’s face sent chills of pleasure through the dark one’s chest as she slowly started walking around the unicorn, all the while dragging her claws on the floor. “So why not start explaining why an entire operation in the south has gone silent and the only one to show up is you?” She stopped by the unicorn’s left side, pressed herself up close and whispered in the mare’s furry ear. “Tell me…where is your father Gorta?”
“He’s dead.” The unicorn answered quickly. “He was killed by…he was killed by…”
The dark one put her arm over the unicorn’s back and then put her clawed hand under the mare’s chin. The mare froze as she ran a claw down her throat. “Killed by what my little mare?” She flicked her fork tong and enjoyed the smell of fear that emanated from the mare’s body.
“I…I uh…I’m not sure.” She could sense the mare’s unease. “My father wouldn’t like you touching me like…”
The dark one pressed one claw under the mare’s chin to silence her. “Your father is dead remember?” She smiled and showed her fangs. “I don’t think he will mind.” She let the mare go. “Now tell me what happened before I skin you alive.”
The mare was trembling slightly as she made an effort to stay still. “We…the operation was compromised. We had two targets one was a female filly we suspected her being half changeling. The other was an adult male half unicorn half Wolven.” She paused for a moment as she remembered then continued. “He…he escaped, released the Kearin we were holding and began to rampage through our base. All the agents there are dead my father included, I’m…I’m the only one left.”
The dark one was now sitting on the chair that was up the steps and near the window. She sat there scratching her chin with one claw as she pondered. As she mulled over what she had just heard the agent’s eyes shifted to another lone figure that stood in one corner. The figure was a Unicorn mare who sported black robes, clean silver leg guards and black leg warmers. Her fur was white and her sleek mane was black, a common colour combo in the barrier lands. She was taller than the one sitting in the chair and just like the one sitting who had strong reptilian orange eyes the one in the corner had glowing blue ones. “Hmmm what do you think my dear sister?” The one in the chair asked the figure in the corner.
The figure in the corner stepped forward, her long robe flowing behind her hind legs gracefully as she approached the quivering agent. “The base is no longer secret.” She said in a deep yet elegant voice and she was calm. “Meaning we can no longer conduct our efforts there. The locals will surely have set up something to prevent it.” She stopped in front of the unicorn mare and towered over her. “In other words, that town is now a safe zone for those we seek.”
The dark one clasped her hands together and rested her chin on them. “Then we have a problem or should I say I have a problem with that.” She then shrugged. “No matter, we’ll just have to keep an eye on that area for now on.” She gestured to the unicorn mare. “You will be the one to take whom ever you please with you and set up a recon post. You are not under any circumstance to enter that settlement. You are lucky to be alive…” She started counting with her claws. “You are lucky no one followed you and you are lucky I liked your Father otherwise I would have stripped you of your flesh and feasted on your initials.” She waved lazily at the mare with a deep throated sigh. “Get out of my sight.”
The mare bowed her head. “Yes mistress I’ll uh…”
“GET OUT!!!” The dark one hissed and the mare half ran half stumbled out the room and now it was just her and her sister. She sighed deeply in her chair and rubbed her scaly face with her claws. “I hate these equines, so dull, small and inferior.”
“You forget…” Her sister implied. “That you and I are of equine blood. Does that mean we are the same?”
“Are you trying to be funny?” The dark one hissed. “Because it dose not suit you.”
“I am not trying to be humorous at all. I only make a suggestion. Are we any different from them?”
“You know we are.” The dark one insisted. “We were made to be so as Father intended.”
“So what are Father’s plans now?” Her sister asked.
The dark one stood and gazed out the widow again. “The same as they have always been, you know this.”
Her sister joined her, standing by her side and gazing out to the land below. “I know I was just testing to see if you knew. It has been a long time since we last heard from Father. Do you think he will ever come back?”
“Do not distress dear sister, Father will be back in do time. For now Black Sun will continue to gather specimens for future study and wait for his return.”