From The Void

by kurapica

A Kiss, Sweet Mother

'Gurgle' "Heh, sorry I'm a bit hungry." Silver Wing said rubbing the back of his neck.

"It is getting late." Lucien replied, looking towards the setting sun. "There's an inn nearby, perhaps we could rest there for the night; is this acceptable?" He asked Silver Wing, who gave a smile and nodded. when they arrived Lucien Lachance asked for a room while Silver Wing ordered some hay fries as the speaker handed the innkeeper fifteen bits. He asked about any crimes other than those of the bandits; the most interesting thing he heard was about a local writer who's brother was killed by a gryphon recently; the gryphon claims it was self defense, but the writer says his brother would never do something like that.

"Well, I think it's time for us to rest for the night." Lachance said, motioning silver wing to follow.

"But I'm not tired." He quickly protested, although a yawn betrayed him.

"As I said, time to rest." Lucien said. as they walked to there room.Once they arrived Lucien placed the twin swords on one of the bed post's and pretended to fall asleep, while Silver Wing just jumped onto his bed and fell asleep.

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2 Hours later

After making sure Silver Wing was truly asleep Lucien Lachance grabbed Mahulak and Morden and then quietly stepped out of the room. "If he wakes up tell him I will be back by sunrise." He told the innkeeper, nodding towards his room, the innkeeper nodded in response.

As he stepped out of the inn Lucien recalled that the writer's house was on the other side of town; deciding that it was best to be quick and discreet he raised his hood and decided to take the rooftops.The listener was making good time and if you heard anything it sounded like the foundation settling. He soon arrived at the writer's house and found an open window on the second floor, perfect.

He found that the open window led to the writer's bedroom,as he would rather keep his promise to the innkeeper and Silver Wing, he woke the writer; a green earth pony with a black mane that was starting go grey. "wh-who are you?!" He asked backing up against the wall

"I am Lucien Lachance, listener for the Dark Brotherhood, A harvester of souls, A taker of life. you have likely not heard of us as we come from another country. But you, you are a soul that cries out for vengeance, vengeance for his brother's death."

"Then I want you to hunt him down, and murder him like the dog he is!" The writer nearly shouted. "He's likely at his camp about a mile into the forest north of Baltimare. He also took my brother's ring, bring it back to me as proof." He said, as he escorted the assassin out of his home.

"I will return when my task is complete." Lachance said, as he set out to complete his dark task. Luckily the writer's house was on the north side of Baltimare, so all he needed to do was scale a single story building next to the wall. He quickly found one and used a windowsill to get a boost to the roof; he then jumped onto and then off of the stone wall.

after about twenty minutes of walking he heard a roar nearby; he immediately drew his swords and waited. Lucien heard a rustling in the foliage behind him; he ducked just in time to dodge the claws of an albino manticore. Lucien had fought a few manticores in his life, although none he had fought had wings; this would be a troublesome delay.

The listener jumped back to avoid a strike from it's tail, and then stabbed it's right eye then pulled down to injure more of the manticore's face, but was knocked into a tree by a sweep of its paw. He hit with so much force that he was sure that he broke at least three of his ribs. The manticore went for another strike with it's tail only, to have it get stuck when Lucien dodged it. After cutting off the manticores tail, the assassin dodged a strike from the manticore's wing which he quickly cut half off at the joint. The manticore then pounced on top of the the listener knocking the swords out of his hands; the manticore was now trying to claw and bite the assassin's face and chest. Just as he was about to have his neck broken by the manticore's fangs he stabbed it in it's exposed underbelly with his horn and cast a fire spell; cooking the manticore from the inside. after he pushed the manticore's corpse of of him he picked up his swords and sheathed him he then put created a bag out of the manticore's skin and sinew, afterwards he put it's tail into the bag and used his basic knowledge of restoration magic to heal his ribs and then proceeded towards the gryphon's camp.

after about another twenty minutes Lachance noticed a campfire nearby; creeping closer he found that this was indeed the camp of the griffon although he was nowhere in sight. He quickly cast an invisibility spell and tried to find any trace as to where the griffon had gone. The listener barely heard the metallic sound of the the gryphon's wing blades as he flew down and landed ten feat away from him.

After sniffing the air, the gryphon said: "I know you're here, come out before I make you."

deciding that it would be best to not anger the gryphon yet, Lucien dropped his his invisibility spell. "You will soon know the wrath of Sithis." He said,as he unsheathed mahulak and morden.

"I don't know who this 'Sithis' is, but if you want a fight then I'll gladly kill you." The gryphon replied as he prepared to attack.

"You would shut out the darkness?!" the assassin replied as he charged the gryphon. He feinted a high strike from the right and tried to hamstring him from the left, only to have it blocked by the gryphon's wing. The Gryphon the spun around and tried to decapitate Lucien, the assassin managed to block the strike; the strike was so powerful that it knocked Lucien back a few feet. The listener then pretended to charge a powerful spell requiring a long time to cast; the gryphon took the bait and tried to cut Lucien in half, only to have him jump over him and cut the tendons and muscles of the gryphon's right wing, but the gryphon managed to grab him and throw him near the fire. The assassin then began to charge his horn again.

"That move won't work twice." The gryphon said. as he just stood there and waited. Lucien decided to try an idea that had popped into his head. Instead of releasing the magic into a spell he poured all of it into his blades before attacking. The gryphon blocked but the force broke his wing and sent him sprawling back fifteen feat.

"I'll kill you!" the gryphon shouted as he charged the assassin who had used all of the magic he had put into his swords. The griffon was so Enraged he didn't notice that the assassin slashed him across the face. He knocked the swords out of the assassin's hooves and headbutted him. He then broke the listener's forelegs and proceeded to beat him over and over. Just as the gryphon was about rip out the assassin's heart, a blade pierced his own.

The gryphon collapsed to reveal Silver Wing holding one of the assassin's swords. "How did you find me?" The assassin asked as he mended his wounds.

"Th-the innkeeper told me that you had gone outside and w-would be back before the sun came up. I wanted to go with you so I sn-snuck out of the the inn through the window." Silver Wing replied, on the verge of tears.

"How did you find where I went?" Lucien asked as he stood up.

"I heard the manticore, and saw the campfire from the air, and I flew towards it and-"

"You saved my life." Lucien interrupted as he took off his robe.

"What does your cutie mark mean?" Silver Wing asked pointing to the assassin's cutie mark, a black handprint.

"I'll tell you in due time." Lucien replied, noting that it probably told what his specialization was. "Now come It's time for us to head back,there are bound to be predators who will be drawn to the smell of blood." He said taking the ring of the gryphon' claw and motioning for Silver Wing to climb on his back. After covering Silver Wing with his robes he ran towards town; just before a pack of timber wolves pounced on the carcass of the gryphon.

After fifteen minutes of running, they came it to the wall, Silver Wing gave Lucien his robes and flew over, whereas Lucien had to climb a tree then jump over. They were right next to the writer's house so Lucien knocked on the door and waited for the writer to arrive. The writer soon answered the door and was a bit shocked to see the assassin, who handed him the ring.

"Who's this?" The writer asked, pointing to Silver Wing.

"He, is the one who dealt the final blow to the gryphon and saved my life. I rescued him from bandits a day ago and told him he could stay with me for the time being." The assassin replied. "Now instead of money I would like you to write a book for me called 'A Kiss, Sweet Mother' " The assassin said.

"Is that all?" The writer asked laughing.

"Go back to the Inn, Silver Wing." Lucien told the young colt.

"You're not joking? Alright let me get some paper." The writer said as he went to get some paper. "Alright, tell me what to write." He told the listener.

"So you wish to summon the Dark Brotherhood? You wish to see somepony dead? Pray, child. Pray, and let the Night Mother hear your plea. You must perform that most profane of rituals - the Black Sacrament. Create an effigy of the intended victim, assembled from actual body parts, including a heart, skull, bones, and flesh. Encircle that effigy with candles. The ritual itself must then commence. Proceed to stab the effigy repeatedly with a dagger rubbed with the petals of a Nightshade plant while whispering this plea: "Sweet Mother, sweet Mother, send your child unto me, for the sins of the unworthy must be baptized in blood and fear." Then wait, child, for the Dread Father Sithis rewards the patient. If your prayer was sincere then you will be visited by a representative of the Dark Brotherhood. So begins a contract bound in blood." The assassin recited from memory.

The assassin then turned to leave but stopped a moment. "Oh, and if you require our services again, you know how to contact us."

Comments

[kurapica]

2605138

actually the DB worships the night mother, the bride of Sithis, who was a dunmer and the greatest female assassin in the Morang Tong which gave her the title night mother. she was killed by the townsfolk of a village where bravil is now because she killed her five children and sent them to there father. at least 30 years later a man heard her voice and became the first listener