Hearthfire The Sands Of Time

by Predman1227

Chapter 21:The Bonds Within Us

Chapter 21:The Bonds Within Us

(Many years ago)

(Violet)

Young Violet stared in confusion at her Earth pony Mother and Father, as they frantically strapped on their legion barding and gathered weapons in their small home. “What are we going to do?!” Violet’s Mother asked in slight panic to her husband. Her mother was the same coat colour as Violet but with a pink mane and blue eyes.

“I don’t know!” Violet’s Father yelled through gritted teeth. “They aren’t even supposed to be this far East!” Violet’s Father’s coat was a dark tan and his mane was a lighter tan. His eyes however were violet, just like his daughter’s.

Violet’s Mother moved closer to her husband and tried to make eye contact with him. “Peter we…we could leave, run for it and get help.”

He stopped what he was doing and put a hoof on her shoulder. “We can’t Annie, they’re too fast. We would never out run them, even without our barding we’ll never make it.”

“Then what?!” Violet’s Mother started to panic more as she gripped both her husband’s shoulders and stared into his eyes. “What do we do?!”

“The only thing we can do.” He glanced at Violet sitting near them and she saw his eyes welling up. “Protect our daughter at all costs…and…and kill as many of the snakes as we can.”

He moved away from Annie, picking up his massive dual sword and went outside. Annie was stunned into silence as she stared at the door her husband went through. She had her hoof out as if to call him back but it wasn’t to be. She finally came to her senses as she looked at Violet. “Mumu what’s going on?” Only being seven years old Violet didn’t completely understand the danger that was to befall her home.

Her mother approached her and picked her up by the nape of her neck with her mouth and took her over to the dresser. She opened it and placed Violet inside. “Vi sweetie you have to listen to me now.” Her voice was all shaky like she was scared and she kept stroking Violet’s mane as she spoke. “Things are coming, dangerous things and I want you to promise me, no matter what you hear outside and no matter what you see you stay in here. You understand me?”

Violet was so confused that she tried to object but her Mother yelled at her. “Violet do you understand me?!” She didn’t but she nodded and her Mother gave her a tight loving hug. The sounds of hissing and roaring came from outside and Violet’s mother pushed herself away. “Stay here.” She gave Violet a kiss on her forehead and moved away. “I’ll be back sweetie, Mummy loves you very much.” She backed up and closed the dresser.

Violet could still see through the gaps in the dresser and watched as her Mother backed away slowly with tears in her eyes, then rushed to the door picking up her weapon and went outside. Violet stayed quiet as she listened to the sounds coming form outside. There were clashing sounds, nays, hisses and sounds of metal on metal. She could feel a cold chill enter her chest as she heard a scream, a loud agonised scream, shortly followed by the sound of another more grief stricken scream.

There was a thump at the door and in seconds Violet’s Mother came bursting through the door again covered in dripping red liquid. She hobbled then felled over as something large and snake like, entered the house and was hissing loudly. Violet’s mother was panting heavily as she got back to her hooves with her sword in her mouth and with a roar of rage she charged at the beast. It happened so fast Violet didn’t have time to process it in her young mind as the creature, wielding a long, curved sword stabbed her Mother.

The blade went right through her chest plate and she froze. She dropped her blade and more red liquid bubbled out her mouth and hit the wooden floor. Her face was twitching and she managed to glance one last time over to where Violet hid, unknowingly making eye contacted with her, before the creature pulled its blade free and in one swipe cut her Mother’s head off.

Violet let out a tiny gasp as tears fell from her eyes and she covered her mouth. Her whole body was trembling as the creature with its long sword flicked its tong out and seemed to be sniffing the air. It moved near the dresser on two legs, slow and deliberate, hissing as it came closer. Violet shuffled to the back of the dresser and kept her hooves over her mouth. She was still trembling with fear as the thing passed in front of the dresser and stopped. She let out tiny, tiny whimpers as the silence continued. It then moved away and Violet breathed a little easier.

The dresser suddenly without warning bust open and the last thing she saw before blacking out was a massive snack mouth screeching in her face.

(Present day)

Violet’s eyes snapped open and she let out a terrified scream. She thrashed her limbs in panic. It was dark too dark and the only thing in her retinas was the image of that mouth. “Violet!” A startled young voice she recognised broke through the darkness and the image was gone. What replaced it was the dark furred face of a young mare. “Violet it’s me, it’s Summer.”

“S-Summer?” Violet was so confused she just numbly stared at her. “But how…”

“You were out for a while. We were getting worried.” Haze said, trying to comfort her.

“We?” She looked past Haze and saw a rather grumpy yet startled Sapphire, sitting next to a campfire. “Huh but how did we…?” Images of a battle flashed in her memory as she recalled what had happened. She remembered being angry, no she was in a rage and she was killing Mercs. “The Mercs, I was fighting Mercs…but how did we…” She rolled onto her hooves, feeling a little lightheaded as she teetered to one side. “How did we get …gugh…how did we get away?”

“I could answer that question.” Said a rumbly, slightly deep Scottish voice Violet knew all too well. Slowly she looked passed the fire and on the other side sat a figure that couldn’t possible be there. It was Theran. “Hi Vi. Sorry about knocking you out earlier, but you left me with very little…”

She cut him off as she took a step back. “No, no you’re not here. You can’t be you…you’re dead.”

“He’s not dead Vi.” Haze was next to her and Violet flinched with fright. “He’s right there.”

“No!” Violet didn’t, couldn’t believe it. “That’s not possible no this is still a dream I’m not awake!”

“Violet!” Sapphire was now up and was approaching her “This is not a dream. I know it’s hard to believe trust me I know, but he is right there he really is.”

Theran got up or what looked like him and he approached her too. “Violet I know this is a lot to take in.” He got closer and reached out to her. “But if you just let me explain…”

“No.” She backed away from him, shaking her head and he looked genially hurt by that. “Don’t touch me.”

“Violet he’s right here!” Haze gestured to him with both her hooves. “If you just let him…”

“Shut up!” Violet shouted and everyone was taken aback. “Shut up, just shut up I…I-I-I need…I need to think.” She backed away even more. “I need time to...UGH” She turned tail and ran away, into the dark forest she found herself in. Tears streaming down her cheeks as the wind blow by.

(Summer Haze)

“Violet!” Haze reached out as Violet ran off. “Violet wait, come ba…” She felt her tail being tugged back, stopping her from moving. She spun around and glared at Theran. “Theran what are you…”

“Let her be Haze.” He said plainly but his voice cracked and a hint of emotion came out. “She…she just needs some time.” He looked at her all down cast. “She’ll be back, just let it sink in for her ok.”

He turned and moved back to the campfire, not saying anything else. Haze glanced at the ground feeling conflicted. Sapphire was also going back to the campfire when Haze called out to her. “Sapph you ok?”

Sapphire stopped but didn’t turn. She merely glanced in Haze’s direction and said harshly. “Oh I’m just wonderful Haze, thanks for asking.”

That reply stung and Haze was taken aback. “Hay you don’t have to be so harsh about it.”

Sapphire gritted her teeth and turned fully to face Haze. “And YOU didn’t have to lie to me all these years!” She yelled in bitter anger.

Haze was shocked and she took on a hurt expression. “Sapph I…it’s not that…”

Sapphire wasn’t finished it seemed as she stomped up to her. “I mean I’m your friend Haze, we’re supposed to trust each other. Do you not trust me is that it?”

Haze felt her chest start to shake as her emotions built up. “N-no I-I trust you Sapph I just…I just….”

“Then why didn’t you tell me about…” She pocked Haze in the chest hard. “THIS!?”

Sapphire’s pock didn’t hurt Haze physically, her thick exo-skeletal plates protected her from most harm but the fact Sapphire did it to “her” was personally crippling.
Haze was on the brink of tears now as she clenched her jaw in anger and yelled.
“Cause I was scared!”

Sapphire’s angry expression vanished and she looked confused. “Huh?”

Haze couldn’t hold it back now. She let it out. “Do you have ANY idea what it is like being like this, DO YOU?!”
She stomped the ground in frustration and Sapphire was taken aback. “To spend everyday of your life, living in fear that somepony will see you and judge you without even giving you a chance to explain. To have them threaten to kill you out of fear. Do you have any idea what that’s like?”
She kicked the dirt on the ground, creating dust clouds and shocking Sapphire even more.
“Do you also know how frustrating it is to keep it from the ones you love in fear they will shun you and cast you out cause you’re different? I was scared if I told you, you would think of me as some kind of freak and…and…”
She sat down and covered her eyes with her hooves as the tears fought to get out. “You hate me, you hate me.”

She fought back her tears but it was too much. She thought she was going to scream when a hoof touched her chin and made her look up. Sapphire was smiling and she was also fighting back tears. “I couldn’t hate you.” She wrapped her forelegs around Haze and hugged her tight. “You’re my best friend and I wouldn’t be here without you.”

Haze couldn’t stop them now. She buried her face in Sapphire’s neck and let her tears flow, as she sobbed muffled sobs. “Thank you.” Haze whimpered her voice all muffled.

They stayed like that in peaceful silence, enjoying one another’s company till Haze heard hoof steps come up to them. She took her face away from Sapphire’s neck and saw Theran standing next to them. “You two made up yet?” He asked but not in a mean way. She could tell he wasn’t in that mood.

She looked into Sapphire’s eyes and saw the content there. “Mmhm.” Haze nodded, wiping her eyes. Sapphire did the same.

Theran did something he didn’t normally do. He actually smiled. “That’s great to hear.” He extended a hoof to her. “Come on, let’s sit by the fire where it’s warm and maybe, I can tell you some stories.”

Haze smiled and so did Sapphire. “That…sounds like a great idea.” Haze agreed and she took his hoof. They all as one went to the campfire and settled down. Theran then began a tail of how he met a mouse and Haze felt her spirit lift as she listed to his funny story.

(Violet)

Violet sat alone on a log in the middle of the forest rocking back and forth as she held her hooves to her temples. “It just a dream.” She whimpered to herself and she had been saying the same thing, over and over for a long time. She found it very hard to believe Theran was alive. It wasn’t possible. No one can come back from the dead…could they? Her whimpering finally turned into growls of anger as she stood up and roared, roared toward the sky, letting her voice be heard by the gods. She then turned sharply and smashed her hoof through a small tree. Its thin truck snapped with ease, like it was a toothpick and tumbled to the ground.

She breathed heavily as she stared off into space. After a moment she started moving again, fidgeting on the spot. She wiped her nose making a sniffle sound and that’s when she realised after calming down that her hoof didn’t hurt. Perhaps she didn’t hit the tree hard enough but then she realised it was indeed a tree she had punched so…

She looked at her hoof and thought of something. “This must be a dream.” She looked at another tree this one was much thicker. She looked at her hoof again and got an idea. “If this is a dream then this won’t hurt. In fact this tree will fall like the last.” Without hesitation she punched the tree with all her might and the tree…did not move. She hit it again, even harder sending shock waves up her foreleg and still it did not move. She began hitting the tree over and over, putting dents into its barky hide. For about two whole minutes she pounded that tree, roaring with rage till she had no energy felt and collapsed. Both her hooves felt like they were on fire as pain throbbed up her forelegs. She was panting heavily as the realisation finally hit her.

“I’m not dreaming this…this is real.” She rolled slowly onto her back and looked up to the night sky. Luna’s moon lit up the night and cast ghostly light down on her spot. The pain in her hooves eased as if Luna herself was healing her with the moon’s radiance. She thought about Theran.

“He’s alive. By the gods he’s alive!” Slowly a smile worked its way on her lips and she started laughing. It was crazy but she knew in her heart now he was alive and was still here with her. The revelation of it was so overwhelming she continued to laugh till hadn’t the energy left for it. She coughed, finding that her head hurt a lot. When she finally calmed for the second time, she realised something else.
She realised it when the feeling started to build up in her chest. Theran knew about this, knew he couldn’t die, because when she thought back to what Haze was telling her back in the cabin it all suddenly made sense. And that feeling building up inside her was anger. “That bastard?” Violet whispered and when she thought about it she yelled. “THAT BASTARD!!!”

She got to her hooves ignoring the pain in them. She was far too pissed off to care. Slowly she started to limp back to the camp to confront him. “Oh I’m going to give him a piece of my mind the selfish fuck.” She muttered to herself as she continued on limping, anger driving her forward.

(Theran Razorblade)

“Then the mouse asked for some cheese and I said. Sure why not and went to the moon?” Theran finished his little story and Haze and Sapphire clapped their hooves in amusement. Theran happily nodded and gave them his half smile this time. The one before felt so alien to him, he hadn’t smiled like that in a long time and some how these two brats made it possible. That meant something dear to him.

Since he was drifting off into a daydream he almost missed Haze asking. “Violet’s been gone for a while now Theran. Do you think we should go find her?”

Theran was about to consider just that when he noticed something white coming out of the woods. “Actually Haze, there she is right now.” He gestured to her direction and they all looked.

Violet emerged from the darkness and Theran noticed something off about the way she walked. She was limping. “Violet? Oh Celestia Violet are you alright?” Haze called out to her and she stopped just at the borders of the camp.

Her head was hung low and she appeared to be panting. “Shit what did she do to herself?” Theran thought as he got up and approached her.

He let Haze go first since he felt a little uneasy to get too close. He wasn’t sacred or anything he just knew she had been through the ringer and it was his fault. He looked at her hooves and they were bleeding. Haze noticed too and she asked Violet. “Violet are you ok? What happened to your hooves? Violet?”

Violet mumbled something and Haze and Theran had to get closer just to hear her. “What was that?” Theran asked her.

Violet slowly raised her head and glared at them. Before either of them had a chance to react she grabbed both Haze and Theran’s heads in her bloody hooves and banged them together, hard enough to make their brains rattle in their skulls. They clutched their throbbing heads as they staggered back. “OW! What the hell Violet?” Haze whined as she rubbed her sore noggin. “Why did you…”

Violet cut her off with a harsh snarl. “YOU SELFISH PIECE OF SHIT!!!” She was shouting but not at Haze or even at both of them. She was shouting at Theran. “Do you have any idea what you put me through!?”

Theran could feel her rage and he could understand it too. After rubbing his throbbing head he managed to say. “Well it seems you’re getting over it.” She immediately punched him in the right side of his jaw for that remark. He didn’t react to the painful impact of her hoof as it sent him facing to the side. He flexed his sore jaw till the pain went away and he blinked a few times to clear his vision. “Ok I’ll admit, I had that one coming.” He admitted as he turned to face her once more, with a calm plain expression.

Violet glared at him and Haze looked like she was going to say something but Theran put a hoof up and let Violet speak.
She spoke in a out of breath, angry voice. “All this time, all this time I’ve been worrying about you day and night, stressing myself out to no end, and ALL-THIS-TIME you couldn’t even die!” Her breathing was heavy and Theran could tell she was very tired from her heavy eyelids. “Why didn’t you tell me Theran? AND you!” She suddenly turned on Haze. “You knew as well and you never told me. WHY?”

Haze looked lost for words as she looked dumbstruck at Violet’s outburst. “I…I uh...he told me not…”

Theran stepped in between Haze and Violet. He was staying calm but it was difficult as he said evenly “Leave her be Vi. She has nothing to do with this ok it’s my fault.” He made Haze go back with Sapphire while he sorted this out one on one.
Now that it was just them he gave her his full attention. “I’ll admit it Vi I should have told you from the start. I should have been honest so this could have been avoided. But before you explode on me even more ask me this. How was I supposed to tell you that I couldn’t die hmm?” Violet’s hard gaze wavered as she thought his question through. After a few pain-staking moments Theran said. “Well I’m waiting for you to explain it to me.”

“I DON’T KNOW DAMNIT!!!” Violet suddenly yelled right in his face but he didn’t flinch. She was silent after that and Theran just stood there as well in silence. She was still breathing heavily and glaring hatefully at him while he stayed absolutely still, not saying a word. A few more minutes passed when Violet’s anger finally subsided and gave way to a river of tears. She shot forward and wrapped her blood stained forelegs around his neck, their armour plating clacking off each other. “I can’t believe you’re alive.” She sobbed into his neck. “I thought you were gone forever. I thought you left me.”

Theran was actually startled by this. He sat down with her and returned the embrace with his own, holding her tight. “I’m sorry Vi.” He admitted as he stroked her mane. “I didny mean for this to happen to you but it’s over now, I’m back, I’m…I’m still here.”

“Don’t make me go through that again please.” She said still crying. “I thought I lost my mind.”

“Shhh.” Theran said as he comforted her. “It’s ok…it’s ok.” He knew what it was like to loss your mind. It wasn’t a pleasant feeling, one with dark thoughts. He didn’t think of it though, for now he will stay with Violet and help her calm down.

(Sapphire)

From her spot near the campfire, Sapphire watched on. She winced when she witnessed Violet bang Haze and her Uncle’s heads together. Then there was some more yelling and Haze came back over to the campfire. “Uh Haze, are you alright?” Sapphire asked her as she sat down near her.

She was rubbing her head with her hoof as she dully moaned. “Yeah ahhhh…but Violet’s angry like really, really angry.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice.” Sapphire stated in a teasing way. “I saw that just fine from the safety of this spot.”

Haze actually chuckled at that and said while still laughing. “Hehe yeah lucky you.”

They both laughed now, and Sapphire was glad they were having jokes again. But her eyes drifted back to Theran and Violet and noticed they were hugging now. It would have been pretty cute, if it weren’t for what transpired earlier. She was still finding it hard to forget the carnage she had witnessed in such a short time, and she found herself dwelling on it. There had just been too much blood and a lot of that blood was still stained in Violet’s white coat and clothing.

She wanted a distraction to get her mind off it so she randomly started talking. “Soooo (cough) This has been an…interesting day, what with your Uncle being immortal, Violet going on a killing spree and you...” She stopped when Haze looked at her funny with those innocent green eyes of hers. She trailed off. “I don’t know. Will take some time getting used to the new look.” She mumbled lastly.

Haze didn’t quite hear what Sapphire said and asked. “Huh, what was that?”

Sapphire blushed with embarrassment and she pretended to play innocent. “Uh what? I didn’t say anything.”

“Yes you did.” Haze stated, not buying into Sapphire’s fibs. “You mumbled something.”

Sapphire sighed after a moment and finally built up the courage to say. “I…I’m still getting used to your…new look.” Haze’s expression took on a downward state and Sapphire spoke her next words quickly. “B-but that doesn’t mean I don’t like it, it’s just…different. W-which isn’t a bad thing ha…ha.”

Haze looked to be in thought as if considering what to say next. “So…you don’t mind me looking like…this?”

Sapphire felt herself blush again. “Uh um yeah it’s like I said it’s different but in a good way.” She felt so awkward right now it felt terrible. She thought of something else to say, like a complement or something. “It uh…really brings out the colour in your eyes and uh and your mane, it stands out more.”

Haze stared at her with a blank expression and blinked a few times in silence. Sapphire felt her embarrassment increase and she could feel her face slowly turning red. “Th-thank you.” Haze finally said in a sweet voice. She was smiling when she added. “That’s nice of you to say and I…appreciate it.” Haze was actually blushing now and she added with a crack in her voice. “Means a lot actually.”

Sapphire felt her embarrassment fade away as pride filled her heart and she smiled happily…till her stomach growled. It had been hours since she last ate and all this drama was making her hungry. Haze seemed to notice Sapphire’s belly grumble and gave her a funny look with a half smile. Sapphire was blushing again, she could feel it in her cheeks. “Guess I’m hungry huh?” She said as she rubbed the back of her neck.

Haze with her cocky smile hovered her bag over and looked through it. What she took out was the bag of cookies Lilly had given her on her birthday, which at this moment felt like weeks ago when it had only been a day. Haze opened the bag and held it out to her. “Here have some.”

Sapphire looked at the bag. She could see those cookies, those lovely soft mouth watering gems fit for gods.
But she didn’t feel like she deserved such kindness and tried to refuse them. “Uh no thanks you should save them.” Her belly growled again, stronger this time. She tried putting her hooves on her stomach to quiet it but after a moment a cookie was hovering in front of her and she looked over at Haze in confusion. She protested. “Haze I already said I…”
Haze cut her off by floating the cookie into her mouth. She was startled for a second but once she tasted that sweet, rich flavour her eyes rolled back in sheer delight and she mad a “MMMMM” sound. “Oh mu gud!” She garbled with a mouth full of cookie. “I can newer get ower tha taste. OH it’s so beatful!” She swallowed and enjoyed the feeling as in went down.

Haze was smiling as she offered another. Sapphire couldn’t resist anymore and took another and stuffed it in her mouth. “I’m glad you like them.” Haze said happily. “Lilly really knows her cookies.”

“Pfft yeah!” Sapphire scoffed in amusement. She was leaning back now feeling more relaxed on the log behind her. “She’s the master at baking cookies. You know we should have brought her with us, so she can make more.”
Haze just started laughing at that and Sapphire levelled her hooves with her shoulders as she said fill her mouth still full. “What? I’d pay her.”

Haze laughed even harder and then Sapphire joined in with her. “Oh my.” Haze sighed as she whipped away a tear in her eye. “You really crack me up sometimes Sapph, you’re just so funny.”

A moment of silence passed between them before Sapphire swallowed and stated. “I wasn’t joking.” She said in a fine accent and they both burst out into fits of laughter again.

It took some effort to stop but they managed and Haze soon asked. “I wonder how she’s doing with Tim away on medical jobs. Can’t imagine it being easy especially her foal coming.”

Sapphire had been wondering the same thing but their pondering stopped when they noticed Theran and Violet coming over to them. Violet looked in really bad shape, so bad that Theran was helping her walk on two legs so no pressure was put on her wounded fore hooves. When they finally got over to them, Theran helped her lay down on his side of the fire and went over to his bag. While he pulled out a bowl and put a lot of snow in it, Haze attempted to speak to Violet. “Vi um, are you…um uh…”

Violet wasn’t even paying attention to Haze, in fact she wasn’t really looking at anything. She looked rather spaced out actually, like her mind was just somewhere else. “She looks terrible.” Sapphire thought in concern. “I can’t imagine how she feels right now.”

While Sapphire pondered this, Theran had been hovering the bowl of snow over the fire till it was a steamy bowl of water. “Ok…” Theran said as he hovered the warm bowl over to Violet and placed it on the ground in front of her. “Put your hooves in this.”

Violet stopped blankly staring off into space and looked at the bowl. She shakily put her hooves in the bowl of melted snow and let out a pained sigh as she dipped her hooves in the water. It quickly turned murky red as her blood and other blood seeped out her fur. “Oooo that looks like it stings.” Sapphire thought with a cringed.

Violet was biting her lower lip in pain as she grimiest with her eyes squeezed shut. “Is Violet going to be ok Theran?” Haze asked her Uncle.
Theran was at the moment unstrapping his battle damaged chest plate and she had to repeat herself louder. “Hay Theran?!”

Theran shook his head and let go of the strap he was holding. His chest plate hung loos now off his body as he looked at Haze all grumpy like. “What?!” He snapped, making Haze flinch.

Sapphire frowned at that and told him herself. “Hay ease off, she’s just asking if Vi’s ok.”

Theran turned his grumpy stare at her now and for a moment she thought he was going to shout at her. But after a few more seconds his expression relaxed and his tense shoulders sagged as he let out a deep sigh. “Yes…yes Vi will be fine. She’s just…having a bad day.”

“I think we’ve all, had a bad day.” Haze stated glumly.

Theran nodded in agreement and so did Sapphire. Theran was the first to speak after another moment’s silence and he asked both of them. “So…how you two holding up?”

Sapphire and Haze looked at each other and were quiet, saying nothing. Sapphire looked Haze over now. She was in all sense of the word, different now…but at the same time the same pony she grew up with back in Rest Pit.
Her face still had those same charming and pretty feature she always had, even when they were fillies. The fangs she’d have to get used to seeing every time Haze opened her mouth and those bug wings too. She also had to get used to how Haze’s hooves looked. After escaping the cabin the wrapping Haze had around her hooves, got all soaked in blood and she had to remove them. Revealing that her hooves were…disfigured. Sapphire found it a little gross but she would never tell that to Haze’s face.

Sapphire put on the best smile she could manage and said cheerfully. “We’re…fine, just fine.”

Theran raised an eyebrow at that and glanced at Haze. She looked at him dully but seemed to snap out of it and smiled to, showing her fangs in the process. “Uh yeah we’re cool.”

Sapphire didn’t know why they were suddenly acting awkwardly but she guessed the moment before, had died away in the face of Theran’s grumpy demeanour.

Theran snorted as if he didn’t really buy it, but he let it drop thankfully. “Well then that’s good to hear.” He went back to unstrapping his chest plate and added. “Anyway I suggest you two get some sleep now. It’s late and we got a busy day tomorrow.”

Sapphire admitted in her head she was very tired. This day’s events had worn her out and all she wanted was to relax. Haze though had objections. “But Theran we haven’t had dinner yet and I’m hungry.”

Theran curled one side of his lip in annoyance and growled in a low, even voice. “You’ll get to eat in the morning but until then, I don’t know nibble on some bread.”

He went quiet after that and put on an expression that said he didn’t want to talk about it anymore.
Sapphire stiffly stood up and went over to her bedroll and flopped on it. She made a tired sigh as she rolled onto her back, unzipped her jumper and took it off. She kept her shorts and leg warmers on though.
She then pulled her covers over herself and lay her head on her pillow. She felt a wave of relief wash through her sore head as all her muscles relaxed. “What a day.” She thought, as her mind started to become cloudy.

She was about to close her eyes when she noticed Haze come over to her with her own bedroll and unroll it right beside her. Haze then took off her hoodie and set it aside and like Sapphire she kept on her shorts and leg warmers.

Sapphire now got to see what Haze’s upper body truly looked like. Her chest had overlapping plates on it like dragon scales and her shoulders looked the same. But a part from that Haze’s torso looked normal. Haze made herself comfortable in her bed and noticed Sapphire looking at her. “What?” Haze asked in confusion.

A thought just occurred to Sapphire as she thought back to when Haze didn’t want to sleep near her the other night. She decided to speak. “I… I just realised something.”

Haze looked more confused now. “Realised what?”

“Do you remember the other night? When you stayed away from me?” Haze was starting to blush. “I realise now why you did it, and I understand.”

Haze looked guilty and tried to explain herself. “Sapph I…I feel dad about that but I was just…”

Sapphire stopped her from finishing her sentence as she said. “It’s alright, I know. You didn’t want me to find out about your um uh…but I do understand honest.”

Sapphire looked away feeling a little embarrassed, till Haze asked. “Do…do you wanna continue where I left off on my book?”

Sapphire brightened up at that and smiled. “That sounds like a good idea. Let’s, please.”

They both moved their pillows side-by-side and snuggled up to each other. Haze then got out her book from her bag with her magic, took hold of it in her hooves and opened it from where they left off. She began to tell the story once more. “Scribbles did not know what lay within, only the dreaded sounds of the wind as it blow in her face with a cold, hollow chill. But without fear she trotted fourth into the dank, dark cave.”

(Theran Razorblade)

Theran glanced at Haze and Sapphire and chuckled softly as he saw them snuggled up to each other. It was kind of cute.
By now he had finished getting the armour on his upper body off and laid them out neatly beside his saddle-bag and weapons.
It actually felt freeing for him to take his armour off. He spent so much time wearing it, it felt weird when it wasn’t there. It was like he could still feel his armour’s weight on him but wasn’t there, like a phantom limb.

He shook his head. He was worn-out and his mind was drifting so he rummaged through his bag till he found a scrap of paper. He took it out and it was the yellow contract sheet Zeek had given him. A part of him believed he should have ended that little prick then and there but he didn’t see a point to it anymore.

The paper was crumpled so he had to straighten it out before reading it. Upon reading he instantly saw his own name and a description of him. Who ever writ this must really hate his guts because as he read he got a real sense of hatred in the writer’s words. Theran tried to think of anyone who could hate him this much but his memory came up blank.

Then after reading his, he moved on to Haze’s description. The writing completely changed, no longer dripping with hate. It was very straight to the point and didn’t ramble on. Then at the bottom of the sheet were the rewards and location of delivery. His bounty was 10000 bits dead and 500 alive. “Wow what an asshole.” Theran thought.

He then looked at Haze’s bounty, 20000 alive and 0 dead. That puzzled Theran a lot but his puzzlement faded when he looked at the location.
Splinter Bay/ Golden Egg inn.

The name Golden Egg, now that jogged his memory, it was the same name on another paper Theran had taken off the body of that hunter he had killed six years ago. It also had the name of a Mare on it, Silver.

Zeek had mentioned a silver Mare had approached him with this contract. Maybe she is the same Silver.

Theran’s pondering was interrupted by the sound of snoring coming from his left. He looked and found Violet had fallen asleep with her hooves still in the bowl of water. He had to deal with her wounds but was his magic strong enough yet? He considered this and was willing to give it a try.

He got up and went over to her. He pocked her on the shoulder and she nodded awake, mumbling. “Hu wa, huh?” She opened her exhausted eyelids slowly and gazed up at him. “Oh…Theran. W…why did…you wake me up?” She asked groggily.

Theran gently lifted her hooves out the bowl with his hoof and magically moved the bowl away. “I still need to fix up your hooves Vi and that’s hard to do without waking you so deal with it.”

“Oh screw you.” She groaned. “You’re lucky I don’t break your face after what you put me through.”

Theran rolled his eyes and sighed. “Look I said I was sorry ok. What more do you want from me?” He lay next to her on his stomach and let her hooves rest on his right foreleg.

Violet huffed moodily at his question but then seemed to relax. “Sorry doesn’t change the fact I’m still pissed off with you. OUCH!!” She flinched when he touched her hooves again. “Hay you did that on prepuce.”

“I dinny know what you’re talking about.” He lied, playing innocent. She pulled an unimpressed face at that but he ignored her. He focused his magic trying not to strain himself and softly his horn started to glow golden.

Violet looked at her hooves as they also started to glow gold and slowly her cuts began to heal. “Theran please you don’t have to…” She tried to object but Theran was having none of it.

“Nope.” Theran said as a bead of sweat trickled down his face. “I fucked up today, the least I can do to make up for it is this.” He felt his head start to hurt but he grit his teeth and took the pain.

“No Theran you’re gunna hurt yourself.” Violet protested but Theran was still having none of it.

“It’s pain I deserve.” Theran said through clenched jaws.

Her hooves were nearly healed but she stopped him when she pushed him in the shoulder with one. “No Theran please stop it, don’t hurt yourself over me you damn ninny.”

“Oh come on!” Theran moaned. “They were nearly healed.”

She rolled her hooves in their joints for a bit, then stated. “They’re healed enough so stop being a daft bastard and stop hurting yourself.”

“Says the Mare that…actually how did you do that to your hooves?” Theran asked as his head throbbed.

Violet looked embarrassed as she rubbed the back of her neck. “I uh…kinda punched the hell out of a tree.”

“And you call me daft?” Theran lectured.

Violet actually chuckled at that and made a short snorting sound with her nose. “Well at least I don’t go days without bathing you smelly prick.”

“Hay.” That actually stung a little to Theran and he gave her a prod on the shoulder. “That’s not very nice.”

They both laughed at the little banter they were having till Violet looked down cast again. Before Theran could ask she had already said it. “I really thought I’d lost you today, that you were…dead.”

Theran felt his heart ach with regret. But despite that he did his best to cheer her up. “Well at least you don’t have to worry about me now, nothing can really hurt or kill me. So you can relax.”

“But I can’t help but worry.” Violet admitted. “It’s not like it’s easy to just stop.”

Theran wrapped one foreleg over and around Violet’s back and gave her a hug. “Relax. I’m not going anywhere and we’re still going to the Heartland. No Bandit or Merc sods are going to change that.”

“Oh…well that’s good to hear.” Theran couldn’t help but notice she was blushing. She looked off in some direction and her face brightened up when she said. “Aww look at that.” Theran looked to were she was looking and he saw Haze and Sapphire had fallen asleep and were hugging each other as they softly snored. Haze also had her book on her face. “That’s just too adorable.” She stated.

Theran nodded in agreement. No matter how old they got they always managed to do something cute.
He blinked and then suddenly yawned. “Oh…oh shit…jeez I’m exhausted out of my mind.” He stopped hugging Violet and stiffly got up. “I’m going to sleep. Coming back from the dead is a pain in my backside.”

He walked over to his bedroll and sat on it. He was about to flop when Violet had gotten up and came over to him. “Theran wait I have a question to ask.” She seemed hesitant but she managed to ask. “How…what’s it like…dying…if you don’t mind me asking? Cause now that I think about it…I…I want to know.”

Theran was a little taken aback by her question but at the same time not at all surprised she asked it. He thought about it for a second before answering. “It’s…peaceful at times, and others it’s one of the worst experiences of my life.” He looked her in the eye now. “Trust me Vi, it’s not fun dying nor is it coming back. It drains me, makes me feel like I walked on the edge of hell to be burned, only to be yanked right back. Did that answer you question?”

Violet was quiet for a moment as she processed what she just heard. Then she blinked a few times and suddenly looked very tired. “Wow that’s…that’s terrible. How many times have you experienced this?”

“Too many. I’ve actually lost count.” Theran admitted, and then lay back on his bed. He felt his whole body relax and he let out a deep, weary sigh as he closed his eyes. He sensed something near him and he opened his eyes again to see Violet was still standing there. “What? Was there something else you wanted to ask me?”

Violet scratched her hoof on the ground as she asked. “Um…could I sleep next to you tonight?”

Theran was confused and he frowned. “What kind of question is that? Of coerce you can. When have I never let you?”

Violet just ignored him as she pulled her bed over next to him and she flopped on it. “Ugh thanks Theran.” She got under her covers as Theran did with his. “I’m just…not feeling like myself the now. Maybe some sleep will help.”

Theran nodded and then a thought came to him as his soft side tickled at his mind. “You wanna uh…how do I put this um…snuggle? It’ll be warmer.”

Violet looked shocked at first as she blushed ear to ear but then giggled as she said. “Yeah sure, I’d like that.” They shared their covers and pillows and cuddled up to each other. Theran lay on his back while Violet hugged his side. “Thanks Theran. I appreciate this, I really do.”

“No…no problem.” Theran sated with a blush of his own. In a few short minutes Violet nodded off and was snoring peacefully. Theran stared up at the stars and felt his eyelids get heavy. He hadn’t been completely honest when he left out the part that coming back from the dead today had been different. Those weird beings that spoke to him and that weird warning that still made no sense to him. Beware the coming storm. What did it mean? Theran didn’t really ponder it much because soon his eyes shut and he drifted off to sleep. But not before that voice in the darkest reassesses of his mind whispered.

“They’re going to die Theran, and there is nothing you can do to stop it. Death comes to all, one way or the other.”

(Kyl)

Draped in a heavy dark brown hooded cloak, Kyl rode on a wagon destined for a place called Snow Rock, a place he had once called home. He wasn’t the only pony on this wagon. There were a small family of six traveling with him, one Mother, one Father, three foals and one Grandmother. They were completely oblivious of him and unknowingly were serving as his cover, allowing him to blend in. As the wagon, which was being pulled by a strong Erath pony, bumped and shook on the bumpy ground beneath him, he felt nothing. Ever since his master took away his pain, his mind felt clearer than it had ever felt before like he could do anything.
As the wagon bumped along, Kyl took out the purple gemstone he had been given and held it in his armoured hooves. He still didn’t know how he was able to hold it with armour on his hooves but it did not bother him. He looked at the gemstone and examined it. It was shaped like an egg and was medium sized but it felt so light like it almost weighed nothing. It was also smooth to the touch. How he could feel it’s smoothness with armour on he will never understand. This armour his masters had given him covered his whole body, leaving nothing exposed. It weighed nothing and wasn’t made of metal. It bent and curved with his body, giving him maximum flexibility. But the armour was in no way soft either, it felt like metal but at the same time wasn’t and the power. The power he felt was unimaginable like the armour was feeding it to him.

“Excuse me.” Kyl looked up from the gem, abandoning his thoughts and was now looking at the young face of a filly. “What that you’re holding?”

Kyl looked from the toddler to the gem again. He watched the swirling blackness inside for a moment longer before putting it away. “Something not meant for you young one.” He said in a hollowed out, soulless voice. “You shouldn’t speak to strangers.”

The filly seemed to ignore his words as she asked. “But what was that? It was so pretty.”

This filly puzzled him. She wasn’t scared of him even though she could see from this angel his face was covered by a menacing helmet that sealed around his head. He leaned forward in his seat, looking at her through the purple glass slits in his helm and asked her. “What is your name my dear?”

She smiled. Her coat was a cream silver and her mane was cream blue. “My name is Rosy. Nice to meet you Mr.” She looked at him happily with her rose coloured eyes.

“Rosy. That’s a Lovely name. I’ll be sure to remember it.” She giggled and he felt nothing, not even awkward in the slightest.

“Look!” One of the other ponies yelled and Kyl turned his head. “There it is!”

Kyl hadn’t noticed it but he was here. A massive ice wall was coming closer and Kyl felt his anticipation rise. The ancient ice wall of Snow Rock towered up high into the clouds and was like a mountain in itself. Never in its history had it been breached by invaders or any army in Equestria, that however was about to change.

The wagon stopped at a closed gateway right at the bottom of the wall and as always it was heavily guarded. The soldiers of Snow Rock wore ancient Snow Steel armour that was as white as the land around them and one of them was a Unicorn Captain he knew, a Captain named Ethan Stronghold. “Ok hold up!” He ordered to the wagon and it stopped. “State you business here.” The wagon puller explained his reasons for being here and Ethan looked over at the wagon. He didn’t see what Kyl looked like do to his cloak and only really noticed the family. “Hmm, ok you can proceed.” The gateway opened and the wagon began to move again. As the wagon passed through Kyl cot a glimpse of Ethan looking at him before passing by.

Dose he suspect him? He didn’t call the wagon to stop so he was still in the clear. Off in the distance he could see his former home, its tall towers showing over the city wall. “Oh Mr?” Kyl looked to the voice and it was Rosy again. “What’s your name?”

“My name?” Kyl thought puzzled. “My…name?” For the rest of the ride she never got his answer, as he stayed silent through it all. That question had left him perplexed. What was his name, what was it? There was a bump and he looked up. The stonewall of the city was right next to him now and the wagon had stopped.

“Ok you lot, we’re here!” The wagon puller stated and they all got off. Even though his broken hoof couldn’t possibly be healed he was able to put weight on it and didn’t feel a thing. The wagon pulled off and Kyl moved with the family into the city. Upon entering there were tons of ponies walking about as they walked right into a market place. Ponies of all races and ages were milling about, browsing the stales and going about their daily lives. He split off from the family but not before Rosy yelled.

“Goodbye Mr, it was nice meeting you!” And disappeared in the crowd. Somehow that little filly had touched him, so young, so kind and full of life. But the feelings faded away and he was back on task. He walked through street after street till he was in the very centre of Snow Rock. He looked around at all the old, towering buildings and statues of heroes long gone. These statues were of all the Arch mages of Snow Rock. They were symbolised like Arbiters, the best of the best and heroes of old. As ponies passed him he approached one of the statues that stood out in a way since it was the only one that stood alone.

The pony that was immortalised in stone was a Unicorn stallion standing tall and proud, as were most of the statues except he looked different. He had a wolf like face, wolf like ears and wolf like teeth pocking out of his upper lip. He was dressed in the Snow Rock Arch mage armour of old and his description read. “General Theran Razorblade, the youngest soldier ever to archive the rank of Arch mage. During a time of great crisis this young soldier, barely fresh out of training, took up arms against Wolven invaders and defended his home with great skill and courage. He embodied all that our great city stood for, honour, strength, wisdom and sacrifice. He shall not be forgotten.” Then there was a date. Born in the year 1450, died in the year 1556.

The list of deeds went on and how he died. It all meant nothing to Kyl. His passed self cared for these things and this pony was once a sort of idle to him, but not now, not anymore. He moved away from the statue and to the middle of the square. He stopped and took out the gemstone once more and gazed at it. Whispers started to sound in his skull and his vision began to pulsate.

“Do it.” A voice whispered. “Obey your master.”

Without needing any guidance he placed the gem on the stone ground and placed his hoof over it. He hesitated and a part of him was screaming out to him not to do it. But the voice he heard was alien to him now and he disregarded its desperate words. He put his weight on the gem and it shattered. And explosion of dark energy erupted from the gem and became a swirling mass of darkness. A dark purple cloud spread out as ponies all around panicked and ran for their lives. Wind blow in and Kyl’s cloak fell off reviling his true self. His armour was dark purple and he almost look to be one with the spreading mass of black fog. His helm’s slits glowed in the darkness as were other parts of his armour as he watched the chaos around him. Ponies ran in all directions and some were on the floor, grasping at their heads as blood wept out their eyes. Soldiers were here now and some of them were already under the effects of the fog as they began to cough up blood. The ones that didn’t sarcoma to the fog however blasted frost and fire spells at him without hesitation. He stood on his back legs, his armour supporting him and he raised a hoof. He cot the spells in his magic and made them swirl around him. The mages looked at him stunned as other soldiers these ones Earth ponies with spears, charged him.

From his back two scythe like axes unfolded and flew into his waiting hooves. The closest spear pony came at him and Kyl sidestepped to the left. With a fluid stroke of his weapon Kyl slit the soldier’s throat and he crumpled to the ground, his lifeblood spilling out of him. He did the same to the next soldier and as he fell Kyl pointed one of his weapons at the mages and the spells he had cot flew at them. Some erupted into flames, screaming, as they burned alive and the rest were frozen in ice, their faces stilled in terror. He walked pass one, picked him up by the throat with his hoof and smashed him into the ground, his body shattering into thousands of little fragments.

He stood tall and breathed deeply. The ponies that were affected around him were quickly turning into the same creatures he had met back in the mine. The ones that were fully transformed started to attack anything near them, Mares, foals, Stallions and the old. They carved into them like they were made of paper and the ways they screamed in agony sent chills down Kyl’s spine as the flesh was ripped from their bones. One charged at him but halted in its tracks when it was mere inches from his face. Its hideous disfigured face stared into the slits in his helm and snarled at him with a gapping maw full of sharp blood dripping teeth.

Kyl looked into its eyes, those soulless black eyes and saw nothing but an animal. It then turned away from him and scampered off, like he was never there. More screams of terror and anguish could be heard through out the city as the infected hunted and converted all they could find.

He put away his weapons and looked around. Death covered the area and there wasn’t a soul in sight now, but he could still hear them, hear their screams. With his task complete he would wait here for his master to arrive. He was about to walk off when his back hoof stood on something with a crunch. He looked down and found he had stepped on a rose. It was white and there were many around him. He bent down and picked one up, examining it. When he looked at it he thought of one thing. “Rosy.” He whispered to himself. He let it fall back on the ground with the rest and added with a hint of sorrow. “I have, no name.”