The Birth of Grenth: Where we went wrong...

by Nightshade shadow kitty

Chapter 3: Murder and Anger

Mia and Farune were heading for the school. Mia’s mother had insisted on escorting her. She also had half a mind to give Miss Stone what-for for treating her daughter so cruelly.

As they walked Mia noticed the scowls of the ponies they passed. Mia looked to her mother.

“Mommy, why does everypony not like us?”

“Because of your fathers work...” Farune’s voice a little hesitant.

“What work does he do again?”

Farune was quiet for a few moments. “He... makes ponies who do bad things go to sleep... forever...”

Mia’s eyes went wide. “Y...you mean... like Kirin?”

Farune stopped in her tracks. She turned to her daughter with a look of panic.

“What do you mean ‘like Kirin’?” She asked slowly.

Mia looked away to avoid her mother’s gaze.

“Like... what Daddy did to Kirin when he found her using that book.”

Farune’s mouth felt dry, tears began to cloud her vision.

“Mia... are you saying that... your father...” She couldn’t even finish her question. It was just too horrible to think about. She placed a hoof on Mia’s shoulder and looked her in the eyes.

“Tell me exactly what happened.”

***

Mia and Kirin sat in the graveyard. It was midday and they both lay under the shade of a tree side by side. Kirin’s violet mane swaying in the breeze as they both skimmed through a black book with a skull emblem on the cover. The pages were jet black and the words were written in an old splotchy text with white ink.

Mia glanced at the scar on her big sister’s dark blue flank.

“Kirin, why did your cutie mark go away?”

“Because it would have gotten me into trouble. So I had it removed, just like mother did.” Kirin answered without looking away from the book.

“Oh...” Mia wasn’t completely satisfied with the answer.

After skimming a few more pages, Kirin stood up.

“Alright, this one should do.”

Mia looked at her sister with a look of concern.

“Are you sure we won’t get into trouble? Isn’t that kind of magic... dangerous?”

Kirin smirked. “Only if you get caught. But if you’re worried, you can take cover behind this tree.”

Hesitantly, Mia got up and went around the tree they had been lying under and peeked her head out from behind it. She smiled nervously.

“Ready sis...”

Kirin just giggled at her sister’s innocence.

“Alright.” She said with a determined grin. “Here we go!”

Kirin’s horn gave off what could only be described as a black glow. The air began to whip around her in a spiral as the glow began to increase in intensity as she uttered words that Mia couldn’t understand.
Suddenly, the same negative energy that had enveloped Kirin’s horn flashed and everything blacked out for a split second.

Kirin fell to her knees exhausted. She looked around expectantly then frowned.

“Horse Feathers! It didn’t work!”

“Kirin! That’s a bad word!”

She cringed. “Sorry Mia, I’m just a little frustrated. I really thought I had it this time...”

“You’ve definitely had it Kirin!” Said a new voice from nearby.

Kirin’s eyes went wide as she slowly turned to face the navy blue stallion. She began trembling with fear and Mia hid herself behind the tree again and curled up into a ball and shuddered with fear.

“This is bad.” The little filly thought to herself. “This is REALLY bad...”

Kirin gulped then finally found the courage to speak. “F... Father... How long h...have you been s...standing there?”

“Long enough.” His voice dark, and his eyes filled with anger and murderous intent.

“L...Long enough for what? I was just p...practicing a few magic tricks... nothing s...sinister...”

She forced a nervous smile which soon faded when her father’s expression remained the same.

“Don’t bother trying to hide it! I’ve been at this long enough to recognize necromancy when I see it! You KNOW that practicing that vile magic is forbidden and you KNOW the penalty for it!” Tyrant’s voice was filled with rage and hate.

Kirin stepped back, her eyes filled with fear and hurt. Her vision became clouded by tears.

“Y...You wouldn’t! You wouldn’t kill your own daughter! Would you!? That’s just... horrid!”

Tyrant began to walk towards her slowly. Kirin recognized the look in his eye. She stumbled backwards as he approached. Her mind filled with fear. He was really going to do it... He was really going to kill her!

She couldn’t move, she was utterly paralyzed by fear. He stood over her, his horn giving off a sickly red glow as a wooden stake hovered from his saddle bag.

“I always suspected that you were necromancer. Who else would have their cutie mark removed?” He smirked. “Don’t worry... this should be relatively quick.”

The next sound Mia heard made her feel utterly sick to her stomach. Her entire body shook as tears flowed from her shut eyes. What just happened? Did her father really just kill her sister?

She stopped shaking and held her breath as she heard hoof steps getting closer and closer to her hiding place.

“Make sure you’re home before dark...” Was all he said to her before leaving.

Mia opened her eyes to see him leaving. She noticed that the fur on his chest and hooves were stained with something. She shuddered again.

When he was out of view she got to her hooves and peeked from behind the tree again.

Kirin lay motionless in a pool of her own blood, a wooden stake imbedded in her skull.

Mia approached cautiously. She nudged Kirin’s side with her hoof gently.

“Kirin?” Mia’s eyes began to water.

“Kirin? Get up... please? Kirin?”

She didn’t get up, nor would she. Mia collapsed into sobs.

***

Farune just stared at Mia. Her mouth open slightly and her eyes were wide.

“No... it’s not... it CAN’T be true... Tyrant couldn’t... he wouldn’t... he...”

She closed her eyes and lowered her head. Her body quivered not with sorrow, but with rage.

“He... he took my filly from me... that monster took my Kirin from me!” Tears flowed down her cheeks, her eyes filled with hate.

After a few moments she took in a deep breath and let out a shaky sigh. She wiped her tears away then smiled at Mia.

“Let’s go home Mia, I think you deserve a day off of school.”

Mia nodded slowly. Her own tears were running down her cheeks.

“I’m sorry Mommy...”

Farune hugged Mia.

“Don’t you dare apologize. You haven’t done anything wrong.”

She looked her daughter in the eye and smiled again.

“Let’s go home.”

***

Grenth sat alone in the dark. Although there was no light he could still see perfectly well.

He waved a hoof slowly in front of himself leaving a trail of dark energy that lasted for about two seconds before deteriorating. He then attempted to write his name.

G-R-E

When he had begun writing the N the G had deteriorated, in frustration he tried again at a much faster pace.

G-R-E-N-T

When he failed the second time he let out a sigh. He was bored.

“It was in there!”

The voice came from outside the vault. Grenth got to his hooves in a state of panic. He did NOT like the tone of that voice.
When the door began to open he melded with the shadows and waited.

A navy blue stallion entered the burial vault and looked around cautiously.

“I don’t see anything here. Although it could be a phantom of some kind...”

“Right well... can I go now?” A rather nervous looking colt stood behind the stallion.

He sighed. “Very well, it will be better if you’re not here anyway. This could be dangerous.”

The colt bolted and didn’t look back. Tyrant continued searching the vault for signs of unnatural activity. The air certainly felt odd, and he felt like he was being watched.

When he had completely searched the vault he sighed and left. He would return later.

When the door shut Grenth let out a shaky sigh. That could have ended badly. He knew he was more than capable of defending himself, but he had no desire to take anyponies life.

But this didn’t bode well, somepony had revealed his location. Probably one of the colts he scared off the other day.
No matter. So long as he could remain hidden they wouldn’t be able to touch him. He hoped...

Comments

[Raiden Kurokami]

this is good! can't wait for the next chapter! keep it up