A creature forgotten, awoken. A ritual long decried, begun. And a knife, long clean, bloodied. Immortality has a cost, and Death has come to get its chance at two immortal souls.
Long ago, it was almost common knowledge that immortality was possible. But to gain it, one must truly pass the greatest of tests Equiss could serve up. Nothing survived the attempt until a pair of ponies earned the right to be called alicorns. With their ascension, a creature who guarded the gates of unending life was locked away.
But that was long ago, and with his freedom finally gained he must return to his work. And an unlucky pair of alicorns has yet to truly earn their status as gods. So he must administer the test, and if they pass, their fate shall truly be their own. But for those who fail, they will be eaten bit by bit, with not even their soul escaping in one piece.
Time flows differently for us all. It’s something most creatures don’t think about, but a day for you, might seem like a lifetime for another, or maybe a single second. Time is relative. For me the last few thousand years had been little more than a series of blinks. I didn't care about the time wasted. I was, in effect, a reminder. Even with my inaction in the world my statue stood tall, without time or weather altering it’s visage. My thin wooden mask still covered my face, and my knife was still held ready in my hand. My leather jacket was still billowing behind me, an immortal testament to my final lunge forward. The only part of my statue I didn’t enjoy was the stance. I was mid-pounce, my knife held ready ahead of my body. The only issue was weight. Since I was early in the lunge when I was petrified I only had one foot on the ground, which meant my statue was held up by a small array of pillars. It’s surprisingly hard to give the final sort of dread that was needed when you're held up by small stone pillars. And so I waited, in the sort of peaceful contentment that can only come from doing your job well.
Some might call being trapped in stone horrible, and they would be right. For them. For me, it was almost retirement, no more slinking in shadows and hunting those that escape their fate. I was doing my job without having to put forth the effort, and after a few hundred years of hunting, even my extended stay in stone felt like a long weekend. Plus the gardens were calm and peaceful, which was a nice change from my natural hunting grounds. Which is why I mentally groaned as something began pulling at the stonework of my skin, cracking it and freeing the clothes underneath. With small sounds my prison began failing, flecks of stone and mortar falling off my body like caked on mud. My arms were freed first, allowing me to brace against the floor as the rest of my body gained its freedom. After my body collapsed I was able to easily pick myself up, if only to look around my surroundings without the grey haze stone vision clouded everything in.
The gardens were brighter than I would have guessed. Either that or the stone clouded my vision even more than I thought. Bright colors assaulted my vision with a nonstop fusillade that could only be matched my full-fledged artillery. My head began to pound from sensory overload when the reason why finally clicked. It was daytime, with the light already starting to singe my covered skin despite the layers I wore. I grumbled as I slunk into the shadows, trying to listen to the voice in my head.
Some might call me crazy for listening to the voice in my head, but they are fools. I am not crazy because of the voice in my head, there’s a whole host of reasons far higher on the scale that attribute to my benign little madness. No, the voice in my head was my closest confidant and greatest foe. The Entity. I do not know what it wants, it seems to want things to die when they’re supposed to, though it’s occasional requests for healthy ponies somewhat diminishes that theory. No, it's easier to assume he’s some mad god. A dime a dozen beacon of true madness that has a job as old as time. Mostly because that’s what I was. But it was my sanctuary from the burning light, letting me rest my weary head without pain and worry. It’s a shame the cost that came with it.
The Entity embraced my body, spiriting me away almost instantly. Then the dreams came. Visions of one pony. I was forced to watch the little purple unicorn live through her life. She was the student of Celestia, one of the two to pass my test for immortality. I watched as she started to delve into her studies, and laughed as she quickly became a recluse. She stood against Luna, who had apparently gone mad. I silently applauded as she became the scion of magic, and my approval was a rare badge of honor. From there it was a spiral of moments. Learning with her friends, standing up to villains, and eventually earning a pair of wings. At that moment, the metaphorical feed was cut, and I was roughly jettisoned from my not so peaceful sleep and into a different area.
I rubbed the back of my head, muttering as I slowly rolled from my none to gentle toss from the closest thing to home I had ever known. “Damn bastard.” I sat up, pulling up my left arm to check over the knife. It was still sharp, and as I ran my thumb across the blade I thin line of my sickly gray blood seeped over the shined metal. I watched with the sort of dull appreciation that repetition brings, seeing skin knit back together in front of my eyes. I grunted as I decided to actually look over my surroundings. A dark forest, fog creeping into my vision from all corners. Yep, a hunting ground. I sighed and hunched over slightly. “Really, not even some time off before I have to test some stupid young pony who thought she could drink from our own cursed little well?”
I moved quickly from my grounds, feeling the pull of the entity weaken as I wandered away. I heard his displeased whispers as I walked off, but there wasn't the pull that told me my target was there. I rolled my eyes under the red-stained smile that was my mask. “Don’t be greedy you rusty old hook, I’ve got to get her here before you can have your little snack. Besides, you know as well as I that she’ll probably live.” I ran through the memories he gave me. “Well, as long as she doesn’t break down at the sight of her own blood.”
The whispers ceased, and I made it out of the woods easily. Small town, big castle. I could easily guess where she lived. Most alicorns had a thing for castles, that and there was a slight pull in the direction of the castle. As if my knife hand was reaching out for the towers. I made my way through the darkness of night, letting myself follow the subtle tug the Entity was using to guide me to what he hoped was his next meal. I also felt several smaller pulls, this time with actual names and histories being jammed into my head. Those that had evaded death, slipping through the metaphorical cracks. They got leeway since it was not intentional, but targets to at least speak to and correct anyways.
The castle was... sparse in decoration. I remembered Celestia and Luna’s castle when they were forced to undergo my little test. Coated in deep blues and vibrant golds. It seemed an affront to my nature of darkness and pain to be in such an overtly happy place. But this castle was furnished with the very basics, with very utilitarian furniture and the only actual decoration I could find was pictures of my target and her friends. I had heard her name, but I didn’t care to learn it. I could either try to learn it if she survived, or she’d be a snack within a week or two. Either way, caring right now was stupid.
Instead, I opted for the same cold indifference that had powered me for the last few millennia. I followed the pull, letting it give me a rough direction to follow as I wandered the castle. It was a veritable maze, only if I found one stairwell, I was forced to wander the next floor, which was always larger than the last. I complained as I explored. “What crazy fool decided that a reverse pyramid was the way to design their freaking home?”
About halfway through the castle, the pull on my arm leveled out, giving me a hint that my poor little soul was on the same level as me. On a whim, I peeked out a window to look up. My hunch was right, and the castle leveled out to a smooth wall. “Of course, she’s at the area where right where it all evens out so I could properly search. Which god did I piss off to deserve this?”
There was a moment of annoyance that I let wash over me before I followed my arm, focusing more on work than the general annoyance of hunting down a lone little lamb. I found myself grumbling again as I walked. “Seriously, I could put this off for a few years. Focus on catching up with my backlog instead of worrying about a new immortal to test.” I heard whispers begin sounding in my ear and rolled my eyes. “Yeah yeah, you want a damn snack. Just saying, I have other responsibilities you know?
I passed by a particularly large door, and my arm jumped up. I raised an eyebrow as my knife was pointed firmly at the door. I shook my arm loose, letting it fall to my side as I opened the door, and was met with the most organized office I had ever seen. Labels were sitting under every item, with everything sitting neatly in its specific place. The only stain upon the perfect order was the desk itself. I was coated in books, piled high in various stacks and towers that seemed to defy any conventional knowledge of physics. My target sat at one of the two desks, flipping through three books with efficiency I hadn’t seen before. She heard the door and perked an ear up. “Spike, is that you? Could you bring me Trottenheimer’s latest report on infusing metal with magic? It’s in the mail sack.”
I shrugged, moving towards the mail sack, which was labeled. God was this girl a nerd. I dug around for a second, pulling the various packages out until I found the offending document. With a grunt, a held it over the young alicorns shoulder. “This it?” I nearly flinched at the first time I heard my voice at a normal volume. It used to sound like a hushed whisper even when I screamed, which I liked. Now I spoke with a voice deep enough to shake stone and make windows tremble in their frames. It was not the voice of a scion of death, it was the voice of a golem or some other boring creature. I frowned under my mask as the alicorn seemed to study on. “Do you have a cold or something Spike? You aren’t sounding so hot.”
I smirked, voice or no I love it when people don’t recognize me. Gives me a chance for some polite conversation which is a rarity in my line of work. “Nope, still as healthy as the day I spawned, but you have the wrong name.”
The alicorn turned around, her ears going down in confusion before she even faced me. When she faced me is when she got more interesting. I had been doing this for years, and I thought I had seen every reaction any of the creatures gave. The griffins challenged me to duels, the minotaurs simply accepted whatever fate was coming, and ponies normally freaked out, though older ones tended to accept their fate easily. This wasn’t every creature’s reaction I’d ever met, but at the core, these rules were generally true. They had never just not seemed to care. Which is precisely what the alicorn did. “Oh, I’m sorry, but the libraries closed right now, can you come back in the morning?”
I stared in shock for a moment. Was I really that forgotten? Or maybe I just wasn’t common knowledge, but almost every immortal is told what they were stepping into. On the upside, this could turn out better for me, I did have some backlog in this town after all. Namely one pony who had managed to simply outlast death. I was still peeved none of the others had fixed that. Unless they were all gone by now, not that it mattered. Besides, the entity could wait for its possible snack. Despite its loving embrace I didn’t have to listen to everything it said. I shrugged, taking the easy win. “Fine, I’ll return tomorrow at seven in the evening, please be easier to find next time, as I have news regarding your ascension.” I didn’t give her time to respond, instead simply fading into a fog cloud. I had very few powers that I actually used, most being far too dramatic for my taste. However, turning into living fog was a power I enjoyed for multiple reasons. One, it cut me off from the entity almost completely. No pull to victims, no mild urge to kill anything close. Just me myself and I, my preferred company. Two, it let me watch things without them knowing I was watching.
So I got to see as Twilight stared in abject horror at my body dispersing into a light grey fog that clung to the floor like an amorphous spider. I didn’t take the time to bask in the confusion like I used to. After all, I had work to do. I let myself roll out through the castle window, a low cloud slowly falling from the sky in the cool evening light. I let myself take a moment to commune with the entity, which is surreal. I guess I could describe it as meditation but that fails to capture the pure mental strain that I’ve come to associate with it. It was more like... descending, giving up control of your mind and letting something else grab and paw at your thoughts. It was invasive, and if you did it too often you almost became addicted, allowing a scion to easier distance themselves from the horrors of the day to day jobs. I tried to commune at most once a day if only to keep from mixing too much with all the creatures the rusty hook ate.
I felt myself standing on a web made of gristle and grit, my shoes wet with the dark red substance I refused to look at. I focused my eyes forward, letting myself walk confidently while several crunches and splurts sounded with every step. I paused at the small window made of bone and blood. I sighed as it showed a very confused alicorn in her study, and ran my hand over it. I knew what the entity wanted, I needed to know the full list of sinners first. I was surprised to only find two others, considering I had been sealed for ages I assumed more ponies would have ascended, and most of the other creatures still hadn’t cracked the personal code for a god-like being to ascend. I glanced at the pink alicorn and the purple one. There was also a third target who was luckily easy. A mare who had slipped through the cracks, old and tired. I stared at her for a moment as the window showed her tucking a small filly into bed, before moving outside of a small farmhouse. I broke contact as soon as I had a location clear in my mind, fading back into reality at the grass under the castle.
I looked over the town, and let myself roll through the center. I didn’t slow as ponies crossed my path, simply continuing my journey as I made my way to the farm. It didn’t take long, the farm being fairly close to the town’s outskirts. I paused as I looked over the fields from the entry arch. A veritable forest of apple trees all lined up in nice little rows. A million memories flashed through my head. A loud metal contraption roaring as it made its way through the fields. A familiar face smiling down at me as I sat in his lap. My form lapsed, returning me to my bipedal form. I shook my head, dispelling the memories from an unknown era. I began a slow trek up the path, letting the darkness swaddle me like a babe. There was work to be done, and on my honor, I would do it.
The farmhouse was a simple thing, and one some part of my mind found calming. I saw the pony I was looking for sitting in a rocking chair, rocking back and forth in a gentle wave. She looked at me but didn’t recoil as I walked closer. When I finally arrived she smiled. “Well now, guess something up top finally noticed I ain’t been doing much dying, huh youngster?”
I nodded, glad that this would be easy. Before I spoke I waved my hand. To the uneducated, it might be misconstrued as a greeting, though it was more of a farewell. “Indeed, death comes for all. I have come to correct that error.”
The mare leaned back in her rocking chair. “I don’t believe all that hoopla about challenging you to a game for my life is true, is it?”
I waved my head back and forth. “It is more than a rumor, though truer than not. But at your age, it would do worse than kill you. It is not a game where losing is simply dying. If you wish to follow that path you will be eaten slowly, a part of your soul becoming a meal for an entity far beyond anything even most immortals would dare to know.”
The mare nodded. “Eyup, figured it was something like that. Then will it hurt?”
I shrugged. “I can claim your soul many ways, you may pass in your sleep, or perhaps die in your chair.”
The mare sighed, moving a small pipe from somewhere behind her. “Then do I got the time for one last smoke?”
I nodded. “When your case has been forgotten as long as it has, I would be cruel to deny you a final pleasure.”
She let out a bark of laughter as she struggled with a book of matches. I walked up, lighting one for her and held it inside the pipe. “Ha, Pleasure he says. This thing ain’t naught but useless danger, but when you’re as old as me you stop caring.”
I stayed silent, watching her take her final smoke. She raised an eyebrow. “Ain’t much of a talker, are you?”
I shook my head. “Most souls are not particularly talkative when I tell them they will die. I lost the gift of small talk long ago.”
She shrugged, taking another hit from her pipe. “Well then, guess I should get going huh? Can you make sure my grandson is the one what finds me? He’ll cope the best.” I nodded, walking up to stand beside her. She paused, craning her neck to look at me. “So when’ll it happen.”
I patted her back. “It happened as soon as I arrived, you were dead before my first word. I was simply waiting until you were ready.”
She looked down, finding her own head touching her chest, as her soul sat in the chair completely seperate from her body. I pointed in front of her, showcasing the ebony door placed at the exit of the farm. She smiled. “So what’s on the other side?”
I shrugged. “Whoever has been waiting on you probably, though I know not the specifics. That’s not my job, I am simply a teacher and guide.”
She looked between me and the door, standing up and letting out a surprised gasp. “Why, I ain’t moved this easy in darn-near fifty years!”
I nodded. “Your body’s frailty is gone, so go and rejoin your lost loved ones.”
She nodded. “Well, I don’t think I should thank the thing what killed me, but thank you anyway. I’ve been wanting a good long rest for a while now.”
I simply nodded, turning to the farmhouse. With a tendril of fog, I searched the house, finding the lone stallion in the house. With a simple effort he awoke, feeling the need to go outside. My job done, I returned to the forest. Seven tomorrow night, that’s when my next job began. I was almost excited to start a hunt again.
I didn't stay to watch the households reaction. I had seen the grief and sadness of a lost family member so many times I had no desire to be present. Instead, I moved back towards the forest that held my hunting grounds. I let the soft sounds of the forest overwhelm my senses for a moment, the calm nature of my little respite from life giving me time to center myself. I stepped into the fog that marked the borders of my hallowed ground, and as I crossed the invisible wall the whispers started. A million voices, all fighting to be heard in whatever cursed language they were speaking in. For the first hundred years it unnerved me, making it impossible to rest and remain calm. Now though.... "Hello, Demonic voices. Did you have a good day?"
The whispers surged, and I began ignoring them as I looked at the sky above me. The thick leaves of these unknown woods blocked out the sky, leaving me safe from the light come dawn. I smiled and took a moment to shift my mask before laying in the soft grass. Despite my extended vacation, I really wanted to sleep. Real sleep, where nothing invaded my mind or assaulted my dreams. I slid back against a tree, leaning against the rough bark while using my hood as a makeshift pillow. I let my head fall forward and my eyes shut. I happily embraced sleep as soon as it arrived, letting the world gently fall away.
***
I was in an old ski lodge, looking at three other people who seemed eerily familiar. They each wore a mask similar to mine. One of them quirked their masked head to me, their smile replaced with an x over where a mouth would normally lay. "Hey, you get the last runner?"
I nodded, cleaning off a knife I never knew I was using. "Of course, ain't nobody gonna outrun me and make it home!"
I winced at my own words. I felt like I did in a hunt, but I could still think about whatever asinine trite my animal brain thought was 'clever'.
The mute mask nodded. "Sweet! I gotta say when we started this whole thing it terrified me, but now that we just get to pick and choose, IT'S THE GREATEST THRILL EVER!"
I smiled and reached an arm over her side, but before whatever stupid drivel my monkey brain thought was cool could spill from my mouth, the lodge shimmered in place. The image around me began to ripple and fall like water, leaving just me, in an empty black void. I looked around, expecting the Entity to chime in with its unearthly horrors any second. Instead, a soothing voice called out from the aether of darkness surrounding me. "Hello? Who's dream have I stumbled upon during the daylight hours?"
I looked around, trying to find a source for the voice. "You have found a dream of worlds gone by, and I would prefer to speak to you, rather than at a blank void."
There was another pause, but this time the darkness faded. Colors seemed to seep out of nothing, leaving me in a different area, but one that was still strangely familiar. A darkened room, with various furniture scattered about. A chest of drawers with clothing thrown haphazardly over it. I ran a finger over the bed, with its blankets balled up at the foot. The voice called from behind me. "Such a strange location to be familiar to you. There are several things here that seem strangely alien, and yet I think I recognize you..."
I turned behind me, looking at the voice that had been invading my dream. An alicorn, one of the two actual alicorns that ascended with my game. I smiled beneath my mask. "Did I really leave that little of an impression? I seem to remember a very specific one, somewhere around where your left wing grew in."
Luna looked to me, before her face paled. "YOU! YOU SHALL NOT HAVE A SECOND CHANCE AT US VILLAIN!"
I didn't flinch as a blast of magic passed through my body, sending the wall behind me into disarray. I turned to face the new mess that had been scattered around the room. Drawings wafted through the air and I plucked one free. I stared at the crude sketch of a body, with a few odd trees surrounding it. I stared at it for a minute as if prompting a memory to come with it, but nothing came. The body just seemed flat, a collection of slashes and stabs immortalized in black and white drawn for no reason other than shock and fear. I tossed the picture behind me, and another blast of blue energy flew through my chest. "Luna, could you please stop making such a mess?"
The soft glow from behind me ceased, and I bent over, gathering the various detritus that she had scattered about. I gathered them all up before shoving them on a desk. The room in some approximation of order, I leaned against the wall and nodded at Luna. "Hello Luna, long time no see."
I kept my eyes on her face, with her eyes squinted shut in outrage and anger. Honestly, I still don't know why ponies try to be frightening, she looked more like an annoyed baby than an angry goddess. Of course, having functional immortality might take the killer edge off of the murderous image she was sending. She lowered her horn. "Vile beast, what dark deeds are you planning this time?!"
I tilted my head at her. "Uh, my job? I have two tests to give out, and once that's done I'm probably going to have to go on a world tour to hunt down some minor issues." I crossed my arms, before shuffling my shoulders as I remembered another item on my checklist. "Oh, and maybe hunting down my coworkers. I don't fancy being alone for eternity."
Luna stared, giving me death glares that were far from terrifying. "You expect me to believe you so simply?"
I shrugged. "I expect nothing. You invaded my dream, and as such everything I share is a kindness to you. If I wanted you gone, I would simply remove you."
Luna stood tall, and I almost felt a sliver of fear at the pure confidence in her own strength that mixed with her death glare. "You cannot remove the princess of dreams as easily as you seem to think. You are in my realm, and I control it as easily as the moon itself!"
I smiled under my mouth. "Ah, only a few millennia in and you already have the cockiness of the truly ancient. Shall I share with you some wisdom from my past?" Luna's horn began to glow as I began thinking of the entity. Before whatever she was planning could occur, a large ring of black claws with no definable source rose from the ground as smoothly as if surfacing from water. I stopped my thoughts, letting the small hooks of the entity in while keeping the old hook from noticing me stealing what amounted to his fingers. I turned aside, looking at a bookshelf. "There's always a bigger fish Luna." As she let out a strangled scream the world snapped into a pure void.
I woke up with a sudden start in the woods, the sky still dark. I spent a moment trying to tease out if I had slept through the day, or just barely gotten any sleep. I let out a yawn and stretched out, deciding that if I felt this refreshed I probably slept through the day. I stumbled up, moving to a standing position with a few false steps as I slowly remembered how to keep my balance. I cracked my neck back and forth, before glancing down in the dirt beside me. There were gashes in the dead grass, making an image I only truly remembered from my dream. A mask like mine, with an x instead of a mouth. I kicked my foot over it, erasing the image from existence without any effort. I turned towards the library without sparing it a second thought.
I made it to the castle fairly quickly, with the low position of the moon betraying the fact that I was indeed on time for my meeting, and by the pulling that was thankfully keeping itself on ground level I wasn't going to have to conduct a full search of the area just to hunt down Twilight. I looked around the town as I walked, making sure that the ponies who seemed to be moping around town couldn't see me. There seemed to be more clothing today, with black being the color of the day. I fingered my own black leather jacket, before realizing the gray hoodie under it ruined the look. Especially with a bright band logo peeking out from the unzipped jacket. I doubted it would fit in with all the semi-formal look the town seemed to be covered in.
I walked through the large double doors of the castle, where I suddenly noticed the dour mood had infected this place as well. I could see this mostly in the various guests that had popped up over the course of the day. A rainbow haired pony was zipping about, containing the energy of grief by trying to focus it into other activities. From the way she was angrily dusting the roof, I hazarded cleaning was not her special talent. The rest of the guests seemed to be circling one pony in particular, an orange mare with an old stetson on her head. I debated letting them have their moment but decided that if it took too long I would invariably fall even more behind schedule. With a clap of my hands, I brought the room's attention to me, snapping the fragile illusion that kept me from sight.
I centered my mask on the young alicorn who was holding the saddest pony under her wing. "Young alicorn, I have come as I was asked, we have business to discuss."
The alicorn stared at me in horror as I looked over the room, and her eyes lingered on my right hand, where a knife still sat rather happily. I ignored her horror and spun it with the lazy grace that only centuries of practice can create. "You have ascended to immortality without paying your dues. In one week you will be tested." I didn't bother moving as a few outraged cries came from around me, instead leveling my mask at the princess until the voices died down. "You may bring two others to join you, only you and the pink alicorn must take the test. Any others may join, but be warned." I crouched low, my mask level with the young immortals face. "Any who fail the test die. Passing assures their on immortality, such is the cost of trying to cheat death itself."
There was a door that opened from somewhere ahead of me, but I didn't look away from the alicorn in front of me. I took note of her eyes, which seemed to be frantically looking side to side, trying to tease logic from the situation around her. It also distracted me as a beam of magic burned my head to cinders. A rush of heat melting skin and boiling blood as what was once my face fell to the floor.
I felt the fog swirl around me, reforming my face as I turned to whatever had sent a beam of energy at me. An orange unicorn, with a red and gold mane that seemed to spark ablaze with every step towards me. My head reformed around me while I crossed my arms. "Brave one, aren't you? Unknown creature speaking to the false immortal and you try to burn him into dust." I wiped some slightly gooey ash from my leather jacket. "Not very polite though." I turned and felt the young mare's aura as she got close, and found myself smiling. "Ah, the heir of Celestia. You are so much like your mother that I'm embarrassed I didn't notice earlier."
The mare stopped. She stared at me with a raised eyebrow before speaking. "The name's Sunset Shimmer and that didn't look like a conversation, that looked like crashing a funeral and threatening someone."
I looked around, just now noticing that the mare with the hat was probably from the farm last night. I looked at her, before kneeling down, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You are one of the old-mares grandchildren, yes?" The pony nodded, looking so tired and angry. I gave her a few pats. "I was with her, at the end. There was no suffering, and she enjoyed a final smoke before going to rejoin her loved ones of the past. This I swear." I made a simple cross with my hand, tapping at my forehead, stomach, and shoulders. Without preamble, I rose. "Also, know that she was not scared, she lived longer than most, and her final thoughts were of her family."
The hat mare stared at me, before slowly nodding. "Well, I can't rightly tell how you were there, but you ain't lying. Thank ya for that at least. It's good knowing she'll be waiting."
I nodded, before turning to the alicorn. "As for you, remember. One week, tell the pink one and get two champions." I turned aside, pushing open the doors. "And remember pony, those that you bring must be prepared to die. It is the only way any of them might survive." I felt the doors shut behind me and instantly dispersed into a fog. A moment later, Celestia's spawn ran out, looking in all directions for a creature that was currently surrounding her feet. After a moment, she walked back in, but I knew who one of the champions would definitely be. I felt warmer just a tiny bit, knowing I would face off against Celestia again, even if it was just by proxy.
A week with no contact from any of my merry band of coworkers. I assumed this might be due to them being busy, but if what I saw while communing with the entity was true, there was very little work to be done. A griffon who had decided to see if he could become a lich, a dragon who was a simple error, and an incredibly lost pegasus who wasn't actually supposed to die, but had somehow wandered into my hunting ground. The last one wasn't exactly work, but was highly confusing for both parties.
I was spinning my knife as night fully descended, trying to decide how to get Twilight and her chosen survivors. I smiled as I felt a flash of inspiration as I imagined an old coworker. I couldn't do anything like it once the hunt started, but with all the freedom I had right now I could pull off something similar. I felt my knife's pull that had gone ignored for a week and focused on where it was pointing. With only a small amount of pure evil to guide me, I felt wind rise up to my mask. I closed my eyes, as I felt something pull my physical form from my standing position. Suddenly wind began whipping me from all sides, and I felt myself taking slight impacts from every side. When the wind finally reached a stop I found myself unable to contain my gasp, doubling over from the sudden feeling of stillness. "Never again, that was deeply... disturbing."
There was silence surrounding me, but I took no note of it as I stole a few deep breathes before straightening up. I saw the seven mares from before, each bearing grim face as the alicorn wore a tiara. I looked to the side, spotting the pink alicorn. "Ah, she is here." I gave her a nod while I focused on purple. "So then, let us get straight to business, I have a few jobs to get to as soon as we're done here and I do not wish to waste any time on pleasantries." I paused, looking to the marble ceiling above me. "This isn't your home young alicorn."
A familiar voice spoke from behind me. "No, it is mine."
I didn't bother turning around, recognizing the voice the second it grated against my ears. "Ah, Celestia. Such a joy to hear your voice again. Have you enjoyed your life since our last meeting."
There was a snort. "Why don't you turn and face me before asking questions."
I smiled, her ploy as obvious as my own mask. "I would gladly talk to you, unfortunately, I have other things to attend to. Give me an hour or so and I shall gladly hear whatever grievance you have for your treatment after spitting in the face of nature." I ignored her response, preferring walking up to the mares. "So young alicorn, I can guess that Ms. Shimmer will be taking my little test. Who is the last member of our little group?"
She met my eyes without fear, staring me down. "Flash Sentry, he's running late."
I shrugged. "Well, I said never again, but it appears to keep my schedule I must once again do something I hate. Give me a moment." I closed my eyes, tuning out the real world as the various aura's of the surrounding ponies revealed themselves in bright red around me. I let the entity guide my will, feeling his claws violate my own sense as it latched onto four auras somewhere nearby. "Times up, let us be off." I heard a confused squack as wind beat into my back, sucking me away from whatever palace Celestia now lived in. I stumbled as solid ground reappeared under me, but the gasp escaped again. This time a fit of coughs saw fit to join in as well, reducing me into a coughing wreck as I heard several strangled breaths around me.
I let myself take a moment to find my center before standing tall. "By the gods of above and below, I hate that rusty old hook." I dusted off my pants to distract my mind before clapping in front of me. "Excellent, I see we have our contestants all ready." I indeed saw four ponies stumbling into standing positions as they gathered their wits. I looked around to double check my little teaching corner was adequately prepared and nodding at the tables and lone arcane wheel sitting dilapidated in the middle of my little classroom.
The pink one was the first one to stand. "WHAT IN THE HAY WAS THAT?!!"
I shrugged, moving to the table and sorting out the set of tools they had to choose from. "A useless old god dragging all of us from wherever Celestia was and to my little patch of home for the moment. I wouldn't think about it to much, even I can get nightmares about him, and he's my boss." I shuddered as the memory of being the entity's puppet crawled through me. Refusing to kill was not a suitable option in that things mind. I focused on the task at hand. "Now, I really hate calling all of you by your colors, but the only one who bothered to introduce herself burned my head to embers. So unless that is a vital social rule of pony law I'd appreciate a less violent method of introduction."
Sunset was the one to speak up, which was about as surprising as the sun setting. "maybe you shouldn't threaten ponies at a funeral."
I rolled my eyes at the sass. "Calm down child, it was no threat." I began carefully sorting flashlights, making sure that they pointed away from me as I set the four up uniformly. "I was simply trying to give her the full sense of danger you four are partaking in, but before that, I would like to know exactly who I am speaking too."
A subtle cough sounded from the pink one. "I am Princess Mi Amore Cadenze, ruler of the crystal empire."
I nodded, moving over to the medkits as I opened each one, confirming that their meager supplies were still inside. "Excellent, always enjoy meeting royalty. Next please, I am on a schedule after all."
Some shuffling moved up and the pony I hadn't seen yet stepped forward. He had a nearly yellow skin tone, but my lack of perfect color vision muddied its actual color. Instead, I noticed his neon blue hair. He stepped forward with little fear, which was brave enough for me to nod as he spoke. "I'm Flash Sentry, one of Princess Cadence's guards."
I flipped the medkit over and shuffled to the toolboxes. "Pleasure, I am reminded of a quote." I ceased my check, trying to dredge the quote from my head through millennia of wasted time. "Greater love has no man than this, who lays down his life for his brothers." I opened a toolbox as soon as I finished. "Or princess in this case, at least as long as you weren't tempted by the offer of life-everlasting."
I snapped the box shut, putting it in its proper place before unfurling the maps. Purple spoke last. "I am princess Twilight Sparkle, and you are going to try and kill us."
I assume she wanted me to be shocked at her knowing what my little test was. I don't think she thought I would shrug. "Yes, I am death's hand in this world or one of them at least." I rolled the map shut and spared a glance at the keys. Which brings us to the next part of our meeting. Orientation."
I hopped over the table, leaning back against it when I was on the same side as them. "Two of you are here for breaking the first law of nature." I raised a hand to gesture at my own chest. "One I just happen to be named after. I am Memento Mori, which roughly translates to mean that you to, will die. In this one phrase, you two should already know how you have broken the law, with only one trial blocking you from getting away with it scot-free." I turned to look at Sunset. "The other two are here for immortality. Whether you wish to help first and immortality is a fringe benefit I neither know nor do I care. Do not mistake my lack of care for disdain, because I will follow it up with this."
I took a knee, bowing deeply to all four ponies. "I am deeply sorry for the hardships all four of you will go through. I wish that there was a less barbaric, but know that if you fall your face will be forever remembered." A true statement, I had the face of every being that had been on the wrong end of my knife permanently etched into my mind. Names as well, though they had faded slightly, and I didn't want to lie to them. After a moment bowing I rose. "And with that orientation can begin fully."
I gestured the four ponies to come closer, each one eyeing me like I would shove a knife inside them at any point. I wouldn't but since I had yet to o over the rules I could understand their trepidation. "Well, first I shall give you the basic rules. For one as soon as the test starts you will lose all magic. Be it earth pony stamina, pegasus flight, or unicorn spells. All magic will be negated, with the exception of all people gaining the ability to levitate one object of their choice." I gestured to the table behind me. "Which you will choose here. There will bed seven arcane wheels like the one beside me scattered around the area, your job is to get five of them operational. They are simple tools, and easy to fix." I tapped my wheel on the side. "However it will take time. When five are fixed the area will light up, and you will be able to pull open the exit gate with a lever and leave."
I jumped forward, standing up on my own. "As Twilight said, I will be hunting you while this happens. I will not kill you personally, but there are hooks scattered across my hunting area, upon catching one of you I will hang you from them. Another of your group can come by and free you, but there is only so much time before my boss will claim any hanging ponies as his own, so do try and avoid it."
Flash gulped at my explanation, before raising a hoof. "When you say hang us by the hook, what exactly do you mean?"
I grimaced, hating some of the grisly details of my work. "I will slide the hoof through the soft flesh of your shoulder, and hang you by your own bone. It is an excruciating process that I know more intimately than I like." repressed a shudder at the memory, the blood games we were put through for the first hundred years this world had settled down. "It hurts but is a non-fatal and repairable injury. Let us move on to the tools you will be given. Most are obvious, the only one I should have to explain is the key and the light."
I picked up the key. Showing its silver body to each pony. "This key will open a small hatch somewhere in my hunting ground. Going through it is an instant escape, but the key will only work for a single user." I paused. "Oh, and I wouldn't suggest all for of you grabbing a key and trying to find the hatch. I've killed every creature who tried to escape that way."
I put down the key and grabbed the light. I held it with utter disdain for a moment before passing it to Sunset. "The light, however, is a different sort. I hate myself for saying this, but please shine it on me."
Sunset didn't hesitate, shining the light on me. The concentrated sunlight held in the device instantly blistered my skin, and after a half of a second I let out a pained scream and stumbled forward, falling to one knee. Only a second later the light vanished along with the pain. My blisters quickly faded, and I was able to rise freely. "Yes, the light does that. It is hard to aim when running or moving, but I believe the effects speak for themselves."
I stumbled a bit as I regained myself, the effects of the light much more pronounced without the entity tugging ever so sweetly at my strings in that oh so subtle way he had while I was hunting. I shook my head. "Now that that bit of unpleasantness is out of the way, I will warn you that the flashlight is not a long term tool. Its beam will only work for five seconds of use when the test starts." I shook my head again, turning to face the four. Sunset was holding the flashlight with an appraising look in her eyes while the other three seemed shocked that I would give them something that could harm me. I grunted, trying to shake off the fog of pain. "You have ten minutes to prepare. Your abilities will be canceled as soon as I leave. When the trial starts you will be moved to a new area." I let myself fade into the fog already pooling at our feet. "Oh, and good luck, I find myself hoping some of you survive."
Ten minutes passed in the blink of an eye, and I felt myself get invaded for lack of a better term. My mind was wrenched from my body, and I felt the mental roulette wheel of persona's begin its spin. A battle of voices in my head before one broke through and sidelined rational thought. My face split into a feral grin, and I crouched low. Without a worry in the world, I began looking at the red outlines visible through the trees and small buildings that littered my hunting ground, pausing at each one. I knew what would happen, as soon as two of them got on a single generator I would know, and once one was in my sight I would string them up like a deer carcass and let the entity feast on their souls as their bodies were left as rotting husks. The mental image that came with that ratcheted my smile even wider, and I began slinking through the underbrush.
Ponies were so easy to hunt, and I shivered in anticipation as I heard the clunk of one of them flubbing with some of the arcanotech in the wheels. I turned to the noise, and it was lit up yellow. With joy in my heart, I let out a primal scream promising blood and violence before tearing up turf in a mad dash to my newest prey. I reached the generator in a flash and found the lone stallion frantically on the machine. He was so focused on the wheel he didn't hear my mad approach. More fool him. I jumped forward, slashing across his wing and leaving a deep red gouge on his wing that spurted blood with beautiful frequency. I leaned in close as he screamed. "Might wanna patch that up, pretty boy..." Before he could respond I was gone, following the beautiful red lines to another victim that had decided to hide behind a tree. I ran forward, grabbing the tree's trunk and using my speed spin me into them, plunging the knife into a pink fetlock.
I let it out with a sick laugh. There was a pause as Cadence stared at me with a fearful look, and I leaned in. "I'm giving you a chance. Run, run far and fast little princess. Your blood is tempting I'm not sure how much of a head start I can give you."
That was all the prompting she needed. With a cry she began limping off, making good speed despite the obvious handicap of a knife severing an artery in her leg. I watched with a smile before charging after her, only to feel the energy seem to sap from my body. I let out a frustrated groan as I took a moment to catch my breath. By the time I looked up she was already gone. I kicked a rock in frustration, growling at the sky. "Damnit! I just wanted one more, c'mon!"
With manic energy I began looking around, I grinned at a trail of wet blood. "Oh, you folks are screwed now! I got a trail to follow!" I began to follow the trail and stopped as my senses went wild. I felt a pull behind me that led me to a cloud of fog that seemed to swirl beside me, giving the impression of one of those lockers that swarmed my little haunting ground. I began to stalk towards the locker, finding Twilight Sparkle, the first one on my list peeking out of the locker. As she stepped out my knife darted at her, grazing her side with a solid slash. She was smarter than the others, running as soon as I began cleaning off my knife. "GO AHEAD AND RUN PRINCESS, YOU KNOW I'LL GET YOU IN THE END!"
I didn't bother chasing her, with how quick she took those corners I probably wouldn't catch up, but that toolbox in her grip told me unless one of the others had a medkit she wouldn't be patching herself up anytime soon. I instead focused on the area. "If three of them were here, then the fourth was somewhere around here unless she-" I was cut off by a sudden flash of energy as a wheel powered up. I let out a frustrated yell. "NO, YOU HAVE TO GET CUT BEFORE I LET YOU PLAY WITH MY TOYS!"
I moved towards the generator with murder on my mind. Well, more on my mind. And more specific murder too, with a sun-shaped cutie mark slowly being stripped from raw flesh while screams sounded in beautiful stereo. I smiled at the thought, my previous rage already forgotten as I turned the corner to see the spinning wheel sending pulses of light with every rotation. I sadly didn't see Sunset waiting for me, but I did hear something better. A pained groan coming from a nearby rock. I let out a happy whoop, charging across the rock and saw a veritable bounty in front of me. Sunset was there, patching up Flash with her bare hands as best she could while her flashlight hung in her little telekinetic grip. I tore into them, my knife making solid contact with Sunset's barrel. "NOW YOU CAN FIX A WHEEL YOU LITTLE SUNSPOT!! PAY THE TAXMAN!" I let out a demented giggle as Flash ran off, I held a finger to my mask as Sunset was frozen in place. "Shush little one, death comes later, for now, just suffer." I slunk back, catching my breath before picking up Flash's trail. Nobody gets to run from me without at least taking another slice.
I let out a cackle as the blood told me where he had scampered off to. "KEEP RUNNING LITTLE PONY, NOTHING ESCAPES DEATH! IT'S IN MY OWN THRICE-CURSED NAME!" I began stalking the path the blood gave me, following as I counted the bits of white bone mixed with red blood. It was almost artistic, and I could feel a beat beginning to form as a song already formed in my head. A song of death and violence that could only be furthered if fed. As I heard hushed groans of pain and a small metallic click I knew I could feed it soon. I turned into a small building, with a single locker inside. I already knew what would happen, and walked up, slamming the door open with one hand. The bleeding stallion stared at me in fear as I stabbed the wood beside his head, eliciting a beautiful scream that I cut off with a strangling hand closing around his throat.
I hauled him over my shoulder, relishing in his struggles as I scanned the horizon. I saw the beautiful red outline of a hook right outside the door. I walked slowly, letting the useless struggles of the dead prey over my shoulders give him a false sense of hope. As soon as the hook was in front of me I slung his body forward like a sack of potatoes, letting the momentum cut through flesh and muscle. I stared as he screamed, imagining what words could adequately describe it. As soon as he went limp I raised a hand to his face, making his terrorized eyes meet the empty visage of my mask. "Don't worry friend, I'll send you some company soon. Okay?"
He gargled something through the blood in his throat, but I turned and left. The beat was still there, giving me motivation as the song formed in my head. I wanted to shout out and sing, but that would spoil the fun. No songs should stain the hunt. Songs are inspirations for the others, and the only thing that could really inspire them to the hights of fear I wanted would be me crashing through their hopes while I hung them up one by one. It was the natural order, and I was the Apex freaking predator. Another flash of light sends a flash of rage through me, and in a split-second, I was running towards the light.
I jumped a small ledge, only to feel a heavy impact smash into my side, sending me backward with a grunt. I stared at the pallet in front of me as a dash of purple darted across my vision, causing me to scream in frustration. "GET BACK HERE AND STAY STILL, I JUST WANT TO CUT YOU UP A LITTLE!" I began sending my foot into the small pallet that had fallen on me, cracking it with each stomp until nothing was left but splinters. I ran through the detritus and scrap chasing the hint of purple that had graced my vision barely a moment ago. "COME ON, I"M JUST MAKING SURE YOU DON'T HURT ANYONE! I'M DOING A GOOD DEED IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT!"
I spent longer than necessary chasing my own tail, the hunt for the princess I had only marked, sparing her the gouts of beautiful blood the others had been forced to mend. Or in the stallions case fearfully stare at while hanging from a hook. I smiled at the thought until a small peal of thunder gave me a warning that my little bird had flown his coop. I snarled as another light flashed, and I was caught directly in between the two. I charged the generator without much thought. If one of them was stupid enough to help then I could catch them when the next little fish was strung up by their guts. With a snarl, a charged, leaping through windows and low walls with ease and rushing the now fixed light. I found it almost barren, if not for the soft sliver of pink that was barely visible behind a tree. I let my instinct overpower thought, feeling bloodlust and wild fury guide my body as I turned the corner and blindly slashed the air. I was rewarded with the tearing of flesh that provided the chorus to my beautiful song of misery.
As soon as my knife finished its strike more lines appeared, but I disregarded them. There was no need for others right now, this little pony thought she was good enough to fix MY stuff. I broke them for a REASON! I dashed forward again, marking another gash across Cadence's wing. Feathers, bone, and blood all flew in every direction, and I paused to catch my breath. I saw the fool running as I took a moment, and when I stood tall she was still easily in my vision. I didn't run, choosing to go for the finishing blow in a way to make the anticipation so much more worth it. I stomped forward, my walking pace faster than Cadence's gimpy run. I would lose sight of her for a moment with annoying frequency, only to follow the ruby-red blood until I was right on her tail. The gap began closing, the game of inches showing its victor in clear paces and I raised my knife in anticipation. It all ended with one mistake. Cadence tried to jump through a destroyed window, and at the same time, I charged. My knife sunk deep into her back, and she fell with a thump.
I listened to her pain-filled sobs, deciding if this song had a hook, then the tears of anguish I was currently hearing were definitely fitting. I peeked through the window, the scratched out walls and half-spinning wheel seeming all to familiar. I looked to the corner and smiled at the stairwell leading down to the closest thing to a home I had. I watched as Cadence tried to crawl away for a moment, before hauling her over my shoulder. I don't know why I didn't taunt or belittle her, but the red glow emanating from my mask lessened, allowing me to have some semblance of self-control. I silently walked to the basement, the music that had been forming and shifting in my mind silenced by the bootsteps I made with every somber step. As soon as I cleared the stairs the whispers started. The entity feeding ideas and horrors into my head in this place where it held the most power. A shrine to its demented glory.
My heart dropped slightly as I placed Cadence on the hook, her own scream seeming to momentarily sever my connection to the entity fully. I stared at her for a moment, before backing away. "For what its worth princess, I am sorry." I turned about and felt a snap as the beat resurfaced in my head. My vision tinted red again, and the hunt redoubled. My mind warped and twisted back into the hunting mindset that cursed me whenever work called. I shook my head, trying to cast off whatever trite trickery forced my regression from hunter to weakling. I pushed forward, boxing a few beats from around my mask to focus myself on the task at hand. I heard a shuffle nearby, followed by a scream. I smiled and began running, some people just couldn't be trusted to patch you up.
I couldn't believe my luck as three terrified faces stared back at me from a small free-standing wall near my basement. I let out a peal of laughter that could crack glass and send skin shivering as my knife descended on the first pony. Poor Twilight didn't know what hit her as my knife cleaved through skin and muscle without catching on anything. A clean slice that sent her running through the woods. I watched Flash duck towards my basement as Sunset readied her flashlight. I moved forward, and the light hit me. My skin erupted into pain, my body of fog and long-dead flesh seeming to ignite under the false sunlight.
I threw a blind slice and heard a cry as it hit something. I didn't know what though, as my painful flailing was disorienting me. A few moments of curses and shouts later I was able to see, and already knew my mission. I moved towards my basement, already hearing the sound of thunder as one of them freed Cadence from her trap. I didn't run, running was tiring, I just stood at the top of the stairwell. Waiting. My patience was rewarded instantly as two ponies broke around the corner in a sprint, only to stop as they caught sight of me.
We were caught in a standstill. Flash sat there with a toolbox clenched in his small grip, blood dripping from his collar bone, with Cadence hardly looking any better. I took a single step forward. They took one back. I smiled. "So, how are we gonna do this? Is there a noble sacrifice coming? Oh, or is one of you going to push the other into me? I do so love the anticipation of how someone chooses to die!"
They both stared, and Flash did something that always infuriates me. He smiled. He pushed Cadence forward, and when I lunged forward he snaked around her. His scream was delicious as Cadence bolted off, shouting his name. I didn't bother stopping to see if she was stopping to see what happens next. Another flash of light poured from somewhere. Four out of five done. I grimaced in annoyance at that, if they got this many done already at least one would probably escape. I shook it out of my head as I threw Flash onto the rear-most hook in my demented shrine, and waited to see the show.
A circle of thorny claws erupted from the hook, one darting towards the barrel of the unfortunate stallion. His eyes widened as his hooves went out, fighting the entity with every scrap of strength he could muster. I heard a scream from the stairwell. "WHAT THE BUCK IS THAT?!"
I tilted half my head to see the unfortunate pony. Cadence had come back to save Flash. The final flash of light powered through my haunting grounds, the buzzer to find the exits marking the time. I let out a manic laugh. "IT'S MY BOSS! WANNA MEET HIM?" I began rushing her, opening a new artery as she sat staring at the entity. She let out another scream as blood poured like water. I knew for a fact there was an exit gate outside my little home, and I didn't have time to waste. I slashed again, winding myself. But it did it's job, sending her into a stumble that I could easily trace.
My guess was right, as the exit gate was opening as soon as Cadence made it out of the room, Sunset pulling the lever while looking around like a trapped rat. As much as I would love to kill Celestia's little tyke I knew when to be greedy. I lunged at Cadence, knocking her down again. Twilight ducked forward, placing herself between me and Cadence. Then the entity was cut away from me again. I could make my own decisions. I swept her aside. "RUN YOU FOOLS! I have already claimed one, and no more blood has to be spilled here today."
Sunset looked hesitant, staring between the exit and Cadence, while Twilight looked scared, though whether from me or the fact I had reduced Cadence to a bloody mess I couldn't be sure. "YOU DON"T UNDERSTAND!" I was having to fight the urge to gut Cadence here and now, the entity desperate for an immortal meal. "IM TRYING TO FUCKING HELP YOU! RUN!!"
Sunset leaned in. "Uh, Twi, you notice his eyes?" I noticed my own eyes, the red stain appearing and disappearing at random as the entity desperately pulled me to its goal. I didn't want them to watch, but I only had one option in my pool to get them out of here. I screamed and charged at them from their position in front of the exit. In their blind sprint from me, Twilight crossed the threshold. Sunset wasn't so lucky, a solid stab slitting open her stomach her intestines rolling out like a sheaf of papers. She crawled past the threshold as I readied another strike, causing Twilight to stop in confusion as Sunset burst into light but she quickly turned to look at me.
A gate of thorns and the voices of past victims separated us, and with a snap, I dismissed her from my hunting grounds. I collapsed, looking at Cadence. "You're going to die, you know that right?"
She let a raspy breath but nodded. I sighed. "I can do a little bit to make it better, I'm not sure why I can even think right now, let alone talk to you."
Cadence let out a laugh that sounded far to wet to be healthy. "That'd be me. It was feeding off you, and it couldn't stop all my magic. It let me keep what it thought would help in the trial I guess." I quirked my head. "Every time you got near me I was cutting it away from you, and without you, it's dying."
I froze, I hadn't known he could die, but if he was feeding off me then... "Damnit, I bet that thing's been doing this for a while." Cadence gave a wet cough before I saw another flash of red, and the urge within me rose to greater heights. "NO! If I kill this one, you don't get a sip you BROKEN DOWN IDOL!" I rose on shaky knee's, raising my knife to Cadence's throat. "I'm so sorry Cadence, I wish I could save you, but this is the best I can do." With a single slash, the red faded from my vision. The fog faded, and for a moment I thought I heard a pained growl. But the forest fell quiet, and I was left as I always was. Alone.
Time flows differently for us all. In the past millennia, I saw days pass under my nose so quickly that I could hardly believe a year was worth even a passing thought. Now though, with freedom finally being something I could actually enjoy, I found nights lasting longer. I also found myself a bit more lax in my work, with a slower rate of work in modern times I was lucky to have a hundred jobs a year. I also had weeks at a time with nothing to do, which led to hobbies. I couldn't remember if I had a hobby before this, but I found drawing to be an excellent outlet. I would write music as I walked, and find myself smiling as I read a book in a closed shop. But today was special. Today I had no time for hobbies or wandering. There was no music to be shared, just me and an empty plinth of marble.
I traced the Cutie Mark with my finger, feeling the slight indents of carving with my now gloveless hands. "Hello there princess, how have the past hundred years been?" I didn't expect an answer and sat down cross-legged. "You've given me so much with your passing. The entity did indeed die, and with its death, my workload crumbled to nearly nothing. I think it co-opted death itself. Using flaws in whatever system was naturally here to feast on souls."
I moved my mask up, letting the cold night air kiss my scruffy beard. "I thought maybe I would die with it, but instead I get work directly. Like I was supposed to be doing it the whole time, only the old hook was placing itself in the middle." I ran a hand over my face, trying to find words for what I've been wanting to say for a century. "I've been watching your daughter for you. I know you didn't ask me to, but it seemed the least I could do. She's smarter than the ponies around her give her credit for. I think she even knows I'm watching her, but it's hard to tell. She doesn't act like most creatures. If her eyes ever meet my mask, they light up. Like she's spotted an old friend instead of her mothers murderer."
I sighed. "I wish I could talk to her, but I doubt it would end well. Celestia and Luna have been searching for me tirelessly. I still try to do things right though. I was there for the element bearers when they passed. I know Twilight was your sister, and you would want them to know that they're safe." I felt one of my eyes tear up. "Look at me, sitting here like some maiden and crying at the grave of my savior. If this was some storybook you would rise from my tears, or I'd hear your voice in the wind. I'm sad to say I've read plenty of those abominations recently. They make me feel better about," I gestured to the whole world with my hands. "All this. On the bad days, I wish that I had died with that crazy god, but you've given me a chance. I won't waste it."
I heard something behind me but didn't care to turn and look. "I had to take your chance at life, and in your final moments, you gave me something I never thought I could have. You gave me a chance to live life by my own rules." I leaned my head against the cold marble. "I'm glad I managed to keep the entity off of you. With it gone I get to know a little bit more of what happens on the other side, and I've seen a glimpse of you before. It seems so nice there, and I'm glad you aren't suffering."
I let the quiet of the mausoleum invade, the empty building that sat in Canterlot a tomb of more than just ponies. I suppose it was poetic in its own way. Death sitting with the dead, regretting their passing. I smiled. "Y'know, this reminds me of something I read so long ago. The greatest love story ever told was that between life and death. Life would craft death a billion gifts with love and care, and he would keep each and every one. I guess I have, but I never met life." I tapped the marble with a finger as if rousing a close friend from a nap. "You were the closest thing, and for your gift, I will forever guard what was yours. So I guess what I'm trying to say is rest, never shall your family fall by an assassin's blade, or a workplace accident. Your line will only die naturally, and I shall guide each and every one of them to your side with my own hand. Just like I did with Shining."
A cough sounded from behind me, and I let out an annoyed scoff. "I am having a private moment. If you something here to kill me then wait outside."
The voice was soft, and I barely recognized it. "Actually, I was here to see you."
I paused, turning my head to see Princess Flurry Heart, ruler of the Crystal Empire. I froze as the ward I had protected in most of my free-time stared me down with a sad smile. I thought of a million things I could say. An introduction, an explanation, but they all died before they even graced my throat. Instead, I simply nodded while pointing to an area of marble beside me. I turned back to the memorial of Princess Mi Amore Cadenze. Immortal alicorn of love cut down in her prime. Finally, the words I wanted to say came to mind. "I'm sorry you never got to meet your mother."
So simple, and so painful. Words that could never live up to my immense regret at the death on my hands. Instead, I focused on what was important and turned to the grave. The silence came in again, this time with a vengeance. I let it wash over me, trying to think of things to say, but every time a thought formed it was chased off by a shuffle from the princess beside me. After five minutes she spoke. "Did you really kill my mom?" I nodded dumbly, unable to say anything of substance. Then she asked the damn question I couldn't answer. The one that I had been praying for and dreading for a century. "Why?"
My breath caught, which for a dead man was a bit of an achievement. I stuttered a moment, all my prepared answer being thrown out in the face of a single curious being who I was indebted to more than she could ever imagine. "I-I... I had to. She gave everything so I could live, and killing her myself was the closest thing to saving her I could do."
Flurry looked at me for a moment. "I got told you tried to kill every alicorn, but you haven't come after me yet." I paused, wiping my brow as I looked up to the statue on the plinth. Flurry moved slightly closer. "And I don't think you ever will."
I nodded. "Your natural, a scion of ice born into a physical body. There was no attempt to buck the order or extend your life. I keep the balance of life and death, and a mortal ascending is how you end up with so much life that all things die." I sighed, running my hands through my hair causing my hood to fall. "But your mother ascended, she saved a village and stumbled across the gift of immortality. But the rules don't allow exceptions, whenever a mortal becomes more than that, I have to test their mettle." I pointed to the head of the statue. "Your mother, she saw that the creature I had to follow at the time was feeding off me, and spent the trial cutting each of its hooks in me."
I looked down at the floor, unable to meet Flurry's eyes. "And by the end it was crippled, but it still had enough control over me that I couldn't let her go. When I got to choose between it eating her or not, I made my choice. I killed her myself, which meant she escaped a fate worse than death."
Flurry Heart shuffled back and forth. "You were there when my dad died too. I saw you speak to nothing as his funeral went on."
I nodded. "I was talking to him. He asked to see his own funeral if only to make sure you were okay." I paused thinking back on the conversation. "He said he was proud of you, and that you were even better than he dreamed when he first saw you in your crib." I coughed. "He also said If I ever hurt you he would crawl out of Elysium simply to haunt me." I smiled at the memory. "He was a good man, er, stallion. I wish I could have known him better."
Flurry nodded. "He was the best, but I came here for a more specific question." I raised an eyebrow, trying to tease out what Flurry wanted to know without her asking the question. She ruined my attempts by speaking. "Why do you follow me around?" The silence seemed overpowering after those words dropped. I had never masked myself to her, letting her know when I was there from the moment I found out Cadence had a filly. She started speaking after a moment of silence. "I remember seeing you a lot. I saw you at my fifth birthday, and you brought me that hairpin nopony knew where it came from. And you were there when we recovered my mom's regalia, in almost every major event in my life I've seen you in the corner. Just watching."
I nodded, deciding to let my still heart decide my words. "Your mother was the most generous and kindest soul I have ever met, and perhaps the only thing I ever fully regret allowing to pass into the dark. When I found out she had a child, I made a promise." I lowered my mask back onto my face, letting it cover my clammy features. "None in her line will die from an unnatural cause, and her daughter will live a full life as safe as possible." I paused, trying to come up with an adequate way to describe my feelings. "I owe your mother a debt so large that if I watched you for a million years I would be no closer to earning her kindness, so I guard you. I will make sure no arrow will find your heart, and no fire will burn you down."
I stood slowly. "I may not always be able to be beside you, but I will forever watch over you. Never shall you need to fear for your life, and I will be there to guide any mortals of your line to the other side." I turned to leave and paused. "Though, if you could do one thing for me, I would be thankful." She didn't speak, but without a declination, I moved forward. "Tell the other princesses that... that I'm sorry. I wish there had been another way." With that I let myself fade into fog, no longer a dark grey but of clear white. I let the wind take me to a nearby rooftop, and reformed to sit down on the rafters. "Well Cadence, your girls sharp as a tack and smart as as a suit. Hope you were watching." With a sad smile I felt a niggle at the back of my neck. Work called, and death waits for nothing. A cloud passed by my perch, and by the time Flurry walked out, I was gone.
