//------------------------------//
// The Crestfallen 
// Story: The Sentinel of Crows 
// by Doctor Blizzard 
//------------------------------//

The hunt was long, dragging on to the sounds of fearful moans with no end in sight. A hunt so ravenous and unforgiving to the weak of mind. The unrelenting silence could drive the sanest man mad in a single night. The red moon hung low in the murky skies above the gothic pillars of disparity. Neglecting to move, she ignorantly continued to live in her capsule of psychosis; trapped in a contiguous battle of perseverance. A battle so loud that her eyelids tightened and her twitching muscles forced her arms up to her head. Voices echoed, the sounds of beasts shrieking at the top of their lungs, the villagers and her fellow hunters going mad while she remained untouched by the fetid stench. Nearly reaching the precipice of her personal nightmare screaming inside of her ossified skull.

Eileen's knuckles were gripped white around her pointed black hat, grasping her pinned up ponytail at the back of her head. Her breath thickened, feeling hot and sticky wheezes expel from her lungs.

'Why now? I don't know what I did to deserve this...' She growled. The dangerous mind that she owned grew louder and louder, and finally, it climaxed. Eileen shuttered awake from her fake reality, taking the air in her hands with a grip of death and taught leather manchettes.

"Stop!"

Then, there was silence. And the sounds of peace and tranquility finally soothed her desperate, throbbing ears again. Flushed red in the cheeks with a tumultuous breath, scathing eyes looking upon the ebony black in ruin; starless, lackluster, and chalk full of despondency. Eyes darted back and forth, much like her head scanning her surroundings but found that her efforts were purely in vain. Her hand vanished through the black cloud, peering through the small eye holes of her incense-filled beak mask strapped tightly around her head.

Eileen roused herself from her slumber. She felt her sore muscles and bones popping after being curled up in a ball all day. No fire, no shelter, she needed to makes some sacrifices to remain inconspicuous to the masses of a village that ponies called Ponyville. Tufts of snow slicked off of her feathered garbs, the snow did not fall short of the way that her clothing acted. With complete disregard for their antipodal hues, the snowfall was fast and monumentally staggering.

Eileen ears pricked up behind her clothed head. That bell, that wretched bell bestowed as a gift from her subordinate nature rang out from the giant crystal tree she had been studying all day. Even the sound of a bell immediately made connections, firing through her brain and forcing her to think a violent bloodletting will soon commence. It was something she had to learn to keep under control, especially when she knew Equestria was incapable of following through with such acts.

"Aye, good girl." Eileen snapped open her large leather satchel slung over her shoulder. A smaller bell pulsated a blue hum, all dressed up fancy in a tapering silver yoke to lightly hold. It's clapper delicately pinged against the dented silver mouth. Her hands guided the bell out and she let it sing its melody two by two in response. The bell was carefully stuffed back into the satchel, not exactly a hurry. Her other hand reached up to the sky with palms wide open, but her eyes continued to search for another object.

With a snap of her impatient fingers, she felt warm embers nestle deep in her clutches. A surge of red light covered her hovel dwarfed under the giant trees, ones that loomed eerily and remained nameless. They remained naked and without a leaf to spare. The unmistakable shape of an enveloped letter quickly synthesized in one hand, the other soon pulled out a luminous blue crystal. It leaked energy and had many fissures running through the extremely brittle object. Once the blank letter was unsealed, Eileen smashed the jagged orb in her hand and smeared the loosed energy all over the letter.


'Thank you for keeping watch tonight. The rules are the same as they have been. As promised, the payment that we disclosed upon is in the normal dead drop location. Proceed as follows.'


"Hmm..." She crumpled the paper and threw it deep into the snow, knowing that the energy would soon become acidic to paper.

'Glad to know I'm still in the loop...' Her glare focused on the castle nearby, finding the buoyant and merry tidings of Hearth's Warming in abundant supply. It hurt her eyes to look at all the lights and the colors of other festivities hanging.

"You do this with a purpose, remember that." Her dark tone questioned the bounds of the conflicts burning both inside and out of her aging body. Her reflexive hand reached down and grabbed her break-action pistol. She unhinged the breech, seeing a used casing eject wildly past her head. The cartridge she put in was massive and colored in a filmy white of newly casted silver. With her terribly worn pistol ready for one good shot, she skillfully holstered the olden device and checked her blades for ease of use. Nicknamed the "Blades of Mercy" for their purpose to maim and put down the infected scourge of the hunt. Created from an unbreakable material that supposedly came from a higher plane of existence.

Eileen breezed through the snow with height on her side. The thought of lighting a torch seemed like a good idea to her, but it would not offer much in the ways of guiding her already illuminated path. She magnetized the weapons and let the two blades connect into one secure piece, resembling the vague design of butterfly swords. Glowing white sparks darted away from the tip, slowly fizzling out as they fluttered down to the snowy bottoms. She dressed in all black in front of something so divine. The castle spired terribly above her and absolutely radiated with purity, something she severely lacked. Darkness surrounded by a halo of light.

But there she stood tall, towering over the denizens of a strange land she had come to settle in for the long dream. With a castle filled with some of the most powerful beings she knew, a lot was resting on her shoulders to not screw it all up. Eileen cleared a step from the snow on the staircase and sat down, her belly filled with hardtack and bitter coffee from hours beforehand. It was hard to retain what little body heat she produced. She envied these ponies who were naturally attuned to the horribly cold temperatures, especially the ones that could fly. Her black and buttoned attire did little to protect her from the elements, sapping the energy away from her.

'Dammit you two! I've been out here all day, you can't expect me to be out here all night.' Her instincts shifted to ensure her own survival. But Eileen knew that their word was law. Whatever they told her to do, she would follow through. Even though Eileen worked alone and called the shots in moderation, the princesses trusted her judgment. It was the only thing she could do to repay them for everything. But what surprised her the most was how Celestia and Luna treated her as an equal and as a viable asset to their armament.

'But why would they force me outside like a sick dog?' Eileen lowered her head, 'Or is this just a joke? To make me stay on their good side. Or are they really afraid of me?... Which is it?'

She silently breathed in the cold scented air. 'No... I know that Luna cares... I know that Celestia—C-Celestia, I, honestly don't know what's happening. I realize my presence and being found out could spell disaster for them... All the things I do for them are not exactly held in high regards in this society.'

Her thoughts were forced on hold as a painful and sinister noise penetrated from inside the castle. It's knell of bloodlust and malicious intent. Eileen's head cocked back forcefully and with exceptional speed. There was something written on the door with magic. She climbed the steps, tripping over her foot but masterfully catching herself from faceplanting.


'Please, don't hesitate to come in! I probably wouldn't even hear you knocking.'


'What a strange thing to write on a castle door. I-It doesn't matter, this could be it. Whether or not the others see me is only secondary to protecting them.' Eileen automatically began pushing the door but remembered her protocol.

'I'd be going against their most prior rule if—No. If it says come in, I'm sure as hell not going to let some lifeless oath stop me.' No sooner did the door plunge open with both of her gloved hands. Where she expected the low tremor and scratching of the door against stone, it responded in twisted silence. The overwhelming current of warm air rushing through her body caused the long crow-feathered drapes on her back to spread and flap in waves. She silently closed the door and turned around, seeing the inside of the castle for the first time.

It was not the first time that Eileen had seen stunning imagery such as the example before her eyes. She had a knack for lockpicking and sneaking into places most desired and inaccessible to the general public. And it was her job to do so, to watch over them in the lullaby of darkness. Glancing around at the daunting ceiling and balconies above. Fluorescent blue, yellow, and pink crystal sconces flickered like imaginary flames on their mounts, bouncing off of the crystallized columns lining the walls. Standing in the grand foyer revealed many paths, running from left to right, but the main attraction was the staircase leading up to the actual body of the castle.

'Don't go stumbling in... I wouldn't be surprised if they've already sent in some of their lackeys.' She took a big step forward, her almost leaden boots clunked deeply against the hard floor. A sole and flat of thick rubber on her buckled boots. The swishing of sewn fabrics with each step filled the gaping void of tranquility. She continued to see hearts and symbols of fondness spread deeply, another thing she envied. 

She pulled out her pistol and combined blades, the latter being held in a reverse grip for aggressive slashing. Slowly, the sounds of heavy boots tapped through the halls at easily readable intervals.

It dawned on her that she did not know where anything was inside of the castle. Its architecture compared to the outside view was extremely misleading. The jolly atmosphere sewed into the halls caused her eyes to close, grimacing under the mask.

Although she never found purpose or solace in a holiday such as Hearth's Warming, it was out of her control. And as her boots clunked deeper and deeper into the empty halls, she could not shake the feeling of being watched herself. Long nights on the hunt filled with the nightmares of man caused her to grow an uncanny sense of perception in her spatial field. How hard was it to miss her, especially in the brightness of the castle? An upright creature swathed in crow feathers and a remarkable mask?

The top of the steps revealed something she did not expect. There was no balcony that she saw prior to walking in, instead, Eileen found a single door at the end of the stout hall. Its lattice frame paned in green and gilded golds shone a light at the other side. She jiggled the knobs but to no avail.

"Locked up tight as a drum... No matter." Eileen crooned harrowingly. She reached down into a secular pouch and pulled out a few helpful tools to jimmy the lock loose. She inserted a torsion wrench into the keyhole and applied pressure, using her actual lockpick to bump the tumblers into place with her other hand. In a matter of moments, the door unlocked with little to no effort.

She slowly let the door swing open and reveal to her a wicked sight.

"Well, that's new." Eileen swept through the room, making sure no one was lurking just like her. She sighed and slowly holstered her weapons and lockpicks back to her waist. Above her were the roots of a giant tree strung with simple stones of light, much like the ones in the halls prior. Six thrones made of pure blue and lavender gemstone systematically encircled a large table in the middle. One throne, however, had a smaller one right next to it. Other than the dwarfed throne, they all had a unique symbol cut into the backs of each one. Colored in various tones and resembling a certain reoccurring theme that seemed to accept a certain form of energy. It only confused her and raised more questions.

'I've seen these cutie marks before. Oh yes, I know them well... If only I knew what these things really stood for... Heh. Those six little bastards cause me more problems than they'll ever know.' Eileen's gaze soon shifted to the crown jewel of the room.

It perplexed her to think what kind of magic was coursing through the castle, more importantly, the very room she stood in. Transfixed to something alive and steadily breathing, shaded in a hazy illusion of dimmed out colors not living up to their potential hues. She even made out a rainbow somewhere. She stared at a map that popped up from the table, casting its subtle gleam upon her unblinking eyes behind the mask. It acted so transparently empty, and yet it stood up and jumped at her hungry eyes in total existence.

"What is this?" She wracked her mind to think what kind of power was behind something so perfect in its own design. "A map of Equestria... down to the last detail."

Her hand reached out almost trembling as the map rhythmically stuttered. She watched her hand simply glide through Canterlot and the mountains on the other side. Eileen lost her breath once she realized that the map recognized her presence, agitating the particles of light around her hand's point of entry. She tried grabbing onto the elevated particles but her fingers phased through the tops of frosted mountains.

'Well, this is strange indeed... What do they use this for? Plans? strategies? Methods of?... No, I highly doubt it's used for anything violent given their nature.' Eileen settled against the plinth-like object with both hands on the precise edge, obstructing a portion of Luna Bay and another unnamed territory of mountains.

'I guess that's best left to the imagination. It could be anything, really. Even a little project they've been working on.' She closed her eyes and stepped back, trying to make sense of the whole map and the biting conflict within the reaches of her very soul. A heavy-minded sigh fell into her mask with her eyes now clenched, much like her hands and how her arms crossed tightly. She leaned against the wall and lowered her head.

'Not as spry as I used to be... As much as I hate to admit it, my age is starting to catch up with me again.
And don't even get me started on my mind's health...' Her eyes glued shut with a twitching pain running through her spine.

"But who else will carry on my duty? These ponies could never bring themselves to do what I do." She disappointedly shook her head as her leg nervously bounced. "What will they think when I tell them about my previous life? I know I've told them what I do but they don't know the whole thing..."

"Maybe they already know, maybe that's why we've started to fall apart... In that case, I'm sure they won't mind if I catch forty winks in here."

Only then did she notice the light glow brighter than before, shining on her closed eyelids. A glassy shimmer echoed in the room.

"Huh?!" Eileen ripped her eyes open just as a single pulse of energy flowed through the crystal structure before her, feeding into the map. She squinted her eyes as the blinding light slowly died down.

"What the-" She suddenly stepped back up to the table, looking down just below the city of Canterlot rotated a small image of a cutie mark around the castle, the very one she stood in. It completely matched the cutie mark right next to the smaller throne, and it even matched the giant six-pointed star from outside after looking at the castle all day.

'Did I say something? Is it an alarm?' Suddenly, Eileen heard the sounds of a hastily driven trot, and it was only getting louder.

'Shit! I didn't even check to see if they were—No, it could be an assailant! I can't risk it!' Her idle fingers silently grabbed her pistol and cocked the hammer back, taking it with two hands instead of one. 'Whoever's coming is blocking my only way out!'

Eileen wretchedly searched for any place to hide, but anything obtainable was out of reach. The thrones were too small to hide her body and the root system was too far up to even touch. She could see the shadows now, stretching across the open door. The autonomous trot turned into a careful pace, almost stopping at the door. She kept her breathing in check, hearing the silence come back into play and covering up her hidden demons.

"I don't remember leaving the door open..."

'Wait! That voice...' Eileen's firm grip on her gun began to shake. Her mind now plagued with second guesses.

"Hello? Is someone in here?" The familiar voice rang out once more, "it's ok... Ugh! Stupid cutie mark! Why do you have to do this right now?"

Eileen watched in horror as the door slowly creaked open, her finger on the trigger debating on taking the shot or taking a chance. 

'Now or never, what's it going to be?!' She counted the beats of her heart and felt the throb in her eyes. To be the judge of another's life, to know that their life was measured in a few more precious seconds haunted her. She took a chance and acted upon her emotions without looking back.

Watching as another pony obliviously walked into her gun's path, Eileen's finger delicately released from the trigger. She watched as the alicorn's eyes scanned the room; it had not occurred to her yet that a human stood in her presence. But when it did, both of their actualities quaked in awe and uncertainty. The very fabric of reality was broken indefinitely. Hiding behind the mask offered nothing as both pony and man stared into each other's eyes, dumbstruck in their own ways.

Eileen lowered the gun slowly, letting it hang limply in her hand right after. Her breathing was smothered by the beak but still audible completely. She uncocked the hammer and gingerly holstered her weapon. A smirk formed on her face after seeing the pony jump slightly once her arm moved around. 'Must of been as solid as a statue... This was only a matter of time.'

"Who—What are?" Eileen noticed the pony's eyes glancing at the door. She tried to stay silent as the mare began to increasingly freak herself out. But when she started to back up to the door, Eileen's vow of silence had to be broken.

"Don't. Don't even think about it." Her eyes felt heavy from all the breathing, the light-headedness was really starting to take its toll. As manageable as it was.

"You can talk?!"

"Of course."

"I... I don't understand—Who are you?! What are you?!"

"Patience. Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Twilight."