Oblivion was quiet as he loped through the fetlock high snow. Sasa trailed after him as he broke through the snow, creating a path for her. He had changed his normal route to cover more ground around the farm and run close to the Everfree as well.

“You have been getting up earlier than normal for a few weeks and have even changed your normal running route to cover double the ground. I’m worried you are pushing yourself too hard. Something is bothering you.”

The black stallion stopped and looked over his shoulder as the cat stopped behind him. “I suppose I am surprised that no portals have appeared. They were fairly frequent for a while, but now they have all but stopped. I’m waiting for it to happen.”

“Ahh. So that’s why you are ranging further.” The cat gave a low chuffing sound as she regarded him. “You can’t be expecting for them to appear all the time, Chosen. I know you view them as your responsibility, but you can’t be everywhere.”

He looked back in front of him and considered. “Is it possible that they are appearing somewhere else?”

“If the portals are not after me, then perhaps they are beginning to range further as well?”

“I don’t think so. They seem to be appearing only near where you were found. I don’t think they...” She stopped as a scroll appeared in his magic. “From Luna?”

The deep blue stationary gave its sender away. He opened it and read it aloud for the feline to hear.

Oblivion Shadow:

We request thous presence in Canterlot as soon as thou read this. There has been a development that our sister and I need thy expertise on. Please come quickly, it is imperative we speak with thee.

Oblivion teleported to the farm and then summoned Sasa. Applejack was just coming down the stairs as he walked in. “AJ.”

“Indeed. I need to head to Canterlot. Luna has requested I counsel her and Celestia about something. She did not explain in her letter, but it seems urgent.” He explained. “I apologize for the abruptness...” He stopped when AJ held up a hoof.

“The start of winter is slow fer the farm so it’s fine. Can’t do much in the snow anyway. It sounds like it’s a big deal. So, off ya go.”

Oblivion nodded to her and vanished in a flash of azure flame. Sasa waited and then disappeared as well. He appeared in the menagerie in his usual place and summoned the cat to him. Sasa was quiet as he lengthened his stride into a ground-eating walk and strode into the castle. He walked through the halls and up to the throne room doors, which he pushed open with a shove of magic. Guards turned to him, their horns lit with magic as they regarded him.

“Oblivion Shadow!” Luna hollered in her Royal Canterlot Voice and trotted up to him. She wrapped her forelegs around his neck and hugged him. “We are so glad to see thee. Thank thee for coming quickly.”

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the guards relax and go back to their positions. “It’s good to see you as well, Luna. Your letter said it was urgent.”

Celestia stood up as Luna walked him toward the throne. “Luna is right. We have been receiving reports of strange creatures appearing near towns. We have had reports of ponies being injured and a couple of strange deaths. Some ponies have given descriptions of the creatures and none of our experts can place them.”

“Do you happen to have the descriptions?” Oblivion asked when she paused for him to speak.

Luna nodded and her magic summoned a small stack of reports. His magic took them from her when they were held in front of him.

He nodded and the top 6 papers hovered around him as he read them. He finished the reports and looked to the Alicorns. “2 Wraiths, 1 Rock Troll, 1 Leshen, 1 Ice Elemental, 1 Harpy.” He said them aloud as he read through the reports. “I could be wrong, but I doubt it.” He said to them and set the fatality reports aside. “The wounds described on the corpses are clear to me.”

Luna and Celestia both stared at him, eyes wide. “You can tell just by the description of the wounds?” Celestia asked him, her voice quiet.

“Yes.” He answered. “I am certain that the wounds were created by the creatures that I mentioned. I have spent my whole life dealing with creatures that make these type of injuries and therefore dealing with the corpses they leave behind.”

Both mares looked disturbed as he explained. “We have never heard of these creatures,” Luna said.

“How are they here then?” Celestia asked. “Are they following you? If so, why?”

“Good questions. To be honest I do not think they are following me. If they were they would be around Sweet Apple Acres and not out in the middle of Equestria.” He admitted to them. He went through more of the reports and found only a few of them had interactions with the monster in question. Most ponies had fled from them before anything could happen.

The stallion looked up from the reports hovering in front of his snout. “Yes?”

“Yes. A Witcher is essentially a monster hunter.” He said back to her and looked back to the papers around him.

Oblivion stopped reading and looked over the top of the reports. “Hire me to do what, exactly?”

“We would like to hire you to investigate these attacks. You are the only pony with any knowledge of these events. It would be foolish of us to send any pony else and risk more lives.” Celestia said to him. Oblivion moved the papers back into a stack and looked to her. “You would, of course, be paid for your services and anything you need will be provided to you. If we receive any further reports they will immediately be sent to you through Luna. Our guards will take you to anywhere you need to go.” The stallion looked unsure of that so she explained. “A chariot will be provided to you. It will fit both you and Sasa since I don’t think she will let you go alone.”

Luna stepped to her sister’s side and looked at him. “What is the proper rate for your services?”

Oblivion stopped. Beside him, Sasa snorted a laugh. He looked at the monarchs and answered. “I was paid per monster back in the Northern Realms.”

“It depends on the monster. A Wraith is worth more than a drowner, a fiend, worth more than both of them combined.”

Celestia looked a bit nervous. “Okay, so you mentioned the ones that are responsible for the deaths. What are they worth?”

Oblivion looked back to the fatalities and a quill appeared in his magic as he wrote the amounts then turned them into bits. Sasa looked over his shoulder and cringe.

“I’m aware. I don’t think the monsters are still there. If the portals take them back after a while then there is no monster to worry about. Now it’s simply trying to find the cause.” He replied to her as he considered. “The cost of a Wraith depends on the type. This one appears to be a normal Wraith. I deal with them frequently so their cost is less. Be reminded this amount is done considering if the Wraith is still there and needs to be dealt with.” The mares nodded. “I have also put into account if the Wraith is not there, then the amount is halved.”

Celestia stared at him, then shook her head to recover. “$2000 without the Wraith.”

He nodded and waited as the mares recovered. “Bear in mind this is a rough amount. It is contingent on the Wraith still being there and if I can figure out its location and if I can get rid of it.”

“You will be paid regardless. If only for your time.” Celestia replied to him.

He nodded and waited. “A Wraith is a fairly weak monster compared to the others that I think are there. If I find I am wrong then I am wrong.” The mares looked at him. “But I am certain that I am not wrong.”

“Okay, we have recovered,” Luna said and turned back to him. “Is that the most thou will charge?”

Oblivion snorted. “As I said, a Wraith is the weakest of those that have been mentioned. According to these reports the attacks...” He summoned his map from his saddlebags and looked over it. “Happened a fair distance from each other so it rules out that they are connected in some way. Which is beneficial to my investigation of the areas. It does mean travel time, but that is normal. It’s not abnormal to travel for days tracking or investigating an attack or a monster.”

“One that has killed is more expensive than one that has not, due to it possibly no longer being willing to listen to reason.”

“At times. Rock trolls have minimal intelligence, but they have enough to be spoken to if you’re willing to decipher their speech. Their pattern is simple but the words are often...altered.” Both mares looked at him. “For example, soup is often pronounced swoup.”

“Similar. It often depends on the troll.” He admitted to her with a casual shrug as he went back to looking at his map and the reports.

Oblivion looked at the report and then to the mares. “A troll that has killed is worth around $9,000 bits.” He paused then went on. “A Leshen on the other hoof is considerably more due to their having various types.”

“Yes, a Leshen that is older is an Ancient Leshen. If that is what is there then it is far more dangerous. The younger they are the better. They are still deadly, but they are easier to handle.”

Celestia looked to him and inhaled to calm herself. “Please tell us the worst case for that creature.”

“I am and I do not like the idea of facing one.” He replied as he rolled his shoulders. “That one will be at least $20,000 for a young Leshen and $40,000 for an Ancient. That is an amount I will not budge on. With or without the Leshen those prices are non-negotiable.”

“Very much so. I have faced many of them and have nearly been killed by a few of them. Of the monsters in these reports, they are the most likely to be able to even kill me.”

“The Harpy will be $12,000. The Ice Elemental will be $15,000.” He said to them. “As with the Troll and Wraiths that amount is halved if I do not have to fight the actual monster.”

“We will have to look into what we can do. Those amounts are staggering. Where are you getting those numbers?” Celestia asked.

“Those numbers come from the fact that I have had some of the currency that I was paid in the Northern Realms converted here. It is 50 bits to one crown.”

“That is the normal currency that is used. It is given that amount due to the Crown being made of gold and not copper or other base metals. If you wish to have it evaluated again that is your choice.”

“We trust thee,” Luna said to him. “In thous opinion, what is the order that thee would be investigating it?”

“Leshen, Elemental, Troll, Harpy, Wraith.” He replied. “The two Wraiths are close to each other, so it is easiest to check on them last.”

Celestia nodded. “Based on what you have said then we must check into the worst of them first.”

“Yes. If the Leshen is still there then more deaths will happen. It is not a matter of ‘if’ but when and how many.” He replied. “Leshen are fiercely territorial and do not approve of anything in their territory. A pony that stumbles upon one is not long for this world unless they can manage to get away.”

“No.” His voice flat. “Even experienced Witcher’s have trouble evading their attacks. A Leshen can vanish and reappear in a different area and then attack from afar. They are one of the worst creatures to go against due to that fact. They also have the ability to call on nature itself to attack with. They use an attack that puts the roots of trees through their opponent. They have claws as long as my foreleg and they have no qualms about using them.” He informed them, his voice matter of fact.

Both mares cringed and shrunk back at the description. “Thou have seen these attacks first hoof?”

Oblivion looked away from them and out to the sky outside the balcony. “Yes.” His voice was quiet but strong. The scar on his back trembled and he looked back to them. “Many times.”

Celestia stood up. “We will call on our financier to get your payment for this creature ready. Do we pay you now?”

“That works as well, though I am not sure which type I will be facing if it is still there.” He said to them and looked to the reports once more.

“We will pay the $20,000 and if the Leshen is a young one then that will be the payment, if it is not, then it is half,” Celestia said to him.

“Very well.” He said to her and looked to Sasa. “These ponies are far too trusting. I could just say it was an Ancient and it was actually not one.” He said to her.

He sighed and regarded the Alicorns. “When did you want me to start looking into this?”

Celestia looked at her sister and sighed heavily. “We would like the investigation to start as soon as possible.”

He chuckled and nodded. “Very well. I will meet these guards at the farm and we can leave from there. Will give me time to speak with the Apples. Is it all right if I keep these reports? I can go over them as I am able.” Celestia nodded and he sent them to his saddlebags.

“Sounds like a good plan. Thank you, Oblivion. The safety of our ponies is paramount. If anything new happens we will alert you. Do you have the ability to send letters to me as well?” Celestia asked him.

The stallion walked up to her and tapped his horn to hers to give her the ability to send a letter to him. She started at the contact and then looked at him as he backed up. “That will allow you to send letters to me and vice versa. It uses my flames to send them. To send to me you need to focus on my magic and it will connect to you on its own.” He informed her and walked away from the throne. He reached Sasa as a scroll appeared in his magic. He looked over his shoulder to find Celestia smiling at him.

“You need to let Blue Blood know that you will not be attending your boy’s day.” Sasa reminded him.

“Dammit.” He cursed under his breath as he focused on Blue’s Spirit. It was close by. The black Unicorn walked toward him and found him coming out of a meeting. The stallion looked exhausted and frowned deeply as he stood still.

Oblivion gave a loud whistle, startling the Prince as he scanned for the culprit. “Oblivion!” He shouted, any annoyance about the rude whistling forgotten at the sight of his friend, and trotted over to the black pony. “It’s good to see you. What brings you to Canterlot?”

“Yes. Aunt Luna mentioned it in passing.” He stopped as Sasa approached. “Sasa. How are you doing?”

The she-cat nuzzled him, purring. “I’m doing well, Blue Blood. I’m glad you see you in good spirits.”

“A bit tired from the constant meetings, but I am glad to see you both. So what did my Aunts want to discuss the creatures?”

“As a Witcher, I am basically a monster hunter, among other things. So they have asked that I investigate the creatures and if needed put an end to them.”

Blue Blood looked concerned for a moment before speaking. “That does sound right up your alley. I suppose they were also asking for the rate to pay you?”

Oblivion nodded. Sasa laughed in response. “They asked. Though I think they were unprepared for the honest reply.”

“I have had some of the currency from the Realms appraised here and converted so I used that as a base for the rate of pay.”

Blue looked at her as she rolled onto her back, laughing. “I just got out of a budget meeting. Am I going to need to go back into it?”

“Do you want the total for all of it or just the starting creature?” Oblivion asked.

Blues eyes widened and he stared. The white stallion gulped and sat down. “Oh, by the Goddess.” He said, his voice strained. Sasa stood up and nuzzled the stunned pony.

Oblivion put a hoof on his shoulder. “I wanted to let you know that I might miss our meeting on Saturday. Depending on the status of the investigation I might be preoccupied.”

Blue shook his head and climbed back to his hooves. “I understand. This is an important task and needs to be addressed.”

Oblivion nodded. “I need to head back to the farm and inform Applejack and the others that I will be leaving for a time. I wanted to let you know before I left Canterlot for today.”

“Thank you for the warning. I appreciate you taking the time to tell me rather than send a letter.” Blue admitted with a thin smile.

“I figured spoken word was better,” Oblivion said to him. “I do need to be going, Blue. If needed feel free to write to me. I will answer as quickly as I can.”

“Thank you. Good luck and stay safe.” Blue said and watched as Oblivion vanished in a flash of blue flame. Sasa gave him a quick nuzzle, then vanished as well.

Oblivion appeared in front of the barn and sighed. He looked around and found Mac closest to him. He trotted to him as he summoned Sasa. “Mac.” He said to him as he approached.

The roan jumped and turned back to him. “Oblivion.” He opened his mouth to say more but the stallion held up one hoof.

“I need to speak with the others as well. Something has come up and I will be gone for a time.” He said.

Mac looked startled and nodded. “Ah’ll meet ya in the kitchen. Granny is still inside ah think.”

Mac went to the house and Oblivion looked around to find Applejack. “Sasa. Stay with them while I get AJ.” He reached out and found that she was in the library with Twilight.

The cat nodded and he teleported to the library. He appeared inside of it and he faintly heard Spike yelp at his appearance. Both mares stared at him for a moment before recovering.

He looked thoughtful for a moment. “Nothing here, no. I need to take a leave of absence for an unknown amount of time from the farm.”

“There have been some unexplained creatures sighted in Equestria and I have been contracted to investigate them by Celestia and Luna.”

“I’m certain that is exactly the same as the ones where I am from.” He admitted. “There have been a few deaths and I am going to look into them.”

“It could be. But I am the best for this job. These creatures are ones that I am well versed in and am the only one that can combat them if they are still there.” He said to her. “But I need to speak with all of the Apples, AJ. Except, Apple Bloom.”

“I can’t. Celestia assigned a group of her guards to transport me there, and they will be coming directly to the farm. I will be leaving when they arrive.”

“Not this time. I have several reports to look over and I am not sure of the exact locations. My map is detailed, but I have no desire to land in some ponies flower patch.” He reasoned.

Twilight nodded in understanding. “Can I come as well?” Oblivion looked at her. “Not with you, sorry. I meant to this meeting. Or is it for a family?”

“I do not mind. It’s up to AJ.” He said as he turned around and found Spike looking up at him. “Yes, Spike?”

“Of course. I have been fighting monsters for a very long time. So there is no need to worry about me.” Oblivion said to him and rubbed his hoof over the baby dragon’s scales.

He teleported back to the farm and looked back as his medallion shuddered as Twilight and Applejack appeared in a flash of magenta. He nodded to them and walked into the farmhouse and held the door while they came inside.

“I wanted to let you know that I will be away from the farm for a while. I am unsure of the time frame.” He told her. The old mare looked concerned but stayed quiet as he explained. “Due to some unknown creatures being seen Celestia and Luna have asked that I look into the phenomena. My occupation as a Witcher makes me able to identify and get rid of any monster that may be the culprit.”

“There have been a few deaths due to the creatures. I was given a written description of the bodies and was able to identify the exact monsters that could create such wounds. There is no other pony that can combat these creatures, aside from a Witcher.” He informed them.

Granny Smith was quiet for a time. “Yer gonna make sure no more ponies die?” He nodded. “Ya make sure ya come back. Ah want ya back here in the same way ya left.”

“I plan on it. I have no desire to throw myself at any of these creatures. I know how to fight each one and am aware of my own limits. I wanted to let you know so it is not surprising when I’m not here.”

The ponies nodded in understanding as Sasa grumbled to him. “The guards are outside.”

Oblivion looked out and was glad to see that the chariot was not one of the white ones he had seen before. It appeared to be one of Luna’s. The guards were a mix of 2 pony types, there were 2 with bat-like wings and 2 regular Pegasus. The chariot itself was close to 10 feet long and 5 feet wide. It was a deep blue and had a blue gem on the front of it. It was raised around 2 feet off the ground and had a storage compartment under it for luggage. Oblivion's horn lit and his saddlebags appeared around his barrel. His cloak appeared and he folded it into the bags as well. His swords appeared on his back and he adjusted them into place. He walked outside and waited as Sasa jumped onto the chariot and made herself comfortable as she waited for him. He looked back to the Apples and Twilight who looked nothing short of worried.

The black stallion jumped into the chariot and sat down, facing front. He reached into his saddlebag and pulled out a few of the reports. He looked up as Twilight put a hoof on his shoulder.

“It’ll be fine.” He said to her. “Monsters are my specialty. So I don't anticipate any issues.”

Oblivion tipped his horn to hers and linked them through the spell. “There. That should do it. When you want a letter to go to me just focus on my magic and it will connect to it.” He explained to her.

Twilight nodded and stepped back. One of the Pegasus in front looked back and Oblivion gave a deep nod to him, signaling for them to take off. The chariot pulled away and Oblivion cast a spell to make sure that the reports didn’t blow away from him. He set them down and he laid down to read them. Sasa had sat up and waved a paw to the ponies on the ground.

“Not so far. The attacks are spread out, aside from the Wraiths, so I don’t think they are from the same portals. If there are portals involved, then it makes things more challenging.”

The cat was quiet as she looked at the papers in front of him. He laid out the separate fatalities and started to put the sightings in line with the creature they went with. Only a few of the reports did not go in line with the fatalities.

“The Leshen is the one seen the most often.” He said with a growl. “Wonderful.”

Sasa rubbed her forehead on his shoulder. “Well, it’s a good thing we are looking into that one first.” She said to him. “Despite your hesitation.”

“A bit.” She replied. “Not without reason. Your last interaction left you...”

She went quiet as he looked to the reports of the Leshen's activity. He looked at the oldest one. “They talk about the totems the Leshen use to mark their territory.” He paused as he picked through the reports and looked at one of them.

He held up the picture and showed it to her. “Positive.” He said with a sigh. He was quiet as he thought back to the fights he had been in with Ancient Leshen. The attack with roots was enough to have him running in circles around it.

“If you can get close enough yes. The trouble is getting close and ducking the claws.”

Sasa grumbled and leaned on his shoulder. “You should rest Chosen. You were up pretty early. You can analyze more of the reports when we arrive.” She said to him.

Oblivion flicked an ear to show he had heard her, but he didn’t comment. His skin trembled once more and he looked back to the scar on his back. He put the reports into his saddlebag but didn’t rest immediately. Sasa purred against him and sat up. She laid her head on his back, turned to the side to avoid digging her teeth into his back. The black stallion shook his head to avoid going over the last fight he was in with a Leshen. He laid his head down and tried to doze at the feline’s request.

Oblivion raised his head and sat up. Sasa sat beside him as they landed. The chariot stopped and the Witcher jumped out of it, Sasa behind him. The feline stretched, yawning. The guards began unhitching themselves from the chariot. Oblivion pulled the reports from his bag and looked up as a pony approached them. The gray pony stopped at the sight of the cat at his side. A disk on his flank and a hoop of some sort. Oblivion approached him, Sasa at his hip, and stopped in front of the pony.

“Are you the one who sent in the initial report of the monster?” Oblivion asked.

“Yes, I’m the mayor of this town. I’m Quick Shot.” Sorrow in his voice as he responded.

“No. Hasn’t been spotted since it killed.” He said and stopped. The pony choked on the last word and gulped.

“Take your time,” Oblivion said to him, despite wanting to have his questions answered as quickly as possible.

“We stayed out of the forest since then. The Princess sent a letter that an expert was being sent. You’re the only one?”

“Yes,” Oblivion said to him. “The creature that attacked is called a Leshen. It’s called other things, but that’s the name it’s known by.”

“That is what I am here to find out.” He replied, setting the report back in his saddle bag. “I need to speak with every pony that saw it. The more I know of it, the better.”

“If needed, simply find out its location, otherwise, I will kill it.” The Witcher stated.

“Well, you do have a few guards with you, so you might be able to stop it.” The gray pony said, looking back to the guards.

Oblivion looked back. “They will not be helping. They do not know how to fight it. I have been trained to fight these creatures, among others. They would be a liability in the fight. If it comes to that.”

Quick Shot looked about to panic as Oblivion walked past him and toward the edge of the forest. Sasa was quiet as he looked into the forest. “How far into the forest was the body found?”

Sasa grimaced at the flat tone from the Witcher. The pony gulped and looked to the black stallion. “About 30 feet in.”

Oblivion looked back to the woods. “I have to ask though. The more I know, the more likely I can get rid of it or find out where it went or if it is gone.” He informed him. “Unless I can just ask you?”

“I don’t know much. I’m not sure what he was doing out there either. It was agreed that no pony would go in there until the expert arrived and made sure the forest was safe.”

Oblivion was quiet. “So it was forbidden to go in there, but he went anyway?”

“The question is, why?” Oblivion said. “No pony who fights a Leshen lives. Unless you are trained and have the experience, there is no way to survive the fight.”

A sob sounded out behind them. Oblivion looked behind them and a pale pink mare, wearing a black dress stood behind them, tears falling from her eyes. Quick Shot looked to him as the black stallion regarded the mare.

Oblivion turned to the mare, who stared at him. “My condolences,” Oblivion said to her, his voice quiet.

She nodded and looked away from him. Sasa walked up to him and sat down at his shoulder. “We need to work on being sympathetic.” She said to him.

“I’m a Witcher, Sasa. I don’t have the emotions for that.” He thought back to her. “If I try to fake it, then it comes out worse than it just did.”

Quick Shot backed away from the feline. “She is harmless. You have nothing to fear from her.” Oblivion told them as he motioned to the cat. “And we need to work on you being approachable.” He thought to the cat.

She said nothing in reply and laid down on the ground beside him, trying to look less intimidating. Quick Shot reached out to her and she put her head under his hoof. He stroked her fur and she purred.

“She’s harmless to ponies,” Oblivion said to them, he turned to look back to the forest.

Sasa looked back as Oblivion walked several steps into the forest and stopped. Her ears flicked as she looked at him. “Chosen?”

He looked back and saw the ponies staring at him. He backed up and rejoined the mayor and Sasa. “I think it might still be here.” He said to her. Sasa grumbled and stood up to join him.

“A feeling.” He responded. He looked over as one of the guards came up to him.

“Sir.” The pony who spoke was a fiery orange. He was covered in armor so any other markings were impossible to see.

Oblivion looked back to it and nodded. “Go ahead. See to any set up that is needed. Feel free to rest, as well.”

“Oh, sorry sir. I’m Silver Buckler.” The pony gave a light bow to the black stallion, who nodded in response. “Just Silver is fine.”

“And she is Sasa, correct?” Oblivion looked to him. “Captain Shining Armor mentioned you both a while back.” He explained.

Oblivion looked to him. “Why in the Gods name would you want to volunteer? This is not going to be very interesting. None of you will be fighting these creatures if they are still in the area. Especially not this one.”

The Pegasus nodded. “We know. But think about it, sir. We guard doors normally.”

Sasa snorted a laugh and laid down as she covered her snout with her paw. Oblivion chuckled and nodded. “Fair point.
Carry on.”

The pony laughed and trotted back to the others. Oblivion glanced at the villagers and found most of them to still be watching him. He gave a light sigh and turned to them.

A spindly pony approached him and hunched down under the gaze of the tall black unicorn. “He’s bare of age.” The stallion thought to himself as he looked at the pony. Sasa turned around and sat beside him.

“Be nice, Chosen. I’m not sure if he’s more terrified of the Leshen or you.” Sasa said to him.

Quick Shot came forward as Oblivion pulled the reports from his saddle bag. He went through them and found the first one. He sat down and his magic held the paper at his other side. Sasa purred as the mayor sat down by the nervous pony.

“Oblivion Shadow.” He supplied. “I was asked to investigate the creature that was spotted in the nearby forest.”

The pony finally looked up at him. His pale blue eyes were wide as he stared at the unicorn. “You're here to stop it?”

“It was 2 ponies or...” He looked at Oblivion. “Closer to half a pony above you.”

Oblivion considered. “Makes it about 8-10 feet tall. About average for an Ancient Leshen.” He muttered to himself. “Have you seen it since?”

The pony looked nervous and looked at the ground. Quick Shot spoke up for him. “Of course not. It’s been forbidden.”

Oblivion glanced at the young stallion. “But I get the feeling that you have seen it since.”

“Enough. I am not asking you. Kindly go and look for the other ponies that have seen the beast.” Oblivion said and waved a hoof for the mayor to leave.

The mayor scowled at being sent away but was met with Oblivion’s blank look. He walked away, sullen.

The pony was quiet. Nervousness bit at the small pony and he bit his lip. Oblivion sighed and his hoof waved as he cast Axii and waited for it to take effect before he asked again. “When was the last time you saw the monster?”

Oblivion blinked as he thought it over. “You saw it just after it killed that pony?”

“I was hiding in the brush. I’m smaller than a lot of ponies so it’s easy to miss me when I'm covered in the brush.”

Sasa leaned forward and stared at the pony. “Our reports only go back 2 weeks.” She commented to Oblivion.

“I told Bright Fire. He saw it one day when he came to get me and bring me back to the village. I saw it coming and pulled him into my hiding place. It didn’t see him.”

“He wasn’t hiding in the right spot. I made a hiding spot so I could see it without getting seen.” Quiver replied.

The pony nodded and stood up. “He won’t be around here so we won’t get seen.”

Oblivion got to his hooves and followed the dazed pony into the forest. A cry went out and he reached out and held the pony’s tail to stop him. Quick Shot trotted up to him. “He is showing me where he last saw it. I’ll make sure he comes back alive. If we see it then I will kill it.”

Oblivion looked to his back and his horn lit as his swords showed up on his back. “There is no point hiding them right now.” He thought to Sasa, who growled in agreement. “I use a silver sword to fight monsters like this one. They can’t fight against it. Now move.” He said as he pushed past the mayor and Quiver docilely led the way.

He followed behind the pony as he walked through the brush and then stopped. Oblivion drew up next to him and stared. One of the Leshens totems stood above the little hold in the ground that the pony was pointing to.

“Gods below, no wonder it ignored you.” He said as his eyes narrowed as the totem gave off its own energy, making his medallion tremble slightly. “Shit.”

“And I know why. He attacks you he’ll destroy the totem that marks his territory. So Bright Fire was not in the right area when it found him.”

Sasa growled and bumped Oblivion’s hip. Oblivion stopped as his ears went back. “Run back to the village. Now.” He released Axii and Quiver shook his head, then turned to the Witcher, whose eyes were narrowed and glowed orange. The pony cried out and galloped back the way they had come.

“You can’t fight this thing and I don’t have time to work with you.” He shoved the feline into the bolt hole, despite her yowling. “Now, silence.” He commanded.

His ears flicked as the sounds of wood snapping and moving approached him. His magic flared as he sent his saddle bags back to the chariot. The scar on his back trembled for a moment before he crouched down, waiting. The Leshen appeared off to his left and roared. Oblivion looked to it from the corner of his eyes and slowly turned his body toward it. The runes in the blade glowed as he spun it in his magic. He felt the ground tremble and he danced to the right away from the explosion of roots in the place he had been. The stallion dashed forward and jigged to the side to avoid the slashing claws. The silver blade bit deep into the bark of its hide and the Leshen vanished in a flurry of crows. The black pony cursed as he ducked away from the birds and rolled to the side.

Sasa snarled in the bolt hole as Oblivion went still, listening. She went silent so as not to distract him. Her claws dug into the ground and she trembled, wanting to protect him. She growled as she saw the Leshen reappear behind the stallion.
She started to speak when a row of flame lanced behind him, striking the Leshen.

The Ancient Leshen cried out and vanished once more. Oblivion was silent as he used Aard to extinguish the flames. He was still as he listened. He heard nothing as he cast his eyes around him. The sounds given off by the Leshen was gone.
“Leshens don’t run.” He thought to himself. “They attack till they can’t anymore.” The black stallion waited for several minutes before he allowed himself to move out of his stance.

“That may be, but a Leshen does not flee anything. I’m an invader in its territory.” He explained.

Oblivion led her back to the village, stopping occasionally to listen for the monster. They reached the village and found Quiver waiting for them.

“Yes. We are.” Oblivion said to him as he walked over to the chariot. Silver walked up to them.

“Of course, sir.” The Pegasus gave a nod of his head and walked back to the others.

The black stallion waited as he stopped in front of him. “You placed one of us in danger. He barely made it back to the village.”

“Barely? I sent him back at the first sound of the Leshen. It took another 3 minutes for it to reach me. He was in no danger of being attacked.”

“He’s right. I didn’t even see it.” Quiver said as he walked up to them. “He sent me back to protect me.”

Sasa growled at the mayor as he looked from Quiver to Oblivion. “That pony was in no danger or I wouldn’t have taken him with me. Otherwise, I would have left him here and searched alone.”

The mayor leaned back as Oblivion raised to his full height. “Did you gather the ponies that have seen the monster?”

The mayor looked away from him. Oblivion growled in aggravation. “Very well, I will ask them myself since you have proven incompetent in the task.” He snarled.

Sasa cringed and watched as the stallion walked past them. “He’s tired and getting cranky. He’s more stressed about the Leshen than he lets on.” She thought to herself.

He stopped in front of them and breathed before he spoke. “Thank you for still being out here. I need to know if any of you have seen the creature that reported it. If you have would you be willing to stay and speak with me for a time? The more information I have on this creature the easier ridding you of it will be.”

Several hooves went up at the mention of him getting rid of the Leshen. Sasa came over and sat beside him. She saw the look from several of the ponies and laid down at his side. Several ponies came over and sat down a few feet from him.
Most were mares and a couple of stallions waited for him to speak further.

“Thank you for your time.” He began. “Quiver has already told me what he has seen. How many of you have seen the Leshen before 2 weeks ago?” No pony raised a hoof. “Okay since 2 weeks ago?” All of them raised their hooves and waited for him to speak further. “Thank you. And since?” No hooves were raised.

“True enough. Leshen is a hoof-full no matter who you are. Now I apologize but I must ask this. Why was Bright Fire in the forest after it had been forbidden?”

Several mares looked to him. “I heard him arguing with Peony.” A chocolate brown mare piped up.

“I’m not sure what about. But Bright Fire stormed out after a good hour. We found him the next morning.” She said to him.

Oblivion was quiet for a moment. “I understand. So he went to the forest to calm down?”

Oblivion looked over them and saw the mare and waited for her to continue. “There’s a patch of flowers that Peony likes.
He asked about them. I mentioned that the monster was still around. He said that Peony angry was worse than the monster. He mentioned that he knew how to hide from it.”

“If he had been in the right place then maybe he could have hidden. But his location seems to be far from where the totem is.” Oblivion went quiet as he considered. “So he went to the forest to get flowers for his wife to make up with her?”

The mares nodded. The chocolate brown mare looked to him once more. “How long before the monster is gone?”

Oblivion looked to her. “Depends. This one is not acting like a normal Leshen. Normally a Leshen will not run from the fight due to them being very territorial. So this one fled the fight with me before I could finish it off.” He responded to her. “Just means that I will have to track it.”

“There are a few ways to hunt a Leshen. They can be tracked due to them leaving marks on trees and rocks, more territory marking. Or I can destroy their totems and bring them to me. Destroying the totem is the fastest way but I want to find the others and use the one that is farthest from the village to avoid any issues.”

The ponies nodded in understanding. Quiver raised a hoof and waited for the black unicorn to look to him. “You said that you knew why it never attacked me?”

“Yes. Your hiding place is directly under one of the totems. Attacking you would have destroyed the totem. Leshen are not stupid. They are not as intelligent as others, but they do have the ability to reason.” He explained.

One mare looked to Quiver. “You hid from it?” The stallion nodded. “Why didn’t you tell everyone where to hide?”

Oblivion flicked his ears. “Since no one was allowed to go into the forest what point is there in telling you?”

“We could still have used it then. We use the forest to survive.” A gray mare said, her voice tense and her jaw stiff.

Quiver hunched down. “The spot is really small. Bright Fire barely fit in it.”

“By accident. He came in to get me and bring me back to the village. I saw it coming and pulled him in so it wouldn’t see him.” He replied.

The mare stood and advanced on the timid pony. Oblivion put a shield in front of him and growled at the group. “Blaming a pony will not bring the dead back to life.” The group looked at him. “All we can do now is keep going forward and remove the threat to the village. We can avoid further death by continuing to look ahead.”

The ponies nodded and the shield dropped when the mare walked back to her original place. Oblivion continued to ask questions until the sun began to set. He thanked them for their help and went over to join his guards as they chatted. He sat down and listened to them as they spoke about training and finally getting away from the palace. The small fire cast their shadows and the flames danced in their pit.

“So, Oblivion.” Silver addressed him after a few minutes. “Shining Armor said you were a Witcher. What is that?”

“A Witcher is basically a monster hunter. We are trained to fight monsters and protect ponies. Or sometimes it’s vice versa.”

“So that’s why the Princesses called on you for this job?” One of the bat ponies asked him.

Oblivion nodded.“I have been trained to fight and protect ponies.” He informed them. ‘Even if they are coming from my world.’

Silver was quiet for a moment. “So what does a Leshen look like? So we know what to avoid.”

“If you see it then I advise flying. Running is useless since they can put roots through you on the ground.” Oblivion advised before explaining. “A Leshen can stand between 6-10 feet tall without the rack of horns. The horns come from their head being the skull of a deer. They are bipedal, so their arms usually reach down past their waist and hips. They end in claws that are as long as my foreleg. They typically wear a long cloth around their waist that is held in place with ropes and decorated with small skulls. They can control wolves and call on them to help them in battle. They can be covered in moss and will wear the bones of smaller creatures on their arms and calves.” He stopped at the horrified looks from the ponies. “You asked.”

Silver shook his head and gave a nervous chuckle. “Yeah, I did. Well, I think I can speak for all of us when I say that this monster is all yours.”

Oblivion nodded in agreement. “As I said you all are not here to fight with me. Leave the monsters to me. Its what I’m designed for.”

“A Witcher is trained from a very young age and we are meant to fight monsters. Its what we do.” Oblivion had to stop the grimace when he slipped up. ‘The less they know the better.’

Oblivion closed his eyes as he thought it over and realized he had no idea. “You’ll have to forgive my manners. I don’t know the names of the rest of you.” He said as he looked to the 3 other ponies.

They startled and then laughed. “Oh damn. I forgot.” The other Pegasus said as the others laughed. “Cloud Striker, sir.”
His coat was a very pale blue with a deep brown mane and tail. A cloud with a lightning bolt through it was on his rump.

One of the bat ponies leaned forward. “I’m Vantage Point. I go by Vantage.” His marking was a series of 3 targets. He had a deep blue coat. His mane and tail were a couple of shades lighter.

“I’m Cross hairs. Just Cross is fine.” The other was not as loud as the other winged ponies and was nearly drowned out by the others. His coat was light blue with a black mane and tail with a crosshair for a marking.

“Nice to meet all of you. I‘m Oblivion Shadow and she is Sasa.” He said and waved a hoof at the cat at his side.

She rumbled a greeting to the ponies, who smiled. “They seem like a nice group.” She said to him as she laid quiet.

“They are soon going to be very bored.” He replied. He tuned out the chattering of the ponies and listened to the forest beside them. There was no sign of the Leshen that he had fought earlier. He went over the strategies that he knew of the creatures and then what was known to him about their behavior. The Leshen fleeing the fight was not normal and disturbed him a bit. He jumped when Sasa nudged his shoulder and he looked to her.

“Sorry Oblivion, but can I ask ya something about the monster?” Silver said to him.

“Sorry about that. I wasn’t listening and missed what you said.” He said to them.

“The Leshen?” They nodded. “It’s an Ancient Leshen. Ponies speak of them in legends and stories and those that do meet them are often never seen again. Some druids that I know view them as a protective force.”

“A Druid is a pony that has gained mastery of the elements and can tame and bring beasts to their side.” He stopped as he thought back to what he had read on the Leshen, then repeated it to the assembled ponies and cat. “At the heart of the forest lies a secret. In a place born of darkness and primeval nature, resides a mighty and terrifying guardian. Immune to steel, it is believed the Leshen is nature’s way of protecting the forest and the animals that live within it from the threat ponies started to pose upon their ravaging expansion deeper into the lands.” He stopped as they stared at him. “That is how some books describe them. While that could be true, I have never seen a forest die without a Leshen.”

“A few times, yes. Some ponies find ways to live with them so I’m am not called upon to help them. Only when they kill do I get a call about them.” He replied. “But to answer your question Silver. It’s a very dangerous type. Ancients have several hundred years under their belts so they can use strategies, so the fights are usually very long and just as difficult.”

Sasa looked to Oblivion as he responded. “I can’t promise I will come out of it unscathed. This Leshen is already acting out of character for its kind.”

“Leshen are very territorial. If you enter their territory they will come after you if they notice you. Sometimes you can get away with hiding, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. This one started a fight with me then fled. That is far out of normal. They do not retreat if an invader has been found in their territory. Even their kind are targeted.”

Oblivion shook his head. “Never. The fact that this one fled a battle with me is concerning.”

“Oh no. I know how to fight one. Just because it acts out of the normal does not mean its weaknesses have changed. I just need to watch it for anything else and adjust to it.”

Vantage was quiet before he spoke. “If you need help, please call us. We might not know anything about them, but we are here to support you.”

The ponies quieted and started to go to their own tents for the night. Silver set up the fire to keep going for a while.
Oblivion nodded to him and assured the Pegasus he would put it out before he turned in. Oblivion stayed up and waited till they were in their tents before he pulled his silver blade free of the scabbard and summoned his saddle bags. He pulled out his Relict oil and layered it on the blade. The brownish liquid flowed over the weapon as he slowly used a cloth to coat the weapon. He rubbed the oil into the weapon, holding it in the claws of his right hoof.

“It’s acting out of the ordinary. While I do not expect them to all be the same it’s concerning when they stray this far from the normal behavior.”

“True enough.” He stopped rubbing the oil on the weapon and looked to the scar on his back. “Last encounter did not work in my favor.”

“That’s true, but this time you are more than ready for it. Last time there were two of them and you got caught in the middle.” She pointed out to him. “So when you go against this one, how can I help?”

Oblivion went back to tending to the blade as he considered. “If it summons wolves I will leave them to you. Those create an issue when fighting them.”

“Understood. So you will be looking for the totems and finding the one that is farthest away from the village?”

“Yes. I may have you stay at the nearest one and when I find the next one have you destroy it and then join me at the next one, while I find the third. By destroying them all the Leshen will be drawn to the last one when it is destroyed. That way it is the farthest away.”

An hour ticked by as Oblivion continued to layer the Relict oil onto the blade. Using as little of it as possible for the time being. His ears flicked to the tents and he sheathed his claws as Silver came outside. The pony seemed shocked to see the black pony still awake. He came back and sat down by him and tossed a few sticks onto the fire.

Sasa sat up and walked over to him. She nosed his neck and gave him a gentle nuzzle. He smiled and stroked the cat’s soft fur. Oblivion could see the pony was tense and seemed upset.

The pony jumped and stilled as he let his hooves fall away from Sasa’s fur. “Am I that obvious?”

“It’s part of what we are,” Oblivion replied, still focusing on the blade.

Silver was quiet as Sasa made her way back to Oblivion’s side. “That’s quite the sword.”

“Hmm. Silver gives off its own glow at times. This blade has 3 runes buried in it. That’s where the color comes from.”

“They are stones that give the blade an effect. For example, this one has 3 greater runes within it. One is a Zoria or Greater freezing. That causes the blue in the blade. Then it has Chernobog for added attack strength and the final one is Veles which strengthens my Signs. A type of magic that does not use my horn. They are a skill, not magic.” He explained.

Silver stared at it and then to its wielder. The pony looked away and to the ground once more.

“Oh?” Oblivion stopped rubbing in the oil and looked to the pony. “You don’t need to worry about it. You will not be facing it.”

“I know that.” Silver snapped at him, interrupting him then he paused as he realized his tone. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to snap. You’re our superior so snapping at you is out of line.”

“Princess Luna and Princess Celestia. Captain Armor agreed. Your combat ability alone gave you the rank. Besting Princess Luna in combat helped.”

Sasa chuckled and put a paw over her nose. Oblivion shook his head. “I suppose arguing with you about it will prove ineffective?”

“You don’t need to call me sir. It is fine to use my name.” Silver looked to him with a thin smile then away from him again.
“And?”

Silver was quiet. “I volunteered for this post, but I want to be useful as well. I know that we can’t fight monsters since we aren’t trained for it. But, there has to be something we can do.”

“Well, gathering information would save me time. I’m taller than most ponies so I appear intimidating. The swords across my back don't help with that. The ponies might be more willing to talk if some pony similar to themselves is asking the questions.” He reasoned. “Leaves more time for me to track the monster and gather the information that way. I’m better suited to track than I am to questioning.”

Sasa snorted and the stallion grimaced for a moment before his normal expression set back in. “Not particularly. Witcher's are a bit low on the emotional scale. Our emotions are limited, so feeling empathy and what not is more difficult for my kind.”

“Oh.” Silver went quiet as he considered. “Well, if it’s something we can do to help, then we should. I don’t like sitting and doing nothing.” Oblivion started rubbing the oil in the blade once more as Silver watched. “What is that stuff?”

Silver leaned closer to the blade and watched as the blade seemed to soak in the oil and hold it. The brownish liquid didn’t discolor the weapon if anything it glowed brighter.

“I had it crafted before I came here. It was made by a Master Swords pony in Toussaint. He was the only one able to make a weapon capable of handling the monsters in that area. I had a few contracts to complete so waiting for it to be finished was not that bad.” He admitted. “I was using an older blade at the time.”

“Good point.” Silver admitted to the other stallion. “So how long did it take?”

Oblivion stopped and thought back to the timeline. “About a month, I believe.”

“Yes. He had already made a steel version for me. I sent the crowns ahead along with a request so that one would be ready when I arrived.”

Silver stared at him, then glanced to the blade still on his back, in its scabbard. Sasa nudged the black pony. “Show him the other one. He can hold that one right?”

Oblivion gave a short sigh and his magic pulled the steel from its scabbard. “You can look more closely at this one if you would like.” Oblivion held the blade close to him and the orange pony nearly grabbed at the weapon but managed to hold back as he reached slowly for it. A layer of azure flame stayed on it for a moment, suppressing the runes.

“It’s beautiful. It’s not as bright as the silver, but it’s stunning.” Silver admitted as he held the weapon carefully in his hooves. “This one has runes as well?”

Oblivion glanced up at the questioning pony, then back down to the silver blade. “Dazhbog, Morana, Devana.” He said aloud and then looked up and at Silver’s befuddled expression. “Dazhbog is a Greater burning rune, adds fire to attacks. Morana is poison, does exactly what it sounds like. The last is Devana if it strikes, it makes the wounds worse. “

Silver chuckled at the frank response from The Witcher. “You know, I’ve met you before.”

“Yeah, when you came to spar with Princess Luna.” That caught Oblivion’s attention and he glanced up once more, prompting the orange pony to continue. “I watched the match in the courtyard. All I could think was how out of my league both of you were. It was like watching a dance that I couldn’t master no matter how much I worked. I wanted to be mad about it but you were both working so hard that I knew it was from a lot of time and practice for you two to be as good as you were.”

Oblivion chuckled. “True enough. Both of us have been working at the art for a long time. Even now I still find ways to improve and work on it. If I slacked off my instructors would beat me even from the grave.” Oblivion commented, earning a laugh from Silver.

“But I watched the fight. When you slapped the Princess I had to hold my muzzle to not laugh. The Drill pony was furious.
He was still mad even after you both left. But I saw you again later that night. Granted it was a brief meeting.”

“You were chasing a pony and we got in the way. Me and two others.” Oblivion looked up and stopped tending the blade to listen. Silver chuckled at the memory. “You came around a corner and we were in the way. We ordered you to stop and you jumped over us, after yelling for us to move.”

“Ah, so that was why. You jumped us and left us all gaping as you went around the corner. What was wrong with your eyes, now that I think of it?”

Oblivion looked at him, then nodded in understanding. He narrowed his vision and Silver gasped as the orange color narrowed and only the slit irises remained. “I can narrow my vision to track monsters and it allows me to see tracks that might otherwise be hidden. It’s natural for me.” He replied and allowed his vision to return to normal.

“That’s pretty cool. Anyway. So we gave chase but didn’t find you. We heard a crash and ran up to it to find the door kicked off the hinges and you standing in there with those 3 mares. I knew that if you chose to turn and fight we were gonna get our tails kicked, badly. But instead, you vanished. There was no teleport, you simply vanished. I went back the other way and was nearly ran over by Princess Luna. So I followed her and found you had never left the room and now had one of the mares held in your aura. Princess Luna was furious.”

“I remember that. So you were one of the guards. I apologize for my behavior that night. I was quite...annoyed by that mare’s audaciousness.”

“Second Sight is a really good clerk, but she gets ideas that she can do much more. She has some talent with magic but not enough to do much more than what you saw.” He explained. “How did you burn her anyway?”

“Igni.” He said and looked back to the Silver blade. “It’s one of the Signs that I mentioned. Basically, it gives a Witcher the ability to toss gout of flame. I can either create a stream with it or a wave. I used a wave of it when I felt her in the room.”

“Ouch.” Silver cringed as he listened. “Well, I was surprised when the Captain asked if any of us wanted to accompany you on a mission to investigate strange creatures. I admit I was hoping to be able to talk with you and maybe ask about your sword work. But I find myself simply wanting to be useful instead.”

“And I have mentioned how you can be of help. I will not lie and tell you that you will be running into battle at my side.
Since that would be an egregious lie. By gathering the information that I need we can cut down on the time it takes to rid the area of the monsters. Since information gathering is not my strong suit, I can focus on what I am good at.”

Silver nodded. “Thank you for that. I’m gonna go back to sleep. You should get some sleep as well.”

“I will. Good night, Silver.” The pony extended his hooves to give the steel blade back to its owner and watched as it went back into the scabbard on Oblivion’s back.

The pony went back to his tent and closed the front of it. Oblivion's ears flicked as he listened around him. He put the cloth away and placed the remainder of the oil back into his saddle bag. His magic picked up the blade and he sent a gout of fire down the blade to burn the oil into the blade. After it cooled he slid it into the scabbard and slowly got to his hooves. The stallion rolled his shoulders and shook himself free of any stiffness. He kicked dirt onto the fire and made sure it was completely out before he left it. Sasa stood with him and walked to the tent that was his. She pulled back the opened and the stallion walked inside. Several blankets were layered on top of one another to make it more comfortable with a thick pillow at the top. Oblivion used his magic to turn it around, so he could see the door at all times. Sasa walked over to it and waited as he set his swords on the ground beside him and he folded his legs under him as he laid down.

An Equestrian Witcher

by OblivionShadow

25: Winter begins...