//------------------------------// // Chapter 7: The Demon in Glasses // Story: The Iron Crow // by Silentpegasus //------------------------------// Chapter 7 The Demon in Glasses Shrak’nar, the former chieftain of the goblin horde limped through the dark forest as he held his bleeding shoulder. The arrow the green haired human shot had not pierced a vital spot, but it was still causing him some discomfort. He didn’t know why everything had gone so wrong. He did everything the shiny rock had told him to do. The goblin glared at the crystal ball that was fixed to the top of his staff and growled at it. This whole mess started when he found the infernal thing in that castle. The purple orb glowed as he shook and contemplated smashing it. The staff was suddenly shot out of his hand as a familiar booming noise echoed through the trees. Shrak’nar turned to see the dark haired human man who had killed who knew how many of it’s comrades. He held the same object that he used to blow his friends’ heads off. Shrak took a step closer to the staff but stopped as another blast shot near his feet. Sterling approached slowly, keeping his pepperbox trained on the goblin as he walked up to thestaff and picked it up. “So this is your little secret?” He examined the crystal ball and saw it glow purple for a moment, before putting it in his bag. Shrak growled at hi and pulled out a hand crossbow and aimed at the man. He didn’t have a chance to pull the trigger before the human fired and the chieftain’s head was nothing more than a mess of blood and bone splattered on the forest ground. Sterling took the fancy headdress the chieftain once wore and made his way through the forest, intent on finishing his job. ~~~ The first thing Viridian Thorn knew when she awoke was how much pain she was in. As her eyes fluttered open she was met with the familiar surroundings of one of Twilight’s rooms in the castle. She turned her head and saw Rarity reading a magazine, a pair of purple horn rimmed glasses balanced on her nose. The captain groaned once as another wave of pain shot through her body. Rarity’s head shot up and saw she was awake. In a flash, she was beside the captain and called out for Spike. The green haired boy appeared a moment later and saw that the captain was conscious. He quickly ran to fetch Twilight and the others. Viridian felt a hand on her shoulder as she tried to sit up straight. Twilight and Red Heart soon entered the room and got beside Rarity. “How are you feeling Viridian?” Red Heart asked as she checked the captain’s vitals. “Sore, very sore.” She answered hoarsely. Rarity poured her a glass of water from a pitcher into a glass. She raised it to the captain’s lips and held it as she drank. “Thank you,” She said her voice a little less gravely. Twilight and Red Heart informed her about the last of the battle andthat she’s been unconscious for three days. That made her start to sit up but was stopped by Red Heart’s firm hand on her chest and icy blue gaze. The nurse informed her that she still had four broken ribs, a concussion, and a fractured arm and leg. Footsteps at the door made the group turn and saw a handsome man with shoulder length blue hair dressed in regal looking armor. “Ah Captain Thorn, I’m glad to see you’re awake.” Shining Armor said with a kind smile. Once again Viridian tried to move but her body was racked with pain. “Don’t strain yourself captain, you and everyone here have been through a lot.” He said as he approached the bed. The Prince bowed his head low to the green haired woman. “I thank you for keeping this town and my sister safe.” Viridian felt a wave of gratitude coming off the Prince and did her best to slowly sit up straight. “It was a group effort sir.” She stated firmly. “ “Quite so,” Shining turned around and paled as he saw Sterling standing in the doorway. His clothes were covered in black blood and he had a few red spots from deep scratches on his arms and torso. He pulled out the goblin’s headdress and tossed it on the floor. “This job was above than what the contract entailed Armor and I expect to be compensated accordingly.” “I didn’t think they’d send you Crane.” Shining took a moment to look over the man and he swallowed once. “Twilight and the others informed me of the large force of goblins and a troll?” He nodded. “Where did it go?” “I tracked it’s trail to a ravine not far from here. I doubt even a troll could survive a fall like that, especially one as damaged as it was.” He said nonchalantly. “Now if you don’t mind, I need a bath and some sleep.” Twilight informed him where the closest bathroom was and that he was free to use one of the guest rooms. “Make sure the money is transferred to the according account.” He said as he turned on his heel and started to walk away, his footsteps echoed down the hall as he searched for the bathroom. Once he was out of earshot, Shining turned to his sister. “Why didn’t you tell me that they sent him?” Twilight looked perplexed at her brother’s sudden change of tone. Shining let out a sigh. “Crane is effective, but he can be cold and calculating.” “If it wasn’t for him, we probably wouldn’t have survived the attack.” Shining held up a hand. “I know, I know. All I’m saying is be careful. He’s called the ‘Demon in Glasses’ for a reason.” Shining heard a clock chime and winced. “Sorry, but my train is going to arrive soon and I need to get back to Cadence.” He gave Twilight a quick kiss on the forehead and made his way out of the castle. Twilight looked at the other women who looked just as perplexed as she did. They had never heard of that nickname, or any of the like and as far at Twilight could tell it did not make much sense. Sure Sterling might have been a little callous, but he did care about civilian casualties and he could have forsaken Viridian’s life in order to kill the troll. She set that aside and turned her attention to a more pressing problem, with Viridian on bedrest for a few weeks there was no one left to lead the rest of the watch which at the moment was severely crippled. About a dozen of them had broken bones and deep cuts that were infected, while the rest had minor injuries, but wouldn’t be fighting anytime soon. Despite the heavy fighting, no one had died and Viridian’s condition was the most severe, much to the Captain’s relief. An idea formed in Twilight’s mind and discussed it with Viridian quickly. The captain let out a sigh and nodded in agreement, albeit begrudgingly. With her blessing she went off towards the bathroom that she told Sterling about. She gave a knock and waited for an answer. When none came she opened the door to see the room filled with steam. She saw a shadow slowly rising from the steam. “This had better be important.” A familiar grating voice came out from the steam. Twilight quickly exited the room and closed the door. “I apologize, I didn’t hear anyone inside when I knocked.” She swallowed once. “When you’re done, meet me in my office I want to ask you something.” A low groan came from the other side of the door. “Very well.” He said as she heard him step out of the bath before she made her way to her office. Twilight cleared off her desk and waited a few minutes before the door opened to show the dark haired man, who’s hair was still damp. “Now what is so important that you had to interrupt me?” He said as he sat down without waiting to be given permission to. “As you know, our forces in the town is crippled and we’re almost defenseless should another goblin attack come.” “I hunted most of them down, but there are still a few running around. Not enough to launch an attack of the previous night, but enough to stir up some trouble.” He thought for a moment and then a sly smile spread on his face. “Ah, so that’s it, you want me to play guard dog until your town’s forces are back to full strength?” Twilight nodded. “Sorry, but that’s not my call to make. I may be a mercenary, but even I have orders that need to be followed. The only reason I cam here was because it was on my way back from my previous job and my boss won’t want me stalling. He get’s in a foul mood when it comes to punctuality.” He said calmly. “Besides, the contract I made with your brother is done.” “Then can’t we make a new one between you and I?” Sterling pondered the thought for a moment. “Did your brother go over our contract?” Twilight shook her head. He reached into his bag and pulled out a scroll of parchment. He handed it to her and Twilight saw it must have been made from a template. “Just a standard issue contract it’s more of a formality, but I prefer to have a written record of every job I do.” Twilight started reading through the contract to herself. It was a very standard business contract naming the individuals involved, the job required and the payment. There were five things at the bottom that did catch her attention. “What are these five things at the bottom?” She turned the scroll around and pointed to the bottom of the parchment. “Those are the five tenants the Iron Crows follow and the conditions that anyone looking to hire us must abide by.” He held up one finger. “One; I will kill any creature provided the coin is adequate and I receive my pay when the job is done. However, humans are of a separate matter and a different contract is required for that. Two; I will not get involved in any sort of spat you might have with a neighboring lord and hold neutrality in any political matters.” “Three; if you are unable to pay me the amount we previously agreed upon then I have a right to take something of equal value.” He held up three fingers now. “Like what?” He shrugged at the captain’s question. “Anything I want. Granted that tenant is a bit old fashioned and I have only done it a few times.” He cleared his throat. “Four; once the contract is drawn out then it cannot be changed and finally, if at any point I believe the job is too dangerous then I have the right to terminate my contract. Obviously this means I will not be paid and I have never left a contract unfinished.” Twilight read over the contract once more and nodded. “Before you go and suggest I draw up another one, I must report in with my boss and inform him that I’m done here. Then I will broach the offer to him.” He said as he stood up. “Do you have a message mirror I can use?” “Yes,” She walked over and pulled the blanket off of the mirror she had used to contact her brother. He approached it and made a magic rune on the shimmering surface. It settled and went black. “Who’s there? How did you get this contact?” A gruff voice called out from the darkness. “Nice to hear from you Marshal.” Sterling said plainly. There was a pause from the mirror and then a chuckle came from the dark glassy surface. “Well, well, it’s about time you reported in.” The voice grated. “The goblins here have been dealt with sir and the payment will be int he account soon.” Another pause, then a humorless chuckle. “The only time you start acting obedient and formal is when you’re up to something. Out with it Crane, what new scheme are you cooking up in that deranged mind of yours?” “I have a new contract offer, one that can prove to be quite prosperous and earn you a lot of money.” “You have my attention. Hurry it up.” “I am here with Princess Twilight Sparkle. She can fill you in.” A sputtering noice came from the black surface. Sterling stepped aside and let Twilight stand in front of the mirror. “Hello?” She called out. “Yes, what’s your offer?” Twilight frowned at the tone of the stranger’s voice. She quickly explained her idea to the black image. “Just how long will this arrangement be?” “A month maybe longer?” “How much are you willing to pay for one my best crows?” Twilight listed the amount that was on the previous contract. “Not a chance, that was adequate for a simple goblin incursion, but not for a long lasting contract. I won’t take anything less than two hundred gold per week.” Twilight’s jaw dropped at the small fortune while Sterling was silent. “That’s my offer, take it or leave it.” Twilight was silent for a long while, but eventually agreed. “Excellent, draw up the contract Crane. I’ll inform the crown of our new contract.” “I might need some back up to keep the populace in check, so I might bring the rest of the crows here.” The mirror was silent. “Very well, but I’ll be sending you missions in the meantime to keep up the work. I look forward to the amount of money you’re going to make for me Crane.” The mirror returned to it’s normal shimmering surface. “Charming individual isn’t he?” Twilight just let out a frustrated sigh. “I don’t see how you can work with someone like that.” Sterling only shrugged in response. “You get use to him over time I suppose.” He let out a yawn and rubbed his eye. “I’ll draw up the contract after I have some rest and I’ll also need a place of residence while I’m here.” “You’re free to use any guest room in the castle.” He thanked her and he went off to claim a room. He found one of moderate side with two large windows that had a nice view of the small town. Sterling set his belongings down and flopped onto the bed. He rested his head on the pillow in hopes of recuperating from the past few days events. Hours later, he was awoken by a series of knocks at on his door. He placed his glasses on his nose and rose as he beckoned the knocker to come in. It was Spike who informed him that festivities were taking place in the town square. He looked out the window and saw he was right. Tables had been set out along the cobblestone street and the smell of food was in the air. Although it annoyed him, he figured he should at the very least make an appearance. He reached into his bag and pulled out some nicer looking clothes. A dark green tunic, vest, a pair of dark pants and dark leather boots. He grabbed his cane and slowly made his way down to the ground floor of the castle. Sterling soon made his way into the town and eventually found Twilight. “Quite the festivities,” He said as he walked up beside her. “I’m impressed at how a town on the brink of destruction is suddenly in full swing of a party.” “They have you to thank for that.” She smiled at him. “My friend Pinkie is always ready for a party.” “Shouldn’t this wait until the town has recovered more?” He inquired. “The goblins never attacked any of our food stores, so there’s plenty to eat.” “That’s not what I’m talking about.” He said sternly. “Now that the threat has passed and there are no guards to keep people in check, things could turn nasty very quickly.” Twilight looked out at the merriment and could not understand what he meant. “Just keep an eye out for trouble.” Sterling made his way through the crowd and kept an eye on the different groups of people drinking, dancing and merry making. He was surprised to see that Viridian was at the head of a large table surrounded by a few people. Almost everything safe for her head was wrapped in bandages. She managed to raise a cup to her lips, but she could hardly move otherwise. Viridian looked up at him and nodded. “Well, I’m surprised to see you up and about.” She commented. “Shouldn’t I be saying that to you?” She chuckled softly that then turned into a coughing fit. “It hurts to laugh.” “Not that surprising since you took a direct hit from a troll’s great club and lived to tell the tale. By the way, I’ve accepted the Princess’s offer so I’ll be sticking around for the time being.” The captain seemed to let relief flood out of her. “Well, at least now I know there’s someone looking after the town.” “I will have to call for some back up, not sure when the rest will get here though.” He said his goodbyes and made his way to the tavern he stayed at a few nights ago. Unsurprisingly, it was packed to the rafters with merry makers. The barman was filling orders left and right while Liz and two other serving girls were bustling from table to table serving drinks and taking orders.He leaned heavily on his cane as he made his way over to a vacant seat to stretch his afflicted leg out. He needed some down time to heal it after the ordeal he’d been through in the past few months. Liz brought him a drink and thanked her. He took a moment to enjoy the atmosphere of the quaint town. The novelty suddenly wore off as four all too familiar armed individuals made their way to a table and demanded service. They were the four highwaymen who accosted him on the road not one week ago. The air in the tavern soon started to turn stale as the boisterous lot started brandishing their swords. It wasn’t long until Viridian hobbled her way inside to see what was going on. A frown creased her brow just as one of the brutes grabbed Liz by the waist and pulled her down onto his lap much to the serving girls’ dislike. Sterling put his drink down and moved before the captain could limp her way to the table. He walked up behind the one handling Liz a little too friendly for his and most definitely her, liking. He cleared his throat rather loudly making the four look up. Their eyes widened in recognition of the man. “Well, look who it is.” The brute said with laughter. “What do you want string bean?” “First off I’d like it if you’d stop manhandling that serving girl.” He said in a deadly serious tone. “Second, I’d like my things you stole from me back in my possession and third, I’d appreciate it enormously if you would make yourselves scarce and leave us in peace.” The four ruffians looked at one another and then threw their heads back laughing. By now most of the patrons had backed up away from the group and were practically hugging the walls. “Why don’t you just get out of here crip? Before we break your good leg.” Sterling sucked on his tooth and shook his head while making his way towards the door. Once he was on the doorstep he closed them, then locked all while telling himself he gave them the option of cooperating. He grabbed a nearby iron tankard and whirled it at the back of the big one’s head. As the brute turned he was met with a hard fist to the face, followed by the man’s cane sweeping his legs out from under him and a final kick to the jaw to knock him out. The other three rose to their feet reaching for their weapons. However the wooden chairs had seem to have come alive and gripped their arms. Sterling made quick work of the two with a few quick yet precise jabs to their chest, stomach and faces. There was the sound of splintering wood and he turned to see the leader of the group holding a broken bottle to Liz’s neck. Before he could bark his demands, Sterling’s hand moved and fired once. Liz screamed as the man’s head seemed to have exploded, covering the poor girl in his blood. The dead body flopped onto the floor and Liz dropped to her knees, shaking. Sterling shook his head just as someone unlocked the door and patrons flooded in to see what the noise was about. Sterling paid them no mind as he approached Liz and offered her a handkerchief to wash the blood away. “I’m so sorry about that dear.” He said as one of the other serving girls lead her upstairs, no doubt to help clean her up. He looked back and saw some of the other patrons tie up the three thugs and haul them out of the bar along with the dead body. Sterling apologized to the bartender about the mess as he gingerly side stepped the blood pool and returned to his seat to finish his drink. He might have some fun in this town after all.