//------------------------------// // Prologue // Story: The Huntsman // by DemonOJM //------------------------------// A long time ago, shortly after Discord’s petrification. The Humans, the last creation of Discord, were invented to be the ultimate predators. They'd high adaptability, strength that easily overwhelmed earth ponies, agility to rival that of a pegasus, as well as extensive amounts of magical resistance. The ponies lived in fear of the Humans, believing them to be soulless creations. However, the Humans, unwilling to harm their pony neighbors, only wished to live in peace. The Humans during this time created a plethora of inventions, including many tools, clocks, etc. However, conflicts stemming from fear often erupted between ponies and humans. In a human village on the outskirts of the Everfree forest, where Ponyville is now located, lived a great hunter. He had a beautiful wife, and a son who looked up to him. The Huntsman favored his bow for long range combat, and daggers for close encounters. Whenever he goes on a hunt, his prey is doomed to die. He had even won some fighting tournaments, as no other human could beat his great strength and agility. However, wishing to live a simple life, he declined the offer to be the chief of the village. One morning, he prepared his equipment for a hunt, getting ready for the arduous task ahead. He donned a dark green cloak with a hood hanging low over his face, hiding his short black hair. In his sleeves he prepared his daggers with a convenient mechanism such that he could access them quickly. He grabbed his bow, as well as a quiver containing eight arrows. He strode towards the forbidding foliage marking the edge of the Everfree Forest alone, as he found the presence of others distracting. He stalked through the dark woods, wary of his surroundings. He brushed passed a fern, careful not to break any of the multitudes of twigs that he observed on the ground. Upon hearing the snap of a branch being crushed by a great weight, he dove behind a nearby tree. He peered around the edge of the tree, smiling at his luck. He had found his next target: a full grown manticore. The manticore sniffed the air, also looking for prey to hunt. Huntsman took his bow and pulled one arrow out of his quiver. His crystal blue eyes narrowed as he drew back his bow, targeting the manticore's hungry eyes, and with an exhale he released the arrow. The arrow found its mark, and the manticore roared in pain, searching angrily with its remaining eye for where the arrow came from. The Huntsman quickly climbed the tree next to him, and within mere seconds he was on the top. He gazed down at the furious manticore, looking for another opportunity to bring the final blow. Blood gushed from the manticore’s ruined eye, making it impossible to see. The smell of its own blood flooded its nostrils; the only thing the manticore could think about was to slay the one who did this to him. Huntsman leaped down from the tree and ran straight towards the manticore. The manticore lifted his massive right paw to strike down the one who dared approach it, but Huntsman was too fast. He lunged under the arm of the manticore, coming to rest under the manticore’s chin. The Huntsman punched upwards with all his might, and as he did so, the dagger erupted forward and drilled into the head of the manticore. Blood splattered everywhere as the manticore stumbled backward. It was dead before it hit the ground. Now satisfied with his hunt, the Huntsman moved to obtain any trophies and meat he could get from the lifeless body. The manticore’s body spasmed, catching the Huntsman by surprise. The poison-tipped tail raked across his right arm, pumping him full of the deadly toxin. He stumbled back, poison already beginning to take affect. The Huntsman collapsed against the tree he had recently used for cover, ignoring the bark rubbing painfully against his head. He began to sweat and shiver as thoughts raced through his head. “I can’t die like this! What a shame for my family and what will they do when I’m done I can’t let this happened!” At this moment, a gigantic centaur materialized in front of him. The huntsman vaguely observed black fur, mane and beard, blood-red skin, giant bullhorns upon the figure’s head, and glowing yellow eyes sunken into the centaur's face. “Great hunter,” the centaur purred,” I’m here to offer you a chance to live a life without the worry of disease, poison, and the passage of time. The only way you would be able to die is from... unnatural circumstances. Just think, you can return to your family and friends and live a beautiful life. The one thing I want in return is for you to fight for me when I need you. Do you accept my offer?” “...Yes...” Huntsman answered with a weak voice. “So it will be .” said the centaur with a wicked grin. A black fog surrounded Huntsman, and he can feel the poison being drawn from his body as his mind became clearer. “Now that you’re under my command, you will call me Lord Tirek! For now, you can return to your family.” His grin grew more malicious as he disappeared in a puff of black smoke. The Huntsman got a gut wrenching feeling and sprinted home, throwing stealth to the wind as he hurried to his family. He burst out of the forest, only to stop at the edge of the Everfree. He gazed in horror at his village, his home... burnt to the ground, bodies strewn across the smoldering earth. His heart skipped a beat as his made his way home. The Huntsman walked in shocked silence toward the debris that had once been his home. He saw his son lying lifelessly upon the ground, blood oozing from hundreds of wounds, his lifeless eyes staring with shock at his father. He sobbed back tears as he heard a cry come from the ruins. With hope rising in his chest, he tossed the rubble out of the way, tossing a beam behind him, only to catch his breathe as he looked at his wife, whose entire lower body had been crushed, lying in a pool of her own blood. “My dear,” she managed to say, spraying specks of blood upon her husband’s face with every syllable,” I’m so happy to see you one last time...” “Sweet heart, what happened here?” he asked with a quivering voice. “The ponies... attacked us... It happened so fast... Everyone died... everyone... except you...Promise... Promise me... you will carry the pride... of our village...” “Yes, my beloved one, I promise.” He hugged his now-lifeless wife, releasing the torrent of tears he had been holding back. The next day, he burned all the corpses, as was tradition, and in the center of the village he planted a tree, which served as a monument for all people who died. He prayed to the deities that the tree would never die or be destroyed. Tirek appeared in a puff of smoke and announced,“ You have my condolences for your loss, but I have your first mission. Are you ready?” The Huntsman turned to Tirek, tears of anger flowing down his face. “Yes, Lord Tirek. Tell me whom I must kill.”