//------------------------------// // Chapter 32: Searching Twilight // Story: Souls Apart // by GnollReader //------------------------------// When princess Luna finally found the necromancer, he was standing in a small alley with a smug look on his face and an ice cream cone in his hand. "Hey." as she landed, he greeted her with a smile that betrayed his former rage, "How is my favorite princess of the night doing?" Luna ignored his strange demeanor for a moment and looked around herself with uncertainty, "Where is Twilight Sparkle?" The necromancer gave her a blank look as he gave the ice cream a lick, "Who?" Luna frowned, "Twilight Sparkle, student of my sister and element of magic? You chased her?" He scratched his head, "Really? I did? Are you sure?" Luna's frown deepened, "I am. Where is she?" The necromancer seemed impassive to her frown, "Is she a little unicorn? Purple coat?" he held out a hand, "About this high?" "Yes." Luna replied with a dry voice, the way he was acting made her worry even more about Twilight. Aergad shrugged, "Haven't seen her." he gave the ice cream another lick, "Sorry." Luna studied his face, just what was he trying to play here? Then, she took a moment to observe the ice cream he was holding... it was purple. A strange silence spread over the alley as Luna simply stared at the necromancer with big eyes, "Please tell me that's not what I think it is..." "This?" he pointed to the cone, "Ice cream." he flashed her a smile as he gave it another lick, "Tastes like grapes too, you want to try?" "You turned Twilight Sparkle into food?!" "Who?" "Have you gone insane?!" she almost shouted at him. The necromancer gave her a skeptical look, "You do have a point... ice cream may just be a little bit out of season." he gave the purple ball another lick, "Oh, well..." "Stop eating her!" Luna thundered at him, "Turn her back this instant!" "But it's grape! Grape is my favorite!" he whined, seemingly unimpressed at her use of the royal voice. He licked his hand where the ice cream was starting to dribble, "Eww... it's starting to melt..." Before Aergad could finish his sentence, Luna had stepped up to him so close that their noses were actually touching, "Turn her back, now!" He gave her a blank stare, as if trying to judge something. Finally, "I can't." he saw Luna's frown and quickly held up a hand, "I can't, because this isn't Twilight." "This better not be one of your games." Luna growled at him, "If that there is not Twilight Sparkle, where is she then?" The necromancer used his free hand to reach inside his robes, "Well, if you have to know..." he held up a little box, "She's in here." Luna eyed the little box, it was barely large enough to fit an apple inside. She gave him a deadpan look and shook her head, "No, seriously. Where is Twilight Sparkle?" "What's that reaction supposed to be?" Aergad returned her sullen expression, "Don't you trust in the wonders of magic?" the necromancer gave a humph before sticking the ice cream cone into the ground, "Alright then, watch me do what I do best! Amaze!" slowly, he started to open the little box. When the lid had come off about an inch, a voice escaped the small box, "Hello?! Is anypony there?!" "Twilight! Are you well? Where are you?" "Princess Luna? Is that you?... I'm not sure where I am... this place is... strange..." Twilight's voice sounded distant and she seemed to be stressed. Luna gave Aergad a glare, "How do I get her out?" The necromancer smiled, "Easy. First, you take the box..." Luna used her magic to grab the box, "Then, you open it..." Luna opened the lid fully, "And then, you take a look inside." Luna hesitated for a moment, but then took a look inside the box... and the world around her seemed to shift. The next moment, she found herself falling into darkness. The necromancer closed the lid of the box with a small chuckle, "I said it before, I know. But I'll say it again. You're pretty easily fooled for someone who is said to be so wise..." --- Calindria looked up from her position as she the necromancer approach the tower. She felt slightly worried when she saw neither Twilight Sparkle nor princess Luna in his company, but that was nothing compared to what she had just found out. The Lord of Pain had just told her some very strange things. "Aergad..." she spoke up when he got closer, "Where are the princess and Twilight Sparkle?" "Oh, you found out my name?" he gave a surprised huff, "Doesn't matter now, I guess." he tossed her a small box, "Here, catch." The paladin caught the little box in her free hand and eyed it with curiosity, but before she could ask him what it was a bright ray of red light escaped the necromaner's hands and impacted with the demon's head at her side. The explosion and the heat that resulted from the impact sent the paladin flying to the ground and blinded her eyes. When she got to her feet again, she saw him crouch over where the demon lord had stood just a moment ago. All that remained of the demon were ashes. But as she watched, the necromancer started to chant words in a language she had never heard before and a shining red light started to rise from the ashes before him. For a moment, it simply hovered before him. Then, with a twist of his wrist he pulled forth a small gem, continuing to chant during his actions. The light flickered for a moment, pulsated... and then jumped into the gem. The necromancer stood up and gave the now glowing gem an approving look, "Grade A demon lord soul..." he chuckled, "This will be sure to be worth something." "You killed him?!" the paladin was unsure whether to applaud or to scold him for his actions. "Sure did. Caught his soul too." he chuckled, "Considering the recent events I decided to move along a bit faster." he placed the gem inside his robes, "Be sure to tell Twilight to thank me for it. This way, she'll get to keep her soul a bit longer." "Her soul?" Calindria gave him a skeptical look, "What's that supposed to mean?" He gave a groan, "Simple basics... you summon a demon, you pay a price. The bigger the demon, the bigger the price. You actually summon a demon lord..." he laughed, "No matter how petty his form... You pay with your soul. Long story short, when she summoned the little fellow, she gave up her soul. But as long as he stays with me, she won't have to pay her debt... And I won't have to worry about the rest of the demon world finding out where I am." he whispered the last sentence to himself, shuddering at the thought. The paladin nodded, "That's good then... I guess. But where are Twilight and the princess?" The necromancer pointed a finger to the little box in her hand, "They're inside the box. Little word of advice, don't try to look inside. You'll probably want to call in Celestia on this, I'm not sure they'll figure out how to get out by themselves." "Can't you just let them out?" "I could..." he chuckled, "But where would the fun be in that? Besides... this is part of Twilight's punishment." The necromancer gave a yawn, "Well, that's settled then... I think I'm going to go for a walk in the forest. Tell Twilight to bring me back my book if she does get out! Just a reminder..." he called out as he left the paladin standing at the tower, "Don't try to look inside... you'll regret it." "Wait!" she called out, "There's something I need to know. The demon lord... he told me something." Aergad stopped, but did not turn around, "Did he tell you my name?" his voice sounded strained. "He did... he also told me something about your father. He said that..." "Whatever he told you... I don't want to hear it." the necromancer shook his head, "And I advise you keep it to yourself. There are things nobody needs to know... especially Celestia." she could not see his face, but his voice carried something that made it clear to Calindria that this was a delicate subject, "It would only cause problems..." With those words said, the necromancer left her behind. --- "Princess? Is that you?" "Twilight Sparkle! It is good to see you are well... but where are we?" Twilight shook her head, "I don't know! One moment I was hiding behind some barrels, then I saw a little box and then..." "You were falling?" Luna finished her sentence with a sigh, "I should not have trusted him so easily." she looked around herself, the two of them were standing on a seemingly endless plane of charred and broken rocks, a red sky silently looming above them, "I worry what this place holds in store for us." Twilight looked up at the sky, "It's really strange, I've been walking around but it all looks the same wherever I go..." she put on a nervous face, "And I think I'm being followed." A short distance from the two ponies, a hundred tiny spears held by a hundred even smaller hands slowly crept nearer.