The price of greatness is responsibility
- Winston Churchill
The truth of many a relationship is that no matter what happens, there will always be secrets. Each secret can carry negative or positive connotations. What if one of those secrets could be damaging to all? Would you tell it?
Dogan closed the book, sighing softly. He had been traveling for four days, with naught for excitement. He stared at the rabbit that stared at him with a curious expression. It was pure white, like the angelic beings of legend, the ones who fought when the world was created. He smiled, shifting to allow the rabbit to sit beside him. It stared up at him, curiosity seeming to overtake its survival instinct.
“A beautiful specimen. Stay right there. I have to document you.” Dogan lifted a book from his bag, removing a small pencil as well. The rabbit stared up at him, its blank expression a curiosity for Dogan. He sketched the small rabbit into the book, making sure to catch the light coming onto it from the sun far above the leaves of the forest he had found himself in. Creatures had rushed past him in a flurry of muted tones and shades, while garishly coloured birds would follow him along. He felt at home within the forest, where no pony would bother him with any questions about clinical matters. He was free in the forest. A voice from behind startled him into scurrying before he was able to acquire his dagger from his bag. A hooded equine stepped out from the shadows of the nearby brush, smiling.
“Apothecary, you realize how dangerous it is to allow yourself to get lost in your work within this forest?” The equine removed his hood, revealing a dark brown mane, one red eye, the other completely white with a scar cutting across it, and a tan coat.
“My old friend, it is a wondrous day if you are here.” Dogan stood, returning his dagger to his bag. He held out a hoof, shaking the other equine's hoof. “Guyeras. How long has it been?” Guyeras laughed as he stood there, his mind calculating.
“Four years, my friend. Countless times have you rescued me from the brink of death with your vials and flasks. You never stopped to ask why I would take from those more fortunate.” Dogan put his hoof on his friend's shoulder.
“Guyeras, I never questioned it because we grew up in the same home. Remember, brother?” Guyeras shifted uneasily. He remembered, and that he had left to be who he wanted to.
“I remember, Dogan. We may not be blood, but we are bonded in the forge of adventure.” They linked hooves, noddding. “Where are you off to this time?” Dogan looked down.
“They say... Abaratos is returning. And that only I can stop him.” Guyeras had been laughing, but stopped at the information given to him by Dogan.
“Are... you sure? Father told us the stories of the Knights of the Elements.” Dogan looked at his friend, frowning.
“Positive. And if I am to defeat him... well, I don't know how. I will require weapons, and companions-”
“Then you have one in me, Dogan Von Satasil. As long as either of us live, I will not leave you behind, not like Father.” They nodded to each other. Dogan reached within his bag, tossing a small badge to Guyeras.
“That is a mark of the King. Whatever you had to steal before, we have access to.” Dogan sat down, looking up at the sky. The rabbit in front of him hopped on his shoulder, sitting down. “I think I'll call you... Angel.” The rabbit bounced on his shoulder, apparently joyous with that name.
“So, what is the mission this time?” Dogan pulled a sheet of paper from his bag, reading it intently.
“We have to investigate the cause of illness within Huros, the Lakeside Village, discover the reason why Jinko, the Mining Town, has ceased its shipments of ore, and if Abaratos is indeed being revived as we chatter on, we must defeat him. It's all right there.” He gave it to Guyeras, who whistled.
“Huros is not far. Only an hour's good gallop.” Dogan nodded, following the lead of Guyeras. If they had been paying full attention, they would have noticed another figure, a shadow of something that should not exist.
“Fools. Once my master is truly alive once more, the mortals will bow before the powers of his chaotic spirit!” As like fog, it flew away, dissipating into the air.
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Huros, the Lakeside Village, was once only a small guard post, where equines had settled to farm and fish. However, the usually robust and bustling village was as a ghost, quiet and still. No equines moved about their business, no guards patrolled. It was... eerily quiet. Guyeras stooped to examine a hoofprint.
“This print is four days old. This does not make any sense. I was here barely three hours ago.” Dogan stood still.
“Guyeras, that house. The door has fallen off of its hinges.” He pointed at a large house, the sign of an armorer laying in front, the sign snapped off. Guyeras nodded. He approached the home, Moving inside. Almost instantaneously, he was assaulted by the scent and stench of decay and death.
“Dogan, you may want to look at this.” Dogan trotted over, peeking over Guyeras' shoulder. There were fifteen corpses in the room. It was dark, and Dogan did not know how accurate his guess was. They all had open wounds on their necks, with faded skin and white eyes. “This is-” He was about to finish his sentence when he felt his stomach leap into his throat.
“The Forsaken Death. Guyeras, we need to get out of this house.” They backed away, Guyeras retching, pieces of his mid-morning meal spraying onto the ground.
“Horrifying, Dogan. They're dead. All of them.” A moan from behind them brought them to their senses. An older equine, completely faded, stared them down. It was hemorrhaging from the wounds it had incurred upon its neck. A soft moan escaped its lips. Its mouth curled back to expose blackened teeth, blood spilling out.
“Guyeras... this is not the Forsaken Death. The Death kills all who it infects. This is something much worse.” Moaning from various areas alerted them to more of the infected equines. “Hungering Dead... we have to leave. Now!” Dogan galloped away, Guyeras not far behind. The infected shrieked in horrific tones, their voices carrying over the dead homes, the places where there had once been living, but now contained only dead.
“Dogan! Huros is lost! The king-”
“The king did not want me to return until my mission was complete! I will not leave a job uncompleted, no matter how high the cost!” Guyeras growled, staring forward. The dead advanced, Dogan and Guyeras backed into a corner. They had resigned themselves to their fates, when increased shouting was brought to their attention.
“What ho! Is that the dead I see? Then have at thee!” An equine covered from head to hoof in gleaming silver armour. A lance floated beside him as he charged through, the dead flying from one side to another, their blood covering the very ground as a river.
“If that is not Tezune, I do not know which equine would be that insane.” The armoured equine came to a full stop in front of Dogan and Guyeras.
“I am Knight Tezune! Come with me, Apothecary!” Guyeras followed close as Dogan galloped after the knight. With a flash of light, a bright beam of coloured energy escaped Tezune's lance, striking the dead and tearing their souls from their lifeless grasp. Bright blue light filled the town as the souls of the dead were ejected from their decrepit corpse-hosts. Tezune flicked his lance, it shortening to the size of a simple broadsword.
“How you are alive, Tezune, is beyond me. How you knew where we were, I will never know. But let us be off. I do not want to attract the attention of any more hungering dead. The mark of Abaratos is upon that village.” Tezune removed the knight's helmet, staring down. Her mane was cut short, her coat dark green in shade. Her steel-grey eyes bore down on Guyeras.
“Hello again, Guyeras. I trust you are still pilfering and plundering 'helpless nobles', as it were?” Guyeras laughed.
“That was one time, dear Tezune. Trust me, I have changed. Now, for our course of action, I would best recommend that we find a clearing. This village is dead, infested by the hungering dead, and it carries the mark of Abaratos.” Dogan bent over, coughing.
“Tezune, what he says is true. Abaratos, the necromancer. His mark was upon that town.” Tezune shrugged. She seemed to not particularly worry about it.
“Then we shall find and slaughter this Abaratos.” She smiled at Guyeras, who shrugged in a matter-of-fact way. Her lance stayed at her side. “As the last remaining Knight, I make this my promise.” She laughed. “Well, squire is more like it. I am no noble.” She sat down, looking at Dogan. “Well, Apothecary, where to?” Dogan removed his court parchment from his satchel, staring down and reading.
“The Mining Town, Jinko. They ceased production of ore a short while ago. I was tasked with discovering what had occurred there for the equines there to cease their activities, including their monthly message to the king.” He glanced around. “Does anyone else feel as if something is watching them?” A rustling of the bushes startled Tezune and Guyeras.
“Yeah, I feel it too.”
“A malevolent force that seeks our end.” Tezune and Dogan glared at Guyeras. “What? I am just making this more dramatic.” He smirked, chuckling. “But, in all good points, it does not feel like a pure force. It seeks something, but what, I do not know.” They packed up their small camp, heading off towards the base of the mountain, where Jinko rested.
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Within the brush, a dark figure rested, staring with anger at the three mortals.
“You three will not be able to continue past Jinko. My master, he will destroy you! He will-” It stared down. “I do not know what he would actually do, but rest assured, the time will come when he will defeat you!” With another gust of wind, the figure dissipated, floating towards Jinko.
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Dogan stared off into the distance. Jinko... was still lively, the equines going about their business. Each building was covered in soot from the blacksmiths, but they appeared vibrant, full of life. The equines themselves seemed normal. Guyeras shrugged as Dogan glanced at him.
“This does not make any sense. They're all still alive. How-” Tezune frowned. Something about it did not sit right with her.
“It feels as if there is some kind of illusion here at work. We must be careful. We do not know what is actually there, only what we see.” They nodded, advancing slowly. As they approached a town, a small patrol of guards seemingly appeared from nowhere.
“Halt! State your business!” Dogan removed from his bag the seal of the Royal Apothecary.
“I am Lord Dogan Von Satasil, Royal Apothecary to King Guardia. I am here on official business to inspect why you have discontinued production of ore.” The guard stared, then laughed.
“King Guardia? I laugh at you. Jinko is no Guardia town. We belong to the Mountain Kingdom! The act of you being here can be considered a declaration of war!” The guard was about to continue when Guyeras removed his hood. “G-Guyeras! Sorry, my lord. I did not know it was you. Pardon my earlier brash attitude. It will not happen again.” The guards quickly removed themselves.
“'Lord'? Really, Guyeras? You're a lord of the Mountain Kingdom?” Guyeras shrugged.
“My dead father was lord. I am but his son. But you, Dogan, you are my family. I do not wish for my title, yet it was still given to me.” Guyeras held up his hooves as Tezune knocked him over the head.
“When were you planning on telling us? Before or after Dogan finishes his mission?” Guyeras stood back up, rubbing the back of his head.
“You do know that really smarts, right? Anyways, before. I was hoping to not get recognized in Jinko, but sometimes there are things that you cannot control. Let us continue-” His gaze turned to Dogan's satchel. Something was squirming inside. “You have something you want to tell us, Dogan?” Dogan shrugged, letting a small, white rabbit out of his satchel.
“This is Angel. He's been riding with me ever since the forest.” Angel returned to the satchel, closing the flap. “Let's go to Jinko, then. No sense in letting some secrets hinder our progression.”