//------------------------------// // Chapter 11: Acquisition // Story: Dread // by bossfight1 //------------------------------// “Get up.” Bulwark awoke with a start, his bones rigid from the cold morning dew that covered his crystalline coat. He shifted beneath the newspaper that was his ‘blanket’, wishing he hadn’t woken up at all. Despite being on his old master’s leash, he was left to fend for himself for food and shelter; he’d taken table scraps from the restaurants around Canterlot, and had lived, cold and (mostly) alone, in a dark alleyway near the castle. Bulwark sat up, breathing heavily into his hooves and rubbing them together in an effort to warm up. The newspaper slid off his back; he turned to pick it up and read the headline. “Rogue Gryphons attack Ponyville and are captured; Gryphon Emperor condemns the attack upon relieving authorities of Legionnaire Pridefall.” Bulwark grimaced and tore the paper up in his magic. He leaned against the wall, clutching his head. He’d dreaded what would become of his forced trip to the Gryphon Empire; Sombra hadn’t revealed why they were there, he’d just instructed Bulwark to bring him close to the palace so he could ‘plant the seeds’... Bulwark had waited outside the palace for nearly an hour before Sombra returned, ordering him to get on the first train to Canterlot. Upon arrival, Sombra was completely silent for several days, but Bulwark knew he wasn’t gone… he could still feel the King’s eyes in the back of his mind. Then he’d heard of the attack and realized what he’d been accessory to; he’d been used as a vessel for Sombra to manipulate that gryphon, to trick him into attacking... A thought occurred to him, putting a small grin on his face. “At least no one was killed there…” He muttered. “That must’ve been disappointing…” Sombra laughed, making the smile fall from Bulwark’s face. “If that was the point, yes, that would have been a let down… But it held a greater purpose than glorious bloodshed, puppet… Go to the castle.” Bulwark stood up, seeing no point in resisting. He lurked out of the alleyway and down the street, ignoring the disgusted looks from the local “well-made” denizens at the sight of the filth that covered him. He approached the castle and spotted the guards at the gates. “Travel around the outer wall, towards the gardens.”  Bulwark veered to the left and moved along the outer perimeter as he was told, his gaze focused on the towers above. The Princesses were in there… They would likely help him, but he couldn’t think of a way to reach them without facing dire consequences… “Stop.” He stopped, and felt his mane flutter as some unseen force flew from him; he could feel it leaving a single strand, keeping it anchored to him as well as keeping its gaze on him. “There it is…” Sombra said, almost hungrily. “Take a look, puppet…” Bulwark felt a sharp pain in his head before his vision went dark. It returned, and he was suddenly seeing through the King’s ‘eyes’, gazing into the courtyard. There, he could see Princess Luna, walking alongside… something… It was a strange, living mass of black ash, formed with the lower shape of a snake, and the torso of something like a minotaur, with thin, crooked arms and a plain black head, featureless save for a rather fearsome-looking mouth. Yet, the creature seemed comfortable walking alongside the Princess, chatting idly with her… Like it felt at home. This is what you’re after? Bulwark asked. Why? “This creature holds a power unlike anything I’ve seen… I know little about it, but with a vessel near, I can reach far enough to… examine it. Remain where you are.” With a flash, Bulwark was suddenly in his body again, swaying dizzily. He leaned against the wall, panting heavily from the shock; from the strand that connected him to Sombra, he felt the shadow moving about, in a manner that could best be described as ‘poking’. For a minute, there was silence. Then Sombra chuckled, a low, ominous noise that sent a chill down Bulwark’s spine. “It is WEAK…” Weak? “This creature… The mass that forms it is merely a substance, barely alive… But it is bound to another creature, has been for YEARS, it seems… A creature that is fully in control. This… ‘Dread’... It can spread fear with but a touch, can plunge its victims into such a beautiful darkness… Yet it CHOOSES not to… Rather than use the gifts at its disposal, it shirks, even FEARS what it can do… Such a waste… Even more so that I can’t claim it as it is now… Whilst the first creature, this… ‘human’... Is bound to the mass, it will accept no other hosts…” So this is a waste of time… Bulwark thought, smirking. A sharp pain jabbed at his heart, but he savored it, enjoying the fact that he’d angered the tyrant. “Not quite… There IS one who can separate the two, who is powerful enough to tear the human from the mass, leaving it open to a new host… And she already fears him enough that she wouldn’t protest.” Who? “Celestia… This creature, upon arriving, used its power on one of her subjects when it believed them to be enemies… Then again, inadvertently, when dear Luna peered into its dreams… Celestia believes him to have cruel intent… Sadly, that is not the case… But she doesn’t need to know this… Especially when Dread begins spreading fear throughout the city…” But you said… Bulwark began. “He wouldn’t spread fear, indeed… I, on the other hand…” Bulwark felt his heart stop for a moment. ...You’re going to… frame it? Make Celestia believe it is invoking terror upon this city? “Very good, puppet! The gryphons were merely our first step—the seeds of fear in Pridefall spread to the Princess, made her suspect Dread… We merely need to keep pressing on that suspicion. Now, in the dead of night--” NO!! Bulwark stood up, scowling furiously. I will NOT let you do this!! I was foolish enough to fall into your trap, but you will NOT make anypony else suffer!! I no longer care what you do to me, so long as you do no more harm, monster!! “Go ahead!!” He said aloud. “Plunge me into your darkness!!” Sombra said nothing. “DO IT!!” Bulwark said, not caring if he was heard by passers by. Sombra began to laugh again. “How BRAVE of you, old friend… Willing to live in a nightmare to save others from the same fate…” “I would rather suffer there, alone, than doom Equestria to suffer a worse fate,” Bulwark hissed. “Ah, but don’t you see?” Bulwark’s body suddenly froze, agony coursing through his very bones. “You already have.” What? His mouth was frozen, leaving him unable to speak. “I never needed you, puppet… You, and this world, were doomed the moment you found my horn…” But… “You wonder why I let you retain your free will?” He chuckled. “Because I enjoyed watching you squirm…” He said, as if he was whispering into Bulwark’s ear. “But it seems you will no longer amuse me… I suppose I will handle things myself.” No… “Goodbye, Bulwark.” NO!!! Bulwark screamed and fell to the ground, legs writhing in pain; his crystalline form began to blacken, his mane lengthened and became black, and his horn curved slightly upwards, gaining a blood-red hue. His eyes remained stricken with terror, until, with a flash of purple and green magic, they relaxed into a cruel, sadistic gaze. His mouth opened in a cruel, fanged grin.                 -                -                -                -                - “Sir?” Private Gale called as he walked down the alley beside the castle wall; he’d heard somepony screaming and hurried to investigate. He’d found a unicorn pony—hailing from the Crystal Empire, given the look of his coat—laying prone on the ground, completely silent. The pony rose on shaky legs, panting heavily. “Sir, are you alright?” Gale asked, approaching the figure. “I’m fine…” The unicorn said, his voice deep and oddly rough. Gale narrowed his eyes as he approached. “Sir, you were just screaming… Are you sure it was nothing?” The unicorn chuckled as Gale stopped, directly behind him. “Oh, don’t worry…” He spun around, a purple and green aura surrounding his horn; the aura formed into a blast that struck Gale in the face, making him stumble back. Gale heard the figure speak before blacking out. “Soon, everyone shall be screaming…”