He Who Walks The Graves
By: The Zealot
Chapter 7: In My Field of Paper Flowers…
I awoke from my stroll through the æther, still lying upon the sofa I had fallen to sleep on. I had done much in my time, sent over two hundred souls away into their afterlives. Those of evil were sent off to the Dæmon lands. Those of good were sent off to the Forest of Light. All was getting cleared, there were a thousand years of souls still in waiting, waiting for me to lead them to rest. This would be my work for many weeks, at the very least it was not overly hard, not with what I had learned of the æther.
I gave out a yawn and stretched, rising from the sofa. Upon my feet once again I brushed my hair from my eyes and then replaced my helmet to it’s spot over my head. Snapping my fingers I summoned my M16 to my back, my two pistols to my belt and thigh, and my knives to their sheaths. I opened the dark oak door of my void room, walking out into the ash marble hallway.
Walking down the hall I was making my way towards the kitchen, as I walked I passed many an ancient painting, many that Celestia probably thought lost to time. Paintings of landscapes mostly, but a few portraits of old friends, no longer with me. At the very least my ‘job’ gave me opportunity enough for us all to have our final meals together, before I was forced to lead them off to the lights.
I sighed and shook my head, clearing my mind of such sorrowful subjects. I would not forget them, no, they were the reason that my plans had to be put back in motion. It was for them that I would have my, no, our, revenge. Revenge against the crown, and all of the country. I would like to say, I am usually not the sentimental sort, but when those that you have fought beside, would have died for, are taken from you for reasons that are not true, because they threatened some ‘perfect empire’ that a power hungry pair of rulers would strive for, well, when that happens, you do anything to avenge them.
I continued walking, changing the direction I headed towards by going down a side path marked with a glowing blue line composed of æther magic. I had lost my appetite, as was common in my work, thinking of anything too deeply cause great depression when you lead a life such as mine. True, I had much work and planning to do where I would think deeply on many things of importance for the purpose of the plan. But that could be done at more appropriate times than in the morning.
I continued walking towards my War Room, planning an expedition to Canterlot, to get some information.
[1014 A.B. 8:23am]
*****
I walked out into the courtyard of the castle, happy to find one of my many guardians patrolling the yard. I gave the worg a nod and with a snap of my fingers I was off in a whisp of smoke and shadow.
[1014 A.B. 10:12am]
*****
I appeared in the shadows of an alleyway in the highstream of Canterlot. I was here to get information, military information. The easiest way to do that would be to find a commander, and then interrogate them. It was midday, many would think this a horrible time for such an operation, but a midday sun casts the longest shadows.
The first step would be to find a soldier I could ask some ‘questions’, mostly along the lines of ‘Where is your commanding officer’. After that all I needed to do was find said officer, and with a bit of good luck, he or she would be easy to get what I wanted from.
As ponies walked by the alleyway I jumped into one of the many shadows, morphing into it as I traveled. Eventually one of them passed by a castle guard doing his rounds, at which point I phased into his shadow. Now was time to wait, wait for his patrol to take him somewhere secluded.
[1014 A.B. 11:34am]
*****
The gardens, how ironic, and perfect. His patrol, luckily for me, took him deep into the gardens, out by the forgotten statues of ancient enemies. The same place I once stood. As soon as he was in far enough I emerged from his shadow, appearing in front of him.
“Wh-” That was all he managed to say before I swept behind him, holding him in the air with his neck in the crook of my elbow, holding him in a choke. With my other hand I drew one of my nightstalker blades from it’s sheath and held it up to the guard.
“Now, you are going to answer some questions of mine, are we clear?” My voice rumbled into his ear, only scaring him more, if his widening eyes were any indication. Yet he still tried to be brave.
“I- I’ll never tell you anything! I know what you are, scum like you isn’t fit to live!” He shouted, or tried to, anyway. It seems that he didn’t think me a threat to him, how sad.
“Final chance, are you going to tell me what I want to know, or am I going to have to look for the words in your neck?” I would rather not waste an easy source, but if this guard was uncooperative then I could always find another. My tone seemed to shake him, though, and I saw the fear enter his eyes again.
“I- I… what do you want to know…” He said quietly, either I had scared him enough, or he thought he had a plan, it didn’t matter to me as long as he told me what I wanted.
“Who and where is your commanding officer, and I mean commanding officer. Who's the big boss around here?” My deep voice, as I had found many times before, is a very effective way of getting results from scared people.
“Our- our commander is- CODE RED!” He tried shouting, again. A quick application of pressure to his throat cut off his call of alert. I held him like that until he almost passed out. This was the last time I would ask, he would answer or die.
“Last chance. You aren’t leaving here alive, if you tell me what I want to know, I’ll make it quick.” I growled, this fuck was pissing me off, and it was too early in the morning for that.
“Dear Celestia, you, she was right. When she told us what you were, some of us didn't believe her but… you’re a- a monster! … Our commander i- her name’s Sunset Carol… she should be up in the war room, in the palace.” He whispered what would be his final words. I had broken him. It used to hurt me, every time I had to take the life of one of these ponies, keywords: ‘Used to’.
I dropped him from my arms, kicking him to the ground, quickly stabbing my knife into the back of his neck. The blade severed his spine, killing him instantly. At the very least I honor my promises.
I moved the body off into the shadow realm, it would stay there for a time before reappearing here again. By the time that happened, though, I should be back at home sitting cozy in my throne, debating what to do with the new information gotten from this ‘Sunset Carol’, speaking of, looks like I have a target to hunt.
[1014 A.B. 1:23pm]