//------------------------------// // "Arc3:tsotl" Ch14 Ashes to ashes, dust to dust // Story: The String of Fate // by Omior Falroc //------------------------------// “Ahingor.....? By the gods what’s happened to you?” Omior managed through his baffled state. The mangled fighter merely grunted in response. He rose his heavily scarred arm upwards, ready to strike down. Omior felt his chest explode with pain along with his back as it met the opposite side of the room, he slumped to the floor in a daze. He just barely registered through his foggy vision that his old friend grabbed the princess by the throat. She screamed in pain as he tightened his already clenching grip. The warrior managed to pull himself up from the floor and, although his movement was unsteady, he rushed at a ghost of a friend, a faulty step causing him to lose balance and send him on an aerial collision with the attacker. Ahingor went down, releasing Celestia to gasp for breath on the ground. As soon as the two landed, Ahingor immediately punched Omior in the chest, causing him to writhe and fall off of Ahingor who took his place above the warrior. Ahingor struck Omior a few times, punch after punch, not breaking bones, but doing plenty to hurt the warrior. Omior’s face was very much bruised and battered, blood leaking from his nose as he tried to focus enough to do something about the constant attacks from atop of him, but he couldn’t find the strength he needed. Just as Ahingor was about to strike down again, he was hit by a bolt of magic and sent into the wall, Celestia managed to right herself and fire off a spell. Her horn was glowing threateningly as Ahingor recovered and started moving in a beeline towards Celestia. She fired off another shot but due to Ahingor’s close proximity, he easily moved out of the way, and it landed harmlessly against a wall as he hit the princess, hard. Celestia went down, seemingly unconscious. She moved and fidgeted a little bit, but otherwise did not arise. Ahingor smiled maliciously and turned back to Omior, who was already up and charging at Ahingor again. He rose his right arm and caught the warrior mid run by the throat. “You’re really starting to piss me off. No, that’s wrong. You pissed me off the second I saw you, and now it only makes things sweeter.” Omior moved his hands and tried to force his tortured friend to release it’s grip on his neck, but to no avail. He sputtered and managed to say, “W-why..... Hnn....How.” A tear managed to drop from Omior’s eye from the pain already being administered to his neck. “It’s because it’s so fun to hurt others, you should try it sometime when you’re not trying to save everyone. You took a break right around the time the princess needed you, so why don’t you sit down and take a seat again? Not like you to keep going,” Ahingor made a face as if he was in thought before tightening his grip. “On second thought, you don’t ever like to quit, but after I’m done with you, you’re quitting for good.” Omior swung his barely dangling legs out and managed to hit Ahingor’s shins. It didn’t seem to cause any significant harm though, and as Omior’s vision began to fade. He thought he heard Ahingor mutter something. “Even if you survive, we’ve got your little pony friend, and if you try and interfere, he’ll be dead faster than you can blink.” At least, that’s what Omior thought he heard before his hearing was completely overcome by a loud boom and his vision disappeared behind a blinding white flash. The warrior barely registered he was gasping for breath, kneeled over on the ground. Omior rubbed his eyes and opened them, the ringing in his ears was rather loud but seemed to be diminishing fast as he looked at the new hole in the wall. From his position, Omior saw as Ahingor disappear in the darkness of night. He cursed inwardly as the ringing subsided and he felt a hoof rubbing at his back. “-are you alright Omior?” The warrior barely caught the end of her sentence. He coughed a few times before finding himself the miracle of speech. With a sore throat, he said, “yes......I think I’ll be alright.” He felt a cough begin to arise in his throat, and only managed to suppress it as he spoke up again through heavy breaths, “where is my equipment?” One hour later... “Just listen to reason if you’d please Omior,” Princess Celestia said as Omior latched his sword to his side. “Vigil’s in danger. I’d not like to risk his life in this gamble,” Omior said, he walked past her without any regard, but stopped as she spoke up again. “You heard what that thing said. He’d kill that pony by the time they catch sight of you.” Omior just stood there. He heard Celestia’s hooves clop on the ground as she turned around to face him, waiting for his response. “But what am I to do then? Allow what’s captured him to do as they please?” “You don’t even know where to look. Allow my guards to search for the human that attacked us. Maybe they’ll be able to find Vigil as well when they do find that human. Just give it time.” “Fine......We’ll do it your way, but I wish to be the one to take care of Ahingor..... He’s my problem, and my problem alone,” Omior lowered his head slightly as he finished his sentence, and for a second, tears looked ready to drop from his eyes, yet they did not. Celestia moved to his side and smiled an almost melancholic smile. “Then allow me to take you to the castle, you can stay in one of the many rooms while the search takes place.” Omior let a small smile twitch at the corners of his mouth. “I think I’d like that.” It was a twenty minute walk of near silence to the castle. Birds chirped and the wind blew softly in the evening. The streets were otherwise silent, aside from the occasional pony that walked the streets for one reason or another, but none were ever seen as the two walked towards the castle. At the gate, a few guards nearly readied their weapons, tightening their holds on their spears at the sight of Omior, but they relaxed, if not but a miniscule amount, at the sight of the Princess of the Sun walking alongside him. Celestia smiled as the two guards moved out of the way and allowed them both unobstructed passage. Much a similar reaction was held by the guards along the walls and even the door, and a few kept watchful eyes on the two as they entered the castle. As the guards closed the door, Omior took in the castle interior.They were in an open main walkway, adorned with a multitude of lunar and solar tapestries that shone in the light of the candles and chandelier. The carpet that lined the floor was a dazzling red with golden colored highlights along its edge in a pattern of diamond shapes. The view of the inner castle reminded him of Helena. The thought of her left him with a sudden emptiness, darkening his mood. Omior felt a lack of care for the castle’s looks within seconds. Celestia either did not notice or simply did not make mention of the warrior’s drastic attitude change. She moved ahead, motioning for Omior to follow her. He did so as his thoughts began to delve into a whirlpool, a bottomless chasm of melancholic memories and feelings. As they went, he heard Celestia speak, but his mind did not register a link between the words as he was too encumbered in self loathing to allow himself such a basic understanding. He allowed simple responses to utter from his lips, as if some desperate subconscious move to hide the fact he wasn’t paying much attention. Eventually, Celestia stopped in the hall, forcing Omior to connect back with reality and stop as well. This time when she spoke his mind registered the words. “-And this will be the room you’ll stay in for the time being,” Celestia opened the door and allowed Omior to see the inside of the room. It was simple, a rather large bed with luxurious red blankets kept to the far wall across from the door. A single simple dresser with a few candles upon them for seeing in the dark. Aside from that, there was another room behind a closed door to the far left. The room was simple, yet elegant in it’s own way with the added tapestries and carpet to fill the empty colored blankness of stone. Overall it left Omior a rather pleasant feeling at it’s sight. “Thank you for the accommodations,” Omior muttered as he took a few steps into the room, garnering him a better look of its interior than what he had from the door. “It’s no problem, there are hundreds of free rooms in the castle. It’s made in the way that, in a sense, there will always be rooms available if a dignitary needs to speak with I or my sister on short notice.” Celestia said with a smile from the door. Omior turned himself around and nodded. “Thank you nonetheless.” Celestia made to leave, but stopped as she remembered something. “Oh! And you’re probably famished. Dinner will be in an hour, a guard will come by to escort you to the dining hall.” “Thank you for the invitation, Princess Celestia,” Omior bowed his head in gratitude. When he rose from it, he saw Celestia nod and leave. Once she was gone, Omior closed the door. He turned around and went to the bed. He allowed himself to fall into a sitting position on the overly luxurious bed with a sigh. He pulled his sword from its sheath and observed it, holding it steadily by the handle with his right hand while laying the blade flat against the palm of his other hand. As he fiddled lightly with the blade in his palm, he let out a melancholic chuckle. It was a brief one that, to any who’d heard, would have heard the sadness of a thousand lifetimes behind it. “You know...” Omior began, looking for the right words, “I never thought I’d see you again in a million years.” Omior watched his reflected eyes look back at him from the sword. They seemed to grow darker and sadder as he continued speaking. “And yet despite all odds, here you are, and...I think it would’ve been better if you had not appeared,” Thoughts loomed through Omior’s mind that seemed to send him on an endless spiral downward, the slight smile that appeared on his face seemed to get sadder and sadder. At one point, it seemed almost too painful to be possible. At that moment, Omior was ready to close his eyes for good... A knock from the door awoke Omior from his daze and as he got up, he was careful to place his blade back into his sheath. He went to the door to find a guard silently standing there. “I’ve been ordered to take you to the dining room, if you’d follow please,” The monotone guard said. From the sound Omior considered the ponies gender, but gave up, opting to nod in response and follow behind the guard, shutting the door after he exited the room. Very quickly, Omior fell back into thinking of Ahingor and Vigil. It left a bitter taste in his mouth just thinking of his failure. A pony who’d only ended up tagging along with him was currently in the hands of a long time friend that had very much changed. Omior felt ire build inside him, almost boiling over, but it dispersed as he stopped in front of a door, the guard interrupting his thoughts. “You’ll find that princess Celestia is waiting inside for you,” the guard said in the same monotone voice as previously. “Thank you,” Omior answered before the guard opened the door, allowing him entrance. The door shut and the warrior looked about the room. Tapestries hung from the wall at the same distance from one another everywhere. The paintings that seemed to fill the space between were the typical kind you’d expect from a rich or royal family. The table was a long and surprisingly simple table, a mahogany table maybe? Omior ventured as he moved forward, Celestia called for him to sit by her and so he did. Once he took a place by her side in the empty room, things grew silent. After a moment, Celestia spoke. “You know you’re a rather difficult stallion to find,” she looked at him with a very small hint of a smirk. “You create a rather large trail of breadcrumbs though.” “So I’ve been told,” Omior responded flatly. Celestia looked conflicted, but after a moment sighed outwardly and asked, “So who is Ahingor? If I may be so rude as to ask.” Omior felt himself fill with adrenaline from the mention of Ahingor. He bit back any kind of response for some time, and Celestia spoke up again. “It’s okay, you don’t have to talk about it. I merely was curious,” Celestia sounded slightly disappointed. After a bit more silence lengthening, Omior spoke. “He’s a lifelong friend, one I would give my life for, and nearly have on more than one occasion.” “I... I see,” Celestia said. She appeared to want to say more, but before she could, another pony entered the room. Omior immediately guessed by the pony’s attire that he was a cook. A clean cut mane only just coming out of the comically large hat that bounced as he stopped in front of the two. “And what would the two like for this evening?” He asked with an emphasis on his w. “Surprise me, Gerard,” Princess Celestia said with a confident smile. “And for you sir?” The pony asked Omior. “Mushroom stew if you have any,” Omior half questioned. “Of course. Your meals will be right with you both,” The pony bowed respectively to the princess before turning and exiting out of the same door he had come in from. After Omior was confident the two were alone again, he decided to venture a question or two. “So what lead to your sudden interest in hunting me down?” Celestia paused a moment, she looked past Omior as she quickly thought of a reasonable answer. “It would not be right of the co-leader of Equestria losing an alien.” “Yes of course, I didn’t consider that,” Omior lied, stray thoughts loomed in his head as he considered his second question. “When was it you said your guards will be looking for Vigil?” “As soon as possible, an entire platoon of them will be searching the city of Canterlot by the evening of tomorrow, and if nothing can be found, then they will venture further out to the other outlying villages, towns, and cities,” Celestia caught herself looking into his eyes and found them seemingly endless. She forced herself to look to Omior’s left as he spoke up in response. “Thank you for letting me know this,” Omior closed his eyes and made a small bow from his place. Time passed at a relative slowness from there. Silence seemed to dictate the conversation, controlling the tension that covered the room in a thick layer, as if the god of tension had sneezed upon the room, messily wiping it up with a sleeve. The meals arrived quickly and by the end of it, Omior was a little happier than he had been previously. He gave a half smile as he said, “This has been a grand meal Celestia, my thanks to the cooks.” Celestia seemed conflicted of something, fighting whether to speak or not, she bit back whatever she was going to say before responding. “They’ll appreciate the kind words. Shall I… walk you back to your room?” “Of course, I’d be lost without a guide of some kind. But wouldn’t one of your guards be fine?” Omior questioned with slight confusion. “The guards are fine. Many of them are changing shifts with the night guard, so it will be easier and quicker if I just walk you back,” Celestia said. Her tone felt strange, sort of off to Omior, but he shrugged the feeling off as he nodded. “It will be a pleasure taking a stroll with you princess.” The two rose from their seats, Celestia leading Omior out of the room and on his way back to his room. Once there, Omior turned to thank Celestia again before retreating into his room for bed. Though that wasn’t what happened. Omior felt something press against his lips and surprise filled his face as he realized what was happening. Princess Celestia was kissing him.