The Equine Scrolls: SkyFiM

by FireOfTheNorth

Chapter 25: Unwilling Assassin

Rearikstead was my destination, where Narius was waiting for me. Like Riverwood, Rearikstead was ruled by Jarl Valor’s Blade from Whitetrot, except it was at the far west of the hold. Fortunately, its location was not far from Foalkreath, and I was there in just a few hours.

Similar to Riverwood, there wasn’t much to the town. An inn stood near the center, and a few homesteads stood around it, farms stretching out behind them. A windmill turned slowly in the wind near the edge of town, grinding grain.

It was a quiet town, with only a few ponies trotting around on their business. More were out in the fields, harvesting the last of the crop from among the fallen snow. Already the snow was beginning to thaw, but a true winter would be upon Horizon soon.

With so few ponies here, I had to find a way to find where Narius was without drawing attention to myself. Asking straight out was out of the question, as they would know exactly who had killed him as soon as he turned up dead. Hoping to overhear something, I trotted into the local inn.

It was mostly empty except for the barkeep, a few workers, Imperial soldiers, and a bard. Narius didn’t seem to be here, but I could be patient. It wouldn’t do to blow things now. While I waited for any clue to come my way, I listened to the bard, who had begun a song.

Several of the ponies in the inn began to applaud and I joined in. It had been a grim song, but a comedic one as well. The bard was also a talented singer; I wondered if she had studied at the Bards College.

My musing was interrupted as a dark green earth pony slammed open the door and strutted in like he owned the place. A few of the workers looked up in contempt as he approached the bar.

“A bottle of mead, my fine mare,” he said to the barkeep, leaning over the counter.

“Aren’t you supposed to be working, Narius?” the barkeep responded, looking annoyed, “Fellstar won’t be happy to find out you came in here again.”

“Oh, relax,” he blew her concern off, “He won’t fire me.”

“He just might if I tell him about your little agreement with the merchants in Whitetrot.”

“How do you know about that?” he demanded, leaning further over the counter.

As stealthily as possible, I moved closer to hear what they were saying.

“I have friends,” the barkeep replied, “Something you’ve never been able to acquire for obvious reasons.”

“Listen,” Narius threatened her, “I’d keep my muzzle shut about what you know if I were you, unless you want to end up like Caris.”

I quickly turned around in my seat to avoid his gaze as he spun around. Everypony in the inn was looking at him by this point, some being not so subtle about trying to listen in.

“What?” he asked, “Am I not allowed to have a private conversation with my marefriend?”

“I am not your marefriend,” the barkeep lost her temper, “And here’s your mead.”

Uncorking the top, she splashed the bottle in his face. Enraged and dripping wet, Narius stormed off. I waited a minute before rising from my seat. After all, there was no immediate hurry, since I now knew what he looked like and could easily find him again. Trying not to draw attention to myself, I followed him out.

It felt foolish slinking around in broad daylight, so I casually followed him as he made his way toward one of the nearby farm houses. As he neared one with a placard bearing a star over the door, an older earth pony stallion trotted out to meet him, papers clutched in his teeth. Once I was in hearing range, I pulled out my map of Horizon and pretended to study it, intent on being inconspicuous.

“Are you sure this is correct?” the older stallion, Fellstar I was guessing, asked.

“Exactly,” Narius replied, “I took them to market and counted them myself.”

“I could’ve sworn I sent you off with 13 sacks of potatoes, but this invoice is only for 10.”

“What can I say? Maybe you counted wrong?”

“Again? I don’t know, maybe I should get somepony else to count. This isn’t the first time I’ve gotten an invoice for less than what I thought I sent.”

“I would be happy to do it for you,” Narius volunteered, oozing false charm.

“Hmm, I guess so,” Fellstar said, glancing up at the sun, “Listen, I need you to change the bags in the mill in a few minutes. The current one should be nearly full.”

“Of course sir,” Narius said.

After Fellstar went back inside, the younger stallion trotted off in the opposite direction of the mill. This could work to my advantage. Stowing away my map, I made my way over to the windmill.

The bag was indeed nearly full of flour. I was careful not to upset it as I climbed the stone walls, finding hoofholds as I went. Finally, I was perched up above the grind wheel, the mechanisms of the windmill turning around me. Now, all I had to do was wait.

Narius did not come in the next few minutes, nor even the next half hour. By the time he did arrive the bag of flour was overflowing. Cursing under his breath, he replaced it and set to work cleaning the mess.

As he did, I dropped down silently behind him, my hooves making no noise as they hit the ground thanks to the Dark Brotherhoof armor Hemlock had brought me the night before. Keeping out of his sight, I approached the stallion, the Fell Blade grasped in my magic.

I placed my hoof over his mouth the same time as I slid the dagger between his ribs. He struggled a bit before the life drained from his body. Cleaning my dagger, I set him down on the ground and finished cleaning up the mess he had made. Fellstar wouldn’t have to deal with miscounted shipments anymore, that was for sure.

I returned to the Dark Brotherhoof Sanctuary as quickly as possible. Before somepony could snag me, I decided to check out the dragon wall they had built there I hadn’t been able to get a close look at it the night before. As I drew closer, a word began to stand out from the rest, just as I had hoped. I learned in a moment everything there was to know about killing, and weakening your opponent. Of course, in my mind the word for kill had been replaced everywhere by its draconic counterpart.

~KRII~

“Hey,” Merrifeather said, seeing I’d returned and swooping down to where I was standing, “How’d it go?”

“It went great,” I said, honestly, “Narius is dead.”

“Well, it’s a start,” she said, “How about we head over to Lapis and see if he had another job for you?”

Since I was apparently still not trusted enough to learn Mephalda’s location, I agreed. Following the lavender pegasus, we made our way to Lapis’s room.

“Narius dead?” he asked, looking up briefly from his book.

Levitating a quill, he scratched through a line in the records as I nodded to him.

“Good,” he said, “Now let me guess: you want another one?”

“Of course you do,” he went on before I could respond, and went on flipping through his record book, finally settling on a page, “There’s a ship captain currently docked in Whitetrot. She’s a unicorn, and she’s been involved in a bit of piracy.”

“A bit?” I asked.

“She’s sunk two ships and raided them, killing all the crew. Of course, she passes herself off as the cap’n of a simple merchant vessel, The Daring. Captain Allesandra. Think you’ve got this one?”

“I’ll sure try,” I answered.

“That’s the spirit,” Lapis said, wishing me well before I departed.

Though the trip to and from Rearikstead had been quick, it took me the rest of the day to reach Windhorn. The guards here now recognized me, or at least they recognized I wasn’t a spy or traitor, and I got no trouble from them. But this was still Jarl Stormcloud’s city, I reminded myself, and one slip up could mean my head.

My dark armor was more suited for the night, and I stalked, nearly invisible through the shadows of the city as I made my way to the dock entrance, remembering the path from memory from when I had been marched up it under armed guard. Speaking of which, there seemed to be far more Stormcloud soldiers in the city than there had been in my previous visits. Jarl Stormcloud appeared to be nervous; the war must not be going well.

For the moment, however, that was none of my concern. I had to get to the port and find Captain Allesandra of The Daring. At last, I exited the city onto the cold stone docks just outside the walls.

All was quiet and deserted as I made my way toward the docked ships, except for a few bat-ponies working in what little light the sun still provided. I passed through the rows of ships, avoiding guards and picking out the names on their sides. I could see Jarl Stormcloud still had the Inquisitor, and it was still docked here. I wondered if these ships ever left port.

At last I found The Daring, docked about midway through. After waiting for the guard to pass, I clambered up the ramp and onto the ship’s deck. Slowly the ship rocked back and forth in the waters as I made my way across the abandoned deck and into the ship itself.

Inside was a sailor near the door who was supposed to be keeping watch, but had instead fallen asleep, no doubt helped by the liquids that had previously filled the empty bottles scattered around her. Sneaking by her, I passed into the next room of the ship.

Hanging all around were hammocks in which the sailors were sleeping. Sure, The Daring appeared from the outside to be a merchant ship, but these ponies were cutthroats of the seas if I ever saw any. Carefully, I passed through the maze of sleeping ponies to the door at the far end.

It was locked, but luckily I had brought my lockpicks along. As quietly as I could, I twisted them in the lock until the pick snapped from the exertion. One of the sailors moaned in his sleep and rolled over, and I ducked into the shadows behind some barrels. When it became apparent he wasn’t getting up, I returned to the door and twisted my lockpicks again until the lock popped open.

Silently I passed inside, shutting the door gently behind me. Inside was the captain’s cabin. Sea charts and maps lay out on the table at the foot of the bed. Behind it, sweeping glass windows looked out on Windhorn’s harbor. In the bed itself lay my target, Captain Allesandra, sound asleep. Placing a pillow over her face to muffle a scream if it came, I quickly slit her throat, looking away as I did. The whole affair was over in seconds.

I let myself back out the way I had come, relocking the door and sneaking under and through the maze of sailors. When I got out of The Daring, it was full-on night. I was about to sneak down to the docks again, when a roar broke the night.

Looking up, I saw swaths of stars blotted out by a dark shadow, before the creature flew past the moon. The silhouette was that of a dragon, all right. I jumped off The Daring as quickly as possible, rolling across the dock. I drew my sword, really wishing I hadn’t left my steel armor back in the Sanctuary.

The dragon swooped across the harbor, sending out a blast of fire that lit up almost every boat docked there. Flames from the burning ships turned night into day as I searched for the lizard. At last it landed, clinging to the splintered mast of a nearby fishing boat.

<<<FUS~RO~DAH!!!>>> I Shouted, knocking its head into the mast as it prepared to send out another jet of flame.

The dragon turned at me, fire reflected in its eyes. I pulled out my bow, realizing my sword was useless unless the dragon chose to come down, and fired arrows at the wyrm. Most bounced away, but some stuck, piercing its hide. Enraged, the dragon hopped from mast to mast, nearing me.

I retreated until the dragon suddenly slipped in its hops, impaling its wings on the masts of the Inquisitor. Yelling and blowing fire everywhere, the dragon thrashed around, tearing the masts and its wings to pieces before crashing to the ship’s deck.

I drew my sword and climbed the plank to the ship best I could, what with the dragon shifting the boat’s position as it tried to right itself. As I slashed at the dragon’s snout, it knocked me aside, sending me rolling across the deck. Standing, I found no splinters had pierced my hardy Dark Brotherhoof armor, but there were still pieces lodged in my mane and tail.

I would have to worry about grooming later, as I dashed to the side to avoid being roasted alive. Getting momentarily out of the dragon’s way, I focused my magic and conjured up a flame atronach. Absorbing the nearby fire to bolster its own strength, my thrall charged the dragon, breathing fire and scorching the beast’s scales.

While the dragon was busy with my atronach, I rushed around behind it and began firing arrows into the back of its head. I didn’t want to get any closer than I had to. My light armor had proven durable enough to take on splinters, but I wasn’t about to test it with dragon teeth.

The dragon caught on to what I was doing and turned toward me, only to be hit in the side of the face with a fireball from my atronach. The dragon very suddenly brought down one of its wings on the atronach, burning a hole through the membrane, but snuffing my creation in the process. It now had its whole, undivided attention on me.

I charged in, Calcion’s Cleaver drawn, and ducked down at the last moment. Sliding under the dragon, I dragged my sword through its neck, chipping off scales in a line as I went. The dragon suddenly heaved up and my sword came free. In a moment, I realized that it intended to squish me. Running faster, I jumped through a trapdoor into the ship just before it brought its considerable bulk down.

The ceiling creaked and cracked over me, but it held. The light from my horn was just enough to see by as I navigated through the ship. First, I got as far away as I could from where I knew the dragon was. This proved to be a wise move, as it smashed through moments after I cleared the area.

Flames licked through the cracks in the ceiling as the dragon raked the surface with flames. Things went quiet for a moment, unsettling me before the dragon smashed one of its claws though the deck, intent on crushing me. A second time it did the same thing. The third time I was ready.

<FO!> I Shouted, my breath becoming frost and freezing the dragon’s leg to the deck.

As it struggled to pull free, I jammed Calcion’s Cleaver up through its scales. Pulses of light flashed beneath the surface of the ice as lightning pulsed through the dragon’s flesh. With one last great heave, the beast pulled its claw free, along with a large portion of the deck.

Peering through the hole it had created, it sent a blast of fire through. I ran to the outer edges of the deck as flames billowed to fill the space. I quickly drank a potion of fire resistance moments before the wave hit me. I felt my protective field beginning to waver as at last the fire died down.

The deck above my head was suddenly torn off. Running around below, I avoided fire as best I could while also avoiding the dragon’s destruction of my cover. Near the place I had first jumped in, I spotted a trapdoor beneath the wreckage. Moving aside the shattered wood with my magic, I jumped through just as the dragon tried to blast me with fire again.

Dropping down below, I found myself surrounded by barrels. The dragon rampaged above, but for the moment I was unreachable. I cracked open one of the barrels to see what was inside. They were filled with a black powder used for firing cannons. With the dragon breathing fire up top, this was the last place I wanted to be. Or was it?

Weaving between the barrels, I ran across the deck, popping open the upper hatches wherever I could. The dragon roared up top, following along behind me, causing the ceiling to creak from the stress. As I reached the last hatch, I jumped up onto the same deck as the dragon.

His jaws snapped at me, but made no purchase. Enraged, the beast sent out a trail of fire spilling across the deck and down below. I threw myself through a window and out into the harbor as the powder below caught fire.

A deafening explosion split the air, tearing both the Inquisitor and the dragon apart. Chunks of flaming wood and dragon flesh rained down around me as I swam through the frigid waters to the docks.

As I stood by a fire, warming up and drying off, the dragon’s memories flew into my mind. Like before, I experienced everything, this time with a focus on how to apply KRII to harm an opponent without ever touching them, using my Voice to weaken them and ready them for death.

I shivered on the dock as the bat-ponies from the docks went to work putting out the fire, assisted by sailors who had been on their ships and those from Windhorn who had come running when they heard the dragon attack. Some Stormcloud soldiers also chipped in to fight the fire that would devastate their home port.

“That was some timing,” I heard a voice say from behind me.

I spun around to see Bereloth standing there.

“Do you just know when a dragon’s going to attack?” he asked, amused.

“No,” I answered, “It was a complete coincidence.”

“Well, we can thank Talhooves for coincidences like this,” he said, “You undoubtedly saved the town. How many dragons is this now?”

“Seven,” I answered, counting them up in my head.

“Well, I’m sure Jarl Stormcloud will want to hear all about this, and grant you some lodgings tonight,” he said, leading me towards the city.

He was correct, and after I had told Stormcloud of my dragon conquests, he allowed me to sleep in his palace. I was told it was the first time in years a unicorn was able to sleep in the Palace of Kings as a guest.

“Captain Allesandra is dead,” I reported to Lapis back in the Dark Brotherhoof Sanctuary.

“Yes, word travels fast,” he replied, “It was really a mystery to everyone how she died in the midst of that dragon attack.”

“So, we have a dragon-slayer on our hooves,” Shadowmere said, stalking into the room, “I’ve not seen one in many, many years. Does the dragon blood flow through your veins, Sapphire?”

“I don’t think so,” I said, “At least not according to the Greymanes.”

“Pity, I had hoped to meet another Dragonborn someday. Still, what do those foolish younglings know, with their perceived wisdom.”

“Well, you’ve done it,” Merrifeather said, joining us in a room that was quickly becoming crowded, “That was a good kill, clean and quiet. I think you’ve earned my trust.”

“What are you talking about?” Shadowmere asked, concern flashing in his eyes.

“She wishes to find Mephalda,” the pegasus explained.

“No,” he protested, “That is a secret that must not be shared. She is under our protection, and I will not have us do anything to endanger her.”

“We’re hiding her,” Merrifeather emphasized, “She’s quite able to take care of herself. Even for the entire Imperial Legion it would be difficult to take her down.”

“Perhaps, but even those defended by a legion are vulnerable to an assassin’s strike.”

“Not Mephalda. She knows all the tricks; she can sense life within miles. There’s no way anypony would be able to sneak up on her.”

This was looking less and less promising all the time.

“Fine, you may disclose her location,” Shadowmere yielded, “But if anything happens to that mare, it will fall on your head.”

Aggravated, the stallion stalked out of the room.

“Don’t mind him,” Merrifeather told me, “Shadowmere is paranoid due to centuries of being hunted. Now, can I see your map?”

I obeyed and pulled it out for her. She proceeded to mark Mephalda’s location on it as “Hidden Glade.”

“Mephalda lives in seclusion up in a small valley in the mountains here on the border with Unicornica,” she explained, adding additional marks, “The only way up is through this pass.”

I thanked her for the directions and headed off, plotting a course to Shor’s Stone, the closest town. After all my efforts, I was finally within sight of my goal. I had less than a week left before Stratus would kill Steadfast. Now only Mephalda stood in my way.