Blood
Princess Celestia,
I thank you for providing me with housing, and allowing me to observe pony life. So far it has been... fascinating to say the least. Ponies seem to be a little more... enthusiastic that first predicted. Frankly, I see it as a plus. In regards to the peace talks, I will most likely stand by in Ponyville while the representatives meet to draft the peace accord. I shall contact them and give the go ahead for them to land in Equestria. If you don't mind, I doubt they want to skydive in, so I ask you not send too many guards during first contact. They will be unarmed, and only have one escort.
In hopes for the future,
Seth Eclipse
Finishing the letter, the wolf ruled it up and handed it to the dragon. He had offered to write it for Seth, but was denied. Seth had wanted to think about exactly what he was saying, as he had the power to define history. This was going to change a lot of things for the world, and he needed this to go just right. Taking the scroll in question, the dragon then proceeded to incinerate the writing.
“What the hell!” The wolf barked, shocked by his writing being destroyed.
“Relax.” The dragon assured, gesturing the the smoke. “Remember? Magic mail-delivering fire?” He reminded, the wolf relaxing a bit. “So now that you have that sorted out, what should we do here?” Spike then asked, seeing as the two guys were alone and had nothing to do.
“I need to contact the wolves to send the representatives, but then I have little to do.” He said, smiling at the kid’s rather trusting nature. Apparently there was little to fear in the land of ponies. Another reason to have an alliance with them. He then smiled and walked towards the crate of supplies. “While I talk, mind making more tea? Whatever blend you use is amazing!” He complimented, grabbing the radio system and trying to tune into the right bandwidth. “Come in Noble Pack, this is lone wolf.” The wolf called out, waiting for a return.
After a few seconds, static filled the line before a familiar voice was heard. “Lone wolf, this is Noble Pack. Good to hear you are still alive, brother!” Dawn’s voice called through. “Hell... I was worried. I thought I saw you get nabbed by a pony on the way to the capital.”
“I was,” Seth replied with a chuckle. “It ended with me gaining a concussion and being tied up like a hog.” There was silence for a few seconds, only bits of static being heard.
“And... you still want to be friends with these ponies?”
“They might be a bit defencive, but these ponies deserve a second chance. Dawn... they are different now. I know we promised not to talk about the war, but... the war is truly behind us, and them. These ponies... they are the very essences of harmony. I can’t explain it... and my better judgment tells me not to believe my eyes, but... they are innocent equines in a peace-loving society.” The wolf finished, unknowingly smiling from the joy the land had presented. His first days might have been a bit off, but everything the ponies did was in the best of heart. Even the rainbow-maned assaltress had only attacked his wolven pride out of fear for her beloved friend. It took courage to attack a wolf after all.
“Seth, it’s hard to believe that these ponies are peaceful. They... they took you from me. I cannot forget that.” Dawn’s words were cold, but never the less, true. “I will follow your judgment, but I do not hold your peace of mind.”
“I understand. Just bring the representatives to the castle. After you drop them off, meet on the edge of the forest line near a farm town called Ponyville. Talk to someone at Canterlot, they will direct you.” The wolf replied, noticing something in the corner of his eye. Twilight had returned, now watching the wolf. She had an expression of both confusion and sorrow. Spike had also joined her, carrying a tray with tea. They were both watching the wolf. “Hey Dawn, I need to go. I will meet you when you arrive.”
“Understood. Stay safe, brother.” The wolf on the other side signed off as Seth turned off the connection. He then looked to Twilight, wanting to hear what was on her mind.
“Let’s walk.” She then stated, opening the door with her magic.
The two had left ponyville without a word, the wolf alongside the pony. Spike had remained at home, per Twilight’s request. He seemed to know not to argue with her. When they had reached the border to the everfree, the mare finally spoke up.
“So... you and your brother... were part of a war?” She asked, looking to the wolf with questioning eyes. She was more afraid of the truth than angry at Seth. “You mentioned it earlier... but...”
The wolf only sighed, wishing to hold on to the secret longer. However, his time was out. “... Twilight... what happened then is something I try not to remember. However, I know if I try to hide it from you, you will only dig deeper. There are parts of the war that you shouldn’t know... If I tell you some of it, can you promise me not to keep looking?”
The mare nodded as the wolf began to tell a brief outlook on the war the mare was so curious about. Seth mentioned how Discord enslaved his soldiers, how the wolves were forced to attack Equestria, and even gave a little insight as to how he had survived after a thousand years. Though most of the description was left bare of the graphic imagery, the purple mare was in shock, tears slowly falling from her eyes as she could only imagine the sights, the pains, the death... the living. To see your victim cling to life as you were forced to take it with little mercy. The everlasting blood of your treacherous actions staining your body and mind, only to do it again a mere few seconds later. The worst knowledge that stuck her heart was the single most important fact that neither side wished to fight. The ponies were slaves, given weapons and told to fire. The wolves were bound by the shackles of honor and loyalty. It pained the warrior to retell his old life, knowing that it only broke open old wounds that had scarred over time. When the wolf was finished, the two remained silent for some time as they walked, neither knowing what to say. Finally, it was Twilight to speak, her voice unsteady.
“...Why?” The wolf only looked over, sighing.
“There is no reason to war... not this one at least-”
“No. Why did you come here? You said you were a diplomat... but you of all wolves have the largest right to hate us. Why?” She asked, her expressions still mortified, but now including a bit of curiosity.
This time, the wolf was less quick to jump into the question. After some thought, he finally replied. “Because of what I did in the war. I needed something to help me feel like I’m not the monster my consciousness keeps telling me I am...”
Again, only silence. It almost surprised the wolf that she didn’t have more questions, but it wasn’t unrealistic. The world the unicorn believed to be peaceful and carefree was torn from her with the fact that the nation she believed in, was once the battleground for one of history’s bloodiest conflicts. It was right for her to stay silent. If anything, Seth should comfort her.
However, they were not alone. Taking in a breath of air, the alpha noticed a distinct smell to it. Pungent. Decaying moldy tree. But why had he not smelled it before now? Because, it was approaching. The wolf’s head raised, his eyes darting for the forest, his ears on a swivel. Each movement in the forest caught his eye. However, there was nothing indicating a threat. It didn’t take the unicorn long to notice that the wolf was on alert.
“What is it?” She asked, looking around. Seth only glanced back at her for a second, as the scent was growing. Something was definitely approaching. Then it appeared. Multiple yellow eyes piercing the forest cover. There were seven... no, eight pairs in all. They were pack hunters for sure, but what sent a true pulse of fear through the wolf was what was revealed about the attackers once they walked into the light. They were wooden canines. “Timberwolves...” The unicorn muttered, slowly backing up.
The wolf kept his glare on the approaching group, not letting his eyes sway away. He needed to intimidate the pack. “Twilight, stay close to me. Whatever you do, don’t break off. We won’t out-run them. Not now. Let them circle us. It will give us a chance.” He barked, watching as the woodwork began to orbit around the two. Seth lowered his body, a growl growing in his throat. With each passing moment, the timberwolves continued to study the mare and the wolf as the two did the same, each waiting for a moment to strike. Finally, one brave piece of oak charge at the unicorn, only to earn his head bursting into splinters by a purple ray. A second wolf took the advantage of the distraction, charging at Twilight from the side. Seth managed to lunge and tackle the beast to the ground in time. The timberwolf was relentless under Seth’s grip, lashing out at him with jagged stick-teeth. It landed a bite to the forearm, but only before getting it’s spruce neck snapped in half by the greywolf’s mouth.
While the canines doubled on the ground, Twilight took a third wolf out with an explosive blast to the side, catching a fourth off guard when the parts of his brother pelting it’s body. With the wolves thinning in numbers, and Seth back on his paws, the standing timberwolves stopped their attack, only watching the duo. The alpha gave a light laugh to the sudden peace. However, Twilight’s eyes went wide when she realized why they had stopped. Seeing her fear, the wolf silenced his joy. “What is it?”
“We didn’t kill the timberwolves...” She muttered, both now looking around at the scattered wood. The branches and twigs began to glow, soon gathering into a new form before the two. Even the pre-existing timberwolves were breaking apart to create the new figure. It was a much larger wolf, one taller than the treeline. With it was finally formed, the beast roared out in rage, soon charging at the the two inferior beings.
Instantly, the wolf turned to run, hoping to at least make it to the town before fighting this behemoth. Twilight had the same idea, keeping up with Seth. With his hurt leg, however, the wolf cringed with every step. He wouldn’t make it to the town if he dared slow up. That’s when he fell. Tripping over a simple rock, the wolf skidded along the ground until friction finally stopped his movement. He tried to stand, desperate to live, but it was already too late. Wooden jaws gripped the his body, piercing his skin. The warrior yelped in pain as he was thrashed about in the monster timberwolf’s hold. The bite only increased, soon feeling blood across his lower half of his body. The pain was excruciating as the splintery wood was driven through his flesh. As his vision blurred, he heard an explosion. Opening his eyes, he could see the unicorn below him, firing spell after spell at the timberwolf. She was saving him.
With the new threat acquired, the large beast gave a final bite before throwing the bleeding body aside. The wolf felt the air rush against his damp fur, then the impact of hard earth. The sharp pain was instant, but left as soon as it came. The only thing the wolf felt as his vision blurred was the slight haze of his entire body yelling at him to stop. Stop fighting, stop moving, stop living.
What kept the wolf fighting was the purple blur in the distance. The mare. Twilight. Even though he had just met her, he couldn’t just leave her. He couldn’t abandon her. She just saved him, and now she was paying the price while he was passing out. That's what drove Seth to keep breathing. To keep awake. He wasn’t going to let another die by his actions again.
But it was too late.
The beast charged, tramping Seth’s savior in his footsteps. Then, whirling around, it took the mare between it’s massive wooden teeth, and bit down. That’s when Seth went under.He failed. Again.
He was the monster. Whatever he did, he either killed, or had his own killed. There was never a victory in the entire wolf’s life. The faces of all those he had lost circled around him, each glaring down at him, judging him, condemning him. Now, a new face joined in the ranks. Twilight. For the short time he had known her, she too had succumb to his curse of fate. She died do to his failure. She died, because he was a monster.
After what could have been minutes or hours, the wolf awoke to the smell of burning wood. The second thing to register was the pain. Crashing down like a ten-foot wave, Seth spent every ounce of energy not to fall under and instead tried to lift his pain-stricken body. With strained eyes, his vision slowly cleared to make out the surrounding landscape. The field he had once been on was now torched and scattered with smoldering debris. In his attempt to move, Seth found something on top of him, keeping him pressed to the ground. Looking back, he found body tossed on him, the equine’s coat a burnt purple. For a few seconds, the wolf’s mind pieced together the significance of the mystery mare atop him, let alone why he was even in the field. Then it clicked. The forest, the attack, the timberwolf. “Twilight!”
Seth’s eyes flared open, looking across the mare. Her coat was red with blood, scorched from fire. Was she dead? Did she win? She had obviously burned the beast alive, which would explain the carnage. Then she made her way... here... to be with him. She died watching over him. A complete stranger. Seth would have cried, if he hadn’t seen her chest slowly rise.
There was a chance. She could live. He would not let her be another to die for his actions. He would prove his curse wrong. Twilight was one life, but her one life is what drove the wolf to stand, pull the mare atop his back, and begin the sprint to Ponyville. “Twilight... Just keep breathing...” the wolf chanted. “Don’t die... not now...”
Entering the town, the local welcoming committee actually made their trip well worth it. Instead of helping the bleeding mare on the injured wolf’s back, the townsfolk irrupted into a screaming frenzy of incomprehensible whales and shouts for help. The wolf barely cared, his mission was clear enough. He needed to reach ponyville hospital. Of all the shouts and screams, only one word truly affected the canine. “Monster!” With every wail of the phrase, another spike of pain found it’s way to the wolf. “Monster! Monster! Killer Monster!”
He kept chanting to the mare for her to survive, but the seeds of doubt were planted. Sure she was alive now, but with her condition, could even magic save her? Could anything? If she didn’t make it... it would be true. He would be the monster.
No. Not yet. He was close. He just had to reach the hospital. It wasn’t far now. “Don’t you dare die on me now... Not now... For gods’ sake, let me have this one... Just one life not pulled into my curse! Just one!”
“Number 23... 23...”
A tan stallion stood from a leather, a cast over his right wing. Walking to the calling nurse, he gave her semi-appreciative smile. The nurse however returned his gesture with one of shock and utter horror. The stallion took a step back from the silently screaming mare, looking to himself to see if it was that repulsive. Seeing he was fine, he looked behind him to the newly arrived pair that had burst through the door. The two were heavily injured from the amount of blood dripping off of them on to the white tiled floor.
Then he realized the one carrying the mare was not an equine. “Shit! It’s an attack!” He yelled in desperation, turning to the petrified nurse and barging past her, only wishing to save his own skin from the beast’s teeth. He didn’t need to out-run the monster, just the mare he had pushed between him and it.
The mare in question stood after a second, opening her eyes to see the body of a local pony, the wolf glaring down at her. Shivling into a ball before him, realising everypony else had left her for dead, she could only utter one sentence as tears began to fall from her closed eyes. “Please... just make it quick...”
It never came. He just watched the mare, his expression not changing from the deathly glare. When she raised her head in curiosity, she was met with a growl. “Just keep her alive. She cannot die.” The wolf bellowed, sending yet another wave of fear into the mare. As she curled into a ball once more, the wolf departed as fast as he arrived, leaving her and the mare alone within the waiting room of the hospital.
The second round of screams was even less effective on Seth’s nerves. His job was done, and he could depart Ponyville that much more quickly. The seed of doubt was rooting itself deeper into his heart. However, Twilight was alive when he had given her to the nurse. It was only a matter of how well the doctors were. Considering they had such high magical talents here, there was hope. Hope is all the wolf needed to combat the doubt.
Yet, his physical battles were drawing to a close on defeat. He himself was weak, and the adrenaline spike used to save Twilight was now only a lingering trail of endurance. The wolf was back in the scorched plains where he first awoke when his legs finally gave out from under him. Falling to the ground with a thud, the wolf only smiled. If he was to die here and now, with the knowledge he had saved a life, he could rest easy. The monstrous curse would die with him, his journey done.
This was not the end of Seth’s journey, however. The sound of the helicopter blades beating against the air proved this. The wolf’s eyes opened, catching the sight of the lone grey chopper falling ever closer to the ground. When the cabin was in view, he saw the pilot.
“d...dawn... Dawn... Dawn!” He called out, trying to push himself to stay awake to see his brother once again. Like a guardian angel, the chopper touched down, the younger greywolf brother dashing for his elder.
“Seth!... Just stay with me... Stay with me...” The younger spoke, tossing the helicopter's medic kit down and instantly beginning his work on the wounds. Even though he had only just arrived, beads of sweat were visible on Dawn’s face. As the clouds of darkness began to block out the wolf’s vision, he reached a single paw out to his brother.
Gripping his arm, Dawn turned and looked into his brother’s eyes. “Im not leaving you brother, not again. Not again...” He spoke, his head falling back, his grip loosening. For once, Seth was willing to fall into the void of darkness, his conscience clear of the curse.