//------------------------------// // Chapter one: the Diamond dog raid // Story: Equestria's executioner: Beloved // by Equestriasservant //------------------------------// The Diamond-dogs had been lying in wait, scouting the edge of the quaint little town of Ponyville, waiting for their chance to strike. They wanted vengeance. Vengeance for what that White-furred, whining Unicorn and her friends had done to them. The Diamond-dogs demanded blood. And they would get it. They would make the whole town pay for what had happened to them. The forest they'd been sitting in for cover had provided the perfect cover to mask their scent and movements, due to its thick undergrowth and incredibly dense canopy. This was quite an achievement, considering the awful mix of smells, including urine, stool and sweaty bodies, as the group of about thirty moved around, just out of sight of the village. The many inhabitants, mainly ponies, milled around, oblivious to the horde that was about to descend on them. "Vengeance. At last." Growled a few of them, moving forward into the watery sunlight, which played off the dogs sweaty fur, rusted knives and blades and their improvised armor. Their fur, stained with sweat, carried their stench on the summer breeze. That was when they charged, a roar of blood-lust escaping the on-coming horde. The Ponies who saw the Diamond-dogs first either fled in terror form the screaming swarm of stinking dogs or were trampled by the horde. The thatched cottages were soon ablaze, the straw roofs and wooden walls easily consumed by the many fires that the dogs started. They howled with glee as their rage and fury broke, screaming through their bodies and almost possessing them. The Carnage had begun James sighed to himself as he drove down the Motorway, trying hard to fight off the growing sense of tiredness that was sapping his strength. He'd been driving along for the best part of a day and night. With little to no sleep, the human was starting to lose his patience with the endless road and the darkness. He ached from the tips of his silvery-black hair to his toes. The Human was tired. More tired than he'd felt for ages. After a week of living on pop-tarts, energy drinks and coffee, James knew his body was on the verge of burning out. It had been a mistake to drive home this late and with no one to take over for him. James snarled to himself as he checked the Dashboard clock. The Red neon wordings showed the time in annoyingly large numerals. Eleven-twenty-five. James felt his last ounce of patience fail him and he twisted the steering wheel hard, pulling himself off the motorway and onto the hard-shoulder. He couldn't believe the amount of crap he'd been subjected to for the past couple of weeks. Another failed date tonight. He'd even dressed up in his finest suit for it. He could still hear the words that his mother and girlfriend had thrown at him, moments before throwing him out of his family home. The words echoed round his head, beating against the inside his skull like a drumbeat. "GET OUT! JUST GET OUT JAMES! YOU'RE A FUCKING TRAIN-WRECK!" James felt a dry smile quirk his lips as he watched the cars drive past him, eyeing the happy faces of the people inside the vehicles. He couldn't blame his family really...not after his drinking...and that one assault charge...and that depression crisis he'd suffered through. James still remembered the large amount of empty bottles he'd left behind alongside the family. Not his family anymore. He could never go back. They didn't want a chronic drunk and depressive little shit in their family tree. The perfectionist bastards wanted a flashy dresser and a studious person. But that wasn't him. Not by a long shot. Shame his girlfriend wanted the same thing. She'd wanted: "Someone who showers me with gifts. NOT A FUCKING FENCER AND DRINKER!" That was what she'd told him right before she'd punched him in the face and chucked him out of his house. With a sigh, James reached down and picked up the half empty beer bottle he'd been supporting with his leg. He stared into the liquid, barely able to see his reflection in the darkness of his car. He knew however, that he if he could see himself, bloodshot green eyes and pale skin. He was a mess. Yet he didn't care. With a sigh of annoyance, James tore his seat-belt free and he crawled into the back of the car. In the darkness, he fumbled through the mass of rubbish and old clothes. The smell of stale sweat and old food hit him, making him gag. This car had been his home for weeks. Being a professional sword fighter was not the best career choice for a University dropout. It didn't pay the bills, nor did it pay for the high living standards his ex-girlfriend had been demanding of him, days before she chucked him. His standards had fallen slightly in the way of Hygiene. His hands batted through the mass of bottles and empty doughnut boxes, trying hard to shift the dirty clothes and food packets inside his suitcases.. Finally, his hands curled around the his phone. Pulling the Iphone free from the mass of rubbish, James crawled back into the front seat and turned on his radio. Static was the only thing that greeted him. He was out of range of his local radio station. James grimaced, losing the last of his patience. Dropping his phone on the passenger seat, James slammed his fists down onto the steering wheel. The horn beeped out loudly, but he ignored it, too angry to think about it. "Fuck it! Fuck it! FUCK IT!" James shouted, relentlessly pounding the steering wheel. His fists hurt from the relentless pounding on the hard plastic and metal wheel but he ignored it, the anger that he'd been bottling up for weeks finally exploding out of him. "SON! OF! A! BITCH!" He screamed angrily, throwing himself forward onto the wheel. The loud screech of the cars horn did nothing to help drown out the screams of his family, moments before they chucked him out. With an aggravated sigh, James pushed himself off the wheel, stopping the horn, intending to get of the car, to escape the suffocating smell of his car, to take a walk. It was at that point that James noticed that his phone was vibrating. He'd turned off the sound, not wanting to be disturbed. But the name of the caller was what made him pick up the phone and press the answer button. James didn't have any contacts by the name of Discord. "Hello?" James asked curiously, placing the machine against his head. "Are you annoyed about the way your life is going right now?" asked a cheerful voice. James sighed. It was another life-improvement scam. He'd been getting these more and more frequently. "Are you in the mood for some excitement?" James shook his head in annoyance, moving his thumb to turn off the call. He definitely wasn't in the mood for any sort of excitement. "Now, Now James, don't touch that dial!" James froze. That wasn't possible. Automated calls didn't...couldn't know his names. "Now then James." said the voice again. "Do you want a chance to get out of that car? Stop sulking around in that mound of stale food?" James's knuckles turned white. He dropped the phone onto the passenger-side seat and turned on the ignition, pulling out onto the Motorway, ignoring the many irritated horn blasts from other drivers. Something wasn't right. Whoever was on the other side of the phone could see him. Had known exactly what was in his car. It couldn't be. Someone was watching him. He pushed his foot down, making the engine scream with the effort. "Oh don't think you can get away from it that easily." said the voice on the phone...only it wasn't on the phone any more. It was echoing inside his head, continuously repeating the words. "I think you do want it." said the voice. "Well, your wish is granted!" James's eyes widened. The road in front of him, the parts illuminated by the headlights at least, was beginning to crack and splinter, as if something very heavy was pressed on it. The street lights were beginning to bend, like straws in a giants hand, the bulbs inside the lights shattering with loud pops. James wondered for one wild moment if he was being caught in an earthquake. Then in front of him...it happened. The scenery in front of him split apart, like something had drawn a sword across the landscape and pulled it apart, revealing a bright glow, shining into Jame's eyes. The unexpected light burned his retina's. He howled with pain, his hands leaving the steering wheel to cover his damaged eyes. The car spun, out of control. James screamed with terror, unable to see, as the car span straight into the glowing tear in the landscape, tilted as though it was hanging on the precipice of a cliff...and then began to fall. Pain. That was all he could feel. He was being compressed, burned, twisted about and turned inside out all at once. His eyeballs were being set on fire. James screamed. But no sound came out. He couldn't see anything. He couldn't hear anything except a loud, painful whistling noise. He couldn't move. For a brief second, James wondered if he was in hell. He was falling, falling through whirling fire and pain, unable to control where he was going. And then it stopped. The car hit something hard and continued rolling forwards. The windscreen shattered, along with several of his side mirrors, showing him with painful pieces of glass, cutting into his skin and clothes. Then the car stopped, and James lay still. He lay there, slumped over in the seat, his whole body still tingling from the pain. His vision swam, the outside world still glowing. James frowned, pain distorting his features. That wasn't the glow from whatever had hit him. That was daylight. And there were figures moving around, waving what appeared to be...swords...James frowned as something...unexpected began to build up inside him. It was desire to swing the weapon he'd hidden just behind him.He reached down and around his seat, finding the handle of his own weapon. His fingers curled around the leather grip of the Katana, holding it tight. This would be fun...at least he thought it would be. Especially when he heard the raspy voice just outside the damaged car. "Get that thing out! It is with the Ponies! Kill!" Twilight-Sparkle gave a tired groan as her head jerked up, unsticking itself from the large book that the Unicorn had been reading before she'd passed out from lack of sleep.That was normal for her though. The Unicorn sighed as she got up off the stool next to her writing desk and wandered into the wash room of her home. The Golden-Oaks Library of Ponyville was a version of paradise for the studious Unicorn. Stuffed with books for even the most nerdiest of Ponies. Of course, Twilight-Sparkle would never consider herself as a nerd. More...Well-Read. The Unicorn chuckled to herself as she fixed her purple and Magenta mane, which had become slight ruffled due to sleeping on the desk. Well-Read wasn't the word one of her friends would use to describe her. After making sure her purple fur wasn't to ruffled and her violet eyes weren't to bloodshot, Twilight made her way out into the town. She would've asked Spike, her young Dragon assistant, to take care of the Library but the young dragon had gone to the capital city of Canterlot for...Official business. Smiling to herself, the young Unicorn decided to head towards the cafe, intending to buy some breakfast for herself, her mind already scheduling an imaginary checklist for herself. That was Twilight. Always making checklists and plans for one thing or another. "Twilight! Darling!" Called a refined voice, just as Twilight turned towards the cafe. A white furred Unicorn, with a lilac, expertly styled mane had appeared behind her, her flanks adorned with a cutie mark in the shape of three diamonds. Twilight smiled as Rarity approached her. "Oh my star's darling!" Rarity exclaimed, pointing at the cafe, Twilight had been approaching. "You aren't thinking of going THERE are you?" The Fashion-Unicorn asked in a dramatic fashion. The Waiter of the cafe gave them both an insulted look. Twilight winced at the rudeness in her fellow Unicorns voice. Rarity had the annoying habit of being very rude at the wrong time. "You absolutely must come with me Darling!" Rarity exclaimed, pulling Twilight away from the cafe. "I was just going to the Earl-Grey! We can eat there together like good friends should." Twilight groaned. The Earl-Grey was a fancy tea shop on the other side of town. Whilst not the worst place to go, the shop tended to attract the more snobbish of Ponyville's residents. Twilight shook her head as the pushy Unicorn dragged her away. "Actually Rarity I was just..." But Twilight's protests were drowned out just as some-pony let loose a loud scream, somewhere in the distance. The two Unicorns turned to look in the direction of the scream. Rarity let loose a high-pitched, rather unladylike scream of terror, taking off as fast as her hooves could carry her. Twilight on the other hand, stood frozen unable to move, stunned into inaction at the sheer terror she was feeling. Diamond-Dogs. A horde of the filthy canines had spilled from the Ever-free forest, setting the town alight and dealing death and destruction to all those they encountered. Twilight had run about, trying hard to find her friends but had found herself hemmed in on all sides by the hulking brutes, all of whom seemed intent on driving the inhabitants of Ponyville towards the center of the town, burning and smiting, when shouts, jeers and threats didn't work. And that was how the Studious Unicorn found herself now, hemmed in by a large circle of Diamond-dogs, all of whom were brandishing weapons, clubs and other improvised tools of pain, each dripping with blood. She shivered in fear, wondering why this was happening. She looked around at the group of ponies she'd been forced into. Several other ponies, some unicorns, some Pegasus's and some earth-ponies, were all looking around with fear in their... "HEY! GET OFF ME!" Twilight's head snapped round and she felt fear truly grip her. Another of her friends, a brash Pegasus by the name of Rainbow-Dash was being dragged through the crowd of dogs, her once beautiful cyan fur and rainbow-colored mane and tail stained with blood . The Pegasus was bound up in a tight net, made of thick metal wire, the sheer weight of which was keeping her down, preventing the Pegasus from flying. The Diamond-dogs were laughing and jeering at her, some even poking the poor Pegasus with their weapons. "YOU'D BETTER LET MY FRIENDS GO OR I'LL..." But Rainbow-Dash froze as one of the Diamond-dogs, clearly bored with the Pegasus's shouting and struggling, raised it's cruel blade. The jagged weapon glinted in the sunlight, dripping with blood. Twilight stood frozen with fear, her eyes locked on the blade. It seemed that the blade was getting brighter and brighter and...Twilight stopped. The Blade wasn't getting brighter. The light was coming from behind the Diamond-dogs. As one, the Ponies and Diamond-dogs turned to see what was causing the commotion. The ground was splitting. Two halves of the dirt-road were slowly pulling apart, as if a trap door was suddenly being opened. Twilight could see and feel however what was happening. Some strange magic had taken control of the ground, split it and was now pulling the two pieces apart. Twilight could see the golden glow of the magic that was pulling apart the dirt and soil. It strong. So strong that she could feel it from even the distance she was standing. The dirt slid apart as easily as if it had been cut by a knife, leaving a large, square hole in the ground. Twilight-Sparkle barely had the time to register the sheer impossibility of this, before a large, black mass, screaming as though in immense pain, erupted from the hole, trailing dust and loose stones and crashed down, flattening several of the diamond-dogs in one sitting. The thing continued onward for a few seconds, the four wheels that supported it, greased by the blood of Diamond-Dogs sliding over the ground. Then it stopped. For a few seconds, there was silence. Then... "You dare attack us with this Ponies?" some of the Diamond-dogs demanded, looking ready to unleash the last vestiges of their blood-lust. But one hissed in anger. "Look. There's something moving in there." One side of the strange black object was swinging open, rather like an insects wing. And something was indeed getting out of the object. This new arrival had a long, thin body with a shock of black hair. A pair of bloodshot green eyes stared out of a pale face. The Creature was also carrying a sword. This one was longer than the Diamond dogs and looked slightly more ornate. But Twilight had no more time to examine the creature as the Diamond-dogs, drunk on power and blood-lust, the dogs charged at the creature. Some screamed loudly, some shouting battle-cries, others simply screaming out in rage. The creatures' blade swung, taking off two of the dogs heads, releasing a spray of gore. Several of the ponies screamed with horror. Twilight was frozen, unable to let loose the scream that was building inside of her. The creature was moving like water, flowing with the dogs movements, cutting down one after another of the diamond-dogs, blood hanging in the air like a red mist. James had no idea what had possessed him to get out of the car. He been sitting inside the blasted thing for what seemed like an eternity, he'd heard the shouts and screams of the whatever was standing outside. But then, before he'd even known what he was doing, he'd kicked open the door and was climbing out, buckling his Katana to his belt as he did so. The Sunlight stung his eyes for a second and he had to blink several times to clear his vision. He had to take a second glance at the scene before. A dozen or so creatures that resembled dogs stood, surrounding a group of small, multicolored horses. Some brandished blades whilst others waved clubs. Dust settled on everything. James smiled coldly as the dog-like creatures stepped closer to him, waving their blades. Unsheathing his sword, James felt a dry chuckle escape him. Maybe it was the amount of beer he'd been drinking...but a fight seemed like a good idea right now. He took his Katana with both hands, feeling the familiar weight resting in his hands. As the dogs charged in, James felt himself slipping back into his old routine. Parry, strike, dodge and strike. His blows took down groups of one, two or three at a time, the blade of his Katana staining with red, blood hanging around him like a mist. All around him, the canines screamed as James took them down. But not one drop of it touched James. None of it stained his suit. And through it all, James had one lingering thought. It stuck inside his skull, sapping at his strength. "Shouldn't I at least be bothered by this?" Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the creatures sword swings stopped. The gore settled. The Diamond-Dogs, the ones that had survived at least, stood still, shocked into stupidity. A mountain of slain diamond dogs lay beside the tall creature, who's blade was covered in a thick coating of blood, dripping down onto the floor, mingling with the river of blood already upon the floor, mingling with the dust that the fight had whipped up. The Diamond-dog survivors, after trading numerous glances at one another, turned and in one massive sweep, ran. The stampede was unexpected for the ponies and they watched in stunned silence. Just as soon as the Diamond-dogs had invaded...they were gone. The figure chuckled, flicking the blood from his blade and sheathing it in one fluid motion. Then the figure turned to look at the ponies, who all shrank back in fear. Then it spoke. "Is everyone alright?" the figure asked in a calm, though serious voice.