• Published 23rd Dec 2013
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The Equine Scrolls: SkyFiM - FireOfTheNorth



The Alicorn Empire has broken apart, the dragons are returning, and war looms on the Horizon. It is in times like these that heroes are needed. The unicorn Sapphire never wanted to be a hero, but destiny never asks what one wants.[Skyrim Crossover]

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Chapter 40: Secrets in the Dark

Chapter XL: Secrets in the Dark
“The Count of Saddlegrad is not all he seems. Let’s just say I’m not the only pony who enjoys his evenings.”

After we left the chambers of the Moth Priests, our escape from the sewers was easy. The craggidile gave us no further trouble, and the rats were a minor nuisance at most. Soon we exited into the Arboretum, where there were luckily no guards around, and retrieved our gear. The Equine Scroll I placed in my saddlebags and, though I didn’t think it would fit at first, the otherworldly artifact seemed to shrink down just enough that I could get it in.

For the remainder of the night, we stayed at an inn in the Temple District, and at first light we departed for Bridle. Hopefully we would be able to charter a ship back to Seclusion using our rewards from Stablehall. We reached Bridle in just a few hours, and Mephalda headed out to find a ship while the rest of us picked up some supplies in town.

As I waited outside Bridle’s only general goods store, I couldn’t help but notice the crowd of bat-ponies forming near the waterway that divided the city. They appeared to be arguing with a unicorn wearing the robe of a Vigilant of Steedarr. Intrigued, I moved a little closer to listen in on their conversation.

“All I need is for you to come with me until we clear this up,” the Vigilant said.

“We’re not vampires, we’re thestrals,” the lead bat-pony argued back.

“All I know is that you come out at night and hang upside-down from the docks, and that sounds an awful lot like a vampire to me.”

“You know nothing of our people! Thestrals and vampires are no more alike than dogs and werewolves!”

“Until I know for sure that you’re not vampires, I need to keep you in the Hall of the Vigilant where you can’t hurt anypony.”

“The only pony hurt will be you if you don’t leave us be.”

“Very well,” the Vigilant said, drawing a sword, “We’ll do things the hard way.”

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I knew the Vigilants of Steedarr were a bit radical when it came to stamping out anything they considered unholy, but to accuse these bat-ponies, or thestrals as they identified themselves, of being vampires simply because of their appearance was wrong.

“Leave them alone,” I said, stepping in, “They’re not vampires and you know it.”

“As a matter of fact, I don’t know it,” the Vigilant said, turning toward me, but thankfully sheathing his sword, “This is none of your business, and I’d appreciate it if you- Wait, don’t I know you?”

I couldn’t imagine any way he could’ve recognized me; I’d certainly never seen him before in my life. From within his robes he pulled out a parchment with a sketch of my face on it. Beneath it was an offer for a reward for the crime of “Breaking into Horizon’s Hall of the Vigilant and freeing a prisoner wanted for use of the Black Sacrament.” It looked like my past had caught up to me.

“By Steedarr, it really is you,” he said, drawing his sword.

“What’s going on?” Steadfast asked, trotting up to me.

“I think we’d better run,” I said.

With no time to explain more, I turned tail and ran from the Vigilant. There was no way I was going to let myself be captured now, especially with the Equine Scroll weighing down my saddlebags. As Steadfast and I ran through Bridle, we managed to pick up Mystic and Mephalda before leaving the town. Mephalda had managed to get us a ship, but unfortunately we wouldn’t be using it, not with the Vigilants searching for me. I decided the best course of action would be to get as far away from Bridle as possible while heading south toward Horizon. We continued to gallop down the road until I was sure the Vigilants had given up the chase.

◊◊◊ ◊◊◊ ◊◊◊

I allowed myself to relax at last as Saddlegrad came into sight in the distance. I would have to watch my step more carefully from now on. Not only were the Blackwings out to get me, it looked as if the Vigilants of Steedarr now were too!

I gave a groan as we approached the city gates. There, standing just outside, were more Vigilants. As they noticed us on the road, they all rushed out to intercept. There would be no running this time.

“You’re a wanted mare,” the leader of the Vigilants said once they had us surrounded, pulling another of the wanted posters from his robes, “Come with us please.”

“Just her,” the Vigilant said when my friends tried to follow.

“No way,” Steadfast protested, “Wherever she goes, we go.”

“Suit yourself,” the Vigilant replied.

The Vigilants led us around Saddlegrad to a large lodge built on the west side with a statue of Steedarr rearing up out front. I couldn’t believe I had forgotten that the Vigilants of Steedarr were based out of Saddlegrad. Instead of leading us away from danger, I’d led us straight into it.

My only hope now was that the Vigilants would be forgiving of my crimes, but from what I’d seen in Horizon’s Hall of the Vigilant, I doubted it. Eventually we entered the main Hall of the Vigilant and were escorted through its halls and up to its third floor. The Vigilants deposited us in an office occupied by a pale brown unicorn before leaving.

“So, I understand you’re the one who caused all that trouble for our Horizon contingent,” the unicorn said, staring at us from across his desk.

“I rescued a foal you were torturing, yes,” I answered, hoping I’d be able to defend myself from this pony’s accusations.

He was wearing far more elaborate robes than the other Vigilants. That, and the fact that he seemed to carry himself with great authority, led me to believe that this was the Grandmaster of the Vigilants.

“Do you know why he was being kept there?” he asked calmly, completely overlooking that I’d mentioned torture.

“He was trying to summon the Dark Brotherhoof to kill the orphan mother who was abusing him.”

“Precisely. He was making prayers to the Nightmare, wife of the Void, the unholy guardian of death. That is something we cannot tolerate. It must be punished.”

“By breaking the legs of a foal?” I asked, “Your purposes may be noble, but the way you go about enforcing them makes you just as bad as the things you seek to eradicate. Actions speak much louder than words. What do the actions of the Vigilants say? When you go around terrifying everypony by arresting and torturing anypony you even suspect of being the slightest bit deviant from your mold, your words of nobility are drowned out by the screams!”

“Enough!” the Grandmaster yelled, snapping at last, “You know nothing of the fight we struggle every day to carry out. Yes, we must make tough choices that may seem barbaric, but the alternative is even more barbaric. To let vampires and Draconequi run free, what kind of a world would that be?”

“But I didn’t have you brought here to discuss my organization’s methods with you,” the stallion said, calming down and returning to his seat, “You are here because of what you did in attacking Horizon’s Hall of the Vigilant, and you will be punished for it. An execution awaits, though not a public one.”

Before I could protest, the doors swung open behind me and Vigilants stepped in to restrain my friends and me. As I struggled against my captors, another Vigilant stepped into the room and approached the Grandmaster.

“Providence,” the Grandmaster spoke to him, turning his attention away from where we were being led away, “I trust you bring good news.”

“Only the best,” Providence replied, “But may I first ask what is going on here?”

“Just arranging an execution for the pony who broke into our Horizon Hall.”

The new Vigilant turned around to look at us, drawing back his hood as he did so. Recognition dawned in his eyes as he saw us, and I also recognized this pony. He looked different in his Vigilant’s robe, but not so different that I didn’t recognize him as the pony we’d saved from being eaten by the Cannibals of Festerus.

“You can’t kill them!” he protested to the Grandmaster, “Those ponies saved my life!”

“How so?” the pony behind the desk asked.

“Well, that’s what I came here to tell you about,” Providence explained, “I was looking into the Festerus cult we thought might be lingering in Stablehall, when I was captured by them. But they weren’t satisfied with having me as a prisoner, no, they were going to eat me! If it wasn’t for these ponies right here, I’d be dead. They were the ones who rushed in and completely wiped out all of the Cannibals of Festerus.”

“You wiped out an entire Draconequus cult?” the Grandmaster asked incredulously.

“Well,” he said when I nodded that it was true, “I guess I can’t execute a pony who’s done such a service for the Vigilants. I will drop your crime this time, but stay clear of any shady dealings in the future. The Vigilants of Steedarr will not be so forgiving a second time.”

◊◊◊ ◊◊◊ ◊◊◊

After leaving the Hall of the Vigilant safe and sound, we made our way down to Saddlegrad itself. I’d managed to scrape by yet again without being executed. Though this time I’d been saved by somepony a little less crazy than Jarl Stormcloud’s advisor. The warning from the Grandmaster still rang in my ears, however. I really had to avoid any crime at all if I hoped to keep from living my life on the run from the various organizations that had it in for me.

Now that we were in Saddlegrad, I began to plan out our next move. Traveling though Kvatch would be the quickest way to return to Horizon, but we’d also have to sneak through the Pale Pass. Also, the prospect of returning to the town I’d grown up in, the town I was constantly looked down upon in, the town I’d run away from, didn’t seem too appealing.

The other option was to travel to Anvil and charter a ship to a friendly port city along Horizon’s northern coast. Getting a ship there would be a little more difficult than in Bridle however, as any ship leaving from Anvil would have no choice but to pass through pegasi waters.

Whatever path we chose, there was no way we could reach another town before nightfall. We’d have to find someplace to bed down here in Saddlegrad. As we were searching for an inn, a scrawny unicorn waved to get our attention. Intrigued, I trotted over to speak to him.

“Um, excuse me,” he said with a frail voice, “But you’re new to Saddlegrad, aren’t you?”

“Just passing through,” I told him.

“Visitors, even better,” he said, “If you’re interested, I wonder if you’d do me a favor?”

“What kind of favor?” I asked, not willing to get roped into something unless I knew what it was.

“Well, I’m Ember, and I’m an attendant to Count Coming Dusk,” he explained, “I have to admit, I’m a bit worried about my master.”

“What about him?” Steadfast asked.

“Well, he’s getting old, and he often wanders out after dark. He doesn’t want me going with him and I’m afraid one day he’ll turn up dead.”

“So, where do we come in?” Mystic asked.

“You’ll stay in the castle, and if he sneaks out, you’ll follow him, find out where he’s going. As visitors, it won’t be suspicious to have you stay as guests, and if he catches you, you can claim simple curiosity.”

“Well, I suppose so,” I said, “But for tonight only.”

We didn’t have a place to sleep yet for the night, and staying in Saddlegrad’s keep sounded better than paying for an overpriced room in an inn. Still, we couldn’t tally long. We needed to get back to Horizon and find how to stop Alduin as soon as possible.

◊◊◊ ◊◊◊ ◊◊◊

Unlike in most towns, both in Unicornica and in Horizon, Saddlegrad’s keep was built outside of its walls. Though there was a connecting bridge, the seat of the town’s government was no closer to it than the Hall of the Vigilant. But it was also far grander than many of Unicornica’s keeps, set apart from them as it was set apart from its own town.

Ember got us set up in some of the nicest rooms in the castle. More importantly, they were adjacent to the Count’s quarters. We saw him as we entered Saddlegrad’s castle, an old yet regal dark gray unicorn wearing a fur-lined robe and an ornate golden crown that covered his horn. Ember didn’t bother to introduce us to him as he rushed us past, instead deciding we’d have a better chance of following him if he didn’t recognize us.

Once we were in our rooms, we slept up until the sun set, getting ready to stay up all night if necessary. Once night fell, we slept in shifts, with two ponies awake at all times to keep an eye out for the count. Sometime during Mephalda and Steadfast’s shift, I was woken up. The Count was on the move.

Careful to remain unnoticed, we followed him down the halls of Saddlegrad’s castle. Interestingly enough, he wasn’t alone. By his side was the Countess, his wife, all the way out of the keep. We waited a minute or so after they exited the castle, giving them time to get far enough away that they wouldn’t hear us exit, before following them.

Upon exiting, I knew we’d made a mistake. The Count and his wife were nowhere to be seen. Splitting up, we looked in every direction from the castle until we finally caught sight of them. They were down near the bank of a nearby river, and we quietly crept down until we were in an opportune spot to watch what they did next.
They stood and talked for a while and things seemed pretty innocent at first. Maybe Ember was worried for nothing. Maybe the Count just wanted to get some time alone with his wife away from the pressures of court. Then he suddenly bared his fangs and sank them into his wife’s neck.

I watched in shock as the Countess slowly died and fell to the ground. Saddlegrad’s Count was a vampire! A vampire, with the Vigilants of Steedarr so close by this entire time! And on top of that, he’d just killed his wife!

“Forgive me, my sweet,” he said, wiping her blood from his mouth and drawing a silver sword, “I shan’t be joining you in Aetherius.”

“Stop!” I yelled, jumping out of the bushes, unsure of what had possessed me to do so.

“Who are you?” Coming Dusk asked, turning his sword toward us, “Vigilants, here to take me in at last?”

“Actually we’re not,” I said, “We’re just visitors passing through Saddlegrad.”

“Visitors?”

“Yes, and we saw what you just did.”

“Oh, thank Buckatosh,” he said, dropping his sword to the ground and confusing us all.

“Excuse me?” Mystic asked.

“I was hoping somepony would come,” he explained, “Now I can be with my wife in Aetherius instead of becoming a restless spirit. I was going to kill myself, but now you can do it.”

“Whoa,” I said, “Slow down. Why would we kill you?”

“Because I want you to.”

“I’ve been count for hundreds of years,” he went on when we all responded to his previous statement with confused looks, “Every few decades I’d fake my death, make myself look younger, and take my own place as Count. But it was so tiring. I’ve lived so long that I long for death more than anything, the ability to escape this world. My wife and I, we were going to do it together, but I couldn’t let her kill herself and become a ghost. She deserves so much better. I killed her so that only I would need to commit suicide. But now you’re here, and you can do it.”

“I – I don’t know,” I said, “It wouldn’t feel right to just kill you.”

“Do you know what it’s like to have lived for centuries?” he asked, “To watch everypony and everything you know turn to dust? I knew the Alicorn Empire at its height, I watched the Gates to the Beyond open, I witnessed the Great War devastate the land. Do you know what it’s like to watch everything you worked so hard to create burn?”

“Do you know what it’s like to live as a creature of the shadows? To force others to die so you may live? To have a dark desire within you to feast on the blood of other ponies, many of whom you call friend? Do you know how that feels? I do, and I don’t wish to any longer. I long for death. Will you be kind enough to give it to me?”

“Well, when you put it that way . . .” I said, looking into the Count’s tear-filled eyes.

Hesitantly, I took the silver sword from him. Closing his eyes, he removed his crown, revealing the smooth curved horn of a vampire unicorn beneath. Tossing it off to the side along with a folded piece of parchment, he prepared himself for death.

The sword was shaking in my magic as I prepared to plunge it into him. Could I really do it? Could I kill the Count of Saddlegrad, even if he was a vampire and longed for death? I knew this was what he wanted, but even so, I closed my eyes as I stabbed the sword through his exposed chest.

“What’s happened here?” a scrawny and scared voice suddenly came from behind us.

Standing in the bushes we’d been hiding in was Ember, staring at us and the Count’s dead body with horror.

“It’s complicated,” I told him before he bolted, and I began to explain what exactly had happened.

◊◊◊ ◊◊◊ ◊◊◊

Ember listened patiently to our story, drinking in every word. He had great respect for the Count, and in the end helped us to take the bodies away for a proper funeral. The Count’s secret would not be shared, he assured us. The scrawny unicorn had no intention of tarnishing Coming Dusk’s long and prosperous reign.

The crown and parchment I placed in my saddlebags for later. So far as I knew, the Count had no heirs, but a suitable pony would need to be chosen to take his place and run Saddlegrad. No doubt the parchment had some instructions on it that would be helpful in choosing a successor.

After preparing the Count’s and Countess’s bodies for burial, I brought the parchment to the steward. While he found it odd that we’d been around when they had died, he took Ember’s word that they’d died of old age, and not something more sinister. Saddlegrad’s royal court convened as the steward read the will.

“As I depart this world, I bid a fond farewell to my subjects,” the tawny unicorn read, “I hope that I have served you as well as I could have in my time as your Count. I have no doubt that, even in my absence, Saddlegrad will continued to be the shining example of what Unicornica has to offer. It will be up to you, my subjects, to make it so.”

“As you know, I have no heir, and no close relatives. And as such, there is nopony to succeed me on the throne. Of course, Saddlegrad must have a Count. Because of this, I have chosen a pony from among you to take my place after I have passed. The pony I have chosen as the new Count of Saddlegrad is . . .”

All the noble-ponies assembled in the throne room leaned forward with anticipation, eagerly awaiting the announcement of Coming Dusk’s choice. No doubt each of them was hoping in their heart that he would pick them. But no announcement came from the steward.

At first I thought that he was simply drawing it out for effect. However, looking at him, I could see he was frowning and rereading what was printed on the page.

“No, that can’t be right,” he mumbled to himself, “Excuse me one moment.”

Nervous whinnies came from the assembled noble-ponies as the steward stalked out of the throne room. After he waved at me, I followed. He didn’t stop until he had ducked into the Count’s council room.

“Is this some kind of joke?” he asked, furious, as he slammed the parchment onto the table.

“No, the Count had that on him when we found him,” I said, “What’s wrong with it?”

“Just look for yourself!” the steward demanded, so I did.

“You have to believe me,” I said when I’d read through the whole document, “I had nothing to do with this.”

“I know. I don’t know how you would’ve done it anyway,” the steward said, scratching his head, “The Count’s signature is nearly impossible to forge.”

“You’re worried about what the court will say,” I said when I noticed he was still reluctant to bring the Count’s will back to the throne room.

“Yes,” he admitted, “I can believe the Count would do something like this, but I don’t think the noble-ponies will take it very well.”

“Just tell them what you told me,” I said, “That there’s no doubt this is genuine.”

“Right,” the steward said, picking the parchment back up and steeling himself for what was to come.

“Sorry about that,” he apologized to the assembled ponies as he reentered the throne room, “Continuing: Because of this, I have chosen a pony from among you to take my place after I have passed. The pony I have chosen as the new Count of Saddlegrad is Ember, my attendant for the past six years. He has been kind and respectful toward me all those years, and without the false sincerity many of you nobles have. He also shows wisdom and intelligence beyond his years, and I have no doubt he will make a fine Count of Saddlegrad.”

“This is the final and incontestable act of Count Coming Dusk of Saddlegrad, to be enacted upon the event of my death. Praise be Buckatosh, and all the Equines.”

As soon as the steward stopped reading the will, the room exploded into indecipherable shouting. It came both from the nobles, who were arguing that the Count had no right to place a commoner on the throne, and from the staff, who were giving Ember a hearty congratulations. Eventually things settled down, and the steward agreed he would find an expert in documents to look the will over before the coronation took place, though he was certain the document was genuine.

We wouldn’t be attending the coronation, however. We still needed to get back to Horizon, and I needed to learn Dragonrend. We did however say our farewells to Ember before we left.

“Did you ever imagine you’d be Count?” I asked him.

“Never in my wildest dreams,” he laughed, “Hey, thanks for being there for me. If there’s anything you ever need, just let me know. Well, after the coronation.”

“Of course,” I promised him before we left Saddlegrad’s castle, setting out on the final leg of our journey.

Level Up
Health: 240 Stamina: 230 Magicka: 230
New Perk: Day Air’s Even Drier [Speech] -- You are so adept at persuasion, that your persuade attempts will never fail, no matter how ridiculous your claim may be.
Friendship gained: Ember – This scrawny and insignificant attendant to Saddlegrad’s Count is now the Count himself. While he may not seem like much, Ember is actually quite an effective leader, and a precious political ally.
New Quest: Across the Sea, the End Awaits -- Charter a ship in Anvil to return you to Horizon, so you may learn Dragonrend.

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