Essence of the Night Stalker

by Merc Scar

Chapter 9 - Change

Bloody hell, Micheal fumed. Why didn't I ask where north was.

Because you're an idiot, Obsidian replied.

Shut up, or I'll go find a pony to hug, Micheal growled.

You...wouldn't dare, Obsidian gagged.

Micheal could imagine the look of complete revulsion on her face now.

Try me, he challenged.

Shut up and get us out of here, Obsidian hissed. Our enemies could be anywhere. In fact, call the rat. Use your boon and have him send us away.

Don't you think we should use it for something...more valuable? Micheal asked.

You're lost in a supposedly dangerous forest that should be crawling with our enemies, Obsidian deadpanned. Even if you make it out, I'm sure a they will have patrols roaming the edges.

Micheal thought for a moment, and he had to agree it was a pretty compelling argument.

"Fine, I can't deny you on this one," Micheal sighed. "Azmuun'thul hear me, I require your assistance and wish to cash in my boon."

For a moment the only sounds Micheal could hear was the rustling of the leaves and the birds singing in the trees above.

"Already?" Azmuun's voice sounded from nowhere in particular. "I'd have thought you wanted to wait a bit. But no matter, there are no take backs."

Micheal looked around, trying to identify the source of Azmuun'thul's voice, but couldn't see him anywhere. All of a sudden the ground beneath him gave way, the world around him changed from a forest to one of a dull stone walls.

Micheal landed heavily grunting from the impact, looking up he could see he was now in a large room, runed banners and hide rugs were lined around the walls. several chandeliers hung around covered in old wax with new candles adding to the stalactites growing underneath. Dominating the room was a large circular stone table with engraved with several rings of glowing runes.

Here again, they both sighed

"Quickly, before it closes!" A familiar voice shouted from above.

Looking up Micheal saw Gale and Raven diving towards the portal he fell into, straight towards him.

"Oh fuck," Micheal cursed

Not even having the time to get out of the way he was quickly crushed underneath the two bat ponies. Growling he whipped his tail around hellbent on skewering the siblings.

"Wait a moment," Azmuun's voice called calmly.

Looking up he saw the rat overlooking the tangled pile of limbs with a bemused expression. "Strange, they shouldn't have seen that happen."

Leaning in Azmuun'thul grabbed Gale's head and studied the pony, then doing the same to Raven.

"Obsidian, I require your...expertise...on this matter," Azmuun'thul said, raising his staff crackling with energy. Bringing the prongs low he touched Micheal and the feint shadowy mist that usually encased him flowed up to the blades.

Ripping the gathered mist he slashed the staff overhead spinning around and slamming the ground, causing the mist to erupt into a large cloud. Slowly the cloud condensed until a shadowy figure like Micheal remained.

"I'm free," The voice of obsidian echoed from the shadow.

"Not yet. Look at these two," Azmuun'thul said, indicating to the two ponies who had righted themselves and were now helping Micheal up. "Do they seem odd to you?"

Perplexed Obsidian approached Raven who stiffened at her approach, examining the pony she found nothing out of the ordinary, that was until she checked the eyes.

"That can't be possible," Obsidian whispered.

Quickly she shifted he gaze to Gale and stared at his eyes. Observing the same thing, both had a faintly glowing orange halo around their iris, the tell-tale sign that they had succumbed to the Obsidian plague.

But I'm the only one who should be able to cause this, she brooded. It can't be possible...that's not my body.

"What's going on?" Micheal asked.

"It would appear these two are bound to you," Azmuun drawled.

"How do you know about this?" Obsidian demanded.

"Lots of study...the archives deep under Canterlot are quite descriptive about the war of the sun and moon," Azmuun replied with a large grin. "One particular entry tells of one of the Night Stalker spreading a curious blood plague. That she created Nightmare Moon's army to fight an open war against Celestia."

"That was me," Obsidian growled. "But he is not me...it shouldn't be possible that he possesses this power."

"Quite the opposite actually," Azmuun'thul said casually. "The potion I created contained your essence, you two have shared the same body for weeks now. To exhibit some of the powers you had wouldn't be out of the question."

"Can we like back up a few steps and someone explain to me everything," Micheal called.

Azmuun'thul walked over to the stone table and opened a large tome on it.

"It's simple really, you've inherited one of Obsidian's natural powers," Azmuun'thul said, reading the tome. "Your blood bears the incredible ability to transform other creatures into hybrids of yourself. Ah here we are, an excerpt from Celestia's journal..."

"The continued cases of monsters resembling both pony and Night Stalker has been alarming and research has lead me to believe these abominations come about after being exposed to the blood of one particular monster of Nightmare Moon's brood. The mutation of the infected individual does not occur for some time after exposure - either ingesting or contamination through open wounds - and in most causes when the transformation begins it is rapid and extremely painful to the victim, in the rare case transformations can occur slowly over time and be less traumatic, or instead occur in violent stages.

Early in the infection the pony may not realise what will happen to them and will continue to act normally if the method used was subtle, in fact the only method that I and the inquisitors have found to identify the infected is the halo glow around the iris. By the time such infected ponies are found it is too late to save them.

The end result is always the same, a creature that bears some resemblance of the pony they once were and of the demon that caused their damnation, all bear absolute loyalty to their maker."

"There's a little bit more there, but that's just emotional drivel from her," Azmuun'thul finished.

Micheal sat there trying to process what he had heard. "So...Why are they acting like statues?" Micheal asked.

"We're not acting like statues," Raven replied indignantly, then went completely still.

"This is a pocket dimension that we're in, they shouldn't even be here," Azmuun explained. "By this they go into a sort of stasis until you give them notice...It would be from your blood being in them."

"And now?" Obsidian asked.

"I send you on your way as you want, and I suppose you can keep these two," Azmuun answered. "I'm sure this pair will come in handy...As for you Obsidian, I think you can stay as you are and be his shadow."

Azmuun'thul's staff lit up as he pointed it at Obsidian, green energy flowing over her body; he then pointed his staff at Micheal and a small bolt shot out and struck him in the chest. An odd tingling washed over him as obsidian's form began to dissolve and meld with his own shadow.

"There, you have limited freedom to materialise yourself, but not so much that you can run off," Azmuun stated with a grin. "Play nice you two."

With a wave of his staff another portal opened behind Micheal, despite digging his claws into the ground he felt himself being sucked towards the shimmering gate.

"Unfortunately I can not send you far, there is...another, who would see our work undone," Azmuun said venomously. " I will however give you a few interesting things upon your arrival in the north...as well as your old body. And before I forget, I owe you this."

Azmuun pulled the choker Micheal had seen last time and threw it at him hitting him in the face. The impact caused him to loose his grip and go flying into the portal along with the two therestals.

_____

Azura surveyed the damage of the town as she stalked forward her hoof blades clattering on the cobblestones. After Corvus had been blasted into the Everfree a massive search had been started following the trail of damage left in his path, Azura was currently leading a small squad of guard straight to where his crash site should have been.

The trail had led them to a small village in the Everfree and if Azura was correct it was the village of Long Shadows, one of the few places in Equestria inhabited exclusively by therestals; yet right now it looked as if a pack of manticore had torn the place apart.

"Every pony keep an eye out, Corvus could be anywhere around here," Azura commanded.

She was still coming to terms with the Stalkers sudden change, apart from his acts to irritate ponies for his amusement, he never showed any real intent to cause harm on this scale.

"Lieutenant over here! We found a survivor," a unicorn guard called, from a nearby house

Azura rushed over to the guard as more congregated around. The therestal lay on his side blood oozing from wounds clawed along his body; barely conscious muttering.

"They...they're...monsters," he muttered painfully."Please...don't...let...me...become...like...them.".

"Just hold on, we'll get you to help," Azura said, looking at a pair of therestal guards. "Quickly get him out of here, he needs urgent medical treatment."

Just as the pair were about to grab the injured pony dark tendrils began to snake out from his wounds which caused him to writhe in agony, claws began emerging from his hooves while at the same time his muzzle began to extend out skin splitting to form a bloody sharp beak.

"FOR THE LOVE OF THE NIGHT PLEASE END THIS!" The abomination screamed between spasms, a long tendril engulfing his tail with a familiar styled tip forming.

Azura raised one of hoof blades as the wretched beast bellow her look up, eyes glazing over and glowing like warm coals. She struck straight into the barrel of its chest then gave a twist; the mutating therestal twitched a few more times.

"Thank...you. He breathed shutting his eyes before going silent.

"Lieutenant...What in Luna's great night just happened?" One guard asked.

"I'm not sure, but it must be linked to Corvus," Azura answered. "He said more had become monsters...We need to leave immediately and report this back to the princesses at once. Everypony pullout."

"Ma'am what if there are more survivors?" Another asked.

"Then they're likely to be in a state like this one was," Azura said coldy. "This town should have at least a hundred residence...if they're all becoming like this...thing...then we'll be hard pressed to fight them by numbers alone."

The rest seemed to understand the situation and began to make their way back the way they had come, sticking close together looking for any sign of danger. Azura march in the middle of the group, troubled by this finding.

Corvus what have you done, Azura brooded.

_____

Author's Note:

Holy shit its been a while.
Apologies for the wait, work hit me like a bitch throwing me off writing, not to mention this chapter in particular took me several tries, even now I feel it's...lacking, so again apologies.

I think I've gotten the mojo back a bit, so I will endeavour to make the next chapter better than....this.
*waves hands at screen*

Alright have a good one you lot.

Comments

[ReformedNightmare]

New chapter. NOW!!!

P.S.: Pwease?