Tales of a Wizard: Flesh Masks

by Applechip

Chapter 2

“That was a delicious breakfast, Applejack. Thank you for inviting me,” said Twilight Sparkle as she and her friend trotted away from one of the newer diners in Ponyville.

“Shoot, think nuthin’ of it Twi. It’s always nice to shake it up a little every once in a while,” Applejack responded cheerfully.

While Twilight did not necessarily agree with that last statement, for fear that her precious routines might fail her if she doubted them, she did have to admit that the impromptu breakfast was much better than her planned breakfast of dandelion sandwiches. It certainly put her in a good mood as the two friends trotted towards Twilight’s library.

“So what do you have planned for the day anyway?” Twilight asked.

“Not much actually, just finished bringin’ in the apple harvest a few days ago. Granny’s working the stand ‘ere in town, and Big Mac’s busy taking the rest of the harvest to Canterlot where they’ll be sold or shipped across Equestria,” Applejack said with an unmistakable note of pride in her voice. “So for the time being I’ve got nuthin’ to do till it comes to closing time for Granny’s stall. I was going to go by Pinkie’s later. She’s usually good for a few laughs to pass the time.”

“What about Big Mac and hauling rest of the apples to Canterlot, shouldn’t you be helping him?” asked Twilight, thinking of Applejack’s gargantuan brother.

“Oh no, he’s full on helpers. The folks at the train are more than happy to give him a hoof. I think he gives 'em a free lunch for their trouble,” Applejack responded with a slight frown on her face, as though she didn’t like the idea of giving away the apples that she worked hard to buck out of her family’s apple trees.

“Oh, well then, you’re free to browse the library if you get bored. I’m sure there are some books in there that’ll be of great interest to a farm pony like you.”

“Thanks Twi, I might just take you up on that offer. Say, what’re your plans for today anyway?” Applejack asked, and almost immediately regretted doing so.

“I’m glad you asked! My first task is to get Spike to go and get me some more parchment for my checklists. We always seem to be running out of parchment. I wonder why. Then Princess Celestia asked me to look into the history of dragons, I think she’s trying to negotiate with them. Did you know that a dragon’s scales can get as hard as diamonds when they’re fully grown! And then there’s…“

Twilight waxed eloquent about her plans for the day and what she’d already learned about dragons and their history for the next ten minutes as they walked back to the library.

While Applejack found the entire monologue to be about as interesting as a dead tree, she never cut Twilight off or tried to change the subject from the topic she loved so much. Applejack respected her too much for that. So she resigned herself to smiling and nodding her head while Twilight went on with her ramble.

They were nearly at the library, and Applejack’s left eye was just starting to twitch, when they heard it. A deep throated bellow of pure agony thundered across their ears.

“What in tarnation was that?” asked Applejack, eyes and ears questing for the source of the noise.

“I don’t know, but it sounded like it came from behind the library, maybe nearer to the Everfree Forest,” Twilight answered a slight panicked edge to her voice.

“Well what’re we standing ‘round for let’s check it out,” Applejack said. She turned to the direction the sound came from, reared back, and shot off at a full gallop.

While not really wanting to go towards a possible danger, Twilight knew that she had to. It sounded like somepony had been hurt, and if she could help she would. She turned and raced off after Applejack.

Twilight and Applejack were galloping for a little more than a minute when they rounded past the library and the Everfree Forest came into view. Near the tree line Twilight saw two unfamiliar forms lying in a heap. They were two ponies, lying on the ground unconscious.

As Twilight got closer she saw something that threatened her just eaten breakfast. She thought she saw movement beneath their coats, as though their muscles were moving and rearranging themselves of their own accord. When she got close enough for a proper inspection the sickening motion seemed to have stopped. So for the sake of her sanity, not to mention her breakfast, she buried that image in the back of her mind.

The two ponies before them were both full grown stallions, one a unicorn, and the other an earth pony.

The unicorn was easily as tall as Big Mac maybe even taller, but leaner. He had more of a runner’s build, all stringy muscle and long legs. His coat was a dark grey, almost like ash. His mane and tail were similar to Twilight’s except shorter, jet black, and had a constant disheveled look. His legs ended in black fetlocks similar to his mane and tail. But what stood out the most was this unicorn’s horn. His horn was a good couple of inches longer than most unicorns, including her own, and it came to a wickedly sharp point on the end.

This pony looks like he could be dangerous, thought Twilight.

In almost a stark contrast to the unicorn the earth pony was built like a tank, easily matching Big Mac for sheer muscle mass. He was brilliantly colored and had a slight calming aura around him, even if he was unconscious. His coat was a bright white to rival Celestia’s, while his mane, tail, and fetlocks were all a golden yellow so brilliant it hurt to look at him for long. His mane and tail looked like they were styled after the royal guards, short cut and functional so as not to get in the way, but at the same time styled slightly so it looked like they could’ve grown that way naturally.

Any other details were hidden under a very loose collection of clothing that both ponies were wearing. The clothes were far too big for them, or for that matter, any pony Twilight knew.

So why are they wearing them? Twilight thought to herself. Maybe plain, loose fitting clothing is fashionable wherever they’re from. I don’t think I could take two steps in it without tripping over myself.

There were other items on the ground around them. Nearest the unicorn was a large staff with runes engraved on it she didn’t understand, a bracelet, a couple woven rings, and what looked like a smaller version of the staff.

A wand maybe, is this guy a wandering magician like Trixie? Twilight mused, trying not to dwell too long on the memory of that particular pony.

The only thing near the earth pony was a rather vicious, yet somehow elegant, looking weapon. It looked like some kind of bladed staff with the grip in the middle.

A body guard then? Well he’s not doing a very good job if that’s the case, Twilight thought. Still they’re defenceless and right next to the Everfree Forest, they need our help.

“What do ya reckon did this to ‘em? I don’t think we’d wanna tangle with something that could knock out the big-un over here, without him putting up much of a fight,” Applejack said while nervously looking up and down the tree-line.

“I don’t think they were attacked, look at them, no fresh injuries or bruises. Given what it’d take to do this, you’d think there’d be at least some kind of obvious injury. It's very strange." Twilight turned to face Applejack and adopted the same authoritative tone her brother used when issuing orders. "AJ help me round up their gear and clothes, then we’ll get them to my place and I’ll get Nurse Redheart.”

“You sure about that, this unicorn looks mighty shifty,” Applejack commented with a sidelong glance at the stranger.

“You’d rather leave them here?”

“No, no. Oh fine, come on then.”

After a few minutes of struggling they finally managed to round up the strangers’ possessions and clothing. Without the strange clothing in the way Twilight could see the strangers’ cutie marks.

The unicorn had a slightly mystical symbol on his flank. It looked like five silver lines criss-crossing to form a five pointed star, with the points of the star resting on the edge of a silver circle around the star.

This looks somewhat familiar, what was it called? A pent... a penta... a pentacle that’s it! But that’s really ancient magic. I don’t think it’s been used in over a millennia. Maybe he’s a historian or a professor on ancient magic! Twilight thought excitedly, her heart jumping at the possibility of a new source of knowledge.

The earth pony had a strange symbol she couldn’t quite put her hoof on.

It looks like some kind of golden cross. I wonder what it means. Maybe he’s a jewelry maker? No that wouldn’t fit. I’ll just ask him when he wakes up. Twilight tried very hard not to think, If they wake up.

“Alright, let’s get these two inside,” Twilight said as she levitated their belongings and the unicorn in the air beside her.

“I guess I’ll get the big guy,” Applejack said while draping him across her back. “Whoa Nellie, what’ve you been eatin’? He weighs more than four barrels of apples.”

With that they set back toward the library to take care of these new strangers.

---

Darkness, all I could see was darkness. I was floating, seemingly unsuspended, in a thick black fog. I had no way of telling where I was, or even what was up and down.

Wh-where am I? Am I dead? What’s going on? I-I can’t remember what happened.

Suddenly, I felt my feet touch solid ground and my world righted itself as I gained some sense of direction. The thick fog around me retreated and I was left standing on a perfectly flat grey surface. Before I could question my environment any further, some of the surrounding shadows coalesced to a single point about ten feet in front of me. From the darkness rose a vaguely humanoid shape that stood to its full height and turned to face me.

Who is that? Wait, no, no I don’t want to see this. I’m dreaming I have to be. Only my subconscious could be this cruel. Wake up Harry, damn it wake up! I can’t see this. Please... not again.

The shadows dispersed and the figure focused to reveal Susan Rodriguez, a lovely dark-haired woman in her mid to late twenties, wearing a beautiful red form-fitting gown.

The environment around us began to shimmer and warp, like an image being shone through rippling water. Then as suddenly at it started it stopped, and I was standing in the interior of Mac’s pub. The pub was a common hang out for us. It was near enough my home to allow impromptu meals or meetings and was a center of supernatural gossip in the Chicago area. From where I stood, I could see Susan and a copy of myself sitting at a table in the corner laughing over some story I told her.

Susan was a reporter for The Arcane, a little dishrag of a news paper that liked to report on supernatural events. The majority of its reports were stupid things like alien abductions, Bigfoot sightings, and demon babies. How they managed to get a gem like Susan, I’ll never know. Susan had a natural talent for ferreting out the truth, and would often bring back genuine stories for The Arcane, assisted sometimes by a slightly grumpy wizard.

We’d grown close. I’d share some of my more mild stories with her, and even explain some of how the supernatural worked. She would sit just there and listen, transfixed like a kid at a magic show. She’d take some notes of course to take back to her editor, but never without permission. In return she told me about herself, about her life, her dreams, everything.

We were happy together.

Mac’s pub dissolved into a haze of colors, as though the entire room had been atomized. The disparate colors shifted and resolved into the interior of a dark brick lined dungeon. In the center of the room stood Susan, but not the Susan I had first meet. She was garbed in ballistic armor with a variety of tools and gadgets placed in strategic places. She was crouched slightly with two bloodied makeshift weapons raised, ready to strike out at anything nearby.

That was the Susan I’d created. All traces of warmth and kindness were gone from her face, replaced with a cold detachment from the world.

During the event that sparked the our war with the Red Court, I was playing emissary for the White Council and represented them at a Red Court gala. Susan had followed me, she was captured by the vampires and I burned the whole place down to get her out safely, but I was too late. In an attempt to strike at me the late Red Court Countess, Lady Bianca had infected Susan.

Susan hadn’t turned completely, not yet. She wouldn’t so long as she didn’t kill and feed on the life blood of another human. As I understand it, this is a nearly uncontrollable urge. Since that day Susan had joined a group of other half turned people called the Fellowship of Saint Giles, and their assaults against their would be brethren.

All of that was because of me. Susan found out about the gala and had confronted me about it, sensing a story. I could’ve told her the truth, I could’ve told her about the horrors that would be in attendance, I could’ve told her what might happen if she went with me, but I didn’t want to. I didn’t want to damage that curious optimism that resided behind her eyes. So I simply told her not to come, that I didn’t want her there. I should’ve known she wouldn’t be satisfied with that, I should’ve known that she’d follow me.

In an attempt to preserve her well-being, I gambled her soul, and lost them both.

My legs buckled no longer able to hold my weight as I sank to my knees, tears flowing from my eyes.

Susan, I’m sorry. I never wanted this… I never wanted you to… This is my fault, all my fault. Susan, I’m so sorry.

The dungeon dissolved, replaced by the same empty stretch of pavement that went on forever in all directions.

Susan stood in front of me, staring at me with cold, unblinking eyes. Eyes that were covered by blackness, no whites or iris, just complete blackness. Those were the eyes of a Red Court vampire.

That was the Susan I’d feared most. As much as I didn't want to admit it, I knew that one day she would fall to her blood thirst, and would become the one of the same creatures she hunted.

Susan simply stood there and stared at me, a smile slowly spreading across her face. Her smile was too wide, her teeth were too sharp.

No, no no no.

More shadows coalesced around me and resolved into the shapes of other red court vampires. They stood in a perfect circle around me, and every single one of them stared at me with a hungry gaze that nearly made my heart stop right then and there.

No, please stop! Wake up damn it, wake up!

My eyes were drawn back to Susan, and I saw that something was moving underneath her skin. I could only watch in horror, as the woman I loved, became my worst nightmare.

Horribly sharp claws erupted from her fingertips. She proceeded to use them to rip herself free of the flesh mask that she wore over her true form, revealing the black rubbery skin and bat-like face of a red court vampire. She looked back at me and laughed, a long black-spotted pink tongue sliding between her serrated teeth, and backed up into the crowd behind her.

No…

The crowd was enveloping her, obstructing my view.

No, you can’t have her!

She disappeared into the group, mocking laughter coming at me from all angles.

You can’t have her! I won’t let you take her!

The laughter only intensified.

No, no no no.

I looked up at the crowd of monsters, pure and uncontrolled rage burning throughout me like magma erupting from a volcano.

I’ll kill you… I’ll kill all of you!

“I’LL KILL ALL OF YOU, YOU BAT-FACED BASTARDS!” I roared, eyes snapping open as I sat straight up out of my bed.

Off to my side I heard a high-pitched, “EEEEP.” When I turned my head to see what had made the noise, I was given a great view of a textbook labeled, A History of Dragons flying right at my face.

In the brief second or two before it made contact, I managed to form at least one coherent thought, Is that a purple unicorn? And then for the second time in recent memory, my brains were thoroughly scrambled.

Comments

[Gytrash]

Oh nice awakening there Harry. I have to say this is getting more than a few chuckles out of me.

[Xduskreaver]

needs moar.........

[Dragonlover553]

Of course Twilight is so close minded... and this is the person who has run into more "old mare's tail's" than almost anyone else in her country.