Masks' of the Hunters

by Kamer

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Talks and Thoughts

Celestia walked back through the halls of the castle, while Luna headed off to the research group. There was something that held in the back of her mind, something that bothered her about this monster loose from another world. Something seemed off about the way it was acting the way it was behaving.

The monster, or whatever it was, was behaving oddly. First odd thing, it has in its possession a type of magic that has never been seen before. It is untraceable, undetectable, unblockable, and, from what Luna and her team has been researching, almost improbably difficult to match. With these qualities, why hasn’t this creature tried something more drastic, more inline with the villainy that she was accustomed to?

Had this been any villain that was from her world, it would have taunted the sisters endlessly about being able to kill their subjects right under their muzzles. Instead, it continues to hide, only letting some see them. Celestia wondered the streets of the Crystal Empire, in disguise, casting an emotion detection spell, specifically looking for fear and terror. She was only able to find two ponies that were able to describe the pair, called ‘Lamb’ and ‘Wolf’ by the first victim, as her sister had shown her from the stallion’s dream.

Why are they not being grand with their murders, letting many ponies see them in the act? Why do they seem like they are being recluse, only performing a relatively small number of killings? Why are they so skilled at killing, and yet only killing so few? They seem like random murders of different ponies in different cities. Celestia wasn’t able to see an obvious connection between any of them, so targeted murders were out of the question.

From what she could see in the hospital of the Crystal Empire, those recently deceased with either ethereal arrows or ethereal bite marks that only the princesses could see, there were about twenty or so killings that she could find no witnesses to. No bystanders, no glimpses of a black shadow or flashes of a white coat. Not even sounds that one would consider suspicious. Killings that went right under the perception of everypony, except the princesses.

One of the most perplexing aspects of this creature was its motives. To say, Celestia could find none. Because of the general lack of public knowledge, many reasons are ruled out off the bat. Ransom and attention seeking both relied on large public awareness, so those were off the table. Thrill seeking and compulsive killing were gone too. Many of the killings showed incredible skill and forethought, they weren’t dangerous or spur of the moment in the slightest.

Cult killings were in the ballpark, but it matched no prior case of one that Celestia had seen. Either cults lay shrouded in shadows until it was time to execute their master plan, or they were as public as possible to maximize recruitment. Neither of these matched with the act of these killings, their half public, half hidden killing style.

Whatever the reason or twisted motive behind these killings, Celestia was sure that the creature or creatures that were doing this enjoyed their work to a great degree.

Celestia stopped at the doors to her chambers. Something was in the back of her mind, she knew this pattern. Killing in silence, only letting a few be aware, staying just out of hoofs reach. Something seemed familiar. Something she could almost put her tongue on but was gone the moment she tasted it.

She shook her head and walked through her doors. She needed more information. Eyewitness accounts, personality traits, anything that might help unravel this puzzle. There were a couple witnesses that she knew were close enough to talk to. It was going to be a long day.

“Raven?” Celestia called.

“Here, your Highness.”

“Did you get that list of ponies from Luna?”

“Yes ma'am”

“How many?”

“twenty-three, your Highness.”

‘Only twenty-three?’ Celestia pondered. ‘That is so few! But, Luna said that these were the only ones she could find throughout Equestria and the Crystal Empire, so I trust her knowledge.’

“How many of them reside in Canterlot?”

“Princess Luna says that two are in Canterlot, one in Ponyville, one in Appaloosa, six in Manehattan, three in Las Pegusus, four in Cloudsdale and two in the Crystal Empire. four she could not ascertain the location of.”

“Right in line with what I observed from the Crystal Empire.” Celestia muttered to herself, “Very few actual sightings.”

“Can you retrieve a list of addresses for those that are in Canterlot?”

“Of course ma’am. Anything else?”

“Some tea, I think.” Celestia sighed, “This is going to be a long day.”

Luna walked into the hidden room in the archives.

Moondancer and Bright Rune were reading, Ivory was looking over a map and both Radiant and Still Wind were taking what Luna could assume as a small cat nap.

“Good ‘morn to thee.” Luna said. Earning a couple starts from the sleepers and a bow from everypony else.

”Afternoon...”

Penchant was a only a little behind Luna, but was looking straight down at the floor, so his voice even harder to hear.

“How go’th the investigation?”

”goes”

“Well.” Moondancer replied, “We have figured out the procedure for adapting most spells to affect whatever this thing is.”

“Procedure?”

“Right,” Bright cut in, “The spells need a very specific waveform translation in order to affect the arrow,”

“And hopefully whoever shot it...” Still added quietly.

“What is the nature of the transformation? Tis’ linear or otherwise?”

“No,” Moondancer chuckled, “Not even remotely.”

“Oh?” Luna’s curiosity was piqued.

“There are a number of calculations to even figure out the transformation, which is not linear in any sense of the word. Then we need a set of pre-checking modification matrices, which we can’t fold into the existing spell because they are far to complicated and come from different schools of magic.”

“And how many different matrices dos’t each spell need?”

”Does.”

Luna shifted her gaze to make a brief glance at Penchant.

“Anywhere from four to ten,” Bright added.

“Oh.”

“It won’t be the most useful technique in battle if we don’t get the casting quicker.” Still said.

“Battle?” Luna said, “Why woulds’t you think this leads to battle?”

”Would.”

Luna’s glance was longer this time, and more of a glare.

“We I heard thee would’st would like to speak to Us me on a specific matter. I guess this woulds’t would, would, be the subject?”

Most eyes were on the princess, with Moondancer casting a curious glance at Penchant.

“Y-yes Princess Luna...” Bright said, “We just wanted to talk about why we weren’t told that this would be for use in battle?”

“There is no reason to think that-” Luna started, but was quickly cut off by Still.

“So the dead stallion we’ve been around for almost two weeks just kinda woke up with an arrow in his chest and died of an entirely unrelated incident?” the sarcasm was very present in her voice.

“Still Wind,” Luna said, a little harsher than intended, “We-I am a princess, and you will not address me with such a tone again.” Luna made a small glance back at Penchant, who had somehow made himself smaller and even more over-lookable.

“S-sorry princess...” Still said, looking down a bit.

Luna sighed, she had pulled these ponies into this mess and had known that at some point this would come up. They were doubtless some of the brightest ponies in Canterlot. Even Still Wind had a well above average head on her shoulders.

“It’s alright,” Luna said slowly. “I didn’t mean for you to get this far this quickly.

“I can tell you everything now, but please refrain from speaking about this matter to anypony, no matter how close or how much you trust them.”

Everyone in the room was waiting for Luna to finish, while Penchant was trying his best to leave through the crack in the door.

“Yes, these spells will be for battle. No, I do not know of the enemy’s other abilities, or if they have them. I do know what they look like, and what they call themselves.”

Luna ignited her horn, creating a swirling, colorful smoke that gradually took shape. After a few seconds, the forms of the two so-called monsters became clear for everypony to see.

“The thin, white creature with the bow and black mask calls herself Lamb,” Luna began, “As far as I can tell, she is the one who killed our poor homeless stallion here. Her bow is unlike any material I have seen and is likely from somewhere we cannot even fathom.”

“A-and the-the black one, on the r-right?” Moondancer asked, hiding behind her sweater collar, a book and Still Wind.

“That creature is called Wolf. Together, they call themselves Kindred.”

Shudders flowed around the room. Even thinking of being attacked by the one called Wolf was terrifying. All present dreaded thinking what it would be like to actually be attacked.

“Are they dangerous?”

Luna sighed, “Yes, unfortunately. They have killed at least forty between the Crystal Empire and Equestria. Though admittedly the number is probably a little low.”

More shudders followed.

“What are they?” Ivory asked.

“As far as we I, -that is not the royal ‘We’ Penchant. I was talking about my sister and I.”

”Sorry...”

Luna shook her head, a small grin on her muzzle, “We do not know what they are. Mayhaps some form of deamon. A creature from a long forgotten past.

“One thing we do know is they are not from Equestria, nor from even this world.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Still said in disbelief.

“A number of times during Our, my, absence, a massive magical surge ‘neath crystal caves of Canterlot have created a gateway to another world.”

“Wait, is this related to the magical surge that happened a little over two weeks ago?” Moondancer asked.

“Yes, it is.” Luna paused.

“Mine sister has already done exhaustive research pertaining to the gate, and came to the conclusion that nothing organic could have possibly come through, so we both thought it was a non issue.

The room was mostly silent, some shuffling here, mumbling there. Bust still giving Luna their full attention.

“Does this answer all of your questions?”

“Most of them, your Highness.” Ivory said.

“And what, mayhaps, be some others?”

“Well...” Bright started, “Just how far do you plan on going with this?”

“I’m not sure what thee mean. Thou hast-have, already completed what I asked. You are all free to do what thee please.”

”You for those...”

“Thank thee Penchant.” Luna was only slightly less annoyed at Penchant than her sister, but still irked non the less. “You,” she added as an after thought.

“So we are all free to do whatever we want?”

“Yes. Make sure all of, your work is documented before you leave.”

Luna waited for more questions, but the ponies remained silent.

“If that is all, then I shall take my leave.”

Luna turned to the door, which was already being opened by Penchant.

“Thank you Penchant.”

“And if we want to continue?” Radiant asked.

Luna stopped, though did not look back.

“That decision is also up to you. I cannot guarantee the safety of this job, nor can a guarantee that this will bare any fruit, either private or public. I can say that until I say so, you are not allowed to talk about what is happening here.”

Luna then turned back to face the group.

“But it is still your decision to make, and I will respect it either way.”

Luna nodded her head while the rest bowed. Then she turned and left.

Everypony in the room looked around at each other, before Ivory finally spoke.

“Well, we have something to talk about.”

Celestia had finished the first of two meetings in Canterlot, and was now moving to the second.

The first meeting had not really helped her much, as the mare in question had just seen the one called Wolf growl at her, laugh, then leave. She was not able to give the fine details on personality that Celestia had wanted.

It was not all for loss though. Celestia was able to help the mare with her nightmares and get her to see one of the castles in-house psychiatrists. They are very under worked and bored, so they will enjoy the company. It will also serve to keep the problem contained as best as she can. She would never ask Dr. Mindful to talk about her patients, but it would be nice to have some idea of what is going on.

“Raven,” Celestia asked, “Where is our next meeting?”

“The address is an apartment building called Green Pastures on 1592 West Crystal Lane. The apartment number is 316 on the fourth floor.”

“And the name?”

“Marble Grain, your Highness.”

Comments

[DDDDDDDDD23]

Since kindred only goes to people that are destined to die.
I can see the princesses saving a pony from kindred only for them to die from a brain anoryism right after.

[Lorddarkrai2000]

I'd describe why Kindred kills as a Duty that they enjoy. They were born from Death who was tasked to reap the living when the time was right. They inherited that Duty and made a game of it. The pray do their best to live prolonging the hunt and Kindred gets to enjoy the thrill of the hunt longer. A fair deal in some ways.

[Alitaher003]

I'm really enjoying this story, as it is one of the few proper LoL stories out there.
Keep it up!