My Little Argonian: Family is Sacred

by Warren Peace

Third Dawn (Pt1|Ch11)

Chapter Eleven: Third Dawn

Things began to take shape as my eyes adjusted to the darkness of the hut. The place was moderately sized with what appeared to be only a single other room. Large tribal masks glared down at me from the walls, as if angry at my trespassing. I returned their glaring faces with my own silent snarl before turning my eyes to the rest of the room.

I froze at the sight of a mass of shelves with an even greater mass of ingredients littering them. Roots, mosses, leaves, fungi, plants, colorful bottles of all shapes and sizes. The sight was any alchemist’s wet dream.

So enthralled by the many ingredients that I didn’t notice a sudden silhouette that appeared in the frame of the open door. The unhappy words of the shape’s owner made me and the three fillies jump.

“What are you doing inside my hut? I do not remember saying that in you could strut!” Zecora demanded, trotting in and pulling back the hood of her cloak. The odd glow of her eyes died, though they remained unhappily narrowed. I let my hands rest by their appropriate knives a second longer as Zecora held my unsmiling look.

“Hi, Zecora!” Apple Bloom greeted with an apologetic, guilty smile, “Sorry we sorta came in uninvited.”

“Yeah, the door was unlocked,” Scootaloo added, pointing a hoof towards the still-open door, “We, uh, thought you mighta gotten ponynapped.”

Zecora kept my gaze for a moment longer, narrowed eyes harboring suspicion. After a moment, she turned to the younger pony, face calming. She began to trot around the room, stopping at candles. Mysteriously, she paused at each one, engulfing the wick with her hoofs. There was a sharp click and the candles ignited.

“No harm is done, my little one,” Zecora replied, “I assume, though, that you have come with a question? Or perhaps for an herb or spice that is in my possession?” she gestured with a sweep of her hoof around the room. Her eyes flicked knowingly to the glow on my left arm and side.

“Oh, well actually yes we did,” Apple Bloom replied, happy to get to the point, “Y’see, we’re tryin’ to get our cutie marks in castle explorin’, so we thought we’d go and explore that old castle here in the Everfree forest.”

“Only we don’t exactly know where it is,” Scootaloo chimed in. By now Zecora had lit a vast array of candles placed about the room. She closed the door to her hut, a warm glow now lighting the place up.

“So we came here to ask you!” Sweetie Belle finished, the three sharing a beaming smile aimed at Zecora.

She turned from their smiling faces to my emotionless frown. I remained silent.

“Away from that castle I think you should stay. Many odd noises I heard from it the other day,” Zecora replied to the crusader’s inquiry.

“What sort of noises?” Scootaloo asked as Zecora trotted to a corner and slid a set of saddlebags off her back.

“I fear that, perhaps, a beast has made itself a new nest. To disturb it now would be foolish, this I can attest,” Zecora replied, eyes finding her shelves, scanning over them and brightening as she spotted a particular bottle, “Timberwolves, maybe, I would not be surprised. Going near whatever the case would not be wise.”

“Oh,” Scootaloo said, the faces of the crusaders falling. I kept my gaze on Zecora, not wanting to see their sad faces.

“You have taken on an interesting glow, I see,” Zecora said, turning to me and pointing to my left arm and side with a hoof, “did you perhaps come here for this to show me?”

“I thought that was normal,” Apple Bloom commented, the three crusaders now eyeing me with curious eyes as well.

“That depends on if you’ve got a cure for it, water didn’t work,” I replied evenly, eyes flicking to the bottle she’d grabbed, “It also depends on how much it costs.”

“I am not surprised it did not wash off with water. The glow is oil based, to remove it is harder,” Zecora replied knowingly. She glanced to the bottle in her hoof before offering it forwards, “A simple brew, I shall give to you.”

“How much?” Hesitating only for a moment, I took the bottle she was holding out. A fizzing liquid washed around through the half-opaque glass of it.

“From you I shan’t ask for payment in coin or favor. To not help others in need gives my mouth a bad flavor,” Zecora replied.

I held her gaze for a moment, trying to find some sort of deception in her eyes, some form of veiled malice. I found nothing, “Thank you. Do I drink it or rub it on the affected areas?” I asked.

“The next time you bathe bring it to the tub. It will come right off, just be sure to scrub,” Zecora replied, turning and trotting over to her saddlebags. I checked the cork stopper in the bottle, making sure it was tight, before sliding it neck-first through a loose part of my belt, “I would wash that clothing too, if I was you. Until it touches flesh the oil will not show. If you touch soiled cloth, again you skin will glow.”

You could use a bath anyways, my mind commented, you probably smell terrible.

Shut-up, I replied, noting in the back of my mind that I probably could use one.

“Well I guess this means we won’t be gettin’ our cutie marks in castle explorin’ after all,” Apple Bloom moaned, the three crusaders looking downtrodden in sad unison.

“Perhaps I could take you three there another time,” I reassured them with a small smile, Maybe I’ll have my acolytes clear out that castle as part of their training, I thought.

“Really!?” the three exclaimed, zipping to my feet and gazing up with a speed that threw me off guard.

“Yes,” I promised, taking a small step back as I again flashed them a small smile.

“Perhaps it is wise then that to Ponyville you return. If you’ll excuse me, there’s a brew I must churn,” Zecora said, digging around in her saddlebags.

“Oh, well bye, Zecora!” Applebloom said, trotting out the door.

“Yeah, see you later!” Scootaloo chimed in as she followed her friend.

“Bye!” Sweetie Belle added last, giving Zecora a wave before disappearing as well.

I turned from Zecora, heading for the door when she spoke.

“One thing I must ask before you go. You seem a different person when a child’s face does show?” Zecora inquired with a curious tone, the feeling of her eyes digging into my back as I faced the door.

Pausing, I continued to face the open door, remaining silent for a moment…

0 . o . 0

“Waste of a good septim,” I mutter into my drink.

“A waste?” he turns to me, incredulous, “Aram, we weren’t any different from her at that age. Lost, hungry, without anyone to help and guide us through the hardships of life...”

0 . o . 0

I shook the memory from my head before it turned ugly, setting my focus on Zecora to help keep it at bay. She stared back, awaiting my reply with a mysterious look.

“Children deserve nothing less,” I replied before heading after the three younglings.

0 . o . 0 . o . 0

Edge of the Everfree forest...

The trip back was as uneventful as the trip there. Despite this, I still kept my eyes and ears open for peculiar sights and sounds, or a lack thereof. My hands hung by the hilts of my knives just in case.

The crusaders chatted animatedly together, already planning on new ways to get their cutie marks. I was glad to see that the setback of not being able to explore the castle hadn’t fazed them. No matter what, the children always seemed to bounce back.

We parted ways as the forest let up, trading goodbyes as the trees gave way to the grassy hills around Fluttershy’s cottage. The sun had risen in the sky, near its peak now, as I headed up the path to the cottage.

First things first, I need to get this stuff off me, I mentally growled down at the two glowing spots on my body, Maybe there’s some hot springs nearby I could use.

Like the ones back in Eastmarch you used to visit with… my mind began.

Quiet! I snapped back before the thought could finish, I don’t want any... A cry for help, a fleeing quarry, a fateful decision…“Damnit!” I growled, squeezing my eyes closed and unconsciously striking out with my right fist.

The blow fell with a thump on Fluttershy’s door, her cottage now before me atop the small hill. I gritted my teeth at the pain that raced up my right arm, thankful that it drew away my unwanted memories.

“Oh! Coming!” Fluttershy’s voice came from within the cottage. Muffled noises made their way to the door before it swung open, revealing Fluttershy. A mass of feed lay behind her, a group of eating animals amassed around it. She smiled at the sight of me, “Oh, there you are! I was just about to come looking for you.”

A quizzical look crossed my face at the statement, Why? I wondered, before speaking my earlier query, “Are there any hot springs or bodies of water nearby I could use for bathing?” I asked.

“Well...sort of,” Fluttershy replied, a tad confused. She stepped back, allowing me to enter before closing the door behind her, “But, um, I could just draw you a bath. I...think my tub should be able to fit you, if you’d like,” she continued, noticing my annoying glow as I turned to her, “Oh, you must’ve run into a glow-trap pod out there,” she looked back up at me, “You’re okay?”

“I’m fine,” I confirmed with a nod.

“Good,” Fluttershy smiled. She began to trot off, “Well I’ll go draw you a bath, then. Though water won’t get rid of the glow, you’ll need…”

“I know. Zecora gave me a mixture,” I cut in, tapping the flask attached through my belt.

“Oh, that was nice of her,” Fluttershy said with a small smile, “I’ll go get your bath ready, then.”

0 . o . 0

Fluttershy had left after filling a short porcelain tub with warm water, taking my gloves to wash separately. If there was any of the glow-trap oil on them I didn’t want it coming back the next time I slid them on. Lest they become soaked and soggy, she’d also removed my bandages, revealing that my wounds were healing nicely. My cast, however, she declined to remove, mentioning some sap she used to make the thing waterproof.

Ensuring that the door was closed, as it was annoyingly barren of a lock, I disrobed quickly. Making sure that my knives were within my reach should I need them, I slipped into the small tub. It was a somewhat tight fit, but the water was soothingly warm, reminiscent of the hot springs I was used to using in the southern reaches of Eastmarch. They were larger and far less crowded than the bathhouses in the cities. I hadn’t visited them in some time, not since Aven…

No, I told myself, not wanting to think about the man I called brother, knowing what memories it would bring up...

0 . o . 0

The decision is mine to make, an arrow waiting nocked upon the string of my bow. The prize is getting away as he calls out for help...

0 . o . 0

I clenched my needle-sharp teeth, balling my fists with a growl as I banished the memory to Oblivion.

Deal with it, you made a mistake that got him killed. You could have chosen to…

“To Oblivion with you!” I spat back.

“What was that?” I heard Fluttershy’s voice mumble from somewhere beyond the door.

“Nothing that con…nothing important!” I called back, reaching over to grab the flask from the floor beside the tub. Uncorking it, I poured it over my arm and chest, scrubbing at the glow to get my mind off its bitter thoughts. To my relief, the glow-trap pod oil came off easily, fading into the warm water of the tub.

I gave a quiet sigh of relief, glad to have that taken care of.

There was a quiet knock on the washroom door, Fluttershy’s voice coming shortly after, “You mind if I come in?”

My head snapped to the door, “Yes, I do mind,” I replied quickly, trying not to sound too harsh, “What do you want?”

“Oh, I was just wondering if you’d like me to make you something to eat?” her voice replied back, pausing for a moment as if in thought, “Do, um, argonians eat sandwiches?” she finally asked.

Sand witches? I wondered with a confused frown, “What?”

My sentiments exactly, my mind concurred.

“Oh, um,” she stuttered under my questioning tone, “Well, it’s, um, pretty much two pieces of bread with...stuff inside, fruits and veggies...usually.”

“And it’s called a sand witch?” I asked, face turning to a simple frown, Odd name for such a thing.

“Um, yes,” Fluttershy said, “Would you like one?”

I considered for a moment, my stomach lightly heavy with hunger, “Yes,” I said, “please.” If I don’t like it I can always grab a few more of those apples.

“Okay, then,” Fluttershy replied with some added cheer to her voice, “it should be ready by the time you get out.”

0 . o . 0

I allowed myself the pleasantry of the warm water for a short while longer, soaking up the glorious warmth until the water had almost grown tepid. Slipping out, I quickly dried off and redressed—if putting on a belt and undergarment could be called such a thing—before making my way to the cottage living room.

Fluttershy was nowhere to be seen, a few of the cottage’s animal inhabitants resting or playing about here and there. The pile of feed I’d noticed earlier was now gone. Fluttershy’s head poked around the doorway to the kitchen, her eyes finding mine, and a kind smile sprouted on her face.

“You can, um, come in here to eat if you’d like,” she suggested before her head disappeared once more.

I frowned, standing where I was. This room was fine, no reason to…

Just go in there, you fool, my mind cut in, or I’ll keep bothering you until you do.

With a resigned sigh I limped over to the kitchen doorway, heading in.

Fluttershy stood on her hind legs at the counter, slicing up an assortment of vegetables with a knife. Four pieces of thinly cut bread lay off to one side, two apiece laying on two porcelain plates.

Fluttershy flashed me a quick smile before returning to her chopping. I grabbed another apple from the fruit bowl, taking a crunchy bite of the delightful fruit.

“Oh, um, you can eat all this stuff, right?” Fluttershy inquired, gesturing to the assortment of vegetables before her.

I gave a quick glance over everything. Chopped carrots, diced lettuce, sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, and celery. I gave a nod, Not to say I ate any of that stuff in Skyrim, I thought to myself.

Humming a quiet tune to herself, Fluttershy piled the a helping of the assorted veggies onto one of the slices of bread per plate. With a smaller knife, she smeared a small dose of milky sauce onto the other slice and then set it atop the other, creating what was apparently called a sand witch.

I don’t get it, my mind commented, it doesn't have anything to do with either sand or witches.

Hopefully it’ll at least taste decent, I replied, finishing my apple as Fluttershy placed both plates on the small table in the center of the kitchen. She gestured for me to have my seat opposite her, taking her own and picking up her sand witch with her hooves.

She ate at her food slowly, taking small, nibbling bites. I looked down at the odd food item, picking it up and taking a small bite myself. The food offered little resistance against my needle-sharp teeth, a concoction of flavors and textures meeting my tongue as I chewed. It was decent, certainly not as good as apples or mead, even fish, but rather tasty within its own right.

“You like it?” Fluttershy asked with a small smile, food paused before her.

“Yes,” I replied simply, taking another bite, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” she replied with a smile, resuming her eating.

A few bites later, an inquiry found its way into my head, “Will I be able to take this cast off soon?” I voiced it.

“Hm?” Fluttershy asked, swallowing her food, “Oh, your cast. I think a day or two more at the soonest, depending on how well it’s coming along. You’ll want to do some light exercises with your leg so the muscles don’t atrophy too much, but nothing too strenuous,” she finished with a small smile, “The same should be true for your other injuries,” she continued, gesturing to my chest and arm with a hoof, “just light exercises to get everything back in shape.”

Good to know, I thought to myself, eyeing the cast with a hidden annoyance, this thing’s going to make it impossible to teach my acolytes anything useful when it comes to fighting or sneaking.

Which you still won’t be teaching them for a week after everything comes off? my mind put in, more a statement than a question, You’ll be adhering to the light exercises regimen, correct?

She’s being over-cautious, I should be fine, I retorted as I took another bite.

“So, um, I saw Twilight earlier today,” Fluttershy began in a conversational tone, ending my internal debate.

I paused briefly in my chewing, glancing to the pegasus at the mention of the unicorn’s name. The purple pony was annoying with her constant inquiries and irritating ideals.

She probably thinks the same of you, my mind said.

Be quiet, I replied, swallowing.

“She said that you don’t, well, come from anywhere around here. I guess that’d explain why I’ve never heard of an argonian before,” she continued, trying to make conversation.

And why I’ve never seen a talking horse, I replied in my mind, otherwise remaining silent.

“Um, so, she said it’s called Skyrim?” Fluttershy continued, a bit put off by my silence, “It sounds kind of like a place pegasi would live.”

“There’s no pegasi there,” I replied simply.

“I know,” Fluttershy said, “Twilight told me.”

I gave the pegasus a suspecting glance over my lunch, What else? I wondered, That horn-headed bitch better not be using Fluttershy to get information from me… I thought with a scowl, remembering her questioning last night.

Fluttershy remained silent herself for a short time, enjoying her lunch. I took the time to dig into my sand witch further, finishing most of it off before Fluttershy spoke up once more.

“So, um,” she began quietly, “Did...or, do you know how to get back?”

The question made me pause once more, remembering Sithis’ words to me…

“But...fulfill...my...wishes,...my...plan,...and...you...will...be...rewarded...with...the...love...of...your...family...”

“Not that I want you push you to leave or anything,” she said with a kind smile, “I was just…”

“No, I don’t,” I lied, flashing her a quick attempt at a reassuring smile that came out as hardly more than a grimace, “But it doesn’t matter.”

“But why not? Won’t someone miss you? I know my family and friends would miss me a whole lot if I went missing,” Fluttershy replied, looking shocked at my words.

“Mine don’t,” I retorted, my tone gaining a slightly annoyed edge at her continued pestering, They’re the whole reason I’m here in the first place. I didn’t say.

Fluttershy seemed taken aback at this, “B-but, why? Don’t you think your parents miss you? My parents would be horrified if I went missing. D-don’t you think they care about you?”

I met her eyes, fists clenching and unclenching, a scowl crossing my face. It wasn’t aimed at her…

0 . o . 0

Tears and ashes mingling in the snow that burns my bare feet. Filthy fornicating whoreson racist nord bastards..!

0 . o . 0

“My parents are dead,” I said with a chill to my voice, the words turning Fluttershy’s curious face into one of shock and sorrow.

“Oh, I...I’m sorry,” she said with sincerity, her eyes boring into me with care. She reached across the small table to put a comforting hoof on my arm, I let it remain there, “Do you, um, want to talk about it?”

“No,” I said, probably with more venom than was needed, “Why in Sithis’ name would I?”

She’s just trying to show that she cares about you, Aram.

The roads to damnation are paved with good intentions, I mentally retorted with a snarl.

Quoting lines from that priest? What was it you said about the Nine Divines all that time ago? ‘To Oblivion with them’, was it?

Shut-up! I replied with a mental growl.

“Oh, well, sometimes talking about the things that hurt us with friends helps us feel better,” Fluttershy replied, flinching at my tone, “it usually helps me, at least, to get it off my chest. Keeping stuff in like that isn’t always best when you’ve got a willing friend. I-I should know.”

“I got over it a long time ago,” I snapped, not bothering to consider whether or not it was a lie. Not stopping to consider the sudden weight in my chest.

“Oh,” Fluttershy said, finally retracting her hoof, “I’m sorry if I was too prying.”

I grunted as way of accepting her apology, finishing my food and standing from the table, “Thank you for the sand witch.”

“You’re welcome, I’m glad you liked it,” Fluttershy said, some of the cheer in her voice sounding forced past some of her remaining sorrow, “Can I get you anything else, or..?”

“I’m fine,” I replied, “I think I’m going to go rest up a while…” When you have seen your third dawn...three shall come, young and strong… the words echoed in my head, “I’ve got a busy day tomorrow.”

“Oh, okay,” Fluttershy said with a smile, no doubt happy that I was finally accepting her request to rest more.

0 . o . 0 . o . 0

...

It was a simple enough contract, reminding me somewhat of my bounty hunting days. The target had gone into hiding with a group of bandits based out in a cave. The parameters were lax: anything in the cave was fair game and we were to eliminate the target by any means necessary. No bonus, but that was no surprise, that bastard of a listener always kept those ones for himself anyways.

We, as I had been assigned a partner for this kill, were in the middle of the cave already, sneaking down the dark tunnels and either dodging or killing any stray bandit guard that got in the way.

I had the lead, my body kept low to the dark ground, daedric knives in my hands as my heart pounded gently in my chest. The cramped tunnel we were currently traversing suddenly lifted into a gargantuan room, a few bandits standing idle a ways away. Despite the distance, I instantly knew that one of them, standing in the middle, was our target.

“That’s him,” I said, the whispered words feeling cumbersome as they dropped from my tongue.

Silence replied.

I turned my head, annoyed at a lack of response, only to find that my partner was nowhere to be seen. Shadows had taken their place, swallowing them and the rest of the cavern tunnel behind me.

Frowning with a hint of dread licking at my heart, I searched around, scrutinizing the shadows around me for any hint of them. I spotted nothing.

Mouthing a quiet curse, lest I risk being heard, I turned back to the large cavern the tunnel had led to. Startlingly, a guard was headed my way, oblivious to my presence if his gait and emotionless face said anything. My heart pounding, I scanned over his body for a target, eyes landing on his neck and grip around my weapons tightening. None of the other guards appeared to be looking my way, but one cry from this one, any excess noise, and they would be onto me.

Heart continuing its frenzied dance, I waited for the opportune moment to strike.

Five yards...four...three...two of them...

The second he drew near enough, I lashed out with my knifes. The dark blades swished silently through the air. The first I put through a slit in the side of his breastplate, penetrating one lung to stop any cries. The second, in tandem with the first, bit deep into the side of his throat. Warmth coated my hands as growing red smears appeared where my knifes met flesh.

Yet instead of letting out a whimpering gurgle and collapsing into the shadows, the guard let out a hoarse cry as if I had merely startled him, alerting the others in the great cavern. I pulled my knifes clean, turning and sprinting back down the tunnel, my cover blown, escape was my only option. I’d need to get out of the cave, find a set of shadows to hide in, and wait for the target with my bow.

From nowhere a guard appeared in the tunnel ahead. A hood filled with blinding shadow covered his head, his armor vaguely familiar as the swords clutched in each hand. Not stopping, I slashed at his throat once I drew near, but the man was faster, he always was. His blade was nothing but a blur as it shot forwards like lightning, striking me in the chest. It slid through my armor and into me with ease. Weakness sucked the life from my limbs as I fell to my knees, the world fading to blackness around the man and me so that the two of us stood in a black abyss.

A growing warmth sprung up in my chest where the blade had stabbed me. My breaths grew short as I found it hard to breathe, likely a pierced lung. I tried to get up, counter and kill the man, but my limbs felt like thick lead, immobile as mountains.

The hooded man stared at me, content to stand there, watching me as if I were no more interesting than an oddly shaped rock or bug. Glaring back into the abyss-dark hood as I tried to force my body into action, sucking in painful, short breaths, something in my mind clicked. The armor and the weapons told me who the man was. Even though the man’s face was cloaked with the shadow of the hood, I became aware of what lay underneath.

“No,” I choked out with disbelief, my tongue swollen in my throat.

Deaf to my word, the man let his blades fall to the blackness of the ground as he knelt before me. His hands, moving in slow motion, hooking into the blackness of hood and lifting it away to reveal his face.

“N…” I tried to say again, my swollen throat unwilling to let me speak.

The man’s skin was a light tone, the general shape of his face told me the man was of a nordic descent with some traces of imperial blood. His expression was harsh, cool brown eyes regarding me with a demanding look. His lips parted, a single, demanding word lifting from his lips.

“Why?”...

0 . o . 0

My eyes fluttered open and I was awake, the dream lifting into nothingness. I lay still for a time, the pain and guilt washing over me like a fading stream of water until it, like the dream, faded from my memory.

“Not my fault,” I muttered at the ceiling, mouth twisted into a sour look.

Knowing I wouldn’t be getting back to sleep, I threw my legs over the side of the bed, cast thumping loudly against the cold floor. Wondering at the time, I lifted my gaze to the window to check the moo...three dark shapes stared back at me, their outlines flinching as if startled. In an instant I drew one of my knives, the same movement carrying me forwards to grab the leftmost figure.

Soft, furry flesh yielded little resistance to my naked hand, the figure giving a yelp of pain and surprise. Two other startled cries of different pitch sound off as I pulled my hostage away, pressing my knife to where their neck should have been. The other two made to move towards me.

“Move and I kill your friend! Who are you!” I growled, quickly glancing over the rest of the room to find no others present Could be more in the shadows, keep your guard up! I warned myself, “Speak!”

“Oh crap!” a voice, male by the sound of it, stuttered as he and his other accomplice halted, “W-w-we don’t want any trouble. We...we just…”

By his voice, the speaker would be little trouble. The stuttering fear giving away the lack of experience...unless he was faking the fright to get my guard down, it wouldn’t work, “Who sent you?” I demanded. I threw my eyes about the room again, all was still dark, my adjusting eyes found nothing but the three figures.

“I...what..?” the male continued to stutter, “Um...we…”

“The creature of stone! The creature of stone!” my hostage, a female by the voice, frantically cried, pain lacing her voice, “We were told we’d find Aram something-or-other here! Something about some new job! Training!”

I froze, snarling face turning quizzical. The creature of stone? Throwing a glance to the bedroom window I noted it was still rather dark outside, hardly the dawn yet. But if she knew about the creature of stone...

“Aram what!?” I growled, loosening my grip only a little on my hostage.

“I don’t remember!” she replied, “Some fancy hard-to-remember name! We were…”

“Falíe,” the third figure spoke, feminine but with a deeper voice than my hostage.

“Yeah, Falíe! Aram Falíe!” my hostage cried out, lightly squirming in my grip as if uncertain to remain still or try to flee.

I grew quiet again, letting silence fill the room once more. My hostage shifted her footing in my grip, her breathing quickened with adrenaline. By now my vision had fully adapted to the light.

The male appeared to be a whitish unicorn, his mane a silvery color that seemed to shimmer in the dull light. He was sweating like a waterfall, fearful eyes looking from mine to my hostage. My hostage had a much darker complexion, her mane jet black. Two feathered wings brushed against my sides agitatedly. The second female, the deeper-voiced one, was a larger pony with neither horns or wings, her coloration was brownish. Her sparkling green eyes stared at me wearily, her stance aggressive and ready, the only threat in the room...

“So...um...are you..?” the male voice trailed off from the darkness, derailing my train of thought.

“I’m Aram Falíe,” I confirmed, not moving.

“I was gonna...uh...ask if you were g-gonna let go of my friend?” the unicorn replied with an quick and uncomfortable smile, gesturing with a hoof to the pegasus in my grip.

I hesitated only for a moment before releasing her and taking a careful step back...if they were sent here for other means…

I’m sure they aren’t, you paranoid bastard, my mind put in, You’re too paranoid.

You’re not paranoid enough, I snapped back, watching as the pegasus turned about, massaging her neck with a pained look.

“You okay?” the unicorn asked the pegasus, stepping towards her with a worried tone.

“Yeah, I’m good,” the pegasus replied, then to me with a crooked smile, her glimmering golden eyes flickering briefly to my cast, “You’re damn fast for a cripple.”

“It’s just broken,” I replied flatly, looking over the three ponies as they stared back at me, “So you’re the ones sent by the creature of stone? My acolytes?”

Looks like it, three of them, my mind put in.

“Provided you’re who you say you are,” the pegasus replied, glancing to her comrades, “Yeah, that’s us.”

Then first things first… “So what’re your names?” I asked.

End of Part I

Author's Note:

Well it's finally out. Yay! Another chapter I don't particularly like.

I'm sorry to say that I'm gonna be taking a quick break from this to finish up another story I'm writing. It's only got two or so more chapters left to it and I hate having it just sit there on Hiatus.

Comments

[TopDark]

I sqeed way to hard when I got an email about this update, while stood in a rather rough pub. I'm not so sure I'll be allowed back now. Worth it.

[Omega Infinita]

Noice. Very, very Noice.

[SGT Barn]

.......GAAAAHHHHH

[SkaterStreak]

Wow over 40,000 words you really must have a lot of free time

[Sound Wave]

This.. just.. This! Can't wait for more!

[Mrazi]

Ugh, I was hoping the promised trio would somehow be CMC.