• Published 20th Sep 2012
  • 5,348 Views, 137 Comments

My Little Argonian: Family is Sacred - Warren Peace



After breaking the fifth Tenet, an assassin from the dark brotherhood gets sent to Equestria.

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Bleeding in the Firelight (Pt1|Ch8)

Chapter Eight: Bleeding in the Firelight

“Why!?” I demanded, taking a menacing step forwards, hands gripping my sheathed knives. My black-on-gold eyes burned into her accusingly.

Twilight didn’t back down, her face twisting into a scowl.

“Because you didn’t want to tell me what you were doing out here!” she snapped back, “if all you came here for was to learn about plants why didn’t you just tell me? The way that you kept telling me: ‘oh, it’s not your concern!’ made me think you were performing necromancy out here or something!”

Aram can hardly light a candle with magic, I wouldn’t be worried too much about something like necromancy.

Quiet, you! I growled back, then to Twilight, “I didn’t tell you because it’s not your concern what I do out here.”

“I...what...what is with you?” she inquired, annoyance levels clearly rising as her brow furrowed even deeper into a scowl.

I don’t know, but it’s really annoying, isn’t it?

I said: shut-up! I glared back at Twilight, “There’s nothing wrong with me.”

If you don’t count the insanity part, my mind added. I didn’t bother with a retort.

“So why didn’t you just tell me that all you were doing out here was collecting plants!?” she indicated with a hoof to the satchel, “I would’ve left you alone. Hay! I could’ve even helped you if you’d asked nicely, but no! Why!?”

“I didn’t tell you because it wasn’t your concern,” I replied with a chill to my voice.

“But...I...you..!” Twilight began, she turned away with an annoyed groan, “Celestia’s horn, you’re unbearable!”

He tries to be.

Oh, go to Oblivion! I snapped back.

“You know what? Fine. I officially don’t care anymore!” Twilight said, making her way through the brush and away from Zecora’s hut. Seeing as how I had no other options, I followed in silence, “I thought that maybe I could learn a thing or two about an alien creature that landed on Fluttershy’s front porch, but no! Instead he hurts one of my friend’s feelings, tells a few fillies to go sabotage stuff, and won’t tell me anything about himself...” she paused mid-gripe, “...well besides some names from his homeland…” I tuned her out as she continued on her rant, making her way noisily through the forest.

A windless chill pierced through the endless trees, far from the harsh nip of Skyrim’s unparallelled cold but still enough to be discomforting. No more light penetrated from the long-gone sun, though a glance through the canopy showed occasional twinkling stars above. The quiet song of the crickets had...I frowned...the crickets had grown quiet.

A twig cried out as it was tread underfoot behind me.

I spun around, wavering only slightly as I drew my knives and formed as solid a stance as I could with my right leg in a cast. Squinting against the dark I scanned over the forest behind me. Evil trees, cast in shadow, stood like silent soldiers amongst darker brush.

“...and then I waste almost an entire day following you through the Everfree forest…” Twilight continued, oblivious.

“Quiet!” I snapped in a low voice, just loud enough that she’d be able to hear.

“...thinking that...what?” Twilight grumbled back, her head swiveled around as she came to a halt, eyes finding my aggressive stance. Her angry expression was replaced with one of confusion, “Um, what are you doing?”

“Quiet!” I hissed through my teeth, eyes not leaving the forest in front of me.

A bout of silence took the stage. My ears strained to hear another sound, anything that might give me an updated location of whoever, or whatever, was following us. Twigs didn’t snap by themselves.

“There’s nothing out there, mister Falíe,” Twilight said, stifling a yawn, “Oh, excuse me. Let’s get moving, it’s late and I’m tired.”

“The crickets have stopped chirping,” I retorted, “I heard a noise behind me, something’s following us.”

Twilight rolled her eyes and trotted over to me, “The crickets probably stopped because they heard you coming,” she came to a halt by my side, “you just heard a squirrel or something.”

I remained silent.

Twilight made an annoyed noise, “Here, I’ll cast a quick light spell to show you that there’s nothing out there,” she frowned in concentration, a glow on her horn brightening and better illuminating her lightly strained expression.

“Why weren’t you doing that earlier?” I growled under my breath.

“The magical concentration of the Everfree forest is very low, it’s far harder to cast spells here than it normally is,” Twilight muttered, the glow brightening enough to make me shield my eyes.

Suddenly, the light detached from her horn, rising up above my head and shining down on the area around us. At first my eyes found nothing but trees and dense brush, but then the forest began to move and a pack of figures took shape.

Dark, wooden forms flinched as the light revealed them, lurking not more than fifteen paces behind us. Their eyes glowed dully, wooden limbs creaking like trees dancing quietly on the wind.

“Oh no! Oh no! Oh no!” Twilight mumbled from next to me, fear oozed from her voice, “Timberwolves! Run!” she turned and dashed off through the forest. The light around us died instantly, leaving me in an even darker-than-before haze.

“Fornication!” I spat, squeezing my eyes shut and taking a few steps back to try to improve my night vision faster. Wolves could see better in the dark than I could, hopefully this meant that it would take them longer to readjust as well.

There was a sudden crashing of bushes from behind me and I whirled around, knives ready to slash at...

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” Twilight cried out, worried, her horn glowing dully. She came to a stop before me, “I forgot that you can’t run with that leg brace.”

“Hm,” I grumbled, turning around to face whatever it was that was lurking beyond the haze of darkness, “What are those things?” I growled.

“Timberwolves,” Twilight explained, “in laymare’s terms: magical hybrids of plant and wolf. They prey on the creatures of the Everfree,” she gulped, “alongside a few other nasty things.”

The glow of Twilight's horn increased to the intensity of a small torch, giving us a ring of light that reached out at least three yards. Into this light the timberwolves slunk. The creatures maintained their distance, forming a circle near the edge of the glow. I counted at least eight total.

I hope these things are enough like the ones back in Skyrim, I thought to myself, having tangled with plenty of the creatures in the vast woods of my homeland. Travelling along the roads took too long, and having to face the occasional pack of wolves wasn’t a great enough threat to turn me off from it.

One of the timberwolves feinted towards me with a snarl and a snap of jaws. I met the creature’s snarl with one of my own, baring my sharp teeth with a hiss that made Twilight jump.

The timberwolves spread out just outside the light, encircling us, their glowing eyes searching for an opening and their dripping jaws opened, fangs bared and ready. A stench of rotting wood and flesh met my nostrils, the smell making my stomach churn.

“Oh no! Oh no! Oh no!” Twilight worried, fearful eyes searching and her voice seeping with panic. She turned as the timberwolves spread out behind me, covering my back, “C’mon, Twilight, think!”

“You’re a mage, use a fire spell if they’re made of wood,” I replied.

“Use a fire spell in the middle of the forest!? Are you crazy?” Twilight cried, “oh wait, of course you...augh!” her voice turned into a cry as one of the wolves lunged at her, she knocked it back with a telekinetic shove. The timberwolf bounced off a tree and was instantly back on its feet, snarling and as enraged as ever.

The closest one to me lunged at my throat with jaws wide open. Expecting the move, I met the creature’s jaw with my gloved, right fist. Pain leaped up my arm as I brought the creature to a midair halt and drove my left blade deep into its throat with a grunt.

The blade bit into the wooden flesh with a crunch, meeting only slightly more resistance than fur and muscle would have provided. The force of the creature’s jaw flickered as it gave a pained yelp, more of its foul breath berating my face. I drew my blade from the wound with a war cry and shoved backwards with my right fist, sending the timberwolf sprawling. It thrashed in pain for a few short seconds before laying still and crumbling into a pile of wooden refuse.

Odd way to die, my mind commented, I wonder if they make good firewood…

Without hesitation I brought both knives to bear for the next attack, my arm and chest’s complaining going ignored. I bared my teeth at the remaining timberwolves, lashing my tail and snarling again.

Teach them that you aren’t worth the trouble and they’ll leave you alone, I told myself, eyes flicking between the creatures as they continued to watch from a distance.

A flash of movement from the corner of my left eye told me the direction of my next attacker. I turned and struck with my left blade, using the attacking timberwolf’s forwards momentum to drive my blade past the hilt into the creature’s chest. It thrashed against the impaling object, teeth snapping at my snarling face before it grew still and crumbled into small wooden pieces like its previous friend.

I drew back again as another timberwolf made use of an opening and latched onto my upper right leg, pulling with a growl as it tried to yank me off balance. I countered with a downwards strike to the creature’s snout with the hilt of my right knife, dislodging it and making it retreat a few steps before I could finish the job with a lethal blow.

“Come on, you bunch of fornicating wooden mongrels!” I yelled, taking a menacing step forwards and slashing with both my weapons. The three creatures paying attention to me hopped away from my attack, but failed to make an all out retreat.

Relentless wooden sons of bitches, aren’t they?

Quiet!

The creatures continued to watch from a short distance, glowing eyes scanning for an opening and snarling mouths hungry for a meal.

Two of them lunged at once this time, one charging low and left, one jumping high and right. I spat a quick curse and slashed at the left one’s face. It dodged and, as my arm passed, latched onto my left wrist and yanked hard, pulling me off balance. The second timberwolf smashed into my side, the pain of my injured ribs only knocking me over harder.

The left timberwolf continued to pull painfully at my left arm as I hit the ground, the right timberwolf’s gaping jaws headed for my neck. I brought my right arm around and inserted it between the creature’s neck and my own, keeping it at bay as it slobbered and snapped at my face with vicious snarls. More of its gag-inducing breath was blown into my face and I felt my stomach rise to my throat in protest.

I choked back the urge to throw up and yanked my left arm, knowing I had to get free before the third creature decided to step in and finish the job. The movement pulled my limb from the left timberwolf’s jaws before it could do any further damage, but the creature latched back onto my gloved hand, teeth trying to pierce the hardened leather with vigor.

“Fornicating wolf!” I yelled, shoving with all the strength in my right arm and knocking the timberwolf trying to get past it away.

With that arm free, I rolled left and drove my right blade downwards and into the left timberwolf’s skull. It crumbled to splinters without a sound, sharp teeth relinquishing my gloved hand.

Knowing that the right would be trying to perform a counterattack any second, I rolled onto my back and stabbed blindly forwards, meeting resistance as my blades found the underbelly of the leaping beast in midair.

I brought my outstretched arms to my left, sending the timberwolf sprawling and whimpering as I rolled over and finished it off with a thrust through the throat, silencing it before it could cry out again.

I got to my feet, a few wounds on my left arm weeping slow tears of blood and my entire right side afire with pain. My vision flickered and my balance left me for a split second, threatening to throw me to the ground. I gritted my teeth and caught myself, shaking my head to clear it.

Damnit, if these things keep up then I might as well have died going down that waterfall, I mentally growled, gritting my teeth against the pain.

A flash of light erupted from behind me as Twilight repelled two leaping timberwolves at once. I considered for a moment turning and slashing out one of her legs. With any luck I’d be able to escape while the wolves feasted on her. I took a fraction of a second and let my eyes flicker to the pony behind me, noticing her rigid stance and the wild swiveling of her head between targets. Three of the wolves still watched her while only one remained in front of me. She’d never know what hit her…

But you’d never know how to get back in this darkness, my mind reminded me, and you know that you won’t be able to run with that cast on. Certainly some of the wolves will go for her, but you’re injured just as well. They’ll be on you before you can make it a hundred paces.

I gave an annoyed grumble, eyes flicking back to my single opponent as it...collapsed into a pile of glowing wood chips?

Well that was easy, my mind said.

“Gah! Oh no, no, no!” Twilight cried out. She took a step back, a hind leg bumping into my left one and making her flinch. I turned to find that her attackers had similarly appeared to die, their remains glowing...and moving.

My eyes snapped back to my foe, noting as the glowing wooden debris began to slowly float towards a growing pile a few yards off to our left side. A quick glance told me that the remains of my previously defeated foes were also joining the growing pile of what appeared to be…

“They’re combining themselves!” Twilight exclaimed. Her legs were quaking in fear, her wide eyes giving her the look of a creature frozen in terror.

If I’m going to ditch her then now’s the time! I realized, making ready to escape.

Escape in which direction? Or have you already forgotten that you don’t know the way, you fool! My mind chastised.

“Damnit,” I growled, flexing my fingers along the hilts of my knives.

Everything from long branches to small wooded chips swirled in the glowing pile before me, forming the torso of a giant wolf. Seeing as Twilight would be of no help, I stepped forwards to finish the job once again with my blades.

But there was a sudden lurch as a massive head with two glowing eyes was thrust from the growing mass of wooden debris, a thick leg following, the impact of it hitting the ground jarring my teeth. The large jaws snapped at me, forcing me to stumble back a pace as a blast of its sickly breath flew into my face.

Your bow, you fool! You won’t be able to get close enough to that thing without it eating you whole! my mind cried.

My arm, idiot! I snapped back.

Forget your pain, you weakling! It’s your only chance!

I sheathed my knives and drew my bow up and over my head, the grip fitting nicely in the scaly palm of my hand. I reached back and selected an arrow with my right hand, bringing it around and knocking it to my bow.

The ring on my left hand glowed dully from underneath the pitch black tip, telling me that the arrow of choice was one of the ones I’d poisoned with the goop of my pack.

As good a time as any to see how well this works, I thought to myself.

Another massive wooden paw slammed into the ground, having burst from the growing wooden behemoth before me. The creature’s head lifted and howled into the air as a testament to its unsated bloodlust. Twilight’s ears snapped flat across her skull at the unholy noise.

Without hesitation, I tried to draw the bowstring back to my ear, teeth gritted against the ensuing pain that stabbed into my right arm and chest. I was able to draw it back halfway before my struggling arm failed, the bow sliding back to a knocked position.

A tail sprouted like a tree from the large timberwolf’s backside.

My eyes flickered over to Twilight, her horn still glowing dully as she remained frozen in fear, eyes wide and pupils shrunk to the size of pinpricks. My mind flew back to earlier in the day when she’d shown the ability to carry me around like a floating sack of cabbages.

“Pull my hand back to my ear!” I growled, right arm struggling against the weight of the bowstring as I tried to pull it back again.

“Wh-what?” Twilight asked, turning her fearful eyes to me.

“Pull my hand back, you fool!” I snapped, arm quivering as the muscles threatened to fail me again, “Quickly! With your thrice-damned magic!”

A magenta glow swallowed my right hand and I felt a weight aid me in drawing the bow back to my ear. Twilight’s face knitted with concentration. A third leg sprouted from the congealed mass of timberwolf parts, the massive creature standing almost fifteen feet tall, a sight that sent a single shiver of fear through my hardened heart. The creature took a stumbling step forwards, the stub of its final leg starting to take form.

“That’s far enough, hold my arm there,” I growled to Twilight.

I lined up the shot, sighting down the arrow and waiting for the tingling sensation in the back of my mind that would tell me the best time to…

You’re not wearing your hood, you fool! My mind snapped, Its enchantments won’t aid you now!

The fourth and final leg sprouted to the ground, sending up a small burst of debris as it impacted the forest floor. In that same instant, I let the readied arrow fly, my fingers slipping from the tight bowstring.

The black arrow flew like a creature spat from the deep bowels of Oblivion, travelling the short distance and impacting with a sickening crunch in the massive timberwolf’s chest. It burrowed deep, the wooden hide no match for the nigh unbreakable arrow’s razor sharp tip.

The timberwolf’s glowing eyes grew wide with a sudden fright, looking down at the injury as bubbling sap began to dribble from the wound. An instant later the timberwolf collapsed forwards, smashing face-first into the ground and sending a wave of wooden debris scattering in every direction. Twilight and I shielded our faces from the blast, a few small sticks bouncing off my head and chest lightly.

Before either of us had a second to react, again the pieces took on a haunting glow, separating into eight smaller piles that quickly took the shape of the eight timberwolves. I spat a curse and reached for another arrow as...the creatures fled with whimpers and cries into the darkness of the forest.

Thank Sithis! I thought, exhaling a sigh of relief as the sound of the fleeing timberwolves died off into the distance.

Well that was certainly fun! my mind exclaimed.

Shut-up, I retorted, taking a few limping steps forwards and picking my fired arrow up. I slung my bow back over my head, wincing a bit as I let it rest on my chest. My ring glowed dully as I waved the arrow past my left hand, letting me know that it would at least remain poisoned for a second shot.

I slid it back into my quiver as I turned back to Twilight, who was staring with a sort of dumbfounded awe in the direction of the fleeing timberwolves. Her eyes found mine as I approached.

“Wow. That was...impressive. I wasn’t sure we were going to make it out of that,” she began awkwardly, she let out a sigh of relief, “Sorry again for running off earlier.”

“Don’t do it again,” I replied with a frown, crossing my arms before me.

Twilight returned my frown with an annoyed look on her face, “Look, mister Falíe, it’s not like I did it to purposefully leave you to those timberwolves,” she gestured with a hoof off into the forest as she trotted a few steps closer to me, “I said I was sorry and while I may not expect you to accept an apology seeing as how you’re oh so happy to make them, Fluttershy was willing to accept yours after you yelled at her.”

I only yelled at Fluttershy, you almost got me killed… The words formed in my head, only to be interrupted.

Oh, be quiet, you! my mind interrupted, she obviously didn’t mean to leave you behind so just shut-up and accept her apology.

She almost got me..!

Accept the apology, Aram. It was her that helped you draw that bow back. Without her you’d be dead.

I gave an annoyed grumble, holding out for a few moments before letting out an annoyed breath.

“Fine,” I began, glaring down at her, “I forgive you…”

See, now? Was that so hard to… my mind began.

“...just don’t do it again,” I finished.

My mind gave a mental sigh, I suppose that that’s good enough...for you.

Some of the annoyance left Twilight’s face, and a small smile formed at her lips, “I don’t think you have to worry about that. So long as I can help it, I won’t be following you into dangerous forests any time soon,” she said, giving a small giggle.

“Good,” I replied, “now can we go?”

“Oh. Yeah, let’s get back to Ponyville,” she said, her eyes leaving me as she turned, but quickly returning as they latched onto my left hand, “Wait, are you okay?” she asked, the light of her horn increasing as she more closely examined me, her eyes grew wide, “You’re bleeding!”

My eyes followed hers, finding a small red river slithering down from my left wrist and dripping from the fingers of my glove. She grabbed my hand with her magic, pulling the injury closer to her face.

“I’m fine,” I growled back, pulling my arm from her magical grip.

“You’re bleeding,” she repeated, tone telling me that it wasn’t up for debate. Her eyes turned to my face, “you should stop the bleeding before it gets any worse. I’m willing to guide you out of here, but if you collapse from blood loss then I’m not carrying you.”

“You’re a mage,” I countered, “I’d expect you to know a healing spell or two.”

“Yes, I know a couple of healing spells, but they wouldn’t work on you,” she said, eyes flicking from mine to the wound again, “I don’t know your anatomy well enough. If you were a pony it’d be rather easy to stop the bleeding, but I wouldn’t know the first thing about healing an argonian. At most I can cast a spell to apply pressure to it to slow down the bleeding, but you’re going to need to find a way to stop it the bleeding before we go any further.”

Just use some of that drakesbeard that Zecora gave you, my mind put in, see how well it works.

“Fine,” I said, sitting down and wincing at my multiple injuries. Twilight nodded and her horn’s light increased a tad for a second. A glow encompassed the wound, a sudden feeling of pressure telling me that she’d cast the spell. I pulled the satchel from my belt, opening the drawstring, “get a fire going.”

“We’re in the middle of the woods,” Twilight began tiredly, gesturing with a hoof to all the trees around us, “if we light a fire here we run the risk of…”

“Clear a spot on the ground and surround it with rocks. It doesn’t need to be big, just enough to give me some light,” I cut in, “unless of course you’d like to keep casting that light in a place where there isn’t much magicka to draw from,” I added.

Twilight crossed her eyes, looking up to her glowing horn, “Point taken.”

0 . o . 0 . o . 0

Everfree forest, minutes later...

A small fire cast a mild warmth as I ground a bit of the red moss into a paste. Twilight had been kind enough to find a two stones that served as a good enough mortar and pestle for my needs. Most of my pain had been reduced to nothing with the painkilling liquid from the small root. I’d shared some with twilight when she showed me a bloodless mark on a forehoof from when one of the timberwolves had got in a hit.

Twilight’s eyes reflected the dancing flames as she lay down on the other side of the fire with her head rested on her hooves, watching me as the stones clinked rhythmically together with my work. The crickets had started up their song once more, their dull raspings the only noise aside from the crackling of the flames as they consumed a meal of wood.

“So…” Twilight began, earning a quick glance of my eyes as I worked.

I remained silent.

Twilight cleared her throat, “What’s the land where you come from like?” she asked.

I continued my silence.

Oh, come on, Aram. Give her a bone, you ass! my mind complained, if it weren’t for her, those timberwolves would’ve eaten you alive. There’s no way you could’ve faced all eight alone, much less finished the last one off with that arrow.

I wouldn’t have needed to if not for her loud mouth attracting them, I replied.

Bullshit, my mind retorted, The following part aside, she’s been very nice to you. The least you can do is answer a few questions.

Will it make you shut-up?

Yes, my mind replied.

Fine, then, I thought back. I didn’t take my eyes from my work as I replied, “Skyrim’s cold.”

“Oh,” Twilight replied, perking up as I replied, her previously lowered ears now erect with interest, “Colder than Equestria or…”

“It depends on where you are,” I interrupted, the flames flickering in my upper peripherals as I continued to grind the moss into a paste, “More southwards? No. More northwards? Yes.”

“So do most of the different races there live together in harmony?” Twilight asked, her tail flicking as she readjusted it behind her…

0 . o . 0

Fire at my front, cold at my back, the former reflects in my young eyes as tears and smoke stings them…

...“What do you want?” Grelod asks, “You have no business being here!” The assassin drives a knife through her chest…

...“The emperor’s dead! They’re pulling their troops back to Cyrodiil! The war’s finally over!” They cheer in victory, mugs of mead clink together at my back...

...“You’ll make a fine pair of boots, argonian..!” the bandit cries. I retort by loosing an arrow at him, he drops with a gurgle and lays still...

…“So many refuse to trade with us,” the Khajiit merchant says as I count out what I owe her, passing it over and shouldering my pack, “They think us nothing but thieves and smugglers. I am glad to see that you are not such a one.”...

…“Aram! Help me! Shoot him!” a brother I love cries as I refuse to save...

0 . o . 0

I shook my head to stop the trail of memories, realizing that I’d stopped grinding the drakesbeard into paste. Twilight stared at me inquisitively across the small blaze.

“No...” I began, the rhythmic tapping of the stones starting back up again, “I...sometimes yes...but mostly not.”

“Oh,” Twilight replied, a hint of sadness to her voice, “Did you...did you have a lot of friends and family in Skyrim?”

I turned my glaring eyes on her across the fire as way of reply, stones clinking as they made work of the paste. Small bits stuck to the pestle, almost ready.

“Too personal? Sorry,” she replied back.

I continued grinding the moss for a short time, finding that it was finally in a pasty state. I scooped it off the small, flat stone and smeared it across the wound at my wrist, Twilight released her spell, eyes inquisitive as she watched. As the red paste made contact, a burning sensation assailed my arm, making me give a short hiss of pain and clench my jaw.

After a short minute, the pain grew to a dull throbbing, though no more blood leaked past the wound. I tossed away the two stones I’d been using and got slowly to my feet.

“Let’s go,” I said, gesturing for Twilight to lead the way. She trapped the fire in a magenta bubble, strangling it away before she turned to go, leaving the forest in darkness once more.

Author's Note:

Well this chapter was most certainly a blast to write. A nice breath of fresh air compared to that damn mess of a last chapter. Anyways, looks like I'm back in the feel for things, so more chapters should be coming much sooner.