The bare bones of things
After a very long and absolutely mortifying education in my new biology I walk out of the bathroom. I'm fairly certain I'm blushing with a tittering Celestia looming over me. “Oh come now it wasn't that bad a ten minute span was it?” she asks me and I freeze. It was only ten minutes?
“That was only ten minutes? I could swear it took several hours.” I mention before beginning to walk again. “I should not have brought up Velvet.” I mutter to myself forgetting for a moment that Celestia is with me.
“Perhaps. However I find it encouraging.” She says and I try to look upwards and I'm certain I get the point across but I can't tell until she speaks again. “It is encouraging because it shows that despite all the horrors inflicted upon you that you can still care for another. Even if you need a few drinks first its a good step.” she says and I'm rather confused before a thought crosses my mind.
“Does that mean I'm getting booze?” I ask and I hope to get a brace before I have to deal with Luna.
“I'm sorry but there is an age restriction. You need to be physically twenty-one years of age.” she tells me and my eyebrow raises.
“I am well over twenty years of age.” I remind her and there is no reaction I can hear. “You do realize that I can't hear you shaking your head or nodding or anything of the sort.” I remark without even bothering to phrase it like a question.
“Some questions answer themselves little one... which reminds me... Luna still has to pick out a name for you.” Celestia remarks and I trip. Which is quite a feat considering I wasn't moving.
“Just what the hell gives her that right? I haven't had a name for over seventy years and I sure as hell don't need one now!” I tell her doing my best to spin around but I'm not used to moving like that on four hooves and I end up twisting myself onto the floor and lying on my side while pointing my right forehoof up at her.
“Do you even know what her adoption of you means?” she asks me and I'm silent for a moment before shaking my head. “It means that she's going to be dedicating almost all of her time to you for the next fifteen years at least. She wants to be your mother, she wants you to be her son.” Celestia explained as I clumsily got onto all four hooves again and tilted my head upwards to listen.
“Why? I'm an unstable mass murderer with power over death itself.” I ask as my head starts spinning again. This has to stop sometime soon or I'll lose all sense of balance.
“You are? Really... because you look more like a lost alicorn foal in need of a home and a hug.” she says in a tone I can't identify but it makes me nervous. It also gets me fidgeting a little. Granted I'm not arguing much because I saw how powerful she was and I'm not going to pick a fight with that.
“Well I'm not. I'm a temporarily displaced necromancer and that's that.” I say striking the floor with one of my hooves to emphasize the point.
“Nay! Thou art mine most precious and adorable foal!” A near bellowing voice announces from behind me and I jump in shock and that would be bad enough if I wasn't plucked out of mid-air and quickly held tightly to what I must assume is Luna's chest. It's shockingly hard due to what feels like a cross between a breastplate and a necklace.
I moan in pain due to having the wind pushed out of me than pulled away. Great not only does she have an obscene amount of magic but a ridiculous amount of strength too. “I am not anyone's child.” I wheeze out only just and there is the sound of blowing.
“We dost not care of thy protests small one for it hast been a blessing for us both to have such a chance!” she announces happily and I'm quickly hoisted onto her back and carried off.
It takes me a moment to process the rapid changes. The bouncing trip doesn't help and I'm positive Luna is skipping as she goes. “What in the pits of all seven hells are you doing?” I demand and she stops for a moment and I feel the muscles on her back move a little and I think she's turned to look at me.
“We shall explain more when we have entered thy new chambers my foal.” she tells me and the ride is much smoother as I turn things over in my mind. She wants to be in a private area... so assassination? No, probably not... I guess...
“Good afternoon princess.” someone says and my head spins to face whoever it was. “And you too little prince.” he continues and my eyebrows go up. The question eats at me for few moments before I have to ask.
“Exactly what did he mean by little prince? How well-known am I?” I ask and Luna laughs lightly but doesn't answer. So I have to sit and balance myself on the overly eager and ridiculously powerful entity that was now insisting she was my mother. “I should have never modified my phylactery...” I say with a sigh. The multiverse had gone insane since I did.
“Since thou modified thy what?” Luna asks and after a moment I grin. Time for a little payback.
“Thou shalt know when we have arrived at mine new chambers.” I tell her in imitation of her own accent. She comes to a complete stop and I wonder if I crossed some unseen line. Then to my surprise she giggles and continues the trek. I'd personally been hoping for a snort of annoyance.
The rest of the trip quickly passes in silence and then Luna suddenly stops and I fall off. Before I can hit the floor though she catches me with her magic and I'm lowered gently the rest of the way down. “We have arrived my foal.” she says and I hear a door open slightly and she walks in. I follow the sounds but misjudge the distance and bump into her rear legs. I've run into softer stone so I fall flat on my rear. “Oh my... be careful my foal. T'would not do for you to be harmed.” Luna reminds me as I pick myself up with a sigh.
“So this is my room?” I ask already planning to use a flash of fourth sight to get a look of the room.
“It is my little foal...” Luna says then I presume she looks back at me. “Why art thou channelling magic?” she asks and I grunt in pain as I get a picture perfect image of the room and quickly do all I can to commit it to memory.
The room is huge. At least half the size of a tavern dining room. A low hung bed is against the far wall with bright red blankets which contrast the dark green walls. A desk with a couple of books standing up was opposite of the bed with a strange chair... it's probably made for ponies. There is a tall basket next to the desk and a bookshelf beyond it. Opposite of the bookshelf is a dresser and on the wall to the left of the door are three hooks embedded in the wall.
“I was taking a look at the room.” I say calmly as I mull over the layout in my mind. Compared to most upper-class rooms it's downright humble. Still being bare as it is it's less I'm likely to trip on.
“Was thy look enlightening? The chamber is to thy taste we hope.” Luna says and I nod. “We shall admit 'tis rather small.” she says.
“I've lived in caves for a long time. This is comfortable.” I tell her with a slight smile. I'm actually starting to believe they don't mean me any harm... still I shouldn't let my guard down.
“Now my little foal sit down upon thy bed and we shall explain why we have chosen to be thy mother.” Luna says and I walk past her before clambering onto the bed. I turn and sit facing her. “Art thou comfortable?” Luna asks and I nod. “Now which question dost thou wish for us to answer?”
“The adoption now... please.” I say remembering my manners at the last second.
“'Tis the unfortunate truth that the unknown frightens the masses. When we were feared and on the rarest of occasions attacked we descended into a brutal monster. When thou were feared and frequently attacked thy retained thy patience and simply sought to survive. I admire that my little foal.” she tells me and my eyebrows go up and I start thinking. Is this the history I had sensed between the two sisters?
“Despite this admirable strength of character thou need guidance within both a new form and world. Furthermore we searched deeper than our more trusting sister. We have seen that thou art self-taught and hold many mistakes for fact.” she continues and I flinch a little. Yes she's right but I really hate hearing it.
“Also we do not trust the nobility so dearly as our sister. Shielding thou from negative influences and helping thou heal will also be needed tasks...” Luna begins to explain and I can no longer stay silent.
“And what are you getting out of this exactly?” I ask because I can't really think of anything she's gaining for the sheer amount of effort looking after someone completely blind will be.
“We shalt be getting a most adorable foal for a son.” she says sounding genuine but I don't buy it. “We shalt finally have a most adorable subject to pour all of our affection upon.” she continues in a slightly lowered tone and then I'm grabbed and nuzzled.
“So you are just looking for something to love?” I ask stunned by this. What was I to her? Some plaything to put bows on and coo over?
“Make no mistake, thou art not a plaything. We desire a foal to love and teach. All foals need guidance and we desire to grant it, and as many foals thou art new to this life and world.” she explains her voice trailing into an ethereal tone. She then puts me down but not before I get a kiss just under my horn stump.
What is up with this woman? This is just seriously wrong even if she's being honest. “Necromancers aren't exactly lovable.” I tell her and I hear nothing but I guess she's smiling. I don't know.
“We shall decide that for ourselves my little foal.” she says gently before humming a moment. “Ah... thou also asked of the title of prince thou hast received.” she mutters mostly to herself but I nod anyways. This place is confusing but the sooner I get things moving the sooner they can crash and whatever assassins are hiding will come out.
“All living nobility is as descendent to our sister and us. The nobility in their foolishness grants greater privilege to those whom resemble us more closely. Furthermore thou hast also been adopted by us.” she explains and I turn it over in my mind. It makes some sense because it appeals to the vanity of most nobility but there is still another question.
“Foolishness?” I ask singling out the word and tilting my head a little closer in expectation. I get a slight nuzzle for that. I try not to flinch.
“Ourselves and our sister may be the diarchs of Equestria however it is not our nature that allows us to rule. 'Tis experience and compassion that grants us our reign...” She explains before trailing off. Why would she... oh yes the brutal monster bit. “Now... we asked thee a question little one. Dost thou remember it?” she asks and I nod.
“There are two types of phylactery. The type I use is a crystal with a rebirth spell in it.” I tell her and guess she's going to ask what the normal type is and what a rebirth spell is. I sigh and decide to just answer before asked. “A rebirth spell let's you return from death one time per cast. It also has a time limit lasting only a day and a night. Putting it in a crystal takes away the time limit.” I tell her and I guess her eyes are wide at the implications... I miss being able to see...
“Than in what manner lays the other form of phylactery?” Luna asks and I can't stop myself grimacing.
“A soul jar that binds it's owner into an unending half-life.” I tell her bluntly and there is a gasp from the mare.
“'Tis most foul!” she chokes out in disgust and I nod.
“It is also the cowards way out.” I say sternly, a little surprised we have something to agree on but this is a fairly black and white topic.
“Why would thou name thy rebirth gem after such a wretched object?” she demands sternly and I cough into one of my hooves.
“I didn't... others did. Since I returned from death time and again many thought I was a Liche. Because of this a guild who called themselves 'Hunters of Death' tracked me down and blasted me with undeath destroying energies. When such attacks failed they interrogated me for a day before letting me go.” I explain and I can't hear her breathe anymore... what in the hell is going on?
“We must assume there is more. What occurred next?” Luna asks me and I realize that I literally had someone listening with bated breath. How strange...
“After that I was occasionally known as the Liche who Lives and due to that title I became a great object of fear. Many presumed that this knowledge was born of vile experiments. It was not.” I say and I feel a clenching on my heart. This was one of those times where my life went from bad to worse. I didn't like thinking about it too much.
“We have heard enough. If thou dost not wish to then thou need not continue.” Luna tells me and I feel much less tense and... something else... its familiar but I can't name it.
“Thank you. It is... hard to talk about.” I say slowly, not really believing that she's being this considerate.
“If thou art ready then we shall give thee a tour so that thou might familiarize thyself to the palace.” she says and I turn over the idea. Probably a trap but I'm already in close quarters to a much more powerful enemy so why not? I nod and hear her move a little. Assuming that she's moved already I slide off the bed and slam right into her leg for the second time. “Art thou alright?” she asks me and I shake my head a little to clear the slight ringing sensation then nod.
“I'm fine. It's just hard to navigate anywhere when blind.” I tell her and there is a silence.
“Yes 'tis rather awkward to interact with one so... impaired.” she admits in a tone I think is sheepish. “Perhaps we shall move with some effort of sound then.” Luna states and I nod with a slight hum of confirmation. After that I hear crisp sounding hoof falls despite the carpet and I then very clearly hear the door unlatch. Why wasn't it that loud before? Is she enhancing the noise? Probably.
We leave the room and she heads to the right and I follow with a few metres between. It's all the space I need to run. There is an interesting echoing effect so I assume the roof is much higher than in most buildings. It's possibly domed which is great for bouncing sounds around. Suddenly she comes to a stop and I pause in time to not slam into her for a third time.
“'Tis a restroom so thou may relieve thyself. When thou has regained thy sight then ye shalt receive larger and more accommodating quarters.”she explains and I am thoroughly confused.
“Relieve myself of what? Exhaustion? I thought that was part of what the bed is for and that's in my chambers.” I ask confused. I mean the chamberpot toilet was in the bathroom which made some sense as Celestia told me both bathtub and toilet were often in the same room.
“No it's a lavatory. They use many different words for it now.” Luna tells me and I sigh.
“Well that's just confusing.” I state and walk towards the wall... “Erm... where is the door?” I ask and there is a hollow knocking sound so I assume Luna just knocked on the door. I put my hoof on it and begin feeling around until I feel the doorknob. “What in the?! Round doorknobs? How do you even open them?”
“Ponies of all races yield a telekinetic ability within their fore-hooves. It allows a very firm grip.” Luna tells me and I nod and will the knob to turn with my hoof and it does so with ease. I give a little cry of surprise as I learn that this door opens inwards but I catch myself with little issue.
“I take it I'm mostly in the room proper now right?” I ask bracing myself for a headache.
“Thou art... planning to use the sight spell?” Luna asks and I nod before focusing and it feels like the roof came down exclusively on my head. Still I got the imprint of the room. It was all glossy stone with what looked like an emptied pool at the opposite end of the room. To the right was a toilet and to the left opposite of the toilet was the sink. It... looked nice I supposed. I'm more used to holes by trees and such.
“Seems a little much for... dirty deeds...” I say wryly and there is a snort of amusement from behind me. I reach out to my left and grab the door as I back up. I could not had grabbed the flat wood with a normal hand. This could be useful.
“Perhaps to some tastes.” Luna says in an amused tone as I close the door.
“So where to next?” I ask and she clucks her tongue for some reason.
“Art thou going to cast thy spell within every room we enter?” she asks and I shrug.
“Depends how often I'm going there.” I reply and there is silence for a moment.
“Fair enough. I'll show you to one of the smaller dining rooms. Unless it's taken to your room you are likely to eat in our next destination.” Luna tells me and leads me off for a few minutes.
Then without any warning I get a feeling of entropy and agony from underneath me. “What the!?” I demand in shock tiling my head down to the floor I try to sense it further but then I get a feeling of solidity in a pattern.
“What has occurred my foal?” Luna asks and I try to sense it further. It's folded up in on itself. The agony pouring from it is horrendous but there is no spirit remaining. That I can sense at least.
“We're standing over a dead body. It's folded up and died in horrible agony.” I say surprised to find a corpse inside the palace. Most nobles have the decency to cremate their enemies or dump them in a river.
“What!? Under which tile does it lay?” she demands and I try to feel out where they are and stomp down at the tile just in front of me.
“Mostly this one. Not all of it though.” I say and step back as I feel magic being used and there is a crack then a grinding noise as the strangely thick tile moves up. A quick howl of putrid air rushes up surprising me and a sharp musty smell of death descends moments later.
“GUARDS!” Luna screams out with enough force to blow away some of the air and when my ears stop ringing I hear dozens of hoof-falls rushing towards us. “Our foal hast uncovered the results of murder most foul. We want this investigated post-haste!” she commands as I cough in the now dusty and putrid air.
“He died in there. Forced in he died in darkness and despair.” I say as a flurry of images floats towards me. Why though? I'm not concentrating so I shouldn't be feeling this unless... his spirit is still here. ... About time something normal happened.
Stats
Page generated in 0.045 seconds
Total duration
975 users online
1,770,600 hits today, 2,561,572 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
This will be fun. The necromancer gets to potentially talk to a dead pony.
*stares at view number at bottom of chapter*
*stares at chapter comments*
...Wow, I'm the first person to read this one? Nifty!
(Probably not first poster, though)
Edit: Yeeeeeep. In the intervening time, twenty others took a gander, and one of 'em commented.
Still stunned I managed to be the first here to read this thing.
Ohhh a restless pony spirit in the castle, now hes going to demostrate some of his powers and instantly indetify the killer also he will gain his cutie mark in necromancy!
Or not it's not like i can predict the future or anything...
Very interesting story so far. I wonder who died in there, and how long ago this was. Maybe the culprit is still alive?
Woot
Well then, necromancy is indeed useful for something other than armies of the undead. Very clever way of using that particular brand of magic.
1590029
Nah, the view counter just takes a while to update. It's most obvious on new stories (and chapters in stories) by authors with large follower counts, because there will be multiple comments and likes, but the view count will still be zero.
1590242
I clicked on the "Click here to go see it" thing the moment I got the Email alert, I just responded to a couple PMs on FFNet and took my time reading this before commenting.
So, while plausible, it's not all that likely?
Yay. Once again, Talents associated with evil are not evil by default.
Good stuff, though you've been mixing up "then" and "than" a fair bit.
Hurray! Looks like the original use for necromancy(speaking with the dead) will get a use in the next chapter.
I like this story...
also you should so put a tits or GTFO moment in your story somewhere LAOWL! dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Lyra_dealwithit.png
wow best cliff hanger ever
Sure its not the best of stories, but Im liking it so far!
I just have one gripe. Why is Luna talking like that? Of course if this was set before season two or shortly after Luna Eclipsed it would be understandable.
WOW. This is really interesting! I cannot wait for more!!! =O
I find it kind of strange that they're treating him like a little kid that's lost even though they know what he really is.
I am loving this story so far
PRINCE BLUEBLOOD DID IT! I'M CALLING IT RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW!
>> Lesolan maybe it's Rarity BUM BUM BUUUUUUUM
Well that was unexpected.
He's still blind and nearly without magic but he manages to make himself some reputation.
I'm mighty curious where it'll go.
This seems interesting..... will love to see who it is that was shoved under the tiles. I wonder if some one of the castle servants/the like were killed and replaced by someone.... be they a changeling or what not.
hmm cant wait for the next update and im going to say it now i think he will get his cutie mark from this
This story is so epic.
Really how awesome is it for a "plays with death like a kitten with a ball of yarn" Necromancer to be forced into being Luna's kid! Its funny, awkward, and freakishly seems to fit something she might do.
The only flaw im going to bother pointing out is that you seem to be hurried and moving to quickly in the story. At this point i dont think we would have minded a "Slice of Life" for a few days before the murder plot started.
Your characters are interesting and the plot so far is great, you just need to take your time and let the story naturally flow.
OOo Someone finnaly gets to flex their necromancy muscles.
Nice chapter my friend, though I feel the Necromancer should be more outraged/irritated at being treated as a child, what with him being over a hundred and all. And even angrier at possibly being given a name by someone else, even if they want to be his mother, when he can still remember his own mother.
Looking forward to more.
i read this other one that was started similar to this and it was canceled
also
MOAR!
This is a great story I really like it. :D
But the fact that you spelled Lich wrong sort of bugs me but then again its nothing mayor.
Keep up the great work :D
I'm loving this, just can't wait for the next chapter!
hoo things are getting interesting
Is he going to have to raise the dead to defend himself, maybe against a wolf pack and he raises a manticore!!!! That would be fantastic
! Pleasepleaseplease make it happen
Oh! Can someone make a pic about the necromancer foal?
This is so awesome... O_o
Oooooh an oubliette? maybe? This has piqued my interest even further!
1597834
The old English spelling of the word Lich is Liche.
1607247
Well look at that you learn something new everyday.
:D
1590029 5 days and thirteen hours ago, there were none. Now there is 1500 exactly.
OK, so murders begin a week (or less) before he arrives. Suspicious?
Thus far, this is proving to be very interesting.
-- ... ... ...BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
this story just keep getting better and better!
Huzzah for normalcy! 8D
Several times you use the word "than" instead of "then". Please, fix this. It pains me for such easily correctable errors to occur.
He shall be a Necromancer and a Homicide Detective!
o-o
HE WILL UNCOVER EVERY CRIMINAL AND BE BATPONY! DETECTIVE BATPONY!
Okay, I'm getting tired now, so I will catch up with the rest tomorrow.
But for now, I'm guessing his special talent is going to be helping
the souls of the dead in some way or another.
Tis already has is built into it. 'it is'
Yay; finally someone who shares my explanation of why ponies with flat hooves can grip objects! Also this story is very well written, i will read the rest of it now.
This is a good story, but I seem to see a lack of commas. It gives the narrative an odd run-on feel at times.
You should be using "thee" rather than "thou" in both places within this sentence.
I forgot to pay attention, so I'm not sure whether that was the only place where you made a mistake and I also didn't get a proper impression of whether it was a typo or a lack of knowledge. As such, I'll err on the side of giving too much information and explain:
"Thou" is the 2nd-person singular subject pronoun (the counterpart to I/he/she/they) and you want the 2nd-person singular object pronoun (the counterpart to me/him/her/them) which is thee.
(I've worked with thee and thou enough to just intuitively know which is appropriate but the simplest non-intuitive way to check is just to substitute something which does have different subject and object forms. For example, in this case, it's very obvious that it's wrong when you replace "thou" with "we" and get "Shielding we from" rather than "Shielding us from".)
The Grammar section of the Wikipedia Thou page makes a great reference for that and several other related bits of early modern English.
Hmmm something normal!!
OMFG! THISH IS SHO EPIC!! ARGHHEHGHAGHHG!!!
HAHAHGAEOAGOF"cg t *head hits keyboard*