Twilight kidnapped and forced into necromantic experiments.
"To resurrect the dead alot of power is needed, so what better source is there than you my dear Twilight Sparkle?" It was all explanation she got before the first experiment, now a month later she can hear the sounds of war emanating from far below, one side is doing their best to free her, for the other side she is merely a tool a way for the king of the dead and harsh lands to the east to gain more influence.
"Life is change, chaos, filth and suffering. Death is peace, order and everlasting beauty"
(Story will contain necromancy, undead beast, vampires and the like if that is not your kind of story then this is probably not for you.)
"There goes the west tower." A grey unicorn stallion with his long black mane tied up in a top knot said as he looked out of what was left of the windows from the main tower, seeing one of the many towers of his castle collapse after being hit by a large boulder, toppling over and crushing a few ponies under its immense weight, shaking the ground with a deafening rumble, causing a massive dust cloud to envelop the battlefield below.
"Seems we are loosing brother dearest, the western wall is gone and the south isn't looking much better." A light grey unicorn mare with long silky black mane said, as she walked up next to him, looking down at the remains of the western tower, earning a snort from the stallion, who didn`t even bother to turn his head towards her.
"Guess it was just a matter of time before they broke through" The stallion snorted, looking at the mayhem below with as much interest as one would give a cart rolling past on the streets.
"Huh." The stallion snorted looking out in the distance, narrowing his eyes slightly as he grabbed the mare and took 3 fluid and quick steps out of the way as another boulder flew through the broken window, crushing one of the few ponies remaining in the tower and hurting another one, before getting lodged in the opposite wall with a crunch.
"Milord we are loosing this battle, we must escape now!!" Greenleaf, a thin and green coated unicorn with a scroll as a cutiemark, shouted as he got up and shook himself free of the debris, his eyes wild with panic at how badly the war outside were faring, he had to the annoyance of his lord been trying to convince him to retreat or flee for almost the entirety of the last hour.
"Are you okay Nightshade?" The armored unicorn asked, releasing the mare from his embrace having shielded her from the worst of the debris, both ignoring the others remaining in the room and in turn none of the hooded ponies in the room even looked at the stallion that got hit by the boulder.
"As okay as somepony nearly getting hit by a boulder can be." She calmly answered, straightening up up and shaking her mane free from dust, ignoring the cries of the wounded pony.
"Greenleaf will you come over here?" The armored unicorn barred his teeth as he walked over to the big hole in the wall.
"Uh okay." Greenleaf nervously answered, walking up to the hole and standing next to the armored unicorn, doing his best to ignore the fear of being so close to the ledge.
"Can`t feel my legs!!"
"Now can you be so kind and explain how they managed to bring catapults and trebuchets without us knowing?" The unicorn growled as he put a hoof around Greenleafs neck, forcing him to just stand on the tips of his hooves at the hole in the wall to get a better view of the battlefield bellow them, turning his head slightly so he could see the several catapults and trebuchets off in the distance.
"Uhm I-I don`t .... know?" Greenleaf stuttered, swallowing loudly, feeling a wave of nausea washing over him as he looked down over the warzone down below.
"Gah I can see the bone sticking out!!"
"You don`t know? weren't you ordered to be taking care of intelligence?" He smirked as he shoved Greenleaf so he leaned out of the hole
"Y-yes sire b-but sire I assure you, I have no idea at all!" Shaking violently as he tried his best to back up and get away from his masters heavy hoof.
"Then you better find out" He whispered in his ear as he shoved Greenleaf through the hole, smiling to himself as he heard him scream all the way until his body hit a small balcony before landing hard on the ground, nearly hitting two soldiers who looked up at the tower before turning their attention back to the battle.
"Still he might be right, we are losing soldiers and subjects at an alarming rate brother dear." The mare said, as she walked over and leaned her head against his shoulder.
"Guess you are right." He sighed, taking a last look at the battlefield before walking over to the few remaining ponies in the room.
"Seems he finally shut up." He said, looking down at the broken stallion with a frown, nodding approvingly at one of the hooded ponies standing with a bloodied hoof over the corpses head. "Now my dear gentlecolts I will show you that the king did the right choice."
"Come and look at the peasants of Equestria running around like the ants they are, take a good look while you still can." He smirked with a knowing look in his eyes, lighting up his horn filling the room with a dull green glow.
"Well? we are not amused baron Blackthorn, nothing ha-" One of the hooded stallions who had been standing nearby to keep an eye on the lord, frowned after a few moments of nothing but the sounds of war outside, before turning quiet at a sudden earthquake shaking the entire castle, shaking loose a few bricks from the hole.
"This is what will befall all who opose the king of Morsus." He laughed as he pointed a hoof towards the warzone, as all of his troops as on que began retreating and running into the castle, dropping any weapon they had been holding, even the necromancers leading the mad dash into safety.
"W-what is going on?" One of the other stallions said as he saw the earth itself begun to expand upwards like a big boil, bursting open with a deafening roar as something of gigantic proportions burst forth.
"Is that a dragon?!!" He continued, walking closer to the hole to get a better look at the scaly behemoth sloshing off the muck and dirt that was its birthsac with a quick flap with its ruined wings.
"A zombie dragon and yes it is mine all mine." He closed his eyes and smiled, listened to the sounds from far down below as the undead beast charged at the attackers, spewing forth massive streams of green liquid, causing everypony to get hit with it scream in agony as the flesh begun melting away and armor rusting and warping.
"By Sleipnir himself......the king will be very pleased to hear this! how did you manage to ressurect a dragon?" Another stallion said as he looked at the scene in amasement.
"It's all about finding a magic source strong enough to bind enough necromantic energy to raise it from its slumber to wreak havoc." The armored stallion waved his answer away with a hoof, like it was a mere colt asking something childish.
"W-what did you use?" The same stallion asked when he finally managed to tear his eyes from the gargantuan beast, chasing the breaking ranks of Equestrians leaving dozens writhing in pain on the ground.
"That my dear is a secret until I have perfected it."
"What will you do with the ones who fled?" The first hooded stallion asked, as he saw a few ponies running from the warzone hidden enough by the mayhem.
"Let them run, they have met with fear, it will grow and spread." The armored stallion continued, lighting up his horn again causing the undead dragon to stop hunting the few survivors, causing it to stop and raise up on its hind legs emiting a deafening roar and a great wave of green flames in the air. "They will think twice before facing Morsus."
"Mhm, well gentlecolts it seems we have seen enough, time for us to move out or was it something else you wanted?" Another of stallions said having stood in silence and unmoving since the battle had started hours before, a surprisingly large and wide stallion, looking back and forth between the ponies in the room.
"No, you may leave now." The armored stallion said taking a heavy breath, before continuing. "Now if you excuse me, I have some matters to attend to, why don't you show these gentlecolts out?" He asked looking at his sister who stood giggling at the scene below. "Oh and make sure to find Greenleafs corpse and have it sent to my chambers I will not let him go unpunished."
"As you wish." She nuzzled him lovingly, turning around towards the others in the room and giving them a small bow. "Please follow me."
>--------------------------------------------A few minutes later at the highest chambers of the castle----------------------------------------------<
"Well, have to say that was a success, don't you agree princess?" He smiled looking down on the purple alicorn, laying on her bed, with a heavy chain going around her throat like a leach and fastened to the floor, himself enjoying her reaction immensly at showing her what had occured outside with a simple spell.
"... I hate you...." She mumbled, closing her eyes as hard as she could, with tears staining her purple fur.
"I couldn't really hear you there my dear, you have to speak up." He leaned down to her ear as he heard her mumble something between sobs.
"I-I *sniff* I hate you." She managed to cough, opening her eyes and staring at him with hatefull eyes.
"Oh you haven't felt hate yet, not yet." He grinned as he stroked her mane.
"Now, now my dear you've done a great thing for me." Blackthorn smirked, sitting down on the bed beside his new toy, slowly stroking her mane with a sigh.
"Get lost you piece o-" She growled, swatting his hoof away, only for Blackthorn to quickly grab the chain and yanking it up hard enough to strangle her slowly towards his face.
"Even your mood can't get to me now, but I do not tolerate bad behaviour understood?" He growled back in her face choking out the little air she had in her.
"Ghhh y-yes sorry s-sorry phhh-phhlease." She gasped out fearing he would actually get rid of her, coughing in pain as he finally let go of her chain, causing her to flop down on the bed and rub her neck for a moment swallowing a few times and coughing weakly, before finally being able to speak again. "W-what do you want then? to torture me more? drain me of more blood?"
"Ah my dear that whole spectacle I showed you put me in such an incredibly good standing with the kings little puppets that I wanted to..... shall we say reward you, you will attend my dinner, I will order my servants to make sure you look and ...smell proper." Grinnnig as he hopped down from the bed and messed up her mane with his hoof, scrunching up his nose at the end of his speech as he breathed in her scent, the scent of fear, sweat and dried tears.
"I can even stretch so far and let you use female servants this time." He chuckled as he walked out the door giving her a last look before ordering the guards outside to shut it, leaving her alone for now, to fear what was in store for her.
------------------------Meanwhile a few kilometres away from the castle.------------------
"I-I think we lost it captain." A young brown stallion grunted, finally catching his breath leaning against a rock and looking back from where his little group of soldiers had fled, such a long path up halfway some ragged mountains.
"Y-yes we we made i-it." An older unicorn stallion in full golden armor without the helmet, which he had thrown away during the mad dash towards safety, gasped laying himself down on the ground catching his breath for a moment before turning his head towards a one eyed green mare standing close by. "l-liutenent Silverstream headcount please."
"Uh six and a half." She answered, looking around the small group grimacing at the end.
"A half? explain yourself Silverstream" The captain asked, giving her a confused look and turning himself over on his stomach to look at her clearly.
"Well sergeant, Greenglade got hit by the dragon and I doubt he will survive the night." Silverstream continued, pointing a hoof behind the captain, looking at a brown stallion with most of his face sizzling off in wet chunks, being carried by a clearly unerved crystal pony she didn't recognize.
"Damn and the rest?" The captain swore, standing back up and cringing as the crystal pony with the help of two others helped the wounded stallion of the back and down on the ground.
"Mostly okay, just cuts and bruises." silverstream pointed at another stallion with a large cut across his muzzle, turning back to the captain and awaiting any orders. "So what now captain?"
"First we find shelter and rest, then the long way to the nearest city." He sighed standing up and looking at the group of survivors. "Any medics survived with us?"
"I will go check." Silverstream gave a nod as she walked over to the rest of the group, giving greenglade a closer look frowning as one of the survivors pressed a cloth against the wound and speaking with the rest before returning. "Seems to be a no, only three privates, one crystal lancer, one battlemage and you and me."
"Not any good odds, but we will have to make the best out of it, come let us scout ahead a bit let the kids rest for now."
-------------------------------An hour later back at the castle--------------------------------
"Well well, I must say you look almost passable." Blackthorn smiled leaning back in his chair, watching Twilight Sparkle being escorted into the makeshift dinner room, flanked by two large stallions clad in tar black armors covering their entire body and making them almost twice as big as their ward, who walked in between them with a blush on her face and a black metal band around her throat with thin green lines going around it and wearing a white gown and a murderous glare at him.
"Milord we bring you princess Twilight Sparkle as per your request." One of the guards said, giving a deep bow and taking a step backwards.
"Good now you may leave, oh and please have the food brought in." Blackthorn took a deep satisfied breath, waving them away and motioning a hoof towards the only other seat at the table. "Well have a seat, it's bad manners to stand and eat."
"What are you planning now?" Twilight frowned and refused to move from her spot near the door.
"Seems you Equestrians are quite dense or have you no knowledge of what a dinner is?" He sighed, looking at her like some unruly child.
"You know what I am talking about." She said through gritted teeth and narrowing her eyes at him.
"Is dinner such a horrible concept for you? do you truly think I would waste all your potential just to poison you with food?" He smirked.
"Okay let's say I eat this so called dinner of yours, what then? back to being forcefed that guck? more time with your precious doctor?" She said, after a moment of silence just watching him, frowning at him as she walked over to the heavy wooden table
"Sit, down!" He growled in annoyance, fed up with her not sitting down and accepting his invitation surprising Twilight and causing her to sit down in surprise at his sudden mood shift and in turn turning his angry look into a friendly smile. "Good, bring the food!" He clapped his hooves togheter almost instantly causing the side doors to open up and several servants to walk in with trays filled with various fruits and vegetables made in such fine dishes it even surprised her.
"You enjoy what you see?" He asked, enjoying seeing her lick her lips unconsciously and leaning forward towards the food. "You have to excuse the room we have to utilize, but a boulder ruined my dinner room."
"...I can actually eat this? it's not filled with something ....weird?" She asked, as one of the servants begun filling her plate.
"If I would want you tortured or in pain I wouldn't waste food or time on you, I would just let you rot in your room until you starve to death." He chuckled, holding out a hoof for a servant to give a golden goblet and the same servant holding up his hoof and cutting it to let the goblet fill with fresh blood.
"So I see you couldn't resis-.....you Equestrians truly are pigs." He begun with a smile as he heard her chewing, only for his face fall into a state of disgust as he saw her stuffing her mouth full of food staining her cheeks and muzzle with grease and sauce of what he had learned moments before was called Equestrian hayburgers.
"Ddlongammee."Twilight blushed, licking up a spot of ketchup from her muzzle.
"Disgusting." He sighed shaking his head at her, waving away the bleeding servant allowing him to go away and bind his wound. "Well I guess I should be glad you are actually eating it after all that resistance."
"Awwwbnnsvvvngonnnyettnn."
"Ech, I will ignore it for now, oh finally here we have it." Closing his eyes for a moment only to perk up as the large doubledoors opened, giving them both the full view of the train of chained togheter Equestrians walking by, being led by a vicious looking black armored stallion like the ones from before only lacking a helmet and sporting a badly wounded face, looking like a mess of stitches scars and ugly reddish green flesh.
"W-wha-?"
"Ssh my dear don't bother with the slaves, just be happy our little plan worked the fools really believed you were kidnapped isn't it amazing!?" Blackthorn barked a laugh holding up his goblet towards her, causing both hurt and shock from the prisoners being herded past the door staring in disbelief before dragged out of view and the great doors closing.
"I-w-what? what is this what what's going on?" She stuttered, looking between the door and her captor.
"Well you see my dear, what will those slaves think of you now? you really think I would let you enjoy a meal with me without having a thought behind it?" He smiled emptying the goblet and licking his lips with a too long tongue for a equine.
"Y-you planned to have me eat with you and be seen by prisoners of war? I-I don't-"
"Of course you don't simpleton, so I will explain it so even you understand." shaking his head at her and putting down the goblet on the table, getting down from his chair and walking over to a cracked window before continuing. "Beside the uses you had, I found a great psychological weapon in you, by exposing you to these would be saviours who fought, bled and died for their precious friendship princess, to what appears to them a fine dinner where you gorge yourself with the evil lord." looking back at her and seeing her face change from confusion to horror a sit sunk in. "Ah I see it dawns on you now, yes it will spread amongs all the slaves that the princess has gone to the other side."
".....You plan to let them escape to ruin the morale?"
"Yes you do get it!" He said with a laugh. "Not only that, but letting the rumors flourish and fester among the slaves only for it to bloom into them that you aren't worth saving."
"B-but you are wrong my friends and the princesses the-"
"Yes yes it is not a complete plan, but enough to break morale and eventually soften Equestria up for the bastard kings invasion, kinda like the Storm Kings invasion but with someone actually out to reap the spoils of war and an actual threat." he said ending it all with throwing his head back with a barking laugh, meeting her eyes and holding up a hoof silencing her before she could say anything more. "No not another word, now return to your room I will have any remaining food sent up there and also there will be a present for you when you return."
"A-a present? what have you planned now?" She asked as the doors once again flew open and the guards from before walked in dragging her chair backwards and grabbing her hoof and dragging her out before she got an answer from him.
"The slaves are en route as your ordered milord." The large helmet less guard from before reported, it had taken a few hours to get the slaves in place but with enough force and the hopelessness from what they had witnessed, it hadn't taken too much effort to get them into their cages.
"With minimum guards?" Blackthorn asked, looking out through a cracked window, one of few still whole enough to not be in shards across the floors.
"Of course." The guard captain nodded.
"And?" Blackthorn continued, looking back at his captain sensing more to come from him.
"... Patchwork is livid." The captain frowned.
"What is it now?" Blackthorn sighed as he turned back to the window, looking down at the numerous wagons loaded with corpses and being driven inside the depths of the castle.
"His...menagerie got damaged and the dragon wasn't ready and has begun to fall apart." The captain continued, standing next to his master and pointing a hoof towards the western walls where the dragon was climbing over though now lacking a wing and most of its tail.
"No matter, it held long enough to get those lackeys out of my castle, send some slaves down to his lair and see to it that all parts of the dragon are collected."
"It shall be done." The captain said, giving a deep bow and getting back to his duties somewhere else in the castle.
"Such a bother, what about the repairs?" Blackthorn sighed and turned to the others gathered in the room, his focus on a broaded shouldered earth pony clad in worn overalls and grossly misshapen with a too large right front leg, giving him a lopsided appearance and a milky white eye oozing some yellowish liquid down his face..
"Will take a few weeks milord, but nothing crucial has been damaged." The stallion answered bowing his head as low as his body could manage and avoiding his gaze out of both fear and respect .
"Good, see to the repairs and give me reports daily." Blackthorn said, letting the stallion give a final bow and shrink back behind the others, Blackthorn has liked the stallion since he was a mere stone cutter, strong, loyal and no thought of outmanouvering others only on the work at hoof.
"Baron Mortuus how much corpses did we aquire?" He snapped, turning his head to a withered and thin unicorn stallion clad in his finest clothes and holding his head high as to show everyone else in the room how he pleased his master.
"Hhhh in the thousands milord hhhhh the harvest is magnificent." Mortuus laughed taking a sniff from a fine lace scented handkerchief.
"And how many of my servants did you loose?" Blackthorn asked, giving him a murderous glare, causing the laughter to die in the barons throat and smiles break out among the gathered.
"W-well that is not important, we can reuse the skeletons an-" He stuttered out a few words and almost dropping the handkerchief as he tried to save face.
"Silence worm! do you truly think I care about the fodder? how many necromancers and death riders did I lose?" Blackthorn growled, looking at the baron with disgust.
"Well....seven necromancers and 33 death riders." He swallowed and mumbled out glancing around at the others trying to not smile at their lord putting the baron over the fire.
"And the worthless information gatherer that now feed the soil." Blackthorn spat getting his face mere centimetres from the barons face. "The one you appointed."
"But you may count yourself lucky today baron, the whole ordeal was enough of a success that I will not even punish you." he continued giving him a smile like one wouldgive to a condemned equine awaiting the gallows, turning his attention to the rafters as he heard scratching from above.
"Yes what is it?" He asked the ghoulish pony hanging from the rafters, nimbly jumping down to whisper in Blackthorns ear.
"Good, let your kin stalk them and herd the survivors towards the town as planned, only attack them enough to believe they are in danger, but do not slaughter them all let enough survive to flee and free the slaves going for the quarry." Blackthorn nodded, letting the ghoul sculk away into the darkness to gather its kin.
"Well then, the rest of you are to ensure the safety of my domain and I will not tolerate any more incompetence after today, now begone." he snorted, giving them all a harsh glare and waving a hoof for the gathered to leave.
"And you two head to the entrance and escort my sister to me when she returns." he said turning his head to the two guards standing by the door, both giving quick nods and leaving their posts.
"Now my dear pet, I think you have rested enough."
------------------------------------Meanwhile the other side of the mountain range---------------
"Blasted ghouls just die!!" Captain Iron Hoof shouted as he stomped the head in on yet another undead beast attacking their little group, they had been attacked three times now by the beasts since they had left the mountain range, wheezing out a breath as it finally lay still under him, looking around the small group seeing the others had managed to fight off their own opponents, seeing the ghouls scatter out back into the darkness, but to his horror not everyone made it unscathed.
"S-Silverstream!" He coughed, pointing a hoof at the still form of the crystal pony holding a hoof against his throat trying desperatly to stem the blood.
"No!" Silverstream shouted rushing towards him, quickly pushing her own hoof against the wound, knowing a she did it it was futile, hearing the last gurgling breaths of his life as he fell back in a heap, shaking for a moment before turning completly still in her hooves. "Dammit..."
"Another one meets his end in this Celestia forgotten land." One of the few survivors said, as he walked over to the crystal pony and closing his eyes, sighing as he put a hoof on silverstreams shoulder, their group of six and a half reduced to only the large stallion captain the lieutenant silverstream and the stallion with the horrible wound over his muzzle called Blue Bell.
"We must move before they come back." iron hoof said giving the poor soul a silent minute, nodding to the only other survivor Blue Bell as they begun their pitifull trek towards whatever safety they could find in this hellish landscape.
------------------------------------ Outside Twilights room high up in one of the towers--------------------------------
"So how has my little guest been?" Blackthorn asked the guards as he reached the door barely giving them even a glance.
"Talkative since she arrived to her room." One of the guards said as he saluted.
"I take it she liked her little gift." Blackthorn smiled, turning his head slightly towards the guard.
"Yes my lord, the food was brought it a few minutes ago and the servants took some liberty in adding gemstones with the food." the other guard said giving a salute of his own.
"No soulstones I hope." Blackthorn said narrowing his eyes at the guard who just spoke, noticably younger than the other one.
"Of course not, if any servants were carrying soulstones they would be dead, they brought only shards and broken ones." The other guard said trying his best to divert any possible punishment to occur as the younger guard swallowed loudly trying to keep his composure.
"Good." He grinned as he stepped inside seeing his little pet sitting on the bed with the leftovers from the dinner spread out over several metal plates, tightly holding a small purple dragon closely to her chest and holding a cracked gem to its mouth. "Hello Sparkle, enjoying your gift?"
"No p-please I swear I be good, don't take him away again please!" She immediately begun to beg, holding Spike even closer and trying to shield him from Blackthorn with her body.
"My my how you have changed since our little dinner." He said, throwing his head back and releasing a loud cackle. "But no my dear, you can keep your little pet for now, but disrespect me or annoy me again I will do more than remove his flames." He said pointing a hoof towards the little drake.
"S-so I can stay with Twilight from now on? instead of that creep doctor Patchwork?" Spike asked, giving Blackthorn a hopefull half smile.
"Yes, partly because of the damage caused during the attack." Blackthorn answered with a frown. "But I also came to tell you about some survivors from the attack, they are currently herding them towards the slave pens near the town of Greywall not too far from here."
"Why are you telling us this?" Twilight asked, narrowing her eyes at him.
"Because I enjoy it immensly." Blackthorn grinned, causing Spike to nestle deeper into Twilights embrace. "That and you are growing on me Sparkle, knowing that you could never plot against me like those pathetic worms sneaking around my castle, it is impossible to know which are loyal to me other than my captain and my dear builder."
"Uhm Twilight is not plotting against you?" Spike asked, confused at what he was hearing.
"You know what I mean lizard, I know where I have her and I know who she is loyal to." Blackthorn spat, walking over to a nearby window and dragging the tip of his hoof on the windowsill, frowning as he scraped off a thin layer of dust, sighing as he turned back towards the two with a smile. "Anyway I came to personally tell you both that tomorrow I will take both of you with me to the town of Black Gulch, a fine little town apparently lacking in discipline and loyalty."
"I really don't like the sound of that." Twilight mumbled, getting a quick whisper from her assistant. "Me neither."
"You will not like the act either." Blackthorn said, as he walked towards the door giving them both a last glance as he walked out.
"Uhm are you okay Blackthorn? You haven't mocked or well said anything since we got on?" Spike asked, tiring of the silence in the wagon since they all got on, the dark stallion had just sat there staring out through the window only giving them both a nod as they got on.
"Hmm? Ah it is nothing lizard just enjoying the view..." Blackthorn blinked, glancing at the little dragon and giving him a quick wave of his hoof as he turned back to the window.
"Spike let him brood in silence." Twilight said, watching carefully not wanting to accidently rile him up.
"I am not brooding I am thinking." He sighed without looking at her, taking a deep breath after another long moment of silence before turning his head and looking her in the eyes. "Twilight you have a brother, tell me what would you do if he ....disappeared?"
"Well uh I guess anything at all to get him back..." Twilight blinked, scratching her neck in confusion at the odd question and tugging a bit at the black metal band around her neck.
"Mhm, anything at all...." He nodded slowly at her answer, narrowing his eyes as she kept touching the metal band. "Stop scratching at the collar!"
"It just feels a bit too tight." She mumbled as she squirmed under its pressure.
"Yes it is because you are thinking about escaping, I had the doctor made it so not only does it prevent magic, but it also tightens around your throat if you were to flee from me and just because I felt like it I had it made so it also reacts slightly to your thoughts of escaping." He said with a smile leaning back into the seat enjoying her being uncomfortable.
"Is there no ends to your sadism?" Spike said with a glare, suddenly swallowing loudly, quickly turning and walking over towards the window on the oposite side of the cart as blackthorn turned towards him with a glare of his own. "I-I mean ehm oh is that a ....tree?"
"Firstly yes, it ends at skinning uncooperating captives, though you are a drakeling so I might have a few layers to work with, secondly yes long ago there was a settlement and that there was at its centre used as a gibbet tree hanging their criminals and unwanteds for days until they died." Blackthorn smiled as he leaned forward to look at the tree Spike was looking at.
"Guh don't-don't talk to Spike like that!" Twilight growled between gasps tugging at the black band constricting her.
"....Just enjoy the ride we are soon there." Blackthorn considered giving her an answer resigning himself to just sigh and turn back towards the window.
"Spike come here let us enjoy the ...gloomy landscape." Twilight coughed and patted the seat next to her, putting her hoof around him as he sat down and both sat down in silence.
----------------------------------- Some time later near a road in the wastelands---------------
"Captain I can confirm the ponies in that cage are Equestrians, I saw two survivors from my squad with them and it seems to be only four guards escorting them." Silverstream said as she returned to him after her scouting trip to their makeshift camp, they had been lucky enough to loose the ghouls a few hours back and find some remains from an attacked resource wagon and a safe enough cave to get atleast a little rest.
"Hmm they are transporting captives with so few guards? something is off." Iron Hoof said rubbing a scabbed over wound at his neck.
"I think it's more arrogance, seeing how this is their lands and are pretty sure noone will threaten them, especially after the battle." Silverstream nodded looking back at the tiny figures in the distance.
"Maybe... but can we take them down with just us?" Iron Hoof asked, grabbing a cracked spyglass and putting it against his eye.
"Depends on if they continue through that pass over there, we should be able to ambush them by pushing some of the rocks on them." she said grabbing the spyglass and turning it towards the road leading towards a narrow pass with steep cliffs on both sides.
"Guess we only got one chance at this, as soon as Whisper Wind returns we take those bastards down with whatever we got."
-----------------------------Meanwhile at the outskirts of Black Gulch--------------
"Why is there so many soldiers in such a small town?" Spike asked, as he looked out through the window seeing several black armored ponies walking around the area and putting up a cordon around the town, pushing a few straggling civilians towards the centre of town.
"Call me vain but I do so like showing my power even to backwoods peons like these, also I do enjoy the fear they exude when being herded togheter towards the town square." Blackthorn smiled, glancing out at the window giving a nod to a few of the guards saluting him.
"I don't like this Twilight." Spike said as he turned towards her, getting uneasy as they neared the town centre and saw the mass of ponies herded togheter.
"Seems we have arrived, welcome to Black Gulch." Blackthorn said, closing his eyes until the doors opened up and the massive black armored stallion from the day before who had been dragging captives stood and saluted flanked by two black armored ponies.
"You have done a great job captain I take it all of them are rounded up?" He continued as he rose up and stepped down from the carriage.
"Of course my lord, if there are any Equestrians hiding here we will find them." The captain answered, turning his attention towards Twilight and offering his hoof for her to take so she could get out of the carriage.
"What is happening? wha-" She begun hesitantly taking his hoof and looking around at the gathered guards.
"Sssh come Twilight." Blackthorn hushed her and motioned for her to follow him towards the town square, smiling as he led a small procession of black armored guards towards a hastily built wooden platform.
"Twilight I-I think we are going to a execution..." Spike whispered hugging her right leg tightly looking up at the platform infront of all the gathered ponies.
"Follow and not a word from either you or your pet." Blackthorn grinned nodding his head towards the stairs leading up the platform. "You first my dear, you will get a nice view of the little spectacle I have prepared."
"Captain is everyone in place?" Blackthorn asked, looking down from the platform with disgust at the ponies pressing against each other in the narrow area given to them at the town center.
"Yes my lord, none can escape our steel cage now and even if someone would sneak away I have some extra guards patrolling and searching through the houses as we speak." The captain bowed his head and pointed a hoof towards the guards circling the citizens.
"Good let us begin." Blackthorn smiled, standing up taller and assuming a stance displaying his superiority over them all. "Peons!! Vermin!! Traitors!! I have come before you today because you have been harboring my enemies!." He Shouted at them as he stepped towards the edge, enjoying the fear exuding from the gathered villagers. "I have given you freedom, I have let you live your lives as you see fit, yet you spit at me!"
"Twilight I-Im scared." Spike whimpered, grabbing hold of her foreleg and looking at Blackthorn glancing back at them with a wry smile on his lips.
"Ssh Spike it is okay, just hold your ears and close your eyes, I-I say when it's over." Twilight whispered hugging him close.
"Now you will bring me all survivors you have been hiding in your pathetic village!" He growled at them letting his hoof wander towards the gathered before stopping at an old stallion wearing a monocle. "You the mayor, I give you ...five minutes to speak with your other lowlives and bring me all Equestrians, do, not ,argue, with, me"
"O-of of ofcourse sire I I yes I go now." The mayor quickly bowed and backed off a bit to quickly almost walking into two other stallions to speak with the other elders of the town.
"Now Twilight dear nono dont disturb your lizard I will have no more of his whimpering, tell me how many do you think hides in this village?" Blackthorn smirked as he turned back his attention towards his prisoner, holding up a hoof to make sure she kept hugging the lizard.
"Uh two?" she hesitated, a bit afraid what her answer would cause.
"Such a low number, well we shall see soon." He nodded, turning back to look at the nervous mass of ponies chattering between themselves with glee.
"Captain how many minutes have passed?" He soon sighed, tiring of watching them chatter.
"They have around 20 seconds left." The captain answered with a bow, looking up towards the town halls old clock ticking away.
"Well peons time is out!" Blackthorn said, motioning to his captain to stomp hard on the wooden platform getting their attention and silencing the crowd.
"W-we have them all here!" The mayor quickly stepped forward waving a group of muscular stallions forwards.
"Three ponies?" Blackthorn frowned, looking at the three ponies hastily pushed and carried to the front of the platform. "And you are absolutely sure not a single Equestrian is hiding in this town beside these three?" He continued with a raised eyebrow.
"I uh yes I am sure these are the only strangers in this town right?" The mayor stuttered, looking around at the others nodding and agreeing with him and to Blackthorns amusement a few even backed up and looked away.
"And everypony else? you do not hide anypony in your homes?" Blackthorn continued like he hadn't heard what the mayor said, looking at the others around him looking at each other nervously. "It would be troublesome to punish you for lying wouldn't it?"
"Y-yes my lord that is why we brought these three for you." The mayor stuttered swallowing nervously.
"Uh wai-" Twilight tried to interject only to be silenced by a quick glare from Blackthorn.
"Captain can you tell me what you have found in this town?" Blackthorn turned towards the massive captain with a overly dramatic sigh.
"We found 4 other Equestrians hiding behind a false wall in the mayors house." The captain read aloud as he was handed a notepad from another guard, who quickly bowed to Blackthorn and backing off the platform.
"N-no! no you are lying I-I no nononono!!" The mayor screamed as Blackthorn waved forward his guards to barge into the mass of ponies to grab him and drag him away from the rest, eventually silencing him with a black steel clad hoof to the side of his head causing a nasty sounding crack and any ponies nearby to flinch and back away.
"Also one badly wounded mare and another half-dead stallion Equestrians hiding in two different houses." He continued as he watched the mayor get dragged away.
"I must say I am dissapointed, I expected atleast some of you to be loyal, alas punishment must be dealt." Blackthorn sighed dramaticly brushing some dust from his shoulders and taking a deep breath.
"Oh no." Twilight said, as she stood up suddenly afraid what he had planned and refusing to just watch it all anymore.
"Captain I feel generous today let the civilians live ....but take all the foals for the doctor!" Blackthorn grinned, breathing in the fear and despair from the gathered as the guards pushed anypony trying to hold onto their foals or cover their fillies and colts, leaving them sobbing and in despair as the guards walked over to waiting wagons and tossing them inside like they were potato sacks.
"Nooo moooom!" "Moommyyy!"
"You monster! I can't ugh I kkhkk." Twilight shouted, as she suddenly jumped towards Blackthorn, only to fall to the floor as the black band around her throat suddenly constricted painfully.
"Nooooo! my baby!!" "Please!" "Daddy!! "You bastard!!"
"Foolish mare." Blackthorn said, shaking his head as she fell in a heap infront of him, glancing back at the screaming parents trying in vain to push past the black guards only to be beaten back, most ending in violent and bloody beatings from the guards.
"Please we do anything!!
"Twimfhfhfmmmn!" Spike shouted as he tried to run towards her, only to be silenced by the massive captain lighting up his horn stopping him mid run and walking over putting a heavy hoof on top of him keeping him pinned painfully to the floor.
"Hhhh *cough* hhh." She gasped, as she slowly sat up carressing her throat.
"Know this Sparkle, there is nothing you do to save these children from becoming my new soldiers, they belong to me now, as do you." Blackthorn hissed as he leaned in to her ear, putting a hoof at her chin pushing it up so she would meet his eyes. "Hate me if you must, just remember who keeps your little lizard alive."
"Well captain I think we are done here, mark the houses of the traitors you know what to do." He said, giving the the town a last look before he turned around and walked down from the platform.
