The Coltaran Chronicles: Chapter 1, Dark Moon Rising [Coltara] (OPEN)

[Valencetiger]

Silvan Dragoran

Exiled Prince

Silvan collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily and clutching at his belly. He hadn't been sure whether his intuition was correct in that fight...but he was glad he had been proven right. He raised his weary head, only one of his dark blue eyes watching Soul, the other hidden behind the mess of his dark braids. A small surge of anger filled him, but he quickly suppressed it. Standing up shakily, he eyed the dangerous stallion coldly.

"...is that enough for you, stranger? Was it enough for you to make me relive all of that pain once more...? To show me my mistakes, mistakes that I will never be able to fix? That Aishanidari of yours...I could feel it's touch when it went through my stomach...I could feel your eyes digging deep into my memories. I know of your sort...believing that all nobles are vile, despicable, cruel...well, you might be right. That's why I am no longer a noble...I am something different!"

With a swift tug on his mane, he pulled off all of his Imperial braids, the beads falling to the grass beneath his hooves in a shower of crimson drops. He let out a great sigh. Doing that...he felt renewed, refreshed. He felt a weight dragged off his haunches, and a feeling of peace drew over him. Silvan turned from the pony, his back towards him.

"...what is your name? I ought to know it, since you might as well repay me for the pain you've caused me tonight, on no fair grounds. If you give me a name and agree...I'll tell you what I am doing...and my goals. Do we have a deal...?"

He turned back to the mysterious pony once more, waiting calmly for an answer.

[TotalEcplise]

Silvan's intuition surprised him, had he figured out the one of the powers of his Aishanidari or had he taken a blind gamble? No matter, the short duel was over and both ponies were somewhat settling down. Soul lay with his back to the earth and his eyes to the clouds. He continued to absorb what he had gathered from the prince in the duel. Though unable to match him in combat, Silvan's blades struck true and his eyes burned with righteous passion. Silvan embodied the very traits that Soul had been brought up and trained to honor; Traits that were no longer respected in the Empire.

He thought long and hard in the short moment he lay there. the Empress' son was exiled. This had several implications to him, first was that the Empress was associated with The Night Children same as he, so the fact that Silvan yet lived means that he is no way a threat to the plans of the Specter. Second was that his Nightingale guard would have to be a deserter, all of them were suppose to be Tov'Kin to the Empress. This told him that Silvan was of such character that he could call loyalty to himself even from those held by great bounds. Soul was thoroughly impressed.

"No, not to show you," He said as he sat up and pushed back his hood. "To show me, I've learned through blood that words can be hollow. I had to know that you were trustworthy." His light beige mane caught the wind revealing his golden eyes. The fire was gone from his eyes, instead he wore a mask of indifference.

"Only half correct, I think the whole of the Empire is corrupt." He looked off into the night and closed his eyes. He let himself relive a some segment of his life that would burn at him forever. Soul Slasher took a deep breath and bite his bottom lip, now was not the time to sink into the past. Though he allowed himself to shed a single tear in respect for the dead.

Soul watched as Silvan let his mane fly loose, a sign of the stallion's rebirth.

"Yes, we have a deal," he said as he nodded at Silvan. He face grew stern as he drew in breath to introduce him self. "I am Soul Slasher, son of General Honor Bound." He coated his father's name in venom. Even though he was an outcast and deemed a traitor to the Empire he never feared speaking his name.

[Valencetiger]

Silvan Dragoran

Exiled Prince

"...yes, General Honor Bound, dead for the past five years. From what I heard, he was a loyal soldier...if a bit weak in the psychological area of warfare. It's a shame you killed him...well, a shame for the Empire, that is. But, you only just gave the Night Children another place to put in a pawn of theirs...as they have with most of the generals and nobles."

Silvan sighed once more, kicking the beads away from his hooves as he set back towards the inn. Two down on his list...now for this Sage. Entering the inn without noticing Midnight Moon, he climbed the stairs and went into his room, closing the door and crawling into bed, going back to sleep.

[Deactivated]

Dusk walked along the road, a wide brimmed, grey hat on his head, shading his eyes from the morning light. He also wore a thick, grey traveling cloak, oiled to keep rain off. He had his head tilted to the side and his ears twitched every now and then, as if he were listening to, or for, something. He also had a pair of saddlebags on his back, underneath his cloak. One of the bags had food in it, along with a water canteen attached to the outside of it. The other bag had his personal items in it, a bag of coins, a few small books, and some other things. No other pony was visible on the road, in front of, or behind him. Dusk didn’t much care; he had never really been that social.

Dusk’s destination, apparently, was a town at the base of a mountain, the Howling Mountain, if he recalled. As he neared the town, he righted his head. For some reason, other ponies found it disturbing with him walking around with his head tilted. While he didn’t really care what others thought, he still needed to make a little money, and disturbing possible employers wasn’t a good way to get said money. As he walked through the town, he studied the buildings and early risers. He came to a conclusion after a single street. The town had seen better days, its residents too. Not his problem though.

After some random wandering through the town, he stopped next to an inn and went inside. He sat down at the first table he saw and pulled off his saddle bags with a sigh of relive. He reached into one of his saddle bags and pulled out his money pouch. He dug out a silver mark, the second to last one he had, and placed it on the table as the innkeeper walked over.

“I’ll take a pint of mead” he said before the innkeeper could speak. The innkeeper himself shut his mouth and walked off, giving a surly look in Dusk’s direction. He started tapping his hoof on the table edge as he waited, tilting his head to the side again.

(ooc: hope it's okay that I skipped to mornning)

[TotalEcplise]

"He had to die." Was all Soul could bring himself to say.

Soul fell back on to the grass and simply stared off into the night. Silvan had already walked off, leaving Soul to his musings. The night truly is beautiful. The thought. His thoughts roamed back to a young fily and a her mother that he rescued a while back. They had remained good friends for several months after he helped them, that is until they were found and killed by the Empire for dissension.

The mother was slaughtered in cold blood and the filly was soul shackled and used as a weapon against him. In the end he killed all the imperials, but the filly didn't have the drive to continue, she willingly fell onto Necrosa Tomori and let the weapon drink her soul. She'd rather give herself to me then be hunted for the rest of her life. He clutched his chest as the thoughts and emotions began to cut at him, tonight was the first time he had used her chains to bind another.

Soul shifted uncomfortably and decided that It was time he headed back toward his room, tomorrow Soul - No, Sweet Taffy had work had work.

*Next Morning*

The work day was just beginning, another day another bit. The sun poured into Sweet Taffy's suite and slowly bathed the 'mare' in warm yellow rays. Groggily, she slid herself out of bed and made her way to the redwood counter top vanity mirror. Graceful hooves applied light lavender eyeshadow and groomed her beautiful taupe coat. She combed and brushed her light beige mane until it swooped back back in elegant waves, She finished by applying a small spritz of perfume. She trotted over to the closet and pulled out a caramel colored shirtdress with with a black waist belt. She got dressed quickly, the inn keeper wouldn't tolerate her being tardy too many more times.

She made her way down stairs as quickly as she could. She soon arrived in kitchen and storage area of the Inn.

"Oh, you're here just in time!" Orion [i named the innkeeper] said. "A stallion with a wide brimmed hat ordered a pint of mead, could you serve him please?"

"Sure no problem," she said, her voice coming out smooth as silk. Sweet Taffy trotted over to a wooden barrel, she grabbed up a tray and a mug and balanced the two on her back in an expert display of dexterity. She filled the mug with shining golden mead. She trotted out of the front into the guest area of the lobby and scanned for a pony that met the description the innkeeper gave her. Spotting him immediately (since there were no other ponies yet), she cantered over to him, her gait overflowing with pulchritude. She locked her her soft golden eyes on him and asked with a voice made of cotton.

"Did you order the mead sir?"

[Penblade]

Neither Gallows nor Odd One dared to breathe a word during the entire encounter, though Gallows came close to making legible words a few times. Rather, he made strangled yelps and grunts. First when the pegasus had torn his scythe right through the prince, and Silvan hadn't lost a drop of blood, and second when Silvan had shouted he wasn't a noble any longer and unraveled his iconic braid, royal beads falling to the ground like so much trash.

After that... after that things became even more strange from the gravedigger's point of view. The two pegasi who had moments ago been trying to disembowl each other began talking with the quiet civility of respected colleagues. The talking, like the fighting, lasted only a few minutes, but from the looks on their faces it was every bit as intense. What were they talking about? Had the battle become verbal rather than physical? And what about those freakish swords they'd been wielding, where had they gone? It was all so confusing Gallows lost track of how many unanswered questions he'd come up with by the time Silvan turned and walked back to the inn.

The clearing was still for a time then, with the other pegasus just sitting on his back and watching the night sky. After a few minutes even he left, leaving the night as still and empty as the graves Gallows had been digging almost a half hour ago by now.

He stared at nothing for quite a long time, still standing in the grave with his muzzle resting on the grass at ground level. He tried in vain to work out why Silvan and the other pegasus, he supposed he'd been an assassin, hadn't finished each other off. In fact it looked like they'd made an agreement. Had Silvan paid him off? But if he wasn't a prince anymore what would he pay with? Gallows shook his head slowly and groaned, rubbing his skull. The empire was even more confounding and illogical than he remembered.

A soft thunk brought Gallows out of his thoughts. He looked around but saw nothing, then realized he didn't see Odd One's head sticking out of the grave anymore. He pulled himself up and creapt over to peek over the edge of Odd One's fourth, unfinished grave. The small stallion had passed out and fallen on his back in the bottom of the rectangular hole. Gallows snickered openly while wondering what had shocked him so. Then he realized that while HE had grown up with military life and nobles all around, even if he didn't like it, this poor stallion had probably grown up in a cozy peace under the mighty mountain above them. Seeing a battle of magic, and the former prince of the empire must have been too much for the old coot to handle.

"Rest in peace ya old goat," Gallows whispered with a grin, turning to go. Seeing all that coupled with the earlier contest had left him tired beyond words, and he was looking forward to his hard, lumpy inn bed. He reached down into his fourth unfinished grave and grabbed his shovel, then paused as the last gear of the night turned in his brain. Odd One would probably be konked out until at least mid morning the next day, and Gallows only had two feet left to dig before this grave was finished. That was... thirty six square feet of dirt, not too much considering how much he'd dug already.

In a more lucid state he might have simple said, buck the contest, and gone to bed, but as tired as he was he could only hold an idea for so long, and the familiar motions of digging were so easy for him to fall into. He stopped for another half hour to hollow out the last of his final grave, then dragged himself out and almost crawled across the street to his room's window, climbing inside with an exhausted, stupid smile on his dirt smeared face.

[Valencetiger]

Silvan Dragoran

Exiled Prince

Silvan slowly descended down the stairwell, Silvertongue in tow quietly behind him. The events of last night had left Silvan exhausted, but he didn't regret any of it. He had just gained a powerful new ally...at least for the time being, and now all he had to do was find that Sage, and they will be able to their final destination. Sitting down at the same booth they had been last night, he pulled out a map from his satchel and began to study it, Silvertongue whistling a quiet tune as they waited for their morning breakfast. After a few minutes, Orion appeared and took their orders, going back to the bar and kitchen to tell his workers what to cook and where to take it. Silvan eyed the innkeeper until he left, shaking his head slightly. After a few moments, he'd spread out the map on the table, placing small stones in a variety of cities and areas for categorizing. Silvertongue turned his head to it, gazing down at the map, then at his young charge. Silvan pulled out a quill and placed it in a vial of ink, and began to speak in a low voice.

"As you know, this is our second to last destination...up next, we move to the Eastern border, to meet an old friend of mine. Once there, we'll pick her up and begin our way into the Mountains of Mist, and take a peek inside that anomaly she had discovered. We don't know what is inside it exactly...but she believes that it is an alternate world, similar to ours, but much less...well, cruel. The place where the anomaly resides is here...on an ancient platform."

He placed another stone in the center of the Mountains of Mist, and circled the area with his inked quill, Silvertongue looking at the spot with interest, softly whispering to him.

"So that is what your dreams have told you, Silvan...? What if you are wrong, and there really isn't such a conspiracy in the Empire? Sure, it is corrupted and has lost the value of its glory days...but you can't believe its all controlled by Night Children. What is the name of this group you said you are following...? The Forerunners?"

"Yes...if we find them, we find the evidence we need. Perhaps then...perhaps then I can rally the Empire's ponies to my side. But...that is wishful thinking. By the time we return, everyone will only consider me a banished Prince, and will not listen to what I say. What we find once we cross the dimensional anomaly...maybe it will help us."

The two ponies went into a solemn silence, both reminiscing of the lives they had recently left behind. Sure, they weren't great ones...but their previous lives defined them in so many ways, and to have dropped it all in an instant was crushing. Still though...they would continue this quest, despite the costs. Silvan placed the map away in his satchel and laid back, trying to relax regardless of the Inn's rowdy patrons.

[Deactivated]

Dusk smiled at the mare as she stopped at his table, tilting his head to the other side. “Why yes, I did order the mead, thank you” he said politely. “Now, does it cost extra for having it delivered by a pretty mare?” he asked her, his smile widening slightly. He certainly hoped it didn’t, he was short on cash already. He couldn’t afford to give a mare any of his coin just because she was pretty. He needed to find a way to make some money soon, or he wouldn’t have any left.

Before she could answer though, Dusk was distracted by another pony coming down the stairs at the back of the inn, two ponies, in fact. While they had nothing to immediately separate them from the other ponies of the town, something about them set them apart. He pictured the first pony in his mind, painting his hooves green and blue. Yes, that one was probably of the blood. In fact, put some beads in his mane, and he could pull off being in the Imperial family, though why soft royalty would be so far from luxury was beyond him. The second one looked like a guard, his muscles, the way he moved, he could be little else.

Dusk’s eyes followed the pair, while his head still faced the mare with his drink, the smile still on his face. “Thanks” he said absently, reaching out and taking his mug from the tray and pushing the silver mark towards her. With drink in hoof, he turned his full attention to the pair. He watched them as they sat at a booth, taking occasional sips of mead.

[Valencetiger]

Silvan Dragoran

Exiled Prince

The innkeeper Orion soon came back over with their meals, bowing respectfully to Silvan, while the prince simply looked out the window in silence. Silvertongue, fully aware of his young charge's rudeness, quickly took hold of the situation. He placed some coins on the table, and addressed the innkeeper.

"Thank you, Master Orion...I am sure we will enjoy these morsals from your fine establishment. Also, I must say that I slept well last night...you do well, managing this inn so far from well-trafficked roads."

The innkeeper gave a nervous smile, accepting the compliments gratefully and taking the coin Silvertongue had placed on the table, bowing once more.

"Anything for the Prince of the Empire and his guard...please, do not hesitate to ask me or my assistants anything at all, my Lords."

With that, the innkeeper moved away to speak with his other patrons.

[TotalEcplise]

Sweet Taffy giggled into her hoof at Dusk's comment and prepared a snappy comeback of her own, but the pony was distracted by something. Taffy followed the pony's eyes to until he saw Silvan and his guard.

"You're welcome sugar," she said softly as he took the mug away from her. She sauntered across the room while balancing a tray across her back, he casually trotted past Silvan's table. With a sensual swing of her hips she nonchalantly flicked a small, barely noticeable note to Silvan.

Eyes up, watch the pony with the wide brimmed hat. Is all the note said.

She continued walking, like she hadn't done anything at all. Soon Taffy had returned the dishes and was back out working the floor and interacting with the guests.

[Valencetiger]

Silvan Dragoran

Exiled Prince

Glancing at the note, Silvan snatched it quickly and put it beneath the table without drawing any notice, looking at the contents and frowning, knowing who it was mentioning and thus not needing to look for himself. Always observant, even when it appeared he wasn't, he had noticed the pony's interest in the two of them. He looked back out to see Silvertongue watching the "waitress" with a sly smirk. Silvan rolled his eyes, and placed the note in his satchel.

"...My, my...I never knew they had such pretty mares up here in the country. I wonder how well she handles that pretty mouth of hers...and that lucious plo-"

"Keep your eyes on the task at hand, my perverted friend...what use would you be to me if I were to find you in one of these inn's beds with a knife in your throat...? Besides, from the looks of her, I doubt you'll want anything to do with her..."

Silvertongue grasped his throat and winced softly, knowing that Silvan was right, and sighed deeply. Why, back at Ashen Gate, he could get any plot he wanted as a Nightingale, despite being Tov'Kin to the Empress. Now...now, despite the fact he was still handsome, he was just some old coot, and he knew it...it hurt, honestly. But, that was the price of age, and he had to count his blessings that he had lived as long as he had. After all, many in the Nightingales don't live pasted their thirtieth winter. Silvan finished the last of his meal and his cider, waiting to see what the mysterious stallion with the wide-brimmed hat would do next.

[Penblade]

Gallows yawned cavernously as he slowly walked down the stairs, just having woken up after only a half-night of rest. He was going to be paying dearly for his midnight excursion if he didn't find something hot to drink soon. Luckily enough, he happened to be in an inn. He blinked away some of the bleariness in his eyes and looked around, spotting Silvan sitting at a table with Silvertongue. There was also a pony in a wide brimmed hat, the innkeeper, and a very pleasing looking waitress up and about. He indulged himself for a moment, staring at the waitress, then blinked once more and walked over to Silvan's table.

He sat down next to Silvertongue and scratched an itch on his scalp, causing stray gravedirt to cascade out of his mane. "Morning kid. Morning old man. So what's the plan today? Fifty mile trek through the wilderness? Visit some more warm, welcoming townships? Actually, hold that thought." He turned around and whistled sharply to grab the waitress's attention, "Hey! Got any hot cider, hot missy?"

(OOC: Oh yeah. All hail Gallows' refined sense of etiquette. Feel free to cringe.)

[Valencetiger]

Silvan Dragoran

(OOC: With pleasure...lol)

Silvan cringed at the unrefined way that Gallows spoke to the "waitress", shaking his head in disapproval. Sheesh...were all older stallions this dim-witted when it came to mares? If so, he'll just have to make himself immune to such a thing. He was a Prince, he can do that...can't he? Pushing the thoughts aside, he decided to get down to business.

"Yes...we are to be climbing up the Howling Mountain today. Fortunately, there will not be much actual climbing involved considering that there is winding path all the way to the summit. Once at the summit, we'll enter the Sanctuary of Skies, or so I believe the place is called. There, we should find a special Sage who will be of great help to us."

Silvertongue was still giving a sour look at Gallows for the "old" remark, and Silvan shot him a glance that said "Watch yourself...", instantly putting the elder stallion in his place as he looked away.

[TotalEcplise]

Taffy hadn't felt this alive in a good while. She bounced gracefully from table to table, earning smiles and open admiration from many stallions (much to the chagrin of many mares). Her entire form glowed with an exuberance that just isn't seen anymore, like she just belonged here. The mare floated from to and fro depositing orders and picking up dishes in a smooth fashion, her movements were effortless, like silk gliding across fur.

With a back load of dishes she disappeared into the Kitchen, moments later she walked back out into the lobby free of any load. Her ears twitched when she picked up Gallow's cat call. Taffy turned her head and saw the pony who whistled her over sitting with Silvan and his guard, she trotted over to their table with a hope in her step and gave the three stallions one of her brightest smiles.

"Hi, what can I get you?" She asked Gallows. The gravedigger asked if they had any hot cider. "We are almost out, but for you I think I can snag the last lil bit." She blew Gallows and Silvertongue a sweet little kiss and sashayed away towards the kitchen.

[Valencetiger]

Silvan watched his two companions with evident distaste, getting up from the table and leaving them to their gawking at the pretty mare. Acting perfectly cool and disinterested, he moved into the kitchen without drawing notice, sitting down on one of the counters, waiting for Sweet to come. During his wait, he snagged a piece of bread and bit into it, depositing a silver coin onto the table. Some of the other kitchen hands looked at him oddly, but mostly stayed about their work. He closed his eyes, listening in silence to the sounds around him, a way he relaxed.

[TotalEcplise]

Sweet Taffy strolled into the kitchen with her eyes closed and a wide grin plastered across her face, she had every intent on bringing Gallows that last pint of cider, then she felt it. The righteous soul she-no, that Soul Slasher had felt last night. She looked around until she Still holding her smile she trotted over to Silvan and lightly tapped him on the shoulder.

"I'm sorry sir, but you aren't allowed to be back here," She motion for him to follow her to a back room. "If you would, follow me please."

The two headed into the back room of the kitchen, the looks and reactions from the on duty staff ranged from a silent smirk to obvious cheering.

"I always knew you were a cute one Taffy, but he's quite the catch!" Said a mare beating eggs.

"Whoohoo Taffy," Called the stallion grilling vegetables.

"Don't break anything you two." Teased a mare mixing pancake batter.

Once the reached the oak door to the room Taffy opened the door and motioned for Silvan to go in ahead of her. He closed them in, muffling the sounds of the outside world.

"What do you need of me?" Soul Slasher asked.

[Valencetiger]

Silvan sighed, facehoofing himself quietly as he was led into the back room. Once they were inside, he eyed at Soul with a disparaging stare. What was this weird pony doing...gender-swapping like that? Rather convincing...almost too convincing, if it weren't for those eyes. He pulled out a map, and placed it on the table next to them, spreading it out and showing it. It was a full-scale map of Coltara, and some unexplored territory to the far east, past the Mountains of Mist, etched with the name "The Land of the Lost Ones".

"...I'm not going to ask, because I'd rather not know, Soul Slasher. I made a deal with you last night, and so I'll be coming forth with part of it. You wished to know my plans and intentions, yes? Also, if you could be so kind, please get out of that form...it is awfully distracting...."

Gesturing to the map, he placed different colored stones on each circled location, leaving the last circle in the center of the Mountains of Mist by itself. Next, he pulled out a dark blue crystal, similar to the color of his eyes, but inside glowed a faint magical light. With the small dagger at his side, he grabbed it and made a slight cut in his left front leg, drawing blood and having a couple drops fall onto the crystal. After that, its glow brightened and it drifted over to the map by itself. Once there, it made a scanning light over the map, and then suddenly a holographic image of it appeared around it, a fully physical map of the terrain, with tiny mountains and woodlands and cities. Pointing to the large fissure at the entrance to the Mountains of Mist, he began to speak.

"...I am currently gathering ponies with certain artifacts I need or those with tremendous strength, for I plan on making an incursion into a land few of our kind have ever seen. In order to do this, I need the power of an Elemental Sage and that of an adept unicorn magician. Both of which are hard to find, as you must know...however, the first pony is actually on the mountain nearby, and we will be climbing up it later today. As for the adept magician, I have that covered as well. The Sage is the last piece to this puzzle, and is definitely required. Once we pick up my unicorn friend...we'll be going to the Altar of Mist, deep within the mountains. There, a ceremony must be performed, and a dimensional rift will be opened, and then we cross. Any questions...?"

[Penblade]

Gallows grinned as Sweet Taffy came over to the table and took his order. Her smile was wide and innocent. Her eyes twinkled in the dim light of morning. Her mane and coat were perfectly groomed. He couldn't see her plot with her facing him but he was sure it was amazing as well. She fairly glowed with feminine beauty and youth. She was perfect.

And that thought dug at Gallows' mind like a rusty saw.

He'd prepared hundreds of bodies to be buried in the cemetery and even the most magnificent specimens had possessed a blemish, some mark of darkness to bring them a step below perfection. It's what seperated mortal ponies from gods. There was only one way perfection could be attained without being born into it; artificially. It was an unnerving idea, and it hardly made any sense, so he tried to ignore it. The view as she walked away helped distract him.

He turned back to the table and found to his dismay that Silvan had slipped off while he was gawking, leaving him alone with... Silvertongue. The little brat! He took a deep breath and cleared his throat, shaking loose more dirt from his mane, "So, climbing the Howling Mountain today, are we? Don't think I've ever climbed a mountain before. Have you? I'm sure a stallion of your... experience, has seen a few sights." He was going to kill Silvan.

[TotalEcplise]

"Sorry but I can't change back at the moment, I can only do it twice a day, so I'll have to change back after I tell Orion I'm leaving."

Soul Slasher studied the map with eyes trained to pick-out details and listened with ears capable of hearing a pin drop on a hay stack from down the road. She had absorbed all or the information, it wasn't complicated. But one thing nagged at her mind.

"Two," she said casually "One, when do we leave? I have a few things to take care of. Two, you don't have to tell me, but what do you plan on doing in this other land?"

[Valencetiger]

"...I plan on tracking a group known as the Forerunners. They are dangerous, fanatical, and must be put down...despite being exiled, I still feel that I need to protect my former subjects, my former Empire. I am hoping to cooperate with the natives on the other side, and exterminate this group...which is led by my sister's watchdog, Black Moon."

Silvan's muscles tightened at mentioning the name, and he growled in his throat softly. He had always...always...hated that pegasus! It wasn't just an agenda for the Empire...it was a personal fight as well. Also, he needed to go to this strange new land, because it was where his vision-like dreams were leading him...and they have been proven right every time he followed them.

[TotalEcplise]

"I'll assist you in you on this," She took a deep breath. "I could use a change of scenery." He'd also need to meet up with these Forerunners and this Black Moon, if he was an Envoy of the Empresss Soul would have to see if she could assist him in anyway and keep Silvan out of his hair. Dammit. She spat mentally. Will there be a time when her honor is allowed to recover? Though blood bond to serve the Specter, Silvan was a pony he thought could take him to a world he could truly forget himself in.

One would burn everything he hated.

The other would liberate him from it.

[Deactivated]

Dusk gave a halfhearted wave as the mare left, not even taking his eyes off the booth and its occupants. As he watched, they were joined by a third pony, one with a lot of dirt in his mane, a commoner, most likely. If he hadn’t been watching so closely, he probably would have missed the note that was flipped onto the table as the mare who had served him passed them. “So, working with them are we, my pretty lass?” he whispered to himself. He kept watching them, taking small sips from his mug every now and then, not really tasting the mead.

Fairly soon after the note had slipped onto the table, one of the three, the one Dusk thought was of the Blood, stood and left for the kitchens, soon followed by the pretty waitress. That left the guard and the commoner. Time to make his move. Getting in good with these two would make it easier with the Blood pony. While Dusk really didn’t like the Blood, low or high, he still knew where the most money could be found. Standing, placing his saddlebags back on, he started moving towards the booth. Walking up awkwardly on three legs, the mug still held in his foreleg, he smiled at the two sitting ponies. Placing his mug down on the table, and just remembering to right his head, he looked at first one, then the other.

“Hello gents,” he said, settling his gaze on the guard, “The names Dusk. Dusk Umbrosa Verenae.” As he spoke he slipped his hat off and placed it next to his mug, ruffling his short, black hair with his free hoof. “I couldn’t help but notice that you travel in the company of one of the blood,” it took effort not to make the word sound like a curse ,”and was wondering if there might be any services I could perform for you or your… fine young companion?” Finishing his introduction, and sweating on the inside with the effort of self control, he smiled at the guard, waiting for a response.

[Valencetiger]

Silvertongue looked at the strange, mysterious pony. Who was this fellow...and where did he come from? Looking at the technological engineering on his body was...disturbing, at the least. Not to mention that this pony was a Unicorn. What would he want with Silvan...? Giving a disarming smile, he rubbed his chin with one of his hooves.

"Umbrosa Verenae...that wouldn't happen to be of the Ancient Dialect, would it? If so, then your family must have had a firm grasp on the language, that is quite noble. As for company of the Blood...I'm afraid not. I am simply a wealthy merchant, the dirty pony here my assistant, and the young colt my grandson. Unfortunately, I am not looking for any more assistants to help me, but I appreciate the offer, good Master Verenae. Is there anything else I can do for you...?"

​Underneath the table, Silvertongue's hoof was primed for the summoning of his Aishanidari, just in case this pony got belligerent. If what he had just told the pony didn't satisfy him...then perhaps their party had over-stayed their welcome. He kept a perfectly calm and happy facade on the outside, a complete mask to hide his true intentions...he should know how to do that, at least, after years as a Nightingale. However, a thought clicked in his head, and he grinned.

"...actually, there is something you can do. You see, we need a guide to take us up the Howling Mountain, so we can pay the monks in their monastery a visit. Can you do this?"

Meanwhile, back in the storeroom, Silvan let out a sigh of relief, nodding his acceptance of Soul. Today was the big day...and after that, two weeks of travel to their last destination. Something itched at the back of his head on whether to trust the scythe-wielding, gender-bending pony...but he ignored it, gathering his things with a sweep of his hoof and storing them inside his satchel. He can put his faith in Soul...at least for now.

"Then be about your business, Soul...we move at high Noon, otherwise we will not make it up to the summit by nightfall...and I would rather be in the monastery doors than in the cold mountain air for the evening."

With that, he opened the door, and exited the room, giving cold glances to the staring and grinning kitchen hands, instantly causing them to go blanch and turn away, furiously going back to their work. With a huff, he continued on and exited the kitchen, coming over to the table and seeing the new pony.

"...I see that Grandfather must be picking up another worker. I'll leave you two to that, then..."

He then sat down next to Gallows, closing his eyes and relaxing once more.

[TotalEcplise]

High Noon, 3 hours. Taffy thought. She took a deep breath to calm herself and walked out of the room. With eyed the kitchen hands sadly and walked over to them. She gathered all of them together in a large hug and explained that her time with them was up.

Once back in her roomTaffy summoned her Aishanidari and used its magic to revert her back to her normal form. Male once again, Soul Slasher let out a deep sigh and began packing his saddle bags with everything that he would need for a prolonged trip. Saddle bags full, Soul lazily flopped onto his and buried his head into his pillows. He let his thoughts wander to the dark places of his mind that were usually fought off by the bubblely personality of Sweet Taffy or the thrill of combat when he was Soul Slasher.

I hate this place. My father, and the Empire have basically ruined me. I'm spending more and more time as Sweet Taffy and enjoying every minute of it. Who the hell am I and what do I even want in life? F***! He started to yell into the pillow. As he drifted off into sleep his senses were bombarded with the same information that has followed him for years.

"Meet my new little sister..." Cried a young filly and the blood drained from her neck and the light faded from her eyes.

"She's dead because of you!" A powerful looking pegasus stallion said as a coffin was lowered into the ground.

"Promise you'll never leave me." Cooed a beatiful mare while her house and fleshed burned brightly against the night sky.

"I brought you into battle to DIE!" Screamed a stallion as he slit the throat of his only son. Blood hitting the cobble stone is all that could be heard.

"If this is life, then it's not worth living." A filly whimpers out as she falls neck first on a curved blade. The sound of slicing muscle and sinew rings out infinitely.

"H-his...name...Crystal Cove..." Cried a mare as she choked to dead on her own blood in a hospital bed.

These dreams were frequent but it didn't lessen their impact. It reinforced them, to be reminded everyday of what he lost, what he thought he had, and where he messed up was just so much...sometimes too much. He thought about calling it off and just staying here as Sweet Taffy and never venturing out into the world again, but he knew that wouldn't work. As long as he was in this land he would never be right, leaving was his best option. He raised his head up from the pillows and rubbed his head. The fur around his eyes was matted down from tears and his breaths were heavy and labored. He walked over to the vanity mirror and cleaned himself up, he removed the eye-shadow and rustled up his mane with his hooves. Once done Soul changed out from his dress and into a skin tight black leather body suit and donned his gold trimmed beige cloak. The pegasus folded up the dress and placed it into his saddle bags. Ready to go, he fluttered out of his window and waited next to the entrance of the inn with his hood up.

Silvan and his group should be ready soon.

[Deactivated]

Dusk smiled as he waited for the pony that he thought was a guard to finish. He shifted a bit at the mention of his family, but quickly returned to his smile. Once he finished speaking, Dusk took a sip of mead, then spoke himself. “Please, I’m master to no one, and you can call me Dusk. Umbrosa Verenae is more of a… title, if you will. As for understanding of the Ancient Dialect, I did have a rather good schooling as I grew up” he finished by taking another sip of mead. Before he could continue on though, the guard/merchant pony started speaking again. Dusk took another sip of mead as he listened, still smiling at the pony. “A guide, you say? Well, I might be able to help you.” He said.

As Dusk went to take another sip, a bit longer than the others, another pony came over and joined them. It was the one he thought was of the blood. He turned his eyes on the new pony and smiled. “Actually, I came over thinking you were of the Blood. I thought I might offer my services to the young lord. But, as your grandfather has told me, you are not of the Blood, which is fine by me. They can all burn in The Pit of Nightmares for all I care. Lousy bunch of snobs, Imperial family is the worst of them all” as he spoke his words became more heated, and his smile turning into a glare. Taking a swig from his mead, he went on. “Peh, Imperial family. You know, I heard that one prince, Silvorn, or something like that, killed his father and brother. No doubt he wants the throne. They say he’s exiled, but I bet his sister simply found out that he did it, and that she was next, so he ran. Not that I’d morn her death, or the other two, but it just goes to show how bad they can get. That Silvin guy sounds like he was going to be a real greedy one, probably would have taxed all of the money he could out of us.” By the end, Dusk was glaring as hard as possible. After a moment, he realized this, and quickly changed it back to a smile, blushing slightly with embarrassment . “Er, um, of course, that has nothing to do with what we’re doing here. Hey, I forgot to ask, what are your names, anyway?” he said, gesturing to everypony at the table. “Silvan, that was the little fools name” he whispered to himself.