The walk to the library was long, to be certain. He hadn't realized how far along the outskirts Fluttershy had lived. It was filled with banter between the elf and the farmer, and the occasional laugh that made its way from them. They had become fast friends, and Heian had offered his services around the farm whenever she required any extra aid. The topic had turned dim for that conversation, with Applejack's concerns over the drought being aired. The elf listened intently. The drought had lasted for months, she explained. If they didn't get rain soon, her family's crops would die. The elf knew of a way to aid the town in their plight, but he would wait until he was alone. It would be something that none of them would be able to believe.

"So, excuse me if I seem pryin', but," Applejack snapped him out of his thoughts, "Seems like that wasn't yer first run-in with those fellas. You and them had history?" Heian sighed and nodded slowly.

"Something to that effect, yes."

"Care to tell? Ya don't have to if'n ya don't-"

"No. I don't mind. Not at all," he took a breath, "I had never met those men in particular, but I have encountered their order many times before..."

It was cold. The monastery had been adamant in him bringing a fur cloak and heavy clothing. He was glad they insisted. If he hadn't, he surely would have succumbed to the cold. He took a moment to remember his first task set for him by his elders. A group of brigands had made camp upon sacred ground. Many of its visitors had been taken. He was to cleanse the ground of this impurity, and return to his training. He had been given a simple iron longsword. It wasn't going to frighten anyone into fleeing, but it would suit its purpose. The snow fell around him, the cold, white essence blanketing the ground before him. He didn't mind the winter. It came after his Mistress' autumn, and Her beloved night lasted longer than in any other season. It was a shame the winter's Queen was as cold as Her beloved blizzards.

It was nightfall. The elf was perplexed. It had been noon when he had nearly reached his destination. He looked up from the white before him to find the sky blanketed with the most gorgeous navy blue, dotted with twinkling stars. Sehanine's moon was bright and full, bathing the outcropping in its beautiful glow. He realized he'd arrived.

Sehanine's Kiss. That is what it was called. The outcropping had been created by the Moon Goddess herself, and had been given Her blessing; night eternal. Many lovers sneaked away to partake in secret trysts upon this very spot, under Sehanine's loving gaze. It was a sacred place. A beautiful place. And fools had dared to desecrate it.

"Well, lookit what we 'ave 'ere, boys..."

Heian turned to find a group of men approaching him. They were garbed in heavy crimson robes, and they each eyed him with a malicious grin.

"The Slaughterer will be pleased. We give him the blood of another of the moon bitch's faithfuls, He grants us a place at his side," the leader murmured to his men. They all snickered, drawing crude, rusty blades.

"What're ye waitin' for? Carve 'im up!"

The elf drew his blade as two men charged towards him. He had learned the way they fight. His elders had prepared him to face these men long before he knew who they were. He waited, and as the first man slashed at him, he stepped away. He would have taken the opening to strike, but he brought his blade to parry a thrust from the man's comrade. He staggered back, a grunt of vexation piercing his lips before he found himself sidestepping another strike. The two men seemed to take turns swinging their weapons at him, and he swayed away from them with relative ease. He brought his sword up and, after flicking away a particularly clumsy attack, drove it forward. The give of flesh and crunch of bone were his response. He watched the defiler's face fill with dread as the elf drew back his sword and slashed it across his neck. His hot blood steamed as it met the snow.

This kill was different. His first kill had torn his heart out. This kill... he felt no remorse. This man deserved his fate. He had made the fatal error of slaughtering the faithful of the Mistress of Autumn upon Her own sacred ground. He served the order that had arranged his coven's massacre. A gurgle met his ears as the life ebbed from the broken form in front of him. His gaze turned to the second man, who was visibly shaken. A clumsy, sloppy strike led to his demise. The elf stepped away, only to lunge forward, his sword piercing the human's throat. Gasps and grunts filled the air as the man fell beside his comrade, his attempts at breathing bringing him closer to death. The leader appeared apathetic, but a slight quiver of his hand as he drew his steel dagger betrayed him.

"I should've known better than to trust the likes of them. Bastards couldn't gut an infant," he grumbled audibly, the snow crunching under his heavy boots. Heian could make out the rustling of chainmail beneath his clothing. He would need to be careful. He brandished his sword, and as he spoke, a pale blue glow shone from the iron.

"On Sehanine's name, I swear to fight until the end. I swear to chase you through this world and beyond. And I swear to end your life." The conviction behind his words startled even himself. The man seemed to hesitate before charging towards the elf. Heian sidestepped the surprisingly quick slash of his dagger, and found himself bringing his longsword to block as many blows as he was avoiding. He managed to make a few thrusts and slashes of his own, but found them parried sloppily. The two continued exchanging blows, the ringing of their blades echoing through the skies. They fought for what seemed like days before the man seemed to tire. His strikes became slower and more sloppy, and he found himself on the receiving end of some superficial wounds from the elf. Finally, with a flick of his wrist, the dagger was wrenched from the man's hand, and his head was sent rolling along the snow. His lifeless body slumped to the ground, convulsing as the last of his life drained from him.

The elf's chest heaved with each breath. His lungs burned. His body ached. He sheathed the marred longsword before regarding the corpses strewn before him. He had been given instruction on how to rid the blemish of their presence from Sehanine's view. He dragged the first man's body towards the edge of the outcropping before searching it. He found his mark; a wooden carving of the Slaughterer's holy symbol. He took it and pushed the body from the ledge. He watched as it plummeted down the vast drop before doing the same to the other two cadavers. He took the leader's head by the hair and flung it as far as he could. He then turned to the campfire the cult had been huddled around. He regarded the holy symbols of Erythnul with a scowl before throwing them into the flames.

He then made his way to the ledge and knelt before the moon. He lowered his head in silent prayer; an offering of gratitude for his strength in combat, and an affirmation of his work. As he rose from his prayer, he felt something. A presence behind him. He turned and saw nothing, but a voice rang in his head.

"I am pleased, my child. I offer thanks for your part in reclaiming this most blessed of land." Heian suspected who it was, but he never delved too far into it. He needed to return to the monastery. He needed to return home.

Applejack's stunned silence lasted for a moment, the puzzled look on her face telling him she was trying to piece everything together.

"So... they just camped out an' killed anyone who went up there?" She finally asked. The elf nodded, and her face twisted in fury. "Why, of all the no-good, rotten, bone-headed things for anyone ta do, that has got ta be the worst!" She huffed, looking to the ground in disgust. She took a few deep breaths to regain her composure, but lost herself when she saw a shimmering shape behind Heian. She was about to call out, but the elf thrust his elbow back against the shape. A loud grunt sounded out before the sound of a sword being drawn and carved into flesh. A red flash revealed another man dressed in red. He bore a dagger in his hand, its blade glimmering black with some foul poison. The elf drew his sword back from the flesh of the fallen man, flicking the blood from it and sheathing it yet again. He sighed and took a moment to check his surroundings, making sure there were no other immediate threats.

"We need to hurry," he said sternly, his gaze turning to the library. Applejack immediately understood the implications of what he was saying.

"The girls." She ran, the elf easily keeping pace with her. They didn't take long reaching the library, and Heian burst through the heavy doors. His sword was drawn quickly upon hearing the whimpers of Fluttershy.

"Come now, little ones. We promise it'll not take long. We just want to have a word wit' you two..." A gruff voice could be heard behind a closed door. A swift kick to the wood, and the door was open, and three men turned to regard the elf with a grin. "Well, lookit who decided to show up. We were jest talkin' about ya..." The same voice spoke to him. Behind them, Fluttershy and Twilight were huddled together, a hemisphere of silver light keeping them from harm. The indigo-haired woman appeared under the most stress, leading Heian to believe the barrier was her doing. The first man took a step forward. "Keep workin' on that shield, boys. I'm gonna have a bit of fun with knife-ears 'ere-" He was cut off by Heian's bastard sword being unceremoniously shoved into his chest. The look of cold determination frightened him in his last moments. As he fell to the ground, the elf calmly took a few steps forwards and, with two practiced swings, felled the other two men in short order. Twilight and Fluttershy watched as he approached, his hand offered to them.

"It's okay. You're safe now."