Faded Shadows
Chapter 6
Two hours into our trip and I was ready to scream. I never really liked being cramped into small places for too long and this wasn't helping.
"I assume the King is going to stick us into some special task group the moment we arrive?" asked Agliss.
"No." replied the High Priestess. "He'll want you on the front lines. Boosting moral and holding the line as needed."
"Fuck that." I replied. "I don't do that front line shit. That's not my cup of tea. Not anymore at least."
"I've seen into you, Zhane." said the High Priestess. "I see bloodlust more prevalent than anything else."
"Well, you're partially right." I replied. "I'm a hide and wait type of guy. You get more satisfaction out of a kill if they only know you're there the moment you kill them."
"There is no honor in a kill like that." replied the High Priestess.
"Does it look like I give a shit about honor?" I asked. "A kill is a kill and nothing more."
Agliss rolled his eyes.
"Subject change." he said. "What can you tell us about General Scarhide?"
"The best word I can use to describe him is mathematical. Even when we was employed under the king, Scarhide was his top tactician. Battle placements, strike methods, ration control: It's scary how smart he can be."
"What caused the sudden change in sides?" asked Agliss.
"Believe it or not, Scarhide had disappeared several months before he declared civil war on the kingdom. We don't know the motive or the cause. We just know that he's really good with the public and because of that, more than forty percent of our population has sided with the rebels. They own the East Arches, Angel Mountain, Snow-tipped Peak, and the Southern Shoreline. They pretty much have us boxed in at the moment."
"If that's the case, then how in the world did you manage to get to Equestria?" asked Agliss.
"Please." started the High Priestess. "They may be rebels but they know better than to down the carriage of the High Priestess. Lest they wish the people turn against them."
"Everything is set up, General." saluted one of the rebels.
The cold winter air with General Scarhide in the face, causing to recoil a bit.
"Excellent, when's the carriage arriving?" asked the General.
"They should be clearing the ridge in a few minutes." replied the rebel.
"I want the drivers dead first. Then I want you to pull the target out of the carriage. I want the High Priestess unharmed." demanded Scarhide.
"Yes sir!" yelled the rebel as he returned to his position. This left the General alone, standing in the snow. He focused on the ridge in front of him until he saw the target emerge from the horizon.
"Archers at the ready!" yelled the General as the carriage got closer. "Hold! Hold!"
At this point, the carriage was now close to overhead.
"Fire!" yelled the General. A could of arrows emerged from the forest, blotting the sun out as the descended onto the carriage.
"Arrows!" yelled one of the drivers of the carriage as he and his partner beside him became large pincushions.
"What was that!" demanded the High Priestess.
One of the guards in the carriage with us opened the door and looked outside.
"The drivers are gone, we're going down!" he yelled as he and the other remaining guards left the carriage insides to keep the giant piece of wood and metal in the sky.
"What was that stuff about not attacking the High Priestess?" I asked with an amused smile.
"Do those fools forget who they're dealing with?" snarled the High Priestess.
"Drivers are down!" yelled one of the rebels. "Remainder of the guards on the outside! The rest are trying to keep the carriage in the air!"
"Retrievers!" yelled the General. "Move up and remove the package from the carriage! Take him as far away as you can if you get him!"
"Yes sir!" yelled the Receivers as they launched into the skies
"The rest of you, ADVANCE!"
"I think it would be a good idea for me to have a weapon." I said while looking at Agliss.
He rolled his eyes and drew his sword.
"Only in your dreams, Zhane. Just get by the door on your side and gu..."
Agliss was interrupted by the door on my side opening, revealing a lightly armored griffon. I barely had time to look at the griffon before he wrapped his nasty bird claws around me and pulled me out of the carriage.
"What the fuck!" I yelled as I realized I was being held at least one hundred feet in the air. "Let go of me you bird fuck!" I yelled as I started to squirm.
The griffon didn't let go.
"I said let go!" I said as I grabbed the claws that were holding me and started with the fingers. The first one was the middle claw. I bent it back as far as I could and smiled as the griffon screamed in pain. At the moment, I guess I had completely forgotten about the drop. That was, until the griffon dropped me.
"Oh shit!" I said as I looked down and noticed I had begun my descent into the forest below. I just hoped that the trees would break my fall. I hit the first branch with enough force to knock the breath out of me. The second branch hit me in the face, causing me to close my eyes. I could feel a wetness coming from my right eye which I hoped were just tears. The third branch stopped me and rolled me to the ground below where I landed on a large pile on snow underneath.
I groaned in pain. I had enough wounds to deal with, I didn't need more. Once I had regained my breath, I wiped my right eye and examined my hand with the left one. My hand was covered in red, sticky blood. I opened my eye slowly, I could see fine. The bark on the tree must have cut around my eye.
"He landed over here!" yelled an unfamiliar voice.
I slowly pushed myself up against the tree that graciously broke my fall and pretended to be unconscious. Hopefully it would be enough to trick the things approaching me.
Through semi-closed eyes, I saw three of those lightly armored griffons land in the clearing next to me.
"Damn, he looks rough." said one of the griffons.
"That's what happens when you fall one hundred feet into a pine tree." replied another one.
"Enough talk you two." called the third one. "We need to take him back to the Sanctum."
So these griffons were part of the Rebellion against the Griffon Kingdom. I smiled slightly, Oh the fun I was going to have here.
As the griffons approached, a large fireball collided with their sides. Gone in a split second. I opened my eyes to see Agliss approaching me.
"Well, I thought I was on my own out here." I said as I extended my hand towards the old man. He grabbed me with both hands and helped me to my feet. "I almost had a way outta here."
"Like you would leave." scoffed the old man. "Anything broken?"
"Just some bruises and a cut." I said as I motioned towards my right eye. "What happened to the carriage?"
The guards lowered it to the ground and it is currently surrounded." replied Agliss. "I left to come find you."
"That sounds like a bad idea. Considering that it was just attacked." I replied.
"Nah." replied Agliss. "You heard the High Priestess, they won't have the balls to attack her. Lest the people turn on them."
"So I'm guessing we'll have to fight?" I asked.
"Obviously." replied Agliss
I looked over to the now ashen remains of the rebel soldiers once before me.
"Looks like I'm gonna need some gear." I said as I walked over to the ash and armor laying in the snow. The armor they were wearing was pretty light. I grabbed the iron arm guards and strapped them on. Then I grabbed the shoulder guards from the other pile of ash. Other than that, nothing else fit me.
"Now for a weapon." I said as I started to look through the ash. Most of their weapons had been destroyed except for a large combat knife still in its sheath.
"You expect to fight in that?" asked Agliss as he approached me.
"It's the best I can do, for now." I said as I drew the knife from the sheath. "I'm gonna slaughter these bird fucks."
Agliss smiled before waving his hand at me.
"What was that?" I asked.
"An air barrier. It'll slow down on coming strikes and arrows. Slow enough for you to counter quickly."
I smiled.
"Let's get moving."
"Your actions today will cause unrest, Scarhide!" yelled the High Priestess as he guards surrounded her, protecting her from the rebels. "As I speak, the Royal Army is on their way to retrieve me."
"It's not you I'm after." replied Scarhide as he approached the huddle of royal guards. "We're just here for Zhane Black, nothing more, nothing less. Your life is nothing to me, all I want is Zhane."
The High Priestess groaned softly before she began to sense the surrounding area. Surely the Royal Army was close, it was a serious matter. However, on the edge of the woods, the Priestess sensed two strong auras that she recognized greatly. She smiled.
"You are mistaken, General." replied the Priestess. "Zhane will not be taken so easily."
"Let's see how these birds like seeing a gruesome display of unhonorable killing." I teased.
"Stick to the plan." replied Agliss. "I don't want to have to pull your ass outta the fire again."
"First kill is mine, old man." I said as I crunched through the snow towards the large gathering of rebels. I removed the knife from the sheath and readied it for action. I jumped towards the first rebel I reached and clamped its beak shut while I stuck the knife in its throat. Luckily, none of the other rebels noticed me. Time for some cheap scare tactics.
As the rebel died, I placed my hand on the wound, allowing blood to dirty my hand. I then took my hand and covered my face in it. Once done, I took more and smeared it on my shirt and armor. Once I was done, I let the body drop and breathed in slowly. After that, it was time for the fun. I started to cut at the griffon's throat until his head was completely detached from his body. With his head in hand, I stood straight and looked at the rebels
"Hey assholes!" I yelled as the entire gathering turned towards me. "Looking for someone?"
The best way I could describe the looks on the rebel's face's was completely petrified. It was almost like they had never seen a murder before. Well, a murder ending in decapitation
"There's your man, Scarhide." teased the Priestess. "Why don't you go get him?"
Scarhide scoffed and looked at the human.
"Soldiers, I want him alive."
None of the rebels moved.
"Looks like their afraid." I said smiling.
Scarhide frowned.
Archers!" he yelled as he looked among the group gathered around the downed carriage. They too had become afraid of me. How convenient.
"Nobody?" I asked. I waited a few minutes, none of the birds stepped up. "Alright then." I turned slightly to the forest. "It's your move Agliss." I then tossed the head at the crowd, who avoided it as if it were a bomb.
Several seconds passed as the wind started to rustle, the snow began to pickup from the ground. The rustle was soon overshadowed by a sound of rumbling. I moved slightly, anticipating what was soon to come. The rumbling ceased and a large piece of the earth erupted, knocking a majority of the troops away from the carriage. The remaining soldiers began to run, attempting to get away from the assault that was being unleashed on them.
"Oh what a sight." I said to myself.
"Looks like I was right, Solomon." said Melody as she looked on the snowy battlefield. "Scarhide is in over his head."
"Solomon count seven." said the large Warlord. "Two near forest and five next to carriage."
"I don't see two by the forest." said Melody.
"Solomon smell him. He hides like rat." replied the Gnoll.
"Alright then big guy!" replied the unicorn. "Let's get Scarhide outta there." She jumped onto the gnoll, hanging onto his shoulder. "Men, move up. Let's go save our knight!"
"That did the trick." Agliss said as only a few griffons remained, Scarhide being one.
"Using tactics like that is disgusting!" shouted Scarhide. "Do you have no honor!"
"Nope, all you are to me is another nasty bird." I replied.
"No wonder he wants you." Scarhide said quietly.
"What was that, couldn't hear you?" I asked.
Scarhide was about to reply but the sound of yelling caught him off guard. He turned his head to one of the nearby hills and smiled.
"I said." he paused. "Looks like reinforcements are here."
I looked over to where the General was looking and saw dozens and dozens of animal looking things following a large dog creature.
"Agliss, you gonna do something?" I asked.
"Just watch." he said as he popped his neck. The old man drew his sword and pointed it at the ground. He brought it up quickly and slashed it several times. Seconds passed and the land in front of us began to fissure and break away, stopping the reinforcements. However, the large dog simply hopped from piece to piece before it was one hop away from us. The large dog landed right between Scarhide and myself.
"Melody and Solomon, what is the meaning of this?! This is my task and you shall not interfere!"
"You were in over your head Scarhide. Even you know that." said a small unicorn that hopped of the large dog.
"Yes, Solomon agree." replied the dog.
"It's not my fault, we didn't expect this. No one would expect this!" said the General.
"He did warn you." said the unicorn. "Anyways, we weren't gonna sit back and watch one of our knights be taken by the enemy. We can't let that happen so early into the game."
"I'm not going anywhere, Melody." replied the General.
"The game is continuing, Scarhide. If we lose a knight, it would be disastrous for us. Lose both and the game would turn, deciding an early victor. Although, the loss of the knights would encourage a pawn to step up and become the missing piece so that we may win."
Shivers went down my spine as the unicorn ended its little speech. It reminded me of what that bastard Lewis told me back where I was from. It made me angry just thinking about him, what he did, what he did to change my life. It also made me angry at the unicorn.
I pulled the knife from its sheath and started towards them. Agliss grabbed my shoulder as I moved forward, impeding my progress.
"What are you doing?" he asked. "You're going to get yourself killed. You don't have the ability to use magic anymore."
"Fuck off." I said as I pushed his hand off my shoulder. "I don't need magic to win in a fight."
I turned away and rushed the carriage.
"I'm not some little play toy, Melody. I'm the General of the Rebel army and I …... watch out!" Scarhide yelled as I approached the group.
"Solomon!" yelled the unicorn.
The large talking dog proceeded to draw a very large sword from a sheath on his back. It was more of a chunk of iron rather than a sword. The dog swung the sword to block my path.
"Nice try." I said as I side stepped the sword and went straight for the unicorn. I in almost arms reach before I felt the dog grab me by arm. He pulled me away from the unicorn and held me up in front of him.
"This is what Scarhide was sent to capture. Solomon no understand why Scarhide didn't catch him sooner. This human is weaker than I thought."
"We should make him play a game." replied the unicorn in a sing song voice. "We should make him pick who we should kill. The Priestess or the other human."
I got a small flashback back to that night. This was unforgivable, this bitch was going to die.
"Where did other human go?" asked the large dog.
"Let go of me!" I yelled as I slashed at the dog's wrist, making it drop me. Immediately, I dashed for the unicorn as her horn began to light up. I was going for blood.
"Stop." said a voice from behind me as chains that looked as if they were carved from the earth wrapped themselves around me, halting my progress. I looked over to see that same fate had fallen upon the dog as well. I looked in front of me to see that Agliss had his sword tip pressed against the unicorn's neck.
"Unicorn that is called Melody." said Agliss as he awkwardly called to the unicorn. "I could kill you where you stand and then make quick work of your friend in chains over there."
"Why haven't you?" she asked as she smiled slightly.
"I would like to propose a deal. You leave, take your troops with you and I won't kill either of you."
"Solomon will never agree to such terms!" yelled the large dog as he struggled with the chains.
"Solomon!" snapped Melody. "We accept your terms. It seems that I was dealt a bad hand."
"Back up to the General." replied Agliss. "You too Solomon."
The chains around Solomon crumpled and turned to dust. He simply sheathed his sword and returned the Melody's side.
"It's kinda funny." said Melody. "It's not always the matter of having good cards, but playing a poor hand well."
At that moment, a bright light emitted from the unicorn's horn. The light faded and Solomon, Melody, and Scarhide where far over the nearby hill with the remaining rebels close behind.
"I'm going to cut her tongue out the moment I get the chance!" I yelled as I struggled in the chains. After a moment, I could feel them slowly loosen until I could slip out.
"What happened back there, Zhane? You were stopped and almost got yourself in a situation that could have killed you." snapped Agliss.
"My entire life is a situation that could kill me." I replied. "That bitch talks too much and it's almost like she has a hard on for chess and cards."
"We'll discuss that later. It seems that Scarhide has some helpers. It also seems that he's acting on orders." said Agliss.
"I don't give a shit." I said as I walked towards the carriage which was being re-saddled at this point. "He's gonna be dead soon and whoever this boss of his is, he's gonna die as well."
"I'm disappointed in you, Scarhide. I thought you could handle this little task. I guess I was wrong."
The shadow braced himself for Scarhide's rebuttal.
"How could I be ready for that?" asked the General as the image of him flickered slightly. "He fights like a wild animal, he has no honor at all."
"Your task was to capture Zhane at all costs. The fact that Melody and Solomon acted on their own to save you must have meant that you were in deep. According to them, they were also in danger of dying as well. Do you know how this will make us look?"
Scarhide paused and looked down.
"I want you to gather your men and I want you to move on the King's castle. You may take Melody and Solomon if you wish."
"But!" replied Scarhide.
"No buts!" yelled the shadow. "I am your master and you will obey me. If it weren't for me, you would have died an old, forgotten bird. Wasting away in his former glory."
Scarhide looked away as if he were physically hurt by the comment.
"Yes sir." he replied. "We'll launch the attack right away."
"You're dismissed." replied the shadow
There was silence as the image disappeared and the room darkened once more.
"I will have you, Zhane. For you are like us. No place left in this world. Nothing to do but to rot away. You'll realize this soon. Once Celestia is done with you, she'll throw you in the trash. You'll have no choice but to come crawling to me."