Where the hammer falls....

In the beginning, from the void, God drew out all that was and ever would be. One day, as God worked, he found something in the abyss. God took this, and called it day, and the other, he called night, and set out to create the universe. But as God worked, a voice stilled the spirits, and even his own angels, in an instant. The Darkness. In horror, the one of the time before watched God set out on his work, and began to make many creatures, many worlds, and many universes. The darkness, ever bitter in its place in God’s design, could only mumble in the background as its beautiful nothingness was filled with… filth.

But one day, God called all his children, and said “Now, let us make something that is both us and the beasts of the earth I have made.” And in them, was placed all of God’s love, and all were told of their new charges. Humans. An angel asked, “Father, why are they so special? What gift do you give them?”

God smiled, and said, “For, as it is for none in all my creation, I shall give them a most wonderful, and terrible gift. To them, I shall give free will.”

In that moment, the darkness saw its chance. Even among the immortals, and even Gods most trusted servant, the darkness found many allies, and in its dark corner, it watched with glee as the children were exiled. Soon, more humans began to fill the world, and the darkness found a home. In Cain. And while the child did not make a proper host for long , soon his works spread. And the darkness feasted upon all the humans’ misery.

We all know what happened next. God looked down, saw what was happening, and put a sandaled foot to the world’s collective ass. Forty days, forty knights, and then re-population, or at least that’s how the legend goes. In any case, the darkness could find no home in Noah’s heart or mind, but it did not despair. Soon enough, it found all the misery it could ever want. But… in the months that followed, it would never expect its own suffering at hand. The Angelus.

No one, except for maybe God, knew who or for that matter, what the Angelus was. While it bore the light and wings of angels, her thirst for the darkness’s destruction knew no bounds. For millennia, the Darkness and Angelus feuded, causing misery and turmoil wherever the two stepped. From host to host, the two halves bounded throughout the pages of history, compounding man’s troubles tenfold.

But now, the game is over. The Darkness, ever the gambling beast, rolled the dice, and came up snake eyes. And that is where our story begins.

New York…  Manhattan…. 2:33 am….

The echoes of screeching tires sounded through the somewhat empty streets, the bums and lost ducking behind trash bins and in doorways and gutters, eyes peeking out as the vans came to a halt in front of dilapidated building, the huge “Condemned” not stopping a few of the more brave, or desperate, vagrants to take shelter in its crumbling frame. But everyone knew to stay away now. They all knew he was trouble the second he came into the alley, and now look, men with guns. From overhead, a voice echoed out, “Flood it!”

All the assembled forgotten clenched their eyes as suddenly the alley was filled with light. Moments later, as the guards took stance in front of the building, a horrific shriek sounded out, making ear drums throb as they assaulted their owners. The guards did not flinch. Every second guard shouldered their weapons, reaching to the canisters at their sides. Cocking their arms in unison, they threw the grenades into the building. As they threw, a man limped out into the alley from the only car among the trucks and nondescript vans. Both his legs were covered in metal braces, and grunting, the man stood, putting a pair of sunglasses on. Suddenly, bangs filled the air, and for a brief moment, the dark alley lit up, exposing the scurrying rats and quivering homeless. For a moment, the man’s face was given clear and horrific exposure.

Everyone there, even the guards, knew this man was no looker at any point in his life. But… as he limped, the soldiers made a point of looking away. While the left side of his face was relatively normal, aside from a scar across the forehead, the right side was a nightmare in motion, giving the impression at one point the fellow had a cheese grater taken to him. As the flash cleared, the man stepped forward, clearing his throat.

Tapping the end of the cane he was leaning on against the ground in two quick jabs, the man shouted, “Boy! That’s enough of this. Make it easy on yourself, and come out!”

Nothing, not a word or whimper. Grimacing, the man shouted, “Enough! I tried to make this…” Suddenly, the man doubled over, hacking terribly. From the line, a soldier rushed forward, putting a hand on their leader's shoulder.

“Brother Victor… please…” the soldier winced as their leader spat out a massive wad of phlegm, the after giving the offered hand an appreciative pat, pushed it away. After the soldiers hand fell from his shoulder, Victor raised his, shouting, “You brought this on yourself boy!”

At the snap of his fingers, the assembled soldiers quickstepped into the building. Behind his glasses, Victor's eyes closed, and taking a breath, he tried to block out the screams from inside the, which we’re quickly drowned out with the sound of gunfire.

“Sir!”

Victor opened his eyes again, and removing his glasses, gave the approaching soldier a hopeful, almost hungry look as he limped forward.

“Did… did we get him?”

The soldier shook his head, and a dull thud sounded as the side of Victor’s cane connected with his head. Teeth bared, Victor snarled, “Then why are you out…” as he spoke, he began to swish the cane down to strike his brother, but was stopped by the soldier’s hand. As his rage grew, Victor opened his mouth to order the man’s death, when suddenly, the soldier grabbed him by both shoulders, grinning despite the freshly bruised head. Giving Victor a slight shake, the man said “We. Got. Her.”

Victor pushed the man aside, eyes flashing as he limped as quickly as he could to the buildings steps. Inside, a voice screeched, cursing the soldiers and their mothers, telling them they were no children of God. Victor smiled coldly as rather rotund black female was dragged out, her head covered in a blue kerchief. As her eyes clapped with Victors, the woman stopped her shouting, and sneered.

“Vic… you still as ugly outside as you is inside boy…”

Victor merely shrugged, and at least as close as he ever could, smiled pleasantly. Pressing the top of his cane against the woman’s throat, he grumbled, “Mama Leeds. Patron brood mother of lay abouts and whores, not to mention a thief to boot.”

Pulling away the cane, Victor walked to the door, looking in at the carnage.

“All this… because you took in that thing.”

Leeds shook her head.

“The boy ain’t gone yet Vic. He’s better than that thing using his shell, better then all your tin toys, and definitely better than some fish eyed fool.”

Slowly Victor turned, and as he did, the soldier who dragged Leed’s out of the building stepped up, and handed the human his sidearm.  Grimacing as she felt the two men press into the back of her knee’s with their feet, Leeds collapsed to her knees. Shaking his head, the pistol held at his side, Victor said softly, “One chance Virginia. Where is the boy?”

Grinning, Leed’s looked over her shoulder, and up at her executioner.

“He with friends, in a place you’ll never find him, boy.”

Virginia looked forward again, and as Victor pressed the gun against her skull, she said “One thing Vic?”

“Last request?”

“More like advice. Son, you get wise, you get to church.”

No one that could have helped heard the shot.

…………………………………………………..

The clomp of hooves echoed through the inner halls of the castle holding cells. While not cold or damp, the cells were a far cry from the rest of the diarch’s palace, its hewn stone laced with various enchantments to ensure complete security. Usually, the cells were reserved for drunk nobles or as a tourist attraction, but not today. Dressed in the red armor of her clan, Cloud kept a neutral tone and an even pace as she said “How many?”

Gulping, the black coated unicorn next to her levitated a clipboard, his eyes roaming over the page.

“This… whoever it is… took down two guards in the northern district. While severely wounded, they’re both still alive. From what we were able to gather, the subject stuck to the shadows till the eclipse. And then…” the unicorn cleared his throat.

“It went hunting.”

Cloud Kicker paused mid stride, and looked over her shoulder, a brow cocked. Lips pursed, the stallion beside flipped through a few pages.

“It seemed to only select members of the guard, or nobility.”

Cloud looked forward again, and they both resumed their walk.

“When… I assume it male, so when he took a target, once dead, he’d use whatever spell he was using to get those two snakes coming out of his back, and the snakes would then eat the heart.”

Cloud paused again, looking down.

“Private… how many Kickers?”

The unicorn closed his eyes.

“Five… ma’am.”

Features hardening, Cloud continued her trek, saying in a neutral tone, “I’ll inform the families myself.”

“Yes ma’am.”

Cloud Kicker's brow furrowed behind her helm as she and her companion walked up to a lone stallion, slumping, and in the mares opinion, disgracing his uniform with his posture. As she walked up to give him the berating, the stallion looked up, and Cloud Kicker was simply shocked. Not only with who was sitting in front of her, but also because she didn’t recognize from the word go.

“Commander Shining?”

The stallion gave a slight smile, and Cloud thanked her lucky stars one at a time by name that her helm hid her blush. Since taking her place as an officer of the guard, Cloud had had no choice but to all but stop her favorite activity. Thankfully, periodic visits from Blossomforth had kept her from completely losing her senses, but to have this beautiful specimen of a stallion a hoof length made the mare wonder if the world was out to get her today.

“Oh, hey Cloud…”

Oh Celestia…. Even when he’s distressed its beautiful… I still have the rope and hoof cuffs, maybe… Cloud quickly squashed that train of thought, berating herself, Cool off! Just think of what his wife would do to you if she knew what you were just thinking about…

Feeling her libido now firmly held under the hefty weight of the threat of a scorned alicorn, Cloud Kicker gave a nod.

“Sir…”

The stallion looked down again, and bit his bottom lip.

“It… it knew…”

Cloud Kicker frowned.

“Knew what Commander?”

Tears began to stream down Shining Armors cheeks.

“You… you know… how Cadey was captured, right? Months before our wedding?”

Cloud Kicker nodded slowly.

“I… I didn’t know… I wanted to wait, make our night together special… but she… I mean that bitch who took her place… was just so…”

“Sir… Its okay…”

Shining clenched his teeth, then shook his head.

“No its not… but even if it was… How… that thing… didn’t use a spell, or invade my mind… how did it know…?”