The mare gasped as she ran, her heart racing. She could still hear their voices behind her, still hear their hideous laughter. “I know you’re ‘here, girlie,” one of them called. She shut her eyes tightly; quite the mistake in the dark alley. With a slight misplacement of her hoof and a sharp cry, the mare fell to the ground, her saddlebag falling to her side. She struggled to stand quickly, before the stallions caught up to her.

“Why’d y’try to run,” said a cocky voice behind her. Gasping, she turned quickly, only to slip on her bag once again, tumbling back down. The man laughed as he came into her view. His hair was scruffy and unkempt; his eyes were hollow and dead looking under the mask of smoke from the cigarette in his mouth. His hoof strayed down to his side, where a rather sharp looking knife rested, sheathed for now. “Answer t’question, girlie,” he said, his accent shining through.

“P-Please, please just take my money,” the frightened mare said, scooting back against the wall of the alley, leaving behind her bag. “P-Please leave me be…”

“Now now,” another said, coming from the opposite side of the alley. “Why would’e go and leave a poor, sweet, innocent mare like yerself all alone now?”

“Like proper gentleman, we is,” the last said as he trotted up, grinning. “We oughta take y’home, lil’ miss.”

“Though, whose home we takin’ her to?” All three laughed as the mare whimpered and stood on trembling hooves.

“D-don’t you come any closer,” she said in a quivering voice. “I-I can still fight you!”

The closest stallion laughed. Suddenly, he charged forward, pinning the mare to the wall. “As if.”

The mare opened her mouth to scream, but the stallion quickly shoved his hoof into her mouth. She swallowed around the taste of dirt and whimpered as loud as she could. The stallion merely laughed. “Don’t y’go choking yet, girlie. Time enough for that later.” Her eyes widened as she pushed her head as far away from him as possible. The stallion grinned as the other two came closer, licking their lips. “Have at ‘er, boys.”

“I think not.”

All three looked back in surprise, seeing a figure standing in the shadows. He wore archaic armor, all but a helmet. His mane was sprinkled with grey, yet he still looked young. At his side was a hefty sword that looked to be the only light source in the alleyway. “Git outta here,” one of the stallions said. “Git going, and y’won’t get hurt.”

“Strange. Methinks thou took mine words.”

The stallion tilted his head. “Are y’from Trottin’ham or somethin’? What’s with the accent?”

“T’is merely the way I speak. I’m rather surprised; criminals usually focus more on the big sword.” To further his point, the stallion pulled the sword from it’s scabbard, blinding the men in white light.

“W-what is this?!”

“This is thy retribution.”

The mare shut her eyes tightly as the hoof in her mouth left. She dare not scream now; she was paralyzed in her terror. She focused on nothing but the soothing light that enveloped her. However, she still heard but a few words spoken.

“Carry my word, thou shadows of evil, for I am the Son of the Light. Where sin runs deep, shadows do as well. It is my duty to smite those; so make peace with your gods. May they show no mercy on thy impure souls.”

The mare couldn’t help herself; she fainted.

*~*~*~

The mare stirred slightly, feeling as though she were floating. She opened her eyes to see she was floating; very close to the ground. She turned to see the tired looking knight who had saved her. Was he really a knight? “S-sir?”

He glanced down at her in surprise. “Oh, thou art awake. Mayhaps, dost thou think standing is a possibility? I have come a long way.”

The mare blinked once. So that was how he really speaked. “U-Um…” She thought for a minute over what he had said. “I-I think I can stand by myself…” He nodded and helped her get to her hooves. “I’m… I’m grateful that you saved me.”

“Please, do not thank me. I only did my duty.”

“And what exactly… well, is your duty? I… I heard you say something about shadows… I’m sorry, I just… I’m curious.”

He smiled softly. She noted that his eyes seemed timeless yet old and worn at the same time. He had seen much, yet so little. Deep in them, she saw sorrow as well. Sorrow and pain. “Curiosity is not a crime, madam. I should know. It is my duty to end those who dwell in shadow, and to keep the lands bright and protected.”

The mare glanced behind her. The lamps around her casted her shadow far behind her. She had never thought it menacing before. “But… How do you decide? How do you tell when somepony has so much shadow in them that they deserve to… to…”

“To part ways with the living?” She gulped and nodded. “T’is a hard choice… Yet it is always based on their actions and how much shadow they contain.” He glanced at her again. “Before thou ask, yes; I do know thy sins as well.”

“... A-are you here to kill me too?”

“No, madam. I am here to do my duty; as of right now, thou art not so filled of darkness that I can call it right to end thy life.” He sighed. “I merely suggest to all those I save that they keep their lives bright… If not, they could end up swallowed by the cavernous nature of shadows, and be lost forever to the madness of that abyss.”

The mare nodded, absorbing his words. “I believe I can walk the rest of the way to my house… It’s not far.”

“Art thou positive?”

“Yes… Just… One more question.”

“Yes?”

“What is your name?”

There was a long pause. Surely, he had a name. Surely, he knew who he was. Right? It was a simple enough question, the mare thought. After a while, he sighed. “My name is old and forgotten to many a pony… Thou shalt find no record of me. Yet, my name is Morrigan.”

“Morrigan?... What an odd name.”

“I have heard that often… Yet it befits me.” Without another word, the knight turned his back on the mare and opened his wings. Ignoring her shout of surprise, he took off.

The mare sighed, checking her back. Her saddlebag was back in place. She had evaded… the alley gang, whichever one they were. She had been saved. And now she knew his name. “I wonder why he paused so long…” Smiling softly to herself, mostly in relief, she walked to her house without another incident.

Morrigan flew away, sighing. His name truly befit him, in his eyes. His mother had never known what he would become. How could she? Yet, as names went, the goddess of war and strife made sense. He was a knight who had gone to a war against shadow.

He just had to make sure he was on the winning side.

Author's Note

HAPPY (VERY VERY VERY LATE) BIRTHDAY DRAKE! <3