“What an interesting creature you are.” she laughed her lithe hands tracing down my back, as she inspected my shivering form. Her fingernails slowly slid up my chest before cupping my chin. I froze as she tilted my chin up slowly, her slitted eyes gazing into mine as I waited for something to happen.

“Your scent,” she whispered, pausing to contemplate her words as I stood frozen.

“It’s deliciously enticing.” she purred her clawed hand wrapping around my throat as I thrashed about.

With a jolt I sprang to my feet shakily looking around for a perpetrator as my brain caught up.

"That god damn dream again" I sighed collapsing onto the couch wiping a trickle of sweat away from my forehead. Looking at a small clock I was shocked to discover that I had only been asleep for about two hours. Outside the sun lazily climbed into the sky still relatively pink as the village was mostly silent. A few stray guards warily made patrols keeping a sharp eye out for a possible second attack as I tore my gaze away from the window. With light now present I doubted the beasts would attack, light and the now gone element of surprise both played against them.

Every night since my arrival I had the same dream. The mare black as night stood before me, her form arousing yet scared me witless. Her voice smooth as silk yet held a bitter poison in her words. Damn, I am artistic today, I chuckled stretching as I rubbed at my eyes. I felt like I knew the mare but I never got far enough to actually see her.

The six other inhabitants slept peacefully as I quickly showered, groaning as for the first time in countless months I was able to scrub away the filth my body had gained. Granted when you had spent the last god knows how long thinking you were a skeletal abomination, you tended to skimp on personal hygiene. My hair had grown to wild lengths, my face spouting a beard and mustache as I grimaced in distaste.

"You my friends, have to go" I jokingly mused grabbing a razor.

Yawning I let the cool air slowly dry my still damp and freshly cut hair. My eyes flickered over the daunting Everfree forest. A sword lay buckled to my side, I knew the family would throw a fit but I was sure they would forgive once they learnt that I was going to finish off those bastards that cowered in the forest.

Marching down the streets I noticed that ugly splotches of blood still stained the ground as the rain from last night as well as the flutter ponies effort had done little. I gave a chuckle as a mare cursed under her breath violently scrubbing the ground as a guard made idle chit chat with her. I knew that I could not stay as much as I would love to; things like me don't get to settle down in small villages, have friends or family. But that doesn't mean I can’t stop other monsters from trying to take those basic rights away from others.

Reaching the border between the village and forest I gave one more fleeting glance in the direction of Lace Stitches house before stepping into the pitch blackness.

Luna's POV

I threw a few awkward glances towards my sister as we arrived at our destination. We had just teleported a few hundred meters away from the village as the soldiers quickly moved forward. I felt guilt for my actions as she refused to meet my gaze. Despite the spat and my, slight over reacting I still had good reason for my actions. Liches were not ponies, they were monsters that killed for fun and rose the undead to use in armies. Why wouldn't she just accept that the thing was trying to manipulate us into a false sense of security? Heal my sister in the hope we would let it get close then it would kill us or force us to serve it.

That was why I feared it, for if it got to Isaac or any of the foals it could use them as leverage. I loved the foals as if they were my own, we all did, but I would not let anything live if there were even the slightest possibility that it could do harm. From the way it fought it was very clear that this creature could do serious harm.

"Sister, look maybe I was slightly uh… strong in my disagreement but you must see that…" I was cut off as Nightmare Moon held up a single hand.

"We can discuss this later, for now focus on the mission" The ice in her voice made me shiver slightly as I huffed. The poison in her words made it clear that she was in no mood for apologies. Snorting in annoyance the anger for my sister redoubled as I contemplated kicking her flank.

"Glimmer Shield, report" I barked as the mare saluted.

"Your majesties, you aren't going to believe this" she answered gesturing to the still intact and relatively unharmed village. Reaching the village border the three of us made our way into the village centre many of the flutter ponies stopping to greet and show respect.

"What is going on? We were informed that your village was under siege, have we been lied to?" I growled the last part, my patience already wearing thin as an aged mare approached us.

"Peace, Princess of the Moon if you four will come with me I will hopefully be able to explain what has transpired." She rasped her body frail as she supported herself on a walking stick. With a hesitant nod Twilight, Glimmer Shield and I followed the mare, Nightmare Moon lagging behind for a brief moment as she stared at the pavements.

"Were the streets always red?" Luna questioned. gaining a grimace from the elderly flutter pony.

Liche's POV

A muffled cry sounded as I twisted the creatures head, its neck snapping as it fell to the floor. The small patrol had been scouting, looking for prey when I had happened upon them. It had taken a matter of seconds to remove them their bodies frail like paper mache.

With a goal in mind I made my way through the dark and humid hell hole. The beasts themselves here were wrong. Twisted abominations that would strike fear into even the most hardened of soldiers.

A shady silhouette appeared dwarfing the small village as I looked on. A castle well more of a fortress stood alone on a small island within the forest. A deep cavern stopped anything from getting in anywhere else but the draw bridge. Catapults as well as archers lined the wall meaning that aerial assault was also out.Fire dancer around my fingers as I pointed at one of the towers. My magic did the rest, screams of pain and panic chorusing from the tower as I moved in.

Wave after wave of the enemy fell, their dying screams echoing around the battlefield as my body was struck with arrows, magic and swords. Fire ate at everything in its path destroying chunks of the fortress and any of the beasts that crossed my path.

"RETREAT TO THE HALLS!" one of the commanders roared, giving a strangled scream as her body was torn into two. The courtyard was alight as the fire ate away at everything in its destructive path. Another blast of magic and another retreating group of guards were reduced to ashes. With a simple flick of the hand the doors barring my access were torn apart, the beasts hissing at me as a flurry of arrows and spears pierced my dead form.

A charging mare found her end as with a simple swipe of my blade I removed her head from her body. Magic, steel and sheer strength tore through all in my path, screams of the dying echoing around the fortress. My destination was close, small signs keeping me on the right path as the dungeon door sat at the other end of the corridor.

CRACK

I gave a startled gasp as I was sent flying backwards landing hard as I turned to face my attacker. I paused studying the freak before me as I shivered at the sight. Standing easily at 14ft stood a deathly pale pony dressed in a sharp black suit. What unnerved me was its face or lack of. Black tendrils sprouted from its back easily double the things size as they moved freely slithering calmly as I readied myself. Gouts of fire coursed up and down my arms, my hands clenching as I snarled at the creature. With a burst of speed I darted forward.

Nightmare Moon's POV

"What do we do now? The liche is here, he slaughtered those creatures but why?" Luna questioned, the smaller mare lost as Glimmer Shield tried and failed to calm her sister whom was suffering a miniature breakdown. This thing had not only saved the ponies but apparently the skeletal figure we had seen had been a disguise. But who would have the power to fool a creature as powerful as a liche, more to the point that ponies had provided an alibi of its good, if bloody intent.

"Your highnesses, I think I may be able to help" a voice spoke up to our left. Turning we watched as a mare bustled towards us nearly tripping. Reaching us the mare gave a small curtsy as I waved off the formality.

"Please do tell, where is the being heading" I inquired as the mare nodded grabbing a small bag as Glimmer Shield tensed. The mare produced a map muttering to herself as she unfolded it.

"He said he knew where the Bloody Hooves were based and said he was going after them. I never thought for a minute that he would go alone. I don’t know when he left but from what some of the guards that saw him said he left at about 5." Handing the map over the mare stopped letting us observe the map.

"This is incredible, we had though the fort just a myth but if the monster has discovered the lair then we may be able to kill two birds with one stone, assuming he has gone there to kill them" Luna laughed not noticing the cold look from the mare. I knew that the Liche was not evil but I never would have thought that it would save a town. It showed selflessness a trait that by all means he should not be even capable of feeling or showing.

"He isn't a monster, he saved our lives" she whispered her eyes sad as I gently clasped her hand. Giving her a comforting squeeze I noticed that she seemed saddened by his departure.

"Fear not, no harm will come to him. If he is innocent then we will have no reason to harm him." I replied, the mare giving me a thankful nod before retreating a lone tear trickling down her face.

"Come sister, if we wish to catch him then we shall need to move. Young Sparkles, you two stay here and make sure nothing happens, the two of us will move faster by ourselves" Luna instructed, the two giving small nods as they turned to deal with both villagers and guards.
As we made haste into the forest I felt a small twinge of fear as memories of old came to my mind.
The Everfree truly was a place of evil!

Liche's POV

I snarled as a small trickle of blood ran down my forehead, the creature was putting up a better fight than I had anticipated as its arm slowly regenerated. The being was nowhere near as powerful as even one of the Alicorn but its ability to regenerate and my weariness from fighting others coupled with its strange immunity to magic made for a tiring battle.

Once again the beast lashed out its tendrils slashing and wrapping around my body as I would tear through them with fire and blade. With a scream of rage I slammed my palm into the creature's chest firing everything I had left as the beast spasmed wildly yet never uttering a sound.

With a twitch the thing fell backwards going still. With an exhausted groan I stumbled past the dead beast my eyes not catching the small twitch in its hand as I sluggishly forced my way through the dungeon door.

The place stank of death and I knew instantly that my hopes of finding anyone were slim. My eyes scanned through the countless cells most empty with the occasional corpse or skeleton littering the place. With each small disappointment hope in finding survivors dropped as I tried to retain the crushing disappointment and sense of failing.

A weak groan came from a cell on the far left. Rushing over I to my relief found prisoners. The three looked half-starved as I looked on with pity. One was a gryphon whilst the other two were pony’s unicorns to be exact. The first was a mint green a golden lyre barely visible on her naked form as I gave a disgruntled cough.

The other pony stood out from the rest her dark grey fur matted with blood and mud. The mare was easily eight feet tall and seemed to be bound in heavy chains, a pulsating ring around her horn seeming to block the flow of magic. The mare had three sparkling diamonds on her rear. Her mane was a dark purple with a few white streaks glowing in the dark cell.

“Holy shit” the gryphon chuckled a bandage covering her left eye. The gryphon was filthy like the rest of them her feathers in need of a good preen as her tawny fur was coated in grime and was heavily tangled. Giving me a small smile she nudged the grey unicorn as she flinched her eyes flickering open as she took me in a look of disbelief.

A suspicious glare adorned her face, her cat like eyes glaring at me as a sharp gasp sounded from the mint green mare. Clumsily climbing to her feet the weak mare made her way over to the cell door. She was forced to limp as a large ball of iron was cruelly attached to her leg the chain digging in as blood and puss dripped from the wound. If I did not get them seen to soon they would die of their injuries

The green unicorn looked at me in shock on her face, her eyes watering as she gave a small sob.

"Lachlan?" she whispered her hand gently resting on my face as I looked back at her blankly.

“Who?”

Author's Note

I once again want to make it clear that I have no idea where I am going with this, all of this is being written on a whim more or less. I am more than happy to hear any ideas of where it should go as long as it is sensible.