//-------------------------------------------------------// Tragic Slip -by Kitsun3- //-------------------------------------------------------// //-------------------------------------------------------// Intro //-------------------------------------------------------// Intro The large underground room was as dank and gloomy as many underground spaces. The whole place gave off a distinct aura of foreboding, from the large candle lit chandelier, to the shadows that danced and darted across the rough and moss coated stone walls. In the center of the room however was the most disturbing feature of this dank cellar; where most simply served as places to store unwanted items, this cellar has been turned into some sort of sick recreation of an abattoir. Blood soaked the outer reaches of the stone floor along with the remains of ponies that had been pushed aside and left to rot in their own blood. In the center of the room was a large symbol carved into the floor, filled with the blood of those ponies that had been slaughtered for this sick purpose. But even now the few living ponies still stood in this slaughterhouse, the blood lapping at their fetlocks the still warm substance swirled and sloshed around their hooves as though possessed by the ancient evils they hoped to unleash through these sick acts. Most prominent amongst the hooded figures was one who stood near the center, she was not wearing a hooded cloak like the others but she wore a fanatical expression upon her face, as intimidating as any mask could possibly be. She had a coat of deepest blue that even in the low light from the candles still managed to shine as if it where broad daylight. Although she wore a manic expression on her face she could have been considered attractive by many. With slender, well toned legs and a thin and trim body that sloped and curved gracefully into her hindquarters, which were as soft and as supple as any mare before sloping down once more into her hind legs which were as well sculpted as her forelegs. Even though her face was now locked in a fanatic stupor her soft feature could have presented a kind unicorn whose horn rose gracefully from her silver mane, which flowed down her neck like a lake of purest silver. The dark ritual they had worked for so long to enact was almost finished, only a little more blood was required for the ritual to summon their deity to this plane to be a success, And so Skyfall's hungry expression turned from the blood stained symbols as she called out in a crisp sharp commanding voice, “Damn it, Deccrutio, we are so close, Where the hell are you?” “C-coming honey!” a shrill voice called from outside the door which swung open to reveal a lanky stallion behind it, This stallion had a lank and grimy coat, a sickening pale yellow that clashed with his pale frayed mane that hung around his muzzle like old curtains, his body was nothing like his wife's, where as her figure was trim and sculpted his own was one of much neglect, he showed signs of heavy wounds upon his flank and underside and he has the gaunt expression of a pony who had barley eaten anything for a long time, and even now his spindly legs looked as if they could snap like a twig underhoof. But his face showed the worst of the damage, he had various scars and cuts all over his face, some old and some still oozing his blood that stained his lank coat, his cheeks were gaunt and his eyes sunken and hollow and devoid of any joy and happiness. And even though he was a relatively young stallion he looked old and weak. Deccrutio tries to stammer out an apology, “Erm…sorry Skyfall… I was just-“ “Yes, yes. Do you have the blood?” she says impatiently. Her husband looks panicked, “I…uh..” Skyfall growls and pushes him back into the hallway, yelling, “Go get it then, you blithering idiot!” He sniffles and obediently walks off to down the hallway, turning and entering a side door. He enters the dark, dusty storage room grumbling to himself, angry at himself and at nopony in particular. “Where is that stupid colt…” He pauses and yells out, “COLT!” A small dark green colt runs out from behind some clutter, almost tripping over his own hooves along the way. He looked starved ad malnourished, his small frame having little to no muscle definition. His gray mane and tail all disheveled and scraggly, the colt looked like a common beggar, except for one thing. His half-formed wings laid broken and useless on his back, the bones formed at odd angles and the feathers laid out in a haphazard pattern. He stutters a barely audible reply, “Y…yes sir..?” Deccrutio snarls and smacks the colt in the muzzle, knocking him to the ground. “The day has come, runt. Today you die for our lord.” The green colt lets out a silent sob, his tears having been shed during the countless tortures and experiments. He lowers his head, his fate having been decided since birth. “Oh…okay..” he uttered quietly. He was terrified of death, and what followed; according to his masters, he was going to Tartarus to face worse than he had under their ownership. He didn’t want to die. He wanted to see some of the sights the other members of the group had talked about, the ‘sun’ that they curse so often, the ‘stars’ they chart and reference so often, and the ‘Elements’ that they fear. He had dreamt of the Elements, how they would swoop in and defeat his captors, and save him from his torment. They would take him under their wing and train him to be an Element too, and he’ll save everyone. Everyone, except them. They deserve to die. Kitsun3 here, thanks for giving my first MLP fic a shot. I know this is short, actual chapters will be much longer. Special thanks to Espresso, StencilOST, and Conzo for helping me and encouraging me to go through with this. Don't skimp on the criticism, I can take it. //-------------------------------------------------------// Chapter 1 //-------------------------------------------------------// Chapter 1 The sickly looking stallion dragged the colt from his hiding place and back into the blood soaked ritual chamber, where he threw him hard into the center of the large runic circle carved into the floor. He hit the floor with a loud and wet splash, causing the blood to churn and soak the colt’s mane and coat. Then the tall female unicorn began to chant in a language the small colt couldn’t understand. Om onze Heer, de verslinder van de hemel, de verkrachter van engelen en de zuivere, en de commandant van alle in de hel en daarbuiten; presenteren wij een offer, puur, maar gebroken als de oude teksten vraag. Ik snijd deze runen in de grote naam van onze Heer en verlosser, griselbrand. The unicorn bowed her head, her horn glowing grey as its magical energy wrapped around the handle of a long bladed knife that was resting on a torch, its blade white hot from the flame witch danced and crackled happily, not knowing of the vile purpose its warming light was being used for. As the knife began to float towards the colt his eyes widened and his expression tightened. He tried to flee from the burning blade but before he could move, straps made of the same pale magic that held the dagger clamped his legs to the floor. The colt began to cry as he struggled against his bonds, the magic cutting into his limbs as he tossed and turned, but he couldn't break the magic restraints. Now the dagger was close enough that he could see his own distorted reflection in the searing hot blade. Even though he knew it was him, he couldn’t recognize the stranger that peered out at him from the blade's shining surface. A stranger whose eyes were puffy with tears, his face was a mask of pleading for the pain to just end quickly. A wish, he reluctantly admitted to himself, knew would never be fulfilled. Slowly, ever so antagonistically slowly, the blade levitated over his head and hovered over his back. The colt tightened his face and gritted his teeth as he anticipated the pain… Any moment now… But the pain didn’t come. Slowly the colt opened one of his eyes and stared at the unicorn mare holding the knife in her magical grasp. Now he knew why the pain hadn't come, and from the look on her face so did she. She had been waiting for him to look. His widened gaze met hers, the blade glinting in the light as it slashed deeply into his flesh, the searing blade slicing through his skin like paper and leaving a deep gash which slowly began to leak blood down his side. The thick sanguine liquid slowly oozing down his side, the colt then let out a scream of pure unbridled anguish that reverberated around the room making his scream sound ghostly and even more anguished. His screams only seemed to excite the mare further as she brought the knife down for more quick slashes over his back which, while not as deep, still caused the colt to bawl and scream from the intense pain. She soon grew bored of simply slashing and hacking at the colt’s bleeding, abused back. “Now it’s time for some real fun,” the unicorn thought as she wrapped more of the blade in her magical grasp and brought it down on his back like a doctor would a scalpel. Ever so slowly, she began to etch vile runes into his back. The light from the torches making his blood glisten as it oozed up from the runes like some underground creature that had come to the surface; and as the knife worked, the colt howled even louder as his back was used like a blackboard by the unicorn witch that was his mother. After what seemed like an eternity of pain and suffering, the blade was finally lifted free from his bleeding back and floated back to the torch; and as it floated back the colt watched through tear-filled eyes as drops of his own precious life blood dripped from the now deep crimson blade. Skyfall watched this with a sick smile on her face, enjoying the suffering of this disfigured runt who she so loved to torture and abuse. He had served his purpose and so it was his time so it was time to say goodbye to her favorite plaything. She ever so carefully wrapped his head in her magic and slowly brought his head up so that they met snout to snout. "Mmm… I'm going to miss my little colt toy." She purred as she gently lapped at the tears that streaked his face. The colt didn't answer, he only stared up at her with utter hate in his eyes. "Well, if you aren't going to speak, why don't you show me how much you love me," and with that she pulled the colt forward and kissed him hard on the lips, moaning into the kiss as she ran a hoof over his gashed back, his warm thick blood feeling like the most expensive silk against her hoof. His moans of pain like the most beautiful music played by angels. She suddenly broke the kiss and the moment was lost, and as she looked into the colt’s face again she could see his angry expression had been replaced by one of submission and longing for the sweet embrace of death. He was broken at last, he wasn't going to have long to wait, It was time for him to meet his destiny and give his life for the cause. Princess Celestia turned to the Elements of Harmony with a mask of grim determination plastered over her usually calm motherly exterior. “I’m terribly sorry for calling you all here today to deal with such a… dark business, but it was necessary.” Twilight Sparkle, Element of Magic, fidgeted and paced around nervously; her mind reeling with the possibilities of what was about to unfold. “Do…do we have to use lethal force?” she questioned her teacher. “Isn’t there another way?” She turns to look at her friends, each of them wearing solemn expressions on their faces. The sun goddess shook her head, “They have broken the most sacred laws in Equestria, and committed unforgivable wrongs.” She turns her head and looks off into the horizon. “Death is too good for them.” Celestia looks down at the magenta mare. “And the wards surrounding this…hovel of depravity are keeping even me out. Only the elements have the power to break through.” Twilight blinks in confusion. “What kind…” Celestia interrupts her, “It’s…too terrible to describe in any detail. I just need you all to know that we tried every other way to do this…” Twilight sighs, lowering her head in resignation. “I…I see.” Pinkie Pie wrapped a foreleg tightly around Twilights neck and gave her a comforting squeeze and a light nuzzle to show she was going to be there for her as she spoke, “I don’t like it either Twilight, but you’ve heard what they’ve done, and what they are going to do…” She sighs.,“We need the Elements to stop them and save Equestria.” Twilight gives a sullen nod as her gaze hardens as she turns to face Celestia, “We’ll do it. For the good of Equestria.” Sorry for the wait.... I've been busy and depressed and such. Well, have this..thing... I'm going to see if I can bother with continuing this.