((((GRAYMAYNE))))

The song was beautiful, serene, relaxing, peaceful. All the things I had hoped for in this little show. I only wish that I was here for the show...

"Let It Snow"

I wanted a calm and restful Hearths Warming. I got an assassination job instead, so here I was... waiting for this show to end and follow my target outside. Where I would end up either slitting his throat or just mercy killing him. Only because it's the holidays. On other occasions I would do the most violent thing I could think of: from ripping the hind-legs off of my victim and beating them to death with said legs or peeling away their skin and forcing it down their throats.

I shivered at my own horrid thoughts. Those awful thoughts that haunted me ever since HE got into my head. His pleasures and desires, that I despised with every fiber of my being, soon became my own desires and pleasures. The monster that wanted nothing but bloodshed, who wanted this theatre and it's occupants to burn in a fiery inferno, HE who laughed maniacally for every tear and rip of flesh from bone, the beast who...

...killed my brother

I shook my head from those dreadful thoughts as well, focusing on the stage where a miniature orchestra and piano myster played. All for the Mare who walked along the stage singing.

"Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow."

The mare on the stage was truly a sight to see. Sure, the musicians on the stage were good at what they did but in the end; all it did was draw more attention to the very attractive Mare. Her elegant red mane with strands of orange added to it and matching tail, butter yellow coat of fur, a sparkling red dress, and a cutie mark that displayed a microphone and cord. Grabbing the attention of every stallion in the theater, including myself. I wouldn't mind taking her backstage and giving her a show she wouldn't soon forget.

'Shut up Graymayne, keep your mind on the game and not the mare' I thought, pulling my sight away from the drop-dead gorgeous mare. 'Not helping...'

I turned my attention to the stallion in the third row, seat sixty-eight. A bright coat of brown fur, even darker brown mane and tail which both had strands of black. A neatly buttoned white undershirt, black overcoat, a single spectacle that loosely hung from the right shirt pocket, and to top it all off; a blood red tie. His name was Broad Sword, once a royal solar guard, now retired. Living the good life with a wife and three foals, one still on the way. He was an honest, hard working stallion with no regrets in his past and a lot of money. He was a father that had done only good in his life and that's what made me regret taking this job. A bandit group got into contact with me about a week ago, requesting that I kill him for disbanding their gang and taking in their leader. They promised me a pay of four thousand bits for him to die.

'A gang with a grudge' I thought.

In fact, next to his left sat his pregnant wife, a red coat of fur and bright blue mane, and to his right, his other two children. One young colt and one teen mare. A dark grey colt with a very bright blue mane and red tail, that flicked every once in a while. Next to him a very... bored looking pegasus mare. Her mane was a bit shaggy and very long in the back, and in the front covered up one of her eyes. A black mane with green strands that were evenly spread throughout. A violet shade of fur and... a hoof band around her left forehoof with what looked like a pony's skull on it.

'Is she a goth?' I thought with a sigh. 'Why the fuck do I care...?'

I shrugged it off and shifted a bit in my seat trying to find a new comfortable position. This was going to be a long show...

The show finally ended and occupants began to exit the theatre in rows. I had decided to simply teleport myself one floor down and follow my target out of the building. He and his family were just now exiting the front doors and a door bellhop gladly thanking them as they left. I was only a few ponies behind and was soon up to the door.

"Thank you for watching the show sir. Have a pleasant-"

"Shut the fuck up!" I interrupted him harshly. He looked shocked now and then slightly backed away to allow me my pardance from the theatre.

I scanned my surroundings, ignoring the looks I was getting from others who had seen my rude behavior. My eyes laid upon what looked to be a carriage, drawn by two earth ponies. Their passengers, my target and his family. I couldn't let them escape, I wouldn't let them escape. With my sight on the carriage, my horn began to glow. One of the wheels began to glow also and a deep crack splayed itself onto the wheels rim. As the the carriage began to move, the rim spun onto the cracked edge and with the supporting weight, it crashed. The carriage seemed to lurch before setting down onto it's broken wheel.

I looked around again and noticed that other carriages were being hoarded by other occupants, hoping to get out of this cold weather. 'God I fucking hate winter...' I thought to myself as a chill blew over me.

Out of the crowd came what appeared to be a large solar guard. He stepped up to the collapsed carriage and helped Broadsword and his family out of the damaged carriage. They talked for a few minutes before nodding. With a stroke of luck on my side, the guard had began to trot his way down the street, with my target and his family in tow. They only took a few more steps before accompanied by two more solar guards.

'Well, three solar guards escorting my target. This should be fun.'

I had decided to take the rooftops, so I could keep a better view over my target and his entourage. I was only just above them and could hear them talking.

"So you're retired?" one guard asked.

"Yes I am, been that way for three good years," supposedly Broadsword had said.

"Any plans for the future?" another guard asked.

"Nothing but spending my time with family and pretty soon my new born foal," Broadsword replied happily. Broadsword's wife took that moment to nuzzle him affectionately, in which he returned with a soft kiss.

"MOM! Pip is pulling on my tail again!" the teenage mare shouted.

"Am not! Mom, Melody is lying!" the little colt who was revealed as 'Pip' replied defensively.

"Are too!" 'Melody yelled back.

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Enough, the both of you!" The mother scolded. "Pip stop pulling on your sister's tail."

"I can't help it! It's so Poofy!" he replied trying once again to touch his sister's tail. His sister on the other hoof flapped her wings once and took to the air, hovering only just above her family.

I shook my head and decided to take a look at my surroundings. Down the street was what appeared to be a dark alleyway that made a long narrow stretch onto the next street. I smiled to myself.

'Perfect'

My horn began to glow again and within an instant, I was within the alley, peering around the corner at the entourage coming this way. With a cough, I cleared my throat and rubbed my hooves together.

"SOMEPONY HELP ME!" I shouted.

I waited for a few seconds and heard my favorite line. "Lieutenant, check out that disturbance and report back your findings."

"Yes Sir!" one guard replied before the sound of running hooves met my ears.

I dove behind two trash cans and waited for my first victim to round the corner and out of the sight of his party. The sound of hooves got closer and then, reduced to cautious steps, as he moved deeper into the alley. The low hum of a horn lighting up and the 'sling' of a sword being drawn from it's sheath. The guard stepped forward more.

"Hello? Is anypony down here? Is anypony he-"

He didn't get to finish his sentence as a rag was soon magically wrapped around his muzzle and pulled tightly. I moved quickly, conjured blade at my side. He tried to yelp but the rag wrapped tightly around his muzzle didn't help. He then tried to swing his sword out at me, but I ducked just in time and sunk my blade into his stomach. I then cleaved up his stomach and out his chest, spilling blood and guts onto the snow matted ground. His eyes showed pain and fear before he collapsed to the ground, trying desperately to pull his insides back, but to no avail. He went limp, blood gushing from his torn open stomach.

"Lieutenant! Is everything alright in there?" their commander shouted.

I took this time to matt myself in the guards blood, especially around my side. To make it look like I was injured. I stumbled out of the alley moaning in fake pain and collapsed.

"Oh my sweet Celestia!" The mother cried out, covering Pip's eyes.

I groaned fakely and tried desperately to crawl toward the group of ponies who stared in shock.

"H- Help Me.... Please...." I begged.

The two remaining guards quickly approached me. One guard picked me up and began to inspect while the other made a dash to the alley, where he made the gruesome discovery of his dead comrade and yelped in pure horror.

"Corporal! Is the Lieutenant alright?!"

"Sir! Guard down! I repeat, Guard down!"

At that moment the Commander stopped and thats when I made my move. I conjured one of my blades and sunk it into the back of his neck. He let out a guttural roar of pain before falling limp in my hooves.

"Commander!" the Corporal yelled, pulling out his sword and charging. He didn't get too far as I had ripped the Commander's sword from it's sheath and with precise accuracy, threw it into the Corporal's skull, penetrating his brain and killing him instantly.

I pushed the Commander's body off of me and glared at Broadsword and his petrified family, a small grin on my face. His family were close to each other, the mother holding Pip close. Melody and the Mother starring in pure horror and Broadsword standing firmly in front of them, ready to defend.

"Well, Mister Broadsword. As you should already see, I'm a highly trained assassin, whose mission here is to find and kill you specifically. Now there are two ways we can do this. One, you can surrender to me and because it's the holidays, I'll make your death quick and painless. Option two, you try to fight back against the inevitable and make this harder on both of us," I said smugly. "What's your choice?"

"Who are you working for...?" He asked through gritted teeth.

"Sorry! Can't tell you that. If I did, I'd have to make sure you all find a nice little grave," I replied looking at the little colt. "Wouldn't want to see that poor young life go to waste now, would we?"

"Who are you...?" He asked, this time slightly growling.

"Wow, how threatening," I replied playfully. "Can't tell you that either. You know, witnesses such as your family."

He growled at that and took up a defensive stance, ready to defend himself and his family. I scoffed at that and my horn began to glow. Soon the blade that was lodged into the Corporal's skull, went flying and landed firmly in front of Broadsword, who looked at it and then me in question.

"What? I have some form of honor," I spoke innocently and honestly.

He then proceeded to pick up the sword's handle in his mouth, glaring at me. I chuckled at that, "Don't worry about making yourself look threatening. This'll be over before you know it."

With that said, I charged at him, conjured blades at my sides. I sliced out one, which he easily deflected. He then tried to hit me with the butt of his sword. I ducked quickly and struck out at his left hind leg, resulting in a deep cut that began to run red with fresh blood. He yelped and then shoved me back to check his slightly injured leg. His wife cried out in horror and his daughter simply stared, shocked.

"Now, I know what you must be thinking. Two swords against one? That's unfair," I jokingly said. "Well, let me make it easier for you..." I then proceeded to dispel one of my conjured swords. "There, all better."

Broadsword grunted and shook off the pain. He gritted his teeth again and charged me. Once he was upon me, he swung out his sword in hopes of striking a blow to my face. I ducked under the incoming blade, but didn't see the incoming hoof that made contact with my face. He then took that moment to ram himself into me. I fell onto my back and he quickly brought the sword down, I moved my blade and deflected it just barely, letting a small cut along my cheek.

I brought my hind legs to his stomach and kicked him off of me. He stumbled back and in that time, I had risen up onto my hooves. I placed one hoof to my cut cheek and when I pulled it back, I saw my own blood. This....

This brought a smile to my face.

Not many ponies have made me bleed. Sure, bruises and broken bones. Never actual bleeding from me. My horn began to glow once again and the cut was soon healed itself. Everypony knows that cells in your body clog up the injury and begin to heal it, why not speed up that process.

Broadsword only growled at me, clenching the swords handle in his teeth. He charged at me once again and I simply sat there with a smirk on my face. Only a few hooves away, a hammer made contact with the side of his head, along with a satisfying crack. He sprawled onto the ground, groaning as he clutched his head with one of his hooves.

"Dad!" Melody yelled.

I approached him, wanting to just end it now and go home until I felt something hit the back on my head. I turned to see Melody crafting what appeared to be a snowball.

“If I were you, I’d drop that right now and-” I was rudely interrupted as the snowball made contact with my face. I growled and wiped away the snow, just before another hit me in the face again. And again. And again.

‘FUCK!’ I yelled in my thoughts. Just as another snowball was about to hit me, I caught it with my magic. Growling, I started to levitate more snow from the ground, melding it all together into a very large snowball. A nasty grin spread across my face as Melody looked in horror at the massive ball of snow.

“Now then… Fuck off you little annoyance!” I yelled hurtling the snowball at her. Soon she was covered, head to hoof in snow. I heard the mother scream and rush to her now buried daughter.

‘That should take care of that...’ I thought looking at the scene before me. ‘Now where was I? Oh yes...’

I turned just in time to see Broad Sword staggering to his hooves, blood flowing from the side of his head and dripping into the snow. I happily trotted up to him. He attempted to swing out his sword until I caught it mid swing in my magic, then tossing it to the side. After that failed attempt, he charged me, trying to knock me off balance. Just before he could make contact, I slammed another hammer down onto his head. He hit the snow hard, groaning in pain.

“You know I gave you an easy way, right?” I asked chuckling.

“Why… a- are you d- doing this…?” He asked, trying to stand once again.

“Why? Why am I doing this…?” I stepped closer to him, helping him to his hooves. “Why am I doing this, you ask,”

He only looked at me with a pained expression.

“Because…”

“Because w- why…?” he asked.

...

…

“Because I can.”

He didn’t get a second to react as I gripped his head in my magic and twisted it, snapping his neck and turning his head 180 degrees, all with an audible crunch. His body collapsed, limp.

I felt a surge run through me as a voice whispered in my ears… the voice I dreaded since the day he entered my mind.

What a beautiful kill…

I shook my head and turned away from the body quickly. Screams filled my ears as I looked back to see the horrified faces of the family, staring at the limp body next to me. I stepped away from it as soon as I saw the family, including Melody who had been freed by her mother and little brother. They rushed toward me, horrified faces and tears just starting to well up. I allowed them the sight of their now deceased family member. I now looked down at the body of Broad Sword and the family weeping over his corpse. The Mother holding Pip close in her hooves and Melody, either crying into her hooves or beating on the ground.

I took this chance to simply turn away from the sight and focus on the road ahead of me. I began a slow walk down the dark street, keeping my mind off the sound of weeping. Questions crossed my mind. The blood I spilled tonight… was it right? Of course it was right! It was preparation for my true destiny in life. All the training, all the bloodshed, all the death… it was for my gain and their loss. Not my problem.

But…

Why did I feel… different about this one…

I looked back and thought of the family. The little colt who would never learn from his father, a daughter who now have to walk the aisle of her wedding alone (if she planned on getting married), the mother who would never feel the warmth of her husband ever again… and....

The newborn foal who would grow up without a father…

It was now that I realized the error that I had made… I shouldn’t have done this… I shouldn’t have killed that stallion…

‘What the fuck is wrong with me...’ I asked myself fearfully and angrily.

You are a monster Graymayne, that is what’s wrong with you…

No… not now… not him….

You take what you want. You do as you please. You kill whom you desire with no regrets for the pleasures and bounty. You crave bloodshed as I do…

‘Leave me alone… please...’ I quivered.

Even now, you wish to rip those pathetic ponies behind you to shreds, don’t you?

I wanted to scream at him. To tell him that he was wrong. To tell him that I would never become anything like him. To tell him to fuck off and leave me alone.

But… deep down… I did want it…

Say it Graymayne…

‘No...’

Say that you want to rip them apart… limb from limb… to enjoy every hack and slash of flesh from bone...

‘Never...’

Say it…

‘I won’t say it...’

Say It…

‘No… I won’t...’

SAY IT!!!

“You MONSTER!” The voice of a certain teenage mare broke out.

I was snapped from my mental fight and turned to see Melody. Her mane was disheveled and puffy red eyes with tear stains streaking down her cheeks. Anger and hatred filled the look she gave me.

“You BUCKING Monster!” She screamed at me.

“Please… don’t say that.” I replied

“Why not!? Because it’s true!”

“No… just not wise to say around me…” I felt a pang of fear as a feral growling echoed through my head. The beast was hungry for more…

“What!? NO! Buck you! I can say whatever the BUCK I want to say to you! You’re a bucking MONSTER!” She pointed a hoof at me accusingly.

“Please… Stop…” I begged, clutching a hoof to my head and trying to silence the growling that became more vicious as that word was said.

“What!? You don’t like that word!? I don’t give a BUCK! What you’ve done to me! What you’ve done to my family! YOU. ARE. A. MONSTER!” She screamed at me again. She glared at me, noticing my weak looking state, then the sword that her father had been using.

She rushed for the sword, picking it up in her mouth and pointing it at me. I couldn’t move, my two front hooves clutching my head, trying desperately to calm the beast. To keep HIM at bay. I didn’t notice Melody starting to approach me, the intent to kill on her mind. I shook my head violently to the left, then right. Feeling a feral sensation. The lust for blood, flesh, to kill.

Melody had gotten closer, the sword clenched tightly in her muzzle.

“Melody! Stop!” Her mother yelled. Melody had ignored her mother’s pleas and kept her hate filled gaze on me.

I could feel my teeth sharpen with razor tips. A dark energy beginning to pulse off my body. My eyes turning green and blinking between that and pitch black. The same purple mist began to leak from the sides of my eyes and finally, all around me began to fade. I was losing control and fast.

‘Just stop! Don’t do this! Not now!’

Fresh Blood… I can sense it… I can almost taste it… these little ponies are mine.

“Are you going to just sit there and weep!? Come on! Get up! Fight me!” Melody screamed in anger.

I only groaned in response, clutching my head tighter. ‘Need to… move… Need to get… away…’

“Nothing… NOTHING!? You kill my father then sit down and weep! AH!” She was finally upon me and raised the sword. “I’m gonna kill you, you Monster!”

That’s when I snapped.

I felt myself cringe, my bones snap, my body convulse and twitch uncontrollably as HE came out. Pain wracked my body as HE tore through, wanting to get out. There was nothing I could do to stop him now. I collapsed onto the ground, twitching, screaming out in agony, and clutching my head. My teeth finally grew sharp. The evil mist now began to spill from the sides of my eyes. My eyes changed, whites… to green… then finally, black. The growling, turned to more vicious, sometimes roaring out for blood. I could feel my chest burning, like I would melt from the inside, out.

“What the Buck!?” Melody screamed out, stepping back a bit.

I turned back to look at the teen mare, saddened and scared, with only one word to say…

“Run…”

She screamed fearfully as she saw my face. The pure horror was evident, she dropped the sword and backed away quicker. Without realizing it, I had risen to my hooves and began to approach her. The sound of sizzling with each step I took, along with the sound of growling. I felt my mouth turn into a crazed grin, bearing the sharpened teeth. Melody shook at the very sight of me and continued to back away. I continued to approach her without control. HE had control of my body now and there was nothing I could do to stop him from what HE would do…

As my consciousness faded… the last thing I heard from the mare, were her fading screams and the tearing of flesh.

Rays of sun pierced my eyelids, a groggy feeling washed over me as I slowly sat up. I opened my eyes to the bright sun, not ready to meet it’s gaze. Ignoring the initial grogginess, I turned over onto my hooves. Halfway through turn… I caught the sight of something…

Something that scared me…

Laying next to me… was the severed head of Melody. A fearful and shocked look in her eyes, blood coating around her neck… and… bite marks.

I quickly stood up to my hooves and backed away, only for my left hind hoof to touch something else. I turned to look at what I touched… and nearly spilled my guts. Laying there, was the body… or remains of the little colt Pip. His left fore leg, along with part of his chest had been torn out, revealing his insides. Half of his face, clawed at and torn apart, and another horrified look in his eyes. Blood had frozen over the large gaping hole in his chest and face, snow covered his small body. I backed away from it further and turned away again.

Only to see one final sight that finally made me spill my lunch all over the snow…

The mother…

Her stomach torn open, along with her throat and a soon to be born foal, lay torn apart next to her. There were more bite marks and… torn flesh. It was then that I tasted something… musk… blood… and flesh. I looked at my blood stained hooves and then conjured one of my blades to look into my reflection, only to see dried blood matting my lips and teeth.

I took this time to spill my guts out onto the snow again.

I could taste it… and it tasted horrible…

I quickly scooped up fresh snow and stuffed it into my mouth trying to rid myself of the horrible taste, beginning to chew and swish it around. Finally spitting it out, nothing changed. The taste was still there, matting my tongue and teeth.

I fell to my haunches, scared and horrified at the sight before me, frozen and dried blood was everywhere, along with the remaining pieces of the ponies they belonged to. I felt tears well up in my eyes and I quickly blinked them away.

“I’m sorry… so sorry…”

I looked up into the cloudy sky, to notice that snow was beginning to fall gently. Covering up the blood and bodies. A song began to come to mind and tears finally began to fall. The song, was serene… peaceful… relaxing…

“Let it snow… let is snow… Let it snow…” I sang, as the tears came down.

The end

Author's Note

Rate, comment, favorite if you want to. Thanks for reading! I know it's far past christmas but I don't care.