The Old World: Shadows

Smallclover was an average community, populated mostly by earth ponies. A few unicorns were scattered here and there, of course, but its diversity was not as profound as in many of the big cities Forest Thorn had been to. He walked slowly out of the forest, following the road to the town. Forest Thorn crested a grassy hill, his trophy slung over his back, when he saw the village. A high stone keep towered over the settlement, with stone walls surrounding its inner ward. At the gate to the castle, the village started. Wooden walls projected out from the castle’s stone ones, encircling the town. Many small cottages dotted the interior of the walls, as ponies milled about. All around the village, farms stretched out as far as the eye could see. Earth pony farmers labored on their lands, working fervently to grow enough food for the winter season.

Forest Thorn walked on by the gate guards, two armed, mail-clad earth ponies, their lord’s sigil emblazoned on their grey capes: a blue and white quartered shield, with a tower in each white quadrant. Forest nodded to them as he passed. Upon entrance, he was plunged into the hustle and bustle of the town. Ponies were travelling this way and that, trying to sell their goods, buying groceries, heading off to work in the mines or in the fields, or just loitering about, enjoying the beautiful morning.

“Watcha got there, Forest?” A voice shouted. Turning around, Forest saw a black earth pony beckoning him over. Growing impatient, the caller trotted over to Forest, and they met each other halfway. “What’s in the bag?”

Forest, despite his exhaustion, grinned. “This is what you call money. Look,” he said, unslinging his pack. He untied the strings, and pulled out his gruesome token. During the long trek back through the night, the head had the slight beginnings of decay setting in. Most of the feathers had fallen out of the face, due to the bumpy ride through the night, but it was still recognizable as an owlbear head.

The pony had jet black fur, and a red mane and tail. His eyes were yellow, and currently gazing at the severed head in jealousy. A hoofblade and retractable shield adorned his forelegs. He gave out a long, low whistle. “Damn. That’s a pretty penny. Seven-hundred fifty bits, right?”

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t hear you over the sound of me getting rich,” Forest said, laughing. “Ah, shit,” he said, wincing. Laughter isn’t the friendliest of experiences with cracked ribs, and now was no exception. “Onyx, I’ve had a rough night, and a rougher yesterday. Could you carry this? I think I need aid.”

His laughter died as Onyx Shard stuffed the head into Forest’s backpack, and he slung it over his back rather awkwardly. “Forest, how bad are you hurt?” he asked, genuine concern entering his voice. “Something tells me you had a bigger fight than you can handle.”

Forest nodded sagely. “Yeah, that was a tough one,” he said, wincing again. “Ten out of ten, would not do again.”

The pair walked along the dirty streets, dodging busy ponies about their jobs. Onyx shifted uncomfortably as they walked. “Why the backpack? Wouldn’t a saddlebag have worked fine?”

Forest shook his head. “I had to scale a cliff, so yeah, no saddlebags.”

They arrived at the apothecary, a one room cottage bearing a sign adorned with alchemical symbols out front. They entered the building, where Little Snow was busy at her worktable, scribbling with her notes and pouring beakers of substance into vials of other substances, eliciting a sharp hissing sound. Snow was a small earth pony with a white colored coat, soft blue eyes, and a dark red mane and tail, tied back in braided ponytails. When Forest and Onyx opened the door, ringing the bell, she called out, “Just a minute!” She put down the beaker, and slowly set aside the currently active test tube for later. Rising from her stool, she cantered over to the counter. “What can I do for you?”

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, her usual cheery countenance was replaced with cautious worry. “By Solaire, what happened to you?”

“Ah, don’t worry about that. It’s just Forest getting rich,” Onyx said, rolling his eyes.

Forest Thorn glared at him. He turned to Little Snow and said, “While my hunt for the owlbear was successful, I took home more than just the head as a souvenir. I might have cracked a rib or two,” He raised a hoof and touched his chest, wincing again. “Will you take a look at it?”

By the time he finished his question, Little Snow had already dashed around her counter to inspect Forest’s wounds. “You’ve definitely cracked at least three ribs, maybe more, considering the size of your catch.” She inspected the rest of his body, poking and prodding with a hoof. “You seem to have a fracture on your sternum, as well as significant bruising along the chest area,” She looked up at him. “You’re lucky you came back relatively in one piece. This owlbear has been literally ripping everypony apart for a month now. You’re my first patient in such good condition.”

Forest smiled. “Not everypony is as good a fighter as me. That, combined with my quick wits and dashingly handsome looks,” at that, he winked at Snow. She shook her head in mock disgust. “I was able to come out on top. It still hurts like a bitch, though.”

She smiled ruefully. “I’m sure. Now, I might have something for the pain, and something else to speed up the healing process, but the best I can recommend you to do is to get some rest. At least two days, no less.”

Forest and Onyx both groaned. Snow wasn’t having any of it. “I don’t care what your plans were, but now, they involve a lot of dedicated bedrest.” She gathered her full height to look more imposing. It didn’t work. “Do you understand me?”

Forest nodded, forlorn.

“It’s for your own good. We don’t want you breaking more of your ribs now, do we?”

Forest shook his head bleakly.

Onyx hefted Forest’s backpack. “Well, we could stay here and wallow in this pity-party, or we could go to the tavern. I’ll let you decide,” he said, looking at Forest.

Forest’s dejection evaporated in the face of beer and mirth. “Consider it a standing response: yes,” he turned back to Little Snow. “You wanna come? First round’s on me.”

Snow nodded. “Yeah, just gimme a sec,” she said, and with that, she went back behind her counter and rummaged around her shelves. “Aha! Here it is!” she exclaimed. Snow turned back to Forest Thorn. “Drink this potion. It should help with the pain. Oh, and this one too,” she said, reaching for another, much bigger, vial. “This’ll speed up the bones’ healing processes. You need to drink it all.”

Forest sighed, and received the potions. The first one was thin and went down very easily, and it tasted vaguely of copper. The bone-healing draught, on the other hand, was extremely bitter, thick, and unpleasant. He choked on it. “What’s in this?” He asked.

Snow shook her head, grinning. “Family secret.”

Forest managed to choke down the remainder of the disgusting, oozing liquid. “Right,” he said, gasping for air after chugging the vile potion. “To the bar!”

“Whoa, there, hotshot. Turn in the head first!” Little Snow remarked, laughing.

The pain remedy she gave me is really effective… Forest thought, slinging his pack over his back. I can hardly feel it anymore!

The trio walked down the street, and Forest told them both the details surrounding his fight with the owlbear. “So you used a tree branch. To kill an owlbear.” Onyx said, shocked.

“Well, technically I used my hoofblade. I did stab it with the branch, though. I held it like this,” He demonstrated, standing on his hind legs and holding an imaginary spear out like he did the branch. “Like a boar spear.”

He told them about how he used his cloth mufflers to try to sneak up on the owlbear before the battle. Onyx and Snow both shook their heads at his reckless foray into a beasts’ lair. Forest shrugged their concerns off, moving on to the large, freezing rock in the central chamber. “What d’you suppose that was?” Onyx asked.

Forest merely shook his head. “Your guess is as good as mine. Whatever it was, though, it was huge. Easily the size of a wagon."

Little Snow looked thoughtful. “I wonder how it got there?”

The three friends made their way through the village streets, past all the stall vendors, shops, and homes of the villagers. Soon they reached the castle gates. Forest stepped forward to the guards, saying, “Good day, gentlecolts, I’m here to turn in a bounty. The owlbear.”

With words of congratulations and respect, the guardsmen confiscated their weapons and ushered them inside. Past the gates, the inner ward was bustling with activity. The castle smiths pounded out iron and steel into blades, horseshoes, bolts, lance tips, and armor, while the soldiers trotted this way and that, in squadrons. Lookouts were on the wall and keep, watching for any sign of trouble. To one side of the keep, an archery range lay. Three soldiers were practicing with crossbows, and their sergeant was barking orders. The courtyard was unusually busy. The trio trotted up to the keep doors, and were gestured inside by the guard.

The lord of the castle sat at his seat, in the great hall, before a long oak table. It stretched out across the stone room, with space for dozens of guests to eat, drink and be merry. The lord smiled at the return of Forest, and rose from his throne. “So, have you brought me its head?” He asked, gesturing towards Forest and his friends.

The three bowed. “Yes, my lord, its right here.” Forest took out the head, bloody and ugly, and placed it on the table before the lord.

His name was Frozen Lake. He was a light blue unicorn, with a long grey mane, swept back, a grey goatee, and a medium length grey tail as well. His eyes, once a sharp yellow, now were dull with age. He had grey flecks around his muzzle. Lord Frozen Lake walked over to the head, and examined it. He levitated it to get a better view. “Didn’t give much trouble, did it, Forest?” he asked, in a deep, hearty voice.

Still bowing, Forest Thorn responded, “Yes my lord, he was a tough one indeed.” The three rose from their bows. “She was a mother. There were chicks in her lair.”

Frozen Lake looked up from his inspection, a slight frown adorning his face. “You did take care of them too, correct?” he asked, challenging Forest.

Forest responded, “Yes my lord, there aren’t any more owlbears in those woods.” He scuffed the ground a little, unable to look him in the eyes.

Frozen Lake’s face brightened. “Ah, very good,” he said. Smiling, he waved one of his servants, who bowed and quickly went away. “Then you have earned this reward. Seven-hundred and fifty bits for the bold hunter. You deserve it. My servants shall bring it down now,” he said. He turned to face Forest and asked, “Do you want it in coin, or do you want a note?”

Before Forest could answer, Little Snow quickly said, “He’d like a note, my lord. He won’t want to tempt some pony down on his luck with theft.”

Frozen Lake nodded. Forest looked at Snow with silent frustration. The servant returned, carrying on her back a small chest. She had pale yellow fur, and a brown mane and tail, blue eyes, a red bowtie, and a matching red bow in her hair. She placed it at Frozen Lake’s hooves. “Thanks, Rain. Take this head to the physician. The mighty owlbear is a magical beast; he may have use for its parts.”

“Whatever pleases your lordship,” the servant said, curtseying. She bagged the head, hefted it over her back, and trotted to the court physician’s quarters.

Frozen Lake opened the chest, and showed the trio the contents. Forest and Onyx gasped. Inside lay a large mass of gold coins. The yellow metal seemed to glow, and cast a soft light on their faces. Onyx whispered to Forest, “Best friend taxes. I get half.”

Forest snorted.

“Come, walk with me.” Forest, Onyx, and Snow followed Frozen Lake. He said, “Few of my subjects have proven themselves more useful than you, Forest, and your friends. I can hardly count how many times you three have served me. I should like to meet you sometime in the near future. I may have some more work to offer you.

Little Snow asked, “What kind of work?”

The group walked up a spiral staircase and into a bare room. The stone walls here were unadorned, save for unlit torch sconces, and arrow slits in the far wall provided light and air to the room. On the plain wooden floor was a great oak table, simple in design, and upon it lay a map. This map detailed the borders and features of the Everfree Kingdom and the surrounding nations. They were alone in the room.

Frozen Lake walked to the opposite side of the table, stood on his hind legs, braced his forelegs on the table and looked at the map. “Close the door, Onyx Shard.”

Onyx closed the door behind them.

“I would have you be my agents,” he said. He looked up at Forest, Onyx, and Snow. “What I’m about to tell you can’t leave this room. If word reaches me of these matters circulating in the streets, I’ll have each of you executed.”

Forest, Onyx, and Snow all stood a little straighter. Onyx said, “Yes, my lord. We won’t tell a soul.”

Frozen Lake nodded. “You’d better not,” he said. He looked back down to the map, and pointed at it. He said, “We’ve been at peace for quite some time, and this is good news. However, tensions have started rising. Some chalk it up to the international cycle of power and competition, as many lords and kings have fought pettily in the past; however, I am not convinced this is entirely natural. I think somepony’s pulling strings he or she shouldn’t be.”

Forest and Onyx looked at each other uneasily.

He continued, “Nations are forming alliances, and hostilities are emerging. Should war break out, I fear for the safety of not only the Everfree Kingdom, but also all other nations. Conflict of an unprecedented scale is eminent, and I fear that diplomacy will ultimately fail. Certainly, we must be prepared, and I have few soldiers to spare for domestic missions and investigations.” He paced around the room, thinking. “I need ponies I can trust to deal with potential threats to the common folk of not only Smallclover, but the whole realm,” he said, looking at them. “That will be your duty, should you accept this position.”

Sweet Rain left the great hall, still carrying the owlbear head, and trotted across the courtyard. As always, some of the guards’ gaze followed her movements. She smiled, and swished her tail to and fro, teasing the soldiers. The sergeant caught his subordinate with wandering eyes and barked an order, and Rain’s admirer immediately dropped and started doing push-ups, an angry drill sergeant yelling insults at him. Rain’s smile widened, as she opened the door to the medical building.

“Amber Leaf! I’ve brought you the beast’s head!” She called, looking around the room. The building was two stories, but with only one level on the interior. Windows higher up let natural light cascade down and illuminate the room, filled with complicated alchemical equipment, including beakers, flasks, smoke catchers, and various glass instruments. Vials of different color powders, liquids, gases, and more gruesome reagents in jars lined the shelves and tables, and a green unicorn with a blue mane and tail, a red vest, a hairless burn scar on his rump, and glasses worked diligently at one of the workstations.

“Ah, my dear, just set it down wherever you find room. But don’t touch anything!” Amber called, concern entering his voice. He didn’t look up from his experiment.

Sweet Rain placed the head on the nearest table. “You want anything else, Amber?” she called.

“Yes, actually,” Amber said. A cloud of red smoke exploded upwards from his experiment. Coughing, he turned around and asked, “Who brought the head?” He would otherwise be handsome, except for the burn scar that spread across the right side of his face, leaving one of his orange eyes cloudy and sightless, and his right ear disfigured.

Rain smiled. “The ranger, Forest Thorn hunted it down, and turned in the bounty. Onyx Shard and your daughter were with him.”

Amber Leaf walked over to the owlbear head, levitating a jar, and immediately removed the beast’s eyes. He placed them in the jar, inserted a syringe into the owlbear’s eye sockets, and began extracting brain fluid. While he was doing this, he shook his head, smiling. “Those two always find trouble. I’m glad my Little Snow is looking after them this time.”

As Little Snow, Forest Thorn, and Onyx Shard left the castle keep, they were returned their weapons. Forest fastened his hoofblade to his right foreleg, and Onyx did as well. Each of them bore a shiny new badge, a blue and white quartered shield with a tower in each white quadrant, pinned to their new grey cloaks. As the trio left the courtyard, where soldiers were training (one was still doing push-ups), Onyx said, “Let’s go to the bank. Drinks are on Forest tonight.”

“You’re right on that one. Except yours,” Forest teased.

Onyx scoffed back, “How romantic.”

Laughing, the three friends traversed the busy streets of Smallclover and headed to the bank. It was one of the only buildings in the outer ward made of stone. The bank was three stories high and had a slate roof. Glass windows reinforced with iron bars were set in the walls, and a large double oak door was awaiting them. An imposing soldier stood guard outside it.

“Good evening, Stone Hoof,” Little Snow said.

“Good evening, little lass,” the guard replied, tipping his helmet. They could see the muscles rippling under his grey fur, where the mail wasn’t covering. He was armed with a hoofblade and spear. “I’m going to have to ask for your weapons, now.”

Forest and Onyx shed their hoofblades and gave them up. Stone Hoof put them in a box beside him, and gestured for them to enter. He opened the door for them.

Inside the bank, there was a large lobby with benches lining the walls, which stood bare. Their hooves clipped on the stone floors. On the far side of the room was a large chest high mahogany counter, stretching from wall to wall. Above this counter were sets of iron bars, a preventative measure against robbers. Three bankers were on duty, and two were in use. The open banker waved them over.

He was of a light tan color fur, with a green mane and tail, both cut short. He had a grey vest on, and a grey tie to match. His brown eyes shone in the torchlight. “Hello, my friends, how may I help you today?” he asked.

Little Snow responded, “My friend here turned in the owlbear bounty, and has a note from Lord Frozen Lake. He’d like to make a deposit, and a withdrawal.”

Forest Thorn walked up to the counter, and handed in the note. The banker took it and read it over thoroughly, inspecting the handwriting and the signature. After a while, he looked up, smiling, and said, “The note’s good. I’ll add seven-hundred and fifty bits to your account, mister . . . ?”

“Forest Thorn,” Forest said.

“Forest Thorn,” the banker repeated, as he pulled out a parchment from a file and a pencil. Grabbing it in his mouth, he wrote down the figures, and put it down. “How much will you withdraw?”

“Forty. We’re hitting the tavern today,” he said, grinning. Onyx grinned as well.

The banker made the necessary adjustments, and said, “One moment, please.” He turned around and cantered off to the back room. After a short time, he returned with a bag grasped in his mouth. He put it down next to the item slot and pushed it through. “I took the liberty of giving it to you in bits and halfbits, for ease of purchase,” he said.

“Thank you,” Forest said. He grabbed the money, counted it, and the three of them left.

“I’ll drink you under the table,” Onyx told Forest.

Little Snow rolled her eyes.

“Make way! Make way for the noble Lord Sleek Stride!” A voice cried out. Forest, Onyx, and Snow exited the bank, rearmed, and saw the main road was clogged with ponies. “Make way for Lord Sleek Stride, Earl of Lune!” the voice cried again.

“What’s going on?” Forest asked.

Little Snow glanced at Forest. “Oh, I forgot, you wouldn’t know, you’ve been in the forest for almost a week now. Lord Frozen Lake is calling a feast today. He must be the first guest,” she said.

“Feh. I hate the hoity-toity ‘genteel’ characters,” Onyx scorned. “Of course, Lord Frozen Lake and his sons aren’t a bad sort, I’ve had good times and good drinks with Frost Burn, but on the whole, nobles are all fancy talk and condescending and no honor or quality,” Onyx spat on the ground.

“Shhh! Not so loud, you idiot!” Little Snow hissed. “You’re not wrong, but that kind of talk will get you killed!”

Forest Thorn smacked Onyx upside the head. “Anyway, let’s see who this ‘Sleek Stride’ is first. He might be one of the good ones,” he said. The three of them peered over the heads of the crowd. Little Snow had to stand on her hind legs to see.

Lord Sleek Stride was a grim unicorn of a smaller build, and had a dark red fur coat and a black mane and tail. His mane was pulled back with a lock of hair falling down the side of his face. He had a scar going down his right eye, which was all white, and his good eye was grey. He had a stern look about him, and seemed to ignore the townsfolk he and his entourage passed, trotting on with a singular determination.

“Well, that’s enough of that,” Forest said. “I’m not sure where he falls on the scale.”

“I don’t know either. I still say let’s keep away from him, just to be safe,” Onyx said.

Little Snow and Forest Thorn nodded their consent. “Sounds good to me,” Little Snow said.

Onyx Shard grinned. “Anyway, let’s hurry up, we’re supposed to be celebrating Forest’s grand victory over the beast!”

Forest smiled. “Let’s get going then,” he said.