Death Dealer

Cobra

Gilda yawned as she stretched her back and wiped the sweat off her face with a rag. She had taken a part time job to earn a little bit of money to be able to afford a new set of clothes. Normally the small brawls she got into did not cause her clothing to come to harm. The bandit attacks in the forest however? Those had proven to cause her and her clothing harm. Gath could patch up her wounds with herbs and the occasional need of minor medical attention. But the large man had said fixing clothes was women's work.

She was currently fixing some damage that was done to the library when a spell Trixie and Twilight had attempted went wrong. The result of the spell had shattered the bookcases, so Gilda was put to work making new ones. The work was at least simple, the proper tools were provided, and it was work she had done in the past.

"So what spell did you two dweebs try again?" Gilda asked Trixie.

"Twilight was practicing a spell to turn apples into oranges, the spell misfired and hit a bird though. That bird ended up as a living orange with wings and bird legs... She was unable to reverse the spell herself so she asked for my help..." Trixie explained with a hand over her face.

"Hah! Remind me not to allow either of you near any of my stuff..." Gilda taunted.

"Oh wow, they look great!" Twilight gasped as she entered the library from the front door.

"Told ya' I could do it, worked as a carpenter's apprentice a while back when I was down on my luck." Gilda said proudly.

Twilight walked over and inspected the bookcases, they even had a little bit of decorative carving on the sides, and while she had not asked for it, the librarian was not going to complain. Twilight turned to the large woman with a big smile and levitated a sack of coins to her.

"Ooh yeah, Gilda is gonna get a new pair of boots tonight." Gilda said weighing the sack in her hand and grinning.

"Speaking of which, what have you been up to that your clothes have been getting so torn up?" Trixie asked with a confused look.

"Eh, you know how bandits like to think they can take you just because they have the numbers advantage. Gath and I at least get a fair amount of supplies off them, not much money though." Gilda said as she put away her tools.

"I had heard there have been a lot less reports of bandits attacking in the area..." Trixie commented.

"Wait, you have been killing people and stealing their stuff?" Twilight asked incredulously.

"It's not really stealing when they are dead, and they attacked first. Besides Gath puts good use to the stuff we loot." Gilda said, defending herself.

Twilight frowned as she thought of Gath killing people out in the forest. Even if they were bandits, it was not alright to just go about slaying people. Something clicked in the back of Twilight's mind as she thought of the large man.

"Gilda, where have you been staying? I know you haven't rented a house in Ponyville, are you staying in the forest?" Twilight asked.

"Yeah, what of it?" Gilda asked suspiciously.

"You wouldn't happen to be staying with Gath would you?" Twilight asked, voice neutral but eyes betraying her feelings.

Gilda's sharp eyes caught the look in those eyes, Twilight wanted to know something, and it was not what she had asked. The sorceress was trying to find something out from how Gilda answered, but Gilda was not about to give up information that easily.

"Yes, why?" Gilda said, keeping her answer short, and shooting in her own question to delay Twilight and throw her off her tracks.

Twilight squinted at the large woman, knowing that she had been caught in trying to learn something from context. The sorceress looked the large woman in the eyes, the two sharing piercing stares, until Twilight finally sighed.

"Fine, I don't want to start something with this so I will be straight forward. Will you tell me where Gath stays, and how he is doing?" Twilight asked in a neutral tone.

"He is doing a lot better, almost at top shape. But you will not find out from me where he lives. And I'll give you a warning now, do not try to follow me." Gilda said firmly.

Twilight smiled at hearing that Gath was doing well, but her joy was doused at the news she would not get to visit him. The librarian was about to try inquiring as to why Gilda insisted on keeping his home a secret but the winged woman beat her to it.

"Gath made me promise not to tell anyone where his home was, you can at least respect that can't you?" Gilda asked with a small but triumphant smile.

"Yes..." Twilight said in defeat.

Gilda then put on her jacket and tied the coin sack to her belt before departing from the library, taking one last glance back at the two sorceresses and shaking her head.

"Gonna have to keep my eye on her..." Gilda muttered under her breath. She was not about to allow any competition for Gath.

Gilda then made her way to the large clothing store that another one of Dash's friends owned.

After placing an order and having measurements taken, she paid in advance and left. The sun was beginning to set, and she figured it was about time to return to the den.Gilda spread her wings and flew into the forest, checking multiple times as she flew in large circles that she was not being followed, before making a beeline to where the den was. Upon reaching it she gave the knock code to signal that it was her and not a trespasser.

Once inside the den, Gilda was greeted by darkness. The fire was not going, and not even any candles were lit. Gilda set to starting the fire before lighting a few candles, suspecting Gath had gone out for a hunt and had not returned yet. As Gilda warmed her hands over the fire she noticed something catching the flickering light and glinting on the wall. Gilda looked over to it and noticed it was a dagger stuck into the wall, pinning a note there. Gilda pulled the dagger out and grabbed the note. She took it over to a candle where she could read it.

"Well there goes my plans for trying to make a move in him tonight..." Gilda huffed.

Gath roared as he strained his muscles, a normal man would have buckled under the weight but he held firm. He was holding his axe above his head with both hands, as a giant snake attempted to bite his head off. The reptiles mouth was only halted by the hilt of the axe, but the sound of splintering wood was beginning to make the large barbarian worry.

Gath grabbed the side of the snakes lower jaws with both hands, abandoning the axe, and pulled the reptile over the top of his head, diverting its force. As the snake flew past, Gath jumped, causing the spike on top of the helmet to tear through the scales and bite into the flesh of his attacker's neck.

The great beast hissed as it writhed around, Gath lunged for his axe and spin with it as the snake lunged once more, this time however Gath struck his mark, tearing off the snake's jaw. The rest of the beast continued and Gath narrowly dodged the two fangs from the upper part of the beast's maw. Pulling a dagger from his belt, the large barbarian began driving the blade into the back of the snake's throat.

The snake stiffened over Gath, and ceased moving. The large man heaved the repitle off of him, and sheathed his dagger after cleaning it on a rag. Gath then retrieved his axe before continuing toward what he was attempting to open before he was attacked.

Looking the ancient stone door up and down Gath attempted to remember how it was opened. The large man remembered it was constructed by the last of his faithful followers, and it had been magically sealed, only able to be opened with a certain phrase.

"Sharn" Gath shouted out the name of his old pack brother, the large timber wolf that he grew up with.

The stone doors split, and pulled apart with a deep rumbling sound as the stone was magically pulled. Gath then entered the darkness, his red eyes piercing the pitch black and revealing to him the stairwell that led to the chamber he hid his old weapons and armor in.

As Gath entered the dusty chamber he was greeted with many old memories of battles long past. Gath grabbed the top of a chest and opened it before slowly reaching inside and pulling out a burlap bag. The contents of the bag writhed angrily. Gath untied the knot at the end of the bag and the snake that slithered out hissed at him before making a break for the door. Gath lunged and caught the snake behind the head so it could not bite him.

"I have returned Cobra, and as I promised I will free you once you undo the spell..." Gath said firmly to the snake, his deep voice resounding off the stone walls.

Gath dropped the snake as it began to change it's form. Limbs sprouted as the snake grew, and then the scales receded into a tight fitting, and slightly revealing dress. The woman that took form from the snake had black hair, and ivory skin. Her supple curves had tempted many men to their deaths, and Gath had almost fallen for them in the past as well.

"It has been a long time Death Dealer... Did you forget about me?" Cobra said in a pouty voice as she stuck out her lower lip and batted her eyes.

"On with it witch!" Gath roared, having no patience for the imprisoned sorceress.

Cobra flicked a black tongue out of her lips as a snake would, and her eyes took on a reptilian shape briefly before once again turning back into a more human shape. The sorceress then strode past the barbarian, gently caressing his shoulders as she passed. The sorceress then stood in the middle of the room and spread her arms wide, chanting in an ancient and forgotten language as she undid the spell. Soon, all of the treasures stored within the chamber were illuminated.

"There, the seal on your armor and weapons is lifted. The treasure is safe to take too." Cobra said offhandedly as she investigated a nail.

Gath strode over to where his shield, a steel kite-shield that had the emblem of a falcon on it, and put it over his arm. Satisfied that the seal was no longer there by evidence that his arm was not in agony at the touch of the item, Gath looked to Cobra.

"Very well, you are free to go. But I warn you, stay away from me, else I will simply get rid of you for good." Gath said with a growl before setting to work on gathering what he needed.

Cobra stretched her limbs before making for the exit of the chamber, taking one last look back at the barbarian, her eyes once again turning reptilian. Through her slitted pupils the sorceress stared and took in the sight of Gath, her black tongue flicking out from between her lips and tasting the air. Cobra then turned to the light that came from the top of the stairwell.

Cobra silently strode out into the sunlight, her scaled dress reflecting the sun in multiple colors as she saw how the world had changed. It seemed more colorful, more innocent. She pondered briefly how easy it would be to start anew. How simple it would be to rekindle the cult that followed the god of death and destruction. Cobra smiled as she turned back towards the dark doorway.

"You will beg my god to take control of you through that helmet when I am done Gath..." Cobra said with a wicked grin while clapping her hands together and turning into a large snake before slithering off into the jungle.