Fallout Equestria: The Walking Shadow

"Cheers! ter Silent an' our greatest 'aul ever!" Daisy toasted, raising a mug.

I turned my head, trying to hide the blush on my face while a chuckle came out, “Heh, thanks Daisy. I guess after that we deserve some R&R.”

After walking all the way back to Dirty River, we all decided to celebrate by going to Far Cry’s bar. The mood was high tonight, with us being super rich, we decided to buy everypony drinks, on us. While Daisy and Azure were being complimented on the things we did, I decided to stick to and sat smiling as I watched my two friends. They were laughing, cheering, they were proud of what we did, but for me, while I also enjoyed the feeling, above all of it, I was just happy that we were alive.

"oh yeah, scon are 'eadin' on an al' noight bender!" Daisy cheered, quickly downing her mug of beer mixed with whisky.

“Heh, yeah, let’s take a few days to relax, we deserve it,” I said, taking a sip of my Sparkle-Cola.

We ate and drank, well Daisy and Azure did, I just ate some food and one Sparkle-Cola before turning in early.

“Well, I think I’m good for the rest of the night.” I said, getting up from my stool. “I’ll be heading back to the hotel.”

“Alright Silent, me and Azure are going to spend a bit more time partying,” Daisy said, drinking her entire mug dry, “Hey Far Cry, I need another!”

“Nah ah, not even in your drunken dreams Daisy!” Far Cry yelled back.

With a smile, I walked out and headed back to the hotel.

By midnight, I was in my room playing one those games that Raza gave me, which was trying to save princess Luna from a huge Zebra alchemist, unfortunately I kept failing each time I played.

"Stupid game," I grumbled, turning off my PipBuck. I then got up from my bed and walked out of the Bunker Suite and walked up while invisible. I heard both Daisy and Azure were both out cold from partying, and after looking into their rooms, I could clearly see that. This was as good a time as ever to get ready. I quickly got back to my rome and packed some of my gear, a few healing potions, three grenades, my zebra sword, and This Gun and it’s ammo, including those R.I.P rounds… Just in case...

With that done, I quietly headed out of my room before finally leaving the hotel. The town square was empty of ponies, most were either sleeping or just staying inside their homes, the only ones that were outside are the guards patrolling on top of the wall, not that it mattered, my invisibility spell made it easy regardless to sneak passed them when a late night merchant entered through the gate and back into the wasteland

Once out of Dirty River I followed the river down to Dead River.

It was a long walk, far longer that I thought it would be, and gave me time to think.

I need this spell removed from me, this addiction it’s placed on me, it has to end. Even though he was bad, that...that was monstrous what I did. Gathering my nerves I continued down the road, after about an hour I came across a sign that said Dead River Ahead.

Nodding, I continued ‘til I came across a small town made completely of scrap wood and metal. Poorly constructed, the most well kept building was a large bar made from old train storage carts.

There were crosses sticking out of the ground everywhere, and tombstones here and there, I think one pony was even selling them. There were mares who looked...too thin, worn and...dirty, trying to show off to some stallions...prostitutes… There were a few ponies with blankets laid out with random wears on them, mostly junk you could find in old ruins with minimal effort. There was only one pony selling weapons, that I could see, but they mostly looked like they were mainly selling small pocket knives and a few ammo boxes.

There was one pony with a hoof puppet, keeping to himself and...talking to the puppet… Across from him was what looked like a first aid tent, the tent’s fabric weathered and torn, showing a lot of sickly looking ponies within, none likely getting needed meds or even any real treatment. Other than the street vendors there were some other buildings, all made from scraps kept together by nails, duct tape or even Wonderglue if the used bottles laying around were any indication.

“Psst,” I looked to my left, seeing a stallion start to walk up. His coat was grimy, barely able to see his light brown fur, “Hey, need chems? I got them. Dash, Buck, Party Time Mentals, all the colors, and SuperCharge.”

“SuperCharge?”

“Yeah, crystallized mana from Unicorns. It’s like taking all other chems at once. Hundred caps per does, you interested?”

“Uhh...no. Actually, do you know where I can find a mer- MPH!” When I was about to mention the merchant, he quickly covered my mouth.

“Shhh-sshh-shh… We don’t talk about that pony out loud, last filly who did, and talked negatively at that, was found in the Bar’s whiskey batch for the month, we were drinking her for a week before we found out! We just thought it went bad,” he was actually shaking with fear.

I removed his hoof from my mouth, his hoof left a nasty aftertaste, like matches and...piss. I spit a few times, “I just need to talk with him,” I explained, “He told me to meet him here.”

“He...He told you...Hahahahahahah. He told you to meet him here? Oh, oh no….Oh nonononononono! He’s at the bar, now please stay away from me!” He yelped, dashing off someplace.

That was...disturbing. And rather worrying. Shaking that experience off, I turned around and headed towards the bar. The name read, Capital Idea, it struck me as strange, but then again, consider the location and townsponies.

As I entered I saw the bar looked...old, but was more well kept than the town. Prostitutes tried to make sales on the indoor balcony, three barkeeps kept the booze and soda flowing, and several waitresses went to collect empty bottles and caps. This looked almost normal, save for the dart game where they were throwing darts into a chained up feral ghoul, laughing as they made hits. I noticed most of the ponies around here seemed on edge. I came into the bar and saw him seated at a stall, drinking some water. As I walked towards him I noticed the random noises of the bar from when I first entered started stopping, and when I was at his table the room was dead silent. “Ah, so you came lass. I’m glad you accepted my offer.”

“I only came to talk…business.” I said, taking a seat as the bar began to liven up again, though I could see some of the ponies around here gaze at us for a bit before quickly looking away.

“Ah yes. Was it a spell you were after?”

“No...That last spell you gave me...I want it removed, forgotten, whatever, just...take it away.”

“Hm,” he said, taking a sip of his water, “Well lass I can’t do that. Book only gives spells, never takes.”

Crap… “So I’m stuck with magic vampirism?”

“That ya are, but while you’re here, why not meet the others?”

“Others?”

He laughed softly. “Did you really think, you were the only one the book took interest in, taught, had dark magic bound to your very being? No, while rare before the war...after… more began popping up.”

“There are others… like me?”

“The dark arts are linked to evil and tragedy. No greater evil or tragedy than the years of the war, and the Fallout that came after,” he said, chuckling silently, but also quite madly, “Ah, the best years, were also the worst of years.”

“Heh, guess that books told you some first hoof account stories?”

The Merchant grabbed his drink, moving it around in his fetlock before looking back up, “It’s told me a lot, in the time I’ve had it, but the stories I know of the war...are my own.”

I felt something drop in my stomach. It was a mix of confusion and worry. “But...You’re not a ghoul...right?”

“Ghoul? No, no. I’m far from a ghoul. If a medic was to look over my corpse, I’d be as pony as your friends...but, dark magic rewards, when you give it what it desired.”

“The...the book makes you immortal?”

“Immortal? No. I cut, I bleed. I can die. Longevity, a youthful appearance and vigor...now that is within the realms of possibility.”

“So… you’re-”

“Two hundred and nineteen. Two hundred and twenty next month.” He laughed. “And looking better for my age than any ghoul can claim.”

“So...how?”

“Dark magic is a rather potent thing lass. When used in typical spellworks its effects are multiplied drastically, but when put to its use for spells of its nature, the results and potential are limitless. Normal magic always follows the laws of nature and things like that, but dark magic is all about the unnatural. It, in the proper use, and used by a proper unicorn, can have truly limitless potential.”

“Where does dark magic come from?”

“Ah, now there’s a tale. To put it simple, you can say it’s similar to the tale of Nightmare Moon. In the end, the demon of the night was the sister of the sun. Dark Magic was the same, but it’s other half hogged those capable of utilizing it, so, dark magic began to taint, corrupt, and infect all it could reach.”

“Huh… well, let's go see those...others you mentioned.”

“Alright lass,” he said, chugging his water quickly before we left. Walking through town it was even more silent than before. They tried to hide it, but everypony was casting a pondering gaze. Guess it's rare when this stallion was accompanied by somepony.

We came to the River bed, and he the placed a hoof into the water… and it moved aside, “How in the-”

“In time,” he cut me off, looking at me with what...was a smile. Not his usual creepy one...a sincere one, “In time.” We continued to walk. He lead the way, the water moving around and out of our path...and even began to avoid us from above when it got deeper. The light left fast and soon with the already dark sky and mucky water I decided to turn my Pipbuck’s flashlight on. It helped a little. I saw the trash and other things this river had in it. I spotted something as we walked through… bodies. First just a few random bones, soon became whole skeletons...then corpses with rotting flesh… then newer… recent bodies. “Who… are these ponies? The dead ones?”

“Them?” Merchant said. “They were trespassers, assassins, spies, doo gooders out to end us… never again,” he muttered, “Our kind has been hunted down for countless centuries, an order Celestia herself created to kill us. Some still exist, their numbers small, nothing like before. They are dying out, but their Order’s collapse isn't enough. When they are gone, anypony of the Celestial Order’s bloodline must, and will be exterminated.”

“Old wounds?” I asked.

“Older than the book lass. Older than the book.”

“Are… there other books?”

“Yes. The Celestial Order destroyed fifteen of the original twenty, now only five remain.”

“How do you know that?”

“Book.”

“Of course,” I rolled my eyes. Looking ahead, I soon realized we were walking on nothing but bones, “Uhh…”

“We're here,” he said, before us was...the head of a dragon. It was large, but dainty in its shape. “Was the dragon lord, Dragon Lord Ember. She teamed with the Celestial Order to eliminate us a hundred years back. Now she's just our front door.” He then laughed, and tapped the former Dragon Lord’s chin… IT'S EYES OPENED!?!?! “Open wide ya cunt!” He yelled, more laughter following as it opened its mouth. Where a tongue and throat would be… was just a stone stairway.

“H-how is she?!”

“Alive? Well, she ain't, but after her loss I took her head, and bound her own soul to it. She can only open and close her mouth, but she feels the constant pressure and movement of the water. Unable to breath from lacking her body, and she is aware of every second. No. Greater. Hell.”

I… felt nauseous. “That's… that’s twisted…” I moaned, feeling my dinner trying to come back up.

“Thank ya!” he said cheerfully, entering the stairway, “Come on then lass we don't have all night.”

Hesitant, I followed. The stairway wasn't that deep down and once it flattened out into a floor the ‘door' closed. There was a lightbulb giving some light. Near the end of it's reach on the wall was a door. Once it opened I was greeted by a horrid stench, and a dark, barely lit cave. There were candles burning everywhere, but there was surprisingly little lite from them. I saw nine ponies here. Four earth ponies, four unicorns, and… a pegasus. “Hi everypony!” the merchant yelled.

“Horseshoe!” They all yelled/cheered back.

“Horseshoe?”

“It’s my name,” he said proudly, “Did I not mention that?”

“No,” I said plainly.

“Oh. My bad. Well go on then, have a talk with everypony, I’ll just be here when ya are ready to leave.”

Nodding, I slowly walked more into the medium sized cave. I came across a mare who was likely much older than she appeared...she looked like a foal. “Um… hi?” I said to her.

“Hi,” she replied, “I’m Quanta,” she introduced herself.

“Hi… um… I take it you're a lot older than you appear…?”

She nodded. “That's right. When Horseshoe met me, I was getting old, but after teaching me to properly use my special magic, I regained the body of my foal years.”

“Why your foal years specifically?”

“It's when I had my first surge of dark magic. I fused a bunch of class pets together and created a chimera. They breed like crazy and killed everypony fast cause they were highly venomous too. They didn't hurt me since I made them, though personally I hope they all get killed. They're just creepy,” Quanta admitted.

“... Okay… well, I’m gonna mingle more.”

“Have fun!”

What the literal Celestia?! What, just...what?! Shaking it off, I made my way to another unicorn. A stallion, rather thinly built, his Cutie Mark was a potion bottle. “Hey…” I said as I approached.

“Greetings. I’m Brew Batch. You are?”

“Silent Whisper.”

“Hm. A strong amount of dark magic. Very potent too.”

“So I'm told,” I replied simply, “So, what do you do?”

“I brew spells.”

“Brew… spells?”

“While the earth ponies and one pegasi here also have dark magic in them, it is harder for them to channel it out, cause, ya know. No horns. Much like the Zebra’s pre-war I create potions capable of being enchanted. All it takes is a small bit of dark magic from one of us, toss it, and boom. Balefire Egg sized explosion in a glass bottle the size of a golf ball. Plus, others. Hexes, poison gas, instant stage three cancer, and a personal favorite of mine, pure radiation. Enough to kill a pony and make a ghoul glow like a night light. Five hundred caps each by the way.”

“Five… hundred… for all that death in bottles…?”

“Hey, Necromancers gotta kill, cannibals gotta eat,” he said, flashing me his...sharp...sharp teeth, “Care to browse?”

“Uhh… maybe later,” I said, giving a small wave of goodbye before leaving. Dear Celestia…. These ponies are all insane. Every fiber of my being wants to take out my gun and start shooting...but… what can that do? They’d all either somehow survive a shot to the head or… *gulp* kill me before I even lit up my horn.

That thought resonated with me for a while… these ponies are powerful… too powerful, I’m amazed they didn't finish off what the Mega Spells missed! One more pony, then I am out of here!

Swallowing my fear I walked up to the pegasus. She was smaller than Azure, but looked older. “Hey, you the new girl?” she asked in a raspy voice.

“Yeah… Silent Whisper,” I stated.

“Ego Flock. Just call me Ego.”

“Okay...Ego. Well what do you do?”

“Eh. Not much,” Oh thank Celestia, maybe a nor- “They just tag me for work when they. Need a virgin, foal, or blood of life for sacrifice in general. And it is hard finding virgins out there these days so I settle for foals. They work just as well, youngest I brought for a sacrifice was a month old. Dumb ass parents left it alone in their house while they tended to some crops. Keep better eyes on your kids if you don't wanna cry about it when they get kidnapped, right?”

“...” I merely nodded and walked away. Nope, all the nope. I am out of here. Quickly, I made it back to Horseshoe. “Alright, can I head back up… I think I met enough of these ponies for a while.”

“Alright then lass, come on then, on the way out I’ll tell ya my tale,” he said as we walked out of the bar and headed out. “Well, as I told you my story takes place before the great war. Those were better days. Life was… peaceful. Then the war started. Things changed so fast, technology and weapons were being developed and released as quick as you could blink, those Mr. ‘Handy’ bots and such were being installed into buildings and houses for all purposes. I wasn’t lucky. I left home. Being an earth pony in Canterlot was hard enough, but my talents were...far from that of tribe tradition.”

“How so?”

“Earth ponies, no matter what the talent, can farm, even a little...every seed I ever planted never grew, every tree or other plant I tended to died. My hooves were death to nature. Being in a family of farmers made that tough, I was useless to them, so they got rid of me. I was on a one way ticket to my death, the Badlands. I got off early however, a small town near the Everfree Forest called Ponyville. Figured something there will do fine, maybe my corpse would do more good than I ever could for nature.”

“You...wanted to die?”

“My own family wanted me dead, at the time, what was I to think? Many years I killed many crops, never meant too, and whenever I tried to fix it, I made things worse. I walked into that forest, and came across a manticore. I was ready to embrace that poison tail and sharp claws and teeth. Right as it was in for the kill, l was saved by an unexpected mare. Her coat and mane were striped black and white, and she could kick flank like you'd never believe.”

“A Zebra?”

He nodded. “Her name was Zecora,”

WHAT?!

“She became like the mother I always prayed for, and I learned she was a shaman, sent to Equestria with a very special book,” He said, pulling out said book, giving it a few pats before putting it back. “She was tasked with keeping it guarded and its influence suppressed. It didn't take her long for her to discover about my… fault, and how it shared a link with that book. She knew if I was a unicorn I’d be unstoppable with that book, but even as an earth pony I’d be deadly with it… it made me the perfect guardian for it.”

“Wait, what?”

“That book influences those who have standard mana within them. Ponies like you and I are on it's frequency, having dark magic within us rather than normal magic. It can't influence us through it's normal means. No, we'd have to open it, and read it. Then, the book can lure us to it's secrets. It's power. For a price.”

“Lives…”

“Yup. But being immune naturally to its influence meant I was perfect to look after it. She began training me to be its caretaker, and the ways of Zebra shamans. For the first time, I had purpose, and I wasn't messing up at it.”

“What… happened?”

“The war,” he growled, “It started and that Applejack mare talked her into working as a representative of sorts. She was threatened, lots of nasty letters mailed to her hut that I kept. She was a saint among demons. Then...Applejack’s fiance Apple Snacks murdered her…”

“...Why?”

“He saw her murder a guard, but she told me she had to play double agent for a while. Mother me she did cause I worried for her. She was to knock out that guard, but hit a tad too hard. Apple Snacks came in and saw that, and beat her to death with his own two hooves. I barely recognized her body at the Canterlot Morgue.”

I felt...sorry. I was sorry and sad for this sadist...and kinda understood how he became who he is today. “I’m...sorry.”

“Don't be,” he said, a smile that would scare Nightmare Moon came upon his face. “I got my revenge already.”

“...how?”

“No greater hell than immortality my dear. The Megaspell that hit Canterlot was unique. It's cloud of radiation was pink, and carried with it Necromancy the likes of which are the stuff of Nightmare Moon's nightmares. I should know, I gave that necromancy to the Zebras.”

“You… gave them something to make the Mega Spells even more deadly?”

“I gave it to them to hit Canterlot specifically with it. Those who died suffered greatly, melting into whatever they were touching. Those who became ghouls…” He chuckled. “Were kept alive, and forever bound to what they were touching, like it's a part of their skin. Apple Snacks was wearing his Power Armor when it hit. The ghouls I made sure would come out were nearly immortal, only a headshot or decapitation could kill them...him being in that armor, never able to take it off. I made him as immortal as you can get. He wasn't going to have the pleasure of meeting his loved ones, and he never will, not while I still breath air.”

“So you...check up on him?”

“Yes. Damn fool has never seen me when I do. I keep him alive to torture him. No greater hell than Immortality little filly. Seeing all you've known and cared for vanish as the years go by, time and time again.”

“So...when will you end it?” I asked as he looked at me oddly. “I mean, if immortality is then...why keep yourself going just to keep yourself in hell?”

"Because somepony needs to take this book from my cold dead hooves, I am it's caretaker… a promise is a promise, it's the only purpose I have...the only bit of me that's still...me.”

After leaving that place I couldn't get any of that conversation with Horseshoe or the others out of my head. I thought I could handle whatever this world throws at me...I was wrong...so...so wrong. That place, those ponies… it's just… too much.

“Hey you.” I yelped, looking at who called out to me. He was… a pegasus… I think? His coat was a dark blue, eyes a light hazle, mane a deep midnight blue… and he had the wings of a bat. “Saw you with that merchant earlier, what was up with that?”

“Oh. I um… Was just talking?” I could tell he wasn’t buying it. “Well, I was. We… met and I bought some stuff from him and just wanted to catch up.”

“You two friends?”

“No, more like… unlikely acquaintances.”

“Hm. Fair enough.” He said, taking a seat across from me in the booth. “Shadow Storm, your friendly neighborhood bounty hunter.” He introduced.

“Silent Whisper.” I said. “So… is there something you need or…”

“Silent Whisper? The ‘Chosen Dweller’ the radio is going on non stop about?” He asked as I blushed, leading him to chuckle lightly, “Well I’ll be damned, never expected a pony like you to come around here unless it’s with an army and bullets. This is more a place for you to shoot up rather than visit from the stories I’ve heard.”

“Heh, well I just… do what I think is right. The ponies here might not be all that good but they are just making a living, right?”

“Hm. Fair enough. So, why you here alone? Thought you traveled with one or two other ponies?”

“I do, but I wanted them to get some rest, so I came here alone.” I half lied.

“Heh, good leader, though it’s not wise to go into dangerous places unaided.”

“I have my ways of avoiding combat when and if needed.”

“From what I hear on the radio, I have a good guess how,” he chuckled, “So, where you from?”

“A stable. I was sent out for a Water Talisman since ours is breaking down, but so far all my leads are ending up dry...heh, no pun intended.”

“A stable? Huh, cool. When you leave it?”

“I think it’s been about a week or so by now.” I say, remembering my sister and brother… and the bullies…

“It always hurt the first few days huh?”

“Yeah… wait are you…?”

“Yeah. Three years, Stable 66. Was all ponies like me.”

“...Bat ponies…?”

“...That’s considered Racist.”

“Oh-oh my gosh, I’m so sorry!”

“Psst, compared to being shot at on sight, it’s welcome. We’re called Thestrials. If you believe the legends we were all once pegasi, normal ones, but then our specific village was cursed.”

“Cursed?”

“Yeah. Legend goes a unicorn came to town, seeking shelter from a harsh storm. Town let him stay at the inn but this was back when the tribes were separated, so he was treated rather poorly, and by the time he left he was beaten and bruised, so it’s said he cursed the whole village to become as dark as their hearts. They grew sharp teeth, eyes adapted for the night but are nearly blinded by day, all coats became dark grey like ash, and their manes all became the same dark shades of blue. Their wings changed to become demonic, like bats, hence the origin of the racist nickname. While the village still retained their pegasi magic, they were cast out from the pegasi tribe for being freaks, and of no use for weather work during the day.

“They evacuated, lived in caves ‘til Princess Luna came along, and reintroduced my ancestors to Equestria, where they served at her night guard. When she became Nightmare Moon, they returned to their ancestral cave, where they waited til she appeared yet again and returned us to our home.”

“How’d you end up in a stable?”

“Princess Luna had Stable-Tech create Stable 66 for Thestrials specifically. All the needed materials and resources for our special needs. She looked after us.”

“You have special needs?”

“Yeah, in the legend the unicorn not only mutated out bodies, but out diets as well. We can’t survive without blood. Can’t be our own, has to be from a pony for best results and benefits, or many animals for a slightly less grand result. We live, but are weaker.”

Cursed to drink… blood… I can relate… I thought, shaking my head. “How do you get by? And your stable?”

“A while before the war, Luna’s personal team of scientists discovered a pill supplement that can replace blood completely, from then on we can just eat food like any other pony. My stable sometimes sends ponies out for the raw materials but from what I gather it’s mostly plant materials and some other stuff, and so long as I give them some ammo or a new gun for the armory they give me a months worth.”

“You don’t…”

“I was… exiled…”

“Why-”

“Not… something I like talking about…” He said, looking… shaken.

A pill that… can take away the need for blood… I need that pill, “Can I… see your stable?”

Shadow shifted, unsure and worried in his movements, “I… don’t know. They don’t like me anymore, and are wary around strangers…”

“Come on, I’m… interested,” I said, it’s not exactly a lie. I am interested… mainly in those pills.

“Well…” I could tell he was thinking hard at this… I really hope he agrees... “Alright, I’ll take you… if you help me with a bounty I was hired to kill.”

“Oh, who are you supposed to kill?”

“A Mercenary Leader named Toothless Whiskey. His group used to be the best guns for hire in the wastes, but he and his group became raiders lately, only taking contracts from raiders or slavers these days. Pony who hired me wants them all dead for personal reasons. Normally I could deal with this myself...”

“But.”

“They’re hold up in a old Ministry of Arcane Science building, and they got automated defenses working that will shoot anything on sight. Not to mention the area around the building has no cover for me to evade or sneak. But you...” He looked at me with a big smirk, “Have that nifty invisible spell that can get you pass those defenses and deactivate them so I can sneak in and join you.”

“Makes sense… then what?” I asked.

“At that, we go in, kill them, collect proof that all twenty of them, Toothless included, are dead, and head back to that pony for the bounty. I’ll get seventy percent, you get thirty because I’m taking you to my stable… that’s fair, right?”

“Sure, you’d need the most anyways,” I agreed.

“Indeed, that’s why if I take you to my stable, gonna charge you ten thousand caps.”

“What?”

“Still need to make a living, plus from your latest exploits, I heard that you now have more bits than you can spend,” He looked at me with a cocky grin. “Am I right?”

“Yeah I suppose,” We do have way to many caps just for three ponies.

“Good. Got a gun on you?”

“Yeah, but not much ammo. Just enough in case I ran into issues. Does the way to the target pass Dirty River?”

“Yeah, then seven more miles from Dirty river is an old trolley station. Still works so we can catch a ride and shave off an hour or two.”

“Great, then I can head back and grab the rest of my weapons and ammo, then we can head out proper.”

“Perfect. Huh, a partner on a job. That will be new to me.”

“Neat...so, where’s your weapon?”

“Hid it. Call me paranoid but I always feel like somepony is gonna try and steal it right off me, so I, well, you’ll see once we leave town.”

“Alright,” I quickly finished my Sparkle Cola and we headed off. Just outside of Dead River Shadow stopped and moved what should have been a large rock seemingly with ease. “Hollowed out rock. Took forever but who stops to search a rock, am I right?”

“No sane or normal pony that’s for sure,” I said with a nod as Shadow pulled out an old, but well kept bow. It was black and had a very unique design. “It’s called Nightingale, it’s twin, of sorts, a sword, my dad still has. The bow is given to the first born in our family since generations back, and the sword, Nightingale Blade, is given to us after the father dies. This bow and that sword have been in our family for...geeze. I don’t even know.”

“It’s definitely cool looking.”

“Yeah, every time I shoot it I feel like I’m… lucky, plus it’s enchanted, if whoever I shoot isn’t killed, they get a bit of frostbite and a nice zap, like from a taser,” he said, putting on another, small, lightly armored saddle bag, “I use a .45 auto pistol for the day and in close quarters. Can’t see as well during the day, so in the day I fight close, and at night, I use stealth and range.”

“Oh now that is just too cool,” I almost pured. He pulled out a thin, narrow saddle bag filled with arrows. At least forty were in there. “Alright, let’s head on out.”

“Alright then. Let's get going.”