Author's Note

My humble apologies for real life taking up so much of my time.
To my editors and pre readers I crack a cold one in your honor.
As always to my readers thank you.

Chapter 15 Hunting Shadows In The City Of Light

Chapter 15

Hunting Shadows In The City Of Light

Braxton exited the throne room after his visit with Celestia. He was grateful for two things. The first was the press ponies had dissipated down to the genuinely die-hard and were trying to wring any gossip out of any of the remaining nobility. The second was none noticed him, given they were so preoccupied with the nobles.

His bodyguards followed. As he made his way back to his room, Honey Song was first to speak up. "Sir... the library is the other way, if I may speak,"

Braxton cast a glance back to the pair following him. "Honey Song there is no need for all the military etiquette. Everypony is free to speak their mind, and besides, Braxton will do."

"But you are our employer," Star Song voiced.

Braxton nodded as they walked into his bedroom. He picked up his sword from the sword stand. "Yes, and when something within that sphere rises, I will address it as such, but I'm not a hardass. One needs to know when to crack the whip and when to let things slide."

Both mares looked to each other, the unsaid question passing between them. 'How did this stallion come by this wisdom?' Honey Song looked back to Braxton and asked, "Are we going out somewhere?"

"No. Just needed to get my sword and a few items from my pack, since it will be needed for the next part of what I am about to do," Braxton stated matter-of-factly. Braxton opened his pack, took out a quill and a bottle of ink, along with a soft dark leather drawstring pouch, his fingers looping into the pouch loops so he could carry all items with one hand. Braxton then used his foot to close the flap of the pack. "Please, my bodyguards, lead me to the library," he said making an 'after you' motion with his hand.

The trip to the library of the castle was uneventful as the shadows began to lengthen. Braxton entered quietly with his group. He set the items upon the table and also went to get the books he would need, one on Equestrian penmanship and a map of the city, a relatively easy find. Sitting down at the workspace Braxton began to write in the blank book. His bodyguards milled around but soon became bored as the time passed.

Braxton didn't look up from his studies, but spoke softly to his guards. "You two don't have to stay with me, I'm pretty sure there is no danger here."

"We can not do that, Braxton. You are our ward," Honey Song said in a whisper.

"At least sit-down and read. It will be a long boring night, otherwise," Braxton replied softly, still writing in the blank book.

The two mares did concede that point, and each went to get a book of their liking. While they departed, another voice softly chimed in to Braxton's mind. "I see you are entertaining thoughts of how to slip your leash, brother."

"True, Klynn, I just haven't figured that much out yet. I thought of trying to do something a little after midnight, given most of the pony folk aren't nocturnal, and it would give me time to complete your spell list for you to absorb. This way I'm not entirely without spell backup," Braxton noted.

"Sounds like a decent plan but won't drugging them make you look like an ass and also have repercussions upon the trust they give to you?" Klynn Ka' Tar asked.

"Hence why I need the time to think about it sister!" Braxton returned, an edge of irritation growing in his thoughts.

"I meant no offense, brother," Klynn Ka' Tar said, her gentle words turning away her brother's irritation.

"I'm sorry sister, I shouldn't snap at you. There is a good deal on my mind as you well know. If you can help, please feel free to do so," Braxton said apologetically.

The bodyguards returned each with a book and sat in silence while Braxton wrote and compiled spells into the book.

As Braxton continued to scribe spells and read on writing techniques, he failed to hear the soft song that began to slowly began to edge in upon his hearing. By the time his mind had put the pieces together his quill had stopped moving.

"Mama! Papa!" came the terrified voice of a six-year-old boy from within the darkness. His short platinum blonde hair was matted with sweat. His jade green eyes flicked back and forth trying to make out shapes in the night, the covers of his bed were his only shield. His chisel tipped ears catching the sound of hurried footfalls.

"Keegan?! Are you alright?!" Braxton asked, urgency in his voice as he came into his son’s room, a small ball of light hovering in his hand. He Looked around the room for what had caused his son such distress.

Close upon his heels was a woman a head shorter than him. She had long hair the color of honey, her brilliant jade green eyes though dulled from being pulled from sleep still seemed to sparkle under Braxton's spell. She came into Keegan’s room and sat down upon her son's bed,one hand supporting her distended belly that was heavy with child. Her other hand cleared the hair away from her own chisel tipped ear as she asked her son, "What troubles you, my beloved child?"

"I had a scary dream, mama. I was running from something chasing me!" Keegan said in the elven tongue as he clutched at the safety of his pregnant mother. Both parents gave soft knowing smiles of understanding.

Aurora kissed Keegan softly on the forehead and whispered back in elven. "It was just a dream, my little fire."

"Oh, the elven tongue doesn't this exclude the poor human," Braxton said playfully.

"Hush, human," Aurora said with mock haughtiness in her voice as she settled Keegan back into bed, tucking him in. "The elves are talking."

"Oh, the elves are talking," Braxton mouthed, opening and closing his free hand making faces behind the back of his wife and causing Keegan to giggle.

Aurora turned around to face her husband with a raised eyebrow and a motherly look. Braxton had the time to move into a pose with the light above his head as he gave his wife an exaggerated dour look. "Don't mind me the lamp will find a corner to cry in."

This made both giggle softly as Aurora went back to the common tongue. "While it loses something in translation... get over here."

Braxton let go of the sphere and went to hug his family, all laughing merrily. "I love you all beyond words," Braxton said in elven, the words soul-warming to all who heard them.

"I love you too, Papa," Keegan said with a yawn in common.

Aurora sighed happily, switching to common. "Man-children."

Braxton and Keegan gave her the same smile she loved the men in her life dearly.

Aurora began to hum softly as Keegan started to drop off to sleep as she and Braxton sung him a soft elven lullaby.

Braxton drew in a deep breath as he came away from the Elven reverie and quickly reined in his breathing. The reverie Aurora had taught him had taken him by surprise—it had been almost seventy years since he had done that. There was no control over what memories would come to one in this state, but Braxton was thankful it was a happy memory. He rubbed his face, the tear stains still wet as he rubbed them away. His guards were sound asleep. As he looked around the room, he placed the sword in the book, its spine not liking the oversized object.

Braxton noted that the moon was now at its zenith. Making no noise, he left the library to head out into the city. As he neared the double doors, Klynn Ka' Tar rippled softly through his thoughts. "You honor me beyond words brother... thank you."

Braxton said nothing as he left, for nothing needed to be said.

As the sun set, Lyra found herself pacing back and forth, thinking back on her visit with Celestia. Celestia rolled up the scroll that contained the notes on Braxton's interview with Twilight regarding his magical abilities. Against all her knowledge she now knew why Braxton's magic was so cold. As Celestia passed the scroll back to Twilight, she asked her favorite student, "So Twilight, have you figured out why the magic Braxton casts has such a cold aura with each spell?"

"To be honest, I have been wracking my brain trying to figure that mystery out," Twilight said as she passed the scroll over to Lyra.

"Then, my faithful student, let me give you a push in the right direction. Think of our four types of magic and the elements of harmony as the branches, leaves, and trunk of a tree respectively."

Twilight nodded, Lyra listened, and Celestia continued. "Braxton's magic would be the roots of that tree."

Twilight thought for a moment as the ramifications began to sink in. "His magic is that different?"

"More like closer to the source. He talked of tapping 'mana'. This means that his magic is a blank slate with which he can then craft those energies into anything he desires," Celestia said.

"But in both Starswirl the Bearded and Clover the Clever's dissertations, both said such energies would be too unstable to render anything into reality," Twilight pondered. "Without another force acting upon it as a focus for that medium... the Elements of Harmony,"

"Correct, Twilight. And as you know, mana is in all things. From the tiniest of rocks, to the mightiest of alicorns in reality around us. But has its limits within the bounds of life and death—a force not even Starswirl himself could touch," Celestia answered.

Twilight’s eyes went wide as the last piece of a puzzle fell into place. "Mana has no such limits! He can tap into the very core of what makes magic!" A few hairs on Twilights mane curled as a pen and paper appeared in a magenta aura and began writing at a manic pace.

Celestia giggled softly at her student's antics, but her attention was caught by Lyra raising her hand—as if in a classroom—with a worried look on her muzzle.

"Yes, Lyra?" Celestia asked.

"Um...I am just wondering if it is okay that I should hear all of this? For it sounds more like a royal affair."

"While it is, Lyra, you serve as an envoy to a foreign dignitary. Therefore this affair rests upon your shoulders. Let us not forget you are now also an agent of S.M.I.L.E., so we will be having talks that only royalty and your new fellow agents shall be privy to." Celestia gave a soft smile before stepping down from her throne and giving Twilight a hug, breathing a sigh of relief before turning to Lyra.

"Lyra, you don't have to answer this question because I'm not asking it as your princess. I am asking you mare to mare. Are you in love with Braxton?" Celestia asked, looking at Lyra.

The blush was all the answer Celestia needed as she looked to the smitten mare but Lyra didn't run from the question and answered softly "I am, I am falling in love with him more and more as time goes by."

Celestia could only smile softly "Then all I can tell you, Lyra, is please be careful. You see him as a hero—and perhaps he is—but that is not all he is. His eyes say quite a bit, they seek out danger, not love."

"I don't understand, your highness," Lyra said, puzzled by her princess;s words.

"Please, Lyra, just Celestia. This is merely a mare to mare talk. What I meant by his eyes was that they belong to a man who's torn by conflict and the desperation that comes from fighting for his life. Can somepony like that truly know how to love?" Celestia asked softly.

"He did once, Prin... Celestia," Lyra said, coming to champion her absent mustang.

Twilight stopped writing and looked to Lyra. "Was he separated from his special somepony being brought here?"

Lyra shook her head. "No, Twilight. He told me he was a widower, but Braxton didn't go into detail."

The papers and pen dropped out of Twilight’s magical grasp as her hand went to her heart. A stallion that had lost their special somepony would lose the drive to do anything for a long time, and if there were others in his herd, they too would have to work hard to keep a stallion on the right track. Twilight’s heart went out to Braxton for how lonely he must be. "Lyra that is terrible!"

Lyra and Celestia could only nod in agreement.

Luna had just finished raising the moon to its zenith and ushering in the shroud of the night for the kingdom. She and two of her sister's elite guards were the first to hear the crash as Luna made her way to Celestia's bedroom.

Both elite guards were quick to open the doors with magic, and both swept the room with their arbalists drawn and ready to fire. One moved to Celestia's side to protect her. The other flanked the mare on point. Luna for her part brought up the rear summoning a shield of magic and a short sword for better close quarters combat.

"Sister, are you alright?" asked Luna with a concerned tone, keeping an eye out for danger.

"I am unharmed sister, please, don't worry. It was nothing," Celestia said, forgetting just how fast her elite guard reacted. She rubbed her brow she desperately needed sleep.

Luna took in the detail of the broken mirror before looking back to her sister questioningly.

"I am just tired; thank you, my guard. You may return to your posts. Sister please just let it be, it was nothing," Celestia said dismissively.

Luna let the subject drop for now, but it left her with a nagging feeling that something was amiss. Returning to her own chambers, she walked past a grand mirror framed in beautiful silver moons and stars of filigree. The eyes of her own reflection became serpentine as the reflection spoke back to her. "She lied to you...I would not ignore that."

Luna stopped near a sconce of lilacs that hung near the door to her balcony before stepping onto it. "Why are you here, Nightmare Moon? Above all, why are you helping me?" Luna voiced inwardly.

"I'm not... I am helping me," came the smug reply from the mirror.

Luna rolled her eyes. Since the Elements Of Harmony had redeemed her, Nightmare Moon had been both quiet and had pretty much left the mare of the moon in peace... only surfacing to nettle her in some way before retreating back into the halls of her psyche. "Damn it!" Luna muttered as she shook her head not wanting to add more fuel to an already growing fire. Luna resolved to get to the bottom of why her sister lied. When her sister was better rested and in a better mood.

She stepped out onto the balcony after setting her own mind to the task of preparing to help the ponies of her land with their dreams. She caught sight of their guest walking down the side of the castle wall, before making a jump to another rooftop into a shadow and then seeming to melt with it and vanish. Teleporting to the place were he melded into the shadows, she looked around for him and didn't find him. She had to give that man his due—when he didn't want to be seen he wasn't seen. She Sensed no magic... how had he done it?

Braxton caught sight of Luna and pulled the hood of his cloak of Elvenkind up over his head, and the modeled mantle took on the mortar and brick of the buildings around him. He jumped from one shadow to the next along the thief's highway, his steps quick and silent. Trust in the cloak, he remembered his wife telling him at one point. That advice had saved his life on more than one occasion. He was going to have to rely upon its subtle power, for he didn't dare summon his sword.

Braxton made his way from shadow to shadow and rooftop to rooftop along the thief's highway. Recalling the city layout from the map, he made his way to the university, stopping on the ridgepole of a roof to catch his breath. The spell last night had taken a lot out of him. He paused for a few moments to look around, listen, and think.

Keen ears told him a guard patrol was nearby heading away, but they would return. Upon the breeze that softly moved the edges of his cloak, Braxton caught a familiar scent, and he tensed as he made his way to the ground and stayed within the shadows. Master Facade was here.

Braxton tracked the scent back to a suite of offices. As Braxton was about to burst through the door, a loud pop was heard on the other side of the door. Followed by cursing in the common tongue of Avawyvren.

"Damnable light source!" Master Facade groused.

Braxton took this as his cue to enter. Master Facade spun quickly to face whoever had opened his office door at such an hour. To his horror, it was no pony but a human. Master Facade tried to read the humans thoughts thinking to get a leg up on his opponent. That idea went out the window when Braxton's fist made a reliable connection to Master Facade's muzzle, sending the stallion's hooves up over his head as he went back over his desk.

Braxton took the shortest distance between two points up over the desk, wanting to press his advantage. Master Facade rolled off to the side, trying to put distance between himself and his attacker. His pony features began to melt until his true form became visible. Gone were the pony features of a unicorn what came to its feet was an altogether more hideous creature. It stood five and a half feet tall, its gaunt grey-skinned gangly limbs, and large bulbous head belittled its robust nature. Its large octopoid eyes the only noteworthy feature on its otherwise featureless face. The eyes locked with Braxton's cold blue cat-like eyes for a moment before flinching as though struck.

Braxton smiled before replying in common. "Trouble reading my thoughts Doppelganger?"

Braxton wasted no motion or time reversing his direction, springing off the desk and colliding with Master Facade, elbow first, knocking both to the ground in a tangle of limbs.

Master Facade’s elbow caught Braxton near his temple, and the world swam for a moment but righted itself as Braxton's hand closed around the doppelganger's throat. Braxton's fingernails lengthed and curved downward by almost an inch and turned black.

Master Facade froze feeling the razor-sharp claws at his throat. "I yield to you, human!" came a raspy voice as the grey figure reverted back to its pony form.

"Now I want some truthful answers, or I will tear your throat out and use necromancy to dig them out of your soul," Braxton said, shifting his weight to get to his knees.

"Ask," came a raspy reply from master Facade.

"First off what are you doing here?" Braxton said cooly his breathing coming under control.

"I don't know. It has been a few months since I was pulled here." Braxton's hold loosened a little but not enough for Master Facade to extract himself from those razor-sharp claws.

"You're not lying to me," Braxton said with genuine interest.

"Perceptive," Master Facade croaked as the claws tightened back over his throat. "You hold my life in your hands. I kinda want it back."

Braxton loosened his grip a little as he asked, "Why did you go after the mare in the bell tower?"

"That was not my idea. I wanted only to coerce Lyra Heartstrings into withdrawing her thesis. Wild Snow wanted the extra fun. Hope the Hell Hounds had a decent loose end feast," Master Facade grunted in open contempt.

"The only thing you succeeded in doing was getting my attention. So here is how this is going to play out. You are going to work for me as my spy." Braxton lifted his other hand and extended his index finger. Master Facade watched as Braxton's fingernail became another razor-sharp claw. Braxton dug it into Facade's shoulder shallowly, just enough to draw blood and soak the bit of cloth, before Braxton cut it way with his nail.

"Why did you...," Facade asked before comprehension dawned upon him.

"Helps track my investment," Braxton said, cutting off Master Facade. "You're done with those two mares. If I so much as get one whiff of the scent that even seems to point to you I will return. The next visit won't be as pleasant as this one, and in keeping with the for-yourself mentality... What keeps you alive tonight?" Braxton began to close his hand like a slow, deadly vise. Master Facade felt the claws tips begin to sink deeper into his skin.

"Ledger!... Ledger!" Master Facade squeaked in panic.

"Wonderful that wasn't so difficult; let's get it," Braxton said in an icy whisper. He held Facade by the throat and placed him in front like a shield. "Walk."

Master Facade walked forward to his desk. He knew there was a hand crossbow under the desk, but this creature could rip his throat out before he could employ it, so he would have to wait till he gave him the ledger, just enough of a distraction. Facade opened the drawer, took out a leather bound ledger and held it up over his left shoulder.

Braxton spotted the crossbow but decided to feign ignorance his claws tightened making Facade go still. "Thank you would you please repeat my earlier statement."

"I work for you as your spy... and I'm done with the two mares," Master Facade began to gasp as his airway constricted.

"And I am?" Braxton asked in a cold whisper.

"I don't know," Master Facade replied with trepidation.

"Correct answer, professor. Let that little mystery keep you up at night," Braxton said as he let go of Master Facade's throat.

Master Facade wasted no time, grabbing the crossbow from its hiding place and drawing it to look for the assassin that had not killed him. The fluttering of the nearby curtains caught his eye, and he aimed and fired a bolt through the fabric, shattering the window behind it. His one shot spent, his office in disarray, his ledger gone with the mysterious human, and all his frustration poured into a single word as he threw his crossbow out the remains of the shattered window. "FUCK!"

At the edge of her keen hearing, soft snoring was the first thing the sleeping vulpine became aware of. Her forest green eyes shined like glowing jewels as she looked around. She saw a grey pony with a wavy mane, who may as well have been snoring at the top of her lungs for all the noise she was making. Balloons and get-well-soon cards littered the area around her.

The second thing she became acutely aware of was the amount of pain she was in. Her mind raced as she slowly sat up as to not wake the snoring pony keeping vigil over her. This might be one of King Sombra's minions, and she was not about to take a chance. Despite her pain, she stifled most of her mewling as she made her way out of the bed. Looking at herself for a moment she found herself naked. Two sets of fang marks marred her fur with dried blood—one upon her left breast, the other upon her right thigh. She had to escape Sombra's castle. She was not going to be a slave—he would take death before submission. Opening the window, she looked out over the sleeping town, thankful for the night. If the moon goddess was watching over her, she could make her way out of town without being spotted. But first, she had to jump to the nearby rooftop without waking her guard, and without falling to the street below.

Jumping and pulling herself up to the first rooftop left her winded but she was driven to get out of Sombra's city at any cost. If the guards recovered her naked body, so be it. Running on both two and four legs, the vulpine managed to jump four more roofs. On the fifth roof, her fear-driven adrenaline gave way to weakness. She landed short, and her front claws scraped at roof tiles, and her back nails tried desperately to find purchase. Her ears splayed flat as she realized she was going to fall to her death in this weakened state. She was about to let go, as the last of her strength was leaving her grip... when a hand caught her by the wrist.

Braxton was nearly back to the castle without being spotted. After his errand, he would have to look over the book Master Facade gave him. He was tired, and was looking forward to a few more hours of sleep before sunrise.

The war mage's keen senses however never take a break, and there were times Braxton wished his senses weren't quite so sharp. Hearing desperate scratching and the clatter of roof tiles that were sure to draw the night guards, Braxton ran toward the sounds of distress, his own fatigue be damned. He caught sight of the naked vixen trying to scramble up a roof she had fallen short of. Braxton had enough time to close the distance and grab her by the wrist before she fell completely.

"What are you doing out here?" Braxton asked softly to the vixen in her own language.

The vixen paled when Braxton brought her up into his arms and began to carry her back towards the very castle she had worked so hard to flee from. She began to weep. Her flagging strength was all she had left. "Please, Cartouche, don't deliver me to Sombra," the vixen pleaded through her tears.

Braxton looked to the weeping Vixen. “You are safe. Upon my word to give, and my power, you are safe. I don't know who this Sombra is, but he shall not harm you."

"He is an evil king who rules the castle and keeps vulpine and pony alike for slaves under an iron fist. Whatever he has deceived you with, he has lied to you, Cartouche,"the vixen said, her tears giving way to anger as Braxton continued to carry her bridal style across the rooftops, back to her window following her trail.

"I haven't met a king of the castle, but Princess Celestia and Princess Luna rule together. Both strike me as fair and just, if I had to go with my gut,” Braxton said as they neared her window. Her scent was strongest here, as was Pinkie’s.

"The moon goddess walks upon the land?" the vixen asked in surprise.

Braxton nodded and replied softly, "she does, though I hardly think her a goddess. If I might ask you your name? You call me Cartouche, but that is not my name. It is Braxton Zeddmore."

"I'm Oriana," she whispered softly. More facts began to put themselves together in her mind. When the moon goddess walked the land, a warrior of light would appear wielding a blade that would light the path to freedom for all enslaved.

Oriana began to cover her nudity, realizing slowly that this being carrying her could be the one to do just that. She felt a kinship with this male, though why, she did not know. What her mind was slowly putting together, however, was that if he was the warrior, he had saved her from death. She had nothing to give him in return, save herself.

Braxton crossed into her room without a sound and set the blushing and nervous vixen down upon the bed. Braxton covered her. Before she could move or speak again, he sought the calm center within himself before talking to her. His icy blue eyes lit like soft blue flames the whites of his eye were the same shade of blue. "Rest and be at peace, for now. We will talk more in the morning."

Braxton left by the door, making no more noise than a gentle breeze. His last stop before returning to the library was the kitchen, to grab a snack and some water for tea.