Harvester Of Souls, Bringer Of Hope

Zemrite slow opens his eyes, grunting in pain as he becomes conscious once more. His vision was blurry, but he could tell his surroundings were bright and full of some kind of light. His sat on the back of his feet on his knees, his hands bound and tied to a smooth white pillar in the middle of what appeared to be a golden white magical circle. Stripped of his weapons and armor, leaving him only with his black pants and boots. His lifts his head up with a low grumble of pain as he feels the pain of his cuts and bruises on his body. His hair loose and draped over his face as he gazes around after his vision had cleared. Where was he? And what had happened before he had passed out. He struggles in his bonds and lets out an annoyed growl at all this holy light flashing upon him. Soon enough, his ears picked up the sound of multiple set of footsteps approaching him from all sides. Once they came into view, they were ponies who were dressed in white and gold robes and hoods. The hoods were accented with double helix accents with what appeared to be opened wings on the top of them also in gold. The hybrid didn’t even need to ask what kind of ponies they were. The way they were dressed, this annoying holy magic it was clear.

“So, you are just a bunch of fanatics using holy magic and calling your cause ‘righteous and just’. That much I can see just by looking at your attire and the magic you all use. You know, your princesses aren’t going to be happy that you have taken their fiance and harmed him in such a manner.”

He suddenly felt the lash of a whip hit his back was already covered in the previous marks from before. He lets out a low growl of pain, but smiled through it all. His sharp teeth bared to the stallion who now stood in front of him.

“You will not speak of our princesses so lightly and so familiarly to us. You filth of the shadows and darkness have no business with them, let alone being their betrothed. To think that you have touched them with your filthy hands...it’s unthinkable!”

Zemrite chuckled lowly with a wicked smile on his face and an all-knowing expression.

“Oh, I have done plenty more than touch them. We are quite active in the bedchamber every other night. I can’t tell you how many times I have ‘defiled’ your princesses that you so overly obsessed with. But judging by your outfits and everything else here, you don’t even care about Luna. She is just as important as Celestia is. So I have already found a hole in your little cult here. Pathi-.”

He was cut off by a kick to the left cheek from the pony who had whipped his back earlier. The pony in front of him looked down at the hybrid in absolute destain for Zemrite once he heard those words about what he did with the princesses. Zemrite only chuckled again as he slowly turned his head back to face the stallion in front of him with blood dripping from the side of his mouth.

“You will pay dearly for your transgressions, fiend. While it is true we care of the sister of light more so than her...lesser sister. She is still one of the princesses. And the fact that you have-.”

Zemrite suddenly leans up and spits a mouthful of blood right into the face of the stallion in front of him, the big red gob landing smack in the middle of his muzzle and splattering all over his face and robe.

“ Did you just call her ‘lesser’..? You and all of your little fanatics can burn in the lowest circle of hell. Both of them are just as wonderful and beautiful mares as can be. Neither is greater or lesser. I will find a way out of this and when I do. I am going to kill every single one of you who talk bad about my princess of the night. But anyway, back to telling you how much time I spend with MY beloved Tia. Oh, she loves my every touch. From a soft, warm embrace to those rough but loving fondlings of her sweet curves. It truly is wonderful. Something you will never get to experience.”

This time, a strike to the ribs by a hoof from the stallion with the whip came next. Zemrite growled out in pain, but with a wicked smile on his face. All was going according to plan. Little did they know that the hybrid was using an ability that he had called ‘Blood Reaver’. This ability activates and grows depending on how much pain it’s caster can take. Mostly depending on their will and threshold of pain. This ability was more of a ‘last resort withdraw’ more than anything and it granted it’s caster the temporary ability to bend space and time.

‘Just a little more…”

He thought to himself. And the next words that came out of his mouth were surely going to be enough to gain what he needed. He looks up at the stallion again and continues to smile that wicked smile.

“The best part about it? She can’t get enough of this wolf’s cock. And nor can ehr sister. They beg and plead for it to breed and rut them, then they put their beautiful faces between my legs and worship me with they muzzles just as they should. The musk, the powerful scent. They can’t get enough.”

That’s enough! Shut your filthy mouth you disgusting creature!”

Both the stallion in front of him and beside him start hitting and kicking him for a minute. After that, they back off to reveal a more beaten Zemrite who still had that same smile on his face. He then starts to laugh loudly and licks the blood from his lips.

“I hope you are happy with how many hits you got in. Because those were your last ones!”

Before they could even react, Zemrite breaks through the rope he had been secretly cutting with his claws to weaken the bonds and leaps forward, thrusting his hand through the chests of the two stallions closest to him and suddenly vanishing into a blood-like mist. The sound of snapping necks and flesh being torn through was heard as he teleported behind each of the others in the room and killed them instantly within the time limit. But with all the damage he had taken. He was going to have a hard time getting out if he did not find his satchel along with his other belongings. He limped through the corridors which were brightly lit. So he had no shadows to hide in should any other member of this crazy order find him. Luckily as he cautiously made his way through, there was plenty of objects that could hide him should he run into any of them. After wandering the halls for a while, he hears a set of hoofsteps heading his way. This may be his only chance for some info, so he hides behind a large statue that had a space behind it against the wall. Once the robbed figure walks past him, he reaches out with both hands and covers their muzzle quickly and places his claws right on their neck directly above the jugular vein.

“You have one chance to live. Tell me where I can find my belongings and I will spare your life. Otherwise, I tear out your throat and continue on with my search. Scream and call for help, I will do the very same as well. Nod if you comply.”

The figure was shaking in fear, but they nodded rapidly. Zemrite removes his hand from their muzzle and brings it up to their eyes to blind them. They began to speak.

“I-I don’t know who you are..but I am here undercover to find my friend and captain of our squad. My partners and I have been sent by the princesses to help find a stallion called Zemrite. I am no threat to you, please let me go…”

That voice...it couldn’t be….it was! His voice suddenly changed from low and growly to normal when he spoke. He then turned her to face him directly. It was the young mage whom he had fought beside when the greenskins tried to invade. There was no mistaking those icy blue and fiery orange eyes of hers.

“Blazing? What in the nine hells are you doing here? They sent the others here as well?”

Once she got a look at him, the young mage gave a wide smile and a happy gasp. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged as tight as she could, nuzzling her cheek into his chest as her long black tail sways behind her.

“Zemrite, it’s you! I am so so happy to see you have made it out!”

He lets out a grunt of pain. She quickly steps away to see that he was covered in bruises and wounds, that smile turning into a frown and tears nearly welling up in her eyes.

“T-they did this to you..?”

“Yeah, they banged me up pretty good. But they all paid for it with their lives. But no time to talk, Blazing. We need to find my things and get out of here. I will feel better after I get one of my potions from my satchel.”

“Oh! You mean this?”

She asked as she reached into her robe and pulled out his void satchel. He blinks a few times and takes it into his hands. He looks it over...yep, this was indeed his alright. The seal wasn’t even broken!

“How did you….when did you?”

“Well, I sunk one of their robes and posed as a new member. One of them showed me around and when we got to the room they kept on the ‘evil stuff’ in, I saw your satchel. So I knocked the stallion out with a good smack to the head with my staff and I came to find you...only to realize I didn’t know my way fully around here…”

She said as she lowered her head in shame. But was soon relieved once she felt his hand rest atop her head and pet her.

“Thank you, Blazing...you and the others. Give me a moment will you?”

After chugging down one of his healing potions and getting his clothing and armor on. He flexes his fingers, the sharp cold metal grinding together from the metal claws of his gloves making him smile.

“Muuuch better~. Now, where are the others located?”

“They are back at the camp we set off quite a walk from here. We all agreed that the further away we were from this place, the harder it would be for them to track us. The kingdom has had trouble with this group before. To think they’d have the nerve to take you. They must be growing bolder.”

“Yeah, I remember now how they did it. They used some kind of holy spell. And...I remember two canterlot royal knights. I was in a rather secluded part of the castle...I can’t remember the faces. Then I suddenly woke up here. Battered and bruised.”

They continued their conversation as they finally found their way out of the underground structure. Apparently, this place was deep within the Everfree Forest. The sights and smells for Zemrite made that perfectly clear. That wasn’t the only smell he caught though…

“So, you aren’t here to be one of us after all. That is quite a shame my little filly.”

The sound of hoofsteps and clinking armor was heard from all directions as eight heavily armored stallions come out of hiding and surround them in a circle. The only one wearing a bright gold mantle must have been their commander. And the way he spoke, it rubbed Zemrite the wrong way. Posh, pompous, cocky, arrogant. These things Zemrite hatted with passion. And the way the commander carried himself all pointed to that.

“Maybe it’s because you don’t offer the right amount of bits or your dental plan is garbage.”

Zemrite joked with a smile. After which he assumed a defensive position as he drew his trusted Demon’s Demise. Blazing drew her staff as well as they stallions slowly drew in.

“Ha, the fact that we are able to keep monsters like you from existing any longer is more than enough to keep our order happy and our morale high. A wretch like you doesn’t even deserve to even look at the princesses let along be their fiance. I figured when I had you brought here, you’d be done for good. But, it looks like I will have to do the job myself!”

He said as he drew his sword, the others doing so as well. Zemrite smiled wickedly after he had taken in all the visual details of the stallion. He knew who this was and now that he did, he could use that as leverage. Zemrite may be a reaper, but at his base, he is still a rogue. And they make a point to know things.

“Ah, now it all makes sense. You have hated me ever since I started staying at the castle if not before then. Tell me sargent Shatter Shield. How is your wife and daughter these days? Do they know about your little coup here? Perhaps I ought to swing by your residence and pay your wife a little visit. I bet she truly gets lonely without her husband there. Such a beautiful mare…”

He says as he twirls his blade in his hand.

“You filthy honorless fiend. I shall kill you where you stand and mount your body on a pyre and enjoy watching you burn!”

Zemrite puts his fingers to his mouth and whistles loudly. Suddenly the sound of thundering hooves starts heading towards them from the opening of the forest. A large black horse with a grey flaming mane and tail along with fiery eyes charges forth, letting out a demonic whinny as it trampled over one of the stallions. She reared back and slammed her front hooves directly into the stallion’s face, crushing it and delivering a killing blow. Zemrite jumped onto her back after picking up Blazing and setting her in the front.

“See, now that I know who you are. I can report this to the princesses. They will hunt all fo you down and end your pathetic order. See you around, Shatter Shield. I will take…’good care’ of your wife. Hyaa!”

He shouted as he kicked the Nightmare’s sides. It took off leaving a trail of fire behind it.

“Get him NOOOOOWW!”

Shatter shouted. The pegasi stallions flew after him as he rode off on horseback. Soon enough they caught up to him and the fighting in the air and horseback began. As they got closer, Zemrite slowly stood up on the horse’s back and maintain a perfect balance. He drew his weapon once more and chuckled lowly

”Come on!”

He said as they pegasi drew in closer. With every swing of their sword, Zemrite parried it expertly, the sparks from the metal colliding and sliding against each other lighting the area around them slightly and the sound of the metal clashing echoed through the forest. One thing that threw them off was the fact that Zemrite was able to do this WHILE standing on the back of his mount. This repeated over and over for a while. They couldn’t get through his defenses or even slow the nightmare down because Zemrite wouldn’t even let them get near her.

“This has been fun, but I think I cannot afford to allow you to know my current location and report back to your leader, so…”

With that, he draws his bow and readies two arrows in one go. He draws them back and focuses hard. He brings in slowly and exhales, waiting for that proper moment. As he does this, time seems to slow down for him. And just as they were flying right next to each other, he releases the arrows. Both of them flying forward swift and true with the marks practically flying towards them. And land them they did, right into the eye slots of their helmets. Blood exploded from the eye holes and they immediately go tumbling down to the ground, motionless. Zemrite hopes back down onto the nightmare’s back and resumes control.

“Now then, to head to the camp and debrief the ground on what we know. Show me the way, Blazing.”

The young mare was incredibly speechless at the type of combat that he had just displayed. First off, they were riding some kind of equine creature, this freaked her out enough. BUT the fact that he could do all that WHILE she galloped through the forest? Just what in all of Equestria is he?! She shook her head and came back to her senses and told him the direction to go.

“Just what was that you did back there…? I have never seen any pony do that kind of stuff before. It was amazing!”

“I will explain it all when we are back at your camp. But for now, let us ride forth.”