Author's Note

Warning gore contained within.

Calling for a Hunter

The choir mistress had rushed to carry out her duties, passing through the back of the cathedral till she finally arrived at a sunlit courtyard. There was bothering in it save cobblestones and a life sized white marble statue of Celestia in full plate. Her claymore rested between her legs as both hands held the pommel. Swiftly the woman walked up to kneel before the statue, head bent down as both hands folded over the symbol she held. “Oh glorious mother of the sun, blessed be your light that radiates upon us. Grant me protection from the shadows below as we call upon their service to destroy a bane of the light. May your flames righteously smite those who oppose you. By your name I ask you grant me access to the catacombs.”

After a few moments the statue began to move, slowly at first as the hands lifted the claymore up to a shoulder. Soon it held the blade with one hand while descending to the ground from its pedestal. When it finally tested both feet upon the ground it turned towards the marble stand it called home. With the free hand it pressed against it. Stone rubbed against stone to create a loud screeching noise as the statue began pushing the pedestal back to reveal stairs leading down into the earth. After the pedestal rested back the statue began descending the stairs, careful of the claymore it carried.

“May your light guide me in the darkness.” A ball of fire erupted into life, swirling and forming into a small sun the size of a eyeball. It hovered in the air before following after the statue as the priestess began her descent behind the guardian.

The stairway kept going straight down, the stones being burned free of all foreign contaminants as the statue went down. Every few steps there was a hissing noise as mold or something was burnt into nothingness. Nothing adorned the stone walls save symbols of the sun.

She walked for what felt like hours into the darkness, the only sounds were the heavy thuds the guardian before her, the crackle of her fire orb, and her own breathing. The stone overhead was giving her a sense of weight and entrapment, so much so that she longed for the open air above and the sun upon her bare fur.

Finally the stairs turned into a hallway that lead forward, it widened out to give plenty of room to swing a claymore if the needs should arise. A second statue lingered by the stairway, this one depicted Luna in a suit of leather armor and holding her bow at the ready. The priestess didn’t know how to activate that statue, so she ignored it for now before following the Celestia one.

It lead her towards what seemed like a doorway, but the center was nothing but a mural. It showed fields with two armies approaching one another upon them. After a moment the picture began to move, the armies marching towards one another. The battle began as the forces met, she could even hear the clash of swords, stampede of hooves, the twang of bowstrings. What made her queasy was the screams of the dead, the cries for mothers, lovers, and children to be seen one last time. Then the darkness befell the landscape as the sun set and the moon rose. Shadows lingered at the edges of the battle along one side before rushing forward, leaving black contrails of smoke as the forms seemed to go towards the enemy back lines. That’s when the true screams of agony, despair, and pure fear echoed into the chamber. The mural zoomed in on the beings as it showed them ripping throats out, nail like claws glistening in the moonlight. Sharp fangs tore flesh from bone as blood splattered everywhere. These monsters didn’t simply kill, no they destroyed their enemy. Then when the dust was settling they went about feasting upon the entrails of the fallen, drinking blood and eating the flesh.

She couldn’t take it anymore as she watched, looking away she buckled at the knees as her breakfast came out onto the stone floor. The mural display faded away as the priestess cried and emptied her stomach. These things were allowed to exist and even be used by the church chilled her to the bone and curdled her stomach. Her eyes cast down the hallway where even more doors awaited her to see what lingered inside. A glance back at the first doorway and to the top she read the name of the creatures aloud. “Umbrian.”

Setting her jaw she stood up, pushing her robs behind her was she walked down to stand before the next doorway. The heavy thud of the statue’s steps following behind her.

It started simple with a woman standing in the center of a small market square, children ran and played all around the town as women shopped at the stalls. Men practiced their crafts while hunters brought meat in from the forest. Farmers tended their livestock and fields. It was a pleasant village, that was until the mural changed to show a mob ridiculing and pelting a caribou for being different. The caribou cast a curse upon some as it was run out of town. After the caribou ran off screen the mural changed to a group of ponies out during the night and gathering in the center of the village. The full moon began to rise upon the horizon as black fog rolled over the village. When the fog touched a pony a change began, she could hear their screams of torment as she saw flesh ripple and tear.

Pegasus has their wing bones break and shift, the feathers falling off with their fur as the skin shriveled up and turned black. A single claw formed at the middle of the wing, sharp and curved just like a hook. Their heads morphed and changed as their nostrils grew in size till it was the prominent feature of their face, two fangs poking out their mouths, and beady red eyes were just above the snout. Ears sharpened to a fine point that needed five inches above their heads, growing widen and forming a sort of funnel with hair growing out of the center. Hands once used to care for young or work tools broke themselves as the nails sharpened to claws just like the wings, soon they began tearing at their own flesh, it coming off in chunks as the skin was left behind to grow black as night. A single ring of fur was left around the neck before they screeched and took flight into the air.

Earth ponies had it a bit tougher as their skin began rolling and bubbling like boiling water. Bubbles formed before finally they began popping. Bones bursts through the skin and held themselves loosely together as muscles and other tissue began slithering back over them. The priestess watched as the mellow colors of the fur darkened to blacks, silvers, and browns. All of it thickening and becoming unkept and shaggy looking. Hands turned to claws as they tore at the flesh of their faces. Bone jutted out as their old jaw was smashed and broken upon the ground. The new one was a good eight inches long with rows of sharp teeth emerged from the jawline, bursting out as blood leaked down to the ground. Their eyes grew to that red color as they leaned forward and began walking towards homes.

She had seen enough and turned away, stalking down the hall a bit to stand between the doorways. Deep calming breaths we’re all she could manage to rid herself of the images that filled her mind of what was going to happen. After a few minutes she straightened up, brushing off her robes before looking back towards the doorways she’d already seen. Her task was bring a single Hunter, so she went back towards the first door she’d witnessed.

The mural didn’t show the same scene as before, no now it showed a vast city filled with dark beings. It was a perpetual twilight in the sky. The beings moved around and interacted with one another like the ponies did well above her. No gruesome deaths seemed to be caused by these beings anymore.

The tranquility was destroyed as a golden light appeared in the sky, crashing down into the world and brushing away the shadows. A large force began assembling around the light before it erupted to show her goddess in full armor and splendor. The battle began as Celestia began slaughtering and decimating the Umbrian forces like they were mere children. Finally she raised a hand towards the sky as six gems upon her armor began to glow in a rainbow of light. A magical blast shot towards the heavens before cascading back down in a meteor storm of color. Each beam that struck an Umbrian, whether it be man, woman, or child, turned them to stone before the rock began to slowly pull towards each other. Finally there stood nothing of the city or its people save Celestia standing before a stone door.

The choir mistress looked at the door as it melted back to a plain sheet of stone, having told its stories. Finally she held a hand up, amulet grasped firmly in her palm, then pressed it against the door. “The light of days calls upon the foul Hunter that resides within. Answer my call and serve.” She’d read the summoning pray many times and practiced it by herself in a mirror.

Slowly from where the amulet touched the stone began to turn to a black liquid, rippling waves echoed across the surface before the entire doorway was filled. A hand began reaching out, stretching the film upon the doorway. Sharp claws extended from the fingers in vain attempts to break the seal, a face soon following after as fangs could be seen pressed against the liquid. Sharp features dominated the face and body, no round soft curves could be found as nose, chin, and ears all ended in sharp points. Finally the chest began pressing forward as the form stepped forward. A tear echoed down the hallway as an Umbrian fell forward onto its hands and knees before the priestess. Shadows quickly surrounded the being as long flowing robes formed. The robes were of the blackest the choir mistress had ever seen, silver trim ran along all the edges of the outfit, and soft white dots scattered themselves across the entire ensemble.

After a moment the creature took in a sharp breath, gasping for air before looking around. Slowly the gaze turned upward as slitted red puppies eyes stared up at her. “Veltra at your service madam.” The voice had a masculine tone to it, and the broad shoulders helped add to the thought it was male.

“Rise Veltra there is much to be done.” She turned and began leading the way back towards the stairs, not paying attention to the creature or statue as she started her journey up towards the surface again.

She couldn’t see the smile spread across Veltra’s face as he watched her begin her ascent. “Hmm seems this is her first summoning. Oh how will I play on this hunt.” He stood up, casting a gaze towards the statue of Celestia as it stood stoically beside him. “She forgot to bind me to her will, for once sun touches my skin I am free of any binding curse set upon me.” With a fang filled grin he eagerly followed after the choir mistress.