The Mare in the Woods

Shock Bolt was shaking, he didn't do well in the dark. It felt like the shadows were following him everywhere he went.

"I hope I get somewhere soon, this is really freaking me out." His knees shook with every step he took.

After wandering for hours he finally came to what felt like a stone wall to him. He thought it was strange to find something like that in that forest. Dark vines were overgrown on the rough stone wall, as the branches and leaves of trees reached over the tall wall.

"What is this? I should find a way inside, hopefully there'll be more light inside." Shock said to himself, as he thought something was watching him outside and it would be safer on the other side of the wall.

He felt his way around the wall and finally came to a hole in it. The hole looked as if something had smashed it in as stone bricks were scattered on the other side of the wall. When he emerged from the hole, lightning struck and revealed something humungous in front of him. Shock couldn't get a good look, but it looked familiar to him for some reason. Then, he remembered the flashlight on his M.a.s.t.

He turned on the light and shined it on whatever it was that the lightning showed him, "What the hell? A castle? What's this doing out h--" He cut himself off, as he heard something growling on the other side of the wall.

"Crap. I gotta get inside!" He thought to himself as he rushed to the giant door in front of him.

A large wooden door that was half open hid an even darker gloom than forest behind Shock. When he entered the building a large flame ignited in the middle of darkness. The flame lit up the room he was in, and it quite a beautiful sight that he saw. The room he was in was, in fact, a lobby. Beautiful pictures lined the smooth red coloured walls. A giant candle-lit chandelier hung from the ceiling. On the floor, a luscious red carpet stretched from each corner into the center of the room.  In the center of the room was a rainbow coloured stone and marble circle. Just past the rainbow circle was a large staircase that led up to a second floor.

"It's awfully clean and tidy for an abandoned castle in the middle of the woods. Especially from the look of that mossy wall outside."  Shock Bolt walked over the center stone and started to climb up the staircase.

*Clop*

"Huh? Who's there?!" The pegasus quickly turned around.

A black wrinkled old earth pony stood in the center of the marble and stone circle. He leaned on an old wooden cane that supported him. He wore a red robe that was lined at the ends with what looked like animal fur. A black top hat sat upon his grey mane and a smoking pipe in his mouth.

"Ah, I guess today's youth aren't as polite as I remember. My name is Merstur. Mr. Mérstur to be exact. And I believe you've just trespassed on my property." The old pony introduced himself.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry. But the storm outside forced me inside." Shock Bolt explained.

"Well that's quite alright then. But I don't think the 'storm' forced you inside. Perhaps it was a certain black demon that was chasing you? Or maybe a science experiment gone wrong? Or a cursed mortal simply trying to communicate with you. But those are just some examples of my own experiences." The stallion chuckled.

Shock Bolt raised his brow, then stepped down from the stairs. The old stallion trotted over to the pegasus.

"What do you mean your own experiences?" Shock asked.

"Well, you should know more than anypony. After all, you DO have the same blood as me." Mérstur said.

Shock's eyes widened in surprise, "W-what? Same blood? But, I don't even know you!"

"Don't take that too literally young colt. I mean it as that we are both knights. You didn't think you could hide it. Did you?" Mérstur chuckled again.

Shock spoke up, "How did you--"

"Maybe next time you should hide your Knight's Emblem eh?" Mérstur interrupted as he pointed to the shield on Shock's shoulder.

Shock felt as if he had been bested in the little mind game that he had been playing with the stallion.

Suddenly, a loud knock echoed through the room. The pounding seemed to be coming from the large door that Shock had entered through.