Where Evil Sleeps

by Nanrite

Rating: teen
Tags: Original Character, Mystery, Horror, Profanity, Violence, Gore, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Death
Length: 10257

Canterlot's Rescue Division is sent in to track down 16 missing ponies from the small town of Sunny Springs. Their mission quickly turns south when they enter the Chomplane plantation deep within the Sunny Springs Forest.

Golden Remedy, a young field medic with Canterlot's Rescue Division, is sent on her first assignment to the small town of Sunny Springs. Remy's first mission goes horribly wrong upon entering an abandoned plantation deep within the Sunny Springs Forest. Within she finds things that were never meant to be. She heard stories of monsters as a filly, but never thought they were real.

Thanks TotallyNotCelly for proof reading all my works! You the best!

Published 2019-07-02 21:20:01 UTC
Last updated 2020-08-23 20:36:02 UTC

Chapter 1: The Train to Sunny Springs

The dimly candlelit train rumbled down the tracks, cutting through sheets of pouring rain. The eerily silent interior was only occasionally disturbed by seemingly distant yet palpable rumbles of thunder that vibrated through the hard seats, and their preceding strikes of lightning beaming through the cars' many windows like an oversized camera's flashbulb. Golden Remedy scanned the reports again. Surely it had to be some kind of mistake—16 ponies missing from the small town of Sunny Springs? At first she chalked it up to kids playing a prank on their parents. But the ages—45, 21, 32, even 9—told the young mare otherwise

Remedy pushed her brown mane aside with a lustrous white hoof and continued to read quietly.

“Witnesses claim to have seen strange ponies roaming the forest at night.”

“What do you think Remy?”

Golden Remedy looked up to see her captain, Swift Hoof, take the seat next to hers. The older stallion smiled and raised a dark green hoof to take the reports. Remy handed them over without question. Swift slicked back his greying brown mane and silently looked over the report himself.

“I think something is wrong,” Remy finally answered. “The age groups, sex, economic level… none of these ponies have anything in common.”

“The one thing they have in common is that they have nothing in common, except-” Swift stopped and scratched his chin with a free hoof. “Some witness reports say a few of our missing ponies were last seen in the woods. Some were out for jogs, some picnicking. The forest itself is the connection.”

“There is an old plantation in the middle of the forest,” affirmed a female voice from behind. Remy and Swift turned to see a batpony standing there. “You and the rookie going over the report again Captain?”

“We are, I want to make sure our rising rookie is prepared. Have a seat Sky?” Swift offered. The batpony trotted over and took the seat across from them.

“I can recon the plantation from above, then report back.”

Swift ignited his horn and un-did the button on his saddle bag, producing a map of the Sunny Springs forest and a red marker. Without saying a word he circled the Chomplane plantation with the marker and put an X just at the edge of the forest.

“What’s the X for?” Remy asked, looking at the map.

“According to the map, there is a small one-room cabin here that the Colt Scouts used to use.”

“It’s closed now,” Night Sky interjected. “Once the disappearances started, the town closed it down.”

“It’ll be our base of operations,” Swift said. “Once there, Bow will set up radio equipment, deal out our gear, and then we’ll commence the search.”

As the Captain finished his sentence, the front car door opened and two stallions entered. One was Bow Buckinsly, a small earth pony with a yellow coat and teal mane. The other, Lucky Lance, younger with a light blue coat and white mane.

“Looks like the whole team is here, Lance, Bow, take a look at this map with us.” Swift began. “Bow, you’ll set up radio equipment and provide us with intel from there. After that, Sky will do an aerial sweep of the plantation and the forest surrounding it. With any luck, the disappear-ies are just lost in the forest, Sky will spot them from overhead and we can all go back to Canterlot.”

Swift stopped for a moment, allowing others to chime in.

“I-If Sky doesn’t find them then…” Bow began with a weak stutter.

“Then Remy, Lance, and I will proceed toward the Chomplane plantation with you and Sky on radio and aerial support. Once we make it to the front door, Sky, you will fly down to us and we’ll search for the missing ponies inside. Any questions?”

“Will I be left alone in the cabin?” Bow asked.

“Yes, but the cabin can be locked and you can radio us if anything happens,” Swift replied.

“Plus you got that hoof taser, Bow!” Lance chuckled.

Bow gave a nervous laugh and nodded to both of them.

“Alright everyone,” Swift began with a commanding tone. “We’ll arrive at Sunny Springs in about 5 hours. Lets all get back to the sleeping cars and get some rest. Dismissed.”

With that, the three stallions left the room through the door that Bow and Lance entered from, while Remedy and Sky trotted down the car and entered the door on the opposite end. Sky opened the door to a small train car with bunk beds on each of its walls. Sky flew up to her top bunk and Remedy climbed into her middle one directly below Sky.

“Sky?” Remy asked.

“Yeah?”

“I’m… I’m nervous about all this.”

“You’ll do fine Remy,” sky started. “Swift may be old but he’s the toughest stallion I’ve ever seen, and he knows how to lead. The guy was at Canterlot during the Changeling invasion.”

“I know but… I’ve only been on the team for 2 weeks.”

“We’re a team Remy, we’ve got your back, and if something happens, you’ll be there to patch us up!”

Those words made Remedy smile. During these past 2 weeks she had felt out of place. She was the youngest in the squad, had only basic combat training, and the eerie feeling she was getting from the report didn’t help. Sky’s words were genuine though, and so was the smile it brought her.

“Thanks Sky.”

“No problem rookie, now get some sleep.”

Chapter 2: The Sheriff

The rain had finally died down sometime that morning. Remy stepped off the train, being the last one of her team to exit. Captain Swift Hoof was already chatting with somepony who appeared to be the sheriff—an older stallion about the age of Swift himself, though a bit heavier. This town obviously didn’t see much action up until now.

Remy was still half asleep but her ears perked up when she heard the sheriff mention "Seventeen." Something clicked in her head and she knew, another one had gone missing since they had been dispatched. Sky must’ve heard it too as she had already started to trot over to the two stallions.

“A filly named Crystal Sip… poor thing. Only 8 years old,” the old sheriff stated to Captain Swift.

Captain Swift Hoof took a moment to process this new information, then nodded before beginning.

“Anything new to add that may help us find these-”

“I saw something out there,” the sheriff said coldly.

Swift looked at him, to Remy and Sky, then back to the sheriff. The old stallion put a hoof to his head, as if he had a sudden headache.

“Been patrollin’ these woods since I was a colt. Been playin’ in ‘em even longer,” he began. “I was out there last night, after I got the call that another one of ‘em had gone missin’. Was raining somethin’ fierce so I don’t…”

“Whatever you saw could help us Mr. Quick Draw,” Captain Swift interjected.

“I saw somethin’ out there, somethin’ big. And it saw me too. It was some kinda animal,” Quick Draw started. He gulped and swore under his breath before continuing.

“It was on four legs at… at first. I thought it was a pony so I called out to it. The thing snapped its head at me so fast I nearly pissed myself. Then it… it rose up, like a bear does, but it was different. When it got to the peak of its height, it just looked at me. No twitchin’, no breathin’, it just stayed like that… I think it was waitin’ for me. I can’t explain it, but in that moment I almost wanted to… I almost wanted to go to it.” The sheriff, a tough old stallion that probably hadn’t cried in decades, burst into tears then.

Captain Swift put a hoof on the sheriff’s shoulder and turned to Sky and Remy again. “Go see if Lucky and Bow need a hoof.”

They both nodded silently and turned, trotting to the other two stallions near the train.

“Hey Sky, Ruh-ruh-” Bow began but Lance quickly cut him off.

“Golden Remedy, he means to say,” Lance said with a smile to the young mare. Remy smiled at Bow but he tried to hide behind Lance.

“Captain Swift got anything for us from that sheriff?” Lance asked.

“He might… the sheriff had a wild story,” Remy answered. Sky glared at her.

“Tuh-Tuh-Tell us!” Bow demanded, though it was more of an ask than anything.

“Look,” Sky began. “All we know for sure is that there was a seventeenth, the Captain will fill us in if there is anything else we need to know.”

“What did he say Remy?” Lance asked.

Remy blushed, looking at her three superiors like her next words would decide her fate.

“I um… Sky is right,”

“Celestia, such a stick in the mud, both of you.” Lance sighed with a dramatic hoof roll.

Their chat with one another was abruptly ended when Captain Swift yelled for them. If something in the plan had changed, he would have told them, but he and the sheriff were already walking away, which meant they were on the way to the Colt Scout cabin near the edge of the woods. The 2 mile hike was silent, except for the chatting about “the good ‘ol days” Sheriff Quick Draw was having with Captain Swift at the front of the group; it was as if the Sheriff had already forgotten about the story he told, the story that occurred right here in the very same woods he was heading towards now.

“Here we be!” the old Sheriff declared. In front of them stood a small but sturdy cabin. The sheriff reached into his belt and produced a key ring which he used on the door. It had only been abandoned for the last few months due to the disappearances, so everything inside was in tip-top shape: a coffee maker, a small TV, bunk beds, pull out beds, a fridge, and even a bathroom.

“This good enough for you Bow?” Captain Swift asked.

“Oh yeah!” Bow said. “Puh-Place should do fine fuh-for a cuh-cuh-communications center!”

“Good, set up right away and dole out any equipment we need. Walkie talkies, flares.” Swift began. “Same goes for you Remy. I want one herb patch for all five of us.”

Remy nodded as she took her saddle bag from her back. Herb patches were thick patches of cloth infused with healing herbs. Applying them to a decent size cut or gash would heal the wound within the day. She passed one out to each of them, finally feeling like a real part of the team.

“Alright Lance,” Swift said in almost an orderly tone. Lance nodded and shifted the large bag off his back. Swift turned to Remy and looked at her as if the next words out of his mouth would be the best advice she would get.

“Pick a weapon,” Swift began. “We leave for Chomplane in 10 minutes.”

Chapter 3: Fog in the Forest

As soon as she had departed the Colt Scout cabin and started towards the forest, Remy had a nagging feeling something had already gone wrong with this mission, as if she had forgotten something. As she, Captain Swift, Lance, Sky, and the sheriff ventured forth, Remy went over a mental checklist—not like there were many supplies to bring. Just her saddlebag filled with field meds and a small (but fatally sharp) combat knife. And of course, the walkie-talkie she had snugly stuffed in her saddlebag. She had everything, but the deeper they plunged into the foggy woodland, the more that feeling ate away at her sense of security.

“Sir,” Sky spoke up in a low voice.

“Talk to me,” Swift replied in an equally quiet tone.

“Should I survey our route from above?”

Swift stopped, as did the group following his lead.

“No, the fog is too thick. But… do you think you could see the Chomplane plantation if you flew above it?”

Sky nodded. As she did, her leathery batpony wings extended.

“We’ll stay put here, just go above the fog layer, find the Chomplane plantation and fly back down to us.”

“On it sir,” Sky replied and in an instant she flew off into the fog above them, disappearing.

Swift sat on the ground and took his walkie-talkie from his belt. After several seconds passed, he spoke into it: “See anything up there Sky?” There was a moment of silence and suddenly Remy felt the feeling from before becoming stronger. But now she realized that it wasn't that she forgot something; no, she knew now that "forgetting" was just her brain searching for a reason. Something was wrong with this place, and they needed to leave while they still could.

“Sky, report,” Swift said into the walkie-talkie again.

“Sorry sir,” the radio said back in Sky’s voice. “The fog is thicker up here but I see it, we’re on the right track, just keep going north and we should-”

“Sky?” Swift asked. “Sky repeat that last bit, I think we might be too far apart.”

Silence.

“Sky do you copy?” Swift asked, his voice getting a bit louder.

Silence.

“Sky answer-”

With a quiet thud a walkie-talkie fell from the fog above them. Landing in front of them and partially embedding itself in the mud and wet leaves.

Everyone looked at it quietly. Swift put away his radio and slowly approached the one on the ground.

“Captain what in the fuck is-” Lance started but stopped as a twig snapped behind them. The team spun around, staying close to each other and looking off into the fog of where the twig had broke. Then another snapped, except it was closer to them.

“No…” the sheriff said quietly to nopony.

“Quiet!” Swift hushed him.

Remy’s heart was pounding, as if it might just explode before she could see whatever had made the noise.

Snap

Another twig broke, this one even closer than the last.

Lance took out his spear and aimed in the direction of the noise.

From the fog, a silhouette of a pony could be seen coming into view, a stallion, or one big mare.

“Fuck no…” the sheriff cursed.

“Quiet!” Swift hushed again. “It could be one of the missing ponies.”

But the sheriff didn’t hear him, panic was already setting in. “It’s that thing…”

“I swear to Celestia, Quick Draw if you don’t-”

The silhouette stood up on its hind legs and made a sort of snarl at the group. That’s when the sheriff had seen enough. The old stallion bolted north into the fog. The creature in the fog ran after him, ignoring the other three ponies in front of it.

“Run!” Swift ordered. Remy didn’t have to be told twice. They spun and ran. Within seconds they heard a bloodcurdling scream from somewhere in the forest. It was the sheriff.

“Keep going!” Swift yelled.

Remy’s legs kept pumping, running like she never had before. Then she heard it, the thunderous sound of something big chasing them. Lance was in front of the group, he turned as he ran and his eyes went wide before he faced front again trying to run faster than his lean body could handle. He had seen it, which meant it was close.

“Into the plantation!” Swift ordered. Remy hadn’t even noticed in her but the doors to the Chomplane plantation were open wide and only 30 feet away. Without thinking they bolted inside. Swift turned but saw nothing behind them, but didn’t need to wait for an invitation to slam the doors shut. With a flick of his horn he locked the three separate deadbolts on the massive wooden doors and slumped down, exhausted and sweating.

“What the…” Lance began, panting heavily. “What the fuck was that?!”

“I-I don’t know Lance,” Swift replied.

“It was like a pony but covered in thick fur like a bear… and its mouth… those teeth, fuck!” Lance yelled to the empty main hall in which they now stood, his voice echoing through the massive chamber.

Remy took a deep breath, trying to steady her breathing. She studied her surroundings, the main hall of the Chomplane plantation was dated, to say the least. The once pearly-white paint was peeling from the walls and yellowing in places. The neat wooden floors were covered in dust and… fresh mud?

“Guys…” Remy said panting. The two stallions looked at the rookie who was pointing to a muddy hoof print on the wooden floor.

“So what Remy?” Lanced replied in an annoyed tone. “It was probably from us.”

Swift got up, not fully recovered from their little hike but enough to join them in the center of the room.

“Look,” Remy said, moving her hoof to another hoofprint, and another. The muddy tracks led to a door at the far end of the room—once an ornate wooden door with gilded trim, now weathered and cracked. “You think it could be Sky?”

“It’s possible,” Swift replied. “It just rained last night in this area for the first time in weeks… so whoever made them was just here.”

“What do you want to do Captain?” Lance asked.

“These tracks could be a few things. It could be Sky,” he began.

“Please Celestia let it by Sky” Remy thought to herself.

“Or it could be one of the ponies we’re looking for. If that is the case then Sky hasn’t made it here yet”

“Or she’s-” Lance started.

“Don’t you fucking say it,” Swift ordered angerly. Lance looked down at the floor, ashamed.

Remy knew they were all thinking it though. She didn’t want to, but her brain didn’t care. Sky’s walkie-talkie falling through the fog… she could be dead… just like Quick Draw.

“Look…” Swift began. “If these are the tracks of one of the missing ponies then that means Sky is still outside. That… thing... can’t fly, so she is fine. I will stay here. If she comes back I will greet her and fill her in on the situation.”

“What about us Captain?” Remy spoke up.

“I want you and Lance to investigate those muddy hoofprints,” Swift said firmly. “Don’t go too far in, and if you find anything, radio me. If you head into trouble, report back here. I’ll get in contact with Bow and update him on the situation. Understood?”

Lance and Remy nodded in unison and turned, walking slowly towards the door.

“Be safe,” Swift ordered.

Chapter 4: Chomplane

Lance and Remy opened the door to a hallway which extended to both the left and the right, its walls decorated in the same yellowing white as the foyer’s. On the wall hung paintings, interspersed with pedestals topped with busts of old stallions, each painting and bust depicting a different figure.

“Hallway looks clear,” Lance said quietly.

“Wait a minute…” Remy said, trotting down towards the right end of the hall. “The tracks, they…”

Lance walked over to her side and saw that the muddy hoofprints turned into a wall and ended. As if the pony that had left them had just… vanished.

“Could be that the mud was all gone from their hooves at this point.” Lance suggested.

“I guess,” Remy replied, but she was sure that wasn’t the case.

“Hey,” Lance asked. “I’m sorry about snapping at you back there.”

Remy smiled and gave him a pat on the shoulder. “Don’t worry about it, really, we’re all under a lot of stress.”

“Thanks Remy,” Lance replied before adding “It’s just, if we die here I want to be on good terms.”

Remy giggled and Lance chuckled himself; he had been on tough missions before and humor always was his way of coping.

The two trotted down the right hall to a door brown wooden door with a golden knob. Lance’s horn flicked to life as he took his spear from his back, holding it pointed at the door.

“When I give the signal, you fling that door open, got it?” Lance ordered.

“Got it,” Remy asserted.

“If there are more of those things, I’ll stab the shit out of ‘em.”

"Now isn't the time for humor," Remy thought to herself. She was preparing herself to find another bear pony on the other side of the door. Nevertheless, she gripped the handle with her hoof.

“One,” Lance said quietly. Remy gulped, but looked at him determined while he counted down.

“Two.”

There was a moment of silence, in it Remy thought Lance was going to stop.

“Three!”

She swung the door open and Lance darted forward, ready to impale anything that looked remotely like that thing outside.

“Clear…” Lance said, calling back to her. “Thank Celestia’s sweet ass, it’s just a library.”

Remy walked slowly into the room after Lance; immediately she noticed the long, ornate table in the center and the staircase along the right side of the room going to the second floor. The second floor of the library was open and could be seen from the first. There was a railing along the edge to prevent ponies from falling down, albeit poorly maintained and broken in places. Remy walked to the left where some bookshelves were separated by a window to the outside. She peered out. The fog was still thick and made it near impossible to see anything out there.

“You think it’s still out there?” Remy asked.

“I don’t know,” Lance stated. “Keep standing close to that window and I am sure you’ll find out.”

Remy immediately backed away, heeding his warning. Joking aside, he was right. That thing could come smashing through the window at any time. She trotted towards the central table while Lance walked slowly up the stairs to the second floor of the massive library. On the table was a book titled Alchemy and the Basic Properties.

“Alchemy?” Remy said to herself. “Study of that has been banned for-”

“Hey wait!” Lance yelled from the second floor. Remy dropped the book and ran to the stairs. Above her a door slammed shut.

“Come back!” Lance shouted.

Remy got to the top of the stairs and ran around the balcony where he stood trying to open a wooden door. “What’s going on?” she asked.

“I saw somepony. They were short, maybe a filly or a colt.”

“Do you think it could be one of the missing ponies we’re looking for?” Remy suggested hopefully.

“Maybe, but whoever it was locked the door,” Lance said, trying the handle again but to no avail. “Damnit!”

“We’ll find another way around, this can’t be the only way up to the second floor.”

“You’re right,” Lance agreed, turning to face her. “Find anything?”

“A book on alchemy,” Remy answered.

“Alchemy? That’s been outlawed for… what? Forever?”

“Yeah, 256 years to be exact.”

“How do you-” Lance began.

“Alchemy has healing potential,” Remy answered casually. “Alchemy’s potential is pretty limitless, but that’s not a good thing either. In medical school we were taught that it was bad and some of the history surrounding its ban on practicing and even studying it, but little about alchemy itself. I have always been interested, but well…” she trailed off.

The two sat in silence for a moment, wondering how such a rare book could be here. The better question, Remy thought, was why it was here.

“We should report back to the Captain,” Lance started. “And bring that book.”

Remy nodded and they both walked back down to the first floor again. Remy grabbed the book and placed it in her saddle bags. The two ponies trotted back into the hall and toward the door back to the main hall.

“This could be bad,” Remy said as they walked.

“Like it isn’t already?” Lance laughed.

“I mean,” Remy started. “Alchemy is very dangerous; it’s banned for a reason! It has the potential to create life, things that should never be.”

Lance stopped and turned to her. “Like the thing outside?”

They looked at each other silently for a few seconds.

“Look let’s… let’s just get back to Captain Swift okay?” Lance finally said as they reached the door to the main hall. Lance opened the door and saw… nothing.

“Captain?” he called out to the empty hall. But there was no answer.

“Captain?” Remy called out.

No answer.

Chapter 5: Take Flight

The pair searched the main hall from top to bottom, but there was no sign of Swift Hoof. No muddy hoofprints, no note left for them, not even signs of a struggle. It was like the Chomplane plantation had just swallowed him up.

“Maybe Sky finally made it back?” Remy asked, turning to her squadmate and looking at him hopefully.

“They would have radioed us if that were the case!” Lance cursed. “This… damn it, it makes no sense!”

Remy opened her mouth to speak but didn’t know what to say. After a few moments she shifted her saddle bag off her back and rummaged through it, producing her walkie.

“Bow, this is Golden Remedy, do you copy?”

Silence.

“Bow… Captain Swift… anypony?”

Silence.

Suddenly there was a crash from somewhere above them. Lance quickly grabbed his spear with his magic and backed closer to Remy. “Get your knife.”

Remy threw her radio back into her saddle bags and grabbed the knife she had stored in a side compartment. She unsheathed the small weapon with her wings and held it in front of her.

“Sounded like glass breaking,” Remy whispered in a low voice.

“It’s the Captain,” Lance said. “Got to be.”

“Why do you say that?” Remy asked.

“The sound came from the second floor, no way that thing outside got up there without coming through here first.” Lance began. “And if that were the case then why haven’t we heard anything until now? Surely there would be a struggle since Swift was waiting here for us. Listen Remy… I will go investigate the sound, you stay here where it’s sa-”

“We aren’t separating,” Remy ordered.

“You know I am your superior, correct?” Lance asked with a laugh.

Remy said nothing, just glared up at him in defiance.

“Fine fine, lets go,” Lance smiled. And with that he turned away from her and looked around the room. “We need to get up there, no stairs here though.”

“The library had a way up,” Remy started, but then remembered the pony Lance and saw who locked that path.

“That’s a no-go,” Lance told her. He placed a hoof on his chin and then shrugged. “Fuck it, we’ll just search each room ‘til we find some stairs. It sounded like it came from the east side, so let's get going.”

Remy nodded in agreement and the two made for the double doors on the east side of the main hall.

15 minutes ago…

Sky hadn’t seen it until its talon had slashed at her, grazing her left cheek then disappearing again back down into the fog. She spun, barely avoiding the creature and dropping her radio in the process. She flapped her wings then looked around, seeing nothing.

“What the fuck was that?!” the batpony thought to herself. Then it appeared from the thick fog below her—a creature with the body of an eagle, if an eagle were ten times bigger. But its head... she couldn’t believe her eyes. It had the body of an eagle but the head of a pony. When it opened its massive jaws, Sky saw a mouthful of razor sharp teeth.

Sky quickly dodged as the massive creature barreled past her, chomping down with its deadly maw. Sky wiped the blood from her cheek and drew out a bowie knife from her belt. As the creature veered around to get another go at her, she placed the blade in her mouth and waited. It drew closer, as it did it seemed to smile, its razor sharp teeth gleaming at Sky before it opened its mouth, ready for a meal.

Right as it was on her, Sky flapped her strong wings and flew up, just above the creature, before descending again and grabbing the beast by its feathery back. It let out a screech and shifted from left to right wildly, trying to knock off the pony on its back. It flapped its mighty wings, flying faster than even most pegasi could.

Sky held on with her hooves, the bowie knife still tightly secured in her muzzle. Using a wing, she gripped the blade’s handle. With all of her might and sent the large blade down straight into the back of the eagle-pony hybrid. It let out another screech and spun, sending Sky off its back in a tailspin before she could pull the knife from the creature. She flapped her wings, trying desperately to stabilize herself. After a few seconds she was in control again, but as she got her bearings, she could see the creature was flying straight at her.

Sky tried to trick the creature again, but it was ready. Right as Sky flew up it followed with a loud chomp from its massive jaws. Sky flew as hard as her wings could take her, but it wasn’t enough, this monster was faster. She had to think of something.

Suddenly Sky flapped her wings again and held herself still, like her body had just shut down. The creature didn’t mind; it opened its massive jaw as wide as it would go, threatening to swallow the batpony whole. But right as it started to bite down in anticipation of its meal, Sky kicked down, breaking a tooth off of the creature and slicing her back hoof open in the process, but that was all she needed.

She kicked the creature off her injured leg and spun down behind it, grabbing a hoof-full of its feathers in one hoof and her bowie knife—still lodged in the creature's back—in the other. The creature flapped its powerful wings again, trying to shake off the foreign invader for a second time. Sky knew if it did, it would be the end for her.

Sky exerted leverage on the knife and pulled it out with a hoof wrapped around the handle. Blood sprayed her face and chest, almost causing her to let go, but she held strong. The creature screeched in pain.

Sky wasted no time. In a split second, Sky let go of the feathers and placed both hooves on the bowie knife, before sending it thrusting downward with every last bit of strength she still had, stabbing deep into the spine of the hybrid monster.

It tried to screech again but just coughed up blood before descending in a spiral to the fog and the forest below, to its death.

Sky ripped the knife from the creature and was hurled off its back, tumbling through the fog. She couldn’t stabilize herself this time. She smacked into something, breaking it before losing consciousness.

Chapter 6: A Bad Fall

Remy and Lance entered into a large ballroom, its windows covered in a thick layer and dust and mold. The once polished and sturdy floorboards now creaked under the pair’s hoofsteps.

“Look,” Lance pointed out quietly, pointing to a large wooden staircase along the wall to the right. Remy smiled up to Lance and saw he was still surveying the room.

“It’s clear,” Remy told him. But he didn’t reply. “What’s wrong Lance?”

“This is the only way the Captain could have gone,” Lance replied.

Remy looked around the ballroom but only noticed dust. “He might just be upstairs, or maybe he found another way!”

“Maybe,” Lance said. He turned and started walking slowly towards the stairs. Remy followed. The old ballroom floor creaked and groaned under their hooves with each step.

“Are you sure this is safe to walk on?” Remy asked.

“It’s a ballroom,” Lance chuckled. “It’s meant to hold large groups, Remy.”

Remy nodded and continued behind him. Despite his words of encouragement, she trotted slowly, like the dusty floor was actually a sheet of ice on a lake. She remembered her family's vacation home, a cabin on the outskirts of Ponyville. Her brother was teaching her to ice skate and-

“Remy are you coming?” Lance asked. He was already halfway up the staircase. Remy’s eyes went wide as she noticed she was no longer moving, that she must’ve been standing still for the last few seconds. She took a step forward and the floor below her groaned loudly. Another step, another creak or groan from the floor. She took another step. Then the floor cracked underneath her.

Remy fell, her hind legs dangling as her front legs gripped desperately at the dusty floor. Lance sprang into action, running down the stairs and to her. But as soon as his hooves hit the floor again, there was another loud crack. Lance froze as he looked out across the ballroom floor to Remy, only her front hooves and head visible, the rest of her swallowed up by a large hole. Through the growing cloud of dust he could see large cracks scattering in every which way out from the hole Remy was in.

Remy's heart was thumping in her chest. She tried to open her wings but panic was already setting in. She was frozen, unable to focus on anything but her grip.

“H-Help me! Please!” Remy pleaded.

“Remy the floor is caving in, I can’t go out there or the combined weight will make the whole floor collapse,” Lance yelled. “Just hold on as tight as you can, okay? I am going to find some way to-”

Remy screamed.

“Something is pulling my leg! There is something pulling me down!”

Without hesitating, Lance quickly gripped his spear with his magic and ran out onto the collapsing floor. Remy slid further down as Lance ran to her. She screamed again as her head disappeared from view. Only the tips of her hooves were visible, desperately gripping the floor. Lance slid and grabbed her foreleg. He pulled her up but only got her head above the hole when the creature below the ballroom yanked her down again.

The floor cracked again but Lance held onto Remy with all of his strength. He peered down into the hole to see what was holding onto his teammate. Down in the hole was a pony, but its neck was bulged out and its mouth was far larger than its head. The creature’s tongue was extended out and wrapped tightly around Remy’s right hind leg. The tongue itself was massive, probably 10 feet in length. The coat of the pony was gone, replaced by a slimy, amphibian-like, layer of skin.

Lance’s horn sparked as he aimed his spear at the thing in the hole, then sent it down, straight into the bulging throat of the creature below. Its tongue retracted and it let out a gurgling sound; the floor started to crack and then finally sank in around the two ponies. Lance’s horn glowed brightly, then sparked as the two were teleported to the staircase. Remy had her head buried in his chest as Lance watched half the ballroom floor collapse into whatever room was below.

Lance sighed then looked down at Remy who was shivering against him.

“It’s okay, you’re safe,” Lance told her. Slowly, she looked up to him, her face covered in tears. Suddenly the memory of what happened that winter at her family’s cabin began to flood back. “I-I almost died as filly,” Remy said, sniffing as new tears were flowing down her cheeks. “My big brother… he was teaching me to ice skate and… I fell through the ice. It was so cold. I wanted to scream. I thought I was going to drown. But my brother was there, he dove in and pulled me out… I… Thank you Lance.”

Lance blushed. “D-Don’t mention it,” Lance replied helping her to her hooves. The pair slowly ascended the staircase which led to a bar and lounge on the second floor. Glass lay scattered across the dusty carpet floor. In a heap on the floor, unconscious, was a batpony.

Chapter 7: Seperation

“If any p-p-pony is out th-there, ph-please respond,” Bow said into the radio transceiver he had set up at the old Colt Scout cabin. He set the corded microphone back down and looked around the room. Nothing was out of place, but as the minutes turned to hours with no word from his team he began to grow uneasy. He trotted over to a window and peered out; sometimes he swore he saw the shape/figure of a pony in the forest, but his team had yet to return.

“I hu-hope Re-Re-R….” Bow stomped a hoof and bit his tongue in frustration. “F-Fucking stutter!” He went back to the radio transceiver and picked up the microphone again.

“Ph-Please…” Bow closed his eyes and focused everything he had into speaking. “Please, if you guys can hear me… please respond.”

“Is she going to be okay Remy?” Lance asked, watching intently as Golden Remedy put one last herbal patch on a large gash across Sky’s right flank.

“Yes, these patches are a marvel of modern Equestrian medicine. Her wounds should be healed within an hour,” Remedy said, turning up to meet the stallion’s gaze.

“Good,” Lance began then stopped, as if choosing his next words carefully. “I want to go look for Captain Swift Hoof.”

Remy glared at him. “No way Lance,” she affirmed. “Separation is suicide. We’re stronger together.”

“I understand that, but the Captain-”

“I’m worried too!” Remy screamed. Lance stopped and looked to her, frowning.

“Sky is in bad shape; even with the patches she’s defenseless like this. I don’t like going out there alone either, but the captain could be worse off than Sky right now!”

Remy looked up at him with pleading eyes. She knew he had a point, and while separating was dangerous, it could save Swift Hoof’s life. Inside she was protesting, yelling at Lance to stay with her and Sky, but on the outside she was silent. She felt tired, powerless to stop the events going on around her. Suddenly a hoof on her shoulder zapped her back to reality. She looked up to see Lance smiling at her, just like her brother would when she needed it most.

“I’ll come back, Remy,” Lance stated. “I promise.”

Crystal Sip narrowly managed to hide behind one of the many statues in the plantation’s art gallery as a young stallion walked through the door at the far end of the room. She peered out from behind the base as the unicorn walked through the room, a spear in his magical grasp. The room was large, with many statues and tables to hide behind, but Crystal wasn’t taking any chances, not in this place.

The stallion peered around the room and slowly made his way to the door Crystal had come through—the door which led to the twisting hall with the scary moving pictures. She had wanted to avoid that room, but she was chased into it by those ponies in the library.

The stallion didn’t look like the one who had taken her, maybe he was from the outside? Maybe even he was here to rescue her! That thought was quickly brushed away; this place was unnatural, the things here were monsters, and even if this stallion looked normal, he was a monster too. But as quickly as he had arrived, he had left, through the door into the picture hall.

Crystal stayed still. Minutes passed and the door the stallion had entered had remained shut. Slowly, the little filly trotted towards the door the stallion had came from. If her mental map of this place was correct, this room was the lounge area for the ballroom on the first floor. She fluttered her wings and twisted the door knob.

The door opened slowly and Crystal trotted in before quickly freezing in place. Looking at her was a mare, younger than the stallion she had seen just a few minutes ago but older than herself. Crystal’s mind raced. She couldn’t go back to the picture hall and the stairs to the ballroom were blocked off by this mare.

“A filly?” the mare asked.

Crystal’s heart was pounding, she had to get out, had to escape.

“Calm down… it’s okay,” the mare said as she stood up, smiling at Crystal.

“S-Stay back!” Crystal yelled.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” the mare said in a warm, calming voice. “My name’s Golden Remedy, what’s yours?”

Crystal was silent then finally spoke. “C-Crystal Sip.”

Remy stood up and started to approach the filly, but Crystal backed away. “It’s okay Crystal, I’m with a team from Canterlot, we’re here to rescue you.”

“You...you are?” Crystal replied.

Remy nodded.

“You’re not one of the monsters?”

“Not that I know of,” Remy chuckled. “You must be really brave to have made it this far alone.”

Crystal smiled and slowly approached her. Remy leaned down and offered the little filly a hug. Crystal smiled even wider and jumped into Remy’s hooves.

“How long have you been here?” Remy asked, setting the little filly back down.

“It’s… I’m not sure…” Crystal said frowning. “Who is that?” The filly asked pointing a hoof over to Sky who still lay unconscious on the floor.

“That’s Night Sky,” Remy began. “She’s with me.”

“Why are her wings like that?”

“She’s a bat pony,” Remy stated. “I’ll introduce you when she wakes up!” Crystal nodded and smiled. “By the way Crystal, did you see a stallion walking around? Blue coat? Blue and white mane?”

“Yeah, a few minutes ago, he was-”

Suddenly there was a scream. Remy could tell it was Lance.

Chapter 8: Paintings on the Wall

Remy stared at the door leading to the room Crystal had some from. That scream belonged to Lance, there was no doubt. She looked first to Crystal, then to Sky, torn between running to go help Lance and staying to watch over Sky and Crystal.

“I…” Remy began. “I’m sorry Sky.”

Crystal looked down at the bat pony and frowned.

“Crystal you need to come with me. I need to find Lance.”

“He… he went into the picture room,” Crystal started. “I’ve been in there but… it’s scary, please, I don’t want to go back.”

“Just show me where it is, sweetheart,” Remy requested.

Crystal led Remy to the door which Lance had walked through minutes before. Remy rested a hoof on its golden knob, but stopped.

“Crystal,” Remy stated without facing her. Crystal backed away, sure that Remy would ask her to come with her into the picture room. “I want you to stay behind. If there is something in here then... ” Remy stopped, not wanting to think about facing off against another monster. “Stay with Sky, keep her safe okay?” Remy finished and finally turned to smile at the little filly.

Crystal could see the fear on Remy’s face. “The pictures in there,” Crystal began. “Don’t look at them.”

“Thanks kiddo,” Remy replied, trying her best to put on a smile again.“I’ll come back, I promise.” As she turned the knob and opened the door, she realized she was echoing Lance's exact words. She just hoped that they could both keep their promises.

Remy closed the door behind her and surveyed the room before her—a hallway decorated in paintings, but no creature in sight. Crystal’s warning echoed in her head as she walked down the hall. Don’t look at them.

Remy trotted forward, eyes glued to the floor, making sure to not accidentally look at the paintings on the walls. She noticed a blue hair on the carpet as she trotted slowly down the hall; there was no doubt it was Lance’s.

“Please be okay… please be okay,” she kept repeating quietly as she trotted forward. The hall seemed to grow somehow; Remy could have sworn she would have made it to the end by now. But she couldn’t look up. Then she saw something on the carpet, a blue hair. She stopped to look at it—it was in the same position as the last piece she found. No… not in the same position, it was the same hair.

“How did-” Remy said to herself, then she looked up.

She was standing at the start of the hallway. She turned around and saw the door to the room with the statues was right there behind her. Her heart was pounding. She was walking, she was sure of it… She started to feel nauseous. She looked around at the paintings but they were all blank. She quickly started trotting forward again, eyes focused on the door at the end of the hall until she blinked, then, like magic, she was back at the start again.

Her nausea was getting worse. The room was spinning. She looked down to see that same piece of blue hair, then threw up on it. Moments later she lost her balance, fell onto the wall on her left and began to slump there.

“La… Lance…” Remy called out weakly. Her vision was starting to fade and she began to feel cold.

Don’t look at them.

Crystal’s warning kept repeating in her head.

“I… don’t want… to die,” Remy said. Remy’s vision was fading rapidly when she heard someone yell.

“Get the fuck off of her!”

Suddenly Remy was snapped back to reality and sent crashing down to the carpet below. She looked up and saw a painting with two withered equine forelegs coming out of it. One was reaching for her, the other was lying on the floor in front of her, cut away.

Suddenly Sky was in front of her, stabbing at the painting that had had her in its grasp. “Fucking die!” Sky screamed, then sent the knife in one final time as hard as she could manage before slumping down and turning to Remy.

“What…” Remy asked still feeling nauseous.

“It had you,” Sky said, panting. “I came in and it had you held up… just holding you by your head.”

“Are you okay?” Crystal asked, running over to Remy’s side. Remy smiled as the little filly hugged her.

“Been better, how are you holding up?” Remy replied with a weak smile then turned to bat pony slumped on the other opposite wall. “Sky… thank you.”

Sky nodded, still trying to catch her breath.

“I don’t understand… I was in the hall but then it kept... resetting. I felt… sick,” Remy said as she looked up at the painting that had grabbed her. It was of a pony, their face was etched in pain. What was worse was that there were black holes where it’s eyes should’ve been, almost as if the artist didn’t want it to see.

“Whatever that was,” Sky replied, slowly looking up at the painting with equine forelegs. Blood was running from the stab wounds. “It’s dead now.”

Remy looked around at the other paintings then sighed with relief when the rest all appeared to be normal—regal ponies and landscapes. Sky was the first of the three to stand up again, and she trotted to Remy and helped her to her hooves.

“Let’s go back to the bar and regroup,” Sky ordered. “I don’t want to stay here for long.”

Lance awoke in a dark prison cell with no recollection of how he got there. Outside his cell in a sconce on the wall, he noticed a single torch set ablaze. Through the bars he saw a figure standing there—a mare in a maid outfit.

“Wh-Where am I?” Lance asked, trying to stand. He almost immediately stumbled and stopped, feeling like he was going to puke if he moved too much.

“I brought you here,” the mare said from the other side of the bars.

“Who are you?” Lance asked. “Why do I feel sick?”

The maid didn’t reply.

Lance couldn’t see her too well, but something about her looked off. She was beautiful, with a long black mane and tail, a tan coat and the maid outfit which seemed to go perfect with the rest of her color scheme.

“I will bring you your food soon,” the maid replied. There was no emotion in the words. Then she turned and walked into the blackness of the cave.

“Wait! Hey!” Lance yelled, trying to stand again. But she was gone.

Chapter 9: Formal Invitation

Crystal looked up at the two older mares as they went through Remy’s saddlebag.

“Here’s your knife back by the way,” Sky said, passing Remy back her blade. The blood from the painting had been mostly wiped away but some was still visible. Despite their best efforts, it would never be completely clean again.

“You keep it,” Remy told her. “You’re better with it anyway.”

Sky shrugged, then sheathed the knife into a makeshift strap across her chest.

“So what is the situation?” Sky asked.

“Captain Swift Hoof and Lance are missing; radios are out too so contact with Bow is out of the question,” Remy stated. She turned a worried gaze to the window, praying that Bow was doing better than they were.

“Okay…” Sky started, trying to wrap her head around how this mission had gone so far south. “The mission hasn’t changed; we still need to find the missing ponies and bring them back safely, same goes for Lance and Captain Swift.” Sky walked over to the bar area and grabbed a bottle from behind the bar. Remy looked at her and her brow furrowed.

“Sky are you serious?!” Remy shouted.

“Relax,” Sky said with a smile. “This is a reward for when we all make it out. And we will.”

Suddenly the door that led to the statue room opened slowly. Crystal jumped and quickly ran to Remy’s side. In the doorway stood a mare in a maid outfit. She had a long, and sliky black mane and tail and a tan coat. Everything about her appearance was perfect, except for her empty, grey eyes. There was nothing there. Cold, Remy thought.

“I’ve been looking for you,” the maid said, turning to Crystal. There was no emotion in her voice.

“Hey!” Sky stated in a commanding tone. “State your name.”

The maid ignored her, “My master misses you; he would like you to come back for dinner.”

Crystal gripped Remy’s hind leg firmly, and Remy could feel the filly trembling.

“Come with me, young mistress,” the maid said, her tone still lacking any emotion.

“Hey, did you hear me lady?!” Sky asked, irritated as she approached the maid. The maid’s gaze snapped to Sky.

“If you take another step,” the maid stated. “I will kill you.”

Sky stopped but didn’t step back.

“Remy,” Sky told her, making sure not to take her eyes off the maid. “Get Crystal out of here, I’ll follow you later.

“Sky we can’t spli-”

“You have ‘til the count of three,” the maid said coldly.

“Remy get the fuck out of here!” Sky yelled.

“One.”

Remy looked from Sky, then to the maid.

“Two.”

“Remy GO!!” Sky yelled again.

“Crystal get on my back!” Remy screamed. Crystal jumped up and gripped Remy as tightly as she could before the two ran down the stairs to the ballroom.

“Three.”

In a split second the maid was mere inches from Sky’s face. Her eyes had changed from a dull grey to a bright yellow. Before she could even react, there was a sharp pain in Sky’s side. Sky looked to her shoulder to see a pair of scissors buried deep into it. Sky spun and unsheathed her knife, slashing at the maid as she spun and fell backward to make distance. She looked up to see blood flowing from the maid’s neck where she had aimed. This was a kill move Sky had mastered, but the maid’s expression did not change. She looked down at the batpony and trotted forward slowly, blood flowing down her uniform.

“What the fuck!” Sky screamed.

In the blink of an eye the maid was on top of her, pinning her to the ground.

“Tell me,” the maid asked, blood from her slit throat dripping down onto Sky’s face. The maid gripped the scissors and yanked them from Sky’s shoulder. Sky screamed out as the pain in her shoulder was amplified. “Tell me what pain feels like.”

The maid sent the scissors down straight into Sky’s belly. Sky screamed again and tears started to flow from her bloodshot eyes.

“Pain… fear…” the maid said as her yellow eyes looked down at the batpony.

Suddenly a crossbow bolt shot through the window and plunged into the side of the maid’s head, sending her to the ground with a lifeless thud. Sky looked towards the window to see a figure there, holding a crossbow in a magical grip and a sword and shield on his back. One hoof was gripping a rope the other was opening the window. It was a stallion. Sky’s vision was fading from all the blood loss but she knew who her savior was.
“C-Captain?” Sky barely got out.
The figure climbed in through the window and trotted over the maid.

Captain Swift Hoof aimed his crossbow down at the maid and gritted his teeth. The maid looked up at him, her eyes grey, then she spoke.

“Is this pain? Why… why can’t I feel-” Swift Hoof sent a second bolt straight down between the maids eyes. The maid fell silent as a pool of blood formed under her.

Swift Hoof trotted over to Sky and looked the batpony over before applying herbal patches to her wounds.

“Sky… you’ve seen better days huh?”

“Captain…”

Swift Hoof applied pressure but the blood from her stomach soaked through the patch. It wasn’t enough.

“Is it… bad?” Sky asked. Her eyes were closed, tears streaming down her face.

“No…” Swift Hoof told her as he rested a hoof on the side of her face.

“That’s good.” Sky laughed but coughed up blood. Swift Hoof wiped the blood from her face and noticed Sky was smiling.

“I…” Sky started. “I hope you… got her.”

“I did.”

Sky just nodded as more blood flowed from her stomach wound. Swift Hoof applied another herbal patch but the blood soaked through again. He went for a third patch but noticed the batpony was no longer breathing. Sky was gone.

Swift Hoof stood up. A single tear ran down the old stallion's face.

“I’ll kill them Sky… I’ll kill them all.” Suddenly the door to the statue room closed. Swift Hoof spun around to see a blood trail… but the maid was gone. Swift Hoof threw the crossbow away and removed his sword and shield from his back with his magic and started to follow the trail of blood. “I’ll kill you… and then your master next, I’ll kill you all…”

Chapter 10: Crossing Over

Remy ran down to the collapsed ballroom but stopped dead in her tracks at the base of the stairs—the rest of the floor had caved in.

"What are we gonna do?!" Crystal screamed. Remy could feel the filly trembling on her back.

"Don't worry Crystal," Remy said calmly and extended her wings.

In her panic, Crystal had all but forgotten she was riding on a pegasus. Remy leapt into the air above the abyss, her wings beating softly as she flew across the ballroom. She took it slow, being extra careful not to tilt too much for her passenger's sake. Crystal closed her eyes and held on as firmly as she could.

"Almost ther-" Remy began but stopped as she heard a sickening crunch. Before she could think about it, an agonizing pain shot through her right wing—something had snapped the bone. Remy let out a scream and tried to balance on her left wing but ended up just spinning violently. Thoughts ran through her mind: Got to get Crystal down! My wing is broken! Land! It's burning! What did I hit?! Please Celestia, it hurts! Despite her best efforts, Remy descended into the pit below. She flapped her left wing harder but was rewarded again with another violent spin, this one sending her into a tailspin. Crystal screamed and a sudden weight was lifted from Remy's back.

Remy panicked and turned to see the filly was gone. She then turned back around just in time to see the stony wall of the abyss rapidly nearing her face. She felt pain for a moment, and then everything was black.

Lance had never been skilled with magic, but teleportation was the only way out of his cell. His little sister had tried to teach him but it never stuck. He had been sparking his horn and popping as his sister had tried to explain, but like always, he never moved anywhere. He had lost count on how much he had tried to teleport and stomped the ground in frustration. That was when she returned.

The maid was back, but this time she had a scar across her throat and two scars on her head–one on the side, the other right between her eyes. Lance was silent as the maid approached the cell. She then just stared at him. There was silence for almost a full minute before Lance turned away to look at a corner of his cell.

"Am I ugly now?" the maid asked. Lance looked back to those cold grey eyes again and shrugged. "Am I ugly?" the maid asked again.

"Why are you asking?" Lance replied.

"I was made to be perfect. I think..." the maid stopped and brought her hoof to the scar on her throat. "I think it's still there." She rubbed at it, causing freshly-applied makeup to smear onto her hoof and reveal not a scar, but a deep, raw gash. Lance winced and the maid caught him.

"You see it, don't you," she stated.

"N-No. You... look very pretty."

"You're lying to me."

"I'm not lying!" Lance stammered.

"You are. You think I'm ugly.... I'm not perfect... I'm-" A sinister grin formed across the maid's face. Her eyes lit up in a fierce, unnatural amber glow. She began shaking violently and a sudden low laugh bellowed out of her and echoed throughout the cave. It grew, louder, until she sounded completely crazed. Lance was thankful for the cell that separated them.

"Enough."

The maid stopped shaking and ceased her laughter almost immediately.

Lance looked deep into the blackness of the cave and suddenly a figure emerged—the source of the voice that silenced the maid. The figure slowly came within view, walking with a cane strapped to his right foreleg. He was a stallion—older by the tone of his raspy voice. He wore a tattered scarf and hood and his whole body seemed to be wrapped in some kind of fabric. Lance thought he looked like a mummy straight out of one of the late night shows at the Canterlot theater.

The stallion approached the maid and grabbed her mane, pulling it backwards, exposing the scar on her throat to him.

"This won't do," the mummified stallion stated. "I tell you to bring me the filly, I even tell you where she is, and you come back like... this?!" The stallion finished and then brought his cane up, striking the maid across the head with an unnaturally swift swing, which caused the mare to collapse to the floor almost instantly.

"Stop it!" Lance yelled. He wasn't sure why; the words just kind of erupted from him. As a colt he was taught never to hit a mare, even one as crazy as the maid.

The stallion turned to him and slowly approached the cell bars.

"Listen here, colt," the stallion spat. "You... and the ponies you brought here... you're all going to die."

Lance gritted his teeth.

"Then come on in here and kill me," Lance said "Open that door and see what happens!"

"No need," the stallion said matter-of-factly. "You are no longer a threat, your friends are the ones who we're concerned about."

"We're trained Canterlot guards who specialize in-"

"Son..." the old stallion teased, a laugh almost escaping his muzzle, but all he mustered was a dry cough. "One of you is already dead."

Lance stepped away from the bars, the fight suddenly gone from him.

"You're lying!"

"Ask my maid; after all," The stallion got out an actual laugh this time. "She's the one who did it." The figure then turned and walked slowly back into the cave.

"Come back!" Lance yelled, then he turned to the maid, who was still on the cave floor. "What did you do?! Who was it?!"

The maid was silent.

"Who was it, you bitch!?"

The maid got up slowly and brushed some of the dust from her outfit. A sizable red bump was appearing on her jaw where the stallion's cane had struck her. She turned to Lance, her eyes no longer a bright, crazed, yellow, but a dull grey. She looked him dead in the eyes but said nothing.

"Answer me!" Lance screamed, pounding a hoof against the steel bars of his cell.

The maid slowly began walking into the darkness of the cave, after her master. Lance screamed again, tears threatening to escape him. As she walked away she said something, low and almost inaudible. Lance swore the maid had said "I'm sorry."