The Carnival of the Damned

"Come now, it isn't much further. Sanctuary lies straight ahead!"

The last of the underbrush seemed the thickest as Rose and Dimitri finally broke free from the confines of the Dead Forest. What stood before them now was an old and forsaken cathedral, looming tall in it's advanced state of decay. What once must have been enchanting stained glass windows were now nothing more than multicolored shards of glass teetering precariously in their wrought iron frames. Rose took this all in at a glance, the pain of her cheek not allowing time for a closer examination. It urged her forward as Dimitri led the way around the dilapidated structure. He kept silent for the most part, only the hum of a cheery tune from his lips as the lantern's glow bobbed along the cobblestone path to cast long shadows on the cold ground.

The scenery that lay beyond the old cathedral chilled the mare to the bone as they passed a creaking gate. Her eyes scanned a darkened stretch of earth dotted with statues of a bygone era, tombstones and crumbling mausoleums. A graveyard long forgotten.

The worst however, was still to come. She knew this well as the light of the lantern illuminated a curving stone path. The winding passage lead to a steep flight of stairs, where a tall mausoleum was situated at the very top of these. It was perhaps the largest in the ancient burial ground, as far as she could tell. Seated at the base of these steps were several figures, bathing in the shadows of the lofty vault. They remained seated as the two travelers approached; all but the central figure who raised himself up with a smirk as he stepped forward to offer a mocking bow.

"At last. We meet again, my poisoned flower." Mortis' voice grated heavily on Rose's nerves as she offered a glare in response. This caused a laugh from the speaker, carrying through the others to form a cacophonic symphony fully terrifying due to the macabre surroundings. Rose shivered and moved to take a step backwards, however Dimitri followed behind to nudge her forward as he set down the lantern and grinned.

"As promised, Sir Mortis. I have brought her to you in one piece." He chuckled, puffing out his chest in pride. "No easy task, either. This one, she is...how you say... to be handled with care." He sauntered over to join the figures on the steps, now discernible as carnival members in the lantern's light. Mortis stepped forward a few more paces, examining the mare closely.

"You have done well in this, Dimitri, and not a moment too soon." He paused near to her left side, looking closely at the angry scar on her cheek. "The poison is quicker than I had thought."

Rose backed away from the close proximity, glaring indignantly at the necromancer. "You have what you wanted. I have come here willingly to bargain with you, even though I have nothing. If you seek power, you are foolish. Riches, ignorant. I hold none of these, and you waste your time."

The unicorn smirked at the mare's brave display, a slight hint of impress in the depths of his green eyes. "If you had nothing to bargain with, my dear, you wouldn't have come in the first place." She paled at his words, yet he continued to further drive the chill through her. "Riches mean nothing to the dead, and if you for one moment expect me to believe you are powerless, well...that would make you the foolish one, wouldn't it?" He chuckled, moving to levitate a familiar box from the top step leading to the vault of the deceased. He brought this to hover just before Rose, as she paled in recognition of the device. "Oh? Do you recognize my music box? How would you like me to let you in on a little secret? This is more than what it seems to be. Within this box lies the ability for me to view one's greatest wish. The innermost desire of their mortal and immortal heart. Impressive, is it not?" He moved closer still, grinning as a hoof slid along the lid of the container. "It has shown me much, Rose. Including a wish made by one you are familiar with. A great figure in this land if I am not mistaken." The necromancer chuckled at the confused expression that now adorned her countenance. "Your lifeblood holds power, that much is true, yet you hold another ability as well. One that hasn't yet been made known, even unto you. Look! See for yourself!"

Without further delay, Mortis flung back the lid of the box to fill the area with an absinthe glow. The mesmeric notes filled the air, hauntingly lingering on the ears of all who listened. Rose's body felt even heavier, yet try as she might, she could not remove her eyes from the box nor the contents hidden inside. A small sphere hovered there, reflective of an earlier scene within the throne room of Rosencroix. She saw Blood in a similar state, the music box lowered before him as the green glimmer cast elongated shadows over his calm visage.

"Even your great Lord has made a wish upon this music box. One for you, flower. For the Immortal Rose, and for her heart." His low chuckle became a raucous laughter as slowly the members of the carnival troupe rose from their places to approach the box. Each face was upturned, riveted on it's glow and called by the spellbinding melody. Even Dimitri lurched forward with the others to heed it's call as Mortis continued. "You see now, little Rose? I hold the greatest bargaining ticket of all. You!"

She saw Blood within the sphere, looking at a similar glowing orb as it hovered before him. Within, a single red rose was scarcely visible. "L-Lord Blood..." Clenching her eyes tightly shut, the mare fought with all her might against the music and the box's unnatural hold. She inwardly cursed her rash action and speedy flight from the safety of the castle into the arms of danger. "It was a trap...all along..." The poison mattered not now, even though it continued to sting deep. "No....No, I will not bargain! I will not make a deal with you!" She opened her eyes to fully glare at Mortis, stepping forward in her defiance of the necromancer and his music box. Even though the pain was all the more evident, the hold of the device was gone from her.

"Such a strong will you have..." The lich muttered in annoyance. "However, it matters not. You will not bargain to save your own life? Fine then..." He turned to gesture to Hazel, who approached to stand next to Mortis. Her gaze was still on the music box, far gone under it's influence as the stallion grinned. "Maybe instead, you will bargain to save another!"

Rose paled, glancing back and forth between the two. "Wh-what do you...?"

"Let me see...how can I make this perfectly clear to you?" He stood directly behind Hazel, levitating the hidden blade of his pendant to hover at her throat. "Do as I say, and not only will I give you the antidote to your poison, but I will also spare this pathetic carnival." He glowered darkly, punctuating the threat by moving the dagger's tip to dig into the flesh of the young pony's neck.

"Y-you wouldn't..."

"Mortis!" Dimitri spoke up behind the two, struggling with the spell of the still playing music. He wobbled forward, looking very nervous as he regarded the necromancer and the filly. "Wh-why are you doing this, my friend? Please... the joke has gone too long. Do not continue in this manner. We... we all are a troupe, yes? A family, right?"

No answer was given by word of mouth, only the sickening tear of the dagger slicing through flesh as Mortis slit the orange pony's throat. His eyes gleamed in madness as silence ensued, the little witch's body hitting the cold earth as blood seeped into the dirt. Rose stumbled backward, trembling at the horrifying sight.

"N...No....." She raised a hoof to her mouth, tears threatening to overflow from her eyes. Dimitri slowly moved forward in a daze, staring down in disbelief at the lifeless form.

"H-Hazel?" His voice was soft as he put out a gentle hoof to stroke the small foal's mane.

A move made in vain.

The necromancer thrust the dagger forward, striking Dimitri in the stomach. He sneered coldly as the stallion doubled over to hit the dirt.

"Pathetic. Weak. All of you. Such easy pawns in my game. All for what?" He stepped over the two, music box still playing on in requiem as his eyes focused once more on the terrified mare. "You realize now that I am quite serious. Well," he grinned. "Do we have a deal, or must I kill another?" He beckoned to a mint colored mare in the midst of the troupe, her jeweled eyes glazed over by the music box's power.

"W-Wait!" She shivered, not caring that the tears had overflowed to mingle with the bloodied ground. Her head hung in sorrow and surrender as a faint whisper left her lips. "...You win. I will make the deal..."

Mortis' grin widened to near horrific proportions as he moved forward. The dagger of the pendant returned to it's sheathed position as a bottle of clear liquid was removed from it's depths. "Good girl. You've made a wise choice." He levitated the small vial to the mare, uncorking it as he did so. "Drink then, and the deal will be made."

She sighed heavily, closing her eyes and opening her mouth to the offered potion.

"Rose! ROSE!"

She blinked, not certain if the voices she heard now were part of a dream, or even just wishful thinking on her part. Still, they became louder, and she turned toward the sound. Mortis did the same, hateful glare centering upon the source of the untimely interruption.

Ancient Blood and Ryn Kuromaru were quickly dashing toward the mausoleum steps, closing the distance in mere seconds.

Mortis turned to regard a figure hidden in the shadows of the vault. A single entity who had been merely observing til this point. Fayt. A single nod conveyed the command as the cloaked stallion rose from his spot to make a single gesture in the air. At his command, red strings intertwined, winding about every afforded surface to enclose the scene in a crimson web. Ryn hastily attempted to fly through this, tangling himself almost instantly. The crimson unicorn adopted a more cautious approach, yet the strands were everywhere. He snarled in anger, turning to Rose with a fearful gaze. "Rose..."

The mare turned to Ryn and Blood, eyes meeting theirs as her legs moved to begin a run toward the safety of their company. She would have chanced a smile even, save for the cold hoof that suddenly gripped her shoulder in a restraining motion.

“Have you changed your mind, flower? I’m afraid it is far too late now.”

She turned to glare at Mortis as he leered down with a smirk of satisfaction.

“The deal is made. An antidote to the poison in exchange for your unwavering cooperation. Or do you wish to die that badly?” Her chest ached, poison having traveled quickly through her system to begin an attack of her heart.

“R-Rose!” The cry of her friends seemed far off, fuzzy and muffled to her ears as she struggled to remain standing.

The grip on her tightened, Mortis forcefully lifting her up as he held the uncorked potion to her tightly sealed lips.

“Drink and live in servitude, or refuse my aid and die. Which is the better?” She remained silent, pulling away from the offered liquid. This did nothing to deter the other however, and he grinned darkly. A slow laugh built in his throat, becoming louder as the jewel of his forehead gleamed a venomous hue. “Hah! Foolish flower. As though you had a choice in the first place!”

With one swift movement, he emptied the container’s contents in his own mouth and shattered the now empty bottle against the cold ground. The mare's eyes widened as he gripped the base of her neck pulling her struggling form forward until his lips pressed firmly to her own in a transfer of the elixir.

A kiss of the damned.

....