Call of the Grave

by Mrzetsu

Rating: teen
Tags: Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Other, Princess Celestia
Length: 2626

Which would be worse? Having to bury your parents or getting to know that your cutie-mark represents death? Normally in these kinds of questions you get to choose but unlucky for Jester he didn't get to choose.

Which would be worse? Having to bury your parents or getting to know that your cutie-mark represents death? Normally in these kinds of questions you get to choose but unlucky for Jester he didn't get to choose.

A story of a colt, who one day finds his parents brutally murdered and hanged on a tree branch. The story is going to become more gory when the story goes on, but it isn't that right now.

Published 2012-12-15 16:10:01 UTC
Last updated 2012-12-15 16:10:01 UTC

Screams of the Dead

On a cold winter morning, I was playing with my friends, two unicorns called Alma and Tierra. Already gotten their cutie marks, they tease me for being a blank flank. We were playing who could think about the most things that start with a certain letter. A bit boring at the end but it was fun that day, until I got home to see my parents, the most loving and kind persons in the world, hung from the nearest tree. The crows had found them when I got there, because their hides were ripped and my parents, now only bags of flesh and blood, were missing their eyes. Seeing this sight made me lose what little lunch I had eaten that morning. Nailed to the tree was a note that was written in blood, it said: You were warned! Were warned about what? Why did someone kill my parents and made them a buffet for the crows. I don’t know if I was sitting there for an hour or five hours but when I woke from the shock of seeing my parents, it was already dark. Being a unicorn myself I tried to move cut the rope with magic, what I didn't remember was that I couldn't use magic. It took me quite long to notice that I couldn't use magic, maybe because I couldn't see clearly from my tears.

I must have noticed that magic didn't work and cut the ropes with my own hoofs, for when I came back to my senses, my deceased parents were lying on the ground, with their eye sockets staring up to the sky above, to the stars. If I hadn't vomited all I had in my stomach… Well you get the idea. Now that they were on the ground, I ran to get a shovel for burying them. And the only thought that crossed my mind when shoveling a grave was that we were supposed to go on a picnic this Sunday, all three of us, but that wasn't going to happen. Then when had I laid my parents to rest and shoveled the dirt back, I stayed there, only watching those dirt mounds. Wondering about what had happened, I was too shocked to cry, too weak to move. I only remember suddenly being approached by a member of the royal guard unicorn division. He stated his name to be Lieutenant Iron Arrow and he was sent to come and get me because Princess Celestia wanted to see me. I was told that I replied that I would wait for my parent’s before going. Iron Arrow was said to have teleported me straight to the palace garden. After that I was screaming for him to send me back because I needed to wait for my parents. He slammed me to the ground and started to yell: Don’t you understand that the dead won’t be coming back. Your parents gave their life to protect something and that something includes you. So you need to do something with your life that would make your parents happy! That was the time when my sorrow fully hit me. All feeling fled my body and I fell on the ground weeping and crying. Iron Arrow lifted me on his back and carried me, still crying, to the throne room Princess Celestia was waiting along with Princess Luna and Celestias' star pupil Twilight Sparkle.

There I was sobbing and crying, right in front of the rulers of Equestria and the most powerful unicorn of all Equestria, still being carried by a lieutenant of the royal guard. I must have been a sorry sight to see but you might think that anypony would have seemed so fragile and lost. I did not even notice that I was in the throne room, until Celestia said to me that: I didn't need to worry no one was going to hurt me any longer. At that instant did I become aware about where I was and in whose vicinity was I in. Frantically trying to stand, I fell from Iron Arrows back, straight to the throne room floor. Still no feeling from my hoofs, I leaned on Iron Arrows side to keep my balance and stated while holding back my tears: You wanted to see me, your highness? Princess Celestia surprised about my strong willpower keeping my mind from breaking, said with a heavy voice: Yes, for I know that you have suffered a great loss, while gaining so little in the progress. My mind couldn't comprehend what she was saying, until she pointed at my flank. My cutie-mark had appeared, but the shape wasn't a happy or joyful like every other pony, no mine had a dark coffin in it. Coffin a representation of death and decay, something like that couldn't be my cutie-mark? Right? I was always the nicest pony and always cared for others, so why my life meaning was revolving around death and decay?

That was the last thing I remembered, then I woke up inside Iron Arrows condo, near the castle. It was a small apartment, what you could expect from a salary of a lieutenant, I guess. Truly an apartment that seemed like a bachelor pad of a soldier, everything was small. A small kitchen, bedroom, living room and even small bathroom. The only reason why I knew that this was Iron Arrows apartment was a bronze plate on the mantelpiece which read: Rewarded for valuable service during the changeling invasion to lieutenant Iron Arrow. “Oh, so you’re awake.” I heard a voice behind me, quickly turned around to see Iron Arrow behind me, levitating two cups of hot chocolate. “Why are you staring at that stupid thing? I only did my duty to protect the citizens and the castle.” Iron Arrow said with a firm voice just to make his point, I guessed. Still holding my tears, if only for myself, I asked him why I was here? He sat down, had a sip of hot chocolate, handed me the another cup and said with the same firm voice “I am going to become your guardian from this day onward , by order of Princess Celestia.” Now he had lost me. I only lost my parents yesterday and now I’m in an apartment of a soldier, because he claims to have become my guardian ON ORDERS OF PRINCESS CELESTIA! I jumped up and started yelling: Wait, what did you just say? You were ordered to become my guardian? Why, was it because nopony else would or because it was less of a problem to put me in your care? Before I could continue my rant of this “guardian” business, Iron Arrow jumped up. “Listen up you stupid little colt. I volunteered to this position, because I was worried. Worried about you to be exact, I lost my parents when I was your age; the only thing that kept me from going insane was my feeling of duty. I still felt the same as now when I feel that it’s my duty to keep you on the right track.” There it was again, he a complete stranger to me, feeling worried about me. I truly tried to fight it but the shear warmth of somepony caring for you, feeling your pain; understanding it. So within a month I started feeling happier, almost forgetting what had happened that faithful night.

Almost forgotten, but like a nightmare, that day came to my mind; haunting my mind whether in sleep or awake. I found myself shimmering in sheer terror, thinking and pondering; why were my parents killed? I found myself wondering that question so many times I lost count, but I just needed to know. So gathering all my courage I left to the sight of that day, if only to see my parents’ grave again. I didn't say where I was going to Iron Arrow, only because I needed to do this on my own. I walked my hometown streets which were now abandoned and filled with dust balls, only to find my childhood home burned to the ground. Now I could never find the answer; or so I thought. My childhood home was in aches and I could blame nopony but myself. I didn't visit as often as I needed to and because of that I did not notice my home burning down. Even the tree were from that day was ashes before me, the only thing still standing was my parents tomb stone. From where you could read very faintly my parents names; my father Double Scalpel and my mother Harlequin, both loving and caring people and admired scientists. Now they lay in the dirt and are food for the worms. While I sat there looking to the distance; I noticed something out of normal in the ash pile which was my house. A strange handle poking out of the ash; maybe it used to be on a door or somewhere. I didn't think more about it but my curiosity got the best of me. I walked to it; tried to lift it with my hooves. It didn't budge then I looked around just so nopony was there to see; especially Iron Arrow, he doesn't like when I use my magic; which is a bit undeveloped, but still strong enough to move this door. My horn glimmered with a deep blue light and a chain appeared to wrap on to the handle and yank it open.

Before my eyes opened a sight to see; my parents underground research lab, walls upon walls of documents, test-tubes and devices. I walked inside to hear a voice: “Jester, if you hear this that means firstly we are no longer and secondly you found this place at last.” That voice belonged to my father and it must have been a timed spell to play that message when I enter. The voice continued: “Jester, I know that it must have been bad for you, because of what we were researching; a spell to resurrect the dead; the chain link of eternity spell. The princess was against us researching it for it might disturb her eternal rule, for if everypony could live forever; no rulers would be needed to upkeep peace and order; everypony would have known death and because of that they would have avoided causing others that pain.” Was this the reason for the note “You were warned!” Who could have done this? Princess Celestia, maybe? No, there’s no way her highness could do such a thing! Just when I thought my mind couldn't comprehend anymore info, the voice told me who was sent to relay the message. It was a brown unicorn wearing Royal Guard armor and to have stated his name to be no other than Lieutenant Iron Arrow.
Just when the recording said this; I hear hoof-steps from the stairs. Looking up with a confused face, I saw Iron Arrow strutting down the stairs; wearing his full uniform. Iron Arrow looked at me with a kind smile and asked why I was down here? I said that I found my parents lost lab and all their test results. All the while I was looking to find any true emotion from my “step-fathers” face; it was all in vain, there was only a cold smiling outer shell. He then continued without a wink, asking me if I watched any of the research notes. Well how could I not look at them, my parents’ lifework to which they poured blood, sweat and tears! After I said that, I finally got an emotional response out of him it seemed that he was not happy to hear that. “Jester, Jester, Jester; why did you do it? Because you know what, now I need to kill you before torching this place up again. While he said that, not even a muscle in his face flinched, and then his horn started glowing with a purple light, materializing arrows out of nowhere. I hope that you die quickly so I can leave this despicable place, when he had said those words, the arrows started flying at high speeds, too many to dodge some hit me in my hooves, making me unable to move properly. I yelled in pain and sorrow to Iron Arrow: Were all those encouraging words just an act or did you actually care for me? Did you really love me like a son for you to take me to live with you? He stared me, who was hiding behind a shelf, with disgust. Like I said the first time we met; I was ORDERED to watch your development on orders from Princess Celestia. It had nothing to do with me liking or disliking you; only that I needed to gain your trust so you would let me close to you; that I could fulfill my mission. Oh, and before you die, I would like you to know that it was me, who killed and hung your parents, and I enjoyed every last minute of torturing them, while they were begging to let you go, for you hadn’t done anything. Yes you haven’t done anything, yet! But now you have done something, you were going to continue your parents’ work which they never got to finish.

After hearing those cold and malicious words coming from the man I looked up to, I finally snapped. My horn glimmering with magic I stood up, with the help of my chain spell, one for each hoof. You do not deserve to walk this earth any longer! I yelled to Iron Arrow, who thought it to be a joke; a unicorn who had only just learnt to use magic; defeat him a veteran soldier, a lieutenant of the royal guard! He yelled: Come and get me you silly little colt! Straight after him yelling that, hundreds of magical; homing arrows came at me. I did not move an inch, for I knew that I couldn't move as fast as I needed to avoid these arrows. But prior the arrows hitting me, I casted a chain marionette spell, which I didn't even know I knew. Now Iron Arrow couldn't move, if he moved it was from my control, I stopped the arrows using my marionette, pointed them towards Iron Arrow and said, now you’re going to feel the pain of my parents, tortured and turned into a pincushion, only difference being that I won’t hang you to a tree. That would be too good for the likes of you. I felt like my murderous intent was yanking the chains tighter; Iron Arrow was squirming with agony, until you could hear four small pops. Now he couldn’t move an inch even without my spell. I would have asked you for your final words, but I don’t feel that you deserve such privilege. And with that the arrows hit him and then there was silence. I packed all of my parents’ documents with me and set the lab a blaze with the mangled corpse of my “step-father” and the killer of my family. The last thing I did was; I picked up a piece of medal in the shape of a cross and pressed it against my cutie-marks. Finally I came to understand why my cutie-mark was a coffin; death and dismay followed me where ever did I go, but it didn't suite me so I burned a large cross; crossing out the coffin. Now I had become a dealer of death; giving it and taking it away.

Author's Note

My first fiction and stuff. Yeah, maybe I should have gotten someone to proof read this but no one did it. But I hope you like it anyway.