Celestia was doing something she did not like at all. It was a unique event in her calendar which she did without fail every year. It was not pleasant and always dampened her mood, as the activity had always had the same effect on her because of the other parties insistence on the same behaviour at each meeting. Celestia was going to meet a killer, a simple pony murder and the only one in the history of Equestria.
The princess of the sun was in the more secluded part of the castle, one more frequented by the janitorial staff than diplomats or other guests to the castle. Celestia was accompanied by a small squadron of guards that more distinct than the usual personnel stationed around Canterlot. This squadron had come into existence only as a result of the individual she was going to see. They wore more complex armour than the regular guards, custom fit for each one with the right balance of weight and protection for each's speciality. The dull tones of the enchanted obsidian alloy matched on the same level to any of their coats that was visible. The four present with Celestia at that moment flanked her closely in a diagonal pattern, they were there just as much for her own protection as they were for containing the prisoner.
The group rounded a corner to come faced with a dead end. This one looked much the same like any of the others in the castle but was unique not for it's appearance but it's relation to the restof the castle. The blueprints showed it to be set further away from the general shape of the castle, resulting in it appearing as a line jutting of from the rest of the castle into the mountain more than normal. This was because it was not a dead end but an entrance to a complex constructed in and old gem vain discovered in the mountain. This complex was again, created specifically for the prisoner who's existence along with the guards and structure to house him, where of the upmost secrecy.
Celestia approached the bare back wall and looked round at her escorts. They all replied in turn with small nods with the same steely look they always had, on all their faces. Celestia refaced the wall and walked further up to it with the guards doing the same, two to each side of her. They all rasied there right hoof and tapped the wall in a short but complex pattern with pinpoint timing between them. The magic in the guards armour along with the incantation that Celestia was muttering under her breath, had there intended effect on the wall. The group stood back as a groaning was heard from the wall as the places the ponies had tapped along with complex sigils lit up along it's service. The thick stone gate way half folded half melted into the surrounding wall revealing a large round tunnel going off into the darkness of the mountain along with another guard behind it flanked by more to his sides. He was obviously higher in rank than the surrounding soldiers by his more ornate armour and lack of a helmet so he could more easily communicate however what completed the look was the stern and very hard gaze his face displayed.
The earth pony in question was Lieutenant Purge, head if the Keepers, the guards that surrounded the princess of the sun.
"Princess" he greeted his monarch with a simple but respectful tilt of his head.
"Lt" Celestia returned " anything new?"
The guard rubbed his muzzle in fatigue while sighing and closing his eyes.
"I'm afraid not Princess" he said while finishing his action "same as he always is"
Celestia nodded slightly in response. It had had always been that answer to that question that she asked every time she came here. It was something she continued to ask out of a small sense of hope and something the Lt continued to indulge her in out of courtesy even though he had given up along time ago. Celestia knew Purge wouldn't hesitate to inform her if anything did occur but it had become something of a bad tradition between the to.
Celestia walked into the threshold of the compound with Purge to her left and the guards forming a defensive formation to their sides and back.
She and Purge continued to make small but meaningful conversation between them as they walked the deeper in to the complex with the guards being as silent and as stoic as ever. As they talked a fact had became more and more apparent to Celestia. Purges eyes were far smaller than they once were. They looked tired and weary but still held that sense of resolve present in all veterans but they still showed how much his job had taken out of him. Celestia would make sure he retired soon with a stable retirement scheme in Haywaii like had secretly yearned for. He would not go quietly, she was sure of that but she didn't want him to become one with his job anymore than he already had or his eyes would become like that of a Dragons. She smiled internally. She would enjoy surprising him with that.
After passing two warding spells and walking for a few more minutes they approached the main manned checkpoint into the prison. The tunnel walls changed into smooth stone as they approached two arches nestled side by side and taking up the full area of the tunnel size. Each one was decorated by various groves and indentations that covered the arches like spider webs. Behind the each arch stood five guards in a line, at attention to the approaching group. These were known as all or nothing arches and were the tertiary line of containment in the present. There enchanted structure required one pony to pass through to one side though on of the arches while the other did the same but from the opposite side and with the other arch. Every time this was attempted the in and out arches would switch and require the guards to alternate who passed therough which arch from which side. Failure to do so would see the spindly runes fire off there reserve magic to fry any creature under either arch like a microwave under three seconds. The assembly of guards on the opposite side approached their side at the same time as Celestia's made the last of the way towards theirs. The procedure was quick and efficient with each line alnernating arches in respect to their counterparts. After it was finished the groups had swapped places and the now off duty guards gave a small salute before making their way back towards the normality of equestrian life.
Celestia continued a small way further down the passage that had taken a far more polished look to it, it felt more solid and the tunnel had a mire uniform shape to it. Pairs of torches that dotted the tunnel at regular intervals of the tunnel walls automatically ignited as the group passed them. Before to long the group arrived at the end of the tunnel at another door that resembled that of a bank vault. Purge and to other guards who had crimson streaks in their armour, his deputies, walked up to the plate metal of the door and proceeded to spin the three sets of dials on the door in different and throughly rehearsed patterns. There was a thunderous click as the last barrier opened outward to reveal the antechamber of the complex and the sole resident it housed.
The chamber was somehow darker than the dank corridors that winded up to it and felt more clinical than a cave should be. It was round in overall shape and in its centre stood a circular podium with three steps. It was what was on this podium that was important in the room and the reason it had been constructed. On it sat the hunched over figure of a pony that was covered in tight looking leather braces that were held harshly across it's body by various taught chains that linked from various points from it to anchors in the chambers smooth walls. The head of the figure was wrapped up in a stiff muzzle that obscure all of the pony's features except it's eyes which were currently closed. Overall it looked like a very tightly wrapped black parcel that in the middle of various tug of war ropes.
Surrounding the podium were stakes of steel rods that all pointed inwardly at the figure to create a field of deadly thorns that stopes the figure from climbing down from the pedestal should it get free. Around that were large runes drawn in chalk on the permiter of an even larger circle drawn all the way around the stake forest. The circle and the pictures where of that of the zodiac and together it created the Zodiac Seal, one of the most powerful rune based incantations known to ponykind and one meant to never be broken. It had much the same effect on trespassers as the all or nothing arches, burning them alive until they were just a pile of ash.
Such precautions were completely nessassary as the pony they contained was decried as evil incarnate and had for many years, coldly murdered over 30 ponies across equestria for a reason he did not intend to share. The pony in question was known as Blight and was the most awful thing to ever happen to ponykind.
Celestia walked into the chamber with her escorts with a cold look of detachment she forced herself to wear every time she came here, she could not bring herself to let out the disgust she felt. In response to the presence he knew was already in his chamber coming further into it, Blight let out a loud but muffled groan with out changing his posture, like he had just woken up from a pleasant seiester. The groan reverberated around the chamber and broke the awkward silence that was present to replace it with a sinister atmosphere.
"Why hello there, dear Celestia" Blight said muffled like all the sounds he made "nice of you to grace my abode with your presence again"
Celestia ignored this, this is how he nearly always greeted her, that or some other sickly pleasant remark.
"I'm here. As always, liked we agreed" she replied while the Keepers present fanned out around the room to surround the podium.
"Yes, the 31st of January at exactly 8:00 pm. Punctual as always if I may add."
Celestia's gaze hardened. It was always his small talk that put her on edge, just as he intended it to.
"I'm here, so my part of the deal is fulfilled so you hold up yours."
"In good time, all in good time my dear. There really is no rush."
"Tell me a location, this was our deal that we both agreed to."
"And I never said I wouldn't uphold it." Blight interrupted "Why can't our little socials be something about business all the time."
Celestia remained quiet, Blight would sometimes stall like this but he would give her a location in the end but only after he had played one of his pathetic little games. She would have to play along, she needed those locations, the locations of the unmarked graves of his last 18 victims.
The families needed solace she reminded herself.
"There's a good girl, quiet now for a few minutes while uncle Blight tells you a story." Blight said, lifting his head up so that Celestia could see his discoloured eyes. One was the colour of rust while the other took on the darker shade of ebony. His eyes and the lifting up of his head were the only means of diplaying his emotions to visitors (not that he got many) so he used them sparingly. This particular moment he wanted Celestia to know he was being serious as his polluted eyes locked with her own brilliant blue ones.
"Do you know why I choose this day Celestia?" he started calmly.
"Because it's your birthday" Celestia half asked, her stern expression softened slightly.
Blight's eyes expanded in mock astonishment.
"Wow, one deity has been doing her homework!"
Celestia tensed up again at this remark.
"Actually no, that is not the real reason and is actually more of a coincidence, believe it or not but good effort"
Blight became serious again.
"No, this the anniversary of my fifth kill." he said a hint of elation in his voice.
Everyone in the room flinched at this as they always did when Blight decided to 'reminaice'. He would do it to antagonise the guards stationed in his chamber. He was a a sadist, he got off on others discomfort and pain.
He was a 'sadist', they actually had to create a new word for what he was thought Celestia.
Death had a special place in the utopia of Equestria, it is what naturally came about to ponies who had had a happy and sometimes long existence, they were always mourned and loved and their deaths always strenthgened their loved ones in the long run in what they did with life. Blight broke that cycle, heck he screwed the whole thing over. He killed ponies in absolute cold blood with no remorse, made them suffer most of the time, let them die slowly, cold, alone and scared.
Made their families suffer, made everyone suffer. The events were treated as best as they could by Celestia and her state but the scars would forever be there, such thing simply never happens in paradise.
"Yes it was a cold night." Blight started up again. "She wouldn't stop shivering..." Blight paused, expecting a rebuttal or interruption from the monarch. Celestia had her eyes down and teeth gritted attempting to endure the macabre story.
Blight registered this with an internal smile and continued.
"The town was Trottingham, the weather is nearly always chilly. Now that I think about it, it is strange that you always allow the weather teams to keep that up... Time to review your weather polices m'lady." Blight jested.
He would frequently break in his sick soliloquies to make snide remarks at the princess. She had to endure as this was part of the deal they had struck: a name and location a year if the princess would come and visit and have a 'nice little chat'.
"On that particular day the teams had devised a 'wonderful' little hale storm. I was sitting inside my favourite café, the one a continuously and masterfully robbed and paid for drinks with their own bits. A satisfactory relationship I was still happy to exploit at the time."
The princess had heard of it, it was a crime scene in one of his other stories.
"Anyway, she was in the café just across the way. Now of course by this point the high street is deserted so I could easily see her through the shop windows. Nervous thing, quite besides herself. Had to something but was wondering whether or not to brave the storm. So I sipped by black coffee and watched her. "
Blight moved on to his observations at the time, much like the stalker he was.
"She was young, I guessed 23. She had glasses but wasn't bookish. Half-rimmed. No practical use for everyday reading. No they were lean and stylish, not sturdy so she used them for an semi-regular activity where appearances were key.
That combined with her bobbed mane and professional clothing put her as a secretary. For a CEO most likely, as she held her fore hooves like a rabbit when partially relaxed, like the position of them on a typewriter.
However she hadn't been doing it for too long as the typing lumps on her hooves were to small. I guessed about 3 weeks because of that. She had to leave work early that day as she was still glancing over papers in that stupid frantic way where you can't actually read anything. She did this to the same page several times and mouthed the words. She couldn't speed read. More evidence for my idea.
So she had to leave work early, probably to her bosses annoyance who she was trying to make a good impression on as she wore bright pink lipstick. The shade was to bright and it had sparkles in it to be anything cheap.
Why did she leave I here you ask?"
Celestia remained stoic, aggressively staring at him. She had to listen, yes, but didn't have to give any other input.
"Well you see this is where I was kind off stumped..." Blight continued very casually, as if asking a friend about a crossword puzzle.
"Was it family issue or money? I guessed family. See she kept crossing and recrossing her hooves you see and sometimes stretching." Blight paused for effect. "I thought she was pregnant."
Celestia's visage slipped for a nanosecond but renewed with a harder stare. Blight saw it all and giggled happily. That was just what he wanted.
Celestia knew one thing that could perhaps be called a good quality of Blight (although not the way he employed it). He was a genius in observation. He could formulate plans and read the disposition of others by being able to quietly watch them from afar. Much like he had just seen Celestia's anger at this particular choice of victim. It was what made him so hard to catch and what made him the only pony Celestia, in all her years, had ever wanted to kill.
Blight had got what he had wanted. A reaction. He knew it was childish but didn't care in the slightest.
He cleared his throat again, the guards flinched at this. His stories always put them on edge. He began again.
"I mean if she had broken from work to go to a doctor's appointment it would account for the white slip of paper that crudely stuck out of her saddle bag. In the front pocket, you know the one that most have that you can easily take things in and out of.
So she was nervous as she had left work early from a job she needed and had just got, to go to a doctors appointment where she was told that she was pregnant. She had come to the coffee shop in question due to it's cheap wares and accessibility on the high street.
She came to work more until she could go home and tell her lover after he presumably left for work and arrived home at the same time. She knew his routine well enough to make such a plan but was had not been seeing him for too long as she stayed far to late, until the storm. Pointlessly killing time because she was scared of his reaction. She only realized how late it was when the clouds started to rumble and the place was empty."
Blight smiled inside again. It was nice pulling together a deduction, for an audience or not.
"After that it was a small matter of taking note of when she asked for the bill and the delay time that crappy place had until they actually gave you the dam thing. I stole an umbrella and headed of down the road that had the most shelter but was still a main street.
I offered her shelter when she passed, acting all flustered myself.
She accepts and its game over."
Celestia let out a quiet sigh she didn't know she was keeping in and spoke again.
"What was her name?" Tough and simple.
"She was prettier up close. Did you know you can suffocate a pony into unconsciousness with an umbrella? I certainly didn't. A dash of creativity on my part."
"A name." Celestia interrupted, more a demand than ever.
"When she was begging for her life, she did admit she was pregnant. I couldn't believe it, even my hunches are right!"
The guards were reacted now and Purge tried to settle them down but very much shared their disgusted expressions. This was a bad one.
Celestia was just as moved and was rapidly running out of patience. "A name, Blight. Now!" She semi-shouted, voice and breath both rising and increasing.
"She shouldn't have told me that." Blight continued, his voice reaching an excited but level fever pitch. "I stabbed her in the womb first and let her bleed out as her foal died within her. She wouldn't stop sobbing."
"A NAME YOU FILTH!!!" Screamed the princess, her voice thrown at the killer rattling the chains and the room.
All the guards flinched in shock and some drew the weapons while some went deadly silent.
Purge had his mouth open and was the first to speak to the princess.
"Your Highness...." He said, unable and unwilling to say anything else.
Celestia realized what she had done and decided to go with it, her emotions taking over.
She stormed over to the pedestal with the very calm prisoner on it. The guards made some cries to stop her and some moved forwards. Purge held back one actually making a physical move for the princess. The guard, a junior by the name of Vanguard, turned to her superior with fear and shock. Purge looked her seriously, dead in the eye with a wise and solemn gaze and simply shook his head. Vanguard eased back reluctantly.
Celestia reached the pedestal within moments breeching the seal. Nothing happened to her besides the runes glowing and letting out a low hissing sound in confirmation of their caster being present.
Celestia laid her hooves either side of where Blight was forced to sit and let her eyes burrow into his own. His gaze opposed hers literally and in emotion. Hers was fuelled by the cruel injustice the monster had been allowed by her to commit for too long and framed by the guilt she felt because of that. His was calm and sickly jovial as she was doing exactly what he wanted her to.
"A name. A place." Celestia whispered, promising death itself.
"Buttons Pusher. The Trottingham Golden Gate cemetery. Plot 5. Look for the grave of Alabaster Snr." Blight replied, overshadowed by the monarch but sinister in the serenity of his voice in the face of her wrath.
Celestia pulled away, eyes never leaving the pony. She became calm again although still extruding a sense of great power and authority. Buttons, the second pony missing from Trottingham. She remembered her family....and fiancé.....
"Commander Purge, inform the response squads immediately." It was stated with Purge's full title. She was falling into her normal façade again.
"Of course Your Majesty." He responded, just as professional. He bowed and ushered two other surprised and slightly shellshocked guards to follow him.
Celestia glared at Blight one more time. His own eyes where now down and waltzing about the room like a hyper colt.
She turned at her own escort began to do the same. Leaving the chamber faster than she entered it.
"Plot 5 is a children patch you know."
Celestia flinched for a second, hesitant in her next step. Her guards stopped again, looking nervously between the two.
Blight smiled again under the muzzle.
Celestia made an unseen frown and a shiver of brief anger before resuming her leave.
Blight smiled further and called after her and her completely unnerved escort. "Don't forget to write! We should do this again sometime!"
His maniacal giggling bounced down the tunnel as Celestia trod back from the hellish depths to her unspoilt kingdom.
"Thank you for visit Princess....." Blight mused in his head. "....and for the way out."
Author's Note
These need completing and a tune up for a while. Quite a dark project of mine and one I don't particularly like. I could go somewhere with it but I don't want to and my efforts would be best put somewhere else. If anyone at all would like to finish this PM and it's yours. Well, a simple cliff hanger can work until then.....
