The Marrow of the Spirit Book One: Ashes Against the Grain

Blood. Blood everywhere. The color Crimson filled his vision, and he was it's King. Bodies lay strewn across the landscape, as he looked towards the field before him. Hundreds. Thousands. Millions, for all he knew; Agalloch was never good with numbers. His own body and clothes were adorned with the color red and yet strangely, it didn't bother him. Agalloch stood in the middle of tundra of death, with enough corpses to populate a city. He heard rustling and shuffling behind him; what was left of the current battalion of soldiers, Arkon's finest, were busy carrying the wounded to the medical tent, and their honored death to a mass grave.

He looked before his feet and saw the Minotauri soldier before him, his sword jammed between his ribs. He took a life, today. He took many lives today. This was the biggest battle fought, so far, and he killed and killed and killed. He remembered the old vets at the Golden Claw Pub back at home talk about their first kill. It was supposed to feel horrible, sickening, and, most of all, painful, as if a part of you was dying with your target.

Agalloch felt nothing of the sort, and that was what scared him.

He wanted to feel pain, to feel sorrow, to feel something negative! But he didn't. He felt good, great, even, better than he had felt since this whole mess started, and that worried him dearly.  According to rumor, he had killed more Minotauri than any other Ranger that day, even his father. His own fucking father. He wanted to feel sick at such a notion, but he didn't. He felt proud. Disgustingly proud.

The soldiers gave him nickname that day, to acknowledge his deeds, whether fare or foul. A name that they felt that he deserved. A name that he loathed, yet accepted.

"So, you're the King In Crimson, now, huh?" Agalloch heard a voice say, behind him. He turned around to see Gryden, his best friend, coming up behind him. Like himself, Gryden was covered in the gore of war, though not to the extent of Agalloch's current horrid appearance. Being a griffin, he was used to the carnage of the hunt, but the killing of fellow sentient beings? It felt wrong to Gryden. He was brash, brave, and overly confident. He enjoyed the thrill of the hunt, and snagging of prey from the crags of the cliffs by Snowhoof. But this...this was murder. Even if they started it first. Even if they deserved every bit of pain, of grief, of misery that they so fucking deserved. What happened today was wrong in every sense.

"Yeah, I guess I am," replied Agalloch. Gryden sat next to him, observing the corpse at Agalloch's feet.

"How many does this one make?"

“.... You don't want to know, Gry" Agalloch replied.

The two were silent, both deep in thought. Thoughts of what happened, what was present, and what was going to happen filled their minds. How much longer would this conflict last? How many other countless creatures would die? A horn was heard in the distance; its sad and melodious melody carried its song over corpse and field. It was the Royal Melody. The King was here, coming from some other battle up further north towards the Licknia Fields. If he was here, this far south, then the battle must have been lost. A loss they couldn't afford.

The two friends stared at one another, as a wave of hopelessness washed over them. Why couldn't things have just stayed the same? Why would anyone want something like...like this to happen? Their musings were cut short from a rumble emanating from Gryden's stomach. Gryden looked up, and blushed. It started with snicker, than a giggle, than full-scale laughter from the two youths. And, just like that, the horrors of the world were abated, if not for briefest moments. Amid the carnage of the battlefield, there were two friends, laughing, together, and, for the moment, mirthful.

"Come on Ags, let's head back to camp and get some grub" Gryden said with a chuckle, heading towards the encampment.

"Right behind you, Gry," Agalloch replied. He pulled his sword from the Minotauri's body, and wiped it on a cloth from his pack. Sheathing the blade, he followed Gryden back to the camp, with one last glance towards the corpse behind him. His father was probably preparing the King's arrival if they heard the horn form here. Maybe he should ask the King about his feelings towards killing. The pleasure he felt was unnatural and unnerving. He needed to talk to someone who would understand. But first he would wash, eat and change.

The King of Arkon was coming, and the King of Crimson was his servant.

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A flicker of light caught his eye. And the warmth, oh Goddess, the warmth. He felt amazing! He felt...alone. The young Ranger lazily tightened his arms, expecting to feel the warm fur of Cherry in his grasp.

He felt nothing.

Agalloch jerked up right, his eyes bursting open. As far as he could tell, he was in a room that was faintly illuminated from a fire in the fireplace. He noticed tables and desks, covered in papers and other office supplies. He, himself, was on a what appeared to be couch that was to small for his large frame. He heard shuffling, muttered talking, coming from another room to the left of the couch. One voice sounded like Cherry's, relief flowing through Agalloch's mind. Cherry was awake and well enough to talk he thought. The other voice was unknown to him, most likely the mare that had answered the door for him. The mare that saved his and Cherry's life.

He threw off the blankets in order to walk to the other room, but a sudden burst of cold, especially to his nether regions, alerted him that he was, at the moment, very, very naked. His face flushed, immediately. A complete stranger, a mare no less, saw him...in the nude! While most creatures walked around in the nude all the time, Agalloch felt very uncomfortable with the notion of being unclothed and scanned the room for his clothes. Turning towards the fireplace, he could see that his long, black hooded cloak, along with his boots, pants and leather chest armor lay by the fire. Grasping them, he could feel that they were soaking wet. He quickly wrapped the blankets that were on the couch around him into a crude cloak to hide his shamefully bare body. His movements must have caught the attention of the other two, for he heard the one-sided conversation stop, and the sound of hoof steps coming towards him. The mare from before and Cherry stood in the doorway adjacent to the couch.

"AGALLOCH!!!" the red filly cried before jumping into the arms of her brother.

Agalloch barely had enough time to tie the ends of his make shift cloak to keep it from falling off before his sister slammed into his stomach. He fell back wards, landing on the couch once again, while Cherry clung to his chest, weeping tears of relief and joy.

"Ssshhh, Cherry, it's OK, now. We're OK and safe" Agalloch spoke gently, stroking the small red filly's back "Don't worry, I got you now, and won't let you go."

"B-b-but A-A-Agalloch... I-I was so s-sc-scared!" Cherry stuttered through her tears. Agalloch continued petting her, rocking her back and forth.

"Ahem, er, excuse me," The mare behind the two of them piped up.

Agalloch and Cherry lifted their heads towards the direction of their savior. She stared at the two siblings, with a small smile adorning he face. Agalloch released his sister and turned to face the mare before him. Dropping to her eye level, Agalloch impulsively pulled her into a hug. Mayor Mare was shocked, at first, but eased into the hug, and wrapped her forelegs around Agalloch's neck.

"Thank you," Agalloch said "Thank you so much for saving my little sister. If she would've died...I don't know what I would have done."

"There, there," Mayor Mare cooed, " it's quite alright. I couldn't leave you two out there, now could I? What kind of pony would that make me?"

"It is still appreciated."

"Well, maybe you could answer some questions of mine young...colt? I'm sorry; I don't know what to call you. What manner of creature are you?"

Agalloch rose back to his feet, and turned to stare at the fire. "I don't know what I am," replied Agalloch "as far as I know, I could be the first, the last, or the only one of my kind in this known world. But, as for my name, I am Agalloch Alcest Steel, Son of Bright Steel, and the rank of Principality of the order of Wilder-Land Rangers, at your service, ma'am." He turned around to face her, putting his fist across his chest, and gave a small bow as a sign of respect to his savior. Mayor Mare looked at Agalloch with a puzzled expression.

"Did you just bow at me?" she asked, quizzically.

"Yes, it is a custom we practice back at Arkon, as a way to show a sign of respect to our elders. Er, as in adults, ma'am. Not that you look old or anything, heh heh." he said awkwardly, blushing a little.

"Oh, um, thank you, dearie," replied Mayor Mare "but you mentioned you’re a Ranger, and came from a place called Arkon. I'm confused here, what are those exactly, Agalloch?”

Now it was Agalloch's turn to look puzzled.

"You've never heard of the kingdom of Arkon, one of the oldest kingdom's of the Far North?" Mayor Mare shook her head from side to side.

"Then you don't know what’s happened there, do you?"

"I'm afraid not, Agalloch."

Agalloch sighed. This was going to be a very long explanation. He turned to look at Cherry, who had nodded off to sleep on the couch behind him. Good he though she needs her rest. He stroked her mane, causing a small smile to form on her lips as she snuggled into the warmth of the couch.

"I heard you and my sister talking," Agalloch said "She didn't tell you anything, did she?"

"I'm afraid she didn't talk much," Mayo Mare stated "I asked her this morning if she wanted hot chocolate, and she very quietly said no, and she told me her name when I asked for it."

"Cherry's a very quiet kid, ma'am. Even back before everything went to hell, she didn't talk much. Oh,  and she doesn't like hot chocolate. She likes coffee."

"What! You don't give a small filly coffee!" Mayor Mare exclaimed.

"Tell that to my dad. Said it'll put hair on her chest," smirked Agalloch, chuckling a bit at his dad’s old joke. Though the smile turned quite quickly to a frown, painful thoughts of his loss coming back to him.

"Well, as long as I'm here, that filly will touch nothing of the sort," huffed the Mayor, the thought of a child of her size and age consuming a drink that even she could barely tolerate irritating her. But her musings were cut short when she saw the pained expression cross Agalloch's face.

"Agalloch, are you all right," she asked. She was answered with silence.

A single tear fell from Agalloch's right eye, all the events of the past 3 years coursing through his mind.

"I think I better start from the beginning, huh?"

"What?"

"Who me and my sister are, where we come from. If I have to explain that, than I have to start from the beginning. Please, refrain from any questions until I am finished explaining, ma'am." Agalloch said in a monotone voice, causing the mood of the room quickly change.

"My name is Mareyln T. Mare, Agalloch, the Mayor of this town. There's no need to call me ma'am, all the time. But please, explain yourself, and I'll hold my questions until later."

Agalloch nodded his head, and turned back to the face the fire. The flames' flickered, causing the reflections in his eyes to dance across his irises. "You're in for a long story Miss Mayor," he said. Clearing his throat, Agalloch began his tale:

"Two thousand years ago, before the settling of the Kingdom you are in presently, before the Griffins built their vast empire and became the superpower it is today, even before the Bossk, or Diamond Dog in the Common Tongue, built there Kingdom of Stone, in the Far North, was The Wild. The Wild was the untamed land located between the wandering Pony tribes to the south, The Griffin Kingdoms to the west, the Gem Valley, where the Bossk dwell, to the east…and the Minotauri, or Minotaur, Kingdom to the North. The Wild was filled with creatures of the likes that have never seen before, beautiful and dangerous alike, where bandits and marauders sought refuge from the law, where the environment could kill you as well as mesmerize you. During those days, settlers from all four nations tried to settle those lands, for rumors of rich silver ore, a precious and rare metal, I’m sure you know, were spread throughout the lands. But most expeditions would end in a bloodbath, by the environments harsh seasons, dangerous creatures, or the sheer amount of lawlessness that was there. How the bandits ever survived, I will never know, but times in the Wild turned them crueler than the usual bandit, and murder was not uncommon.”

Mayor Mare gasped. Such notions of murder confused and scared her. Equestria has always been a land of peace, and violence was a topic that very rarely entered into the lives of everyday citizens, least of all…murder.

She waited for Agalloch to continue speaking.

“The violence became so bad, that a mixed group of settlers, from all four major kingdoms, and some from other areas of the continent, congregated together, and worked to form the first town in the middle of the Wild. The leader of the group was a grizzled ex-captain from the ranks of  an elite unit of the Griffin army. His name was Feather Arc. The settlers named the town of less than 400 Sanfaran, which in old Griffin meant ‘The Rock’, for the area was riddled with quarries of stone.

This was the turning point of the area. It was here, where the future of this land was discovered. While digging around the local perimeters of the town, several settlers unearthed silver ore. With this discovery, Arc soon made it his priority to protect their find, and it’s people, and so, gathering the best fighters from the four major races of the settlers, he assembled and trained some of the best fighters to ever emerge, Wilder-Land Rangers. Through months and months of training, he, along with his three lieutenants, Red Steel, the pegasus, Xasthur, the Bossk, and Rabbaz, the Minotauri, harnessed the fighting traits of the four races: the brutality of the Minotauri, the tracking skill and endurance of the Bossk, the speed of the pegasi Ponies, and the agility of the Griffin, to mold these soldiers into a fighting force that had never been seen before.

There were six ranks one could achieve as Ranger. The starting rank was the rank of Dominion, meant for those who graduated training, or at least lived through it. From there, your rank increased through the valor and bravery you showed during in the lien of duty, and through the recommendation a superior ranking ranger. In order, the ranks were Dominion, Virtue, Principality, Knight Ranger, Throne, and after Arc stepped down as the leader of the Rangers, and ascended the throne of Arkon, the rank of Grand Master, in which there could only be one at a time until the current Grand Master died, or was cast down. As I said before, I have only reached the rank of Principality.

Once their training was complete, he sent them into the Wild, to guard construction teams who built trade roads, destroyed any sign of bandits, and ‘tame’ the vast wilderness before them. With their aid, and the formation of a standard fighting force, along with the richness of the silver mines, Sanfaran became a massive city, and other cities emerged from the tamed land. Seven years after Sanfaran’s founding, the entire area became a sovereign kingdom, lead by Feather Arc, guarded by his Rangers, and renamed Arkon, an Old Griffin word meaning 'Strong'. That should cover the jest of the history lesson, for now.”

Agalloch took a seat next to Cherry, who was still fast asleep. He patted the space next to him, allowing Mayor Mare to sit on his right. He took a deep breath before continuing:

“Now all that’s left to talk about is myself and Cherry. You already know my name, and that I don’t know what I am in regards to my species, but you don’t know my origins or how I came to be in Arkon. I don’t know if I was ever truly…born. I mean, I have to have been at some point, but all I know is what my father told me. Cherry’s father and mine was Bright Steel, a unicorn of large height, with a long, messy mane of silver and fur as black as midnight, who was the current Grand Master of the Rangers. He told me he was patrolling an area of woodland where a pack of timberwolves were said to have been sighted, the cruelest pack to enter the area in centuries, who killed not only for food, but for sport as well, with the intent to destroy them on sight. He tracked them to cave on the east side of the cliffs by Mt. Cloud, near a small village. He entered the cave, following the their tracks, but noticed changes inside when he went further into dark. The walls changed from stone, to something akin to metal, he told me, and strange 'tubes' adorning the floor.

He didn't know how long he walked into the cave, or whatever it was; he simply admired the surroundings around him. The cave, he told me, opened into a vast room, covered with seemingly metal...machines or something of the like, which were everywhere, and in the center of the room, the timberwolves lay. They arose and charged at him, but my father wasn't the Grand Master for nothing. He drew his sword, the sword that is leaning against the fireplace right here, and utterly destroyed them. One of the bodies’ slunked into one of the strange machines, which caused it make strange sounds and seemingly speak in a strange language, so he said. The machine opened with a hiss, he stared inside and he found-“

“You, he found you didn't he?” interrupted Mayor Mare. Agalloch turned his head to face the mare, who stared at him with undivided attention.

“Yeah,” he said “He found me in there. For the sake of time, I’ll say that he brought me back to his home village of Snowhoof, where he brought me into his family, and they raised me. The story is much more complex than that, but I’ll save that for another time.”

“I understand, Agalloch,” Mayor Mare said. Agalloch allowed a small smile to grace his face, as he nodded his head in appreciation. Mayor Mare returned with a smile of her own.

“Anyway, I grew up into his family. My mother, a pegasus named Spring Dew, with a white coat and a long, golden mane, was the kindest pony I have ever met. Even though I wasn't her son, yet alone her species, she…she loved me like I was her own child, and never have I been more blessed than to have her care for me. I had two older siblings, if you counted me as being a year old when I was pulled from the cave. My older brother was a pegasus like my mother, but had black fur like my father, and his fighting spirit. His name was Birch Black, and if anypony had the potential to take my father’s place, it was him. A few years back, he reached the rank of Knight Ranger! He was only 19 at the time! When I was inducted to the rangers when I was 9, he was idol, my hero, and was always there for me.

My older sister was a white unicorn mare named Summer Isle. She was an artist, and loved painting pictures of the seasons, especially summer. She also had the loveliest singing voice. When I was much, much younger, she’d sing to me every night to help me sleep when the winter winds howled past my bedroom window. It was a strange song, in an even stranger language. I never asked what the words meant, though. I sung it every now and then to Cherry when we were on the road, recently, to help her sleep. My sister and brother were good ponies, as were my mother and father, and I miss them all dearly.”

“Are they…are they dead?” Mayor Mare asked, with hesitation in her voice. The strange creature looked towards the ground, the fire’s light fading from his face.

“Yeah, they’re dead,” he stated, coldly.

“Four years ago, tensions between Arkon and The Minotauri Kingdom grew to its peak. You see, Ponies, Dragons, and Bossk covet gems, Griffins covet gold, and the Minotauri, especially their high council and thanes, covet silver above all things. Whatever drew them to silver, drew them to our kingdom's silver mines. We shipped as much as we could allow to their lands, but their need for the precious metal could never be satisfied. We instilled an embargo on silver to their country, in protest to their violent threats. They didn't take it well."

"They invaded. We never saw it coming, and there was no warning. I remember my best friends father bursting into the room, screaming at the top of his lungs ‘ WE'VE BEEN INVADED, WE'VE BEEN INVADED!’ Apparently, the Minotauri army annexed ten miles of territory, and all the villages and towns within the area were destroyed. All diplomatic ties were cut off. We couldn't get any messages to them. The Minotauri wanted our land and our silver, and were not above killing everything and anything to get it. So we fought back. The Rangers lead the fight, and at first we were able to push them back. With Rangers leading the way, victory felt assured. Or so we thought. The Minotauri used these new…weapons of some sort.

What they did was unfathomable.

You would just hear a bang, and see a slash of light, and than, you’d die. In the blink of an eye, we began losing fight after fight. These new weapons destroyed everything and every creature. And the killing wasn't strictly to the armies, oh no, the Minotauri proceeded to genocide every town, every refugee camp, any place that would hold life. Hell, they even killed then animals. these weapons made them not only stronger, but crueler as well. They didn't even spare Arkon Minotauri, calling them 'Blood Traitors. Their evil truly knew no bounds.

Me, my family, what was left of the Rangers and the army, as well as thousands of others refugees, were pushed back to the Sanfaran, the last walled city in the kingdom. The whole fucking kingdom. For three days, three horrible days, we where under siege. The amount of death I saw was just…unfathomable. The third night, the Minotauri breached the gate, with a new weapon. All we saw was the gate one moment, and a firey explosion next. It was utter chaos. Thousands of soldiers poured into the city. Death. Blood. Oh Goddess…”

Agalloch slumped forward, as he began to weep again. Mayor Mare would’ve comforted him, would’ve patted his back, tell him everything was all right. But she was stunned. Disturbed. Mortified. She stared at this creature, who held his face in his hands and sobbed and cried into his palms. Her brain could not comprehend the amount of…evil that had transpired in this world. Finally, she snapped out of her stupor, and wrapped her forelegs around Agalloch, shushing him, trying to alleviate his sorrow. He slowly began to calm down, took deep breaths, and relax. He turned to the mare next to him, and spoke again:

“My father and brother died trying to retake the gate; my mother and older sister were killed, along with several hunded other refugees, who were trying to escape through what remained of the last functioning hospital; The last of the Rangers, the last of my order…the last of my friends…were destroyed, along with the king, the last of the line Arc, and Goddess knows how many others. The only one not accounted for was the Prince, who was away at the time of the siege, probably trying to gain support from the Griffin Empire. I haven't heard word of him since.

I saw Cherry among the crowd. How she got there, I will never know. Me and Gryden and several other Rangers were ordered to hold off this last small section of city, to allow the nobles to escape. I, at the time, felt like I had nothing left to live for, and was ready face an honorable death. But when I saw Cherry, I sheathed my sword and ran to her. I can still hear my comrades shout at me, frantically crying out to me to stay and help them hold there area. To not abandon them. I saw Gryden’s eyes fill with tears when i fled the field. I could see the hurt in his face when I abandoned him. Him. One of the few who had been with me through everything that had happened. My brother in everything but flesh. My friend...

But I ignored them. I ignored him. I grabbed Cherry and fled, hiding among the nobles, servants, who ever could possibly escape the slaughter, and abandoned my city, my kingdom, and my order. The last I heard, Arkon flies a different flag, and is now a province of the newly formed Minotauri Empire. I fled south, to a kingdom known for its peace, prosperity and harmony. I fled here. And that’s all I can tell you.”

A silence encompassed the room. Each person had different thought s flowing through his and her head. While Mayor tried to make sense of all she heard, Agalloch felt the sleep beginning to come over him.

“Ma’am, I’m really tired. Maybe we could talk more tomorrow?” inquired Agalloch, who eyes felt heavier and heavier with each passing second.

“Yes,” Mayor Mare responded “we’ll talk more tomorrow. Hopefully the storm will abate soon, and we could show you around are town, as well as introduce you to the locals.” She tried to force a smile, but she felt sick, as all manner of foul things pulsed through her mind. She got up, and began to walk to her office upstairs. She had a lot to think about tonight.

“Goodnight,” she said before ascending the stairs.

“Goodnight, ma’am,” Agalloch responded “and thank you again, for everything.”

With that, he lay back onto the couch, wrapped his arms around Cherry, and settled into a sleep, with dreams of blood and battle emanating through his subconscious.

It would be a long night.