The sun was already up when I knocked on the large doors to the Mistresses chambers, but despite my hopes, there was no reply. The door was magically sealed as it had been the first time I’d tried to gain access and no amount of banging on it was going to change that. I’d try again later, besides, as the princess of the night, she was probably asleep anyway.

Most of the agents had finished their breakfast, if you could even call it that, and gone off to their various assignments. I was still a bit of an enigma here though, with no specific orders or routine, I just sort of ‘hung around’ until given a job. Even so, I had the feeling I’d be called upon before long. What happened next though really was a surprise.

Tingles trotted round the corner and waved to me, “Ah ha! There you are!”, she beamed at me as she approached, “Got a message from the Mistress for you”. Tingles made a exaggerated surprised face, “Aaaand…guess who’s going to be working with you from now on…?”

I couldn’t believe it, “What...you? Good Goddesses Tingles, how did that happen? I didn’t even know you were here until yesterday and then, ‘boom’, you’re my partner?”

She hung he head, pawing the ground, “I…I thought you’d be pleased.”

“I am pleased!” I cried, “Very! I’m just surprised too, I mean…how? What happened to Wist?”

Tingles was suddenly serious, a coldness entering her voice that gave me pause, “I asked Warlock if I could work with you and he agreed. No arguments, no discussions, you know what he’s like. As for Wist…I don’t know, his rooms empty and noponies even mentioned him to me.”

I nodded, “Yeah, I saw. It’s like he never existed, but somepony knows. Honestly, after what happened at the coffee shop, I wouldn’t care if I never saw him again anyway.”

“I heard”, she replied. “Come on, whats the Mistress got to say?” The nosy pony pushed her muzzle towards my letter.

“Hey!” I laughed, “Give over, its addressed to me, not you”. She nickered and stuck her tongue out at me playfully. I opened the letter and read it silently,

Agent Nox,

You are required to make yourself available for mission briefing, two days hence. Until this time, you are free to put in order any affairs you may have had outstanding prior to your recruitment date.

Agent Tingles has been assigned to work with you as your partner and I request that you spend your free time getting to know each other better.

Please note that we have not forgotten your request and that enquiries are still ongoing.

M

“Getting to know each other better…” a female voice said over my shoulder. I moved my eyes to see the tangerine mare’s green ones inches from me.

“Tingles! Bloody hell, I didn’t see you move!”, I squeaked.

“Nah,” she rummaged in her ear with a hoof, “I’m just that good…”

I barely notice the parchment starting to get warm, then hot…burning hot! “Whoa!” I shouted in surprise dropping it as it burst into flames.

Tingles laughed, her bottle green mane bouncing, “Oh! You may want to watch out for that, the Mistresses letters are a one shot deal, I guess you could say the contents are…‘smoking hot’ ?” She burst out laughing and shoulder barged me playfully. I face hoofed, these ponies were all cracked, maybe not crazed lunatics like Wist, but at the very least a bit potty. Saying that, Tingles and I knew each other reasonably well, and although it wasn’t quite like the old days in the watch, I was still grateful to Warlock and Luna for allowing me to work with an old comrade.

It was sometime around lunch when we arrived at my first planned destination for the day. My companion had decided to wait with the carriage while I went to collect my order. Chips was busy out the back of the studio, I could hear the ringing of hammers and the occasional swear word echoing in its depths. A quick ‘ding’ on the old brass counter bell brought him out a moment later, sweat and grey dust matting his dusky fur.

“Sorry about that !”, he apologised wiping a cloth across his face. It didn’t do much to clear up the mess, and if anything it made the dusty pony look even grimier. His muzzle was encrusted with the dust of his trade and you couldn’t help but wonder what state the fellows lungs were in. Nevertheless, he was damned good at his trade and Chips was a solid pony, rather like the medium he worked with.

“Mister Nox, right?”, he said smiling, I nodded, “Great…here you go. I’ve used the exact materials you asked for and the dimensions are correct. I inlaid the lettering in gold for you too. I hope it matches your expectations sir.”

He opened a cloth wrapped parcel on the bench and stood back allowing me to inspect his work. It was exactly what I’d asked for. Running my hoof along the surface, I could feel the passion he had put into his work, the skill.

“You make the stone sing, Chips. You’ve excelled yourself…”, I marvelled at the precision of the lettering, all hoof made. He charged a fair price and was indeed the very best.

He smiled at me and I passed him the agreed sum, “Thank you mister Nox, my work is something I take a personal pride in. Celestia willing, it will last an eternity.”

“Thanks again” I said, placing the heavy stone into my pack. It was a small thing really, something so…simple. Waving goodbye to Chips, I returned to the waiting sky carriage.

“Get what you wanted Nox?”, Tingles enquired. I nodded. There must have been something in the way I looked at her, as her jovial smile faltered momentarily before she asked, “Where to now?”

The sun was high in the sky and I could feel a light breeze blowing in off the river, this was going to be bloody awkward, but it needed to be done I suppose. “Here’s the address partner, you okay to do this with me?”

Tingles looked down at the note and whinnied, “Does this answer your question?” The carriage rocketed into the air, flinging me back into the seat bodily. Celestia! She was fast…The world flew past in a blur and before I knew it we were out over the river and the mountains beyond. I’d best settle back, this was going to be a decent flight and I was glad I’d brought my saddle blanket to keep me warm. Tingles had her own flight coat on which was designed to keep out the wind and avoid chilling her too much.

We continued to climb until I could see the tops of the mountains in the distance, their snow covered white tops glistened in the sunlight. Above the clouds, the sky was a pure blue, the sun a bright ball of light. No wonder ponies worshipped Celestia, the one who brought us such beauty. It was times like these I wished I’d be born a Pegasus and been able to see this every day, goddesses, I could never tire of this.

Around two hours or so later, we began a gentle descent, clouds whipping past us like white insubstantial fluff. Hoping my companion didn’t see me, I couldn’t resist sticking my tongue out to see what they tasted like. Sadly…they didn’t taste of anything at all, but still, it was bit of foalish fun. A small chortle from the front of the carriage made me sit back down hurriedly, bugger it! I’d forgotten about Tingles ability to spot things. With any luck, she’d forget what I’d done or else the cheeky tangerine mare would never let me forget it.

Below the cloud layer, I could see in the distance, a small collection of cottages, the smoke from their chimneys climbing lazily up to the sky. The hamlet was well situated for trade to and from the expansive forest, many making their trade from wood and the various plants which were used for homeopathic medicine. Not everypony trusted magic it seemed. Personally however, I’d rather believe the doctors knew best than chew on a mouthful of mushrooms and hope for the best!

We began to descend, and one classic Tingles landing later, we were back on terra firma. I patted my pilot on the shoulder as she raised her flying goggles, “Thanks Tingles, this means a lot to me you know”.

She grinned back, “I know Cap, you want me to come with you? I can stay here If you like”.

I shook my head, “I’d like the company to be honest, we’ll get something to eat while we’re here too. Come on, it’s the next building over.”

The narrow street was cobbled, flanked on both sides by stone cottages. Some thatched in the old style, some with wave style roof tiles. The quirky little village had a small population but despite that, they had always been welcoming to strangers. A jade colt and a lilac filly raced past laughing, daisy chains woven in their manes. Tingles chuckled and gave me a sidelong glance with her big green eyes, “Young love eh, Cap?”

Smiling, we both watched them race off into the tree’s, I remembered when I chased after Meadow like that once. Those memories were something nopony could take from me and I would treasure them always. Right now though, my destination lay ahead. The red door with its highly polished bell sitting next to it had never changed. Sure, the paint had been refreshed and the planters maintained, but it was still the same cottage I remembered from my foalhood. Without warning a tangerine foreleg shot past me and gripped the rope, ringing the bell for all it was worth.

“For goodness sake! You bloody kids! Pack it in or I’ll be speaking to your parents…” the voice from behind the door was slightly muffled but clearly irritated. I glared at Tingles who shrugged, feigning innocence. The red door burst open.

“What the bloody hell do you want? Go on…fuck off!”

“Aunt Pewter ?”, I smirked, she hadnt changed a bit. A few more grey hairs maybe, but the explosion of unruly mane was the reason the locals thought she was a witch. Well, that, the black cat, broom stick, cauldron and assorted skulls. You get the general idea.

She looked us both up and down and poked me in the nose, “Ow! Aunty, what was that for?” I squeaked. She lifted my sunglasses and peered into my eyes nodding slowly, and, before I could stop her, she peeked at my cutie mark under my coat.

“You’d better come in…nephew. Bring you marefriend too, but no shenanigans though! I wont have any of that under my roof. I don’t know…back in my day…” She trailed off into mumbling while we followed her, Tingles grinning like an idiot, into the gloomy interior of aunt Pewters home.

I’d always loved visiting my aunt as a foal, her house was a magical treasure trove of trinkets, potions and other wonders. The same bones and skulls hung from the ceiling on cords and her favourite incense burned in the pot near the recessed fire with its iron cauldron hanging above it. It was like time had stood still here, even the town looked the same.

“Hey…”, Tingles nudged me whispering, “…she’s not planning on eating us is she? I mean, those skulls look like…ponies. Kinda”

“Shut up!”, I hissed back.

Aunt Pewter whirled around to us, he cloak flaring out behind her, grey main striking against her grey coat and yellow eyes. Guess it came from my mothers side then…

“Are you going to stand there all day looking untidy or are you going to sit down? You’re making me feel tired watching you!”, the old unicorn clicked her tongue irritably.

I smiled at my Aunt and sat next to my Pegasus companion, taking the cup of hot tea being offered, “I don’t get many guests these days, customers sure, but not many social calls.”

She walked over and took my head in her hooves, muttering something I couldn’t understand. Pulling me this way and that, she took out a pipe from the black wood rack and proceeded to light it from a taper near the fire. When the pipe was lit, Aunt Pewter pulled over a chair with her magic and wriggled into it, staring at me intently. She nodded to herself and took a deep pull on the pipe, blowing its smoke out in a thick cloud.

The grey cloud swirled and eddied around me in patterns that made my head spin, and not from the smell either. There were…’things’ in the smoke, moving, weaving, speaking. My mind reeled and I pulled back in alarm, I didn’t like what was going on here, even though I’d seen Pewter do this with her customers. Being the subject of it was a different matter all together.

I kept my mouth shut but noticed Tingles staring at us both in shock, not many could see anything other than the smoke and I surprised that as a Pegasus she could see much of what was going on. From her expression, she’d seen…something.

“I’ve never had a dead pony in my home before. Not one that walks and talks anyway. So…who are you then?”, Pewter asked curiously.

“What ?! Auntie, its me! Fairlight, your sister Tulip’s son. Remember?”

“Of course I bloody well remember, I’m not senile for the Goddesses sake. Discords ball’s nephew, what the hell happened to you?”

“It’s a long story Auntie, I…I’m not sure where to begin.”

“The beginning is always a good place, I’d suggest, but I’m far more interested in what happened to you after you entered the Wither world”.

“Auntie…How do you know about that place?” I asked in surprise.

“Its pretty obvious to somepony with half a brain, Nephew”, she took another pull on her pipe, “Did you never read those books I gave you when you stayed here? You bear the mark of the Wither World on you flank. That...”, she pointed at my cutie mark with her pipe stem, “-is the mark of the Wendigo, the hungry spirit, the spirit of vengeance, revenge, the bringer of winter, ice and death…”

I look at Tingles who’d gone pale. For Celestia’s sake, all this mumbo jumbo was frightening her. I put my hoof on her leg and she nearly shot through the ceiling. Thankfully, a smile from my Aunt helped settle her down and she sat back in her chair. Her eyes however, belied her fear.

“Auntie for Celestia’s sake, please!”, I pleaded.

“Don’t mention that bitches name in my house !” she shouted at me her eyes bulging. I hung my head, I’d forgotten her peculiar hatred of the princess of the sun. Auntie Pewter turned to my alarmed companion, “And what of you my dear? A pretty young mare like you, does this frighten you? Do you fear legends?”

“Yes…yes I do…”

“Good girl, and so you should. For one sits next to you now. But don’t worry, he’s on our side. For now at least…”

Goddesses, I was really starting to wish I hadn’t come here, let alone bring Tingles into my Aunt’s clutches. The old bugger was as mad as a box of frogs. She probably had some in the cauldron right now.

“Does it speak to you Fairlight…the spirit inside you?”, Pewter asked.

I stared at my hooves. It had…whispered to me, in my fear, in my rage, it had answered. Together we had fought and smote my enemies, its power seething through me like a whirlwind.

“Yes. Sometimes.”

“Let me ask you my nephew…who is the master and who the slave?”

“What? I…What do you mean?”

She just sat there taking another draw on her pipe.

I shook my mane in exasperation, “I am Auntie, but please, what did you mean ‘for now?’”

She gave me a pitying look, leaning forward to pat my hind leg with a hoof. “Wendigo’s are powerful Fairlight, there is one within you and it will try to take control of you. They are dangerous, yes, but should you be able to control it, instead of it controlling you, it could be a source of incredible power, the likes of which this world has not seen for over a thousand years.”

I opened my mouth to speak, but Tingles jumped in ahead of me, “What, so the Captain…Fairlight…is one of those demons? Those…Wendigo’s? I thought they were an old mares tale, a legend. The freaky eyes and cutie mark are one thing, but…a demon?”

Aunt Pewter gave a dry laugh, slapping her side with a hoof before turning her bemused gaze on me, “A demon? Hardly! I suppose it depends on which side of the fence you belong on my dear. In the great war, some sided with the night, some with the day. Have a guess which side the wendigo’s fought on?”

A cold shudder rippled through my body, I could almost feel Tingles’ stare boring into me. She was terrified of me now, and so she should be. Whatever Aunt Pewter said, I was still ‘possessed’ by this thing, this demon. She hadn’t seen what I’d done in the Wither world, how I’d revelled in blood, sang a song of devastation as I cut down my enemies, merciless and cruel. Goddesses, was I lost completely?

Pewter stared into my eyes, “Has the hunger taken you yet Fairlight?”

“The hunger?” I knew what she meant. That terrible need, the desire for absorbing the life energy of others, “No…I’ve been eating the crystal berries. Some are supplied to my room each morning by the agency.”

Aunt Pewter laughed, “They may stave it off my dear nephew, but when you use your power, and you will, you must replenish you reserves. If you do not, the hunger could overwhelm you and the spirit take you. That…that is the time you must be strongest.”

I watched her eyes intently, “Auntie, please, can you help me?”

She sighed and leaned back for a draw on her pipe. “No. At least, not very much I fear. The berries will help avoid the worst of the hunger, but when you use your power, your energy reserves will fall and you’ll have to recover it by drinking. That is, absorbing the life energy of another. In the war, the wendigo’s would drink the energy of their fallen foe and were feared for it.”

She was right, I had done this very thing. The terrible, dread act of drinking in the life energy of the fallen. The creature in the lake had been the first, but had there probably been more, others that I had been blinded to in my battle rage.

Tingles leaned forward, “Aunt Pewter…”, the old mare turned to watch her, her expression unmoving, “Is it possible to…’gift’ some of one’s own life energy to another?”

Aunt Pewter nodded solemnly, “Yes girl, but it is highly dangerous. When a wendigo feeds, it will usually do so until either sated, or the source of the energy is empty.”

“Dead”, I filled in. Well, that was never going to happen was it? I could imagine all the ponies queuing up to offer me some life energy, ‘just a top up please love!’, for fucks sake…

“I’ll…I will be his…donor.” Tingles said quietly.

I jumped out of my seat, virtually glowing with anger, “Don’t be so fucking stupid! You haven’t seen that thing, what it does, what its capable of! Goddesses tit’s Tingles, why the hell would you even think of doing that?”

Tears welled in her eyes, “Because…because I…”

I didn’t want to hear it, “NO! And thats final, I’m not bloody well changing my mind either. Its berries or nothing, I don’t have to use the spirits power, I can rely on my own. I always did before…”

Aunt Pewter ignored me to comfort Tingles. I was incandescent with rage, furious with my Aunt for goading me, Tingles for offering her own life…for Luna’s sake, and myself for being such a…monster. Great Goddesses I was wasn’t I? A thing from a foals history book, a spirit of evil and suffering that should have stayed nothing more that a frightening bed time story.

They both watched me as I stood, anger boiling through me in a torrent. I had to get out of there, “Auntie, I’m going for a walk. Look after Tingles please, its been a long flight for her”. She nodded, putting a foreleg out to stop the tangerine mare from following me through the door as I swept out. Goddesses, so much for locking my emotions away…

The slog up the hill was heavy going, I’d been a lot younger the last time I’d followed the now overgrown path behind the cottage. What seemed like five minutes ago, was really years. I was getting older and I could feel it in my bones and muscles. Small aches and pains I’d never had before, maybe as a result of the injuries from the cabin or wear and tear, I didn’t know, came and went. I was middle aged now, I should have been happily married with children of my own…maybe even grandchildren! Well, there was no hope in hell of that ever happening now.

The image of the piss coloured stallion gloating over the broken body of Meadow haunted my thoughts, laughing at me. He’d won, he knew it too and he’d make sure it was something I’d take to my grave. The red bastard was next, his sickening stench filling my nose with its reek of decay, the crimson eyes, blood drenched orbs glowering at me. Laughter filled my ears and I fell to my knees, Meadows face before me covered in blood, tears running down her cheeks…”Fairlight…help…me…”

I reached out to her but she was so far away, I had to get to her, had to reach her. The more I tried to reach out, the farther she was, calling out to me in her pain. All the while the laughter of her tormentors echoed around me. I did the only thing I could, I reached out for the calm, the anger, rage and power deep inside me.

Any thoughts of controlling the thing were gone, I needed its unbridled power now. I would smash these creatures who dared to even lay a hoof on my precious Meadow and I would bring her home. Her eyes pleading, I found the calm spot, releasing its anger, little by little…

“ENOUGH!”

A deafening bellow hit me with enough force to make me lose my grip on the spirit. It shrieked in outrage as its chains covered it once again, my conscious thoughts and senses slamming back to the here and now. The hillside, the thick tree’s, the ice thick around me; goddesses, I’d nearly lost it…

I looked for the source of the shout and looked up into the shining eyes of a silver-grey pony, his long white mane and beard flowing in the breeze. He had an angry yet oddly gentle expression on his face and yet seemed, insubstantial somehow. Like a ghost…in the daylight. I stood, ice and snow showering off my back as I gave myself a quick shake. The old fellow watched me silently with his fathomless golden eyes. Beside him, a green mare stood watching me, her eyes brimming with tears, “Is he…”

“No, he’s still himself…for now at least. I fear there’s nopony left that can help him in this world, and I can only do so much my dear”

I struggled to remain standing, my strength felt like it had been sucked from me. Goddesses I was so tired…

“Darling, please listen, you have to take control, try, please”

The green mare pleaded with me, but it was so hard to focus, “Meadow?” I whispered, my eyesight blurring in and out.

The grey stallion leaned toward me, “You must control yourself boy, your fate is in you own hooves in this and nopony else can help you. Few if any would even remember the stories of what dwells within you, let alone how to control it. But remember this, somepony was always there first. They were able to master it and to pass down their knowledge to others. You will have to rediscover that knowledge for yourself and become the ruler, not the ruled. Do you understand what I’m saying to you?”

I nodded dumbly.

Meadow came forward, “We cannot stay long my love, but please, don’t give in to this…thing. You have the power to help ponies but its no good if you succumb to hatred and pain.”

I looked up at her helpless, “Meadow…I’m a monster, a demon. The look in their eyes when they see me…all they see if death, fear. How can I…”

She knelt before me, “Hasn’t one pony offered her help to you?”

I clenched my eyes shut. No, I couldn’t, wouldn’t do that.

The grey stallion spoke next, “You only need a little life energy to survive boy. If you focus, you can take just a little from a willing companion to help you recover, they need not die. Life energy is like a well spring, it will replenish over time. It is the hunger you must suppress, control it, bend it to your will.”

I dismissed his words, there was no way in Equestria I was going to take life from another, no matter how ‘willing’ they were.

“The berries?”, I asked, “can they not help me instead?”

“Yes, but they only grow in areas of high magical energy concentrations. This is how we could reach you. Look about you.”

He waved his staff and I followed its travel. Around me were silvery bushes, lush with the crystalline fruits. I nearly bolted forward into the nearest bush but caught myself. Damn it all, I had to stay focussed, the fruit could wait.

“My love, I told you once, ponies are not meant to be alone. Don’t cut yourself off from the love of those around you.”

“Meadow, I am alone. You’re with the herd, Shadow is lost in the Withers, I feel so empty, so afraid…inside. What if I cant control this thing? What if I cant find Shadow and return to you and Sparrow? Oh Goddesses, I don’t know what to do !?”

I shook my mane in frustration. So many times in my life I had had to make decisions, ones that ponies lives had depended upon. Yet now, now I had no idea what to do, which direction in which to turn. Sure, Luna said she would try and help me find Shadow, but it seemed so insubstantial. Was I just a tool, to be used in the battle against the smugglers? Pointed like a crossbow and unleashed? But what about afterwards, say we won and peace was restored, would the princesses really want a demonic spirit wandering about Equestria?

The grey pony slammed the base of his staff into the ground. Its impact lifted the earth around it. Thunder rolled across the hillside and shook the leaves in the trees, “See! Your heart is so full of fear and confusion that you cannot see the life around you. There is always hope boy, there is always a way to find the path that is hidden.”

I stomped a hoof, “Everypony’s telling me I have to control this thing, over and over and over again! Like I can just wave my hooves and it’ll all be okay. For the Goddesses sake, can’t you give me at least ‘some’ practical advice here?”

The grey ponies eyes narrowed, “No, haven’t you been listening boy? Nopony lives who remembers those times, save the princesses and I would advise against seeking their counsel in this. The wendigo’s kept their lore unto themselves. If there remained anything, it would be in their fortress but even that, as impregnable as it was built to be, was annihilated during the war. No, you must master yourself in this, it is something only you can do.”

He turned to Meadow, “I have said all I can my dear, the rest is up to him. I don’t know about the ponies in this age, they seem weaker than the ones in mine. I fear he may not have the strength to overcome this trial.”

Meadows eyes brimmed with tears, “I wont lose him!” she said firmly. Turning to me she took another step forward, “I won’t lose you now…damn it Fairlight! Fight this thing, please, you have to.”

The grey pony put a foreleg around Meadow and nuzzled her neck kindly before fixing me with a hard stare, “This girl loves you boy, more than I believed was possible. You share that love with her do you not?”

I nodded.

“Then use that strength, take heart in your friends and believe in yourself”

Wiping away an errant tear, Meadow smiled at me, “We have to go now love. I know you’re scared, anypony would be, but please, even if you doubt yourself, never doubt the love we share.”

I watched both of them begin to fade into the air, shimmering like a heat haze. “We will be together again Meadow, kiss Sparrow for me and tell her Daddy misses her”

Meadow smiled, “I will…Farewell my love…”

The old grey stallion nodded to me and slammed his staff into the ground once more, their images vanishing as if they were no more substantial than a breath in the wind.

For a moment I sat there on my haunches staring into the blue sky far overhead, listening to the birds singing and the wind rustling the leaves. Whatever the future held for me, I would face it head on. Meadows love for me, more than I deserved, would help protect me from this spirit. I would need all the help I could get to gain mastery of it and in so doing, would, I hoped gain access to the herd some day. Unless, there were some way to be rid of it? Surely somepony, somewhere, had knowledge of these things. Fortunately, I knew just the old bugger to ask.