For the next few weeks, I tormented the palace of the two Sisters and the surrounding city. Oh, how delicious the screams and shrieks were. Each night, I would stalk any whom I found, and slowly reduced them to whimpering, pathetic balls of flesh. The Sisters sent their guards after me time and time again, but I was never found. Occasionally, I would even visit the two in their dreams. Poisoning their thoughts, placing doubts and fears in their minds. Yet, as much as I enjoyed stalking the pathetic ponies, I could never shake the feeling that something was missing. Like I had forgotten something. Something of vital importance to me. I sighed. That could wait for another time. Now...I had some ponies to torment.

I peeked around the trunk of the tree I was behind, looking for my prey. He was an average looking unicorn stallion, with green fur and an orange and brown mane and tail. He wore a typical peasant tunic and trousers, colored a dull, tan color. I knew him well. He was the head of a noble family with close ties to the Sisters, the Blueblood's, I think they were called. I slowly followed him as he walked along the dirt path of the park. He was alone, and completely at my mercy. I could kill him quickly, but where's the fun in that? No, no, he needed to become a message. A warning to the ponies that crossing me was a grievous mistake. I summoned a bow to my side, nocked an arrow which lit ablaze with magical power, before I let it loose, and watched with rapt attention as the instrument of pain punched straight through the stallion's leg, thanks to the Punch enchantment. He screamed and fell to his knees, clutching the wound which now weeped blood. It was as he was glancing at his now useless leg with shock and dismay, that I teleported in front of him, and he gazed up to see my visage.

"Hello...my new prophet," I greeted.

"Wh-who are you?" he asked fearfully. I chuckled. So easily frightened, these ponies. They were an endless source of entertainment.

"I...am the King of the Void, the Lord of the Nether...Herobrine," I answered, smirking as I watched him shiver in fear.

"You're... You're that monster that everypony's been talking about..." he deduced.

"Yes, child. I am. And you...You shall be one of the many prophets of my coming rule..." With that said, I summoned a blade of diamonds, smaller than the typical longsword I used, just the right size for precision cutting, and grabbed a firm hold of the stallion's muzzle. I slowly carved out his cheeks, all the while he gargled and screamed in pain, sometimes even choking on the blood dribbling down his gullet. But I wasn't finished. I cut off the last of the flesh of his cheeks, showing his teeth in all their bare white glory. Then, I took the knife and started to shave off his skin, enjoying the screams that ensued. Oh, how lovely, how delicious, his screams were. There's always a certain satisfaction I get doing this in person. Traps were fun, yes, and twas joyful to lead the Guards to their deaths, but the thrill I got from being there in person...It was without compare. It was as I was reminiscing that I didn't even notice the stallion had died from shock and fear. He even soiled himself.

I sighed. How short lived. Ah well, the job was done anyway. Now, I just needed...Ah, there we go! I took his heart, and stabbed my knife into it. My calling card. After that, I took the body in my telekinetic grasp and began the search for a suitable place to put my new prophet. I walked for a short while, and finally came upon the darkened cobblestone streets of the city surrounding the palace. Finding a fountain with a pointed tip in the center of a market, I impaled the body on it, then turned invisible and floated upwards, awaiting the dawn that I knew would be coming shortly. And it did, and the screams that ensued when the ponies saw their fellow there, filling the fountain with his own blood, ohhh...They were wonderful. But, now it was on to the royals of the other nations. They all were going to see the glory that was my rule...or suffer.

Celestia's day was not going well. It had started with more reports of murders, all of the bodies found in public places for all to see, their cheeks gone, and skin carved off. And the blue, diamond daggers found stabbed into their hearts told her all too well who the culprit was. Then, came the many frightened ponies relaying their worries about the murders. And after that, she received word that the Royals from the other nations had just now had the same problems. The Royals themselves, from all of them, expressed their worries about the spring of murders, and apparently wished to see her and her sister.

"Sister?" said that very same sister.

"Yes, Lulu?" Celestia answered, face looking haggard.

"What do we do? This...Herobrine, hath been plaguing the conscious of ponies, dragons, minotaurs, griffons, even the zebras! And now, for the first time since the end of Discord's reign, they wish to see us. We are concerned. This foe has shown no mercy, and is more illusive then anything we hath known," Luna said worriedly.

"I am afraid I do not know, Lulu. Mayhaps a worldwide search is required, I do not know." Celestia said with a heavy sigh. "We shall require the greatest caution. That much is certain. But whether we can stop him..." Celestia shook her head. "I only hope this turns out well."

Author's Notes:

Quite dark, I know. Sorry for those with weak stomachs. I just thought it was a good idea to show Herobrine's merciless ways in greater detail. As for the next few chapters...I'll try to lengthen them more. Hopefully they will have less gruesome detail, but we'll see. I do like my detail, after all.

-Timeless Celestial