The unnamed unicorn stallion responsible who orchestrated my capture, who shall now be known as Gerald, (Generically Evil, Reject Asshole who Loves Dick) returned shortly with the first of my crew members. A cat named Trek. Admittedly, I never got to know the guy other than his name, he had tiger stripes, carried a hand ax and shield, and had an odd fascination with leaves. He was brought in, bound by chains, and forced to kneel.

"Now then, Griffin, apologize to your crew member for being such a stupid reject and getting him killed." Gerald demanded.

"Fuck you."

"Wrong answer." With that, he drew a short sword out of a sheath he had strapped on him, under the cloak, and cut his head off.

I stood there, oddly fascinated by how the headless body slumped to the ground, still spurting blood from the neck until it became a slow leak, turning into a thick, viscous puddle. Though, I think the thing that surprised me most is that the bastard actually did it himself. Most pony folk can't stand the sight of blood, and tend to have less 'respectable' individuals carry out their bloody deeds. That was, obviously, something I handled with my crew, using fake blood and gore to adjust them to what they'd be seeing. Which tells me that Gerald here has seen an awful lot of blood.

"Do you see how cleanly that cut? I was top of my class at the Canterlot sword academy. Never made it as a guard though, something about 'questionable morals'. Hmm, not much of a reaction. Well, that's a shame, I had a whole group of crew members lined up, but if you care as little about them as you did about him, then I guess executing them won't serve any purpose. You there, guard, just slaughter the rest of the cats, maybe that'll get more of a rise out of him. Oh, make sure that one harlot, Nadene was it? Make sure she's with them."

"No... NO!" But it was too late. The guard left. And I was alone with Gerald.

"Well well, it's a start..."

"You fucking bastard!" I raged against my chains, only to receive a whack on the beak from the flat of his sword.

"Ah ah ah! You're lucky I'm in a good mood today. After all, even if I lost all my assets, with you here I can get back tenfold what I lost. In fact, I'm feeling so generous, I think I'm just going to settle for the cats today. I'll leave you with Asta. We have a big day tomorrow! Of course, I won't be partaking, but the dogs are having a pegasus potluck!".... I think I'm going to puke. "A night of drinking, dancing and debauchery, all topped off by a feast of epic proportions! After all, I did promise these pathetic mutts a better life, what better way than to throw them a party!"

So, Gerald the Bond villain laughed to himself as he left the enclosure, leaving a rather burly looking guard in steel armor to guard my door.

Hours passed uneventfully, as all I could do was lay there and wait, to hear how my friends were being killed. Nadene. I guess, when I think about it, she was kind of like a teenager. Full of youthful vitality, a bit selfish, easily excitable, experimented with drugs and a liberal sex attitude, looking to rebel against her overprotective parents and live a life of adventure. I wouldn't want anything to happen to that quirky little cat.

Well, I wouldn't have to wait too long, as the changing of the guard brought a new hound in, who laughed and howled loudly, as though he were having a grand time. "Go on Asta! Get some sleep." The burly hound gladly took his leave, leaving the smaller dog in his place. After the door was shut, he had a surprising, sudden change in mood. He walked towards me with an extremely serious look on his face, twirling a set of keys around his paw.

"I bet you'd like to get a hold of these, wouldn't you?" The dog mocked. Considering Nadene had likely just died, I wasn't really in the mood for sarcasm. "Well don't count on it. It's not like I'm just going to drop them in front of you and turn my back." His eyes flashed green. It was only for a second, but it was definitely there. "Oops. I can be so clumsy sometimes, now where did I drop those keys?" He turned his back to me, and putting a paw on top of them, kicked them backwards, right at me. I tried to reach them with my beak, but couldn't quite get a grasp of them.

"Seriously? Cut the crap okay. I'm not flexible enough to unlock these myself." I scowled at the changeling.

"Ugh, fine." He walked over and started unlocking my shackles. "Can't let a guy have his fun. Do you have any idea what it's like? Listening to that pony drone on and on and on and on, all the time! This place is a serious drag."

"So... what can you tell me... about..."

"The cats? Yeh, they're all dead. Except that Nadene." My eyes shot wide at that.

"What?"

"Oh, Mr. Stereotypical Villain was so pissed! He had smoke coming out of his ears and went on for twenty minutes about 'incompetence' and whatnot. Apparently the feisty cat hid a lock pick in her mouth, took off Trixie's inhibitor ring, and they both vanished. They're hiding somewhere inside right now, and they've pulled double shifts to try and find them."

"Lock me back up."

"What?"

"No... wait, better idea. You take my place."

"Now you're just talkin crazy."

"Listen okay, they're not going to torture me, because they want to kill my crew in front of me. To be honest, I never really got to know a lot of them, and now a bunch of them are dead, but I still don't think I'd be able to take it. It took a lot of self control to not break down after the first one died, and I don't think I could bear to watch it again. Listen, this guy is a nutjob in more ways than one. I have to move up my plan, but he can't know I've escaped. If the guards are already out in force trying to catch Nadene and Trixie, if I go missing Mr.Psycho will blow a gasket and do something... rash." The changeling finished unlocking me.

"Aye, I gotcha. Alright, tie me up."

I started carefully reattaching the cuffs and tightening the chains, to make sure they were secure when Gerald came back.

"I trust you can escape on your own?" I asked the noble doppleganger.

"Yah, I can just turn into a snake or something and slither out."

"Good. in a couple days, there's going to be a mercenary band attacking this place. That's when *ahem* I make my escape. After that, make yourself scarce. Wouldn't be good if they found out they've got changelings amongst them."

"Savvy. Take care. By the by, ya gotta give Chrysalis a kiss when ya get out. She got a bet with Cadence, and it's one she REALLY wants ta win. Something about a beach house."

"Ooookay? Any more information? As in, useful information?"

"Oh, ya, uh, the two guards outside the door are changelings as well, and the fox, that Fia gal, she's the alpha of this here den, and she's absolutely terrified of you. That whole 'burn everything' line's got her quakin in her corset."

"By the way, how many were executed?" I asked with steel in my voice.

"Fourteen... why?"

"Simple.... an eye for an eye."

I sighed as I left Gold Trim laying satisfied on the bed, drool running out of his mouth onto the pillows. Such a disgusting pony, I'll never feel clean again, but it was those very same, filthy, base desires that made him easy to manipulate. The deluded fool thinks I'm madly in love with him, after all, he's the one who gave me those magics, which will let *cough* 'us' rule the Old Dominion, and eventually Gem Fido. The truth is he is a means to an end, an end that will arrive shortly. He thinks all diamond dogs are stupid brutes, and that I'm no different. Of course, he's is a mighty unicorn, naturally gifted in magic, which is the binding force of the world. Pah, spoiled Canterlot brat. He knows nothing of living. He surrounds himself in gold, booze, and wenches to feed his desires. He has no idea what it's like to have to beg for food, and sleep on cold stone.

I was so sick and tired of being treated like a 'lesser being' simply because I'm some kind of offshoot. Of all the diamond 'dog' breeds out there, foxes were always the most clever. And the others didn't really like that, and, now we're rather rare. So, at the tender age of eight, I learned I had a particularly special gift, and used it to slaughter the alpha, and all his betas, and their families, so nobody would be left to challenge me. I spent every day since then trying to improve this den, for the past 20 years, so that one day I can kick all those old farts off their thrones. Of course, that meant when Trim came along offering the knowledge of magic, I couldn't say no. Even if it meant playing the part of his little pet, and catering to his... disgusting nature. I feel nothing but loathing for that pony, so privileged, and yet always wanting more. More wealth, more power, more mares.

The griffin, on the other paw, I actually feel a strange kinship with. He knows all about the path of pain, and how either by force or by choice, those who walk it become strong. I hold no resentment for him, unfortunately, most of the remaining clans have filled their hearts with bitter hatred, and the only way there can ever be peace in this land is if they're satisfied. Perhaps, if he had come a little sooner, I might have even found myself under his banner, or, sooner still, on his crew.

I suppose that's why he terrifies me. When I was put in a dire situation, what resulted was the massacre of everyone who stood in my way, and the two of us... are the same. I can see it when I look in his eyes. I almost came to enjoy reading about him in the paper, wondering what act of kind bloodshed he'd commit next. I felt joy when I saw that photo of him wearing that ridiculous festive hat, with a foal smiling atop his head in the middle of winter.

I'll be sad when I see him go, but it's something that must be done. I'll let Gold Trim have his fun for now. He's a sad, pathetic pony, so he may as well enjoy himself. After all, Griffin was right. Once the execution is over, in front of all the unallied clan leaders, everyone will be after his head.

I reached into my cabinet, and pulled out a gourd of water from the well. The black liquid swished and swirled, desperately trying to find a way out of it's container. I obliged it, tilting the opening to my mouth as the dark, sour tasting liquid rushed down my throat. I felt pain course through my veins, like frozen needles, yet blazing with the heat of the sun. I felt the embittered rush of broken dreams, and the burning wrath of the unavenged. I was also quite accustomed to this particular drink, and in moments, it passed, as a different sensation came over me.

"Infernus." Magic.

My paw became alight with the black flames of hell, a gift only possessed by the descendants of the god of death.

Yes, I'll let Gold Trim have his fun, because once the blood bath is over, I'll be the only one left.

"Good evening gentlemen." I said to the pair of changelings outside the door to my former confines. They nodded to me, their eyes flashing green in response.

"Forma Versus." No longer in possession of my amulet, I used the rock trapped in my stomach to facilitate the change. Also, there was only enough of a charge for myself, as well as only dictating myself as the target for the spell, meaning my shape changing friends were in no danger of being revealed. As I took human form, I smiled, taking note that despite the significant magical charge held just under my clothing, the black cloth didn't let any light through, so the only luminosity that could give me away in the dark would be that of my eyes. I had intended to wait until the Wild Hogs attacked before I made my escape, but Gerald is a fucking lunatic, and sometimes, special treatment is needed. For now though, I need to determine the layout of this place, and find good spots to hang fourteen mutilated corpses.

"Let the haunting of Ancientwell begin."

Author's Notes:

Dun dun DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

Did I really just do that? I did, didn't I? And two updates in one day? I told you, after that one chapter, there was SHIT I WANTED TO DO.

The 'beach house' is going to be a recurring thing. If you'll take note, originally, Fancypants told Griffin that if he didn't come out alive to pay him back with a modeling job, he'd just take a vacation home on Signal. Now Cadence and Chrysalis have a wager involving a beach house.