Broken Wards (Patreon)

With Everfree Northwest behind me and various other RL issues taken care of it's time to get back to  my Equestria Dreamscape.

     The massive pendulum clock standing in the unlit hallway chimed 10pm in my Equestria Dreamscape. From an ornate full length mirror across from the clock a soft Cerulean Blue light spilled out of it. From the mirror there emerged a figure. Lowering his head so as to not hit his top hat it on the frame of the mirror there stepped out a tall, pale, regal looking rat.

     Leipzig Lament removed the black satin top hat from his head and casually it tossed into the air. The hat twirled a couple of times and then vanished in a little flash of Cerulean Blue light. The rat started walking down the darkened hallway with quick steps. The heels of his knee-high black leather boots clicked on the marble of the black and white checkerboard floor. As he went he loosened the silver clasp on his Navy Blue cape. He draped it over his left forearm as he started up a set of ornately carved walnut and ebony stairs. As the rat quickly ascended the stairs he reached back with a black gloved hand and undid the onyx and silver clasp holding his long, ruler straight, silver hair in a ponytail. As if it was a coin he flipped the clasp it into the air. Like the top hat it vanished in a tiny flash of Cerulean Blue light. Shaking his head his mid-back length hair flowed now behind him.

     Like the first floor the second was also shrouded in shadows. Leipzig stepped onto the landing and promptly turned right. Briskly he walked down the hallway toward a pair of stout wooden doors. As he approached it he raised his right hand and slowly in a clockwise fashion he made a series of broad circles. He did this 3 times. Each time he did the air around him rippled with that same Cerulean Blue light and cryptic symbols could be briefly glimpsed floating in the air. As he approached the doors he made a pushing gesture with both hands. The doors opened quickly without him touching them.

     The rat stepped into a large study well furnished in Colonial Style with dark walnut furniture. Snapping his fingers a large fireplace suddenly burst into flames. At the same time several gas lamp ignited filling most of the room with dim light. Like the hat and the hair clasp Leipzig tossed the folded cape aside and it vanished into nothingness. The rat snapped his left hand a sniffer of brandy appeared in it. He started walking up to a large dark walnut desk that dominated the room when suddenly his steps faltered. Scowling through the square silver wire frames of his glasses the rat focused on the desk. Suddenly he thrusted his right arm to his side. A swept-hilt rapier rocketed off a wall display and tumbled through the air. Without looking the tall rat grabbed the hilt of the sword with his right hand. He took a sip of his brandy and then spoke.

     "I am rather ill disposed to unannounced visitors, but now that you are here, be quick and state your business with me! Why have you intruded my sanctum and broken the wards on my desk?"

     From an unlit corner of the study that was cloaked in thick shadows a young, female sounding voice replied. "Ya always was the cautious type Leipzig. Ya haven't changed after all these eons. Probably why ya survived The Struggle. I'm here becuz something is goin on and I reckon ya might have a clue.That's why I was a nosing around yer desk. Ya always have had an ear ta ground and very little gits past ya!"

     Leipzig turned toward the voice and scowled at the darkness. Still clutching the rapier he slowly set the brandy sniffer on the desk. The rat made a series of quick gestures with his left hand. His scowl grew but he said nothing. After a second a cold laugh came from the shadows. " Heh, heh. That ain't gonna work fer ya Leipzig. I know that trick of yers."

     Slowly the rat stepped toward the voice. However his ice blue eyes slowly swept the room in front of him. "Well. At the moment you have me in a bit of an awkward situation." He said. "You are familiar with my name, and apparently some of my abilities, but I have no idea who you are or your motives are for coming here tonight. Would you care to enlighten me? Or must we continue this tedious little game? I am already growing weary of it."

     "My, my Leipzig! Ya didn't use ta be so gruff and hasty, but them again I haven't seen ya inna month of Sundays. If it puts yer mind at ease I ain't got a bone ta pick with ya. Fer the most part ya have held up yer end of yer oath. So, as of right now ya ain't in the doghouse with me. Nah! What I am hankering ta know is what the hay is a mutual associate of ours up ta!"

     The rat heard footsteps approaching him. However the figure failed to appear from the shadows. The footsteps continued on for many seconds. Leipzig arched an eyebrow as he slowly pointed the tip of the rapier at the darkness and went to an en garde stance.

     Suddenly the shadows seemed to part like heavy curtains and a figure stepped into view. It appeared to be an adolescent female mouse in her early teens. A mouse with light yellow fur and and a deep rose red hair and a matching small tuff of fur on the end of her tail. Perched on her head was a bow of deep crimson red. Brown eyes as hard as Tiger Eye stared at the rat. She came to a stop about 12ft in front of Leipzig and rested her hands on her hips.

     She was garbed in an ensemble of shiny deep crimson red leather that in the low light of the study they glistened like freshly flayed flesh. A long overcoat with deep cuffs on the sleeves and broad lapels. The hemline of the coat almost reached her ankles. A snug pair of leather trousers with 4 bone colored button were joined by a front laced leather top that left her midriff exposed. Her feet were sheathed in stout, high heel boots went up to her calves and had open, upturned cuffs to them. In each boot Leipzig could see a bone or ivory handled sheathed knife tucked in that seemed to be slowly emitting tendrils of black vapors or smoke from it.

     However it was what was around the mouse's neck that caused the rat's heart to skip a beat. A collar of blackened iron encompassed the mouse's neck. It was almost crude looking in construction and appeared to have no mechanism for removing it. On the front of it was a jagged star-like inset that  glowed a fiery orange as if filled with molten iron. Randomly studded across the rest of the surface were what first glance appeared to be pearls or spherical pieces of opal. However as Leipzig looked on he watched them rotate toward him and blinked. They were eyes.

     The mouse made a dismissive wave of her left hand at the rat. "Leipzig put yer pig poker away. Ya don't need it, and it wouldn't save ya anyways. Like I said I don't have bone ta pick with ya. So ditch the cutlery." She paused for a moment  "Unless ya want start something with me."

     The mouse's voice suddenly became very cold an ominous. "I wouldn't suggest it though. It'll end really bad fer ya."

     Leipzig casually tossed the rapier over his shoulder. It twirled through the air and returned to its place on the wall display. He snapped his fingers and the full brandy sniffer reappeared in his left hand. He downed the contents in one gulp. Then the glass magically refilled itself. He took a smaller sip and nodded his head.

     "Very well. What do you wish to know?

To be continued.