Change Comes With Sacrifice

Shining Armor laughed exuberantly as Twilight locked him in a warm embrace. "It's nice to see you too, Twily. Still as energetic as always."

Twilight relased Shining with a big smile, tail swishing back and forth in excitement. "Well, I missed seeing both you and Cadence. And you haven't sent me a letter in, at least, three weeks. I know you can't be too busy to write, at least, one letter to your sister every now and then."

Shining gave a soft chuckle, knowing his sister would press this issue until she got an answer. "Before I tell you about what's been going on, why don't you and Cadence go have a walk through the garden. I'll be there once I finish some things."

Twilight narrowed her eyes, thinking of what her brother was up to. "Alright... But, I will get answers before this day is over." Twilight ran over to Cadence, wrapping her in a warm hug.

Twilight and Cadence performed their special hoofshake before bursting into laughter as they made their way out of the room. Once the doors closed, Shining Armor took a deep breath as a look of worry washed over his face. "Blaze, Storm.... I need to you watch over my sister and make sure noting happens to her. It was a big risk just bringing her here. Can I trust the both of you?"

Blaze gave Shining a reassuring look of confidence. "You have my word that we will do whatever it takes to protect the new Princess."

With that being said, Shining Armor felt a ton of stress lift off of his shoulders. "Thank you. Come, let's not keep them waiting. Last thing I need is Twilight thinking I'm trying to avoid her."

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Bright and vibrant colors decorated the gardens perimeter. Around the center of the garden, a large fountain spouted pure, clear water. As Celestia's beautiful sun cast it's rays upon the water, birds of many shapes and sizes crowded around so as to share the fountain's calming water.

"Twilight, I don't mean to pry on such a horrible topic,but, are you sure you don't want better security? Maybe a safer place to stay until we can resolve the issue?" Cadence asked, resting a hoof oh Twilight's shoulder. Twilight smiled as she shook her head. "It's best that I don't, Cadence," Twilight ran her hoof through the fountain's cool water. Looking up, Twilight saw the symbol of the Royal Sisters, a crescent moon bordering a blazing sun. "You can't deny that, after the threat was noticed, you don't see Luna or Celestia out as much, if at all. The amount of security required at all times has near tripled since then. But, the only way I got my brother to agree to letting me have only two guards was by using simple tactical knowledge. Increase my amount of security and the chances of an inside job can increase along with it. Move me to a secure location, makes it easier for a trap to be set if the location is known by too many. That only leave the best option to be a false-innocence trap, go about life treating the threat as immature babble, lure the threat into a false sense of insecurity, then strike when it makes a mistake."

Cadence looked in awe as Twilight explained the situation. "You are your brother's sister. Did you perhaps read your brothers old military field manuals?" Twilight gave a slight chuckle. "I might have read them once or twice," The two mare's giggled merrily as they walked along the path back to the castle atrium.

A flash of light erupted from some nearby brush, turning into ash as a large blast of fire raged towards Twilight and Cadence. Cadence stood ready to deflect the spell before Twilight tackled her to the ground, ducking beneath the blasts reach as it incinerated the surrounding foliage. "Twilight, are you crazy!? I could have deflected that spell with ease!" Cadence shouted as Twilight stood ready for another attack. "Cadence, that was high level magic used to burn through defenses during the war against the Griffins. No spell lower than a grade five absorbing spell would have even wavered it's destructive power."

With a blast of energy, Twilight sent a typhoon of wind crashing against the brush, shredding every bit of foliage to pieces. A shaded mass bolted at Twilight, impacting with devastating force. Twilight skid against the ground, hitting the crystal wall with a loud *thud*.

Twilight quickly launched towards the sky hoping to get more distance between her and her attacker. A flash of magic erupted above her as her attack dived down towards her. They can fly too?! Twilight braced for impact before feeling the ground beneath her as Cadence teleported her to safety.

Chunks of dirt and crystal shot into the air as the attacker made a hard impact with the ground. "Twilight Sparkle, it's not fun when you cheat," maniacal laughter emerged from the crater as a stallion with a short, dark red mane emerged from its depths. Thin, cracked glasses perched on his nose, bobbing with each laugh. His fur seemed to be just a shade lighter than his mane and thinned into white where scars could be seen.

Those aren't scars from fighting..., Twilight thought. No, they're too precise and straight. Almost like... surgical cuts? Twilight opened her mouth to speak before glass shattered above them and Blazing Shield landed between them, wielding the large claymore in his mouth. "Princess Cadence, Princess Twilight, are the two of you alright?" Blazing shield said, talking out the side of his mouth. "We're fine. But this maniac attacked us out of nowhere!" Cadence pointed her hoof at their attacker.

"You know, for an assassin, you make a lot of noise." Blaze mocked, crouching down and spreading his wings. "Well, I never liked to hide in the crowd. I like to be the center of the party." The attacker declared, chuckling with the same dark laughter. Blaze cracked a smile. "Then let's party!" Blaze thrusted his wings back, throwing himself forward with devastating momentum. Shocked at the sheer speed, the attacker ducked just in time as the blade cut his mane on impact. Turning to face Blaze, the attacker only saw a cloud of dust. He looked up just as his ears popped under the air pressure of Blaze diving towards him.

Blaze opened his wings as reached just a few feet above the attacker. The air grew still and silent before the attackers ear drums ruptured and a blade-like shockwave hit him dead on. The laughter stopped, and it wasn't heard again.

The spot where the assassin had been standing was empty now, except for the small chunks of meat and the large pool of blood. Twilight stared at the scene in grotesque horror. "You didn't even hit him..." Twilight said in confusion.

"Just because you didn't see me hit him," Blaze slashed his claymore to the side, blood sliding off with ease, "doesn't mean I didn't."