The Assassin's Legacy

Dante shook his head as he scrambled to get up, and looked around. The once lush, green surroundings that housed parks and creatures big and small was now covered in ashes and flames. He saw the townsfolk get tormented, the women and children being chased, and the stallions being butchered. He looked closer, though, and saw a figure walking through the flames. Dante looked even closer than that, and saw a muzzle with a bit of 5 o'clock shadow going on under the navy blue hood. The figure slammed his arm into a charging shadowy soldier's chest, killing it on impact. The figure then turned and walked away. Dante just stood, miffed by what he saw.

A shadowy figure saw him, and charged from where he was standing before...which was by the fruit stand. Dante was nearly killed, but a Stallion in sage green clothing wearing a hood jumped down from a tree and landed on the figure, a blade from a brace on his arm popping out. The figure became smoke and vanished. The stallion removed his hood, revealing he had a green eye (the other eye covered with an eyepatch). He had an orange coat of fur, and his mane was brown with even running along it. He grabbed Dante's wrist and took him away from Town Square. Dante looked at the stallion's neck, and noticed a chain with the same symbol as the one on his messenger bag, a lambda with a line underneath that curved. The stallion stopped, and looked at his surroundings; They were in the Everfree Forest. Everywhere there was vines, swamp water, and grass that grew out of control. Dante noticed it was the same spot as the one he went to when he dropped off money for the cause. The stallion saw this, too, and lifted the rock. He looked at Dante and gestured that he go first.

Dante slid down the entrance beneath the rock, and landed on his hooves. He looked around, and saw survivors everywhere; Healthy and sick, rich and poor, couples and loners. Among them, he saw a crying Octavia, standing by the metal wall twenty feet away. He ran over, being careful not to step on anyone. He passed by the bathroom, the sick room, and the feeding grounds door. He made it to Octavia's side and in one liquid motion, wrapped his arm around her to give her a hug. She accepted the hug and cried heavily on his chest. Dante was her friend, therefore he felt like he should comfort her. Therefore, he stood there, stroking the back of her head and saying soft whispers of promises that said it'd all be okay. She just continued to cry, and then eventually, the tears stopped. She kept herself in his embrace, breathing heavily. What tears had been were now dried up. He broke the hug and looked deep into her eyes, and said he wouldn't simply allow her to cry.

She looked back into his, and smiled, the tears coming back. But this time, it came from happiness.

Dante looked around at his surroundings more. Usually, the hide-out/trading area was empty except for the thief and the one who anonymously donated the money. This time, all of the thieves Dante worked alongside were there, helping everypony get settled in. The place was like an underground bunker. There was a network of hallways that lead to places like bathrooms, bedrooms, showers and a lounge for thieves to chill until their next robbery was assigned. The walls were made of a strong metal so it could withstand the pressure of the surface and the ground beneath the surface. The floor, however, was wood. In the main room, there was a coffee table and some chairs. Dante liked this place, not because of the bit trading alone, but because him and his close friend Florence built this home during their time on the streets as orphans. They were 13 at the time, and they were very creative. The hardest part for them was constructing support for the metal walls.

That's when he noticed something.

In one of the corners, there were two Pegasi, both mares. One was crying, while the other was holding her in an embrace. The mare holding the crying mare in an embrace, he noticed, was Rainbow Dash. Dante walked towards them and asked what was wrong. Rainbow Dash pointed to the other mares' leg, sliced with a deep gash right over the cutie mark. There was a hell of a lot of blood. Rainbow Dash hadn't just been hugging her, she was holding a rag over the wound to stop the bleeding. Dante knew of only one thing that could stop the bleeding, but he'd have to resurface to the Everfree Forest to get the materials. So he took a staff, knowing it'd be dangerous. He strapped it to his back, and went to a ladder that lead to the surface. He climbed up, and opened the hatch, surfacing. That's when he was surrounded by shadowy figures. His eye turned red again, and he looked around. He saw there were plenty of trees and things to use to his advantage. Closing his eyes, he listened closely. He heard the figures charge, and he flipped backwards, grabbing one of them by the shoulders and throwing it upon landing. He took out his staff and stood in a fighting stance, watching his enemies ready themselves.

Dante shrieked, causing the figures to drop their weapons and cover their ears. He took advantage of the moment and whacked one of them in the temple with his staff. He then charged a tree and kicked off it, spinning. His staff whacked about three more of them. Another tried to charge, but Dante threw his staff, and it impaled the figure. He ran, jumped, and kicked off the back of the figures head, grabbing his staff in mid-air. He saw the staff was cracking. He threw it aside and balled his fists. A figure threw a punch, but he blocked it with his right arm and slammed his left fist into the figure's snout, decapitating it on contact. Dante's other eye turned yellow, and he reached a point of rage. He shrieked again, and this time, the figures blew up. Dante's eyes turned to normal, and he started to stumble a bit. But he shook his head and went to get the materials, so he took out his dagger, remembering he had one.

Only one thing went through his mind as he cut the materials out the ground; 'How did I do that?'

Dante climbed back down the ladder with the medicinal herb. He went to the coffee table and grabbed a cloth. He rubbed a little bit of the medicine on the cloth and walked towards Rainbow Dash and the bleeding mare, who was now shivering from loss of blood. Dante took out a canteen and poured a little water over the wound. The mare bit her lip, and Dante gave her a rag to bite. As she slipped it into her mouth, Dante wrapped the cloth around her flank, making sure the medicine was over the wound. The mare bit the rag so hard there was a ripping sound. Then, she unclenched her jaw, and the rag slipped out. At first Rainbow Dash thought she was dead, but Dante felt her chest rise and fall, and assured Rainbow Dash she was simply asleep. He went to the bunkers and looked for an empty bedroom. The only one he found had Octavia inside. Dante smirked and said, "Is this how we're always gonna meet or something? Good thing I'm not naked, this time." Octavia laughed at this, and looked at the wall, curled into a ball. Dante sat down on the bed next top her and asked what was wrong. Octavia lied by saying nothing was wrong, and smiled.

Dante still didn't believe her, but didn't want to push her to the edge to find out. So, he left and sat in the main room. He was in deep thought, and all that went through his mind was, 'I have just witnessed...the fall of the kingdom...Auntie Tia, bless our souls, so that we may survive...'