Chapters Chapter 2: Welcome to The New World
I awoke to the pain of a pounding headache. I got up from the bed and looked around. Everything seemed unrealistic and realistic in a way as I looked around. Is this death? Am I dead yet? I thought as he got up from the bed I was settled in.
I got up on my legs and found it very hard to do so. My vision was a bit blurry but I hoped it would go away soon. I felt my legs and arms but they were very stiff. It was incredibly hard to walk for some reason.
I walked over to a window to see many horses with, wings? After examining them for a while I determined that these were ponies. Using one of my Assassin skills, Eagle Vision I was able to see the colors of hostiles and friendlies.
Hostiles were marked red and friendlies were marked blue. This was a gift from above as it seemed for nobody but Assassins had this gift. We also might be the only people, or in this case, ponies that are trained to use this gift.
Everybody... that doesn’t sound right for some reason, everypony, yeah that's sounds much better, here seemed friendly, they’re marked blue I thought.
I used my hands to steady myself not knowing that I did not have a hand anymore but yet was replaced by a hoof. I went down a staircase and by looking around I determined that I was in a cottage.
“Hello? Anypony there?” I asked to nopony in particular. I marched down the rest of the staircase to explore the cottage. After a while I went back up to the room I was in before. I looked at my hand by accident and realized that my hands were not actually hands but hooves. “Am I a pony?” I murmured to himself, unsure of what I was.
The door to the room I was in opened and I jumped back on my hind legs prepared for a fight. A pony came though the door and was startled by my sudden actions. She jumped back and quickly started apologizing.
"It's alright Miss, my name is Ray Longfellow." I said with a warm smile. "What is your name?"
"O-Oh my name? It's Lorani Stars." the mare said, blushing ferociously for some reason. She twirled her mane with her hoof.
"A pleasure to meet you, Lorani." I said. "If it's not too much of a problem, may I know where I am? I don't remember being here." I did remember dying as a human but I don't remember being transferred to another world.
"Sorry if this is something personal but could you, um, put your front hooves down on the ground? We ponies don't exactly walk on hind legs nor stand on hind legs." she stated.
When I put my front hooves down and walked a bit with all legs on the ground, it became easier to walk. I felt more balanced now, at least more than I did before. I looked at my body and realized that I did not have clothes. My body was fully blue with red streaks at my legs. My ha- I mean mane, seemed to be bright orange like a sunset, with black dashes here and there.
"Do you have any clothes I could wear? I don't know if it's alright being like this. Where I come from, clothes are a requirement." I said, feeling a bit embarrassed.
"It's perfectly fine to be like this, but I'm going to assume you are from Canterlot. You ponies sure do know how to dress, I'll find you some clothes." she said smirking, and walked out.
What is my purpose in this world? It's like some sort of safe haven for the afterlife. Wait... afterlife... maybe I am dead. This could possibly be the afterlife. Is this what it's like to be dead? Or do I just truly wish to be a pony? I highly doubt the latter.
"Hello again, Ray. I have several clothes for you, some are fancy, some aren't and one seems a bit in the middle." Lorani said to me, with a small smile.
I thanked her and she left to leave me to dress. I looked at the wide variety of clothes most of them were red with a white cross on it. Could it be a Templar outfit? Or could this just be a coincidence?
I looked into a mirror and examined my face. I had a nose like everypony else. My eyes were bright blue like when I was a human. Those are some big ears though...
After that I looked through the outfits but only ONE stood out to me. It was a light blue coat with a white 'X' in the middle and white streaks within the torso area. I took it and underneath it I felt something hard. I looked at the object and instantly recognized the hidden blade.
Was this outfit anything special? Is there any swords I could get in this world? I wonder...
I put on the outfit and put on the hidden blades. These fit quite nicely. By any chance though... is Lorani an Assassin or Templar? I don't know if I should ask or not.
Using my Eagle Vision, I scanned the area for any secret passages, there weren't any but I thought one looked like a secret passage when really it was a sword holder. Taking a look at all the swords I found a Sword of Altair for some reason. This sword always stood out to me for some reason I cannot explain. It was like my last piece of family I had left.
I said a loud 'thanks' and left the cottage into the bright light.
I tested out my hidden blades to see if they were by any chance rusty or broken.
Nope these hidden blades work like a charm, I wonder why the hidden blades are in pristine condition though. I thought as I suddenly heard commotion and saw a large crowd. I ran to what seemed to be ‘City Hall’. I wasn’t sure what the commotion was about but I found a very peculiar group.
I saw two new types of ponies, one with a horn on top and another with wings and a horn. The one with wings and a horn was a purple pony, these types of ponies I have studied on but have never seen ever in my life. They were known as alicorns, basically a mix of pegasus ponies and unicorn ponies.
I overheard conversation between the purple alicorn and four ponies, one of which was white with a purple mane who was addressed as “Rarity”, another which was orange with a yellow mane who was addressed as “Applejack”, the other was known as Pinkie Pie, who was a pink pony with, no other word to describe it, ‘a bouncy mane’, and the last pony was known as “Rainbow Dash” who had a blue body and a rainbow mane. Another one was Fluttershy with a light yellow coat and pink mane. The alicorn was known as Princess Twilight Sparkle.
I overheard conversation about... Lorani? What could they want with Lorani? Were they Templars? I narrowed my eyes at the thought. Perhaps Lorani is a Templar.
The way they talked, sounded like they were friends. They were awfully open with each other. They could be, or it could be an alliance. I felt the breeze go through my mane and shivered a bit. I felt afraid for Lorani, I could not let them hurt her.
I returned to the cottage in which I left before. I knocked on the door, hard, as I yelled for Lorani.
“Oh hello Ray!” she said. “What's up with the knocking? Sounds like an urgent matter.” she said while inviting me into her house. When I got in the house I asked, “Lorani, by any chance do you know these ponies?” I told her about Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie? “By any chance do you know them? They seemed to be looking for you.” I asked.
“Oh yes! They are my closest friends and the best friends a pony could ask for. Where did you see them last? I need to get to them quic-” she replied being cut off by the sound of a hoof against a door.
I jumped behind a desk and took cover there, drawing my hidden blades.
“It’s alright Ray, you can come out, it’s most likely my friends.” she told me. I reluctantly stepped out from behind the sofa and fought the urge to sheathe my hidden blade.
I toggled my Eagle Vision and hoped that our “visitors” were marked blue. If not? Sucks to be them.
Lorani opened the door and my heart filled with small panic. When she opened the door the ponies that were at the door were marked blue. I sighed with relief at this sight and disabled my Eagle Vision.
I saw the ponies were indeed who Lorani had said they would be, her friends.
“Hi girls, what brings you here?” Lorani asked in her soft voice.
“Hi Lorani, we’ve got a problem. Twilight said.
“Problems? Here in this nice town? I hope nothing too urgent nor chaotic.” I muttered.
“Hey girls, I’d like to introduce you to my new friend, Ray Longfellow.” Lorani said.
Every one of them greeted and introduced themselves to me. “Te noscere gaudeo, nice to meet you.” I said. Friend? I’ve just met Lorani and I’m considered a friend to this pony? It feels good to have a friend but I do not wish for her to be hurt nor for her to interfere in my work. I remember the last time that happened...
“Girls, we need to talk.” Twilight said but I backed off knowing that I shouldn’t eavesdrop on this conversation this time.
I couldn’t help but listen in though. Using my Assassin skills I was able to enhance hearing ability to improve chances to get information I need.
“There was this one stallion, his name was Szilveszter Marton,” Twilight said. “He came into Ponyville not too long ago and stated something about starting a black market shop. I denied his request of course.”
“Yeah but y’all know that he’ll be back like a bad case of the parasprites.” Applejack said with concern.
“This stallion was no fun, he was really mean! My Pinkie Sense tells me that he was trouble!” Pinkie Pie said.
“When he comes back, we’ll make sure we’ll keep him out of the business at least in Ponyville.” Rainbow Dash said with great pride.
“He was quite a ruffian, pushing random ponies around like they were trash, hmph!” Rarity said bringing her snout up high.
"He wasn't very nice..." Fluttershy commented and put her face behind her mane.
“Hmm… Szilveszter Marton? I can’t say I recognize that name but he doesn’t sound like a good guy. I have to look into him. Could that be the reason for this incident at Town Hall?” I mumbled.
“Oh and one more thing girls, you may want to be careful, I took a look at his stock, there were weapons of all kinds. From Royal Guard weapons to Forbidden Weapons. Rumor has been spreading that he was a former Assassin, I’m not sure what that means but it doesn’t sound good.” Twilight said her eyes filled with concern and worry.
“Assassin?” I blurted out by accident my hoof going to my mouth and my eyes going wide.
“Have you been eavesdropping on our conversation?” Rainbow Dash said, my sudden outburst arousing suspicions from her.
“No, I just heard the word assassin in it, has there been any assassins in Ponyville?” I lied feigning concern and worry.
“No there hasn’t been any assassins in Ponyville lately just talking and it got brought up somehow. You don’t need to worry.” Twilight said. I let the fake concern and worry fall off my face and replaced it with fake relief.
“I think that’s enough for one day girls, lets all go to bed now. Good night!” Twilight said to everypony.
“Good night Twilight!” everypony including me said in unison we waved good bye to Twilight as she went back to her home.
“I think I’ll go to bed too, good night everypony!” I said. “Good night Ray!” was the last thing I heard as I stepped out the door to the cottage.
Sleeping was the last thing on my agenda for today, as I’m going to find this Szilveszter Marton. I think I even might take him out of the threats list.
Chapter 4: Protecting My Friends
I woke up in the morning after a whole night’s worth of hunting for my prey. My back really hurts, it’s not easy to find assassins or rumored assassins. Of course I just lost hours of sleep hunting for a pony I wouldn't be able to find anyways. I got up from my sleeping place which was on a roof and made my way to Lorani’s cottage. I mistimed my jump down and accidentally sprained my hoof on a stone ledge. I fought the urge to let out a small groan.
This was a huge disadvantage, sprained ankles usually led to a lost battle. But in this case it seems that a sprained hoof would do just as badly.
I made my way to Lorani's cottage, trying not to show any signs of pain. When I reached my destination I found two ponies who I assumed was Assassins with Lorani and held her at knifepoint.
She was clearly very afraid and I was not in the condition to do a double takedown. I noticed that she did not want to show this fear, something you learn when you become an Assassin.
I made my way up to a nearby tree and made my way to the roof of her cottage.
I eavesdropped on their conversation first though, hoping for some valuable information, “We should kill this mare and be done with it, the assassin will not even know.” one of them said.
“Yeah, why not? We did have permission to kill her and one less mare to deal with right?” the other one said. I watched them bring the knife up and was about to land the blow if I hadn’t jumped down, forced his hoof down and forced his hoof inwards. He yelled in pain as I took his knife, possessing it as mine.
I slammed my uninjured hoof down on his left hind leg, turning it inwards. He yelled in pain yet again as I held a defensive position, all hooves ready to protect Lorani. I spotted two ponies flying in the skies and found that those ponies were none other than Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash going for a casual flight. They had spotted us and were flying down at incredible speed.
I stood on my hind legs and got ready to fight like a human assassin. “Nice trick but that won’t save your friend like that.” he said as he drew his knife back and threw it at Lorani.
I made a stupid decision by taking the knife blow with my leg. I couldn't take any chances. I felt white-hot pain in my leg as I yelled in pain. I heard a small whimper behind me as blood was soaked though my outfit as I dealt with the pain.
I stood up anyways ready to kill these two idiots. My leg was losing a lot of blood fast but I decided to still stand. The two stallions took out another knife and they were both armed again. I gritted my teeth and hoped that I didn't have to kill them.
I saw Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle coming down to my assistance but I waved them off. “NO DO NOT COME ANY CLOSER! FLY AWAY! I GOT THIS!” I yelled at them.
The two assassins smirked and pulled out some rope darts, I didn’t want to kill them I didn’t but if they were going to kill my new-found friends, they were going to die. I quickly rushed over to them, dashed towards the first assassin, pushed the knife into one of the stallion’s chest and slit his throat. The other stallion was about to throw his rope dart but I prevented this by throwing my knife into his neck.
He fell to the floor, lifeless. As I collapsed, my head pounding from loss of blood. I felt weak and my back started hurting. Everywhere started hurting. I felt myself being brought to what looked like Lorani's cottage and the pain started going to extreme levels but I resisted the urge to yell and thrash. I heard muffled voices in which I could only assume were Lorani, Rainbow and Twilight's voices.
I forced myself to look at the wound and saw that the wound was being patched up by cobwebs and leather. It seemed that an ample amount of cobwebs was used and it stopped bleeding and the leather served as a cast.
“Thank you, Ray for saving my life.” I heard a soft voice say in my ear as I started fading in and out of consciousness. I used a lot of willpower to not close my eyes and to resist death. It wasn’t until some time till I closed my eyes.
I opened my eyes after what felt like an eternity. At first I didn’t want to open my eyes, thinking I was truly dead. I awoke to the sound to a window being broken and a voice shouting “This is a warning shot! You WILL let me set my black market up here in Ponyville.”
I looked at my body to see that my weapons and outfit was still on. I got off the bed I was on and limped outside. I saw a large crowd yet again. I rushed to the scene and found Twilight and her friends, separated from the crowd and seemingly in the middle of the scene. I pushed past stallions and mares away quickly getting to the scene.
I arrived behind who I assumed was Szilveszter Marton. I used my Eagle Vision to detect hostiles and friendlies. The stallion I assumed was Szilveszter Marton was marked in red and two stallions in the crowd was marked as red. There were 4 more stallions in the crowd marked as hostile. All of them were obviously Assassins due to their clothing which was somewhat similar to mine. It seems that the window that was shattered was due to an arrow that was shot.
The window was broken but the wall behind it wasn't, and in that wall was an arrow stuck in it. I examined the position of it and realized that this arrow went awfully close to my friends. Too close, he's obviously a sharpshooter, need to take him out, what better way to take an Assassin out than another Assassin?
"Merda, how am I supposed to take out Szilveszter without getting my friends killed?" I muttered to myself. That’s when I saw Szilveszter pull out a bow & arrow, about to load an arrow to shoot, obviously aimed dead-on to my friends, when I drew my hidden blade and pushed innocents out of the way. I yelled for everypony to get out of the way.
The rest of the crowd cleared for me in an instant. “STOP!” I yelled, hoping that this will distract Szilveszter long enough. I ejected the hidden blade from the hidden blade handle and it now became a dagger, throwable.
Szilveszter turned to my direction to see a dagger impale his head. The crowd gasped and the hostiles unsheathed their swords and started towards me. I drew my sword and gestured to my friends to get out while they could. They took note of this and ran. Now without innocents and my friends to worry about, I can fight free and fully. I stood on my hind legs, oblivious that my friends were just hiding in a dense bush, watching me fight.
When one of the stallions attempted to cut my neck, I ran towards him and slid under his sword. I used my blade to push his blade towards my direction, making him stumble as I forced his knee inward. I took this opportunity to disarm him, giving me a second sword. He tried to punch me but I evaded this, using one sword to stab through his chest, moved behind him, spun around and his body's backside now facing me, using both swords to slit his throat.
About 3 stallions seemed to be trained in fighting with their hind legs, as 3 stallions stood on their hind legs, ready to kill me. I smiled inside, not letting my enemies know I had more of an advantage now. Hopefully.
Two enemies tried slashing at me at once and that was a mistake. One of them was behind me and another was in front of me. Using my enhanced Assassin combat senses, I was able to detect them striking from behind me and I moved out of the way as tripped the other stallion who was lunging with his sword.
When he fell I took his sword and impaled the moving stallion’s chest while using my other sword to penetrate through the tripped stallion’s throat. 3 down 3 more to go I thought as the last hind leg trained assassin was left standing alone. I noticed one of the Assassins aiming their weapon at me and I took the assassin that was standing on his hind legs and stabbed him in the chest.
He won’t live long enough to endure too much pain. He yelled in pain as I spun him around to face the shooter. You idiot how can you not react fast enough to not push a small trigger? You just killed your own brother! Sorry excuse for an assassin or a shooter. I thought as my meat shield’s weight increased and I threw his body at the shooter.
I ejected my hidden blade and I threw it at the shooter who was struggling to get a dead body off him. It impaled him in the chest, killing him quickly. I took my dual swords and got into a defensive position. The last assassin was standing still as I approached the shooter’s dead body and took the dagger.
I admitted the dagger right back into the hidden blade’s empty slot. The assassin didn’t seem to move and just stared at me while I put the dagger right into the hidden blade holder.
I wondered if this was supposed to faze me. I approached the shooter’s dead body and with my knowledge of guns, I used the gunpowder and modified the hidden blade with a shooting mode.
This assassin was the perfect test subject. He legitimately stood still while I modified my weapon. I began to grow concerned by his behavior he was just standing there. Am I just over-thinking this? Or is he just an idiot? I thought as I modified my weapon. My modification allowed the use for shooting my hidden blade.
I adjusted my hidden blade, aimed, and pressed the button. I heard a loud bang and the assassin just stood there still. I thought it didn’t work until the assassin’s outfit stained in red. Nope just an idiot.
I walked over to the assassin and felt his pulse. Still alive. Good.
“Requiescat in pace, may you be free of all evil and greed.” I murmured and used my sword to finish him off. I took my dagger back and admitted it into my hidden blade. I went to Szilveszter’s body and retrieved the dagger from his body. I admitted that into my hidden blade holder. I took the bow and arrow that Szilveszter possessed and it became a new addition to my own inventory.
I was a bit upset about having to take the Assassin’s lives but my thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice behind me saying “That was so awesome!”
"Awesome?" I repeated. "How was what I did awesome? I just killed seven ponies!" I exclaimed in shock and horror. How can a pony think what I did was awesome? I thought.
"Your fighting style was awesome I mean, it's so much more than what the boring training Royal Guards do." Rainbow Dash complimented. I sighed and let my head droop a bit.
"It was messy and not something ponies see everyday, but you did it for us, and that I appreciate. Also to add to what Rainbow Dash had to say, your fighting style is very different than the Royal Guards. I had a glimpse of how Royal Guards fight and comparing yours to their training, I would say your fighting style would prove more effective and forceful." Twilight said with a small smile. I could tell they were trying to make me feel better about what I did. But this cannot be overlooked.
I turned around to face her and I felt a bit better but I still was upset that I killed them. "Even trained, I fear I may not be able to stay with you long, Your Highness. My life's work is dangerous and if they were to ever meet your work... I don't know what I'd do." I said, trying not to let my voice shake.
"What is yer work about? We've never even heard about yer work." Applejack said. I slowly turned my head to Applejack. "I'm sorry Applejack, I cannot give you the honest truth, for if this information was out..." I said as I trailed off. "The last set of people I told about my work... they died one by one. I cannot tell anypony what I do. I'm sorry." I said before walking off.
I looked at a mirror and realized that my friends were following me. I quickly sped up my pace but so did they. "Wait hold on!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. "What do you mean they died one by one? Who were these ponies?" I abruptly came to a stop and turned around. "If you really want to know... these peop- I mean ponies, were my family. Once I told them what I did for my daily life, they gave me away in my work, wanting to help me.They didn't help me, this revealed my position. They gave me away multiple times and I had to run, my enemies, they took my family away from me, just because I told them what I do." I answered my eyes stinging, for every life I took, I swore that I could see the eyes of my family as they fell to the ground.
"So where's Fluttershy and Rarity?" I asked, trying to change the topic. "They went home, not wanting to see how this turned out." Twilight answered. Thank goodness, at least I know that they are safe. Hopefully.
"Alright." was all I could say. "I need to be left alone for sometime, I'm sorry but this has been a rough day, and Twilight, I'd consider getting some protection for you and your friends. They'll most likely need it." I said before dashing off. I ran off into unknown areas of Ponyville not knowing where to go but to get some alone time.
I eventually reached to what seemed like the edge of Ponyville. There was a very dark forest which stood out to what Ponyville looks like, this place was dark, gloomy, and even perhaps dangerous. Well, nothing I can't handle I guess.
I took some sticks off of trees along with some leaves to create a small basket for myself. As I finished the basket I took a few branches from the trees around me and I placed one at where I was standing. I went into the forest and kept planting small sticks in the ground as I walked. Just so I could see how to get back when I was ready.
Finally I reached a tall sturdy looking tree that was a viable resting spot. I climbed up the tree all the way to the top and realized that after getting a better view of my surroundings, the area I was in was filled with trees only.
Sitting down, I took some leaves from the tree I was on, found a sturdy spot in the tree and used the leaves to make a small bed.I felt night time closing in on my as I curled up and closed my eyes. I entered a dream-state world in which I was familiar with. Usually I would have to experience my worse nightmares here, it became very frequent and I got used to it. This time though, my family was replaced by my new friends.
I saw the templars and assassins quickly taking out all my friends that I've come to know. My chest became very heavy and I collapsed in shock. I only opened my eyes to see a new nightmare. Now I saw my friends being tortured, their limbs being torn apart for some sort of information. "No! NO!" I said, closing my eyes and flattening my ears so I couldn't hear their screams of pain and anguish.
I opened my eyes to see a new scene, my family in a graveyard, with gravestones and all, this time accompanied with gravestones of my friends. Never before have I wanted just to die and join them. "No... no..." I said, even though this was a dream I still couldn't take it. My eyes got very stingy and tears begun to come out. My throat seemed too dry for me to talk anymore.
I was lying down and crying for a very long time until I awoke to a big figure, in the shape of a pony, but more bigger than my friends. This pony with a purple and regal mane stepped in front of me. She was also an alicorn but part of my dream. I yelled "NO, NO I WILL NOT LET YOU TAKE ANY MORE OF MY FRIENDS!" as my heartbeat rose and I awoke from my dream state.
I found sudden light and I realized it was daytime. I bolted out of my bed and rushed down the tree, accidentally slipping and fell from a great height. I quickly performed a roll when I nearly reached the ground. I found the sticks I planted and bolted into the direction of Ponyville where my friends resided in, hoping that they weren't dead first.
I rushed back to Ponyville, my dreams usually are just there to haunt me but I had a feeling that this time may come true if I didn't take action. I ran non-stop back to Ponyville and prayed that my friends were alright.
I reached Ponyville to find that the place was clear and quiet. Too quiet and too empty especially in the daytime. I felt a presence and turned to that direction to find nothing there. I swear that there was something there, or somepony there. You can't tell me it was nothing.
My suspicions arousing, I started rushing towards Lorani's cottage, as it was the only place I know how to get to. My heart sank in memory of the nightmares but I pushed on as I ran.
You're becoming too soft, don't waste your time with friends! I thought. But they are my friends! The only family I have left! It's too late to turn back now, the Assassins from another brotherhood has arrived. I don't know what they want but I feel for a strange reason that they want my friends. Either to break me or just because they're an asset or danger to them. Either way, I have to protect them, it's kill or be killed now.
I triggered my Eagle Vision, indicating recent footsteps also distinguished by hostile or friendly. I found many red footprints as I sprinted towards them, I don't know if her friends were taken but I know if they were taken they would be put in a place near each other.
I followed the footprints until it reached a great castle in Ponyville. A castle? That doesn't seem right... too open, it's too obvious! It can't be but the footprints lead to here.
That's when it hit me, they have been watching me. I may not be the best of friends but Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity, Twilight, Rainbow and Pinkie Pie were still the only friends I had. The Assassins knew that they were close to me. They took them away from me. The Assassins may not have taken their lives but I will take their lives before they take my friends' lives.
I silently went to two oblivious Assassins and in the last second I rushed towards them. I sweep-kicked the right Assassin so that they fell to the ground and used my two hidden blades to slice the left Assassin. For the finishing blow I entered my hidden blade into the fallen Assassin.
Using my enhanced hearing I could hear very small chatter that sounded like my friends. I ran towards the direction of that sound, accidentally alerting more guards and making some guards draw their swords.
I ran into a pack of guards which hit my in the head with their spear. I drew my sword and waited for a strike. The guard with the spear attacked first, his spear being lunged towards my chest. I jumped and forced the spear into the ground, now balanced on the spear, striking the guard in the neck with my sword.
As another guard attempted to attack, I brought the sword behind my neck and spun around, using the hilt of my sword to smash it into their temple, knocking them out. Going into the offense now, I rushed towards two guards as I jumped at one guard, bolting past him as I slit his throat using my hidden blades.
I jumped at a wall close to the second guard and brought down my sword, cleanly penetrating their neck. The last guard attempted to strike me but I deflected his sword and slammed my hoof into their knee. I quickly brought my sword up, skewering his throat.
As I ran, following the footsteps, I realized that my friends were closer than ever.
I promise you my friends, this will happen again but next time, I will be there for you.
Chapter 7: Revealation of A Bigger Threat
Come on you assassins, you afraid to take on another of your own kind? Come at thee! I dare you. I thought as I walked down the hall of the castle, keeping a sharp eye out for any danger. "Come on! Where are you? Come and fight me if you dare!" I shouted and I saw an extensive area of smoke fill the hallway, blinding me.
I triggered my Eagle Sense and drew my sword. "Well, look who has come... the Assassin." a deep mysterious voice said to me. It was awfully familiar, almost too familiar. "Who are you? What do you want from me? Leave my friends out of it, they have nothing to do with it!" I shouted hoping that my friends' locations could be somehow revealed to me.
I heard a deep chuckle behind me and whipped around, my sword at the ready. I was prepared for this but when I looked with my Eagle Vision, I realized that there was not one pony there but an army worth of male ponies. But how? Where did they come from? I thought as more questions entered my mind. I dismissed my thoughts at the moment for the task at hand is more important.
I drew my sword back and got into a defensive position. I disabled my Eagle Vision and was allowed vision through the smoke. The ponies in front of me were all armed, guns, swords, daggers, you name it. They seemed conscious, so some sort of mind trick is out of the question. Are they just a group of brotherhoods joined together as one? Why do they want to kill me so badly? I wasn't anypony special.
I knew I could not fight them all at once so I sheathed my sword and took a Berserk dart kept it hidden from view, ready to strike the more powerful looking assassin. I drew my hidden blades and got ready to parry. An assassin struck towards my knee so I brought my hoof down into his sword, bringing it to the ground, as I skewered his throat easily with my hidden blades, bringing his life to an end.
A trio of assassins attacked at once but I slammed my hoof into one of the assassin's knee and jumped on it, using it as a launch pad. When I landed, I fired both of my hidden blades into two of the assassins. A loud bang was heard and the crumble of their lifeless bodies. Landing on the assassin I slammed my hoof on, I quickly drew my sword and sliced through his neck.
As another group of assassins tried to strike at me, I did quick somersaults and with enough speed, avoiding their blades as they whizzed past my face. I stopped my somersaults by my hidden blades that were fired and I quickly loaded in my blades.
It was like time slowed down as I fired my berserk dart at a 'Brute' who was a heavily armored pony right into their neck one of their more exposed parts. I quickly ran past two assassins and sliced their throat, bringing them down to the ground. I enabled my Eagle Vision and heard the clanging of swords behind me. I followed the blue footsteps to a small looking dungeon with an Assassin sign on it. Unfortunately there weren't any ponies here that were not made entirely made of bones.
Why would there be a secret Assassin dungeon down here? I haven't seen any Assassins or at least any Assassins on my side. Is that why the other Assassins want to get rid of me? Because I'm the last Assassin left? I can't believe it.
I resumed following the footsteps until I reached a small dungeon with real ponies. Some of the ponies seemed to be regular ponies and others seemed to be Assassins, near death. I rushed over to one of the cages and started lock picking the small lock using my lock picking kit.
Within five seconds I heard a satisfying click and pulled on the lock, removing it from the cage. "Hello? I'm not here to hurt you, I'm not with them. I have come to free you all." I said as a pony quickly backed up from me.
"Why should I believe you?" the pony asked in a feminine voice. "Because if I wanted to kill you, I think I would have by now. I don't even know why you all are locked in here. If I wasn't going to kill you why would I unlock it then? If you want to help, take this, free them and get out." I said, throwing my lock picking kit towards the pony.
I turned my back, moved on and heard a faint "Thank you" as I walked away, not looking back. I quickly searched cell by cell, unlocking some and hoping that none of them were going to stab me in the back. Not that I couldn't deal with it.
"Ray! Ray! Over here!" I heard above me as I quickly whipped around, drawing my sword. I realized that this voice belonged to none other than Fluttershy. I felt a large weight release from my chest as I climbed up to the voice's location.
When I got up I found all my friends in nearby cells. I know how some Assassins work, like idiots. Take a group and store them in nearby cells, make my job easier. But hey, I'm not complaining.
I quickly started lock picking the cell locks which proved extremely hard with hooves but I managed. I unlocked every of my friends' cell doors. They all came together in a group hug, leaving me in the middle. I was lost in happiness till I felt a large weight on me and my body was slammed onto the floor.
I heard gasps and screams around me as I was pinned down. "You make a move, one of your friends die. Same goes to you all." the assassin said.
"What do you want from me?" I gasped my breath knocked out, for I'd give them anything for my friends to be free. "You really want to know what we want from you? Your life, slow and painful. Maybe, if you don't struggle we'll let your friends live. Maybe."
"Why do you want to kill me? What did I ever do to you?" I asked, stalling for time, hoping to regain my breath. "I don't know who you even are, let alone your brotherhood."
"You're stalling, I'm not answering a damn question for you." he said. "You're going to be escorted and your friends? We'll let our guards take care of them. You have no idea what you're up against. Equestria is going down." he said, chuckling.
"I'd prefer you didn't say that." I said as I whipped around, used my hoof to sweep the assassin's hooves and used my hidden blades to puncture his throat. "We got to get out of here." I said to my friends. "But I do not know my way around this castle." I noticed that after I said that, everypony looked at Twilight. "What? I didn't build this, I don't know where to go!"
Treat it like another rescue mission Ray... but you have more valuable lives on the line this time...
Chapter 8: Loyalty To My Friends
"Everypony follow me! I may be onto something!" I yelled to my friends, for the clashing of swords makes my words drown out. After shooting the berserk dart at the Brute, he still hasn't seemed to have died yet. Perhaps his vitals are enhanced or my berserk dart is too weak against him. Either way, it still works to my advantage.
I ran back the way I came from and when I reached the castle entrance, three ponies dropped down in front of me. By instinct, I drew my hidden blades and tried to kill one of them but they knew what I was going to do, so they twisted my wrist and threw my back.
I groaned a bit in pain. I flexed my wrists a bit and drew my sword, holding a defensive position. "Who are you? You want my friends? You have to get through me first." I said, challenging them a bit which potentially was a mistake as one of the ponies there launched at me and pinned me to the ground, revealing his hidden blade just inches before my throat.
I didn't let him get me pinned down, I quickly rolled backwards, drew my hidden blade and sliced his leg. Or at least I thought she was a male. She let out a blood-curling scream in pain and I quickly ended her life by a stab in the throat.
Grabbing my sword again, I came in a defensive position again. "Anypony else want a feel of my blade? I may not know who you are, but I will not hesitate in killing you if you come near me or my friends. I'm not letting you get to them again!" I stood my ground, the silence, growing by the minute. "Well Ray... since you asked... we are old, friends should I say." a pony said.
"I know my friends but I don't know you. Real friends would not capture my new friends and let another nearly kill me. I don't know you, and if we ever were friends, I don't think it would have worked out." I stated.
"You've grown too soft Ray, this is not what the brotherhood accepts, friendship, pathetic. You are not one of us, you are nothing like us, we are not your brothers or your friends. But you can redeem yourself, I am giving you a chance, you can leave them and join us again. Or you can stay with them and forever be a deplorable pony to our kind." he said, giving me a choice, leave my friends and rejoin the Creed, or, stay with my friends and be forgotten. The answer was easy.
"Thank you for letting me redeem myself." I said as I walked over to him. I heard gasps behind me as I approached the mysterious pony. My hidden blade entered his chest with ease and I shot the other hidden blade into his friend's skull. The aftermath was bloody, but my previous fights have gotten me used to it.
This was the reason why I left the Creed in the first place, I was becoming a murderer, a killer, and it's happening to me again. Is it my destiny to become what I am now? Or is this what I have to prevent?
Why do these problems always come back to me somehow. It seems I cannot run from it.
I turned to see my friends looking a bit shocked but shook it off with relative ease.
"I would really hate to mess with this guy." I heard Rainbow Dash whisper to somepony. "Well I would not want to mess with anypony." I heard Fluttershy say. "Y'all know that he can hear ya right?" Applejack said out loud.
I could tell the question that was in all their minds was how I know how to fight like this and how I could go through this. They still don't know that I'm an Assassin, I'd prefer the question what I do for my work to be left unsolved. But my fighting techniques are exactly like the Assassins I face, just that I'm more better than them. They'll but two and two together and hopefully, this won't affect too much of our friendship.
I feel like I'm losing my human counterpart everyday as time goes by, I need to find out what happened to me and why this happened. But, this predicament could be easily solved by killing myself.
Do I really want that though? I never had friends back in Boston or New York. It may have been a time of rough days but I think I would have found some sort of friends. But my friends were never friends, they either were just people pretending to be friends to kill me or to get information out of me. I learned not to trust anyone but this issue seems to be diminishing in this place.
"Oh no, what would Princess Celestia and Princess Luna think about this?" Twilight asked to herself.
Princess Celestia and Princess Luna? Who is that? So we have more than one princess? That doesn't make much sense but I guess this isn't my world so things would prove to be different.
"Twilight, if you don't mind me asking you this, who is this, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna? Is it not strange that there are more than one princess? If there are members of royalty here, are there kings and queens here?" I ask.
"Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were, well, still are the main rulers of Equestria. They have their own part, Princess Celestia is in charge of the rising and setting of the sun while Princess Luna is in charge of the rising and setting of the moon. I am just the Princess of Friendship, I spread the Magic of Friendship across Equestria. Now my old foal-sitter, Princess Cadance is in charge of spreading the Magic of Love throughout Equestria. Princess Celestia and Luna pretty much are the rulers of Equestria and Princess Cadance is the ruler of the Crystal Empire, alongside my brother, Shining Armor. I was once her student until I turned into a Princess." Twilight explained her face expressing pride and sadness. It has been a long time since I had a teacher, along with a regular life too.
"Do you know anything that may have triggered this unfortunate event of you being captured? Anything very important about you all? Besides you all being the Princess' friends." I asked.
"Well, we are the Elements of Harmony if you hadn't heard." Twilight said.
"I'm sorry, the Elements of Harmony? I have never heard of them. In my world we never had these Elements of Harmony, we could not depend on anything but ourselves and our allies."
"The Elements of Harmony are six artifacts that were bound to us when we received them. They are powerful artifacts that only we can use but don't know much about. We do know that it can cleanse a pony from evil, due to Nightmare Moon." Twilight stated.
"I think I may have heard enough Twilight, thank you." I said. "Nightmare Moon? Not important right now." I muttered to myself.
I let this process through my mind for a second as I walked across the floor to the door and the last thing I remember? Reaching the castle door and hearing a loud bang along with the door slamming into me, making me slide across the floor. Should have been more vigilant. I remember some shouting from the door and shouting from Twilight or somepony else, before I went unconscious.
I woke up to the pain of being thrown onto the ground and this reopened my leg's knife wound. I winced at the pain but didn't let out a sound. "Where am I?" I asked to nopony in particular. "You don't need to know where you are, just stay quiet." a voice said. I looked to the direction of the voice and saw a stallion with yellow armor and a blue star on their chests. I quickly recognized them as Royal Guards, as they don't exactly keep a low profile.
That is really not smart, the design is good but if I were to fire right now, I'd know exactly where to shoot and it will kill. Who in the right mind did not think of that?
I got up and realized I had hoof cuffs on my front hooves and my hind hooves. I was stripped of my weapons and my outfit. I used my Eagle Vision to find my items, for you can also select things you want to view, such as swords, guns, you name it.
This isn't good, if my friends didn't get that protection I suggested, things will not be good for them. I have to find some way to escape. Luckily this isn't the first time I've been captured. I started lock picking the lock on my hoof-cuffs. After a minute I heard the satisfying click and carefully let the cuffs down on the ground. Of course, this prison has conveniently placed glass, I am so lucky sometimes.
I punched the glass and shattered it, before it went flying off to who knows where, I grabbed a good large piece of it and hid it with me. I quickly turned my back to the cell bars and took off pieces of the glass, soon transforming from glass to a decent dagger.
"What is going on in here?!" I heard behind me, I turned around and I took their head and slammed it into the bars of the cell. I looked around the body for some keys, weapons or tools. No luck.
I let out a fake surprised yelp and shouted "Guards! Guards! There's a dead or unconscious body here!" I heard not too many footsteps arrive near my cell. Bene. This doesn't need to be difficult. I saw two guards looking at the body, their backs facing me. You guards are in so much trouble.
I extended my hoof around these two guards and pushed them towards the bars of the cell. I put pressure on their throats against the bar doors and soon, both their body weight increased greatly.
I looted one of the guard's body for the key and used many keys to find out which key unlocked my cell. After about a good 15 seconds of doing this, I was allowed to turn the key and unlock the door. I pulled the guards into the cell and had a great idea.
I quickly took off their armor and their sword, hoping that I could fit in at least for the time being. I may not look like any Royal Guards but I think this will work for now.
I took the keys and closed the cell door behind me, locking it. I put the keys in and rushed out. I used my Eagle Vision to find out where I was brought in and I may be able to get out of here.
The problem was that there were too many footsteps for me to see for sure which footsteps were to the guards hauling me in. Come on! COME ON! These guards are the only ones the know where the exit is! Wait a minute... I thought as I attempted to disguise my voice to be deeper.
"Where's the exit again?" I asked myself, making sure it was loud enough so that the stallion next to me could hear me. "Do you not know where the exit is?" he asked.
"No sorry I'm new here, Princess Celestia assigned me here." I said really hoping the fib would work. I know nothing about any new guards or if this is even Princess Celestia's prison.
"Oh you must be the new guy, I'll show you around." he said. "I'll show you all the places of this prison here. It's no trouble really."
"Sorry, but I really need to find the exit, Princess Celestia is requesting me and I don't want to be embarrassing myself by asking her where the exits were. I totally forgot." I said feigning embarrassment.
"Ah, it alright I forget the areas around here, it's huge! It's right over at Gate 3A and when you enter, take a left and go though Gates 2V and 1G." he said. I thanked him and left, keeping mental note on where to turn and which gate to exit from.
I found Gate 3A and entered, took a left and went through Gate 2V. I quickly crouched, hiding most of my movement sound along with visibility. I went through Gate 1G and found a vast room full of Royal Guards. There was one guard facing their back towards me and I looked around and determined I was in the clear.
I lunged at the guard, brought him on his hind legs, put a hoof around their throat and squeezed. In a matter of seconds he was out. I put his body into a small bin and sneaked around the vast area. I climbed up a small ledge on the white pillars that were around to keep the building up and I jumped from pillar to pillar, hopefully not causing too much sound.
I screwed up and slipped on the last pillar I landed on and fell next by a Royal Guard. They were about to shout and I quickly drew my glass dagger and threw it into his throat. My heartbeat settled down afterwards. I quickly sneaked over to his body and removed the glass dagger, becoming an item in my inventory. I had to find my items. I quickly asked a lone guard where the prisoner items are kept, he said over to the armory. I thanked him and left.
I asked another lone guard where the armory was and thanked him and left. I made my way over to the armory to find two Brutes standing in my way. "Sorry Sir, you're not allowed access into the armory." I looked at them, confused as I was truly looking into the armory with the corner of my eye to find if there was anything I could use to dispatch these Brutes quickly.
"Very well..." I looked inside the armory as if there was an intruder, the Brutes took note of this and looked into the armory just to find nothing there and me gone. They at least thought I was gone as I was really just above them. I took a loose part of the ceiling and threw it past a corner. One Brute took note of this and walked towards the rock, his weapon at the ready.
I came down on the Brute at the armory entrance with my glass dagger out and punctured his neck and through his throat. The glass dagger was finally broken and stained with blood. I went into the armory and found my items.
I also found some new items, such as some rope darts and sleeping darts. Very useful. Smoke bombs will be a necessary thing to have. Poison darts? I'd rather not, if I inject myself with this by accident there may not be a cure.
I also found a nice tomahawk and some throwing knives. Surprisingly there were an ample amount of throwing knives, perfect. I took the sleeping dart and as the Brute found the body, he marched his way over to the body and I launched the sleeping dart at him, into his neck and he fell with a loud thud.
"Merda, that may have been all too loud." I muttered to myself. I quickly outfitted myself with my weapons and outfit and head towards the exit. I kept my sleeping darts in my hoof, at the ready. The assassin outfit will surely give me away. The Royal Guard armor is just good armor to have and could give a small chance for me to be undetected.
I reached an exit and threw two sleeping darts into the guards, knocking them out of action for a short period of time. I leaped over their bodies and exited the prison. But a horrifying thing I saw before then? An execution room. I couldn't look away in time to see Lorani's head get skewered by the large blade.
I took a few deep breaths and ran. No no no no no no no...
Oh this day just keeps getting better doesn't it?
Chapter 10: Assassination Attempt
I walked outside to see the great blue sky and clouds. I let in a big breath of fresh air. This time may be the only time I can take a breather. There's no time to waste, I have to go, now. I walked out the prison area and found a grand place filled with ponies with excuisite tastes for clothing and fashion. I don't know anypony here though, I'd have to search for a way back to Ponyville.
I quickly ascended onto rooftops, as it was a better place to be than the ground below. Finding some large towers could prove handy right now as I'm running in blind here.
After an hour of running around, I found some place called the Grand Galloping Gala? Not sure what that is but since I heard it is hosted by the Princesses themselves, I'll bet Princess Celestia and her 'student' will be there.
I slept till the day became the night and dropped in the Grand Galloping Gala, I don't really do tickets. They just aren't my thing, but I did realize in the Gala that all my friends seemed to be there.
I grinned, knowing that I could keep watch over all of them. The initial plan was to just find Twilight and asked her of everypony's location but this... this will work nicely. I made my way towards them and when I came in their line of sight, I waved towards them and disappeared in the crowd.
My primary objective is to focus on keeping my friends safe from assassins while also keeping the Creed from sending more Assassins, I need to protect my friends and shut down this brotherhood before it gets out of hand.
I was hoping for some actual peace until all of a sudden I saw a pony dashing towards Princess Celestia or Luna, their movement, there was too much urgency in their movement. It seemed extremely unlikely to be moving this fast for an average pony, only Assassins like I can move at such a speed.
Making my way through the crowd I managed to get near Princess Celestia and waited for the Assassin to make their move. The Assassin jumped and drew their hidden blades as I rolled into the way of their blade and deflected the attack using my own hidden blades. I yelled for everypony to run and in an instant the room cleared out. Royal Guards escorted the Princesses out of the room and some attempted to fight these Assassins.
Taking one look at their face and weapons, I determined that this was a stallion and they were a Specialist. Specialists were special Assassins that had extremely dangerous weapons and were trained to use them just as well as I could use my own weapons. When he struck I used my hidden blades and forced his arm to the ground.
I unsheathed my sword and took the Specialist's sword from it's sheathe. I now wielded two swords and I thought I had the upper advantage until I saw that they brought reinforcements. These Assassins were all Specialists, this was suicide but I knew I could not run. If I ran, they'd kill the Princesses, my friends, innocents and they'll take my life if I ran too. I could see the Royal Guards dying one by one by the hooves of the Specialists.
A Specialist thrust their sword at me and when I deflected their blade, and in an instant their hidden blade came towards my throat as I ducked under the blade and took their with a sword into their chest. One Specialist repeatedly slashed their sword at me as another jumped over their Specialist ally and drew a gun. I deflected yet another series of slashes from the Specialists as I ran towards them and slid under the Specialist, using my sword and slashing their stomach open.
I crippled the Specialist bleeding-out and used their body as a meat shield, I heard a bang as well as a gasp of surprise. I rolled towards the shooter and swept their legs and they crumbled to the ground. I quickly used one sword and skewered their neck.
I whipped around just in time to see another shooter, with his gun to my face at point-blank range as I cut their arm off, blood everywhere. Even I cringed a bit with this sight. I ended his misery with a quick slash to the throat.
Using my hind hoof as a arm, I kicked the fallen shooter's gun and swapped the gun with my sword as I thrust my sword into another chest and shot the other Specialist. Throwing the gun down, I picked up my sword yet again.
The last Specialist lunged at me with their own duel swords as I rolled out of their way and threw one of my swords at them. It barely missed their throat but still missed. The Specialist turned towards me with their duel swords at the ready. I ran towards them and I felt a great pain in my leg, the wound opened in the prison but I didn't think it would be too bad to have left it untreated.
I now regret that decision. Instead I held my ground hoping for the Specialist to strike. I thought they were going to lunge at me but instead they threw their rope dart at me, trying to hit my chest or throat. The rope dart whipped past me as I took the rope part and pulled it towards me.
The Specialist stumbled towards me and I quickly ended their life with a hidden blade to the throat. I thought I had ended their life but when I turned my back, their last moments of their life was used arming an explosive. I heard a small hissing and I turned around to find myself get flung back.
I quickly got up and ran, ignoring the excruciating pain emitting from my leg. I kept running for that grenade knocked down on of the pillars and the place was coming down. It was when I reached the a hallway I was blown back by another explosion. I felt my body go limp and I summoned all my strength to get back up and keep running.
I started running down a hall and when I reached a bridge across a moat, I was blown off my feet once again by another explosion. I only assumed that the place was rigged with bombs. I seemed to be really close to the bomb as I was blown far away and into a river. I let the river take me away as I faded away from consciousness.
Chapter 11: Hope Survives
Not long after I went unconscious I regained consciousness and felt myself being falling. I grabbed a rock on my descent, desperate for some way to escape. A huge splash of water made my hoof slip off the rock and I felt myself go fall. I quickly used my rope darts and threw it up to the surface. I heard my rope dart enter the stone at the top of the waterfall.
I quickly wrapped my hind legs around the rope dart and started climbing up. After what seemed like an eternity, I was back up to the surface. The scenery that unfolded almost made me wish that I stayed down though.
There were Royal Guards getting killed by Assassins around me. I tried my best to save the Royal Guards but there were Brutes and Specialists. Seems like the Creed has sent out the cavalry.
Why didn't I even try to stop them, why did I let friendship get the better of me? I should have focused on them more. My chest filled with despair as innocent ponies died and I couldn't stop it from happening.
I ran away from the scene, the weight in my chest growing continuously. I ran towards the rooftops, now that the Creed has sent out their best, I cannot stop them. I can only find my friends and once more hope that they weren't dead.
I fell to the ground as when my injuries started hurting. My bones felt like lead. Just shake it off Ray, just be glad you are alive. I kept on running as I saw Assassins killing everypony in sight. What would have caused them to have done this? Why?
My body all of a sudden fell onto the ground and I realized that I was tackled. The Assassin on top of me used their hidden blade and tried to tear my throat out, but I countered this by using my own hidden blades. My arm quickly blocked the incoming strikes of the hidden blades with my own hidden blades by instinct.
I quickly shot one of my hidden blades right through my assailant's head, the blood spewing from their head. I took his body off mine and retrieved my hidden blade.
My body started to fail me after a short sprint to the castle where my friends were captured and held not too long ago. Perhaps the reason for this is because I didn't come back to the brotherhood? It can't be, can it? Is this all happening because of me? I ran the rest of the way to the castle, chaos surrounding me. I kicked open the door to the castle, revealing a grand staircase. I went up the stairs to a room with six thrones, I took cover behind one. Now, since these thrones represent those marks on my friend's flanks.
Never really took an interest in them, but I wonder if they do anything. All of a sudden I heard some voices and I listened very closely and tried to determine the location of the Assassins. I may have been trying too hard because I heard a sudden gasp awfully near me and I quickly lunged at the direction of the gasp, skewering a Specialist's throat. Let my guard down for just a moment...
I put the body slowly down as I went back into cover behind a throne. Since Princess Twilight resides in Ponyville I can only determine that this is her castle. I took a risk and whistled, attracting a Brute's attention. Unlucky.
The Brute came close enough for execution as I jumped towards him, wrapped my arm around his neck and swung around onto his back. I broke his neck and an instant death to the Brute was rewarded to me.
I sighed and slumped back in my cover, hoping that nopony sees the body. Hmm... the Brute surprisingly is my size... Maybe the Assassins will think I'm dead. It was worth a shot. I dragged the body behind the throne, hoping that the sound of metal sliding across ground
I took off my outfit and took off the Brute's armor which was not easy. After some time, right after I put on the armor, one of the Assassins shouted for me. I swung the Brute's axe into the original Brute's body, which I put my outfit on him.
"I got the Assassin! He's dead!" I shouted. Two assassins stormed over to me and I showed them the body. "My lord, you DID get him, how did you do it?" one of them asked. "I was lucky and caught him off guard, one axe to the body was all I needed." I said.
"We'll go tell Grandmaster of what has finally happened." the other said. Grandmaster? When the two Assassins left I took off the Brute's armor and put on my outfit. This was a big risk but if I get detected in the Brute's armor I do not have a chance. I am not trained to fight with such armor and an axe.
Sighing, I went outside and quickly into the rooftops. Just to find new waves of enemies approaching. Great, as if I didn't already have enough things to do. But the next thing that happened shocked me, within those enemies, I spotted three Specialists all of a sudden killing their own teammates, their guns firing and hidden blades entering throats.
Are they on my side?
Chapter 12: Allies of the Creed
Who are these ponies? Why are they betraying their brotherhood? I narrowed my eyes and used my Eagle Vision to see if they were friendly or hostile towards me. My relief was instantaneous when they were marked blue. I watched them fight from the rooftops and waited for the best moment to strike. Watching them fight will help me if they become allies with me and betray me.
I watched the fight go down for a while now and the guards seem to have a gun that has this black thing poking from their gun and that may be the reason that it doesn't make any sound. I need this for my hidden blades, I so very much need it.
Descending from the rooftops I realized that this may be a suicide mission for a small attachment but if I survived... this will be an asset for me. Is it worth the risk? When I was more closer to the ground, I waited for a moment and this unsuspecting guard came right below me, fighting one of the traitor Specialists. I used my Eagle Vision to make sure that if the Specialists were really friendlies.
I pounced on the guard and all of a sudden the traitor Specialist turned yellow with my Eagle Vision. What was that? That's never happened before. "Duck!" I heard a voice say and I ducked as an axe went past my head and into a Brute's throat, beheading him. I was shocked by the sight and my hoof quivered a bit.
A sword nearly hit me during my small state of shock if one of the Specialists hadn't countered the blow with their own sword. Being able to take a close look at all the traitor Specialists, I saw that they were all stallions. Why am I not surprised?
The Assassin that saved me used his other sword and stabbed the threat into their chest. I watched their body fall and the life drain from the body. Still recovering from my state of shock, I shakily drew my sword, my senses not at it's very peak. Just ignore it, you've been through this once.
I took a deep breath and steadied myself. Just go with it, you have allies, this time may be different. I expeditiously lunged at the nearest enemy who was a Specialist. I could tell my allies from my enemies because of the feature of marking allies and enemies with Eagle Vision. You unlock this ability through hard, patient and focused training and study.
I ran towards the Specialist leaping up and over him as I cut the back of his neck, cutting off the oxygen to their brain. A Brute and a Specialist both attacked me at the near same time. I jumped back, evading their flurry of swords, as I quickly shot two of my hidden blades into and through their neck. I ran over, retrieved the blades and loaded it into the hidden blade holder.
A duo of Specialists confronted me and I engaged them head-on, feeling the adrenaline coursing through my body. I wrapped my hoof over one of the Specialist's necks, drawing the Specialist's gun and shooting one of the Specialists in the head. When I made the full round, I used my hidden blades and cut their throat. I took the fallen Specialist's dagger and threw it into the last Specialist.
I attempted to shoot my hidden blades into a group of Brutes but my shot didn't go through and my hidden blades fell to the ground. I loaded the hidden blades back into their original position and tried again. Nothing. I checked the hidden blades and realized that I didn't have any gunpowder left. I loaded my hidden blades back into their holders and backed up to a weapon from a fallen Specialist.
Ejecting the gunpowder from a gun seemed to be harder than it looked as I had trouble with it getting stuck. I hoped that I wasn't going to be stabbed in the back. Specialists and Brutes finally took notice of me when I finished loading the gunpowder into my hidden blades. A Brute was disarmed by one of my allies but he ignored him and slammed my ally into a wall.
I adjusted the hidden gun to it's firing mode. The Brute started charging at me and he made contact with my stomach within a few seconds. I felt a lack of breath as I saw my allies in trouble and shot my hidden blades into my allies' troublemakers. I quickly drew my sleeping dart and injected it into the Brute. He fell to the ground within a good four seconds.
I stayed down, catching my breath. I looked at my outfit and it was stained in blood everywhere. I saw a hoof near my head, I took it and got myself back up.
"Why did you attack them? You have a perfect chance right now, why are you not trying to kill me?" I asked, but I wasn't complaining, this may have been about the best thing that could happen to me at the moment.
"We are Assassins of the Creed, Ray, not the corrupted one, but the one that you support. We have been trying to get Assassins to this place but Equestria is overrun with templars, assassins and corrupted brotherhoods. We could not get any assassins to come here. So we have come. My name is Kyros Auditore, descendent of the Assassin, Ezio Auditore da Firenze." one of them said.
"My name is Xerxes Kenway, descendent of the pirate Assassin, Edward Kenway along with Assassin Ratonhnhaké:ton, or Connor." Xerxes said.
"My name is Marnix de Grandpre, descendent of the female Assassin Aveline de Grandpre." Marnix said.
"I don't understand, why did you come to me? I'm just a regular Assassin, I am nothing special nor am I related to anyone important."
I was utterly confused by the looks they gave each other. They seemed really worried and I was getting worried by the silence that grew between us all. I wasn't sure what to make of this question, "Do you really not know who your ancestor is?" Kyros asked.
I shook my head. "I don't know who my ancestor is, let alone my real last name. My last name was something I had to create myself to fit in." After I said this, they all looked to each other. I knew this look, it's that 'should we tell him' look.
"What is it?" I asked. Marnix nodded, and Kyros replied "Your ancestor is Altair Ibn-La'Ahad and thus, your real last name is Ibn-La'Ahad."
I stood there in shock. Altair is my ancestor? But how?
"Right." I said, I couldn't think of anything else to say! I walked past them and went towards the gun with the black object sticking out. I took it off and looted the bearer of the gun for a second one. I think I'll call them suppressors, for they suppress sound.
I turned to face the new ponies that I now call allies. Now only one question remains, What do we do now?
Chapter 13: Assassins of The Creed
Sometimes only four Assassins are all that is needed to bring down an army. After the two Assassins left when I was disguised as a Brute in the castle, an announcement was made that I was dead. None of the Assassins were left alive from the last battle. Sometimes I wonder if I made the right choice in letting myself become an Assassin, there is just one chance and I take it or leave it. The chance to become an Assassin? I took it but I left behind the part of me to have a normal life.
I thought about my allies, could they be trusted? Are they my friends? I don't know. I don't even know how Kyros could be a descendent of Ezio Auditore, the Auditore family was wiped out, or so I thought. I'm not sure how any of us are related to any of the ponies that we call our ancestors. But all of them proved it to me by showing their special skill that was inherited from our Assassin ancestors.
We all stayed at an abandoned cabin where we stayed and trained. We improved our tools and trained with them against sandbags. I managed to get the suppressors to work with my hidden blades, now all that is needed is to remove the smoke from the hidden gun before shooting it. I was able to add more blades into the hidden blade so I don't have to retrieve my blades after two shots.
After a year of corruption and constant training, we decided that now was the best time to strike, knowing that the corrupted Creed will think that they are safe from the Assassins. But no one, is ever safe from the Assassins. You can kill all of the Assassins, take their supplies, change our beliefs, but nopony will ever be able to stop the Creed.
My friends may have forgotten me, but I could never forget them. They may really think I'm dead but maybe it's for the best. Maybe it was better to not have them as friends, for their own safety.
"Alright, you all know the plan? We're not going to go all out, we're going to remain undetected. Hide bodies, silent kills, and don't engage in combat." Marnix said. It turns out being a descendent from Aveline not only gave him a nice skill but also gave him advance tactic knowledge.
We all nodded and we went out of our cabin to prepare for the strike. We reached our destination, City Hall. City Hall was reconstructed to become a battle station, fully loaded with cannons, guns, archers, it seemed to be the main area for attack.
City Hall now had defensive walls, a moat, drawbridge and most likely secret passages. The Templars and Assassins have made City Hall into a dangerous castle and a war-zone.
"Ray, use your Eagle Vision, you might find some secret passages." Xerxes whispered to me. The skill that was passed down to me by Altair was enhanced Eagle Vision, which proved extremely useful surprisingly. After training to use my Eagle Vision, all my other senses were enhanced, my sight, smell, hearing were all enhanced. My Eagle Vision can now track footprints from recently stepped enemies even better now.
I learned to block out footprints I didn't need so that would have been useful when I was in that prison. I also developed a different Eagle Vision, a new type of Eagle Vision I named Eagle Pulse. It allowed me to see anything I wanted but it's to only be used when in an emergency. Extended use of Eagle Pulse led to instant unconsciousness, headaches and strange visions.
"Alright... let's see here" I said as I enabled my Eagle Pulse, marking every secret passage there were. After the secret passages were marked, I disabled Eagle Pulse. I pointed to the secret passages. "There's one right behind City Hall. Behind City Hall has some drawings that may look strange but if you enable your Eagle Vision you can make out the drawings. Press the eye, the eagle, and the sword.
"Alright, let's go team." Kyros commanded as we came out of our dense bush and readied our hidden blades. I rushed to my position and into a haystack, where a guard was next to. Poor pony.
I emerged from the haystack half way, put my hoof to the guard's mouth, dragged him into the haystack and cut his throat in the haystack, denying any blood splatters on the ground.
Using my Eagle Vision I could see no more enemies patrolling around City Hall. The Assassins and templars really are slacking off in security. I thought as I came out of the haystack. Looking to the other haystacks and bushes, I could see my allies that I've called friends, kill their Templars and Assassins, concealing their bodies into the bushes or haystacks.
I nodded to them, signifying that the coast was clear. They all nodded back as I went to the back of City Hall, enabled my Eagle Vision and pressed the eye, the eagle and the sword.
The wall to my right turned clockwise and reached to a stop midway. I waited for my friends and we all went into City Hall. One thing for sure, is that I take back what I said about this place lacking security. There were Brutes, Specialists and an unidentified new enemy. I didn't want to engage them if I didn't know what the new enemy could do.
We sneaked our way around them, reaching a long staircase. Up on that staircase was a vast hallway with many guards. Marnix signaled me to assassinate two enemies from the ground and shoot the next two with my hidden blades.
Xerxes was to take to the ceiling and assassinate another pair of enemies. But since his hidden gun wasn't suppressed, he wasn't going to shoot the enemies. Kyros took to the windows and was to take out four enemies in total who were slacking off by the windows.
Marnix gave us the signal to engage and I waited for Xerxes to get into position. Kyros rushed over to an open window and waited by the first guard. Xerxes was now in position, Marnix gave the coded countdown for engaging. One hoof slash to the knee, second hoof slash to the chest and last signal... the hoof slash to the neck. Kyros pulled out two enemies at ones surprisingly as I quickly rushed over to the first pair of enemies and stuck my blade through both their throats.
Xerxes dropped down on the other pair of enemies, the landing perfect, as I shot two hidden blades past Xerxes, barely missing him and hitting the next pair of Assassins. I heard my hidden blades start loading the next pair of hidden blades as Kyros pulled the last pair down to their death.
It was perfectly done and nopony even heard the sound of Assassins and Templars getting killed. Two Templars walked straight into the room and saw the dead bodies in the room, as their heads exploded in red, thanks to the hidden gun's new power. The hidden gun's power and range was increased. It even has a rope dart feature now! We dumped the dead bodies down the windows but blood stains were everywhere. I took the hidden blades back and put them into where they belong, into my hidden blade holders.
We ran to the end of the hallway to the main station where we'll plant two bombs I created that will shatter the infrastructure of the building and make this building collapse. The first sign of our enemies' downfall. We reached the weak building infrastructure.
"Xerxes, Kyros you still got those charges?" I asked, I heard two grunts signifying that they had the charges. "Alright plant them here and here." I signaled as I heard them tinker with the charges and activated the sticky feature which will stick to walls and glass.
"Alright Ray, now you activate them." I heard Marnix say. "Alright, I'm getting to work on that. Just give me a second to work out this technical error in my hidden blades. Almost done... Alright I got it." I said as I opened the charges, cutting a wire, causing it to start. I modified it to blow up in one minute. When one charge blows up, if another charge is in the vicinity of the blast, it'll detonate itself.
"We've got one minute, let's go!" I said, breaking into a sprint. We managed to get halfway through the long hallway before two doors suddenly burst open, Brutes and Specialists coming out on both ends. "Merda! We're trapped!" I exclaimed. "Stercore!"
"Ok, we have to get out of here, it's top priority, try to run past them or climb past them, do anything, just run!" Marnix said as we all bolted into action. I ran towards the crowd of Assassins and Templars, getting them ready for a fight. I went towards the non-window side of the hallway and started wall-running on it while throwing a smoke bomb into the crowd.
I managed to evade the crowd but I wasn't sure about the others. When I looked back I could see Marnix and Xerxes fighting all of them at once. It was suicide. By instinct, I turned back and went back for them. While the Templars and Assassins were fighting, I managed to quickly kill many of them as they were too distracted by the two Assassins.
My hidden blade went into many throats and chests that day. It will only matter if we get out though. I quickly looked around the building with my Eagle Vision. "Xerxes, Marnix, run! I've got a plan!" I yelled as I switched the hidden blades into the rope darts.
I shot the rope darts into the weak part of the wall, which was found with my Eagle Vision. My rope was also enhanced so I could pull it without it snapping. The rope darts went right though the wall and I managed to pull it down. This was not an action of great ease for after I did this, my arms ached so much. I heard a loud boom and the building started crumbling.
Above me I saw pebbles starting to fall from the ceiling. "Come on Ray! We got to go!" Kyros yelled at me. Only then did I realize that I was just standing there. "Alright I'm coming!" I said, running through the hallway. I looked back just in time to see a wall crumble in my previous position. We ran towards the exit and I heard crashes behind me. We were now in a desperate race of time, if we were in the building when it collapses, we will be stuck under the debris and if we survive that, we will suffocate to death.
When we reached the main exit, we saw that it was locked shut. "Merda! Hold on give me a second!" I said, using my Eagle Vision to find an alternate exit. When I looked at the wall, I managed to find another weak part in the wall. I deemed it possible to break but we needed some sort of explosion.
I quickly walked over to what seemed like a dining hall and scanned the area. I found a Brute who was struggling to get out of the debris he was on. On his body, there was a bomb on his body. Not smart.
I rushed over to him and quickly kill him without question. Retrieving the bomb was easy, I quickly took a candle from the Dining Hall and lit the bomb. I threw it at the weak part of the wall and my friends backed up instantly.
A loud boom could be heard and more debris falling as I ushered them all to get out. "Go! GO!" I yelled to them. We all managed to get out, just barely before the whole building collapsed. "We did it." I said to them. We turned to find Brutes and Assassins, drawing their swords.
Here we go again. But this time? The war with our Creed has begun.
Chapter 14: Liberation of Ponyville
I threw a smoke bomb into the crowd of Templars and Assassins, making them cough many times. It allowed me and my friends to assassinate them all quickly. Within a few seconds when the smoke cleared up, there were just a few Templars left. We all drew our swords and engaged in combat. Me taking the first Templar, I used my empty hoof and did a 360, sweeping the Templar's legs and when I completed the 360, I drew my sword back and brought it on the fallen Templar. My sword entered the Templar's throat with ease.
He let out a horrible gurgling sound as he died. I shot two hidden blades into a pair of Templars, killing them. I ran towards the last Templar, bucked his front hooves, and used my hidden blades to finish the job. I retrieved the two hidden blades from the Templars as I looked up to find six shocked mares. Oh no.
I ran off at incredible speed, climbing to the rooftops and to the high buildings. A smoke bomb will do very nicely. I threw a smoke bomb down on the rooftops, and made my way down, assassinating two unsuspecting Templars.
It only made sense that I stuck to the rooftops but that's the reason why I went to the ground, it was the illogical way to go. After running for a few minutes, with my Assassin friends following me, I looked back to find emptiness.
"What was that?" Marnix asked me. "Who were those mares? Why were you running from them?" Kyros added. "It would probably also helped if you warned us even in the slightest bit." Xerxes said.
"Those mares, they were my old friends. After I was pronounced dead, I left them. If I came back and stuck with them, they would have died like my family did. My life became more dangerous and if ponies found out that they knew me, they would interrogate them with the most painful of methods. Just to get information about me. So I left them and hoped to be forgotten. But it seems that is a wish that will never come true." I said.
"We all know exactly how you feel, your pain is actually a minor pain compared to all of ours. We all lost our families too but our friends, the minute we met them, the next day they were gone." Xerxes said. They all nodded. I let out a breath, hoping that this will never come true for my old friends. But it will one day, I'm just hoping that that time isn't now.
"Well, we've brought down City Hall, now what?" I asked. "Do we go for another city or cleanse this one of Templars and Assassins? I prefer the latter." I thought of how we could possibly get rid of all Templars and Assassins in this city.
"It is better to finish one job than leave it unfinished." Marnix said. "So today will be the day we start to take out little problems from Ponyville. We'll move on to bigger places like Canterlot, or Las Pegasus. But for this day... we will eliminate the threats that has caused this city to become like this." We all nodded to that.
The past few hours have just been me having a lot work, to stealth kill Templars or Assassins is a lot of work, along with hiding the body. It was not like I had anything else to do though. It was like therapy to me, killing those who could have had a part in the killing of my family and the threat to my friends.
I so far have been doing well, staying undetected. These Templars and Assassins really don't expect anypony that will oppose them do they? No I wouldn't think so. I have been taking out Assassins or Templars one by one, slowly cleansing the streets of Ponyville.
It had gotten a bit boring but I convinced myself that it was good practice for myself. My emotions taking control over me eventually, I decided to just not stealth it. There were a group of Assassins which I would have normally threw a smoke bomb, but there was no fun in that right?
What I did do though, was from a rooftop, bring down my dual swords on two Assassins. After counting them I saw that there were four, then eight, then ten. I was shocked, they were hiding, waiting for me to strike. This may have been the biggest mistake of my career.
I shot two hidden blades into two Assassins, one striking the head and another striking the chest. I ran towards an Assassin swinging their sword at my throat and slid under their sword. When I turned, I found a back turned to me as I used my swords and did two slashes in the back.
As another Assassin lunged at me with their sword, I used my dual swords to make that sword go into the ground, making it stuck. I thrust my swords into the Assassin's throat, killing him.
Then the Assassins realized that I was not easy prey. They all now stood on hind legs. What they don't know, is that I may have the upper hand now. I got up on my hind legs as two Assassins lunged at me with their swords, I used my hoof and pulled their arm closer to me. Their body went forward and into the other lunging Assassin, who was shocked in this.
I aimed my very careful shot and shot through both their necks, along with a bonus Assassin behind them. Simply at the wrong place at the wrong time. I went for the offensive now, using my legs to sweep an Assassin off their feet and used my two swords to slice their chest along with their throat.
Assassins usually like to attack from the back and that's just one mistake that this Assassin did. As he attempted to cut the back of my throat, I used the metal in the hidden blade to fully block this attack. The outfit was a bit ripped though. I used my hidden blades and skewered his throat. I put away my swords and drew the late Assassin's gun, firing it into the crowd of Assassins.
After this, I counted them and found that eleven Assassins were still left. But immediately after counting them I saw three more Assassins jump down. I would be worried about more reinforcements. But I threw a smoke bomb into the crowd of Assassins and the three that jumped down made quick work of them.
Always good to have friends and allies.
Chapter 15: Going To The High Society
Finally, it's over for this town. I thought as me and my Assassin friends cleaned up the bodies that stained this once peaceful town. This is a wound that will heal over time, but this town will survive. We'll try to help as much as we can, but I don't know if we can get to all the places in Equestria. This will take some time no doubt, but I'll try my best.
Currently my friends and I are just sharpening our tools. We're practicing once again and upgrading our own equipment. I set up a target outside the cabin, a far distance away from the cabin but safe enough so that if I miss this target, it won't hit the population.
I extended my hoof and shot a hidden blade at the target. Nice. No smoke nor sound. Perfect. "This'll do nicely." I muttered to myself, allowing a small smile. "Talking to yourself again Ray?" Marnix said to me.
"Well, yeah." I replied a bit embarrassed. "What are we going to do today? We certainly don't have time to relax."
"Of course, well today, we are going to Canterlot, our plan is to go by train, the most unsubtle method to get to Canterlot. They most likely know that the Assassins are back in action now."
"Ah, great, isn't that just amazing. The fact that I'll be recognized by guards now is just an amazing fact to know."
"Well I'm pretty sure you could fight them off. Most likely you'll kill them within a matter of seconds."
"I'd prefer to not overestimate my abilities. When I start thinking I can beat every opponent, I'll become super cocky and this will lead to my downfall. So no, I'd prefer not in a matter of seconds but I'm sure I can beat them."
Marnix nodded and went back into the cabin. The last time I was cocky also led to the downfall to my family too. Will it ever be possible to escape the guilt that has been eating at me since my family died?
Within a few hours, we were on the train to Canterlot. We got up when we reached Canterlot, the guards checking the train cars, most likely for us. "Merda, how do we get past them?"
All of my friends looked at me with raised eyebrows. "We're going to get past them with what we do best." said Kyros, amused while drawing his hidden blades. "Assassinating."
When the guards came to this car, we all got up and I took out one guard as the guard next to him was also taken out. I shot two hidden blades into the next pair of guards, who failed to recognize the threat and react to it in time.
This worked smoothly as we were out of the car the minute those bodies hit the ground. We all started running towards Canterlot and what civilians got to see was four Assassins take out their feared threats one by one.
"Come on! We must get to the Canterlot castle! Let's try to save anypony there if they haven't been killed." I said grimly. Reaching the castle was an easy task, getting in may prove not to be as easy.
Within a good ten minutes of us killing Templars, we made it to the Canterlot castle within a good ten minutes. The rooftops does prove to be very fast and efficient.
"Why are there no guards? This is obviously a trap, too easy to get in." I said, but it was quite obvious. Surveying the area I did not find any guards within the area. Using my Eagle Vision I was able to find them inside the castle. There were many guards in the castle, but putting one or two outside to defend the perimeter shouldn't matter to them.
"There are many in the castle, but I can't get a lock on them!" I started to panic as I was supposed to be able to lock them onto my Eagle Vision but these groups I could not.
Using my Eagle Pulse I managed to get a lock on a few of them but not all of them. But after doing so, I saw heat signatures in the building and I realized that the Templars had prisoners. I viewed around, how could there be no Assassins here?
"Oh stercore, they've got innocents inside. We can't barge in there, they'll kill them." I said, getting a bit frantic, for I have no problem with killing my enemies, but I do have a problem when I have defenseless innocents about to die.
"This may be a problem, one Assassin is going to have to go in there. But who?" I asked as I turned to three heads looking at me. "What? Me? Fine." I said in exasperation. So I have to be the one who does this huh?
I jumped from the roof and into a haystack, landing softly into the haystack. I jumped out of the cart, taking out pieces of hay on my face. Climbing rapidly up to the building's roof, I used my Eagle Vision to view the area and find who is in the top layer.
Nopony is in the top layer of the building? Alright, this will be much easier of an entrance. I thought as I jumped into the rooftops and into the building. Using all my legs, I managed to land silently. I crouched and marked some targets with Eagle Vision.
Silently rolling to my left, I shot two hidden blades into two stallions as I ran towards the third one, bucking their front hooves and my hidden blades finally loaded in, skewering their throat.
I rolled my head around and heard a satisfying crack. We're clear. Rushing down to the second steps, I found a very large group of ponies all with shackles bonded to each other. Stercore.
But something that frightened me? The sight of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, with ropes around their necks. They haven't hung them yet but they're about to, and forcing everypony to watch.
I waited for the right moment, and I swear I could hear Marnix telling me just to go for it. Waiting behind the pony with the execution lever in hoof, I drew my hidden blades and waited.
When the order was given, I went forward, my blade plunging into the executioner's neck. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna closed their eyes, dreading this moment. They soon opened their eyes in surprise and shock. "What are you doing? I said to pull the lever!" I heard a voice yell as I climbed up and landed behind the last two unsuspecting guards.
"Sorry to do this, but you guys are convicted of treason." I said as I wrapped one hoof around the right side Templar, slicing his throat and letting my blade enter the left guard.
I took out a hidden blade and cut the rope around the Princesses. "Thank yo-" Princess Celestia said before she was cut off by the sound of footsteps around us. I drew my swords, ready for a fight. I signaled my friends to come down but they were one step ahead of me. As one Assassin came behind me, I could hear the loud boom of a gun firing and I saw a silver object penetrate the Assassin behind me.
Xerxes used his hidden guns and fired at the Princesses and hit two ponies behind the Princesses. As my friends arrived, so did the Templars and Assassins. Yep, now this seems more right.
I realized that more and more were coming, in a matter of seconds we were outnumbered. I threw a smoke bomb and my friends escorted the Princesses out. Running through the crowd I used my hidden blades to cut the shackles on many ponies. I looked back to see the ponies that I freed started taking weapons from the already dead Templars.
They bought us some time to escape as we ran. The Princesses' horns all of a sudden had this strange aura and we were brought to a library. I came to a sudden halt, stumbling a bit, attempting not to slam into the bookshelves.
"Sorry about that, we needed to get out quick." Princess Celestia said. Me and my friends bowed to the two Princesses. "Tis fine, thou may rise." I heard Princess Luna say.
We rose and looked out the nearest window. All of a sudden we heard a boom and pulled the Princesses' down to the ground. "Sorry about this, it's just protection." Xerxes said.
We heard two 'thank yous' as we jumped out of the window, firing at our shooters as we landed into four separate haystacks.
We landed into the haystacks, our landings at the same time. We emerged from the haystacks to find dead bodies and guns fall from the roof. Smoothly done. "We going to Las Pegasus?" I asked, getting the hay out of my outfit and mane. "I've always wanted to see what the city was like there."
"Yeah we might as well, we have Assassins getting completely slaughtered there. They need our assistance." Xerxes said. "Of course if that's fine with the rest of you." We all nodded at this.
After a straight hour of finding more Assassins or Templars we've met up in a small alleyway.
"I didn't manage to find any Assassins nor Templars, they all seem to have fled." I said, and this was true, for the streets were completely empty of Templars or Assassins. They really must have fled.
"I found one but that's about it, any luck with either one of you?" Kyros said, directing his words to Xerxes and Marnix. They both shook their heads. "Then we move to Las Pegasus tonight. But today? We celebrate!" We all cheered at this.
After walking around, we found a small bar, which seemed to provide a lot of wine and liquor. We went in and ordered a full glass of white wine. My friends and I were plentiful in money and we couldn't see why we could not spend it on some quality wine. We took off our hoods and took a fresh breath of air.
"Our accomplishments definitely requires a toast. What shall we toast to?" I asked, happy for our success. It's been a long time since I could finally take a day off. Being chased by Templars or Assassins doesn't exactly give you a time off.
"To being the best of friends, and Assassins of course." Marnix said, but keeping his voice low for the Assassins part.
"Cheers!" we all said and clinked our glasses together in the middle of the table as we all drank our drinks. The glass came close to my mouth and I could smell the nice aroma emitting from it. As I drank a sip, I could taste a small amount of vanilla in the wine along with a faint amount of grapes in it too. The wine went down my throat with a small tingle going down with it.
"That's the stuff, it's been quite a long time since I was able to drink." I said, feeling a bit dizzy. I don't remember being so weak against a drink. I can't be drunk quite yet. Regaining my composure, I concentrated on fighting the drink and not letting myself go.
"I think that's enough for me." I said with a small smile. The group laughed at this, being an Assassin, most would think that I could take more than a small glass of whiskey.
"I'm going to drink some more, that hit the spot but I don't feel that strange satisfaction from drinking yet." Xerxes said, waving over a bartender to order some more drinks.
Kyros and Xerxes had a small glass of whiskey. While Marnix ordered a glass of alcohol. I shook my head at the sight at this, but it was not a motion of disappointment.
I watched them drink as I used my Eagle Vision to scan around the area for potential threats. The city is truly clear. I can't believe it. But then again, what would you expect from corrupted Assassins and Templars.
"Ray, you alright? You started to stare into the distance and into the ceiling for some reason." Kyros asked me, with a grin on his face. "Eagle Vision?" I nodded. "Seriously Ray, relax, you don't have to be so vigilant, we aren't defenseless bystanders. You don't have to worry." Xerxes said, offering me a small glass of whiskey. I smiled and took the whiskey.
The drink went down my throat easily and left a small burning sensation behind. I sighed and smiled. These are going to be times that I maybe can truly relax. I looked outside, the day was still young, maybe we can finally loosen up.
"Let's go for a run, it's been a long time since I've done such a thing." I suggested, stretching my legs. The group stood up and opened a window, each jumping out to a rooftop. I smiled and ran towards the window, jumping onto a rooftop with Kyros.
We ran around Canterlot, the citizens below watching in awe as we fluently jumped from clothes hangers to roof edges, and so on. We ran for about an hour until we finally stopped in exhaustion.
We stopped by a river and splashed water on ourselves. The cold water was pleasing and shocking at the same time.
"That feels nice doesn't it?" Xerxes asked. "That was a mighty nice run, I wish we times like this all the time." Don't we all?
Chapter 17: Trouble In The Casino
"Alright, we leave now to Las Pegasus, hope you all had a nice relaxation time. Time to get back to business." Marnix said, getting up from the ledge of a tower we were perched on. Marnix jumped down from the tower, hitting a haystack. When he got out, Xerxes went, then Kyros. When Kyros got out of the haystack, I jumped and slowly flipped my body to my backside. I felt the wind rushing through my mane and body as I hit the haystack.
It was indeed nighttime though, which means we got to move. Marnix already discussed the plan with us, we hit the train to Las Pegasus, and then we cleanse the place too. Seems like what we've been doing for some time.
We reached the train and Marnix said, "Alright we'll have to do night watches, we need some sleep on the train. We'll hit Las Pegasus in about a day, this train is really fast. Ray, you take first watch, Kyros you take second, I'll take third watch and Xerxes, you'll take fourth watch."
As we entered a near empty car with beds I watched the corners for any enemies just wanting their throats ripped out. I nodded and the group entered. Quickly everypony fell asleep as I sat up, constantly watching towards the corners of the cars and the entrances of the cars. I already pulled down the shades on the windows to prevent shooters.
After about an hour, Kyros tapped me on the shoulder, signaling that he'll take over. I nodded in gratitude as I got into a bed and closed my eyes. The quick feeling of fatigue washed over me as I felt myself drifting away.
I awoke to Kyros tapping my shoulder telling me to wake up. I bolted up in the bed, rolling my head around and relieving the soreness. I heard footsteps and by instinct I drew my hidden blades.
The sound of other hidden blades were heard as my friends also drew their hidden blades. We waited for the guards to arrive but we immediately retracted our hidden blades when we saw that these were not guards but just passengers. I quickly got off the car and signaled my friends to do so too.
We reached a place which seemed very heavily guarded with Brutes and Specialists. What could they be hiding in there? Who is this new party that's come into play? There were unknown threats here but I wasn't sure what they could truly do.
But their weapons were certainly dangerous, I saw a long rifle along with pistols hanging from their pockets. With further investigation using Eagle Vision, I could see smoke bombs and flash grenades.
"Shall we call them Grenadiers?" I asked, they obviously have many bombs and grenades. I'm pretty sure their tactic is to throw a bomb and then shoot their targets. This proved them to be extremely dangerous.
My friends knew what I was talking about and nodded. Grenadiers it is then.
"We need to get into the casino, then we need to hit Las Pegasus' town hall. Both have an ample amount of Templars and Assassins." I said, pointing to a window. "We can get through there, but I don't know if we can take on about six guards at once. We need this to be a quiet mission, not a go-everywhere-and-kill-everypony mission."
Marnix smiled a bit for being the descendent of Aveline, he could dispatch enemies quickly, but I didn't know how far this special skill went but I found out today. Marnix jumped through the window and using my Eagle Vision I saw that within a matter of seconds, somehow they were all dead.
Marnix popped out of the window and waved us over. We made our way on a sturdy tree branch and jumped into the window. "Nice work." I said to Marnix. He replied with a nod.
I used my sword to finish off a guard who was on the ground, unconscious. We made our way into the casino and we stayed in the shadows of the vent. We decided to scout for any major activities. But we found one interesting conversation.
"We'll get the Assassins when they don't know it. Their way of life will crumble and I will be the one to deliver the killing blow." I heard the pony in a dark black coat say. I nodded to my friends frantically as they smashed the vent and we jumped though, about to assassinate him.
He quickly drew his hidden blades, looked up and blocked our hidden blades. After this, he drew his dual swords and slash at us with incredible speed. We didn't even get a moment to draw our swords. We resorted to using hidden blades to deflect the blades. I felt two small cuts on my hooves for this act.
When he drew his gun, he aimed at me, and fired. I was hit in the left torso somehow by the shot. I yelled in pain as this shot went throughout my body as Kyros pulled me to the nearest cover which was a slot machine.
I started bleeding out as Kyros put his hoof to the wound, attempting to stop the bleeding. He took some wires from the machine and wrapped it around my body, in an attempt to once again stop the bleeding. I saw black marks around my vision as I struggled to survive.
Chapter 18: Free The Creed
Ow, ow, ow, ow! I thought as I lunged from my cover and admitted my hidden blade into a Templar's knee. I pulled his knee down so that it seemed that he was bowing as I brought my hoof up and brought the hidden blade down into his throat.
I felt a sharp pain in my wound as Kyros carried me out of the casino. I cried out in pain as this happened. My vision started going black at the edges and I was starting to fade away.
I awoke in the evening as I looked at my torso, finding a tourniquet in it's place rather than the ugly bloody wound. I assumed that this was our cabin by the familiar furniture and building structure.
"Oh thank Celestia your okay!" I heard Xerxes say. "We all thought you could have died."
I got up and said, "We need to find out who that person is. He's a threat to the Brotherhood, this city cleansing will have to wait. If we have spies within the Creed our enemies will always be one step ahead of us." My friends smiled at my quick recovery.
Finding my weapons was the easy part, putting them on was a whole different thing. Having a bullet wound to the torso restricts me from turning. It took a while but I managed to get my weapons on.
Attempting to draw a sword? Bad idea. My body hurt crazily by even running let alone draw a sword. I can probably only rely on my hidden blades and my tools. This is what I get for not dodging that shot at me.
"I'd advise that you stay back Ray, I think we can handle this ourselves." Xerxes suggested. "You are very injured, no offense but, your current state will only slow us down greatly."
I wanted to protest but that will just lead to me being probably strapped down and shot with a sleeping dart.
"Very well." I walked upstairs to my room and decided to sleep this off. I don't think sneaking out will be a good idea this time. I got into my bed and closed my eyes. It was very hard to sleep, knowing that my friends may not come back.
I awoke in the morning to find all my friends gone. It's what I feared, my friends might be captured or worse, dead. It's been hours, I can't track their footsteps with Eagle Vision.
Maybe not Eagle Vision... but what about Eagle Pulse? Using my Eagle Pulse, I could see a faint track on their footsteps for just a second. But that was enough to tell me it was possible. Pushing my limits, I concentrated on making the footsteps visible and mark-able.
My head was pounding, this may leave a headache for about an hour. But it was working so a headache wouldn't be a bad exchange for finding these footsteps. A managed to use my Eagle Pulse for a longer time than usual. The footsteps could not be marked but using Eagle Vision will now reveal the footsteps.
I'm coming guys! I thought as I followed the footsteps for a long time. I arrived to the casino again. Here? Why would they all come here?
I took cover behind the door and used my Eagle Vision to detect some Templars. Grenadiers also were on the scene and that did not help at all. I found two guards guarding the entrance. Now I did not think that they would let me through so I knew I had to forcefully get in.
Stealth may be my first priority, I've learned to be off the radar from other Assassin's Eagle Visions. I'll have to quickly execute this double takedown. I lunged towards the left guard and sliced his throat, using my hind right leg to kick the right guard. Once this was done I whipped around and stabbed the shocked guard. He went down with a small gurgle.
I pulled the bodies upright so that it seemed that they were sleeping or leaning against the wall, looking at the floor. I rushed in and took cover behind a table, using the tablecloth to hide my body. Using Eagle Vision I marked four guards in the room, two were having a nice conversation, while the other two was doing some actual work, scouting the area for intruders like me.
One of the guards walked over to this table and I pulled him across the table, which my injury did not help with. I pulled him halfway and stabbed his throat, alerting some guards. I slid under the table, once again using the tablecloth to hide me.
Inhale through the nose, exhale though the mouth. Inhale... I inhaled as I lunged at the nearest pair of hooves and shot one guard with my hidden blade. I used my hidden blades to pull the guard down and killed him. I shot the last guard through the neck as he drew his sword. Exhale.
I found my hidden blades and put them where they belong: in my hidden gun. I took a moment to tighten the tourniquet on my torso. It hurt very much but I managed. Now we continue.
Using my Eagle Vision, I tracked the footsteps to an execution room. I hoped I wasn't too late. Then I saw Xerxes getting shoved towards the execution table. I let him get on the table and shot the executioner before he swung his axe. He fell back onto his back and dropped the axe. Xerxes saw this and he bucked a guard behind him.
He quickly hopped over to the axe and cut the ropes that restricted him from using his hooves. The others did the same as Xerxes. As they did this I jumped down and when I was near these two guards I landed on their heads. Using the falling force, I made their heads slam straight into the ground, knocking them out.
Taking careful aim, I took two Grenadiers out with both hidden blades. Too far, too little time, can't get those blades back. Grenadiers and Snipers started shooting at us while we took cover.
"We have to get out of here!" I shouted. The reply to this was "No! We have to free the prisoners here! They're all Assassins! They're on our side." Kyros shouted over the shooting.
I used my Eagle Vision to find the way to the cells. "Come on everypony! This way!" I yelled as the Snipers started throwing torches into explosive barrels. I started running but got blown back by an explosive barrel.
"Argh!" I yelled as the bullet wound reopened. I will not lose this time. Not my family, not the Creed, not my friends. I ran to the cells and threw an ignited explosive barrel at the cell door. "GET BACK!" I yelled.
The prisoner jumped back as the door flew open with the explosion. I ignited more explosive barrels by scraping my hidden blades by metal, causing sparks. I threw more explosive barrels as the all ready freed prisoners started lock picking other doors.
I felt white-hot pain through my shoulder and I realized I was shot once again. I quickly grabbed some medicine that was blown back from the blast. I grabbed some leather and wrapped it around my shoulder. I yelled in pain as I used the medicine and applied it to the wound. Patching myself was torture but I knew it was time to get out.
I spotted a window with a ledge and I ran to it. When I got onto the ledge I found a large river down. My friends were on the other side and the guards were running towards me, it's too late to turn back now.
Smiling to my friends, I jumped, backside down and waited for the impact of water.
Chapter 19: A Traitor Among Us
Salt water. Why did it have to be salt water. I thought as I remembered jumping into the river and feeling immense pain in my shoulder and some pain in my torso. Two bullet wounds don't match with salt water. It does become hard to swim when in immense pain. My shoulder and torso still sting but at least I have some form of protection against infection.
"Great. How can I get back up?" I muttered to myself, looking up to find no stable rocks to climb back up. Fantastic. I had moved on for quite some time before I remembered I had rope darts. Amazing, walk about a mile just to find that I had a tool I could have used to get up. Perfect.
I aimed for a window in the building and shot my rope dart, the dart landing through the window and getting stuck. Perfect. Now the hard part, climbing. I grunted with effort as I climbed over the rocks and back into the building.
I'll bet that everypony thinks I'm gone. I thought as I jumped into the window of the building, crouching and sneaking through the building. One guard, perfect. Like an eagle and a mouse.
Quickly and quietly, I leaped, stabbing the poor guard into the throat, killing them almost instantly. Requiescat in Pace. Shaking my head, I dumped the body into the river I came out of.
Alright. Nice and smooth. Now time to get out of here. I turned to find a group of shocked guards looking at me and drawing their swords. I stood my ground and drew my sword which was once used by the Assassin Altair who was also my ancestor.
I yelled as I jumped towards one guard and kneed him in the jaw, using my sword to cut another guards' throat. I flipped over a guards' back and shot two hidden blades into a pair of guards who dropped their swords and fell to the ground.
Using my sword, I leaped over the guard I back-flipped on and plunged my sword into the guard who I kneed. While I was doing this, I used my my left hind leg and sweep kicked the now confused guard, making him fall face-first to the ground. I whipped around and plummeted my sword into their throat.
Doing a small maneuver with the sword, I sheathed my sword easily. I took off my hood and cracked my neck. It feels nice to not have the hood on. It's like I'm wearing this 24/7. I'll probably need to wash the outfit, it's stained with blood. This is not a pretty sight for me.
I took back the hidden blades that I shot and when I was reloading them into the hidden blade holders, I realized I was running low on gunpowder. Why is my inventory running out now of all times?
Making my way to the area I saw my friends last, which was jumping off at the same time I jumped off. I reached the balcony that they jumped off and it seems that they ended up in haystacks. Using my Eagle Vision, I was able to see that they were not present there anymore and I jumped.
As I fell, I slowly turned my body upside-down and I felt the wind through my mane as I finally landed into the haystack. I wasn't absent for so long that the footsteps would have disappeared yet. Using Eagle Vision again, I managed to find some fresh footprints. Bingo. Here we go.
I followed the footsteps until I reached a small shop in which when I went in a blade was brought to my throat. By instinct I leaped back and drew my sword, ready to fight.
"Whoa! Calm down Kyros, it's just me!" I said to Kyros after identifying him with Eagle Vision. The blade retracted back into his hidden blade holders as he stepped outside the shop.
"Sorry Ray, we're all a bit too cautious because of this traitor. His name is Leberecht Mane, he was a former Master Assassin before he became a Templar. He's a very good spy. He's probably the best of the best, he's so good that I'm not sure even if we all attacked him at once if we'd win. That will probably show you how good he is." Kyros said to me, his face filled with concern.
"But what's his motive? Did he get angry at the Creed? A bribe maybe?" I responded.
"Nopony knows what his motive was but, we really need to stop him. There isn't any other way. We have to bring him down once and for all. He's too much of a threat to this world." Xerxes said.
"Right. Well, I'm going to tend to my basic needs, starting with maybe laundry, my clothes look terrible." I said and it was true. I'll probably need to sew some parts of the outfit back together or get a new outfit.
"Oh! Ray hold on." Marnix said to me as I was leaving. "Here take this and put it in your ear." I put the device in my ear and waited. The device all of a sudden made my brain act strange. I tried pulling it out but it seemed to have absorbed into my head or something. How?
"It allows us all to communicate through channels of magic. You can communicate by concentrating and using thought to transmit into voice on our end."
I concentrated and thought to Marnix, Can you hear me? I got a reply that was Yes I can, see? It works. I was surprised, this wasn't something ponies used everyday.
"Alright, well, my outfit isn't going to wash itself." I said, walking out the door, my friends waving goodbye to me.
Chapter 20: We Are To Be Killed
I took off my outfit and put it in the water which was filled with soap. I scrubbed the outfit till it was blood-free. Now to let it dry. I thought as I hung up my outfit in the clothes hanger.
As I was doing this, I heard bushes rustle, normally I would think that it was just the wind but the bush rustled too fast. I used my Eagle Vision to detect ponies inside the bushes. There wasn't anything but I know ponies can be undetected from Eagle Vision.
I couldn't fight without weapons and my weapons are not on me right now. I don't have any weapons at all. I knew that there was somepony in the bushes and they messed up, I knew they were there.
But what I didn't know was that there was a pair of ponies behind me until they struck. I whipped back so that I saw them as the pony I heard before emerged from the bushes and attacked. They all wielded swords and I could not fight them all. My only chance was to disarm them, they blocked the only exit. I had no tools either. No way to climb.
One of the ponies struck and I slammed my right hind hoof into their front hoof, making them cringe as I kicked them in the jaw. I rolled out of the way of an incoming strike behind me and they struck the pony I kicked in the jaw, slicing though throat by accident. Accident or not, it gives me a sword.
The sword was apparently stuck in the throat and the user could not pull it out. I rolled under the sword and took their fallen teammate's sword. I plunged it into their chest and they released the still stuck sword.
I stood in a defensive position for the last pony, waiting for them to strike. But instead he whistled for some reason. In an instant smoke came everywhere as I took my outfit and bailed. I knew instantly that I was going to be air assassinated so I had to run. I smashed through the pony who whistled, who fell to the ground, somehow breathless.
I was ambushed, meet up at the Pegasus Central Station. I thought to my friends, transmitting this thought into voice which will be heard by all of them. I stepped on a crate and vaulted over a fence, leading to an alleyway. It wasn't the best place to be but I needed to get out. While I was running, my outfit dried off, so I guess that's something.
Who were those ponies back there? They did know how to mask their presence from me though. Does this have anything to do with Leberecht Mane? Guess we'll find out.
I put my outfit back on so that my identity may be masked and went back to find my weapons. Using my Eagle Vision, I canceled out everything except weapons. There they are, just where I left them, the blacksmith.
"Excuse me sir, I'll need my weapons back. Code 11362." I said as the blacksmith checked his book for codes. I thanked him as I received my weapons. He tried to give me back the half the money I gave him, for he was halfway done restocking my items. I waved this off and left.
I opened a window and jumped out, closing it behind me. I climbed up to the rooftops, jumping from roof to roof, slowly reaching the Pegasus Central Station. When I reached my destination, I did not hesitate and immediately jumped down into a haystack.
Using my Eagle Vision, I made my allies marked gold, so I immediately knew who were my allies. I adjusted my Eagle Vision to make hiding spots green, enemies red, and targets blue.
When I disabled my Eagle Vision, I met my friends but they seemed to have masks on. "Ray, put this on quickly!" Marnix hissed to me, throwing me a mask, which the type was called 'The Volto'. I quickly put it on my face as some guards passed me and my friends sighed in relief.
So what's happened? Are the guards on full alert or something? I thought to my friends, and Xerxes replied, "These aren't guards, they are Assassins. I suspect that they are with Leberecht Mane. We may be their targets."
"If they are with Leberecht Mane, we can take him out now! This is a big crowd, probably big enough to hide our presence here. We have masks so they won't know who it was that killed Leberecht Mane. I thought to my friends.
Using my Eagle Vision, I checked the area, but I saw Assassins getting ready to drop down on us. "Assassins!" I yelled as I fired one shot with my pistol into the air. Using the gun, it creates chaos and makes it easier for us to escape.
An Assassin pounced on me and attempted to assassinate me if I hadn't shot them in the head. I kicked his body off mine and took out my other pistol and started firing into the air, making two assassins fall to the ground, lifeless.
We were outnumbered with true professionals. As an Assassin dropped behind me I swerved around, using the spin to slash at his throat. Unfortunately this was predicted and the Assassin brought my blade to the ground. He kneed me in the jaw afterwards I shot a hidden blade at him in my stumble back. He dodged the shot and fired at me using his gun.
I rolled out of the way of the shot, the shot hitting one of his fellow Assassins. I drew my sword, not believing how much trouble this one Assassin is. I used my Eagle Vision to find a weak spot in him but none were found. He was wearing armor too. Not good.
They seem to know every move I do but there is one I never tried before. Therefore has not been practiced but nothing works right now. I rolled towards him and at the near finish of my roll I sweep kicked the Assassin's legs. As he fell to the ground I was about to bring the sword down if another Assassin had not kicked me in the back, making me fall to the ground.
Come on! Two against one? As one Assassin struck I rolled under the blade so that he was at my side as I plunged my sword into his neck, my arm going under his arm. When my sword went in, I pushed him up and over onto the ground.
I deflected the blow that came from the other Assassin as I kept my guard up, preventing any other strikes. We were not the predators this time, we were going to be the prey.
When the Assassin struck yet again, I deflected the strike and jumped to his side, kicking his waist area. He stumbled a bit but that was all I need. I executed a perfect kick to the jaw and a sword down into his neck.
Smoke filled around me as I used my Eagle Vision to find my targets. I couldn't take much more of this, I was already very tired and this may be the end of me. No. I've worked hard to keep myself alive, if I die, I will die fighting for everything I cared for. I will fight for everypony, for my friends, for the Creed.
Chapter 21: A Traitor's Death
"Doesn't feel great to be assassinated does it Ray?" Leberecht Mane asked me after he jumped on me during my fight. "Curse you..." I muttered under my breath, though I was sure Leberecht could hear me.
"Now your time has come Assassin." Leberecht said as he almost plunged his hidden blade into my throat. At the last second I kneed him in the stomach. He cringed and at the moment I kicked him off me. The Assassins around me went into a defensive position and I rolled back to get my sword which fell behind me when I was assaulted.
At the very moment I got the sword I sweep-kicked an Assassin's legs and stabbed the side of their neck. I parried a strike from an incoming Assassin and kicked him in the jaw. I spun around at a great speed and did a more powerful kick to the temple, knocking him out. As he fell, I took a throwing knife and executed the nearest Assassin.
As an Assassin tried to sweep my hooves off the ground I jumped and my backside facing the ground, used my both my back hooves to kick their stomach. I went past her and did a full spin, kicking the back of their head, knocking them out.
A Brute swung their axe at me but I rolled backwards, their axe flying past my head as I came to my feet, using the hilt of my sword to slam into their helmet, causing them to stumble a bit as I jumped into the air and brought down my sword into their neck.
I rolled backwards but I stopped half-way, on my back as I bucked an Assassin in the jaw, the buck knocking them out cold. I jumped back onto my feet, sheathing my sword for what I was about to do. Leberecht raised his eyebrows, clearly impressed. Was this some sort of game to him? Only fools take a life-threatening situation as a joke.
Using my Eagle Vision, I marked my targets and threw smoke bombs into the crowd as I shot two hidden blades into my marked targets. After tinkering around with the hidden blades I managed to unlock a faster reloading time. I ran over to the group and kicked one stallion in the face as I stabbed another in the neck with my hidden blades.
I finished off the stallion with a quick stab in the neck and he fell to the ground. I ran to a pair of Assassins and slid under their heads, slicing both of their throats. My slide reached another pair and I got up, spinning in a full circle and slicing their throats.
The last pair was recovering from the smoke bomb as I struck one of them in the neck with my hidden blades and unleashed a flurry of hidden blades into the other Assassin's chest.
I drew my sword just in time to counter Leberecht's sword behind me. I whipped around elbowing his temple in the process. He stumbled a bit and I sweep kicked him. Attempts to kill an Assassin using a hidden blades usually don't work so I was not surprised when Leberecht managed to roll away just in time to not have his throat impaled with a hidden blade.
He clearly saw how merciless I was going to be so he backed up a bit in fright. "L-listen here Ray, we can talk about this right?" he said as I lunged at him with my sword. "Come on Ray, you can join us... we don't have to fight. We can work together with the Templars! With you and I combined there is nothing we can't do. We will be able to take over Equestria!" he said as he blocked my strike. "So that's where your loyalties lie is it? To nopony? Just to yourself huh?" I said as I tripped him.
"My loyalty lies with my friends, family and the Creed. I don't betray them for power. I don't work with anypony with the likes of you!" I yelled as I parried his block, kneeing him in the jaw and doing a full spin combined with a hidden blade. My hidden blade sliced through his throat easily. He let out a gurgling sound as he fell.
Remember Ray... you must always give respect to the enemy... I remembered my father said to me. He was an Assassin and that may have been the reason to our whole family's deaths. But I cannot stay mad at him when the grief of his death comes to me ever so often.
I closed my eyes as the painful memory came to me but as pony form as I remembered smoke coming everywhere and two ponies dropping onto my parents, killing them both. I backed up into what seemed to be the leader of the group. He just shoved me away as he and his group ran from the scene. I went over to my parents, trying to stop the bleeding from their throats but the last thing my parents said to me? They loved me... I've tried to find the person or now, the pony who killed my parents.
After this short memory I opened my eyes and the last thing Leberecht must have heard was "Requiescat in pace." I got up and jumped down to my friends, who were just finishing their battles.
"Leberecht?" Marnix asked me. "He's dead." I replied. There wasn't much to talk about this. We were finished here, but I wondered if there were anypony out there who was like Leberecht but will rise to so much power that even we could not stop him.
"So Leberecht didn't have any valuable information at all?" Xerxes asked me, during his stretch. I thought about this for a moment, I was so intent on killing him that I did not even consider the fact that there could have something he said to me before. But maybe he did... I closed my eyes and I concentrated, trying to remember the past. Using my Eagle Vision I managed to reconstruct what I remembered back when I was assassinating Leberecht. I blocked out the flashback and my Eagle Vision revealed muffled dialogue from Leberecht.
I listened closely and he said, "Ray! You don't have to kill me! You can talk to Grandmaster Mayson Carter! He'll be at the Canterlot castle! We can talk to him, you don't have to do this Ray..." I cut the memory short and opened my eyes again. Kyros started tapping my neck and body for some reason. I jumped back, startling him for a second. "What were you doing Kyros?" I asked, a bit cautious now.
"Sorry Ray, I thought you were wounded and that you were stuck in a state of shock." Kyros, why do you have to be like this... I know Ezio Auditore was a compassionate Assassin...
"Grandmaster Mayson Carter. Any of you know that name?" I asked. All of my friends shook their heads. "I was concentrating on remembering some bits of the past just now, not in a state of shock." I directed to Kyros who put on a nervous look. "Using my Eagle Vision I was able to remember what Leberecht told me before I killed him. He said that Mayson is going to be at the Canterlot castle. We need to move fast. There may not be another opportunity like this, once he finds out the Leberecht is dead, he'll relocate."
Within a two hours, we managed to get onto a train to Canterlot, now literally on a train. There were some guards outside but we did not want to alert Mayson, so we just jumped on top of the train.
"So Marnix, how long is it till we get to Canterlot?" I yelled at him through the wind. "Ray, we have communication devices in our head... have you already forgotten?" Marnix thought to me, I looked back to him face-hoofing himself and shaking his head.
"Right, but how long is it till we get to Canterlot?" I thought to him. "I think that we'll get to Canterlot in a matter of minutes. This train goes very fast, but we may not have the upper hand either way. He'll definitely be armed and surrounded with guards." Marnix replied, thinking about how we were going to do this.
When we reached Canterlot I jumped onto a bridge along with my Assassins. I jumped over and checked our equipment. Fully restocked, a beautiful sight to see. I thought as we walked through the grand city of Canterlot. Then I realized, if the Grandmaster is going to be here... won't he just cause chaos in this city once again? Well, if we kill him, we might be able to stop this whole thing.
Far as I know, the Grandmaster works with Templars and is probably the leader of the corrupt Creed. We found an area with snipers all over, their hooves ready to press the trigger button. "Here it is the Canterlot castle..." I thought to all my friends as they took out some snipers. I was going to engage on the ground, not on the rooftops. I walked through the crowd that has looked up to see the bodies of the snipers falling from the crowd. They cheered and I realized this wasn't just an ordinary crowd.
This was the crowd of Assassins we saved. I watched in awe as groups of Templars or Assassins came out the door and immediately got stormed by the crowd, hidden blades going into every of their throats.
I smiled at this sight, we have a large group of allies... A few of them climbed to the rooftops to assist with the snipers. I went up along with the crowd and smashed through a window, accidentally in the room with the Grandmaster. Merda...
My friends busted through a window across from me. Xerxes came through the window to the left of me. Grandmaster Mayson Carter held his position, not even moving from his seat that seemed like a throne.
His guards drew their swords as I drew mine. I jumped over a guard, slashing the back of his throat in the process as I spun around, causing a tornado of hidden blades. The ponies around me let out a gurgling sound and fell to the ground. That was a risky move, if any of my friends were in the vicinity of this, they would be dead too. I scanned the bodies just to make sure though and found that I did not kill any of my friends.
I let out a breath of relief as I sensed a blade coming to my throat. I blocked the blow which was done by the Grandmaster himself. I lunged at him and he parried my attack, back-hoofing his hoof into my jaw. I backed up and blocked an incoming strike from the Grandmaster.
I threw a smoke bomb and quickly marked the Grandmaster. He blocked my strike and he didn't seem affected by the smoke. Great, the Grandmaster is a professional sword fighter... is he better than me though?
He lunged at me as I whipped to the side and tripped him. I brought the sword down into his neck, or where his neck should have been. He rolled out of the way as my sword was brought down into the quartz floor.
I shot two hidden blades at him, one hitting his flank and the other one missing. He yelled in pain and said to me, "You're going to pay for that Assassin!" He roared and lunged at me, creating a flurry of swords. It was all I could do to block the attacks. But in this fit of rage, he let an opportunity rise. As he did this, he left himself with no defense nor guard.
When he struck again, I rolled out of the way, using my hidden blade to puncture his chest. Blood erupted from the wound and he yelled again in pain. Can I just tire him out? He's bleeding on two ends. Oh no, I didn't get the strike into the heart.
He was starting to tire after countless sword blocks and strikes. I still stood my ground and I slashed at his neck but missed. He rolled out of the way and he kicked at my hoof, making me release the sword. At that point, he had a clear strike and he took it. He lunged at my chest but I moved out of the way, the blade just grazing my already wounded torso. I yelled in pain with this. The wound reopened. Not good...
I clutched the wound and my body shook with fear as this happened. I may die today... I was so close but I will not stop. I stomped on his knee, crippling him and I kneed him in the jaw. I spun around and kicked him in the jaw. He staggered backwards as I did a full in-air buck onto his wrist. He dropped the sword as I slammed my hoof into his neck.
During this, I swiped the Grandmaster off his hooves as I slammed my hoof into his neck, hoping to crush his windpipe. He was breathless and on the ground as he rolled away from my second strike. I slammed my hoof into his waist and stomach. I let out a painful yell as my wound started to hurt with excruciating pain. The Grandmaster threw a grenade and I was sent flying back. What I witness during this was my friends being impaled with swords, their lifeless body falling.
"No!" I yelled as I took careful aim and time seemed to have slowed down. I shot a hidden blade which went right through the Grandmaster's head. I stayed down on the ground as the last thing I saw was a Templar bringing his sword down into my throat. Did we fail?
Chapter 1: Ambushed (Prolouge)
Ray Longfellow drew his Sword of Altair and fended off six templars without any backup. He lunged at one of the templars and his sword went straight through the templar’s heart. The templar fell to the ground, lifeless.
Ray let out precise and deadly strikes to the next templar until he saw the life leave the templar. His body fell down to the snow, with a thud.
He heard a yell and turned around, let his sword fall to the ground and drew his hidden blades from his wrists as he blocked a templar’s sword.
He then unleashed a fury of hidden blades into the templar’s chest, targeting the vital parts in the chest as blood spewed everywhere.
Another templar tried to attack with his musket but Ray prevented this. He picked up his sword and parried this attack as he slashed the templar across the torso, creating a very deep cut.
He twisted the arm of the templar and put the musket deep into the chest of the templar, then shot into his chest.
There was a yell and a then a white-hot pain emitting from his throat. He tried to cry for help but he couldn’t say anything all he heard was gurgling of his throat. He couldn’t breathe as he saw the blade through his neck.
Ray felt his time coming at last and he couldn’t cheat it this time. Requiescat In Pace… he heard as he closed his eyes and prepared for death.
