Equestrian Legends: An Assassin's Tale... [Book-1]

Chapter Two: Change of plans.

Hours later Luna arrived with the requested company...

As the group of heavily armed stallions and mares galloped down the corridors, the patrolling guards saluted them as they had to, opening the door Luna saw Altaïr and her sister trading words in front of a window, the sun about to set. "Sister, Altaïr, here we are." The veterans were surprised by Altaïr's appearance, as they saw nothing like him before, unfortunately, as Altaïr and Celestia looked at them, Altaïr's golden eyes became clearly visible in the shadow covering his face, startling the officals.

"Good, then let's not waste time... Come closer, he won't bite..." The crowd stood still as Luna approached her sister and their visitor.

"Deepest apologies Princess Celestia, but as i'm sure you can agree, our duties are rather important. So, please get to the point." One of them exclaimed. Even tho he took no orders from the princesses, he could not stand them being told what to do. Altaïr took a few steps toward the group, cracked his knuckles and adressed them.

"Who is the one daring to give orders to the rulers of the kingdom? Step forward." The group didn't respond, they stood still and silent. Being ignored is something everybody hates, Altaïr was no exception, so he unsheathed his sword... "Come on! Don't toy with me!" At this point the sisters tried to calm him.

"Altaïr, please calm do-" Celestia was cut short by his response.

"Fine, but keep in mind that you have a coward among your highest ra-" He was cut short by an arrow burrowing through his left shoulder. He broke it off, pulled the other half out and turned around facing the group. "Tell me who was it, or i'll make sure none of you leave this room alive." A grey coated Unicorn Lieutenant stepped forward.

"It was I, what are you planning on doing, novice? Killing your superior?" Altaïr grinned, the princesses frowned knowing what would happen next.

"Almost, I plan on killing you, as none of you are my superiors."

"I'm a coward? So? You being a traitor is nothing bet-" He was cut short by Celestia.

"Lieutenant, that is enough. And he is not a traitor by all means, he saved the kingdom once from a Changeling invasion, and even protected my sister and I against them. He is an ally to us, but think not about giving him orders. Guards, close the doors!" The doors slammed shut, followed by the Lieutenant's response.

"What does that mean, your highness?"

"You, made a mistake..." She replied and looked over at Altaïr, who was reaching for the Apple.

Suddenly, he felt another hand trying to make him stop... A Changeling? He turned around and saw the sisters turned into Humans by their transformation spells, even the officals watched in awe what happened.

"Altaïr, don't... Please..." Luna asked him, he nodded and put the Apple away.

"I let you go this time, don't give me a second reason."

"Or what?" The Lieutenant asked with an arrogant tone. Altaïr in response tried to run at him sword in hand... But the princesses managed to restrain him by the hands.

"Get out of my sight!" He yelled at him in response, but it was just a waste of breath.

"Or wh-" *Blam* *Thump* Suddenly he was hit in the back of the head with a huge book, hard enough to make him fall face first into the floor and leave a dent in his helmet. "Hey! Who was th- Oh, you again?" Soon he realized who it was, an all too familiar blue coated Unicorn mare.

"You think they will keep him still forever? When they let him go, it may be the last thing you see... Now get your miserable flank out of here before I throw you out the window!" She yelled at him, he did as she requested, followed by the remaining military officals, leaving the mare, Altaïr, and the princesses inside.

"Please, forgive his bad attitude... He's much of a muscle than a brain..." The princesses let Altaïr go, they were breathing heavily. "He really wanted to get him, didn't he?" She asked the princesses, they replied with a nod. "Pleasure to make an acquaintance, mister... Uhhh."

"Altaïr."

"Right, I am Head Researcher Moonlight Comet, and if you would agree, I would get to work with you."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't worry, it won't hurt at all. Just come with me and anwser a few questions." Altaïr agreed and followed her to her home. On the way there, they noticed the citizens staring at him awkwardly. "Don't mind them, they didn't see anythiing like you before..." Altaïr nodded and walked on... Until he felt an all too familiar hard object hit him in the back, and stopped on his tracks.

"Which one of you was the brave one?" He asked, no anwser as usual. "Don't anger me, I mean no harm... But if you continue like this, I might change my mind." The villagers believed him for anything, then because of his weapons and walked off, Altaïr and Moonlight continued on.

"Thank you, Altaïr."

"For what?"

"For behaving yourself, the first impression you make on them may determine your future among the citizens..."

"I know." He replied and grinned. They finally arrived to Moonlight's home, and stopped in the doorstep.

"Here we are, let's get in!" She exclaimed as her magic opened the door. They got inside, and sat down in her study.

"Now that we are here, what next?" Altaïr inquired.

"Well, it's simple..."

Meanwhile, in the Changeling Kingdom...

While Altaïr and the sisters did their best to get him used to his new home, and his home to him, Chrysalis was back in her beloved kingdom... Her simple minded, yet ever so loyal subjects did their best to help her wounds regenerate, and gathered every pest in the caves, and brought them to her, so she could drain their love for dark places... As she finished draining them, she crushed them between her hooves and threw the remains into the recyclers to turn them into bio-mass, which she would later turn into more drones... Or if they were lucky, she would destine them to be sent out, and retrieve stray ponies, and other beings back for the others to feast upon, after which, they would be thrown into the recyclers as well, like the rats. Their last moments of life would be spent suffering, and not hearing their final thoughts, over their bones being crushed and flesh being squashed...

"Ahh, much better... Where was I? Oh yes, that miserable pile of flesh... What was that creature? I must know, so my drones can disguise themselves as it..." Maybe even I can shapeshift to look like it, let me try. As she attempted the transformation, she succeeded to copy his body structure and robes, but not his weapons and face... At last, her sweet plan for vengeance, and ultimately turning Altaïr against the pony princesses, and finally gaining full control over Equestria. She wasted little time, and prepared to leave the hive, but on her way she ran into one of her generals.

"Aaagh, Glory to the hive and you, my queen... May I be of service to you?"

"Not this time, General. Be on your way."

"Yes, my queen..." The General hurried off towards the kitchen, where the drones usually waste their time instead of working, to punish them. To do the task closest to his plated heart... As Chrysalis left the hive, she entered the Everfree, knowing the Timberwolves would not bother her, knowing what she might do to them. All the way to the gates of Canterlot she had an ear to ear grin on her face, then she did her best to mimic his target.

"Hold it there!" A guard yelled at her, she did as requested. "Haven't we seen you go through already today?" She had no time to think, and came up with an excuse.

"I fell off the wall, landing in the river..."

"Likely story, Assassin..."

"My day was anything but pleasant, let me through and you may live..." The guards swapped glances and nodded.

"Sure, go on... Wait, where did your weapons go?"

"I had to take them off, they were weighting me down in the water."

"You should get new ones soon, nopony knows when the Changelings will return..."

"Good idea, I will make sure..." The guards let her pass, on her way towards the castle she looked in one of the windows, and saw the creature talking to a Unicorn. It's away from the castle, it's the perfect opportunity to talk to those royal donkeys on it's behalf... She wasted no time and got to the gates, the guards let her pass and continued on... Until she was stopped at the throne room doors.

"Strange, Moonlight usually takes her test subjects in longer to study..." One of the guards noted as she passed by, but she didn't bother.

In Moonlight's house however...

Moonlight finished Studying Altaïr, all her questions were anwsered, and decided to return to the princesses to report. Altaïr, having nothing better to do, decided to accompany her... Until they were stopped at the enterance.

"Nice try Changelings! Arrest them!" A guard yelled, as they surrounded them. Altaïr unsheathed his sword and prepared, while Moonlight did the asking.

"What are you talking about?! He's been with me the whole time! We are not Changelings!"

"Yeah, right... Tell that to the princesses..." Altaïr sheathed his sword, as they both knew they were innocent and let the guards take them to the throne room. "Wait here, they have a guest." They nodded and Altaïr put his ear to the door and heard the conversation.

"Celestia, Luna, I am very disappointed in you... You are the worst example for royalty I ever saw!" Wait... That voice... It's my voice!

"What makes you believe such? And how dare you simply come in and insult us?!" Celestia replied.

"You can all go die in a fire for all I care..."

"Guards! Get him!" The door suddenly opened and Altaïr knew what he has to do. *Splat* *Cough*

"You again?!" Altaïr asked in unison with Chrysalis, who dropped her disguise as Altaïr's blade tore through her chest once again. As Chrysalis's blood splattered all over the guards and floor behind her, the guards and the princesses stood there in shock, but Altaïr knew what what happened.

"Nice try Chrysalis... Truly is, and your plan would have worked too... If it wasn't for your bad luck. Maybe next time." Chrysalis only partially dropped her disguise, exposing her head, but still with Altaïr's body, who pulled his blade out of her body and sheathed it. Chrysalis covered the wound up with a hand, as the guards prepared to kill her. "No, let her go..." The guards didn't obey him, nor did they lower their spears. "I said let her go!" No response. "Fine, give me that damn..." He ripped the spears out of their hooves and broke them in half on his knee.

"But... Altaïr, why do you let her go?" Moonlight asked. Altaïr grabbed Chrysalis and threw one of her arms over his shoulder, helped her get out of the city, after leaving the gates he let her go.

*Cough* "Why..." *Cough* "Why are you helping me, fool?"

"I know you have reasons for doing this, so do I have reasons... Just don't forget what I did for you today..."

"Fine... Next time my drones attack, i'll tell them to leave you unharmed..."

"Now drop your disguise, and return to your home." Chrysalis returned to her original form, walked a few steps forward, her horn started glowing and prepared a spell. As the spell was ready she looked back at Altaïr.

"As much as I would hate to say this... Thank you, Altaïr." She replied as she teleported away. Altaïr nodded with a grin, and prepared for what he was going to get for doing this. When he returned, the sisters were eager to hear his explainataion.

"Altaïr, do you care to explain why did you just let our greatest enemy escape?" Celestia inquired with some anger in her tone.

"She came here with a simple goal, decieving you... She did not intend to kill anybody, and she hasn't. Just because we could have killed her, it does not mean that we should have... And as I said previously, we both have our methods."

"I see... That was very honorable, but a dangerous choice... She could have just turned around and shot a bolt at you any time..."

"I knew she wouldn't..."

"How?"

"Magic..." He replied with a grin... Knowing Moonlight told them about the results while he was away. The three mares returned the grin and walked back into the throne room...

"Altaïr, it's getting late... Allow me to show you to your room." Altaïr accepted Luna's offer, and left. Only minutes later they arrived to a closed off section of the castle, closed off by steel doors, guarded by ponies equipped better than he could believe. As they approached, the guards stopped them.

"Greetings, Princess Luna. Hello sir, you must be The Assassin. Honored to meet you."

"Safety and peace to you as well, pleasure to meet you." He replied.

"I assume you wish to enter, so here you go." They opened the doors, and the two walked in... To see a small room, with three doors opening into three different rooms.

"Princess? Where exactly are we?" He asked with a slightly confused tone.

"In the royal quarters... The right side room belongs to my sister, the left one is mine, and the middle one is the V.I.P room."

"V.I.P?"

"Very Important Pony... Or, in your case... Person."

"I see... But what's the reason behind me not being placed in an ordinary room? I'm gratefull, but I wish to know."

"Oh, it's simple... Because we..."

"Yes?"

"We... Like you..."

"Oh." They both slightly blushed, and entered their own rooms. Altaïr looked around, and saw nothing out of the ordinary... Door to the balcony, a bed, a bookshelf filled with books, a table and a chair. He decided to examine the books, as he searched through them he found one particular book which caught his attention. A book, which was called:  Mercenaries, Assassins, and Thieves of *Equestria.* He took the book from the shelf and put it onto the desk to read later. Looking out the window he saw a faint glow from the direction **Luna's room was, so he walked out to his balcony to see what was going on... Only to see her hovering mid air, raising the moon so he walked back in... Only to see Celestia sitting on his bed, as a Human again.

"Haven't heard you come in... I guess you're good at the teleportation spell." She grinned in response.

"True, but you are not the only one who practiced stealth."

"Believe you, wh-"

"What is my sister doing? She's doing her duty, raising the moon. Speaking of which, I should be lowering the sun. Give me a minute." Celestia stood up and started hovering like her sister did, arms spread... Altaïr looked out the window and saw the two huge bodies move... But not for long... He heard her balcony door being closed and walked back to Celestia.

"You two are capable of things even the Apple can't... So, why am I honored by your visit?"

"Just here to talk, would you rather be alone?"

"No, just asking. What would you like to talk about?"

"The day and night... As you could have guessed, she represents the moon, the night and darkness itself... And me, well... I'm the day, the sun, and light itself...  Would you care to tell me which one you like better?

"It is a hard choice you're forcing me to take... The day and sun gives us the ability to see everything around us, as the night makes it harder for our enemies to see us as we rest... And hide us from their sight so we can strike out of the shadows..."

"I see, you have the wisdom of your own as well..." While saying it, Celestia glanced over at the book on Altaïr's desk. "Mercenaries, Assassins, and Thieves of Equestria? Intersting book, I think I saw my sister's name in it somewhere... I'm not sure." Altaïr raised an eyebrow in response.

"If so, how and why?"

"Let me check... I think it was tihg tabout... Here!" Celestia grinned and handed the book over to Altaïr, who started reading it.

"The Lunar Eclipsed: An army of well trained fighters who devoted their lives in service of Princess Luna at all costs. Not much is known about their total amont, some say they mainly focus on using magic, some say they use metal weapons, we have no information about their training methods, ranks, or leaders other than the only one they claim to obey, the Angel of Darkness."

"I knew I saw her name in there once..." She said with a grin.

"Interesting indeed, do you know anything about them?"

"Other than the fact the only way they want to see me is dead? No... But I remember seeing a missing page of that book, I think she tore that page out. If you ask me, it was probably the map leading to their fortress..."

"Thank you for showing this to me, anything else you would like me to know?"

"Her birthday is coming next monday."

"Then I need to get something for her... What will you give her?"

"Still not sure, don't worry, you still have 3 days left." *Yawn* "Now i'll leave you some peace and quiet to enjoy that book, good night Altaïr."

"Night for you as well, Celestia." She grinned and stood up from his bed, made her way to the door and looked back at him.

"By the way, I think you can find a lot more information about T.L.E in the Royal Canterlot Library, give this to the guards and they should let you pass." She threw back a small piece of metal, which he easily caught and looked at it. The small disk shaped plate had the sun engraved into it.

"Thanks, i'll go there tomorrow."

"You're welcome..."

End of Chapter Two