Ruby Wing: Dawn of a Diety

Autumn Breeze was lost in her thoughts as she walked up the steps to her home. She thought about her life... The one she led away from her friend, Ruby. She thought about her past... The one she had before she joined the Southern Army. She didn't know why Lord Argon had summoned her. From what Grey Cloud had told her before she reported to Lord Argon was that it had something to do with the update on the Crystal Deity, which she was sure she knew very little of. She knew that Metal Blade's stun spell had misfired, though. She had supposedly been captured as well, which was surprising. She had excelled at attack spells, so Autumn Breeze didn't understand how Metal Blade had fallen into the enemies hooves.

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"Aahhhh... Autumn Breeze." Lord Argon said as his top assassin came through the doors. "I suppose you are curious as to why I've summoned you here?"

"Yes, sir." Autumn Breeze responded, without any hesitation. "I heard that Metal Blade's attack missed when attempting to capture the Cryatal Deity, sir."

"Ahhh... Yes... So it seems that you were informed." Argon muttered, more to himself then to Autumn Breeze.

"Come with me, Autumn Breeze." He said, getting up out of his chair, and directing her towards a side door. "I suppose you'll need a full briefing."

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"So, Autumn Breeze..." Argon began, looking at his top assassin with interest. "How much do you know about the events concerning the Crystal Deity?"

"Not much, sir." Autumn Breeze replied in confidence. "Only that Grey Cloud told me that the Crystal Deity was exposed at the coronation of Runy Wing, shortly after that, Metal Blade, Yellow Coat, and Grey Cloud herself all were sent out to capture the Crystal Deity. Metal Blade's stun spell missed, and the Crystal Deity escaped, Metal Nlade was then taken prisoner, and Grey Cloud came back."

"Hmmm... Interesting." Argon muttered. "You say Grey Cloud told you all of this?"

"Yes, sir." Autumn Breeze abruptly responded.

"Rrgh... That mare." Argon growled. "Must she always tell the first pony she sees about her mission, then report to me?"

"Uhhhh... Sir?" Autumn Breeze asked tentatively.

"No matter." Argon said, distractedly. "It seems you current knowledge on this subject will only make it easier..."

"You see, Autumn Breeze," Argon began, "there are some finer points to this whole ordeal than you are aware of. For instance, I know of your friend Ruby... She is the Crystal Deity."

Autumn Breeze's mouth dropped open in shock.

"But sir..." She began in a disbelieving tone of voice. "What makes you so sure that she is the Crystal Deity? And with all due respect, sir... You weren't there for the coronation."

I was there the whole time, actually. Argon thought in his head.

"I have my sources, Autumn Breeze." He replied, "Surely you were too?"

"Er... No, sir... I wasn't." Autumn Breeze muttered. "I was stationed at the front gates of this castle, remember?"

"Oh, of course." Argon said, mentally facehoofing himself. "But... Back to the briefing... You see, once I found out who the Crystal Deity was, I sent out Metal Blade, Yellow Coat, and Grey Cloud to capture her. During this mission however, Yellow Coat was murdered."

The news that Yellow Coat was dead shocked Autumn Breeze greatly. He was the top hitter in the army, but Autumn Breeze kept her face void of all visible shock.

"After Grey Cloud came back and briefed me, I sent Shadow Soul to go find Metal Blade. I gave him the location of the failed mission. He claims however, that nopony was there... So he headed over to the Hospital in Ponyville. When he got there, he says that he saw Metal Blade sharing information about the Southern Army to two alicorns, one pegasus, and the Crystal Deity herself!"

Autumn Breeze's jaw dropped once again. How could Metal Balde betray the army so easily? They had given her food, shelter, and a propose in life, and she had discarded it just like that?!

"Well what do you prepose we do, sir?" Autumn Breeze inquired in an anxious tone of voice.

"You know, as do I the price of treason in the Southern Army, Autumn Breeze." Argon stated simply.

Autumn Breeze nodded her head slowly. "The price is death." She stated.

"Yes... That it is." Argon replied. "I see you remember our words well."

"So who shall we send to dispose of Metal Blade, sir?"

"... I think you are a worthy choice, Autumn Breeze." Argon replied.

"Me?! But sir, why?" Autumn Breeze asked in shock.

"Your time in the Southern Army has proven this to me, Autumn Breeze." Argon stated, without hesitation. "On top of that, the Crystal Deity and her family will be a bit wary of new ponies. However, I want you to carry out this assassination at midnight. Nopony will be in the Hospital, and if there are other ponies there, execute them. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir!" Autumn Breeze responded, saluting while she did so. "I'll leave tonight!"

"Very good..." Argon replied happily. "You always know how to please, Autumn Breeze."

"Thank you, sir." Autumn Breeze said boldly. "Shall I get ready? It's dusk now and it'll take about an hour to get to Ponyville."

"Very well." Argon replied. "You may go now."

Autumn Breeze saluted once more, then left the room for the armoury.

...

Upon her arrival to the armoury Autumn Breeze stopped to think. Why, Metal Blade? She thou to to herself as she took a belt with a knife in it off of a shelf. Why would you betray us like that?

Her eyes fell upon an old back cloak with a hood. Smiling to herself she put the cloak on, along with the belt. Perfect. she thought to herself as she examined her relfection in a mirror.

She could almost taste Metal Blade's blood on her lips as she left the room.

...

It was midnight when Autumn Breeze arrived to her destination. Thankfully nopony had noticed her, making this easier for her.

Taking out one of her knives, Autumn Breeze carefully picked the hospital door lock, successfully opening it. Turning around, Autumn Breeze came muzzle to muzzle with Nurse Redheart.

"Who are you and what do you want here?" The nurse growled.

Autumn Breeze didn't respond. All she did was take her knife back out of her belt, and shove it right into Nurse Redheart's chest.

The nurse never said a word. She just stood there for a split second, a look of shock and pain mixed upon her face. A trickle of blood came out of her mouth, and even more oozed out of the wound in her chest. She then slumped to the floor, lifeless as a rag doll.

Kicking the corpse aside, Autumn Breeze walked into the hall where the patients rooms were located, each door displaying the patients name, and their respective cutiemark.

As she walked down the hall, Autumn Nreeze became lost in thought about her cutiemark. The golden brown leaf, permenantly emblazened on her flank, symbolized how quiet she could be, when she wanted to.

She snapped out of her thoughts when she came upon the door with the name Metal Blade imprinted on it, right along with the silver fire that she knew was Metal Blade's cutiemark.

Pushing the door open, Autumn Breeze was greeted by a 'Hello?'.

Autumn Breeze didn't respond. All she did was jump onto Metal Blade's cast, and stuff her hoof into Metal Blade's mouth, stifling her scream.

"Lord Argon sends his regards." Autumn Breeze said, pulling out a knife from her belt.

She pressed its cold, metal surface onto Metal Blade's neck, drawing a small drop of blood, but before she could press down any further, she felt a sharp, cold object enter her neck.

Autumn Breeze coughed up blood, unable to breathe. She felt her life leaving her as she fell to the floor with a loud thud. She started to think about Ruby, all the good times she had spent with her lifelong friend. All the happy moments, like when Ruby was just a little filly, and got an actual Ruby from Rarity. She had never seen Ruby so delighted. She remembered the sad moments, like when Ruby had ran back to her mother, crying because Goldcoat had found her favorite doll, and burned it up right in front of her. I'll see you on the other side, Ruby. Autumn Breeze thought to herself.

It was time... She knew it. She could feel death's cold, welcoming embrace wrapping around her and taking her last drop of life that pulsed through her body.

And then... Nothing.