Dim candle light contrasted among the dark canvas that shrouded the sky, a single unicorn sat between two walls each dividing the separate houses on either side. The unicorn looked down and placed both of their front legs down upon the rough surface of the back street alley the equine found himself in, placing his hooves in front of him the unicorn flickering flames of a blue aura fell upon his horn casting a spell upon the ground around where his hooves lay forming a circle upon the once smooth looking path that divided both the thatched roofed houses.
Only the crackling of excess energy was audible as the unicorn stood up raised his head, a smirk plastered on the equines face, "I enjoy this work a bit too much", he smiled looking up with piercing red eyes.
"Your becoming complacent", a high pitched voice sounded from behind him, "How will you be able to complete 'his' plans while making so much noise... Envy". The male unicorn looked over his should to see a Pegasus concealing her head with a hood.
"Ah it's you.", Envy sighed with exasperation recognizing the voice of his associate , "You've always been a valuable pawn for ponies to use". Envy then proceeded to use his magic to cause a gust of wind to be blown in the direction of the female equine, blowing out the candles that lit the street with light.
The Pegasus was not caught off guard by their fellow companion's spell and was able to dodge it with ease in an attempt to keep her face concealed, due to lightly built physique she athletically leaped into the air using her wings as balance and landed on one of the thatched roof that Envy was standing between, "We're becoming impatient Envy! Get it done or there wont be a place you can go back to". Following those words a sudden rush of red energy surrounded the Pegasus before vanishing completely leaving a breeze to flow through the alley narrow street.
The now darkened street returned to its former state - hushed using the backdrop of the nights sky to create a desolate feel to it - the air grew cold and another chilling breeze swept through the street. 'CLANG'. Envy stood to attention and looked in the direction, casting a spell which lit the dark alley with bright blue light. Two Pegasi' wearing what resembled the armor that the guards in Canterlot wore to distinguish themselves from the normal civilians that walked the streets everyday. Using the bright light causing the two guards to shield their eyes against the blinding light, Envy made the quick decision to cover himself in magic and teleported himself to a spot closer to the two spies. "What do we have here?", Envy mocked chuckling slightly at how unprepared the guards were, "I'd expect more from Canterlot guards". To follow his words Envy tore some of the pavement of the street and using wide array of magic he tossed it at one of the guards knocking him down with ease eliciting a yelp as the ind was knocked out of the one guard.
The other guard held a spear, the one that nearly every guard possessed to help them defend themselves, instinctively the guard held the spear in front of him and crouched in a stance designed to protect himself. Eyes wide the guard backed up slowly, seeing this Envy used another spell to raise a portion of the ground behind the guard effectively blocking off the street that left the spy whimpering as his back pressed up against it in a failed attempt to try and escape. "Tuh- Tuh-Tuh", The Unicorn said shaking his head in a mocking stance, "No turning back now".
Envy approached the fearful guard slowly, “Now, First of all, you’re going to tell me why I’m being followed”, he finished stopping, the two now only separated between a few meters rendering the guard confined in all directions.
In defiance, the guard stood upright and threw the spear in the direction at Envy, “I’m a royal guard for princess Celestia! You’ll get nothing out of me”, the spear was flung in the direction of his attacker only for the object to be shrouded in the glow of Envy’s magic.
“Is that so?”, the Unicorn cocked his head to the left, raising an eyebrow at the guard. The spear that was floating in the air slowly started to turn one-hundred and eighty degrees so the point of the spear was now facing towards the spears owner, the now wide eyed guard started trembling again after his only defensive weapon was now in the hands of his enemy, “Then you are of no use to me”.
Envy’s words became harsh and menacing, his rounded red eyes forming slits, time seemed to slow down as the Unicorn cast another spell illuminating his horn once more. The spear was launched back in the direction of its original trajectory, its speed unwavering. The petrified guard could do nothing but watch as the weapon that only a minute previous was flying towards him. In a last minute attempt to escape, the Pegasus got into a stance ready to fly to safety and jumped. ‘SPLAT’. The sound of the impact echoed through the alley slowly fading out until and eerie silence took hold once again.
A crimson color substance started to pool on the once monotone color pavement mixing and drying on the upturned soil of the previous transmutation of the dividing wall. The spear was now lodged perpendicular into the straight wall where the limp body of the fallen guard now hung, the bloodied spear impaling the poor Pegasus.
“Ponies are such weak creatures”, Envy noted to himself, as he chuckled at his handiwork. A cough disrupted Envy’s monologue, followed by some shifting and a sudden yell of surprise, he looked around to see the other guard from earlier on his back shaking in the dust of the previous transmutations that had now settled onto the calm ground. Envy slowly walked to where the second guard lay on the staring at the his companion, staring into the eyes of his second victim. A familiar glow emitted from the tip of the Unicorns horn, "Did you know that a Pony's body is made up of seventy percent water?".
The grieving guard looked up at Envy with a mixture of Hate and guilt in his eyed, "W-What?" ,choking on his words, the guard started to shift backwards on the hard ground to put distance between him and his attacker. Not being fooled Envy dashed to a position where he was right in front of his victim staring holes into the fearful guards eyes, narrowing his eyes once more, he held out his hoof and place on the forehead of the guard. "Please!" , Begged the guard, desperately trying to find a way to escape.
Envy's final words were hisses, "Shall we see what happens if the temperature of the water is increased?". An immensely bright blue light followed the end of his sentence with a shock of powerful energy.
"NO!".
'Phosphorus... mixing phosphorus with magnesium is one of the many things i would choose over doing this' , mulled a purple pony, letting her mind wander as she stood staring at a what at a far glanse as graffiti, but in a closer inspection would reveal dried blood on a wall that didn't exist the night before.
The purple pony bore majestic slender wings that were very capable of supporting the equines weight during flight, as well as a large horn that would make the most powerful unicorn envious of the large appendage atop the Alicorns' head.
"What do you make of the matter Princess Twilight?" ,the stern voice of a grey Canterlot guard questioned his senior. The guard wore a crest on his chest to signify his superior rank to those around him, holding himself in a composed style.
Jolting out of her daydreaming state, looking at the very respectful guard, "Was there any witnesses to these incidents?".
"There was two murders, both Canterlot guards" ,the guard informed Twilight overseeing as three earth ponies wearing white, sterile plastic suits with specialist equipment traversing the crime scene, "One guard was impaled in the chest with a spear, while the other had what appears to have had all the moisture in his body boiled according to the experts we have here".
Twilight pondered for a moment taking in the information, looking back at the scene before her, she spoke uncertainly, "It would take quite a powerful Pony to be able to commit murders like this...". She didn't want to admit it, but Twilight managed to hide her uneasiness, 'I've never dealt with anything like this before'. The Alicorn took a deep breath and put on a straight face, "Am i okay to have a closer look at the scene?" ,she had noted that during the conversation the 'Experts' had packed up most of their equipment and had begun to move walk towards the duo.
"It appears that they have all that they need for now" ,the guard replied looking past the the group of ponies staring at the dried stain that coated the wall, "But, please be careful as not to disturb any thing that could be used to solve these murders". Taking note of his words, Twilight nodded and started walking towards the cordoned off area, when she came to the yellow and black tape, ducking under the obstacle Twilight managed to get a closer look at the scene. Eyes peeled, the princess looked over every inch of the crime scene determined not to miss anything that could help with solving who had murdered the two Canterlot guards. Twilight spoke to herself "I wonder if any of the two had families..." ,shaking her in exasperation she continued her search, '...Now's not the time on fixating on things like that'.
After spending a few minutes of her search, she had all but given until Twilight walked closer to the trans-mutated wall with blood covering the center. Looking down she noticed that one of the stone slabs that was used to pave the alley was different; the slab was partially covered by kicked up dirt and debris from the previous nights' battle; on it was an engraving.
The stones engraving piqued Twilight's interest as she began to clear away the dirt to give a clear view of the mysterious mark in the pavement, looking back towards the former guard she was with - who was now ordering his men to pack there equipment away - and called, "Hey come here! I found something".
Back in the main hall of her castle Twilight began to sort through books that contained information on the engraving left on the stone slab, "I know I've seen engravings like that before but where?". Disregarding her 'OCD', she quickly picked up a single book, skimmed through the pages and then threw it behind her and delved deeper into the mountain of books before her that she had ordered her assistant spike to bring from the castles private library, "'Anatomy of a Unicorn- No..." ,she finished by throwing another book behind her.
Picking up a second book, "'The Pony, The Dragon and the war- Celestia no!" ,she yelled allowing the book to meet the same fate as the first. Twilight sighed as she lethargically picked up another book, reading slowly; "Ancient forms of magic... This is the one!" ,excited she opened the book and immediately skipped to the back of the book to read the glossary.
"Circles... Circles... Transmutation circles- page one-three-nine" ,flicking to the relevant page in the old, dusty book. After absorbing as much information from the page than what was possible, Twilight set the book down upon a desk, "I must get a letter to Princess Celestia as soon as possible, there is much i need to tell them!". Twilight was about to call for her assistant Spike before a stern, formal voice stopped Twilight in her tracks.
"You have been working hard Twilight Sparkle, we commend your efforts" ,the voice was steady and held the posh Canterlot voice combined with the ever present hint of the millennium year old formality that would only be found in one being, "Yet a letter will not be sufficient". Twilight didn't have to look around to know who had spoke, turning her head towards the voice she was greeted with the stern, yet powerful gaze of the Princess of the night.
"Princess Luna! I need to see Princess Celestia this instant!" ,the purple Alicorn declared throwing aside the natural welcome she would bestow upon any guest, "It is urgent that I tell Celsti-"
The princess of night let out an almighty yawn, cutting Twilight off, holding a hoof to her mouth Princess Luna spoke, "My dear, Twilight Sparkle... Do you know how much sleep a pony should get at night?".
The question caught the younger pony off guard, 'This isn't related in the slightest!'. Confused and slightly hurt by her seniors actions Twilight responded, "Well, it's said that a pony should regularly get eight to ten hours sleep a day" ,unsure what the information had to do with anything the Alicorn awaited for a response.
"Well then thou shall remember we are the 'Princess of the night' and so anything to do with the day is the job of our sister, and that right now I should be sleeping" ,the dark coated Alicorn finished her sentence changing from her formal tone into the new tone of an irritated low class pony.
The princess of magic noted the change in her seniors voice, "Then why are you here instead of Celestia?" ,the evermore confused Twilight pondered on the evidence of the meeting.
"Last nights attack on Canterlot guards is not an unrelated incident Twilight Sparkle" ,Luna answered, her strength beginning to wain, "Recently there have also been attacks in Canterlot itself, that is why we- I am here to take you to my sister so you can tell her what you have found". Luna's voice became quieter and croaked and slowly outstretched a wing to her companion to entice her to come and stand next to her.
Shaking her head, Twilight denied the request, "I can't, I'm needed here. Besides i need to tell Spike where I am going".
Beginning to become agitated, the larger equine slowly walked towards her junior, "There isn't much time, Celestia and I believe that another attack is going to be planned soon. That is why we have to act now to prevent it!".
Twilight hesitated for a second before looking back at the lethargic Princess, "OK, I understand" ,she finished by nodding and took her place beside Luna. Putting a large dark colored wing over Twilight. Luna began to emit a strong light from her long horn, in an instant the glow of light turned into an aura and with a flash of light that blinded the room, the once lively room returned to a calm, tranquil place.
