Dishonored, the last Assassin.by gamer4CODChaptersPurgatoryCh:1 Of such thingsCh:2 is the world made of.CH Prologue.PurgatoryPurgatory, The Abysmal Plains, The Neither, all names to describe the most boring subject of human history, of course it's the only thing ever human must know, oh sure you can have bad grammar and be a writer easier then just not knowing this basic part of human history. Perhaps I should tell this boring tale first I thought, what better way to tell a story of deception and betrayal then with a history lesson. Humans do not belong in Equestia, there I said it, shocking, maybe not. Humans belong in Purgatory, a vast empty universe where no one ever dies, no one is ever born, and worst of all, no one LIVES. Imagine standing all day, doing nothing, saying nothing, FEELING NOTHING. Yeah thats pretty much sums it up, yet when the teachers come to our village the first thing they teach us is going to remind us that school will be boring. As I know, all humans lived there once, then someone got antsy and went for a walk, eventually walking turned to playing, playing turned to laughing, laughing turned to speaking, speaking led to stories and jokes and tales of... well can't say, I guess of walking around the flat expanses of Purgatory. Well some didn't like that, probably thought, Hey we got a good thing going on, these upstarts are going to ruin it. despite that at the same they were using words and walking to find others who shared their beliefs. Apparently, their worrying was for nothing, because as our lore tells us that the upstarts were met by this deity or something, who offered them freedom, if the take part in a test. Okay so the human upstarts were probably thinking, what's the worst that can happen, we fail, and if we fail, we go back to doing nothing again. So they agreed and were shocked to find they were no longer in Purgatory, there were trees, and two rivers branching off from a main source a little ways upstream. The deity spoke a few words and pointed the her left and suddenly where there was nothing, there were these strange things on four legs, with a crop of hair on their heads as well as a tail with wings and a single horn coming out of their forehead, before the humans had a chance to adjust, the deity spoke again and pointed to her right and suddenly where there was just empty space, there was now a huge variety of hideous and revolting creatures, no two were alike, yet all were menacing and vile to behold. "I have chosen your three races to be the first to partake in these test, chose your wisest and smartest." The deity gestured behind itself. Ahead of them the trees and rivers waited, as if anxious to be tasted, to be savored and enjoyed. The humans picked their champion before the other two had the time to think, it was unanimous, the human champion was to be the first to walk, the first to speak... the first to laugh. The other two chose their champions soon after that and the test started. The Deity pointed behind her and spoke, "Ahead of you is a orchard, some air, and some rivers. Partake one of each and chose your species path, go with caution, for what you chose, you chose for all." As the three champions approach the plains, the deity appeared ahead of them and lifted her right hand towards the sky and the air on her right grew noxious and poisonous, then she lifted her left hand, and the air on her left became pure and fresh, and with both of her hands lifted to the sky, the air in the middle became a mixture of poison and purity. "Pick one and pick with care, for what you pick, is what you will be." Puting her hands down, the three looked behind and saw their people behind them, watching with hope plainly written on all of their faces. As the other two went to sample the air on both sides of the divide, the human looked at the deity and asked her what will become of them if they were to breathe the air in the middle. The deity laughed, a sound that has never been heard before, and never after. After such a beautiful sound, I can understand if he didn't really want her to answer, but all things die, so must mirth. "Their mistake is not committing to one immediately, even the pure can't help but suffer from the impurity of the whole race. The corrupted will always have a glimmer of good to shine in the darkest of days. If you commit to a single choice, you'll be in balance, harmony, and be the fulcrum of morality, able to sway, but also able to uphold the centre of all." Supposedly, as our lore goes, our hero sticks to his first choice in all the tests. The air gave humans the ability to live with peace and with war, the fruit of Magic was eaten before he could could get to the trees, the fruit of Life also, the only one remaining was the fruit of Knowledge. Where the one who partook the fruit of Magic became powerful, and the one that ate the fruit of Life became perfect lifeforms, we, who ate the fruit of Knowledge became intelligent and wise, never to make the same mistakes twice in any lifetime. But, life, and magic have a way to change the odds. Soon after our hero started towards the rivers where both of the branches had someone there already. Leaving him to drink where the rivers met. There is a poem that I always enjoyed but never really understood till recently, it sounds strange because it sounds like it was ment to be spoken to someone, or something to convince them, or that we can be friends, or maybe just allies that don't point too many spears. But I should hurry up and write it down. They, You, And We. Drink, Ate, And Breath. Hate, Love, And Indifferent. Life, Magic, And Knowledge. War, Peace, And Neutrality. It's kinda tricky huh? Okay let me explain it, This is how it should be read. They who drank the waters of hate. You who drank the waters of love. We who drank where the waters met, And became indifferent. They who ate the fruit of life. You who ate the fruit of magic. We who ate the fruit most tragic, And learned of pain and strife. They who breathe the fumes of war. You who breathe the perfumes of peace. We who breathed of both, And never, our breathe released. Personally, I would've given you the poem and told you how to read it, but Twilight is threatening me if I don't do history justice. Eh, could be worse, She could've made me write the old story, Ch:1 Of such thingsCHAPTER 1. OF SUCH THINGS "This mine is fascinating, It must date back at lest 15,000 years." Professor Dig Dug said, Searching by the light of his headlamp.Carefully stepping over stones and rubble. As he kept walking down the mineshaft, he kept pointing out the distinct differences. "Over there is a human mine cart, Notice how its the same width and length but taller, Built specifically for their workers, And over there notice how the handle on that pickaxe is ribbed and has grooves, Possibly to improve their grip." Slowly following the professor, Speed Scribe wrote everlything he said. Barely avoiding the rocks that kept trying to trip her, She followed the Professor trying to keep her mind off of how the dark seemed to be trying to smother her, And on what professor Dig Dug was saying, As he rounded a corner Speed Scribe hurried behind him. Only to find a giant empty cavern, The Professor was silent for the first time since he entered the mine and Speed Scribe was proof reading what she wrote. She was so concentrated on checking her work she didn't even notice the professor was right in front of her, Staring at something as of yet unseen by her. Concealed by the shadows that seem as if the light was a enemy. Suddenly professor Dig Dug spoke, So suddenly that she jumped at the sound of his voice. "Go to the castle as fast as you can and inform the princesses that we found something." Then Professor Dig Dug reached in his bag and pulled out a ball of string tied it around a stalagmite or maybe a stalagtite, Speed could never remember which was which. "Here take this and unroll it on your way, I'm going to stay here and study this some before they arrive, And hurry." As she left she heard the professor say. "Fascinating. Just fascinating." At which she turn around to see what he was looking at and immediately wished that she didn't, Without a moment of hesitation, Speed Scribe run as fast as she could without dropping the small ball of string only slowing down to unroll the string. The thoughts kept running though my mind over and over and over. Once, I was asked if i dream, Of course I dream, Everyone dreams, Then I was asked what I dream of. I replied with the future, The past, The faces. Even now I dream, Only now I dream of the past, So much in fact it seems like awake and asleep are much the same, And it only gets harder to tell the difference. I been imprisoned in this state for17,531 years, Don't ask me how I know, I don't even know. All that keeps going though my mind is the memory of my trial, If you can call a one sided argument a trial. The dreams are all the same, I'm being escorted to the courtroom. I've been completely disarmed and shackled wirst to wirst, Ankle to ankle, And a iron collar around my neck that has a length of chain running from it though a loop in the center of the chains attached to my wirst and continues down to my ankles, In case I try to fight or run. I was being led to the room when I noticed the guards were Templars, And a chill ran down my spine. Not only that but Palladians. "Great so they drag you guys from your fight with the demora to escort me, Huh I must be really important if the grand master of the Templars thought you guys had to escort me, And not just the royal guard." I say. They kept quiet and I stopped trying to talk to them. Soon after we reached the door and I was left in a room with three chairs, And two cushions, For the equine rulers no doubt. I stood in the center of the room standing still and I waited for the trial to begin, It was a long wait and I wasn't so foolish as to make myself comfortable. After some time had passed the king and the Grand Master of the Templars came in and sat down without a word. I remained silent untill the Equines showed up, The King of day and the Queen of night, Siblings, Not married. I waited while they all starred at me, Like a piece of art to be appraised. All but the Templar Grand Master, Who looked at me like I was just something he found on the sole of his boot, Not the High Master of the Cloak and Daggers, The second highest rank. I was fully aware of the fact that Templars despised the Assassin, More so then the rest of the Cloak and Daggers, Whose tactics were saw as dishonorable and beneath them, Dsputes between the Templars and Assassins were only becoming more common. As they starred at me I kept finding my though turning to who's chair was empty, A moment of uncomfortable silence passed when the door opened and I heard the unmistakable silence of a assassin. I didn't turn my head to see who it was, I could tell by the uneasy look on the Templar's face. There was only one person I knew who could make the leader of the Templars scarred, And as my heart skipped a beat as Ra Do Kah walked in on glided feet. 'He nevers makes a sound.' I thought as I saw him take his place on the center of the semi-circle in front of me on the left of the King of the humans and on the right of the Equine King of day. Then I wake up, As much as someone whose mind was imprisoned in A body of stone. Never to age, Never to die, My punishment is to wait until I'm called upon, A fate worse the death, I was crused to survive. At the edge of my thoughts I note someone speaking but I merely assumed that I imagined it, Like so many times before. "I must have gone crazy after all these years with no one to talk to, I'm only surprised I lasted this long." I thought. The day was uneventful and exceptionally hot. It was like the whole castle was placed in a kiln or oven and left to bake. As the day moved on, Princess Luna walked the halls and gazed at the artwork on the walls wishing she had something to do, Just as she finished that thought, She heard hoof steps and looked over at her sister and a strange earth pony. "Hello Luna, this is Speed Scribe and she works for Professor Dig Dug" said Celestia. Luna looked at the tan earth pony who was covered in black coal dust, So much she looked more like she was black not tan, and only the dust falling off of her, Slowly making a small pile that gave the illusion away. "Hello there ma'am, I assume that the Professor found something interesting" Luna said, with perhaps a bit too much hope steeping into her voice. "Your highness, Professor Dig Dug found something in the mine. The abandoned human one... He seemed ...excited. And he sent me to infrom you two and ask you to come see. He wouldn't have asked if it was just a pickaxe or shovel. I saw it for only a moment, but..." The young scholar stood silent for a moment, But when she spoke again, It was as if she was only barely keeping from crying. "It's a monster craved in stone, In such detail I am unsure if anyone pony or human could create such horror. Standing opposite from a statue of a human in strange garments. Starring at each other." When she finished Luna looked at her sister in disbelief only to notice Celestia was starring out the window at the royal gardens as if deep in thought. "What do you want to do." Luna said as she stepped next to her sister and looked out the window and watch the wind make the trees and flowers wave. After a few moments Celestia spoke. "We owe it to the humans coming though the portals to find out as much about the ancient humans that lived here before even our birth, What they were like, Where did they go, And why? Why did they leave?" Luna looked at her and wondered what a couple of statues were going to tell them about ancient humans, Then wondered what two statues were doing at the bottom of the deepest human mine found yet, And why was it built like a labyrinth. The research teams had to be very careful when they explored this mine which was built with completely no sense of direction, unlike the others found so far which always had a clear and obvious path to the main tunnel marked. Luna had been in a couple of the human mines and found that particular one was easily the most confusing and mind numbing one. "OK so we go there and help Professor Dig Dug research a couple of boring old statues." Luna said to Celestia. "And what would you rather do, Walk around and look at art you've seen dozens of times, Boiling in the heat, Or would you rather go see something few ponies have ever seen before. On a interesting side note I hear it's quite cool in those mines, Right Speed." "Yes your majesty." Scribe replied, Not in any way eager to return to that cavern, That mine, that statue was radiating pure malice and hate, Like it was built out of rage itself. She followed the Princesses trying, unsuccessfully, to forget what she saw. Then trying to ignore the fact that she would have to return to that cavern. Professor Dig Dug was so entrapped by his studies he hardly heard the distinct Clip-Clop of hooves walking towards him. "So this is what you wanted us to see Professor." Intoned a kind, If slightly annoyed voice. The Professor looked over and bowed to the royal sisters. "Yes and no Princess Luna this is what compelled me to summon you two." As the Professor walked over to a statue of...something. Luna thought she could have stay at the palace, maybe have tea in the royal gardens again. "Notice the semi human design, it's not entirely like a human, It does appear to stand on two legs but looks as if it would be just as comfortable on all fours. Notice the face twisted in a fierce snarl and the teeth and claws looks like a timberwolfs except of stone." After a few minutes of pointing out more and more frightening differences he turned and walked over to the other statue and started describing it in detail while Luna and Celestia starred at it in wonder. "Look at how it places it's legs and feet, Left one foward pointing at the other statue, Right foot at a 90 degree angle and with it's right leg bent like it is in the middle of jumping at the other statue, Possibly these statues tell a tale of human lore, a fight between a great hero and his adversary, possibly even a human King, but look, At his clothes not traditional armor, not even fancy clothes. In fact the only thing that resembles armor is there on his left shoulder the one closest to the other statue. And notice the sword." Luna was snapped out of her trance much like how a young fillie at a boring school lecture suddenly wakes up when the teacher says something even remotely interesting. "Sword?" Luna asks looking at the statue with renewed interest searching for the sword. "In his right hand beside his leg"Said Professor Dig Dug. As Luna walked around the back of it she kick something, Using her telekinesis to pick it up she looked up at a simple but very long sword. How it could hold that thing without breaking its wrist was beyond her. She then returned her attention to what she picked up and was walking around to the front of it when she glanced at its left arm, Running parallel to its torso when she noticed something in its left hand, It looked like a handle of a knife but with no blade. "Care to explain Professor?" "Huh oh yes yes, I was trying to measure to height of the statue Miss Luna, When I stumbled and my measuring stick just barely touched the sword and it was cut clean in half, See." He held up a measuring stick that lost at lest a third of its length. "Amazing how sharp the stone is. I assume this mine is at lest 15,000 years old and this sword, Though stone is incredibly sharp" Luna looked at the handle in the statues left hand and asked the most pressing question"What is that for?" Pointing at it Professor Dig Dug and Celestia walked pver and starred. The day was going fine for Twilight and her friends, So far no-one had anything better to do on such a unusually hot day. Rainbow Dash was busy napping on her cloud, Applejack's work was all caught up for the day, Pinkie Pie had no parties to plan, Rarity had no dresses to make, Fluttershy just finished feeding the animals for the day, and Twilight was busy reorganizing the library for the new shipment of books for the human section. The day was going just fine for her and she was going to read a particularly interesting book on humans forms of currency. The simple fact was of all the subjects of human life, Their money was always a strange topic to Twilight. How they could have their money travel though wires and empty space without magi was a engrossing subject to her. Suddenly she heard a knock on the door. As Derpy waited st the door, she couldn't shake what The Doctor had said. "I will return, Someday, Sometime when all seems lost, nock four times and I'll answer." That was why she only knocked three times on Twilights door. Suddenly the door opened and Derpy immediately asked."Is Twilight here Spike? I got a package for her." "Yeah, one second." As the little dragon closed the door, Derpy was left alone with her thoughts. Luckily it wasn't to long a wait. "Hello Derpy." "Hi Twilight, hold on it's somewhere in here." As Derpy looked she soon realized it wasn't in her bag, Frantically dumping the pony post on the ground. "Oh it must be here somewhere. Where is it. I've never lost mail before. Oh here it is." Picking a small box off the ground, Derpy gave it to Twilight. "Thanks. Any idea who's it's from?" "No not a clue he was wearing a hood, so I couldn't see his face." "Ok thanks Derpy, bye." Twilight shut the door and went to her room to open the strange box. The box was about the size of her hoof and was light as the feathers on her wings. Setting it down on a desk she looked it over searching for a address, A note, Anything. Finding nothing she proceeded to find a way to open it. She could see small hinges on one side, opening it prove problematic until she used her magic. When she looked in she was shocked to find a ring with a piece of paper rolled up inside of it and the ring was incredibly, amazingly, incredibly simple. Twilight used her magic to pick the ring and pulled the paper out. She read the paper in a flash, mainly because it only had six words on it, "As We Draw Our Sacred Swords." Strange very strange thought Twilight, then she looked at the ring turning it around and saw a small symbol on the outside. What a strange shape. She thought. It kind of looks like the letter A but the little bar is too far down, come to think of it, It's also looks curved into itself like the bar was being pulled towards the angle. Spike came into the room and nearly ran into the desk, Only the fact that Twilight was between him and the desk stopped him. "OW, Spike what the hay?" "Sorry Twilight Princess Celestia sent this." Spike gave her a scroll with bold red letters on it, URGENT, As she read the scroll Twilight looked at Spike and spoke quickly. "Spike hurry around town and get our friends and bring them to the train station, I'll be there." "Twilight whats going on?" "Just go and be quick, please Spike, this is no time for questions." As Spike ran out of the library, Twilight put the box with the ring and note in a bag and packed in a hurry. "Today just got interesting. But what, And why?, Why now?" Twlight pondered this as she packed. Only too late Twilight tought she should've asked Derpy if he was a pony or person. Ch:2 is the world made of."Do you know why you are here?" "Yes." "Good, Now tell us." "Because I upheld my oath" "And what is your oath?" "To protect the Alliance with my life." "And how does killing a Templar Knight protect the Alliance?" "By healing the Templar before he destroys them all." "Healing him of what?" "Corruption." "The Templars are incorruptible!" I looked at the Templar grand master who remained silent throughout my exchange with the Human King until now. "And how can you be so sure of that, have you sat a Templar Squire or Knight or Palladian with a single Demora until you can be sure." I replied. "You dare insult us." "No, never. Well unless I've been drinking." "Dai, Watch what you say in humorless crowds." I looked at the man who said it, The only human yet to speak. The Grand Master of my order. My mentor who taught me almost everything I know about how the order runs. I learned when a few unkind words will turn into a revolt. And how to find guards who are more likely to accept bribes. He taught me. So i love him. "Yes Grand Master. Apologies Grand Master, to you as well, Templar Grand Master." When I looked at him, I could see he was calculating whether I meant it or not, "What was corrupting this particular Templar, Dai?" The first words to come out of a Equine and the Queen at that. "Perhaps a new breed of demora?" This time the Equine King spoke. I smile as a thought ran rampant though my mind. "Sadly it was not something so easily remedied as a new enemy, Sir." At that they remained quiet while I inform them of Project Valkyrie. As I inform them their faces turned from mild interest to extreme shock and disgust as I finished, the Templar Grand Master starred before he started screaming. "NEVER WOULD A TEMPLAR STOOP SO LOW, YOU TELL TWISTED AND WARPED LIES, AND IN THE COURT OF OUR FINE KING NO LESS!" "Samuel." At the word of the King, the Templar regained his composer as I was returned to the center of attention. "And of the child, Angel I believe you said that was his name, what became of him?" Even now, with a literal heart of stone I still regret what I did. But what can I do to change the past. "Nothing can reverse the flow of time, for it is like a river and slows or stops for no one, much less run backwards." A common saying that I never forgotten no matter how many years I been here. "What is that, Twilight?" "Huh, oh sorry, Pinkie. This is a ring that a human would put on their finger." As Twilight spoke the others crowded around to get a better look. The 6 ponies and 1 dragon were waiting on the train platform, and as always Twilight was trying to learn something new. "Where did you get that? Its not even pretty, just a plain iron ring with a simple design on it." "Derpy gave it to me, Rarity, it was in this small box that somepony or someone had her deliver to me." "Wait, you don't even know if a pony or a human sent you that, Why didn't you ask her before she left?" Spike asked. "Because I was more curious about what was in it then whether whoever gave it to me was a human or pony Spike." "I bet I can find her before-" Before Rainbow Dash could finish her sentence the train chosen that moment to pull into the station, but because everyone was focused on the strange ring, no one heard it until the conductor yelled. "Come on girls, and Spike." "Thank you." "Lets go, hopefully it'll be a short ride." "I must say this is a interesting find Professor, but what do you think we can learn about humans from a couple of statues?" As Celestia was busy with sending a letter, Luna used this to ask some questions that have been bugging her since she entered the cavern. As the Princess of night, normally she had no problems being in the dark, but something about this mine gave her a bad felling. As if the space around her was trying to drain her of heart and soul. "I know that it will tell us something about what they feared, But much more then that will only be the result of extensive research. Not likely to learn anything while its down here." He replied, much to Luna's disappointment. She was hoping for something. Instead all she got was how it'll take time to learn anything about these strange statues. She looked over at her sister writing away to her faithful student Twilight Sparkle. "Likely requesting her immediate assistance with this dull task." She thought. Even cutting things in half with the statues sword lost its interest. She turned her head and looked at the other statue. Wondering what could've inspired the sculptor to make such a monstrosity. The very air around it was heavy with emotions, and if she stood to close to it she would feel all the anger and jealousy boil to the surface. However when she got close to the Human statue she would feel like there was a hundred guards running into battle beside her. "Strange thoughts in a strange room." She dismissed this thought as a mere passing fancy and continued to observe the horror, from a safe distance of course. "Professor Dig Dug, why would anyone, pony or human want to create this?" she asked waving a hoof at both of the statues. "Possibly to remember some great battle long before there was the written word, Possibly to remind themselves that, sometimes there are things that go bump in the night, and that there were people to fight these night terrors. Maybe just to get their children to eat carrots." As he finished talking he immediately turned his attention back to the statue of a human, Luna looked at the unconscious scholar Speed Scribe who immediately passed out once she looked at the horror. "No they wouldn't need something that scary just to get kids to eat their carrots, would they?" I was sitting in a tavern listening to this guy tell me something that angered me greatly. I knew that I could at lest check into it for him, after all whats the worst that could happen. Famous last words, ha. A few minutes earlier. It was a sunny day and I had nothing to do so I was going to The Mended Drum, previously call The Broken Drum. The vendors all clamoring for people to buy their wares, the distinct bang of a blacksmith hammering on something rang out like a bell, and little kids were playing in the street. Over the sound of the blacksmiths steady beat I could hear the songbirds singing. As I walked into the tavern I had to duck away from a fight. The strangest thing was they were planning the fight, I smiled as I walked past them discussing where and how each blow would be landed. "Hey prick, I'm thirsty get me a flagon of ale." The bartender replied without turning around, "fuck off you little street urchin." I smiled as this was our custom, the bear of a man filled a mug from a barrel in the back and returned to me. "So Floyd, loving the way it is now?"- as I said this I gestured at the fight in progress, they were still arguing about how to start it. "Ah its not too different really, any second now they'll stop talking and just start beating the sense outta each other." True to his word, they stopped arguing and started brawling. "The day there's no fights in this place, is the day I'll stop coming here." I said not even fazed by the fact that an axe just landed in the beam next to me. "Eh, Damn Right!" He replied as he reached over and pulled the axe from the beam, and putting it in a large chest under the bar. "You could retire off that old crate." I said as I looked at the man I knew since I moved to Westerpine Hollow, if it wasn't for him I still be a thief and a bad one at that. My first day here, I was stealing food from the vendors and trying to stay warm when I walked into this place, after a few minutes I did something stupid, when he turned his back I snuck behind the counter and tried to steal a cup of mead. As soon as I had the cup, he whipped around and caught my wirst. "So you little street urchin, trying to steal from me, Eh, I should turn you into the watch." I struggled while he said that. Trying my hardest to break his grip, but it was in vain, the man had hands like a smiths vise. "Now either I could turn you in, or I could send you to school." I didn't understand what school was, but I knew what the Watch would do, so I blurted out "please sir I'm sorry just don't call the Watch please." "School it is then." As he dragged me to the door a thought rushed forward. "So you gonna leave your tavern unattended just to get rid of me?" As he dragged me down the street i was getting more and more scared by the second. "Eh, Hell no. I got Leadpipe Jim over in the corner to keep the peace. And I ain't getting rid of you, I'm sending you to school. I expect you to be back and work your debt off." "Debt for what? I didn't even turn the spigot." I replied. "For wasting my time, and time is very expensive so I expect it'll take you a long time to work it off, Eh, Damn right." As we came to a stop in front of a impressiv building. I looked up and saw a sign that read "Precursor pulvis et umbra sumus"underneath that was thetranslation- Assassins, we are dust and shadow. Because of this man in front of me, calmly wiping a dirty glass with a dirtier rag while a man was getting his head smashed on the counter a few feet from me, my entire life was changed. "Are we there yet?" As Twilight looked over at Pinkie, she couldn't understand how a few seconds were all the time it took for her to ask the same question again. "No Pinkie, not yet." After she answered her friend, she glanced around the train car looking at all the happy ponies. 'How peaceful, how happy.' She thought, before something grabbed her attention. A gray stallion with a brown mane was walking towards her. "Is a miss Shy here?" The stranger asked. "Eep?" Fluttershy replied. "Just call her Fluttershy, darling, and who might you be?" After the pony turned around he asked, "Are you miss Shy?" "Yes?" A look of fear plastered across her face as she looked at the stranger. Immediately turning to confusion as the strange pony pulled a small parcel from his saddlebag. "I was tasked to give this to you ma'am." After he gave the bulky bag to Fluttershy, he turned to leave but before he did Twilight asked him who it's from. "I'm afraid I cannot answer your questions ma'am, I was tasked to give miss Shy here the package, nothing more." With that the stranger went to the back of the car and opened the door to the next car. "Well who do you think it's from, sugarcube?" Twilight immediately looked back at her friends all circled around Fluttershy before joining them. "I have no idea." She replied. As she said this Fluttershy began trying to open the box. After a few trys, she finally got the box opened and looked inside. "Well what is it darling" rarity asked while she was busy looking in the box. "Looks like bracelet, and there's a note." Pulling a small scrap of parchment from the box she read it aloud, "FEAR AND HATE DRIVE US FORWARDS." The normally happy albeit shy ponie looked very sad and looked around at her friends, her voice breaking she asked. "Who would send something so sad, Why would anypony do this?" After calming her friend down, Twilight went to find that strange pony and get some answers from him, noticing that AppleJack had decided to come too. "Ima give that fool a good bucking." AJ stated as she followed her friend to the dining car. After entering the car the two looked at everypony inside, all eating their treats and smiling, after a few minutes Twilight walked over to the counter while Applejack was busy asking the customers and asked the pony behind it, black with a orange mane, if he seen a grey stallion with a brown mane. "Eh, oh yes yes, he asked me to give this to a miss AJ." As he said this he pulled a box from under the counter and asked, "Are you miss AJ?" Sliding the box to Twilight, Applejack walked over. "Nothin, nopony saw him." Stopping when she saw the package on the counter, before Twilight could saw anything, the bartender asked. "Are you miss AJ?" "I reckon I am, why?" Sliding to box towards her, the bartender simply said. "A stallion left this with me and said, A few mares might come looking for me, when they ask you about me, I want you to give miss AJ this, and he went and sat down at the back of this car, I looked away to take someponies order and when I looked back, he was gone." Twilight thanked him for his time while Applejack struggled with the parcel. "Come on, we still don't know what Fluttershy got." She said on her way out of the dining car. As they approached their friends they noticed something was up. Pinkie Pie looked over and exclaimed "Twilight, look at this!" On her left forelegs ankle was the bracelet. Seeing it reminded Twilight of something she read in a book about ancient humans and their clothes, as she got closer her suspensions were confirmed when she saw the same strange symbol on it, the device was otherwise unadorned with any decorations, it looked like a gauntlet except it had a little box like extension on the side opposite from the strange symbol. "Why would somepony send Fluttershy this." The gauntlet was on the excited pony's ankle, before Twilight could tell her what it was, at that moment Applejack decided to drop the parcel on a seat where they clustered around it. "Oh, more presents." Pinkie Pie hopped while she said, "What did you get AJ?" "I don't know, it's still closed." As Applejack opened the parcel everyone eased closer to look inside first. Inside was a Length of chains with a small weight on 1 end and a treble grappling hook. On it was a scrap of paper, rolled up like the others. CH Prologue.Once a long time ago, Before Celestia and Luna's birth In the days when equestia had humans, Even a alliance between Equine and Human. There was unrest, The force's of evil had gathered and only a handful of ponies and a hoof full of humans knew of this. Two humans were corrupted by a vicious sludge that was constructed from pure evil. The days were dark and horrible for the human's of Equestia, and they were so dishonored, They committed a mass exodus from Equestia and never returned. The reason was... ...And so shortly after humans and even their inventions were soon forgotten. All but one human had left equestria, a single male set in stone for his crimes and good deeds alike. This human was warrior. A shining example of what every mother dreads. This human was a assassin and his crimes were harming and killing a innocent. And his good deeds were same, though you could argue that he showed mercy, others would argue that his mercy was not needed or asked for. He was one with his blade, one with the shadows, and one with his creed. His own King rejected his tactics as inhumane, and cruelly this human was set in stone by a powerful spell and guarded by a demora who would try to kill him when he was released, but he can only be released him when ordered by rightful authority, singing the Song Of The Shadows. After the criminal was imprisoned, the human's lost their honor, lost their capital, and without even a forwarding address for any who searched for them, left with the intention to find a new land far from all sentient life so this dishonorable incident never happens again. The statue prisoner and his immortal warden were left in the deepest mine the human's ever built and was soon forgotten, all that stood above ground was leveled by time and erosion. Exempt from The Last Human, The Search, By Starswirl the Bearded.
PurgatoryPurgatory, The Abysmal Plains, The Neither, all names to describe the most boring subject of human history, of course it's the only thing ever human must know, oh sure you can have bad grammar and be a writer easier then just not knowing this basic part of human history. Perhaps I should tell this boring tale first I thought, what better way to tell a story of deception and betrayal then with a history lesson. Humans do not belong in Equestia, there I said it, shocking, maybe not. Humans belong in Purgatory, a vast empty universe where no one ever dies, no one is ever born, and worst of all, no one LIVES. Imagine standing all day, doing nothing, saying nothing, FEELING NOTHING. Yeah thats pretty much sums it up, yet when the teachers come to our village the first thing they teach us is going to remind us that school will be boring. As I know, all humans lived there once, then someone got antsy and went for a walk, eventually walking turned to playing, playing turned to laughing, laughing turned to speaking, speaking led to stories and jokes and tales of... well can't say, I guess of walking around the flat expanses of Purgatory. Well some didn't like that, probably thought, Hey we got a good thing going on, these upstarts are going to ruin it. despite that at the same they were using words and walking to find others who shared their beliefs. Apparently, their worrying was for nothing, because as our lore tells us that the upstarts were met by this deity or something, who offered them freedom, if the take part in a test. Okay so the human upstarts were probably thinking, what's the worst that can happen, we fail, and if we fail, we go back to doing nothing again. So they agreed and were shocked to find they were no longer in Purgatory, there were trees, and two rivers branching off from a main source a little ways upstream. The deity spoke a few words and pointed the her left and suddenly where there was nothing, there were these strange things on four legs, with a crop of hair on their heads as well as a tail with wings and a single horn coming out of their forehead, before the humans had a chance to adjust, the deity spoke again and pointed to her right and suddenly where there was just empty space, there was now a huge variety of hideous and revolting creatures, no two were alike, yet all were menacing and vile to behold. "I have chosen your three races to be the first to partake in these test, chose your wisest and smartest." The deity gestured behind itself. Ahead of them the trees and rivers waited, as if anxious to be tasted, to be savored and enjoyed. The humans picked their champion before the other two had the time to think, it was unanimous, the human champion was to be the first to walk, the first to speak... the first to laugh. The other two chose their champions soon after that and the test started. The Deity pointed behind her and spoke, "Ahead of you is a orchard, some air, and some rivers. Partake one of each and chose your species path, go with caution, for what you chose, you chose for all." As the three champions approach the plains, the deity appeared ahead of them and lifted her right hand towards the sky and the air on her right grew noxious and poisonous, then she lifted her left hand, and the air on her left became pure and fresh, and with both of her hands lifted to the sky, the air in the middle became a mixture of poison and purity. "Pick one and pick with care, for what you pick, is what you will be." Puting her hands down, the three looked behind and saw their people behind them, watching with hope plainly written on all of their faces. As the other two went to sample the air on both sides of the divide, the human looked at the deity and asked her what will become of them if they were to breathe the air in the middle. The deity laughed, a sound that has never been heard before, and never after. After such a beautiful sound, I can understand if he didn't really want her to answer, but all things die, so must mirth. "Their mistake is not committing to one immediately, even the pure can't help but suffer from the impurity of the whole race. The corrupted will always have a glimmer of good to shine in the darkest of days. If you commit to a single choice, you'll be in balance, harmony, and be the fulcrum of morality, able to sway, but also able to uphold the centre of all." Supposedly, as our lore goes, our hero sticks to his first choice in all the tests. The air gave humans the ability to live with peace and with war, the fruit of Magic was eaten before he could could get to the trees, the fruit of Life also, the only one remaining was the fruit of Knowledge. Where the one who partook the fruit of Magic became powerful, and the one that ate the fruit of Life became perfect lifeforms, we, who ate the fruit of Knowledge became intelligent and wise, never to make the same mistakes twice in any lifetime. But, life, and magic have a way to change the odds. Soon after our hero started towards the rivers where both of the branches had someone there already. Leaving him to drink where the rivers met. There is a poem that I always enjoyed but never really understood till recently, it sounds strange because it sounds like it was ment to be spoken to someone, or something to convince them, or that we can be friends, or maybe just allies that don't point too many spears. But I should hurry up and write it down. They, You, And We. Drink, Ate, And Breath. Hate, Love, And Indifferent. Life, Magic, And Knowledge. War, Peace, And Neutrality. It's kinda tricky huh? Okay let me explain it, This is how it should be read. They who drank the waters of hate. You who drank the waters of love. We who drank where the waters met, And became indifferent. They who ate the fruit of life. You who ate the fruit of magic. We who ate the fruit most tragic, And learned of pain and strife. They who breathe the fumes of war. You who breathe the perfumes of peace. We who breathed of both, And never, our breathe released. Personally, I would've given you the poem and told you how to read it, but Twilight is threatening me if I don't do history justice. Eh, could be worse, She could've made me write the old story,
Ch:1 Of such thingsCHAPTER 1. OF SUCH THINGS "This mine is fascinating, It must date back at lest 15,000 years." Professor Dig Dug said, Searching by the light of his headlamp.Carefully stepping over stones and rubble. As he kept walking down the mineshaft, he kept pointing out the distinct differences. "Over there is a human mine cart, Notice how its the same width and length but taller, Built specifically for their workers, And over there notice how the handle on that pickaxe is ribbed and has grooves, Possibly to improve their grip." Slowly following the professor, Speed Scribe wrote everlything he said. Barely avoiding the rocks that kept trying to trip her, She followed the Professor trying to keep her mind off of how the dark seemed to be trying to smother her, And on what professor Dig Dug was saying, As he rounded a corner Speed Scribe hurried behind him. Only to find a giant empty cavern, The Professor was silent for the first time since he entered the mine and Speed Scribe was proof reading what she wrote. She was so concentrated on checking her work she didn't even notice the professor was right in front of her, Staring at something as of yet unseen by her. Concealed by the shadows that seem as if the light was a enemy. Suddenly professor Dig Dug spoke, So suddenly that she jumped at the sound of his voice. "Go to the castle as fast as you can and inform the princesses that we found something." Then Professor Dig Dug reached in his bag and pulled out a ball of string tied it around a stalagmite or maybe a stalagtite, Speed could never remember which was which. "Here take this and unroll it on your way, I'm going to stay here and study this some before they arrive, And hurry." As she left she heard the professor say. "Fascinating. Just fascinating." At which she turn around to see what he was looking at and immediately wished that she didn't, Without a moment of hesitation, Speed Scribe run as fast as she could without dropping the small ball of string only slowing down to unroll the string. The thoughts kept running though my mind over and over and over. Once, I was asked if i dream, Of course I dream, Everyone dreams, Then I was asked what I dream of. I replied with the future, The past, The faces. Even now I dream, Only now I dream of the past, So much in fact it seems like awake and asleep are much the same, And it only gets harder to tell the difference. I been imprisoned in this state for17,531 years, Don't ask me how I know, I don't even know. All that keeps going though my mind is the memory of my trial, If you can call a one sided argument a trial. The dreams are all the same, I'm being escorted to the courtroom. I've been completely disarmed and shackled wirst to wirst, Ankle to ankle, And a iron collar around my neck that has a length of chain running from it though a loop in the center of the chains attached to my wirst and continues down to my ankles, In case I try to fight or run. I was being led to the room when I noticed the guards were Templars, And a chill ran down my spine. Not only that but Palladians. "Great so they drag you guys from your fight with the demora to escort me, Huh I must be really important if the grand master of the Templars thought you guys had to escort me, And not just the royal guard." I say. They kept quiet and I stopped trying to talk to them. Soon after we reached the door and I was left in a room with three chairs, And two cushions, For the equine rulers no doubt. I stood in the center of the room standing still and I waited for the trial to begin, It was a long wait and I wasn't so foolish as to make myself comfortable. After some time had passed the king and the Grand Master of the Templars came in and sat down without a word. I remained silent untill the Equines showed up, The King of day and the Queen of night, Siblings, Not married. I waited while they all starred at me, Like a piece of art to be appraised. All but the Templar Grand Master, Who looked at me like I was just something he found on the sole of his boot, Not the High Master of the Cloak and Daggers, The second highest rank. I was fully aware of the fact that Templars despised the Assassin, More so then the rest of the Cloak and Daggers, Whose tactics were saw as dishonorable and beneath them, Dsputes between the Templars and Assassins were only becoming more common. As they starred at me I kept finding my though turning to who's chair was empty, A moment of uncomfortable silence passed when the door opened and I heard the unmistakable silence of a assassin. I didn't turn my head to see who it was, I could tell by the uneasy look on the Templar's face. There was only one person I knew who could make the leader of the Templars scarred, And as my heart skipped a beat as Ra Do Kah walked in on glided feet. 'He nevers makes a sound.' I thought as I saw him take his place on the center of the semi-circle in front of me on the left of the King of the humans and on the right of the Equine King of day. Then I wake up, As much as someone whose mind was imprisoned in A body of stone. Never to age, Never to die, My punishment is to wait until I'm called upon, A fate worse the death, I was crused to survive. At the edge of my thoughts I note someone speaking but I merely assumed that I imagined it, Like so many times before. "I must have gone crazy after all these years with no one to talk to, I'm only surprised I lasted this long." I thought. The day was uneventful and exceptionally hot. It was like the whole castle was placed in a kiln or oven and left to bake. As the day moved on, Princess Luna walked the halls and gazed at the artwork on the walls wishing she had something to do, Just as she finished that thought, She heard hoof steps and looked over at her sister and a strange earth pony. "Hello Luna, this is Speed Scribe and she works for Professor Dig Dug" said Celestia. Luna looked at the tan earth pony who was covered in black coal dust, So much she looked more like she was black not tan, and only the dust falling off of her, Slowly making a small pile that gave the illusion away. "Hello there ma'am, I assume that the Professor found something interesting" Luna said, with perhaps a bit too much hope steeping into her voice. "Your highness, Professor Dig Dug found something in the mine. The abandoned human one... He seemed ...excited. And he sent me to infrom you two and ask you to come see. He wouldn't have asked if it was just a pickaxe or shovel. I saw it for only a moment, but..." The young scholar stood silent for a moment, But when she spoke again, It was as if she was only barely keeping from crying. "It's a monster craved in stone, In such detail I am unsure if anyone pony or human could create such horror. Standing opposite from a statue of a human in strange garments. Starring at each other." When she finished Luna looked at her sister in disbelief only to notice Celestia was starring out the window at the royal gardens as if deep in thought. "What do you want to do." Luna said as she stepped next to her sister and looked out the window and watch the wind make the trees and flowers wave. After a few moments Celestia spoke. "We owe it to the humans coming though the portals to find out as much about the ancient humans that lived here before even our birth, What they were like, Where did they go, And why? Why did they leave?" Luna looked at her and wondered what a couple of statues were going to tell them about ancient humans, Then wondered what two statues were doing at the bottom of the deepest human mine found yet, And why was it built like a labyrinth. The research teams had to be very careful when they explored this mine which was built with completely no sense of direction, unlike the others found so far which always had a clear and obvious path to the main tunnel marked. Luna had been in a couple of the human mines and found that particular one was easily the most confusing and mind numbing one. "OK so we go there and help Professor Dig Dug research a couple of boring old statues." Luna said to Celestia. "And what would you rather do, Walk around and look at art you've seen dozens of times, Boiling in the heat, Or would you rather go see something few ponies have ever seen before. On a interesting side note I hear it's quite cool in those mines, Right Speed." "Yes your majesty." Scribe replied, Not in any way eager to return to that cavern, That mine, that statue was radiating pure malice and hate, Like it was built out of rage itself. She followed the Princesses trying, unsuccessfully, to forget what she saw. Then trying to ignore the fact that she would have to return to that cavern. Professor Dig Dug was so entrapped by his studies he hardly heard the distinct Clip-Clop of hooves walking towards him. "So this is what you wanted us to see Professor." Intoned a kind, If slightly annoyed voice. The Professor looked over and bowed to the royal sisters. "Yes and no Princess Luna this is what compelled me to summon you two." As the Professor walked over to a statue of...something. Luna thought she could have stay at the palace, maybe have tea in the royal gardens again. "Notice the semi human design, it's not entirely like a human, It does appear to stand on two legs but looks as if it would be just as comfortable on all fours. Notice the face twisted in a fierce snarl and the teeth and claws looks like a timberwolfs except of stone." After a few minutes of pointing out more and more frightening differences he turned and walked over to the other statue and started describing it in detail while Luna and Celestia starred at it in wonder. "Look at how it places it's legs and feet, Left one foward pointing at the other statue, Right foot at a 90 degree angle and with it's right leg bent like it is in the middle of jumping at the other statue, Possibly these statues tell a tale of human lore, a fight between a great hero and his adversary, possibly even a human King, but look, At his clothes not traditional armor, not even fancy clothes. In fact the only thing that resembles armor is there on his left shoulder the one closest to the other statue. And notice the sword." Luna was snapped out of her trance much like how a young fillie at a boring school lecture suddenly wakes up when the teacher says something even remotely interesting. "Sword?" Luna asks looking at the statue with renewed interest searching for the sword. "In his right hand beside his leg"Said Professor Dig Dug. As Luna walked around the back of it she kick something, Using her telekinesis to pick it up she looked up at a simple but very long sword. How it could hold that thing without breaking its wrist was beyond her. She then returned her attention to what she picked up and was walking around to the front of it when she glanced at its left arm, Running parallel to its torso when she noticed something in its left hand, It looked like a handle of a knife but with no blade. "Care to explain Professor?" "Huh oh yes yes, I was trying to measure to height of the statue Miss Luna, When I stumbled and my measuring stick just barely touched the sword and it was cut clean in half, See." He held up a measuring stick that lost at lest a third of its length. "Amazing how sharp the stone is. I assume this mine is at lest 15,000 years old and this sword, Though stone is incredibly sharp" Luna looked at the handle in the statues left hand and asked the most pressing question"What is that for?" Pointing at it Professor Dig Dug and Celestia walked pver and starred. The day was going fine for Twilight and her friends, So far no-one had anything better to do on such a unusually hot day. Rainbow Dash was busy napping on her cloud, Applejack's work was all caught up for the day, Pinkie Pie had no parties to plan, Rarity had no dresses to make, Fluttershy just finished feeding the animals for the day, and Twilight was busy reorganizing the library for the new shipment of books for the human section. The day was going just fine for her and she was going to read a particularly interesting book on humans forms of currency. The simple fact was of all the subjects of human life, Their money was always a strange topic to Twilight. How they could have their money travel though wires and empty space without magi was a engrossing subject to her. Suddenly she heard a knock on the door. As Derpy waited st the door, she couldn't shake what The Doctor had said. "I will return, Someday, Sometime when all seems lost, nock four times and I'll answer." That was why she only knocked three times on Twilights door. Suddenly the door opened and Derpy immediately asked."Is Twilight here Spike? I got a package for her." "Yeah, one second." As the little dragon closed the door, Derpy was left alone with her thoughts. Luckily it wasn't to long a wait. "Hello Derpy." "Hi Twilight, hold on it's somewhere in here." As Derpy looked she soon realized it wasn't in her bag, Frantically dumping the pony post on the ground. "Oh it must be here somewhere. Where is it. I've never lost mail before. Oh here it is." Picking a small box off the ground, Derpy gave it to Twilight. "Thanks. Any idea who's it's from?" "No not a clue he was wearing a hood, so I couldn't see his face." "Ok thanks Derpy, bye." Twilight shut the door and went to her room to open the strange box. The box was about the size of her hoof and was light as the feathers on her wings. Setting it down on a desk she looked it over searching for a address, A note, Anything. Finding nothing she proceeded to find a way to open it. She could see small hinges on one side, opening it prove problematic until she used her magic. When she looked in she was shocked to find a ring with a piece of paper rolled up inside of it and the ring was incredibly, amazingly, incredibly simple. Twilight used her magic to pick the ring and pulled the paper out. She read the paper in a flash, mainly because it only had six words on it, "As We Draw Our Sacred Swords." Strange very strange thought Twilight, then she looked at the ring turning it around and saw a small symbol on the outside. What a strange shape. She thought. It kind of looks like the letter A but the little bar is too far down, come to think of it, It's also looks curved into itself like the bar was being pulled towards the angle. Spike came into the room and nearly ran into the desk, Only the fact that Twilight was between him and the desk stopped him. "OW, Spike what the hay?" "Sorry Twilight Princess Celestia sent this." Spike gave her a scroll with bold red letters on it, URGENT, As she read the scroll Twilight looked at Spike and spoke quickly. "Spike hurry around town and get our friends and bring them to the train station, I'll be there." "Twilight whats going on?" "Just go and be quick, please Spike, this is no time for questions." As Spike ran out of the library, Twilight put the box with the ring and note in a bag and packed in a hurry. "Today just got interesting. But what, And why?, Why now?" Twlight pondered this as she packed. Only too late Twilight tought she should've asked Derpy if he was a pony or person.
Ch:2 is the world made of."Do you know why you are here?" "Yes." "Good, Now tell us." "Because I upheld my oath" "And what is your oath?" "To protect the Alliance with my life." "And how does killing a Templar Knight protect the Alliance?" "By healing the Templar before he destroys them all." "Healing him of what?" "Corruption." "The Templars are incorruptible!" I looked at the Templar grand master who remained silent throughout my exchange with the Human King until now. "And how can you be so sure of that, have you sat a Templar Squire or Knight or Palladian with a single Demora until you can be sure." I replied. "You dare insult us." "No, never. Well unless I've been drinking." "Dai, Watch what you say in humorless crowds." I looked at the man who said it, The only human yet to speak. The Grand Master of my order. My mentor who taught me almost everything I know about how the order runs. I learned when a few unkind words will turn into a revolt. And how to find guards who are more likely to accept bribes. He taught me. So i love him. "Yes Grand Master. Apologies Grand Master, to you as well, Templar Grand Master." When I looked at him, I could see he was calculating whether I meant it or not, "What was corrupting this particular Templar, Dai?" The first words to come out of a Equine and the Queen at that. "Perhaps a new breed of demora?" This time the Equine King spoke. I smile as a thought ran rampant though my mind. "Sadly it was not something so easily remedied as a new enemy, Sir." At that they remained quiet while I inform them of Project Valkyrie. As I inform them their faces turned from mild interest to extreme shock and disgust as I finished, the Templar Grand Master starred before he started screaming. "NEVER WOULD A TEMPLAR STOOP SO LOW, YOU TELL TWISTED AND WARPED LIES, AND IN THE COURT OF OUR FINE KING NO LESS!" "Samuel." At the word of the King, the Templar regained his composer as I was returned to the center of attention. "And of the child, Angel I believe you said that was his name, what became of him?" Even now, with a literal heart of stone I still regret what I did. But what can I do to change the past. "Nothing can reverse the flow of time, for it is like a river and slows or stops for no one, much less run backwards." A common saying that I never forgotten no matter how many years I been here. "What is that, Twilight?" "Huh, oh sorry, Pinkie. This is a ring that a human would put on their finger." As Twilight spoke the others crowded around to get a better look. The 6 ponies and 1 dragon were waiting on the train platform, and as always Twilight was trying to learn something new. "Where did you get that? Its not even pretty, just a plain iron ring with a simple design on it." "Derpy gave it to me, Rarity, it was in this small box that somepony or someone had her deliver to me." "Wait, you don't even know if a pony or a human sent you that, Why didn't you ask her before she left?" Spike asked. "Because I was more curious about what was in it then whether whoever gave it to me was a human or pony Spike." "I bet I can find her before-" Before Rainbow Dash could finish her sentence the train chosen that moment to pull into the station, but because everyone was focused on the strange ring, no one heard it until the conductor yelled. "Come on girls, and Spike." "Thank you." "Lets go, hopefully it'll be a short ride." "I must say this is a interesting find Professor, but what do you think we can learn about humans from a couple of statues?" As Celestia was busy with sending a letter, Luna used this to ask some questions that have been bugging her since she entered the cavern. As the Princess of night, normally she had no problems being in the dark, but something about this mine gave her a bad felling. As if the space around her was trying to drain her of heart and soul. "I know that it will tell us something about what they feared, But much more then that will only be the result of extensive research. Not likely to learn anything while its down here." He replied, much to Luna's disappointment. She was hoping for something. Instead all she got was how it'll take time to learn anything about these strange statues. She looked over at her sister writing away to her faithful student Twilight Sparkle. "Likely requesting her immediate assistance with this dull task." She thought. Even cutting things in half with the statues sword lost its interest. She turned her head and looked at the other statue. Wondering what could've inspired the sculptor to make such a monstrosity. The very air around it was heavy with emotions, and if she stood to close to it she would feel all the anger and jealousy boil to the surface. However when she got close to the Human statue she would feel like there was a hundred guards running into battle beside her. "Strange thoughts in a strange room." She dismissed this thought as a mere passing fancy and continued to observe the horror, from a safe distance of course. "Professor Dig Dug, why would anyone, pony or human want to create this?" she asked waving a hoof at both of the statues. "Possibly to remember some great battle long before there was the written word, Possibly to remind themselves that, sometimes there are things that go bump in the night, and that there were people to fight these night terrors. Maybe just to get their children to eat carrots." As he finished talking he immediately turned his attention back to the statue of a human, Luna looked at the unconscious scholar Speed Scribe who immediately passed out once she looked at the horror. "No they wouldn't need something that scary just to get kids to eat their carrots, would they?" I was sitting in a tavern listening to this guy tell me something that angered me greatly. I knew that I could at lest check into it for him, after all whats the worst that could happen. Famous last words, ha. A few minutes earlier. It was a sunny day and I had nothing to do so I was going to The Mended Drum, previously call The Broken Drum. The vendors all clamoring for people to buy their wares, the distinct bang of a blacksmith hammering on something rang out like a bell, and little kids were playing in the street. Over the sound of the blacksmiths steady beat I could hear the songbirds singing. As I walked into the tavern I had to duck away from a fight. The strangest thing was they were planning the fight, I smiled as I walked past them discussing where and how each blow would be landed. "Hey prick, I'm thirsty get me a flagon of ale." The bartender replied without turning around, "fuck off you little street urchin." I smiled as this was our custom, the bear of a man filled a mug from a barrel in the back and returned to me. "So Floyd, loving the way it is now?"- as I said this I gestured at the fight in progress, they were still arguing about how to start it. "Ah its not too different really, any second now they'll stop talking and just start beating the sense outta each other." True to his word, they stopped arguing and started brawling. "The day there's no fights in this place, is the day I'll stop coming here." I said not even fazed by the fact that an axe just landed in the beam next to me. "Eh, Damn Right!" He replied as he reached over and pulled the axe from the beam, and putting it in a large chest under the bar. "You could retire off that old crate." I said as I looked at the man I knew since I moved to Westerpine Hollow, if it wasn't for him I still be a thief and a bad one at that. My first day here, I was stealing food from the vendors and trying to stay warm when I walked into this place, after a few minutes I did something stupid, when he turned his back I snuck behind the counter and tried to steal a cup of mead. As soon as I had the cup, he whipped around and caught my wirst. "So you little street urchin, trying to steal from me, Eh, I should turn you into the watch." I struggled while he said that. Trying my hardest to break his grip, but it was in vain, the man had hands like a smiths vise. "Now either I could turn you in, or I could send you to school." I didn't understand what school was, but I knew what the Watch would do, so I blurted out "please sir I'm sorry just don't call the Watch please." "School it is then." As he dragged me to the door a thought rushed forward. "So you gonna leave your tavern unattended just to get rid of me?" As he dragged me down the street i was getting more and more scared by the second. "Eh, Hell no. I got Leadpipe Jim over in the corner to keep the peace. And I ain't getting rid of you, I'm sending you to school. I expect you to be back and work your debt off." "Debt for what? I didn't even turn the spigot." I replied. "For wasting my time, and time is very expensive so I expect it'll take you a long time to work it off, Eh, Damn right." As we came to a stop in front of a impressiv building. I looked up and saw a sign that read "Precursor pulvis et umbra sumus"underneath that was thetranslation- Assassins, we are dust and shadow. Because of this man in front of me, calmly wiping a dirty glass with a dirtier rag while a man was getting his head smashed on the counter a few feet from me, my entire life was changed. "Are we there yet?" As Twilight looked over at Pinkie, she couldn't understand how a few seconds were all the time it took for her to ask the same question again. "No Pinkie, not yet." After she answered her friend, she glanced around the train car looking at all the happy ponies. 'How peaceful, how happy.' She thought, before something grabbed her attention. A gray stallion with a brown mane was walking towards her. "Is a miss Shy here?" The stranger asked. "Eep?" Fluttershy replied. "Just call her Fluttershy, darling, and who might you be?" After the pony turned around he asked, "Are you miss Shy?" "Yes?" A look of fear plastered across her face as she looked at the stranger. Immediately turning to confusion as the strange pony pulled a small parcel from his saddlebag. "I was tasked to give this to you ma'am." After he gave the bulky bag to Fluttershy, he turned to leave but before he did Twilight asked him who it's from. "I'm afraid I cannot answer your questions ma'am, I was tasked to give miss Shy here the package, nothing more." With that the stranger went to the back of the car and opened the door to the next car. "Well who do you think it's from, sugarcube?" Twilight immediately looked back at her friends all circled around Fluttershy before joining them. "I have no idea." She replied. As she said this Fluttershy began trying to open the box. After a few trys, she finally got the box opened and looked inside. "Well what is it darling" rarity asked while she was busy looking in the box. "Looks like bracelet, and there's a note." Pulling a small scrap of parchment from the box she read it aloud, "FEAR AND HATE DRIVE US FORWARDS." The normally happy albeit shy ponie looked very sad and looked around at her friends, her voice breaking she asked. "Who would send something so sad, Why would anypony do this?" After calming her friend down, Twilight went to find that strange pony and get some answers from him, noticing that AppleJack had decided to come too. "Ima give that fool a good bucking." AJ stated as she followed her friend to the dining car. After entering the car the two looked at everypony inside, all eating their treats and smiling, after a few minutes Twilight walked over to the counter while Applejack was busy asking the customers and asked the pony behind it, black with a orange mane, if he seen a grey stallion with a brown mane. "Eh, oh yes yes, he asked me to give this to a miss AJ." As he said this he pulled a box from under the counter and asked, "Are you miss AJ?" Sliding the box to Twilight, Applejack walked over. "Nothin, nopony saw him." Stopping when she saw the package on the counter, before Twilight could saw anything, the bartender asked. "Are you miss AJ?" "I reckon I am, why?" Sliding to box towards her, the bartender simply said. "A stallion left this with me and said, A few mares might come looking for me, when they ask you about me, I want you to give miss AJ this, and he went and sat down at the back of this car, I looked away to take someponies order and when I looked back, he was gone." Twilight thanked him for his time while Applejack struggled with the parcel. "Come on, we still don't know what Fluttershy got." She said on her way out of the dining car. As they approached their friends they noticed something was up. Pinkie Pie looked over and exclaimed "Twilight, look at this!" On her left forelegs ankle was the bracelet. Seeing it reminded Twilight of something she read in a book about ancient humans and their clothes, as she got closer her suspensions were confirmed when she saw the same strange symbol on it, the device was otherwise unadorned with any decorations, it looked like a gauntlet except it had a little box like extension on the side opposite from the strange symbol. "Why would somepony send Fluttershy this." The gauntlet was on the excited pony's ankle, before Twilight could tell her what it was, at that moment Applejack decided to drop the parcel on a seat where they clustered around it. "Oh, more presents." Pinkie Pie hopped while she said, "What did you get AJ?" "I don't know, it's still closed." As Applejack opened the parcel everyone eased closer to look inside first. Inside was a Length of chains with a small weight on 1 end and a treble grappling hook. On it was a scrap of paper, rolled up like the others.
CH Prologue.Once a long time ago, Before Celestia and Luna's birth In the days when equestia had humans, Even a alliance between Equine and Human. There was unrest, The force's of evil had gathered and only a handful of ponies and a hoof full of humans knew of this. Two humans were corrupted by a vicious sludge that was constructed from pure evil. The days were dark and horrible for the human's of Equestia, and they were so dishonored, They committed a mass exodus from Equestia and never returned. The reason was... ...And so shortly after humans and even their inventions were soon forgotten. All but one human had left equestria, a single male set in stone for his crimes and good deeds alike. This human was warrior. A shining example of what every mother dreads. This human was a assassin and his crimes were harming and killing a innocent. And his good deeds were same, though you could argue that he showed mercy, others would argue that his mercy was not needed or asked for. He was one with his blade, one with the shadows, and one with his creed. His own King rejected his tactics as inhumane, and cruelly this human was set in stone by a powerful spell and guarded by a demora who would try to kill him when he was released, but he can only be released him when ordered by rightful authority, singing the Song Of The Shadows. After the criminal was imprisoned, the human's lost their honor, lost their capital, and without even a forwarding address for any who searched for them, left with the intention to find a new land far from all sentient life so this dishonorable incident never happens again. The statue prisoner and his immortal warden were left in the deepest mine the human's ever built and was soon forgotten, all that stood above ground was leveled by time and erosion. Exempt from The Last Human, The Search, By Starswirl the Bearded.
