Luna had arrived in the western part of the city to a quaint little house near the wall. The yard had a small swing set and a sandbox but both looked like they hadn't been used in years.

"Come in. It's unlocked." A deep voice called out, startling the princess before she entered. The first thing she saw was a coffe table decorated with family photos, one in particular that caught her eye. It was with a bat pony stallion and mare who was holding a little foal wrapped in a blanket.

"Happy times."

"Captain Death Stroke." Luna addressed the bat pony behind her but he was different. His wings were gone and his left eye had an eyepatch that partially covered a large scar, his mane was snowy white yet his body looked as if he was coming into his forties.

"Please just Death Stroke, I'm not a captain...Not anymore." His voice sounded depressed and cold, as if he had lost something very precious to him. He poured them some tea while Luna put the photo back in its proper place.

"I need your help."

"You know I'm retired." Death Stroke reminded her in an almost annoyed tone before taking a sip of his tea.

"Please Death Stroke! they have my son...."

Even with his one good eye, Death Stroke could see the desperation in her eyes and then he took the photo Luna had been looking at earlier. He once had a wife and child during his days in service to the crown but one day all of that changed.

Twenty Years Ago

Death Stroke had arrived on the one o clock train in Canterlot along with a few of his men. He had just returned from his latest mission with a few "minor" Injuries that shocked his wife.

"Death Stroke! your eye!"

"It's fine dear and besides I don't need both eyes to tell me that you're glad I'm back." Even with his flattering statement his wife gently brushed a hand over his wound before having it moved away gently.

"No need to worry. I've earned a vacation, a LONG one. Which means I have time for both you...and Rose." Death Stroke looked down at the little foal smiling at him, eagerly reaching out for her father to hold her and hold her he did.

"Hi sweetheart."

"Da da!" Rose shouted as she wrapped her arms around her father.

"I've missed you Adeline." He hugged his wife with his free arm before heading home. That night, as Adeline was preparing dinner she noticed that they were fresh out of onions and in all the excitement forgot to go grocery shopping.

"I'll get them. The market should still be open." Adelines husband offered as he grabbed his coat.

"Are you sure dear? You just got back."

"It was a long train ride, I need to stretch my legs. Now rose you be a good girl and behave for your mommy okay?" He kissed his daughters forehead as she waved goodbye but the moment her father stepped out the door was the last moment she would remember him by.

Click BOOOM!!! A fiery explosion blasted him face forward onto the pavement. Death Stroke began to see flashing lights and heard echoing voices before finally passing out. Hours later he awoke to find himself in the ICU of Canterlot Hospital and had been wired to several monitors along with an ivy injection.

"W...what happened?"

"You were caught in an explosion sir, you were lucky to escape with your life." A doctor came into the room for his hourly checkup. Death Stroke then felt an unbearable pain in his shoulders before he realized.

"M-My wings! What happened to my wings?!?" He shouted in distraught as he tried to reach back looking for them.

"Calm down Death Stroke! They had to be removed otherwise you would've died from infection!" A couple of nurses rushed in and wrestled him back into bed before he finally calmed down, he was completely out of breath from the sudden adrenaline rush.

"Right...s-sorry doc."

"I'll take it from here." A bat pony dressed in captains armor came into the room as the doctor ordered the other nurses to follow him. Death Stroke immediately recognized him

"General Dead Shot? What're you doing here?"

"Son...you best brace yourself for what I'm about to tell you." The general removed his helmet, looking down to the floor with regret.

"Do you recall your brother Slade?" The name filled both Death Stroke and the general with disgust.

"Yes. I caught him selling intel to enemy forces during a mission. He was sentenced to life without parole but what does he have to do with...no...don't tell me he-!"

"He escaped almost a month after your last assignment and tracked you down...he's the one who killed your family."

The news shocked Death Stroke to his core as he began to look around the other rooms.

"No...no no! Where's Adeline? Where's my little girl?!?"

"Calm down soldier!" The general was viciously grabbed by the breastplate. Death Stroke was enraged beyond all measure.

"TELL MEE!!!!"

"I didn't want to believe it but I knew that my family; Everything I worked so hard to protect...was taken from me." Death Stroke then placed the photo back on the table as he looked at another with him and another pony; His brother dead shot.

"Slade went into hiding after that, I searched and searched but found no trace and was then discharged by the government. The rest as you know is history so tell me Princess: Why come to me?"

"Because you of all others should know what it's like to have your child taken from you."

At first he said nothing and was prepared to demand that she leave but then looked at the photos of him and his daughter and began to remember. Remember the times they would play together, when he would rock her to sleep and look after her when she got sick or hurt. A single tear fell from his face before he clenched his fist.

"I'll do it."

That night, Back in the caves. Deacon and his followers had been tying the children to numerous pyres in a large cavern set up with cameras.

"Is everything ready?" Deacon asked as they dabbed makeup on him.

"Yes sir."

"Then let us begin." The cameras were then activated and every TV screen in Equestria was suddenly tuned in to their broadcast.

"Citizens of Canterlot and all of Equestria! The time of cleansing is upon us!!" Deacon threw out his arms as the spot lights illuminated the cavern, revealing the crying children. Ponies everywhere, especially the parents of the hostage foals looked in horror.

"At the stroke of Midnight the ritual will begin and it will start with the one who bares a false claim to royalty!!" The crazed unicorn stepped aside to reveal Prince Midnight on a stone altar, crying in terror.

"On this night! All of Canterlot will be once more PURIFIED!!" Deacon then pulled out a sacrificial dagger as the clock reached it's final countdown.

BONGGGG BONGGG BONGGG!!! The midnight chime rang out as Deacon slowly raised the knife, looking down in anticipation at the helpless babe before him.

SCREEEECH!!!!

"What was that?!?" One of the camera crew shouted just before the lights went out.

"Did somepony trip over a cable?"

"No we're still plugged in. Hey...who are-Ah! AHHH!!!!" one of the cultist was suddenly plucked off the grown and dragged into a nearby cavern. His scream was drowned out by the sounds of fists beating him silent.

"We have an intruder! SEARCH THE AREA!!" Deacon demanded while he guarded the prince. One by one the cultists were picked off with nothing but their screams echoing in the caverns. Deacon was beginning to grow nervous.

"Listen! Whoever you are, whatever they're paying you! I'll double it! No triple it!! Just please leave me alone!!"

"Do you think this is about money?" A deep eerie voice called out from the shadows.

"This is about vengeance Deacon Or should I say: Baron Blackfire? Oh yes. I know who you are."

"I...I don't know what you're talking about!" The frightened unicorn gripped the knife with both hands, face drenched in sweat.

"Oh don't lie. I know all about you, how your family used to run Canterlot before Celestia and Luna came into the picture, how you tried to enforce the law that all ponies should marry within their species and especially how your wealth and entitlements were stripped away when you failed to stage a coup because you were unable to manipulate them."

"You think MY ideals were petty?!? They destroyed the natural order of things! The unicorns have always ruled the lower species! But then they came in and started teaching "Equality" and "Fairness"!! It was BULLSHIT!! The strong should always rule the weak!!!"

"You should really watch your mouth. There are children present." Death Stroke continued to mock him from the shadows.

"Mock me all you want but I will not stop! I'll never stop until every miserable half breed is lying in a ditch! cold and forgotten!!!"

"Then we have a problem."

"AHH!!!" Black Fire screamed at the top of his lungs as an armored figure appeared behind him. He swung at the masked figure only to have his arm broken in two places before Death Stroke kicked him into one of the spot lights but the insane pony would not stop.

"RRAAAH!!!" Black Fire grabbed a shard of glass and began swinging left and right but just like earlier Death Stroke toyed with him before breaking his other arm. He then slowly drew out an army pistol as he slowly approached the crippled cultist.

"Normally I would leave you to the courts. Click but you're just too dangerous to live." His voice was cold as he took aim

"No...NO PLEASE!! NO!!"

BANG!! One pull of the trigger and it was over. As Death Stroke sheathed his weapon he turned his attention to the crying foal on the altar and gently cradled him in his arms.

"It's alright kid. You're safe now." Death Stroke calmed the baby with a pacifier he kept in his vest pocket and even under the mask Midnight could tell he was smiling as he smiled back.

"This is Death Stroke. The hostages are secure, I repeat: The hostages are secure."

The End.

Author's Note

What happens next? Find out in "Book Two-Betrayal"