Twilight wriggled nervously in her seat as Celestia excused herself out of the room to bring out her favorite tea set. The Princess of Friendship flexed the muscles on her back, trying her hardest to keep her wings under control. Even after a full year's experience of being an alicorn, Twilight couldn't help but feel her wings twitch whenever she was excited or nervous.
Despite being placed in a thoroughly comfortable velvet chair, inside one of the most, if not the most secure place in all of Equestria, the situation couldn't help but evoke the latter feeling. Ever since the defeat of Tirek and his return to Tartarus she's been having thoughts. Troubling thoughts.
It started innocently enough, she'd check on Tirek from time to time, with Celestia's approval of course, finding him still bound in the deepest pit of the world for the foreseeable future. Time passed, but her anxiety didn't. Every time she'd go out with her friends to some picnic or other frivolous activity, a little thought kept pestering her. What if he'd escaped? An excuse to leave. He hadn't? He will one day, surely he will! An evening ruined. How long has it been since you checked? Another sleepless night.
It festered like an open wound, consuming more and more of her free time up to the point she lost weeks of sleep in constant worry. Finally, after a particularly vivid nightmare involving the horned beast, she resorted to something that carried her through hard times and never failed.
Research. And friends, in between her study sessions, of course.
She studied every possible book on protective spells, magic nullifying artifacts and came up with what amounted to nothing. Every time she found something that just might be the solution she was looking for, that worm in her mind came up with thousands of ways her protective measures could be circumvented, and Tirek could break free.
It went on and on, until in one of her bouts of anger, she said something that made her pause.
"I wish he was gone forever!"
She gasped and covered her mouth in shock, thankful that Spike went for groceries. She couldn't believe she'd said those exact words! Tirek was a villain, a particularly nasty one, that was as sure as horseapples, but did he deserve to be truly, irrevocably gone? It wasn't right to do that to somepony, was it? But it'd be better this way, wouldn't it? Not just for her, but for everypony across Equestria. Her train of thought stopped dead in its tracks as she realized that the voice was silent.
It... She had no quarrels, no remarks, no possible ways it could go wrong. The plan was simply foalproof.
And it scared her.
She took the first train to Canterlot that day, leaving a note for Spike with a halfhearted excuse for the sudden trip.
And there she was, waiting for the Princess to return, unsure of what to say.
Celestia finally returned with a warm smile and a Gzhel tea set, a gift from Tsar Peter IV from Tsaritsyn, a promising cultural center of the Prussian Empire. She positioned the ornate teapot between the two of them, placing a cup in front of Twilight and herself, and set the water to boil with her magic. Not a second later the steaming tea poured into their cups and the teapot once again resumed its place on the table, having fulfilled its duty.
Having added a few teaspoons of sugar, Celestia sat with a content smile, slowly stirring her tea. Twilight mirrored the action, desperately searching for an Icebreaker. Thankfully, the elder Princess came to her aid.
"It is good to see you, dear Twilight. It feels like ages since our last teatime, doesn't it?" She took a sip of her tea with a longing look in her eyes. "If memory serves me well, you were still a filly back then." She said with a twinge of nostalgia in her voice. She gently shook her head before continuing. "Let's not dwell on the past, however. While I'd love to exchange stories, I can't help but ask." She gave Twilight a motherly glance. "Is something bothering you, Twilight?"
The question sent a shiver down Twilight's spine. She sighed. "Was I being that obvious?" Celestia shook her head.
"I've known you for a long time, Twilight," She replied, a concerned expression gracing her features. "I can see that you're troubled by something, and Luna's told me you've been having nightmares for some time now."
"So you already know..." Twilight replied nervously, hanging her head. A white hoof cupped her chin and gently raised it to meet her ex-mentor's comforting smile.
"Luna has notified me of the fact that you have nightmares, nothing more." Twilight's ears perked up. "She'd never break our subjects' privacy, even to me." Twilight gathered her strength before finally replying.
"Remember when I asked your permission to set up a monitoring spell on Tirek?" She nods. "Well, I've been worrying about him ever since, so much so that I started searching for a way to make sure he stays in Tartarus. I've gone through every book in my library, thought of a thousand ways to keep him imprisoned... But every time I did, a little voice in my head replied with a million ways he could break free. It drove me to desperation, and I said something I shouldn't have..." Twilight sighed, looking into Celestia's magenta eyes.
"I said I wanted him gone. Forever." She held her breath, searching her ex-mentor's features for... anything, really. Seconds passed, yet Celestia's face remained frozen in that same motherly expression. "And you know what scared me most? The voice was silent."
Moments stretched into centuries as Twilight waited with baited breath for Celestia to react. She expected her to frown, to scold her for even thinking about such a horrible thing and lecture her how a Princess should be more forgiving.
What she wasn't expecting, however, was a smile.
"Twilight Sparkle, words cannot describe how proud you make me."
"What?" Twilight croaked.
"Just like rulers before you, you've come to a question that defines a leader for years to come. A question that I asked myself, although much, much later than you did." She put a hoof on Twilight's shoulder, positively glowing with praise. "And for that, Twilight I commend you." She straightened her posture, returning to her seat with a serious expression on her face.
"How far are you willing to go to protect your subjects?"
The question lingered in the air as a heavy silence descended on the room. Twilight pondered her ex-mentors words, before a loud SLAM derailed her train of thought. The two alicorns turned their heads in unison towards the sound, to see a very out of breath, snow white unicorn stallion, in a golden suit of armor.
"Your Highness...pant captain Gleaming Shield requests... huff your immediate attention, she'd cut all traffic off Solaris Square and is waiting for you there!" The royal guard felt shiver go down his spine at the sound of his Princess' voice.
"How bad is it?" Celestia intoned, making the stallion gulp.
"Code red with possible escalation to black."
The Solar diarch stood to her full height and approached the balcony. "I'm afraid we must continue at a later date, Twilight." She prepared to take off unfurling her wings, when a hoof rested upon her withers. She turned to see the purple alicorn standing beside her, spreading her wings.
"I want to go with you, Princess." Twilight stated with a surprising amount of dedication in her voice. "Whatever it is, it sounds serious, and I won't sit still if ponies are in danger." After a second of deliberation, Celestia nodded.
"Very well then."
The two of them took flight.
Gleaming Shield was a simple mare, and often preferred the easiest and most straightforward solution to a problem. Being promoted to the captain of the royal guard after the stallion occupying that position was sent to rule the frozen north was one of the happiest days of her life, and ever since she devoted herself to the position with an almost religious zeal. That being said, nothing about what she'd seen made any sense to her whatsoever. She hastily discarded her cigarette into the nearest bin when she felt more than heard the arrival of her Princess.
She turned to face the Solar Diarch and saluted the mare. She nodded, allowing Gleaming to relax and take notice of the smaller alicorn by her ruler's side. The Captain squinted as gears turned in her head in an attempt to remember the mare's name. Morning Shimmer? Twinkle Sprinkle? Sunrise Sparkle? She couldn't remember the name, her memory be damned! At last, she decided on the simplest solution possible.
"It's good to see you, Your Highness." She said, pointedly ignoring the smaller mare. "I'd tell you what happened, but I think you'd like to see it for yourself." The Princess nodded, following the captain's stead and ignoring her ex-student's polite cough.
The trio rounded a corner, moving away from the brightly lit main streets of the capital and deeper into the dingy alleyways of the city. Ponies of all kinds, from royal guards to medical personnel were bustling throughout the street, a particularly high concentration of equines huddled in a circle around something.
"Step aside, all of you! Your Princess is here to oversee the situation directly." Gleaming Shield commanded as her possession approached, prompting the huddled ponies to part. The sight unveiled before Celestia's eyes made the mare frown, and elicited a frightful gasp from Twilight. In the middle of the circle, six ponies laid sprawled out on the pavement, each one of them out cold, but breathing.
Celestia approached the unconscious ponies, running a quick scanning spell over them. Her muzzle scrunched as she picked up a familiar tinge of Void magic. She sighed inwardly, shaking her head. She'd really hoped Discord would be on his best behavior, at least for some time, considering the circumstances. Nevertheless, she let her subordinate explain the situation.
"What happened here?!" The lavender alicorn asked, preempting her ex-mentor's question.
"We've been getting reports of a tall figure stalking the rooftops near Solaris Square all morning, and sent down a squad to investigate." Gleaming motioned at one of the sprawled ponies. "We sent another when the last one didn't return, and found 'em like that, knocked out cold."
"That's... concerning." Twilight replied, rubbing her chin. "What made them faint?" A worried frown manifested on the Captain's face at the alicorn's question.
"That's where things stop making sense." She motioned the two to come closer, and pointed at a lying stallion. "This here is Forward Thrust, one of the many field-captains we employ in our guard. A quick medical scan would reveal the cause of his comatose state to be a concussion, caused by a blunt force trauma to the head."
Twilight's horn glowed for a second, confirming Gleaming's claim. "You can see that something dropped on him from the above, proceeding to smash his head into the pavement, leaving a noticeable indent right here." She circled the offending area with her hoof. "Now here's where the doozy lies, so to speak."
"The exact same kind of trauma caused the other five to faint." She pointed at the general direction of the bodies. "But a closer look would reveal that-"
"There's no more indents on the pavement." The three of them said in unison.
"Now you see what I'm talking about? Doesn't make any sense." The Captain huffed.
"Captain Shield!" A guardsmare exclaimed from up the alley, grabbing everypony's attention. "Two of our squads have cornered a suspect on the roof of a building on Trotware street!"
Gleaming turned to the two alicorns, right when they were about to take off. "I'm going with you, your highness."
Twilight observed the streets below with great interest, all the while trying to ignore the green faced Gleaming desperately holding in her breakfast. The Captain, engulfed in a golden aura, was floating beside the two alicorns and currently rethinking her life choices. Stealing a glance at Celestia she noticed a deep frown marring the alicorn's heavenly features.
"Is something wrong, Princess?" Twilight shouted over the wind currents.
"I believed the troublemaker to be Discord. But after a chat with our captain... I'm not so sure."
"Discord? Why him of all creatures?"
"When you live as long as I do, you begin to notice subtle differences between the breeds of magic. And whatever happened in that alley, it left trace amounts of Void magic."
"But it can't be true!" Twilight protested. "Discord would never do something so..."
"Mundane?" Celestia nodded. "I expected to see our guards tangled in piles of cotton candy, or trekking through pools of liquid stars, but this?" She shook her head. "This isn't like him."
Twilight took her eyes off her ex-mentor and back to the streets below. Her eyes narrowed on a group of figures on top of a roof. "We're here!"
The trio landed on the rooftop with haste, with Gleaming staggering to her hoofs, and taking deep breaths to calm herself down. Eleven guards surrounded a tall, bipedal and unmistakably humanoid figure, who was currently holding the twelfth guard hostage via a chokehold. Despite the dire situation, Twilight's gaze lingered on the figure, both terrified and enthralled by its features.
It looked remarkably similar to the humans she saw on the other side of the mirror, but there were some notable differences. The most obvious thing were her, and if Twilight's memories of Canterlot High served her well it was indeed a 'her', eyes. While being noticeably smaller, they still carried the spark of intelligence, accompanied by an air of confidence inherent to those in a position of power. Another thing that was obvious was her skin. The color schemes Twilight was accustomed to were quite vibrant and varied. This woman, contrary to the population of Canterlot High looked... pale. Not sickly so, mind you, but it was safe to assume that her people had a much lesser range of skin colors.
Her clothing reminded her of the more formal uniform of Crystal Prep, although somewhat distantly. She donned a solid black cardigan, made of some leathery material the origins of which Twilight decided to ignore. A solid and thick coat that looked tailored and fitted to the woman was worn over the cardigan, and no matter how hard Twilight squinted, she couldn't see the seams. In short, Rarity would have a field day with this outfit.
Still, ogling the new arrival wasn't going to do the poor situation any good.
"Lay down your weapons and come peacefully! Surrender, and Princess Celestia will be merciful!" A squad-leader commanded, her harsh tone not fazing the woman in the slightest. One of the guards took a step towards the figure, believing that the target was distracted enough not to notice.
"Keep your distance" The woman noticed this, grabbing a blade from her coat and unfolding it, putting it dangerously close to the hostage's throat. "If you know what's good for you." The backside of her left palm was wrapped in a silk cloth that did nothing to hide a strange glowing symbol as the woman's eyes flickered from the guard in her hold to five others. A moment passed and the strange glow receded, yet the guard held his position.
A polite cough pierced the tense silence and all eyes rushed to Celestia, the regal alicorn wearing a polite, yet authoritative expression.
"I believe threats will get us nowhere, won't you agree?" Her voice was soft, but it managed to convey that what she just said was a statement, not a question.
"I assume you're 'Celestia' everyone keeps referring to?" The woman adjusted her grip on the hostage. "Fitting, I must say, if a bit eccentric." Her gaze flickered from the Solar alicorn to her protege and the captain of the royal guard. "Quite the entourage you have." Her gaze focused on the diarch. "I'd love for this to end peacefully, but I'm afraid the second I let this poor fellow go, your guards won't have to hold back."
"Guards, stand down." Celestia commanded, and despite a few questioning glances, the guards complied. "You have my word miss-"
"Empress Emily Drexel Lela Kaldwin." The young woman said, loosening her grip on the captive a little.
"Lady Emily, that my guards won't harm you, unless provoked first." Emily raised an eyebrow.
"I'm sure I've done enough provoking as is, Celestia." The symbol on her hand glowed once more as she closed her eyes and looked around. "I also fail to spot any approaching assassins, so either there aren't any, or they're disguised very, very well." She let go of the hostage, slightly pushing the guard towards his mates. "I commend you, Princess. From experience, I've expected nothing less than frontal assault." She folded the blade in one swift motion, and took a step towards the Princess.
"I'm happy to prove you wrong then." Celestia returned with a soft smile, thankful that the situation was diffused.
"Let us begin then. There's much to discuss, I'm sure-" Emily was about to approach the Diarch, when a blue ray of magic hit her side, sending the woman flying into a nearby wall with a loud crack.
All eyes turned to the source of the blast, focusing on Gleaming Shield, who wore a victorious smirk on her face. Her smirk withered when she noticed the furious look on Celestia's face. Her voice was cold and stern when she spoke.
"What have you done?"
"I restrained her. Now she can be safely transported to the dungeons for questioning." She answered, each word coming out less confident than the previous.
"Were you ordered to do so?" The Captain's ears were pinned to her head, and she was trying her hardest not to tremble.
"N-no, but-"
"Then you should refrain from improvising in the future. That is, if you'll have one." The Princess, done scolding Gleaming, turned to the woman, expecting her to be incapacitated.
She was surprised to see Emily back on her feet, a blade in one hand and a crossbow in the other. She seemed none worse for wear, except for a concerning glare she was giving the Princess.
"Emily, please forgive my Captain's outburst. I assure you it wasn't-"
"Fool me once."
It happened so fast, it took Twilight a second to process something happened at all. A crossbow bolt shot out towards the stunned unicorn captain, who disappeared in a flash of golden light seconds before the arrow hit her. The mark on Emily's hand lit up as she pocketed the crossbow, and a dark tendril shot out from her outstretched hand, grabbing the guard she was holding hostage earlier and flinging him towards her. To Twilight's amazement, five other guards were flung towards the woman, following the same trajectory. Emily grabbed the first guard by the breastplate, putting her blade to his throat and slashing it with practiced ease.
She tossed the pony aside, the poor stallion grasping at his throat in an attempt to stop the bleeding. Fear gripped Twilight's heart as she noticed that five other guards were writhing on the floor, clutching their throats. The figure waved her hand and before anypony could react, an exact duplicate of the woman appeared behind the field captain of the second squad, piercing the side of his head with her blade and turning to swing at his shocked squadmates.
The guards, finally breaking from their stupor, swung at the apparition, getting a couple of hits in before white smoke enveloped the doppelganger, and it was no more. They turned their attention to the original, who was standing on the roof's edge, holding a small round object in her hand.
Emily pulled the pin out of the device, throwing it in the direction of the group of guards and took a step forward. Celestia's magic flared, and the guards, both fallen and standing, disappeared from the roof. A loud explosion rocked the roof as Emily plummeted down, onto the streets below. The two alicorns rushed to the roof's edge, just in time to see Emily zipping up to the roof of an opposite building.
"Don't let her escape!" Celestia unfurled her wings a dove after the woman, Twilight by her side. Emily felt air currents hit her back, produced by powerful white wings. She dropped to the ground just in time to avoid a dive attack from the white alicorn. Emily froze in place, in awe of the Princess towering over her. A magnificent statue of marble and gold pierced the young woman with a scornful gaze. If looks could kill... Twilight thought.
"Lay down your weapons. Now." Celestia commanded, her voice firm and authoritative. Emily's hand reached for her belt, but froze mid-air as a golden glow encompassed the woman. Celestia sighed and shook her head. "You leave me no choice, then." She lowered her head, bringing her horn closer to Emily's forehead.
The mark on Emily's hand flashed, her body melting to shadows, surprising Celestia and making her lose her grip. Twilight blinked, and the young woman was gone. In her place an inky shadowy... thing stood on all fours. Lanky, bituminous limbs stretched as far away from Celestia as possible, consequently carrying the creature towards Twilight. Two white dots bore into Twilight's soul, and the mare could swear she heard a voice in the back of her head scream at her to run.
Twilight's horn flared instinctively, covering the creature with a dome of magic. The shadow walked to the edge of the barrier, carefully prodding the solid wall of magic. Its smoky appendage made contact with the barrier, it shrieked and hissed as its finger distorted from the contact. It began to backpedal when the barrier started to shrink, shrieking when a burning sensation spread throughout its body as the barrier pressed it into the ground.
"Twilight."
Shadows turned to flesh and blood as the barrier pressed down. The woman let out an agonizing shriek as she curled into a fetal position, attempting to bury her head into her cardigan.
"Twilight, stop."
The mark on her hand lit up, but nothing happened. A stifled scream died in Emily's throat as air was pressed out of her lungs.
"TWILIGHT!" The famous Canterlot voice brought Twilight out of her stupor, the purple mare blinked and shook her head before looking down at the woman. A desperate gasp escaped Emily's throat as the Empress tried to stand up. Before she could do so, Celestia approached the woman and put her horn to her forehead.
"Sleep."
The woman's unconscious body was enveloped by a golden glow before she hit the hard roof.
Methodical scratching reverberated through the private office of the Royal Spymaster, stopping every now and then to be replaced by the rustling of papers, before coming back with a vengeance. A hefty stack of papers towered on the red oak table, reminding its occupant of his current workload. A half-empty whiskey glass accompanied by the bottle of the same ilk stood beside a half filled ashtray, alongside a closed folding blade.
Corvo Attano, Lord Protector of the Empress and father of her Imperial Majesty was having another grueling day of paperwork. It wasn't hard work per se, after all, there was worse work than going through incoming mail 24/7, but it did lean on a tedious side. A part of him yearned for simpler times, when he and Emily would get out of Dunwall Tower and traverse the Capital at night, jumping from rooftop to rooftop. Times when he taught her everything he knew about combat, hoping against hope that these skills would never see use.
He sipped the last of ice-cold whiskey from the glass. He thanked the void that Emily listened to his lessons carefully. A month passed since the disastrous attempt at a coup, and despite the safe return of his daughter and her assurances that Karnaca was left in good hands, he found himself getting more and more antsy.
Dunwall's like that, he supposed. Just as you're starting to relax, you look up and there are wolves at the gate. Wolves with red muzzles, hungry for your insides. A knocking sound took the man out of his musings and grabbed his attention. Who could it be? He ordered to not be distracted unless something drastic was to happen.
"Come in."
A young man donning a standard Dunwall Watch garb stepped into the cabinet, wiping his legs on a freshly installed doormat.
"Lord Protector, Sir!" He saluted, standing ramrod still.
"At ease, soldier." Corvo carefully hid his refreshments behind a stack of papers. "What brings you here, I ordered not to be disturbed." The guard's posture remained the same, and a bead of sweat rolled down the side of his head. The sight did nothing to ease Corvo's mind.
"Wyman sent for you, sir." Corvo groaned inwardly at the mention of his daughter's suitor. The young man was no worse than any other suitor, his interest in nature philosophy was commendable even, but that didn't mean he would avoid the ire of the Royal Spymaster. It was Corvo's duty to protect her Majesty as a father first, and as Lord Protector second. Yet as much as he'd like to dedicate even more of his free time to spying on Wyman, he had duties to perform.
"Did he state the reason?" An audible gulp from the guard did not inspire confidence in the situation.
"I-it involves Her Majesty, sir." A pit formed inside Corvo's stomach, and the guard withered a little under Lord Protector's gaze.
"Involves how?" His voice was calm and punctuated, but it elicited a reaction others would fail to get from a shout. The young man's face was paler than a sheet, and a slight tremble was plaguing his hands.
"H-he didn't specify, sir. B-but he said to remind you to bring your equipment with you." If looks could kill, the guard would've been deader than a rat.
"Where."
"He's alone at the Imperial Experimentation Chambers!" The guard replied, wincing at the sound of Corvo's voice.
"Dismissed." The guard was out the door faster than the wind, silently thanking the Outsider himself for letting him escape. Corvo grit his teeth as he grabbed his blade and exited the cabinet.
Dunwall's always like that.
A red feather bed stood firmly on the oak floor, a bedside table made of the same material resided near it. The windows were closed shut, plunging the room into complete darkness if not for a single wax candle illuminating the gloam.
A young girl, no older than ten, laid on the bed in a fetal position, the soft pillow stained by her quiet tears. She always hid her tears well from the grown-ups around her, at least she thought so.
They'd always see through it, though. Her caretaker did her best to ease the little girl's sorrow, agreeing to stay in the room with her while she slept.
The admiral wasn't as nice as her, but he'd tell her stories, such wonderful stories! Stories of the beasts that roamed the blue waves, of pirates and witches, of sailors and adventures... He'd use so many colorful words in his tales, words she never knew before! She even made a list of these words, but her caretaker made her throw it away...
But out of all of The Loyalists, the old boatman was her favorite. Samuel would carve such pretty wooden figures, and while his tales were less colorful than the admiral's, they evoked a sense of awe all of their own.
She cherished the rare moments she got to spend with her father, his kind smile forever etched into her mind. These precious moments were always cut short, he was busy with restoring her to her rightful place on the throne.
And so she laid alone on the feather bed, quietly weeping for the one she'd never see again, no matter how she wished to.
Jessamine was a kind, just ruler and a wonderful mother. She, along with the girl's father, was a constant in the girl's life, something to look up to, to love and admire.
Quiet sobs filled the room as time lost all meaning to the grieving girl. A soft humming weaved in between sobs, and the girl's breath hitched as she felt a hand touch her shoulder.
She slowly opened her eyes.
"M-mommy?"
There, sitting beside her was her mother. She looked just as beautiful as fifteen years ago, when she was taken from her.
"Yes, Emily." A motherly smile graced Jessamine's lips as she caressed her daughter's head, her soft fingers weaving through her hair. "Mother's here for you."
Emily smiled, trapping her mother in a tight embrace. Tears streamed down her face as she buried it in her mother's shoulder. "Is it really you, mother?" Jessamine nodded, returning the hug.
"How? How can you sit here?" A whisper came. "I've let your soul rest, haven't I?" Emily didn't dare let the woman in her arms go.
"You have, my love, and for that I am forever grateful." She ended their embrace, keeping a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "That doesn't stop me from visiting you from time to time."
A sniffle escaped Emily. "I miss you, mom."
"I miss you too, dear, more than you'll ever know. I cannot stand by your side in the waking world, but know that I'll always be with you" She put her hand on the left side of Emily's chest. "right here."
Emily hugged her mother once more, laying a head on her shoulder. "I'm so scared, mom. I don't know where I am, and I'm scared that they won't let me go back home."
"You will come back home, love, if not through persuasion, then through force." Her mother replied, running her fingers through Emily's hair. "You're a most capable Empress, from what I've seen."
"Did I do things right here?" Emily asked after a moment of hesitation.
Silence settled over the room, seconds stretching into centuries as she awaited her mother's reply.
"You did your best, dear." Emily sank a little at these words. Her mother noticed the change, continuing. "Remember that I'm proud of you Emily." They parted, and Jessamine cupped her daughter's cheek with her hand. "And I always will be."
Emily wiped a tear off of her face. "I bet dad is really mad right now." Jessamine chuckled.
"Void hath no fury like your father scorned." They both giggled. "Don't worry, Emily, Corvo's coming for you. Just hold out a little longer." She put her hands on Emily's shoulders. "You have to wake up now, honey. Someone's watching us, and I doubt they'll be happy with what they saw." Her expression turned serious, and Emily nodded.
"Goodbye, mom." Emily said with a smile, tears welling up in her eyes. "I'll always love you." Jessamine's face mirrored Emily's.
"I'll love you forever, Dear."
Twilight watched Emily slump over the interrogation room table with due concern. The young woman looked peaceful enough, an occasional smile gracing her features from time to time. Twilight watched the steady rise and fall of Emily's chest and couldn't help but wonder.
How?
How could this be the same woman who less than an hour ago nonchalantly slit the throats of six guards. How could this woman, who could be considered her peer, be so willing to end lives over a simple misunderstanding? Granted, Gleaming Shield made a mistake, a severe one at that, but did it deserve such a brutal retaliation? No, definitely not upon those who had nothing to do with it.
Twilight put her head against the one-way mirror separating the two rooms. The whole situation was an utter mess, she was sure of it. Celestia promised to break the dreadful news to the families herself, and the look on her face made Twilight question her position as a Princess. Is that what she'll have to do in the foreseeable future? Was it her duty to Equestria, to be the bringer of bad news? A pragmatic part of her reminded her that six wasn't that big of a number, especially considering things like invasions.
Twilight fought the urge to vomit as memories of the Changeling Invasion of Canterlot came to her mind. She never wondered what the casualties were, and each time she mentioned the incident to her brother he'd go all quiet. She always wrote it off as painful memories of Chrysalis' influence on him, but now...
She never asked what happened to his squad, did she?
Sudden movement brought Twilight out of her musings, and she turned to see Celestia enter the room. The Solar Diarch's expression made Twilight shiver. In all her years of knowing Celestia, she hasn't seen such a scornful expression on her ex-mentor's face. Celestia moved towards the door, gesturing Twilight to follow.
The duo entered the room, sitting down opposite to Emily. Twilight was about to ask Celestia when would the woman wake up when the Princess' horn flared. The woman sturred in her sleep and opened her groggy eyes, quietly mumbling to herself.
"Wyman... laboratory.... Mother!" She jolted awake, frantically looking around her. Taking in the unfamiliar environment around her, Empress' gaze settled on the pair in front of her. She fared well under Celestia's scornful gaze, returning it eagerly. Her eyes linger on Twilight, and the younger Princess was surprised to see a hint of fear in them.
"What is the meaning of this? Where am I?
"You are in the Canterlot Penitentiary, the most secure facility in all of Equestria, barring Tartarus itself." Celestia answered, her voice even.
"Then I must request to be released at once, I've an Empire to run." Emily replied, standing up. A golden aura surrounded the woman, forcing her back into her chair.
"You're not going anywhere, not until you answer for your crimes." Celestia said coldly.
"Crimes?" Emily inquired innocently. "What crimes, pray tell." She met Celestia's furious gaze with an impassive one.
"Playing coy won't get you anywhere." Celestia replied, frowning. "It won't wash away the blood on your hands either."
Emily rolled her eyes and leaned towards the table. "Need I remind you it was your guard who attempted regicide?"
"Gleaming Shield acted foolishly, and she will be punished accordingly." Celestia said somberly, her voice becoming more stern as she continued. "Even so, her intention was to merely incapacitate you, not to kill."
Emily snorted in reply. "Incapacitated and surrounded by the enemy? Might as well be dead." She shook her head. "I acted in self-defense and you should be grateful retreat was a more appealing option than combat."
"Six ponies are dead and I should be grateful?" Twilight shivered at the sound of Celestia's voice, yet the woman remained still.
"Six? I counted at least seven." Emily shook her head. "Nevermind, it doesn't matter. You require compensation? Name a price and we can negotiate it to your possession."
"I require one thing and one thing only." Celestia's voice bore a certain finality to it as she spoke. "You will stand trial, be judged and serve your sentence."
"Then I'm afraid we've a conflict of interests." Emily said, arms crossed. "Even if you could guarantee an unbiased trail, which I highly doubt, I've got more pressing matters to attend to."
"Maybe you should've thought about that before attacking Princess' guards!" Twilight interfered. Emily turned sharply to the mare, the mark on the woman's hand glowing briefly. It emitted a subtle white mist that quickly dissipated. Emily clenched and unclenched her fist, giving the mare a quizzical look.
"The whole complex is under an anti-magical dome, your tricks won't work here." Emily rolled her eyes and turned to face Celestia.
"Didn't you use magic not too long ago?"
"I did," Celestia nodded. "and I don't feel inclined to explain how."
Emily groaned and rubbed her temples. "Figures."
"Now," Celestia began, leaning on the table. "It is time for you to answer our questions."
The door to the Imperial Experimentation Chambers slammed open, revealing an extremely angry middle-aged man standing in the doorway. His famous mask was strapped to his belt, alongside a crossbow and a pistol. He held a foldable blade in his right hand, and Wyman could've sworn he's lost a couple years of his life just from the glare Lord Protector was giving him.
"Where is Emily?"
Wyman felt like he'd passed through a wall of light right now. Every hair on his body stood straight, and he felt a shiver go down his spine. Corvo's steadfast approach made the noble fumble, and he said the first thing that came to mind.
"She's missing!" Corvo grabbed the man by the chest of his shirt, suspending him in the air, and Wyman saw his life flash before his eyes as Lord Protector stared him down.
"You have one minute to explain this before I lose my patience." While it didn't look like Corvo had any patience left, Wyman wisely assumed it'd be in poor taste to point it out.
"Emily and I were rummaging through her old stuff, from around the times of the Rat Plague." Corvo's frown deepened and he nodded to continue. "I've noticed a familiar name, does Piero Joplin ring any bells?"
"An old friend of mine, back from the bad old days." A faint smile flickered in the corners of Corvo's lips.
"He used to be a teacher at the Academy, may he rest in peace. I've noticed a blueprint detailing a peculiar contraption of his. He called it Door To Nowhere. It took a couple of weeks of trial and error, but it was finally complete. I've set it to a random location, and sent an apple through."
"Please don't tell me..."
"I started with smaller things!" Wyman raised his arms in self-defense. "I moved on to rats, hounds, some scientific apparatus..." He flinched as he noticed the look in Corvo's eyes.
"And then you sent her." The words were ice cold.
"She volunteered! I gave her a tracker she can use to return home anytime, and I strongly advised her to return within an hour at the longest."
"How long has it been since?" Corvo asked, setting the noble down on the ground.
"Four." To the Outsider, Wymen looked like death warmed over.
"Four!? It took you four hours to send for me?!" Corvo's voice was barely beneath a shout.
"I wasn't just sitting on my ass the whole time, alright!" Wyman threw his hands in exasperation. "I tired everything I could to get her back, but nothing worked!" He started pacing in circles around the room. "The automatic recall kicked in, but she must've been too far away from the doorway! I sent her a recall signal, but received no reply! I ordered the receiver to forcefully open the doorway to her, but the bloody thing broke!"
Corvo clenched his fists, his knuckles white as he contemplated sending the fool before him to the gallows, after returning Emily, of course.
"You have more of these receivers, right?" Wyman nodded, scrambling to the nearest cabinet, opening it to reveal two makeshift rectangular devices that didn't look like anything Corvo had seen. "Can I send you signals through this contraption?"
"Panic button was the first thing I added to the prototype." Wyman pointed at the red button in the center of the device.
Corvo stuffed the receivers into a pocket on the inside of his coat, turning towards the 'Door to Nowhere' apparatus. "When I find Emily and send you the signal, how do I find my way back?"
"Look for a swirling pattern on a nearby surface, the same one you're about to go through right now." Wyman's gaze was fixated on the panel, carefully inputting the coordinates of Emily's destination. "Make sure you're somewhere safe. It'll take some time for the door to manifest, and it'll take longer for it to appear if you move." The black ink on the wall came to life, spiraling into itself, subtly pulling in the air surrounding it.
"Good luck, Corvo."
Lord Protector donned his infamous mask, adjusting the lenses to fit like he did all those years ago. He cast one last look at Emily's ex-suitor, before stepping through the precipice, the world around him spiraling into unrecognizable shapes and patterns.
Sky-blue mist surrounded Corvo as he fell through the void, landing on a wave-chiseled rock with a grunt. He knew what this place was, visited it many, many years ago. It visited him almost every night.
"Corvo, old friend, it's getting a little old, isn't it?."
He didn't need to look up to know he was face to face with the black-eyed bastard himself.
"You've lost another Empress." Lord Protector confronted the Outsider, a young man wearing a brown coat, blue-gray pants and black boots, his eyes black as pitch and old as time. "But something's different. You still have time to save her." He craned his neck, his arms crossed on his chest. "A month ago, when Delilah crashed through the carefully arranged schedule of your life and took everything from you, her actions left me wondering. Did it hurt?" His eyes were focused on Corvo's left arm, which the latter more felt than knew. "Losing my mark, I mean."
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Corvo shook his head, he didn't have time for this. "Enough with the pleasantries, I need to find my daughter."
"Protective as usual, I see." The Outsider remarked, nodding. "Think of this as an apology for my late intervention. I have a vested interest in seeing young Emily return safe and sound." The back of Corvo's left palm burned as a familiar symbol seared itself into his flesh. "She's been delightfully entertaining so far."
"Speak of Emily in that tone again, and I'll make you eat those words." Corvo hissed, flexing his palm, familiar power coursing through him.
"Do you remember Coldridge, Corvo? The scurrying rats, the cold chambers, the hard and uncaring look in the guards' eyes? There are many places like that, across many worlds. Emily's in such a place right now, a hard conversation ahead of her." Corvo cracked his knuckles, his grip on the foldable blade tightening. "Consider this my most precious gift."
The ground beneath Corvo cracked and trembled, the sole island of stability in the empty void crumbling before his very eyes.
"I expect nothing short of a spectacle, Corvo."
The ground beneath Lord Protector finally gave way, and he felt gravity's grip pulling him under, deeper and deeper.
He hit the pavement hard, the stone beneath him cracking from the impact. Corvo was suddenly grateful for the Outsider's gift, interpersonal relationships put aside. As the man came to, he found himself in a dim back alley, what little he could see of the street beyond it, reminding him of The Empire pre-whale oil revolution. Using a nearby dumpster for stability, Corvo righted himself, his gaze locked onto a nearby roof. He squeezed his left arm, the mark on it glowing brightly as the man channeled void energy, commanding it in a specific way the mark allowed.
In a blink of an eye, Lord Protector was gone, swiftly appearing on the rooftop he was aiming at, gaining an unobstructed view of the city he was in. His mind reeled from the majestic view before his eyes, and the city's architecture wasn't the main factor behind his reaction. Small horses, some bearing wings or horns, populated the staggeringly beautiful city, many of them displaying feats the Abbey would call heretical.
The winged ones, pegasi, if Corvo remembered that old fairytale correctly, were dashing across the sky with practiced ease, some of them even moving clouds! The unicorns were another matter entirely, Corvo cursing under his breath as he saw one of them levitate a couple of golden coins in exchange for some goods. Refocusing the lenses in his mask, Lord Protector scanned the horizon for landmarks, the black-eyed bastard's words reverberating in his head.
He noticed an imposing gray building on the outskirts of town, as massive as the opulent castle in the middle of the capital. His target now clear, and with the growing attention from curious pegasi, some of them spotting golden armor, Corvo clenched his fist, blinking away onto the next roof.
A wide, remotely operated drawbridge separated Corvo from the massive metal gates that were the main entrance to the prison. Around a dozen or so ponies patrolled the bridge below, four squads each consisting of one of each ilk of pony. A smile tugged at Corvo's lips as he imagined Jessamine's reaction to his thoughts.
The guards kept a watchful eye on the walkway, as well as the airspace above it, but were woefully oblivious to what was below it, allowing the Lord Protector to climb the many moving parts on the underside of the bridge. The man wasn't particularly afraid of heights, but the view of his boots dangling over a mile-long drop made his feet tingle.
Leaving the ravine behind him, Corvo climbed atop one of the water pipes flowing into the building, stopping beside a rusty chain link cover. Judging by the footsteps above, he was beneath the entrance to the prison itself, the steel gates not too far behind him. Choosing to err on the side of caution, Corvo spotted a rat on the other side of the chainlink, raising his left hand, the mark of the outsider glowing bright.
Right before fizzling out with a puff of white smoke. Corvo closed his eyes and sighed. Doubt the Overseers shared their music boxes with these things... Guess they have another way of disrupting magic. His gaze fell over to the corner of the cover, a rat-sized hole gnawed into the frame. The old-fashioned way it is, then. Pulling the cover free of its frame with relative ease, Corvo listened for any signs that his commotion was heard by the guards, continuing when he deemed the coat clear.
The pipe arched upwards, forcing Lord Protector to climb the metal waterway. Finally, Corvo saw an opening up ahead, leading to a large, three-story cell block, several guard posts situated on each of the levels. Lord Protector emerged out of an opening overseeing the topmost level of the room, his eyes scanning the room for any familiar faces.
He cursed under his breath. Not a trace of Emily, I have to keep looking. Where to start...
"Come on, come closer you piece of shit, I'll teach you how a real guard fights!" A gruff looking gray-coated unicorn taunted one of his brethren, the obvious attempt at intimidation falling flat.
"Easy being tough behind bars, eh?" A white guard clad in golden armor, nigh indistinguishable from any other, replied, a hint of mockery in his voice. "If you knew how to fight, you sure didn't show it. Gradient's boys didn't even break a sweat last night." The guard smirked, satisfied with his jab.
"Yeah? I was exhausted after a few rounds with your sister, so pardon me for being a little slow." The guard's horn flared with a hazel aura, dying down as the guard shook his head.
"When Princess Luna reinstates beheadings, I guarantee you'll be the second prisoner to experience it. Right after that freak killer they caught today." The prisoner's eyes darted to something behind the unicorn, but the latter didn't notice.
"You sure sound passionate about it, Impulse. Did she get one of your buddies?" A toothy grin split the prisoner's face. "Good riddance, not like you have a shortage of recruits, anyways." His words cut the guard deep, and he knew it. "Hey, did you send the care packages out yet? Finally putting the taxpayer bits to good use."
Just when the guard took a step towards the cell, an elbow constricted around his neck, putting enough pressure on his blood vessels to send his head spinning. The stallion grit his teeth, the hazel aura around his horn extending to his attacker, prying him off and sending the assailant flying into the nearby wall.
"Quick, strike his-" Coughing and sputtering, the guard had little time to react to the prisoner's words. A near silent thwip sent a dart into his forehead, the guard collapsing almost momentarily, unconscious.
"Nice job. But take my advice: next time you need to take a unicorn down, strike their horn. They'll be out cold for about an hour, plenty of time to finish your business. For the pegasi, aim for a nerve cluster between their wings."
Corvo approached the cell, checking the downed pony's pulse to make sure he didn't overdose. "And for the normal ones?" He kneeled to feel the guard's armor for keys, coming up empty.
"Back of the neck, I guess. Just don't try to put them in a chokehold, they'll buck your legs right off." The prisoner approached the bars, peeking out to check if any other guards were around. "Mask, I've seen creatures sneaking out of the Pen, but never sneaking in." He squinted, giving the man a once-over. "I think we can help each other."
"I'm all ears."
"I've got important business here in Canterlot, but a bunch of solarheads put my plans on pause. There's a guard booth just behind the corner, it houses a control block that opens and closes cells. Methinks the Pen's itching for a good riot." Corvo crossed his arms on his chest.
"You've got the numbers, but they have the training. Plus, that horn of yours didn't do you any good." Corvo nodded at the unconscious body. "I knew men like him. He would've beaten you to a pulp and sleep like a baby at night.
"In that same room, they've got a magic dampening array, the biggest in Equestria, from what I heard. Every guard here has a ring that shields them from the dampener's effect." The unicorn rummaged under his bed, picking up a bug-shaped device, hoofing it over to the Lord Protector. "Plug this into the control panel, it should reverse its polarity." Stuffing the device into one of his pockets, Corvo stood still, contemplating the situation.
"And what's in it for me?"
"You're looking for the new prisoner, right? Seen her carted off to the interrogation's room, that's on the first floor to the left. Now, before you go running off after your precious, you're in for a nasty surprise. Both Princess Celestia and her lap dog, Princess Twilight Sparkle are having a tea party with your VIP. And believe me, you wouldn't want to go horn to horn with them."
"Didn't think it'd be easy." Corvo turned his back to the cell, mentally mapping out his path. "I'll need a distraction when I'm done. Do that, and we're even."
"As long as you keep your end of the bargain, Mask." The prisoner smiled as Corvo dropped over the railing, disappearing from view.
Despite his initial estimations, the trek to the required room was relatively simple. Corvo encountered almost no resistance, and what little he did, was dispatched swiftly and quietly. Now, kneeling beside a door and peeking through a keyhole, Lord Protector had finally encountered a major roadblock. Sitting around a table, engrossed in a game of poker, sat seven ponies, unicorns, pegasi, normal ones, you name it.
Problem is, he was running out of sleep darts. He could dispatch three guards with sleeping darts, given they weren't fast enough to react with a spell of some kind, but it would take a precious few seconds to switch to the standard bolt, seconds he couldn't spare. He settled his hand over the comfortable weight of a pistol on his hip. Modified for close quarters combat, it would easily dispatch the rest of the targets. But it was far from silent, no doubt calling even more guards to his position.
He didn't have much time for rumination. Emily was in danger, and the longer he waited, the more time these freaks had to interrogate her. His mind was made.
The door swung open from the heavy kick, Corvo's crossbow trained on the three unicorns before his foot hit the floor. A small metal Y-shaped blade at the tip of his crossbow slid in front of the bolt, splitting it in three small, deadly bolts. Three bodies wnt slack against the table, the four remaining ones springing to attention, hollering something Corvo couldn't quite hear.
The pistol's barrel pointed towards the active guards, its vented muzzle break unleashing a torrent of fragmented fury. One of the regular ponies dove in front of a pegasus mare, his lifeless body dropping to the ground alongside his brethren. In a blink of an eye, the other pegasus collided with Corvo's chest, sending the man sprawling to the floor. A flurry of hits rained on the man, the assailant doing his best to incapacitate the Royal Spymaster.
A razor sharp blade pierced the pony's jaw, digging into the skull. With a twist of his hand, the head was torn clean off the body, the limp corpse unceremoniously shoved off. Quick on his feet, Corvo rushed to the control panel, the last mare making her escape while he was busy with her feathered friend. No point in chasing her. The guards will be here any minute now.
HIs eyes scanned over a myriad of tumblers, quickly flipping them all into the opposite position. Fishing the bug-shaped device out of his pocket, Corvo put it against the panel, the gadget melding with it in an instant. Suddenly, he felt like he could breathe easier, a weight he didn't know was there lifted. As he heard the sounds of commotion from outside the room, the mark on his left hand lit up, and time slowed to a crawl.
"Forgive me, but I don't feel particularly inclined to answer your questions." Emily took a more defensive position, her arms crossed on her chest. "You think yourself so high and mighty, and what for? A sense of superiority? Some personal gratification?"
"If considering murder reprehensible is arrogant to you, then I don't see the point of further conversation." Celestia's voice was draped in finality, but the woman saw through the mask of indifference. She extended her hand towards Twilight, the latter freezing up for a moment, before remembering her position.
"This one had no quarrels with killing another, when the situation required it. Either you're blind to the hypocrisy, or complacent in it."
"You are still breathing, Lady Emily." Celestia retorted. "Do not confuse capability with intent. Had Twilight Sparkle wanted you dead, you wouldn't be in this room right now."
"And several of your subjects would've lived." Emily argued. "A ruler that stands idly by as their people suffer, is directly responsible for that suffering."
"But where do you draw the line?" Twilight's interruption surprised everyone, but both parties kept quiet. "If you take the easy way out, you're more inclined to do so the next time a choice is presented." Twilight took a deep breath, closing her eyes as macabre visions rushed through her head. "Then soon enough, you will be surrounded by fearful sycophants and corpses."
"Unless you think yourself a bloodthirsty beast, your concern is unfounded. Understand the effects your actions have on the world, predict potential outcomes, think of the public image, and most important of all: your morals."
"You think what you did today was in any way moral?!" Twilight didn't expect herself to raise her voice.
"I was attacked and surrounded by enemies. Had I allowed myself to be killed or captured, the Empire would be headless. Political vacuum, squabbles for power, public unrest... Corvo..." Emily shook her head. "My actions today would've saved more lives than they ended. Had they been successful, of course."
The momentary lull in conversation served as a potent backdrop to the unfolding events. In the blink of an eye, something shifted, a ripple in the air, the burden shifting from one's shoulders, to another's. A single moment of confusion was all Emily needed, the fingers on her left hand shifting to conjure an ever-shifting, rhomboid shape of black crystals, its single eye darting from one Princess to another.
"I-I feel... so empty right now..." Twilight murmured as the woman darted past her, noticing a scowl on Celestia's face. She's not easy to fool... Won't be long until she's broken out of her stupor.
The door to the chamber flew off its hinges, crumpled against the opposite wall by a horrific whirlwind. Emily found herself staring at the figure, and as her gaze drifted towards the mask, she felt like death itself was staring back at her. The Empress' breath hitched as a thousand thoughts raced through her head. but she only spoke one word.
"Corvo!" Before she knew it, Emily found herself in the arms of her father, reciprocating the embrace as best she could.
"Emily... I thought I..." He whispered, shaking his head, releasing the Empress. "Nevermind, we'll talk later. I've found a way back, but first we need to get out of the Pen." He reached for the razor wire trap on one of his straps, aiming to place it on a door frame, but a hand stopped him.
"We better go, quick. I doubt the distraction will keep them at bay any longer." She accepted the gear Corvo handed to her, returned to its rightful owner after being stashed away in a nearby evidence locker. "I am not ready to commit another regicide."
Emily offered her hand, and the Lord Protector held it gently, the mark on his hand glowing white as the world stopped for all but two people.
In her entire life, Celestia had rarely seen a better example of things going to Tartarus in a blink of an eye, than her current predicament. Perhaps she'd grown complacent, put too much faith in her ponies, considered the world softer than it really was. She took a deep breath as a surge of powerful magic shattered the ring around her horn, alleviating the dampening field.
She took the ring off Twilight's horn, absentmindedly explaining what had happened, a single thought going through her mind.
If even a single one of my ponies has paid the price for her escape... Then may Harmony have mercy on her soul.
Canterlot Penitentiary was abuzz with activity, between the blaring alarms, countless hoofsteps of escapees running for their freedom and the shouts and screams of multiple fights erupting throughout the facility, having a cohesive conversation was growing increasingly problematic. Still, that didn't stop the father-daughter duo from trying.
"We'll lose our tail, find a quiet place and wait for Wymen's door to appear." He shouted over the cacophony of sounds raging beneath them. Emily shook her head.
"I expect the Princess' to give chase, and they won't drop it too easily." She ducked as a stray blast of magic ricochet from a guard's plate on the first floor. "Don't underestimate them, Corvo. They're proficient in magic and they won't play games, especially now."
In the surrounding pandemonium, nopony noticed as the two figures slipped past the roaring crowd. Just beyond the prison gates, an errant thought went through the Lord Protector's head, one he couldn't help but voice.
"We bought some time, and that's what matters. When the two of them come running for us, we'll be ready."
A flash of blinding light disoriented everypony in the courtyard, a regal figure with the coat of deep ocean and a mane of night sky hovered over the prisoners.
"HALT, KNAVES! lEST THINE FATES BE OURS TO JUDGE." A rich, booming voice that brooked no argument bellowed, stunning those left unaffected by the preceding light show.
"Shit." The mark on Corvo's hand glowed with power as he grabbed onto Emily time slowing for all but two of them. "There's another one, just what we needed..." He shook his head, the father-daughter duo moving further away from the prison.
"Why do mortals believe time dilation to be such a complicated incantation, We wonder?" The alicorn's voice was quieter than before, but no less intimidating. In a flash of light the newcomer reappeared with the two others in tow, pinning one government against another.
"Thine rampage is over, filth. Surrender now and your life will be spared." The lunar alicorn carried herself differently than the others, and the look in her eyes told of countless battles.
She'd strike to kill. Corvo thought.
With the wave of the man's hand, time resumed its ever-lasting march, dozens of guards flooding in to surround the marked humans.
"Your guards attacked first, We cannot be blamed for defending ourselves." Emily argued, her eyes darting from one alicorn to another while the two slowly retreated towards the cliff's edge.
"The right for self-defense exists for a reason, of course." Luna nodded, approaching the duo while keeping her distance. "But you have wholeheartedly overexerted it. Were you not apprehended, many more would've suffered from your rash actions."
"Her Majesty acted appropriately, with due care and mindfulness." Lord Protector stepped forward, concealing his daughter behind his frame. "You know nothing of what she's been through, of what we've been through. If it were for me, you wouldn't have had the chance to put her in prison."
"We were notified of the murders, beast." It was Celestia's turn to speak, the fury of the sun threatening to burn away those who dared to hurt her subjects. "Tell me, were you, even for a moment, remorseful? Did you even think that these ponies had families, dreams and aspirations? With such haste and precision you end their lives, do you stop to consider your actions?"
Corvo nodded as Emily finished whispering a plan into his ear, the man's attention squarely on the alicorn.
"We are all capable of great and terrible deeds, especially when we do it for someone we love." He pointed at Twilight, the fledgling alicorn barely stopping herself from flinching. "I'd kill for my daughter, and you'd do the same for her." He shook his head. "In any case, I'm not going to explain myself to some fairytale moralists. All I'm going to say is: if you leave us alone, we'll never bother you again."
Celestia squinted, glaring at Lord Protector with barely contained fury. "You'll pay for what you've done."
"The hard way it is, then." Corvo shook his head, his hand darting to one of the straps on his body, the mark on his hand glowing briefly. To an outside observer it seemed as if the man was faster than light itself, a flurry of grenades flying in every which way, the guards scrambling for safety as unicorns caught the dangerous explosives with their magic either teleporting or otherwise neutralizing them.
In the momentary pandemonium, the two people jumped over the railing, plummeting into the vast ravine miles below them. A flock of pegasi rushed after them joined by the princesses.
A whirlwind of blades, crossbow bolts and bullets danced with a deadly grace as the guards struggled to pressure the targets, barely avoiding the abundance of projectiles. When a violent gust of wind sent a group of pegasi spiraling right into a side of a cliff, Celestia finally decided enough was enough, teleporting all guards out of the battle.
Ground fast approaching, Emily waved her hand, an exact copy of her appearing on the soil below her. The mark on Corvo's hand burned white, and the man disappeared into thin air, only to emerge out of the clone a moment later, just in time for Emily to break her fall with the doppelganger, the latter disappearing into thin mist.
Standing back to back, the father daughter duo were faced with the might of three alicorns, their hearts beating in their ears. Luna was first to strike, summoning an intricate blade made of moonlight, dashing forward and swinging the blade at Lord Protector, the man dodging the first few strikes before interlocking his blade with hers. Blinking behind her, he unloaded his pistol into the Princess, the deadly shrapnel disappearing into her ethereal mane with little to no effect.
Emily evened the odds with a wave of her hand, two doppelgangers appearing behind the remaining ponies, aiming to strike at them. Celestia's horn emitted a pulse of golden light, dispelling both attackers before her protege could even think to move. Summoning a void mesmer and pulling herself into the air by anchoring to the side of a nearby mountain, using the momentary distraction to land on top of Celestia, pummeling her head against the ground, stunning but not incapacitating her.
"Princess!" A cry of worry and anger followed by a blast of purple magic that blew the Empress off of Celestia, sending the former crashing into a nearby stone wall. Mid-flight, her body turned to shadow, the lanky creature landing on all fours, its white pinprick eyes staring into Twilight's soul. For a brief moment, Twilight returned to the rooftops, a horrific creature coming to get her.
Emily found herself trapped under a dome of magic, unable to push past it, and for a moment, Twilight thought the same trick would work twice. Reverting to her human form, the Empress of the Isles shimmered for a moment, before becoming solid once more, a hint of satisfaction on her face.
Before Twilight could figure out what happened, a pair of deceptively strong hands locked around her neck, pressuring her arteries, blurring her vision. In a moment of desperation her instincts kicked in, and the mare bucked her attacker with all her might. Emily doubled over, unable to recuperate from the attack, before a purple glow encased her, restricting her movement, a bit of blood coming from her mouth.
"Emily!" Corvo's mark burned as a swarm of rats appeared beneath Luna, buying him enough time to disengage from the encounter. Disappearing into blue mist, Lord Protector dashed towards the purple alicorn, grabbing her by the chest fluff, putting the blade to her neck, slicing through flesh. He watched her terrified, wide eyes staring him down as he threw the mare to the side, rushing to grab his daughter, the young woman coughing and clutching her chest.
In a flash of white light, Twilight and Celestia were gone, leaving two bruised humans with a furious Lady of the Night. Out of the corner of his eye, Lord Protector noticed a swirling mass of ink appear on one of the stone walls, the two subtly retreating towards it.
"If young Twilight perishes, you will beg us for death." The Princess' body was riddled with small bites and cuts, marks of her recent battle, something she always wore with pride. "And we will not be so merciful."
With a flick of his hand, a violent wind current tore into the mare, slowing her approach for just a moment, giving Emly enough time to pull the two toward the door, slipping into the passageway and disappearing from view.
Corvo sighed as he sat over a hospital bed, the sleeping visage of Emily Kaldwin quietly snoring through the night, likely unaware of her father's worry in her current state. One of the doctors, a relatively young woman entered the room, her voice quiet so as not to disturb the patient.
"Lord Protector, sir. A young man, Wyman, is asking for a visit, shall I let him in?" A curt nod was all she needed to usher the man in, warning him to be quiet.
Wyman approached the bed, taking a seat Corvo had prepared for just that occasion.
"A rib fracture, a couple of bruises. She's recovering at a remarkable rate." Corvo shook his head at his own words. "But none of it matters. This shouldn't have happened in the first place." He clenched his fist, knuckles white. "If I was a little faster, a little sharper..."
"I shouldn't have let her go." Wyman admitted, his gaze on the peaceful visage of the Empress. "It was dangerous, and I still let her do it..."
"Both of you need to take a deep breath, and calm down." Her voice was small at first, strengthening after she yawned and cleared her throat. "I was careless, letting my confidence cloud my judgment." She smiled, holding the hand of her old man. "Thank you for having my back, I couldn't have done it without you."
"I'd do anything for you, Emily." Corvo said, before nodding at the young man in the room. "Thank Wyman for making more than one receiver." The young inventor's face went pale at the mention of the device, worry creeping into his features.
"I've ordered to triple security around the door." Corvo assayed the man's worries, to no avail. "If something comes through, we'll be the first to know."
"Question is," Wyman retorted, biting the inside of his cheek. "will we be able to stop them?"
Luna's solitary study session was interrupted by the sound of doors opening, familiar hoofsteps entering the room.
"Twilight's stable, but it'll be some time until she fully recovers." Celestia began, worry for her protege mixing with worry for her sister in the princess' voice. "I think she'd like for you to visit her. It'll be good for the both of you." At first, it seemed as if the Lady of the Night didn't hear her.
"Each night, young Twilight experiences the same nightmare." Luna began, her voice calm, radiating hidden fury. "A pith-black silhouette chasing her through the streets of Canterlot, rats snarling at her from every corner. Eventually, she ends up at a rooftop, a monstrous construct of black stone hovering over the horizon. She's mesmerized, standing still until that same creature catches her, slicing her throat open." Luna shuddered as Celestia draped a wing over her. "Despite our best attempts, the nightmare persists." She moved to let her sister see what she'd been tinkering with, a small otherworldly device of the wooden table.
"And if we are unable to dispose of the nightmare itself, then the only course of action for us, is to dispose of its source."
Author's Note
I humbly present to you a piece of fiction that's been on my hard drive from around February 2022. Not sure I'm 100% happy with how it turned out, but leaving it unpublished wouldn't do the story any good.
