Dishonored: The Outsider's Reachby BloodwingChaptersThe DealRoad to CanterlotCheckmateThe Masked ChaosKnowledge of The VoidThe DealDishonored – The Outsider’s Reach Chapter 1: The Deal It was raining… Heavily… The drops were hitting the dark, dirty roads and buildings of Dunwall, mighty capital of The Empire of Isles. The streets were emptying very fast, as people tried their best to avoid getting wet. It seemed that skies themselves were crying, as if mourning a terrible loss. The bells of the Dunwall Tower rang twice announcing that something of importance has just occurred. On the streets of the Holger Square, under one of many marquees present in the district, a young woman was standing. Her skin was sickly pale. Her sad, empty eyes were observing the falling drops of rain. She was dressed in a thick leather coat. Shivers went through her frail body, as the cold wind blew suddenly. She tightened the coat around herself with her young, delicate hands. Next to her a boy was standing, his head brought up as he was intently listening to the heavy bells of Dunwall Tower ringing every few moments, trying to make every citizen aware of something. Drops of water were coming down his rosy cheeks. He seemed to be much livelier than the woman next to him. The curiosity was apparent in his big green eyes. After another series of rings the boy finally turned his head around and looked up at the pale woman. “Martha… Why are the bells ringing?” The woman weakly turned her head around, as she broke her gaze from the hypnotizing spectacle of the falling rain. Her cold blue lips trembled a little. “The Lord Protector… Has passed away…” She said quietly, barely audible over the sound of drops hitting the stone roads. The boy’s eyes suddenly lost their entire glimmer and became sad. His head dropped slightly. “But… Who will protect the Empress now?” Asked the boy suddenly, his head still hung down in deep sorrow. The woman entered a sick coughing fit and it seemed that she was about to collapse any second. It however quickly ceased, as she put her hand on the boy’s little head, gently stroking him. “I don’t know William… But an era has ended… Heroes are no more.” She stated firmly, any trace of warmth in her voice was gone. The boy’s head perked up, the glimmer back in his beautiful eyes. “I will protect the Empress!” He shouted out matter-of-factly with such vigor and energy that the woman slightly winced. But then suddenly a small smile appeared on her face, a complete contrary to her unhealthy looks. “Yes… Yes you will, when you grow up… You will do anything you want William, I’ll make sure of it.” She responded louder than usual, making the boy smile happily. “I love you sister!” He shouted out and hugged her sick sister, slightly shivering as he felt the coldness of her body. She slowly stroked his head, still embraced in the tight hug. She turned her head back at the road and the falling rain “Goodbye Lord Corvo… May you find happiness and peace on the other side…” She whispered An assembly of people was gathered in the gardens of Dunwall Tower. All of them were dressed in black clothes. An atmosphere of sadness and loss was detectable amongst them. They were all standing in rows observing a white wooden pedestal that was in front of them. Next to the pedestal a woman was standing. She seemed the saddest from all. Dressed similarly to the others, she had a bouquet of purple flowers in her hands. No one even dared to move as the only thing breaking the silence were the drops of rain. Then the bells of the Tower rang again and soon synchronized steps could be heard. A group of people dressed ceremonially with black masks covering their faces came out of the Tower itself, slowly making their way to the garden. They were carrying a white coffin that was not decorated at all, but was giving off a strange glimmer. Those men were slightly hunched as if a great burden was on their shoulders, greater than the weight of the coffin. Behind them another person was walking, dressed in a white robe with many golden decorations. He also had a black mask on his face. This man was also carefully carrying a white book in his right hand, holding to it as if it was a treasure. It seemed that eternity passed, but finally accompanied by the rings of the tower bells, the group of people arrived at the saddened crowd. The latter quickly made a passage, allowing the group to move further. As they went forward, people from the crowd started to toss some purple flowers under their legs as if creating an eerie path for them to walk through. Soon the coffin arrived at the pedestal and the masked people slowly put it down. Then they stepped back and formed a line, standing straight behind the coffin. Not moving, they seemed to have turned into statues, unfazed by the rain falling down and wetting their clothes. The man dressed in white took a position in front of the pedestal as the bells of the tower gave out their final chime. He cleared his throat: “Today we are all in mourning, as we bid farewell to the hero of the Empire, the savior of Dunwall, Lord Protector Corvo Attano” All the attention of the saddened crowd turned to the man in robes. “Through his brave and bold actions the plague that ridded our Empire has ended, our Empress was saved and traitors were punished. He was a shining example of a man, loyal and heroic. And even though so many stood against him, so many tried to stop him and prove him wrong he stayed true to his beliefs and to the Empire.” Some people in the crowd nodded “Today the Empire has lost a beacon of light that may never be replaced, today we all have felt a tremendous hurt in our hearts, as Lord Corvo allowed the Empire to enter a new golden era and with his passing we can see this era come to an end.” Some nods again, a few people seemed to clear their throats “None of us however can truly speak about this magnificent figure… But we all can say for sure that nothing will be the same ever again.” Silent murmur in the audience and energetic nods could be heard and seen. “Let us pray…” The people gathered in the crowd lowered their heads in unnatural unity and synchronization “Universe, so vast and dark, guide this spirit to the beyond. As this soul travels far and the evil stalks it as its prey, we deny. With our faith and our will we deny. No evil shall come to the man, the void shall not take his soul as his spirit stays sacred, beyond the darkest reach. Living by the seven strictures the man forced the darkness out and stood pure. And as the Strictures dictate so has lived Corvo Attano. With our will we deny the Outsider. He shall not corrupt this spirit, shall not extend his reach. With our prayer we protect this soul so it may travel far and find eternal peace, as the Darkness we deny…” The man said as a priest would, with pathos and increased volume “We deny… We deny…” The crowd repeated in unity, their heads still hung down. Silence befell again, soon interrupted by the priest “No one however knew Lord Corvo better than our beloved Empress” The man turned his masked face towards the woman in black dress with the bouquet of purple flowers in hands. The crowd looked at their Empress and although none could see it, Emily Kaldwin was crying ever so quietly. When addressed however she quickly shook her head and approached the priest, who moved aside making place for her. She slowly raised her head, her eyes were slightly reddened and glossy, an indication that indeed she was crying recently. The crowd however didn't pay attention to that, as everyone was waiting to hear what the woman had to say. “I... prepared a speech…” She stated matter-of-factly, putting the flowers down in front of her and bringing out a piece of paper from underneath her pricy black dress. She brought the sheet in front of her eyes, ready to read from it. Her lips trembled as a teardrop trickled down her white cheek. The crowd was however unmoving, still waiting patiently. No words came out of the Empress’s mouth as the prepared speech suddenly fell down from her hands onto the wet ground, where it quickly absorbed the water, becoming utterly useless. “No speech could possibly express the love and respect I had for Corvo…” She said quietly “This man was more than a simple bodyguard…” Her voice was very sad, but still an amount of authority could be heard in it. Emily Kaldwin was in fact a very strong woman and not many saw her in a state she was now in. “He was my savior, my hero, my love…” The people in the crowd seemed to be moved “He was… Like a loving father to me…” She stated with sudden determination “And although he is no more, his beliefs and actions will be an example for generations to come…” She picked up the purple flowers from the pedestal “He will forever hold a special place in my heart…” She turned around a placed the flowers on the coffin “I hope you can see it Corvo… These were always your favorite flowers…” She said quietly, so that no one else could hear what she was saying. She then leaned forward and delicately kissed the lid of the coffin. Two tears silently dropped from her eyes, hitting the white wood quickly mixing with the rain water. “Farewell…” She said, as tears were flowing freely from her eyes now. The empress then turned around without care for someone spotting her crying anymore. She moved aside allowing the priest to come forward again. The latter raised both of his arms into the air and started to sing a sad song, with the crowd soon joining him “Earthly heavens above all men Gates of paradise now and then Yet another soul is gone And close to you it’s drawn With the faith in the heart That cannot be torn apart As our will cannot be bend We are guided to the end Earthly heavens above all men Gates of paradise now and then Yet another soul is gone And close to you it’s drawn As we leave the mortal plane Our beloved are left in pain Sorrow is all that’s left Deeper than the deepest cleft Earthly heavens above all men Gates of paradise now and then Yet another soul is gone And close to you it’s drawn As we find our way beyond We hold to our sacred bond With our beloved we are still tied So The Outsider’s power is denied Earthly heavens above all men Gates of paradise now and then Yet another soul is gone And close to you it’s drawn…” The Bells of the Dunwall Tower rang three times, giving their farewell to the soul getting ready to embark on a cosmic journey, saying goodbye to the Lord Protector Corvo Attano. There is a place where no rules of the Universe apply, where time and reality have no meaning… The Void… Only one being rules in this location… It’s The Outsider… Some call this being a demon, an evil force that wants to corrupt all of humanity, a trickster. Some however worship the being knowing full-well of its possibly unlimited power. There are also those who treat the being as a complete mystery and desperately try to find it, never to succeed. He grants power to some, supernatural abilities of unknown potential and limits, but there is always one condition that all of those receiving the gift have to fulfill first. They have to be interesting… They have to be unique in a way, possibly to give The Outsider some fun in observing the struggling mortals. Some of the people that were granted the Outsider’s Gift over the years never wanted to find the cosmic being nor did they worship him, neither did they think of him as an evil force… The truth is that The Outsider always found his new toys himself not the other way around. And so was Corvo Attano found by the trickster. He received a gift from the latter, powers that were meant to make it easier for him to change the fate of Dunwall and the Empire of Isles. And so Corvo indeed used these powers, combined with his skills the man turned into a ghost, killing almost no one on his mission, not killing his targets either, but always opting for a non-lethal solution, which would surprise most. How this man retained his morality after being backstabbed, betrayed and accused of killing the previous Empress? It remained a mystery, but made the Outsider even more interested in this particular human. And so after Empress Emily was back in power the Outsider observed Corvo closely, studied him and allowed the Lord Protector to study his supernatural abilities further… Developing them… Just as one Granny Rags. She lost her sanity eventually… It seemed however that Attano’s tremendous will held his sanity in place. Corvo found many runes through the years as the Lord Protector to Emily and decided to make good use of them as if predicting that maybe someday, some faithful day, these powers will become useful once again. As if feeling that once the Outsider got a hold of someone, he wouldn't let go easily… And it was the truth, as no soul marked by the Outsider may rest in peace, it becomes the property of the cosmic being. And what the latter decides to use that soul for is entirely up to him. That is why somehow Corvo wasn’t surprised when his eyes shot open again, seeing the twisted violet sky of the Void. He was laying on a platform made entirely from whale bone, it had many markings carved into it. Most of which Corvo didn’t recognize, except for the Outsider’s mark that was apparent in the carvings. “I knew it…” He said through his teeth, not so calm after all. It was one thing predicting that something as twisted as this will happen… But actually seeing it happen was a different thing entirely. “I knew it! Damn it!” He was still laying, the silence around him was very unnerving, making this out-of reality world even more strange and alien… If it was even possible. Corvo sat up slowly, feeling some nausea kicking in. He however quickly buried it down as there were definitely more important matters at hand and puking violently in a place such as this was not one of them. Silence was quickly broken when a slow, ironic clap echoed through the Void. Corvo immediately knew who was clapping… It wasn’t hard to guess. The Outsider materialized himself in front of Attano, still clapping ironically, with a smug mischievous grin on his face. “Dear Corvo! Your fantastic predictions came true… You indeed belong to me…” The Outsider’s smile became wider as Corvo’s expression turned into a very annoyed one. “So… What now?” Corvo went straight to the point, making the cosmic being even more amused “There are two options for you to choose from… One, you will lose your consciousness and individuality to become a part of the Void, for eons to come…” Corvo stared daggers at the trickster, obviously not happy with the first option “Second… We’ll strike a deal…” That sounded more plausible to the Lord Protector who waited for the cosmic being to finish “As you know I observe those who are interesting, who can amuse me... Sometimes I help them, grant them powers, knowledge, answers… You Corvo are by far one of the most interesting and amusing mortals I ever came into contact with… It would be a real shame to waste your potential and talents…” Corvo could only nod, not sure where the Outsider was going with this. “Tell me Corvo, what would you give to live with Emily again? To hug her again and hold her in a warm embrace? What would you give up for your soul’s freedom?” Corvo didn’t even think after that question “Anything…” He answered firmly “The deal is simple then… Amuse me yet again Corvo, change the fate of another World and turn the tides… And in return I will let you live again… With your beloved Emily… I’ll set your soul free.” Corvo stood up slowly and looked straight into the Outsider’s eyes “Where’s the catch?” He asked predicting that there had to be one… There always was one. “Oh there wouldn’t be fun in telling you all the details now, mortal. Give me your answer Corvo and you will know the details about the bargain.” There was a moment of silence after which Corvo snickered slightly. “You have a deal, of course.” The Outsider smiled happily, obviously content with the mortal’s answer. The symbols carved in the whale’s bone suddenly lightened up, giving out a sickly violet glow that was increasing in intensity. Corvo was caught slightly by surprise and had to cover his eyes, as the glow became unbearable. Attano felt a sudden pull, felt his consciousness sipping away and then it was blackness for a while. But when he uncovered his eyes he immediately spotted an unnaturally pastel blue sky. The sun was shining brightly, dazzling him a little. It was also somehow off… As if not entirely real. He quickly sat up looking around, seeing nothing more than calm green of trees and some chirping birds flying above his head. Not wasting any second he stood up to his full height. Soon after that the Outsider materialized himself in front of the Lord Protector “The World we are in now knows nothing about the darker aspects of life. It knows not the meaning of war, the suffering, the death. It knows nothing of the horrors of poverty or plague. It never experienced anything beyond the positive aspects of life… It’s… Unnatural…” Corvo was listening intently to the Outsider, already wondering what he will have to do here then. “The mortals here are boring Corvo. They have nothing interesting to offer, nothing that could amuse me. Not like you…” Attano nodded, still waiting for the end of the speech “And so they never experienced my influence, they know nothing of me Corvo. This World is in a constant stalemate, constant status quo that is not about to change…” Lord Protector was slowly starting to understand where this is going “That is why I sent you here, I want you to change the state of this world, upset its perfect balance, change its fate. End the boredom” The cosmic being said still having his arms crossed “How am I supposed to do that?” Corvo asked slightly perplexed “It’s rather simple. This World is ruled by two sisters. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, they are what stands between you and the fate of this entire boring World…” Corvo narrowed his eyes “So you want me to neutralize them?” The Outsider smiled, quite amused “Indeed” There was silence for a while, as Corvo was staring the Outsider down with disgust “And if I do this… I’ll be free and able to live with Emily again…?” The Outsider only nodded. Corvo lowered his head in deep thought as if fighting an invisible enemy in his mind. Then he suddenly raised his head again. “Why would you need me to neutralize them if this World is already so perfect?” Corvo asked not hiding his curiosity “Corvo, Corvo... There’s no such thing as perfection... And ignorance is definitely not a part of it... How will you change this place is entirely up to you, but we have to start somewhere...” The Outsider said smiling truthfully. There was a pause. “Very well…” Attano said coldly, all traces of doubt gone from his face. The Outsider chuckled and extended his arm pointing at Corvo. The latter immediately felt something… Some kind of energy and vigor he remembered feeling many years ago. Violet light enveloped Corvo, blinding him. And when it was gone Lord Protector was young again, young and full of energy. In front of him something materialized… Something familiar… On the ground just in front of him a set of tools was laying, a set he knew all too well. The silvery blade he used so many years ago was reflecting the rays of sun. The crossbow and pistol were neatly laying next to it with a full stock of ammunition in a pile close-by. Grenades, spring razors and other gadgets were set down in a row just behind the crossbow and the pistol. Corvo observed these tools of murder and mayhem for a while. Finally however he reached down picking them up one by one. He was in his old coat again, so it was easy for him to get a hold of all of the items. Finally he picked up the menacing blade, which was still very sharp, seemingly able to cut through anything. He held it tight and made a few swings with it, quickly remembering its weight and the ease with which he was able to use it in the past. He slowly nodded to himself and looked at the Outsider again. The cosmic being was holding two items in its hands. The first one Corvo remembered very well. It was an artifact, Jessamine Kaldwin’s heart, which was able to tell secrets to its holder. The soul of the late empress was forever trapped inside this object, doomed to stay in a state between life and death forever. Corvo always felt guilty when using the item and again remorse hit him as he stared at The Heart. The latter disappeared after he was done with his previous mission of restoring Emily to the throne. To see it again made Corvo feel uneasy. “This World might be boring, but there are many mystical artifacts here dear Corvo. The heart will help you locate them… Consider it my personal favor…” Corvo reached for The Heart and grabbed it, taking it from the cosmic being. He immediately heard a whisper in his head. “Where are we? This place is so warm… So peaceful… Yet somehow wrong…” Attano quickly hid the heart in the depths of his long coat. He took a look at the second object in the Outsider’s hand. It was the mask, a symbol of an assassin, a symbol of progress and change. It was slightly corroded in some places as if time took its toll on it, despite the object being materialized by the Outsider. Without much thought Lord Protector reached for the mask, feeling its familiar weight again, looking at its fearsome exterior. He turned it around, seeing the soft red material inside. Seconds were going by as Corvo seemed to again be fighting some unknown force inside his mind. Yet again however the force lost as he slowly brought the mask to his face, placing it firmly... It fitted perfectly. The masked man switched his attention back to the Trickster. “You are almost ready. There are however a few things you must know, before venturing deeper in this place.” Corvo was silent “Your gift from me will be more powerful here. This place is deeply connected with many mystical energies. The latter fuel your own additionally.” Attano seemed a little surprised by this. Mystical energies? What could this possibly mean? “You are my favorite pet and I couldn’t possibly leave you completely alone here… If you run out of your precious ammunition, use the Heart and find my mark Corvo...” Those were good news, but if this World didn’t knew of the Outsider how could there be his mark here? The Outsider then started to dematerialize, turning into some kind of black dust “Remember however dear Corvo… You belong to me… If you’ll ever think about breaching our deal, you will never see Emily again and you will become a part of The Void…” The Outsider chuckled grimly just before dematerializing completely. Corvo was left alone on the green field, surrounded by trees and other plants with a long blade in his right hand and his masked face hung down. There was no other path for him to take now. He shook his head getting rid of the persistent thoughts and cracked his neck ready to begin his new mission. “Caligo…” He whispered as the mark on his left hand lightened up. Then the masked man vanished in plain sight, without any indication that he was ever there. It was a beautiful morning in Ponyville. The bees were buzzing, the birds were chirping, Ponies were beginning their daily routines, preparing for yet another calm and fulfilling day… “It’s boring…” Some of the Ponies were already starting conversations, talking to each other with smiles on their faces… “So boring…” Others were setting up their businesses for the day, preparing to serve their customers if the need arrives… “It sickens me…” Unbeknownst to all the citizens of Ponyville a cosmic being was observing them. Its dark eyes following their every movement as if looking for something. It had a disappointed expression on its pale face. The Outsider was not amused. But then his expression turned into a cruel smile. “Oh Corvo… What amusement will you offer me?” Then The Outsider saw what he was looking for. A masked creature materialized itself out of nowhere just outside the forest called “Everfree Forest” by those mortals. The Outsider chuckled darkly. “So it begins…” Corvo was standing just outside of the forest he sped through. He then crouched down… Something he did out of habit really. The ability he used previously was a rather new one, it was something similar to what he saw Granny Rags do. Was he becoming like her? No… His sanity was in perfect shape, he was just learning new tricks. Corvo was able to turn into white mist on thought. It seemed that this ability might be more useful than he thought previously. Normally he would feel a little tired after using this power, but here… It was as if it cost him nothing. He still felt full of energy. Could it be that it was what the Outsider had in mind? Those mystical energies… Did they fuel his power? He had a lot of questions but obviously there was no one to give him answers. Enough… The faster he completes his mission, the sooner he’ll get to see Emily again. “Canis Aspectus…” Corvo whispered, as the Outsider’s mark started to glow. He then could see… Everything… Darkness would no longer be a problem to his eyes. He could see through walls, as every creature in vicinity was marked with a yellow aura… Some items were also marked with an aura… He could also hear the heartbeat of any creature he would look at, an indication of it being nervous or calm. But that was not the end. The power seemed to gain more characteristics than he remembered… He could smell the creatures, see the paths they were walking through, but also hear them, from afar… This power was no longer limited to only his sight… Corvo recoiled from it slightly. It was somewhat overwhelming to get so much information in an instant. He blinked twice, getting used to seeing. smelling and hearing everything so clearly. And then he realized something quite… Strange… “Why are there only animals here…?” He looked around, seeing many yellow auras in horse-like shapes, but no human shapes whatsoever. There was obviously a village or a town in front of him. He spotted it earlier as he was moving through the woods. There was smoke coming from many chimneys and where there’s smoke, there’s bound to be civilization. And of course he was right. Something was very wrong here however. He decided that it would be best to find a better vantage point, than right outside of a forest. He looked around spotting many houses in the distance and… Yellow auras in the sky… “What the…” He stammered indeed seeing horse shapes flying through the sky. And he was not hallucinating… He blinked twice and took a few steps back inside the forest, feeling suddenly that a possibility of detection quadrupled. He put a hand inside his coat and took out the heart… Waiting for it to whisper… “There are no humans in this World… This place… It’s full of mysteries and secrets… Mythical creatures roam it… Pegasi and Unicorns are a normal sight… They all call themselves “ponies”, but they have little in common with Equines from the Empire…” Corvo was flabbergasted… Ponies? Really? This was just ridiculous… “Thank you…” He whispered, feeling bad about using The Heart again… “You’re welcome Corvo…” The Heart answered at which Attano almost fell down from surprise… “Empress…?” He asked shocked… “Yes… It’s me my Lord Protector… The Outsider gave me my memories back… I know what happened to me now… And what I am now…” There was silence for a while “He promised that he will set me free if I’ll help you on this journey…” Corvo didn’t know what to say… So he said the only thing that felt right to him… “I’m so sorry Jessamine…” To his surprise the Heart laughed silently “Don’t be Corvo… We are both fighting for our freedom… And for you to meet my daughter again… Don’t hesitate to use my talents…” Corvo only nodded, hiding Jessamine back inside his coat. His keen mind started to analyze everything… First he needed information about his targets and seeing as they were the rulers of this World he would need to get information about where they resided, how they looked like… And that is common knowledge… Corvo looked around again searching for something… Or rather someone… He already had an idea. The distance between him and the town wasn’t very long, but way too long with those “Pegasi” flying around like that. Then he spotted it… A lonely hut just outside the forest… And inside the hut lots of yellow auras possibly belonging to many different animals. There was also one unfamiliar horse-like aura with wings. Another Pegasus… Lonely Pegasus… Corvo crouched again and zoomed in on the hut’s roof with his mask. He concentrated on it. “Illac…” He whispered as the Outsider’s mark lightened up brightly. He then felt as if being pulled through reality. In an instant he found himself crouching on the roof of the hut, seeing the Pegasus attending to some animals inside of its (probably) house, just below him. Were those “Ponies” really sentient? It was a very hard thing for Corvo to believe in… All his doubts were however dispersed as he heard the Pegasus say something in an unknown to Attano language, possibly speaking to the animals. “That might be a problem…” Lord Protector whispered to himself “Let me help you with that Corvo…” He heard Jessamine say in his mind. He then felt a tremendous headache, as he put a hand on his head wincing from the pain. The mumblings of the Pegasus distorted somewhat and in a matter of seconds became a language that Corvo understood and knew perfectly… He blinked a few times still massaging his temple, not quite understanding what just happened “Here you go Mr. Bunny… Fresh carrots for you…” The Pegasus said in a timid voice. This certainly proved Corvo that indeed the “Ponies” were sentient. Not wasting any more time than was necessary Attano concentrated “Caligo…” He whispered and the mark on his hand responded. The Lord Protector turned into white mist and seeped between the cracks of the roof. Soon he was inside of the hut. He could see the Pegasus giving out food to the creatures with a happy smile on her face… “They even have faces…” Corvo thought The white mist arrived right behind the unaware Pegasus, as Corvo materialized into a solid form, standing right behind the yellow mare. The animals reacted to that fact by giving out some panicked chirps and screams Fluttershy was in the middle of her routine, feeding her many animal friends. The day began as always. She was pretty content, as it seemed that it will be just another normal day. “Here you go Mr. Bunny… Fresh carrots for you…” She said to a bunny right in front of her. Possibly Angel’s relative. She was about to go feed some of her avian friends next, but the sudden outburst of screams from the animals startled her, as she turned around quickly alarmed by it. What she saw made her worst nightmares fluffy in comparison. There in front of her a horrifying creature was standing. Taller than most of what she saw, a biped. Its build was unlike anything she ever saw and it’s snout… No… It was a face… But it was blank, made out of some kind of metal. It inspired true dread in the yellow mare. Even Diamond Dogs seemed to look friendly in comparison. The creature was also fully dressed and that was an indication of sentiency, of sinister intelligence… She started to breathe sharply, her fear skyrocketing, she felt herself glued to the spot, unable to move or do anything comprehensive. Where did this creature come from? What did it want? Why did it have no face?! For a while they were both standing still until… “Dominatus…” The creature whispered as a strange mark on its left paw lightened up menacingly. Fluttershy was about to take a few steps back, but some kind of unknown dark force suddenly tightened around her mind. She could see that the creature turned into black energy that was making its way inside her body. She wanted to scream, but couldn’t. The grim power was squeezing all her rationality from her, all of her conscious thought. And soon all of her consciousness seeped away becoming completely dormant. Her mind shut down as she could only see limitless blackness… The Outsider observed the whole situation. And as Corvo used his abilities the Supernatural Being smiled widely “Dear Corvo… You’re one cunning human…” He said, finally feeling that the boring World was about to become very, very interesting… And soon… A/N: Some experiment I did... Inspiration struck me so I just had to write that :P Hopefully not many derps and such... Anyway thanks for reading! Have a cookie! FYI: Corvo used something similar to Possesion on Fluttershy... Feels weird that I had to write that here, but a lot of people obviously didn't understand the fact. Road to CanterlotDishonored: The Outsider’s Reach Chapter 2: Road to Canterlot A/N: First of all thank you for the favorites and likes! It's an honor. This is first story I ever wrote that was featured anywhere. It makes me feel really happy and content as a would-be amateur writer. Again i had some mysterious inspiration that made me write this chapter so fast :P Hopefully you'll like it. I also took some grammar advises and tried to include them in this chapter. BTW: Was drunk in some places when I wrote this. Fortunately it's not my inspiration... Music is :) Also thanks in advance for reading and have a... MUFFIN! Warning: Contains some gore. Not much though. Corvo opened his eyes gustily. His vision was slightly blurred, however the “Canis Aspectus” ability was still working. He was breathing heavily, feeling as if a lot of his energy was drained. Attano tried to look around, but horrible pain came down his body… Wait… Something was off. He brought his hand to his tired eyes, but instead of the familiar 5 digit grabbing appendage, there was a hoof, yellow at that. His eyes widened slightly. So domination has worked, he possessed the yellow horse. He noticed that an Outsider’s Mark appeared on the mare’s left hoof in similar spot he had his own. He decided it was high time to get up from the ground he was laying on. Despite the pain he did it pretty fast, adjusting to the body in the process. It was reckless using domination on this creature, he knew that now. This ability was a further development of possession skill. It however was slightly different as it allowed the caster to occupy the victim’s body indefinitely. Furthermore it actually allowed Corvo to use the Outsider’s Gift still being inside the creature’s body. Very powerful ability indeed. The only downside was the amount of energy it needed. In Dunwall he was only able to dominate a rat and it almost killed him. But here, having more energy supplies he figured it could work on a bigger animal, be it sentient or not. It was something he didn’t really think through much… But he needed a body like this to blend in with the townsfolk and the faster he got the necessary information, the faster he could complete the mission, be done with it, return to Emily, free Jessamine and himself. He looked around, feeling really strange inside of this “pony”. It was a female after all and he actually never possessed an opposite sex in his life. The various animals were staring at him with curiosity. It seemed that they weren’t sure if it was an intruder or their Mistress. He didn’t care though. Then he felt something slowly making its way down his new nose. He raised his foreleg to it and touched the place, bringing the hoof in front of his eyes. It was blood… A trickle of it was slowly making its way down his face. So the Pony’s body was barely containing him. Those surely weren’t good news. He shook his head trying to focus on the task at hand. Sighing he took a better look around. The hut wasn’t particularly big. It had 2 floors with wooden stairs leading to the one above. The living room he was in right now had various furnishings, making the Lord Protector ponder over why would horses need furniture… It was another unreal aspect of this world. On his left there was a kitchen, with various pots and such commonly used tools in cooking. Another trace of doubt hit Corvo hard. How do these creatures use such complicated tools without proper appendages? It was all starting to look more like a distorted dream than something that could be real. “This Pony’s name is Fluttershy. She holds all her important items above, inside a locked chest. It’s right behind her bed…” Corvo heard Jessamine’s voice inside his head. He nodded to himself and slowly made his way to the upper floor, almost tripping a few times. He forgot how hard it was getting used to walking on all fours after possessing a creature. After a while he arrived to a pretty thick wooden door. Without hesitation he pushed them. They didn’t budge however, so he pushed harder, only to receive nothing in return. They were obviously locked. He cursed silently under his breath, what sounded amusing with his voice changed to a timid, calm one. He stared the door down as gear-wheels inside his head were working intensely. He was tired and still could feel pain all over his body, so using another ability could be dangerous, especially to the yellow mare. He didn’t want to endanger her without need. “You have to Corvo, we are short on time…” It was true and he knew it. This might be a secluded location, but still someone might come here and give him a hell lot of problems. Corvo cursed again and without further dilemmas put his left ha-… Hoof… On the thick wooden door, “Cinis…” He whispered as the symbol on the mare’s left hoof lightened up in sinister scarlet color. This meant he was using an offensive and destructive ability. The door started to crumble, turning into black ash in a matter of seconds, leaving only untouched frames. He suddenly felt pain in his chest and started to cough. He put his foreleg on the mouth and as the coughing ceased he put it away, seeing drops of blood on the yellow coat. He shook his head disapprovingly and proceeded to enter the room. Inside was standard furniture, one could expect from such a room. It looked pretty cozy. There was a bookshelf on his right and a dresser with a mirror on his left. Curiosity eating at him Corvo approached the mirror and took a good look at himself. He pretty much looked the same as the mare, with some exceptions. He had bags under his eyes and some darker shadows around them. The mare even when in fear had some warmth in her eyes, some inside happiness and fulfillment… Her current eyes however were a complete opposite, there was desperation in them, gripping coldness and some kind of flame of steel determination that threatened to release conflagration on the world. Corvo understood that those were his eyes as if the mare wasn’t there anymore. Was his spell too powerful? Did he destroy her mind completely? He felt guilt and fear tightening around his throat. “She’s still there Corvo… Albeit weak and dormant… You almost crushed her, but she has some flame of will that cannot be put out in her, so similar to yours…” Attano couldn’t help but smile slightly. Remembering Jessamine say something similar when she first saw him so many years ago… He blinked a few times and decided he should look through personal items of the mare. If he was to blend in he had to know some details about the body he was occupying. He spotted the bed instantly. It was right next to a big window. Yet again he felt some kind of unease, a pinch of strange doubt. These creatures were using tools and furniture similar to human in design, yet they had no proper anatomy build for them. It just wasn’t making any sense. He shook his head and approached the bed. It didn’t look particularly heavy; in fact it was a small bed, perfect for a single “pony”. He put one hoof on the frame of the bed and pushed, moving it aside. In the spot where the bed was standing just seconds ago he spotted nothing but wooden floor and some dust… At first… But then his enhanced vision saw through the floor and noticed green aura in a shape of a rectangle resting just under it. He knocked at the spot where the green aura was and heard a hollowed out echo. It was a hiding place then. He took a closer look, trying to see some kind of opening mechanism or lock. After a few seconds he spotted a small keyhole, blending in with the floor nicely. He didn’t have the key though and had no patience to look for it. In fact he wanted to get out from this body as fast as possible. He felt very weird in it… As if some kind of tentacles were entangling him… He was starting to get paranoid a little, sensing that maybe, just maybe “domination” worked so well it will trap him inside this body forever. Each passing second seemed to drag him closer to this conclusion. That is why Corvo tightened his jaw and a spark of rage appeared on his face, as he made a snarling expression. He then raised his left hoof up and with a tremendous force hit the hollowed out place. The floor gave up after such violent attack. Pieces and splinters of wood flew in the air in a spectacle of strength. He felt that a few sharper pieces cut through the mare’s skin, making superficial injuries to the left foreleg. The pain however meant nothing to the man. He took the hoof out of the fresh hole he made, seeing a few trickles of blood seeping from small cuts. He leaned forward looking inside of the cleverly hidden spot. There were a few items there. Some pieces of what looked like old jewelry, a pack of letters bound together, a rock in a shape of a heart, some old documents of unknown origin and a simple brown book without any title. Corvo’s brow went up in bewilderment. Letters? Books? He felt confused again. How could they even write? He snorted a little, pushing the persistent questions in the back of his mind. The most interesting thing from this stash seemed to be the book. Maybe it was a diary? He wanted to simply pick it up, but realization struck him… He couldn’t grab squat. “Damn…” He cursed, thinking how the hell is he supposed to take the thing out without hands? Idea came pretty fast though. With his right hoof he struck the edges of the hole he made, making it bigger, allowing him to put his head in there and pick the thing up with his mouth. And so he did… Not without a few failed attempts… But finally after a few minutes of struggle, the brown, now saliva-dripping book was on the floor next to him. Carefully with one hoof he opened it and immediately understood that it indeed was a diary. There were many entries in it with dates he couldn’t possibly comprehend. These creatures obviously had a different timeline and time measure methods than he knew. The book was way too thick to be read wholly, so he decided to read the entries that had key words important to him. He had to get information on who knows the mare the best, what’s the name of the place, where does she work and so on. He assumed that because the place was secluded and on the outskirts of the town, the mare would be a loner… This would make his goal easier to reach. On one of the first pages he however discovered how gravely he was mistaken. Entry 31, 31 June 1000 CR Dear Diary This night was full of surprises. Me, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle were able to defeat the legendary Nightmare Moon and put a stop to her scheme of bringing eternal night to Equestria! We brought Princess Luna back using the Elements of Harmony! It appears that I am the Element of Kindness. I’m so happy! I was afraid that because of me and my shyness I will be only a burden on this adventure. My friends however made me believe in myself and showed me how powerful and pure the Magic of Friendship is! Everyone has courage in them! That is what I learned today. Corvo’s brow went higher. He read another entry and then another and another. Almost all of them had something about friendship, learning and friends in them. They also mentioned magic, mythical creatures, evil spirits and such. Also the names of the friends of the mare and her own name… Were comical… “What the hell is this place…?” He asked himself. His eyes went wide suddenly as if he realized something of grave importance… His expression turned serious, cold as stone. “Jessamine…” He said. The voice of the mare sounded a little bit like his now. Full of gravity and some kind of depth. “Yes Corvo?” Her voice echoed in his head. “Is this place real…?” He asked firmly. There was a pause as tension in the air rose. “I’m not sure… It feels real, but something is off about it… Something I can’t quite see, as if on the edge of my vision…” Corvo was silent for a while, still looking at the book. “On the edge of the vision…” He repeated, mulling the information over. “I think it might be a test…” He added a second later. “We don’t know what the Outsider really wants. I doubt that it’s only amusement. He’s much more than that and has another motive in this.” Jessamine replied. “Maybe… This place is too unreal to exist… It’s… Like a children’s story.” Corvo said slowly. “You might be right Corvo… But isn’t that good?” Jessamine asked with some encouragement. “How so?” He asked perplexed. “If this place is not real… No actions you take will have any real impact and consequences…” She explained. Corvo hung down his head in thought. “You might be right…” He suddenly said as a fresh wave of determination and hurry washed over him. He closed the diary and quickly went out of the room and downstairs. He was about to get out of the place but something made him stop in the middle of the living room. He took a sniff and then heard a clattering noise. His vision quickly saw a yellow aura approaching the front door. It was one of these ponies closing in in a very disturbing fashion. It seemed to be jumping as it moved, as if bouncing instead of trotting like a normal Pony would. Corvo tilted his head to the side… Another proof showing that this place was some kind of made up testing ground. “The Outsider is toying with our minds…” Corvo stated as he observed the closing in Pony. Now there was a question what to do about this fact. The creature was obviously heading directly for this hut. Corvo could simply vanish if he wanted to, but he would have to leave the mare’s body. Inside her body it was too risky to cast anything, she could die from the power drain and Corvo didn’t want that. There were two options left then, pretend no one’s home and wait for the Pony to leave or confront it. The latter could be very risky, all in all Attano still didn’t know much about the body he occupied. He knew she was some “Element of Kindness”, had 5 friends at least and loved animals. That was about it. He took a deep breath… “Confrontation it is…” He decided. It could be reckless but he would have to confront one of them eventually. It was better to do it now than later… At least that’s what he thought. The Pony finally made it in front of the hut’s door and gave 3 knocks, still jumping up and down on the spot. Corvo approached the door… “No consequences and impact of the actions…” He repeated silently, giving himself some courage. He opened the door calmly. “HI FLUTTERSHY!!!!” The Pony screamed happily like a madman at Corvo. The latter didn’t even flinch staring at the Pink abomination in front of him. “What do you want?” He asked, a slight trace of threat and dead seriousness in his voice. The longer he was looking at that thing bouncing the madder he was becoming… The pink Pony stopped bouncing suddenly giving Corvo a questioning look for a while. But then happiness and energy kicked in again as it smiled beyond biological limits. “I came here to remind you of the Super-duper-awesome SLUMBER PARTY at Rarity’s! Oh it will be so awesomesuacly super! There will be drinks, food… Did I mention the drinks? And all of us will be there! And I will be like “Have more cake Mr. Rock!” and (…)” Corvo titled his head to the right… The Pony was babbling crazily. Is it one of the yellow mare’s friends? It seemed it wasn’t about to stop its mumblings and Corvo didn’t feel obliged to listen to it. He felt enraged after a while. “Shut up before I slice your tongue out.” He snapped, glaring daggers at the thing. The Pony stopped in an instance looking at Corvo in bewilderment and with a trace of fear. “Fluttershy… What’s wrong…? Why would you say something like that…?” Pinkie’s mane deflated as she took a look directly in her friend’s eyes. They were different. The warmth was gone. Instead there was a storm of rage, determination and no trace of remorse in them. It wasn’t Fluttershy… The Pink thing gasped and took a step back… “You’re not Fluttershy…” It said pointing its hoof at the would-be imposter. Corvo narrowed his eyes… He might have gone too far with the tongue slicing. But in his defense the Pink Pony was one of the most annoying things he has ever encountered. He had no choice now but to stop the Pink mare from running around and telling every citizen… Pinkie took another step back… “You’re a changeling! How did you get by the detection spells? What did you do with the real Fluttershy?!” The Pony’s expression turned into that of an anger, and determination as she also narrowed her eyes. Corvo smiled slightly to this and raised his left hoof with the Outsider’s Mark on it. Another risk? Well… He didn’t have much choice in the matter. “Saxificus...” He whispered as the Outsider’s Mark lightened up brightly, announcing that a supernatural ability is being used. *** Pinkie managed to turn around and was about to run away when she felt her legs slowing down, all her movements becoming impaired. She then stopped completely unable to move whatsoever. She wanted to warn everypony… But now she couldn’t… And why didn’t her sense warn her? Why?! She could only move her eyes, all other body parts felt as if made out of stone. What kind of magic was that?! *** Corvo on the other hand felt all his body burning from pain. He moaned and fell to the ground spasming violently. This went on for a few seconds and he almost lost consciousness. He didn’t allow that though and stood awake purely thanks to his iron will. The spams stopped… He felt some blood making its way down from his yellow nose, again. He stood up slowly, his legs trembling, he was very weak. Another spell will kill both him and the mare. “Fuck!” He shouted out breathing heavily, drops of sweat apparent all over his body. If this wasn’t real, The Outsider went into high lengths to make it feel real. He slowly approached the petrified Pink Pony taking a good look at it and spotting some kind of tattoo on its flank. It was however nothing of importance it seemed. His vision was becoming blurry and the “Canis Aspectus” ability turned itself off. Now he won’t be able to see if someone is coming. Just splendid. “This one’s name is Pinkanema Diane Pie or Pinkie Pie. She is Fluttershy’s friend. She might be cheerful and happy but she hides a secret from the World… ” Jessamine said in Corvo’s head. Corvo was still barely standing, he had to sit down and rest. Hunger was also starting to give itself away. *** Pinkie was following the Changeling with her eyes. That’s the only thing she could do. She felt some dread gripping her petrified throat. What is this bug’s plan? How did he get here? What did he do with Fluttershy?! It looked right at her still breathing sharply. *** “What should I do with you…?” He asked out loud pondering over the situation. He couldn’t simply leave the Pony here like that. There were a few options available… He could slice its throat, it would turn to ash and problem solved. But it didn’t sit right with him. Real or not it just wasn’t right to kill instantly, seeing that the Pink thing was innocent. He dropped the option as a last resort one thinking about what’s left. “Corvo… There is an option, albeit drastic one...” Corvo’s head perked up. “I can take over this body, permanently… You will have to cut out the heart and put me in its place…” Corvo’s eyes went wide. “Are you serious Jessamine? Cut out her heart? It’s crazy!” He shouted out not very content with this option. *** Pinkie’s eyes became glassed over. This bug was crazy! It was talking to itself and… It wanted to cut her heart out… She felt completely hopeless, there was no one here to help her, and this monster was ready to do something… Something… Unspeakable… *** “I’m simply telling you of the possibility… I don’t find it appealing either…” Jessamine replied slightly hurt. “I understand. Sorry for the outburst Empress. I’m on edge right now.” He said, calming himself down. “I know Corvo… I know…” She replied. Corvo’s erratic breath became normal again, he felt slightly less tired but the pain was still all over him. He couldn’t come up with anything good so the only thing left would be dragging the petrified Pony into the hut and leaving it there. That will be a real pain in the ass. He sighed heavily and approached the Pink Pony, who closed its eyes, obviously scared. Corvo didn’t pay attention though. He bit down on Pinkie’s tail and started dragging her back into the hut. This operation took a while. He had to stop many times, feeling out of breath. Finally however after about 1 hour of struggle the petrified mare was inside the hut and Corvo was laying on the ground next to her, completely drained. The animals in the cottage were very quiet for some reason. Again Corvo was in no mood and strength to pay attention. This couldn’t happen again, he will have to pretend he’s a cheerful, calm and timid mare even if he felt the tentacles around him squeezing harder, threatening to trap him inside this body forever. Another problem however was that the Pink thing instantly recognized him as an imposter when she took a look into his eyes. This meant he would have to stay away from the closest friends of the mare, grab some random guy and interrogate him or her. Even if all of it was a cleverly made “Lala Land”, he would still have to treat it as a real one and still complete the mission avoiding dying if possible. He stood up. The pain was slowly ceasing fortunately. His stomach rumbled… He had to eat something, preferably meat… “I need a steak…” He said desperately. “Corvo I don’t think they eat meat…” Jessamine whispered with some worry in her voice. “They’re not real. And honestly I couldn’t care less anymore. I won’t eat grass.” The Lord Protector retorted with annoyance. “I don’t think this body will even digest it properly.” Jessamine explained. “I’ll puke it out then and think what to eat later.” He was set on this one. He had this craving and it was definitely for meat. “Fine, help yourself then.” Jessamine responded with some disappointment. *** Pinkie Pie on the other hand heard everything that was being said. Changelings were carnivores?! That’s why they had the fangs… Now she was terrified… He could even eat her! What if he ate Fluttershy?! She had to get free somehow, warn Ponyville! Anything! She tried to move, but the attempt was futile. She felt so useless… *** Corvo was rummaging through the kitchen, finding only some food that a horse would enjoy, but nothing that even resembled meat. He sighed thinking what to do about this. Idea struck him… This hut was full of animals, many, many edible animals… He drew his eyes through the living room searching for something… And there it was… A rabbit. In Dunwall such meat was a delicacy, so he actually felt a little excited about it. He ate a rabbit maybe once in his life but still could vaguely remember the delicate taste of the meat. He checked the cupboards in the kitchen and in the third found what he was looking for – a sharp kitchen knife. The question remained how was he supposed to use it with hoofs? He tried to grab it somehow from different angles and after a few annoying attempts he was able to hold it firmly in the flexion between the hoof and the foreleg. It wasn’t a comfortable way to hold a blade, but would have to do. He went out of the kitchen heading straight for a lonely rabbit sitting on a couch. He almost fell down a few times, it was hard using only 3 legs… He approached the rabbit with the blade drawn and looked down at it. *** Pinkie was observing with horror what was about to happen, the Changeling approached a poor lonely rabbit and was about to… About to… She couldn’t say it or even think about it… She wanted to help, to do something, but was unable to. She could only observe… *** Corvo stopped. If he kills the rabbit and eats it in this body, Fluttershy will probably be traumatized. He didn’t want that. After all he was only borrowing the body and it was wrong to do something considered bestial and evil by this race. Even if they weren’t real he just couldn’t bring himself to do this. “Damn!” He cursed as he turned around and walked back to the kitchen. No meat for him then. *** Pinkie was crying. She almost witnessed somepony kill an innocent creature for the sake of food. She saw how mercilessly this Changeling behaved. How he was ready to murder the bunny… But why did he stop? Why didn’t he continue? Something had to happen inside his head. Why would he even need meat? They were living thanks to love! Tears were flowing freely down her petrified cheeks. She was afraid that even though the Changeling stopped he will change his mind and this time do something to her. Suddenly some weird smell came to her from the kitchen… Delicious smell. *** Corvo was already set. He prepared the kitchen for some proper cooking. He actually learned to cook a little from Jessamine and decided to make a vegetable stew. It was after all better than eating grass or carrots. He was now slicing some vegetables with rising precision and getting a hang of this whole hoof business. Additionally Jessamine decided to bud in. The late Empress actually loved to cook and knew a delicious recipe for a vegetable stew. Despite the mission they had and state they were both in this was one of few happy moments they were sharing together in this fantasy land. All the animals in the hut were awfully quiet. Some left the cottage as if concerned about their own safety. But Corvo didn’t really care for that. Now he was a chef. “Now add onions to the mixture…” Jessamine whispered happily and Corvo did as he was asked, throwing the sliced onions to the boiling stew in the pot. It smelled magnificently. He picked up the spoon using the flexion method he learned and got some stew with it. He cooled it down and then with one simple motion he ate it. His eyes went wide as he took a deep breath. “What’s wrong Corvo?” Jessamine asked with worry. “This… is… Fantastic!” He said feeling suddenly happy. Food was really one of few things that could boost his morale. To think something delicious like that could be made without a trace of meat… The taste was so incredible he just had to eat the stew, now. He took out a ladle from the cupboard and poured some stew on the previously prepared deep plate. Quickly he left the kitchen with the plate in one hoof and spoon in his mouth. He put the plate gently on the table and sat on the couch… As a human would sit… This for some reason wasn’t difficult for him even in this body. Corvo began to eat the stew with pleasure. It was indeed one of the best dishes he ever had. So delicate and yet intense in its flavor. *** Pinkie could smell it… The smell of different spices and vegetables mixed together. It was however different from what was usually made in restaurants. It had a sharp and tomato flavored feeling to it. How did a Changeling learn to cook something like this? There were far more questions about it than answers. And his sitting position? It remained Pinkie of Lyra Heartstrings. Veeery strange... The Changeling was enjoying the smell and the taste. It was still using Fluttershy’s appearance so it looked to Pinkie as if her own friend was happily eating a dish. The creature looked so similar to her, that if not for the eyes Pinkie would definitely fall for the disguise. She stopped sobbing. Maybe this creature was not such a monster as she thought. *** “Oh what would I give to have a proper body now…” Jessamine said with a hint of jealousy in her voice. “Mmm… This is really good… My Empress how I wish you could taste it!” Corvo said with a smile plastered on his face. Jessamine laughed warmly. Soon he emptied the plate, felt full and much stronger now, as if food alone managed to restore his spiritual energy. He stood up from the couch and took a look outside the window. It was about noon. High time to leave this place, get information and leave this body for good. He approached the Pink mare, who looked at him with a trace of dread. “You’ll probably stay like that for about a day…” He informed Pinkie coldly and then turned around ready to leave the hut. The door were opened and… “Adieu!” He shouted out with fake passion and then slammed the door shut behind him, leaving inside a petrified Pink mare and a terrified rabbit named Angel… Outside of the hut there was a simple path leading straight to the town. Corvo was feeling much better, his energy levels were pretty good from what he could tell. “Canis Aspectus…” He whispered, as the mark responded, giving him supernatural awareness. He looked around and started walking down the path heading for the small town. He arrived near it fast and without anyone pestering him on the way. Now the real test was beginning. There were many different “ponies” walking around, most of them seemed to be happy. Some were conversing, some were simply passing by. The whole thing looked a little rustic and calm, having an inviting atmosphere about it. Corvo winced a little. The amount of colors here was slightly overwhelming to him. Amethyst Star was trotting through Ponyville with a smile on her face. She just bought a magnificent dress from Rarity. It was so beautiful it actually blinded her, first time she saw it. Rarity was really one of the greatest fashion designers in Equestria. She instantly knew she wanted to have the dress… Fortunately she had enough bits from her savings and even though the price was astronomical, Amethyst knew it was the right choice. She was just passing by the path that led to Fluttershy’s cottage, as she instantly spotted the yellow, shy mare standing there looking around with a pretty displeased expression on her face. “Hey, Fluttershy! Long time no see!” Amethyst shouted out joyfully. The yellow mare turned her head slowly. Her cold look instantly gripped Amethyst by her heart. Fluttershy was staring the lavender unicorn down for a while. Then she replied with a fake smile on her face and indifferent tone of voice. “Indeed…” Amethyst was slightly taken aback by this. Maybe something happened? Fluttershy definitely wasn’t her usual self… “Did something happen honey?” The Element of Kindness seemed distant for a while as if she didn’t hear what was being said. Then she broke out from her thoughts. “No.” She replied looking around as if searching for something. “Are you sure? You know… You can always talk to me about anything.” Amethyst was really getting worried about the mare… “Yes, I’m sure, thank you.” The fake smile was so obvious that Amethyst could only shake her head disapprovingly. “Okay then, see you later Fluttershy!” The lavender pink Unicorn left, leaving Corvo to his thoughts. There were so many of these “ponies” here that it was close to impossible to drag one out and interrogate him or her. He needed a more secluded location… Again… He cursed heavily under his breath and went inside the town. Various ponies were giving him nods, or greeting him on the way. He however ignored most of them. He passed along few alleys and main roads of the town. He reached the market district after a few turns, but it was hardly the location he was aiming for, as there were even more ponies here. “Shit…” He said with a hint of anger, while looking around… If he is to find a secluded location, he would have to get to the outskirts of the town. Without further ado he made his way through the wave of ponies, heading north. Passing through the crowd he could swear someone was shouting “Fluttershy!” in the distance. He picked up his pace and as fast as possible, using force in some cases, made his way out of the Market and through the smaller alleys, still heading north. On his way he passed many buildings, obviously living areas, but also many different shops and such. Architecture of some was simply impossible, making Corvo believe even further that all of this is simply an illusion - a test made by The Outsider. After a few minutes of walking he finally reached north outskirts of the town and could see a huge orchard… This looked secluded enough. He made his way down a slope. There were close to no ponies here, according to his senses. He stopped, smelling something again, he could also hear a flapping sound… As if wings… He looked up and spotted two yellow auras closing in on him. He turned around and in a matter of seconds two Pegasi landed just in front of him. “Well, well, well, if it isn’t Klutzershy!” The bigger one said with a very smug grin on his face. It was a brown, muscular stallion with shortly cut mane in the same color and a similar tail. His brown eyes had a spark of cruelty in them. Corvo was not impressed and raised an eyebrow to that. “Is there something specific you want?” He asked coldly. “Oh, we just wanted to say hello to our friend Klutzershy!” The shorter said, also pretty smug. He wasn’t muscular like his friend and one could say he was of average, but sleek build. He had a white coat with some green highlights here and there. His mane was in a bright green color, having a spiky hairstyle. The same could be said about his tail. His eyes were of navy blue color and had a hint of mischievousness in them. Again the Lord Protector was anything but impressed. “I don’t have time for this.” He said as he turned around and prepared to leave. His route was however blocked by the bigger stallion, who flew over Attano and landed in front of him. The Pony was staring Corvo down with the grin still apparent on his face. “Don’t leave Klutzershy! We just want to have some FUN!” He said, as the smaller one stood behind the Lord Protector. “What’s the matter Klutzershy? Not scared? Not going to tremble and ask us to stop, huh?” The shorter bully asked mockingly. Corvo was not amused. But then he realized… He was alone here with these two dimwits… It was a secluded location so no one would see him interrogating them. The taller one pushed him suddenly, making Attano take a step back. “Come on! Tremble already!” He shouted. This was the ignition point. Corvo couldn’t allow some thrash to push him around like that. He was no saint to present his other cheek and take the blow. His pride and dignity was at stake. Also he tried to leave peacefully. Those idiots brought this on themselves. Attano snorted and smiled cruelly “Boy, you just bit off more than you can chew…” Dunwall’s Hero said with a threat in his voice. The taller Bully looked at him flabbergasted. Lord Protector then extended his right foreleg “Appareo...” The Outsider’s Mark lightened up, black energy seeping from Corvo’s body materializing into a silver blade that appeared in the flexion between his hoof and the foreleg. To the Bullies it looked as if some kind of Cutie Mark started to glow on Fluttershy’s left hoof and then… A sinister blade appeared in her right hoof, reflecting the rays of sun, making it look as if it was on fire. “What…” The shorter pegasus managed to stammer “Illac…” Corvo whispered and with a blink of an eye he appeared next to the taller bully with the silver sword pressed against his throat. There was a pause in which their minds caught up with reality and realized that they are possibly in a great deal of danger from insane Fluttershy… “F… Fluttershy… What are you doing?!” The taller bully screamed out terrified. The shorter one was already preparing to leave, slightly pale on the face. Corvo couldn’t allow it… He could petrify him, but again it would probably eat a lot of his energy and he couldn’t have that. He could turn him to ash, but that required direct contact. He could stop time, but it was a very powerful ability and he still didn’t want to use it, fearing it might hurt Fluttershy’s body. There was only one option then… “No consequences, no impact…” Corvo said to himself and didn’t even look at the taller bully as with one fluid motion he sliced his throat open. A gush of blood left the wide cut. It landed mostly on the ground in front of the Pony making a clear red splatter. Gurgling the Pegasus fell down. He spasmed as life left him completely and a puddle of blood started to form around his lifeless corpse. As soon as this happened his body, blood and possessions turned to ash, leaving no evidence that anything ever happened here. Corvo could see his other target starting to escape into air. He had no time then. “Illac…” Attano whispered looking straight at his target. He was pulled through reality slightly above the erratically flying Pegasus. With the blade in right hoof he fell straight on top of him. The latter screamed in surprise and immediately lost his concentration. Corvo locked the bully’s neck with his left foreleg in a powerful choking grip. The Pegasus was thrashing about as they both started to fall. Soon however he lost consciousness. Corvo still holding his victim tight quickly concentrated on the ground feeling the gravity’s pull and seeing the ground getting closer and closer. “Illac!” He shouted and before they hit the ground they were both thrown through reality hitting the land with much smaller force, but still bruising themselves. Corvo slowly raised himself from the unconscious Pegasus sighing with relief. “That was a dangerous stunt Corvo” Jessamine whispered. “Yes, but now we have a source of information and hopefully no one saw any of it.” He looked around, they landed just outside of the forest, near the Orchard he was initially aiming for. His sense told him that no one was in the vicinity and there couldn’t have been any witnesses. “Still have a good aim.” He said with some smugness. Fortunately he didn’t even lose the blade, as he was still holding it tightly in his right hoof. Corvo also used four abilities and was only moderately tired. It seemed that the mare’s body was getting used to The Outsider’s power. He approached the unconscious bully and touched him with his leg concentrating on the spot inside the forest. “Illac…” And with that they both were teleported into the forest. Awesome Wing groggily came back to reality… The last thing he remembered was being… Attacked by Fluttershy… No, it had to be some kind of a stupid dream. His vision was blurry, but he could feel something pressing against his throat. He blinked a few times and saw a pair of cold, soul piercing eyes staring at him. And the thing pressing against his throat… It was a very long and very sharp sword… He realized his troubles just begun and insane Fluttershy was not a dream. She was looking straight at him with a very serious expression. He involuntarily started to tremble, as his face was drained from blood yet again. “W…” He wanted to say something but his mouth became so dry he simply couldn’t. “I’m in a hurry so let’s make this quick…” The mare said. Awesome nodded slowly. “How do Princess Celestia and Princess Luna look like?” He felt cold sweat on his face. How can she not know this? Maybe it’s a trick? There was a pause. “I see you have trouble speaking so I’ll make this clear. When I ask you something and you won’t answer I’ll cut a part of your body off… How does that sound?” Cold shiver went down his spine and his eyes widened from fear. She couldn’t… Could she? "How do Princess Celestia and Princess Luna look like?" She asked again, impatience detectable in her voice. “They…They are alicorns… P-Princess Celestia has a white coat with mane and tail in a pastel color... Her Cutie Mark is that of a sun… Princess Luna has an indigo coat with a teal mane and tail… Her Cutie Mark is moon .” He answered as if he was passing an exam. Fluttershy seemed to mull over the information. “Alicorns?” She asked then. She had to lose her memories somehow and surely was crazy now. “Pegasi with unicorn horns…” He explained. “I understand. And what is this Cutie Mark?” He opened his moth in surprise. This was basic knowledge! What happened to her? “It’s… A mark on the flank, everypony receives when they discover their special talent…” Awesome said unable to calm down however. He had a sharp blade pressed against his neck after all. Fluttershy took a look around the bully and spotted his Cutie Mark. It was a letter A with wings attached. She nodded somehow doubtfully. “So it’s a tattoo…” She said to herself and turned her sight back at Awesome Wing. “Where do Princess Celestia and Princess Luna live?” She asked patiently. “C-Canterlot…” He answered as hastily as possible. She nodded slowly. “Very nice. And where is this Canterlot?” She was mad! She had to be mad… But if he doesn’t tell her, she will definitely do something… Oh Celestia! Why did he even agree to the idea of trying to torment her?! She snapped and turned insane! “It’s… It’s… On the mountain, above Ponyville…” He answered still feeling that fear was draining all his energy. “I see. How can I get there the fastest?” She asked, this time with more patience. “There’s a train… From train station in Ponyville. It runs every 2 hours…” She seemed to be thinking about something. Her sight seemed distanced for a while… “Do you have a watch?” She asked him politely. “Y-Yes…” The bully answered somewhat surprised. “Take it off and give it to me…” She said with small ounce of authority in her voice. “O-Of course…” Now she was robbing him… Incredible… Trembling he raised his left hoof up and with the right one he pressed against the watch’s locking mechanism. The watch fell to the ground. “Thank you kindly.” She said calmly. “Can I… Can I go now?” He decided to try his chances. “I’m afraid I can’t have any witnesses…” She answered matter-of-factly as his eyes widened. He was about to scream for help but the blade moved against his throat, slicing it open and ending his life. The corpse turned to ash as Corvo reached down for the watch, picking it up with his mouth. With some failed attempts he finally locked it onto the hoof and looked at the hour. It was 16:33. It was hard to say for him how long will it take for the train to arrive, but he should go to the train station as fast as possible. He looked back at the path he used to arrive here. “Illac…” He whispered and vanished. Lord Protector arrived at the train station at 16:56. It took him some time to find his way there, but with some running around and plenty of luck he finally made it. He also avoided three Ponies that tried to catch up to him and talk. Well better word being, he barely avoided, using supernatural ability to increase his distance between them. They were very persistent, but he managed to lose them anyway. He also got rid of the blade, making it turn into black energy and enter the body of the mare again. He looked around - there were plenty of Ponies here and now he needed an isolated location close-by. He smiled as he spotted what he was looking for… Toilets… Corvo had to wait for the train first though. And so he stood near the toilets waiting for the train to arrive. It took a while but after a few minutes he heard a distant sound of locomotive. How did these “Ponies” construct such a complicated machine? Hoofs could be used to grab some things, but work where a certain amount of precision was required… He simply shook his head. Another block to the theory of this world not being real was added. He could smell burned coal now. And after a while a peculiar train arrived. Its wagons constructed crookedly and painted colorfully. The locomotive itself was also crooked. A steam engine needed to be constructed precisely with certain proportional shapes… But this? This thing never stood close to a straight line! It was a design that had no right of existence. Corvo’s expression turned into a sour one. As impossible and ludicrous as this “train” was, he had no choice but to ride it. He quickly entered the proper toilet room for “mares”. Knowing no one was inside he took a last look at himself in this body, thanks to a mirror on the wall. “Oblittero...” He whispered. The Outsider’s Mark on Fluttershy’s left hoof disappeared and black energy escaped her body, quickly solidifying into a human form right behind her. Fluttershy then fell to the ground unconscious. Corvo took a look at the mare. She was bruised, had dirt and some splatters of blood on her coat, but all in all was pretty much alive. The masked man flexed his arms and cracked his neck as if he was exercising after a long trip. “Thanks for the ride Fluttershy.” He said calmly to the laying mare. He reached down and unlocked the watch from her hoof, hiding it inside his coat. Might come in handy He thought “Caligo…” He whispered and turned into white mist. Seepeing under the door he made his way onto the roof of the middle wagon of the train. Some ponies spotted the white mist making its way onto the train, none however connected it with an assassin making his way to the capital of Equestria and all dismissed it as some kind of weather anomaly. Lord Protector materialized himself on the roof of the train in a laying position. The train slowly started to move, gaining speed rather quickly and leaving the town of Ponyville with Dunwall’s Hero on its roof. Corvo was going to fulfill his mission, release his and Jessamine’s soul, see Emily again and nothing could stop him… CheckmateDishonored: The Outsider’s Reach Chapter 3: Checkmate A/N: Woo! Almost 13 000 words... That's a record for me O_o Hopefully you'll like the chapter! One important thing though, It's not over yet... Anything can still happen :P Also sorry for the derps... It's hard to correct all the errors in 30 pages worth of a chapter... And as usual thanks for reading, have a BEER! Anyway onto the story: Her eyelids… They felt so heavy, as if sew together. With tremendous effort she slowly opened them, or at least she thought she did. There was however nothing in front of her… A deserted space made entirely of blackness. She felt as if underwater, unable to neither breathe nor move. There was no source of light to be found. She tried to move, but her body refused to comply with her commands. She couldn’t feel it in fact and could only exist in this world of emptiness, where no sounds, no feelings were present. This place was so cold that it paralyzed her mind, her senses. She couldn’t think straight, couldn’t feel the time passing by and couldn’t remember anything. Where was she? Why was she here? How could she live without breathing? Then at some point during this pointless existence a light appeared… It immediately struck her senses hard, slowly dispersing the ever-present darkness. Each passing second it was becoming more intense and warm. The coldness was slowly receding, yielding to the warmth. For a while it felt good and she welcomed the change, but then in the back of her mind a feeling of unease and anxiety appeared. There was something disturbing about this light, as if with it some kind of change was coming. It seemed to be offering sinister experience and knowledge. She didn’t want such thing and didn’t like what the light had to offer. It was misleading and the darkness she already knew. She wanted the peace and calm, the cold was offering her. Nothing could be done however, except for bitterly accepting the fact that the light was consuming the dark. Soon it enveloped her and in the distance she heard first sound since God knows only how long. “Thanks for the ride Fluttershy.” Slowly the feeling of warmth disappeared with the light also gone, yet again replaced by the familiar darkness. Soon the feeling of being underwater ceased, the emptiness was no more as steadily she started to feel her body. Some amount of joy appeared in her heart. She knew she was in a laying position now. The sense of smell appeared, giving away the aroma of water mixed with lavender and some chemicals. Hearing came back as she could make out the creak of doors. She could also taste something now, a delicate flavor of some vegetables. Yet she still felt somehow not entirely synchronized, as if still not out of the darkness. Her joy and happiness of finally being able to use her senses was suddenly crushed when with all of them came reality and her mind adapted to it. A wave of pain and tiredness washed over her with the feeling of the hard floor pressing against her body. She felt a throbbing pain inside her head and involuntarily moaned from the negative feedback of her senses. She was so tired and weak, she wanted only to sleep. Some primal fear however told her that if she goes to sleep now, she might never wake up. With whatever strength she had left, she opened her eyes. Her vision was horribly blurry and the throbbing pain in her head made the image pulse unpleasantly. The place she was in now was she easily identified as a bathroom or toilet. The walls were painted in white and just above her there were some sinks and a mirror probably. It was hard for her to identify the details, as she couldn’t see straight. The same fear that made her open her eyes told her to stand up and get out of here. She obeyed and slowly started to gather her sprawled about hoofs. The yellow mare was shaking from the exhaustion and had a few failed attempts in which she found herself back on the cold floor. Soon however she was standing, barely. A nauseous feeling that seemed not to bother her that much previously attacked her with tripled force, as bile built up in her stomach. Even though she wanted to hold it down, the short battle was over quickly. She leaned forward and released her stomach contents on the floor, breathing sharply soon after that. The Element of Kindness felt some relief after this, as she raised her head again, vision still blurry and pulsing. Fluttershy was swaying slightly from left to right, not entirely able to stand straight. The door in front of her seemed like a long distance to trot, but she knew this was her destination. She had to get out of here. Fluttershy took a look to the left, into what she presumed was a mirror. The only thing she spotted in it was a yellowish blob however. She wasn’t sure if this blob was in fact her or not and didn’t really have time to ponder over this as her thoughts were quickly dispersing not allowing her to concentrate fully. She took a deep breath and with it started her advance towards the door. Unable to walk straight she was placing her hoofs clumsily and tripped over them a few times. The yellow mare was half way there when a particularly unpleasant sway made her trip again and fall to the side, ramming the wall with her side. A sick crack could be heard and a wave of pain came through her body. She let out a pained scream and felt her right wing hurting horribly with additional pain in her ribs. As quickly as possible however, she recomposed herself and despite the pain, with tremendous determination she finally arrived at the door, feeling some amount of fulfillment. It was as if she reached a very distant destination, as if behind this door everything would become clear and normal again. She pushed the door with her hoof and… It was raining… Heavily… Despite her vision remaining blurry and pulsing she was able to see a stone road in front of her where once in a while a bipedal creature strolled slowly, holding an umbrella often. The buildings around her were very tall, made out of bricks and sheet metal. Many different logos and signs were placed above doors and shop-windows. It was night-time however and most shops were closed. The darkness was dispersed thanks to many lanterns that gave away bright light. The surroundings seemed to be very gray and monotonous though, a complete contrary to what she knew. Fluttershy looked down, feeling that something else was off. She… wasn’t herself anymore, there were no hoofs nor a tail. She looked like one of these bipedal creatures with her skin very pale and completely black mane. She was also clothed in a pricy black dress with many white decorations. The mare looked at her open hands, studying them in amazement. Soon however amazement was replaced with a feeling of panic. She turned around hastily. Behind her there was a wall made out of bricks belonging to one of the tall buildings, not a door. Her breath became raspy as she was starting to hyperventilate. “Where…” She whispered scared, as the throbbing pain in her head grew stronger. She clumsily took a step forward, swaying slightly to the sides, as she put a hand on her head. Fluttershy blinked a few times, hoping to clear her vision. It didn’t help however. The bipedal creatures walking-by, were not paying much attention to her, simply passing by. The light from the lanterns all around her became somewhat more intense. The drops of rain soaked through her clothes immediately, but didn’t feel cold. She leaned forward breathing in and out in raising panic. Again the primal fear told her to get out of here, go forward, anywhere. She started to walk, tripping and swaying as if drunk. Looking around in panic for any clue where she was, what happened and what were those creatures. Quickly Fluttershy increased her pace, which only threw her forward and made her fall to the stone ground. She put her hands forward involuntarily and felt her skin being ripped slightly by the hard stone. She winced from the pain, having no idea what was happening, where she was and for that matter what she was. She felt confused and was worried about what was happening to her, why was her head hurting so much? A horrible feeling of hopelessness instantly overwhelmed her and bitter tears soon followed, mixing with the rain water. She was sobbing now, still on the ground, on all fours. “Where am I…?” She asked out loud through her tears. “Where is everypony…?” She asked again in sorrow. She then saw that a shadow covered the light from the lanterns. Somepony was standing above her. Fluttershy looked up, barely seeing any details. It was definitely one of these bipedal creatures. The tears covered the image in front of her even more. “Are you alright, miss?” The bipedal blob asked. She heard it as if through a thick wall, but made out what was being said. It offered her its paw, a gesture of good will she thought. She was still sobbing quietly. “Um… I… don’t think so” She barely whispered. The blob was slightly shorter than most of the creatures. Its voice seemed to be that of a child. “Let me help you up, miss.” The child said, with a vigorous and warm voice. Fluttershy nodded to herself as she weakly extended her arm and grabbed the hand of the child. Not without effort the small biped helped her up. She still felt sick and weak however, something definitely was wrong with her and she was scared of it. The mare had no idea what could cause her state. There was a hole in her memories, as she remembered feeding a bunny, then some panicked screams of her animal friends and then… Nothing… Blackness, all the way to the point when she woke up. She mustered a smile looking down at the short biped. It definitely was a child and a young stallion at that. “Um… Thank you…” She whispered lowering her head down and looking at the ground. “You’re quite welcome m-“ He was interrupted by a shout. “William!” A female voice echoed. It was coming from behind them. Swaying slightly, Fluttershy turned around, just to spot another biped closing-in on them and fast. “Here I am Martha!” The child shouted back happily. The female quickly arrived at their position. Because of her state, Fluttershy was however unable to make out any details, only seeing a blob again. The woman approached the child and hugged him, breaking the embrace very fast. “I told you to wait outside! Why did you walk away William?!” The female asked the child, visibly angry. “I’m sorry sister… But I saw this lady falling and wanted to help…” The child said with an apology in his voice. “I see…” The woman replied standing up as she looked at Fluttershy. She froze up instantly staring at the Element of Kindness. “H-Hello” Fluttershy said in her usual timid voice. “William… Get behind me… Now!” The woman said coldly as she took a slight step back. The child saw his sister’s cold stare and obeyed without word. There was a pause after which the woman shouted out as loud as she could. “Weeper!” Fluttershy got startled and again fell down, this time on her butt. The confusion only rose. Out of nowhere loud heavy steps could be heard, somepony was galloping. From the distance 3 figures appeared, they were running as fast as possible closing in hastily. Soon they arrived, three bipeds in some kind of uniforms. Fluttershy was scared and confused, she understood it had to be some kind of law enforcement force, but had no idea what she did wrong. Two of them had silvery blades drawn and one was holding, what looked like some kind of miniature cannon in its appendage. They stopped right next to the woman and took a quick look at Fluttershy immediately understanding what the problem was. They pointed their blades and the contraption at her. Fluttershy found herself sobbing again, completely disoriented. “God damn it, I can’t believe it. The plague has ended so many years ago and here we have another weeper.” One of the bipeds said with a raspy and firm tone of voice. He turned his head and spitted on the ground. “What do we do Captain?” Another one asked. “Knock her out and deliver her to Sokolov’s clinic. They’ll take it from there.” Fluttershy looked up. Her eyes hurting from the tears and constant pulses of vision. “I-I’m sorry, if I did something wrong… Please, I think I’m lost…” She said feebly as her throat hurt from the sobs. One of the officers whistled. “Captain, she’s still sentient!” The younger watchman said, visibly amazed. The Captain nodded to that and holstered his pistol. He gestured for his men to do the same. They lowered their weapons, as the Captain crouched in front of Fluttershy holding his arm against his mouth, as if to prevent the sickness from infecting him. “Ma’am, can you hear me?” Fluttershy turned her head to the side, scared of the bipedal blob in front of her. After a short pause however she responded. “Y-yes…” The Captain’s eyes widened slightly, not quite believing the infected woman actually spoke to him. “You are very sick ma’am. We need to take you to the Clinic for yours and all the citizen’s own good.” Fluttershy didn’t want to go anywhere, she just wanted to go back to Ponyville or wake up, because all of this seemed like a nightmare to her. She couldn’t see the Captain’s expression, but something told her that if she refuses they will take her by force. “O-okay…” She said quietly. The Captain nodded and motioned for his men to help the sick woman stand up. They put their hands under her armpits and pulled up, instantly bringing her to her feet. The Captain stood up and looked at Martha. “You will have to come with us madam, we all have to be decontaminated in the clinic and get a dose of the cure.” He said calmly. Martha coughed slightly and nodded as William’s expression turned into a sad one. He couldn’t help but feel guilty for the whole commotion. The falling rain didn’t help his mood either, wetting his clothes constantly. He felt sorry for the sick woman though, as he heard stories about the plague and knew that weepers were brainless animals not people anymore. Martha grabbed William’s hand and waited for the watchmen to get a proper hold of the weeper. Fluttershy simply couldn’t stand straight anymore, the ground under her feet seemed to shake and nausea in her stomach was getting worse. The watchmen took out some kind of kerchiefs and held them against their mouths as they grabbed her by her arms stabilizing the poor woman. With that they started to move towards a district check point. Those were places left after the plague where previously walls of light were. Now they served as City Watch posts and temporary prisons for criminals, until they are picked up by rail transit system. “Shit, what if we catch it?” The young watchman asked as they walked, very dissatisfied with the whole situation, holding the weeper tight. “The plague doesn’t turn you into a weeper instantly. If we catch it Sokolov and Pierro’s formula will get rid of the sickness.” The other watchman said. “You better be right Siergiej” The dissatisfied one replied. They were trying to walk as fast as possible, as the Captain was very tense. There was a whole protocol for what to do in such situation. Holger Square will have to be locked down and decontamination unit will have to sweep it wholly in search of rats and other pests, cleaning them out with special nerve toxin. The sick woman was probably in a very early stage of the plague. He remembered that it took about 48 hour of no treatment to reach the early stadium of being a weeper. Then it developed faster turning a human into a mindless beast. She could be still saved though. Then she will have to be questioned as well as the young boy and the other woman that found the weeper. After few minutes of walking they finally arrived at the City Watch Post. There were no other watchmen here, as the district was actually very calm and didn’t require many forces on each post. The Captain motioned for the group to wait as running he entered the control point booth. Inside there was a new and handy invention, City Watch adopted not long ago. It was a long distance communication device, powered by a small whale-oil cell. With a copper cable it was connected with City Watch central, where every requests and reports were sent. It looked like a small black box with an elongated receiver and a loudspeaker inside. The Captain picked up the receiver hastily, bringing it up to his lips. “Dispatch, requesting Containment Rail Unit ASAP. We have possible outbreak of Rat Plague. I repeat, possible outbreak of Rat Plague. One weeper found. District lockdown required!” He said loudly, remembering to speak very coherently. The device distorted the voice a lot. “Understood Holger East, containment unit sent, T – 5 minutes. Relaying information further.” The loudspeaker echoed with a distorted, mechanical male voice. The Captain put down the receiver and went out of the booth sighing heavily. This will be a long night. He approached the group. “A Rail Unit will take us to the Clinic soon. How are you feeling ma’am?” He asked looking at Fluttershy. The latter had no idea what was happening. The feeling of panic somewhat receded as she felt that all of this had to be only a very weird dream. Her vision got a little worse and some bile was building up in her stomach again. She however was holding it down. Her legs were trembling, and she was standing only thanks to the two watchmen supporting her. “N-Not… Good…” She said weakly. The Captain took out a kerchief and held it against his mouth. It probably wasn’t helping at all, but the common belief that the rat plague won’t get you if you don’t breathe in or breathe through some kind of material was still apparent in most people’s minds. Except for some, like Martha, who herself had the plague once, being in a very advanced stadium. She was cured but her life expectancy was shortened horribly as many of her internal organs were damaged. Especially her lungs, hence the cough. She was staring the sick woman down, some anger and blame in her eyes. She couldn’t help but feel some kind of deeply rooted hate towards such victims of plague. Yes they were sick, yes they were poor, but they still were spreading the disease on others. That’s how she was infected. “Martha, what will happen to us now?” William was scared slightly and he just couldn’t help but ask his older sister. The latter came out of her thoughts. “Nothing much really, we will be taken to a hospital, drink some juice and the nice men from the Watch will ask us some simple questions. Don’t worry Willy.” She smiled at her brother, who visibly lightened up after this. Fluttershy was getting very sleepy all of a sudden. She simply couldn’t hold her tiredness in much longer. Yes, sleep would be good. Maybe if she goes to sleep here, she will wake up from this dream, come back to Ponyville? The Captain saw that the sick woman’s eyes were getting a milky shade to them as they were closing slightly. He cursed under his breath and approached her, grabbing the woman’s shoulders disregarding the fact that he was dealing with the devastating plague again. “Hey! Don’t go to sleep! Fight it! Do you hear me?!” He shook the woman. The two other guards were slightly flabbergasted by what was happening. “Captain, if she’s sleepy why not let her simply take a nap?” The watchman asked perplexed. “She’s weak! If she goes to sleep now, her heart may give up completely!” The younger watchmen looked at each other taking in the situation. “Hey! What’s your name?! Do you hear me? What’s your name?!” Fluttershy’s eyes shot open suddenly as the shaking and screaming therapy seemed to take some effect. “It’s… It’s Flutt-“ She was barely able to put words together. Her vision was getting dark, the light was fading away, as were the sounds. “F-Fluttershy” She finally stammered as blackness consumed her. Her consciousness faded away together with the dream world. Spike was in a bad mood. He was cleaning up the library today (the upper book shelves to be exact) with accordance to Twilight’s list of to do things. Oh boy was it long. He took down all the books dusting the non-existent dust (It seemed that they were constantly in use and there weren’t many Ponies coming to the library… Was Twilight really reading THIS much?), than he cleaned the shelves and even placed the books back alphabetically. With his work done he could finally use some free time. That is until Twilight came back to the library from her visit at Rarity’s. Seemed the Mares were planning some kind of Slumber Party? Yuk… Well he would go to be honest if Rarity would be there… Ah Rarity… He would give his heart to her, such graceful mare she was. So beautiful, radiating style and charm. Whoops, he got carried away again. Anyway Twilight came and told him to rearrange the books alphabetically but also thematically. And so again he took the books down and was in the process of doing what he was told. Honestly he didn’t see the point. Twilight could really be a pain in the a-… tail sometimes. “Stupid books… I’ll rearrange you good!” He said to himself really. The Element of Magic was currently reading (duh) something up in her room. How can somepony do nothing but read and read? Weren’t her eyes hurting or something? Meh… Twilight was simply Twilight. He picked up another three books and climbed the slightly unstable ladder to put them next to the previous ones. He was carefully placing a rather big and heavy one as a knock echoed, so loud that he lost his balance and fell on his back from the ladder. After him naturally some books fell burying him under. He could only wince from some pain and sigh slightly at the situation. It definitely happened too often. The knock was repeated and Twilight’s voice came from upstairs. “Coming!” She quickly trotted down from her room, wondering who might be in such a hurry to cause a commotion like this. The knock echoed again, even harder this time. “COMING!” She shouted louder as she approached the door opening them wide. It was Rainbow Dash, breathing sharply. She was covered in sweat and had a horrified expression on her face. “Rainbow Dash? What’s t-“ She didn’t finish as Rainbow said with seriousness Twilight never saw in the Element of Loyalty before. “It’s Fluttershy… She’s in hospital! Ponies found her on the train station bruised, covered in dirt and with a broken wing! Everypony is already there! We have to go… NOW!” Twilight’s eyes went wide. Fluttershy? What could have happened? Something attacked her? Why was she on the train station? All those questions (and more) were buzzing in her mind, but were quickly stopped by the inpatient RD. “Twilight! Come on!” Twilight blinked a few times as her horn lightened up. “Right! We’ll take a shortcut!” Then she and RD were teleported out of the Library in a flash, leaving the buried and flabbergasted Spike Meanwhile in the Ponyville Hospital a group of Ponies was standing around a bed. In the bed lied unconscious Fluttershy. She was covered in bandages, as there were some cuts and bruises visible all over her body. Her eyes were closed and squinted as if she was having a bad dream. The yellow mare was also sweating, an indication of fever. Rarity, Applejack and Amethyst Star were there, their expressions ranging from sad to angry at whatever did it to their friend. There was also a doctor right next to the bed of the patient. He was a white stallion dressed in doctor’s coat with a stethoscope over his neck. He had thick black glasses on his eyes. His black mane and tail were solid in color and not quite kempt. He was observing his patient when the door to the room opened up suddenly and both Twilight and RD stormed into it. Everypony looked at the arrivals. “Finally Twilight. Ahm glad yer here.” Applejack said with a very serious and angry tone of voice. Rarity remained silent looking at her injured friend sadly. “What happened and how is she?” Was the question that came to Twilights mind instantly. Her tone of voice was full of worry. “Nopony knows. Amethyst Star found her laying on the ground in the middle of the Train Station. She was already in such state. How she ended up there…” Rarity said silently, not taking her eyes off Fluttershy. “I don’t know what could have happened to her Twilight. She had to go through a lot…” Amethyst said, obviously sad. The doctor on the other hand, cleared his throat. “As to how she is… She had a broken wing and a cracked rib when she was brought in. Something very heavy had to strike her side. There is also an indication of many smaller physical traumas. Seems to me she had to be in some kind of hoof to hoof combat situation. She also has some cuts on her left hoof and some wooden splinters stuck under her skin. This damage could have been only caused by the patient herself. She had to hit something made out of wood very hard. The amount of force used however is far greater than a mare like her could produce. This is why there is also a slight swelling, as her body was simply not ready for this. She has also a high fever, however… We don’t know why… It resembles a condition known to unicorns as Hollowing” He explained as calmly as possible The mares looked at the doctor, their expressions ranged from surprise to a complete shock. “What do you mean she did it to herself?” RD asked glaring at the doctor. “There’s no other explanation to this wound…” The doctor replied calmly. “Fluttershy wouldn’t do this to herself!” RD shouted out, angry. All the mares nodded in agreement, except Twilight who seemed to be in shock. “Hollowing?!” Twilight suddenly shouted out. “It’s impossible! She can’t use magic, so how can she have depleted all her reserves of it?!” She asked angrily. “I’m really not sure what to tell you… This are the facts…” He said sadly. “Twilight? What does it mean? Is it dangerous?” Rarity asked as if not really wanting to know the answer. “It… Might be… If the fever won’t go down after 24 hours it can cause permanent damage to her…” Rarity’s blood was drained from her face. The other mares didn’t look so well either. “H-How permanent?” The element of generosity asked, fear in her voice. “She… She can die…” Twilight said quietly, as some tears formed in her eyes. Reality struck the mares hard. Never in their lives, had they experienced something like this. Death in Equestria was a very rare occurrence as was the Hollowing. There were only a few known cases among unicorns and all of them… Resulted in death… The silence that fell after these words was terrifying, no one dared to break it, as the mares looked to be in a deep state of disbelief and shock… Until… “E-Empire... Empire of Isles…” Fluttershy barely whispered, her eyes still closed. She was fever-talking. All the mares immediately came closer to listen, with some hope appearing over their faces. “D… D-Dunwall… He came… From Dunwall… I am…” They looked at each other surprised not knowing what this could possibly mean. “I am The Outsider… I Bring you change…” She was speaking louder now, her voice changed slightly. “I sent one being, one man to this stagnant place and he bears my Mark…” She was speaking clearly now, her voice was doubled. The mares were terrified… “Twilight?! What’s happening to her?!” Rarity asked taking a step back, panic was slowly taking over her mind. “I don’t know!” The Element of Magic replied similarly terrified and confused. “Through him the Sun and the Moon will lose their masters…” Fluttershy’s eyes shot open, but they were completely black… “He is the bringer of change, the shaper of Fates, the Grim Reaper or the Seed of Life. He carries the destiny of your World and he fights for his freedom…” Everypony took a step back as Fluttershy slowly sat up looking straight forward with eyes black as coal. “What will he do with this place, is his decision entirely… No one can control him, no one can stop the wheels of fate. Mark my words mortals as with him I have arrived and I am observing you. I exist outside of Time and Space and both bow before me. Lose all hope those who believe in everlasting status quo, for it is about to end…” No one was able to move, the fear was paralyzing them. They all felt some gripping coldness and ancient power around them, gluing them to the spot. Nopony dared to speak a word. “I am the Outsider! And THIS is my MARK!” Fluttershy looked up at the ceiling. Everypony soon followed. Flames appeared out of nowhere, consuming a part of the ceiling, forming some kind of a mark. Soon they put themselves out and what was left was a symbol unlike any other. A black Mark of the Outsider… Fluttershy then fell on her back again with eyes closed. They weren’t squinted anymore. There was a silence for a while as everypony was looking at the sign… “What the BUCK was that?!” Applejack shouted out, first to break out of shock. Twilight shook her head and then as if remembering something spoke. “Doctor! How is she now?” Everypony approached the bed again. The doctor quickly checked Fluttershy’s temperature. It was dropping down. “Her fever… It’s going down…” He said amazed and at the same time very confused. Nopony knew exactly what just happened, but the feeling all of them had a moment ago was primal fear. They all seemed to be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of power this Outsider had… Whatever this being was, its power had to be tremendous… “Is she going to be okay, then?!” Rainbow asked, again with some hope apparent in her voice. “Yes… Yes I believe she is!” The doctor answered with a slight smile. Twilight sighed in relief as did the rest of mares. The question that all had in their mind however was… What the hell happened a second ago, who’s The Outsider and what all of it means?! “What the buck happened to her?!” RD asked what was on everypony’s minds. “I have a theory but it’s ridiculous…” Twilight answered after a few seconds of thought. “Any theory is bettah than nothing, Twi!” Applejack said observing Fluttershy. “She might have been… possessed…” RD’s brow rose up “You mean… Like ghosts?” She asked not quite believing in what she’s hearing. “That’s the only thing that makes any sense whatsoever!” Twilight said out loud placing a hoof on her forehead. “What I’m worried about though is the part where… This Outsider said ‘Through him the Sun and Moon will lose their masters…’” The mares blinked in realization. “Princess Celestia and Princess Luna…” Rarity whispered. “Something is coming for them?” RD asked worried. “I’m afraid so…” Twilight sighed. This weren’t good news at all. Whatever was coming for the Princesses if it had just an ounce of the power The Outsider had… The thought of it made Twilight tremble. “We need to inform the Princesses right away!” Rarity said firmly. “We have to get to the library and fast!” Twilight added, agreeing with Rarity. “Girls… Where’s Pinkie Pie?” Applejack asked suddenly, finally realizing something that was amiss for quite a while. The girls looked at themselves worried and then at Rainbow Dash. “Um… I’ll go get her…” Twilight facehoofed. “Meet us at the Library Rainbow Dash.” She added with a sigh, as RD nodded storming out of the hospital heading for Sugarcube Corner. As she did this the doctor looked down at the floor, visibly thinking deeply. “There is also another issue…” He finally said gaining the attention of all the mares present. “What is it doctor?” Twilight asked, as worry again appeared in her voice. “Fluttershy was found covered in blood… Sompony’s blood…” The terror and lack of understanding that appeared on Fluttershy’s friends faces was beyond description abilities. Somepony could as well tell them that Fluttershy died… “W-what?” Twilight stammered. The doctor sighed heavily “This will have to be explained, when she wakes up. For now be glad that she’s okay. I believe there is a logical and simple explanation to this…” He said, with Twilight nodding, trying to forget what she just heard. “We’ll be going then…” Amethyst Star looked at Twilight, determination and worry in her eyes. “I’ll stay with Fluttershy… Somepony needs to be at her side when she wakes up. You go inform the Princesses!” The Elements nodded, as Twilight smiled slightly. All of them then went out of the room, leaving the sleeping Fluttershy, Amethyst Star and the Doctor. 22 Pinkie thought counting another yellow thing she found in Fluttershy’s cottage. She was so horribly bored and was killing the time simply. Angel on the other hoof was jumping on her back right now, trying to break the weeeird spell. Really freaky. The changeling ran away quite some time ago, but she had no idea what was the time right now. She still couldn’t move however so it had to mean the day didn’t come to an end yet. She would sigh if she could. Never in her life had she to suffer through such a boooring activity. There was simply nothing to do. She tried to free herself several times already, as Angel was helping her. They even tried to use orange juice to free her. It always worked when she was stuck somewhere previously! The way she was bound had to be… DIFFERENTTTT… She looked to the right… AHA! A yellow book laying on the floor! 23 She thought happy suddenly. Angel hopped from her back and kicked her in the hoof angrily. Of course she didn’t feel it even. Minutes were passing by as Pinkie was starting to get sleepy from the boredom. It was however dispersed quickly as her Pinkie Sense kicked in. Her left foreleg tried to twitch. She could feel it! Yay! Somepony is coming! She thought again trying to smile… Only to fail miserably. Sompony will find her, then they will find the Changeling, get the meanie and discover what it wants! It was a perfect task for Detective Pinkie! Too bad the detective STILL couldn’t move. Minutes were passing by and her savior was still not coming… Was her sense MISTAKEN? Nooo… It was impossible! Sompony was very close… Minutes were passing and then out of nowhere she heard a sound of flapping wings and something tearing through air at neck-breaking speeds. With a thud sompony landed in front of Fluttershy’s Cottage. Pinkie couldn’t wait to see her savior! The door to the hut were opened violently and in the doorstep a familiar figure appeared. It was Rainbow Dash. “Pinkie? Are you here?” She asked loudly. The cottage was very dark for some reason. She couldn’t spot a thing and the fact that night was coming quickly didn’t help either. “Mwhmmm-“ Pinkie managed to expectorate. Rainbow seemed to hear this as she entered the cottage further. Her eyes soon adapted to the ever-present darkness only to spot… Pinkie Pie… Frozen in one spot in an unnatural position. Next to her a tired bunny was resting. His chest was going up and down as he was breathing in and out heavily. “Pinkie?!” RD quickly approached the frozen party pony. Pinkie seemed to be unable to move whatsoever. Only her eyes were darting from left to right, showing any kind of response. Her body however was covered tightly in some kind of transparent energy. Discharges of black electricity sometimes came through her body, threatening to damage anything that was close enough to her. This energy formed a cocoon that prevented the pink menace from moving whatsoever. “What the buck…?” RD said quietly, shocked and disoriented… Who could have done this? Why was Pinkie paralyzed by MAGIC in the middle of Fluttershy’s cottage? What the HELL was going on HERE?! RD quickly came close to Pinkie and tried to touch the latter with her hoof. Body of the Element of Laughter wasn’t different than normal. It was in fact soft as usual but somehow different. RD couldn’t quite put her hoof on it. “Pinkie! Can you hear me?” She shouted out at the Pink mare. “Mwwwhhh” The party pony replied barely. RD shook her head, it was obviously beyond her comprehension. She had to get the eggh-… Twilight here. “Don’t move Pinkie! I’ll be back with Twilight and we’ll get you free!” RD said hastily and left the cottage as fast as possible. Pinkie tried to sigh, but of course no sound came out of her shut mouth. The Train was moving slowly and every single roughness of the railway could be felt by the Lord Protector. He was now sitting up on the roof of the crooked train, deep in thought. Events of last few hours were playing inside his head over and over again. He was wondering if the decisions he made were right or if they were even relevant. This World seemed to be such an impossible place, he was simply not ready to believe in its reality. Jessamine convinced him further, as holding the knowledge of the Void she herself was unable to completely distinguish this place as real. There was a problem however. Attano knew how killing a creature felt… How did ripping the muscles and tissue of a living being felt like, he could remember the coppery smell of blood, the rush of adrenaline and the low resistance someone’s throat could present against a sharp blade. He knew how a victim with slit throat behaved, how long did it take her to fall down to the ground and loose life fully. He was aware of the fact that every time he took a life some part of his soul died also. The feeling of emptiness grew stronger as has coldness and resistance to emotion. Those horses he killed… Back then he was so sure they were simply made up by The Outsider, an illusion made to test his resolve. An obstacle to be conquered. Now however, as he remembered the scene, he knew… The moment he slit the throat of the taller bully he could again smell the copper, feel the emptiness… The pony’s soft throat felt way too real. Did he just kill innocents? Innocent sentient horses that weren’t guilty of any major crime? Did he take an innocent life because he thought it couldn’t be possibly real? It’s true, they left him with little choice, but still the course of action bothered the Lord Protector quite a lot. He took life very seldom, only if it was an absolute necessity. “You’re thinking about those two bullies, aren’t you?” Jessamine whispered quietly. Her voice was full of scorn however. “Yes… Yes I am… What if this World is real after all?” He said, also quietly. “Corvo… This World is not yours and not for you to protect… You are the Lord Protector of Dunwall. Even if it is real do you really believe those two deserved to exist further? What did you see in their eyes?” Jessamine asked seriously, her tone of voice was cooler than usual. “Cruelty… Cruelty, evil and pettiness… The same eyes High Overseer Campbell had…” He answered, after some thought. “What’s the difference between them and Dunwall thugs or High Overseer Campbell that tried to hurt real innocents?” There was a moment of silence in which Corvo thought deeply… “I don’t know…” He answered finally. “There is none Corvo… This World may be stagnate, may be in peace all the time, but it still has its darkness, deeply rooted. They are not so different from us. Given the circumstances they would be able to hurt those that are pure.” She said firmly. “Who am I to judge who deserves to die and who doesn’t?” He asked as some guilt still stung him unpleasantly. “If you won’t judge… Who will Corvo? On the path we are taking, this choice will come many times. Fate shows that you are more than capable of deciding.” Empress answered with deep belief in her voice. “You have to realize that our goal is far more important than lives of two pathetic thugs. You allowed scum such as Campbell to live because you were given a choice. Here however… You did only what was necessary in the given circumstances. You made a decision that secured your ability to fulfill the mission. I believe it was the right choice, as you protected a real innocent at the same time. Any more powerful ability could damage both you and the yellow pony.” She added. Corvo lowered his head slightly. “I felt no hesitation back then… Don’t you find it disturbing Empress?” He asked sincerely. “I believe your lack of hesitation comes from the fact that deep down you know the value of what we are fighting for Corvo and that you cannot fail... You made your decision instantly when this goal was threatened. Your resolve is strong, because you know that we are fighting for our souls Corvo, for you to meet Emily again. The love you two share is worth much more than the stability of some unreal Kingdom to me… And to you…” The Heart said making Corvo nod. She was right, but this was not the whole truth. It wasn’t only about freedom. Corvo was afraid of what could happen in a case of failure. If he fails Jessamine will be trapped in her state for eternity. The Outsider is unpredictable and he also might do something to Emily on a whim. Attano couldn’t allow that, he simply couldn’t afford to fail. In the end he was unable to put the good of a possibly unreal place over two people he loved the most. He wasn’t ready to pay the price. With the further high possibility of this being a simple test… He felt a sudden burst of anger. He was a plaything for the trickster, nothing more than a curiosity and all his decisions were a way to amuse this supernatural being. No… He had to end it as fast as possible, without giving the bastard his entertainment. “Real or not, this ends today!” He said loudly, resolve hard as steel. His fists clenched. Again however a pinch of guilt appeared. The fastest way to end this was to take lives and this didn’t sit well with Corvo. He was actually disgusted by the thought. Killing felt very real here… Too real… “Princess Luna and Princess Celestia… Rulers of this peaceful land and I’m sent to end their reign for someone’s amusement. They are not guilty of anything and the fastest way to freedom is slitting their throats… There has to be a better way…” Corvo whispered waived. “Corvo… There is something you must know… I believe our time is little on this mission…” The Empress said sadly. “What do you mean Jessamine?” He asked, curious “My soul… It’s weakening every minute… I feel myself and my memories drifting away…” She said timidly. There was a pause. “Why haven’t you told me of this earlier?” Corvo asked angrily. “I… Didn’t want this to distract you…” She said quietly. “We have to end this as fast as possible then… And this means bloodshed…” He said, he’s voice determined but disgusted. “There are no innocent rulers Corvo. Power tends to corrupt, absolute power corrupts absolutely…" Jessamine’s voice became sad as she said this. Corvo raised his head hearing his Empress’s tone of voice. “Does… Does this also apply to you Jessamine?” He asked unsure. There was a moment of silence. “Yes…” She finally said, voice shaky. Corvo was slightly taken aback by this. What could she possibly have in mind? “There… There are things that are better left buried in the past my Lord Protector. I believe to keep this amount of peace and stability the rulers of this land had to do something… Something that left a deep scar in them, something that was forgotten but gives them nightmares even today.” The silence that fell was only broken by the sounds of train wheels. “Does this justify ending their lives?” Corvo finally broke the silence. Some amount of disdain in his voice. “It doesn’t… Sometimes however you have to do things that are conflicting with your morals…” Jessamine answered timidly, hearing the disgust in Corvo’s voice. “I won’t be able to do it Empress… Unless…” He stopped short. “Unless what?” Jessamine asked again keeping the timid tone of voice. “Unless you give the order your Majesty…” He said seriously. Jessamine knew that if ordered Corvo would do even the most unspeakable things. There were definitely other ways to end the reign of the rulers of this land, but Jessamine felt they had little time… And if her soul was weakening, it was possible that Corvo’s was also… There was silence again until… “I, Empress Jessamine Kaldwin of the Empire of Isles order you my Lord Protector to end the lives of this world’s rulers…” She said with high amount of authority. If Corvo couldn’t carry the guilt, she will… Another short pause. Corvo lowered his head in sort of a bow. “Yes, your Highness…” He answered. As he raised his head he could see towers of a castle and a big city in the distance. The sun has set and there was night. The darkness covered the World, but did nothing to hinder Corvo’s sight. He saw the yellow auras on the ground of Canterlot, probably in the houses. In a few minutes they will reach their destination. Most of the auras were immobile, probably ponies asleep. There were however few walking slowly through the city. Corvo quickly came to a conclusion that those had to be guards. He stood up to his full height managing to easily hold his balance, despite the wagon jumping up sometimes on the unevenness of the railway. The city was getting bigger. He could see some details now. There was a simple train station in the distance. Two yellow auras were apparent near it, facing each other. As he concentrated more he could catch some words being said. They were probably having conversation then. Attano cracked his neck and prepared for advancement through the large city. After a few minutes the train passed first few buildings. Many yellow auras inside them. He didn’t pay much attention though and crouched down ready to jump off the train when it stops. He passed a few more buildings, some alleys and a few main roads. He saw a few citizens and guards walking by. The latter were easily distinguished as they were wearing some kind of armor. The train however passed them quickly, leaving the creatures behind. Finally he felt the train slowing down and then a sharp pull as its breaks were engaged. Some sparks came out of its wheels as Corvo took a deep breath. Finally the train stopped. Attano took a look around, still in a crouching position and immediately spotted the two Ponies he saw from the distance. They were indeed talking, seemed like train station workers though as they weren’t wearing any armor. “And then I just sighed and went out. Seriously what can you say to something like this?! Oh hold on, last train arrived. I wonder if somepony actually takes it… ever…” The door to most wagons weren’t opened and Corvo knew that the only wagon that had someone in it was the one he was standing on. It was a Unicorn of some sorts, but again Attano paid little attention, waiting for the horse to get out. The two workers started walking along the train checking doors and other things one by one. His wagon’s door shot open and a young mare walked out looking around as if she was for the first time here. “Canterlot! I can’t believe I’m here! Wow!” Her voice was full of joy. She had some saddlebags on her back and was simply radiating happiness. “Oh! Somepony actually rode the train! Ha! You owe me 5 bits Bright!” One of the workers shouted out as they approached Corvo’s wagon. The other looked rather disappointed. The young mare giggled at the statement and started walking towards the road leading from the station, into the city. She soon disappeared around the corner. Corvo stood up and took out the crossbow. Sleeping bolts loaded. With a simple movement of his body he jumped down on the ground just behind the two workers. They heard the thud and turned around. First they had slightly confused expressions, which soon turned into those of complete terror. The creature before them was a thing of worst nightmares. It’s mechanical face and soulless eyes only worsened the state of the Ponies. It was holding something in its claws. The dim light from gas lanterns didn’t help the whole situation either, making the shadows around the creature dance. “W-…” One of the workers stammered silently. They were not moving. “Who… W-What is this?...” The braver one finally said… Barely… “I’m your worst nightmare.” The creature stated and pointed the weird object at them. A silent swish was heard and the braver worker fell down to the ground, asleep. The other’s instincts kicked in as he was about to scream and run away but Corvo’s crossbow was a technological marvel really. It had an autoloader. With inhuman precision he quickly pointed the weapon on the other Pony and pressed the trigger. Another swish and another thud. “Corvo… Was this really necessary?” Jessamine asked with slight disappointment in her voice. “I had to know if the sleeping bolts work against those creatures…” He replied somewhat innocently. “And what about ‘I’m your worst nightmare’ part?” She asked again, more firmly. Corvo simply shrugged to that… “Got carried away I guess.” He replied after a moment. Jessamine just sighed. Corvo took a look around. The train station was kind of an open one, not a closed building so there were many roads leading out of it. Logic dictated that the rulers of a land would be in a place that sticks out from standard buildings, probably a castle or mansion. The City itself somewhat remained Corvo of medieval times, as it was surrounded with a stone wall. As Corvo looked up he spotted what he was looking for though. In the distance he saw towers that were a part of greater construction. This was definitely the spot. Slowly he started walking down the road. Dim lights of the gas lanterns poorly dispersed the darkness, making Corvo look like a prowling beast. He could see the yellow auras of patrolling guards. It was very simple to maneuver out of their way, with many side roads and alleys at his disposal. There weren’t many patrols at all. However as he proceeded towards the castle, Corvo noticed that the density of patrols was getting annoyingly higher. He stopped near a two story tenement house which was connected with another one. It was located on crossroads of two stone roads, probably main ones. Around the corner, through the wall he could see two guards coming. With supernatural agility he jumped up on the second story balcony of the house and then again on its roof. He crouched down and took a closer look at the guards that just turned around the corner and passed the place he stood in just seconds ago at. He was getting closer to the castle now. There were patrols of pegasi in the sky now also. Fortunately he was virtually invisible to them, through the thick darkness. Corvo was opting for not using many supernatural abilities during this phase. He was planning to end his mission very fast and use his most powerful ability yet, when he reaches the rulers. Call it conserving energy. Unfortunately for him the distance between this house and another one on the other side of the main road was far too great to simply jump through. The road was also lit better than the side alleys he was using up until now. He looked around again thinking of what to do next. The city itself seemed very unnatural to the human. It was very clean and quiet, as if its night life was almost non-present. There was absolutely no trash on the roads, no rats, no pests and other such things. There were no petty criminals walking through the streets looking for trouble. No winos sitting in the corner, drinking cheap whiskey. No shady dealers offering illegal merchandise in the back alleys of the city. Also its colors, even in the dark seemed way too bright. It all seemed… Utopian… “This is somehow… Disturbing…” He whispered. “It is… But there is something shadowy hidden under this whole trimming of perfection…” Jessamine said worried. The heart suddenly let out a beat “I can feel it… Something down, underground, hidden from curious eyes…” She added. “It doesn’t matter. I’m not here to uncover secrets.” Corvo replied coldly. The guards were in constant patrol motion and there was almost no space to sneak between, but he will have to run across the road to the other side. There was no other option here. He will have to take down a few of them to create a hole in the security. Seconds were passing by as he counted them, waiting for the guards to come back through their patrol route. Soon they appeared again, walking casually, without any worry. Corvo looked up seeing a yellow aura appearing in the sky. A Pegasus guard was flying over the road. Attano came up with an idea and pointed the crossbow up waiting for the perfect timing. “Ten seconds…” He whispered to himself. Soon the Pegasus was nearly over the guards down on the road. With perfect precision, Corvo fired the crossbow. Silent swish broke the silence and then the Pegasus suddenly lost his balance and altitude fast. The two guards on the ground looked up with some amount of shock on their faces. They realized it was too late for any reaction as the Pegasus fell down directly at them with a thud and sound of cracking bones. A heap of hooves formed as they all laid on the ground sprawled about. “What the hell?!” One of them shouted out, feeling pain all over his body as he laid on the ground under the rather heavy Pegasus. “Now.” Corvo said to himself as he jumped down from the roof with a heavy thud. The lights showed his full silhouette. The guards heard the sound, but were far too busy getting the sleeping Pegasus from their backs. Attano didn’t waste a second. He quickly stood up and ran fast across the street. He had little time as already he saw another yellow aura in the sky about to fly over the street. Sprinting he ran across the road and just in time. The Pegasus’s Field of Vision swept it the moment Lord Protector hid himself under a marquee of the building. He breathed in deeply and waited a moment. The Pegasus guard landed, seeing the heap made out of three other guards on the ground. On the left end of the building there was a small alley leading between this house and another one. It was much better than going through the lit up road. Back against the house Corvo moved quickly towards the alley, merging with the darkness. It was a dead end, a brick wall closing its connection with the street on the other side. There were some dumpsters standing next to the wall. Corvo looked up measuring the height of the house. With cat’s grace he jumped up on the brick wall that reached about the first story of the building and separated the alley from the main street. He kept his balance perfectly and felt a surge of energy. It was a long time since he did such stunts and it felt great. He made another jump and grabbed the edge of the roof, quickly pulling himself up. Within seconds he was on the roof. The density of patrols fortunately ceased to increase, but there was still little space to maneuver whatsoever. They were almost everywhere, every time walking through the roads in groups of minimum two and soaring through the skies. He had to wait for the Pegasi to be far away enough from his position to make a jump to another building possible. It might have been dark, but they were flying low enough and could spot him while he was in motion. They seemed to be moving around in circling motions, as if securing single quadrants. The security was very heavy indeed and it was starting to look suspicious. “Why do they need so many guards? It is as if they are expecting an attack…” Corvo finally asked, some annoyance in his voice. “This place was under attack not so long ago. I believe the security is only a response to that, an additional measure.” Jessamine whispered. Corvo pondered that over for a while. The distance between him and a brightly lit square in front of the castle wasn’t great. He had to take a few jumps over the low buildings and then move across the square in which a lot of flora was present. It seemed to be some sort of a garden. Then there was a tall gate, richly decorated, an entrance to the castle without doubt. Of course the whole square was densely patrolled. Corvo looked up and counted the seconds that took the Pegasus to fly around his route and above the Lord Protector. He waited patiently for the proper moment and as the Pegasus started to turn around Attano started to sprint. He reached the edge of the roof and took a long jump across the much narrower street. He landed safely on the other roof, barely producing any sound. He stopped in a crouching position checking if he wasn’t heard or seen. His timing was perfect and the guards were still continuing their routine as if nothing happened. He repeated that a few times, until the last house was reached. In front of him the square was present. It looked truly magnificent with many stone paths cutting through it and a beautiful fountain in the middle. The amount of yellow auras here was far too great to simply walk through, but fortunately he was somewhat prepared for that. “Phase Two…” He whispered. “Caligo…” With that he turned into white mist that traveled around the lit square, stopping in a dark corner and solidifying into flesh… Waiting… “We’re under attack!” A shout came from the main street. A Pegasus soon landed in front of the gate guards, his eyes widened, he was obviously scared. The two gate guards looked at each other shocked “Changelings?!” They shouted out in unison “Probably, something knocked out one of our patrolling Pegasus, with some kind of dart! We are already increasing security and sweeping the streets! There are reports of a shadow moving on the roofs of Canterlot buildings… Most dismissed it as an illusion, but this dart shows it’s obviously not. The Captain has been already informed and so were the Princesses.” He said on one breath. “What are our orders?” They asked worriedly. “Stay alert! There are additional guards on their way. Whatever is this shadow, it probably will try to enter the castle!” They both nodded, sweat appearing on their brows. The situation was becoming really tight. With that the Pegasus flew away. Corvo could see that the yellow auras were moving more chaotically now, no longer relaxed. He took out his crossbow and loaded an explosive bolt. He aimed at the fountain and steadily pressed down the trigger. A silent swish was heard and then… A loud explosion tore down the upper part of the fountain, debris flying in all directions. “What on Celestia was that?!” Someone shouted from the other part of the square, as the clang of hoofs against the stone path could be heard. The guards were gathering around the fountain. The gate guards watched the thing happen with jaws hung open. Soon however the shock passed as they also quickly made their way towards the destroyed fountain. About 8 guards gathered there looking for any sign of the intruder. “Caligo…” Corvo turned into white mist, using the distraction to his advantage he seeped under the gate and into the castle itself. Rainbow Dash pushed the Library door in a hurry, entering the tree quickly. All the Elements were there. They all agreed to meet here after finding Pinkie after all. “So where is she, Rainbow?” Twilight asked a little worried. “She’s… Umm… Paralyzed…” RD answered unsure how to put into words what she has seen. “What?! What do you mean paralyzed? Where did you find her?” Twilight shouted out in shock. “I don’t know, okay?! I found her at Fluttershy’s! She wasn’t in Sugarcube Corner and the Cakes are out of town so I just started to search in places that she could have been into!” RD answered angrily. “Is she fine, darling?” Rarity asked. “Yeah, she’s alive all right, just can’t move. Somepony used weird powers on her I guess.” Twilight nodded. “We’ll go help her, but now we have to inform the Princesses as fast as possible!” She said loudly. All the mares agreed on this one. Of course they felt bad for leaving Pinkie like that, but this was simply far more essential. “Err… I don’t know how to tell you this girls…” Spike suddenly said as he came down from the upper floor… “Did you send the message Spike?” Twilight asked, somewhat not wanting to believe that something could have gone wrong and the Princesses were not informed. “I can’t… The letter simply won’t go through!” There was a moment of silence… “No… But… I forgot!” Twilight put hoofs on her head an expression of panic on her face. “What did ye forget Twi?” Applejack asked surprisingly calm. “The barrier! The Princesses keep an anti-magic barrier, so that nothing magical can come through it!” Twilight was on the verge of tears. “Calm down sugarcube! How did ye send Friendship reports then if this barrier was up?” AJ again asked calmly. “I… Gave them personally…” The fact dawned upon the Element of Magic. AJ nodded. “I’ll teleport near Canterlot right away! The Princesses must know!” AJ, Rarity and Rainbow Dash agreed with this. “We’ll go to Fluttershy’s cottage and see how we can help Pinkie then, the poor girl…” Rarity added as they all looked at Twilight. “Okay! I’ll meet you at Fluttershy’s then! Off I go!” Her horn lit up brightly as she concentrated and then with a bright flash, Twilight was gone She appeared directly in front of Canterlot entrance gate. Immediately she noticed that something was wrong. The guards were galloping through the streets, as if searching for something and there was far more of them than usual. Something happened… Did she come too late?! Twilight felt a pinch of dread as she approached the entrance to the magnificent city. Two guards were standing on both sides on the entrance. One was a tall, muscular stallion. His coat was black as night, as was his mane and tail. The golden armor was reflecting the rays of moon somewhat, making the guard look a little monstrous. He would definitely fit night guard role better. His blue eyes however showed layers of good and honesty, Twilight rarely saw. The guards immediately stopped her. “The city is under lockdown! Nopony is allowed to enter or exit as of now!” The taller stallion said with a deep voice. Twilight looked at him with plead in her eyes. “Please! I have to inform the Princesses! Something is coming for them! Something very powerful…” The stallion stared her down and then as if remembering something, his gaze softened. “Wait, you’re Twilight Sparkle! The Element of Magic!” He stated, to which Twilight only nodded vigorously. “What is happening?” She asked finally. “We’re under attack by an unknown entity. Captain Shining Armor identified the threat as a Changeling attack!” Twilight shook her head in disagreement. “It’s no changeling… It something much worse…” She almost whispered. “What do you mean?” The black stallion asked somewhat perplexed. “I have information, that something much worse is attacking Canterlot! Please, the Princesses must know! Can you take me to them?” She asked with determination. The stallion lowered his head in thought and after a few seconds he turned to the other guard. “Citrine, test her…” The other guard was a short unicorn mare without helmet. Her long red mane was unkempt and covered half of her face. Her coat resembled gold. She truly was beautiful. Citrine looked at Twilight somewhat distrusting as her horn lit up. “What test?” Twilight asked feeling again a pinch of dread. The Unicorn’s horn shot out a small ray of magical energy that struck Twilight. The latter felt nothing as the ray failed to produce any effect. “Clean…” Citrine said monotonously. “A test to see if you’re a changeling… Which you passed. Come Twilight, I’ll take you to the Princesses. Stay alert Citrine.” Twilight visibly lightened up as both her and the tall stallion started to gallop towards the castle. I just need a little more time… The Element of Magic thought in full gallop Corvo was in the castle. Immediately after he seeped through the door he knew that there were two guards on both sides of the entrance. Without sound he solidified into his flesh form. The guards were oblivious to the danger that stood behind them. One of them even managed to let out a yawn. Both were stallions, white at that, looking shockingly similar to each other with some blue manes sticking out of their golden helmets. Corvo however had no time to pay attention to such small details. Silently he took out two sleeping bolts, holding one in each hand. The guards were in arm length reach. Slowly he started walking forward, as his heavy boots made two stamping sounds. The stallions heard this and turned their heads in the direction immediately spotting the terrifying intruder. The latter however was just between them and as they opened their mouths, he rammed the two sleeping bolts into their necks, one for the guard on his left and one for the pony on his right. They both fell to the ground, asleep as the toxin took immediate effect. Attano looked around, trying to spot something with his supernatural senses. There were many yellow auras of course, on different floors of the castle, but most of them looked the same. This floor was surprisingly emptier, except for the two guards he just took down there weren’t many auras walking around. The forces of the guard were probably redirected to the city to search for the intruder. He was in a long and wide corridor decorated with many banners and made out of white marble. There were different paintings and some other decorations along it, but also a red carpet. The corridor led to a big hall from which stone stairs led to the next level of the castle. Two other corridors connected with the hall led to different parts of the structure. The richly decorated room was empty however. Corvo knew also that no one was coming, as there were no auras moving towards his position. He looked up and… There it was… Two unique auras, slightly taller than others, possessing both wings and horns. They were one floor above him. He started his advance taking a turn into left corridor Twilight and the tall guard reached the Royal Castle quite fast. The commotion and search for the intruder was in its peak, many Pegasi flying around looking through roofs and towers. All the citizens were ordered to stay in their homes. They passed the ruined fountain and stopped in front of the gate that led to a familiar place. The two gate guards gave them some unfriendly looks. “This is Twilight Sparkle and she believes that the Princesses are in grave danger and not from changelings…” The tall guard said. The gate guards on the other hand looked at each other slightly waived. “Please! They have to be prepared! They have to know it’s no changeling!” She said pleadingly, worry and fear in her voice. “The Princesses already know of the danger. They are both in the Throne room, as Princess Celestia said ‘This time we will face the changelings together’” Twilight’s eyes widened as she realized something. “What happened to the fountain?” She asked worriedly. “We’re not sure… It just suddenly exploded… Magical burst maybe?” Twilight’s brows furrowed in thought. Then she raised her head up, again fear apparent in her eyes “It didn’t simply explode! It was a distraction! The creature is already in the castle!” She shouted on top of her lungs. The guards reacted immediately, opening the gate wide. What they saw confirmed Twilight’s fear. Two guards on the other side were laying on the floor asleep with the same bolts in their necks, that the first Pegasus had. One of the gate guards quickly ran through the square alerting other forces to get back to the castle. Twilight, the black Stallion and the other guard on the other hand quickly stormed into the Royal Castle, heading for the throne room. They took a left turn on the stairs, passed a corridor, reached another set stairs, again went up and then stopped in front of big double door, that were opened wide. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were standing there, looking healthy and fine. They just had threatening expressions on their faces, not very content with the whole ordeal. They spotted the visitors and their expressions softened slightly. “Twilight Sparkle? What are you doing here under such circumstances? I would gladly welcome you, but as you can see we have a slight changeling problem. One managed to penetrate our barrier undetected and is currently probably on his way here, thinking he can defeat us both…” Celestia said softly. Twilight sighed in relief. Seeing her mentor fine calmed her tarnished nerves somewhat… “Princesses! The thing coming for you is not a changeling! It is something much worse, a servant to something called ‘The Outsider’! And it’s in the castle!” Twilight said quickly, dread in her voice. “’The Outsider’?” Luna asked perplexed. “What is this you speaketh of, Twilight Sparkle?” She asked further, with her sister nodding, also not knowing what might it be. “I… I’m not sure what it is, but it possessed Fluttershy! We all were in the hospital… She started talking through her fever, and then her eyes turned black… There is no logical explanation to this! The power it radiated and the fear we all felt back there was unlike anything I ever experienced… It also left a mark on the hospital ceiling, telling us that it is it’s symbol and it’s watching us now… It also told us that ‘The moon and the Sun will lose their masters…’” Celestia raised a brow to this. “Fluttershy is in hospital? Possession?” She asked taken aback by all this. Celestia knew that Twilight was nopony to think of ridiculous lies like that and she made a whole trip to Canterlot just to warn them of the danger. They would be foolish to ignore this. Also why was Fluttershy in hospital? “I understand Twilight, I trust you… But why is your friend in a hospital?” Celestia asked worriedly. “We don’t know what happened exactly… Amethyst Star found her near the train station, bruised with a broken wing and a fever. I was scared that… That she might die, the doctor said she had the same symptoms as unicorns after the Hollowing… After the possession ended though, her fever went down and she is on a straight path to recovery!” Twilight mustered a smile. “She was attacked?” Celestia asked angrily. “I believe so…” The Princess narrowed her eyes. “Who would dare attack my little Ponies?” Twilight felt small suddenly. She could feel the anger of her mentor and it was truly scary. “I think… It might be the same thing that is in the castle right now.” She answered somewhat quietly. “Don’t worry Twilight, whatever it is it has to be foolish to challenge me and my sister alone with my best student at our side. It won’t be even able to come close to us.” Celestia stated matter-of-factly. Twilight nodded unsure. It was true, the Princesses were very powerful and not many could match that power. Actually none could match their power, with the exception of Discord maybe. Whatever this creature was, it either had no idea what it will face, or… Was on the same power levels. The latter was a ludicrous idea though. Maybe Twilight had nothing to worry about after all? Maybe all of them acted under the influence of this horrible fear they felt when facing The Outsider? The guards approached their rulers and bowed deeply. “I beg your forgiveness your Highnesses, but we were concerned for your safety. Would you agree for some Royal Guards guarding you at all times?” One of them asked. Celestia only smiled. “Very well, we will have to catch the creature when it shows itself before us, after all.” Twilight smiled slightly. She was glad nothing has happened, a thing still remained however. This creature will show up eventually and all of them have to be cautious. “Cinis…” Twilight’s ear perked up slightly, did she just hear something? She looked up, the ceiling above her crumbled as it turned into ash, that fell slowly on her nose. A hole appeared that could easily allow a muscular stallion to pass through. Her eyes went wide as she processed what was happening. She saw a moving shadow above her. Celestia and Luna looked up also spotting the phenomenon, as their horns were about to light up, but… “Tractus…” The creature whispered first and the Time itself obeyed. Celestia blinked and was about to cast an immobilizing spell as she suddenly felt a pressure against her throat. Something cold was pushing on hard against it. Luna was also casting a spell, which was supposed to blind the creature. Then she felt a cold round object pressing at her temple. She looked to the left with her eyes, without moving her head. Celestia did the same. They saw a bipedal creature, fully dressed in a black, long coat with a leather hood covering its lowered head. Both Princesses saw that its arms were spread and the thing pressing against Celestia’s throat was in fact a long, sharp, silver blade. Luna on the other hoof had some kind of object pressed against her head. It looked like a miniature cannon and they understood that its purpose was probably the same. Then another horrid realization dawned upon them. They had no time to cast any spell now… Twilight managed to turn around, just to see her mentor and her mentor’s sister looking at a nightmarish monster that stood between them, they were not moving. Twilight noticed that the monster had a familiar mark on its left paw. It definitely was The Outsider’s servant then. The long silver blade’s purpose became clear to Twilight. She immediately understood what could happen in a few moments. Both Princesses on the other hand for the first time since very long felt something cold making its way down their throats. This feeling, of not being able to do anything, of failure and being on the verge of existence… It was fear… Twilight’s lips trembled as her eyes begun to be filled with tears slowly. The creature raised its head up. All the Ponies present now knew, it was a true monster, as it had no face. The guards wanted to storm in and help, but were afraid that any movement will end in tragedy. The monster’s glass eyes clicked a few times as it swept the room with its hellish sight. “Check-…” It said quietly as its grip tightened around the blade and the miniature cannon. Twilight was crying now as the Princesses eyes went wide from the horror and realization, that it was the end. “Nooo!” The Element of Magic screamed in sorrow. Crying she extended her hoof towards the Princesses desperately “-mate…” The Masked ChaosDishonored: The Outsider’s Reach Chapter 4: The Masked Chaos A/N: Another 13k words chapter, wooo! :D Took quite a while, so I hope you will enjoy! Inspiration came from an apple I ate and music by Accept (Stalingrad album) Credits go also to ProtheanBrony for proofreading! Thanks man, you're the best! :) Additional Notes: Italics is for thoughts and sometimes they might be very intense and violent... So don't jump into any conclusions. Warning: Contains violence, gore and vile language at some points. Fate... Such an interesting concept, many would dub non-existent. “I control my own fate.” They would say, so sure of themselves, so confident, believing that there cannot possibly be a being or a power that holds all the cards and planned their whole future ahead giving them no chance to do anything about it. Some believe, however, that fate and destiny touch all, that they control every aspect of their lives. Is it the easy way out? Is it the way of the weak and pathetic? Truth be told, fate is not universal, it’s not something that equally penetrates every ounce of life. It gives some better chances, while the others are thrown aside. Is destiny sentient? Is it a cosmic power to be reckoned with? Is it… God? No… Destiny and fate are tools. They are weapons or items that can be used to direct the flow of all things. Many will never be able to control them though, many will simply be affected by these tools, when their routes are carved and their path is set. There are those who have a rare ability to grasp this power. A power to decide, to control, to shape. They are unique in every aspect, as they stand high, holding millions of lives in their hands. With one simple move they can command fate to destroy all, or to forge something beautiful. These individuals are very rare and exist all across the multiverse. Some of them are given lesser fates to control, but some hold what seems to be a tremendous power. They are the true rulers, the ones that create the future and control the present. On their shoulders, a great burden lays, as with all the twists of the wheel of destiny they do, consequences arise and never will they be only positive. Every decision adds to this burden and sometimes the unique being cannot take it any longer as it is crushed by the collective amount of mass. But if the being is strong, this burden allows it to rise stronger, molds it allowing to carry even more. Sometimes however these true rulers have to be pushed slightly and reminded what their role is. Me? I just humbly offer the slight pushes. I put them in situations where fate can be used and molded, where the wheels are turned and then I observe; watch. That is my role, to watch… But no one said that I cannot sometimes give my input, present myself and offer slight help as I like to call it. Those who set me in my role are long gone, so in fact the rules are very elastic now. Fun thing about the rules though; they are made to be bent and in time, broken... A slight smile spread over the cosmic trickster’s face, as he watched the events he himself started beginning to unfold. With delight he observed one of the true rulers about to spin the wheels of destiny. It was a true marvel to the eye, being able to witness how the Universe works, how this ancient machinery is propelled. The Outsider took great pleasure in this, the only greater thing he enjoyed was interaction. Neutrality does not exist. There is black and white and tones of grey but every being has its motives and he himself was no different. What was his motive? Well… He smiled wider, content that the paths were slowly connecting and approaching what he waited eons for… The Final Solution… The situation was tense to say the least. Having a blade pressed against your throat was somewhat disturbing, as Celestia was never in such situation. But it was not what made her this terrified. It was the fact that the second this creature appeared all her protective spells were simply shattered… She set them up after she heard about a possibility of a changeling attacking Canterlot. Whatever this creature’s blade was made of, it penetrated her personal shields with ease. And Luna… Her sister was also in peril and also had barriers, but constructed from slightly darker magic. Still this… Thing… Simply put a device against her head without care. How was this even possible?! Another thing that raced through Celestia’s troubled mind was, how the biped appeared near them in a blink of an eye, as if… It bent time… Not even she was able to bend time! It said something before this happened though. “Tractus”? What kind of magic based on words? It was unheard of! And for that matter, what was the creature? She never saw anything quite like it. Fully dressed in clothes that were made possibly of leather (which meant something had to be killed to make the clothes). It’s face… The metallic, mechanical face made shivers run down the Princess’s spine. It looked as if the thing had no emotions, no goodness, no soul… The last thing that caught the Sun Goddess's eye was the life aura this biped radiated. As the Goddess of Sun, Celestia was able to see more than an average pony. She was able to see some emotions and nature of living things just by looking at them. The aura of this creature was so alien… It was dark as night, but not evil. It was powerful and yet so very, very cold. Its emotions were not readable to the Princess though. She couldn’t tell what it was feeling, if anything, yet its aura was overwhelming. She felt something she shouldn’t… The cold grip of fear squeezing her. She took a glimpse at her sister. Luna had equally terrified expression on her face. The Goddess of the Night also knew that whatever this monster was it already made two seemingly absurd things happen. It bent time and passed through their barriers without breaking a sweat. The question still hanging in the air was, why did it want to end their lives? She had no time to ponder over this much as Twilight Sparkle let out a pitiful scream, full of sorrow and sadness. She felt the thing pressing on her head moving slightly. Luna couldn’t believe it! Was it… The end? She didn’t want to die! She… she just recently got back to Equestria, she had so much to learn, so many subjects to protect, moon to control! She couldn’t simply die, murdered by something she never heard of! No! Why?! A tear went down her cheek, not only she will die, but also her sister… And Equestria will be thrown into chaos that even Discord didn’t want. Maybe she could teleport, or… Or paralyze the creature! No… Any attempt to use magic would be visible, thanks to her horn lightning up. Resistance would make her and her sister meet their end sooner. So there was nothing that could be done… Celestia felt the same way. they both needed to live for Equestria, but it was as if a judgment was being passed on them. Any attempt to protest would only hurry it further. “Goodbye Luna...” Her sister said with tears in her eyes as she closed them shut waiting for the inevitable. “Tia… I love you…” Luna managed to say through slight sobs and also closed her eyes. Ready to embrace what was coming to her. Silence fell, as seconds were passing by and yet nothing was happening. The monster didn’t move an inch, still standing between them, arms spread. Twilight was frozen in her position, her extended hoof trembling from the stress, fear and sadness. She was still crying, not wanting to believe in anything that was happening in front of her eyes. That she was about to witness the death of her beloved rulers, of her mentor… She wanted to simply push the creature aside, teleport it from the spot, do ANYTHING… But… The current situation disallowed it, as any suspicious movement would make it all happen faster… She could only watch. Corvo was holding both his weapons firm. It was the end of the mission, his soul was about to be set free and Jessamine would be finally liberated from the wretched form she was forced into. Most importantly he will see Emily again… His beloved Emily. All he needed to do now was simply press down the trigger of the gun and move his other arm powerfully effectively ending the lives of these magical, possibly non-existent horses. Yet seconds were passing, his hands were clutching the blade and the pistol tight but were unable to do these simple movements. Just do it! He was telling himself, but something was stopping him. He felt the fear of the creatures around him. He could smell their cold sweat, desperation, sorrow and sadness. These responses could apply to real creatures only… No! The Outsider still could make such an illusion! Besides he had no time now. Jessamine was fading away and possibly he could end up similarly. It was time to end this! He moved the blade slightly feeling the soft tissue under it. He took a glance at his victim. The white mix of Unicorn and Pegasus opened its eyes slightly, as if not quite believing she’s still breathing. He looked directly into her eyes and understood. There were layers of good there, motherly love and warmth. There was no rage, no anger, but… Sad acceptance? It was a will to survive, dimmed by the situation, where nothing can be done. He couldn’t spot any cold darkness there, however. Right now her eyes were filled with sorrow and the fur under them was wet from tears. The usual motherly love however was still somewhat present and Attano could feel this warmth slightly rubbing off of him. It was a very strange feeling that made him flinch slightly. It was calming him down. He turned his head and looked at the other creature. Her dark coat was sometimes disturbed by a shiver. She felt more fear than the white one and even to Corvo she seemed to be younger. He deduced that from her smaller size. She also opened her eyes slightly, expecting everything to end, but confused when nothing happened. This one’s eyes presented vigor and energy, many could be jealous off. There was similar warmth there, but no sad acceptance. Her will to live was beyond anything Corvo saw earlier. It burned like a bright flame. He could tell she was torn from inside out though, wanting to stop all this was happening, wanting to survive, but unable to do so. Her will was much more powerful than that of the white alicorn in the current situation. Beyond this vigor and warmth Corvo spotted something familiar still. Darkness of someone who took life before. A layer of emptiness he was all too familiar with. Attano lowered his head in a threat. The black coated horse immediately closed its eyes as yet another quiet sob escaped it. This was not a reaction he would expect from someone similar to him. He expected her to end the pathetic spectacle and take up the challenge. In all honesty the Lord Protector couldn’t understand these creatures at all. They were so similar to humans in many aspects but rarely showed anything else than innocence and purity. Their actions seemed a direct reflection of that, with some exceptions he encountered. And the rulers? They weren’t as he figured they will be. All his gut instinct and his skills at reading people/other sentient creatures told him that they were innocent. They were rulers that only wanted good for their people. Even the black alicorn seemed to want only good. She was somewhat a mystery however, as if this darkness and emptiness were buried so deep, she herself forgot about them and showed only vigorous kindness. How can you forget taking a life? Nevertheless, Corvo understood that such depth, these horses were showing couldn’t be simply made up, it couldn’t be faked. You can cheat senses to believe in something but the gut instinct Corvo had couldn’t be simply forgotten and mislead, by a deplorable illusion. This world… It was real… He understood that he was about to cause a horrible tragedy! What would it mean for the subjects of these rulers? What would happen to this country if Corvo simply killed these two creatures off? It would end horribly and he was sure of it… His hands slightly trembled, showing his hesitation. The purple unicorn in front of him saw this… She lowered her hoof and looked at him through her tears, gaining some kind of courage, utterly unexpected in such situation. “Why are you doing this?!” Twilight shouted, surprising herself with the amount of authority she mustered. The faceless monster turned its head towards her. The second he did that, Twilight felt the overwhelming dread pressing at her. How was a simple look of this demon causing such state in everypony he looked at?! Even the Princesses were scared of it and Twilight never saw Celestia scared. The little unicorn that now trembled before him reminded Corvo of a very important thing - the lack of time. Yes this place was real, yes he would cause a horrible tragedy and possibly plunge a whole world to flames, but… Was it really his fault? He was being forced to do all of this, by a much more powerful being. He couldn’t afford to simply back down now and think this whole thing through, sipping a cup of tea and chatting with Jessamine about good old times. No, every minute counted, as he could tell that her presence in his mind was weakening. She will soon disappear forever and as much as he cared about the innocent horses, the love he felt for his Empress was much more powerful. There was also another thing… He was ordered to end their lives and Corvo couldn’t disobey. “For freedom…” He answered firmly after a short pause, his hesitation replaced by professionalism of an assassin. “Rest in peace…” He spoke quietly and started to press down the trigger of the gun. This was it… “STOP!” The lavender unicorn cried, but the Lord Protector was not about to listen. Time slowed down as the trigger was pressed down almost fully. All the Ponies present in the room were absolutely shocked, some of them crying, some of them shouting things. A guard started to gallop towards his rulers. Everypony knew however, that there was no time to do anything and even magic couldn't control the flow of time to stop the event from happening. “LUNA!!” Celestia cried out, her dimmed will to live and save her sister exploded, sad acceptance replaced by defiance and rebellion. It was one thing to think you accepted the terrible turn of events and another witnessing the end of somepony you loved deeply. Her wet eyes widened as she extended her hoof towards her sister, ignoring the fact that the blade cut slightly into her neck. Deep down however she also knew the time was up. A loud bang echoed through the halls of the Canterlot castle, ear piercing sound of an explosion. Then silence fell… Horrible, soul splitting silence. In the throne room a thud disturbed the moment of quiet. Luna’s body fell to the floor as a puddle blood started to form around her head. Her lifeless eyes locked with terror present in them. There was a hole in her temple, showing that a high velocity bullet pierced right through the soft tissue. The Goddess of the Night was no more. Soon after the thud her body turned into black ash, leaving no evidence that there was ever any Princess Luna. The human gave no time for anyone to even cry out their sorrow and rage as with powerful movement of his arm he sliced right through Celestia’s throat. A gush of blood immediately flew out, splattering on the ground. She tried to stop the flow with her hoof as she gurgled in pain and shock, yet life was escaping her quickly. She wanted to cast a healing spell, but her horn refused to even work. Quickly the blood loss made her pale as with a cracking thud she fell to the floor, taking a last horrified look at her beloved student, trying to say something. No words however came out from her mouth as her soul ventured to the afterlife. Her eyes became empty and any sign of life disappeared. Her flame was extinguished. Seconds after that the white alicorn also turned into ash as nothing was left behind. Well at least Corvo imagined that was how it should go down. Things took a slightly different turn as at the same moment he pressed down the trigger he heard Jessamine’s weak voice. “Stop!” She said with a startling amount of authority. In a split second he was able to move the gun up slightly only making the bullet travel above Luna’s head, grazing her skin. She twitched, terrified, but then simply stopped moving, shocked. A few of the guards managed to faint and honestly Twilight was not doing any better. Her vision was becoming blurry from all the adrenaline and stress her body was undergoing. The burning sensation near Luna’s ear and small trickle of blood reminded the Princess that she was still alive. The ringing in her ears also told her the same thing. The creature was about to end her existence but something made it send the deadly load of the miniature cannon above her head. Still nopony seemed to be able to move. She herself was not entirely able to move, as some shivers went through her body again. “Corvo… These rulers… They are some of the most compassionate and good creatures I ever come into contact with. And you’re right, this place seems off but its depth cannot be faked… We… Can’t do this…” She whispered weakly. She had the ability to look deeper into any creature she wanted and every single fiber of her soul was telling her, this can’t be a simple illusion. She knew Corvo also sensed this depth. Even though there was still something bothering her about this place, she was ready to admit it simply had to be real. They both had little time, but maybe… Just maybe, there was a different way around? “Jessamine, we have no time! You said it yourself! It’s now or never!” He shouted out, making the ponies jump in surprise slightly. It’s… Talking to itself. Luna thought and took a look at Celestia. The latter’s eyes were wide and seemed somewhat cut off from the situation. Her hoof was still extended. Celestia was locked in a deep state of shock. “I… Know… But we can’t do it before we know we at least tried something different… Neither of us wants to end it this way if we can help it! And we still have SOME time!” Corvo lowered his head thinking. “But anything more complicated and the time will be up… I don’t want to lose you again my Empress.” He whispered. “You won’t! I… might have an idea… There is this deep darkness under all of the purity of the white ruler, but I can’t reach it… It’s so small and seems almost insignificant, forgotten… It might however be what we’re looking for, a different route… Just do what I ask you of, my Lord Protector…” She said firmly. “Very well, your Highness.” He responded, trusting in Jessamine’s judgment. “Petrify the black unicorn-pegasus hybrid so she doesn’t disturb us…” She stated, sure of herself. Corvo would protest but… It was better than shooting her in the head. He was pressing the gun at Luna’s temple still. “Saxificus…” The biped whispered and all in the room felt a dark presence. Some kind of wicked, void magic that was never used or seen before, able to do things that seemed impossible. It spread through the room. The Outsider’s Mark responded and quickly Luna felt all her body stiffening, becoming heavy and unmovable. “W-what is…” She was only able to stammer before the power enveloped her, disallowing her to move or speak whatsoever. Everypony witnessed what the creature just did. Without any effort it casted a spell, through a verbal command, making the Goddess of the Night paralyzed. It took out an alicorn with such ease, it was… Beyond comprehension. Twilight watched all that mouth agape. It seemed however that the creature changed its plans and was not about to kill their rulers. This made Twilight somewhat more relaxed… Maybe… She could talk to it. “Please! Just stop! Whatever it is, the way you want to gain freedom is not a good option! We can talk this through! We can help you!” She said hoping that she can convince it, as the monster placed the miniature cannon at his side. It clicked and seemed to be locked in place. He didn’t move the blade however, still holding Celestia hostage. The latter was constantly looking at Luna in a deep state of shock, her mind somewhat shut down. This definitely was not a good sign. Corvo looked at the bold lavender unicorn and shook his head in disagreement. “Only I can help me. You can’t possibly have anything that could satisfy me.” Some inner geek in Twilight was wondering how is this thing able to talk in perfect Equestrian, but she easily pushed it aside trying to come up with any argument that would maybe reason with the biped, she had to do something! Casting a spell was still not an option… This creature was too unpredictable and could execute Celestia. “You obviously don’t want to end anypony’s life! Just tell me what you need and I can help you!” The guards that not fainted and the one that was the closest to Corvo slowly started to understand that it had to be some kind of a distraction. Ever so slowly they were trying to move, while the monster was focused on talking. “Can you bring back the dead to life?” He asked bluntly. Twilight’s eyes went wide… “N-No… But that’s impossible!” He only chuckled slightly. “There is no such thing as ‘impossible’.” He responded immediately drawing the crossbow out with great speed and shooting sleeping bolts around him, with amazing precision. The guards that tried to circle him fall to the floor asleep. Their pathetic attempt was laughable. His enhanced senses couldn’t be simply distracted. “Not the best plan.” He retorted with a sigh. Twilight was now left alone with the black stallion guard that was wise enough to foresee that this monster can’t be taken by simple tactics like this. She didn’t know what the weapon, the faceless creature used was, but it made her only more scared of the thing. “Now that this is out of the way… What now Jessamine?” He holstered the crossbow, still holding the blade against Celestia’s throat. The latter seemed distant. “Cut the skin of the white horse. Take me out and let a drop of her blood fall on me… If I can’t dig deep enough through her, her blood will tell me everything. I’ll know every memory of hers and her ancestors… This should tell us enough…” Corvo shrugged slightly and pressed the blade a little more. A small cut appeared on the royal neck, as a trickle of blood slowly made its way down her skin. Celestia twitched, feeling the cold steel penetrating her skin. Attano took Jessamine out of his coat. Twilight saw that the biped actually was holding a heart implemented with many metal wires in his appendage. It made her disgusted but also terrified of what the purpose of such thing might be. The black stallion took a step back in fear. “What on all that’s sacred is this?!” He shouted out in terror. The Lord Protector ignored this and put the heart under the trickle of blood from Celestia’s neck. As the blood touched the heart it let out a heartbeat that everypony heard in their heads. It also let out an orange glow. Luna was petrified but could also see this. She wanted to break free and simply trample the creature as her rage was rising, but whatever power was holding her, she couldn’t do anything. What was this strange artifact the creature was holding? And why was she hearing a heartbeat in her head?! Corvo winced slightly waiting for Jessamine to say something. She on the other hand was absorbing all the memories from the drop of blood, able to see all the secrets and the history of this land. Soon she knew everything. The heart stopped beating. Twilight saw so many strange and impossible things today, that a heartbeat in her head wasn’t actually shocking much. This heart had to be some kind of artifact… But what was its purpose? “I see…” Jessamine whispered, slightly stronger than previously. “I was right…” Corvo raised an eyebrow to that. “What do you mean?” He asked, perplexed and not caring in the slightest that the Ponies were eyeing him for talking to himself. “The history of this place has its darkness, buried so deep it’s almost hard to believe… But I know of it now… And I think I know what we have to do. We have to hurry before the memories disappear, though.” Corvo only nodded, actually relieved that bloodshed might not be required. “Can we end this fast?” He asked however. “No…We… Will have to find a body for me to occupy if I’m not to fade away…” Jessamine replied somewhat sad. Corvo cursed under his breath. This meant still something or someone will suffer. Seemed it was unavoidable though. He hid the heart back in his coat. Occupied with talking to Jessamine, Corvo didn’t notice when the white ruler’s expression turned into that of pure anger. She came out of the state of shock, realized her sister almost died, her ponies were hurt, she had a cut on her neck and this thing was simply talking to itself, crazy but casual as if nothing happened. It threatened them, made them believe they will die and held them hostage! ENOUGH! A pathetic blade won’t stop her! Her horn lit up as she casted the simplest and fastest possible spell. Telekinetic force rammed into Corvo sending him to the wall with a crack. The stone managed to break under the sheer amount of force. Corvo felt his bones breaking, internal organs crushed. He fell to floor on all fours. Normally the battle would be already over as a normal human being would probably lose consciousness from the abrupt amount of trauma received. The pain would be unbearable and again an average human would scream his lungs out. Attano’s legs were broken in a few spots and his arm was flexed at a wrong angle. He let out a weak groan. Twilight couldn’t help but feel some amount of pity for the creature. Despite its appearance it didn’t strike her as evil to the bone. It had to be forced to do what it was doing. And the damage it received now… She grimaced sadly and turned her head from the terrible sight, nopony deserved to suffer so much. Celestia watched the being that almost took her and Luna’s life, plunged Equestria into chaos and penetrated her defenses, barely able to stand on its four appendages. She was enraged, but in the back of her mind she also felt pity, her good nature quickly taking over. Her anger slowly lessened as her expression turned from an evil snarl to firm authority. It’s over… She thought… The creature raised its faceless head, the mark on its left paw lit up dimly, as a wave of invisible void energy and power swept the throne room. Celestia raised her eyebrow feeling death intent radiating from the broken creature. Its dark aura grew even stronger. It growled menacingly and slowly started to rise from the ground. Void energy coursing through Corvo’s veins, instantly recovering every single wound he received. His arm popped back into place, organs recovered from the severe damage they received, broken bones repositioned themselves into proper places and healed in matter of seconds. Torn flesh regenerated, as wounds closed. Soon the creature stood straight with the blade still in its appendage. It cracked its neck and lowered its head threateningly. It was back in full health again, as if nothing happened. Twilight watched the spectacle and could only shake her head in disbelief. This… was an abomination, not a living being… Celestia had similarly shocked expression. Nothing could regenerate this fast! What exactly was this thing?! Luna’s eyes were almost goggled. The creature made another absurd thing happen. “W-what are you…?” Celestia asked with a shaky voice. “A human.” The creature replied in a deep, calm voice. The shock quickly past, as Celestia’s snarl returned. This thing was unfazed by her powerful telekinetic attack, so she still had to punish it for its insolence! “You will pay for your crimes monster!” She shouted and was about to cast a ray of pure sun heat, to burn the intruder to crisp. Corvo observed her somewhat passively. Her horn was radiating blinding white light that intensified every second. Soon the spell was at its peak and she released it. A ray of pure sun energy lashed out at the human. “Illac…” The creature whispered teleporting to the side. The ray struck the wall, melting it in the process and creating a gaping hole. Twilight decided that it was a good time to do something! Princesses were no longer directly threatened and she had to help. She charged her horn and casted a concussion bolt that could take down a manticore. She shot at the creature with the bolt hitting the target. Twilight smiled widely, knowing she was successful. But… The creature simply took a step to the side instead of hitting the ground unconscious. It took a look at her, its glass eyes clicking and breathed in deeply as if shaking off mild tiredness. Her magic was somehow weakened before it hit the creature! How?! Was it because of this aura, the creature emanated? She had no idea! Twilight started to sweat. The black stallion guard on the other hoof came to a conclusion it was high time to stop staring in bewilderment and do his job. With a battle cry he rushed the human, about to simply ram him. “For Equestria!” He shouted. “Ventus…” The creature said instead. A blast of powerful wind hit the charging guard. The abrupt amount of force catapulting him backwards. The stallion flew past Twilight and hit the wall right next to her, blacking out in the process. The Element of Magic was overwhelmed by how this abomination was taking out everypony so easily. “Caligo…” Corvo whispered turning into mist as another ray of sun struck the place he was a second ago. It made another huge melted hole in the castle wall. He barely avoided the attack this time. Celestia was in a state of pure enragement again. She growled casting a detection spell, seeing that the thing took a different form. Luna was scared now… She never saw her usually calm sister like this… It was terrifying to see the Goddess of the Sun lose control over her rage. She wanted to calm her sister down, but couldn’t issue a word. Celestia spotted a blue residue in the air. This meant it was the creature. She used a dispelling ability, with a purple light shooting out of her horn and sweeping the area… Her ability did nothing… Didn’t affect the residue as it solidified calmly a few meters from her. She was too busy being in a berserker state to be shocked by the creature’s unnatural magic abilities. The Goddess of the Sun looked at the human with narrowed eyes. “How dare you attack my subjects and my sister in my presence?! How dare you think you have the right to harm us! I will destroy you!” She charged up a spell again. Twilight stopped thinking about the impossibilities and jumped into action again, grabbing the creature with her powerful telekinesis. Corvo tried to move but felt his body unable to. Celestia created a ball of black magic ready to strike the unmoving intruder. Twilight was now slightly unsure if it was a good idea to hold this creature like that… Her mentor is enraged and may do something she will later regret. She was however not given any more time to think about it as Corvo concentrated. “Oblittero!” He shouted out as the mark lightened up. Twilight's jaw opened wide when her telekinesis backfired, sending her outside of the throne room. She hit the wall on the other side hard, which knocked her out cold. Corvo was freed and was getting slightly tired and concerned about his health now. The amount of power the white ruler had was seemingly limitless and her berserker state was making the alicorn forget about safety rules. It was high time to escape then. “Corvo! Cut off her horn… We need to stop her and we’ll need it later!” Jessamine suddenly shouted out in his head… “W-what?” He asked perplexed. The black ball of energy was very dense now, creating gravitational anomalies. Celestia’s eyes were shining in a venomous, emerald color. Pieces of floor and wall were starting to fly around the ball, as Celestia was feeding it more and more power. The bodies of sleeping and unconscious guards were starting to be pulled towards the ball too. Luna saw her sister’s state and wanted to scream out to stop her, as Celestia was now simply reckless. She cursed in her mind at her inability to do anything. “Just do it!” Jessamine shouted desperately. Corvo said nothing, but understood that the spell Celestia was casting was dangerous not only to him, but also the Ponies he took out. His sense of morality allowed him to come to a decision quickly. He had to stop the raging alicorn. “Tractus…” He whispered and again the time itself obeyed, only slowing down however. Corvo had no juice to stop it again. He quickly ran to where the white alicorn was and stood right next to it, unaffected by the black hole. He raised his blade and concentrated feeling dark power rising within him, adrenaline building for a powerful swing. He saw red fog around his field of vision and with a powerful downswing, he brought the blade at the horn, slicing through it like it was made out of butter. The time returned to its normal flow as Celestia’s eyes went wide, she completely forgot about this creature’s ability. The black ball of energy dispersed with a loud bang that shook the foundations of the castle, as its source of energy was severed. Celestia’s horn fell down to the stone ground with a silent clank. She felt a horribly painful throb on her forehead and with a pained scream she fell to the ground, the pain turning into pure agony. She held her armored hoofs against a stub which was, what was left of her horn. She was unable to gather any thoughts as the suffering was unbearable even to her. Some blood was coming out of the stub, together with crackling of magical energy and some white sparks. She was screaming laying in a fetal position, her voice echoing through the walls of Canterlot Castle. Luna was desperately trying to move, she could feel her sister’s pain, just by looking at her. Some tears run down her petrified cheeks. Celestia! What has it done to you?! Corvo on the other hand didn’t want to lose any more time as he crouched down and picked up the horn. It felt warm in touch… Yellow auras were now quickly entering the castle en masse, most likely reinforcements. He looked at the screaming white creature, feeling some pity for it. He didn’t know this would hurt her so much… He scowled, but knew it was no time to feel guilt. Quickly he ran through the throne room to the other side, opening a double door with a masterpiece stained-glass window in its frames. On the other side there was a balcony that had a beautiful view on the whole capital city of this land. Many yellow auras were quickly running through the streets. That is until Celestia screamed again. As if one organism, most of them stopped, intensely listening to the symphony of anguish. He took a look behind seeing that the lavender unicorn went inside the throne room swaying slightly and limping on one leg. It had to hit the wall on the other side hard. Twilight spotted her mentor severely mutilated and gasped, as the monster that did all this was about to escape through the balcony. Celestia stopped screaming by now and lost consciousness from the horrifying misery she was forced to undertake. “Caligo…” Corvo whispered, turning into white mist as he left the castle, traveling through the air. “Princess!” Twilight shouted out as she approached her mentor as quickly as possible, feeling some pain in her back leg. She sat in front of the white alicorn. Celestia was laying on the stone floor unconscious, losing blood. Twilight placed both of her hoofs on her mouth, some tears appearing in her eyes. “What do I do? What do I do?!” She was asking nopony in particular, panic starting to set in. She shook her head, she had no idea what to cast, what to do at all and started to sob again, feeling hopeless. The guards stormed into the throne room and as one stopped in their tracks letting out shocked gasps. Their Princess was severely hurt, the Goddess of the Night on the other hoof was paralyzed. There were guards laying about the room, unconscious. “Medic!” One of them shouted. Quickly two unicorns galloped into the room. Without as much as uttering a word they approached Celestia and begun channeling magic to stop the bleeding. Some guards ran out of the room to inform the castle infirmary of new arrivals. Twilight was completely shaken up as another medical pony approached her. “Twilight Sparkle, are you alright?” The crimson mare asked. Twilight was sobbing, her leg was hurting badly now. It was probably broken, but she wasn’t paying attention to that. Her gaze was locked on her hurt mentor. The medical pony quickly looked her over, noticing her bruises and her hurt leg. She shook her head disapprovingly, concentrating. “Wait! We can’t leave the Princess like that!” The medical unicorn however ignored her as they were both teleported to the infirmary. Much more medical ponies arrived, together with doctors and equipment. The unconscious guards were being teleported to the infirmary, the ones that were hurt were getting immediate attention, just to be teleported out later on. Princess Celestia got first aid and was also brought to the medical wing, together with her paralyzed sister, by a group of medics. The throne room was amazingly quickly cleaned up, however all the ponies felt fear building up in their hearts. Whatever did this, had to be a truly terrifying force. Corvo couldn’t travel far in his mist form, as he felt weak, his energy reserves almost depleted thanks to all the stunts he did just recently. He will have to stop soon, if he doesn’t want to damage himself. Just as he thought this, he felt weakness taking over him. He had to stop NOW. Fortunately, taking precautions he didn’t fly over the city itself, but rather around. Right now he was above some kind of garden with many statues present in it. It was empty, save for some animals. Quickly he lowered himself down and solidified into flesh form. He canceled night vision and as he did that a coughing fit attacked him. It wasn’t a kind of soft and painless cough, but rather it felt as if his stomach contorted and wanted to escape his body. It was painful and felt as if he swallowed a handful of razors. He fell on all fours coughing sickly, feeling his lungs burning-up. He grabbed his mask and pulled it off, shoving it to the side as the cough continued. Soon he started spitting blood, that accompanied the coughing symphony. The pain started to spread all over his body, burning like flame, making his muscles and tendons tense to their limits. His vision became blurry as he deduced that it was an extensive overuse of his abilities. His body suffered an irreversible amount of damage and the consequences can be fatal. He felt bile building inside his stomach and quickly released it. It was a mess of blood and parts of flesh. Well, this didn’t look good at all… “F-fuck…” He barely uttered, releasing another bloody vomit. The pain all over his body was not going away, only intensifying, spreading to his bones. It felt as if something was eating him from inside out. He could feel his veins burning, seemingly ready to burst. Black mist of energy started to erupt from his body, as if some kind of power was leaving him... Or consuming him. The mark on his hand warmed up. As he looked at it, he understood it became dimmer and weaker. “W-what the hell is going on…?” He asked, feeling as if something was trying to pull his insides from his body now. He moaned in pain as his arms were trembling from the strain, barely able to maintain his pitiful “all fours” position. Jessamine gasped sadly, as she understood that Corvo didn’t have a lot of time left. The power of the void that healed him from the telekinetic attack, now turned against him literally consuming the Lord Protector... And his soul... “Corvo… You’re dying... The Void is trying to consume you.” He looked up, again coughing. “W-well… S-shit…” Was it the end? He couldn’t simply fail now! FUCK! He won’t give up now! He should have ended it back there! Damn him and his stupid sense of morality! He felt cold sweat making its way down his body… The mark of The Outsider was dimming further… “This is bad!” Jessamine stated, slightly panicky. “T-thanks for the information… T-the fuck can I do about it?” Jessamine had no idea. Until it struck her, that is. She knew that she was not anchored to the body, so the Void was slowly consuming her soul, because of the constant connection she had to it. Corvo’s soul is being consumed now, but not primarily. Seems that The Void is consuming it additionally to the fact its eating away his body, as he absorbed too much of it’s power. The solution to both problems was… Finding a host for her and switching a body for Corvo… “There is a solution. You have to take over another body!” She stated. Corvo vomited again, this time feeling as if his lungs moved inside of him… “D-dominate?” He asked, slight confusion in his weak voice. “No, permanently transfer your soul.” He chuckled somewhat. “H-how the f-fuck… Am I s-supposed to do t-that?” He asked breathing sharply. It was harder to do with each passing second… “I’ll help you… I’ll open the void flow and you’ll just have to use a binding ability.” He raised an eyebrow to that. “You… W-will do what?” He asked. “Never mind Corvo! We have no time for explanations!” She retorted angrily. Well, she was right about that, as he was about to die any second now. “G-great… W-where am I s-supposed to f-f… find… “ A crack echoed through the garden. A sick sound of breaking bone. He couldn’t finish the sentence as his jaw broke in half. He was simply falling apart as if decomposing. Jessamine quickly localized the only body that was able to contain Corvo’s soul in vicinity and in all honesty it wasn’t the best choice, from what she could remember. “Quickly! Approach the statue in front of you!” He would obviously retort cynically about transferring his soul to a statue, but had no time, nor life-span to do that. Oh and a broken jaw. Feeling like a dead body already he stood up, swaying to the sides. His bones cracked disgustingly, ready to break under his weight. With sheer willpower he made his feet move, wounds starting to open over his skin, as it was slowly exposing his muscles. The pain was excruciating. After a few steps he arrived at the base of a weird serpent-like statue and leaned against it, barely breathing, leaving a bloody smear. He left a trail of blood drops behind him and was losing his sight now also. “Place your hand on it…” Jessamine was afraid that this creature might resist the transfer somehow, but they simply had no choice. It was this body or death for both of them. Corvo raised his bloodied hand, where the outline of the Outsider’s Mark was still present. He touched the stone, feeling a weird vibration of power coming from it. Two of his fingers broke from this simple touch. The bone penetrating the skin. He would scream, he wanted to scream and let the world know of his agony, but he couldn’t. Jessamine opened the connection to the void as the heart let out an orange glow and started to beat in Corvo’s coat. She immediately felt weak, feeling the tendrils of The Void trying to pull her in. Corvo felt the twisted energy enveloping the statue and him. It was familiar, but it wasn’t empowering him as actually it did nothing to him. “Use the ability Corvo! Now!” She whispered desperately. Corvo’s thoughts couldn’t really be very vivid anymore… Ability? What ability...? He wasn’t sure much… Where was he? “Corvo! Say it! Say ‘Necto’!” She screamed in his head, waking thoughts of his dying brain a little. “Necto…?” His jaw was broken, but his lips formed the word. Almost soundlessly he mulled it over slowly. The Outsider’s Mark suddenly burst into green flames. Corvo’s body changed into pure energy as the pain left him and his thoughts became vivid again. This energy then connected with the void and all of it rushed into the statue. The latter vibrated slightly… Discord was asleep… He was asleep for quite a while honestly. Stupid ponies changed him into a statue, AGAIN! And there was absolutely nothing to do, but sleep and observe, hope for some chaos to happen, that he could draw a little power from. The waiting for any event chaotic and significant enough became really boring to the Spirit of Chaos, so he took a nap. He didn’t know how long it lasted, but what woke him up was violent shock of his whole form. He opened his eyes in his mindspace just to see some kind of weird creature standing in front of him. The world of his mind was normally filled with different blend of bright colors and upside down walking ponies, levitating rocks, clouds raining chocolate and so on. The thing in front of him had no face, just a metallic, lifeless crust and didn’t fit the environment at all. “Oh? And who would you be?” Discord asked somewhat perplexed. He then realized that this creature was alien and possibly invading his mind. “Hey! What are you doing here?! It’s my personal space you’re invading!” He screamed at the creature, which didn’t move. Then he felt something weird. A sense of… Lightness... He was losing his grasp on something but couldn’t put his finger on it. Was he becoming old? The creature started to move towards him and behind it a looming darkness was extending its tentacles, slowly filling Discord’s mind space. “Uh-oh… This doesn’t look good…” Discord could feel the power of this darkness. It was overwhelming. Still it shouldn’t be able to do much to him in his own private space and he was pretty darn sure about it! “Hey! That’s enough! Get out of here and take ‘Blacky’ with you! Shoo!” He made a shooing gesture at the creature, which was approaching him further, the darkness spreading over his mind space further. “I’m warning you pal!” He said with a grimace. What was this thing? Next to the creature another appeared, forming itself out of the tentacles. It looked much more dignified, dressed richly and had a face, which showed worry and slight pity. It was a her, Discord deduced. “You have to defeat him in this place Corvo. He will however never disappear fully, as a part of him will always be here even if you win the battle.” The female said quietly. Discord didn’t quite catch what was being said, but deemed it as not really important. The faceless one looked at the dignified female and nodded, slightly surprised by the female’s knowledge. “Illac…” It said and appeared directly in front of Discord. The latter was startled and fell backwards. Discord quickly stood up again though, with an annoyed expression on his face. “Don’t do THAT!” He shouted at the thing. Now Discord was starting to feel just a teeny-weeny bit scared. The situation was very unusual. It definitely wasn’t a dream and he could feel this darkness eating his memories. Something was invading his mind, but how? It was almost impossible to do! Ah, he will just have to expel them. Discord looked down at the rather small creature and smiled slightly. “Bye bye!” He said joyfully, snapping his fingers and… Nothing happened. His eyes widened as he looked at his hand and snapped his fingers again… And again… “What on chaos?!” Now this was… unexpected… Corvo was not about to wait any longer. He had no moral brakes now, knowing full well that this was a battle for his own existence. And a creature as dangerous as human, while fighting for his and his beloved survival was able to do things that are beyond unspeakable. He unsheathed his blade and with lightning speed rammed it directly into the weird creature’s chest, before it could do anything other than pointlessly snap it’s fingers. Discord’s sense of superiority, safety and calm immediately disappeared, replaced with shock, disbelief and true fear. He couldn’t die in his own mind! He shouldn’t be even able to be touched! W-what…? He let out a bloodied cough, as the creature twisted the blade in his chest, taking some kind of sick pleasure in the act. The wound was fatal as this faceless horror stabbed his heart. Blood erupted from the wound as the creature took the blade out with ease. It splattered across the mindspace as if everything was happening in reality. “H-how…?” Discord asked as life was quickly leaving him. He then understood. It was not a simple mind invasion and this creature was taking over his body… And he just lost… Red flames enveloped the Draconequus as with final scream of terror he disappeared, vacating the space. Corvo blinked under his mask, surprised by how easy this battle was won and content to some extent, not even really wanting to know what was the abomination he just defeated. “Now what…?” He asked taking a look at Jessamine and sheathing his blade. “I’m not quite sure…” She said furrowing her brows. The darkness quickly ate away all the colors of this place and they both were left in the middle of it. Empty dark space… Corvo blinked again, but when he opened his eyes he could see Jessamine looking at him with utter disbelief. He felt off too, as if higher… He looked down and noticed he no longer has a proper human body, but rather a fairly tall one. It was mismatched, made out of parts of different animals. His hands reminded that of a lion and a bird yet somehow were well-coordinated and more flexible. He felt he had additional parts of body too. A… tail… and wings… For a while he was calm, but then his eyes went wide as he started to simply shiver, fight-or-flight reaction kicking in as the absurd he was going through now created a vast amount of stress. “W-what… the hell?” The clothes he was wearing simply adjusted to his new appearance, with the exception of shoes he no longer had. His mask also adjusted. “Calm down Corvo!” Jessamine shouted out, seeing the serpent in front of her entering panic mode. He started to breathe in and out sharply looking himself over and touching his masked face, which was elongated now. This was a good moment to panic… “C-calm down? What the fuck happened to me?!” He shouted out in the empty, black space. “You took over the body of this creature!” She shouted back. “I know! But I’m in my mind! I’m not supposed to look like this in my mind!” He retorted observing his new tail in shock. “You are in its mind! It is just becoming yours, now!” Corvo took a deep breath. It was no way to behave for a Lord Protector. He blinked yet another time and as he opened his eyes, he was human again. The darkness disappeared as the space was filled with the murkiness and greyness of Dunwall he was all too familiar with. The mindspace transformed into the streets of Dunwall. This was Corvo’s mind now. “See?” Jessamine said with a slight smile. He simply shrugged as he looked around seeing many streets of Dunwall, he was way too familiar with. When he turned back to look at Jessamine, she was no longer there. Corvo was about to question the situation when an explosion of blinding light made him cover his eyes. When he opened them, he was no longer in his mind. He saw the garden, though weakly and blurrily. He couldn’t move any part of his body nor could he move his eyes even. Right. He is a statue now. Well, this might be a problem… He thought feeling a burning sensation in his left hand. He couldn’t look there, but the sensation made a pattern he knew all too well. Then a cracking sound echoed through the garden as he felt his hand gaining the ability to move. He used his freed muscles to make a sharp pull. Another crack… His arm was free… He punched the stone shell in a few places making it crack more and after a few rounds it simply fell off freeing him fully. He fell down to the ground not entirely gracefully, feeling his body being completely different than he was used to. He felt as if he was in his mind again. There were additional body parts, weird sensation of being taller, body made out of mismatched animal parts… The whole affair felt different than a possession though. He felt he was this creature fully, when during possession he had a sense of his original self. He didn’t like that. In fact it disgusted him. He stood up from the ground getting a feel of this repulsive body. It was a truly horrifying thing. It simply looked like an abomination and Corvo had no idea what kind of sick God could create a thing such as this. The fact that he was now trapped in it for Universe knows how long made his mood go from bad to worse. He looked at his animal like hands and spent a few minutes simply watching himself over with a abhorred expression that made its way to his face involuntarily. Every movement of his knew muscles was so alien, that he was starting to fall into a vicious circle, something inside his mind telling him to rip his skin open and escape this unholy thing, he was trapped in. “Couldn’t be any worse…” He stated in a voice that made him recoil slightly. It definitely wasn’t his, but there was this depth to it that he knew very well. It didn’t however fit this voice as it was a feat of his former body. This was a nice discovery anyway, seeing one of his characteristics was also transferred. Hopefully when all of this is over he won’t be resurrected as this thing… The thought itself made him shudder. He stopped watching himself over deciding there was little he could do about and also there was no time for such unimportant activities. All the dark thoughts and self-loathing he had were pushed deeper in his mind, a sense of duty taking over. He looked around and spotted blood splatters on the grass, deducing that it definitely was his own blood. Near the pedestal the statue was on he noticed all of his material possessions laying with the heart was also there. It wasn’t shocking to see all his equipment spread around as he wasn’t possessing the creature but became it… A shiver went down his long spine at the thought, his mood yet again worsening. He turned around almost losing his balance. He avoided that thanks to some wild movements of his arms. This was becoming really maddening. It was as if learning to walk anew. Slowly he crouched, being careful as not to fall backwards. He picked up his coat. Well it wasn’t usable much any longer... To his surprise the mark on his hand lightened up, feeling warm. Black energy enveloped the coat and changed its shape to match his body. The energy then traveled further doing the same with the rest of his equipment that normally would not match his new looks anymore. He watched all of it agape in quite a surprise. The latter quickly changed into anger as he understood an important detail. “The Outsider had to foresee this coming... Damn bastard!” He shouted out, feeling like choking life out of something. He struck the ground with his eagle arm, that was clenched into a fist. A slight amount of pain traveled up it from the force used. He cursed profoundly a few times and it somewhat made him calm down. Then as quickly as possible, but still clumsily and falling over a few times, accompanied by unholy curses Corvo dressed back in his reshaped clothes. It felt weird and unnatural, but he wasn’t about to walk naked. He was not some kind of an animal. The wings he had, he couldn’t possibly control so dressing in the coat and shirt was a real challenge that took a good portion of time. Similarly he had problems dressing into his pants as the tail had a mind of its own. This thing he was in now was obviously not born to wear clothes, but he will defy nature, with the exception of the boots, that didn’t change shape. He was meant to walk barefooted then. It didn’t sit quite right with the Lord Protector. Last thing that was left was his mask, which also changed to match his new face… or snout… or whatever… The way it looked made him snicker somewhat, not joyfully, but rather pitifully. The masterpiece of technology made for him by Piero was simply ruined. It was very elongated, some parts of it changed shapes, some more were added and a normal person would think that Piero wanted to make an assassin out of a horse. After a pause of contemplation and a sorrowful moan he placed it over his face as it matched perfectly, surprisingly. He then brought down the very unusual hood over his head, carefully aiming his new horns and elongated ears through the holes. He felt at least partially ready and like his former self now, still internally pretty darn angry. “How are you feeling Corvo?” He heard Jessamine in his head. “Like shit… And you?” He said angrily, his answer on a level of 13 year old. “Corvo, you had no choice. There was no other body in vicinity!” She tried to reason with the human made Draconequus, who was visibly angered and had his pride hurt very much. “Look at me! I’m some kind of a monster now! What if I return to Dunwall like this? Sokolov’s son will gladly cut me up to see how I tick! I don’t even know how I tick!” He shouted out, forgetting about his mission for a while he sat on the grass waived, filling some kind of pity over himself. He never behaved like that, but all in all neither was he in such a situation too. “We had to do this, or you would die and become a part of The Void!” She again tried to reason. Corvo lowered his head in thought, trying to calm down somewhat and let his usual professionalism kick in. “Yes… I was on the verge.” He sighed and stood up again, almost falling over, forgetting that this body had different center of gravity. It will take time but he can get used to this. As long as it is only for the duration of the mission, he could live with it. “Canis Aspectus…” He whispered as the mark lightened up. His senses enhanced Corvo looked around and spotted a rather unpleasant sight. A few yellow auras were approaching his direction. “Enough wasting time… We have to get out of here and find you a proper body Jessamine.” He said as he turned around and started advancing through the garden, first slowly still trying to get used to the movement of new muscles, but then picking up pace. This body was better anyway. Taking over one of the horses, would result in having no hands or paws again, and that could prove inconvenient. “That we do. I’m starting to forget this county’s history…” She said as they ran to the other side of the garden, stopping near a wall. Corvo looked up measuring the wall’s height. It was an easy jump. He crouched down slightly and jumped in the air catching the edge of the stone wall with his mismatched hands. It was hard to hold on as his body was much heavier and very elongated. With some effort however he pulled himself up, amazed at his new spine’s flexibility. He stood up on the wall looking over it. There was a gaping abyss on the other side, all the way down from the mountain this city was positioned on. Seeing that he had all his energy reserves restored, there was no reason for him not to use his other abilities. “Caligo…” He whispered as his new body turned into mist and slowly traveled down the mountain into the forest below. As Disc-… Corvo reached the bottom he solidified into flesh and let out a tired sigh. “What do we do now?” He asked Jessamine, not really sure where to go from here. “We need to reach a place called The Crystal Desert, there we will find a certain creature that might be a solution to our problem…” Corvo raised his bushy, white eyebrow. “What are we supposed to do with the creature?” He asked, not really knowing what Jessamine’s plan is. “I’ll take her as my host.” Corvo shook his head slightly. “How is that different from taking over a random body?” He asked, uncertainty in his voice. “Thanks to her we will be able to politically finish all of this.” He pondered this over. He would ask Jessamine for details, but prefered to do it after they find her this body. He had a nagging feeling that every time she talked or actually did anything, her strength was faltering. Opening this void for him made her voice even weaker. He would also ask her about this body, but for the same reasons he decided not to. Flexing his mismatched, eagle-lion arms he started his advance through the forest, back towards the village he came through. To get to this Crystal Desert he will need a map. This was his mistake in the first place. He had no map of this place and no idea how big it is. Navigating purely relying on his instinct the Draconequus was moving around the base of the mountain. He was sure that the town from before was near this mountain, so hopefully he’ll spot the yellow auras. Time was passing by as Corvo was cursing under his breath once in awhile, as he tripped on his non-matching legs. One had a hoof and the other sharp claws so it was pretty confusing most of the time. The night didn’t bother him though, nor did the many different animals of the forest. He usually simply avoided them. After good few hours of walking he finally spotted the yellow auras, most asleep. There was however a detachment of guards walking through the small town. They were probably searching for the one that attacked their Princesses. He started to crouch, which wasn’t easy in this ugly body. It was serpent-like so crouching didn’t really lower Corvo much. Another juicy set of curses left his forked tongue. He was on the edge of the thick foliage. Now simply running into the town and randomly opening the stores in search for a map wasn’t the best of ideas and definitely the thing he was now, wasn’t seen often. He might be considered something to be killed instantly, so disguise was out of the way. The best thing to do was to dominate something and then enter the city… He however didn’t want to do it much, changing a body so quickly after another was on the list of things to avoid. “Fuck this…” He said to himself, feeling anger building up inside of him. He had enough of this place in all honesty. He drew out the crossbow from his side and the pistol from the other. Strangely both weapons matched his thicker hands. He had about 12 sleeping bolts left. Determination and fire of rage lit up within him as he left the foliage and started walking towards the town with his crossbow and pistol high in the air. He approached the first building, behind which 3 guards stood. It had a bell inside of a small tower on top that reminded Corvo of a school. Not paying any more attention he circled the building and walked straight in front of the guards aiming his weapons at them. The latter were chatting about something when he came out. As they saw him, their jaws literally dropped to the ground, both fear and shock apparent in them. “D.. D-discord?!” A blue unicorn asked, shaking from fear. The other guards took a few steps back. The blue unicorn was sure! The shape of the body and the mismatched parts were definitely that of the Spirit of Chaos. But he was supposed to be trapped in stone! Discord however was free and... fully dressed in a long black coat with a mask covering his face. How did he get out?! This mask... He knew it as it was issued in the report they received when sent to Ponyville. “It… It was you all along… You hurt the Princesses!” The unicorn shouted out in sudden anger. Discord didn’t make a move tilting his head to the side, as if not entirely sure what the guard was talking about. He then aimed the pistol at the guard’s leg and fired with a loud bang that reverbed through the town alarming the other guards and waking up the citizens. The blue unicorn fell to the ground screaming as his flesh and bone were directly pierced by the iron bullet, creating a hole. Blood was quickly coming out of it, creating a small puddle on the dirt. The other guards witnessed the scene in pure horror. One of them managed to faint while the other was shivering, unable to move whatsoever. “D-discord… Y… You are…U-under a-ar..” The shivering guard was trying to speak, unsuccessfully. Discord threw the pistol up in the air and skilfully caught it by the barrel. He then approached the shivering guard in two quick steps and smacked him in the side of the head with the butt, knocking out the poor pony instantly. The excess amount of force the serpent used made the guard’s skull let out a crack. He then holstered his crossbow, reloaded the pistol and picked up the unconscious guard locking his head in a choke with the eagle arm. The lion arm on the other hand pointed the pistol at the Pony’s head when Discord left the place and moved towards the quickly approaching guards that heard the whole commotion. The blue unicorn was still screaming in possibly the worst agony in his life, not registering what was happening around him. White light appeared in the middle of the town, created magically by one of the unicorns as a part of the procedure when catching a dangerous criminal. The darkness was dispersed as the guards came to meet the intruder. Discord stopped in the middle of the town holding the pony tightly in his arm, standing calmly and waiting the guards to gather. As they gathered, most of them issued a long terrified gasp at the scene in front of them. All of them had only one thing in mind. Discord has returned... Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Applejack were all in Fluttershy’s cottage, trying to help poor, paralyzed Pinkie. They tried everything as far as all of them were concerned… There was canceling magic, trying another magic on top of this magic, trying to move Pinkie, trying to use water to melt the paralyzing thingy that was trapping her, trying orange juice, trying sitting on her, trying jumping on her, trying candy to make her move, trying to play music to make her dance, trying to sing a song, trying a lasso, trying apples and trying flying around her to make time flow backwards… And all of the attempts failed… The elements now simply decided to cheer her up and wait for Twilight to come back. “And I saw this simply horrifying dress this mare was wearing! Honestly! Who made the poor girl wear such dreadful clothes?! It had to be a punishment!” Rarity was expressing her disgust in yet another story she was telling, while RD and AJ were pretending to be at least mildly interested. Pinkie on the other hoof was listening intently, happy that something is happening at least. The elements had no idea that the guards arrived in Ponyville as Fluttershy’s Cottage was simply not on the route of the messenger that was trying to inform everypony as quickly as possible, what threat is roaming through Equestria. He simply forgot about the place. “Oh, oh! Did I ever tell you how awesome flight through Everfree I made the other day?” RD suddenly spoke out, fire in her eyes. She realized that sharing her awesome adventures will be much more interesting than listening to the drama queen. At least 90% more interesting… “Yes ye to-” AJ was interrupted by the loud bang that echoed through the town. They all jumped in surprise, of course excluding Pinkie who couldn’t jump and just let out a moan. “What in tarnation was that?!” They heard a sound of rushed hoofs galloping through the town as a bright light appeared in the middle of it. “The hell is happening there?” RD exclaimed very interested. “Trouble I assume!” Rarity added her two bits. They all looked at each other and then at Pinkie. Their interest somewhat raising after spending so many hours here, doing practically nothing. “Pinkie Pie, darling… You won’t mind us checking the commotion outside…?” Rarity asked with a sincere smile on her face. The other elements nodded vigorously. Pinkie only rolled her eyes, which was an obvious ‘Yes I would mind’. Her attempt was wrongly interpreted as the mares rushed out of the cottage heading for the middle of the town. “You’re the best Pinkie!” RD shouted as they left. Pinkie only moaned again… The elements quickly came to the middle of the town wondering about what was happening. Their excitement rose as if they were three fillies again. As they entered the area their excitement transformed into dread and distress. They saw something that shouldn’t be happening that they shouldn’t ever see again. There in the middle of the town surrounded by at least 17 guards was standing a familiar figure. Enveloped in light, his mismatched arms were holding a pony and pressing a weird device against the guard’s head. His face was covered by a scary metal mask, but the mares didn’t need to see his face to know that it was… Discord… Silence fell as everypony was simply staring at the Spirit of Chaos that held another pony hostage. He then took a look around, his mask issuing weird clicks as he focused his sight on something. His tail moved slightly from left to right as he pressed down the hammer of the pistol with an audible click. “Discord…” Rarity whispered, unable to comprehend what she was seeing. “Discord!” RD shouted out in anger, ready for a battle. He turned his head slightly in her direction as his mask issued another weird series of clicks. “How did you escape the stone prison?!” RD demanded. No response. “We defeated you once and we will do it again! Don’t think you will bring chaos on Equestria while the Elements of Harmony are together!” She shouted again, full of confidence. Discord however seemed to ignore her as he looked at the guards again and tightened his grip around his hostage. “Don’t you ignore me!” She screamed with acrimony. Just then she realized that he had a hostage… This was new… Her temper slightly lessened. One of the guards finally broke the moment of silence. “What do you want monster?!” He screamed out bravely… Again silence fell for a while. “I want a map of this land. You have 5 minutes to bring it to me or this pony… Dies…” All eyes went wide… Die? Discord loved chaos, but he never killed anypony! His voice was so much different too, deep and cold… There was no mischief everypony knew the Spirit of Chaos for, no joyfulness and cockiness in his tone, just this seriousness that simply didn’t fit Discord’s profile. The ponies looked at themselves unsure of how to react now. One of them however finally matched the reshaped mask with the report. “BY CELESTIA! It’s him! Discord was the masked creature! He attacked the Princesses and seriously hurt them!” The elements gasped in shock, not knowing entirely what that was about! The Princesses are hurt? A masked creature... Oh no… They connected the facts, this had to be the creature sent by ‘The Outsider’. It was Discord all along? It made no sense! This also meant that Twilight failed! “Oh no...” Rarity said with a hoof on her mouth. Her eyes glassy. “We have to stop him now!” RD was about to fly when, Applejack stopped her, grabbing the self-confident and hot-headed mare by the tail, which she quickly let go of. “Are ye mad RD? He defeated tah Princesses! We can’t do anything!” She screamed at her friend. “4 minutes…” Discord said in a deep, harsh tone. “We can’t just sit here and watch! We have to do something!” RD yelled madly. “What about Twilight?” Rarity said with a sad tone, quietly. “Discord! What have you done with Twilight Sparkle?!” She suddenly screamed out, concern for her friend winning with the fear. The Draconequus turned his head slowly towards her. “I know nothing about this Discord. My name is Corvo Attano! The Lord Protector of Empress Emily Kaldwin, savior of Dunwall, ‘the last honest man’, as they dubbed me! I’m not this Discord! I’m not the monster you see in front of you! I’m human!” He shouted out at Rarity with such venom and strength she stumbled falling backwards. All the ponies managed to take a step back even, as they felt the dark tendrils of Corvo’s aura, void energy and death intent touching their souls. All were frozen in spot for a while. “W-what… was this feeling…” AJ asked nopony in particular. Rarity was shaking from fear as some tears appeared in her eyes. RD shook her head, getting rid of the feeling quickly, as she approached her friend. “Rarity… Are you alright...?” Rarity was shivering as she shook her head, indicating a clear “no”. Rainbow simply leaned down and hugged her friend tight. The latter’s shivering slightly ceased, but she was still shaken up. AJ on the other hoof was observing Discord who wasn’t Discord anymore. The feeling she that swept through her… It was so powerful! Was this magic? Was this what Unicorns could do? It was so dark, yet the strength behind it… It felt... Good... “3 minutes…” Corvo stated, getting the attention of the Ponies, who decided not to wait any longer and simply give the masked Draconequus what he wanted. Quickly a guard ran through the city and in a few seconds came back with a good quality map of Equestria. “Put it in front of me…” Corvo demanded observing the guard pony who approached him shakily. The young stallion put the map on the ground, letting it fall from his mouth. Corvo simply released the unconscious pony as he picked up the map and took a last look around. None dared to make any move. The three civilian horses he shouted at also weren’t making any suspicious attempts. Two of them were hugging and the orange one was observing him, but not with fear… It was… Curiosity and amazement. This was a new reaction. Corvo raised an eyebrow to that, but quickly shrugged it off as he turned around and simply walked out of the town, completely undisturbed, leaving the elements and the guards in a state of mixed shock, fear and… Amazement. Knowledge of The VoidDishonored: The Outsider’s Reach Chapter 5: Knowledge of The Void Warning: Contains no gore... Disappointing eh? No worries next warning will be more valid. Chapter inspiration: Asturias - Isaac Albeniz, Turmion Kätilöt - Paha ihminen and “Arthur C. Clarke’s three laws: 1. When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong. 2. The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible. Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” The Universe is a vast empty space, hollow and mostly devoid of any life – or at least that’s what most mortals believe in. Only a few worlds are populated by sentient beings that in fact have little to no idea about the true nature of the eternal blackness. Only a few of those populated worlds developed themselves so much that they are able to gaze into stars not with fright but wonder. Thinking what secrets and power can be possibly locked in the deepest bowels of this darkness. This space holds the key to complete control over creation and destruction. Sapient mortals might live in the ignorance or constant pursuit of knowledge, constant search for answers, but in fact there are already creatures who know its secrets; creatures that are neither alive nor dead. They know how this machinery ticks, what makes it work, and they hold but a shard of its true power. To the mortals on the many populated worlds of the Universe those creatures are sometimes called Gods. Some of them could be called good or evil. Sometimes they have no name as they don’t show themselves and sometimes they are but whispers in the wind, or shadows among the light. One of these beings is The Outsider, as old as time itself, holding an extent of control over its flow, having the ability to shape reality and he knows how everything came to be… Only one mortal ever dared to ask him this question. And so I suppose you would like to know how all of it really works, how it came to be and... You want to know more about me? The Outsider chuckled. patronizing the mortal in front of him. You were able to force me to come to you, for which I applaud you, as no mortal before you managed to do it. What makes you think that I will tell you anything though, hmmm? The mortal took out a small shard of a black gem and showed it to The Outsider, now levitating in front of the child. The Outsider was rarely impressed and evenless often he was amazed or actually felt a pinch of dread. His eyes went wide and his ever confident smile disappeared, replaced with a scowl. His lips formed a thin line. The Black Eye… I see… The Outsider said bemused and irritated, but quickly shook off the feeling. The boy only nodded hiding the shard of the gem back into his pocket and crossed his arms, waiting for the cosmic being to speak. Very well… I’m not used to not knowing and I don’t know how a mortal came to possess a piece of The Black Eye, but you have me cornered. The Outsider smiled again and applauded the boy out loud, entertained and understanding that he is not talking with a mere drop in the ocean. This boy will reach where no one has reached before. The cosmic trickster then folded his arms again and leaned forward looking straight in the young human’s eyes. The latter was not at all afraid. Listen closely, for I will not repeat myself. There was a pause. In the beginning as you can probably deduce easily, there was nothing. Vast emptiness where nothing existed. There was no time, no reality, no black, no light, simply pure nothingness. I would like to tell you that something suddenly happened; a beautiful fairy appeared and moved her wand to begin creation. The truth however is slightly different for instead of a fairy, they have come, through a gash in the nothingness, creatures from if you can believe it, another completely different Universe. I don’t know how or exactly when, but they did something unimaginable. They turned nothingness around and commanded it to step aside… And it obeyed. Then with power none can wield they created everything, reality, time, matter, void… And with these they also gave life to The First Ones, sentient beings of pure energy. They were the only ones that had much knowledge of the Creators and were permitted to wield two tools the Creators left behind. The first tool was The Orb of Eternity. An artifact that gave control over everything across the unlimited space. It’s still there, dormant, exactly in the middle of the creation. Now it is unreachable, behind a wall of pure chaos, through which nothing can pass… Supposedly. The second tool was The Black Eye. An orb made out of a black crystal mass with truly terrifying power to simply delete everything the wielder wanted across The Universe. No one knows where it is now, but the fact that you possess a shard of it means it shows itself somewhere, sometimes and allows a simple mortal to use a small ounce of its destructive powers. With it in your pocket none of us cosmic beings can reach into your soul and know of you like we do about other sapient creatures. You are now a white noise to us, something that most would be shocked about. I also cannot take it from you forcefully. It would immediately consume me as it recognizes you as its owner. If you ever come across another shard like this in someone’s possession do not attempt to steal it. With a pencil and an eraser at their disposal The First Ones shaped and added to the base left by The Creators. And so they’ve created me and many others, giving me the task to simply observe and not interfere into the lives of the mortals. I abided by their rules, as they could easily end my existence. They gave me The Void as my own world. Many of my brothers and sister were given much more interesting worlds, where they had power given by our parents to bring many things to life. They could then rule their creations, or love them. I simply had nothing and could only watch. Did it make me unhappy? Oh no… I loved to watch mortals fight and make important decisions. It was and still is entertaining. Nevertheless all of it changed when The First Ones simply vanished, as The Creators did. Many of the let’s say “Gods” quickly jumped at each other’s throats, battling and slaughtering under no supervision. All of them wanted to have The Orb of Eternity. The smarter and better informed of us however knew that it cannot be obtained, at least not without a good plan and knowledge. When most of the simpletons were no longer existent only a few of us remained. We forged a treaty where each of us got their own dimension instead of one world of the Universe to rule and supervise. Some openly showed themselves to the mortal creatures, some remained in the shadows and some further created worlds in their own layer. I have this the Void and this dimension so in fact you could say that I am your God. The Outsider smiled weakly. I am used to observing however and never really planned into completely breaking the rules imposed on us by the First Ones. If they simply vanished, who’s to say they cannot return? I might see and know a lot, thanks to being able to control the flow of time, but I am not all knowing. The First Ones told me more things than most of us knew and will ever know. I was never sure why, but I know this… When one of us reaches the Orb of Eternity, The Creators will return. It might be hard to believe but like you or any mortal I also want to know… Why did they make us? What was their purpose? Many of us that were left however, never planned to discover nor seek knowledge. This left only me and Arcana. She was the Goddess of Knowledge and Life and similarly to me, The First Ones told her more. Only I and she knew in fact that The Orb is behind a wall of pure chaos that will obliterate anything that will try to touch it. And many of the previously mentioned simpletons tried to force their way through with not so pleasant effects. Instead of focusing on quantity of the worlds, she focused on quality and truly her lone world was the most beautiful thing you could ever imagine. This is why I find only some of you mortals interesting. Most of you are pathetic and ready to trample everything that is beautiful under your feet if it will give you more power or riches. You’re often ruled by simple greed. I’m no fool however; I know that there are individuals among you that are much more than this as I mentioned. That is why the more you are interesting the more ready I am to grant you some power, to make you truly stand out from the other trash. Nevertheless I and Arcana forged a kind of alliance where we planned to touch the Orb together, organizing the chaotic wall, introducing order into it and then being able to pass through it. She was however betrayed by her own creations and trapped for eternity underground of her beautiful planet. You must also know that I didn’t create you humans or anything other in this Layer. It might be rightfully mine, but I never truly interfered and all of the progress here was initiated originally by the First Ones and First Ones only. I still don’t know how you managed to come into possession of The Black Eye shard, but it’s a truly impressive feat. You are also quite unique and I will give you a part of my power child, more than I have ever given any other mortal. You deserve it... The outsider pointed a finger on the boy. The latter winced slightly as a familiar mark appeared on his hand. He looked at it for a while and then turned his attention back at The Outsider. This is how This Universe works boy. You have now a steady connection to The Void, it will whisper secrets to you, tell you things that should remain hidden. The power will grow steadily within you and you will find yourself capable of the unthinkable. No one will notice the mark, as it is not a simple brand like most of the humans I find interesting here have, it is something much more. Don’t let the knowledge I gave you consume you… And bear the power of the Black Eye shard carefully, it is more destructive than you can imagine. With that The Outsider vanished leaving the rather content boy alone. The little human smiled to himself as he looked at the mark on his hand. He patted his pocket cheerfully and turned to leave the dark room. The Outsider observed the boy for a while, smiling slightly. He was something else. The cosmic trickster might have forgotten to mention a small fact though. He plans to set Arcana free. He can’t allow her to be pitifully trapped underground, while her treacherous creations roamed unpunished, usurping her power. And so slowly as to not allow other brothers and sisters to see, he created a small gash in dimensions, allowing for something to pass through from his to Arcana’s. Of course this gash made some of The Void to seep through, making the “spells” his interesting mortals used sometimes influence her world, but in fact he didn’t care. He and Arcana will be able to reach The Orb of Eternity and they will get their answers. Sadly he can’t free her alone, as any interference this powerful would cause the others to pay attention. He will have to test how far can he go though... Maybe show himself to the mortals of Arcana’s layer? It should suffice. Nevertheless, the cosmic being already had an idea and a plan formulated in his keen mind. Time to wake up dear Corvo… Sokolov’s Clinic is one of the biggest medical care institutions in Dunwall. It was built as an addition to the Holger Square. Originally it was opened by now deceased Anton Sokolov many years back. In the beginning it was only a small building bought by the Royal Physician in the mostly abandoned part of the rich square, right after the end of the Plague. Sokolov was never a man of morality and ethics, but something inside him finally broke after Corvo Attano, accused of murder of the previous Empress was able to restore her daughter to the throne almost clean handed. The idea of the clinic where he would treat his patients for free was a way of redemption for the inventor. Together with Piero, they sought to improve medical care in Dunwall and across the empire, making medical breakthroughs. With the reestablishment of Empress Emily Kaldwin on the throne of the Empire of Isles, Sokolov and Piero were given considerable funds to finance their experiments, inventions and the constantly growing clinic. Thanks to their close cooperation new ways to detect different diseases were created, new optical instruments, new methods to analyze human body, new never before seen drugs quickly surfaced from their research. Quickly Sokolov and Piero extended their research and formed an impressive team of scientists, that under constant supervision of the geniuses, revolutionized medicine. The clinic was always first to receive the upgrades of equipment and treatment methods before any other hospital or similar facility. Being exclusively funded by the Empire and Sokolov’s own budget the clinic quickly became very famous for its incredibly high standards. This was for it’s mostly free treatments, competent and superb staff of doctors and nurses, incredible medical breakthroughs and so on. Until this day many want to be treated in the now gigantic facility, as it became a place of Miracles where diseases that were previously incurable somewhere else, could be cured. Because of the overwhelming inflow of patients, a certain limit was issued. The poor, below poverty line were always treated for free, while the ones that made average amount of money were obliged to pay a still small fee. The nobles on the other hand were sometimes forced to pay horrendous amounts of money for simple treatments. Of course this would quickly cause the nobles to protest… If not for one man. Corvo Attano, The Lord Protector of the Empress was a legend among the whole Empire, and even though Emily herself was considered compassionate, her Protector was a contradiction. He became cold, distant and dread-inspiring after Emily Kaldwin was restored to the throne. Gossips of him secretly executing opposition that could arise to the Empress appeared. It was said that he used demonic powers to find and neutralize those that would speak ill about the current ruler. Whether those were simple tall tales or true to some extent, none dared to question the Empress, knowing full well that the man protecting her was capable of making a whole nation burn if he wanted to. And so the nobles swallowed their pride and never voiced their concerns out loud. Aside from that, The Empire unfortunately couldn’t keep up with the clinic’s progress. Even when it used all of its resources to spread the medical revolution there were still some parts of the Empire where these didn’t appear yet. And so to this prestigious facility yet another patient arrived. This one however got top priority. The Containment rail unit arrived directly at the back of the massive 5 story building. The construction itself was mostly flat, spread over a considerable size of Holger square. The Clinic was decorated richly and somehow resembled more of a massive mansion, with stained-glass Gothic windows and with more decorations on its grayish surface than a highly advanced, Whale Oil Reactor powered hospital should have. The double back door made entirely of steel frame and clean glass swung open as group of nurses with a doctor came out, all of them wearing gas masks on their faces pushing a bed directly under the rail unit. This was an entrance to the closed off, separated part of the clinic, where highly contagious diseases and the like were treated. The rail would always arrive under the entrance allowing for quick movement of the patient or patients. From the sides of the Unit two watchmen came out, quickly opening the back door that had yet another watchman supporting a young pale woman that was unconscious as of now. Next to them a boy and a rather sick looking woman were standing. The patrol quickly took out the weeper woman and placed her on the hospital bed, the nurses instantly moving the patient into the back of the facility to one of the specially secured rooms. “Please follow me. All of you have to be decontaminated and applied with Serum-71A I’m afraid,” Said the lone man in white doctor’s coat. He had spoken in a loud tone, while looking at the rather dissatisfied watchmen and two civilians. He gently pointed towards the door. “You heard the man! Move it!” The captain said as the three watchmen and the civilians entered the facility, leaving the lone Containment Rail Unit that soon would be decontaminated as well. The steel door behind them closed themselves with a thud and a click. They were now locked and secured. The secured part of the clinic was cleaned to sterility; made out of uniform white panels. The Captain of the watchmen couldn't really tell what kind of material it was, but the whiteness somewhat dazzled his eyes. They were now standing in a round room. In front of them there were white doors, which were now closed shut and behind them another set moved to the side, closing automatically. The doctor that led them here entered the decontamination cell control room and told the group to wait. The bright light in the round cell changed to a dim green as tubes in the ceiling began to emit thick white smoke, covering the whole small area they stood. It stung their eyes and skin a little bit, but they were sure it was a part of the decontamination. Only the boy moaned slightly. The group seemed to be mostly unfazed by this. The popularity of the clinic and it’s futuristic technology is widely known, as the decontamination process is a basic part of it’s routine when it comes to diseases. Many floors of the clinic possess similar chambers and information about the clinic quickly became basic knowledge, explained even to children in school. William knew what was going on, but it still made him uneasy and feel a little scared, shattering his confidence quickly. It came back when his sister put her arm around his small frame and pressed him closely to her body. He immediately felt safe and stopped worrying about the stinging smoke. The smoke was quickly sucked in by small holes on the ground and the light turned back to normal. The door in front of them slid to the side allowing the group to venture further into the clinic, and so they did. The doctor came out from the control room just on the left of the corridor, next to the decontamination cell. His mask was now off and he held a chrome briefcase in his left hand, motioning for the group to follow him. They were moving through a straight corridor and every 10 meters were leaving behind a set of white doors. They were constructed similarly to those in the decontamination cell and opened automatically after a complicated key was inserted into a slot on the wall. It was a true technological marvel, possibly another creation by Piero’s protégée James Laybar. Everything looked exactly the same. It was no place for art as everything was simple and spotless. Finally the group approached door with the number 124 engraved above it. The doctor took out a necklace with some sort of a coin on a chain and pressed it delicately to a slot on the left of the peculiar door. A silent beep was heard, and with a hiss the door slid open allowing for all of them to enter. The room inside was small and had a little window, allowing to peek outside of the facility. Right in front of the window stood a white, steel desk and behind it a similar metal chair. There were some bookshelves filled with different kinds of documents in the room and a bed behind a white curtain right next to the door. The room itself seemed spacious and hollow. It was again sterile, made out of white panels with a single powerful lamp on the ceiling covered by small grid of metal bars. The doctor put the briefcase on the desk and opened it taking out a rather small metal syringe filled with a red liquid. “The child first, please. He’s the most vulnerable.” William was looking at the syringe slightly scared, but quickly furrowed his brows and bravely approached the doctor putting his arm in front of him. The doctor smiled joyfully, positively surprised by the boy’s behavior. Similar smiles appeared on the watchmen and Martha’s faces. For William, the doctor’s wrinkled face made him look like William’s grandpa. The silvery short hair combed precisely and neatly and his green eyes warmly added confidence to the boy. The doctor then motioned for William to fold his sleeve up, which he did. The needle quickly pierced his skin. William didn't even move when the red liquid entered his blood system. The doctor then took out the syringe and changed the needle for a fresh one. The whole group promptly got it’s dosage of the serum and was allowed to safely leave the facility with the exception of the Captain, who had to give the Doctor a more precise report as to what happened and who could the woman be. The latter he didn't know for sure, remembering only that her name was something like “Fluttershy”, which was obviously ridiculous and he had to hear it wrong. William and Martha were moving back to the exit from the corridor when the boy suddenly stopped near room 21. He pressed a hand against the pocket of his blue trousers and winced, slowly turning his head at the door. “William? What is it?” Martha asked with some concern in her voice. “Sis… I have to look inside this room…” He said as all of his boyish happiness and smile disappeared. “What? No William! There are very sick people here, we have to go, now!” She said flabbergasted and angry about her younger brother’s behavior. “Oboedientia...” William said with his brows furrowed. Something started to glow, coming from his hand, something Martha didn’t notice previously. And then her mind was covered by fog as her expression turned blank. “You have to look inside this room…” She said flatly. “Sorry sister… But sometimes you’re unbearable.” William said with a sad expression. “Don’t worry, it will pass soon. Go outside and wait there! I’ll be right back!” Martha could only stand and stare at a wall in front of her, no thoughts crossing her mind, except of a one that told her to move outside of the clinic. William on the other hand knew that whoever was inside this room, had something very, very precious. Inside room 21, a young pale woman was laying. Now dressed in white pajama of sorts, her eyes were closed as two nurses were connecting her to some medical equipment and an IV with the Rat Plague serum. The woman’s clothes were put in a thermal, metal cauldron that would sterilize them. The nurses also quickly looked for any documents and came across a paper Dunwall ID. They didn’t blame the watchmen for not searching for it, as the Rat Plague was still something to be badly afraid about. The older of the nurses quickly read the ID as her eyes went wide. “Oh my…” She said with bewilderment. “What is it Hannah?” The other came closer, as she finished hooking up the IV. “I-It’s Florietta Laybar!” The older nurse shouted out amazed. “What?! The missing daughter of James Laybar?” The younger one couldn't contain her excitement. “Exactly! It’s a miracle! She went missing 2 years ago and now she’s here!” The door slid open as the Grandpa Doctor entered with hands behind his back. This brought the attention of the nurses to him. “Did I hear right? It’s Florietta?” He asked pointing at the Weeper patient. “Yes doctor. At least that’s what her documents say” The younger nurse said. “Incredible… Miracles do happen, especially here, don’t they?” He asked with a warm smile. The two nurses only nodded, imagining her father’s happiness when she wakes up healthy and he comes to visit. But where could she have been to catch the Rat Plague? The doctor then with some help from the nurses examined the patient closely and wrote a description of her condition, adjusting the dosages of the serum. The cauldron was left in the room together with personal possessions of the patient. The staff of the clinic then left the patient alone in peace, allowing her to recover. Unbeknownst to all, something or rather someone else entered the room, shrouded in void magic, unable to be seen by any that don’t possess the mark of The Outsider. William waited for everyone to leave the room and as they did, he approached the table next to the woman on which some jewelry was laying and dropped the shroud. He picked up a silver necklace that was in fact a sort of small silver case on a rather thick silver chain. Quickly with his index finger he opened the case and to his eyes a shard of a black gem appeared. He stared at it for a while, not entirely sure how another piece of “The Black Eye” as The Outsider called it was in someone’s possession. He knew he couldn’t touch it lest he would be disintegrated and he understood why he didn’t sense it earlier. She was wearing it around her neck and so was undetectable by the other shard. He looked at the sick woman for a while. She seemed to be still unconscious. That is of course until her eyes twitched as she weakly opened them. Fluttershy slowly opened her eyes, her vision blurry, her muscles weak but at least her nausea gone. She saw pure whiteness in front of her and all around her. Despite her tiredness and weakness, her mind was still quickly able to come to a conclusion that she had to be in Ponyville General. So all of what she saw earlier had to be just a dream! She had to hit her head or something… She sighed relieved. “It was all only a small accident...” She said, mostly to reassure herself. “Hello… Um… Anypony here?” She asked quietly, hoping that maybe some of her friends had accompanied her and are now here. She slowly turned her head to the left and spotted a blob next to her comfy bed. It was rather small, so probably a foal. “H-Hello…” She said shyly. The blob didn’t move. As if on a whim the blurriness of her vision vanished and her nerves started to work properly informing her that in fact, she still wasn’t in her body. The blob on her left turned into a face of one of these bipedal creatures. Fluttershy’s lips trembled as some tears started to flow from her eyes. “O-oh no…” She hung her head down. So either it was a very persistent dream or reality in which she switched bodies with somepony… Yet Fluttershy remembered her Iron Will training and wasn’t about to simply break down in tears. If she was in a different world altogether, she had to find somepony to help her, make a friend and find a way home! The boy on her left stared at her as she raised her head up, weakly wiping tears from her face. “Can you tell me how you have come to possess this?” The boy asked passively as he showed her a case with a pretty piece of a black gem inside. She shook her head as if trying to process the information, not expecting any questions. “I… Um… I’m not sure what that is…” She answered truthfully somehow hypnotized by the boy’s eyes. He nodded slowly as if mostly to himself. He placed the case on her side. “I’m not sure what happened to you Mrs. Florietta, but you obviously lost your mind… Or you have a different mind whatsoever. I can see that partially…” He paused as he looked intently at Fluttershy, making her feel uneasy. “F-Florietta…?” Fluttershy whispered. “Remember this however… The gem holds a power of ultimate destruction so keep it safe and use it only in an extreme case. I cannot take it from you and it is your responsibility.” The boy turned around deep in thought. He prepared to leave the room and the sick woman. “Wait! Can you tell me where I am?... Um… That is if you want to…” She asked instead, not completely understanding what it was about the gem that the young colt was talking about. “The Doctors will tell you that miss. Farewell.” He said and right before Fluttershy’s eyes simply went straight through the door without them being open… Like a ghost. With her mouth agape the former yellow mare could only stare at the door as William, the boy who knew more than any mortal, left her alone with power to destroy all creation, laying innocently right next to her in a pretty silver case. The sky was darkened by the dense clouds that seemed to envelop the whole world in a tight blanket. The sound of thunder echoed through the night accompanied by flashes of lighting as a storm raged. The dense darkness was only sometimes dispersed by these bolts, explosions of light that allowed a person to see for just a fraction of second. The light however quickly gave up consumed by the dense blackness again. The rain was pouring from the sky as if God himself was trying to sink the world anew. The violent gusts of wind threatened to sweep the more reckless individuals that dared to face the wrath of God, by walking outside. The volume and power of this storm would cause a lesser man to tremble and hide in his safe haven, his house, separated and foolishly convinced that no harm can be done to him. Unbeknownst to these lesser men, the power of the elements would be easily able to destroy everything on its path on a whim. Tonight however was not the case, as the planet only expressed its annoyance with humanity and not a willingness to destroy the residents wholly. Doctor Pyotr Yershov barely stood on his legs. The wind was causing him to fight for his ground as he slowly advanced towards the thick and high walls of the building in front of him. He was utterly drenched to the skin, his wallet and documents probably soaked through as well. The man was almost unfazed by this, completely concentrated on reaching his goal which was getting inside the building. He made it having, a black, steel gate on his right. The electrical lamp just above it did a poor job of fending off the darkness. Yershov, was however able to make out some details. The gate itself was large enough to allow a passage of many different vehicles of considerable size. It had a baroque sense to it, richly decorated with many golden trimmings. It seemed to be an invitation of sorts. The artistic sense of the gate spoke clearly as if it was saying, “you are entering a different world”. On both sides of the gate there were gargoyles made out of obsidian; silent guardians of another realm. Somehow they reminded Pyotr of dragons from many stories he loved to read when he was younger. Through the gate, Pyotr could see a wide-spread garden, now obstructed by darkness. In the distance shone small beacons of light, indicating that a facility stood in the middle of the gloomy garden. Another wave of thunder and strike of lightning rolled through the land, brightening the sky once more, allowing any brave or foolish man outside to see glimpses of detail. Immediately he spotted a heavy metal plate on the wall, just next to the gate. It was colored black and crafted out of thick cast iron. Engraved on its surface were golden letters that made the reckless doctor smile to himself. Finally here… He thought as he read the letters: Dunwall Imperial Mental Asylum Sitting in front of the reception desk, for a whole day without anything happening wasn’t an exact definition of “ an interesting activity” to most. The little ratty old man behind the desk saw this differently. He loved his job and peace it offered. Being a receptionist for a highly secured mental institution was in his book a dream come true. Day after day he was able to sit in front of the heavy, sturdy wooden desk in a rather comfortable Victorian chair and read his favorite books. His hunched back and old bones were simply not fit for any other work to be sure. This is why right now his face was contorted in a small smile that was not really natural to the man. He was in the middle of his book right now, the weak electrical lamp poorly illuminating the highly polished surface of the brown desk, making the reading an effort, but still quite enjoyable. His smile turned into a sour frown when he heard a noise of old iron hinges moving under the pressure. He looked up from his read. The richly decorated, rusted iron door that served as a main entrance to the facility swung open as a person entered the asylum. The drenched man was dressed in a gray trench coat, white shirt and black trousers. His red tie was now unpleasantly glued to his chest due to the amount of water it absorbed. The man had to be in his 70s by the looks of it. Many liver spots were visible on his ghostly white skin with some wrinkles on his face also present. His grey eyes keenly scanned the area, showing only experience, knowledge, and further thirst for more. The features of his face were rather sharp, giving him a somewhat cruel appearance. His long white beard and wire glasses added a kind of educated aura to him. Despite his drenched appearance, the man stood proud and dignified, radiating an aura of authority. Doctor Pyotr understood that he was definitely in the right place. The Dunwall Asylum was famous throughout the Empire for its uncommon looks, which resembled more of a hotel than a highly secured facility. The main room he stood in now was spacious. There were brick walls covered by decorative wooden panels. The floor was covered by a green carpet. Directly in front of him there was a reception desk and on its left and right entrances that surely led further into the bowels of the hotel-asylum. The facility only had one floor, but it was quite a high reaching one. To reach the ceiling one would have to be as tall as five grown men. The ceiling itself was finished with Gothic ribs. In the middle of the room a chandelier made out of crystal glass hung proudly. It was turned off right now and yet added a sense of wealth to the institution. It resembled spikes of ice hanging from the ceiling threatening to fall any second. The Doctor quickly approached the reception desk. The man behind it gave Pyotr an angry glare, which turned into hate when Yershov got out of his coat and threw it on the desk with a wet splat. “Doctor Pyotr Yershov, I’m here to see the interesting case of patient No. 101” Pyotr said in one breath, with a monotone voice. Normally he would wait a day to maybe get his clothes dry at least, but he didn’t venture into the storm for nothing. He had to see the patient as soon as possible. The receptionist eyes went wide for a second, all traces of anger disappeared replaced by respect and regret of not realizing who he was talking to. “Doctor Yershov?! It’s an honor to meet the pioneer of modern psychiatry! Boris Polunin.” The ratty man quickly stood up to his not really impressive height and gave the Doctor his hand. Both men made a friendly handshake. “Likewise! I’m glad I finally arrived here. It was an exhausting journey!” Pyotr smiled genuinely. “Why won’t you rest first doctor? Or at least allow yourself to dry off!” Boris asked with a small amount of concern. “No time for that! The patient cannot wait.” Yershov answered running hands through his wet hair, to get rid of the excess of water. “Of course.” The ratty man responded as he turned around facing a simple wooden key shelf. He ran his hand through the considerable amount of old thick keys mumbling something under his breath. Finally his hand stopped as he grabbed what he was looking for and turned around to face Pyotr again. The latter was now trying to clean his wire glasses, not really effectively. “Here is the key to the Containment Cell 3 and a temporary recognition symbol. The Patient is inside, strapped and in a catatonic state.” Polunin looked at the doctor with some sadness in his eyes. Pyotr raised an eyebrow to that, obviously dumbstruck. “Strapped?” He asked after a second of silence. The old receptionist was expecting the Doctor to dwell further into the topic as he sighed heavily. “This is not a simple case of one kind of insanity. The patient is extremely dangerous and despite her catatonic state, she sometimes snaps out of it. On occasion she attacked a guard and snapped his neck before anyone could react. She is delusional, aggressive, and has enormous amount of agility and strength for her size. Whether it is due to her unique biology or some other factor, the fact remains that Patient 101 is a unique case.” The receptionist explained, somehow well informed about the situation and the patient herself. “I wasn’t informed about her aggressive behavior…” Pyotr said quietly, but nervously. He heard about Patient 101 many times, from stories, gossip and his colleagues. He also read 3 articles about the patient as it was supposedly a mental case that cannot be resolved, lost cause. From a medical point of view however Patient 101 was a miracle. She is the only known human being resistant to any form of disease. Her white cells are able to defeat any infection and possibly even cancer. That is why she is kept alive in the facility and The Empire does everything it can to help her mind. Yershov was directly hired by The Mental Health Division of Empire Medical Care. The amount of money they gave him for the task was staggering and he wasn’t about to back out because the patient might be aggressive. On another note, he simply had to see her, as there was no lost cause to Doctor Pyotr Yershov. “I’m perfectly sure that you are more than capable to handle her Doctor. I’m simply informing you. Nevertheless if you want to reach the cell you’ll need to go right and past two Walls of Light. You’ll spot the door… There are two guards standing there at all times. Also on your way you might want to talk to Doctor Alice. She’s assigned to 101 currently and her room is right next to the patient’s. Remember to hold onto the recognition symbol at all times if you don’t want to be zapped into unconsciousness by the gates! Also…” The ratty man didn’t finish as he put his hands under the desk taking out a white, clean towel. “You might want to at least dry yourself slightly.” The man smiled as he sat down again. Pyotr only nodded in some temporary confusion. “Thank you,” Was all he said as he took the towel and started to get rid of the extensive amounts of water from his body. “Oh and doctor…” The man suddenly raised his head from the book he was about to continue reading. “Yes?” “Good luck…” The man said with an amount of seriousness that dropped the temperature of the room by a few degrees. Pyotr could only nod again as he put the towel around his shoulder and started the advance towards his destination. He took a look at the recognition symbol. It was a perfect silver coin of sorts with the asylum outline engraved on its surface. The key on the other hand was made out of old iron and was rusted in some places. The cell had to be very old then, or at least the doors were. He quickly passed the two mentioned gates and many black iron doors that were entrances to the cells probably. The design of the halls and corridors were reminiscent of the entrance to the asylum. Finally Pyotr reached the end of the corridor in which a rather big steel reinforced door stood. They emanated a feeling of sturdiness and seemed to be newer than the facility, but still considerably old. They were prepared to withstand a grenade explosion. The two guards eyed him curiously. They were both dressed in riot armor made out of light steel, painted fully blue. Yet again Pyotr thought about knights of the old. Ridiculously he thought that maybe behind these doors was a dragon and these blue knights were prepared to slay it for the good of the people. He snickered somewhat, but quickly recomposed himself. “Doctor Pyotr Yershov. I’m here for Patient no. 101.” He stated calmly, looking at the two guards. The blue knights looked at each other. “You might want to visit Doctor Alice Blackheart first, doc.” The guard on the right said pointing his thumb at the door next to him. “Oh… Right.” Pyotr answered as he approached another set of iron doors that were next to the reinforced ones. He looked them over curiously as if thinking how to ask the occupant for the permission to enter. He quickly shrugged and simply banged his fist against the door. “Enter!” A sweet female voice, muffled by the thick iron came from the room. Yershov pushed the door as they gave up and swung open on well-oiled hinges. Behind them, beside a Victorian wooden desk a beautiful blonde woman was sitting. She seemed to be in the middle of writing something. This was evident as she still held a pen in her delicate hands. She looked somewhat dissatisfied with the newcomer She seemed to be in her early 30s, very young for the scientific community. The majority however knew Alice Blackheart for her uncommon approach to treating psychotic patients… Uncommon and yet successful. She was in fact a rising star, similar to Sokolov or Piero, but in her own field. Many would be however mislead by her near angelic looks. Her beauty couldn’t be easily compared to anything. Her body was perfect in every sense of the word. It was incredibly symmetrical in shape. Her face was also perfectly shaped, with beautiful blue eyes now curiously looking at Pyotr... However if one looked into these eyes, he or she would see layers of intelligence and thirst for knowledge so similar to Yershov’s. She recognized her visitor almost instantly as she dropped the pen, stood up and approached Yershov with excited smile. “Doctor Pyotr Yershov!” She shouted out happily as she offered him her hand. “In the flesh.” He answered, allowing a small smile spread over his features, as he shook the woman’s hand “I’m Alice Blackheart and I read your book doctor. I must say that truly your thesis about the rat plague even when cured influencing the victim’s psyche is astonishing!” Alice said with a sweet tone that seemed to be natural to her. “Thank you, thank you. I’m however afraid that the patient cannot wait while we waste our time chatting pointlessly.” Pyotr’s smile vanished as he said that. Blackheart only nodded quickly and allowed the soaked doctor to take a seat in front of her wooden desk; it was quite a comfy chair. He put the towel on her desk ignoring her surprised expression. She sat on the other side and took out a thick folder from the drawer. She placed it in front of Yershov. The folder was made out of thick cardboard paper, there were red letters written on its front that formed into a word “Case No. 101”. Yershov took a quick glance at it, folded his arms and leaned back against the comfy chair. “Would you be so nice as to give me the short story doctor?” He asked politely. Alice tilted her head slightly, but didn’t say anything, concluding that a genius of Yershov’s magnitude would probably dismiss most theories that were in these files. She placed a hand on her chin thinking for a while. “Patient No. 101 or ‘Hope’ as we found out her name is, was found on the streets of Dunwall Distillery District about 6 months ago. She was laying naked in dirt and filth, entirely unaware of her surroundings in a catatonic state. Two beggars found her and tried to rape the poor thing. A patrol of watchmen saw this, but before they could interfere, Hope snapped out of her autistic state and attacked the winos. From the watchmen’s report it seems that with one hit of her fist she completely pulverized one of the beggars face, crushing his skull, throat and damaging his brain. The extensive force of the punch catapulted the thug through the alley. He flew about 37 meters before he crashed to the ground dead. The other beggar had no time for reaction as Hope grabbed him by the throat and raised him up in the air. She was holding him for about 3,4 seconds. Then she squeezed her fingers destroying the man’s throat and making him suffocate quickly. She then released the body and went back to her autistic state, standing in one spot, unaffected by the cold air or the small drops of blood that covered her face,” Alice said all of this almost in one breath. On the outside Pyotr seemed to be unfazed by the story. On the inside however he was very much intrigued, he felt a little giddy even. He motioned for Alice to continue, which she did. “The watchmen in the place, after witnessing what had transpired were smart enough to call for a containment unit, reporting something quite unnatural. They approached her slowly, trying not to make any aggressive moves. Luckily Hope seemed to only snap out of her state into instant aggressiveness when her life was directly threatened. Otherwise she allowed the two watchmen to delicately take her into the rail unit and to Sokolov’s Clinic. She was placed under supervision. Quickly it became apparent that there was no record of her anywhere, as she simply didn’t exist. Blood work tests and diagnosis showed something remarkable however. Her white cell count was higher than usual and one of the doctors contaminated her blood with some bacteria of early Rat Plague to see what would happen. Her white cells instantly fought off the infection, destroying the bacteria without any real effort. Later tests also showed that she is in fact incapable of getting sick. It also became apparent quickly that she was breaking off her catatonic state on different occasions than when her life is directly threatened. In two incidents she killed 3 guards, 2 doctors and a nurse. One of the guards even shot her in the process. It however didn’t stop her at all. She regenerated faster from the shot than any human being, but still the incident threatened a valuable subject’s life. As you can probably guess the EMC decided that it would be best to restrain her in a more secure way than leather straps of a hospital bed. The best option was to move her here, where security was much heavier and medical care was on a similar level to the hospital. This was about 5 months ago. Since then all the blood tests and whatnot are done here by a group of specialists from the clinic” Alice explained the affair. “What does that have to do with mental health?” Pyotr asked with a raised eyebrow. “4 months ago the subject started to come out of her states on more occasions, but without any aggressive attempts. She would behave like a child then, interested in her surroundings, studying everything very closely wondering why she was strapped to the bed. EMC decided that it would be best to have her fully aware and not breaking into berserker states. Since it already was a mental asylum a psychiatrist was assigned, who tried to communicate with her. It was very hard as she seemed, not to be able to talk at all. Hope was showing mostly high interest and wonder. Later the interest turned into a kind of seriousness, as if her mind matured. She even started to talk, but no one could really make out anything from her broken words. Then she started to speak more coherently.” Alice stopped talking as she took a breath. “She told the psychiatrist that she’s nothing, a slave and a test subject, that she deserved to die and we should kill her. All of that while crying loudly. She also said that The Outsider will save her,” Alice finished slightly bemused “The Outsider…?” Pyotr smirked “She seems to be delusional to an extent, constant catatonic state, moments of lucidity. This is a really interesting case.” Yershov stroked his white beard for a while. “Taking into consideration that there are no files on her anywhere and she has very unique body biology… It’s really hard to consider her case like any other.” Alice answered crossing her arms. “True… If you don’t mind I would like to see her and maybe even speak to her. We’ll see what I’ll be able to find.” Pyotr smiled again, this was more interesting than he could have ever fathomed. “But of course, just ask the guards to let you through Doctor. However I’m not sure what state she will be in. She might be catatonic again or aggressive.” Alice said warily “Of course. But she also might be lucid,” Yershov responded as he stood up and walked through the door. He stopped in front of the guards and motioned for them to step aside. They looked him over, as if not sure what he was asking for. One of the blue knights then simply shrugged and they both moved away from the door. Pyotr approached the reinforced steel and put the thick iron key in a lock that seemed to be overly complicated. He turned the key as series of loud clicks echoed through the corridors of the mental asylum. “AAAAAHHHH!” One of the patients screamed his lungs out. “IT IS COMING! IT IS COMING! IT’S A PART OF THE SWARM! AAAAH!” He screamed again. Pyotr stopped for a second, but being used to screams of mad men he quickly resumed what he was doing. As the sequence of clicks was finished, Yershov pressed down on the door handle. The reinforced door swung open with unholy moans. In the middle of the room a steel bed was present and above it an electrical lamp that illuminated the room. The cushioned floor and walls that were supposed to stop the lunatics from hurting themselves were new and snow white here. There was a rather large window behind the bed, which had thick bars to stop the potential escapee from fleeing or again killing him or herself. Strapped to the bed with metal clamps, was a rather fragile looking women. She was sickly thin, her ribs visible through her skin. Her eyes were sunken in as she was looking straight forward at the ceiling. She was not moving at all and only her rising chest was any indication of life. She had two cannulas sticking out of her left arm. On the side of the bed, a stand was present on which two bags of liquid were resting, slowly applying the liquids to the patient. Yershov stood there for a while, examining the mysterious woman from afar. “Chair please.” He said quietly to the guard that was now standing behind him. The blue knight nodded and quickly sported a shining metal chair. Pyotr took the chair as he approached the woman. He put it down and sat leaning forward and looking at Patient 101. Hope was apparently in her catatonic state still. She blinked sometimes, but other than that she was not making any attempts to move. “Leave us please.” Yershov said as he took a glance at the guards. “Doctor? We cannot leave you with her. She’s dangerous.” One of the knights said looking awkwardly at Yershov. “Please. Nothing will happen, she’s strapped and I know how to handle my patients.” Pyotr stated coldly. The guards seemed to slightly cower from his stare as they only nodded and left the room. The thick door closed behind them. Pyotr took a look around, as if making sure he was alone with Hope. He placed his arms on his legs and watched the woman for a while. After a few seconds in deep thought, Yershov took the woman’s arm delicately and checked her pulse. “Steady… Hmm… This will do.” He said to himself as he stood up slowly, still closely observing the woman. He folded the right sleeve of his white shirt, exposing the rest of his arm. He took a look at the backside of it and stared intently. On the backside of his arm a tattoo was present that many would be jealous of and some would say it was a curse. Pyotr however always thought of it as a gift, allowing him to surpass simple limits of human body and mind. Corvo for example would identify it as the mark of The Outsider. Yershov however had the tattoo as long as he could remember and never really dwelled on where it came from… Unconditional love of the Universe perhaps? He placed his hand on the skinny woman’s chest, slowly and delicately, as if every move could cause the woman to lunge at him. He put his lips next to her ear with his hand still pressed against her chest. “Expergo…” He whispered to her ear, knowing full well what should happen… Void power however tends to be unpredictable and the gash between the layers of the Universe made the power spiral out of control. First it was a steady heartbeat she heard and then she could sense her environment through touch and smell. Something was not quite right in her senses though… They were spread differently and Hope knew that it shouldn’t be like this. She barely opened her eyes, only to be greeted by deep darkness. This darkness however quickly came up as it was a curtain of sorts. Her body felt numb all over, her senses in fact were somehow dulled and she felt horribly tired. She realized one fact though, her mind was not clouded, she could think lucidly and straight, she could keep a thought in her mind for more than a few seconds! Then… Then the memories came back, everything that was done to her seeped into her freshly sane mind. She remembered what happened and why she eventually broke down. After all, it could happen to anyone who was a medical test subject and a slave. She could remember the name of the man that experimented on her, cut her, injected her with toxins and different medicines that made torture seem friendly. She knew the man was called a genius and every time he put a needle in her, he always said Science requires sacrifices… He would then smile with sick honesty and continue torturing her. His name was Carl Sokolov and he was the son of Anton, so similar to his father… She was kidnapped about 4 years ago, from a remote village on the outskirts of the Empire. She could remember her mother and father still. Oh God, how she loved them… how she missed them now that her mind was working again. “Mommy… Daddy…” She said as some tears welled in her eyes. 4 years kept in a cell like an animal, coming out of it only for more experiments, fed with tasteless pastes and sometimes even a roasted rat. After those 4 years she eventually snapped when Sokolov was enraged that his experiments were not working, that he couldn’t reach the perfection he seeked. He then opened her cage and beat her, beat her badly, calling her many different names and assuring her that she will never leave this place alive. Her mind collapsed and then… only broken shards of memories were left. She could remember some men putting her in a bed, someone talking to her soothingly, someone asking her questions. Sometimes she could find her way in the fog of her broken mind to tell these people something of what she went through, but if it went through to them? She couldn’t be sure… She also remembered feeling very enraged sometimes and that she could have done something horrible back then. She felt an amount of regret. One particularly lucid memory stood out from these shards, someone whispering into her ear… Expergo… She remembered the word perfectly but had no idea what it meant. And then the fog disappeared as if her brain had a kick start and put her in control again. Here she was thinking straight, remembering everything and most importantly…free! No longer breaking down! Some hope appeared in her heart. These people she barely recalled had to cure her somehow! She would be able to tell them what has been done to her! She would get her revenge! First she had to visit her parents and her brother though; it has been 4 years after all. They definitely thought that she was dead by now and mourned her already. How did her brother look now? Has father finally got a promotion? How was grandma? How are all of them doing now? She just had to know right away and felt a pinch of happiness at the thought of returning home. “Hello? Anybody?” She said out loud, hearing her voice being somehow muffled and still feeling weirdly numb and not quite right. Her vision was blurry and she could make out that she was laying on her side in some kind of a room… She blinked a few times trying to clear her vision. Slowly her senses were sharpening. She now felt that she was on cold stone in some sort of a chamber made out of stone as well. Its roof had collapsed… This didn’t look quite right. It was however pretty dark still, so she couldn’t make out many details. And there was this feeling in her body that was… so wrong. It was as if her nerves were thrown about differently, her head felt different, her back felt different, her legs and arms also and then… Her hands and feet, she couldn’t feel them at all. She had no feeling in her hands! Oh god! She could feel her eyes widening in fear involuntarily. She tried to move but felt pain in the process. “Oh god… I… lost feeling in my hands!” She said loudly. Then there were footsteps. Those were also wrong! They sounded like clops of hooves and the other like heavy footsteps of a beast. She tried to wiggle her head that felt longer and heavier for some reason, to see the entrance to the deserted chamber. Sharp pain went down through her spine as she winced and moaned slightly. No, something was very, very wrong here and she felt like panicking now. “Help! I can’t feel my hands! I… Don’t know where I am… Hello?!” Her voice sounded as if doubled, slightly buzzing and full of venom, even though she tried to say it nicely. It was not her voice… Oh God, what happened to her?! The sound intensified as something entered the room. The figure was not human at all. It was tall and unnaturally elongated. It was too dark to see the creature fully, but its serpentine silhouette was enough to make Hope terrified. The shards of memories she had told her that she had to be in some kind of hospital, but this… This was not it by a long shot… Did they throw her away? “D-Don’t hurt me…” She pleaded weakly trying to shield her head and prepare for a beating or something similar. She couldn’t though; every move was met with pain and no reaction from her limbs. The creature in the room moved to the side next to her, taking something out from the stone wall. It seemed to do a lot of flaying of its hands and searching through, what Hope assumed was its clothes. Then it took something out and with a few movements of its paw, dim flashes of light and sparks appeared as the creature lit a torch. Everything was encompassed in light then, as Hope witnessed what stood in front of her… she thought it had to be the Devil himself, here for her immortal soul. Her family didn’t believe in the silly Abbey of the Everyman. She believed that God created the whole world and shaped humans to fit his image. There was also a hell and a heaven and well… Here she had a final proof that hell existed. The Devil had a figure of a serpent and just as she assumed wore a leather coat and had a metal mask covering his face… Why? She had no idea. His hands seemed to be in fact flexible paws of two different animals. In his eagle paw the demon held the torch and in its other paw a menacing silver blade. Hope knew now, she had died and gone to hell. “I… Died?” She asked somewhat calmer, but still allowing tears to flow from her eyes. “I don’t think so. You are pretty much alive.” The Devil responded calmly. Hope blinked dumbstruck as she cleared her tears. She was finally able to see her own body stretched on the cold stone floor. The only thing she could do after what she saw, was to scream with such horror that it could be heard even in Ponyville. The fact was that Hope no longer had her own body, but rather an equine-demon one, hence the lack of feeling in her hands and feet. Another interesting fact was that if a pony would see her now, he or she would probably shout out Changeling! And run away with their tail between their legs. That was partially why Hope screamed so much. More importantly she realized that in fact she still had to be insane, because in all honesty all of this was quite impossible as much as she believed in hell. Dictionary: Oboedientia - Obedience Expergo - Awaken Author's Note Well took me much longer than expected, for which I apologize. Except for some stuff I had to take care of I also had a mild case of lack of inspiration. This however changed and here’s Chapter 5 ^^ Slightly shorter than two previous ones but still over 10k words :P Originally there was supposed to be a slight Sci-Fi element here... But I decided it would reveal too much and threw it into a bonus chapter I might publish some day. Can't thank enough Spanner, who became my Editor, as he helped me tremendously and my proofreader ProtheanBrony who also found the time to improve the story. Thank's guys, you rock :) More of Corvo and much more action in next chapter. As usual thanks for reading!
The DealDishonored – The Outsider’s Reach Chapter 1: The Deal It was raining… Heavily… The drops were hitting the dark, dirty roads and buildings of Dunwall, mighty capital of The Empire of Isles. The streets were emptying very fast, as people tried their best to avoid getting wet. It seemed that skies themselves were crying, as if mourning a terrible loss. The bells of the Dunwall Tower rang twice announcing that something of importance has just occurred. On the streets of the Holger Square, under one of many marquees present in the district, a young woman was standing. Her skin was sickly pale. Her sad, empty eyes were observing the falling drops of rain. She was dressed in a thick leather coat. Shivers went through her frail body, as the cold wind blew suddenly. She tightened the coat around herself with her young, delicate hands. Next to her a boy was standing, his head brought up as he was intently listening to the heavy bells of Dunwall Tower ringing every few moments, trying to make every citizen aware of something. Drops of water were coming down his rosy cheeks. He seemed to be much livelier than the woman next to him. The curiosity was apparent in his big green eyes. After another series of rings the boy finally turned his head around and looked up at the pale woman. “Martha… Why are the bells ringing?” The woman weakly turned her head around, as she broke her gaze from the hypnotizing spectacle of the falling rain. Her cold blue lips trembled a little. “The Lord Protector… Has passed away…” She said quietly, barely audible over the sound of drops hitting the stone roads. The boy’s eyes suddenly lost their entire glimmer and became sad. His head dropped slightly. “But… Who will protect the Empress now?” Asked the boy suddenly, his head still hung down in deep sorrow. The woman entered a sick coughing fit and it seemed that she was about to collapse any second. It however quickly ceased, as she put her hand on the boy’s little head, gently stroking him. “I don’t know William… But an era has ended… Heroes are no more.” She stated firmly, any trace of warmth in her voice was gone. The boy’s head perked up, the glimmer back in his beautiful eyes. “I will protect the Empress!” He shouted out matter-of-factly with such vigor and energy that the woman slightly winced. But then suddenly a small smile appeared on her face, a complete contrary to her unhealthy looks. “Yes… Yes you will, when you grow up… You will do anything you want William, I’ll make sure of it.” She responded louder than usual, making the boy smile happily. “I love you sister!” He shouted out and hugged her sick sister, slightly shivering as he felt the coldness of her body. She slowly stroked his head, still embraced in the tight hug. She turned her head back at the road and the falling rain “Goodbye Lord Corvo… May you find happiness and peace on the other side…” She whispered An assembly of people was gathered in the gardens of Dunwall Tower. All of them were dressed in black clothes. An atmosphere of sadness and loss was detectable amongst them. They were all standing in rows observing a white wooden pedestal that was in front of them. Next to the pedestal a woman was standing. She seemed the saddest from all. Dressed similarly to the others, she had a bouquet of purple flowers in her hands. No one even dared to move as the only thing breaking the silence were the drops of rain. Then the bells of the Tower rang again and soon synchronized steps could be heard. A group of people dressed ceremonially with black masks covering their faces came out of the Tower itself, slowly making their way to the garden. They were carrying a white coffin that was not decorated at all, but was giving off a strange glimmer. Those men were slightly hunched as if a great burden was on their shoulders, greater than the weight of the coffin. Behind them another person was walking, dressed in a white robe with many golden decorations. He also had a black mask on his face. This man was also carefully carrying a white book in his right hand, holding to it as if it was a treasure. It seemed that eternity passed, but finally accompanied by the rings of the tower bells, the group of people arrived at the saddened crowd. The latter quickly made a passage, allowing the group to move further. As they went forward, people from the crowd started to toss some purple flowers under their legs as if creating an eerie path for them to walk through. Soon the coffin arrived at the pedestal and the masked people slowly put it down. Then they stepped back and formed a line, standing straight behind the coffin. Not moving, they seemed to have turned into statues, unfazed by the rain falling down and wetting their clothes. The man dressed in white took a position in front of the pedestal as the bells of the tower gave out their final chime. He cleared his throat: “Today we are all in mourning, as we bid farewell to the hero of the Empire, the savior of Dunwall, Lord Protector Corvo Attano” All the attention of the saddened crowd turned to the man in robes. “Through his brave and bold actions the plague that ridded our Empire has ended, our Empress was saved and traitors were punished. He was a shining example of a man, loyal and heroic. And even though so many stood against him, so many tried to stop him and prove him wrong he stayed true to his beliefs and to the Empire.” Some people in the crowd nodded “Today the Empire has lost a beacon of light that may never be replaced, today we all have felt a tremendous hurt in our hearts, as Lord Corvo allowed the Empire to enter a new golden era and with his passing we can see this era come to an end.” Some nods again, a few people seemed to clear their throats “None of us however can truly speak about this magnificent figure… But we all can say for sure that nothing will be the same ever again.” Silent murmur in the audience and energetic nods could be heard and seen. “Let us pray…” The people gathered in the crowd lowered their heads in unnatural unity and synchronization “Universe, so vast and dark, guide this spirit to the beyond. As this soul travels far and the evil stalks it as its prey, we deny. With our faith and our will we deny. No evil shall come to the man, the void shall not take his soul as his spirit stays sacred, beyond the darkest reach. Living by the seven strictures the man forced the darkness out and stood pure. And as the Strictures dictate so has lived Corvo Attano. With our will we deny the Outsider. He shall not corrupt this spirit, shall not extend his reach. With our prayer we protect this soul so it may travel far and find eternal peace, as the Darkness we deny…” The man said as a priest would, with pathos and increased volume “We deny… We deny…” The crowd repeated in unity, their heads still hung down. Silence befell again, soon interrupted by the priest “No one however knew Lord Corvo better than our beloved Empress” The man turned his masked face towards the woman in black dress with the bouquet of purple flowers in hands. The crowd looked at their Empress and although none could see it, Emily Kaldwin was crying ever so quietly. When addressed however she quickly shook her head and approached the priest, who moved aside making place for her. She slowly raised her head, her eyes were slightly reddened and glossy, an indication that indeed she was crying recently. The crowd however didn't pay attention to that, as everyone was waiting to hear what the woman had to say. “I... prepared a speech…” She stated matter-of-factly, putting the flowers down in front of her and bringing out a piece of paper from underneath her pricy black dress. She brought the sheet in front of her eyes, ready to read from it. Her lips trembled as a teardrop trickled down her white cheek. The crowd was however unmoving, still waiting patiently. No words came out of the Empress’s mouth as the prepared speech suddenly fell down from her hands onto the wet ground, where it quickly absorbed the water, becoming utterly useless. “No speech could possibly express the love and respect I had for Corvo…” She said quietly “This man was more than a simple bodyguard…” Her voice was very sad, but still an amount of authority could be heard in it. Emily Kaldwin was in fact a very strong woman and not many saw her in a state she was now in. “He was my savior, my hero, my love…” The people in the crowd seemed to be moved “He was… Like a loving father to me…” She stated with sudden determination “And although he is no more, his beliefs and actions will be an example for generations to come…” She picked up the purple flowers from the pedestal “He will forever hold a special place in my heart…” She turned around a placed the flowers on the coffin “I hope you can see it Corvo… These were always your favorite flowers…” She said quietly, so that no one else could hear what she was saying. She then leaned forward and delicately kissed the lid of the coffin. Two tears silently dropped from her eyes, hitting the white wood quickly mixing with the rain water. “Farewell…” She said, as tears were flowing freely from her eyes now. The empress then turned around without care for someone spotting her crying anymore. She moved aside allowing the priest to come forward again. The latter raised both of his arms into the air and started to sing a sad song, with the crowd soon joining him “Earthly heavens above all men Gates of paradise now and then Yet another soul is gone And close to you it’s drawn With the faith in the heart That cannot be torn apart As our will cannot be bend We are guided to the end Earthly heavens above all men Gates of paradise now and then Yet another soul is gone And close to you it’s drawn As we leave the mortal plane Our beloved are left in pain Sorrow is all that’s left Deeper than the deepest cleft Earthly heavens above all men Gates of paradise now and then Yet another soul is gone And close to you it’s drawn As we find our way beyond We hold to our sacred bond With our beloved we are still tied So The Outsider’s power is denied Earthly heavens above all men Gates of paradise now and then Yet another soul is gone And close to you it’s drawn…” The Bells of the Dunwall Tower rang three times, giving their farewell to the soul getting ready to embark on a cosmic journey, saying goodbye to the Lord Protector Corvo Attano. There is a place where no rules of the Universe apply, where time and reality have no meaning… The Void… Only one being rules in this location… It’s The Outsider… Some call this being a demon, an evil force that wants to corrupt all of humanity, a trickster. Some however worship the being knowing full-well of its possibly unlimited power. There are also those who treat the being as a complete mystery and desperately try to find it, never to succeed. He grants power to some, supernatural abilities of unknown potential and limits, but there is always one condition that all of those receiving the gift have to fulfill first. They have to be interesting… They have to be unique in a way, possibly to give The Outsider some fun in observing the struggling mortals. Some of the people that were granted the Outsider’s Gift over the years never wanted to find the cosmic being nor did they worship him, neither did they think of him as an evil force… The truth is that The Outsider always found his new toys himself not the other way around. And so was Corvo Attano found by the trickster. He received a gift from the latter, powers that were meant to make it easier for him to change the fate of Dunwall and the Empire of Isles. And so Corvo indeed used these powers, combined with his skills the man turned into a ghost, killing almost no one on his mission, not killing his targets either, but always opting for a non-lethal solution, which would surprise most. How this man retained his morality after being backstabbed, betrayed and accused of killing the previous Empress? It remained a mystery, but made the Outsider even more interested in this particular human. And so after Empress Emily was back in power the Outsider observed Corvo closely, studied him and allowed the Lord Protector to study his supernatural abilities further… Developing them… Just as one Granny Rags. She lost her sanity eventually… It seemed however that Attano’s tremendous will held his sanity in place. Corvo found many runes through the years as the Lord Protector to Emily and decided to make good use of them as if predicting that maybe someday, some faithful day, these powers will become useful once again. As if feeling that once the Outsider got a hold of someone, he wouldn't let go easily… And it was the truth, as no soul marked by the Outsider may rest in peace, it becomes the property of the cosmic being. And what the latter decides to use that soul for is entirely up to him. That is why somehow Corvo wasn’t surprised when his eyes shot open again, seeing the twisted violet sky of the Void. He was laying on a platform made entirely from whale bone, it had many markings carved into it. Most of which Corvo didn’t recognize, except for the Outsider’s mark that was apparent in the carvings. “I knew it…” He said through his teeth, not so calm after all. It was one thing predicting that something as twisted as this will happen… But actually seeing it happen was a different thing entirely. “I knew it! Damn it!” He was still laying, the silence around him was very unnerving, making this out-of reality world even more strange and alien… If it was even possible. Corvo sat up slowly, feeling some nausea kicking in. He however quickly buried it down as there were definitely more important matters at hand and puking violently in a place such as this was not one of them. Silence was quickly broken when a slow, ironic clap echoed through the Void. Corvo immediately knew who was clapping… It wasn’t hard to guess. The Outsider materialized himself in front of Attano, still clapping ironically, with a smug mischievous grin on his face. “Dear Corvo! Your fantastic predictions came true… You indeed belong to me…” The Outsider’s smile became wider as Corvo’s expression turned into a very annoyed one. “So… What now?” Corvo went straight to the point, making the cosmic being even more amused “There are two options for you to choose from… One, you will lose your consciousness and individuality to become a part of the Void, for eons to come…” Corvo stared daggers at the trickster, obviously not happy with the first option “Second… We’ll strike a deal…” That sounded more plausible to the Lord Protector who waited for the cosmic being to finish “As you know I observe those who are interesting, who can amuse me... Sometimes I help them, grant them powers, knowledge, answers… You Corvo are by far one of the most interesting and amusing mortals I ever came into contact with… It would be a real shame to waste your potential and talents…” Corvo could only nod, not sure where the Outsider was going with this. “Tell me Corvo, what would you give to live with Emily again? To hug her again and hold her in a warm embrace? What would you give up for your soul’s freedom?” Corvo didn’t even think after that question “Anything…” He answered firmly “The deal is simple then… Amuse me yet again Corvo, change the fate of another World and turn the tides… And in return I will let you live again… With your beloved Emily… I’ll set your soul free.” Corvo stood up slowly and looked straight into the Outsider’s eyes “Where’s the catch?” He asked predicting that there had to be one… There always was one. “Oh there wouldn’t be fun in telling you all the details now, mortal. Give me your answer Corvo and you will know the details about the bargain.” There was a moment of silence after which Corvo snickered slightly. “You have a deal, of course.” The Outsider smiled happily, obviously content with the mortal’s answer. The symbols carved in the whale’s bone suddenly lightened up, giving out a sickly violet glow that was increasing in intensity. Corvo was caught slightly by surprise and had to cover his eyes, as the glow became unbearable. Attano felt a sudden pull, felt his consciousness sipping away and then it was blackness for a while. But when he uncovered his eyes he immediately spotted an unnaturally pastel blue sky. The sun was shining brightly, dazzling him a little. It was also somehow off… As if not entirely real. He quickly sat up looking around, seeing nothing more than calm green of trees and some chirping birds flying above his head. Not wasting any second he stood up to his full height. Soon after that the Outsider materialized himself in front of the Lord Protector “The World we are in now knows nothing about the darker aspects of life. It knows not the meaning of war, the suffering, the death. It knows nothing of the horrors of poverty or plague. It never experienced anything beyond the positive aspects of life… It’s… Unnatural…” Corvo was listening intently to the Outsider, already wondering what he will have to do here then. “The mortals here are boring Corvo. They have nothing interesting to offer, nothing that could amuse me. Not like you…” Attano nodded, still waiting for the end of the speech “And so they never experienced my influence, they know nothing of me Corvo. This World is in a constant stalemate, constant status quo that is not about to change…” Lord Protector was slowly starting to understand where this is going “That is why I sent you here, I want you to change the state of this world, upset its perfect balance, change its fate. End the boredom” The cosmic being said still having his arms crossed “How am I supposed to do that?” Corvo asked slightly perplexed “It’s rather simple. This World is ruled by two sisters. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, they are what stands between you and the fate of this entire boring World…” Corvo narrowed his eyes “So you want me to neutralize them?” The Outsider smiled, quite amused “Indeed” There was silence for a while, as Corvo was staring the Outsider down with disgust “And if I do this… I’ll be free and able to live with Emily again…?” The Outsider only nodded. Corvo lowered his head in deep thought as if fighting an invisible enemy in his mind. Then he suddenly raised his head again. “Why would you need me to neutralize them if this World is already so perfect?” Corvo asked not hiding his curiosity “Corvo, Corvo... There’s no such thing as perfection... And ignorance is definitely not a part of it... How will you change this place is entirely up to you, but we have to start somewhere...” The Outsider said smiling truthfully. There was a pause. “Very well…” Attano said coldly, all traces of doubt gone from his face. The Outsider chuckled and extended his arm pointing at Corvo. The latter immediately felt something… Some kind of energy and vigor he remembered feeling many years ago. Violet light enveloped Corvo, blinding him. And when it was gone Lord Protector was young again, young and full of energy. In front of him something materialized… Something familiar… On the ground just in front of him a set of tools was laying, a set he knew all too well. The silvery blade he used so many years ago was reflecting the rays of sun. The crossbow and pistol were neatly laying next to it with a full stock of ammunition in a pile close-by. Grenades, spring razors and other gadgets were set down in a row just behind the crossbow and the pistol. Corvo observed these tools of murder and mayhem for a while. Finally however he reached down picking them up one by one. He was in his old coat again, so it was easy for him to get a hold of all of the items. Finally he picked up the menacing blade, which was still very sharp, seemingly able to cut through anything. He held it tight and made a few swings with it, quickly remembering its weight and the ease with which he was able to use it in the past. He slowly nodded to himself and looked at the Outsider again. The cosmic being was holding two items in its hands. The first one Corvo remembered very well. It was an artifact, Jessamine Kaldwin’s heart, which was able to tell secrets to its holder. The soul of the late empress was forever trapped inside this object, doomed to stay in a state between life and death forever. Corvo always felt guilty when using the item and again remorse hit him as he stared at The Heart. The latter disappeared after he was done with his previous mission of restoring Emily to the throne. To see it again made Corvo feel uneasy. “This World might be boring, but there are many mystical artifacts here dear Corvo. The heart will help you locate them… Consider it my personal favor…” Corvo reached for The Heart and grabbed it, taking it from the cosmic being. He immediately heard a whisper in his head. “Where are we? This place is so warm… So peaceful… Yet somehow wrong…” Attano quickly hid the heart in the depths of his long coat. He took a look at the second object in the Outsider’s hand. It was the mask, a symbol of an assassin, a symbol of progress and change. It was slightly corroded in some places as if time took its toll on it, despite the object being materialized by the Outsider. Without much thought Lord Protector reached for the mask, feeling its familiar weight again, looking at its fearsome exterior. He turned it around, seeing the soft red material inside. Seconds were going by as Corvo seemed to again be fighting some unknown force inside his mind. Yet again however the force lost as he slowly brought the mask to his face, placing it firmly... It fitted perfectly. The masked man switched his attention back to the Trickster. “You are almost ready. There are however a few things you must know, before venturing deeper in this place.” Corvo was silent “Your gift from me will be more powerful here. This place is deeply connected with many mystical energies. The latter fuel your own additionally.” Attano seemed a little surprised by this. Mystical energies? What could this possibly mean? “You are my favorite pet and I couldn’t possibly leave you completely alone here… If you run out of your precious ammunition, use the Heart and find my mark Corvo...” Those were good news, but if this World didn’t knew of the Outsider how could there be his mark here? The Outsider then started to dematerialize, turning into some kind of black dust “Remember however dear Corvo… You belong to me… If you’ll ever think about breaching our deal, you will never see Emily again and you will become a part of The Void…” The Outsider chuckled grimly just before dematerializing completely. Corvo was left alone on the green field, surrounded by trees and other plants with a long blade in his right hand and his masked face hung down. There was no other path for him to take now. He shook his head getting rid of the persistent thoughts and cracked his neck ready to begin his new mission. “Caligo…” He whispered as the mark on his left hand lightened up. Then the masked man vanished in plain sight, without any indication that he was ever there. It was a beautiful morning in Ponyville. The bees were buzzing, the birds were chirping, Ponies were beginning their daily routines, preparing for yet another calm and fulfilling day… “It’s boring…” Some of the Ponies were already starting conversations, talking to each other with smiles on their faces… “So boring…” Others were setting up their businesses for the day, preparing to serve their customers if the need arrives… “It sickens me…” Unbeknownst to all the citizens of Ponyville a cosmic being was observing them. Its dark eyes following their every movement as if looking for something. It had a disappointed expression on its pale face. The Outsider was not amused. But then his expression turned into a cruel smile. “Oh Corvo… What amusement will you offer me?” Then The Outsider saw what he was looking for. A masked creature materialized itself out of nowhere just outside the forest called “Everfree Forest” by those mortals. The Outsider chuckled darkly. “So it begins…” Corvo was standing just outside of the forest he sped through. He then crouched down… Something he did out of habit really. The ability he used previously was a rather new one, it was something similar to what he saw Granny Rags do. Was he becoming like her? No… His sanity was in perfect shape, he was just learning new tricks. Corvo was able to turn into white mist on thought. It seemed that this ability might be more useful than he thought previously. Normally he would feel a little tired after using this power, but here… It was as if it cost him nothing. He still felt full of energy. Could it be that it was what the Outsider had in mind? Those mystical energies… Did they fuel his power? He had a lot of questions but obviously there was no one to give him answers. Enough… The faster he completes his mission, the sooner he’ll get to see Emily again. “Canis Aspectus…” Corvo whispered, as the Outsider’s mark started to glow. He then could see… Everything… Darkness would no longer be a problem to his eyes. He could see through walls, as every creature in vicinity was marked with a yellow aura… Some items were also marked with an aura… He could also hear the heartbeat of any creature he would look at, an indication of it being nervous or calm. But that was not the end. The power seemed to gain more characteristics than he remembered… He could smell the creatures, see the paths they were walking through, but also hear them, from afar… This power was no longer limited to only his sight… Corvo recoiled from it slightly. It was somewhat overwhelming to get so much information in an instant. He blinked twice, getting used to seeing. smelling and hearing everything so clearly. And then he realized something quite… Strange… “Why are there only animals here…?” He looked around, seeing many yellow auras in horse-like shapes, but no human shapes whatsoever. There was obviously a village or a town in front of him. He spotted it earlier as he was moving through the woods. There was smoke coming from many chimneys and where there’s smoke, there’s bound to be civilization. And of course he was right. Something was very wrong here however. He decided that it would be best to find a better vantage point, than right outside of a forest. He looked around spotting many houses in the distance and… Yellow auras in the sky… “What the…” He stammered indeed seeing horse shapes flying through the sky. And he was not hallucinating… He blinked twice and took a few steps back inside the forest, feeling suddenly that a possibility of detection quadrupled. He put a hand inside his coat and took out the heart… Waiting for it to whisper… “There are no humans in this World… This place… It’s full of mysteries and secrets… Mythical creatures roam it… Pegasi and Unicorns are a normal sight… They all call themselves “ponies”, but they have little in common with Equines from the Empire…” Corvo was flabbergasted… Ponies? Really? This was just ridiculous… “Thank you…” He whispered, feeling bad about using The Heart again… “You’re welcome Corvo…” The Heart answered at which Attano almost fell down from surprise… “Empress…?” He asked shocked… “Yes… It’s me my Lord Protector… The Outsider gave me my memories back… I know what happened to me now… And what I am now…” There was silence for a while “He promised that he will set me free if I’ll help you on this journey…” Corvo didn’t know what to say… So he said the only thing that felt right to him… “I’m so sorry Jessamine…” To his surprise the Heart laughed silently “Don’t be Corvo… We are both fighting for our freedom… And for you to meet my daughter again… Don’t hesitate to use my talents…” Corvo only nodded, hiding Jessamine back inside his coat. His keen mind started to analyze everything… First he needed information about his targets and seeing as they were the rulers of this World he would need to get information about where they resided, how they looked like… And that is common knowledge… Corvo looked around again searching for something… Or rather someone… He already had an idea. The distance between him and the town wasn’t very long, but way too long with those “Pegasi” flying around like that. Then he spotted it… A lonely hut just outside the forest… And inside the hut lots of yellow auras possibly belonging to many different animals. There was also one unfamiliar horse-like aura with wings. Another Pegasus… Lonely Pegasus… Corvo crouched again and zoomed in on the hut’s roof with his mask. He concentrated on it. “Illac…” He whispered as the Outsider’s mark lightened up brightly. He then felt as if being pulled through reality. In an instant he found himself crouching on the roof of the hut, seeing the Pegasus attending to some animals inside of its (probably) house, just below him. Were those “Ponies” really sentient? It was a very hard thing for Corvo to believe in… All his doubts were however dispersed as he heard the Pegasus say something in an unknown to Attano language, possibly speaking to the animals. “That might be a problem…” Lord Protector whispered to himself “Let me help you with that Corvo…” He heard Jessamine say in his mind. He then felt a tremendous headache, as he put a hand on his head wincing from the pain. The mumblings of the Pegasus distorted somewhat and in a matter of seconds became a language that Corvo understood and knew perfectly… He blinked a few times still massaging his temple, not quite understanding what just happened “Here you go Mr. Bunny… Fresh carrots for you…” The Pegasus said in a timid voice. This certainly proved Corvo that indeed the “Ponies” were sentient. Not wasting any more time than was necessary Attano concentrated “Caligo…” He whispered and the mark on his hand responded. The Lord Protector turned into white mist and seeped between the cracks of the roof. Soon he was inside of the hut. He could see the Pegasus giving out food to the creatures with a happy smile on her face… “They even have faces…” Corvo thought The white mist arrived right behind the unaware Pegasus, as Corvo materialized into a solid form, standing right behind the yellow mare. The animals reacted to that fact by giving out some panicked chirps and screams Fluttershy was in the middle of her routine, feeding her many animal friends. The day began as always. She was pretty content, as it seemed that it will be just another normal day. “Here you go Mr. Bunny… Fresh carrots for you…” She said to a bunny right in front of her. Possibly Angel’s relative. She was about to go feed some of her avian friends next, but the sudden outburst of screams from the animals startled her, as she turned around quickly alarmed by it. What she saw made her worst nightmares fluffy in comparison. There in front of her a horrifying creature was standing. Taller than most of what she saw, a biped. Its build was unlike anything she ever saw and it’s snout… No… It was a face… But it was blank, made out of some kind of metal. It inspired true dread in the yellow mare. Even Diamond Dogs seemed to look friendly in comparison. The creature was also fully dressed and that was an indication of sentiency, of sinister intelligence… She started to breathe sharply, her fear skyrocketing, she felt herself glued to the spot, unable to move or do anything comprehensive. Where did this creature come from? What did it want? Why did it have no face?! For a while they were both standing still until… “Dominatus…” The creature whispered as a strange mark on its left paw lightened up menacingly. Fluttershy was about to take a few steps back, but some kind of unknown dark force suddenly tightened around her mind. She could see that the creature turned into black energy that was making its way inside her body. She wanted to scream, but couldn’t. The grim power was squeezing all her rationality from her, all of her conscious thought. And soon all of her consciousness seeped away becoming completely dormant. Her mind shut down as she could only see limitless blackness… The Outsider observed the whole situation. And as Corvo used his abilities the Supernatural Being smiled widely “Dear Corvo… You’re one cunning human…” He said, finally feeling that the boring World was about to become very, very interesting… And soon… A/N: Some experiment I did... Inspiration struck me so I just had to write that :P Hopefully not many derps and such... Anyway thanks for reading! Have a cookie! FYI: Corvo used something similar to Possesion on Fluttershy... Feels weird that I had to write that here, but a lot of people obviously didn't understand the fact.
Road to CanterlotDishonored: The Outsider’s Reach Chapter 2: Road to Canterlot A/N: First of all thank you for the favorites and likes! It's an honor. This is first story I ever wrote that was featured anywhere. It makes me feel really happy and content as a would-be amateur writer. Again i had some mysterious inspiration that made me write this chapter so fast :P Hopefully you'll like it. I also took some grammar advises and tried to include them in this chapter. BTW: Was drunk in some places when I wrote this. Fortunately it's not my inspiration... Music is :) Also thanks in advance for reading and have a... MUFFIN! Warning: Contains some gore. Not much though. Corvo opened his eyes gustily. His vision was slightly blurred, however the “Canis Aspectus” ability was still working. He was breathing heavily, feeling as if a lot of his energy was drained. Attano tried to look around, but horrible pain came down his body… Wait… Something was off. He brought his hand to his tired eyes, but instead of the familiar 5 digit grabbing appendage, there was a hoof, yellow at that. His eyes widened slightly. So domination has worked, he possessed the yellow horse. He noticed that an Outsider’s Mark appeared on the mare’s left hoof in similar spot he had his own. He decided it was high time to get up from the ground he was laying on. Despite the pain he did it pretty fast, adjusting to the body in the process. It was reckless using domination on this creature, he knew that now. This ability was a further development of possession skill. It however was slightly different as it allowed the caster to occupy the victim’s body indefinitely. Furthermore it actually allowed Corvo to use the Outsider’s Gift still being inside the creature’s body. Very powerful ability indeed. The only downside was the amount of energy it needed. In Dunwall he was only able to dominate a rat and it almost killed him. But here, having more energy supplies he figured it could work on a bigger animal, be it sentient or not. It was something he didn’t really think through much… But he needed a body like this to blend in with the townsfolk and the faster he got the necessary information, the faster he could complete the mission, be done with it, return to Emily, free Jessamine and himself. He looked around, feeling really strange inside of this “pony”. It was a female after all and he actually never possessed an opposite sex in his life. The various animals were staring at him with curiosity. It seemed that they weren’t sure if it was an intruder or their Mistress. He didn’t care though. Then he felt something slowly making its way down his new nose. He raised his foreleg to it and touched the place, bringing the hoof in front of his eyes. It was blood… A trickle of it was slowly making its way down his face. So the Pony’s body was barely containing him. Those surely weren’t good news. He shook his head trying to focus on the task at hand. Sighing he took a better look around. The hut wasn’t particularly big. It had 2 floors with wooden stairs leading to the one above. The living room he was in right now had various furnishings, making the Lord Protector ponder over why would horses need furniture… It was another unreal aspect of this world. On his left there was a kitchen, with various pots and such commonly used tools in cooking. Another trace of doubt hit Corvo hard. How do these creatures use such complicated tools without proper appendages? It was all starting to look more like a distorted dream than something that could be real. “This Pony’s name is Fluttershy. She holds all her important items above, inside a locked chest. It’s right behind her bed…” Corvo heard Jessamine’s voice inside his head. He nodded to himself and slowly made his way to the upper floor, almost tripping a few times. He forgot how hard it was getting used to walking on all fours after possessing a creature. After a while he arrived to a pretty thick wooden door. Without hesitation he pushed them. They didn’t budge however, so he pushed harder, only to receive nothing in return. They were obviously locked. He cursed silently under his breath, what sounded amusing with his voice changed to a timid, calm one. He stared the door down as gear-wheels inside his head were working intensely. He was tired and still could feel pain all over his body, so using another ability could be dangerous, especially to the yellow mare. He didn’t want to endanger her without need. “You have to Corvo, we are short on time…” It was true and he knew it. This might be a secluded location, but still someone might come here and give him a hell lot of problems. Corvo cursed again and without further dilemmas put his left ha-… Hoof… On the thick wooden door, “Cinis…” He whispered as the symbol on the mare’s left hoof lightened up in sinister scarlet color. This meant he was using an offensive and destructive ability. The door started to crumble, turning into black ash in a matter of seconds, leaving only untouched frames. He suddenly felt pain in his chest and started to cough. He put his foreleg on the mouth and as the coughing ceased he put it away, seeing drops of blood on the yellow coat. He shook his head disapprovingly and proceeded to enter the room. Inside was standard furniture, one could expect from such a room. It looked pretty cozy. There was a bookshelf on his right and a dresser with a mirror on his left. Curiosity eating at him Corvo approached the mirror and took a good look at himself. He pretty much looked the same as the mare, with some exceptions. He had bags under his eyes and some darker shadows around them. The mare even when in fear had some warmth in her eyes, some inside happiness and fulfillment… Her current eyes however were a complete opposite, there was desperation in them, gripping coldness and some kind of flame of steel determination that threatened to release conflagration on the world. Corvo understood that those were his eyes as if the mare wasn’t there anymore. Was his spell too powerful? Did he destroy her mind completely? He felt guilt and fear tightening around his throat. “She’s still there Corvo… Albeit weak and dormant… You almost crushed her, but she has some flame of will that cannot be put out in her, so similar to yours…” Attano couldn’t help but smile slightly. Remembering Jessamine say something similar when she first saw him so many years ago… He blinked a few times and decided he should look through personal items of the mare. If he was to blend in he had to know some details about the body he was occupying. He spotted the bed instantly. It was right next to a big window. Yet again he felt some kind of unease, a pinch of strange doubt. These creatures were using tools and furniture similar to human in design, yet they had no proper anatomy build for them. It just wasn’t making any sense. He shook his head and approached the bed. It didn’t look particularly heavy; in fact it was a small bed, perfect for a single “pony”. He put one hoof on the frame of the bed and pushed, moving it aside. In the spot where the bed was standing just seconds ago he spotted nothing but wooden floor and some dust… At first… But then his enhanced vision saw through the floor and noticed green aura in a shape of a rectangle resting just under it. He knocked at the spot where the green aura was and heard a hollowed out echo. It was a hiding place then. He took a closer look, trying to see some kind of opening mechanism or lock. After a few seconds he spotted a small keyhole, blending in with the floor nicely. He didn’t have the key though and had no patience to look for it. In fact he wanted to get out from this body as fast as possible. He felt very weird in it… As if some kind of tentacles were entangling him… He was starting to get paranoid a little, sensing that maybe, just maybe “domination” worked so well it will trap him inside this body forever. Each passing second seemed to drag him closer to this conclusion. That is why Corvo tightened his jaw and a spark of rage appeared on his face, as he made a snarling expression. He then raised his left hoof up and with a tremendous force hit the hollowed out place. The floor gave up after such violent attack. Pieces and splinters of wood flew in the air in a spectacle of strength. He felt that a few sharper pieces cut through the mare’s skin, making superficial injuries to the left foreleg. The pain however meant nothing to the man. He took the hoof out of the fresh hole he made, seeing a few trickles of blood seeping from small cuts. He leaned forward looking inside of the cleverly hidden spot. There were a few items there. Some pieces of what looked like old jewelry, a pack of letters bound together, a rock in a shape of a heart, some old documents of unknown origin and a simple brown book without any title. Corvo’s brow went up in bewilderment. Letters? Books? He felt confused again. How could they even write? He snorted a little, pushing the persistent questions in the back of his mind. The most interesting thing from this stash seemed to be the book. Maybe it was a diary? He wanted to simply pick it up, but realization struck him… He couldn’t grab squat. “Damn…” He cursed, thinking how the hell is he supposed to take the thing out without hands? Idea came pretty fast though. With his right hoof he struck the edges of the hole he made, making it bigger, allowing him to put his head in there and pick the thing up with his mouth. And so he did… Not without a few failed attempts… But finally after a few minutes of struggle, the brown, now saliva-dripping book was on the floor next to him. Carefully with one hoof he opened it and immediately understood that it indeed was a diary. There were many entries in it with dates he couldn’t possibly comprehend. These creatures obviously had a different timeline and time measure methods than he knew. The book was way too thick to be read wholly, so he decided to read the entries that had key words important to him. He had to get information on who knows the mare the best, what’s the name of the place, where does she work and so on. He assumed that because the place was secluded and on the outskirts of the town, the mare would be a loner… This would make his goal easier to reach. On one of the first pages he however discovered how gravely he was mistaken. Entry 31, 31 June 1000 CR Dear Diary This night was full of surprises. Me, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle were able to defeat the legendary Nightmare Moon and put a stop to her scheme of bringing eternal night to Equestria! We brought Princess Luna back using the Elements of Harmony! It appears that I am the Element of Kindness. I’m so happy! I was afraid that because of me and my shyness I will be only a burden on this adventure. My friends however made me believe in myself and showed me how powerful and pure the Magic of Friendship is! Everyone has courage in them! That is what I learned today. Corvo’s brow went higher. He read another entry and then another and another. Almost all of them had something about friendship, learning and friends in them. They also mentioned magic, mythical creatures, evil spirits and such. Also the names of the friends of the mare and her own name… Were comical… “What the hell is this place…?” He asked himself. His eyes went wide suddenly as if he realized something of grave importance… His expression turned serious, cold as stone. “Jessamine…” He said. The voice of the mare sounded a little bit like his now. Full of gravity and some kind of depth. “Yes Corvo?” Her voice echoed in his head. “Is this place real…?” He asked firmly. There was a pause as tension in the air rose. “I’m not sure… It feels real, but something is off about it… Something I can’t quite see, as if on the edge of my vision…” Corvo was silent for a while, still looking at the book. “On the edge of the vision…” He repeated, mulling the information over. “I think it might be a test…” He added a second later. “We don’t know what the Outsider really wants. I doubt that it’s only amusement. He’s much more than that and has another motive in this.” Jessamine replied. “Maybe… This place is too unreal to exist… It’s… Like a children’s story.” Corvo said slowly. “You might be right Corvo… But isn’t that good?” Jessamine asked with some encouragement. “How so?” He asked perplexed. “If this place is not real… No actions you take will have any real impact and consequences…” She explained. Corvo hung down his head in thought. “You might be right…” He suddenly said as a fresh wave of determination and hurry washed over him. He closed the diary and quickly went out of the room and downstairs. He was about to get out of the place but something made him stop in the middle of the living room. He took a sniff and then heard a clattering noise. His vision quickly saw a yellow aura approaching the front door. It was one of these ponies closing in in a very disturbing fashion. It seemed to be jumping as it moved, as if bouncing instead of trotting like a normal Pony would. Corvo tilted his head to the side… Another proof showing that this place was some kind of made up testing ground. “The Outsider is toying with our minds…” Corvo stated as he observed the closing in Pony. Now there was a question what to do about this fact. The creature was obviously heading directly for this hut. Corvo could simply vanish if he wanted to, but he would have to leave the mare’s body. Inside her body it was too risky to cast anything, she could die from the power drain and Corvo didn’t want that. There were two options left then, pretend no one’s home and wait for the Pony to leave or confront it. The latter could be very risky, all in all Attano still didn’t know much about the body he occupied. He knew she was some “Element of Kindness”, had 5 friends at least and loved animals. That was about it. He took a deep breath… “Confrontation it is…” He decided. It could be reckless but he would have to confront one of them eventually. It was better to do it now than later… At least that’s what he thought. The Pony finally made it in front of the hut’s door and gave 3 knocks, still jumping up and down on the spot. Corvo approached the door… “No consequences and impact of the actions…” He repeated silently, giving himself some courage. He opened the door calmly. “HI FLUTTERSHY!!!!” The Pony screamed happily like a madman at Corvo. The latter didn’t even flinch staring at the Pink abomination in front of him. “What do you want?” He asked, a slight trace of threat and dead seriousness in his voice. The longer he was looking at that thing bouncing the madder he was becoming… The pink Pony stopped bouncing suddenly giving Corvo a questioning look for a while. But then happiness and energy kicked in again as it smiled beyond biological limits. “I came here to remind you of the Super-duper-awesome SLUMBER PARTY at Rarity’s! Oh it will be so awesomesuacly super! There will be drinks, food… Did I mention the drinks? And all of us will be there! And I will be like “Have more cake Mr. Rock!” and (…)” Corvo titled his head to the right… The Pony was babbling crazily. Is it one of the yellow mare’s friends? It seemed it wasn’t about to stop its mumblings and Corvo didn’t feel obliged to listen to it. He felt enraged after a while. “Shut up before I slice your tongue out.” He snapped, glaring daggers at the thing. The Pony stopped in an instance looking at Corvo in bewilderment and with a trace of fear. “Fluttershy… What’s wrong…? Why would you say something like that…?” Pinkie’s mane deflated as she took a look directly in her friend’s eyes. They were different. The warmth was gone. Instead there was a storm of rage, determination and no trace of remorse in them. It wasn’t Fluttershy… The Pink thing gasped and took a step back… “You’re not Fluttershy…” It said pointing its hoof at the would-be imposter. Corvo narrowed his eyes… He might have gone too far with the tongue slicing. But in his defense the Pink Pony was one of the most annoying things he has ever encountered. He had no choice now but to stop the Pink mare from running around and telling every citizen… Pinkie took another step back… “You’re a changeling! How did you get by the detection spells? What did you do with the real Fluttershy?!” The Pony’s expression turned into that of an anger, and determination as she also narrowed her eyes. Corvo smiled slightly to this and raised his left hoof with the Outsider’s Mark on it. Another risk? Well… He didn’t have much choice in the matter. “Saxificus...” He whispered as the Outsider’s Mark lightened up brightly, announcing that a supernatural ability is being used. *** Pinkie managed to turn around and was about to run away when she felt her legs slowing down, all her movements becoming impaired. She then stopped completely unable to move whatsoever. She wanted to warn everypony… But now she couldn’t… And why didn’t her sense warn her? Why?! She could only move her eyes, all other body parts felt as if made out of stone. What kind of magic was that?! *** Corvo on the other hand felt all his body burning from pain. He moaned and fell to the ground spasming violently. This went on for a few seconds and he almost lost consciousness. He didn’t allow that though and stood awake purely thanks to his iron will. The spams stopped… He felt some blood making its way down from his yellow nose, again. He stood up slowly, his legs trembling, he was very weak. Another spell will kill both him and the mare. “Fuck!” He shouted out breathing heavily, drops of sweat apparent all over his body. If this wasn’t real, The Outsider went into high lengths to make it feel real. He slowly approached the petrified Pink Pony taking a good look at it and spotting some kind of tattoo on its flank. It was however nothing of importance it seemed. His vision was becoming blurry and the “Canis Aspectus” ability turned itself off. Now he won’t be able to see if someone is coming. Just splendid. “This one’s name is Pinkanema Diane Pie or Pinkie Pie. She is Fluttershy’s friend. She might be cheerful and happy but she hides a secret from the World… ” Jessamine said in Corvo’s head. Corvo was still barely standing, he had to sit down and rest. Hunger was also starting to give itself away. *** Pinkie was following the Changeling with her eyes. That’s the only thing she could do. She felt some dread gripping her petrified throat. What is this bug’s plan? How did he get here? What did he do with Fluttershy?! It looked right at her still breathing sharply. *** “What should I do with you…?” He asked out loud pondering over the situation. He couldn’t simply leave the Pony here like that. There were a few options available… He could slice its throat, it would turn to ash and problem solved. But it didn’t sit right with him. Real or not it just wasn’t right to kill instantly, seeing that the Pink thing was innocent. He dropped the option as a last resort one thinking about what’s left. “Corvo… There is an option, albeit drastic one...” Corvo’s head perked up. “I can take over this body, permanently… You will have to cut out the heart and put me in its place…” Corvo’s eyes went wide. “Are you serious Jessamine? Cut out her heart? It’s crazy!” He shouted out not very content with this option. *** Pinkie’s eyes became glassed over. This bug was crazy! It was talking to itself and… It wanted to cut her heart out… She felt completely hopeless, there was no one here to help her, and this monster was ready to do something… Something… Unspeakable… *** “I’m simply telling you of the possibility… I don’t find it appealing either…” Jessamine replied slightly hurt. “I understand. Sorry for the outburst Empress. I’m on edge right now.” He said, calming himself down. “I know Corvo… I know…” She replied. Corvo’s erratic breath became normal again, he felt slightly less tired but the pain was still all over him. He couldn’t come up with anything good so the only thing left would be dragging the petrified Pony into the hut and leaving it there. That will be a real pain in the ass. He sighed heavily and approached the Pink Pony, who closed its eyes, obviously scared. Corvo didn’t pay attention though. He bit down on Pinkie’s tail and started dragging her back into the hut. This operation took a while. He had to stop many times, feeling out of breath. Finally however after about 1 hour of struggle the petrified mare was inside the hut and Corvo was laying on the ground next to her, completely drained. The animals in the cottage were very quiet for some reason. Again Corvo was in no mood and strength to pay attention. This couldn’t happen again, he will have to pretend he’s a cheerful, calm and timid mare even if he felt the tentacles around him squeezing harder, threatening to trap him inside this body forever. Another problem however was that the Pink thing instantly recognized him as an imposter when she took a look into his eyes. This meant he would have to stay away from the closest friends of the mare, grab some random guy and interrogate him or her. Even if all of it was a cleverly made “Lala Land”, he would still have to treat it as a real one and still complete the mission avoiding dying if possible. He stood up. The pain was slowly ceasing fortunately. His stomach rumbled… He had to eat something, preferably meat… “I need a steak…” He said desperately. “Corvo I don’t think they eat meat…” Jessamine whispered with some worry in her voice. “They’re not real. And honestly I couldn’t care less anymore. I won’t eat grass.” The Lord Protector retorted with annoyance. “I don’t think this body will even digest it properly.” Jessamine explained. “I’ll puke it out then and think what to eat later.” He was set on this one. He had this craving and it was definitely for meat. “Fine, help yourself then.” Jessamine responded with some disappointment. *** Pinkie Pie on the other hand heard everything that was being said. Changelings were carnivores?! That’s why they had the fangs… Now she was terrified… He could even eat her! What if he ate Fluttershy?! She had to get free somehow, warn Ponyville! Anything! She tried to move, but the attempt was futile. She felt so useless… *** Corvo was rummaging through the kitchen, finding only some food that a horse would enjoy, but nothing that even resembled meat. He sighed thinking what to do about this. Idea struck him… This hut was full of animals, many, many edible animals… He drew his eyes through the living room searching for something… And there it was… A rabbit. In Dunwall such meat was a delicacy, so he actually felt a little excited about it. He ate a rabbit maybe once in his life but still could vaguely remember the delicate taste of the meat. He checked the cupboards in the kitchen and in the third found what he was looking for – a sharp kitchen knife. The question remained how was he supposed to use it with hoofs? He tried to grab it somehow from different angles and after a few annoying attempts he was able to hold it firmly in the flexion between the hoof and the foreleg. It wasn’t a comfortable way to hold a blade, but would have to do. He went out of the kitchen heading straight for a lonely rabbit sitting on a couch. He almost fell down a few times, it was hard using only 3 legs… He approached the rabbit with the blade drawn and looked down at it. *** Pinkie was observing with horror what was about to happen, the Changeling approached a poor lonely rabbit and was about to… About to… She couldn’t say it or even think about it… She wanted to help, to do something, but was unable to. She could only observe… *** Corvo stopped. If he kills the rabbit and eats it in this body, Fluttershy will probably be traumatized. He didn’t want that. After all he was only borrowing the body and it was wrong to do something considered bestial and evil by this race. Even if they weren’t real he just couldn’t bring himself to do this. “Damn!” He cursed as he turned around and walked back to the kitchen. No meat for him then. *** Pinkie was crying. She almost witnessed somepony kill an innocent creature for the sake of food. She saw how mercilessly this Changeling behaved. How he was ready to murder the bunny… But why did he stop? Why didn’t he continue? Something had to happen inside his head. Why would he even need meat? They were living thanks to love! Tears were flowing freely down her petrified cheeks. She was afraid that even though the Changeling stopped he will change his mind and this time do something to her. Suddenly some weird smell came to her from the kitchen… Delicious smell. *** Corvo was already set. He prepared the kitchen for some proper cooking. He actually learned to cook a little from Jessamine and decided to make a vegetable stew. It was after all better than eating grass or carrots. He was now slicing some vegetables with rising precision and getting a hang of this whole hoof business. Additionally Jessamine decided to bud in. The late Empress actually loved to cook and knew a delicious recipe for a vegetable stew. Despite the mission they had and state they were both in this was one of few happy moments they were sharing together in this fantasy land. All the animals in the hut were awfully quiet. Some left the cottage as if concerned about their own safety. But Corvo didn’t really care for that. Now he was a chef. “Now add onions to the mixture…” Jessamine whispered happily and Corvo did as he was asked, throwing the sliced onions to the boiling stew in the pot. It smelled magnificently. He picked up the spoon using the flexion method he learned and got some stew with it. He cooled it down and then with one simple motion he ate it. His eyes went wide as he took a deep breath. “What’s wrong Corvo?” Jessamine asked with worry. “This… is… Fantastic!” He said feeling suddenly happy. Food was really one of few things that could boost his morale. To think something delicious like that could be made without a trace of meat… The taste was so incredible he just had to eat the stew, now. He took out a ladle from the cupboard and poured some stew on the previously prepared deep plate. Quickly he left the kitchen with the plate in one hoof and spoon in his mouth. He put the plate gently on the table and sat on the couch… As a human would sit… This for some reason wasn’t difficult for him even in this body. Corvo began to eat the stew with pleasure. It was indeed one of the best dishes he ever had. So delicate and yet intense in its flavor. *** Pinkie could smell it… The smell of different spices and vegetables mixed together. It was however different from what was usually made in restaurants. It had a sharp and tomato flavored feeling to it. How did a Changeling learn to cook something like this? There were far more questions about it than answers. And his sitting position? It remained Pinkie of Lyra Heartstrings. Veeery strange... The Changeling was enjoying the smell and the taste. It was still using Fluttershy’s appearance so it looked to Pinkie as if her own friend was happily eating a dish. The creature looked so similar to her, that if not for the eyes Pinkie would definitely fall for the disguise. She stopped sobbing. Maybe this creature was not such a monster as she thought. *** “Oh what would I give to have a proper body now…” Jessamine said with a hint of jealousy in her voice. “Mmm… This is really good… My Empress how I wish you could taste it!” Corvo said with a smile plastered on his face. Jessamine laughed warmly. Soon he emptied the plate, felt full and much stronger now, as if food alone managed to restore his spiritual energy. He stood up from the couch and took a look outside the window. It was about noon. High time to leave this place, get information and leave this body for good. He approached the Pink mare, who looked at him with a trace of dread. “You’ll probably stay like that for about a day…” He informed Pinkie coldly and then turned around ready to leave the hut. The door were opened and… “Adieu!” He shouted out with fake passion and then slammed the door shut behind him, leaving inside a petrified Pink mare and a terrified rabbit named Angel… Outside of the hut there was a simple path leading straight to the town. Corvo was feeling much better, his energy levels were pretty good from what he could tell. “Canis Aspectus…” He whispered, as the mark responded, giving him supernatural awareness. He looked around and started walking down the path heading for the small town. He arrived near it fast and without anyone pestering him on the way. Now the real test was beginning. There were many different “ponies” walking around, most of them seemed to be happy. Some were conversing, some were simply passing by. The whole thing looked a little rustic and calm, having an inviting atmosphere about it. Corvo winced a little. The amount of colors here was slightly overwhelming to him. Amethyst Star was trotting through Ponyville with a smile on her face. She just bought a magnificent dress from Rarity. It was so beautiful it actually blinded her, first time she saw it. Rarity was really one of the greatest fashion designers in Equestria. She instantly knew she wanted to have the dress… Fortunately she had enough bits from her savings and even though the price was astronomical, Amethyst knew it was the right choice. She was just passing by the path that led to Fluttershy’s cottage, as she instantly spotted the yellow, shy mare standing there looking around with a pretty displeased expression on her face. “Hey, Fluttershy! Long time no see!” Amethyst shouted out joyfully. The yellow mare turned her head slowly. Her cold look instantly gripped Amethyst by her heart. Fluttershy was staring the lavender unicorn down for a while. Then she replied with a fake smile on her face and indifferent tone of voice. “Indeed…” Amethyst was slightly taken aback by this. Maybe something happened? Fluttershy definitely wasn’t her usual self… “Did something happen honey?” The Element of Kindness seemed distant for a while as if she didn’t hear what was being said. Then she broke out from her thoughts. “No.” She replied looking around as if searching for something. “Are you sure? You know… You can always talk to me about anything.” Amethyst was really getting worried about the mare… “Yes, I’m sure, thank you.” The fake smile was so obvious that Amethyst could only shake her head disapprovingly. “Okay then, see you later Fluttershy!” The lavender pink Unicorn left, leaving Corvo to his thoughts. There were so many of these “ponies” here that it was close to impossible to drag one out and interrogate him or her. He needed a more secluded location… Again… He cursed heavily under his breath and went inside the town. Various ponies were giving him nods, or greeting him on the way. He however ignored most of them. He passed along few alleys and main roads of the town. He reached the market district after a few turns, but it was hardly the location he was aiming for, as there were even more ponies here. “Shit…” He said with a hint of anger, while looking around… If he is to find a secluded location, he would have to get to the outskirts of the town. Without further ado he made his way through the wave of ponies, heading north. Passing through the crowd he could swear someone was shouting “Fluttershy!” in the distance. He picked up his pace and as fast as possible, using force in some cases, made his way out of the Market and through the smaller alleys, still heading north. On his way he passed many buildings, obviously living areas, but also many different shops and such. Architecture of some was simply impossible, making Corvo believe even further that all of this is simply an illusion - a test made by The Outsider. After a few minutes of walking he finally reached north outskirts of the town and could see a huge orchard… This looked secluded enough. He made his way down a slope. There were close to no ponies here, according to his senses. He stopped, smelling something again, he could also hear a flapping sound… As if wings… He looked up and spotted two yellow auras closing in on him. He turned around and in a matter of seconds two Pegasi landed just in front of him. “Well, well, well, if it isn’t Klutzershy!” The bigger one said with a very smug grin on his face. It was a brown, muscular stallion with shortly cut mane in the same color and a similar tail. His brown eyes had a spark of cruelty in them. Corvo was not impressed and raised an eyebrow to that. “Is there something specific you want?” He asked coldly. “Oh, we just wanted to say hello to our friend Klutzershy!” The shorter said, also pretty smug. He wasn’t muscular like his friend and one could say he was of average, but sleek build. He had a white coat with some green highlights here and there. His mane was in a bright green color, having a spiky hairstyle. The same could be said about his tail. His eyes were of navy blue color and had a hint of mischievousness in them. Again the Lord Protector was anything but impressed. “I don’t have time for this.” He said as he turned around and prepared to leave. His route was however blocked by the bigger stallion, who flew over Attano and landed in front of him. The Pony was staring Corvo down with the grin still apparent on his face. “Don’t leave Klutzershy! We just want to have some FUN!” He said, as the smaller one stood behind the Lord Protector. “What’s the matter Klutzershy? Not scared? Not going to tremble and ask us to stop, huh?” The shorter bully asked mockingly. Corvo was not amused. But then he realized… He was alone here with these two dimwits… It was a secluded location so no one would see him interrogating them. The taller one pushed him suddenly, making Attano take a step back. “Come on! Tremble already!” He shouted. This was the ignition point. Corvo couldn’t allow some thrash to push him around like that. He was no saint to present his other cheek and take the blow. His pride and dignity was at stake. Also he tried to leave peacefully. Those idiots brought this on themselves. Attano snorted and smiled cruelly “Boy, you just bit off more than you can chew…” Dunwall’s Hero said with a threat in his voice. The taller Bully looked at him flabbergasted. Lord Protector then extended his right foreleg “Appareo...” The Outsider’s Mark lightened up, black energy seeping from Corvo’s body materializing into a silver blade that appeared in the flexion between his hoof and the foreleg. To the Bullies it looked as if some kind of Cutie Mark started to glow on Fluttershy’s left hoof and then… A sinister blade appeared in her right hoof, reflecting the rays of sun, making it look as if it was on fire. “What…” The shorter pegasus managed to stammer “Illac…” Corvo whispered and with a blink of an eye he appeared next to the taller bully with the silver sword pressed against his throat. There was a pause in which their minds caught up with reality and realized that they are possibly in a great deal of danger from insane Fluttershy… “F… Fluttershy… What are you doing?!” The taller bully screamed out terrified. The shorter one was already preparing to leave, slightly pale on the face. Corvo couldn’t allow it… He could petrify him, but again it would probably eat a lot of his energy and he couldn’t have that. He could turn him to ash, but that required direct contact. He could stop time, but it was a very powerful ability and he still didn’t want to use it, fearing it might hurt Fluttershy’s body. There was only one option then… “No consequences, no impact…” Corvo said to himself and didn’t even look at the taller bully as with one fluid motion he sliced his throat open. A gush of blood left the wide cut. It landed mostly on the ground in front of the Pony making a clear red splatter. Gurgling the Pegasus fell down. He spasmed as life left him completely and a puddle of blood started to form around his lifeless corpse. As soon as this happened his body, blood and possessions turned to ash, leaving no evidence that anything ever happened here. Corvo could see his other target starting to escape into air. He had no time then. “Illac…” Attano whispered looking straight at his target. He was pulled through reality slightly above the erratically flying Pegasus. With the blade in right hoof he fell straight on top of him. The latter screamed in surprise and immediately lost his concentration. Corvo locked the bully’s neck with his left foreleg in a powerful choking grip. The Pegasus was thrashing about as they both started to fall. Soon however he lost consciousness. Corvo still holding his victim tight quickly concentrated on the ground feeling the gravity’s pull and seeing the ground getting closer and closer. “Illac!” He shouted and before they hit the ground they were both thrown through reality hitting the land with much smaller force, but still bruising themselves. Corvo slowly raised himself from the unconscious Pegasus sighing with relief. “That was a dangerous stunt Corvo” Jessamine whispered. “Yes, but now we have a source of information and hopefully no one saw any of it.” He looked around, they landed just outside of the forest, near the Orchard he was initially aiming for. His sense told him that no one was in the vicinity and there couldn’t have been any witnesses. “Still have a good aim.” He said with some smugness. Fortunately he didn’t even lose the blade, as he was still holding it tightly in his right hoof. Corvo also used four abilities and was only moderately tired. It seemed that the mare’s body was getting used to The Outsider’s power. He approached the unconscious bully and touched him with his leg concentrating on the spot inside the forest. “Illac…” And with that they both were teleported into the forest. Awesome Wing groggily came back to reality… The last thing he remembered was being… Attacked by Fluttershy… No, it had to be some kind of a stupid dream. His vision was blurry, but he could feel something pressing against his throat. He blinked a few times and saw a pair of cold, soul piercing eyes staring at him. And the thing pressing against his throat… It was a very long and very sharp sword… He realized his troubles just begun and insane Fluttershy was not a dream. She was looking straight at him with a very serious expression. He involuntarily started to tremble, as his face was drained from blood yet again. “W…” He wanted to say something but his mouth became so dry he simply couldn’t. “I’m in a hurry so let’s make this quick…” The mare said. Awesome nodded slowly. “How do Princess Celestia and Princess Luna look like?” He felt cold sweat on his face. How can she not know this? Maybe it’s a trick? There was a pause. “I see you have trouble speaking so I’ll make this clear. When I ask you something and you won’t answer I’ll cut a part of your body off… How does that sound?” Cold shiver went down his spine and his eyes widened from fear. She couldn’t… Could she? "How do Princess Celestia and Princess Luna look like?" She asked again, impatience detectable in her voice. “They…They are alicorns… P-Princess Celestia has a white coat with mane and tail in a pastel color... Her Cutie Mark is that of a sun… Princess Luna has an indigo coat with a teal mane and tail… Her Cutie Mark is moon .” He answered as if he was passing an exam. Fluttershy seemed to mull over the information. “Alicorns?” She asked then. She had to lose her memories somehow and surely was crazy now. “Pegasi with unicorn horns…” He explained. “I understand. And what is this Cutie Mark?” He opened his moth in surprise. This was basic knowledge! What happened to her? “It’s… A mark on the flank, everypony receives when they discover their special talent…” Awesome said unable to calm down however. He had a sharp blade pressed against his neck after all. Fluttershy took a look around the bully and spotted his Cutie Mark. It was a letter A with wings attached. She nodded somehow doubtfully. “So it’s a tattoo…” She said to herself and turned her sight back at Awesome Wing. “Where do Princess Celestia and Princess Luna live?” She asked patiently. “C-Canterlot…” He answered as hastily as possible. She nodded slowly. “Very nice. And where is this Canterlot?” She was mad! She had to be mad… But if he doesn’t tell her, she will definitely do something… Oh Celestia! Why did he even agree to the idea of trying to torment her?! She snapped and turned insane! “It’s… It’s… On the mountain, above Ponyville…” He answered still feeling that fear was draining all his energy. “I see. How can I get there the fastest?” She asked, this time with more patience. “There’s a train… From train station in Ponyville. It runs every 2 hours…” She seemed to be thinking about something. Her sight seemed distanced for a while… “Do you have a watch?” She asked him politely. “Y-Yes…” The bully answered somewhat surprised. “Take it off and give it to me…” She said with small ounce of authority in her voice. “O-Of course…” Now she was robbing him… Incredible… Trembling he raised his left hoof up and with the right one he pressed against the watch’s locking mechanism. The watch fell to the ground. “Thank you kindly.” She said calmly. “Can I… Can I go now?” He decided to try his chances. “I’m afraid I can’t have any witnesses…” She answered matter-of-factly as his eyes widened. He was about to scream for help but the blade moved against his throat, slicing it open and ending his life. The corpse turned to ash as Corvo reached down for the watch, picking it up with his mouth. With some failed attempts he finally locked it onto the hoof and looked at the hour. It was 16:33. It was hard to say for him how long will it take for the train to arrive, but he should go to the train station as fast as possible. He looked back at the path he used to arrive here. “Illac…” He whispered and vanished. Lord Protector arrived at the train station at 16:56. It took him some time to find his way there, but with some running around and plenty of luck he finally made it. He also avoided three Ponies that tried to catch up to him and talk. Well better word being, he barely avoided, using supernatural ability to increase his distance between them. They were very persistent, but he managed to lose them anyway. He also got rid of the blade, making it turn into black energy and enter the body of the mare again. He looked around - there were plenty of Ponies here and now he needed an isolated location close-by. He smiled as he spotted what he was looking for… Toilets… Corvo had to wait for the train first though. And so he stood near the toilets waiting for the train to arrive. It took a while but after a few minutes he heard a distant sound of locomotive. How did these “Ponies” construct such a complicated machine? Hoofs could be used to grab some things, but work where a certain amount of precision was required… He simply shook his head. Another block to the theory of this world not being real was added. He could smell burned coal now. And after a while a peculiar train arrived. Its wagons constructed crookedly and painted colorfully. The locomotive itself was also crooked. A steam engine needed to be constructed precisely with certain proportional shapes… But this? This thing never stood close to a straight line! It was a design that had no right of existence. Corvo’s expression turned into a sour one. As impossible and ludicrous as this “train” was, he had no choice but to ride it. He quickly entered the proper toilet room for “mares”. Knowing no one was inside he took a last look at himself in this body, thanks to a mirror on the wall. “Oblittero...” He whispered. The Outsider’s Mark on Fluttershy’s left hoof disappeared and black energy escaped her body, quickly solidifying into a human form right behind her. Fluttershy then fell to the ground unconscious. Corvo took a look at the mare. She was bruised, had dirt and some splatters of blood on her coat, but all in all was pretty much alive. The masked man flexed his arms and cracked his neck as if he was exercising after a long trip. “Thanks for the ride Fluttershy.” He said calmly to the laying mare. He reached down and unlocked the watch from her hoof, hiding it inside his coat. Might come in handy He thought “Caligo…” He whispered and turned into white mist. Seepeing under the door he made his way onto the roof of the middle wagon of the train. Some ponies spotted the white mist making its way onto the train, none however connected it with an assassin making his way to the capital of Equestria and all dismissed it as some kind of weather anomaly. Lord Protector materialized himself on the roof of the train in a laying position. The train slowly started to move, gaining speed rather quickly and leaving the town of Ponyville with Dunwall’s Hero on its roof. Corvo was going to fulfill his mission, release his and Jessamine’s soul, see Emily again and nothing could stop him…
CheckmateDishonored: The Outsider’s Reach Chapter 3: Checkmate A/N: Woo! Almost 13 000 words... That's a record for me O_o Hopefully you'll like the chapter! One important thing though, It's not over yet... Anything can still happen :P Also sorry for the derps... It's hard to correct all the errors in 30 pages worth of a chapter... And as usual thanks for reading, have a BEER! Anyway onto the story: Her eyelids… They felt so heavy, as if sew together. With tremendous effort she slowly opened them, or at least she thought she did. There was however nothing in front of her… A deserted space made entirely of blackness. She felt as if underwater, unable to neither breathe nor move. There was no source of light to be found. She tried to move, but her body refused to comply with her commands. She couldn’t feel it in fact and could only exist in this world of emptiness, where no sounds, no feelings were present. This place was so cold that it paralyzed her mind, her senses. She couldn’t think straight, couldn’t feel the time passing by and couldn’t remember anything. Where was she? Why was she here? How could she live without breathing? Then at some point during this pointless existence a light appeared… It immediately struck her senses hard, slowly dispersing the ever-present darkness. Each passing second it was becoming more intense and warm. The coldness was slowly receding, yielding to the warmth. For a while it felt good and she welcomed the change, but then in the back of her mind a feeling of unease and anxiety appeared. There was something disturbing about this light, as if with it some kind of change was coming. It seemed to be offering sinister experience and knowledge. She didn’t want such thing and didn’t like what the light had to offer. It was misleading and the darkness she already knew. She wanted the peace and calm, the cold was offering her. Nothing could be done however, except for bitterly accepting the fact that the light was consuming the dark. Soon it enveloped her and in the distance she heard first sound since God knows only how long. “Thanks for the ride Fluttershy.” Slowly the feeling of warmth disappeared with the light also gone, yet again replaced by the familiar darkness. Soon the feeling of being underwater ceased, the emptiness was no more as steadily she started to feel her body. Some amount of joy appeared in her heart. She knew she was in a laying position now. The sense of smell appeared, giving away the aroma of water mixed with lavender and some chemicals. Hearing came back as she could make out the creak of doors. She could also taste something now, a delicate flavor of some vegetables. Yet she still felt somehow not entirely synchronized, as if still not out of the darkness. Her joy and happiness of finally being able to use her senses was suddenly crushed when with all of them came reality and her mind adapted to it. A wave of pain and tiredness washed over her with the feeling of the hard floor pressing against her body. She felt a throbbing pain inside her head and involuntarily moaned from the negative feedback of her senses. She was so tired and weak, she wanted only to sleep. Some primal fear however told her that if she goes to sleep now, she might never wake up. With whatever strength she had left, she opened her eyes. Her vision was horribly blurry and the throbbing pain in her head made the image pulse unpleasantly. The place she was in now was she easily identified as a bathroom or toilet. The walls were painted in white and just above her there were some sinks and a mirror probably. It was hard for her to identify the details, as she couldn’t see straight. The same fear that made her open her eyes told her to stand up and get out of here. She obeyed and slowly started to gather her sprawled about hoofs. The yellow mare was shaking from the exhaustion and had a few failed attempts in which she found herself back on the cold floor. Soon however she was standing, barely. A nauseous feeling that seemed not to bother her that much previously attacked her with tripled force, as bile built up in her stomach. Even though she wanted to hold it down, the short battle was over quickly. She leaned forward and released her stomach contents on the floor, breathing sharply soon after that. The Element of Kindness felt some relief after this, as she raised her head again, vision still blurry and pulsing. Fluttershy was swaying slightly from left to right, not entirely able to stand straight. The door in front of her seemed like a long distance to trot, but she knew this was her destination. She had to get out of here. Fluttershy took a look to the left, into what she presumed was a mirror. The only thing she spotted in it was a yellowish blob however. She wasn’t sure if this blob was in fact her or not and didn’t really have time to ponder over this as her thoughts were quickly dispersing not allowing her to concentrate fully. She took a deep breath and with it started her advance towards the door. Unable to walk straight she was placing her hoofs clumsily and tripped over them a few times. The yellow mare was half way there when a particularly unpleasant sway made her trip again and fall to the side, ramming the wall with her side. A sick crack could be heard and a wave of pain came through her body. She let out a pained scream and felt her right wing hurting horribly with additional pain in her ribs. As quickly as possible however, she recomposed herself and despite the pain, with tremendous determination she finally arrived at the door, feeling some amount of fulfillment. It was as if she reached a very distant destination, as if behind this door everything would become clear and normal again. She pushed the door with her hoof and… It was raining… Heavily… Despite her vision remaining blurry and pulsing she was able to see a stone road in front of her where once in a while a bipedal creature strolled slowly, holding an umbrella often. The buildings around her were very tall, made out of bricks and sheet metal. Many different logos and signs were placed above doors and shop-windows. It was night-time however and most shops were closed. The darkness was dispersed thanks to many lanterns that gave away bright light. The surroundings seemed to be very gray and monotonous though, a complete contrary to what she knew. Fluttershy looked down, feeling that something else was off. She… wasn’t herself anymore, there were no hoofs nor a tail. She looked like one of these bipedal creatures with her skin very pale and completely black mane. She was also clothed in a pricy black dress with many white decorations. The mare looked at her open hands, studying them in amazement. Soon however amazement was replaced with a feeling of panic. She turned around hastily. Behind her there was a wall made out of bricks belonging to one of the tall buildings, not a door. Her breath became raspy as she was starting to hyperventilate. “Where…” She whispered scared, as the throbbing pain in her head grew stronger. She clumsily took a step forward, swaying slightly to the sides, as she put a hand on her head. Fluttershy blinked a few times, hoping to clear her vision. It didn’t help however. The bipedal creatures walking-by, were not paying much attention to her, simply passing by. The light from the lanterns all around her became somewhat more intense. The drops of rain soaked through her clothes immediately, but didn’t feel cold. She leaned forward breathing in and out in raising panic. Again the primal fear told her to get out of here, go forward, anywhere. She started to walk, tripping and swaying as if drunk. Looking around in panic for any clue where she was, what happened and what were those creatures. Quickly Fluttershy increased her pace, which only threw her forward and made her fall to the stone ground. She put her hands forward involuntarily and felt her skin being ripped slightly by the hard stone. She winced from the pain, having no idea what was happening, where she was and for that matter what she was. She felt confused and was worried about what was happening to her, why was her head hurting so much? A horrible feeling of hopelessness instantly overwhelmed her and bitter tears soon followed, mixing with the rain water. She was sobbing now, still on the ground, on all fours. “Where am I…?” She asked out loud through her tears. “Where is everypony…?” She asked again in sorrow. She then saw that a shadow covered the light from the lanterns. Somepony was standing above her. Fluttershy looked up, barely seeing any details. It was definitely one of these bipedal creatures. The tears covered the image in front of her even more. “Are you alright, miss?” The bipedal blob asked. She heard it as if through a thick wall, but made out what was being said. It offered her its paw, a gesture of good will she thought. She was still sobbing quietly. “Um… I… don’t think so” She barely whispered. The blob was slightly shorter than most of the creatures. Its voice seemed to be that of a child. “Let me help you up, miss.” The child said, with a vigorous and warm voice. Fluttershy nodded to herself as she weakly extended her arm and grabbed the hand of the child. Not without effort the small biped helped her up. She still felt sick and weak however, something definitely was wrong with her and she was scared of it. The mare had no idea what could cause her state. There was a hole in her memories, as she remembered feeding a bunny, then some panicked screams of her animal friends and then… Nothing… Blackness, all the way to the point when she woke up. She mustered a smile looking down at the short biped. It definitely was a child and a young stallion at that. “Um… Thank you…” She whispered lowering her head down and looking at the ground. “You’re quite welcome m-“ He was interrupted by a shout. “William!” A female voice echoed. It was coming from behind them. Swaying slightly, Fluttershy turned around, just to spot another biped closing-in on them and fast. “Here I am Martha!” The child shouted back happily. The female quickly arrived at their position. Because of her state, Fluttershy was however unable to make out any details, only seeing a blob again. The woman approached the child and hugged him, breaking the embrace very fast. “I told you to wait outside! Why did you walk away William?!” The female asked the child, visibly angry. “I’m sorry sister… But I saw this lady falling and wanted to help…” The child said with an apology in his voice. “I see…” The woman replied standing up as she looked at Fluttershy. She froze up instantly staring at the Element of Kindness. “H-Hello” Fluttershy said in her usual timid voice. “William… Get behind me… Now!” The woman said coldly as she took a slight step back. The child saw his sister’s cold stare and obeyed without word. There was a pause after which the woman shouted out as loud as she could. “Weeper!” Fluttershy got startled and again fell down, this time on her butt. The confusion only rose. Out of nowhere loud heavy steps could be heard, somepony was galloping. From the distance 3 figures appeared, they were running as fast as possible closing in hastily. Soon they arrived, three bipeds in some kind of uniforms. Fluttershy was scared and confused, she understood it had to be some kind of law enforcement force, but had no idea what she did wrong. Two of them had silvery blades drawn and one was holding, what looked like some kind of miniature cannon in its appendage. They stopped right next to the woman and took a quick look at Fluttershy immediately understanding what the problem was. They pointed their blades and the contraption at her. Fluttershy found herself sobbing again, completely disoriented. “God damn it, I can’t believe it. The plague has ended so many years ago and here we have another weeper.” One of the bipeds said with a raspy and firm tone of voice. He turned his head and spitted on the ground. “What do we do Captain?” Another one asked. “Knock her out and deliver her to Sokolov’s clinic. They’ll take it from there.” Fluttershy looked up. Her eyes hurting from the tears and constant pulses of vision. “I-I’m sorry, if I did something wrong… Please, I think I’m lost…” She said feebly as her throat hurt from the sobs. One of the officers whistled. “Captain, she’s still sentient!” The younger watchman said, visibly amazed. The Captain nodded to that and holstered his pistol. He gestured for his men to do the same. They lowered their weapons, as the Captain crouched in front of Fluttershy holding his arm against his mouth, as if to prevent the sickness from infecting him. “Ma’am, can you hear me?” Fluttershy turned her head to the side, scared of the bipedal blob in front of her. After a short pause however she responded. “Y-yes…” The Captain’s eyes widened slightly, not quite believing the infected woman actually spoke to him. “You are very sick ma’am. We need to take you to the Clinic for yours and all the citizen’s own good.” Fluttershy didn’t want to go anywhere, she just wanted to go back to Ponyville or wake up, because all of this seemed like a nightmare to her. She couldn’t see the Captain’s expression, but something told her that if she refuses they will take her by force. “O-okay…” She said quietly. The Captain nodded and motioned for his men to help the sick woman stand up. They put their hands under her armpits and pulled up, instantly bringing her to her feet. The Captain stood up and looked at Martha. “You will have to come with us madam, we all have to be decontaminated in the clinic and get a dose of the cure.” He said calmly. Martha coughed slightly and nodded as William’s expression turned into a sad one. He couldn’t help but feel guilty for the whole commotion. The falling rain didn’t help his mood either, wetting his clothes constantly. He felt sorry for the sick woman though, as he heard stories about the plague and knew that weepers were brainless animals not people anymore. Martha grabbed William’s hand and waited for the watchmen to get a proper hold of the weeper. Fluttershy simply couldn’t stand straight anymore, the ground under her feet seemed to shake and nausea in her stomach was getting worse. The watchmen took out some kind of kerchiefs and held them against their mouths as they grabbed her by her arms stabilizing the poor woman. With that they started to move towards a district check point. Those were places left after the plague where previously walls of light were. Now they served as City Watch posts and temporary prisons for criminals, until they are picked up by rail transit system. “Shit, what if we catch it?” The young watchman asked as they walked, very dissatisfied with the whole situation, holding the weeper tight. “The plague doesn’t turn you into a weeper instantly. If we catch it Sokolov and Pierro’s formula will get rid of the sickness.” The other watchman said. “You better be right Siergiej” The dissatisfied one replied. They were trying to walk as fast as possible, as the Captain was very tense. There was a whole protocol for what to do in such situation. Holger Square will have to be locked down and decontamination unit will have to sweep it wholly in search of rats and other pests, cleaning them out with special nerve toxin. The sick woman was probably in a very early stage of the plague. He remembered that it took about 48 hour of no treatment to reach the early stadium of being a weeper. Then it developed faster turning a human into a mindless beast. She could be still saved though. Then she will have to be questioned as well as the young boy and the other woman that found the weeper. After few minutes of walking they finally arrived at the City Watch Post. There were no other watchmen here, as the district was actually very calm and didn’t require many forces on each post. The Captain motioned for the group to wait as running he entered the control point booth. Inside there was a new and handy invention, City Watch adopted not long ago. It was a long distance communication device, powered by a small whale-oil cell. With a copper cable it was connected with City Watch central, where every requests and reports were sent. It looked like a small black box with an elongated receiver and a loudspeaker inside. The Captain picked up the receiver hastily, bringing it up to his lips. “Dispatch, requesting Containment Rail Unit ASAP. We have possible outbreak of Rat Plague. I repeat, possible outbreak of Rat Plague. One weeper found. District lockdown required!” He said loudly, remembering to speak very coherently. The device distorted the voice a lot. “Understood Holger East, containment unit sent, T – 5 minutes. Relaying information further.” The loudspeaker echoed with a distorted, mechanical male voice. The Captain put down the receiver and went out of the booth sighing heavily. This will be a long night. He approached the group. “A Rail Unit will take us to the Clinic soon. How are you feeling ma’am?” He asked looking at Fluttershy. The latter had no idea what was happening. The feeling of panic somewhat receded as she felt that all of this had to be only a very weird dream. Her vision got a little worse and some bile was building up in her stomach again. She however was holding it down. Her legs were trembling, and she was standing only thanks to the two watchmen supporting her. “N-Not… Good…” She said weakly. The Captain took out a kerchief and held it against his mouth. It probably wasn’t helping at all, but the common belief that the rat plague won’t get you if you don’t breathe in or breathe through some kind of material was still apparent in most people’s minds. Except for some, like Martha, who herself had the plague once, being in a very advanced stadium. She was cured but her life expectancy was shortened horribly as many of her internal organs were damaged. Especially her lungs, hence the cough. She was staring the sick woman down, some anger and blame in her eyes. She couldn’t help but feel some kind of deeply rooted hate towards such victims of plague. Yes they were sick, yes they were poor, but they still were spreading the disease on others. That’s how she was infected. “Martha, what will happen to us now?” William was scared slightly and he just couldn’t help but ask his older sister. The latter came out of her thoughts. “Nothing much really, we will be taken to a hospital, drink some juice and the nice men from the Watch will ask us some simple questions. Don’t worry Willy.” She smiled at her brother, who visibly lightened up after this. Fluttershy was getting very sleepy all of a sudden. She simply couldn’t hold her tiredness in much longer. Yes, sleep would be good. Maybe if she goes to sleep here, she will wake up from this dream, come back to Ponyville? The Captain saw that the sick woman’s eyes were getting a milky shade to them as they were closing slightly. He cursed under his breath and approached her, grabbing the woman’s shoulders disregarding the fact that he was dealing with the devastating plague again. “Hey! Don’t go to sleep! Fight it! Do you hear me?!” He shook the woman. The two other guards were slightly flabbergasted by what was happening. “Captain, if she’s sleepy why not let her simply take a nap?” The watchman asked perplexed. “She’s weak! If she goes to sleep now, her heart may give up completely!” The younger watchmen looked at each other taking in the situation. “Hey! What’s your name?! Do you hear me? What’s your name?!” Fluttershy’s eyes shot open suddenly as the shaking and screaming therapy seemed to take some effect. “It’s… It’s Flutt-“ She was barely able to put words together. Her vision was getting dark, the light was fading away, as were the sounds. “F-Fluttershy” She finally stammered as blackness consumed her. Her consciousness faded away together with the dream world. Spike was in a bad mood. He was cleaning up the library today (the upper book shelves to be exact) with accordance to Twilight’s list of to do things. Oh boy was it long. He took down all the books dusting the non-existent dust (It seemed that they were constantly in use and there weren’t many Ponies coming to the library… Was Twilight really reading THIS much?), than he cleaned the shelves and even placed the books back alphabetically. With his work done he could finally use some free time. That is until Twilight came back to the library from her visit at Rarity’s. Seemed the Mares were planning some kind of Slumber Party? Yuk… Well he would go to be honest if Rarity would be there… Ah Rarity… He would give his heart to her, such graceful mare she was. So beautiful, radiating style and charm. Whoops, he got carried away again. Anyway Twilight came and told him to rearrange the books alphabetically but also thematically. And so again he took the books down and was in the process of doing what he was told. Honestly he didn’t see the point. Twilight could really be a pain in the a-… tail sometimes. “Stupid books… I’ll rearrange you good!” He said to himself really. The Element of Magic was currently reading (duh) something up in her room. How can somepony do nothing but read and read? Weren’t her eyes hurting or something? Meh… Twilight was simply Twilight. He picked up another three books and climbed the slightly unstable ladder to put them next to the previous ones. He was carefully placing a rather big and heavy one as a knock echoed, so loud that he lost his balance and fell on his back from the ladder. After him naturally some books fell burying him under. He could only wince from some pain and sigh slightly at the situation. It definitely happened too often. The knock was repeated and Twilight’s voice came from upstairs. “Coming!” She quickly trotted down from her room, wondering who might be in such a hurry to cause a commotion like this. The knock echoed again, even harder this time. “COMING!” She shouted louder as she approached the door opening them wide. It was Rainbow Dash, breathing sharply. She was covered in sweat and had a horrified expression on her face. “Rainbow Dash? What’s t-“ She didn’t finish as Rainbow said with seriousness Twilight never saw in the Element of Loyalty before. “It’s Fluttershy… She’s in hospital! Ponies found her on the train station bruised, covered in dirt and with a broken wing! Everypony is already there! We have to go… NOW!” Twilight’s eyes went wide. Fluttershy? What could have happened? Something attacked her? Why was she on the train station? All those questions (and more) were buzzing in her mind, but were quickly stopped by the inpatient RD. “Twilight! Come on!” Twilight blinked a few times as her horn lightened up. “Right! We’ll take a shortcut!” Then she and RD were teleported out of the Library in a flash, leaving the buried and flabbergasted Spike Meanwhile in the Ponyville Hospital a group of Ponies was standing around a bed. In the bed lied unconscious Fluttershy. She was covered in bandages, as there were some cuts and bruises visible all over her body. Her eyes were closed and squinted as if she was having a bad dream. The yellow mare was also sweating, an indication of fever. Rarity, Applejack and Amethyst Star were there, their expressions ranging from sad to angry at whatever did it to their friend. There was also a doctor right next to the bed of the patient. He was a white stallion dressed in doctor’s coat with a stethoscope over his neck. He had thick black glasses on his eyes. His black mane and tail were solid in color and not quite kempt. He was observing his patient when the door to the room opened up suddenly and both Twilight and RD stormed into it. Everypony looked at the arrivals. “Finally Twilight. Ahm glad yer here.” Applejack said with a very serious and angry tone of voice. Rarity remained silent looking at her injured friend sadly. “What happened and how is she?” Was the question that came to Twilights mind instantly. Her tone of voice was full of worry. “Nopony knows. Amethyst Star found her laying on the ground in the middle of the Train Station. She was already in such state. How she ended up there…” Rarity said silently, not taking her eyes off Fluttershy. “I don’t know what could have happened to her Twilight. She had to go through a lot…” Amethyst said, obviously sad. The doctor on the other hand, cleared his throat. “As to how she is… She had a broken wing and a cracked rib when she was brought in. Something very heavy had to strike her side. There is also an indication of many smaller physical traumas. Seems to me she had to be in some kind of hoof to hoof combat situation. She also has some cuts on her left hoof and some wooden splinters stuck under her skin. This damage could have been only caused by the patient herself. She had to hit something made out of wood very hard. The amount of force used however is far greater than a mare like her could produce. This is why there is also a slight swelling, as her body was simply not ready for this. She has also a high fever, however… We don’t know why… It resembles a condition known to unicorns as Hollowing” He explained as calmly as possible The mares looked at the doctor, their expressions ranged from surprise to a complete shock. “What do you mean she did it to herself?” RD asked glaring at the doctor. “There’s no other explanation to this wound…” The doctor replied calmly. “Fluttershy wouldn’t do this to herself!” RD shouted out, angry. All the mares nodded in agreement, except Twilight who seemed to be in shock. “Hollowing?!” Twilight suddenly shouted out. “It’s impossible! She can’t use magic, so how can she have depleted all her reserves of it?!” She asked angrily. “I’m really not sure what to tell you… This are the facts…” He said sadly. “Twilight? What does it mean? Is it dangerous?” Rarity asked as if not really wanting to know the answer. “It… Might be… If the fever won’t go down after 24 hours it can cause permanent damage to her…” Rarity’s blood was drained from her face. The other mares didn’t look so well either. “H-How permanent?” The element of generosity asked, fear in her voice. “She… She can die…” Twilight said quietly, as some tears formed in her eyes. Reality struck the mares hard. Never in their lives, had they experienced something like this. Death in Equestria was a very rare occurrence as was the Hollowing. There were only a few known cases among unicorns and all of them… Resulted in death… The silence that fell after these words was terrifying, no one dared to break it, as the mares looked to be in a deep state of disbelief and shock… Until… “E-Empire... Empire of Isles…” Fluttershy barely whispered, her eyes still closed. She was fever-talking. All the mares immediately came closer to listen, with some hope appearing over their faces. “D… D-Dunwall… He came… From Dunwall… I am…” They looked at each other surprised not knowing what this could possibly mean. “I am The Outsider… I Bring you change…” She was speaking louder now, her voice changed slightly. “I sent one being, one man to this stagnant place and he bears my Mark…” She was speaking clearly now, her voice was doubled. The mares were terrified… “Twilight?! What’s happening to her?!” Rarity asked taking a step back, panic was slowly taking over her mind. “I don’t know!” The Element of Magic replied similarly terrified and confused. “Through him the Sun and the Moon will lose their masters…” Fluttershy’s eyes shot open, but they were completely black… “He is the bringer of change, the shaper of Fates, the Grim Reaper or the Seed of Life. He carries the destiny of your World and he fights for his freedom…” Everypony took a step back as Fluttershy slowly sat up looking straight forward with eyes black as coal. “What will he do with this place, is his decision entirely… No one can control him, no one can stop the wheels of fate. Mark my words mortals as with him I have arrived and I am observing you. I exist outside of Time and Space and both bow before me. Lose all hope those who believe in everlasting status quo, for it is about to end…” No one was able to move, the fear was paralyzing them. They all felt some gripping coldness and ancient power around them, gluing them to the spot. Nopony dared to speak a word. “I am the Outsider! And THIS is my MARK!” Fluttershy looked up at the ceiling. Everypony soon followed. Flames appeared out of nowhere, consuming a part of the ceiling, forming some kind of a mark. Soon they put themselves out and what was left was a symbol unlike any other. A black Mark of the Outsider… Fluttershy then fell on her back again with eyes closed. They weren’t squinted anymore. There was a silence for a while as everypony was looking at the sign… “What the BUCK was that?!” Applejack shouted out, first to break out of shock. Twilight shook her head and then as if remembering something spoke. “Doctor! How is she now?” Everypony approached the bed again. The doctor quickly checked Fluttershy’s temperature. It was dropping down. “Her fever… It’s going down…” He said amazed and at the same time very confused. Nopony knew exactly what just happened, but the feeling all of them had a moment ago was primal fear. They all seemed to be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of power this Outsider had… Whatever this being was, its power had to be tremendous… “Is she going to be okay, then?!” Rainbow asked, again with some hope apparent in her voice. “Yes… Yes I believe she is!” The doctor answered with a slight smile. Twilight sighed in relief as did the rest of mares. The question that all had in their mind however was… What the hell happened a second ago, who’s The Outsider and what all of it means?! “What the buck happened to her?!” RD asked what was on everypony’s minds. “I have a theory but it’s ridiculous…” Twilight answered after a few seconds of thought. “Any theory is bettah than nothing, Twi!” Applejack said observing Fluttershy. “She might have been… possessed…” RD’s brow rose up “You mean… Like ghosts?” She asked not quite believing in what she’s hearing. “That’s the only thing that makes any sense whatsoever!” Twilight said out loud placing a hoof on her forehead. “What I’m worried about though is the part where… This Outsider said ‘Through him the Sun and Moon will lose their masters…’” The mares blinked in realization. “Princess Celestia and Princess Luna…” Rarity whispered. “Something is coming for them?” RD asked worried. “I’m afraid so…” Twilight sighed. This weren’t good news at all. Whatever was coming for the Princesses if it had just an ounce of the power The Outsider had… The thought of it made Twilight tremble. “We need to inform the Princesses right away!” Rarity said firmly. “We have to get to the library and fast!” Twilight added, agreeing with Rarity. “Girls… Where’s Pinkie Pie?” Applejack asked suddenly, finally realizing something that was amiss for quite a while. The girls looked at themselves worried and then at Rainbow Dash. “Um… I’ll go get her…” Twilight facehoofed. “Meet us at the Library Rainbow Dash.” She added with a sigh, as RD nodded storming out of the hospital heading for Sugarcube Corner. As she did this the doctor looked down at the floor, visibly thinking deeply. “There is also another issue…” He finally said gaining the attention of all the mares present. “What is it doctor?” Twilight asked, as worry again appeared in her voice. “Fluttershy was found covered in blood… Sompony’s blood…” The terror and lack of understanding that appeared on Fluttershy’s friends faces was beyond description abilities. Somepony could as well tell them that Fluttershy died… “W-what?” Twilight stammered. The doctor sighed heavily “This will have to be explained, when she wakes up. For now be glad that she’s okay. I believe there is a logical and simple explanation to this…” He said, with Twilight nodding, trying to forget what she just heard. “We’ll be going then…” Amethyst Star looked at Twilight, determination and worry in her eyes. “I’ll stay with Fluttershy… Somepony needs to be at her side when she wakes up. You go inform the Princesses!” The Elements nodded, as Twilight smiled slightly. All of them then went out of the room, leaving the sleeping Fluttershy, Amethyst Star and the Doctor. 22 Pinkie thought counting another yellow thing she found in Fluttershy’s cottage. She was so horribly bored and was killing the time simply. Angel on the other hoof was jumping on her back right now, trying to break the weeeird spell. Really freaky. The changeling ran away quite some time ago, but she had no idea what was the time right now. She still couldn’t move however so it had to mean the day didn’t come to an end yet. She would sigh if she could. Never in her life had she to suffer through such a boooring activity. There was simply nothing to do. She tried to free herself several times already, as Angel was helping her. They even tried to use orange juice to free her. It always worked when she was stuck somewhere previously! The way she was bound had to be… DIFFERENTTTT… She looked to the right… AHA! A yellow book laying on the floor! 23 She thought happy suddenly. Angel hopped from her back and kicked her in the hoof angrily. Of course she didn’t feel it even. Minutes were passing by as Pinkie was starting to get sleepy from the boredom. It was however dispersed quickly as her Pinkie Sense kicked in. Her left foreleg tried to twitch. She could feel it! Yay! Somepony is coming! She thought again trying to smile… Only to fail miserably. Sompony will find her, then they will find the Changeling, get the meanie and discover what it wants! It was a perfect task for Detective Pinkie! Too bad the detective STILL couldn’t move. Minutes were passing by and her savior was still not coming… Was her sense MISTAKEN? Nooo… It was impossible! Sompony was very close… Minutes were passing and then out of nowhere she heard a sound of flapping wings and something tearing through air at neck-breaking speeds. With a thud sompony landed in front of Fluttershy’s Cottage. Pinkie couldn’t wait to see her savior! The door to the hut were opened violently and in the doorstep a familiar figure appeared. It was Rainbow Dash. “Pinkie? Are you here?” She asked loudly. The cottage was very dark for some reason. She couldn’t spot a thing and the fact that night was coming quickly didn’t help either. “Mwhmmm-“ Pinkie managed to expectorate. Rainbow seemed to hear this as she entered the cottage further. Her eyes soon adapted to the ever-present darkness only to spot… Pinkie Pie… Frozen in one spot in an unnatural position. Next to her a tired bunny was resting. His chest was going up and down as he was breathing in and out heavily. “Pinkie?!” RD quickly approached the frozen party pony. Pinkie seemed to be unable to move whatsoever. Only her eyes were darting from left to right, showing any kind of response. Her body however was covered tightly in some kind of transparent energy. Discharges of black electricity sometimes came through her body, threatening to damage anything that was close enough to her. This energy formed a cocoon that prevented the pink menace from moving whatsoever. “What the buck…?” RD said quietly, shocked and disoriented… Who could have done this? Why was Pinkie paralyzed by MAGIC in the middle of Fluttershy’s cottage? What the HELL was going on HERE?! RD quickly came close to Pinkie and tried to touch the latter with her hoof. Body of the Element of Laughter wasn’t different than normal. It was in fact soft as usual but somehow different. RD couldn’t quite put her hoof on it. “Pinkie! Can you hear me?” She shouted out at the Pink mare. “Mwwwhhh” The party pony replied barely. RD shook her head, it was obviously beyond her comprehension. She had to get the eggh-… Twilight here. “Don’t move Pinkie! I’ll be back with Twilight and we’ll get you free!” RD said hastily and left the cottage as fast as possible. Pinkie tried to sigh, but of course no sound came out of her shut mouth. The Train was moving slowly and every single roughness of the railway could be felt by the Lord Protector. He was now sitting up on the roof of the crooked train, deep in thought. Events of last few hours were playing inside his head over and over again. He was wondering if the decisions he made were right or if they were even relevant. This World seemed to be such an impossible place, he was simply not ready to believe in its reality. Jessamine convinced him further, as holding the knowledge of the Void she herself was unable to completely distinguish this place as real. There was a problem however. Attano knew how killing a creature felt… How did ripping the muscles and tissue of a living being felt like, he could remember the coppery smell of blood, the rush of adrenaline and the low resistance someone’s throat could present against a sharp blade. He knew how a victim with slit throat behaved, how long did it take her to fall down to the ground and loose life fully. He was aware of the fact that every time he took a life some part of his soul died also. The feeling of emptiness grew stronger as has coldness and resistance to emotion. Those horses he killed… Back then he was so sure they were simply made up by The Outsider, an illusion made to test his resolve. An obstacle to be conquered. Now however, as he remembered the scene, he knew… The moment he slit the throat of the taller bully he could again smell the copper, feel the emptiness… The pony’s soft throat felt way too real. Did he just kill innocents? Innocent sentient horses that weren’t guilty of any major crime? Did he take an innocent life because he thought it couldn’t be possibly real? It’s true, they left him with little choice, but still the course of action bothered the Lord Protector quite a lot. He took life very seldom, only if it was an absolute necessity. “You’re thinking about those two bullies, aren’t you?” Jessamine whispered quietly. Her voice was full of scorn however. “Yes… Yes I am… What if this World is real after all?” He said, also quietly. “Corvo… This World is not yours and not for you to protect… You are the Lord Protector of Dunwall. Even if it is real do you really believe those two deserved to exist further? What did you see in their eyes?” Jessamine asked seriously, her tone of voice was cooler than usual. “Cruelty… Cruelty, evil and pettiness… The same eyes High Overseer Campbell had…” He answered, after some thought. “What’s the difference between them and Dunwall thugs or High Overseer Campbell that tried to hurt real innocents?” There was a moment of silence in which Corvo thought deeply… “I don’t know…” He answered finally. “There is none Corvo… This World may be stagnate, may be in peace all the time, but it still has its darkness, deeply rooted. They are not so different from us. Given the circumstances they would be able to hurt those that are pure.” She said firmly. “Who am I to judge who deserves to die and who doesn’t?” He asked as some guilt still stung him unpleasantly. “If you won’t judge… Who will Corvo? On the path we are taking, this choice will come many times. Fate shows that you are more than capable of deciding.” Empress answered with deep belief in her voice. “You have to realize that our goal is far more important than lives of two pathetic thugs. You allowed scum such as Campbell to live because you were given a choice. Here however… You did only what was necessary in the given circumstances. You made a decision that secured your ability to fulfill the mission. I believe it was the right choice, as you protected a real innocent at the same time. Any more powerful ability could damage both you and the yellow pony.” She added. Corvo lowered his head slightly. “I felt no hesitation back then… Don’t you find it disturbing Empress?” He asked sincerely. “I believe your lack of hesitation comes from the fact that deep down you know the value of what we are fighting for Corvo and that you cannot fail... You made your decision instantly when this goal was threatened. Your resolve is strong, because you know that we are fighting for our souls Corvo, for you to meet Emily again. The love you two share is worth much more than the stability of some unreal Kingdom to me… And to you…” The Heart said making Corvo nod. She was right, but this was not the whole truth. It wasn’t only about freedom. Corvo was afraid of what could happen in a case of failure. If he fails Jessamine will be trapped in her state for eternity. The Outsider is unpredictable and he also might do something to Emily on a whim. Attano couldn’t allow that, he simply couldn’t afford to fail. In the end he was unable to put the good of a possibly unreal place over two people he loved the most. He wasn’t ready to pay the price. With the further high possibility of this being a simple test… He felt a sudden burst of anger. He was a plaything for the trickster, nothing more than a curiosity and all his decisions were a way to amuse this supernatural being. No… He had to end it as fast as possible, without giving the bastard his entertainment. “Real or not, this ends today!” He said loudly, resolve hard as steel. His fists clenched. Again however a pinch of guilt appeared. The fastest way to end this was to take lives and this didn’t sit well with Corvo. He was actually disgusted by the thought. Killing felt very real here… Too real… “Princess Luna and Princess Celestia… Rulers of this peaceful land and I’m sent to end their reign for someone’s amusement. They are not guilty of anything and the fastest way to freedom is slitting their throats… There has to be a better way…” Corvo whispered waived. “Corvo… There is something you must know… I believe our time is little on this mission…” The Empress said sadly. “What do you mean Jessamine?” He asked, curious “My soul… It’s weakening every minute… I feel myself and my memories drifting away…” She said timidly. There was a pause. “Why haven’t you told me of this earlier?” Corvo asked angrily. “I… Didn’t want this to distract you…” She said quietly. “We have to end this as fast as possible then… And this means bloodshed…” He said, he’s voice determined but disgusted. “There are no innocent rulers Corvo. Power tends to corrupt, absolute power corrupts absolutely…" Jessamine’s voice became sad as she said this. Corvo raised his head hearing his Empress’s tone of voice. “Does… Does this also apply to you Jessamine?” He asked unsure. There was a moment of silence. “Yes…” She finally said, voice shaky. Corvo was slightly taken aback by this. What could she possibly have in mind? “There… There are things that are better left buried in the past my Lord Protector. I believe to keep this amount of peace and stability the rulers of this land had to do something… Something that left a deep scar in them, something that was forgotten but gives them nightmares even today.” The silence that fell was only broken by the sounds of train wheels. “Does this justify ending their lives?” Corvo finally broke the silence. Some amount of disdain in his voice. “It doesn’t… Sometimes however you have to do things that are conflicting with your morals…” Jessamine answered timidly, hearing the disgust in Corvo’s voice. “I won’t be able to do it Empress… Unless…” He stopped short. “Unless what?” Jessamine asked again keeping the timid tone of voice. “Unless you give the order your Majesty…” He said seriously. Jessamine knew that if ordered Corvo would do even the most unspeakable things. There were definitely other ways to end the reign of the rulers of this land, but Jessamine felt they had little time… And if her soul was weakening, it was possible that Corvo’s was also… There was silence again until… “I, Empress Jessamine Kaldwin of the Empire of Isles order you my Lord Protector to end the lives of this world’s rulers…” She said with high amount of authority. If Corvo couldn’t carry the guilt, she will… Another short pause. Corvo lowered his head in sort of a bow. “Yes, your Highness…” He answered. As he raised his head he could see towers of a castle and a big city in the distance. The sun has set and there was night. The darkness covered the World, but did nothing to hinder Corvo’s sight. He saw the yellow auras on the ground of Canterlot, probably in the houses. In a few minutes they will reach their destination. Most of the auras were immobile, probably ponies asleep. There were however few walking slowly through the city. Corvo quickly came to a conclusion that those had to be guards. He stood up to his full height managing to easily hold his balance, despite the wagon jumping up sometimes on the unevenness of the railway. The city was getting bigger. He could see some details now. There was a simple train station in the distance. Two yellow auras were apparent near it, facing each other. As he concentrated more he could catch some words being said. They were probably having conversation then. Attano cracked his neck and prepared for advancement through the large city. After a few minutes the train passed first few buildings. Many yellow auras inside them. He didn’t pay much attention though and crouched down ready to jump off the train when it stops. He passed a few more buildings, some alleys and a few main roads. He saw a few citizens and guards walking by. The latter were easily distinguished as they were wearing some kind of armor. The train however passed them quickly, leaving the creatures behind. Finally he felt the train slowing down and then a sharp pull as its breaks were engaged. Some sparks came out of its wheels as Corvo took a deep breath. Finally the train stopped. Attano took a look around, still in a crouching position and immediately spotted the two Ponies he saw from the distance. They were indeed talking, seemed like train station workers though as they weren’t wearing any armor. “And then I just sighed and went out. Seriously what can you say to something like this?! Oh hold on, last train arrived. I wonder if somepony actually takes it… ever…” The door to most wagons weren’t opened and Corvo knew that the only wagon that had someone in it was the one he was standing on. It was a Unicorn of some sorts, but again Attano paid little attention, waiting for the horse to get out. The two workers started walking along the train checking doors and other things one by one. His wagon’s door shot open and a young mare walked out looking around as if she was for the first time here. “Canterlot! I can’t believe I’m here! Wow!” Her voice was full of joy. She had some saddlebags on her back and was simply radiating happiness. “Oh! Somepony actually rode the train! Ha! You owe me 5 bits Bright!” One of the workers shouted out as they approached Corvo’s wagon. The other looked rather disappointed. The young mare giggled at the statement and started walking towards the road leading from the station, into the city. She soon disappeared around the corner. Corvo stood up and took out the crossbow. Sleeping bolts loaded. With a simple movement of his body he jumped down on the ground just behind the two workers. They heard the thud and turned around. First they had slightly confused expressions, which soon turned into those of complete terror. The creature before them was a thing of worst nightmares. It’s mechanical face and soulless eyes only worsened the state of the Ponies. It was holding something in its claws. The dim light from gas lanterns didn’t help the whole situation either, making the shadows around the creature dance. “W-…” One of the workers stammered silently. They were not moving. “Who… W-What is this?...” The braver one finally said… Barely… “I’m your worst nightmare.” The creature stated and pointed the weird object at them. A silent swish was heard and the braver worker fell down to the ground, asleep. The other’s instincts kicked in as he was about to scream and run away but Corvo’s crossbow was a technological marvel really. It had an autoloader. With inhuman precision he quickly pointed the weapon on the other Pony and pressed the trigger. Another swish and another thud. “Corvo… Was this really necessary?” Jessamine asked with slight disappointment in her voice. “I had to know if the sleeping bolts work against those creatures…” He replied somewhat innocently. “And what about ‘I’m your worst nightmare’ part?” She asked again, more firmly. Corvo simply shrugged to that… “Got carried away I guess.” He replied after a moment. Jessamine just sighed. Corvo took a look around. The train station was kind of an open one, not a closed building so there were many roads leading out of it. Logic dictated that the rulers of a land would be in a place that sticks out from standard buildings, probably a castle or mansion. The City itself somewhat remained Corvo of medieval times, as it was surrounded with a stone wall. As Corvo looked up he spotted what he was looking for though. In the distance he saw towers that were a part of greater construction. This was definitely the spot. Slowly he started walking down the road. Dim lights of the gas lanterns poorly dispersed the darkness, making Corvo look like a prowling beast. He could see the yellow auras of patrolling guards. It was very simple to maneuver out of their way, with many side roads and alleys at his disposal. There weren’t many patrols at all. However as he proceeded towards the castle, Corvo noticed that the density of patrols was getting annoyingly higher. He stopped near a two story tenement house which was connected with another one. It was located on crossroads of two stone roads, probably main ones. Around the corner, through the wall he could see two guards coming. With supernatural agility he jumped up on the second story balcony of the house and then again on its roof. He crouched down and took a closer look at the guards that just turned around the corner and passed the place he stood in just seconds ago at. He was getting closer to the castle now. There were patrols of pegasi in the sky now also. Fortunately he was virtually invisible to them, through the thick darkness. Corvo was opting for not using many supernatural abilities during this phase. He was planning to end his mission very fast and use his most powerful ability yet, when he reaches the rulers. Call it conserving energy. Unfortunately for him the distance between this house and another one on the other side of the main road was far too great to simply jump through. The road was also lit better than the side alleys he was using up until now. He looked around again thinking of what to do next. The city itself seemed very unnatural to the human. It was very clean and quiet, as if its night life was almost non-present. There was absolutely no trash on the roads, no rats, no pests and other such things. There were no petty criminals walking through the streets looking for trouble. No winos sitting in the corner, drinking cheap whiskey. No shady dealers offering illegal merchandise in the back alleys of the city. Also its colors, even in the dark seemed way too bright. It all seemed… Utopian… “This is somehow… Disturbing…” He whispered. “It is… But there is something shadowy hidden under this whole trimming of perfection…” Jessamine said worried. The heart suddenly let out a beat “I can feel it… Something down, underground, hidden from curious eyes…” She added. “It doesn’t matter. I’m not here to uncover secrets.” Corvo replied coldly. The guards were in constant patrol motion and there was almost no space to sneak between, but he will have to run across the road to the other side. There was no other option here. He will have to take down a few of them to create a hole in the security. Seconds were passing by as he counted them, waiting for the guards to come back through their patrol route. Soon they appeared again, walking casually, without any worry. Corvo looked up seeing a yellow aura appearing in the sky. A Pegasus guard was flying over the road. Attano came up with an idea and pointed the crossbow up waiting for the perfect timing. “Ten seconds…” He whispered to himself. Soon the Pegasus was nearly over the guards down on the road. With perfect precision, Corvo fired the crossbow. Silent swish broke the silence and then the Pegasus suddenly lost his balance and altitude fast. The two guards on the ground looked up with some amount of shock on their faces. They realized it was too late for any reaction as the Pegasus fell down directly at them with a thud and sound of cracking bones. A heap of hooves formed as they all laid on the ground sprawled about. “What the hell?!” One of them shouted out, feeling pain all over his body as he laid on the ground under the rather heavy Pegasus. “Now.” Corvo said to himself as he jumped down from the roof with a heavy thud. The lights showed his full silhouette. The guards heard the sound, but were far too busy getting the sleeping Pegasus from their backs. Attano didn’t waste a second. He quickly stood up and ran fast across the street. He had little time as already he saw another yellow aura in the sky about to fly over the street. Sprinting he ran across the road and just in time. The Pegasus’s Field of Vision swept it the moment Lord Protector hid himself under a marquee of the building. He breathed in deeply and waited a moment. The Pegasus guard landed, seeing the heap made out of three other guards on the ground. On the left end of the building there was a small alley leading between this house and another one. It was much better than going through the lit up road. Back against the house Corvo moved quickly towards the alley, merging with the darkness. It was a dead end, a brick wall closing its connection with the street on the other side. There were some dumpsters standing next to the wall. Corvo looked up measuring the height of the house. With cat’s grace he jumped up on the brick wall that reached about the first story of the building and separated the alley from the main street. He kept his balance perfectly and felt a surge of energy. It was a long time since he did such stunts and it felt great. He made another jump and grabbed the edge of the roof, quickly pulling himself up. Within seconds he was on the roof. The density of patrols fortunately ceased to increase, but there was still little space to maneuver whatsoever. They were almost everywhere, every time walking through the roads in groups of minimum two and soaring through the skies. He had to wait for the Pegasi to be far away enough from his position to make a jump to another building possible. It might have been dark, but they were flying low enough and could spot him while he was in motion. They seemed to be moving around in circling motions, as if securing single quadrants. The security was very heavy indeed and it was starting to look suspicious. “Why do they need so many guards? It is as if they are expecting an attack…” Corvo finally asked, some annoyance in his voice. “This place was under attack not so long ago. I believe the security is only a response to that, an additional measure.” Jessamine whispered. Corvo pondered that over for a while. The distance between him and a brightly lit square in front of the castle wasn’t great. He had to take a few jumps over the low buildings and then move across the square in which a lot of flora was present. It seemed to be some sort of a garden. Then there was a tall gate, richly decorated, an entrance to the castle without doubt. Of course the whole square was densely patrolled. Corvo looked up and counted the seconds that took the Pegasus to fly around his route and above the Lord Protector. He waited patiently for the proper moment and as the Pegasus started to turn around Attano started to sprint. He reached the edge of the roof and took a long jump across the much narrower street. He landed safely on the other roof, barely producing any sound. He stopped in a crouching position checking if he wasn’t heard or seen. His timing was perfect and the guards were still continuing their routine as if nothing happened. He repeated that a few times, until the last house was reached. In front of him the square was present. It looked truly magnificent with many stone paths cutting through it and a beautiful fountain in the middle. The amount of yellow auras here was far too great to simply walk through, but fortunately he was somewhat prepared for that. “Phase Two…” He whispered. “Caligo…” With that he turned into white mist that traveled around the lit square, stopping in a dark corner and solidifying into flesh… Waiting… “We’re under attack!” A shout came from the main street. A Pegasus soon landed in front of the gate guards, his eyes widened, he was obviously scared. The two gate guards looked at each other shocked “Changelings?!” They shouted out in unison “Probably, something knocked out one of our patrolling Pegasus, with some kind of dart! We are already increasing security and sweeping the streets! There are reports of a shadow moving on the roofs of Canterlot buildings… Most dismissed it as an illusion, but this dart shows it’s obviously not. The Captain has been already informed and so were the Princesses.” He said on one breath. “What are our orders?” They asked worriedly. “Stay alert! There are additional guards on their way. Whatever is this shadow, it probably will try to enter the castle!” They both nodded, sweat appearing on their brows. The situation was becoming really tight. With that the Pegasus flew away. Corvo could see that the yellow auras were moving more chaotically now, no longer relaxed. He took out his crossbow and loaded an explosive bolt. He aimed at the fountain and steadily pressed down the trigger. A silent swish was heard and then… A loud explosion tore down the upper part of the fountain, debris flying in all directions. “What on Celestia was that?!” Someone shouted from the other part of the square, as the clang of hoofs against the stone path could be heard. The guards were gathering around the fountain. The gate guards watched the thing happen with jaws hung open. Soon however the shock passed as they also quickly made their way towards the destroyed fountain. About 8 guards gathered there looking for any sign of the intruder. “Caligo…” Corvo turned into white mist, using the distraction to his advantage he seeped under the gate and into the castle itself. Rainbow Dash pushed the Library door in a hurry, entering the tree quickly. All the Elements were there. They all agreed to meet here after finding Pinkie after all. “So where is she, Rainbow?” Twilight asked a little worried. “She’s… Umm… Paralyzed…” RD answered unsure how to put into words what she has seen. “What?! What do you mean paralyzed? Where did you find her?” Twilight shouted out in shock. “I don’t know, okay?! I found her at Fluttershy’s! She wasn’t in Sugarcube Corner and the Cakes are out of town so I just started to search in places that she could have been into!” RD answered angrily. “Is she fine, darling?” Rarity asked. “Yeah, she’s alive all right, just can’t move. Somepony used weird powers on her I guess.” Twilight nodded. “We’ll go help her, but now we have to inform the Princesses as fast as possible!” She said loudly. All the mares agreed on this one. Of course they felt bad for leaving Pinkie like that, but this was simply far more essential. “Err… I don’t know how to tell you this girls…” Spike suddenly said as he came down from the upper floor… “Did you send the message Spike?” Twilight asked, somewhat not wanting to believe that something could have gone wrong and the Princesses were not informed. “I can’t… The letter simply won’t go through!” There was a moment of silence… “No… But… I forgot!” Twilight put hoofs on her head an expression of panic on her face. “What did ye forget Twi?” Applejack asked surprisingly calm. “The barrier! The Princesses keep an anti-magic barrier, so that nothing magical can come through it!” Twilight was on the verge of tears. “Calm down sugarcube! How did ye send Friendship reports then if this barrier was up?” AJ again asked calmly. “I… Gave them personally…” The fact dawned upon the Element of Magic. AJ nodded. “I’ll teleport near Canterlot right away! The Princesses must know!” AJ, Rarity and Rainbow Dash agreed with this. “We’ll go to Fluttershy’s cottage and see how we can help Pinkie then, the poor girl…” Rarity added as they all looked at Twilight. “Okay! I’ll meet you at Fluttershy’s then! Off I go!” Her horn lit up brightly as she concentrated and then with a bright flash, Twilight was gone She appeared directly in front of Canterlot entrance gate. Immediately she noticed that something was wrong. The guards were galloping through the streets, as if searching for something and there was far more of them than usual. Something happened… Did she come too late?! Twilight felt a pinch of dread as she approached the entrance to the magnificent city. Two guards were standing on both sides on the entrance. One was a tall, muscular stallion. His coat was black as night, as was his mane and tail. The golden armor was reflecting the rays of moon somewhat, making the guard look a little monstrous. He would definitely fit night guard role better. His blue eyes however showed layers of good and honesty, Twilight rarely saw. The guards immediately stopped her. “The city is under lockdown! Nopony is allowed to enter or exit as of now!” The taller stallion said with a deep voice. Twilight looked at him with plead in her eyes. “Please! I have to inform the Princesses! Something is coming for them! Something very powerful…” The stallion stared her down and then as if remembering something, his gaze softened. “Wait, you’re Twilight Sparkle! The Element of Magic!” He stated, to which Twilight only nodded vigorously. “What is happening?” She asked finally. “We’re under attack by an unknown entity. Captain Shining Armor identified the threat as a Changeling attack!” Twilight shook her head in disagreement. “It’s no changeling… It something much worse…” She almost whispered. “What do you mean?” The black stallion asked somewhat perplexed. “I have information, that something much worse is attacking Canterlot! Please, the Princesses must know! Can you take me to them?” She asked with determination. The stallion lowered his head in thought and after a few seconds he turned to the other guard. “Citrine, test her…” The other guard was a short unicorn mare without helmet. Her long red mane was unkempt and covered half of her face. Her coat resembled gold. She truly was beautiful. Citrine looked at Twilight somewhat distrusting as her horn lit up. “What test?” Twilight asked feeling again a pinch of dread. The Unicorn’s horn shot out a small ray of magical energy that struck Twilight. The latter felt nothing as the ray failed to produce any effect. “Clean…” Citrine said monotonously. “A test to see if you’re a changeling… Which you passed. Come Twilight, I’ll take you to the Princesses. Stay alert Citrine.” Twilight visibly lightened up as both her and the tall stallion started to gallop towards the castle. I just need a little more time… The Element of Magic thought in full gallop Corvo was in the castle. Immediately after he seeped through the door he knew that there were two guards on both sides of the entrance. Without sound he solidified into his flesh form. The guards were oblivious to the danger that stood behind them. One of them even managed to let out a yawn. Both were stallions, white at that, looking shockingly similar to each other with some blue manes sticking out of their golden helmets. Corvo however had no time to pay attention to such small details. Silently he took out two sleeping bolts, holding one in each hand. The guards were in arm length reach. Slowly he started walking forward, as his heavy boots made two stamping sounds. The stallions heard this and turned their heads in the direction immediately spotting the terrifying intruder. The latter however was just between them and as they opened their mouths, he rammed the two sleeping bolts into their necks, one for the guard on his left and one for the pony on his right. They both fell to the ground, asleep as the toxin took immediate effect. Attano looked around, trying to spot something with his supernatural senses. There were many yellow auras of course, on different floors of the castle, but most of them looked the same. This floor was surprisingly emptier, except for the two guards he just took down there weren’t many auras walking around. The forces of the guard were probably redirected to the city to search for the intruder. He was in a long and wide corridor decorated with many banners and made out of white marble. There were different paintings and some other decorations along it, but also a red carpet. The corridor led to a big hall from which stone stairs led to the next level of the castle. Two other corridors connected with the hall led to different parts of the structure. The richly decorated room was empty however. Corvo knew also that no one was coming, as there were no auras moving towards his position. He looked up and… There it was… Two unique auras, slightly taller than others, possessing both wings and horns. They were one floor above him. He started his advance taking a turn into left corridor Twilight and the tall guard reached the Royal Castle quite fast. The commotion and search for the intruder was in its peak, many Pegasi flying around looking through roofs and towers. All the citizens were ordered to stay in their homes. They passed the ruined fountain and stopped in front of the gate that led to a familiar place. The two gate guards gave them some unfriendly looks. “This is Twilight Sparkle and she believes that the Princesses are in grave danger and not from changelings…” The tall guard said. The gate guards on the other hand looked at each other slightly waived. “Please! They have to be prepared! They have to know it’s no changeling!” She said pleadingly, worry and fear in her voice. “The Princesses already know of the danger. They are both in the Throne room, as Princess Celestia said ‘This time we will face the changelings together’” Twilight’s eyes widened as she realized something. “What happened to the fountain?” She asked worriedly. “We’re not sure… It just suddenly exploded… Magical burst maybe?” Twilight’s brows furrowed in thought. Then she raised her head up, again fear apparent in her eyes “It didn’t simply explode! It was a distraction! The creature is already in the castle!” She shouted on top of her lungs. The guards reacted immediately, opening the gate wide. What they saw confirmed Twilight’s fear. Two guards on the other side were laying on the floor asleep with the same bolts in their necks, that the first Pegasus had. One of the gate guards quickly ran through the square alerting other forces to get back to the castle. Twilight, the black Stallion and the other guard on the other hand quickly stormed into the Royal Castle, heading for the throne room. They took a left turn on the stairs, passed a corridor, reached another set stairs, again went up and then stopped in front of big double door, that were opened wide. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were standing there, looking healthy and fine. They just had threatening expressions on their faces, not very content with the whole ordeal. They spotted the visitors and their expressions softened slightly. “Twilight Sparkle? What are you doing here under such circumstances? I would gladly welcome you, but as you can see we have a slight changeling problem. One managed to penetrate our barrier undetected and is currently probably on his way here, thinking he can defeat us both…” Celestia said softly. Twilight sighed in relief. Seeing her mentor fine calmed her tarnished nerves somewhat… “Princesses! The thing coming for you is not a changeling! It is something much worse, a servant to something called ‘The Outsider’! And it’s in the castle!” Twilight said quickly, dread in her voice. “’The Outsider’?” Luna asked perplexed. “What is this you speaketh of, Twilight Sparkle?” She asked further, with her sister nodding, also not knowing what might it be. “I… I’m not sure what it is, but it possessed Fluttershy! We all were in the hospital… She started talking through her fever, and then her eyes turned black… There is no logical explanation to this! The power it radiated and the fear we all felt back there was unlike anything I ever experienced… It also left a mark on the hospital ceiling, telling us that it is it’s symbol and it’s watching us now… It also told us that ‘The moon and the Sun will lose their masters…’” Celestia raised a brow to this. “Fluttershy is in hospital? Possession?” She asked taken aback by all this. Celestia knew that Twilight was nopony to think of ridiculous lies like that and she made a whole trip to Canterlot just to warn them of the danger. They would be foolish to ignore this. Also why was Fluttershy in hospital? “I understand Twilight, I trust you… But why is your friend in a hospital?” Celestia asked worriedly. “We don’t know what happened exactly… Amethyst Star found her near the train station, bruised with a broken wing and a fever. I was scared that… That she might die, the doctor said she had the same symptoms as unicorns after the Hollowing… After the possession ended though, her fever went down and she is on a straight path to recovery!” Twilight mustered a smile. “She was attacked?” Celestia asked angrily. “I believe so…” The Princess narrowed her eyes. “Who would dare attack my little Ponies?” Twilight felt small suddenly. She could feel the anger of her mentor and it was truly scary. “I think… It might be the same thing that is in the castle right now.” She answered somewhat quietly. “Don’t worry Twilight, whatever it is it has to be foolish to challenge me and my sister alone with my best student at our side. It won’t be even able to come close to us.” Celestia stated matter-of-factly. Twilight nodded unsure. It was true, the Princesses were very powerful and not many could match that power. Actually none could match their power, with the exception of Discord maybe. Whatever this creature was, it either had no idea what it will face, or… Was on the same power levels. The latter was a ludicrous idea though. Maybe Twilight had nothing to worry about after all? Maybe all of them acted under the influence of this horrible fear they felt when facing The Outsider? The guards approached their rulers and bowed deeply. “I beg your forgiveness your Highnesses, but we were concerned for your safety. Would you agree for some Royal Guards guarding you at all times?” One of them asked. Celestia only smiled. “Very well, we will have to catch the creature when it shows itself before us, after all.” Twilight smiled slightly. She was glad nothing has happened, a thing still remained however. This creature will show up eventually and all of them have to be cautious. “Cinis…” Twilight’s ear perked up slightly, did she just hear something? She looked up, the ceiling above her crumbled as it turned into ash, that fell slowly on her nose. A hole appeared that could easily allow a muscular stallion to pass through. Her eyes went wide as she processed what was happening. She saw a moving shadow above her. Celestia and Luna looked up also spotting the phenomenon, as their horns were about to light up, but… “Tractus…” The creature whispered first and the Time itself obeyed. Celestia blinked and was about to cast an immobilizing spell as she suddenly felt a pressure against her throat. Something cold was pushing on hard against it. Luna was also casting a spell, which was supposed to blind the creature. Then she felt a cold round object pressing at her temple. She looked to the left with her eyes, without moving her head. Celestia did the same. They saw a bipedal creature, fully dressed in a black, long coat with a leather hood covering its lowered head. Both Princesses saw that its arms were spread and the thing pressing against Celestia’s throat was in fact a long, sharp, silver blade. Luna on the other hoof had some kind of object pressed against her head. It looked like a miniature cannon and they understood that its purpose was probably the same. Then another horrid realization dawned upon them. They had no time to cast any spell now… Twilight managed to turn around, just to see her mentor and her mentor’s sister looking at a nightmarish monster that stood between them, they were not moving. Twilight noticed that the monster had a familiar mark on its left paw. It definitely was The Outsider’s servant then. The long silver blade’s purpose became clear to Twilight. She immediately understood what could happen in a few moments. Both Princesses on the other hand for the first time since very long felt something cold making its way down their throats. This feeling, of not being able to do anything, of failure and being on the verge of existence… It was fear… Twilight’s lips trembled as her eyes begun to be filled with tears slowly. The creature raised its head up. All the Ponies present now knew, it was a true monster, as it had no face. The guards wanted to storm in and help, but were afraid that any movement will end in tragedy. The monster’s glass eyes clicked a few times as it swept the room with its hellish sight. “Check-…” It said quietly as its grip tightened around the blade and the miniature cannon. Twilight was crying now as the Princesses eyes went wide from the horror and realization, that it was the end. “Nooo!” The Element of Magic screamed in sorrow. Crying she extended her hoof towards the Princesses desperately “-mate…”
The Masked ChaosDishonored: The Outsider’s Reach Chapter 4: The Masked Chaos A/N: Another 13k words chapter, wooo! :D Took quite a while, so I hope you will enjoy! Inspiration came from an apple I ate and music by Accept (Stalingrad album) Credits go also to ProtheanBrony for proofreading! Thanks man, you're the best! :) Additional Notes: Italics is for thoughts and sometimes they might be very intense and violent... So don't jump into any conclusions. Warning: Contains violence, gore and vile language at some points. Fate... Such an interesting concept, many would dub non-existent. “I control my own fate.” They would say, so sure of themselves, so confident, believing that there cannot possibly be a being or a power that holds all the cards and planned their whole future ahead giving them no chance to do anything about it. Some believe, however, that fate and destiny touch all, that they control every aspect of their lives. Is it the easy way out? Is it the way of the weak and pathetic? Truth be told, fate is not universal, it’s not something that equally penetrates every ounce of life. It gives some better chances, while the others are thrown aside. Is destiny sentient? Is it a cosmic power to be reckoned with? Is it… God? No… Destiny and fate are tools. They are weapons or items that can be used to direct the flow of all things. Many will never be able to control them though, many will simply be affected by these tools, when their routes are carved and their path is set. There are those who have a rare ability to grasp this power. A power to decide, to control, to shape. They are unique in every aspect, as they stand high, holding millions of lives in their hands. With one simple move they can command fate to destroy all, or to forge something beautiful. These individuals are very rare and exist all across the multiverse. Some of them are given lesser fates to control, but some hold what seems to be a tremendous power. They are the true rulers, the ones that create the future and control the present. On their shoulders, a great burden lays, as with all the twists of the wheel of destiny they do, consequences arise and never will they be only positive. Every decision adds to this burden and sometimes the unique being cannot take it any longer as it is crushed by the collective amount of mass. But if the being is strong, this burden allows it to rise stronger, molds it allowing to carry even more. Sometimes however these true rulers have to be pushed slightly and reminded what their role is. Me? I just humbly offer the slight pushes. I put them in situations where fate can be used and molded, where the wheels are turned and then I observe; watch. That is my role, to watch… But no one said that I cannot sometimes give my input, present myself and offer slight help as I like to call it. Those who set me in my role are long gone, so in fact the rules are very elastic now. Fun thing about the rules though; they are made to be bent and in time, broken... A slight smile spread over the cosmic trickster’s face, as he watched the events he himself started beginning to unfold. With delight he observed one of the true rulers about to spin the wheels of destiny. It was a true marvel to the eye, being able to witness how the Universe works, how this ancient machinery is propelled. The Outsider took great pleasure in this, the only greater thing he enjoyed was interaction. Neutrality does not exist. There is black and white and tones of grey but every being has its motives and he himself was no different. What was his motive? Well… He smiled wider, content that the paths were slowly connecting and approaching what he waited eons for… The Final Solution… The situation was tense to say the least. Having a blade pressed against your throat was somewhat disturbing, as Celestia was never in such situation. But it was not what made her this terrified. It was the fact that the second this creature appeared all her protective spells were simply shattered… She set them up after she heard about a possibility of a changeling attacking Canterlot. Whatever this creature’s blade was made of, it penetrated her personal shields with ease. And Luna… Her sister was also in peril and also had barriers, but constructed from slightly darker magic. Still this… Thing… Simply put a device against her head without care. How was this even possible?! Another thing that raced through Celestia’s troubled mind was, how the biped appeared near them in a blink of an eye, as if… It bent time… Not even she was able to bend time! It said something before this happened though. “Tractus”? What kind of magic based on words? It was unheard of! And for that matter, what was the creature? She never saw anything quite like it. Fully dressed in clothes that were made possibly of leather (which meant something had to be killed to make the clothes). It’s face… The metallic, mechanical face made shivers run down the Princess’s spine. It looked as if the thing had no emotions, no goodness, no soul… The last thing that caught the Sun Goddess's eye was the life aura this biped radiated. As the Goddess of Sun, Celestia was able to see more than an average pony. She was able to see some emotions and nature of living things just by looking at them. The aura of this creature was so alien… It was dark as night, but not evil. It was powerful and yet so very, very cold. Its emotions were not readable to the Princess though. She couldn’t tell what it was feeling, if anything, yet its aura was overwhelming. She felt something she shouldn’t… The cold grip of fear squeezing her. She took a glimpse at her sister. Luna had equally terrified expression on her face. The Goddess of the Night also knew that whatever this monster was it already made two seemingly absurd things happen. It bent time and passed through their barriers without breaking a sweat. The question still hanging in the air was, why did it want to end their lives? She had no time to ponder over this much as Twilight Sparkle let out a pitiful scream, full of sorrow and sadness. She felt the thing pressing on her head moving slightly. Luna couldn’t believe it! Was it… The end? She didn’t want to die! She… she just recently got back to Equestria, she had so much to learn, so many subjects to protect, moon to control! She couldn’t simply die, murdered by something she never heard of! No! Why?! A tear went down her cheek, not only she will die, but also her sister… And Equestria will be thrown into chaos that even Discord didn’t want. Maybe she could teleport, or… Or paralyze the creature! No… Any attempt to use magic would be visible, thanks to her horn lightning up. Resistance would make her and her sister meet their end sooner. So there was nothing that could be done… Celestia felt the same way. they both needed to live for Equestria, but it was as if a judgment was being passed on them. Any attempt to protest would only hurry it further. “Goodbye Luna...” Her sister said with tears in her eyes as she closed them shut waiting for the inevitable. “Tia… I love you…” Luna managed to say through slight sobs and also closed her eyes. Ready to embrace what was coming to her. Silence fell, as seconds were passing by and yet nothing was happening. The monster didn’t move an inch, still standing between them, arms spread. Twilight was frozen in her position, her extended hoof trembling from the stress, fear and sadness. She was still crying, not wanting to believe in anything that was happening in front of her eyes. That she was about to witness the death of her beloved rulers, of her mentor… She wanted to simply push the creature aside, teleport it from the spot, do ANYTHING… But… The current situation disallowed it, as any suspicious movement would make it all happen faster… She could only watch. Corvo was holding both his weapons firm. It was the end of the mission, his soul was about to be set free and Jessamine would be finally liberated from the wretched form she was forced into. Most importantly he will see Emily again… His beloved Emily. All he needed to do now was simply press down the trigger of the gun and move his other arm powerfully effectively ending the lives of these magical, possibly non-existent horses. Yet seconds were passing, his hands were clutching the blade and the pistol tight but were unable to do these simple movements. Just do it! He was telling himself, but something was stopping him. He felt the fear of the creatures around him. He could smell their cold sweat, desperation, sorrow and sadness. These responses could apply to real creatures only… No! The Outsider still could make such an illusion! Besides he had no time now. Jessamine was fading away and possibly he could end up similarly. It was time to end this! He moved the blade slightly feeling the soft tissue under it. He took a glance at his victim. The white mix of Unicorn and Pegasus opened its eyes slightly, as if not quite believing she’s still breathing. He looked directly into her eyes and understood. There were layers of good there, motherly love and warmth. There was no rage, no anger, but… Sad acceptance? It was a will to survive, dimmed by the situation, where nothing can be done. He couldn’t spot any cold darkness there, however. Right now her eyes were filled with sorrow and the fur under them was wet from tears. The usual motherly love however was still somewhat present and Attano could feel this warmth slightly rubbing off of him. It was a very strange feeling that made him flinch slightly. It was calming him down. He turned his head and looked at the other creature. Her dark coat was sometimes disturbed by a shiver. She felt more fear than the white one and even to Corvo she seemed to be younger. He deduced that from her smaller size. She also opened her eyes slightly, expecting everything to end, but confused when nothing happened. This one’s eyes presented vigor and energy, many could be jealous off. There was similar warmth there, but no sad acceptance. Her will to live was beyond anything Corvo saw earlier. It burned like a bright flame. He could tell she was torn from inside out though, wanting to stop all this was happening, wanting to survive, but unable to do so. Her will was much more powerful than that of the white alicorn in the current situation. Beyond this vigor and warmth Corvo spotted something familiar still. Darkness of someone who took life before. A layer of emptiness he was all too familiar with. Attano lowered his head in a threat. The black coated horse immediately closed its eyes as yet another quiet sob escaped it. This was not a reaction he would expect from someone similar to him. He expected her to end the pathetic spectacle and take up the challenge. In all honesty the Lord Protector couldn’t understand these creatures at all. They were so similar to humans in many aspects but rarely showed anything else than innocence and purity. Their actions seemed a direct reflection of that, with some exceptions he encountered. And the rulers? They weren’t as he figured they will be. All his gut instinct and his skills at reading people/other sentient creatures told him that they were innocent. They were rulers that only wanted good for their people. Even the black alicorn seemed to want only good. She was somewhat a mystery however, as if this darkness and emptiness were buried so deep, she herself forgot about them and showed only vigorous kindness. How can you forget taking a life? Nevertheless, Corvo understood that such depth, these horses were showing couldn’t be simply made up, it couldn’t be faked. You can cheat senses to believe in something but the gut instinct Corvo had couldn’t be simply forgotten and mislead, by a deplorable illusion. This world… It was real… He understood that he was about to cause a horrible tragedy! What would it mean for the subjects of these rulers? What would happen to this country if Corvo simply killed these two creatures off? It would end horribly and he was sure of it… His hands slightly trembled, showing his hesitation. The purple unicorn in front of him saw this… She lowered her hoof and looked at him through her tears, gaining some kind of courage, utterly unexpected in such situation. “Why are you doing this?!” Twilight shouted, surprising herself with the amount of authority she mustered. The faceless monster turned its head towards her. The second he did that, Twilight felt the overwhelming dread pressing at her. How was a simple look of this demon causing such state in everypony he looked at?! Even the Princesses were scared of it and Twilight never saw Celestia scared. The little unicorn that now trembled before him reminded Corvo of a very important thing - the lack of time. Yes this place was real, yes he would cause a horrible tragedy and possibly plunge a whole world to flames, but… Was it really his fault? He was being forced to do all of this, by a much more powerful being. He couldn’t afford to simply back down now and think this whole thing through, sipping a cup of tea and chatting with Jessamine about good old times. No, every minute counted, as he could tell that her presence in his mind was weakening. She will soon disappear forever and as much as he cared about the innocent horses, the love he felt for his Empress was much more powerful. There was also another thing… He was ordered to end their lives and Corvo couldn’t disobey. “For freedom…” He answered firmly after a short pause, his hesitation replaced by professionalism of an assassin. “Rest in peace…” He spoke quietly and started to press down the trigger of the gun. This was it… “STOP!” The lavender unicorn cried, but the Lord Protector was not about to listen. Time slowed down as the trigger was pressed down almost fully. All the Ponies present in the room were absolutely shocked, some of them crying, some of them shouting things. A guard started to gallop towards his rulers. Everypony knew however, that there was no time to do anything and even magic couldn't control the flow of time to stop the event from happening. “LUNA!!” Celestia cried out, her dimmed will to live and save her sister exploded, sad acceptance replaced by defiance and rebellion. It was one thing to think you accepted the terrible turn of events and another witnessing the end of somepony you loved deeply. Her wet eyes widened as she extended her hoof towards her sister, ignoring the fact that the blade cut slightly into her neck. Deep down however she also knew the time was up. A loud bang echoed through the halls of the Canterlot castle, ear piercing sound of an explosion. Then silence fell… Horrible, soul splitting silence. In the throne room a thud disturbed the moment of quiet. Luna’s body fell to the floor as a puddle blood started to form around her head. Her lifeless eyes locked with terror present in them. There was a hole in her temple, showing that a high velocity bullet pierced right through the soft tissue. The Goddess of the Night was no more. Soon after the thud her body turned into black ash, leaving no evidence that there was ever any Princess Luna. The human gave no time for anyone to even cry out their sorrow and rage as with powerful movement of his arm he sliced right through Celestia’s throat. A gush of blood immediately flew out, splattering on the ground. She tried to stop the flow with her hoof as she gurgled in pain and shock, yet life was escaping her quickly. She wanted to cast a healing spell, but her horn refused to even work. Quickly the blood loss made her pale as with a cracking thud she fell to the floor, taking a last horrified look at her beloved student, trying to say something. No words however came out from her mouth as her soul ventured to the afterlife. Her eyes became empty and any sign of life disappeared. Her flame was extinguished. Seconds after that the white alicorn also turned into ash as nothing was left behind. Well at least Corvo imagined that was how it should go down. Things took a slightly different turn as at the same moment he pressed down the trigger he heard Jessamine’s weak voice. “Stop!” She said with a startling amount of authority. In a split second he was able to move the gun up slightly only making the bullet travel above Luna’s head, grazing her skin. She twitched, terrified, but then simply stopped moving, shocked. A few of the guards managed to faint and honestly Twilight was not doing any better. Her vision was becoming blurry from all the adrenaline and stress her body was undergoing. The burning sensation near Luna’s ear and small trickle of blood reminded the Princess that she was still alive. The ringing in her ears also told her the same thing. The creature was about to end her existence but something made it send the deadly load of the miniature cannon above her head. Still nopony seemed to be able to move. She herself was not entirely able to move, as some shivers went through her body again. “Corvo… These rulers… They are some of the most compassionate and good creatures I ever come into contact with. And you’re right, this place seems off but its depth cannot be faked… We… Can’t do this…” She whispered weakly. She had the ability to look deeper into any creature she wanted and every single fiber of her soul was telling her, this can’t be a simple illusion. She knew Corvo also sensed this depth. Even though there was still something bothering her about this place, she was ready to admit it simply had to be real. They both had little time, but maybe… Just maybe, there was a different way around? “Jessamine, we have no time! You said it yourself! It’s now or never!” He shouted out, making the ponies jump in surprise slightly. It’s… Talking to itself. Luna thought and took a look at Celestia. The latter’s eyes were wide and seemed somewhat cut off from the situation. Her hoof was still extended. Celestia was locked in a deep state of shock. “I… Know… But we can’t do it before we know we at least tried something different… Neither of us wants to end it this way if we can help it! And we still have SOME time!” Corvo lowered his head thinking. “But anything more complicated and the time will be up… I don’t want to lose you again my Empress.” He whispered. “You won’t! I… might have an idea… There is this deep darkness under all of the purity of the white ruler, but I can’t reach it… It’s so small and seems almost insignificant, forgotten… It might however be what we’re looking for, a different route… Just do what I ask you of, my Lord Protector…” She said firmly. “Very well, your Highness.” He responded, trusting in Jessamine’s judgment. “Petrify the black unicorn-pegasus hybrid so she doesn’t disturb us…” She stated, sure of herself. Corvo would protest but… It was better than shooting her in the head. He was pressing the gun at Luna’s temple still. “Saxificus…” The biped whispered and all in the room felt a dark presence. Some kind of wicked, void magic that was never used or seen before, able to do things that seemed impossible. It spread through the room. The Outsider’s Mark responded and quickly Luna felt all her body stiffening, becoming heavy and unmovable. “W-what is…” She was only able to stammer before the power enveloped her, disallowing her to move or speak whatsoever. Everypony witnessed what the creature just did. Without any effort it casted a spell, through a verbal command, making the Goddess of the Night paralyzed. It took out an alicorn with such ease, it was… Beyond comprehension. Twilight watched all that mouth agape. It seemed however that the creature changed its plans and was not about to kill their rulers. This made Twilight somewhat more relaxed… Maybe… She could talk to it. “Please! Just stop! Whatever it is, the way you want to gain freedom is not a good option! We can talk this through! We can help you!” She said hoping that she can convince it, as the monster placed the miniature cannon at his side. It clicked and seemed to be locked in place. He didn’t move the blade however, still holding Celestia hostage. The latter was constantly looking at Luna in a deep state of shock, her mind somewhat shut down. This definitely was not a good sign. Corvo looked at the bold lavender unicorn and shook his head in disagreement. “Only I can help me. You can’t possibly have anything that could satisfy me.” Some inner geek in Twilight was wondering how is this thing able to talk in perfect Equestrian, but she easily pushed it aside trying to come up with any argument that would maybe reason with the biped, she had to do something! Casting a spell was still not an option… This creature was too unpredictable and could execute Celestia. “You obviously don’t want to end anypony’s life! Just tell me what you need and I can help you!” The guards that not fainted and the one that was the closest to Corvo slowly started to understand that it had to be some kind of a distraction. Ever so slowly they were trying to move, while the monster was focused on talking. “Can you bring back the dead to life?” He asked bluntly. Twilight’s eyes went wide… “N-No… But that’s impossible!” He only chuckled slightly. “There is no such thing as ‘impossible’.” He responded immediately drawing the crossbow out with great speed and shooting sleeping bolts around him, with amazing precision. The guards that tried to circle him fall to the floor asleep. Their pathetic attempt was laughable. His enhanced senses couldn’t be simply distracted. “Not the best plan.” He retorted with a sigh. Twilight was now left alone with the black stallion guard that was wise enough to foresee that this monster can’t be taken by simple tactics like this. She didn’t know what the weapon, the faceless creature used was, but it made her only more scared of the thing. “Now that this is out of the way… What now Jessamine?” He holstered the crossbow, still holding the blade against Celestia’s throat. The latter seemed distant. “Cut the skin of the white horse. Take me out and let a drop of her blood fall on me… If I can’t dig deep enough through her, her blood will tell me everything. I’ll know every memory of hers and her ancestors… This should tell us enough…” Corvo shrugged slightly and pressed the blade a little more. A small cut appeared on the royal neck, as a trickle of blood slowly made its way down her skin. Celestia twitched, feeling the cold steel penetrating her skin. Attano took Jessamine out of his coat. Twilight saw that the biped actually was holding a heart implemented with many metal wires in his appendage. It made her disgusted but also terrified of what the purpose of such thing might be. The black stallion took a step back in fear. “What on all that’s sacred is this?!” He shouted out in terror. The Lord Protector ignored this and put the heart under the trickle of blood from Celestia’s neck. As the blood touched the heart it let out a heartbeat that everypony heard in their heads. It also let out an orange glow. Luna was petrified but could also see this. She wanted to break free and simply trample the creature as her rage was rising, but whatever power was holding her, she couldn’t do anything. What was this strange artifact the creature was holding? And why was she hearing a heartbeat in her head?! Corvo winced slightly waiting for Jessamine to say something. She on the other hand was absorbing all the memories from the drop of blood, able to see all the secrets and the history of this land. Soon she knew everything. The heart stopped beating. Twilight saw so many strange and impossible things today, that a heartbeat in her head wasn’t actually shocking much. This heart had to be some kind of artifact… But what was its purpose? “I see…” Jessamine whispered, slightly stronger than previously. “I was right…” Corvo raised an eyebrow to that. “What do you mean?” He asked, perplexed and not caring in the slightest that the Ponies were eyeing him for talking to himself. “The history of this place has its darkness, buried so deep it’s almost hard to believe… But I know of it now… And I think I know what we have to do. We have to hurry before the memories disappear, though.” Corvo only nodded, actually relieved that bloodshed might not be required. “Can we end this fast?” He asked however. “No…We… Will have to find a body for me to occupy if I’m not to fade away…” Jessamine replied somewhat sad. Corvo cursed under his breath. This meant still something or someone will suffer. Seemed it was unavoidable though. He hid the heart back in his coat. Occupied with talking to Jessamine, Corvo didn’t notice when the white ruler’s expression turned into that of pure anger. She came out of the state of shock, realized her sister almost died, her ponies were hurt, she had a cut on her neck and this thing was simply talking to itself, crazy but casual as if nothing happened. It threatened them, made them believe they will die and held them hostage! ENOUGH! A pathetic blade won’t stop her! Her horn lit up as she casted the simplest and fastest possible spell. Telekinetic force rammed into Corvo sending him to the wall with a crack. The stone managed to break under the sheer amount of force. Corvo felt his bones breaking, internal organs crushed. He fell to floor on all fours. Normally the battle would be already over as a normal human being would probably lose consciousness from the abrupt amount of trauma received. The pain would be unbearable and again an average human would scream his lungs out. Attano’s legs were broken in a few spots and his arm was flexed at a wrong angle. He let out a weak groan. Twilight couldn’t help but feel some amount of pity for the creature. Despite its appearance it didn’t strike her as evil to the bone. It had to be forced to do what it was doing. And the damage it received now… She grimaced sadly and turned her head from the terrible sight, nopony deserved to suffer so much. Celestia watched the being that almost took her and Luna’s life, plunged Equestria into chaos and penetrated her defenses, barely able to stand on its four appendages. She was enraged, but in the back of her mind she also felt pity, her good nature quickly taking over. Her anger slowly lessened as her expression turned from an evil snarl to firm authority. It’s over… She thought… The creature raised its faceless head, the mark on its left paw lit up dimly, as a wave of invisible void energy and power swept the throne room. Celestia raised her eyebrow feeling death intent radiating from the broken creature. Its dark aura grew even stronger. It growled menacingly and slowly started to rise from the ground. Void energy coursing through Corvo’s veins, instantly recovering every single wound he received. His arm popped back into place, organs recovered from the severe damage they received, broken bones repositioned themselves into proper places and healed in matter of seconds. Torn flesh regenerated, as wounds closed. Soon the creature stood straight with the blade still in its appendage. It cracked its neck and lowered its head threateningly. It was back in full health again, as if nothing happened. Twilight watched the spectacle and could only shake her head in disbelief. This… was an abomination, not a living being… Celestia had similarly shocked expression. Nothing could regenerate this fast! What exactly was this thing?! Luna’s eyes were almost goggled. The creature made another absurd thing happen. “W-what are you…?” Celestia asked with a shaky voice. “A human.” The creature replied in a deep, calm voice. The shock quickly past, as Celestia’s snarl returned. This thing was unfazed by her powerful telekinetic attack, so she still had to punish it for its insolence! “You will pay for your crimes monster!” She shouted and was about to cast a ray of pure sun heat, to burn the intruder to crisp. Corvo observed her somewhat passively. Her horn was radiating blinding white light that intensified every second. Soon the spell was at its peak and she released it. A ray of pure sun energy lashed out at the human. “Illac…” The creature whispered teleporting to the side. The ray struck the wall, melting it in the process and creating a gaping hole. Twilight decided that it was a good time to do something! Princesses were no longer directly threatened and she had to help. She charged her horn and casted a concussion bolt that could take down a manticore. She shot at the creature with the bolt hitting the target. Twilight smiled widely, knowing she was successful. But… The creature simply took a step to the side instead of hitting the ground unconscious. It took a look at her, its glass eyes clicking and breathed in deeply as if shaking off mild tiredness. Her magic was somehow weakened before it hit the creature! How?! Was it because of this aura, the creature emanated? She had no idea! Twilight started to sweat. The black stallion guard on the other hoof came to a conclusion it was high time to stop staring in bewilderment and do his job. With a battle cry he rushed the human, about to simply ram him. “For Equestria!” He shouted. “Ventus…” The creature said instead. A blast of powerful wind hit the charging guard. The abrupt amount of force catapulting him backwards. The stallion flew past Twilight and hit the wall right next to her, blacking out in the process. The Element of Magic was overwhelmed by how this abomination was taking out everypony so easily. “Caligo…” Corvo whispered turning into mist as another ray of sun struck the place he was a second ago. It made another huge melted hole in the castle wall. He barely avoided the attack this time. Celestia was in a state of pure enragement again. She growled casting a detection spell, seeing that the thing took a different form. Luna was scared now… She never saw her usually calm sister like this… It was terrifying to see the Goddess of the Sun lose control over her rage. She wanted to calm her sister down, but couldn’t issue a word. Celestia spotted a blue residue in the air. This meant it was the creature. She used a dispelling ability, with a purple light shooting out of her horn and sweeping the area… Her ability did nothing… Didn’t affect the residue as it solidified calmly a few meters from her. She was too busy being in a berserker state to be shocked by the creature’s unnatural magic abilities. The Goddess of the Sun looked at the human with narrowed eyes. “How dare you attack my subjects and my sister in my presence?! How dare you think you have the right to harm us! I will destroy you!” She charged up a spell again. Twilight stopped thinking about the impossibilities and jumped into action again, grabbing the creature with her powerful telekinesis. Corvo tried to move but felt his body unable to. Celestia created a ball of black magic ready to strike the unmoving intruder. Twilight was now slightly unsure if it was a good idea to hold this creature like that… Her mentor is enraged and may do something she will later regret. She was however not given any more time to think about it as Corvo concentrated. “Oblittero!” He shouted out as the mark lightened up. Twilight's jaw opened wide when her telekinesis backfired, sending her outside of the throne room. She hit the wall on the other side hard, which knocked her out cold. Corvo was freed and was getting slightly tired and concerned about his health now. The amount of power the white ruler had was seemingly limitless and her berserker state was making the alicorn forget about safety rules. It was high time to escape then. “Corvo! Cut off her horn… We need to stop her and we’ll need it later!” Jessamine suddenly shouted out in his head… “W-what?” He asked perplexed. The black ball of energy was very dense now, creating gravitational anomalies. Celestia’s eyes were shining in a venomous, emerald color. Pieces of floor and wall were starting to fly around the ball, as Celestia was feeding it more and more power. The bodies of sleeping and unconscious guards were starting to be pulled towards the ball too. Luna saw her sister’s state and wanted to scream out to stop her, as Celestia was now simply reckless. She cursed in her mind at her inability to do anything. “Just do it!” Jessamine shouted desperately. Corvo said nothing, but understood that the spell Celestia was casting was dangerous not only to him, but also the Ponies he took out. His sense of morality allowed him to come to a decision quickly. He had to stop the raging alicorn. “Tractus…” He whispered and again the time itself obeyed, only slowing down however. Corvo had no juice to stop it again. He quickly ran to where the white alicorn was and stood right next to it, unaffected by the black hole. He raised his blade and concentrated feeling dark power rising within him, adrenaline building for a powerful swing. He saw red fog around his field of vision and with a powerful downswing, he brought the blade at the horn, slicing through it like it was made out of butter. The time returned to its normal flow as Celestia’s eyes went wide, she completely forgot about this creature’s ability. The black ball of energy dispersed with a loud bang that shook the foundations of the castle, as its source of energy was severed. Celestia’s horn fell down to the stone ground with a silent clank. She felt a horribly painful throb on her forehead and with a pained scream she fell to the ground, the pain turning into pure agony. She held her armored hoofs against a stub which was, what was left of her horn. She was unable to gather any thoughts as the suffering was unbearable even to her. Some blood was coming out of the stub, together with crackling of magical energy and some white sparks. She was screaming laying in a fetal position, her voice echoing through the walls of Canterlot Castle. Luna was desperately trying to move, she could feel her sister’s pain, just by looking at her. Some tears run down her petrified cheeks. Celestia! What has it done to you?! Corvo on the other hand didn’t want to lose any more time as he crouched down and picked up the horn. It felt warm in touch… Yellow auras were now quickly entering the castle en masse, most likely reinforcements. He looked at the screaming white creature, feeling some pity for it. He didn’t know this would hurt her so much… He scowled, but knew it was no time to feel guilt. Quickly he ran through the throne room to the other side, opening a double door with a masterpiece stained-glass window in its frames. On the other side there was a balcony that had a beautiful view on the whole capital city of this land. Many yellow auras were quickly running through the streets. That is until Celestia screamed again. As if one organism, most of them stopped, intensely listening to the symphony of anguish. He took a look behind seeing that the lavender unicorn went inside the throne room swaying slightly and limping on one leg. It had to hit the wall on the other side hard. Twilight spotted her mentor severely mutilated and gasped, as the monster that did all this was about to escape through the balcony. Celestia stopped screaming by now and lost consciousness from the horrifying misery she was forced to undertake. “Caligo…” Corvo whispered, turning into white mist as he left the castle, traveling through the air. “Princess!” Twilight shouted out as she approached her mentor as quickly as possible, feeling some pain in her back leg. She sat in front of the white alicorn. Celestia was laying on the stone floor unconscious, losing blood. Twilight placed both of her hoofs on her mouth, some tears appearing in her eyes. “What do I do? What do I do?!” She was asking nopony in particular, panic starting to set in. She shook her head, she had no idea what to cast, what to do at all and started to sob again, feeling hopeless. The guards stormed into the throne room and as one stopped in their tracks letting out shocked gasps. Their Princess was severely hurt, the Goddess of the Night on the other hoof was paralyzed. There were guards laying about the room, unconscious. “Medic!” One of them shouted. Quickly two unicorns galloped into the room. Without as much as uttering a word they approached Celestia and begun channeling magic to stop the bleeding. Some guards ran out of the room to inform the castle infirmary of new arrivals. Twilight was completely shaken up as another medical pony approached her. “Twilight Sparkle, are you alright?” The crimson mare asked. Twilight was sobbing, her leg was hurting badly now. It was probably broken, but she wasn’t paying attention to that. Her gaze was locked on her hurt mentor. The medical pony quickly looked her over, noticing her bruises and her hurt leg. She shook her head disapprovingly, concentrating. “Wait! We can’t leave the Princess like that!” The medical unicorn however ignored her as they were both teleported to the infirmary. Much more medical ponies arrived, together with doctors and equipment. The unconscious guards were being teleported to the infirmary, the ones that were hurt were getting immediate attention, just to be teleported out later on. Princess Celestia got first aid and was also brought to the medical wing, together with her paralyzed sister, by a group of medics. The throne room was amazingly quickly cleaned up, however all the ponies felt fear building up in their hearts. Whatever did this, had to be a truly terrifying force. Corvo couldn’t travel far in his mist form, as he felt weak, his energy reserves almost depleted thanks to all the stunts he did just recently. He will have to stop soon, if he doesn’t want to damage himself. Just as he thought this, he felt weakness taking over him. He had to stop NOW. Fortunately, taking precautions he didn’t fly over the city itself, but rather around. Right now he was above some kind of garden with many statues present in it. It was empty, save for some animals. Quickly he lowered himself down and solidified into flesh form. He canceled night vision and as he did that a coughing fit attacked him. It wasn’t a kind of soft and painless cough, but rather it felt as if his stomach contorted and wanted to escape his body. It was painful and felt as if he swallowed a handful of razors. He fell on all fours coughing sickly, feeling his lungs burning-up. He grabbed his mask and pulled it off, shoving it to the side as the cough continued. Soon he started spitting blood, that accompanied the coughing symphony. The pain started to spread all over his body, burning like flame, making his muscles and tendons tense to their limits. His vision became blurry as he deduced that it was an extensive overuse of his abilities. His body suffered an irreversible amount of damage and the consequences can be fatal. He felt bile building inside his stomach and quickly released it. It was a mess of blood and parts of flesh. Well, this didn’t look good at all… “F-fuck…” He barely uttered, releasing another bloody vomit. The pain all over his body was not going away, only intensifying, spreading to his bones. It felt as if something was eating him from inside out. He could feel his veins burning, seemingly ready to burst. Black mist of energy started to erupt from his body, as if some kind of power was leaving him... Or consuming him. The mark on his hand warmed up. As he looked at it, he understood it became dimmer and weaker. “W-what the hell is going on…?” He asked, feeling as if something was trying to pull his insides from his body now. He moaned in pain as his arms were trembling from the strain, barely able to maintain his pitiful “all fours” position. Jessamine gasped sadly, as she understood that Corvo didn’t have a lot of time left. The power of the void that healed him from the telekinetic attack, now turned against him literally consuming the Lord Protector... And his soul... “Corvo… You’re dying... The Void is trying to consume you.” He looked up, again coughing. “W-well… S-shit…” Was it the end? He couldn’t simply fail now! FUCK! He won’t give up now! He should have ended it back there! Damn him and his stupid sense of morality! He felt cold sweat making its way down his body… The mark of The Outsider was dimming further… “This is bad!” Jessamine stated, slightly panicky. “T-thanks for the information… T-the fuck can I do about it?” Jessamine had no idea. Until it struck her, that is. She knew that she was not anchored to the body, so the Void was slowly consuming her soul, because of the constant connection she had to it. Corvo’s soul is being consumed now, but not primarily. Seems that The Void is consuming it additionally to the fact its eating away his body, as he absorbed too much of it’s power. The solution to both problems was… Finding a host for her and switching a body for Corvo… “There is a solution. You have to take over another body!” She stated. Corvo vomited again, this time feeling as if his lungs moved inside of him… “D-dominate?” He asked, slight confusion in his weak voice. “No, permanently transfer your soul.” He chuckled somewhat. “H-how the f-fuck… Am I s-supposed to do t-that?” He asked breathing sharply. It was harder to do with each passing second… “I’ll help you… I’ll open the void flow and you’ll just have to use a binding ability.” He raised an eyebrow to that. “You… W-will do what?” He asked. “Never mind Corvo! We have no time for explanations!” She retorted angrily. Well, she was right about that, as he was about to die any second now. “G-great… W-where am I s-supposed to f-f… find… “ A crack echoed through the garden. A sick sound of breaking bone. He couldn’t finish the sentence as his jaw broke in half. He was simply falling apart as if decomposing. Jessamine quickly localized the only body that was able to contain Corvo’s soul in vicinity and in all honesty it wasn’t the best choice, from what she could remember. “Quickly! Approach the statue in front of you!” He would obviously retort cynically about transferring his soul to a statue, but had no time, nor life-span to do that. Oh and a broken jaw. Feeling like a dead body already he stood up, swaying to the sides. His bones cracked disgustingly, ready to break under his weight. With sheer willpower he made his feet move, wounds starting to open over his skin, as it was slowly exposing his muscles. The pain was excruciating. After a few steps he arrived at the base of a weird serpent-like statue and leaned against it, barely breathing, leaving a bloody smear. He left a trail of blood drops behind him and was losing his sight now also. “Place your hand on it…” Jessamine was afraid that this creature might resist the transfer somehow, but they simply had no choice. It was this body or death for both of them. Corvo raised his bloodied hand, where the outline of the Outsider’s Mark was still present. He touched the stone, feeling a weird vibration of power coming from it. Two of his fingers broke from this simple touch. The bone penetrating the skin. He would scream, he wanted to scream and let the world know of his agony, but he couldn’t. Jessamine opened the connection to the void as the heart let out an orange glow and started to beat in Corvo’s coat. She immediately felt weak, feeling the tendrils of The Void trying to pull her in. Corvo felt the twisted energy enveloping the statue and him. It was familiar, but it wasn’t empowering him as actually it did nothing to him. “Use the ability Corvo! Now!” She whispered desperately. Corvo’s thoughts couldn’t really be very vivid anymore… Ability? What ability...? He wasn’t sure much… Where was he? “Corvo! Say it! Say ‘Necto’!” She screamed in his head, waking thoughts of his dying brain a little. “Necto…?” His jaw was broken, but his lips formed the word. Almost soundlessly he mulled it over slowly. The Outsider’s Mark suddenly burst into green flames. Corvo’s body changed into pure energy as the pain left him and his thoughts became vivid again. This energy then connected with the void and all of it rushed into the statue. The latter vibrated slightly… Discord was asleep… He was asleep for quite a while honestly. Stupid ponies changed him into a statue, AGAIN! And there was absolutely nothing to do, but sleep and observe, hope for some chaos to happen, that he could draw a little power from. The waiting for any event chaotic and significant enough became really boring to the Spirit of Chaos, so he took a nap. He didn’t know how long it lasted, but what woke him up was violent shock of his whole form. He opened his eyes in his mindspace just to see some kind of weird creature standing in front of him. The world of his mind was normally filled with different blend of bright colors and upside down walking ponies, levitating rocks, clouds raining chocolate and so on. The thing in front of him had no face, just a metallic, lifeless crust and didn’t fit the environment at all. “Oh? And who would you be?” Discord asked somewhat perplexed. He then realized that this creature was alien and possibly invading his mind. “Hey! What are you doing here?! It’s my personal space you’re invading!” He screamed at the creature, which didn’t move. Then he felt something weird. A sense of… Lightness... He was losing his grasp on something but couldn’t put his finger on it. Was he becoming old? The creature started to move towards him and behind it a looming darkness was extending its tentacles, slowly filling Discord’s mind space. “Uh-oh… This doesn’t look good…” Discord could feel the power of this darkness. It was overwhelming. Still it shouldn’t be able to do much to him in his own private space and he was pretty darn sure about it! “Hey! That’s enough! Get out of here and take ‘Blacky’ with you! Shoo!” He made a shooing gesture at the creature, which was approaching him further, the darkness spreading over his mind space further. “I’m warning you pal!” He said with a grimace. What was this thing? Next to the creature another appeared, forming itself out of the tentacles. It looked much more dignified, dressed richly and had a face, which showed worry and slight pity. It was a her, Discord deduced. “You have to defeat him in this place Corvo. He will however never disappear fully, as a part of him will always be here even if you win the battle.” The female said quietly. Discord didn’t quite catch what was being said, but deemed it as not really important. The faceless one looked at the dignified female and nodded, slightly surprised by the female’s knowledge. “Illac…” It said and appeared directly in front of Discord. The latter was startled and fell backwards. Discord quickly stood up again though, with an annoyed expression on his face. “Don’t do THAT!” He shouted at the thing. Now Discord was starting to feel just a teeny-weeny bit scared. The situation was very unusual. It definitely wasn’t a dream and he could feel this darkness eating his memories. Something was invading his mind, but how? It was almost impossible to do! Ah, he will just have to expel them. Discord looked down at the rather small creature and smiled slightly. “Bye bye!” He said joyfully, snapping his fingers and… Nothing happened. His eyes widened as he looked at his hand and snapped his fingers again… And again… “What on chaos?!” Now this was… unexpected… Corvo was not about to wait any longer. He had no moral brakes now, knowing full well that this was a battle for his own existence. And a creature as dangerous as human, while fighting for his and his beloved survival was able to do things that are beyond unspeakable. He unsheathed his blade and with lightning speed rammed it directly into the weird creature’s chest, before it could do anything other than pointlessly snap it’s fingers. Discord’s sense of superiority, safety and calm immediately disappeared, replaced with shock, disbelief and true fear. He couldn’t die in his own mind! He shouldn’t be even able to be touched! W-what…? He let out a bloodied cough, as the creature twisted the blade in his chest, taking some kind of sick pleasure in the act. The wound was fatal as this faceless horror stabbed his heart. Blood erupted from the wound as the creature took the blade out with ease. It splattered across the mindspace as if everything was happening in reality. “H-how…?” Discord asked as life was quickly leaving him. He then understood. It was not a simple mind invasion and this creature was taking over his body… And he just lost… Red flames enveloped the Draconequus as with final scream of terror he disappeared, vacating the space. Corvo blinked under his mask, surprised by how easy this battle was won and content to some extent, not even really wanting to know what was the abomination he just defeated. “Now what…?” He asked taking a look at Jessamine and sheathing his blade. “I’m not quite sure…” She said furrowing her brows. The darkness quickly ate away all the colors of this place and they both were left in the middle of it. Empty dark space… Corvo blinked again, but when he opened his eyes he could see Jessamine looking at him with utter disbelief. He felt off too, as if higher… He looked down and noticed he no longer has a proper human body, but rather a fairly tall one. It was mismatched, made out of parts of different animals. His hands reminded that of a lion and a bird yet somehow were well-coordinated and more flexible. He felt he had additional parts of body too. A… tail… and wings… For a while he was calm, but then his eyes went wide as he started to simply shiver, fight-or-flight reaction kicking in as the absurd he was going through now created a vast amount of stress. “W-what… the hell?” The clothes he was wearing simply adjusted to his new appearance, with the exception of shoes he no longer had. His mask also adjusted. “Calm down Corvo!” Jessamine shouted out, seeing the serpent in front of her entering panic mode. He started to breathe in and out sharply looking himself over and touching his masked face, which was elongated now. This was a good moment to panic… “C-calm down? What the fuck happened to me?!” He shouted out in the empty, black space. “You took over the body of this creature!” She shouted back. “I know! But I’m in my mind! I’m not supposed to look like this in my mind!” He retorted observing his new tail in shock. “You are in its mind! It is just becoming yours, now!” Corvo took a deep breath. It was no way to behave for a Lord Protector. He blinked yet another time and as he opened his eyes, he was human again. The darkness disappeared as the space was filled with the murkiness and greyness of Dunwall he was all too familiar with. The mindspace transformed into the streets of Dunwall. This was Corvo’s mind now. “See?” Jessamine said with a slight smile. He simply shrugged as he looked around seeing many streets of Dunwall, he was way too familiar with. When he turned back to look at Jessamine, she was no longer there. Corvo was about to question the situation when an explosion of blinding light made him cover his eyes. When he opened them, he was no longer in his mind. He saw the garden, though weakly and blurrily. He couldn’t move any part of his body nor could he move his eyes even. Right. He is a statue now. Well, this might be a problem… He thought feeling a burning sensation in his left hand. He couldn’t look there, but the sensation made a pattern he knew all too well. Then a cracking sound echoed through the garden as he felt his hand gaining the ability to move. He used his freed muscles to make a sharp pull. Another crack… His arm was free… He punched the stone shell in a few places making it crack more and after a few rounds it simply fell off freeing him fully. He fell down to the ground not entirely gracefully, feeling his body being completely different than he was used to. He felt as if he was in his mind again. There were additional body parts, weird sensation of being taller, body made out of mismatched animal parts… The whole affair felt different than a possession though. He felt he was this creature fully, when during possession he had a sense of his original self. He didn’t like that. In fact it disgusted him. He stood up from the ground getting a feel of this repulsive body. It was a truly horrifying thing. It simply looked like an abomination and Corvo had no idea what kind of sick God could create a thing such as this. The fact that he was now trapped in it for Universe knows how long made his mood go from bad to worse. He looked at his animal like hands and spent a few minutes simply watching himself over with a abhorred expression that made its way to his face involuntarily. Every movement of his knew muscles was so alien, that he was starting to fall into a vicious circle, something inside his mind telling him to rip his skin open and escape this unholy thing, he was trapped in. “Couldn’t be any worse…” He stated in a voice that made him recoil slightly. It definitely wasn’t his, but there was this depth to it that he knew very well. It didn’t however fit this voice as it was a feat of his former body. This was a nice discovery anyway, seeing one of his characteristics was also transferred. Hopefully when all of this is over he won’t be resurrected as this thing… The thought itself made him shudder. He stopped watching himself over deciding there was little he could do about and also there was no time for such unimportant activities. All the dark thoughts and self-loathing he had were pushed deeper in his mind, a sense of duty taking over. He looked around and spotted blood splatters on the grass, deducing that it definitely was his own blood. Near the pedestal the statue was on he noticed all of his material possessions laying with the heart was also there. It wasn’t shocking to see all his equipment spread around as he wasn’t possessing the creature but became it… A shiver went down his long spine at the thought, his mood yet again worsening. He turned around almost losing his balance. He avoided that thanks to some wild movements of his arms. This was becoming really maddening. It was as if learning to walk anew. Slowly he crouched, being careful as not to fall backwards. He picked up his coat. Well it wasn’t usable much any longer... To his surprise the mark on his hand lightened up, feeling warm. Black energy enveloped the coat and changed its shape to match his body. The energy then traveled further doing the same with the rest of his equipment that normally would not match his new looks anymore. He watched all of it agape in quite a surprise. The latter quickly changed into anger as he understood an important detail. “The Outsider had to foresee this coming... Damn bastard!” He shouted out, feeling like choking life out of something. He struck the ground with his eagle arm, that was clenched into a fist. A slight amount of pain traveled up it from the force used. He cursed profoundly a few times and it somewhat made him calm down. Then as quickly as possible, but still clumsily and falling over a few times, accompanied by unholy curses Corvo dressed back in his reshaped clothes. It felt weird and unnatural, but he wasn’t about to walk naked. He was not some kind of an animal. The wings he had, he couldn’t possibly control so dressing in the coat and shirt was a real challenge that took a good portion of time. Similarly he had problems dressing into his pants as the tail had a mind of its own. This thing he was in now was obviously not born to wear clothes, but he will defy nature, with the exception of the boots, that didn’t change shape. He was meant to walk barefooted then. It didn’t sit quite right with the Lord Protector. Last thing that was left was his mask, which also changed to match his new face… or snout… or whatever… The way it looked made him snicker somewhat, not joyfully, but rather pitifully. The masterpiece of technology made for him by Piero was simply ruined. It was very elongated, some parts of it changed shapes, some more were added and a normal person would think that Piero wanted to make an assassin out of a horse. After a pause of contemplation and a sorrowful moan he placed it over his face as it matched perfectly, surprisingly. He then brought down the very unusual hood over his head, carefully aiming his new horns and elongated ears through the holes. He felt at least partially ready and like his former self now, still internally pretty darn angry. “How are you feeling Corvo?” He heard Jessamine in his head. “Like shit… And you?” He said angrily, his answer on a level of 13 year old. “Corvo, you had no choice. There was no other body in vicinity!” She tried to reason with the human made Draconequus, who was visibly angered and had his pride hurt very much. “Look at me! I’m some kind of a monster now! What if I return to Dunwall like this? Sokolov’s son will gladly cut me up to see how I tick! I don’t even know how I tick!” He shouted out, forgetting about his mission for a while he sat on the grass waived, filling some kind of pity over himself. He never behaved like that, but all in all neither was he in such a situation too. “We had to do this, or you would die and become a part of The Void!” She again tried to reason. Corvo lowered his head in thought, trying to calm down somewhat and let his usual professionalism kick in. “Yes… I was on the verge.” He sighed and stood up again, almost falling over, forgetting that this body had different center of gravity. It will take time but he can get used to this. As long as it is only for the duration of the mission, he could live with it. “Canis Aspectus…” He whispered as the mark lightened up. His senses enhanced Corvo looked around and spotted a rather unpleasant sight. A few yellow auras were approaching his direction. “Enough wasting time… We have to get out of here and find you a proper body Jessamine.” He said as he turned around and started advancing through the garden, first slowly still trying to get used to the movement of new muscles, but then picking up pace. This body was better anyway. Taking over one of the horses, would result in having no hands or paws again, and that could prove inconvenient. “That we do. I’m starting to forget this county’s history…” She said as they ran to the other side of the garden, stopping near a wall. Corvo looked up measuring the wall’s height. It was an easy jump. He crouched down slightly and jumped in the air catching the edge of the stone wall with his mismatched hands. It was hard to hold on as his body was much heavier and very elongated. With some effort however he pulled himself up, amazed at his new spine’s flexibility. He stood up on the wall looking over it. There was a gaping abyss on the other side, all the way down from the mountain this city was positioned on. Seeing that he had all his energy reserves restored, there was no reason for him not to use his other abilities. “Caligo…” He whispered as his new body turned into mist and slowly traveled down the mountain into the forest below. As Disc-… Corvo reached the bottom he solidified into flesh and let out a tired sigh. “What do we do now?” He asked Jessamine, not really sure where to go from here. “We need to reach a place called The Crystal Desert, there we will find a certain creature that might be a solution to our problem…” Corvo raised his bushy, white eyebrow. “What are we supposed to do with the creature?” He asked, not really knowing what Jessamine’s plan is. “I’ll take her as my host.” Corvo shook his head slightly. “How is that different from taking over a random body?” He asked, uncertainty in his voice. “Thanks to her we will be able to politically finish all of this.” He pondered this over. He would ask Jessamine for details, but prefered to do it after they find her this body. He had a nagging feeling that every time she talked or actually did anything, her strength was faltering. Opening this void for him made her voice even weaker. He would also ask her about this body, but for the same reasons he decided not to. Flexing his mismatched, eagle-lion arms he started his advance through the forest, back towards the village he came through. To get to this Crystal Desert he will need a map. This was his mistake in the first place. He had no map of this place and no idea how big it is. Navigating purely relying on his instinct the Draconequus was moving around the base of the mountain. He was sure that the town from before was near this mountain, so hopefully he’ll spot the yellow auras. Time was passing by as Corvo was cursing under his breath once in awhile, as he tripped on his non-matching legs. One had a hoof and the other sharp claws so it was pretty confusing most of the time. The night didn’t bother him though, nor did the many different animals of the forest. He usually simply avoided them. After good few hours of walking he finally spotted the yellow auras, most asleep. There was however a detachment of guards walking through the small town. They were probably searching for the one that attacked their Princesses. He started to crouch, which wasn’t easy in this ugly body. It was serpent-like so crouching didn’t really lower Corvo much. Another juicy set of curses left his forked tongue. He was on the edge of the thick foliage. Now simply running into the town and randomly opening the stores in search for a map wasn’t the best of ideas and definitely the thing he was now, wasn’t seen often. He might be considered something to be killed instantly, so disguise was out of the way. The best thing to do was to dominate something and then enter the city… He however didn’t want to do it much, changing a body so quickly after another was on the list of things to avoid. “Fuck this…” He said to himself, feeling anger building up inside of him. He had enough of this place in all honesty. He drew out the crossbow from his side and the pistol from the other. Strangely both weapons matched his thicker hands. He had about 12 sleeping bolts left. Determination and fire of rage lit up within him as he left the foliage and started walking towards the town with his crossbow and pistol high in the air. He approached the first building, behind which 3 guards stood. It had a bell inside of a small tower on top that reminded Corvo of a school. Not paying any more attention he circled the building and walked straight in front of the guards aiming his weapons at them. The latter were chatting about something when he came out. As they saw him, their jaws literally dropped to the ground, both fear and shock apparent in them. “D.. D-discord?!” A blue unicorn asked, shaking from fear. The other guards took a few steps back. The blue unicorn was sure! The shape of the body and the mismatched parts were definitely that of the Spirit of Chaos. But he was supposed to be trapped in stone! Discord however was free and... fully dressed in a long black coat with a mask covering his face. How did he get out?! This mask... He knew it as it was issued in the report they received when sent to Ponyville. “It… It was you all along… You hurt the Princesses!” The unicorn shouted out in sudden anger. Discord didn’t make a move tilting his head to the side, as if not entirely sure what the guard was talking about. He then aimed the pistol at the guard’s leg and fired with a loud bang that reverbed through the town alarming the other guards and waking up the citizens. The blue unicorn fell to the ground screaming as his flesh and bone were directly pierced by the iron bullet, creating a hole. Blood was quickly coming out of it, creating a small puddle on the dirt. The other guards witnessed the scene in pure horror. One of them managed to faint while the other was shivering, unable to move whatsoever. “D-discord… Y… You are…U-under a-ar..” The shivering guard was trying to speak, unsuccessfully. Discord threw the pistol up in the air and skilfully caught it by the barrel. He then approached the shivering guard in two quick steps and smacked him in the side of the head with the butt, knocking out the poor pony instantly. The excess amount of force the serpent used made the guard’s skull let out a crack. He then holstered his crossbow, reloaded the pistol and picked up the unconscious guard locking his head in a choke with the eagle arm. The lion arm on the other hand pointed the pistol at the Pony’s head when Discord left the place and moved towards the quickly approaching guards that heard the whole commotion. The blue unicorn was still screaming in possibly the worst agony in his life, not registering what was happening around him. White light appeared in the middle of the town, created magically by one of the unicorns as a part of the procedure when catching a dangerous criminal. The darkness was dispersed as the guards came to meet the intruder. Discord stopped in the middle of the town holding the pony tightly in his arm, standing calmly and waiting the guards to gather. As they gathered, most of them issued a long terrified gasp at the scene in front of them. All of them had only one thing in mind. Discord has returned... Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Applejack were all in Fluttershy’s cottage, trying to help poor, paralyzed Pinkie. They tried everything as far as all of them were concerned… There was canceling magic, trying another magic on top of this magic, trying to move Pinkie, trying to use water to melt the paralyzing thingy that was trapping her, trying orange juice, trying sitting on her, trying jumping on her, trying candy to make her move, trying to play music to make her dance, trying to sing a song, trying a lasso, trying apples and trying flying around her to make time flow backwards… And all of the attempts failed… The elements now simply decided to cheer her up and wait for Twilight to come back. “And I saw this simply horrifying dress this mare was wearing! Honestly! Who made the poor girl wear such dreadful clothes?! It had to be a punishment!” Rarity was expressing her disgust in yet another story she was telling, while RD and AJ were pretending to be at least mildly interested. Pinkie on the other hoof was listening intently, happy that something is happening at least. The elements had no idea that the guards arrived in Ponyville as Fluttershy’s Cottage was simply not on the route of the messenger that was trying to inform everypony as quickly as possible, what threat is roaming through Equestria. He simply forgot about the place. “Oh, oh! Did I ever tell you how awesome flight through Everfree I made the other day?” RD suddenly spoke out, fire in her eyes. She realized that sharing her awesome adventures will be much more interesting than listening to the drama queen. At least 90% more interesting… “Yes ye to-” AJ was interrupted by the loud bang that echoed through the town. They all jumped in surprise, of course excluding Pinkie who couldn’t jump and just let out a moan. “What in tarnation was that?!” They heard a sound of rushed hoofs galloping through the town as a bright light appeared in the middle of it. “The hell is happening there?” RD exclaimed very interested. “Trouble I assume!” Rarity added her two bits. They all looked at each other and then at Pinkie. Their interest somewhat raising after spending so many hours here, doing practically nothing. “Pinkie Pie, darling… You won’t mind us checking the commotion outside…?” Rarity asked with a sincere smile on her face. The other elements nodded vigorously. Pinkie only rolled her eyes, which was an obvious ‘Yes I would mind’. Her attempt was wrongly interpreted as the mares rushed out of the cottage heading for the middle of the town. “You’re the best Pinkie!” RD shouted as they left. Pinkie only moaned again… The elements quickly came to the middle of the town wondering about what was happening. Their excitement rose as if they were three fillies again. As they entered the area their excitement transformed into dread and distress. They saw something that shouldn’t be happening that they shouldn’t ever see again. There in the middle of the town surrounded by at least 17 guards was standing a familiar figure. Enveloped in light, his mismatched arms were holding a pony and pressing a weird device against the guard’s head. His face was covered by a scary metal mask, but the mares didn’t need to see his face to know that it was… Discord… Silence fell as everypony was simply staring at the Spirit of Chaos that held another pony hostage. He then took a look around, his mask issuing weird clicks as he focused his sight on something. His tail moved slightly from left to right as he pressed down the hammer of the pistol with an audible click. “Discord…” Rarity whispered, unable to comprehend what she was seeing. “Discord!” RD shouted out in anger, ready for a battle. He turned his head slightly in her direction as his mask issued another weird series of clicks. “How did you escape the stone prison?!” RD demanded. No response. “We defeated you once and we will do it again! Don’t think you will bring chaos on Equestria while the Elements of Harmony are together!” She shouted again, full of confidence. Discord however seemed to ignore her as he looked at the guards again and tightened his grip around his hostage. “Don’t you ignore me!” She screamed with acrimony. Just then she realized that he had a hostage… This was new… Her temper slightly lessened. One of the guards finally broke the moment of silence. “What do you want monster?!” He screamed out bravely… Again silence fell for a while. “I want a map of this land. You have 5 minutes to bring it to me or this pony… Dies…” All eyes went wide… Die? Discord loved chaos, but he never killed anypony! His voice was so much different too, deep and cold… There was no mischief everypony knew the Spirit of Chaos for, no joyfulness and cockiness in his tone, just this seriousness that simply didn’t fit Discord’s profile. The ponies looked at themselves unsure of how to react now. One of them however finally matched the reshaped mask with the report. “BY CELESTIA! It’s him! Discord was the masked creature! He attacked the Princesses and seriously hurt them!” The elements gasped in shock, not knowing entirely what that was about! The Princesses are hurt? A masked creature... Oh no… They connected the facts, this had to be the creature sent by ‘The Outsider’. It was Discord all along? It made no sense! This also meant that Twilight failed! “Oh no...” Rarity said with a hoof on her mouth. Her eyes glassy. “We have to stop him now!” RD was about to fly when, Applejack stopped her, grabbing the self-confident and hot-headed mare by the tail, which she quickly let go of. “Are ye mad RD? He defeated tah Princesses! We can’t do anything!” She screamed at her friend. “4 minutes…” Discord said in a deep, harsh tone. “We can’t just sit here and watch! We have to do something!” RD yelled madly. “What about Twilight?” Rarity said with a sad tone, quietly. “Discord! What have you done with Twilight Sparkle?!” She suddenly screamed out, concern for her friend winning with the fear. The Draconequus turned his head slowly towards her. “I know nothing about this Discord. My name is Corvo Attano! The Lord Protector of Empress Emily Kaldwin, savior of Dunwall, ‘the last honest man’, as they dubbed me! I’m not this Discord! I’m not the monster you see in front of you! I’m human!” He shouted out at Rarity with such venom and strength she stumbled falling backwards. All the ponies managed to take a step back even, as they felt the dark tendrils of Corvo’s aura, void energy and death intent touching their souls. All were frozen in spot for a while. “W-what… was this feeling…” AJ asked nopony in particular. Rarity was shaking from fear as some tears appeared in her eyes. RD shook her head, getting rid of the feeling quickly, as she approached her friend. “Rarity… Are you alright...?” Rarity was shivering as she shook her head, indicating a clear “no”. Rainbow simply leaned down and hugged her friend tight. The latter’s shivering slightly ceased, but she was still shaken up. AJ on the other hoof was observing Discord who wasn’t Discord anymore. The feeling she that swept through her… It was so powerful! Was this magic? Was this what Unicorns could do? It was so dark, yet the strength behind it… It felt... Good... “3 minutes…” Corvo stated, getting the attention of the Ponies, who decided not to wait any longer and simply give the masked Draconequus what he wanted. Quickly a guard ran through the city and in a few seconds came back with a good quality map of Equestria. “Put it in front of me…” Corvo demanded observing the guard pony who approached him shakily. The young stallion put the map on the ground, letting it fall from his mouth. Corvo simply released the unconscious pony as he picked up the map and took a last look around. None dared to make any move. The three civilian horses he shouted at also weren’t making any suspicious attempts. Two of them were hugging and the orange one was observing him, but not with fear… It was… Curiosity and amazement. This was a new reaction. Corvo raised an eyebrow to that, but quickly shrugged it off as he turned around and simply walked out of the town, completely undisturbed, leaving the elements and the guards in a state of mixed shock, fear and… Amazement.
Knowledge of The VoidDishonored: The Outsider’s Reach Chapter 5: Knowledge of The Void Warning: Contains no gore... Disappointing eh? No worries next warning will be more valid. Chapter inspiration: Asturias - Isaac Albeniz, Turmion Kätilöt - Paha ihminen and “Arthur C. Clarke’s three laws: 1. When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong. 2. The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible. Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” The Universe is a vast empty space, hollow and mostly devoid of any life – or at least that’s what most mortals believe in. Only a few worlds are populated by sentient beings that in fact have little to no idea about the true nature of the eternal blackness. Only a few of those populated worlds developed themselves so much that they are able to gaze into stars not with fright but wonder. Thinking what secrets and power can be possibly locked in the deepest bowels of this darkness. This space holds the key to complete control over creation and destruction. Sapient mortals might live in the ignorance or constant pursuit of knowledge, constant search for answers, but in fact there are already creatures who know its secrets; creatures that are neither alive nor dead. They know how this machinery ticks, what makes it work, and they hold but a shard of its true power. To the mortals on the many populated worlds of the Universe those creatures are sometimes called Gods. Some of them could be called good or evil. Sometimes they have no name as they don’t show themselves and sometimes they are but whispers in the wind, or shadows among the light. One of these beings is The Outsider, as old as time itself, holding an extent of control over its flow, having the ability to shape reality and he knows how everything came to be… Only one mortal ever dared to ask him this question. And so I suppose you would like to know how all of it really works, how it came to be and... You want to know more about me? The Outsider chuckled. patronizing the mortal in front of him. You were able to force me to come to you, for which I applaud you, as no mortal before you managed to do it. What makes you think that I will tell you anything though, hmmm? The mortal took out a small shard of a black gem and showed it to The Outsider, now levitating in front of the child. The Outsider was rarely impressed and evenless often he was amazed or actually felt a pinch of dread. His eyes went wide and his ever confident smile disappeared, replaced with a scowl. His lips formed a thin line. The Black Eye… I see… The Outsider said bemused and irritated, but quickly shook off the feeling. The boy only nodded hiding the shard of the gem back into his pocket and crossed his arms, waiting for the cosmic being to speak. Very well… I’m not used to not knowing and I don’t know how a mortal came to possess a piece of The Black Eye, but you have me cornered. The Outsider smiled again and applauded the boy out loud, entertained and understanding that he is not talking with a mere drop in the ocean. This boy will reach where no one has reached before. The cosmic trickster then folded his arms again and leaned forward looking straight in the young human’s eyes. The latter was not at all afraid. Listen closely, for I will not repeat myself. There was a pause. In the beginning as you can probably deduce easily, there was nothing. Vast emptiness where nothing existed. There was no time, no reality, no black, no light, simply pure nothingness. I would like to tell you that something suddenly happened; a beautiful fairy appeared and moved her wand to begin creation. The truth however is slightly different for instead of a fairy, they have come, through a gash in the nothingness, creatures from if you can believe it, another completely different Universe. I don’t know how or exactly when, but they did something unimaginable. They turned nothingness around and commanded it to step aside… And it obeyed. Then with power none can wield they created everything, reality, time, matter, void… And with these they also gave life to The First Ones, sentient beings of pure energy. They were the only ones that had much knowledge of the Creators and were permitted to wield two tools the Creators left behind. The first tool was The Orb of Eternity. An artifact that gave control over everything across the unlimited space. It’s still there, dormant, exactly in the middle of the creation. Now it is unreachable, behind a wall of pure chaos, through which nothing can pass… Supposedly. The second tool was The Black Eye. An orb made out of a black crystal mass with truly terrifying power to simply delete everything the wielder wanted across The Universe. No one knows where it is now, but the fact that you possess a shard of it means it shows itself somewhere, sometimes and allows a simple mortal to use a small ounce of its destructive powers. With it in your pocket none of us cosmic beings can reach into your soul and know of you like we do about other sapient creatures. You are now a white noise to us, something that most would be shocked about. I also cannot take it from you forcefully. It would immediately consume me as it recognizes you as its owner. If you ever come across another shard like this in someone’s possession do not attempt to steal it. With a pencil and an eraser at their disposal The First Ones shaped and added to the base left by The Creators. And so they’ve created me and many others, giving me the task to simply observe and not interfere into the lives of the mortals. I abided by their rules, as they could easily end my existence. They gave me The Void as my own world. Many of my brothers and sister were given much more interesting worlds, where they had power given by our parents to bring many things to life. They could then rule their creations, or love them. I simply had nothing and could only watch. Did it make me unhappy? Oh no… I loved to watch mortals fight and make important decisions. It was and still is entertaining. Nevertheless all of it changed when The First Ones simply vanished, as The Creators did. Many of the let’s say “Gods” quickly jumped at each other’s throats, battling and slaughtering under no supervision. All of them wanted to have The Orb of Eternity. The smarter and better informed of us however knew that it cannot be obtained, at least not without a good plan and knowledge. When most of the simpletons were no longer existent only a few of us remained. We forged a treaty where each of us got their own dimension instead of one world of the Universe to rule and supervise. Some openly showed themselves to the mortal creatures, some remained in the shadows and some further created worlds in their own layer. I have this the Void and this dimension so in fact you could say that I am your God. The Outsider smiled weakly. I am used to observing however and never really planned into completely breaking the rules imposed on us by the First Ones. If they simply vanished, who’s to say they cannot return? I might see and know a lot, thanks to being able to control the flow of time, but I am not all knowing. The First Ones told me more things than most of us knew and will ever know. I was never sure why, but I know this… When one of us reaches the Orb of Eternity, The Creators will return. It might be hard to believe but like you or any mortal I also want to know… Why did they make us? What was their purpose? Many of us that were left however, never planned to discover nor seek knowledge. This left only me and Arcana. She was the Goddess of Knowledge and Life and similarly to me, The First Ones told her more. Only I and she knew in fact that The Orb is behind a wall of pure chaos that will obliterate anything that will try to touch it. And many of the previously mentioned simpletons tried to force their way through with not so pleasant effects. Instead of focusing on quantity of the worlds, she focused on quality and truly her lone world was the most beautiful thing you could ever imagine. This is why I find only some of you mortals interesting. Most of you are pathetic and ready to trample everything that is beautiful under your feet if it will give you more power or riches. You’re often ruled by simple greed. I’m no fool however; I know that there are individuals among you that are much more than this as I mentioned. That is why the more you are interesting the more ready I am to grant you some power, to make you truly stand out from the other trash. Nevertheless I and Arcana forged a kind of alliance where we planned to touch the Orb together, organizing the chaotic wall, introducing order into it and then being able to pass through it. She was however betrayed by her own creations and trapped for eternity underground of her beautiful planet. You must also know that I didn’t create you humans or anything other in this Layer. It might be rightfully mine, but I never truly interfered and all of the progress here was initiated originally by the First Ones and First Ones only. I still don’t know how you managed to come into possession of The Black Eye shard, but it’s a truly impressive feat. You are also quite unique and I will give you a part of my power child, more than I have ever given any other mortal. You deserve it... The outsider pointed a finger on the boy. The latter winced slightly as a familiar mark appeared on his hand. He looked at it for a while and then turned his attention back at The Outsider. This is how This Universe works boy. You have now a steady connection to The Void, it will whisper secrets to you, tell you things that should remain hidden. The power will grow steadily within you and you will find yourself capable of the unthinkable. No one will notice the mark, as it is not a simple brand like most of the humans I find interesting here have, it is something much more. Don’t let the knowledge I gave you consume you… And bear the power of the Black Eye shard carefully, it is more destructive than you can imagine. With that The Outsider vanished leaving the rather content boy alone. The little human smiled to himself as he looked at the mark on his hand. He patted his pocket cheerfully and turned to leave the dark room. The Outsider observed the boy for a while, smiling slightly. He was something else. The cosmic trickster might have forgotten to mention a small fact though. He plans to set Arcana free. He can’t allow her to be pitifully trapped underground, while her treacherous creations roamed unpunished, usurping her power. And so slowly as to not allow other brothers and sisters to see, he created a small gash in dimensions, allowing for something to pass through from his to Arcana’s. Of course this gash made some of The Void to seep through, making the “spells” his interesting mortals used sometimes influence her world, but in fact he didn’t care. He and Arcana will be able to reach The Orb of Eternity and they will get their answers. Sadly he can’t free her alone, as any interference this powerful would cause the others to pay attention. He will have to test how far can he go though... Maybe show himself to the mortals of Arcana’s layer? It should suffice. Nevertheless, the cosmic being already had an idea and a plan formulated in his keen mind. Time to wake up dear Corvo… Sokolov’s Clinic is one of the biggest medical care institutions in Dunwall. It was built as an addition to the Holger Square. Originally it was opened by now deceased Anton Sokolov many years back. In the beginning it was only a small building bought by the Royal Physician in the mostly abandoned part of the rich square, right after the end of the Plague. Sokolov was never a man of morality and ethics, but something inside him finally broke after Corvo Attano, accused of murder of the previous Empress was able to restore her daughter to the throne almost clean handed. The idea of the clinic where he would treat his patients for free was a way of redemption for the inventor. Together with Piero, they sought to improve medical care in Dunwall and across the empire, making medical breakthroughs. With the reestablishment of Empress Emily Kaldwin on the throne of the Empire of Isles, Sokolov and Piero were given considerable funds to finance their experiments, inventions and the constantly growing clinic. Thanks to their close cooperation new ways to detect different diseases were created, new optical instruments, new methods to analyze human body, new never before seen drugs quickly surfaced from their research. Quickly Sokolov and Piero extended their research and formed an impressive team of scientists, that under constant supervision of the geniuses, revolutionized medicine. The clinic was always first to receive the upgrades of equipment and treatment methods before any other hospital or similar facility. Being exclusively funded by the Empire and Sokolov’s own budget the clinic quickly became very famous for its incredibly high standards. This was for it’s mostly free treatments, competent and superb staff of doctors and nurses, incredible medical breakthroughs and so on. Until this day many want to be treated in the now gigantic facility, as it became a place of Miracles where diseases that were previously incurable somewhere else, could be cured. Because of the overwhelming inflow of patients, a certain limit was issued. The poor, below poverty line were always treated for free, while the ones that made average amount of money were obliged to pay a still small fee. The nobles on the other hand were sometimes forced to pay horrendous amounts of money for simple treatments. Of course this would quickly cause the nobles to protest… If not for one man. Corvo Attano, The Lord Protector of the Empress was a legend among the whole Empire, and even though Emily herself was considered compassionate, her Protector was a contradiction. He became cold, distant and dread-inspiring after Emily Kaldwin was restored to the throne. Gossips of him secretly executing opposition that could arise to the Empress appeared. It was said that he used demonic powers to find and neutralize those that would speak ill about the current ruler. Whether those were simple tall tales or true to some extent, none dared to question the Empress, knowing full well that the man protecting her was capable of making a whole nation burn if he wanted to. And so the nobles swallowed their pride and never voiced their concerns out loud. Aside from that, The Empire unfortunately couldn’t keep up with the clinic’s progress. Even when it used all of its resources to spread the medical revolution there were still some parts of the Empire where these didn’t appear yet. And so to this prestigious facility yet another patient arrived. This one however got top priority. The Containment rail unit arrived directly at the back of the massive 5 story building. The construction itself was mostly flat, spread over a considerable size of Holger square. The Clinic was decorated richly and somehow resembled more of a massive mansion, with stained-glass Gothic windows and with more decorations on its grayish surface than a highly advanced, Whale Oil Reactor powered hospital should have. The double back door made entirely of steel frame and clean glass swung open as group of nurses with a doctor came out, all of them wearing gas masks on their faces pushing a bed directly under the rail unit. This was an entrance to the closed off, separated part of the clinic, where highly contagious diseases and the like were treated. The rail would always arrive under the entrance allowing for quick movement of the patient or patients. From the sides of the Unit two watchmen came out, quickly opening the back door that had yet another watchman supporting a young pale woman that was unconscious as of now. Next to them a boy and a rather sick looking woman were standing. The patrol quickly took out the weeper woman and placed her on the hospital bed, the nurses instantly moving the patient into the back of the facility to one of the specially secured rooms. “Please follow me. All of you have to be decontaminated and applied with Serum-71A I’m afraid,” Said the lone man in white doctor’s coat. He had spoken in a loud tone, while looking at the rather dissatisfied watchmen and two civilians. He gently pointed towards the door. “You heard the man! Move it!” The captain said as the three watchmen and the civilians entered the facility, leaving the lone Containment Rail Unit that soon would be decontaminated as well. The steel door behind them closed themselves with a thud and a click. They were now locked and secured. The secured part of the clinic was cleaned to sterility; made out of uniform white panels. The Captain of the watchmen couldn't really tell what kind of material it was, but the whiteness somewhat dazzled his eyes. They were now standing in a round room. In front of them there were white doors, which were now closed shut and behind them another set moved to the side, closing automatically. The doctor that led them here entered the decontamination cell control room and told the group to wait. The bright light in the round cell changed to a dim green as tubes in the ceiling began to emit thick white smoke, covering the whole small area they stood. It stung their eyes and skin a little bit, but they were sure it was a part of the decontamination. Only the boy moaned slightly. The group seemed to be mostly unfazed by this. The popularity of the clinic and it’s futuristic technology is widely known, as the decontamination process is a basic part of it’s routine when it comes to diseases. Many floors of the clinic possess similar chambers and information about the clinic quickly became basic knowledge, explained even to children in school. William knew what was going on, but it still made him uneasy and feel a little scared, shattering his confidence quickly. It came back when his sister put her arm around his small frame and pressed him closely to her body. He immediately felt safe and stopped worrying about the stinging smoke. The smoke was quickly sucked in by small holes on the ground and the light turned back to normal. The door in front of them slid to the side allowing the group to venture further into the clinic, and so they did. The doctor came out from the control room just on the left of the corridor, next to the decontamination cell. His mask was now off and he held a chrome briefcase in his left hand, motioning for the group to follow him. They were moving through a straight corridor and every 10 meters were leaving behind a set of white doors. They were constructed similarly to those in the decontamination cell and opened automatically after a complicated key was inserted into a slot on the wall. It was a true technological marvel, possibly another creation by Piero’s protégée James Laybar. Everything looked exactly the same. It was no place for art as everything was simple and spotless. Finally the group approached door with the number 124 engraved above it. The doctor took out a necklace with some sort of a coin on a chain and pressed it delicately to a slot on the left of the peculiar door. A silent beep was heard, and with a hiss the door slid open allowing for all of them to enter. The room inside was small and had a little window, allowing to peek outside of the facility. Right in front of the window stood a white, steel desk and behind it a similar metal chair. There were some bookshelves filled with different kinds of documents in the room and a bed behind a white curtain right next to the door. The room itself seemed spacious and hollow. It was again sterile, made out of white panels with a single powerful lamp on the ceiling covered by small grid of metal bars. The doctor put the briefcase on the desk and opened it taking out a rather small metal syringe filled with a red liquid. “The child first, please. He’s the most vulnerable.” William was looking at the syringe slightly scared, but quickly furrowed his brows and bravely approached the doctor putting his arm in front of him. The doctor smiled joyfully, positively surprised by the boy’s behavior. Similar smiles appeared on the watchmen and Martha’s faces. For William, the doctor’s wrinkled face made him look like William’s grandpa. The silvery short hair combed precisely and neatly and his green eyes warmly added confidence to the boy. The doctor then motioned for William to fold his sleeve up, which he did. The needle quickly pierced his skin. William didn't even move when the red liquid entered his blood system. The doctor then took out the syringe and changed the needle for a fresh one. The whole group promptly got it’s dosage of the serum and was allowed to safely leave the facility with the exception of the Captain, who had to give the Doctor a more precise report as to what happened and who could the woman be. The latter he didn't know for sure, remembering only that her name was something like “Fluttershy”, which was obviously ridiculous and he had to hear it wrong. William and Martha were moving back to the exit from the corridor when the boy suddenly stopped near room 21. He pressed a hand against the pocket of his blue trousers and winced, slowly turning his head at the door. “William? What is it?” Martha asked with some concern in her voice. “Sis… I have to look inside this room…” He said as all of his boyish happiness and smile disappeared. “What? No William! There are very sick people here, we have to go, now!” She said flabbergasted and angry about her younger brother’s behavior. “Oboedientia...” William said with his brows furrowed. Something started to glow, coming from his hand, something Martha didn’t notice previously. And then her mind was covered by fog as her expression turned blank. “You have to look inside this room…” She said flatly. “Sorry sister… But sometimes you’re unbearable.” William said with a sad expression. “Don’t worry, it will pass soon. Go outside and wait there! I’ll be right back!” Martha could only stand and stare at a wall in front of her, no thoughts crossing her mind, except of a one that told her to move outside of the clinic. William on the other hand knew that whoever was inside this room, had something very, very precious. Inside room 21, a young pale woman was laying. Now dressed in white pajama of sorts, her eyes were closed as two nurses were connecting her to some medical equipment and an IV with the Rat Plague serum. The woman’s clothes were put in a thermal, metal cauldron that would sterilize them. The nurses also quickly looked for any documents and came across a paper Dunwall ID. They didn’t blame the watchmen for not searching for it, as the Rat Plague was still something to be badly afraid about. The older of the nurses quickly read the ID as her eyes went wide. “Oh my…” She said with bewilderment. “What is it Hannah?” The other came closer, as she finished hooking up the IV. “I-It’s Florietta Laybar!” The older nurse shouted out amazed. “What?! The missing daughter of James Laybar?” The younger one couldn't contain her excitement. “Exactly! It’s a miracle! She went missing 2 years ago and now she’s here!” The door slid open as the Grandpa Doctor entered with hands behind his back. This brought the attention of the nurses to him. “Did I hear right? It’s Florietta?” He asked pointing at the Weeper patient. “Yes doctor. At least that’s what her documents say” The younger nurse said. “Incredible… Miracles do happen, especially here, don’t they?” He asked with a warm smile. The two nurses only nodded, imagining her father’s happiness when she wakes up healthy and he comes to visit. But where could she have been to catch the Rat Plague? The doctor then with some help from the nurses examined the patient closely and wrote a description of her condition, adjusting the dosages of the serum. The cauldron was left in the room together with personal possessions of the patient. The staff of the clinic then left the patient alone in peace, allowing her to recover. Unbeknownst to all, something or rather someone else entered the room, shrouded in void magic, unable to be seen by any that don’t possess the mark of The Outsider. William waited for everyone to leave the room and as they did, he approached the table next to the woman on which some jewelry was laying and dropped the shroud. He picked up a silver necklace that was in fact a sort of small silver case on a rather thick silver chain. Quickly with his index finger he opened the case and to his eyes a shard of a black gem appeared. He stared at it for a while, not entirely sure how another piece of “The Black Eye” as The Outsider called it was in someone’s possession. He knew he couldn’t touch it lest he would be disintegrated and he understood why he didn’t sense it earlier. She was wearing it around her neck and so was undetectable by the other shard. He looked at the sick woman for a while. She seemed to be still unconscious. That is of course until her eyes twitched as she weakly opened them. Fluttershy slowly opened her eyes, her vision blurry, her muscles weak but at least her nausea gone. She saw pure whiteness in front of her and all around her. Despite her tiredness and weakness, her mind was still quickly able to come to a conclusion that she had to be in Ponyville General. So all of what she saw earlier had to be just a dream! She had to hit her head or something… She sighed relieved. “It was all only a small accident...” She said, mostly to reassure herself. “Hello… Um… Anypony here?” She asked quietly, hoping that maybe some of her friends had accompanied her and are now here. She slowly turned her head to the left and spotted a blob next to her comfy bed. It was rather small, so probably a foal. “H-Hello…” She said shyly. The blob didn’t move. As if on a whim the blurriness of her vision vanished and her nerves started to work properly informing her that in fact, she still wasn’t in her body. The blob on her left turned into a face of one of these bipedal creatures. Fluttershy’s lips trembled as some tears started to flow from her eyes. “O-oh no…” She hung her head down. So either it was a very persistent dream or reality in which she switched bodies with somepony… Yet Fluttershy remembered her Iron Will training and wasn’t about to simply break down in tears. If she was in a different world altogether, she had to find somepony to help her, make a friend and find a way home! The boy on her left stared at her as she raised her head up, weakly wiping tears from her face. “Can you tell me how you have come to possess this?” The boy asked passively as he showed her a case with a pretty piece of a black gem inside. She shook her head as if trying to process the information, not expecting any questions. “I… Um… I’m not sure what that is…” She answered truthfully somehow hypnotized by the boy’s eyes. He nodded slowly as if mostly to himself. He placed the case on her side. “I’m not sure what happened to you Mrs. Florietta, but you obviously lost your mind… Or you have a different mind whatsoever. I can see that partially…” He paused as he looked intently at Fluttershy, making her feel uneasy. “F-Florietta…?” Fluttershy whispered. “Remember this however… The gem holds a power of ultimate destruction so keep it safe and use it only in an extreme case. I cannot take it from you and it is your responsibility.” The boy turned around deep in thought. He prepared to leave the room and the sick woman. “Wait! Can you tell me where I am?... Um… That is if you want to…” She asked instead, not completely understanding what it was about the gem that the young colt was talking about. “The Doctors will tell you that miss. Farewell.” He said and right before Fluttershy’s eyes simply went straight through the door without them being open… Like a ghost. With her mouth agape the former yellow mare could only stare at the door as William, the boy who knew more than any mortal, left her alone with power to destroy all creation, laying innocently right next to her in a pretty silver case. The sky was darkened by the dense clouds that seemed to envelop the whole world in a tight blanket. The sound of thunder echoed through the night accompanied by flashes of lighting as a storm raged. The dense darkness was only sometimes dispersed by these bolts, explosions of light that allowed a person to see for just a fraction of second. The light however quickly gave up consumed by the dense blackness again. The rain was pouring from the sky as if God himself was trying to sink the world anew. The violent gusts of wind threatened to sweep the more reckless individuals that dared to face the wrath of God, by walking outside. The volume and power of this storm would cause a lesser man to tremble and hide in his safe haven, his house, separated and foolishly convinced that no harm can be done to him. Unbeknownst to these lesser men, the power of the elements would be easily able to destroy everything on its path on a whim. Tonight however was not the case, as the planet only expressed its annoyance with humanity and not a willingness to destroy the residents wholly. Doctor Pyotr Yershov barely stood on his legs. The wind was causing him to fight for his ground as he slowly advanced towards the thick and high walls of the building in front of him. He was utterly drenched to the skin, his wallet and documents probably soaked through as well. The man was almost unfazed by this, completely concentrated on reaching his goal which was getting inside the building. He made it having, a black, steel gate on his right. The electrical lamp just above it did a poor job of fending off the darkness. Yershov, was however able to make out some details. The gate itself was large enough to allow a passage of many different vehicles of considerable size. It had a baroque sense to it, richly decorated with many golden trimmings. It seemed to be an invitation of sorts. The artistic sense of the gate spoke clearly as if it was saying, “you are entering a different world”. On both sides of the gate there were gargoyles made out of obsidian; silent guardians of another realm. Somehow they reminded Pyotr of dragons from many stories he loved to read when he was younger. Through the gate, Pyotr could see a wide-spread garden, now obstructed by darkness. In the distance shone small beacons of light, indicating that a facility stood in the middle of the gloomy garden. Another wave of thunder and strike of lightning rolled through the land, brightening the sky once more, allowing any brave or foolish man outside to see glimpses of detail. Immediately he spotted a heavy metal plate on the wall, just next to the gate. It was colored black and crafted out of thick cast iron. Engraved on its surface were golden letters that made the reckless doctor smile to himself. Finally here… He thought as he read the letters: Dunwall Imperial Mental Asylum Sitting in front of the reception desk, for a whole day without anything happening wasn’t an exact definition of “ an interesting activity” to most. The little ratty old man behind the desk saw this differently. He loved his job and peace it offered. Being a receptionist for a highly secured mental institution was in his book a dream come true. Day after day he was able to sit in front of the heavy, sturdy wooden desk in a rather comfortable Victorian chair and read his favorite books. His hunched back and old bones were simply not fit for any other work to be sure. This is why right now his face was contorted in a small smile that was not really natural to the man. He was in the middle of his book right now, the weak electrical lamp poorly illuminating the highly polished surface of the brown desk, making the reading an effort, but still quite enjoyable. His smile turned into a sour frown when he heard a noise of old iron hinges moving under the pressure. He looked up from his read. The richly decorated, rusted iron door that served as a main entrance to the facility swung open as a person entered the asylum. The drenched man was dressed in a gray trench coat, white shirt and black trousers. His red tie was now unpleasantly glued to his chest due to the amount of water it absorbed. The man had to be in his 70s by the looks of it. Many liver spots were visible on his ghostly white skin with some wrinkles on his face also present. His grey eyes keenly scanned the area, showing only experience, knowledge, and further thirst for more. The features of his face were rather sharp, giving him a somewhat cruel appearance. His long white beard and wire glasses added a kind of educated aura to him. Despite his drenched appearance, the man stood proud and dignified, radiating an aura of authority. Doctor Pyotr understood that he was definitely in the right place. The Dunwall Asylum was famous throughout the Empire for its uncommon looks, which resembled more of a hotel than a highly secured facility. The main room he stood in now was spacious. There were brick walls covered by decorative wooden panels. The floor was covered by a green carpet. Directly in front of him there was a reception desk and on its left and right entrances that surely led further into the bowels of the hotel-asylum. The facility only had one floor, but it was quite a high reaching one. To reach the ceiling one would have to be as tall as five grown men. The ceiling itself was finished with Gothic ribs. In the middle of the room a chandelier made out of crystal glass hung proudly. It was turned off right now and yet added a sense of wealth to the institution. It resembled spikes of ice hanging from the ceiling threatening to fall any second. The Doctor quickly approached the reception desk. The man behind it gave Pyotr an angry glare, which turned into hate when Yershov got out of his coat and threw it on the desk with a wet splat. “Doctor Pyotr Yershov, I’m here to see the interesting case of patient No. 101” Pyotr said in one breath, with a monotone voice. Normally he would wait a day to maybe get his clothes dry at least, but he didn’t venture into the storm for nothing. He had to see the patient as soon as possible. The receptionist eyes went wide for a second, all traces of anger disappeared replaced by respect and regret of not realizing who he was talking to. “Doctor Yershov?! It’s an honor to meet the pioneer of modern psychiatry! Boris Polunin.” The ratty man quickly stood up to his not really impressive height and gave the Doctor his hand. Both men made a friendly handshake. “Likewise! I’m glad I finally arrived here. It was an exhausting journey!” Pyotr smiled genuinely. “Why won’t you rest first doctor? Or at least allow yourself to dry off!” Boris asked with a small amount of concern. “No time for that! The patient cannot wait.” Yershov answered running hands through his wet hair, to get rid of the excess of water. “Of course.” The ratty man responded as he turned around facing a simple wooden key shelf. He ran his hand through the considerable amount of old thick keys mumbling something under his breath. Finally his hand stopped as he grabbed what he was looking for and turned around to face Pyotr again. The latter was now trying to clean his wire glasses, not really effectively. “Here is the key to the Containment Cell 3 and a temporary recognition symbol. The Patient is inside, strapped and in a catatonic state.” Polunin looked at the doctor with some sadness in his eyes. Pyotr raised an eyebrow to that, obviously dumbstruck. “Strapped?” He asked after a second of silence. The old receptionist was expecting the Doctor to dwell further into the topic as he sighed heavily. “This is not a simple case of one kind of insanity. The patient is extremely dangerous and despite her catatonic state, she sometimes snaps out of it. On occasion she attacked a guard and snapped his neck before anyone could react. She is delusional, aggressive, and has enormous amount of agility and strength for her size. Whether it is due to her unique biology or some other factor, the fact remains that Patient 101 is a unique case.” The receptionist explained, somehow well informed about the situation and the patient herself. “I wasn’t informed about her aggressive behavior…” Pyotr said quietly, but nervously. He heard about Patient 101 many times, from stories, gossip and his colleagues. He also read 3 articles about the patient as it was supposedly a mental case that cannot be resolved, lost cause. From a medical point of view however Patient 101 was a miracle. She is the only known human being resistant to any form of disease. Her white cells are able to defeat any infection and possibly even cancer. That is why she is kept alive in the facility and The Empire does everything it can to help her mind. Yershov was directly hired by The Mental Health Division of Empire Medical Care. The amount of money they gave him for the task was staggering and he wasn’t about to back out because the patient might be aggressive. On another note, he simply had to see her, as there was no lost cause to Doctor Pyotr Yershov. “I’m perfectly sure that you are more than capable to handle her Doctor. I’m simply informing you. Nevertheless if you want to reach the cell you’ll need to go right and past two Walls of Light. You’ll spot the door… There are two guards standing there at all times. Also on your way you might want to talk to Doctor Alice. She’s assigned to 101 currently and her room is right next to the patient’s. Remember to hold onto the recognition symbol at all times if you don’t want to be zapped into unconsciousness by the gates! Also…” The ratty man didn’t finish as he put his hands under the desk taking out a white, clean towel. “You might want to at least dry yourself slightly.” The man smiled as he sat down again. Pyotr only nodded in some temporary confusion. “Thank you,” Was all he said as he took the towel and started to get rid of the extensive amounts of water from his body. “Oh and doctor…” The man suddenly raised his head from the book he was about to continue reading. “Yes?” “Good luck…” The man said with an amount of seriousness that dropped the temperature of the room by a few degrees. Pyotr could only nod again as he put the towel around his shoulder and started the advance towards his destination. He took a look at the recognition symbol. It was a perfect silver coin of sorts with the asylum outline engraved on its surface. The key on the other hand was made out of old iron and was rusted in some places. The cell had to be very old then, or at least the doors were. He quickly passed the two mentioned gates and many black iron doors that were entrances to the cells probably. The design of the halls and corridors were reminiscent of the entrance to the asylum. Finally Pyotr reached the end of the corridor in which a rather big steel reinforced door stood. They emanated a feeling of sturdiness and seemed to be newer than the facility, but still considerably old. They were prepared to withstand a grenade explosion. The two guards eyed him curiously. They were both dressed in riot armor made out of light steel, painted fully blue. Yet again Pyotr thought about knights of the old. Ridiculously he thought that maybe behind these doors was a dragon and these blue knights were prepared to slay it for the good of the people. He snickered somewhat, but quickly recomposed himself. “Doctor Pyotr Yershov. I’m here for Patient no. 101.” He stated calmly, looking at the two guards. The blue knights looked at each other. “You might want to visit Doctor Alice Blackheart first, doc.” The guard on the right said pointing his thumb at the door next to him. “Oh… Right.” Pyotr answered as he approached another set of iron doors that were next to the reinforced ones. He looked them over curiously as if thinking how to ask the occupant for the permission to enter. He quickly shrugged and simply banged his fist against the door. “Enter!” A sweet female voice, muffled by the thick iron came from the room. Yershov pushed the door as they gave up and swung open on well-oiled hinges. Behind them, beside a Victorian wooden desk a beautiful blonde woman was sitting. She seemed to be in the middle of writing something. This was evident as she still held a pen in her delicate hands. She looked somewhat dissatisfied with the newcomer She seemed to be in her early 30s, very young for the scientific community. The majority however knew Alice Blackheart for her uncommon approach to treating psychotic patients… Uncommon and yet successful. She was in fact a rising star, similar to Sokolov or Piero, but in her own field. Many would be however mislead by her near angelic looks. Her beauty couldn’t be easily compared to anything. Her body was perfect in every sense of the word. It was incredibly symmetrical in shape. Her face was also perfectly shaped, with beautiful blue eyes now curiously looking at Pyotr... However if one looked into these eyes, he or she would see layers of intelligence and thirst for knowledge so similar to Yershov’s. She recognized her visitor almost instantly as she dropped the pen, stood up and approached Yershov with excited smile. “Doctor Pyotr Yershov!” She shouted out happily as she offered him her hand. “In the flesh.” He answered, allowing a small smile spread over his features, as he shook the woman’s hand “I’m Alice Blackheart and I read your book doctor. I must say that truly your thesis about the rat plague even when cured influencing the victim’s psyche is astonishing!” Alice said with a sweet tone that seemed to be natural to her. “Thank you, thank you. I’m however afraid that the patient cannot wait while we waste our time chatting pointlessly.” Pyotr’s smile vanished as he said that. Blackheart only nodded quickly and allowed the soaked doctor to take a seat in front of her wooden desk; it was quite a comfy chair. He put the towel on her desk ignoring her surprised expression. She sat on the other side and took out a thick folder from the drawer. She placed it in front of Yershov. The folder was made out of thick cardboard paper, there were red letters written on its front that formed into a word “Case No. 101”. Yershov took a quick glance at it, folded his arms and leaned back against the comfy chair. “Would you be so nice as to give me the short story doctor?” He asked politely. Alice tilted her head slightly, but didn’t say anything, concluding that a genius of Yershov’s magnitude would probably dismiss most theories that were in these files. She placed a hand on her chin thinking for a while. “Patient No. 101 or ‘Hope’ as we found out her name is, was found on the streets of Dunwall Distillery District about 6 months ago. She was laying naked in dirt and filth, entirely unaware of her surroundings in a catatonic state. Two beggars found her and tried to rape the poor thing. A patrol of watchmen saw this, but before they could interfere, Hope snapped out of her autistic state and attacked the winos. From the watchmen’s report it seems that with one hit of her fist she completely pulverized one of the beggars face, crushing his skull, throat and damaging his brain. The extensive force of the punch catapulted the thug through the alley. He flew about 37 meters before he crashed to the ground dead. The other beggar had no time for reaction as Hope grabbed him by the throat and raised him up in the air. She was holding him for about 3,4 seconds. Then she squeezed her fingers destroying the man’s throat and making him suffocate quickly. She then released the body and went back to her autistic state, standing in one spot, unaffected by the cold air or the small drops of blood that covered her face,” Alice said all of this almost in one breath. On the outside Pyotr seemed to be unfazed by the story. On the inside however he was very much intrigued, he felt a little giddy even. He motioned for Alice to continue, which she did. “The watchmen in the place, after witnessing what had transpired were smart enough to call for a containment unit, reporting something quite unnatural. They approached her slowly, trying not to make any aggressive moves. Luckily Hope seemed to only snap out of her state into instant aggressiveness when her life was directly threatened. Otherwise she allowed the two watchmen to delicately take her into the rail unit and to Sokolov’s Clinic. She was placed under supervision. Quickly it became apparent that there was no record of her anywhere, as she simply didn’t exist. Blood work tests and diagnosis showed something remarkable however. Her white cell count was higher than usual and one of the doctors contaminated her blood with some bacteria of early Rat Plague to see what would happen. Her white cells instantly fought off the infection, destroying the bacteria without any real effort. Later tests also showed that she is in fact incapable of getting sick. It also became apparent quickly that she was breaking off her catatonic state on different occasions than when her life is directly threatened. In two incidents she killed 3 guards, 2 doctors and a nurse. One of the guards even shot her in the process. It however didn’t stop her at all. She regenerated faster from the shot than any human being, but still the incident threatened a valuable subject’s life. As you can probably guess the EMC decided that it would be best to restrain her in a more secure way than leather straps of a hospital bed. The best option was to move her here, where security was much heavier and medical care was on a similar level to the hospital. This was about 5 months ago. Since then all the blood tests and whatnot are done here by a group of specialists from the clinic” Alice explained the affair. “What does that have to do with mental health?” Pyotr asked with a raised eyebrow. “4 months ago the subject started to come out of her states on more occasions, but without any aggressive attempts. She would behave like a child then, interested in her surroundings, studying everything very closely wondering why she was strapped to the bed. EMC decided that it would be best to have her fully aware and not breaking into berserker states. Since it already was a mental asylum a psychiatrist was assigned, who tried to communicate with her. It was very hard as she seemed, not to be able to talk at all. Hope was showing mostly high interest and wonder. Later the interest turned into a kind of seriousness, as if her mind matured. She even started to talk, but no one could really make out anything from her broken words. Then she started to speak more coherently.” Alice stopped talking as she took a breath. “She told the psychiatrist that she’s nothing, a slave and a test subject, that she deserved to die and we should kill her. All of that while crying loudly. She also said that The Outsider will save her,” Alice finished slightly bemused “The Outsider…?” Pyotr smirked “She seems to be delusional to an extent, constant catatonic state, moments of lucidity. This is a really interesting case.” Yershov stroked his white beard for a while. “Taking into consideration that there are no files on her anywhere and she has very unique body biology… It’s really hard to consider her case like any other.” Alice answered crossing her arms. “True… If you don’t mind I would like to see her and maybe even speak to her. We’ll see what I’ll be able to find.” Pyotr smiled again, this was more interesting than he could have ever fathomed. “But of course, just ask the guards to let you through Doctor. However I’m not sure what state she will be in. She might be catatonic again or aggressive.” Alice said warily “Of course. But she also might be lucid,” Yershov responded as he stood up and walked through the door. He stopped in front of the guards and motioned for them to step aside. They looked him over, as if not sure what he was asking for. One of the blue knights then simply shrugged and they both moved away from the door. Pyotr approached the reinforced steel and put the thick iron key in a lock that seemed to be overly complicated. He turned the key as series of loud clicks echoed through the corridors of the mental asylum. “AAAAAHHHH!” One of the patients screamed his lungs out. “IT IS COMING! IT IS COMING! IT’S A PART OF THE SWARM! AAAAH!” He screamed again. Pyotr stopped for a second, but being used to screams of mad men he quickly resumed what he was doing. As the sequence of clicks was finished, Yershov pressed down on the door handle. The reinforced door swung open with unholy moans. In the middle of the room a steel bed was present and above it an electrical lamp that illuminated the room. The cushioned floor and walls that were supposed to stop the lunatics from hurting themselves were new and snow white here. There was a rather large window behind the bed, which had thick bars to stop the potential escapee from fleeing or again killing him or herself. Strapped to the bed with metal clamps, was a rather fragile looking women. She was sickly thin, her ribs visible through her skin. Her eyes were sunken in as she was looking straight forward at the ceiling. She was not moving at all and only her rising chest was any indication of life. She had two cannulas sticking out of her left arm. On the side of the bed, a stand was present on which two bags of liquid were resting, slowly applying the liquids to the patient. Yershov stood there for a while, examining the mysterious woman from afar. “Chair please.” He said quietly to the guard that was now standing behind him. The blue knight nodded and quickly sported a shining metal chair. Pyotr took the chair as he approached the woman. He put it down and sat leaning forward and looking at Patient 101. Hope was apparently in her catatonic state still. She blinked sometimes, but other than that she was not making any attempts to move. “Leave us please.” Yershov said as he took a glance at the guards. “Doctor? We cannot leave you with her. She’s dangerous.” One of the knights said looking awkwardly at Yershov. “Please. Nothing will happen, she’s strapped and I know how to handle my patients.” Pyotr stated coldly. The guards seemed to slightly cower from his stare as they only nodded and left the room. The thick door closed behind them. Pyotr took a look around, as if making sure he was alone with Hope. He placed his arms on his legs and watched the woman for a while. After a few seconds in deep thought, Yershov took the woman’s arm delicately and checked her pulse. “Steady… Hmm… This will do.” He said to himself as he stood up slowly, still closely observing the woman. He folded the right sleeve of his white shirt, exposing the rest of his arm. He took a look at the backside of it and stared intently. On the backside of his arm a tattoo was present that many would be jealous of and some would say it was a curse. Pyotr however always thought of it as a gift, allowing him to surpass simple limits of human body and mind. Corvo for example would identify it as the mark of The Outsider. Yershov however had the tattoo as long as he could remember and never really dwelled on where it came from… Unconditional love of the Universe perhaps? He placed his hand on the skinny woman’s chest, slowly and delicately, as if every move could cause the woman to lunge at him. He put his lips next to her ear with his hand still pressed against her chest. “Expergo…” He whispered to her ear, knowing full well what should happen… Void power however tends to be unpredictable and the gash between the layers of the Universe made the power spiral out of control. First it was a steady heartbeat she heard and then she could sense her environment through touch and smell. Something was not quite right in her senses though… They were spread differently and Hope knew that it shouldn’t be like this. She barely opened her eyes, only to be greeted by deep darkness. This darkness however quickly came up as it was a curtain of sorts. Her body felt numb all over, her senses in fact were somehow dulled and she felt horribly tired. She realized one fact though, her mind was not clouded, she could think lucidly and straight, she could keep a thought in her mind for more than a few seconds! Then… Then the memories came back, everything that was done to her seeped into her freshly sane mind. She remembered what happened and why she eventually broke down. After all, it could happen to anyone who was a medical test subject and a slave. She could remember the name of the man that experimented on her, cut her, injected her with toxins and different medicines that made torture seem friendly. She knew the man was called a genius and every time he put a needle in her, he always said Science requires sacrifices… He would then smile with sick honesty and continue torturing her. His name was Carl Sokolov and he was the son of Anton, so similar to his father… She was kidnapped about 4 years ago, from a remote village on the outskirts of the Empire. She could remember her mother and father still. Oh God, how she loved them… how she missed them now that her mind was working again. “Mommy… Daddy…” She said as some tears welled in her eyes. 4 years kept in a cell like an animal, coming out of it only for more experiments, fed with tasteless pastes and sometimes even a roasted rat. After those 4 years she eventually snapped when Sokolov was enraged that his experiments were not working, that he couldn’t reach the perfection he seeked. He then opened her cage and beat her, beat her badly, calling her many different names and assuring her that she will never leave this place alive. Her mind collapsed and then… only broken shards of memories were left. She could remember some men putting her in a bed, someone talking to her soothingly, someone asking her questions. Sometimes she could find her way in the fog of her broken mind to tell these people something of what she went through, but if it went through to them? She couldn’t be sure… She also remembered feeling very enraged sometimes and that she could have done something horrible back then. She felt an amount of regret. One particularly lucid memory stood out from these shards, someone whispering into her ear… Expergo… She remembered the word perfectly but had no idea what it meant. And then the fog disappeared as if her brain had a kick start and put her in control again. Here she was thinking straight, remembering everything and most importantly…free! No longer breaking down! Some hope appeared in her heart. These people she barely recalled had to cure her somehow! She would be able to tell them what has been done to her! She would get her revenge! First she had to visit her parents and her brother though; it has been 4 years after all. They definitely thought that she was dead by now and mourned her already. How did her brother look now? Has father finally got a promotion? How was grandma? How are all of them doing now? She just had to know right away and felt a pinch of happiness at the thought of returning home. “Hello? Anybody?” She said out loud, hearing her voice being somehow muffled and still feeling weirdly numb and not quite right. Her vision was blurry and she could make out that she was laying on her side in some kind of a room… She blinked a few times trying to clear her vision. Slowly her senses were sharpening. She now felt that she was on cold stone in some sort of a chamber made out of stone as well. Its roof had collapsed… This didn’t look quite right. It was however pretty dark still, so she couldn’t make out many details. And there was this feeling in her body that was… so wrong. It was as if her nerves were thrown about differently, her head felt different, her back felt different, her legs and arms also and then… Her hands and feet, she couldn’t feel them at all. She had no feeling in her hands! Oh god! She could feel her eyes widening in fear involuntarily. She tried to move but felt pain in the process. “Oh god… I… lost feeling in my hands!” She said loudly. Then there were footsteps. Those were also wrong! They sounded like clops of hooves and the other like heavy footsteps of a beast. She tried to wiggle her head that felt longer and heavier for some reason, to see the entrance to the deserted chamber. Sharp pain went down through her spine as she winced and moaned slightly. No, something was very, very wrong here and she felt like panicking now. “Help! I can’t feel my hands! I… Don’t know where I am… Hello?!” Her voice sounded as if doubled, slightly buzzing and full of venom, even though she tried to say it nicely. It was not her voice… Oh God, what happened to her?! The sound intensified as something entered the room. The figure was not human at all. It was tall and unnaturally elongated. It was too dark to see the creature fully, but its serpentine silhouette was enough to make Hope terrified. The shards of memories she had told her that she had to be in some kind of hospital, but this… This was not it by a long shot… Did they throw her away? “D-Don’t hurt me…” She pleaded weakly trying to shield her head and prepare for a beating or something similar. She couldn’t though; every move was met with pain and no reaction from her limbs. The creature in the room moved to the side next to her, taking something out from the stone wall. It seemed to do a lot of flaying of its hands and searching through, what Hope assumed was its clothes. Then it took something out and with a few movements of its paw, dim flashes of light and sparks appeared as the creature lit a torch. Everything was encompassed in light then, as Hope witnessed what stood in front of her… she thought it had to be the Devil himself, here for her immortal soul. Her family didn’t believe in the silly Abbey of the Everyman. She believed that God created the whole world and shaped humans to fit his image. There was also a hell and a heaven and well… Here she had a final proof that hell existed. The Devil had a figure of a serpent and just as she assumed wore a leather coat and had a metal mask covering his face… Why? She had no idea. His hands seemed to be in fact flexible paws of two different animals. In his eagle paw the demon held the torch and in its other paw a menacing silver blade. Hope knew now, she had died and gone to hell. “I… Died?” She asked somewhat calmer, but still allowing tears to flow from her eyes. “I don’t think so. You are pretty much alive.” The Devil responded calmly. Hope blinked dumbstruck as she cleared her tears. She was finally able to see her own body stretched on the cold stone floor. The only thing she could do after what she saw, was to scream with such horror that it could be heard even in Ponyville. The fact was that Hope no longer had her own body, but rather an equine-demon one, hence the lack of feeling in her hands and feet. Another interesting fact was that if a pony would see her now, he or she would probably shout out Changeling! And run away with their tail between their legs. That was partially why Hope screamed so much. More importantly she realized that in fact she still had to be insane, because in all honesty all of this was quite impossible as much as she believed in hell. Dictionary: Oboedientia - Obedience Expergo - Awaken Author's Note Well took me much longer than expected, for which I apologize. Except for some stuff I had to take care of I also had a mild case of lack of inspiration. This however changed and here’s Chapter 5 ^^ Slightly shorter than two previous ones but still over 10k words :P Originally there was supposed to be a slight Sci-Fi element here... But I decided it would reveal too much and threw it into a bonus chapter I might publish some day. Can't thank enough Spanner, who became my Editor, as he helped me tremendously and my proofreader ProtheanBrony who also found the time to improve the story. Thank's guys, you rock :) More of Corvo and much more action in next chapter. As usual thanks for reading!
