"Listen to this, Outsider," said Corvo: "once an alicorn activates his or her horn, even if it is a basic spell, the altered glow will always generate an invisible magical field round their body, nigh impenetrable."
"Very informative," said The Outsider. "But why tell me? As a matter of fact, why are you working so hard?"
"I need to do as much research on these alicorns as possible in the shortest of time available to me." Corvo pushed the mythology book back into the rectangular space within the shelf. He rested his elbow over his lap and looked up. The Outsider and he were both in the old city's underground archive of ancient literature, where Corvo met him by one of the shrines.
"It still does not explain why you wanted to meet me so much," said The Outsider. "You have been rather uninteresting, Corvo, in these past few days. And do not try to belie the reason, even if you have to."
Corvo blew from his mouth in exhaustion. "I would if I had to," he said. "But I will not. I just need to know in order to protect Dunwall."
The Outsider's black eyes narrowed beneath his furrowed brow. "Dunwall?" he said.
"Yes, Dunwall." Corvo raised an eyebrow. "What else?"
"As in... this city?"
"What is the matter with you?" said Corvo, straightening his back. "Yes, Dunwall: this very city which is in danger." But what left Corvo cross was The Outsider's flat chuckle. "Why are you ignoring everything you have told me just a week ago?"
"You mean the upcoming war?" said The Outsider. "My dear, Corvo, that is only forty and three years from now. Do not get so anticipated to stop something you may very well die trying to."
"How encouraging of you," said Corvo sarcastically. "You see into the future, tell me that these ponies will come and ruin Dunwall, this city, and now you want me to do nothing—while claiming that I have been uninteresting. Very counter-intuitive of you."
"I cannot look into the future," said The Outsider, sighing. "Not even immortal, mystical beings such as myself can do that. I have limitations, Corvo; and those limitations are inconceivably clear." Then he noticed how Corvo remained listening intently, and continued. "Well, while I cannot see the future, I can physically go there—my mind, I mean."
Very quietly Corvo rose from his seat. "You told me that, forty-three years from right now, these magical ponies from Equestria would accidentally create multi-dimensional magic and cross over here. One incident would lead to the next, and the entire situation would shift into war."
"And why did you believe me?" The Outsider seemed to hover over Corvo like a great shadow, eyeing down upon him without fear.
"Because you never lie!" laughed Corvo. "Is that not obvious?"
"Those are one of my traits," said The Outsider. "While I am very impartial concerning morality, I do think that lying is particularly unfair. So, that is a good response to a very eerie question."
"Eerie? Well, whatever you may say," said Corvo. "The last eight days I spent my time researching ancient mythology concerning Equestria. I cannot believe that these equines actually exist. To us humans it is merely a fairy-tale. Very entertaining for children, though! Anyway, I do think they bear varied weaknesses."
"How is an impenetrable magical field round one's body a weakness?"
Corvo half-closed his eyes and hummed lightly. "On the outside, the average person would say that that is a great advantage. But if you were to think with precision, and look closely, then you would clearly see that that advantage can drive you to dangers."
"Well, then I will not ask," said The Outsider. "Just nine days ago, well, you tried to go to Equestria after hearing such devastating news, trying to prevent a war by assassinating its two rulers. Mad, but undoubtedly interesting."
Corvo nodded and pointed his hand towards him. "Yes! And what else?"
"But you were clearly going to die, so by—"
"You teleported me out of Equestria," said Corvo. "You did that just to prevent me from stopping a war?"
"You were going to be slain, and I would hate to see you die."
"That first plan was careless, of course: trying to wander in an unexplored territory with powerful ponies. Mad, is what I would say." Corvo fell back onto his chair and rubbed his temple. "But... I... uh, I cannot let this go on. I will eventually become old, Outsider, so I need to act fast."
"You are twenty and nine years of age," said The Outsider. "Do not sound so bitter about it. I would say this past year and a half has made you childish—always killing people, even the good men who attempt to bring an end to your slaughter. Even they you slay."
"I kill the bad men of this world," said Corvo. "They do not deserve to live. Power and money and corruption is what falls upon the wicked people of this city. I must save the empire, actually, but remain hidden."
"And that is why I take a liking to you, Corvo," said The Outsider. "You are not boring. Thank goodness for that!"
But bulky foot-steps fell from close by, and The Outsider instantly vanished into black smoke. The main door swung open, and in stepped a man, sweating with a dead look in his eyes. He was tall, heavy, and grim of face; and he cried: "Mister Attano! We request your presence. There has been another attack of the lower city guards against the citizens."
"Have your men fall back!" said Corvo, immediately running after him and up a dark stairway. "That would only create more complications. Where is the district? What has happened?"
"In the ninth of the north!" said the man. "Filthy lower guard scums! They do whatever they want, and with no respect!"
"Go back into your home," said Corvo. The two men were now wandering through the narrow, misty roads, where the moon's reflection ricocheted off dozens of square windows, making many beams of pale light shine about. "There should be not another death of true good men."
"Are you sure?" said the man. But he became tired and sick, for he waned in speed and threw his back against a wall. "Please go, Mister Attano. This city needs you more than it needed the empress long ago."
Corvo kept looking down, yet remained running. He thought very carefully about the man's words, who appeared to be a member of a group of rebels against higher classes. But even they, seen as thugs, were overshadowed by dark powers. Corvo shook his head and jumped over a rail car, then a ledge, then up he appeared on a tilted rooftop, and he remained running.
* * *
After many minutes of sprinting, Corvo found the ninth district of the northern region. And his face was pale as he walked about the field. Many bodies of indistinguishable figures were lain here and there, and many other piles of ash were scattered about. A single body in a guard's uniform rested upon a lamp-post; but his skin was far too white to be alive, and his face was frozen. Everywhere else he could see guns—ashen-cold smoke arising from their heated barrels.
"The Watch would like to inform everyone to remain indoors! A group of clean-up guards will be coming soon to dispose of any mess which could pose a threat to this fair city!" clamored a voice from a radio box, hanging off a loose wire on a leant window-sill.
Corvo bent low, and brought a shaky hand to an ash pile on the floor. He breathed slowly, then arose. "These occurrences are happening faster than before," he said to himself. "So many royal politicians and rulers have I killed—but to what degree? Dunwall is the main city of this isle, and these troubles are far and few here compared to the others." His lip trembled as he looked upwards to the full moon. "Something must be approaching this land! I... I must act more dynamically. But..."
"Halt, civilian!" cried muffled voices from afar. "Do not move! You shall be escorted to the main detention center so we can question you further from the looks of this situation!"
Corvo paid little attention to the incoming voices. His mark glowed; and he bent time, and he teleported away and was never seen again there.
* * *
"Good to hear from you again," said The Outsider. "I was watching; therefore, no need to explain what you saw."
"I have to kill those two princesses!" said Corvo. "This country—actually, this continent as a whole is falling at a faster rate every month. I cannot wait and expect change. But before that I need to secure it for the future. I must go back to Equestria like before. I am certain of it now."
"You were certain of it before," said The Outsider. "But since you are even more determined now, I expect a good show." The Outsider let his eyes wander over the many dusted book-shelves surrounding them. Then he looked to Corvo and said: "You have always been a calm and formal gentleman, Corvo. But I have realized something worth to tell: that the more this land falls into chaos, the more frustrated you become. It is not good for your health to be so angry."
Corvo laughed long but quietly to himself, then said to The Outsider: "You think that I am losing myself? Well, you would be right in saying that. But it is hard to remain tranquil is such a situation."
"Almost psychopathic, too," added The Outsider. "Your sociopathic tendencies leave me very wary over you."
"Whatever you would like to think, Outsider," said Corvo, sounding very busy, sorting through a bundle of old books. "I need a plan to go back to Equestria, one that I would win no matter the outcome. I need time, however, and your help—not just you transporting me there."
"Oh?" said The Outsider. "So you want me to take part in your little master plan now? Is that it? Well, as long as I get entertainment out of the outcome, I would be glad to help. But, Corvo, just remember that I do have incredibly clear limitations as to what I can and cannot do."
"I know," sighed Corvo quietly. "I will be travelling the isles, however."
"Travelling the isles?" The Outsider sounded very bewildered. "Now that does surprise me! But will that not take months for you to return to Dunwall?"
"But of course! You need time to create perfection. These ponies is what I shall not underestimate. The primary ruler, Princess Celestia, is who I shall consider a genius."
"Why would that be?"
"It is better to take precautions and be wrong than none at all and be right, and the latter would be bad in this scenario." Corvo started to flip through seven other notes. "I cannot be too reliant on anything, Outsider, for even your shadow leaves you when you are in darkness."
"Very wise!" said The Outsider. "What else may you say?"
Corvo looked up in thought, then said: "Life is like drawing without the use of an eraser. And I must be selective in a battle, only for the good causes."
"Well, maybe this should pay off in the end after all!" The Outsider frowned, though, and lowered to Corvo's height. "Corvo, have you ever considered that these ponies may be innocent, and that killing them would be a horrible, horrible thing to do?"
"Dark actions must be taken in order to save what you want to be remembered," said Corvo. "I care not for their lives. Now, please leave me be until I contact you again. Be off!"
And many days turned to weeks, and many weeks turned to months. Corvo had forgotten to count the days, for he faced a myriad of dangers within the countries across the sea. He had managed to turn his identity invisible and traveled where he could; and now the assassin needed to act faster than ever now. His mind would be put to its absolute limits.
* * *
"And here we are, in this very same underground library, after three months of tedious waiting," said The Outsider.
"Yes, I see that," said Corvo, sighing heavily and rubbing his face. "There has been very limited knowledge available to me concerning Equestria—such as their workings. For that I was always running into obstacles, and continuously revising my predictions. That is why it has been three entire months."
"And I have been extremely bored for that time," said The Outsider, quicker than was necessary.
Corvo laughed, then yawned. "Yes, yes, do not remind me," he said. "These past three months has left me very weary indeed. I will say what I need from you, so listen up, for I need not repeat myself."
The Outsider crossed him arms. "Please explain."
"I will be going back to Equestria, saying that I seek redemption for the wrongdoings I have done in my initial visit. It will be difficult, but I suppose I can manage."
"What a ridiculous plan," opined The Outsider. "Already I am hearing something that will most likely fail. They will never forgive you with your personality right now."
"And I agree," said Corvo. "Right now, that is, which is what you said. That is why I need you to erase a part of my memory."
"Um—ah, what?" stammered The Outsider. "I never expected this. What have you in mind?"
"Very, very simple." Corvo leaned in closer. "I need you to erase two things: my memory of the upcoming war that they will bring, and my wanting to end them, which is what I feel at the moment."
"What will happen then?"
"By doing this, all I will remember is that I went to Equestria, wrongly caused chaos there, and I returned without ever apologizing. Chances are, I will want to go back and ask for that forgiveness. You see, Outsider, that is just how I am: I always treat people with kindness who deserve it. And these ponies, completely out of my concern for this world, would only think back of me as evil. I would hate to have that known, and saddened, too; so I would want to help them and seek redemption. Like I have said, that is just how I am."
"Now we are getting somewhere," said The Outsider. "What else?"
"I would eventually gain their trust, I predict, but only by proving it. That is why I need you to create many, many problems in Equestria."
"Problems?" The Outsider's black eyes widened, then fell. "Like what?"
"Earthquakes, hurricanes, logic-defying events in correlation to their workings, things that cannot simply be whisked away through their magic. I need you to slowly destroy their world."
"And very dark is this plan of yours?" said The Outsider. "I need an explanation for all of this."
"Listen to my next words, for these are of uttermost importance. Make some sort of object or natural machine—say, a tree—with seven placements for seven stones, which you will scatter about Equestria in this pattern: one stone per unique location in whichever order you choose. This way I would be able to easily figure that out and deduce their locations."
"Corvo, this is all too confusing," said The Outsider. "A tree and seven stones? Destructive events? Please explain."
"Maybe if you would not interrupt I could say everything," said Corvo. The Outsider bowed his head and stuck a hand out, and Corvo continued. "I know my own deductive abilities, Outsider. I would be able to descry the locations of these stones. Now, with every stone placement, you reduce the magnitude of quantities of these events by one-seventh until the very last one; and please make it so that I am the only one capable of having an effect on this said tree. With an obstacle this grand, I would be more than willing to help. From what I have observed of these ponies in the past, their nature is to make friends. I should easily be able to befriend them."
"With your charisma, Corvo, of course you can," said The Outsider.
"Thank you," replied Corvo. "The more of these stones are placed, the closer I predict our relationship would become. I cannot promise anything for the princesses, however."
"And why seven stones in particular?"
"I calculated that that would be the best number to make the plan flow. Not too much and not too little. Of course, there are a few rules you must set about when I place some of these stones. On the first one, give me the power of"— Corvo brought a hand to his chin and thought very hard —"pyrokinesis."
"The ability to manipulate fire?"
"Yes, give me that."
"But, Corvo, that is where my first limitation comes in," sighed The Outsider. "I cannot simply create a new power for you using thin air. You have six active powers, so I must replace one."
"Then replace my summoning of rats: the Devouring Swarm," said Corvo. "Those creatures are the last thing this city needs; and I never did find the power useful. So change it to pyrokinesis."
"Alright then. Please continue."
"You see, I would like to first give the ponies the idea that I am gaining more power, as to not think I arrived looking weak, just to throw them off and kill them. But, at the same time, I need you to slowly take away my powers. Weaken them throughout this entire journey."
"But you just said yourself that you do not want to look weak; and you already asked for a new power," said The Outsider. "What is the point?"
"I do not want to give them the impression that I am trying to look weak, yes, but by gaining a new power, they would then be wary of me, for I am becoming more powerful. Worse case scenario, they may even lock me up for further questioning. That is why I need you to weaken me as time motions. This sudden shift from weak and power and weaker will make them think: that I should not be a threat, for I am trying to struggle with my own magic while helping them. It is simple psychology."
"Very smart," said The Outsider. "And?"
"On the fifth stone I should have gained their trust by then. So, that is why I need you to restore all of my memories on the sixth stone. That is the trigger in this plan." Corvo breathed out quickly, noticing how weary he had become. "Continuing on. By that point, with the trust of all the ponies or almost all the ponies, and with the knowledge I will most definitely gather throughout my time in Equestria, and my knowledge of the ponies as well, I shall formulate a plan then to kill the princesses. I am a quick thinker, after all."
"You thought up of all this... just to kill two princesses from another dimension?" said The Outsider very slowly. "How evil of you."
"You know my motivation," said Corvo grimly. "I am forced by my morality to come through with it all, of course; and emotions will not alter what I do."
"But, Corvo, why erase your memories? Can you not just act it all?"
Corvo chuckled inwardly. "Not even I trust myself with that. It would be better if I were to forget, for even I would think to be on their side. It is to be safe."
"Another thing I have to add," said The Outsider. "If I wanted to erase two of someone's memories, I would require that person's permission."
"Then you have mine," said Corvo. "Anyway, on the seventh stone—and this is important—after my powers are all diminished, return them to me."
"On placement of the seventh stone?"
"Yes. Once I have placed all seven stones, I will need all my powers back. By then I would have planned most things out, so I would be dependent on my Mark's abilities to execute the outcome." Corvo then got up from his chair, donned his long coat, and wandered to the wooden door. "Meet me on top of the clock-tower in the western district. I will give you more details of the plan there."
"Corvo," called The Outsider. The two stared at each other, a greyness in the air; and The Outsider chuckled and said: "you will infiltrate their land, help them, eventually trigger your memories to resurface, and kill them. Mad... but very interesting indeed!"
* * *
"And that is all there is to know," said Corvo, who was now stooping over the high tower in the night sky.
"Absolutely perfect!" said The Outsider in an abrupt change of tone. "You truly know the definition of strategy. The way you said you would approach their deaths—very creative, yet simple."
"I need not credit for what I do." Corvo looked to The Outsider, then snapped his fingers and blew hard. "Did you listen to everything I have told you—even the minor details?"
"With pleasure," said The Outsider. He then clicked his tongue and said: "Corvo, there is something to know here."
"Does it correlate with another limitation of yours?"
"More or less; but listen to what I have to say, for this may change the very direction in which your plan might turn out in the end. Even though I shall alter your memories, somethings are... rather hard to erase. There may be things you will do that you would still do if I had not erased these two thoughts of yours. Old habits die hard, Corvo."
Silently exhaling, Corvo nodded and gazed at the waxing moon. "I have considered that, and it most likely will not hinder my plan to the point of it being bungled."
"Well, that is lovely then." The Outsider rose a hand and shut two fingers together. "When I snap this will all begin—as an indicator for you. And like I have said, Corvo, I expect a good show."
* * *
"Celestia?" said Corvo, wandering in the high, darkened room. Princess Celestia herself was seated upon a deep couch, scanning over a scroll.
She looked to him with weary eyes. "There you are, Corvo," she said. "Good to have you here. I was actually planning to come visit you in your room, but I suppose that is unnecessary now."
"Alright then." Corvo rested beside her and brought a fist under his chin. "I came here to see if you had any clues leading up to the seventh stone."
"Well, I wanted to discuss something else," she said. "We'll leave the final stone for later. We do have plenty of time to spare, after all."
"I guess we do," said Corvo. "What is it you want to talk about?"
"I wanted to talk about monsters. Specifically, the types who lie and manipulate."