Arrival
Corvo stood on the roof, high above the unsuspecting soldiers.
It was time to take down his next targets, Morgan and Custus Pendleton. Supporters of the men that framed him of killing the Empress. Him, Corvo! He was the Empress’s personal bodyguard and everyone accused him of kidnapping Emily and killing his employer!
Holding on to his outrage, Corvo remembered the day of her death. He remembered her final moments, how she’d begged him to keep Emily safe, but he had failed before the task was even assigned. Emily had been captured at the scene of her mother’s death, and he was powerless to stop it.
Now he could only hate those he exacted his revenge upon.
Revenge, the one thing that kept him going. At this point he lived for it. They falsely accused him of being a murderer? Well, better make sure their false pretences weren't so false, right?
Harnessing his anger as fuel, he took a deep breath and flicked open his sword. When the huge clock tower struck twelve, that’s when he would begin.
5 minutes.
3 minutes.
1 minute.
30 seconds.
3
2
1...
Now!
With a mighty ring, the clock struck twelve. Jumping off the roof, Corvo targeted one of the Tallboys standing in the ruins of the city. Sending mana to his hand, Corvo focused on one of his wooden shields and released the energy. He felt a jerk behind his navel and a hard pulling sensation as he rocketed forward. Putting his feet out in front of him, Corvo landed on the oblivious Tallboy’s shield with a sharp THUNK.
The man on the stilts attempted to scream, but was cut off when Corvo slammed a sticky grenade to the Trans tank on his back, and delivered a quick strike to his throat with the hilt of his blade.
Using the guard's shield as a launching pad, Corvo jumped up into the air, loading his Wheelock as he fell.
BOOM! The grenade went off, spraying blood, wood splinters and fire, alerting the rest of the guards in the area.
Foot soldiers whirled around, drawing their weapons as they turned, the Tallboys turned, preparing their bows by notching arrows tipped with trans based explosives. They focused their attention to the falling stilts of their brother in arms, then down to the culprit of the crime, Corvo.
“KILL HIM!” The shout came from in the crowd, but the giver of the command was unknown.
With a mighty roar, they charged. Foot soldiers ran, Tallboys opened fire... But they found nothing. Corvo had already blinked behind the group of guards.
Rolling out of his quick getaway, Corvo got up, turned on his heel and fired his wheelock into the group of guards. With a screech of pain, one of the many men fell.
The others charged.
This time Corvo wasn’t so lucky. Dodging a sword strike, he quickly holstered his pistol and began dodging and parrying.
‘Time for plan B.’
Focusing energy into his arm, he continued to do his best to survive. As soon as he felt the pressure hit a maximum, he swung his arm and released the energy. The effect was devastating. Half of the men chasing him went flying backwards, many not getting up. The trans arrows were blown out of the air by the incredible wind blast and went sailing back to the men who had fired them.
One of the arrows hit home, slamming into a Tallboy’s chest. He reeled and tumbled backwards, exploding with a satisfying BANG.
Corvo, however, didn’t stay to admire his handy work. He ran. Fast. As he sprinted, he pulled out a spiritual elixir, moved his mask and downed it in one large gulp.
After all, throwing wind-blasts around isn’t exactly the easiest of activities.
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Continuing his wild dash, Corvo began to get into a steady rhythm.
Run. Shoot. Blink.
Run. Shoot. Blink.
The “fight” continued like this until there were only a few soldiers and one Tallboy left.
This was the point that Corvo decided to test his new power.
Possession.
It had taken a while to get the runes but, once he had them, learning the power had been a breeze. However, this was the moment of truth. The time to see if his new power truly worked.
Skidding to a halt Corvo readied his hand, focusing power on the mark on his hand rather than the palm like he usually did. He then clenched his whole body, made a throwing motion and fired an energy bolt that traveled so fast, mortal eyes couldn’t even see it.
Striking the Tallboy, the bolt of shadow dissipated.
Corvo felt as though he had been plunged into cold water. Just as suddenly as it had come, the cold feeling left, then, he saw everything, except, from a much higher up perspective.
Wait, higher perspective?
The Tallboy! He was possessing him! It had worked! Looking down he began listening to the conversation the soldiers were having.
“He just vanished!”
“You don’t say? No shit he vanished, I can SEE that. Now stop being an idiot and let’s go find him!”
“You got it ‘capt’n, but lemme check on ol’ Sammy, He seems a bit sickly.”
“You think he got the plague?”
“No, he’s tougher than that. Hey Sam, you all right up there? You don’t look so good!”
Realizing the question was directed at him, Corvo gave a quick nod, and a smile.
“Right... Whatever ya say, Sam.”
As the two men turned away, Corvo notched an arrow on the Tallboy’s bow, drew back and fired. The trans tipped arrow exploded, bathing the two men in flames. They screamed and screeched as they ran to a small puddle of water in the alley. They yelled about the pain, about how “Sam” was a traitor.
They were dead before they touched the water.
‘Just like the innocents you all shot. Eye for an eye.’
With a twisted smile Corvo took another trans arrow and aimed it high up, with an extremely short draw.
As soon as the arrow left the bow, he dropped the possession spell. As it fell through the air, the unsuspecting Tallboy shook his head, attempting to clear the dizziness of being possessed.
Then he heard the crack of the arrow hitting his trans tank. With an incredibly loud explosion, he was blown to nothing but small meaty chunks.
Wickedly smiling at yet another victory, Corvo scaled the nearest building and looked up at the clock tower.
12:30.
Perfect. The Pendletons would be arriving at the Golden Cat any moment now. And with “happy” thoughts in mind, he set off towards the pleasure establishment.
He had some vengeance to reap.
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Opening the door to the maintenance room, Corvo peeked in.
Empty. Perfect.
Sneaking in, he looked through the barred window of the maintenance room at Custus.
Scum. If I could get in there, I would make his death as painful as I could.
Looking around, Corvo thought of how to kill the oblivious man in front of him. Looking around, he saw a steam valve, with a turning mechanism. Giving an insane barking laugh, he got to work reversing the ventilation systems so they would ‘flood’ into Custus’s room, as it were.
‘Too easy. I just slaughtered the incompetent guards, possesed this fool’s brother and had him kill himself! Now I just have to turn one more knob and this idiot will be dead too.’
Twisting the final knob, Corvo watched as steam began pouring into Custus’ room with a loud hiss.
As Corvo stood there the Pendleton brother choked. Coughing, wheezing. Corvo continued watching as Pendleton looked around and saw him. He stumbled to the window and pointed to the valve.
Slowly, Corvo removed his mask.
As Custus watched him take off the mask, his face took on a look of horror. He knew this man, from the wanted posters!
He was being assassinated!
Corvo gave the man before him a stone cold look. One of disgust and disappointment. The assassin watched as the noble begged and pleaded to be spared.
Corvo laughed and watched as the man choked and fell. ‘Good riddance.’
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Replacing his mask, Corvo turned off the steam. Sighing inwardly he allowed himself a bit of pride, and time to rest.
Then, he heard clapping. A slow steady beat, as if someone had just watched a good show.
Clap.
Clap.
Clap.
Corvo whipped around, flipping open his blade as he turned. Fully expecting an enemy he prepared to hurtle his sword across the room, but stopped dead when he saw who was standing in front of him.
The Outsider.
He watched as the black cloud around him swirled and twisted. Slowly, he refolded his sword and attached it to his belt. Corvo looked around the room as though the man before him were a trick.
Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, Corvo merely stared at the man, waiting for him to make the first move.
"Ah, Corvo. Coming back from the bloodshed? It seems like the rumors of your thirst for blood aren't rumors after all. Perhaps next you will use 'witchcraft' and curse the city with the plague?”
“I come here with purpose, Corvo. There, beyond the Void, is an enemy that threatens both you... and me." He paused, allowing the severity of the situation to hit the ex-Royal Protector.
“I know what you must be thinking: Why should I care? Know this. It is dangerous, Corvo. It will hunt you down from across dimensions until both of us are dead, just like your targets. Be wary. Now, go.”
“What? No, I’m going to have my revenge, powerful enemy or not!” The supernatural assassin almost roared.
“Don’t worry about that. End it, and you shall return home."
Before he could say anything to protest, the man disappeared and Corvo’s vision faded to black as he felt the sickening sensation of falling. ___________________________________________________________________________
Celestia was tired. She had just attempted to seal away a being almost as powerful as her, from 3 dimensions away last night.
It was high noon and she already felt like going back to her room and collapsing on her bed. But, she had to finish this paperwork or the rest of the court would bicker about it to her until she did.
That... thing. What was its plans? Did it want to trigger an interdimensional war? Was it in search of power? Or was it just being foalish? It seemed a lot like Discord and his magic... What was it?
As she thought this she levitated her quill and began writing the financial reports for the year.
That was when she felt it.
His magic.
“Discord!” she cursed.
Abandoning her work she opened her window and jumped out. Unfurling her wings, she gave them a mighty beat and propelled herself forward through the air. Sending out a magic pulse, the magical equivalent of a sonar, she felt everything. From the smallest of bugs to the mightiest of dragons. Anything with a magic spark at all, was in her vision.
As she felt the return pulse, a few things stood out. First, was Luna, goddess of the moon and, more importantly, her sister. One of the things that stood out also were the Elements of Harmony (Both the ponies and the objects). The last two, however, were the ones she was interested in at the moment. Two instances of Discord-like power. One shaped like a rift and the other in the shape of... a human?
They’re supposed to be extinct! This has to be Discord, he is the only one who would cause mischief like this!
Flying over to her balcony and to her room on the top floor of Canterlot Tower, she opened the doors, scrambled for a parchment and quill and began writing a letter.
Dear Twilight Sparkle,
As you may have noticed, there was a magical disturbance emanating from the Everfree. I would like you to go take a look at it and report your findings back to me. Take what and whomever you need, but keep the group small.
I am sorry I have to ask you to do this, but it may be an emergency and if I don’t find out about it fast enough, Equestria may have a problem on its hooves.
I fear it may just be Discord’s return, but I have my doubts.
Please, be careful.
Your proud mentor,
Princess Celestia
Quickly rolling up the scroll, she magically sent it straight to her protegé.
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Coughing, Corvo awoke with a start. He opened his eyes and scanned his surroundings immediately. He could be in danger! He could be-
...In a forest?
Sitting up with a grunt he looked around. ‘Trees, trees, and, what’s this? More trees. Great. I’m stuck in the middle of this forest and I have no idea where I even am.’
Giving an annoyed groan he quickly pushed himself off the floor of the forest, giving the air a sniff. This place was nothing like the forests back on the isles. Back home, the forests were full of small ten to twenty foot trees. Here, however, the trees towered up above, going as high as fifty feet. The air smelled a lot more moist as well.
Corvo gave a smile at the old memories of playing and learning swordplay with his father in the woods. Sighing as the momentary peace left him, he looked around and set off in a semi-random direction, simply following the path he had landed on in an unknown direction.
‘Why did any of this have to happen? Why couldn’t the Empress have survived?’