//------------------------------// // "Peace" and Services // Story: Assassin's Tears IV: Loyalty by Corruption // by MisterGTFO //------------------------------// Prologue Chapter: "Peace" and Services It was a sunny day in Ponyville. Despite of that, Twilight Sparkle was in her library, reading and writing a note to the Princess about the extraterrestrial life other than Ponies. She still did it, despite Spike telling her that it was very "dumb". As Twilight putted her quilt down and her book also with her deactivation of her levitating power, She heard a creaking noise at her entrance door. She went downstairs to see what it was. It was Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash walked towards Twilight several feet before stopping in her tracks. "Hey, 'Twi, One of the patrol Pegasi got sick with the pony pox. I need somepony to replace her and I was wonderin' if your Lover Stallion could lend me a hoof and two wings." She asked. Twilight would agree to it but Silent Wind wasn't home. He was out in the Barren Thornforest. Saying that he was praticing. "Sorry, Rainbow Dash. 'Wind isn't here. He said that he was going to The Barren Thornforest to practice on his skills. He was only here 'till Morning." She said. Rainbow Dash, disappointed. Wandered out of Twilight's library and closed the door behind her. Twilight turned back and putted a hoof on her chin. She wondered what Silent Wind would be doing right now and became curious. She snapped out of her thinking as She heard Spike run down the stairs, calling her name over and over again. "Twilight! Twilight! Just.. wait a second." Spike said, putting one claw up towards Twilight. He soon burped up a scroll out and it fell on the ground of the Library. Twilight made a small spark with her horn, levitated the scroll up to her face and unrolled it. She began to read it out loud. "Dear, Twilight. This is of an urgent call. I must inform you that there is a small threat within Equestria and I must ask for your Coltfriend's aid once again. Please inform Silent Wind of this. Your dear mentor, Princess Celestia.." She wondered what the threat was and how it even happened. Thankfully, Princess Celestia had mentioned it was a small threat and was not dangerously harmful. Soon, Twilight heard a knock on the door. She turned her body around and walked towards the door, opening the knob with her magic. She came to see her brother, in his full suit of Armor but not wearing his helmet. She looked at Shining Armor, who had a very serious expression on his face. "Shining Armor? What is it?" She asked. Shining Armor allowed himself inside Twilight's library. As he walked past towards his Sister, he turned around. Wanting to talk to Twilight. "I'll have to make this quick. There's some unknown portal within the Sapphire mines near Canterlot and Me and My Royal Guards have been ordered to hold... Changelings.. coming within the portal." He said amazingly, at a calm voice. Twilight couldn't believe what She was hearing. The Changelings had already been defeated and killed off, never to cause harm ever again. But now, Changelings were coming back. It made no sense to her at all. "How?! I thought they had been wiped out. Is there anyway to close it?" Twilight asked. Her brother nodded in reply. He knew that he could destroy it and wipe it off the map of Equestria but what Twilight didn't know, was that there were large amounts of Changelings spouting out from within the portal. "Yes, but I must request help. That's why I'm here for." Shining Armor said. Despite of telling Twilight that he came for help, Twilight already knew what her brother was going to say. Unfortunately, her brother was about to get some disappointing news. "Silent Wind isn't here.. He's in the Barren Thornforest.." Twilight mumbled out, not wanting make her brother freak out. Surprisingly, Shining Armor only replied with a gasp. Shining Armor had to quickly move out but before doing that, He had bidded farewell to Twilight. With that, He left Twilight's Library, closing her door behind him. Twilight sighed and walked back upstairs to sit on her bed. Curious and slightly worried, She began to wonder of what Silent Wind could possibly be doing at a time of immediate danger as She touched the Silentblade Amulet that Silent Wind had given her on her recent birthday. "Oh.. 'Wind, what could you be doing right now..?!" She thought. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Silent Wind, who was in the Barren Thornforest, was sprawled on the ground. Gasping in exhausted fatigue. He had been working on a new spell which consisted of him manipulating his born ability to manipulate wind. Having no more energy to stay in his 'Armor of Shade' mode, it forcefully deactivated. He stood up and sat on the soil. Still exausted, he weaved left and right until he heard Shade speak to him. "You shouldn't use that forming ball spell again, it's really heavy to hold and fly towards an enemy. Giving them enough time to repel you. It put's extreme strain on your body also. Forming a ball of dense wind is hard and you might even faint if you push yourself too hard." Shade explained within his mind that it was quite dangerous to use his new 'ability' he had learned over the past months. Silent Wind shakingly stood up and walked toward to the closest Thorn Tree nearest to him to get his belongings as he replied to Shade's lecture. "I know it's a bit dangerous to use it but that's why I'm making improvements on it. I gotta try to make the ball smaller so that it's weight isn't big and threatening. You see, it's like water press-" Silent Wind was interrupted as Shade began to talk again. "I think I understand, Silent Wind. Say, doesn't Celestia have anything for you to do anything today?" Shade wondered. Silent Wind didn't think about any plans for him. Even if he was Celestia's official Guardian. He wasn't needed that much now since there wasn't anything evil that had to be ridden of. Which he didn't want to do since he was tired and slightly lazy. "I don't think so. I hope nothing's wrong, today. Anyways, I'd best get back to Twilight. She'll probably wanna be with Me and I just can't decline that Mare because that'd be really mean." Silent Wind said within his mind. He stopped once he was near to the Thorn Tree that held his belongings. He had thrown away his old attire and wore a new one since it was beginning to get old. Silent Wind took off his right shoulder guard which was complete leather. He strapped the single strap that held it onto his right shoulder across his chest. He then wore a long-sleeved long dark-grey coat which was slightly closed with a thin white rope. It had a high collar up to Silent Wind's neck and had light blue lines on the edges. As Silent Wind putted his coat on over his shoulder guard and his wings went through the small holes of the coat for it specifically, it flowed freely as he was done putting it on. He took his high-collared cloak and wore it which was Dark blue with a White Silentblade Insignia on the back of the Cloak. Once he checked his hidden blades that were covered with his old brown leather bracers, He left the forest by flying up in the air and looking in the distance for Ponyville. He saw it down in the south not far from where he was and flew down to a flat land. He then walked the whole distance, still tired from his overuse of his new ability. After several minutes, Silent Wind sighed. He was getting annoyed by walking on roads, He began to regret ever going to the Barren Thornforest that was quite far from Ponyville. He should've just went into the Everfree Forest but if He did that, He knew that Celestia would get upset. As he was still walking, He heard something, like whistling. He looked around and saw a Chariot come at him. He thought of only one thing and reacted. "Uh oh." He thought. Silent Wind saw that Chariot was coming at him. He quickly thought of what to do and the only thing he thought of: Duck. He putted his hooves under his head and flexed his muscles. Though oddly, the Chariot never hitted him. The only thing he felt was a touch on his left shoulder. He began to relax his muscles and looked to his left. It was Shining Armor who looking down on Silent Wind with a confused expression. "You should think more before you do something.." Shining Armor suggested. Silent Wind nervously chuckled and stood up. Wondering what Shining Armor could want with him. He never did ever have any requests from the Captain of the Royal Guard. "Ha ha... Yeah.. Hey, Shining Armor. Why are you here for me?" Silent Wind asked. Shining Armor then remembered what he was going to do and it had to be quick. Shining Armor quickly thought of what he was going to say. "Silent Wind, I'll explain everything. But now, come with me. Now!" Shining Armor teleported himself to his Chariot and Silent Wind got on also. As they were in the air in the Chariot, Shining Armor explained of how the strange portal had appeared and what they had to which was to simply close it. Silent Wind had thought that was quite simple, until he heard of how Changelings had been appearing from the portal. Silent Wind decided that he'd have to take his hidden blades up once again. Seeing how the danger was right now. "Okay, I get what you're saying. But, do you have your Guards at the mine?" Silent Wind asked. Shining Armor nodded. Shining Armor had already deployed several units to the mine once he got word of the strange portal that had mysteriously appeared. The Chariot began to lower down onto the surface and stopped. Silent Wind made a small noise and looked to his right. They were already at the Sapphire Mine. Shining Armor jumped over the Chariot and ran his way into the mines. Silent Wind did the same thing and ran, his cloak flowing freely as he ran faster and faster. He eventually hovered lowly in the air, flying slowly where he could catch up with Shining Armor. Silent Wind began to wonder how many Changelings were appearing and questioned Shining Armor with his head turned towards Shining Armor. "Hey, how many Changelings are comin' out anyways?" Silent Wind asked. Though he didn't have his head turned to Silent Wind, Shining Armor estimated his answer and he told Silent Wind how much he thought there was. "If you want to know, possibly dozens. I can't put my hoof on how many are coming out, though." Shining Armor explained. Silent Wind raised an eyebrow as he heard the word 'dozens'. He hoped that the task he was doing wouldn't be too long since He just wanted to go back to Ponyville and be with Twilight. As they were halfway through the mines, they saw a Changeling. A single whelpling and nothing too big. Silent Wind and Shining Armor sighed, as they saw the Changeling acted in confusion. Silent Wind chuckled and looked at Shining Armor. "Just.. stay here, okay?" Silent Wind ordered. Shining Armor made a small 'hmph' and crossed his forelegs as he waited for Silent Wind to rid of the Changeling. Silent Wind prowled down like a Tiger and flew at the Changeling at high speed. The Changeling noticed and squeaked in fear. Silent Wind knew it was going to run away and he even faster and punched the Changeling right in his snout, propelling the Changeling into several carts. Silent Wind rolled his right long, black sleeve and touched his special armband with the Silentblade Insignia. A small could smoke covered his right foreleg and a Sickle appeared with a long chain that came out of Silent Wind's right sleeve. A steel handle with bandages around it. It even had a dark steel blade to it. Silent Wind grabbed the handle with his mouth and threw it at the Changeling. Before it could hit the Changeling, Silent grabbed the chain that followed the hurled Sickle and swunged the Sickle at the Changeling's neck. Shining Armor thought he was going to aim at the Changeling's neck, but instead, Silent Wind grabbed the Changeling's neck with his chain and dragged it towards it. Silent Wind letted go of his chain and drew his left hidden blade. He charged at the Changeling propelling at him, grabbed it's neck with his right hoof and slammed it down to the tan ground. He drove his left hidden blade into the Changeling, making the Changeling gurgle and croak before dying. Shining Armor sighed as he saw that it took a while. Silent Wind walked away from the dead Changeling and rolled up his right sleeve and touch his armband on his forearm, causing a trail of smoke where the Sickle was, which now vanished. Silent Wind rubbed his muzzle, sheathing his left hidden blade and hovered back to Shining Armor. "Yeah, we're good. Let's go." Silent Wind said clearly, hovering in the air while moving. Shining Armor was slightly upset with Silent Wind. Seeing how he took a while just to get a single Changeling. "That was a bit too long and violent.. but, at least we didn't attract anything." Shining Armor said. Silent Wind stopped hovering and began to walk. Eventually, He turned a corner, seeing a long road which lead deeper down into the mines. Silent Wind looked at Shining Armor and shooked his head but smiled. Shining Armor glared at Silent Wind with a questioning expression. "Looks like we got a welcoming party." Silent Wind joked. Shining Armor went over to Silent Wind and looked at the road which lead deeper down. He saw at least eleven Changelings in their way. They all growled and giggled in excitement for new prey. Silent Wind blinked and flexed his eyes for a moment and his Silentblade-Shade eyes appeared, glowing purple and black. Shining Armor became surprised as they saw that they had already dealt with his men. Shining Armor's horn glew with his light pink aura as he prepared to fight. Silent Wind drew both of his hidden blades while hovering once again. He looked at Shining Armor, his eyes glowing purple eyes. "I'll go on first. I'd like to see if these Changelings can hold me. But they won't." Silent Wind mocked the Changelings with a small presence of Killer intent. Silent Wind said no more and charged at the Changelings, Shining Armor accompanied him with his support. Shining Armor had to close the portal down before the Changelings would rise up again. But most of all, He wanted to know where the portal came from. He snapped out from his quick thinking and focused on eliminating the hostile Changelings.