Prologue
The four cloaked ponies sat around the fire, which cast a small sphere of light in the forest, past that light however only darkness could be seen.
“How much longer until we reach Canterlot?” one of the ponies asked, he was a grey earth pony with a dark grey mane and a pair of running legs for a cutie mark.
“About another two days if we hurry” another replied, this one green with a deep blue mane
The grey pony sighed “we’ll never bloody get there at this rate Moon, it’s already been two weeks since we left Steelguard and still we-” he was cut off by a small twang as an arrow buried itself in his neck
“Oh shit! Get down!” Moon shouted, ducking beneath a nearby log that he had been sitting on.
The third pony unsheathed his sword and hid behind a thick oak tree, several arrows soon buried themselves in its trunk.
“Get ready guys, I’m going to distract them while-” Moon coughed as a silver long sword slid through his back and out his chest, a shocked look ran across his face as he fell sideways, the bloodstained sword sliding out of his body as he fell. The forth pony, a black pony with an even darker mane stood behind him with a malicious smile as he walked over to the remaining pony, dragging his bloodstained sword behind him
“Night Shade you bastard!” he yelled at his former friend, he lifted his sword up and charged at the traitor, Night Shade ducked to the right and easily dodged the attack, smoothly bringing his own sword up he sliced the head off of the pony, the head fell to the ground while the rest of the body slowly followed. Night shade then wiped his sword on the dead pony’s cloak and walked back towards the campfire where a group of six other ponies were gathered.
“It is done then?” A red stallion with a brown and grey cloak asked
“Yes” Night replied simply
“Well then, I think we best get ourselves back to Canterlot and get ourselves a drink” a large brown pony commented “by the time the king receives word from Steelguard it will be too late”
“Canterlot will fall” an ice blue pony said “but first we must eliminate its allies”
“aghhh” Night shade looked back and saw Moon slowly crawling away, blood seeped out of his open wound and left a trail of blood from where he was stabbed.
“Let me take care of it” Night Shade said, leaving the circle and walking towards the injured steelguardian courier. He unsheathed his sword and raised it above the courier’s head.
“Mercy” He whispered, looking up with pleading eyes.
“Sorry, no mercy here” Night said before slamming his blade down.
That was the last thing the courier ever saw.