4th Imperial Era
Cloudsdale, Equestrian Empire during winter
"Maverick? Maverick! Fleetfoot? Soarin? Where are you?"
Fluttershy called out into the halls of the burning Den of northern Cloudsdale. She was still in shock about it all. It was so sudden, so unexpected. It was like the Den spontaneously erupted in flames. No one threw a torch on it; no one even approached it. It just sort of became fire. However, there was no time to question what was going on, there were Assassins still inside. The Den Master, the remaining Wonderbolts, and herself.
The Bearer coughed as the smoke surrounded her. She started to panic as all she saw was more and more flames. Parts of the ceiling collapsed and sparks flew in the air. The Element pumped the arcanic blood through her body. It pulsed and pulsed, telling and giving her the strength her to get out of there.
"Fluttershy! We need to get out of here!"
"I can't leave the others." Fluttershy objected.
"Fluttershy!"
"Alright!" She eeped.
The Bearer looked around for an exit. There was a relatively open hallway to her right. She dashed through the flames around her and made her way through the Den. The ends of her cloak caught aflame as she ran. The flames crawled up her cloak until she finally noticed their intrusion. In her fright, she ripped the cloak off and left it behind. More of the ceiling collapsed around her. A beam fell and blocked her path, forcing her to make a detour.
"Help! I'm stuck!" A voice called out from the end of the hall.
"Den Master Maverick! He's in trouble." Fluttershy panicked.
The Bearer reached the Den Master, who was trapped under a fallen beam. In his younger years, he probably could have lifted the beam off, but at his ripe age such a task was too much. Fluttershy grabbed the beam and tried to pull it up, but it remained on top of the Den Master.
"Come on Flutters." The Element encouraged.
"I can't...." Fluttershy moaned.
"Then get out of here! Bearer, your life is worth more than mine. I've served my Brotherhood and lived my life. You are far too young to die for me. Get out of here!" Maverick told the Bearer.
"But Maverick..."
"Go!" The Den Master screamed.
"Bearer, I'll do as he says." A mocking voice rang from behind her.
Fluttershy turned to see Spitfire standing in the hallway. A devilish grin on her face. Spitfire was wearing all black Assassin robes. Fluttershy first questioned why the former Assassin was here, but she was help nonetheless. She could get Maverick out from under the beam.
"Spitfire! Come, help me get the Den Master out of..."
"No can do, Bearer." Spitfire said simply.
Fluttershy became confused. "What? Why?"
"Lots of reasons. First is Honor, second is Cloudsdale, and third, you." Spitfire angrily walked up to the Bearer. Her grin was replaced with a horrid snarl.
"I don't understand..." The Bearer of Kindness uttered.
"Maybe this will help!"
Spitfire yelled and charged at the Bearer. Fluttershy got up and tried to dodge, but the former Assassin's speed was too much. Spitfire rammed Fluttershy into and through a glass window. The Bearer was out of the fire and into the cold and wet snow. She tumbled through the white snow until coming to a complete stop. Spitfire tumbled next to her.
"Get up! Get up and make your damn Element proud!" Spitfire yelled as she got to her feet.
"What are you doing?" Fluttershy began to crawl backwards, away from the angry former Wonderbolt.
"What I should of done years ago. You are all weak and pathetic. You Elements hide in the bodies of young girls and use them for your sick purposes. Harmony? What is that? Something the Brotherhood made up to sound good, that's what. C'mon Bearer, get up and fight me!"
"You know I won't do that." Fluttershy responded.
"I knew you would say that. You couldn't harm a fly, could you? And because of that, that's all what the Brotherhood is: a hive of pests and flies. I'm sure at one point the Brotherhood was honorable, but not anymore. You are corrupted as much as you say the Templar are. It's a disgusting irony."
Spitfire grabbed the Bearer and lifted her to her feet. The eyes of the assailant were burning with rage. Behind her, the Den collapsed completely, severing any hope of the Den Master getting out. Spitfire chuckled at Fluttershy's worried eyes.
"I've waited a whole year for this! Ever since you ordered me to kill that falsely accused Arabian, I have wished to avenge him. And guess what? I'll use his sword to do it. Fitting like a novel's end eh?"
Spitfire threw Fluttershy into the snow and drew her scimitar. The Arabian steel hummed with satisfaction. Fluttershy was frozen in fear. She couldn't move and simply gaped at the traitor. Spitfire cackled and raised the sword above her head.
"I won't be killing you, Bearer. You died when that shard replaced your heart and soul."
Spitfire swung her sword toward the Bearer. Suddenly, a wall of bright fire appeared between the two. The traitor howled from the burns and turned away. Fluttershy regained her senses and stood up. Spitfire cursed loudly as she clutched her burned hand. A woman with red and yellow hair approached the traitor. She wore a black cowl that covered for face.
"Spitfire! You are not supposed to kill the Bearer. She was not part of the deal." She yelled at the traitor.
Whoever this woman was, Fluttershy did not know. Though she had to be the one who sprouted the fire on the snow. Her Element pulsed again. The Bearer felt a strong urge to flee and did. She ran with all her might away from the mad traitor. She heard Spitfire scream in anger.
"She's getting away! I've waited too long for this. You can't stop me, you fiery bitch! The deal was for me to clean up Cloudsdale, that's what I'm doing. Out of my way!"
Footsteps in the snow followed the fleeing Bearer. Fluttershy ran and ran. The traitor shouted insults to the Bearer. She dared not look back. She took a quick right and continued running through the Cloudsdalian crowds.
"You forget that I was an Assassin! You can't shake me off like that." Spitfire reminded the Bearer.
"Just keep running or we're both dead!"
Fluttershy hopped over a snow-covered wagon. She could only think of one thing: survival. She made sure her steps were well placed and not on the icy puddles of the roads. The sounds of people being shoved over were heard from behind. Spitfire apparently foregone her ability to evade the civilians in the chase.
"Fleet! Soarin! Get her!"
"What?"
"Hah!"
Soarin jumped down from a roof and tackled the Bearer. Fluttershy rolled on the cobblestone with the Wonderbolt. Soarin slid into a merchant stand, knocking it over. Spitfire charged at the Bearer, the same fire in her eyes. Fluttershy sprinted off again, only to run into Fleetfoot.
"Hey Bearer! How ya doing this fine day?" The young Wonderbolt asked casually.
"Wait? Are you two with her?" Fluttershy asked timidly, already knowing the answer.
"Of course silly! Why else would we want to kill ya until ya dead?" Fleetfoot giggled.
"Time to take over."
Kindness quickly took control of the Bearer. Fluttershy reached out and grabbed Fleetfoot by the shoulders and threw her into the charging Spitfire. She then took off down the hill. Her ultimate destination was now the Cloudsdale gate. She had to flee the Fog City. It was the only way she could survive against three trained traitors.
"Get off me you idiot! Soarin! Get her and crack her skull and her Element!"
"Gotcha Spits."
Fluttershy looked to her left. Soarin was running along the rooftops. His mace reflected the afternoon sun. The Bearer halted and took a left. Soarin slid on the icy rooftops as he had to change direction. She used this to her advantage and ran towards one of the gutters that ran to the bottom of the city. She threw herself into it and slid down the stone.
"Didn't expect that." Soarin uttered.
When she reached the end of the gutter, Fluttershy sprinted through a large plaza. People putting up Hearth's Warming decorations took notice of her and her glowing eyes. The three Wonderbolts shoved the ladders and customers out of their way. The plaza was large enough where no rooftops were nearby. The Bearer was relieved slightly by this. They had to go through the obstacles on the ground.
"She's too fast!" Fleetfoot complained.
"Shut it, Fleet! She still got to get through the last level before reaching the gate." Spitfire said.
The Bearer turned again and dodged a couple of Hearth's Warming entertainers and actors. Some cursed loudly as she interrupted their small plays and dances. She looked back. Spitfire was running on peoples' shoulders and slowly gaining ground. Oh she wished she had the courage to fight back. The courage to even bring a weapon with her. It seemed that being the Bearer of Kindness limited such freedoms drastically.
"I need help!" She screamed.
"That won't help you now, Bearer!" Spitfire answered her cry.
"You sure about that?"
They all turned to see who said that interrupting sentence. The crowds split and young Flitter, an Assassin from the West Den charged at Wonderbolts with her twinblade, an ancient Cloudsdalian weapon that was comprised of a two straight blades that were attached to a single handle in the middle. Fluttershy stopped and hesitated. It was three against one. Flitter was also not known for her combat prowess. The Bearer could only stand and watch.
"You killed my sister, Spits! She was your friend! How can you live with yourself?" Flitter spun her twinblade about to get their attention.
"Kicker attacked me! She was no friend of mine if she attacked me. Now get out of our way. I want the Bearer, not you." Spitfire pointed at Fluttershy with hatred.
"You'll have to get through me first!" Flitter swung at the traitors.
"What are you doing? Run!"
"I should help her. She'll be killed!"
"Indeed! If you don't go, her death will be in vain!"
Fluttershy couldn't leave. She was stuck in the middle of it all. Flitter held up against the trio. Deflecting both Spitfire and Fleetfoot. The young Assassin fought the two fronts, but the third was left unchecked. Soarin smacked her in the side with his mace, sending her flying to the ground. She regained her footing, but she clearly had broken ribs. She blocked Spitfire's attack. The head traitor kept the pressure on the wounded Assassin. Fluttershy was still standing there, unmoving. Her Element was trying to drag her away, but to no avail.
"Keep it up! I'll take you all on!" Flitter taunted.
Spitfire growled. "You asked for it!"
Spitfire swiped a leg underneath Flitter, tripping her. She then stomped on the Assassin's ribs in three quick slams of her foot. Flitter screamed in agony. She tried to swing her blade, but Fleetfoot stepped on her hand, pinning the blade down. Fleetfoot cackled as she spun her cutlasses. She then drove both swords deep into Flitter's throat. The young Assassin was done.
"Lucky us, she stayed behind. Hehe!" Fleetfoot giggled as she saw the shocked Bearer.
"I need to go!" Fluttershy squeaked.
"Oh no you don't! If you stay, we'll make it painless. I swear." Soarin offered.
The Bearer shook her head and backed away. "I rather not risk it."
"Let's lose them."
Fluttershy grabbed a purse from a nearby man and ripped it open. Bitpieces flew out and onto the street. She did this with another and another. Soon, the plaza was filled with scrambling people getting a share of the loose bits. More chaos was made with Cloudsdalians reacting to the ruined body. It was a grand mixture of greed and fright. The Wonderbolts collided with the people when they tried to reach Fluttershy. The Bearer ran through the confusion with the Wonderbolts trapped inside.
"That'll do it."
They were out of sight but Fluttershy kept running. She was so afraid like when the Element chose her those years ago. She was now thankful for Kindness's help as she probably would have died at the Den without it. Then again, she wouldn't have been in the Den if it wasn't for the Element. Flitter wouldn't have died either...
"No time to think like that. We're not out of the city yet."
She ran down to the bottom level of the city. The gate was in sight. She just now was starting to feel to chill of the wind without her cloak. The Element acted as a heart, but did not function as well with keeping one warm. The cold was biting her even as she ran. Her teeth started to chatter. The gate was just across the Main Plaza.
"I can't get there." Fluttershy wailed.
"No! We can't give up."
"So c-cold..."
The Bearer ran to the middle of the Plaza before falling to the cobblestone. Her fingers were becoming purple. Cloudsdalians noticed her and picked her up. They were clearly worried for her in the freezing weather.
"She has no cloak! She's freezing!"
"She needs help!"
"We'll help her!" A traitor laughed.
Spitfire! Fluttershy turned to see all three of the Wonderbolts. All their weapons were out. Fleetfoot's bloodied cutlasses, Soarin's barbaric mace, and Spitfire's gleaming scimitar. The crowd parted as the traitors confidently walked over to her. Spitfire chuckled in her apparent victory.
"Haha. Looks like you've reached the end. So close to freedom too. Just like the Brotherhood, you'll never reach freedom. So, how do you want it? A decapitation? Want me to rip the shard out of your chest? I wonder what would happen. Slices? Stabs? Soarin could snap your neck. It's all up to you, my dear Bearer."
"You will not lay a hand on this poor girl!" A man shouted back at her.
"Ruffians! Can't you see that she is ill?" A woman said.
"Fiends! Get them out of our city!" Another yelled.
Spitfire gaped at them. "Fiend? I've saved this city from filth like her. You dare protect the criminals?"
"What crime has she committed? Are you the judge? What right gives you to take a life?" A man placed himself between the Bearer and the traitor.
Several others did the same. The Wonderbolts were in shock by it all. Fluttershy was led into a warm tavern with a blanket and some hot liquid. She could hear Spitfire scream at them for their involvement. The people were firm in their ways and repelled them.
"Is this the gratitude I receive for my actions? Ask Lady Shimmer! She knows what I am doing. You cannot reject royalty!"
"Begone woman! Begone before we call the Guards on you!" The crowd shouted back.
"Of all ways this could go bad, I didn't think of this." Fleetfoot muttered.
"Ugh! You listen Bearer! I'll kill you! I'll kill all the Assassins across Equestria. You can't stop Justice! You can't stop Justice!" Spitfire yelled at Fluttershy.
The door to the tavern shut and there was quiet. People gossiped about the commotion as they drank their drinks. Fluttershy sat on a stool in front of the bar. She was starting to feel warm. Patrons muttered about her. Some saw her glowing eyes but could not confirm it as they were normal again. Her shard hummed with relief. The bartender leaned on the wood in front of her. His face had a friendly smile.
"What kin' I get ya lass? Girl like you deserve anything ya want. No charge. So, what kin' I do for ya?"
"I want enough supplies to get me to Canterlot. I do not wish to live in this city anymore."
"I understand after what I saw. Why Canterlot?"
"I have friends there. I hope..."
"We both hope..."
~