//------------------------------// // Train // Story: Blackest Knight // by D34dly F1ng3r //------------------------------// Blackest Knight Chapter 8 Six changelings surrounded an armored John. Three were equipped with spears and two with a sword, one of which had a shield. The last wielded a large battle axe with both hooves. The three spear changelings lunged at once. John drew his large wooden sword at the same time he jumped over the trio. He spun in the air and landed a blow to the neck of the middle changeling. He landed behind the two ‘surviving’ changelings and deflected a blow from the sword wielder with the blade of his sword while blocking another from the changeling with the shield by using his armored gauntlet. The blade would not have even nicked the reinforced armor had it been a real sword. John was forced to jump back as the last changeling swung his axe at John’s head. John took a moment to survey the positions of the changelings as they tried to track his enhanced movements. The changeling that had taken the ‘killing’ blow had barely hit the ground as John executed his second maneuver. He turned toward the two spear wielders and dashed toward the left one faster than their eyes could track. The human’s sword was brought across the changeling’s body at the same time that John’s magic took a grip of his spear. The spear was wrenched from the changeling’s grasp and sent hurling toward the last spear wielder. The unlucky changeling was driven into the wall twelve feet away, and would have been impaled to it if the spear was not wooden. John dodged another attack from the aggressive axe changeling. The two sword changelings tried to flank John as he dodged another overhead axe slash. John jumped backwards and landed between the two flankers and blocked both their attacks with his sword and gauntlet. An armored foot struck out and hit the unshielded changeling under the jaw. John then sidestepped an attack from the other before stabbing his sword past the shield. The changeling fell to the ground ‘dead’ as John brought his sword across the body of his comrade. The axe wielding changeling was the final opponent, and tried to capitalize on John’s distraction dispatching the other members of the changeling team. He swung his axe in a mighty arc toward John’s thighs as the human turned towards him. John tossed his weapon into the air and bent his body backwards until his body was horizontal from his head to his knees. The axe blade passed over his knees as John placed a hand upon the ground. He struck his legs out and spun upon his hand. His left leg swept under the changeling and his right kicked the now ungrounded changeling into the air. John used his arm to throw himself into a standing position before catching his sword and driving it into the airborne changeling. The sword brought the black body back to the ground and pinned it. The sword would have driven through the black carapace and into the ground, but John wielded his wooden sword. “Very good John,” Halberd stepped in from the side where he had watched the sparring match. “Though next time I suggest you don’t try to hit me with a flying changeling.” “I say the last maneuver was a work of art though,” Ditto stepped in as well. The medic changeling had attended John’s sparring matches in the beginning to revive the human if he were knocked unconscious, but John’s sparring partners were the ones who needed the awakening spell nowadays. “Either way,” Halberd interjected before Ditto got carried away on how and why each of John’s blows would have killed his opponents, “we just received word we are going on another mission. Let’s get to the briefing room.” A courier pony burst into the throne room as Celestia held her day court. All eyes were cast upon the pony as he made his way to the throne and threw himself into a bow. “Princess Celestia! We just received word that someone has made a threat against Canterlot!” the proclamation elicited gasps from the ponies attending the court. One fainted while the royal guards shifted uncomfortably. Celestia’s eyebrows furrowed as she asked the courier, “Do you know who made the threat?” “We do not,” The courier rose. Celestia looked down in thought for a moment before declaring, “Clear the court. Day court is over. ” The ponies quickly filed out of the throne room. The princess called her assistant, “Get a message to Captain Shining Armor, tell him to return to Canterlot immediately.” The assistant hesitated before asking, “What of the wedding? I thought the ceremony was going to happen after he returned.” Celestia thought before replying, “It will go on as planned. I do not want the ponies of Canterlot to be afraid. When he returns, we will have him cast the shield, but I believe he will be able to handle the shield as well as the ceremony at the same time.” The assistant rushed off and Celestia turned back to the courier. “Thank you for reporting to me immediately. You are dismissed.” She turned and exited back into the castle. The courier exited the castle and took flight, quickly exiting Canterlot. He chuckled to himself as he shed the disguise and returned to his natural changeling form. John sat in a box. Their current mission brought his team to the train station in broad daylight, so John obviously could not just walk in. The changelings in his team could change their appearance, but he could not. Halberd posed as a wealthy businessman who rented a private car next to the private car reserved for Shining armor and the Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. John’s caretaker, Versa, and the changeling from John’s first mission, Vice, posed as Halberd’s personal advisors. John’s battle axe wielding sparring partner, Mimic, got to be a nameless peon who hauled a giant, unmarked, very important box. What an honor. Halberd’s successful ‘business’ greased enough palms to earn complete privacy in the rented car, as well as getting normal inspections of the cargo waived. The box was quickly loaded into the car by a struggling Mimic while Halberd and his advisors seemed to do a little too well in acting the pompous nobles who couldn’t sully themselves with hard labor. John could hear several mutterings about lazy good-for-nothings and an overeating human. He had to stifle a chuckle at the last one. “It’s my armor that makes me look fat, I’m on a diet,” he whispered through the wood. “Shut up,” Mimic retorted. “Boxes aren’t supposed to talk.” He huffed with a final push that brought the box into the car and closed the door. He knocked on the wood to signal the coast was clear. John rose from the box and retrieved God Killer from the bag Vice had been carrying. “Isn’t this bag supposed to hold very important documents?” John shared a chuckle with the changelings. The only thing they could do now was wait. John walked out of the door to the back of the train. Their private car ‘just so happened’ to be the end of the train. He looked upon the open country as it sped away from him before gazing upwards to behold what looked like a large flock of birds some distance behind the train. He waved and a single speck broke off from the group and sped towards the train. The flock dispersed and seemed to disappear. The speck grew larger until John could discern the features of Chrysalis. The changeling queen landed next to John. “I don’t see why we couldn’t just have two boxes,” John commented. “The bird flock illusion was impressive, but risky.” “Do you think a queen would lower herself to hiding in a box?” Chrysalis responded haughtily before striding into the car. John followed. The other changelings bowed as their queen entered. Halberd quickly morphed back into his businessman disguise and strode to the door on the front of the car. John followed through the door but hid behind the wall next to the door to the next car. Halberd entered. “I am sorry to disturb you two, Captain Shining Armor, but I was hoping to meet the captain of the Royal Guard.” John listened to Halberd initiate the distraction. “It’s okay,” John heard a stallion, presumably Shining Armor, respond. “It is good to meet you, but this is a private car. I would appreciate a little fore warning before you barge in.” “My apologies, I thought your car was the next one forward. I was not aware anyone was in this one.” ‘Good cover for not thinking,’ John thought. “A simple mistake I guess,” Shining Armor paused before speaking again. “I assume that you are also here for something else?” “Yes,” Halberd responded, “I am a businessman interested in investing into Royal Guard weaponry. I was hoping we could get a few drinks and discuss matters.” Shining Armor paused before answering, “Yes, I suppose we could discuss this over drinks.” John heard three sets of hooves begin to move before Halberd interrupted them, “I apologize ma’am, but I would prefer to keep this between the Captain and I. Maybe you could stay here and I will order a drink to be brought.” Shining Armor comforted the mare, “It’s alright Cadence. I won’t be long. Stay here and I’ll be back.” John heard two sets of hooves get further from him before a door opened and closed. John could barely hear another door open and close over the sound of the train. He waited a few moments before entering the car. “If you are looking for the businessman, he just …” the pink alicorn cut off as she saw the hulking metal beast that had entered her car. John rushed over to the princess before she could utter another sound and clamped her mouth shut. “I am not here to hurt you, but I must ask you to come with me.” John could see confusion in her eyes that the metal monster could speak. He could feel her shake her head no. he sighed and drew God Killer from his back. “I will give you one chance before Shining Armor loses his horn.” John felt sick uttering the threat, but the curse would force him to take drastic actions if she did not comply. She started nodding frantically and John helped her up gently, He kept his hand over her mouth as he led her to the next car. Chrysalis walked up to the alicorn as John entered with her. The princess’s eyes widened at the sight of the changeling queen and Chrysalis chuckled darkly as she took the form of the pink alicorn and made her way into the car John had come from. The human led the alicorn to the back of the car. The Vice and Versa clamped a device around her midsection to keep her wings from moving. Mimic slipped a magic restricting ring onto her horn. John sat her down at the back of the car and sat down next to her. All they could do now was wait.