• Published 20th Dec 2014
  • 6,451 Views, 808 Comments

Leap of Faith - A bag of plums



After the defeat of the Dazzlings, Sunset Shimmer finds herself at the center of an ancient struggle for power. With the net closing around them, can Sunset and her friends find out the truth before it finds them?

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Flight from the Bureau

“Everyone okay?” Frigid Night got up and noticed his partner bent over, clutching at her face with both hands. “Morning, are you alright?”

He moved over to inspect her. Sunset noticed runnels of blood trailing down from where Morning Blade’s hands covered her face; she had been wounded.

“I-I’m fine, sir…” she said through short, shallow breaths. “I-It’s just m-my eye… It hurts…” Frigid removed her hands, only for Sunset to see that the blood was coming from the female Assassin’s right eye. A fragment of golden metal was jutting out from it.

“You need help, right now.” Frigid began searching his pockets for something to help. “Stay strong, Morning.”

Sunset slowly got to her feet and surveyed the courtyard. There was no Sombra in sight, and the walls all around were peppered with tiny shards of golden metal, each one still glowing red-hot under the night sky. The rest of the courtyard had been wiped clean, almost as if there hadn’t been anything there to begin with. The Mentor was lying in the middle of a circle of melted snow, unmoving. Sunset rushed to her side.

“Mentor Steel Shine,” she gasped. Steel Shine’s body had been pelted with gold shards, embedding themselves in her armor. Blood oozed from various wounds where the shards had pierced her attire. Her entire front had been scorched from the blast, smoke and vapor still rising off her body.

“S-Sunset Shimmer…” The Mentor cracked open a single eye slowly and turned it to the girl. “Is he-Is he g-gone…?”

“Yes,” Sunset said gently. “He’s gone.”

“Good…” she coughed, more blood trailing from her mouth. “Listen. You n-need to go… Leave this place… while you can...”

“We’re not going to leave you, Mentor Steel Shine. You’re coming with us.”

“It’s… too late for me,” the Mentor gasped. “You... have to go... More Templars are coming.”

“I… I can’t, Mentor,” Sunset shook her head, her eyes blurring with tears. “I can’t leave you.”

By now, High Noon and Keila had arrived at Sunset’s sides, with Frigid helping Morning Blade over, the fragment still embedded within her eye. Velvet Breeze and Sunset’s friends stayed by the ruined wall, though they were careful to avoid standing under any loose debris or cinders that could fall from above.

“Mentor’s right, Sunset,” High Noon panned his head past the broken walls, surveying the city with his eagle sense. “Templars. A whole lot more of them, closing on the front door, or what’s left of it.”

“Assassins…” Steel Shine slowly turned to face them. “You have… to get Sunset Shimmer away… Keep her safe.”

“Mentor…” High Noon pulled his hood back and looked down. “We can get you out. I’m sure there’s something we can do.”

“You h-have to leave me...” the Mentor said more forcefully, her breathing becoming heavy and labored. “The sword has…” Her hand went to her pocket, pulling out a small iron key. “Frigid Night… you are the Mentor now. May the Creed… keep you all.”

And with that, the Mentors hands went limp, and her eyes glassed over. She was gone.

“No, no, no…” Sunset grabbed Steel Shine’s hands. “Mentor, you can’t go yet! I don’t know what I’m supposed to do! I need your help…”

Frigid stopped beside her and bent down to pick up the key, his face almost as still as the Mentor’s. “Kid, she’s right. We need to go before the Templars get to us. And Morning Blade needs medical attention that we… no longer have the expertise to handle. We need to leave.”

“We can’t leave her here!” Sunset objected still. “How can you be so… so cold?”

Frigid frowned and waved her off, but scooped his arms under Mentor Steel Shine and hoisted her up. “Go. Now.”

The group made their way quickly to the main lobby, noticing that there were black-coated Templars moving away the debris that was blocking the front door. One of them noticed the Assassins and the Rainbooms and shouted, but the group only quickened their pace, making their way to the late Mentor’s office.

“Keila, the bookshelf,” Frigid directed with his head while he grabbed numerous papers and documents from the office, stashing them and a slim silver laptop inside a bag. “That thick book there. Pull it.”

Keila did so, and as the bookshelf slid aside, a piece of burning rafter fell down, blocking the shelf from moving further than three feet.

“This whole place is coming apart,” Keila said under her breath. Then in a louder voice, she said, “Come on, everyone get through before the bureau comes down around us.”

Velvet Breeze led the way in, followed by the Rainbooms and Morning Blade, then the other Assassins, with High Noon bringing up the rear. There were more tremors as the building above continued to collapse, raining burnt plaster down around them. Just as High Noon was about to follow the others, there was a loud crack above, and a pile of masonry and flaming timbers came crashing down in front of him, forcing the Assassin to dive backward to avoid it. The debris lay there in a smoldering heap, blocking his way forward to the others.

“High Noon!” Velvet pushed against the rubble, unable to move it with just one good arm.

“It’s manageable,” Frigid returned, passing the Mentor’s body to Keila. “We can get you through in no time, Noon.”

High Noon stood and looked to the door, then back at the rubble. “We don’t have that time, Frigid. Go. Don’t worry about me. I’ll find another way out.”

Applejack joined the others at the front. “Come on, guys, we gotta get this out of the way! We’re not leavin’ him to get out on his own!”

“It’ll take too long,” High Noon pulled his hood back on. “Just go. I’ll buy y’all some time.”

“There’s gotta be somethin’ we can do,” Applejack looked to the others for help.

“There is, actually.” High Noon walked over to the debris and unclipped his hat and stuck it through. “Get this to Braeburn. Let him know I tried, and that I’m sorry I couldn’t keep my promise.”

Applejack hesitantly took the hat. “Ya hand it to him yourself. We can still get ya outta here!”

High Noon pulled out his revolver and faced the door. “If I do make it out, I’ll find you guys, but… Applejack, one more thing. If you do see Dewdrop, tell her… Tell her that I’m sorry it didn’t work out between us.”

In that instant, the first Templars arrived outside the Mentor’s office, immediately getting shot down by High Noon as he took cover behind the Mentor’s large bed.

“Go!” he yelled back at the others. He dug a hand in his pockets and fished out a car key, tossing it over to the debris where Velvet managed to grab it.

The others paused, then did as they were bid, retreating down the stairs and closing the secret door behind them as best they could.

“All right, let’s do this.”

High Noon loaded some fresh bullets into his revolver, gunning down another Templar grunt who came through the door, his body flying backward as the heavy-caliber round struck him in the chest.

For once in his life, High Noon wished the bureau had windows; at least then he would have a way out. But he reminded himself he had to keep the Templars away from the others.

He heard the rush of footsteps outside before more Templars appeared by the door. He fired twice before he had to duck back behind cover, the Templars’ bullets tearing into the fabric and wood around him.

“Circle around him,” the cowboy heard one of the Templars bark. “You two, find out where the others went.”

Not gonna happen, buddy.

High Noon dived from cover and kicked out a foot, sending a Templar falling against a bookshelf while he fired off another two shots from his revolver, catching one in the head, and the other in the chest. Both went down as the rest of the Templars turned to him.

Taking out a throwing knife and one of his combat knives, High Noon spun around and finished the first Templar off with a stab to his head, then tossed the throwing knife into the arm of another Templar, throwing his aim off.

High Noon rushed the others, extending his hidden blade. He dodged what he could, but he felt a bullet or two hit him before he was on them, spinning like a top, cutting and slicing at the Templars, using their cries of pain as motivation to push on, harder than ever.

Before he knew it, they were all dead at his feet, blood oozing from their various cuts across their bodies.

High Noon panted from exertion and wearily stalked back behind the bed, getting ready for more Templars. He only had five bullets left for his revolver, so he had to make them count.

Checking his body, the cowboy Assassin realized he’d been shot in the side and in his right thigh. Not vital spots… Good.

He unwound the bandages from his left thigh, the ones he had kept from so long ago to remind himself why he fought, and tied them around his other thigh to try and stop the bleeding there. Right now, there wasn’t much he could do, but he had to press on. The others were counting on him.

The Templars didn’t give him anymore time for a break, returning with more rifles and a new item. It bounced by High Noon and stopped by his feet. With widened eyes, the Assassin quickly picked it up and spun himself around before giving it a good toss. It sailed out the office door and detonated somewhere below; Noon also heard the cries of some Templars when the grenade went off.

Unfortunately, the explosion rattled the bureau more, causing more debris to drop. One Templar was immediately crushed as an entire block of masonry fell on top of her, while High Noon got off lucky with just a few small rocks pelting his body. Sure, they still hurt, but it was still better than getting crushed.

Just leave, Templars… The building’s already coming apart. Just go home.

High Noon rubbed at his brow, where a sharp piece of metal had cut open his skin, dripping blood over his left eye. Right now, his whole body was hurting, but he couldn’t give up yet. After all, he still had a few more bullets.

Leaning out, High Noon pointed his gun at the distracted Templars and fired, at the same time, making his way to the door. The first man was caught totally unaware, while the second one got shot up close, knocking him on his back. A woman dived in and tried to jab High Noon with a stun baton, but the Assassin spun sideways, delivering an elbow to her neck, before sinking his hidden blade into the center of her chest, using her body as a shield as the other Templars fired at him.

The cowboy stuck his revolver between the body’s arm and waist, firing two more shots at another two Templars, felling them instantly. Tossing the body aside, High Noon leapt over the next one, lashing out with a kick to the man’s head as he fired his last bullet at a Templar, whose rifle had begun firing at him. One round clipped High Noon in the ankle, but the rest lodged themselves into a bookshelf, missing him.

As soon as High Noon took care of the recovering Templar, he rushed for the door, but as soon as his hand touched the handle, the now weak piece of wood was shoved really hard and fast into his face, shattering against him as he fell back, grasping for his nose, which started leaking blood.

“My, my. If it isn’t Hiiiiiigh Nooooon. How nice to see you here…”

Standing in the open doorway, dressed in a dark trenchcoat and matching trousers, was Wolfgang. A lazy smile adorned his skinny face, and a knife gleamed in each hand, the blades shimmering in the firelight.

“W-Wolfgang!” High Noon scooted back a few feet, a hand still on his bloodied nose. “What are you doing- how? V-Velvet made sure you won’t be going anywhere anytime s-soon.”

Wolfgang twirled one of his knives between his fingers. “The Grandmaster, in all his wisdom, chose to heal me in preparation for the assault on you and your Assassins. Though come to think of it, I expected there to be more of you. The rest of you turned tail and run?”

You can’t run this time, High Noon. Your friends need you more than ever.

For once in his life, facing the deranged killer, High Noon recovered, stood up, and wiped the blood away from his nose. “They’re out of your reach, Wolfgang.”

“Oh, really?” Wolfgang peered around High Noon, his eyes settling on the askew bookcase as his mind put two and two together. Then to the men who were gathering behind him, he said, “The Assassins have a bolt-hole. Probably leads to their carpark. Go and secure the vehicles; this one’s mine.”

“No!” High Noon rushed forward and tried to jump past Wolfgang, but the killer simply stepped in his way and knocked him back with a shoulder. “Get out of the way. You’re not harming my friends today.”

“Didn’t you hear me the first time?” Wolfgang’s smile grew into a bloodthirsty grin. “You’re mine.”

Seeing no other choice, High Noon reached back and pulled out his second combat knife, wielding both of them in his hands.

“Then come get it.”


Sunset followed Frigid Night as he led the way down, following the same path to the Mentor’s secret room below. Using the key Mentor Steel Shine had given him, he opened the door to the Mentor’s secret study. Once inside, the lieutenant made sure everyone was through before locking the door.

“Right. Follow me. We’re halfway there.”

He led them to the back where another door stood in the wall, almost blending in with its surroundings. Twisting the key in the lock, he thrust the door open before waving for the others to go. Keila proceeded first, holding Mentor Steel Shine’s body, followed by the Rainbooms, who directed Morning Blade along, her eye still bleeding.

Sunset was about to follow when she suddenly remembered something. She turned back and rushed to the Mentor’s table, gathering the papers and stuffing them between one of the pages in the Book of Mentors.

“Sunset Shimmer, what are you doing?” Frigid hissed. “Hurry up! Forget all that! We need to move.”

“This is the Mentor’s book,” Sunset held it up in her shaking hands. “We can’t just leave it here, I’ve got to take it.”

Frigid grumbled and pushed her ahead. “Just… keep going. Go, go. You’re too important to leave behind, kid.”

Sunset clutched the book tightly to her chest as Frigid closed and locked the door before shoving her down the hallway. The others were waiting just ahead, waving their hands for Sunset to hurry.

Sunset Shimmer knew to do so. High Noon was back out there, buying them time to get away. She had no intention of wasting that time.


High Noon swung his blades, directing one to Wolfgang’s right arm, while the other looked for his neck. Wolfgang spun to the side, deflecting the lower knife with his own and dodging the one meant for his neck. At the same time he kicked out, his boot slamming into High Noon’s already wounded thigh.

“Agh!” The Assassin crumbled to a knee, but managed to kick himself back to avoid one of Wolfgang’s blades, which lodged itself in the carpeted floor.

High Noon picked out a throwing knife and let it loose at Wolfgang as he hopped back up on his good leg. Wolfgang hit it out of the way, but allowed High Noon time to close the distance again, slashing out at the Templar. The first slash caught Wolfgang in the upper arm, and the second sheared a portion of his blue hair off his fringe before the killer bent low and tackled High Noon, not stopping until he crashed into one of the bed posts. The four poster bed collapsed as the bed post snapped, sending High Noon and Wolfgang tumbling down, the latter rolling away, stopping only when he hit his back against the wall.

High Noon rolled around and rubbed his injured back, feeling all the pain finally catching up to him. He glared over at Wolfgang and got up, wiping more blood away from the cut above his eye.

Wolfgang recovered quickly, snatching up his blades and advancing on the Assassin. The killer swiped at High Noon, who tried to dodge backward, but there was no more room and the knife cut into his side, drawing blood. Wolfgang grinned and pressed the attack, slashing both high and low with short, precise cuts. High Noon parried up, but saw his mistake too late. Wolfgang’s knife cut deep into High Noon’s right wrist, forcing him to let go of one knife, before Wolfgang’s second knife stabbed into his abdomen, knocking the cowboy to the ground again.

“Nnngh!” High Noon groaned through his teeth. He couldn’t feel the fingers in his right hand.

“Is that all you got?” Wolfgang twirled his knives in his hands and sneered. “I expected more.”

“You want more?” High Noon lifted his left hand, raising his palm like he was trying to take something from the killer.

Wolfgang wore an amused face. “What? Are you going to shoot an energy ball from your hand or something?”

High Noon didn’t have the strength to respond. His wounds were quickly sapping his strength. Instead, he simply flicked his wrist like he would for a hidden blade. Instead of a blade, a mechanism clicked and pushed a small hidden revolver into his hand, his index finger immediately curling around the trigger.

Wolfgang’s mouth dropped open. “Oh…”

High Noon squeezed the trigger, emptying his hidden revolver’s four chambers in quick succession. Wolfgang stumbled back as the bullets tore into his leg, his chest, and his abdomen. The killer staggered and went down on one knee.

Then he coughed and stood back up, grasping at his injured leg.

“You miserable wretch!” Wolfgang hissed. He unbuttoned his trenchcoat to reveal the bulletproof vest he had been wearing beneath. “You dare to shoot me? Me?”

Wolfgang grabbed tightly to the two of his switchblades and drove them hard into High Noon’s chest, spraying the Assassin’s blood over his white coat.

High Noon gasped and grimaced, his eyes already struggling to maintain contact. He simply spat a gobbet of blood at Wolfgang’s face before he let his head hit the carpeted floor beneath him.

High Noon reflected back on his life in his last moments. He’d done all he could to help out, and for him, perhaps that was enough. He imagined the faces of his friends, including the ones that have already passed on before him; he was going to get to see them soon.

I’m sorry, guys. I’m sorry, Dew. I couldn’t stop him. I thought I could help you. Take him down… for both of us, Dew.

High Noon stared Wolfgang in the eyes until his vision faded to black and his heart finally stopped beating.

Wolfgang surveyed the fallen Assassin for a moment, then turned on his heel and strode back outside into the bureau’s main hall.

“Now, where are the rest of them?”


Sunset held on to the Mentor’s book tightly, not wanting to risk dropping it, or worse, losing it in the dark. Her friends ran just ahead of her, with Velvet Breeze leading their group on. Applejack seemed a little down, running slower than the others, still looking at the hat High Noon had given her.

“Hey, don’t worry AJ,” Sunset said as she ran alongside her. “I’m sure he’ll make it out. He’s a tough one.”

“Ah hope so, Sunset,” the cowgirl replied slowly. “Ah mean, he’s a nice guy and all, and Ah don’t want to be the one to break the bad news to cousin Braeburn the next time Ah visit him… Ah thought it’d be some good news for him, that one o’ his old pals is still alive and kickin’, ya know?”

“Yeah…” Sunset sighed. She’d never have to bring the news of someone’s death to anyone before. It wasn’t a task she relished doing.

“Are we almost there?” Rainbow Dash complained beside them. “You think a secret passage wouldn’t be so long?”

Frigid frowned and sighed. “I didn’t build it, kid. This passage was put in over five hundred years ago. Now less talk, more running.”

“Velvet, are you holding up okay?” Rarity and Fluttershy ran close to her. “Do you need help in running, dear?”

“I’ll manage,” the young Assassin admitted. “Let’s just get out of here as fast as we can.”

The path eventually began to spiral, leading up a small slope, which soon turned into steps. With only the dim light of some wall sconces, Sunset slowed her pace to allow herself time to find the next step; she had no intention of tripping and falling all the way back down.

Then abruptly, the top of the steps stopped right at the face of a wall.

“Uh… Dead end?” Rainbow Dash looked around to see if they had to take a different path.

Pinkie jumped over the others and landed at the front of the group, beside Keila. “Is this a secret door or something? Do you have to tap the wall in a certain combination or something? Maybe like this?”

Pinkie pressed a hand against a few of the bricks. Much to everyone’s surprise, the wall began to open outwards, folding to the sides as the bricks moved themselves, almost like the wall was imbued with some kind of magic.

“How in the world did you know to do that?” Keila questioned her with widened eyes.

“Eh…” Pinkie shrugged. “Just a hunch.”

“Hunch or no… You’re dangerous,” Frigid said as he pushed to the front. “Make sure the Templars never get a hold of you.”

Once the bricks were all out of the way, Sunset realized they were back at the carpark, just below the hill where the bureau was, the night as cold as ever. They were just about to run to the Assassin’s van when Frigid suddenly pushed them back into the tunnel before diving to the ground beside a parked green car.

“Down!” he yelled as the first bullets struck the bricks in front of them, sending up puffs of dust.

“The Templars knew we were coming,” Keila breathed angrily. She turned around and handed the Mentor’s body to Morning Blade, who still had a hand over her eye. She bent down to better support the Mentor. “Morning, stay here with the girls.”

“I can help, Keila!” both Morning Blade and Velvet Breeze said at the same time.

“You’re hurt, both of you.” Keila eyed them both one more time before darting out to join Frigid behind the car. “Just stay put!”

“They knew?” Sunset pressed her back against the wall as the sound of bullets echoed around the tunnel, amplified in the enclosed space.

“What about High Noon?” Fluttershy covered her ears and closed her eyes. “He’s still back there.”

“We… We can’t risk going back for him,” Morning Blade shook her head sadly. “We’d be lucky to even get out of here alive. And we need to leave. The longer we wait, the more Templars will arrive. Velvet, can you lead them to the van?”

“But what about the gunfire?” The blue-skinned Assassin peeked her head out and quickly retracted it when more bullets smashed into the masonry close to her face.

“Frigid and Keila will deal with them…” Morning scrunched up her face; her eye must’ve been hurting really bad. “When you see your chance, run for the van.”

“But what about you?” Velvet asked. “You’re in no condition to fight. You need to come with us. Plus, you’re carrying Mentor’s body.”

“I’ll follow behind you, don’t worry...” Morning managed a smile. “My… vision just isn’t what it used to be…”

Sunset returned her attention to the two Assassins outside the tunnel, their backs pressed against the now damaged car. Its windows had been shattered by the gunfire and there were lots of dents in the reinforced metal.

With no way to combat the Templars from this distance, Frigid Night and Keila dashed out in two different directions, heading away from the white van High Noon had used to drive them here.

Sunset noticed the bullets had stopped flying into the brick wall, but out in the carpark instead, targeting the two Assassins.

“Now’s our chance!” Velvet whispered loudly to them. “We need to move, fast. I’ll help Morning Blade carry the Mentor. You girls take this.” Velvet held out the car keys to the girls. Seeing no alternatives, Rainbow Dash grabbed it. “Make for the van and get in. The others will know to join us when we’re ready to leave.”

“Okay, but why is Rainbow Dash the one driving?” Rarity complained. “That’s a little dangerous, don’t you think?”

“Hey, you wanna drive?” Rainbow barked at her. “Right now, maybe dangerous is what we need.”

“Less complaining, girls!” Velvet hissed and pointed to the van. “Ready?”

“As ready as we’ll ever be,” Sunset replied. They really had no other options, ready or not. They simply had to get out of here or get killed by the Templars. It was an obvious choice.

The group sprinted from cover, Sunset and her friends quickly overtaking Morning Blade and Velvet. Morning Blade was having trouble keeping up with one missing eye, Sunset had wanted to slow down and help them, but Velvet waved her off, silently asking her to keep going.

Rainbow Dash was first in the van, quickly starting up the vehicle as everyone else piled in in the back. So far so good; they hadn’t been shot at yet.

“All set?” the athlete called back to her friends.

“Frigid and Keila,” Morning answered as she pulled down her hood and placed a hand over her wounded eye. “They’re still out there.”

On hearing the ignition, Frigid Night and Keila had begun racing back to the van. Sunset held the back doors open for them, willing them to move faster.

Understanding their intentions, the Templars began firing at the van, pelting the sleek white metal with their vicious bullets.

“Taking fire!” Rainbow instinctively ducked as more bullets hit the van, one cracking the window just beside her. “Hurry!”

Frigid was the first in, turning around and reaching a hand out to Keila. Accepting his help, the brown-skinned Assassin grabbed on, allowing Frigid to pull her in before nodding to Sunset to close the doors.

“Drive! Drive!” he yelled as Keila got off him, dusting at her brown jacket.

Rainbow stepped hard on the accelerator and watched the van lurch out of the car park, jumping once as she went over a speed bump, speeding away into the main city of Trottingham.

Soon, the gunfire began to die down around them as the Templars got further and further away, soon nothing but specks in the distance.

“Phew…” Rainbow wiped her forehead. “Close one. Everyone alright back there?”

“Y-yeah… We’re good…” Sunset finally began to relax, leaning her back against the side. “Today’s just been… just been…”

She hadn’t realized it at first, but her eyes had begun clouding over. With all their time spent running for their lives, Sunset and the girls didn’t have the time to stop and think about what had really happened this night.

All her life, she’d never seen death like this; it was all too much for her to handle. Sunset held the book closer and closed her eyes, shuddering as she let her tears fall. Her friends did the same, breaking down one by one.

Applejack clung to High Noon’s hat, quietly crying, while Fluttershy was very much shaken to the core, sobbing all over Rarity’s shoulder. Even Rainbow Dash was tearing a little, unable to keep the van going straight.

“There, there…” Sunset heard Keila say before a hand began patting her back. “I’m sorry you kids had to witness all this. This isn’t one of our best moments.”

Even Velvet was looking out the back windows, tears dripping down her cheeks. Losing so many Assassins in one day, including Mentor Steel Shine must’ve really impacted her as well. Maybe not all Assassins were cold like Frigid Night.

The male Assassin himself was seated on the floor, silent as ever, his face almost emotionless. He finally spoke, unable to do nothing any longer. “Kid, stop the van. Let me drive. Your crying’s going to crash us somewhere if you keep it up.”

Rainbow sniffled and wiped at her eyes before nodding. She stepped on the brakes and pulled to the side before fully stopping the vehicle and putting it on park.

“Right…” she said as got out.

Frigid got up and pushed open the back doors, letting a blast of cold air waft in. The cold made Sunset wish she hadn’t been crying, but there was nothing she could do right now.

“Get in the back, kid,” Frigid clapped Rainbow on the back as he passed her around the side of the van. “You did well. Now leave it to me.”

Sunset watched her friend enter the van, but also caught sight of something else. A flicker of white out there near a furniture shop.

The fiery haired girl quickly wiped her eyes and nose and pointed a finger out. “D-did anyone see that? I saw someone out there, hiding behind that shop.”

“Someone?” Keila quickly looked out and narrowed her eyes.

“Could’ve just been someone on the streets heading home,” Velvet suggested. “Or not…”

“Could be…” Keila said seriously. “But they won’t be hiding from us.”

Suddenly, there was the clatter of boots against concrete, and then four men in white appeared in Sunset’s view, pointing their guns at the group.

“Everybody hands in the air!” one of them barked. “No sudden moves or I blow the rainbow haired one’s brains all over the van!”

Keila had reached for her daggers, but seeing that she had no way to protect all of them, she sighed and complied, putting her hands up.

There were the loud roars of engines before Templar vehicles showed up. Sunset could hear them from all around her, and the ones she could see formed a line behind their van, blocking any way back; the front had likely been blocked too.

There was a scuffle in front of the van and not too long later, Frigid Night was shoved into view, where a Templar pushed him down to the ground.

“Try anything, and everyone in that van is dead!”

Frigid gritted his teeth and stared daggers into the Templar, but did as he said, placing his hands over his head.

“Very good,” the lead Templar smiled and kicked him in the gut, causing the Assassin to groan as he grabbed for his stomach. “Now, the rest of you, out! Assassins first!”

Sunset held her breath as the Assassins were pulled out. The Templars didn’t seem to have any mercy, shoving Morning Blade to the ground, even though she was injured.

“Don’t hurt them!” Sunset found herself saying, flinging herself in front of the mean red haired Templar. She soon found herself playing the same card. “It’s me you want, isn’t it?”

“That’s right.” One of the Templars approached her and roughly grabbed her, pulling her away by her arm. “Tell Wolfgang. We have the girl.”

“Wolfgang?” Sunset asked, shocked at the mention of that man’s name. “No, he can’t be around!”

“You can bet he is! He’s good enough to even kill that cowboy Assassin of yours. Ha! He didn’t even stand a chance.”

“No… No!” Sunset’s initial shock turned into anger as she began struggling more, trying to escape his grasp. “How could you?!”

“We do what we must, girl,” the lead Templar said and pointed his gun at her friends and the Assassins. “The rest of you, line up.”

“No! You can’t do this! Please… don’t!”

The Templars ignored Sunset and readied their weapons. “Line up!”

Her friends and the other Assassins did as they were told, fearing the worst.

Sunset looked to Frigid, willing him to try something. Surely someone like him wouldn’t go down without a fight.

Please, do something… Please...


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