Leap of Faith

by A bag of plums

Woodfall

Frigid Night and Morning Blade pulled their coats closer around themselves as the strong winds continued to blow all around the rooftops near Canterlot High School.

Through a pair of old binoculars, Frigid watched the squad of construction workers pile the last set of bricks atop each other, completing all four sides of walls around the school’s horse statue in front.

He had earlier intercepted a message, detailing the evening’s schedule for the Board’s chairman, Mahogany Wood. Apparently, he was to arrive here at Canterlot High School at seven for a meeting with a Vice Principal Luna. That would be their perfect time to strike.

“Are we sure this vice principal isn’t a Templar?” he asked his partner. “From what I’ve gathered, she’s been supplying the Templars with tons of information on Sunset Shimmer.”

“She’s not a Templar,” Morning said steadfastly. “I knew her for four years, and she would never join them.”

Frigid made an unconvinced noise in his throat. “Yeah, well… We’re not here for her now. We’re here for Mahogany.”

The Assassins continued to spy on the streets, looking for the convoy that the chairman was supposed to arrive in. It was already two minutes past seven, and he still had yet to show.

“So Morning,” Frigid called to her. “I’ll head down over to that alley way there, just beside the last car, before he arrives.” The acting Mentor pointed at it. “Once I see the chairman, I’ll move in. Then you get over to the statue and cause a distraction.”

“Got it,” Morning Blade nodded. “Good luck, sir.”

Frigid looked down and swung himself over, grabbing a pipe on his way down. Using his momentum, he let go and grabbed a ledge, before making his way down the building.

Blending in with a group of three regular civilians walking along the pavement, Frigid kept his hood low as he paced over to the alley he pointed out earlier, shifting himself into the shadows.

He eyed the construction from his position, watching as a crane lifted a sharp triangular crystal cover atop the four black pillars. Whatever Sombra was planning to do with it, he sure knew how to make it look fancy enough.

It was about seven twelve when Morning’s voice appeared on his earpiece. “Frigid, they're here, just around the next street. They’ll be showing up in less than a minute now.”

“Got it. Thanks.”

Frigid honed his sight and activated his eagle sense, watching as a group of three black SUVs rolled along past him, the last one stopping just inches away from the alley.

“Come on…” the acting Mentor muttered. “Which one are you in, Mahogany?”

One by one, the doors to the SUVs opened. The first one contained a trio of guards, armed with only pistols and collapsible batons. The third contained the same thing, but the second, out of the second SUV stepped one guard, and two people that showed up as gold.

Chairman Mahogany Wood and his loyal bodyguard, Crescent Wing. The chairman had on some kind of golden cloak, hanging over his shoulders.

Slinking over to the entrance of the alley, Frigid crouched behind the way and waited as the group of Templars turned and began walking over to the school premises.

“Morning, they’re on the move,” Frigid pressed his earpiece. “I’m going in. Go for it.”

“Yes sir.”

Suddenly, there were a series of gunshots and a few cries of surprise, somewhere close to the construction site. Frigid smiled to himself and moved faster, closing in on the guard all the way at the back.

Great work, Morning.

Extending a hidden blade, Frigid grabbed ahold of the man’s mouth from behind, before jamming his blade deep into the man’s back. The Templar struggled for a heartbeat, but went limp almost as quickly as it had started.

Frigid placed him down near the alleyway as he went on, careful to avoid civilians as he approached the next guard.

---

Back at the statue, chaos reigned. Morning Blade darted from cover to cover, making use of the construction site as best she could. The Templar guards fired in her direction and she ducked down, the bullets whizzing over her head. More had exited from the school building, but the Assassin had managed to get to a good position, firing back at them after reloading her pistol.

Two went down as red spurted from their chests, but three more already had their own pistols trained on her, firing at her cover, which was a stack of bricks.

A construction worker tried to stop her, but Morning spun around him and delivered a quick kick to his gut, knocking him down before she kicked him in the side of the head, taking him out.

From what she could see now, most of the Templars’ attention was on her. If Frigid was going to do anything, now would be the perfect time to do so. She waited behind the bricks anxiously, but she knew she could trust him. Frigid might not have been the nicest of people in the recent years, but she knew there was still good in him, waiting to come out.

Suddenly, Vice Principal Luna appeared at the school’s front doors, her eyes widening as she beheld the battle that was taking place on her school’s grounds. Then she saw Mahogany and his guards approaching from the west and ran over to them.

“Chairman Wood, what the hay is going on?!” She ducked as a Templar fired at Morning’s position. “What is the meaning of this?!”

“Some common criminals trying to steal from the site, no doubt,” he said with disgust. “But do not worry, Vice Principal Luna. We shall have this settled in a matter of minutes. In the meantime, I would advise you to go inside.”

Luna nodded and dashed back inside the school.

Morning sighed with relief as her old vice principal left the area. She wouldn’t want her caught in the exchange out here.

“Sir,” she said on the radio. “What’s going on?”

“They haven’t noticed the missing guards yet, which is good. I’m almost behind him. Give me a bit.”

Morning peeked out from her cover, ducking back when more rounds punched into the masonry. Without looking, she poked her gun around her piece of cover and blindfired back.

Then she heard a series of shout as Frigid jumped at them, swinging three of his blades, cutting down the remaining guards around the chairman and his bodyguard.

“Assassins,” the chairman spat, facing him. “You just had to try and ruin our plans, huh?”

Morning thought her teacher was going to say something classy, but in the end, he simply charged and aimed his blades at Mahogany.

The chairman drew back, just in time to allow Crescent Wing to move forward, bringing out a saber to deflect Frigid’s attack.

“Oh no you don’t!” Morning vaulted over her cover and pulled out her katana as she shot four bullets at Crescent and Mahogany.

The bodyguard moved out of the way, avoiding the shots, but only realized his mistake when two bullets hit Mahogany in the chest.

“Chairman!”

“Good work, Morning,” Frigid said as he took the chance to attack Crescent Wing, slicing at him with his trident blades.

But then something happened that the Assassins did not expect. Mahogany Wood had fallen back, grasping at the spots where the bullets had hit him. Then his cape began to glow, and the chairman stood up straight, throwing away the two bullets. He reached into his coat and pulled out a tomahawk and a sword with a glittering black crystal blade.

“Sorry, but that won’t be happening this time,” Mahogany chuckled and slashed at Morning Blade, sending a wave of dark energy slicing towards her.

The female Assassin reacted quickly enough, ducking down as the beam slashed off the end of her braid as it followed her down. Her white and green hair began to spread out, but she had no time to worry about it as the chairman slashed another beam at her.

Frigid pushed his opponent away and tackled the chairman down, stabbing him in the back multiple times.

“Morning, switch up!” he ordered. “I’ll take the chairman. Scar face is all yours.”

“Got it!” Morning brandished her katana and rushed Crescent Wing. The scar faced man took one look at her and drew his second saber, taking up a combat stance as she approached.

Mahogany Wood pushed himself up, slipping away from Frigid as he slashed back with his tomahawk, the wounds on his back closing up as the cloak worked its magic.

“Grand Master Sombra provided me with this magnificent garb to face Assassins like you,” he smirked and cut down with a vertical slash with his dark sword, forcing Frigid to perform a combat roll to get out of the way. “You’re not stopping him. Our goal is almost at hand. Today, you will know true defeat.”

Frigid Night ran around as the Templar chairman blasted more beams at him, while Morning Blade and Crescent Wing circled each other, their weapons raised in front of their faces.

Crescent flourished his sabers. “Scared, Assassin?”

Morning smirked back. “You wish.”

With a battlecry, Crescent stepped toward Morning, slamming both of his sabers onto her katana, trying to throw her off balance. Morning parried both strikes and countered with a leg sweep. Crescent jumped backward to avoid it, while at the same time spinning around to check on Mahogany. Satisfied that the chairman was handling himself well, Crescent darted back toward Morning Blade. He rained down heavy strokes onto Morning’s guard, but the Assassin would not falter so easily. Keeping her sword raised, the Assassin waited for Crescent to tire before lashing out with a stab. She was quick and the tip of her katana embedded itself in Crescent’s hip.

The bodyguard twisted himself out of the blade and away to the side, cutting at Morning’s katana, pushing it away as he advanced on her. The Assassin ducked under him and extended her poison blade, just missing his ankle as the foot collided with her chin, knocking her down.

“Just like Assassins to employ sneaky moves like that,” Crescent chided. “You lack honor.”

“Honor. Really?” Morning rubbed her jaw as the Templar walked around her, the tip of one saber pointed in her direction. “If you want honor, then bring order to the world the right way, you scumbag.”

She suddenly cut up with her katana, nicking the Templar across the shin as he jumped back, a little bit too slow. Morning took the chance to get up and press the attack, cutting at him from the left and right, her blade like a blur in the air.

Crescent dug his right foot into the ground and cut upwards with both sabers, catching Morning’s katana in the air, coming to a stop just inches from his face.

“You’re quite good,” Crescent admitted as they pushed against each other.

Morning grunted in response, breaking the contact as Crescent kicked at her. She scuttled a few more feet away, and the two fighters circled each other once more.

---

Frigid Night flipped himself over a energy wave, an inch of his coat’s edge sheared off as the wave passed under him, burying into the grass, throwing up soil.

“Stand still!” Mahogany Wood ordered as he sliced wave after wave at Frigid, each one missing its mark as the Assassin danced left and right, trying to close the distance between them.

When he saw his chance, Frigid threw a throwing knife at Mahogany, catching him just in the center of his chest. The Templar chairman staggered back a few steps, but grabbed ahold of the dagger and ripped it out, tossing it to the floor. The skin underneath already began to heal as the golden cloak worked its magic once more.

Frigid knew that if he wanted to win, that special cloak was going to have to go.

Mahogany swung again and sent a wave to dark energy slamming into the ground at Frigid’s feet, throwing up a cloud of dirt, allowing the Assassin the smokescreen he needed to throw himself at Mahogany, cutting the wrist holding the black blade.

Mahogany stepped back and grasped for his hand, allowing Frigid to scoop up the weapon in his hands. Smiling to himself the Assassin slashed the blade at the Templar chairman as his wrist began to heal, but no dark energy was released from the attack.

“You fool!” Mahogany spun his tomahawk over to his other hand. “Only a Templar may use the full power of Grand Master Sombra’s weapons.”

“Oh yeah?” Frigid cut his blade across the chairman’s chest as he ran through him, the crystal sharp enough to cut through his clothes and skin. Then he jumped up and kicked backwards, sending the chairman sprawling to the ground. “It’s decent enough as a sword.”

“Well, you’re going to have to try harder than that…” Mahogany winced as he stood up to face the grey haired Assassin. Frigid watched as the huge cut on his chest began to close up and repair itself. “You can’t kill me. It’s only a matter of time before I kill you.”

Frigid raised the sword and gestured at Mahogany. “We’ll see.”

Then he ran at him and clashed the crystal sword against Mahogany Wood’s tomahawk.

---

Construction workers had run away from the ongoing battle, leaving their gear and equipment as their instincts kicked in, telling them to get as far as they could from Canterlot High’s front lawn. One already had his phone out, likely calling the cops.

Morning Blade’s katana flashed, slicing at Crescent’s head. He ducked, and Morning’s sword sheared off a bit of his orange hair before he kicked up, knocking Morning down on her back.

“You are no match for me,” Crescent flourished his swords and got back into stance.

Morning growled and jumped up towards him, only to rush straight into the Templar bodyguard’s knee, falling to the ground again. But she was unyielding, returning to her feet once more, already spinning her katana towards Crescent’s head.

He deflected her first strike, stepping past her second and parrying her third, before Morning Blade spun a low kick, trying to catch him off balance. Crescent simply lifted his foot and cut out with a saber, catching Morning across the right collar bone, cutting deep.

“Ah!” she stumbled back and clutched at her injury, crouching down.

“You’re outclassed,” Crescent said. “Surrender, and I will give you an honorable death.”

Morning Blade staggered to her feet, holding her katana steady. “Never.”

Crescent grinned and pointed both sabers at the ground, then took up a combat stance. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

The Assassin rushed the Templar bodyguard, who mimicked her, sabers dragging on the grass as he and Morning closed the distance to each other.

And then they were upon each other, both combatants slashing at the other.

They passed, both standing back to back, swords outstretched and breathing heavily. Then Morning Blade fell to her knees, dropping her katana and clutching at her side. It wasn’t very visible on her red shirt, but there was a stain spreading across it and her brown coat where she had been cut by the Templar; Every breath she took hurt her side.

“It is over, Assassin,” Crescent turned to face her, unscathed. “You fought well, but you were never close to matching my skill. You tried your best, I’m sure, so I’ll put you out of your misery.”

The Templar bodyguard loomed over Morning Blade, his sabers ready to be brought crashing down onto the Assassin’s back.

Then, out of nowhere, there was a gunshot.

Crescent staggered backwards, his sabers falling from his now nerveless grip. A patch of red began spreading across his chest.

Morning Blade slowly stood up, her pistol in her hands and a smoking hole in her coat where she had shot him through.

“Trust an Assassin… to play dirty,” Crescent Wing coughed out blood and fell back, grasping his chest. “No wonder… you do not wish… for a perfect world.”

Morning eyed the fallen Crescent listlessly, walking around him until she was standing at his shoulders. Then Morning raised her pistol and shot Crescent in the head.

“Requiescat in pace,” she muttered.

She held a hand to her side and took a deep breath, trying her best to stave off the pain. Then she looked back to Frigid as he moved around, slicing the Templar chairman all over the place with his own black sword.

“I’m coming, Frigid…” she muttered to herself and staggered over, breaking into a light jog.

Morning Blade attacked Mahogany from behind, sticking her poison blade into his back, catching him off guard.

“Agh!” the aged man cried out and turned around to slap her across the face.

Morning fell back and hit the ground on her bad side, taking the breath from her lungs.

“Foolish Assassins!” Mahogany shouted out, raising his tomahawk high. “I’ll kill you all!”

He swung his weapon down, but as his hand traveled down, his weapon didn’t.

“What?”

Frigid stood behind him, tossing the tomahawk and dark sword away as he extended both hidden blades and their trident attachments.

“You’re not touching her,” he simply said.

The Assassin’s acting Mentor drove both blades into the chairman and ran on, tossing him over Morning Blade, watching him roll once on the grass before coming to a stop on a concrete pavement.

Then Morning felt herself being hauled up, one of Frigid’s arms now supporting her.

“You good?” he asked his partner.

“I’ll be fine…” Morning nodded her head. “We can worry about it later. This man needs to go.”

Mahogany picked himself up as his wounds closed up again. “And how do you hope to win? I cannot die.”

“Sure you can,” Frigid helped Morning stand on her own. “Just not yet.”

He attacked first, running up to the chairman and kicking him in the side, extending a shoe blade at the same time, cutting him across the arm. Frigid pressed the attack, leaving wounds all over the Templar’s body. With every wound that healed up, the Assassin created a new one. He didn’t let Mahogany have time to recover, now that the Templar had lost both his weapons.

“Crescent!” Mahogany called, but then he noticed his loyal bodyguard lying on the ground, face up, a bullet hole in his head.

Then Morning Blade was behind him, her katana in her hands once again as she ran it through his back, pushing it all the way to the guard.

“He’s not coming to help you, Chairman Wood,” she strained.

Then she grabbed one side of his cloak, while Frigid grabbed the other, and at the same time, they pulled it off his shoulders, tossing it aside.

All the wounds that had been closing up stopped healing, including Morning’s katana that was sticking out his front.

“N-No…” Mahogany choked and gasped, clawing at the sword’s blade.

Frigid smiled to his partner and gave her a pat on the back before walking over to the chairman, closing his trident attachments back into a single hidden blade.

“It’s over, chairman,” Frigid lifted the blade to Mahogany’s neck. “You’re finished.”

Mahogany slowly sank to his knees, then pitched over onto his side.

“It doesn’t matter,” He croaked, blood running from his mouth. “Soon, Grand Master Sombra will force his way... into the other world, and we will have... world peace both here and there... You Assassins are too late…”

“What do you mean? What are his plans?” Frigid barked at the dying Templar.

“Did you think… he was going to settle for just our world…?” Mahogany’s mouth began to fill with blood, which bubbled in his voice. “He’s going to change… his world too… You wait and see. It’s over…”

Then Mahogany Wood let his head fall against the ground as he closed his eyes.

Frigid grumbled, but sheathed his blade and returned to his partner, handing her back her sword.

“Morning, you need help,” he dug through his pockets and retrieved a roll of bandages and painkillers. “Let’s get you patched up before the cops get here.”

“Or…” Morning picked up Mahogany’s shroud, draping it over her shoulders. She sighed with relief as her injuries began to heal.

Then the cloak shimmered and dissolved into black gem dust.

“Aw…” She still held a hand to her side. It still hurt, but at least it wasn’t life-threatening now.

“Guess it’s just like the sword. It only works on Templars.” Then she could’ve sworn Frigid let out a little laugh as he scooped a hand under her arm to support her. She could hear the sound of sirens in the distance, getting louder by the second. A few civilians watched them from the side, but there was nothing they could do about that now. “Come on. You’ll be fine for now. We should get out of here before the authorities arrive. I’ll patch you back up at the bureau.”

Morning Blade turned back one last time to look at the bodies of Crescent Wing and Mahogany Wood. With them dead, the Templar inner circle was all but eradicated. The only one left was Sombra.

The thing that troubled her was the Grand Master’s plans. He hadn’t planned on siphoning the school’s magic portal for power, like they had thought. He planned on returning home, likely to conquer it. She didn’t know how the other side worked, but she knew it wouldn’t be good.

They had to get back and they had to warn Sunset Shimmer.

---

Author's Note:

Achievements Unlocked

The Woodsman's Axe: Defeated Crescent Wing and Mahogany Wood

She Who Fights Monsters: You reached the end of Act III!

Mahogany Wood and Crescent Wing here.

Comments

[Amethyst Blade]

About time.

Sombra...Oh, Sombra...
You might fall to the blades of Equestrians and not to the Assassins.

Fool is a tyrant with delusion of power, of grandeur. You will fall, sooner or later. along with any "allies" - that might not be particularly loyal - you have.

[badninja]

I am not so worried about Equestria. They now have four alicorn princess one of whom is a magical prodigy I think with fair warning they will be just fine. Sombra is going to have a very big surprise when he shows up I bet. Not to mention a reformed Discord on their side, Sombra is so screwed.

[Sonata Eternal]

At least Morning Blade is ok. She's nice. And yaaaaay, Sombra has no more allies in his terrible schemes. Get him, girls!! It's only a matter of time for Velvet to find him now...

[Animatorsnake]

I don't what Sombra plans accomplishing by returning; he'll go back to be a shadow-like creature, not only that but there are other highly powerful magical creatures (ex. Discord) I don't see how he things he'll win even with the peicea of eden

[MoonlightRift]

ladies and gentlemen

We gotem