The Shadow Veil

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Equestria was once a land of wonder where magic could do things beyond ponies wildest dreams and the Gods walked among mortals, It was an age of power, magic, and balance, it was the Era of Immortals

Then an event that became known as The Shattered Aeon happened and the world was never the same. What The Shattered Aeon was scholars have debated for centuries as records of this time and before are few and far between and they paint contradicting stories. All that is known is that when it was over the Gods had left the Material Plane to reside in their own divine realms never to return.

Survivors of the The Shattered Aeon were left to pick up the pieces and rebuild carving out their own kingdoms in what used to be the nation of Equestria.

It became known as The Fractured Era.

Twilight Sparkle was born to a poor family in one of these nations known as The Thronecrest Dominion and left home as a teenager to earn money for her family putting her magic and intelligence to work as a soldier for hire.

Now though Twilight is a wanted mare in the Silverspire Republic after being framed for the assassination of an Ambassador by a client, Twilight has to stay one step ahead of the authorities, bounty hunters and assassins sent by her client as a loose end that needs to be tied.

As two nations are on the brink of war Twilight Sparkle must rely on rival mercenaries as the only people she can trust, as she has to fight to stay alive by pulling back The Shadow Veil that hides the crimes of her ambitious former client.

Greeting everyone and welcome to my first real attempt a fully original AU world for MLP and I hope you all enjoy what I hope will just be the first book in a new series I am calling The Chronicles of The Fractured Era

Anyways brief bit about how this came to be as i was inspired to write this by a mix of The Sword Coast by AdrianVesper
Some art by IRUSU
And a Reply to that art by a user named Blue Spector who I can't link to do to their Twitter account being NSFW
A bit of Pathfinder
These four things came together to inspire this and I thank all Four of them for the Inspiration.

Cover art is by Audrarius

Anyways Ill let you all get to reading.

Chapters (3)

Chapter 1: The Job · 12th Feb 2024 · 3,598 words
3,598
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Chapter 2: The Investigation · 22nd Feb 2024 · 3,231 words
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Chapter 3: The Wilderness · 28th Feb 2024 · 3,087 words
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Comments ( 10 )

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Admiral Q Ponyform

Admiral Q Ponyform #1 · February 13th · 1 · · Chapter 1: The Job ·

The book reward was cute and already off to an exciting start

Asolem2

Asolem2 #2 · February 21st · · · Chapter 1: The Job ·

Twilight Sparkle was born to a poor family in one of these nations known as The Thronecrest Dominion

"The Thronecrest Dominion"

That sounds so cool, I mean yes with a name like that I'm expecting there to be quite a few internal issues... but still, really cool name

Asolem2

Asolem2 #3 · February 21st · · · Chapter 1: The Job ·

She raised a hoof to signal a barmaid that she'd like to order and within moments one came over with a smile on her face. “What can I get you darlin’?” She asked in a rural accent that reminded Twilight of someone she knew, an annoying someone.

I think I can guess the name of this "annoying someone", could be wrong of course

Despite the time she had been on the road taking jobs she had perfected her “hardened merc” façade based off books she had read but it was just that, a façade, She was only out here because her family needed the money when she'd rather be back home curled up with a good book reading about adventures not living them!

Twilight facade barely stayed intact at the mention of that amount, she knew from books that the upper class paid well but she hadn't realized they paid that well.

It's a suspicious amount

It had been 3 years since she left home and finally things were looking up as she was going to make a name for herself.

...well, she's not wrong

He didn't seem offended by her lack of answer. “Just as soon as the other extra security arrives we can get to work…”He said as Twilight ear swiveled as she heard talking behind her and looking back she saw a group of 5 other ponies through her eyes locked on a familiar prismatic mane and she frowned as she knew it all to well.

That's around 12 000 gold... oh yeah, this is suspicious alright

Twilight and Dash made their way to the room next door and opened a crack to see a well lit room and slowly opened the door more to see Ambassador Lunaire lying on the ground in a growing pull of blood beside a smashed end table clutching at his chest and gasping for air as blood ran down his robes.

Well that was fast

Asolem2

Asolem2 #4 · February 21st · · · Chapter 1: The Job ·

"Astral" became "Astrid" around the time that Amber and the ambassador were introduced.

I'm assuming it was caused by everyone's favorite friend, The Great and Powerful Autocorrect

Asolem2

Asolem2 #5 · February 21st · · · Chapter 1: The Job ·

This seems interesting

Admiral Q Ponyform

Admiral Q Ponyform #6 · February 22nd · · · Chapter 2: The Investigation ·

Gold is at least compantent enpugh to know something is fishy

Asolem2

Asolem2 #7 · February 22nd · · · Chapter 2: The Investigation ·

She had the decency to put her ears slightly back at the unsaid scolding for interrupting him before he spoke. “Approximately half an hour ago a group of what we believe to be mercenaries broken into the manor through the back gate

Didn't think about it too much at the time, but yeah, Twilight did note that the lock to the backdoor was broken

Gold frowned at the bodies, they were clearly mercs and based on how well dressed they were of a higher quality then the standard of their kind so someone wanted quality for this hit though the fact they didn't make it out suggested poor planning on their part….which didn't watch the quality of their gear.

“I…I’m not sure…..i blocked the halls to the back door and the pegasus mare confronted me, i missed my strike and….she cut my legs and flung my sword away from me before jumping over me along with that mare in the clock as they headed for the back door.” The guard said.
Gold tilted his head. “Raven, how many guards were killed outside?”
“Um ... .none that we saw, besides the gate guard, all the deaths were in the hallway.” Ravens aid.

Gold frowned before heading for the door and back out to the hall where he looked where the blood shed began, it started around another door that was open. Gold went to the door and looked in to see another sitting room just like the one the attack took place in.
“Hmm…..what is it?” Raven asked.
“Hmm…may be nothing, what do you make of the blood shed from the group of mercs starting here?”
“Hm? Well clearly it was where the mercs got confronted by the guards as they tried to make their escape.” The Lieutenant said.
“And the open door?”
“Tried to escape through it or perhaps reach the party to take a hostage.”
“Perhaps……Perhaps….”Gold said looking at the blood soaked hall before him. “Perhaps….”

It's clear that Gold earned his position

“Isn't it obvious? We are expendable assets, and we’ve been expended.” Dash said, folding her wings.

Mhm

Author's Note:
The game is ahoof!
Will Chief Inquisitor Gold Shield and his band of Inquisitors succeed in hunting down the dastardly Assassins and bring them to justice?
Stay Tuned to Find out!

Staying tuned

Admiral Q Ponyform

Admiral Q Ponyform #8 · February 28th · · · Chapter 3: The Wilderness ·

Oh Fluttershy

Asolem2

Asolem2 #9 · February 29th · · · Chapter 3: The Wilderness ·

She tried to get up as they had to leave but a firm hoof went to her chest and forced her down with surprising strength as Fluttershy frowned at her. “If you keep doing that I will be forced to put you to sleep.” She said firmly.
Twilight laid back, the quiet mare clearly having more bite to her then her quiet voice would lead one to believe.

Don't anger the Cleric, for they are fully capable of breaking your bones before they heal you

“See boss, told you I saw them brought here, and look we got their coconspirator, bet we get more gold for her head too.” a unicorn stallion said smirking.
Fluttershy hid behind her mane. “I…I…um ... .hello?” She squeaked out.

Ahhh, Cliffhanger, my old nemesis, we meet again

DILLYbOd