Chapter 6
He never felt the blade, because it never struck.
Spinning with the thrust, Graves caught the guardsman attacker’s wrist and wrenched, eliciting a cry of pain as the dagger clattered to the stone pavement. A hard kick to the knee followed by a vicious jab to the throat, and the assailant crumpled into a boneless heap.
The two guardsmen hesitated only for a second before raising up their glittering spears. However, before they could so much as frown in the marshal's direction, a thundering roar sounded and both clattered to the ground, matching blackened burn marks smoldering in the middle of their backs.
“Glad you got the signal,” Graves called out as he cracked his neck, “but I could’ve handled it.”
“Just trying to help,” Shining Armor replied as he trotted back, the arcane energy around his gleaming silver sword crackling and fading away to nothing. “I mean, they did just try to kill you.”
“So it would seem,” the marshal deadpanned in tones of supreme boredom before kicking the first attacker over. “Any idea why some of your guardsmen would have it out for me?”
“No,” the young captain said with a shake of his head, “but I have an idea.”
Speaking a few quick incantations, Shining Armor flourished his sword and pointed the gleaming blade at the unconscious soldier. A quick flash of indigo light shot forth, and when it struck, the guardsman began to melt.
Polished golden armor charred and gave way to chitinous black skin. The helmet’s plumes sprouted into a head of spiky, antennae-like hair of a sickly green hue. The face, which softened like putty, quickly hardened into a distorted visage, somewhat human, but with eyes much too large and a mouth too full of fang-sharp teeth.
“I knew it,” Shining Armor grimaced as he sheathed his sword. “Changelings.”
“Huh. Who'd have thought?” Graves intoned as he knelt down next to the unconscious xenomorph for a closer look.
“I don’t get it,” the guard captain muttered. “We’ve got magical sweeps constantly scanning for Changelings these days. How’d they get in?”
“I assume it’s this,” the marshal replied, tossing the navy-haired soldier a roughly hewn pendant he’d pulled from the assailant’s neck. “Null stone. No idea where they'd get their hands on something so rare, but it’d bounce sensory magic off and let a few of them slip through without any trouble.”
“Assassins then?” Shining Armor growled. Graves picked up the fallen dagger and gave it a wary sniff. He nodded.
“Definitely. This blade’s been coated with aconite.”
“Then that means the Princess is in danger. We have to go. Now.”
Pulling Graves to his feet, Shining Armors spared only a moment to bind the three unconscious forms with ethereal cords before he dashed towards the palace center with the marshal hot on his heels.
*****
“So you’re not the Changeling target?” Graves asked as the two rushed forwards.
“Doubtfully,” Shining Armor replied without once breaking stride. “Taking me out would be a bonus, but their goal’s definitely still getting Princess Celestia’s power.”
“So they kill you off to make sure you can’t help her. But to what end? Is Chrysalis planning another invasion?”
“Not that we can tell. We’ve been constantly monitoring the Changelings ever since their last attempted coup: no mobilization, no preparation for war.”
“Which makes this a small-scale operation,” Graves nodded as he continued. “An oddly clumsy one too. They prepared pretty fancy gear, but bad intel just cost them three soldiers. Why?”
“... The gala,” Shining Armor remarked with illuminated, azure eyes. “By now, I should have been at the west gate on patrol, but the mess my sister and her friends forced a change of plans. They must have tried to get me to head there and finish the ambush, but tipped their hand because they didn’t know about you.”
“Then what about the Princess?” Graves asked, urgency apparent in his voice and in his iron grey gaze. “She should have been giving a speech in the ballroom, but that’s not happening. Where would she be then?”
“Heading back to the north tower,” Shining Armor nodded grimly. “In unexpected circumstances, she’s evacuated there. Let’s just hope we get there before the Changelings do.”
Cutting through gardens, leaping walls, and generally ignoring set paths in favor of speed and stealth, the two soldiers raced across the palace grounds towards their target, avoiding contact with all others. The chances were low, but each encounter risked a run in with more Changelings and losing the element of surprise. At this point, it was all they had.
*****
Approaching the north wing of the palace from the outside, Shining Armor motioned for silence: he saw movement. Slipping quietly behind one of the trimmed hedges, Graves carefully eased aside a few branches and peered through the ensuing gap.
A collection of some ten guardsmen stood in front of the entrance to the tower with three or four others lying unconscious around them. Two of their numbers kept oddly luminescent green eyes on lookout while the remainder clustered together around the door, a sickly orange glow illuminating hard-set faces.
“What are they doing?” Shining Armor whispered.
“Dissolving the defensive wards. They’re being quiet about it, but it probably won’t take much longer to get through.”
“So Celestia’s still safe at least,” the guard captain sighed in relief. The fact that they still struggled with such a complex defense must mean that their objective was not yet complete.
“How do you want to do this?” Graves asked as he turned to his comrade. Shining Armor furrowed his brow in thought.
“If they’ve all got null stones, magic’ll do a tenth of the normal damage, maybe less. Could work if you had your spell gun, but-”
“-Ironside said no party favors tonight,” the marshal muttered dryly.
“In that case, we’ll have to make this up close and personal,” the guard captain muttered. “How’re your legs?”
“Not bad. You thinking of going for a Flying V?”
“I can get maybe five or six, if you can finish of the rest.”
In the dark of night, with half a platoon of well-equipped assassins against their own team of two soldier with only a single sword between them, Graves couldn't help but smile.
“Let’s do it.”
*****
The two Changeling lookouts swiveled their heads back and forth, keeping their eyes peeled for any signs of activity, anything that could disrupt their plans. But they were so intent on seeking out the hidden and the unseen that they almost missed the man approaching right in front of them.
Wearing a crimson coat with a blue sash, the man walked straight down the broad avenue towards them, casually, almost leisurely. Reaching to his side, he drew a brilliant, silver sabre, the air rippling as if from a heat haze that emanated from the blade’s cold, polished surface. Holding it out to his side, arm extended to the fullest, the man brought the sabre around in a broad, almost gentle silver arc in front of him…
... and the world shifted.
In one moment, there was nothing. In the very next, a whirling torrent of violent energy, a wall of pure, unrelenting force, blasted forth from the blade. Howling like a gale, the air-distorting wave of mystic might cascaded towards the Changelings with the unstoppable fury of a tsusami summoned by the wrath of an angry sea god.
“Shield! Shield!” the lookouts cried and five of their number rushed to join them. Golden armor melted away as the Changelings let drop their disguises and as one, with precisely trained coordination, they unleashed magics of their own.
A brilliant wall of verdant flame sprang from the stones, fueled by the abyssal energies that flowed through their veins, a gift from their beloved queen. The flames burned and flared, seeming to burn at reality itself with its unholy emerald light. The wall of force struck, crackling and hissing as the two powers collided. For a moment, the flames held the concussive wave at bay. But only for a moment.
Bending under the unstoppable weight of the blast, the green fires finally shattered as the guard captain’s arcane assault blasted through. The null stone pendants absorbed much of the magical energies, but even such powerful relics could only do so much. The wall of force slammed into the Changelings, knocking five of their number aside like ragdolls to lie in crumpled heaps on the stone pavement.
Crying out in alarm, one of the Changelings turned to rejoin his brethren as they worked down the tower’s shielding.
It was then that the lightning struck.
Unbeknownst to the invaders, the magical assault had only been the first attack. Running in its wake, dashing forward swift as an arrow and silent as a shadow, came Graves.
As soon as the xenomorph turned his back, the marshal grasped the back of its neck and channeled, sending pure electric current through his limb and into the creature’s body. He winced as violent pain lanced through his hand, the sensation akin to acid replacing the blood in his veins. Casting spells using your own body as a medium was dangerous at the best of times, and a rapid assault on a team of assassins was far from the best of times. But it was effective, and the Changeling fell into a twitching, spasming heap.
The second remaining assailant exhaled a great plume of viridian flame, but Graves was already gone. Ducking under the fiery blast, the marshal’s fist surged forth and struck the creature’s diaphragm. Chitinous shell cracked and the flames winked out with a choking gasp. A final, surgical blow to the chin knocked it out cold.
“Take cover!” a voice yelled, and the marshal dropped to the ground just as a pair of spears whizzed through the space where his chest had been. Two of the remaining Changelings rushed forwards, arms morphing into vicious hooked blades as the final assassin worked to finish removing the spell. From the way the orange light flared, it wouldn’t be long.
Rising to his feet, Graves narrowly dodged a violent downward slash, the breeze of the passing blade caressing his cheek as it passed by no more than a hair's breadth away. Spinning with the following thrust, the grey-eyed soldier brought an elbow crashing across the creature’s jaw, ducked a horizontal cut that would have separated head from shoulders, and used the momentum to drop down and sweep out the last Changeling’s legs. Before it hit the ground, Graves reached out and channeled once more and brilliant arcs of lightning seared the insectile creature into unconsciousness.
A flash of crimson flew by as Shining Armor rushed passed, sword raised and flashing with golden light as he prepared to strike down the final invader. But just as he was about to bring it down, the tower doors creaked open.
“No!” he cried, unleashing the stored energies in gleaming crescent slash of light. But before it struck, the Changeling ducked into the tower and sealed it shut. The magic wards reset and the arcane beam, strong enough to cleave boulders in two, dissipated harmlessly against the nigh-impregnable defenses.
“Blast! He’s sealed it!” Shining Armor shouted as he pounded on the impervious wooden entryway. “And he’s changed the access spell: I can’t get in!”
“There’s gotta be some way,” Graves replied, his gunmetal grey eyes darting around in search for an entryway. “... There! Upper balcony! I see an open window!”
“That’s got to be a good ten stories up at least,” the guard captain frowned. “How are you going to make it?”
“I might need a lift.”
Shining Armor’s eyes widened in alarm. He knew what the marshal wanted to do. And it was crazy. Beyond crazy. Insanely stupid and borderline suicidal. But time was running out, and they were desperate.
“Ready when you are,” the captain finally replied as he took a two-handed grasp on the hilt of his sword.
With a quick nod, Graves ran. He sprinted as hard as he could towards the tower, leaping as he approached and planted a foot against the stone wall. Leaping again, he soared even higher, the thrust pushing him away from the tower’s marble surface and placing him right above the guard captain’s head.
Shining Armor swung, and another blast of mystic force burst forth, a stone wall of raging wind plowing into the marshal and propelling him straight up. Riding the wave, Graves flew like a loosed arrow, so fast in fact that he overshot the balcony by a good twenty feet.
Graves reached out and channeled once more, the translucent silver spear and spell chain bursting from his palm and sinking into the stone railing with a solid thunk. A spray of blood misted the air as the magical feedback split the skin on his hand like an overfull wine skin, and the wrenching yank on his arm very nearly tore it from its socket. But it worked. Graves managed to pull himself off the concussive wave and tumbled onto balcony with a painful crash, the force of the impact cracking his ribs and driving all air from his lungs.
“Graves?!” Celestia called out, the book she’d been reading quickly forgotten as she stood and lowered the barrier over the window. “What on earth are you-”
“Changelings,” he gasped, standing as he forced air into his chest so he could choke out the words. “Assassins. Coming... for-”
The door to the room swung open and the final insectile assailant dashed in, arm morphed into an organic crossbow. From a quiver on his belt he pulled forth an ominous, black bolt carved with malevolent, glowing green runes. He placed it on the weapon, raised it with practiced precision and drawing a bead on the stunned princess...
Time slowed.
Ignoring the screaming protests of pain and agony that wracked his battered body, Graves willed his legs to move and leaping forward, threw himself between Celestia and her assailant. The bolt left the bow, streaking forward like an onyx wasp, whistling through the air towards its target. But it would never reach.
Graves gasped as he felt the bolt pierce his chest. Instantly, as if it were some fiendish parasite, the cursed quarrel began sapping away at his strength. He could feel his mind clouding, his conscious slipping away as the unholy arrow drained him of his life as surely as a leech draws blood. He knew he wouldn’t last long, moments at most. But he’d last long enough, because he had one last job to do.
Raising his hand, so slowly as if he were forcing his limb through thick, oily tar, the marshal poured every last drop of his rapidly dwindling energy into his hands. Ignoring the exhaustion weighing down every limb, the grating of broken bones, and the flashing pain as his hand split open with bleeding, crimson spiderwebs, he channeled.
It wasn’t much, just a single bolt of lightning to return the favor. But the shining lance of electric wrath shot forth and drove itself straight into the disbelieving, green-eyed assassin.
The xenomorph crumpled to the ground. It didn’t move again.
“Not... bad...” Graves coughed, flecks of blood speckling his lip as he fell to the floor. It would be the last thing he did before his mind drifted into oblivion.
**********
Graves is best meatshield
GRAAAAAVVVEEESSS!!!!
*Cue Metal Gear Solid "Game Over" music.*
Damn you and your cliffhangers! How am I supposed to be able to concentrate at work now?
Also, totally called it. The changelings that is, not the whole arrow-to-the-chest thing.
HUMANIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIZED!!!!!!!!!
THANK GOD!
denver.mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/img/mlfw5600-Awx1-qFCQAAg0ad.png
.....
BUCK YEAH GRAVES!!!!
Meh, he be fine. Just rub some dirt in it and walk it off...
1721041
But he still died....
Awesome. Now I can know how Graves didn't feel a knife to the back.
*Reads first line*
Oh you misleading, suspenseful, shock-value-seeking, son-of-a-parasprite, GentlemanJ! Don't scare me like that!
Wow. Though I understand the present, life-threatening danger mixed with his soldier's instincts. But for some reason I figured he'd think twice about killing a royal guard/royal employee. Though there are strike points on a person's neck that can knock someone out instantly, they're on the sides and back of the neck. "Throat" implies front of the neck. Broken tracheal bones, crushed windpipe, death.
Good Lord. Shining Armor and Graves back-to-back in close-quarters-combat? Yes, a thousand times, yes!
Of curiosity, what type of sword does Shining carry?
I want to make this chapter into a movie.
I like the picture.
'Tis why I commented.
1721107 I know, I didn't realize untill I'd read all of it
fc03.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2011/170/5/4/spike_nooo_by_physicallypossible-d3jcqgv.jpg
NNNNNOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!
Celestia is thousands of years old, she has to know some decent healing magic. If not that then something that will slow the poison and prolong his life until he gets medical attention.
Firstly, called it!
Second, SHIT.
Thirdly, you magnificent bastard you.
Daaaaamn, Shining Armor is a badass apparently. I freaking love that he is casting through his sword.
Graves!
damned cliffhangers.
1721133
It's less instinct and more calculated decision. Remember the last chapter, where he thumbed his earlobe and Shining Armor scratched his nose? Those were hand signs for organizing a counterattack; Graves called it and Shining Armor confirmed. Hence, it was less of a reaction and more, "Alright, I'm know it's coming, so I'm going to wait for the most opportune time to break his face." Of course, this raises the question of how Graves and Shining Armor can operate so well together, which of course is because
I always envisioned Shining Armor using a version of Fuhrer King Bradley's swords from Fullmetal Alchemist. Suitable for hacking, slashing, stabbing, shanking, and general brawling, they're fully functional while also coming with a refined air suitable for a duelist and officer such as Shining Armor.
Holy shit, Shining Armor just used Getsuga Tenshou!
Also, shit has just well and truly gotten real.
1721216
Just looked it up. That sort of looks like a cavalry sabre. Especially whenever I see it with a curved blade. That's pretty cool.
I always pictured him carrying something that looked like Sting or a decorated Templar sword. In my opinion they have more tactical advantages and their ornate designs would be fitting for a position as exalted as Captain of the Royal Guard. But that doesn't mean anything except that our humanized headcanons are different.
scarysharp.files.wordpress.com/2005/06/sting1.jpg
kaswords.com/productimages/s/Anointed_1066_Knights_Templar_Golden_Sword.jpg
No Graves, you can't do this now! What about Rarity? what about the children!? Wait a second, this is in the past, he shall live! Woo.
A bit of nippicking here but I did notice one thing that slightly bugged me. After SA reveals that changeling, he says, "The Princess is in danger," Shouldn't it be Princesses. HOW DARE YOU FORGET THE BEST PRINCESS, LUNA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1721107>>1721140 It never said he died, just that "his mind drifted into oblivion", which means he could be alive, just in a coma
Which given the events of the earlier chapters, since my "Blueblood wanted to get rid of him" is now a bust (unless he still wants to!!),
I have a new theory!!
That magic arrow works like a poison, if it doesn't kill you with the impact, it will with the after effects. The old man, which is possibly Discord,
knows how important Graves is to Equestria, and is therefore helping him stay alive by forcing him into these dreams, as perhaps he knows the
body might fight off the toxins if it has enough time to prepare itself.
But that then begs the question of "how the buck did Discord get free, and why the hay would he want to help???"
Only one way to find out, and that's to stay tuned for more Happily Ever After!!! (With a title like that, you know isn't going to be!!!)
1721388 Huh, to me that top sword looks like Sting.
Oh wait, I've just read your comment, ignore this please!!!
1721107
He died before, remember?
Called it changelings! Hoof bump! now onto the chapter, Graves got shot! look at that you made Rarity cry again what is wrong with you? I'm sure he'll be fine though Celestias with him she's an all powerful being and a thousand years old she's got to know some top grade healing spells, right? Now maybe next chapter well find out why Discords helping him right?
Other than that another amazing chapter have a trixie and a moustache
1721692
Dude... Maybe he's Related to Captain Jack...
Oh, he died alright. However, there are two things that lead me to think that this is a temporary arrangement. One is that he has come back from the dead before. The other is that Discord is involved, so impossibilities are naught.
This was a wonderful chapter. The wordplay at the beginning was ingenious, and Shining and Graves acted perfectly in character for how you have established them. The prose was engaging. The grammar, while not perfect, was passable. And as always, you have successfully established an enormous cliffhanger.
Have a nice day.
--Not a brony
1721825
Screw grammar! I play by my own rules!
Lolz. Thanks for the kind words! Look forward to the next chapter where things start to really get good.
1721907
Wait, haven't they already?
1721388
Definitely cool designs. I think my difference was that a templar's sword like that seems to require a more brawny physique. Shining Armor always struck me as one who always relied more on skill and technique than pure physical power: a duelist, if you will. That's probably because what with his incredible talent in magic that we've seen, I always pictured him as the good looking genius who's great at everything, but you can't help but like because he's such a great person, kind of guy. All that natural ability would reflect itself in a weapon that, while still sturdy, relies on more finesse.
Hoping to flesh out that side of Shining Armor in later chapters. And of course, always wonderful to hear different opinions and getting chances to discourse on the stories: please send more!
1721931
It's all relative. This chapter was better than the last chapter. The next will be better than this. You may disagree, but in my humble opinion, these next few chapters are going to be my finest creations to date.
1721965
Brilliant. Now off with you, and write!
Listening to this while reading
Works so perfectly
AS well This is where you want time 2:37 to start
Also
GRAVES!!! NOOOOOOO!!!
1721948
The weight difference would definitely be noticeable and slashing attacks would be a little bit more difficult with a Templar sword. He always struck me as being around average male height with a broader build, making the extra weight not much of a factor as long as the blade wasn't over thirty inches long. Looking around it, seems I'm the only one with that idea. Sabres are great and they do require a great amount of finesse in the hands, posture and footwork. Most of them have really thin blades and lack a cross guard. So you lose most of your ability to lock and get leverage from different angles. But that's just me hyper analyzing martial arts again.
On an unrelated note:
cdn.derpiboo.ru/thumbs/1400/700/2012/06/20/17_11_10_486_11920__safe_humanized_shining_armor_artist_123hamster_changeling_artist_ninjaham
Fission Mailed
1721457Dude, no one is stupid enough to attack Princess Luna. Celestia may be powerful enough to raise the sun, but Luna is DA BOSS!!!
Celestia now owes Graves a favour.... Hehe, a sexy favour.
1720943 more like Fission mailed...
Nicely-written action scene. I'm really thankful for you showing Shining Armour the soldier as it is something of a fan habit to make him out to be a bit of an empty suit who constantly needs his wife to save him.
I have to say that I'm still not sure if this is real or whether it is something that Discord has done to him (in which case he could be running a path of carnage through Canterlot, killing innocents that he perceives as Changelings. We'll have to see.
*Blows up from another cliff hanger*
Literature sucker punches. Love 'em.
I guess Graves' adventuring days are over, since he took an arrow to the *dodges rocks* SOMEONE HAD TO SAY IT!
Finally got around to reading the latest chapter and by the gods must you do this to me? I promise i will come back even without the cliffhangers.
1732660
Why? Because I can, that's why.
"He never felt the blade because it never struck."
...
Dick move GentlemanJ. Dick move.
Now, how exactly are they unarmed if Shining has a sword? Hell, considering Graves doesn't need anything to cast spells, I don't think you could ever call him "uarmed".
And...I...still called it?
I guess all this is why you said you could "make that happen".
Anyway, proceed.
I like this gala better.
I kinda imagined the changelings to be more elven.
Ha! The dude shrug off death to make sure he got his time card in for work. Now that he might have future with a beautiful woman he pretty much can only be stopped by the forces every God himself.
Also I think I had a witty comment to make but thinks to watching 15 min worth of "NOOOOOOOOOO" just now has rid my brain if it.
What a shame.
All I can think of at the moment is that we should have more of Graves and Shining Armor in this story because they work great together.
And I love your Interpretation of Shining (I'll be it he's close to his canon counterpart, but the difference that he's more flushed out the Canon S.A.).
Also like always, I will be patiently awaiting your next installment.
"He never felt the blade, because it never struck."
Clever.
Theory: Rarity's a changeling.
Only one way to find out if I'm right.
...Well two, but I hate spoilers.
You clever bastard. I was sure he actually got stabbed.