> A Wolf in the Shadows > by Lonewolf8 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > A Wolf in the Shadows > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- It was a long night for Tempest and after what happened today you can give her all rights to be smug; she successfully invaded canterlot, petrified the two Princesses and after a day or two the Storm King will finally rule the land of Equastria and all of this friendship magic will be right in the Kings hand; or her hoof if you want to be technical. She walked outside to the balcony of the Storm King's castle and had a thought to herself, I mean she may be working for evil but even she needed a cooldown. It was all coming back to her, she wasn't always a bad guy, she just did things that other people didn't like. That's a good way to put it, thought Tempest even though she didn't mean it literally or sarcastically or she is just seriously that stupid. She opened her eyes to see a very above average view of Cloud Castle, it looked greyish then a pile of ashes turned into a historical landmark. Drab and lifeless, Tempest thought to herself again this time actually meaning it. She closed her eyes again but without warning she started to remember her past. The bear, her broken horn, Tempest learned to not remember the past and keep eyes on the future that's coming. Suddenly, the sound of urgent trotting came running up the stairs. When she saw the poor sods running to her aid she was only mildly annoyed but that little voice in her head told to her to keep this serious. "TEMPEST, WE HAVE AN INTRUDER AMONGST THE CASTLE!" Shouted the random guard with terror going through his body. "So then why didn't you capture the intruder? It's not that hard," Said Tempest with frustration coming into her voice. "It's not like that, five of the guards outside of the wall are...dead" Whimpered the guard with liquid terror going down his legs. After that a little bit of fear went down Tempest's mind, I mean she knew that the Main 6 would be coming after her and she would be ready but they don't kill anyone, right? This was just the first of her thoughts going into her head. Her smugness was kicked out of her mind, she ran downstairs with the squeamish guard down the stairs to the courtyard to see the five guards with only one stab wound in the chest with another one with a slash wound between the legs with blood oozing out of the newly dead body. This was much even for Tempest. "Maybe it was a griffin or-" The guard stopped with the shouting from his commanders booming voice. "YOU REALLY THINK A GRIFFIN WOULD OF DONE THIS?! CHECK THE PERIMITER AND FIND THIS INTRUDER!" Screamed Tempest with so much fury even Sombra would tell her to tone it down it a bit; even though he doesn't talk much. The two guards sheepishly walked around with their swords shaking from their mouths with Tempest glowing her horn, on edge and ready to petrify anything. Out of nowhere they heard a whistle. "What was that?" Tempest questioned. Then the whistle was heard again. "Guards do you hear-" She was cut off when one of the guards threw a sword at her, trying to slice her but he didn't last long same with the other guard. All she did was petrify them because, well they are her guards so there's no use in killing them. Now she was alone in the courtyard with buildings surrounding her, always looking up, down, left and right hoping to see this murderer but deep down inside the dark rivers in her heart she was trembling in fear, she dealt with the Main 6 easily but for some reason a pony, Pegasus, unicorn, griffin or whatever the hell it is, is able to make her anxious down to the core like she was filly all over again. Before she could back away into the castle she felt a sudden force on her back like someone dropped on her, after a quick role around on the floor she saw a bright, sinister and sharp sword about to touch her chest, in a panic she pushed her hind legs back and kicked the unknown killer away, when she got up finally the weird presence of the unknown being was up already. It was nothing she ever saw before, it was standing on it's hind legs and it had what seemed like another sword on his back with a weird looking thing on his left arm. She grabbed a nearby sword from one of the dead guards and got into a battle stance. Waiting to see what it does. 2 hours earlier Sekiro was standing on a hill crouching down after being teleported by the divine child in Senpou Temple after obtaining the mortal blade; it was on his back, growling even in its sheath, thirsting for blood and more slaughter. He could remember when he first opened the blade for the first time. He can remember the Child's words when he entered the inner chambers of the temple. "Why do you seek this place?"Asked the Child "I seek the Mortal Blade"Sekiro Coldly replied "Do you know of the blade that cannot be drawn?"The child asked with a stern look on her face "Yes" Replied Sekiro coldly again, he didn't have time for useless conversations. "It is so-called, for not one who has drawn it has never survived. Yet, you still wish to attempt this?"The child questioned Sekiro further knowing the many people who have seeked her and gazed at the Mortal Blade had just keel over and died because of it, even with Sekiro's mark on one side of his face, she didn't get the clue that he was part of the Dragon Heritage. "I do"Sekiro replied as he began to kneel down. The child reluctantly opened the box with the cursed blade in it. "If you are prepared, you may gaze upon the blade." The child said before Sekiro grabbed the blade and opened it slightly, even with a little bit open Sekiro could hear all of the lost souls who were trapped in the blade; like he was looking at hell if it transformed into a blade. After a couple of seconds Sekiro's body just switched off and he fell to the ground, if he ever had to tell what it was like, it was like having three heart attacks at the same time. With his lifeless body on the ground the Child looked once again disappointed. "Why is it, I wonder. Are they not loath to die?" Upon that she began to pry again waiting for the next helpless fool to come around and try to get the blade. Suddenly light surrounded Sekiro How...how are you?" She stopped and finally looked at his eye. "Your eye... I see, you carry the curse of the Dragon's Heritage."She was amazed and happy so much she could shed a tear. Finally someone who has the Dragon's Heritage. Sekiro stood up with the Blade in his hand. "The Mortal Blade. I accept it's power." Sekiro said as he drew the blade, finally another thing to help his lord Kuro. I need to stay focused, where am I? Thought Sekiro he was at the Dilapidated Temple when the idol teleported itself to a random place so now he is a logically stressed and worried about Kuro, Emma etc. He looked in the distance, trying to see any type of castle/civilisation. After jumping across a couple of hills with his grappling hook he finally saw a castle but it didn't look like Ashina Castle. It's either this or nothing, Sekiro thought to himself and immediately grapple hooked on the side of the castle wall. He crouched and scanned the area when he was confused of what he's seeing. Horses with armour, spears and they look like the Corrupted Monk. Have they been infected by the Rejuvinating waters, has it infected other kingdoms? Judging this isn't Ashina. I must either find a idol or maybe the Child put me here for a reason, thought Sekiro yet again; he wasn't much of a talker. Despite the fact the guards haven't even met him yet he could already assume that they wouldn't be friendly so without further questioning he unsheathed his sword (not the Mortal Blade) and immediately jumped down and stabbed one of the guards, even looking at their faces they never saw it coming. The best of a shinobi. "WHAT-" A guard shouted before he had his throat slit with the added addition of gurgling his own blood. Sadly three more guards came out of nowhere with swords in their mouths. Nothing our good old shinobi can't handle. One threw a sword but was deflected quickly with his stance already down, with one single stab the guard was dead. So was the other one. So was the other one. Sekiro was honestly surprised on how the stance fell over so quickly, even foot soldiers could hold longer then them. He saw at the corner of his eye, another guard there but he could hear the whimpering; it was a loud one. Before he could do anything the PTSD stricken guard ran away. He decided to inspect the bodies which felt unconfutable for him, he tried to see if this was mutation or any form of sorcery but no. They seemed like real horses with real horse body parts. This was just getting more confusing as this went along. He heard a couple more footsteps coming to his direction He used his Mist Raven to disappear only leaving behind feathers. He could see the same trauma stricken guard but there was a outstanding one; in a 'sticked out like a sore thumb' way. It had burning purple mane with a broken horn on it's forehead which gave Sekiro a discovery. Unicorns? Have I drank some bad sake? Sekiro would might as well believed this any day. Even the Sculptor would stop carving those idols just to inspect this monstrosity. That must be the captain or general. He decided to make things easier for him and he whipped out his finger whistle and began to blow it. This would make the guards go against each other and hopefully do some damage out of the captain. It was only for about four seconds before they were both frozen in stone. Welp that didn't go well. With no choice Sekiro jumped down and got ready for the killing. After a quick roll on the ground with his sword held up for the kill, he got kicked back which let out a grunt when he slammed against the floor. He quickly got back up they both stared at each other. Both in stance. Both tense. Both waiting for the next move. "PUT YOUR WEAPON DOWN!" Shouted Tempest "Never" Sekiro responded in his cold voice "THEN SO BE IT!" Tempest ran towards him with such speed but she was deflected, that didn't stop her she still kept swinging with much aggression in her movement but every time she got close, she was either deflected again or he dodged. For the most part Sekiro was on the defensive, he wasn't a samurai or a warrior only a shinobi. So he couldn't go all out for it, he needed that open window to attack so he doesn't get stunned by his stance breaking. Tempest was still swinging her sword like there was no tomorrow, Sekiro decided to make things interesting by pulling out his loaded axe and tried to get a swing on her. It missed by an inch. Tempest was looking at his arm thinking if there was anyother crazy things in there. She stood correct. When she was charging at him he deployed the steel umbrella as a quick shield which really made Tempest feel dizzy and made her already broken horn ache. As the fight when on and on both sides were getting pretty tired especially Tempest who had enough and decided to try and petrify him. With the magic powering up Sekiro quickly used Mist Ravens to get to a higher vantage point. "You are skilled, you could join us!" Tempest didn't actually wanted this thing to join her, she just tried to lure him. Next thing you know she drops to the floor with the sword against her throat. "Heresy" Was Sekiro's only reply. Tempest finally wanted to end this and sprayed every obsidian magic she could have. She made walls to block him inside thinking that would suffocate him. "Shame" Tempest said and tried to hold it the wall. She didn't need to worry about that because she could see Sekiro pulling out the red blade and with one clean swing the entire wall broke in half. Tempest was too stunned to even realise she was on the floor AGAIN. With Sekiro holding the two swords against her throat. The only thing she could ask was, "What is your name?" "...." Sekiro didn't answer he didn't have a name, only titles. "That's it? No name? Pathetic" Tempest tried a last ditch effort to try and act tough as possible but that really didn't faze the man with two swords against her throat. All she got was a cold stare from him. "A lonely thing with nothing. A useless-" She was cut off as the swords went closer to her neck giving her the indication to shut up. Sekiro on the other hand had every opportunity to kill this horse but he was in a kingdom that he doesn't know, yes he killed hundreds in Ashina but they were his enemy, here there was no reason. He slowly took the swords of her neck and sheathed the Mortal Blade back in but still kept the other one out. "What is your name?" Sekiro asked "Tempest Shadow" Tempest said sternly as she got up from the floor. "I'll keep this straight and simple. I have no quarrel with you or your kingdom, apologies for your guards, but if you try to get in my way I will kill you" Sekiro immediately disappeared with the sound of steps on the rooftops. Tempest just looked up in shock but with a hint of integrity. "Hopefully we will meet again. I like a good fight" Tempest said as she walked back into the castle.