I plummet down the pitch-black hole, raking in the cold air of the underground system I was about to land in. As I fell, I tilt my head up to see the light from the Princess’s room start to fade as the large stone platform moves its way back to normal covering my escape.

My eyes quickly dart back down as my hoofs make contact with the ground and I do a small recovery roll to ease the tension off my legs. I pick myself up coughing out a lungful of dust as I observed my immediate surroundings.

There shouldn’t be any lighting if this cave system hasn’t been used in centuries like Lucky told me. It must be natural light coming through the ceilings.

This made it easier for me because I was stuck between a wall and an incredibly steep slope that seemed to stretch down for miles. It was the only way down and the only way to go.

Might as well do some suburban exploration while I’m here. I just hope this goes quick.
Maybe without me breaking a leg....

Carefully placing myself over the edge of the slope, I give a small shove and begin sliding down using my hoof to position and steer myself down. My speed increased, faster and faster I slid down. Jagged rocks began to line the path; with my speed increasing I made quick one second decisions on where to steer myself.
I slide to the left narrowly missing some stalagmites by mere inches and ducking my head from the stalagtites from the ceiling.

Yes I know the difference between the two and everypony else should too! Learn your rocks kids!

A wall was blocking half the tunnel threatening me to slam straight into it. I lean incredibly sharp to my right as my weight shifts before I end up splattered across the stone wall.

Obstacle averted, new obstacle in transit.

So what more do I get in this rocky deathtrap of a tunnel? More rocks!

I could hear from behind me tumbling stones and boulders began to roll down the same slope I was on. Likely because I accidently disturbed them as I made my sharp turns. They tumbled down behind me picking up speed, all I could do was release my hoof a bit from the steering and reduce more drag that I would be quick enough.

A small pebble made its way past me; I looked back and saw a group of 3 large rocks right behind me.

The slope reached its end point as I quickly stumbled for a moment before leaping out of the way just as the rocks grazed me. They missed and continued rolling before crashing into a wall.

I picked up myself and dusted the rubble and dust from my robes.

Well that was too close for comfort…

My gaze turned to all around the cavern that I landed in.

Oh…. by the old deceased Observer……..

Crystals…. Everywhere…..

The entire walls of the cave were covered by huge blue gemstones protruding through the walls, their colour was pure and natural from the untouched presance of life.

Imagine if the others were here: Rarity would faint, Spike would salivate, Twilight would get the others to investigate, while Dr. Mareio germinates..... a mushroom.

My hoofs began to move on their own to the center as I marveled at the sight, how something so beautiful could be wedged down below Canterlot for everyone to forget, to never see.

It's for the best.

The light coming from cracks within the ceiling shine down on the crystals making the entire cavern glow a light blue and removing any darkness of there to be had. With my dose of natural beauty in Equestria done for now, I snap myself out of my short trance and look for a way to advance through the cavern.

What I know about caves is that there’s always a system of some kind my best bet would be to look around the walls for any exits.

My hoof reaches out to a crystal and I give it a light tap, I check for any structural damage and make my way around the walls. After doing a full 360 degree circle I ended up back where I started without any clue to get out.

Come on, think! Can’t just sit here and waste my time.
I’m not going to let some crystals stop me from killing that wretched Templar.

I look at the walls, the ground, and the piles of rock that almost murdered me…

All that leaves is…

I look up and see a small hole in between a group of crystal shards. With a smile I run up the crystal next to me and grab the edge of it. My hoofs gripped the cold crystal as I climbed higher up to the ceiling. I place a hoof up to the ceiling above me and grab it, letting go of the wall. With my legs dangling precariously I shimmied my hoofs along the crystal’s edge until a small gap to another one prevented me to continue.

I take a breath and push my fore hoofs from the crystal I’m gripping to, to the next one. I let out an exhausted breath as I continued this motion going from crystal to crystal until I made it to the small opening. I go inside and climb my way up until I reach some solid ground.

Gasping in exhaustion I climb the edge and end up in the cavern above the one I was in.

Might need to… *huff* … switch some training work… *whew*…. from my desk work.

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Walking for a few minutes, recovering from my exhaustion but still not done yet with these caves. Making my way through some winding tunnels I reach an incredibly large and deep pit.
I grab a stone and chuck it down.

No echo of it hitting the bottom.

Fortunately for my luck the pit had a few mine tracks on it, and where there’s mine tracks there is likely a cart nearby.
Sure enough it took me no time to find one and I set it onto the track.

Helicopters, blimps, zeppelins, mushrooms…. I wonder if there won’t be anything I’ll ride in my lifetime.
Interesting how I’m still alive after all this time.

Thoughts of Ponitaly began to cloud my thoughts but I quickly pushed them back to focus on this ride that was likely either going to kill me or nearly kill me.

Giving myself a small chuckle, I push the cart and vault my body inside as its squeaky gears grinded down the rusted edges of track.
I grabbed the sides of the cart knowing that this wouldn't be an ordinary ride.

The mine cart screeched down the track as it winded left to right threatening to throw us both from the track and into the abyss below. A split in the track, I take a left as the right path would have me crash into a boulder. The speed increased and these decisions left me with less than a second each time. Left, right, left, left, right, right, left. The mine cart was now just moving much too fast for any ordinary mine cart. I could hear a slight crackling beneath me where the tires were.
I looked and my jaw dropped.

THE FREAKING WHEELS ARE ON FIRE! I must be going at demon-racing speeds! Specifically 77 miles/hour!

Indeed, the burning wheels made the track burn into ash as it passed over. The structure started to shake from the burning supports. I ignore it and instead focus on the cart’s destination; a large hole at the side of the abyss. Problem was the track was about to end in about ten seconds.

I brace myself to leap as I stand up in the cart still holding the edges. It rides straight off the track and into the air, I leap from it towards the opening.

The cart slams against the wall splintering its wood and falling into the pitch-black crevasse. As for me, I managed to grip onto the edge of the cave opening. Without wasting any more time dangling from one hoof over a death drop, I quickly raise myself up and look back to see some of the burning remnants of the track breaking apart and burning as they fall.

How the damn could Celestia consider this an “escape route”.
Oh right, she can fly and teleport at the same time….
Well, I’m hoping this is the last of these caves. I just want to get to the surface. I don’t even want to know where the other tunnels lead around Canterlot.

With a frustrated sigh I trot down the cave and through some more tunnels that take more time than I liked to walk through.

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“ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?”

I shouted at a dead-end room with no visible way of continuing forward.

All that time and climbing and for what? Just to reach a damn end!

It would have been easier sneaking out of the Castle and taking on some royal guards in a hoof fight compared to this crap!

CAZZO!

I paced around the dead-end room, kicking a small rock around with my hoof.
With some breaths I calm down and look around my surrounds again, the walls were completely lined with crystal, no cracks or anything, no ceiling or floor holes for me to crawl through, just the crystals….

Wait a second…

I went over to a crystal on the far side of the room, I barely noticed it but when I did I saw that it was a redder shade than the other blue gems. My eyes looked it over more closely as there was some strange scratch marks on it, they’re too faded to properly read with my sight.

I close my eyes and give some thought, I realize then what the answer was.

I needed that “Special Vision” active.

Alright so how would I do that? It just happens randomly and at no specific time.
Time is something I don’t have.

“THINK SHADOW!” I slammed my hoof against my head receiving a headache in the process. My vision changed and now the room has gotten darker but the crystal’s light is glowing more profusely.

So whenever I want this I need to slam my head against something, easiest way to get a concussion.

I focus my attention back onto the slightly red crystal and see why it was more red than the others.

The Assassin symbol was emblazed inside it, it glows bright red through my vision and the scratches below it form legible text that I can read from.

“To ye who have ventured down these caves. Behind me lies a treasure, one that in the right hoofs will understand it’s potential. If you can see our symbol within this crystal then you are that pony who will understand. That or you’re just really observant. *Ahem*.”

Did the pony really write Ahem into this? Unbelievable…… BUT PERMITTED AS NOTHING IS TRUE!

“Now to enter you must first solve this riddle. Strong in heart, strong in hoof. Ponder and be wise for the aim of which is to be compen-.”

I don’t have time for this.

I slam my hoof against the crystal, shattering it easily revealing a hidden passageway behind. As I entered the narrow space with crystal dust still hovering around the air I noticed a worn out wooden sign on the wall.

“Or you could just kick the door in….”

I shake my head and go down the tight squeeze of the passage, upon reaching the bottom to an antechamber I see something I shouldn’t be expecting to see.

Right in the middle of the room leading from a series of steps, stood a stone statue of a pony cloaked in robes and holding a round object in its hoof.

A seal.

Here of all places? Not even I would’ve expected this. Not even Le Duck, not even the Observer, heck even Dave probably wouldn’t have found it!

I ascend the stairs to the ponified statue and take the seal from it, and gave it a look over.
It was a perfect match to the other ones that I was collecting. I store it into a pocket specifically for finding artifacts like these in my robes.

That takes care of that, now how to get out of this place?

My ears pick up a rushing sound coming from behind the statue. Somehow I didn’t notice there was a stream of water coming down from a tunnel behind and making its way around the statue like a mini moat.

I follow the stream until I get to a worn out ladder with a hatch leaking water droplets

Finally an exit. That took longer but at least no pony will know where I am. Not even Celestia herself nor Luna should she try to lock me up again.

I open it and a rush of water pours in as I try to fight it and force myself up through the torrent.

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The sun was setting over another day in Canterlot. An old stallion wearing a sun hat approached a majestic fountain in the heart of the city. He takes a single bit from a pocket and drops it into the fountain, he brings his hoofs together and he wishes extremely hard.

“I wish for…..”

The fountain water began to drain as a soaking wet, gray robed, hooded pony emerged from the receding water and began to walk towards his direction.

“Now THAT is definitely not what I wished for.”

I make my way past him ignoring his comment and gently push myself past him as the drops of fountain water splashed over the ground as I trotted down a street shoving aside any more ponies that got in my way.

I wasn’t stopping for anything now.

I have a Templar to kill.