Dear Celestia! What is wrong with the Observer? His split personality and his insanity nearly killed me! Why would the assassins be led by that maniacal dictator!? Seriously, is everyone here insane!?

I was lying face first in a pile of hay; I looked up towards the window to where I was thrown off from. Then I noticed the distance between the window and the hay bale, I turned around to find myself halfway down Ponitaly’s rocky mountain.

It’s amazing how I fell down half the mountain and landed in this 3 metre stack of hay unscathed. Is… is the Observer really that skilled?......Nah, I’ve always been aerodynamic. Besides Free-runner could have done that without skipping a heartbeat.
Free-runner… I’m sorry.

I sat on the hay pile contemplating my thoughts for what appeared to be ten minutes until I saw Le Duck casually walking from the side road.

“Get up! We have a long hike back up to the headquarters!” he shouted motioning me to come over to him.

Still in shock I rushed over toward Le Duck and gave him a hug with my face pressed within his robe shouting and crying.

“Wow… I didn’t think the initiation would hurt you so much.” Said a surprised Le Duck.

I released all the emotions I had endured for the past week.

“MY ENTIRE FAMILY IS DEAD! FATHER, MOTHER, FREE-RUNNER! WHY HIM? HE NEVER DID ANYTHING WRONG! BALTHAZAR IS A SICK BASTERD! I WISH HE’D JUST DIE! I WANT TO AVENGE MY FAMILY! AND ALL YOU GUYS DO IS SPEAK ABOUT USELESS TENANTS, USELESS MUSHROOMS AND THE PERSON IN CHARGE IS AN INSANE HOMICIDAL JERK WHO THROWS ASSASSINS OFF CLIFFS FOR NO REASON! AND-“

“ENOUGH!” shouted Le Duck.

“You may not realise this but the Observer has more skill than you can possibly imagine. The tenants were made with specific purposes in mind that don’t just aid you but the guild as well as the citizens of Equestria! Just like you I was thrown from the very same window ledge overlooking the same cliff and the same amount of hay and I’m Alive aren’t I?” said Le Duck.

“And Shadow.” He said looking at me at eye level.

“Not all your family is dead….. You still got the Assassin’s Guild as well as me.”

Wait… did I just see the faintest hesitation from Le Duck?

“What about Dr. Mareio?” I asked.

“Oh, praise Celestia he’s not. He’s not really a member of the family. Let’s say…. he’s…. like your…. Your next door Neighbor!”

We both laughed the pain in my heart easing.

“Shadow.” Said Le Duck placing his arm around me. “We’ll get Balthazar. But you need to see that revenge isn’t the answer. You don’t want to let it consume you and control your life. Believe me, I experienced that.”

Le Duck going ballistic over revenge? What could have made him go over the edge?

“It’s getting late; let’s head back to the guild, Assassin.” Smiled Le Duck.

Great I can’t wait to get inside my warm snuggly bed. Falling like that can take a lot out for somepony who witnessed his family’s murder. I hope I won’t fall like that anytime soon.
Who knows? Instead of 5,000 feet it could be 10,000 feet.
Ha! No way will that happen!

We hiked back up the mountainside along the way I noticed a magnificent waterfall flowing through a forest brimming with exotic colourful creatures ranging from toucans to birds of paradise. I saw a group of eagles together, a family.

I wonder if they’re Ace’s family as well. In this area I guess everyone’s family.

Looking up, I saw the Assassin’s headquarters from the outside. It looked like a fortress with an enormous cross-hatched gate. Fortifications ran the walls and the inside of the fort features a wide open field adorned with a central fountain and stone walkways.

“On your left is the training hall and armory and on your right is the guild library.” Said Le Duck pointing first towards a dirt patch surrounded by a low stone wall, then to a tall triangular tower with stained glass windows.

A stereotypical training location and a wizard’s tower, not bad. I could learn more about the Assassins at the library, and I could train at the training grounds (duh). Who would train me though? The Observer? Celestia I hope not. Dr Mareio? AH! THAT’S EVEN WORSE!

I turned to Le Duck and asked him, “Who will train me?”

“Don’t worry Shadow, I will train you! I’ve seen your skills around Ponitaly, I know that you can free run but I’ll teach you everything else to become a true Assassin.” Cheerfully said Le Duck.

“Awesome.” I said as we entered the Guild hall and turned to the barracks.

“Goodnight Shadow.”

“Goodnight Le Duck.” I said closing the door to my room.

I jumped on the bed and saw the romance novel Le Duck was reading before.

Well, I`m not that tired yet… let`s see.

I flipped open the book and read a part from the 3rd chapter where Le Duck left his bookmark.

Edzeo leaned closer to Catherina and whispered in her ear, “Would you like to see my hidden blade?”

“Oh Yes!” shouted Catherina.

Edzeo took out his “hidden blade”.

“Oooo, Impressive…”

“I’m rather fond of it myself.”

I closed the book before it would scar me for life and tucked it under my bed.

I’ll get rid of you later, now I can see why going to sleep is good for you.

I closed my eyes and let the wave of unconsciousness overtake me.

----------------------------------------------

*One Week Later*

I ran up to Le Duck at the training grounds who was impatiently waiting for me.

“15 minutes.” He grumpily said.

“Yes I know mentor, but-”

“NO EXCUSES!” shouted Le Duck.

“I know you’re caught up in your reading but-“ said Le Duck pulling something out from his sleeve.

“THIS! IS NOT AN EXCUSE!” he said showing me a burnt romance novel.

Damn! I was sure the flame trap would have finished it off. WHY DO YOU STILL EXSIST!

“Now then today-“ Le Duck started.

He was interrupted by an assassin running towards us.

“Whew, Shadow-mark, Le Duck. The Observer wants to see you, something about Shadow’s first contract?” said the assassin.

“Thanks Paul. Well, well Shadow looks like it’s finally time for you to spread your wings.”

I nodded and we went towards the Observer’s office.

Entering the pristine office I noticed the Observer shouting at Ace.

As usual…

I then noticed a pink coloured assassin wearing her white robes leaning on the wall with a bow on her back near the Observer.

Wait… I know her… but from where?

We approached the Observer’s desk just as his hoof hit the desk.

*WHAP*

“Ace listen to me…very…closely……YOU WILL SUBMIT TO MY IDEA OF LOCALIZATION , SO HELP ME CELESTIA THAT I WILL TEAR YOUR WINGS OFF AND STUFF YOU AS AN ORNAMENT UPON MY DESK! … Oh, well hello there Shadow!"
"I and Ace here were simply discussing philosophical boundaries between time, space, and accounting principles. Eh…What do you need?” softy said the Observer.

“Umm… you wanted to see me about my first contract?” I asked.

“What? Hmmmmm… AH! Of course! You need to kill a corrupt minister by the name of- Fumbles… or was it Rumbles? I don’t know. He is in Ponitaly so make it as quick as you can! You will have a partner to accompany you,” he said with both hooves pointing towards the leaning assassin on the wall.

I went over to her and asked, “Did we meet before? Because I’m sure I gave you something or something?”

“We met when you gave me the package back in Ponitaly. Well just to save time, I’m Sniper-shot and you’d better not be in my way when I strike. Meet me at the Church of Domes, assuming you even know where that is… newbie.” she said to me as she gently shoved me aside with her hoof and left the office.

Well that was rude. And NEWBIE? Ohohohoho, with my rebelious teenage past and a no-nonsense training from Le Duck, I was far from being a lower level!

“Well? What are you waiting for newbie? I’m not going to kill this guy for you!” said the Observer.

It’s Time….

“Hey Observer! Do you want to know what I have right here for you?” I taunted him.

“OOOOOOOOOOH! I LOVE SURPRISES!” cheerfully clapped the Observer.

“REVENGE!” I shouted performing a jump kick towards his head.

In an instant I went from attacking the Observer to lying on my back with the Observer overtop me. He pulled out not 1 but 2 hidden blades from opposite hands and brought it towards my neck.

“You should have learned Shadow, that at my skill I could kill you in 25… 26 different ways right now.” He whispered to me.

I gulped.

“Thats without my hidden blades… and someday if you keep training you can get… 2 BLADES AT THE SAME TIME!" he cheerfully said while pulling me back to my feet.

He brought me to the window around his desk and cheerfully said, “But until then you are stuck training and studying like the rest of the assassins! And Shadow?”

“Umm… ya?” I nervously said, still shocked from the near-death experience.”

He opened the window and said to me, “You ever do that again… I’LL GET ACE TO CLAW OUT YOUR INTESTINES SO I CAN JUMP ROPE WITH THEM WHILE BALANCING MY WORKSHEET!....... Understand?”

“YES SIR!” I saluted him.

“Good, now then… GOOD LUCK!” he said throwing me out the window.

Crap. Here we go again.

This time I didn’t scream down and I distinctively thought I heard “Newbie” in the distance.

I landed in the hay stack as squarely as the first time. Instead of taking the long way to Ponitaly I simply scaled the mountain downwards until I found another haystack. Approaching the city gates, I arrived back to where it began.

My home.

The villa was completely ruined, the windows were broken, the house was ransacked and almost everything was burned to the ground. It was as if my family died in a horrible house fire. If only the truth wasn’t worse. I couldn’t find my family among the carnage of the wreaked house. To be expected I suppose, after all I'm the only one who knows where they've gone. The city would never know and everypony would be left clueless and continue their days as if nothing happened.
All I found was a book with images of seals on the cover. I carefully opened the near destroyed book and read the contents.

It explained how there were 6 hidden crypts scattered all across Equestria and each one contained a seal.

It means there has to be something that requires those seals. How peculiar… Interesting there is a mention of the crypt hidden under Ponitaly.

I read the last visible line of the book,
“When all are made whole, will the reward appear where it first began.”

This seems important I might as well take it. I stored the book in my robe. Now the fastest way to the Church would be the rooftops, simple enough.

-----------5 minutes later-----------------

“GET THE BASTERD!” shouted a city guard.

Seriously? How was I supposed to know they stationed more guards on the roofs?

I dashed across a balcony and grabbed onto a lamp swinging me to the other side. Continuing jumping across various barrels, wooden beams and ivy bars I made my way back up to the rooftops of Ponitaly. I looked behind me and saw no one chasing me.

“Whew, I lost them.” I panted.

“NOPE!”

A guard snuck behind me and tried to stab me with his rapier. I counter-dodged and flung my hidden blade into the base of his skull. His body fell down in a heap.

“Damn, at least that’s the last-“

“MURDERER!” shouted another guard accompanied by 2 others, rage filling their eyes.

Crap! Wait I’m in Ponitaly… merde!

Suddenly the 3 guards stopped in their tracks and dropped dead. Arrows sticking out in all their backs.

“Noob.” Said an all-too familiar voice.

Sniper-shot yanked the arrows out of the guards and quivered them.

“Seriously Shadow? Tenants 77, 13, and 2!?”

“Hey I didn’t hit that old lady! And excu-use me prin-“

“Tenant 4.” Said Sniper-shot shaking her head.

“Argh, enough, let’s just get this guy Fumbles was it?” I asked her.

“Guild master was right, Fumbles is a corrupt minister who passed many laws allowing the Templar organization better access around the city, such as couriers and these extra guard patrols.” She said kicking to the body of the deceased guard.

“Do you know where he is?” I asked.

“When I was looking around the dome waiting for you, I found out that a group of key Templar personal are having a secret meeting under this very church. Of course they won’t just let us in and I’m sure they are in a hidden room to ensure maximum protection.”

“Wait. I think there are catacombs that run under the city, there might be a passage that leads to the hidden area.” I explained to her.

“MIGHT?” she asked.

“It’s our only option if we want to know what their meeting is about.” I reasoned with her.

“Fine. I’m sure that sewer grate over there leads towards the catacombs.” She said pointing to a grate on the city floor.

--------Under the City-----------------------

“Yuck there are dead ponies everywhere!” I said nearly tripping on a skull of a unicorn.

“SHH! Do you hear that?” she said motioning me with her hoof.

Around the corner were 4 guards, 2 regular militia, a captain and one wearing a winged cap.

A Scout, damn I hate scouts. The only ponies that can actually run faster than me, not for Free-runner though.

I carefully sneaked with Sniper-shot around the corner until we could hear what they’re saying.

“- and that’s why we’re stuck here for the next 2 hours, Luigi. If you leave now then we won’t be paid.” Said the guard captain to the scout.

“Very well, but if I hear anything I’ll run to the other guard post so help me Celestia!” said the scout as he went away towards an open gate.

“Any ideas?” I asked Sniper-shot.

“I’ll take the captain out with my arrow then you run straight for the scout before he reports to the other base.” She said drawing out an arrow.

*Zing*

The arrow went through the captain’s head and he fell. The 2 militia guards were stunned and the scout began to run.

“SHADOW AFTER HIM! I”LL TAKE CARE OF THESE 2 GUARDS!” shouted Sniper-shot pulling out her sword.

I sprinted as fast as I could; shoving the 2 guards out of the way I go through the wooden gate.

With the wind rushing through my hood I see the scout run towards a second gate and flip a lever closing the gate behind him. I chose an alternate path and scaled a wall onto a platform, where I can see the scout running though the floor underneath me. I jump trying to land an air assassination.

Missed.

He runs now jumping onto old stairs which crumble beneath him. I notice a lamp and jump towards it as it swings onto a wall I climb my way up. I thought I lost distance from doing that but I was closer to the scout than he realised.

Unfortunately for my luck a boulder fell from the ceiling and landed in between him and an opening. I noticed some boxes to the left and jumped on those to reach a small gap in the wall behind. I dove through and saw the scout was almost to the other guard post. I sprinted with all my might to a platform directly above him.

Let’s hope it works this time.

Running out of platform I leaped in the air onto the scout and stabbed him in the neck. He lay dead.

*Whew*

I reach the guard post and noticed they were in a middle of playing a card game.

“Got any unicorns?” “Go Pony.”

I sneaked my way around and came towards a small door; I opened it and found myself in a dimly lit room with voices in the distance. I edged my way to the voices, which I found where on the floor below me. I looked through a hole in the wall and saw a group of various ponies all from different places around Equestria.

“So Fumbles, I trust you convinced the city council to ignore our plans.” Asked a light blue stallion with a dark-blood-brown mane, covered in fine robes of a nobel and with a black star cutie mark towards a yellow pony.

Balthazar…

“Yes my master. The council was easily swayed by my… contributions.” Answered Fumbles

“Volcanous and Je Suis, what do you have?” asked the stallion to a bulky red stallion with a blacksmith hammer and a darker blue unicorn wearing a monocle.

“Oui Master. We have everything your troops require: weapons, armor, and technology. With all la finest craftsmareship from Maris and Gerpony.” Answered the dark blue unicorn.

“Gut Work.” Said Balthazar towards the red one who smiled hearing Gerponian so far from home.

“And what about you Dave?... Dave?” asked the light-blue stallion talking to an icy-white unicorn wearing glasses, a casual white shirt, black jeans and a business tie. A pony with a low-ranking business position that I ever saw. He was looking right at me through the hole.

He smiled.

I darted my head back just realizing my cover was blown.

“Dave? Are you ok?” I heard Fumbles ask.

“Yes.... I thought it was the wind. Now if you’d all excuse me.”

*CRACK* *WHOOSH*

I quickly popped my head back up to the hole and saw Dave was gone from the rest of the group.

“HE IS’D VERY ODD ACCOUNTANT!” boomed the red stallion.

“Be careful what you say Volcanous. He is much more powerful than you think. Besides you should be honored he took out some of his time to see the rest of us!” said a dark green hooded pegasus mare.

“Silence, WingBlade! I know as his personal guard you speak highly of him, but now is not a time to quarrel. Now is the time to PLOT!” enforced Balthazar with a stamlp of his hoof.

“MWA MWA MWAHAHAHAHA!” laughed the light blue stallion.

“HAIL BALTHAZAR! HAIL THE TEMPLARS!” shouted every pony in unison.

Either it was the shout or I thought the wall behind me jiggled a bit. I examined it and fell through a revolving stone door. A chamber sprawled across my view with a statue of a pony holding something in its hoof.

A seal?

I picked up the seal and stowed it away in my other pocket. I saw a sewer grate above me and I climbed to the surface of a street corner. I immediately noticed Sniper-shot pacing around back and forth under a streetlamp as I closed the grate.

I walked over to her and said, “There were many ponies all together, I think they were all Templars. They said something about weapons for troops and bribing the city to ignore them. It looked like they were all lead by Balthazar.”

“BALTHAZAR!? HE'S HERE!? We need to see the Observer NOW!” shouted Sniper-shot as she dashed away from me.

“WHAT ABOUT FUMBLES?” I chased at her.

“F**K FUMBLES!”

Was it really that easy to quit a contract?