Children of the Night

Children of the night

Chapter 1

The great escape

Several guards galloped through the night in Everfree forest, along with princess Luna. One of them carried an injured princess Celestia on his back, which slowed them down considerably. The uncomfortable atmosphere inside the forest was something that made the guards flinch on every ever so small noise. The predators of this forest avoided the group of heavily armed ponies, that galloped through their territory. But it was not their armor or magic that frightend them off.... It was what followed the group that made even the Timberwolfs flee.

„How far have we until we reach safety your highness?“

Captain Shining Armor asked Princess Luna while maintaining his position in the defensive formation around her and Princess Celestia.

„It is still a long way until we arrive at the place we have in mind. We must simply hold on and hope that....“

But the Princess of the night did not get to finish what she was saying.

A bright green flash of magic cut through the darkness and was headed straight at her. Shining Armor, devoted to both Princesses, shoved Luna aside to get her out of harms way, but taking the spell himself. Luna felt metal on her flank before she was shoved aside and tumbled to the floor of the forest. The group around her, came to a stop and she just wanted to lash out at Shining Armor for causing her to fall, when she saw the Unicorn Guard captain laying on his side, breathing heavily. A great portion of his barding had been literally ripped off his body and the right side of his body was spourting blood like a fountain. She saw now what must have happend. He had seen an incoming attack, and was unable to cast a counterspell in time. So he did the only thing he could think of.... Throwing himself into harms way.

„Captain Shining Armor! Oh by Celestia... We have to get you out of here. Guards take.....“

But again Luna was interrupted.

Several bolts of green magic cut through the night and the group had to duck to avoid them. One look at Shining Armors face, while she ducked showed her, that he would not stand for being an additional burden on her guards. However, she could not just let him die here. He had done so much during the inital attack on Canterlot, and kept her safe up till now. He had been the only one of all her guards that had not mistrusted her after coming back from her thousand year exile on the moon, and now this...

Shining Armor saw it in Princess Lunas eyes. She would not leave one of her subjects behind if she could help it. A glance to his foalhood friend, Goldshield, was all it took and the White coated Earthpony mare grabbed hold of Princess Luna, together with two other guards and dragged her away.

„Thank you Goldshield....“

Shining Armor muttered to himself and tried to get up. His injury was bad and he knew it. At this rate he wouldn't see another sunrise... So he decided to do what he could, as Captain of the royal guards Uncorn devision. He would buy the Princesses time.... As much time as they needed. His determination was unbroken as he stood unsteadily on his legs,

casting a barrier spell that cut the side of the forest he was standing in off from the one their pursuers came closer every second. Holding a barrier of this size usually was no problem for Shining Armor, but with his injury beads of sweat quickly formed on his brow, while the Changelings once again tried to break his barrier....

Goldshield was galloping alongside Quick Arrow and Cherry Pie, while the three of them kept Princess Luna restraint, who was struggling violently to free herself from their grasp.

„Let us go! Captain Shining Armor is not dead yet, we can still help him!“, she screamed.

Cherry Pie looked downcast having to disobey her princesses orders, and so did Quick Arrow. The two Pegasi had, like herself, served in the royal guard ever since they had left school, and were used to obey the Princesses every order. Behind them six other guards kept a defensive formation around Pin Cushion who was carrying Princess Celestia. They galloped for a while, whithout any incident, and without Princess Luna ceasing her screaming, when Gold Shield finally snapped.

„Captain Shing Armor is giving his life to protect us. Please don't disgrace his sacrifce by endangering yourself in a futile attempt to safe him!“

Luna was shocked at such boldness and coldhearted calculation. Wasn't Shining Armor a comrade to this Earthpony? But then she recognized the mare that held her left front hoof in her grab. It was Guard Captain Goldshield... Foalhood friend of the left behind Shining Armor. From the corner of her eyes, Luna could see tears trickeling down her face as she continued to gallop deeper into the forest.

Shining Armor was straining himself to keep the barrier up, but the ground beneath him was already slippery with his own blood and he felt lightheaded and tired. How did all this happen? He and his wife, Princess Cadance, had been invited to Canterlot to attend the crowning of his younger sister, Twilight Sparkle, as newest Princess of Equestria. After the actual ceremony Twilight had held a procession through the streets of Canterlot, and that was when all had started to go wrong... Many Ponies in the crowd suddenly started to attack their fellow Ponies. Screams of delight and joy had turned into screams of pain and horror.... The royal guards tried to arrest the troublemakers, but verry soon it had become clear to all of them that they were, once again, dealing with changelings.But these were different somehow. They actually killed some Ponies and enchanted others to attack.Shining Armor had lost a few of his comrades to such attacks. The tide of the battle was quickly turning against the defenders, since they not only had to deal with the invaders, but also with the mindcontrolled citizens of Canterlot. The moment he had sounded the retreat however, was when Queen Chrysalis herself had entered the frey ,and sweeped away a whole squad of guards as if they were flies.

They could not have won this battle, and their last stand happend in the throne room of the royal palace. Twenty guards from different divisions, and the two royal sisters... Nopony else had made it there. The fate of his wife and sister unknown, Shining Armor was ready to attack Queen Chrysalis in a fit of rage and desperation, but was held back by Goldshield. A moment later, Princess Luna had teleported all of them to the edge of the Everfree forest. But not before Chrysalis had inflicted a painful wound on her sister, Princess Celestia. Nopony had been comfortable with the plan to hide in Everfree forest, but Princess Luna had promised them a safe place within it. A place where the Changelings could never hope to enter....

The magic around his horn began to fade slowly, as his life spilled onto the forest floor. Shining Armor knew that this was most likely it, and he stood tall and proud as his magic failed. The barrier fell and several Changelings rushed towards him... Shining Armor did not close his eyes however. He was proud to have fullfilled his duty to the end. His last thought before the first Changeling reached him was his only regret in his life....

„I'm sorry I couldn't protect you... Twilight.“

Luna galloped alongside the guards again throwing concerened glances at her sister every now and then. The wound that Chrysalis had inflicted on her neck seeped blood ,and her usually pure white coat was already stinched a deep brown from dried blood.

Not much farther... We are almost there! We can make it! Just a little further! If we just can make it there..., Luna thought, as panic slowly creeped into her thoughts. It would only be a little while now until they reached her refuge. The place that not even her dear sister knew about.... Her sister belived that her turning into Nightmare Moon, had been her only rebellion against her decissions... Soon Celestia would find out that her younger sibling had stopped listening to her every word long

ago, and that it had been better that way, even so Luna doubted that Celestia would see it that way. Just as Luna thought they had lost their pursuers, several pairs of green eyes lighted up in front of them, causing the group to tumble to a stop. Three of the rear guards almost lost their balance at the sudden appearance of enemies in their close proximaty.

Goldshield could not believe it. They had come so far, and even so she did not know how far they had yet to go, she trusted in Princess Luna to know what she was doing. Had she not, she would never have agreed to enter Everfree forest, and especially not at night.

"Defensive Formation! Protect the Princesses! Don't let anyone of them get past you!"

Goldshield shouted and everypony obliged to her order. With Shining Armor gone, she was the commander of this unit afterall.... The thought of Shining Armor gave her a sting in her heart.

„For your sake Armor, I WILL keep the Princesses safe.... even if it is the last thing I do...:“

She thought and was ready to throw herself into the upcoming fight, when she noticed a bright light coming from behind her.

Instinctivly she glanced over her shoulder, seeing Princess Luna standing right behind her, her horn aglow with magic and her Eyes glowing like the moon itself. She had seen those eyes before. It usually happend when the Princess of the night lost her temper, which happend less and less recently. But this time was different. Princess Luna did not eminate any

hostility or rage. Instead Goldshield felt as if she was called towards the Princess. It felt like an urgent thing to do. Something that blotted out anything else on her mind. She felt that, no matter what might happen to her, she had to protect …. mother.

Goldshield shook her head violently. Mother? Where did that come from? Princess Luna was in no way related to her, and even less her mother. The feeling receeted as the Princesses eyes returned to their normal bright green color and she took an offensive stance. Her wings outstretched to make herself look bigger as she was, and her horn aglow with magic once again, Princess Luna made her way, to stand next to Goldshield.

„We have to hold out only a little while. Help is on it's way.“

„Help? But from....?“

Goldshield was interruped however by a Changeling jumping at her throat. Princess Luna turnedaround faster then any of the Ponies present could have anticipated and bucked at it. Her hoofes struck true and the Changeling was thrown back against a nearby tree. A sickening crunching noise was heard when it hit the tree, head first, and lay still on the forest floor.

„What are you waiting for? Are you scared of one not even fully grown Allicorn?“

Princess Luna taunted their attackers as they backed away at the sight of their comrade being killed with just one hit of the Princesses hoofes. As they slowly tried to withdraw into the shadows again, to wait for reinforcements no doubt, more eyes lit up in the darkness behind them. These however where not green as their own, but white as moonlight. Eight Ponies jumped the fifteen remaining Changelings.

Goldshield was amazed at the strength Princess Luna had just demonstrated. Did she even need all of them if it actually came to a fight, or would they just be in her way? Not only that caught her attention, but also the look in her eyes concerned her a bit. She knew nothing of the Princesses life before she became a ruler of Equestria, but this look was one of determination. A determination to crush everypony that was foalish enough to get into her effective range.

As several pairs of white eyes lit the darkness behind the now frightend Changelings, Goldshield thought that they had called in reinforcements at first. But soon she realized that these eyes belonged, not to Changelings, but to Ponies. Ponies that, without a second thought, jumped the changelings that outnumbered them almost two to one. Her first impulse was to rush in together with the other guards and assist these Ponies who had come to their aid, but an outstretched hoof

from Princess Luna stopped her. Goldshield was about to protest as a Changeling flew past her, his skull crushed in by a hit from a front hoof of one of the Ponies.

„It will be difficult as it is, so please do not insult their honor by interfering with their fight.“,Luna said

„Who are these Ponies, your highness?“

" You will find out, soon enough. For now, we must run. We are almost there and they will keep the changelings off our backs until we arrive at our destination.“

The other Guards were already on the move again, when Goldshield was still staring at a particular Unicorn mare, with a light brown coat and dark brown ears. Her orange mane and tail flurred though the air as she bucked at a charging changeling while throwing two others against nearby trees with her magic. Her expression was not one of fear of death or injury, but of determination to not let a single one of them escape.

„MOVE!“

Princess Luna shouted at her, when she was staring at the Unicorn in awe. Immideatly she followed the Princess into the darkness between the trees. A last glace over her shoulder revealed that the Changelings that had attacked them, actually tried to run for their lifes....

A few minutes later

Luna loathed what she had to do, but there had been no other way to safe her life and that of her sister. Out of the  darkness in front of her, a barrier of dark purple came into sight. A barrier, she herself had raised more then a thousand years ago. As she and her group approached it, a small hole opend in it, letting them enter her refuge.

Goldshield gasped as she galloped through the barrier that had come into sight just a few moments ago. She saw houses and streets, lit by streetlamps. The streets of this settlement were buzzing with activity. But what made her take a defensive stance, was the group of seven Ponies, that had gathered around them in a half circle. She quickly recognized the Ponies that had taken care of the Changelings earlier. Their eyes had stopped glowing, and they seemed to completly ignore her, the other guards and even Princess Celestia. All their eyes were on Princess Luna. As they started to run towards the Princess, Goldshield wanted to put herself between them and her, fearing an attack, having seen them fight earlier. As Princess Luna ran towards them aswell however, she was stopped in her tracks by suprise. All of them hugged the Princess, and the Princess was more then happy appreantly to return the hugs with her front legs and even her wings.

Tears flowed from Lunas eyes as she was able to embrace her long lost children once again. All of them were crying ,and some were even trying to climb her back, but she let them be, since she could relate to their overflowing joy.

„Mother!“

A voice from a corner of the nearby buildings caught Lunas attention. Her ears jumped up at the voice. She had recognized the bearer of this voice earlier when her children had come to protect her. As the voice sounded, the others stepped back from her and made way for a brown Unicorn mare with dark brown ears and orange mane. Her eyes were the same green as Lunas and as she stood before her, Luna embraced her,

Goldshield could not believe her eyes. The Princess who has had so much problems relating to her subjects, was  embracing Ponies who... strange enough, called her „Mother.“ As far as she knew, the Princesses did not have any children. Furthermore, these Ponies were Pegasi, Earthponies and Unicorns. There was not a single Allicorn among them. These impressions still having to settle in, the Unicorn mare she had seen fight earlier, stepped out of the darkness near a building. What Goldshield had not been able to see before, because of the darkness, was her cutie mark. Now the light of a streetlamp enlightend the mares flank and showed the exact same cutie mark, Princess Luna had on hers.