Book of Moon

Book of Moon Prologue.

luna's lance clanged across the arena.

A warrior in purple armour dropped out of the sky, bringing low his titanic blade like a bolt of judgement.

Luna looked up from her back. Her breath hastened. She back-rolled onto her feet.

The Warrior's sword  punched a wound in the earth.

Luna saw her reflection in its notched edge — less than a hair's breadth from her face. She turned and scrambled for her weapon.

A flash of steel sprouted in front of Luna.

Luna froze. Cold sweat passed down her muzzle.

"What did I tell you? Never take your eyes off your opponent."said the warrior.

He removed his gold hilted sword from Luna's neck, and stuck it into the ground.

Luna was panting. A shoulder guard with green lining fell from her jet black armour. She faced the warrior and bowed.

"Yes, master."

The warrior removed his helm. A streak of rosy magenta parted his sapphire mane.

"Master? Luna, I'm teaching you as your brother."

Luna stood.

"Yes, Jove. "

The warrior smiled.

"That's better."

The spectators applauded halfheartedly. Luna scanned the congregation. They all shielded themselves from her eyes.

Jove motioned for Luna to follow him, and turned to exit.

"Come. I think you've had enough for now."

Luna levitated her lance.

"Fight me again."

Jove looked at his little sister.

"Please, Jove." said Luna.

Jove scoffed.

"Why? I've taught you all I can for now, and I can calculate all of your moves before they happen. We have our duties."

Luna's face was set, and the wind fluttered through her mane. Her shadow split in two.

Jove raised an eyebrow for a moment, then laughed.

"Well aren't we the passionate little fighter? Very well. I'll give you one more round. Just for fun."

Jove smirked as he recited a volume of his advanced sword techniques in his head.

Luna's chest heaved. Something inky quivered through her veins.

Jove and Luna each raised their weapons.

"Duel."

Luna cried out. Dust billowed around her as she jousted headlong at her brother.

Jove didn't move. He shifted his body to the right.

Luna's lance whistled past him harmlessly. Jove chopped downward.

Luna growled. She stumbled, but spun her lance about in time to parry Jove's attack.

Luna kept her lance spinning. She shouted again, and drove her lance upward at Jove's face.

Jove brushed Luna's naivety aside like the mewling of a child.

Luna grimaced. She hopped backwards as her lance spun out of control.

Jove swiped at Luna's legs with the blunt of his sword while she was off balance. She lurched sideways and fell.

Luna clenched her teeth as she slammed onto her side. Pangs like needles bit into her spine.

Jove hefted his sword onto his shoulder.

"Luna, I've enjoyed playing with you, but you must understand when you've met your —"

Luna's lance arched at Jove's legs.

A bead of sweat appeared on Jove's brow. Jove opened his wings and jumped out of the way.

Luna made no sound. She flew up above Jove and jabbed down at him over and over.

The force of her strikes blasted craters into the arena. The spectators panicked as chunks of debris showered the stands.

Jove's growled. He couldn't find an opening.

Luna lunged for Jove's heart.

Jove's eyes widened: He had his chance.

In a bout of déjà vu, Jove battered Luna's lance into the sky with a powerful upward stroke.

Luna locked her gaze with Jove's. She flew at him, hooves raised in a guard. Her left foreleg receded slightly.

A string of lightning flashed in Jove's mind. Luna's movements belied an attack from the right.

Luna's pupils became draconian slits. She brought her wings close to her body and rolled to Jove's left.

Jove's blood ran cold. His sword glided past Luna like a mourning breeze.

Luna roared and directed all her might into a single punch.

Jove was forced backward a few feet.

The wind stabbed its way out of Jove's lungs. His peytral was broken into a million pieces.

Time lingered. Jove looked at Luna in disbelief. She was smiling.

Jove furrowed his eyebrows. He seized Luna's foreleg.

Luna's joy evaporated. Her pupils rounded. She struggled against Jove's lock.

Jove wheeled Luna about like a rag doll, then loosed her at the ground.

Luna screamed. She careened back-first into the spectator stands. Plumes of pulverized stone erupted into the air.

The spectators ran, but Guardponies blocked their escape. They trembled before the fury that lurked within the mist.

Jove landed.

Luna was curled up in a ball. The stone steps of the spectator stands had been all but destroyed. Segments of her armor were strewn about its jagged face.

Jove touched her shoulder.

"You've already grown so strong, Luna. I don't understand why you try so hard."

"Because they hate me. All of them. If I could be more like you..." said Luna.

The guards tensed. Jove sat next to her. He assaulted the crowd with his gaze.

"What do you mean?"

Luna lay on her front.

"They're afraid of me. No matter what I do, they always run. They call me names, and now even Tia won't talk to me."

"What do they call you?" asked Jove.

Luna buried her face.

"Nightmare Moon."

Jove stood.

"And why should you care about what those vermin think? They exist only to carry out our will. You will still be young  long after time has flensed the flesh from their bones."

The cries of starving infants still rang in Luna's ears. From the shadows she had watched Tia bring them food and shelter, when the state would have them rot.

"But Tia said — "

" Celestia has taken leave of her senses." said Jove. "An alicorn does not wallow among detritus. She should know better. The earth ponies serve no higher purpose than the dust from which they spawned."

Jove helped Luna to her feet. He boomed at the crowds.

"My sister has shown courage and prowess on this hallowed field of combat. You will praise her — or suffer."

A magenta aura enveloped Jove's horn. The spectators all bore the same mark on their flanks: A large stripped sphere, with tens of dots orbiting around it. The marks started to glow.

Pegasi and unicorns alike writhed in pain. They clapped their hooves in submission.

Jove released his spell.

The crowd groaned and sobbed.

Jove levitated Luna's lance and presented it to her.

"Unbelievable. Never in all my battles has one of my own siblings been able to strike me. Your cunning has put Prince Arena to shame." said Jove.

Luna beamed. She hugged her brother and nuzzled his neck.

"I love you, big brother."

Jove embraced his favorite sister.

"I will talk with Celestia . As high prince, I must keep this family together."

Jove's ears pricked. A cataclysmic roar reverberated from the mountaintops.

Generals of the imperial army touched down in the arena. They were accompanied by a chariot, from which a unicorn stepped out and saluted.

"Your Majesty, field marshal Breaker reporting. A tyrant dragon has appeared. Ignimbrite is attacking the highland cities. He'll break through our walls before dusk if we don't stop him. What are your orders, sir?"

A vain impulse tickled Jove's spine. His wings opened and close in anticipation. Jove released Luna and walked to meet his officers, brandishing his sword .

"Good. I wondered when the old foe would show himself."

The ruthless calculus of war bled through Jove's mind. If he fought well, only a thousand mortals need fall this day.

The generals stood to attention. Jove cleared his throat.

"Mpemba, Lord of Heavenly Ice. Garnet, Lord of Stalwart Stone. Coriolis, Lord of Slicing Gales. Ignimbrite, Lord of Molten Earth."

"These are the enemies that I have hunted for more than a century, and for a century, dragons have been forgotten by this realm."

"But I remember. And the return of the dragon gods, marks the return of dragonkind. I remember how they burned my subjects, shook my palace, froze my crops, and cut my wings."

"Rally the air-brigades. Ready the spell-slings upon the towers. We will face him in the skies above Tall Rostra."

"When last our forces met, I killed their children."

"When my task is done the dragons — "

Jove admired the growing collection of notches on his sword.

" — will be a myth."

"These are my orders. Dismissed."

The generals saluted and made off to prepare Jove's armies. Jove stretched his wings.

Luna ran out in front of him.

"Take me with you. If I can slay a dragon, I'll be like you."

Jove smiled. He touched Luna's face.

"That is noble of you. But I won't put you in harm's way. Not until you are ready."

Luna pouted.

Jove said, "You will have your chance. Besides — If I am to fight — who will raise the moon?"

Luna blinked.

"You want me to raise the moon?"

Jove nodded.

"I think you've earned the right. It's what you were always meant to do."

Jove closed his eyes. A celestial energy swirled about his horn and passed into Luna's mane. It twinkled like the evening stars, and flowed with ethereal magic.

Jove stepped back, the snares of pride drummed in his heart.

"I dub thee Luna: Princess of the Night. The moon is yours — guard her well."

Luna ran her hooves through her lengthened locks.

"Okay. I'll stay."

"Take care, Luna. After I claim Ignimbrite's skull for my throne room, we'll have a formal ceremony."

Luna took off and flew over the metropolis of Tall Rostra towards a grand citadel. It's heights pierced the clouds. Airships departed from docking stations and shipyards. They lumbered far and wide; laden with freight.

Luna's stomach fluttered as she watched the sun decline.

Her first moon waited just below the horizon.

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Long ago, when the celestial sisters were still young, the alicorns ruled from *Tall Rostra*. They enslaved the lesser ponies to their ambitions with magical rituals.

This cruel order was *ended** by a being of light and darkness. The world was changed, and began anew.*

But the being's power only grew. It's warring halves almost destroyed the newfound peace and liberty, so a *princess** locked the magic away — inside a book.*

By those who bore witness to its creation, it is known as the *Book of Moon.***

Many lessons were learned in its writing. This is the story of how these lessons forged the past, and left hope for the future.