//-------------------------------------------------------// The Legacy of the Nameless -by Thunderbolt the Spectar- //-------------------------------------------------------// //-------------------------------------------------------// An Abandoned Foal //-------------------------------------------------------// An Abandoned Foal The princess of the night wandered quietly through the Everfree forest. She was silent, and walked slowly. The princess felt ashamed, alone, and shunned by all. Everypony slept during her night, and never praised her glorious moon. As she wandered, she heard a small sniffling sound, almost like crying. She stopped in her tracks, and looked around. The sound was quiet, but close. It was coming from the bushes. The princess took a few steps closer, and could see a young filly lying on the ground, and it was crying. The foal seemed to be extremely young, a few days old at most. It looked starving, and there weren't any ponies nearby. Luna looked at the yellow foal. The foal had blue eyes, and golden yellow coat. She had a red marking on her front hooves that reminded the princess of royal shoes. The foal's feathers were two colors, the secondary feathers being a light blue. It had a turqouise mane, and a little unicorn's horn poking through it. "Where are thou parents little on?" The princess was worried about the foal. It wouldn't last long out here alone. The foal looked up at her, still crying. It looked abandoned. "Oh, thou's parents abandoned thee?" The princess walked around the bush, lying down beside the foal. It looked up at her, and rubbed against her. Luna smiled. "Thou wish for us to be thou's mother?" The foal had curled up beside her, comforted by the soft fur. The princess frowned, feeling how cold the foal was. She opened a wing, using it to blanket the freezing foal, who snuggled closer. "Thou shun our night as well?" She thought the foal had fallen asleep, but she saw that it was awake. "No, thou does not," the princess smiled. The foal cooed, her belly grumbling. She was starving, having gone without food for a while. "Oh no, we shall go fetch thee some food," the princess levitated the foal onto her back, and quietly started traveling back towards town. She didn't want the foal to starve to death, she feared to see such a young pony's life end so soon. The foal curled up on her back, taking in the warming comfort. "We think thou should get a name, but we cannot think of one. But thou shan't go without a name! Otherwise thou would be nameless!" She heard the baby coo when she said the last word. The princess blinked. "Thou liketh the name Nameless?" The baby cooed again. "Then thou shall be Nameless!" The princess laughed. The foal clapped her hooves together and smiled. The two arrived at the edge of the forest. She spreads her wings, preparing to fly. She flapped her wings, rising up, until she heard the foal start crying. The princess landed, having barely been off the ground. "Thou is afraid of heights we presume? Then we shall have to walk!" She quietly walked along the path that lead towards Canterlot. It would be a long trip, but she would have to make it. The foal had quieted, curled up in her new mother's fur, watching the stars shine above. They entered the city, though most of the stores were closed, which wasn't a surprise anymore. The princess lowered her head and sighed. There was little luck for her to find an open shop this late during her night. She was right, all the homes and shops were closed. The foal's belly grumbled, and she sniffled. She was starving, and needed food soon. "Oh little one, we will try our best to findeth thou some food..." the princess perked up. "The castle! Of course!" The princess laughed. She trotted smoothly, trying not to disturb the foal. She walked up the stairs into the castle, heading towards the kitchen. There was a bat-pony calmly standing in the kitchen, having no orders to cook at the moment. He was startled when the princess of night came into the kitchen. "We require assistence!" The princess claimed. "What is it you require Princess?" The bat-pony was bowing down slightly, debating whether it was required or not. "We found a small foal abandoned in the forest, who is starving and needs food!" The bat pony looked confused, but then noticed the bright yellow foal sitting on the Princess's back. "Will do, your Majesty," the bat pony saluted and ran off. He returned a little while later holding a warm baby bottle in his mouth. "Thank you servant," the princess lifted the bottle with her magic and held it in front of the foal. The foal pressed her hooves around it, getting a grip on it and starting drinking. She enjoyed the feel of the warm milk trickling down her throat, and the relief of getting something into her long empty belly. "I will go inform Princess Celestia of the new citizen," The servant turned to leave, but was stopped by the lunar princess. "Halt. Thou isn't to tell our sister of Nameless. Nopony is to be told of our new child," The princess narrowed her gaze. She didn't want her sister to know, she felt her sister would force her to abandon it, considering it was a natural born alicorn, the first since their own births. "Yes your majesty," the servant bowed and went off towards its chamber. The foal had just finished her milk, the bottle near empty. "Thou was quite hungry!" The princess laughed, setting the drained bottle on a counter. Luna made her way through the halls of the castle, shielding the foal from sight with her wings. Now that she wasn't starving, the foal would constantly clap her hooves together and let out a small coo. She was much happier, and didn't feel alone anymore. The princess smiled softly and walked into her chamber. She set the little foal down onto the bed, sitting down in front of it. "Thou loves the night, does thou not?" The baby simply cooed in response. "Hm... thou would be shunned by the others... just as we be shunned by our subjects," the princess held a hoof to her chin and thought. "We need new subjects, the bat-ponies serve us well but they are few. We shall make our own subjects! Thou shall be the first! But, what shall we make thou?" Luna looked at the foal, thinking deeply about the foals new form. "Ah! We know! Hold still little one, and we shall change thee into something new!" The Lunar Princess's horn began to glow, the foal's body being surrounded by sparkles and a similar glow. There was a flash of light, and the change was quickly passed. The foal yawned, a forked tongue sliding out between a row of sharp teeth. She had two curved horns falling behind her ears, white spikes running along her back. Her furry tail was replaced by a long draconic one, with turqiouse feathers at the end. Each of her front hooves had five claws sprouted, the claws themselves being white. Her hind legs looked more bird-like, the bird 'scales' were light blue like her wings. Her eyes became solid color, black slits replacing her pupils. She had two long fangs like a vampire bat, the reason unknown. "Ah, there. Thou has fangs like a bat, eyes like a cat, and the hind legs of an owl! Animals that honor our night! Everything else is meant to keep thou safe, and make thou more unique to our sister's subjects. Thou shall be known as Queen Nameless! Rule of the Farucans!" the princess smiled. The changed foal fluttered her wings, attempting to fly over to her new mother. She succeeded, landing in front of the princess. Luna lied down, holding the foal close with her forelegs. Nameless looked up at her, smiling. There wasa soft purr as she cuddled close. "Our dear child, sleep well. Tomorrow we shall find thee a kingdom!" //-------------------------------------------------------// A New Castle //-------------------------------------------------------// A New Castle The wind ripped through her fur, the ice-cold chill sinking deep into her core. She had her eyes closed, standing tall against the wind. Her mane billowed back, and she took in a deep breathe. "It's wonderful Mother," the filly smiled joyfully. She opened her vibrant blue eyes, looking over the land. For now, it was nothing more than a long grassy field, stumps placed in random areas. The land was being cleared, the wood being chopped by a few ponies into firewood for the castle. The castle was finally finished, created specifically for the lone farucan's needs. Nameless was filled with joy, excited to investigate the new building, to learn everything about it. "We are glad thou loves it so," The tall blue alicorn stood beside the filly, her mystical, starry mane rippling like magic. "Can we go play? We want to investigate the castle!" The filly looked up at her mother, the excitement in her cat-slit eyes. "Of course, it is thou's castle now," The lunar princess smiled. Nameless fluttered her wings, flying up to give her mother a hug. She flew off, heading straight for the throne room. The filly landed softly, folding her wings against her side. Her eyes widened as she looked around the golden room. There were pillars, several, holding it up. Stained glass windows cast colorful patterns of light on the stone flooring. The room appeared to sparkle, and the little filly looked up at the throne. The throne stood tall, golden jems encrusted along the top. The throne itself was made of marble, a stone rarely found, and extremely valuable. A large tapestry hung above it, made of a silver cloth. It pictured an older version of the filly herself, rearing up in the light of the full moon. "'Tis a beautiful castle, and it belongs to us!" Nameless joyfully trotted to the throne, feeling the soft red carpet beneathe her claws with each and every step. Her slender tail dragged behind her, the thick plumage at the end weighing it down. As she neared it, she slowed her pace. The throne was huge, much larger than the little filly. She gently placed one clawed hoof on the side of the arm rest, feeling the polished marble against it. "It seems thou shall not fit within her own throne for quite a while," Luna walked into the throne room, walking quietly down the path to where the young queen was standing. "To large for us," The foal muttered, putting her foot down. She turned walked into the area in front of the throne, looking up at the hanging tapestry. She stood amazed, smiling at its beauty. "Lovely, we cannot hold in our joy!" she beamed, fluttering her wings. "Ah, well why doesn't thou go see her room? Night will fall soon, and the sun will be rising to waken the ponies," the princess suggested, stepping up beside the foal. The filly nodded, looking up at her mother. "We are sleepy, we shall investigate the castle on the morrow!" Nameless flew up onto her mother's back, too tired to walk. She felt all her energy drain, her eyelids beginning to feel like lead weights. Luna smiled, heading towards a golden staircase. She was silent as she entered the hallway, heading down to a large door at the end. A blue glow surrounded it, pulling the door open. She entered the room, levitating the exhausted foal onto the large bed. The tiny queen didn't move, staying curled up in the one spot. She was too tired to move, and she just wanted to sleep. "Rest well this day my little queen, one day you shall stand proud and true..." the lunar princess whispered, giving the foal a small kiss. A little smile appeared on the young filly's face, as her mind slipped off into a long rest. //-------------------------------------------------------// The Solar Diarch //-------------------------------------------------------// The Solar Diarch "How well thou has blossomed," The lunar princess smiled with pride. Standing before her now was a tall and proud farucan. Several centuries had passed, the queen's age lost over the time. Nameless was a true leader, a farucan that took her command seriously. "Mother, thou says that every visit," the queen laughed. Even her serious attitude was often pushed aside when the Lunar Princess came to her kingdom. "We know, but we are proud of our child," Luna smiled. The two were standing on the balconey of the towering castle. They had a clear view of the city, watching the citizens enjoy their day. The Lunar Princess was quiet as she watched, seeing how much their lives matched those of her sister's subjects, even though they lived in the night. All she could think about was how she truly had been shunned, as a pony's life could be all the same during the night as it could be in the day. Nameless looked over her kingdom, smiling with her own pride. The race had blossomed over the years, even as isolated as they were from the rest of the world. "There is no need to be proud Mother, we have accomplished what thou wished for us to do, create a flourishing kingdom within thou's glorious moonlight," Nameless stated, turning towards the door. "Our dear child, we think it is time for thou to meet her aunt," The princess smiled, turning to look at her daughter. The queen stopped in her tracks, turning to look at the princess. "Is that so? Then allow us to get prepared," Nameless was silent as she left, heading down to her room. The princess nodded, not leaving her place. She continued to watch the farucans as they continued with their day, not a worry in the world. There were quite a few, though the small kingdom had yet to compare to the ponies, but they were blossoming quite well. The population seemed contained, designed to fit just one large city, though it was true that there was only one ruler compared to the diarchy of Equestria. The queen walked down the hall, watching the guards walk by. One stopped in his tracks, turning around. He walked alongside his queen, having been her personal guard for so long. His loyalty was strong and untainted, and he would take a spear to the heart to keep his queen safe. The farucan was of the pegasus variety, lacking the spiral horn, and his fur was solid white. His eyes were bright red, signalling his albinoism. When they arrived at the bedroom, the guard stood outside the doors as the queen walked inside. Nameless sat by the mirror, looking at herself in the reflection. Her horn had a vibrant blue glow around it, the magic running a hairbrush through the queen's long thick mane. Sighing, she set the brush down and continued to stare. "The princess may not be proud of us, of what we are. Thou may not care for us as our mother does dearly. She rules the ponies, our enemies. The ponies, they view our kind as monsters! Their leader will feel nothing for us, and we shall feel nothing towards her!" The queen got out of her chair, heading towards the door. Her guard was resting, his eyes shut and his chest rising slowly. She ignored him, not going to bother the poor guard. She calmly climbed down the stairs, her mother awaiting by the throne. "Is thou ready to leave?" The princess questioned. Nameless nodded, hatred running through her mind, yet unknown to her mother. Her mother did not know of the harsh words ponies have spoken of their kind, of the farucans. The vicious insults used as weapons. Several centuries of nothing but hate was boiling up within her, but she refused to show the truth. Her mother had been proud, and she didn't want to upset the shunned princess. "Yes mother," The queen replied, a serious tone in her voice. The lunar princess smiled and walked calmly down the long carpet, heading towards the doors. Nameless silently followed behind her, feeling the softness of the red carpet beneathe her claw with her gentle steps. She could remember the first time she had done this, long ago when she was nothing more than a tiny foal. She actually smiled at the memories, looking upon the throne as though it was a giant chair, though now it fit her perfectly. She stepped outside of the doors, looking out upon her city. A few citizens turned to look at her, several of them bowing in her wake. Both rulers stood proud, basking in the glory. "We will return, but for now we shall meet the Solar Diarch of our neighbors! Rest well this day, as we shall return when the sun is at its peek, and all thou's heads are resting upon their beds!" Nameless annouced, informing her subjects of her departure. Luna opened her wings wide, ascending into the sky. Nameless looked up at her mother, watching as the moon began to set. The queen spread her wings, rising up behind the princess of night. The two proud rulers set their course towards Equestria, where the castle could be seen in the distance. The farucan looked down at the towering trees, looking upon the dark forest. She enjoyed the view, watching as birds take flight as the howl of timberwolves rang through the air. She never understood why the ponies feared the wooden golems, as they were quite gentle. It wasn't uncommon to see a young timberwolf pup within the homes, often playing with the young farucans foals. Manticores were the same, being the mystical equivalent to a domestic cat, while timberwolves were the canines. "Ah, such a beautiful view," Luna laughed, having noticed her child's curiousity. Nameless nodded, looking up to see the castle ahead. She banked, slowly decending towards the castle doors. Luna followed right behind, excited to show her sister the child that she raised from a newborn foal. The queen noticed the glares the ponies were giving her as she landed, how they looked at her like some alien beast. Luna landed beside her, opening the doors to the castle. The farucan let out a silent growl before turning towards the doors. She gave a dangerous glare to the guards, following her mother into the castle. There was a long blue carpet leading to the two throwns, tapestries hanging above them. The darker throne had a long blue tapestry showing the lunar princess rearing with a crescent moon above her head. A similar tapestry was above the lighter throne, but with the solar princess and a sun. "Sister, we see thou has returned," A tall white alicorn stepped down from the light throne, quietly walking down the path. "And we see thou has brought a friend." "Our dearest sister, we would like to present our beloved child, Queen Nameless of the Farucans," Luna introduced the unusual monarch, who seemed uncomfortable within the castle. Her gaze seemed to be changing constantly, as she looked at each guard, scowling each time. Celestia could see the monarch's hatred, which shown in her eyes. Her sister seemed oblivious to the rage that the queen held. "It is a pleasure to meet thee, Nameless," Celestia bowed, honouring the young queen. A smirk appeared on the queen's face, revealing how pleased she was to see the diarch bowing. "Hello, Aunt," Nameless responded, a small venomous tone in her voice. A guard came up to her, but the queen snapped at him. "Leave me alone, pony!" she growled. She spat out the last word as though it was poisonous for her to say. Celestia narrowed her gaze, worry flooding her heart. This monarch would be a threat if she viewed the solar diarch's subjects with such hatred. "May we speak with thou... alone?" The diarch asked, hoping her sister wouldn't mind. Nameless glared at her, slowly nodding her head. "Thou may..." "We shall leave thee be," Luna bowed her head and quietly started heading towards her chamber. She didn't want to eavesdrop, but the worry in her sister's voice caused her to listen. "Nameless, please. We can see how thou is hateful towards out subjects, but we aquire thee to stop. Please, give the ponies another chance, and change thou's view. If thou refuses, we will have no choice but to destroy thou," Celestia looked at the farucan with pleading eyes, worrying about her temper. The farucan's gaze narrowed, and a long, deep growl petruding from her throat. "Thou dares threaten us?!" The queen smirk changed into a frown, and she bared her fangs. "Thou dares to threaten us Aunt?! HOW DARE THOU TELL US TO CHANGE OUR WAYS?! Celestia, how can thou sit there when her subjects call us a monster, call us different? Just becuase we don't honor thou's sun? We don't honor thou's subjects? We are the daughter of Luna, her own creation! Does she come and threaten thou's subjects? Thou is a tyrant! The moment thou finds a race that refuses to honor thou's sun, thou doesn't hesitate to have them wiped out. Tyrant! Thou shall fall before us!" Nameless stomped the ground hard, turning away in a flash. "Thou will fall! Down with the tyrant Celestia!" The farucan dashed through the hall, bursting through the doors. Luna ran to her sister's side, tears filling her eyes. "Sister, we did not know!" The younger princess rubbed against her sister's side, looking up at the diarch's worried eyes. "She is a threat Luna, we do not wish to harm them, but we have no choice. Luna, thou must destroy them, remove their lives from this world. We are sorry, but if thou does not, then the kingdom will be destroyed..." Celestia hung her head low, saddened by this turn of events. Luna nodded, though it pained her. Her own child, her own subjects, their lives ending in her hooves. "We understand Sister," the lunar princess bowed her head, tears staining the carpet below her. At sundown, she would have to end the life of the very being she cared for most. The farucans, had to be destroyed. //-------------------------------------------------------// Razor Blade //-------------------------------------------------------// Razor Blade The guard was swift, his clawed hooves leaving deep gashes in the ground beneath him. He had to be quick, he had to reach the castle quickly. His heart was racing, there was an army heading through the forest. They had swords, and daggers, and the unicorns had powerful spells at the ready. The albino pegasus farucan climbed up into a tree, trying to look out for an end to the army. Their numbers were few, compared to the size of the farucan army. The ponies didn't stand a chance, they would crumble before them. The guard chuckled, shooting through the branches of the tree. He lifted into the sky, avoiding the bolt sent after him. He managed the reach the clouds, hiding inside. His task was simple, go after the solar diarch, take out her guards, leave her unprotected. If he had a chance to strike, he was to take the princess out himself. He was quiet, waiting for any searching pegasi to return to their places. Once he felt it was quiet, he leapt from cloud to cloud. He had to stay out of sight, he didn't stand a chance if he was spotted again. The castle, he could see it in the distance. The farucan was getting close, he would be there soon. He leapt up from a cloud, spreading his strong wings. He relied on his flight, his large powerful wings. He flew swiftly, a white blur in the sky. The guard was silent as he flew, like a speeding owl searching for prey. The castle was close, and the army was out of sight, deep in the forest on their way to clash with the others. The albino farucan banked, diving down towards the castle. Surely Celestia would be inside, a small legion of guards to protect her. All he needed to do was destroy the guards, as a few other farucans would be there to help end the princess. He landed just outside the castle doors, folding his wings tight against his sides. The white guard pushed open the castle doors. They weren't barred, as they should have been. The princess must have believed that no farucans would get passed the army. He silently walked through, looking upon the light throne at the end of the path. Celestia was sitting silently, five guards standing around her. An earth pony guard charged at him, holding out a sword. The farucan dodged the blade, tripping the pony with his long tail. In a swift motion, the farucan dug his claws into the poor guard's back, the blood gushing out from the deep grooves. He drag the claws along the length of the pony's back, sliding them out. It was warm, turning the fur around his claws a deep red. He narrowed his gaze, a dark grin on his face. "Thou shall not harm the princess!" A dark brown pegasus charged at him, his wings spread wide. The farucan lifted the sword up in his jaws, holding the sharp blade out in the pegasus's path. The guard pulled back, sliding along the ground. He leaned back, barely stopping before striking the blade. The farucan smirked, jerked his head to the side, a made a fine slit along the throat. There was a gurgling sound in the brown pony's throat as the blade pulled away. The pegasus fell over, coughing up a pool of blood. The other three guards ran after him, hoping to overpower him. The unicorn's horn began to glow as it neared, hoping to freeze the farucan in place. He felt a stinging sensation on his horn, and slowed his pace. The sting turned into a burn, and a strong liquid began to drip on his fur below. The guard began to shout, the liquid burning into his skin. He grabbed his face with his hooves, shouting out in utter pain. The farucan guard had a green, glowing liquid dripping from his jaws. The same liquid he had spat at the unicorn's horn. It had burned through it, now burning its way into the pony's mind. The other two guards backed away, afraid to approach. Two ponies dead, and a third one heading that way. The farucan picked up the silver blade, making his way towards the other pegasus. It clattered to the ground, making a clinking sound. The farucan didn't move, his heart racing. Celestia quietly approached him from behind, her magic turning him to look. She wasn't pleased, her mood in utter disgust. The farucan felt the magic around him fade, and he crouched low in fear. He flattened his ears, his eyes wide. "D-don't... hurt... me..." he whispered. All his courage faded when he saw the anger in the princess's eyes. He heard a bang, and the sound of chains as his backup walked though the doors. They had been captured as well, before they had even reached the castle. "What is thou's name? What did thou plan to accomplish?" The princess glared at him, expecting an answer. There was a shriek, and the sound of a blade whipping through the air. He heard the chain rattle again, and he knew he'd be following his fellow guard's soon. He'd be in the same position as the three dead ponies soon. "My name.... is...." he choked up on the words, struggling to pull out a name. Had he ever had a name? He was never adressed by it, if he had one. His mind tried to pull out a fierce name, one that would call him a guard. "Razor Blade..." "What did thou plan to accomplish?" The princess repeated. "We.... we were to end thou's life..... destroy the tyrant..." the guard stuttered. "P-please.... d-don't h-hurt m-me..." "Stand up, Razor Blade," The princess ordered. The farucan silently stood, not wanting to look behind him. Everything had gone quiet, and he knew his back-up was destroyed. No other farucans to help him now, his mission was ended, and he had failed. He looked up at Celestia, fear in his heart. "Thou will listen to us, thou is to obey our every command, does thou understand?" "I-i understand," The albino farucan bowed, not daring to question her. He was spared, that's what mattered to him the most. He would live another day. "Good, now. Since thou has slain our other guards, thou will be our personal guard from now on," The princess ordered. Razor Blade nodded, walking up beside her. His loyalty was still with his queen, she would always be his ruler, but from now on, Celestia was his master. The farucan was silent, as the rest of the war raged on. //-------------------------------------------------------// War //-------------------------------------------------------// War ***This chapter has been rewritten The queen landed upon the stone balcony, her tall form casting a large shadow in the fading sunlight. She lifted her head high, letting out a bellowing roar that echoed throughout the small kingdom. The farucans began to gather around the castle, as the queen prepared her royal voice, having not required its sound for so long. She looked over the citizens, a dark grin on her face. "OUR DEAR SUBJECTS!" Her words boomed, her royal voice shining through. "We have been threatened by our neighboring kingdom! By the Solar Diarch herself! We shall not stand for such threats! We shall rage war on the ponies! Striking the pony kingdom when the sun sets! Nopony shall be spared! They stand little chance against us!  We shall have the advantage! All citizens shall take part! The young one will stay behind, being watched over by the gentle SilverShade, as thou promised to do so! Prepare yourselves! FOR WE SHALL STRIKE AT SUNDOWN!" The queen proclaimed. She listened to the cheers of fighters, and among them the sounds of fearful parents saying their good-byes. The queen folded her wings against herself, closing her rage-filled eyes. She opened them slowly, turning to look at her trusted guards, four proud farucan warriors. Her most powerful one, the albino pegasus, was standing before her prepared, awaiting for command. "What is it we shall do for thou, your Majesty?" The pegasus looked up at her with a questioning tone. "We require thou to head towards the castle of the ponies when the sun is beginning to set, the other three shall follow thou behind soon after. Thou must slay the tyrant's guards, and if the others do not arrive once that task is completed, then thou must strike down the tyrant. End her life," The golden farucan ordered, a dark grin on her face but a small bit of sorrow in her voice. The three smaller guards sounded worried, the idea of taking on the princess alone was absurd. They didn't stand a chance, but the albino guard bowed, honored with the task of spilling the Solar Tyrant's blood. The sun was beginning to set, and the snow white guard took off, head off towards the castle to complete what he felt was a simple task. Nameless stood upon the balcony once again, looking over the powerful army before her. A silver-colored farucan stallion walked up beside her, awaiting for his command. His eyes were a golden color, and his mane was a bright white. His tail feathers matched his mane, though his hind claws were a solid dark gray in color. His back spikes had a similar color as well, matching the softened claws on his front legs. He was of the earth variety, lacking both the powerful wings and a tall spiraling horn, but he never needed them anyways. "SilverShade," The queen began to speak, looking down at the silver farucan. He looked up at his queen, just a small bit worried. "Thou must watch over the little ones, as they cannot partake in this war. Nopony will be able to pass our forces, so thou will not have to fight. We trust that thou can complete such a simple task?" "Yes my Queen," The farucan bowed down. He had always enjoyed playing with the young fillies and colts, having built a daycare to watch over them. He knew almost every foal by heart but the few little ones that never leave their homes. He was glad to have this task, as he always hated violence and aggression. He wished no harm would fall upon the defenseless young, and he would make sure it remained that way. "Good. Now then, let us depart with no more delay!" The queen opened her wings wide, taking to the skies. She flew down towards the army, preparing to lead the attack. Several farucans wore thick armor, some even wielding powerful weapons. Not every farucan wished to use their claws, only requiting them as a final resort. Nameless landed in the soft ground before them, heading down a path into the forest that always surrounded the land. There were howls of Timberwolves as a small pack came upon the forces, though they didn't dare to attack. A few of the armorless farucans clambered onto the wooden golems' backs, using them as some sort of mount. Above them, thick twisted branched of the towering trees shielded the armored animals from any aerial view. The queen was silent, listening for the voices of ponies. She stopped in her track, a thought forming in her mind as she turned towards the large army. They slowed into a halt, not understanding their queen's sudden stop. there was a strange feeling as a vibrant blue glow surrounded the entire army. There was a sudden flash, and the queen turned away as she walked along the path. Several farucans stumbled around a bit, confused of the sudden event, and then realized that the queen was continuing the journey. They managed to get back to their feet, following silently behind her. The army came to a stop, their forces spreading out to cover a bit of distance, blocking off their half of the forest. The opposing army was lined up as well, leaving nothing more than a long strip a few meters long between them. Both armies were prepared for this battle, and the queen simply smirked when she saw the worried looks from some of the ponies, laughing quietly about the fear they showed. The queen opened her wings wide, lifting one clawed hoof into the air. She stood tall and proud, taking in a deep breath of the fresh leaves of the forest, knowing that the air would soon be filled with the scent of fresh blood. She listened to the peaceful sounds of bird calls, preparing for the screams of dying ponies. "Victory... shall be OURS! ATTACK!" Upon her command, the two large armies collided. Just as expected, there were shouts and screams of pain. A farucan drove its claws into a pony's throat, warm blood beginning to gush out of the puncture wounds. There was a clashing of metal against metal as blades collided, and soon there was the sound of confusion. A red and gold farucan fell over, a thick silver sword driven right through his back. The sword clattered to the ground, and the farucan clambered onto his feet. The wound on his back sealed close, and he looked unharmed. His color began to drip away as though a bucket of water was washing away wet paint. The soldier stood there, absolutely stunned, not a single bit of color left. You could see everything behind him, as he appeared translucent, and extremely ghost-like. A pony charged at the farucan, but he ran right the faded soldier. The farucan smirked, lashing out his claws at the now stunned pegasus. His claws passed right through it, leaving behind no mark. The farucan stumbled backwards, realizing that he had lost. He wasn't dead, but her was exactly alive anymore either. He was nothing more than a ghost, and so he quietly walked off into the forest of his home. Nameless was avoiding the actually battle, standing far out behind the battleground. Anypony that tried to pass by them and attack the kingdom directly, the queen would have it slain within a few moments. There was blood staining her claws, her fangs dripping with the metallic-tasting liquid that allowed them to survive. Blood was dripping from a wound on her hind leg, a pony having tried to knock her over with a spear. She was standing quite proudly, her eyes scanning the surrounding area. She wasn't worried about failing, the ponies didn't stand a chance against them. There was a rattling of leaves right above her. Nameless looked up, trying to locate the being within the tree's branches. Her ears perked up, as she tried to listen. There was a disturbing silence, the unusual absence of the sounds of war. She took a few steps back, fear beginning to surge through her body. How could this be? So soon? She turned her head, looking out at the army surrounding her. Her heart began racing, her eyes showing true fear. She looked around, trying to spot her own soldiers. How did they lose? How could they have lost to these... ponies? There was a low growl, and the queen looked up at the tree once again. Whatever was perched there pounced on her, knocking the queen to the ground. She felt sharp claws grip around her throat, an all too familiar red liquid dripping along the golden fur. Another set clamped her wings against her side, preventing her from shaking the attacker. She let out a hiss, lashing her claws out at the beast. "Nameless, stand down now," A calming voice echoed through the air, a dark figure casting her shadow in the moonlight as she flew down. There was no mistaking the starry mane that flowed through the air as though it didn't belong in this world. The sky-like mane that a certain young foal always loved to watch as she rested upon her bed. The queen stopped her struggling as she looked up at her mother of several centuries. "Mother.... help us... please...." the queen whispered, small tears beginning to form under her eyes. It couldn't end now, Luna wouldn't allow it, would she? The monarch felt the claws around her throat tighten, and a small burning sensation on her left foreleg as droplets of some sort of liquid landed on her leg. She winced at the sudden pain, pulling her legs closer to herself. "We our sorry Nameless... but thou has left us no choice. The others are gone, there are no survivors of this battle, but thou and her attack," Luna sighed, sorrow filling her heart. The queen looked up to see her attacker, noticing the familiar deep red eyes and snow white fur that marked him as different. She hissed at the thought, a new hatred building up within her. "How dare thee betray us so?!" The queen snarled, looking up at her long-time guard with rage. She had given him immortality long ago, so that age would never bring him harm, but now he was repaying her by ending her own life? The queen growled deeply, her horn beginning to glow faintly. "Thou shall be cursed... Thou's precious wings shall fall apart little by little as time passes by. Every year that thou live with his betrayal, a feather shall fall and never grow back, until his wings are nothing but featherless husks of what they used to be!" The queen snapped, a similar glow surrounding Razor Blade's wings. "We are sorry, we never wished to have to do this, but thou has left us with little choice..." the princess looked over at the white guard, giving the simple command. The guard clenched his fist, driving the claws deeper into the golden farucan's throat. Blood began to gush out, adding to the already existent stain. There was a gurgling coming from her throat, as she was unable to speak as her long life slipped away. Luna bowed her head down in sorrow, small tears dripping down her face. She turned away, no longer wanting to look. The white guard was silent as he followed behind. "This... isn't over Mother!" There was a sharp hiss, the dead queen's wounds beginning to heal. She rolled onto her feet, standing up tall, a look of betrayal as she watched her mother walk away. The princess stopped in her tracks, both her and the guard turning to look with utter shock. The queen smirked as her color washed away, as though a thick coat of mud was being scrubbed off. There was a rainbow pool around her feet, but it was absorbed into the ground and lost forever. The queen stood before them, not a single hint of color left but a clear gray husk. She narrowed her gaze, turning away in rage. Luna stepped back, as she could see right through this spirit. Tears filled her eyes as she watched the ghostly remnants of her dear daughter vanish into a furious gray mist, one that faded upon reaching the tree line of the dark forest. "We shall wait for thou's return... every moment of our immortal life," the princess whispered, taking to the skies above. Razor Blade stood, his wings spread wide. A single white feather floated to the ground, and her let out a small sigh as he took to the skies. The only known survivor of this awful battle, and he would carry the memories of this terrible war with him to his grave, no matter how long he would have to wait. //-------------------------------------------------------// SilverShade //-------------------------------------------------------// SilverShade Giggles, laughs, all sorts of cheerful sounds. The little foals quietly played with each other, a few older colts wrestling around. Growls and hisses, a few snarls now and then. The silver farucan was silent as he sat down by the door. One simple task, simply watch over the little ones. He was used to it, having done this for quite some time. He was a foalsitter, owning a large daycare in the kingdom, being well known for his kindness and loving heart. No fighting, he didn't have to fight. The battle was in the forest, far from his home. All the fillies and colts were here, playing with each other, some more roughly than others. If there was a fight between them, he made sure to settle their little arguments, no matter how silly they can be. Nopony could pass their army, that's what he had been told, he wouldn't have to fight in any way at all. He believed this, as he should have, and didn't worry one bit. The farucans were strong, it was a sure victory. No worries at all, nothing to fear. He never expected any violence to fall upon him or the foals. A large banging sound, against the door, the thud of hooves against the tough wood. It was hard to hear over the noisy children, but his sensitive ears were trained to hear even the quietest whispers over such noise. He turned his head towards the locked door, the banging growing louder. The foals began to quiet, all eyes affixed to the breaking wood. The farucan stallion stood up, his ears pinned back. There was a crash as the door broke in two, four full grown stallions charging through. They were decked out in armor, each weilding some sort of weapon. Screams, the foals were screaming. SilverShade, his instincts took over as he turned to help them. A sudden weight upon his back, solid hooves colliding with his hind leg. He fell over, collapsing to the ground. One guard was sitting on his back, preventing him from standing. The farucan couldn't do anything, he wasn't a fighter, he wasn't strong. He wouldn't have to fight, he had been told. Just watch over the foals, that was his task. Nopony can pass our forces. None of this had been true, he should have been prepared. Screaming, cries out for help, but he couldn't do a thing for them. "Stop it!" He shouted, trying to shake the guard off, struggling beneath its weight. He was crying, tears filling his eyes as sorrow and fear flooded his heart. Blood, violence, they were dying. The ponies had little remorse as they drove their blades through each little foal. SilverShade struggled, clawing at the ground. He was trying to fight, trying to stand, trying to save what couldn't fight back. Fire, fire was all he had, but the ponies. They had swords, they had daggers, they had armor. His fire was weak, barely enough to scorch the ground before him. "Why are you doing this?!" He cried out. "No survivors, the princess commanded. No chance for the species to return," His captor grinned, letting him watch as the last of the young farucans had a thick sword driven deep into its weak skull. The farucan closed his eyes, no longer wanting to see the blood bath before him. There was a sharp pain in his back, the guard running its dagger along his spine. There was laughter, pride as the guards left. How could they do such a thing? How could they laugh at their suffering? Had this been what the queen meant, that the ponies felt nothing for them? The farucan struggled to stand, the long slit in his back fading away. The ponies were gone, having left them to suffer. Tear dripped down his face, dragging the color away with them. SilverShade's silver coat dulled into a gray color, every inch of his body matching the translucent form. Gone, he was just as dead as the foals before them. They hadn't been given this second chance, the queen must've thought they would have been left unharm, that the ponies would be too soft to cause them such pain. The ghostly farucan quietly walked into the blood stained ground that had once been a play area. He still cried, though no one was there to cry for him. He had failed his one task, he had failed to keep them safe. He was no more useful now as he was before. His ears pinned back, as he listened to a faint breath, a faint sniffle. He looked around, trying to find the one bit of life still left. He saw something move, upon the carnage, just a small movement. He walked over, hoping there was at least one survivor upon this miserable night. A small filly of the earth variety, a light cyan color. Her feathers and mane were a darker blue. She barely moved, whimpering faintly, a long tear along her back. It was gushing blood, the little foal slowly bleeding to death. Several of his spikes were missing, only one on the back of her neck and one at the top of her tail was left. Her claws and spikes her a lighter blue in color. "They are gone, no need to fear," The spirit of the farucan lied down beside her, wrapping his tail around her form, keeping her close to something that no longer lived. The filly looked up at the ghost, her lime green eyes showing utter fear. She was scared, having stayed silent after the blade withdrew. She had held her breathe, refusing to move until she felt it was safe. "What is your name?" The spirit asked. "I-I don't know..." the foal whispered. She couldn't remember, she was too little to remember. She wouldn't need one soon anyway, she would possibly follow the others. "Lone Survivor," The farucan whispered. It was little of a name, but it was who she was. The only one to survive the slaughter, the lone survivor. "I am SilverShade," he smiled. "I won't let anymore harm come upon you, i will not fail you as well." the farucan ran his claws along her wound. It stung, not from the actual claws but the water droplets that made them. Mist, was that all he was? Not a ghost, though he had a form. Not alive, but not dead either. Mist, water vapor, a simple fog with the mind of a farucan. The filly calmed, the stinging soon cleansing the cut. It would heal, but the mark would never vanish. The foal closed her eyes, silently curled up beside the living mist. SilverShade laid his head down beside her, acting as her guardian.