Loyalty
“The Suffering shall end!” Luna finished her speech, bellowing out those four final words. Below her hoards of ponies cheered, their joy echoing in the caverns. Scattered amongst the common earth ponies, Pegasi, and unicorns were Diamond dogs, Griffons, and Minotaur’s. These other races stood out amongst the crowd, under most conditions the ponies would shun them, but this was a revolution for the night they all cherished. Acceptance was bred in her night, in her shadows. As the ponies cheered Luna smiled.
“My dear friends, there is one last announcement to be made. For this I turn the floor over to Orion, the Captain of My Guard.” Luna backed away to allow a muscular grey stallion through, his dull pink mane fell flat about his eyes.
“Ponies, Griffons, Minotaurs, Friends! Princess Luna’s guard is now searching for recruits. We have a list of those we have chosen. Come forth when your name has been called to begin your training!” The crowd burst into heated conversation. Many whispered to their neighbors or took bets on who had been chosen. Luna’s Personal Guard was a highly sought after position, only the best of the best got in! The excitement was evident particularly from a young green coated Colt and an albino Griffon.
“Woah! Check them out Avernius!” The colt whispered in awe. The Griffon nodded.
“Don’t get your hopes up Nettle.” Avernius chuckled. “I’m pretty sure Princess Luna wouldn’t want a colt getting between herself and an assassin.”
“Why not?” Nettle whined quietly.
“Remember that first speech I took you to?” Nettle nodded. “She said that Foals are the future, she wouldn’t endanger the future by putting a colt between her and her personal enemies.”
“S’not fair! I can handle myself.”
“I’m sure you can Nettle, I’m sure this won’t be the only recruitment the Guards do. Who knows maybe in the future they will pick you.” Nettle squealed happily turning back to the list of names Orion was calling. The last one had just been called as Nettle had tuned in, and his smile faded.
“Avernius?” The griffon turned down to the Colt. “Do you think they would ever call your name?”
Avernius chuckled.
“Nah, they wouldn’t want old Avernius!”
“Why not?”
“I’d be too worried about you and the other orphans to do my job. Now come on! The others ought to be looking for us.” Nettle nodded and followed the Albino Griffon through the crowd. Avernius always took Nettle to a different spot than the other orphans when they went out. Nettle didn’t know exactly why, but he figured it was because of his broken horn. Occasionally Nettle would have violent magical surges he couldn’t control and the others all were afraid it would happen at any time. So Nettle stuck with Avernius. Avernius had once been a guard in the Griffon Empire, and so had training in dispelling magic. He also had a really cool looking rune one his flank that helped! But Nettle knew Avernius would be joining the main forces on the battle field, and so he’d be leaving early the next morning, Leaving Nettle to deal not only with his own magic, but also being alone. Nettle hated being alone.
“Nettle!” The Colt snapped out of his thoughts to find that he was back at the tunnel that served as the orphanage. Avernius smiled kindly down to him. “I have to go and join my squad to prepare. You take care alright?”
Nettle nodded mutely, tears welling up in his eyes.
“Hey! Don’t go crying on me! Here.” Avernius bent down and placed a sliver ring around Nettle’s hoof. Inspecting it left Nettle confused and unsure of its purpose.
“It’s called a Guard ring. Back in the Griffon Empire a newborn Griffon got one of those rings on the day of their birth. It showed that they were connected to the one who gave it to them, that they were loyal to them and the one who gave it was loyal to them.” Nettle watched Avernius, confusion and fear clouding his eyes. “Think of it as my promise to come back to you whole. And that when this is all over, that I promise to make you a home and be the family you never had.”
“Really?” Nettle asked his heart soaring with excitement. His squeal of delight echoed through the cave system when Avernius nodded in confirmation, attracting the attention of the Wandering Orion. Watching carefully from the shadows he couldn’t help but smile at the overwhelming hope radiating from the Colt, as well as some spluttering raw magic from his broken horn.
His smile didn’t fade as he watched the Griffon hug the colt one last time before leaving for his squad. The Colt could only watch, his jagged stub of a horn sputtering raw magic in his excitement as he giggled and bounced into the Orphanage tunnels. The smile stayed even longer as he walked towards His Princess’s tent. And it certainly didn’t fade as he listened to the tactics meeting.
“You’re smiling too much for the situation.” Luna’s voice snapped Orion out of his trance. Coughing Orion straightened up.
“My apologies your Highness.”
“Apologize once you tell me what has you so happy.” Luna’s voice held pins in it. Orion could only smile, he had nothing to hide.
“I simply saw a heartwarming transaction between one of the orphans and the Griffon Avernius.”
“The Albino?” The Griffon commander asked, Orion nodded.
“You know him?” Luna asked.
“Aye, served with him back in the Empire, he has a soft spot the size of the moon for youngsters. He’s been trying for nearly a decade to adopt. But due to his Albinism the government refused, saying it would taint the young one. Anything stupid enough to attack a youngster always met his rage; it’s something you never forget.”
“So he is protective of the young, but is he nurturing?”
“Oh quite your Highness! Any free time he had he was at an Orphanage helping out, still does so. The youngster’s love him.” Luna thought on this for a moment before turning to Orion.
“Who was the Young One Avernius was conversing with?”
“A Unicorn Colt with a Dark Green coat. His horn is broken and can only sputter raw magic. He’s too young to have a Cutie Mark yet.” Luna nodded.
“When this first wave is complete I want Avernius and that Colt in a Tent of their own. A colt that young needs room to grow and I’m sure Avernius wouldn’t mind.” The Griffon commander was smiling at the Alicorn as Orion saluted.
“You’re giving him something our own leader has always denied him Your Highness. I can’t thank you enough.”
“Then don’t. Instead keep our support coming, and help us win this battle. The Republic needs it.” With that the officials returned to their work. The mood a little lighter.
The sleeping hours drifted by, leaving Nettle behind. He lay on the Cave floor unable to sleep. Instead he adored the Silver Guard Ring. He was promised a family. And he was promised his soon to be Father would return alive. Even so fears plagued the Colt’s mind. What if he doesn’t make it back? What if he gets hurt and no one can find him? The answers were worse than he questions, leaving Nettle to stew in his fear. As his mind turned the sound of marching echoed in the tunnels. The army was leaving! Nettle raced from his spot on the floor out to the main chamber. Standing on the ledge above the chamber Nettle watched. The armies of the Republic were heading to the cave entrance. And in the distance, in amongst the Pegasi squadrons Nettle saw the familiar pale figure of Avernius flying ahead. Nettle’s mind raced, a little voice speaking in whispers, one that Nettle knew to be coming from the raw magic contained in his horn.
“Follow him! Prove your loyalty! You can keep him safe! Nopony will want to mess with us!” Nettle didn’t have to be told twice, with a surge of confidence Nettle raced into the crowd and clambered into one of the supplies carts. Hiding in amongst the barrels and tents Nettle settled down and waited until they had reached their destination.
By the time the Armies had stopped Nettle had lost track of time. It might have been a few hours or it could have been a few days since they started out. But whatever the time, he knew they were stopping here for good. The next day the army would attack the city that stood just a few miles away. Nettle could only sneak around the camp, hoping to find Avernius before he left for battle the next day.
Avernius milled about the camp. While the other soldiers took to drinking their anxieties away Avernius was instead walking about, trying to keep his thoughts on what waited at the end of this war. The family Avernius always craved. A little Foal of his own. Perhaps this battle could end soon and with little loss of life too?
Avernius walked back to his tent and curled up on a spot on the ground. Tomorrow was when all Tartarus broke out, and he needed to be rested.
Nettle woke up the next day hiding under a cot. Looking around he saw that the whole tent was filled with wounded ponies, griffons and Minotaur’s. He had slept in, and the battle had begun! Avernius was out there and could be in trouble! Without a second thought Nettle burst from the tent, the shouts of the nurses echoing behind him. The little Colt made a mad dash past the wounded to the battle field. Rising up to the crest of a hill Nettle saw the siege below him. From his first inspection he noticed the battle was probably still in its first hours. The walls of the city were just beginning to fall. Scanning the field once again he caught sight of Avernius flying into the city with his squad. Panicked Nettle raced down into the fray as the walls collapsed and the Solar Empire’s forces finally engaged the Lunar Republic on the Battle Field.
Nettle raced into the field, ignoring most of the sights. He dodged blows and arrows, his luck never failing him. As he finally reached the fallen walls Nettle finally noticed the horror of the Battle Field. Gutted ponies of both sides lay all around him. Fear suddenly took him and Nettle began to back away from the city walls. Before he could go far something wet and sticky hit his flank. Turning Nettle shrieked at the sight. A Lunar Pony had fallen onto him, his eyes were glazed over. From his abdomen hung his bloody entrails. Said entrails hung over Nettle causing him to shriek again and run in the opposite direction, straight into the city and the heart of the conflict.
Avernius was fighting with what few Pegasi and Griffons that remained of his squad when he heard the shriek. His heart lurched, He heard it only once before, during a terrible magic surge.
“Nettle!” Avernius shouted, quickly and ruthlessly dispatching the Solar Empire soldiers before his squad. As he turned to find the colt, Avernius was greeted by Nettle racing into him crying and his coat stained in blood.
“Nettle! What are you doing here?”
“I followed you and the army to try and keep you safe but then everyone was being turned inside out and there’s lots of blood and I’m scared!” Avernius quickly scooped up the Colt just in time and blocked the attack coming from a Solar Empire Pegasus. Before he had a chance to attack one of his squad came in and took out the attacker.
“Avernius!” Avernius turned to find the Griffon commander before him.
“What’s your son doing on the battle field?” Nettle and Avernius couldn’t respond. Son? Avernius wanted to adopt him but with his luck…
“Stop gawking! Princess Luna approved the adoption last night. Now answer me soldier!”
“Sir-“
“I came out here to find him! I wanted to help… But…” Nettle began to tear up again, the commander nodded.
“Avernius get your son out of the Battle Field. I expect you to ensure he doesn’t do this until he’s old enough to join the army.” Avernius nodded and took flight; below them they heard a distant command. “Keep those Unicorns off them! That Griffon has a Foal with him!”
Sadly the command was in vain. As the two exited the city Nettle saw a large ball of magic heading towards them from behind.
“Avernius!” Nettle shouted as the ball of magic came right towards him. Quickly Avernius twisted shielding Nettle from the blow. With a shout Avernius plummeted from the sky and crashed in amongst the enemy, keeping Nettle from the impact.
“We got ‘im sir!” A muscular unicorn stepped forward and stood over Nettle and Avernius.
“Take the foal, they probably brainwashed him or something. Deal with the Griffon trash.” Nettle gripped tightly at his new father in desperation as the unicorn soldiers tried to pry him off.
“NO! Leave him alone!! Avernius! DADDY!” The unicorns pried him off his stunned father, only for said father to pounce up and tear into Nettle’s kidnappers. Avernius charged the soldiers whom now surrounded him. The unicorn holding Nettle smirked.
“Watch closely kid this is what happens when you serve the wrong people.” The unicorn held Nettle up to see his new father impaled with spears and spells. The Griffon continued to fight on, plowing his way through the soldiers with beak and claw.
“Dad! You’re hurt stop! DADDY!” Avernius finally got the last soldier, however he was near death. Blood trickled from wounds. His skin burned from spells. And Spears were embedded in his flesh. What was the worst of it were his wings; they lay limp at his side at odd angles broken. Nettle watched crying his eyes out. Around them more soldiers closed in, the first wave of the siege having failed. The Unicorn holding Nettle smirked.
“Give the Colt a show boys!” the soldiers then pounced on Avernius. Nine Ponies held him down while others attacked him with spears and swords. Before they finished him however one Pony stepped forward. Slowly their form grew larger into the form of The Princess of the Sun herself.
“Allow me.” The soldiers all bowed as the princess took a spear and dug it into Avernius’s shoulders. With a shout and a sickening pop the Princess of the sun ripped one of Avernius’s wings from his body. Nettle watched, unable to react, his throat froze, unable to form any sounds. When he tried to look away the Unicorn holding him forced him to watch. After the first wing came off the Princess smiled the form fading away to that of a Minotaur.
“Changeling! Next time tell us before you impersonate our Princess!” The changeling smirked as they repeated the previous process on Avernius’s last wing. The changeling then held the spear above the Griffons head. In a moment of realization Nettle began to panic, he could feel his broken horn fizzling, trying to form tangible magic. In the back of his mind Nettle heard the raw magic shriek like bats in protest, not wishing to change.
“NO! STOP PLEASE! LEAVE MY DAD ALONE! DADDY!” Avernius looked up weakly and smiled to Nettle.
“Any last words Night Scum?”
“I love you Nettle. My Little Colt.” The changeling then plunged the spear into Avernius’s head. Nettle could only watch as the first family he ever had died. With a screech of pain and rage raw magic exploded from his broken horn and enveloped the area. The unicorn holding him shouted in pain as he disintegrated. The changeling screeched as well. Only able to watch as his soul was ripped from him and the little colt absorbed it. In his rage and despair Nettle saw strange visions.
Nettle stood in the Orphanage tunnels, before him was Avernius still dead. Nettle could only weep at his loss. He saw hoof steps before him, their Princess, Princess Luna. She smiled sadly to Nettle and opened her mouth to speak. But no sounds came from her; just the shriek of bats she vanished and in her place was a large bat. The bat glowed, the raw magic that created it pulsing with the ever changing soul of the Changeling. It looked to the body and to Nettle then back to the body and back to Nettle.
“You wish to honor your father.” Nettle nodded. “Then join with us. We shall give you the power you need.”
“Who are you?”
“We are your magic in living form. We shall merge with you, and make you a new breed of pony. One connected to the night and ideas your father fought for.”
Nettle looked the Bat in the eye, all sorrow lost, instead rage burned in the colt's eyes.
“Not just for father… No. Princess Luna lived with the monster who allowed this! This is for my Father. As it is for Luna!”
“A wise decision.” With that the bat flew at Nettle. Unmoving Nettle felt the bat enter his body as pain shot through every fiber of his being.
Back on the battle field the soldiers surrounding Nettle held their ground. Before them Nettle was encased in a White light. His body grew to that of a stallion and he let loose an unearthly screech. The soldiers could only watch in horror as the Former colt transformed. His mane lightened and brightened into blinding silver. His ears sharpened and curled at the ends. From his back sprouted large bat wings, and his broken horn receded. His eyes snapped open glowing an eerie red, his pupils shrinking into slits. But the worst was yet to come. Thorny Vines grew from his body and wrapped their way around his body and legs. The Vines wrapped around the Guard ring and formed a thick layer of large glowing thorns. An identical ring appeared on his other fore leg. The light vanished leaving Nettle standing before the terrified soldiers, all emotion washed away. The soldiers knew this wasn’t the Colt they were just watching, it couldn’t be!
“For my Daddy.” He hissed his teeth sharp enough to break the spears the soldiers flung at him. And break them he did. In a flurry of anger and motion it killed the soldiers before him and stalked off to find more.
Luna arrived to the battle with more reinforcements shortly after the creature left to fight more soldiers. In the coming hours she received reports of a strange Stallion with Bat wings slaying the soldiers of the Solar Empire. Once the battle ended and the city was taken Luna walked through the battle field searching for the pony from the reports. She found him, kneeling over the body of Avernius with a solemn face.
“Who are you my little pony?” Luna asked approaching. The Pony calmly looked up the Princess, his emotions unchanging. The vines and thorns that wrapped his body was stained red and brown. Evidence of a victorious battle.
“You were the Colt Avernius adopted?”
“Yes. I came to help him, I failed. I changed to keep others safe.” Luna looked over the creature, he was equal parts bat and pony.
“What will you do now with your father fallen?” Nettle knelt before her.
“I swear the whole of my being to the Lunar Republic and its leaders. To Princess Luna and To the Night!” Nettle the rose and met eyes with the stunned Princess. “May Justice be served by the Moon’s Grace!”
Luna was unable to react for a while.
“Very, well. Now tell me. Who are you?” The Stallion looked Luna in the eye unflinching.
“I am Nettle, and I am a Bat Pony. The Child of the Night and Her Princess. I will forever serve you and your cause My Princess. Even in death.” And even if He never noticed, that day his Cutie Mark appeared. A White feather, and moon shielded by thorns.