Prologue
“In the beginning was born the soul that was wrought of the pure of heart. Purity could not last on in a time when evil ran rapid, thus he who was wrought out of good became the epitome of evil. Darkness clouded his heart, and all he could see was hatred, disgust for ponies, dragons, and gryphons alike.
In the days when he ruled, ponies were bound in chains and forced to perform acts of danger that often killed them just for his amusement. Gryphons were kept busy making sure that the skies were always cloudy, that rain was always falling, drenching any caught down below. Dragons, dragons had the worst of it. Most were forced to dig gems for him to use for his own evil purposes, they were not allowed to rest, and the only break they got was when they fell over dead from exhaustion. Others were lucky, their job was to make the volcanoes constantly erupt, though they often died from the immense pressure that they were forced to endure.
For over a hundred years this Dark Lord endured, never showing signs of age, never growing weary, and never showing signs of thirst nor hunger. Often times a pony would be called upon for an audience with the lord, but when they went into his castle, they were never heard from again. The ponies that worked around the castle would say that they could hear eerie moans coming from the tallest tower, other would say that the dead still lingered there, waiting to get their revenge. Sometimes on nights where the full moon could be seen, they would hear the heart wrenching screams coming from some unlucky pony who had been summoned by the Lord.
Rebellions had started up over the years, but every single one of them had been crushed down. The ponies tried and failed, after them was the gryphons, then the dragons. Each one only worked with their race, never even thinking about helping the other. That is, until He came.
He was a dragon who was not the biggest nor the smartest, but he head the heart of purity. The Golden Dragon they called him, and any who was lucky enough to meet him immediately wanted to follow him anywhere he went. He brought the three races together in their time of need and with their help he launched an attack on the Dark Lord. His army of Shades was no match for the power that the Golden Dragon possessed.
The Dark Lord was unwilling to accept defeat, and was too powerful for any mortal to kill. The Golden Dragon, with all of his wisdom and knowledge of magic, encased the Dark Lord in a crystal prison, where he would remain for as long as time could hold him. It is said that at night in the old crystal catacombs beneath Canterlot Castle that you can hear the moaning of the Dark Lord, seeking any who are foolish enough to fall in his grasp so that he may somehow try and escape.
Before his parting from Equestria to the gray havens above, the Golden Dragon said that should the Dark Lord ever be awoken, that another will rise with him, one with the power to stop the cold malice in his heart, the one to break through the darkness and vanquish the hatred inside. To this day the free people of Equestria have lived on in peace and harmony, unaware of the danger that lurks beneath their very feet, the evil that waits to awaken its master.”
“Huh, that's funny. It says here that the last thing the Golden Dragon said were the words 'Xynichi Vycni', which historians are still trying to decipher today.” A lavender colored alicorn mare looked outside of her train car window, seeing the fields of green pass by as she tried to imagine what life must have been like over a thousand years ago, during the rule of the Dark Lord.
“Where do you keep getting these strange books at Twilight? Last one you read talked about Nightmare Moon, and she came back! Don't tell me that this one is true too.” Beside of the lavender alicorn was a navy blue drake, a few lines of silver running along the spines on his back. He was garbed in a pair of tiger striped camouflage pants with a tucked in olive drab t-shirt. Around his neck hung a pair of dog tags, each one inscribed with his name, birth date, serial number, and blood type.
“Trust me Uncle Dusk, this one is an old legend. Princess Celestia asked me to make sure of that.”
“Huh. No foolin'?” His eyes fell to the crown that was resting peacefully atop her head. “Keep forgetting that you are a princess now Twilight. Six years. A lot of things have changed.”
The alicorn sighed as she looked towards the dirt covered rails. “Ya. Things have changed. Hopefully some things haven't though.”
“We are still friends Twilight if that is what you mean.” Reaching over, the dragon draped a wing around her back, giving her a hug. “You will always be my best friend Twilight.” A smirk snaked its ways onto his lips, “Don't forget Twilight, if it wasn't for you having me visit you in the princess' private mountain retreat when I was on leave, then I would have never met my fiance.” They both shared a laugh.
Up ahead the locomotive whistled long and loud, signaling that it was time for the train to begin docking. The cars lurched slightly as the speed of the train began to slow down. Twilight poked her head out the window to see that the train was heading into the gaping mouth of a long dark tunnel, the only light coming from the lamp at the head of the locomotive. Smoke from the engine was pressed flat against the roof of the passenger cars by some sort of unseen magic, so as not to disturb the sleeping passengers inside.
“Wonder how much I have changed since I was away.” The navy drake looked down towards the floor, the sounds of gunfire echoing in his mind. Incoming shells could be heard, followed by the dying screams of his teammates, his friends. Grasping his left shoulder, he silently allowed a few tears to fall before wiping away the moisture that had collected under his eyes.
“Other than your memories, I still feel like its the same you. Sure you look a little more buff, and are a little taller, but you still sound, act, move, and talk the same.” Dusk forced a smile at what the alicorn had said, knowing that she was just trying to cheer him up. “Besides, I think that your fiance is going to be really happy to have you home for good. She hasn't stopped talking about you since you left you know. She really loves you, a lot.”
The navy drake could not hide a genuine smile at the thought of seeing his fiance again, this time coming home to her permanently. When he looked towards the alicorn, he was surprised to see her hanging her head low. “You'll find somepony who loves you Twilight. I just know it.”
Wiping away a few tears from her eyes, the lavender alicorn nodded. “I know.” Her voice sounded a little broken as she spoke, “It's just that all of my friends are so happy. I know that I should be happy for them, and I am, but I can't help but feel, empty inside.” More tears fell from the alicorn's amethyst colored eyes.
“Shh. Shh.” Dusk pulled the sobbing alicorn into a warming embrace, letting her head rest on his shoulder. “Your heart is aching Twi. We all go through it as some point in our lives. There is somepony special out there, just waiting to find you. Any stallion would be lucky to have you.”
“You're just saying that to make me feel better.”
“Is it working?” She giggled as she punched him in the arm. “I'll take that as a yes.” He sighed as he continued to hold the alicorn. “You are really growing up so fast Twi. I swear you were just a newborn foal, and now look at you. Princess of Equestria, isn't it?”
Again she giggled. “No Uncle Dusk, Princess of Ponyville.”
“Ah that's right.” Twilight finally raised her head to look at her uncle in the eyes. “You are a very beautiful princess Twilight. Never forget that, no matter what anypony else says, got it?” She nodded. “So Twi, how are your friends?”
“Well Rainbow Dash is in Canterlot this week with her husband Ryder, something about a second honeymoon I think. Their son Blitz is over with Rarity and Spike, having some fun with their children Clarity and Turquoise. Fluttershy has been tending to her animals, Pinkie is throwing her wild parties, and I haven't seen much of Applejack since she got engaged to Rain. Sweetie Belle is getting married next week to Cobalt, Rain's younger sister, and has asked that I create a rather 'special' magical spell that will allow them to have children.”
“You seem to be avoiding someone whom I am very interested in?”
“I already told you that Glitter has been talking up a storm about you since you left a few months ago.”
“I wasn't referring to her.”
“Oh.” The alicorn blushed when she realized who he was talking about. “Well I have been busy catching up on my favorite books, studying so much about being a princess, and working on that spell for Sweetie Belle. Other than that I really haven't done too much.”
“That's not true. Last time I left you were still a unicorn and the personal student to Princess Celestia. I get a letter a few weeks later saying that you are a princess, and when you come to pick me up, I have to be escorted by twelve royal guards! You never did say how it happened.”
“Didn't I?” The drake simply shook his head. “Oh, thought I did.” Clearing her throat, she began, “Well it happened not too long ago when I found my friends' cutie marks were on the wrong ponies. Princess Celestia had sent me a book that was written by Starswirl The Bearded himself! With it was a note that said there was a spell that he was unable to finish. When I cast it, I had no idea that it was going to mess with my friends. I had altered their true selves.
“Through a series of complex spells and reminiscing in thought about my friends and the spell's words, I realized what was wrong. It was our friendship that completed the spell. So I was able to set the right cute marks with the right pony. After that Princess Celestia said that it was high time that I was given the title of Princess.”
“Wow.” Dusk's mind was still trying to take in all of the information. Some parts were hazy while some made perfect sense, but the gaps between were so vast that he had to have her repeat it again before he could follow it. “Well, that's one way to become a princess.”
Dusk chuckled while Twilight playfully hit him again. “Uncle Dusk! That's not funny!”
“Then why are you laughing?” Neither could hold it in. Together they fell over grasping their stomachs as laughter was escaping from them. After a few minutes their laughter died down to a little giggle or chuckle. “Whew. You still are the same adorable little Twi that I knew before I left six years ago.”
The lavender alicorn allowed another sigh to escape her as she looked out the window to stare at the brickwork of the tunnel. “We're here.”
Emerging from the tunnel in a roar of steam, the breaks screeched as sparks flew up towards the platform from the tracks. Smoke billowed out from beneath the wheels as the train came to a halt, its whistle bellowing loudly. Following it was the roar of a dragon nearby, who sounded as though he was just yelling at the train to be quiet so that he could sleep.
Gathered on the platform of the train station were various royal guards, each one clad in their golden yellow armor. A few were scattered around on the roof of the station, pacing back and forth casually. Most of them were fresh recruits, easily told by how shiny their suits were. “Attention!” All of the guards put their feet together and puffed out their chests as they stood still, staring straight forward.
“Well, this is our stop.” Twilight made her way out of the train car without commotion. Bowing to her guards, she easily strode past to wait at the entrance of the train station.
“Here we go.” Sighing heavily, the drake hefted up his duffel bag and threw it over his shoulder, hesitantly taking a step off of the train. Most of the guards had started to march throught the station to clear the way for the princess. No sooner had his foot hit the platform that several cries went out at seeing the drake.
“Stop that stowaway! Get him!” Shouted a guard standing on the roof of the station.
Two guards walked casually over to the drake, looking him over. The taller of the two cleared his throat, “State your name stowaway!” His voice was deep, commanding, yet still young.
“Lieutenant Dusk Adrian Shadow, Equestria Royal Navy Commander, ID Four-Three-Eight-Two-Two-Three.” Raising his free hand he brought it up to his forehead in a salute. “At your service sir.”
The smaller of the two guards walked over towards a guard who was standing by the entrance to the station. Whispers were exchanged while the taller guard looked over Dusk's uniform again, grasping his dog tags and reading them. After a while the other guard came back, swinging a pair of handcuffs around his forefinger. “Nice try stowaway.” The guard's voice sounded sort of nasally, much younger than the taller guard's. “Lieutenant Shadow died three months ago in a training accident.”
Dusk went wide eyed as he looked back towards Twilight, seeing the same look of fear in her eyes. “What is the meaning of this!?”
“Don't worry about anything Princess. We'll soon break the mind control spell that this filthy low life has on you. I swear all of these poor ponies try to act like somepony they are not, just so that they can bash the rich folks.” The cuffs were placed on the drake's wrists as he was dragged away, not a single guard stopping to check the bag, just grabbing it and taking it with.
“I'll talk to Shining Armor for you Uncle Dusk.”
“No need to Twilight, I'm sure that he has already been informed.”
Before he could utter another word a guard slipped a bag over his head. “Prisoners will not talk to royalty unless they are spoken to. And when you answer, the name Princess will be before their actual name lowlife. Get a move on!”
Small droplets of water dripped down from the ceiling, crashing down into the small pool below. Each drop seemed like it took an eternity to fall, but he was used to it. After having spent four weeks in a fake prison camp during training, and then being held in a real prison camp for over a year in the darkest part of the jungle, this was a walk in the park.
Already three more dragons had been brought it after him for the same crime of 'impersonating' somepony famous. Of the three only the first two were truly worth anything, the final one just wanted a nice dry place to spend the night. Along the stone walls of the cell were various scratch marks from where the last prisoner had marked the days by talon.
Sitting on the stone bed was rough on the drake's back, but it could always be worse. That was the training that was instilled in him from the very beginning. “Your enemy will try his hardest to push you to the limit, but he won't send you over. He wants the information in your head. He will kill you when you give it up, never before.” He laughed aloud as he recited his Master Sergeant's words again and again. “Ya, tell them that.”
“Dusk?” Hearing his name, the drake turned to see that both Shining Armor and Twilight were standing at the cell door, peering in trying to see him through the darkness that shrouded the cell. “Dusk are you in there?”
“Ya, I'm here.” The navy dragon walked over to the door, sticking his arm through to shake it with Shining Armor. “Good to see you Shining. Mind opening the door for me.” Shining chuckled before he slipped the key into the lock and opened it. “Thanks.” Stepping out, the dragon looked back at the other three before he sighed, “What about them?”
“I'll deal with them later bud. Just need to get you home to your girl. Been raising hell in the Castle with her constant calls. Wouldn't have the issue if somepony hadn't called her!”
“I'm sorry Shining. She deserved to know in case something bad happened to him while he was in here.”
“Nothing bad was or is going to happen to him on my watch Twily, you know that.” She nodded. “Now, let's get your stuff and send you on your way.”
“Thank's Shining. Actually, I was wondering if I could speak with Princess Celestia before I left. I have a um, rather personal request for her.”
Both siblings looked at each other before nodding. “I'll see what I can do Uncle Dusk, but I can't make any promises.”
“That's quite alright Twilight.”
Dusk followed the two siblings as they led the way to the main room, where a single desk stood beside of the arched doorway that led down to the prison cells. Behind the desk was one of the two guards who had arrested the drake. He never looked up from the pile of paperwork that he was doing to even glance at the three. Fear of Shining Armor's wrath made sure of that. “I'm sorry about the guards Dusk. Things have been growing more aggressive between the lower and upper class of ponies here in Canterlot. A group of underground thugs calling themselves New Yulan have been causing mayhem for the capitol for some time now.”
“That doesn't explain why they nabbed me.”
“Well, the thing is that according to the military's records, you were reported dead.”
Dusk sighed as he slapped his forehead. “Those paper pushers at Headquarters never do anything right.”
“Mind telling us what happened? Why you were reported dead?” Shining motioned to the door on the other side of the desk, which led to a small office. Nodding, the drake followed the two inside, taking a seat beside Twilight while the older stallion sat behind the desk.
“It was midnight when we got the call from HQ to extract. Word had gotten out that we were operating in the area. A chopper was going to pick us up down river from our current position. It was only me, Taylor, Midnight, and Sunset.
We made our way down the river to the designated LZ, but instead of a chopper, we found our baptism. We were surrounded by over three dozen hostile troops, all with itchy trigger fingers and only needing one excuse to open up on us. Somehow, they had intercepted our communications and had called us into an ambush.
Taylor suggested that we just surrender, I liked Taylor. He may have been the new kid, but he was alright. He had no idea that both Midnight and I had vowed to die before ever having to face another Hayline prison. Sunset, he was the only one who knew more suffering than us. Somehow, he managed to escape before we walked into the ambush.
Whether it was Sunset or one of them, I will never know. In a flash there were bodies everywhere, bullets flying from every direction, and Midnight was dead. A lung shot got him, he bled to death in seconds. Taylor fell after taking down three enemies, a shot to the heart, liver, and throat. Blood soaked into the ground around us, and when it was all over, I was the only body left alive.
Seals never leave their own behind. So I went searching around the ambush sight for any evidence of what happened to Sunset. All that I could find were a few shells from his rifle, and his footsteps, leading away from the massacre. With both Midnight and Taylor on my back, I continued down the river where I made it to the ocean. Along a rocky shore I waited for twelve days before I caught sight of the E.R.N. Scyntiara.
Using only their belts, I tied their bodies to my back, then I swam out to the ship. Thankfully they pulled me out of the water instead of shooting me. Needless to say that the captain was surprised to see me, since as he was just about to make his way out of there. He had been told that my team was wiped out, but I proved that to be false. I radioed back to HQ to send out letters to my fallen teammates, to let them know that Sunset was MIA, and that I was alright.”
“Your bravery will not go unrewarded young Dusk.” The navy dragon tensed up as he turned around to look at the princess of the sun herself, her majestic mane billowing out behind her. “Do not get up young one, I merely wish to speak with you.” She looked towards the siblings and motioned for them to leave. Bowing, they departed the room without a sound, closing the door behind them. “Lieutenant Shadow. There is much we must discuss, but so little time I am afraid.”
“Then you speak first ma'am.”
Celestia giggled. “No need to be formal in here Lieutenant. No pony is going to hear.” She giggled again when she saw his cheeks turn a wonderful shade of cherry red. “First I must ask about what happened after you got back to the ship.”
“A search party went in looking for Sunset, a group of twelve marines. Ma'am, that jungle is hell. Only three men came back, the rest were dragged into the jungle by something, something that I hate to meet. I was sent back in to find them, but all I found was, was...” Dusk had to place a hand against his mouth to stop from gagging.
“It's alright Shadow. Take your time.”
“All I found were their bones, flesh still attached to the legs and arms. Some were missing their internal organs, and all were missing their heads, the skulls nowhere to be seen. Two of them were covered in spider webs, while some of the others were just too mutilated to even say that they had once been ponies. The pain that they must have went through. Blood was everywhere, on the trees, in the dirt, on the grass, even on the mangled corpses of the enemy. Something evil lurks in that jungle ma'am.”
Dusk managed to keep what little breakfast he had that morning down. “I was afraid of that.” The princess sighed as she looked away from the dragon. “You should have been killed, but you lived. There is something different about you Dusk, your no normal dragon. You do have a guardian angel.”
“Yes ma'am I do at that.” He chuckled, to which she responded with a giggle. “Is there anything else that you needed from me Princess, or was that all.”
“Actually there was one thing that I wanted to ask you about.” Silence fell between the two as she thought about what she was about to say. “After you returned to Equestrian soil, what happened?”
“General Osto wanted to know where I had been and where the rest of the team was. Apparently he hadn't heard about the death of my team. After I told him he was so furious that if you were to look at him wrong he would snap you in half like a twig.”
“Anything else?”
“Well, I called my fiance to let her know that I was okay and that I was thinking about her. She was thrilled to hear my voice, cause apparently she had gotten a letter saying that I was KIA. I told her that I was really safe and that it was just stamped with the wrong name. She accepted that.”
“If you don't mind, who is your fiance?”
“Her name is Glitter Summerwinds.” Dusk swore that he saw the princess's eyes widen at the mention of her name, but he didn't say anything because it had happened so fast he thought he was imagining it.
“That is a beautiful name Shadow, I would very much like to meet her someday.”
Now is my chance. “Um, Princess Celestia, I was wondering if you could do me a small personal favor. If you would, you would have more than enough time to meet her.”
“What is that Shadow?”
“Would you marry me and Glitter?” Dusk prepared for a berating from the princess about how she was not one to do something like that for just anybody, about how just because he was a soldier meant that he got special treatment. Instead, he was shocked to feel her arms around him in a warm, caring embrace.
“I would be honored to Lieutenant Shadow. Just tell me when the date is.”
“Well... I still need to talk about that with her.”
“Twilight will let me know then. But yes, I would love to marry you and Glitter Shadow.”
“Thank you Princess, this means so much to me, and I know it will to her as well.”
“You are quite welcome Shadow. Now I must insist that you go and catch up with Twilight and Shining Armor for a while, I have things I must attend to.”
“Yes m'lady.” With a bow, Dusk let himself out of the small office and walked out of the prison without so much as a backwards glance.
“Glitter Summerwinds. An apt name for our savior...”
