Part 1 - Wicked Eyes & Wicked Hearts
The steady beating of rain against a linen cloak became very loud as Golden Flash progressed through the heavy rain. He had become quite accustomed to walking on two hooves as of recently. His armour clanked and clattered as he steadily walked through the streets of Canterlot. It was light and the reflective golden surface glistened as he walked through the torchlit streets. Strapped to his side was his most prized possession, an Avian Longsword belonging to his grandfather and the sword's name being Skyslash. His grandfather stole it from the body of a sergeant in the first Griffon War one hundred and fifty years ago, slaying an entire battlion of Skychargers single hoofedly. Returning a war hero of Equestria. Slayer of the Skywatchers he was named. A high title he had to live up to.
He slowly shook his head as he briskly continued through the darkened streets. His piercing bright green eyes stared long at the ruins of Canterlot. Stone masons worked hard and fast to rebuild what had been lost during the Dark Crusade. The elite stood in the streets either in grief of their fallen loved ones or in terror of the wreckage of their homes with their spirits low and their hearts heavy. Flash had no idea how the Sisters were going to pay for all of this, they were at the brink of an economic crisis as it was already. The entirty of Canterlot has yet to arrive, not even half filled the streets. They would need a miracle to get past this one.
Golden had his hood pulled up, shadows dancing across his aged rugged face. He was very young in actuality, the stress of the job became clear to him fifteen years ago when he became Field-Comander in the Second Griffon War. He earned lots of respect from leading many battles to victory, but had he truly earned them? Most of them were won by shere luck or reinforcements arriving later than expected. The young soldier held his grandfather at a special place in his heart. His grandfather being Fleethoof, a private of 3rd Company until the Assault on Skykeepe. He had always been told that he was almost exactly like his grandfather, the same walk, the same way he talked, the same nearly in every way. The only difference between them were physical characteristics. Fleethoof was a pegasus and Golden Flash is a unicorn.
The cold mid afternoon air did nothing to quell the feelings of emptiness he felt. He looked down and he still saw the blood stains of that dreadful night. They lied stained on the cold wet stone streets, the water draining away and causing small puddles and rivers of blood. Briefly flashing in his mind were some of the scenes he was made to endure,
Gather the wounded! We make haste for the castle, it is our only chance! Everypony move!
We can't take everypony. This one is too far gone. I am truly sorry.
Defend the citizens with your lives. We fight to defend Equestria, or we die trying!
Golden Flash opened his eyes and the scene before him briefly changed to that night. The town set ablaze, ponies being slaughtered in the streets, and what hurt the most was the river of blood that ran through the streets of Canterlot. Golden Flash had never felt like this before, he had heard cases of PTSD but he never lived through it himself. He briefly shook his head once more and continued on his way.
He rounded a corner and came across Steelhoof's Armoury. If you wanted a suit of the best armor, you came to Steelhoof. There was no smithy that did their job like Steelhoof. Golden Flash stopped with a loud crash of thunder. There were legends in place that the master blacksmith had an ability where he could impart his emotions into the metal he shaped. The hammerfalls of his close friend were hard and filled with wrath. Slowly the hammer was brought down, crashing against the thunder. Coming down again and again. Golden Flash felt the emotion he was radiating, pouring all he had left into shaping the metal. It came to Golden Flash's understanding that Steelhoof lost his wife and his daughter in the siege of Canterlot. Flash felt for his life long friend and wished he had time to stop and grieve with him. But the princess requested an audience with him and he knew better than to be late when the royal family requests his attention. He shifted the weight in his shoulders and continued on, on his journey to the castle.
As he passed Steelhoof's the streets became more densely populated. Before he passed maybe a hoofful of ponies, but now he was passing twenty or thirty ponies at a time. It seemed the Solar District got hit the worst of all the districts. The more he continued onward, the more he saw ponies with barely a bit to their name. The activity of the stone masons were critical in the Solar District and there seemed to be more in there than anywhere else. Flash had seen way too many cities in ruins in his time on Equestria. Thirty years old and he had already seen more action than his father. He was anything but proud of that, he had seen too many of his comrades fall and too many innocents killed in cold blood. It was in that moment that Golden Flash realized something. Equestria was a land of peace and opportunity, this was not an invasion or devastation. This, this was realization. This was an eye opener to those who did not know the cruelty of this world.
This was liberation...remorse filled Golden's heart but he did not stand on ceremony and trudged through the crowds. Amidst the chaos he overheard many different pleas,
"Please. Just one bit..."
"I used to be somepony...now look at me...I'm nothing more than a worthless vagabond..."
"I...I can't believe it...I can't believe they're gone..."
These were echoed by so many other pleas and cries. It was disconcerting and Golden Flash did not like it. He ignored his morals for one more afternoon as he pushed through the chaos filled streets. He saw the returning city guard trying to keep the ponies in check. Many of them he recognized considering Celestia broke the law that they all had to look the same. Many of their faces were as solid as stone and their gaze solemn. Golden Flash drew his attention back forward and stopped as he realized where he was.
He stood a good five feet away from the main gate leading into Canterlot Castle. It mostly stayed intact and not the crumbling ruin he expected to see. There were a few damages here and there but overall it was very well intact. The golden accents and the pure white stone, a dull sight with the rain however. Normally he would have felt happier had he seen the castle in the light of day. Golden Flash noticed a pony walked up to him and gathered his attention. Golden Flash focused on the pony getting his attention. The grey stallion said sternly in a high tenor voice, "State your name and your business here."
Golden Flash lifted his hooves and pulled his hood down. His pristine silver mane glistened slightly in the torchlight at the gate. He blankly stared at the pony in front of him and in a low tenor voice he replied, "I am Commander Golden Flash and Princess Celestia has requested my audience."
The pony's eyes went wide when he said his name and the pony stepped aside shakily and said, "R...right....right this way commander."
He followed the pony and they walked over the large ravine on one of the strongest bridges in all of Equestria. Golden Flash walked alongside the nervous pony, he glanced briefly at the pony and said, "How goes the repairs at Canterlot Castle?"
The nervous ppny looked over at Golden Flash and lowered his head as he replied, "In all honesty it is going slower than we realized. It appears that Princess Celestia has other matters to attend to than repairing the castle."
"What of Princess Luna?"
"Princess Luna?" The shaken pony answered furrowing his eyebrow, "Nopony at Canterlot has seen her for the past month and a half. I am surprised ponies actually care about her."
Golden Flash did not take kindly to those words and he turned to the shaken pony briefly stopping him and threatened, "You will not speak of your princess in such a manner. She has fought hard to protect us and her Children of the Night. Show some respect, or I'll have to take it from you."
The shaken pony shrunk down as Golden Flash loomed over him with a furious look in his eyes. Golden Flash did not take kindly to those who insulted the princesses. It was his job to protect and defend Equestria, and above all, protect the family that rules over it. The pony was now visibly scared and he replied shakily, "Ma...ma...my apologies...uh...commander...it...it won't happen again..."
Golden Flash leaned in closer growling, "I'll make sure of it."
And with that they continued onward toward the entrance to the castle. They approached the large ivory door, there were etchings and designs all over the large doors. They were about three ponies tall and were thick. The two pony guards pushed them open and revealed the foyer in front of him. But it was under construction as some of the railing from the grand staircase was destroyed. There were craters in the ground. Some of the tapestries were lying in a heap on the ground. Golden Flash pulled off his cloak and threw it at the frightened servant who escorted him here, Golden Flash turned to him and he said threateningly, "You are dismissed."
And with a nod the shaken pony left his sight. 'Good riddance,' Golden Flash thought. The princesses deserved better than him as a servant. Golden Flash refocused and began his ascension up the grand staircase. His boots echoed across the walls of the foyer. A deep steady beat as he walked up. Finally he found himself at the top and two doors lined on his left and on his right. To the left lead to the throne room and the main hall. And to the right lead to the servants quarters and the war room. He heard talking to the door on the right and suggested that, that was the way he should be headed. He turned right and passed under the large opening and went on his way to the war room.
He did not stop to look at the complete grandeur of the entire castle, as it was under construction and most of it he had seen it before. The extravogent decor to the red carpet that was all across the floor. Leading to other places in the castle. It did not give him the same feelings as before. Before when he walked the halls of Canterlot Castle he felt invited and light hearted. But the shadows being cast with the limited amount of natural lighting, it gave an eerie feeling and Golden Flash did not like it.
He found himself at the familiar dark oaken door. He gingerly opened it and stepped inside. He passed the threshold and the room was wide. Columns made a circle in the center of the room, outside of the columns were rows and rows of shelves. Filled with past treaties, letters, and espionage notes. He focused on the large circle of columns in the middle. It was about thirty feet in diameter and the ceiling was about thirty feet high. Golden Flash stepped in the gap of two columns and saw four ponies on a lowered deas. Ten steps in a wide circle going down, at the bottom was four ponies standing around a large rectangular table filled with maps of Equestria and beyond.
Three of the ponies he did not recognize. But there was one pony he did recognise. Princess Celestia. She wore bright golden armor on her chest, hooves, neck, back and stomach, and flank. It glistened in the soft light from the window above them. Golden Flash noticed some physical differences though. Her mane and tail looked more like orange flames than the spectrum of colors. It still had the spectrum but the many colors were over taken by a dark orange color. Her eyes as well were a dark orange. She seemed much more imposing and taller. She noticed Golden Flash's arrival and gave him a look that told him to wait for her. Golden Flash replied with a nod and leaned up against a column listening in on the conversation.
"We cannot allow ourselves room to breath if we cannot defend our borders ourselves." Said a mare. Who wore dark grey silver armor over a cloth robe with the insignia of a snake wrapping around a sword on the crest of the breastplate. A greatsword sheathed on her back, and she had her hooves crossed over her chest. Celestia knew her name as Velrin Manashade, Knight-Magister of the newly formed Mage Knights. Her features were youthful and her gaze hardened. Her mane and tail were a dark ebony color and short, her mane not making it past her jawline. Her coat color was a dark blue and her eyes were a dark green. She was a unicorn and she was tall and lithe.
Finally somepony commented on her remark. Celestia turned towards the one that made the comment, "Yes but we lack the correct number of forces to quickly and effectively defend if our neighbors truly wanted to invade."
His voice was low and neutrally toned. The one that spoke was a Talin, an inhabitant of the Ashlands. The Talin are similar to ponies in the fact that they were once quadrapedaled. But the similarities stop there, the Talin are tall and lithe figures. Their coats are only in a dark grey color and they are considered masters of the arcane. Their origins are rather unknown to Celestia and she wanted to know their origins. There were a lot of races that were created before the Alicorn Empire and many of them were created by the Alicorns.
The one that commented was named Arak the Silent. An elite caster of his people, and a powerful ally. Leader of the Barazak. He wore scale mail armor with plates of thin metal on his shoulders and on his hooves. On top of the metal plates were aged bones of dragonlings, the brood of dragons. But what made him the most imposing was his ceramic bone mask he wore over his face, the only feature one could see of him was his bright blue eyes. Celestia knows only that they wear those masks to respect the founder of their race, Rashak the Conqueror who had slain his dragon master and wore his bones as a testament of his power. The monarchial leaders are considered gods amongst their people. Celestia found them very interesting and also found powerful allies in them.
Celestia glanced over both Arak and Velrin and stated, "Which is precisely why I am forming this organization. We have fallen from peaceful times."
Celestia lowered her head at that final thought. The peace that she had loved was over and that was the cold truth. She knew it would not last forever but she at least hoped that there would be fifty more years of it. She was wrong. It was Luna and her dreaded Children of the Night that allowed them to be viewed as defenseless. Another voice spoke to her and it belonged to Tarius Serpentblaze, "My dear, do not look so sad. You did all you could to keep Equestria from falling into war and that alone was a feat."
Celestia slightly smiled at his words. His voice was aged and filled with wisdom. Tarius was a unicorn stallion with a light chestnut brown coat with a long silver mane and tail. He stood up with a slight hunch in his back and leaning on his mage staff. The staff was made from the bark of a treant, holding magic properties. It was around four feet long and at the top was a large Barkonite crystal. A magenta colored crystal that amplified the connection to the Arcanic Shift. A long string of beads hung down from it as well. The string of beads symbolized the many mana infused creatures he had taken down in his lifetime. 23. Celestia always loved being around Tarius, he was both her former mentor and a close friend.
Velrin remained in the same position and said proudly, "I just hope this goes better than when my grandfather took up this title."
Celestia stated sternly leaning on the table in front of her, "Equestria is the strongest source of Arcane on Ketos, we can use this to defend us."
Arak nodded and quickly retorted, "Yes. That is something that we can exploit. The arcane pylons of my people will be able to be used as fonts of power to increase the arcanic strenth of your Mage Knights and your Mages."
Celestia nodded and replied, "Then you agree that we get your arcane pylons if we in return offer to protect your lands from any future invasions."
Arak nodded and said, "The Talin are by your side princess. Although, I am curious as to where your sister is? She is the co-ruler of Equestria is she not? Where is she?"
Celestia avoided Arak's gaze and said with slight scorn in her voice, "We...ah...lets just say we aren't on the greatest of terms."
Tarius sniggered and said, "I swear you two are the same fillies I taught nearly fifteen hundred years ago. When have you ever not been at each other's throats."
Celestia smiled and ignored him. He was not wrong, there was rarely a time when they were not bickering or arguing like little school fillies. And it was that fact that saddened Celestia, but it also activated an emotion she rarely felt. Anger. She tried so hard to protect her and keep the promise her mother had given her and what did she get in return. Nothing. She recieved no thanks from her dear sister, and no sympathies from her either. Truly she wished she could take her anger out on something but there was nothing to take her anger out on so it just boiled inside of her waiting for her to burst.
She focused back at the three Magisters of the Canterlot Mage Academy. Celestia stated, "Then let this be the day that the Canterlot Mage Academy offically opens. We need recruits immediately. Today as well marks another event, but I shall tell you that when I have finished other matters. You are dismissed."
Tarius, Arak, and Velrin all nod in unison and turn to leave the war room. Celestia watched as they all left and she felt the anger rise once again. Nightmare Moon spome in her mind,
Now that that is over we can get to the REAL fun part. Go ahead send him in.
Celestia did as she was asked and motioned for Golden Flash to step close to her. Golden Flash stepped down into the light on the deas and knelt before Celestia. His aged and battleworn platemail armour, made from reinforced Gold Steel. It had ornate designs odorning the face of the metal, ancient runes imparting special effects on the wearer. He as well wore a tabard bearing the insignia of Equestria, a half sun and a half moon conjoined and interlocking over a mistful sky. It was a design that was made many years ago. Celestia stepped closer to Golden Flash who still remained kneeling, she stared long at his bowed head with a studiful gaze. Nightmare Moon said,
Yes. He is ready.
Celestia said, "Rise."
Golden Flash rose to his hind legs and stood tall. He stared directly in front of him and Celestia said, "Commander Golden Flash. Effective immediately I am ordering you disbanded from the Canterlot Guard."
Golden Flash faltered in his gaze but quickly caught himself and remained the stone like sentinel he was before. He said, "I understand."
Celestia slightly smiled and contorted, "And I will be reinstating you in a position of higher power. Follow me."
Celestia turned and walked to the other side of the room. Golden Flash quickly followed and as they crossed the room Celestia spoke her words bouncing off the stone walls, "For many long years I have protected the heart of Equestria from ever falling into war. I did not want the descendants of those that founded this country to repeat the same mistakes their ancestors did. This country was founded on blood and steel, you must understand this. We were created to thrive and enjoy this planet, we could not do so if our neighbors wanted us dead. So we fought to defend what we were. Over the course of centuries however our vendetta became darker and longer. Our goal of protection became a goal of conquest.
"But not all ponies were like this. There was one organization that pledged their undying loyalty to their monarch and defended their lands to their last breath. These were the Paladins of the Sun. Warriors of the light to chastise and destroy the dark."
She paused and pulled a book back and the shelf heaved and moved to the side revealing a dark starcase descending downward. Leading into the darkness, Celestia lit up her horn with a pure yellow light and descended down. The dark walls emmitted a cold feeling of loneliness but she continued onward. She knew where she was going. Celestia briefly looked back at Golden Flash who asked, "Where are you taking me? And what about Dragomir?"
Celestia answered, "Dragomir will join us in time and to answer your first question you must know something. Canterlot Castle was built on the foundation of an ancient castle, where the Paladins of the Solar Court resided. Dawns Keep it was called. Deep within the ground are ancient temples where the Paladins drew forth their power to praying to the Atma, an ancient race of creatures made of pure light. They recieved power from prayers and were seasoned warriors as well. After Black Sun's fall, the Paladins thinned out and eventually returned to their old ways, becoming the back bone of the Vanguard Alicorns.
"However they were eventually killed off, many believing that they were delving into the dark arts of Black Sun. So, their temples were forgotten and left to rot under ground."
They crept their way steadily down. The shadows being cast away by Celestia's sunlike rays coming from her horn. The walls were caved in and cracked. Overgrowth had taken the place long ago, reinforcing it with their strong roots.
After about twenty minutes they were brought to the bottom. The temperature dropped as they continuously brought themselves downward. The stone halls they passed through widened and they continued on through the darkness. Golden Flash quickly trotted up next to Celestia and he asked, "Why did they pray to the Atma underground?"
Celestia continued onward at a steady pace and she explained as she walked, "The Paladins were very studious. They were even the first to offer science to society. The Atma were a race of pure light beings, light goes through plants and is absorbed into them right? The same can be said of the earth beneath our hooves. The Paladins gathered some of the solar energy the Atma emitted and empowered them. This was a crucial part of the initiation of becoming a Paladin. But yes, if they were running low on reserve power they drew forth solar energy from the plants."
Golden Flash rubbed his chin with his armored hoof and asked, "Could they not also draw energy from the sun itself?"
Celestia slowed her pace and replied, "Ah. That is where you are wrong. The sun in and of itself is a large star, it emits light of itself. The same can be said about the moon. But these were meant to be used as sources of power for only two, the god of the sun and god of the moon. The Ancient Edict states that only two beings are to control the sun and the moon and no others. So the Paladins of the Sun drew from the Atma and the Knights of the Moon gained their power from the Otma. The farther a Paladin went under ground, the more power it was able to draw from the Atma's purest rays. And the higher a Knight of the Moon went, the more power it was able to draw from the Otma."
Celestia stopped as she saw the large stone circular door. No door handle but she knew very well the way to open the door. On the door was the torso of a praying pony with their head bowed low. Celestia took in a deep breath and repeated ancient words spoken by the sun god before her,
"Umbrae spes fugit,
Aurora obstinata mente una die venient simul."
The earth beneath Celestia and Golden Flash rumbled and the halls around them shook. Celestia remained as still as the stone around her. She opened her eyes and the pony on the stone slowly raised its head and dust seeped from the cracks of the door and slowly the door moved aside. She smiled as she always enjoyed doing that. She remembered those words, they are words to a song she always loved singing and listening to. The Dawn Will Come it is called, Celestia's mother used to sing it to her before she had died.
Once the rumbling died down Celestia rose and she said with scorn in her words, "I must say I was hoping to share this with my once faithful student Twilight Sparkle. But she does not have the right mind set. She allowed it to be filled with the lies of my younger sister. My sun deserves nothing less than of the love of my most trusted pupil."
She kept that last line to herself. Celestia truly felt that way though. Why should others be forced away from her if they already worship her sun? The arrogance of her sister caused a fire to burn beneath her. She felt the furnace grow and her mind exploded with scenes of vengeance and purified flames of her sun. She will be loved and no one was going to stand in her way. Not even these Ebonmanes.
Celestia collected herself and said, "What I plan to do from here on out is protect those that I had promised to protect centuries ago. I will tolerate no one who will stand in my way, I have given it much thought and have decided on a course of action. I am reforming the Equestrian military and forming a new army. The Elite of the Sun. Warriors trained to protect the innocent and those who cannot defend themselves. The peaceful lands of Equestria will be no more, we will take up the banner of those that came bfore us. On this day, I officially reform the Paladins of the Sun. But instead of worshipping dead spirits, you shall worship me."
Celestia's tone of voice was deeper and a second voiced echoed after she spoke every word. She continued down a flight of stairs and stepped onto the cold stone floor. Celestia knelt down and swiped her hoof over the surface of the stone Celestia concentrated and she said, "I will make Equestria into the superpower it once was. And nopony will stand in my way. Now that you know my plans I must ask you, will you willingly give up your title and your power to unwittingly worship me and no other?"
Golden Flash stood in astonishment. The princess he once knew was gone, he did not know who stood before him now but he knew it was no longer the caring mother figure he once knew. Celestia was replaced by something else, he could feel pride and unbridled anger fill the air around her. And Golden Flash was stunned to hear what she had to say. She was truly mad now and Golden Flash wanted no part in this. Golden Flash sighed heavily and said pushing away the doubt, "No. I cannot. You ask too much my lady. I am to protect BOTH of the princesses not just you, I'm sorry but I must decline your offer."
Golden Flash noticed her mane and tail turn into pure flames and she stood up right on both of her hind legs. She said with the fury and anger of a thousand suns, "Ah. So you hold the same rebellion as my sister. You hold the same feelings as the Ebonmanes. You have served well under the Equestrian flag, but you follow to the ideals of an empire that had only been formed after two weeks!"
"Princess I..."
"Have you stopped to remember what I did to save all of your weak hides!? Have you so carelessly forgotten that I am your goddess and your ruler!?"
"But Princess I...AGH!!!" Golden Flash tried reasoning with Celestia but she was too far gone. Celestia lifted her hoof and Golden Flash reeled back in pain. His mind felt like it was being burnt to a crisp, the heat of the sun filled his very mind. Celestia kept casting her spell and stood over top of Golden Flash who was now writhing on the floor in pain, she stopped right over top of him and increased the intensity of the spell as she growled, "Your mind has been poisoned by the weakness that is my sister. She hopes to take the love of my subjects away. She has never been so weak minded in her life."
Golden Flash cried in horrible pain and felt sweat run down all around him in the intense heat in his mind. He felt as if he was burning under the sun itself. Celestia put scorn and fury in her next words, "I will make you strong. I CAN GRANT YOU THE POWER OF GODS! YOU WILL NOT BE CORRUPTED BY MY SISTER! YOU WILL FOLLOW ME AS A TRUE EQUESTRIAN!!!"
Celestia twisted her hoof manipulating his conscience. She pulled her glowing orange hoof back and pulling every memory of her sister she could find. She as well implanted memories of unwitting loyalty to herself. She increased the spell one more time and shot through him a final barrier, so no one but her could take his will away from her. Celestia lowered her hoof and deactivated her magic. Slowly he stopped writhing on the floor and he controlled his breathing once again. His face stopped sweating and his eyes were a bright yellow with an inner circle of red around the pupil. Golden Flash looked up at Celestia and immediately went to a kneeling position and stated, "My lady. I apologize for my imputenance. It will not happen again. How may I serve you?"
Celestia smirked briefly and cruelly and said, "Now that is more like it. You are to serve as a True Equestrian. That means you show no mercy to those who threaten my new Equestria. You will be an instrument of my power. An extension of my power."
Golden Flash's mind felt clean, wiped away and only one thought went through his head. Protect the one true leader of Equestria, and kill all those who shall stand in his way. Golden Flash stood up and said, "I will serve you well."
Celestia turned away from Golden Flash and said, "I have no doubt in my mind that you will. From this day forth you shall be known as Stalwart Goldenshield, the Left Hoof of Celestia. Honor that title and my name, and you shall never falter."
Celestia held up her hoof and materializing in her hoof was a syringe filled with a dark golden liquid. Celestia inspected it closer and said to Stalwart, "The Paladins were admiral in their ways of fighting. But they never had the strongest race of ponies amongst them. They never had Alicorns in their ranks. But what they did not realize is the Alicorn makes the perfect Paladin of the Sun. Only the strong will survive amongst the Paladins, there will be no room for weakness. And it is in this, Virus X, that I will have my perfect guardians of Equestria."
Stalwart lowered his head and stated, "I am ready to serve thee."
Celestia walked up closer to Stalwart and said, "Then we shall begin."
She thrust the serum deep into his neck and the liquid flowed through him quickly. Stalwart did not flinch but grunted against the pain. Celestia stepped back and she explained, "I have connections within Canterlot that allow me to do a great many things. Like Virus X here. The notes that I took from Victor Frankenstein were outstanding but I had no way to make the serum. So I ran across a familiar pony, and one by the name of Atom Moon. An owner of Atomic Moon pub, a very famous pub in Manehattan. Well, he was making a drug that could alter a pony and become the ultimate Alicorn slaying machine called Snake Bite. So he combined the two and came with this. It transforms the subject into a living weapon, breaking the laws of everything and making a perfect Alicorn without requiring the right amount of power. This is what you will become."
Stalwart felt pain rush through him and he fell to his knees once again. His chest wracked in most of the pain and he felt his mind break open once again. His bones shifted and conjoined tougher than before. His muscles enlarged and he felt stronger. His horn grew out a little bit longer. He had Earth pony strength, and heightened unicorn abilities. Now he needed the pegasus wings. He cried in pain as the muscles and bones along his back broke open and shifted once again. Forming from almost nothing were his wings, they snapped into place just below his shoulders and slowly flesh formed over the bone wings. Stalwart felt every painful second of it, but it was all worth it if he protected his ruler.
The skin finished forming and he sprouted feathers. Finally the pain subsided and he controlled his breathing once more. His coat turned a light gold color. He looked down and ripped off his tabard. Stalwart looks to Celestia and said, "But who is your right hoof? Dragomir?"
Celestia smirked and slowly stepped back as she did so she said, "Stalwart. I told you of my once prized pupil yes?" Stalwart nodded in agreement, "Then you must know that she has become too weak to save. But that did not mean I still did not want her as my Right Hoof. So, I dove into her family records and I found something crucial."
She stepped up onto the altar and she motioned to something standing in the shadows. Stepping into the light was a thin mare in a long white hooded cloak blocking her features behind a veil of darkness. Celestia motioned for her to pull down her hood and she did as such. Revealing in front of him was almost a mirror image of Twilight Sparkle but her coat was a silver color and her mane and tail a dark grey color. Her eyes were the purest of yellow and the same duel streak went through her mane and tail but it was different shades of yellow. She looked right at Stalwart and Celestia said proudly with a cruel smile, "Stalwart Goldenshield, meet Dawn. Twilight's twin sister."
