The heart of the moonby keithsterlingChaptersPrologueChapter 1Chapter 2chapter 3ProloguePrologue It’s a clear and beautiful night in the land of Equestria. Gliding through a star-filled night sky was dark blue Alicorn mare with a crescent moon on her flank. Her destination, the palace on the mountain, the Canterlot Royal Palace. As she nears the palace she adjusts her wings a bit and comes in for a landing on her high balcony. Once her hooves touch solid ground, she grimaces, forgetting that she turned her right front ankle pretty badly. She stepped in a hole on her last nightly stroll in Ponyville. “Thy rotten luck...I should have listened to thy niece when she told me to stay off thy hoofs...till my ankle healed.” The dark blue Alicorn mare groans as she hobbles her way down the staircase back into the Canterlot Royal Palace. In the moon lit hallways of the Canterlot Royal Palace, a young light blue unicorn stallion with a crimson red mane and tail walks though the hallway from the opposite direction of the Alicorn’s staircase. (A band of pink hair ran though his mane to his tail). He was attired in the purple armor of Princess Luna’s night guards with a fin shaped helmet on his head. As he finishes checking a very dark corner of the palace with his unicorn light spell, he spots the tired alicorn limping ahead of him and quickens his pace to catch up to her. The moment the unicorn stallion comes into view of the tired Alicorn her tiredness lessens and a smile forms on her snout. This alicorn knows who this unicorn stallion is because he is part of her growing royal family. His name is Prince Somnus Silverlight, her sister Celestia’s only son and her pupil. “Good evening my little Somnus...how is thy night?” The friendly alicorn inquiries nuzzling the unicorn stallion lovingly, “Going well Auntie Luna...you look tired Auntie...I am worried you are over doing it a bit...I know the alicorn has a lot of spare energy...but you are still a living pony like me...It would break my heart if anything happens to you (face pale) because you are the only pony that knows what it feel like to stay in control of this darkness inside me.” Somnus comments as memories form in Luna’s mind of Somnus as colt barely able to control his fierce temper and his dark magic power. After Somnus’s last episode of losing his temper after another colt called him a monster, certain ponies within Celestia’s own court, demanded that his mother Celestia, either lock her son away here in the palace or get rid of him for the good of equestria and the ponies she rules over. Both options torn at Celestia’s own heart and hurt her greatly. If Prince Justice Silverlight, Celestia’s husband, didn’t arrive right then, and there would have forced his wife Celestia to choose and carry it out. Justice stood up to the ponies telling them they didn’t have the authority or position to demand anything from the royal family or Somnus’s own mother. If they valued their position in court they would leave matters alone and let his parents figure out what to do about it. With that, the pony families that backed the options, bowed to Prince Silverlight and left the throne room. Watching from the shadows of the throne room was Princess Luna (Somnus’s aunt and his magic teacher). After the ponies left, Princess Luna set off to find her nephew and talk to him as his aunt. She found a glum Somnus lying in the grass next to a small pool tossing small rocks into the pool with his unicorn’s magic. After removing her front horseshoes, she lied down next to Somnus and started to splash her front hoofs in the water and spoke to him asking him what happened to make him lose his temper. So he told her. With that, Luna reached around him and pulled him under her chin and she tell him no matter what happens she will remain by his side and teach him everything she know about using dark magic and keep him safe from being corrupted. ~returning to the present~ “So auntie please rest for a little while.” Somnus asked as he kisses Luna on her cheek with tears in his eyes, “Aww...thank you Somnus for being concerned about this Alicorn...I’m on my way to my room to get a little sleep...Would you like to rest with me? I’ll make breakfast in the morning for all of us.” Luna says tired and softly with a smile on her snout as she nuzzles him again, “I wish, I could rest Auntie..,but you did order me to do a night patrol today...you are my dear auntie...but you are also my princess and a knight can’t disobey an order from his princess.” Somnus honorably explains as he returns the nuzzles with a smile on his snout, “But if I finish my full patrol by morning, Auntie...I promise, I will meet you and the rest of the family for breakfast...but until then, good night Auntie and sleep well.” Somnus says softly kissing her on her cheek in front of the door leading into her bed chamber. He hugs her good night and continues on his night patrol of the Canterlot royal palace. “Such a sweet pony...my dear little Somnus.” Luna yawns as she cuddles up into her bed and falls fast asleep. The next morning Luna was up bright and early after chasing the royal chefs out of the palace kitchen. She set to work to make breakfast for herself, Celestia and her nieces and nephew. The aroma of breakfast being cooked wafts from the palace kitchen attracting the nose of a beautiful young unicorn mare with the same mane, tail and body color of Somnus. She has a pink band in her hair wearing a nurse’s cap in her mane behind her horn. She was on her way to the royal dining room after washing up. The mare sticks her head into the kitchen only to notice her Aunt Luna cooking breakfast for everyone. She walks up to her Aunt Luna flipping pancakes with her Alicorn magic and kisses her on her cheek. Luna’s eyes sparkle upon see the mare coming into view. This young unicorn mare was also part of the royal family. Her name was Princess Blueberry Swirl Silverlight, Celestia’s younger daughter and one of Luna’s nieces. “Good morning Auntie Luna...It smells good.” Blueberry said heartily with her mouth watering, “I hope so Blueberry,” Luna said hopefully gesturing towards the trash can in one corner of the kitchen full of burned blueberry pancakes. With that, Blueberry helps her Aunt Luna prepare breakfast for everyone. After she finished ,Blueberry turn toward her Aunt Luna, “How is your right front ankle Auntie? Did the swelling go down?” Blueberry inquiries looking at Luna’s right front ankle without touching it, “It’s still bothering me Blueberry...I can’t put any weight on it for too long.” Luna explains as she begins to plate the freshly cooked blueberry pancakes for her family. “After breakfast I want you to report to the palace hospital, so I may check your ankle again, Auntie, and I will not take no for answer,” Blueberry orders pointing her hoof at Luna, “I will Blueberry...I promise...” Luna said with a wooden smile, “Is there more you want to tell me Auntie?” Blueberry inquiries as Luna sighs floating the pan and all the things she used into the sink to be washed later. “I wish, I had a son and a daughter like Celestia does or even a mate...don’t get me wrong, Blueberry, I’m very happy I have you three in my life...it eases some of the loneliness I once had being one of the last two pure Alicorn left in Equestria...but still I would like to have my own someday.” Luna explains nuzzling Blueberry and kisses her on her forehead. “Don’t worry auntie, you will find your special stallion someday I know it. You are a very special mare like mother is...Look at mother, it took her a long time to find her special stallion...but after she found him she was the happiest alicorn mare she could be she gave birth to us...three ponies that will love you to no end...our dear Aunt Luna.” Blueberry speaks with an unsinkable spirit that infects those around her. “The thing is...I...um...kind of want an alicorn child, someone I can fly with and teach magic to.” Luna comments to herself licking Blueberry on her cheek. “Auntie, remember after breakfast, I want you and your ankle in the palace hospital...to let me exam that ankle of yours better.” Blueberry reminding her aunt Luna. “I will go to the palace hospital Blueberry, I promise.” Luna says crossing her heart with her hoof as she floats a plate of pancakes to Blueberry. She takes hold of the plate with her own magic. “Sometimes giving birth to a plain unicorn is the best gift given to a pure Alicorn mother. For a unicorn can become what you want them to be.” Blueberry says mysteriously walking out of the kitchen, floating the plate of pancakes with her. This leaves her aunt Luna a bit baffled with the comment from her niece. Later that same morning, a pale faced Princess Luna finds herself laying, belly down, on top of a pony sized soft raise platform in a medium sized exam room in the palace hospital. Her stomach is in knots as the room is decorate with the typical pictures you would find in any doctor’s office. After the nurse did the basic examination of Luna, she told her that Blueberry would be with her in a moment as she gulps once. Soon the door to the exam room opens and in walks Blueberry floating a clipboard in a dark blue bubble with the typical medical papers. “Greetings your highness...Let’s see about your ankle...Have you had any trouble walking on it, your highness?” Blueberry inquires reading the papers on the clipboard floating in front of her. “Yes.” Luna says in a tiny voice as Blueberry smiles at her aunt, knowing she’s a bit nervous about going to the doctor, “It’s ok Auntie, I will not hurt you...just between you and me...mother is even worse than you...To get her to come for her routine check-up I have to get the guards to drag mother into the room...She really doesn’t like the check-up, but it has to be done...You pure Alicorns might live forever...but you still can hurt yourself and get sick like a normal pony does...It’s my job to make sure you Alicorns are health and happy.” Blueberry speaks with a soothing voice that relaxes her aunt Luna and her nervousness melts away, “Thank you Blueberry...I am, not nervous anymore.” Luna relaxed as Blueberry smiles and plops down in front of her Aunt Luna as a dark blue magic aura forms around the front right horseshoe of Luna’s hoof. Ever so carefully, Blueberry pops the horseshoe off her Aunt Luna’s hoof leaving it bare. With the shoe removed Blueberry reaches up with her front hoof and begins to exam Luna’s bad ankle. Everytime Blueberry touches the tender part of Luna ankle she winces. “It looks like your ankle is still a bit tender to the touch Auntie..,but if you keep removing your horseshoe like I told you and put ice on it when you are working in your office...you should be fine,” Blueberry explains hugging her aunt as she walks her to the front desk, before she is giving another file that say ‘Twilight sparkle’ on the front of it. “Will do Blueberry, good bye dear...see you at dinner.” Luna said with a smile as she waves good bye to her niece who disappears into exam room two with her next patient. After Luna had dinner with her family in the royal dining room with the exception of her niece Blueberry (who was called away to the Crystal Empire to check on her cousin Princess Cadance because she has been sick for a while) Luna headed to her office to get some royal work done. Instead of working on her paperwork, Luna sits in front of her desk with an ice bag on her ankle sketching many small pictures of baby Alicorns in a small book filled with blank paper. “Such a big wish...but it’s not achievable...” Luna sighed remembering that she and Celestia are the only two pure Alicorns left in Equestria. At that same time, walking by the office, on her way to the royal library to do a little bit of research for a meeting her mother sent her to attend in few days, was a young alicorn mare with the same mane, tail and body color of both Somnus and Blueberry. She even has the same pink band in her hair as the other two. A finely made gold circlet sat on top her head behind her horn. This alicorn mare was the final member of Luna’s royal family. Her name was Princess Aurora Silverlight, the eldest daughter of Luna’s sister Celestia and Luna’s last niece. “Huh?” Aurora exclaimed sensing something was wrong. Behind the office door next to her, she turns and knock a few times. “Come in!” Luna called as Aurora opens the door with her magic and enters the office. “On my way to the royal library Auntie..,I sense that something was troubling you...may I ask you what’s is wrong auntie?” Aurora inquires with a patient voice as a smile forms on her snout and she’s sitting down next to her Aunt Luna, “I wish to have a baby...but not just any baby...a beautiful alicorn baby...I want to teach it to fly and enjoy the sky...I want to teach it to do magic as well.” Luna explains as Aurora gasps followed by her ears dropping as she has no way to help her beloved aunt Luna, “I am sorry auntie you are always there to help one of us...but when you need help I can’t help you...I don’t know how to help you...Please forgive me auntie-I-I have to go.” Aurora upset as she dashes out of the office, losing her gold circlet on her head. “I’m so sorry my dear Aurora...I didn’t mean to make you that upset.” Luna is sadden as she floats her niece’s gold circlet into her front hoofs hugging it tightly to her chest as small tear roll down her cheeks splashing on an artifact in her hoofs. Slowly her moderate cyan colored eyes close as she lays her head down to sleep. Chapter 1"Hello! Can any pony hear me?” Luna calls When no pony answered, Luna proceeds ahead and found herself back in the Canterlot Royal Palace. Her hooves clicked on the tiled floor of the hallway leading to the royal family’s private living area. As she looked around, the hallway was empty. There were royal maids walking about their hallway doing they set responsibly to keep the royal palace going. But the most disturbing to her was the elite princess’s guard unit known as the Solar Guard who were not at their posts…If there was an emergency of course, the Solar Guard unit….wouldn’t being at their posts. Their posts would be filled with the royal guard unit members, but even they are not at their posts. With that in mind, Luna runs down the hallway at full speed to get to her sisters Celestia’s bed chamber and asked her what happened in the palace. Without stopping, Luna busted through her sister’s door and gasped. Lying on top of a blood stained rug was the body of her sister Celestia. She looked like she got into a battle with some pony using dark magic and was beating badly. Her body was covered from head to hoofs with scorch marks from a primary attack of the dark magic the black flame. The scene became even more heartbreaking to Luna when she saw a second pony with her front hoofs lying cross Celestia’s back trying to protect her. The body belonged to her niece Aurora; whose cutie mark was visible on her flank. “No no no no” Luna repeated over and over walking backwards out of her sister’s bed chambers back into the hallway, “Huh?” Luna exclaimed tripping over something behind her. Lying in front of her was a singed figures of her another niece Blueberry. Gathered round her were bodies of other ponies ranging from soldiers to servitors. She was using her healing skills to help those that need her. Before she was attacked herself to protect those patients under her care. Luna quickly got to her hoofs, her nostrils flaring as she stormed down the hallway knowing the only place left to go to escape from the palace would be the royal garden. The farther down the hallway she went, the more bodies of soldiers littered her path forcing her to leap or glide over the build-up of bodies of her and Celestia’s loyal troops. At the far end of the hallway, casually walking toward the royal garden exit, being guarded by the injured Princess Cadance and Princess Twilight, was a unicorn wearing the purple armor of Luna’s night guard. Tears streaked the cheeks of two princesses as they charged the magic in their horns in the hope to stop this unicorn before it gets away. Before Luna could warn Cadance and Twilight, the unicorn charged his horn, firing two jets of black flame at the same time towards the two princesses. They are quickly engulfed by the black flame. When the flame dies down, the princesses’ just drop, losing the crowns on their heads. The unicorn continues out the door passing the two princesses kicking the two crowns down the staircase into the royal garden. With a stony expression, Luna leaps high into the sky and glides over the head of the unicorn. She lands, whipping her body around her horn charge with her magic ready to put an end to this stranger that dares to hurt her family and friends. Luna’s breath catches in her throat, looking back at her was not a stranger, but her own blood Prince Somnus Silverlight, her nephew. Living purple flames flick from the corners of his light blue eyes. The power that she’s been helping to keep under control has finally taken over his body. It has changed this son of a once noble unicorn knight that she called friend…..into a creature of darkness and hate. Unable to bring herself to destroy her beloved nephew Luna, she fires her beam towards the staircase. It takes a huge chunk out of it she begins to weep. As dark Somnus walks past his weeping Aunt, he looks over his shoulder at Luna. “You have failed Princess you promised Somnus’s father that you would protect him from me but you can’t bring yourself to destroy your dear little Somnus. A pony like you that must live in shadows and never feel the warmth of his mother sun Very soon I’ll have full control of this pony and his power. This world will be mine and you can’t do a thing about it, dear Princess” Dark Somnus speaks in an evil voice as a menacing laugher echoes in Luna’s mind, “Auntie please…where are you? I can’t find you? I need you, it hurts” Somnus voice begging her to save him from his darkness. Unable to listen any more to the cries of her beloved nephew, Luna rolls up into a ball. Back in her office at the Canterlot royal palace, Luna wakes up in a cold sweat, her breath deep and heavy. The dream she just had shook her to her core, as her gold heart shaped locket floats up from under her collar. She opens it with her magic revealing a small picture of her with Aurora, Blueberry and Somnus. She never wanted to take this very picture with her two nieces and nephew, but the three of them tag teamed her until she gave in. Now this gold heart shaped piece of Jewelry is Luna’s most cherish possessing that anyone gave her. Luna floats the locket up to her lips and places a kiss on it, before floating it back under her collar. “….will I Fail?..will the dream come true will my little Somnus become the next Nightmare Moon following in his own aunt hoof prints? He cannot!. He would never survive the banishment as I did without losing all his senses. A pony, lost forever in the loneliness of his aunt own Moon.” Luna asked herself, looking through the window of her office at her moon hanging in the night sky before her. Unable to take it anymore, Luna wrote a note and left it in Celestia’s bed chamber and teleported herself to her moon to calm her worried mind down. The following morning Princess Luna didn’t show up for breakfast with her family. Worried, Somnus started to search the Canterlot royal Palace for her. For hours he looked high and low for his missing aunt when he couldn’t find her, he spoke to his mother Celestia, who showed him the note Luna left for her in her room. After reading the note, Somnus’s chin sunk dejectedly into his chest. The note mentioned a promise his aunt made to his father, before he died. Not knowing what the promise entailed, a deep sense of sadness griped his heart. For some time now, Somnus felt as if his aunt was just going through the motions of caring for him. Now learning about the promise his aunt made has reinforced the unwanted feeling that now fills his heart. After telling his mother where he was going, Somnus charged the magic in his horn and teleported to Luna’s moon to get to the bottom of this promise and to learn, for himself, if she cares about him. A moment later, Somnus arrived on Luna’s moon a bit woozy because the spell used up a lot of his magic energy to perform it correctly. Somnus shook his head side to side, before heading off in search of his Aunt. “Auntie! Auntie! Where are you?” Somnus called He ran from one end of the moon to the other searching for his Aunt Luna on her moon. When he didn’t find her, he climbed up on top of a moon rock to let his own magic energy recharge so he could return to Equestria, not knowing that his aunt was on the backside of the rock he was sitting on. Slowly Princess Luna got to her hoofs. She stretched her wings a few times and cracked her neck. After meditating for a night Luna felt more able to fulfill her promise to Somnus’s father to protect his son from the darkness inside him. As Luna climbed up the rock, she froze in her tracks. In front of her, with his back toward her, was Somnus. She figured that his mother showed him the note and he came in search of her. As Luna approached Somnus, she stopped as he began talking to himself. “So my aunt Luna cares nothing about me, she only took me on as her student because father made her promise that she would protect me from this darkness I have inside me. (Form a dark energy ball in his hoofs) I should have known. Why would a princess like her, want a stallion like me as her student? Equestria has more mares than stallions. Why did I think any different. Maybe I should let this darkness have me, then my aunt will never have to keep that promise.” spoke Somnus down casted as tears filled his Aunt Luna’s eyes behind him. “How can you say that Somnus? I am your auntie. I am your Angel of darkness, I would never abandon you!” screams Luna causing Somnus to jump to his hoofs and turn around, “You should never let that darkness take control of you or become like her a bitter hateful monster that cares for herself and no other pony. That is not your fate, Somnus, and it will never be your fate.” Luna says disheartened running up to Somnus throwing her front hoofs around him in a hug, “Please don’t let the darkness take over, keep fighting. if not for me then for your own mother. If Celestia loses you. she may never recover from it,” Luna speaks with a glimmer of hope in her voice, “Auntie I am sorry” Somnus’s voice strained as he breaks away from Luna and walks away from her, “I must know Auntie, the promise you made to father did you do it because you love me and want to protect me or did you do it because father asked you to? I need to know.” Somnus has a worried look towards his Aunt. Slowly, a second memory starts to form in Luna’s mind. The night before Celestia’s husband death, Luna was up on her balcony about to start painting the night sky with her magic. A quickly, ageing, Prince Justice Silverlight, arrived, out of breath from the climb up the stair to her balcony. Luna was quite saddened to see this once, strong, unicorn stallion knight, who, a month earlier, could climb the stairs to her balcony quicker than her, is reduced to an elderly unicorn stallion. Justice smiles at her and sits down to enjoy the nighttime show. With that, Luna went to work painting the night sky to the enjoyment of this very noble unicorn stallion knight. With her work done for the night, Luna helped Justice back down the stairs leading him back into the Canterlot royal palace. Half way down the stairs, he stops and turns toward her. He tells Luna that, his son and her nephew, Somnus, has the same dark magic inside him that he does and could end up the same way. If there is no one to help him stay in control of that dark magic. The thought of watching another pony especially her little Somnus suffer like his father, hurt her greatly. Because Alicorn mares are not known to give birth to a stallion, but when it happened it was a gift to the Alicorn mother. “Please Luna; I need some pony to help Somnus stay in control of his dark magic Celestia is a magnificent mother to our foals. but she doesn’t know how powerful the nightmare force is and how easy it can take control of the pony who has the power deep inside them you do, and you beat it. Somnus needs a pony that understands what this magic is and know how to stay in control of it, But before you decide, Luna, let me say this, I don’t want you to say yes just because of our friendship. I want you to say “yes” because you dearly love him and want to protect him from the fate that cost you your freedom a thousand year ago.” Justice’s voice, in the memory sounds hopeful. A week later Prince Justice Silverlight dies in the hooves of his beloved wife Celestia, it has always been a very painful memory for Luna to relive. Because she was unable to tell Justice what her decision was and the dream brought it all back. ~back on the moon~ “Why Auntie!? Why?!” Somnus sounds more worried “….Because I love you my little Somnus just as much as I loved Justice.” Luna exclaims as her eyes start to glow solid, white along with charging her horn so she can begin to drain the dark magic out of Somnus, “I’m sorry my little Somnus this will not hurt I promise.” Luna spoke with a soothing voice that caused Somnus’s to relax as his own eyes started to glow solid white like his aunt. It was a sure sign that he was using the night magic she taught him. A kiss on his cheek establish link between Somnus and Luna when she accidently forced the magic to drain. Somnus snapped out of the trance his aunt placed on him so he wouldn’t fight back as she drained away his black magic. The magic duel she was hoping to avoid happened as Somnus fought as fiercely as she did to keep her from draining his black magic away. “Somnus please stops fighting me let me take the black magic.” Luna said, “I am doing this to protect you from my fate.” Luna says caringly, “How is draining away my black magic protecting me, Auntie?” Somnus inquiries, “You taught me black magic comes at a cost….” Somnus exclaims, “What will it cost you to take it from me?” Somnus inquiries, “……………” Luna is speechless, “You can answer me, Auntie but I know what it will cost me, my Angel of Darkness. My Aunt Princess Luna when she transforms back into Nightmare Moon Forget that she has a nephew she promises to protect and guide.” Somnus’s voice quavering as Luna let the link between her and Somnus slacken. Suddenly, from the dark side of the moon a second beam attaches to the beam between Somnus and Luna. It followed by a magic pulse that comes scream down the second beam. It turns and heads down Luna’s beam striking her, Knock her off the moon rock to the moon floor, severing the link between her and her nephew. Slowly, signs of life return to Luna as she staggers to her hooves. She shakes her head a few times to regain her senses. Then she spreads her wings to get back on top of the rocks where her nephew was. The moment she lands on top of it, her nephew collapses, drained of all his magic. Luna’s pulse roars in her ears covering the distance between her and her nephew in a matter of moments. She places her ear against his chest, desperately trying to detect a sign of life. As the minutes tick away, tears begin to form in her moderate cyan colored eyes until she hears a faint heartbeat. She rubs her snout through his mane. Before placing a kiss on his cheek, she whispers in his ear that she will get him home. “How predictable the very protective Aunt trying to save her beloved nephew from the fate that cost her, her freedom thousand year ago.” A mysterious King Sombra like voice speaks pleased, “It was so easy to manipulate Princess Luna. All I had to do was remind her of the promise she failed to give the answer because my good side died before she told him HAHAHAHA” The King Sombra like voice speaks more pleased. Luna’s eyes widen with alarm when, from the dark side of her moon a very dark blue Alicorn stallion appears (his mane and tail was dark brown in color, a gray band ran through his mane). He stares at Luna with blue reptilian eyes and smiled with fang-like teeth. A full moon cutie mark was visible on his flank. “Dream Eater!. what do you mean you manipulated me? No one manipulates Princess Luna! The Princess of Night!” Luna said boldly positioning herself between her nephew Somnus and Dream Eater knowing if he did manipulate her, his target was Justice’s son Somnus. “Aunt-tie-don’t try to-fight-him-you-can’t-beat-him-Take us home, Auntie.” Somnus says in a weak voice concerned for his Aunt Luna as she nuzzles him with her snout pleased that he is still alive. “I am sorry my little Somnus but I promised your father that I would protect you from Dream Eater I don’t want you to get hurt because of it good bye, my dear little Somnus.” Luna said, sadly, kissing him on his cheek as she teleports him back to Equestria in front of the hoofs of his mother Celestia who quickly takes him to his bed chamber and calls his younger sister Blueberry to help her brother. On the moon, magic bolts streak through the star filled sky as Princess Luna and Dream Eater continue their impressive battle of two powerful Alicorns. Unknown to Princess Luna, Dream Eater is just playing with her. The battle between them is just a show for Dream Eater. For he has already claimed his prize from Luna’s nephew Somnus. The black magic he drained out of the stallion’s body was his prize and his target. “You are starting to become an annoyance Princess!” Dream Eater screams irritated as she kept him pinned down behind a huge rock he was hiding behind. “Pain in the tail, Princess.” Dream eater comments wanting the Princess to stop firing her magic bolts at him so he can use his magic to escape with his prize, “Huh? Well that could be helpful.” Dream eater said noticing everytime Luna would land she wouldn’t put weight on her right front ankle. Quickly Dream eater shot his bolt right in front of Luna, causing her to leap backward to get away from the blast; leaving her bad ankle exposed to an attack. Luna unleashed a glass shattering scream as Dream Eater’s second bolt stuck squarely on her bad ankle. As Luna lies on the ground, her ankle throbbing, waiting for Dream Eater to finish her off a profound sadness washes over her. She fishes around, under her collar, searching for her gold heart shape locket. She finds it and opens it. “I am sorry Somnus your angel of darkness is not coming home this time. Please don’t give up the battle with your dark side you are just as strong as your father was maybe stronger.” Luna said softly, laying her head on the ground next to the locket as a strange magic energy surrounds her. At first she becomes uneasy; the magic energy was so foreign to her. She then feels a warm embrace wrapping around her lifting her up and teleporting her back to the Canterlot Royal palace. Blueberry gasps in stunned silence as her Aunt Luna suddenly appears in Somnus’s bed chamber. She quickly snaps out of it when she realizes that her aunt needs medical attention. After Blueberry treats Luna, she slowly gets to her hooves and limps her way over to Somnus’s bed side and rubs her snout on Somnus cheek. Knowing, it was his power that brought her back to the Equestria and Canterlot. Chapter 2After the two days Princess Luna had gone through, facing her own heart, a tide of joy washed over her. Ahead of her lies a mission she knows she will never truly finish. That mission: to keep her promise to Prince Justice Silverlight and make sure to guide away his son Prince Somnus Silverlight from the easy path that dark magic offers. My dear little Somnus, ahead of both us is a difficult path to travel….but as your angel of darkness, I will guide you down that path and be there at your side….That is my promise to you; Luna thought looking at a framed crayon drawing done of her, by a five year old Somnus, depicting her not as the monster Nightmare Moon that most colts and fillies thought of her, but as an angel coming down from the moon to help every pony. An invigorated Luna exits her bed chamber door, ready to begin a new day as her nephew’s magic teacher and guide. Suddenly the echo of running hooves in the hallway gets Luna’s attention. Running toward her, at full speed, her eyes widen in alarm was her sister, Celestia. “Luna!” Celestia calls stopping in front of her, “Something’s wrong with Somnus. One of his royal maids went to wake him up and he didn’t open his eyes….” Celestia says in a panic, shifting back and forth on her hooves, “…..M...M….mmy son…..no…No….no…not my son….anyone but my son” Celestia grows maniacal. “Luna what happened on the moon? Why is Somnus not opening his eyes? Please sister, tell me what happened on the moon? What happened to my son on the moon?” Celestia voice edge with tension as tears begin to form in her light purple eyes, “Sister, please, I can’t lose him…..You know as well as me Alicorns don’t give birth to colts…He was gift to us, a chance for the moon princess and sun princess family line to continue on well after we fade into history….Please sister, tells me what happened?” Celestia sounds worried as tears begin to fall to the ground splashing in front of Celestia’s hoofs. Luna looks at Celestia and told her exactly what happed on the moon in every detail. She now got prepared; she knew Celestia was right; most Alicorns give birth to fillies and never colts. Luna explains to Celestia that she was trying to drain the dark magic out of Somnus. After a week of sleep he should have all his magic energy back and he will be his old self. Dark shadows form around Celestia’s eyes as she started to cry even harder, confusing Luna. “No sister…a week of rest will not help Somnus…If Dream Eater is involved, Somnus is going to die like his father (Luna gasp), By quickly aging…..but unlike his father, who was a full gown unicorn stallion….Somnus is not full gown…he will suffer longer than his father…to the point that, me, his mother, or you, his aunt, will have to choose to end his suffering by kill him….How can any mother or aunt choose to end the life of a child like that?” Celestia was disheartened as tears soaked her collar around her neck. “No! I refuse to let Somnus suffer…..I saw his father and my friend slowly waste away and it hurt me more than you think, Tia…..If the same thing would happen to Somnus, it will be ten times worse for me…..I would be unable to move on……I would break my promise that I made when Justice died: To protect his son from the darkness.” Luna in such un-imaginary pain as tears formed in her moderate cyan colored eyes. “What are you going to do sister?” Celestia inquired as a spark of hope returned to Celestia’s light purple eyes, “I will do what I can dear sister…..that son of yours is not just importance to you…..he is important to me.” Luna determined running down the hallway heading to Somnus’s bed chamber down the hall from his mother’s and sister’s bed chambers followed closely by his mother Celestia, who’d face brightened with every step taken towards the stricken son’s bed chamber. Luna pushes the door open with her hoof and enters Somnus’s bed chamber and she looks around. This is the first time she has ever set a hoof in Somnus’s bed chamber. Most of the time he meets her outside her own bed chamber to begin his lessons. As Luna looked around the room, her eyes fell on a framed picture sitting on his nightstand next to his bed. It was a picture of her, his aunt Luna. A single tear ran down her cheek when she realized how much this colt of Celestia cares about her and how much she would miss him if he is gone. As all the family photos have been dutifully cleaned, her photo has been carefully cleaned as if the photo was going to thank him for doing it. As Luna approached Somnus’s bed side a sudden spurt of adrenaline coursed through her veins. Lying in the bed was not her nephew, but a quickly aging unicorn colt that looked like her nephew. Suddenly he called out “Auntie” as if he was in an awful nightmare that his Aunt Luna can save him from. Luna lifts her hoof and places it on top of his leg. “Shhh…your angel of darkness has come….be strong my little Somnus.” Luna says softly running her hoof up and down his leg. With that, she quickly charged up her horn as it reaches full power, Somnus own horn reacts to it. Luna is very pleased that all the lessons she taught him up to now have stuck with him, a testament to her as his aunt and teacher. Luna’s eyes glow white and suddenly a flash draws her into Somnus’s dream world. She finds herself standing in front of a slowly dying forest path. She has a quick look around before she moves down the path in search of the Dream Eater shadow. Not too far down the path, she is hit very hard and flings back to where she started. Luna staggers to her hooves, shaken from the violent collision as she regains her senses. She gasps. Standing on the path in front of her was copy of her the same stature as Somnus’s mother Celestia. This Alicorn gave Luna a warning look, before speaking in her own voice. “I am Guardian Luna protector of Master Somnus Dream World….I will protect him with my life…Leave at once invader or pay the price!” Guardian Luna warns as she scratches the ground with her hoof, “I’m Princess Luna….the princess of night and moon that calms my beautiful subject….the colt I love very dearly has called to me to save him from this nightmare he find himself in….I beg you to step aside and allow me to save my dear little Somnus before it’s too late.” Luna says calm and humble, Guardian Luna is unmoved with calmness and humbleness of the real Luna as the Guardian’s eyes narrow with contempt, “How do I know you are who you say?! Where is your proof?” Guardian Luna said irately as she snort. Slowly the real Luna’s anger begins to build inside her knowing that the longer she delays with this Guardian the farther Somnus would fall into the darkness, “Last time I took some pony’s word!…..I lost my previous master!…..I will not make that same mistake that cost me my master!......I will not fail to protect my master’s son!......My master gave me another chance to make-up for failing him!” Guardian Luna said fiercely refusing to move from her place. Upon hearing, that Luna realizes that this Guardian’s previous master was Prince Justice Silverlight, Somnus father. Soon it came to her the proof the guardian wanted was heart shaped locket that Justice gave to her and the rest of his family and his chosen friends when he was getting sicker and sicker to remember him how he was. Then she remembered nothing from the real world can be brought into the dream world. Her heart dropped until something strange happened. A gold chain began to form around her neck followed by the heart shaped locket. A tear ran down her cheek as she looks down at the new necklace that now hangs from her neck. She closes her eyes and silently thanks Justice for coming to her aid even in death. This noble unicorn knight comes to his princess’s aid. She opens her eyes and looks up at the guardian. “Guardian! Is this the proof you want….the necklace Justice gave me?” Luna calls as the guardian looks at the heart shaped locket around Luna neck. “Yes…that’s master’s heart…has he died?” Guardian Luna’s voice quivering as a single tear forms in her eye. “Yes, now his shadow is trying to kill his son, I need to get past her before it’s too late.” Luna is very serious as the guardian drops her head, “If you want my help…..please tell me how did master die?” Guardian Luna is heartbroken, “The shadow that’s trying to kill his son…killed him…..If you want revenge….then help me” Luna comments as the guardian starts to glow brighter and brighter. Guardian Luna slowly starts to transform back into its original form, the form it was when it was Justice’s guardian. To Luna’s surprise, the form the guardian takes is that of her other niece Princess of Love Princess Cadance. Celestia told Luna how close Justice was with Cadance and through the several wars in Equestria after the death of the Tree of Harmony. Those two ponies were the closest they could be. “My uncle Justice never once seek revenge for anything……not even after your shadow guard hurt me when I was looking into the day of terror that you and Celestia covered up to protect your rule. I don’t seek revenge.” Guardian Cadance said in Cadance’s own voice as she shrinks to the size of the real Cadance. “I failed Master Justice….I will not fail his son Master Somnus….If you are here to save master Somnus follow me through the forest….before it’s too late.” Guardian Cadance firm as she runs off ahead of Luna following closely behind by Luna. What Luna thought would take several hours to get though only took a few minutes following Guardian Cadance, during the travel though the forest Luna starts to notice familiar gestures that Guardian Cadance was using that were not used by the real Princess Cadance. As Luna continues watching she finely recognizes the gestures belonging to her nephew Somnus. Her heart drops when she realized if she didn’t keep her anger in check when she first met Guardian Luna she would have killed the pony that she was trying to save. Because Guardian Luna is dream spirit of her nephew Somnus trying to keep the real Somnus from falling into loneness of the darkness she once fell into long ago. “Guardian Cadance drop the show!....I know who you are.” Luna says knowing as Guardian Cadance stops and turns around, “Why the games, my little Somnus?” Luna inquires as Guardian Cadance slowly starts to change forms again. This time, Luna’s face brightens when the form it takes was that of her nephew Somnus, his coloring seems to be subdued. But his eyes still sparkled with the love he has always shown her. Somnus runs up to Luna and hugs her tightly; his body was cold to the touch. After hugging her, he steps back and his spirit begins to fade in front of her. “I wanted to spend as much time as I had left with you my dear Auntie.” Somnus said gloomy as tears start to form in his eyes, “What do you mean had left?” Luna voice trembling, “I came this far to save you, my little Somnus……” Luna voice cracking, “I am sorry my dear Auntie but you are to late. This Guardian spirit was last of my own life force..…Please auntie, don’t blame yourself the moment the dark magic was being drained from my body. My life force was forfeited…..There was nothing a goddess like you could have done to change what happened….I will love you always my dear auntie….For my last wish Auntie please don’t seek revenge for me…..I don’t want that dark mare back….please Auntie don’t let that dark mare out….It will hurt mother more than me dying.” Somnus speaks slowly and sadly “No!” Luna shouts as her body slumped as she watches the pony she wants to save begin to fade away; she grasp hopelessly at the fading bits of her nephew Somnus’s life force. Till he toss her from his dream world back to the awaking world. ~back in Somnus’s bed chamber~ Slowly Luna gets to her hooves. A bleak, wintry feeling washed over her. As she looks around Somnus’s bed chamber the number of ponies had increased from when she first arrives to find only his younger sister Blueberry using her healing skills to help her brother. Now in the room, Luna finds his older sister, Aurora, her beautiful features fallen, sitting next to her as sad as her was their cousin Princess Cadance. She had her husband’s Shining Armor with her trying his best to comfort his grief-stricken wife. Also sitting with Cadance and Aurora was Princess Twilight Sparkle and Miss Rarity, both ponies were close friends with the Silverlight unicorn family and Justice. Gathered around the very grief-stricken Celestia was Somnus’s grandmother Shimmering Diamond, his great grandmother Ophelia and his two aunts Serena and Seer. Like shining armor, they were trying their best to comfort Somnus’s mother Celestia. Beyond Celestia and Justice’s family standing on the balcony outside the room looking at the royal garden were two Pegasus mares Anita Stormchaser one of Justice’s oldest friend and her daughter Carina Stormchaser. “….sleep well….My little Somnus…” Luna sadden as she let tears roll down her cheek, kissing him on his fore head, “I…I need a moment alone…dear Blueberry.” Luna tells Blueberry who is heartbroken on the inside, “Don’t blame yourself Auntie….Somnus would not like you to do that….He loved you and he knew that you would try your best to help .” Blueberry is very calm and collective as Luna nuzzles her. Listening to what her niece Blueberry said didn’t help to ease Luna’s broken heart from the lost of her nephew Somnus. Outside Somnus’s bedchamber, a trail of tears leads from his door through the palace hallway to the royal cemetery. Sitting in front of Justice’s grave her eyes bloodshot from crying was Luna. The royal cemetery was unusually quiet no birds sung those songs and no breezes blew. “….I am sorry…I…failed to…..protect him…..” Luna snivels as her tears continue to keep rolling down her cheeks splashing on Justice’s grave marker. chapter 3As the tears continue to run down Luna’s cheeks, a small amount of her magic becomes trapped in her tears. Each teardrop that splashes on the grave releases her magic until the carved name on the stone marker Prince Justice Silverlight starts to glow. It splash on the embedded Crystal heart medal that was given to Justice by his niece, Princess Cadance. This was a way to remember the sacrifice he and his Solar Guard Squad One performed to save Her, Prince Shining Armor and Crystal Heart when the Crystal city fell back into rebellion under the influence of the king Sombra Shadow after the death of the Tree of Harmony. As the last teardrop splashes on the Crystal Heart medal, it flashes once, opening a spirit gate to the spirit realm. A grief-stricken Princess Luna notices a figure stepping out of the gate she sees the spirit of a handsome dark blue unicorn stallion with crimson red mane, tail and a pink band. Set of transparent silver bird-like wings folded on his side. As a reward for all the good he did in his life, Prince Justice Silverlight was granted, by the ruler of Spirit realm, the power of the Guardian Pony Spirit. For his first assignment as guardian spirit Justice is sent back to Equestria not knowing that the grief was coming from his sister-in-law Princess Luna. I am home?….back in Equestria? Guardian Justice thought when he recognized the Canterlot Royal Palace in the distance where he lived with his beloved wife Princess Celestia and their three children. Guardian Justice trotted around the area trying to figure out where in Equestria the spirit gate put him. Before he could figure it out, the sound of crying attracted his attention. He followed the sound to a very familiar looking dark blue alicorn. She sat in front of a grave site, her face pale as tears continued to fall onto the grave. “Why do you cry my Princess?” Guardian Spirit Justice inquired. Since his death, he has missed talking to his sister-in-law Princess Luna, “….I failed….I failed Celestia….I failed Somnus…I failed Justice…. he entrusted me with the safety of his only son Somnus….and I couldn’t even protect him from the darkness that I know so well.” Luna feeling guilty slam hoofs hard on the ground in front of her, “My poor princess…you have not failed, you just hit the end of trying to help my son on your own….Even a goddess like you needs the help of another goddess, the goddess that gave birth my son….to succeeded….the goddess I speak of is Celestia….I know how you can save my son,….but before I tell you….you must hear my story….a story that even my wife doesn’t know….Will you listen to my story, dear Luna?” Guardian Spirit Justice speaks with encouraging a grin, “I’ll listen…” Luna responds nodding her head as she dried her tears with her hoof, “When I was Somnus’s age, I didn’t have anyone to turn to that understood the dark magic power inside of me, the power that wanted to twist my dreams into nightmares…the power that wanted me to do things that no colt should do. I was alone to fight this dark magic that wanted to take over my very soul…Day in and day out I fought this dark magic till I was finely able to take control of it….But now, my son must fight this dark magic, but he not alone he has Princess Luna (point his hoof at Luna) the Princess of Night….his Angel of Darkness…the princess who has faced the darkness and beat it….In order to save Somnus and bring him back you must have no doubt in your heart Princess.” Guardian spirit Justice said with an encouraging look at Luna with hope in his eyes, “My dear princess Luna…Can you be that guide for my son and your nephew….that guide that will keep him on the right path?…if you say “yes” you will be forever bonded to Somnus in both heart and soul…..the only pony that can keep his dark magic under control….If not, then there is nothing I can do for my son, he is lost….it must be your heart’s choice to do this, Dear Princess.” Guardian Spirit Justice said hopefully. Slowly a memory begins to form in Luna’s mind. This time it was of Somnus as colt of 5 seasons, at the old canterlot kindergarten not too far from Canterlot Royal palace. During the long days of summer, the school would host a weekly family picnic in the Canterlot city park. Other families could meet and talk to each other. Normally either Somnus’s mother Celestia or his father Justice would attend the family picnic which drove the royal guard’s nuts. But during this particular family picnic, both his father and his mother were away on royal business. So his aunt Luna attended the family picnic in the place of his parents. After bathing, Luna went to the Palace kitchen and picked up the picnic basket that the chef made for her. At the park, it was not too hard for Princess Luna to find the blanket that Somnus was occupying because it was the only blanket that had a royal guard nearby. Luna trotted over holding the handles of the basket in her mouth and joining Somnus. For the rest of afternoon, Luna enjoyed spending time with Somnus. As the picnic was coming to an end, the Parents and child kick ball game was going to start, So Somnus brought Luna to the field. One of the parents made up a stupid excuse not to allow Luna to play, but Luna knew the real reason behind it. At the time Somnus didn’t understand why they wouldn’t let his Aunt Luna play when they would always let his mother Celestia play. Not wanting to spoil the wonderful day she had at the picnic with Somnus, Luna left the field and sat in the bleachers to watch the game and cheer him on. During the game, Somnus got hurt and the teacher brought him over to Luna and gave her the first aid box, so she could treat him. She discovered the injury was not that bad. Even as colt Somnus always saw me as his aunt Princess Luna….why every pony else saw me as Nightmare Moon….the alicorn of nightmares…the bringer of never ending night…the mare on the moon Luna thought as she could hear her heart beat getting stronger and stronger, “I want to…I want to save him….I want to save the pony I loved like a silent son…he never saw me as nightmare moon….I will always be his angel of darkness and his Auntie Luna…So yes, I can be that guide to him….if it means being forever bonded to him, heart and soul, so be it.” Luna said with a determined look at the Guardian spirit Justice and swallowing down the rest of her tears, “What must this princess do, my faithful knight Justice? To save my little Somnus and your son?” Luna inquires ready to do whatever Justice tells her to do to save him. “Thank you my Princess….you truly do love my son….just as much as his own mother does.” Guardian spirit Justice said, his face brightening. “In order to save Somnus you must rebalance his dark and light magic….but you can’t do it in his dream world, that world doesn’t exist anymore….You must do it, in the awaking world…but that’s just one thing you must do, you can’t do it alone Luna.” Guardian spirit Justice says seriously, “You are just one part of the balance, the dark magic or night magic part….the other part the light magic or day magic part must be done by his mother…..the hardest part of this is going to be trying to convince Celestia to help you…..In my wife’s current state of mind she has lost all hope that Somnus is alive,…..She’s lost everything that means something to her….Her spirit is shattered and her heart is broken, because for the third time she failed to save someone she loves so much….But you must convince her to help you Luna,…It’s the only way.” Guardian spirit Justice said very seriously, With that in mind, Luna runs at full speed back to the Canterlot royal palace. The sound of a ticking clock echoes loudly in her mind, knowing the longer it takes to convince his mother, Celestia, to help, the deeper Somnus will fall into the darkness. Once back in Somnus’s bed chamber all the family and friends are now gathered around his bed their faces etched with sorrow. Luna quickly asks her oldest niece Aurora where her mother was, even saddened, her soft and gentle voice was beautiful to hear. She tells Luna that her mother went out onto the balcony with Somnus’s family photo that he kept on his nightstand. Luna quickly runs out onto balcony and finds Celestia, her face streaked with tears, but lying on the ground at her hooves was the broken family photo. The glass on the photo was shattered from being slammed on the ground by Celestia magic. “…Tia?...I…I might know a way to save Somnus…but I need your help for this one….His magic is unbalanced…If we work together, we can rebalance it and bring him back and he will not face the same fate as your husband Justice did…Please Tia,….I don’t want to lose him too.” Luna said gently as a single tear runs down her cheek, “It’s over sister, my only son is gone. With all the power I was giving, why could I not save those ponies that I loved so much (tears begin run down her cheeks a again)….What’s the use of having all this power if I couldn’t save those ponies that need me the most (forming a yellow ball of magic in her hoof and making it disappear soon after)….First you, missing the signs of you changing….second my husband….trying his best to be me, not knowing a pony of flesh could never be me…now my only son Somnus….a pony born from me, giving life by me, loved by me…is gone….I will never again hear him calling me “mother” or saying I love you, mother. (stomping on the broken glass in front of her, cutting the underside of her hoofs, that quickly heal in a matter of moments)” Princess Celestia said dispirited and heartbroken as Luna glares at Celestia with keep-your-mouth-shut look lifting her hoof up, (Smack!) “EVERTHING YOU HAVE SAID HAS NEVER BEEN YOUR FAILT, YOU HAD NO CONTROL OVER IT….ME CHANGING,WAS MY OWN FAULT, MY BITTERNESS TOOK CONTROL OF ME…..JUSTICE TAKING OVER RULE FOR YOU WAS BECASE HE DIDN’T WANT YOUR STRESS TO HURT AURORA BEFORE SHE WAS BORN….HE NEVER TRIED TO BE YOU…..HE TOLD ME HE COULD NEVER BE YOU BECAUSE HE WAS A UNICORN AND NOT AN ALL POWERFUL ALICORN…..STOP BEING A CRY FILLY AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT FOR BUCKING SAKE!! JUSTICE SPOKE TO ME THROUGH HIS SPIRIT!! YOUR ONLY SON NEEDS HIS MOTHER TO HELP SAVE HIM!! NOW WAKE UP AND STOP FELLING SORRY ABOUT EVERYTHING!” Luna frustrated yelling at Celestia, “HOW DARE YOU, LUNA!....STRIKE ME!.....I am your oldest sister or did you FORGET THAT!.....Little sister!” Princess Celestia said bitterly as her eyes sharpening, (Rubbing the side of her cheek with her hoof) “DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND LITTLE SISTER!.....IT’S OVER!.....MY SON IS GONE!...MY FUTURE IS GONE FOREVER!.....I CAN’T HAVE ANYMORE FOALS!.....SOMNUS WAS MY LAST CHANCE TO HAVE A FUTURE!” Princess Celestia irately still rubbing the side of her cheek, “Even if Justice did speak to you in spirit!.....why did he not speak to me?!......his beloved wife Celestia!......Why did he only speak to you little sister?!” Princess Celestia said hurt as she begins to sob thinking her husband Justice didn’t speak to her because he was disappointed in her for not saving their son, The sound of metallic horseshoes echoed onto the balcony from inside of Somnus bed chamber. Walking out onto the balcony, was a pale light grayish cerise Alicorn mare with lavender colored wing tips. Her purple eyes had a mysterious ethereal glow to them. “Cadence dear?….please go back inside….this is between me and Luna….this has nothing to do with you….please return to the family.” Princess Celestia friendly trying to usher Princess Cadence back into the bed chamber, “Yes, Cadence dear…do as Celestia asks…please return to the family….we will be finished soon…..this has nothing to do with you.” Princess Luna friendly watching Celestia lead Cadence back inside the opening, till suddenly Celestia is pushed gently back onto the balcony by a wave of magic energy from Cadence, “What?” Celestia puzzled as she has never felt that kind of power coming off Cadence’s before, “How can you say it has nothing to do with me…It has everything to do with me.” Cadence said a bit annoyed as Luna moves closer to her and takes a closer look. She gasps when she realizes that some pony else is in control of Cadence’s body, “Justice! Are you the one in control of poor Cadence’s body? I hope you didn’t force her to allow you to possess her.” Princess Luna a bit annoyed as Celestia’s breathe catches in her throat upon hearing Luna say Justice’s name, “He didn’t force me, I allowed him to possess me….I felt so helpless, unable to help cousin Somnus…..No matter why cousin Somnus came to my aid when I needed it….so when uncle told me they had a way to bring Somnus back….all he needs was the use of my body and voice….I gave my body and voice over to him….yawn.” Princess Cadence said through her yawns as her eyes begin to close, Soon her eyes reopened with the same strange glow that Luna noticed before, “Sleep well my dear niece Cadence…once I finish, you may have your body and voice back….” Princess Cadence said in Justice’s deep voice temper with her female voice, “As for you, Celestia….what kind of mother gives up on her only son that way?…well, not the pony I married…..Luna say she might have a way to bring him back….but you didn’t even listen to her.” Princess Cadence said gruffly as Celestia looked like the proverbial cat that ate the canary lying on the floor of the balcony. Cadence catches Luna shaking her head with a smirk on her snout, she whirls around quickly and points her hoof at Luna, “Do not think Luna that you are getting off the hook that easily……I told you that Celestia lost all hope that she could save Somnus and to convince her….but no you slapped her!….If it was no other pony than even tempered Celestia….you would’ve doomed Somnus to the darkness because of your frustration!” Princess Cadence said testily as Luna a had pitiful look of appeal on her face. Both sisters felt bad about how they were acting, because when Justice was alive he never once raised his voice at his wife or his sister-in-law even though a few times they deserved to be yelled at when they put Justice between them. “Justice?” Celestia exclaimed, “What!” Cadence snaps as Celestia lifts her wing up to protect herself with it, “I am sorry….you are right, a mother should never give up on her son…even though it seem that the whole world is against her…..I didn’t become a mother because it was easy…I became a mother because I believed I could make a difference in my own foals life….and right now, Somnus needs his mother to save him and not this mare that everything has collapsed around her.” Princess Celestia said with a renewed sense of why she became a mother in the first place, “Now that the mare I marred…..the mare that will do what it takes to save the one she loves…No matter how hard it is.” Cadence said proudly as both Luna and Celestia run back into Somnus’s bed chamber leaving Cadence on the balcony. A moment later a white cloud is expelled from Cadence’s mouth forming back into Guardian Justice Spirit. After shaking her head a few times and testing if she is in total control of her body, Cadence feels a cold fist close over her heart and become downcast. “Will they punish you uncle? For interfering with the living? Like you told me?” Cadence inquiry, her chest heavy, “Yes, dear Cadence they will” Guardian Justice answer, “That’s not fair to you or any pony…..what purpose does it server to let someone so young like Somnus die? He has his whole life ahead of him to become the great unicorn knight like his father and bring the blessing of both the sun and the moon to every pony…..I would think is that what the spirit realm would want for living realm.” Cadence annoyed a bit, “I am not going to debate with you, dear Cadence….You of all ponies should know what I am thinking…..,and after all, the time we spend together during the wars in Equestria.” Guardian Justice comments looking into the sky waiting for the spirit gate to open and to be taken away, “Unfortunately, I do, uncle….but I don’t like it…..You were thinking it was a means to an end…but you still broke the rules and must be punish for it….Your loyalty and honor were set aside to give Luna some pony to care about and, in turn, care about her….That burns me up!… what you did was a selfless act and you are going to be punished for it.” Cadence said bitterly as two dark shadows came through the spirit gate, seizing the spirit of her uncle and taking him back through the gate for punishment. Later that same day, sitting by Somnus’s bedside, doing her work for Equestria on a small traveling desk was Princess Luna. She took over the care for the still weakened Somnus from her niece Blueberry who was needed in the palace hospital. As Princess Luna continued to read and sign her name to all the royal documents that she had on the desk, she got a sudden urge to break into laugher. She looks over her shoulder, down towards her side. Moving up and down was a feather being held in a dark blue magic aura. She used her own magic to break the aura around the feather and it gently fell to the ground. She turned her whole body towards Somnus’s bed and saw him looking straight at her. “Is there something you want me to get for you, Somnus?” Luna inquired placing one of her hoofs on the bed, “No Auntie….I just wanted you to smile for me.” Somnus said in a weak voice as Luna gave a look of surprise, “All right Somnus, I’ll smile for you….here we go.” Luna said caring as a smile slowly formed on her snout. Seeing his aunt smile for him, gave him a bit more strength, till he rolled over, “I am sorry Auntie….I am one of your worst students…I will completely understand if you don’t want to teach me anymore.” Somnus said depressed with tears in his eyes as he curled up into a ball with blankets, “What?” Luna exclaimed recoiled in shock as she ran around to the other side of Somnus bed, where she found a tear soaked blanket, clutch in his front hooves “Somnus? why would you say you are my worst student?…..I am very proud of my little Somnus….you showed this Alicorn that you can stand with me against the darkness and not flinch.” Luna said encouragingly but didn’t help Somnus overcome his doubts, “Stop it auntie, how can you say you are proud of me…..If I was a better student Dream Eater would have never been able to steal my dark magic and force you and mother to save me…I failed.” Somnus said dishearten clutching his blanket tighter in his front hoof as tears continued to soak his bed. “Now you stop that nephew! (point her hoof at Somnus) It doesn’t matter if you were a good, magnificent or great student of mine….Dream Eater picked the perfect time to steal your magic from you….Because you are so young you don’t have the knowledge like I do to protect it from being taken by any power hunger pony…..but if you continue your studies with me….I promise I will never abandon you, my little Somnus….I will protect you like your mother does and guide you like your father would……all I ask, in return, is that you help me protect the Dream World from the monsters like Dream Eater and the rest.” Luna said caring as she embraced Somnus very loving. Watching through a crack in Somnus’ bed chamber door was his mother Celestia. A grin spread across her snout because, for the first time, her sister Luna has a very valuable ally in her only son Prince Somnus Silverlight. As quietly as she could wear golden horseshoes on her hooves, Celestia sneaked away from the bed chamber door and headed down the hallway to a small study in the Royal Palace. Glistening on top of the windowsill in the study with spirit energy was Celestia’s gold heart shaped locket, it was open. Looking out the window in the study was a dark blue unicorn stallion spirit with a crimson red mane and tail; a pink streak ran through his mane to the end of his tail. He was wearing the white dress uniform jacket of the commander of the Solar Guard, the princess’s elite guard unit. A moment later, the door to the study was opened by Celestia’s magic and closed by her after entering the study. Before addressing the unicorn spirit that she could see in the study, Celestia’s horn starts to glow with a yellow magic aura that formed around the locket sitting on the windowsill. She floated the locket back around her neck. “Are you still thinking about what you did for Luna, My beloved?” Princess Celestia asks standing next to the unicorn spirit, “(sigh) I could have helped so many ponies being a guardian spirit pony, Tia….But I was stripped of my wings as punishment for interfering with the living.” The unicorn spirit voice was a lifeless monotone looking longing at his wife’s wings folded on her side, “A pair of wings doesn’t make the pony (unfolding her wings from her side) it’s what’s inside that makes the pony and what you have inside is what I fell in love with my beloved (refolding her wings back onto her side) What you did for Luna and Somnus was a selfless act…An act I know Prince Justice Silverlight would do again…because he is a selfless unicorn knight and the best husband that this mare every had.” Princess Celestia said loving blowing a kiss to her husband, “Thank you Princess Celestia Silverlight….My beloved wife and mother to our children” Prince Justice said loving.
ProloguePrologue It’s a clear and beautiful night in the land of Equestria. Gliding through a star-filled night sky was dark blue Alicorn mare with a crescent moon on her flank. Her destination, the palace on the mountain, the Canterlot Royal Palace. As she nears the palace she adjusts her wings a bit and comes in for a landing on her high balcony. Once her hooves touch solid ground, she grimaces, forgetting that she turned her right front ankle pretty badly. She stepped in a hole on her last nightly stroll in Ponyville. “Thy rotten luck...I should have listened to thy niece when she told me to stay off thy hoofs...till my ankle healed.” The dark blue Alicorn mare groans as she hobbles her way down the staircase back into the Canterlot Royal Palace. In the moon lit hallways of the Canterlot Royal Palace, a young light blue unicorn stallion with a crimson red mane and tail walks though the hallway from the opposite direction of the Alicorn’s staircase. (A band of pink hair ran though his mane to his tail). He was attired in the purple armor of Princess Luna’s night guards with a fin shaped helmet on his head. As he finishes checking a very dark corner of the palace with his unicorn light spell, he spots the tired alicorn limping ahead of him and quickens his pace to catch up to her. The moment the unicorn stallion comes into view of the tired Alicorn her tiredness lessens and a smile forms on her snout. This alicorn knows who this unicorn stallion is because he is part of her growing royal family. His name is Prince Somnus Silverlight, her sister Celestia’s only son and her pupil. “Good evening my little Somnus...how is thy night?” The friendly alicorn inquiries nuzzling the unicorn stallion lovingly, “Going well Auntie Luna...you look tired Auntie...I am worried you are over doing it a bit...I know the alicorn has a lot of spare energy...but you are still a living pony like me...It would break my heart if anything happens to you (face pale) because you are the only pony that knows what it feel like to stay in control of this darkness inside me.” Somnus comments as memories form in Luna’s mind of Somnus as colt barely able to control his fierce temper and his dark magic power. After Somnus’s last episode of losing his temper after another colt called him a monster, certain ponies within Celestia’s own court, demanded that his mother Celestia, either lock her son away here in the palace or get rid of him for the good of equestria and the ponies she rules over. Both options torn at Celestia’s own heart and hurt her greatly. If Prince Justice Silverlight, Celestia’s husband, didn’t arrive right then, and there would have forced his wife Celestia to choose and carry it out. Justice stood up to the ponies telling them they didn’t have the authority or position to demand anything from the royal family or Somnus’s own mother. If they valued their position in court they would leave matters alone and let his parents figure out what to do about it. With that, the pony families that backed the options, bowed to Prince Silverlight and left the throne room. Watching from the shadows of the throne room was Princess Luna (Somnus’s aunt and his magic teacher). After the ponies left, Princess Luna set off to find her nephew and talk to him as his aunt. She found a glum Somnus lying in the grass next to a small pool tossing small rocks into the pool with his unicorn’s magic. After removing her front horseshoes, she lied down next to Somnus and started to splash her front hoofs in the water and spoke to him asking him what happened to make him lose his temper. So he told her. With that, Luna reached around him and pulled him under her chin and she tell him no matter what happens she will remain by his side and teach him everything she know about using dark magic and keep him safe from being corrupted. ~returning to the present~ “So auntie please rest for a little while.” Somnus asked as he kisses Luna on her cheek with tears in his eyes, “Aww...thank you Somnus for being concerned about this Alicorn...I’m on my way to my room to get a little sleep...Would you like to rest with me? I’ll make breakfast in the morning for all of us.” Luna says tired and softly with a smile on her snout as she nuzzles him again, “I wish, I could rest Auntie..,but you did order me to do a night patrol today...you are my dear auntie...but you are also my princess and a knight can’t disobey an order from his princess.” Somnus honorably explains as he returns the nuzzles with a smile on his snout, “But if I finish my full patrol by morning, Auntie...I promise, I will meet you and the rest of the family for breakfast...but until then, good night Auntie and sleep well.” Somnus says softly kissing her on her cheek in front of the door leading into her bed chamber. He hugs her good night and continues on his night patrol of the Canterlot royal palace. “Such a sweet pony...my dear little Somnus.” Luna yawns as she cuddles up into her bed and falls fast asleep. The next morning Luna was up bright and early after chasing the royal chefs out of the palace kitchen. She set to work to make breakfast for herself, Celestia and her nieces and nephew. The aroma of breakfast being cooked wafts from the palace kitchen attracting the nose of a beautiful young unicorn mare with the same mane, tail and body color of Somnus. She has a pink band in her hair wearing a nurse’s cap in her mane behind her horn. She was on her way to the royal dining room after washing up. The mare sticks her head into the kitchen only to notice her Aunt Luna cooking breakfast for everyone. She walks up to her Aunt Luna flipping pancakes with her Alicorn magic and kisses her on her cheek. Luna’s eyes sparkle upon see the mare coming into view. This young unicorn mare was also part of the royal family. Her name was Princess Blueberry Swirl Silverlight, Celestia’s younger daughter and one of Luna’s nieces. “Good morning Auntie Luna...It smells good.” Blueberry said heartily with her mouth watering, “I hope so Blueberry,” Luna said hopefully gesturing towards the trash can in one corner of the kitchen full of burned blueberry pancakes. With that, Blueberry helps her Aunt Luna prepare breakfast for everyone. After she finished ,Blueberry turn toward her Aunt Luna, “How is your right front ankle Auntie? Did the swelling go down?” Blueberry inquiries looking at Luna’s right front ankle without touching it, “It’s still bothering me Blueberry...I can’t put any weight on it for too long.” Luna explains as she begins to plate the freshly cooked blueberry pancakes for her family. “After breakfast I want you to report to the palace hospital, so I may check your ankle again, Auntie, and I will not take no for answer,” Blueberry orders pointing her hoof at Luna, “I will Blueberry...I promise...” Luna said with a wooden smile, “Is there more you want to tell me Auntie?” Blueberry inquiries as Luna sighs floating the pan and all the things she used into the sink to be washed later. “I wish, I had a son and a daughter like Celestia does or even a mate...don’t get me wrong, Blueberry, I’m very happy I have you three in my life...it eases some of the loneliness I once had being one of the last two pure Alicorn left in Equestria...but still I would like to have my own someday.” Luna explains nuzzling Blueberry and kisses her on her forehead. “Don’t worry auntie, you will find your special stallion someday I know it. You are a very special mare like mother is...Look at mother, it took her a long time to find her special stallion...but after she found him she was the happiest alicorn mare she could be she gave birth to us...three ponies that will love you to no end...our dear Aunt Luna.” Blueberry speaks with an unsinkable spirit that infects those around her. “The thing is...I...um...kind of want an alicorn child, someone I can fly with and teach magic to.” Luna comments to herself licking Blueberry on her cheek. “Auntie, remember after breakfast, I want you and your ankle in the palace hospital...to let me exam that ankle of yours better.” Blueberry reminding her aunt Luna. “I will go to the palace hospital Blueberry, I promise.” Luna says crossing her heart with her hoof as she floats a plate of pancakes to Blueberry. She takes hold of the plate with her own magic. “Sometimes giving birth to a plain unicorn is the best gift given to a pure Alicorn mother. For a unicorn can become what you want them to be.” Blueberry says mysteriously walking out of the kitchen, floating the plate of pancakes with her. This leaves her aunt Luna a bit baffled with the comment from her niece. Later that same morning, a pale faced Princess Luna finds herself laying, belly down, on top of a pony sized soft raise platform in a medium sized exam room in the palace hospital. Her stomach is in knots as the room is decorate with the typical pictures you would find in any doctor’s office. After the nurse did the basic examination of Luna, she told her that Blueberry would be with her in a moment as she gulps once. Soon the door to the exam room opens and in walks Blueberry floating a clipboard in a dark blue bubble with the typical medical papers. “Greetings your highness...Let’s see about your ankle...Have you had any trouble walking on it, your highness?” Blueberry inquires reading the papers on the clipboard floating in front of her. “Yes.” Luna says in a tiny voice as Blueberry smiles at her aunt, knowing she’s a bit nervous about going to the doctor, “It’s ok Auntie, I will not hurt you...just between you and me...mother is even worse than you...To get her to come for her routine check-up I have to get the guards to drag mother into the room...She really doesn’t like the check-up, but it has to be done...You pure Alicorns might live forever...but you still can hurt yourself and get sick like a normal pony does...It’s my job to make sure you Alicorns are health and happy.” Blueberry speaks with a soothing voice that relaxes her aunt Luna and her nervousness melts away, “Thank you Blueberry...I am, not nervous anymore.” Luna relaxed as Blueberry smiles and plops down in front of her Aunt Luna as a dark blue magic aura forms around the front right horseshoe of Luna’s hoof. Ever so carefully, Blueberry pops the horseshoe off her Aunt Luna’s hoof leaving it bare. With the shoe removed Blueberry reaches up with her front hoof and begins to exam Luna’s bad ankle. Everytime Blueberry touches the tender part of Luna ankle she winces. “It looks like your ankle is still a bit tender to the touch Auntie..,but if you keep removing your horseshoe like I told you and put ice on it when you are working in your office...you should be fine,” Blueberry explains hugging her aunt as she walks her to the front desk, before she is giving another file that say ‘Twilight sparkle’ on the front of it. “Will do Blueberry, good bye dear...see you at dinner.” Luna said with a smile as she waves good bye to her niece who disappears into exam room two with her next patient. After Luna had dinner with her family in the royal dining room with the exception of her niece Blueberry (who was called away to the Crystal Empire to check on her cousin Princess Cadance because she has been sick for a while) Luna headed to her office to get some royal work done. Instead of working on her paperwork, Luna sits in front of her desk with an ice bag on her ankle sketching many small pictures of baby Alicorns in a small book filled with blank paper. “Such a big wish...but it’s not achievable...” Luna sighed remembering that she and Celestia are the only two pure Alicorns left in Equestria. At that same time, walking by the office, on her way to the royal library to do a little bit of research for a meeting her mother sent her to attend in few days, was a young alicorn mare with the same mane, tail and body color of both Somnus and Blueberry. She even has the same pink band in her hair as the other two. A finely made gold circlet sat on top her head behind her horn. This alicorn mare was the final member of Luna’s royal family. Her name was Princess Aurora Silverlight, the eldest daughter of Luna’s sister Celestia and Luna’s last niece. “Huh?” Aurora exclaimed sensing something was wrong. Behind the office door next to her, she turns and knock a few times. “Come in!” Luna called as Aurora opens the door with her magic and enters the office. “On my way to the royal library Auntie..,I sense that something was troubling you...may I ask you what’s is wrong auntie?” Aurora inquires with a patient voice as a smile forms on her snout and she’s sitting down next to her Aunt Luna, “I wish to have a baby...but not just any baby...a beautiful alicorn baby...I want to teach it to fly and enjoy the sky...I want to teach it to do magic as well.” Luna explains as Aurora gasps followed by her ears dropping as she has no way to help her beloved aunt Luna, “I am sorry auntie you are always there to help one of us...but when you need help I can’t help you...I don’t know how to help you...Please forgive me auntie-I-I have to go.” Aurora upset as she dashes out of the office, losing her gold circlet on her head. “I’m so sorry my dear Aurora...I didn’t mean to make you that upset.” Luna is sadden as she floats her niece’s gold circlet into her front hoofs hugging it tightly to her chest as small tear roll down her cheeks splashing on an artifact in her hoofs. Slowly her moderate cyan colored eyes close as she lays her head down to sleep.
Chapter 1"Hello! Can any pony hear me?” Luna calls When no pony answered, Luna proceeds ahead and found herself back in the Canterlot Royal Palace. Her hooves clicked on the tiled floor of the hallway leading to the royal family’s private living area. As she looked around, the hallway was empty. There were royal maids walking about their hallway doing they set responsibly to keep the royal palace going. But the most disturbing to her was the elite princess’s guard unit known as the Solar Guard who were not at their posts…If there was an emergency of course, the Solar Guard unit….wouldn’t being at their posts. Their posts would be filled with the royal guard unit members, but even they are not at their posts. With that in mind, Luna runs down the hallway at full speed to get to her sisters Celestia’s bed chamber and asked her what happened in the palace. Without stopping, Luna busted through her sister’s door and gasped. Lying on top of a blood stained rug was the body of her sister Celestia. She looked like she got into a battle with some pony using dark magic and was beating badly. Her body was covered from head to hoofs with scorch marks from a primary attack of the dark magic the black flame. The scene became even more heartbreaking to Luna when she saw a second pony with her front hoofs lying cross Celestia’s back trying to protect her. The body belonged to her niece Aurora; whose cutie mark was visible on her flank. “No no no no” Luna repeated over and over walking backwards out of her sister’s bed chambers back into the hallway, “Huh?” Luna exclaimed tripping over something behind her. Lying in front of her was a singed figures of her another niece Blueberry. Gathered round her were bodies of other ponies ranging from soldiers to servitors. She was using her healing skills to help those that need her. Before she was attacked herself to protect those patients under her care. Luna quickly got to her hoofs, her nostrils flaring as she stormed down the hallway knowing the only place left to go to escape from the palace would be the royal garden. The farther down the hallway she went, the more bodies of soldiers littered her path forcing her to leap or glide over the build-up of bodies of her and Celestia’s loyal troops. At the far end of the hallway, casually walking toward the royal garden exit, being guarded by the injured Princess Cadance and Princess Twilight, was a unicorn wearing the purple armor of Luna’s night guard. Tears streaked the cheeks of two princesses as they charged the magic in their horns in the hope to stop this unicorn before it gets away. Before Luna could warn Cadance and Twilight, the unicorn charged his horn, firing two jets of black flame at the same time towards the two princesses. They are quickly engulfed by the black flame. When the flame dies down, the princesses’ just drop, losing the crowns on their heads. The unicorn continues out the door passing the two princesses kicking the two crowns down the staircase into the royal garden. With a stony expression, Luna leaps high into the sky and glides over the head of the unicorn. She lands, whipping her body around her horn charge with her magic ready to put an end to this stranger that dares to hurt her family and friends. Luna’s breath catches in her throat, looking back at her was not a stranger, but her own blood Prince Somnus Silverlight, her nephew. Living purple flames flick from the corners of his light blue eyes. The power that she’s been helping to keep under control has finally taken over his body. It has changed this son of a once noble unicorn knight that she called friend…..into a creature of darkness and hate. Unable to bring herself to destroy her beloved nephew Luna, she fires her beam towards the staircase. It takes a huge chunk out of it she begins to weep. As dark Somnus walks past his weeping Aunt, he looks over his shoulder at Luna. “You have failed Princess you promised Somnus’s father that you would protect him from me but you can’t bring yourself to destroy your dear little Somnus. A pony like you that must live in shadows and never feel the warmth of his mother sun Very soon I’ll have full control of this pony and his power. This world will be mine and you can’t do a thing about it, dear Princess” Dark Somnus speaks in an evil voice as a menacing laugher echoes in Luna’s mind, “Auntie please…where are you? I can’t find you? I need you, it hurts” Somnus voice begging her to save him from his darkness. Unable to listen any more to the cries of her beloved nephew, Luna rolls up into a ball. Back in her office at the Canterlot royal palace, Luna wakes up in a cold sweat, her breath deep and heavy. The dream she just had shook her to her core, as her gold heart shaped locket floats up from under her collar. She opens it with her magic revealing a small picture of her with Aurora, Blueberry and Somnus. She never wanted to take this very picture with her two nieces and nephew, but the three of them tag teamed her until she gave in. Now this gold heart shaped piece of Jewelry is Luna’s most cherish possessing that anyone gave her. Luna floats the locket up to her lips and places a kiss on it, before floating it back under her collar. “….will I Fail?..will the dream come true will my little Somnus become the next Nightmare Moon following in his own aunt hoof prints? He cannot!. He would never survive the banishment as I did without losing all his senses. A pony, lost forever in the loneliness of his aunt own Moon.” Luna asked herself, looking through the window of her office at her moon hanging in the night sky before her. Unable to take it anymore, Luna wrote a note and left it in Celestia’s bed chamber and teleported herself to her moon to calm her worried mind down. The following morning Princess Luna didn’t show up for breakfast with her family. Worried, Somnus started to search the Canterlot royal Palace for her. For hours he looked high and low for his missing aunt when he couldn’t find her, he spoke to his mother Celestia, who showed him the note Luna left for her in her room. After reading the note, Somnus’s chin sunk dejectedly into his chest. The note mentioned a promise his aunt made to his father, before he died. Not knowing what the promise entailed, a deep sense of sadness griped his heart. For some time now, Somnus felt as if his aunt was just going through the motions of caring for him. Now learning about the promise his aunt made has reinforced the unwanted feeling that now fills his heart. After telling his mother where he was going, Somnus charged the magic in his horn and teleported to Luna’s moon to get to the bottom of this promise and to learn, for himself, if she cares about him. A moment later, Somnus arrived on Luna’s moon a bit woozy because the spell used up a lot of his magic energy to perform it correctly. Somnus shook his head side to side, before heading off in search of his Aunt. “Auntie! Auntie! Where are you?” Somnus called He ran from one end of the moon to the other searching for his Aunt Luna on her moon. When he didn’t find her, he climbed up on top of a moon rock to let his own magic energy recharge so he could return to Equestria, not knowing that his aunt was on the backside of the rock he was sitting on. Slowly Princess Luna got to her hoofs. She stretched her wings a few times and cracked her neck. After meditating for a night Luna felt more able to fulfill her promise to Somnus’s father to protect his son from the darkness inside him. As Luna climbed up the rock, she froze in her tracks. In front of her, with his back toward her, was Somnus. She figured that his mother showed him the note and he came in search of her. As Luna approached Somnus, she stopped as he began talking to himself. “So my aunt Luna cares nothing about me, she only took me on as her student because father made her promise that she would protect me from this darkness I have inside me. (Form a dark energy ball in his hoofs) I should have known. Why would a princess like her, want a stallion like me as her student? Equestria has more mares than stallions. Why did I think any different. Maybe I should let this darkness have me, then my aunt will never have to keep that promise.” spoke Somnus down casted as tears filled his Aunt Luna’s eyes behind him. “How can you say that Somnus? I am your auntie. I am your Angel of darkness, I would never abandon you!” screams Luna causing Somnus to jump to his hoofs and turn around, “You should never let that darkness take control of you or become like her a bitter hateful monster that cares for herself and no other pony. That is not your fate, Somnus, and it will never be your fate.” Luna says disheartened running up to Somnus throwing her front hoofs around him in a hug, “Please don’t let the darkness take over, keep fighting. if not for me then for your own mother. If Celestia loses you. she may never recover from it,” Luna speaks with a glimmer of hope in her voice, “Auntie I am sorry” Somnus’s voice strained as he breaks away from Luna and walks away from her, “I must know Auntie, the promise you made to father did you do it because you love me and want to protect me or did you do it because father asked you to? I need to know.” Somnus has a worried look towards his Aunt. Slowly, a second memory starts to form in Luna’s mind. The night before Celestia’s husband death, Luna was up on her balcony about to start painting the night sky with her magic. A quickly, ageing, Prince Justice Silverlight, arrived, out of breath from the climb up the stair to her balcony. Luna was quite saddened to see this once, strong, unicorn stallion knight, who, a month earlier, could climb the stairs to her balcony quicker than her, is reduced to an elderly unicorn stallion. Justice smiles at her and sits down to enjoy the nighttime show. With that, Luna went to work painting the night sky to the enjoyment of this very noble unicorn stallion knight. With her work done for the night, Luna helped Justice back down the stairs leading him back into the Canterlot royal palace. Half way down the stairs, he stops and turns toward her. He tells Luna that, his son and her nephew, Somnus, has the same dark magic inside him that he does and could end up the same way. If there is no one to help him stay in control of that dark magic. The thought of watching another pony especially her little Somnus suffer like his father, hurt her greatly. Because Alicorn mares are not known to give birth to a stallion, but when it happened it was a gift to the Alicorn mother. “Please Luna; I need some pony to help Somnus stay in control of his dark magic Celestia is a magnificent mother to our foals. but she doesn’t know how powerful the nightmare force is and how easy it can take control of the pony who has the power deep inside them you do, and you beat it. Somnus needs a pony that understands what this magic is and know how to stay in control of it, But before you decide, Luna, let me say this, I don’t want you to say yes just because of our friendship. I want you to say “yes” because you dearly love him and want to protect him from the fate that cost you your freedom a thousand year ago.” Justice’s voice, in the memory sounds hopeful. A week later Prince Justice Silverlight dies in the hooves of his beloved wife Celestia, it has always been a very painful memory for Luna to relive. Because she was unable to tell Justice what her decision was and the dream brought it all back. ~back on the moon~ “Why Auntie!? Why?!” Somnus sounds more worried “….Because I love you my little Somnus just as much as I loved Justice.” Luna exclaims as her eyes start to glow solid, white along with charging her horn so she can begin to drain the dark magic out of Somnus, “I’m sorry my little Somnus this will not hurt I promise.” Luna spoke with a soothing voice that caused Somnus’s to relax as his own eyes started to glow solid white like his aunt. It was a sure sign that he was using the night magic she taught him. A kiss on his cheek establish link between Somnus and Luna when she accidently forced the magic to drain. Somnus snapped out of the trance his aunt placed on him so he wouldn’t fight back as she drained away his black magic. The magic duel she was hoping to avoid happened as Somnus fought as fiercely as she did to keep her from draining his black magic away. “Somnus please stops fighting me let me take the black magic.” Luna said, “I am doing this to protect you from my fate.” Luna says caringly, “How is draining away my black magic protecting me, Auntie?” Somnus inquiries, “You taught me black magic comes at a cost….” Somnus exclaims, “What will it cost you to take it from me?” Somnus inquiries, “……………” Luna is speechless, “You can answer me, Auntie but I know what it will cost me, my Angel of Darkness. My Aunt Princess Luna when she transforms back into Nightmare Moon Forget that she has a nephew she promises to protect and guide.” Somnus’s voice quavering as Luna let the link between her and Somnus slacken. Suddenly, from the dark side of the moon a second beam attaches to the beam between Somnus and Luna. It followed by a magic pulse that comes scream down the second beam. It turns and heads down Luna’s beam striking her, Knock her off the moon rock to the moon floor, severing the link between her and her nephew. Slowly, signs of life return to Luna as she staggers to her hooves. She shakes her head a few times to regain her senses. Then she spreads her wings to get back on top of the rocks where her nephew was. The moment she lands on top of it, her nephew collapses, drained of all his magic. Luna’s pulse roars in her ears covering the distance between her and her nephew in a matter of moments. She places her ear against his chest, desperately trying to detect a sign of life. As the minutes tick away, tears begin to form in her moderate cyan colored eyes until she hears a faint heartbeat. She rubs her snout through his mane. Before placing a kiss on his cheek, she whispers in his ear that she will get him home. “How predictable the very protective Aunt trying to save her beloved nephew from the fate that cost her, her freedom thousand year ago.” A mysterious King Sombra like voice speaks pleased, “It was so easy to manipulate Princess Luna. All I had to do was remind her of the promise she failed to give the answer because my good side died before she told him HAHAHAHA” The King Sombra like voice speaks more pleased. Luna’s eyes widen with alarm when, from the dark side of her moon a very dark blue Alicorn stallion appears (his mane and tail was dark brown in color, a gray band ran through his mane). He stares at Luna with blue reptilian eyes and smiled with fang-like teeth. A full moon cutie mark was visible on his flank. “Dream Eater!. what do you mean you manipulated me? No one manipulates Princess Luna! The Princess of Night!” Luna said boldly positioning herself between her nephew Somnus and Dream Eater knowing if he did manipulate her, his target was Justice’s son Somnus. “Aunt-tie-don’t try to-fight-him-you-can’t-beat-him-Take us home, Auntie.” Somnus says in a weak voice concerned for his Aunt Luna as she nuzzles him with her snout pleased that he is still alive. “I am sorry my little Somnus but I promised your father that I would protect you from Dream Eater I don’t want you to get hurt because of it good bye, my dear little Somnus.” Luna said, sadly, kissing him on his cheek as she teleports him back to Equestria in front of the hoofs of his mother Celestia who quickly takes him to his bed chamber and calls his younger sister Blueberry to help her brother. On the moon, magic bolts streak through the star filled sky as Princess Luna and Dream Eater continue their impressive battle of two powerful Alicorns. Unknown to Princess Luna, Dream Eater is just playing with her. The battle between them is just a show for Dream Eater. For he has already claimed his prize from Luna’s nephew Somnus. The black magic he drained out of the stallion’s body was his prize and his target. “You are starting to become an annoyance Princess!” Dream Eater screams irritated as she kept him pinned down behind a huge rock he was hiding behind. “Pain in the tail, Princess.” Dream eater comments wanting the Princess to stop firing her magic bolts at him so he can use his magic to escape with his prize, “Huh? Well that could be helpful.” Dream eater said noticing everytime Luna would land she wouldn’t put weight on her right front ankle. Quickly Dream eater shot his bolt right in front of Luna, causing her to leap backward to get away from the blast; leaving her bad ankle exposed to an attack. Luna unleashed a glass shattering scream as Dream Eater’s second bolt stuck squarely on her bad ankle. As Luna lies on the ground, her ankle throbbing, waiting for Dream Eater to finish her off a profound sadness washes over her. She fishes around, under her collar, searching for her gold heart shape locket. She finds it and opens it. “I am sorry Somnus your angel of darkness is not coming home this time. Please don’t give up the battle with your dark side you are just as strong as your father was maybe stronger.” Luna said softly, laying her head on the ground next to the locket as a strange magic energy surrounds her. At first she becomes uneasy; the magic energy was so foreign to her. She then feels a warm embrace wrapping around her lifting her up and teleporting her back to the Canterlot Royal palace. Blueberry gasps in stunned silence as her Aunt Luna suddenly appears in Somnus’s bed chamber. She quickly snaps out of it when she realizes that her aunt needs medical attention. After Blueberry treats Luna, she slowly gets to her hooves and limps her way over to Somnus’s bed side and rubs her snout on Somnus cheek. Knowing, it was his power that brought her back to the Equestria and Canterlot.
Chapter 2After the two days Princess Luna had gone through, facing her own heart, a tide of joy washed over her. Ahead of her lies a mission she knows she will never truly finish. That mission: to keep her promise to Prince Justice Silverlight and make sure to guide away his son Prince Somnus Silverlight from the easy path that dark magic offers. My dear little Somnus, ahead of both us is a difficult path to travel….but as your angel of darkness, I will guide you down that path and be there at your side….That is my promise to you; Luna thought looking at a framed crayon drawing done of her, by a five year old Somnus, depicting her not as the monster Nightmare Moon that most colts and fillies thought of her, but as an angel coming down from the moon to help every pony. An invigorated Luna exits her bed chamber door, ready to begin a new day as her nephew’s magic teacher and guide. Suddenly the echo of running hooves in the hallway gets Luna’s attention. Running toward her, at full speed, her eyes widen in alarm was her sister, Celestia. “Luna!” Celestia calls stopping in front of her, “Something’s wrong with Somnus. One of his royal maids went to wake him up and he didn’t open his eyes….” Celestia says in a panic, shifting back and forth on her hooves, “…..M...M….mmy son…..no…No….no…not my son….anyone but my son” Celestia grows maniacal. “Luna what happened on the moon? Why is Somnus not opening his eyes? Please sister, tell me what happened on the moon? What happened to my son on the moon?” Celestia voice edge with tension as tears begin to form in her light purple eyes, “Sister, please, I can’t lose him…..You know as well as me Alicorns don’t give birth to colts…He was gift to us, a chance for the moon princess and sun princess family line to continue on well after we fade into history….Please sister, tells me what happened?” Celestia sounds worried as tears begin to fall to the ground splashing in front of Celestia’s hoofs. Luna looks at Celestia and told her exactly what happed on the moon in every detail. She now got prepared; she knew Celestia was right; most Alicorns give birth to fillies and never colts. Luna explains to Celestia that she was trying to drain the dark magic out of Somnus. After a week of sleep he should have all his magic energy back and he will be his old self. Dark shadows form around Celestia’s eyes as she started to cry even harder, confusing Luna. “No sister…a week of rest will not help Somnus…If Dream Eater is involved, Somnus is going to die like his father (Luna gasp), By quickly aging…..but unlike his father, who was a full gown unicorn stallion….Somnus is not full gown…he will suffer longer than his father…to the point that, me, his mother, or you, his aunt, will have to choose to end his suffering by kill him….How can any mother or aunt choose to end the life of a child like that?” Celestia was disheartened as tears soaked her collar around her neck. “No! I refuse to let Somnus suffer…..I saw his father and my friend slowly waste away and it hurt me more than you think, Tia…..If the same thing would happen to Somnus, it will be ten times worse for me…..I would be unable to move on……I would break my promise that I made when Justice died: To protect his son from the darkness.” Luna in such un-imaginary pain as tears formed in her moderate cyan colored eyes. “What are you going to do sister?” Celestia inquired as a spark of hope returned to Celestia’s light purple eyes, “I will do what I can dear sister…..that son of yours is not just importance to you…..he is important to me.” Luna determined running down the hallway heading to Somnus’s bed chamber down the hall from his mother’s and sister’s bed chambers followed closely by his mother Celestia, who’d face brightened with every step taken towards the stricken son’s bed chamber. Luna pushes the door open with her hoof and enters Somnus’s bed chamber and she looks around. This is the first time she has ever set a hoof in Somnus’s bed chamber. Most of the time he meets her outside her own bed chamber to begin his lessons. As Luna looked around the room, her eyes fell on a framed picture sitting on his nightstand next to his bed. It was a picture of her, his aunt Luna. A single tear ran down her cheek when she realized how much this colt of Celestia cares about her and how much she would miss him if he is gone. As all the family photos have been dutifully cleaned, her photo has been carefully cleaned as if the photo was going to thank him for doing it. As Luna approached Somnus’s bed side a sudden spurt of adrenaline coursed through her veins. Lying in the bed was not her nephew, but a quickly aging unicorn colt that looked like her nephew. Suddenly he called out “Auntie” as if he was in an awful nightmare that his Aunt Luna can save him from. Luna lifts her hoof and places it on top of his leg. “Shhh…your angel of darkness has come….be strong my little Somnus.” Luna says softly running her hoof up and down his leg. With that, she quickly charged up her horn as it reaches full power, Somnus own horn reacts to it. Luna is very pleased that all the lessons she taught him up to now have stuck with him, a testament to her as his aunt and teacher. Luna’s eyes glow white and suddenly a flash draws her into Somnus’s dream world. She finds herself standing in front of a slowly dying forest path. She has a quick look around before she moves down the path in search of the Dream Eater shadow. Not too far down the path, she is hit very hard and flings back to where she started. Luna staggers to her hooves, shaken from the violent collision as she regains her senses. She gasps. Standing on the path in front of her was copy of her the same stature as Somnus’s mother Celestia. This Alicorn gave Luna a warning look, before speaking in her own voice. “I am Guardian Luna protector of Master Somnus Dream World….I will protect him with my life…Leave at once invader or pay the price!” Guardian Luna warns as she scratches the ground with her hoof, “I’m Princess Luna….the princess of night and moon that calms my beautiful subject….the colt I love very dearly has called to me to save him from this nightmare he find himself in….I beg you to step aside and allow me to save my dear little Somnus before it’s too late.” Luna says calm and humble, Guardian Luna is unmoved with calmness and humbleness of the real Luna as the Guardian’s eyes narrow with contempt, “How do I know you are who you say?! Where is your proof?” Guardian Luna said irately as she snort. Slowly the real Luna’s anger begins to build inside her knowing that the longer she delays with this Guardian the farther Somnus would fall into the darkness, “Last time I took some pony’s word!…..I lost my previous master!…..I will not make that same mistake that cost me my master!......I will not fail to protect my master’s son!......My master gave me another chance to make-up for failing him!” Guardian Luna said fiercely refusing to move from her place. Upon hearing, that Luna realizes that this Guardian’s previous master was Prince Justice Silverlight, Somnus father. Soon it came to her the proof the guardian wanted was heart shaped locket that Justice gave to her and the rest of his family and his chosen friends when he was getting sicker and sicker to remember him how he was. Then she remembered nothing from the real world can be brought into the dream world. Her heart dropped until something strange happened. A gold chain began to form around her neck followed by the heart shaped locket. A tear ran down her cheek as she looks down at the new necklace that now hangs from her neck. She closes her eyes and silently thanks Justice for coming to her aid even in death. This noble unicorn knight comes to his princess’s aid. She opens her eyes and looks up at the guardian. “Guardian! Is this the proof you want….the necklace Justice gave me?” Luna calls as the guardian looks at the heart shaped locket around Luna neck. “Yes…that’s master’s heart…has he died?” Guardian Luna’s voice quivering as a single tear forms in her eye. “Yes, now his shadow is trying to kill his son, I need to get past her before it’s too late.” Luna is very serious as the guardian drops her head, “If you want my help…..please tell me how did master die?” Guardian Luna is heartbroken, “The shadow that’s trying to kill his son…killed him…..If you want revenge….then help me” Luna comments as the guardian starts to glow brighter and brighter. Guardian Luna slowly starts to transform back into its original form, the form it was when it was Justice’s guardian. To Luna’s surprise, the form the guardian takes is that of her other niece Princess of Love Princess Cadance. Celestia told Luna how close Justice was with Cadance and through the several wars in Equestria after the death of the Tree of Harmony. Those two ponies were the closest they could be. “My uncle Justice never once seek revenge for anything……not even after your shadow guard hurt me when I was looking into the day of terror that you and Celestia covered up to protect your rule. I don’t seek revenge.” Guardian Cadance said in Cadance’s own voice as she shrinks to the size of the real Cadance. “I failed Master Justice….I will not fail his son Master Somnus….If you are here to save master Somnus follow me through the forest….before it’s too late.” Guardian Cadance firm as she runs off ahead of Luna following closely behind by Luna. What Luna thought would take several hours to get though only took a few minutes following Guardian Cadance, during the travel though the forest Luna starts to notice familiar gestures that Guardian Cadance was using that were not used by the real Princess Cadance. As Luna continues watching she finely recognizes the gestures belonging to her nephew Somnus. Her heart drops when she realized if she didn’t keep her anger in check when she first met Guardian Luna she would have killed the pony that she was trying to save. Because Guardian Luna is dream spirit of her nephew Somnus trying to keep the real Somnus from falling into loneness of the darkness she once fell into long ago. “Guardian Cadance drop the show!....I know who you are.” Luna says knowing as Guardian Cadance stops and turns around, “Why the games, my little Somnus?” Luna inquires as Guardian Cadance slowly starts to change forms again. This time, Luna’s face brightens when the form it takes was that of her nephew Somnus, his coloring seems to be subdued. But his eyes still sparkled with the love he has always shown her. Somnus runs up to Luna and hugs her tightly; his body was cold to the touch. After hugging her, he steps back and his spirit begins to fade in front of her. “I wanted to spend as much time as I had left with you my dear Auntie.” Somnus said gloomy as tears start to form in his eyes, “What do you mean had left?” Luna voice trembling, “I came this far to save you, my little Somnus……” Luna voice cracking, “I am sorry my dear Auntie but you are to late. This Guardian spirit was last of my own life force..…Please auntie, don’t blame yourself the moment the dark magic was being drained from my body. My life force was forfeited…..There was nothing a goddess like you could have done to change what happened….I will love you always my dear auntie….For my last wish Auntie please don’t seek revenge for me…..I don’t want that dark mare back….please Auntie don’t let that dark mare out….It will hurt mother more than me dying.” Somnus speaks slowly and sadly “No!” Luna shouts as her body slumped as she watches the pony she wants to save begin to fade away; she grasp hopelessly at the fading bits of her nephew Somnus’s life force. Till he toss her from his dream world back to the awaking world. ~back in Somnus’s bed chamber~ Slowly Luna gets to her hooves. A bleak, wintry feeling washed over her. As she looks around Somnus’s bed chamber the number of ponies had increased from when she first arrives to find only his younger sister Blueberry using her healing skills to help her brother. Now in the room, Luna finds his older sister, Aurora, her beautiful features fallen, sitting next to her as sad as her was their cousin Princess Cadance. She had her husband’s Shining Armor with her trying his best to comfort his grief-stricken wife. Also sitting with Cadance and Aurora was Princess Twilight Sparkle and Miss Rarity, both ponies were close friends with the Silverlight unicorn family and Justice. Gathered around the very grief-stricken Celestia was Somnus’s grandmother Shimmering Diamond, his great grandmother Ophelia and his two aunts Serena and Seer. Like shining armor, they were trying their best to comfort Somnus’s mother Celestia. Beyond Celestia and Justice’s family standing on the balcony outside the room looking at the royal garden were two Pegasus mares Anita Stormchaser one of Justice’s oldest friend and her daughter Carina Stormchaser. “….sleep well….My little Somnus…” Luna sadden as she let tears roll down her cheek, kissing him on his fore head, “I…I need a moment alone…dear Blueberry.” Luna tells Blueberry who is heartbroken on the inside, “Don’t blame yourself Auntie….Somnus would not like you to do that….He loved you and he knew that you would try your best to help .” Blueberry is very calm and collective as Luna nuzzles her. Listening to what her niece Blueberry said didn’t help to ease Luna’s broken heart from the lost of her nephew Somnus. Outside Somnus’s bedchamber, a trail of tears leads from his door through the palace hallway to the royal cemetery. Sitting in front of Justice’s grave her eyes bloodshot from crying was Luna. The royal cemetery was unusually quiet no birds sung those songs and no breezes blew. “….I am sorry…I…failed to…..protect him…..” Luna snivels as her tears continue to keep rolling down her cheeks splashing on Justice’s grave marker.
chapter 3As the tears continue to run down Luna’s cheeks, a small amount of her magic becomes trapped in her tears. Each teardrop that splashes on the grave releases her magic until the carved name on the stone marker Prince Justice Silverlight starts to glow. It splash on the embedded Crystal heart medal that was given to Justice by his niece, Princess Cadance. This was a way to remember the sacrifice he and his Solar Guard Squad One performed to save Her, Prince Shining Armor and Crystal Heart when the Crystal city fell back into rebellion under the influence of the king Sombra Shadow after the death of the Tree of Harmony. As the last teardrop splashes on the Crystal Heart medal, it flashes once, opening a spirit gate to the spirit realm. A grief-stricken Princess Luna notices a figure stepping out of the gate she sees the spirit of a handsome dark blue unicorn stallion with crimson red mane, tail and a pink band. Set of transparent silver bird-like wings folded on his side. As a reward for all the good he did in his life, Prince Justice Silverlight was granted, by the ruler of Spirit realm, the power of the Guardian Pony Spirit. For his first assignment as guardian spirit Justice is sent back to Equestria not knowing that the grief was coming from his sister-in-law Princess Luna. I am home?….back in Equestria? Guardian Justice thought when he recognized the Canterlot Royal Palace in the distance where he lived with his beloved wife Princess Celestia and their three children. Guardian Justice trotted around the area trying to figure out where in Equestria the spirit gate put him. Before he could figure it out, the sound of crying attracted his attention. He followed the sound to a very familiar looking dark blue alicorn. She sat in front of a grave site, her face pale as tears continued to fall onto the grave. “Why do you cry my Princess?” Guardian Spirit Justice inquired. Since his death, he has missed talking to his sister-in-law Princess Luna, “….I failed….I failed Celestia….I failed Somnus…I failed Justice…. he entrusted me with the safety of his only son Somnus….and I couldn’t even protect him from the darkness that I know so well.” Luna feeling guilty slam hoofs hard on the ground in front of her, “My poor princess…you have not failed, you just hit the end of trying to help my son on your own….Even a goddess like you needs the help of another goddess, the goddess that gave birth my son….to succeeded….the goddess I speak of is Celestia….I know how you can save my son,….but before I tell you….you must hear my story….a story that even my wife doesn’t know….Will you listen to my story, dear Luna?” Guardian Spirit Justice speaks with encouraging a grin, “I’ll listen…” Luna responds nodding her head as she dried her tears with her hoof, “When I was Somnus’s age, I didn’t have anyone to turn to that understood the dark magic power inside of me, the power that wanted to twist my dreams into nightmares…the power that wanted me to do things that no colt should do. I was alone to fight this dark magic that wanted to take over my very soul…Day in and day out I fought this dark magic till I was finely able to take control of it….But now, my son must fight this dark magic, but he not alone he has Princess Luna (point his hoof at Luna) the Princess of Night….his Angel of Darkness…the princess who has faced the darkness and beat it….In order to save Somnus and bring him back you must have no doubt in your heart Princess.” Guardian spirit Justice said with an encouraging look at Luna with hope in his eyes, “My dear princess Luna…Can you be that guide for my son and your nephew….that guide that will keep him on the right path?…if you say “yes” you will be forever bonded to Somnus in both heart and soul…..the only pony that can keep his dark magic under control….If not, then there is nothing I can do for my son, he is lost….it must be your heart’s choice to do this, Dear Princess.” Guardian Spirit Justice said hopefully. Slowly a memory begins to form in Luna’s mind. This time it was of Somnus as colt of 5 seasons, at the old canterlot kindergarten not too far from Canterlot Royal palace. During the long days of summer, the school would host a weekly family picnic in the Canterlot city park. Other families could meet and talk to each other. Normally either Somnus’s mother Celestia or his father Justice would attend the family picnic which drove the royal guard’s nuts. But during this particular family picnic, both his father and his mother were away on royal business. So his aunt Luna attended the family picnic in the place of his parents. After bathing, Luna went to the Palace kitchen and picked up the picnic basket that the chef made for her. At the park, it was not too hard for Princess Luna to find the blanket that Somnus was occupying because it was the only blanket that had a royal guard nearby. Luna trotted over holding the handles of the basket in her mouth and joining Somnus. For the rest of afternoon, Luna enjoyed spending time with Somnus. As the picnic was coming to an end, the Parents and child kick ball game was going to start, So Somnus brought Luna to the field. One of the parents made up a stupid excuse not to allow Luna to play, but Luna knew the real reason behind it. At the time Somnus didn’t understand why they wouldn’t let his Aunt Luna play when they would always let his mother Celestia play. Not wanting to spoil the wonderful day she had at the picnic with Somnus, Luna left the field and sat in the bleachers to watch the game and cheer him on. During the game, Somnus got hurt and the teacher brought him over to Luna and gave her the first aid box, so she could treat him. She discovered the injury was not that bad. Even as colt Somnus always saw me as his aunt Princess Luna….why every pony else saw me as Nightmare Moon….the alicorn of nightmares…the bringer of never ending night…the mare on the moon Luna thought as she could hear her heart beat getting stronger and stronger, “I want to…I want to save him….I want to save the pony I loved like a silent son…he never saw me as nightmare moon….I will always be his angel of darkness and his Auntie Luna…So yes, I can be that guide to him….if it means being forever bonded to him, heart and soul, so be it.” Luna said with a determined look at the Guardian spirit Justice and swallowing down the rest of her tears, “What must this princess do, my faithful knight Justice? To save my little Somnus and your son?” Luna inquires ready to do whatever Justice tells her to do to save him. “Thank you my Princess….you truly do love my son….just as much as his own mother does.” Guardian spirit Justice said, his face brightening. “In order to save Somnus you must rebalance his dark and light magic….but you can’t do it in his dream world, that world doesn’t exist anymore….You must do it, in the awaking world…but that’s just one thing you must do, you can’t do it alone Luna.” Guardian spirit Justice says seriously, “You are just one part of the balance, the dark magic or night magic part….the other part the light magic or day magic part must be done by his mother…..the hardest part of this is going to be trying to convince Celestia to help you…..In my wife’s current state of mind she has lost all hope that Somnus is alive,…..She’s lost everything that means something to her….Her spirit is shattered and her heart is broken, because for the third time she failed to save someone she loves so much….But you must convince her to help you Luna,…It’s the only way.” Guardian spirit Justice said very seriously, With that in mind, Luna runs at full speed back to the Canterlot royal palace. The sound of a ticking clock echoes loudly in her mind, knowing the longer it takes to convince his mother, Celestia, to help, the deeper Somnus will fall into the darkness. Once back in Somnus’s bed chamber all the family and friends are now gathered around his bed their faces etched with sorrow. Luna quickly asks her oldest niece Aurora where her mother was, even saddened, her soft and gentle voice was beautiful to hear. She tells Luna that her mother went out onto the balcony with Somnus’s family photo that he kept on his nightstand. Luna quickly runs out onto balcony and finds Celestia, her face streaked with tears, but lying on the ground at her hooves was the broken family photo. The glass on the photo was shattered from being slammed on the ground by Celestia magic. “…Tia?...I…I might know a way to save Somnus…but I need your help for this one….His magic is unbalanced…If we work together, we can rebalance it and bring him back and he will not face the same fate as your husband Justice did…Please Tia,….I don’t want to lose him too.” Luna said gently as a single tear runs down her cheek, “It’s over sister, my only son is gone. With all the power I was giving, why could I not save those ponies that I loved so much (tears begin run down her cheeks a again)….What’s the use of having all this power if I couldn’t save those ponies that need me the most (forming a yellow ball of magic in her hoof and making it disappear soon after)….First you, missing the signs of you changing….second my husband….trying his best to be me, not knowing a pony of flesh could never be me…now my only son Somnus….a pony born from me, giving life by me, loved by me…is gone….I will never again hear him calling me “mother” or saying I love you, mother. (stomping on the broken glass in front of her, cutting the underside of her hoofs, that quickly heal in a matter of moments)” Princess Celestia said dispirited and heartbroken as Luna glares at Celestia with keep-your-mouth-shut look lifting her hoof up, (Smack!) “EVERTHING YOU HAVE SAID HAS NEVER BEEN YOUR FAILT, YOU HAD NO CONTROL OVER IT….ME CHANGING,WAS MY OWN FAULT, MY BITTERNESS TOOK CONTROL OF ME…..JUSTICE TAKING OVER RULE FOR YOU WAS BECASE HE DIDN’T WANT YOUR STRESS TO HURT AURORA BEFORE SHE WAS BORN….HE NEVER TRIED TO BE YOU…..HE TOLD ME HE COULD NEVER BE YOU BECAUSE HE WAS A UNICORN AND NOT AN ALL POWERFUL ALICORN…..STOP BEING A CRY FILLY AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT FOR BUCKING SAKE!! JUSTICE SPOKE TO ME THROUGH HIS SPIRIT!! YOUR ONLY SON NEEDS HIS MOTHER TO HELP SAVE HIM!! NOW WAKE UP AND STOP FELLING SORRY ABOUT EVERYTHING!” Luna frustrated yelling at Celestia, “HOW DARE YOU, LUNA!....STRIKE ME!.....I am your oldest sister or did you FORGET THAT!.....Little sister!” Princess Celestia said bitterly as her eyes sharpening, (Rubbing the side of her cheek with her hoof) “DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND LITTLE SISTER!.....IT’S OVER!.....MY SON IS GONE!...MY FUTURE IS GONE FOREVER!.....I CAN’T HAVE ANYMORE FOALS!.....SOMNUS WAS MY LAST CHANCE TO HAVE A FUTURE!” Princess Celestia irately still rubbing the side of her cheek, “Even if Justice did speak to you in spirit!.....why did he not speak to me?!......his beloved wife Celestia!......Why did he only speak to you little sister?!” Princess Celestia said hurt as she begins to sob thinking her husband Justice didn’t speak to her because he was disappointed in her for not saving their son, The sound of metallic horseshoes echoed onto the balcony from inside of Somnus bed chamber. Walking out onto the balcony, was a pale light grayish cerise Alicorn mare with lavender colored wing tips. Her purple eyes had a mysterious ethereal glow to them. “Cadence dear?….please go back inside….this is between me and Luna….this has nothing to do with you….please return to the family.” Princess Celestia friendly trying to usher Princess Cadence back into the bed chamber, “Yes, Cadence dear…do as Celestia asks…please return to the family….we will be finished soon…..this has nothing to do with you.” Princess Luna friendly watching Celestia lead Cadence back inside the opening, till suddenly Celestia is pushed gently back onto the balcony by a wave of magic energy from Cadence, “What?” Celestia puzzled as she has never felt that kind of power coming off Cadence’s before, “How can you say it has nothing to do with me…It has everything to do with me.” Cadence said a bit annoyed as Luna moves closer to her and takes a closer look. She gasps when she realizes that some pony else is in control of Cadence’s body, “Justice! Are you the one in control of poor Cadence’s body? I hope you didn’t force her to allow you to possess her.” Princess Luna a bit annoyed as Celestia’s breathe catches in her throat upon hearing Luna say Justice’s name, “He didn’t force me, I allowed him to possess me….I felt so helpless, unable to help cousin Somnus…..No matter why cousin Somnus came to my aid when I needed it….so when uncle told me they had a way to bring Somnus back….all he needs was the use of my body and voice….I gave my body and voice over to him….yawn.” Princess Cadence said through her yawns as her eyes begin to close, Soon her eyes reopened with the same strange glow that Luna noticed before, “Sleep well my dear niece Cadence…once I finish, you may have your body and voice back….” Princess Cadence said in Justice’s deep voice temper with her female voice, “As for you, Celestia….what kind of mother gives up on her only son that way?…well, not the pony I married…..Luna say she might have a way to bring him back….but you didn’t even listen to her.” Princess Cadence said gruffly as Celestia looked like the proverbial cat that ate the canary lying on the floor of the balcony. Cadence catches Luna shaking her head with a smirk on her snout, she whirls around quickly and points her hoof at Luna, “Do not think Luna that you are getting off the hook that easily……I told you that Celestia lost all hope that she could save Somnus and to convince her….but no you slapped her!….If it was no other pony than even tempered Celestia….you would’ve doomed Somnus to the darkness because of your frustration!” Princess Cadence said testily as Luna a had pitiful look of appeal on her face. Both sisters felt bad about how they were acting, because when Justice was alive he never once raised his voice at his wife or his sister-in-law even though a few times they deserved to be yelled at when they put Justice between them. “Justice?” Celestia exclaimed, “What!” Cadence snaps as Celestia lifts her wing up to protect herself with it, “I am sorry….you are right, a mother should never give up on her son…even though it seem that the whole world is against her…..I didn’t become a mother because it was easy…I became a mother because I believed I could make a difference in my own foals life….and right now, Somnus needs his mother to save him and not this mare that everything has collapsed around her.” Princess Celestia said with a renewed sense of why she became a mother in the first place, “Now that the mare I marred…..the mare that will do what it takes to save the one she loves…No matter how hard it is.” Cadence said proudly as both Luna and Celestia run back into Somnus’s bed chamber leaving Cadence on the balcony. A moment later a white cloud is expelled from Cadence’s mouth forming back into Guardian Justice Spirit. After shaking her head a few times and testing if she is in total control of her body, Cadence feels a cold fist close over her heart and become downcast. “Will they punish you uncle? For interfering with the living? Like you told me?” Cadence inquiry, her chest heavy, “Yes, dear Cadence they will” Guardian Justice answer, “That’s not fair to you or any pony…..what purpose does it server to let someone so young like Somnus die? He has his whole life ahead of him to become the great unicorn knight like his father and bring the blessing of both the sun and the moon to every pony…..I would think is that what the spirit realm would want for living realm.” Cadence annoyed a bit, “I am not going to debate with you, dear Cadence….You of all ponies should know what I am thinking…..,and after all, the time we spend together during the wars in Equestria.” Guardian Justice comments looking into the sky waiting for the spirit gate to open and to be taken away, “Unfortunately, I do, uncle….but I don’t like it…..You were thinking it was a means to an end…but you still broke the rules and must be punish for it….Your loyalty and honor were set aside to give Luna some pony to care about and, in turn, care about her….That burns me up!… what you did was a selfless act and you are going to be punished for it.” Cadence said bitterly as two dark shadows came through the spirit gate, seizing the spirit of her uncle and taking him back through the gate for punishment. Later that same day, sitting by Somnus’s bedside, doing her work for Equestria on a small traveling desk was Princess Luna. She took over the care for the still weakened Somnus from her niece Blueberry who was needed in the palace hospital. As Princess Luna continued to read and sign her name to all the royal documents that she had on the desk, she got a sudden urge to break into laugher. She looks over her shoulder, down towards her side. Moving up and down was a feather being held in a dark blue magic aura. She used her own magic to break the aura around the feather and it gently fell to the ground. She turned her whole body towards Somnus’s bed and saw him looking straight at her. “Is there something you want me to get for you, Somnus?” Luna inquired placing one of her hoofs on the bed, “No Auntie….I just wanted you to smile for me.” Somnus said in a weak voice as Luna gave a look of surprise, “All right Somnus, I’ll smile for you….here we go.” Luna said caring as a smile slowly formed on her snout. Seeing his aunt smile for him, gave him a bit more strength, till he rolled over, “I am sorry Auntie….I am one of your worst students…I will completely understand if you don’t want to teach me anymore.” Somnus said depressed with tears in his eyes as he curled up into a ball with blankets, “What?” Luna exclaimed recoiled in shock as she ran around to the other side of Somnus bed, where she found a tear soaked blanket, clutch in his front hooves “Somnus? why would you say you are my worst student?…..I am very proud of my little Somnus….you showed this Alicorn that you can stand with me against the darkness and not flinch.” Luna said encouragingly but didn’t help Somnus overcome his doubts, “Stop it auntie, how can you say you are proud of me…..If I was a better student Dream Eater would have never been able to steal my dark magic and force you and mother to save me…I failed.” Somnus said dishearten clutching his blanket tighter in his front hoof as tears continued to soak his bed. “Now you stop that nephew! (point her hoof at Somnus) It doesn’t matter if you were a good, magnificent or great student of mine….Dream Eater picked the perfect time to steal your magic from you….Because you are so young you don’t have the knowledge like I do to protect it from being taken by any power hunger pony…..but if you continue your studies with me….I promise I will never abandon you, my little Somnus….I will protect you like your mother does and guide you like your father would……all I ask, in return, is that you help me protect the Dream World from the monsters like Dream Eater and the rest.” Luna said caring as she embraced Somnus very loving. Watching through a crack in Somnus’ bed chamber door was his mother Celestia. A grin spread across her snout because, for the first time, her sister Luna has a very valuable ally in her only son Prince Somnus Silverlight. As quietly as she could wear golden horseshoes on her hooves, Celestia sneaked away from the bed chamber door and headed down the hallway to a small study in the Royal Palace. Glistening on top of the windowsill in the study with spirit energy was Celestia’s gold heart shaped locket, it was open. Looking out the window in the study was a dark blue unicorn stallion spirit with a crimson red mane and tail; a pink streak ran through his mane to the end of his tail. He was wearing the white dress uniform jacket of the commander of the Solar Guard, the princess’s elite guard unit. A moment later, the door to the study was opened by Celestia’s magic and closed by her after entering the study. Before addressing the unicorn spirit that she could see in the study, Celestia’s horn starts to glow with a yellow magic aura that formed around the locket sitting on the windowsill. She floated the locket back around her neck. “Are you still thinking about what you did for Luna, My beloved?” Princess Celestia asks standing next to the unicorn spirit, “(sigh) I could have helped so many ponies being a guardian spirit pony, Tia….But I was stripped of my wings as punishment for interfering with the living.” The unicorn spirit voice was a lifeless monotone looking longing at his wife’s wings folded on her side, “A pair of wings doesn’t make the pony (unfolding her wings from her side) it’s what’s inside that makes the pony and what you have inside is what I fell in love with my beloved (refolding her wings back onto her side) What you did for Luna and Somnus was a selfless act…An act I know Prince Justice Silverlight would do again…because he is a selfless unicorn knight and the best husband that this mare every had.” Princess Celestia said loving blowing a kiss to her husband, “Thank you Princess Celestia Silverlight….My beloved wife and mother to our children” Prince Justice said loving.
