Dark Nights

Start of season one.

Canterlot Newspaper

The City of Canterlot is in a state of complete shock and horror at the discovery of eight ponies slaughtered and butchered in the Cartilia’s mansion. Names of the victims and details of the attack are being withheld by the investigators led by Captain Cobalt Moon of the newly reinstated Lunar Guard, but our sources that were at the scene of the crime have led us to believe this horror to be the work of some kind of wild animal. Nopony knows what kind of predator could have done such a thing, some say it was the work of a rogue direwolf, while more superstitious ponies believe it was a demon summoned from Tartarus through the use of dark magic. As of yet, only one confirmed survivor has been found and at the orders of Captain Moon their name, along with their connection to the victims is being withheld from the public. The citizens of Canterlot City are advised to stay indoors and not walk around out at night for the next few weeks. Any potential witnesses who were out on the night in question and may have seen something are encouraged to come forward to Captain Moon and give a statement.

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Five years later, start of season five

Luna sat on the edge of the training fields sourly observing the weak training that her Lunar Guards were currently participating in. The sound of steel striking against the bodies of wooden practice ponies echoed around the grassy moonlit, fields as thestrals pounced on their assigned wooden ponies using their hoofclaws to cut and slice their surface, each blow deep and lethal. While half of the thestrals, practicing their combat, were cutting up the wooden ponies, the other half was divided up into sparring partners that viscously fought each other with hooves and fangs, their bodies covered in streams of sweat and blood. The last of thestrals, not in combat training, were focused on strength training, performing push-ups, chin-ups, sit-ups and various weightlifting techniques.

When she had first seen the new, modern training regime for Celestia’s Solar Guard just this morning, she could only stare in complete disbelieving shock. No weapons training. No real strength training. Just drills on how to march in formation and an obstacle course so easy that a twelve year old thestral filly could have completed it several times over and still have enough energy and strength for their midnight playtime.

Luna gritted her teeth and huffed with annoyance as she paced in circles with restless agitation, glaring coldly down at the grass beneath her hoofs. Before her thousand year banishment, Equestria’s military strength had been one of the greatest forces to be reckoned with in the kingdoms. The first time Tirek had attacked Equestria, the Lunar and Solar Guards had effectively resisted and weakened him for an extended amount of time, but now, a thousand years later, he attacked a second time and nopony had been able to offer any real resistance or rebellion. She glanced back at the training field, gritting her teeth with annoyance at what she was seeing.

This new military training was nothing but a sad, dull shadow of what had once been the most brutal, deadly and effective training regime a thousand years ago, before she had been banished. Luna herself would personally train with her guards, teaching them how to effectively use their superior reflexes and senses to combat a unicorn mage’s magic.

A thousand years ago, their strength training would involve the Lunar Guards working together as one cohesive unit to move great, massive boulders of granite over a long distance to build up their stamina and to teach them how to work in sync with each other. Their combat training consisted of fighting each other with real weapons and armor, while healers were close by in case something went wrong. A thousand years ago, thestrals of the Lunar Guard came out of their training bearing multiple, extensive and deep scars both physical and emotional, but their respect, loyalty, trust and love for each other was so absolute, it was harder and more resilient then a black diamond forged in dragon fire.

Luna glared with disdain up at the light still glowing in her sister’s bedroom window. It was because of Celestia’s pacifism that the Solar and Lunar Guards were now so weakened and ineffective. It was Celestia’s pacifism that had first caused the Lunar Guards to slowly disband and effectively leave Equestria almost defenseless. If it hadn’t been for Twilight and her friends wielding the Elements of Harmony, Equestria would have fallen during Nightmare Moon’s return, Discord’s escape and Sombra’s rising.

The Lunar Guard, still in the final stages of being rebuilt, couldn’t have been utilized for the battle against Tirek. But the Wonder Bolts and the Solar Guard, which had been fully intact during Celestia’s thousand year reign, had been next to useless in stopping him. Because of this weakened military state, herself, Celestia and Cadence had been forced to keep their magic safe by giving it up to Twilight Sparkle. While she was an capable and aspiring mage, she was inexperienced and had no knowledge of the finer tactics and strategies of war and combat. A pound of mage-bane, prepared by fully trained Lunar Guards and dispersed into the air by the Wonder Bolts would have been enough to weaken Tirek, reclaim his stolen magic and send him back down Tartarus where he belonged. Luna hissed with frustration, pacing faster and in an ever increasing wider circle.

The attack from Tirek hadn’t been the first time the Solar Guard and their Captain, Shining Armor, had failed at their duties of protecting Equestria. They were undisciplined, poorly trained and severely unequipped for properly defending Equestria in times of distress. She had seen the result of Celestia’s pacifism influencing her Solar Guards when the changelings invaded Canterlot and they were so easily captured and defeated. Queen Chrysalis herself would have fallen during her battle with Celestia had her sister not discontinued practicing her combative magic for so many centuries. Magical power was like a muscle, if it was exercised regularly it would only become stronger over time, neglection to do so and the opposite was bound to happen.

Luna was under no disillusions that she, herself, shared in some of the blame for not being able to protect the innocent pony folk against the changelings. She could have summoned her Night Terrors, the only actual military threat that remained of her Lunar Guard, and with them by her side the fight against the changelings would have been over much sooner. But she and her Guards were nocturnal, they were responsible for keeping Equestra safe at night. During the day, Equestria’s protection fell to Celestia’s obviously incapable hoofs.

Luna came to a complete stop, once more glared up at Celestia’s window, resisting the urge to curse her sister’s stupidity for becoming so soft in her older age. Something desperately needed to be done. Equestria needed to get the edge back it had once had in its olden times. The edge only an army of properly trained predators could give it. Luna smiled and turned her back on the sight of Celestia’s window. It was time she stepped up and performed the duties and responsibilities that was required from her as a princess of Equestria. Celestia may rule during the day, but when the moon hung in the sky, Equestria was hers. Luna nodded resolutely to herself, she was finally going to cast off the remaining shadows of her sister’s control over her, and make her own decisions for the wellbeing of Equestria.

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Silias Ironclaw, the king and ruler over the Griffon Kingdom stood on his bedroom balcony that looked out over the city and the vast dark sea that laid beyond. His sweat covered body made him shiver slightly as the cool coastal breeze blew over him. He had come out here for privacy while he caught his breath and regained some of his strength, as he wasn’t willing to let the current concubine sharing his bed see him such an exhausted and weakened state. Valeena was her name. She was a beautiful, petite little griffon and by far the most favourite griffon in his vast harem to take his pleasure with. No matter how rough and violent he was with her, she took everything he could give and loved every minute of it. The curtains that separated the balcony from his personal chambers opened as Valeena stepped through and joined him on the balcony.

Like him, sweat covered every part of her lithe, graceful body. Her mane, fur and feathers were disarrayed in every direction and she was panting with exhaustion. “My King,” she murmured weakly, bowing her head low with subservience. “Please f-forgive me if I’m disturbing you.”

Silias silently regarded Valeena with mixed feelings. All his concubines had been strictly commanded to never leave his bed when they were servicing him. And when they weren’t chosen for servicing him, they were to remained safely locked up in their personal chamber away from any other male that they may be tempted to lay with. But Valeena, so small and petite had dared disobey him by leaving the sanctity of his bed and approaching him on the balcony. Not even the most bloodthirsty, viscous soldier in his army had the bravery and fortitude to do what Valeena had just done.

“You disobeyed my commands, Valeena.”

Valeena kept her head bowed in subservience, and her gazed fixed on the stones beneath her. “I did, my King.”

“Why? You know you must be punished.”

“Yes. I know, my King.” Valeena shuddered with obvious pleasure and she dared look him in the eyes, once more breaking one of his commands. With a fierce growl Silias pounced onto his concubine, grabbing her by the throat and pinning her to the ground. Blood welled beneath the tips of his talons, which were positioned over her arteries and veins ready to tear into them. Valeena gasped in pained pleasure and whimpered in fear, but when he looked down into her soft silver eyes reflecting the moonlight, he saw nothing but the unbridled passion and pure devotion she held for him. His passion once more fired up, Silias reached his free talons between her legs, lightly teasing her warm, extremely wet pussy sticky with both their cum. When he applied more pressure to her throat, and Valeena arched her back mewling loudly with uncontrollable pleasure as she came then and there.

Silias hissed with displeasure of Valeena cumming without his permission and in one swift, graceful movement he raised her high into the air and spun around to hold her over the railing of the balcony. Despite the near hundred foot drop off a sheer cliff onto jagged rocks below, and the fact Silias had all his concubines’s wings clipped, Valeena’s face held no sign fear of how close to death she was.

“Why, Valeena?” he hissed venomously. “Why do you disobey me?”

“Because.” She looked deeply into his eyes, her own gaze filled with nothing but pure unconditional love. “I love what you do to me,” she whispered softly, her eyes alight with the same passion Silias felt burning within him. Still holding Valeena over the balcony by her throat, Silias leaned far enough over the railing to kiss her deeply. The tip of his beak latched onto her tongue and he bit down on it hard enough to taste her blood. He drew his free talons over her flanks leaving deep crimson lines in their wake and pulled back from the kiss, sharply spanking her opposite flanks hard enough to leave a vivid red print on her flesh that would no doubt turn into a bruise. She mewled shrilly and squirmed with masochistic pleasure at the pain being inflicted onto her body. “Please! My King! Take me again!” she pleaded with a desperate need to be roughly rutted.

“Bed. Now!” he commanded, roughly throwing her to the curtain that led into his personal chambers.

Valeena instantly obeyed, scampering back into the room and pouncing into his bed. She whimpered softly and curled up into a little ball with her favourite pillow to sleep with held tightly against her chest. Silias walked in after her, briefly wondering if he had perhaps gone too far with her. She now had several large, bloody scrapes across her body from where she had landed on the rough stones, but his worries were laid to rest when he saw Valeena looking at him with intense, lust filled bedroom eyes, purring loudly in pure pleasure. As he approached, she swished her tail playfully pressed her right cheek to one of the many silk pillows on his bed, raised her flanks and flicked her tail to the side revealing her winking pussy still leaking a copious amount of her juices despite the many times he had taken his pleasure with her.

With a low growl, Silias pounced onto the bed, mounting his concubine, hilting himself into her needy hole with one vicious thrust. Valeena’s cries and mewls as he took her without any regard for her personal comfort were filled with pure, love filled pleasure and echoed clearly throughout the halls and rooms of his castle.

Almost an hour later, Silias was softly biting and nibbling into her neck as he held her in a firm hug against his chest. He had lost count of how many times they had came together, all he could think of was how Valeena could fire up his rage, lust and passion all at once. He still couldn’t figure out why he still tolerated her willful disobedience. Had any other concubine in his harem try and do what she just did, he’d have their cheeks branded with a black “X” and they’d live the rest of thir living in shame as chamberpot maids. But not Valeena. She was the only griffon in his entire harem whom had the honor and pleasure of knowing this tender side to him.

Silias held Valeena tighter against his body. She murmured sleepily and began purring as he entwined their tails and covered her body with a warm wing. He rested his talons over her neck and gently scratched her flesh, just the way she liked it. He focused on Valeena’s body warmth slowly leaking into his coat, warming him against the cold air flowing in from his open balcony doorway, making him feel drowsy. He rarely went to sleep this early, being king and having so many responsibilities and worries deprived him of such an luxury. But with Valeena pressed tightly into his chest, purring and snoring softly, he was sorely tempted to indulge himself this one time. Laying his head in the crook of Valeena’s neck, he gently ran his talons over her no doubt pregnant belly making her coo softly and purr more deeply. Smiling, he closed his own eyes and just as the first tendrils of sleep flowed into his mind, there was a loud knock on the door chasing them away.

Silias’s eyes instantly shot open, a low growl of displeasure sounded in his throat as he pounced from the bed and stalked his way to the door, wrenching it open. The guard posted there was sweating profusely with nervousness, his eyes were wide and he reeked of fear. Silias grabbed the wretched creature, whom had disturbed his peace at such a pleasant time, by the throat and slammed him against the stone floor. The guard struggled, but Silias growled warningly and tightened his grip digging his talons into the guard’s flesh, and the guard stopped struggling.

“F-forgive me my king!” the guard wheezed out from the choking grip around his throat. “S-somepony has demanded to-” He tried his best to take in a deep breath. “To... see... you.” Silias waited until the guard was passed out and stepped over his unconscious form, making his way to the throne room. He settled into his throne and glared down at dark cloaked pony standing as still and as quiet as a statue. The cloaked pony had the gall and presumption to wake and demand to see him in his own throne room, he was severely tempted to order his guards to kill the pony where they stood to make them pay for their disrespect.

But despite the numerous spears, crossbows and swords pointed at the cloaked pony, ready to instantly skewer them should they make one wrong move, the pony didn’t seem at all concerned about the safety of their life. It was it was hard to tell what they were thinking with their face almost completely concealed in the shadows of the voluminous cowl pulled over their head making their expression impossible to read. The cloaked pony was either extremely foolish or very brave, Silias couldn’t tell. It took almost an hour, but Silias had patiently listened to what the cloaked pony had to say, and he had yet to give his answer to the pony’s offered proposal.

“How do I know you’re not lying to me,” Silias whispered coldly, scraping his razor sharp talons along the armrest of his throne leaving deep scratches in the stone. “Perhaps this plan you’ve offered to me for taking over Equestria is nothing more then a ruse, hoping to lead me and my army into a trap to be slaughtered!” Silias hissed venomously. “How can you prove to me your intent to deliver Canterlot, the princesses and all of Equestria to me is sincere?”

The cloaked pony moved slowly making sure their movements wouldn’t be perceived as threatening as they pulled their saddlebags off of their back and slid it along the floor to rest at the base of Silias’s throne. The king licked his beak and greed shone through his eyes as he riffled through the saddlebags. They contained all the strategic maps and documents detailing Canterlot’s, military strengths and defenses, it was all the information he would need to conquer Equestria.

It would take some time before he raised enough of his military strength in order to take Cantrlot, and with Equestria’s capital city in his grasp the rest of Equestria was as good as his. A cold smile formed on his beak and he looked up to the cloaked pony patiently, silently standing there observing him. No doubt they were expecting some kind of reward for their treason in selling out Equestria.

“And what do you want from this, stranger? What price is worth you betraying your country?”

The cloaked pony was silent for several long moments and they eventually rolled several thick scrolls of parchment across the ground to his throne. “Kill them all.”

Silias opened one of the scrolls, it contained the names, addresses and descriptions of dozens of noble ponies living in Canterlot. He estimated all three scrolls combined would have around two hundred names in total. He gave a single nod at the cloaked figure’s request. “Done.”