A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Down in the bowels of the Everfree Castle, Luna sat her desk, quill scribbling frantically over parchment. ‘If thine night is not suitable for my subjects I must do all that is in my power make it so.’ A knock at the door interrupted the sound of quill on paper. “Enter,” Luna said without glancing up.

Celestia opened the door, a worried look on her face, “Sister this is the fifth night that thou has retreated to thine chamber, bathing in candle light instead of the moon’s glow. What is it that ails you?”

“That our subjects still fear and shun the night. That it is a time of danger, and that creatures from ages past make it their home instead of our kin. That is what ails us sister,” Luna said, her voice cold, her gaze not once straying from her parchment.

“Then, pray tell, what does retreating under the earth accomplish?” Celestia asked.

Luna got up, placed the quill back in its ink pot, and rolled up the parchment with her magic, “It has given us time to prepare. Now I and our guard shall strike back against those foul beasts which make out beautiful and glorious night vile and repulsive those we care for.”

Celestia stood there for a moment, “As thou wish, dear sister,” she walked up to Luna and gave her a hug. “Stay safe, and may the stars give thou strength.”

“Yes, I’m certain they will,” Luna did not return the hug, and simply left, her scroll floating behind her.

***

“Are thine troops ready, my captains?” Luna asked her five captains, all standing at attention in line.

“Yes my liege, our twenty strongest fighters are assembled and waiting for thine orders,” the captain in the center replied.

Luna nodded, “Good. Tonight we shall clear the Everfree of any and all enemies to pony-kind. Here are thine orders,” Luna floated out five scrolls, depositing them in her captain’s mouths. “You shall meet back with me at moon set. May the night vale you,” her captains all gave her a quick bow and filed out of the war room. Once gone, Luna went about changing into her own armor. It had been forged for her from a fallen star by her Equestrian’s most talented artisan blacksmith. It was both beautiful and strong proving, time and time again, to be all but indestructible.

Luna trotted over to her mirror, making sure that all of the pieces were properly connected. She gave herself a once over and nodded. Finally Luna tapped each of the mirrors four corners. In an instant the mirror’s reflective surface vanished, exposing a hole carefully hidden behind her mirror. In it stood a sword which glowed like the moon in the sky above.

“I swear by the moon and the stars that I will not rest until our subjects love the night forever more,” Luna whispered to the sword. And with that she trotted out to face pony-kinds greatest enemies.

***

On most nights the Everfree Forest was a peaceful place, but tonight it was filled with the screeches and shouts of combat. Monsters of all kinds fell to the onslaught unleashed by the night guard. They fought with fangs, claws, and magic, but the ponies had their weapons and their armor to guard them. The guard did lose lives, but for each life lost they took a hundred of the creatures. To speak nothing of Luna, whom nothing could harm, and would simply be cut down if they dared tried.

Hours into her campaign Luna was pleased with their progress. ‘If we keep this pace then all of Equestria’s beasts will be dispatched in a fortnight,’ Luna thought to herself with a small smile.

The moon had almost set signaling the end of, what Luna hoped, would the first step toward making the night more acceptable for her subjects. As she was about to fly back to the castle one of her captains landed before her, “Lady Luna we have a crises on our hooves!”

“What is it Captain Stronghoof?”

“An Ursa Major my Lady!”

Luna was stunned, “But that’s impossible, they had gone extinct in the Years of Chaos.”

“Unfortunately that has proven false, one is very much alive, and I was just able to escape with my life. More than can be said for the rest of my men,” Luna could see a look of great despair cross is face.

She thought about this grave news for a moment, “Captain, go and inform the other squads to retreat back to the castle.”

“And what of you my Lady?”

“I have a beast that is threatening the livelihood of all that cross its path to attend to. Now fly, and bring word to the others!” and with that the two went their separate ways.

***

There the Ursa Major stood among the dead ponies that had tried to vanquish the mighty beast. It roared with rage and crushed all that stood in its path.

“HALT FOUL BEAST! THINE RAIN OF DESTRUCTION IS AT ITS END!” Luna shouted, using her royal voice to get the attention of the Ursa.

The massive star bear turned and swatted at Luna, nearly hitting her. Luna strengthen her magic grip upon her sword and slashed at the paw as it passed, leaving a small wound in the Ursa’s paw. It roared in pain and tried to swat the princess down with its other paw with the same results.

Luna then flew strait at the enraged beast ready to piece its monstrous heart. The Ursa had other plans and caught Luna in between its two paws. The princess screamed, for the monster’s blood was both burning hot and icy cold, sending waves a pain down through her body.

The beast roared once more, as applied more and more pressure in an attempt to squish the princess of the night. With her sword pinned against and the beast’s strength far greater than what she could muster the princess seemed to have no options left. As the beast brought her closer and closer to its maw, ready to devour her, the Princess’s anger and frustration rose, “Thou has slain thy subjects and made a mockery of our beautiful stars with thine horrid form.” Fury consumed Luna’s thoughts, anger bubbled through her veins. Drawing upon this blind rage she unleashed a burst of magical might that forced the Ursa’s paws to part. “NOW THOU SHALL FEEL OUR FURY!”

Luna used her magic to send her flying forward like a missile. It tore its way through the Ursa’s starry coat and came out the other side, then it circled around and went sliced open another gaping wound. The beast was in a frenzy and tried its hardest to swat down the blade, but the task proved to be impossible because of Luna’s nimble magical control over the sword. Then the sword pierced the Ursa’s heart, and with one last roar the beast fell, never to rise again.

Luna stared at beast’s mutilated form, cold fury in her eyes. Then her gaze softened as she turned it to her fallen guard. “I’m sorry,” Luna murmured. With that she brought her sword back to her side, the soft glow it radiated now red with the Ursa’s blood, and flew back to her castle.

***

Picture: Commanding Officer

Artist: PhoenixSwift