The Blade of The Night

In the darkness of the night, blades clashed against blades as screams of pain and the grunting of battle filled the air. I slowly cracked my eyes opens, seeing before me a shattered castle with many forms milling about, slinging blades, arrows, and spells back and forth.

I loosed a groan,  my head fuzzy and un-comprehensive, then I turned my head to look down at myself. I was lying down on the ground, a myriad of gashes and other wounds covering my form. I also noticed multiple shards of rubble surrounded me, most likely why no-pony had spotted me yet.

I winced, letting out a sudden gasp of pain as a flash of light covered my vision, some sort of....I couldn't tell if it was a vision, or a memory came forth, my vision coming back soon after showing a few of the nearby figures coming into clarity.

One wore a blue-and black suit of armor, and wielded a large axe covered in red blood.  The other three wore golden armor, and carried a variety of weapons. One held a spear, the other a sword and shield, the final one carrying a quarter-staff with metal heads at each end.

For a few moments I wondered why they were fighting each-other, then my mind flashed again, the vision from before coming forth clearly into my mind, though still in flashes.

*Flash* Gazing at a terrifying mare in a suit of blue and black armor holding a halberd as she bellowed out a challenge.

*Flash* Stabbing a blade, *my** blade, down into a terrified face of a pony that wore Gold armor.*

*Flash* Fighting against an assault by the ponies in golden armor, right where I had woken up in fact!

*Flash* Another sight of the woman, this time seemingly earlier as she casts some kind of spell over me with a wide grin as she said, "Now, you are mine..."

*Flash* Suddenly I remember hearing her voice during each of these visions except the one where she cast the spell. Then my vision suddenly cleared with a final

*Flash*

As my vision returned once more I noticed there was only one golden-armored figure left fighting the axe-man, the one who was holding a sword and shield. But even as I saw them, the golden-armored figure swung his blade, decapitating the axe-wielder with a roar of anger. The severed head falling to the floor with a wet 'Whump'.

In response I flinched, how could I not when seeing gruesome death before me? Almost in response to my involuntary movement the swordsman looker over and spotted me. His lips curled into an angry snarl and he turned his head and roared back behind him, "I FOUND HIM! I FOUND NIGHT BLADE!"

Night Blade? Was that my name? It brought a pang of familiarity to my mind, so perhaps it was. I stood, holding up my duel blades that had appeared in my grasp as if by magic. I tried to speak to him, but he pointed his blade at me and roared out, "FLEE FOUL SPAWN OF DARKNESS! WE SHALL END YOU HERE AND NOW TO AVENGE THE FALLEN!"

With a pang I remember the pony in golden armor that one of my blades had slain during the vision- No, memories, from earlier. I knew I could do nothing to reason with him, or anyone else who would come to his call and attack me. So I had no choice, I turned and using my wings to fly away into the night sky.

I heard his cry of rage quickly fading into the distance as I flew northward with all that remained of my strength. I heard some of the golden-armored troops trying to follow me, so I kept as low as I could, weaving between what I could to try and lose them, eventually their voices faded in the distance, I had lost them.

However more of my mind became clearer and clearer to me. I remembered bits and pieces, and the more than came forth, the greater my horror. I remembered being a killer, an assassin under the orders of...yes, nightmare moon! That was the mare's name! I remembered her challenge to her sister, the war she began against her...

Then my mind fully remembered the spell she had cast on me, she had brainwashed me! But now somehow I was freed...but how, and why? I shook these thoughts out of my mind, my thoughts still too filled with self-loathing and fear of retribution to think clearly. Soon the land about me turned to snow and ice. And I felt a strange pulse of energy surround me. I landed on the ground, barely able to remain upright.

I felt a wave of great exhaustion cover me, I could hardly keep my eyes open as I stumbled forwards my eyes starting to shut, the last thing I could see with my eyes slowly closing was a tower of crystal surrounded by what looked like a town of some kind. But now..it's....so cold...so...tired...

Then, I collapsed, and knew no more.