A life stolen for a war unclaimed

"For we are ma-"Damocles was cut off as he heard a familiar voice from behind him.

"Rowan? Rowan is that really you?" Damocles Turned Slowly to see something akin to a portal and walking through the portal was a young girl with platinum blonde hair and blue eyes with fair skin. "B-bubba? your a pony... just like we said you would be...Mary get over here it's... That's bubba I know it is." The young girl started to cry hysterically as she charged and hugged Damocles tight. The entire stadium was staring at the spectacle in confusion at what the hairless ape was doing.

"Darling? is that you?" a second voice said as the source stepped through it. A brunette with long hair to the middle of her back wearing a red poloshirt and some torn jeans looked at what the young girl was hugging and crying. Damocles put his hooves around the image. "I thought I would never see you again. Your phone it got destroyed your room was a mess and there burn marks everywhere... we thought." Soon the girl had come to share in the hug.

"Its me girls... Sis you doing good in school?" The girl nodded happily as she cried harder.

"I knew you would've been upset if i didn't do good." she managed through her tears.

"Maria.. you waited to see if I came back didn't you." The statement made the older one just kept crying nodding her head only shortly barely managing a nod, before hitting him with the base of her fist against his shoulders and wings.

"Thats right you fucking dumb ass! Carajo! never do that me again!" She sobbed heavily as she cried out hitting him. Damocles began to cry at that point believing it was too good to be true. Luna was watching intensely with worry as Blue Blood picked up a sword and limped over slowly the pain from the attacks on the mind echoed into reality.

"Heh I'm so happy... Say sis when do you graduate? April 21st right?" His sister nodded her head.

"You still have your memory it seems... all of this though... will have to get used to though. Did you bang Luna or Celestia yet like you wanted?" She tried to laugh despite crying still. Damocles's smile faltered a moment twitching ever so slightly before he nodded his head. The crowd watched in silence at the scene as Blue Blood inched closer while the awaited reunion continued. Blue Bloods magic was Reaching its limits as he took the hilt into his mouth before it faded out.

"Yeah I did.... I'm gonna miss you both. Promise me something the both of you. Remember what I said before, Dying, is easy all too easy when people really think about it but to live? That's so incredibly hard." Damocles voice was breaking as he spoke the tears choking him. "So I'm going to ask you both the hardest thing for you to do for me. Be sure to live on without me." Damocles whispered as he smiled the tears flowing like a river as they mixed with blood from injuries to his head from before. Both of them simply uttered a small sound of confusion. Before suddenly he moved his wings them sharpening to the point where one could hear the air being cut. Closing his eyes as their blood painted his wings a scarlet crimson.

Gasps of horrors and silent screams filled the stadium as the image of the severed heads flew dissipating into mist Luna and Celestia's Eyes both widened as they witnessed the atrocity performed. Fluttershy fainted the same time with Rarity. Damocles, softly flicking his wings from the illusion of the blood, slowly turned to face Blue Blood before opening his right eye alone. It shone like a beacon revealing a darkness long since locked away within him. The eyes in the sword slowly opened each scrambling to lock onto the source that helped awakened it before it screamed for the target of its user's rage blood, only heard by Damocles. The eyes making Blue Blood freeze into place as he became paralyzed.

"Blue BloOD YOU BASTARD!" Instantly Damocles Charged him head butting him into his chin before slamming him against the wall his wings impaling him at the fore hooves. The sword stabbing Damocles in the shoulder but not doing anymore than that. "I should Kill you for that..." Blue blood screamed in pain as Damocles wiggled his wings a bit baring his fangs as a hunger began to take hold of him before he bit down on nothing and pulled his wings out. "Yield Blue Blood, I don't want to bear the thought of this fight anymore..." The swords eyes began to close one by one. "I am tired and Don't want to fight... So please... just accept the defeat..." Damocles's voice was growing softer "After all you got what you wanted... the world will see me as a monster for that." He began to walk away towards the sword.

Blue Blood winced in pain as he signaled he was surrendering. Damocles collected the sword putting it onto his back as a tendril attached itself around his torso before flying and leaving the stadium. Troubled Mind and Blue Blood were collected by the medical teams. The crowd began to roar with an outrage as the night guard mobilized to follow and possibly subdue Damocles. Celestia began to explain to the crowd with the help of Luna to let them know what those two beings that Damocles 'The Monster' had slain explaining that he had figured out what they were as well as to allow Blue Blood time to recover and have him apologize to the promised Mares for each event and insult. After The Diarchs The elements and Discord chased after the injured Damocles . The Wonderbolts and others of the night guards were busy collecting their winnings while paying those that won it back. Shining Armor was even seen giving a bag of bits to Princes Twilight. The Day Guard was clearing out the arena.

A few moments later at the gravesite dedicated to Damocles

The sword laid on the ground completely as a sobbing Damocles laid between the graves head stones that had nothing written in them yet. His wings spread across them. Discord was first to find him and let the others know where he was this area supposed to be a surprise for him. Luna was among the first of the group to get there as she walked to Damocles silently and merely put a wing around him. They had all Seen the spell Troubled Mind used to cause that. Twilight herself knew all too well the effects of it from her run in with Sombra but this was more advanced and far more twisted. The spell itself created a physical manifestation out his memories of that which he desired most that was considered lost. Those beings they saw were a false Image of Damocles's love and family from where he had once lived. Knowing this, Damocles had, in everyone else mind that didn't understand the spell, murdered them. He could've let the spell go on and lose himself in the delusion of it, but he didn't. Damocles soon fell silent as he fell asleep exhausted from the fight and the emotional Trauma. Twilight and Celestia looked over at the sword that was brought forth from the nightmare when they were in the mindscape caused by the one known as Nemesis who had interrupted the fight. Twilight began to walk forward to it before she bumped into a magical force field.

"Don't go near it. Only he can touch it." Luna spoke softly as she ran her hoof along the Thestrals mane. Midnight walked up from the other entry point with Dusk Blade, The zodiac of Aries and Zodiac of Scorpio, accompanied by Virulent, Satin, Eclipse, and Veil all of them eyeing the bleeding pony in Luna's hooves and wings and then to the Sword that laid on the ground completely. "It's a living weapon, not unlike the elements of harmony but based on the premises of destruction. It will devour what it's master will allow it to make itself stronger and stronger yet. Born out of despair and a need to survive, it will do whatever it takes to ensure it and its master will survive. Bound by the yellow eyes they share the name he gave it is Ouroboros. Can someone go and collect Nurse Tender Heart?" Luna's horn began to glow as her magic ignited and cascaded over Damocles his crying beginning to cease.

"Luna, that sword," Celestia began never finishing the sentence as Luna looked up with eyes that showed pain.

"I am aware sister, He is not the one to save us. He is the one you saw who will attempt to destroy us." Luna said solemnly. "I've known since before the match started. He allowed me to learn everything of himself."

"Then how is he not using that sword to take on the Elements of Harmony and you both? I mean I could make it poof away." Discord making a mini Damocles marionette that had boxing gloves on move like it was fighting.

"It's the other part of what I saw, Discord. He is the one who will destroy us because of his darkness. But he is a Light who steals the darkness of others. It will be only when his burden becomes too much that he will lose himself. For now he will be a Darkness that shines in light, he will use what we see as a taboo to protect what he recognizes as pure." Celestia stated. "And we may have you hide it in case of an emergency."

"Greed, Betrayal, Pain, Deception, Hate, Abyss. Those are the things that his kind are known for. Despite being capable of the opposite, the elements of harmony, the concepts of them are foreign, to him. He needs friends but he needs to learn to view them as friends. Or else he will lose himself." Twilight rationalized from what she learned with him prior.

"Wait so we can't just friendship blast him and call it a done deal like with Tirek?" Rainbow asked confused.

"I for one certainly, wouldn't be comfortable for it. I mean, yes he does display some rather..." Rarity shuddered for a moment as she paued "Gruesome traits but considering what the princesses have told us of his past one can hardly blame him. He was just doing society raised him to be like. No matter how savage it is, despite that though he still shows traits worthy of a true Gentlecolt." Rarity commented.

"It would make sense how he is so skilled at adaption and improvisational combat then." Dusk Blade added.

"Right? You could've sworn he was making me dance when we were doing CQC?" Veil shook her head. This brought forth other mutters of agreement.

"So its official then, in order to beat this villain we have to have him realize friendship before he becomes a villain. But, just so I know what we are working with what is expected if we fail?" Starlight asked calmly as she watch the Thestral in question. Luna and Celestia looked at each other for a moment before nodding.

"Tirek and Sombra super fusion with a little Nightmare Moon." They both stated in perfect time. Eclipse had left to go and bring Nurse Heart Breaker. Luna had used her magic to control the earth beneath the sword to lift it as she put Damocles on her back and they walked.

"The hardest part for this however? Will be making him believe you want his friendship,due to him used to having friends and Family. Ones he trusted with his life but they betrayed him on the deepest level ending their friendship with him and his connections with everyone else. So I beg this of you all." Luna paused to look at the group of friends and the remaining guards. "Please save him. Like you saved Discord and myself. Save him from himself. " Luna said softly as she was escorted by the Guards to medical wing where they ran into his Nurse and Eclipse.

***** 4 Hours Later In The Medical Ward ****

Blue Blood laid in the medical bed awake and looking towards the left where his partner, Troubled mind laid asleep still. Turning his head to the right he eyes the seemingly uninjured Damocles who began waking up. He watched as Damocles looked around before spying the Griffons walking in with escort of 2 Night guards.

"So the Prodigy of Darkness awakens, Oh and look who hes sharing a room with. The same one who offended his mate and all those mares." One of the Night Guards Stated. Blue Blood only huffed before turning over on his side. Damocles looked and saw that, yes Blue Blood was laying on the bed next to him.

"... Sorry... I lost control and was too brutal. I had to do something that not even my nightmares would allow me to escape from." He stated softly to no one in particular as his gaze went from Blue Blood to the ceiling.

"Heh you were wrong Belladonna he shouldn't have been a Minotaur he should've been a griffon. Mr. Damocles You won the fight, although the amount of restraint you showed after that gruesome image. I am sure the leaders of Griffonia would love to meet you. Allow me to introduce myself since we didn't really get a chance to. I am Baron Rio De Janairo. But please call me Rio, this is my Daughter and assistant Belladonna." he gestured to her who gave a glare and half-heart attempt at a wave.

"Hello again, Oh did you guys like the Sausage? Or do you prefer fish Personally I love steak but pork is good to." Damocles said after putting the water down smiling at them as if he didn't just almost kill someone followed by crying his eyes out. The two just looked at him like he was crazy.

"You actually eat meat? and what is steak?" Belladonna asked confused.

"Oh right that makes sense you wouldn't know about steak. The cows here are sentient to the point where we can talk. And yes I do indeed eat meat. The flavors combinations are great when prepared properly with certain other items." Damocles' stomach growled loudly at the mention of food. This caused the night guards to laugh which was joined by Rio. Blue Blood just growled in anger.

"HOW DARE YOU! What kind of being are you who jokes about eating meat, let alone Cows, while they are not ponies they are still citizens under my Aunts reign." Blue Blood said sitting up followed by a heavy wince and the sucking in of air through his teeth.

"Blue Blood, I'm not from Equestria where I am from Cows aren't citizens they are domesticated animals that we have found good for eating since they cannot communicate or voice any kind of opinion infact all they do is eat grass, poop and sleep and occasionally procreate. I am sorry if that offends you. Also I would like to... Apologize." Damocles said his voice reserved but not monotonous.

"Apologize for what exactly." Blue Blood eyed at the Thestral warily.

"For the fight. I was being immature, I am also sorry I scared you..." Damocles hung his head. "I have always been defensive and I actually never heard anything decent to good about you until after the declaration. I wish to have gotten to know you better because while you may be snobbish, you do present more.. Chivalrous features when you go to be diplomatic and you are apparently well respected enough in the Guard to actually matter here. I just thought you were an entitled jerk. I still want you to apologize to every Mare you insulted or hurt but I do want to make amends." He finished. Blue Blood sat confused looking at them.

"Well, I suppose I did deserve it. After all I did intend to end you in your mindscape if possible from before. But what was that thing that stabbed you in your heart?" He asked his eyes narrowing, hesitant of any traps.

"She... I guess you could say is a type of ancient curse or a blessing. Depends on how you look at it really." Damocles stated in a manner that meant it was not something he cared about.

"Wait, She said her name is Nemesis and is the reason you live. What is she like your mother?" Belladonna chimed in. This caused Damocles to laugh loudly enough to wake up Troubled Mind.

"DO. YOU. MIND?! SOME OF US ARE ACTUALLY SEVERELY INJURED AND TRYING TO GET SOME SLEEP!" He yelled before turning his back to get some rest.

"Sorry," Damocles said to him. "Anyways, that is not my mother nor is she the origin of my unique capabilities. Judging by how you 2 came without the zodiac or the princesses it means that they don't know I'm awake and you want to know what you can as Intel in case they try to hide anything from you." Baron laughed softly at his statement.

"That is exactly right boy. So we shall take our leave and let you rest. I'll have one of our escorts inform your princesses. Before I leave though, Good fight. When we get you to Griffonia I know a plethora of Griffons who would be itching to fight you." Rio Stated as he began to walk away. Belladonna followed behind before stopping at the door.

"I'll be the first among them Damocles. I promise you that." Damocles smiled at her challenge with a fanged grin.

"I'll keep you to that, Lets make it a date then. Say dinner at your place afterwards?" he laughed as she rolled her eyes before walking out the Night Guards closing the door. Blue Blood looked at Damocles with a raised eyebrow.

"Do you have a thing for Griffons?" His voice continued to question the sanity of what just unfolded before him.

"Honestly?" This elicited a nod from his unicorn counterpart. "I wouldn't care what species or race. So long as she is brilliant, capable, independent, and has a good figure. For instance, I wouldn't mind taking some of the mares that work here in the castle on a date."

"Yes and you still owe me lunch when we arrive in Ponyville." A females Voice stated matter-of-factually. "Which because of the amount of trouble you caused it won't be till tomorrow."

"Sorry, Nurse. Anyways whats the damage?" Damocles said excitingly.

"Lets see you had 3rd degree burned skin on your fore hooves, not to mention a bunch of muscle you shredded, a severe stab to your left should socket, and on top of all that you had a heart attack at the end of everything. A bad one. That I've never seen anyone live from." Annoyance filled her voice like how air fills a room.

"Had.. meaning I was reset wasn't I."

"A heart attack I've never seen anyone live from. Seriously how high are your stress levels? You need some serious time to get laid." She said annoyed this drew heavy blushes from both stallions in the room making them glow in the cheeks

"Well, New body technically. So how old is this body?"

"Roughly 26? Give or take a few years? We don't have much to go on most of the night guards are either just turned 20 and joined or are 35 and up."

"That long then."

"Excuse me. New body? What are you a changeling." Blue Blood questioned confused, more annoyed by the fact that he didn't even know what he was facing.

"Buddy I wish. No, you would have to talk to your aunts about that."

"Hes from another world, was biped." Tender Heart stated as she looked over the screens for the vitals and started turning them off and removing the IV drip that was in Blue Blood.

"Another world...Huh... well then. Are the rest barbarians like yourself?"

"Worst than."Damocles stated nonchalantly as he laid on his stomach. "Whens lunch nurse?"

"When Celestia and Luna decide it is for you. You are going to have a lot of questions. Also Blue Blood you are free to go most of the damage was placebo from your mind the only severe ones where the ones on your fore limbs and those are healing nicely just come back here every time after you shower for your bandages to be changed. Or don't, doesn't matter to me. Damocles lets go." She stated using her magic to yank Damocles out of bed and following her by the ear. Blue Blood got up deciding to follow wincing occasionally trying not to put too much strain on his forelimbs. He got to a wheelchair and used his magic to propel himself forward trailing behind the two.

"Are you mad because I flirted with her?" Damocles asked as she pulled on his ear harder making him give an audible grunt of pain. "Keep doing that and I'll end up with you ripping my ear off." She let go of the ear before giving him a glowering gaze.

"You didn't flirt with her you simply teased her."

"Ok so you understand that, then why are you mad at me?"

"Because you teased Her." Tender Heart's voice was laced with poison as if she just saw someone kicked an innocent puppy and wanted to show them how it felt if their puppy got kicked.

"Nurse Tender Heart are you.. Jealous?" Damocles teased her, as he began to stress his words in a certain way that it seemed almost hypnotic and seductive the type of voice that just sends jolts of electricity down ones spine. "Oh I understand now you were hoping to have a 'special' relationship with your patient didn't you one that meant no one else interfering just you and me didn't you." He grinned at her as she blushed turning around to face him. If looks could kill Nightmare Moon and Chrysalis would need to carry a mirror for this gorgon.

"That's better." she said a coy smile spreading across her features before continuing. Blue Blood looked shocked at the conversation as Damocles smiled and winked at him.

"So Blue Blood. Why are you following us?" Damocles couldn't help but ask.

"I honestly don't know, Half of my mind says to go see my Aunts, the other Half says to observe what makes you tick." He said calmly. "Also, would you like to assist me during this years mock war campaign against the griffons and Crystal ponies?"

"I would love to, under one condition. You give me free reign for me and my squad to do what we want."

"No. I will let you handle whatever Operations you go to do but absolutely not no free reign."

"I'll take it." Damocles began smiling when a thought occurred to him. "Say, Blue Blood. your better with offensive Style tactics and spells right?" Blue Blood gave a nod as Damocles got behind Him and began to push his wheel chair for him. "Tell me why didn't you display most of them? You were near totally defensive." Blue Blood looked up at the Thestral with a look of annoyance.

"I wanted to see what you were capable of. I heard you passed the Initiation test for the Royal Guards. You must have gotten lucky is what I initially thought. Now after having fought I see you have potential but you fight... Differently than most ponies." He whipped his mane so it fell into place near perfectly.

"Ok then Adonis. Say, do you wanna go get a drink and play some cards later?" Damocles smiled at the stallion.

"You're incorrigible. You handicap me and now you want me to come and 'play cards'? You know WHAT!?" he was quickly getting angered before sighing deeply. "Fine, whatever. Couldn't be worse than if I tried to fight you again. I was to understand you were holding back as well, and you understand Honor to some degree."

"Honor is something I value. Also I am sorry for the insults I said to you and about you. I didn't know you were that important to the Equestrian Government. I've only heard about your.... Less than honorable interactions with Ponies."

"But of course that is quite common and there is nothing one can do about it. The bad about a person will travel at speeds incomparable than the good. Everyone has their own viewpoints on this and some choose not to care while others take great care to not allow anything bad to spread. I've come to learn that there are multiple sides of every interaction. While yes I do let my pride get ahead of me most of the time and I do need to work on it, More often when I'm not busy for my job diplomatically or testing tactics and running drills with the Royal guards Dawn Guard I am running over my head the list of things I need to do. Which unfortunately most of the time runs over for courting and such."

"Almost sounds like an excuse but you are right. Arrogance is Earned, and something I've learned from before, Everybody Lies." Damocles commented as they followed the nurse to the doors to the throne room.

"If you two are done with your Stallion bonding then be ready, You will both be infront a good amount of nobles, as this is supposed to be some kind of after party. Damocles, congrats on the win. Blue Blood..." Nurse Tender Heart stated flippantly before walking off. Blue Blood snorted in annoyance as she walked away.

"Ah so Tender Heart is on that list... Is that how she got the nickname Heart Breaker Blue Blood?" Damocles gave a coy smile at the stallion who met him with a poker face not unlike Celestia's. At this point in time Damocles chalked up the poker face to being a Royalty thing.

"I have no clue what your talking about, now I don't think it would be a good idea to keep my aunts Waiting... Also Damocles I want you to understand something. We are not friends. We are nothing more than Rivals at this point, But as I'm sure you know this saying, Keep your friends close and your Enemies closer. I will defeat you."

"Uh-huh sure. To go back to what I was going to say before, I am legion, For we-"

"Are a pain in my flank. Now move Stallion! The door must be opened so we can greet our guests with Dignity!" Blue Blood decreed. Damocles thinned his lips before turning around and bucking the wheel chair towards the door to make Blue Blood and the Chair hit the door only to bounce back with a very audible thud.

"Whoops. My bad."