Shattered Immortal

Pain is a wonderful thing isn't it? It lets us know that we are alive and keeps us humble, but right now pain can go take a fucking hike for all I care. With my eyes closed I could tell who was with me. Vanilla on my left and Jasmine on my right. One is my heart and the other my soul and I know without a doubt that they are worried about me.

"I might as well have a larger hospital bed commissioned since I've been in one almost the whole damn time I've been back." Two pair of eyes looked at me when I opened mine. One pair was rose colored and filled with worry and the other pair was blue and was showing mirth.

"Why must you do this to yourself? Your service to Equestria ended long ago J."

"As long as I'm alive and Equestria exists, my service to this land will never end Tia. You know that." I kissed my worried mate and looked at my other wife.

"Well?"

"You are stronger than you was as a human and faster."

"I can hear a but in there" I added.

"Its as you said. You will need time to get used to the body you now have. Your combat style needs to change and we need to work on your magic skills." Luna placed her hoof on my mouth before I could speak.

"Tia can help you with your magic and I will help you with the physical side of things. Will that suffice my love" she asked nuzzling me.

"It'll have to work I guess. Where is that Apple at? I want to know what the fuck she was thinking."

"I'll have a guard bring her. She has been staying here in the castle so she is close." I looked at Tia with a raised eyebrow.

"Two days love. That's how long you was out this time." I could hear Luna giggling behind me and looked over my shoulder at her.

"Think that's funny do ya?" She went from giggles to full blown laughing at me. When she could breath she finally told me what's so funny.

"I am sorry, my love. The guards have started a bit pool on when you would get injured and for how long since you are....shall we say injury prone" she finished snorting.

"I wouldn't say injury prone sister" Tia began. "I would say he has the propensity to charge his opponents, now how did that saying go that you like" she stopped taking a thoughtful pose. "Ah! Yes. Now I remember. Like a bull in a China shop." Both of them was laughing now.

"Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up chuckle heads. Just get Applejack in here" I grumbled out.

When the Apple clan member entered the room, I stared her down. It wasn't a moment before she dropped her gaze to the floor.

"What was you thinking about on that field and don't try that hick act on me either. I know for a fact that you are well educated. Knot used it to his advantage on so many occasions."She looked at me with a knowing grin.

"Ponies would think I'm just some type of yokle and assume I'm stupid, but when it came down to business....they would find out otherwise."

"Exactly." I responded. "Knot was a brilliant battlefield commander and on the tactical side of things, I was the only one that could match him" I paused as I remembered my old friend. Looking at the hammer on her back made me remember when I forged it.

"I can recall the day I forged this thing for him" I said encasing the weapon in my magic and bringing it to me. "I had asked what type of weapon he wanted and from the stories I had told him he decided he wanted a warhammer." Luna perked up and looked at the hammer herself.

"He never did answer me why he wanted something so heavy to use. Why did he want a hammer J?"

"Fear. Pure and simple fear. Swords, spears and magic can be blocked or misdirected, but if you have the strength and skill to wield a warhammer, you would be a terror on a battlefield. Between the weight of the hammer and the strength of its welder, a warhammer is hard to beat, but as I said, it takes considerable skill to use one correctly. " I paused as I ran a hoof over the intricate scroll work on the double sided head. (Think of Volendrung, but more elaborate.) "No one had ever seen one here and he figured it would be a psychological advantage too. Breaking armor, weapons and bones is what it does best." Glancing back at Applejack, I could see doubt in her eyes and I think Luna did as well.

"Your ancestor was one of the main reasons the kingdom exists today. You have his physical and emotional strength. If anything, Knotted would be proud that another Apple has taken Skycracker up once again and is willing to protect his home and family."

"Why did you try to keep my family out of the guard then?"

"I wanted to keep my friends family safe" I said. "To keep a family that I have considered my family safe." I looked at my wives and sighed. "Very well, Applejack. As of now, you are the Captain of the Sky Guard. Their primary purpose is the protection of the Royal family, but since that really isn't necessary, their main focus is the defence of Canterlot and the castle. The Solar and Lunar can go back to their respective missions once again. You have six months to find thirty qualified individuals to become members."

"Only thirty?"

"Yes, Applejack. Only thirty. The Sky Guard was a elite unit once and it will be again. Who do you think was its first commander?" She blanched at the implications and I started grinning. "That's right. You have some big horseshoes to fill, but you are of his bloodline and I know you can do this. Dismissed."