Lunar Spartan

Bu-bump.

Aniketos violently coughed, gasping for air as he attempted to sit up from whatever he was lying on, most likely the bed. He gripped his chest where his heart was, yelling out in rage as he rolled off the mattress. Finally being able to open his eyes, he found himself back in Luna’s room which was surrounded by her magical aurora. Everything about him, his voice was dry like he had not used it for a long time, his legs numb, and his arms barley able to move. He used one arm, pulling him across the floor to reach the door in front of him. Why was he so weak? The only thing he remembered was being surrounded by much ponies before losing consciousness, and since he is still here, it means he did not go to Elysium just yet. But how long was he asleep?

Halfway to the door, which had opened, he ceased his movement as he watched Luna walk in. Suddenly she was wide-eyed and moved near him. “Ani! What are you doing!?” She yelled, using her magic to lift him back to her bed. She quickly brought some water in a bottle and slowly let him drink, knowing he hadn’t woken up till now. “I understand Spartans do not rest, but please rest.” She placed the bottle back onto the counter. “You were struck where your heart was, you can’t strain it so much now that you have awoken.”

Aniketos coughed more before he felt well enough to speak. He didn’t just yet, instead he raised his arm and with his hand brushed away a tear that was forming. It was another thing he had picked up in this world, and it was ponies cry a lot when things like this occur. No matter how strong-willed the pony was, their acceptance in letting their full emotions bloom was something he would not understand yet. He placed his hand on her cheek, feeling her lean onto it. “Tears are no longer needed, my princess,” he spoke, his voice still a bit raspy.

“I thought I had lost you when my sister fired that bolt. There was so much blood coming from your mouth that the doctor couldn’t figure out what was wrong until he placed his hoof on the burn mark and found out it was your heart that was struck. It took forty ponies and I myself to be able to heal you from death,” Luna explained.

“That is a great amount of magic I assume.” He dropped his arm back onto the bed. “How long have I been asleep?”

Luna hopped onto the other side of the bed, lying on her stomach. “Three months… You were incapacitated for three months. I feared you weren’t going to wake up again for your dreams were locked from being entered.”

He sighed. “What has happened in the months I was not responsive? Three months is long to be asleep for.”

“Your home and farm is being taken care of by your neighbors, first off. Their little filly made a ‘get-well card’ for you,” she pointed a hoof towards the counter, showing a drawing of both him and the filly standing together.

“I suppose this is one of your ways to assure that ponies care for you?” He asked, receiving a nod in return. “Aye then, I will thank her when I return home. Is there any more news?” This is where Luna was hesitant, knowing the rest of what he missed wasn’t good. “Come now, you can speak with no consequence if you are worried for my reaction.”

“It is about Sombra...” She started.

“That inconceivable tyrant… He will be slain for what he has done!” He yelled, followed by him coughing.

“Please remain calm Ani, you cannot overexert yourself just yet,” she said. Once he was relaxed enough she continued. “He has sent troops over seas, taking and annexing the Griffish Isles which is east of Equestria.”

“Annex? He took land?”

She nodded. “There was a high population of ponies there along with the griffons and he felt that it deserved to be under rule by a stallion than a griffon. Him in doing so had caused an explosion of international situations that kept everypony on their hooves and soon the Griffon Kingdom had declared war on the Crystal Empire when crystal hooves landed on their shores.”

“He is going insane. This may as well bring us into the fight against the Griffons,” said Aniketos.

“We would have if we didn’t make a non-aggressive treaty prior to Sombra’s invasion. As Equestria starts to rebuild relations, another problem comes forth to destroy it,” Luna spoke with uncertainty about what has conspired. The months that have gone by has put much stress on all of the ponies watching everything unfold.

“I am surprised to hear this. Equestria having a treaty with the griffons, even after their attempted invasion.” He smirked. “Like I said many times before, you ponies are too forgiving.”

“As well as too merciful,” Luna winked.

“Fool.”

“Oh now I’m the fool? Considering after you rush head into fighting and almost got yourself killed,” she said.

“I’m a spartan Selene, born and raised to fight anything. By the gods, send me giants for I will beat them!” He spoke, and again started to cough. “Resting is not entertaining.”

“I can make it entertaining,” Luna whispered, covering her mouth with her hoof realizing what she had said.

“What did you say?” He asked. Trying to make sure he heard what was said.

“I-I-Nothing! I said nothing!”

“Lies!” He accused. “I would never expect a princess such as you to be seductive.”

She started to turn red. “Shut up!”

“Yes, yes, I’ll be silent. Wouldn’t expect you to do such moves anyway.”

Luna raised an eyebrow. “Oh really now?” Soon and without warning, Aniketos felt the princess now lie on top of him, still feeling light to him as always. She stuck out her tongue, proving to him that she can make moves if she wanted to.

The room had gotten silent, the two only staring at each other without saying any much of a word. The questions of why didn’t come with an answer, the desire to speak, joke mostly, was no longer needed. The Spartan felt her rapid heartbeat, most likely from attempting such daring move. Nervous he knew she was, his face, the scar on his eye, reflecting from her eyes of innocent blue staring into his own. Intoxicating it was, not denying the beauty she held as her own, her mane being soft to run his hand through. More of her hair fell forward as he gently pulled off her crown.

His eyes had gained back the shine she had seen months ago, her body slightly shivering from the touch of his hand running through her mane. Cold, rough, yet still soft to the touch, she nuzzled it with her nose, her lips slightly brushing against his bare skin. How would his own be? Soft? Hard? With the roughness of his beard around it, such thing would be soft, right? A rugged and stone-like warrior, being gentle like caring for a newborn in his hands. She gasped, trembled, feeling his mouth on her neck covering it with kisses and small bites. Her wings opened wide, sounds of satisfaction coming from her mouth as she felt him trailing up. Heat was felt from under her, knowing well enough what that could be. She slurred out his name, feeling his hands trailing down and making her arch her back from the sensation.

The door was being opened slowly, Astra entering. “Your highness,” she said.

Both the Spartan and the princess jumped from another voice speaking, Luna quickly moving off of him and returning back to the spot she was on. “C-come in Astra, I am here,” her voice struggled to stop trembling.

Now in the room, she saw Aniketos awake, and then Luna. However something was off about her. Her mane was undone, along with her crown not being on and her face looking flushed. “Did I interrupt something?” Astra asked.

“NO!” She cleared her throat. “I mean no, you didn’t. I was just explaining to Aniketos what he missed while he was resting.”

“Uh-huh.” Astra didn’t believe it, but to question her princess would be suicide. “Princess Celestia wishes to see you, your highness.”

Whatever Aniketos felt soon disappeared, his anger instantly spiking up. “I will be going as well.” He said, slowly rising and standing up. He was a bit wobbly, but after what was being done before the interruption helped him gain some strength back somehow. “That bitch needs to explain her decision to strike me down.” It was not like him to say such thing about a woman, mare, but this was different.

Luna moved and stood in front of him, her mane and crown back to how it was. “No you will not! You are going to stay here and rest!” She attempted to use her magic to place him back on the bed, but she was not able to do so. She watched the Spartan slowly walk towards the door, her magic bind surrounding him but still not working. “Stop resisting!”

“Do not stop me Selene! I cannot fathom that you were able to forgive her after she had stood with Sombra than her relative blood!” He opened and walked out of the door into the hallway.

“Stubborn stallion… Aniketos wait for me!” Ordered Luna, chasing behind him along with Astra following her.

Within a few minutes of walking down the hallways of the castle, Aniketos shoved the doors open to Celestia’s throne. The doors banging against the wall startled Celestia herself, as well as the guards and ponies with paperwork. “You tried to kill me!” Aniketos yelled out, walking down the red carpet.

Her guards drew their spears and slowly inched forward towards the Spartan. “Cease hostility!” One of them ordered.

Celestia stood up. “Ani I did not mean to end your life. I aimed for your arm but you moved and the bolt struck your heart instead!” She walked down from her throne. “I am truly sorry Aniketos. I do not wish for this to end our friendship. Please forgive me.”

Aniketos broke both of the guards’ spears in half, continuing forward to Celestia who remained still for whatever he may do to her. To the doors, both Luna and Astra quickly trotted towards him, attempting to stop whatever he was going to do. “Ani!” Luna yelled out, not noticing the dozens of royal guards rushing past her, tackling the Spartan down.

He roared out loudly, possibly louder than an Ursa Major, as he was held down by the dozens of guards that continued to add up. In all the commotion, two guards had brought the doctor forcefully to the Spartan while magically holding four long needles with most likely anesthesia. Aniketos pushed off another guard but another two followed back to hold him down with the doctor preparing to inject the medicine. “Now Spartan, you are going to be flying with the clouds now,” said the doctor.

“GET THE TARTARUS OFF ME!” He yelled out, not feeling the first and second injections. Soon he begun to feel odd. “YOU CAnnot keEP...me...down with your vile...liquid...” He spoke, his words starting to slur by the next two. All guards soon moved away from him, watching him stand back up and allowing the medicine to further kick in. Slowly he moved towards Celestia, the world around him starting to fade from him. He then fell forward, crawling to her this time. She saw his face of anger, his eyes of death, aimed to her before falling unconscious.

Celestia had no words to say to what was seen, soon noticing Luna and her guard Astra walking up to her. “I am okay, no need to worry,” she said.

Her sister levitated the Spartan up with her magic. “I am sorry Tia, I attempted to stop him but he was able to repel my magical hold on him.”

“That’s what I feared of hearing. He most likely grew more resistant when a large percent of magic was used to save is life,” said Celestia.

“I see.” Luna spoke. “Oh, you wished to speak with me?”

Celestia nodded. “Yes. Sombra has discovered the dark magic that was spoken about by Amore and urgently requests us there to aid him if such magic overpowers him.”

Her sister raised an eyebrow. “Is that true? Or is it another one of your tricks to only see him?”

She then raised a letter by Sombra. “This time it is true,” she said, sticking her tongue out. “Come now, we will use the flying chariot to arrive there.”

“Are we bringing Aniketos?” Astra asked, following behind the two princesses.

“That is why we are taking the chariot. Since he is now fully awake, the anesthesia will only last for the whole ride to the Empire, or sooner,” Celestia replied. “Hopefully he is calm and can forgive me by then...”

Luna doubted that he would. “And may I ask how you know such information?” She asked.

“Comparing how much a pony will stay in comatose with his own body. Those four needles were completely full, being able to knock out a total of twenty earth ponies, stallions to be exact. It is much math that I do not remember.”

“I do not wish to know even further why you were knocking out stallions.”

“It was nothing erotic if that is what you are suggesting.” Soon Celestia raised an eyebrow, noticing a small bite mark on Luna’s neck, hiding behind her fur. “But I suppose you were having some intimacy of your own.”

Luna almost tripped, quickly catching herself. “What makes you speak of such thing?” She asked.

“Oh nothing,” Celestia smirked, “Only teasing.”

The fairly lit room with a large map on the table, Sombra reviewed his own troop movement as much have now landed their hooves on Griffon soil. The decision to take the small island had to be a most brilliant choice giving him a buffer if the troops were to be pushed back. However, he had not the slightest look of satisfaction or the feeling of being triumphant. This war is unnecessary and not needed, but it wasn’t his decision. It was ‘his’ choice to commit such act in wasting pony lives just to feel like a king. ‘He’ even had the ponies full support, speaking out proper rubbish and propaganda along with the rapid growth economically and militarily in the past aiding his war in conquering the Griffons. His body under ‘his’ control, pathetic.

“You seem displeased,” ‘he’ chuckled.

“No, really!?” Sombra yelled out. “When I wanted to be king, this was never part of the deal.”

The shadowy figure of Sombra soon moved and took on his form. “You never specified exactly what you wanted to do being ruler of this Empire, so I am only taking advantage of what was never cut out.” ‘He’ looked at Sombra, seeing his partner looking angry at him “Unless you wish to cease this deal and I can just-”

“No!” Sombra yelled, calming himself after. “No, that is not necessary. I will continue to follow our deal. There is no need to cause trouble.”

“So you sending a letter to your lover about a ‘dark’ entity won’t cause us any trouble?” ‘He’ asked, seeing Sombra looking concerned. “If there is one thing I dislike, it is speaking behind my back, and you did so without realizing the consequences.”

“I...I...” Sombra was without any words, knowing what he had done being risky enough to get himself killed, but in order to save everypony, he needed to do this self-sacrifice.

“There was only one desire you wished on having and I allowed you so, and this is the repayment I receive upon such permission?” ‘He’ walked around the table. “I can forgive you, if you only allow me to have full control.”

“You are a fool if I would allow you to fully control my body. I have done enough to keep all safe from you,” said Sombra.

‘He’ smiled. “Then maybe not you...” ‘He’ inched closer to Sombra’s ear. “But some pony much more powerful than you.”

Instantly, Sombra magically brought out his rapier swinging it towards ‘Him’, but unfortunately missed. “You will not lay a single hoof on her you vile creature!” He yelled out.

“Oh? And you believe you can stop me?” ‘He’ shot a strong magical beam, knocking down Sombra. “You have grown too much and are now a threat to my plans.” With his magic, ‘He’ spawned a form that looked similar to the Spartan that was fought against months ago, the difference being of his gray skin, yellow eyes, orange cloak, and dual kopis’s. “I thank you for thrusting your blade into that creature. Seeing and feeling how strong and how much magic he held allowed me to create a new apprentice to aid me, Sotekina.”

“No. But how? You are only a shadow! You should not have such great powers now!” Sombra yelled out, seeing the purple flames from his green and red eyes.

‘He’ laughed out loudly while Sotekina stood behind silent. “Fool! No matter what, I was waiting for my own power to grow powerful enough to control you!” ‘His’ own weapon, a scythe, was magically spawned. “Once I’m finished with you, your soul with locked away in Tartarus and I will rule the world!”

Sombra clenched his jaw tight, having ready now his dual rapiers. “Not if I can stop it.”

Sotekina readied himself, but calmed from ‘His’ hoof being held up. “Your time will come my apprentice, for now, only watch.” ‘He’ soon vanished.

Immediately, Sombra blocked the immense strike from ‘Him’ with his crossing rapiers behind him, using his leg to buck back which only missed. Sombra turned around, slashing down onto the scythe while his other moved forward to thrust. ‘He’ dodged the thrust, bucking Sombra’s face and making him collapse onto the ground. There showed an opportunity, ‘Him’ swinging down his scythe towards Sombra’s chest.

Sombra quickly focused himself again, rolling to the side dodging the floor cracking strike. He gained control of his rapier and moved to the offensive, his attacking being blocked by ‘His’ quick movements. Soon he charged up and shot a powerful magical bolt towards ‘Him’, hitting the shadow and making him crash through the wall and out of the room. Without notice, Sombra managed to move out of another blade entering the fight, only cutting his cheek. Blood quickly ran down as he again dodged Sotekina’s dual blades being swung at him. His rapier managed to cut the dark Spartan, but watched his wound heal back up. Last minute he blocked both kopis’s striking down with both his rapiers, quickly being booted in the face and crashing into the table. Soon, Sotekina ceased his movement as his master returned back into the room, much in fury. ‘He’ jumped into the air, this time having a jagged sword being in his magical hold and tossing it straight towards Sombra.

Sombra quickly countered it, drawing its aerial power into his own magical hold and swinging it back up towards ‘Him’. It was dodged, the sword being stabbed onto the roof. Sombra jumped out of the way of ‘His’ devastating strike with his scythe, the ground cracking even more. Magically feeling the guards of the castle rushing towards their location, ‘He’ looked at Sotekina. “Stall them, kill them all,” ‘He’ ordered, seeing the shadow Spartan slowly nod and rush out through the hole of the room. Realizing ‘He’ was still fighting, he felt Sombra tackle ‘Him’ down through the floors of the castle, both ‘He’ and him punching each other before they crashed and separated on the ground floor inside the throne.

“Enough!” Sombra yelled out, charging up his magic for what could be his most powerful magical attack lighting the room up in green. ‘He’ did the same, countering the green with his own purple and black.

Static was shot around, the mass amount of magic shaking the ground and the city around the castle, making all the ponies turn and frightfully watch as the clouds grow dark blocking out the sun, the only source of light being bright enough coming from where the clouds were circling. In the event of it all where the chariot flew, Celestia and Luna felt the mass amount of dark magic.

“I will go evacuate the ponies! Astra come with me!” Luna spoke, jumping out of the chariot along with the bat pony.

It soon left Celestia and now the awaking Aniketos. He then felt a sting in his head, the mass amount of magic overloading his capacity. “What in Tartarus? Where am I?” He then saw Celestia. “You!” He yelled, attempting to grab her but failing as the chariot landed hard.

“Ani, remain here,” Celestia told him, quickly trotting out towards the castle.

Aniketos didn’t listen, quickly pursuing her. “If you think I will listen to you after what has been done, you are being-” His words ceased as he saw two large balls of magic coming from Sombra and what appeared to be his shadow.

“Sombra!” Celestia yelled out, attempting to assist him.

“No! Stay back! My magic is unstable.” Sombra told her. He then smiled to her. “I am sorry Celestia, I was too late.” He looked at Aniketos. “Take her somewhere safe Spartan, I do not believe she will leave on her own.”

“What is...” Aniketos spoke, confused as to what was happening, but aware of the danger. “Damn it!” He lifted Celestia onto his shoulder, turning and running back towards the chariot.

“Let me go! Let me go!” Celestia cried out. “Sombra!”

Once the two were out, he turned back to his shadow. Good bye, my love. “This is the end for you!” He yelled out, finally releasing the large amount of magic towards his foe.

“Nay, it is the end for you!” ‘He’ yelled out.

Both of their magic connected, mixing and warping before the explosion occurred soon after, sending a shock-wave shattering all the windows in both the castle and the city. Aniketos dropped Celestia onto the ground hard, almost falling himself by the force. Recollecting himself, he looked up towards the large magical beam shooting through the clouds and up to the sky. He listened to the princess cry, knowing himself well enough he wanted to leave her to die but could not for Luna’s sake.

“Shut up!” He yelled at her. “He was the source of the dark magic! And you did not sense anything of it from him!” He waited for a response, but only sobs were heard. He himself was at fault as well, himself being the only one able to sense it early on until now. However, with much tearing apart what friendship and trust he and Celestia had, she was the only one to blame.

“I’m…sorry...” She mumbled.

“Sorry? Sorry!?” Aniketos yelled out, silencing himself as he heard something quickly approaching. Turning around, he blocked Sotekina’s strike, disarming and taking one of the entity’s kopis, pushing it back after. His eyes went wide, seeing that it was himself. “What sorcery is this!?”

“It is you,” a deep voice spoke, catching the attention of both Aniketos and Celestia. Coming out from the throne was Sombra, but something was wrong about him, his horn looking different.

“Sombra...” Celestia said, looking towards his flaming eyes. “Love…?”

Laughter erupted from the stallion. “I am afraid your lover is gone.” His horn started to charge up. “And now you both will join him!” He was suddenly interrupted by a strong magical blast pushing him back into the throne.

Aniketos turned behind him, seeing Luna and Astra quickly rushing over. “No! Leave!” He yelled out, blocking the shadow Spartan’s attacks.

Seeing a dark clone of Aniketos confused Luna as she helped her sister up. “We need to leave sister.” She said, turning around with her to make way to the chariot outside which was eager to leave.

Aniketos struggled to keep up, knowing well enough that he was not fully recovered to fully fight against someone of his own. The sparks of both their blades shot out as they sparred, Sotekina having the upper-hand and making Aniketos move backwards towards the gates. Again the Spartan blocked, this time throwing a left jab to the shadow Spartan’s head.

With both Astra and a weeping Celestia in the chariot, Luna ordered the chariot to start flying away. She quickly galloped towards the two fighting spartans as their escape flew away. It was risk she knew would possibly end her life, but she would surly give it away for her sister to live another day, even after what she has done. She lowered her head as she approached the shadow Spartan, soon thrusting her horn into it and stopping after, letting it fall onto the ground along with her broken crown.

Aniketos looked at Luna, the blood of the foe he fought against running down her horn. “Remind me to be careful with that,” he said.

She was not able to comprehend why he said such thing. “I do not think this is the right time to be speaking in jest Ani!” She then saw Sombra slowly approaching. “Aniketos I know about your spartan law about not retreating but we cannot stay here any longer. This Sombra is not the same and is much more powerful with dark magic. As of right now, we are not ready.”

Aniketos tightened his grip, staring at Sombra slowly approaching with a smile that only meant death. He closed his eyes and clenched his jaw, finally nodding to the retreat he did not wish to do. With her magic, it surrounded him as she started to take flight, his eyes locked onto Sombra’s. In the outskirts of the Crystal Empire, he watched the crystals around him turn black, along with the snow beginning to fall.

His arms were crossed as he leaned his back on the wall, waiting for Luna to come out of her sister’s room. It had been only two hours after everything unfolded, knowing well enough that darkness was coming into this land. Both a blessing as he will be able to fight, but a curse to all the ponies around him that wish to be protected. The door opened, making him stand regularly watching the princess of the night walk out and close the door behind her. She looked at him, shook her head, then proceeded to walk down the hallway, he closely following. “How is she fairing?” He asked.

“Oh, you suddenly care now?” She replied.

“Not at all. She deserves everything she is receiving after her betrayal.” He looked at her. “Though I am concerned about you as you take the burden of a sad sister with no way to help.”

A sigh came out from her mouth. “I will be okay Ani. You may think I have forgiven her for what she had done to you, but I assure you that I do not. We may be sisters but it doesn’t mean we forgive about everything that happens to us and around us. Most take time...” She looked down slightly. “You may find love, but if it threatens your own family and you do nothing, as well as not trust your own blood, then there is a problem.”

I assumed again, he thought, remembering what he said to her when he was racing to face Celestia. “So from my understanding you presented her with the evidence but did not believe you?”

She nodded. “After you were saved from death, I had shown her the two corpses and instructions coming from the decapitated pony explaining what to do, the writing matching Sombra’s, but she ignored such thing.”

“Finding out he was being controlled doesn’t excuse it I’m assuming.”

“That moment showed who she would side with, whether he was controlled or not.” Luna soon stopped walking, her thoughts switching to the current events. “For once I am afraid for what is to come now that Sombra has turned evil. He has grown powerful.”

Aniketos noticed her slightly shaking, as well as tears running down her cheek. He sighed, lowering himself and bringing Luna into a hug. “I will allow you to cry on my shoulder, so whatever is built up inside of you, you may let it out,” he said, soon listening to her emotions fully coming out from her, sniffling and hiccuping while he rubbed his hand down her mane. Compassion was not something he would allow himself to give to others, but for Luna’s sake, it was something she needed most for he knew he was the only one she is able to fully trust of what is happening.

And during it all, his mind continued to play the beat of war drums.