Lunar Spartan

Luna mumbled to herself a bit as she slowly awoke from her slumber, shuffling around the bed while yawing. She finally opened her eyes, staring up towards the ceiling and turning a bit to see that she still remained in her bed chambers after falling asleep last morning. Slowly she rose from her pillow, moving off the bed and feeling her hooves touch the floor. Automatically, her magic did her work of adjusting the moon with a steady pace that matches her sister’s while she walked into her bathroom to shower.

Turning the nobs, the cold water steadily pushed out onto her, being used to such temperature since being married with Aniketos for more than six years. That’s right, she knew, for much had gone by fast along with everything around slightly changing, otherwise staying the same as before. Her spartan continued his guarding duties of her and the castle during her night, along with Astra who had recovered from such exposure to whatever made her have such reactive state two years ago, the doctors naming it ‘War Shock’ and realizing that most guards had been having such symptoms if they had been in combat. Such discovery is currently being researched to further the understanding so there is better chances for recovery, though she knew the conflict would never leave the survivors.

Continuing with such thought as she poured the shampoo onto her, she worried about Aniketos having such thing that was worse than the others, knowing well enough through his stories of what he has gone through. However there was nothing showing of such symptoms, only the lifeless eyes and mug face he had for most of the time. His dreams did repeat everything he had fought in, especially the one where she had perished in the hooves of Sombra. She placed a hoof onto her chest, feeling the spot where she was struck before passing on and then returning. His bronze is nothing like the bronze here, she thought. Maybe ‘Spartan Bronze’ like how the griffons call their steel ‘Griffon Steel’. A soft smile formed on her lips, remembering how much his eyes lit up and a smile growing for when she had returned from wherever she had gone. Still however, no one is aware of what had happened after the Crystal Empire had vanished into nothingness. She flipped her mane back, remembering the fate of the fallen empire when she had recovered, a tragic loss that no-pony deserved to have. Even those that fought for the empire that were alive vanished as well, the dead remaining as is under the ground in rotting piles.

The turn of the nobs turned off the stream of water, followed by her drying off herself with the towel she had magically moved towards her. Returning to her room, she tossed the towel to the side and prepared to place on her royal attire. She stopped however, noticing something from the side of her eye. Turning, she jumped once seeing Aniketos standing by the door all in his armor. She quickly calmed herself, looking angry. “You know well enough I dislike your stealth when it is used to frightened me!” She yelled.

Aniketos smirked, leaning his dory and shield onto the wall before walking towards her. “Aye, but after so long I would have assumed you would be used to such silent welcoming by now.” He knelt down, removing his helmet and running a hand onto the side of her cheek, which she leaned her head on. “Your highness...”

“Ani we are alone, you do not need to address me as such.” She stared into his eyes, which had that shine she loved seeing. Adjusting her sight, she noticed the few white hairs in his dominant black hair, a reminder of something she did her best to not think of. “Where is Deimos and Selena?” She asked.

“Currently eating at the royal table. They had awoken ten minutes before you have,” said Aniketos. “I am still amazed of their birth, before being slightly doubtful that it would work.”

Luna smiled, remembering the whole ordeal of wanting to have children with him but knowing there would be no possible chance since they both were of different races. However, with much research and magic it became possible, all being pushed into a potion that they both drank before making love. As the possibility became real, it was both wonderful yet frightening as there was no way of knowing what was to happen. Hiding from the public eye, going through the ordeal of pregnancy, and soon enough giving birth to fraternal twins. Not only they were of Aniketos race, but they both had wings that had the same color as her. The similarity also came to their eyes, Deimos having teal eyes and Selena having cyan eyes. And while their son had the same hair color as Aniketos, Selena had the same dark sapphire blue hair color like her mane. Whether to consider them a new hybrid race was a discussion not yet done, as such thing did not matter for both. Still though, they were to remain secret, as like her marriage to avoid much hassles of traditions. They were able to venture around the castle, though some are off limits.

“You can say the gods of yours granted such thing after what you had done for us ponies,” she said.

“Aye, possibly.” He stood back up and placed his helmet on. “I will wait outside your bedchambers then escort you to the royal table for your dinner, or in everypony’s case, breakfast, your highness.”

Luna nodded, resuming to place on her royal attire while she watched Aniketos grab his shield and dory and walk out of the room. “Thank you, my spartan.”

Aniketos bowed before closing the door, standing idly while two of Celestia’s royal guards walked past him, him noticing more new recruits being added into her guard. It was understandable as much in the past years had perished in the war, and re-population has only just begun, leaving much of the guard for both Luna and Celestia being fresh and new while those with experience retiring, Steel Wing being one of them. At least Astra still remains, he thought, hearing the door open behind him with Luna in her attire for the night. Nodding to her, he began to walk along side her in silence, both walking past guards and others that worked in the castle.

The royal guards that stood at their posts were replaced by the lunar guards, all saluting the princess of the night as she pasted each one of them acknowledging their respect for her. He looked straight ahead, not turning attention to anything else other than keeping her safe from any danger that may come, though realistically it would not come. He again realized that peace would always be around the ponies, especially now that they have a treaty with all the known nations around the known world. Would there be another conflict? Sometimes he wishes at least a robbery would occur, but as always for years after the war, it is all peace and quiet. He can’t deny that he was bored from not fighting, both being his career and life as a Spartan, the drive to fighting being his only purpose in life. Of course he had his own farmland, which his neighbor’s child comes over every morning to assist him with the harvest, but something such as that becomes boring as well. Being the age of 38, he realized that his youth was going to slowly stop and begin to make him become old, the white hair appearing giving him a sign that even he in this new world can still age.

Both reached the doors where inside had the royal table, and where their two children were at eating their food. Aniketos opened it, allowing Luna to walk in before he closed the door. Quickly their entrance gain the attention of both Deimos and Selena, both hopping off their chairs and running towards both the princess and the Spartan. Two hugged Luna, she herself wrapping her wings around them to return such embrace before releasing them. “Did you sleep well you two?” She asked, seeing both of them nod.

“I would have slept better if Selena didn’t snore so loud,” said Deimos.

Selena punched her brother’s arm. “Liar! I don’t snore!”

Deimos flicked her forehead, making her yelp. “Do too!”

“Alright, alright you two, stop fighting,” Luna said, looking at the two.

“Sorry mother,” said Deimos.

“Sorry mother,” said Selena.

“Now,” she cleared her throat, “What did you two eat?” She asked, approaching the table with the two beside her.

The night reached its peak with Luna’s moon now on the opposite angle it rose from, now descending ever so slowly as she remained in her throne room, meditating while running through the dreams of much ponies. She kept the balance of the dream world in check, making sure all were to go well with some nightmares having to happen once in a while to keep such balance. And while she herself remained focused, another that roamed around her continued to bother her. It was the ghost she had met back when she was surrounded by snow, only this time she was more active and much more powerful magically. Again she had escaped Luna’s magical seal, making her worry that she would lose control of herself and succumb to what she does not want to be. For now there was nothing her not welcomed guest could do, knowing well enough she had no affect to her and her surroundings.

“I thought you were sealed away again,” said Luna as she walked.

The ghost chuckled. “You are growing weak, escaping is proving to be nothing more than just walking out from a front door.” It moved right in front of Luna, stopping her from walking. “Are you sure you are to leave everything the way it is?”

“Yes, it is for the best that nothing is altered.” Luna moved pasted her, but again was stopped.

“My goodness you are weak!” The ghost yelled, making Luna ready herself in a defensive stance. “You remain unappreciated and not loved while your own sister retains all of what you don’t get!”

“I do not need such trivial things, what I have now is all I need.”

“All those worship thy sister while you remain under her shadow, shunned and ignored.” It opened its wings. “And here you are, in a realm where they sleep through all of your glorious night ignoring your beautiful moon and stars.”

Luna did not say anything, not knowing how to respond to such thing. It continued to speak. “Your silence proves that I am correct!”

“It does not you demon!”

“Why must you deny what is true!? You allowed your sister to take all the credit from fighting Sombra when it was you that had fought besides those who would normally see behind in safety!”

“She did not steal such credit from me, the ponies assumed that it was only her...but she did explain that it wasn’t only her!” Luna looked to the side. “Besides, true heroes do not need such praise when the ones who gave their lives deserve more.”

“Admit it, she had stolen your glory, your valor! You had died fighting Sombra! She has not fought along side those who fought and she continues to be awarded with what you deserve the most!”

“Silence!” Luna shouted.

“No! You know it be true!” It grew larger, shadowing over Luna. “Once you accept such reality is when you will realize that she has stolen all from you!” It moved next to her, its mouth next to her ear. “You will realize that you need me to make sure that true balance is given, just allow me to run through your magic.”

‘Your highness.’

“I will not. You are what I do not wish to let loose.” Luna moved away.

‘Your highness?’

“Very well.” It readied itself. “I will take you by force!”

‘Your highness!’

Luna quickly opened her eyes, seeing that she had returned back into her throne room and seeing that her two guards were looking at her, concerned as if she was having a nightmare. “I-I am alright guards, do not fret.”

“Are you sure, your highness?” One of the guards asked.

“Yes, yes, return to your positions,” She assured them, watching the two do as she asked. Again silence took over the room, allowing her to be deep into her thoughts of what she had just experienced. Yet again she allowed such thing to occur, knowing well enough that she had to seal such evil away before it can grow powerful enough to escape. Why such curse must reside inside her was a question she was not able to answer, for such dark magic had appeared without notice. She wasn’t wrong, however. She was not able to comprehend why she had agreed to such thing, shaking her head to assure her that nothing is wrong and it should remain as it should be. As always, sitting in the throne with nothing to do. With no pony to discuss anything with…

Luna stood up from her chair, explaining to her guards that she was going for a walk. The two knew when she wanted to walk, she wanted to be alone, and so they watched her walk out from the room and the doors closing behind her. She walked through the silent hallway, occasionally getting noticed by her guards at their post as she walked past them. There was nothing to be said, only eye contact being the only thing done and nothing more. Majority were new to her anyway, getting to know them would take time of course. And eventually she would finally recognize them.

Returning to the thought at hoof, the shadow that resides in her, the words it had spoken to her that has been nothing but fact. But why does it matter? The purpose of being ruler of Equestria is to protect the ponies and others that live in it, along with defending harmony from chaos and discord that would ruin the balance. Glory, praise, recognition, all of such things did not matter to her. It shouldn’t matter to her yet she felt the strain in her chest continuing to grow much more painful to bear. She had stopped her walking, noticing wet droplets on the carpet below her, realizing that it was her that was causing such stain. “Oh?” She mumbled out, brushing the tears that would not stop raining down. She quickly moved herself from the hallways of the castle and outside towards the maze. Whenever something had troubled her, she would walk through it to clear her head and forget what was bothering her. Yet it proved to be difficult with the voice in her head telling her that she is disliked, not worthy enough, shunned.

In the center where a water fountain remained, the light from her moon and stars glistening from the flowing water, and soon reflecting her own self. She closed her eyes, calming herself and clearing her head from the bothering thoughts that were brought to her which was slowly working. Her melancholic emotion disappeared, it being replaced by such panic when seeing a reflection that was not of her own, but what appeared to be the opposite. She quickly backed from the fountain, her legs giving up on her and letting her body collapse onto the grass. She breathed quickly and felt her heart race as if it was to implode inside her, the trepidation of such reflection coming to life making her frozen.

Two minutes had past and she slowly rose from the ground, her legs still shaking slightly from what she had witnessed and again feeling the tears run down her face. She returned slowly back to the fountain and saw that her refection returned as if nothing happened, but she knew what she saw was real. From what she had saw was of Aniketos, however, lying on the ground killed with a familiar sword through his chest.