Honor Above All Else

Chapters

Me, Myself and Nightmare
Do I Feel In Charge
We Don't Go To...
Sorry About the Mess
One Hell of a Nightmare
Clawshank Redemption
Water We Waiting For
Welcome to the Jungle
Ruins, Felines, And Traps Second Floor
The Swamp is Swampy
Through the Forest and the Flames
0% Chance of Rain
The Nightmare Thickens
Welcome Home
Level Boss
Always Darkest Before...
The Dawn
Nightmares Do Come True
Idle Hands Make for Wonderful Play Things
It All Comes Crashing Down
Delicate State of Mind...
Fragile Body
A Full Moon
Battle of Ponyville II
Storm Brewing Over the Hill
Brilliancy is a Curse
Even the Best Laid Plans...
So it Begins in Fire
The Final Stand of Ponyville
Elements of Sanctuary
Rally Point
This Little Human Went to Market
Travel Montage GO!
Elements of Where Are We?
Six to Zero
Rising Action
Hell Jumpers
To Meet the End
The Nightmare Lifts
The Daybreak
New Story
Enemy of My Enemy
Night Terrors
Laying the Foundation
* I never asked for this*

Me, Myself and Nightmare

Honor Above All Else
Chapter 2
By Honored Service

"Listen, we've... I .... Whatever we are, we have been fallowing this damn river for at least six hours and we haven't found anything!" I dropped to the ground and groaned as pain ripped through my back and stomach. "And again thanks for fucking stabbing me!"

Again I'm sorry, but we should keep following the river till we find something.

"Easy for you to say, all you have to do is sit in my mind while I do all the walking. What are you bringing into this relationship Nightmare?" I stared at the water rushing by me as I waited for the Nightmare's usually snarky remark.

My hand suddenly slapped itself across my face.

"What the hell Nightmare?" I yelled grabbing my arm and holding it down.

Oh sorry, did I do that? The normally monotone voice in my head became soft and innocent sounding. And for information I can do stuff. It's just at the moment I am in a weakened state after getting shot through the head!

My hand stopped moving and I picked myself up. "Okay listen Nightmare, we need to make up. I hate you for what you did to the ponies." I swung my arms in front of me and continued moving along the river.

And I hate you because you stopped me from taking over Equestria. And you won't transfer me to an alicorn.

"We both have our differences Nightmare, but let's face it; we're going to be stuck together for a long time. So why don't we make the best of it." I stopped and turned to the river and looked at my reflection in the water. I could see the outline of myself but the water was moving too fast to see details.

Human I agree with you, for once, so let's take over the world.

I just stayed staring at the river remaining silent.

Or not. What do you have in mind human? The voice in my head became soft again.

"Well I do good things. I'm a protector. That's what I do, and that's what I plan on doing."

But being good is so... boring. Have you ever tried being bad? Not even evil, just bad.

"Nightmare I know you can't read my mind, but you can see memories right?" I turned around and continued my painful trek along the river. How far from Canterlot had I floated?

Yes I can.

"Then go through some of my memories from my old home on the other planet. See the world I came from and maybe you'll understand why I do what I do." I shrugged and shouldered my rifle only to grimace in agony as I found out another new hurt spot on my body.

Everything was silent. The only sound came from the bubbling of the river as it passed by me. I reached under my duster and pulled out my canteen and drank some water. I kneeled down and refilled it with the cool water from the river. I screwed the cap back on and put the canteen up. I struggled standing back up.

My midsection bandages were stained red already. I needed to think about getting that fixed. Even though I wasn't dead, didn't mean that wound would lead to my slow demise.

I reapplied some new bandages to my midsection throwing the bloody rags on the ground. I looked behind me and saw only rolling hills and grassy plains.

Why? The Nightmare asked. The voice was shaky and weak, like a small child who just watched their first horror movie.

"Why what?" I asked. "I can't read minds." Bam, chalk one up for me.

The fighting. The death. The wars. The evil of your home. I... I... Every day you lived with that?

"Everyday Nightmare. These ponies know almost nothing of what I went through. The horrors that my planet endures on a daily bases. That stuff happens so regularly, so often, that it's an anomaly if it doesn't happen." I stopped walking and squinted my eyes, off in the distance I could make out a series of shapes along the river.

Rape, murder, killings, and war. You were a part of that? A solider? How could you want to do that.

I resumed plodding towards the shapes, "To protect the ones I love. I fought so savagely against you because I didn't want what you saw in my memories happening here, but I failed. The changelings killed ponies and destroyed their city."

I'm sorry. The voice nearly whispered. I don't understand how something can come from a place like that and want to do good.

"Nightmare what memories did you look at?" I knew Earth was bad, but bad enough to shake up the Nightmare like this?

The war with the Combine.

"The Combine...? Oh that war... yup that was a terrible one alright. Nearly destroyed out entire species. Sounds familiar doesn't it?" I'll tell Nightmare later that one wasn't real. Right now we were making progress to changing the evil Nightmare's outlook on life.

I never thought about it from the other side's point of view. So you fight to protect the innocence the ponies have.

"Exactly." I smiled at nothing in particular.

I can respect that human, but I just don't know if I can be 'good'.

"Nightmare, if you don't mind, how did you become... what you are now?" The objects I had seen, now had the appearance of small huts on the side of the river.

Well to generalize my existence I used to be a pony a long time ago. About 4,000 years ago. I was working on a spell that would allow me to be in multiple places at once. Like split my mind into replicated bodies and allow me to be in many different spots at once.

"But something went wrong?"

Very. I ended up becoming a floating essence of matter. I was a mind without a brain or body. I ended up finding out I could travel into ponies, but only exit them if they touched something more powerful.

After about a thousand years of this I went mad and managed to work my way into a powerful unicorn and decide to take over Equestria. Then the humans stopped me and I found Princess Luna after that.

"Wait, I saw a memory from Luna when she absorbed you. She touched a spear. How the fuck does that work?"

Ah well I ditched the unicorn during the battle of Hum-Gia for a human. He actually stabbed himself once he realized what happened and died. Now what's more powerful, the dead body or the spear?

"But the spear is an inanimate object?!" I yelled out. This was making little sense.

Doesn't matter, at the time it was more powerful so I jumped into it to save myself. Then the Princess came and well you know the rest.

"So it doesn't matter if it's a powerful pony or a powerful thing?" I began hatching an idea to get the Nightmare out of me.

Yes

"Then why can’t you just jump out of me and into a powerful object?"

3 reasons. 1, there is only one object more powerful... or six.

"The Elements of Harmony?"

Yup. And I don't want to be a necklace. 2, I don't like being something that just sits there. The spear was only to stay alive. And 3, fuck you, I like being in a human mind. Your memories aren’t all happy and disgustingly sweet.

"So we're going to be like this till I die?"

My offer about leaving for an alicorn....

"Hell no!"

Then yes, I guess we are. What's that song I heard in here... Ah, you've got me under your skin?

"Shut up."

Be nice or I won't tell you what magic I can do.

"It doesn't matter, I'm not a unicorn, I don't have magic." The small group of huts had grown into what looked like a large village.

That just means I can't use your magic, sense you don't have any, but I can use my magic. Once I recover it.

"Nothing evil right?" I asked as I approached the village. The huts were constructed of grasses and sticks. Some were made of dark brown bricks and grass roofs.

Yeah sure... no evil magic.

"Nightmare."

Yes fine, I won't be evil,

"Thank you."

But I won't be good.

"Oh what the fuck, Nightmare."

Just think of me as only working to keep me/you alive. If you want to risk your life to save a pony then so be it, but I won't help until my life comes into danger.

"Okay you know what, I have a feeling that's as good as this is going to get. Why don't we finish this conversation later in private when I don't a small village of ponies and zebras looking at me."

That would probably be for the best.

“Um, Hello everypony…zebra.” I stammered out and gave a wave to the frozen crowd of ponies and zebras that inhabited the small settlement. “How is everything? I'm just a traveler looking for some directions.” I smiled right as one of my bloody rags wrapped around my midsection came lose and fell to the ground revealing my gruesome wound.

“Shit.”

Not going well?

“Nightmare, fuck off.” I said through gritted teeth and toppled over in horrible pain that tore through my stomach and midsection. Everything began to blacken as I heard a new voice next to me.

“Could this really be; my old friend has come to see me?”

Do I Feel In Charge

Honored Above All Else
Chapter 3
By Honored Service

"I think he is coming around, of this conclusion I am sound." The rhythmical voice of a familiar zebra said next to my ear. I cracked my eyes open and saw that I was laying inside a dimly lit hut.

"Zecora?" I asked. My mouth was dry and my voice was raspy. I rolled my tongue around in my mouth, it felt like scratchy sandpaper.

**********************************************

"Wait so you ended up meeting Zecora?" The white unicorn asked, cocking her head to the side.

"As it turns out, yes." Honored Service stood up and stretched his arms. "The river had actually carried me all the way into the north eastern plains of Zebraica."

“You were in Zebraica for an entire year?" Twilight Sparkle asked as she looked up from her massive piles of notes.

"Well if I could tell the story you'll find out." The human stared at her; she just looked at me while levitating a quill near her paper.

"Oh yes, please continue." She smiled and nodded at me.

"Alright, as I was saying,"

**********************************

"What, what happened?" I asked sitting up on the small bunk I was laying on.

I think you passed out.

"No shit Nightmare." I said turning to my side.

"Who are you talking to; it's just me and you." Zecora asked as she picked up a small pot and moved it to a table.

"Oh it's nothing, don't worry about it. But what happened to me?" I rubbed a hand across my stomach and felt fresh bandages around my midsection.

"You were in pain and hurt; when you collapsed into the dirt. The villagers all gathered around; and your body we bound. The doctors were able to help, and stop the damage you had been dealt."

What is this mare going on about?

“I guess I owe the doctors some thanks.” I tried to stand up, but Zecora lightly pushed me back down on the bed.

“No you must rest; this is for the best.” She lifted the small pot back to me. A light pink liquid sloshed around in the container. I raised an eyebrow at her, curious as to what she was trying to give me. Zecora opened her mouth about to respond, when she looked behind me starring in shook. I wiped my head around to see, but only saw a window covered with a dark brown curtain.

“What was it Zec-“ I looked back to the zebra to have the bowl shoved against my lips and tilted back. The pink liquid flowed across my tongue and down my throat. It tasted of strawberries…that had been left outside for weeks on end and rotted.

“BLEGH! What was that?” I gasped out as the foul tasting liquid puke left my mouth. I glared daggers at Zecora, who kept a straight face and wasn’t intimidated at all by my death stare.

That tasted terrible. So bad that even I tasted it. And I don’t even really have a tongue. Well I have yours, kind of, but really I'm just staying inside your mind like we agreed on; but you could maybe let me out and have some fun. I'm interested to see if I can do anything with my magic now that it’s been awhile. The voice was talking in rapid fire succession without stopping.

I turned my head from Zecora and whispered through my teeth, “Nightmare, shut the hell up. I would like to hear what that was.”

“That was a max heal potion; it should set your healing in motion.” Zecora smiled and dropped the bowl into a sink across the room. “I knew you wouldn’t drink it eagerly; so I told a lie meagerly. That potion would send you into a fit; since it tastes of –“

“You could have asked!” I stammered out starring at my hands. Everything around me was turning into different colors and warping back and forth. My midsection was burning up and I felt like I had fire lit in my stomach.

“Shit. If I had asked; would you have agreed fast?”

Ohhhhhh burn!

“What are you, six?” I whispered in a hushed voice.

I'm nearly 4,023, thank you very much.

“I swear to God, I will somehow get a hangover and then we’ll see who gets the last laugh.

Do it. Do it. You won’t. Do it.

“God. I hate you.”

Feeling is mutual human.

“Ah, so this is the human you spoke of Zecora. It’s good to see that he’s recovering swiftly. You gave him the medicine, correct?” A new zebra entered the room. His voice clearly marked him a male. He was nearly the same height as Zecora and had the same strip pattern, but his mane was braided into four different lengths hanging from his head and neck. His cutie mark was a series -of black lines in a crisscross pattern.

“Yes Doctor Zulu, he’s healing through and through.”

I stared in disbelief at the two zebras. Zecora was rhyming but this Doctor Zulu was not. What was up with that? Almost every fanfic showed that all zebras spoke in rhyme…you know what I can’t keep counting of fanfics to be right.

The doctor zebra trotted over and took my pulse and inspected the stitches on my midsection. Just another scar to add to my growing list of injuries, this one thanks to the Nightmare that was now living in my skull as an annoying and evil roommate.

“You seem to be healing just fine human.” He turned to leave and stopped at the door and spoke to Zecroa, “Will you please keep an eye on him? I don’t want him doing too much activities until the stitches are healed completely.”

Zecora smiled and nodded to the doctor as he opened the small door and left the hut, “You can count on me; to watch over him with glee.”

********************************************************************

“Wait, so Zecora is the only zebra that rhymes?” Rainbow Dash asked, laying upside down in her chair.

“No,” The human responded rubbing the bridge of his nose with his thumb and pointer finger, “If y’all would hush and stop interrupting me, this could go a lot faster.”

“But this is more fun, and it makes us feel more connected to your story!” Pinkie Pie said while looking off at the wall behind the group. She waved at the wall and at the nothingness near it.

“No she isn’t the only zebra that rhymes, but she is the only one that I have met, thus far, that does rhymes. She…you know what, can I just continue the story please?”

I thought ponies were smart?

“Oh shut up you, these are my good friends and technically yours too.”

But they stopped me before, so I hate them.

“Oh change the fucking record Nightmare.” Honored Service noticed the group of ponies were all watching him intensely, except for Quick Flurry who was snoring against a pillar at the corner of the group. Celestia’s horn was glowing again, and Luna gave an awkward cough and motioned with her hoof for the human to continue the story.

*************************************************************

Zecora trotted around the small hut taking a few different sized jars off the shelves and caring them over to a pot resting next to the sink. She poured the different herbs and liquids into the cauldron and began to stir the mixture with a large ladle.

“Zecora,” I asked the zebra, “Why do you speak in rhyme when the other doctor zebra didn’t?” She placed the ladle down after another stir and walked over to my bed.

“I speak in rhyme; all the time?” Zecora stared at me with a shocked look on her face. Her jaw hung low and continued to stare at me.

“Wait, you don’t realize that you ryme?” I questioned the zebra mare, but understood she was kidding as a smile spread across her face. She eventualy broke down and began chuckling to herself as she picked up the pot and held it out to me. A red liquid with flakes of green in it sloshed around in the bowl.

Just got played by a zebra, I guess this counts as a multicultural burn. I wasn’t even going to respond to the asshole in my mind.

“I rhyme in this manner; so that I become a better planner. My words must match; so my mouth is not an open hatch.” She nodded her head at me motioning at me to drink the liquid.

“You rhyme to think about what you say before you do?” I think I understood what she was saying, but it was always nice to clarify what she was saying. It was hard to understand her sometimes.

“That is correct; and to gain respect. Many zebra leaders make this choice; to gain a strong voice.” Zecora once again motioned for me to drink the red stuff in the bowl, resting in my hands.

“Is this some magical restoration potion like the one I drank in the Everfree?” I sniffed the curious concoction and enjoyed the sweet smell that wafted out of the bowl.

“It is nothing to cause you a whoop; it is just simple tomato soup.” The stripped mare smiled and reached into a box at her hooves, and pulled out a tomato hanging from its green stem. She tossed it into the air and caught in her mouth and devoured the red fruit.

I slowly took a sip from the bowl. The tomato soup poured into my mouth and flooded over my tongue and down my throat. The flavor was incredible. The soup was smooth, warm, and packed an amazing combination of tangy tomatoes and natural herbs. 10/10 Zecora.

Zecora walked over to the sink on the other side of the hut humming to herself as she worked on another potion or 5 star recipe.

“Can you taste this Nightmare?” I took another drink of the soup and placed the bowl next to me on the bed.

Oh yeah, I can totally taste it! You know with my taste buds. That I don’t have. Ass.

I rolled my eyes at the voice in my head. “Fine take control of my tongue and taste this amazingness!”

Why should I care? I lifted the bowl up and took another sip. My tongue was cold as the warm liquid washed over it. I waited for the response from the Nightmare, but nothing came.

“Yo Nightmare? You still here?” I looked up to the ceiling as if talking to something up there.

You quiet. I need silence right now.

“Did you like it? It’s okay to admit that it’s good.” I was trying my hardest not to upset the creature in my brain. So far we had made good progress to tolerating each other. But then again, we had no choice but to.

Shut up.

“Alright, no need to get all pissy.”

“But I know you liked it.” I smerkied until my arms felt cold and I found myself drinking the rest of the tomato soup as the Nightmare forced me to drink the rest of the delicious soup.

ITS SO GOOD!

I could only laugh as the Nightmare enjoyed the zebra’s cooking. It was strange, this evil creature, this plague on Equestria was really like a child. Well an evil child, but still, he had little to no knowledge on daily life. I mean who hasn’t had tomato soup at least once. And the way he was evil, was only because he had simply gone mad due to too much free time.

The Nightmare may be evil, but I think it is the type of evil that can become good.

Find that zebra mare and tell her if she doesn’t make more of the ‘tomato soup’ than I will cause destruction and pain she isn’t even capable of imagining!

“God damn it Nightmare.”

**********************************************************************

“So how’s the Nightmare now?” Short Blade asked from his cushion on the floor.

“Yeah, and how can we even trust him!” Hammer Strike stood up and narrowed his eyes at the human seated across from him. “Oh I'm not glaring at you Honored, but at the Nightmare.”

Oh I'm so scared, Honored be a dear host and remove him from the picture.

“I know this is hard for y’all to understand, but if you hold your questions till the end, I’ll answer them.” Honored Service smiled at the group of gather ponies, trying to remain happy and calm in the face of thousands of questions the group had.

“We understand silly!” The pink pony giggled. “But it’s a lots more fun to interrupt you and get reactions from you!” She fell backwards laughing and kicking her hind legs in amusement.

“Well I would like to get to the hidden treasure before sunrise.” The human crossed his arms at the ponies. They all snapped their eyes to him and closed their mouths.

“There’s hidden treasure?” Rainbow Dash exclaimed leaning in closer to the storyteller.

“Um no, but even if there was you would miss it because everypony keeps interrupting me.” Honored laughed and the ponies sighed and waited for the human to continue.

***********************************************************************
“So can I travel around town now?” I impatiently waited near the door of the hut. Zecora was still puttering around near the back of the hut trying to find her saddle bags.

“Yes you may go; but please take it slow.” Zecora called out me as I bolted from the hut ready to finally get outside and move around. My midsection was healing fast and the other parts of my body that had been hurt, mainly my arms, had completely healed other than the scares on them.

Human, if you want to see something really… good… then you should go to the middle of the most crowded place in the village. It will be funny I promise.

“How about I don’t, and instead we walk out into a large field and I show you memories of G3.5 and older ponies.” I said while walking along the dirt path leading towards the edge of the small hut. After two or three days inside that hut, I'm sure I could use a quick bath in the river about now.

What is that?

“You know, that would probably make you more evil. But can you show me whatever you were going to show me out there and away from the village?” I waved at Doctor Zulu who was trotting from another hut across the cozy little settlement. He waved back and continued on his way.

I guess, but only if you let me take control of your body for… five minutes. And before you even start complaining, I won’t do anything evil. I promise.

I contemplated the idea for a moment. This would be a good way to see if the Nightmare was changing in some way. Maybe he could become another part of me.

Or at least not such a douche all time.

“Okay Nightmare. Five minutes, but if you try anything, I’ll get myself nearly killed and then transfer you into a spoon or something.”

It’s a deal! Head out to the river and I’ll show you what I can do… in this body.

It felt good to stretch my muscles after lying down for so long. My midsection still had some tightness to it as I made a light jog to the river. My torn and dirty duster flapped behind me as I jogged. The old faded combat boots crunched through the grass and dirt as I reached the river. I stripped down to my slightly worn boxers and waded out into the cool water.

“Ah this is good.” I used my hand to scrub off the dirt and grime that had built up on my body since the final battle of Canterlot. I noticed there was still dried green goo on my side.

“Hey Nightmare look, it’s your past self.” I pointed at the caked on blood.

Yeah you killed me once. Good job, but I stabbed you. You would have bleed out.

“But I didn’t.”

It could have gotten infected.

“And it hasn’t.”

… Do you want to see the magic or what? Ass.

“Yes I would like to see what you can do. Does this count as the five minutes?” I splashed out of the water and laid on the bank of the river, letting the sun’s golden rays dry me off.

No. My five minutes begin after I show you, since you want to see it.

“Okay, fair enough. Whenever you’re ready Nightmare.”

I didn’t feel cold or anything, but something was defiantly happening. I slowly stood up and put on my pants and duster, as the air around me began to shimmer and spark. It looked like heat waves coming off the road on a scorching hot day.

Now you can’t say I don’t bring something to this relationship.

The shimmering air exploded into black and green fire. It spun around me starting at my feet and rising around me till it came to my waist. The flames licked at my duster and legs, but neither burned or got scorched by the magical firestorm. I looked around me and saw that the sand I was standing on was melting; glass was forming where the fire was starting around me feet.

“Nightmare, this… this is amazing.” I reached my hand out and let it touch the black and green inferno. The flames leapt up into my palm and rested in the center of it. I was holding this magical energy in my hand, magical energy that I had control of.

From an old memory in the back of my mind, I heard something my father had told me when I was just a kid playing with fire for the first time, “Fire is a loyal servant and a cruel master.”

The dream I had had when I was still in Saddle Company flashed across my mind, the burning city of Canterlot, with the frightening bipedal creature standing in front of the scorched city. Black green fire had covered the entire city and the creature had had flames all around him. The black green fire wasn’t from Chrysalis, but me.

And all this power belongs to you and me, human. We could be unstoppable.

“No. Nightmare, this power is incredible and I know it can benefit us, but we can’t just use it whenever we want to. We have to be careful and control it. Our entire fucking relationship is about control.”

And speaking of control… The raging wall of fire surrounding me dropped and disappeared leaving black scorch marks and glassed sand all around me. I believe I get five minutes.

“Just remember Nightmare, spoon.”

It felt like a bucket of ice cold water was pouring over me as my whole body stopped obeying my commands and the control was given over to the Nightmare. I watched as the Nightmare looked at my hands and I felt a smile spread across my face. He looked towards the village and dashed towards it.

I tried to speak but, no words came from my mouth. Oh right, the nightmare couldn’t speak I had to think speak or whatever.

“Yes you have to think to me now.” My voice was a mix of my natural voice and the monotone voice of the Nightmare’s.

What are you doing!?

“Aw you don’t trust me, human? I'm hurt.”

I swear Nightmare if this is an elaborate ruse.

“It’s not, now shut up, you're making us look insane as I talk to myself.” He turned my body towards the hut that I had been staying in. The hut that held my rifle, pistol and knife. FUCK!

The Nightmare burst through the door and pointed a finger at the startled zebra mare who was standing over a cauldron near the sink.

“Zecora! Can I have some of you amazingly delicious tomato soup?” The monotone voice yelled at her. “Please?” The Nightmare asked a little softer.

Zecora just stared at me with wide eyes and nodded slowly while reaching over and picking up a basket filled with ripe red tomatoes.

We Don't Go To...

Honored Above All Else
Chapter 4
By Honored Service

"Doctor Zulu?" I was sitting upright on a wooden table watching as the zebra doctor picked up a wooden tongue depressor and approached me. I opened my mouth and he placed the stick against my tongue.

"Yes Honored?" He asked, peering into my mouth and moving the small stick around.

"Mhhm mummhp pffthm mmm."

"I'm sorry I didn't quite understand that." He pulled the depressor out of my mouth and threw it into a trash can next to the examination table.

"How far is this village from Canterlot?" I asked the doctor as he picked up a pencil in his mouth and scratched a few notes on a clipboard lying next to me.

He placed the pencil back down and began examining the stitches on my stomach where I had been stabbed by Nightmare. "Well this village is about a day away from the Equestrian boarder. If I was to guess I'd say it's about five day journey all the way to Canterlot." He placed a hoof on the healing wound and I flinched at the touch. He nodded and added another note onto the clipboard.

"Now you're healing very quickly, but sense I know almost nothing about your species, I'll have to ask that you keep the strenuous activities to a bare minimum for the next week." I raised my hand to object but was cut off as a black hoof pushed my hand down. "That means no running, heavy lifting, and especially no fighting." He narrowed his eyes at me.

"I understand sir." I sighed and swung my legs back and forth. A week of bed rest? Chalk this up to being worse than getting stabbed, at least then I was doing something.

I say we ignore the kind doctor and go on a boredom fueled rampage through the village. It's so small it will only take a few minutes at the most.

The doctor stepped out of the room to go retrieve more tests for me. Joy.

"We both know that's not going to happen buddy."

I'm not your buddy.

"Alright fine, do you just want to be Nightmare then?" I crossed my arms and stared up at the ceiling. I seemed to always look up when talking to this damn bastard.

It sounds cooler than Honored Service. You're not a pony, so why let them name you like one?

"Actually I picked that name, a pony just happened to have reminded me of it."

**********************************************************

"I did that!" Pinkie Pie jumped out of her seat and wrapped her forelegs around the human. "So I named the mysterious creature!"

"Yes you did Pinkie, now how about letting me to so I can breathe." I gasped out, feeling my bones beginning to bend under this pony's death grip hug.

Oh is she annoying you? The Nightmare asked in his soft voice.

"A little, yes."

Then I like her!

"Fuck off."

***********************************************************

"I meant, what was your pony name 4,000 years ago? Now that we're stuck together I would prefer to not calling you Nightmare."

What was it... give me a moment, it's been ages since I thought about that old life. If I remember correctly it was something like Night Might.

"Really? What the actual fuck? So Night Might became Nightmare?"

Yeah.

"I give up." I threw my arms into the air just as Doctor Zulu came back into the room. "Hey doctor, just stretching."

Nice. I would totally believe you.

"Well I looked over some notes I took during the surgery to fix you and saw some... unexpected results."

"What do you mean?"

"It seems that comparing this new scar to your old ones, it healed at an impossibly faster rate."

"That's good, right?" I smiled an innocent smile.

"Yes it is, but I just can’t seem to figure out why. Most curious." He tapped a hoof to his chin and picked up the pencil again and scribbled a final set of notes down. "You're all set Honored, just remember, no-"

"I hear you doc, no strenuous things." I got up and walked out the door shouting my thanks to the doctor as I walked out of the medical hut and back to the hut I was staying at with Zecora, who had become the official human nurse for the time being.

Durning the last few days I had retold my story over and over again to the ponies and zebras that inhabited this village. Since this community was so close to the boarder, ponies lived here along with their zebra neighbors. Both species were equally appalled by what had happened to Canterlot bit I conveniently left out the part where I had accidentally became a host to the Nightmare. Zecora had explained that she visits her home village every so often to reapply her stores with plants only found in Zebraica.

This village of Zebrabaway, was a lot like Ponyville. Close knit community, everypony was friendly and accepting of a new creature and the food was amazing! From Zecora's tomato soup to the extreme spiced veggie platters the Nightmare and I were gorging myself out on food.

But what kept eating away at me was the fact I was getting everything for free. I had no bits on me during the final battle so I ended up days away from Canterlot with no money. Everything given to me was out of kindness and I needed some way to pay them back.

I swung open the flimsy wooden door leading into Zecora's hut and greeted the mare.

"Good morning Zecora! Is there anything I can help you with?" I gave her a large smile and folded my hands in front of me.

"Hello to you as well; no everything here is swell." She nodded her head at me and placed a large box on her back. "I have a quick stop to make; I'll be back in a shake." Zecora walked to the door and opened it, humming to herself as she left on her errand.

"What do you want to do Nightmare?"

…

"That doesn't involve killing, destruction, mayhem, chaos, disarray, or evil."

Well buzz kill, I don't know. Hangpony?

"Sure why not."

"Listen I'm telling you that destroyingly isn't a real fucking word!" I yelled at the sheet of paper in front of me, where the Nightmare had drawn the game.

And I'm telling you it is. I win, you lose.

"Fuck it, fine you win. Whatever." I got up from the chair and strapped on my chest rig and armored chest piece. I hooked on my belt and holster along with the knife. I pulled my duster on and slung the rifle over my shoulder.

If all it took was for you to lose a game to get this angry I would have done it long ago.

"Shut up, I'm going exploring, not destroyingly." I opened the door and steeped out into the early afternoon sun.

That's not a real word... oh fuck you human.

"Yeah, I thought so." I walked through the market waving at a few ponies and smiling to zebras as the paced. I sat on the edge of the well near the center of the market waiting to see if I could help anypony at all.

What are we doing here?

"I'm waiting to see if anypony needs some help.

This is stupid.

"You're stupid."

Oh nice one.

A pair of zebra mares trotted by. One with her mane braided into a long ponytail and the other with a headband on. The trotted by laughing.

"Zebar honestly thought he would get a date with me." The headband one said through a fit of giggles.

"That colt is head over hooves for you Zala." Replied braided mane zebra.

Okay that's just gossip, what else do we have here?

I scanned the area trying to pick up on anything I could assist with.

"Fruit prices went up again."

"What's wrong son? Zutch didn't hurt you did he?"

"Those huts needed more bricks."

"Damn mines are full of gems, but those pesky Diamond Dogs are back."

And we have a quest human!

I calmly walked over to where the two ponies were talking. A pastel blue colt with a purple mane and a dark brown colt with a light gray mane smiled as I approached them.

"Hi, which way is the gem mine?"

Didn't the doctor say not to do anything strenuous?

The ponies gave me directions but warned me about the diamond dogs that had been moving around that area.

"What's wrong Nightmare? Scared of a few puppies?" I jogged along the dirt road that branched off from the town and towards a series of low lying hills away from the village. I plodded along the road enjoying the feel of the wind blowing across my face. I felt something tickle my chin.

I looked down to the red feather still tucked on my duster. It was still just as perfect as the first time I saw it.

Memories of Sky flashed across my mind as I held the feather close to my chest.

************************************************************

"It took you this long to think of me?" Fast Skies wore a lock of mock shock on her face. She lightly bopped the human on the nose with a hoof. "What a jerk." She leaned forward and gave Honored a peck on the cheek before leaning back to let the human finish his story.

"See, that's how you interrupt a story." Honored said with a faint blush across his face.

"So if we interrupt you like that then it’s okay?" Pinkie Pie approached the human slowly with a sly smile on her face. Fast Skies leapt in front of the human and crouched down low, growling at the pink earth pony.

"Easy there Sky, Pinkie was just joking." Honored looked over to Pinkie Pie to confirm this.

"Riiiight. Joking." She giggled and sat back down next to Twilight who looked positively mortified at her friend's actions.

Fast Skies backed up to Honored side not breaking eye contact with the innocent pink pony. They both winked at each other before giggling.

***************************************************************

Human I would feel better if we had some light.

"Don't worry Nightmare, I got something for that." I dug around in the backpack and found a tactical flashlight that attached to the rail on the side of my rifle. I placed it on and flicked the switch. A beam of light sliced through the dark tunnel of the mine. I stood at the entrance peering down into the dark abyss of the abandoned mine.

How much ammo do you have left?

"Around ninety rounds. I would have more but, some changelings attacked."

Say it again, see if that changes anything.

"Well lets to see if we can't work this out peacefully." I took a few steps down into the mine shaft. The sound of a freight train rumbled behind me. I spun around to watch as the entrance to the mine gave way; boulders and rocks collapsed blocking off the entrance. It was the caves under Canterlot all over again.

The flash light flickered off, then on, and off. Darkness swallowed me as I backed up till my back hit the blocked off entrance. I yanked off the back pack and dug around in it searching for batteries for the flash light. My hand groped the pouch the batteries where in, but all I found was a hole with my fingers poking through it.

"Fuck."

No light?

"You're the Nightmare, can't you see in the dark?" I held the rifle in front of me, but it would no good if I couldn't even see the end of the barrel.

I can, but I need some light to reflect it. I can't see in pitch black.

"Hold on I think I have one or two flares in here somewhere... ha here it is." I pulled out the long tube and broke off the cap. I struck the end on the ground till a small spark ignited the end of the flare. A pale red light slowly grew out of the flare and casted an eerie red glow on the dark tunnel.

I turned back around coming face to chest with a fur covered body that towered over me by three feet. I looked up into the dog like face of a brown Diamond Dog. It cracked a menacing smile at me; its grin full of sharp teeth. Yellow eyes bore down at me as I backed up from the creature. It moved toward me raising its long clawed arms at me.

Still need me to tell you what's around?

"Nightmare, fuck off."

"Hello hairless pup." The deep raspy voice of the dog called out to me, before simply picking me up and carrying me under one of his massive arms down through the tunnel.

****************************************************************

"Captured by those ghastly Diamond Dogs! How absolutely dreadful." Rarity draped a foreleg across her head and fell backwards onto a perfectly placed pillow.

Drama queen. How is she your favorite?

"Piss off. It’s my opinion." Honored looked back to the ponies and shrugged his shoulders. "Actually the Diamond Dogs liked me. I was just like them. Bipedal most of the time and we both have fingers. The dog that picked me up was simply taking me down to meet the others of that pack. I was already family to them."

"How are you their family? You're a different species." Twilight Sparkle asked, holding her quill in front of a piece of parchment.

Well look at that, little miss know it all.

"Twilight, am I considered part of pony society?" She nodded her head.

"Of course!"

"And am I different species?" Honored smiled at her. She walked right into his word trap. She opened her mouth to say something; but closed it as she realized what the human meant.

"The Diamond Dogs welcomed me into their liar and treated me fairly. Now can I continue?" The human tapped a foot impatiently on the marble floor. The sun was completely set and the room was lit with the soft glow of torches. Honored yawned, soon to be followed by Fast Skies.

"Actually, maybe we can put the story on hold till tomorrow morning?" The human got up and stretched, "I'm feeling tiered, as I'm sure everypony else is." as if on cue, Quick Flurry snored loudly and jolted up in his sleep.

"What'd I miss?" Short Blade rolled his eyes and pushed the yellow Pegasus over.

Everypony was given a room to stay in, and Saddle Company returned to the barracks for the night. Honored Service began walking towards the double doors leading out of the throne room.

"Where are you going Honored?" Celestia called after me.

"We'll I don't really have anywhere to stay, so I was going to just find somewhere to sleep out there." The biped motioned with a hand towards the Royal gardens.

Celestia laughed lightly while shaking her head. “My little human, you may have an evil creature sharing your mind, but you are still Honored Service, a member of the Equestrian Honor Guard. You saved this entire city from the creature in your mind. And you think that I will let you sleep outside?” She gave a deadpan stare at the human, how stood blushing at the compliments.

“Come, I’ll show you to a room you can use.” Celestia turned and Honored followed after the princess.

You know, for the princess that forced me to stay on the moon with that socially awkward alicorn, Celestia is okay at best. And if you tell anyone that I said that, I’ll turn your brain into mush.

“No you won’t.” The human whispered to himself. “You can admit that maybe over the last year you changed from an evil dick, to just a dick.”

Mush. I swear. But the voice in the human’s mind wasn’t evil our even hate filled. It almost said it happily.

“Here is the room you can use during your time here Honored. Sleep well, I’ll send for you to join us at breakfast. I look forward to hearing about these Diamond Dogs.” Celestia bowed slightly to the human, who returned the gesture.

Honored walked into the spacious room. He removed his duster and rifle and hung them on the coat rack near the door. The wooden door slammed shut causing a loud bang to echo through the room.

The human jumped into the air spinning around to face the door. “What the hell!” What the hell!

Standing behind the door, hidden in the shadows was the outline of pony. It stepped forward into the moonlight pouring in through the window.

“Sky?” The human stood up straight and stared at the red mare who was smiling up at the biped.

This is your mate right?

“Yeah,” whispered the human.

She is nice look- I mean disgusting, how can she even think you're attractive.

The mare slowly walked towards the human. She batted her eyelashes at Honored, who backed away from her. She crouched low to the ground and shook her flank in the air and pounced across the room at the human while releasing a low growl while smiling at her prey.

Although I do like the enthusiasm.

******************************************************************

The human jumped from the doorway and into the dining room where everypony had gathered for breakfast. “I hope everypony slept well!” He shouted, giving everypony in the room a big smile before bounding over to an empty spot near the head of the table and sitting down.

A red coated pegasus mare with a bad case of bedmane lightly trotted into the room after the energetic human.

“Looks like somepony slept well.” Rainbow Dash whispered to the orange earth pony next to her.

“Sleep? You don’t have a room next to them.” Applejack retorted. Both mares laughed under their breaths at the expense of the happy couple.

“Now where was I?” The human said looking over a stack of warm, syrup soaked pancakes twenty high.

*************************************************************

“And I say, that no girlfriend, that a bitch!” A loud howling of laughter fallowed the punch line. I sat down at a rough table made of solid rock in the center of the gem mine. The Diamond Dogs had a pretty sweet set up down here in the earth. The largest of the Diamond Dogs, the brown one that carried me down here, was named Marxy. He was second in command according to the other Diamond Dogs at the table. The head honcho, the main dog, was Ruffy. He currently was out, but I would get a chance to talk to him once he got back, Marxy assured me that.

“Okay now you tell one hairless pup.” The small red brown Diamond Dog, known as Crunchy, said. All the dogs at the table leaned in with anticipation for my joke.

I know. What’s furry and reeks of piss?

Don’t know?

It’s a room filled with these disgusting creatures.

“So a pony walks into a bar looking really said. He sits at the bar and orders a drink. The bartender comes over and says, ‘Why the long face’?” I paused, waiting to see how well I did. Coming up with a joke that the Diamond Dogs would understand is kind of hard considering they wouldn’t understand half of my jokes.

Wow, that was so lame, I may kill myself.

“BWHAHA!” All the Diamond Dogs at the table collapsed backwards and began rolling around on the ground shaking in fits of laughter.

“Ponies so silly!”

“Yeah! Long Face!”

Marxy finally got up and whipped a tear from his eye. He slapped me on the back causing me to slam against the table. Right on the stab wound that was healing.

FUCK! Tell that brute to watch it! I apparently can still feel pain.

“Hairless dog, you funny. We like you.” He gave me a smile as the other Diamond Dogs got up and retook their seats around the stone table.

“Y’all aren't too bad either. But why did you move into the pony’s gem mines?” I asked, deciding now is just as a good time as ever to find out how I could resolve the problem between the ponies and Diamond Dogs.

The dogs all looked down at the table and hung their heads. A gray lanky dog named Shaky, looked over to me. “We must take pony mines. Our home was taken from us.” Somewhere across the room a Diamond Dog let out a pitiful howl. Somehow this happy room turned into a sad den.

“Who? The ponies?” I asked concerned about the dogs.

“No. Ponies nice. We tolerate. They leave us alone. We help them mine.” Marxy said as he took a sip from the stone cup in front of him. he sat it back down and wiped a furred arm across his mouth. “But now we had to take pony mines. No room in old home.”

“And why is that?” I inched closer to Marxy. I think I just found the way to repay the ponies and zebras of Zebrabaway.

“Tunnel Rats.” Chocked out Crunchy as he hiccupped into his drink.

“Tunnel Rats?” Diamond Dogs are beaten by rats?

Wow, Diamond Dogs more like Diamond Bitches. Come on; let’s go clear out their home. I'm tired of this smelly hole in the ground.

“Marxy, where is your old home? I think I may be able to help.” I shouldered my rifle and locked the charging rod back.

I followed the tall dog down a series of tunnels and ramps till we came to a massive boulder rolled in front of tunnel entrance. Marxy, and three other Diamond Dogs struggled to move the gigantic temporary door out of the way. The rock rolled away and the stale air washed over me. The group of dogs backed away at some unknown smell that wafted through the opening.

Why do we do these things? If I was in control we would kill these flea bags, and let the ponies and zebras have their mine back, and then just collapse it on them.

“And that’s why I'm in charge.” I took a step through the entrance and into the shaft leading deeper into the mine. Darkness began to swallow me up right away. I took out one of my reaming flares and struck it against the wall. This time a more pleasant green light filled the area.

Now I can see well. Give me control of one eye, and then we can… ugh… work together.

“Good idea Nightmare. See we’re making progress.”

Don’t make me regret this.

“Hairless pup wait!” Marxy called out and quickly ran up to me on all four legs. He stood up on his hind legs and pointed to the side of the tunnel. “Red stones led to this exit. Blue stones led to center of home.” Sure enough trails of red and blue stones were imbedded on the right side of the tunnel.

“Thanks Marxy, that just saved me from getting loss.” The Diamond Dog wagged his tail and ran back to the entrance. They rolled the stone back enough to leave enough room for me to get out, but rats still could fit through that.

“Well, lest go exterminate some rats!” I held the flare in one hand and the rifle in the other. I cautiously moved down the tunnel and down, following the blue trail.

Why do I feel like we just bit off more than we can chew?

“Nightmare, if we work together we can do anything. Your magic and night eye, and my dashing good looks and combat power, we’ll have this completed. I mean its rats, not monster.” I shrugged my shoulders as a massive growl shock the entire tunnel causing a few rocks to fall from the ceiling.

You just had to fucking say that.

Sorry About the Mess

Honored Above All Else
Chapter 5
By Honored Service

And this is why I'm evil. I wouldn’t find myself in this predicament if the whole town was burning to the ground.

GRRRRAAAAA!

“And again, I'm not evil! Now shut the hell up while I try to keep us alive!” I leapt over a collapsing wooden beam holding the ceiling up. I slid under the failing rocks and sprinted down the tunnel. Sorry doc, but things are getting strenuous.

GRRRRAAA!

I spun around and felt the rifle kick in my hand as I aimed one handed at the five foot tall rat chasing me through the Diamond Dog’s old home. My other hand held the slowly dying flare in front of me so I could see where I was running.

LEFT!

I swiveled the gun and fired half a clip directly into the maw of rat. Red blood gushed across my arm and over the rifle. The body of the rat stumbled forward and landed hard causing the other rat to trip over the body and fall towards me. I jammed the rifle up and fired at the same time. The barrel punched into the entrance wound from the first bullet and the second bullet blew out the back of the giant rodent’s head.

“Good looking out Nightmare.” I jerked the rifle out of the corpse of the rat. I flicked my arm downward to get some of the blood off. “That would have been pretty bad.”

I didn’t want to die. Or force myself to leave this body for one of these things.

The flare sputtered in my hand and went out. I dropped the empty tube and pulled out the last flare I had. It sparked to life as I cracked it against the ground. The red light illuminated the tunnel. I spotted the trail of blue stones and cautiously moved down the tunnel. Removing the mag from the rifle I checked the amount of bullets left. Five 5.56 in that mag, and only two other mags in my chest rig, I was running out fast.

GRRRRR-

BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG

Red hot shells dropped to floor as another overgrown rat fell in a heap at my feet. I panted heavily as I dropped that mag and loaded one of my remaining ones into the rifle.

Good shooting.

“Thanks. Good night vision.”

I aim to please.

“Let’s just get to the center of this place and remove the rats.”

And how exactly do you suppose we do that?

“We’ll cross that bridge when the time comes.”

I rounded a corner and entered a long straight tunnel that slowly widened until it open into a massive underground chamber. This must be the center of the Diamond Dog’s home. It was certainly large enough to house the entire pack I had seen, and then some.

And sitting in the very center of the cavern was the biggest and ugliest rat I had seen all day. It was at least twice the size of the brown ones running through the tunnels and was a dirty gray color. Fangs as long as my arm hung at crocked angles from its jaw. Its hairless tail swished back and forth as beady red eyes stared in my direction. A low menacing hiss sounded across the chamber.

Looks like it’s time to cross that bridge.

“Seems like it. Ideas?”

Can we run away and chalk this one up to incomplete?

“Nope, not while I'm still breathing.” The enormous rat got to its paws and moved straight at me with incredible speed for something so large.

Which may not be for long.

“Not helping!” I yelled as I sprinted to right just as the rat jumped at the spot I had been standing at. Some kind of yellow gems in ceiling were casting a dim light in the chamber. I pulled my arm back and hurled the last flare i had at the recovering rat. It struck it right in its side and set a small patch of fur on fire.

GGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRR! The rodents roar caused the entire room to shake. I cupped my hands over my ears and dropped the rifle. my ears stopped ringing and I picked up the rifle dodging another jump attack from the still smoking rat.

Good job, now it’s pissed.

“Can’t you do the fire magic or something? I could use a hand!”

Give me a moment, I'm still figuring out how to use magic in this body. Having no horn makes it a bit harder.

“Oh no, take your time. I have all the time in the world! I rolled to the side as the fleshy tail crashed down on the rocky floor, sending dust and dirt in every direction.

Yeah keep that attitude up and see how far it gets you.

I shouldered rolled again dodging another attack. I slung the rifle and wiped out Bad Bertha just as the rat brought its tall down on me.

Shink

With a sickening motion half of the rat’s tail flew off behind me as blood sprayed out from its severed appendage.

“I guess now would be a good idea to turn… tail… and run.” I laughed to myself as I sprinted back round to the side of the rodent skirting around slash from its front paw.

I have nothing to say to that.

“Shit!” I screamed jumping backwards as two jagged fangs clamped down on the air inches from my face. I sliced upwards with the knife leaving a long deep gouge carved out in the face of the rat who threw its head into the air hollered; shaking the cavern again. I noticed that the stalactites hanging from the ceiling shook with the yell.

“Ideaaa!” I sang out and ran as fast as I could from the gray furry demon. “Nightmare, can I get some of those explosives fireballs that you had with Queen Chrysalis?” I turned and looked back at the ceiling judging the distance the rat was closing in on me and time for the fall.

Now that’s something I know I can do. Here you go, just don’t use them all up, I don’t have an abundance of magic right now.

My left hand ran cold and I looked down to see an orb of green light resting in the center of my palm. “Oh hell yes.” I aimed my hand up towards the ceiling at a cluster of stalagmites hanging above the rat.

I see what you're going to do. That’s pretty sharp of you.

“Yeah, I think he’ll get the point.” I threw my hand forward and a ball of green magical energy rocketed from my hand and impacted at the base of the hanging rocks. There was an ear splitting crack, and the improvised spears hurtled towards the earth.

The giant rat looked up to late. The three rocky spears lodged themselves in the rat’s face and neck. Blood ran down the body and onto the ground as the rat gave one last low growl and collapsed in a heap of fur, rocks, and blood.

“HELL YEAH! That’s what I'm talking about!” I shouted and threw my hands into the air. A bolt of green energy smashed into the ceiling and caused rocks to come crashing down around me. I jumped left and right, avoiding the failing debris.

Smooth.

“Nightmare, I have to say, that was pretty bad ass of you.”

The voice seemed to grow smug and cocky, Well thanks. I’m happy to help. That was fun, other than for the part where we nearly died.

“Come on; let’s go let the Diamond Dogs know they can move back in… they just need to be mindful of the mess.”

**********************************************************************

The human leaned back from the table and patted his stomach. What remained of the breakfast dishes were nearly all cleared by the gathered ponies and one human. Twilight Sparkle finished another scroll and rolled it up, writing a small number on the side. 43.

“Wow Honored. It seems that trouble always finds you.” The purple unicorn said, levitating another scroll in front of her.

More like you always go to trouble.

“The Nightmare says I find trouble.” Honored smirked at the quirky nature of the voice in his mind. “And maybe he’s right.”

“So how does it work in there?” Applejack pointed a hoof at the human’s head.

“What? Oh like how do we talk to each other?” She nodded. “Well I can’t think to the Nightmare, if that makes sense. I have to speak allowed to him for him to hear me. And we both can think without each other hearing our thoughts. I only hear what he wants me too.”

And I can only see memories that I pull up, or you show me.

“And he can see memories, but only the ones I show him. he can look through them himself, but he learned that lesson the hard way. He doesn’t snoop through memories anymore.”

The voice shuddered in the humans mind, Never again. Ugh still can’t get that song out of my mind.

“This is good to know, I’ll have to go back and add more to the introduction!” Twilight Sparkle squealed in delight as she scribbled furiously on the parchment.

“Now back to the Diamond Dogs.”

******************************************************************

I traveled along the tunnels following the red stones planted along the walls. I was having a hard time seeing the gems, and the Nightmare’s night vision was nearly as bad as my regular vision in the pitch black darkness of the tunnels. After a few hours and a couple of wrong turns I came out onto the main tunnel where I could see a sliver of light at the far end of the tunnel.

As I approached the entrance, the Diamond Dogs rolled the boulder out of the way and stepped back to give me room to exit the mine.

“Pup, did you get rid of Tunnel Rats?” Marxy asked me with enthusiasm as I breathed in the fresh… well not stale air from the mines. Twenty Diamond Dogs crowding around didn’t create the freshest air source.

“Sure did Marxy. And I could have used a little warning on the size of the rats.” I said crossing my arms across my chest and starring at the brown dog. Marxy twiddled his claws together and looked down.

“But then you wouldn’t have helped Diamond Dogs.” I raised a hand to argue but lowered it. Damn. Maybe these dogs aren't as dumb as they let on.

Did we just get tricked by a pack of flea bitten, smelly, bastards?!

“Well what’s done is done Marxy. It’s alright. Now can I talk to the pack’s leader about the pony problem?”

“Of course! Ruffy just got in! I take you to him.” I followed behind the large Diamond Dog. As I passed groups of dogs, they stopped and waved to me with big tooth smiles.

“See Nightmare, they all think we’re awesome.” I said quietly to myself.

No, they think you're awesome. I'm thought to be dead right now.

“Me too. We both fell off that city together.”

But they all see you. I'm just stuck in here.

We turned down another tunnel that opened into a small cavern. An old gray dog sat by himself near the back of the underground room. That must be Ruffy.

“Nightmare, as soon as we get to Canterlot, I’ll make sure everypony knows that the super evil and extremely dangerous Nightmare, helped save my life, and patch up relationship with the ponies and Diamond Dogs of Zebraica.”

You mean it? Super evil and extremely dangerous? The voice spoke barley above a whisper in my head.

“Well if you don’t want me too…” I smiled. The Nightmare was coming around. slowly but surely there was still something of the original pony that the Nightmare had once been.

No, I do!

“Alright then, I promise Nightmare. And thanks again for the help today. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

I know you couldn’t have.

“Don’t kill the moment asshole.”

“Ruffy, this hairless pup that save home.” Marxy stepped aside so that the old dog could see me. The old graying dog Ruffy, slowly got up and walked over to me. He examined me closely with his yellow eyes. He moved around me studying everything about me. As he came around back to my front he extended his paw to me. I took it into a handshake. Or pawshake.

“Thank you creature. Your assistance is most appreciated.” Whoa, he certainly doesn’t use vocabulary like a Diamond Dog. “Now what do you want in exchange for your valuable support.”

An army of Diamond Dogs!

“The ponies and zebras need these mines back. Would you please move back into your old home?” I asked as nicely as I could, but not sounding soft. This was more of a demand than a request.

The elder dog threw his head back and gave a deep chuckle. He looked back to me and gave me a smile. “Your heart is in the right place, pup. But I cannot accept this request.”

I frowned at him.

“Because we had already made plans to move back as soon as the mess was cleaned up, I won’t accept this request because it would not repay you for your kindness.” The gray dog smiled at me again. I returned the smile.

“Thank you sir, but I don’t know what I want.” I racked my mind for possibilities but I honestly didn’t need gems for anything.

Ruffy tapped a claw to his chin. “If you will trust me, I believe I can think of something that will do a creature of your skill some good.”

“I trust you completely Ruffy.” I nodded to the elder Diamond Dog.

He moved bake to his chair and sat himself down. “Excellent! I’ll have it brought to in about three days. Marxy will show you to the exit. And Marxy, once he is shown the way out, please help Duffy, Rocky, Brody, and CoCo in cleaning out the old home.”

“Yes Ruffy. Come on pup.” I bid farewell to the wise old leader of the Diamond Dogs and followed the tall brown dog down more never ending tunnels to the exit of the gem mines.

“Thank you pup. We happy to have you anytime.” Marxy said to me once we reached the exit of the mine.

I waved good bye to the Diamond Dog and walked along the path leading to the small village. The sun was nearing the horizon and the sky was awash with brilliant violets and oranges. A few stars dotted the sky as I neared the first huts of the village. A few ponies and zebras were still trotting around, but as soon as they saw me, they sprinted towards me shouting. More and more ponies came out of their huts and grouped around me in the market area of the village.

So what do think this is all about.

“I don’t know, but I got a feeling we’re about to find out.” Zecora and Doctor Zulu came trotting up to me followed by a zebra I hadn’t seen before. She wore a funny headdress that was covered in feathers and beads. She wore a simple robe that had a large wooden staff strapped across her back.

“Where were you off to slick; you had us worried sick!” Zecora spoke sternly at me. She opened her mouth to say more, but the zebra with the headdress held up a hoof.

“Do not be angry at him; he went out on a whim.” The zebra smiled at me and motioned for me to move closer. “I am leader Zebay; and you have helped us in a great way. I have heard about the aid you gave at the mines; fighting deep in the confines. You solved the problem of mine; involving the silly canine.”

The crowd of ponies and zebras cheered once they found out the situation involving the Diamond Dogs had been resolved peacefully.

They do know that it wasn’t resolved peacefully, right? There are lots of dead rats down there.

“What they don’t know won’t hurt them Nightmare.”

You're still covered in blood.

“Minor details my boy. Minor details.” I carried myself over to Zecora’s temporary hut and collapsed onto the bed. My body ached and my midsection was burning up. The door opened and I heard hoof steps approaching the bed.

“Zecora let me sleep.”

“I'm afraid that Zecora isn’t here.’’ I rolled over to see Zulu standing next to the bed.

“Oh hey there doc.” He gave me a deadpan stare.

He doesn’t look to happy.

“I believe I said something about no strenuous activities. And fighting is under that.”

He held out a bowl of light pink liquid. The liquid puke medicine.

“No.”

“All of it Honored.”

I took the bowl and took a small sip. I nearly gagged on the taste and then remembered I still had an entire bowl to go.

“And I'm going to wait here until you finish it all.” The doctor sat down if to prove a point.

“You're enjoying this aren't you?” I took another mouthful of the damned healing potion.

“Absolutely.”

Can I kill him? Just a little, please?

“I’ll think about it.” I whispered as I took another swig of the worst thing every made. Healing potion my ass.

********************************************************************

“Was it really that bad?” Quick Flurry asked the human as the group of ponies moved back to the throne room to continue the story. The Princesses slipped off for a moment to get caught up on paperwork and to check on the royals.

“You know, I could ask Zecora to make some for you if you would like to find out.” I stared at the floating pegasus.

“No thanks, I’ll take your word on it.” Quick Flurry gave a sheepish smile.

I would have enjoyed seeing that.

*******************************************************

I sat up in bed and stretched out my arms. I yawned and scratched my back. “Morning Nightmare, have any bad dreams?”

Mostly about your face.

“Alright that was good.” I swung my legs out of the bed and got dressed in the only clothes I had with me. I holstered up everything and slung the rifle. I but on my backpack and headed for the door. It was time to resume the journey back to Canterlot. I had been in this little village for a week now and everything should be healed up.

“A good morning to you; where are you leaving to?” Zecora asked me as I walked towards the door of the hut.

“I'm going to head home Zecora. Now that I'm healed, I'm going to try and get back to Canterlot. I need to let the Princesses know that I'm alive and I have some other important information that is on my mind.”

Oh wow so clever.

“Very well if you must go; than do not let me slow.” Zecora trotted over to me and gave me a quick hug.

“Thanks Zecora for taking care of me again. It seems like this happened not too long ago.”

Please tell her thank you for the soup. Not because I'm going soft, but because it was nice of her, and I don’t want to seem mean. Shut up.

“And I have a friend that says thank you for the soup.” Zecora gave me a confused look but smiled at me anyways.

“Tell your friend that the past is the past; and the future’s choice is vast.” She winked at me and turned back around to working on a bubbling green liquid in a pot.

Wait was that to me?

“Pherhapse.” I responded, just as confused as the Nightmare was.

As I exited the hut a few zebras and ponies waved goodbye to me as I walked to the end of the village.

“Honored hold on just a moment!” I turned to see Zulu trotting up to me. He caught up to me and reached into his saddle bags and pulled out a brown flask and a roll of paper. “The flask has a dose of that healing potion you like so much.” I laughed along with him and tucked it into my pack.

“And that’s a map that should get you out of Zebracia and back into Equestria.” He pointed out the village of Zebrabaway on the map. “Thanks for helping with gem mine.”

“Thanks for patching me up and giving me a place to stay.” I held out my hand and Zulu stuck out his hoof. I shook it and began walking on my journey.

“PUP!” I saw a large brown shape sprinting towards me with incredible speed.

“Marxy!” I called out and waved to the approaching Diamond Dog. “What are you doing?”

Maybe he wants to be our pet on our journey through this land.

“Ruffy wanted you to get this.” He reached behind him and pulled a long wrapped package off his back. “To say thanks for saving home.” The Diamond Dog held out the object to me in his large paws. He motioned for me to take it. The object was heavy. At least heavier than my rifle and pack combined.

Please be something dangerous.

I tore off the brown paper around it and my jaw dropped. I was staring at a sword and scabbard. The hilt of the sword was brown and gold and had the same colored scabbard except there was a large red paw print made of gems on the side of the scabbard.

Marxy pointed with a finger at the red paw print, “That is pack symbol. Ruffy thinks of you as a pup to us.” I didn’t know how to respond to that. I was family to ponies, zebras, and now Diamond Dogs.

Making lots of friends aren’t we.

I gripped the hilt and slowly slid out the sword incased within. I was momentarily blinded as the sun glinted off the blade.

Wow. Holy shit.

“Second that.” I whispered out as I stared at the weapon in my hand. I was holding a sword that was three feet long and crafted out of what felt and looked like diamonds. The sword was translucent, but had a dark blue color to it. The sun sparkled off the smooth surface of the blade.

“Marxy this is amazing. I… I don’t know what to say.” I just stood their holding the weapon in my hand.

“Then say nothing pup. See you around.” And with that, the large Diamond Dog took off back to his home.

If you don’t like it, I’ll take it.

“I don’t like it, I love it!” I examined the sword closely. Along the cross-guard scrawled in messy writing was, ‘Pup’. “I guess pup is the same in English as it is in Equestrian.”

Who cares, let’s go start some fights!

There was long sling attached to the scabbard that aloud for it to be worn over my shoulder. I removed my duster and put the sword across my back and placed the duster back on. I slung the rifle next. Now I had four deadly weapons strapped along my body. I could reach over my head and grip the handle of the sword with ease. It slid out with a faint scraping noise.

So bad ass. I think we just got more evil.

“Or more equipped to protect ponies.”

Sure if you want to be boring about it.

“Come on Nightmare, let’s not ruin this moment.” I held the sword up and kissed the flat side of the sword before sliding it pack into its scabbard.

“Now we’re only 6 days out from Canterlot. Let’s just get home.”

That won’t be a problem if we don’t stop to help pitiful ponies.

“I'm sure nothing like that will happen.”

I plodded along the long dirt road as the Nightmare talked about ruling Equestria and the benefits of being feared rather than loved. I could only smile knowing that I was rubbing off on the monstrosity, not the other way around.

One Hell of a Nightmare

Honored Above All Else
Chapter 6
By Honored Service

"So do I make a left here, or take the right?" I was staring at the crossroad in front of me. The map was stretched out in my hands. I guess I should have paid closer attention in the navigation course.

I think we should have turned left at the rock formation a few miles back.

"But the map shows to take a left at a the rock formation resembling a unicorn horn. That was just a long triangle."

Oh.

Yeah. Maybe I was right! So now guess what.

"I don't want to hear it." I pinched the bridge of my nose and ran my hand across my face. Folding up the map I sighed and turned around and began walking back to the other fork in the road.

Maybe if I was in control, we'd be to the border by now.

"Yeah we would, but there would be dead things behind us and fire raining from the sky."

Hey now... That's not totally true. At least the fire from the sky. It would most likely be shooting up from the ground splitting the earth apart as I led an army of demons through the plains of the living.

"And that's why I'm still in control." I kicked a rock across the road and readjusted my rifle on my back.

Pull out the map again.

"What for?" I asked reaching around and dragging out the parchment.

Just trust your inner Nightmare.

"That's what I'm worried about." I held the map out in front of me as I felt my left I go cold, like a breeze was blowing right on it. I could still see through it, but it was like looking through a dish eye lense.

There, instead of trekking all the way back along this path, we can cut through the plains and end up almost right next to the fork.

"Good thinking Nightmare!" I rolled up the map and blinked my eye rapidly to revert it. Whenever the Nightmare wanted to show me something he used the fish eye thing. Like when pointing out spots where we could camp and wait for an innocent pony to walk along the path and jump them.

See? I'm helping.

"Yes you are. Now if only we could fix your hatred of colored adorable ponies."

Nope. Never going to happen.

"Alright, I'll just put that under needs improvement."

Your face needs improvement.

"Oh wow, that was fucking brutal man." I stepped off the path into the plains of Zebracia. "Now going stright should put us back onto the path."

Thank god for long pants. I touched the tall grass around me and jerked my hand back. It was saw grass everywhere. I had to keep my hands held above my waist or I would slice my hands up on the serrated blades of grass.

Off in the distance I could see tall trees reaching up into the sky. They looked like pine trees, but this was a desert plain area, way off from pine trees.

I heard the swaying of grass all around me as I pushed forward, but some of the noise sounded different. "Nightmare, you hear that?"

What? The sound of something bitching? Yeah and it won't stop.

"Fuck off, I'm being serious."

Me too.

"Do the firestorm thing please."

And set the whole plains on fire? Think again human.

"Oh now you don't want to cause destruction and mayhem?" I spun around and sure enough I saw some of the saw grass being pushed down a hundred feet from me. "There see that! We're being followed."

I could see the top of a white bowl sticking up through the grass. It swayed back and forth as it moved closer. It wasn't a bowl, but the top of a safari hat. Soon a second one appeared not to far from the first. "Nightmare what do you make of that?"

Two safari hats exploring?

I kept backing up towards the trees which according the map would be near the correct left turn we should have made at the clearly mislabeled rock. It was a fucking triangle, not a unicorn horn.

Something is just telling me that we are in for another detour on this short journey.

"Nah, I'm sure it's just two ponies on a safari." I stared as the two half eagle half lions stood up. Each griffon was decked out in olive green shirts and safari helmets. From this far away I guessed they were at least eye level with me. One had a wooden crossbow contraption on its back. But instead of bolts, it had a net looking end to it.

And once again your all-knowing powers of wisdom fail you.

"You could be supportive once in a while."

You could be right once in a while.

"Touché."

I waved at the two griffons. "Hi!" I yelled out at them.

The grass next to me was hit with a net made of rough brown rope. I looked back to the griffons to see one hand the other a net.

You should probably start running.

"You should probably start up the firestorm."

Yup. The shimmering air began to form around me. The griffon holding the crossbow took aim and let the net fly. It struck me just as the wall of green and black flames exploded around me scorching the earth and obliterating the net.

I took off to the trees, running at full speed. The grass around me crackled and burnt as I ran through the saw grass. Another net whizzed by my head and crashed into the grass.

What the fuck! Griffons are apparently assholes, who are trying to hunt me. Oh wait; I have a shit load of weapons.

I stopped abruptly and turned around grabbing the handle of my sword and ripping it out just as another net traveled straight for me. I held the sword up and cut right through the rope. The flames leapt around me as I stared the two poachers down.

I twirled the sword in my hand and moved to a defensive stance as the griffon without the crossbow unsheathed a steel sword from its back.

Oh this just got good.

"And you thought today would be a boring stroll through the rolling hills."

The griffon leapt at me with amazing speed. I sidestepped and blocked a slash with my blade. I laughed with glee as the griffon's blade shattered against the diamond sword.

"Nightmare remind to visit Ruffy and scratch his stomach or something." I said as the griffon stared at the broken remains of its sword. It growled at me and hurdle its body forward, claws out stretched to rip me to shreds. I tucked and rolled through the saw grass, slicing my hands, neck and face up but avoiding the talons.

"Keep that fire up!" I yelled over the loud roar that the griffon unleashed as it turned to face me.

Turning up the heat. Gottcha!

The flames rippled around me and caused ash to fly through the air as I charged towards the griffon. It turned tail and took off into the sky. The fire slowly dropped around me as I sheathed my sword and watched the griffon circle above me.

Wait weren't there two of them.

"Oh shit!"

THUNK

I pitched forward as the force of the net wrapped around me. I landed hard on the ground and struggled to get free from the rope. I gripped the hilt of my knife and looked up to see two pissed looking griffons. Shattered sword griffon raised its claw and made a fist.

"Oh fuck me." Oh fuck us.

SMACK

********************************************************************

"You were taken by griffons?" Princess Celestia asked as she walked back into the room followed Princess Luna.

"Yeah, you missed the coolest fight scene!" Pinkie Pie jumped up and began to retell the story using Fluttershy as the human as she played the griffons.

The human laughed at the silliness of Pinkie leaping around and making growling sounds as Fluttershy tried to pitifully avoid the attacks. Rainbow Dash became the net and jumped on the timid Pegasus and held her down as Pinkie Pie posed with one hoof on the captured prey and declared it her prize.

Both Princess looked at Honored with confused looks.

"Yeah, that's pretty much what happened."

"Where did you get a sword from?" Luna asked as she sat herself down in her dark purple throne.

"The Diamond Dogs from the red paw pack." The human reached over his gold helmet and drew the shiny dark blue blade from its sheath. It sparkled in the morning light streaming through the window.

Everypony's eyes grew wide as the stared at the beauty of the weapon in the human's hands.

"It's an extremely rare think to have a Diamond Dogs give a gift, let alone accept a stranger into their pack."

It’s cause we're just so awesome.

"Well please continue. The griffons have been pushing on our borders lately. I would like to hear about them." Princess Celestia sat herself and looked at the armored creature to continue.

With a flourish of the wrist the human flipped the sword around and slipped it back into its sheath.

***********************************************************

"Ugh." I cracked open my eyes to see nothing but darkness. "Nightmare?"

What?

"What's happening?" I tried to move but found that both my hands and legs were bound together. "Nightmare, if you could just burst the fire magic, that would be greatly appreciated."

If this gets us killed, I'll be very pissed.

In a flash of green and black, I found myself staring into more blackness. I wiggled my hands around and found them to be free of their binds. Same as for my legs.

Snap your fingers human. The Nightmare said to me, giving a sigh.

I snapped my left hand and jumped as a green and black flame sprouted to life in my palm. It wasn't intense but it lit the area with a green flickering glow. "Nice Nightmare, who needs flares or flashlights now."

I looked around with the new light source and saw that I was in a square cell. Every so often I would feel the box shift. So I was being transported in cell. I rapped my right hand against the side. Solid metal.

"Well fuck."

Second that.

I paced around the small metal room, trying to think of a way to escape this place. I looked to the flame in my hand. "Ideaaaaa!" I focused on the flame and watched as it very slowly grew larger.

Ah you are figuring it out!

"What the fuck Nightmare? You knew I could focus magic like this! And you didn't tell me?!" I was a little pissed. This could have helped with the rats and with the griffons if I could just have magicked them.

But then it would have been too easy. You need to learn on your own.

"Can I do other things?" I continued to focus on my hand as the flames grew larger and larger.

Maybe.

"You're an asshole."

Meh, I'm the Nightmare. At least I'm not giving you a shitty riddle to solve.

I held my hand in front of me and slammed my palm forward, sending a ball of green and black flames at one side of the steel box. "Check 'em!" I yelled as it struck the wall.

The whole box seemed to shudder as the magic fire impacted the black surface. There was a flash of light and I screamed in happiness as sunlight poured into the box from a two foot wide hole in the wall. Liquid metal dripped from the edges of the hole. I could see clouds passing by the box.

I moved over and looked out of the new window. As far as I could see was clouds, sky, and ocean; all stretching to the horizon.

Something tells me we just took a long detour.

"You can say that again Nightmare."

Something tells me-

"It's a figure of speech!" I yelled out and fired another bolt of magic fire through the opposite side of steel box.

"Hey stop that!" I turned around and saw a golden eye peering into the box. I blasted more fire through the box near the eye. I wasn't aiming to kill just show that I could end this flight if I wanted.

The whole box bounced and I fell to the floor. "If you don't stop that I'll have Jars dump you in the ocean, creature." The golden eye reappeared at the large hole now in the side of the cell.

"And I'll take both of you with me!" I yelled back, letting fire form in both of my hands and travel up my arms. The duster remained unharmed, which was just amazing.

The eye moved away from the hole.

"I though so." I turned away from the griffon and stared out the hole at the clouds rushing by. Everything other than my clothes had been stripped from me. No rifle, sword, knife, or pistol. All my pouches were empty and my pack was gone. I was pissed. I closed my eyes and nodded off to sleep while listening to the Nightmare talking about destroying the oversized turkeys.

A bump woke me from my sleep and I could see ground below us.

"Nightmare, do you trust me?"

What?

"Do you trust me!"

I guess. Why?

"Just hang on; I've got a really stupid idea."

Those are always the best.

I snapped my fingers and let the green and black flames swirl in my palms. I held both hands out in front of me and aimed at the front wall. I let two bolts of magical energy crash into the front wall. I jumped forward and looked out. One very startled griffon was pulling the steel prison and attached to his back was a bundle of things that didn't belong to him.

I blasted the whole large enough for me to crawl through and jumped out onto the griffon's back.

"Hey what the hell!" I took my belongings off its back and dove head first back into the steel box. I looked back out at the two metal poles attached to a yoke around the griffon's neck. I conjured another fist full of fire and sliced through one of them.

The box dropped and swung to the right. I gripped onto the opening and fired another bolt at the remaining pole. "Hang on Nightmare!" the pole was cut clean in two and the steel prison dropped towards the earth spinning. I was weightless as the box plummeted to the ground. I laid out flat along the width of the box and braced against the wall with my hands and the other wall with my legs.

I don't trust you! I don't trust you!

"Hahaha too late for that!" I screamed with laughter as I waited for the impact.

**********************************************************

"You dropped yourself from hundreds of feet up in a steel coffin to the ground!?" Fast Skies said angrily, her ears pinned back.

"Yes." Honored hunkered down under the mares verbal assault.

"What were you thinking? You could have died!" she yelled.

"In his defense, we all thought he was dead." Luna offered from her spot on the throne. Fast Skies glared at the Princess, but quickly remembered who she was glaring at and settled down.

"It was either try and get free or be the griffon's catch of the day." Honored looked to the red mare. "And I didn't intend to go down without a fight."

You never do go down without a fight. You stubborn human.

***********************************************************************

I was ripped from my impact position as the cell crashed into the earth. I flew upwards and smacked into the ceiling. Spots filled my vision as the box crashed down a second time and skidded along the ground.

I opened my eyes and slowly sat up. I moved my arms and legs feeling for any breaks or anything that was out of place. A trickle of blood dripped over my left eye. I wiped it away and stood up.

I picked up my bundle of weapons and belongings and crawled out of the hole on the front of the steel prison. I tumbled out and onto the ground.

Yeah let's fall some more, because that wasn't enough.

"We're alive aren't we?" I said rolling my shoulders back and loading my pouches up with the little ammo I had left. I re-slung my rifle and sword and put on my knife and holstered the pistol. I looked back at the cell I had been in.

There was twenty foot long trench carved into the earth were the box had traveled. I noticed something painted onto the side of the cell. Something that shined when sun hit it.

"Nightmare?"

What now?

"I think we might be in some trouble." I was staring at a gold crown painted onto the side of the transportation cell.

Oh that. Yeah we might be wrecked.

"Down there Jars!" I looked up to see both griffons hurtling straight towards me. I turned and sprinted through the wooded area I had landed in. I dodged and ducked around trees and branches. The two griffons giving chase.

THUNK

A net wrapped around the branch right next to my head. "Alright fuck this!" I reached under my arm and drew my pistol from its holster. I vaulted over a log and popped up in front of the shattered sword griffon. I leveled the pistol right at its white feathered face. A slight bit of red feathers were mixed into the other feathers.

Shattered sword stopped moving. Crossbow douche bag also froze. They seemed to either know what this weapon did, or they had similar things. The crossbow resembled the pistol to a degree, maybe which was it.

"Now before I blow your brains all over the forest floor and leave you for the maggots, tell me why the fuck you're trying to capture me!" I yelled harshly at the two mythical creatures, the pistol not leaving shattered sword's head.

Neither answered. I pulled the hammer back on the pistol. "You have to three to talk."

Damn, your cold.

"One."

"Two."

I slowly began to squeeze the trigger. Crossbow asshole screamed, "Alright! Just stop!" I let up on the trigger, but kept the weapon trained on the other griffon.

"Better talk." I glared down the barrel at the other griffon, who was visibly shaking.

"We were sent by our king to find exotic creatures and to bring them back as pets."

"My name is Honored Service, and I am an Equestrian Honor Guard for the Princesses of Equestria." I barked at the two griffons.

"Then you're worth a lot more." A calm voice said from behind me. I spun around staring into the golden eyes of an armored clad griffon. Before I could move, it jabbed a needle into my arm. I staggered backwards bringing the pistol up in front of me.

BANG

I smirked as the armored griffon's head snapped back and he collapsed forward. His helmet doing little to stop the magical round from tearing through his face.

Wow this feels great. What do you think was in that needle thingy?

"I don't know Nightmare." I said slurring my words and coming back around to face the other two griffons. They both were trembling in a new fear that the pistol carried. I toppled forward as the drug took ahold of my body.

I couldn't move anything. I felt my rifle and sword being stripped from my body.

"Jars, what do you think the king will give us for capturing this creature?" Asked shattered sword bitch faggot.

"I don't know, but what do you think he'll do once he finds out it killed his brother?" Responded Jars, aka, crossbow whoring fuck face.

Human, I think it's going to get worse before it gets better.

Clawshank Redemption

Honored Above All Else
Chapter 7
By Honored Service

Warning: Intense violence and baddassery. But i mean, who cares? That's what this is about.

I woke up from my drug induced sleep to find myself in another cell. This one wasn't moving through the air. I was surrounded by stone on all sides, minus the iron and wood door on one side. There was a bucket in the corner and I was lying on a rickety cot covered in straw. My precious duster! I was wearing nothing but rags. My armor. My chest rig. My fucking duster and helmet! Oh someone or somegriffon was going to pay if I didn't get it back.

Would it be bad to say I've woken up in worse situations? The Nightmare said in my head. He sounded depressed. Can't blame him, this blows.

"Okay we're trapped in a prison, with my weapons taken away, I apparently killed a king’s brother, and to top it all off on this shit sandwich, nopony will be looking for me because I'm dead!" I threw my hands into the air and fell onto the cot. No sooner had I landed I felt itchy all over and saw little white specks jumping onto my arms.

"And now covered in bugs of some sort. I want to say lice of some sort. Nightmare, if you would?"

But of course.

The air shimmered around me and exploded into a wall of green and black fire. The small bugs dropped off of me from the heat, but the cot also caught fire. I fell onto the floor amidst burning straw and wood.

A loud knock came from the door. A griffon opened a latch and stared through the small window at me. It had a brown helmet made of leather on its head. "You better stop that!"

"Or what? You'll throw me in prison!" I snapped my fingers and let the fire rip across my arms. "I'm letting you keep me in here because I'm allowing it. I could blow that door down and waltz out of here slaughtering every one of you oversized pussies on my out the door." I stared the guard down as he (it's sounded like a he) backed away from the door and sprinting down the hall, as fast as his paws and claws could carry him.

Wow, remind me to never piss you off.

"Thanks for giving me dramatically awesome fire arms." I slowed the fire till it stopped and disappeared from my hands.

The door to my cell burst open and four griffons stormed in. All were armed with crossbows; these had arrows and bolts loaded into them. Ah so I went from prey to dangerous animal. If they want a dangerous animal, they'll get a dangerous animal.

"Creature, you are to be brought forward, before the almighty king of Griffmeny, and tried for your crimes against the state." The largest griffon spoke to me. He wore a red robe with a gold sash wrapped around his waist.

Looks like he's wearing a rug.

"I was thinking the same thing." I found all crossbows aimed at my head after I spoke.

"You will speak when spoken to!" Captain asshole barked at me.

"Oh yeah?" I stared him down, tempted to ignite my arms and roast this chicken.

"Move prisoner!" I was shoved forward and led through the dungeon. There were very few prisoners down here. Most of the cells were empty, and yet I could hear some type of screaming echoing through the dungeon.

Just screams, 'welcome to Griffmeny'. Don't you think so?

"Oh yeah, a real welcome party." I responded, not even lowering my voice.

"No talking!" Yelled another griffon guard who jabbed me in the back with his crossbow.

I politely told how what I would do with that crossbow. It involved lots of fire, curse words, and his ass.

I was nearly dragged up hundreds of stairs till I reached a massive throne room. The Princess's throne room is smaller than this. Lavish tapestries covered the walls and stained glass windows depicting griffon history blocked out the natural sunlight. At the farthest end of the hall, sitting atop and gold and red velvet throne, was a fat griffon. Dark brown fur covered his body, and gray feathers covered his head. He eyed me with bulging golden eyes as I approached the throne. I stood in front of the griffon king.

"Kneel worm!" I was kicked forward so that I fell forward in front of the king.

"So this is the creature that killed my beloved brother? It seems weak and powerless." The king said, holding a claw out to me.

I felt my body shudder and run cold as the nightmare took over. And I was okay with it.

Green and black flames whipped around me in a massive wave of fire. The floor cracked and split in jagged lines branching off from my feet. In a loud double toned voice the Nightmare addressed the king.

"POWERLESS IS WHAT YOU SHALL BECOME, ONCE I RIP YOUR HEAD CLEAN FROM YOUR BODY!" As soon as the Nightmare finished, I regained control of my body and the Nightmare receded back into my mind.

How was that?

"Fucking brutal."

Every griffon in the room stared at me. The rug around me was still smoldering as I glared at the king.

"Oh he has some fight in him. I like that. Condemn him to the mine. He'll make a good worker till we break him." The king picked at his beak with a talon.

The robed griffon clicked twice with his beak and I was led out of the throne room by eight guards this time.

Well look at it this way, now we have eight guards. We're moving up in the world.

"Nope," I looked down a dark tunnel leading into the mine that the griffons had led me to, "we're heading down."

******************************************************************

"You were enslaved?" Celestia looked at the human. The motherly voice was gone, and replaced with a serious tone that dropped of malice.

"Princess you may want to wait to hear all of this part of the story before you do anything." Honored gave the Princess an innocent smile.

"What did you do?" Luna asked, leaning forward on her throne.

The human's innocent smile became a little more evil.

*************************************************************************

"Welcome to the mine, all so known as Clawshank. You are going to work here till your bones break. Till your spirits are crushed. Till you are just a shell of what you used to be." A griffon with blue tinged feathers spoke down to the group of prisoners. I was standing among a group of other griffons and one earth pony.

"Remember, we are watching." The warden of the mine turned and walked up a ramp and into a cave at the top of the mine. That was the guard quarters, and the only way out of the mine. I had paid close attention as I entered the mine, memorizing any detail that could help in escape. In that room, there were thirty bunks for guards and I watched as one carried a bundle of belongings that made me growl in anger. My stuff was in that room, calling out to me to take it back.

I shuffled along in a long line with the other prisoners down a tunnel and to our quarters. The prisoner quarter was just a large open cavern. No beds. No blankets. Nothing. Just a rocky floor and rock pillows. Each prisoner was handed a dull pickaxe and assigned a number. That number corresponded to a section of the mine where we were instructed to dig. My group was ten strong and consisted of eight griffons and the pony. He had a dark green coat and a shaggy yellow mane. His cutie mark depicted a rake and a hoe crossed in an x. I walked beside him bad began to strike the rock wall.

"So what did you do to end up here?" I asked him as we labored in the mine.

Yup, just go ahead and start making friends. That's far more important than getting out of here.

The green pony turned to me. "I refused to pay the insanely high taxes on my goods I was transporting, on the griffons request, into Griffmeny." He picked the pickaxe up in his mouth and struck the rock aging. "You?" He mumbled around the handle.

"I was being hunted to be a pet to the king, and I ended up killing the king's brother." I shrugged my shoulders and swung at the rock in front of me. I stopped when I noticed all the other prisoners had frozen and stared at me.

"You killed Hathgar?" A female griffon asked, "That’s totally awesome dude." she wiped a claw across her purple hued feathers.

And boom, ran into another character from the show. Except Gilda was in prison.

"What's this?!" Shrieked a guard. "Stop standing around and get back to work. You!" He pointed a talon at me, "You better not talk again!"

"Come down here and make me!" I yelled up at him. He was standing on a cat walk fifteen feet above out heads.

What are you doing?

"Working on how to get out of here." I smirked as the cocky guard jumped off the catwalk and sailed down to the ground. All the prisoners scooted away from the guard, leaving a large circle around the guard and I.

"You may have the other guards scarred with your magic, but I'm not. I'll teach you a lesson." He flexed his muscles and prepared for a fight.

I was too busy staring at the keys jingling on his belt. This would be too easy.

The guard leapt at me with claws outstretched into fists. I dropped onto my back and kicked my legs up, just as he guard passed over me. He flew over me and smashed into the rock wall. I got up and smirked as he shook his head back and forth.

"Hmm, I’m still waiting to be taught a lesson."

You know human, I'm beginning to enjoy these shenanigans we find ourselves in.

"I agree Nightmare." I responded casually as I ducked around a right hook from the guard. I spun on my heel and planted an open palmed punch to the side of the guard's head. He staggered, disorientated from the hit. I danced around him and snatched the keys off his belt. I delivered a swift kick upwards, snapping his head back and causing the griffon to fall over onto his side.

The prisoners were cheering and hollering. This much noise caused an avalanche of guards to come to the fight. They jumped of the catwalk to come to the aid of their comrade. The guard picked himself up with as much dignity as he could muster and limped over to the other guards.

After a verbal tongue lashing, the guards retreated back to the catwalk. We picked up our pickaxes and got back to work. I went back to work happily, the keys jingling around my wrist as I worked.

That night once we were allowed to rest in our quarters, I hid the keys. Using the pickaxe, I knocked a rock lose from the floor and dug a small hole. I hurried the keys and covered the spot with the rock. Now I just had to create an escape plan.

Two days later we were lined up as he guards searched everywhere for the missing set of keys. I was questioned intensely, but never spoke of taking any keys. They keys were never found. Just a small victory for me in this damn hole in the ground.

The days began to run together in the mine. I would have lost track altogether if it wasn’t for the standard tally marks I was making on the wall near the hidden set of keys. I currently marking tally number fifty-two. Fifty-two days of the same thing over and over again and I felt like I was going to snap at any moment. Wake up, eat broth or bread, go down into the mines and continue making tunnels and carrying rocks, ten minutes to eat more bread and broth, if we were lucky, we would get two cups of water, back to work, finish working and get more bread and broth, sleep. Repeat. Guards watched us all the time, not once letting us out of their sights. I preformed the same motions over and over again to the point that even the Nightmare began to be affected by it. He eventually went quiet and stopped speaking altogether. If it wasn’t for the cold sensation in the back of my mind I wouldn’t have known he was there at all.

Then one day, a miracle happened. The guards left us alone in our quarters for the night. Whichever griffon guard was supposed to be on duty wasn’t. This was the chance I had been waiting for. I flipped over the rock and retrieved the keys. I he then above my head and shook them. Everyone in the room grew silent and stared at me.

"I'm tired of this shit!" I screamed to the eighty prisoners. An echo of agreement rippled through the crowd. "And I for one am going to do something about it." More agreements went through the crowd. "If you want to escape, then work with me. If not, stay put and wait for this to end. Let's ascend from this mine! This won’t be easy."

But if it was, it wouldn't be as fun. I trust you human. I'll help all I can.

"Good, because until I get to the chest, we only have your magic to fight with." I turned to the long ramp leading out of the mine. Inside that cave rested thirty guards, all of whom had some type of weapons.

Well and that. I picked up the dulled pickaxe and gave it a few swings through the air. Almost forty other prisoners picked up their improvised weapons and followed me towards the ramp.

I launched phase two of my escape plan. Gilda sat in front of the guard’s door holding the limp green earth pony in her arms.

"Guard! Guard help!" She called out to the door. A hatch slid open, followed by a guard stepping out of the cave to examine the injured pony. I watched from my spot hanging above the guard from a rock cluster over the guard's quarters. Pine Needle, the fake victim, winked at me. Time for phase three. I dropped from the rocks and landed on the guard's back. He crumpled under the sudden weight and attempted to call out for help, but weeks after swinging the pickaxe gave me one hell of a one hit strike. The point of the tool embedded itself into the guard's unprotected skull, crushing his brain and killing him instantly.

I pulled the pickaxe from the body and stood at the front of the prisoner army. The door to the guard quarters was still open, with one guard standing next to a table staring in shock at me. I snapped my fingers and let fire crawl up left hand as I stepped into the quarters.

And now the fun begins. The Nightmare called out in my mind as I drove the pickaxe through the chest of the guard sleeping in his cot closest to the door.

"Sure does. Wake up guards! The prisoners are escaping! Hahaha!" I cackled madly as I blasted fire from my arm, striking the still standing stunned guard center of his eagle beak. He flipped backwards landing on a table, smoke rising from the burn.

The other guards in the room quickly woke up and tried to stop the chaos unfolding before them, but it was too late. With my lightning fast assault and the unprepared attack by the other prisoners, the guards stood little chance. A lot of the armored griffons pushed out through the door and down the ramp where the fighting was the fiercest. Three guards stayed put at the door leading out of the mine and to the ladder leading out of the shaft.

"Nightmare, go nuts." I let go of control and felt the cooling sensation of the Nightmare take over. He flexed my arms in front of him and held to balls of sickly green magic form in my palms.

"Thank you human." My voice came out hollow and monotones as the balls of energy exploded in front of the trembling guards.

The Nightmare jumped through the green smoke feet first and drove a devastating kick into the beak of one dazed guard. A loud crunch echoed through the room.

Damn that had to hurt.

"Oh I guarantee it!" The Night are yelled with glee as he jumped up and spun around roundhouse kicking another guard into the wall of the cave. The griffon guards were unable to stop the sudden punches and kicks the Nightmare delivered.

The final guard drew a short sword and slashed at the Nightmare. His cuts were quick and desperate. Hacking and slashing towards me, the Nightmare leapt over the table performing a back flip as he traveled through the air. He reached down and grabbed the back of a chair and threw it forward as he came down from the jump, hurling it towards the guard. The griffon lifted the sword to block the incoming projectile but failed to stop the Nightmare as he slid under the griffon and kicked the creature in the gut with both legs. The griffon hit the ceiling and fell to the ground as the Nightmare bent its arm under its own chest and impaled the griffon on its own sword.

Holy shit! I gasped inside my own mind seeing the devastation the Nightmare chased in such a short time.

"Ah that felt good." The coldness withdrew back and I was once again in control of my body. I hurried over to the chest and sorted through the key ring till I finally found the correct key. The chest popped open to revile my precious belongings. I pulled out my pack and duster. My helmet was dulled from lack of shining and my weapons were all accounted for.

I got dressed and laced up my boots and strapped on my weapons. "Nightmare, let's get the fuck out of here."

I may have tried to bring about never ending night, but I'll admit I would enjoy seeing some sun.

"Yes, or some real food. Broth and bread blows."

Tomato soup please.

I loaded the rifle and slung the weapon on my shoulder. "Let's go see the king."

********************************************************************

"Honored, are you telling me that the change in leadership that happened in Griffmeny ten months ago was your escape?" Both princesses stared at the story teller with wide eyes.

Honored raised a finger to his mouth, "Shhhhh, you're going to ruin the story."

Everypony stared him disbelief at the human.

Yeah, I would be skeptical too.

************************************************************************

I rose from the mine shaft using a supply tunnel dug next to the ladder leading to the surface. I knew there had to have been another entrance leading out. The ladder was just for intimidation.

The prisoners spilled out of the mine in every direction running to freedom. I nodded to Gilda as she took off down another corridor wearing a full suit of guard armor. Pine Needle stuck close by me as I moved through the castle. Griffon guards were scattered everywhere trying to hold back the prisoners that had escaped. I wish I could say that all the prisoners escaped, but I knew that wasn't the truth. I had seen a few prisoners being dragged away, a lot of blood trailing behind them. Too much blood to be simple cuts. Those griffon prisoners didn't die in vain though, I would make sure of it.

My time in the mine, forced to work against my will had changed something about me. I wasn't evil, even though I was out looking to kill somegriffon, I was just insuring this never happened again. And from all the accounts and stories I heard, the king of Griffmeny was an evil griffon that wallowed in riches while nearly every other griffon was living in poverty. I was Robin Hood, except instead of taking money from the rich, I was going to kill the king, and let the griffons find a new leader. A little rushed yes. Okay maybe I was angry and wanted revenge.

Human, this was going to happen eventually. We just gave the griffons a small... push.

"Yeah, just a push." I smirked at two guards who stood in front of two large double doors. An engraved golden crown covered both doors. "I'll take door number one!"

Let's see what you've won! The Nightmare yelled in my mind, laughing as he did so.

I reached with one hand over my head and gripped my sword and with my left hand I grabbed my knife. I pulled both bladed weapons out smoothly as I approached the guards.

They stood tall and proud, not moving from their post as I drew closer. They each gripped a long spear in a claw. I jumped behind a stone pillar as one spear flew by my head and stuck into the stone wall behind me.

Damn that griffon can throw.

I leaned my head out and felt red hot pain rip across my cheek. I pulled my head back and saw blood dripping onto the gray stone floor.

Now let's just take a deep breath and go about this situation calmly and-

"Ahhhhhhhh!" I rushed out from the pillar and straight at the guards. One of them pulled a crossbow of his back and took aim. I kept running straight ahead and brought my diamond sword up vertically as the bolt left the crossbow.

TINK

The bolt split into two down the middle and veered off to the left and right passing me by harmlessly. "Holy shit that actually worked!?" I laughed and side stepped a swing from the other griffon who had unsheathed a long sword and was attempting to decapitate me.

You mean you didn't know if that would have worked! We could have died! The Nightmare screamed in my skull.

"Could, but didn't!" I yelled back avoiding another slash. The crossbow guard finished loading another bolt and took aim at me. I grabbed sword guard by neck and vaulted over him as the bolt was fired. It struck the sword guard in the side; blood flowed out of the wound. I ran around the wounded guard while dragging Bad Bertha across his neck. The guard collapsed into a heap, blood pooling around him. I jumped at crossbow guard and brought my sword down on him. He held up the crossbow and deflected the blow to the side. I came up under his arm with the knife and plunged it into his chest. I yanked the knife out and dropped my sword to the ground and snapped my right fingers. Flames sprouted up and I placed my open palm on the fresh wound. Flames shot into the guard and roasted his vital organs in seconds. The smoking body fell to the ground as I sheathed my knife and picked up my sword.

"Haha hey Nightmare."

Don't say it.

"Nightmare."

...

"Nightmare!"

WHAT!

"He had a bad case of... heart burn." I propped myself up against the door and laughed my head off. "Get it? Because of the fire in his chest."

Just kick in the door so we can leave.

I decided against the cliché dramatic entrance and open the door to the throne room. The griffon king still sat perched upon his throne. Although this time, he didn't look so arrogant. Sweat covered his feathers and he was trembling. I began to walk towards the throne dragging my sword behind me; every so often sparks would fly up from the stone meeting the diamond.

Just have to be dramatic, don't you?

"You know me so well Nightmare."

"What do you want?!" The king yelled out, his voice shaking with fear as I approached the throne.

"Tell me one thing." I spoke calmly bringing my sword to rest on my shoulder. "Why the fuck did you capture me in the first place?" I stared at him, raising my voice towards the end of the question.

"Because you're a human. The last human. I wanted to break you and then have you become a worker for me. Everyone knows the old legends about how powerful you are. I was going to make you a powerful griffon guard." His voice cracked as I stepped up the stairs and stood over the shaking king.

"And how did that work out?" I placed the diamond sword on his shoulder. The blue blade reflecting against his feathers.

"It… it failed." He croaked out.

"It sure as hell did." I flipped the sword up making a clean cut swiftly through the king’s neck.

Did I ever tell you you're scary sometimes?

I sighed and slowly sheathed the sword. Now that my adrenaline fueled rampage was over, I was feeling guilty, all those griffons dead at my hand. All I could hope was that this would work itself out. Sure I had just killed a king and slaughtered the guard. I had done all this off of what my fellow prisoners had said about the king and the way of life he enforced on the griffons of Griffmeny.

“Nightmare, do you think what I did was right?” I trudged through the empty, battle scared halls of the castle.

Do you really think I'm the best one to answer that question?

“Good point.”

I heard trotting come up behind me and turned and saw Pine Needle trotting up to me. “Honored! You did it, but it’s probably best if we get out of here while we have the chance.”

“Agreed, let’s move Pine.” The green pony ran next to me as we searched for an exit. We finally rounded a corner and saw a small door with sunlight pouring through a tiny window. Pine Needle galloped ahead and opened the door. I stepped out of the dreary castle and into the warmth of the sunlight. For the first time in a long time I breathed in clean air, and realized I stung.

I ducked and weaved my way through the griffon city towards the water. I still heard the occasional clash of weapons and shouts of guards. Pine Needle crept along behind me. We trekked along towards the edge of the city, far away from the castle. “Pine Needle, you’ll need to find a map that has more on it, than the one I have.” The map that Zulu had given me, only covered parts of Zebracia and the border of Equestria.

“Okay, I’ll be back in a bit with it.” Pine Needle saluted and took off towards the market of the city. He would blend in a little better than me among the griffons.

So what, are we starting a gang or something?

“No. We’re helping a pony get back home after he was wrongly imprisoned.” I said to the Nightmare.

Now how many days are from Canterlot?

“I don’t know, we can find out from the map once Pine Needle returns.”

I slumped against a tree and waited for the return of the green pony. Watching the clouds lazily roll across the sky, I realized it had been months since I had seen the sky. You don’t know how badly you miss something; until you no longer have it. I mean, even the Nightmare had missed the sun. The Nightmare said that.

“Psst!” I turned to see Pine waving to me as he pushed his way through some small bushes. “I found a map… but umm.” He neavervousily kicked at the ground, shifting his weight.

“What is it?” I asked taking the map from him and rolling it out on the ground before us. I looked at the map and couldn’t make sense of it. Here was Griffmeny off to the far right. But where was Equestria? A small point of land stuck out on the left, across a huge ocean. No. No fucking way!

Griffmeny was across an ocean from Equestria. I fell backwards against the tree. “Okay so we now need to cross an ocean.” Pine Needle stretched out a hoof and tapped a different spot on the map, “Or we could travel along here and skip the water.” He was pointing along the border of another large country that connected southern Equestria to southern Griffmeny. The name of it was Mythartica. Ive had enough of wondering through foreign lands. Sea ride it is!

“Let’s find a boat.”

But I get seasick.

Hey everyone, I know this was a dark chapter with all the killing and what not. I personally didn’t like writing about Honored being somewhat evil, but after you’ve been held against your will in a mine, I’d imagine you’d be pissed to. I won’t be able to post another chapter for a couple of weeks. So I’ll make the next chapter a big one. I’ll be back with more stories in two weeks.
Peace-
Johnson

Water We Waiting For

Honored Above All Else
Chapter 8
By Honored Service

“So that’s when I told the tax collector that eighty-three bits for one cart of cabbages was ridiculous!” Pine Needle threw his fore hooves into the air and brought them down with such force that the drinks on the table tipped over and spilled onto the deck of the ship. “Opps sorry,” he said sheepishly.

“It’s okay.” I said waving a hand at the green pony. We had managed to board a ship at the port of Griffmany with little difficulty. Well by little difficulty, I had to hide myself in a pile of rotting two week old cabbages that Pine Needle had tried to bring into Griffmany for trade. After the cart was parked in the ship’s cargo hold, I emerged covered in green slime from the decaying vegetables. For the rest of the trip I would describe myself as Pine’s hairless monkey pet that helped with work. It would be best to not repeat what the Nightmare thought about being a hairless monkey.

I don’t like this. It was far too easily for us to get aboard this ship. But not only that, but how easy it is to have these idiot ponies and griffons believe we are a six foot tall monkey that speaks fluently and has incredible intelligence.

“Nightmare, you just need to chill out.” I leaned back in the chair and stretched out my arms reaching up to the crystal clear sky. The early morning sun beat down on the ship, bathing us in warm rays. “Everything’s going to be fine. We escaped from a Griffon prison unharmed, and now we’re on a free cruise back to Equestria. Just enjoy it, while we can. Because once we get back, I got to go see the Princesses and inform them about this situation we find ourselves in.” I cast a sideways glance at Pine Needle, who was still a little uncomfortable with the whole, you have an evil creature that inhabits your skull and talks to you.

Well excuse me for trying to be a little cautious. I would prefer to not be on the water. Or end up on another damn side quest leading to nowhere.

“Wait.” I sat up and looked out over the waves splashing against the side of the ship. “Is the supper powerful, evil, demented, and scary Nightmare, really afraid of a little water?”

The voice almost screamed in my mind, causing me to flinch and clamp my hands to my ears. NO, NEVER! THE NIGHTMARE FEARS NOTHING! But the voice added quietly, and this isn’t a little water, this is a lot of water.

Pine Needle nodded his head as towards the side as two ponies trotted by caring coils of rope towards the front sail rig.

“Pine Needle, I want nanner.” I motioned using wide hand gestures of peeling a banana.

“No!” He said sternly stomping a hoof down. “You had three already!” As soon as the ponies turned the corner, he burst out chuckling. I joined in on the laughing, grabbing my sides and pounding a fist on the table.

I'm glad you're enjoying this. That was absolutely humiliating, and you’re lucky I don’t burn this ship to the sea killing everypony on board as we sink.

“And then you’ll be stuck in the water.” I retorted sitting back up in my chair.

I hate you.

“Love you Nightmare.” I lift my glass up and take a sip.

“Now once we get you back to Equestria, what do you plan on doing?” Pine Needle leaned forward across the table towards me.

“I’m going to go to Canterlot and try to get things worked out with the Princesses. You know, since everypony thinks I'm dead.”

But with the way our luck has been going-

“Don’t say it.” I close my eyes and rub a hand across the rough stubble coating my chin and jaw line.

Something else is bound to happen to put us back on the brink of death.

“Damn it Nightmare.” Of course, he had to say it. Now we we’re doomed to have something happen to us or this ship. I looked around almost expecting a giant tentacle to explode from the water and drag the ship under, or have a giant shark rip a hole through the boat.

But nothing happened. Immediately.

You are a very paranoid creature.

“Excuse me for being a little worried. Nothing has gone smoothly for me since I came to Equestria. I mean, yeah, it’s been fun, but also very… what’s the word?”

Interesting?

“Yes! Very interesting.” I stood up from the table and strolled across the deck to the railing and looked out across the ocean. The sun sparkled along the waves as the ship cut swiftly through the water. “Get thrown into this perfect world and look at me now. I’ve fought and killed my way across Equestria, Zebrica, and Grifmany. In this peaceful world, I'm the opposite of it.”

I hung my head and closed my eyes listening to the waves break against the side of the boat.

Hey there human. Don’t feel so… bad. I’m half the reason you're what you are here. If anything now we’re even better!

“Nightmare, I'm surprised that you're trying to cheer me up, but this just isn’t one of those times. I miss my friends. Both human and pony. I’ve been gone for months now. Everyone I care about thinks I'm dead and I have an evil creature living in my head that wants to rule the world and use me as the tool to do it.” I sighed and looked around the ship, watching the ponies and griffons mulling about on the deck.

Well how about we commit a few random acts of evil to make you feel better?

“Not now Nightmare.” The sound of hooves on the deck slowly came up behind me.

“You alright Honored?” Pine Needle asked propping his fore legs on the railing of the ship. “And I never really did get a chance to say thanks. You saved me from that mess in the ground. I’ll never be able to repay you.”

“Don’t worry about it Pine,” I gave him a kind hearted smile, “I couldn’t leave all those prisoners caged up down there, and I kind of needed to get out of there.”

Did it ever occur to you that some of those prisoners may have been there because they did do something terrible?

“Shut up Nightmare.”

“I don’t have very much to offer you, but if you ever happen to come along by Ponyville, I’ll give you a place to stay. I own some land around there and maybe you could take it and build a home.”

My mind stopped functioning for a brief moment. “Wait. You want to give me some land? For just getting you out of prison?”

“Yes!” Pine Needle nodded his head so fast, that his brown mane whipped everywhere. “You saved me, and that extra land is the only thing I could repay you with.”

I just stared at the green pony my mouth doing its best fish out of water impression. I was dumbstruck with the thought of being able to return to a place once this whole adventure was over. Not live in the barracks, but live on some land. A house eventually, but I’ll get to that once I get home. Home. I like that idea.

Dear to all that is evil, please tell me you're not thinking about building a damn cottage. So help you if I have to live with you and some pony for the rest of my life in a little place near some woods with a stream next to it, I’ll find some piano wire and make us jump off a cliff with it wrapped around our neck.

“Nightmare, shut the hell up.” I slip off into daydreams about having a home and seeing Fast Skies again. Us living together in a simple home, nothing to extravagant, but a lovely little house. “Pine Needle, I don’t know what to say.”

“Then don’t say anything Honored. Your actions have already spoken louder than anything you could have said.” The earth pony smiles at me and gives me a light pat on the back before heading off towards the stairs leading down to the passenger section of the ship. I walk towards the front of the ship looking out at the ocean before us.

No but really, are we not going to go on any more adventures? Not that I care or anything, but I have somewhat been able to tolerate the things we get into. Except the prison part.

“Nightmare, after everything you put me through, and everything in between, I think I could use some well-deserved rest.” I sighed and looked to some clouds forming far off on the horizon.

Hmmm those are some dark clouds. I wonder if they are-

“Nope. They aren't heading for us. No, they won’t be a problem. And they most certainly won’t throw us off course.” I say sternly, crossing my arms across my chest and closing my eyes.

Now you say that, but really let’s be realistic here.

“No let’s not.”

Don’t be immature.

“Don’t tell me what to do.” I open my eyes to see that in the brief moment of arguing, the clouds have grown larger and are indeed very dark. And either the ship is heading into them, or the clouds are heading at us.

So about me being right.

“Fuck off.”

*********************************************************************

“No way. Are you serious? A random storm just happens to appear and come straight for your ship?” Rainbow Dash leans forward from her seat staring at the human. He places a cup of tea down lightly on the table in front of the group of ponies.

“Well I didn’t say it hit the ship yet, did I?” Honored cocked and eyebrow in the direction of the cyan pegasus.

“No.” She said flatly crossing her fore legs in front of her and pouting.

“The storm was a big one though.” Honored reached out and picked up the tea pot before refilling his cup and adding a large amount of sugar to it. He began to swirl a spoon around while thinking. “The storm wasn’t an accident. As I found out during my training, humans are natural resistant to magic. Not impervious, but resistant to it, but only to pony magic. As it turns out, humans can actually attract magical weather. And that’s why the clouds began to brew up near us. Simple bad luck and bad magic.”

Twilight looked up from her massive stack of notes and jotted a few more line onto the parchment. “Resistant to magic? We’re going to have run some tests on this and see to what degree you can withstand it. Oh this will be so exciting. I’ll need tom make sure the mgaiomoter is functioning correctly and that the magicaexpeller is up to at least seventy percent-“

A cough from the human cut the unicorn off mid-sentence. “Yes that does sound like…fun, but let’s talk about that after I finish the story. If I'm telling it right, I have about eight to nine months left to cover. Something like that.”

“So the clouds began forming into a massive thunderhead right to our front.”

**************************************************************

The rain washed over the sides of the boat and pounded against the small circular window looking out from my small room onboard the ship.

Well this sucks.

“Yup. But at least it’s just rain and not at massive storm that could flip the boat over and send us into the ocean.” I said while stretching out across the cot in the room. I personally didn’t mind the rain. It had a soothing vibe to it.

Again I'm not afraid of water! Just this big ocean.

“Sure, whatever you say there pal.” I closed my eyes and though about drifting off into a light nap when there came a pounding at my door. I cracked open an eye to watch Pine Needle burst into the room soaking wet. His green coat was dripping with water and his short crop brown mane hung across his face. He shook himself rapidly, sending water in every direction. I lifted my hands to guard myself, but it was too late.

What the hell! Kick him or something! He comes barging in here acting like some kind of dog and gets us all wet.

“Um Pine.” I say wiping water off of my face.

“Yeah?”

“What was that for?” I’m trying to keep calm and not get too angry at the innocent pony.

“I came to tell you that the storm is picking up and that we need to stay in our rooms until we pass through it.” Needle smiles brightly at me through his still wet mane.

“So if we’re supposed to be in our rooms, then why are you here Pine?” I say softly to him as the gears begin turning in his head.

“OH! Ha I nearly forgot, alright bye!” And with that the green earth pony dashes from the room and back into the pouring rain.

I swear he wants me to kill him.

“No!” I say firmly, grabbing a towel and rubbing my head to rid myself of the water still clinging to my hair. “He’s a good friend and a nice pony. Just maybe a little slow, but he has a heart of gold. Now let’s get some food. I'm starving.” I move towards the door and grip the handle.

ARE YOU INSANE! Pine just told us not to leave the room because of the weather.

“Please, it’s just some rain.” I grab my backpack which has my rifle and supplies strapped onto the top of it, “besides, I'm a highly trained guard who has a super magical being living inside of me. I'm sure a little rain won’t hurt. We’ll just go to the galley and get something to snack on.” I open the door and am hit by sideways wind and rain. “We’ll make it a quick trip.” I add as I close the door and sprint off down the deck of the ship towards the galley.

Don’t trip. Don’t trip. Don’t trip. Don’t trip.

“You're not helping!” I yell above the screaming winds. I take another step and land my foot right in a puddle that formed on the deck. I slip forward and slid across the wooden deck to the edge of the ship. I reach my arm out and catch onto the railing as my feet dangle over the edge of the ship.

“Well shit.”

Kill. You. I. Will. Kill. You.

“Sure you will.” I pull myself up over the railing and back onto the deck of the ship. “See? No harm done. Now let’s get something warm. Maybe we can find some coffee or hot chocolate. Nightmare?”

Yeah?

“You were right.”

About what… shit

A massive wave was coming right at the side of the ship. It would easily sweep me off the deck and into the raging water below. I looked around and searched for something to latch onto. I sprinted and jumped to the railing and clung on for dear life as the wave crashed down onto the deck of the ship.

“SHIT!” I screamed as the water rolled over me and crushed me under its sheer force. I coughed and chocked on the salty water as it finally washed over me and left me gasping for breath as I still clung onto the railing.

WELL WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? GET BACK INSDIE!

“On it!” I let go of the railing and made a beeline straight for the nearest door. I reach my hand out to open it, when it swings open and nails me square between the eyes. I stumble backwards, dazed from the blow. The last thing I see is Pine Needle looking confused, shocked, and horrified as my back hits the railing and I plummet towards the raging ocean below.

I knew I should have killed him

**************************************************************

“So you did end up going overboard! I knew it!” Rainbow Dash leapt up from her seat and pointed a hoof at the human.

“Yes you were right Rainbow, but excuse me for wanting to build some suspense to it.” Honored laughed and stretched his arms out in front of himself. “It wasn’t exactly the high point of my journey back here.”

“So it does get better?” Rarity piped up from behind a cup of steaming tea.

“Let’s just say the prison, was the calm before the storm.” The human winked at the unicorn and settled back into his seat to continue the story.

**************************************************************

I struggled to break the surface of the water. My trench coat and body armor was slowly pulling me down towards the dark depths of the ocean. I felt my chest tightening as my oxygen began to run low. My thinking began to slow down and I felt lightheaded. I opened my mouth and swallowed in a deep lungful of water.

AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Green magic exploded from my body and rocketed me forward towards the surface of the water. Propelled by the Nightmare’s magic, I exploded from the surface of the water coughing and spitting up gallons of water. I struggled to stay on the surface of the water, but even in my dazed state, I wasn’t willing to give up my backpack and supplies.

WHAT THE HELL DID I SAY! I knew this would happen. Now I'm going to die trapped in this body, floating in the water, just waiting for a shark to eat me up.

I coughed up more water and managed to get onto my back and float somewhat flat on the rough surface of the water. “Or you could take over the shark and swim us to safety.” I spit up more water from the never ending amount in my lungs.

No! Because I said this would happen and it did! I said to be careful, but nooooo. Nightmare you're just being silly. You don’t know anything.

“Are you done?”

Yes.

“Okay good. Listen, the ship will notice that we’re gone and turn around and find us in no time.” I thrashed around to keep myself on the water as the waves tossed me around like a rag doll. What I wouldn’t give for a raft. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed something red and white bobbing the white caps. I swam for it and found a simple life ring.

“HAHA!” I threw my arms around the flotation device and held on for dear life. At least Pine Needle had enough sense to throw this thing in after me. Granted he did knock me off the ship, but it was an accident.

Oh wonderful little circle, you will surly keep us safe from the sharks and thirty foot swells!

“It’s better than nothing.” I gave a sigh and watched as a massive wave formed in front of me. “God damn everything.” I closed my eyes and held my breath as the wave crashed down on top of my little dingy. It was going to be a long night.

The sun finally pierced the clouds and the rain and wind began to let up. I was shaking as I gripped the life ring with all my remaining strength. Nightmare had stopped talking to me because he saw this as my fault, which it kind of was. The warm sun was a welcomed sight compared to the never ending barrage of waves that assaulted me throughout the night.

“Here comes the sun.” I snag out as the rays hit my face. Sweet Celestia the sun. oh how I missed you my friend. I was a morning/sun person. I was never one for late nights and the moon.

Well now what.

“What do you mean? We chill out, catch some rays, and wait for the ship to come back and get us. Simple as that.” I managed to pick myself up and sit myself into the ring. My feet and arms dangled into the water on all sides. My pack and rifle was settled in-between my knees and chest as I watched the small waves move me around.

What makes you think that the ships coming back? You think that stupid pony Pine Needle will be able to convince the crew of the ship to turn around and come back for us.

“Sure he will. I'm Honored Service. The only member of the Equestrian Honor Guard.” I stated proudly.

No, you're a simple hairless monkey that is Pine Needle’s pet. Or at least that’s what the crew onboard thinks. And do you think they will risk travel time to save that?

“Why do you have to piss on my parade?” I open the backpack and dig through it looking for something to eat. I could have sworn I put something edible in here from the galley a few nights ago.

“Here we go!” I pulled out a plastic bag that contained a few slightly soggy bread rolls and apples.

You had food in your backpack all this time.

“Yeah.” I said taking a bite from the apple. “Mo whmt?”

And you wanted to go get food from the galley in the raging storm?

“Well I mean, I tried to.”

When you could have just eaten what was in the pack from the very beging?

“I could have, but the galley would have had hot food.” I tossed the apple core into the water behind the little dingy.

I… I am literally speechless at your unbelievable stupidity.

“Well when you say it like that-“

No, there is nothing you can say that would justify your actions!

“They were serving tomato soup…”

That doesn’t… okay it was worth a try.

Okay so maybe I didn’t like the sun so much now. It had to be around sometime in the middle afternoon and the warm morning rays had turned into scorching laser beams. My face was definitely burnt already, and I was nearly out of water from my only half filled canteen. I mean who keeps it full when you're on a ship!

So are we going to die from shark attack or dehydration first?

“If you keep up that attitude ill just put a bullet in my brain and let you travel into some lowly fish.” I took a small bite out of the bread roll and put it back into the bag. So I had put a lot of faith into the idea that the ship would be coming back for me. And now I needed to conserve the food and what little water I had left. Might have to last awhile.

So how do you want to pass the time until we die?

“Well Nightmare, I’ll tell you the story of Castaway.” I smiled as I began to recall the story to the Nightmare to try and settle his nerves…okay so maybe telling a survival story while we were stuck out in the ocean wasn’t the best idea, but it was keeping me occupied, and the Nightmare seemed to be listening well enough.

After I finished the story, I watched the sun begin its slow decent towards the horizon. Almost immediately I felt the temperature drop. I brought my hands to my face and saw the worst pruned hands ever. It was awful. I would make sure that I would keep my hands out of the water tonight. I could hardly feel my fingers when I moved them.

As the moon began to rise into the sky, I began to shiver as the temperature dropped rapidly. I pulled my knees to my chest and tried to stay warm, which was hard to do considering that I was soaking wet.

“Damn. Really thought the boat would be back by now.” I stammered out through chattering teeth.

You don’t say? See I'm right once again. We’re going to die out here.

“You don’t know that Nightmare.” I rubbed my hands together, trying to get some warmth into the fingers. “The ship might be turning around as we speak. Coming to rescue us.”

Sure. I believe that.

I floated on that small life ring all night drifting in and out of sleep, waking up multiple times throughout the night because of the cold. When I say the first rays of sunlight peaking over the horizon, I could only think about the warmth it would bring compared to the freezing night.

I forgot about the midday sun.

Another afternoon I spent literally roasting under the sun’s harsh rays. My canteen ran dry late in the afternoon and my last roll and apple had puke green mold growing on one side of them. I cut off the mold and devoured the rest of the food. I was down to nothing but my rifle, pistol, knife and other standard supplies I have had since day one in Equestria. The only thing I was missing was my gold and green helmet that had been given to me as an Equestrian Honor Guard member. Either it’s on the ship, or somewhere on the ocean floor.

Oh look, the sun is setting. Break out the mittens.

“Nightmare, you're not helping.”

Well that’s just too bad, because thanks to your stupidity, I'm going to die

“We aren’t going to die! We just need to stay positive and we can make it through this. I'm sure it will rain again, and we can catch some water from that.” I said motioning to the canteen and plastic bag the food had been stored in. a simple water catch system.

Wonderful! Now how about some food?

“I… Um… well I don’t know. Fishing maybe?” I shrugged my shoulders and laid my head back as the last bit of sun dipped below the horizon.

Any other thoughts you would like to share with me before we spend another night freezing to death?

“Nope.”

Well then, good night, don’t let the sharks bite.

“Haha very funny.” I gulped loudly and pulled my m16 a little closer to my chest.

****************************************************************

“You were honestly stranded on a life ring for months? How did you survive? Did a nice school of dolphins take you in as one of their own and feed you and teach you the ways of the ocean? Or maybe you became able to survive like the fish! Did you get gills?” Pinkie Pie was bouncing around the room, bombarding the human with questions that seemed nearly impossible to answer with a straight face.

I believe this one has too much energy. Where does it even come from?

“No Pinkie,” Honored sighed and rubbed his forehead, “I was only on that ring for four days. On the fourth day I was dying of thirst when I saw land.”

You got lucky. If I hadn’t prompted you to turn in the direction, we would be fish food.

“Thanks to my superior navigation skills, I was able to guide my ring straight to land.”

You're so full of shit, your eyes are brown.

“Yup. All on my own, no help from a certain evil entity.” The human coughed into his hand and continued the story before any more interruptions could be made.

*************************************************************

If we make it out of here alive, the first thing I'm going to do is burn a village to the ground. And if I can’t find a village, then trees. Lots of trees. Wait, what’s that?

“No Nightmare, I don’t want to play eye spy again.” My voice came out dry and strained. I was dying slowly from dehydration. My urine was dark brown now and my lips were cracked all over. I knew I couldn’t kid myself any longer about rescue.

No really over there, to the right. I felt my head turns itself to the right and my left eye focus on a spot in the distance. It was a small green speck.

I think that’s land.

It took nearly a full minute for what the Nightmare had said to sink in.

“LAND!” I cried out in my broken voice. Using the rifle as a paddle, I gripped the barrel and made desperate strokes in the water to try and propel myself towards the slowly growing speck.

My thoughts of dying were replaced with new thoughts of salvation. I didn’t care what was on that land. Even if it was infested with dragons or zombies or zombie dragons, anything would be better than dying gradually over time on this god forsaken life ring.

Paddle faster! I can almost hear the flames crackling through the bark of trees.

“Water first.” I panted out between labored breaths as I drove the life ring forward. “Then fire.”

I struggled moving the ring forward, but was making little process. The thought of land overpowered my thoughts of dehydration as my body found new energy to keep going. Eventually the little speck of green became large. Then a beach appeared. Coconut trees followed after and soon a jungle behind that.

I hit the beach just as the sun was descending into my fifth night on the ocean. I flopped onto the cool sand and fell asleep. Passed out cold from the energy spent to reach this haven.

For once, I slept straight through the entire night, not once waking up because of the cold. I just slept on the beach, feeling the solid ground beneath me, and the sand in-between my fingers.

I woke up feeling sore all over and still thirsty as I’d ever been. I saw some coconut trees not too far off, and figured that would be the quickest way to get some liquid in me.

Good morning there human. It seems that we might not perish after all. No that’s all right; don’t thank me for spotting this little slice of heaven. It’s okay, knowing that we won’t die is thanks enough.

“Nightmare, just shut up.” I coughed out, standing underneath a bunch of coconuts. I tried climbing up the slim tree to get them. I tried throwing rocks to knock them lose. I tried shouting them out of the tree using a colorful stream of curse words. But in the end I drew my pistol and simply fired one well-placed shot into the base of the bunch of coconuts and sending them all down to the ground.

Did I ever mention to you, that you are not the brightest human?

“Oh bite me!” I said grabbing the nearest coconut and plunging the spike handle from Bad Bertha in to the hard outer shell of the fruit. I yanked out the spike and began to drink the milk from the coconut by the mouth full. ‘Take small sips’ I tried telling myself. The sudden intake of liquid might make myself…puke

After throwing up straight coconut milk, I tried again on a second coconut, this time pacing myself on the watery substance. It stayed down this time. I cut open more of the drained coconuts and began eating small bites of the white meat inside the lifesaving fruits.

Never was a fan of this stuff. Then again I never had coconuts before, but I'm not surprised. I don’t like them.

“Of course you don’t. They are the only food that may be on this island, and you don’t like it. How am I not surprised.” I rolled my eyes and took another bite of the meat. “At least we won’t be dying today!”

Where are we anyways?

“Well if I remember the map correctly, this is might be some land to the south of Equestria called, Mythartica.”

I was about to contemplate why it was called that, when a mighty roar shook the beach and caused me to fall backwards.

What was that about not dying?

I scooped up the remaining coconuts and shoved them into my backpack and sprinted as fast as my still weak legs could carry me into the tree line on the edge of the beach. I didn’t like where this was going at all.

Well hello readers! Johnson here. I'm alive and well at the military college. My time is pretty packed with classes and other things going on, but im still writing. Hopefully as the year goes on, more time will be found and i can update more often, but have no fear, the updates are still coming.

Thanks for all the amazing reviews and I'm glad to know that this story is loved by so many of you.

Peace and tolerate,
Love and care
Johnson

INB4 'WILSON' references.

Welcome to the Jungle

Honored Above All Else
Chapter 9
By Honored Service

I dropped to the floor of the jungle and crawled a few feet away from the tree line. I watched patiently near the spot where I had landed on the beach waiting to see if whatever made that noise would come looking for me.

The gunshot I used to bring down the coconuts is what must have done it. I stayed low to the ground and moved forward and peered out onto the beach. I was about to move from my spot when the ground shook causing me to bounce up and down.

I’m feeling a little uneasy about this situation.

“Me too.” I whispered to the Nightmare as I gripped the m16 tight in my grasp. I would be willing to give anything for some more bullets. I was down to the mag in the rifle and two full magazines on my chest rig. Not a lot of ammo for something big enough to shake the earth.

Maybe we should think about relocating to a different spot, one that doesn’t have a monster roaring and stomping the ground apart?

“Yeah, I agree with you there Nightmare.” I said barely above a whisper.

CRASH

RRRRROOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRR

Well we’re screwed.

My eyes grew wide and my jaw fell open as I watched a massive semi-translucent purple paw crash down onto the beach. Another paw followed suit. I found myself being dwarfed by a sixty foot tall Ursa Major.

I haven’t seen one of these guys since that time I tried to take one over. All I remember was hunger and an irresistible desire to bite roofs apart.

“Let’s just back up slowly, I really don’t have the energy or firepower to take this thing on.” I whispered as I began to scoot back on my stomach deeper into the jungle. I kept watching the massive creature as I moved away, fearing that it would surly see me and come after me in a rampage of rage.

The Ursa Major lowered its gigantic head to the ground and began sniffing the sand. its fangs actually touched the ground when it moved its head. I swallowed loudly, realizing that one of its fangs was large than myself standing up.

“Nightmare, if things get worse, I may have a really stupid plan.”

Well now color me impressed, something stupider than trying to take that behemoth on, now I want to hear about it.

“No I'm not going to take it on, I mean only if it-“

RRRRROOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

“Finds us.” Awww shit. I freeze up, hanging onto the idea that the Major is jusr roaring to roar and not at a little ol’ human crawling around on the ground.

“I'm sure it’s just being loud to be loud.” I say in a shaky voice to Nightmare.

The giant purple creature turns in our direction and takes a earth moving step towards the jungle.

So do you have to try and be wrong or does it just come naturally?

“Oh fuck off!” I yell jumping up to my feet and sprinting away from the beach, tearing through the tropical jungle. Vines grabbed at me and roots attempted to trip me up, I was experiencing some serious de ja vu. I stumbled and slid forward to the ground, the trembling getting closer as I leapt to my feet and dashed off through the jungle.

So what was this plan you had when it gets worse?

“Well it won’t work in the dense jungle!” I struggled to say as I ran around a large tree at least fifteen feet wide. I hear a massive crack and wiped my head around to see the Ursa Major bite the tree in half and spit it out.

We are so doomed. Well human, it was fun, I hope that you don’t experience pain when you die.

“Wait what!?” I screamed as I jumped over a log and slid under a low hanging branch. I tucked and rolled down a hill and came up on my feet running towards a ravine cut through the jungle floor. I jumped onto a fallen tree and sprinted my way across the log not bothering to look down.

I mean that if you get caught in that things mouth, I'm going to jump into its mind. You may be more powerful now, but in the jaws of that thing, I'm afraid that it wins out.

“Gee thanks for having some confidence in me.” I looked behind me and watched in horror as the damn Major simply stepped over the ravine and kept on moving towards me. I stopped dead in my tracks and slowly turned to face the charging beast. I shouldered the rifle and clicked off the safety.

Listen, don’t think I want to see your plan that badly that you need to try and show me it! Be reasonable!

“Let’s hopes this works. This is the plan I like to call, poke the bear!” I slung the rifle and yanked Bad Bertha from her sheath and began running head on towards the Ursa Major. For a moment I thought I saw a flash of confusion appear on the creatures face as I ran towards its face. Maybe, this would work. Just maybe.

Please don’t do this! I don’t want to be eaten!

“Shut up, and give me some fire on my hands!” I screamed as I kept moving right at the open mouth of the purple monster.

Please know what you're doing.”

I saw the flames explode from my hands. The green and black flames moved up and licked their way along the blade of my knife. Oh daddy, we were in business now. My other hand balled into a fist and the fire wrapped itself around it creating a ball of pure fire energy.

“Show time.” I smiled and jumped onto a collapsed tree and ran up at an angle towards the head of the Ursa Major.

I leapt off the fallen tree and flew through the air, knife pulled back and ready to strike. I land on top of the Major’s head and plunge the fiery blade down up to the handle and yank it our drawing a stream of blue shiny liquid from the wound. It’s funny, you can see through the Ursa Major, and yet apparently it has blood somewhere in it.

The Major throws its head back, trying to shake me lose. It lets an ear shattering roar cut through the jungle as I topple backwards and onto its neck. I began to slide towards the ground fifty feet below, when I plunge the knife into the side of its neck to stop myself. I swing my legs back and forth and jump onto its back, landing on one knee and throwing my balled up fist in front of me, punching a fire hole into the creatures back.

The Ursa Major hurled its head into the air and roared with such intensity that I had to cover my ears to stop the pain. After it finished, I could only hear a high pitched ringing noise echoing through my ears. I ran along the creature’s back, dragging the knife along with me, cutting a long, deep cut through its translucent hide; blue shimmering blood gushing out and onto the jungle foliage below.

This plan is just pissing it off.

“All part of the plan!” I pant out as I reach the neck of the Major. I know my little knife won’t be able to do anything deadly to the Ursa.

If you want to kill this thing, you're going to have to think outside the box. Hacking and slashing isn’t doing that great of a job.

“Or maybe I should think inside the box!” I give a laugh befitting a suicidal maniac and ran to the base of the neck and begin to climb up it, using the knife as a grip to pull myself up the Ursa Major’s neck.

Hand over hand, I stab my way to its head where I slice at its ears for good measure before preparing myself for what could be the stupidest thing I have ever, no will do, in Equestria.

Please tell me you aren't.

“Hold your breath Nightmare; this may take a few minutes.” I leap forward of the Major’s head and spin around midair as I come face to face with the enraged purple monster. I feel the hot sticky breath as its jaws open wide and close around me, ripping the bottom of my duster to shreds.

***************************************************************

“So not only did you single hoofedly take on an Ursa Major, you let it eat you!?” Quick Flurry and the rest of the ponies stared in disbelief at the human who was now perched on the coffee table in a heroic pose.

“Well I'm here now. Not dead, or eaten. And yes I did dive head first into the gullet of the Ursa.” Honored turned to look at Twilight Sparkle, who scribbling furiously trying to keep up with the recent developments. “So now Trixie isn’t the only one that can boast to defeating an Ursa Major!” Honored stood up and threw his hands over his head in a dramatic pose, while a light green magic blew the duster around him swirling it behind him, if caught in some unseen wind.

“Pfffft show off.” Rainbow Dash said to Applejack, who shot the pegasus a sideways glance and nudge with her fore hoof.

“Go on Honored, finsh this here story of yours. I'm sure we’re all mighty hooked on how this ends.” Applejack tipped her hat at the human, who smiled and nodded his thanks to the cowpony.

“I know I am!” Twilight Sparkle spoke up. “Seeing as how I removed an Ursa Minor with magic, I would like to know how you got rid of one with… um… violence. I know you don’t have magic of your own, so you made due. This will make its own chapter in the book I'm sure of it.”

“Well to say that the Ursa Major needed a breath mint is an understatement.”

Oh wow, so clever. That is the funniest thing I’ve heard all day.

*********************************************************************

“AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” I screamed as I slid my way through the dark slimy throat of the Ursa Major.

Your plan sucks.

“Oh shut up and give me a light!” I coughed out, becoming over powered by the reeking and suffocating atmosphere that was inside the belly of the beast.

The air around me shimmered and exploded into fire as the stomach slowly became visible to me. Trees, bushes, and lots of skeletons floated throughout the green sludge on the bottom of the stomach.

Should have left it dark in here.

The skeletons looked far too big to be pony, so that made me feel better already. I looked around and moved towards where I heard a deep thumping resounding through the creature.

The heart.

“Okay, we find the heart, and destroy it. Then cut our way out. See? This plan doesn’t suck.” I trudged through the stomach juices and climbed over a tree stump. Damn this thing eats anything. But I guess when you're bigger than a building; you can eat whatever you feel like.

Why do I feel like this plan was developed by some sadistic little foal?

“Look I don’t see you coming up with anything good!” I shout as I throw a fire ball into the side of the stomach lining. I hear a rumbling and the Major shudders with pain.

Maybe you shouldn’t do that until we reach the heart.

“Good idea.” I say as I plunge my knife into the stomach lining and cut a massive long gash through it and squirm my way through it, and into another section of the Ursa’s chest cavity.

More roaring and rumbling follows each incision I make as I move through the beast’s body. I notice that it becomes harder and harder to breath as I move along. The air is thinning out, if this is even air in this place.

The heart, we must be getting close. Listen.

Sure enough, the thumping is louder than ever. I cut my way through a wall of muscle and there it is. The massive heart of the Ursa Major beating in place behind a series of gigantic ribs, just begging to be destroyed.

“Let’s do this!”

I charge forward and jump between two ribs and land directly underneath the heart. I think about using the rifle, and just shredding it with bullets. But then I realized this was a once in a life time opportunity. And I wasn’t going to waste it.

I held the fire in my hands and combined the energy to create one large green and black fire ball resting in my palms.

“Wait for it.”

I swear if you say what I think you're going to say, I’ll kill us both here and now.

I stop and think, nah it was worth it.

I throw the fireball straight into the center of the Ursa Major’s pumping heart. I hear the explosion of magic, and almost immediately the smell of cooking flesh fills my nostrils.

“Damn, now that’s some… heart burn.” I turn around from the shuddering heart and sprint towards the nearest wall of muscel. I yank out my knife and begin to saw my way through the think flesh of the Major. Even though it’s see through on the outside, I can’t see anything from the inside. Fucking magic.

I can’t believe you. I swear this entire plan revolved around you just being able to say that lame, shitty one liner.

“Well I wouldn’t say it hadn’t crossed my mind.” I smile as sunlight streams through the cut in the flesh of the Ursa. I back up and sprint towards the incision and leap at it head first.

I punch through the Ursa Major’s skin and tuck and roll to a stop away from the heavily breathing creature. I stand up and turn my head, as I watch the giant purple creature sway, and collapse with a massive ground shattering THUD.

“And that Nightmare is how you beat an Ursa Major. Think inside the box.” I look down and relize I'm covered in shinny blue blood, green sludge, and other unknown substances. “And now to find a stream.”

******************************************************************

“And just like that, I was back on my quest to find home. The only problem being, the fact I had no clue where I was, and the only map I had was on the ship with Pine Needle.” Honored Service said though a mouthful of fruit salad. The ponies and human and settled down for lunch while the human retold the escape from the Ursa Major’s belly.

Granted most of the ponies lost their appetites, save for Pinkie Pie, who still continued to eat with gusto as the human recounted the story.

“I still say that this is a little farfetched.” Rarity cocked her head and gave Honored a look of disbelief.

“Fair enough.” The human stood up and rolled up the pant legs and kicked off the old combat boots. Horrifying red scares covered his calves and feet. “That’s from the stomach acid inside the Ursa’s stomach. These bad boys didn’t appear until a few days after the incident and man oh man did they burn.” Honored rolled the pants down and put the boots on as the ponies recoiled in shock.

“Honored!” Fast Skies moved to the human’s side and placed a wing across his back. “Does it hurt now?” She asked looking up at the creature that had endured so much pain for her and all the ponies in the room.

“It doesn’t hurt as much as it did, but it still causes some discomfort. But it reminds me that everything I do has a price that I must pay.” Honored gives a halfhearted smile and strokes the orange mare’s mane. “But let’s forget about that painful stuff and get back to the story. Still lots of things to come ponies!”

Do you ever get tired of listening to yourself talk?

“Do you ever get tired of not shutting the hell up?” Honored whispers harshly to himself.

*****************************************************************

Well that was just loads of fun.

I wiped my gore covered hands across my pants, which were also covered in shiny blue gore. No progress was made on getting clean. “Fun, no. Badass, yes.”

That was idiotic and completely reckless. We could have easily been killed in the first two seconds of your terrible plan.

“Really? I don’t think so.” I checked my rifle and backpack, making sure I didn’t lose anything in the Ursa. I frowned as I saw the damage that had occurred to my beautiful, and slightly used, duster. A long gash about six inches wide had been shredded through the back of it.

We could have been stepped on, bitten in half, digested, drowned in blood, suffocated inside of it, crushed by the failing body, or splattered against the ground when we dove out. Need I go on? We could have died in so many ways, and for what? For you to prove that you're and amazing killer? Or so you could say that one fucking joke.

I was unprepared for the Nightmare’s lecture. Usually he doesn’t care about things like this. But what really hit the hardest, was why did I do that? It wasn’t to prove I was a killer… was it? The Ursa Major had attacked me, and I acted in self-defense. It was either me or it, and I liked living.

“Nightmare, I did it to protect us. But I guess it was a little reckless.”

A LITTLE!?

“Okay, so it was a lot reckless, but would you have preferred that I had stayed put and gotten trampled by a giant paw?” I moved forward through the jungle, just heading in a direction. Hopefully I’ll be able to find something, like a landmark or maybe a sentient being that can give me directions. That would be a nice change of pace. Something not trying to kill me.

I know, I'm just a little tense, that whole thing was a little out of my comfort zone.

“So going into another creature’s body is out of your comfort zone?” I raise an eyebrow and give a cough.

Yes it… forget you.

“Yeah that’s what I thought.” I slung the rifle across my back and pulled out my knife and slashed my way through the jungle vines. Got to find some water to refill my canteen. And I need to find some food other than coconuts. And of course I need to find out where the hell I'm going!

You lost?

“No!” I scream after three hours of cutting my way through the jungle foliage. “I know exactly where I'm going.”

And where, pray tell, would that be? The voice asked sarcastically.

“Um anywhere really. We don’t have a map, or any knowledge of this area. So basically we’re just going to wander around till we find something.” I stop in front of a thick vine hanging off a tree. I reach up and cut the top of it, but keep holding it up, I then cut another section off three feet lower and hold it up in a u shape. Hopefully there is some water in this vine.

That’s actually a good idea human. Maybe you aren't as dumb as you let on.

“Thanks Nightmare, I … fuck you.” I tilt the end of the vine into the open mouth of the canteen and smile when I hear a small amount of water splashing into the plastic container. Oh yeah, we’re in business.

I fill the canteen up with several other vines and continue on the random journey. I weave my way in and out of the thick jungle till I come to a small worn path in the jungle floor.

“Hello, what do we have here?” I kneel to the ground and observe the trail, its worn into the ground, but I see no tracks. It’s just one solid track.

Now I wonder what could have made this.

“Well the real question is which way do we follow.” I scratch my head and look left and right. Both directions seem nearly identical. Both cutting through the jungle.

“Right.”

Left

“Okay, Left.”

Right

“God damn it. Alright let’s just go, that way.” I spin around in a circle and move towards the right. Hopefully this will lead to something… more helpful than an Ursa Major.

I follow the trail making good time through the jungle foliage. Now that vines no longer slow me down, I can simply just walk through the jungle. I notice a lack of wildlife in the section of the jungle. No birds, no monkeys, nothing. It’s like they just left.

I'm getting a bad feeling about this place human.

“Yeah I know what you mean.”

Just keep moving, and hopefully we won’t run into anything.

“Too late.” I stop dead in my tracks and looked at what laid ahead of us. The jungle opened up into a large clearing with a path made of stone leading up to a pyramid. Like an Egyptian pyramid, not a Mayan pyramid stacked with layers of stone.

Well that is a surprise.

“Yeah.” I take a step towards the structure off in the distance, when the Nightmare cuts in.

No.

“No what?”

We don’t need to investigate that place. We can just go around it, or hey, even turn around and go back down the trail to the other direction.

“But there could be-“

Booby traps, monsters, bad guys, and anything else meant to kill us, so let’s just turn around and head back.

“Wow, I didn’t know the Nightmare could be such a little girl.” I smile and turnaround from the ruins.

Now hold just a moment. I'm trying to keep us safe, that doesn’t make me a girl!

“You're right, it makes you a little sissy.”

THAT’S IT! LET’S GO EXPLORE THE DAMN RUINS. You ass.

“Now that’s the Nightmare I know!” I spin around and sprint back to the ruins but stop at the stairs leading up to a door as a blood curling scream comes from the ruins.

“HHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLPPPPPPPPPPPP!”

The scream sliced through the air and caused me to bring the rifle up to my shoulder, ready to fight if need be.

And now it feels just like an ordinary day. We cant go anywhere without something happening.

I crept through the door crouched low to the ground, rifle at the ready. I was standing at the beginning of a dimly lit hallway.

“Nightmare, how about some night vision.” I asked politely to the air around me.

On it.

I felt my eyes close and once I reopened them I could see clearly through the dark ruins. My new green tinted vision gave me totally control of the area around me. “Now let’s go find that screaming.”

I kept quiet and moved silently through the crumbling hallways and open doorways leading through the ancient ruins. Vines and moss crew out of cracks on the walls covering everything in a layer of foliage. Around another corner I turned and ducked back quickly. A large shadow passed by the door heading deeper into the ruins.

What was that thing? Blue fur and a long snout face thing. Even I have no knowledge about whatever that creature was.

But I do. Ahuizotl. The mythological creature from ancient Aztec legends. Well except this one was from a little kids show. Not as violent as the Earth legend one, who liked to eat the flesh of humans, especially the eyes and teeth.

So I had stumbled upon yet another bad guy from the beloved TV show. Pretty soon I was going to run out of evil creatures to defeat. Then what? Try to become a productive member of pony society? Ha as if.

I peeked back around the corner and almost dropped my rifle at what I saw. Tied up in the center of the room surrounded by ferocious lions, tigers, cheetahs, jaguars, and ocelots, was a group of ponies. They wore lab coats and safari hats that seemed vaguely familiar to some griffons or a pegasus explorer. These ponies were just explorers, dungeon divers, maybe even archeologist.

So what’s the plan? Run in there, screaming and shooting widely.

“I don’t shoot widely; I pick off perfect headshots all the time.” I sternly whisper back.

Whatever, so what’s the plan?

“Take out the head… pussy first.” I snicker to myself at my joke. God I'm hilarious.

Why’d you take that pause?

“You don’t get the joke?”

What joke? You’re going to take out that big blue pussy cat. I don’t see what’s funny about that.

Damn it. Even the bad guys in Equestria don’t get my dirty humor. “Forget it, let’s actually try some stealth this time around.” I keep the rifle trained into the center of the room, right on Ahuizotl’s chest as I sneak through the shadows around the edge of the room. I stop in a small alcove and watch as the blue cat walks up to a tan pony wearing thick rimmed glasses.

“Now tell me, what else have you found?” He whips his hand tail thing around and lifts the pony off the ground with ease, so she’s dangling in front of him.

“We only found that staircase leading down. That’s all. I swear!” She kicked her legs out desperately trying to break the mythical creature’s grasp on her lab coat.

“Minions, stay put and guard these pesky ponies. I’ll go make sure this one is telling the truth.” Ahuizotl strolled over to a doorway that had stairs leading straight down deeper into the depths of the ruins. “I’ll be back soon, don’t let anyone enter or leave.” And with that final command, he leapt down the stairs, agile as a… well a cat.

So, now to go in shooting, screaming bloody murder.

“I don’t see why not.” I stood up and stepped out into the dim light provided by the torches around the circle room. The ponies all gasped as they saw me come out of hiding, while the felines moved closer to attack, letting of different styles of hissssss.

“Alright, let’s do this!”

Yippe, once more into the fray, fire hands in ten seconds.

Ruins, Felines, And Traps Second Floor

Honored Above All Else
Chapter 10
By Honored Service

“ I'm just getting better!” I dove under a tiger as it ripped through the air over my head with a roar. I turned the rifle in my hand and fired it one handed into the back of the jungle predator. It went down without a sound.

No this just feels way too easy. Not that I'm going to say we haven’t gotten better at fighting, but this? This isn’t fighting, this is a slaughter.

“Fighting, slaughter, same difference.” I let the rifle fall to my side on the sling and take out my pistol and knife while using my arm bracer to fend off a bone breaking bite from a lion. The knife ended up in its neck while the pistol was trained on a jaguar jumping down from a ledge that traveled along the top of the room.

BANG

Cat down.

More of the ferocious felines had joined the battle through the holes in the roof and open doorways, but their numbers were slowly diminishing as my rifle got hotter. I was down another mag, bringing me to only sixty rounds left for my primary weapon. That would become a problem in the future. The lion dove at me after recovering from the backhand delivered by my arm bracer, a swift slice with the knife and follow up shot with the pistol insured he stayed down.

No, this feels like a trick or a that we could be walking into-

“Not now Nightmare! A little busy to discuss this.” I spun around while dropping to my knees and shoved the knife forward, catching a bobcat square in its chest as it leapt at my throat. I brought the pistol up and fired six rounds into three rushing cheetahs. So far they had been the hardest to track and kill because of the speed of which they moved around the room. But they sure aren't faster than a 9mm round hitting them head on.

“Okay so maybe this is getting easy, but I think that’s because we are just badass partners as we go along.” Flames exploded around me, hurling another jaguar backwards as it attempted to sneak up on me. “You don’t feel our kickass-ness?” I asked as I as I sheathed the knife and holstered the pistol. The few remaining jungle cats took off out the door as the fire slowly reseeded around me.

Okay I’ll admit that we have been improving.

“Exactly, now let’s find out what is going on in this ancient ruin.” I approached the group of still tied up ponies, most of who were shaking in fear as I approached. One of them, a purple and blue mare with a lab coat, shrieked as I got closer.

“Please don’t hurt us!” She screamed out as I kneeled down in front of her.

“Relax. I'm here to help you. I’m a member of the Equestrian Honor Guard, and I'm here to save y’all.” I untied the ropes binding them together and helped undo the ones wrapped around their legs and wings.

“Now before you escape, what exactly is supposed to be in the ruins that has Ahuizotl so excited?” I asked, while removing the final binds from the last pony explorer.

“This was an ancient temple that is said to hold an artifact of immense power. An ancient weapon of some sorts. We were looking to uncover it and use its magic to help create a shield system for cities against natural disasters.” The purple mare rattled off so fast, I had a hard time keeping up with her.

“Well I can imagine that Ahuizotl isn’t thinking the same thing.” I stood up and pointed the group of still shaking ponies in the right direction to get out of the ruins.

“Well I like weapons.”

I like powerful thing.

“It’s a perfect match; let’s go get ‘em!”

I charged to the stairs leading down into the depths of the ruins. “Maybe charging widely down there isn’t the best idea.”

No really? Let’s take this slowly and cautiously.

“Fine, but only for you Nightmare.” I shoulder the rifle and drop the empty mag to ground, and feed a new magazine into the rifle. The first round slides into the chamber, “Alright, let’s go dungeon diving!”

I took a tentative step forward onto the stairs and jumped back immediately as the place I put my foot was pressure plate. A giant spear shot forward and planted itself on the wall next to me. I gulped and looked down to see the wooden shaft sticking out between my legs, barely clipping my pants by a few centimeters.

Wow, that was either really lucky, or it’s a good thing you aren't bigger.

“Fuck off.” I broke the spear end off and continued down the stairs. “Dick.” I mumbled under my breath as I reached the end of the stairs and looked left and right. Two different hallways. I was about to take the right one, when I noticed a blue hair near the left one. I bent over and picked it up.

“Now I wonder which way the giant pussy cat went.” I noticed every few feet; there would be another long blue hair. “Ahuizotl must be shedding or something.”

Or it could be a-

“No why would he want to trap me? He knows nothing about me.” I ducked under a massive axe that was impaled on the stone wall. I tried not to think about the skeleton lying under the blade, but I looked anyway at it. Its head was cleanly severed from the body. It was unicorn pony who must have been exploring here a long time ago.

“Looks like they lost their-“

Nope, I don’t want to hear it.

“Fine. Be a stick in the mud.”

I will be, because than at least I don’t have to listen to these lame puns.

“Whatever.” I continued following the blue hairs down the dim stone hallway. Nightmare’s night vision was helping a lot, I could only imagine what it would be like without his help.

Look over there.

I stepped out into a large room. A massive sundial was in the center of it, and a certain blue cat monster thing was standing at its center messing with a small dial.

“Hey fur ball!” I screamed at Ahuizotl and fired one round at him. He leapt into the air releasing a loud screech as he dove for cover behind a fallen pillar.

Couldn’t have tried being sneaky or anything? No just run in screaming and shooting, because that always seems to work.

“Well I mean most of the time it does.” I squeeze the trigger and dropped more rounds downrange at Ahuizotl’s hiding spot as I try to flank around his position. Or just scare him off, whichever comes first.

“You'll never get the treasure human! It’s all mine!” Ahuizotl hollered above the gunfire before leaping over the pillar and sprinting towards the exit. At the doorway, he rears his hind legs back and lashes out delivering a kick to the stone archway above the door.

I slowly lower my rifle as I watch the only exit into this room collapse into a pile of rocks and stones.

Well this sucks.

“I guess you could say this is a ro-“

Please don’t.

“This is a rocky situation we’re in.” I shrug as the Nightmare gives a loud sigh in my head. “Get it? Because the door caved in and it’s covered in rocks.”

I get it, it’s just not funny.

“Whatever, I think it’s funny.” I looked around the room and noticed we were indeed trapped in here. Sure to eventually die of dehydration or starvation, or going insane from having to talk to Nightmare forever.

I move over to the sundial that Ahuizotl had been tampering with. Although it wasn’t a sundial, it was some kind of puzzle dial. It had shapes that were made of squiggles and lines crisscrossing in different directions. It was made of three wheels that turned against each other.

“Okay Nightmare, do your stuff.” I crossed my arms and stared at the stone turn table.

Excuse me?

“You know? Solve this thing please.” I pointed an arm out motioning to the puzzle.

And why do you think I can solve it?

“Well I'm the muscle and the tactical maneuverer, and I always just assumed that you were smart with the whole evil bad guy thing. Evil villain stereotype.”

Fine. I’ll see what I can do.

“Awesome.”

I stood of to the side facing the dial while the Nightmare hummed inside of my head trying to piece together the puzzle that sat before us. I began to turn my head to look for something to do while the Nightmare did his thing.

I need you stay still and keep facing the dial. If you move I can’t see it. Remember? I'm in here using your eyes. Dumbass.

“Sorry, momentary slip up, no need to be a jerk about it.” I cross my arms and continue to stare at the stone puzzle. God this is boring. I thought Nightmare would have this figured out already. But it’s been like… five minutes!? God I hate not doing anything.

“Alright, this is taking too long!” I spring forward and begin to spin the dial in random directions, trying to get the lines and shapes to line up in a shape or something.

STOP! You could set off a-

There came a large crash and rumble from behind me, I froze in place with my hands still clutching the dial.

Booby-trap. Why do I even bother?

“Well that didn’t go exactly as I planned.” I turned around and watched as a large slab of stone crashed forward sending a gust of air blowing over me. When the dust settled I noticed that a perfectly square door had been opened behind us. “Hey Nightmare?”

What?

“What’s booby-trap spelled backwards?” I smirked as I unslung the rifle and moved into position next to the new exit.

Do we really have time for this?

“Its party boob.” I chuckled as I leaned into the new hallway and swung the rifle left to right sweeping the area for anything that wanted to slow me down. Certainly Ahuizotl had planned on me getting out… and then leading him straight to the treasure, where he would surly go on a rant about this being his plan all along and then fighting me to the death over the weapon or treasure.

I swear you really have the maturity of a foal. How are you allowed to be a guard?

“Because I'm awesome and I can do this.” I threw the rifle into the air and dropped forward, ripping my pistol out of its holster as I slid on my knees, grabbing the failing rifle and spinning around while standing up at the same time. “Wow that actually worked.” I whispered to myself as I moved down the hall, holding the rifle and pistol out in front of me as I moved around corners and fallen pillars.

Let’s just get out of here. I really don’t like this place. And that cat thing is going to be waiting for us somewhere.

“Yeah, I'm counting on that.”

At least you’re learning.

“Hey… name three times when I walked into a trap.” I stopped and angrily holstered my pistol and dropped the rifle to my side.

Um hello? This whole thing is a damn trap!

“Well that may be true, but an awesome weapon at the end of this is totally worth it.” I pushed some rotting vines out of the way as I stepped around another corner of this never ending hallway.

STOP!

“But I didn’t even say anything.”

No you idiot, look down.

“What is it- oh.” In the spot I was about to set my foot down was a raised stone tile. I could hardly see it. “Wow, good spot Nightmare.” I carefully stepped over the tile and passed through this section of the hallway without setting anything off.

I feel something. Something with lots of magic.

“So what? Now you can just feel magical things from a distance?” I said while slamming my shoulder against a large stone that was blocking the path ahead of us. I grunted as I tried to budge the stone. I finally began to get the rock moving and it rolled forward and crashed down, sending up a billow of dust in my face, invoking a massive coughing fit.

The dust finally settled and I wiped some dust induced tears from my eyes. I stared in disbelief at what was at the center of the room in front of me.

Or I can just see it. But yes I can, and that baby has some magic in it.

Resting on a stone pedestal up twenty feet of stairs was a sword. But not just any sword, the most amazingly bad ass weapon I had ever laid eyes on. Sorry M16A2, you kick ass, but you're not a red and gold sword crafted of what looked like rubies and solid gold. The sword had a golden blade, with a red center running along the blade made of hundreds of sparkling rubies. The handle was wrapped in brown material with a large blue emerald on the hilt. The blade was about three feet long and had a very slight curve to it resembling a weird cross between a medieval short sword and a Japanese samurai sword. Truly beautiful.

“Oh daddy.” I slowly stumbled up the stairs towards the heart stopping, jaw dropping, mind blowing, and awesome weapon. The sword almost seemed to be calling out to be to take it and wield it into combat, slaying my enemies with its ungodly power.

Okay now let’s take this slowly, it could be trapped.Actually you know what, it is trapped.

“So shiny, got to have it.” I extended my hand out about to grasp the handle and hold the sword in my hand, when a flash of blue leapt in front of me and knocked me backwards off the raised platform.

I hit the ground hard enough to knock the wind out of me. I gasped for air as I stood up and looked up. Standing tall on top of the pyramid of stairs was Ahuizotl, holding my sword in his tail hand thing. He pointed a claw at me and laughed.

“Thanks for clearing the way here human. I'm glad I didn’t kill you.” He rubbed a paw across his chest as if he planned this whole thing from the beginning.

“Like you would have stood a chance!” I screamed at him. My hands hand curled into fists, with smoke slowly trailing off of them. Nightmare was pissed too.

I let the Nightmare take control of my hands, and spread his fire through them. I unleashed a wave of intense fire at Ahuizotl as he laughed at me. He dropped down, just barely avoiding the full blast, but not quickly enough as the hair all along his back was singed black.

“Ha.” I said through gritted teeth, as I climbed the stairs towards the recovering creature. “Now I’ll show you why you should have killed me.” I unsheathed my knife and dashed up the last few stairs and leapt into the air arching towards the blue cat.

Ahuizotl gave a loud meow and rolled away as I came down, planting the knife in the stone. “Sorry, but I got to run human.” He said while slowly easing his way around towards the door leading out of the chamber.

Oh he wasn’t going anywhere with my sword!

Get a running start towards that collapsed pillar, and throw your arms behind you, I’ll give him a surprise.

Nightmare was actually going to help? He must want us to own that sword too.

“Alright, I'm counting on you bud.” I sheath the knife and sprint towards the exit behind the fleeing feline. I swerve right heading straight towards a collapsed pillar that was lying on top of a jagged stone, making a makeshift ramp. Oh night mare you clever bastard.

Jump NOW!

I vaulted myself off the top of the stone pillar, while throwing my hands behind me. I felt the fire start in my hands, but was totally unprepared for the burst of flames the rocketed me forward through the air so fast that I actually passed right by Ahuizotl. Flaying through the air I grabbed the top of the stone door and flipped down landing in front of Ahuizotl as he screeched to a halt.

I cracked and evil smile at him as the fire slowly rose up my arms, consuming the entire length of them. “Well Ahuizotl, looks like you’re here to stay.” I could see the fear in his eyes as I moved closer to the cat. Then he remembered he had a super weapon in his rear tail hand thing. Seriously what the fuck is that thing.

He slashed at me with the blade, and as it came down I saw what looked like blue flashes shooting from the tip of it. I dove backwards as it crashed into the stone floor. Sparks shot off in every direction from the point of impact.

“It seems the tables have turned human. I may kill you yet.” Ahuizotl laughed and began another assault with the golden weapon.

********************************************************************

“So is this how you got that other sword on your back?” Rarity pointed a hoof at the other hilt beside the Diamond Dog sword.

“Oh, yeah.” The human easily removed the gold and red blade from the scabbard on his back and showed the group of ponies the second sword that caused them all to gasp at its equally appealing beauty. Honored reached over his head and with his left hand drew the Diamond Dog blade, showing off both of the amazingly crafted swords to the ponies.

“When my rifle ran out of ammunition, these bad boys became my number one and two weapons.” The human sheathed them with ease and smiled to the ponies. “And they look really cool in the middle of a battlefield. No enemy seems to want to fight me when I’m wielding them.”

“I could see how they would impose some kind of mental threat.” Luna tapped a hoof to her chin. “And you are a creature that is never seen, and is now host to an ancient evil that can cause you to catch fire and fly apparently. So I would expect the enemy to be a little afraid of you.” Princess Luna smiled innocently.

“Yes, that’s what I meant.” The human sat back into his chair and rubbed his chin. “Although I wonder what happened to that blue fuzz ball.”

“You mean Ahuizotl is still alive?!” Rainbow Dash bolted upright in her chair, spilling a few cups of tea everywhere.

“Well I mean maybe.” Honored shifted uncomfortably in his seat, as the pegasus stared him down. “Listen; let me finish this part of the story before you get all upset.”

******************************************************************

I dodged another swift upper cut from Ahuizotl. “Shit!” I felt the electric blade rip through another section of my once beautiful duster. Now it was just becoming rags. This is why I cant have nice things.

How about you put away that little butter knife,

“Hey, Bad Bertha is a-“

Yes, I'm sure she’s a powerful knife, but this is a sword fight!

“Oh yeah.” I stopped running from the sword wielding cat, and reached over my head to the handle of the sword strapped to my backpack. Thank you Diamond Dogs. I drew the diamond sword out just in time to stop a downward slash that Ahuizotl delivered, trying to split me in half.

“Now it’s even.” I smiled at the blue feline.

“Not quite.” He smiled back and sucker punched me in the cut with a free paw. Oh yeah, I forget about his other limbs.

I doubled back as he gave a quick chop at my head, which easily deflected. He may have a ancient super sword, but he has no training in sword combat. But I do.

I nimbly dodged another attack and weaved my way through his sloppy attacks and got in close to his body. I blocked another swing and delivered a sideways gash along Ahuizotl’s side.

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!” Ahuizotl jumped backwards as ruby red blood dripped out onto the stone floor. He back peddled to the stone stair pyramid and began climbing back towards the top.

He’s gaining the high ground!

“You underestimate my power!” I yell, charging up the stairs, swinging my sword around as I reach the top. I deflected blow after blow from the desperate cat. I was slowly but surely pushing the mythic creature back towards the edge of the pyramid. Ahuizotl hit the edge and stumbled, turning his head he looked back at the drop below.

And for that second, I had my opening. I ducked around his sword and slashed sideways.

SHINK

His tail hand thingy fell towards the ground, the golden sword traveling down with it. I reached out and grabbed the sword out of midair and spun around placing the swords in an X on Ahuizotl’s neck. He gulped looking at me with true fear in his eyes.

Come on, end him and lets go.

I was about to close the blades and end Ahuizotl’s life, just as he had planned on doing to me when I heard a growl and spun around just in time to dodge a pouncing tiger.

“Shit!” I dropped onto my back and held both swords up as the tiger passed overhead, slicing its belly along the blades. It stumbled and fell off the platform, where it landed with a sickening thump on the stone floor down below.

I got up and turned back around to finish of Ahuizotl, but all I saw was a blue blur disappearing through the door.

“Well damn it.”

You should have killed him when you had the chance.

“I always kill the bad guy, at least this is a nice change of pace.” I sheathed the Diamond Dog blade and found a golden sheath lying near the pillar where the sword had been resting. “And now I'm a full bad ass. Wouldn’t you agree Nightmare?”

Meh, I'm sure if I had total control I could make it better.

“Don’t start this again.” I said while walking through the exit and back out the never ending hallways to the entrance of the ruins. “Let’s just hope that some of those explorer ponies are still nearby so we can get directions.”

Of course you think of that now.

“Always trying to put me down, Nightmare. But it isn’t going to work.”

Well then, please explain to me where we are going.

“I’ll find the exit. Shut up.”

The Swamp is Swampy

Honored Above All Else
Chapter 11
By Honored Service

I trudged through the jungle and realized it was becoming harder and harder to walk. I looked down and noticed my boots were covered in thick mud and grass. I stopped walking and looked around.

“Sonofabitch.” I grumbled aloud closed my eyes and rubbed my forehead, wiping the sweat off my brow.

And so I’ll ask once more. Are we lost?

“Of course not Nightmare. Let me just take out my map and check and see…Oh dear me, I seem to have MISPLACED THE FUCKING MAP I NEVER HAD!” I screamed at the godforsaken swamp I had now wandered into. Tall dark cypress trees had replaced the tropical jungle trees and the thick brown water had covered the lush green foliage of the jungle floor. Moss hung down all around me from the low limbs of the trees, covering up a lot of the sunny sky.

Chill out, no need to get all uptight. We can just keep doing what we’ve been doing.

I shifted the pack on my shoulders and adjusted my rifle. “And what would that be?”

Just keep wandering around like we’re lost, that’s been working out great.

I took the rifle and pointed it at my head.

Okay bad joke, I get it. Will you point that somewhere else?

“Ha you thought I would do it. Please, I love myself too much to do that. As annoying as you can be, i would never blow my own brains out.” I dropped the rifle back down to my side and continued trying to move forward through the stagnant water. I heard a splash to my right and turned.

You heard it too?

“Yeah, but it was probably nothing.” I shrugged.

Famous last words.

**********************************************************************

“SWAMP PONIES!” Quick Flurry screamed leaping out of his seat and grabbing the human by the collar of his duster, pulled him up out of his chair. “It was a swamp pony, right? That’s what made the splash. Crazy weird ponies that live out there in the swamps. Did they try attacking you?” Quick was breathing heavily and staring at the human who tried to not look too uncomfortable by the close proximity of the crazed pegasus.

“Um no. It was not swamp ponies.” Honored lifted the pony off his collar and sat him down. “But I wish it had been.”

“That’s good, because let me tell you what, swamp ponies are crazy!” Quick Flurry hovered upside down before gliding lazily back to his seat, where Short Blade slapped him lightly across the back of his head. Everypony else just giggled at the wild antics of the pegasus.

**********************************************************************

I looked at the spot in the murky water that now was up to my mid thighs. I continued forward at a slow but steady pace, trying to cross the swamp, in a direction I hopped would be leading me towards the end of this bug-filled hellhole.

A few ripples moved across the water’s surface. “Nightmare, did you see anything?”

Hmmm I see a crappy swamp, filled with crappy water, and crappy bugs. That’s about it.

“No you asshole, over there.” I pointed to where I had seen the ripples, but they were gone now.

Nope, not a thing. Listen, maybe I should take over for a bit since you haven’t really made any progress.

“No!” I barked and sunk into a hole in the ground, bringing the water to my chest. “Alright you can go.”

Once more I found myself witnessing the world from my eyes, but watching my body move without me in control. “So let’s see how to go about finding a way out of here.” The Nightmare looked up to a tall tree.

Oh that’s cheating!

“No, you just didn’t think of it first.”

I…I was…FUCK THIS! FUCK THAT! Just hurry up you evil bastard.

“Aw that hurts my wittle fewwlings when you’re mean.” The Nightmare laughed as he grabbed a hold of a low branch and hoisted us up. Hand over hand he pulled my body till we broke through the canopy of the swamp and into the late afternoon sunlight.

“Ah, there we are, now let’s get a good look around.”

Oh just look around you smug prick.

“Don’t be so testy, I only am about to find our way out of this horrid…”

Let me guess, swamp as far as the eye can see?

“Um, yes.”

Alright, let’s do this.

Sure enough, from the top of this tall cypress tree, all I could see was dark muggy swamp covering the entire world. We certainly hadn't reached Froggy Bottom Bog. I didn't think it was this big, so I had no clue where we were, and the Nightmare wasn't faring much better.

Well Nightmare, got any other ideas up my sleeves?

“No.”

Then pick a direction and start walking.

“I hate you.”

Hey, at least you get to move around some now.

“But not to kill or destroy or explode or exterminate or-“

I get it! Suck it up and start hoofing it.

The Nightmare let out a sigh and plodded through the swamp water at a snail’s pace crawl. I let out a sigh in my head and just watched as the trees ran together and the water seemed to become murkier.

“Human did you see that?” My hand was pointed at a ripple in the water a good twenty feet from us.

I see some ripples.

“No, did you see what made them?” The Nightmare reached behind and gripped my swords.

Nope, but if something is there, I'm sure it’s just a fish or something.

“Yeah you’re probably right.” The Nightmare let the swords go and dropped my hands back to my sides and continued walking forward. A massive column of water exploded out from the swamp and a gigantic crocodile lunged forward, nearly clamping its powerful jaws around my midsection, if the Nightmare hadn’t dove to the side.

“But you’re never right!” Nightmare screamed as he bolted upright out of the brown water and sprinted as fast as he could away from the ferocious beast.

We were running so fast, that it felt as if we were running along the water’s surface. But the thing is, that running through water is slower than swimming, and crocodiles were made for swimming.

Find a tree! Find a hill! Find something!

“None of the branches are low enough!” The Nightmare screamed as he turned and looked behind to see the top of the crocodile’s head moving through the water at incredible speed, coming right at us.

Then we better find one! I screamed from the inside of my head. I was freaking out about as much as I could inside my own skull, which wasn't much, it was like a nightmare where you couldn't run away fast enough, except this was real and I was watching it.

A loud roar and hiss resounded behind us, moving closer. The croc was closing in for the kill. Even with the light body armor on, I could still picture the teeth punching their way through it and into my body, right before being dragged under the water and death rolled until I drowned. And then Nightmare would spend the last few moments of my life bitching me out saying it was my fault for getting us lost in the fucking swamp.

No. I wasn't going to give him that satisfaction.

Look out, I'm coming “back in charge!” I screamed as I pushed Nightmare back into my head and regained control of my body. I came to a halt as fast as I could, sending water spraying up all around, and turned around facing the incoming reptile.

I don’t think you can jump inside this one human.

“Oh I'm quite aware of that.” I began running right at the crocodile. Talk about Déjà Vu.

The dark green and gray animal opened its jaws as it came within feet of me. At the last second I jumped up and kicked down on its outstretched head, propelling myself upwards, as if I had just jumped on a diving board, driving its jaw closed with a thump.

“Nightmare, FIRE!” I hollered just as I reached the peak of my jump. Green fire exploded from my hands, and sent me up just high enough to grab a hold of a branch. I spun around on it and using my momentum, swinging on it and jumped up to another higher branch. Hopefully, safely out of the crocodile’s reach. Which it should be since I was thirty feet above the murky brown water.

“And that’s... why I'm in charge.” I inched my way along the branch until I reached the tree trunk and leaned against it. I closed my eyes and thought about falling asleep until the Nightmare gave a mental cough.

Ahem.

“What? Can’t you see I deserve some R and R?”

Look down. Idiot.

I peered over the edge of my branch safe haven, and watched as the fucking crocodile swam fucking circles around the base of the tree. Just waiting for me to come down.

“And fuck you!” I screamed down at the croc. “I was just walking along and you had to come ruin everything!”

“Oh.”

You just realize that’s how you act.

“Its totally different Nightmare.” I huffed and crossed my arms in front of chest. “I save ponies… and stuff.”

You always just come around a ruin everything for us bad guys.

“Serves you right, for being bad guys. And really you aren't all that bad, just misunderstood and maybe a little weird.”

I stabbed you. With a horn. Through your chest.

“You did. But I also shot you through the face and scattered your brains across the Canterlot Gardens.” I motioned someone making a tally mark on a scoreboard. “I’ll just chalk that one up to me.”

And I still hate you.

“See if that gets us down any faster. Ass.”

Jerk.

*****************************************************************

“You two seem to have a very love hate thing going on, or at least that’s what I’ve been able to observe.” Princess Celestia said to the human who was currently standing in the middle of the gathered ponies.

”Yeah, we found out we worked better that way.” Honored smiled at the princess. “He’s the night to my day, the yin to my yang, the chaos to my calm, the-“

You. Are. So. Gay.

“We just balance each other out perfectly.”

***********************************************************************

We waited in that goddamn tree for hours as the fucking dick of a crocodile just swam in circles below us. The sun eventually began to set and the temperature started to drop. Not freezing, but slightly uncomfortable for someone wearing only a duster and body armor. “Just go away! I taste awful!” I screamed down at the dumb animal.

Yeah, because that’s going to work.

I leaned my head back against the tree and sighed. It seemed for every step I took to getting home, something caused me to take two steps back. I had to have wandered into this swamp, what was next? A scorching desert? A freezing tundra? A graveyard full of zombies? Please whatever controls fate in Equestria, send another damn thing to keep me from getting to Canterlot.

You know this is kind of funny.

“Please elaborate.” I said closing my eyes and wondered how comfortable it would be to sleep in a tree.

Our three day journey from Zebracia has turned into an unknown long one. We have been gone for how many days?

“I think we may have hit the five month mark.” It has been a long time. Mainly just wandering through never ending jungles and strange places. Getting slowed down by villains and confused griffons. I was just never meant to get home I guess.

Hey human, something’s coming, the east.

“What?” I sat up and turned to where the Nightmare had directed me

But I could see it. A shadow jumping from tree to tree with the nimbleness and swiftness of a cat.

Shit.

“Nightmare I think we are going to have a situation in a moment.” I slowly stood up, propping myself up against the tree trunk.

When do we not have a situation on hand?

I cracked a smile and reached down, gripping the handle of my rifle. I brought the M16 to my shoulder, ready to start off this situation with a bang. “You know you enjoy our little fiascos.”

Oh I do!

“Great because this one is-“ Was all I managed to say before the dark shadow side tackled me out of nowhere, sending me falling through the tree smacking into every branch on the way down before landing face first in the disgusting water. Thanks to my sling I was able to stand up out of the water, with my rifle still in my grasp. I quickly turned on my heel checking everywhere for the damned crocodile that had been lurking around, but it seemed it had disappeared.

“What the flying fuck was that!” I yelled glancing around at my surroundings trying to get a bead on whatever had pounced on me.

It was big, I know that much. Big and Blue. And furry.

“Big, blue and furry?” Then it clicked in my head. “Ahuizotl!” I screamed before diving to my right as the shadowy figure dropped from above, landing on the spot I had just been.

“Awwww, and here I was thinking you were too dumb to figure it out.” The cold voice cut through the dark swamp like a knife. I spun around leveling the rifle at where the cat should have been, but I found myself just staring at empty space.

“You're going to have to be faster than that to stop this.” The voice sounded out above me again. I looked up and fired one of my remaining sixty rounds into the trees above.

“It’s as if you aren’t even trying.” Ahuizotl cooed out from behind a tree. Another round was fired into the trunk of the tree, but finding no mark

My heart was racing in my chest as I scanned for the elusive bad guy. I hadn’t ever missed before. What was happening?

A swift kick from behind sent me flying forward and smashing head first into a tree. I stumbled backwards as I was picked up from behind and thrown across the water into a another tree.

Human are you okay!?

“Yeah.” I coughed and spit out some dirty swamp water and watched as Ahuizotl stepped forward in front of me. He was smiling an evil toothy smile. His now hand less tail swished back and forth, a bandage wrapped around the end.

“I guess I should give you a hand Ahuizotl that you caught up me.” I smirked as he recoiled at my insult/joke.

He pawed the water, kicking dirty sludge all around. “Oh little puny human, I’ll enjoy defeating you.”

I brought the rifle up and aimed it at Ahuizotl’s furry chest. “If I had a quarter for every time I heard that.”

BANG

Ahuizotl sprung into the air as the bullets fired from my rifle shredded the trees behind him. The magically enhanced bullets punched holes through the cypress trees and sent jets of water into the air, as Ahuizotl dodged and ducked in a large circle around me.

Isn’t the point to hit him?

“Not now Nightmare. Just a little busy!” I hollered out above the noise of the rifle.

CLICK

I hit the magazine release switch and pulled the last mag out of my chest pouch. My last thirty rounds for my baby. I was about to hit the charging handle release button when my feet where kicked out from under me. I fell backwards into the water. I started to get up but a large blue paw stomped on my chest and forced me back under the water. I struggled against the leg, but being a bad ass super cool human doesn't grant you super strength to move a giant half ton ass hole cat.

The water around me began to fade into black. I was slipping into unconsciousness. Damn it. This can’t be how it ends.

*****************************************************************

“But that’s not how it ends! Because you're right here telling it to us!” Pinkie Pie screamed as she stood on top of her chair and pointed a hoof at the human, who was holding is face in his hands.

“I know, Pinkie,” the human let out a sigh, “but I'm telling the story through my eyes as it happened.”

“Ohhhhhhhh. That makes loads of sense.” The pink pony said as she sat back down into her chair.

“Please continue Honored, I am most intrigued as to how you got out of that mess.” Princess Luna smiled and motioned for the human to continue with the story.

The human nodded and looked back to the group of ponies. “I could feel the claws of death gripping around my soul as I gasped for air.”

********************************************************************

Ahuizotl had sprung backwards holding onto his smoking paw. Fire was slowly dying down around my body as I sucked in deep lungful’s of air. I stood up out of the water and stumbled, but kept my balance. “Thanks Nightmare, I owe you one.”

For saving me from dying in Queen Chrysalis’s body, let’s call it even.

“Deal.” I smiled and faced down Ahuizotl with a new sense of fire in my chest. I charged forward, aiming the rifle and loading in a new round into the chamber. “Get some.”

Ahuizotl spun around and sliced at me with razor sharp claws. I jumped to the side and rammed the butt of the rifle into his side. He brought down a slash from his paw which I avoided, but the claws caught on the nylon strap to the rifle.

SNAP

The sling that kept the rifle attached to my body split in two pieces. I gripped the rifle tighter, knowing that I couldn't just drop it now and draw another weapon without losing the M16 in the swamp water.

Ahuizotl came in low and fast. Faster than I could bring the rifle to bear. He spun around and lashed out with his hind leg, claws outstretched. I caught the full force of the kick in the center of my chest. I felt something crack and the searing pain of knives being driven into my chest.

I flew backwards into the base of a tree, blood slowly trickling out of four perfectly made cuts in my body armor. I brought my rifle up to fire a burst into the approaching mythical creature, but my arm moved way to fast to be holding my rifle. I looked down and couldn’t see my rifle anywhere. I moved my hands through the water trying to find it as Ahuizotl came closer and closer to me.

Then I noticed he was walking with only three paws. And in the fourth paw, his foreleg, he was holding something. Something that belonged to me.

My M16.

“Well, well, well human it seems that the tables have turned once more.” Ahuizotl said as he stepped up in front of me. The barrel of MY rifle poking me in the chest.

“Yuck it up more you fuzz ball.” I spat back at the blue cat.

“Oh don’t worry I will. Once I am able to boast to the entire world that not only do I have the most powerful weapon in Equestria, but I killed the only human too! So exciting.”

The barrel was still pressed against my chest, Ahuizotl leaned in closer towards me. As he did so I slowly reached down and drew my Berretta.

“Any last words human. Before I blow your brains out?” The rifle’s barrel eased up and found itself jammed under my chin.

“I was going to ask you the same thing.” I reached up and jammed the pistol under Ahuizotl’s jaw line. He was caught by surprise and stared at me with a terrified look on his face. I smirked at him and pulled the hammer back on the pistol.

So this is a standoff.

“Not quite.” I jerked my leg to the side and knocked Ahuizotl off his feet while yanking my head back.

BANG

The rifle fired its round inches from my face sending heat across my head. I yelped and rolled to the side before jumping to my feet and aiming my pistol at the recovering Ahuizotl.

I squeezed the trigger and sent the magical rounds flying towards the retreating animal. One of the magical shards of the 9mm round caught Ahuizotl in the ear ripping it off from his head.

“And you better stay the fuck away from me, or next time, I will kill you!” I screamed as his shadow disappeared into the swamp foliage in the distance. I slumped down against the nearest tree and holstered my pistol.

Down a rifle that was now in the hands of a dangerous bad guy. An evil bad guy. I had to track him down and get my rifle back. I couldn’t let it float around for anypony or anything to find. Let alone have Ahuizotl using it to carry out his sinister deeds.

We are going after him aren't we?

“You know it Nightmare,” I said, standing up. I looked at my chest and saw that the bleeding had slowed down. Must not be too deep of cuts. Other than just being sore all over from the beating Ahuizotl had delivered I was fired up and ready to go.

A loud growl sounded from behind me. I reached up and yanked the Diamond Dog’s sword and the gold and ruby sword out of their scabbards and spun around to face the crocodile from before.

I flipped the swords around in my hands so the blades pointed downwards and drove them down through the crocodile’s head. Sparks jumped from his body as I yanked both blades out of his head. “There, I warned you.” I said to the corpse.

Let’s get out of the swamp.

“Yeah, let's.”

Well im still alive, and i know these chapters have been coming slowly, but alas i have not forgotten about you readers. The story will continue and ill write till the end...who knows how it will end...oh yes you do, he comes back safe and sound...or does he. is this really all a dream inside his head before the training exercise that takes place in chapter 1 of the first story? Who knows.

Just kidding, i would never do that.

Peace,
Tolerate,
Love,

Johnson

Through the Forest and the Flames

Honored Above All Else
Chapter 12
By Honored Service

“Just take a right on Trotting Road and then turn right at the fork in the path.” The purple stallion pointed a hoof down the road. He was shaking slightly as I may have seemed a little terrifying since I was covered in dried mud, blood, scars, and scratches. Also my nice duster was now shredded and torn in the back and the two swords protruding off my back certainly didn't scream friendly. And the huge knife on my leg. Plus the fact that I was tall, bipedal, ancient species that hasn't been seen in over two thousand years.

And having Nightmare constantly make my eyes glow red certainly wasn't helping me seem less horrifying.

“Hey thanks, buddy.” I smiled, but I guess I wasn't to convincing as the pony just jumped into the air and sped off into the opposite direction.

Friendly sort of character, wasn't he?

“No, you kept scaring him with the eye thing. But at least we got directions.” I sighed and adjusted the straps on my slightly worn old backpack. The Nightmare and I had been chasing Ahuizotl for the better part of three weeks now. We tracked him using Nightmare’s powers and by simply asking ponies or other sentient creatures along the way if they had seen a large blue cat thing running along.

The current map that I had, which I ‘borrowed’ from a pony wearing a Hawaiian style shirt and taking photos in a small village outside of the swamp, showed that we were moving AWAY from the Equestrian border in this land of Mythartica. I groaned as I added another dot to the map sowing our current path along the map. We had just left a small town called Seaddle. Nice place.

I say we forget about that ol’ mean pussy cat, head back home and go meet some alicorns or something. Maybe get within touching distance?

“One, shut up. Two, fuck that. And three, I'm not leaving a bad guy, roaming around the world, with my GOD DAMN RIFLE!” I screamed and kicked a rock out of my way. It flew through the air and hit a tree, ricocheting back and nailing me in the forehead.

“Oh for the love of shit.” I rubbed the growing knot on my head and glared at the offending rock.

It’s like everything you do is just one long, never ending joke.

“Just… just be quite.” I trudged along the dirt road searching for Ahuizotl, hoping that today might be the day I run into the damn cat.

The purple stallion had said he spotted him along this path not too long ago. This would be the closest we've been to getting him in the past three weeks. Which is strange considering that he has always been at least a couple days ahead of us. He must have gotten lazy and stopped somewhere.

“Remember, if we see him, I'm going to need all your help I can. He has that rifle now, and I don’t think you need any reminder on how powerful it can be.” I turned to the right in the fork in the road and frowned as I saw the path lead straight into a dark forest looking area. Low hanging branches. Lots of cover. Dim lighting.

Ambush central.

Now if this doesn't scream, ‘I’m in here, just waiting for you’.

“At least it isn’t a swamp.” I pulled out the golden sword, which I nick named Zappy, because of the sparks of lightning that flew out of it whenever it struck something. I gripped the sword in my right hand and also drew Spike with the left hand. I was going to be prepared to fight Ahuizotl this time. No more surprise attacks.

I stared at the entrance to the forest. Everything I knew about tactics and leadership told me that entering that place was a bad idea. But I either wanted my rifle back, or I needed to destroy it. Anything was better than letting Ahuizotl have my weapon.

So what’s the plan? Just stumble in there blind. No wait, let’s just skip through the forest whistling. It’s like he never will know we’re coming.

“Listen Nightmare, we don’t have a lot of options. It’s kind of a straight shot into the woods and from their just beating him.” I took a tentative step forward into the forest. A light breeze rolled by and shifted the branches ahead of me. I peered into the woods and at all of the trees. Behind every one of them could be Ahuizotl, waiting to put a bullet through my skull. That is if he even figured out how to get the rifle to work.

“Well let’s just push through. Hell, he might not even be in there and we can just head to the next town.”

Now you say things like that-

BANG!

The tree branch inches from my head exploded into hundreds of wooden splinters that flew through the air and imbedded themselves across the right side of my body. I dropped to the ground, howling in pain as another ear shattering gunshot rang out through the forest.

I dropped my pistol to the ground and dug at the splinters that were fixed in the side of my face. I managed to get a few out and wiped the blood out of eye so I could see clearly. Well clearer. I picked up the pistol and slowly raised my head out of the dirt and low crawled forward to a tree trunk.

“Are you dead human?” That queer voice called out from the darkness. It was taunting me. Trying to get my pride to cause me to do something stupid. I wiped more blood off my face and gripped my weapons tighter.

So Ahuizotl did know how to use my rifle. At least he only had twenty bullets left. Something like that. I had been on my last mag when the rifle was taken from me. I angled the sword next to my head, and used the blade as a mirrior and peered around the tree.

Tree, tree, another tree, and oh my god another tree. Where the hell was the fire coming from!

“If I was a blue cat, where would I be to get the drop on some guy?” I thought aloud while drawing my sword back and clicking the safety of the pistol.

Oh man that’s a tuff one. Cats totally don’t climb trees and shit.

“Ah, okay lucky guess.” I angled the sword again and this time looked up into the dimly lit tree tops. And sure enough, perched high up on some branches was Ahuizotl, cradling my fucking rifle in his paws. And aiming it right at me.

BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG

The ground around me exploded, as dirt and grass flew across my field of vision as I ducked back around the tree. I could feel every bullet as it struck the tree, which brought back memories of the first time I fired that weapon into a tree with magical rounds. I dove away from the tree into a low muddy ditch along the road just as bullets blew through the side of the tree, knocking a hole through the five foot wide trunk.

Somehow I feel that that rifle was the only thing that made you so great.

“Shut the hell up!” I screamed as another volley of fire ripped into the ground around me. What the fuck, I know he must have used all the ammo. He couldn’t have more. There were no more shells. No more gunpowder. And he certainly didn’t know how to make bullets.

I jumped out of the ditch and fired the pistol ahead of me at the spot Ahuizotl was still sitting. The 9mm magical bullets broke apart in mid-flight, sending quadruple the amount of bullets at their target. Ahuizotl jumped from branch to branch as my rounds ravished the threes above me.

“GET SOME!” I screamed above the combined retorts of the rifle and pistol. Leaves and Branches rained down from above, while dirt and grass flew up from the ground. I was running and firing my weapon at Ahuizotl as he leapt down from the trees coming straight at me firing the rifle.

I could see the hate and evil in his eyes as we closed in on each other. I knew at this distance we could easily blow each other apart with one magical round so each shot would have to count.

CLICK

I pulled the trigger at the blue creature’s head the same time he leveled the rifle at my head and squeezed the trigger.

CLICK

Time seemed to stop as I stared at my empty handgun and back up into the confused face of Ahuizotl. But I reacted first. With all of my might, I pulled my arm back and threw the pistol at his face as hard as I could. I smiled as the Berretta made a solid ‘thunk’ against his forehead.

“Boo Yay!” I yelled while reaching over my head and drawing my other sword. I touched the blades together so the magical lightning from the gold one sparked and arched across to the diamond one. “It’s over fur ball.” I brandished the weapons to my side and charged at the retreating blue cat, dragging the weapons along the ground as I chased him.

Ahuizotl jumped into the air trying to reach a branch to begin climbing the trees. “Oh hell no!” I chucked a sword forward at the low hanging tree limb and laughed with glee as it sliced the branch in half and dropped the fleeing cat back onto the dirt path. I jumped over him and grabbed the sword and kicked off the tree coming to a kneeling position in front of Ahuizotl. “This ends here. And I will be leaving with my rifle.” I stood up and slowly walked up to him, twirling my swords around in my palms as he backed up into the base of tree.

“Human, I was only trying to-“ Ahuizotl began to say before I placed both swords across his neck in a X shape.

“Save it for someone who cares Ahuizotl, because I sure as hell don’t.”

Let’s end this damn goose chase human. Finish him.

I was about to slide the blades across his throat when I noticed something hanging off of Ahuizotl’s neck. It was a dark green satchel. And his tail was slowly digging around inside of it. Before I could stop him, I was knocked backwards by his hind legs. I looked up from the ground as his tail pulled out a small rectangular black shape.

“No.” Was all I could say as I stared at him. Using his tail he maneuvered the shape into the bottom of my damn rifle.

Did he figure it out?

“Yes.” My mind was racing as I tried to think of a way to beat him. He now had ammo for a rifle, while I had two swords, a knife, and half a clip of ammo for my pistol…which was laying in the dirt somewhere behind me when I had thrown it into his face. FUCK!

“Well human, once again it seems that you have underestimated me and now you will be on the receiving end of this beautiful masterpiece of power. I simply can’t thank you enough for delivering it to me. It will come in handy while I take over Equestria.”

I slowly began to inch backwards, “How did you make more bullets?” I asked, trying to stall the villain before he could end my life. It was long shot, but if I could reach the pistol, I might be able to turn this around.

Ahuizotl rose onto his back legs and walked towards me while stroking my rifle! ‘I'm going to obliterate this asshole.’ Was all I could think as I continued to back up and he continued to walk towards me.

“I'm so glad that you asked. It was actually a stroke of genius on my part. And bullets? So that’s what they are called. Sounds much more professional than magic wonder rocks, that was the original name for them. But I guess bullets doesn’t sound so… childish.”

Okay maybe letting him kill me would be better off than listening to him talk.

Will you please kill him already. I'm getting tired of this villain thing.

“You? Please, you did it all the time.”

But at least I sounded cool. He just sounds like… what was that thing you said a while ago…he sounds like a…

“A giant waste of space taking up precious air that could go a more suitable purpose.” I sighed and continued to scoot backwards on the ground, feeling around with my hands for my pistol. It had to be close by. I could see the scuff marks and bullet holes in the ground from our first contact.

“And then I got the unicorn, under claw-point of course, to just whisk up some magical propellant to send the little chunk of metal through the barrel. Simple as that. I mean I did have to get a blacksmith to create more of the bullet holder things.”

“Magazines?” I couldn’t believe this guy. Evil, dumb, and he was a total jack off.

“Hmmm once again sounds a lot better than magic wonder rock container holder. Thanks for the names human, and now you die.” He shifted the gun easily in his paw and aimed the end of the rifle right at my head.

Human do something. The Nightmare pleaded inside my mind.

“Wait have you even test fired your new bullets? I mean how silly would you look if you pulled the trigger and nothing happened? Are you sure you want to risk it?” I asked as my hand slid over a smooth piece of metal. Hello Spike.

“You’re right.” Ahuizotl turned to the right and pointed the M16A2 at a tree across the path.

BANG

The rifle kicked back in his paw, the muzzle flashing brilliant neon blue. The tree literally exploded across its diameter . Granted it was only about three feet thick, but it toppled over through the forest. Like it had been chopped down with an axe.

“So haha I guess it works.” I gulped as I fumbled with the pistol behind my back. I dropped the empty clip out and slid in my final clip with only seven rounds left. “Well then have at me.” I placed my thumb on the slide catch and released the slide on the Berretta.

Click.

“What was that?” Ahuizotl said looking down at the rifle in his hands.

Before he could react, I took my opening. I pushed off the ground with my hands and swung out my right leg; catching the rifle in dead center and kicking it lose from his paws. It sailed up into the air out of the blue villain’s reach. I dropped down and aimed the pistol at Ahuizotl’s chest, and squeezed the trigger once.

BANG

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” Ahuizotl clutched the his chest and stumbled backwards till he his back slammed against a tree and he slid down to the ground till he came to rest in a sitting position. I jumped forward and caught the rifle as it flew and spun around so I was facing the dying mythical creature.

“It’s not fair. I… I was going to win.” He coughed up a glob of blood and pulled his paw away to revile four small holes in a near perfect square in the center of his chest. I shrugged and holstered the pistol. I gripped my rifle and examined it closely. It seemed the same, except for something scratched into the side of the rifle right above the magazine port. Mother fucker.

Ahuizotl had carved a cat’s paw into my beautiful rifle.

Oh wow, doesn't that look classy. It just screams I'm lethal.

“Shut the hell up Nightmare, at least I got my baby back.” I looked at the dark green satchel Ahuizotl still had on. I leaned over to grab it when I noticed something move out of the corner of my eye. I jumped backwards as his paw sliced up at my throat. The sharp claws caught the collar of my armored chest piece and collar of duster adding three new slices into it.

I pointed the rifle at Ahuizotl and sighed. Maybe being the good guy was getting tiresome because it always seemed like I would take one step towards home and then get knocked back by some villain. I looked at Ahuizotl’s elongated face on last time before squeezing the trigger.

The forest lit up neon blue for a brief moment. I opened my eyes to see a headless cat body slump to the ground, blood pouring from what use to be Ahuizotl’s neck.

Well don’t you have something to say?

“Like what? I got the bad guy, got my rifle, and,” I grabbed the satchel and wiped off some gore and fur, and tossed it around my neck and shoulder, “got some ammo for said rifle. I think I'm all set to head home. Finally.” I smiled for the first time in a few weeks. Home. Canterlot, first, get the rest of my belongings and sort everything out with the guards and Princesses. Then see Fast Skies. That should be nice. And then maybe if I had enough time that day, go to Ponyville and see about that plot of land from Pine Needle.

You usally always end something like this with a pun or a witty-ish one liner.

“Maybe I'm just not up to it okay Nightmare.” I looked back at the headless Ahuizotl. “If cats do have nine lives, I guess he just used them all up.”

Keep working on it.

“That headshot was purr-fect?”

Getting closer.

“He was kitten when he said he was going to win.” I shrugged and turned away from the body and began marching down the path out of the dim forest.

It just doesn’t… feel right.

“I'm feline fine with it.” I smiled for the second time that day.

That’s more like the human I know.

“Thanks Nightmare.” I slung the rifle across my back and thought about home, and the Nightmare in my head that was becoming more and more of a friend to me.

So lets end it with lots of puns. Just for you. You know who you are.

0% Chance of Rain

Honor Above All Else
Chapter 13
By Honored Service

I still feel like you really lucked out on this-

BANG

tink

whole situation. I mean come on, now it’s even better than before, which is just unfair to everyone; good or bad.

BANG

tink

“I'm sorry Nightmare, I can’t hear you over the sound of awesomeness.” I aimed the rifle one handed at another tree and blew a hole the size of a refrigerator through it, causing said tree to crash backwards. After the fight with Ahuitzotl, Nightmare and I continued to walk through the forest and make our way back to Canterlot. And if everything went smoothly (it won’t) and no problems arouse (they will) then we should reach Canterlot in only three weeks.

Maybe wasting all the ammo, which does have a limited supply, isn’t the best idea considering you nearly ran out before losing the weapon to a bad guy.

“Look I have,” I peaked into the green satchel slung around my neck, pulling the flap back to reveal hundreds of shiny brass bullets that gave off a slight blue glow, “I think I have enough bullets to waste a few into some trees to get a feel for…the um…new recoil. Yeah the new recoil.”

BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG click

“Although only having three magazines is kind of annoying.” I shrugged as I pulled the empty magazine out and slung the rifle across my back opposite of the two swords. I opened the satchel and took out a handful of bullets and began to slide them into the clip. So just dropping empty magazines along the ground hadn’t been the best idea, but why would I have kept an empty one. I didn’t think ahead knowing that an evil cat creature would figure out how to make more bullets, after he stole my rifle to use against me. So I just now can only have three magazines fully loaded before I have to reload them with rounds. Ninety rounds is okay, could be worse.

I'm just suggesting that you stop fighting trees and save the ammunition for something that may matter in the future.

“Sheesh, alright mom, I’ll stop.” I slipped the full magazine into an empty pouch on my chest rig next to the other two full ones and looked up. The forest was starting to thin out. The trees were less dense and the path was becoming more worn into the earth.

I walked along at a leisurely pace making my way through the forest until the tree line stopped. I found myself staring out across a beautiful meadow with a few hills spread around the grassy field. The worn dirt path wove its way around the hills and stretched off into the distance. I smiled at the amazing scene in front of me and moved out of the dim woods and into the bright and sunny meadow.

“If you're going through hell
Keep on going, don't slow down
If you're scared, don't show it
You might get out
Before the devil even knows you're there.”

I sang aloud as I passed the first hill and grinned from ear to ear as, way off in the distance, I saw the outline of houses. I pulled out the weathered and torn map and found myself on the outskirts of the woods.

“There it is Nightmare, the next stop on our journey from Hell. Happytown.” I rolled up the map and tucked it away into my backpack.

Happytown?

“Look I didn’t make the damn name.” It was going to be one of those days.

Happytown?

“Yes.” I paused and sighed while rubbing my temples. “Happytown.”

I don’t like it.

“… Really?”

Let’s go a different way.

I gritted my teeth and ground my hands into fists. “Nightmare, this is the last town before we hit the Manejave desert. And I would like to get some food and more water containers before I just go strolling through a fucking desert, just because you don’t like the god damn name!”

No need to yell.

“Can you please be more annoying?” I said as I continued plodding towards the little town.

I can certainly try.

“No I didn’t mean to actually try and do –“

Now one year before I became a free floating cloud of consciousness that could take over minds, I was a simple colt living a simple life in town that has long since been forgotten.

“Please God, kill me now if you can here me.”

Now I didn’t think that daises could be so pretty until you but them in a bouquet with some fine daffodils and dandelions –

“Yeah, If you're going through hell
Keep on moving, face that fire
Walk right through it
You might get out
Before the Nightmare even knows you're there
Yeah, you might get out
Before the Nightmare makes you kill yourself.”

Oh haha very clever, that didn't even rhyme.

**********************************************************************

“Wait. Hold on. The Manejave desert? That place is horrible! How could you go through a place like that?!” Fast Skies yelled at the human who paused in the middle of his story.

“Um… to get back here to you?” The human gave an uneasy smile and stared at the red pony. “I missed you so much that I was willing to brave the harsh desert heat and scorching sun.”

Fast Skies crossed her forelegs in front of her. “I don’t believe you.” She glared at Honored who smiled back, a few beads of sweat breaking out across his brow. “But I appreciate the effort.” She leaned forward off her chair and gave the human a quick peck on the cheek.

Honored gave a light chuckle and turned a little red at all the stares he was getting from his audience.

“That was so sweet; I think I just got diabetes.” Quick Flurry said, elbowing Hammer Strike in the ribs while trying not to burst out laughing.

“You’re both just jealous you don’t have a special somepony.” Honored mocked at the two ponies.

Hammer Strike reached over and pulled Quick Flurry to his side, “Who said I didn’t have one?” There was an awkward pause as the human turned redder that Fast Skies. “HAHA I'm just messing with you. I could do a lot better than this pony.” Hammer Strike pushed the yellow pegasus away who was laughing at the reaction the easily embarrassed human had given.

“Okay, well, awkward situations aside, let me continue. The good part is coming up.”

************************************************************************

“That’ll be twenty-three bits fella.” The green mare working the register in the general store told me while putting my extra canteens into a bag. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the remaining bits I had. Twenty-four.

“Well Nightmare, I guess we need to find a way to make some money so we can by some food.”

Why is it always we? I'm just here for the ride and occasional fight. This one is all you.

“Gee thanks for being there for me. Ass.” I thanked the shopkeeper and walked out of the Happytown General Store. At first the town treated me like Ponyville had treated Zecora. But I spoke up and used reason with a lot of the ponies and soon they welcomed in, just like any other traveler that passed through the little town.

I walked past a bulletin board and walked backwards to it. I glanced over the papers pinned up on it.

Lost dog

Found dog

Oh look here’s one for a new roommate. I think that one will help us.

“Listen here Nightmare, we just need a few bits to by some supplies. I'm sure there is some small odd jobs around here we can help with.” I continued to scan the board for anything that might fit what we needed.

Again with the we.

“Here we go, need help fixing leaky roof. And it pays twenty bits. That should be plenty to just get some food for a couple days journey through the desert.” I ripped the paper down and asked for directions to the house from a couple of passing by ponies.

Fine. Whatever. Let’s just hurry up and get out of here.

“What is your deal Nightmare? You’ve never been this pushy to get out of a place before.” I walked along the street till I came face to face with the most run down looking building in the entire town.

And no wonder why there was a leaky roof. The damn thing had holes in it the size of bowling balls.

This is why I don’t help ponies.

“Maybe we need to discuss the amount I'm getting paid for this.” I said walking up to the door and knocking on the faded red wood. It slowly creaked open to reveal an old mare and an old stallion. They both smiled at me. I held up the help wanted poster and they waved me into their home.

After a quick talk with the elderly couple, I left the price at twenty bits, I wasn’t going to try to squeeze more money than I need from the old ponies, even with the Nightmare’s constant attempt to get me to raise the payout to one hundred bits.

“Well Mr. and Mrs. Clock, I should hopefully have the holes all repaired by the end of the day if everything goes smoothly.” I stood up from the chair I had been seated in and followed Mr. Clock outside to a toolshed. All the tools and supplies were laid out, waiting for me to use them.

“I’ll leave you to it sonny. Thanks again.” The aged pony waddled inside his house leaving me staring at the supplies and the broken roof.

Well get started.

**************************************************************

I ran a hand across my face as I wiped the sweat off my brow. I picked up another board and laid it across the hole in the roof. Grabbing a hammer and some nails from the tool box next to me, I knocked the nails into place one at a time till the board was secured in place. “Another one down. Only a couple more to go.” I moved carefully along the roof to the next hole and repeated the process.

It was strange being normal-ish for the day. I wasn’t shooting and killing anything. Just earning bits a normal way. It felt strange, but good to be doing something different. Boring, yes. Safe, and helpful absolutely.

SMACK

“Shit!” I yelled out holding my hand up and seeing my thumb beginning to swell up. “Well kind of safe.”

Haha

“Oh shut up you. All you’ve done is crack jokes this whole time.”

Yeah what else is there to do? I can’t really jump out of your skull and help you.

I picked up a stack of shingles and went over the bare spots with them, nailing them in place. My work was nearly finished here. I scooped up my remaining nails and scraps of extra wood and brought them over to the shed. I cleaned up everything and put everything away neatly leaving the shed in better shape than when I started.

“There we are Nightmare. An honest day’s work with no bloodshed.” I smiled as I walked up to the door of the house to collect my money.

Yes it was a truly exciting day filled with all kinds of adventure. I'm so glad I didn’t get to miss out on this occasion.

The old tan stallion opened the door and slowly walked out to examine my handy work. He was beaming with joy at the sight of his fixed roof. He looked back at me and smiled even more. “Thanks a lot young’n. That old roof was leaking like crazy and I just don’t have the youth to fix it anymore. Come on in and I’ll get you you're payment.” I followed him up the rickety old steps into the house.

“Watch, could you please be a dear and fetch the bits for this hard working…um…young lad.” Mr. Clock called out to his wife in the other room. “I'm sorry young’n, in my age I seem to have forgotten what you are. I know I read about it in the papers awhile back, but it has plum slipped my mind.”

“Oh it’s alright sir, my name is Honored Service, and I'm a human.” I said politely as we waited for Mrs. Clock to return with the pay.

“No I don’t think that’s true. The papers had said the human had died in a tragic battle in Canterlot six months ago.” A spark of recognition lit up on the old stallion’s wrinkled face. “You… sure ain’t dead.” He squinted his eyes at me and rubbed them for good measure.

“No I'm most certainly not sir.” I beamed again at the stallion as his wife reentered the room carrying a small wooden box. “But if you could please keep that on the down low, I’d be most grateful.” I winked at him, hoping to remain hidden until the time came to show myself back into pony society. I'm sure rumors must be spreading around because of all the things I had been doing on my way back to Canterlot, but rumors were just rumors.

“Now about your payment.” Mr. Clock raised a shaky hoof and put the wooden box in my lap. I stood up from the chair and opened the box. Inside was a small pile of gold bits, that easily was over sixty bits. I Closed the lid and looked back at the smiling old couple.

“Sir the sign said twenty bits. This has to be at least sixty.” I held the box back out to them, but the couple refused to take it.

The old mare, Watch Clock, waved a hoof at me. “Now take it son. You did some hard work for us, and we both know that you need it. Somepony once told me to give to the less fortunate and by the state of your clothes and belongings I believe you've been through some hard times.” i looked down at the faded, stained and torn duster. i was caked in dirt and grime from my travels, not really thinking of washing it too often.

“Please take all of it young’n.” Mr. Clock said walking me to the door, “You’re a hard worker and very respectful.” We walked out onto the porch and he shut the door. He reached around and pulled out a small folded up piece of paper and hoofed it up to me. I sat the box down on the railing and unfolded the paper.

Can we leave now I want… too… wow

I was staring at a photo of dark colored alicorn and a group of ponies standing in front of a broken statue. The statue stood on a destroyed fountain at a dangerous angle. It had two legs that meet up to an armored midsection, but the top half of the statue was lost to time or destruction. Behind the group of explores was the remains of shattered building and burnt out homes. I was staring at photo from the exploration team the visited Hum-gia with Princess Luna before the Nightmare took her over.

“That’s my great-great-great-great grandfather there.” Mr. Clock pointed to a tan unicorn in the corner of the group, carrying a large backpack filled with supplies. “This photo was handed down from generation to generation in my family. And we always wondered what that statue was of. But I'm glad that I got to find out.” He patted me on the pack and took the photo back and tucked it away. He turned to leave, but stopped at the door and turned his head back to me.

“Thank you Honored for everything you did.” With that he shut the door, leaving me stunned and alone on the porch.

Well that was unexpected.

“I’ll say. I mean this normal day just got a thousand times stranger. What are the odds we run into that.” I picked up the wooden box and headed towards a supply store to finish buying the goods I would need for the trek through the Manejave desert.

“But that might explain why they paid us so much.” I said to the Nightmare as I walked into Happytown’s little grocery store. I picked up a basket and nodded to the few ponies milling about through the store. I grabbed cans of beans and bags of dried fruit off the shelves. “What else do we need Nightmare?”

I think that’s enough. It’s only going to be a three days walk through the desert. We don’t need to bring a whole feast with us.

I was about to pay when I turned back to the canned good aisle and scooped up a few cans of tomato soup and dropped them into the basket next to the beans.

Um thanks human.

“Did you just say thanks?” I gasped aloud as I walked up to the register and began unloading the food from the basket. I slung my backpack off and placed it on the end of the counter and just loaded up the food into it. The mare working the register was a light pink unicorn with a gold bit as her cutie mark.

No. No I didn’t. You must have heard wrong. I said you better have or I’ll make your mind run so wild that you would welcome death.

I thanked the young mare and picked up my pack, leaving her with twenty-three bits to pay for everything. I walked out of the store and towards the edge of the town where another road would lead to the beginning of the Manejave desert. I might as well get started on this journey sooner than later. And it was late afternoon so it would cool down by the time I got too far into the sandy dunes.

“Nightmare, it’s okay to be nice. I would still respect you. Hell, I would still fear you.” I said while adjusting the backpack on my back so it fit comfortably over the scabbards of my swords.

You might. But others wont.

“Are you kidding me? Of course they will. I mean just look at me.”

Eww gross.

“No, shut up. I'm a hero to most ponies that know me. I'm nice and I protect ponies everywhere, and yet you don’t think I get respect? I still get looks of fear sent my way because I'm so powerful.” I waved goodbye to a few ponies walking through the town edge as I walked down the worn road.

I… I get your point. It’s just I’ve been bad so long… I just don’t think I can be good. Nopony would ever forgive me for what I’ve done.

The humans all dead.

Nightmare moon.

The second changeling attack.

I'm… I'm a monster.

“That’s true, but that’s the past. What happened to the pony that so long ago was trying to create and develop new and insanely useful spells?” I asked the Nightmare as the well-worn dirt road slowly began to get sandier. The light woods had disappeared from the landscape and far into the distance I could see rolling hill and a few cacti.

“I'm sure that you’re just confused. And I’ll be here to help you Nightmare.”

Thanks hum-

“Because whether you like it or not, we’re stuck together.”

Ugh. Please don’t remind me.

But the voice wasn’t deep and hallow as it always was. It was lighter. Almost happy.

************************************************************

“And that was truly the first time that the Nightmare thought about changing for the better.” Honored Service patted the side of his head.

“Now Honored, I know it may seem like that the Nightmare has changed, but he is amazing at changing emotions around to befit him.” Princess Luna looked at the human, pain and anguish filling her eyes.

“Just hear me out; the next part of the story is important. It really shows that the Nightmare changed.” The human pleaded to the royal princesses.

******************************************************************

I stumbled up another sand dune as the sun set below the horizon in front of me. I reached the crest of the hill as the sky turned dark reds and purples. “Wow isn’t this something Nightmare? Think of all the amazing things we get to see.” I jumped forward and slid down the sandy hill to the bottom.

I find it more interesting to think about all the exotic creatures we get to kill.

“Of course you do.” I walked around a massive cactus that reached up towards the starry sky. A few rocks surrounded the cactus and some dead shrubs and a shriveled old tree sprouted next to them. “This actually looks like a good place as any to set up a camp. I shrugged off my backpack and laid it on the ground. I sat down and propped the pack against one of the rocks. I plucked some twigs from the dried bushes and began to make a small fire base. I looked over at the dead tree.

Sliding Bad Bertha from her sheath, I sliced through the dried trunk with ease and chopped the little tree into pieces. Magical weapons made surviving so much easier. I placed the wood into a small circle and snapped my fingers, resulting in a green flame appearing in my right hand. “And now we have fire.” I flicked my hands towards the wood, and watched as a green and black fire sprouted up in the wood.

Yeah thanks Nightmare for the supper cool fire powers. It’s no big deal or anything.

I laughed and smiled at the fire crackling away. “Thanks Nightmare, I’d be lying if I said you weren’t growing on me.”

Well… um… you're welcome human… I mean Honored.

“Very nice Nightmare, I'm officially impressed.” I pulled out a can of beans and held them out in front of me and snapped my fingers again. In a few minutes I had a warm can of beans in my hand just begging to be eaten. And after that, a nice can of tomato soup.

After my dinner, I watched the stars twinkle overhead, while twirling a long red feather in-between my fingers. The green fire reflected off the shiny red coating on the primary. “I'm coming home Sky. I promise.” I closed my eyes and settled in for some well-deserved sleep.

WAKE UP!

It felt like I had just shut my eyes to go to sleep, when the Nightmare roused me from my sleep. The still burning fire confirmed this. But that isn’t what caught my eye. The hundreds of red eyes surrounding me from all directions was kind of creeping me out. They eyes stayed in the shadows away from the fire, just out of sight. What the fuck was out in the darkness.

Ah good, you saw them. Maybe we should try moving away!

“Okay I'm getting up.” I slowly crawled to my feet and picked up my rifle and swords. I slung the rifle and strapped on the swords and threw the pack over my shoulder. The eyes watched my every movement. I reached over my head and drew both swords.

These eyes didn’t scream peace.

They screamed something along the lines of I'm going to kill you and devour you.

“Nightmare, how about some light.” The darkness was sheltering these creatures, so lets bring them into the light.

The air around me shimmered and sparked to life. I almost immediate wished that I hadn’t seen what was out there. Scorpions.

Over forty scorpions of different sizes had me completely surrounded. Some were only the size of my foot (still fucking too big) and the largest one was easily the size of a sedan. The others ranged in sizes in between that. Suddenly this peaceful desert became a little more… active. I turned around and ran towards where the sun had gone down.

I leapt over a few small scorpions, and sliced through pincers and tails tipped with stinging barbs as I ran through the circle of demon arachnids. I reached the edge of the circle and began running as fast as I could through the sand. I thought I could out run them, but the shuffling and scratching behind me said otherwise. I dared to look back and saw that I was being pursued by the damn things. And what was even worse was the fact I could see some of them burrowing under the sand and rocketing towards me like underground torpedoes through the sand.

“Fuck me sideways. This is when some grenades would come in handy.” I sheathed the swords and pulled my rifle up. I fired the explosive magic rounds into the approaching mounds of sand and smirked as the exploded raining sand and bits of shell and flesh all around. I continued to run onwards towards the area the map had shown the direction of the Equestrian border. If I was going to run, I might as well run in the right direction.

BANG BANG BANG BANG

The gunshots cut through the night silence as more and more of the damned scorpions came out of the sand after me. I jumped over them, kicked them, crushed them, stabbed them, and obliterated them with the magic rounds, but they just kept following me. The Nightmare kept the fire going, which lit the area up and seemed to slow the arachnids down as they got closer to me. I was running low on filled mags for the rifle.

Click

Scratch that, I was out of filled mags for the M16. I dropped the empty one into the satchel and slung the rifle, I’d load it later whenever I wasn’t running for my life. I felt like I was making some progress when I fell face first into the sand and rolled down a sand dune crashing down into the bottom. Fucking rocks.

I looked up to see an avalanche of scorpions pouring over the crest of the hill I just fell down, coming right at me. I reached down and yanked the Berretta from the holster and aimed at the lead sedan sized scorpion. I aimed the pistol right at its red eyes and squeezed the trigger.

Click.

I looked at the gun to see the ejection port filled with sand.

“Fuck my luck!” I screamed and holstered the pistol, while scrambling to feet and drawing the swords once more. A stinger flew over my head; I spun around to barely avoid another stinger as it aimed right at my chest. A quick upper cut and the stinger went flying over my head and landed in the sand behind me. “Where the hell do you things keep coming from!” I screamed, while sidestepping another stab from a stinger.

Run! For the love of all that is holy run!

“Running!” I turned tail and ran again. But at this point, I know it would be pretty stupid to bother running because of the speed at which these god damned scorpions could tunnel. Jammed pistol, and an empty rifle, today just was going to be one of those days.

I reached the peak of another sand dune that was easily six stories high and stopped, looking down at what laid out before me.

Ruins.

Ancient ruins.

Ruins the resembled a destroyed city. A city that I had seen before in the memories of an alicorn. Ash still swirled in the air as I looked down at the destroyed remains of the ancient city that had once been the thriving center of the long forgotten humans.

Hum-gia.

I turned around to face the scorpions, and noticed that they stopped fifteen feet away from me, refusing to come closer. The scorpions weren’t attack even though they had the perfect opportunity. As I stood there, staring at the mass of scorpions, something screeched in the background.

A blood curling, ear piercing, horrifying shriek. Something straight out of a horror movie, the kind of scream the makes your blood run cold. The scorpions backed up from me and burrowed under the stand, scattering in every direction. I looked back to the decripid remains of the city, then back to the desert. I reached into my pack and took out an apple.

Pulling my arm back, I threw it out in front of me into the desert. I rolled down the dune and stopped. I waited and sighed as ten stingers exploded out of the sad, and speared the apple over and over again, until it was a stain on the desert sand.

Well I guess we aren't leaving the way we came.

“Yeah,” I said turning to face the destroyed city where the scream had sounded from, “we get to go through that.”

Human – I mean Honored. Maybe I should tell you a little more about the Nightmare.

The Nightmare Thickens

Honor Above All Else
Chapter 14
By Honored Service

I very slowly and cautiously, began moving down the sand ~~dune~~, scratch that, sand mountain the ancient ruins of Hum-gia. Nightmare then began to explain to me more about the Nightmare.

I am the Nightmare, or to be more precise, I am a part of the Nightmare.

“Wait what? I thought you were the Nightmare?” I scratched my head as I struggled to move out of the sand.

Yes I am, but I am also a part of the Nightmare. When I attacked this place, I wasn't alone. I was leading a giant cloud of Nightmare. To sum it up, I used some evil magic and may have turned some innocent ponies and other sentient creatures into Nightmare beings as well to aid me.

I was silent as I began to process the information that the Nightmare, or at least a part of the Nightmare was telling me.

I was in control, or at least I was, until the old humans blew me and the others to pieces with their lightbombs.

“Lightbombs?” Okay my mind was fucked. More Nightmares. Lightbombs. This is just getting more and more complex. How many other damn secrets was I going to find out about humans, and the thing living in my head.

Myself and the collected mass of Nightmares, nearly two thousand strong, attacked the city. Now we came as a solid sheet of darkness. What is the best way to get rid of the dark?

It hit me. “You turn on the lights. Lightbombs.”

Exactly. Good you're catching on fast. These bombs cut through us in seconds. The light was so powerful that it could have crushed us into nothingness.

I was about to ask the Nightmare how he had escaped into the basement of the building where he had killed Sheildstrong, but stopped when my foot hit something solid. I looked down and saw I was standing on pavement. I was on ground level in the crumbling ancient city.

“Wait, what did you mean could have crushed you into nothingness?” I felt an uneasy feeling sinking into my gut.

I was getting there. The Nightmare can’t be stopped that easily, it takes a lot more than some bombs to destroy the actual essence of the Nightmare. The Nightmare only needs darkness and powerful objects to survive.

“And the ancient Human city had both.” It dawned on me. The ancient humans had electricity thus, literally, powered objects. And the city itself was covered in darkness from the ashes that was caused by the bombs. The ancient humans had meant to destroy the Nightmare, but they had succeeded in only creating a time capsule for it.

Honored, this city isn’t a grave for the ancient humans –

“It’s an incubator keeping the Nightmare alive.” I unslung my rifle and loaded a full magazine into it.

The scream sounded out again, this time followed by mad laughter, which sent chills through my bones.

I'm sorry Honored. I should have told you sooner. Now we are both going to die. I don’t control the Nightmare any more. I'm the only sane part of it left.

“And that’s saying something.” My humor just didn’t seem to work this time. I watched as all around me shadows moved along the walls and crept all over the destroyed buildings. I kept spinning around, trying to follow one with my rifle, but to no avail. The screaming and laughter continued to it pounded on my brain.

I heard a foot steep echo from behind me and turned on my heel, bringing the rifle up as I did so and froze. I was staring down the scope at a shape in the middle of the street that rested on two legs. It had two arms that hung limply at its side. Black smoke seemed to rise off its body as two piercing blood red eyes stared me down. I gulped and clicked the safety off.

All of a sudden more footsteps echoed from behind me. I turned my head to see that fifty feet behind me, the street was filled with hundreds of dark human shadows with blood red eyes. I turned back to face the one and jumped backwards as it was suddenly within touching distance.

It had moved silently, to mere inches from the barrel of my rifle. It reeked of rotting flesh and continued to stare at me with unmoving red eyes that spoke of nothing but pain and evil. Slowly its mouth opened and then the mouth spilt vertically so the mouth had four jaws stretched as wide as my head. And this shadow nightmare demon screamed that blood curling scream.

For the first time since coming to Equestria, I was truly scared. To the bone scared, knowing that for once, I may have met my match.

I'm so sorry Honored. Please forgive me.

Welcome Home

Honor Above All Else
Chapter 15
By Honored Service

I gulped and backed away slowly from the screaming living Nightmare, my rifle shaking in my grasp. The shadow demon leapt straight for me, howling its terrifying scream.

BANG

The rifle barked and the bullet punched right through its shadowy head. The body collapsed to the ground in a puff of smoke as it hit the dirty ash covered pavement. I turned around and fired half a magazine into the advancing ground of similar horrifying creatures.

A strange gurgling sound came from behind me. I turned my head and watched as the body of the previously headless shadow monster stood up and the gaping hole through its head filled in with shadows that seemed to be pulled from the walls and street.

“My God.” I whispered. I saw that the same thing was happening to the fallen Nightmares from the large group on the other end of the street. I faced the solitary Nightmare and charged the short distance, planning on smacking it down with the rifle.

Throwing the butt of the M16A2 forward I slammed it against the shadow’s head. I felt it make contact and the Nightmare fell backwards onto the street. I planted a foot on its chest and aimed the rifle at its body. I pulled the trigger until the magazine ran dry. I stood panting over the body as smoke slowly poured from end of the barrel. Thick sludge like black smoke spilled out of the bullet riddled chest cavity of the fallen Nightmare.

“And stay down you son of a bitch.”

Just run. You can’t fight this.

“What do you mean?” I heard the gurgling again and looked down to watch as shadows were once again pulled from the surrounding area like a liquid into the wounds on the Nightmare below my boot. No sooner had it finished re-growing itself did a long claw made of darkness shoot out from one of its arms with a sickening bone snapping crack.

“Sweet mother of God.” I jumped backwards as the Nightmare swung at me ripping a long gash through my duster. I reached down and pulled out another magazine from my chest rig and put the empty one in the satchel. “Nightmare, how do I stop them!” I screamed while firing a trio of bullets into the head of an approaching shadow Nightmare.

Honored you can’t stop them. The darkness of the city fuels them. The dead fuel them. Everything here fuels them and keeps them going.

“Then we better just run like hell!” I yelled over the constant stream of bullets pouring from my rifle. The Nightmares seemed to be swarming from every crevice in the city. I would turn down an empty street, to only watch in horror as Nightmare Shadows would form out of nothingness in front of me. Bullets only slowed them down. Punches and kicks just broke their step. And I noticed that every time I hit one of them, they would change into a more advanced horrifying creature.

I let the rifle fall to my side off its sling and I pulled out the gold and ruby sword. Maybe an enchanted lightning blade is what this situation called for. I jumped into the air, over a collapsed side of a building and came down swinging the blade through the air, cutting a Nightmare from head to midsection. It stood staring at me for a moment, before falling apart, it’s to halves sliding apart.

“Oh daddy, this just… got… fuck.” The two halves slowly morphed in front of me. Each half grew another pair of legs from the cut side of the body so that this new creature from hell, crawled along the ground on four legs like some ungodly kind of spider thing.

Honored you must listen to me. They will kill you so they can get me. Don’t you get it? I'm the head of the Nightmare. Without me, these creatures will stay in the city because they have no knowledge of the outside world. But I do. That’s why I left, to gain information on the outside world to come back here and lead the Nightmare to feed.

I ran down another alleyway and cut across a street. I was nearing the heart of the ancient city. The ruins were more crumbled, more destroyed. And there was certainly more Nightmares everywhere. “Wait. You knew this would happen!” I screamed as another Nightmare lashed out at me with claws the size of a broadsword.

… I didn't

“You son of a bitch! This was your plan all along wasn’t it? To get me here so that you could be the head of this… this… fucking nightmare!” I turned a corner and ducked under a collapsed lamppost as a Nightmare landed behind me. I turned and swiftly decapitated it, sending its head into the air where it dissolved into a black mist.

Yes. I mean no. Not at first. What I mean was that yes, at first that was the plan. Use your body as a host and a central platform to control the Nightmare from. Your power and weapons would be devastating at the head of a Nightmare army. But then we began going on all the adventures together. And you shared your body with me, not because you had too, but because you wanted me too. So I forgot about my plan, and you came here all on your own. I never meant for you to reach here.

“I wish I could believe you, but you'll excuse me since I'm fighting for my life!” I vaulted over another pile of rubble as the sound footsteps increased from behind. Turning my head confirmed the worst. A heard, no swarms, of Nightmares were pursuing me through the heart of Hum-gia. “God why won’t they quit!”

They won’t. Not until they have me.

“Well they aren't going to get you I'm afraid.” I smirked as I dropped the hilt of the sword into a Nightmare’s skull and slashed its chest open, sending it rearing backwards into a building.

Look, if I remember the layout of this city, which I hardly do, I may know of a quicker way out. There is a series of water ways throughout the city that lead into a river. Or well there used to be a river. We find those water ways, and then we can eliminate this weaving through the streets nonsense.

“Alright. Tell me where to go.” I yanked my sword out of another Nightmare as the smoke began to spill out onto the street and collect into another form. The electric sparks from the enchanted blade seemed to have no effect whatsoever on the Nightmares. But then again, nothing in my arsenal was.

Stop.

I stopped dead in my tracks and looked around. I was in the middle of an intersection. I could hear the approaching Nightmares closing in from all sides. Their terrifying howling and screeching. It felt as if someone was raking the inside of my skull with rusty nails.

Down.

I looked down and saw I was standing on a man cover leading into the sewers.

“No.”

It will be quicker than weaving through these Nightmares infected streets.

“Fuck everything about this place.” I slowly moved the heavy slab of steel over with a rusty screech. I peered into the pitch black depths below me. I flicked the switch on my rifle flash light and held the weapon out in front of me. “Well here we go.” I climbed onto the old ladder and lowered myself below the surface of the street, stopping on the fourth rung to pull the metal cover back over the entrance. It fell into place with a heavy thud. Darkness surrounded me. The small flashlight slicing through the darkness of the sewers.

Okay now head down this section and take a… right? Or was it a left?

“Nightmare, this is one of those times is need you to be positive about this choice. It could mean life or – “

A loud scream ripped through the sewer system. I dropped to one knee and scanned the area with my rifle. I checked behind me to make sure that the sewer cover was still in place, which it was, and counted my sic o’clock clear. I slowly turned around and sighed for the billionth time that night.

From the dark murky water in the center of the sewer, I could see the water rippling with dark shapes. And it certainly wasn’t shit. But I was about to be in deep shit.

Humanoid like shapes began to float to the surface of the water and struggle to the edges of the sewer banks. The Nightmares slowly pulled themselves up onto the walk way where I was still crouched and began to charge at me. I aimed the rifle and stood up. “Getting real tired of this shit!”

BANG BANG BANG

The gunshots echoed through the sewers as I ran down the slimy walkways, dropping Nightmare after Nightmare back into the filthy water. My mind was running on auto pilot attempting to kill the Nightmares. Fire ninety round with the rifle. Load the magazines while running. Take out swords. Slice and Dice for a few minutes while running. Switch back to rifle when the crowds got to thick. Repeat.
Nightmare, my good Nightmare, would feed me directions as I ran, trying to maneuver me out of this hell. I was moving faster, but that was only because if I stopped for more than a few seconds, I would be swarmed with Nightmares pouring out of the water.

There! Through this section leads to the underground reservoir, that empties out into the river.

“Thank Christ!” I said while flipping the rifle into the air and catching the hot barrel in my right hand and swinging it to my side, knocking a Nightmare into the water. I flipped back up and caught the grip and ejected the empty mag, slamming another one home. “Let’s get the hell out of this nightmare.”

Even near death, still cracking jokes.

“Trying to find the silver lining here.” Roars sounded out from behind me and shock the entire sewer system “And I'm having a hard time finding it.”

I dashed forward down the reaming section of the sewer to a rusty grate. On the other side of the grate was a hundred foot drop to a huge pool of water with an exit pouring out into a dark tunnel system. Like a water park slide from hell.

Well that’s the exit. Just jump and we’ll be home free. Hopefully.

“Not liking the lack of confidence.” I jerked the diamond sword from its scabbard and slice through the old metal with ease. I peered down the longggggggg drop to the murky water below. After watching the Nightmares climb out of the water, I don’t know if I wanted to try and jump into it. “You know, the street is still an option.”

I turned and my jaw dropped as a horde, at least seventy strong, was coming straight at me from the end of the sewer.

“Okay motivation found, let’s do this.”

I took a deep breath and tucked away the sword and shouldered the rifle. I took a few steps back and ran forward and hurdled myself of the edge. I plummeted straight down. A flash back from Canterlot flashed through my mind as I dropped like a rock to the water’s surface below. Oh shit the water.

I opened my eyes as the air streaked by me, causing me to tear up; I held the rifle at my side and pointed the barrel at the water. I pulled the trigger and watched as the water’s surface went from calm, to choppy and rough from the impact of the explosive magic rounds. The rifle dropped and hung behind me by its sling as I dove into the water. It stung.

A lot.

The impact defiantly caused some pain in my head, neck, shoulders… hell my entire body felt like I had just been run over by a damn freight train. I surfaced and gulped in deep lungful’s of air.

“Worst idea yet.”

We are alive, are we not?

“True.”

But we still have to go over that waterfall –

"FOR FUCK’S SAKEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!”

*********************************************************************

“Wow, the Nightmare still lives?” Princess Celestia seemed to become even whiter as the human retold his accounts from the lost city of Hum-gia.

“Well, it was a problem, but it should be.” Honored smiled with confidence. “The Nightmare is restricted to the city since the head Nightmare is still in my head. It has no way of knowing how to maneuver outside the darkness of that city.”

“As long as you are so sure Honored.” Princess Celestia said, seeming to calm down a bit.

“Just knowing it couldn’t have followed you is great news to us.” Princess Luna smiled warmly at the good news. The old nightmare was bad, but this new Nightmare that took over the remains of Hum-gia sounded downright horrifyingly evil beyond any villain the city has seen yet.

A very cold shiver ran down the humans back as he continued his story.

**************************************************************************

I struggled to the bank of the river, swimming slowly, but more relying on the current to wash me up on the shore. The moonlight shown all around me, illuminating the edge of the desert with a dim glow, as I pulled myself onto the bank coughing and gasping for air.

Well at least we are out of that.

“Nightmare, I think I need a new strategy.”

What do you mean Honored? We got out alive, and we should be closer to Canterlot!

“I couldn’t win. Those things, those Nightmares nearly beat me. I couldn’t kill them. I couldn’t stop them. What if they attack again? How would I protect anypony if I can’t stop them?”

Honored, maybe you just need to accept that there are some things in this world that are beyond you in power. But not good power like you have, but a power so evil that it just overwhelms the good.

I stood up on shaky legs and shook myself. I cracked my joints and inspected my weapon. My clean M16 was not scratched and dinged, more rugged looking, more me. “There has to be a way to beat them. Some strategy, some weapon that works. Something that can break the darkness.”

I walked back towards the waterfall that poured out of the hill side far above me. I swore I could still hear the screeching of the Nightmares above, and I was hoping I could.

“HEY DOWN HERE FUCKNUTS!” I screamed as loud as I could over the roaring water. No sooner had the words left my mouth, then one lonely Nightmare crept out of the water coming right at me. Time to experiment. With weapons.

I burned through an entire magazine for the rifle to no effect anywhere on the Nightmare’s body. So I just assumed that the pistol wouldn’t work either, and I didn’t feel like wasting any of the few bullets left for the Berretta. Bad Bertha proved to just hack of limbs, which grew back. And finally both swords failed. The Nightmare, just regrew itself from the surrounding darkness. Nothing could stop this monstrosity from hell.

“What the fuck!” I said while slicing the Nightmare with an uppercut from Zappy. The lighting enchanted blade proved to knock the Nightmare down for a bit longer, but nothing permanent. i was about to give up, when an idea raced through my mind.

“Oh man.”

What?

“Fucking Ideaaaaaaaa!” I sheathed Zappy and took out the diamond sword. Griping the handle tight, I let my Nightmare’s green and black fire course itself through my arm and along the blade. Within seconds, I had a shiny blue, green, and black fire weapon spinning and twirling in my hand. “Oh I like. How’d it take this long to try this.”

I walked up to the Nightmare as it prepared for another attack at me. I lifted the sword above my head and brought it down hard on the Nightmare’s head.

BOOM

I was flung backwards from an earth-shattering explosion that sent me flying. I blinked and looked back at the spot where I struck the Nightmare. Instead of a shadowy human re-growing itself, I saw nothing but a puddle of black goo, bubbling on the ground.

“Well shit.”

That was…

“I know what that was.” I smirked and looked back to the ancient city on the hill.

“That was the beginning of round two.” I began marching towards the city entrance that I had stumbled upon earlier. Nightmare, prepare to meet Honored Service, the new Human Protector.

This time, no darkness would be left for the Nightmare to hide end. It may have taken three thousand years, but a human will finish what they started.

Level Boss

Honor Above All Else
Chapter 17
By Honored Service

Nightmare, my friend, took a hold of my body and shoved the foreign nightmare off of me. The blade came out with a sickening sucking noise as blood flowed from the wound. My body convulsed for a moment and then stood still. “Okay Honored,” Nightmare said while grabbing the enemy’s hand and snapping it off, driving its own shadow blade through its neck and kicking it backwards, “You’ve got control. I need to rest a bit.”

“Okay Nightmare, take a break, I’ve got it.” I stretched my arms and legs getting the feeling back into them. I looked down and saw the blood that had been gushing out of my stomach was stopping. “Nightmare what did you do?” I picked up my dropped sword and readied myself to continue fighting the shadow monsters that lurked around every corner.

Well I gave us heightened reflexes and senses. On top of that you now can regenerate your body’s cells to repair yourself at an extreme rate. You should be stronger and faster. And the ability to control my fire is now completely up to you.

“And when you said ‘he’s not mortal’, what exactly did you mean by that? I'm not a god thing am I?” A boom echoed through the city as another Nightmare meet its end at the tip of my sword.

No, you're not a god. Just advanced? Yeah that’s a good word. You're advanced from what you use to be. Like on a scale of pony to alicorn you would be in the middle. Your life may be extended but not immortal, but it will take a lot more to stop you.

“Like what? It’s kind of good to know what will kill you.” I ducked under a nightmare and kicked it up into the air and skewered it on the end of my ready sword.

Well decapitation for one would end you quickly. Other than that your body should heal at such an increased rate that you should be fine.

Three nightmares leapt at my head simultaneously. I fell backwards onto my back as the three goons crashed into one another. I drove the sword upwards catching all three of the shadow humans in the head, pinning them together.

“TRIPLE KILL!” I screamed out, sliding out from underneath the dead trio. Oh it felt good to have power. So much power. All the things I could do. Nothing could stop me.

I shook my head back and forth. That was strange. I climbed up the side of a knocked over building and looked out at the city in front of me. I was almost to the center of the city. My goal.

So why are we fighting our way to the center of this destroyed slag heap?

“Because of the power.” My head felt foggy again. “The power plant or some type of power supply station. The ancient humans had electricity, so hypothetically if it is still in working condition, we can turn the lights back on.” Sliding down the building front, I ended up on another street. This one wasn’t full of the nightmare. Yet.

You do know it has been over two thousand years since the power has been turned on.

“Okay negative Nancy, let’s try and keep some positive attitude here.” I leapt into the air and bounded over a large crevice in the ground filled with pitch black bubbling goo. “It’s a great day! The sky is… black. The birds are… dead… okay well the point is that I now have super abilities and a plan to stop the Nightmare. For good.” I had a smile on my face a mile wide. Things were defiantly looking up for me.

A weird bubbling noise came from behind me. “Nightmare you hear that?” I looked back across the ditch but saw nothing. The other Nightmares must still be trying to catch up to me. I stopped and looked around. All around me was dried dead grass and weeds. I was standing in an open field on the side of the road. I kept the sword washed in flames as I moved around, trying to find the source of the strange sound.

No, but I think I hear somepony yelling at us to go home and forget about this.

“Not a chance.” A loud crunch sounded out from beneth my boot. Lifting the worn boot up I saw a white twig snapped in half. How weird? That stick was connected to other in the shape of a –

Skeleton.

I finally really stopped and looked around at the field I was in. Rusty playground equipment across the field, and destroyed burnt out slides lay scattered around me. And the white twigs littered everything. I was treading through a playground turned graveyard.

I doubled over in pain clutching my stomach. “Ugh, I think I'm going to be sick.” The first bodies of ancient humans I find, and they’re children’s bodies. God damn this nightmare.

My mourning was interrupted by the strange noise again. The bubbling continued and it seemed to be getting louder; I think. It was coming in the direction of the ditch at the beginning of the playground. Catisouly I moved towards it, sword at the ready to strike down whatever foul creature was causing that noise. I reached the edge of the ditch and peered in.

Nothing but that strange pitch black goo. That black goo. “OH SHIT!” I jumped back, but wasn’t fast enough, even with my new abilities. A blast of the tar like substance smashed right into my chest and launched me across the field. I skidded across the dusty ground and came to a stop on my back. Shrugging off my backpack, I cracked my neck and readied the sword as I watched the ditch for the Nightmares to emerge from its dark depths.

But I could only watch in horror as my good mood was crushed underneath a fifty foot tall black glob of tar the struggled out of the ditch. The biggest Nightmare ever.

It took the shape of a massive blob with piercing red eyes. It stared down at me while I shifted uncomfortably on my feet.

“What the fuck is that thing?” I whispered. Happy feeling gone.

That is the collective consciousness of the Nightmare, minus myself.

“TO YOU HUMAN, I’M YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE!” The Nightmare spoke in a deep voice that cut to my center and made my blood run cold. The blob shifted and collapsed to the ground where it began to shift and bulge as its shape began to change. I took a step back as its body elongated and shifted. The blood red eyes, not once leaving me.

“YOU FOUGHT WELL, BUT IT WASSSS ALL FOR NOTHING.” I swallowed and found myself staring at my worst nightmare. A snake. And not just a little gardener snake. But a fucking massive, easily-could-eat-an-eighteen-wheeler-snake. This Nightmare had taken the form of a seventy foot king cobra, except I don’t think the regular cobras have nine foot long fangs protruding from its jaw.

The nightmare snake hissed at me and coiled back, getting ready for a strike. I whispered some prayers and held the sword as steady as I could, but with my hands and legs shaking like leaves on a tree, it wasn’t very steady.

“Ha. Is that the best you can do?” I chocked out. The snake gave a deep laugh and lunged at me. I dove to side and landed on my face as the fangs stabbed into the earth where I had been standing. I got up and ran towards the snake while it pulled itself from the dirt. I swung at the creature’s neck, but only hit air. It towered above me, smirking at my pitiful attempt to kill it.

Well this went downhill fast. Keep moving, and don’t let the fangs hit you. They are tipped in the dark magic. They will have some negative side effects on you. Like not regenerating.

“Well shit.” I side stepped as the head crashed down, trying to flatten me. “HA!” I yelled, and then got smacked by the tail and sent flying through the air, until I was stopped by the rusty jungle gym. “FUCK!” I screamed as I looked at my arm bent backwards and white bone sticking out of the elbow. I was about to give up on trying to fight this when I felt a tingle in my arm. I watched (and felt in great pain) as my arm twisted back around and the joint closed up. It felt like I had fire on the inside of my arm, and couldn’t put it out.

“Seriously it feels worse than shoving your dick in an ant hill!” I screamed as the final burning pain died down. I looked at my arm and saw, minus the blood stained sleeve, that my arm was fully functional. I bent it and twisted it, and it felt alright. Still hurt like a bitch to regenerate.

LOOK OUT!

Jumping out of the way would be to slow, so I raised the sword above my head as the snake nightmare bit down towards me. The blade deflected the fang and chipped it. I watched as one of the broken shards of the tooth flew through the air and went through my left hand. I felt it as it ripped into the flesh and buried itself in my hand.

Okay, the arm regenerating felt better to this. I couldn’t even begin to describe how the hell it hurt. Nothing I have ever felt, and I have been stabbed, thrown off a cliff, kicked, smacked, and recently had my arm broken in half, and all of that together couldn’t even compare to the pain of that small chip of dark magic tooth from the Nightmare.

I held up my left hand and stared at the piece of smoking black tooth. Dark wisps of smoke rolled off of the wound. “Holy Shit this is getting bad.” I dropped my sword and reached to pull out the shard.

NO! Don’t touch it with your hand. That will just mess up your other hand too.

“Fuck me! Nothing is easy!” I slid Bad Bertha out of her sheath and pryed the black shard out with the tip of the knife. It popped out with a hiss and landed on the ground where it evaportated into nothing. I sheathed the knife just in time to watch the Nightmare rise off the ground and begin its slither towards me.

Wait. No there is another way.

“What?!” I screamed as I rolled to the side, barely avoiding another attack by the evil creature. “No really what?!” I yelled again as the snake bit down on the flaming sword and ripped it out of my hands. The Nightmare swung its head and the sword flew through the air and embedded itself across the field. Shit.

I reached for my rifle, but as my arm dropped to my side where it should be, I looked right at it resting next to my backpack near the slightly destroyed jungle gym.

“Give me a fucking break.” I drew the pistol and checked the clip. The last clip I had for the thing. But if the sword could fuck this monster up, maybe these magic rounds could. I hadn’t tried using the pistol yet. I took careful aim and squeezed the trigger as the snake attacked.

BANG BANG BANG

The bullets split apart in midair and all passed through harmlessly through the snake as it smiled at me. “Yeah, of course they would.”

Wait, I think I got an idea!

“Well please don’t let me stop you.” I jumped forward while drawing the knife and stabbing it into the snake’s neck. It plunged in to the hilt and drew black gooey blood from the wound.

“Okay what’s this idea?” I asked again, trying to make another cut on the snake, but it moved just out of the way and swiped its tail at me. I jumped over the end of it, but was caught by the second part that sent me flying into the earth. Hard.

“JESUS CHRIST TODAY!” I screamed as I picked myself out of the dirt and dead grass. My everything hurt like bitch. Ducking and dodging out of the way of the fangs that kept chomping down near me, I took cover inside a play slide. My breaths came out fast and ragged as I tried to recover and regenerate from this one sided battle. Even with my new abilities, I couldn’t make a scratch on this collective Nightmare.

Alright, I think I can do it.

“Think?” I stammered out as I felt a sudden power surge through my body.

Yes, I think this might work. Like ninety-nine percent sure this will work and help you defeat the Nightmare.

“Now I wouldn’t be looking out for myself if I didn’t ask about the other one percent.” I eased my way out of the slide tunnel so I could see where the snake was. It was busy obliterating what remained of the playground trying to find me. And slowly getting closer and closer to my hiding spot.

Well see I'm sure it will work, but there is always the chance of… mhhmhmh.

“One more time.”

It could mhmhmhmh.

“Okay, use your big boy voice.”

There is always the chance that it won’t react with the metal and explode killing us both immediately.

“Ah, so yeah, what the fuck is your plan?” I gulped as the snake brought its tail down on a tunnel slide, similar to the one I was hiding it, and it simply crushed in on its self. Fuck, I was fucked, and so would the rest of Equestria if I didn’t stop this thing.

Listen, your left hand.

“What about it?” I looked at it. It seemed the same, minus the hole in the palm from the dark magic tipped fang. It didn’t hurt, and I could hardly feel it, it was just a wound that would never heal. But it did look disgusting, I would need some gloves to cover it up or something, I would hate to scare the ponies with it. Wait, the fuck? Gloves? Focus Johnson, there is a fucking mammoth snake about to kill you.

That hole in your hand gives me a direct open channel to your bone in your hand.

“Okay, well that’s nice.” I poked the hard bone in the center of the whole. “OUCH” fuck I felt that.

Goddesses you're thick. Think what is a unicron made out of?

“Bone.”

And what does the horn do?

“It channels magic. Wait, are you telling me that –“

YES! Now you have an open channel to focus magic. No longer is it just a swirling vortex of fire around you, but you can also focus the magic as a unicorn does, Spells are now at your disposal. As long as I can do them, so can you. And seeing as that I'm a super being of destruction and evil…well not so evil anymore, but we are capable of nearly anything!

“Hold on, you said the metal wouldn’t react and explode. What metal?” I looked at the hole in my hand and to the sword in my right.

Only one way to find out. Draw that pistol, and lets go to work.

“Once more into the breach friend.” I took out Spike and looked at the dented and scratched metal. I turned and gazed at the sword sparkling in the dim light. I sighed; this would either be a battle for the records with no witnesses to my awesomeness. Or I was about to explode in the most brilliant way and only the monster Nightmare would see it. And then the Rest of Equestria would be destroyed as the Nightmare plagued it.

I’ll be right here with you Honored.

I leapt out of the slide and sprinted straight at the snake as it bite into another slide. The sword turned into a blazing inferno as it wiped out in front of me. The pistol was out to my side and I brought it up, ready to fire its remaining rounds straight and true. The snake turned and smirked towards me. I smirked right back. I jumped up a collapsed swing set, and ran up the angled poll and leapt into the air flying right at the snake’s head. The world around me slowed down as I aimed down the sights of the pistol. The snake coiled itself around the remains of a jungle gym and hissed at me, tongue flickering out of its mouth.

“Play times over.” I squeezed the trigger at one of its glowing blood read eyes.

For a brief moment, the simple black pistol glowed bright blue in a holy light. Then it flashed and the gunshot rang out through the destroyed playground.

BANG

I dropped and rolled along the ground coming up with the pistol still aimed at the snake and the sword still on fire held above my head ready to strike. I stood opposite of the Nightmare, just waiting.

The snake turned to face me, and black goo dripped from its obliterated face. The left side of its head was shredded. The new magic enhanced pistol and bullets had completely ripped the eye from its socket and sliced through the Nightmare’s shadow flesh.

“Damn.” I whispered.

The snake through its head back and screeched into the air, the scream nearly caused me to drop my weapons and cup my ears to reduce the sound. The black goo pooling on the ground began to shift and move as it rose up and formed shapes around the wounded Nightmare snake.

“Boss level reached.” I said as I stepped back from the creatures that were forming. They stood on two legs, but had four arms and long bat like wings that exploded of their backs. Elongated and distorted faces covered in black sludge started at me. And top off these new horrific creatures, were four dagger sized fangs and piercing red eyes, like everything Nightmare.

“So gargoyle-human crossed demons?” I asked myself as they circled around me. The big snake just watching from a distance.

Yeah.

“With black magic tipped fangs.”

Most likely.

”And can fly?”

Without a doubt.

“Bring it on.” I jumped forward and swiftly dragged the sword across one of the demon’s neck, smiling in glee as its head separated itself from its body and the two parts collapsed to the ground. I lifted the pistol and fired behind me.

BANG

Catching one of the other demons square in the chest. The enhanced magic round punched through its midsection with ease and exploded out the back, showering its breather with black goo. The demon behind the first shrieked out as one of its arms was ripped off its body by the still moving bullet.

“Sweet.” I side stepped while swinging the blade up, looping off another gargoyle’s arms and shoving the pistol barrel into a maw that was attempting to bite into my neck. I turned my head to stare into the gargoyle’s eyes as it whimpered around the barrel.

“Eat it.”

BANG

The remaining gargoyle-humans stepped back from me as the body fell to the ground, black goo rushing forth from the stump of a head it had.

“WELL WHOS NEXT? HUH?” I screamed at the creatures. “WHO WANTS TO KILL THE HUMAN?”

“I believe that right is reserved to me, since I killed the last ancient human.” The nightmare snake slithered forward to rest in front of me. The goo had stopped flowing from the fucked up side of its face, but it hadn’t repaired it. I guess my magic couldn’t be repaired, just as I couldn’t fix the dark magic wounds on myself.

“Well then come at me!” I threw my arms apart and stood ready to fight the massive nightmare. I was panting from the battle, and I was covered in sweat and dirt. I was tired of the killing, the death that seemed to follow me around, no matter what I did. Maybe trouble always found me, or its because I found trouble, but I was ready to end this nightmare once and for all.

“So be it.” The snake hissed and lashed out at me. I dodged the attack by jumping to the right, swinging the sword out to the left at the same time, drawing a long gash along the Nightmare’s side. The snake jerked its head up and screamed again, fire blazing in its eye as it searched for me. Tongue lashing out, trying to taste the air for my smell.

I opened my mind up completely and screamed, ‘Nightmare!’

What? Wait how can I hear you, you’re thinking, not speaking.

‘I'm opening up my mind to you, all of it. I have a plan and I need you to listen.’

Go, I’ll follow you friend.

‘Good, now this is what I need you to do.’

I explained the plan to Nightmare, and after a lot of persuasion and confidence, he agreed to the plan. It was dangerous, and downright stupid, and it could result in the Nightmare being taken by the evil-er Nightmare. But we could do it. We had to do it to insure the safety of Equestria.

“Hey Nightmare!” I screamed at the snake as it prepared for another attack. I pulled back my arm and hurled the sword with all my might at its head, intending to deliver a fatal blow with it. I ran to the side as the Nightmare’s focus was on the incoming sword. I aimed the pistol at the side of the snake’s head, and began to squeeze the trigger.

But the snake dodged around the sword and swung out with its tail and struck me in the chest sending me through the air, the pistol falling from my grasp and landing on the ground. I flew in the air until something sharp caught me.

Shink

I gasped and coughed as I looked down at the jagged piece of metal protruding from my chest. I was impaled on a metal pipe from the destroyed jungle gym. Blood squirted from the wound, as I struggled to free myself from the piping. The pain was intense, but I was hanging above the ground, and there was nothing within my reach that I could use to pull myself off the pipe. I was trapped by being impaled, and I couldn’t die, because the magic inside me was regenerating my blood and organs with a pipe through them. I was stuck, and in pain.

The Nightmare snake slowly slithered up to me, with its gargoyle demons following close behind. It was smiling and laughed deeply as it came closer. With one final push, I tried to come lose from the pipe, but to no avail.

“Well, human,” the Nightmare snake raised its tail and placed the tip of it on my stomach, right below the pipe sticking out of my chest. “It seems the end has come, and once again I shall claim the life of Equestira’s only human.” The Nightmare pushed in on my chest so that I was being pushed farther along the pipe.

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.” I screamed out as new blood gushed out of the wound and the new repaired flesh was ripped away, starting the regeneration process again.

“Oh isn’t this what you wanted? Death to find you?” It pushed in again, causing more pain to rip through my body. Blackness began to creep into the corners of my eyes.

‘Come on Nightmare, I can’t last much longer.’ I thought, lifting my head to stare the Nightmare in the eye. “I can still beat you.” I coughed up blood and shuddered as the darkness crept back into my eyes.

“Hahaha, I’m afraid you won’t be able too.” The snake opened its jaw and moved towards my neck with its giant fang ready to pierce my neck and put the dark magic directly into my body.

“You're right.” The snake stopped moving and cocked its eye at me. “I can’t beat you, but Nightmare can.” I smiled, and the Nightmare snake gave me confused look.

“What do you –“ The snake began to say, but was cut off by a clicking noise coming from behind him.

Floating behind the Nightmare Snake’s head, in a green black glow, was my pistol. The snake turned back around to face me. “How is that –“

BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG click click click

The pistol went dry and dropped to the ground as a cloud of black fog flew through the air and entered my head.

The Nightmare snake wobbled briefly before dropping forward and laying in a pool of blood and goo.

Oh it’s good to be back.

“Good to have you back, now about this pipe?” I asked, struggling to speak through the pipe still causing me a great deal of pain.

Yes, oh sorry.

With a burst of magic, I flew off the pipe and landed in a pile of blood, black goo, and dead Nightmare snake. The back and front of its head was completely turned to mush. Nightmare mush.

“Thanks.” I coughed as I sat up slowly. I looked around at the destruction and carnage that littered the playground. The shadow gargoyle-humans were slowly being pulled into the ground and turned back into the normal shadows around the city. I reached over the dead snake and picked up the empty pistol. I closed the slide and holstered the weapon at my side.

I walked over the snake and picked up my sword and placed in its sheath on my back. “So how was it being in a pistol?” I asked Nightmare, while picking up my backpack.

It was cold. And well, there was no one to talk too.

“I knew you would miss me.” I smiled and bent over, picking up the rifle and slinging it over my shoulder.

Shut up, let’s get out of here.

“Yeah, I’m with you on that one.” I stepped out of the playground and towards a tall building in the distance.

Um, that’s not really the way out of here.

“I know, but we have one more thing to do.” The city was still destroyed and the building were still collapsed, but all around, the swirling dust and gloomy clouds were gone. The actual sun was shining down on the place. “We got to hit the power, just as a precaution.”

Then let’s do it and get out of here.

“Yup, on it!” I looked at my chest and watched as the hole finished closing up and now I just would have to get the armor repaired. Some good it was. Extra weight, but no protection from damn pipes.

*****************************************************************

“So thanks to the Nightmare, you stopped the Nightmare?” Fast Skies asked staring at me.

“He stopped the Nightmare, not me.” The human pointed out, while leaning back in his chair. “So he may have started the Nightmare to begin with, but he ended it. So let’s just say he cancelled it out.” Honored smiled and looked to the princesses for some sign of forgiveness.

“He is still known as an evil creature.” Princess Celestia said.

“And I’ll never be able to forgive him for what he did to me and the thousand years on the moon.” Princess Luna glared at the human.

“He isn’t asking for forgiveness,” the human said pleading to the two princesses, “He just wants a second chance.”

Both princesses turned to each other for a brief moment. They turned back to the human. “We will see, we would have to discuss much before allowing the Nightmare to live in pony society.”

“The problem with that is that I'm a citizen of Equestria, and the Nightmare is a part of me.” Honored gestured his hands in front of him in a circle motion. “So you can’t punish the Nightmare without punishing me.”

“We’ll. Talk. About. It.” Princess Celestia said through a cheesy smile. “So let’s finish the story please.”

*******************************************************************

I kicked open the door to the old building that had a lightning bolt on the side of it, I was assuming that this would be the power building.

“So we just hit the power and leave. Simple as that.” I said while searching the room I was in. An office of some sorts. But there wasn’t any power controls or anything, so onward to another room.

But its never simple with you.

I opened a door leading into a room marked ‘Power Room’, and was hit with a wall of blackness. A strange gurgling noise was emerging from the pitch black room.

“WELCOME HUMAN. NOW THE TRUE TEST BEGINS.” A loud booming voice exploded forward.

Never. Simple.

Always Darkest Before...

Honor Above All Else
Chapter 18
By Honored Service

The sword sliced through the dark tentacle that exploded forth from the power room. Black goo rushed from the wound and sprayed out onto the office floor. Another two tentacles raced out from the room, trying to find grasp on my neck, but the swift cuts from the blade stopped them.

Simple! Simple? When the flying feather is it ever simple?

“Oh give me a freaking break!” I hollered out above the roar of the screaming monster in the power room. “And I though the snake thing was the Nightmare.”

It was.

A large tentacle wrapped around my leg and dropped me to my back. I reached out and grabbed a desk leg as the monster tried to pull me into the darkness that was beyond the door.

“Then what the fuck is this thing!?” I screamed as the desk leg snapped and I found myself closing in on the pitch blackness beyond the door.

I'm not exactly sure. It could just be another part of the Nightmare that was left behind, so that if you did beat the other half, another half would be left to continue on the fight. That’s what I would have done, and since the Nightmare was me, I’d bet bits on that’s what this is.

“That’s really interesting, thanks.” I said, “But that doesn’t help me at all!” I threw my arms out and caught the door frame as the Nightmare tried to yank me into the room. My fingers slowly began to slip from the door frame and I stared into the dark room. Fuck. I hope this works.

In one fluid motion, I let go of the frame and jerked the pistol from the holster. The slide was still open from when My Nightmare had fired it. If I still could conduct magic through my hand with the open wound to the bone, then hypothetically I could fire magic through the gun, right? Right?

I thought as hard as I could about focusing fire through my left hand and into the pistol. I pulled the trigger and held my breath as I was yanked into the darkness. Great spouts of fire exploded from the end of the pistol and ripped through the darkness around me, lighting the room up with flashes of orange.

“OH YEAH BABY!” I screamed as the darkness rushed by me while I fell through the darkness. Through the flashes of fire I could see turbines and copper coils. The power room. But I also saw Nightmare humans and those wonderful Nightmare gargoyle-humans. Everywhere.

SMACK

The wind came rushing out of me as I hit the solid rock floor. I coughed and felt something sticking through a lung. I rolled over and saw nothing in my chest, so I just assumed that it was a rib puncturing my lung. Awesome. Moments later the sting of the regenerating process kicked in and I clutched my chest and steadied myself against a support beam in the room.

“That’s the stuff! Oh yeah, love that burning tingling sensation.” I shock myself once the itching stopped and pounded my chest a couple times to make sure the bone was fixed. of course it was.

Listen, I'm sorry I couldn’t make it feel like a warm summer’s breeze, but dark magic isnt exactly good.

“You don’t say?” I branded my sword and looked around the dark room. Nightmare’s night vision helped, but I could tell that without it, I wouldn’t have been able to see an inch in front of my face. Well so much for simple, but I was well acquainted for dealing with situations of the complicated verity.

“From what I saw on the way down here, I’d say some of this equipment is still functional, so let’s head up and hit some switches and get this baby pumping. Nothing to it.”

And you think that it will be that –

“Yes, yes I do.” I sent fire along the blade of the sword and focused magic into the palm of my left hand, where the pistol was ready to work.

The room the Nightmare had dragged me into was a large storage area. The pale green walls were lined with boxes and crates of different sizes. If we had more time, I would totally stay and poke around and do some scavenging, but I kind of wanted to get out of this ancient city and back on my way to Canterlot.

From above, a group of gargoyle-humans dropped down and quickly surrounded me, cutting off the entrance to the stairs. Well so much for strolling out of here without a problem.

The pistol fired gouts of flame into one of the advancing creatures, while the sword hacked its way into another one’s skull. The Nightmares didn’t let up with their assault, but it was ultimately being stopped by magical fire and swift cuts from the sword.

“Hey if the pistol does this much extra damage, I wonder what the rifle does?” I asked myself and the Nightmare allowed, as the last demon feel forward, a neat five hole grouping in its chest.

Maybe we shouldn’t push this.

“Hmmmm… Nah.” I holstered the pistol and gripped the rifle in my left hand. Well this doesn’t feel awkward at all. Ugh, I can’t stand using it in the opposite hand. I rushed to the doorway leading into the stairwell and paused with my back against the wall. I leaned over and peaked into the darkness. I could make out a pair of glowing red eyes standing at the top of the first flight of stairs.

“GET SOME!” I jumped into the door frame and channeled the Nightmares magic into my palm and fired the rifle from my hip at the startled creature in front of me.

BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZHHHHHHHHHHHHH

The small space filled with intense light that caused me to shut my eyes tight as the M16 kicked in my hand like a mule. I opened my eyes to nothingness. I literally couldn’t see.

“Well shit.”

I was never one for ‘I told you so’.

“Yes you were.” I shot back, as the dim lights slowly came back into focus. I rubbed my eyes and blinked a few times, everything was coming back after that light show.

I know, I just like hearing you admit it.

“Well I like it when your mom – Damn.” I stared at what was left of the stairway leading up to the control room. I looked down to the rifle, the barrel of which was glowing bright red and smoking profusely, then back to the stairs, or where the stairs had been. The wall was completely black with goo and the wooden stairs where shattered and or on flames. Bullet holes nearly a foot across covered the walls, ceiling, and floor. I was speechless.

Tears began to fall off my cheeks and land on the still hot rifle with a faint hiss. “It’s so… beautiful. I… I think I'm in love with a weapon of amazing destruction.” I wept over the rifle as I slowly pulled out a fresh magazine and loaded it into the rifle.

******************************************************************************

“Really?” Fast Skies asked while crossing her forelegs in front of her. “You love that weapon?”

The human unslung the weapon and gave it a once over, examining all the scratches and dents and the tacky cat's claw above the magazine feed. The afternoon sun that poured in from the windows reflected off the scope while Honored stroked the rifle. “Of course I don’t love a weapon that would be crazy!” As Sky settled back into her seat, the human turned around to re-sling the weapon.

“Of course I love you M16A2. You're a good girl.”

He turned around to see the ponies staring at him, and Fast Skies giving him a death glare.

"So… um where were we. Hehehe.”

*****************************************************************************

“Oh shit!” I leaped backwards as the claws raked the air as I dodged backwards. The new stairwell that I had to take to the control room was inhabited by nightmare shadow demons on every. Fucking. Level.

Figuring that I had to climb three floors to reach the power room, I was progressing at an astonishing one floor an hour. Sense I had just cleared floor number one, it was going to take all day to get to the top.

Think of it this way Honored. There are a lot of nightmares. A lot of nightmares.

I drove the hilt of the sword into a gargoyle’s face and used the knife to stab into its neck, before blasting it with a stream of fire from my open palm.

So this must, no has to be the last Nightmare stronghold, or else there wouldn’t be so many of them. Silver lining.

A nightmare grabbed my arm and shoved its arm length shadow blade through my stomach. “FUCK!” I yanked the pistol out and shoved the barrel into the things eye and blew its gooey black brain all over the wall. “Yeah, a real silver lining!” I spat out blood as the sting of regeneration kicked in and I shoved a boot heel into the dead body. “You know what, fuck this.” I shook the sword around in the air, putting out the fire and placed it in the sheath on my back. I brought out the rifle and readied it in my left hand.

No, I thought we discussed this.

“We did, but this time I'm going to try semiautomatic.” I smiled and flicked the small switch up to single fire mode.

Are you kidding me?

“Nope.”

SHHH-CRACK

A jagged line of pure energy flew from the barrel and struck a nightmare square in its chest as it rounded the corner of large room.

BOOM

The retort of the rifle firing sounded just like thunder, and the clear crack of lightning as the magical bullet exited the barrel and traveled to the target, and the boom of thunder from the impact. “Wow that worked a lot better than I thought it would.”

And how did you think that was going to work?!

“Not sure, not like that though.” The rest of the second floor went much quicker as the lightning magic rounds punched through Nightmares left and right. And at one point, it went through four of them at once. Nightmare swore he didn’t see it, but I know he did.

A Nightmare began running towards the door with a large ‘3’ on it. Two lightning shots rang out and the creature collapsed to the ground, both of its legs blown apart at the knee. I walked over to the door and reached out for the handle while placing the barrel of the gun at the gargoyle’s head.

SHHH-CRACK
BOOM

“Ewww gross!” I looked down at the black goo that was splattered all over my boots and pants leg. “Damn.” The door was locked. Well this really put a huge damper on my plan.

I stepped backed and planted a kick right above the handle of the door. The frame splinted under the kick and the door flew open revealing a long corridor, with a closed door at the end. The only thing that was stopping me from waltzing right in was the lack of Nightmares and darkness from the hallway. It was well lit and Nightmare free.

The rifle dropped to my side, and I pulled the duster around so it covered the rifle and the pistol holster. I cautiously took a step into the hallway.

And nothing happened.

I took another.

And still nothing happened.

I walked down the entire hallway without fighting a single thing. Not uttering a single curse word. No firing. No slicing, hacking or slashing. Just a simple walk down a hallway to the door marked, ‘Power Control’.

“Well, let’s end this.” I reached out and opened the door. As the door opened, four tentacles wrapped themselves around both my arms and both legs and pulled me into the darkness before I could manage to grab any weapon.

“SO ONCE MORE YOU STUMBLE INTO THE DEPTHS OF THE NIGHTMARE. BUT THIS TIME YOU SHALL NOT ESCAPE. DEATH WILL OVERCOME YOU HUMAN.” The same loud earth shaking voice that the entire Nightmare consciousness had caused the whole room to tremble as it spoke.

“YOU HAVE CHOSEN YOUR FATE. YOU SEEK TO DESTROY US, SO YOU SHALL BE DESTROYED IN THE PROCESS.” A dim red light filled the room. I found myself staring at the mother of all gargoyle-humans. Easily twenty feet tall and talons as long as my forearm covering each of its four arms. It stepped up to me and one of the arms turned into a blade five feet long, and glowing in sickly black magic. Dark magic, and there was no regenerating from that stuff.

“I didn’t want to be this.” I whimpered out. Oh time to have some fun.

“WHAT?” The blade arm pulled back from my throat.

“I never wanted to be hero for Equestria.” I let out a fake sob. I would have covered my face with my hands and really sobbed, but the four shadow tentacles were holding firm.

Nightmare, I need to burst these tentacles from me when I give you the signal.

And what’s the signal?

Trust me, you'll know.

“I wanted to be a farmer.” I coughed out between snotty sobs. The Nightmare was eating this stuff up! Too easy.

“A FARMER?” Real confusion plagued the nightmare as it scratched its head with a long talon. Oh he was in for a hell of a surprise.

“Yeah, a lead farmer.” I pulled quickly at the tentacles, and right on cue, a burst of green flames shattered the shadows binding me to the floor releasing me from the grips of the Nightmare.

“Here’s my farm!” I jerked the pistol and rifle up simultaneously from underneath the duster. The pistol in the left hand and the rifle with the magic rounds from before in the right hand. Saying the Nightmare was caught off guard was an understatement.

Why do I feel like you were copying something from your old world?

“Because I was, now hush, you're killing the moment.” I said, while smirking and pulling the triggers on the weapons.

BANGBANGBANGBANGBANG
SHHH-CRACK
SHHH-CRACK
SHHH-CRACK

BANGBANGBANGBANGBANG

The rifle went dry and the pistol was smoking in my hand. The room was deathly quiet as I stared at the Nightmare in front of me. The look of surprise was still plastered on its face before the wall of magic fire and bullets tore its chest into a gaping hole of runny black goo.

“Ah…uhhhh…” Was all that the Nightmare was able to say before it collapsed backwards into a growing pool of goo that was quickly dissolving into thin air.

“Is that it?” I asked before a shriek to my right cut everything off. I lifted my arm and pointed the pistol into a solitary nightmare gargoyle.

BANG

Thump.

Now that’s it.

“Good.” I turned from the disappearing body of the Nightmare and walked to a console and slammed my fist down on a red button that simply stated ‘ON’. With a grinding noise and a shudder a few lights came on in the room.

“Wow. Fuck this.” I picked up a chair and hurled it through the console. I aimed the pistol and fired a dozen fire shots into the remains of the flashing monitors. Panting, I looked at the destruction before me and exited the room.

“All of that for three fucking lights?!” I kicked open the door leading out into the city. The sun was setting, but this time there was no swirling dust or screaming Nightmares. Just an empty city, waiting to be reclaimed by the surrounding desert. “Screw it, the Nightmares are dead right?”

Yes, I'm the last one as far as I know.

“Good! Then let’s just get back home!” I screamed into the air. “God damn it! Maybe I will go burn a village or something!” I stopped dead in my tracks and looked at my hands.

Are you alright Honored?

“Alright?” I threw my arms wide and laughed hysterically at the night sky. “Of course I'm alright Nightmare! I’ve only just spent the better part of two days fighting some shadow demons. Oh and the fact I know what it feels like to break my bones, get stabbed, impaled, and mind fucked by a Nightmare, and to have it all happen in only two days! I'm JUST FAN-FUCKING-TASTIC! And on top of that shit stack sandwich, I'm pretty sure I'm turning evil, because I just suggested to burn a damn village, and I meant it! But wait there’s more. Now it will take longer for me to die, so everpony around me will be long gone while I try to live with the knowledge that everypony I care about is dead!” I dropped to my knees in the middle of the desert and hung my head. I ran my hands through my short shaggy hair and groaned.

“I just want to stop being a killer. I'm really tired of being a hero. I just want to…to go home.”

Me too Honored. Me too.

For the first time since landing in Equestria, I was truly miserable. I had hit an all-time low and it wasn’t even making sense why I was feeling this way. The Nightmare was defeated and never coming back, but I still felt like shit. And nothing I could think about would change this heavy mood.

You know, this may be side effects from the powers I transferred over to you.

“Great, Awesome!” I threw the backpack off and slumped onto the sandy ground next to it. “Even more good news. It seems that I have inherited your bad side while you became less evil. Thanks, thanks a lot.” I crossed my arms and dropped my head into my knees.

“Mhhhmmhmhmmhmhmhphmhphm.”

What was that? I couldn’t hear you over the sound of acting like a scarred little filly.

“Excuse me!?” I shouted, jerking my head out of lap and glaring at a cactus across from me.

Look you have problems, I get it, but do you think that complaining and wallowing in your own pity is going to fix anything? Oh no you have to live longer, at least you're alive! If I hadn’t transferred some of my powers to you where would you be?

“Dead.” I mumbled out. I hated when Nightmare got all preachy on me, because usually he was right. Bastard.

Exactly! So buck up Honored. And what did you tell me when I was evil and about to kill you in Canterlot?

“Something about being a hero.”

Now is this how a hero should be acting?

“No.” A small smile appeared on my lips.

So pull yourself together! You’ve been away from Canterlot for almost nine months now. Don’t you think it’s about time we made it back?

“YES I do!” I jumped up and grabbed the pack by its top handle and began marching through the desert sand. Somehow the night sky seemed lighter and the stars shined a thousand times brighter. With a new spring in my step I climbed my way over dunes and hills.

For five days the Nightmare and me trekked through the desert, only stopping for sleep and finding water throughout the sandy landscape. During the travel nothing had happened. Nothing tried to kill me or attack me. Absolutely somewhat easy travel through the desert to the Southern border of Equestria.

On the sixth day, I reached the crest of a large sand dune and looked out before the landscape before me. The last stretch of the sandy dunes melted away and faded into a lush green jungle with a tall mountain climbing to heavens off in the distance. I did a double take and pulled out my worn and torn map. I traced a finger along the trail I had been making and stopped at somewhere along the border in front of me.

The Everfree forest.

“Shit.”

I looked back to the map. Instead of turning left at the Horsehead oasis, I seem to have taken a right. So I didn’t end up on the road leading to the border entrance gate…but here at the edge of the Everfree forest leading into Equestria… and it looked to be at least fifty miles thick at its thinnest point.

“Fuck.”

Is it not turning out to be that simp –

“Don’t. Fucking. Say. It.” I groaned out while sliding down the hill and began trudging my way towards the edge of the forest. But maybe since the Nightmare had been dealt with, my luck will turn around.

ROOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Can I say it now?

“No.” I pushed aside a large branch and walked into the dense underbrush of the Everfree forest. “Any clue to what made that sound?” I whispered out trying not step on the billions of branches scattered all over the ground.

Something big.

And hungry.

“Okay at least we’re on the same page.” And now it attacks.

I stood at the ready for the trees in front of me to explode apart and some ungodly creature to rush at me with the intent to maw me to pieces. With fangs. Lots of sharp fangs and claws.

But it never came. Whatever had made that noise wasn’t coming towards me. Yet.

So you just going to stand here all day waiting to get eaten by something, or are you going to actually get moving?

“I'm going! Geez I'm trying to be cautious for once and you’re rushing me along.” I hoped over a log and slapped a vine out of my face. There was still a good half a day of sunlight left, so I could put some distance into the forest before sunset.

Okay in all honestly has being cautious ever helped you?

“Hey it… well I mean it… one time… No.” I hung my shoulders and walked around a large moss covered rock. The faint sound of a stream broke through my shame and got louder the closer I moved towards an opening to a cave.

Now stop.

I stopped in my tracks and looked around the mouth of the cave, “What?”

Now most normal ponies would think, ‘gee that’s a scary cave, I better not go in there.’ And what are you about to do?

“Go in it?”

No, that’s dangerous let’s just keep going around it and on the way to Canterlot. Still another four days of hoofing it.

“Fine mom.” I turned away from the cave and started walking back to the thick foliage. I slowly reached down and took my very beaten up canteen off my belt. “Oh no its almost empty!” I poured out the water and shook the canteen dry. “I guess we need to head in there and get some more water from the only water source I’ve heard all day.”

You. Are. So. Stupid.

“I like to think of it as learning impaired.” I cracked a smile and walked into the cave, following the sound of the running water.

*********************************************************************

“Seriously?” Twilight Sparkle cocked her head and stared at the human.

“Seriously?” Honored responded scratching his head.

“Why would y’all go looking for trouble,” Says Applejack, “you could’ve just kept on headin’ here.”

“Because of the thrill!” Rainbow Dash zoomed into the air with a flash of color. “The adventure, the unknowing of what dangers lurked inside that cave!” She smiled wide and her eyes glazed over as she thought about something else. “Just like Daring Doo.”

“Correct!” The human called out. “And because I needed water.”

Sure. Water. Lying fool.

“But it all worked out for the best. I'm here safe…more or less…”

“I suppose that everything turned out fine. The cave was empty or unoccupied at the time.” Princess Celestia smiled down at the Honor Guard who kicked his feet up on a stool and leaned back in his chair.

“Now I didn’t say that.”

**************************************************************

Drip Splash. Drip Splash. Drip Splash. Drip Splash.

The sound of water dripping off the walls echoed throughout the cavern I was in. I followed the sound of the water and came across a small stream in main cavern of the cave, but another opening lead out of the room. And I was very curious to go cave diving…well at least exploring.

We have the water. We have seen enough of the cave. WE CAN LEAVE NOW!

“Gosh you really don’t like caves do you?” I asked while running my hand along the cool rough surface of the cave wall. Why was he freaking out so much?

Listen just have a… feeling, okay? So let’s leave.

“Ummm nahhhh.” I ducked under low hanging rock and found myself entering a massive cavern. Compared to the one with the stream in it, this one was mammoth. I whistled as I spun around, looking at the sheer volume of the cave. “Now this is a cave!” I threw my hands apart and smiled. This was beautiful.

This cave couldn’t have been just out here in the forest, it had to be connected to something… or inside of something. Like a huge tall mountain.

I walked around the edge of the cavern examining the giant pile of sticks in the center of the space. I shrugged it off and found another smaller entrance slowly heading up from the cavern. “Bingo.”

Nightmare kept complaining and whining. Basically being a little baby back bitch for nearly an hour as I climbed the tunnel inside of the mountain. I was positive that we were inside of the mountain I had spotted off in the distance. I was extremely curious to see where this tunnel let off, at least a good view I hope, and that way I’ll be able to get a good idea on where I was. That mountain top should provide an amazing 360 degree look around the forest and beyond.

The tunnel kept getting progressively lighter and lighter as I neared the exit. I was temporarily blinded as I rounded a corner and was struck by a wall of light. I followed the light through another large cavern full of piles of sparkling rocks and onto a ledge overlooking the world around the giant mountain.

Pulling out the map I confirmed I was about four days off from Canterlot. Now the quickest way through the forest, and if I hurried at a quick pace, would only take me three days. I looked at the map and at a small town resting on a large plane off in the distance. Ponyville. And beyond that on another mountain range adjacent to my position was a shining while city, built on the side of the rocky cliffs. Canterlot.

“See this was worth climbing through the dangerous cave.” I laughed as I tried to imagine what the Nightmare’s face would look like. I walked back towards the entrance to begin the hike down to the main entrance.

THUMP

I turned around to the ledge and came face to face with a large golden eye.

I gulped and took a step back. A large red and gold dragon with golden eyes was staring right at me. The reptilian slits focused on me and the large head moved down to my level.

I pulled my rifle up and aimed it at the dragon. I don’t know if the magic rounds would work. Or even if the magical rounds enhanced with my own shared magic with the Nightmare would work on a real dragon. A really freaking huge dragon.

“Hello human. Perhaps I startled you. I haven’t had any interactions with a sentient creature other than my own kind for quite some time.”

Well maybe I wouldn't have to fight. I slowly let the rifle down and eased up my defensive stance. Well let’s see if I'm as good as a speaker with a dragon as I am with the ponies.

Well my faithful, beautiful, and charming readers, only about 4 months remains till the story is caught up with the present. Then the real story begins!
-Johnson

P.S. Anyone got friends that can draw? Im trying to get some better art for the story instead of that old photo of myself as the cover. And to just add more images to help out with the story, everyone knows that pictures and stories are awesome!

The Dawn

Honor Above All Else
Chapter 19
By Honored Service

“So um Hi! My name is Johnson. Well that’s one of the names I go by. You can call me Honored. Honored Service. Hehe.” I coughed and tucked at the collar of armored vest which was suddenly constricting and weighed a lot more than thirty-five pounds.

Smooth. That’s one way to make a first impression.

“Well Honored it is nice to meet you. My name is Galdishmessh.” The giant red and orange dragon smirked down at me. I must have seemed like an ant to him at this position. One of his talons on the end of his claw was as tall as me. Oh I hope he stays peaceful and not all stomp-y.

“Pleased to meet you Galdish –“ The great dragon raised a claw to silence me.

“Please don’t try to pronounce it. To do so correctly would require your tongue to be cut in two.” He flicked his forked tongue out for emphasis. “So please call me Gal. It will make everything a lot easier.” His mouth parted into a smile that reveled rows of pearly white, razor sharp teeth.

“Well Gal, I'm happy to meet another creature that hasn’t been trying to kill me.” I stuck out my hand for a handshake, but quickly realized my mistake once I remembered the size difference. I was about to retract my held out appendage when he gently placed the tip of one of his claws in the center of my hand. I gripped around it and gave the claw a brief shake before letting it go.

“I was resting in this cave when I felt something shift in the balance of nature.” Gal turned his head and stared off in the direction I came from. He was looking out towards the desert in the distance. The vast rolling dunes of sand reflecting the early afternoon sun as we both just stared off into the endless waves of sand.

Gal turned back to me and stared at me. “What?” I asked, shifting uncomfortably under his stare.

“The disturbance. I can feel it around you. You caused this shift in the balance of the world.” Gal spoke calmly and with a slowness of wisdom. Although I felt like he was speaking slower for my benefit.

“Um I'm sorry, but what shift?” I scratched my head and sat down taking my weapons of my back and removing the backpack as well.

“In this world, there is a balance to everything. Good and Evil. Peace and Chaos. Creation and Destruction. There cannot be one without the other.” I nodded to the orange dragon showing I was following his speech. “And I can feel the goodness in you. But I also sense something horribly evil. Something not to be trusted.” Gal narrowed his eyes at me while moving closer.

I jumped up and faced the dragon. “Listen, I stopped the evil Nightmare, and the only one left is my friend. He has changed for the better, swearing off his old evil nature and in return has helped me get back home. He is my friend, and he is most certainly not evil.” I stood tall not wavering as the dragon continued to watch me with a hint of interest.

“Is that so? Well perhaps I am wrong and am losing my touch in this old age.” He receded back a little so he could lie on his stomach and be at eye level with me. “Please at least take this advice. Keep your friends close. And your enemies closer.” He gave me a smile. “But be cautious in the future, for the natural balance of the world needs to be righted, sometimes even in the wrong way.” Gal closed his eyes and turned away from me. “Go human. Return to your home, but know that the next four months of your travel will lead down the wrong path, and will bring you to the hardest decision of your existence.”

I could only stare at the dragon in shock of what he was saying. Everything was flying right over my head. Who couldn’t I trust? Which one of my friends could I not trust? Wait. Four months? “Gal, this map here shows me being four days away from Canterlot, at the most.”

The dragon shifted up and peaked one eye at the map. “Hmm so it does. Not everything is true Honored. This I think you know. You’ll return home when the time is right and balance needs to be restored.” The golden eye disappeared under an eyelid as I stepped away from the dragon.

“Thank you Gal, I hope to meet you again under less… strange circumstances.” I walked towards the exit. I smiled and whispered, “Fus.” And looked back, but the dragon didn’t move. “Worth a shot.”

As I turned to begin my walk down the winding tunnel I heard a deep rumbling voice behind me. “Fus Ro Dah.” Suddenly I was pushed forward by a blast of air and began sliding down the tunnel at a dizzying speed while a deep chuckle sounded out behind me.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

I flew out of the tunnel and shot across the small stream and landed hard on my back. I was staring up at the rocky entrance to the cave when a thought entered my mind. “Aw shit. I left my swords, rifle and backpack at the top.” No sooner had the words left my mouth, I heard a scraping sound and looked up to see two sheaths and a rifle hurtling out of the tunnel and at my face. I ducked just in time as they landed safely behind me. I turned back to the tunnel only to be nailed in the manhood area by a fifty pound backpack.

In a slightly higher voice than normal I coughed out, “There it is.” Before collapsing into the dirt.

Ha. Maybe that restored the balance to the world. You know, because you got hit in the dick. Get it?

Honored?

You alright buddy?

**************************************************************

“So old Gal is still kicking around.” Celestia smiled and drifted off into fond memories of an old friend. “It’s been ages since I’ve visited him.”

“He’s nice, but all those cryptic messages are a tad annoying and wrong.” The human leaned back into his chair and picked up a cup, taking a sip of the water in it.

“But he’s never been wrong.” Luna said plainly. “In fact last time I though he was wrong was right before I went to investigate the ruins of Hum-Gia.”

Honored cocked an eyebrow at the dark alicorn but continued to drink.

“He said that the balance would be thrown off while I tipped it the wrong way. And I scoffed at him, turns out he had predicted or known about Nightmare Moon.” She sighed and the human lurched forward spraying water everywhere.

“But… none of my friends would betray my trust.” Honored sputtered out. “None of you would.”

“Oh we all know that silly!” Pinkie bounced up from her spot where she had been patiently listening to the story. “Maybe that big ol’ dragon was just a little confused. Happens to me all the time!”

Clearly

“Doubtful.” Princess Celestia looked at the human with a hardened stare. “Honored how long did Gal say it would take you to get back to Canterlot?”

“Four months.” Honored said nonchalantly. Then it began to dawn on him.

“And it took you how long to get back?”

“It was only supposed to take four days but… it turned into… four months, because of some things.” The warrior fell back into his seat with the realization that somepony would betray him. Somepony would make him make a decision that would be the hardest of his life.

Honored sat up and smiled. “Well there is always a chance that this is the first time Gal will be wrong.”

“I hope so.” Celestia gave a sad smile to her sister, “because I remember what happened last time I thought that.”

*************************************************************

“Now this is how the entire freaking journey should have been!” I smiled as I walked along the smooth, well worn, not dangerous path carved through the Everfree Forest. The map was held out in front of me as I made sure to triple check that I was going the right direction and making no wrong turns.

Now you always say stuff like that and then BAM, diversion or something pops up.

“Nah I have a good feeling this time.” I fist pumped into the air and hopped over a log lying on the ground. “And I'm pretty sure I'm out of bad guys to fight honestly.”

And how would you know?

“Just trust me okay?”

I rounded a bend in the path and stopped dead in my tracks. A rickety rope bridge stretched across a massive ravine in front of me. The boards on the bottom of the bridge looked rotted and broken, just waiting to plunge me to my death bellow. I looked down at the map and back up at the bridge.

So… we going to cross that?

A butterfly danced through the air and landed daintily on a wooden plank. The plank then snapped in half and fell all the way down to the seemingly bottomless crevice in the earth.

“Um fuck no. Do I look stupid?”

“Don’t answer that.” I quickly added as I checked the map again and sighed.

“Well the good news is that there is another way across the ravine. We just have to travel that way,” I pointed to the left through a dense grove of trees and vines along with thick underbrush, “for about another three days and then the ravine actually stops and from there it’s just another two days travel to meet up with the path that’s right in front of us.”

Turning this four day trip into how many?

“Nine.” I grumbled out as I tucked the map up and unsheathed Zappy. I swung the sword through the vines and branches along the new path I was cutting through the forest. Each cut created a distinct ‘zapppp’ and a brief flash of white lite as I slowly moved through the thick foliage.

“Well according to Gal it’s actually going to turn into another four months of travelling. I guess he meant to say nine days. Actually a lot of stuff he said didn’t make sense to me.” I shrugged off a vine that draped itself across my shoulders. “I mean, like what friend can’t I trust? Exactly, I can trust all of them. Even you Nightmare.”

Yeah. Sure can.

“I mean at the beginning of our little partnership I would have agreed with him, but I trust you completely with my life Nightmare. And I know that you have changed.” I took a few swings with the sword as the enchanted blade zapped against a particularly thick branch.

Thanks Honored. That… that means a lot, but I'm still evil… remember right?

“Actually Nightmare, I think you're a pretty nice mind control thing.”

Excellent!

“Yeah that is pretty excellent buddy.”

I hacked another vine out of the way as I moved along through the forest. The sun was dimmed through all the tree tops. I checked my very beat up watch to confirm it was almost dinner time.

“Wait.” I stopped dead in my tracks and ripped the backpack of my back and poured the contents on the ground. “No, no no!” I searched through the pile of miscellaneous tools and supplies. “Throwing knives, broken flashlight, batteries I could have used a while ago, shit where is it, please tell me I'm not out of… GOD DAMN IT!” I began to furiously put everything back in to the pack.

What’s wrong?

“I don’t have any food packed, that what’s wrong!” I tossed the pack onto my back and continued thumping through the jungle. I thought I had had another MRE left.

*********************************************************************
One year and three months ago-

“Hey Scoots, what is that?” A yellow earth pony filly asked the orange pegasus filly.

“Oh I found it in Mr. Johnson’s backpack. I figured we could use it for something cool. Human stuff is cool.” She flapped her wings in excitement at the tan brown package.

“Hey what’s chi-ck-en?” Asked a small white unicorn as she pointed to a label that had human language written on it.

“Let’s go ask Twilight!”

“CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS HUMAN STUFF INVETIGATORS!”

************************************************************************

No food then? Well that’s a shame.

“Listen I'll think of something. Something delicious. Something fried. Or no maybe grilled with spices.” My mouth began to water at the idea of all the tempting things I could cook up and devour in my current state.

BWAK

“Or maybe some roasted chicken.” I smiled deviously at the bushes nearby where the sound had originated from. Luck was once again on my side as food literally walked into my lap. “Oh Nightmare I haven’t had chicken since I came here. Trust me you’re going to love it.” I licked my lips in anticipation of the succulent meat that would be roasting over a fire in few short minutes.

As exciting as that sounds, when was the last time chickens lived in the Everfree forest?

“Shut up, you're going to scare away the dinner.” I crept over to the bush, ignoring the Nightmare as I gripped the handle of my knife, preparing to catch a fine meal.

But listen to me you stupid human. Chickens don’t live here, only –

I stood up and pulled aside a thick branch to reveal the chicken, attached to the body of a snake. It was coiled up and turned to face me as I backed away.

Fuck me with a cock -atrice. God damn cockatrice.

I turned to close my eyes but damn, that thing moved fast. I looked straight up, to the sides, covered my eyes with my hands, doing anything to not look into its eyes as I heard the creature slither around my legs. “Fuck.” I said as I drew the pistol from the shoulder holster and gripped it tight in my left hand. I’d have to quicker than that thing if I wanted to live.

I ripped around and opened my eyes and locked eyes with the cockatrice as I fired the pistol.

BANG

I just stood there staring at the cockatrice. Ha serves you right, now let’s get cocking. Wait. What the fuck. I moved to holster the pistol but nothing happened. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t even turn my head. But… But I could feel my clothing. I could feel it as light breeze rolled through the clearing. The cockatrice slithered off without a second glance at me.

Shit come back. I couldn’t even yell for help. But why wasn’t I turned to stone.

Nightmare?

“Yeah?”

Oh god damn it.

“Hold on, I'm trying to piece this whole thing together. You looked at the cockatrice, in the eyes of course, so you got turned to stone, but because you weren't the only thing living in this body, it froze your control of this body. Now you are just a thought in this mind, while I have,” My arm holstered the pistol and my head turned and looked all around, “complete control.”

That makes sense. Well kind off. So if it stares at you, then we both get turned to stone?

“It would appear so. But you're still alive so that’s a good thing Honored. Now we just have to either convince that cockatrice to turn you back, or kill it.” The Nightmare cracked my knuckles loudly while cracking my neck.

The second option if you will. And save it for dinner. I know I'm still hungry even though I can’t feel my stomach anymore.

“Oh this is going to be fun.” The Nightmare unslung my rifle and clicked the safety to semiautomatic. “And I finally get to use this. If only I had this back in Canterlot!”

Ahem…

“Ah right. Still a little sore about that.”

Let’s go kill a cockatrice!

The Nightmare collapsed on the ground after running through the forest for nearly two hours straight. “Oh these legs hurt. What am I feeling?” He sprawled out the ground gasping for air as he pulled off the canteen and drank from it.

That’s called running-for-two-damn-hours-at-a-break-neck-pace. Jackass. My body is tired. And not ready.

“and I have this… kind of burning sensation in my gut. Like something’s about to explode. Am I going to explode?” The Nightmare sat up and looked around and grabbed a hold of my crotch.

You better fucking not!

“What’s happening!?”

The bathroom you freaking moron. You have to piss!

“Why do you have so many straps and buttons and zippers!” The Nightmare struggled to undo the belts and buckles that zigged across my chest and midsection. “Oh no, oh no, oh no.”

You better… not. Fuck.

I could only watch as a large dark stain slowly spread down my legs. “Oops.”

Oops?

Are you kidding me?

THAT’S WHY THERE IS ONE GOD DAMN ZIPPER IN THE FRONT! JUST PULL THAT ONE DOWN AND GO NUTS! SWEET JESUS TO ALL THAT IS HOLLY YOU BUMBLING NIGHTMARE.

“Okay well now that I see where you're coming from, the yelling in my head is kind of annoying.” The Nightmare said while shaking a leg to the side.

SO IS HAVING MY BODY PISS ITSELF!

“Again, the yelling.”

Again the warm piss on my legs!

“Look I haven’t ever had control of your body for this long. I just need time to get adjusted. That’s all.”

I decided to stay quiet while the Nightmare continued on his search for the cockatrice that put us in this situation.

******************************************************************

“Wait you peed yourself?” Hammer Strike asked, after politely raising a hoof into the air.

The human rubbed a hand across his face and let out a long sigh. “So the only question you have had Hammer, was if I pissed myself?” The blue earth pony nodded his head.

“No the nightmare did that.”

“But it was your body.” Quick Strike added from the back of the group.

“Yes.”

“So you peed yourself.” Princess Celestia pointed out while gesturing to the human with a hoof.

“Moving on!” Grunted Honored.

**********************************************************

The last rays of the sun dipped bellow the tree line, plunging the forest into near darkness.

Face it Nightmare, the cockatrice is long gone. We’ll have to think of another way to get me back.

“No.”

The Nightmare sat down and looked around at the clearing. “No I won’t just give up. You never gave up on me. You shouldn’t still even trust me after all the evil I did to you, but you believed in me. So the very least I can do is get you your body back.” The Nightmare pulled the rifle up and shouldered it and continued to just sit there.

That’s really nice and all, but how is sitting here going to change anything.

“It’s going to come to us. Simple as that.”

And you think it will or what?

“I'm hoping it will.”

Awesome. I’ll just be here. Thinking.

I realized how truly boring my head was. I went through so many of my memories that I must have relived my childhood at least three times. Still just as bitter sweet. I saw my family and wondered what they though happened to me. Friends flashed before my eyes, they would all be in there second and third years of college. My army buddies cutting jokes and laughing it up while flying over sand dunes in Humvees.

More recent memories flashed through my mind as I looked through more recent memories dating to only a few years ago. My first time getting shot. Ha that was a good one. A simple 5.56 through the leg, but that was still a bullet wound to the leg. How many other guys could sport that injury and laugh it off as bad luck and a carless friend.

Then the fight I had in the backwoods property. That was the first time I truly felt scared for my life. My best friend and myself crawling through the brush tracking a deer when the trespasser on his property mistook us for a deer in the distance and opened fired buckshot everywhere. I remember the terror as a tree limb exploding inches from my head. The first burst of adrenaline that made me hunker down and do the only thing I could think of at the time. Turning around and drawing the weapon on my hip and firing back.

That sweet little .357 black finished revolver. The feeling of dread that I had just fired at another human being. I could have killed someone. But that feeling went away when another few shotgun blasts ripped away the branches above me. My friend stayed down and I got up and reloaded that pistol and gave chase after the trespassing hunters, firing that gun all the while till the two men jumped into their lifted truck and peeled off through the tall grass surrounding the property.

That was the day, that if it were possible, I would have gotten my cutie mark. I realized it was in my nature to stand up in the way of danger and protect those around me. Against anything, against any odds.

One more memory. Maybe this is how the Nightmare entertains himself all day. I wonder what else he may have looked at. God I hope not too much. Like past relationships or family matters. Personal stuff. And of course Sky.

The memory of our last night talking to each other before I ‘died’. The kind words that mare spoke to me. The feeling of joy as I heard everything she said to me. The sweet words that could make you feel as if you were on top of the world. That mare.

My heart hurt because I was missing her so badly. There was still so much we had to do. So much we hadn’t gotten to do before damned Nightmare interrupted everything.

But now. Now she would think I’m a freak. Another creature is living inside my head. The same Nightmare that attacked Canterlot and killed who knows how many ponies. She wouldn’t be able to look at me the same way ever again. In fact right now she was probably cuddling up to some other stallion in his house.

I sighed to myself. She deserves that though, she deserves to move on and continue her life. I'm gone and at the rate this is progressing I may never get back home.

“Honored. Look.” The Nightmare called out softly. Sure enough as he had said, the cockatrice slowly slithered its way through the grass across the clearing from us. “Told you. Now let’s kill it.” He carefully raised the rifle and aimed at the snake chicken hybrid as it began to slither away.

BANG

The rifle round ripped through the branch inches from the thing’s head, and just like that it vanished into the underbrush.

“Oh no you don’t!” The Nightmare screamed, leaping up from his seated position and took off after the mythical creature like a bat out of hell.

Branches grabbed and tugged at the Nightmare as we ran along, trying to slow his progress down. The moonlight was the only light now, but thanks to Nightmare’s night eyes, it may as well have been the middle of the afternoon. The cockatrice wove its way through the forest as we pounded along behind it. The Nightmare firing the rifle several times, trying to hit the slippery serpent as it ducked into an opening in the ground.

We skidded to a halt at the mouth of a hole going straight into the ground. A few small rocks slipped into the hole and fell, bouncing all the way down, till after a few seconds the noise faded out.

“Well at least we know it went down there.”

Your call. You're the one in charge right now.

“Oh yeah. Ha nearly forgot.” The Nightmare jumped into the hole and slid on my back all the way down, twisting and turning along with the tunnel. Finally the tunnel leveled out and the Nightmare stood up and brushed the dirt off my pants. “Okay it’s a little dark.”

It was actually pitch black.

Hey, there were some more batteries in the pack for the flashlight on the gun. They should last for a couple hours at least.

The Nightmare was finally able to get the batteries into the little compartment on the side mounted rail flashlight attached to the barrel of the rifle. When he flicked the switch, the tunnel was flooded with bright light.

“Come out come out wherever you are.” The Nightmare called out into the tunnel as he swept the area with the rifle. The light revealed different tunnels all leading away from the opening and deeper underground. “Well poop. Here I was thinking it would be a little easier and maybe the cockatrice would be right here.”

See how nothing is easy? Welcome to my world.

Nightmare walked towards the largest tunnel and slowly began to step into it. The flashlight showed nothing but rocks, rocks, rocks, and a little dirt. Every so often a bump would shake the tunnel and pebbles would drop from the roof of the tunnel and land around Nightmare.

I'm not really liking the bumping.

“Yeah. Me neither.” A bend in the tunnel loomed ahead.

Go quietly and maybe we can avoid whatever it is before it notices us.

“Well duuuuh.” Nightmare hit the light off on the rifle and eased his way around the bend and watched the new section of tunnel for any movement. Nothing, but the bumps still continued.

Shhhh. Wait did you hear that?

“Hear what?” Nightmare looked all around the long tunnel as if trying to see what was making the noise.

Very faintly I could make out the noise again. It was a grinding noise in different pitches. It repeated every few seconds, growing louder and louder as time went on.

“What is that?” Nightmare asked moving along the tunnel, keeping one hand on the wall to insure we were going in the right direction.

I think I know, but that’s impossible.

“What is?” Nightmare asked again, stopping at the edge of the tunnel and peering into a rather large cavern. It was dark in the cavern, save for a faint green light that was bobbing up and down on the other side of the cavern near a dark blue square rock. Nightmare slowly brought the rifle up to my shoulder and aimed down the sight, “Whatever it is, it’s about to get a little surprise.”

NO! I screamed in my head. Don’t you dare pull that trigger!

“Why not? Whatever is making that light could very well be the cockatrice, or something even worse.” The rifle stayed trained on the still floating green light. But as it moved closer, another sound was heard. A high pitched constant noise. A buzzing filled the area near the green light.

I was about to respond when something or somepony spoke. “Hello? Is Johnson there? Or is it Honored Service? Drat, I swear people need to stick with one name and use it. I haven’t changed my name. And it’s easy to call for me.”

Another voice called out from the darkness, except this voice higher pitched, a mare’s voice. “It’s both of those names. One human and one pony. And you have two name too. That one you came with, and the ones the pony’s gave you. Time Tur-“

“Don’t you dare utter it Derpy! I am the Doctor! Not this Time Turner. Because as I have explained before time is not a straight line it is… oh never mind this isn’t why we are here. Unless we are supposed to be here and argue like this so that Honored Johnson knows we are here and doesn’t run off or shoots us!” The floating green light disappeared with a click. “Derpy, throw me the gravity globe.”

Nightmare and I watched as a door suddenly opened and covered some of the cavern in a yellow glow as a gray coated pegasus stepped inside the dark blue square rock, now easily recognizable as a dark blue box. Moments later she returned carrying a circle object on her back. “Doctor his name is Honored Service. Not Honored Johnson. That just sounds weird, like he should be working at the adult shop with Sultry Sway.” She moved towards the other pony, who was a brown stallion, and flipped the circular object off her back and at the Doctor. “Here ya go, heads up.”

“Heads up?”

Thump

“I wasn’t paying attention Derpy! Ouch right in the bloody head.”

“Opps sorry. My bad.” The pegasus shuffled her hooves awkwardly as the earth pony stallion tapped the circular object with his hoof tip a few times. He reared back and bucked the object into the air where it stayed put floating above the pair and illuminated the cave in a bright white light.

“There we are. Now where is he?” The Doctor turned and scanned the outer edges of the cavern searching for us.

Nightmare scooted back into the shadows, trying to avoid the light from the gravity globe and the searching eyes of the Doctor and his companion.

What are you doing? He’s called me out by name, go over there and meet that pony. Just when I though this place couldn’t get any better and then bam run into the freaking Doctor. But wait, curve ball, I can’t talk to him, because I'm stuck in my own head!

“So I shouldn’t go out there?”

No. Stand up, sling the rifle, and go talk to him.

“Alright, if you think that’s a good idea.”

It’s a great idea.

Nightmare stood up, slung the weapon and began to walk over to the two ponies. “Um hello. I'm the Human, I mean, I'm Honored Service.”

The Doctor turned to Derpy, “See I told you the TARDIS would take us to him. Hello Honored nice to meet you at last. I got to say I’m a bit of a fan of you for protecting Equestria. Maybe not the ah… violence aspect… but still you have your heart in the right place and that counts for something.” The stallion stuck out his hoof towards the Nightmare.

Shake his hoof you numbskull.

“Oh yeah, right.” Nightmare gave his hoof a couple shakes and smiled and nodded politely to Derpy.

Now tell him that I’m a fan of his work.

“I'm actually quite a fan of your work Doctor.”

The doctor puffed out his chest a little and beamed. “Now it’s nice to finally meet someone that knows me! You forget how many people know you when you get sent to an alternate universe where people don’t exist. And yet here’s one that knows about me.” The Doctor turned with a huge grin to Derpy, who simply rolled her slightly offset eyes.

“Um Doctor, why exactly are you looking for me?”

Good, way to ease into the conversation.

“Well the future for Equestria is… how to put this… extremely dark, filled with death and destruction, and the worst part is, you're at the center of it.”

WHAT?

“WHAT?”

“Well a couple days ago, or was it a few weeks oh it doesn’t matter, we jumped ahead to a year in the future to visit the new Human museum dedicated to the current,” he gestured at me, “and ancient humans of Equestira. But upon arrival we found nothing but destroyed ruins and burning skies. And at the center of Canterlot where the castle should have been, was just a giant statue of you.”

Nightmare repeat exactly as I say.

“That doesn’t make any sense. I would never do anything remotely evil.”

The Doctor scratched his chin with his sonic screwdriver. “I know and after going back and visiting your past actions I concluded that you absolutely wouldn’t do anything like the future foretold. So I pinned it down to occurring sometime between to your return to Canterlot and a month after that.”

I stayed silent in my mind as I thought about what I was being told. Apparently this was pretty major if it called for the Doctor to intervene. Memories from my past nightmare involving me standing in front of the burning city of Canterlot flashed before me. No I was passed that. That was having to do with the Nightmare controlling my body… no. There was no way.

The Nightmare had used Chrysalis to try and get close to me so he could take my body using her. But then he changed and became good… and was now in control of my body. That nightmare hadn’t been of Chrysalis, it had been of this situation now. The cockatrice freezing me in place inside my own mind, giving the Nightmare free reign over my body, and my weapons. The royal guards were powerless to stop me.

The Nightmare was evil, still very evil. How could I not have realized it? When he was chasing the cockatrice through the woods, he missed every shot. Even when it had been standing still he had missed it by inches. It was on purpose.

As I reached this startling realization, I saw something creeping out of the corner of my eye.

Nightmare saw it too, a green snake likes body slithering out of the light and towards the tunnel we had come out of. Before I could say anything, the Nightmare spun around, bringing the rifle up at the same time and fired one well-placed shot at the cockatrice.

BANG

The cockatrice’s body literally exploded into a mist of red surrounded my white feathers. Nightmare stumbled forward and hit the ground as my consciousness rushed forward and took ahold of my body.

I bolted up right and looked around. The Doctor and Derpy were staring at me with confused looks. The Doctor quickly opened the screwdriver and began scanning me and the remains of the cockatrice as I brushed myself off.

Nightmare, I'm sorry.

For what Honored?

I thought that you were still going to use my body to destroy Canterlot. You know, the future that Doctor talked about.

Why would you think that?

Well because you missed the cockatrice a lot and I thought you were doing it on purpouse so that you could keep control and storm into Canterlot using my body and weapons.

Honored, I wouldn’t use your body to take over Equestria. No wings or horn. You’d be a burden to walk around with! Ha silly human.

“I said, Honored are you alright?” The Doctor was peering up at me with a concerned look in his eyes.

“Oh what, yeah I'm perfectly alright, just thought I stared into the eyes of the cockatrice when I shot it.” I smiled and let the rifle drop back to my side.

“You're okay? Because my sonic is giving me some very weird readings on you. Very abnormal readings for a human.” He looked up from the metallic device and narrowed his eyes at me.

I began doing my best Applejack impersonation as I gave a smile and shrugged my shoulders. “Well I'm not your average human Doc.” I turned and began walking towards the exit. “But I’ll be on the lookout for anything that seems strange and puts me in the center of destruction and all that jazz. I have a feeling that everything will be fine.”

“Well wait before you go wandering off into the Everfree,” the Doctor stepped to the side, giving me a clear view of the TARDIS, “perhaps I could offer a quicker way to Canterlot and back home?”

Why is he asking to give us a ride in a box? And what is a ‘police box’ at that.

“Doctor, I would love to!” I jumped into the air and ran inside the box that was larger on the inside than the outside. “This is freaking awesome!” I was too busy gawking at being inside of the TARDIS to hear the conversation taking place outside of the door.

“Derpy, once we get back to Canterlot, I need you on ninja patrol. Follow him, and find out what causes the destruction of Canterlot and then Equestria. I’ll keep working on these reading from the Sonic.”

“Doctor are you sure that the future is always right? I mean remember that one time with the –“ A hoof placed against her mouth silenced Derpy.

“Yes I do, and on any other occasion I would agree with you, but something about these readings and the way Canterlot looked just doesn’t seem like it can change. So we will wait and just see what is will happen, and hopefully we can stop it, or Honored can.”

“So Honored, what do you think of my humble ride?” The Doctor asked as he stepped into the time machine/spaceship.

“Its amazing!” I said, turning to the Doctor and his wall eyed companion.

“Well enough waiting,” The stallion exclaimed, jumping to the control station and bashing a few buttons and cranking some levers, “let’s get a move on, Canterlot three months from now.”

“Four!” I called out form the other side of the control station next to Derpy, who was smashing a button shaped like a muffin.

“Four months it is” The grinding nose started again and the machine lurched upwards and then downwards.

But its… its bigger in here… then it was out there. What is this. I don’t even.

“It’s alright Nightmare, you don’t have to get it.” I laughed as I realized that it was still going to be four months until I got back to Canterlot. Gal, you win this time.

The time machine ground to halt and the machine’s trademark noise stopped, I ran to the door and threw it open, stepping back onto Canterlot soil, err cobblestone, after a year of being away.

It was growing dark and I found myself looking at the Princesses’ castle and gardens next to it. I began running to the door when I stopped and listened.

“My little ponies, today we are gathered here to pay our respects to a creature that deserved more than we could have ever given him. I am speaking about the human Johnson, or by his Equestrian name, Honored Service.”

I stopped dead in my tracks. A funeral service or something. For me? Well this would be awkward to run into. I could just hide along the oust skirts and see where the night takes me.

Oh look a funeral for you. Ha I did kill you after all.

“Oh just drop it. Because I actually killed you, then saved you.”

I quickly jumped into some shadows and disappeared from view, but I failed to notice the shadow flying above me, that bumped into a lamp post and continued to watch me from a distance.

Author's Note

Well the past and the present are nearly caught up to one another. Things will be getting very interesting. i promise that. Some good things, and some not so good things are about to happen. But please don't hate me for bringing you on this emotional roller coaster that is about to happen.

Probably alot of mistakes and stuff in this one, because i didn't get a chance to re-re-re-read it like i do with the other ones (and i know there are alot of mistakes in those too, but honestly im a solider not a writer) so enjoy and ill see you at the nest update my little readers.

-Johnson

Nightmares Do Come True

This bad boy is going to be the new cover for the story. Thanks HeimoBauss its amazing!

Honor Above All Else
Chapter 20
By Honored Service

The princesses wrapped up the service and departed from the stage set up in front of the statue. The statue of me. In all of my glory. I sighed, knowing that it was probably going to be taken down once everypony realized I was far from dead. But staying here in the shadows and admiring the hoof work of a statue of myself for a few more minutes wouldn’t hurt anyone, now would it?

Is your ego so big that you have to stare at a giant statue of yourself?

“Oh shut it. Although I could make the suggestion to have a Queen Chrysalis put underneath my boot.” I smirked as the Nightmare gave a huff and went quite. “But I am getting a little sad watching everypony leave stuff at my feet. The statue’s feet. Whatever you know what I mean.”

The sun was setting, casting long shadows across the gardens as I made my way to the statue of myself, and the last pony still standing in front of the cold stone figure. I crept closer as the mare began to speak. Her words were cut off by sobs that escaped her lips as she spoke.

“ I've kept good care of these so I could give these back to when I saw you again. But…but…” Another wave of tears cut the mare off as she feel to her stomach and wept openly on the statues feet. Two small metal discs fell next to her. “But you aren't coming back are you Honored?”

Oh Sky. I should have stepped up sooner before this water works display started up. “Now why are you sad?” I asked her with a hint of playfulness. “I would expect somepony to be happy in front of such a good looking statue; although I think the jaw line is a little to round. Don’t you?”

Fast Skies turned around with a look that could kill, but as soon as she recognized me the look disappeared and she went through several emotions at once. Happiness, confusion, more happiness, even more confusion, and then unbridled joy.

“Hi Sky.” I said to her while beaming down at the red mare.

We began walking towards the castle after she recovered from shock. I was kind of eager to speak to the princesses about the year’s journey and the turn of events regarding the Nightmare. As we reached the door –

**************************************************************

“Honored?”

“Yes Princess?” I stopped speaking and turned to look up at the sun princess. She was smiling, but had this look that a mother would give her child if she was beginning to grow bored with an incredibly long story.

“I think we all know what happened after you reached the castle.”

“Oh. Right.” I blushed as everypony around me began to explode into laughter at my stupidity. “Well and then I began telling the story. The End.” I smiled and threw my arms into the air and bowed.

“Amazing story!”

“I’m going to publish these notes.”

“This calls for a welcome-back-you're-not-dead-party!”

“Now you get back to training the new recruits, Lieutenant.” Short Blade said reaching over and holding out his hoof for a hoof-bump.

I turned to the princesses, a heavy thought still weighing on my mind, “Am I still an Equestrian Honor Guard?”

“Well considering that you're still alive and you saved Equestria multiple occasions, I think we can allow it. Isn't that right sister.” Luna looked at her sister. “Sister!” The princess of the moon jabbed an elbow into the sun princess’ ribs.

“Ouch! Yes, haha of course, but I still would like to have a medical analysis done to insure that you're healthy and in the right state of mind… I mean that you're alright in the head… I mean that nothing is wrong with you.” Celestia blushed and gave a nervous laugh.

“Nightmare, I don’t think she’ll ever trust you,” I whispered to myself, “but I'm sure with time we can win her trust.”

I hope so, I'm dying to get to know her better.

“Fine princess. I’ll do whatever medical thingy that needs to be done but I swear, if I hear now cough, you can forget it!” I stood up and walked heavily over towards the door were a pony wearing a lab coat and a stethoscope was waiting. “I’ll be back everypony!” I closed the door behind me and followed the doctor pony down the hallway towards the medical wing of the castle. Hopefully this would be a quick, "what do you see in this ink blot test." I nail those every time.

**************************************************************

As the meeting was winding down, the ponies began to say their goodbyes and head off to their respected rooms.

“Oh Short Blade, may I speak to you for a moment?” Princess Celestia said to the unicorn guard as he was leaving.

“Of course your highness.” He turned around and trotted lightly back to the alicorn sisters, still resting on their thrones. “What do you need?”

“Please make sure that Honored’s new room is set up to his liking. You know, a bed and weapons rack; standard guard gear except to his dimensions. But just in case something should go…amiss during the exam, have a few guards stationed outside of the medical wing.” Celestia nodded to the orange unicorn giving him the signal he could leave. Short Blade bowed and left the room, going to prepare Honored’s new room as a Liutenant in the Equestrian Honor Guard,

“Sister is all that really necessary? Surly if the Nightmare was going to make a threat he would have done so sooner. I know him, and he’s not one to keep things waiting.” Luna looked to her sister and tried to comfort her.

“I'm sorry Luna. But the last time I failed to take any precaution, I lost you for a thousand years. And with the attack on Canterlot still fresh on everypony’s mind, I just don’t want to risk anything with Nightmare.”

“I trust your judgment sister, but be easy on Honored. If you push too hard, he may snap under the pressure.”

“Ha easy. Right.” Celestia was now finding it very hard to look at her sister and decided to stare, with intensity, at one of the guards across the room.

“Psst Rex.”

“What?” The other guard whispered back.

“The Princess is staring at me really hard.”

“You are so screwed.” Guard Rex shot back.

“I went to the bathroom for five minutes. I didn’t know that pink party thing would get into the kitchen.” The guard stayed strong and kept focusing straight ahead, trying to forget about the mess and the destroyed oven. And sink. And everything.

“It was your shift. I’ll take good care of your wife.”

“You bastard.” The guard pony whispered back as he said his final prayers.

“Sister, what did you do?” Luna stepped in front of her sister, saving some poor guard from fainting,

“Nothing Luna.” Luna raised an eyebrow and continued to glare at Celestia. “Okay so I may have made the medical exam a lot longer and more… extreme to make sure that Honored had the Nightmare under control.” Luna raised a hoof, “No nothing too extreme, just things that should bring out higher emotions to see if Honored is really in control, or if the Nightmare can break free in cases of annoyance or embarrassment.”

“What have you done sister?”

************************************************************

“Now I'm just going to need to draw one more blood sample.” The nurse, Gentle Heart, said.

I just gave a deadpan stare at the poor mare and then at the cart which had six vials filled with my blood. “Are you sure you need another? Or why couldn't you have just filled up a milk jug instead of all the pricking.” I shuddered and flinched as another needle was jabbed into my arm, this one done not so gently.

“The princess was clear to have extra samples to save and have on standby to conduct research with.” She jerked the needle out and placed another filled vial along with the other ones on the steel cart. She turned and wheeled the cart out of the pale green room. Another lab coat wearing pony walked in. This one was a stallion pushing another cart. He stopped and ran a hoof through his blue and gray mane.

“Alright Honored Service, my name is Doctor Prick.”

“Oh you have got to be kidding me.” I slapped a hand into my face and sighed.

“Don’t worry, I'm just here to draw some blood, other bodily fluid, skin tissue and some hair follicles.” The doctor smiled and picked up a needle and slipped a protective covering off, “Now hold still.”

************************************************************

“Like drawing blood… eight maybe nine times.” Celestia smiled innocently, “and removing some skin cells, and hair roots. And maybe for future testing some mmhmmmh.”

“What was that last one?” Luna moved closer to her sister’s head.

“I may have asked the doctor to try and get some mhhmhmh from him.”

“One more time and don’t mumble.” The Princess of the Night was beginning to grow irritated with her sister’s childlike behavior and lack of trust for the returned hero.

“Get some reproductive cells… for experimentation.” Celestia hung her head in defeat as Luna stared at her, mouth agape.

“REALLY CELESTIA!? “Luna screamed at the guilty alicorn, sending her toppling over backwards in her throne.

“Well in my defense it was to see if there would be anyway for him to reproduce, since he’s the only human alive.” Celestia said as she stood back up on wobbly feet.

“We are going to have serious talk later young lady!” Luna turned and marched off towards the medical wing to save a human from the worse exam in Equestrian history.

“But I'm three thousand years older than you.” Celestia said to the disappearing alicorn.

***********************************************************

I gave the doctor a deadpan stare. “No.” I said, crossing my arms in front of me. “No way not no how.”

“Listen, I know it’s a bit… strange but I was told by Celestia herself to have you do this.” Dr. Prick pleaded as he waved the little glass jar and magazine towards me. Playcolt just seemed a little weird to say the least. Actually this entire situation was starting to feel like one never ending joke Celestia was taking too far.

Hey at least it’s the newest issue.

“DOCTOR THIS EXAM IS OVER!” The door to the exam room exploded open as Luan jumped forward and put herself between me and that Prick. Dr. Prick.

“Thank you.” I whispered out to Luna as I stood up off the bench and followed her out of the room. Dr. Prick was too busy trying to recovery from the heart attack that comes from a princess surprising you and then shouting your head apart.

“It turns out my sister had devised this ‘little exam’ as a test for the Nightmare, like putting you through annoying and taxing situations to see if you would snap under the given problem and let the Nightmare come free.” Luna explained as we walked together through the castle. We paced the throne room and the kitchens and the guest rooms. I looked up at Luna with a confused expression.

“Fear not little human, we just have one little stop to make.” Luna narrowed her eyes and gave an evil sly smile. “Time to return the favor to sister dearest.” She gave an evil laugh that slowly turned into a giggle. “But I must ask for your help.”

Now normally I would not be one to try and get even with one of the Princess, but nine blodd draws, skin samples, hair being yanked out, and then trying to get me to… spank the monkey for her research, all still very fresh in my mind was justified calling for a little revenge.

“What’s the plan Luna?” I rubbed my hands in front of me, plotting for oh so sweet justice.

Oh man this is so much better than running through the woods! Getting to prank the princess, this has got to be up there with killing the king of Griffmeny.

“It sure is, and we haven’t even been back home for a week.”

Luna led me to a large door with the symbol of a sun imprinted on it. “Okay Honnored… and um Nightmare, here’s the plan.” She explained the relatively simple plan to me.

“Well Nightmare? Is this plan going to work?”

Of course it will. But I’ll need a lot of control. And how do we know Princess Celestia won’t blast us into the sun?

“Luna, what if Celestia reacts a little… extreme. She already is very unsure about us.”

“Oh please don’t worry; I’ll be nearby to insure that this illusion doesn’t go too far. Now let’s get this show on the road!” Luna jumped into the air and flew out of the window next to the door.

“Nightmare, you go this?” I asked while running towards the window.

Most definitely. This magic is simple, just a simple shape shifting spell. Easy stuff.

“Sweet.” I jumped through the window and began the fall down from the tower towards the ground. Moments after the leap, Nightmare’s black and green magic swirled around me and changed my shape into that of a large earth pony wearing a long black flowing robe. Nightmare slowed my fall and began flying back up towards the window Princess Luna was flying next to.

“That looks most scary.” She whispered as I joined her on the large window sill. The black robe still moved on me even though I was standing still.

“Nice Nightmare. This looks really good.” I whispered aloud.

Thanks. You only get to prank a princess once in a lifetime, so it might as well be a good one. And oh, one last thing.

With a quick snap and flash of green magic, a scythe appeared floating next to me. It had a long curved blade that glowed with a dark red light.

“Oh I get it, I'm the grim reaper!”

“Shhhhh!” Luna held a hoof out to me. “Now you have to be convincing, so the louder the better. I sound proofed her room to make sure the guards don’t hear anything. After she breaks down crying, I’ll come and clear everything up.” Luna turned around and slowly trotted up to the window. “This will get her back for the stupid room full of moon pies trick.”

Her horn lit up and the window slowly creaked open. I stepped up to it and pushed it open the rest of the way with my foreleg, which was skeletonized. “Nice effect.”

Thanks.

“Princess Celestia, your time has come!” I called out in a deep voice. “You are no longer bound to this Earth!” I called out louder as I stepped fully into the Princess’ room.

A door on the other side of the room cracked open and Celestia poked her head out. If I wasn’t trying to be scary I would have broken down into laughter because Princess Celestia had her hair wrapped in curlers. So that’s how she gets it to flow.

Her eyes shot open and she ducked back into the bathroom, slamming the door shut so hard I could have sworn I heard the door frame crack. “Celestia, come out. The time has come.”

“Princess Celestia isn’t here right now.” Her voice called out from the bathroom. “You’ll have to come back later. Now please go away Mr. Reaper.”

“Nightmare, do it.” I hissed.

A bolt of sickly green magic struck the door and it turned to ash, falling into a pile on the floor. I stepped into the door way and slowly brought my hoof to the hood on the robe and lowered it. Celestia scooted backwards until her back hit the wall of the bathroom. “No. It can’t be my time yet!”

I took another step forward so my entire fake body of the Reaper was inside the bathroom. “The time is now. Good bye Princess.” The fake scythe slowly moved to my front and levitated up until it stopped above Princess Celestia. “Luna will now have to take control.”

“Wait.” Celestia stopped cowering in the corner of the bathroom and looked at me. “LUNA!” She screamed at the top of her lungs. I flew backwards out of the bathroom and landed against the side of Celestia’s bed.

“BWHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAH!” Luna was lying on her back rolling around on the floor, laughing her head off, as a very red faced Celestia walked out of the bathroom. Nightmare dropped the illusion and I became myself once again, propped up against the bed smiling like an lunatic.

“Oh you should have seen your face sister!” Luna fell down into another laughing fit. “Celestia isn’t here right now! HAHAHAHAHA!” Celestia looked from her in tears sister to me.

“Well hey, will you look at the time.” I looked at my bare wrist, “guess its time to get to bed. Busy day and what have you tomorrow.” I jmped up and sprinted towards the door.

Faster, faster, come on we got to get out of here.

I grabbed the door handle, but my blood ran cold as I saw the lock snap shut. Luna’s laughter had stopped as well, as we both made a dash towards the opened window from which we had entered. Just as Luna and I had reached the exit to freedom, the window swung shut and locked, leaving us both trapped in Princess Celestia’s room.

“I’m terribly sorry human.” Luna whispered as we turned slowly back around to the sun Princess.

“I’m sorry I was convincing.” I whispered back.

I'm sorry that I made you convincing. On a whole a solid B- on the acting.

“Now remember Honored and Luna,” Celestia stepped towards us, an evil smile plastered on her face, “nopony will believe you if you tell them what happened in here tonight.” Her horn glowed yellow and the drapes swished closed behind us. I jumped into the air and Luna caught me in her fore hooves.

Luna quickly dropped me, as we booth scooted up against the wall. “Maybe she’ll send us both to the moon together.” Luna said to me.

“Or maybe death will be swift and painless.” I suggested as Celestia came within an arm’s length from us.

Or maybe you both are acting like foals and nothing will happen.

Celestia’s horn glowed once more, and a from under her bed a large brown paper bag slowly was dragged out. Her smile grew even wider as the bag came floating next to her.

“Do either of you like bananas?”

Or maybe I’ll wish I was dead.

*********************************Castle Guard Omega Group**********************

“Hey Shadow?” A stallion stopped walking his patrol and turned his head towards Princess Celestia’s tower. “You hear that? Sounds like screaming.”

“What?” A royal night guard asked, as she stepped up next to the golden armored unicorn. She stretched her bat like wings as she listened. “Nah I don’t hear anything. Come on, let’s finish this patrol Bright.” She trotted ahead of the younger guard, “I’ve got a surprise for you in the barracks.” She wiggled her flanks at him and bounded ahead of day guard.

“Yes mam!” Bright called out, before dashing off after the night guard.

*************************************************************************

The sun was just beginning to rise as Luna and I stepped out of Celestia’s room. I turned to the Princess of the Night and sighed. “We will never speak of that. Ever.”

Luna nodded her head quickly. “Agreed human. Although I am surprised that you were able –“

I covered her mouth up with a hand still covered in bits of bananas. “Not. A. Bloody. Word.”

Luna gave final nod as I withdrew my hand. “Well then Luna, I'm going to go sleep, and try to kill myself with ungodly amounts of alcohol. Have a good day.”

“I won’t be too far behind you human.” Luna smiled and waved goodbye to me as I set off to find the kitchens stock of alcoholic beverages.

Honored, please take out your pistol and place against your head. Or impale yourself on a sword. Or go kick a dragon. Something anything. PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF EVEYTHING JUST KILL ME THEN.

“Oh shut up you. It was just… bananas.” I shuddered as I opened the double doors leading into the kitchen.

A tan unicorn mare wearing a chef’s hat turned around and greeted me with a smile. “Good morning Honored. Princess Celestia said you would be coming down for something to eat, so she told us to make you your favorite meal.” She turned around and levitated a steaming pan towards me. “Banana nut bread!”

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

Author's Note

I really dont want to end this story, so enjoy a filler chapter! Happy Holidays!

Idle Hands Make for Wonderful Play Things

Honor Above All Else
Chapter 21
By Honored Service

After I regained some composer and picked myself off the royal kitchen floor, I stalked off to my room but not before grabbing a bottle or two of ‘Radiant Royal Rum’. The waiter wasn’t too happy as I cradled the two bottles and gave him a curt nod. Trudging up the stairs and walking across the castle towards the basement barracks, I walked past differently marked doors, each one displaying a different letter of the company staying within that room.

So are we going to talk about it?

“Nothing to talk about. Ever.” I shuddered and stuck a finger into my ear and pulled it out. I flicked a small glob of banana off across the hallway. I walked past another door and stopped. I did a double take and walked back to it. Framed on the simple wooden door was a gold plaque. ‘Lt. Honored Service’ was engraved onto it along with the simple design of the Equestrian Honor Guard.

“I guess they weren't kidding.” I slowly gripped the handle and pushed the door open. It swung inward with faint creak as I stepped into the dimly lit room. I looked around and saw a lamp mounted on the wall. Twisting a small knob on the lamp confirmed it was a gas lamp as a flame sprung up and casted light around the room.

“Daaaaamn.” I let out a whistle as looked around the fairly large room.

If this is what they give to Lieutenants then you had better make Captain and get your own mansion.

To say that this room was nice would be a total understatement. It was a modest sized apartment all in one room (minus the bathroom of course). Directly to the back of the large room was a white screen stretching from the floor to the ceiling with a bed large enough to accommodate my length behind it. Next to it rested a dresser and an armor/weapons rack. To the left was a door that opened into a bathroom with a walk in shower.

Back out into the main room were two couches positioned around a table. Next to that was large oak table with pillows and one stool around it. The stool being placed there for me. And the last area was a across from the table to the right of the door leading into the living space. A full kitchen.

“Wow, I mean I know the military is awesome, but this… this is amazing.” I said to Nightmare as I walked around the large apartment. “Look, I even have a desk to do, um, paperwork I guess.” I shrugged and threw myself onto the bed and sighed. “Oh it is so good to be back.” Something sparkled in the corner of my eye on the armor rack. I turned and dropped my jaw.

Well that is certainly something new.

On the armor rack rested what I could only guess was my new uniform. Well it was my old uniform, the standard Army Combat Uniform, but it was clean. And definitely had some new additions to it.

The standard blouse and pants was the base of the uniform, but along the shoulders and forearms was new gold armor. Layered for extra protection. The leg area had parts of gold armor attached at the thighs, knees, and shins covering the front along with sections of solid armor on the calves. The chest was unarmored, but noticed it was left in a way to allow for my current armored chest rig to be worn still. On the left shoulder armor there was a perfectly painted Cutie Mark Crusader patch, and in color this time, and on the right shoulder was the red and black symbol of the Equestrian Honor Guard. The final piece of the new armored uniform was the helmet. A brand new shiny golden helmet with a green tuff of feathers running along the top of it. I bent down to my very torn and falling apart backpack and removed the original helmet had been given a year ago. Dents and scratches covered it and a patch of the green feathers was ripped clean out. I sighed and placed the old helmet on the dresser.

I reached out and brushed a hand along the new armored sleeve and then looked down at the nearly destroyed duster that I was still wearing.

“I see you found the welcome back gift.” I turned around to see Hammer Strike smiling from around the screen separating the bedroom from the rest of the room. “To be honest that stuff you're wearing now is good, but kind of smells.”

I could only respond with laughter as I walked out to the couches and sat down. “Howd you make all that?”

“Easy enough,” Hammer Strike sat on the couch across from me and leaned back, “we found your old uniform in your foot locker after well, you ‘died’ and I just thought that it could use some work. Secretly I just wanted to have something nice to leave at the ceremony you say a couple days ago. Some real armor for a real solider.”

“Thanks Hammer,” I gave him a wide smile and leaned over with a fist held out to him, “it’s truly amazing, some one of the kind badassery right there.” He bumped my fist with his hoof and wore a smug proud look on his face as he leaned back into the couch.

“Man if this where officers get to live, then I really need to step it up.” Hammer laughed and looked back to the old duster. “But really, that thing stinks.”

“Ha alright, alright I can take a hint.” I got up and removed the old duster. I was about to throw it into the corner, but instead gently laid it out on the bed.

Getting all sentimental over some clothing? Always knew you were a mare at heart. I can see inside your mind, you know this to be true.

“Shut it you stupid daydream.” I smirked at the huff and salience. “Hey Hammer, do you think that Daydream sounds better than Nightmare?” The Nightmare began to fume in my mind and began ranting at me in a mumbled town I couldn’t hear.

“I think that sounds lovely. The Princesses would love a tea party with that fellow.”

Death shall be swift. I promise you Honored. Actually, no, it shall be slow, painful, and full of agonizing…agony.

“I'm shaking in my boots.” I rolled my eyes and looked at the blue stallion. He was giving me a confused look.

“So I mean you just talk to each other?” He pointed at me, “Just like aloud or can only you hear him? Quick Flurry was snoring so I kind of missed that part of the story.”

I sighed, “I can hear him in my mind, but unless I try really hard, I have to talk aloud for him to hear.”

Because Celestia help me if I had to listen to you in your head just as much as I do aloud, I think I would cut off the blood flow and suffocate myself.

“That’s not nice buddy.” I held a finger up to my head and pointed at my brain while Hammer nodded.

“Well, I’ll let you get settled in, I just stopped by to say… Radiant Royal Rum?”

“Radiant what?” I turned to the pony and saw him staring at the two large bottles of alcohol. Suddenly a horrible idea went through my head. “Hammer, is anypony from Saddle on duty right now?” I brought my hands up to my chest and began to drum my fingers together.

“Just Fast Skies, but she gets releaved in a couple hours, why?” he turned back from the door and looked at me. A slow smile began to edge its way across his lips. “House party.”

“HOUSE PARTY!” I screamed and threw my arms into the air.

House party?

Hammer Strike, Quick Flurry and I ran around a corner giggling like school fillies. My arms filled with bottles of different types of pony liquor. More of the fancy looking rum, vodka from Staliongrad, expensive wine from Prance, and a whole assortment of other social lubricants. The same waiter from earlier this morning was chasing us until he gave up hope of catching a group of well-trained guards.

“Enjoy it human!” He called out, shaking a hoof at us as we dashed down the long corridor to the basement barracks, “Because there is only on bloody human in this castle, and once I tell the princesses about you stealing…” His threats died down as we got too far away for us to hear him.

We laughed our heads off as we busted into my new room and dropped the bottles of liquid party onto the kitchen table. “I can’t believe that you had that in you Shorts.” I laughed at the passed out pony lounging across one of my couches.

He sat up and waved a dismissive hoof at me, “Me? What about Battle Plan over there. I really thought he was going to wet himself when you grabbed all those bottles and told us to run.” That got all the guards except the mentioned egghead to laugh harder. Battle Plan just blushed and kicked a hoof against the hardwood floor.

“Well everypony,” I got up and pulled five glasses out of a cupboard above the sink and filled each one with a shot of whisky from Appleloosa before handing them out to my old squad, “here’s to great friends and being back home!” We all downed the shots and gasped. I gasped more so than the ponies. This was strong. A lot stronger than the alcohol I had had at Pinkie’s party in Ponyville. I shook my head and slammed a fist on the table. “Damn that’s good! How about another?”

Fast Skies was so relieved when the other guard finally showed up to take his watch along the castle wall. She was eager to go see her human at his new home, something she had been sure to help see prepared. She trotted eagerly to her barracks that she shared with Saddle company and dropped off her enchanted armor and spear. Giving herself a quick once over in the mirror and combing her orange mane, she decided that she was ready to go see Honored. She walked out of the room and down towards the officer hallway. As she neared it, a loud deep base was resounding throughout the corridor.

“What in the world?” She asked herself aloud as she got closer to the human’s room. Fast Skies stopped at his door and sighed. Right below his sign on the door was another sign somepony or somehuman had tapped on. It read ‘Party Zone’ and was scribbled on with marker in very shaky hoof writing, or hand writing depending on the creature.

“Oh Honored.” She shook her head and smiled. She reached up and opened the door to be assaulted with a loud noise that blasted out into the hallway. More officer’s doors opened as they all looked out to see what was causing the noise.

“HEY SKY! ITS OKAY EVERYPONY SKY IS HERE, NOW IT’S A SADDLE PARTY!” I reached out and grabbed sky by her hoof and pulled her into the room before slamming the door. “Battle Plan turn music down can you?” I slurred at the sage colored unicorn who was ~~standing~~ falling down next to a record player that was visibly jumping up and down.

“Sure human, not a pr-ob-lem.” The nerdy unicorn laughed at his slurred words and turned the music down after several attempts and getting the knob.

“Hi Sky.” I bent down and gave her a big hug that ended up picking her off the ground.

“Hi you big drunkard.” She laughed and slapped a hoof at my chest. “I leave you alone for half and day and you get trashed with four other stallions. I must say I'm disappointed.”

I was about to make a witty comeback, when Quick Flurry flies up to us. He hovers for a brief moment before collapsing to the ground and stands up on shaky legs. “I told him this was lame. I said Honred we need mares. Lots of mares. This is a party. Parties need mares.” Quick said while trying to keep his balance as he pointed at me with a hoof at each word of mares. Out of nowhere Pinkie Pie poked her head out of a kitchen cabinet and nodded her head before disappearing back into the cabinet. “See?” The yellow pegasus fell over before Hammer Strike stumbled up and picked the passed out guard up and placed him on the couch.

“So you were going to invite some mares over huh?” Fast Skies looked at me with an accusing look.

“No honestly I wasn’t Sky.” I fell to my knees and clasped my hands out in front of me. “Honest Sky you have to believe me.”

You… *hic* are so pathetic. If I wanted… oh Celestia this feels great. Haha Oh man we should go rampaging at an orphanage. Or *hic* let’s just lay down.

I fell on my side laughing my head off like a fool at the intoxicated Nightmare that was mumbling in my head. it seems he was taking the full force of the alcohol while I was buzzed on the stuff.

Sky rolled her eyes, “Please don’t tell me Nightmare is drunk too.” I nodded my head. “And here I was expecting him to be the responsibly one.”

I still like her. Hey Honored. Honored. Human. Honored. Human. Johnson. Honored. Ask here where she learned to do that *hic* thing from the first night. That thing with the chair and her wing.

I visibly sobered up and turned as read as Fast Skies’ coat as Nightmare described what he wanted to know. “Okay I think I'm good babe.” I smiled at my marefriend before handing her a glass, “Welcome to the house party.”

Within an hour I was feeling normal again. Granted the Nightmare was gone, passed out from the alcohol. He gets drunk, I get buzzed and then get over it fairly quickly while he just passes out. Now I know how to deal with him when he gets cranky.

Sky on the other hand was a different story.

“Oh Honored. It’s been such a rough day. Maybe I should lie down and have a wing massage.” She batted her yes at me, while all the stallions laughed and whistled at me. I in turn blushed and fidgeted in my seat on the couch.

Sky was a light weight.

And also when she got drunk, she got well… feely.

I stayed seated on the couch staring straight ahead at the wall with a deadpan look. Sky on the other hoof took this as a challenge to try and get me to leave the party and go out with her. Like out to her room, which I kindly reminded her was shared with the rest of Saddle company, who could come back at any moment.

She only laughed and then whispered other places with other things in mind. I blushed and this caused the party goers to laugh at me, and the cycle continued.

“Why Honored, I'm surprised at you. Usually any stallion would jump on this” – THUMP. I turned to face Sky and could only smile at the adorableness that was her passed out on the ground. She had her wings awkwardly spread around her and her orange mane was covering most of her face as she let out a little snore. I guess pegasus in general were lightweights.

“Well everypony, let me take Sky to bed,” a series of wolf whistles and “ohhhhs” sounded out, “grow up, I'm taking her to the barracks.” I leaned down and picked up Sky and carried her like a baby, cradled in my arms and head over one shoulder.

I opened the door and stepped out into the hallway. I closed the door to the loud music restarting. As I turned around I heard a cough. I was facing another pony. He was a blue color with a brown mane and horn sticking out from his messy hair and he was wearing an unzipped black vest that was very similar to my tactical combat vest. His cutie mark was an anchor with rope around it.

“Hello Lieutenant. My name is Been Grand. And I'm your,” he visibly shuddered, “your neighbor. And maybe you could turn the music down. I'm trying to sleep.”

“Look sorry about the noise, let me just drop my marefriend off,” I gave Sky a quick nod, “and I’ll have the music turned down.” I really didn’t like getting off on the wrong hoof. But let my friends have a few more minutes of uninterrupted party.

“Thank you, and please don’t let it happen again.” The pony turned around and stalked back to his room. the plaque mounted on his door read, Been Grand – Royal Event Coordinator. “Well I guess I know who to go to plan a royal party or something. But why is he on the officer’s hallway.”

Ugh who cares? Get me some aspirin or something fast. I feel horrible.

“That’s what you get for drinking so much Nightmare.” I rounded the corridor and walked towards the door with a large S on it.

But I didn’t drink anything. You were the one pounding back shots like they were water.

“Call it a happy one year anniversary of being stuck together.” I smiled as he huffed and fumed at me, saying such things as I made you better. I could kill you. Turn your brain to mush. Or how would you like being a mare for a week, I can do that.

I opened Saddle Company’s door and walked into the fairly large room for only five guard ponies to share. I recognized Sky’s bed right off the bat. Red sheets and it was kept very tidy. On the other hand I could easily see which bed was Quick Flurry’s. his bed was currently made into a fort using blankets, sand bags, and mattresses from the bunks not being used. There was a note tapped to the side of it. ‘No mares aloud- that means you Slow Sky’.

I suppressed the urge to laugh at the immature pegasus fort. I brought Sky over to her bed and laid her down and tucked the blankets around her. “Night Sky, sleep good. Because tomorrow morning, you're going to be in some pain.” I snickered at a hung over Fast Sky.

“Oh shut it.” I heard her mumble and reach a hoof over an d lay it on my leg. “Come here.” I leaned in closer. “Closer.” I carefully put my head next to hers. She whispered into my ear what she was going to do to me tomorrow and finished it off with a lick and a nibble to my neck. I jumped up blushing and stuttering for words, as Sky rolled over laughing and pulled the covers back up around her. “Good night Honored.” She said, before a light snore confirmed she was asleep.

“I’ll see you tomorrow Sky.” I whispered as I shut the door.

Combined with this throbbing headache, I think I have cuteness overload. That mare is something else.

“Hey watch it bub. That’s my mare.” I shook a fist at the wall as I headed back to my new room.

And I'm you… kind of.

“Whatever just don’t go thinking about her.” The noise from the music was growing louder, and I could see a very upset neighbor waiting outside my door. Grand raised a hoof, but I raised a hand, “Don’t be upset.” I opened the door and the heavy bass poured out into the hallway. Grand stuck his head into the room, but quickly ducked as the record player flew over his head and smashed into the adjacent wall.

“Is that better?” I smiled at him and closed the door.

Don’t you think was a little… hardcore?

“That was pro.” Hammer Strike said as he hoofed me another cup of something strong.

“Yeah that guy is a real casual.” Short Blade stumbled up to me and hoof bumped my chest.

“Well let’s keep this party going.” I raised my glass and three more rose too. Then followed by another one held by Battle Plan who was missing his glasses and had marker drawn all over his face.

“Damn it Quick.” He said once he looked in the mirror.

I'm going to feel this in the morning. Happy one year… I guess.

“Yeah happy one year.” I smiled and felt truly at home.

It All Comes Crashing Down

Honor Above All Else
Chapter 22
By Honored Service

Somewhere under the mess that was my new home, an alarm clock began to ring. I slammed a fist on the bedside table but couldn't find the accursed thing anywhere. I rolled over and tumbled out of bed landing on my boots and pistol holster. The ringing continued as I slowly made my way to the kitchen, the noise growing louder as I got closer to the oven.

“No way.” I open the oven to find the alarm clock ringing at me. “What happened last night?” I thought while turning off the annoying thing and placing it on the counter next to the sink. I poured myself a glass of water and looked around at the mess. Cups and cans were littered everywhere and most of the new furniture was flipped over or arranged in some new fashion. The coffee table was currently sitting atop the two sofas with a chair on top of that. A pyramid of stuff stacked up to the ceiling.

Kill. Me.

“Oh well good morning Nightmare.” I raised the glass of water up in a toast and finished it off. “And how are you feeling?”

I felt better after getting blasted with the Elements of Harmony. Or after you shot me in the face.

“So a little hung over? Well I’ll get some aspirin and more water buddy.” I took the medicine from the cabinet in the bathroom and drank more water, hoping to sooth the savage Nightmare. Well annoyed and cranky Nightmare. “I’ll bet you'll be happy to know that all we have to do today is go and see the Princesses about my new charge of the Equestrian Honor Guard. Simple.”

Thank you to all that is evil. I just want to sleep. Sleep a lot.

“Okay I’ll make time for that.” I laughed as I went to my bedroom area and grabbed my duster. I stopped and remembered my new uniform. Thankfully it wasn’t harmed during the previous night’s antics. Once all the armor was in place and I slipped the helmet on, I stepped in front of the mirror.

“Oh yeah. I like this.” I spun around, missing the long tails of the duster, but figured I could make do without all the things I loved. The armor did have a new shine that sparkled in the sunlight coming through the window. I slipped the pistol into the new holster on my hip and wrapped the rifle sling around myself before throwing my armored chest rig on. The two swords rested perfectly across my back. “All set. You ready Nightmare?”

As I’ll ever be. So to see the Princesses. I’ll assume that it will be both Luna and Celestia?

“Yeah of course. Why wouldn’t it be?” I shrugged and opened the door. “It will be good to just talk with them and find out what I missed.”

Excellent.

“It sure is.” Two guards standing outside of the doors leading into the main castle snapped to attention and saluted me as the doors opened. I returned the salute and wished them a good morning. Both guards seemed surprised I had said anything at all. As I walked through the main lobby of the castle towards the throne room, a unicorn stepped out of door and collided into my side.

I stumbled and fell over along with the white unicorn. With a blonde mane.

“Good morning to you Blue balls.” I glared daggers at him as I picked myself up of the ground and extended a hand to the royal douche. He swatted my hand away and climbed to his feet.

“It’s Blueblood and I require no help from the likes of you freak.” He spit back at me. I was caught a little off guard by his remark. All I did was threaten him and punch him, was that enough to make him so angry… Oaky well maybe it was, but it had been a year.

I was about to deliver a verbal tongue lashing, but a Lunar Night Guard galloped up to me and saluted. “Lieutenant Honored Service sir, the Princesses request your presence in the throne room.” I saluted back as the mare talked. We left the stunned Prince just standing there, mouthing the word Lieutenant over and over again. As we walked away, I turned around and gave him a one finger salute. Douche.

“What’s your name?” I looked down to the guard.

“Swift Shadow sir.” She said confused. I guess by the pony standards I was being an extremely chill officer.

“Shadow, do you know what they need me for?” We passed by more guards who snapped to attention as I went by. I lazily returned the salute and proceeded through the hallway to the throne room.

“Just updates on the training for the newest batch of hoof picked recruits for the Equestrian Honor Guard.” She said as we approached the large double doors leading into the massive throne room.

“Thank you Shadow. I can see myself in.” She stopped and popped to attention and saluted. I saluted her and turned towards the room. It was never going to be simple when the Princesses called you to meet them for something.

“Let’s go Nightmare.” I put on my best smile and strode into the room, Nightmare grumbling about something having to do with taking over Equestria.

It’s going to happen. You’ll see.

“Sure buddy.” I stopped at the foot of the stairs leading up to the throne. I lowered myself into a bow. “Lieutenant Honored Service reporting Princesses.” I said in the most pompous voice I could muster. This got a laugh from both of the rulers as I stood up. “So what’s the news Princess C?”

“Celestia will do just fine,” Celestia descended the stairs with Luna, “and we need to discuss the training we would like you to do.”

“We know that when pitched in a fight that is seemingly unfair you somehow always come out on top. And we know that you would be able to best any guard we brought to challenge you, so we decided that we would like you to train a group of ponies to become an addition to the Equestrian Honor Guard.” Luna explained as we all walked towards a side room. Luna and Celestia took seats behind a large desk while I sat opposite them.

“You do know what you're asking me to do right?” I crossed my arms across my chest. I didn't like what I was going to have to do. But they were right. I wasn't going to be around forever to protect the ponies. It would only make sense to train more guards to become members of the EHG. “Princesses, I’ll do it, but I need you to understand what I do. Yes I protect the ponies that I serve, but I will use any means necessary to do it. Including death. I will kill to protect. Will you be okay with me teaching your ponies how to kill?”

Both of the Princesses looked at each other with concern in their eyes. Luna nodded and Celestia turned to me. “We understand Honored.” She extended a hoof across the desk. “Please teach the new guards how to protect Equestria like you do.”

I reached over and gripped Celestia’s hoof. “It will be done.”

FINALLY

It felt like warm water was dumped over me, spreading from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet. I jerked my hand away but it was too late.

Celestia looked at me in horror as she stumbled away from the table and collapsed onto the floor. “Luna get back!” I jumped over the table and laid my hands on the side of Princess Celestia’s head. “Nightmare, you get the hell out of her right now!” I screamed at the unconscious princess. “You get back into my head now!” No response came from the ruler.

I turned to Luna. “Get out of here and start getting the guards ready. I don’t know what he’s going to do, but it won’t be good.” Luna gave a long look to her sister and then dashed out of the office.

“I'm sorry human.” I looked down to see Celestia’s eyes were open, but they were now green reptilian eyes. Nightmare god damn it. Celestia’s pure white coast was turning blood red as her pastel rainbow main turned to shades of red, orange and yellow and flowed together like fire. Her horn became curved and sharper resembling a cutlass. I scooted backwards as the crown and necklace became a gold helmet and armor covering her chest. The gold reflecting the light of her fiery mane.

“Nightmare why are you doing this? Everything was going good!” I slammed a fist on the ground as the Nightmare stood up on new unsteady legs.

“But being good. It’s just not me. I can’t do it.” Nightmare looked at me with neutral eyes.

“You can change. You were changing!” I was growing desperate. After an entire year with him, I felt nothing but pain. Betrayal and pain as my friend turned against me.

“No. Nothing can change. The past will always control me.” Soon I found the horn of the newly changed Celestia aimed at me. “Good bye human.” I dove to the ground behind the desk as a bolt of black and red magic ripped a hole through the desk and the door behind me. “This power. Now I see why I failed before.”

“The other Alicorn was weaker. And that bug was just as weak. But this much raw energy.” Another bolt of magic tore another hole through the improvised cover. “This energy is beyond anything I’ve had before.” I slipped the pistol out of my holster and into my left hand. I couldn’t kill the Nghtmare this time. Celestia had to stay unharmed… mostly, so a burst of magic through the wing might make him slip long enough to get back into my body.

I quickly rolled away from the desk and came up aiming the pistol at the Nightmare. “Sorry to the both of you.” I squeezed the trigger.

Nothing.

I clicked the trigger again. The pistol just sat there.

A slow deep laugh echoed around the room. “Oh human I thought you were smarter than this. I was your magic. You are powerless now.” I dropped the pistol back into its holster and slowly began to reach for my rifle.

“No!” Nightmare screeched at me before shooting a bolt of magic straight at me. I felt it hit me square in the chest and propel me through the door of the office. The wood shattered as I struck it and I flew into the throne room and bounced across the floor like a rag doll. I struggled to get to my feet, just as Luna and a group of her guards burst through the large door.

“Honored!” Luna called out and made a dash towards me. “Where is my sis –“

“Fools!” Nightmare exited the office through the destroyed door and stared at us. “Your sister and precious ruler is gone! Now she is Day Terror!” More cliché evil laughter followed suit. I was finally on my feet. I looked down and saw a burnt hole on my armor chest piece, with a faint bit of smoke still rising, but I wasn’t harmed, yet.

“Day Terror? Not Nightmare Sun?” I called out. I quickly whispered to Luna, “get out of here, her power is too great for the guards.”

“Then it must be too great for you. Allow us to assist.” She stamped a hoof on the ground. I wasn’t in the mood to argue.

“Fine, but if this goes south, then we need to get out of here.”

The Night Guards charged in at Day Terror, hoping to rush and overwhelm the Nightmare. Day Terror raised her front hooves and brought them down on the marble, sending cracks all around and a wave of scorching fire that sent all the guards flying backwards across the room. The guards remained scattered across the room, groaning in pain. A few of them were unmoving.

“Luna this just went south.” I said as I unsheathed both of the swords before facing Day Terror. Her mane exploded out from behind her as she rocketed towards me. I didn’t even have time to bring the swords up as she plowed into me. Her horn was knocked to the side by the armored shoulder but I was still sent flying through the air before smashing into a marble column. I collapsed to the ground coughing for air.

Gripping the swords I stood up in time to see an armored hoof slam into my face. I was sent sprawling onto the floor as the hoof came to rest on the side of my helmet. “Good bye human. I won’t let you interfere with my plans this time.” Her hoof began to crunch down on the helmet, but soon the pressure stopped. I looked up to see Luna standing next to Nightmare with her head lowered and her horn stabbed into the side of Day Terror.

I pulled myself up and sheathed the swords. “Luna let’s go!” she slowly pulled her horn out of Nightmare who only stared in shock at the wound in her side. “Now!” I barked as we ran out of the throne room.

A massive explosion of fire ripped through the hallway as the throne room doors exploded outwards and flew across the lobby. I skidded to a halt and turned back to the advancing Nightmare.

“Luna start an evacuation of the castle, and then the rest of Canterlot.” I gripped my rifle and leveled it at the throne room door.

“But what about you? She’ll kill you!” Luna stepped closer, “And you can’t shot her.”

“But you stabbed her.” I pointed out as the temperature suddenly got much warmer and a bright glow was emitting from the throne room.

“She was my sister so it’s okay and I missed all her vital organs on purpose.” She turned to leave, “just be safe, we’re going to need you.”

“No promises.” I said solemnly as she left to begin the evacuation of the castle. I aimed through the small scope, hoping to catch Nightmare in it and intimidate him to leave Celestia and get back in my head. The lobby slowly got brighter because of what emerged from the throne room.

A two legged human shadow, just like the ones from Hum-gia, but this one was shorter by a head. I chuckled a little; at least these things weren't bigger.

Then it exploded into flames and charged me, turning one hand into a long blade of fire.

Fuck.

I fired a round through its head. It stumbled before collapsing to the ground in a pile of ash. “MAHA!” I laughed aloud as the other flaming shadows swarmed out of the throne room and were swiftly cut down by magic rifle rounds.

“Hey Day Terror, these things are easier to kill than the real Nightmare Shadows!” I laughed more as the current clip went dry and another full magazine was slammed into the rifle.

“I know.” I cold voice shook the entire lobby.

“CANTERLOT I HAVE RETURNED . THE NIGHTMARE IS BACK, BUT KNOW ME AS DAY TERROR. YOU SHALL ALL WORSHIP ME AND THE ENTERNAL FIRE!” The voice rocked the entire city.

“Oh boy.” I shouted back, “WELL DAY TERROR, THEN I'M GOING TO KILL THE FUCK OUT OF YOU!”

“Oh really?” This time the voice came from directly behind me. I was kicked across the room into the marble staircase. I felt something in my chest snap and then nothing but sharp pain. Struggling for breath I stood up and faced down Nightmare. Day Terror wore s smirk of confidence as she slowly climbed the stairs. I raised the rifle. She paused, still knowing what that weapon could do.

“I see you still remember this Nightmare.” I coughed and spit blood out onto the white marble staircase. “So you know what I’ll do.” The rifle barrel was trained on her head not moving and inch.

“It’s Day Terror now. Nightmare was weak, now he’s gone and instead you have me!” Day Terror’s mane exploded into fire again and as it receded back to a normal size, it left the human flame shadows in its wake. Ten of the flaming goons stood around next to the new evil nightmare.

“And I know you won’t shot me because that would kill your precious princ-“

BANG

The bullet ripped through Day Terror’s extended left wing. I turned around and bolted up the stairs before spinning around and firing another round into the chain holding the chandelier in place above the group of enemies. It came crashing down, pining Day Terror under its weight and crusing most of the shadow flames into ash.

“DON’T JUST STAND THERE! KILL HIM!” Day Terror shrieked as the golden chandelier actually began to melt around her body.

“Time to book it.” I ran across the top level of the lobby before racing outside into the garden and then towards the guard training area. Chariot after chariot was taking off from the landing are filled with castle staff and civilians alike. I was out of breath and struggling to breathe through the injury in my chest as I approached Luna and the guards around her. “Luna you need to get out of here.”

“Why?” She asked giving me a concerned look as she noticed the blood staining across my chest armor.

A massive boom roared across the castle and a pure bolt of magic exploded from one of the roof sections of the castle followed by a roar of extreme anger.

“Point made, guards, ready the final chariots.” Luna said to her guards who nodded and broke off to secure the last escape chariots. A dark purple and black chariot pulled up to the landing area as the members of Saddle Company disembarked from it. Fast Skies and Quick Flurry were hitched to the reins pulling it.

“Princess get on, we got to get while the getting is good!” Short Blade called out from the front of the chariot.

Five flame shadows jumped from the castle garden and began running towards the landing zone. I raised the rifle and moved to intercept them. “Get into the air, and then swing back overhead for a hot extract.” Short Blade nodded and once Luna was safely onboard, the chariot took off.

The rifle barked and the magically propelled rounds ripped into three of the five shadows, reducing them to ash. The fourth one got a rifle butt to the head and fell to the ground before I jammed the barrel into its back and fired into it. The chariot began its approach and I ran alongside it, just as a fireball from the fifth one impacted my left shoulder. “Fuck!”

I aimed the rifle one handed and fired at the flame shadow, smiling as it jerked from the impacts and fell into ashes. I gripped the bottom skid on the chariot as it took off into the sky, Hammer Strike and Battle Plan reaching down and hosting me into the chariot. My shoulder was fine, just a black scorch mark on the gold armor.

“Hm it was a hot extract.” Quick Flurry piped up from the front of the chariot.

“Did we forget anypony?” I asked siting up against the side of the chariot.

“The Elements of Harmony.” Luna’s face was blank as she stared at me. “We forgot the Elements of Harmony.”

“Um Princess, they were on the first chariot out of here, on their way back to Ponyville.” Battle Plan said while reading through a list of names on a scroll he was levitating to the Princess, “See, here they are, Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Applej –“

“No.” Luna stood up and looked back at the castle that was slowly being covered in horrible evil green and black fire from the Nightmare, “the actual Elements of Harmony.”

“Shit.” I stand up and look behind the chariot at the castle growing smaller in the distance. “Turn back, I got this one.”

“Bat shit crazy.” Had been said many times as I explained my plan to the Princess and the rest of Saddle. It involved a quick grab and dash. The chariot brings me close to Canterlot as possible, without alerting any of the shadow flames or Day Terror herself, and I sneak my way into the castle, up to the vault where the Elements were kept and then signal for a pick up on the landing zone in the dead of night. Simple.

Everypony thought it was a suicide mission. Fast Skies especially thought it was a terrible plan. But the smaller the group, the better; less noise, less ponies to get caught, and certainly no one else to screw it up. I would slip in, grab the Elements, and get out. Luna quickly gave me a gem enchanted with a magical signature that would allow me to open the vault and get the Elements. I was also given a second gem that would act as a signal device. Just break it on the ground and the chariot would fly over to the landing zone and extract me in five minutes.

I took of my pistol, rifle and armored chest rig that held all my ammo for the rifle. I laid them out on the chariot seat. Everypony stared at me. “What? This is a stealth mission and the rifle isn't very stealthy, the pistol doesn't work since I have no magic now, and the chest rig carries ammo for the rifle which I'm not bringing. The chariot passed low over the first few houses leading into Canterlot. Almost time to drop.

“Sky,” I looked the mare attached to the front of the chariot, “I love you. And I’ll see you back before you know it.”

“You better. Because I had another date planned.” She smiled, but couldn't hid the look of fear in her eyes.

“Look forward to it babe.” I blew her a kiss and walked to the edge of the chariot.

“Honored, without your chest rig, you have no protection for your entire chest and abdomen.” Luna pointed out while gesturing to my unprotected midsection.

“True, I guess I better not get into a fight.” I smiled and jumped off the chariot and fell towards the market bellow me.

I aimed directly at a canopy draped over a stall in the center of the market. I hit the cloth and bounced across the street into a large cart filled with hay. “Holy shit that actually worked perfectly. This mission is starting off on the right note.”

Peeking out of the hay, I saw that the market was clear of anypony and shadows. The city had been evacuated swiftly. Civilians and guards alike were gone. The next target would be Ponyville, but with all the guards from Canterlot now stationed there it wouldn't be easy to get through.

I crept out of the hay and slinked through the shadows to a dark alleyway. I picked bits of hay out of my hair and out from in-between spaces in my armor. I had three weapons, both swords and my knife. So I wasn't armed to the teeth, which meant that I would have to keep the direct approach attacks down to none.

I crawled my way through the abandoned city towards the castle, ducking into houses and dumpster at any sign of a patrol. The longer i spent in the city, the more time Day Terror was having at getting a flame shadow army ready. And by the time I had reached the castle wall, an army was the least of problems.

Celestia must have been extremely powerful because every few minutes another squad of flaming shadows would come marching through the gate and into the city of Canterlot. There were already nearly two hundred of the flaming soldiers marching around the city.

“Shit.” I whispered, trying to think of a way to get into the castle. I could try letting myself on fire and marching into the castle, but I don’t think that was the best of ideas. I decided that the best way to get the Elements would be to just enter the tower the vault was located in.

“Okay Luna said it was second tallest tower directly to the left of the observatory.” I followed those directions with a finger and found it. That tower happened to be at the rear of the castle adjacent to the gardens. “Well shit.” the gardens were on fire from all the flame shadows that were marching through them.

The sun was finally beginning to set, which would allow me to have the cover of darkness to enter the castle grounds. I had already found a house close enough to the castle wall. I could jump from the roof and make it across. With an entrance found, I would just have to wait till one of the many roaming patrols was out of sight before making my approach.

Things were slow moving but slow was good, because it was keeping me out of sight from the bad guys. And without my rifle, I was no more of a threat to Day Terror than an earth pony. No magic, no rifle, no problem to her. I would hack and slash my way to the elements if I had to, and judging by the amount of guards surrounding the castle, I think that’s what Day Terror expected me to do.

“Well this is something I normally don’t do. All sneaky and stuff.” The next patrol rounded the corner and marched past the house. I counted a few seconds before moving to the roof. I double checked and made sure that the shadows had marched on. The coast was clear. I backed up to the ledge and sprinted forward, leaping over the gap between the house and the wall. I tucked and rolled across the scorched earth and pressed myself up against the castle, trying to squeeze myself into the shadows. I waited patiently, but no flame shadows returned to investigate the noise.

Ducking into the gardens I found the base of the tower where the Elements were stored. Of course there wasn’t a door or window within reach, but nearly thirty feet up there was a window. “That’s going to be easier than trying to get through the castle to the hallway leading into the tower. Outside there was only a patrol or two. Inside there was bound to be a lot more roaming shadows.

I looked around for something that would assist me in the reaching the window. No conveniently placed ladders were within the gardens, but there was a wall covered in vines. I thought I might be able to climb up the vines to the window, but the gardens provided something better. The vines were growing up a mounted ladder to cover the wall. I said a silent prayer to whoever designed the garden and began to climb. I realized that the ladder wouldn't reach all the way to the window sill. It was still a good five feet up.

“Well shit, and this was going so well Nightmare. Oh right.” I did miss the other voice in my head. I shifted my weight around on my feet and stepped up to the last rung. I swayed briefly before regaining my balance and looking up at the sill.

I crouched down and jumped up, hands extended and caught the lip of the window sill. I grunted as I hauled myself up onto the slim edge. I pushed against the window.

“Of course it’s locked.” I pulled out the knife and began to cut a hole into the pane of glass. “Screw this.” I pushed the knife in between the two panes of glass and pried the latch up holding the two together. The window swung open easily and I lowered myself into the tower. Now it was just a steady climb up the… “Son of a bitch.”

Climbing the spiral staircase wasn't a big deal, but having to hide behind a pillar or plant every other second was really slowing my progress down. The whole tower was filled with flame shadows. I stepped out of my hiding spot just as a shadow came down from the next flight of stairs. It looked right at me, so I did the only thing I could do now.

I ran head on at it and knocked it over the railing. I peered over as it fell down to the base floor and exploded on impact. Flame shadows looked up from every floor and began rushing towards me. Drawing both swords, I continued up the stairs, all stealth put behind me. I climbed till i reached the top floor. The vault doors were massive. Each was covered in hundreds of gems and jewels that would explode out of the door if something tried to open the door without the magical signature of one of the Princesses. I extended my hand with the gem Luna had given me to open the door.

“Stop.” Shit. I only needed another minute. “Turn around human.”

I did as I was told and slowly turned around to face Day Terror and over twenty flame shadows. “You got me, I guess I’ll go peacefully.” I raised my hands, clutching the gem inside a closed palm, the other hand still gripping my lightning sword, Zappy.

“You're persistent, I’ll give you that human.” Day Terror stepped closer to me, “But who said I was going to take you alive. As far as I'm concerned it will be easier for everypony to just kill you and be done with it.”

“Well then have at it.” Day Terror took another step closer, charging a spell in her horn. I smiled and jammed the sword into the crack in between the two vault doors. I dropped to the ground as the magical sound of a spell charging was drowned out by the massive boom from the door exploding over two hundred gems at Day Terror and her minions in front of the door.

I coughed through the thick smoke and stood up. The air was thick with ashes and Day Terror was nowhere to be seen, but I knew she was alive. Bad guys don’t die like that. I pushed the magical signature gem into the key hole on the door, and the vault opened. I quickly dashed inside and opened the jewel encrusted chest holding the precious Elements of Harmony. I scooped up the necklaces and put them in the thigh pocket of my pants, and struggled to find somewhere to put Twilight’s crown thingy. “Screw it.” I carried it out of the room and ran down the stairs.

I reached the bottom floor just as flame shadows began to stream into the room. I swung Zappy in front of me, but then heard a magical charging sound. I dove to the left onto the ground as a bolt of red energy blasted into the door way, turning the oncoming shadows into ash. Day Terror stood behind me, panting and covered in cuts and dirt. “Now I’ll end you human.”

I flashed her a smile and ran out of the door, smashing the signal gem against the floor as I high tailed it towards the landing zone. Stealth was far gone now. From all over the city of Canterlot, flame shadows rushed towards the castle. A seemingly endless wave of fire minions poured from the castle as I ran to the spot the chariot would pick me up at.

“Oh for the love of god please don’t be late.” I said, hacking another flame spawn into ash. I was nearing the landing zone, but the amount of flame shadows charging towards me was growing. Far too fast for me to have any hope of defeating them all. They were easy to kill sure, but when hundreds of them were charging, throwing fireballs and exploding left and right, it was easy to get overwhelmed.

“HONORED!” I turned to the open sky line and saw the dark chariot coming in fast. It was going to be another jump onto the moving platform extract. Another fireball exploded right next to me, singing the bottom of my pants and scorching my boot.

“GET LOWER!” I screamed running towards the chariot. Quick Flurry was pulling the chariot, while Sky flew close behind, throwing spears at the flame shadows. Battle Plan was launcing arrows from his bow at any spawn that tried to stop the chariot.

“YOU WONT GET AWAY HUMAN!” The magical charging sound filled the air along with a buzzing sound. I turned just as Night Terror launched a bolt of raw magic straight at my chest. There was a flash of red magic and a flash of red feathers.

“Sky!” I screamed jumping forward and catching the wounded mare as she tumbled to the ground. I scooped her up and ran adjacent to the chariot and hurled myself on board. “GO!” I screamed. Quick jerked the chariot away from the castle as fireballs and red bolts of magic shot by the chariot. We flew off into the night towards Ponyville.

I held Sky in my arms as the burning city grew to just a dim light in the background. Her eyes were closed as I gently rocked her back and forth. There was a large scorch mark on her side, right under her wing. “Oh Sky.” I whispered to her. “Please wake up.”

Her eyelids fluttered open staring at me. “Honored are you,” she coughed violently as her breathing became shallow, “are you alright.? Did you get them?” I smiled sadly at the dying mare and held up the tiara.

“Sure did. Now what did you have in mind for that date.” I croaked out, tears beginning to form in the corners of my eyes. I cradled the light red mare in my arms while stroking her orange mane. She began to tell me what she had planned for us to do, until her words became nothing but whispers and then stopped all together, her eyes glazing over. Finally her breathing stopped and I let out a strangled sob as I looked to the now dead mare.

“Good bye Sky.” Gently as I could, I closed her eyes and hugged her body close. She died with a faint smile on her lips, dreaming of the date that would never come.

The rest of the chariot ride was silent. Ponyville grew in sight and a few Lunar Night Guards joined the chariot in its descent into center of the town. We touched down and were greeted by Luna and the main six. All of whom wore smiles on their face, until they saw the limp and burnt Fast Skies in my arms. I handed the Elements of Harmony to Luna and then walked away from the crowded town center and towards the edge of the Everfree Forest. Along the way a dark green stallion approached me.

“Hi Pine Needle.” I said quietly to the old friend.

“Honored it’s good to see you alive and well.” I shot him a glare. “Sorry. Um was she a friend of yours?”

I was about to lash out and verbally assault the slow pony, but he didn't know any better. I never talked of Sky when I rescued him from prison. “Yeah, she was my marefriend.”

“I’m really sorry Honored.” Pine gave me a pat on the shoulder. “Remember I promised you some land for saving me? Well I’ll take you to it. I'm sure you want to bury her there.” And he was right. I nearly forgot about his payment he wanted to give to me for saving him from the griffon prison.

With Pine Needle’s help, I dug a grave in a plot of land tucked away behind a pond near the Everfree Forest. I jumped down into the hole and gently placed Sky on the ground. Reaching around my neck, I undid the clasp holding my dog tags in place and carefully wrapped them around her hoof. “Keep them safe Sky. You give them back to me when I see you again.” She looked so peaceful.

I asked Pine Needle if I could do this last part by myself. He left quietly uttering another brief sentiment to me.

In the light of the moon, I said my final farewells.

Day Terror took something precious from me. Now there was nothing left to hold me back. She wanted a fight, she would get one.

Author's Note

The Nightmare is a guy, but now that he is Day Terror, which was Celestia, he is now a she. i didnt want to say that in the beginning for fear of ruining the story, so now you know.

He = She

Delicate State of Mind...

Honor Above All Else
Chapter 23
By Honored Service

“Girls, he’s in a very delicate state right now so please be extra careful what you say around him.” Twilight’s voice sounded clearly through the door leading into the library. I was just about to open the door when I stopped because of the talking. Sky was in a better place now, at least somewhere that wasn't filled with Day Terror. The thought of that creature chilled me to the bone. It got me angry.

It got me mad.

I wanted revenge. Slow. Painful. Never-ending. Revenge.

But that’s what really upset me. No matter how badly I wanted to kill Nightmare or the new Day Terror, there was nothing I could do. Harming Day Terror would ultimately bring about pain or death to Celestia. She was still trapped in that body and needed to be saved. Then Nightmare would get what he deserved.

I swung open the library door and entered into the crowded space. Guards were stationed all over Ponyville to protect the Elements of Harmony and the citizens of the small town. With Canterlot taken over by Day Terror, Princess Luna moved everypony to this small town as a way to keep everypony safe in the meantime.

As I stepped into the room everypony looked at me and there was a lot of awkward shuffling of hooves. “It’s alright guys,” I held my hands up, hoping to sound convincing, “I'm fine. Just needed some time to say good bye.”

Princess Luna was the first pony to break the silence as she walked up to me. “Honored I am terribly sorry for what happened. If only I had remembered to get the Elements…” I waved a hand to cut her off.

“No Princess it isn't your fault. We had all been tricked. If anything it’s my fault. I basically brought the Nightmare right to his target.” I hung my head. “I failed you.” I looked up to all the ponies in the room, “I failed all of you.”

“No.” I looked over to the unicorn that spoke. Twilight stepped forward in front of her friends and glared at me. “You didn't fail any of us! You got the Elements back from the clutches of Day Terror and made it back safely. Now you can help defeat her.”

A faint smile began to appear on my lips. “And just how are we going to do that?”

“Easy.” Applejack strode up next to Twilight. “We blast Day thing with the Elements and separate Nightmare from Celestia. Then ya do your thing with the Nightmare.”

I placed a hand on my chin and stroked the stubble, thinking. “I believe that could work. The biggest thing is separating the two and keeping y’all safe at the same time. Getting Day Terror alone might be hard but we could do it.” I turned around to face the ponies. “With some more planning, I believe we can beat Nightmare.” I was about to start more planning when a guard busted through the door. His golden armor was slightly singed and burnt from the earlier fight at the castle.

“Princess Luna and Lieutenant Honored, there’s something you had better see.” He gestured outside of the library. I stepped outside, followed by Luna and more of her Night Guards and the main six. As we stepped outside, ponies from the surrounding houses and businesses also cautiously began to move outside to see what the commotion was about.

“I don’t see anything.” Luna said, turning her head to the Royal Guard. He pointed up at the sky towards the castle. I looked and could make out the burning city. Smoke billowed up into the night sky, the flames casting an eerie background on the city silhouette. The building were still standing, so I knew it was type of magic casting those flames, not actual fire or the city would be destroyed by now.

The guard’s hoof moved from the castle to the sky over the castle.

“Oh no.” Luna whispered.

“This can’t be good.” Twilight shook her head in disbelief.

“Get everypony inside!” I barked at Luna before staring back up at the sky.

Above the castle, in burning green and black flames was a message. HERE IT COMES was written in the fire. I gulped and made sure the rifle was loaded. Nightmare was cocky. Day Terror was Nightmare, so this wasn't a warning, it was plan. The flames slowly began to fade inward until they were just a speck of fire against the starry sky.

The Night Guards were ushering ponies into their homes and trying to maintain some type of order, but that all fell apart when the little pinprick of fire exploded in the sky.

CRACK-BOOM

The sky above Canterlot exploded into a massive fireball. I turned my head and shielded my eyes from the intense light. When the light show died down I turned back to see streaks of fire hurtling straight towards Ponyville, here it comes.

The first impact was almost on top of me. I jumped over to the side as the fireball crashed into the street next to me. It came in low, whooshing over the tops of houses before crashing into the street creating a crater from the impact. I crawled over to the crater and edged my over to the side of it, before taking a look inside. My stomach dropped at the sight. These fireballs that were about to start raining down on the town were filled with flame shadows. five to each ball of fire. Inside of the fire they uncurled from a fetal position and stood up glaring at me through burning red eyes. One opened a mouth, and a familiar voice addressed me.

“You shall not survive the night human.” Day Terror’s voice rang out perfectly clear from the shadow’s mouth.

I stood up and aimed my rifle at the group of shadows, “Good luck.” I fired into the hole, killing ever shadow before they even had a chance to climb out of the hole. I looked back to the library and sprinted to the door.

“Luna, these fireballs are carrying flame shadows from Day Terror. Tell your guards to be ready for a fight here in Ponyville. Keep the Elements safe.” I turned to leave the room but a flash of colors shot in front of me, blocking the door.

“And what are we supposed to do? Just sit here while you and the guards fight?” Rainbow Dash was hovering inches from my face, hooves on her hips. “We can help you know.”

Another crash sounded out from nearby. I jumped up and grabbed Rainbow just as a bolt of fire sliced through the air where she had just been. I rolled up from the ground and leveled the rifle at the group of shadows climbing out of the impact crater in front of the library.

BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG

I slowly stepped forward as each round punched its way through the head of flame shadow. Ash slowly filled the air as I reached the impact hole and fired into it, killing the remaining shadows. Once they were all killed, I turned back to the open door of the library where the main six were watching the scene unfold.

“Stay. Safe.” I said. I dropped the empty magazine from the rifle and pulled a fresh one out of a pouch on my chest rig. Releasing the charging handle back into the weapon the gun made a satisfying click. I faced the rest of Ponyville as more of the fireballs began to impact around the town. I sighed.

So much for coming back and avoiding conflict, I thought while raising the rifle to my shoulder and firing a couple rounds into shadows leaping over a building. They collapsed into piles of ash. Another group of the shadows turned around a building in pursuit of a fleeing mare and her foal. I ran to intercept them and leveled four of them before the rifle ran dry. I let it drop to my side and unsheathed my swords. I was hoping to get the first strike, but the remaining flame shadows were giving me their full attention. Both of the shadows charged at me, there arms turning into long four foot blades made of pure fire and heat. I turned ducking under one swing and bringing a sword up to block the other. The shadows danced around me hacking and slashing, trying to find a way through my defense. I was just waiting for an opening, and there it was.

One of the shadows twisted just a little too far to the right swinging at my head. A quick upper cut removed its arm and then a sideways slash removed its head. I turned to the remaining shadows, but saw that it was thrusting both of its bladed hands right at my chest.

SH-BANG SH-BANG SH-BANG SH-BANG

There were four flashes of bright blue and the sound of lightning as the shadow jerked back and forth being struck by the magical blue bolts of energy. I turned to find Short Blade painting heavily, holding my Berretta in his magical aurora. I lifted an eyebrow at him.

“What? If when you had magic it worked, then why couldn't I focus my magic through it.” He shrugged his shoulders as the pistol waved around in his magical grip. I was a little uneasy with how the pistol just swung around aiming everywhere, including myself.

“Just please be careful with that.” I kept staring at the waving pistol, but soon another group of shadows had my attention as they ran for the library. I brought both swords to my side and sprinted towards the group, running up behind the group unnoticed. I ran the swords through the last two shadows before ripping them out and swiftly kicking the dying creatures to the side. Jumping to the side, both blades slashed through another startled shadow before the group finally realized something was happening. The dance with blades began again. I twisted left and right, dipping and dodging my way through the burning blades all around me, while at the same time trying to land a hit on the attacking creatures. An uppercut perfectly sliced a shadow in half, and I was about to deliver another powerful slash to the remaining shadow, but a crack and blue bolt of lightning ripped through the air inches from my face and pulverized the flame shadow’s head.

I turned around to the smoking pistol and the nervous smiling Short Blade. “A little close that time, don’t you think?” I asked while sheathing the swords and bringing up my rifle and loading in a new magazine.

“Sorry about that.” Short Blade levitated the pistol over to me and lifted the cover on my holster next to the belt. He slipped the pistol inside before closing it and patting the case with his magical aurora. “Probably enough for one day. You think you could help design some more of those?”

I checked to make sure the pistol was secured on my belt before nodding to Short. “Yeah it might be easier to just develop pistols made for enhancing magic spells rather than ones firing slugs like this one does.” A fire bolt smashed into my shoulder knocking me over against the side of the library. The golden armor protecting my shoulder was completely burnt and scorched black, covering up most of the EHG symbol. I twisted on my side and fired the rifle into the unlucky flame shadow that had thrown the fire bolt. It crumbled into ash just as another two replaced it.

“Oh fuck me.” I groaned and fired again, while moving into a crouched firing position. “Short get in there and ask the Princess how the Night Guards are handling this.” The orange unicorn nodded and ducked inside while I stayed outside covering the door. Short Blade was gone for nearly five minutes when another group of flame shadows appeared from the center of market and began dashing towards the giant tree.

“Damn it.” I let the rifle do the talking as round after round punched through the fiery heads of the shadows. The last shadows stumbled and collapsed in front of me as the rifle went dry and the library door opened. Short Blade stepped out and looked at me with a concerned smile.

“Well are the Night Guards holding the rest of the city down?” I asked while loading the rifle again, “Because I could do this all night. It’s a great way to burn off of this anger.”

The unicorn simply shook his head.

“Wait so they aren't doing good?” I said, letting the rifle drop to my side.

He nodded and pointed towards the east side of the town leading towards the Everfree Forest. I looked and my heart rate increased and a smile spread across my face. A large Alicorn with a mane of fire was descending into a large field, causing Night Guards to flee in every direction.

“Oh thank you god.” I whispered to myself. “Short, tell the Elements to get ready, I’ll keep Day bitch occupied and then they’ll hit her. And before you know it, we’ll have this all wrapped up.”

He started to reply, but a fire bolt lashed across his helmet, knocking it off his head. Parts of his brown and black mane were smoldering as he ducked back into the library to avoid any more damage.

I began jogging towards Day Terror, but that jog turned into a full blown sprint as I neared closer and closer to the large field. Another fireball came crashing down from the sky, landing right in front of me. I jumped over the impact hole, leaping through the smoke and having the flames lick at the souls of my boots before landing across the hole and rolling up, continuing my sprint towards the evil Terror.

I stopped on the path leading into the field and breathed heavily, facing down Day Terror. She stood tall and proud on top of a hill, smirking down at me. Her golden armor reflected the burning buildings of Ponyville and her mane of fire billowed out behind her.

I gulped and strode forward. Hopefully the Elements would arrive shortly, I wanted to keep this fight as short as possible.

“Well, well, well human. It seems you are alive. And here I thought that little pegasus wouldn't be quick enough to save you.” My fists tightened into balls as I stared daggers at Day Terror.

“Oh my, you look so angry. I hope I didn't strike a nerve. No wait, I struck a Fast Sky.” She leaned her head back and laughed deeply into the night sky. I jerked my rifle up and fired a round straight at Day Terror’s head, briefly forgetting about Celestia trapped inside. The magic bullet struck some kind of force field the flickered red around Day Terror.

“My you are angry. I didn't think you would have it in you to shoot at me. Glad I thought about putting a barrier up just in case. Don’t want this to end too quickly, now do we?”

I dashed forward, screaming at the top of my lungs. Every single fiber of my being wanted to kill Nightmare for what he had done. He betrayed my friends and me. He used me for an entire year just to get close to the Princess. Then once he became Day Terror, he killed my marefriend. And now he/she/it was trying once again to take over Equestria.

My advance was halted as I found myself floating into the air and pulled right in front of Day Terror. I hung there feet from the thing I hated the most, unable to do anything. “I should really thank you human.” I stopped struggling and stared at Day Terror. Her red eyes stared right back at me. “Oh don’t look so surprised. You see thanks to you, I was able to do all this.” She gestured to the burning city of Canterlot in the background, and then to Ponyville.

“What?” I choked out through her telekinetic grip.

“You did bring me right to the Princess, but I’m not talking about that.” Day Terror smiled at me. “Oh no, I'm talking about the lessons you taught me as we traveled. You showed me the way to solve any problem we faced, was to simply destroy it or confront it with violence. The giant rats, the shadows, the cockatrice, you name it, we destroyed it. And that I figured out what went wrong with my last plans. I was being too careful. I dint want to harm ponies, that just somehow seemed wrong. They would make wonderful servants or a bountiful food source. But now I see that they are just pawns in the way, and you showed me how to remove them from the game board… by force.”

She put extra emphasis on the word force and hurled me across the field and into the ground where I bounced like a rag doll and crashed into a tree near the edge of the Everfree Forest. Everything hurt from the crash and the fall combined with the large stick that was stabbed into my thigh I was finding my self-confidence wavering.

I slowly sat up and propped my rifle up on my knee to only find it ripped from my hands and held above my head where the sling wrapped around my neck and jerked me up too. I hung there suspended again in midair slowly suffocating as Day Terror waltzed up to me smiling. “So thank you human, for everything. And as a reward for your help, I’ll have a statue erected in your honor at the steps of my new palace. Because all this, was because of you.”

My eyesight began to fade as blackness slowly began creeping into vision. I dropped my hand to my waist and in one last attempt to get free, yanked my knife out and slashed the sling in half, dropping to the ground gasping for air.

“Still some fight left in you I see. We can fix that.” I rolled over trying to bring the knife up, but her hoof pinned my wrist to the ground. Slowly she stood up and placed her other hoof on the stick still lodged in my thigh. Lightly she began to apply pressure to the wound.

“AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” I jerked away, trying to remove myself from the pain. I flicked my wrist and sent the knife flying right into Day Terror’s leg. She jumped back howling in pain before yanking the knife out and holding it in her sickly green magical aurora.

“A little too much fight I see.” She flipped the knife around a few times in midair next to her. “You see human, I'm going to kill you, there is no doubting that, but I want you to know that I have to because you pose the only real threat to me. You’ll take my life, unlike these ponies who will merely try and stop me.”

“You leave him alone!” we both turned to see Princess Luna, a shit load of her Night Guards, and the mane six at the edge of the field staring at Day Terror. They all charged at the evil Alicorn, the girls’ elements beginning to shine brightly as they got closer. I saw a look of actual fear in Day Terror’s eyes as she stepped back. I flipped over and limped as fast as I could towards the girls and Luna.

“Look out!” Pinkie Pie screamed grabbing her shaking tail as I limbed towards them.

“OH NO YOU DON’T!” I heard Day Terror scream as I neared my friends. Then I stopped dead in my tracks. Something snapped in my back and a quick burst of pain rushed forward, knocking me to the ground.

“Honored!” multiple voices screamed out.

“I’ll return soon.” Day Terror said before I heard a loud whooshing noise of flame and a flapping of wings.

I felt the pressure of hooves on my back. “Honored are you alright?” Twilight sounded panicked.

“Can you hear me?” A timid quiet voice asked. I tried to respond, but all I could do was cough. The grass in front of my mouth stained red with blood.

“Girls we need to get him to the hospital now.” Rarity’s voice sounded just as panicked as Twilight’s.

Again I tried to speak, but then darkness set in around my vision and lost consciousness.

Five minutes prior to current events

“Come on girls, he ran off this way, and I can hear talking!” Twilight rushed ahead of her friends and the Princess, determined to get to the human and help him in his plan to stop the Day Terror.

“There they are!” Rainbow Dash shouted, hovering above the group of ponies. She pointed off in the distance at the large field near the Everfree Forest. As they got closer, they could hear muffled talking. Luna gasped when she saw the human suspended in midair and then flung across the field with ease by the Day Terror.

“Come we must hurry before it’s too late!” Princess Luna exclaimed as the group of friends and guards rushed to help the human. As they finally got closer to the fight, they could only watch in horror from a distance as Honored was lifted off the ground and hung above the dirt by his own weapon sling. The girls picked up their pace, dashing ahead of the guards and Luna, trying to save the human.

They all gave off a massive sigh of relief when the human cut himself free and dropped to the ground. The girls were getting closer and together they all began to charge up their Elements.

“Get ready girls,” Twilight instructed, “focus on separating the Nightmare from Celestia. They all nodded in agreement.

“Leave him alone!” Twilight screamed at Day Terror as the Element resting on her head began to charge and glow with a powerful magic spell. The other Elements also began to grow brighter as they approached the unfolding scene.

Day Terror momentarily was stunned as the girls rushed to the rescue. Twilight felt a great sense of joy as the human lept up to his feet and began hobbling his way towards the group, a significant wound on one of his legs.

Pinkie Pie gasped and grabbed a hold of her shaking tail, staring at the human. “Look out!” she screamed. Twilight followed to were Pinkie was staring and her blood ran cold. Day Terror flipped the knife once in the air while screaming, “OH NO YOU DON’T,” and then slung the weapon after the human using her telekinetic grip.

She tried to reach out with her own magic to stop the flying blade, but it was too late. The girls stopped and stared in horror as the knife impacted into the fleeing human’s back. He stumbled towards them for a few more steps, before collapsing on the ground in a heap. The knife embedded up to its handle in the humans back. The group of ponies gathered around the fallen human as Day Terror laughed deeply and took to the sky, flying back towards the castle, laughing until she was out of sight.

Present

The blackness filled my vision as I just drifted through consciousness. I couldn't move and it was extremely hard to breath. I would catch a few words or sentences at a time as I was being carried somewhere. Nothing would work as I made multiple attempts to move or speak.

“The knife is in too deep.” An unfamiliar male voice said.

“Backbone is severed.”

“Nerves are cut.”

“He… human…. Know…nothing about.” My hearing finally began to fade until everything just became a constant drone. Slowly I began to feel cold. The coldness crept into every extremity. Somehow I heard something else.

“The Elements.” I know that it was Twilight speaking and then Applejack spoke up.

“It’s the only chance.”

Then everything went cold and I just stopped, lost in a sea of blackness and pain.

Fragile Body

Honor Above All Else
Chapter 24
By Honored Service

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” I shot up out of bed and landed face first on the hard, sterile, white floor only to be found in a hospital. I twisted over and saw the pale green walls and machines hooked up everywhere next to the hospital bed. I calmed myself down and quickly moved the gown I was wearing and stared at the wound on my thigh. Or well where the wound should have been.

Instead I was staring at a freshly stitched area. I poked the skin and pulled my hand back from the pain it caused. “Well duh,” I said to myself, “of course it hurts.” I pushed myself off the ground and moved over to a mirror mounted on the back of the door. Turning around and pulling the back of the gown up, I looked at my back trying to find what had caused the pinch I felt from Day Terror.

“Oh shit.” I gasped at what I saw. In the center of my back, right on my backbone was the nastiest scar I have gotten yet. A thick jagged brown cut covered four inches of my skin and had grotesque red veins sprouting from it. They traced around the scar and over my back, but didn't reach around to the front. I dropped the gown and walked back to the bed before laying down.

A white coated nurse strode by caring a tray of food and looked into the room. I waved at her through the window, giving her a polite smile. She in turn screamed and dropped the try and turned around galloping off into yelling for a doctor.

“What?” Was I could say.

Not too long after the startled nurse left, a doctor opened the door to my small room. “Well I’ll be. You're alive.” He said, walking to the edge of my bed and stared at me with a dumbfounded look.

I cocked my head to the side, “Yeah why wouldn't I be?” I scratched my chin and shrugged my shoulders.

“Well considering you have been dead for the last four days, that’s why.” The unicorn doctor levitated a chart in front of his face and flipped through the pages. “Excuse me, five days.”

“Then why would I be just lying in this bed? Shouldn't I be in the morgue or something.” I questioned him. None of this was making a lick of sense. I know Day Terror hurt me, but I was just unconscious.

“Normally you would already be buried, but somepony suggested that we leave your body here and wait.” He ran a hoof through his red mane and coughed, while jerking his head towards the window opening out into the hallway. I looked and saw Princess Luna smiling back at me. Her smile looked like it was going to stretch off her face.

She bounded into the room, nearly jumping onto the bed. “I just knew it! Twilight said the Elements would work, and by day three I had given up hope, but I'm glad to see I was wrong. How are you feeling?” She stopped her talking and stared at me with intensity.

“Um feeling confused. Why does everpony say I was dead?”

“Because you were.” Luna stated with a nod of her head. “After Day Terror threw the knife into your back, you slipped into unconsciousness. And by the time we were able to get you to the hospital, you were dead. No breathing, no heartbeat, nothing. Just dead. Twilight suggested using the elements on you and we did. But nothing happened. Just a bright light that covered your body. They didn't even heal your wounds. That was done by the medical team here at the Ponyville hospital.”

I just continued to look confused.

“Twilight just wouldn't let you get taken away. She said the Elements have never failed her before. So I ordered the staff to just keep you here for a few more days.”

“I’m glad to see that I was right!” A new happy voice said, as the owner entered the room. Twilight strode into the room with a confident smile on her face. “How are you feeling Honored? Getting blasted with so much raw energy must have hurt.”

“Well when I woke up it felt like something punched a hole through my head and back.” To add emphasis I rubbed a hand across my head, “and there are also some weird lines along the scare on my back.”

Twilight asked to see it. I of course got out of bed and turned around facing the three ponies. Lifting the gown I heard three separate gasps. “What is it that bad?”

The doctor pony spoke first, “No the fact that we never stitched that wound, but now it’s healed over into a scar is pretty startling, must have been a delayed effect from the Elements.”

Luna was just simply blushing at me. Oh right. I dropped the gown down and smiled innocently. Twilight coughed to clear her throat, “Those red lines are side effects from the direct absorption of the magic. They are there because your body tried to resist the magic, and the magic over powered it.” She smiled, and I just stared at her confused.

“Ugh.” She huffed and tried again, “Your body is resistant to magic, so the red lines are internal scars from the magic healing the wound.”

“Ohhhh. Why didn't you just say so?” I told her. She slapped a hoof to her face and sighed.

“Now please take things easy Honored,” Luna said in a calm voice, “you might still be weak from the magic.”

“But I feel gre-“ I stopped as everything began to sway back and forth. I reached out and gripped the side of the bed as the room and the ponies continued to sway back and forth. “Okay point taken.” I tumbled backwards, crashing onto the floor, bringing the sheets down with me. I sat up dazed, but relatively okay, getting a laugh from everypony present.

“Get some more rest Honored Service.” The unicorn doctor, Healing Touch, said as they began to leave the room. “And get a lot of sleep. The magic has worked its way into your system and won’t be leaving, so it would be best to just let it settle before the obvious side effects kick in.”

“Wait, what side effects!?” I shouted after him, but the door was already closed. I crossed my arms over my chest and slumped into the bed. “Well shit.”

Two days and immense boredom later

THUNK
Shink shink shink shink

Twilight stopped outside of Honored’s hospital door, listening to the strange noise. “What in the world?”

I tossed the knife across the room where it flew into the wall right below the clock. I then tugged on the string tied off on the handle and dragged the blade across the room and back onto the bed where I repeated the process. This time, the handle hit the wall and it fell to the ground. “Dang it!”

“Honored!” I jumped a little in bed and the knife went flying into the window, breaking the class and leaving the window shattered.

“Yes Twilight?” I asked smiling at her.

“You just threw the knife out the window.” She pointed out, giving me a not so amused look.

I slowly pulled on the string tied around my wrist and dragged the knife back in through the window where it landed on the ground and then began the slow drag across the room back onto my bed. Twilight just watched the knife the entire time, until I picked it up and smiled. “No I didn’t.”

“Can’t you just sleep.” She asked, casting a spell at the widow that retrieved all the broken glass and resealed the window up, brand new.

“What do you think I’ve been doing for the last three days?” I groaned and fell back into my bed. Twilight coughed and pointed at the wall, which was covered in hundreds of stab marks.

“Okay so I slept some of the time.” I turned a little red, like a kid getting caught with his hand in the cookie jar. “But I’m going crazy in here! One moment I feeling fine, then the next I have the urge to just explode and go running, but the staff won’t let me leave because the magic is still flowing through me and I can’t leave, but I want to leave so I can go running because of all the magic flowing through me but that’s why I can’t leave, but sense I can’t leave the magic just stays pent up and I can’t run, and I want to run –“ I stopped and stared down at my hands. They were shaking uncontrollably. They just shook back and forth. I looked back up to Twilight who just stared at me, mouth slightly agape.

“Twilight, what’s going on with me?”

“I…I don’t know.”

Four Days Later

“Now remember what I said Honored.” Doctor Touch said while signing off on a few forms. “If anything changes, at all, you need to see Twilight or Princess Luna right away. We still aren't sure what the Elements are doing to you, but the magic isn't leaving your body as it should.”

“I know, I know. No strenuous activates. Or fun.” I waved the doctor off as I sat up out of the wheelchair being rolled out side. I stood up and stretched and breathed in the fresh air. Except the fresh air was very, very, smoky. Sure enough a massive black cloud covered all of Canterlot and was slowly leaking towards Ponyville. “Well I know what’s on the list of things to fix first.” I whispered to myself.

I said fair well to the hospital and walked back to Ponyville, whistling a merry tune as I walked.

I had a new goal,

Fuck up Nightmare.

I had had my love stripped from me, I was nearly killed, and he was using the Princess as his puppet, and that wasn't evening mentioning the havoc Day Terror was wrecking upon Equestria.

Day Terror was launching flame shadow attacks like the one that struck Ponyville all across the land. The fireballs would rain down and destroy homes and businesses, followed by the attacking shadows that would burn everything else down. The rest of the Royal Guard and Luna’s Night Guards were doing the best they could, but they were slowly losing. They would stop one attack, only to lose two more.

But now I was back in the game. And Day Terror thought I was dead, so we at least had that surprise. Making a beeline for the library, I was determined to start training again, and have Twilight help train me to combat Day Terror. I needed to know how to beat her magic.

I knocked on the door before a young voice called me in. “Hey Spike.” I waved at the little dragon that was carrying an ungodly amount of books up the stairs to Twilight’s room. “What’s with all the books?”

He shrugged, “Twilight is studying everything there is to know about the Elements. She has been ever sense you got blasted with them.” He continued up the stairs and into the room.

“Is it alright if I come up,” I moved to the end of the stairs, “I want to talk to Twilight about something.”

“Is that Honored?” I heard Twilight say. I started climbing the stairs, but stopped when I noticed something resting in the corner of the library. “Yeah come on up.”

“Just… a… moment.” I slowly walked over to the bundle of clothing, armor, and weapons piled in the corner. My clothing, armor, and weapons.

The golden armor that had been shiny and clean only a few weeks ago was scorched, covered in ash and blood. The old Army uniform was destroyed. Between all the burns and blood, it was hardly recognizable. I brushed a hand across the torn material and sighed. Gently, I pulled the Velcro name tag off and held in my palm. JOHNSON was stained in dried dark blood.

The rifle and pistol were fine. Well the pistol was out of ammo, so it was just a fancy paper weight now. And the old M16A2 was covered in scratches and dents, and that stupid cat paw that Ahuizotl had put on it. Fucking cat. The scope mounted on the rail was shattered, it would need a new lens, I’d have to see if I could get one made.

The swords were in good shape. The scabbards were slightly scratched up, but other than that they were no worse for wear. But I couldn't find one thing, “Twilight?”

“Yeah Honored?” Twilight called down from her room.

“Where’s my knife?”

“Your knife?”

“Yes my knife,” I turned around to the unicorn that was emerging from her room, “the thing I use to cut, stab, slice, thrust, penetrate, inflict harm? My knife.” Twilight looked like a wreck. Her mane was completely messy, hair sticking out in every direction. Her normally sleek coat was matted and knotted. And her bloodshot eyes were surrounded by bags. “Are you alright? It looks like you haven’t slept in days.”

“Yes. I’m. Fine.” Twilight grunted out, “And why in Celestia’s name would you want the thing that nearly killed you back?”

“Because I made it. I created it, and I’ll need everything I can, to beat Day Terror!” I stood proud, clutching onto my belongings. “I’m going to beat Nightmare and save Celestia and… and… and…” I was struggling to think of what I was going to say next. Everything just seemed to stop working as my mind went blank. Before I could react, the floor came rushing up to meet me.

“Honored!” Twilight called out, but I couldn't move. I laid on the floor as my mind stopped functioning. Images of the burning city of Canterlot flashed before me, and Day Terror stood against a burning sky, laughing her head off.

“All of this is thanks to you human!” Day Terror cackled and flew into the air, where she exploded into a bright light, covering the burning buildings. As the light faded, I was left staring at Fast Skies. Her orange mane was combed perfectly, and her red coat shined in the dimming light.

“Sky!” I called out, reaching for the mare, but she just stared at me. “Sky?”

“Why couldn’t you stop her?” Her words pierced me harder than any knife could have. “I died saving you, and you died.”

“I tried to stop her Sky.” I pleaded to Sky as the light around her began to grow brighter, slowly consuming her.

“You failed Honored. You failed Equestria,”

“NO.”

“You failed your friends,”

“No.”

“And you failed me.” She vanished into the bright light, leaving me screaming at the white light.

“No!”

“Honored!”

I opened my eyes to Twilight and Spike shaking my body on the floor of the library. They both looked worried and scared half to death. “What happened?” My head and back felt like they were on fire, and I was still having a hard time focusing.

“You just stopped. Your face went blank, and you collapsed. Then you started screaming, and went quiet. You’ve been laying here out cold for the last hour.” Twilight gently helped me up. My belongings were scattered around the floor from my fall. “But the weirdest thing that happened. After you went unconscious, I began to detect a type of magical energy resonating from you.” I just continued to stare in disbelief at her… and I was still trying to think straight. Why could I only think about insanity?

“So the Elements are still working?” I said, running a shaking hand through my short cropped hair. Pulling my belongs around me, I stated to put the blood stained uniform on, before Twilight stopped me.

“Yes they are, but the effect should have worn off days ago. Your body is continuing to fight the magic, and at the same time the magic is fighting back.”

“Twilight I don’t have time to sit here and be a lab experiment with magic,” I stood up and grabbed my things, “I have to stop Day Terror as soon as possible.” I started walking out of the library, but mid-way to the door, I leaned over onto the large table to gain my balance. When did walking become such a chore?

“Honored, I need to conduct a few magical scans before you leave. Please.” Twilight pleaded at me. “I’ve been up studying the effects of the Elements and the raw magic associated with them and I’ve been getting a lot of different… results.”

“Results?”

“Yes. Different things happen.” She sat down near me and floated a large piece of parchment to me. I snatched it out of midair. It was a list of side effects and instances in which the Elements had blasted a living thing directly. Discord and Nightmare Moon being at the very bottom of the list.

“As you can see, the Elements have been used on both good and evil creatures.” She motioned to the names relating to both. “Nightmare Moon was evil, but Princess Luna was under the curse of Nightmare, so the Elements set her free, because she was good, not evil.”

“And Discord was evil so it captured him.” I said tapping my chin. “So I’m good…ish. That’s why they saved my life.” I smiled with pride. I had come to the conclusion all by myself. Twilight though didn’t look as happy.

“Yes you are good. But you’re also bad.”

“Come again?” I cocked and eyebrow at her and began examining my rifle some more.

“You kill and destroy, but to protect. So the magic that the Elements left inside of you are having a hard time deciding how to react to you.”

I stopped cleaning the beautiful weapon and stared, slack-jawed, at Twilight. “Okay hold on a minute there. Let me get this straight. You’re telling me, that the Elements are trying to decide if I’ve been good enough to live?” I exploded into laughter at the thought of some necklaces and a crown thingy deciding if I got to live.

But Twilight didn’t laugh. Spike was still standing nearby, just twiddling his thumbs. “You’re serious.” I sat down on the ground, by back leaning up against the table. “I could die at any moment.”

“Well more than likely you’d turn to stone.”

I shot her a glare.

“Okay so not the best time for a joke.” Twilight gave and awkward laugh.

“Well,” I stood up and put on my best game face, “let’s get started.” I cocked the rifle and let it drop to my side. I strapped on the scorched golden armor and chest rig. I left the old uniform off until I could get it cleaned.

“What?” Twilight just stared at me.

“Well if I have an unknown amount of time to live, then I had better get to work on learning how to defeat Day Terror.” I smiled my cocky smile and walked to the door, only stopping once to regain my balance on the way out.

“Again!” Twilight called out before launching another boulder at me. I ducked under the projectile and ran towards the unicorn, as more rocks came flying towards me. “Good, try to guess how far she’ll throw them by the amount of light in her horn.” I stopped just short of a boulder that crashed right down in front of me. I leapt over the new obstacle and continued towards Twilight.

“Wait, how do I break the telekinetic shit?!” but it was too late. Soon the familiar feeling of weightlessness surrounded me and I found myself floating towards Twilight. My mind snapped and went blank as I found myself hovering in Day Terror’s grasp before being sent flying across the field and slamming into a tree. “NO!” I screamed, snapping my eyes open. I felt a burst of energy exploded outward from me and jumped forward out of the telekinetic grasp and onto the ground in a dead sprint towards Twilight.

Her horn lit up again and she aimed it straight at me. The feeling returned as her magic tucked at my limbs, trying to slow me down. I concentrated on whatever happened before, and I was rewarded with another burst of energy that propelled me through her magic and right up to Twilight.

I appeared in front of her faster that I could of ran, and slapped a hand across her horn, canceling her charged magic. I was panting, out of breath, as Twilight jumped up and down.

“You did it! That was amazing. The first time you used some kind of magical burst focusing on your body’s natural magic resiliency to propel yourself out of the telekinetic grip. And the second time, you actually performed a successful short range teleport spell.” Twilight was positively glowing with happiness, as I stared down at my shaking hands. Then were trembling hard, and nothing I could do was making them stop.

Small flickers of dark red and black sparks began to jump between my fingers, creating small popping noises and flashes of light. “Twilight, what’s happening?!” my hands began to shake more, electing a nervous moan out of my mouth as I backed up from the unicorn.

I looked at Twilight, and then back at my hands. I thought about the safety of the library, and then everything exploded into a brilliant flash of white.

“Honored?” Twilight galloped around the field where the human had just been. The ground was burnt and a few sparks of electricity and magic residue jumped around the scorched earth. “Ohnononononon.” Twilight continued to run around the burnt area, trying to decide what to do. The unicorn’s horn began to glow as Twilight scanned the area for magic.

“What in Equestria?” She mumbled to herself, while staring at the ground. “It can’t be.” She tapped a hoof to her chin, before leaping into the air and galloping towards Ponyville.

I smashed into something hard, feeling pain rip through my leg and arm. I stumbled around blind, the white flash still impairing my vision. Something smacked into my foot, causing me to fall forward onto the hard ground. “Ohhhh what the fuck.” I groaned before feeling coldness tighten around my body. “Not again.”

I was running towards another bright light, but this one was soothing. It was calling to me. No I could really hear someone calling out to me.

“Honored.”

No. Not her. Anypony but her.

“Sky?” I was drawn to her like a moth to a bright light on a dark day. She was hovering above me, drifting lazily on her wings. “Sky down here.”

She turned over and looked down at me smiling. I waved to her and reached my arms up to wrap her in a hug. But then I heard the faint sound a magic charging up into a spell. I spun around and saw Day Terror cracking and evil smile. “NO!” I tried to jump into the red bolt racing towards my marefriend, but I seemed to slow down in midair.

The bolt smashed into her side. That scream. I had to listen to it again and again as it echoed through the empty space. Her lifeless body fell towards me, her orange mane flowing behind her as she dropped. I dove and caught her before she hit the ground. I cradled her against my chest while sobbing into her red coat. “Sky. Sky. I tried.” I sniffled and looked up to laughing. Sky’s face slowly twisted into the twisted face of Day Terror.

“Give up yet?”

“AAAAAAHHHHH!” I jerked straight up and found myself lying in a pile of books. I was back in the library. And it looked like a tornado had crashed through the door and ripped every book off the shelves. “Um Spike.” I coughed and tried sitting up. Pain ripped through my leg causing me to fall back down.

“Honored!?” Spike leapt out from under the table in the center of the mess. “How’d you get in here? There was a giant boom, and before I could do anything all the books started spinning around. It was insane!” Spike bounded up to me before looking at my leg. “Um is it supposed to look like that?” he pointed a claw at the bloody pant leg.

“Um. No.” I slowly lifted the clothing up, wincing in pain as the pant leg was rolled up. “Oh shit.” A massive gash ran up the length of my leg, and it was just now begun to pour blood out onto the oak wood floor. And Twilight’s books.

“This isn’t too good.” I was about to start panicking, when the door to the library exploded open and Twilight jumped into the room.

“Honored! I know what’s wrong with you… my library!” Twilight screamed before failing onto her haunches and staring at the messy library.

“Hey Twi.” I smiled faintly. I was starting to feel lightheaded from the wound. “I’ll be back in a bit.”

THUNK

Two hours later

“I’m getting real tired of this shit.” I sat up and rubbed my eyes. I wasn't in the hospital. So at least there was that. I was inside of a small living room, stretched out on a green couch. Ah and there was a white rabbit giving me the stink eye from across the room. “What’s your problem bub.” I cocked an eyebrow at him.

Angel continued to stare at me before shooting me the finger. I reached to my side, and jerked my knife out of its sheath and pointed the wicked blade at him.

“Go ahead, make my day.” I smirked as the white rabbit who seemed to turn whiter while backing up against the wall.

“Haha, you should have seen the look on your face!” I dropped the knife back into its sheath while laughing at the fuming pet.

Something smacked me across the face, bringing me out of my good mood. I stared at a carrot resting on my chest, and Angel who was flicking me off again. “Oh it’s on mother fucker.”

“Honored are you feeling better?” Fluttershy skipped lightly into her living room to check on the poor human. Twilight had brought him to her saying he had hurt himself, but she had to write a letter immediately to Luna regarding some kind of development with the said human.

The wooden door to the living room opened to revile a scene of pure chaos. It looked as if Discord himself had flown through the small room. Chairs and tables were flipped over. Cushions to the couch were thrown across the room. And carrots, sharpened at the end to a deadly point, were stuck in the walls in the outline of a tall bipedal shape. “Oh dear.” Fluttershy squeaked out, running to the door, where a lot of noise could be heard, especially screaming, “oh not again.”

“Listen her fuzz ball, I’ve got this super sharp magic knife thing and you have a carrot. Granted you sharpened it, but still I have the upper hand here.” I tossed the knife back and forth between my hands starring the little rabbit down.

Angel let his arm slip down to his waist where the carrot was held in place by a thin piece of string. I stared him down while I brought my knife down to my waist. “So it’s gonna be a draw then.” My opponent simply nodded once before widening his stance.

“Fine.”

“1.”

“2.”

“3.” I cocked the knife back and hurled it straight at the incoming carrot. The two meet in midair, the knife cutting through the carrot with ease. I jerked back on the string till tied to my wrist, and the knife flew back into my hand. “I win!”

The rabbit hopped up to me before jumping and spinning around and planting a swift kick straight into my manhood.

“OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” I tumbled backwards as Angel fell to his side, silently laughing.

“WHAT’S GOING ON OUT HERE?” Fluttershy came rushing out of her house to see me holding my crotch while Angel patted my side, trying to seem like a little…angel.

“Oh Honored. I knew I shouldn’t have left you alone. Now you’ve hurt yourself. Poor thing.”

Oh if only she knew what that little demon had done to me.

After much ‘private’ tender care, I made my way back into Fluttershy’s cottage for some lunch. I kept my eye on the little spawn of Satan as I ate my spring mix salad. God I was getting sick of only greens. I needed some meat. Fluttershy looked at me, as if she could hear my thoughts. Maybe she could, nope no meat here.

“Honored, you should be all set to head back to Twilight’s after you finish,” Fluttershy picked up her plate with a wing, and carried it over to the sink, “she seemed really excited, something about a new development with your reaction to the Elements.”

I never had eaten a salad so fast in my life. I tore through the leafy greens like a wolf to a fresh kill. Well with less blood and delicious meat. I brought my plate over to the sink and thanked Fluttershy for patching up my leg, telling her I owed her one. She insisted that I owed her nothing, but I’d pay her back somehow.

I picked up my belongings, which were just my boots and the belt my knife was on. The old clothes Rarity had made for me were getting a little faded, but they seemed fine. I wanted to get back into my armor. I felt exposed without the weapons and extra protection the armor gave. I just had to clean all off the blood from the uniform and it would be good as new…ish.

“Be safe!” Fluttershy called out to me as I jogged lightly down the path from her house towards Ponyville. The weather was acting strange. Because of the smoke from the taken over Canterlot, a constant haze was casted all over the town. Ponies still trotted here and there, but the amount of guards everywhere told of a different story.

Nightmare, you had something coming.

I reached the outskirts of the town when I stopped. Another ripple of pain washed over me. It started at my head, and moved through my entire body. I fell against the side of a small tree along the side of the road. I closed my eyes and rubbed my temples.

“Honored?”

I jumped and turned around startled by the familiar soft voice coming from the woods near the road.

“Honored.”

I spun around again, the voice jumping behind me. “Who’s there?” Nothing moved or responded to me. “Answer me!”

“Oh Honored.” I turned back to the woods. I peered into the dim undergrowth, trying to see who was calling out to me.

A flash of white appeared before my eyes and I caught a glimpse of Fast Sky. She giggled at me and ducked deeper into the woods.

“Sky wait!” I yelled out after her, but she was gone. I sighed and rubbed my face. Cold sweat was dripping off my nose and my palms were clammy. I turned back to the path only to have a flash of Day Terror explode in front of me with evil laughing. My knife sliced through the air, trying to chop the evil creature in half, but she just vanished into thin air, just like Sky.

I dropped to my knees and let the knife fall into the ground, the blade stabbing into the dirt. “What is wrong with me!” I yelled at the dark woods. I panted, from being startled, from being angry, from just not being who I was. Everything was falling apart. I was losing my mind.

I was losing my mind.

No it was already lost.

“Twilight I’m here.” I called out as I opened the door to the library. It had taken a little while, but I had stopped breaking down and decided that all I need was some closure on this whole Day Terror thing. Then I sucked it up and pushed forward to Twilight’s.

“Oh good you’re here!” Twilight bounded down the stairs two at a time, followed close behind by Spike. “I have discovered some amazing things about you.” She stopped and blushed, “I mean about what the Elements have done to you.”

I waved her off and excused her. “What's the news?”

“Well with the incident in the field earlier today, I was finally able to get a strong reading on the magical residue left at the scene of your portal.” Twilight calmly explained as she ushered me into the kitchen and towards the table.

“Um portal?” I sat down on a cushion placed next to the table.

“Yes a portal. Let’s see… ah!” Twilight levitated a tea cup over to me along with a plate of sugar cubes. “Okay this tea cup is you.” She placed the cup in front of me. I tried not to laugh at the pink flowers etched across the side. “Now the tea inside,” she levitated a tea pot over and poured steaming hot tea into the cup nearly to the brim, “is your natural resistance to magic. It is what seems to be absorbing magic that comes into contact with you.

And these sugar cubes represent the magic that came from the Elements.” She dumped all the cubes off the plate and into the cup. Immediately, the tea overflowed and poured onto the table. It continued to do so until there was hardly any tea left in the cup, just sugar.

“The Elements have pushed out your natural resistance to magic and basically gave you your own internal supply of magic.”

I stared at the unicorn.

“Ugh. You could do magic,” She started to say. I leapt off the cushion and into the air. I bounced around screaming in delight. I had magic now. Without Nightmare living in my head, I had lost any type of magic I had been able to do. I was so excited! I wonder what I could do! Magic fireballs, levitation, teleportation, the possibilities were endless!

“You could do magic, but you don’t have any way of releasing the magic Honored. I'm sorry.” Twilight hung her head. “I wish I could help, but I even looked at a way with the hole in your hand, but that just can’t channel magic properly.”

“So I have a giant pool of magic in me, but it will just sit there and do nothing?” I fell back onto the cushion with a heavy sigh.

“Well it does do something,” I perked up, “but it’s not a good thing.” I looked down again.

“What does it do? Or do I even want to know.”

Twilight scuffed a hoof against the ground, and Spike twiddled his claws. “Your magic continues to grow inside you, building up. Without a way out, it’s been making its own way out in random events. The pain in your head, the illusions, and the random teleport from the field to inside the library, all of it was coming from that pool of magic trying to release its stockpiled energy.”

“And what will happen if it keeps building up?” I tugged at the collar of my shirt, suddenly finding it very hard to breath.

“You could cause a large explosion of magic, you could teleport into the vastness of space, or your mind could just implode on itself, or explode again. Take your pick.” Twilight sighed, “I even asked Princess Luna for help, and all she said was that she might have a solution. No answer other than a wait and see letter.”

“Twilight, it’s okay.” I patted her on the head. “You tried, and now we just have to see if the Luna can come through for me.” I sighed and looked down at my hands which had begun to shake again, “because if not, I’ll have to go with option B.”

“And what’s option B?” Spike asked while picking up another stack of books.

“Let Day Terror capture me, and hope the explosion of magic isn’t too far behind.”

“Tell us Twilight Sparkle, how did he handle the news?” Princess Luna was standing amongst the Elements of Harmony in the middle of town hall. I was perched on a window sill outside listening in on the conversation. Just because I was slowly dying on the inside didn’t mean I couldn’t still be awesome. I pressed my ear up against the glass, straining to hear.

“He was very let down your highness.” Twilight turned to face the Princess of the night. “He is putting a lot of hope in this solution of yours.”

“Excuse me for prying Princess,” Applejack removed her hat and approached Luna, “but what exactly is y’alls solution to this building up of magic of his.”

“We have, with the help of scientist and engineers, created a device that should allow Honored to tap into his magic pool and use his magic ability.” Luna stated with a smile before levitating a long black box in front of the group. I pressed my face against the glass trying to see what would save my life. But the way she was holding it, I could only see red velvet lining the inside of the case.

“Ohhhhhhhhh.” Echoed across the room as I stared at the mystery box. What could Luna have developed that could save my life. It had to be something awesome. Something breathe taking-ly awesome. Something super stupendously awesome.

"What is it?" Pinkie Pie shoved her face into the box, giggling.

“Princess is that what I think it is?” Twilight reached a hoof inside the box only to have a bright flash of red emerge from the box.

“Yes Twilight Sparkle. The scientist and myself have been crafting it since we first learned of Honored’s magic abilities when he was joined with the Nightmare. We figured it would make a great welcome home gift. I am happy to see it will still get some use.”

“I'm sorry,” Rainbow Dash flew in front of the box and cocked her head at it, “but it just looks like a piece of armor.” She flipped upside down to get a different viewing angle. “Just a black gauntlet made for a human.”

Thank you Dash! I jumped off the sill and ran along the railing around the town hall towards another window so I could actually see inside the box. I jumped up and pulled myself along the support beams until I came to another window. I hauled myself up and frowned.

Luna levitated the box shut, just as I reached my new perch.

Fuck.

“We shall present it to him now. The more practice he has, the better this should turn out for all of us.” Princess Luna began walking towards the exit, followed by her guards and the Elements of Harmony. Shit, I jumped from the town hall window sill and landed on the thatched roof of the building behind me. I rolled down the angled roof before leaping to the next roof and running my way across town, bounding onto roofs and over roads.

I jumped onto a flag pole and slid down to the bottom, taking off in a dead sprint towards the library. I knocked the door opened, slammed it shut and dove across the room, landing spread eagle on the couch. Panting and out of breath I wanted for the –

The door opened and in walked the group of smiling ponies. “Honored! We have a solution ot your magic problem!” Princess Luna strode forward stopping just in front of me. I sat up on the couch and stared at the box levitating in front of me.

“Go on,” Luna shook the box, “take it.”

I reached out a hand and gently brought the box over to my lap and rested it across my legs. My hands began to shake hard, whether from anticipation or the magic build up I wasn’t too sure. I fumbled with the clasps holding the lid close before slowly lifting the lid off the box.

Inside, resting on red velvet was a long black gauntlet. It was pitch black. The darkest black I had ever seen, almost like it was sucking colors away from the surrounding area. It was smooth, no imperfections anywhere along its surface. I was a little surprised. I already had armor, sure it was a little worn, but it worked. One new piece of armor wouldn’t be enough to stop Day Terror.

“Now I know what you are thinking Honored,” Luna levitated the gauntlet out of the box and held it out to me, “this isn’t just any gauntlet I assure you. It was crafted with a magic forge that weaves magic into the metal. This steel is hardened with magic, giving the metal itself near living properties.” I continued to stare at the suspended black gauntlet. I felt as if it was calling to me. I reached my hand out.

“No Honored!” Luna jerked it back. “It must be worn on the left hand. It should mold itself to the wound that is on your palm and tap directly into your internal pool of magic and draw power form it, channeling it into this gauntlet. It will act as your horn.”

This time I reached out with my left hand, “Now once it is on, it can never be removed.” Luna warned as I touched the metal. It immediately shifted at my touch.

“What?” I stopped and stared at her.

“It is going to lock onto your arm and bind itself with its forged magic into your pool of magic. The only way it can be removed, is by extreme force. It has to be broken.” Luna said sternly, she wasn’t playing around at all with this tool.

“So it is a horn?” I picked the gauntlet out of the air and weighed it my hands. It was fairly light, and had the joints in all the right places along the hand and fingers.

“Correct. It was built to mimic a horn for you.” Luna nodded to me. “Well human are you going to put it on?”

“Do I have a choice?” I smirked and slipped my hand into the gauntlet, pushing my fingers into their slots and wiggling them into place.

SNAP

CLICK

THNUK

It felt as if someone was sticking my hand into compactor. The metal twisted and bound itself around my hand and arm, squeezing it in a vice grip as the metal tightened. I grimaced in pain, falling to the floor of the library, banging my armored hand against the ground to try and shake the gauntlet off.

“No Honored!” Luna and Twilight bounded forward and held me back as the pain ripped through my arm, starting at my palm and travelling through my arm into my chest and then stopping at my stomach. I closed my eyes as I let my head fall backwards and crash into the floor, blacking out from the sheer volume of pain.

Why did I feel like this was going to become a regular thing.

Author's Note

Does it feel like everything is just flying by? Its is?

Good. It's supposed to. The chaos of everything just flying by, taking Honored by surprise is something that i have been meaning to do. But don't fret reader, there are still easily 10 chapters to go. Possibly 12.

Read on my friends,
Johnson

A Full Moon

Honor Above All Else
Chapter 25
By Honored Service

“AAAAHHHHH- I need to stop this shit.” I cracked open my eyes to the wooden ceiling over my head. I was still inside the library, just now instead of on the floor; I was resting on the couch in the corner. Groggily I stood up and swung my legs over the side onto the floor. “Twilight?” I asked the empty room. I reached an arm up and banged myself in the eye with a metal fist. “The hell?” I looked down at my left fist and saw the new black gauntlet covering my arm and hand. “Oh yeah, I nearly forgot about you.”

The black armor glinted off the early morning light seeping in through the library’s windows. In the center of my palm, where the open wound was, now rested a clear diamond. Or it would have been clear if it wasn’t sticking inside of the wound. The shiny diamond was now reflecting the dark red blood inside of my hand. “That’s kind of cool… I guess.” I shrugged and walked towards the kitchen to get something to drink. Fainting repeatedly can leave you parched.

Nopony was up yet. I was left to fend for myself. I looked around the small kitchen for a glass or cup but couldn’t see one. I opened cabinets and drawers, trying to find the elusive cup. “There you are!” I finaly lifted the glass cup out of the last cabinet I looked in and filled it up at the sink. I was raising the glass to my lip when a yell startled me.

“Honored!” Spike shouted, just a little too loud for so early in the morning. I jumped in shock and threw the cup into the air. The water spilled out and into the air as it came racing down towards the floor. I reached out my hand to catch the cup when something amazing happened.

The center of my palm glowed blood red and a magical chiming sounded through the kitchen. The cup and the water itself stopped mid fall and became surrounded in a similar blood red aurora. I just stared in awe at the two floating things.

“Wow.” Spike said walking towards the levitating objects. “This is amazing. It looks like Princess Luna and Twilight were right. You can do magic now!” He pumped a little purple claw into the air, before racing out of the room to get Twilight up.

I stared at the floating cup. Carefully I guided the water over to the sink, where I let it drop into the drain. The cup was still floating, totally at my mercy. I focused my magic on the glass cup and slowly began to make a fist with my hand. I was rewarded with small cracks beginning to spread across the cup. With a smirk I quickly balled my fist and laughed as there was a loud snap and the glass crumbled into itself and formed a ball of glass. A ball composed of razor sharp shards of glass. I turned to one side of the kitchen and threw my hand forward, releasing the improvised weapon at the wooden wall.

The shards ripped into the wall with the sound of hundreds of darts striking a dart board. A smile slowly began to spread across my face. Oh this power. This power was nice. This power was good.

Watch out Day Terror.

Johnson’s home.

“Honored! Did you do it? Did you use magic?” Twilight skidded into the kitchen and stared at me, and then to the glass reflecting off her wall. “Honored…?”

“Yes.” I beamed at Twilight before showing her my levitation trick. I picked up a pan from the sink and floated it in the air.

“Amazing!” Twilight exclaimed. “Okay now try lowering it onto the stove. Carefully please.”

I focused my hand on the pan, the blood red shimmer around it growing brighter as I lowered it towards the stove. But then it began to change shape. With a sound of groaning metal, the iron pan jerked in midair. It twisted and turned, bending at strange angles till it represented a spiked club. The handle was still the same, but the pan head itself was now a wicked looking mace.

“I didn't mean to do that!” I shouted, as the pan, now turned mace, swung up into the air and crashed down onto Twilight’s kitchen table, shattering it into bits of wood. “I didn't do that either! Hold on I can fix it!” I dropped the mace to the ground and turned my palm onto the shattered remains of the oak table.

“No stop!” Twilight commanded, but I was to determine to fix my wrong doing to her table. Slowly the pieces of the table levitated into the air where they floated caught in a blood red pool of energy. Twilight watched with fascination and horror as small bits of the wood began to fall of the larger pieces.

“Twilight I’m not doing that!” The wood splintered and fell to the ground leaving twelve wooden spears floating above her kitchen floor.

“Oh dear.” Twilight said before ducking behind her refrigerator. The spears pulled together in midair before exploding out wards, propelled by my magic.

TWHUNG TWHUNG TWHUNG TWHUNG TWHUNG TWHUNG TWHUNG TWHUNG TWHUNG TWHUNG TWHUNG TWHUNG

The spears embedded themselves all over the walls and floor. I stared at them shocked by the raw power I had, and by the fact nothing was doing what I wanted it to. “I can fix it.”

“NO!” Twilight roared tackling me to the ground.

“Okay, okay, no more magic.” I sighed. What the hell was wrong?

“Honored, I have a few experiments to run on you that should help us get a better understanding on your… um… unique magic.” Twilight said as the other girls gathered around us behind the library.

“Okay test one,” Twilight nodded to Rarity, “complete the task Rarity has for you.”

“Now darling take this needle and thread and thread these two pieces of fabric together.” Rarity held up the pieces of light blue cloth and the spool of thread with a needle tucked into it. I held my hand out and with a magical chime, lifted the objects into the air. I focused on the spool and needle and was happy to watch as the needle was threaded and began to stitch the two pieces together. But then it stopped and the cloth twisted into a long piece of solid cloth and began to wrap around itself and twist into a large looped knot.

“Oh come on.” I groaned as a perfect light blue noose was dangling in front of Rarity. “Sorry.” She promptly fell backwards onto a rolled out bed roll covered in pillows.

“Okay, um well Pinkie, you’re up next.” Twilight stepped aside as the pink party pony bounced forward with a bag clasped in her teeth. She dropped the bag and a mixing bowl, spoon, egg whisk, and assorted cooking supplies tumbled out and onto the ground.

“Alright Honored, let’s see your weirdo magic make some cupcakes!” Pinkie smiled, and I felt a boost of confidence wash over me and I levitated the supplies into the air.

“I got this.”

“I don’t got this.”

I was now wearing the mixing bowl as a helmet, war paint and small branches covering the sides. It was hardened too, using some of the unknown magic that was now residing inside of me making it as strong as concrete. The whisk had been easily turned into some kind weapon. The thin wires spread out and joined to a point creating a wicked looking hook of death. And the eggs… well the eggs and the spoon had been crafted together to create a replica of a German ‘potato masher’ hand grenade, except this one didn’t explode, it just stank. Really bad. Poor Pinkie had thought it was game of catch. She was now sobbing to herself against a tree far away where the stink couldn’t reach the remainder of the ponies.

“Um well Applejack, would you care to try?” Twilight asked. Applejack brushed her hat off and strode forward, dragging a bushel of apples behind her with her tail.

“Okay mister, let’s see you levitate these apples and peel them. Simply and easy.” Applejack said with a curt nod and a smile.

“Sure. No problem. I cracked my fingers in front of me and aimed my hand at the apples. There is no way I could mess this up.

One by one the apple began floating into the air, caught in the menacing looking magic aurora. “See its going good!” I said happily as the wooden bushel floated up next. “Aw crap.”

The wooden planks wrapped around the side of the basket slipped off and joined the apples while more planks began to create a very familiar shape. Two triangles connected by support beams. Small nails that had once been holding the basket together began stabbing themselves into the wood, holding the new contraption in place. Finally the last bits of wood floated together to create an arm with a small basket on one end. The new weapon floated to the ground in front of me. I was staring at a miniature catapult, just big enough to hurl apples.

I slapped both my hands to my face and fell to the ground. “Why does everything I touch turn into a weapon?!” I sobbed into my hands as Rainbow Dash smiled and dropped an apple into the basket and pushed the arm back, releasing the apple into the air. It sailed over the group of ponies and directly at the lone pink mare resting beneath the tree some distance away. I looked up just in time to aim my hand at the incoming projectile and fire a blast of pure blood red magic at it.

SPLAT

The apple exploded into chunks and liquid, that rained onto Pinkie Pie. She leapt into the air and ran over to us, no longer smelling of rotting eggs, but of apples. “Wow Honored! That apple was totally going to smash into me, but you were all like BLAM and the apple was all like KERSPLAT!” Pinkie was bouncing with excitement.

I looked at my hand. It had done what I wanted for once. I looked to Twilight, who was busying flipping through pages of a book and making notes on another sheet of parchment. “Honored, I think I know what’s going on.”

“Thank the lord!” I flopped backwards into my back in relief. “So is thing just malfunctioning? Can I get a refund?”

“Not exactly. I'm happy to announce that the raw power of the Elements have finally stopped trying to decide if you're good or evil. And they also have given you your special talent.” Twilight was beaming at me, and the other ponies gathered around whispering to each other about what my special talent could be.

“Okay Twilight.” I sat up and crossed my legs, “I’m ready to hear it.”

Everypony took a breath as Twilight cleared her throat.

“You have been deemed good by the Elements. Since you haven’t had any massive reactions to the magic, I’ll take it the Elements have entered a state of peace inside of you.” She levitated a book to me with further explanations of the Elements and their properties inside ponies. Granted I wasn’t a pony, so I didn’t read too hard.

“And as for your special talent, I believe your cutie mark should show it.” Twilight stated confidently.

I stared at her and burst out laughing before rolling back onto the ground. “Yeah hahaha a cutie mark haha. Good one Twi.” I wiped a tear from my eye. “I’m a human. We don’t get those. We’ve been over this.”

“Yes you are, but you also now are magical. Infused with pony magic at that. So I'm assuming that it should work on you now.” Everypony just stared at me.

“No.” I crossed my arms. “No.”

“I'm not showing my ass to everypony here.”

“And why not?” Applejack said. “Ah’ve already seen it. Twilight saw it in the hospital. And y’all see our ‘asses’ every day.” Applejack smirked, her logic was flawless.

“Um well…” Shit come on brain think. Come up with something witty. Get me out of this situation. “Okay.”

Fuck you brain.

I gripped the belt around my pants and undid the clasp. Turning around so my backside was facing the ponies I shuddered and lowered the pants just low enough so that my bare ass was hanging out for all the world to see.

“Well Ah’ll be.” Applejack gave a low whistle, trying to cover up the various snickers coming from the other ponies staring at the sight before them.

“Pffft Looks like a full moon.” Rainbow Dash fell onto her side laughing.

I looked over my shoulder and jerked my pants up. No cutie mark. But I did just flash six mares. “Sorry.” I muttered under my breath.

I tucked at the collar of my dirty button up shirt, trying to hide my burning red face. I heard a chorus of gasps coming from the ponies. “Look I'm sorry okay? I didn't mean to flash all of you for nothing!” I sputtered out, growing even more red in the face.

“No, your arm!” Rarity pointed a hoof at my left bicep. I looked down and saw a faint black line coming to a point just under the sleeve. I slowly rolled up the cloth and gasped along with the rest of the ponies. I did have a cutie mark.

It was a five pointed star with a solid black outline and a gold orange inside. On the top most point was a blue ribbon. And surrounding the main star were three smaller four pointed orange stars. “Wow.” Was all I could say as I stared at the magical marking that now showed me what my talent was.

“I'm a star baby!”

There was the sound of six hooves contacting six faces.

“Let me explain again.” Twilight was rubbing a hoof along her face as the other ponies lounged around the library. Rainbow Dash was asleep, Fluttershy was reading a book, Applejack and Rarity were both playing a not so fair game against each other, and Pinkie Pie was continuing to play with the apple basket catapult.

“Your magic is focused on your special talent.”

“Yes.” I said again while levitating my knife in front of me, spinning it around in mid air as the late afternoon sun reflected of its blade.

“And your special talent is…?” Twilight gestured in circular motion with her hoof.

“Protecting ponies?” I sighed as I levitated the knife back into its sheath.

“Correct.” Twilight nodded her head. “And put two and two together…”

“The only reason my magic is turning things into weapons,” I stood up as the bored ponies around me gave me their full attention, “is because my special talent is fighting. Fighting to protect everypony. So the magic inside of me is giving me the tools and the ability to do just that!” I struck a pose raising my armored hand into the air and blasting a bolt of blood red magic into Twilight’s roof.

“Oops. Sorry.”

“We’ll keep working on that.” Twilight shook her head. “But at least now we know what your magic is.”

Outside of the library, at the side window, a dark shadowy figure watched as the human launched a bolt of magic into the air. The shadow human stumbled back from the window and transformed into a cloud of fog before disappearing into the air, heading straight for Canterlot castle.

“Well, well, well. My little human is alive. And stronger. This will be fun. So much fun.

Muhahahaha.” Day Terror laughed deeply as a seemingly endless army of Shadow Humans began marching from the castle, into the city and towards the small town of Ponyville.

Battle of Ponyville II

Honor Above All Else
Chapter 26
By Honored Service

“Pull!” I shouted as Pinkie Pie released another apple from the catapult. I raised my hand and fired a bolt of magic through my gauntlet and at the flying fruit.

SPLAT

Pinkie leapt across the ground and caught the falling apple sauce in her open mouth. “Yummy! It has an extra zing to it. Like a spicy apple sauce.” She licked her lips and smiled. “You think that’s enough practice for today?”

“One more Pinkie. I want to try one last thing.” I flipped open my holster and held my hand above my waist like a gunslinger in an old west shoot out. “Pull!”

There was a twang as the apple soared through the air and across the field behind the library. I reached down and hooked an armored finger through the trigger guard of the pistol, flipping it out and spinning it around my finger before catching it in my open palm and aiming quickly and precisely at the falling apple.

SHH-ZAP-BANG

The end of the barrel on the pistol glowed a brilliant red before a bolt of zigzagging magic impacted the apple. The apple split in two as a miniature explosion ripped it apart in midair. I smirked and flipped the pistol around back into my holster.

“Oh I’m back in business.” I smiled and walked back towards the library, leaving Pinkie Pie staring slack jawed at the raining chunks of the fruit scattered all over the field.

“Twilight it worked,” I called out as I opened the door to the library, “and you were right, it is at least ten times more powerful. Twilight?” I stopped in the middle of the library. Something was wrong. It was quiet. Far too quiet. “Twilight?”

“Sorry I'm in the kitchen Honored.” I heard Twilight speaking from the kitchen. But her voice was wrong. It wasn't happy or joyful as it normally was. It sounded… forced.

“Okay here I come.” I slowly pulled out my pistol and gripped it tightly in my gauntlet. My other hand reached over my head and very slowly drew Zappy, the magically enchanted gold lightning sword, as to not cause any noise. I approached the kitchen carefully before leaping into the room, pistol extended in front of me and the sword pulled back.

Twilight was backed into a corner with three Shadow Humans surrounding her. “Duck.” I said.

SHH-ZAP-BANG

The two bolts of magic caused the creatures to fall apart into slimy black liquid while the third turned towards me, raising its arm as it did so. I pulled my arm back and hurled the sword at the creature right as something black flew from its own hand. The sword caught the shadow square in its chest and pinned it across the room to the wall, where it thrashed about, pinned above the floor.

“AH!” I gasped as something cold pierced my right shoulder. I looked down to see a black knife sticking into my shoulder, in-between the chest rig armor and the golden shoulder armor. “Son of a bitch.” The knife was slowly releasing wisps of black smoke, which whisked into the air. The pinned shadow laughed at my pain.

“Oh shut the hell up.” I reached up and jerked the knife out of my own arm before twirling it in my hand, holding it by the blade. I smirked as the shadow’s laughter died down, and I threw the knife at its head.

SHUNK

The shadow’s head slumped forward, a six inch knife protruding from its forehead. Black drops of shadow dripped to the ground where it began to pool with the other two dead shadows.

“Are you alright Twilight?” I helped the scared unicorn to her hooves before checking out the rest of the library.

“Yes… I think so.” Twilight hung her head and gave a sigh of relief. “Thanks Honored. I'm glad you got here when you did.”

I looked at the dead shadows on the kitchen floor, “But why where they here?” I asked to nopony in particularly while stroking my chin.

“If it helps Honored, the kept asking, ‘where is he?’ I think they were talking about you.” Twilight suggested.

“No that can’t be right. Day Terror things I'm dead. She has no reason to –“

I was cut off as the front door to the library was thrown open by a flash of rainbow.

“Twilight! Honored! Are either of you here!?” Rainbow Dash called out from the front room of the library. We both walked out from the kitchen, I stopped to yank the sword out of the wall from the dead shadow.

“Yes Rainbow, we’re both here. What’s the matter?” Twilight asked. Rainbow dash kept looking over her shoulder out the door of library. She simply raised a hoof and pointed it out the door. I shrugged and walked over and poked my head out.

“I don’t see shit.”

Two light blue hooves gripped my head and turned it towards Canterlot. The large black road was the same as always.

Wait…

There wasn't a large black road from Canterlot to Ponyville.

“Fuck.”

I jumped back and ran up the stairs to Twilight’s room. I quickly searched around and found a portable telescope under her bed, along with a pink journal that said Diary. I took a mental note of that and shoved it back under the bed.

I leapt down the stairs two at a time before setting the telescope up at the doorway. After a quick adjusting, I aimed it at the black road.

“Double fuck.”

“What is it?” Twilight asked impatiently, bouncing up and down.

I merely stepped aside so she could peer into the telescope. She did and was silent for a few moments, before stepping back and looking at me.

In the distance, coming down from the city of Canterlot, was an army. Well that would be an understatement. At least an army of tens of thousands of shadow humans were marching their way down from the mountain city towards the lightly guarded city of Ponyville.

“Twilight, take a letter.”

“Honored, Celestia is gone.”

“No.” I stared at her. “She can still see what’s happening. Her mind has become a prison, and I want to send her something.”

A piece of parchment and a quill levitated in front of the unicorn as she prepared to write. I told her what to send and not to long later, Spike had the message sent off in a burst of flames.

“Do you think that was a good idea?” Rainbow asked from the back of the library.

I shouldered my rifle and loaded a new round into the chamber. A dark red magic glowed along the length of the barrel, starting at the hand grip where my gauntlet gripped the weapon.

“No.”

“WE SHALL MARCH FORTH AND TAKE WHAT IS RIGHTFUL –“

POP

“What?” Day Terror stopped her motivating speech as a piece of rolled up parchment popped into existence next to her head. “What is this? Did your precious student forget you were gone?”

Day Terror smirked as she unrolled the paper before letting it drop to the ground and stomp on it with a fiery hoof.

BRING IT.

Was printed in bold letters with a single hand print in black ink below it. Only one creature could make that mark.

“So he is feeling up to the fight.”

“Well King Bloodfeathers, would you care for a little revenge?”

From across the room and large griffon with dark red feather surrounding his eyes strode forward. He was flanked by at least a company of fellow elite griffon warriors. His beak slowly cracked into a smile as her drew his sword.

“Day Terror, it has nearly been a year since that abomination defiled our Capital city. Killed our King. And released prisoner scum into our streets, causing anarchy and chaos for months.” He kneeled down before the evil alicorn. “You have the land of Griffmeny’s support.” He raised his sword above his head, presenting it to Day Terror.

“Like I said human. The past always controls us.” Day Terror took the sword from the griffon king in a magical aurora and smiled. Things were going just as planned.

I marched out towards the center of Ponyville where an emergency meeting was being held. I pushed past the guards, who moved to the side when they saw the towering human in full battle armor marching towards the stage. I was wearing everything I had, including the slightly scorched helmet.

“Okay listen up!” The murmuring stopped and gathered citizens of Ponyville ceased their talking as I cleared my throat. “A large force of enemy hostiles is imbound on the town.”

A look of fear spread across every face in the square. Ponies began to whisper again. I coughed and everything went deathly silent once more.

“We are going to evacuate the city. If everypony will calmy and efficiently return to their homes and get one bag or suitcase per pony to make it easier on everyone. No please get to it…or you may die. All guards please stay put unless you have already been designated to help with the evacuation.”

There was a lot of talking and muttering going on now. “Maybe I should have left out the dying part.”

“No really?” a Night guard said as he walked up next to me. “Lieutenant Service, Sergeant Night Fright.”

I turned to the pony addressing me. “Hmmm nice name. Kind of dark for a pony.”

“I get that a lot.” He responded while pulling out a list of names. “This is a structured list of all the guards currently stationed here in Ponyville after the evac of Canterlot.” I quickly scanned the sheet and smiled.

“Good. Now Sergeant I need to put three fourths of these guards on the train with the civilians to Appleloosa.” I said while folding the list back up. “Leave the best guards with the most training in combat here with me.”

“You want me to what?” The Night guard just stared at me in shock.

“You heard me right Sergeant. I want Appleloosa heavily guarded with so many civilians there. This town will be empty and I only need the minimum defensive line here.” I smiled and began walking towards the library to say good bye to my friends. “And besides, guess who’s going to be doing all the heavy lifting.”

“Bloodfeathers and his elite flyers will swoop in low over the city, dropping the magic bombs and shadow warriors into the center of the town. Knowing the human, he will meet the invasion force here,” Day Terror pointed to a large field meeting the road from Canterlot to Ponville, “and while he’s busy getting beaten by the onslaught of shadows, the shadow warriors will rip the town apart.”

The surrounding griffons and shadow warriors agreed to the brilliant plan their leader had put together. “My griffons stand ready to launch the first wave on your command.”

“Well let’s not keep them waiting. Launch stage one.” Day Terror spoke calmly before leaping backwards from the room, out of a large open window and taking off into the late afternoon sky.

“Sergeant, how is the evacuation coming along?” I asked while walking up to the packed down train.

“It is nearly finished, but we are having some trouble with the last seven ponies.” He rubbed a hoof awkwardly across his neck.

“Uggggh take me to them.” I followed behind the Night guard as we moved down the platform. A lot of ponies whispered thanks and good luck to me and the few guards that were remaining in the town to try and buy some time for the evacuation. I simply nodded in response to the ponies or shook hooves when it was required. I was preparing myself mentally for the fight that was about to take place.

“And I say that I have been in more battles than most of the stallions staying put to fight!” Oh great. Luna was fighting the guards. I sighed as I came upon the disturbance that was keeping the train from departing.

The main six along with Princess Luna were refusing to board the train. “Please ladies.” I said walking up to the group. “We need to get moving and I need y’all to be safe. Besides a lot of the ponies look up to you six and they need to see you cooperating. It will help put their minds to ease.”

“It just doesn’t seem fair Honored.” Applejack said. “Leaving our home. We can fight. The invasion in Canterlot with the changelings proves that.”

“No offense Applejack, but the invasion you're thinking of was a joke.” I sighed again and got down on a knee so I was at eye level with the ponies.

“Listen, I know you want to stay and help but…” I swallowed, “I already lost somepony important to me. And I'm not about to let it happen again.” A brief image of Sky flashed before my eyes. “If I lose one of you, the Elements are going to be useless and then how will we get Celestia back?”

“Alright.” Twilight said quietly. “We’ll go. But we’re coming back at the first chance.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” I smiled as the others reluctantly gathered their bags and cases and boarded the train. “Luna, you may stay. I'm going to need your help in the defending of the center of town.”

“You wish for me to stay?” The Princess said, cocking her head at me.

“Yes.” I gave her a halfhearted smile. “Having an alicorn on my side would be nice.”

“Fair enough human. Then let the final preparation begin.”

“Sergeant, ready the guards to make fortified postionts in the field in the front of the town.” I pointed to massive field where the shadows would march towards the town.

“But sir, we would be outnumbered fifteen to one.”

“I like those odds.” I cracked a smile. “I’ll be joining the guards shortly, but I have a feeling in my gut that Day Terror has a surprise for us here in the town.

“Okay Honored, ill ready the guards at once.” The night guard saluted before racing off into the sky to collect the remaining guards to fight.

“Luna do you even have weapon?” I asked as we walked back to the center of town.

“Um not really.” She said sheepishly. I was about to respond when a whistling noise came from above my head. I watched as something brown and red hurtled towards the ground in front of me. Large brown wings extended and the creature came to a stop in front of me and the Princess.

The fight for Ponyville was beginning.

“So this is the pathetic human that killed my father.” The griffon spat out at me before drawing a long hooked sword and a short dagger. I will enjoy killing you.” He rose to his hind legs and twirled the blades around his body in an impressive display of swordsmanship.

I smiled and raised my gauntlet up, aiming it at the griffon, “Let’s see about getting you some weapons your highness.”

I let the magic inside of me run into my open palm and manifest into a glowing blood red ball of energy. I dashed forward, using my right arm bracer to deflect a side strike and bring myself in close to the griffon. I lashed out with a punch using the ball of magic as the striking force.

The magic impacted square in his chest, sending the griffon across the town square and through a glass window into a shop. His two blades dropped the ground with a clatter. “Ask and you shall receive.”

I scooped the weapons up and lightly tossed them across the street to Luna. She caught the weapons in her magical glow, giving me not amused look. “What have you done?”

I just shrugged. “What do you mean? I got you some toys to use.” I looked back at the shop where the griffon had flown into.

“I mean that was griffon that attacked you.” Luna pointed one of her blades at the shattered window. “We are allies with the griffons, why would they attack us?” The realization slowly dawned upon the royal alicorn.

“There it is.” I smiled. “Yeah this probably has something to do with the violence I committed while you know… in prison under the griffon’s control. And killing their king.”

Luna just stared at me. “You are the most… I just… UGH!” Luna began storming back towards the center of town.

“Hey look I’m sor –“ A massive purple explosion rocked me off my feet and onto the ground. The building next to me shuddered under the blast, before slowly beginning to lean over towards Luna, who was currently laying on the ground, knocked over by the blast.

“LUNA!” I screamed, jumping to my feet and dashing towards the fallen alicorn. I grabbed her around her neck and dragged her from the falling building. I looked up as the building collapsed around us. I slammed my hand onto the ground and a blood red burst of magic blossomed forth from the ground and propelled the falling debris away from me and the pony I was hunched over. I coughed as the dust settled around the collapsed building.

I looked around and saw roughly a hundred dark brown shapes flying over the town of Ponyville. Griffons. Then more explosions began to shake the town. Bursts of red, orange, and purple began lighting up the late afternoon sky, as the magical bombs took down the town of Ponyville. I dragged Luna, who was doing a good job of staying unconscious, under support beams from the collapsed building next to us. Once I was sure she would be relatively safe, I dashed across the street towards a tall three story building that acted as Ponville’s only motel.

I burst through the front door and raced up the stairs towards the roof. I reached the roof just as more bombs began to rain over the city. “Oh I don’t think so.”

I pulled my rifle up from my side and aimed through the cracked scope. I trained the sights on one incoming flying shape and led the target a few inches. I let magic flow through my gauntlet and into the rifle. “Well here goes nothing.” I took a breath and squeezed the trigger at the griffon.

The whole world seemed to go white for a moment as a monstrous ‘boom’ drowned everything out. It was one heck of a shot because following the retort of the rifle, the bomb the griffon was carrying detonated.

Which caused the bomb being carried by the griffon following behind to detonate… and repeat, soon the entire sky above Ponyville was lighting up as if it was the Fourth of July. Wonderful bursts of color lit up the darkening sky.

“And that would be a killing spree.” I smirked as I watched the colors roll across the sky. Unfortunately I didn't happen to see the other wave of griffons approaching the town from behind me. And they were carrying something a lot worse than magic bombs.

“Release the warriors!” I turned around at the sudden outburst, and watched as more griffons flying in a V formation dropped long oval shaped objects towards the ground. I raised the rifle and fired more magically enhanced bullets at the griffons. Most of the rounds found their targets and brought half of the griffons to the ground with a flash and boom, but the cargo had already been dropped.

“Well this is new.”

I jogged back down the stairs, rifle trained and at the ready as I moved through the motel and towards the destroyed building where Luna was. I rounded the corner outside the motel and headed straight for the alicorn when something stepped in my way. Well more as something came out of nowhere and punched me across the street.

I flew across the cobblestone road and smashed into the side of a building. I groaned while I picked myself up and stared at the shadow that had gotten the drop on me.

“Damn.” I gulped and shouldered the rifle and noted the scope was completely pulverized now.

I found myself facing down the mother of all shadow humans, if you could call it a shadow human. It stood on four legs while another two massive arms protruded from its muscular torso. I’m talking a twelve pack if that was even possible. It had two red eyes that followed every move I made. A long black tongue flicked out of his mouth as it gave a low growl at me.

“You don’t look so tough.” I smiled at the creature. My smile slowly turned to a frown as five long black tentacles emerged form its back and extended over its head.

“Oh wow so much more scary.”

Then the end of each tentacle turned into a four foot long shadow blade.

“Well fuck me then.”

Luna’s unconscious form was thankfully still out cold as I had my ass roasted and then served to me. The monster, a shadow warrior, was kicking my ass across Ponyville, sometimes literally. I tried to dodge my way around the blades, and deflect them with my swords, rifle and armor, but I was losing energy fast.

I would get the occasional shot off and hit the beast, but this seemed to only make it angrier and faster in its attacks. “Shit!” I swore as a blade cut along my side, ripping through the soft material on the side of my ribs. I tucked and rolled backwards, avoiding a lethal stab from the five blades that ripped the ground to shreds.

“Come on, give me and opening!” I shouted. The building behind the shadow warrior was half blown open, but it also gave me an idea. I ran towards the monster as another swing from its blades passed over my head. I slid on my back under the shadow warrior and fired half a clip of magically enhanced bullets into its chest and legs. I came up from the slide and ran towards the open door of the building. The monster fell to its knees as shadow poured from its wounds. I groaned and growled, while recovering from the massive damage.

I sprinted through the remains of the home and dashed through the living room and up the stairs to the blown out second floor. I looked through the giant opening in the side of the building and looked at the still kneeled over monster. I smirked and said a few confidence boosting words. I aimed my gauntlet at the crashed railing on the stairs. A section of the wood and metal ripped free from the wall and floated in front of me. I began imagining the weapon I would need for this.

The metal groaned and the wood splinted as the tool came together. The metal slowly formed a long sharp hook, resembling a perfect fish hook, except four feet long and sharp all the way to the wooden handle constructed out of the wood from the wall. I gripped the weapon in my gauntlet, hoping the magic would create a better hold, and my rifle in my right hand. I stepped back to the side of the destroyed second story and took a deep breath.

“Talos guide me.” I sprinted forward towards the blown out wall and leapt across the street towards the standing shadow warrior.

The hook was outstretched and razor sharp as it latched onto the creature’s back and cut deep into the flesh of the shadow warrior. It let lose a howl that must have been heard all the way in Canterlot. I stood along the back of the monster, gripping the bladed hook with all my strength and magic. I aimed the rifle into the creature’s back, hopefully along where its spine should be.

“Get some!” I unloaded the rest of the clip of regular magic rounds into the shadow warrior’s back before the rifle clicked empty and ran dry. I let the weapon fall to my side on its sling before drawing the diamond sword and at the same time letting go of the hook and drawing Zappy with my newly freed hand.

I plunged both weapons into its back and slid down, swinging myself free from the beast as it groaned and collapsed to the ground in a giant pool of black sludge. I stood painting in front of the dead beast, both swords dripping sludge onto the ground. I walked towards the building where I had stashed Luna, the creatures head, mere feet from the waking alicorn.

“Welcome back Princess.” I laughed as her eyes went huge at the sight of the dead shadow. I was about to help her up when it gave a final groan and growl. I jumped forward, gripping the hook in its back and jerking it up, ripping out its internal organs, all of which looked solid but black, before slowly evaporating into the evening air.

I propped the hook blade on my shoulder and walked back over the Princess. “Well you missed one hell of a show Luna. You really did.” I said smugly.

“GGGGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAA!”

I turned around to other side of the town square. A pair of shadow warriors entered the town from behind town hall. I sighed. These both had large shields made of walls from a house covering one side of their bodies, while the bladed tentacles whipped around their heads.

I cracked my neck and let the bladed end of the hook drop to the ground. I held Zappy in my right hand. “Feel free to join in Princess.” I dashed forward, lightning arching from Zappy along the pavement, while vicious sparks kicked up from the cobblestone as the bladed hook dragged along the ground.

I ran straight at the charging demons. An overturned market stall provided me a ramp to run up and jump at the two beasts. I whipped around in midair, spinning around in a full circle as the blades sliced their way through shadow flesh.

I dropped down to a kneeling position as two loud thumps sounded from behind me. I turned my head and watched in joy as the heads of these shadow warriors rolled across the street and stopped next to a shocked Luna. The bodies thumped to the ground as black shadow sludge flowed onto the ground.

“Honored that was…” She started to say.

“Yeah I'm good at my job.” I pointed a blade at another shadow warrior that was leaping over the roof tops towards our current position. “You think you can handle that one?” I turned around to face the four monstrosities and a handful of griffons that landed across the road from me. “I’ll get these ones.”

“Seems hardly fair.” Luna began to say.

There were several loud barks from my rifle as the griffons all toppled over and the body of a shadow warrior collapsed across another shadow warrior’s legs causing it to trip and impale itself on a lamp post. I cocked and eyebrow and ran towards the reaming two shadow warriors.

“Better catch up Luna, I've already got another killing spree!”

“That sounds unhealthy in the head!” Luna yelled at me, but I was too busy laughing my head off as the bladed hook bit into the back of another monster.

I was good at protecting the little ponies.

Very good.

Storm Brewing Over the Hill

Honor Above All Else
Chapter 27
By Honored Service

“I do believe that was number six!” Luna declared happily as she trotted around the side of town hall to where I was fighting. She floated a hooked sword and a dagger behind her, smiling as she trotted around the corner.

I saw her and waved, yawning as I did so.

I was now sitting atop of a pile of dead shadow warriors stacked at least seven high, along with their griffon escorts. “That’s nice Princess.” I smirked as I slid down the pile of corpses and jumped off landing next to the shocked alicorn. Luna was trying to speak, but she was just staring at the messy pile of feathers and shadows.

“How is that…how could you…I can’t believe…this isn’t right!” Luna said all at once. “How are you doing this?” She asked me, being very serious.

I turned towards the road leading towards the field outside of Ponyville where the noise of a battle was beginning to be heard. “Luna, I lost something very close to me. Something that I will never be able to get back. So now that energy has to be put into something, something like cold blooded revenge.”

On that note, I jerked the large hook blade out of a griffon’s back and wiped the gore off on a shadow warrior’s side. I leaned it over my shoulder and began marching towards the battle the guards were fighting on the other side of Ponyville.

“Honored, you know what they say about revenge…” Luna began to say but I just gave a dry laugh.

“Yeah dig two graves. One for Nightmare, and one for whoever is leading the feather assholes.” I kicked a stone against the side of destroyed house and looked to Luna. “And I’ll do it too, even if I die trying.”

“What do you mean die trying?”

“Last time I had that run in with Day Terror, my mind… it was slipping. The Elements caused me to see things, and I know that Nightmare has been in my head. He knows my weaknesses, and he knows my strengths. The fact of the matter is I'm probably not going to come out of this okay. Something is bound to happen Princess. My only wish is that your sister and the Elements come out of this unscathed.”

“That’s very noble of you Honored.” Luna said. I could tell what I had just said was weighing heavily on her.

“Luna please, this is my choice. I'm a soldier. This is what I do. Hell, y’all are paying me to do this.” To emphasize my point, I jerked my pistol out of its holster and delivered a well-placed magical bolt through the head of a charging shadow human. I had my pistol back into its holster before the body had even hit the ground.

“Ta-da!” I smiled and laughed. “Just let me bear this burden without you worrying, okay?”

“Very well little human.” Luna gave me a half-hearted smile. “Come the guards must be requiring assistance if a shadow has reached this far.”

“Yeah.” I picked up my pace to light jog. My armor was dented, scratched, scorched, and now smeared with griffon blood and shadow gore. I looked like I had just run through hell, and then went back for fun. And I would be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy fighting.

“You know Luna, my father always said I was good at something…”

She cocked her head at me as we came upon the open field, although it was choked with thousands of shadows all surging towards the thin line of guard defenders.

“Who knew that something was shadow killing.” I dashed forwards, brandishing the hook blade and my pistol.

“AWWWWWWW YEAHHHHHHHHHH! GET SOME!” I charged head first into the fray, bringing the hook down through the head of a shadow and dragging it into my grasp. I held it in place with the hook and spun around, catching a blade in the shadow’s chest. I kicked the meat shield forward and unleashed a barrage of magical bolts from the pistol. The red shots ripped through the closing shadow humans. The blade swung around at neck level and sliced away a layer of shadows.

“Feel free to help!” I shouted above the growling and screaming of the shadows. I jumped up and dropped a boot heel into the face of clawing shadow. A sharp pain erupted in my thigh from a well-placed stab a nightmare shadow delivered. I reared around brining the pistol to bear and fired magic into its head. I holstered the pistol and reached out and locked arms with another shadow. I pulled it in front of my body as a volley of arrows, black as the night, impacted all over the area around me. I dropped the dying shadow and sprinted through the waves of shadows towards the origin of the arrows.

First thing I noticed was that these shadows had flesh and black sludge blood. They weren’t just shadows like the ones in Hum-gia. The second thing was that they were evolving. From the fire shadow humans, to the shadow warriors, they were getting tougher. And lastly, since when did these fuckers use long range arrows!

I ducked behind a boulder as another wave of arrows washed over my cover and the shadows nearby. At least they were hitting all the wrong targets. As the last arrow fell I leapt over the cover and impaled a shadow on the end of the hook before sling-shooting it off the end. I whipped around and sliced through another shadow attempting to stab its blade arm through my back. Another shadow warrior was making its way towards me through the horde of regular shadows towards me.

I pulled my arm back and threw the hook blade sideways like a boomerang. It soared straight and true, contacting the beast in the dead center of its massive muscular chest. I kept running towards it as it struggled to remove the blade. I jumped up and grabbed the handle and pulled the beast over me as another volley of arrows pierced its back and all the shadows around me.

I hungered down, gritting my teeth against the weight of the monster and listening to the steady thumps of the arrows covering the area around me. Once the sound stopped, I pushed the dead shadow warrior off of me and dashed forward.

Having lost the hook blade, I charged a fist full of magic and began to punch my way through the waves of shadows. I was getting close to the origins of the black arrows.

Another bladed arm glanced off the side of my gauntlet and the shadow collapsed as the sword pushed through its chest. I drew the diamond sword back and flipped into around in my hand before thrusting it backwards behind myself into the stomach of another shadow. I released another fist full of magic energy into a shadow that was making its way at me.

“And another one down,”

“Another one down,”

“Another one bites the dust!” I sang out happily as I grabbed a shadow’s face and dropped him to the ground before firing a magical bolt into his face using the gauntlet still holding his head. I yanked Zappy from its sheath on my back and crossed the blades into an X before sliding them apart as two shadows lunged at me from both sides. The blades slid through the shadows with ease.

“I must say it is impressive watching this.” The voice above me called out. I took a brief pause in the fighting to watch as Luna sat on a dark cloud hovering twenty feet above the ground.

“Are you serious?” I said while gripping my sword and stabbing it forward into a shadow’s head. “I'm down here busting my ass,” I kicked a shadow in its leg and plunged both blades into its kneeling form, “and you're just chilling up there?”

I watched as a bolt of lightning came out of the cloud and struck a shadow before leaping to another. The bolt then jumped through about ten other shadows before stopping. Each impact ended in the same way. There was a ZAP, and the things head exploding into bits of shadow.

“I’ve been helping!” Luna sneered at me. I rolled my eyes and jabbed the blades into two more approaching shadows.

“Fine, whatever! Just help me take out the archers once we get there!” I jumped over a shadow that was running hunched over. As I cleared over him, I twisted and planted my boots in its back and drove it to the ground, its own sword arm impaling it through the stomach. I soon found myself staring down over a small hill at a group of a hundred griffons, each armed with a bow and a quiver of arrows. A very angry and beat up griffon with a head of red feathers covered in shards of glass was standing in front of them, directing fire.

“I found who the other grave is for.” I smiled and sheathed both swords, while bringing my rifle up to my shoulder. “Start the clock Princess; let’s see how many I can get in a minute.”
________________________________________

“Do you reckon the guards are handling themselves fine? Ah mean did you see that many shadows coming towards the town?” Applejack stared at the window at the dark desert night as the train raced through the barren landscape.

“Of course, Applejack!” Pinkie Pie bounced over to the worrying pony. “Honored and Princess Luna are both there watching over the town, I'm sure everything is going super great!”

“SWEET ANCESTORS WHAT IS THAT THING?!” A griffon screamed as a magical bullet tore through his chest. An armored covered creature stood behind the dying archer. It was panting and covered in blood from griffons and shadows alike. Small patches of golden armor shined in the light of the moon that seemed to be shining brightly over the battlefield.

“GET A MESSENGER TO CANTERLOT; LET THEM KNOW THAT THE DAM IS HOLDING! I SAY AGAIN THE DAM IS –“

A blade blossomed out of the griffon’s chest. He fell forward in front of the messenger griffon. The human slowly drew the blade from the corpse, before sheathing it and laughing menacingly as the archer column began to disperse in every direction or stand and fight. A group of thirty strong stayed put and faced the human down, being led by one King Bloodfeathers.

“Pinkie’s right, darling.” Rarity cooed as she finished the stitching on a long red garment that had been occupying her time for the past hour of the train ride. “Our dear human is an expert at his craft. His new cutie mark is certainly an indication of that. I'm sure even as we speak Princess Luna is helping him wrap everything up.”

“We smite thee down with glee!” The dark colored alicorn rained another pair of lightning bolts on a group of shadows that were trying to come to the aid of the griffons. The intense heat and raw magic of the energy coursed through each creature before their heads exploded from the sheer volume of the power.

“HAHA take that foul demon! We shall send thee back to farthest reaches of Tartarus!”

“Lapsing back into the royal we huh?” The heavily armored human said while jerking a sword from the chest cavity of another griffon. He spun around on his heel and drove an elbow into the beak of griffon who attempting to bring the bow across the human’s neck like a garrote.

“It is intimidating, is it not?”

“Not really, but this is.” The human spun around in a three-sixty slowly dropping to his knees while spraying magic bullets from his rifle. The bullets tore and shredded their way through several griffons that were attempting to try and enclose the human. He jumped up and let the rifle drop to his side before gripping a pistol in one gauntleted hand, and a long wicked dagger in the other. He jumped forward, plunging the dagger into the chest of a royal looking griffon, while pressing the end of the pistol into the poor creature’s neck and releasing shot after shot of magic into the soft unprotected flesh. Blood and feathers flew off in every direction.

“That’s intimidating.” The last two griffons took off to the skies in a desperate attempt to try and escape the onslaught at the hands of this warrior beast.

“You’re right, girls. Honored is a very professional and well equipped fighter. And the other royal guards are there with him. I'm sure we’ll be able to return home in no time.” Twilight declared happily while flipping through another page of the journal she was working on. Lyra was helping her with the new book, Understanding a Human: The Proud Warrior Race. It was bound to get into the Canterlot Science Journal monthly.

TWANG

The two arrows flew straight and true at the pair of fleeing griffons. One arrow nailed a griffon in the back of its head,
sending it to the ground like a bag of bricks. The other soon found an arrow protruding out of his wing. He slowly circled and crashed at the edge of the killing field. The whole assault on Ponyville had been going well. The simple pony guards were having the hardest time holding back small waves of the weird shadow things, and the griffons had been using arrows to keep the guards under cover.

But everything had changed when that…that thing showed up. It was a death bringing. Slowly, through the ranks of griffons the stories of some kind of super warrior was spreading.

The griffon crawled his way towards the edge of the dark forest boarding the field. If only he could make into the depths of that forest, he might just be safe from that human.

There was a loud roar and a large timber wolf jumped from the forest in front of the griffon. The griffon closed his eyes and prayed silently to his ancestors to make death swifter at the jaws of this beast than whatever it would have been at the hands of that other creature.

BANG BANG BANG

Tink tink tink

The griffon opened his eyes to see the timber wolf lying in a pool of sap. Its head mostly missing; blown apart by the weapon that human wielded. A shadow slowly passed over the griffon’s face. He began to shake as something crouched down next to his prone form.

“So griffon, what is Day Terror up to?” It talked. Sweet ancestors this thing could talk. The griffon was trembling now in fear.

“Please…just kill me.”

“No. Not yet.”

I walked back over to the Princess as she fired another bolt of lightning at some shadows attempting to storm over the barricade the guards had erected.

“Well I found out some plans, Luna.” I smiled and sheathed my bloody knife.

“And how did you do that?” she asked, gliding her cloud to the ground and disembarking from it. A few guards were growing bolder and recovering from their hiding places and joining us on the battlefield. Apparently our push from the side was cutting down the shadows’ numbers and making the guards regain some faith.

“I pulled some … feathers.” I smirked and looked back towards the forest. “Ha-ha.” That griffon wished the timber wolf had gotten him.

“Well, let’s finish assisting the guards and then we shall discuss these plans.”

“Sounds great!” I unsheathed both swords from my back and ran ahead to join a group of Night Guards who were pushing a wave of shadows back from the town.

I reached the group to hear Sergeant Night Fright issue the order to charge. The few Night Guards climbed over the barricade and advanced towards the swarm of shadows. There was a clash as blades meet shadows and shadows meet flesh. I jumped on to the back of a pony and dashed across the roughly constructed barricade. I leapt into the air and sailed over the battle before landing in the center of the group of advancing shadows.

The hacking and slashing began. I chopped both blades left and then right, dividing two shadows into thirds. They collapsed and were replaced by two more shadows. The blades whisked through the air, slashing their way through shadowy flesh. The moans of the dying shadows filled the area around me as I cut my way towards the guard ponies.

But as I got closer I started to fear for the ponies’ life. Red blood was staining the ground and the sound of clashing blades began to drop off. I quickened my pace, and drove both blades through the chest of a shadow before slinging it off. I drove a kick into the gut of another before making a quick horizontal cut and removing the creature’s head.

“HANG IN THERE GUARDS!” I screamed over the roar of a shadow warrior. I turned around to see the beast plowing its way directly at me.

“Oh fuck me.” I brought the swords up to try and block the punch, but it was too late. The world flashed white as I was knocked backwards off my feet and sent flying into a group of shadows. My hands lost their grip on the swords and they were sent hurtling into the fray. I groped around on my belt till I brought my pistol up out of its holster.

I crawled back from the monster and fired the pistol at approaching shadows as I crawled along the blood soaked earth. The ground was slick with the black sludge and mixed red blood. Another shadow leapt at me, only to drop to the earth with a well-placed hole in its chest. Slowly more and more shadows began launching themselves at me. With the sheer amount of enemies pilling up around me, moving was becoming incredibly more difficult.

More and more shadows encircled me. I jerked my knife out and hurled it at a shadow about to plunge its blade arm through me. It impacted it directly in its throat. It collapsed next to me gurgling and choking on its own gore. I jerked the string still around the handle, and pulled the knife through the air back into my open hand. The pistol continued to fire its magical blots from the left hand while the right hand slashed away with the sharp knife at the legs of the surrounding shadows.

Everything began to slow down as my fighting got more desperate while the shadows continued to pour around me. I could see the looming figure of the shadow warrior growing closer.

“Lieutenant!” I felt something grab the back of my armored chest piece and begin to pull be towards the barricade, away from the onslaught of the shadows. A flash of lightning illuminated my savior; Sergeant Night Fright was dragging me towards safety. Luna floated nearby, blasting the charging shadows with lethal bolts of lightning.

“GO! Leave me!” I screamed as the shadow warrior hurled a chunk of earth at the floating princess, who had to abandon her cloud to avoid the projectile. Night Fright just grunted and continued to pull me while I fired my pistol at the shadow warrior, who was steadily getting closer and closer, the magic bolts from the pistol doing very little to slow him down. “Night Fright let go! That’s a fucking order!”

“Sorry Lieutenant, that’s one I have to brea-“ Sergeant Night Fright was suddenly jerked into the air as a two long blades stabbed through his chest. I tried to scream out, but I was finding it very hard to breathe all of sudden. I looked down to see three shadow blades attached to tentacles, punctured through my chest, pulling me into the air. I twisted around to see the
Night Guard sergeant dangling limply from the blades, his glazed eyes, fixed on a point of in the distance.

I roared in pain, and in anger at the creature. I felt something burning inside my chest. It felt as if someone had lit a fire in my belly and it was spreading all over my body. I aimed the pistol straight into the creature’s face, aiming right at the bright red eyes.

“Fuck you.”

I squeezed the trigger. Then the entire battlefield froze in time as that one shot drained nearly all the magic from my body and emptied it all in one direction.

The six mares all talked quietly amongst themselves as the evacuation train pulled up to the station in Appleloosa. As the ponies from Ponyville gathered on the loading area, collecting their things, a bright flash in the distance caught all their attention.

“That came from Ponyville.” Applejack said, but Twilight and Rarity were both staring at shock as their horns lit up briefly before dimming down again.

“Girls, forget what Honored said,” Twilight spun around to face her friends, “get back on the train, we’re heading back. NOW!”

Sitting on top a throne surrounded by flickering flames, an alicorn with a fiery mane and tail lazily commanded a group of messengers to take orders to commands scattered around Equestria. Day Terror was about to issue another scroll when a flash interrupted her thoughts. The room turned white as the flash reached its peak before dying back down.

“No. It can’t be.”

A dark coated Princess stared in awe as nearly half a battlefield disappeared in a white flash of pure energy. The sheer volume of magic that was being released from one source caused the princess’s horn to glow on its own, absorbing some of the magic. Luna found herself temporarily blinded. But she could only think one thing.

“Honored.”

I coughed and cracked open my eyes. Something red was dripping from the edge of my helmet and dropping in front of my line of sight. I tried to call out, but only a cough and a raspy breathe came out of my mouth. I looked down to see three black blades jutting from my stomach and chest. I managed to push myself up and look at the area around me.
Starting from the point I was sitting at, the ground and surrounding area in front of me was gone. All the way to the edge of the Everfree forest, the ground was cracked and burnt brown. The grass of the field was gone, and so was every griffon, shadow, and shadow warrior that had been occupying the space before. I looked around and saw my pistol.

It was lying in a pool of red and black blood, the blood turning to steam around the weapon. The barrel was visibly red hot and small pops of magic sparked from its surface. I reached a hand out to the grip, expecting it to be hot, but I was able to lay a finger on it. Then a whole hand. Lastly I picked up the weapon and looked down at it.

Then back at the destroyed landscape and pulverized enemies, all of the ashes slowly being blown into the night sky.
I let the pistol slip into my holster as I gripped the sling of my rifle and pulled the other weapon close to my body. In one direction all of the enemies were destroyed, but too bad the magic hadn’t fixed the other directions. I could hear the screaming and groaning of the fast approaching shadows.

I put a fresh new magazine of magic bullets into the rifle and chambered a round. I slowly turned myself around and lined up a shot with the first charging shadow. I was immobilized, weak, bleeding to death, and I must be hallucinating, because I just saw Fast Sky zip overhead and towards Canterlot.

The shadow got closer so I squeezed the trigger.

From across the battlefield, Luna was leading a combined group of Night Guards and Royal Guards towards the point if the massive explosion. She knew the Honored had to be alive. There was no way he would die before Day Terror was stopped.

Another shadow jumped at the princess’s neck.

“Stay back shadow creature!” she shouted, while floating the blade of the hooked sword in the thing’s path. It was swiftly impaled on the end of the blade. Luna felt something crunch under her armored hoof. She moved it aside and looked at the small brass casing.

“This way guards! Follow the trail if little brass cans!” The rescue party continued to drive deeper into the shadow army, desperate to try and save the battle hardened human.

Luna’s ear swiveled at the loud noise that sounded off from the distance. It sounded as if a small cannon was firing. It was followed by another. And another.

“Guards, he’s still alive! I hear his weapon!” The group charged towards the steadily growing noise, new vigor in their pace.

A badly wounded griffon landed hard on the balcony of the castle in Canterlot. She stumbled forward, her badly wounded claw slipping on the white marble, marking the area with blood. She gasped at the pain and limped towards the throne room.

The doors were opened by two massive shadow warriors who eyed the wounded griffon with hunger as she hobbled her way into the throne room.

“Day Terror,” The griffon coughed out. “The attack is failing. The human…” she coughed again, “the human and the other alicorn were able to stop the main advance. The assault force is down to nearly a fourth of its original size.”

“This is terrible news, but somehow I expected it.” Day Terror removed herself from the throne and marched towards a window. “I do hate having to show my hand so early in the game, but better to go big early, than go home.” Her horn lit up briefly before a shadow slowly moved to block the window.

“What is your name griffon?”

“Gilda.”

“Ah yes, the griffon that was forced into the military to pay back your debt for escaping prison. As I recall, the human helped you escape.” Day Terror was smiling her evil smile, fangs protruding over her lips.

“Yes that is true. I don’t wish to fight against him but I have to.” Gilda turned her head. She wondered if the human had recognized her, and that’s why she was still breathing. That bullet that tore into her forelimb could have easily passed through her head, but he hadn’t done that.

“Now Gilda, feast your eyes on my ace in the hole. I named her, Fast Skies.” Day Terror leaned her head back and laughed manically into the air as her secret weapon rolled by the window. Gilda stared in shock and in awe at the best rolling by.

Fast Skies was a giant war ship. A zeppelin that used to be for luxury was now transformed into a harbinger of death. The royal purple color was now a hideous black and green. The windows were covered in steel, while bomb bay doors covered the bottom of the hull. Cannon barrels stuck out of the air ship in random directions.

“Good luck trying to stop this human.”

The ship slowly began its decent towards the still ongoing battle in Ponyville.

The rifle clicked empty again as I dug through the assorted pouches and slings across my body, searching for another mag.

Finding one, I slammed it into the rifle, but not before a shadow was able to deliver a kick to one of the blades still protruding from my chest. I coughed and stabbed the rifle into the things gut before blowing its guts out behind it.

This was it. And I had always imagined my death being a little more… smothered to death in a massive orgy. But I guess having my life ended with the K/D of 9000+ to 1 was pretty good.

The shadow that would no doubt end my life, jumped at me, before falling flat on its face, a shiny sword made of diamonds sticking out of its back.

I looked up to see Luna flanked by a handful of guards standing in front of me. Zappy and two other swords were floating in her magical grasp.

“Honored, we are here to save you!”

“Fucking,” I coughed up blood as the world slowly faded to black, “terrific.”

Author's Note

Thanks to TheDarkAngel for his proof reading and future proof reading.

Brilliancy is a Curse

Honor Above All Else
Chapter 28
By Honored Service
Pre-read By TheDarkAngel

The group of ponies stepped off of the train and onto the battered remains of the station. Twilight stood in front of her friends with her mouth agape at the destruction that had occurred to the once peaceful town. Building and homes were destroyed, rumble and debris scattered around everywhere. Ponies were running to and from tents, some of them had their coats stained with red. Near the edge of the tents were several black blankets covering lumpy shapes.

A soft sob escaped the timid yellow Pegasus as she absorbed the surrounding area. She began trotting off towards the nearest tent. “Girls…I'm…I'm going to try and help somehow.” Fluttershy sobbed again as she pushed aside the tent flap and entered the medical station.

The group continued to move through the destruction of the town towards the center of the wreckage, town hall. As they neared closer they began to see piles of dead shadows. Some of them were massive dead creatures with horrifying looking tentacles sprawled out behind them.

“What in tarnation are these things?” Applejack asked as Rainbow Dash hovered close to one of the stacks of bodies. All of a sudden there was a groan and a shadow human emerged from behind the pile, one of its arms completely cut off at the shoulder, it began hobbling its way towards the girls.

The girls turned to run, but there was a noise from behind them. They turned around to see Princess Luna standing over the body, wielding two swords in her magical grasp, a shiny blue diamond sword and a golden sword that sparked with magical electric energy.

“Princess Luna!” The girls all gasped at once and ran to the princess as she sheathed the swords into the cloth scabbards hanging off of her sides.

“Girls, what are you doing back here!?” Luna nearly yelled at the scared ponies, but was careful to not shock them. “You were instructed to stay safe with the other evacuated ponies in Appleloosa.”

“Look Princess,” Rainbow Dash puffed out her chest and flew to the princess of the night, “we wanted to stay put but we couldn’t just leave our friends to do all the work without some support.”

At the mention of friends, all the ponies looked around expectantly to see a human land nearby and make a witty remark or a lame pun. But nothing happened.

“Princess?” Pinkie Pie, lacking energy, slowly walked up to the princess. “Princess Luna, where is Honored?”

Luna didn’t say anything. She merely turned around and started making her way towards the city of tents being used as a field hospital. “Come little ponies, let’s go get cleaned up.”

Solemnly, the girls followed behind the princess, but not before Twilight looked to the ground and saw a few brass casings scattered around next to a pool of drying red blood. A tattered piece of cloth was attached to a chunk of golden armor near the gruesome pool. The cloth had a pattern of light greens and tans in a square pattern. She only knew of one creature to use that cloth.

Luna began telling the Elements about the battle that had occurred less than two hours before. The sheer attacking force of the shadows that had easily numbered into the thousands, the gallant fight the guards fought holding the town from the invasion force, and of course about the heroic and a bit stupid actions of a certain human warrior.

“Well where is the darling little brute?” Rarity asked as the group entered the circumference of the tents. “I feel we should have seen the human running around bragging about how many evil creatures he slayed today.” Rarity and the girls gave a light laugh, but stopped immediately when they saw the look of pain on Luna’s face.

“Johnson is okay, isn’t he Princess?” Twilight looked up to Luna, who simply lowered her head.

“No.”

Each of the ponies gave the same reaction; a gasp, followed by a long, pregnant, pause.

“What…what happened to him?” Applejack was the first to break the silence.

“He was fighting one of those shadow warriors,” Luna nodded towards the corpse of the large tentacle blade monster, “and was stabbed through both lungs and his stomach. And yet, he continued to fight on. It wasn't until a shadow kicked the blade deeper through his stomach, cutting into his diaphragm that he began to…” Luna stopped talking and took a deep breath, looking up into the sky, “that’s when he began to die.”

The silence returned until Pinkie Pie exploded into tears. Rarity moved over and wrapped a hoof around her friend’s neck and pulled her into a hug. Applejack removed her hat and covered her face while Rainbow Dash slowly drifted to the ground, to stunned to stay afloat. Twilight merely just looked at Luna.

“When I left him in the medical tent, the doctors were doing everything they could to try and fix him, but… they… they just don’t think there is anything they can do for him. The damage to his major organs was too intense. They gave him just a couple of hours to live.” Luna sighed and made her way towards a medium sized tenet tucked behind the train station. “Let’s see if he is still with us so you may say good bye.”

Luna gently nudged the tent flap to the side and held it aside for the Elements so they could enter the dim interior. Cots and small bunks were arranged in rows throughout the tent, moaning guards covered most of them.

Luna made her way towards a back section of the tent that had a curtain pulled around a large surgery table. A long shadow was flickering onto the curtain from on top of the table. Twilight was the first to move aside the curtain and step into the operating area.

The ground was sticky with drying thick red blood. The stench of the fluid made Twilight gag slightly as she looked at the operating table. A long black blanket was covering something. Something long. Something too big to be a pony.

Twilight fell back onto her haunches and stared at the blanket covered corpse. Soon her friends filed in next to her. Applejack wrapped a fore leg around Twilight’s neck and pulled her into a comforting hug, while Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Fluttershy joined around her. They all slowly released their pent up tears and openly wept for the lost human.

Luna approached the group of mares and gasped as she entered the room. She covered her open mouth with a hoof as she just stared in shock at the body lying on the table.

The human had seemed like he was always on top of the world. Nothing could bring him down. Sure he had come close to death before, but he always bounced back, ten times better than before. But now…now the body was laid out before them under the blanket.

The little human was dead.

Luna sighed and lowered her hoof back to the ground. She felt a pressure on her side, and turned her head to see a tall bipedal creature leaning against her, staring at the operating table. The human had his arms crossed over his chest and was looking confused.

“What are we crying at?” Honored Service asked before being flung across the room by an angry alicorn.

I ducked my way through the thick forest, chasing after the floating light. The dark woods were only illuminated if I stayed close enough to the floating light.

“Why they say don’t follow the light is beyond me!” I yelled as I hoped over a branch and continued chasing the hovering orb. It was hard to remember anything. It felt like my sole purpose in life was to just reach the light. The pretty light.

“Honored.”

I stopped and looked around. I knew the voice. I knew I had heard it before, but I couldn't remember who said it.

“Honored.”

I spun around and found myself sitting on some marble steps leading up to a giant castle. “Wait, I was just in a creepy forest.” I looked around to see the briefs glimpse of something orange flash behind a wall. I got up and ran to the wall trying to chase down whatever it was.

“Honored!” I rounded the wall to see a pony. A red pony with an orange mane and tall staring at me from the other side of the gardens we were in.

“Wait, what happened to the castle?” I looked around and saw now it was just me and this mystery mare alone in some fancy looking garden.

“Just let go Honored.” The mare cooed to me while beckoning me closer towards her. I slowly began walking towards her, like something was pulling me towards her and I had no idea why.

“Just let go and accept this.”

“Accept what?” I asked slowly. I was starting to feel very sleepy. Very tired and sleepy. My arms and legs felt as if they were filled with lead as I struggled to keep going.

“HONORED!” A new voice screamed at me from nowhere. I jerked my head only to be blinded for a moment and when my eyesight returned, the garden was replaced by a city on fire. Green and black flames licked at buildings and trees. Smoke rose and blacked out the sun while horribly nightmarish creatures roamed freely throughout the destruction. Tall monsters with tentacles crashed through buildings as I turned to look back at the red and orange mare.

She was gone, replaced by a tall horned and winged pony with fire blowing in the wind as a mane. She laughed and bared her fangs at me. “Just accept this!”

“HONORED!” For a brief flicker of a second, the evil looking alicorn flashed to pearly white alicorn with a flowing pastel rainbow mane. “Honored snap out of it! Follow the light!”

I jerked away from the evil alicorn and saw the floating orb next to me. I reached out and pulled the burning hot ball of energy to my chest and held onto it for dear life as shadow humans, shadow warriors, and Day Terror closed around me, all chanting the same thing, “Accept this.”

I jerked up from my unconscious sleep to come face to face with a very startled doctor and nurse, both of whom were wearing scrubs and face masks. They both just looked at me in utter shock. I looked down to see my chest was cut open and I could easily see my lungs, heart, stomach and everything else inside of me functioning just fine.

“Sup.” Was all I could say before both ponies fell backwards, passed out from shock.

So here I was lying on the operating table, where apparently I was being operated on and I came to while said operation was being performed.

“God, I'm a badass!” I said. I looked around for some needled and thread, I may as well go ahead and finish sewing myself up while I'm just laying here. I was in the process of finding the required medical equipment when my chest began to feel…well, how can I put this scientifically…tingly.

I heard the familiar chiming that I have come to associate with magic being used, and looked down to see my chest glowing in a blood red haze. The color of my magic that I now possessed. “Oh. My. God.” I watched in awe as my own body began to heal itself up like it was no big deal.

Jumping down from the table I strode out through the medical tent, while smiling and waving to all the ponies that just stared at me.

“That’s right ponies, drink it up. I totally didn't get stabbed like a billion times and then wake up in the middle of surgery. I'm amazing, I know.” I finished waving and walked behind the remains of a slightly blown in half building. I let my guard drop and a collapsed to the ground.

“Note to self, after healing my entire chest, I will not have very much energy left to do some much needed ego stroking.” I laid my head back and closed my eyes.

“I told you, Doctor.”

“You never said he would become a magical human warrior wielding the magic of a possible new Element, while remaining none the wiser as to where the other new ones could be!” The brown stallion straightened his bow tie and huffed at the walleyed Pegasus he was sharing the hill overlooking Ponyville with.

“No I said that he would be alright.” The mare stopped and though for a moment. “New Elements?”

“So maybe I did a little more poking around in the future or what not.” The Doctor began walking towards the blue police box.

“Where are we going?” Derpy called after the Doctor, racing to catch up.

“I’ll show you these new Elements. Besides, I was wrong about that human. He seems to not be the cause of everything that happened in Canterlot. He should be fine on his own for a little while anyway.”

Both ponies entered the TARDIS and slowly faded out to another point in time or and space.

I slowly came back to reality feeling a lot less tired. I looked around hoping all the destruction I had just seen and all the killing I had committed had been a part of a very strange nightmare, but unfortunately I was wrong. I woke up seeing destroyed buildings and dead shadows everywhere.

I pushed myself up and patted down the remains of my clothes. My entire armored chest piece was missing, along with one thigh guard and my right shoulder guard. Everything else was stained with blood and shadow gore. I must look somewhat horrifying.

“It would probably be a good idea to go make sure those two ponies are okay.” I walked back towards the medical tent where I had woken up in to check up on the two medical ponies. I mean having your patient spring up and be fine would be kind of a shock.

Stepping into the tent I found the two ponies right away. “Hey, sorry about scaring you too.” I put on my nicest face, which was hard considering I reeked of death, and kneeled down to their eye level. “Anything I can do to help around here until I can talk to the Princess?”

After the initial shock had faded, I began helping the ponies around the medical tent. From cleaning up tables and tools, to simply telling stories to the wounded guards who were lying on the cots, I was actually enjoying helping the ponies without shooting a gun or stabbing something with my knife.

“Excuse me Honored?” I looked up from the wounded guard to the mare nurse with the light blue coat and dark purple mane that I had caused to faint.

“Yes, Nurse Healthy?” I smiled and stood up.

“Could you please put all of those wash rags on the operating table?” The nurse pointed to the large pile of bloody rags that were lying around the operating table.

“Sure thing.” I began scooping up the rags and depositing them on the table in a long pile. As I finished collecting the rags, I noticed that having a large pile of bloody scraps of cloth on a table was very depressing, so I reached over and grabbed a blanket and threw it over the pile, hiding the rags from view.

“Much better.” I said while walking towards the tent flap, “Where can I score some grub around this slightly destroyed town?”

I took another bite out of the loaf of bread I found lying on the ground next to the bakery window. After cutting off the part of the loaf that was coated in dried shadow blood, it was ready to be eaten. And boy was it good! I headed back towards the medical tent to see if Luna had stopped by yet or if anything else needed to be done. Now that the battle was over, we had to clean up and get Ponyville ready for its citizens to return.

“Honored.” I heard my name being called from the tent. But it sounded sad. As I got closer, I heard more sobbing joining together and a startled gasp.

“The fuck?” I whispered to myself before making my way into the tent and towards the sound of crying. Inside of the operating area, I found the main six and Princess Luna all crying. Oh right, the body shaped pile of rags covered with the blanket.

Guess I could have seen this one coming from a mile away. So I did the only thing I could think of doing. I sighed and leaned against the Princess of the night and smiled up at her, “What are we all crying at?”

I held the ice pack up to my bleeding skull. “And that’s why Luna threw me through the tent and into the demolished building behind us.” I grimaced as the ice pack was pushed back into place by Twilight, who was equally upset with me. How was this my fault?

Sure I didn’t really die, well I did for like thirty minutes, but I guess I could have told them in a nicer way I wasn’t dead, rather than just come up and ask a question.

“So I see y’all didn’t listen to me and stay put in Appleloosa.” I gave them all a deadpan stare but smiled, “I would have done the same thing. I'm proud of you girls.” I removed the ice pack from my head and laid it on the table next to me. “I'm going to go on a walk. I need to sort some things out.”

“I'm glad you're safe.” Luna said to me as I made my way from the tent. I paused at the tent flap and looked back at the group of multicolored ponies.

“Yeah. Me too.”

I walked at a slow pace through the rumble of the town. Guard ponies moved debris into barricades throughout the town, trying to get some kind of protection made around the simple town. But I wasn’t here to offer them help with that, I had my eyes set on a patch of land tucked behind a small pond on the outskirts of Ponyville.

I reached the patch of flat land and walked towards the farthest corner of the property. Slowly I approached the patch of still freshly moved earth. A simple tall rock was stuck in the ground at the head of the newly dug grave.

“Hey Sky.” I smiled weakly at the rock. “I did it. I stopped the first wave of Day Terror’s plan.” I wiped my eye with a dirty and scarred hand as I looked down at the dirt.

“All these ponies I saved really owe you. If it wasn’t for you, well hell this fight would already be over. I'm… I'm just sorry I wasn’t quick enough. I wasn’t strong enough. I could have saved you if I was just a little better.”

I dropped to my knees at the end of the grave. I placed my head in my hands and let out one long sob. “You deserved more than this. You deserved a wonderful life, not what you had. You should have grown old Sky. You should have had more to do, not just throw your life away protecting some strange human.”

“She did what she wanted to do.” I jerked my head around and stared at the intruder. I quickly rubbed my eyes dry.

“Stupid ashes from the fires, keeps getting in my eyes.” Luna just looked at me with sad eyes.

I sighed and went back to staring at the grave. “Did she do the right thing?”

“Why do you insist on torturing yourself over her death, Honored?” Luna reached over and picked my head up in her hoof.

“She gave her life to protect you. Doesn’t that say how much she cared about you?”

“Yes.” I squeaked out. I could feel my emotional barrier beginning to break.

“Then honor her sacrifice the way she would want you too. Do you think that would be sobbing around?” Luna asked me with a faint smile.

“No.” I said while wiping my nose on a tattered sleeve on my ACU blouse.

“She would want you to kick some shadow flank!”

“Yeah.” I stood up and drew my knife from my belt. I walked over to the improvised grave stone and knelt down. I began using the magically sharpened blade to engrave my message onto Sky’s tombstone.

I stood up and sheathed the blade, “Let’s get back into town, I can explain what the griffon said on the way back.”

Here Lies the Beloved Mare
Fast Skies
A Beautiful Guard,
A Gallant Protector,
This Fight is for Her

“And that’s what the griffon said. A massive army is going to basically just wash down from the entire mountain and overrun Ponyville.” I checked the city behind us and saw the magical fires were still blazing all over Canterlot. “An army to put the one we just fought to shame. An army that even I can’t beat…not without some kind of…devious way to win.”

“I know that look Honored.” I kept my grin plastered on my face as Luna smiled too. “So tell me what trick do you have up your sleeve?”

“A great one.” I jerked my thumb towards the massive dam tucked in the cliffs of the mountains far behind Ponyville. “Something that will wash them away.”

Even the Best Laid Plans...

The Shadow Human is the basic warrior found in the ancient city of Hum-gia and recently has been created by Day Terror to combat the human Johnson and the ponies of Equestria.

The Shadow Warrior was created by Day Terror as a better fighter to assist in the killing of Johnson, but ended up creating an all around superior fighting creature to wage war against the ponies and their allies.

Honor Above All Else
Chapter 30
By Honored Service
Pre-read by TheDarkAngel

There she sat. Upon her throne of jagged rock and magic fire.

The Master of Shadows.

Day Terror was adding the finishing touches to her newest warrior in her massive army. The army had taken nearly a week to craft. From the darkest shadows and the evilest of thoughts she spawned this army numbering into the thousands. Ten thousand of the toughest warriors she had ever crafted. Thousands of normal Shadow Humans to lead the assault, followed by thousands of Shadow Warriors, the true backbone of her army. Their tentacle blades and muscles had proved to be the ultimate fighting force. But now she had the newest warrior in her ranks. The warrior that could best that human.

Her Shadow Champions. They were created with one purpose and one purpose only. To seek out eight creatures specifically. The six Elements, one alicorn, and the damned human, and eradicate them. These demons were made to resemble the human. Tall and muscular, with slightly longer arms to allow them to run on all fours for short periods of time. Two razor sharp horns crawled from the sides of their heads and reached out above them for ramming and gouging into enemies. They were as numerous as Shadow Humans and just as strong as Shadow Warriors, the best of both worlds.

Four thousand Shadow Humans.

Four thousand Shadow Warriors.

Two thousand Shadow Champions.

And one airship, that was also mobile artillery platform.

“My Queen!” A griffon ran into the throne room and skidded to low bow before the mighty alicorn.

“Yes messenger? What is it? Can’t you see I'm nearing completion of the army of shadows?” Day Terror was slight annoyed, but what type of leader would she be if she got angry at every little thing.

“Fast Skies was lost to the human, your high-.” The griffon began to speak, but a long black shadow spear impaled itself through his feathery head. The messenger slumped to the ground, blood pooling around his body as the shadow spear evaporated into a fine black mist and floated its way back into Day Terror’s horn.

“Incompetent shadows!” She screamed into the air. “One job. One easy and simple mission. Destroy Ponyville and kill the human!” She picked the body of the griffon up in an aurora of black and green magic. The body disappeared as it was covered in the thick black shadows slowly pouring from the tip of Day Terror’s horn. As the magic slowly stopped flowing, a new shadow was left standing in the griffon’s place. A griffon made of pure shadows. Its wings flared open revealing green fire burning along each primary feather. Its long black talons scratched along the marble as it clicked its beak at the Queen.

“Go Shadow Assassin and kill the human. Or at least the Princess that is still alive.” She turned her back on the Shadow Assassin and walked over to the window that overlooked the old Royal Guard training camp. It was now filled with her massive army.

“My Shadows! Hear me and obey my voice! Within a few short days we shall march down this mountain and begin to purge this land of all things that stand in our way.” The army was deathly silent as it listened, transfixed on the evil alicorn.

“Nothing shall stop our glorious march. The human will die. The princess will die. And the Elements will die or succumb to our might!”

“Gain strength in the night my Shadows, for when day comes on the third day, we fight.”

Day One

“For the last time Pinkie, you do not load these cannon with fucking confetti!” I reached into the barrel of another cannon aboard the Fast Skies and pulled out a clump of multicolored confetti paper. “The sole objective of these are to harm the thing being aimed at, not throw them a party.” I rubbed a hand across my face, something that was happening a lot recently,

“Okay, you know what, Twilight, why in the world is Pinkie in charge of the cannons? Better yet, why aren’t any of you in charge of something like this?”

I looked around as Rarity and Applejack fussed around with multiple swords and bows, one trying to make them look prettier while the other was trying to break them using sheer strength. To test their reliability she had said. “Because I’ll be honest,” I gave a glare to Pinkie as she attempted to load a cake into a different cannon, “fighting just doesn't seem to be y’all’s forte.”

“They wanted to help,” Twilight sighed while picking up the map of Ghastly Gorge that I had marked the kill box on the space in the ravine, “and I wasn't going to tell them not to help.” I jerked a thumb over to where Fluttershy was wrapping cannon balls in bubble wrap.

“What?” she squeaked out when she caught my staring, “I don’t want anypony or shadows to get hurt.”

I slammed my head onto the table and screamed into the wood. “Sergeant Bold!”

A tan pegasus with a red mane flew out of now where and landed next to the table where I was sitting at. “Sergeant Stand Bold reporting as ordered sir!” He said a little too loudly while giving me a crisp salute. I returned it and motioned for him to relax. Sergeant Stand Bold was covered in a patch work of metal armor that looked as if he had made and painted it himself. His red mane and tail were both cut jagged and stuck out at crazy angles from his erratic flying. One of his flanks was missing a piece of armor where his cutie mark showed. A thick blue circle with a white spade in the center.

“Okay, Bold, here’s what I need you to do, and I need this to get done quickly. You trained with the Royal Guard cannon crew right?”

“Yes sir. For a few months at least.” He nodded his head and counted off the months on his primary wing feathers.

“Okay, congratulations, you're getting a promotion!” I stood up and brought the shocked pony guard over in front of Fast Skies, which was anchored to the ground, being prepared for the upcoming battle. “I'm putting you in command of this airship. I’ll explain the details of your mission in a moment, but right now I need you to gather a crew of twenty ponies that can operate the cannons inside of this beast. Can you do that?” I looked down at the guard pony who was just staring at the ship.

“I…ah…um…I… YES!” The Sergeant bolted towards the front of the airship and wrapped his hooves across it. “I’ll take good care of her! I clean here and walk her and ill feed her.” I rubbed my hand across my face, again, and sighed, “Okay then, I’ll leave you to it Sergeant Bold.” I turned around and walked towards Pinkie Pie.

“Miss Pinkie Pie, you're fired from cannon duties, you are now in charge of setting up food for the Royal Guards that are still able to fight here in Ponyville. Applejack, would you please help her before you cut yourself?” Applejack looked up from the sword she was holding, the blade in her hoof and swinging the handle around, before dropping it and trotting over to Pinkie where they then both began walking towards the large tent that was acting as a mess hall for the time being.

“Rarity, there is a lot of armor and uniforms that need to be repaired. I would be honored if you would help our smiths fixing the gear. And I would be even more grateful if you could help with my armor especially.” I lifted off the cracked and dirty golden armor from my shoulders and legs along with my modified chest rig. Rarity’s smile could have lit up the room if it wasn’t already day outside. She scooped up the clothes in her magical grasp and floated them behind her and towards the work shop on the other side of the camp.

Rainbow Dash was eagerly looking at me from across the table. For the last half hour she had been waiting patiently…and by patiently I mean asking to do something awesome every three seconds. “Rainbow, I need you to go with the First Scout group to investigate the enemy movements in Canterlot. No interaction with the enemy force at all. Get in, check it out, and get out. Got it?” I gave her a stern look, trying to show her I was being dead serious. The last thing I need is here getting hurt in a simple recon mission.

“Consider it done!” Rainbow Dash saluted and flew off from the area so fast that a beautiful rainbow streak trailed behind her as she dashed off into the distance.

“Oh, Fluttershy?” I called out softly. I heard an ‘eep’ and the thud of a cannon ball hitting the ground. “Fluttershy, I'm sure the medics and doctors over in the medical station could use your help. Would you go see if you could lend a hoof?” I smiled sweetly at the yellow colored pony before she smiled and gave a simple nod before slowly flying off towards the tent with the red cross on it.

I collapsed backwards into my chair and ran a hand over my face. I looked down at my body. With all of my armor missing I was left staring at a very dirty ACU blouse and trousers. Both of which were very torn from the past battles. My weapons were all still clinging to my body, save the rifle which was being used as a paper weight to hold the map down in front of me.

“And don’t think I forgot about you, Twilight.” I smiled at the purple unicorn, who was rolling a magic bullet around in front of her. She had been playing with the darn thing for nearly an hour now. She had taken it apart, dumped the crushed up powder from the casing, removed the primer, and detached the actual bullet. I walked over to see what she was doing.

“I think I figured out how that unicorn made more bullets for Ahuizotl.” Twilight wore a look of complete and utter satisfaction on her face. “As you can see, once broken down, this bullet is actually very simple. Crushed gems and magically enchanted jewels are used as the propellant for the enchanted shaped rock.” She levitated it over to me, where I grasped the light blue shiny round. “And the primer itself is just a small enchanted piece of stone that is activated when struck by the firing quill.”

“Pin.” I corrected her, placing the components back on the ground in front of her.

“And then, the unicorn just,” her horn glowed and the objects lifted into the air, the crushed gems and jewels falling into the casing, while the primer was stuck back onto the bottom of the casing and the rock was molded back onto the top of the round, “put them all together with a simple shifting spell.”

“Wow.” I was surprised at the easiness of the process for making the magical rounds. “I’m impressed Twilight. But now I have a new job for you.” Twilight looked up from her current amusement with the bullet to me. “I would like you to help Princess Luna. We need a plan for changing Day Terror back to Celestia, and I feel you are the most qualified for the job.”

“Of course!” Twilight smiled and jumped up, she levitated a small box towards me before rushing off towards the command tent where Luna should be.

“Wait! What is in the box?” I yelled after her.

“Open it, silly!” She yelled back, “You’ll know when to use them!” the unicorn turned around a corner and vanished from sight.

I looked at the small package in my hand. It was wrapped in brown paper and tied with a simple piece of twine. I undid the knot and dropped the wrapping to the ground. I popped the lid off the small black container and just stared at the contents of the package.

Resting inside were five bullets. Five very different bullets. Each head of the bullet was, instead of blue, glowing purple, the same color as Twilight’s magical aurora. I debated testing one out, but decided against it. There were only five of them, I better not waste them. I removed the modified 5.56 rounds and tucked them into a small pouch on my belt.

I was about to begin to relax when I heard a massive series of booms ringing out across the camp. I jerked my rifle up from the table and caught the map before training the rifle on the source of the sound. I lowered the rifle as I watched in amazement.

Fast Skies was dipping and dodging its way across the sky, making twists and turns I thought would be impossible for a ship of its size. As it came along side of a small hill, all the guns on one side of the ship fired in a perfect line, starting from the bow all the way to stern one at a time, devastating the hill into nothingness. Before I could turn away, the ship quickly preformed a turn and then ran a second pass on the hill using the other port of cannons along the other side of the ship. I was dumbstruck by the crew and the swiftness of the ship itself.

“HEY THERE, LIUTENANT!” A tan head with a red mane poked its way out of a large window towards the front of the ship. “I THINK I FOUND A GOOD CREW.”

“YOU SURE DID SERGEANT! KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. NOW GET BACK HERE SO I CAN BRIEF YOU ON THE MISSION!” I hollered up to the racing airship. I was given a wave of acknowledgement before the ship began speeding back towards the landing area created for it.

“Maybe this will go even better than expected.” I thought aloud while heading towards the anchored airship.

The Shadow Assassin watched the airship demolish the hill. It felt nothing for the destruction it rained upon the landscape. Its mission was to kill the human, not relay info to the Queen. The shadow stalked the human from across the camp. Swiftly and silently it ducked in and out through tents while seemingly melting into the shadows everywhere approaching its target at a snail’s pace.

The Shadow Assassin had been given a rare opportunity. The human had slowly dismissed all of its companions from its presence and was now walking alone towards the airship docked across the camp. If the shadow could feel emotion, it would have been smiling at this luck opportunity. The human would walk right next to a completely empty tent. That’s where the Shadow Assassin would spring its deadly trap.

It slinked off into the shadows, disappearing from sight as it crawled towards the tent.

I walked towards the airship to brief Sergeant Stand Bold on the attack that would force the shadow army into Ghastly Gorge. Fast Skies would have to be perfect and act quickly if there was to be any hope of getting the army to move into the trapped gorge.

I suddenly found myself jerked into a tent. The flap closed behind me as I regained my footing in the center of the dark tent. The material of the tent allowed a small amount of light to filter through into the inside of the tent but it was relatively dark.

“The fuck? Who’s in here? Pinkie I'm not into surprise parties.”

I screamed out in surprise and pain as something hot ran across my back. I dropped to my knees and reached behind me. My hand came into contact with something warm and sticky. Bringing my hand in from of me revealed it to be coated in blood. I stood up and brought my rifle up to bear. I spun around, covering the entirety of the tent, nothing but…shadows.

“So the mighty Day Terror sends a simple pet to kill me. How powerful.” I was suddenly launched into the air as a kick from something knocked me across the empty space of the tent. I landed hard on my stomach, the rifle flying from my grasp and sliding under the wall of the tent. “Shit!” I reached a hand under the tent trying to find the weapon, but I clawed the empty air. The shadow gripped my leg and jerked me along the ground towards the center of the tent.

I turned over onto my back and drew my pistol from its holster. “Gotcha!” I finally laid eyes on my attacker. The shadow of a griffon. A big ass griffon. With fucking huge talons and fiery green wings. “Well that’s just not fair.” I charged the pistol up in my gauntleted hand and released the magical bolt at the creature.

It let go of my leg and jumped back into the shadows of the tent avoiding my shots and disappearing into the darkness. Shit.

I staggered up to my feet and looked around, pistol at the ready, my right hand finding the handle of Bad Bertha. I drew the wicked knife and held it out to my side, ready to slice my way through the creature.

Another slash from nowhere burned across my left arm, causing me to fumble with the pistol and drop it to the ground. I quickly dove down trying to get it, put a flash of a black lions tail knocked under the tent just as the rifle had been. I gulped and found myself really missing my armor.

“Oh, poor human.” The voice echoed around the tent. It seemed to come from every direction. Day Terror. I looked around trying to find the griffon, but it had vanished into the shadows.

“That’s right human. Feel the end around you. The darkness. It surrounds you. It corners you like a scared animal before the slaughter. This is the end. A shame I shall not be able to gore you with my horn. That seems so much more fitting, but alas I guess my Shadow Assassin will have to do.”

I felt another quick slice across my chest. I dropped to the ground, my left hand covering the wound now spanning from my left breast to my right side below the ribs. I couched and stood back up, my knife posed and at the ready to strike.

“Death will be slow, just like I always promised you human.”

Another cut.

More blood.

More taunting from Day Terror.

My thoughts began to grow heavy and my movements slowed as the loss of blood began to affect me. I spun around and began to lash out in every direction, desperate to hit something.

“That’s right human; just waste your energy trying to strike that which you can’t see.” I quickly collected myself and pooled all my energy together and ran into the darkness around the edges of the tent, till it hit the side of the cloth material. I pulled my hand back stabbed the blade into the cloth and ripped it down. I jerked the knife to the side cutting m large hole into the tent, flooding the interior with light. And there right behind me stood the griffon reaching its talons into the air to deliver the final blow.

I ducked into a roll and slid under the creature, while jamming the knife up as I went, spilling blood and shadow gore along the ground as I moved under the shadow griffon. I popped up to my feet and jumped onto the griffon’s back, placing the blade along the front of the Shadow Assassin’s neck.

“Fuck the darkness, Day Terror. You’ll have to try harder, you bitch. I’m coming for you, and I won’t fail!” I drew the knife hard to the side, slicing through the soft feathery neck of the shadow griffon, blood spurting out and spraying onto the sides of the tent. I climbed off the body, taking a moment to rip a green flaming feather from its dying body. I tucked the feather in a button hole next to another feather. The red and black feathers mingling, creating an eerie glow.

I staggered out through the hole in the side of the tent, only stopping to pick up my rifle and pistol. I made my way towards the medical tent, a long trail of blood marking my way. I lifted the flap and locked eyes with a pink maned pegasus who was holding a tray of bandages in her mouth.

“Hey there, Fluttershy.” I pitched forward into the darkness that was taking me into unconsciousness.

So it Begins in Fire

PICTURE TIME!

A wonderful drawing from a close friend who shares in the military lifestyle. A picture of Johnson and the Nightmare when the two were united together and trying to get back to Canterlot.

This was crafted by BronyAustralia (here). A glorious remake of the Equestrian Honor Guard symbol and what the Diamo

Honor Above All Else
Chapter 31
By Honored Service
Pre-read TheDrakAngel AND Tbone5363 (holy shit TWO pre-readers? Count them- TWO!)

“Oh, my head.” I opened my eyes and regained consciousness to the calming beeping of a heart monitor. I was lying on one of the small cots in the medical tent. “Wow, déjà vu… for like the hundredth time.”

“I’ll say.”

I rolled over on the bed and looked up at the pony standing above me. “Well, hello to you too, Luna.”

“I swear human, you do this to yourself on purpose for the attention.” Luna smiled and levitated a bundle of armor to me. My Royal Guard armor was cleaned and patched up. Even the golden helmet with the feathered top was repaired to its pristine condition.

“You know this is just going to get ruined again.” I flashed my trademark smile and slowly rose out of the bed. My joints popped and cracked as I stretched out my limbs. “So, how long was out for this time?” I yawned and picked up my old combat uniform and put them over the boxers and undershirt I was currently wearing.

“Well it’s been nearly a day. Fluttershy worked her magic alongside the doctors and had you all patched up before the sun went down. The rest was done by your magic. You seem to be developing some kind of resistance to internal damage, and that isn’t an excuse to run around willy-nilly getting stabbed by shadows nonstop."

“Of course not!” I placed a hand over my chest. “I would never use my powers of awesomeness to kick some shadow ass.” I laughed as I locked the shoulder armor pieces in place and secured my belt along my waist. The golden leg armor was fitted on next and the armored chest rig covered most of the ACU blouse. I rolled my shoulders, locking everything into place. “Oh yeah, that feels better.” I crisscrossed the swords on my back and let the rifle dangle to my side from the tactical three point sling. “Back in business!”

“How’s Fast Skies doing?” I asked as I made my way from the medical tent, Luna trotting next to me as I wandered around the camp, deciding to see how progress was being made in preparation for the oncoming shadow assault.

“Well, your rather harsh and quick promotion of the Sergeant Stand Bold is actually proving to be quite good.” Luna turned to face me before mumbling under her breath, “but perhaps you could have run it by me first.”

“Sorry, Princess, wasn’t enough time. So where is the airship? It is rather important to the whole plan, and I need to brief Stand Bold on the operation itself.” We walked around another tent and made a straight path towards a large tent with the royal seal on it. Two Night Guards stood by the door, armed with swords strapped across their backs. I nodded to them as they saluted the both of us, while we entered the tent.

“Honored!” Six voices called out at once. I was smashed to the ground in a multicolored wave of ponies as Rarity, Applejack,
Rainbow Dash, Twilight, Pinkie, and Fluttershy all tackled me to the ground in massive dog pile hug.

“Good morning, Lieutenant.” From across the tent stood Sergeant Stand Bold. By the sound of his voice, I could tell he was jealous that he wasn't being tackled by six young mares. Either that…or it was amusing to see the ultimate warrior knocked down by six mares.

“Morning to you Sergeant. How is the airship doing today?” I slowly removed myself from the pile of hugs and gave each of the girls a friendly smile.

“The crew is prepared, the weapon hold stocked, and well we are shooting all tens sir!” Stand Bold replied happily. He stood proud at his accomplishment and I’ll give him that. Taking control of that airship and then whipping a crew into shape in a matter of days is no small task.

“Please, Bold, you can drop all the sir nonsense.” I looked over to Princess Luna who was staring at me with a questioning glance. “Because, I'm making you my right hand, er, hoof, man, err, pony. I like your attitude and motivation Stand Bold. I want to call you a friend.” I extended my hand to the tan pegasus who just looked from my hand to my face.

“Listen if you don’t want to-“ I was cut off as a flash of tan and red knocked me to the ground in a hug.

“I’M FRIENDS WITH THE HUMAN!” Stand Bold stood atop of my chest and shoved a hoof into the air. “Take that, mom! You said I wouldn't meet anypony interesting in the guard. Well, who’s laughing now? I'm friends with the only living human!” I just laughed as Stand Bold turned red and climbed down from my chest.

“Um hehe sorry about that.” He coughed and rubbed a hoof in the dirt floor of the tent.

“It’s okay buddy.” His head shot up quickly and his eyes were round as dinner plates.

“I'm your buddy?” Sergeant Bold asked not blinking once.

“Um, yeah.” I said while climbing back to my feet. “But don’t get all weird!” I added as he took another step closer to me.

“Okay so to brief you on the upcoming battle I need you and the airship –“ I was silenced as one of the Night Guards bolted in through the tent flap door.

“Princess Luna! Lieutenant Service! There is something here to see you.” The guard panted while pointing a hoof at the door she had just burst through.

I rolled my eyes and shrugged to the Princess. We both marched side by side to the door where it was lifted with a dark blue aurora of magic.

I jerked my rifle up and had it trained on the creature that was here to visit us.

A shadow.

It was just another guard shift for Night Light. She was standing by the door when the human and her Princess walked up. Saluting quickly, they passed by her with a simple nod.

“Well, that’s high point of my day.” She sighed. Sure they were under a possible threat of invasion and being overrun by an army of unlimited shadow things…but sitting guard sucked.

“Oh, cheer up, Light; at least we don’t have to stand here for much longer.” Her fellow guard, Boogie Night, said. “And at least this position is safe. We got the eight most powerful beings in Equestria right behind us. The Elements, Princess Luna, and the human.”

“But still the shadows could launch the assault whenever.” Night Light added. Arguing was all the two guards could do for the next two hours.

“Yeah, but what are they going to do? Send us a shadow, who just walks right up to us and offers to tell us when they are going to attack.” Boogie Night chuckled to himself when he heard hoof steps approaching.

“Hello pony guards,” The shadow walked right in front of the two ponies, arms raised over its head, “I come in… um what was it… ah I come in peace!” It smiled, reveling four fangs in a blood red mouth.

Night Light did what her extensive twenty weeks of training and three years in the guard had taught her to do… she ran for the next most powerful being she could find. And they were right behind her.

I frowned at the shadow and kept the rifle trained perfectly on the things chest. “The fuck you want?” I asked sternly.

“Yes, what do you want creature of the dark?” Princess Luna asked while levitating the two blades from the dead griffon king beside her.

“This just got good!” Pinkie Pie said from behind us. Everypony nearby stopped to stare at her, before returning to the shadow that was still standing in front of the command tent.

“I’ll ask you one more time,” I said very calmly while slowly racking the charging rod on M16, “what the fuck do you want?”

The shadow visibly gulped before opening its mouth.

“I come here to aid you.”

The sound of every jaw opening and falling to the ground was audible. Even I was left dumbstruck. The silence that followed that statement was unbearable. The shadow raised a hand and coughed into it, “So I’m sure you have some question-“

I leapt forward and grabbed the creature by its neck and drove it to the ground. I held it against the ground while the gauntlet slowly tightened around its throat. “I'm not falling for any of Day Terror’s tricks. Forget you and forget her attempt at tricking me!” I reached down with my free hand and drew my knife from its sheath before placing the blade against the shadow’s neck.

“WAIT!” I stopped just as the blade began to move. I turned my head to the side to see Fluttershy standing next to me, panting hard. She looked visibly upset and about to cry. Her eyes were tearing up and her lips trembled. “He’s trying to be nice. You can’t kill him for being nice.”

“Thank you, Miss Flutters-“ The shadow began to speak, but I reached out and backhanded him before positioning the knife back against its throat.

“Make one more move and I’ll…I’ll…I’ll…uhhhhh.” My threat died in my throat as I looked up to Fluttershy. Suddenly my mind went blank and I found it hard to even breathe. It felt like every fiber of my being was being twisted and pulled as she unleashed the stare on me. I struggled to breathe, to gasp out and suck in air, but nothing worked. I could feel my eyesight slowly fading as everything began to fade.

Then it stopped. I was gasping for air lying on my back being stared at by everypony and a shadow. I shot up and grumbled to myself before retreating backwards against the tent. I grumbled to myself before glaring at the shadow.

“Thank you, Miss Fluttershy, now please allow to me to explain before you come to any rash and barbaric decisions.” The shadow turned and looked directly at me. I continued my death stare at it. My knife was still resting in my hand, and a ball of blood red magic was floating in my gauntlet, ready to lash out.

“Speak, shadow.” Luna said bluntly, her two blades still floating in the air behind her.

“I came to help, to join you in the fight to stop Day Terror.” The shadow calmly explained.

“Okay I'm just going to have to call bullshit.” I said from my corner at the tent. Everpony turned to look at me. “Shadows are created by Day Terror, and each one is created to kill, destroy, and harm anything in its way.”

“Is that not what you do?” The shadow shot back at me. I opened my mouth, but closed it soon after. “Normally, you are correct, human, but even self-proclaimed gods like Day Terror make mistakes. I’m that such mistake.” The shadow gave a flourish and a bow.

“Day Terror had a momentary lapse of concentration while I was being spawned from the darkness. She let Celestia slip into consciousness for just a moment, and your Princess took that brief chance to flash a memory of friendship she had heard from the story that you yourself, Honored, told her. Your old friendship with the Nightmare. And in that briefest of moments, I took my form with the thoughts and ideas of friendship, and well, being friends with you.”

Everypony was quiet as I thought, then I burst out laughing. “Okay, so you expect me to believe that you are my friend.”

“Yes.”

“And that you are in no way evil or wanting to destroy me.”

“Correct.”

“Well, again, I’ll call bullshit!” I stood up and walked towards the shadow. “I have slaughtered near thousands of you stupid things. And yet you come in here trying to make me believe that you are different.”

The shadow cringed under my words as I took another step closer to it. “Please. I'm just asking for a chance.”

I looked at the trembling creature. The shadow was hunched over trying to seem smaller than it actually was. Normally a shadow had its arms turned into four foot long blades, but yet here he was with normal human looking hands. And he was showing emotion. Something that the recent shadows hadn’t shown.

“Fine.” I sighed and sheathed the knife. “One fucking chance. And you will not leave my sight. You will be my shadow.”

There was another long pause before everypony exploded into laughter. The shadow also let out a chuckle. I frowned and turned beet red. “Stop it! That wasn’t one of my clever puns! This is serious guys!” I scuffed a boot on the ground.

As the laughter died down, I felt a small tremble in the earth. I looked up to Luna who stared back at me. “You felt it too, Honored?”

“Yeah, it’s time.”

“What time is it?” The shadow and Sergeant Stand Bold asked at the same time.

“The army is moving. That was the command I'm guessing.” I took a deep breath and ran over the plan one more time in my head. “Sergeant, get to the airship. Begin phase one of Operation Amputate.” Sergeant Bold gave a salute and then raced towards the open field that held the landed airship. Within moments I heard the steady thumping of the propellers and watched as the armor clad mobile artillery platform rose into the sky and began floating towards Canterlot.

“Princess Luna, and you girls, get to Ponyville and help finish the final preparation for the oncoming assault. The gorge should hopefully wipe out most of the army, but just in case, I want Ponyville ready to defend from the reaming force.”

The Elements took off together towards the town, while Luna stayed. “Now, Honored, remember your part in the plan.”

“Yeah I know.” I looked off into the distance, focusing on the burning city of Canterlot.

“Johnson.” I tore my gaze away from the city and to the Princess of the Night.

“Yes, your highness?” I asked.

“Please. Come back safe. That’s an order.” She smiled. “Detonate the charges and fall back. There’s no need for this lone wolf nonsense that you like to do.”

“Of course, your highness, but I'm not alone this time.” I looked to the sky where the fading airship began to circle a certain spot above the long winding road down from Canterlot. “And I also got this guy.” I jerked a thumb over to the Shadow who was tapping his fingers together nervously. “And I actually don’t know how much of a help he’ll be.”

“Hey!” The shadow called out, audibly hurt from my insult.

“And I need a name for you, shadow.” I turned around but suddenly he was gone. I spun back around, but he was nowhere to me seen.

“Call me, Covert.” I gasped in shock and looked down to where the voice had come from. And there he was. Covert had taken the form of my shadow on the ground. I moved my hand, but my shadow didn't, instead it cracked a smile that revealed his blood red mouth.

“Okay, I’ll admit, that’s pretty cool.” I smiled as Covert slowly rose off the ground to his standing self. “Okay, Covert, now you just have to gain my trust and then I’ll see about calling you a friend. You good-for-nothing shadow.”

Covert sighed and fell in behind me as we began jogging towards Ghastly Gorge. The battle of Ghastly Gorge was about to commence, and I’ll be damned if any more ponies die on my watch.

“First battalion, move up!” The Shadow Champion Commander called out from the front of the massive army. A rank of nearly five hundred shadows moved into position. “Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth, fall in and began the march towards Ponyville!” The massive group of twenty-five hundred Shadow Humans began marching from the road towards Ponyville.
The town was still about an hour’s march off, but the slaughtering of stupid ponies was worth the wait.

BOOM

A giant explosion tore the center of third battalion to bits. Chunks of shadows and earth rained everywhere. Soon another explosion was heard, followed by another. And another. And another. The Shadow Commander watched as slowly his massive army was being obliterated by some kind of unknown firepower.

“Report! Where is that coming from!?” The Shadow Champion screamed at his subordinates. Another shell landed mere feet away, and blew the Champion to the side. It bounced on its hands and came up onto all fours before rising onto its hind legs. “NOW!”

“There!” A Shadow Human called out pointing a bladed hand towards the sky. The Shadow Champion looked at a hovering air ship that was firing cannons down on their position. The longer it took it to decide what to do, the more shadows that were being lost. And the next regiment of reinforcements was still another hour behind.

“Shadows! Head for the gorge! The high walls will provide cover from that ship!” The Shadow Champion issued the order and slowly the shadow battalions began racing for the safety of the gorge. The Shadow in charge had been created with the knowledge of Ponyville and the surrounding landscape. It knew its enemy, and it understood the tactics of how the human fought. It fought with brash, suicidal, head on attacks, that while foolish, still left ranks of shadows decimated.

And given the choices of the Ghastly Gorge or continue along the open road and have the rest of the shadow ranks destroyed, the Shadow Commander chose the safety of the gorge from the well placed fire of the airship.

“Well, holy fucking shit. It’s actually working.” I watched from atop the crest of a hill overlooking Ghastly Gorge. The shadow army, a bit smaller than what I had expected, was funneling its way directly into the trap. Once the entire army was in the confines of the gorge, I would blow the charges and send the army straight to hell. Boom another victory to the almighty human!

“Why are you surprised?” Covert asked me. He had remained silent for the walk to the hill and for the better part of watching the army move into the trap.

“Well yeah.” I laughed and tucked the binoculars into a pocket on my ACU pant leg. “Mainly because I thought the leader of the army would be smarter than to head into a gorge, when they knew we knew that they were coming.”

“So this whole thing could have failed?” Covert stated while slowly changing one of his hands into a double bladed sword.

“Nah, I wouldn’t say that.” I slowly removed a detonator switch from my pocket. There were three buttons on the simple magical switching device. An arming button and a red and blue button. “You see this?”

Covert gave a simple nod.

“One button triggers the explosives lining the walls of the gorge to explode. The other button causes the extra five hundred pounds of explosives that I hid in the Ponyville damn to explode flooding this entire valley with water, destroying Ponyville and all the Shadows that would overrun it.” I stated this matter-of-factly before smiling and holding onto the detonator tight.

The shadow cringed at me. “But that would kill all the ponies you are trying to protect.”

“Nope. Princess Luna knows about this. This is the last stand switch. If this fails, and the guard and myself are unable to hold back the army, then we hit the kill switch. This entire valley becomes a flooded graveyard for all. No more Shadow army, and the survivors can make the push onto Canterlot.”

Covert just stood there, mouth agape, staring at me. “You're insane. Brilliant, but insane!”

“I know.” I smiled my cocky smile and watched as the army of shadow nearly filled the entire gorge. “Ready for a show, Covert?”

“I guess.”

“This is how I will decide whether or not to kill you. You do know this right?” I looked back at the shadow, all smiles gone.

“What?”

“If you don’t show me if you can actually help me, or if you try and stab me in the back, I won’t hesitate to drop you dead right then and there.”

Covert took a deep breath and swallowed. “I understand human. I will show you that I'm not the same as the rest of these shadows.”

“I hope so.” I held the detonator up and flicked the yellow arming switch. The faint sound of magical energy chimed through the air. I stared at the red and blue buttons.

“Shit. Which one blew the gorge?”

“Really?”

“Fuck it. Red one.” I pressed down hard on the red button and a quick burst of purple energy launched forth from the end of the detonator towards the gorge.

“Haha, close one!” I placed the detonator back into my pocket and readied my M16A2. “Oaky Covert, let me show you how this works.”

CRACK-BOOM

The entire gorge lit up in multiple flashes of bright explosions. The walls shook and wavered as the charges detonated, sending massive chunks of rocks hurtling down towards the un-expecting army below. The lead Shadow Commander made no attempt to dive out of the way of the boulder that dropped straight on top of him. He had failed. This was better than returning a failure.

The army of shadows disappeared under the wave of rocks and boulders. Dust and dirt billowed into the air and filled the gorge with a dusty haze.

“And that’s all I have to say about that.” I looked at Covert and smiled. “And I didn’t even have to break a sweat.”

The friendly shadow raised his unchanged hand and pointed it towards the gorge.

I sighed and turned to face the dusty haze. I couldn’t see anything. I reached into the pocket where I had stowed the binoculars and pulled them out. “What is it Covert? I don’t see jackshit…oh shit.”

From the end of Ghastly Gorge, through the haze of the dust and floating dirt, I could make out glowing red eyes.

Thousands of glowing red eyes. Slowly the shapes of Shadow Humans and Shadow Warriors began to emerge. They climbed over the debris from the explosions and began making their way across the top of the rumble.

“So it seems that wasn’t the army.” I sighed and dropped the binoculars to the ground. “Perfect. And here I was thinking I wouldn’t get to do any up close killing!” I smiled and ran forward, startling Covert with my sudden movement.

“LET’S GO HAVE SOME FUN, COVERT!”

Play to make scene 20% more violent.

I jumped onto the slanted surface of the gorge, and began sliding down the edge of the gorge towards the oncoming army. The rifle was held tight in my grasp and I kicked up dust behind me. I flipped into the air as I approached the bottom of the wall and landed perfectly on my feet. I aimed and fired the rifle down range at the first Shadows climbing over the hill of rocks.

A trio of shadows stumbled under the well places bullets and toppled forward, bouncing to the ground, leaving a bloody trail behind them all the way down.

“Oh, it’s going to be a good day.” I smiled again and felt the rifle kick into my shoulder as more shadows slipped and fell under my fire to the bottom of the ruble. I leapt to the side and crouched, taking a kneeling position while spraying another shadow with bullets. It collapsed into a heap as a Shadow Warrior moved into the way.

It raised its two massive arms and lifted a boulder above its head. I ducked as it hurled the chunk of rock at me. It crushed the area I had just occupied. I dropped the rifle to my side and ran head on towards the towering enemy. Jerking out both swords on my back, I ducked underneath its tentacles that lashed out and stabbed the air.

Weaving in and out of the warriors stabbing shadow blades I got in close and swung both swords at one of its legs. The creature roared and toppled over to one side, thrown off balance the lack of one of its limbs. As it struggled to right itself, I jumped into the air and landed on its head. My combat boots drove its skull to the ground where it exploded like a pumpkin.

“HAHA!” I laughed manically while slashing the blades against a shadow that dared to fight me. The magical Zappy sliced through the shadow’s arm blade with ease and lodged itself in its chest. I lifted a foot and kicked the shadow in the gut, sending it flying of the blade and toppling into a rock, where I jumped forward and spun on my heel and lopped off its head.

I spun in a circle and ducked to the ground just as another blade passed over my head. I stuck the diamond sword forward and caught the shadow in the gut, spilling black blood everywhere. I ran forward through the chaos and sliced at any shadow that passed by me.

Shadow warriors chased after me, hurling rocks and anything else they could to try and cut off my run that was causing their ranks to implode on themselves.

“What's the plan?” A calm voice spoke from beside me. Covert seemed to just appear next to me. Both his hands had morphed into double pronged blades.

“Plan?” I laughed at the thought and ducked under a thrown rock. “There is no plan! Just kill shadows and slow them down while Ponyville prepares to fight what gets through.”

“That doesn’t sound like a plan.”

“It isn’t!” I laughed again and stopped running while slamming the blades backwards, both swords goring two shadows that had been following to close behind. I yanked the blades free from the dead shadows and sheathed them on my back. I lifted the rifle in one hand, and gripped my pistol in my gauntlet, allowing magic to flow into the chamber. “We hold them. Luna will send a scout to see how the trap worked. When he reports that the army is a lot bigger than expected, she’ll know to evacuate, because then comes the flood.”

I snorted and leveled the rifle to my side and fired a shot into the skull of a shadow. It flipped over backwards and tripped up several charging shadow humans. I quickly turned and brought my arm up deflecting a cut from a shadow. It staggered backwards, while I aimed the pistol under my arm and fired off a quick trio of magical bursts into its chest. I whipped around and fired the pistol while firing the rifle in the opposite direction. Shadows dropped left and right. Black blood slowly began to coat the rocks and ground around me with its slick tendency. Shadows began to slip in the gore of their dying comrades. I could only bask in the glory and thrill of fighting.

I turned to check up on Covert. I had yet to see him doing fighting. But then again I just realized why. I stared dumbstruck as a quick blur of a shadow moved from shadow human to shadow human. After that quick moving shadow moved from one, the shadow human would simply drop to the ground blood flowing freely from its chest or sliced open neck. Covert moved so quickly and silently, it was as almost he wasn’t even there, just a shadow being carried on the wind.

I turned my focus from Covert back to the shadow that was approaching me. It was moving slowly and deliberately towards me. Two long black curved horns protruded from its head and along both of its arms it had a long spike facing backwards. One of its hands was morphed into the shape of a medieval flail, and the other was a direct copy of Covert’s double pronged blade.

“The fuck are you?” I asked.

It gave no response. It just stared me down from across the blood soaked earth. Covert continued to fight in the background, but the surrounding shadows had stopped their attacks on me. I laughed and raised my rifle and fired a round straight into the chest of the new shadow.

It simply moved. Well it flashed to the side. One moment it was standing in front of me, the next it was right beside me, pulling its arm back- oh shit!

The flail caught me square in the chest armor plate. I flew backwards, coughing and clutching at my dented armor. I gasped as I struck the earth and toppled backwards, rolling to a stop against a boulder. I struggled to breathe as I sat up. The spike flail had pierced my armor and left multiple stab wounds across my chest. Blood was slowly trickling out of the holes and out from under the armor.

I looked up to see the shadow running right at me. There was quick flash of movement and I saw Covert step in front of the charging shadow to only be bitch slapped by the sword and sent hurtling against the gorge wall.

“What the hell are you?” I asked climbing to my feet, but my answer was kick to my stomach that knocked me backwards against the boulder, knocking the breath out of me. I flopped to the ground gasping for air. I aimed the pistol from my position on the ground and fired magical burst after magical burst at the shadow. It dipped and dodged its way around the shots and slowly got closer and closer. The pistol began to glow red from the heat building up along its barrel from the rapid firing of it. The shadow moved in for the kill.

It lunged forward, blade outreached to pierce my heart. At the last second I dove to the side, the blade stabbing into the rock I had been leaning against. The shadow grunted as it tried to pry its blade free. I walked up and pressed the red hot barrel of the pistol against its neck. But the shadow merely shook in pain. Not a sound escaping from it. I drew the diamond sword and placed the tip of it against the shadow’s neck. I slowly pushed inwards, letting the blade slowly slip into its neck, pitch black blood spilling forth from the wound and covering the ground. The shadow stopped struggling and finally went limp, slumping against the boulder. I panted, out of breath, and turned to face the remaining shadows. Covert stepped out from nowhere and stood next to me.

“That was a Shadow Champion. The best of the best. Solely created to kill you.”

“Wow that makes me feel real good.” I lifted my rifle up and continued the now somewhat labored attack on the shadows. The normal shadows felt like very easy mode on a video game compared to that…that shadow champion. I hadn’t been able to hit that thing once with my rifle or pistol. I hope there wasn’t any more of those Shadow Champions.

“Let’s fall back, Covert. I think the damage we have done will slow them down. I’ve got a few more aces up my sleeve.” I pulled out a second detonator and tapped it against my golden helmet.

The Final Stand of Ponyville

Honor Above All Else
Chapter 32
By Honored Service
Pre-read Tbone5363

“Shitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshit.” I yelled to myself while running along the end of Ghastly Gorge. I spun around and fired the rifle from my hip, spraying the area with magical blue bullets. Shadows jerked left and right before collapsing to the ground. There were a lot more shadows than I had expected. The first explosion had wiped out a lot of the shadows, and the following fight in the gorge had also cut their numbers down, but then the next wave came.

(Honored Service fighting a Shadow Warrior. Yes thay are pretty big.)

Covert and myself had just began to walk back to Ponyville when the next wave broke over the top of the ruble from the first explosion. Another fight had broken out, but this time, even I couldn’t handle the amount of shadows that were rushing forward. It was a rush.

And here I was running for my life to clear the blast radius of my follow up bombs I had planted. At the exit of the gorge I had planted two bombs on either side of the entrance to the ravine. I'm glad I loved explosions or else this would have ended a long time ago.

The rifle in my hands went silent as I fingered the magazine release switch. The empty clip dropped to the rocky ground with a clatter and the new one was pushed firmly into the magazine well. I continued running as Covert appeared from the shadows next to me.

“So what’s the plan now?”

“Run. Hit button. Boom.” I panted out before releasing another wave of fire into the oncoming shadows. Thank the lord above the Shadow Warriors couldn’t run fast or this would be a bitch. And those Shadow Champions, don’t even get me started. Those fuckers could run, jump, hit, do everything better than me, and yet every one of them was beaten thanks to one thing.

Luck.

“Speak of the devil.” Something flashed by me and stopped directly in front of my run. The horns on its head gave it away immediately. Another Shadow Champion had decided to take me down.

I quickly jerked the rifle up and fired the remaining rounds into the gorge wall above the creature. Large rocks shattered and exploded off the wall and came hurtling down towards the creature. It side stepped to avoid the crushing rocks, but I slid across the ground on my knees and sliced my knife across the thing’s stomach. It dropped to its knees while I stood up and swung around flipping the knife around in my hand and driving the fourteen inch blade through its neck and jerking it to the side. Its head flopped to one side and it fell over to the ground among the rocks, dead.

“There!” I pointed ahead of me with the black blood soaked knife at the end of the gorge. I put all of my reaming strength into running and sprinted towards the exit. I could hear the screaming and wild calls of the shadows catching up. They were gaining on me, and fast.

I turned my head and saw that the shadows were almost on my heels. “Shit!” I screamed, hoping that some force would answer my silent prayers.

BOOM

I was thrown onto my face as something exploded behind me, rocketing me forward. I flipped over onto my back and shoved the barrel of my rifle into the face of a shadow that had survived the random explosion. Its head snapped back as the bullet punched a small hole in its forehead, and blew the back of its head open.

“Looks like you could use some help!” I looked up to see Fast Skies gliding in from behind, its four forward cannons smoking. “Load another volley lads! Let’s assist the human!” I could hear Sergeant Stand Bold’s loud voice commanding his crew. I got to my feet and watched as the destruction power of the airship’s cannons ripped the oncoming shadows to bits.

The airship lazily turned, bringing the twenty cannon side to bare, the shadows still rushing forward.

“FIRE DAMNIT!” I screamed at the top of my lungs.

I slammed my eyes shut as the cannons roared from above and the world flashed before me. I waited a few seconds before staring at the carnage before me. The entrance to the gorge was obliterated. Bits of shadows covered the area, gore smearing every surface.

“Damn.” I lifted my second detonator to my side just as Covert reappeared beside me. “Jesus Covert, could you give me some warning or something?” I shook my head and sighed, “I need to get you a bell or something to wear around your neck.” I looked at the small magical detonator. “You know what, here you do it.”

I flicked the remote over to the shadow, who caught it in his hand. “You want me to press it?”

“Why not. You did kinda kick ass today.” I smiled and nodded. “Blue one.”

Covert looked at the button before morphing his bladed hand back into a normal hand. He slowly pressed the blue button. A second later, both sides of the entrance to the gorge were consumed in a massive multicolored explosion. “WOW!” Covert yelled bouncing up and down, before regaining his composure and passing the detonator back to me. “Thank you Honored.”

“Sure.” I but the detonator back into my pocket just as a tan pegasus in gray mismatched homemade armor landed next to me.

“So I’ll take that thanks now.” Stand Bold rubbed a hoof across his chest. I reached over and scoped him up into a hug and squeezed him. “AH not like that you big monkey!”

“Thanks Sergeant. Okay now let’s get the hell out of here. The gorge is closed up, so now they have to go back. It will by us some precious time.” I said. A rope dropped down from the airship bay door, and I grabbed a hold of it and looped it around my waist. Sergeant Stand Bold flew back up to the cockpit and the airship began drifting towards Ponyville.

I looked behind be and pulled the detonator out. I looked out at the field before me before sighing.

I pressed the red button. The field disappeared, engulfed in rippling explosions that caused the field to become one large trench filled with rocks and piles of dirt. Combined with the blocked of gorge and the new terrifying terrain, this would by the defenders of Ponyville some much needed time, which is just what we needed.

(Johnson in his old ACU's with the added pony golden armor. M16A2 and the black magical gauntlet)

“Twilight can you do it?”

“With your help Princess I think I can. But why are we doing this?” Twilight cocked her head to the side as she finished creating the diagram on the ground of the command tent.

“Johnson needs all the help he can get; we need all the help we can get, and I believe that this could help. If it works.” Luna bowed her head and flipped through another page in the large tome in front of her. She was looking at a spell that could teleport a creature over long distances, distances spanning oceans. With enough power and concentration maybe the spell could reach out to other planets.

“But Princess, what if this spell doesn’t work. He might not only be from another planet, but from another universe, like how Princess Celestia suggested.” Twilight said while glancing at the tome next to her.

“I know young Twilight. But this is a losing fight. We need all the help we can get. And if, and that’s a big if, this works we can at least claim a victory here, and then push to Canterlot and secure Day Terror and blast her with the Elements.” Luna had thought this plan through and through. Any attempt at a sneak attack would fail with that many shadows around Canterlot.
By forcing Day Terror to launch an all-out assault on Ponyville, her numbers at Canterlot would be significantly smaller.

“Alright Princess. Let’s just give it a try.”

Luna nodded and took a stance opposite of Twilight. Twilight mimicked the stance. They both nodded at each other before charging a spell and shooting it at each other, the magic meeting in the middle of the large intricate design drawn on the ground.

“KEEP THE POWER FLOWING!” Luna called out above the roar of raw magic being dumped into the spell. Luna reached out with her mind and began scouring the realms of the universe. She looked through all the planets her magical sense touched, trying to uncover this mysterious Earth populated by violent sentient creatures.

“PRINCESS MY MAGIC CHANNEL IS FAILING!” Twilight roared above the intense noise the spell was creating. Twilight’s purple glowing aurora was beginning to falter. With one last push, Luna grunted and reached out to the closest planet and pulled what she hoped was what they were looking for through the small portal in a flash of light so intense, it blotted out the sun for a second.

Both unicorn and alicorn lay panting on the ground, exhausted and spent from the monumental task they had just preformed.

In the center of the diagram, half buried in the ground from the sheer force of the impact was a large metal dark green container. It lacked any markings except a black star and two words stenciled on the side, smudged and dirty.

US ARMY

Covert stood on my left and Stand Bold stood to my right. We were gathered on the bridge of Fast Skies looking towards Ponyville when the world disappeared in a flash of white. I slammed my knee into a control panel next to me as I stumbled around, blinded from the flash.

“The fuck was that!” I screamed aloud while hoping around with my hands clasped around my knee.

“I need darkness now!” Covert hissed while diving under a control panel and disappeared into the darkness of the shadows under it.

“That was a bright light!” Sergeant Stand Bold said turning to me. His eyes were completely blood shot and his pupils were pinpricks.

“You okay?” I blinked a couple times at him.

“Oh yeah.”

“Did you even look away?” I asked snapping my fingers in front of him, his eyes unmoving.

“Nah, where’s the fun in that?” He smiled and walked head first into the steering wheel of the airship, falling back onto his flank. “Ah! It’s just like that one time with the entire bottle of Appleloosa Whisky.” The pegasus laughed as he took command of the airship and slowly began the decent towards the town of Ponyville.

“Is it gone? The bright light?” Covert asked as he poked his head out from under the console. He looked around and blinked his red eyes until he decided the coast was clear and crawled out from under the equipment.

“Wow.” I turned from the blinded pegasus and looked at the shadow. “Does light really hurt you?”

“Yes. Intense magical light does. A light from the source of magic is incredibly painful and even downright lethal to us shadows.”

“Really?” I tapped a finger to my chin as the airship lightly kissed the ground. “I’ve got to go see the Princess and the Elements immediately. I think I have an idea!” I rocketed out of the bridge and towards the dropped ramp at the side of the airship. I ran towards the command tent but slowed down as I neared the tent.

Smoke was slowly curling out from under the tent flap. I cautiously tiptoed towards the tent. I reached my hand out carefully to the cloth, about to pull it back. “AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!”

I was knocked backwards by a purple and a dark purple blur. I landed on the ground and bounced away as Twilight and Princess Luna panted for breathe a short distance away.

“You didn’t say it would create so much smoke!” Twilight said, coughing heavily as she fanned herself with a hoof.

“Well I haven’t exactly done that spell before, and I never was considering that the tome would be destroyed in the process.” Luna shot back. She also was breathing heavily. I looked at them from the ground, dumbstruck by the fact I had gotten knocked onto my ass that hard.

“What spell?” I piped up and asked, slowly rising to my feet and walking towards the two ponies.

“Oh Honored you're back so soon.” Luna coughed one last time before smiling, “I’ll take it the plan went flawlessly and that the army was crushed.”

I frowned and merely hung my head. “No. There is a lot more shadows than we had believed.”

“How many?” Luna asked calmly.

I took the second detonator from my breast pocket on the armored chest rig and threw it on the ground in front of the princess. “Enough that all of those explosives are only going to slow them down for a day or two.” I pulled out the first detonator, the one still connected to the dam. “This will be the only way.”

“No!” Luna stamped a hoof to the ground. “We can still make a stand here in Ponyville!” Luna turned around and jerked her head at Twilight, who ran back into the still smoking tent. “Besides we have something that will help you, we hope.”

“And I have so information from Covert that can help too.” I said, placing the detonator back into my pocket. “Magical light is lethal to shadows.”

“Really? Something so simple?” Luna brought a hoof to her chin and rested her head there. “We could construct some lights using magically charged gems… and use simple light focusing spells. Yes that could work.”

“Whatever you have to do, do it. Make sure all the guards know this. Fight the darkness with magical light. Stop hacking at the shadows with swords at close range, blast them with bolts of magical light from afar, it will change the way we fight here in Ponyville.” I explained to the princess. “Wait. What do you have to help?”

On cue, Twilight’s flank poked out from the tent. She was dragging a large dark green case with her mouth. She pulled it all the way out of the tent until it rested in front of me on the ground.

“Why didn’t you just float it?” I asked pointing to the large crate.

“Why don’t you just float it?” Twilight mumbled to herself. “Because it is resistance to magic. And that Princess,” Twilight turned to Luna, “is why it was so bucking hard to transport here.” The unicorn flopped over onto the ground and sighed.

“Whatever is in there weighs a ton.”

“What is it…?” The questioned faltered on my tongue as my eyes ran over the dark green surface of the crate. I made out the two words on the side of the container and then looked up to the ponies.

“Yes Honored, we got that for you. We don’t know what is in it, but we hope it will help.” Princess Luna smiled and nodded towards the shipping crate. “Open it.”

I slowly walked up to the shipping crate. I placed a hand on the hard surface. Something from home. Something from my Earth. I stopped just as my hand reached the lock on the side.

“I thought Princess Celestia had said there wasn't any way to get me back home.” I turned from the crate to face the other Princes of Equestria. “That I was stuck here.”

I was happy to stay here in Equestria and live among the ponies, but I was always going to miss my home. My earth. My people. My culture.

“Well I mean we didn’t know if it would work. This spell nearly drained all of my magic.” Luna stared at me. Her eyes kept shifting from the crate back to me.

“But you could have tried!” I slammed a fist on the container. “You had the option to send me back, or at least to try and you didn’t!?” My voice was slowly rising as the anger I was feeling began to seep out.

I was about to yell again but something stopped me. I looked over my shoulder back at Twilight. She was staring at me with tears brimming on her eyes. “Please stop.”

I raised my hand to yell but couldn’t bring myself to do it. “But I could have gone home. I could have never been here, and then Day Terror wouldn’t even be here.”

“You're right,” Twilight said rising to her hooves and walking towards me, “But then again, the second changeling attack would have gone perfectly and we would all be slaves to them. If you had gone back who knows what would happen.”

“TERRIBILE THINGS!” A tan earth pony with a brown mane and a bowtie screamed from around the corner of the command tent. He was grabbed and pulled back by a pair of light gray hooves.

“SHHHHH Doctor, they are having a breakthrough. Back to the TARDIS with you.”

I sighed. “You're right Twilight.” I nodded to the purple unicorn and turned back to Luna. “Princess I'm sorry for snapping
like that. I shouldn’t question you're judgment like that. You are much, much, older and wiser than me. Much older.” I looked up with a slight smirk on my face as Luna smiled and playfully punched a hoof against my chest.

“Oh shut it human. And don’t call me Princess. Or old. Just call me Luna.”

“Sure thing Luna.” I gave her a smile and relaxed. I walked over to the crate calmly before raising my rifle quickly off my side and firing a round through the lock on the side.

BANG

“AH!” Twilight and Luna both jumped in surprise at the sudden noise as the lock exploded into bits and pieces, metal raining down everywhere.

“Open sesame.”

“Okay and the last one should be Hotel Sierra Papa 3456-61.” A bored looking soldier read off of a clipboard to a another soldier inspecting crates in the armory/supply depot in the back of an Army base stationed on the far end of the world.

“It ain't here.” The one solider looked up at the other. “Sergeant it ain't here.”

“I heard ya’ the first time idiot.”

“What should we do?”

“Meh let the next shift worry about it.” The sergeant made a check on the clipboard and placed it on a rack by the door. “It ain't nothing to big. Just one crate.”

I griped the sides of the lid and slowly pushed it up. The crate opened to show its contents. I stepped to the side so Luna and Twilight could also stare inside. I smiled and reached down to pick up the brown plastic package.

“What is it?” Twilight said, trying to levitate one of the things out of the container.

“It’s an MRE. You guys brought me a crate of food!” I smiled and read the label, “vegetable soup with hardy beef!” I glanced down at Twilight, whose face turned partly green. “Oops sorry.”

“You mean to tell me, that after all that work, we brought you a damned container of food!” Luna screamed and threw a hoof across the packages of food, sending them scattering across the ground. She panted and flopped down on the ground screaming into the dirt. “This was supposed to save the day and help you beat Day Terror’s army! Not feed you!”

I was too busy starring at the container to pay attention to the frustrated alicorn. I dropped the MRE and reached both
hands into the now completely MRE free crate. There were some things packed under the MRE layer. And this was a deep container.

“Calm down Luna, and say hello to my new friends, M240 Bravo and her sister M249 Squad Automatic Weapon.” I lifted both weapons out of the crate and gently placed them on the ground. I did a double take and my smile got even wider. I reached back into the crate and pulled out four more weapons. Once they were removed, I felt sad because the only other things in the crate were boxes of ammunition for the weapons and one unmarked black box.

I beamed at the six new toys sitting in front of me.

“Are you all-“ Luna began to say, but I raised a hand.

“Shhhh. No words. Only silence.” I laid down next to the weapons and slowly covered myself in the hard metal. “Hello girls. Daddy loves you. You're going to have some fun here. I promise. Now who wants to get named first?” I cooed out to the weapons cradled in my arms.

“I think we had better give him some space.” Twilight whispered to Luna. The two backed away from me and left me alone with my new friends.

Mentally I went over my new instruments of death, and I was about to conduct and orchestra of sweet, sweet melodies.

M240 Bravo medium machine gun firing 7.62x51mm rounds at either 750,850 or 950 rounds a minute. Oh baby, I’ll call it Thunder.

M249 SAW light machine gun firing 5.56 rounds at 1,000 rounds a minute. And I shall dub thee, Lead Spitter. And the fact it uses 5.56 meant I could put the magic bullets into it as well. I wonder what that would like. A hundred rounds of magical bullets flying downrange in a span of seconds.

Two sexy Glock 21 semi-automatic pistols. Chambered in .45 ACP rounds, it could fire as fast as I could pull the trigger. Which would be fast. They also came with extended barrels to allow the attachment of silencers that I found molded into the packing foam in the crate. Silent but deadly. I shall call them Love and Tolerate.

XM2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle firing the powerful .300 Winchester Magnum round. A bolt action sniper rifle good out to 1,300 yards; that being the point blank. Only two boxes of ammo came with this rifle, so it would unquestionably be one shot, one kill with this baby. XM2010 ESR was a mouth full, how about Longbow.

M1014 Combat Shotgun with forward grip, extended under barrel ammunition tube, and a holographic sight attachment. This sweet gun fired a wide range of 12 gauge shells, but only came with slugs and 00 steel buckshot. This gun will appropriately be called, Room Sweeper.

I looked at my new arsenal around me. There was no way I could carry all these at once. Unless I could…no that would be way too heavy and cumbersome to try. I scrapped the idea of strapping them all to my back but decided against it. I could maybe do three…and that would severely reduce the amount of running and jumping I did on the battlefield. Hell, even two of the rifles or machine guns would make doing all the agility shit impossible. I absently minded kicked the unmarked little black box with the tow of my boot.

I heard something metallic clink inside of it. I bent down and opened the lid of the small box.

“Well that could have been bad.”

I was staring at six M67 hand grenades. They had a blast radius of fuck you, that shit will explode in your face! I slowly closed the lid on the container and picked it up. I tucked it under my arm and held the little hot potatoes close. These could cause some chaos.

“Twilight! Luna! I'm all done, you can come back! And bring Covert and Stand Bold. I thing we can hold Ponyville!”

“Alright we use Fast Skies to bombard the shadows advancing on the town from long range, softening up their numbers.” Sergeant Bold pointed at the map with his wing, “The cannons have enough remaining ammo for a good half day of fighting.”

(Sergeant Stand Bold flying without his armor in front of the airship Fast Skies)

“Excellent!” I said, placing a chess piece in the shape of a knight on the map behind Ponyville to represent Fast Skies

“Twilight, see if there is anything you can do to the cannon balls like you did to those special bullets you gave me. Some extra punch would be nice. The army that’s coming is still way to large of a fighting force.

“On it.” Twilight nodded and left the command tent with Sergeant Stand Bold. I turned back to the large map of the town and the surrounding area. Luna, Covert, and Master Sergeant Dawn Guard of the Royal Guard stood around the table. The shadow was busy trying to figure out the M249 trigger mechanism. Ever since he had walked into the tent, he had been fascinated with the light machine gun. I figured what the hell, and gave it to him.

I could use a good companion next to me. And having him armed to the teeth with Lead Spitter would do just fine.

“There!” Covert exclaimed happily and presented the LMG to Luna and myself. “I think that was the quickest time yet.” He had been disassembling it, and rebuilding it for the last two hours till he could do it my memory. And he was good at it.

“Alright Covert, it’s yours.” I reached into the large shipping container and pulled out the six box magazines that came with the weapon. I slid them across the table to him. He stared at the boxes and slowly picked one up. He smiled so his red mouth was open and threw one box into the air. With one arm holding the LMG he flipped the cover open and caught the falling ammo canister on the side of the weapon while dragging his other hand over the ammo belt and into the feed system. He slammed the top closed and racked the bolt back.

“Impressive.” I gave a whistle as Covert admired his work. “Seems like something I would do.”

“So it’s mine now?” Covert asked, hugging the weapon close.

“Yes.”

“Perfect.” I watched as black smoke slowly rose around the weapon that Covert was holding. The weapon vanished into thin air.

“What did you do?” I yelled out at the shadow. “That was one of the weapons we needed to hold Ponyville!”

“Please just give me a moment!” Covert raised both his hands trying to stop me. I had my gauntleted hand resting on my M9 and the other hand resting on the grip of one of the Glock 21s now strapped to my waist.

I watched as the wisps of black smoke slowly fell back into the shadow’s hands, reforming a purely pitch black M249. It was now made out of shadows, just like the creature wielding it. “I had to transform it into a shadow weapon, so that it could travel with me when I go in and out of shadows.” Covert explained, while performing the same magic on the other boxes of ammo. “If I didn’t do it, then whenever I molded into the darkness, the machine gun would simply fall to the ground. Now I can absorb it into myself when I move.” To emphasize his point, Covert simply absorbed the LMG into his arms.

“Well that does make carrying it a lot easier.” I pointed out. I was slightly jealous he could do that. It would make carrying all of these other toys a lot easier. I could load up with all my guns with that ability.

“Most impressive.” Luna smiled at the shadow as he left the tent, still enthralled by his new ability to use the shadow Lead Spitter. “Now Lieutenant, Sergeant, we need to discuss our plan in the fight.”

“We have thirty-five Royal Guards and eighteen Night Guards able to fight.” The guard pony said solemnly. “And out of that number, we only have twenty-seven unicorns that have been taught a magical lightning spell.”

Luna spoke up, “But thanks to help from Twilight and a few other unicorns we were able to enchant gems given to use by Rarity to explode into brilliant light when thrown.”

“Just like grenades… very clever Twilight.” I mumbled to myself. “Okay so then arm the pegasi and earth pony guards with the enchanted gems to be the close range combatants, and set the unicorns along the roof tops and barricades along the front line of defense here, here, and here.” I pointed to the buildings and stands set up closes to the field the attacking shadow arm was bound to advance from.

“Right away sir!” The guard saluted and galloped away to begin arranging the guards to their defensive positions. The battle was looming over everyone’s head. And I could tell it was weighing heavily on the Princess’s mind.

“Luna everything will be fine.” I laid a comforting hand on Luna’s shoulder. She looked from the map and to me.

“If everything will be alright then why don’t you give me the detonator to the dam?”

“I… I can’t Luna.” I placed my hand on my breast pocket that held the trigger mechanism. “The responsibility to blow the charges rests on my shoulders. You're the Princess, you can’t be held responsible for the destruction of an entire town.”

“And you can?” She asked, looking back at the map and the solid blue line drawn around the town and into the surrounding area. The line showed the area that would be totally eradicated from the flood the dam would cause should I have to blow it.
Roughly two thousand acres would be lost. Gone. Nothing but mud. Ponyville included.

“Because I'm the one in charge of the fight against Day Terror. I’ll be the judge if we’ll lose Ponyville. And I’ll give my own life dying to protect this town before I press the button.”

“Let’s hope it doesn’t come down to that.” Luna glanced across the room to the container and the table containing the new weapons that she had helped brings to the planet.

I followed her gaze and found it locked on Thunder, the M240 medium machine gun. “Oh no.”

“Please?”

“No! That’s mine!” I crossed my arms in front of my chest. “You don’t even know what it is.”

“A gas operated open bolt air cooled medium machine gun. It fires 7.62mm rounds at 2,800 feet per second. Effective out to 4,075 yards. Cycle rate of 750-950 rounds a minute with 6,000 rounds before stoppage and weighs 27.6 pounds with load.” Luna rattled the information off just as fast as that gun could shoot.

I grabbed the manual for it out of the container and flicked through pages checking Luna’s statement. I through the book down and stared back at her. “You still can’t use it.”

“Covert got one.”

“But he… he can… ugh!” I through my hands up in defeat and stormed over the weapon. I picked it up, and heaved it across the tent to the princess. She caught it in midair and levitated in front of her. “Fine! Take it. But don’t come crying to me when you can’t figure out how to use it!”

My jaw dropped when she broke it down into every single piece and floated them around her. Each little metallic and plastic piece suspended in the air with her dark purple aurora surrounding them. Then they quickly whisked by me and reassembled themselves back together in front of Luna.

“Fuck it!” I screamed aloud. I reached back into the container and dug out the eight boxes of linked bullets that came with it. “Here take ‘em. You can fight with me and Covert on the very front line!”

“And where is the very front line?” Luna asked while drawing the metallic link of shiny bullets across the feed system of the machine gun before closing the lid and locking the first round in place.

“There.” I pointed my finger on the map at the field where we had fought before. “Only now that field looks like the deepest pits of Tatarus.”

I stood atop the barricade overlooking the field, except now it was No-ponies-land. The deep craters and long trenches provided us defenders with plenty of hiding spots to ambush the shadows from. Well more exclusively, to hide traps in. As I stood alone the makeshift structure, guard ponies were planting enchanted gems to explode everywhere in the land. The shadow army wouldn't know what hit them.

I shrugged my shoulders, the weapons on my back shifting as I did so. I was loaded down with all the weapons I could carry. I opted for firepower rather than mobility in this battle to come. Resting in my hands was the new sniper rifle. Strapped to my back across the swords were the shotgun and my faithful M16A2. Along my belt was Bad Bertha, both Glock 21s, my Berretta, Spike, and all six of the hand grenades. And of course all the ammo I could freaking carry. I was ready for war.

“Are you ready human?” Covert materialized before me in the shadows below the barricade. His shadow M249 appeared in his hands and he racked the charging handle.

“Yeah I'm ready. Let’s have some fun with old Day Terror. Show her what a few good creatures can do.” I smiled and pulled the bolt back on the rifle and chambered the powerful .300 Winchester magnum round.

“Agreed, let us perform actions worthy of any song!” Luna said as she flew in from above. She landed softly on the ground next to Covert.

“Slipping into the Canterlot thing.” I said to Luna.

“Oops,” Luna coughed into her hoof, “lets kick some flank!”

“Much better.” I nodded in approval. The soft thumping of Fast Skies’ engines droned on from behind us. Stand Bold was making his appearance into the battle.

“AND IN THIS CORNER WE HAVE THE MOST BADFLANK TEAM OF FIGHTERS EQUESTRIA HAS EVER SEEN!” The amplified voice of Sergeant Stand Bold rang out from the speakers mounted on the underside of the airship.

I waved up at the airship as it slowly moved off towards the side of the town where it could rain death and destruction down upon the attacking army.

“Alright team, this is it. Luna you fly around and provide close air support to us and the guards at the first stage of defense.” Luna nodded and took the sky, the M240 medium machine gun floating next to her in a deep purple glow.

“Covert, you stick with me and we’ll rush forward and just cause hell.”

“Sound like a blast!” He said, smiling wide.

“And here,” I handed him an extra box of linked bullets, except these were glowing light blue; my magically enhanced rounds, “it’s dangerous to go alone, take these.”

“Um. Thanks?”

“Sure.” I peered off into the distance. “It’s time buddy.” I moved down into a prone position and extended the XM2010’s bipod. I aimed down the scope of the sniper rifle and adjusted the crosshairs and focused the scope.

“Show time.”

“Shadow General, the town is in sight, permission to give the command to release the shadows?” The lower Shadow Champion addressed the higher Shadow Champion. Both were about to relish in the fight they had planned.

Unknown to the two leaders of the invading force, the enemies they were up against had new weapons, one that could literally reach out and touch them from a mile away.

“No my second in command shadow, send the Shadow Warriors first. They will rip apart the pitiful defenses and then the regulars and Champions will move in to clean up.” The Shadow General waved a bladed hand forward. Amongst the shadows hundreds of tall massive moving shadows broke ranks and began their slow attack on the Ponyville.

The Shadow Warriors were impossibly strong, but they were slow, but even at their slowest they made a beeline towards the town at an impressive speed. The thought of destroying ponies and the human were present in their one track mind.
The first Shadow Warrior to reach no-ponies-land stepped right into a deep hole. And at the bottom of the hole was cluster of magically enchanted sapphires.

A blue bolt of light shot forth from the bottom of the hole and shot straight into the sky, but not before passing over the Shadow Warrior’s face. The light died down and the Shadow Warrior was left standing in mid stride, frozen in instant death.
The body slowly toppled sideways, hitting the ground with a loud thud. The other advancing Shadow Warriors stopped briefly to watch the horror that awaited them in possibly every inch of the barren landscape.

But the attack had to continue, it had to go on. One by one the Shadow Warriors pushed forward towards the town, and one by one they ran into more and more traps placed by the ponies.

“Wait!” The Shadow General called out to the last Shadow Warrior as he ran towards the battle. “You stay with me, I need some extra protection.”

The Shadow Warrior looked as if it was about to say something, but suddenly its head popped open spilling black blood and chunks of black shadow flesh everywhere. The body fell forward directly on top of the second in command Shadow Champion, crushing him under the weight of the lifeless body. The Shadow General stared at the dead body. Nothing had killed it. It simply had just died.

And because of the constant noise of the exploding magical gem traps, the Shadow General never heard the retort of the .300 Winchester magnum round as it passed through its chest, sending the leader to the ground, watching lights shot up into the sky, showing it that more Shadow Warriors were dying instantly to the intellects of the pony guard.

“Boom headshot.” I pulled my head away from the scope and racked the bolt back, the smoking shell flying from the breech and toppling down from the barricade to the ground below. i pushed the bolt forward, the new round entering the chamber. I squeezed off the second shot without even blinking, watching the other Shadow Champion collapse to the dirt about 1,200 yards away. “How are the traps doing Covert?” I was focused on finding the commander of this attack that I wasn’t even paying attention to the efforts of ponies and their magical traps.

“See for yourself.” Covert said with a happy tone.

I watched as light shot into the sky every few seconds, signaling to all that another shadow had bitten the bullet…so to speak.

I trained the rifle on an approaching Shadow Warrior. I breathed out and held my breath. I lined up the shot, and slowly began to depress the trigger.

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM

The thundering roar of cannons shook me from my concentration. I was able to watch as at least thirty Shadow Warriors were engulfed in a wave of bright yellow fire. It was a pure yellow like the sun, magically enchanted cannon balls.

"Nice one Twi."

I smiled and refocused through the scope at another Shadow Warrior that had stopped to try and help its comrade off the ground. The one was missing all of its legs and was flailing around desperately trying to be pulled away.

“No mercy.”

CRACK

At the farthest side of the barren landscape, all the remaining shadows watched as the terror unfolded before them. The Shadow Warriors were being slaughtered. The shadows just stared, until one Shadow Champion stepped forwards and ran towards the battle.

Soon the screaming of five thousand shadows filled the air as the rest of the shadow army began its attack on Ponville.

“Oh no.” I pulled myself back from the sniper and dropped the five round magazine from the rifle. I pulled out another one and loaded it in, and pushed the bolt forward. I watched through the scope as from across no-ponies-land the rest of the army broke rank and charged forward. Only a handful of Shadow Warriors remained thanks to the airship that was still raining death down on the field, and the magical traps scattered across the field, but they were nearing the first line of defense. Hopefully the magical gem grenades and the spells would do their jobs.

I fired another shot into the skull of one of the last Shadow Warriors. The rifle kicked against my shoulder as the warrior tumbled forward and rolled into a trench where a bright blast of light shot out.

“Haha, you see that Covert?”

“Sure did. Hey can we go down there?” Covert sighed, he was obviously bored of watching me drop shadows and the traps take all the glory.

I watched as five unicorn guards fired different colored bolts of magical light into the chest of a Shadow Warrior and its chest cavity imploded on itself before falling backwards.

“Yeah I think the guards can handle the reaming big guys.”

“Finally!” Covert shimmered into a nearby shadow and vanished. I knew he had merged nearby and would stick with me. He was good like that.

I began a light jog towards the incoming attacking army. The shadows were still a good couple hundred yards off, so I dropped to a kneeling position and aimed the XM2010. I squeezed the trigger and felt the rifle jump in my hands. The bullet passed through three Shadow Humans with ease before nailing a Shadow Champion in the leg, sending all of them to the ground.

I racked the bolt and fired the rifle four more times, each time another couple shadows hit the dirt because of how tightly packed they were running together.

“Oh it’s good to have range!” I smiled as the rifle ran dry and I loaded another magazine into the gun. “And I still got a hundred yards to go.” The rifle barked five more times.

And more shadows hit the earth bleeding black blood onto the barren landscape.

“Guns ready!” A muscular earth pony guard called out as he slammed the port closed on the cannon.

“Fire!”

Another volley of magically enchanted cannon balls left the side of Fast Skies at the new threat.

“Come on stallions! You call yourselves a gun crew? We got thousands of those abominations pouring right at Ponyville. We got to fire faster if we want to make any sort of dent in them!” Sergeant Stand Bold shouted from the alleyway that ran between both sides of the gun room. Ponies ran about quickly carrying cannon balls and canisters of magical propellant from every direction, loading the cannons and firing them.

“Sergeant!” A pegasus acting as the spotter called out from his position at the bow of the airship below the bridge, “We got the human entering the battlefield, permission to change the position of fire?”

“What?! Of course, don’t you dare hit my friend!” Sergeant Bold yelled out.

“Now fire that volley as close as you can without hitting that idiot!”

I yanked the shotgun of my back, and strapped the sniper rifle in its place. I pulled the charging handle back and loaded the first shotgun shell into place. The Shadow Humans rushed in from across the trench, leaping over it to reach me.
Some tumbled into the long ditch, but others made it across. I leveled the shotgun at the first one to make it across and pulled the trigger.

BOOM

The 00 buckshot ripped through the shadow with ease and actually sent the thing flying backwards. I pushed forward, flipping the shotgun around and delivering a block to an attacking shadow while kicking him backwards across the ground. The barrel spun around and emptied its deadly shot onto the helpless shadow.

“Get some!” I swung around and fired the gun again, directly into the face of another shadow. I drove the butt of the shotgun into the gut of a shadow attempting to grab me from behind and placed the barrel under its chin before squeezing the trigger. I slid under a blade that whizzed through the air, aimed directly at my head.

I spun around on my knees and pointed the shotgun at the stomach of the guilty shadow. It flew backwards into another shadow, knocking both to the ground.

I reached into a pocket on my armored chest rig and pulled out a handful of red shells. Each one was loaded into the under barrel of the shotgun before pulling the charging handle back again. I was about to bring the shotgun up to block a sword slash, when a burst of rapid fire brought the shadow to its knee.

Covert appeared beside me and nodded. I returned the nod as he held his shadow machine gun and fired the weapon at the assaulting Shadow Humans. They all began to fall, black blood blossoming forth from wounds appearing all over their chests and abdomens.

“This is most enjoyable!” Covert said above the roar of gunfire.

I fired another shell into a Shadow Champion that was attempting to ram me with his horns. “Yeah these new guns sure work their magic!”

I emptied the shotgun again and began loading the plastic shells into the breach. I finished quickly and slung the gun along my back and drew both Glocks from their holsters.

I ran forward, both arms outstretched before me, and fired the weapons at any shadow that happened to cross my line of sight. The handguns barked and the casings left a trail of death behind me. I whipped around, ejecting the empty clips and loading fresh ones into the pistols. I smiled as the shadow’s numbers slowly began to thin around me and Covert.

The constant rattling of his shadow M249 and the quick retorts of my handguns signaled our corner of the battlefield.
Along the other side of the barren landscape that was filling with the bodies of dead shadows, cannon balls impacted the earth and blew small groups of shadows to smithereens. Sergeant Stand Bold and his crew of guards aboard Fast Skies rained lethal and accurate fire down on the remaining army.

And in between the battlefield and the first line of defense a dark coated alicorn would swoop down and cover an area in
medium machine gun fire. Shadow Humans crumpled beneath Luna’s fire and Shadow Champions jerked and toppled as the rounds ripped them apart.

We slowly began making our way towards each other. Before long I spun around, both Glocks aimed at the barrel of a M240. I laughed and spun around as Luna did the same. Back to back Luna and I gunned down shadow left and right.
Covert joined in and soon we had a triangle of death that was impervious to the enemy shadows. I dropped two more empty clips and loaded two new ones into the 21s. I holstered the new pistols and drew my old M9 and Zappy. The ancient magically enchanted blade sparked as it was drawn from its sheath. I wielded the pistol in my gauntlet and charged up a magical bolt into the pistol. I held the sword above my head and prepared for the attack.

But it never came.

I looked around and watched as Covert leapt into the air and jammed the barrel of his gun into the face of a Shadow Champion and let a stream of bullets tear its head apart. Luna also removed the last remaining shadows from her side of the area with a long burst from her MMG. Smoke snaked from the barrel and she panted while throwing the empty box off the gun and loading a new on onto the mount spot and magically drawing the belt into the gun.

I slowly relaxed and watched as the last Shadow Warrior assaulted the defense line. I quickly dropped the sword and jerked Longbow off my back. I lined up the shot and fired the .300 round at the warrior.

The creature’s head exploded all over the unicorn Royal Guards that were about to deliver the final kill shot.

“Hey kill steal!” they screamed from across the no longer barren landscape. Thousands of bodies covered the area. All shadows had been completely destroyed. There were a few moans of pain and agony coming from around the field, but I paid them no mind. As I got closer to the guard’s defensive position I saw that the shadows had gotten lucky.

There were a lot of dead ponies. Out of the fifty-three Royal Guards and Night Guards assembled to fight, only twenty-five remained standing. Over half of the pony defenders had been killed. A part of me was glad that I hadn’t been here to witness their deaths.

“Honored what’s that?” Luna pointed a hoof towards Canterlot. A black silhouette was looming towards Ponyville.

“Sergeant!?” I screamed up at the airship now floating above Ponyville.

Something hit me on the top of my helmet. I looked up to see a soup can attached to a string that went all the way up to the airship. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

“I heard that.” A very scratchy voice responded through the can. “And this is the best I can do so I can actually hear you. But then again I can use the speaker system.”

“NO!” I screamed into the can. “Sergeant, can you see what that is coming in from Canterlot?”

“Yeah give me a second.” There was the sound of hooves trotting away followed by a brief silence and then the hooves getting closer. “Yeah it’s another airship.”

“Well you want to engage it?” I asked, slightly annoyed.

“I would love to, but.”

“But what.” I rubbed my nose and looked up to the airship, hoping Stand Bold could see my glare.

“We’re all out of cannon balls up here. Used ‘em all up on that last volley.”

“Okay. Thanks.” I tugged on the can once and it was pulled up towards the airship. “Jesus. Fuck me.”

I crossed my arms and thought about how to deal with the airship problem. No way to fight it, I could just teleport onto it like before and try and take it over. I tapped a hand against my chest and felt something. I reached into a pouch and pulled out the purple bullet Twilight had given me.

“Hmmmm, well why not? Can’t hurt.” I unslung my M16A2 from my back and removed the magazine currently in the weapon.
I opened the breach and slid the round into the chamber. I pushed the charging handle release switch and the weapon closed with a click.

I brought the weapon to bare and aimed down the sight towards the growing airship.

“Honored you really think that will do something?” Luna asked conceding.

“Not really, but Twilight hasn’t failed me yet.” I said calmly. I leaned into the rifle and squeezed the trigger.
Blackness swallowed the end of the gun and then punched forward. Silence was the only thing I heard. Nothing. No sound.

Everything was still as the weapon fired the most wicked evil thing I’ve ever seen.

A pitch black ball formed on the end of the rifle when the human pulled the trigger. The magic locked in the round punched forward and raced forward from the rifle faster than anything imaginable. In scientific terms, it reached the nose of the airship in about .000001 of a second. On impact, it merely tore through the metal hull and out the back in another .0000001 of a second. But that was just the bullet, the real magic was trailing the bullet. The miniature sonic rainboom Twilight had infused into each one of those special rounds.

The three different shades of color then leapt from the barrel of M16A2 chasing after the path the bullet had made .000001 of second before. Bright pink, light purple, and dark purple streaks sped out of the rifle and followed the same path. The top half of the airship that was inbound to level Ponyville just simply vanished. The other half fell to the earth in a heap of metal, cloth, and explosives.

But the bullet didn’t stop there, so neither did the sonic rainboom. The both travelled all the way to the top of the tallest spire on the Canterlot Castle. The roof collapsed down onto the city bellow leaving one very startled Day Terror in her bed.

I sat up and looked at the fifty foot long trench I was lying in. I was holding my rifle in one hand and the smoking gauntlet in the other. I was blasted back fifty feet by that shot and sent through two walls and still carved a trench into the earth. I stood up shakily before sling the rifle on my back.

“Well at least that’s over.” I coughed and slumped forward and breathed a heavy sigh of relief. “Okay lets starting planning our infiltration on Canterlot.”

Author's Note

Thanks to unspokenpaper for the art work provided in the chapter. im trying to get him to draw one of the main characters all together. Johnson, Sergeant Stand Bold, Covert, Luna and two new characters who will make their introductions very soon....

Elements of Sanctuary

Honor Above All Else
Chapter 33
By Honored Service

I sat up in my cot and stretched my arms above my head. The sun was just beginning its rise over the horizon as I stepped out of my small tent on the outskirts of the tent city. I brushed some dust off my shoulder armor and adjusted the pistols along my belt. I left my rifles and shotgun locked inside a chest in my tent. No need to be armed to the teeth at this point in time. The only change I made to my armory were the silencers to the two Glock 21s. Mix it up a bit, first time I’ve had a silencer in Equestria.

“Morning.” I nodded to a group of the remaining guards that were sitting around a campfire. Only twenty-five of them left. The reserve force of guards, the ones guarding other cities and towns like Appleloosa and Manehattan should be arriving within the next few hours. Tonight we would prepare and assemble the troops, and then tomorrow at noon, when the sun reached its apex, we would launch the assault on Canterlot.

And of course I would be leading the head on charge.

Someone had to be the distraction while the real assault force hit the city from under it. Luna had made the suggestion of using the underground gem mines to assault up and take the shadows by surprise. That and with the drop shock guards dropping in from Fast Skies, we would have the city surrounded and chocked off in a matter of hours.

Move like lightning. Hit ‘em fast where it hurts.

“Good morning Honored.” A chipper voice called out from above. I looked up to see Sergeant Stand Bold float down. He was dressed up in his full battle armor. “What's on the agenda for today?”

“Get you some more balls.” I said with a smile.

“Why I should knock-“

“Cannon balls you thick headed feather brain.” I sighed and looked away from the pegasus. “We’ll reequip Fast Skies for the assault on Canterlot. But I want to try and do this quietly. No more of this massive battle shit. To many ponies have died already.” I looked at the field behind Ponyville. The once lush and green field was now covered in graves. Lots of graves freshly dug. Even as we spoke, new ones were being dug for the recently killed at the last battle.

“I feel you buddy.” Stand Bold hovered back into the air. “I want this all to end so I can just go back to my lazy routine. Wake up, go to formation, go to sleep.” He laughed and sped off towards the mess tent to load up on breakfast. I decided to skip the meal for now and go and check up on the girls and Luna.

And Covert. Where was that shadow?

“So-“

“AHHHHHHH SHIT!” I screamed and ran head first into a pole sticking in the ground. I rubbed my forehead and turned to face the shadow. “What did I say about doing that sneaky shit!” I wasn't really hurt…well other than my pride.

“Sorry. I don’t mean to. I can’t really help it. Being stealth is my talent.” Covert stated matter o’ factly.

“No really?” I smiled at him. “Okay well how’s everything with you?”

“Cant complain. New weapon worked wonders on the battlefield and we had a great victory against Day Terror. I only wish to see and end to this, something I'm sure you do too.”

“You have no idea.” I was about to ask Covert another question when I noticed something in the sky far in the distance.

Three dots were chasing each other around. Except the dots continued to grow in size. “Covert you see that?” I raised my hand and pointed in the direction of the dots.

“Well I see three black things fighting in the sky.” Covert squinted his red eyes at the shapes. “But I can’t really see anything.”

“Me neither.” I bolted back towards my tent where I kept something that certainly could make out the objects. I ducked under two guards carrying a large slab of wood and slide across the ground. I hopped over a small barricade and dashed through a tent where some guard was just climbing out of bed. Leaping through the window in the side of the tent, I tucked and rolled across the ground, coming up to my feet and slid through the tent flap into my quarters. I flicked the lock open on the large green case and quickly pulled out the XM2010 ESR. I ran out of the tent and propped the rifle up on a pile of bricks from a destroyed house nearby.

I focused the large optic sight on the dots and zoomed the scope in. the shapes soon began to focus in. The dots soon grew wings, then legs, and a tail. Then colors began to appear. Brown and whites, black and greys, tan and brown. With a few more turns on the magnification sight, the dots finally became recognizable shapes.

Griffons.

My interactions with the feathered creatures has been less than ideal. First being thrown into prison and worked like a slave for two months by them started off a bad relationship. And then to find them aiding damn Day Terror. Well I would put it as me having a slight grudge against them. I slowly adjusted the sights for elevation and distance, and began to ease finger onto the trigger.

I was about to squeeze the trigger when I noticed a flash of light purple on the griffon being chased by the other two. Light purple feathers around the eyes. “Gilda?” I re adjusted the rifle and squeezed the trigger.

“Show me two birds, one bullet.”

CRACK

“Just leave me alone featherjockeys!” Gilda dove to the right as the griffon giving chasing slashed at her with sharp talons. “I don’t want to be a part of this war!”

“Not your call !” A griffon with tan feathers and brown fur yelled back. “You were enlisted into the fighting force!”

“Yeah, the new general wants you dead or alive, so you're coming back; one way or another.” The griffon with gray feathers and a black body called out. “And your dead body won’t fight back!”

Gilda dove again down into a rapid dive away from her two attackers, but they were close behind her. She leveled out and speed rapidly towards Ponyville. It was the last place she wanted to go, but that’s where the human was. And the human was her only chance of safety.

CRACK

Something whistled by Gilda’s head. She jerked her head around to follow the noise, but only saw the body of Bloodfeather plummet towards the earth. Grayback still continued to pursue her, but he was bleeding from one of his hind legs. That wound would make his fighting on the ground sloppy. She had him now.

Gilda angled herself in a step dive down towards Ponyville town square where she would have enough room to fight the other griffon. She landed hard and ran to a stop while Grayback limped after her.

“Stop running you worthless chick!” He spat at her. “Come face me like a true griffon warrior. You shame your family by fleeing form a fight. You are the biggest coward that Griff-“

PSSH PSSH PSSH PSSH

A very soft popping-hissing filled the air. Gilda turned her head to the advancing griffon. She watched as Grayback’s body jerked backwards and slumped to the ground, blood slowly pooling out and forming a puddle on the cobblestone street. She looked at what had just killed her opponent.

The very human she had come to see was standing behind her holding one of his unique magic hand weapons. It had a long thick cylinder protruding off its front with a small wisp of smoke curling out from it. A long weapon was held to his back by a black sling that crossed his armor. His armor had a dull shine to it as the morning sun rose into the sky.

“‘Sup?” He said calmly, while dropping the pistol into a holster on his belt. “I was wondering if I’d see you again.” The human faced Gild and very slowly drew another small weapon with his gauntleted hand before lazily aiming it at the griffon.

“So Gilda, I see your forelimb healed up nicely.” Honored dipped the barrel of the pistol so it pointed at her leg that had previously been shot during the first assault on Ponyville. “I'm surprised that you would show up here again.” The pistol’s opening on the barrel began to shimmer with a deep red. “Now why shouldn't I drop you where you stand?”

Gilda’s beak open and closed like a steel trap, but no words came out. Her mind was running wild, trying to think of some answer that would save her from death. “I... I… Please I came to fight with you!” Gilda screamed out. “Please! I don’t want to fight with Day Terror and the griffons. She has promised our nation wealth and prosperity but it’s all lies. It’s not cool!” Gilda bowed towards the ground, presenting the back of her neck to the armored human before her. In griffon culture, such a gesture was a sign of respect, humility, and trust to show such a vulnerable spot to another.

Gilda heard a click and prepared herself to be reunited with her ancestors.

I flicked the safety on the pistol and dropped the Berretta back into the holster mounted on my belt. “Get up. We need to talk.” I turned around on the heel of my boot and began walking towards the center of the tents. “Well are you coming?” Gilda slowly got up from the ground and quickly ran towards me, stopping just shy of my side.

“First things first Gilda, you're going to make nice with Rainbow Dash and any other pony that was hurt by your visit last time you were here.”

“How…wait how do you know about that?” Gilda asked me while clicking her beak at me. I simply smiled and tapped the side of my head with a finger.

“Don’t worry about it.” I kept my smile up and opened the cloth flap to the tent where the girls were staying, “Now let’s get in there and make some friends.”

“Um hi Dash.” Wow this was awkward. I was standing behind Gilda who was pawing at the ground nervously while Rainbow Dash glared daggers from across the tent.

“Honored why is she here?” Rainbow dash asked me from across the room, choosing to simply ignore the griffon in the room.

“Gilda is here to help us. She doesn’t want to be a part of Day Terror’s army like the other griffons. Go ahead Gilda, tell her.” I urged her forward with a wave of my hand. She was treating this like a nervous child handles the first day of school or something. I sat down at the edge of the tent and took out one of Glocks and began to break it down while the girls had their talk.

“Dash please listen.” Gilda began, but Rainbow simply turned around and walked towards a cot with a Wonderbolt blanket on it.

“I don’t want to hear it Gilda. I wrote to you. Letter after letter, but not once did you respond. I tried to get you to come back and try again, but you didn’t even have the bucking gall to tell me to fuck off!”

I politely coughed from across the room, and locked the slide into place on the pistol. It slid into place with a click. I looked at Dash and shook my head.

“Sorry.” She mumbled under her breath. “Gild I was hurt that you treated my friends like losers and that you didn't write back to me. I wanted to stay friends, but you wouldn’t let me.” Dash turned back to Gilda and quickly wiped a hoof across her eyes.

“Dash…I never wrote back because I was scared. I was afraid that we wouldn't be friends again. That you would judge me after what I said. Even if what I said was lame.”

“Yeah a flip flop was a pretty stupid insult.” Dash cracked a smile and Gilda copied her. The two old friend locked eyes with each other and broke out into laughter.

“See isn't it better when we talk things out and not just shoot each other and stab each other and grind our enemies into the dirt?” I laughed while the two girls just looked at me with shocked looks. “Kidding!” I held up my hands, “mostly.” I added under my breath. “Okay well you two hug and make up.”

Gilda shuffled her claws on the ground while Dash kicked a hoof into the dirt. The two looked up at each other and jumped into a hug. “Sorry G.”

“Sorry Dash.”

“Good. Good. Now stroke each other’s fur. Yes. That's nice, maybe a little kiss?”

Both heads turned and looked at me with death bringing glares.

“Jeez lighten up you two.Just a joke. Come on. I'm out of here, you two play nice.” I shrugged my shoulders and left the tent as Gilda and Rainbow Dash could catch up on everything they missed. I walked back to my tent and put my sniper back into the crate before locking it up. I flopped down onto my cot and waited for Luna to get back from the reserve unit of guards. We needed a count on how many ponies we had total. I was still down for a one man assault bringing nothing but death and destruction on anything that stood in my way. Slaughtering anything that moved as I pushed my way up through the street of Canterlot, not stopping until I reached Day Terror. Then I would have Twilight teleport herself and the other Elements to my position, blast Day Terror with the friendship beam or whatever and pry Nightmare from Celestia.

Then the real fun would start.

I will make that two timing worthless excuse of a villain wish that death would come. I would make him see death as an escape to horrible things I have planned.

“Honored are you in your tent?” Luna called out as she got closer.

“No.”

“Haha very funny.” Luna poked her head into the tent. “Come on, follow me to the command tent. It’s time to make adjustments to the plan, because I found something that you might like.” Luna added with a smile.

“Ughhhhhhhh but I just laid down!” I complained, and suddenly found myself flying out of my cot and through the tent flap. I flailed around in midair, trying to grab onto anything and wrench myself free from the crazy alicorn’s magical grasp.

“How are you thought to be so tough? You can’t even get out of a simple levitation spe-“

Click

Luna turned to face me. I was hanging upside down with both silenced pistols aimed directly at her. I cracked a daring smile and nodded my head towards the ground. Luna rolled her eyes and dropped me head first into the dirt. In retrospect, I should have seen that one coming.

“See I also could have used my own magic to cause a burst of repel magic to disrupt your flow.” I said while holstering the pistols. Luna wore a very surprised look on her face. “I’ve been taking lessons from Twilight in my spare time. I can now pick things up without them turning into weapons. So that’s pretty helpful.”

“Indeed.” We walked into the command tent were the gathered creatures surrounded the map of Canterlot and a large red ruby sat on the map. Swirling colors floated inside of the gem.

Covert, Sergeant Stand Bold, Gilda, and Luna took position on one side of the table next to me, while Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy stood opposite of us. The old map was spread before us. I looked it over before coughing, drawing attention to myself.

“Now everypony, griffon, and shadow, I am still in favor of a one man assault on the castle and then having the Elements teleported to my spot once the resistance has been dealt with.” I crossed my arms. I'm sure the ponies would make their arguments just like before.

“Simply loco in the coco!”

“Darling that is a truly barbaric plan.”

“Ah know all about taking on more than you can handle.”

“Statistically the odd of you reaching the castle and still having enough energy to fight Day Terror is highly against you.”

“Listen man, you just aren’t fast or cool enough to do it.”

“You um… might get hurt maybe.”

“Honored this plan could fail before you even reach the castle gate.” Luna ended the arguments.

“Okay hold on; let’s just check my K/D board.” I summoned magic into my palm and focused on a very simple spell of light illusion Twilight had taught me. A bright neon red board appeared above my head. It had my name, Honored Service, on one side with a K and a D column on it. The K had +10,000 on it and the D had a large 0.

“I think my record speaks for itself.” The board vanished and I slowly clapped to myself. “Now Luna you said you had something good to show me?”

“Yes. We will discuss this ludacris plan of yours latter, but here is what I though you should see. It was recovered by a forward recon team yesterday at the base of Canterlot Mountain. Luna poked the gem with a hoof. It rolled over to me and stopped on the sharp point standing straight up. I watched in disbelief as it began to spin. Faster and faster until the colors swirling inside of it leaked out and formed the shape of a unicorn’s face above the spinning gem.

“Lieutenant Honored Service, if you're hearing this than that means this recording gem was successful.” I was staring at a recording holographic image of Short Blade. His orange goat and brown and black mane were covered in dirt and looked shaggy and cut in certain spots. There was a large cut along his face running from over his left eye all the way down to the bottom of his chin. “Honored the remaining members of Saddle Company are still operating in the city of Canterlot. I say again we are holding onto a very small section of the underground gem caves in Canterlot. We are dangerously low on supplies and about to be overrun. We have been using guerrilla tactics and hitting the enemy whenever we can but we need help.”

The image flashed briefly before disappearing, but a moment later it flickered back up. Battle Plan was now standing I in the place of Short Blade. He wasn’t as skinny and lanky as the last time I saw him. His glasses were cracked and his sage coat was just as dirty as Short Blade’s. His silver mane was cut so low it looked nearly nonexistent. “Honored, I'm going to shoot this gem off from the city towards Ponyville. Hopefully it will find a way to you. I know that you've been giving them hell. I saw both armies head off towards there in the past few weeks. If you can’t get here in time it’s alright. We all know what we signed up for. We’re going out swinging and that’s what counts.” The image flickered again and a large blue earth pony occupied the hologram.

“Honored, it was an honor serving with you. Sky would have been proud to see what you've done to save the ponies.” Hammer Strike adjusted a massive hammer that rested on his back. “What we wouldn't give to have a couple of you humans up here. Give ‘em hell sir.” Hammer gave a salute and the image went dead. A flash of yellow took up the screen as Quick Flurry limped into the frame. His yellow coat was smudged with dirt and his normally erratic orange mane was burnt on one side of his head.

“Hey there sir… sorry I can’t do this all solemn like. Sup buddy! Care to lend me a wing?” he turned and showed the left side of his body. His side was covered in a wicked burn that started at the neck and went all the way to his flank. But the worst part was his yellow wing was gone. Nothing but a little stump remained. Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Luna all jerked at the sight of it. “It hurt like hell Honored, but I was able to pull through and save Battle Plan so it was worth it. I'm still the fastest, even on the ground. I just can’t fly anymore. I’ll try to save some shadows for you!” the image flickered back to Short Blade who coughed and looked very sad at the ruby.

“Well Honored, this was supposed to be our last words kind of thing. I hope I'm wrong.” The picture of Short Blade fizzled out into nothingness. Everpony stood in silence around the table, soaking up the information that had just been dumped. Slowly all the eyes surrounding the table turned and focused in on me.

I calmly placed hands on the table and leaned in so I was closer to everyone gather around. I waited as the gathered ponies and creatures inched their heads in to hear what I had to say. I wanted a good dramatic pause to accumulate throughout the tent. Then I broke the silence.

“This assault just became a search and rescue with a secondary objective of stopping Day Terror.” I quickly brought my arm across the map and moved all the chest pieces to one side. I placed four pawns in the center of Canterlot to represent the members of the trapped Saddle Company. I moved the other chest pieces, a queen, rooks, knights, some bishops to Ponyville to represent the standing Royal Guard force that would attack Canterlot. I then reached out and plunged my knife into the space between Ponyville and Canterlot. “That’s me.”

The ponies, griffon and shadow all gave me curious glances. I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Okay we have trapped group of ponies that have been fighting the shadows at the heart of their operations. I am going to get them out. The plan is simple, I head to the city first, using sneak and elusiveness to get in the city, refraining from any actual fights, and get to the trapped group of guards. With some type of signal, the main assault lead by you Luna will advance once I have met and secured the guards. Then we punch through the castle from two sides. The main assaulting force and the hidden guerrilla force which I will now be operating with.” I crossed my arms across my armored chest and waited for my fellow guards and friends to make comments.

“I don’t like it.” Luna said while running through the different scenarios on how this could play out. “But having you on the inside would cause unimaginable chaos for Day terror.”

Gilda just shrugged her shoulders, “seems like a cool plan to me. Honestly dividing the city into two fronts would put a strain on Day Terror’s already spread thin forces. That last failed attack she tried nearly wiped the city clean of all its defenders.”

Covert looked at me and grinned his red smile. “If you're going, then I'm going too.”

“Oh no you don’t.” I looked back at him and spoke sternly. “I need you here on the front lines of the assault force.”

“And sure, you're a master of stealth.” He cocked his head to the side and vanished into thin air, only to reappear behind me on the ground as my shadow. He then reached up, grabbed my boots and flipped me to the ground, catching me before I hit the dirt and flipped me over, not making a sound as he then placed one of his double pronged blades across my throat. “I on the other hand am a master of stealth. It’s what I do.”

I glared at him, but then eased up and relaxed. He stood up and extended me one of his arms. I took it and stood up. “Okay. Me and my shadow will infiltrate the city and rendezvous with the lost squad. Any questions?”

Pinkie pie raised a hoof into the air and began to bounce up and down rapidly while groaning like a small child. I sighed and immediately regretted asking.

“Yes Pinkie?” I said through gritted teeth, this wasn't the time for her games. I needed to get to Canterlot like yesterday. If this ruby was recovered late yesterday afternoon it could be too late for Saddle.

“What are the,” Pinkie turned her head upside down to read some words scribbled onto the bottom of the map in front of Princess Luna, “Elements of Sanctuary?”

“I…” my voice died in my throat as I grabbed the map and jerked it off the table. I looked at the small scribble in the corner. It was written with ink, but somepony had tried to smudge it out so it was barely visible. I could make out the top of the writing; it said the Elements of Sanctuary. Under that was a small list, which was completely smudged through so nothing was legible.

I slowly put the map down and looked at Luna. “Spill it.”

“We…I have no idea what you are talking about!” Luna’s eyes darted around the tent avoiding eye contact with me.

“Talk. Please.” I sighed and eased up my death glare. “Luna I know I heard you mention something about ‘new Elements’ before, so please tell me, tell us about them.”

“Fine, I suppose there is no point in hiding the truth any longer. The Elements of Harmony aren’t the only Elements in existence.” She lifted a hoof to the mane six who were on one side of the table. They all wore their respected Element around their neck, save for Twilight who wore her magic tiara. “They were found by my sister and myself long ago and served as our magical tools from the beginning of Equestria. They could be used to build land, construct mountains, fill seas, and even in extreme cases, be used as a means of defense.” The memories of Nightmare Moon and Discord flashed through everypony’s mind.

“But recently Honored, while you were gone for the year, I was reading some very old tomes regarding the Elements, that there might have been some way to use them to locate your body for a proper burial.”

“Wait what?” Gilda asked with a hocked expression. Rainbow Dash simply placed a hoof on her back and shook her head.

“Shhhhs it’s a really long story.”

Luna coughed, “the Elements of Harmony weren't made to act as a weapon, even in defense, so basically they created an opposite set of Elements. The Elements of Sanctuary. They were created to act as the main defense force for Equestria and every land on our peaceful earth. Whenever trouble would arise, the Elements of Sanctuary would intervene and act as-“

“The protectors.” I cut in, finally realizing what Luna was getting to. “But then the ancient humans of Hum-gia died off, and the Elements of Sanctuary were lost.”

“Precisely.” Luna nodded at me. “Humans were the main carriers of the Sanctuary. Sure a pony here and there would carrier one, but the humans were just natural made to-“

“Protect.” I cut in again.

“Yes.” Luna said through gritted teeth, “now would you like me to finish explaining?”

“Please.” I said innocently.

“Once the humans detonated their light bombs to destroy the nightmare once and for all, they elements of Sanctuary were lost. But I think, this is me just thinking widely here, that some force, more powerful that Celestia and myself together, ripped a living creature not only from another world, but from another universe and brought them to Equestria. I think that the Elements of Sanctuary have been reactivated and you are the heart of them.”

I stood their stunned. New Elements? Some magic ass rocks are the things that pulled me here?

Rock.

Seriously?

“So you're telling me some magical necklace pulled me through time and space to become its new bearer?”

“No.”

“Thank god.”

“The Elements of Sanctuary were not and will not be necklaces. They are magically enchanted weapons that wield power beyond belief, but can only be used for protecting by its bearer.”

I dropped to the ground, flat on my ass. “I don’t need this shit now!” I sighed. “Okay so what are the Elements of Sanctuary?”

Luna stopped for a moment and thought. She lit up her horn and floated a quill out of an ink well and began to write on the map in the same spot as the smudge was. “There was Protection, Stealth, Control, Strength, Wit, and Steadfast. Each one worked together to bring Sanctuary to the land.”

“Did you find any of them?” I quietly asked. I had a good idea about a couple of them, but some of the Elements still eluded me. “Not the weapons, but the bearers.”

“Well I can’t be sure, but I think I have. But the only way to test that is the bearers have to come into contact with the physical Elements, the weapon for each one. You obviously are one of the Elements. The Element of Protection, both Celestia and I were positive on that one. The others, well not so much, I have some ideas but nothing solid yet.”

“Okay well we can worry about that later. As far as I'm concerned we have come this far without the knock off Elements, we don’t need them now.” I grunted and walked towards the door of the tent.

“But Honored-“

“No. there isn't time for a whole side quest adventure to find some mysterious Elements! There are brave ponies trapped in Canterlot. My friends are trapped by vicious shadows and I sure as hell am going to get them out. Magic rocks or not.” I stormed out of the tent and towards my tent to arm myself for the assault. I would need stealth. All the stealth.

I unlocked the container and loaded myself down with all of my weapons. The main weapons though would be the small Glock 21s. Their silencers just became the most valuable things for this mission. Well the swords and knife were stealthy too, but just not as effective at range.

I strode out of my tent and made a beeline towards the edge of Ponyville. Covert joined up with me a minute later. He nodded to me and we began our two man march towards Canterlot, both of us choosing to remain silent as we were lost in our own thoughts. I wondered about these new Elements. Fuck them. They haven’t helped for shit for the last year and half. It has been only the hard work and sacrifice of ponies that have made progress against the evils in the world, not some magical Elements that have refused to help.

Fuck the Elements of Sanctuary.

And fuck Day Terror.

Rally Point

Honor Above All Else
Chapter 34
By Honored Service
Pre-read TheDarkAngel

“Got ‘em. Two Shadows moving up, left flank.” Quick Flurry whispered to the pony crouched beside him in the destroyed storefront window leading to Saddle Company’s hiding spot. “We should get Battle Plan to get up here and hit ‘em with some arrows before they find us, Blade.” Flurry looked up from his telescope that was propped up against a brick. His yellow coat was matted with sweat and his short cropped orange and red mane was caked in dirt, well the part that wasn't burnt off was.

Quick Flurry adjusted his one wing against his side and sighed. He had a phantom itch where his old wing had been.

“Hang in there buddy,” Short Blade laid a comforting hoof on Quick’s back, “Honored got the message and I'm positive he’s on the way as we speak.” The light orange unicorn turned his head and looked back out onto the destroyed city of Canterlot.

He blinked quickly trying to locate the two roaming shadows that had just been wandering through the devastation.

“Blade, check this out.” A dumbstruck Quick Flurry held up the telescope to his superior officer while staring off into the distance.

“What?” Short Blade lifted the telescope to his eye and focused it onto the two shadows advancing towards their position. Soon those two were joined by six more, then ten more. Within a minute a group of at least twenty-three shadows was heading directly at the group’s hidden position. Or well not so hidden now.

“Dear Celestia. Get Battle and Hammer up here. This is it.” Short Blade gulped and prayed for protection for his friends and fellow guards.

Quick flurry skidded around the falling building and dove down a broken sewer pipe that dropped off into a small cavern inside the gem mines. “Get up you two! This is the big one!” He turned tail and paused laughing to himself. “Not in a gay way!” He bolted back up the same pipe, as fast as lightening towards the surface.

From behind a flipped over mattress, a sage colored unicorn with a nearly clean shaved silver mane trotted out. The once skinny and jumpy guard was now built as solid as Short Blade, but still was nothing to compare to the earth pony that lumbered out from behind him. Hammer Strike was still the same massive hulking giant of a guard.

Battle Plan ran to the pipe, but stopped just shy of it to grab his quiver and long bow propped up against the opening. “Let’s go Hammer. It’s a great day for some fun.” The unicorn shot the earth pony a sad smile and disappeared up the pipe.

“Sure. Fun.” Hammer mumbled out. Sweat and dust coated his blue coat while his dark blue mane was caked in dried blood.

“Fun.” Hammer leaned over and picked up a giant steel hammer in his mouth and strapped it across his back. He lumbered towards the pipe and squeezed himself through the opening.

Once outside, the remaining four members of Saddle Company stood together looking at the battle field before them, the shadows getting closer and closer to their lightly defended position. Battle Plan drew an arrow from his quiver and loaded it into a notch in his bow. He pulled the string taught and took aim.

“Wait for it.” Short Blade held his hoof up.

“Wait for it.” Everypony tensed as the demon shadows grew steadily closer to the group.

“What the Tartarus?” Short Blade jerked the telescope closer to the group of shadows. He watched as the ranks began to disperse and break off in every direction and then fold in on themselves, as if fighting one of their own. “You guys are seeing this, right?”

One of the dark human shaped creatures leapt vertically in the air, drawing a blade from its back; blue lightning arching off the blade as it came down into the center of the group. Through the telescope, Short Blade watched as the body of a shadow was launched across the wreckage filled street and smashed into a wall.

“Hey let me see!” Quick Flurry yanked the telescope free and watched as another shadow seemingly teleported itself up onto a pile of bricks overlooking a section of the street and rained some kind of rapid firing lightning from a shape in its arms down onto ten other shadows. A loud popping filled the air as the shadows collapsed all around the pile of bricks.

“I want a turn.” Battle Plan levitated the telescope over to his eye line and peered down the street. The shadow got closer, and soon armor covering the creature began to reflect the burning light of the city. It rammed a blade through two shadows and then lopped of their heads with a quick slash from another sword that seemed to sparkle like it was crafted of diamonds.

“It’s Honored, you buffoons,” Hammer Strike grumbled out before snagging the telescope out of Battle Plan’s aurora and pointing it at the charging human. He watched as the human sheathed both lethal blades and drew two shapes similar the weapon he carried on his hip. These two pistols had extra-long thick barrels attached to their ends.

The Honor Guard ran forward through the remaining lines of shadows, dividing them into two lines. As he ran, he held his arms out at ninety degrees and the shadows began to drop without a sound as he passed by them. The last shadow, with horns protruding out of its head moved in front of Honored’s path. The human tucked and rolled and came out in a flying kick straight at the Shadow Champion. Both steel toed combat boots impacted the shadow’s chest and sent it reeling backwards. The human sprinted after the shadow and jumped onto its chest as it tried to stand up. Honored shoved both barrels of his pistols into the shadow’s face and squeezed the triggers rapidly; silent pops and hissing filled the air until two clicks were heard.

The human rose to his feet to stare directly into the lens of a telescope held by Hammer Strike.

The earth pony slowly lowered the telescope and stared at the human coated in black blood before him. The rest of Saddle Company just stared in awe at the guard that had wiped out the attacking shadows.

“Mornin’.”

I smiled at the four ponies that were staring back at me. I slowly slid my silenced Glocks into their holsters and rubbed the back of my neck. “So… I got your message –“

I was knocked backwards by a blur of yellow. Quick Flurry bounced up and down on my chest, knocking the wind out of me, as well as crushing my insides. “Boom! Did you see that? Sling, sling, sling, those shadows dropped like wheat stalks in the fall. And did you hear those pistol things? Because I sure didn't, super stealthy! I mean, man oh man, and talk about making an entrance!” Quick Flurry looked down at me. “So, how you doing, human?”

I pushed the pegasus off of my chest and sat up. The rest of Saddle Company joined around me. “Thanks Honored. That would have been our final fight.” Short Blade extended a hoof to me. I grasped his hoof and shook it.

“No problem. It’s what I do.” I stood up and moved around just as Covert appeared next to me.

“LOOK OUT, HONORED!” Battle Plan yelled, letting an arrow lose from his bow directly at Covert. I quickly snapped around and slammed my gauntlet into the shaft of the arrow, sending it flying into a lamppost across the street.

“No! He’s a friend!” I stood in front of my shadow and waved my hands. “This is Covert and he is a good guy. He’s fighting with us.” I held my pose as the rest of the ponies remained ready to fight. “Please, just trust me.”

“That’s what you said about Nightmare.” Hammer Strike said slowly, not easing his stance where his hammer was held high in the air by a hoof.

Ouch. That one cut me right down. I forgot that really this whole war, all the death, was my fault. All because I had let something gain my trust. “No. He’s been fighting by my side and hasn't failed me yet.” Slowly the ponies began to let up their defensive stances. “Thank you.”

“But I'm watching you, buster.” Quick Flurry said motioning to Covert with a hoof and flapping his one wing to the side.

“Fair enough, uni-wing.” Covert shot back. Quick jerked back, but then broke into a fit of laughter.

“He’s got spunk! I like it! Another!” He shouted back. Covert and I fell into line and followed the ponies back towards their makeshift camp bellow the streets of Canterlot in the gem mines.

“Winger.”

“You can do better than that.”

“Can I lend you a wing?.”

“Meh, that was alright.”

“Okay, knock it off, you two.” I looked back at the shadow and lopsided pegasus who were still fake arguing with each other. We found ourselves in an underground cavern about the size of a small basement. The ponies unloaded their gear and began lounging around on rocks and makeshift chairs. I stood up and walked to the center of the room where a small fire was lit on some old wooden boxes.

“So, Honored,” Short Blade walked over to me and sat on his haunches, looking up, “when’s the rest of the backup arriving?”

I smiled and reached into one of the many pockets lining my combat uniform. I pulled out a small glass cube and smashed it onto the floor of the cavern. A wisp of green flames burst forth and flew out of the very pipe we had come in through. “In about twenty minutes. Let me break the plan down for you.”

“Luna?” Twilight called as she cautiously poked her head into the alicorn’s tent.

“Please, enter, young Twilight. How can I help you?” Luna was sitting at her desk scribbling furiously on a scroll. She barley looked up as Twilight approached her holding a piece of parchment. It was a torn shard of paper from the map in the command tent.

Luna stopped and looked down at the paper. Twilight slowly pushed the ripped section in front of Luna. “Would you please explain your reasoning behind these?”

Luna looked down to the piece of paper laid in front of her. It was the same section that had The Elements of Sanctuary on it, but Twilight had used a reverse appearance spell and the earlier notes the alicorn had made were now visible. The list of which ponies should hold the Elements was now fully viewable.

Luna let out a breath and opened the bottom draw on her desk. She lit up her horn and a bottle of Appleoosa hard apple whiskey floated out. Luna unscrewed the top and took a long drag from it. Twilight looked at the princess with a questioning glance. Luna simply levitated the bottle towards the bookish unicorn.

“Um, no thanks. I’m um not much of a drinker, but once Honored gets back you should ask him.” Twilight smiled.

“So, Twilight, you want me to explain these Elements of Sanctuary to you. These things, these weapons that I know even less about compared to the Elements of Harmony?” Luna took another pull from the bottle. Twilight nodded her head furiously.

“Okay well for one thing,” the alicorn sipped at the bottle, “damn this is good. Okay first thing you should know is that I’ve only ever seen one of these Elements of Sanctuary. And that was on the ancient human Shieldstrong, the leader of the ancient human protector force and first member of the Equestrian Honor Guard way far back.” Luna turned the bottle over in her hoof and looked at with watery eyes. “He wore a huge blade on his waist. Somewhere between three and four feet long. It hand a beautiful handle that curved around the hand protecting it and tapering down into a lethal point. The hilt. Oh, that hilt. The hilt is where the actual Element rested, the Element of Protection. It was a deep green, five pointed star that glowed with a faint eerie light, but it was gorgeous.” Luna paused and walked over to her bed before collapsing in it, the bottle of alcohol not leaving her magical grasp as she cradled it next to her.

“And the blade, well the blade was a long sharp wicked thing. It was powered by the Element to never be broken, and to break anything it touched. That was the Sword of Protection.” Luna turned towards the sound of a quill scratching against parchment. Twilight was hurriedly writing every detail down.

“And I'm sure with your smart little mind, you could guess that I believe the brave and courageous –hicc – human Honored Service to be the future wielder of the Protection. I mean come on –hicc – he says the word ‘protection’ like in every sentence.” Luna’s words began to gain a slight slur as she downed another fourth of the bottle. “But that’s why I like him.
He’s always there when you need him. You see the way he pulls through in just the nick of time. Why I bet this whole thing will be over in a matter of days thanks to him–hicc – oh that’s another thing. Those stupid puns. Are they really needed? Twilight?”

“Yes, your highness?” Twilight was trying to hide her face behind her parchment. The Princess may have not realized it, but the more she talked about the human, the redder her face had become.

“Do you think Honored still loves Fast Skies?” Luna drank the rest of the bottle and threw it aside. She then levitated another bottle out of the desk. But before she could open it, Twilight snagged it out of the air and pulled it away from the drunken alicorn.

“No gimme.” Luna whined, stretching her hooves forward trying to reach the floating bottle. “Come on. As your –hicc – royal deity I command you to –hicc –“

Luna’s head crashed back onto her pillow and was out like a light. Twilight giggled to herself and teleported the bottle to Applejack’s tent. “I should probably just use my best educated guess on the rest of these.” With Luna gone for the night, Twilight looked over the list and began to write her own ideas on why the ponies and human were chosen for their respected Elements.

Elements of Sanctuary

Protection- Honored Service (Lives for protecting all those around him. Not afraid to sacrifice himself for the better of others.)

Stealth- ~~Fast Skies~~ Covert (An Element doesn’t disagree on species so why not entities? Covert shows amazing ability to simply vanish and reappear. Stealthy)

Control- Stand Bold (I don’t know much personally about this pegasus but he was able to secure a crew for an airship and have it running in only a few days. He shows incredible control over ponies. More research is need on him personally.)

Strength- Hammer Strike (A fellow guard with Honored, seems to be incredibly strong, duh, and firm in his decisions)

Steadfast- Quick Flurry (Basically a combat version of the Element of Loyalty. Quick Flurry acts like Pinkie Pie while having the spunk of Rainbow Dash, must keep them separated at all costs. He has stuck by Honored’s side since day one of training, and in the gem recording he gave up a wing to save a fellow friend.)

Wit- Battle Plan (I like this Element the most; it seems like Magic if any. Battle is smart and quick thinking along with being wise for his age in adulthood. I should speak with him more personally.)

The Elements of Sanctuary are relatively unknown minus the description of the Sword of Protection. Maybe Luna knows more but will have to wait till she awakes from her… um… drunken slumber to inquire more.

“Twilight!” Spike jumped up and down on the bed trying to awake the sleeping unicorn. “Twilight! The signal! I got the signal from Honored!” Twilight lurched out of bed, sending Spike across the tent that was covered with books.

“AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!”

“When did it come?!” Twilight gasped and threw open the tent flap and looked outside. The sun was just beginning to rise over the castle in the distance.

Spike sat up in a pile of books, “about three minutes ago.”

“Then we need to ready Fast Skies.”

“Alright crew! Listen up! This is the big one! I'm talking the mother of all missions for our ship.” Sergeant Stand Bold walked in front of his crew that was formed up outside of the tethered airship. “We will go in, moving fast and punching hard. Once reaching Honored’s position we will drop the Royal Guards and then provide very close air support. DEATH!”

“FROM ABOVE.” Echoed the group of ponies.

“Dismissed!” Stand Bold turned around and wiped a tear from his eye. “I promised myself I wouldn’t cry. Promise broken.”

“And here I was thinking you were cool.” A rough feminine voice said from beside the Royal Guard. Sergeant Bold whipped around to come face to face with Rainbow Dash. “Crying? Seriously?” She said with a smirk.

“It was… gun powder. Got right in my eye.” The pegasus’ coat was turning deep red.

“Sure. Well I just wanted to wish you good luck. And all that.” Rainbow shuffled her hoof in the dirt before jumping forward and planting a kiss on Sergeant Stand Bold’s cheek. “Goodluckbye!” She zoomed off leaving the guard blushing and holding a hoof to his kissed cheek. He turned around to see his crew gawking and making kissy faces at him from along the gun ports of the airship.

“OH JUST SHOVE IT YOU BUNCH OF CANNON PACKERS!”

“Clear left.” Short Blade jumped from around a corner in the underground tunnels winding underneath Canterlot.

“Clear right.” I responded at the same time, covering the right side of the tunnel. Together the ponies, Covert, and I crept through the dark caverns. We were going to establish a landing zone for the Royal Guards at the Canterlot central market square and then push up to the castle, eliminating any shadows along the way and hopefully force Day Terror from her hiding place within the safety of the castle walls.

“Moving.” I barked the order behind to the ponies holding position to my rear. Covert materialized next to me and nodded.

Together we moved forward to a large cavern that was directly beneath the market. A single ladder ran straight up to the street. Seemed a little…unsafe to have a fifty foot drop directly under the most frequently visited place in the city, but then again I wasn’t the engineer that decided to build a city on the side of a freaking mountain.

“Okay, Covert, you head up first and secure the hatch. Make sure nothing is waiting for us. Stealth only. No SAW right now.”

I spoke quietly and calmly to the shadow. This is the part of the mission where several things could go wrong. Being discovered before the guard showed up would make everything a lot harder. The worst thing would be for a fight to break out in the caverns where our only exit was now an opening in the cavern ceiling fifty feet up.

Covert dipped his head down and vanished, reappearing next to the ladder. He shimmed up it as fast as he could, jumping up two rungs at a time. He reached the top and placed an arm on the hatch and pushed it up and over.

SCCCCRRRREEEEAAACHHHHH

The rusty hatch echoed through the tunnels and out into the market place. For several tense seconds nopony moved. No sound followed the loud screeching.

“That was close.” Quick Flurry said sighing.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” The loud screaming spilt through the tunnels and caverns as the blood curling sound of shadows reached our ears.

“Oh, fuck me.” I jerked both silenced pistols from their holsters and cocked them. This plan was going downhill fast. The first shadow darted out from a cavern to the right. It locked eyes with me and opened its mouth to unleash another wicked howl.

TWANG

An arrow sprouted from its throat, black blood squirting out from the puncture wound. The shadow toppled backwards, collapsing back into dark void of the cavern. “Good shot, Battle.” I said nodding to the unicorn. He smiled and readied another arrow as the soft sound of feet striking rock filled the air. “Hang on everypony, it’s about to get messy.”

Covert finished pushing the hatch aside and slid out across the pavement. Covert absorbed the still dark shadows around him and focused on the stall across the street. Blinking, the shadow found himself now behind it. Then the scream sounded out. “Human.” Covert looked back to the ladder, but knew he had a job to do here. He had to keep this area secure till the ponies and human emerged from the caverns and more guards joined them from the flying airship.

A loud thud filled the quiet market as Covert looked to its source. A Shadow Warrior was making its slow way into the market.
And it was heading straight for the ladder. “No.” Covert focused on his hands and his shadow M249 SAW formed from the darkness around him. The shadow took aim at the lumbering demon’s head and began to depress the trigger, “Oh right… stealth.”

Suddenly a massive explosion shook the earth as smoke rose out of the hole leading into the caverns. “I see the whole being stealthy thing is gone.” Still for the personal challenge, Covert disappeared into the shadows and reappeared behind the still moving Warrior. It paused and turned around to see nothing. As the great big monster turned back around to seal the hole, a single Shadow Human stood before it. Two double pronged swords leapt forth from the shadow’s hands and it jumped into the air, heading directly towards the Shadows Warrior’s head.

The warrior growled and let the tentacle blades on it back shoot forward to intercept the assailant. Covert seemingly dispersed himself around the tentacles and landed both blades directly into the chest of the Shadow Warrior. He ran along the shadow’s chest, dragging his sword-arms along with him until he had made a complete revolution around the warrior.

The creature stopped moving as its abdomen separated from its chest, sliding apart and onto the ground.

Covert rolled to the ground and vanished into a puff of shadow and took up an over watch position guarding the hatch to the cavern, silently praying that his human and ponies would exit the death trap below.

I yanked the grenade out of my pocket and pulled the pin off. I flipped the spoon to the side and hurled the exploding ball at the cavern that was full of shadows charging directly at us. The grenade bounced off the ceiling and rolled down the slight incline stopping just as the shadows ran over it.

BOOM

Chunks of shadows rained all over the place as the cavern shook from the impact of the grenade. “Well forget stealth at this point! Just stay alive!” I called out and fired my pistols into the shadows emerging from the opposite cavern.

The pistols coughed their muffled sounds as the .45 slugs ripped into the dark magic flesh of the shadows. Next to me Battle Plan sent arrow after arrow perfectly into head, neck, or chest of shadows. Quick Flurry was ducking and weaving his way quickly through the front line of the shadows, slicing away at their legs and stomachs with a short sword. He was still just as fast, but I found it hard to watch him. He would use his only wing to quickly dodge to the left, but that’s all it was good for, just propelling him to the side very quickly.

CRASH

The hammer of Hammer Strike's crashed down onto the skull of a shadow. His swings were deadly and accurate, but slow. Short Blade stood behind Hammer Strike, keeping any quickly advancing shadows off his back. The two worked wonderfully guarding and attacking.

“Battle Plan listen up, we are getting trapped down here. The fighting needs to happen up there,” I jerked a pistol up towards the early morning light that was beginning to shine down from the hole in the ceiling, “Get up the ladder.”

“But we’re fighting down here-“

“That’s an order; now get up the ladder NOW!” I yelled at him, holstering the Glocks and drawing my Berretta and Zappy the electrified sword. I fired a blast of magic into a shadow and lopped of its head with a clean cut from the blade that sent a few arcs of sparks into the air. “Quick, get over here! Short, Hammer, you too. We need to get out of here! This place is a death trap.”

More and more shadows were charging forth from the caverns. They were all rushing forward to attack one central spot. The ladder. Quick Flurry sheathed his sword and leapt over my head and onto the rungs of the ladder and scurried up towards the surface where Battle Plan had just reached the exit.

“I swear that pony is part squirrel.” Short Blade laughed as another shadow collapsed into the rocky floor of the cavern from his blade.

“Yea.” Hammer strike added. He grunted as he swung his hammer to the side, knocking three shadows down at the same time before spinning around and dropping his rear hooves into their skulls, crushing two of them and then whipping back around to plant the hammer into the third’s head.

“Hammer, you’re next.” I stepped up to cover Hammer’s spot as the large earth pony slowly began to pull himself up the ladder.

“Honored?” Short Blade asked while hacking the head off of another shadow.

“Yes?” I asked while planting the sword into a shadow’s chest and firing the pistol into its face, sending the shadow backwards off the sword.

“How should we decide who goes next?”

“Easy. You do.” I smiled and jerked the sword up towards the opening. “Get moving.”

“No can do, Lt. You get up there. I got your back.” Short looked at me with big sad eyes. I had seen those eyes before. They had belonged to a dying mare lying in my lap.

“No. Short, I need you to make it through this. The ponies up there,” I pointed back to ceiling as a burst of red magic from my pistol ripped through the face of a shadow, “Saddle needs you buddy.”

“Honored you need to reach the surface and you need somepony to cover you.” Short Blade blocked a slash from a shadow and thrusted his blade into the shadow’s open neck. “Go. I’ll be right behind you.”

“Okay, but you better stay on my ass!” I yelled as I pulled the pony guard close for a quick hug. I let go and gave him a salute and took off up the ladder leaping forwards two rungs at a time. I was nearing the top and the sound of combat ceased below me. I looked down to see Short Blade standing directly below the ladder looking up at me.

“No.” I whispered down at him.

The three shadows jumped at him from all sides. I watched in horror as time seemed to slow down. Each blade sliced easily through Short Blade’s armor and flesh. Red blood began to stain his orange coat as he looked up to me. He pulled something dark green and round from beneath his hoof. I felt at the pocket behind my back where my grenades rested. The little bugger had snagged one when I gave him a hug.

“It’s been an honor, Honored!” Short Blade yelled up at me before bursting into laughter. A shadow began climbing the ladder but the flash and explosion consumed all the shadows gathered around the dying unicorn.

“No.” I whispered again. My voice lost in my throat as something pulled me up from the ladder. I fell backwards as Hammer Strike kicked the hatch shut on the hole leading to the grave of Short Blade. “No.”

“It’s okay,” Hammer Strike began to say in his slow calm voice.

“NO! I’ve gotten another one of my friends killed! Who will be next? You? Quick? Maybe Battle. Who the fuck knows?!” I screamed into the morning sky.

“Honored, Short Blade got to choose how he died. He saved you and all of us. I hope to be as lucky as him and know that my death would save somepony.” Battle Plan laid a hoof on my shoulder. “Please we need to set up a perimeter and wait for Fast Skies, the ship should be here soon.”

Covert walked up to me and laid a hand on my back. “Human, it should make you feel good knowing you have friends willing to lay down their lives to save you.”

“But it doesn’t.” I looked down as one tear landed on the cracked pavement in between the gore stained combat boots. “None should die for my sake.”

This Little Human Went to Market

Honor Above All Else
Chapter 35
By Honored Service
Pre-read by The DarkAngel and Tbone5363

The sun was just cresting over the horizon as Saddle Company secured the position inside the Canterlot market. I had remained silent through most of night, choosing to preform my tasks with quiet diligence. The other ponies and Covert had tried to lift my spirits but nothing was working, I was too busy mourning over my lost friend. Short Blade was gone. Just like Fast Skies, he had died saving me. Was I that special? Was I that needed to this fight that another life had been sacrificed to protect me.

“Honored?”

I jerked my head up at the voice. Covert had materialized next to me on the roof top of overlooking the market. “Yea Covert?” I asked, returning my focus to the cobblestone street and market stalls below.

“Please you need to focus, you can’t function like a robot.” Covert placed one of arms across my shoulders. “Your friends need the confident arrogant human back. We all do. When the airship arrives the guards will need to the see the unstoppable human.” Covert gestured to small pinprick off in the distance that was growing closer.

“I… I know Covert. It’s just… I can’t stand watching ponies, my friends, die to save me. It’s supposed to be the other way around.” I slowly rose to my feet and headed to the ladder leading down to the market square. “I can put on a happy face.” I made a smile appear on my face. “Show time.”

“Market square in sight Sergeant.” The small pegasus looked up from the map and telescope mounted in the front of Fast Skies’ bridge window.

“Excellent. Bring us in close and then hold position over the drop zone at twenty meters.” Sergeant Stand Bold turned the wheel of the airship and glided the massive gun platform towards the city of Canterlot. The tan pegasus ran a hoof through his red mane before bringing a microphone to his mouth. “Attention all guards! Attention all guard! Drop ETA five mikes. Say again prepare to hit the ground in five mikes. Thanks for flying Equestrian air. If you found anything wrong with the flight, please let us know by filling out a complaint slip and shoving it!”

“Sir was the really needed?” A young Royal Guard asked looking to the Sergeant from his post next to the bridge door. His armor was a size too big for him, showing that he was fresh from training and eager to fight and the fact that the golden armor hadn't been enchanted yet to mask the wearers mane and coat color gave it away.

“One, don’t sir me. I work for a living. Two, yes the guards love a good joke. And three… well yeah it helps me too.” Sergeant Bold turned to look at the young guard. “Ain’t you a little young and green to be here?” The guard looked as if he had just finished high school. His sea green mane was still cut like civilian’s, showing off his young face.

“Sir… I mean sergeant I'm not that young. And this is my first guard shift.” The pony spoke matter-of-factly, obviously having had to explain this before.

“Well you sure picked a hell of a time… what’s your name?” Stand Bold walked towards the young guard, inspecting him over carefully.

“Fresh Greens sergeant.” Stand Bold looked at the pony and then let out a chuckle.

“Yeah, haha you're green alright.” The sergeant placed a hoof on the kid’s shoulder and brought him before the wheel of the ship. “I like ya’ Green. You stick by me kid and we’ll get you out of here safe and sound.”

“Thank you sergeant. Is it true what the other guards say? That you fought with the human?” Fresh Greens looked up to the older pony.

“Yes.” Sergeant Bold looked out to the growing city of Canterlot. He reached out a flicked a couple of switches and adjusted the flight of the airship. “Back at the first battle of Ponyville. He was the one that single hoofedly took control of this very airship.”

“What was it like?”

“Scary. You ain’t ever seen something as scary as a human fighting. I thing I speak for every pony here when I say I'm glad I ain’t a shadow.”

“Sergeant,” the navigator poked her head up from the front of the bridge, “we have reached the square and are descending to twenty meters.”

Stand Bold gripped the microphone again, “Alright ladies, let’s get down there and secure the city of Canterlot! That human is down there having all the fun, let’s go help him!” Sergeant Stand Bold slammed a hoof on a series of buttons and throughout the ship, green lights lit up and the three bay doors opened up. “Navigator Maps.”

“Yes Sergeant?” The pegasus manning the navigation center looked up.

“Once the guards and myself have disembarked, bring Skies back to firing altitude and wait for any signal from me or Lieutenant Service to bring the rain.”

“Roger Sergeant.”

Stand Bold turned around and began marching down the metal corridor. “Well are you coming Green?”

“You mean we aren't staying on the ship?” The fresh guard looked back to the safety of the bridge as the two headed towards the small armory.

“Where’s the fun in sitting up here?” Stand Bold said while slipping into his armor. The steel armor fitted snugly along the pegasus’ body. The steel was glistening it’s dull silver color as Bold clasped a sword onto his back between his wings. He gestured towards the door and Fresh Greens galloped behind the more experienced pony. “Now listen, the drop zone should already be cleared, but stay alert and focused. You will stick by me and follow my orders. And trust the human, but don’t ever get in his way during a fight.” Stand Bold picked up a large bag containing Honored’s extra supplies and weapons.

“Yes sergeant.”

“And get ready to welcome the biggest adrenaline rush you've ever had.”

“What does that meannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn –“ Stand Bold delivered a swift kick the guards flank, and he tumbled out of the airship and down towards the ground below. As soon as Stand Bold dove out behind the falling pegasus he knew something was wrong.

The sounds of a battle erupted forth from the drop zone to the sergeant’s ears.

“Oh no."Bold mumbled through the handle of the duffle bag.

I watched as Fast Skies approached in the distance. It was closing in fast. Once hovering over the market the main fighting force of the Royal Guards would disembark and help secure the city surrounding the castle. Once the city was secured, then the main focus would be on the castle itself. “Battle Plan, is area bravo clear?” I walked towards the unicorn who was returning from his patrol.

“Yea. Nothing over to the east.”

“Quick? Section lima?”

“Lima?” The bright yellow pegasus cocked his head to the side.

“ You've gotta be kidding me. Fine. Section Llama?” I removed my golden helmet and rubbed a hand through my hair.

“Oh section llama is clear. The hell is a lima?”

“Forget it. Hammer how’s your side look?” I turned around towards the south section of the market but no blue earth pony was in sight. “Form up on me. Covert, takeover watch on the roofs.”

“Copy.” The shadow disappeared with a pop and reappeared on a roof across the market. Battle Plan and Quick Flurry got on my left and right forming a small triangle. I removed my Beretta from its hip holster and took point, sweeping through the abandoned market stalls. The light from the early morning sun shone through the destroyed windows and destroyed shops.

“Clear.”

“Clear.” I swept left and right, keeping a steady flow of magic focused into the pistol. Between at the previous combat and the training lessons with Twilight and Battle Plan I was beginning to gain good control on my limited magic abilities. I switched the pistol to my right hand temporally while focusing the gauntlet on a broken window and the destroyed beams around it. The blood red aurora of my magic levitated a long thick shard of broken glass and wood into the air. A brief flash of red occurred and I floated my improvised weapon to my hand. Flipping the pistol back into my gauntleted hand and gripping the glass short blade in my right hand I cleared another portion of the street.

“Keep an eye peeled for any signs of a struggle.”

“You mean like that?” Quick Flurry pointed a hoof towards the body of a shadow lying dead in the street. Its head had been obviously crushed in by the blow of a hammer.

“Covert can see anything?” I hollered up to the shadow that was following along the roof tops beside us.

“Negative, but I may see more bodies.” He pointed off towards an alleyway at the end of the current street.

“Alright Saddle, move double time.” I sprinted forward, silently thankful that I had left most of my supplies with Sergeant Bold on-board Fast Skies.

I rounded the corner and rolled into the ally springing up with my pistol drawn and my red magic glowing at the end of the barrel with my right hand posed ready to strike with the glass blade. Dead shadows covered the ally and in the center was Hammer Strike. Only he was held in place with black pools of liquid surrounding each of his hooves. I ran forward and gripped a wrap of black shadow that covered his muzzle.

“Run.” Was all Hammer Strike said before the screech filled the air. Covert appeared at the edge of the roof above us.

“We got shadows rolling in fast. And a lot of them.”

“This was a trap. They jumped me and I fought them off, but they just over powered me.” Hammer Strike explained while I blasted off the shadow pools at the bottom of his hooves. “They brought me here as a trap for you. I'm sorry.”

“ Don't be, I'm not going to let anything happen to you buddy.” I whipped around and moved forward, scooping Hammer’s weapon off the cobblestone street. I tossed him his massive hammer and motioned for us to move forward. “Let’s go, we need to get back to the market and hold it.”

The shadows rounded the street just as we exited the alleyway. “MOVE!”

I fired the pistol, the magic bolts of red energy shooting forward and cutting easily through the first rank of shadow humans. A long burst of automatic fire rained down from the rooftops where Covert ran parallel to us. The soft twang of Battle Plan’s bow signaled the death for any shadow that was unlucky enough to be the way of his arrows. The smash of a hammer sounded out from behind me as we pushed our way through the streets of Canterlot back to the market place.

“Honored; large group, twenty strong. 12 o’clock!” Covert yelled down to us before he leapt across a building and jumped off the roof onto the shoulders of a Shadow Warrior. The beast screamed into the air as Covert jammed the barrel of his M249 into the base of its neck and fired a long burst of fire through it. It crashed to the ground, Covert vanishing as it impacted into the cobblestone.

“Quick, Battle, Hammer; fall in line behind me and whatever you do, don’t stop moving and stay on my ass!” I began running forward straight at the crowd of shadows attempting block off our path. I pulled my arm back and threw the glass blade at the group. The first shadow reached out and caught the blade in his grasp. I jumped forward and delivered a kick the sword, sending the glass blade through its chest. I stood atop of the dead shadow and fired my pistol into the surrounding shadows, before leaping forwards and continuing my push through the group.

The sound of blades slicing through flesh and the crash of a hammer filled my ears as we pushed towards the market. A shadow jumped from the side of a house and knocked me to the ground. I rolled with the creature till coming to rest on top of the shadow. It screamed at me, lunging forward trying to sink its sharp teeth into my neck. I jerked backwards, but in doing so I became unbalanced and the shadow pushed me backwards so that it landed on top of me. I pushed up; trying to keep it from ramming me with its sword hand but it had the upper hand. Literally.

“Honored!” Battle Plan loosed an arrow while Covert fired his SAW and Quick Flurry leapt at the shadow with his short sword. The result was a shadow getting an arrow through the neck, a chest full of bullets and a sword lopping off its head. Blood gushed out and all over me as I pushed the corpse to the side and jumped to my feet. “Good team work y'all!” I yelled, pumping a fist into the air. I holstered Spike and drew both swords off my back.

“Final run. I’ll race you there.” I nodded to Quick Flurry and we made the last dash towards the market place, shadows crawling forth from every alleyway and jumping out of every destroyed home and shop. My blades were soon covered in the black gooey blood of the Shadows. Covert slid under my blades as I looped the head off of a following shadow. Covert jumped and spun around emptying the last of his magazine into the two other chasing shadows. They jerked in odd directions as the 5.56 rounds shredded their bodies into confetti.

“There it is Honored!” Quick Flurry yelled to me, while dashing forward.

“QUICK!” I screamed out, trying to reach the excited pegasus. In his haste to reach the market he was failing to see the Shadow Warrior lumbering towards him. Quick Flurry turned around just as the tentacles exploded form the creatures back and plunged straight at him.

“Not this time.” I gritted my teeth and focused my magic in front of me. I leapt forward and jumped through the short space, white and blood red flashing around me. I exited my short range jump directly in front of Quick Flurry. I sliced both blades to the side and cut four of the five tentacles off before they could reach the pegasus guard.

SHLING

I grunted and looked down. The fifth blade had been stopped; by my mid-section. The long black blade had cut into me right below my chest armor. I looked back up to the Shadow Warrior that was slowly picking me off the ground on its blade. I was skewered to it like a human-kabob.

“HAHAHA.” It let out a deep rumble laugh as the shadow warrior lifted me up to its face. I grunted in pain as the blade slowly turned around inside of my gut.

“Laugh it up freak.” I spat out through my gritted teeth. I fumbled with the grenade in my pouch pocket on my thigh. I pulled the grenade out and readied it for a throw. Suddenly an arrow sprouted o n the side of the Shadow Warrior’s neck. It open its mouth to let out a roar and I took my chance.

“Open wide fucker, and say ahhhh.” I hurled the grenade into the creature’s mouth and then pushed myself off the blade and tumbled towards the ground. I was caught quickly in a sage glow and Battle Plan levitated me to the ground. He grunted as I landed next to him and rolled over.

BOOM

The Shadow Warrior’s head erupted into chunks of flesh and brain. Black blood rained down over the street and market. I struggled to my feet and pulled out one of my silenced pistols. Holding my gauntlet over my fresh wound, I finished helping Saddle company and Covert mop up the rest of the shadows.

PSSH

The silenced pistol spit out its hot lead into the brains of shadows as they tried to kill me. The Glock made quick work of the remaining stragglers and the sounds of a sword, bow, hammer, and SAW told me that my friends were still kicking ass.
I passed by the headless Shadow Warrior and paused. I looked left and then right. No pony in sight. I looked back to the body. “I guess you lost your head.” I chuckled to myself and doubled over as a fresh wave of pain ripped through my body. Blood had completely soaked through my armored mid-section and was coating the ground around me.

“Damn that’s a lot of blood.” A soft thumping filled my ears as Fast Skies began to hover over the market. “About time Stand Bold.” I turned towards the market just as another sound filled my ears. The sound of footsteps. “I told you don’t sneak up on me like that Covert.” I was met by more pain as something hot ran through my side. I turned to face a Shadow Champion standing in front of a group of fifty shadows. It was looking at me with its blood red eyes, its sword arm embedded into my side.

“Oh. You're not Covert.” Blood filled my mouth as I slipped forward landing on the ground. I could feel the gauntlet begin to power up and I felt something like boiling water begin to form in the pit of my stomach. I grunted and stood up as my whole body began to glow dark red.

“Honored!” I heard Covert calling to me but paid him no attention. My focus was on the shadows standing before me. A smile slowly began to run over my face as the pain began to fade as I let the magic from the stupid fucking Element that apparently was inside of me take ahold.

Stupid fucking rock Element saving the day.

From out of nowhere music began to blare around me as I jumped forward, grabbing the Shadow Champion by one of its horns, and flinging him around into a wall, snapping its horn off and then driving the improvised stake through the back of its head and out its eye socket. The smile on my face spread to a whole new limit as the Shadow Champion’s corpse collapsed to the cobblestone street. I turned to face the crowd of shadows that now took a step back.

Above the human the bay doors on Fast Skies opened up, the Royal Guards pegasi leaping out and gliding down to the market while the unicorn and earth pony Royal Guards repelled quickly down to the ground. The guards swiftly moved into the market to find it covered with the bodies of shadows and Shadow Warriors. The sound of combat drew most guards to a long street leading away from the market. They heard the sound of music, deep music that made the guards cringe as they got closer. The sounds of shadows screaming echoed through the streets as the guards cautiously made their way to the noise.

Sergeant Stand Bold and Fresh Greens landed behind a small group of guards that had tracked down the source of the noise.

The human fighting it out with over fifty shadows. And he was winning.

“Well Green, you wanted to see the human.”

I grabbed a shadow by its head and smashed it into a wall, sending it crashing through the wall and throwing it through the building. I turned around, magic pouring form my gauntlet, I focused on levitating three shadows into the air before whipping them around and slamming them together of the street with a sickening crunch.

“MUHAHAHA!” I exploded into laughter as I jumped into the air and drew both Glocks from their holsters on the back of my belt on my lower back. I slid across the ground, the only sound being heard was the clinking of the brass casing hitting the ground as the .45 slugs knocked shadow after shadow to the ground, brain matter and blood sticking all over the side of shops and windows. I flipped over onto my side and hit the magazine release buttons, sending both empty clips into the face of a shadow. It stumbled from the brief obstruction, but then was kicked backwards from a roundhouse kick delivered swiftly by me. I loaded two fresh clips into the pistols and fired them into the shadow. I spun around and charged back into the middle of the fray, time seemingly slowing down as I watched each bullet pass through the shadows. They grunted and dropped, easily being removed from the world of the living. I came to as stop on the other side of the shadow group, both pistols smoking from the end of their silencers. I dropped them back into their holsters before turning around to face the last Shadow Champion.

I jerked Bad Bertha from her sheath and flipped the knife into the air and caught it on its tip. I pulled my arm back, flinging the Bowie knife forward at the champion. The blade stuck right into its chest. I ran forward as the creature attempted to remove the knife. With my gauntlet pulled back into a fist, I punched forwards, hitting the end of the knife so it was driven by the punch all the way up to the handle. I then gripped the end of the knife and twisted out the spike hidden in the handle and drove it through the top of the Shadow Champion’s skull; right in between the horns. It staggered before collapsing forward, falling into the combined blood of all the shadows in the street.

I panted and jerked the knife and spike out of its body, sheathing them. I looked up from the carnage to the ponies. All the reserve guards and Saddle Company stood gawking from on top of the roof tops and ends of the street, staring in awe at the destruction I just caused. “YOU'RE NEXT DAY TERROR!” I yelled into the sky before the blood red magic resided from my body and I buckled into a pool of blood oozing from my stomach.

“Not again.” I heard Covert say before I slipped into my old friend unconsciousness.

“Any luck Twilight?” Spike asked as he brought Twilight another cup of tea. Twilight had surrounded herself in any book she could find in the library that even remotely mentioned the Elements of Sanctuary or humans in general. Even books on magically enchanted weapons were scattered all around the floor of the library.

“No Spike. Or at least not much.” Twilight tossed another book over her back and onto a growing pile of books that were turning out to be duds. If only she could get to the Star Swirl the Bearded wing of the Castle library. She could easily find a book on ancient humans and the Elements of Sanctuary in there. Or even…

“Luna?” Twilight looked over to the alicorn who was also sorting through a pile of books. She held an ice pack to her head and winced at the slight noise of Twilight speaking.

“Please not so loud Twilight. What is it?” Luna cringed at her own voice.

“Do you or Princess Celestia have a private library?”

“But of course. We are old enough to have precious books saved throughout the ages that would not last in a public library or even a sealed off wing. Why do you… oh.” Luna came to the conclusion herself and brought a hoof to her head, she winced at the slight contact with her still aching skull. “And in the future dear Twilight,” Luna looked at Twilight with a concerned pleading face, “please don't let me drink.”

Carefully Luna began to concentrate on a transportation spell. It was an easy spell, but then again the hangover that was wracking the princesses’ brain wasn't making it any easier. Before long Luna had the spell functioning and pulled through a shimmering portal a large black chest. It was covered in dust and cobwebs. Twilight and Luna both inched towards the old chest and blew off the gathered dust. The lock on the front of the chest resembled the same magical lock found on the Element of Harmony hall door. A horn was the key.

Luna slowly placed her horn in the lock and it snapped open with a puff of dust. “This Twilight is my most prized novel collection.” Twilight reached in and pulled out a black book.

“Lulu’s diary?” Twilight cocked her head and looked to Luna who blushed and snatched the book away and sat on top of it.

Twilight reached in again and brought out another book, “The Dusk Saga by Stephanie Mare ?”

Luna immediately sent a burst of flame onto the book and it crumpled into ashes. “Hmm. That should be all of them.

“Fifty Shades of Indigo?”

“UGH!” Luna grunted and grabbed the book from Twilight’s magical grasp and hurled it across Ponyville where it crashed through the tent of a sleeping unicorn.

“Oh my heavens! Who threw this book at… me… o h goodness, an original Fifty Shades of Indigo… signed! My my my. Now I can finish this book since my last copy was ruined by Sweetie Belle.” Rarity snuggled up in her lavish bed and began to read.

“Okay there you are Twilight; these books are dated back to the ancient humans and even before them.” Luna was satisfied that now the collection was sorted into the correct order. Together the princess of the night and the bookish unicorn poured over every book in Luna’s collection. Luna would teleport another chest of ancient books once one had been depleted. Soon the library floor was completely coated in books older than Luna herself.

“Wait.” Twilight pulled the book out of the bottom of their fourth chest. “I think this might have something.” She was holding a tan book covered in a strange material. It felt papery, but different. It had the feeling of some kind of dried skin. Twilight shuddered at the very thought of what it was made of.

Luna walked around Twilight and sat behind her reading over her shoulder. “The Other Elements by Commander ShieldStrong Well if this doesn't help us then nothing will.” Luna nodded and Twilight opened the book to the first page.

“Luna, I can’t read ancient human very well, perhaps you could.” Twilight levitated the book to Luna who took it and began to pace back and forth with it, flipping through the pages every so often. “Anything?”

“Everything.” Luna looked up and smiled. “This book describes where the Elements are. Well where they should be. Who knows if they still are there, but at least we have an idea.”

“And where would that be?” Luna pulled a map of Equestria and brought it over to Twilight. She unrolled it and placed a hoof on the map.

“Seriously?”

“That’s where ShieldStrong wrote it was.”

“Mythartica. Oh Honored’s going to love this.” Twilight sighed and Luna continued to read on about the Elements of Sanctuary.

“Okay everything I said earlier about the Element of Protection was correct, but it also has good descriptions of each Element. Each one is crafted to work with the bearer. But unlike the Elements of Harmony where they need a spark of a sixth Element, the Elements of Sanctuary are already bonded… but need blood to be activated.” The color in Luna’s face drained out as she continued to read. “Blood activates the Elements from their sleep. This is done to show the dire need of the Elements and a devotion to them, bonding the weapon with the bearer till death.”

“The ancient humans were pretty violent.” Twilight commented as she began to map out the quickest course to Mythartica. Avoiding Griffon territory would be a must for the upcoming journey. With the griffons siding with Day Terror hostile patrols would almost be certain in that area of Equestria.

“Well humans aren't always the bearers of Sanctuary, but yes, that is a little gruesome. Where friendship binds you and your friends to the Elements of Harmony; violence and sacrifice binds the Elements of Sanctuary together.”

“The strongest blades are forged under the hottest fires.”

Both Luna and Twilight looked up to see Saddle Company plus Covert, Sergeant Stand Bold, and Fresh Greens walk into the library. Honored Service was limping along beside Hammer Strike for support. Bloody bandages covered his midsection where he still kept an arm clasped to his body. He looked up to the two ponies and coughed, a small trickle of blood dripping down his chin.

“Honored!?” Luna got up and made her way quickly through the piles of books to the human’s side. “What happened? And where is Short Blade. I have news for him regarding a new mission.”

Hammer Strike glanced at Luna and hung his head, “Short didn't make it. And Honored nearly got himself killed saving Quick Flurry.” Honored looked up and cracked a very weak smile before grunting and falling to the floor. “Yeah and he needs some medical attention now. Time may be a factor.”

I cracked my eyes open to see a light pink mane obscuring my vision. I slowly sat up and looked around. Fluttershy was wrapping more bandages around my midsection. At least the pain was now just a dull throbbing and not a constant stream of agony. I sighed and Fluttershy looked up.

“Oh good you're up. I’ll let the others know.” She quickly trotted out of the room. I looked around the room. I was slightly surprised that I wasn't in a tent. Solid oak walls surrounded me and books were everywhere. Twilight must have moved shop back into the library. That’s a good sign; maybe the ponies have begun to fix Ponyville up after all the shadows rain train on it.

“And once again we find you lying in bed recovering from a wound that you obtained protecting one of my subjects.” Luna said while walking into the room.

“Someone has to do it princess. And I am pretty good at it.” I sat up more in bed, resting my head against the wall behind me. “I only regret I couldn't save Short Blade. He… he died saving us.”

“It’s okay Honored. Your friends explained to me what happened, and that you single handedly took on over fifty shadows after sustaining that wound.” She nodded towards my patched up midsection. “It would seem that maybe you've accepted the Element of Protection. Hmm?”

“Just call it me being a badass.” I shrugged and rubbed the back of my neck. “But I did have some extra magic.” Luna gave me a stare. “Fine. The Element of Protection was there. Are you happy?”

“Very. Because now it’s time to get the others. Day Terror fears the Elements of Harmony, but imagine what would happen with the Elements of Sanctuary kicking down her door. We are going to find the actual weapons that are Sanctuary.” Luna declared, throwing a map out before me plotting the course through the land called Mythartica located below Hum-gia.

“Serious?”

“Yes.”

“No really. We are going on a side quest while Day Terror gets a break?”

“No. We are still leaving a force of guards at the city of Canterlot. Day Terror will be forced to either fight her way through the guards, or just sit tight and…”

“Build up her fortifications?” I finished, crossing my arms over my chest. “Now you see what I mean. So let’s say we find these Elements of Sanctuary. Then what?”

“Easy.” Luna turned around and walked towards the door. She stopped and turned around and gave me a wink, “Do whatever you want to the Nightmare.” Luna exited the room leaving me thinking. Anything. Leash removed. Save Princess
Celestia and then just have a field day with Nightmare.

And I think I knew just what I would do to that back stabbing asshole.

I sat on the back of the chariot, my legs hanging off the side as we crossed over the lush forest bellow. I concentrated my magic onto a song from home and it quietly began to play around me. Apparently this was how ponies did the whole musical numbers and shit. Magic.

I listened to the song as it was played by my memory out loud thinking about everything that had happened. It was all still happening so fast. It only took a few days for the wound to heal, something that should have been impossible, but combined with the Element’s magic and Fluttershy’s care I was right as rain within that short time period. Three separate chariots were pulling our mix matched group towards Hum-gia. Fresh Greens was pulling the chariot that held Quick Flurry, myself and my bag of weapons.

Sergeant Stand Bold pulled another chariot carrying Hammer Strike and Battle Plan. Those two were in charge of the map. Well more specifically, Battle Plan was. He also had the old tome that depicted the ancient temple death trap place where the Elements should be.

The final chariot was being pulled by Gilda. She wanted to come saying she knew where the worst griffon patrols were and how to get around them. So we allowed her to come. She was hooked up to the largest chariot pulling Covert and all the extra supplies we needed, which wasn't much. This was supposed to be a simple snatch and grab. Get in, find these stupid weapons, and get out.

But then again, nothing ever went according to plan.

I looked back down towards the earth, the landscape rushing by. So peaceful. This whole world was nothing but peaceful. And then I came. Maybe if I had never been brought to Equestria, then nothing would have happen. The second Changeling attack would have never occurred. Then Nightmare would have never done what he did, and everything would still be calm.

It would have been better if I had died before getting here. I shook my head rapidly. That wasn't me. What in the world made me think that. A deep evil laughter filled my head, causing me to clap my hand over my ears. "You can't win human. Just accept defeat and turn yourself over to me." The dark voice echoed through my skull, pain reverberating through my whole body. i jerked up and looked out across the land saw everything engulfed in green fire, the landscape disappearing under the inferno.

“You okay buddy?” Quick Flurry settled down next to me. “That music was pretty sad. You feeling down?” Everything vanished as my focus turned to the pegasus beside me.

“Just a little. I think i'm going crazy.” I asked him, pointing to his flank.

“Well I might be. My talent was creating the perfect snow flurries. But you know,” He flapped his one wing while the other little stub wiggled on his side, “ I've had my talent stripped from me. So I might just be going crazy trying to find something else to do.”

“I know. And I'm sorry. I think i'm going crazy too. I'm tired of killing. I just want to live peacefully.” I sighed and looked at the M16A2 resting beside me on the bag of other death bringing weapons. I could just push them off the chariot into the deep woods below and never have to deal with them again.

“It’s alright Honored. You're still upset about Short. Just try not to think about it. He died doing what he loved. Saving his friends.”

“I guess.” I shrugged my shoulders and went back to watching the trees fly by underneath us.

“We should be reaching the first camp site soon.” Gilda called out from in front of us. I stood up and made my way to the front of the chariot. We were approaching a large cave on the side of a tall mountain. On one side, the lush woods covered the entire area, and on the other side, the vast vastness of desert began. I recognized that cave immediately.

“GAL!”

A giant red and gold dragon’s head appeared form the mouth of the cave. “Ah human, I see you have returned to visit an old dragon.”

Travel Montage GO!

A Shadow Human or 'Shadowman' created by HeimoBauss. Very demon like and super scary, glad Johnson wore brown pants with the duster.

Honor Above All Else
Chapter 36
By Honored Service
Preread by: TheDarkAngel

I watched helplessly as the world around me turned to ash. Everything being destroyed as a powerful wave of blood red magic swept over the land in front of the cave. The trees shriveled up and disappeared into dust scattering into the wind, as the desert was set ablaze, shadow humans slowly crawling out of the sand butchering my friends as they fought desperately to survive. Covert tried to gun down three shadows but was speared by a Shadow Champion. His lifeless body was thrown onto the sand where his black blood soaked into the desert, forever lost.

“NO!” I yelled trying to run to save my friends but I was held in place by some unknown force. I was forced to watch the hell in front of me.

Quick Flurry, Battle Plan, and Hammer Strike were slowly being pushed back by wave after wave of shadows. I clenched my fist and tried to teleport to them, but my magic was gone. I was helpless. I wasn’t able to protect any of them. The guard ponies soon were back to back fighting desperately to stay alive.

“No. Please,” I begged to whatever was holding me in place to let me go. I jerked my head to the side and shut my eyes not wanting to witness their deaths as I had Covert’s. The force holding me slowly and deliberately turned my head back to the violent action and broke my closed eyes open. Tears dripped down my cheeks as I watched the remaining members of Saddle Company get slaughtered. It was almost as I could feel every slice and stab that ripped their bodies to shreds.

“Please. Just kill me. No! I can’t take this! Stop!” I coughed and choked on my own sobs as the lifeless bodies collapsed into the ashes from the burning landscape.

“Oh? But why stop such a great thing?” A dark and malicious voice cooed around me. "The future is bleak and dark for you Honored. Give up and I’ll let everpony live. Everypony. You can protect them by giving up.” The voice chuckled as the world around me shimmered and everything returned to normal. The landscape of lush dark trees belonging to the Everfree Forest blew in a light breeze while the sand glistened in the morning sun.

A red pegasus with an orange mane silently swooped down and landed near me her back towards me. “Sky?” I called out. I reached a hand out and moved towards her. I placed my hand on her shoulder and felt the soft fur in between my fingers.

“Sky, is that really you?” I asked again, stoking her fur and then moving to touch her mane. But she turned around.

Her face was rotting and full of worms. I leapt back and fell on my back. I reached for my pistol; my knife anything I could defend myself but nothing was there. “Why did you do this to me, Johnson? This is your fault.” The Sky before me got closer; I could smell the rotting flesh and the reek of death rolling off of her. She was almost on top of me when a flash of blue exploded around me. Everything disappeared into the flash and I was left laying on nothingness. The world was nothing. Just blackness.

“Honored, are you okay?”

“Princess Luna?” I sat up and looked around. I saw the alicorn walking towards me, her horn glowing as she got closer.

“What the fuck is happening!?” My mind was running a mile a minute as I tried (and failed) to grasp what was going on.

“You are being poisoned.” She said, calmly moving beside me, the tingling sound of bells still filling the air as her horn glowed.

I reached up and began to stick a finger into my mouth.

“NO! Not like that.” Luna slapped a hoof to her face. “Your mind. Nightmare is still maintaining some kind of link to your mind. Granted it isn't very strong, but it would explain any strange memories or dreams you’ve been having.”

I began to think about the past few weeks. There would be periods of time where certain things just appeared. Of course the constant images of Fast Skies just popping up in front of me were the most common or the voice in my head. “That happened once or twice.”

“Then it is as I feared. Day Terror, the Nightmare is trying to break you down mentally. If Nightmare is able to gain a strong connection to you, well then he could… oh no.” Luna’s face went pale.

“What?” I looked at her. “When somepony stops a sentence with ‘oh no’ and then goes pale it’s a bad sign.”

“If Nightmare got a stronger hold on you then he could do anything to you. Fry your brain, make you his puppet, or just simply make you a statue. Take your pick.” Luna rattled off the possibilities. I was dumbfounded. All this time I had through Nightmare’s threats of ‘frying my brain’ were just lame threats, not actually possible, but it could happen.

“Okay, calm down, Luna. How can he do that?”

“Well the easiest way for him to gain the power would be to find a direct link to you. A link that contains magic.” Luna placed a hoof to her chin and began tap it. From out of nowhere a pipe floated into her mouth and she began to puff on the pipe, smoke rising into the void around us.

“Where are we?” I asked looking around at the nothingness.

“Your mind. You should be asleep somewhere on your journey to get the Elements of Sanctuary. WAIT!” Luna shouted and bounced forward knocking me to the ground. The pipe disappeared and Luna’s smile was creepy big. “That’s the magic link the Nightmare needs! He needs to find your Element of Sanctuary. He finds that then he has a direct link to everything you stand for.”

“Good looks?”

I received a quick slap to the back of the head.

“Great looks?” I cracked a smile at Luna who tried to keep a straight face but it was faltering.

“No. Protection. You have to beat Day Terror to the Elements of Sanctuary.”

“Well that will be easy!” I fell backwards into the nothingness that was my mind and kicked a leg up. "We already have a head start and that thing… you know what is that thing that Nightmare doesn’t have…Nightmare doesn’t have a fucking clue where they are and we do!” I said proudly. “Hey, if we're in my mind then couldn't I control stuff?”
Luna just nodded; her face was distorted into one of concentration.

“Neat.” I thought of a few things and they slowly faded into form right in front of me. “Awesome.” I flipped myself onto a bean bag chair and picked up the magazine I thought of. “The latest edition of Jugs and Ammo!” I flipped open the magazine and thought up a class of chocolate milk. “Like a baller.”

“Oh hello there .45 ACP cold loaded HP and Miss July.” I made a wolf whistle and growled at the picture.

“Honored, now is not the time,” Luna walked up behind me and cocked her head, “so that’s a human female. Well not exactly what I expected.”

“What's that supposed to mean?” I looked back to her and waved the very sexy picture around in front of her, “that’s a Colt .45 ACP standard hand loaded cold fired hollow point… oh the chick. Yeah that’s a human female.” I turned around and went back to flipping through the glossy pages.

“I always imagined them to be a little lower or something.” Luna said pointing at some very high caliber things.

“Let’s not have an anatomy lesson right now.” I shook my head and the magazine disappeared. “What were you saying?”

“You have to get to the Elements before Day Terror. And Nightmare does know where they are too if he was able to figure it out. I wasn't the only one with a private library.”

“DAMN that annoying alicorn! She was useless as before and now is just a thorn in my side.” Day Terror stocked around Celestia’s old room, now turned into Day Terror’s private quarters. “I was slow close to breaking him. He would have broken down right there and just welcomed me into his mind, and then oh then the fun would begin. A human warrior just ripe for the picking.”

Day Terror stopped and flapped her wings allowing her to hover out of the room and onto the balcony overlooking the courtyard below her. The Royal Guard was causing quite a disturbance to her at the moment. They refused to assault her strong hold, but any attempt to leave was only meet with resistance. “I’ll kill them all. As soon as I can get this portal working.”
Day Terror walked back into the room to where a large diagram was carved into the floor. Candles and different magical items rested at the points of a six pointed star. “If the foolish little unicorn and horrible excuse of an alicorn can get the human more weapons, then I can do one better.” Day Terror aimed her horn at the center of the glyph and charged a spell.

“If nothing in Equestria can kill a human, then let’s bring something from outside of Equestria to do the job, something that kills for a living, just like our soon to be dead Johnson.”

Day Terror’s horn began to glow a bright red as the spell reached its peak. Sparks began leaping off the walls and jumping forth from her horn onto the diagram. “Yes! YES!” Day Terror cackled madly as the spell leapt forth from her horn onto the star where it exploded into light, causing the alicorn to look away from the intense light. “YES IT WORKED!”

As the smoke cleared and the light began to fade, Day Terror looked for a creature to command. A creature to kill the human and slaughter everything in its path.

“Wait, where is it?” Day Terror looked around trying to find anything but the room was empty. A large scorch mark covered the diagram up and the magical items were all destroyed or lodged in the walls. “NO!” Day Terror slammed a hoof to the ground and heard the crumbling of paper. She levitated the scroll into the air and unrolled it.

-Nope-
-Love Luna

“THAT DAMN ALICORN WILL SUFFER A FATE WORSE THAN DEATH!” Day Terror screamed to the heavens as she picked up random objects and hurled them around the room. A charred book crashed into a wall and slowly the bookcase resting next to it began to spin, revealing a staircase leading down. Day Terror stopped her rampage and stepped towards the new door.

“And hello, what's this?”

She followed the stairs down into a dark corridor that opened into a large dark room. Day Terror charged up a spell and pointed her horn into the air. A ball of light lit up the room showing Day Terror thousands of dusty old books. Thousands of books belonging to the private collection of Princess Celestia. “Oh, maybe I can make something work.” Day Terror said while levitating a book towards her; the title reading, ‘The Other Elements, Volume Two’. “You’ll do nicely.”

I bolted upright on the sleeping bag I was laying on. I was panting and covered in a cold sweat. I looked around; everything was where it should be. The land wasn't burning. My friends were all alive and sleeping around. I got up and walked to the mouth of the cave and gazed out at the night. The stars were sparkling bright and the moon casted enough lit to cover the sea of sand in a beautiful glow.

“Ah, I see you are up Johnson.” The deep voice rumbled beside me. I turned and smiled at Gal who was lying on his stomach watching the desert too. “You were doing a lot of tossing and turning in your sleep young one. Are you alright?”

I rubbed the back of my neck and walked over the impressive dragon. “I had a bad dream. Well let’s just say that it was Nightmare.”

“I may be old and wise but I was never one for I told you so.” Gal cracked a smile, revealing his giant sharp teeth. “Do not fret though, I know you will win. This Day Terror is nothing compared to the demons you have battled. Have faith young guardian.”

“Thanks, Gal.” I sighed and looked up to the red and gold dragon. “It really means a lot to know I have your support.” I sat down and hung my legs off the side of the cave. “Do you know if I’ll find these Elements?”

“Now if I told you the answer, where would the fun in finding them be?” Gal smiled again and closed his eyes.

“Gal, please don’t be Celestia to me.”

This elected a chuckle from the ancient dragon. “Ah Celestia always had a very… strange sense of humor. But yes. You will find them. And I know how.”

“You do?” I said enthusiastically.

“Well of course. Johnson, how old do you think I am?”

“Um.”

“Please I won’t bite. Just guess.” Gal smiled again, his eyes twinkling. He must be so bored sitting out here by himself all the time, with no one to talk to our to just be around.

“Well you know Celestia on a close level so I’d say… 3,000 years old?” I tapped a finger to my chin.

“Hahaha. Sorry but older human. Dragons, especially dragons like me can live to be very long. I’ll give you a hint. I knew ShieldStrong.”

My draw audible dropped open. “But that would make you –“

“Yes I'm over 5,000 years old. I was able to meet with the ancient humans long ago, before Nightmare did. In fact I was once the guardian to the very Elements you seek.” Gal’s face was one of pure pride. He had guarded the most powerful weapons in Equestria. And this was a game changer for everyone.

“So, do you know where they are?”

“Not anymore.”

Okay so maybe not as much as a game changer. “Well shit.”

“That information would be in the Temple.”

“The Temple?” I asked. I pulled out the map and unfolded it before Gal’s massive eye. He peered over the map and gently placed the tip of his claw on a spot located smack dab in the center of Mythartica.

“The Temple is somewhere around here. Now the humans always moved the Elements around to make sure that they could only be found by those seeking them the most.”

“Well, we do need them pretty bad.” I marked the spot on the map and folded it back up.

“Then you will find them. Worry not. And if they aren’t at the Temple than perhaps you can find a clue to their whereabouts. The ancient humans were clever, but not so clever where no one could find them.”

I looked back up to the giant dragon, “Gal, why are you helping me?”

He remained silent for a long time. The silence filled the cave and a gentle breeze blew across the mouth of the cave. “Do you remember when I told you about the balance that runs over Equestria?”

“Yes.”

“You will bring balance to this place.”

“But Gal,” I looked away from the dragon, “but then won’t I have shifted the balance too far to the good side if I wipe away Nightmare’s evil?”

This time Gal didn't say anything. He just looked to the outside world and let out a long sigh. “This is also true human. But maybe we shouldn't dwell on that.” He turned back to me and gave me a smile, but his eyes, those big golden eyes of his spoke of something else. And I had seen those eyes twice before. Once in a dying mare resting in my arms. And the second time in the eyes of a unicorn pulling the pin on a grenade. Death.

“Do not dwell on the future human. For whatever happens will happen, one way or another.”

“But Gal,” I stood up and pulled the helmet down snugly over my head, “I change the future… a lot.”

“He bloody does!” A British accented voice shouted from nowhere.

“Doctor! Shhhhhh this is getting serious!” A second feminine voice responded.

I ignored the voices and faced Gal. “Thank you Gal. But I know what I have to do. Nightmare will fall. Hard. And I’ll be there to make sure he never gets back up.”

“That is good human. Now sit with me and enjoy the sunrise. It truly is something.” Gal raised a claw and gestured towards the desert where across the rolling sand dunes, the sun was just beginning to rise. The golden rays were glistening off the sand, giving the world a sparkling effect. “Human, the world needs protectors like us once in a while. Sometimes the balance can be shifted to benefit the protector. It did once for a young dashing dragon.”

“Is that a good story?”

“It is. But also sad. And also a story for another time. If I tell you then you won't have a reason to come back and visit an old dragon.” Gal cracked another smile and winked.

“Don’t worry, Gal,” I placed a hand against the side of his head, “I’ll make it a priority to visit you once this is all over.”

“You’ve made an ancient dragon very happy.”

We both sat in silence and watched the sun crest over the ocean of sand. The beauty of the landscape cascading over both of us.

“Twilight y’all need to stop fretting. Ah’m sure everything is going fine. Honored and the gang are all pretty capable fighters. Ah know that much.” Applejack tried to calm Twilight down, but she was being extra… Twilight today.

“But what if I gave them the wrong coordinates? What if I’ve sent them in the wrong direction and right into a trap set by Day Terror? What if Celestia is never set free? What if mhmhmhmmhmhm!?” A pink hoof was popped into Twilight’s mouth, silencing the unicorn.

“Thank ya’ Pinkie!” Applejack nodded to the party pony who was rubbing a hoof across her chest.

“Works on me every time!” She stated before patting Twilight on the head. “Now if auntie Pie lets you go, are you going to calm down?” Twilight nodded her head very rapidly. “Good.” Pinkie Pie pulled her hoof away and Twilight sighed.

“Sorry girls, but you know how I get.”

“Maybe I can help?” Princess Luna walked into the library and floated a small box behind her. With a click the container opened and three bottles of Stalliongrad Premium Elite Vodka floated out and landed on the table beside Twilight.

“Oh no, Princess. I don’t drink.” Twilight shook her head and stepped away from the alcohol.

“Always a time to start.” Luna gave a grin and shook a bottle in front of Twilight. Her smile stayed on her face as Twilight looked at the floating vodka and back to her friends.

After much internal debate, Twilight slowly took hold of the bottle in her magical grasp and brought it towards herself, along with a small glass and some juice to mix it with.

“But only one glass.”

“I mean who is he – hic – is anyways.” Twilight sawed to the side and knocked into Applejack who was also enjoying a drink. “He acts all tough and – hic – stuff but I mean I bet he just wants somepony to talk to.”

“Thou art right, Twilight.” Luna nodded a little too fast. She was also downing drinks like crazy. Hell everypony in the room, save Pinkie Pie, was long gone under the influence of Mr. Vodka.

“He may act like a horrible violent brute a lot of the time, but I bet you all my bits that he just wants companionship of a nice mare.” Rarity laughed as she swung around, drink spilling from her glass she was holding in her hoof.

“Ah bet you – hic – he’s a real hard worker.” Applejack sighed and let her mind run wild as she thought about having those hands working on her orchard.

“He might… um be able… to help with animals.” Fluttershy gave a small hiccup as the one glass of vodka and juice worked its magic on her.

“I don’t see why you are so crazy about Honored. I mean have you seen Sergeant Stand Bold. Now – hic – that’s a pegasus. Not afraid to get dirty, fights from the sky and acts all around bad ass. I like me some of – hic – that.” Rainbow Dash was sprawled out along the couch, her words badly slurred.

“But the human is so exotic.” Luna explained, pouring herself another glass of vodka with cranberry juice. “Applejack do you remember when he was back for the first night and Fast Skies went into his room?”

“Of course Ah – hic – do. Ah reckon they kept me up all night with… things and stuff.” Applejack’s face turned beat red as she remembered exactly what had happened. Celestia’s name had been said a lot along with somepony named Jesus.
“Wait. How’d ya know about that yer highness?”

“Who do you think had the room above them?” Luna gave another loud hiccup before falling onto her back, her wings sticking out from either side of her. “Sky was one lucky mare.”

A series of agreements were echoed throughout the room. Except Rainbow Dash.

“I can’t believe all of you! – hic – you act as if you love him or something! He’s cool in all, but you really think he would have feelings for anypony?”

“Well I am a princess.” Luna raised a hoof into the air.

“Well shoot. There go my odds. If only right?” Twilight said glumly.

“I can act like a princess.” Rarity said casually, flicking a hoof through her mane.

Rainbow Dash slapped a hoof to her. “Forget it. You are all too drunk.” Rainbow promptly flew off the couch and wobbled in midair, crashing into the door frame.

Fits of laughter broke out between all the ponies as they all took another drink.

I had sat and watched the sunrise with Gal for over an hour until everypony else began to wake up. The chariots were repacked and soon we were ready to head off on another day long journey. “Thanks again Gal for allowing us to stay in your cave.”

The dragon lifted a claw and waved me off, “It was no problem human. And this isn’t my cave, it belongs to any and all who require it. I trust you to stay safe and return to see me once your quest is accomplished.”

I nodded and lifted my hand to the dragon, “I promise, Gal.”

And in much of the same manner as we had done during my first visit, Gal placed the tip of claw in my palm and a gripped it. I gave it a shake and let go. I turned and boarded my chariot with Quick Flurry and Fresh Greens slowly began to trot and then take off into the sky from the mouth of the cave.

“And we’re off!” I shouted and waved to Gal, who returned the gesture.

“So this Temple,” Quick Flurry poked at the back of my leg, “what do we know about it?”

I sat down and looked at him. “Absolutely nothing.”

“Great.” He rolled his eyes and yelled up to Fresh Greens, “Hey kid, you know you volunteered for a suicide mission.”

“What did I do?” The rookie guard yelled back at Quick.

“You volunteered for, ah forget it. You’ll see soon enough.” Quick turned back to me, his joke having fallen on deaf ears.

“Well I trust you, Honored.”

I gave a deep sigh, “Yeah so did Short Blade.”

SMACK

I reached up and laid a hand on my cheek. Quick flurry pulled his hoof back and gave me a horrified look. ”Let me begin my three part apology by saying you are a great human and I –“

I held up a hand cutting him off. “I have killed creatures for less than that. You get, hmmm, say thirty percent.” I lashed out and punched Quick Flurry in the shoulder, sending him tumbling forward against the front of the chariot. He sat up and shook his head.

“Okay, well, maybe not my best idea.” I laughed at him and grabbed my sides. He started laughing and soon I felt better.

“Well it did make me feel better ya’ stupid pegasus.”

“Hey um, sir.” Fresh Greens called back to me as I lied down on the chariot.

“Yes, Fresh Greens?” I propped my helmet up on my head so it was no longer covering up my eyes. “And you can relax; I don’t need all that sir shit.”

“Oh, alright. Can we take a break; my wings are starting to get sore from the constant flying?” Greens asked very timidly. He acted as if I was going to rip his head off at any moment.

“Shure takes us down Mr. Greens.” I said in best Sean Connery accent. “And when I say relax, I mean it. Being tense all the time can lead to warrior snapping under pressure. Stay alert, but not tense or stressed. Go with the flow, bro.”

“Okay. I guess that makes sense.” Man talk about green. He was petrified. Of me. I let out a sigh.

“Listen kid, I don’t know what you saw back at Canterlot, but that violent murderous creature isn’t always me. I can be a nice guy. Just relax and tell me about yourself.

“Well um my name is Initiate Fresh Greens and I originally come from Latrotette. It’s kind of a small backwoods town located near the Mareissippi River and swamp country. Not very many pegasi come from there, but a few of us reside there for weather duties. I just didn’t want to get stuck there so I joined up in the Royal Guard to see the world. Haha and I got my wish.” Fresh Green gestured to the landscape as we descend towards the desert. Although now more grassy shrubs were staring to spring up through the sand, we must be getting close to leaving the desert.

“Okay, everypony and others,” I looked to Covert and Gilda, “we’re going to take a break for a bit, stretch out and relax.” The chariot touched down easily on the sandy area and skidded to a stop. The other chariots pulled up to the flanks of my chariot and the ponies climbed down as Gilda, Fresh Greens, and Stand Bold unhooked themselves from the chariots.

“I can’t believe we had to leave my ship back at Canterlot! After flying that beautiful girl these little chariots can’t even compare!” Stand Bold complained as he threw his bag down and settled next to it, pulling a carrot out to munch on. “Like a child’s toy.”

“It’s okay, buddy. She’ll be waiting for you once we get back.”

Sergeant Bold flipped his carrot over and pointed it at Fresh Greens, “So, how’s pulling the death dealing human? He didn’t try to scare you did he?” He chuckled as he took another crunchy bite of the carrot.

“It was okay. The stories the other guards always talked about combined with what I saw at the market just got me scared and nervous I guess.” Greens rubbed a hoof along his neck and tried to fix his helmet so it would stop sliding down his head and obscure his vision. I laughed at how much of a new guard he was. It was sad really. I would have to watch over him.

“What did the guards say about me?” My curiosity was peaked. I reached into my pack and withdrew an MRE from the container that Luna and Twilight had teleported.

“Well for starters they said you eat meat.” Everypony around the camp exploded into laughter as I opened the MRE. Sloppy Joe filling with beef and barbecque sauce. Once you got past the fact it looked like dog food, it wasn't that bad.

“I do.” I smiled as the rest of the groups settled down. They all knew I ate meat, excluding Gilda and Fresh Greens. The look on his face was priceless. I dipped the plastic spoon into the plastic bag and took out the glob of meat sauce before shoveling it into my mouth. “What did you think these bad boys were for?” I gestured to my canine teeth. Fresh Greens just gulped and turned a little green. “Remember kid, relax. If I was a pony eating monster, you think I would wait this long to start eating you adorable things?”

“Hey, I'm sure as Tartarus is hot, that I am not adorable!” Stand Bold scoffed at me.

“Keep telling yourself that.” I smiled and took another spoonful of the wonderful factory packaged meat. Thanks government for making sloppy Joes awful. “Keep going, what else is said about the Great and Powerful human?” I loved stroking my ego I guess.

“That you died and then were brought back to life by evil dark magic and sent to do the biddings of Princess Luna as her slave. And that you also put a mare under a trance and she fell in love with you.” I could see everypony gathered around visibly tense up at the last rumor. They knew how I felt about Sky. I just wish they didn't treat me like I was made out of eggshells whenever she was mentioned.

“Let’s see, where to start with these rumors.” I ate more of the dog food; I mean government issued soldier food. “ For one i would never be anypony's slave. And two if I had to be, it would be for Celestia." What? i had a thing for women with power, it was a good change of pace. "I never did die, well actually I've had a lot of close calls, the worse being the time I did die and then was shocked back into life by the Elements of Harmony.”

I summoned a ball of fire in my left hand and hovered it over to float in front of Fresh Greens, where it danced around him, changing colors and shapes before leaping into the center of the group and turning into a normal camp fire. “The result of that much raw magic being dumped into me was me getting my own magic abilities.”

“And I was hired by Princess Celestia and Princess Luna to be the newest member of the Equestrian Honor Guard, not a slave. And if I was anypony’s slave, it would Princess Celestia’s not Luna’s.” I had a thing for women in power, so sue me.

“And as for the mare, well I didn’t put her into a trance. But she did love me.” I sighed and looked up into the blue sky. A few clouds lazily drifted by, casting a few shadows over the sandy grassy area. “Her name was Fast Skies. We went through Royal Guard training together along with Quick, Hammer, and Battle here. I don’t know what she saw in me, but she loved me. And I loved her.” I looked down at my meal, my hunger suddenly lost.

“What happened to her?” Fresh Green asked and Gilda leaned in, neither having ever heard the story or being present when it had happened.

“She died.” I stated and looked up to ponies gathered. Covert placed a hand on my back.

“Sometimes it helps to talk about it.”

I let out a deep sigh and peered into the flames of the fire. “She died saving me. Day Terror launched a bolt of magic at me before I got my own magic. I was about to get hit and she flew in front of me and saved me. She died protecting the protector.” I let out a chuckle and looked at the ponies around. I looked up to Covert and smiled. “Thanks. I guess I did need to talk about it a little.”

“Is that enough rest for everypony?” A cough came across from the circle, “And everygriffon, sheesh.”

“Yeah, I think we’re all set to continue on.” Sergeant Stand Bold got up and flapped his wings. He flew over to his chariot and began to strap himself back into the reins. Gilda followed suit.

Fresh Greens tapped me on the back as I walked away from the fire. “Um, thanks, Honored for telling that story. I know it must have been hard.” He flew off to the other chariot and began making himself ready for the flight to the Temple.

“Yeah, it was.” I aimed my hand at the fire and the flames leapt into the air and were swallowed back into my palm, smoke slowly rising from the jeweled center. “But I’ll make sure I get my revenge. I’ll avenge you, Sky and Short Blade.”
I mounted the chariot and we fell in line behind Battle Plan as he directed us through the grass lands of Mythartica towards our ultimate goal.

“Go shadows! You three search section 4C and you three search section 5C. Those Elements will be here somewhere, and as soon as we find them… well that human and his pitiful pony pals will be nothing but fresh graves.” Day Terror smirked as the telepathic link with her scout shadows at the Temple was severed. She had sent a small recon force out and to retrieve the Elements of Sanctuary. So what if the Elements wouldn’t work for her.

They were weapons; they didn’t need power or magic to work. Just slash with a sword or swing with a hammer. What magic is needed for that?

Elements of Where Are We?

Honor Above All Else
Chapter 37
By Honored Service
Preread by: TheDarkAngel and Tbone5363

Diamond sword by Akula417

Sparky zapp sword also by Akula417

“And once the chaos of the prison break settled down, the newest king decided to fight alongside Day Terror in exchange for more land to the eastern border,” Gilda explained from the chariot next to ours. Quick Flurry and myself listened intently to her story on how the griffon kingdom of Griffmeny turned to side with Day Terror and her shadows.

“I still can’t believe that they would trust Nightmare. I mean he doesn’t have the best track record.” I pointed out as the chariot bounced a little in midair. “Hey Fresh Greens! Try to keep it steady please, I nearly fell off.”

“That wasn’t my fault!” Fresh Greens shouted back. Panic was gripping his voice as the chariot was rocked again my some unseen force.

“Oh this can’t be good.” The grass and sand land below the chariot was approaching fast. The chariot was heading straight towards the earth. I could see the hills rolling up to meet us as we continued towards our rapid decent. “What is going on?!”

I screamed above the rushing wind beating at my face as we dropped like a ton of bricks towards the ground.
“Something URGH is pulling us down!” Sergeant Stand Bold shouted from the chariot pulling up next to ours. “We got get out of here!”

“Covert, Quick Flurry; you two get on Stand Bold’s back and then detach him from the chariot and glide to safety.” I turned to the other chariot with Gilda pulling it carrying Battle Plan and Hammer Strike, “Y’all get on Gilda and do the same!” The ground was a approaching fast.

“Excuse me?!” Gilda shouted as the two ponies began to climb onto her back.

“Gilda! Not now!” I screamed back at her. Both fliers were quickly unhooked form their chariots and sailed level to the ground as the chariots impacted into the soft dirt, kicking dust and sand into the late afternoon sky. Long trenches were carved into the earth as they came to skidding halt. I reached down and heaved my bag of weapons onto Fresh Greens’ back and strapped it down. He grunted at the extra weight.

“What about you sir? Jump on.”

“Listen kid, you just grunted under sixty pounds of weight. With all this armor and supplies, I'm pushing 220 pounds. I’ll be fine.” I unsheathed my knife and reached out the straps holding Fresh Greens to the chariot. With a swift slash, I cut the pegasus free. I immediately felt the chariot plummet down towards the earth at a sharp angle. The wind tore at my face as I dropped down

Down

“Shit.” I dropped to my knees and formed a protective barrier around me with my magic. The magic was originating from the gauntlet which I placed at the closes point to the ground. “Please let this wor –“

SCRRRREEECHHHHH –BANG

I was flung forward as the chariot was flipped upside down and rolled. Thankfully my head broke my fall. I coughed and shrugged my shoulder feeling something pop back into place. “Oh that was the third worst decision I’ve made yet.” I slowly got to my shaky feet and walked towards the wreckage of my chariot. The sides of the chariot had been splintered into thousands of pieces and the bottom hull was ripped to shreds from the sheer force of the impact.

“Wow. That was stupidest thing I’ve seen you do yet human.” Covert appeared next to me, shaking his head at the destroyed chariot while slapping me on the back. I stumbled forward, pain shooting through my back.

“Ouch! Still a little tender.” I rubbed t he offending spot gently and sighed. Soon Fresh Greens, Gild and Stand Bold touched down near me and unloaded their ponies and gear.

“So what the bloody Tartarus was that?” Stand Bold said nodding towards the three impact locations from the chariots.
I looked up towards the darkening sky and smirked. “I’ll give you one guess. Who wants to keep us from finding the Elements.”

A collective group of “ohhhhhs” filled the air as everypony, shadow, and griffon came to the same conclusion. “And if we
were brought down somehow by Day Terror, then that means we are on the right path. So gather what supplies you can, we move out in ten minutes.” I reached over and picked up the large weapons cache bag and threw it over my shoulder, resting it on top of my backpack.

“Well at least the majority of the food is intact.” Fresh Greens said while picking up a brown canvas bag and opening it, “I hope everypony is okay with bruised… everything.”

“We’re all okay so that’s what matters.” I said while sifting through the wreckage of Gilda’s chariot, the one that carried the most supplies, “Battle Plan can you get us to the Temple on foot or hoof whatever.”

“Easily!” The unicorn stated with confidence, pulling out the map and facing towards the south and pointing a hoof off into the distance. “It should just be a two days journey from here.”

“Great, well then let’s get moving, we can break camp once we get some distance from the crash site.” If Day Terror really did cause our chariots to crash, then we needed to keep moving. I glanced down and noticed strange tracks crossing the sandy grass. They looked just like tire tracks. I bent down and looked closer. “The hell?”

“Ow. My head. And here I was saying I wouldn’t drink like that again.” Luna sat up and promptly shut her eyes against the morning sun. Trying again, her eyes were once again assaulted by her sister’ s sun. At least Day Terror was still keeping the rotation cycle somewhat in sync.

“Good morning everypony.” Spike said a little too loudly, walking into the main floor of the library. “I’ve started breakfast for everypony and oh Twilight,” the dragon pulled a scroll out that was tucked under his apron’s string, “this came for you last night.”

“Thanks Spike.” Twilight mumbled, making her way towards the kitchen. She fumbled with the coffee pot filled with the steaming liquid and poured herself a cup of the magic morning brew. As Twilight took a sip of the liquid she unrolled the scroll and began to read.

“BBTTTTTTTTTTWWWWWWWWWW!” Twilight spewed hot coffee all over the table as she read over the scroll again and again to make sure she was reading it right. “Um Luna,” Twilight asked from across the library, “Honored sent us a letter.”

“Dear Princess Luna and severely misinformed Twilight Sparkle,” I dropped low to the ground dodging another swipe from a very angry griffon, “I had been informed that most of the journey to the Temple would be easy going. No bad guys.” I fired a Glock point blank into the face of the same griffon that leapt at me, intending to pierce me with his talons.

PSSH

“No obstacles of the dangerous assortment.” I side stepped as a broadsword was brought to the ground, trying to split me in two. Hammer Strike jumped in from the side and tackled the sword wielding griffon to the ground before driving his hammer into its face. I nodded and spun around jerked the M1014 shotgun off my back. I pulled the charging handle back and fed the first shell into the chamber.

“Boom stick says what?” I leveled the weapon at a griffon that was about to launch a bolt from a crossbow at Battle Plan and squeezed the trigger.

BOOM

The 00 buckshot ripped into the griffon’s chest, sending him spinning away from Battle Plan and firing the bolt as his body hit the ground. The steel bolt punctured into another griffon’s armored chest and sent that griffon to the ground.

“That counts as a double!” I shouted, pumping a fist into the air.

“That’s nice dude.” Gilda said calmly as she pounced into the air and jumped, talons out stretched, onto two griffon’s heads. She dropped both of them to the ground, blood pouring out from the holes in their heads, before dodging a stab from a sword and ripping her beak through the neck of the attacking griffon. “That’s three!”

“Oh that’s cool.” Battle Plan said while levitating four arrows onto his bow and pulling the bow taught. He released all four arrows at once, each one striking down a different griffon. “Four ladies.”

“Try keeping up kids.” Sergeant Stand Bold said while diving forward, thrusting himself through the air with powerful flaps of his wings. His word slashed sideways rapidly five times, dropping griffons left and right as his violent flight ended. “That was five fillies.”

“That ain’t nothing!” Quick Flurry said leaping and ducking in between griffons. He would slip around one, plunge his dagger into a spine before spinning around and slicing it along a pair of fore legs and then pushing the blade up into the underside of a griffon’s beak. He whisked around and propelled himself to the left with his one wing and delivered a fatal slash to a griffon’s throat who then flailed around and threw his sword into another griffon’s back. “Chalk up six!”

“Come to my level ponies!” Covert said slyly while disappearing into the shadows of the early morning light. The griffons attacking the shadow looked around for the shadow but couldn't find him. Suddenly a long burst of machine gun fire covered the battlefield as the seven attacking griffons jerked around violently, bullets ripping through their metal armor as if it was paper. “And that’s how it’s done.”

“This is insane!” Fresh Greens yelled above the clanging of swords on metal and the occasional gunshot. “You are all insane!”

“You're right,” I looked to the hovering pegasus, who was trying to stay out of the fighting, “I can't be beat by some shadow.” I concentrated a colossal amount of magic into my fist and thrust the gauntlet onto the ground. The griffons surrounding me suddenly began to flail around in midair as I levitated them into the air. I reached down deep into my mind and pulled up a spell I read out of a book I had with me. A book Twilight might be upset that I had. The griffons stopped struggling and slowly fell back to the ground.

The battlefield went silent as everypony gathered watched the odd twenty griffons just stand there. “Wait for it.” I said with a dark voice, an evil grin creeping onto my face. I snapped my gauntleted fingers and a spark of blood red magic jumped at every griffon that had been caught in my magic field. At once , every griffon turned on each other and began hacking one another into pieces. Their minds lost to my control.

Gilda, Covert, and the other ponies watched with opened mouths as the griffons slowly died off, till only one remained. He was covered in deep gashes and was bleeding heavily. I raised my hand and pointed one finger at him. “Finish it.” I spoke calmly to the griffon. He raised his bloodied sword and plunged it into his own chest before toppling to the side. “What was your kill count? Oh wait don't bother. I won.” I grinned and began reloading my empty weapons, ready to continue on our trip.

“Dear Princess Luna and Twilight Sparkle, let it be known that Day Terror knows about our travels and intention to acquire the Elements of Sanctuary. We were attacked by a large group of griffons. They used some type of magic to pull our chariots from the sky. But it wasn’t problem. On an unrelated note, Twilight I have one of your books. Please remind me to give it back.” I spoke aloud while writing down the brief letter. I tossed the scroll to battle Plan, who then teleported it to the nearest post office. Which had to be nearly 500 miles away, he looked visibly tired and spent after teleporting it such a long distance.

“Thanks buddy. Hopefully Spike will get that once they send it.”

“Wait what book?” Twilight went over her letter again as Luna tried to figure out how Day Terror could already be so close to them.

Twilight went over to her many shelves of books and began scanning through the different sections. “If I was trained killer and egotistical soldier who had just gained the ability to do magic, which book would I use?” Twilight thought to herself before turning and sprinting to the farthest shelf of the library. “He didn’t.”

“He better not have.”

She stared at the shelf holding the dark magic and most powerful spells in the library. Granted there were more powerful ones in Canterlot, but these ones were strong, scary strong. And if he was able to manipulate the spells to his liking…

“He did.” There was one book missing from the wooden shelf. “Spike.”

“What's up Twilight?” The dragon popped his head around the corner.

“Did Honored come in here asking about dark magic spell books?”

“No.” Spike said innocently while stuffing a massive blood red gem behind his back. “Nope.” His eyes quickly darted up towards the room that he shared with Twilight. Under his blanket in his basket, hidden from Twilight’s prying eyes were ten other magical enhanced blood rubies. Specially enhanced with Honored’s unique magic. They had a sharp spicy taste that Spiked loved.

“Spike.” Twilight stared harder at the dragon who was beginning to sweat.

“Um. Well he may have mentioned it.”

“Spike. Did Honored leave here with a book. A book from this shelf. The shelf that ponies only with permission from me are allowed to check out.” Twilight’s eyes were boring into the dragon’s soul as he backed up.

“Okay! Yes, Honored was here, he checked out the book Dark Magic and its Mastery.” Spike collapsed under the pressure and began to suck on the delicious gem.

“Why you would even have that in a town mainly populated by earth ponies is beyond me Twilight Sparkle.” Princess Luna had heard the problem. “And it is too late to do anything about it. If Honored already has the knowledge then their nothing we can do.”

“But I wanted to learn it first.” Twilight hung her head and walked away, ears flat against her head. At least she could use dark crystal magic and Honored couldn’t.

For the past few hours the trek through Mythartica had been, well boring. With the name Mythartica, I had been expecting weird animals to be jumping out of the sand and grass every few minutes. But aside from the griffons, it was a boring stroll through the park.

“So how'd you do that?” Sergeant Stand Bold broke the silence that had covered the group after the battle.

“What the magic stuff?” I asked without looking down to the pony.

“No the other magic stuff. Yes the magic stuff. You made twenty griffons fight to the death and then have the survivor kill himself. That was… I don’t know. It just seemed really dark.” Stand bold said shaking his head at me. “Honored I know you want revenge and all but you know what they say about revenge.”

“Yea yeah, Luna warned me already. Dig two graves. One for Nightmare and well ill figure out who gets the second one.” I grunted and continued walking straight ahead, following behind Battle Plan as he looked at the map and through a compass.

“Please Honored, I'm only saying this because you're my friend. I don’t want you going down an evil path. And back there, that wasn't a fight. That was pure evil.”

I sighed. Sure that had been dark, but hey I was learning dark magic. That is what Nightmare was and that is what I would have to have to beat him when it came down to it. And I was going to beat him at his own game.

I was about to apologize but I was stopped mid-sentence when the ground below us began to shake.

“Oh boy, here we go.” Quick Flurry said while crouching low.

“What could this be?” I shouldered my rifle and locked a round into the chamber. The ground continued to shake as Gilda, Fresh Greens and Sergeant Stand Bold took off into the air and began circling around us. But as soon as the shaking began it stopped.

“Well that was anti-“ I started to say but then from behind me a roar erupted from the earth and we all spun around as a massive creature exploded from the dirt. It was shadow alright. Pitch black and it had glowing red eyes. Oh and this one was in the shape of a fucking spider. Well a spider from hell. Massive fangs poked out from its mouth in every direction, and its eight legs were tipped in giant spikes.

“Well fuck me sideways.” I whistled at the behemoth before us. Black liquid slowly began to leak from its mouth and land on the ground where it evaporated into smoke into the air. “Oh shit, that’s pure dark magic. Don’t let it bite you, it doesn’t heal.”
I warned my friends as I aimed the rifle at the gigantic spider.

I squeezed the trigger and walked the magic rounds into the beast’s head. The spider jerked backwards as I kept up my assault. The brass casings clattered to the ground as I moved forward, hot lead crashing into the creature’s face, its eyes popping like zits on its face. Once the magazine ran empty, I stopped and waited. “Well that was easy.”

“Grrrrorrror- splat.” I slowly turned around and watched as the head of the spider fell of onto the ground. I smiled.
Then two heads sprang forth from the open wound. My smile turned upside down. “Well that’s not fair at all.” I backed up and loaded a full magazine into the rifle. “So yeah, let’s get to fighting this thing.”

Covert summoned up his SAW, Battle Plan readied an arrow in his bow, Hammer pulled his war hammer back, and Gilda smashed a fist into an open palm.

“Fuck spiders.” I groaned and aimed the rifle again. The giant spider whipped around and aimed its spider ass right at me.

“Oh for the love of-“

SPLAT

A giant glob of sticky white web flew through the air and covered my rifle in the stuff. “You son of a bitch!” I screamed, looking at sexual joke covered rifle. “And I just cleaned this thing!” Flipping the rifle around in my hands, I gripped the barrel and swung it like a bat into the spider’s head.

It leaned back from the hit and just stared at me with its eight red eyes blinking at different times. “Shit.” I mumbled before the spider jumped at me. I rolled to the side and ran back towards the group, “ Anytime y’all want to help, that would be great!”

The shadow spider screeched into the air before charging at all of us. Battle Plan quickly started to launch arrows at the spider’s many eyes. Hammer Strike swung his massive hammer at the spider’s striking legs, while Quick Flurry weaved in and out from under the beast, delivering slashes to the muscles on the legs and lower body. Covert jumped in front of the nearly blind spider and distracted it with his constant reappearing and disappearing trick and to top off the huge teamwork cake, Sergeant Stand Bold dive bombed the spider from above, delivering quick stabs with his sword.

I stood back and watched as my friends went to town on the giant spider. Maybe I didn't have to do everything myself. They were doing a pretty good job. Another arrow flew through the air and lodged itself in the spider’s last eye while two of its front legs were broken into painful looking angles thanks to Hammer. The four legs dragged awkwardly on the ground as Quick Flurry sliced more tendons away. Covert sliced upwards into the spider’s head as Stand Bold sliced down from above. the spider gave a faint screech and collapsed to the ground.

“Nice work everyone!” I clapped while removing the last bit of web from my M16. “Really bang up job.” A weird squishing noise came from the spider’s body. We all turned around to watch as the spider’s abdomen split open and a giant white sack exploded out and landed on the ground in between us and the body.

“What's that?” Fresh Greens asked from behind us, hovering to get a better look.

“No idea.” Battle Plan said, cocking his head to the side.

“Nope.” I mumbled. “Nope.” I said louder as the sack began to wiggle. “Nope!” I began to back away, everypony else copied my movement. I fumbled with my breast pocket and withdrew one of the four reaming purple magic bullets Twilight crafted for me.

A long tear formed on the top of the white sack.

“NOPE!” I yelled as a tidal wave of baby shadow spiders exploded out from the sack. Literally thousands of the little demons began to swarm towards us. I locked the bolt back and fed the single bullet into the chamber. I remembered what happened last time I fired one of these miniature sonic rainboom rounds. I braced and pulled the trigger.

SSSSSSHHHHHHHH-BOOM-CRACK

I was launched backwards across the sandy grass land nearly fifty feet before slamming into the ground, carving a trench into the soft earth. The three shaded purple bullet slammed through the egg sack and ripped across the grass lands for miles before impacting into the side of large mountain, shaking the entire thing.

“Young one.” A deep voice mumbled form inside the cave at the top of the mountain.

The following sonic boom from the round obliterated all the little hell spawn spider babies as they tried to swarm forward. They popped open like popcorn kernels in a microwave.

“Fuck spiders.” I groaned, rubbing my shoulder and standing up. A long ditch was carved into the dirt from the path of the bullet and the following sonic boom. Everypony slowly emerged from behind small hills and rocks and formed up on me.

“Well that was enough excitement for one day, let’s keep pushing onward.”

“It should be easier to find a damn giant ass Temple in the middle of a grass land!” I through my hands into the air and continued to march forward with the rest of my traveling companions.

“Sometimes the hardest things to find are where we least expect it.” Covert said calmly from beside me. I shot him a glare and huffed.

“That kind of wise mumbo jumbo is bullshit! It’s a building called a Temple. That should be something that would stick out like a sore thumb.” I groaned. Manly I was just bored form the walking through the grassland. I was itching for an end to this war with Day Terror and the shadows. Putting an end to this once and for all was my only goal in mind, and if these stupid Elements of Sanctuary were needed then I guess I’ll find them.

Sergeant Stand Bold trotted up to me and gestured for Battle Plan to come too. “Well Honored Battle Plan here has something to share with you.” He nudged the unicorn forward, “go on tell him.”

Battle Plan coughed and unrolled the map. “Well according to this map, which is the most current one we could find, and by performing the correct azimuths on our positions-“

“Please Battle, I hate land navigation, just tell me what's up.” I sighed and prepared myself for the bad news that was sure to follow.

“Well this map shows that the Temple should be… how to put this… right here.” He tapped a hoof on the ground and looked up to me with an awkward smile on his face.

I calmly looked around. I moved in a circle looking all around the flat plain we were currently standing on. The group of ponies, Gilda, and Covert gathered around. “Battle Plan, I'm looking around here,” a tumbleweed lazily rolled by the empty grassland, “and yeah, I'm not seeing any kind of massive structure that resembles an ancient human sanctuary designed to hold super weapons.”

“I mean we only have traveled halfway across this world to reach this spot!” I jumped into the air and stomped my boots against the ground, sending dirt into the air. “But as long as the map says it’s here, then it must be!” I jumped again and slammed into the ground hard. I panted and looked at the ponies who were just giving me a wide eyed stare. “What?!”

Quick Flurry raised a hoof and pointed in between my boots. “There.”

I looked down and glared at a black hole forming beneath me. “The fuck?” sand was trickling down into a dark hole. I looked back up to the ponies as the whole continued to grow in size.

“At least this can’t get any wors ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss-“

My scream was lost as I fell down, down, down, the hole into the bottomless depths. More screams above me signaled that my comrades would join me soon.

Six to Zero

Honor Above All Else
Chapter 38
By Honored Service

Down

I flailed my arms around, trying to find something, anything, to grab a hold of to stop my fall into the darkness around me. My screaming stopped as my lungs ran out of air and i continued my plummet towards death. The wind continued to rip at my face and sting my eyes as I dropped through the bottomless pit. My eyes cracked open to see Quick Flurry in front of me wearing a huge smile on his face.

“How can you be smiling at this!?” I screamed at him over the roar of the wind. The goofy pegasus just pointed down.

I looked down and squinted my eyes through the darkness. I could just barely make out… the bottom? The rocky ground was covered in long slits that were shooting air up at us, keeping all of us floating in midair, making it feel as if we were still falling to our deaths. I simply rolled over to the side of the vent shafts and fell down off the air current onto the hard floor.

THUMP

“Ouch.” I rubbed my ass where I had landed onto the floor.

“Very graceful. Ten out of Ten.” Sergeant Stand Bold smirked at me as he glided off the current and landed next to me.

“Oh shut it.” I mouthed back, brushing dirt and dust of my armor. “Where’s Greens?” I looked over to see the nervous and timid pegasus still caught in the air flow, eyes clamped shut and screaming for his life in a horse whisper.

“Yo Greens!” I shouted over to the pony. “Greens!” I searched around the ground near me and picked up a small rock and lightly tossed it at the pegasus. It hit his side and he looked up at the rest of us. “You can come over here, we’re waiting on you.”

With a blushing face, Fresh Greens maneuvered his way out of the air stream and walked over to our group. “Okay Battle Plan what's up?” I asked dusting of my armor and lifting my rifle to my side and flipping on the small flashlight mounted on the rail on the barrel. The light cut through the darkness and illuminated a long dark tunnel stretching far down, so far that the light dimmed out before reaching any sort of end.

“Well the map only covers the surface of Mytartica, but this seems to have been the entrance to the Temple. My guess is that we move on that way.” Battle Plan pointed a hoof down the long dark tunnel while levitating the map into his saddle bags. “What's the worse-“

“No.” Covert simply stated and held a finger to his red mouth. “Let us not say that again.”

“Agreed.” Gilda shrugged her shoulders and lifted a torch from her pack on her back and tossed it to Covert.

“Give me a light?” Covert held the torch over towards me. I reached over and fired a small blast of fire onto its end and a dim light settled over the group.

“Okay I’ll take point, everpony else fall in, and Covert you take the rear.” I moved to the front of the group and swallowed. “Once more into the breach. Again."

“Oh dear.” Lightning Speed gulped and looked to his partner on guard watching over the market in Canterlot.

“What is it?” Trick Furry asked looking down from his perch on a market stall. He adjusted the eye patch covering his wounded left eye from earlier in the fighting for Canterlot.

“I thought I saw something, something moving off towards the entrance of the market.” Lightning pointed off towards the heavily barricaded front of the war zone. The castle was heavily defended by every type of shadow known to pony and across the street was the heavily armed and well-defended Royal Guards. It was a standoff of massive proportions. Neither side was willing to attack or retreat, resulting in long days of just sitting and watching each other. A few arrows here, a few lone charges there, nothing really happened.

“You always say you saw something.” Trick gestured to the wide street that had been turned into a no-pony’s-land, “there never is anything that happens! It’s been like this since that human left.”

“That ‘human’ is an officer and will treat him with respect.” A new voice sounded out behind the two guards. They spun around and popped to attention and snapped a salute as Captain Shining Armor stood before them. “And Lieutenant Honored Service has seen fit to hand over control of this campaign to me.”

Both guards dropped their salutes and returned to watching the front, “Well sir,” Lightning Speed spoke while gesturing to the area he had saw movement, “I thought I had seen something moving along the walls towards the garden.”

“Good work guard. Attention to detail, anything could signal an attack.” Shining Armor made a mental note to have a scout group of pegasus recon that area carefully next fly over.

“Sir?” Trick Flurry looked up from his telescope to the superior officer.

“What is it soldier?”

“How can anypony survive in a war like this?” The guard said while looking towards the magical black flames that licked up the side of the castle. One could almost hear the shadow demons walking around behind the tall walls.

“I wish I could answer that. All I know is that there is one creature that was created to fight in this mess. And thank the goddesses that he’s on our side.” Shining Armor nodded to the guard and continued his rounds around the Royal Guard encampment. “And I hope he returns soon.”

“Oh man I love this shit!” I yelled. I jumped over a saw blade that shot out from a slot in the wall. Its razor sharp blades sliced through the air as I sailed over the hidden booby trap. I tucked and rolled under a wave of poison tipped darts that fired out of the other side of the wall. I cackled madly as a giant boulder dropped from the ceiling and began to roll after me. “SHIT!”

I sprinted left then right, diving through another ancient hallway as the rumbling of the chasing boulder followed me through the maze of tunnels and corridors. The rock was beginning to gain speed on me as on me as I noticed a slowly closing door ahead of me. The door was dropping down from the sealing, blocking my exit and leaving me to be crushed by the giant boulder. It was closing in fast as I approached the old door. I jumped and slid towards the door hoping to squeeze underneath it. But my boots slammed into the closed door sealing me in the dead end hallway.

“Well I saw that going better in my head.” I said to myself as I turned around to face my death at the hands of a giant tumbling rock. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a strip of cloth and tied it around my eyes, blinding me from the certain death. I pulled a crumbled cigarette from another pocket and snapped my fingers, a small flame igniting the end of the cancer stick. “Еще не закончена.” I spoke out before taking a drag on the cigarette and throwing a punch forward with my gauntlet, charged with an enormous amount of blood red magic.

CRACK

I slowly lifted up the blindfold and smiled. The boulder lay cracked in two large pieces on either side of me. I chuckled to myself as I threw the cloth and cig onto the ground. “Oh man, sometimes I'm too much for even myself.” I dusted my hands off and turned back to the sealed door wall thing.

“Open sesame.”

The ponies of the Royal Guard Reserve gathered around the Canterlot market square. Ponies from every city of Equestria had shipped out and responded to the call issued by the guard. Their numbers reached into the hundreds as trains continued to pour into the capital city. Shining Armor directed troop flow as more and more soldiers came to the fight.

“You know, with this many fighters, we may not even need to wait for the human.” Shining Armor though aloud as his fellow advisors and NCOs gathered around.

“Captain, the instructions from her Highness were very specific to hold position, cut off any resistance by the shadows, and wait for Princess Luna to return with reinforcements.” Once fellow officer spoke up out of the group and addressed the young captain.

“I know, but why wait if we could win this thing tonight.” Shining Armor said, reviewing the numbers of guards on station compared to the amount of shadows that could be hiding behind the castle walls, which surly couldn’t be many.

“With all due respect Captain Armor,” a large night guard stepped forward, her leathery wings pinned to her side, “it would be foolish, unwise, and down right stupid to attack. Day Terror herself is in that castle and I know of only two creatures that have fought her at close range and managed to get away. One of them is an Alicorn that moves the moon, and another is some kind of war demon alien sent from another universe.”

“Very well, I shall hold off on any direct attack for another week. But then I will seek council from Luna herself and then launch the assault on the castle and get our other princess back.”

The dust slowly began to settle as the last crumbling bits of door fell to the ground. The wall that had dropped down from the ceiling was unable to hold back my cunning and lightning fast wit.

“Oh don’t look so impressive Honored.” Quick Flurry said jokingly as he jumped through the ruble into the new room.

“Yeah, I could have knocked through that wall easily too, if I had a super alien weapon enhanced with magical bullets.” Battle Plan laughed as he trotted through the improvised doorway into the room beyond.

“Whatever! I worked hard on this!” I shouted at the ponies as they walked through the doorway, which I had made, using precision and determination to get through.

“Buddy, you said ‘open sesame’ and fired an entire clip into it.” Covert said nonchalantly while hoping through the hole.

“Forget y’all!” I screamed after them. Gilda simply smiled and nodded as she casually walked through into the room full of mysteries.

“So what's in here?” I ducked my head under the rocks and peered into the room. “Wow. That’s pretty cool.”

The room the group of explores stepped into was a room unlike any other they had seen before in the ruins of the Temple. A long wide room waited from them as they each entered into the stony interior. Carvings decorated each wall, depicting battles from all ages of the ancient human wars. Humans fighting alongside ponies and griffons, battling against dragons, hydras, and all sorts of monsters ripped right from ancient Greek myths. Each member of the group walked to their own sections of the room and looked over the detailed carvings. Save for the human.

The human wandered into the center of the room, focused on the carving on the floor which he was stepping on. It showed a warrior, covered head to toe in impervious armor, wielding a two handed sword that was set ablaze with fire. Dead dragons, hydras, manticores, other humans, and strange snake looking creatures covered the ground under the sword wielding human.

“Who were you?” Honored Service spoke to the carving as he walked along the pictures. More battles were shown, each one depicting a different human, but the sword remaining the same in each picture. The final carving etched into the floor showed a human crouched over a long black case, the sword sealed inside of it. “Hello what's this?” Honored crouched down to inspect the carving below him.

The human was holding a knife in one hand; pressing the blade into the other hand and a trickle of blood flowed out onto the black case. “Okay so either that seals it away, or opens it. But I think it’s safe to say that this sword is the Element of Protection.” The other members of the group slowly came back together around Honored.

“Did any of happen to find a black case?” Honored asked the group. A series of head shakes followed.

“Well I guess that would have been to convenient. Then let’s get out of here, at least now we know how to activate the Elements of Sanctuary.”

“And how’s that?” Hammer Strike asked, setting his hammer against a stone pillar in the corner of the room. It shifted ever so lightly as he rested the weapon against the ancient stone support column.

“Easy they just need-“

CRACK

An ear-splitting crack sounded out through the entire room. Honored tucked and rolled to a crouched firing position, M16A2 aimed and ready to fire lethal rounds at whatever caused the sound. The group head’s all turned towards the column that the hammer had been rested against, the top of it swayed and swung to the side, striking against another column, a domino effect beginning, all the columns around the room collapsed, dust flying into the air, obscuring everyone’s eyesight.

I coughed; swallowing in deep lungful’s of dusty air. “Everyone stay put, don’t move till the dust settles.” I called out over the noise of the sill collapsing rocks and columns. “Everyone okay?”

“Roger.”

“I’m fine.”

“Just cool.”

“Yeah.”

“Oh man, were going to die. I'm going to die, all of us. Die and nopony knows where we-“

SLAP

“Thank you.”

“Okay so everpony is fine.” The dust began to settle and the flashlight on my rifle was able to begin to light the room up once more. Covert moved around and began to relight the torches around the room that hadn’t been knocked off the wall by the collapsing columns. Dim, flickering light began to illuminate the room as the rest of the dust finally settled to the ground.

“Well that’s exactly what I like to see.”

In the destruction of the columns, the carved walls all around the room had been broken open, and inside the walls filled with rocks, spiders webs, and dust rested six different sized night black cases. Each one sealed tight, waiting to be opened.

“Jack pot.” The smile on my face stretched from ear to ear as I walked towards a long black case resting in the near center of the room. A large five pointed star attached to a ribbon was carved onto the top of the black case. I was pulled right to it. I reached a hand out and placed it against the cold surface. “Hello there Element. I guess I should take back those things I said about you not existing.”

Covert and Gilda stepped up next to me, while Battle Plan, Hammer Strike, Quick Flurry, Sergeant Stand Bold, and Fresh Greens surrounded the black case in front of me, all watching me with wide eyes as I drew my wicked knife from its sheath and placed the magic dipped razor edge against my un gauntleted hand. I slowly drew the blade across my flesh and winced as the steel sliced through the soft tissue with ease.

Blood flowed from the cut and dripped onto the top of the black case. I placed my hand, palm down on the black box, covering the engraved star with blood.

A bright light filled the room as the box slid open, blinding us all.

A smile played on Luna’s lips as she felt a surge of magical energy rush through her body. That feeling, it was one that only could have come from an extremely powerful object with unbelievable magic properties.

“Good work human. Good work.” She kept her smile up and began to make plans to round up the Elements of Harmony. The final push on the castle would be soon. Then this war would be over. Day terror would be removed, the Nightmare would be extinguished, and Celestia would be rescued.

Everything would be back to normal. Well as normal as it could get with that crazy human running around.

“No.”

“NO!”

Day Terror hurled the nearest shadow human into a wall, where it exploded like a fruit against the hard surface. “NO!” She screamed again, fire lashing out across the throne room, scorching the walls and tapestries hung around the large room. Day Terror was left panting on the scorched marble after she had felt the surge of some magical energy. That energy could only have come from one place. That damned human had made it to the Elements of Sanctuary. Her shadows had failed to reach them in time.

“That’s it. Maybe it’s time to bring the real fight to them.”

Day Terror summoned a spell up and fired it, causing her to shimmer like a mirror and creating a replica of herself. She sent the copy of herself to stand in front of the large castle window overlooking the market. It stood there and looked at the barricade of the Royal Guard on the other side of the street.

“There just watch that stupid ponies.” Day Terror nodded and then snuck her way down the stairs and towards the garden. The path was clear, and the fake Day Terror should keep the guards on watch from noticing the dark shape take off into the night.

“You want something done, do it yourself.” Day Terror grumbled to herself as the night air ripped around her. She glided through the air and off towards the distance, a long flight awaited her if she was going to catch that damn human and his gang of would be warriors.

“It’s empty.” I said starring at the box.

“WHAT!?” All the ponies shouted. Covert was staring in shock at me, while Gilda just opened and closed her beak.

“Nah I'm just messing with y’all.” I reached into the black case and drew a five foot sword hidden inside a scabbard. The scabbard was a metallic chrome sparkling in the dim light of the surrounding torches. I ran a hand along the polished metal and rested it on the hilt. A yellow star rested on the middle of the hilt at the cross guard. I slowly pulled the blade free from the scabbard.

SSSSSHHHIIIINNNNKKK

The sword came out with a beautiful sound of metal scrapping metal. “Sparkle, sparkle.” I said aloud as the blade caught the light of the room. The five foot blade was deep red, reflecting the flames around the room. Small, complicated carvings that interwove with one another covered every inch of the blade. They seemed like strange tribal markings that wove around the blade.

A collective gasp traveled through the group as they all stared at the magical weapon. “Well what are you waiting for?” I looked around at the other ponies, “try and get the other one opens!”

Nopony made a move towards the five other black cases scattered around the rumble of the room.

“Honored,” Sergeant Stand Bold coughed, “we don’t know who the other elements belong to. Princess Luna thought she knew that.”

I stared at him dumbstruck. “You mean we came all this way.” I gripped the Sword of Protection tighter, “and we don’t know who gets these Elements?”

“Yea.” Quick Flurry said while kicking a hoof against a black case with a carving of a jagged lightning bolt. A lightning bolt that was very similar to the jagged one adoring his flank.

“Quick, look at your cutie mark and then look at that case.” I pointed the sword at the case resting next to the one winged pegasus.

“It has a lightning bolt, so what?” Quick Flurry looked at it, and kicked a hoof against the top of the sealed case. “It aint going to do nothing.”

I flicked my knife to him, where it stuck into the ground in front of him. “Only one way to find out. That’s the Element of Steadfast. And I’d say you're pretty steadfast to your friends.” I gestured to his stub of a wing on one side of his body, “I think that’s you.”

Quick Flurry looked back at the case and then back to me. “But what if I'm not.”

“But what if you are.” Battle Plan said, resting a foreleg over Quick’s shoulder. “You saved me from those shadows and lost a wing in the process. But you still stuck by me and continued to fight. You could have left me. You could have given up. But you didn’t. You’re the most dedicated friend I have.”

Flurry puffed up his chest and clapped his mouth around the handle of my knife. He glanced back at me and then back to Battle Plan. The unicorn nodded and Quick Flurry brought he knife down gently against his foreleg and let the blood flow onto the black case.

And for the second time that day, we were blinded by the pure white energy that rushed forth from the magical case.

“Keep it up human.” Luna smiled again as the wave of magic washed over her. Another Element found. Two down, four to go.

“No. This isn’t possible!” Day Terror pumped her wings faster as she rushed towards the distant land of Mythartica. Two of the six elements were already found. This human wouldn’t stop. “NO!” She yelled into the sky and she rocketed forward, propelled by a trial of sickly green and black fire through the night sky.

Everyone’s eyes readjusted from the bright, blinding light as Quick Flurry dove head first into the opened case. “Oh boy oh boy oh boy!” The pegasus said while rummaging into the chest to find his Element. “Neat.”

He pulled out a dagger. A pretty long dagger. It was about a foot and half long with a beautiful curve to it. It was decorated with a series of light yellow and orange gems crafted into the blade. Each one glowed with the faint aurora of magic held inside of them. The bladed came to a handle made of gold looking material with a grip that shimmered in the light. Quick Flurry tossed it from hoof to hoof before catching it in one hoof, where the handle then molded around his hoof so it was resting solidly in his grasp.

“That is pretty neat.” I pointed at him and raised my new magical long sword. Even though it was five feet long, it felt nearly weightless as our two blades tapped together. I looked to the next black case to see the symbol etched onto its top.

A circle with a wisp of flame coming off the top. I was a little stumped by this one. I looked at the ponies gathered to see if any of them had any type of flaming circle. None did. I looked closer. A black flame seemingly coming off the circle. Granted the symbols weren’t in color so it could be something other than a flame. But what looks like a flame… water dripping off the circle… darkness rising form the ground. A shadow. That emblem represent a shadow. Stealth.

“Covert!” I spun around and waved my hands at the third black case. “That one is yours! It has a kind of symbol that represents a shadow. And shadows are stealthy, you're stealthy.” I smiled and handed my knife over to him.

“Yeah.” He paused and looked towards the black case. “And if you're wrong then what?”

“Well I mean we’re here so why not give it a try? We came all this way so just a little prick, a splash of blood, and then we can move on even if it doesn’t work. Don’t let the fact that I haven’t been wrong yet sway you. I'm two and zero on the finding of the Elements.” I wiggled the knife at him, smiling.

“Fine. But only because I'm so stealthy does this actually make sense.” He took the knife and made a quick cut on his shadow hand, black liquid seeping out and dripping onto the case. We waited for a moment and nothing happened. “Well I tried-“

The third flash was just as bright as the first two.

“Keep going Honored. Half way there.” Luna’s heart was pounding in her chest to feel the pulse of the next three Elements. Once they were unlocked, Day Terror’s fun would be over and Nightmare would pay for his crimes.

“Halfway there. Prepare to die human. You and your precious new Elements.” Day Terror raced through the sky like a meteor. She rocketed across the desert and Everfree forest. She was determined to make sure those Elements stayed buried in the middle of Mytartica.

Covert was left standing in front of us gripping his hands around the shiny black scabbard of a long thin blade. A very katana like sword. It had a slight curve in the scabbard showing off the length and size of the blade. He placed a shadow hand on the grip and drew the blade. The silver blade slid out without making any noise. Silent. Stealthy. “Most impressive. No sound at all.” Covert spoke to himself as he admired the blade. He whisked it through the air, the silver flashing quickly, making no sound, nothing as it glided through the air. “It must be enchanted to make no noise at all.” He quickly disappeared from sight and reappeared next to a pile of rock. Picking one up, he sliced through the air and cut the rock in half with ease, but no sound came from the sword striking the rock, and no noise echoed the room as the two halves hit the floor. Perfectly silent.

Just like Covert.

The fourth case was propped up against the wall. I waved my flashlight on the rifle to it and looked right at the symbol etched into the front. “Well that’s not hard at all.” I was staring at large spade carved into the case. I looked back to Stand Bold and tossed him the knife.

“Now you just want me to cut myself.” He said mockingly while walking towards the case. “Spill my perfect pony blood to appease the human.”

This time we were ready for the fourth blinding light.

“Luna do you keep feeling that?” Twilight looked up from her book she was reading to the princess. “It’s some kind of surge in the magical field. I can’t place my hoof on it.”

“Yes Twilight, and I know what it is. It is nothing to be afraid of. It’s a good thing.” Luna had found the girls all resting in the library, lounging around the first floor. If it wasn’t for the few holes burned through the walls, one would almost think everything was perfectly normal in Ponyville. The lack of guards, the calmness that had settled over the town, and the fact that no shadows were falling from the sky, crashing into the land causing death and destruction made it seem if everything was perfect. Just like it was before Day Terror and Nightmare.

Rarity looked up from her garment she was sewing and tilted her head. “Did you feel that darling?”

“Curses to everything!” Day Terror hollered to the sky around her. Her wings screamed in protest as she flapped harder, trying to reach the damned human and the Elements. It would be too late. The human would have the Elements of Sanctuary and then. No.

She couldn’t think like that.

There was no hope for the human. He had never beaten her in a fight yet.

“So what exactly is this thing?” Sergeant Stand Bold lifted his weapon out of the black case. He turned around and showed it to us. I of course, being the greatest thing to happen in the fighting world since the sword, knew exactly what it was. Bold was holding a crossbow designed to be held by a pony. Well I assumed it was because it was shaped differently as to be held in the foreleg and not by a hand. It was constructed out of beautiful dark wood with a pitch black metal bow.

“It’s a crossbow.” I stated flatly. I wanted a cool crossbow. “It’s like a bow and arrow except compact and made easily to fire like one of my rifles.” I gestured to the way it was shaped. “You hold it in a foreleg and fire the bolt down range.”

A small quiver rested inside the case. A group of bolts lined the small pouch. Stand Bold lifted one out for us to see. “That’s pretty cool.” I said looking at the bolt. It was tipped with a pink diamond gem that glowed brightly when it was moved through the air. “I bet it does something cool.”

“ We'll just have to wait and see now, won't we?” Stand Bold said with a smile as he slung the crossbow over his shoulder and rested it along his side under his wing.

Hammer Strike stepped in front of me and held his hoof out to me. “What?” I asked. He merly motioned for my knife. “Why do you need that?”

He pointed the same hoof to the case behind me. I looked and saw a hammer engraved on the front. “Oh look at you, figuring things out.” I smiled and handed the knife to him.

“What if this one does not blind us?” Hammer asked as he placed a bloody hoof against the case.

“It will.” I smiled as I was proved right again.

Luna just smiled at Twilight as the bookish unicorn looked to the alicorn. “It’s alright Twilight, everything is going to be okay.”

Day Terror for once felt hopelessness as another wave of magic washed over her. “No.” She croaked out. “It won’t end like this. It can’t!”

“Well what do you know,” Hammer Strike said, his words muffled as his head was stuck inside the opened case, “it’s a hammer.” He pulled his head out and showed everypony gathered around the hammer clasped in his teeth. It was a massive sized hammer and yet he moved it with ease. It was longer than my broadsword and looked like it weighed a ton. It had a deep purple shaft leading up to a giant hammer which was solid diamond. Or at least looked like diamond. At the bottom of the shaft a large blue gem shined bright in the dim room.

“That thing looks wicked Hammer.” I said staring at the weapon. Hammer Strike reared back and lightly tossed the war hammer towards me. I reached out and caught it and crashed to the ground, the weapon pinning me down to the ground. I struggled under the weight of the hammer as it pinned me to the ground. Even with my increased strength I wasn’t able to shift the hammer at all. “Help-“ cough- “me.” I was struggling to breath under its weight.

Hammer jumped forward and pulled the hammer of me with ease. I coughed and sat up, shaking my head. “The fuck is that thing made of?” I stared at how ease it was for Hammer to wield the weapon, and yet I was unable to move it an inch, crazy fucking magic.

My eyes traveled from the hammer to the last black case. It was resting the farthest away from our group. I aimed the flashlight at it and slowly made my way towards it. The light reflected off its shiny black surface. “Alright who gets to cut themselves this time?” I wondered out loud as I held the knife out to other three reaming creatures that hadn’t received a weapon. Gilda, Fresh Greens, and Battle Plan. Each one of them shifted awkwardly at the thought of slicing themselves, but I thought it was worth it to get a super magical weapon and to have your Element of Sanctuary activated.

“Well considering the emblem on the case will decide, let’s take a look!” I stepped aside and smiled. The emblem was carved showing a pattern of squares, some very dark while the others where lighter color. A crisscross pattern of light and dark squares. Looking like a chess board. I smiled at Battle Plan who had a queen and king chess piece cutie mark. I wiggled the knife at him.

“Of bucking course it would be.” He grumbled and stepped forward to receive his new weapon at the cost of some blood.

“It is finished.” Luna looked to the Elements of Harmony that were seated around her. “Honored and his companions have done it. They have found the Elements of Sanctuary and will be able to help lead the attack on the castle. Day Terror will fall. And you girls will help.”

“How so princess?” Applejack asked from her seat across from Luna. “We are good in a fight, but nothing like the fighting that has been goin’ on here.”

“True Applejack,” Luna said before explaining her plan, “you six will wait until the path is clear and then you will make your way, guarded of course, to Day Terror. You will then blast her with the Elements just as you did me. This should cause the Nightmare to be separated from my sister and then Honored will do his thing.”

“Now you must die human.” Day Terror was panicking. She was nearly to the Temple, but it was too late. The sixth and final wave of energy had struck her, she knew it was too late. She had hoped to just intimidate the human into submission by killing off his little friends, but now they had the Elements. “I just hope I can kill that human.” Day Terror smiled as her horn exploded into light and she rocketed forward again towards the large crater in the middle of the landscape.

“And that is one awesome looking bow.” Gild whistled at the silver bow resting in Battle Plan’s magical aurora. It was long and curved with a glint of silver always shining off of it.

“Where are the arrows?” Battle plan looked into the case, but no arrows or quiver were anywhere to be found.

“Can I make a suggestion?” I raised my hand carefully. “May I hold it?”

“Think you can keep this one up?” Hammer Strike said quietly with a smirk.

“Haha real funny.” I flicked him off and took a hold of the bow. It felt light and it was perfectly crafted to fit into any hand, like the grip molded into the users hand, hoof, anything, you name it. I held the bow in front of me and gently placed my hand on the drawstring. As I began to pull back, an arrow made of magic faded into view resting on the notch and string. “And boom, there it is. It fires magical arrows Battle Plan.”

I let Battle Plan take the weapon back into his magical aurora. “How’d you know that?”

“Ancient myth from my planet. Figured it would be worth a shot here.” I smiled and looked around. We had them. All six Elements of Sanctuary. Day Terror was going down. “We did it y’all. Day Terror doesn’t stand a chance. Her or her shadows.”

“"Care to put that theory to the test?"?”

The dark cool voice froze my blood as something struck me in the back and sent me hurtling across the room.

“Good bye human. Say hello to Fast Skies for me.”

I smashed into a wall and fell.

Down

Author's Note

Well readers, its that time. i leave in a few days for training and wont have my computer or anything to type with. I leave for 13 weeks. It will be a long 13 weeks, but once i return expect more chapters and a conclusion. i wanted to leave with a conclusion to this story, but i dont want to rush the glorious ending, and trust me, it will be one for the records.

Have a safe, cool summer readers. Enjoy it and ill be writing for y'all in no time.

Good bye for now,

Stay tolerating,
Stay loving,
Stay brony my friends,

-Pvt. Johnson US Army

Rising Action

Honor Above All Else
Chapter 39
By Honored Service

“So this just leaves you and me little ponies.” Day Terror smirked at the group of creatures before her, “And one deformed shadow and a backwards griffon.” She lifted her head and laughed into the sky. “This is the most pathetic group of fighters I have ever seen. You honestly think that you have what it takes to stop me and my army from crushing this entire world?” The torches covering the walls flickered, casting long twisted shadows across every surface. The newly dubbed Elements of Sanctuary stood their ground and faced off against the evil tyrant, not giving her an inch, save for Fresh Greens, who was near to passing out from fear.

“You think you can scare us?” Sergeant Stand Bold stepped forward towards the alicorn, taking control of the situation. The quiver of pink tipped bolts began to glow and hum as he did so. “You think that just because you look scary that we will give up? We have crushed these so called armies of yours twice! Honored nearly did it by himself. And if you think he can’t kill you then you're wrong! He just can’t kill Celestia you dumb nag!” Stand Bold spit the last word with such hate from a pony that nearly everyone present flinched at it.

Day Terror recoiled, but otherwise made no movement. Hammer Strike’s massive frame moved forward, the giant hammer hanging loosely to his back. “Why would you come here? To meet justice?”

“To stop Honored, you great big stupid lummox.” Day Terror’s mane of fire rapidly expanded, doubling in size. “And judging by how far down that pit is,” Day Terror gestured to the hole in the wall where the human had been thrown through and down into the darkness, “I’d say it was successful.”

SSSSHHHHIIIINNNNNGGGG

“Guess again bitch.”

From out of the shadows, the human leapt forward swinging a large blood red sword at the alicorn. Day Terror jumped backwards, launching a spell with the intent to kill the human, but the spell was blocked by the sword. The spell hit the blood red blade and was simply absorbed into the enchanted weapon.

“Try again.” Honored smirked and dove at the alicorn again, the blade whistling through the air as he went. “You think you can stop us?” The blade clipped Day terror’s wing, blood and a few feathers flying off onto the wall and ground.

“Ahhh!” She shrieked and dodged again, slowly being forced back towards the same pit the human had just emerged from.

“You can’t win Nightmare. So why don’t you come out and fight me!” Honored Service yelled at the alicorn. He held the magical Element of Protection at the throat of Day Terror, panting heavily. Blood slowly trickled down the warrior’s face from a gash on his forehead. His eyes were full of flameing anger and hatred for the Nightmare.

“If I come out then it will be all over, inside, inside your precious ruler I am safe. You can’t kill me without killing her.” Day Terror babbled widely, eyes darting right and left, trying to find some kind of escape from the crazed human.

The human’s smile grew wider as the blade whisked quickly to the left, slicing the armor along Day Terror’s side. It dropped to the floor with thud. “This blade will cut through anything. Maybe it will cut through Celestia, and into you, leaving her unharmed. Always a chance.” The smile on Honored’s face reached ungodly proportions as the blood red sword slowly began to move back towards Day Terror’s throat.

Day Terror’s eyes shrunk to the size of pin pricks as the creature before her began to laugh widely. Quickly, in the blink of an eye, Day Terror wrapped herself in the Nightmare’s infamous shadow mist and slipped through the many cracks and holes in the decaying walls.

“Good riddance.” Honored slipped the magical blade into its sheath and turned back to the ponies and other creatures behind him. “Well that deep pit of darkness wasn’t that deep. Just banged my head up a bit.” He wiped a hand across his forehead and looked at the still fresh blood. “Come on. Let’s get out of here friends. We got a castle to free.”

The soon to be heroes left the dark depths of the Temple and began the trek through Mythartica and back towards Equestrian soil. The Canterlot castle was the last objective in the horrifying war between the shadows and the ponies. This conflict would be one that would live forever as a horrible evil committed by the Nightmare in an attempt to gain power once more.

The human could only hope that when Day Terror was hit with the Elements of Harmony, and then Nightmare was killed with the Elements of Sanctuary, that everything would end; all this pain. All this suffering. All the torment that the ponies hand gone through. Soldiers were meant to witness the atrocities that had been committed, not the innocent ponies of Equestria.

“Just remember y'all,” Honored looked to the new weapon bearing Elements of Sanctuary, “when it comes down to the final blow, Nightmare is mine. I started this, i'll end it.” Honored laid one hand on the knife attached to his thigh. “And I'll end it nice and slow.”

I collapsed on the log set before the small fire I in the middle of our campsite. Covert and Gilda dropped more logs and branches nearby to feed the fire later in the night. Fresh Greens and Sergeant Stand Bold worked on turning the supply of vegetables we had left into something that would be edible. Hammer Strike and Quick Flurry bickered to themselves on the other side of the campfire about whose weapon was cooler.

“You alright?” Battle Plan scooted beside me and rested his bow at his hooves. “ You've been awfully quiet for the last few hours.”

I sighed and looked the flickering flames of the fire. I raised my gauntlet and captured a small ball of fire in my magical aurora. I let the flame dance in my open palm above the blood red gem. “Just thinking about the future Plan.”

“Want to enlighten me on it?” Battle plan asked, smiling. “I know something’s troubling you. You get all quiet and solemn when you're upset.”

Man, am I that easy to read? It’s like I'm an open book to these ponies sometimes.

“Yeah you're basically an open book.”

Damn that’s creepy. “Battle Plan, I don't know where I'm going to fit in with the future. Once this is all over with-“

“Oh shut up.” Battle Plan lightly punched my shoulder with a hoof. “For such a badass you can be such a sentimental sissy. You're going to have a great life with us, even if you don't get to run around and destroy things.” He waved his hooves across the campsite, gesturing to all the ponies and friends gathered around. “ You've got a family that cares for you, and I'm sure the princesses will have something for you to do. Now buck up, it looks dinner is served.”

Stand Bold and Fresh Greens carried over a stew in a pot. It bubbled up into a brown looking sludge. I looked at the meal and back at the two chefs who cooked it. They both gave a smile and held the pot out to me. I laughed like a fool and took a bowl of the awful smelling soup.

I raised the bowl up and looked at all my friends, “here’s to a safe return to Canterlot, and kicking Day Terror’s ass!”

Author's Note

Y'all really think i would leave you with that cliffhanger?!

I love y'all more than that! Haha, but i had you going there for a while.

Hell Jumpers

Honor Above All Else

Chapter 40

By Honored Service

Another amazing picture drawn by the faithful reader HeimoBauss!
Onward to fighting and things.

The morning sun slowly began its rise over the rural area of the plains where we had decided to make our camp. I was the first to rise and stretch out, my joints popping and cracking as I stood up. My gear, and companions, were pilled up around the long burnt out fire.

"Wake up little warriors." I called out to the sleeping ponies, griffon, and shadow. There was minimal movement as the group continued to sleep.

"Okay, y'all want to play that game; I got you." I smiled and crept low to the ground. Moving to my stomach I began to slowly crawl my way towards the sleeping Sergeant Stand Bold. He would be my victim in this prank. I slowly inched my way forward, creeping closer and closer. "Sleep longer than me will you." I smiled as I rose to my combat boots and walked closer, rolling on the sides of my boots to lessen the noise.

Sergeant Stand Bold laid unsuspecting of the hell that was about to occur. I lifted my arms in a terrifying pose and filled my lungs with air to unleash my mightiest roar I could muster. Before I could, Quick Flurry rolled over and cracked his eyes open at me. I locked eyes with him, my eyes pleading with him to remain silent as I was still frozen in my striking pose. A smile began to spread across his face, growing into a wicked grin.

"No." I mouthed at him. His smile grew wider. Using his one good wing, Flurry searched the ground for a small pebble the size of a pea. He bounced it a couple of times before launching it at the sleeping Sergeant, hitting him right on the flank. On reflex, his back leg shot out and nailed me right in..... On the plus side, the scream following my sex change did wake everyone in the camp. Or maybe it had been Quick Flurry's laughing.

Once I was back on my feet, kind of, I began grabbing my gear. "Ready up everyone. We got some ground to cover today. Who knows what's going on in Canterlot, and ill be damned if I'm going to miss any action." There were a series of agreements the ponies began to collect the gear, Gilda and Covert helped to pack everything up. I began strapping on the armor around my dirty combat uniform and then throwing the pistols into their holsters. Next the knife and two magically enchanted swords went on. The M16 was left attached to its three point sling hanging off my chest resting within easy reach. Finally I secured the Element of Protection on my back in between the two blades. Once everything was strapped in place, I waited for the others. Gear was packed, weapons were secured and the group began to look lethal with the newly found Elements of Sanctuary.

"So Honored," Battle Plan spoke up as the last pack was adjusted, "how are we getting back, what's the plan. Magical transport gem? Summoning a ride?"

"Even better," I grinned and threw my backpack onto my back, "we ruck."

Day Terror traveled through the air and reformed herself back in the safety of the castle gardens back in Canterlot. Day Terror began to plot. With the human and those ponies armed with the magical weapons, Nightmare knew that victory now would be very hard to achieve. It would take a miracle to defeat that warrior human now that he was beyond any sort of reason. But what would get him to crack, what would cause him to lose his control and make an opening for attack like he had back in the first battle of Canterlot.

"That's it!" Day Terror grabbed a passing shadow and held it in front of her. "That's how I kill him. When his precious ponies are threatened, he becomes crazed! That's when he makes mistakes, that's when he can be killed." The shadow simply stared back at the evil ranting alicorn. "But when the ponies are threatened that's also when he's at his strongest... It's a risk, but that's the only way." Day Terror dropped the shadow and walked towards the large glass window opening out into the court yard. Shadows shuffled by in their weird trance. Large daunting shadow warriors lumbered towards the gates.

"Shadows! Listen to me, your master! I am the Nightmare, I am your creator! Tonight we assault the ponies, we take them by force in an epic battle that will claim Canterlot and secure our many victories ahead!" The shadows stared at the alicorn before continuing there awkward shuffling. Day Terror turned around to make the final preparations for her attack. She looked down at her unarmored side where the human had cut off her armor. Something would have to be done about that. Day Terror walked away towards her chambers to begin her final preparations for the attack on the Royal Guard position across the vast empty land of no-pony's-land.

"Report soldier." Shining Armor stood behind the observation post made out of multiple market stalls. The two guards stationed inside the makeshift barricade kept their eyes focused and trained on the road, but responded with nervous shaky voices.

"Sir... its strange." The one guard levitated a simple pair of binoculars to the ground while speaking to the captain of the guard. "They are all gone. Just gone. All sightings of the shadow creatures has stopped. They have all relocated their positions to inside the perimeters of the castle walls."

Shining Armor picked up the binoculars and focused them on the castle. The walls that had previously been covered in roaming shadow sentries was bare. The shadows that shuffled around the castle grounds were nowhere to be seen. If it wasn't for the dark green and black flames the licked their way up the side of castle turrets and ramparts, it would seem that there were no enemies anywhere in Canterlot. "Okay, keep an eye on this. Update me on anything else that changes."

Shinning Armor began walking back through the ranks of standing by guards towards his command tent. This made no sense to the Captain. Why would the shadows just disappear. As far as he was aware Honored Service was still missing from the fight and Luna was still gone to Ponyville to rally the Elements of Harmony. The only explanation for the enemy to simply vanish from the fortified locations was...

"Regrouping." The words trickled out of Shinning Armor's mouth like venom. He turned back towards the forward position of his forces and began running at full speed. Guards ducked and jumped left and right as the purple armor clad unicorn ran towards the front lines. He skidded to a halt at a barricade erected directly across from the massive and impenetrable gates of the castle. The Captain of the Guard climbed up the barrier and stood facing the gates as the sun slowly began to sink low to the horizon, giving a breath taking view of the castle against a blood red sky.

"Guards!" Shinning Armor's voice rang out across the lines using a magical spell. "Ready yourselves everypony! This is it! The shadows are regrouping, the attack-"

CRACK BANG BOOOOOM

The explosion rocked the entire city of Canterlot as the front gates to the castle were ripped from the wall as easily as a foal's play toys and sent flying across no-pony's-land. Fire reached out from the new opening and created a hellish landscape the reeked of sulfur and burning soil. The smoke finally began to lift and the guards stood trembling at their posts from the massive concussion that had followed the initial blast.

Shinning wished the smoke hadn't cleared. Because standing in the middle of the destroyed gates was Day Terror. Smoke and flames curling around the evil alicorn in the most demonic way possible. The flames licked up the sides of the newly crafted armor that covered the flaming alicorn. The armor covering the legs was sleek and simple, gold colored that moved easily with the princess turned evil as she strode across the burning land. Large wicked looking spikes dotted the leg armor on the foreleg pieces that glinted in the light cast by the fire. Day Terror's chest and sides were covered in similar gold armor that was covered in swirls of black glistening material that seemed to move and sway around the armor's surface with every step she took. The armor was cut and layered in all the right places that made it move easily with Day Terror's sleek body shape.

If it wasn't so deathly looking, Shinning Armor would admit that it looked almost sexy.

The fiery mane that Day Terror had waved its way out through the armor that covered her neck. Small spikes were seen shinning in the dying light of the sun along her neck armor pieces. The final armor covered half of Day Terror's face. The left side of her face was covered in shinning golden armor with a red slit eye piece that cover her eye with glowing red iris. Day Terror's smile was wide as she ran a tongue over the two fangs protruding from her mouth. She was staring directly at Shinning Armor who was still standing on the barricade.

Shinning Armor stood tall and proud knowing that he needed to set the example for his guards. He looked brave, giving off a radiance of confidence and strength as his purple and gold trimmed armor reflected of the fire running along the grounds of no-pony's-land, but on the inside Shinning was terrified. Day Terror would over power the unicorn instantly if they meet in close combat. Shinning Armor would have to keep range between himself and the alicorn or death would come swiftly.

He hoped.

"Please hurry Princess Luna. or Honored. Anypony please." Shinning Armor whispered as he summoned his trusty sword, shield and spear next to him in a light purple aurora field.

Then the shadows entered the battlefield from behind the castle walls. Rank after rank of the demonic creatures streamed out from behind the protection of the tall walls and began to form up behind the alicorn. Regular shadows, Shadow Warriors, and Shadow Champions formed up and began marching towards the pony positions across the large stretch of no-pony's-land.

Shinning Armor continued to stand tall on his barricade only because he was rooted to that spot in fear.

"Left. Left. Lo-le-lo-le-lo-right." I called off the cadence in a sing song fashion as we continued to march our way through the dark forest of the Everfree. We were making startling good time as we passed through the hills and woods behind us with no problems at all. No random encounters with bad guys. No delays. No seemingly spontaneous problems. It truly was a miracle.

"Okay listen Honored," Gilda spoke up from in font of me, "if you keep saying that stuff, but listen here, most of us have four legs and we move opposites at the same time. so this whole to move your left foot isn't working because the right one is moving too."

A chorus of laughter exploded from all of my traveling companions. It seems that they all shared the same idea about my never ending talking.

"Okay. Okay. Sheesh." I readjusted the rifle in my hands and stepped around a large fallen branch that had sunk its way into the soggy forest floor. My combat boots sunk in a little ways and pulled out with a slimy 'pop'.

"What do you want to do once this is all over Quick?" Battle Plan asked to the spastic one winged pegasus who jumped into the air and delivered a quick triple slash with his dagger to low hanging vines.

"Oh me? I would like to settle down with a nice mare into a cozy little home somewhere on the outskirts of a town and relax. take a load of these hooves. Maybe start a family and work as a weather planner. I loved being on a weather patrol, but since this little escapade," he gestured to his stub of a wing, "I'll settle with planning the weather instead of moving it. Still got my talent to know weather."

We were all silenced at the plan that the normally random pegasus who just broke complete character and sounded... well normal for the first time in a long time.

"That sounds lovely Quick." Battle Plan said while still staring in disbelief at his friend.

"What about you ya' big nerd?" Quick Flurry asked while leaping into the air and landing gracefully on Battle's back.

"Well really I want to do stuff I never did before this stuff." He kind of shrugged his shoulders and waved his new bow around.

"Like sleep with mares, get drunk, and party?" I said sarcastically from the back of the group.

"Yes." Battle Plan blushed and looked down.

More laughter exploded from the everypony. Even Gilda joined in on the laughter at the expense of the socially challenged unicorn.

The dense treetops slowly began to get thinner and the blood red sky finally was seen through cracks and opening in the branches. We picked up our pace and sprinted through the last stretch of forest while Gilda and Stand Bold flew quickly through the tree cover and ahead of us. They were heading directly towards Ponyville, which if Battle Plan's mapping skills were still just as good, then the town should only be an hour or two away. The two flyers could cover that distance in thirty minutes and there, Stand Bold would get back into Fast Skies and pick us up in the airship. From there, we head to Canterlot where Princess Luna would be waiting patently with the Elements of Harmony and we would end this war once and for all.

We exited the wood line just as Stand Bold and Gilda disappeared from our sight line. Hopefully they would return soon enough with the airship and we would begin the short travel up to Canterlot and link up with the guard forces stationed in the city and retake the castle.

The city of Canterlot was painted against a blood red sky in the distance. I was staring at it when a flash marked the side of the castle. A moment later an echoed 'boom' sounded out throughout the valley, rolling across the hills and plains.

"What was that?" Hammer Strike said, his massive hammer's blue gem glowed faintly in the dying light.

"Sounds like trouble." I said grimly while checking the magazine in my rifle. I made sure that all the magazines in my vest pouches were full and secured. "Lets hope that the new additions to the airship are ready. We're going into something hot."

"Let's go girls." Princess Luna shifted on her hooves while waiting next to the carriage that was standing ready to transport the Elements of Harmony to the secure camp at Canterlot. There the girls would be ready to move under heavy guard to go and assist with the takedown of Nightmare and his new identity of Day Terror.

"Girls this is really somewhat important! We need to go now." Luna was trying her best to remain calm and collective with the situation presented, but her temper was slowly rising. She was here, waiting on Rarity to get the rest of her 'travel necessities' while her home and guards were defending Canterlot without their leader. With the new weapon that Honored had given her, she would be a lot of help on the battlefield. And having one of the deities of the land fighting alongside her guards wielding an alien weapon of death would surly increase moral among the young guards.

"Terribly sorry aout the delay, your highness." Rarity cooed as she levitated yet another bag from the never ending supply of them from her home. "But if i am going to a-" she visibly shuddered "-battlefield, than i shall be prepare to fight the dirtiest stains on my garments."

"Its fine." Luna said through gritted teeth. Twilight gave a bashful smile and looked away from the Princess with a hardly audible sorry. "Now let's get moving before we miss anyth-"

CRACK BANG BOOM

Everypony gathered around the large carriage looked up to the city of Canterlot where the loud sound had originated from. "Oh dear."

"Princess was that Honored?" Applejack asked stepping up and into the awaiting carriage. Before Luna could answer, she watched as a large airship rose from a field on the outskirts of Ponyville and headed off towards the opposite direction of Canterlot. Honored had explained his plan. He was getting picked up very soon.

"No Applejack. I'm afraid that explosion wasn't caused by our strange friend."

"Then who did?" Rainbow Dash looked back towards the city where a new dim light was lingering faintly over the city.

"I... I dont know." Luna was growing incredibly impatient waiting. She needed to be up there. She needed to help.

"Hold your ground! Don't give an inch!" Shinning Armor screamed over the terrible howling that was originating from the mouths of hundreds of shadows across the barren strip of land in front of them. If the noise the shadows were making was supposed to scare his guards...well actually it was working. He could see the look of fear and terror in the eyes of a lot his guards standing around him.

None of them could have ever imagined that they were about to partake in a fight as colossal as this one.

"Where are you human?" Shinning Armor was beginning to wonder if the human would even be able to make it in time before his lines fell. Shinning Armor was a realist when it came to strategy planning. There was no luck. He knew that these lines would fail. It was just how long could they hold out till one side fell and then they were flanked by shadows and over run. With that much power coming at them, Shinning was going to guess about thirty minutes; and that was with luck.

The first shadow began its charge straight at them.

"And there she is." I smiled and pointed as Fast Skies began her approach towards the group. I snagged a red crystal from a pouch on my back belt and cracked it on the ground. It glowed intensely for a few seconds before dying out, showing our spot to the incoming airship. It was hauling some serious ass right now. Stand Bold was pushing the magical engines to their limit tonight.

The ship came to a gliding stop above us a few minutes later. Simple rope seats attached to long cables swung down from the belly of the cargo hold to meet us. All of us ground bound creatures climbed into a seat, easier for me and Covert than for the ponies, and were hoisted swiftly up into the dim lit cargo bay of out ship.

"Take us to Canterlot Mr. Bold." I said while moving down the hallway towards a room I had marked 'secure'.

"Right away Lt." Stand Bold saluted and dashed off towards the bridge, with Gilda at his side. I guess she was going to be the copilot on this trip.

I walked into the room and flicked the light on. Quick Flurry, Battle Plan, Hammer Strike, Fresh Greens, and Covert filed in after me. That stopped and stared at the room we were in.

"So what are these?" Battle Plan asked. He approached a long cylinder that was resting against the wall. He tapped it with his hoof and a door hissed open, showing a seat with a belts and harnesses crisscrossing it. "No. Absolutely not."

"You didn't even give me a chance to explain." I said defensively. I had a lot of help from some of the engineers and unicorns making these drop pods. Yes I directly stole the idea from ODST but we weren't Orbital Drop Shock Troopers. I called these pods, HADS or High Altitude Drop System. You strap in, tight, and gravity (combined with a little bit of magic propulsion spells) did the rest. There were six tubes, with six pods. Each one marked with a name for the six Elements of Sanctuary. This was how we would make our appearance to the world in Canterlot. We would literally drop in and kick ass.

"How do you know these things will work? Have you even tested it?" Battle Plan continued to shake his head at the idea of plummeting to the ground in a steel coffin. But hey, you only go to Equestria once, why not shake up the way things are done.

"Well regardless of what you think," I said grinning like the fool I was, "we're going into Canterlot. And unfortunately for you, it is going to be in a pod. Those shadows wont know what hit them."

"Well you do actually have me there." Battle Plan said, "this certainly would be the biggest surprise that they would have ever seen."

I was about to say a smart ass remark about how of course it would be, but then the ships intercom cut in. "Now hear this... I always wanted to say that... we will be in drop position in exactly, 8 minutes. That is the one shot we get before having to loop back around."

"Get ready." I smiled and began helping the others get strapped and secured in their pods before having the doors slide shut and hiss into locking position.

Sergeant Stand bold came rushing around the corner just as Battle Plan was sealed into his coffi- I mean drop pod. "Okay Lt, I got Gilda all trained up on how to fly this beast, and I'm sure that Fresh Greens here can help if needed."

"Great. Good work Bold." I padded him on the back as he climbed into his seat inside his designated pod. "I'll see you on the deck."

"Better believe it human." He said with a grin as the door closed around him.

I stepped into my pod and began crossing the straps around my chest. Fresh Greens was still just standing in the door way watching me.

"You're utterly and without a doubt the most insane creature i've ever had the fortune of meeting." He said, just staring at me as I tugged on each strap again to ensure that they were all secure.

"I know." I smiled. "But a real insane person doesn't believe that they are insane. Now before i seal this pod I should leave with some advice or something for the upcoming battle."

"Yes please." Fresh Green was still looking a little pale when i reminded him off the upcoming fight.

"Just remember the secret to staying alive on the battlefield is being smooth." The door slid shut before I could finish my advice. "Oh well," I said to myself in the confines of my pod. "he'll be fine."

"How do you use this thing?" Gilda's rough voice crackled over the intercom installed in the pods. "Stupid instructions. It's on? Okay thanks dork."

"Dont call me a dork." Fresh Green's voice was soft on the speaker.

"Whatever. Um the timer up here says
I gripped the handles on my seat as i waited for the sensation of fallin

The black arrow flew past Shinning Armor's helmet by inches. He lifted his shield in time to stop the second arrow as it bounced harmlessly of its front. "When did they start using bows?!" The shadows were growing closer and closer as they charged towards the guard's lines.

Time seemed to freeze for Shinning as the shadows in the lead of the assault leapt into the air and crashed down onto the guards. The loud crash that followed the long line of attacks. Swords crashed into dark swords formed from shadow's arms. Shields blocked hits, spears halted dives as metal pierced into flesh and spilled black blood and pony blood alike. The guards held their line. And the battle raged.

Shinning Armor dropped his shield into the head of a normal shadow with a satisfying crunch, while drawing his blade and driving through the neck of another shadow trying to climb up his barricade. Shinning Armor stood his ground and hacked and slashed his way through any enemy that tried to climb and take him down. He had to be the example to his troops.

"Keep holding back!" Shinning screamed over the noise of battle. It was maybe heard by the surrounding five or six guards.

Another blade lashed out and nearly looped off Shinning's ear. He ducked left and brought the sword into an uppercut drawing a long, thick gush of black blood from the offending shadow. During the intense combat, Shinning Armor almost didn't see the shadow of the airship gliding far above the battlefield.

"Ah, and here comes the calvary." Day Terror's eyes narrowed as she watched the gliding airship as it flew high over the barren land that was now covered in the intense action of combat. Day Terror knew what was in that ship, but why would the human sit up there while the ponies below are being attacked and killed by her shadows. Whats your game human? Dont you want to save the little ponies."

I felt the first jolt as the locks came lose from the pod. "Next would be the holding baaaaaaaarrrrrssssss!" I screamed as the iron rods holding the pod in the tube slide away. Down, down, down I plummeted towards the ground below. Hopefully that we were being dropped more on the shadow side of the battlefront and not the pony one. i would hate to be bellow this when it hits. Even with the heavy triple strength chute and the magical reverse pull gems mounted on the bottom of the pod, it would still hit the ground with enough force to leave a massive impact. I was starting to think i should have had another shock spring mounted into the seat. To late now.

Shinning Armor and the rest of the guards froze mid swing while the shadows simultaneously halted their advances and attacks and looked up to the sky. High above the frozen battle, six black dots appeared far above them. They slowly got bigger and bigger as they hurtled towards the earth. "That can only be... The Elements! Honored is coming! Fight on!"

The guards pushed forward, breaking the momentary lull in the battle and began to slash their way against the shadows, momentarily forcing all the shadows back.

Shining Armor said a silent prayer to who ever had gave in and sent Honored at the perfect time in the battle. Hopefully Princess Luna would be joining soon and then... well then payback would begin.

"NO!" Damn him to Tartarus!" Day Terror leapt into the battle and ran towards the middle of the fight. Thats were the falling objects would hit. She had to get there and throw up some kind of magical shield to stop the falling bombs. Day Terror assumed that Honored was dropping bombs to try and decimate the shadow forces before the battle could even be won. "Well to bad this will stop you human."

Day Terror fired a shield spell to stop explosions at their source. A glowing green bubble lit up the battlefield brighter than the fire did. The sun was almost completely set, casting long shadows across the ground and bringing a dim light to the horrors of battle. But to the alicorn's surprise, the six falling bombs sprouted large white parachutes. They slowed the decent but still plummeted right towards the green bubble on the ground.

Six bright blue flashes lit up the sky as the bottom of each black object exploded into the bright light. Day Terror only watched as the six bombs passed right through the barrier and crashed into the ground sending great plumes of dirt and dust into the air. Shadows all around were crushed instantly and even one Shadow Warrior was squashed like a ant under a boot as the black cylinder hit it. The objects stayed stuck in the ground as Day Terror watched the shadows aproach the first downed thing.

"Ha you failed human." Pride, happiness, and everything else swelled up in Day Terror as she watched the shadows prepare to dismantle the bombs. The ponies will get a taste of their clever humans creation themselves.

BOOM

One side of the nearest cylinder exploded outward, sending the door crashing through three shadows, smashing them into the ground. The shadows stared at the large door that had crushed the other shadows and then looked up to the darkness of the interior of the object.

BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG

Small flashes of green fire leapt out of the tube and began striking down shadows with pinpoint accuracy as their heads snapped back and they dropped to the ground in heaps of shadow flesh and blood. Day Terror watched as slowly the pistol of the infamous human crept out of the shadows, followed by one arm covered with strange square patterned cloth and dull golden armor. After the arm came the chest. Dusty, scratched, and dulled armor covered the chest of the human as he stepped out of the metal coffin. Different pouches and bags covered the humans body. While still wielding the pistol, the human reached behind him and unslung that rifle that Day Terror had come to fear. The human made eye contact with the alicorn and gave a dark smile. Through the smoke and the swirling dust in the air, the other five Elements of Sanctuary formed up on the human in a semi-circle.

Covert stood to the human's left, wielding a long curved blade that sliced through the air silently, cleaving a shadow in half with ease and dropping the halves to the ground with no sound at all. Quick Flurry sliced through the air with his wicked dagger multiple times in the fraction of a second, slicing through the shadow in front of him. It stood still before falling into pieces at his hooves. Battle Plan drew his bowstring back and three magical glowing arrows appeared resting in its notch. With a quick flick of the string, the three arrows sprung forth and nailed a three shadows perfectly in their heads. They dropped to the ground with ease. Battle Hammer swung his mighty hammer up into the air and brought it down onto a shadow. It was crushed instantly but the resulting concussion from the hammer striking through the shadow and hitting the ground blasted all the nearby shadows to the ground. One shadow attempted to crawl towards Day Terror, but a bright pink crossbow bolt, loosed from Sergeant Stand Bold's magical crossbow buried itself in the shadow's skull. The pink bolt glowed brightly before exploding and obliterating the shadow it pierced and the shadows within five feet of it.

Day Terror looked at the human as he slowly dropped his pistol into its holster and slung his rifle. With deliberate slowness Honored drew the large blade that was strapped along his back. The blade glistened off the green and black flames that continued to burn throughout the battleground before red fire leapt along the blade and glowed with a shinning light.

"Yo Nightmare," Honored called out across the sounds of chaos of the battle, "I'm here to fuck you up!"

Author's Note

Well y'all i know it was a long ten weeks, but i finished basic training. Now i start Infantry school. That will be another five weeks of no updates, but ill be writing while im gone, just with no internet, i wont be able to update the chapters, so youll need to expect a large chapter after august 16th once i get my crossed rifles as an american infantryman. enjoy the chapter and rest easy knowing that at least you arnt going through infantry school. HAHA

Thanks for your continued support. I'll keep posting, you keep running. Stay tolerating Bronys.

At least you dot have a friend that sent a package filled with brony goods that had to be opened in front of the drill sergeants.

Thanks you ass.

To Meet the End

Honor Above All Else

Chapter 41

By Honored Service

Preread by TheDarkAngel

I held my unwavering glare, which Day Terror met with her own anger filled stare. For what felt like hours, we stared each other down, neither of us faltering as the battle between the Royal Guards and the attacking shadows continued to rage on. I gripped the Element of Protection so tightly that my knuckles turned white.

"So, human," Day Terror called out across the stretch of barren land littered with the bodies of shadows, "this is where it ends. Funny isn't it?"

"How so?" I spat back, trying to make my voice drip malice and hatred at the creature before me. I felt the presence of the other Elements behind me, I could feel their strength radiating from their magical source and fueling all of us together.

"Think Honored. A year ago we were in this exact same situation. Nightmare against the fabled human warrior. Canterlot and in that, all of Equestria on the line." Day Terror cackled madly into the sky as the green flickering flames leapt up all around her legs.

"It sure is. Only this time," I smiled my cocky smile; flashing my teeth at her, "I brought a few friends to help in kicking your ass."

Day Terror narrowed her eyes and pawed a hoof against the ground at me. I raised the sword above my head and tipped the lethal sharp blade down towards the earth. "Let's end this."

Day Terror charged directly at me. I jumped forward, sprinting towards the charging alicorn. Green flames exploded in front of me, attempting to halt my advance. I raised my left arm and fired a blast of my own magic from the black gauntlet and jumped through the brief gap created in the wall of burning magic. I tucked and rolled as I hit the ground and sprang to my feet, swishing my sword of Protection through the belly of a Shadow Champion that was raising both of its arm blades to strike me down. It toppled over in a pool of black gooey blood as Day Terror jumped over its corpse and swung her wicked long horn at my throat.

My sword swung up and caught her horn before she could land the deadly blow. Green, red, black, and blue electric sparks exploded from the clashing of the two weapons. One bone, the other forged magic metal. Day Terror pulled her head back to swing again, but she was suddenly overwhelmed by the fast moving and lightning strikes of Quick Flurry, who danced around the alicorn, striking out and smashing his dagger against her horn and armored legs. Each one of his blows was blocked expertly by Day Terror as she found herself pushed back farther and into her own ranks.

"Duck!" Sergeant Stand Bold hollered as a flying pink-tipped crossbow bolt flew through the air towards Day Terror's head. Quick Flurry slid under Day Terror, as the bolt was deflected by a quick blast of her magic. The bolt tumbled backwards and landed right in between my legs.

"Oh fuck me-"

The explosion rocketed me into the air where I dropped back to the ground, ten meters away. I sat up and rolled to the side just as a long horn stabbed into the ground where my stomach had just been.

I pushed myself to my feet as the horn blasted a magical burst right at me. I turned the sword up and caught the spell against its glowing red surface. Panting heavily, I angled the sword down and sprinted back towards Day Terror. This fight was just beginning.

Princess Luna watched from the side of the large carriage flying over Canterlot as the battle raged on. Twilight Sparkle stared in horrific awe next to the Princess. She found it hard to believe that the war torn land below her was once her home. It was so... different.

The town homes and shops were hollowed out shells of burnt lives. The parks and trees were on fire from Day Terror's evil spells. It was a scene straight from Tartarus.

"Ah can't believe this is happening." Applejack stammered out. She ducked behind the side of the carriage railing and covered her eyes with her brown Stetson.

Rainbow Dash just stared at the fighting below her. She could make out the faint sounds of the battle being fought far down on the ground. She was safe up here, but down there, down there was where ponies were dying to protect her home, and she wasn't able to do anything.

Pinkie Pie must have been able to read Rainbow's mind, because she placed a tentative hoof on her back and whispered softly to the pegasus, "Don't worry Dash. Well get down there and help. I pinkie promise."

Luna looked at the weapon lying next to her. The human's M240B was waiting to roll. He had given it to her for purpose. And that purpose was fighting alongside that crazy and rambunctious warrior. Luna briefly entertained the idea of grabbing the weapon and gliding down from the carriage and joining the fight from above, just as she had done before. But the six other ponies behind her made sure she didn't do that.

"Girls once we get to the camp, we are to wait until the Elements of Sanctuary have gathered to provide us with safe passage to the castle. There you can blast Day Terror, save Celestia, and bring out the Nightmare. And this time he'll stay dead. Honored will make sure of that."

The carriage dropped lower towards the camp, but that meant it was within range of the shadow's newest terror. Nightmare Leapers.

These lanky looking shadow humans possessed the ability to jump extremely far distances that seemed to break the laws of gravity. Its long claws attached to the end of each limb could easily shred flesh and slash through bone. The leaper noticed the approaching carriage and labeled it its prey.

It soared through the air, unleashing a hellish scream as it neared the carriage. Rarity happened to be looking over the side and caught sight of the glowing red eyes as the neared their ride.

"Oh my, ahhhhh!"

Four arrows as bright as the sun itself lodged themselves into the creature, and as if it was suddenly made of lead, it dropped to the earth far below.

The carriage dipped quickly and landed in the center of the heavily guarded market square where a unicorn wielding a gorgeous silver bow stepped forward and bowed to the princess. His silver mane was burnt, covered in dirt, and uncombed, but he wore a grime smile on his face as the Princess approached the guard.

"Ah, Battle Plan I see that your Element has found you." Luna smiled a knowing smile to the archer as he placed his bow across his back.

"Or I it, Princess. Did you know?"

Luna gave a sly look to the pony before responding. "I had a slight idea once Honored was placed in your squad." Princess Luna looked around with a confused look on her face. "Speaking of Honored, where is the human at? You usually keep him on a short leash."

Battle Plan turned his head back towards the battlefield that was now covered in the darkness of the Equestrian night, save for the random burning patches of magical flames. "Funny you should mention that, but I always thought you and Princess Celestia controlled his leash."

Luna wasn't amused as she continued to stare at the unicorn. The Elements of Harmony had gathered around and stood behind Princess Luna.

"Where is he? We need him to discuss the attack on the castle and get the Elements to Day Terror."

"Well we sort of... umm..."

Hammer Strike appeared next to Battle Plan to save him from the Princess' hard glare. With his dirty, gnarly blue coat, Hammer Strike also had seen his fair share of fighting. The Elements of Harmony all gasped slightly at the mammoth size of the lumbering earth pony.

"Princess," Hammer's deep voice rolled out as everypony listened, "he dashed ahead of us to fight Day Terror. We tried to catch up, but there were so many shadows, so we were forced to fight them."

Luna sighed and rubbed a hoof to her temple. She then levitated the machine gun the human had given her. She opened the feed tray and dragged a belt of 7.62mm rounds into the weapon. With a slight burst of energy, she racked the charging handle back and loaded the first round into the chamber. "I'll go get the annoying warrior. Battle Plan, get the other Elements of Sanctuary and guard these girls with your lives."

"Consider it done your highness." Battle Plan bowed as a one-winged yellow pegasus strutted up to the group.

"Guard some fine young mares?" Quick Flurry winked at the girls. Rarity blushed heavily, Fluttershy ducked behind her mane with a squeak, Applejack cocked her head to side, Pinkie Pie blew a kiss back, Twilight blushed along with Rarity, and Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. But her mood changed when an armor-clad pegasus swooped in from the sky and landed next to Battle Plan and Hammer Strike.

"Stand Bold!" Rainbow jumped forward and locked herself into a fierce hug with the tan pegasus. "I'm so glad you’re safe! I was worried sick."

"Worried about little ol' me?" Sergeant Stand Bold laughed and returned the hug. "I'm here Dash. Nothing happened."
"Ugh, gag me with all this cute stuff." Gilda drifted down to the ground and found Rainbow Dash hanging onto her new coltfriend.

"Gilda, you're okay too!" The griffon also received a large hug from the prism-maned mare.
From the shadows behind the group, Covert simply appeared and strolled up to Hammer Strike. "Ah, Luna, very nice to see you again."

"Likewise, Shadow Covert." Luna smiled politely to the shadow as his shadow M249 vanished into his hands. The long curved blade stayed strapped along his back. The shadow still made her slightly uncomfortably, but if Honored Service trusted him, then she certainly could.

"Then ponies," Luna nodded to the ponies, "and others," she nodded to Gilda and Covert, "I'm off to collect our human before he can hurt himself before the morning sun."

I smashed into the ground hard and skidded through the dirt to a stop, creating a ditch into the ground. I sat up and spat a mouthful of the offending soil out while wiping my armored sleeve across my forehead. Blood was stained across its surface. I gripped the sword tighter as I squared off with Day Terror.

The alicorn's evil smile seemed to brighten the darkness around us. The sun had long since set and plunged the battle into an eerie burning landscape of combat.

"What's wrong, human? Running out of energy? Maybe this next blow will be the final one." She laughed as another bolt of magic shot forth from her curved horn right towards me. I leapt to the side while flipping the sword from my left hand to the right, freeing my gauntlet as I launched my own burst of magic. The green ball of fire smashed into the ground in front of Day Terror and blinded her momentary. She shrieked and flew backwards giving me a chance to re-center myself and ready my weapon. The Sword of Protection continued to cast its red glow around me.

Fuck. In my anger towards Nightmare I had ran away from my allies and now found myself alone with Day Terror. I couldn't kill her, so I was simply just dodging her attacks and trying to stay out of her deadly range. I was failing. My scorched armor and burnt clothing showed that much.

"What are you trying to prove, Nightmare?!" I screamed into the darkness. I swung around, keeping the sword in a guard position.

From all around me, the deep rough feminine voice of Day Terror echoed all around. "What's to prove? I'm simply taking over. Equestria will be mine. Power really. All I want is power. You should know this. We were the same thing for a year."

"And you were my friend!" I screamed back at the surrounding pitch black landscape.

I rolled to the ground just a Day Terror swooped low to the ground and tried to gore me with her horn. I came up to my feet and swung the sword like a bat, contacting her horn, knocking her to the ground. She plowed into the earth head first, her attack failing. I then jumped the gap between us and slammed a fist into the side of Day Terror's unarmored helmet side. Over and over again I slammed my fist with the Kevlar combat glove into her head. I held the fist up for another blow and looked down.
For a brief second, the burning red eye of Day Terror and Nightmare was replaced by the soft pink eye of Celestia. I hesitated.

"Save...my...ponies." The words came out as barely a whisper.

"Celestia!" I gasped and dropped my sword and picked up her head. As soon as I did, I felt the change in my hands. Intense heat and then I was kicked in the gut, and sent flying through the air. I quickly reached out and jerked the sword back into my grasp Luke Skywalker style. I tumbled across the ground before sliding to a halt on one knee. I smiled.

Celestia was still okay. And Nightmare was slipping because Celestia had been able to break free briefly. "It's almost over Celestia! Hang in there!" I screamed in a victorious roar.

Day Terror lunged at me, I braced for the hit, but it never came. I looked to see Luna smash into Day Terror's side and knock her to the ground. The floating M240B stayed behind her as she took up a wide legged stance opposite her evil turned sister.

"Honored, run."

"Excuse me?" I said, standing up and positioning my sword above my head.

"You can't do this alone. You need to wait for the other Elements." Luna huffed at me, the machine gun trained on Day Terror as she lined up with the two of us.

"Well then, where are they?" I said through gritted teeth.

"Back at camp, and that's where we are going. There has been enough fighting for today. The other Elements of Sanctuary need to rest, and so do you." In a hushed whisper she added, "We need a plan. We need you, Honored."

I looked to Day Terror and then back to Princess Luna. I sighed and slowly began backing away. I felt defeated. I felt like a quitter. But something appeared in Luna's eyes as I carefully backed away from the evil alicorn. Relief? Happiness? I couldn't tell. But she was definitely elated about something.

Day Terror laughed hysterically before leaping into the sky and disappearing towards the castle. I watched her leave, and felt a stone form in the bottom of my stomach.

"Honored," Luna placed a wing on my back. She gently rubbed it up and down, "I know you want to save my sister, but we need you too." I looked up to Luna who quickly looked away from me.

We walked back towards the camp. Luna was explaining the attack tomorrow morning, first thing at dawn. Her sister's favorite part of the day. That's when we would get her back.

The Nightmare Lifts

Honor Above All Else

Chapter 42

By Honored Service

Preread by TheDarKAngel

I stumbled back into the Royal Guard camp in the dead of night. Princess Luna walked quietly next to me, her wing still draped across my back. The ponies on guard let us pass as we made our way towards the large tent where the Elements of Sanctuary were staying. The ponies were still awake when we entered the tent. I lifted the tent and was knocked to the ground by a blur of pink and yellow. Pinkie Pie and Quick Flurry tackled me to the ground and gave me a huge hug.

"Don't you ever go off into a dangerous battle alone! At least without food!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed. She then proceeded to give me one of MREs that Twilight and Luna had teleported along with the crate of weapons.

Chill Macaroni. My second favorite. I took the brown plastic package and opened it. I sat down hard on a lump of bricks from one of the nearby stores and dug into the meal. My friends slowly gathered around me with their own meals. I opened the main course of beef sauce and noodles and ate it greedily. Battle Plan sat to my right and Princess Luna took a seat next to my left. They each held a plate of fruits, vegetables, and hay floating in a magical aurora. They stared at me as I devoured the meal. I looked up at them, their stares showing their disgust with my eating habits.

"What?" I choked out as I swallowed the bite in my mouth, "I thought we had pushed past this meat eater thing."

"We did," Luna said, while dabbing her mouth with a napkin held in her magical grasp, "but would it kill you to show some manners?"

I thought long and hard about that.

"Yup." I then threw the plastic spoon over my shoulder and stuck my whole mouth into the bag and began eating the food like that, making sure to include as many disgusting, gut wrenching noises as possible.

"You are the most... Ugh!" Luna sighed and stormed off from the group, her meal forgotten on the ground.

Suddenly I found myself feeling a little bad about that. But the hunger outweighed that, so I finished eating first. Once my meal and all of its sides were finished, I disposed of the trash by lighting it on fire with my magical flames. I then set off to find Luna and apologize for my less than perfect manners. I wandered from the front section of the camp towards the rear lines where Luna's tent and operation posts were placed. I figured starting at Luna's tent would be the best place to start my search.

"Hello? Luna? Ya in here?" I cracked the tent flap and peered into the darkness. A candle flickered in the corner of the tent.

A lone figure sat nearby at a desk where the candle was burning. "Luna?" I called out and stepped into the tent, sealing us off from the rest of the camp.

"Princess Luna is it okay if I talk to you?" I felt a little awkward as she just sat there, hunched over the desk.

"Yes, Honored?" She croaked out. Her voice was rough and she sounded a little hoarse. Haha

"Luna are you okay? I didn't mean to upset you this badly." Okay, I know my apologies are shit.

"It's not you, Johnson." I sighed out in relief. "Actually, yes it is you."

Fuck.

Luna turned to look at me. Her eyes were red and the fur around her eyes was moist with fresh tears. The candle continued to flicker its dim light around the tent. "How even in the middle of this... this... hell, how can you still act so silly?" Luna got up from her desk and walked up to me. She looked me in the eyes, seemingly begging me for an answer. "I'm falling apart here. Watching my guards die and fall trying to stop this Nightmare is killing me. How do you do it?"

Now it was my turn to be put on the spot. I looked in myself and thought about it. I cared deeply for every pony that died along side me, and I felt bad for every pony that I couldn't save. How did I cope with it? How did I continue to have fun and laugh in the middle of a war zone?

"I'm not entirely sure, Luna." She turned away and looked down at the ground, "but I can try and guess. I think it has something to do with being human. War was a daily thing. I told you and Celestia all about that. Celestia herself has seen in my mind. You know what I grew up with. You know what I've trained to be. I'm a warrior, it's my special talent."

"The fact that you care so much, Luna, shows that you're an amazing leader. Even after all the death you've seen, it still affects you this much. That's something I admire about you. You still show unimaginable amounts of compassion and love for your ponies. Me, well I'll never be one of Equestria's ponies. I'll forever be the human that fights like a demon." I looked at my hands. They were caked in dirt and grime and dried shadow blood. They were the hands of a warrior; a protector.

Luna looked up to me. She rose to her legs and gave me a sad smile. She slowly wrapped a wing around me and pulled me into a hug. I gradually accepted it and returned it.

"Thank you, Johnson." Luna pulled away, "I'm sorry for the burden you bear everyday to serve my sister and I."

I waved her off and walked back towards the tent entrance. "It's nothing Luna. I have nothing better to do. It was either help y'all or become the new lord of chaos." I chuckled deeply and exited the tent as Luna held up a hoof to stop me from leaving, but I blew it off as my mind playing tricks on me.

The moon was high in the sky and beginning its decent back towards the horizon as I began to walk the line of Royal Guards. The ponies kept their watch on the shadow lines across no-pony-land. Their moral was lifted as I walked among their ranks, telling jokes or answering questions.

I felt that spending time with the ponies was a good way for them to build trust with me. I needed them to have faith in their leaders, and thus having faith in themselves.

"Ah, lieutenant Honored Service." Shining Armor walked up to me as he passed along another group of guards on the front ramparts.

"Good evening, or is it morning?"

"It's the morning!" Pinkie Pie said from nowhere.

I gave a confused look around trying to find the pink pony but to no avail. I looked back to Shinning Armor, "So, um, good morning, sir. What's up?"

"Coming over to make sure that the terrifying human wasn't bothering my steadfast troops." A few of the nearby guards began to snicker at the light hearted jokes shared between us. It was good to see that the officers could joke too.

"Nah, nothing bad going on here. Just checking up on the guards and patrolling the lines." I said with a dismissive wave of my hand. "The defensive lines are placed perfectly. Almost as if a foal with a few weeks of military training did it."

Shinning Armor scoffed at me and then smiled. "Well it was someone with military training. We couldn't just run around the battlefield hacking and slashing like a mad human."

I laughed and began walking away towards my tent. Or the tent I shared with the rest of the Elements of Sanctuary. "Sure call me mad! But I get work done."

I passed a few roaming guards and nodded to them as I went back to the tent. I wasn't sleepy at all. In fact my body was coursing with energy. Tomorrow morning we would attack. The new found Elements of Sanctuary leading the spear tip to assault the castle. We would move quickly and with surprise. I would hold nothing back. And this time, this time Nightmare would fall.

The tent flap opened in front of me as Sergeant Stand Bold tried to sneak out.

"Ahem." I coughed as he looked behind him back into the tent.

"Ahhhh! I mean hey, Honored. What's, um, happening?" His tan coat was steadily changing to a red color matching his mane.

"Where you going?" I asked with my hands on my hips, feeling like a mother catching a naughty child.

"Oh, me. Well I was just on my way to...to"

"To?" I smiled devilishly at the pegasus. I had him now. But before I could squeeze him for answers, the answer made itself clear.

"Bold? Bold?" The hushed whisper came from around the side of the tent. It was a feminine voice. I quickly winked at Stand Bold and then dived into the shadows of the night. Before Stand Bold could call off the meet up, Rainbow Dash carefully walked around the tent. Upon seeing the other pegasus, she leapt into the air and jumped at the sergeant. He returned the hug, but kept on eye open at the spot I had vanished from. Too bad for him, that I was now in front of them crouching behind a pole that had collapsed from a building.

Aw, how cute, I thought. The couple left with Rainbow Dash flying ahead of Stand Bold, wiggling her rump at him. He chased after her, leaving me alone, hiding in the dark.

I was about to leave, but then the tent opened again. I quickly ducked back down, as Battle Plan slipped out from the tent. He stood there outside of the tent looking around.

What in the world, I thought to myself. My legs were beginning to cramp up from my crouching position, while I waited.

"Battle Plan?"

No fucking way. Another female voice called out from the shadows near me. I ducked lower and hugged the dark shadows around me as Twilight stepped through the darkness, illuminating the darkness with a faint pink purple glow from her horn.

"Twilight, you're early." Battle Plan said happily as he bounded up to the unicorn.

"Well I'm new to this and didn't want to be late, so I figured I would come early to make sure you weren't waiting too long and I hope that it's okay. And now I'm rambling." Twilight turned beat red. Damn she's an egghead.

You've got be kidding me. I gagged as the two walked off, their sides touching from their close walk. "Ugh, gag me with a spoon." I stood up and began walking forward, but then the flap opened again, causing me to dive into the darkness and landing right into something sticky.

I silently cursed the world as I lied in a pile of old shadow gunk and goo. "Fuuuuuuuuck." I whispered out, peering at the tent.
I watched Covert slip out and stand still, his red eyes scanning the area.

'Oh not you too', I begged silently. If he was finding romance I would kill myself right here in this goo puddle.

"Honored?" Covert called out, "You're not that stealthy, and that’s my shtick. Come on out." I sat up and walked over to him.

“‘sup." I said trying not to let on to my eves dropping and spying. I looked towards the direction the recent couple had left in.

"Yeah they totally are rutting right now." Covert said while looking around.

"Whoa, what the hell man." I said looking at the mysterious shadow. "What makes you say that?"

"Oh you know," Covert explained as if it was the simplest thing in the world, "Bold and Ms. Dash have been talking to each other for weeks now. And well Plan and Ms. Sparkle are both..."

"Nerds? Socially awkward? Eggheads?" I added.

"Yes. All they do is read about romance, and once they finally get a chance..."

"Mother of God." I whispered. "Like rabbits."

"Exactly."

"Ewww Covert. Stop making me think about that."

"Sorry human. I didn't know others happiness was your weakness."

"Oh, bite me." I grumbled as I left the area and walked into the tent. I didn't even hear what happened next.

"Sup shadow." Gilda said in her rough voice as she landed next to him. Covert nodded lightly to the griffon as she walked up.

"Good morning to you too." Covert smiled, his red mouth showing his sharp black fangs.

"Come on, let's get out of here." Gilda crouched down on here front legs and Covert climbed onto her back. He stroked the feathers on her head as she jumped into the sky, cork screwing as she flew off into the night.

I sat on my bed, my small armory laid out in front of me. All the tools of my profession. I picked up each weapon and broke it down; making sure every piece was clean and ready to function. The M16A2 was still working. But the weapon itself was showing signs of its abuse. The outside was scratched and covered in dents. The blue cat’s paw was still engraved on its side from the brief ownership with Ahuizotl. I still had half a satchel of 5.56 rounds, all magically produced, which was about three hundred rounds.

My Berretta was just as scratched as the M16 showing its usage. 'Spike' was still scratched onto its slide, giving me a little smile. It had no ammunition left for it, but thanks to my magic gauntlet, I could send concentrated bursts of my magic through it. Deadly accurate magic bursts. I still had four hand grenades left; those would come in handy for breaching the inner rooms of the castle.

Both Glocks still had their silencers attached and I had well over 150 .45ACP rounds for them. They would acts as good close quarters weapons when I needed to clear a larger room. For smaller rooms, I would use my shotgun. I picked up the scatter gun and made sure the semi-auto action was functioning.

The M101A was notorious for jamming after continuous use. It was working fine. I pulled out the four boxes of shells left for it. Around fifty 00 steel combat loaded shells were left. The one weapon I was worried about was my XM2010 EMR.

That sniper weapon would be useless inside the castle walls. I could use it to try and pick shadows off from across the barren landscape, but I would have to leave it behind. It would just be dead weight to carry with me.

My last four weapons were the melee weapons. I had the diamond sword given to me by the Red Paw pack. Everything still sparkled on the weapon like it was brand new. It wasn't even scratched. The gold enchanted sword I had battled Ahuizotl over was still resting in its sheath. I drew it, the blade still arching electric static.

The newest addition to my armament, the Element of Protection. The five foot blade was still glowing its faint red light. It weight was still a mystery to me. So big and yet it felt like nothing. I loved it. I would have to figure out how to use all the Elements at once to destroy Nightmare.

I felt my hip. I drew the knife that had entered the world with me. Bad Bertha. She was still coated with the magical metal that made it cut through anything. The mini spike hidden inside the handle was still sharp, and ready to punch through anything. My armament was ready and so was I. I lied down in my bed, figuring I would try and catch some sleep.

"So this is it." Day Terror was looking out from the spire where she prepared herself for the fight about to happen. The human was ready. Both sets of Elements were present. This was looking bad for the Nightmare.

"I can kill him. I nearly have, but somepony always saves the worthless human at the last second. If I get him alone for long enough. Yes. He still can't kill me because of the precious pony princess. He'll have to just fight to stay alive, not kill. Oh human. It will be a fight for the world to see, but too bad I’ll be the only one to see him fall." Day Terror laughed and began preparing her slightly damaged armor for battle. She also pulled a sword from the shadows and zapped it with a long burst of magical energy. The sliver blade became jet black and wisps of shadow trailed off of the blade and snaked up into the air, Day Terror laughed again as she sheathed the blade on her back. "Oh, human. This has been most fun."

The sun slowly began to edge its way into the sky. Dark oranges and reds painted the sky. I stood atop the very same rampart that Shinning Armor had the previous day. I held my rifle in my hands while all three swords were strapped across my back. The shotgun was hung at my side, the Glocks tucked in their holsters under my armpits and the Berretta was snugly put into my thigh holster. I left the sniper rifle on its bi-pod at my feet. I was ready.

Shinning Armor walked up behind me. "I am ready, human."

"Oh no, you're not." I said without looking at him. "You're not coming on this assault Armor." I bent down and picked up the XM2010. I held the weapon to him, "stay here and watch my back. Pull the bolt back to load a round, aim the lines up and squeeze the trigger. Repeat." I gestured to the parts of the weapon as he took it in his magical aurora.

"I'm coming, human."

"No." I looked at him, fire in my eyes, "you have a wife to go home too. You did enough yesterday. Today, this is my fight. Snipe the shadows from safety; I need a good cover man." I pulled the charging handle on my rifle and locked the first round of many into the chamber. Shinning Armor nodded once, he was upset, but the fresh scar across his face reminded me of my decision.

Slowly the other Elements of Sanctuary gathered behind me in a wedge. Covert to my right and Sergeant Stand Bold to my left. Behind them Quick Flurry took position and so did Battle Plan. Hammer Strike brought up the rear. We stood posed, ready to attack. The first line of Royal Guards were readying themselves to run with us at the enemy. I was going to try and reach the gate before too many of them fell to the shadows.

"Okay, listen up." Battle Plan began to explain his plan to the other Elements and Sergeants of the Royal Guard. "We mass form here and then move-"

I smiled and sucked in a deep lungful of air, "LEEEEERRRROOOYYYY JEEEEENNNNKKKINSSSS!" I screamed, and jumped down the rampart and sprinted towards the castle wall, over 100 meters away.

"Oh my Celestia."

"He just ran in there."

Not even halfway to the castle, the first shadows began to leap over the wall. Shadow Champions and regular shadows ran towards me. I brought my weapon to bear as I ducked around an arrow. I fired a double tap, two quick rounds fired in rapid succession, into a Shadow Champion. It spun around on its feet before I reached out and caught it in my left hand. I flipped it around, hugging its back to my chest as another arrow pierced its chest. I backed up and planted a kick to its back, sending the creature forward knocking into another charging Champion. I jumped over the two creatures, unloading a trio of bullets into both of them, sending spurts of black blood onto the dew covered ground.

Landing into a roll, I leapt up into a kick, smacking a shadow to the ground, and firing a round through its head. A shadow approaching from my left was about to get a rifle butt to the face, but a glowing yellow arrow lodged itself in its throat. It stumbled for a moment before it collapsed in the dirt. I looked to Battle Plan and gave a thumbs up. He nodded and locked another magical arrow into place, continuing on his archery spree.

I brought my focus onto the Shadow Warrior lumbering onto the battlefield. I sprinted through the waves of shadows still coming at me. Most of them toppled over each other as the magical 5.56 rounds punched through their bodies with ease.

Blood gushed out before me as I dodged left and right, shadow blades whisking through the air inches from my body. I spun right and slammed my rifle butt into a shadow's gut. It bent over and I flipped the weapon into the air, catching it under the shadow's hunched over body and slammed the barrel upward, finishing it off with a quick one shot to its head.

I rolled to the left as one of the Shadow Warrior's back tentacle blades slammed into the ground. Dirt flew into the sky, showering bits of debris all over my back as I looked up to the warrior. It looked back at me as it raised another blade to hammer into me. I quickly ducked under the incoming blade whistling through the air. I ran under the creature, firing a burst of rounds from the weapon unroll it ran dry, and then hurled the empty metal magazine at its backside. I loaded a fresh clip into the underside of the M16 and pushed the bolt catch, letting the bolt go forward and bring the round into the chamber. I turned to face off against the Shadow Warrior as it stared back at me.

"Well, let's dance." I smirked at the massive shadow and slung the rifle on my back. Pulling the Element of Protection from the sheath on my back, I ran forward slashing the weapon against the incoming blades that flew through the air from the Shadow Warrior. My blade clashed against its black shadow ones, deflecting them left and right. I pushed through its defense and jumped at the creature's legs. I hacked one leg off easily, black blood spilled across the ground as the shadow stumbled backwards, temporarily knocked off balance from losing one of its legs. I ducked back around the shadow as it flailed its arm blades and tentacles around madly trying to slice my head off. Spinning around I lifted my arm up, and sent a strike glancing off my blade. I was ready to make another attack, but a flash off pink flew past my head.
The pink crossbow bolt impacted the side of the Shadow Warrior's head. It stopped and lifted one of its arms to the small thorn in its head. It gently picked the bolt from its head, giving it an angry stare. I kept my sword praised above my head, ready to strike or deflect an attack. The little bolt slowly began to glow. I smiled, "Boom."

The little bolt erupted into an intense flash and explosion. The Shadow Warrior's head vanished in the pink explosion. Its body toppled forward into a pool of gore and blood.

"Nice one, Bold!" I shouted out, jumping over the fallen body. I swung the blade to the side, decapitating a shadow quickly. Dodging to the right, I brought the sword up and blocked another hit from a Shadow Champion. It growled at me before pulling back and launching another strike at me. I tilted the sword, knocking the blade down, while then suddenly jerking the blade up into the shadow's stomach, chest, and chin. With a jerking motion, the sword popped loose from the body with a sickening squelch.

I stood panting in the middle of the battlefield, halfway to the castle. I sheathed the sword and withdrew both Glocks from their holsters. I held them to my side as I heard the steady pounding of hooves trotting up behind me.
Quick Flurry, Hammer Strike, and Covert ran up beside me. I nodded politely as the formed a square pattern around me, giving us 360 degree security. "Well this is going well. Where are the other guards?" I asked as I aimed my pistols at the approaching wave of shadows.

"They are steadily making their way to our position. Stand Bold and Battle Plan are acting as the leaders right now." Covert informed me, while racking the charging handle on his M249 SAW.

"Hold. Hold." I commanded as the shadows got closer and closer. This rushing wave was made up of entirely regular shadows. Where were the Warriors or Champions? Or these new Shadow Leapers I was told about.

"Now!"

Pssh! Pssh! Pssh! Pssh! Pssh! Pssh!

The Glocks spit out their deadly rounds with pinpoint accuracy at this close range. They coughed their muffled barks as shadows toppled left and right, other shadows stumbling and tripping over the falling corpses of others. The constant sound of Hammer Strike's mighty hammer filled the back ground as it smashed into flesh and bone. I could make out the quick rapid slicing sounds of Quick Flurry's knife as he wove his wave trough multiple shadows at once, dicing them up like a professional chef.

And then came the long rip of the SAW. The sound of hundreds of 5.56 rounds being spit out from the weapon in seconds filled me with pride. Covert was going to town on shadows. I dared a glance and watched as an entire line of Shadows began to fall under the withering fire from the automatic weapon.

Any shadow that was stupid enough to step into our kill zone was dropped. Whether it was by bullets, dagger, or hammer, they stood no chance. Our little formation began pushing its way through the thick shadow lines, towards the blown open castle wall. The end of the battle was growing near.

Princess Luna stood with an entire platoon of Night Guards, over thirty strong, and the Elements of Harmony. The group was about to begin their trek through the battlefield towards the castle. Forward observers had spotted Honored's group reach past the middle of the war zone and the rest of the guards had followed bravely behind the human warrior. The Elements of Harmony would link up with the Elements of Sanctuary at the front of the castle. It would be the end of it.

"Princess," Twilight looked up to Luna with big fearful eyes, "I'm scared. What if something goes wrong?"

"Twilight you must have faith in this. I know this whole war has been beyond anything you could have prepared for," Luna knelt down to Twilight's level, "but you and your friends need to be strong. Not only for yourselves, but for everypony ahead of us doing the actual fighting. One human especially." Luna thought about was about to happen. What the human was going to do. It was going to kill him. She gulped, it might destroy him.

"Well then, little ponies," Luna swallowed and brought the 240 next to her, "let's go show Day Terror the magic of friendship."

"Um Princess," Applejack said with a disgusted look on her face, her nose scrunched up, "maybe y'all should leave the terrible one-liners to Honor."

A series of laughs echoed out from the other girls. "As you wish." Luna bowed her head in mock shame as the group set out across the body covered landscape.

Fluttershy let out a choked cough as they passed by the first pony guard body. He was a unicorn spear pony, who had three massive cuts through his neck. Tears rolled off of Fluttershy's cheeks as they walked by. Beyond that, more and more Royal Guard corpses dotted the battlefield. There were still more shadow corpses filling the death toll, their numbers already in the hundreds, but the ponies killed were the most in over 1,000 years.

"Girls it's alright. Just keep moving. It's alright." Luna was struggling to hold onto her composure too. But she had to remain strong for the ponies around her. "The human and the others are nearing the wall. We'll meet them there."

"Princess Luna," Rarity asked, "how is Canterlot ever going to be fixed?" The once regal city was burnt down, destroyed, and scarred from the shadow's rein over the city.

"With hard work. It will be better." Luna promised.

"Oh fuck yes!" I screamed in bliss. I spun around, the shotgun barking as I turned, shadows ripped in half from the deadly shells. "Muhhahaha!" I cackled madly as more and more shadows dropped to the ground, most of them missing limbs or chunks of their heads. I flipped the shotgun over and pulled out a handful of the plastic shells. I loaded them into the under slung ammo tube. "Keep it up Elements, almost to the wall."

"Thank goodness." Quick Flurry jumped into the air and swung his dagger once, the head of a shadow falling to the ground.

"Come on, you guys need to learn how to enjoy this." I flipped the shotgun over and slammed a shell into the open chamber. Letting the bolt go forward, I leveled the loaded shotgun at the approaching shadows. I dropped the weapon to my side and drew my Berretta and knife. The pistol began to shimmer with my magic and the knife glinted in the late morning sun. The shadow dove at me, but the magical bolt from the pistol slammed into the shadow's head. It collapsed in a heap in front of me. "Gotta stay on your toes...er hooves." Then the ground rumbled.

"Shit." I said as three Shadow Warriors emerged from begin the castle wall. "That's not fair." I said. "Now I have to try." I sighed and sheathed the knife and put away the pistol.

"Cover me."

"With what?" Quick Flurry yelled after me as I sprinted directly towards the lumbering giants.

My smile grew wide as I pulled out two of the M26 hand grenades. I loved my job.

I slipped left past a falling blade and then tucked into a roll towards my right avoiding another slash from the Shadow Warrior. I came up to my combat boots and sprinted up towards the third Shadow Warrior. I jumped as it swung down at me, grabbing onto its arm and hanging on as it threw its arm into the air. I let go at the height of its throw and flew straight up into the air. At the height of my short flight, I flicked the safety off the grenade and pulled the pin. I dropped down right at the Shadow Warrior's head. I let go of the one still safe grenade in my left hand, and fired a short pulse of magic into its head. I quickly grabbed the grenade back before I lost sight of it in my free fall. I held my right hand out, the one holding the armed grenade, aiming at the open wound in the shadow's head. I smiled as I planted my feet on the Shadow Warrior's shoulders, and flicked the spoon off the armed grenade, then I thrusted my arm down into the shadow's head. I felt the warm gooey insides squish against my arm as I plunged the grenade into its head. I jerked my arm out and leapt from the third Shadow Warrior to the second one, while drawing my knife and stabbing it into its back for a good grip.

BOOOOM

I turned to watch the headless Shadow Warrior tip forward and crash into the ground. With the grenade in my left hand, I flicked off the safety and pulled the pin with my teeth. I flipped off the spoon and pushed the grenade into the open wound on the shadow's back that had been gouged into it from the knife slicing into it. I dropped to the ground and dove behind a pile of dead shadows as the second explosion shook the earth.

BOOOOOM

This shadow stumbled around briefly as it had a nice hole blown clear through its chest. It fell to its front legs and then rolled onto its side, gasping for air. I ran from my cover and jumped onto its chest, and then planted my diamond sword through its skull.

I panted heavily as the last Shadow Warrior stared me down. I jerked the sword from the body, black blood dripping from the sword onto the earth. I raised the sword, ready to launch my next attack.

But I didn't have too.

Hammer Strike ran up from the side and delivered a knee shattering blow to the Shadow Warrior, sending it kneeling to the ground. Covert appeared in front of the Warrior and unleashed a torrent of bullets from his SAW. The creature stumbled backwards from the wave of lead nailing its center mass. Combined with its broken leg, the beast fell backwards, where a blur of yellow fur zigzagged its way across its chest and head. Quick Flurry sliced up and down, left and right all the way across the Shadow Warrior's body. It bled out slowly from the bullet wounds and the long slices through its body. Hammer Strike circled around and lifted his hammer above the fallen demon's head. He brought the hammer down with a might crash, the head popping like a watermelon, except sending chunks of black flesh and blood all over the area. Teamwork at its finest.

"Good work, Elements." I said, slipping the diamond sword into its sheath along my back. "Now let's get into that castle."
We faced the large hole in the castle wall where the beautiful gates had once stood. I unslung my rifle and gripped my Berretta in my left hand. Right on cue, I heard the hoof falls falling on the ground behind me. My group of fighters turned to find Quick Flurry and Battle Plan arrive with a large force of Royal Guards, Night Guards, Princess Luna, and the Elements of Harmony. We were all together. This was it. The end of it all.

Knock knock Day Terror.

Friendship is coming in.

The Daybreak

Honored Above All Else

Chapter 43

By Honored Service

Preread by TheDarkAngel and Tbone5363

"Honored, this is it." Luna approached me. "We only have one chance, so just remember, the Nightmare you knew, the one you were with for a year; he was a lie."

I turned, a fire burning in my eye. This fight wasn't to protect ponies, this one; this one was for pure revenge. I wanted nothing more than to destroy Nightmare and inflect as much pain as possible on his being. And I planned on doing just that.

Day Terror sat inside the castle throne room. This was it. The Shadows had failed. There were a few left in the front rooms of the castle, but they were as good as dead. They all had failed and had fallen at the hands of that human. Even the shadow humans failed to live up to real thing.

Nightmare summoned up the required amount of magic and brought one of the most powerful and rare magical books from the royal library secured wing and studied the spell. It was a duplication spell created by the famous Starswirl the Bearded. But the spell was meant to work on inanimate objects only. But at this point, Nightmare was willing to try anything. It would have to work. This was Nightmare's final ace in the hole.

"Well, human, I've realized what the most powerful creature is."

Nightmare launched one of the most powerful spells he had ever cast, even more powerful than the spell that had changed the pony into the Nightmare to begin with. A flash filled the room that was as intense as the sun, as a sole scream echoed through the castle.

From outside the castle doors, I closed my eyes from the bright light that leaked through the cracks in the door. I dropped my rifle and pistol to the ground and cupped my hands over my ears as a horrible piercing shriek drowned out every other noise around me. Everypony behind me shielded their eyes and ears from the offending light and noise.

"What the hell?" I turned around to the ponies, but every unicorn with me was lying on the ground in great agony. Even Princess Luna was swaying side to side.

"Luna, what was that?" I asked concerned for her. I placed a hand on her side while reaching down and picking up my rifle.

"A magic burst. It was. Oh my, so strong. Nightmare just did something. Something bad. Evil." Princess Luna laid down softy as Applejack and Pinkie Pie ran to her side. I readied my weapons in front of me, after securing the pistol.

"Elements of Sanctuary, let's go. Be ready." I raised a foot back and planted a kick on the door above the handle. The great oak doors flew open as I stormed into the foyer.

I swept my rifle and pistol across the room, single shots ringing out through the room as a few stranded shadows dropped to the ground, staining the white marble floors and columns with black blood and fragments of brain and bone.

"Clear!" I called out. The Elements of Harmony slowly moved in behind the Elements of Sanctuary in the foyer. "Stay here. I'll move to the throne room. Once I clear it, we can move out."

"What if she's in there?" Battle Plan asked.

"Then I'll scream really freaking loud." I smiled and nodded to the ponies. I moved forward, rolling on my feet to avoid creating lots of noise as I moved down the hallway towards the doors leading to the throne room. I holstered the pistol, but kept the rifle trained dead ahead.

I placed a hand on the door handle and pushed the tall door leading into the large throne room. I stepped into the room and the door shut behind me. I looked around, nothing seemed strange. It was empty save for a large black scorch mark covering a part of the floor.

Wait.

"Princess Celestia!" I yelled and sprinted forward across the throne room. Celestia was lying on her side in front of her throne. Around her laid scattered pieces of the armor Day Terror had worn into battle. I was almost to her when the hit came from the side.

I flew through the air and crashed into one of the throne room walls. I fell limp to ground and slowly pushed myself up against the wall. I held the rifle up and dropped it. I stared in disbelief.

Standing in front of me was a human.

Not a shadow human, but a real fucking human.

A human duplicate of myself. I was staring up at a crooked smiling human. Its skin was a darker red color with jet black hair cut short like my hair was. Dark green and purple reptilian slit eyes stared at me. The opposite me was wearing a long black trench cloak that draped to the marble floor. Wicked fangs protruded from his mouth. In one hand the human gripped a sword that was as black as a starless night sky. Shadow wisps slowly trickled off the blade and into the air. In his other hand, he held a green and black ball of magical fire, just like mine.

"Nightmare?" I choked out in disbelief at him.

"Oh, yes, human. You see this," he spun in a quick circle showing of his human body, "this is what you could have been. And you haven't even seen the power yet." Nightmare locked eyes with me and launched a ball of magic at me. I dove to the side as the energy crashed into the wall and shook the entire room. Pieces of marble rained down all around me as I skidded around, trying to avoid the falling chunks of death. As I dodged right, a kick smashed into my chest and sent me flying again into the wall.

I coughed and stared at the approaching figure through hazed and unfocused eyes. Nightmare approached with a swift walk, one that was filled with confidence and arrogance. "Oh, Honored, this has been one heck of a run, but this is the end. Only room in Equestria for one human, and that's me now. Why I didn't think of this sooner. Duplicate you. So simple. It just required the right touch."

Cackling laughter filled the massive throne room as Nightmare lifted his sword above his head, the razor sharp point aimed down at my throat.

"I think I'll call myself Dishonorable. That way at least a part of your name lives on." He threw his head back and laughed again. I smiled at this opening and reached into my thigh pocket. I pulled out the baseball sized hand grenade and silently flicked off the safety and pulled the pin on it. The click of the metal striking marble brought Nightmare's attention to the circular object rolling at his feet as I tucked and rolled behind a nearby marble pillar.

"You bast-"

BOOOM

Nightmare was launched backwards, tattered bits of clothing littering the floor. Streaks of black blood followed Nightmare as he rag dolled flipped across the room. He skidded to a halt, wiping his black blood from his nose and cuts across his face.

"That was tricky, Honored. You're learning." Black smoke slowly swirled around the evil human, as Nightmare was lifted off the ground and began to hover towards me.

"Or maybe you're slipping." I spat back, my sword, the Element of Protection humming in my hands, as I stepped around the pillar. I walked through the smoke from the grenade and stood opposite the evil me.

Nightmare growled a primal roar and lunged at me, sword whistling through the air. I brought my sword up and blocked the attack easily. Black and red sparks showered down from the clashing two blades. I grunted and pushed back against the other blade. Nightmare scooted back as I quickly flipped the blade left and drew it across his chest, slicing through his clothes and trench coat, drawing a thick trickle of blood along with it. He hissed at me and slipped back, more black smoke pooling around him.

I smiled and changed grip on the sword, so it was facing down before lunging into a backwards upper cut. Nightmare jumped backwards in a back flip, launching twin balls of fire at me. I spun around, flinging the diamond sword from its sheath and blocking one of incoming balls of dark energy on the shiny diamond blade as it flew up into the air and the other collided with the red blade. Nightmare threw another ball as I came around from my spin and I felt the heat of the blast inches from my feet. I tumbled backwards, trying to avoid the balls of energy exploding all around me.

Nightmare certainly had more magic as his disposal now. I jumped again as the magic chewed into the marble. I held the diamond sword in front of me, the Element of Protection held easily over my head even though it was five feet long. Nightmare stood opposite of me, fire burning in one hand, the shadow sword in the other. The smoke followed him as we stared each other down. We were both panting heavily. I charged forward, both swords dipping towards the ground. I jumped into the air and brought both weapons across my body in a sweeping scissor motion. Nightmare raised his sword, but it was too late.

He brought the blade up in between both of my blades, the two blade clashed against his. In a bright flash, the room filled with the sound of a massive explosion and shattering metal. I stood in front of Nightmare who was holding the broken remains of his shadow blade. The diamond blade and magical Element had been too much for it. I smirked and raised the red blade of Protection to Nightmare's throat.

SHINK

I quickly jumped backwards as one of Nightmare's arms turned into a shadow blade. The smoke that had been swirling around him rose and formed into the new sword that was attached to his arm. Nightmare grinned as he leveled the new weapon at me; I held both swords at my side and prepared myself for the attack. Nightmare launched forward, his blade whistling through the air aimed at my throat. I deflected the hit with my diamond sword, and brought the Element of Protection around to deliver a fatal blow to his exposed side. Nightmare nimbly dodged left, the blade missing him by inches.

I spun around, thrown off balance by my attack and dropped my diamond blade as a sharp pain ripped through my arm. I watched as red blood dripped from my fingertips and landed on the white marble. A long gash ran from my elbow to the base of my gauntlet on my left hand, I looked up in time to drop to the ground as the shadow blade whipped across my face. I rolled across the ground as hit after hit smashed into the floor beside me, sending pieces of marble in every direction.

I felt sharp pain rip into my right arm as I finished a roll. I looked over to see Nightmare planting his boot on my wrist, pinning my arm down, the Element of Protection slipping from my grasp. I quickly reached down and drew Bad Bertha from her sheath on my hip, but Nightmare lashed out with a boot and stepped on the blade, pinning it to the ground. I looked up at Nightmare who was smiling down at me. He lifted his arm blade and pointed it down at my throat. I smiled back at him. He gave a momentarily confused look at me. I let my hand slip from the grip on Bade Bertha and quickly twist the end of the handle, pulling the three inch spike out from the knife. I lunged up, planting the sharp spike deep into Nightmare's thigh.
Nightmare threw his head back and screamed in pain. I shot my leg up and delivered a full forced kick straight to his balls, which sent him falling backwards onto the ground. I scrambled up to my feet and ignored the blood still flowing from my arm and scooped the Element of Protection off the ground and held it at Nightmare's throat as he lied on the ground.

"There's only room for one human in Equestria. And that's me." I panted at him, sweat dripping off my brow.

Nightmare sighed and looked at me. His human face showed great sadness that I hadn't seen in over a year. You forget what human emotions look like when you never see one.

"Sure, Honored. Kill me. You win, I accept my fate." Nightmare lifted his head so that his neck was wide open.

"I don't think so, Nightmare." I smiled and dipped the sword down. "I kill you now, and you just leave that body you somehow created and jump into mine."

Nightmare's sad eyes exploded into anger as he tried to lunge forward. I sidestepped him and slammed the hilt of my sword into his skull. He crashed back to the ground at my feet. I planted one boot on the back of his neck and held him down.

"All clear. Come in everypony." I sighed and took in a deep breath. A few moments later the sound of hooves beating against the marble floor echoed through the room. I watched as the door was flung open and Luna charged into the room the Elements of Harmony and Sanctuary close behind her. She stopped cold when she saw me standing atop a prone human and Celestia lying on her side.

"Sister!" Luna cried out and dashed forward, keeling at her fallen sister's side. Slowly Celestia's eyes fluttered open and she peered around.

"Lulu. You're okay. What happened?" Celestia was struggling to speak but somehow she sat up and rose to her hooves with her younger sisters help.

"It's alright, sister," Luna soothed Princess Celestia's worries, "it's over. We won."

I coughed politely, with my boot still planted on Nightmare's neck. "Not quite."

Celestia stood taller and slowly moved in front of the pinned down struggling creature. "Nightmare, for the sins of your past, and the current war you started I am turning over your fate the human that is currently holding you as his prisoner." The stern look on the normally motherly alicorn was startling. A fire burned in her eyes that could cut right through you. She was angry, truly angry.

I smiled at the Elements of Harmony. My eyes danced across each one of their faces. The ponies were waiting. "Girls, please free Nightmare from his current form."

Twilight Sparkle nodded with determination and stood in front of her friends. One by one, the necklaces around their necks began to glow and fire a pinpoint beam of colored light into Twilight's crown. Her eyes opened into blinding white orbs of energy and a massive rainbow of pure magic, just like the one that saved me from death months ago, slammed forth and rammed Nightmare into the wall behind me. He screamed an ear shattering shout of agony as the magic worked him over.
Smoke poured out over the room from the blast center of the Element's impact. The flood of magic stopped and the smoke cleared. I stood posed, ready to strike with the other Elements of Sanctuary standing behind me. Each of us had our weapons at the ready as the last bits of smoke cleared.

I found myself staring at the original Nightmare. An average sized unicorn stallion was standing, panting, against the wall. He had a dark midnight blue coat and a long black mane. His eyes remained the reptilian slots that had belonged to the Nightmare for the last untold centuries. He looked up at me, his eyes tracing each weapon that was trained against him.

"It's over, Nightmare. Once and for all." I stared at him, nothing but pure hate and revenge leaking forth from my words. Hundreds of ponies dead, land burned, and I had Fast Sky ripped away from me. Too much death had fallen on this land.
This was it.

"This is good-bye, Nightmare." Quick Flurry's dagger shot into the air and slammed into the hilt of my sword. Its handle was sticking out, making a long handle for me to grab. Battle Plan's bow glowed brightly as a handful of the magical arrows hovered into the air and floated next to me. They stayed locked next to my head, their shining tips following where ever I looked. Ten or so of Stand Bold's crossbow bolts copied the arrows and floated on the other side of my head, tracking where my eyes moved just as the arrows were doing. Covert's katana flew through the air and locked onto the edge of my sword, curving the entire blade just as his sword was. Finally Hammer Strike's hammer flipped into the air and molded to the bottom of Quick Flurry's dagger handle, creating a mammoth hilt out of the head of the hammer. I looked at Nightmare as he quacked in front of me. The arrows and bolts following every movement he made.

"Look away girls." I said over my shoulder to the main six. They all took heed to my warning, save for Celestia and Luna who both had their own reasons for watching his death. I cocked my arms back, coiling all my strength into my arms, ready to deliver a terrific blow. I let go of everything and swung the blade.

The blade sliced with easy through Nightmare's front legs. He screamed as he toppled forward, blood spraying onto the white shiny marble floor. He looked up, pain, anguish, misery, and sorrow all twisted into his face. He found no remorse, no mercy, and no regret in my face. I felt a small smile tug on my lips. I lifted the sword up, hilt facing down and brought the enchanted hammer down on his skull. As I did so, the arrows and bolts leapt forward and lodged themselves all over his body. The sound of Nightmare's skull splitting open and the arrows and bolts ripping into his body filled the room. A pool of red blood slowly surrounded his body.

I dropped the combined Elements of Sanctuary, the weapon breaking apart into its different weapons at me feet as it clattered to the ground. I felt a weight lifted from my shoulders as I closed my eyes. I dropped to my knees in front of the destroyed body.

"Rise, human," Celestia whispered behind me, "you deserve some rest. It really is over."

The burning green and black flames vanished from the city of Canterlot. The sun seemed to become brighter as ponies seeking refuge in cities all around Equestria exited their homes. The residents of the royal city slowly began to make their way back to their homes, or what was left of them. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna promised to help everypony in rebuilding their homes and shops.

The story of the second battle for Canterlot spread like the flames that had once consumed the city. Ponies wanted to see the human warrior that had saved the day, but the Princesses refused him visitors as he was recovering from the battle.
Days turned to weeks as the city slowly recovered from the war with the shadows. The Elements of Sanctuary continued to serve with the Royal Guard but they became the new instructors for the Equestrian Honor Guard branch of the Royal Guard.

The EHG was not only open to ponies of Equestria, but to any other creature with citizenship to Equestria. And yet the human still remained hidden from the world.

Three Weeks Later

"Honored? You have to come out sometime." Twilight knocked on the door of one of the guest rooms in the castle.

"No I don't!"

"Please. You're friends are worried about you." Twilight tried to open the door, but the lock held fast. "Duh." she charged up a simple teleportation spell, and popped into the human's room. The first thing the unicorn noticed was the tiny pieces of metal everywhere. Every one of the human's guns were broken down into every single piece and laid scattered around the room. His swords and knives were strewn across a desk in the corner of the room. The Element of Protection was in its sheath propped up against the bed post alongside the human's rifle.

"Honored?"

"WHAT?" The human in question shot out of nest of pillows and blankets he had created in a corner of the room opposite of the desk.

"Ahh!" Twilight jumped into the air, startled from the sudden shout.

Honored's hair was a mess; it hadn't been combed in days. He had large bags under his eyes, which were bloodshot, and his clothing was as messy as he was. He wore lose fitting jeans and a short sleeve shirt that were stretched from continuous wear.

"Yes, Twilight? Can I help you?" Honored ask while stepping out of his nest of bed sheets and stretched into the air.

"You haven't come out of this room for weeks. And we, your friends, are worried about you.”

"Wait, hold on," The human held up a hand to stop her. He looked at the purple unicorn carefully, something wasn't right,

"Twilight did you get a mane cut? No have you lost weight? New horseshoes?"

"No. And you thought I looked fat?" Twilight asked tilting her head to the side, giving me a questioning stare.

"Okay that's beside the point." Honored walked over to his desk and picked up one of the knives lying strewn about. He tapped the flat side of the blade lightly against his palm, "THAT'S IT!" He yelled out loud, throwing the knife across the room into a portrait of Prince Blueblood that had lots of stab marks and a poorly drawn mustache on it. "When the fuck did you get wings?" Honored asked taking aim at the portrait and letting another knife fly.

"Oh boy." Twilight sighed and sat down on the bed as she levitated one of the knives from the wall and gave it a toss of her own. "Well it all started with one of the town songs we take part in..."

"And so then I became a princess."

I sat there for a moment soaking in the information, "and this all happened in the few days I was in my room?"

"Days?" Twilight looked as if I had slapped her, "Honored, you've been in here for almost three weeks straight. We, your friends, have been worried sick about you! How have you been eating, nopony has seen you leave."

I grunted and jerked my thumb over to the closet. Twilight cracked it open and an avalanche of brown plastic MRE bags toppled out and landed in front of the new alicorn. "Oh yeah, thanks for teleporting those. Remind me to get that spell from you sometime." I stopped and held up a hand for Twilight to be quiet. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Twilight asked.

I got up and grabbed my rifle and walked around the room, "that scream. I keep hearing this screaming. Long drawn out screaming."

I finished my random walking around the room and turned to the window overlooking the slowly recovering city. "Twilight, you know why I stayed in here all this time?"

"No. Why Honored?" Twilight asked as she sat down next to me. She looked up with those large eyes and stared at me.
I looked back to the window and sighed. "I'm scared." I paused and looked back to Twilight, "I'm actually terrified of what will happen to me now. I mean there's no more fighting. No more violence. No more bloodshed. But where does that put me? The only thing that makes me special in Equestria is my ability to fight. What good am I know that there is peace?"

"Honored," Twilight reached a hoof up and placed it on my side, "you always have a place here in Equestria. Sure it might not always be killing, destroying, or protecting us ponies, but we still need you. You're a hero."
Twilight's words hit home. I understand what she meant. I knew I was always going to be welcomed by the ponies, but I wasn't worried about them, but myself. How was I going to cope with not being able to live up to my special talent now that everything was at peace? I was a broken human. It didn't take a professional shrink to tell that i was messed up.

"Come Honored. The Princesses want to speak with you." Twilight got up and walked towards the door. I reached down and picked up my rifle and began to sling it across my back. I stopped halfway and looked at the black weapon. I sighed and gently laid it back down on the bed. I gave it one last look and left the room, shutting the door to the weapons behind it.

"FORCED TIME OF LEAVE?!" I yelled at the three alicorns seated on their thrones across from me in the massive throne room. The damage from the battle between the human Nightmare and myself were well repaired. "What the hell is that anyway?"

"We all feel that after the constant strain that the last year and half has had on you," Luna spoke first, using her words to try and calm me, "that you be given some paid vacation time."

"Oh. Well that's okay." I said calming down immediately.

"Really?" Celestia said her eyes widening in surprise.

"Sure." I waved a hand at them. "After saving the day for the umpteenth time I guess I could use a vacation."

"We have all decided to post you in Ponyville to begin your recovery and new assignment." Twilight smiled as she floated a scroll over to herself and cleared her throat. "Let it be known that on this day, Lieutenant Honored Service of the Equestrian Honor Guard is to be stationed in Ponyville as a reserve action force. He is also to learn lessons on friendship and how to solve problems without resorting to violence."

I coughed politely.

"Ugh." Twilight floated a quill up and scribbled something into the margin of the scroll, "solving problems without violence right from the start."

"Thank you." I smiled kindly to the alicorn and waited for the trio to continue.

"Honored I figured the salary you were paid and then back paid for the year you were gone should be a significant amount to live your life in Ponyville."

"And that would be...?"

"Around 78,613 bits." Twilight said matter of factly.

"Sure, I guess that's okay. Still have no idea what the monetary value system is here." I shrugged. "Well let me collect my things and I guess I can get moving."

"To Ponyville."

"To a boring life of nothingness." I hung my head.

"No more creature slaying." Princess Celestia said.

"No more running around and slashing things willy-nilly." Luna added with a smile.

"No more being a homicidal manic that acts first and asks questions later." Twilight stated.

I looked at the three Princess and then towards a window across the room. Back to the Princesses. Back to the window.
Princesses. Window.

"Honored..." Twilight warned.

Window. Princesses. Window. Princesses. "Alright fine." I sighed.

At least I would get to live a completely boring and normal life.

Shit.

Author's Note

Okay. There. Its over. I hope you're happy.

Thats all for the long stories...for now.

Which brings me to the next story. I'm thinking about starting a new series with Honored (Yes i know you're like, "Wow a third story, this guy's an asshole) but this story is written with one chapter at a time. Its going to focus on Honored as if it was like a TV show. Each chapter would be its own episode so to speak, with a few two parters thrown in the mix.

This story is being done just as a side project, as my main focus will be on writing completely new stories.

So for all of that have put up with my grammar and have read about this stupid human for the last year, thank you. I've truly enjoyed writing for you. Thanks for all your support and i hope to write something again for you soon!

Your faithful amateur writer,
Tanner Johnson.

p.s. There it is, that's the name that was never said.

New Story

Hello all, the next story in the slightly violent series following Johnson is up.

Enjoy

On My Honor

Enemy of My Enemy

Honor Above All Else
Chapter 1
By Honored Service

This is the sequal to the story The Equestrian Honor Guard and is not a stand alone. You should read the first part if you want this to make any sense.

"You... you are dead. There was blood everywhere and the guards searched everywhere and couldn't find your body." Fast Skies stammered out staring in disbelief at the human standing in front of her. "You were gone for a year!" She leapt up and knocked the startled human to the ground. The Pegasus threw punches into the chest of the human. "You died and left me all alone." She cried and sobbed uncontrollably into the brown and red hair of the man beneath her. Her punches turned into slight pushes and then stopped altogether. She wrapped her hooves around his neck and planted kisses all over his face and neck. "Don't ever leave me again!"

The human hugged the mare close and whispered into her ear, "Don't worry, I won't be going anywhere." Honored Service smiled up at the light red mare that was perched on top of his chest. "I promise."

"Honored, what happened a year ago? All I saw after you got the princesses, the Elements of Harmony, and myself into the castle, was Queen Chrysalis attack you and chase you off into the gardens. What happens?" Fast Skies asked as she let the human get up and dust off his old war torn brown duster.

"Ah well that's a long story all on its own." The human smiled and winked. "But I can think of a few other ponies that would like to know what happened." The bipedal creature began to walk towards the exit of the gardens and motioned for the dumbstruck pegasus to follow him.

Fast Skies flew to catch up to the human and joined him as he neared the castle. The pair passed two guards who broke their stony appearance to stare in awe at the human that walked by them, jaws hanging open.

The human walked up to the throne room doors and knocked loudly three times.

"We asked to be left alone guards. We are both in mourning for the time." The voice of Celestia came through the door. It was shaky and wavered if on the verge of tears.

Honored Service called out, "Black Sun can be lifted don't you think Princesses?" The doors to the throne room were ripped open and the human was yanked into the air by a golden aurora of magic and floated into the throne room followed by a giggling red mare.

"Honored Service?" Princess Celestia asked to the upside down creature suspended in front of her. Princess Luna sat next to her sister and stared in amazement.

"The one and only!" The human spread its arms in a flourish. "And do I have a story for you; but the Elements and Saddle Company might want to hear this."

***************************************************************

The human had seated himself in chair with a red mare sitting half way on his lap, in a small circle with the ponies he felt deserved an explanation to his disappearance for a year. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were both seated next to the human on their thrones ready to hear the tale of the human. Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Twilight Sparkle, and Fluttershy all sat around the creature whispering and conversing about what had occurred to the mysterious male in the last year. And the last ponies to join the group were the 4 other members of Saddle Company: Hammer Strike, who’s leg was healed, Battle Plan, Short Blade, and Quick Flurry, who all awaited eagerly to hear about their old friends tales; but more importantly why he was alive after falling off a cliff.

“Well now that everypony is here, I guess I should start at the beginning.” All the ponies nodded to the human. A purple unicorn levitated a small forest worth of paper and an army of quill to her side and began to write as the human spoke.

“It started one year ago when I faced off against the Queen.” Honored Service sighed and began to tell the story that would later be known as Honored Above All.

******************************************************8

“This is how you die Nightmare.” I lifted the rifle up with my right hand and placed the barrel right under her chin. She tried to move away in time but it was too late. I squeezed the trigger on my beautiful rifle.

BANG

Tink

The bullet passed through her jaw and out the top of her head exploding its way out sending green blood and brain everywhere. The Queen’s lifeless body toppled forward and landed on me plummeting both of us over the edge of Canterlot and towards the lake below.

I hit the water right after the queen’s body hit it, that’s what saved my life. If she hadn’t broken the water’s surface I would have broken every bone in my body on impact. I struggled to get to the surface but I was just too weak and hurt from my fight with the Nightmare to get to the surface, so I just let myself go; I was ready to die I had served my purpose of protecting the ponies.

*************************************************************

“So you did die? So that means right now you're a spooky ghostie right?” The pink part pony bounced up to the human and slammed her head into his chest. She stumbled backwards and landed on her rump, eyes spinning in her head. “Nope definitely not a ghost.”

“May I continue Pinkie?” The human stared at the pink mare.

“Oh please do.”

“Is it going to be like this all night?” Honored crossed his arms across his chest.

“More than likely yeah sugarcube.” Applejack said getting up and patting the human on the back. “But it’s only natural to have some questions after you’ve been gone a year.”

Okay, now where was I…” The human tapped a finger on his chin.

****************************************************************

My eyes slowly opened and I coughed loudly spitting up water. I rolled over to my side and threw up what felt like gallons of water. My everything hurt. And when I say everything I meant everything. From every hair on the top of my head to my feet, everything hurt. Most of the pain was coming from my midsection where there still was a large wound from the queen’s horn. I sluggishly pulled the backpack off my back and winced as it came to rest next to me. Something was fractured on my arm. I pulled out some basic first aid supplies and began applying them to my wound. The fact I was still breathing and you know…living was a good sign that it wasn’t a mortal wound.

I applied some bandages to the wound once I realized I had no idea what I was doing. “I'm not a damn doctor. SHIT!” I put on the rest of the bandages and tried to get up. Once I was standing did I stop to look around and see where I was.

I picked up my rifle and cradled it in my arms. “I don’t think we’re in Canterlot anymore rifle.”

The Everfree forest that surrounded the river was long gone. The dark dense forest was replaced with rolling lush green hills. Near the bank of the river where I had washed up on, was an area of thick reeds and cattails. I stiffened up when I saw what was also resting in the reeds near my position.

A large dark black figure.

With shiny black shell like armor.

Queen Chrysalis!

I staggered falling hard onto my ass and backing up into some more reeds. I was panting heavily; sure that the evil bitch had seen me, and was going to finish me off in my weakened state.

I fumbled with my holster and drew the pistol in my shaky hand. I tried to hold the gun steady but the pain shooting through my arm was making it impossible. The barrel dipped and swayed as I strained to keep the sights on her body, but my arm was having trouble staying locked.

But the attack never came. I watched the body with intensity but nothing happened. Queen Chrysalis never charged. She stayed in the water caught in the reeds. I slowly calmed myself and crawled closer to the queen.

“I think you're dead.” I said to the corpse of the evil ruler of the changelings. Now that I was calm I could see the large hole on the top of her head that most likely was the cause of her death. The final battle came back to me. I slumped down next to her and tucked the pistol back under my arm. I winced again at the pain that came when I moved my left arm.

“You just had to fall forward didn’t you?” I cocked my head at the dead body. “If just had accepted your defeat and fell to the right or god forbid the left, I could be sitting happy in the hospital… not talking to a corpse.” I looked down at my hands which were covered in cuts and scratches. “I guess this is falling on…dead ears.” I turned to the queen and waited for a response.

Of course nothing came. I let out a deep sigh and reached a hand out towards the queen. I may be a warrior, but I had some respect for the enemy that I had fought. I would drag her body on land and make a fire… well if I could find anything to make a fire with; and cremate the remains.

I gripped my fingers around her horn and pulled with as much strength as I could muster in my current state. Her horn was cold in my grasp. Almost freezing. It felt like someone had poured near freezing water on my hands. That feeling slowly spread up my arms. I let go and moved back from the corpse but the sensation of ice continued to travel through my veins. I could feel it moving into my chest and spreading over my entire body.

I tumbled backwards and landed on the grass near the river as the ice cold numbness reached my head.

Ah so this is the mind of a human? It’s been to long since occupying one of you.

*****************************************************************

“The Nightmare was inside your mind!?” Celestia yelled at the human, jumping to her hooves and knocking Honored back with a quick burst of magic. The human slid to a stop and stood up, brushing himself off.

“It still is.” Everpony in the room gasped and the two alicorn sister’s horns began to glow as the moved in front of the ponies.

“But it is not in charge. I am. Me, Honored Service, am in 99.99% control of myself.” The creature held its hands up in a sign of submission.

“What about the .01%?” Luna asked as the glowing magical energy in her horn slowly dissipated. Celestia still was tense and held her magical energy at the ready.

“Ah, well that’s only if I get angry, you know blind with rage; but instead of fuming with anger imagine flaming with anger and becoming unstoppable power filled demon.” Luna’s horn resumed glowing and Celestia’s horn began to glow brighter.

“Look, just let me finish explaining my story and then you can get rid of me if you wish. I have openly told you about this, and made no attempt to hide it Princesses. I am still me. Just trust me.” Honored Service pleaded to the two alicorns. They turned to each other and back to the human. Their horns died down and they took their seats.

“We will wait to discuss actions once your story is complete Honored.” Celestia’s normally calm and caring voice was cold and stern.

“Thank you.” Honored Service said, a bit of hurt could be heard in voice as he slowly walked back over to the ponies and sat down.

*******************************************************************

Ah so this is the mind of a human? It’s been to long since occupying one of you.

“What? Who’s there?” I looked around trying to see who was talking.

Oh shut up you…what is it…Honored Service…how cute. Let’s see, no magic, no wings, no incredible stamina or strength, is there anything you can do that ponies cant?

“Well I can make good one-liners when I need to.” I said while sitting back up. Everything looked clearer; the colors were sharper and crystal clear. The water seemed to move by faster than before, but the debris on the surface moved normally. “Wait are you the Nightmare?” I asked the nothingness around me.

Wow I regular genius you are. Hmph and here I was thinking you would never figure it out. That just some other thoughts began occurring in your mind, or should I say my mind now.

“No, this is still my mind, now get the fuck out!” I screamed at the river.

It doesn’t work like that I'm afraid. You're alone human. You’ve always been alone here. The last of your kind, no friends here to help, no family. Your mind, your body belongs to me now.

I sat up, but I didn’t think it. It was like watching myself move through my eyes but not controlling it. I could only sit there in my mind and watch as I walked around and moved my arms and flexed my muscles.

Ouch. What the tartarus is going on? Oh that’s right I stabbed you with that queen’s horn. In retrospect, that may have not been the best decision since I had planned on taking you over from the beginning.

“Why would you want to take me over? No magic, no wings, no strength.”

But you are magic resistance and that strange weapon, what do your memories call it, one second… Ah that M16A2 is devastating. That’s why. And because you're the only human. You will have very little resistance to my influence.

“But I'm not alone!” I concentrated on my arm and focused it to stop moving on its own. It slowly came to a stop.

What? How!?

“I have lots of friends that care for me.” I thought of Saddle Company. The kindness that everypony had shown to me once I arrived. The friendships I made while going through the Royal Guard training camp together. Memories of Battle Plan, Short Blade, Hammer Strike, and Fast Skies rushed through my head.

“In fact, I have lots of friends.” More thoughts of my friends in Ponyville came forward in my mind. Memories of the mane six blew past my mind. Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy filled my mind.

I moved my arm that held the rifle and sluggishly pointed it up at my head.

What are you doing! Stop this at once, I'm in control!

“No. This is my body and I'm in control.”

You won’t do it. You wouldn’t do it.

I brought forward memories of Fast Skies, the mare that had accepted me as a friend and even a lover. Those happy memories flooded my mind showing the Nightmare I wasn’t alone, nor that I would ever be alone even if I was the last human.

I clicked the safety off the rifle. “And I’ll do it to keep the ones I love and care for safe.”

For a tense moment everything around me came to a standstill as I kept the rifle leveled at my head, finger on the trigger and ready to end the Nightmare’s life once and for all; even if it ment my destruction in the process.

Fine. I give up human. I surrender to you.

“Good. Now kindly exit my mind and leave me and the ponies of Equestria alone forever.” I lowered the rifle and felt my body return to my complete control. I shrugged my shoulders and popped my joints as I got my sensitivity back.

It doesn’t work that way. Once I have secured a host, I'm in it permanently until am forced out or I find a more powerful host. And considering the host I just left was dead, you are now my host till something more powerful than you makes contact with us. And even then, they would have to be say an alicorn…?

“Nope, not going to happen.” I crossed my arms and shook my head.

Fine! I don’t want to die and you don’t want to transfer me to an alicorn; then I guess we’re stuck together…so why don’t we make nice and get through this and find our way to some kind of civilization.

“You stabbed me and attacked an entire city.” I said frowning at the water moving by the river.

Well yeah…but you shot me and nearly killed an entire species under my control. The Nightmare said, well thought in my head.

‘Touché’ I thought.

No response came from the Nightmare. “Um did you hear me?” I said aloud to myself.

No, what did you say?

“I thought touché.” I said while picking up my slightly torn backpack and putting it, wincing as the back hit my shoulder.

I’m not a mind reader, just a mind controller. I can’t hear your thoughts, so you’ll have to talk aloud for me to hear. Just keep it down; I'm trying to think about how I'm no longer in control of a host and just a passenger now.

“Well look at it this way Nightmare, at least now we have each other.” I said sarcastically and limped along the river. I felt pain every time I took a step. “And thanks for hurting me so bad. Dick.”

Hey listen here human, I feel this too. And I'm regretting a lot of things now.

I let out a long sigh as the pain in my legs joined the pain of the rest of body; numbing my mind from the other presence now lingering there.

Night Terrors

Honored Above All Else
Chapter 16
By Honored Service

I looked back at the edge of the decaying city lying in front of me. Dust and ashes swirled around me caught in a breeze I couldn't feel. Somewhere in the dark hell, a loud terrifying scream shattered the eerie silence. And all I could do was smile.

For the record, I really, really don’t like this idea. I mean you don’t have to prove yourself to me anymore. I know you're a bad ass! We can leave here alive Honored!

“We sure can Nightmare,” I took a step forward onto the broken pavement. The gravel and pebbles crunched under my worn boot, “but then I’ll never know.” I drew the diamond sword from its resting place on my back and let pure magic fire pour over its surface. My smile widened as I saw my face glinting back at me off of the smooth diamond surface in between the hellish green black flames.

Know what? For everything’s sake, let’s just leave this place and never look back. I escaped here once, and I don’t want to do it again!

“But, I’ll never know if I can beat the Nightmare.” I marched down through the street, the flaming sword lighting my path as I strolled through the street. It’s funny how quickly your mood can change from getting your ass kicked and then finding out I have a super weapon for banishing Nightmares off the surface of the earth.

Just hurry please. I don’t want to be a part of the Nightmare again.

“I will try my best!” I said as the first Nightmare made its approach towards me. A single entity began its steady march at me, followed by a horde of more Nightmares at least a hundred strong. “Oh, now this will be one for the records. Too bad we’re the only ones who get to see it.”

I swept my leg back and raised the fiery blade above my head in a position to strike. The Nightmare mimicked my stance and drew the shadows around it into a long shadow blade forming along its arm. Its piercing red eyes stared at me. I stared back and smiled a cocky smile at the shadowy figure. Then I ran.

I took off in a straight line, directly at the Nightmare. No more running away. Only fighting. I moved in close for a swift downward slash, but the Nightmare sidestepped to the left. I recovered quickly and spun around holding the sword on my hip and sliced against the Nightmare as it tried to come around to get me in the back.

SLING

I stopped after the cut and turned my head to watch as the shadow nightmare slid in half and fell to the ground.

BOOM

The two halves exploded into black shadows and drifted into the air. The smile never once left my face as I turned back to the horde of Nightmares still advancing towards me. Except they weren't moving slowly anymore. And their eyes weren’t piercing red, they were like mini infernos of evil. And they now sprinted straight at me, coming full force. I guess some of that confidence they had was gone after watching their comrade explode from a sword cut.

“Oh this is going to be fun!” I dashed forward to meet my nightmare head on. I jumped off of a collapsed roof and sailed over the first line of the shadowy creatures. I landed square on one’s chest and knocked him to the ground, driving my sword through its chest cavity. Jerking the blade out, I jumped back into the air, just as the corpse exploded, rocketing me up farther into the air.

I came down hard on the side of a fallen building and slid down it on my back. I could feel the lose bricks ripping and tearing at my worn duster. Damn, I needed to get that fixed. As I neared the end of the building I stuck one leg up, and kicked a Nightmare in its midsection, sending it flying backwards. I jumped up and found myself surrounded on all sides my appearing shadows.

“Shit.”

Drawing the sword back for a mighty swing, I lashed out and sliced an attacking Nightmare’s arm off at the shoulder. I recovered the swing, bringing it back up and cutting swiftly through the stomach of the nightmare. I jumped backwards while flipping above another shadowy nightmare and landed on another’s shoulders. The blade spun in my hand as I flipped it around and drove it downward through its head and out of its chin.

The dead Nightmare, toppled forward onto another advancing creature who had a sword slashed across its neck, spraying the area in black smoke.

“It’s like the shadows and darkness actually flow through their veins.” I commented to my Nightmare as I pushed the sword up to the hilt through a nightmare that had jumped off a building at me.

It is.

“Come again?” I asked, drawing the blade from the body and pushing it backwards with my free hand. I took up a wide defensive position as more Nightmare massed to my front. They were about to charge as one large wave.

The darkness and shadows are its life source. It flows through their veins like blood flows through yours. The darkness give it power.

“So you're telling me its dark magic.” I held the blade extended in front of me and lowered the tip so I was pointing the flaming weapon straight at the lead Nightmare. Moving fast as lightning, I took off straight towards the Nightmares, giving them my best smile I could muster charging into certain death.

Yes, the cut down version, yes. It’s dark evil magic I harnessed a long time ago that has since gone rouge.

“Hmmm interesting.” The fire around the tip of the sword began to glow brighter, while the flames began to grow higher and longer wrapping themselves around the sword and then moving up my arms in a swirling cone of fire. “Nightmare? Are you doing this?”

Maybe the past is the past. And the future can always change.

I slammed into the front of the Nightmares at full speed. The fire cone scorching the front line into nothingness, while the next few ranks of Nightmares were thrown back twenty feet by the force of my impact.

I stood tall and strong among the swirling dust and ashes, burning sword in one hand and the other hanging at my side. The Nightmares were scattered all around and their numbers were begin to dwindle as the fighting progressed. But after what felt like hours of hacking and slashing my way through wave after wave of the foul creatures, I had only gone five blocks from the beginning of the city ruins.

Honored, maybe I should help some more. I think the time has come to redeem myself; even if it’s only you who gets to see it.

“Nightmare, anything you do is helpful and… I'm sure… others… will… my God.” My words trailed off and stopped as I watched the air around myself shimmer and spark to life in a wall of fire. The Nightmares that were about to attack backed up as the swirling vortex began to grow smaller around me. The flaming walls of the spinning cyclone moved in closer.

”Nightmare, are the spinning fire walls of death supposed to be moving in?” I asked, Nightmare was the best at giving help sometimes.

Please Honored, Just try and trust me.

I bowed my head and sighed. “I… I trust you completely… friend.” I relaxed and let the Nightmare bring the vortex in and press against my body. Pain.

********************************************************************

“WHAT DID HE DO TO YOU?!” Fast Skies up in second and had jumped onto of the human, sending him flying backwards. “I SWEAR IF HE DID ANYTHING TO CHANGE YOU.” She pointed a hoof accusingly at the human’s head. The red pegasus panted heavily after screaming as Honored just laid there on the ground, letting the mare vent.

“Well Sky, sweetie, he did do something to me,” Fast Skies opened her mouth to yell again, “But! But, it was a good change. I promise. It was nothing dangerous,” the human smiled, “to me.” A wicked grin spread across his face, as Honored Service picked up Fast Skies and carried her back over to the group of ponies.

Now ponies are about four to five feet tall, while Honored reached just over the six foot mark, making him not overly huge compared to the ponies. But for him to pick up and carry Sky demonstrated a certain change to human, that ponies had never seen before.

“You’re stronger.” Fast Skies gasped out as the warrior placed her lightly back into her chair.

Quick as a whip.

“Yes. Much. But not super hero strength or anything. I'm sure Big Mac could still beat me.” The ever modest and humble human rubbed his neck and looked down.

“Let’s see what ya’ can do!” Applejack and Rainbow Dash exchanged sideways glances and a smile that only two competitive athletes could give.

“Hey AJ, isn’t Macintosh here with Applebloom since she couldn’t stay at the farm with Granny Smith after the last time the Crusaders were there alone?” Honored cocked an eyebrow at the cocky pegasus. “Oh I’ll tell you later. Just know applesauce, hard cider, and lots of broken windows.”

The human shrugged, “Okay, but I want to hear it.”

“Yea, he sure is. I reckon he should be in the room the Princesses gave us for the time we’re here.” Applejack nodded to Rainbow Dash who smiled.

“Get him up here.”

Within a few minutes a human and the large red stallion were locked in an intense arm/hoof wrestling competition. Both parties were struggling against each other, trying to beat the other. It would seem Big Mac was about to win, but then the human would bounce back and vice versa. It was an evenly matched game.

“Ah gotta say Honored,” Big Mac grunted out as sweat poured off his brow, “You’re a might stronger than before ya’ died.” With that the human burst out laughing and his hand slammed against the table sending glasses, plates, and food all over the floor.

“Haha yeah, it seemed to have benefited me by dying. Good game Mac.” Honored smiled, but realized that everypony in the room was staring at him with open mouths and looks of horror on their faces. “What? I was congratulating Mac on the game.” Honored stuck his hand out to the stallion but stopped mid-way.

Protruding through the human’s hand was one of the knives that had been resting on the table where the competition had taken place. A trickle of blood dripped off the human’s hand and onto the pristine white marble floor. “Well Shit.” Honored said looking with a frown at the gold blade going through his palm and out of the back of his hand.

“Twilight, please go find a doctor, and be quick about it.” Princess Celestia was shocked by the lack of emotion the human was showing, even though there was a knife sticking through his appendage.

“NO!” Honored called out loudly, throwing his good arm up. “Just let me handle it.” Calmly he gripped the end of the knife and slowly pulled it out of his palm. Blood poured out of the opened wound, but just as Princess Celestia was going to insist on a doctor again, the blood flow stopped.

“What the tartarus?” Princess Luna whispered, her eyes growing wide as she stared at the human’s hand.

The open wound began to close in on itself with a faint glow of green fire around the tear in the flesh. Within thirty seconds the wound was completely healed over, leaving only a scar in its place.

“Honored?” Fast Skies slowly backed away from the human. “What was that?” A look of pure terror was implanted on her face, as the human tried to reach out and comfort her.

“It’s part of what the Nightmare did to me.” All the ponies stared at the human with uneasy looks in their eyes. Honored hung his head and sighed. “Listen, even if I wanted the Nightmare out of my head, it would be impossible now. Because we are one. He bonded himself to my brain permanently.” The human stood up and walked away from the group of listeners towards the door. “I knew this was where I would lose your trust, so I’m going to start running.” Honored open the large door leading out of the throne room.

“Just give me an hour head start, will ya princesses?”

I’m sorry Honored. I thought that they would have listened better and seen I had changed. Well then again we didn’t plan on you having to show off your powers already. Stupid knife.

“Honored!” The doors slammed right in the human’s face. He jumped backwards and turned just as Princess Celestia’s horn stopped glowing. “How could you think, that after everything you’ve done for us, that we would hunt you down like some kind of criminal.” The human turned red and looked away while shuffling his feet awkwardly. “Now come sit back down, and continue to explain these new powers.” Honored walked back to his seat in front of the ponies and looked at Fast Skies, who was still giving him an uncomfortable look.

“Then we’ll judge you.” Princess Celestia said quietly. The human’s face turned pale, and the monarch burst out laughing as her sister shot her a death glare.

********************************************************************

Explosive pain ripped along my entire body, as the walls of fire cocooned around my body. I felt my skin searing as the flames burned on stronger and stronger till, even through my closed eyes, I felt blinded. “Nightmare what is this!?” I screamed out above the roar of the fire.

Trust! ME! The voice in my head was screaming. The pain almost became too much as my hands dropped the sword and clutched my temples. I pressed in on my head, trying to make the Nightmare stop whatever this was he was doing. I dropped to the ground and screamed as loud as I could as the final wave of pain cascaded over my body and a column of fire ripped through my body and shot into the sky.

The fire around me exploded outwards, sending over fifty nightmares across the street and into the side of buildings. I struggled to rise to my feet as the smoke rolled off my arms and chest. I held my hands out in front of me and watched as the tattered and burnt sleeves of my duster flapped around in the breeze. My hands were the same. Scarred and bloodied, but not different. Spinning around, I looked at the rest of me. Except for all the edges of my clothes being burnt and the smoke swirling around me, I felt as if I wasn’t just set on fire.

“Well thanks for the light show Nightmare, but what good did that did?” I said, while snatching up my sword and letting the fire course back along the blade. The nightmares that were left began to reassemble to left and front preparing for another attack.

Just, give it a moment.

“Give what a moment?” Then the attack came. They all swarmed at once. Pouring in from the left and front, I blocked attack after attack and slashed back whenever the Nightmares left a hole in their defense. But everything seemed to be moving… slower. The Nightmares were moving in slow-motion, while I zipped around them, ducking and dodging like never before. Uppercuts, slashes, side steps, stabs, head crushes, bashes, punches, kicks; everything I did flowed together perfectly. The Nightmares couldn’t touch me.

I weaved around one shadow and plunged the sword through its stomach and grasped the head of another Nightmare and dropped to the ground, crushing its head upon impact next to me. As it started to regenerate, I yanked the sword out of the disintegrating one and loped it’s still re-growing head off.

“Nightmare, I feel different.” I jumped backwards while bringing the sword down, cutting through an advancing nightmare with ease.

I joined us. Like one body joined. I have given you magic, my magic. But seeing as you have no horn to channel the magic through, your body is just using the magic to make you more deadlier. Faster reflexes, more agility, all around effectiveness at combat.

“Sweet.” I said while chopping through two nightmares. I raised the sword above my head to deliver a fatal blow to charging nightmare, but felt something cold wrap around my wrist. I looked to see a Nightmare wrapping its shadowy claw hands around my arm and slowly drag it down. The same feeling came from my other hand. I turned to see I was being pulled to the ground by the nightmares. Their bodies were sinking into the pavement and becoming shadows on the ground anchoring me in place.

“NO!” I screamed. I thrashed about trying to get free. I kicked and struggled against the binds, but soon I felt my legs held in place. The Nightmares that hadn’t been destroyed in my rampage formed a circle around me. I glared daggers at every one of them. But it did no good.

One Nightmare stepped forward and stood in front of me.

“If you want be to beg you better just kill me.” I smirked at the Nightmare, but lost all confidence when it smiled back reviling rows of sharp red teeth to match its red eyes.

“But we need you dead.” One of its arms morphed into a long curved blade that stretched three feet long. “Your will is strong, but it’s easy to break the will of a mortal creature.” The Nightmare placed the tip of the blade against my chest. I instantly felt cold all over. “No.” I chocked out.

Pain. I watched in horror as the blade was slowly worked its way into my chest. I felt every inch as the blade punctured my body. I coughed out as it hit something hard near my back.

“Goodbye human. All mortals die, and with their body, their will dies.” The nightmare screamed its evil laugh and slammed the blade through my spine. I jerked once and slumped forward. I felt everything grow black. But I was still alive. My breaths were ragged, but I was alive. I was breathing. I opened my eyes.

But I didn’t open them.

“Too bad he isn’t a mortal anymore.” My voice was deep and hollow. The shadow chains dropped from my body, as the Nightmare, my Nightmare, picked myself up from the ground, shadow blade still lodged in my chest.

Go get him Nightmare.

“I will, and it’s not Nightmare anymore. Call me friend.”

Laying the Foundation

Honor Above All Else
Chapter 29
By Honored Service
Pre-read TheDarkAngel

“Did you really just suggest that?” Luna had stopped dead in her tracks and stared at me with a look of utter shock. “Destroy all of Ponyville to destroy Day Terror’s massive army. That is simply ridiculous!” Luna turned her head from me and stormed off towards the tent where I had left the other ponies.

“Listen Princess, unless you have a better plan on how to take on an army larger than the entire guard force we had before all this, then I'm all ears.” I waited for Luna’s remark, but none came. Instead she stopped in her tracks.

“Fine, I’ll at least hear your plan.”

“Awesome.” I smiled and rubbed my hands together. This plan was going to be brilliant. I’ll make you proud Sky.

A shadow pulled the wooden wheel towards the left. The massive airship began its lazy turn and decent towards the unprepared war torn town.

“Shadow Brother Captain, the hold is filled and the shadow warriors are ready to fall. The Shadow Gunners have the first volley equipped to fire, and the Shadow Brother Engineers are ready to make repairs if the vessel should become damaged.”

The larger shadow rotated its head from the large window in front of the wheel to face the other shadow. “Excellent news Shadow Brother Comrade. We will fire the first volley on my command and then air drop the shadows. Once they have either been defeated or pushed the pony defenders back, we shall then let the shadow warriors fall.”

“A most perfect plan Shadow Brother Captain.” The lesser shadow bowed to the Shadow Captain and turned away and ran through the maze of corridors through the ship. The dim red lights casted shadows everywhere allowing the crew of the ship to blend in everywhere.

The Shadow Comrade entered a small room with a microphone system set up. It pulled the magically enchanted megaphone close to its fanged mouth and coughed, “Ready all Shadow Brother Gunners, the first volley on the Captain’s command. All first drop shadows prepare for fall. Shadow warriors; be on the alert for wave two.” The Shadow Comrade let the megaphone fall back into place before rushing from the room towards the large cargo hold, or now was known as the weapons room.

Over twenty cannons now lined the floor and walls, all stockpiled with plenty of cannonballs and magical propellant. Simple gem stones enchanted with an explosive spell to send the solid ball of metal and explosive down to the earth. The Shadow Comrade smiled through his fangs as the Shadow Brother Gunners began performing the only task they knew how to do.

Load, aim, and fire cannons. Such a simple existence. Shadow Brother Comrade was created by the almighty Day Terror to serve as a messenger and second in command to the Shadow Brother Captain of the mighty Fast Skies.

Day Terror’s ace in the hole. And boy was this going to be one hell of a card game. “First volley…”

“FIRE AND RAIN SHADOW BROTHERS!”

“So you see Luna? It has to happen. We weaken the defense force around Canterlot and then we make our push. Day Terror will put all her pawns on the front here,” I jabbed a finger on the map pointing at Ponyville, “the great fucking flood will wash her massive and only remaining army away and give us a day or two to launch our counterattack on the city.” I traced a line along the path the first army took to get to us.

“Once her army is gone, she’ll start making another, and that will keep all her attention on that while we rush and crush her!”

I slammed my fist on the table, while Luna and Twilight jumped backwards with disgusted looks on their faces

I quickly raised my hand and silenced the pair. “SSSSHHH!” I listened intently to the night sky. I could hear something. Something like a propeller. A steady thumping in the distance.

“SHIT!” I turned around and grabbed the two ponies and knocked them to the ground. A loud whistling filled the air as three holes punched through the canopy of the tent and exploded outside behind the tent. Shards of metal whizzed through the air.

I slammed my gauntlet on the ground and the burst of red magic exploded outwards and created a brief barrier between us and the flying shards of death.

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM

From far way I finally heard the firing of canons. I looked to the two ponies hunkered below my shield. “Fuck. Luna, Twilight, you need to get everypony that isn’t a guard…actually get everypony you can into the basements, hard structures, and under bridges. This is artillery fire and I have no fucking clue where it is coming from!” I jumped up and ran to the giant hole ripped into the side of the tent and looked out, trying to find some kind of sign as to where the barrage was coming from.

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM

“SHIT!” I dove back over and slammed my fist into the ground just as another wave of cannon balls obliterated the surrounding buildings.

As soon as it stopped, I got up and ran towards the open area outside. “Get to it girls, this needed to happen five minutes ago!” As I left the two mares to get the evacuation to underground started, I made a beeline towards the tallest building I could find. Some kind of fucking zeppelin thing was bearing down on the town.

This ugly warship was making its way directly over Ponyville. I was determined to stop it before it could unleash a volley when it was directly overhead. That would completely destroy the town. Nothing would be left standing if all of those guns could open up directly on the town. I reached the clock tower that rested and the edge of the town.

Somehow this thing was still standing, but I don’t know for how much longer. I raced through the main floor and up the rickety stairs, jumping two at a time, trying to reach the top before another volley could be unleashed.

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM

Too late.

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM

What the fuck. I looked out a small side window and watched in horror as another side of the airship erupted into smoke. It had two ports of cannon. Great. Just fucking great.

The whole world seemed to tremble as the last volley struck the earth. I shuddered at the thought of what the impacts were doing to the sleepy little town. Those buildings back in Ponyville weren't made to withstand anything of this magnitude. I came to a halt underneath the large bell in the tower, the arch of the bell holding the echo of each cannon shot as the airship lazily drifted by.

The windows and side of the airship were covered in rough looking armor. I could try some magically enhanced magic bullets, but something told me that those wouldn't be enough. I lifted the rifle and set a burst of magic into it as I pulled the trigger, sending the bullet out of the barrel with a bright flash and a loud crack of thunder. The trail of blue light raced forward and smashed into the side of the airship under carriage.

I cracked a smile and then lined up another shot. Well more like twenty-nine more shots. I unloaded the remaining bullets into the airship’s side. I couldn't tell if I was making any significant damage, but if the cannons were swiveling to my position, than that means they aren't firing on Ponyville…

Oh shit.

It clicked in my mind as all the cannons on one side of the ship swiveled to my position on the clock tower. FUCK! Was the only thing running through my mind as I quickly tried to think of a way out of this explosive situation.

I gripped the rifle at my side in my right hand and aimed my gauntlet in front of me; making a fist and focusing the magic into it. I closed my eyes and concentrated the magic as the thumps of cannons began to fill my ears. I opened my eyes and jumped forward, releasing the spell at the same moment.

The world slowed to a snails crawl around me as my body moved through the air towards the airship. The air rippled and shimmered by me as I moved past the incoming cannonballs that seemed to be frozen in mid-air as I preformed my first (intentional) short ranged teleportation jump.

My feet landed on something hard and my eyes re-focused. I was standing on top of the armored balloon of the airship looking back at the clock tower as every cannonball impacted the side of the structure. Bricks and boards splintered and fragmented in every direction as the tower was cut in two by the heavy metal balls. I let out a breath of relief and looked around the top of the balloon. I dropped the rifle to my side and drew Zappy while making my way to the edge of the balloon.

The airship was held from the balloon by many long thick ropes. I eyed the closest one and jumped towards it, gauntleted arm outstretched to catch the rope. I gripped the rope and swung my way around it before sliding all the way down the cable until hitting the roof of the actual airship. I smiled and slammed the sword into the metal roofing.

Jerking the sword around in a three foot circle, I made my entrance into the airship’s interior. I pulled the sword from the metal and un-holstered my pistol. I cracked my neck and slammed a boot down on the weakened area.

The cut away circle slammed into the floor below with a massive crash. I jumped feet first into the dim red lighted interior of the airship, sword brandished and at the ready, while my pistol was charged with magical energy. I immediately fired three magical bolts of energy into the chest and head of a charging shadow that happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The creature jerked with each hit, before I dashed forward and plunged the electric charged blade into its chest where is spasmed for a brief moment before sliding off the blade and onto the metal floor, black blood pooling around it.

Oh, I loved close quarters fighting. I ran through the twisting corridors and never ending hallways, slaughtering anything that was unlucky enough to cross my path. I smashed in the door into a large room filled with shadow humans.

I calmly walked into the room before slamming my elbow in the door control, causing the door to slam shut behind be with a loud bang. Grinning from ear to ear I brought the sword to my side and the pistol to my front before sprinting forward into the crowded room. I ducked under a swing from one shadow while simultaneously slicing the legs out from under a different shadow; pointing the pistol up and firing a bolt of magic into the head of the attacking shadow. I flipped myself off the ground and swung around, crashing the hilt of the sword into the face of a shadow and then ramming the end of the pistol into its face and unleashing torrents of focused magical energy. It staggered backwards with each shot before collapsing to the ground missing a head.

I brought my arm up and deflected a hit off the backside of my gauntlet. I jerked the pistol around and whipped the creature across the face with it, before firing a quick trio of shots into its gut, flipping the sword into the air and catching it an elongated upwards slash, leaving the shadow without an arm and head. Before long I found myself dancing through the room, both swords drawn blocking and slicing my way through the shadows.

With this many shadows in one room, I could only imagine it being used as a drop bay to deploy them onto the city.
The floor jolted under me, as two massive bay doors slowly began to open over the hill side. I looked to the door and saw a shadow watching me as it dumped the shadow humans and myself to our deaths. I leapt over a rushing shadow and jammed both blades through its skull while continuing my run towards the door as the bay doors continued to open. The corpses of the already slain shadows beginning to slide down the slick surface towards the ground hundreds of feet below.

I sheathed one sword while reaching out with my gauntlet to grab hold of the door frame. The bay doors slid out all the way leaving me grabbing onto the door frame for dear life. I had about an inch of floor to stand on supporting me from the airship and the drop to the ground. The shadow on the other side of the door smiled at me.

I smiled back and pulled my arm back that was still holding the sword. I jammed it quickly through the small glass window in the door, piercing the shadow through the eye.

“That’s getting the point across.” I jerked the blade out and fired some magic into the door releasing the lock. I opened and walked out into the hallway whistling to myself as I made way towards what I hoped would be the bridge.

“Shadow Brother Comrade? Shadow Brother Comrade come in. This is Shadow Brother Captain requesting an update on the situation in the drop bay. Are the Shadow Brothers ready to be deployed?” The shadow captain spoke into the magic megaphone. “I repeat, is everything –“ A loud bang come from outside the door, causing the captain to turn away from the speaker system and watch as a Shadow Brother Engineer flew through the door to the bridge and smashed into and out of the large window next to the steering wheel.

The Captain had been created to fly and command the airship Fast Skies to the best of its abilities. But it knew next to nothing about fighting. That’s what the Shadow Brothers and Shadow Warriors were for. Day Terror gave it the knowledge to fly and command a ship, not fight, but she did give every shadow the basic knowledge of that.
That two legged monster that was solely bred to cause death and destruction. A genocidal monster that couldn’t ever seem to be stopped. Day Terror gave each of her shadows the knowledge of that human. Everything it has done, everything it has killed, everything it has stopped. The memories of it were extensive. It was a death creature. To meet it was to simply welcome death.

And the captain of the ship was staring right at that human.

The human began walking towards the Shadow Brother Captain, the walk slowly turning into a jog, which turned into a dead sprint. The human seemed to move with the speed of light as it moved effortlessly from side to side before appearing right in front of the startled captain.

The blade caught the shadow in its gut and sank all the way in to the hilt. The human jerked the blade up, spilling black blood over his armor and onto the floor of the bridge before drawing the blade out and letting the dying shadow drop to the metal deck with a muffled thud.

The human turned to the speaker system and picked up the magic microphone, giving it a few taps, and clearing his throat spoke into it.

“Attention crew of this ship. Fuck you! This is the human Johnson. Honored Service. Demon. Shadow Slayer. Monster of death. I am giving you the option to leave the ship now or face immediate death at the end of my blades.” As the human spoke, he scanned the long rows of controls and switches. Smiling he placed his hand on the one he was looking for.

“Actually you know what; I don’t like the idea of any of you things going free.”

The human slammed a gauntleted hand down on the button and a series of loud clanks filled the airship as every possible exit was sealed with metal hatches and locks.

“Please remain calm. Death will be to each of you shortly. And from everyone here at fly human, we hope you enjoy the fight.” The microphone dropped to the metal deck of the bridge with a clatter and a pop that echoed through the entire ship. The human flicked a few switches and the airship stopped its flight over Ponyville.

“You're all locked in here with me.” The laughter of a mad man filled the sound system through the entire ship.

Luna and the ponies cautiously poked their heads out of the basement as the thumping of cannonball impacts stopped. The town fell silent as ponies everywhere began to emerge from their hiding spots.

“Do you think Johnson stopped them?” Twilight asked the princess as they walked out onto the crater filled street.

The airship still floated above the town, just seemingly suspended above everything as if it was trapped in time. Luna was about to respond, but a loud crash sounded out. Everypony ducked, expecting another cannonball, but a dull thud came from next to the main six and the Princess. The body of a shadow warrior lay splattered on the cobblestone street. Soon another Shadow Human body landed near the dead warrior.

“Yeah,” Luna sighed and watched as another body was thrown through a hole in the side of the airship, “he’s stopping it.”

“Look out below!” Came a shout and a body flew towards the ground before sliding down the roof of a adjacent building and leaping onto the street before shoulder rolling to a leaning rest on the side of a destroyed wall next to the Royal Princess.

The human jerked a thumb towards the floating airship. “Yeah I just captured us a mobile artillery battery. What did you do today?” He gave a wide smile.

“Oh just moved a 743,400,000,000,000,000,000 pound object through the sky.” Luna shot back at me, meeting my smile.

“Buzz kill,” I mumbled, wiping blood from the shoulder armor I still had on. Twilight levitated the missing piece of golden armor that had been knocked off my other shoulder. I took it out of the air and smiled at the purple pony before reattaching it to my body.

“Okay now that we have some mobile artillery, we can make the assault on Canterlot even more effective.” I ran a hand along more parts of my armor covering my legs, trying to get the blood and grime off them. “Now about the stuff I'm going to need to help with my plan…?”

I looked to Luna who sighed and mentioned for Twilight and her friends to come closer as we began to explain my plan to them.

“You do know that this plan will completely destroy all of Ponyville and the surrounding area.” Twilight stared at me in utter disbelief. Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash all shared similar looks of disgust and anger.

“Ah can’t believe that y’all would even suggest such a thing!” Applejack huffed at me. “Mah family, mah farm, my life is in Ponyville. Without it we have nothing to live for here!”

“My shop is in Ponyville. In fact, all of us have something keeping us here fighting for this town.” Rarity fumed at me, taking a step with each word to punctuate her point.

“All the animals that would be harmed with your plan is… is… is just horrifying!” Fluttershy was absolutely terrifying as she hovered in front of me, staring at me with those massive eyes.

“ALRIGHT!” I screamed, backing away from the angry six ponies. “Alright,” I added a little quitter, “okay y’all have made your point. No blowing the dam to kill the army that is going to be on top of us in no time.” I sighed. “Princess you have any other ideas?”

Luna was very silent. She was concentrating hard and looking between myself and the Elements. “Girls,” she finally spoke after a few long moments of silence, “we need to think about this. If we chose to ignore Honored’s ridiculous plan, then nothing is going to stop the next army from overrunning this town. We simply won’t have enough guards or the strength to stop it. Sacrificing the town might be…no is the only way to stop this.”

“Wait.” I stood up and looked at the map again. “Make the town plan B. I’ve got a better plan. I'm going to need five hundred pounds of dynamite, a shit load of detonation wire, and a lot of magic.” I smiled deviously as I took a quill and began to make some changes to the map on the table. The ponies gathered around and their eyes grew wide as my master plan to end all plans slowly came together before them.

“And I shall call this beauty legen- wait for it- dary!”

“When did I say this was a good idea?” I called up to Luna who was holding onto the other end of the rope. I was dangling along the side of Ghastly Gorge slowly and painstakingly packing the walls and lining the edges of the chasm with over five hundred pounds of dynamite. I had a pattern of the explosives set up all the way from the beginning of the gorge to the end of it. If I couldn't blow the damn then I was sure as hell going to blow something… up.

Since we now had the artillery airship, we had a way to force the invading army off the main road and into the waiting death trap. The airship would meet the army head on and hopefully drive them into the gorge to avoid the deadly aerial bombardment.

“Just a few more Honored!” Luna called down to me before dropping the rope suddenly.

“AAAHHHHH!” I was jerked to a stop above the last magically drilled hole for the dynamite. I glared daggers at the smiling alicorn. She tried to act innocent, but I could see through that disguise. I reached into the nearly empty satchel wrapped around my side and pulled out the last remaining stick of explosive. I shoved it into the hole and connected the thin fuse to the detonation wire linking all the explosives together.

“Okay, Luna, pull me up.” I was dropped rapidly again before being drawn up. I crossed my arms and gave Luna a deadpan stare as she laughed at how easily I was scared by the sudden rise and fall of dropping to my near death even though I would leap from an airship to the ground below without blinking.

I kindly responded with a ‘fuck you that’s why’ and walked away towards the camp to finish the final stages for the upcoming mega battle of Ghastly Gorge.

* I never asked for this*

What do you get when you make a simple request to a friend to draw a bad ass army dude... you even give him a vivid description of what said dude should look like

and you get this guy instead.

Thanks a lot unspokenpapaer

Because this is what Honored Service in ACU's and golden armor totally looks like.

you ass.