The Shadow of the Moon

The Shadow of the Moon

Act 1: Drifting

Chapter 12: Legacy and Power

I stood in traditional armor plating. No special disguising enchantments or tactical vests for this event. Before me were three fresh graves of ponies under my command and one for a young foal. The services were respectful, and tear filled. A pegasus honor guard flew overhead, leaving dark trails of clouds in honor of the fallen soldiers while I presented a folded flag to each of the next of kin. I couldn’t tell any of the families how their loved ones died. All I could say was that they served with honor and distinction and that on behalf of a grateful nation, I thank them for their sacrifice. Those words rang, dark and heavy in my ears.

News of the two field agents’ death circulated the headquarters quickly. Not less than an hour after my announcement, one of our support operation staff had gone to the locker room and hung himself from his locker. In his suicide note, he admitted to divulging information to the Seen about our raids and eventually, that we had successfully imbedded two spies into their ranks. He was a single father, his wife had died during birth, and his daughter was sick in the hospital with cancer. He had been struggling to make ends meet and the last recent round of treatments had drained him of everything he had. The Seen approached him and offered him money to pay for the treatments, in return for information. He complied, but the Seen did not. He never received a bit from them and she died. He couldn’t bear the pain of losing his daughter and the weight of being responsible for the death of two fellow serviceponies.

I couldn’t hate the father for want he had done. At the same time though, I couldn’t paint him blameless. He was just pony who dreamed a dream; a better life that involved serving his nation, getting a wife and having a foal. However, his dream turned into a nightmare.

The cold gravestones stared at me with their granite faces. Despite my armor, I felt barren as I stood before them and left me with a heavy and tormented heart. There was no comfort to be found here. Just a story of how far reaching the cracks of a shattered life can stretch. A dark sapphire wing draped itself over my body. I reached over and hold Luna’s hoof.

“Tragic,” she said.

I didn’t say anything; I just stared ahead at the monuments to the lives in front of me.

“You’re trying assign where the blame belongs aren’t you,” she continued.

“There’s always somepony responsible, always,” I say gravely, “Discord killed my parents, the changlings killed Lime Hoof, the Seen kill ponies and in this case, I guess manipulate  them.”

Luna said nothing, “If that is so, then take it further. Who gave the young filly cancer? Who is to blame for that Midnight?”

I stare blankly, “I don’t know Luna. I don’t have all the answers. I don’t know something for once. I have always had a reason for everything, always a plan, and now…I don’t know.”

Luna nodded softly, “Sometimes, bad things happen to good ponies Midnight. You told me not too ago that it was life, giving us what we need to grow. While it is easy to give philosophy in a warm booth after one to many drinks, it becomes much harder when you witness it first hoof isn’t it?”

I look at her, “Why are you doing this Luna? Why are you asking me these questions?”

“Because you weren’t wrong,” Luna tells me softly, “While tragedy is awful, it is the yardstick of life. In this case, there isn’t a pony solely responsible for all of these deaths. All you can do Midnight is hold those that contributed to this responsible for their part of it.”

I look back at the graves and mull over her words, “I’d like to think over what you told me.”

She withdrew her wing and kissed me softly on the cheek, “Very well. Don’t take too long though. I have finished translating the inscriptions on those killing circles and honestly, it doesn’t look good. Also, your teams want to see you. They too have much to tell you.”

I nuzzled her neck briefly, “I’ll see back at the castle soon then. First I need to take care of some things first.”

“Okay,” she whispers to me and walks back to her Chariot. I give a nod to Steel Wing and Storm Cloud and they nodded back. They had gotten much older, but so had I. As they took off though, it didn’t seem age slowed them down any. I looked down at the graves again. I walked over to the young filly’s headstone and knelt at her grave.

‘Here lies Hope. Beloved daughter, cherished by all.’

I thought about the doctors and former patients that showed up spoke at her eulogy.

“Your father loved you, more than anything else. I’ll wish I could have met you. From what I heard, you were always so strong; you would hide your pain, just so you could take on others,” tears began blur my vision, “In place of their pain you would give them happiness, joy, and comfort. That is a rare talent that this world so desperately needs. Your deeds are timeless and you will be remembered in the hearts of those whose lives you touched.” I shed a few tears. “If there are such things as angels, you most certainly were one.”

I stood up and walked over to Hope’s father’s grave.

‘Quick Read. Dedicated father.’

“I don’t hate you for what you did, but I can’t forgive you either. I guess I understand though. I am not jealous of the decisions you made and without being in your position, I can’t say I would have acted differently. I wish you had told us about your daughter. I would have liked to help. I have more in my paycheck than I know what to do with and I would have gladly given it had you told me. She sounded like such a wonderful filly, and I know she made you proud because I’m in awe of her. Her candle burned so much more vibrantly than ours. Thank you for bringing her into this world.”

I walked over to the last two graves.

The first one read, ‘Silver Shine. Beloved son, distinguish guard.’ The second read, ‘Heavy Weight. Husband, father, friend.’

“I’m sorry. Neither one of you deserved this. We will catch them though. Your sacrifice will not be in vain. We will catch them, and when we do, you’ll get to speak to them soon afterwards.” I saluted their graves, “Thank you.”

I flew away from the Canterlot Cemetery and to the hospital in a calm peace.

"Maybe, just maybe, stoicism is overrated."

I landed and walked into the reception area.

“Can I help you?” the mare at the front desk asked.

“Yes,” I said, “My name is Lieutenant Shadow and I would like to speak with your charity coordinator and Doctor Coltson.”

“Oh, I’ll see what I can do,” the receptionist said as she began making a few calls.

Both agreed to meet me and over the next two hours, the three of us set up the Hope Memorial Charity. It would help provide aid to families that needed assistance paying for cancer treatments. I left the hospital and hopefully some lives, better than I went I arrived there. I headed back to the castle. I needed to see the troops. It was time to get to work.

“Sir, we have some good news,” Dusty Scroll reports, “Thank to the evidence Agent Shine and Agent Weight we have a name and face for what they say is the leader of the Seen.”

“Well let’s give this monster a name shall we,” I say dryly.

“Yes sir,” she pulls out a photo and pins it to the top of my cluttered corkboard. “This is the head of the snake. Calls herself, “The Watcher” which finally explains why her followers call themselves the Seen. We aren’t sure but we think she may have had some birth defects, which might explain the additional growths.”

I stare at the picture of the mare behind it all. Her plum coat and maroon mane contrasted sharply against her angry, glowing pink eyes. That wasn’t what startled me the most. Her horn was longer than it should have been for a normal unicorn, and she had small little nubs jutting from her back where wings would usually be.

I got a sick feeling in my stomach as I thought over the list of victims she had killed.

“First it was a unicorn, second a pegasus. Then she killed our agents. I’m not so sure those are birth defects.”

“Dusty, this was taken by our agents before their execution correct?” I ask trying to keep the concern out of my voice.

“Yes sir.”

“Do we have a recent one of her taken after their deaths?” I ask, trying to keep the sinking feeling down.

“No sir, but they did submit a possible location that the Watcher maybe hiding. It’s a large warehouse in the industrial sector,” she replied.

“Okay. Get some surveillance teams in the surrounding warehouses and watch that place. I want to know what it going on in there and if at all possible, get me an updated photo and I want to know her real name. None of this fear tactics crap by calling her ‘the Watcher’,” I order.

“Yes sir,” she said quickly.

“Thank you, that is all,” I dismiss her. I take one last look at the picture. I pull it down and pick up the file Dusty left me and went to see Luna.

Arriving at her chambers, I saw her two guards standing outside as usual. After events today, I couldn’t just leave things the way I had, which was leaving them unconscious in the middle of the hall. I walked up to them.

“Can I speak with the two of you a minute?” I ask.

“Depends,” the large one grunted, “You going to try and dent my head in with my helmet again?”

“Or kick me in the face,” the second one added.

“No, neither one. I wanted to apologize. You two were doing your jobs. As an officer I should have respected that and not attacked you as I did. As things are now, I appreciate you two being here and I want you here. We are supposed to be on the same team and I feel that what I did hurt the team, not help it. For that I am sorry,” I tell them.

“The big one studies me a minute, “You and me meet in the training ring sometime. I want to know how you learned to fight like that.”

 I nod my head, “You got it.”

He held out a hoof and I pounded it.

“We’re cool then,” he says.

I turn to the second guard.

“I don’t any part of getting in a ring with you, but if he’s cool with you, I have no complaints,” he explains.

“Good to hear,” I reply, “I don’t believe I ever learned your names either.”

“I’m Tug,” the big one says.

“And I’m W,” the second ones says.

“W?” I ask surprised.

W dangled his left front leg embarrassed.

“It stands for ‘Whoops,” Tug clarified smirking.

“You swore you’d never tell anypony,” Whoops said exasperated and ashamed. “My dad wasn’t really intending having another foal with my mom, but then I happened and as a cruel joke he named me ‘Whoops.’ He loved me nonetheless, but it was jerk thing to do. I can’t believe my mother let him do that.”

“Oh,” I tried hiding a smile, “I’m sorry to hear that.” Tug was chuckling softly anyways. “Well, I need to see Luna,” I say and step forward. They stop me.

“One thing first,” Tug says, “Tonight do we need to prevent any staff from entering the bathroom?” The two of them start laughing.

“No, not tonight,” I say deadpanning. I enter the room while they continue to laugh. I close the door to help drown them out.

Luna looks up at me, “Feel better?”

“A little,” I admit, “But not enough to consider myself in a good mood. Today was been difficult.”

“I know it has. Before we get to the translation, did you accomplish what you wanted to do today?” she asked.

“Yes, I did,” I said.

“Good,” Luna said. “Do you want to get straight to business?”

“Yes, it’s been a long day,” I admit with a yawn.

“Okay. The runes are the original markings for how to preform magic primarily through the environment itself and chanting. These pictograms are a subset of ones that can be used for transferring power and energy,” she paused, “Except they have been perverted and misused. These will drain the total essence of a ponies innate specialty, such as magic from a unicorn, flight from a pegasus, and strength from an earth pony, and,” she faltered a minute. “And transfer them to the spell caster. That is why the unicorn’s horn was inverted, and when I took a closer look at the pegasus victim’s wounds around the wings, they appear to have just been taken by magic.”

The sinking feeling in my gut returned. I pulled out the photograph of the Watcher, “Would that spell create these kinds of changes?”

Luna studied to photo, “It’s worse than I feared.”

“That doesn’t sound good.”

“Do you think she is trying to,” I pause unsure if I should finish that train of thought, “become like you?”

Luna sat silent. Finally she says, “I fear that may be possible. If she performed this one our agents, she’s already on her way. The problem will soon become with a spell like this is that while she can absorb these traits, she will never attain immortality and never look like a natural alicorn. She will be no different from Cadence, except not nearly as graceful looking.”

“If this monster is trying to obtain immortality, does that mean she would to…” I couldn’t finish the phrase.

Luna took a deep breath and the expression in her eyes hardened, “Yes Midnight, she would have to come after me or Celestia.”

Soft chanting began speaking in the back of my mind, but I repressed it for the time being, “Luna, are there any risks to using a spell like this?”

Her gaze softened again, “Oh yes, many things can go wrong, the biggest being that, when the pony in the center is cut with the enchanted knife inside the circle and the circle activates, the spellcaster needs to be outside of it in three seconds. If they don’t move fast enough in those three seconds and get caught in the spell, well, let’s just say, none survive.”

I think about that a moment and yawn again.

“Midnight, let’s go to bed. You’ve clearly had enough today,” she said as she folded a wing around me.

I didn’t complain as the two of us climbed into the soft sheets and snuggled up to each other and fell asleep. I was out the instant my head hit the pillow, but in the back of my mind, I heard Zecora saying,

“Both of you will fight to the death;

Up until the very last breath.

Win, save us all;

Lose, and the night princess will fall.”

The beeping was still there along with some soft snores to the right of me. I crack an eye and see Luna sound asleep in a chair. Outside the door I recognize the shape of two guards, Tug and Whoops. I look back at Luna, smile and drift back into unconsciousness.