Soldiersby ValorousspectreChaptersWe are SoldiersSurvivalRescueRecoveryRealisationsLast Stand of a MartyrWe are SoldiersFight for your people. Keep them safe. These words. Resonating through his soul as he stood upon the battlefield, looking out at the vast army before them. His company. A thousand soldiers, backed by a thousand more. Against what appeared to be millions. An army of green and black, hissing and snarling, clawed hands clutching blackened swords and spined shields. Horns crackling with green magic. changelings. Not just any. The Mad Queen’s army, once more. An all out assault this time. And here he stood, with his comrades. His friends. His fellow soldiers. He remembered the time when he was just a royal guard. A smile always upon his face. His loyal adoration of his goddess. Did he still see himself as devout? Could he believe her to be all powerful now? No. Sunlight Blade looked out across the stretch of blackened earth towards the encroaching army, and grimaced, clutching his own golden sword and shield tighter. They marched in time. Their commander, long since dead, was behind the enemy army. Pushed back again and again, now only two thousand. Morale dwindling. Soldiers on either side of him, a griffon priest turned soldier to defend his home. A brightly coloured changeling of Thorax’s hive, standing tall, ready to die in defense of his people. A crystal pony, looking for vengeance for the assaults upon her kingdom. A Yak, coming to the aid of their allies. Pegasi, Earth pony, Unicorn. But all of them fearful. All of them knowing, like him, this was the only time they had left. They had no way of winning this fight. They were too badly outnumbered. These drones, mindless savagery and brute force. Bred for battle. Bred to kill. They didn’t take disguises. They didn’t bother to. They just cut down anything in their path that didn’t look like them. Sunlight sighed, and glanced at the griffon, clad uncomfortably in chainmail and carrying a mace in one hand, his god’s clerical vestments over the mail, and his holy symbol in his other hand, wrapped around his wrist by golden chains. A glance at the crystal mare, two handed blade held in her powerful grip. Even she was trembling. Though, whether in rage or fear, he couldn’t tell. Her face was a mask of crystalline hate, a look he’d grown accustomed to ever since they slew her brother on the battlefield. He put a hand on the griffon’s shoulder, who jumped and looked at him. Sunlight merely nodded. Once, he would discuss theology with this gentle priest. Sometimes for hours, arguing that his sun god was, in fact, Celestia. Now… He couldn’t just let him die in fear. Sunlight had never been considered for leadership. He didn’t think he’d make a good one himself. But now, in the midst of this fearful world, upon this battlefield, he saw no one else making a move, so he stepped forward. His golden armour was dirty, mud streaked it in places and its shine had been all but hidden. But still, he felt the eyes of both the enemy and his fellows upon him. He’d never been good at speeches. He’d always sort of bumbled through them. Clumsy, they’d called him. He’d been forced to turn that away months ago. But, he was still a pony. Friendship, love, and cameraderie is where his people borrowed their most powerful braveries, achievements and power from. Song, their weapon of choice. He prayed for that now. Prayed to his Goddess, as he’d done countless times before. The words came to him. It wasn’t a happy song. But this wasn’t a happy circumstance, now was it? “It’s time to strap our boots on. This is the perfect day to die Wipe the blood out of our eyes.” The ranks stirred, the ponies felt it first. Pegasus. Unicorn. Earth. Crystal. Followed closely by the changelings. “In this life there’s no surrender There’s nothing left for us to do. Find the Strength to see this through.” Sunlight turned to face his people. His comrades. His fellow Soldiers. A fire in his eyes, light in his heart and already seeing the effects. He thrust his sword into the air. “We are the ones who will never be broken! With our final breath, we’ll fight to the death, We are soldiers! We are soldiers!” They began to stir, adding to the song. It was only an undercurrent for now, but Sunlight would take what he could get. “I stand here right beside you Tonight we’re fighting for our lives, Let me hear your battlecry.” Horn blazing, Sunlight turned to face the enemy as burning hardlight armour slammed into form around his body, encasing him as a shining beacon of light. Of hope. Of battle spirit. “Your battlecry!” As one, the assembled motley crew of two thousand soldiers behind him sang with him, stomping their feet to keep time. Harkening up all the pride, all the strength they had left. “We are the ones who will never be broken! With our final breath, We fight to the death We are Soldiers! We are soldiers!” The first wave was coming. Ravening bezerk changelings, and Sunlight was ready for them. Throwing himself to the ground, he slammed his hands against it, and, horn crackling and burning with ethereal fire, raised them up, bringing lines of hardlight stakes with them. Rows upon rows, like glowing, sunlit teeth. The screeches of pain and sizzling of blood and flesh as they burst into flames on contact, even after impaling themselves. A sheet of arrows followed, cutting down the stragglers without mercy. The advancing army halted, a bit more careful. Clearly something out there commanding them had a brain. Sunlight didn’t hesitate. “We stand Shoulder to shoulder! We stand, Shoulder to shoulder! We stand! Shoulder to shoulder! You cannot erase us, You’ll just have to face us!” A roar came from the assembled army, and weapons were held in the air. Shields were bashed, The changeling army responded. Sunlight roared back. “Face us!” The charge began. The changeling barrelling forth, unleashed like the dogs of war they were. Sunlight felt his teeth grit. “We are the ones who will not go unspoken! We will not sleep, we are not sheep WE ARE SOLDIERS! WE ARE SOLDIERS!” SurvivalThe stench of burning flesh, the sickly sweet scent of blood, and the fog of war all warped Sunlight’s senses as he looked at the retreating changeling army, the array of twelve burning blades at his back still spinning slowly, as he expected a surprise attack. His armour, cracked and broken, his sword long since lost as he held his hands clenched into fists over the body of his most recent victim, a changeling savage he’d pummeled into the bloody mud. Steam rose from the remnants of his hardlight armour, and he stood up, adrenaline keeping him from feeling the pain of his wounds. He looked around. His army was already regrouping, dragging the wounded in to be treated. That would be his next target. But as he walked, and the adrenaline began to wear off, he felt weariness coming over him. Angrily, he fought it off. He paid no mind the the reverent manner in which his fellow soldiers parted for his entry, and only stopped when he arrived at their makeshift medical area. Area, given they had nearly no supplies. He found the few medically trained members they had, and the young priest, sporting a bandage of his own and a sling, mace hanging by his side as he worked his magic, what was left of it, on another young soldier with an arrow in his side. Sunlight managed a weak, half-hearted smile to the griffon before falling to his knees beside the next most likely to survive, and summoning up his own magical reserves. “…That was an impressive song, Sunlight Blade,” The griffon said quietly as they worked, healing those they could with magic, and doing what they could for the dying, “I didn’t know you had it in you.” “I had to,” The tired unicorn replied softly, “If I hadn’t, we probably would have died there. As it is, I’m surprised we didn’t. I’m not a leader Gordon… I’m just a soldier.” The griffon paused, looking at the unicorn. Covered in blood, mud and several scrapes, cuts and bruises of his own, a little incredulous. “Sunlight… nopony else- No, nobody else, could have done what you did,” He insisted, “You rallied troops ready to die, and gave them enough hope, enough fighting spirit, to beat back an attacking army many times their size. And your fighting inspired us further. You were… Well, terrifying, if I’m honest.” “I’m just a soldier, like everyone else,” Sunlight insisted tiredly, pressing a glowing hand to an older soldier with a broken wrist, and watching as it jerked painfully back into place, and healed, fighting the drowsiness that came from deep healing magic, “I’m no different from anyone else here.” Gordon, seeing this wasn’t going anywhere, just shook his head, but didn’t pursue the matter further. There would be no point. They finished their business quietly, with Sunlight refusing Gordon’s attempts to heal him, insisting he was ‘fine’, before collapsing in exhaustion. He wouldn’t wake up for hours, but thankfully, other than a few skirmishes, they hadn’t been attacked again. Yet. RescueIt was a visual Gordon would never forget. After receiving orders from Sunlight, the remainder of the forces had left to retreat, to make their way back to Canterlot, and hopefully survive long enough to report in and join the main forces amassing to fight back the biggest changeling incursion in known history. They’d barely been walking for two hours before they saw them, and ran into said force. Not changelings, however. Leading the army, surprising Gordon and many of the others? Celestia herself, garbed in resplendent, gold gilt robes. Beside her strode her sister, clad in armour. Cadenza, Shining Armour, Twilight Sparkle… They were all here. Startlingly, the commander of their forces was the tough, no-nonsense Tempest Shadow. Although, now that he thought about it, that wasn’t so shocking. A quick debrief of the various fights, and Celestia looking over the group uneasily, came a simple, but tense question. “Is Sunlight Blade among the dead?” Gordon paused, looking at the eldest princess. The others glanced her way too, then looked to Gordon expectantly. He winced, looking at the ground. “He.. He stood his ground. He’s still back there, fighting to give us time to retreat.” Celestia looked stricken, then angry, “That fool,” She swore, looking back the way the retreating force had come from, “How fast can we get there?” “It took us nearly two hours to get here, we don’t know how far along Chrysalis’ army was when we left,” Gordon admitted, “I don’t know…” “Twilight. You and Discord work on widescale teleportation, or at least a method to get us there in time. He’s sacrificing himself to try to save these ponies, We’re going to have to pull him out of the fire.” “Sister-” The glare Celestia levelled at her sister silenced her, but it was clear she didn’t approve of Celestia’s decision to rush their march, all over a unicorn who was probably already dead. Gordon could only hope they made it in time to at least have a body to bury. Celestia, Tempest, Gordon and Luna were teleported first, with Gordon as their anchor point. When they arrived, the fight was already clearly over. Gordon watched as the warhammer slammed into Sunlight’s chest. He had blood pouring down his face, cuts across his arms. Unfortunately, the trip had left them momentarily disoriented, and the group couldn’t react. And then, chaos. The group watched in abject shock as the magical destruction began. They felt the heat from where they were standing as he lashed out, melting and burning through everything his magic touched. Gordon heard Celestia gasp, saying something along the lines of ‘it can’t be’, before the sound of space stretching gave way to the rest of the army appearing a company at a time, and Celestia was leading a charge towards the now glowing Sunlight Blade’s position. Gordon wasn’t sure how he managed to catch the near unconscious unicorn before he hit the ground, but he did remember the last of the fight before the enemy withdrew. None of it mattered, just shock at the condition of his friend, and the fact they’d reached him in time to potentially save his life left him thanking Ra profusely, and trying to heal the many open wounds of Sunlight’s frame. RecoveryPlease… Don’t take my son from me. Celestia, or whatever god is out there. I know I haven’t been devout. I’ve had my doubts, and rightfully still do. But right here, right now… I’d give anything. Just don’t take my son from me. Let him be alright. The sound of…. nothing. The smell of disinfectants and the almost sickeningly ‘clean’ smell of a hospital. Scratchy sheets. Sunlight’s eyes opened, and took a moment to focus. Everything hurt. His vision was weird. Like he only had half of it. He tried to move his arm, and winced. Nope, no go there. His other arm..? That moved. It hurt, but, it would do. On his face he felt bandages over his eye and head. that explained the lack of vision. He sighed quietly. Somehow, someway, he was alive. Had to be. There was no way heaven, or hell, could smell like this. Slowly, and regretting every second of it, he pushed himself up with his one working arm, and looked around. it was dark, and quiet. He took a shuddering breath to try and deal with the pain and looked himself over. One arm was encased in plaster, and was hanging from a sling from his neck and shoulder, the other wrapped entirely in bandages, an IV leading to his wrist. Wisely, he didn’t try to remove it. A rumble in his stomach brought to his attention how famished he was, and how thirsty. His mouth was dry, it felt like sandpaper. He looked about, searching for a bedside table of some description. “C’mon,” He muttered painfully, “They have them in movies…” Nothing. With a sigh, he lay back down, resigning himself to being thirsty all night. And hungry till morning. And then he saw the button. Press for nurse. He rolled his eyes. Moron. He pressed it. Then again. A minute passed and, a very curious mare, judging by her expression, poked her head into his room, and blinked in shock, seeing him awake. “H-hello,” She managed quietly, slipping into the room properly. She was wearing the right uniform, and Sunlight felt his body relax, realising only now he’d unconsciously tensed at her entry, “Can you tell me your name? Do you remember?” Sunlight tried to smile at her. To reassure her. But… he couldn’t summon it to his face. So instead, he nodded, “Sunlight Blade. I was a volunteer for the standing army, previously Royal Guard under Princess Celestia’s solar corp. Son of Sunlit Spear, Royal Guard Drill sergeant and trainer, specialist in magically assisted close combat.” The nurse nodded, picking up his sheet from the foot of his bed, and reading it, as though to confirm something, before sighing, and smiling at him. “Oh good, and can you tell me where you are?” “A hospital, I would guess,” He replied, “There’s nothing wrong with my head miss, you can rest easy.” “Policy Mister Blade, I’m sure you understand,” She replied pleasantly, “But, I’ll limit to one last question. What do you remember last?” That gave him pause, and he thought back. What did he remember last? “A prayer,” He said softly, “The sound of my father’s voice, begging Celestia to keep me alive. That I would return to him.” The nurse looked him funny, but accepted the answer before starting, “O-oh! I’m so sorry! Let me get you some water, you must be parched!” “Now that you mention it,” He nodded weakly, drawing another rushed apology from the nurse. His face settled into a grim frown. What had happened when he’d been asleep? And… how long had it been? Three months. It had been three months, he’d been asleep. A coma, they told him. Medically unfit for duty still even now, he was filled in by the doctors that had worked to fix up the many wounds he’d sustained in his foolish last stand. A shattered arm they pieced together with magic and the bandages and the cast on his unusable arm. Several fractures throughout his usable one, seven broken ribs, a slipped disc in his spine. Most of these had healed through his three months of complete inaction, although scans of the other injuries astounded medical professionals, given they were healing far too quickly to explain his condition. The war, as it turned out, didn’t take much longer to finish up after his last stand. The remnants of the Equestrian Alliance’s army (What the common pony had taken to calling it) was returning soon into Sunlight Blade’s physical therapy, with the big leaders returning early through a variety of teleportation or translocatory means of some fashion. So, it wasn’t long before he was visited by Princess Celestia herself. In his hospital room. clad in white silks, purple sash around her waist. He looked up as she entered, and nodded his head, rather than bow as he normally would have. A change she noticed immediately. A quiet discussion ensued, with her explaining that, his sudden magical explosion came from harnessing the raw mana produced and exhaled by the sun itself. A power she, justifiably, tried to hide from common knowledge. It had a basic sentience, she had explained, and could choose who could be aware of it, and make it easier to access. It was why so many were required during the old times to move it. Not because of its mass, or distance, though those played a factor in it. But because of the massive backlash assumed by even touching it, shared by all those linked in the spell. “But it’s also what’s helped you heal,” She then elaborated, “The excess magical energy within you absorbed, and it tried to rejuvenate your body, with some degree of success. I must ask of you, however, to keep this secret. if it got out the sun was an energy source for magic…” He had swore to keep the secret, and she had left, but not before telling him quietly of the reward ceremony to honour the dead, and his actions to save as many as he could, foolish as they had been. He’d laughed, for the first time since getting back, though there was no happiness behind it. Just hollow amusement, and told her he’d make it as he could. That was two weeks ago, as the last of the army began trickling in and being processed, there was only two days before the ceremony. Still bandaged, and now sporting a scar down one side of his face, which extended to his eye (Though the damage was superficial, he could still see thankfully), he looked himself over in the mirror. He’d lost much of his musculature, a problem he’d have to deal with when he was released, then looked at his dress uniform… And sighed. RealisationsThe award ceremony was reserved, withdrawn. Commanders, the princesses, common soldiers, grieving families. Honoring the dead as much as the living, with many posthumous medals being given out in light of the heroic actions of many of the lost souls that had taken part in stalling the enemy. Sunlight remembered having a medal pinned to his uniform. Several of them, in fact. A Blue moon, for suffering wounds whilst serving against the enemy (many were given out this day, all for the lost, all for the wounded), and more reverently, the Gold Sun medal, a medal he didn’t feel he deserved. Given out to those for heroic acts in the field of battle, that would have saved many. But, a good soldier, he didn’t complain as it was pinned to his chest. The last words were what caught his attention. He was being awarded one boon of his choice and, should it be within Celestia’s power to grant it, it would be done. Technically, he could have made the argument that both princesses should have something to do with this process, but Luna had stepped back, with the reasoning of Sunlight being ‘Her guard’, and a soldier in her ranks. He vaguely remembered being told to think on it, and approach the next day to request his award, before finding himself staring at the mirror in his room. His room at home. With his father, and his mother. The medals shining in the fading light of the day. “I know my words before you left were harsh.” The voice came from beside him somewhere, and he looked over. His father, the ever grizzled and feared Sunlit Spear (Well, feared by rookies at least) had, at some point, entered his room, “And I know we didn’t part on the best terms but…” “Dad, it’s alright,” Sunlight stopped him quietly, “I was stupid, and thought myself invincible back then. I thought that war was glorious, and that it was only right I volunteered for it.” he looked back at his reflection, looking at the scar down his face, his arm, still in a sling, and his other arm, which he’d been having phantom pains in since he got back, “and I learned otherwise. I lost my friends, my innocence. I lost my foolishness, but the cost….” Sunlit nodded quietly, unable to look at his son. Unexpectedly, Sunlight approached him and hugged him tightly, “I heard you pray you know. At my bedside. I thought you stopped being Celestian?” “I did… but I thought, if she could keep you with me, maybe I’d been wrong all these years. C-C’mon, your mother’s got dinner on the table, and you’re gunna make me cry. I don’t do crying.” Sunlight almost smiled. The morning came with a quiet chirping of birds, and Sunlight felt a bit out of place. Months he’d been home already, and he still wasn’t used to hearing things be peaceful. But, dressed once more in his formal uniform for the Royal Guard, not the army, Sunlight was escorted from the front of the castle of the Royal Sisters, directly to the throne room so the princess could hear his request. Sunlight had already decided what he was going to ask for. But upon being announced, and walking in, he couldn’t help but frown. As usual, Celestia was surrounded by ponies. Guards, the nobility considered her ‘advisors’, even maids and waitstaff were helping upkeep the place, and surrounded by guards. “Sunlight Blade,” Celestia smiled at him from her throne, “You’re looking well.” Sunlight bowed his head briefly in greeting, “Princess. It’s good to see you as well. I’m here concerning the orders pertaining to the requested reward you’ve bestowed upon me.” He could feel all the eyes on him as he stood before the princess. Everyone was silent, curious about what he’d request. Celestia noted his calling her ‘Princess’, as opposed to ‘Goddess’, but she hid her curiosity well, “Of course. What is it you’d request?” Sunlight considered it for a moment, glancing around, “With all due respect Princess, I would prefer this discussion be had in private.” The quiet crowd went from looking at Sunlight to looking at Celestia curiously. It was not the first time he’d asked for this, and last time she had granted his request. With a nod, she waved a hand, “Then in private it will be. Guards, please remove everyone from the throne room, give us the room.” A quiet grumble from the ponies in the room were expected, but they weren’t dumb enough to complain, given what had happened last time. In short term, the room was empty, save for Celestia and Sunlight Blade. Once the last ones had left, the immortal one sighed, relaxing somewhat in her chair, “Sunlight… if this is-” “When I was on the battlefield,” He interrupted her, much to her surprise, ignoring her no doubt refusal of his unspoken request, “I had a lot of reason to grow. Knowing that, if I made one mistake, I would die. That I’d bring such pain to my family,” He rubbed his still healing shattered arm quietly for a moment, “I was there for six weeks, fighting skirmishes, volunteering so others wouldn’t have to. My first real fight taught me the horrors of war, and why we strive so hard to never participate, unless absolutely required.” Celestia’s surprise quietly faded, and her face turned dark, looking down. Sunlight didn’t notice, or if he did he didn’t comment, “I was forced to watch as my comrades, friends and fellow soldiers, guards and even our medics were killed, slaughtered by the most terrifying foe I could imagine. Insectoid, cannibalistic, if nothing else just for damaging morale. It worked, believe me.” He sniffed, looking back up at Celestia. His eyes dead, but intense. A strange dichotomy Celestia had only seen a few times before, “And I prayed. I prayed to all of you. I prayed to Luna that our night be uninterrupted, to Twilight that our unity give us strength. To Cadance… that we would get home to see our families again. And to you most of all. I prayed for strength from you, begging for guidance. Guidance that never came.” She flinched at the accusation, but when she went to reply, he held up his hand, “Please, I’m not finished. By the end of it all, I was praying purely out of habit, I think. For, there was no answer coming. ‘It’s just a test’ I told myself, ‘They’ve a plan, they’ll save those of us worthy’. A selfish, disgusting thought if ever I had one,” The grimace on his face twisted into ugly self loathing, “And I thought like this for years. Decades. I thought that the big issues with the world were tests. I made one last prayer when I begged for the power to stand up again, the power to fight again, to give my fellows enough time to run to safety. And something answered me. For a moment, I thought it was you. My faith was strong again, and I lashed out in righteous fury. But…” “Now you know it wasn’t me,” She finished, and he laughed humourlessly, “No princess. I knew it wasn’t before you told me. it didn’t feel right. You have always glowed, a gentle warmth for your ponies to bask in. This? This was burning, heat and fire to obliterate my enemies. I didn’t know what it was until you told me, but I knew it wasn’t you. When I woke up, I had a lot of time to myself. Father was working hard to train new recruits into the guard to replace the volunteers who had died, my mother’s flower business was probably the busiest she’d ever experienced, so it was just me. Gordon was helping with the wounded, and I wasn’t allowed to. So, I had a lot of time to think, and I’ve come to some realisations that, now that I’ve come to the conclusions, make a lot of sense.” Curiosity and her habit of teaching the young overcame the solar monarch’s grim thoughts, and she cocked an eyebrow at him, “And, what conclusions would they be?” She asked, not unkindly. “One,” He began, “The alicorn race are far from all powerful, otherwise you would never allow such harm to befall your people. You are far too kind hearted to let the people you see as your responsibility come to harm when you could prevent it.” “Two,” he continued, “You, none of you in fact, can hear our prayers. What it essentially comes down to is us begging someone else to solve our problems, and that will never happen. We have to step up to fix our own problems and find our own solutions.” “Like you did with the retreat you called,” She said softly, standing from her seat and approaching her battered and scarred guard, “it was admirable.” “It was foolish,” he corrected, to which she laughed. “It was foolish,” She said in agreement, strangely warmly, “But what else had we come to expect of you?” He nodded, though doubted he was so like he used to be, “And Third. I couldn’t be who I was, and get through that alive.” She nodded sadly, “Unfortunately, that is the way of war. It affects us, and rarely in a good way. I would even hesitate to say ever in a good way.” He bowed a head respectfully, “Indeed. When I got home, I had a lot of time to think. Given my previous thoughts, and despite the outreaching of my priest, I came to the realisation of what, I believe, you’ve been trying to tell me this whole time, and I had my head too far up my ass to see this whole time. You, your sister, your niece and your student…” “None of you are gods.” Celestia smiled sadly, and nodded, “I have tried. I’m sorry it took such a traumatic event, and such loss, for you to learn this. And I’m sorry I couldn’t convince you earlier.” “I was too stubborn in my belief,” he replied quietly, “That you were being modest, trying to be approachable. I used to stammer in your presence sometimes, and trip over myself to make you happy. I was like a puppy. A big, armoured puppy with magic.” He paused, and, for a moment, Celestia wondered if she should say something. But he cleared his throat suddenly, “But I’m not that puppy anymore. And in spite of everything I’ve come to realise, despite all of my beliefs being turned upside down, and then thrown out of the window, I’ve come down to the basics again. One, You aren’t a real goddess, nor are your family members. Two, You’re a very real, very normal mare, who only rules through unfortunate circumstance, and three, Life for people like me is far too short to waste on absurdities like religion, or worrying what happens to me when I die.” Celestia looked over this new, mildly scarier Sunlight Blade. Scarred face, arm in a sling, permanent scarring over his horn from using far too much magic for him to handle (Though the doctors said it was only aesthetic, and would probably go away with time), standing in his dress uniform. He hadn’t smiled once since she’d seen him, and according to reports from medical staff, he hadn’t smiled since he’d gotten back, not even when seeing his parents again, or talking to his psychologist. “Princess, I’m a broken stallion,” He began again softly, “I have nightmares every night of my fellows dying around me, and have to fight back the urge to draw my sword whenever I hear a loud sound. I find it hard to smile, despite knowing there is much around to smile about, and I’m still readjusting to not being around the other soldiers. But what I wish to ask of you just might prove to you I’m still me. I’m still the Sunlight Blade who left, just older. Wiser. Perhaps in need of a little help to put himself back together.” “And what would your request be?” He tried to speak, failed, then a wry grin crossed his face, much to Celestia’s shock, “A few years back, I came to you professing my love. And you turned me down, told me that I held you on too high a pedestal. That you had no way of ever taking advantage of such a thing. A few years later, when the rumours of you stepping down were circulating, I told you you would always be my goddess, no matter what. I might have been young and foolish, I might have held you up higher than you were comfortable at the time. But I meant those words. And I don’t regret them. I feel as much affection for you then as I do now, just with less religious fawning.” Celestia blinked, and frowned, “Sunlight…” “I’m not asking you to love me,” he said gently, “I ask only for a kiss.” Silence. Celestia blinked, “A kiss.” “Yes.” She sighed, “Sunlight, you’re aware you could ask for anything? Anything at all within my power? Equestria at your fingertips, and that’s your request?” “I don’t need Equestria at my fingertips,” He said, finally a proper, small smile appearing on his otherwise calm face as he took her arm with his good hand, “Not when I have the world right in front of me.” Last Stand of a MartyrSunrise. The stench of blood and steel still hung thick, and a battlefield covered in the dead greeted them. Standing despite his deep weariness, alongside his fellow healer and priest Gordon, Sunlight Blade overlooked the battlefield, frowning. He could see the enemy army. it had regrouped, rallied. It was approaching once more. It’d been less than a day. “Hive Minds have a definite advantage,” he muttered bitterly, “To regroup so swiftly.” “It’s not looking good, no,” Gordon sighed quietly, “But… at least we bought them time to figure something out. Right?” Sunlight grimaced. That was true, as much as he didn’t want to think about it, there was no real way any of them were coming out of the coming days alive. Not if they fought, and nobody left an enemy army on their tail. Not if they had a choice. “Not if you’re not here to die,” He said grimly. Gordon felt a shiver up his spine and he looked sideways at his friend. Something about his look made him uneasy, “We were meant to be reinforced weeks ago. They never arrived. I think it’s safe to say they won’t be coming now. But I won’t see all the people I had behind me die. Not now.” “What did you have planned?” Gordon queried warily. Sunlight’s jaw tightened, as did his hold on the sword he’d recovered to replace his old one. “A retreat… And I will stay behind to stall them,” He replied grimly, much to Gordon’s alarm, “I can’t hold them long. But a force that big takes more time to move, and any amount of time I can stall will mean more of you survive.” “That’s crazy!” Gordon cried, “You’ll be killed for certain! That’s an army Sunlight! Think about this!” “I have,” the finality of his tone shut the griffon’s beak quickly, “If given the choice, I’d rather I die, and you all live, than we all die here. If nothing else, we can add whoever lives through here back to the next force that fights these bastards.” Gordon was quiet, but eventually he sighed, and left, resigning himself to losing a friend. Another one. Within the hour, Sunlight had prepared his several hundred survivors into a cohesive enough unit to take the wounded with them when they left, telling them he’d be ‘right behind you!’ after he finished a few things. He never joined them. And so, when the enemy army arrived, it was just Sunlight Blade, standing tall, surrounded by the dead, and looking determined. “Changelings of the Mad Queen!” He called, pulling out every shred of courage he had left to face his death, and stall as long as he could, “Lay down your arms! Return to the lands of the Sane, and cast off your tyrant! If you do, I swear, I will spare each and every one of you.” The sound of laughter rattled around his soul. He’d expected as much. He was alone, against a horde of apocalyptic proportions. Why fear one unicorn? His grip on his sword tightened, and he took a deep breath as, as one, the army started marching forward. No need to rush, against one enemy. Such a Fool, Sunlight Blade. Where do you get off thinking you can halt them, even for a moment? He closed his eyes with a deep breath, letting the tromp of their boots fade from his mind as he began to pray. Celestia, bless me with your grace. The strength to fight this, my greatest foe, for the sake of my comrades. My people. And your kingdom. Lend me your strength, and give me the fortitude to weather the oncoming storm, that I might see your sun rise once more. He reached deep for his magic reserves, still depleted after his last battle, and opened his eyes, horn blazing with heat and mana as he summoned his armour, a dozen blazing blades burning with heat forming behind him as he took a grounded stance. “So be it!” he called in response to their march, before abandoning all defense, and charging towards the oncoming horde, sword swinging, magic blazing in a whirling dervish of death and fire. The smell of burnt flesh filled his nostrils again as he hacked and slashed at who and whatever brought itself within range. He felt the impacts of countless blades slamming into his ethereal armour. His reserves, already low, were rapidly dwindling. A reckless swing at a nearby swordsman saw his head clear his fellows, a trail of blood following the curve of the blade’s tip as it followed through. And then, impact. He felt it on his chest, and it knocked the wind out of him. His magical armour shattered, and time slowed. In shocking slow motion, he turned his head as he lost the ground beneath him. A larger, stronger looking changeling. A cruel intelligence in his eye and a warhammer still slamming into his quarry’s sternum. Sunlight wasn’t sure how far he fell. It felt like miles until he hit the ground. He had lost his sword some time between being hit, and landing. And he had no idea where it had gone along such a short time. Everything hurt. His horn sparked uselessly as he tried to call on his magic. Empty. The commander approached. He was only aware of it as the ‘ling entered his field of vision, a smug look on his face. “Admirable courage,” The commander said sarcastically, “But stupid. Very, very stupid. You killed enough of my drones, now I get the pleasure of putting you down myself.” Celestia… I need your help now. And if not you, anyone. Anything. I will give you anything, if you just give me the power to stall them longer! His horn sparked again, and the creature above him laughed, echoed among his fellows. But something was different. Something called to him. Something vast. Something bottomless. Without question, Sunlight embraced it. And in that moment, his horn blazed back to life, spitting fire and plasma as he felt energy. Limitless, hot, burning. Powerful. With a roar, he pushed, and the look of shock on the Changeling’s face became one of pain as a burning shockwave burst forth, flinging the surrounding soldiers across their own ranks as Sunlight stood tall. There was so much. it burned. It hurt. He could feel it, mana flowing from everything. His eyes overflowed with it. He couldn’t stop it bursting from his horn, his very pores leaked it, giving him an almost ethereal, elemental appearance as heat shimmer cloaked him scorching power. The ground beneath his feet rapidly scorched, burning away as he stood tall. Dimly, he heard the call to kill him. Bring it. With another roar, and a surge of mana, his armour reformed around him, blades swinging into existence. Without thought, he sent the entire lot of them spinning through the ranks of changelings, not watching as they scythed through the troops as they touched them, throwing out his arm as pure energy whipped out of his fingertips, turning to burning plasma as they travelled, draping over and, indeed, cutting right through the ranks. The other hand thrown out as an explosion rocked the air and earth as he let loose. Everything that got close was burned away, scorched to ashes and atoms. And then, suddenly, it was too much. With a scream, he tried to vent it. Anywhere. Everywhere. Beams of white hot light burst from the cuts on his flesh, from his eyes, ears, his horn became a pillar of burning pain searing into his skull. He felt something running down his face, and then the power was gone. A wave of nausea hit him, and then pain. His golden armour, the pride and joy of the Equestrian Royal Forces, was molten upon the ground, with only patches of what he was wearing still on him. And this time, the army, what was left of it after such brutality, looked at him in abject terror. He turned his eyes on them… And then an explosion rocked the world, he lost his balance, and he fell. Vaguely, he made out screams of fear and pain, and then white feathers. He thought they were feathers, anyway. Familiar voices. Something tan, with wings. There was something awfully familiar about the noises it was making. So familiar…. He blacked out, finally unable to keep holding on, the pain fading into blissful oblivion.
We are SoldiersFight for your people. Keep them safe. These words. Resonating through his soul as he stood upon the battlefield, looking out at the vast army before them. His company. A thousand soldiers, backed by a thousand more. Against what appeared to be millions. An army of green and black, hissing and snarling, clawed hands clutching blackened swords and spined shields. Horns crackling with green magic. changelings. Not just any. The Mad Queen’s army, once more. An all out assault this time. And here he stood, with his comrades. His friends. His fellow soldiers. He remembered the time when he was just a royal guard. A smile always upon his face. His loyal adoration of his goddess. Did he still see himself as devout? Could he believe her to be all powerful now? No. Sunlight Blade looked out across the stretch of blackened earth towards the encroaching army, and grimaced, clutching his own golden sword and shield tighter. They marched in time. Their commander, long since dead, was behind the enemy army. Pushed back again and again, now only two thousand. Morale dwindling. Soldiers on either side of him, a griffon priest turned soldier to defend his home. A brightly coloured changeling of Thorax’s hive, standing tall, ready to die in defense of his people. A crystal pony, looking for vengeance for the assaults upon her kingdom. A Yak, coming to the aid of their allies. Pegasi, Earth pony, Unicorn. But all of them fearful. All of them knowing, like him, this was the only time they had left. They had no way of winning this fight. They were too badly outnumbered. These drones, mindless savagery and brute force. Bred for battle. Bred to kill. They didn’t take disguises. They didn’t bother to. They just cut down anything in their path that didn’t look like them. Sunlight sighed, and glanced at the griffon, clad uncomfortably in chainmail and carrying a mace in one hand, his god’s clerical vestments over the mail, and his holy symbol in his other hand, wrapped around his wrist by golden chains. A glance at the crystal mare, two handed blade held in her powerful grip. Even she was trembling. Though, whether in rage or fear, he couldn’t tell. Her face was a mask of crystalline hate, a look he’d grown accustomed to ever since they slew her brother on the battlefield. He put a hand on the griffon’s shoulder, who jumped and looked at him. Sunlight merely nodded. Once, he would discuss theology with this gentle priest. Sometimes for hours, arguing that his sun god was, in fact, Celestia. Now… He couldn’t just let him die in fear. Sunlight had never been considered for leadership. He didn’t think he’d make a good one himself. But now, in the midst of this fearful world, upon this battlefield, he saw no one else making a move, so he stepped forward. His golden armour was dirty, mud streaked it in places and its shine had been all but hidden. But still, he felt the eyes of both the enemy and his fellows upon him. He’d never been good at speeches. He’d always sort of bumbled through them. Clumsy, they’d called him. He’d been forced to turn that away months ago. But, he was still a pony. Friendship, love, and cameraderie is where his people borrowed their most powerful braveries, achievements and power from. Song, their weapon of choice. He prayed for that now. Prayed to his Goddess, as he’d done countless times before. The words came to him. It wasn’t a happy song. But this wasn’t a happy circumstance, now was it? “It’s time to strap our boots on. This is the perfect day to die Wipe the blood out of our eyes.” The ranks stirred, the ponies felt it first. Pegasus. Unicorn. Earth. Crystal. Followed closely by the changelings. “In this life there’s no surrender There’s nothing left for us to do. Find the Strength to see this through.” Sunlight turned to face his people. His comrades. His fellow Soldiers. A fire in his eyes, light in his heart and already seeing the effects. He thrust his sword into the air. “We are the ones who will never be broken! With our final breath, we’ll fight to the death, We are soldiers! We are soldiers!” They began to stir, adding to the song. It was only an undercurrent for now, but Sunlight would take what he could get. “I stand here right beside you Tonight we’re fighting for our lives, Let me hear your battlecry.” Horn blazing, Sunlight turned to face the enemy as burning hardlight armour slammed into form around his body, encasing him as a shining beacon of light. Of hope. Of battle spirit. “Your battlecry!” As one, the assembled motley crew of two thousand soldiers behind him sang with him, stomping their feet to keep time. Harkening up all the pride, all the strength they had left. “We are the ones who will never be broken! With our final breath, We fight to the death We are Soldiers! We are soldiers!” The first wave was coming. Ravening bezerk changelings, and Sunlight was ready for them. Throwing himself to the ground, he slammed his hands against it, and, horn crackling and burning with ethereal fire, raised them up, bringing lines of hardlight stakes with them. Rows upon rows, like glowing, sunlit teeth. The screeches of pain and sizzling of blood and flesh as they burst into flames on contact, even after impaling themselves. A sheet of arrows followed, cutting down the stragglers without mercy. The advancing army halted, a bit more careful. Clearly something out there commanding them had a brain. Sunlight didn’t hesitate. “We stand Shoulder to shoulder! We stand, Shoulder to shoulder! We stand! Shoulder to shoulder! You cannot erase us, You’ll just have to face us!” A roar came from the assembled army, and weapons were held in the air. Shields were bashed, The changeling army responded. Sunlight roared back. “Face us!” The charge began. The changeling barrelling forth, unleashed like the dogs of war they were. Sunlight felt his teeth grit. “We are the ones who will not go unspoken! We will not sleep, we are not sheep WE ARE SOLDIERS! WE ARE SOLDIERS!”
SurvivalThe stench of burning flesh, the sickly sweet scent of blood, and the fog of war all warped Sunlight’s senses as he looked at the retreating changeling army, the array of twelve burning blades at his back still spinning slowly, as he expected a surprise attack. His armour, cracked and broken, his sword long since lost as he held his hands clenched into fists over the body of his most recent victim, a changeling savage he’d pummeled into the bloody mud. Steam rose from the remnants of his hardlight armour, and he stood up, adrenaline keeping him from feeling the pain of his wounds. He looked around. His army was already regrouping, dragging the wounded in to be treated. That would be his next target. But as he walked, and the adrenaline began to wear off, he felt weariness coming over him. Angrily, he fought it off. He paid no mind the the reverent manner in which his fellow soldiers parted for his entry, and only stopped when he arrived at their makeshift medical area. Area, given they had nearly no supplies. He found the few medically trained members they had, and the young priest, sporting a bandage of his own and a sling, mace hanging by his side as he worked his magic, what was left of it, on another young soldier with an arrow in his side. Sunlight managed a weak, half-hearted smile to the griffon before falling to his knees beside the next most likely to survive, and summoning up his own magical reserves. “…That was an impressive song, Sunlight Blade,” The griffon said quietly as they worked, healing those they could with magic, and doing what they could for the dying, “I didn’t know you had it in you.” “I had to,” The tired unicorn replied softly, “If I hadn’t, we probably would have died there. As it is, I’m surprised we didn’t. I’m not a leader Gordon… I’m just a soldier.” The griffon paused, looking at the unicorn. Covered in blood, mud and several scrapes, cuts and bruises of his own, a little incredulous. “Sunlight… nopony else- No, nobody else, could have done what you did,” He insisted, “You rallied troops ready to die, and gave them enough hope, enough fighting spirit, to beat back an attacking army many times their size. And your fighting inspired us further. You were… Well, terrifying, if I’m honest.” “I’m just a soldier, like everyone else,” Sunlight insisted tiredly, pressing a glowing hand to an older soldier with a broken wrist, and watching as it jerked painfully back into place, and healed, fighting the drowsiness that came from deep healing magic, “I’m no different from anyone else here.” Gordon, seeing this wasn’t going anywhere, just shook his head, but didn’t pursue the matter further. There would be no point. They finished their business quietly, with Sunlight refusing Gordon’s attempts to heal him, insisting he was ‘fine’, before collapsing in exhaustion. He wouldn’t wake up for hours, but thankfully, other than a few skirmishes, they hadn’t been attacked again. Yet.
RescueIt was a visual Gordon would never forget. After receiving orders from Sunlight, the remainder of the forces had left to retreat, to make their way back to Canterlot, and hopefully survive long enough to report in and join the main forces amassing to fight back the biggest changeling incursion in known history. They’d barely been walking for two hours before they saw them, and ran into said force. Not changelings, however. Leading the army, surprising Gordon and many of the others? Celestia herself, garbed in resplendent, gold gilt robes. Beside her strode her sister, clad in armour. Cadenza, Shining Armour, Twilight Sparkle… They were all here. Startlingly, the commander of their forces was the tough, no-nonsense Tempest Shadow. Although, now that he thought about it, that wasn’t so shocking. A quick debrief of the various fights, and Celestia looking over the group uneasily, came a simple, but tense question. “Is Sunlight Blade among the dead?” Gordon paused, looking at the eldest princess. The others glanced her way too, then looked to Gordon expectantly. He winced, looking at the ground. “He.. He stood his ground. He’s still back there, fighting to give us time to retreat.” Celestia looked stricken, then angry, “That fool,” She swore, looking back the way the retreating force had come from, “How fast can we get there?” “It took us nearly two hours to get here, we don’t know how far along Chrysalis’ army was when we left,” Gordon admitted, “I don’t know…” “Twilight. You and Discord work on widescale teleportation, or at least a method to get us there in time. He’s sacrificing himself to try to save these ponies, We’re going to have to pull him out of the fire.” “Sister-” The glare Celestia levelled at her sister silenced her, but it was clear she didn’t approve of Celestia’s decision to rush their march, all over a unicorn who was probably already dead. Gordon could only hope they made it in time to at least have a body to bury. Celestia, Tempest, Gordon and Luna were teleported first, with Gordon as their anchor point. When they arrived, the fight was already clearly over. Gordon watched as the warhammer slammed into Sunlight’s chest. He had blood pouring down his face, cuts across his arms. Unfortunately, the trip had left them momentarily disoriented, and the group couldn’t react. And then, chaos. The group watched in abject shock as the magical destruction began. They felt the heat from where they were standing as he lashed out, melting and burning through everything his magic touched. Gordon heard Celestia gasp, saying something along the lines of ‘it can’t be’, before the sound of space stretching gave way to the rest of the army appearing a company at a time, and Celestia was leading a charge towards the now glowing Sunlight Blade’s position. Gordon wasn’t sure how he managed to catch the near unconscious unicorn before he hit the ground, but he did remember the last of the fight before the enemy withdrew. None of it mattered, just shock at the condition of his friend, and the fact they’d reached him in time to potentially save his life left him thanking Ra profusely, and trying to heal the many open wounds of Sunlight’s frame.
RecoveryPlease… Don’t take my son from me. Celestia, or whatever god is out there. I know I haven’t been devout. I’ve had my doubts, and rightfully still do. But right here, right now… I’d give anything. Just don’t take my son from me. Let him be alright. The sound of…. nothing. The smell of disinfectants and the almost sickeningly ‘clean’ smell of a hospital. Scratchy sheets. Sunlight’s eyes opened, and took a moment to focus. Everything hurt. His vision was weird. Like he only had half of it. He tried to move his arm, and winced. Nope, no go there. His other arm..? That moved. It hurt, but, it would do. On his face he felt bandages over his eye and head. that explained the lack of vision. He sighed quietly. Somehow, someway, he was alive. Had to be. There was no way heaven, or hell, could smell like this. Slowly, and regretting every second of it, he pushed himself up with his one working arm, and looked around. it was dark, and quiet. He took a shuddering breath to try and deal with the pain and looked himself over. One arm was encased in plaster, and was hanging from a sling from his neck and shoulder, the other wrapped entirely in bandages, an IV leading to his wrist. Wisely, he didn’t try to remove it. A rumble in his stomach brought to his attention how famished he was, and how thirsty. His mouth was dry, it felt like sandpaper. He looked about, searching for a bedside table of some description. “C’mon,” He muttered painfully, “They have them in movies…” Nothing. With a sigh, he lay back down, resigning himself to being thirsty all night. And hungry till morning. And then he saw the button. Press for nurse. He rolled his eyes. Moron. He pressed it. Then again. A minute passed and, a very curious mare, judging by her expression, poked her head into his room, and blinked in shock, seeing him awake. “H-hello,” She managed quietly, slipping into the room properly. She was wearing the right uniform, and Sunlight felt his body relax, realising only now he’d unconsciously tensed at her entry, “Can you tell me your name? Do you remember?” Sunlight tried to smile at her. To reassure her. But… he couldn’t summon it to his face. So instead, he nodded, “Sunlight Blade. I was a volunteer for the standing army, previously Royal Guard under Princess Celestia’s solar corp. Son of Sunlit Spear, Royal Guard Drill sergeant and trainer, specialist in magically assisted close combat.” The nurse nodded, picking up his sheet from the foot of his bed, and reading it, as though to confirm something, before sighing, and smiling at him. “Oh good, and can you tell me where you are?” “A hospital, I would guess,” He replied, “There’s nothing wrong with my head miss, you can rest easy.” “Policy Mister Blade, I’m sure you understand,” She replied pleasantly, “But, I’ll limit to one last question. What do you remember last?” That gave him pause, and he thought back. What did he remember last? “A prayer,” He said softly, “The sound of my father’s voice, begging Celestia to keep me alive. That I would return to him.” The nurse looked him funny, but accepted the answer before starting, “O-oh! I’m so sorry! Let me get you some water, you must be parched!” “Now that you mention it,” He nodded weakly, drawing another rushed apology from the nurse. His face settled into a grim frown. What had happened when he’d been asleep? And… how long had it been? Three months. It had been three months, he’d been asleep. A coma, they told him. Medically unfit for duty still even now, he was filled in by the doctors that had worked to fix up the many wounds he’d sustained in his foolish last stand. A shattered arm they pieced together with magic and the bandages and the cast on his unusable arm. Several fractures throughout his usable one, seven broken ribs, a slipped disc in his spine. Most of these had healed through his three months of complete inaction, although scans of the other injuries astounded medical professionals, given they were healing far too quickly to explain his condition. The war, as it turned out, didn’t take much longer to finish up after his last stand. The remnants of the Equestrian Alliance’s army (What the common pony had taken to calling it) was returning soon into Sunlight Blade’s physical therapy, with the big leaders returning early through a variety of teleportation or translocatory means of some fashion. So, it wasn’t long before he was visited by Princess Celestia herself. In his hospital room. clad in white silks, purple sash around her waist. He looked up as she entered, and nodded his head, rather than bow as he normally would have. A change she noticed immediately. A quiet discussion ensued, with her explaining that, his sudden magical explosion came from harnessing the raw mana produced and exhaled by the sun itself. A power she, justifiably, tried to hide from common knowledge. It had a basic sentience, she had explained, and could choose who could be aware of it, and make it easier to access. It was why so many were required during the old times to move it. Not because of its mass, or distance, though those played a factor in it. But because of the massive backlash assumed by even touching it, shared by all those linked in the spell. “But it’s also what’s helped you heal,” She then elaborated, “The excess magical energy within you absorbed, and it tried to rejuvenate your body, with some degree of success. I must ask of you, however, to keep this secret. if it got out the sun was an energy source for magic…” He had swore to keep the secret, and she had left, but not before telling him quietly of the reward ceremony to honour the dead, and his actions to save as many as he could, foolish as they had been. He’d laughed, for the first time since getting back, though there was no happiness behind it. Just hollow amusement, and told her he’d make it as he could. That was two weeks ago, as the last of the army began trickling in and being processed, there was only two days before the ceremony. Still bandaged, and now sporting a scar down one side of his face, which extended to his eye (Though the damage was superficial, he could still see thankfully), he looked himself over in the mirror. He’d lost much of his musculature, a problem he’d have to deal with when he was released, then looked at his dress uniform… And sighed.
RealisationsThe award ceremony was reserved, withdrawn. Commanders, the princesses, common soldiers, grieving families. Honoring the dead as much as the living, with many posthumous medals being given out in light of the heroic actions of many of the lost souls that had taken part in stalling the enemy. Sunlight remembered having a medal pinned to his uniform. Several of them, in fact. A Blue moon, for suffering wounds whilst serving against the enemy (many were given out this day, all for the lost, all for the wounded), and more reverently, the Gold Sun medal, a medal he didn’t feel he deserved. Given out to those for heroic acts in the field of battle, that would have saved many. But, a good soldier, he didn’t complain as it was pinned to his chest. The last words were what caught his attention. He was being awarded one boon of his choice and, should it be within Celestia’s power to grant it, it would be done. Technically, he could have made the argument that both princesses should have something to do with this process, but Luna had stepped back, with the reasoning of Sunlight being ‘Her guard’, and a soldier in her ranks. He vaguely remembered being told to think on it, and approach the next day to request his award, before finding himself staring at the mirror in his room. His room at home. With his father, and his mother. The medals shining in the fading light of the day. “I know my words before you left were harsh.” The voice came from beside him somewhere, and he looked over. His father, the ever grizzled and feared Sunlit Spear (Well, feared by rookies at least) had, at some point, entered his room, “And I know we didn’t part on the best terms but…” “Dad, it’s alright,” Sunlight stopped him quietly, “I was stupid, and thought myself invincible back then. I thought that war was glorious, and that it was only right I volunteered for it.” he looked back at his reflection, looking at the scar down his face, his arm, still in a sling, and his other arm, which he’d been having phantom pains in since he got back, “and I learned otherwise. I lost my friends, my innocence. I lost my foolishness, but the cost….” Sunlit nodded quietly, unable to look at his son. Unexpectedly, Sunlight approached him and hugged him tightly, “I heard you pray you know. At my bedside. I thought you stopped being Celestian?” “I did… but I thought, if she could keep you with me, maybe I’d been wrong all these years. C-C’mon, your mother’s got dinner on the table, and you’re gunna make me cry. I don’t do crying.” Sunlight almost smiled. The morning came with a quiet chirping of birds, and Sunlight felt a bit out of place. Months he’d been home already, and he still wasn’t used to hearing things be peaceful. But, dressed once more in his formal uniform for the Royal Guard, not the army, Sunlight was escorted from the front of the castle of the Royal Sisters, directly to the throne room so the princess could hear his request. Sunlight had already decided what he was going to ask for. But upon being announced, and walking in, he couldn’t help but frown. As usual, Celestia was surrounded by ponies. Guards, the nobility considered her ‘advisors’, even maids and waitstaff were helping upkeep the place, and surrounded by guards. “Sunlight Blade,” Celestia smiled at him from her throne, “You’re looking well.” Sunlight bowed his head briefly in greeting, “Princess. It’s good to see you as well. I’m here concerning the orders pertaining to the requested reward you’ve bestowed upon me.” He could feel all the eyes on him as he stood before the princess. Everyone was silent, curious about what he’d request. Celestia noted his calling her ‘Princess’, as opposed to ‘Goddess’, but she hid her curiosity well, “Of course. What is it you’d request?” Sunlight considered it for a moment, glancing around, “With all due respect Princess, I would prefer this discussion be had in private.” The quiet crowd went from looking at Sunlight to looking at Celestia curiously. It was not the first time he’d asked for this, and last time she had granted his request. With a nod, she waved a hand, “Then in private it will be. Guards, please remove everyone from the throne room, give us the room.” A quiet grumble from the ponies in the room were expected, but they weren’t dumb enough to complain, given what had happened last time. In short term, the room was empty, save for Celestia and Sunlight Blade. Once the last ones had left, the immortal one sighed, relaxing somewhat in her chair, “Sunlight… if this is-” “When I was on the battlefield,” He interrupted her, much to her surprise, ignoring her no doubt refusal of his unspoken request, “I had a lot of reason to grow. Knowing that, if I made one mistake, I would die. That I’d bring such pain to my family,” He rubbed his still healing shattered arm quietly for a moment, “I was there for six weeks, fighting skirmishes, volunteering so others wouldn’t have to. My first real fight taught me the horrors of war, and why we strive so hard to never participate, unless absolutely required.” Celestia’s surprise quietly faded, and her face turned dark, looking down. Sunlight didn’t notice, or if he did he didn’t comment, “I was forced to watch as my comrades, friends and fellow soldiers, guards and even our medics were killed, slaughtered by the most terrifying foe I could imagine. Insectoid, cannibalistic, if nothing else just for damaging morale. It worked, believe me.” He sniffed, looking back up at Celestia. His eyes dead, but intense. A strange dichotomy Celestia had only seen a few times before, “And I prayed. I prayed to all of you. I prayed to Luna that our night be uninterrupted, to Twilight that our unity give us strength. To Cadance… that we would get home to see our families again. And to you most of all. I prayed for strength from you, begging for guidance. Guidance that never came.” She flinched at the accusation, but when she went to reply, he held up his hand, “Please, I’m not finished. By the end of it all, I was praying purely out of habit, I think. For, there was no answer coming. ‘It’s just a test’ I told myself, ‘They’ve a plan, they’ll save those of us worthy’. A selfish, disgusting thought if ever I had one,” The grimace on his face twisted into ugly self loathing, “And I thought like this for years. Decades. I thought that the big issues with the world were tests. I made one last prayer when I begged for the power to stand up again, the power to fight again, to give my fellows enough time to run to safety. And something answered me. For a moment, I thought it was you. My faith was strong again, and I lashed out in righteous fury. But…” “Now you know it wasn’t me,” She finished, and he laughed humourlessly, “No princess. I knew it wasn’t before you told me. it didn’t feel right. You have always glowed, a gentle warmth for your ponies to bask in. This? This was burning, heat and fire to obliterate my enemies. I didn’t know what it was until you told me, but I knew it wasn’t you. When I woke up, I had a lot of time to myself. Father was working hard to train new recruits into the guard to replace the volunteers who had died, my mother’s flower business was probably the busiest she’d ever experienced, so it was just me. Gordon was helping with the wounded, and I wasn’t allowed to. So, I had a lot of time to think, and I’ve come to some realisations that, now that I’ve come to the conclusions, make a lot of sense.” Curiosity and her habit of teaching the young overcame the solar monarch’s grim thoughts, and she cocked an eyebrow at him, “And, what conclusions would they be?” She asked, not unkindly. “One,” He began, “The alicorn race are far from all powerful, otherwise you would never allow such harm to befall your people. You are far too kind hearted to let the people you see as your responsibility come to harm when you could prevent it.” “Two,” he continued, “You, none of you in fact, can hear our prayers. What it essentially comes down to is us begging someone else to solve our problems, and that will never happen. We have to step up to fix our own problems and find our own solutions.” “Like you did with the retreat you called,” She said softly, standing from her seat and approaching her battered and scarred guard, “it was admirable.” “It was foolish,” he corrected, to which she laughed. “It was foolish,” She said in agreement, strangely warmly, “But what else had we come to expect of you?” He nodded, though doubted he was so like he used to be, “And Third. I couldn’t be who I was, and get through that alive.” She nodded sadly, “Unfortunately, that is the way of war. It affects us, and rarely in a good way. I would even hesitate to say ever in a good way.” He bowed a head respectfully, “Indeed. When I got home, I had a lot of time to think. Given my previous thoughts, and despite the outreaching of my priest, I came to the realisation of what, I believe, you’ve been trying to tell me this whole time, and I had my head too far up my ass to see this whole time. You, your sister, your niece and your student…” “None of you are gods.” Celestia smiled sadly, and nodded, “I have tried. I’m sorry it took such a traumatic event, and such loss, for you to learn this. And I’m sorry I couldn’t convince you earlier.” “I was too stubborn in my belief,” he replied quietly, “That you were being modest, trying to be approachable. I used to stammer in your presence sometimes, and trip over myself to make you happy. I was like a puppy. A big, armoured puppy with magic.” He paused, and, for a moment, Celestia wondered if she should say something. But he cleared his throat suddenly, “But I’m not that puppy anymore. And in spite of everything I’ve come to realise, despite all of my beliefs being turned upside down, and then thrown out of the window, I’ve come down to the basics again. One, You aren’t a real goddess, nor are your family members. Two, You’re a very real, very normal mare, who only rules through unfortunate circumstance, and three, Life for people like me is far too short to waste on absurdities like religion, or worrying what happens to me when I die.” Celestia looked over this new, mildly scarier Sunlight Blade. Scarred face, arm in a sling, permanent scarring over his horn from using far too much magic for him to handle (Though the doctors said it was only aesthetic, and would probably go away with time), standing in his dress uniform. He hadn’t smiled once since she’d seen him, and according to reports from medical staff, he hadn’t smiled since he’d gotten back, not even when seeing his parents again, or talking to his psychologist. “Princess, I’m a broken stallion,” He began again softly, “I have nightmares every night of my fellows dying around me, and have to fight back the urge to draw my sword whenever I hear a loud sound. I find it hard to smile, despite knowing there is much around to smile about, and I’m still readjusting to not being around the other soldiers. But what I wish to ask of you just might prove to you I’m still me. I’m still the Sunlight Blade who left, just older. Wiser. Perhaps in need of a little help to put himself back together.” “And what would your request be?” He tried to speak, failed, then a wry grin crossed his face, much to Celestia’s shock, “A few years back, I came to you professing my love. And you turned me down, told me that I held you on too high a pedestal. That you had no way of ever taking advantage of such a thing. A few years later, when the rumours of you stepping down were circulating, I told you you would always be my goddess, no matter what. I might have been young and foolish, I might have held you up higher than you were comfortable at the time. But I meant those words. And I don’t regret them. I feel as much affection for you then as I do now, just with less religious fawning.” Celestia blinked, and frowned, “Sunlight…” “I’m not asking you to love me,” he said gently, “I ask only for a kiss.” Silence. Celestia blinked, “A kiss.” “Yes.” She sighed, “Sunlight, you’re aware you could ask for anything? Anything at all within my power? Equestria at your fingertips, and that’s your request?” “I don’t need Equestria at my fingertips,” He said, finally a proper, small smile appearing on his otherwise calm face as he took her arm with his good hand, “Not when I have the world right in front of me.”
Last Stand of a MartyrSunrise. The stench of blood and steel still hung thick, and a battlefield covered in the dead greeted them. Standing despite his deep weariness, alongside his fellow healer and priest Gordon, Sunlight Blade overlooked the battlefield, frowning. He could see the enemy army. it had regrouped, rallied. It was approaching once more. It’d been less than a day. “Hive Minds have a definite advantage,” he muttered bitterly, “To regroup so swiftly.” “It’s not looking good, no,” Gordon sighed quietly, “But… at least we bought them time to figure something out. Right?” Sunlight grimaced. That was true, as much as he didn’t want to think about it, there was no real way any of them were coming out of the coming days alive. Not if they fought, and nobody left an enemy army on their tail. Not if they had a choice. “Not if you’re not here to die,” He said grimly. Gordon felt a shiver up his spine and he looked sideways at his friend. Something about his look made him uneasy, “We were meant to be reinforced weeks ago. They never arrived. I think it’s safe to say they won’t be coming now. But I won’t see all the people I had behind me die. Not now.” “What did you have planned?” Gordon queried warily. Sunlight’s jaw tightened, as did his hold on the sword he’d recovered to replace his old one. “A retreat… And I will stay behind to stall them,” He replied grimly, much to Gordon’s alarm, “I can’t hold them long. But a force that big takes more time to move, and any amount of time I can stall will mean more of you survive.” “That’s crazy!” Gordon cried, “You’ll be killed for certain! That’s an army Sunlight! Think about this!” “I have,” the finality of his tone shut the griffon’s beak quickly, “If given the choice, I’d rather I die, and you all live, than we all die here. If nothing else, we can add whoever lives through here back to the next force that fights these bastards.” Gordon was quiet, but eventually he sighed, and left, resigning himself to losing a friend. Another one. Within the hour, Sunlight had prepared his several hundred survivors into a cohesive enough unit to take the wounded with them when they left, telling them he’d be ‘right behind you!’ after he finished a few things. He never joined them. And so, when the enemy army arrived, it was just Sunlight Blade, standing tall, surrounded by the dead, and looking determined. “Changelings of the Mad Queen!” He called, pulling out every shred of courage he had left to face his death, and stall as long as he could, “Lay down your arms! Return to the lands of the Sane, and cast off your tyrant! If you do, I swear, I will spare each and every one of you.” The sound of laughter rattled around his soul. He’d expected as much. He was alone, against a horde of apocalyptic proportions. Why fear one unicorn? His grip on his sword tightened, and he took a deep breath as, as one, the army started marching forward. No need to rush, against one enemy. Such a Fool, Sunlight Blade. Where do you get off thinking you can halt them, even for a moment? He closed his eyes with a deep breath, letting the tromp of their boots fade from his mind as he began to pray. Celestia, bless me with your grace. The strength to fight this, my greatest foe, for the sake of my comrades. My people. And your kingdom. Lend me your strength, and give me the fortitude to weather the oncoming storm, that I might see your sun rise once more. He reached deep for his magic reserves, still depleted after his last battle, and opened his eyes, horn blazing with heat and mana as he summoned his armour, a dozen blazing blades burning with heat forming behind him as he took a grounded stance. “So be it!” he called in response to their march, before abandoning all defense, and charging towards the oncoming horde, sword swinging, magic blazing in a whirling dervish of death and fire. The smell of burnt flesh filled his nostrils again as he hacked and slashed at who and whatever brought itself within range. He felt the impacts of countless blades slamming into his ethereal armour. His reserves, already low, were rapidly dwindling. A reckless swing at a nearby swordsman saw his head clear his fellows, a trail of blood following the curve of the blade’s tip as it followed through. And then, impact. He felt it on his chest, and it knocked the wind out of him. His magical armour shattered, and time slowed. In shocking slow motion, he turned his head as he lost the ground beneath him. A larger, stronger looking changeling. A cruel intelligence in his eye and a warhammer still slamming into his quarry’s sternum. Sunlight wasn’t sure how far he fell. It felt like miles until he hit the ground. He had lost his sword some time between being hit, and landing. And he had no idea where it had gone along such a short time. Everything hurt. His horn sparked uselessly as he tried to call on his magic. Empty. The commander approached. He was only aware of it as the ‘ling entered his field of vision, a smug look on his face. “Admirable courage,” The commander said sarcastically, “But stupid. Very, very stupid. You killed enough of my drones, now I get the pleasure of putting you down myself.” Celestia… I need your help now. And if not you, anyone. Anything. I will give you anything, if you just give me the power to stall them longer! His horn sparked again, and the creature above him laughed, echoed among his fellows. But something was different. Something called to him. Something vast. Something bottomless. Without question, Sunlight embraced it. And in that moment, his horn blazed back to life, spitting fire and plasma as he felt energy. Limitless, hot, burning. Powerful. With a roar, he pushed, and the look of shock on the Changeling’s face became one of pain as a burning shockwave burst forth, flinging the surrounding soldiers across their own ranks as Sunlight stood tall. There was so much. it burned. It hurt. He could feel it, mana flowing from everything. His eyes overflowed with it. He couldn’t stop it bursting from his horn, his very pores leaked it, giving him an almost ethereal, elemental appearance as heat shimmer cloaked him scorching power. The ground beneath his feet rapidly scorched, burning away as he stood tall. Dimly, he heard the call to kill him. Bring it. With another roar, and a surge of mana, his armour reformed around him, blades swinging into existence. Without thought, he sent the entire lot of them spinning through the ranks of changelings, not watching as they scythed through the troops as they touched them, throwing out his arm as pure energy whipped out of his fingertips, turning to burning plasma as they travelled, draping over and, indeed, cutting right through the ranks. The other hand thrown out as an explosion rocked the air and earth as he let loose. Everything that got close was burned away, scorched to ashes and atoms. And then, suddenly, it was too much. With a scream, he tried to vent it. Anywhere. Everywhere. Beams of white hot light burst from the cuts on his flesh, from his eyes, ears, his horn became a pillar of burning pain searing into his skull. He felt something running down his face, and then the power was gone. A wave of nausea hit him, and then pain. His golden armour, the pride and joy of the Equestrian Royal Forces, was molten upon the ground, with only patches of what he was wearing still on him. And this time, the army, what was left of it after such brutality, looked at him in abject terror. He turned his eyes on them… And then an explosion rocked the world, he lost his balance, and he fell. Vaguely, he made out screams of fear and pain, and then white feathers. He thought they were feathers, anyway. Familiar voices. Something tan, with wings. There was something awfully familiar about the noises it was making. So familiar…. He blacked out, finally unable to keep holding on, the pain fading into blissful oblivion.
