....08:35:12....

It was another typical day for everypony in the city of Canterlot as they went about their actual business, some going to work, and some taking their fillies and colts to school. One such example was Nathan, who had just finished up his morning breakfast and had on his captain's armor, he was now heading for the door. As he levitated his helmet, Apple Bloom walked over.

"Ah' hope you'll be fine today, Nate." she said.

"Don't worry Bloomy, Aunt Twilight always has us behind her back."

"Ah' sure hope so." said Apple Bloom with a very nervous tone.

"Why are you treblin' honey?" Nathan asked.

"Ah' just, Ah' have this feelin' that somethin' isn't right."

"Don't worry sweet cake, everything's gonna be fine, Ah' have the guards behind Aunt Twilight's back today."

"Ah' sure hope so." said Apple Bloom still acting apprehensive.

"We'll be fine." said Nathan, "Now ya' have a good day, all right?"

"Okay dear." said Apple Bloom as they kissed each other on the lips, Nathan then put on his helmet and walked out the front door. Today was not any typical day as one where he would just be standing next to his aunt and guarding her, nor would he just be giving guards regular orders to attend. Today was the set up of the following day's Royal Equestrian Summit in which rulers from all over Equestria would meet with Princess Twilight and discuss serious matters with her, so Nathan had to attend this set-up because he had a lot more on his plate to guard and command.

Elsewhere in the city, Sergeant Zodiac had managed to get on his guard uniform as well and was ready for his part in this. As he was about to walk out of his door, he stopped and looked at a marble carved head statue of his mother, this statue was inside a glass box. This glass box stood on top of an alabaster stone pedestal, plus this carved head statue held Celestia's gold crown and necklace with the two purple gems she had worn all those years ago. They had been polished and cleaned weekly to keep their shine, at the top of this glass box hung a giant picture of Princess Celestia smiling with charm, her old golden hoof shoes she wore also stood in this glass box. As he stared up at the picture, he smiled himself.

"Don't you worry mom, I'll be home soon." he said as he put on his helmet and walked out the door, locking it behind him. After he left, a white wisp slowly floated in through a crack in a back window of his home, this wisp suddenly began to take a quick form into an alicorn with a flowing mane. Once the form was in full completion, it showed Celestia, who had an angelic heavenly light glowing all around her, she was an angelic spirit. Celestia's ghostly body walked to a window by the door and secretly watched her son leave to attend her duties as she frowned with great concern.

"Tonight Zodi, when you go to bed, I will be warning you about an attack tomorrow." she said with a heavenly echoing voice. Meanwhile, Zodi strolled through the streets of Canterlot on his way to the castle, when he was approached by Nathan.

"Good morning Zodi." he said with a smile.

"Good morning captain." Zodi replied back, "I just hope this summit changes what we view royalty as."

"I just want it to be over with."

"Why, wouldn't it be one for the books?"

"Well, this is the first summit we've ever attended and since we're both leaders of the royal guards...."

"I get it, we've got a bigger role in protecting the foreign Equestrian rulers."

"That's a fact Sarge." said Nathan, once they approached the castle, they were greeted by a swarm of guards awaiting them for their orders.

"Good morning Captain, Sergeant." said a grey guard.

"At ease, is Princess Twilight ready for us?" asked Zodiac.

"Yes sir!" responded another guard.

"Atten-Hut!" ordered Nathan, the guards then posed the direction that the doors were, two front guards opened the doors.

"Forward march!" ordered Zodiac as they started walking forward in a straight line like soldiers in a boot camp. Each of them carrying spears while marching towards the direction of the throne room, meanwhile, Twilight was pondering through a list that came to her in a scroll that was sent from the Grand Duchess of Maretonia over some info about what to expect for the following day's meeting. As she strolled through the letter, she was interrupted by the sound of muffled hooves coming from behind the doors, she stood her ground and watched as the doors opened up to reveal her guards ready for the day.

"Good morning your highness." said Zodiac as he and Nathan walked up to her.

"Good morning, I hope you all remember your assignments for today?" she asked.

"Yes." they all answered, Nathan then flew up and stood beside his aunt.

"All right everypony listen up, tomorrow's gonna be big for us. As foretold, we are going to be responsible for patrolling and escorting the Duchess and King of Maretonia here to Canterlot, so it is our duty to see that they get here on time and safe." he told them, Zodiac soon flew up and pulled out cards that contained orders.

"Team one, you all head out to inspect the chariots, get them cleaned, tested, and prepared for tomorrow."

"Yes sir!" the first half replied as they left for the hangars that contained the chariots.

"Team two, you all prepare the quarters for the royals and make sure there are no kinks or errors in each room."

"Yes sir!" said the other half as they headed for the lower corridors which contained the quarters that the Grand Duchess and the other Equestrian rulers would be nesting in for the night.

Princess Twilight looked at the two guard leaders with great respect.

"You two have done well in assisting for this." she said.

"Yes, but there is one problem." said Nate.

"What's that Captain?" asked Zodiac.

"Apple Bloom told me this morning that she has this feelin' somethin' is fishy about this Summit."

"What are you saying?" asked Twilight, Nathan flew down from the throne and walked out to the balcony, Twilight and Zodi joined him.

"She thinks that somethin' bad is gonna happen, she's been saying that to me since yesterday evenin'."

"You mean like an attack force or a villain returning?" asked Zodiac.

"Ah' guess, but Ah' don't understand is why she's gettin' this. Ah' mean we haven't had such a massive attack since Clarissa Garrison threw me in that Manticore pit and nearly zapped us of our magic. The thing is, she died in prison, and Tirek and Chrysalis have been in stone prison for many moons, Ah' really cannot see another massive assault on us or theft of our magic coming around again."

Twilight wrapped her nephew around her, "Nathan, I'm pretty sure Apple Bloom is just worried. I don't believe anything will happen because you are right, Tirek and Chrysalis have been in stone for many moons. It would take a unicorn with enough magical force to get them out of where they are." she said as she looked down at all the guards that were doing their assigned orders given to them.

....On the fields just to the edge of Canterlot....

In the bushes that led into the forest, an unseen pony's hoof stood in place and in the darkness glared three sets of evil looking eyes, no four sets. Because there was another creature here with them, and they were not happy children either, these four sets of eyes glared at the city from the darkness of the forest they were in. One set of eyes glowed yellow dots with blackness around them, the other set were glowing emerald green with cat like pupils, the third were red and gold eyes with a scar cross on him, and the other were regular blue eyes.

"Thanks for setting us free new friend." said a dark male voice.

"You really know how to pull these things off." said a female voice.

"When do we set off the bomb?" asked a second female voice.

"We attack tomorrow just before they walk into that Summit's meeting room."

"And Equestria's magic will be ours once and for all, thanks to our new army!"

They all cackled evilly at the same time and went back into the thickets of the forest to hide and wait for their moment.

Author's Note

Apple Bloom is not the only one worried, Celestia's ghost even knows something bad is about to happen!

Find out how Zodiac will react to seeing Celestia's angelic ghost and what will happen to Equestria.