Tuesday night, my final night of training before the tournament. Fulfilling the requests of the other half of the guards was much more "exciting," thanks to the recent news of my participation spreading through the ranks like wildfire. Some wasted no time making disparaging remarks, while others eyed me like a steak. I even heard a few of them make bets with each other on how long I'd last in the first fight—encouraging stuff to hear, if I had to be honest. I did my best to tune it out, but there were a few points throughout the day when I was pushed near the limits of my mental composure.

A pony here and there would wish me good luck, sometimes sarcastically. To which I'd respond with a subtle nod. After closing the door behind the last guard, I went and pulled all my gear off the stand and packed it into a large box for transport. Umbra voiced the idea as an element of surprise and a way to impose fear into my adversaries, but would the princesses allow me to wear my gear? They could deem what I'm wearing out of regulation and prevent me from competing; then, if they won't, Captain Infernus definitely will,

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained," I muttered while shutting and locking the box. Grabbing my sword, I gently swept my weathered fingers across the blade. I sheathed it in the scabbard, before rolling it up in a cloth. Then, I took some rope and tied the fabric down on both ends. Setting my items beside the door, I stripped off my work apron and sat on the bed. Resting my hands on my knees, I let out a heavy sigh. "I have to win tomorrow." Sinking into the bed, I waited for sleep to take me to the forest.

I opened my eyes and saw that I was in Canterlot's Square, but something was off. It was pitch black as the streetlights were out nor were there any buildings with light visible in their windows. Normally, Canterlot had quite the night life, being one of the bigger cities in the empire and its capitol. The dense fog certainly didn’t ease my suspicions either. I was about to call out to someone when I heard voices,

"Freak."

"Monkey."

"Beast."

"Animal."

Trepidation crept over me as I looked around for the individuals in question. I clenched my fists and readied myself for an attack. I assumed this was just a test from Umbra, but something deep down told me this was different. Hoofsteps in front of me grew in frequency and volume. A dark figure quickly took the shape of a pony. The shadowy equine leaped through the fog and right toward me, it's forehooves latched around me. The creature nearly knocked me off my feet but I managed to pry it from my midsection before grabbing the creature by its mane and catapulting it into the dirt. Hearing more hoofsteps to the right, I turned and kicked another with all my might. It sailed through the air briefly before hitting the ground and sliding. Suddenly, I was tackled to the ground, face to face with yet another specter. With a grunt, I rolled over until I was on top of the being. Pinning it to the ground with my body weight, I immediately began pummeling it. Before I could land another punch, yet another one collided with my back. Hard enough to send me sprawled out with my face in the dirt. I grimaced as pain shot through my body. It wasted no time in assaulting me with hard blows. One strong blow to the back of my head filled my vision with blinding light that left my vision dazed.

I pushed myself from the ground and fell backwards with my elbow extended, slamming into the stomach of the creature. The creature cringes in pain as I slam my forearm against the pony's throat then, my fist collided into the side of its the shadow went limp. Standing up, I wasn't given more than a moment of rest before four more of those things came barreling towards me. With no other option, I darted for the one in front of me. My knee crashed against the pony’s snout, causing it to recoil back. Before it could fall, I took hold of its forelegs and lifted it over my head. Spinning, I slammed the pony on top of another. The shadow on the right spun around and got ready to buck me. Dodging the kick, I slipped my hand against the side of its head and grabbed another shadow rushing toward me on my left and pushed them together. Resulting in a loud thud that echoed through the dead city. I took hold of the tail belonging to the final shadow and pulled it. Powerless to stop me, I lifted the flailing animal into the air, causing it to swing its limbs at me in a vain attempt to continue the fight. Cocking my free arm back with a yell, I sent the creature plummeting to the earth. Momentarily, I stared into the surrounding fog for any more arrivals. With the coast seemingly clear, My fatigue began to catch up with me, each of my limbs feeling like lead, letting myself fall into my back. Feeling myself slowly getting weaker, my eyes drift shut.

I awoke, almost flying off of the grass and getting into a fighting stance. My eyes darted to and fro, scanning the environment. Upon noticing that I was in the forest, my posture relaxed slightly,

"Donovan.” My head snapped onto the origin of the voice. I let out a breath upon realizing it was Umbra. Her brows furrowed, "What happened, why are you so frantic?” Her slit irises scanned me, “I’ve been waiting here for quite some time.”

“I had some strange dream, well more of a nightmare I guess.”

“Oh? Anything particularly concerning?”

I nodded, “Definitely, I was in Canterlot but the whole place was just dead. No sound, no lights, nothing. On top of that, there was this thick fog all over the city but that wasn’t the worst part.” Umbra cocked her head to the side, taking a few steps closer, “There were these weird pony looking things that looked more like shadows. They came flying out from the fog and instantly attacked me. I fought them all off but it took all I had, then I woke up here.” I looked down at the unicorn, “Do you know anything about this?”

She shook her head, “No I can’t say that I do. It could possibly be an ordinary nightmare.”

I shrugged, “Sounds like the most likely thing to me.”

“Very well then, back to matters at hoof. First, we will briefly review what I've taught you, and then we'll have our little sparring match."

I nodded, "Sounds good." Umbra returns the gesture and steps a few feet back,

“Invoke!" Just as I obeyed her command, she teleported next to a boulder that was half my size and plucked it from the ground. I mentally prepared myself, watching streams of dirt fall from its underside. A smirk wormed its way onto Umbra’s features. She leaned forward as her mouth slowly opened to utter one word, “Catch.” before launching it at me. I caught it but my magic didn't hold. All I did was kill some of the rocks momentum, as it c. Again, I grabbed the rock. Groaning, I continued to fight against the rock’s pace. Successfully, stopping it mere inches from my body. Every part of me wanted to just drop the goddamned thing yet I held and waited for Umbra.

“Hmm,” She mused, coming from behind the rock, “Good, good. I thought you were going to drop it at first.”

“That makes two of us.” I strained,

“Quite the stable hold as well, nowhere near as sporadic as that pebble you picked up two days ago. You may drop it.”

“Don’t have to tell me twice,” Once I dropped the stone, my hands came to rest at my side, “Man, that was tough.”

“Oh I assure you, it gets easier. Now, for the main focus of tonight,” Our weapons appeared in front of us, soaked in her magic, “Remember, I won’t hold back. Try to keep up.” Just as I nodded in agreement, Umbra dashed forward with ridiculous speed. I leaned backward, narrowly dodging her scythe. Noticing the opening she left, I swung my sword. Only for her to deflect it in a blur of movement. Desperate for distance, I launched my foot into her breast only knocking her back a step. Closing the distance, I brought the sword down on her head. There was a split second where I thought I’d actually struck her, but that hope disintegrated when her form turned to smoke. My eyes went wide at the realization and I spun around to defend myself. I turned to see her already initiating another attack, leaving me utterly helpless to deflect the blow as her scythe’s blade crashed into my sword with the speed of a semi going downhill. I was swept off the ground, sent sailing deep inside the forest. My back explodes with pain after colliding against the solid oak, bouncing off of it. I laid there trying desperately to regain the wind that had been knocked out of me. Somewhat regaining my composure, I dragged myself upright, wheezing and coughing, “I must say, I’m somewhat disappointed with you Donovan. Your performance so far has been lackluster to say the absolute least.” My brows furrowed, “Well, let’s hope you manage to beat those guards tomorrow. You only need to win one match after-all.”

Growling, I stood up straight and faced Umbra, “Oh, struck a nerve did I? Come do something about it.” Normally I’d never give in to such a childish tease, but in this case. I fell for it hook, line and sinker. She giggled as I approached, swinging her scythe yet again. An idea popped into my head, which led to me dropping my sword. My hands shot out and grabbed the handle of the scythe, just inches from piercing my neck. I groaned as I struggled against her magical grip. Eventually, Umbra began to overpower me. Keeping one hand on the scythe, I spun and hit her with the hardest elbow I could muster. Her head flew to the side, knocking her off balance. I didn’t let up, hitting her with a right hook that snapped her head the opposite direction. Finally, I ended the combination with an uppercut that Mike Tyson would have been proud of. Umbra recoiled backward, hitting the dirt. I stared at her for a moment, waiting for her to make another move. After a brief moment passed, I approached her. Umbra’s cheek was swollen and blood trailed from her nostrils,

“Umbra? Are you alright?” receiving no response, I knelt down to try and rouse her. Just when my hand came to rest on her shoulder, her eyes shot open. In what seemed like an instant, her foreleg shot out and cracked against my jaw. Stunned, I hastily tried to rise to my feet and get some distance. With a lifeless expression, she lunged forward and struck me with an overhead right. I went down instantly, subconsciously putting my hands up to defend myself. Without mercy Umbra descended upon me, her crimson eyes latent with violent aim. The last thing I remember is her hoof rising yet again.

I awoke from my bed with a start, half expecting to see Umbra on the attack again. After a bit, I sighed and rose from my bed.

Suddenly a familiar voice rang throughout my mind, “You did well.” Umbra’s words permitted my shoulders to relax. A ghost of a smile made its way onto my features, “While you were unable to strike me with your weapon, you stayed on the defensive for a satisfactory amount of time.”

“That’s good, right?’

“Yes, a good defensive posture is very essential. Offensive might is nothing if you were to simply be cut down overtime. No battle is won through mere might or skill, it's about survival. Trust me, your proficiency with the sword is quite commendable. So there’s no need to worry yourself over your inability to hit me…too much. Lastly, your unarmed combat is exemplary. Your body’s structure allows for many avenues of attack, at length and up close. That first hit came so unexpectedly that I was left wide open for that flurry of yours. Well done.”

Two clops resonated in my head, which made my smile even bigger, “Thank you, Umbra.”

“You're most welcome.” Slinging my scabbard over my shoulder, I lifted the chest and began my trek to the barracks. Each maid gave me a wide berth as I continued down the halls. The few guards I walked by regarded me with curious glances. The subtle clatter of my equipment became the constant noise throughout the halls. I rounded a corner and saw the one mare I did not want to see. Especially this early in the morning, every fiber of my being told me to ignore her. Sadly, protocol prevailed in this situation.

Steeling my resolve, I took a breath and spoke, “Good morning, Princess Luna.” Setting down my chest, I bowed. She stiffened up and painfully reared her head in my direction. She always looked worse for wear in the mornings. Her mane and tail were disheveled, while her eyes had dark bags,

Upon seeing me, she sneered, “Ugh.” being her only response. With haste, Luna teleported to what I could only assume was the royal dining hall for her cup of coffee and banana skins, weird breakfast.

Umbra’s voice cut through the awkward silence, “Her hate for you is so palpable, I was able to sense it myself.”

Picking the chest up, I resumed my journey, “Oh, I noticed. I really wanted to ignore her but I would have been promptly smoked by either her or the captain. Spiteful as she is, Luna is still royalty.” Once I managed to get to the barracks, the staff had multiplied. Chefs, maids, and butlers scattered about. After nearly tripping over a earth pony maid carrying a duster in her maw, I stepped inside the room. Upon my entry, the chatter among the guards died. It was so silent I could've heard a pin drop. Silently, I made it to my locker and sat down on the bench. After fishing the key from my pocket, I removed the padlock. I managed to open the locker a quarter of the way before a hoof slammed it shut. There was no reason to look at who did it, I already knew who it was, “Hey there ape. I see you took my advice and quit the guard,” Gallant kicked the chest, causing it to slide a small distance before I caught it, “Good thing too,” His muzzle inched closer to my head, “Because you would have been crushed.” With a chuckle, he pats me on the head as he walks past. “Well, freak. It’s certainly been an experience!”

I sat there and waited until I was the only one in the barracks before undoing the wrap around the scabbard, unsheathing the sword slightly. My gaze trained on the side of my face that reflected off the sheen of its blade, “It’s time.”

POV: Twilight Sparkle

The city of Canterlot was even more lively in light of today’s tournament. There were quite a few vendors pulling their carts towards the palace. I couldn’t help but smile while taking in the atmosphere of the city. Ponyville may be home but Canterlot will always hold a special place in my heart.

Rainbow Dash was taken aback by the active environment, “Whoa! It’s like the Gala’s happening tonight.”

I giggled, “The Royal Guards’ tournament is one of the biggest events of the year. So it’s only natural that everypony gets excited about it.”

“I hear ya on that, Twilight the place is jumpier than a fly caught in a web.”

“It’s a shame that Fluttershy didn’t come with us. It could have been super duper fun!”

“Well you know how Fluttershy is Pinkie. She isn’t the type to be present during these kinds of festivities.”

Applejack gave Rarity a quizzical glance before responding, “And you are?”

With a shake of her head, “Oh of course not, but I would never pass up a trip to Canterlot darling!”

After some time, we reached the palace gates where we were greeted by two guards standing post. Spike reached into my saddlebags and fished out our tickets while the girls did the same. Once the guards verified their authenticity, they were handed back to us before we passed through. The newly erected colosseum roared in the distance as ponies filled the stands,

Doing a flip, Rainbow pumped her hoof in the air, “This is gonna be so AWESOME! I rarely get to see guards fighting!”

“And when we do, it usually involves us, so we don’t really get to sit and watch their talents until now.” I remarked, “I just hope it doesn’t get too violent.” We soon met another detachment of guards who escorted us to the area where the princesses were seated. It was a box that sat smack in the middle of the stadium surrounded by all of Canterlot’s nobility. Rarity gave a small wave to Fancy Pants and his wife Fleur, which they reciprocated. Stepping inside, Celestia’s soft smile grew upon seeing us.

Rising from her seat, she trotted towards us, “Ah, it’s been far too long! I’m so glad you all could make it to today’s proceedings.”

Luna came to her sister’s side and nodded, “I concur, it’s always good to see you all.” We all came together in a group hug before taking our seats.

Clopping my hooves together, I looked up to Princess Celestia, “Um, this isn’t going to get very…out of hoof is it?”

Her smile fell a bit, “It may be a mite graphic, but severe injuries aren’t common occurrences.”

I pondered my thoughts for a moment. With a breath I steeled myself, “O-Okay.”

“Are you sure Twilight? We could always share a cup of tea and catch up another way.”

Shaking my head, “No, it’s fine. Besides, I'll have to attend one of these at some point so it’s best I expose myself to it now.”

Celestia’s hoof came to rest on my shoulder, “Whenever it gets to be too much for you, just let either of us know.” After nodding in response, Celestia rose. Her horn alight with magic as she put on her Royal Canterlot voice, “Hello everypony. It brings me great joy to announce the third annual Royal Guards’ Tournament!” The stadium erupted with applause, ceasing as Celestia brought up a hoof, “For those of you who are attending this event for the first time, I shall explain the order of today’s matches! Starting the event, there will be one on one unarmed combat, next will be one on one armed combat, and finally there will be a squad bout! Now, without any further delay, let the Tournament begin!” Once again, another surge of noise rolled through the stadium, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie included.

The ranks of the Solar and Lunar guard filed out of a dimly lit tunnel up ahead, bringing the noise up to a crescendo. The new captain of the guard stood ahead of them, shouting orders. After a brief moment of shuffling, an earth pony stallion stepped forward. There was a brief pause, before something inside the tunnel caught the captain’s eye. Taking flight she flew inside. The stadium died down as ponies began to question what had been taking so long,

“I wonder why they haven't started yet.” I said aloud,

“I know, this is getting boring! Let’s get this show on the road!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. Suddenly, the captain cantered out from the tunnel before taking flight towards us. As she drew near I could see that she was less than pleased,

“I’m sorry your highnesses, we have a bit of a problem.” Though she tried to be subtle, I saw the mare grinding her teeth together,

Celestia cocked her head slightly, “What’s wrong Captain Infernus?”

With a small sigh, she says, “That bumbling clown Donovan showed up in some strange black armor he made instead of his standard issue equipment. I apologize for the inconvenience, I’ll make sure he gets properly disciplined for this.”

“Never a dull moment with that fool traipsing about.” Luna grumbled, Celestia however seemed intrigued,

“Donovan huh, mighty strange name, even stranger being that it sounds kinda familiar.”

“Donovan was that strange creature that appeared in the castle garden a few years back.” I answered Applejack,

“Oh that feller! Knew ah’d heard it somewhere.”

“Ooh! Ooh! I never got to throw him a welcome to Equestria party!” Pinkie bouncing in her seat,

“Well, Donovan is quite the craftspony. He’s always delivered great results on every order I’ve sent to him. He did a wonderful job repairing my chandelier when it fell." Celestia rubbed her chin with a hoof,

“Sister, please do not tell me you are thinking of rewarding him for this foalish disobedience.”

Celestia smiled, “Oh come on Luna, it could be interesting!”

“Ugh, fine.”

Turning to face the captain, Celestia nods, “I will allow him to compete.”

“As you wish your highness.” Infernus said with a bow before flying away and landed in front of the tunnel, shouting into it before giving orders to the guards to stand at the walls. Slowly, a tall figure emerged from the darkness. The crowd almost instantly began to boo him, which took me by surprise,

I looked at Celestia, confusion evident on my features. She noticed my gaze and sighed, ears drooping a bit, “My little ponies have yet to look past Donovan’s exterior appearance. I have not had a chance to sit down and inquire on his interactions due to recent affairs with other nations. I hoped that things would have changed by now, what with the increase of other races residing in Canterlot.” Luna opened her mouth to speak, opting instead to stay silent. My gaze fell back onto the crowd and then my friends. They were all taken aback by the display too,

“Celestia,” I asked, "How about we introduce ourselves after the Tournament’s over? We are going to be here for a few days.”

The girls nodded, “Ain’t no harm in gettin’ to know the fella.”

“Meeting an alien sounds awesome!”

“I’m sure he’s quite the gentlecolt.”

Celestia perked up, “Ah yes, that would be a splendid idea! Luna, would you care to accompany us?”

Luna’s muzzle scrunched up, “I think not, I have no desire to converse with that…fool.”

“Luna, it’s been three years since that night. A speck in our lifetime! He was scared and confused, can’t you find it in your heart to forgive him?”

With a groan, Luna looked back towards the guards, “I will think about it.” Part of me wanted to ask what happened but seeing Luna’s reaction was reason enough not to ask.

Turning back to the sight inside the center of the colosseum, I found myself leaning forward to get a better look, “Wow.” being the only words I could muster. From top to bottom, he was covered in armor. It didn’t look bulky or compromising in any degree, it was broad and imposing. His helm concealed his facial features entirely. As he strode out to meet his opponent, I managed to get a better look. I could faintly make out horizontal slots on the helmet. ‘That must be how he sees.’ I thought. When he turned, facing the guard. My attention was placed immediately to the monolithic scabbard fastened to his hip. Even from here I could see parts of the sword’s guard twinkling in the light,

“Whoooa! That dude looks so cool! I definitely got my bits on him.” Rainbow Dash gushed,

Rarity adjusted her sunglasses, “I must say those gems on his weapon are absolutely exquisite.”

Luna shook her head, “Hmph, that sword is a gimmick. Its size is entirely impractical, it will simply become a hindrance to wield. Really Celestia, I don’t know why you’re so keen on wasting everypony’s time.”

“Oh hush Luna, stop being a spoilsport and see what happens.” Celestia jokes,

“His armor is so interesting. It’s like he’s made of metal. I don’t really see any open areas besides the ones for his sight,” I observed, “And that sword, normally you would see minotaurs carrying something of that size. I suppose since they are both bipedal creatures with hands it would make sense that they’re weapons would share some similarities.”

“Quite the astute observation, Twilight.” Celestia added, a small wave of heat rushed over my cheeks. The stallion spoke before snorting and lowering himself into a stance. I watched with growing intrigue as Donovan did the same. Raising his fists up to his face, he brought his head down slightly and changed his footing. I wish I’d brought a quill and some paper. A unicorn guard stepped toward the two and charged up his magic. The crowd fell silent as a green bolt rocketed into the sky. My breath hitched as it soared higher before finally exploding.

When my eyes fell back upon the stallion and the human, they were already approaching each other. The stallion reared up on his hindlegs and threw a punch, which the man blocked and immediately countered with a bodyshot. It was hard enough to make a loud clanging sound and make the earth pony stumble back onto all four hooves. Donovan followed it up with a kick to the stallion’s chest, sending him sprawled out on his side. I winced and rubbed my own chest, almost feeling the pain by proxy. The man nonchalantly walked over the downed stallion stopping a short distance away from him. I could see his fingers tapping against the side of his leg simply waiting for his opponent to get back up. Eventually, the stallion got up and rushed the man.

Once he got within range, the stallion moved to his side. Seeing the opening, the earth pony spun around and delivered a hard buck to Donovan’s side. The crowd went wild, cheers and whistles breaking the silence while the human barely kept himself upright. The stallion wasted no time, pressing forward to maintain the offensive. He successfully managed to land two hits on the man’s midsection, horseshoes crashing loudly against steel.

His third attempt at attack was thwarted when the human simply batted the punch away like a fly. Unable to put up his guard in time, the man grabbed the crown of the pony’s helmet before his knee came rocketing into the stallion’s jaw. The audible smack that resounded from the hit made me grimace. Donovan delivered another swift punch directly onto the stallion's snout then, his body twisted slightly. For a split second I wondered what he was doing but my eyes widened when I realized. With the speed and power of a lightning strike, Donovan’s fist cracked against the stallion’s skull. I gasped subconsciously as the pony’s head violently bounced to the side. Like a felled tree, the pony fell over onto the dirt, legs outstretched and eyes rolled back into his head. The crowd's boos intensified at the display. I looked at the girls, who were just as shocked as I was. Celestia simply pressed a hoof to her muzzle while Luna was leaning forward slightly, an unreadable expression on her face. My eyes slowly fell back onto the human as he made his way back to the other guards, passing by the next two ponies who were headed towards the center.

It was certainly going to be an eventful few days.

Author's Note

It's back, and it's certainly been a while. It took way too much time but I finally posted a new chapter. I also want to give a huge shoutout to Deathofaking for being a Gigachad and editing this because I'm practically an ape behind a keyboard. Anyways, lemme get the hell to bed.

I hope you enjoy.