around midnight

It was strange.
This Changling Kallaxia sat across from him. She looked at him, he at her, and neither of them knew exactly what to do. At some point Nocturnal put his hoof on the back of his neck and rubbed himself, pondering his options.
There weren't many.
He could ignore his feelings and fight her.
He was able to carry on as before and try to find out the reason for these feelings and determine their cause.
Or he could indulge in the feelings.
Nocturnal didn't know, and judging by the embarrassed look of Kallaxia ...
she neither.
How unpleasant.

After about an hour passing nothing happened and both had just been embarrassingly silent, Nocturnal had made a decision by now

"I did want to wend n'rth. Wouldst thee.... cometh with me, mine own belov'd foe?"

Kallaxia jumped up and seemed to shine for a moment, but only a moment, before she calmed down and stepped next to him

"Sure, why not? But I have a question or two. First of all, why do you speak so puffy and weird? On the other hoov, what is in the north why you have to go there?"

"Ah yond's because i wast petrifi'd f'r about a thousand years. T's n'rmal f'r me to speaketh liketh yond. I desire thee mind not too much"

Both started after Nocturnal had orientated himself again briefly with the compass.
To the north it would get colder ... luckily Lady Rarity had given him clothes for something like that.

"And wherefore to wend n'rth? i doth not knoweth. I did drop a brancheth on the mapeth and t wast pointing n'rth. Mine own 'rd'r wast known to wend ev'rywh're backeth at the timeth. Th're w're only a few p'rmanent buildings from us, mostly in larg'r cities and th're just to receiveth 'rd'rs. We art looking f'r adventure"

"Hehe, I like that. Do you mind if we go to bed at sunrise? I prefer to be out at night."

Oh what a joy!
Kallaxia was as nocturnal as he was! At least that would make traveling more interesting. He smiled at her and just nodded, then walked next to her.
It was only when they were on the road for a while that it occurred to him that both could fly if they wanted.
But the weather was so nice.
Clear sky, a gentle wind.
Perfect.

"Sooo ... you came from a thousand years ago? Back then the times were a little ... more interesting, right? More fighting, I mean."

"Ah i knoweth not yet. I did wake up the day bef're thee hath tried to invade cant'rlot. Lucky me, i guesseth."

That made Kallaxia laugh.
And what a nice laugh she had.
He smiled and began to tell a little bit about his life before petrification.
Living as a Wandering Blade, from his order, what he liked to eat. Only when the sun slowly rose over the horizon did he realize that he was pouring out his heart to her, and she ... she did the same. As if they'd always known each other, and don't be in a fight for not too long.

Nocturnal found a cave and went straight to it to peek inside to see if it was inhabited or not.
Kallaxia looked in too, stood next to him.
Nocturnal had to turn his head to see her since she was standing to his left, but somehow he knew she was there. he felt it.

"A bat in a cave ... More cliché is not possible."

That made Nocturnal laugh
The way she said cliché.
The throwing hoof movement.
Almost like a prenchnoble

"Oh thee speaketh prench? an extremely quite quaint language, coequal if 't be true t is too high f'r me"

"Well Prensh is the language of love. And I eat love ..." She couldn't contain herself anymore and started laughing again "... so it's just normal for me to speak prench"

It took her a moment to stop laughing, and so did Nocturnal.
Both went into the cave. since there were no traces of living things except spiders. Their webs were everywhere

"No to be honest, cliché has become colloquial. If you want, I can help you learn the new language."

"I wouldst beest v'ry grateful to thee f'r yond, kallaxia. In returneth, can i bringeth thee clos'r to sw'rd fighting? so i cullionly how we combated a thousand years ago"

Kallaxia frowned at his suggestion, but not what Nocturnal thought she would be about.
He had feared that she would accuse him of not appreciating her fighting technique or her prowness

"Why should you teach me something that I can use against you when this... curse is resolved?"

Somehow it hurt Nocturnal that she used the word curse, but then pushed it back to the just mentioned. Meanwhile he also believed that it was a strong spell. and used properly, any spell would turn into a curse.
Because he was still smiling a little, sighing softly as he lay down across from her.

"I am the lasteth of mine own 'rd'r. At which hour i kicketh the bucket all is hath lost. eke the sw'rdscoltship yond madeth up mine own 'rd'r. I wouldst liketh to maketh sure yond th're is still a pony yond can passeth on the lessons if 't be true behoveful. And i bethink thee wouldst hon'r and respect such teachings"

Now he yawned heartily, got up again briefly to lie down between Kallaxia and the cave entrance. He took out his journal and his pen

"I shall keepeth the first gaze as longeth as i adjust mine own rec'rds. Thee shouldst catch but a wink, if 't be true thee wanteth"

Kallaxia looked at Nocturnal's book. she could see inside the way she and he put.
The first thing she noticed was the drawing he had made of her, then which pose he had chosen for her. Her cheeks flushed when she realized what she was seeing.
Nocturnal didn't see that because his blind eye was on her side.

"I ... thank you. I'm really tired. Good morning."

"Aye, valorous m'rning, and catch but a wink well "

After she lay down, Nocturnal wrote down everything that had happened and how excited he was. Again his thoughts were on Kallaxia.
She might have saved his life from a beast that wanted to lure him into a trap.
And it felt good to be with someone who also cherished the night.
It was so long ago that he had traveled with someone.
Most of the people he met were sun worshipers and slept at night.
He wrote about his thoughts, about Kallaxia, then more thoughts and more about her.
If this was really a curse, he began to hope that it would not be so easy to break.

He was all the more surprised when Kallaxia stretched and stood up.

"My time to keep watch. You need a little rest too"

"Thanketh thee, mine own belov'd foe"

Both smile, swapped places and now it was Nocturnal who could sleep in peace.
And he actually slept relatively calmly.

towards early afternoon

Nocturnal stretched and looked around briefly. to his surprise, Kallaxia was not in the cave.

"Kallaxia? wh're art thee?"

He felt a fear rise within him.
Had something happened to her?
Was she hurt?
Had she left him and left him alone?
He looked around. his things are all there, including his sword. She must have left the cave of her own free will.
Nocturnal got up and was about to leave the cave when a bat pony mare came in.
They both looked at each other for a long second, then she began to smile

"oh you're already awake. good."

It was Callaxia's voice, and somehow her eyes too, now that Nocturnal looked into her eyes, but ...
oh yes yes yes, changelings can take the form of ponies

"Hehe, anon thee've did get me, kallaxia. Not lacking valor"

"Thank you, but in this form I would be fine if you call me midnight star"

"Ah und'rstand. Can i nickname thee by night 'r star?"

"Hmm, I'd like Night better."

Nocturnal smiled at the statement, just about to say something when he noticed movement to his right. He couldn't see the movement on the left, but Kallaxia noticed that. She drew her sword, so did Nocturnal. Both walked side by side, Kallaxia to Nocturnal's left side.
Out of the wolf stepped a creature that looked like it was made of wood, in the shape of a wolf.
Nocturnal had heard stories of such creatures.
Timberwolves.
Supposedly impossible to kill.
That would show up when it came to a fight.
What he couldn't see was that Kallaxia was less optimistic about her chances. She had taken a step back
one of the two timber wolves took a step forward and growled at Nocturnal.
Nocturnal did the same and growled back. He would show this beast what was in a Wandering Blade!
Just a little closer then ...

"Careful!"

Nochtunal looked to the left and was just able to prepare for this blow in time, the blade held the claws open, but he could not stop the momentum that the paw transmitted.
A sharp pain in his front leg told him he had hit a tree, but he hadn't dropped the sword. but now he could also see the two other timberwolves that he had not seen before.

"Th're art too many. we shouldst retireth apace and behold f'r anoth'r day to square!"

Nocturnal rose into the air, looked back. to his horror he saw that Kallaxia did not fly.
She had her sword in a magical grip, a shield built in to protect herself, and was slowly retreating into the cave.
And Nocturnal was scared.
He never had a problem with being afraid
The day before a battle he was afraid, during the battle as well.
Fear kept you alive.
But this fear ...
This fear was different.
He was scared for Kallaxia as never before for any other pony. This fear for her was stronger than his fear of an overpowering enemy.
Without really thinking, he folded his wings again, drew his sword and aimed it at the wolf who was closest to Kallaxia. The momentum he built up while falling was enough to drive the sword deep into the neck of the Timber Wolf, who howled in pain. He lashed out, his paws hit his wolfpack, and did good damage.
Nocturnal held the sword firmly in its bite, growling and wiggling the sword back and forth to do more damage and free the blade.
Meanwhile, Kallaxia broke her panic, darted forward, and drove her blade into one of the Timber Wolf's eyes.
Another whine.
When the blade was finally free again, Nocturnal jumped into the air, began to turn and this time instead of stabbing it he used a cutting movement to cut a joint on the Timber Wolf's leg.
Tree sap flowed from this "wound".
Another painful yelp, but this time one of the legs hit Nocturnal as he was a little too far from the Timber Wolf and threw him into the woods, where he landed hard.

"NOCTUNAL!"

Kallaxia saw this and used her magic and anger to raise all timber wolves. Her horn hurt a lot from the strain and exertion, but her anger made it very weak.
Its magical power, however, was like a fire into which lamp oil had been poured, glistening bright and incredibly hot.
The timber wolves began to burn and disintegrate.
All while Kallaxia was screaming out her anger.
When the Timber Wolves were gone, she darted in the direction of the Nocturnal, her sword just felt to the ground, because she no longer had the strength to maintain the telekinesis.
She didn't care either. When she found Nocturnal he was already sitting upright again, holding his foreleg.
It was bleeding easily, and where the fur was missing you could see the skin becoming discolored.
A bad bruise was showing, but the way he moved his leg showed that he was lucky

"Accurs'd creatures! at which hour i receiveth mine own sw'rd backeth i'll carveth a chair out of this wolf! or a hoof chair! then i putteth mine own did injure leggeth on t until t's did heal! aft'r yond, i'll burneth the chair! and i throweth the ashes into a volcano! luna damnd this hurts!"

When he looked up and saw Kallaxia, he nonetheless jumped up and glided over to her with outstretched wings so as not to strain his leg.
She wanted to say something, but he didn't give her a chance, tossed his good hoof around her and hugged her tightly.

"nothing hath happened to thee! luna beest did thank!"

Kallaxia was too amazed to answer and began to blush.
He had been hurt to help her, and yet he only had her health in mind?
She started to smile a little and put her hooves around him too.

"No, I'm okay. Thanks to you."

Even as she said that, she began to tremble. All of their magical and physical power had been fueled by anger at the wolves and that they had injured Nocturnal.

"But now I feel a bit weak."

A bit was good.
She clung to him and would otherwise have collapsed.

"Can i somehow holp thee? doth thee needeth a day rest bef're we moveth on?"

"I need a little love. I'm starving."

Nocturnal chuckled at this statement, stroked her neck a little and held her tight, tears in his eye
He was so relieved.
Then he pulled his Head back a little and looked her in the eye

"Taketh something from mine own loveth"

Kallaxia couldn't believe what he had just suggested.
He gave her love willingly?
She could feel it.
She could already feel his love shining out of him. She was practically enveloped in her by the hug.
She licked her lips because they were very dry until just now. Then she opened her mouth and took some of his love.
Nocturnal let it happen, and held the hug the entire time.
She was different.
The love she tasted was different.
It was still too sweet, but now other sensations mixed in.
and she felt her strength return.
In the end she would have to eat more to regain full strength, but somehow this love seemed ... more rich in nutrition.
There was no other way to explain it.
Even after a small amount, she felt full.
And even better than before.
She leaned in, and now kissed him fully.
Nocturnal was surprised, for one thing he no longer felt the cold rise in him.
After a while, Kallaxia broke away from the kiss.

"Thanks ... I needed this."

"T. t wast mine own pleasure"

Both looked at each other, blushing, then Kallaxia also released the hug and saw with an embarrassed look at the ground, as did Nocturnal.
Nocturnal remembered the wound on his hoof and began tending it.
He had hoped that Fluttershy's first aid kit would remain untouched for a while.
Well, better than having no help.

"Can you still walk with your leg?"

She looked at him worried.

"I bethink not we can wend yond festinate at which hour i walketh. luckily we can both flyeth"

Nocturnal rose again, this time Kallaxia followed. Her disguise was impressive. Her wings sounded natural too. It would look like two normal bat ponies to everyone.

the sun is slowly sinking again

The ponies landed outside a small village. It was nice here too. But the mood was far less nice.
Nocturnal limped a little from the injury to his leg, but no one seemed to notice.

"Everyone here is sad and withdrawn."

Kallaxia looked around and shuddered, the fur standing up.
She stopped a Pegasus and asked in a very kind and compassionate tone

"What happened here?"

The stallion looked at her, then just sighed and hung his head

"Our mines have been attacked by diamond dogs. Some of us are injured and ponies are missing."

"Diamond dogs? these revolting creatures art still in equestria? doth thee needeth two square'rs?"

The Pegasus looked up and towards Nocturnal. He looked at him closely.

"With all due respect, you don't look like you can fight well at the moment. Come with me, you can rest in the hostel."

"We has't not timeth f'r t. We might not but prepareth f'r the enemies!"

nocturnal stood firmly, drew his sword and rammed it into the ground in front of him.

"We shall square the foe. These creatures shall beshrew the day those gents did hurt a pony! alloweth those folk receiveth to knoweth the wrath of the wand'ring blades and alloweth their blood soaketh the did grind on which those gents standeth! we shall showeth thee yond ponies art not easy prey!"

Kallaxia began to smile and nudged him with her flank.

"Well roared, Leo, but our friend here is right. We should take a break, look at your wound and above all collect information. It's no use if we storm off and then run into a wall of diamond dogs."

Nocturnal looked at her, about to argue against it.
The best way to fight an enemy was to attack them directly.
But something in her gaze told him that it wasn't.
She worried about him.
He could feel it, and it instantly dissipated all of his anger. he nuzzled her neck and was just a little happier.
Also because Kallaxia read a little sigh from it and seemed to enjoy it too.
Then Nocturnal contacted the Pegasus again.

"Thou art right. We shouldst taketh a sh'rt breaketh. How much wouldst the timeth in the... hostel... did cost?

The Pegasus instructed both of them to follow him and led them to the hostel.

Night falls, the stars awaken.

Nocturnal sat by the window and looked out. Outside the ponies hurried to their houses, and the lights were turned off everywhere. In her room, too, a clerk turned off the lights, but nocturnal didn't mind.
If only with one eye, he could see very well in the dark.
And he didn't have to wait long either.
The diamond dogs came from the south and began to ravage the streets, wrecking wagons and stalls.
And they had hostages with them.

"You Bring us all the shiny Gems end of the Week, or We hurt the Captives!"

That was the biggest and ugliest diamond dog nocturnal had ever seen.
Still, he started to smile.
The end of the week? that was more than enough time to prepare a decent defense. That would help the village.
Only the hostages were a problem.
One that he and Kallaxia had to take care of.
He prayed to Luna and Celestia that these hostages would hold out for another week.
He turned away from the window when a stone flew through

"We seen you! Get out here. You aren't from here."

Nocturnal looked at kallaxia, who shook her head negatively.

"Come Come come here little pony, or we hurt the captives!"

Nocturnal sighed and jumped through the window, slid down into the street, and landed a good distance from the leader.
He had neither his cloak nor his sword with him, but he stood proud and strong before them.

"You are Hostage now too."

"I bethink not so, creature. I am nocturnal wand'r'r, sw'rdscolt of wand'ring blades. And i shall not surrend'r to thee"
The diamond dogs looked confused, then one of them tried to grab Nocturnal.
He ran towards him, but Nocturnal only had to step aside to let the diamond dog rush past him. Then He flapped his wings and took off with the crescent moon behind him.

"Thee shall regreteth the night at which hour thee hath tried to did lie thy handeth on me"

He took a dive and kicked the Diamond Dog in the back that attacked him, then grabbed him and threw him at his comrades.
Then he spat on the floor.
The diamond dogs were unsettled by. the local ponies didn't fight back, so that was something unusual. One of the diamond dogs hollowed a mare forward, which they were holding captive.

"You hurt one of us, we hurt one of you."

He was about to hit the mare when Nocturnal lifted his hoof and called out loud

"Stand ho! this mare hast nothing to doth with t. Doth not harmeth h'r!"

The diamond dog struck and the mare screamed in agony.
Nocturnal saw this and his hatred rose in him, but he just sat on his hounches.
No, he wouldn't do anything to provoke these creatures anymore.
they were dishonorable.
after the one blow, the diamond dog looked at Nocturnal and laughed.

"Already giving up?"

"I shall not giveth up. But i shall holp the inhabitants of this village to mineth the gemstones yond thee wanteth. Just refrain from doing m're harmeth to the hostages"

The diamond dog just nodded, then indicated with one movement that they would leave. his comrades simply left the injured mare lying there and left with the other hostages.
Nocturnal rushed to the injured mare and looked at her. The injuries were bad.
He lifted her with his wings and began to carry her.
Other ponies took him to the hospital, where he put the mare off.

"I shall retaliate. doth not w'rry"

midnight

Nocturnal flew over the village with kallaxia at his side and both of them looked at the surroundings in the moonlight. It was a relatively open area here. And the next forest was a little out of the way. The diamond dogs could simply hide in a nearby mountain where the mine could also be seen.
The battlefield wasn't ideal. And from the encounter, Nocturnal now knew that he was dealing with dishonorable enemies in excess, who, however, probably wore no armor and had only a few weapons.
The fight wasn't going to be easy, even with his injury.
But with Kallaxia by his side, he could do it.
he felt it.
Her current figure as a batpony was very successful and he looked over at her. But somehow he also missed her natural form.
She noticed his look and looked at him questioningly.

"I wast just admiring thee. And i bethink with thee on mine own side we couldst driveth these diamond dogs out of this village f'rev'r. 'r what art thy thoughts on the subject?"

"Yes, I also think that I can do anything with you by my side. But we should ask for reinforcements. One of us should alert the Royal Guard."

"Aye yond wouldst beest a valorous idea, but i wanteth thee closeth to me. We couldst asketh one of the pegasus if 't be true one of those folk wouldst taketh ov'r this task while we stand ho the foe and maketh the village defensible"

"How do you want to do that?"

"Just liketh we didst in mine own timeth. Ramparts and ditches. Traps and oth'r devices to stand ho enemies. Barricades in the streets, and citizens with pitchf'rks and t'rches. But we both shall has't to taketh the main f'rce of the attacketh.
we art both the most wondrous chance these ponies has't"

"Hmmm sounds good. And should be easy to do, but difficult to hide. We'd have to save the hostages first."

"Yond is the crux of mine own strategy. I knoweth not how to doth t i'm not hath used to fighting so dishon'rably. Thy changelings w're dishon'rable in t'rms of their numb'r. but those gents didn't did hurt anypony m're than absolutely behoveful"

""We'll find a way. And I think I also know how we can camouflage the walls. We are building a second mine. The stones will be the foundation of the wall."

Hidden from all eyes in direct line of sight. That was unusual, and nocturnal loved the idea. Changelings were good at that, he was sure. He just smiled broadly

"This is a brilliant idea, mine own belov'd foe. We shouldst alloweth the maj'r knoweth about our planeth. and we has't to hie. A week is ov'r apace"

He lay aside and began to lower quickly. His goal was one of the houses.
Kallaxia was right behind him.
Nocturnal knocked loudly on the door and continued until a sleepy looking unicorn opened the door.

"Do you actually know what time it is?"

"T is timeth to putteth these diamond dogs in their lodging. Wh're's the may'r?"

The unicorn just looked at Nocturnal in confusion, then looked at Kallaxia for help.

"He wants to set a trap for these devious diamond dogs. Ramps and ditches to defend the village."

She explained the plan the two of them had come up with. At first the mayor, who turned out to be this unicorn, was skeptical, but the more details were revealed, the more he seemed to think it was feasible.
Nocturnal left the talking to kallaxia because she could make herself understood better than he.
You could tell that she was a leader.
At first she was a little insecure, but this insecurity disappeared and was replaced by a military leader. after a while, even Nocturnal was excited and enthusiastic about the fight, and he had actually intended to stay relaxed.

A little later back in their quarters, Nocturnal looked at Kallaxia, searched a little in his saddlebag and threw her a coat similar to his.
Only this one was newer because it was made by Rarity.

"What does that mean?"

"I wanteth thee to weareth the mantle of the wand'ring blades. thee wouldst earneth t with ease. And i wouldst beest hon'r'd if 't be true thee wouldst weareth our col'rs in square"

Kallaxia looked at him with a smile and walked over to him, kissing his cheek tenderly

"I will wear this coat and I hope I will bring him honor."

Spoken like a real Wandering Blade!
Nocturnal beamed and looked at them closely, and he realized that this was the resurrection of his order.
He had just handed over the coat.
Kallaxia looked at the coat, with big eyes in which joy was reflected.
He knew that she would fill the coat quickly. Faster than he was back in his childhood.

The sun is slowly rising over the horizon

Nocturnal lay on the bed, Kallaxia curled up in her true form beside him. They had been refining the plan all night, trying to make plans to save the hostages.
He had just updated his journal when an argument broke out on the market square outside.
It was loud enough to be heard, but not loud enough for the nocturnal to hear what was being said.
Quietly, without waking Kallaxia, Nocturnal snuck out of the room and locked it behind him, slipping the key under the door. Nobody was allowed to see them like that, otherwise there would be more trouble.
He went down gently, through the door and into the market square.
The quarrel had now become heated and some of the ponies present were not at all satisfied with the idea of building a wall around their village. Others wanted to take more extreme measures and take the fight to the Diamond Hounds.

"Citizens of this village! knoweth yond thee thirst to beest free from these tyrants! but yond requires a lot of blood and did sweat! none of thou art did train to square, and neith'r of thee shouldst beest. If 't be true the planeth yond mine own mateth and i art currently f'rging is to beest successful, we might not but all sticketh togeth'r. Leaveth the fighting to h'r and me. buildeth this mure and digeth this trench with t, shouldst we faileth and loseth our liveth, at least thee has't a bett'r chance than us.
night and i shall standeth bef're thee.
night and i shall staineth our blades with blood f'r thee ponies
níght and i shall giveth our liveth if 't be true needeth beest, f'r we art warri'rs.
Our hearts can beareth this fate"

His voice was calm and yet everyone heard him, because as soon as he spoke and moved through those present, it became quiet around him.
He didn't limp.
He didn't stutter.
And in his eye burned a fire that was hard to miss

"All i asketh of thee is to protecteth yourself so yond at which hour i square, i just has't to w'rry about mine own comrade and myself. If 't be true someone wanteth to joineth us, those gents art most welcometh, but the few'r of us and the m're of those folk th're art on the battlefield, the easi'r 'twill beest f'r mine own comrade and me"

He had reached the front end of the ponies and was now standing next to the mayor.

"I'm a wand'ring blade mine own 'rd'r did exist a thousand years ago. I wast petrifi'd by fate and during this timeth i did wake up again.
by fate i am h're the present day.
and if 't be true fate shall, i shall exhale mine own life h're"

"Why should any pony do that for another?"

The exclamation was unexpected to Nocturnal and he was visibly confused.

"Isn't th're aught m're hon'rable than giving thy life f'r oth'rs?"

The ponies looked at each other. Nobody knew exactly what to say on it.
This thought seemed alien to them.
The last thousand years must have been really peaceful. kind of a shame that he missed that.

"In the timeth i cometh from th're wast nothing m're dang'rous than the air raid of a pegasus, the strength of an earth pony and the magical abilities of the unic'rns. I am asham'd to admiteth yond i did expect m're from thee. and i'm v'ry s'rry. Night and i shall doth ev'rything yond thee can continueth to liveth thy peaceful path. But we needeth the holp of the royal guardeth. Prithee, thy fastest couri'r hast to leaveth anon and asketh f'r holp"

A group of Pegasus looked at each other and raised their hooves.

"We're going to take off. There are three Royal Guard outposts. We can ask all three."

Nocturnal smiled and bowed low to them.

"May thee beest successful. The fate of this village may dependeth on t"

May the preparations begin.
That promises to be interesting

Author's Note

Art bx AlexDTI