The Red Knight

As expected, the enemy is ready for them. They are attacked before they make it to the river. Small contingents of guards attempt to surround them. They jump from trees and emerge from trenches. They fight like they are used to ambush tactics but they aren't changeling forces. They also don't wear the armor of the Celestial guard. Mercenaries, maybe.

Whoever the men that Night Light has sent at them are, they are outnumbered. The sheer size of the Dark Regiment overwhelms them. They've now far surpassed the number they started with, and battle has made them strong. The maybe-mercenaries in the trees fall, and Sunset marches on.

As they burst into the clearing, a small army awaits them.

Sunset stands up in her stirrups and Shining extends to her a horn. Spitfire is already charging, but Sunset hangs back. The captain barrels straight into the valley, a full phalanx at her back. They draw the attention of the enemy beautifully.

Sunset grins, first at Shining, then at Flash. She puts the horn to her lips, three long blasts sound. The last horn call is still ringing in the air as she spurs the horse on. She rides directly down into the fray, spear in hand. Her men are chanting, unnerving their enemy.

“Death! Death! Death!” Echos across the field. Sunset can feel the fear in the air.

She dismounts in the middle of a scuffle. One of hers is battling three at once. With a sharp thrust of her spear, she evens the odds. Spinning she lands another blow. Then another. And another. There are orders shouted among the enemy ranks but it's obvious they aren't soldiers. None of them are obeying commands.

Spin. Stab. Duck.

A sword bounces uselessly off her chest plate. She counters with a spear to the soft parts of his belly. Her attacker crumples.

Rainbow Dash runs past, her quiver is empty and she's found a sword. Pinkie Pie is at her back, twin daggers whirling.

Another horn blows, two short blasts.

Sunset rips her helmet from her head. “Shields!” Her bellow carries and is echoed by hundreds of voices.

As one, the dark regiment raises shields and covers their eyes.

Sunset does not see the flash, her hands clasped over her face. She does feel the heat of it, and even through her hand it is bright. Another short horn blast and she's moving again. Their enemies are stumbling and flailing. Some are writhing on the ground, others are clutching their faces in agony.

She doesn't slow down. Her soldiers are still cutting down anyone in their way. The river runs directly across her path. Without pause, she wades into it. It rises to her thighs, her middle, then her shoulders. It takes a great deal of strength to wrench herself free of the mud. With a great heave, she stumbles to the other side. Already across, drenched in water and sweat is Captain Bulwark. He's battling two at once and barking orders to others as they cross the water.

She loses her spear when a woman on horseback takes a swing at her. She buries her weapon in the horses chest. When the rider is flung over the animals head, Sunset hears her neck snap.

She seizes a sword from the ground and swiftly engages again.

For hours they battle. She gains ground little by little. At some point, Shining and she are back to back. Then Rainbow and Pinkie join them. Zecora flits by, she wields a walking stick like a staff. Their healer is surprisingly deadly, cracking people over the head. AJ appears as they take on a group of spearmen. Her long sword takes the head from their leader. Flash and Spitefire are the last to get there, the blacksmith is supporting Spitfire's weight.

“How bad?” Sunset asks immediately, ducking an arrow. Dash returns fire with a pilfered arrow of her own.

“Leg's broke,” the Captain admits. “Some big fucker with a warhammer, he caught me off guard.”

“Flash,” the boy meets her eyes. “Find Zecora, Spitfire is done. She so much as touches a sword, knock her out.” He grins and hauls her back toward the water. The captain looks back at her with unconcealed ire. Sunset next turns to Shining, “finish what we started out here. I'm taking this lot to find Luna.”

Shining raises his sword and gives a loud battle cry. “Death! Death! Death! Dark! Dark! Dark!” As the call echos, Sunset and her friends take their first steps into the tomb.

It is dark and damp, but clearly well made. The white marble is carved into perfect symmetrical blocks. Intricate designs are carved into the walls, worn nearly smooth from visitors long lost to time. There are sconces along the right hand side that guide them deeper.

They meet no resistance in the darkness. Nothing moves ahead or behind them. The tomb extends deep into the earth, growing damper and colder with each step.

“How far down does it go?” Rainbow asks, voice low.

“I don't know,” Sunset admits. “Shining said that Long Light was an important guy, it's probably a huge tomb.”

They walk for nearly twenty minutes in the dim light of the torches. Then the tunnel widens into a cavern. Sconces flank both sides, the walls rising tall and looming over them. In the center is a stone box, the last resting place of Shining and Twilight's ancestor. It is white as bone, and etched with the likeness of the dead man himself.

Behind it, chained to a pillar, is the Princess of the Night.

Sunset barrels across the room, only to be caught by Pinkie before she can reach her.

“Wait-” the herald hisses, “it might be a trick.”

Luna's head raises slowly. “Sunset?” Her voice is hoarse and croaky. Her eyes, sunken and pained.

Sunset's heart throbs and thunders. It bounces in her chest like it's trying to leap into Luna's hands.

She swallows hard, “if you're Luna... tell me something only you would know.”

“Who else would I be?” the figure in chains croaks.

Pinkie squeezes past Sunset, dagger in hand. “If you are our Princess then prove it. What is the first name of your Captain of the guard?”

Silence.

Silence.

Silence.

Then, “it seems you have discovered our ruse. It's too bad that it will not save you.” The voice comes not from the prisoner before them, but from the darkness. It is familiar to Sunset, in the worst way.

“Hello, Lord Night,” she growls. “Where is my Princess?”