The Apprentice of War

The Apprentice of War

By AfterTouch

Chapter One: Betrayal

Perspective: Narrator

“You cannot win Nightmare Moon, give up now and Princess Celestia might forgive you for your awful crimes!” Twilight forcefully shouts as she emits a lone magic spark from her horn onto the Elements of Harmony.

“Mwahaha, you ignorant little foal! Did you truly believe you could defeat me? Now you will never see your princess, or your sun! The night shall last forever!”  Screamed Nightmare Moon as she crushes the elements of harmony into dust with a stomp of her dinner plate size hoof.

Twilight quickly inhaled...“What have you done! I was so close, we passed all your attempts to stop us from defeating you. What could have gone wrong?” As she sobbed into her forelegs Nightmare Moon slowly inched towards her. Nightmare Moon spoke in a stern and powerful voice;

“Poor Twilight, did you truly think a pile of rocks could defeat me! But to answer your question, I would recommend that you look around.” As Nightmare Moon finished, Twilight slowly lifted her head out of her forelegs; either out of fear or that she had just given up hope.

“See Twilight, you have been betrayed by your so called ‘friends’ that you only met today, did you truly think they cared about you? That they would risk their own lives for a mare they had just met! Before you think about getting back up and try to challenge me again, I want to let you know Celestia is never returning, she is dead. Remember my words; I, Nightmare Moon, defeated your pathetic princess. Now surrender to me and I shall show you mercy.” Nightmare Moon’s tone had softened; she almost seemed kind and that she truly pitied Twilight for being so foalish.

“I-I can’t believe I trusted them.” Twilight took a deep shuddering breath as she gazed at the empty space around her. She lowered her head, her mane fell over her eyes. “I thought they were my friends.” As she spoke, a single tear stained her bruised cheek. “I surrender,” Twilight sighed heavily, “whatever hope was left in saving Equestria is gone.” Nightmare Moon looked surprised that Twilight had given up her fight so quickly, but as quickly as her expressions shifted her face was plastered with a smug grin from ear to ear.

“Yes, come with me my pet, I’m most sure that as Celestia’s prized student you can be more than useful for me!” With an audible pop both Nightmare Moon and Twilight were teleported to the front gate of the royal castle startling two of Celestia’s Royal Guards.

“Halt! Who are you and what is your business here?” One of the Snow white guards half commanded, half shouted. Nightmare Moon gaze fell over the other guard who started to violently shake. The guard was wearing a gold and blue armour with Celestia’s cutie mark of the sun in the centre of his chest piece, the helmet on top of his head was also gold with a deep blue plume.

“I am Queen Nightmare Moon! The new ruler of Equestria, Princess of the Night. Bow before me you pathetic peasants” hissed Nightmare Moon causing the left guard to faint from the sheer in power her voice.

“What have you done with the Princess you foul demon?!” shouted the guard however all what Twilight and Nightmare Moon was a meek squeal of words so quiet it would make Fluttershy proud.

Taking a gulp out of pure terror Twilight spoke towards the guard “Please, sir, step aside. The Princess is gone, there is no point in trying to stop Queen Nightmare Moon, if not even the elements of harmony could” When she finished Twilight could only dip her head in defeat, adding to Nightmare Moon's bitter sweet victory.

“You’re Twilight Sparkle, the prized student of Princess Celestia? How can you stand with that monster?” Twilight only seemed to sink even lower in guilt to the guard words.

“Because I was betrayed by my friends, even the Princess betrayed me... She gambled my life and the fate of Equestria on some stone relics; I guess she never did cherish me” Tears were flowing freely down Twilights cheeks slowly patterning on the cobblestone path below. Twilight lifted her head again to look into the guards eyes, meanwhile Nightmare Moon just stared at the two from the sidelines. “Sir as you have noticed the night is overdue a few hours.” more tears patted the ground as she forced these words out of her throat “Princess Celestia is dead. Equestria needs a ruler, and Queen Nightmare Moon is the only one who can carry out Princess Celestia’s duties” She pleaded, knowing that without Nightmare Moon Equestria would have no sun or moon.

After hearing what both Nightmare Moon and Twilight Sparkle had to say the guard puffed out his chest and adopted a fighting stance, his legs slightly apart and his head dipped with a look of dutiful pride. Nightmare Moon decided it was time to claim her rightful place on the throne and cantered up to the guard, almost mocking how weak he was compared to a goddess like her “H-halt, I won't l-let you p-pass” Stammered the guard.

Nightmare Moon reared up onto her legs just about to kill the foolish guard, when a cynical and sadistic thought snaked its way through her head. Nightmare Moon forcefully landed back on the ground missing the guard by inches, as she slowly craned her head and gazed into her pets purple shaded eyes. “Ah my pet, why don’t you show how devoted you are to me?” Twilight made an audible gulp as Nightmare Moon’s sadistic voice reached her ears

“W-what would you have me do, y-your highness?” Twilight whimpered, fearing what terrible sin her new master would force her to do.

“It is a simple order my pet, one which anyone with the right mind set can complete. I want you to kill him” As the last sentence rolled of Nightmare Moon’s snake like tongue she thrust a hoof in the guard’s direction. As her mind comprehended what the demonic princess had given her Twilight's eyes shrunk to pin pricks

“B-but I ca...” Twilight was suddenly cut off by Nightmare Moon’s bellowing voice

“YOU WILL KILL HIM! SHOW YOUR DEVOTION TO ME, AND I WILL SHOW YOU TRUE POWER AND AUTHORITY!” Both Twilight and the guard cringed from the power in Nightmare Moon’s voice.

After a few seconds which felt like hours, Twilight stared into the guard’s eyes, seeing fear for his life Twilight only felt more guilt and shame for even thinking about ending his life.

After a few deep breaths Twilight’s horn sparked to life and with a quick snap the guard limply fell to the ground, his eyes rolled to the back of his head and his limbs became limp. The guard was dead. At this realization Twilights emotions had got to the better of her she burst into tears and loud sobs. “Very good my pet, maybe if you keep being such a good and obedient little girl you might one day might be my own ‘faithful student’ ” Nightmare Moon chuckled but then her expression changed from a smug look to a deep frown “Come now Twilight it is time to take back my castle”

Twilight stood still frozen in shock horror, she had killed somepony. Murder was completely against a pony’s nature yet she killed an innocent being just because somepony told her to.

She was a monster...