The Apprentice of War

Chapter Six: Guard Training

Perspective: Spitfire

September 12th 1715

It has been one hour after Colour Shadow had left us. Sighing as I realized it is time for weapon training.

“Come on girls, we need to get back to training if we want to graduate within six weeks!” I shouted so everypony in my squad could hear me, ‘Remember Spitfire, this will make you a better, stronger pony; you can’t quit now!’

“But com'on Spitfire, none of us dream of training with Colour anymore!” Aloe and the rest of the squad moaned.

“Get up now!” I shouted even louder causing everypony to jump in shock. “If you do not get up of your lousy flanks I will make Colour look like a saint!” Everypony’s eyes shrunk to the size of pin pricks. In a flash they were running down the corridor and into the drill square. ‘Hehehe I can get used to this!’.

As I casually emerged from the corridor and onto the drill square, Colour Shadow stared at me, he had a smug grin plastered on his brown muzzle. “I see you are finally showing some initiative Recruit Spitfire, heck maybe in a year or two you could become a Corporal!” Suddenly his smile vanished, leaving an ungodly frown. “Now get the buck in line!”

“Sir, yes, sir!” I replied as a trotted over into my squad.

Colour Shadow began to pace from one end of the squad to the other, glaring at us. “Alright Recruits, there has been a change in training. In ten minutes time you will all be given a survival kit, the bare essentials needed to survive. You will be let loose into the everfree forest; your task is to survive for three days. If you live, you pass; if you die... well I don’t think I need to explain that.”

Our jaws were slack from shock. ‘We haven’t even learnt how to use a sword yet and they are casting us off into the deadliest area in Equestria!’ Colour continued to pace between the squad, he reached out and grabbed my survival kit and opened it up; revealing the contents inside.

“Inside your kit you will have: A sword and a crossbow, two healing potions, a quiver of arrows and enough food to last one night. Any questions?” Instantly my hand shot up.

“Sir, we have not been trained at all in survival, let alone using these weapons, sir!” Colour seemed to chuckle at the question, with a quick snap he closed the survival kit and threw it at me.

“Valid question Recruit, however Equestria’s military only wants the best of the best, this survival test will weed out the recruits who do not have the balls to fight in the military.” Colour put a whistle to his mouth and blew. “Alright you maggots! Your test has begun!”

Instantly I picked my kit up and sprinted into the forest, as I encountered thick vegetation I removed my sword from the sheath and began to slash at the plant life blocking my path. After five minutes of running deep into the forest, I stopped and rested. ‘Three days... I can do that... I just hope the rest of my squad can...’ Realizing that I am in the open I started to climb up into the tall tree canopy.

I began to gather leaves and vines from the tree tops and weaved a make shift bed. Content with my shelter for the night I climbed back down onto the forest floor. Attached to my flank was the one handed steel sword, on my back was the quiver of bolts and the crossbow as my primary weapon.

The one handed sword was double edged with a brilliant shine; it could easily cleave a pony in two, whereas the crossbow was hoofed carved out of a single block of wood, craftsmanship at its finest.

After Walking for twenty minutes around my camp I decided to rest by a large milkwood tree, the tree was about fifteen meters tall, allowing me to see the surroundings. Next to me the bush began to shake, I jump up and raise my sword into a fighting stance.

“Who’s there? I am armed and I will kill you!” I don’t know why I called out into the bush, but it shocked me when I received a reply.

“Spitfire? It’s me Berry.” Berry Punch came tumbling out of the bush landing a few feet away from me; she was covered in dried blood.

“Berry! What happened to you and why are you covered in blood!”

“Hehehe… How are you Spitfire?” She said sheepishly, as she stood up I saw large dark blue bruise on her rib cage.

“I’m alright Berry, however I can’t say the same for you… why are you covered in blood and how did you get that bruise?”

Berry trotted over to me and leaned on the tree, “Well after we charged into the forest, I was separated from everypony; I tried to find you... and well I bumped into a timber wolf, it smacked me into a tree... and well, I pulled out my sword and killed it. I am surprised nopony heard it’s howl” She seemed to smile, ‘probably due to the fact that she is still alive!’  “And the blood is the timber wolf’s” ‘Ew...’

“Wow Berry, you are really lucky to be alive. You can stay with me for the rest of the challenge, I have a shelter ready which is easily large enough for the two of us.”

“Sounds great, shall we head back then? I’m rather hungry...” I smiled and nodded; we set off back to the camp in silence.

Deciding to break the silence I spoke to Berry Punch, “So Berry why did you decide to join the military?”

Berry Punch seemed slightly surprised from the question, “Well I have always wanted to join the military, so I joined... not much of an exciting story is it?” She spoke with a slightly depressed tone, her scruffy pink mane flopping to one side.

I sighed deeply ‘Not every story needs to be exciting...’

Perspective: Nightmare Moon

September 12th 1715

I checked the grandfather clock for the fifth time in an hour. ‘She should be here... what is taking that mare so long!?’  Finally the clock struck one o’clock, and the doors to my private chambers slowly creaked open; revealing a familiar lavender mare.

“Sorry I am late Nightmare Moon, I lost track of time studying.” ‘She so eager... so much potential’ “-And that is my complete essay on the ancient wars of Equestria”

“Well done my apprentice, soon you will be adequate scholar on war; maybe even surpassing Sun Tzu!” ‘I have great expectations for you my dear apprentice, lets just hope that you can cope through the madness which war brings’

“Th-thank you Nightmare Moon, however I will never be able to rival his great philosophy on war, it would be like comparing me to Star Swirl the bearded!”

“Twilight, you do not understand your true potential... one day you will be the most powerful living being in this world! Even surpassing me!”

“Again thank you Nightmare Moon. So what will we be learning today?” Her face gleamed with a thirst for knowledge no archive could quench. ‘She is so talented... and Celestia wanted to restrict her knowledge.’

“Well since you have done so well with mastering Sun Tzu’s ‘Art of War’ I think it is time for you to start the next level of your training” Her face light up in enthusiasm, her posture erecting. “Come Twilight, it is time I show you what will soon be yours...”

I walked down the empty corridors with Twilight at my side, passing paintings and busts of ponies throughout the ages. The enchanted moon casting warm moon rays across the corridor.

The moon’s rays warming my coat, and the breeze blowing in my ethereal mane. After a minute of silence I began to speak to my apprentice in a motherly tone. “Twilight, what you are about to witness is the greatest relic ever created, more powerful than the elements of harmony. With the right training and mentality, it will turn make you into the most powerful mare ever to live. However Twilight do not take this role lightly, this relic will try to corrupt you; turn you against your loved ones and those you are most loyal to... it has the possibility of creating the greatest threat to Equestria.”

Twilight looked up into my eyes. They showed no regret or remorse. “Nightmare Moon, I have no loved ones, they died in my eyes the day I met you.” Her eyes were that of a veteran soldier... a cold blooded killer. “From that day forth I could not see myself away from your side.” Her voice was cold, yet still showed her unnatural wisdom and knowledge.

“Very well Twilight.”

I turned around a corner and walked towards an old dusty door. My horn glowed with magic as I removed the thousand year old ward spells set upon the ancient door.

Twilight stared up at me in confusion. “What are we doing here Nightmare Moon? It’s just an empty corridor?” The final spell being broken the old door slowly began to fade into view “What the?! B-wha-how?!” Twilight began to stutter for words, clearly baffled by the ancient magic placed on the door.

I chuckled at Twilights confusion. “Twilight I placed many wards on this door years before my banishment, I could not allow Celestia or a simple guard to find this entrance.” I opened the door and motioned for Twilight to enter “Come now, It is time for you to begin your true training.” As we entered the room, the torches began to ignite themselves, casting the room in an eerie glow.

The room was spacious with archaic text chiselled into the thousand year old columns; in the centre of the room was a large circle with intricate designs.

“Armis mortem resurgat, et paries Deum tuum. Mortalium ingerere in gloria et honore domini servis.” As I spoke the ancient language the ground around us began to shake violently, the circle slowly began to rise; revealing and ancient set of purple and silver armour, encrusted with dark purple Tanzanite gems resting on top of a stone pony statue.

Twilights jaw dropped mesmerized by the armour in front of her. Slowly the armour began to pulse a light magenta

“This armour was hoofed made out of moonlight; it is a five times stronger than steel and three times lighter, it can deflect most advanced spells.” I turned and looked down at Twilight, “Also Twilight this armour will permanently change your appearance and increase your mana levels, your raw power would be twice of mine.”

“But Nightmare Moon, why have you not used the armour yourself? Surely you would benefit more than me?” I looked into her eyes, ‘So knowledgeable yet still ignorant and innocent’

“I do not wear that armour Twilight because the armour chooses its master.” Twilight looked puzzled “You could say the armour has its own soul, and it will stay dormant until its soul and its bearer's are connected.”

I levitated the armour off of the statue and began to strap the armour onto Twilight. The silvery horse shoe’s latched onto her hooves; stopping just above her shins, the centrepiece covered her chest and wrapping around her slender neck; it had a large round Tanzanite gem. Finally the helmet fixed onto her head traveling down her muzzle and around her head.

With the armour complete, another bright magenta flash encased the room. Stood in the centre was Twilight; she was almost as tall as me, her coat was a deep onyx black, her mane and tail blowing in an unnatural wind was now a deep teal, blood red and a dark purple. Her cutie mark was now a silver star with seven smaller deep magenta stars between the points with a deep Tanzanite gem in the centre and her horn was longer and brought to a point, and lastly her eyes had changed into draconic slits surrounded by her bright red eyes.

She stood there shocked, slowly she came to and spoke, her voice was slightly deeper “I feel... powerful, regenerated, what has happened to me Nightmare Moon?”

I chuckled as I levitated a small hoof mirror towards her. “See for yourself Twilight, I must admit you are rather stunning!” Twilight blushed at my compliment, her black coat tinged with a deep red.

Twilight grabbed the mirror with her magic and brought it up to her face; she gasped sharply. “Oh my...” she began to look all over her body checking for other changes. Once she spotted her cutie mark she gasped again. “My cutie mark changed! How I thought that was impossible!”

Again I chuckled softly. “I do not know Twilight, there is magic inside that armour eons older than me.” ‘She look amazing... the armour complements her curves beautifully.’

“So what happens now Nightmare Moon?” her draconic eyes scanned the little details of the room.

“We begin training, your mana has increased so you will need to get used to the depth of your font, I would also like to begin combat training; with weapons and spells.” I opened the door and turned back to Twilight. “Come Twilight let’s begin your true training”.

Perspective: Twilight

‘I look so different... yet it feels so right. I have finally begun my new life; I am no longer Twilight Sparkle, from now on I am Eclipse.’

I stopped walking and looked at Nightmare Moon. “Nightmare Moon.” I was still unused to my new voice.

“Yes Twilight?” She replied nonchalantly.

“Well since I look different, and have a different cutie mark... I don’t feel like I should be called Twilight. She gone now, I feel like a new person... if it’s alright with you, could I please be called Eclipse.”

Nightmare Moon grinned, “Yes of course Eclipse; it is nice to see you embracing your new role in the world so well, you will be a great warrior.” Nightmare Moon turned and began to walk down the corridor, as we passed many guards saluted Nightmare Moon, many of them were confused to who I was.

We reached the castle entrance after about ten minutes of walking. I trotted by the side of Nightmare Moon, now we were similar a height I no longer had to walk at a faster pace, outside the palace the moon was at its peak; showering Equestria with warm moonlight, yet the sky still showed the thousands of stars and nebulae.

Nightmare Moon sat on her haunches on top of a small patch of grass in the castle gardens. “Sit Eclipse, your first lesson will be on combat spells; do you know any so far?”

I followed her request and set next to my teacher, “Sorry Nightmare Moon, I have not been taught any combat spells. I asked Celestia once but she said that they are not needed, since Equestria is a peaceful utopia.”

“I thought so... well to begin with combat spells feed of your mana and emotions, the strongest combat spells are powered by hate and anger although sometimes courage can sometimes be just as strong. Remember Eclipse you must not show fear. Fear is weakness... never show weakness”

I slowly nodded. “Now I want you to cast a simple fire spell, to do this you need to focus on what fire is; fire is energy, it gives life yet it takes it.”

I lit my horn and began to focus on fire, ‘It is energy, life and death.’ In front of me a small ball of gas began to form a sphere, suddenly the sphere ignited. Two feet away from me was a hoofball sized ball of fire.

“Very good Eclipse, now to disperse it you must take away its energy source; the energy source is your horn so simply cut off your magic.”

I quickly cut off the magic to my horn; suddenly I doubled over in pain. “Arghh what was that?!” My horn throbbed with pain.

“That was magical backlash; it will hurt at first but after a while the pain slowly decreases until you can stop your magic flow without feeling any pain.” Nightmare Moon looked at me again and motioned for me to carry on “Now I want you to summon a water orb; water is life, you cannot live without water just as you cannot live without heat or air. Water is a liquid and it is also steam and ice.” I repeated the her words and like before a small ball of water was formed. “You are doing very well Eclipse, it takes most ponies hours to master even the simple elemental combat spells.” Nightmare Moon clapped her hooves together to show her approval and enthusiasm.

“Thank you Nightmare Moon, I guess having my special talent as magic has it’s perks!” We both chuckled lightly.

“Well I think you have the basic spells down, let’s try something a little more complicated...”