Shadow Mark

The next six days he trained with his friends until the day before the skirmish. Instead of the usual training they all packed gear and met on the skirmish field.

The crafter pony’s worked all night to build the bunker and defenses. Once done the six of they discussed the plan.

"I believe the most successful plan is to first Straight flies above and shots magic and arrows at them. Red Talon and Shadow Mark you go charge in and create a distraction. Remember to 'kill' them you have to knock them out. Then Swift you sneak in the bunker when they are distracted and knock them unconscious. I will stay with Straight and use magic. I specialize in defense magic so I could stick with Red Talon because Shadow has the shadow."  Cerebrum said

"I am fine with this idea. Now...." the flare shot up interrupting Shadow.

"LOOK OUT THEY ARE ABOVE US!!!" the 'leader' of the skirmish shouted.

"Go into the bushes stick to the plan let them think they have taken us out. We will come back to free them later." Shadow said to his friends.

"Follow me I know where they start. This isn’t my first skirmish STRAIGHT SHOT HELP WE ARE GETTING ATTACKED FROM ABOVE!" Red Talon shouted knowing that they had all agreed to stay close in case this happened.

Within fifteen seconds they were down one landed right in front of him and Shadow quickly unfurled his wings and unleashed the throwing daggers at him.

All their weapons were enchanted to the could not cut veins or something like that. He would ask Cerebrum later all he knew is they all could not die unless strangled.

"THANKS COUNTINE FORWARD!" Red Talon shouted at Straight and gave a salute

"UNICORN AT 3 O'CLOCK." Shadow said and Red Talon hardly looked he just used the dagger gauntlet (hidden blade kinda cause I mean it is hard to hold stuff with hoofs.) and pointed it at the direction. The foolish unicorn ran right into it and fell over whimpering. Red Talon proceeded to kick him hard in the groin, which the unicorn responded with wide eyes and uncounsiousnis.

"Good work. You lead the way." Shadow said (by the way I’m sorry if the Shadow said or Straight said or Red Talon said. it’s just that in locations like this they may repeat a thought so it’s not really dialogue so I have to actually remind myself who’s talking sometimes.)

About ten minutes later of slowly treading across the ground and then occasionally knocking out somepony and binding them. The bunker came into view. "Ok I’ll start the distraction get my back I don’t want to be whimpering in a room for three days straight again."

Red Talon nodded and Shadow charged in using the shadow. The tendrils coming off his body as he got to the first one arrow and magic bolts fell from the sky. Good they are watching over me. He thought to himself. He clashed daggers with another pony but his broke so he pulled out his other and smacked the other pony upside the head, sending him to the ground.

About a minute later his other gauntlet broke. So he resorted to primitive means, his hoofs and his horn. He heard Red Talon cry out as he was struck down.

Turning around quickly he beat the crap out of them and helped Red up his dagger was broken to. "BACK TO BACK!" Shadow shouted.

They lasted five minutes before they saw the ponies in the bunker fleeing and it bursting into flames. "Well that’s a good sign." Red Talon said

"As long as Swift got out of there....I think we may need a little help." Shadow said as the enemas closed in around them. And to make things worse the shadow left him then. "AHHHHHH!!!" he cried out and went to a knee.

Red Talon fought them off for a little while calling to the others. Luckily they heard and landed next to them Cerebrum saw Shadow was hurt and cast a spell on him. "There that should help the pain. Also here take my gauntlet I prefer magic over metal."

An hour later after the sweat beading down their faces and them constantly giving ground. They ended up fighting in a six pronged star type formation. There they stayed for the rest of the day. Until twilight, as the sun dipped below the horizon he shouted a battle cry "I PRO LUNA PRINCEPS!!!!!" he had asked cerebrum for the phrase earlier knowing he speaks Latin.

It translates (according to Google translate) to I fight for the moon princess.

His friends repeated and riled at the cheer. "I PRO LUNA PRINCEPS!!!" they shouted then the translation of it "I FIGHT FOR THE MOON PRINCESS!!!" though unexpectantly the rest of the team rallied to this as well. They heard their cheer echo throughout the skirmish field faintly from somepony but still heard.

After the echoing had stopped for about five minutes and only the sound of steel could be heard. They then saw their general walk onto the battlefield he had armor like Shadows yet golden. Knowing that the goal was to bring their general down he shouted to his teammates in Latin. He was glad he had asked Cerebrum to teach them so they could speak and still be unknown. "Vestibulum duce IMPERATOR!" (Get the general, CHARGE)

They all looked towards the general and charged wings out stretched each with the special armor Shadow had. Shadow leaded the charge Red Talon to his right and Swift to the left behind them Straight Shot and Crafter, Cerebrum was right behind Shadow flying only a couple of feet above the ground so his armor went right over Red Talons and Swifts though only one wing, still it helped.

With the last few steps of the charge they lowered their heads and started a charge of magic to release on impact. Shadow felt his horn hit the general’s armor. Perfect the electricity will be much more effective. Within ten seconds the only movement of the general was the spastic movements every time the electricity jumped from armor plate to armor plate and into his body.

As Celestias guards stared gaping at what just six alicorns had done slowly turning their head from the still burning bunker. Then back to the general they had ended it at least three hours earlier then the last match. The Lunar Dominion looked toward the bushes as they heard their own general’s battle cry and saw the raised tabard of Luna. "FORWARD FOR LUNA!" he shouted and the entire army charged through the thick bramble. And every single one of the fifty - seventy of the men who were still up gaped at the six alicorns who were now leaning against a tree with the general hog tied and their own banner raised.

"Finally we've been waiting for what seemed like hours. Now though General Tenebrae Calx (translate the names yourself they will be Latin English or if something else I’ll tell you.) you see we have obviously done our work and now that your here our shift is over. So I and my friends here are going to go get a pint of ale and revel, sing, cheer, and have a merry time. While you and yours.....do whatever you do." Shadow said while walking past the general patted him on the shoulder and they all flew off towards the castle.

Later that night as they were in the mead hall drinking rejoicing and singing. The general walked in and sighed "You realize it is past curfew do you not."

"Really caushe to me I shee a no....wait....the middle one....okay I can’t shee the time maybe I've had one to many pints *sigh* oh well." Shadow said drunkly

The General sighed again. "You realize also you’re not supposed to be intoxicated."

"Really well that would explain that cheap bartender shaying I’ve had enough. Weres mah mead....." Shadow said then getting up and looking everywhere for his mead glass that was on the table the whole time.

Once again the General sighed and said under his breath "How did HE get a promotion so quickly. I'm going to be apprenticing a drunken foal soon." He scoffed at the idea. Then proceeded with his message. "By the order of Princess Luna of Equestria you have been promoted and are to advance three times in rank."

The revelers cheered Shadow stayed slightly mellow until he found his mead in front of him then he cheered and finished it off.

"Sho what’s mah name now Shargent Bull Shit like all you other high and mighty generals." Shadow said angrily and drunkly

"No but you are squad leader now you may choose seven to go with you from a rank one below you." Tenebrae said

Shadow looked at him and with all the effort he could walked as much in a straight line towards him and speak as soberly as possible "Look Tenebrae you can forget it. I lead my FRIENDS into battle NONE OTHER. I do not care if it is an order to move to a different rank. You can go tell Luna even though I created this Dominion to protect her. Never in my oath did I say I would do whatever she says.....right...” he turned around and asked his friends. And they nodded "Ok so right now unless my decision puts her in direct danger I will not accept!" his friends cheered and stood well sat a gape at his decision.

Tenebrae trotted out of the room surprised at Shadows decision. When he stepped out he saw Luna just where she was when he went in. Her expression stated she was satisfied. But that could not be right she must not have heard.

"Did you hear all of it?"

"Every word, didn’t I tell you of his undying loyalty, unfortunately though he has conflicted loyalties between me and his friends."

"So you heard him break all four of our rules and know we must send him out to expel him not only that but punish." Tenebrae stated

"Well drinking was the result of all of them." Luna said

"Even breaking one of the major rules means thirty lashings and indirectly breaking the rest means a total of fifty."

"I see no reason to punish him."

Staring into her eyes the entire time he noticed her eyes soften whenever they mentioned 'him' "You feel for him don’t you."

She panicked for a moment looking for a way out of this "Oh.....ummm....No I just......ummm Maybe I was being too soft....yes.......lashings sure."

Tenebrae looked at her with unamused face "Princess even a goat could see through that lie. *sigh* but you know maybe I just had to many beers and I was intoxicated and imagined the whole thing." he began to slur his words

She smiled and said "Oh no I am not falling for him......I just.......want to......become a better princess by uhh you know ummm getting to know my subjects." She smiled hopefully

"Not working Princess. Now I got to get some rest you should to. Go brag to Celestia about us winning for me."

She nodded and waited till he was out of view and walked in.

"PRINCESS!" All but two of the ponies exclaimed them being Swift and Shadow because they were the only ones truly drunk. They were just laughing next to the bar until Swift noticed.

"Hey look itsh the princess, hey hey princess howsh it going..." he said just before stumbling over and topples into Luna.

"Princess you can forget about me being your Shargent thing a ma bob I already shaid *takes swig of mead* no."

"Forgive us princess we didn't let him get anymore cause we said he couldn’t hold his liquor so he said 'is that a challenge' and drank all of ours then bought five more and well just make sure to clean that corner over there may be messy." Crafter said being the one with most manners.

"Shadow would you listen to me please." Luna said

"Well Shure what do you have to shay." (Btw just I am just guessing on how it is to be drunk I am underage so I have never tasted alcohol)

"I grant you your request; you get to stay with your friends. But they will be part of you squad to lead and order. You will train under General Tenebrae."

"WHAT!!!" General Tenebrae exclaimed and fell out from his position behind the door. (oh crap I forgot to describe him just to do so He looks kinda like male Luna I guess with black mane not an alicorn though Pegasus and he’s very formal has blue eyes and like once again a really long mane.)

"Yes are you worried this 'Drunken foal' has become too good for you to teach him anymore then he already knows" she said smugly

"No of course not." The general said.

"Then it’s settled your training begins tomorrow. Shadow I give you the funds to supply your squad. Now I must return to my chambers I grow weary." Luna said

"Goodnight amici lassitudo i tam mane videbo vos" Shadow said to them and the nodded they all had to prepare for the task ahead.