Twisted Nights

It had been three days since the Changeling invasion, there wicked ooze could be seen slowly creeping under the shield that was being maintained by Shining Armour, he was getting weak, a counter attack must be performed soon.

A line guard could be seen slowly patrolling the streets his head hung low, his name was Reqius Captain Of The Luna Guard, but ever since his beloved princess had personally taken it upon herself to stop the changelings she hadn't been spotted, some say she died along with the whole of ponyville others say she was still out there fighting for us, Reqius well he didn't know what to think since her leaving his life had been a mess with no orders to follow he had fallen Into depression thinking for yourself in a time like this was near impossible.
As he slowly crept closer to the edge of the shield he noted that he changeling Ozzie was indeed slowly creeping through, two changelings on the other side taunted him throwing piles of the ooze at the shield and laughing as Reqius winced, each splat I made caused the shield o ripple before his eyes scaring him, "We won't let you do this...the guard always stand ready" he whispered these words, the words he had once stood by we're now the words he clung to in his final hours.

A shrill bell rung out and a voice followed it, the voice was the magnified tones of the withering Princess Celestia, "my dear subjects this may well be the ned of us, my sister is still unheard from and I do not have much more energy to raise the moon alone I may well be gone soon but when I'm gone..." Reqius ignored the rest he had started to sprint tors the castle tears streaming down his face, his armour clanged as he ran digging into his side, he ignored the pain he had to the time to act was now.
"My dear princess" he said sprinting into the royal chamber, the princess waved her hand moving seemed to weaken her further, "I trust you to make the right decision captain" she said, at these words he wiped his tears away with his cloth sleeve, "you have served me and my sister since you were only a filly your dedication is unfailing I trust you" Reqius bowed his head and said "me and my team will depart immediately" his head turned to Shining Armour "we'll get them both back sir" Shining nodded slowly his tired face seemed for a second again, the thought of his wife being recovered was a revelation these days.

Celestia struggled to her feet and took Reqius's hand tightly gripping it "even in failure you'll find victory we will all die here unless you find Luna anyway, just know this captain your team is small your odds even smaller, but you can't give up I know she isn't gone I know she's out there" her voice stuttered and her body trembled asa tear trickled for her still beautiful face "just...just know that if you find my dear sister too late and canterlot h fallen tell...tell her Tia is sorry for everything the moon, everything" Reqius embraced the princess allowing her tears to soak into his shoulder "being late isn't an option we find her soon or die trying" at these words Reqius turned leaving the room.

He slowly made his way down to the town square, here stood five figures this crack team was all that was left not because of there skill but because of there hope, in this war determination is what would decide the outcome.
He turned to them saying all there names out loud "Soarin, Aloe, Trixie, Big Mac and Berry Punch it's good to see you all again" Reqius smiled at his rag tag team, noticing his smile they grinned back "so we finally get to start this victory?" said Soarin confidently as the group began the walk to the shield exit "Ha confidence it's good to be seen" replied Reqius "Eeyup" said Big Mac.
As the armour clad group neared there destination they picked up there filled backpacks that had been laying there for days now, "Trixie looks forward to camping!" said Trixie breaking the silence "well we're headed crystal empire way Trixie expect a lot of it" said Berry Punch adjusting the strap on her leather armour chest plate her bow as slotted neatly over the backpack and the quiver hidden underneath it.

As the group reached the barrier edge they started out onto the less corrupted side of canterlot, there was rolling hill of green and even forests I'm sight after a full minute of staring Aloe said "we've only been in here for a week and look at us completely in love with a sight we use to see every day" Reqius nodded placing his hand on the shield and stepping out sealing himself from returning inside, the group followed each gasping at the fresher air, the rippling of the shield had attracted the attention of some nearby changelings who snarled and took off in flight "Berry you know what to do" said Reqius casually she then proceeded to draw her bow and notch 3 arrows firing them perfectly into the changelings causing all three to fall to the ground, she smiled at herself proud of her success, Reqius dashed over katana drawn and finished them off a quick slash the the throat silenced them, he once again sheathed the weapon and returned to the group holding something he had recovered from the body of one of the changelings "hey Trixie take a look at this" he threw what appeared to be a small ruby to the woman she caught it and started to examine it a the group started to walk again "so where to first to first?" asked Soarin flicking open his map, Reqius pointed to a little X on the map "there that our first night stop it's in the forest with a village near by, I was thinking we could investigate the village" Soarin nodded folding the map.

Hours passed and the group continued there lethal journey to there first stop, however they encountered a very low amount of changing patrols all the while Trixie was admiring the rock and then, "Trixie has deemed that this is some sort of low tier dragon gem, it contains an average amount of potential nothing Trixie would require" ever since her second defeat at the hands of Twilight Trixie had grown more in her magic studies and had dedicated her life to her learning, she was now as a result much stronger now the Mage of the group.
Reqius thanked her and took the gem fashioning it into a a necklace using a metal chain he had, "hm it suits you Reqius" said Trixie.
Another hour past, "Reqius sir I believe this is the opening to the camp site" said Aloe, Reqius sighed as they walked into the open area for the camp "look Aloe I'm not a sir out here I'm no captain now please the names Reqius" Big Mac who was easily the strongest threw down the pack he was carrying he had been carrying three tents for the
Past four hours, Soarin knelt down to the heavy tent bags "doesn't this hurt you mate" he said "nope" replied Big Mac, Soarin simply shrugged and started to unpack his tent "hey Reqius your sleeping with Trixie tonight...no funny business I wanna get some sleep tonight" Said Soarin joking, Trixie who was completely unimpressed by the joke floated a pan out of Aloe's pack and smacked him with it hard, and argument broke out between the two as Big Mac sighed and started to put up the tent, laughing and turning to Aloe, Reqius asked "say Aloe how many days travel are we from the empire" she stood there thinking for a moment her hair drifting lazily in the breeze "at least two months" she said almost upset "the shield will hold for seven we got this" said Reqius happily, Aloe shuffled her feet uncomfortable "can we guarantee Princess Luna is held there?" Reqius at this point grew very serious "Celestia herself can feel Luna's presence there we need both of the princess's to help us in the final fight hell with the six gone we can hardly use the elements" Reqius grew quite at the mention of the six at this point Soarin was sent ironically soaring into a tree by Trixie who had grown tired of him.