The battle was being lost. Dead bat ponies, pegasi, unicorns, and earth ponies alike littered the bloody ground. The air was thick, sickly sweet ant rotten from the bodies. Lightning flashed. It had been raining for months on end. Princess Celestia was reading to join the battle. Too many have died. Night Caster became both a hardened warrior and an experienced on-field medic. Luna took a hard injury and was in the hospital. Night Caster felt missing without her mentor. She wondered if Twilight felt like that at times.

The griffins were weak too. They lost many and their bodies were added to the others. Citizens had long fled the city. Prince Blueblood died, much to the joy of a lot of ponies that were still alive. Night Caster's knives were blood stained. She stood, weak and hungry, in the battlefield. She had just taken on a group of griffins, ten times her size. They lie in front of her, staining the grassy field outside the city. She looked at the bodies without pity. The healed her wounds with black magic, which was surprisingly accepted by most ponies.

"Coming down",called a voice above.

Night caster looked up to see a pegasus coming to her, wearing the solar guard uniform.

"Commander Blade at your service",said the pony.

Night Caster nodded.

"I salute you. I couldn't take that many griffins on in my life. How old ARE you?",asked the pegasus.

"Thirteen",said Night Caster bluntly.

The pegasus looked at her with wide eyes. Night Caster spotted something in the distance.

"Thirty, northbound. They'll be her in ten minuets, by nightfall. Get some soldiers and meet back here. This grass is going to get bloodier",said Night Caster.

The pegasus didn't see them but saluted besides and took off. Night Caster sighed and sat, waiting.

***********

"I can't do it alone!",shouted Night Caster.

Luna sighed. Celestia was unmoving.

"Sister, you must, the griffins will overtake us", Luna said.

Celestia was in deep thought. Night Caster was still yelling.

Such a hardened warrior, she thought,So young.

Night Casters uniform was battered and scratched. Its black luster was faded and dirty, stained with blood. She refused to wear the helmet so her blue-black mane was stained as well. It was long and wavy.

Like Luna's was, thought Celestia with a smile.

Celestia sighed and looked at the extremely distressed Night Caster.

"Let me get my regalia",said Celestia.

Night Caster sighed with relief and nodded.

The battle will be won.

**********

"I want her next to me at all times. She does NOT leave my side unless she falls. I want Commander Blade in the air if need be I get up there",commanded Celestia to her troops.

The others in the barracks nodded. Night Caster stepped over to her charge.

"This is going to end. MOVE OUT!",shouted Celestia.

Celestia waited to the others to leave. She commanded Commander Blade to go and join for now. Night Caster stayed.

"Yin Yang. A symbol only used in the perfect balance of darkness and light",said Celestia,"We will use this to drive out the griffins."

"You ask me to assist you in magic?",asked Night Caster.

Celestia nodded and led her out. Her battle regalia glistened and glowed like the sun. They stepped into the rain. Celestia moved into facing Night Caster.

"Fire black magic at me and I fire normal magic at you, focus on bending the magics around and balance each other out",shouted Celestia.

Night Caster nodded. She fired up her horn and black magic oozed up around her. She forced it to Celestia who forced blinding white magic to her. Tje magics clashed and Night Caster forced the white magic around her and Celestia worked the black. A small black circle formed around her and a white one around Celestia. Suddenly, Night Caster could see everywhere. It was wonderful. She was the Yin Yang symbol and herself. She gasped.

Stay focused,said a voice in her mind, Celestia.

Night Caster focused as instructed and the magics balanced themselves out. A black and white flash blasted the area and the rain was blown away, revealing the night sky and its luminous stars. Night Caster's vision returned to her body and she fell. Celestia caught her and stood her back up.

"Never speak of this",commanded Celestia.

Night Caster nodded and passed out, again.

********

Night Caster woke up in a hospital bed.

"Buck, it's noon",she said upon seeing a clock,"I'm supposed to be at the barracks and then Luna's in an hour."

"You are free to go. The princess granted discharge as soon as you woke", said the nurse.

Night Caster got up and left. The ran down to the barracks. Shining saw as she entered the training grounds.

"Only an hour left, better make it good",he called.

Night Caster nodded and entered a wooden ring, empty but flooded with ponies around the sides, even pegasi above.

"Hey, she's back!",shouted a pony.

The guards cheered a name she took on as a nickname with them.

"Dark Blade! Dark Blade! Dark Blade!",they cheered.

Night Caster smiled. Here she was a warrior.

A strong-looking earth pony jumped in.

Night Caster laughed.

The pony charged her and she butted him upward easily.

The pegasi moved out of his way and a sickening splat was head as he fell back. Surprisingly her got back up and bowed to the unicorn.

"Better luck next time!",she called and the others cheered.

This went on for about 53 minutes. Night Caster realized the time and Shining gave her a nod as she ran to Luna's rooms.

Magic training had begun.

Author's Note

I'm going to try to reach 1,000 words per chapter; last chapter it was a good stopping point so
I published anyways.

Again, the updates won't be often, sorry.