//------------------------------// // Chapter 10: Nightguard // Story: The Nightguard: Legacy of Star Swirl the Bearded // by BigKlingy //------------------------------// It was a light. But it was coming from above us. Eyes straining, I looked up to see… Something I never would have expected. It looked as though the light was coming from a spotlight, attached to a large wooden hull. There appeared to be two ponies standing atop it, but before I had time to make anything else out they had thrown down something. A roll of wood and rope that slowly untangled, until it was just within our reach. Five of our company, myself included, were incredulous at this miracle. But one among us had let out a beaming grin. Looking up at… whatever it was, the blue-maned unicorn shouted: “Quickfix! Mjolna! You finally decided to show!” The two ponylike forms seemed to hear her, but gave no reply, instead gesturing us all to hurry. We naturally complied, each grabbing hold of the ladder as they pulled us in. I couldn’t quite believe what was happening, but soon enough I tasted the sweet, fresh air of freedom. Utterly out of breath, it took me a few moments to realise where I was. It was standing on what looked like the deck of a great ship. Except it wasn’t the ocean to each side, but a beautiful night sky. I realised we were now as high above the earth as we had once been below it. Giving the place a further look-over, I noticed the edges of two great wings jutting out of either side. Ahead of us was a small cabin and what looked like a ship’s wheel, while behind was a metal monstrosity the likes of which I’d never seen. All around were the same metal disks and shining glass orbs we had seen on that ancient contraption back in the Everfree Forest. A small metal box, no bigger than a shed stood in the centre, large pipes connecting it to the rest of the device. In front of it an earth pony, probably only a little older than myself, was tending to it just as a pony would shovel coal into a train’s boiler. Except instead of coal, the pony was shovelling in gems. Masses of gems. And there was no fire either, the strange boiler instead glowed with a cool blue light, the very same aura I’d seen Electric Sky produce earlier. Speaking of which… Our unicorn friend was chatting to another of her kind, this one was brown and had a Cutie Mark resembling the kind of tool used by those who work with this kind of equipment. After they had finished their conversation, our friend returned to us and finally said: “Let me introduce you to my pride and joy. Welcome aboard the Lindwyrm!” “Woah woah woah!”, I yelled in utter disbelief. “This thing is yours!?” “Well, not technically”, Electric Sky assured me. “But after I made a few… improvements, the Canterlot boys were more than willing to let me take her for a spin whenever I want. Which reminds me, we need to get her back there soon or they’re gonna start asking questions.” Something suddenly dawned on me. “Wait a minute. When you said you’d “left something” back at Canterlot, you didn’t mean…” “Well of course!”, she replied enthusiastically. “I can’t believe you told me there wasn’t time to go get it. Would’ve saved us a LOT of hassle if you ask me. Good thing Quickfix got my signal, or else who knows where we’d all be right now.” “We came as soon as we could, Miss”, said the brown unicorn, giving a salute which judging by Electric Sky’s reaction was completely unnecessary. “Well, as soon as Mjolna got the engine running. Though I personally think she applied a little too much force in that regard”, she pointed at the blond-maned earth pony accusingly. “Lady Sky was in danger, by Celestia’s mane. Didst thou expect me to be CALM?!” The voice of the pony identified as Mjolna was incredibly overdramatic and booming, almost sounding as if she was trying a little too hard to be like a certain princess I knew. “But we have more pressing matters on our hooves”, she changed the subject. “If thou dost not mind me saying, this eldritch location chills me to the bone. We must fly, with haste!!” “Oh, of course, I’d forgotten”, said Electric Sky, before whispering to the rest of us: “You might wanna hand on to something. Just a suggestion.” With that she pointed her horn at the boiler-like contraption and, sending a spark darting towards it, yelled: “Mjolna, floor it!!” With perfect timing, Mjolna shoved a large yellow gem into the furnace just as the bolt struck. She then gave the whole thing a resounding whack with her hammer and… “G! FORCE! IN! MY! FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACE!!!!” It felt kinda like being teleported. Only more dizzying. We all looked as though we were going to be sick. After what felt like an hour of this torture, we came to a sudden halt, sending us flying into the walls of the cabin ahead. As my vision came swimming back to me, I made my best attempt at speech. “Whurr arr weeth?” Much to my surprise, our host’s speech seemed to fuction normally. “I’m impressed. You all handled that surprisingly well. Most ponies vomit the first time. Despite that supposedly being biologically impossible. Maybe that’s why the guys at Canterlot are so eager to let me borrow this thing… That being said I probably shouldn’t have used a whole Lightning Topaz. I just knew you were all desperate to get outta there, y’know?” We all nodded in agreement before slumping back to the floor. It was only then that I thought to re-ask: “so just where are…” “Lady Sky! Dire news! It would appear we are being followed!” Inexplicably, I sprung into action, following Electric Sky in a gallop to the end of the ship. Sure enough, a black shape was visible on the horizon. It looked far at the moment, but there was no doubt it was getting closer. As for its shape, it appeared to be pony-like, but I could definitely make out wings. “Don’t tell me one of the Guardians followed us here?”, said Electric Sky. “They can’t exist outside of Tartarus. Besides, it’s too large for that.” My heart stopped when I realised what I’d just said. The others appeared to be panicking, but Electric Sky was quick to take action. “Quickfix, how are the cannons?” “Seeing as I haven’t yet replaced the ones you blew up last time: not good”, came her response. Before we could come up with a plan B, the earth pony had leapt to the ship’s stern, hammer in hoof. “Heed my words evildoer! If thou dost wish to challenge my mistress, thou will face the divine power of MIGHTY MJOLNA! Never shall the Goddess of Thunder relent!” “Look Mjolna, I admire your enthusiasm, but…” “BY CELESTIA’S MANE! MIGHTY TORNADO!!” Suddenly, Mjolna was enveloped in a whirl of yellow lightning. I’d never seen anything like it before. My first guess was that hammer was enchanted. After all, no earth pony I knew could pull of something like that naturally. But soon, the magical votex had subsided… and the dark shadow was still closing in from the distance. Mjolna turned to us and said sheepishly: “Methinks that move hath embarrassingly short range.” We resumed panicking. For a moment at least, because before we knew it, the shadow was gone. Just like that. “Well, that was certainly anticlima…” With an almighty flash and bang an explosion of darkness burst forth from the centre of the ship. Once the flash of lightning had cleared, before us stood an alicorn dark as night, one I knew all too well. “BEHOLD! THY TRUE PRINCESS OF THE NIGHT!!” Once again her words were punctuated by thunder and lightning. I noticed Lilly Blossom had already abandoned ship, and even the non-pegasi among us looked about to do the same. “Be still everypony”, I tried to reassure them, “It’s only…” “NIGHTMARE MOON!”, came a squeal from under the ship’s hull. “Everypony run before she gobbles you up!” Princess Luna looked visibly dejected at these words, and even more dejected to see Bumblesweet, Quickfix, Electric Sky and even Mjolna quaking in fear. Strangely enough, Levee didn’t seem fazed in the slightest. “Peace subjects!”, said the princess, clearly trying her best to calm everypony down but of course having the opposite effect. I had to stand in for her. “Everypony, calm down. This is Princess Luna. She means you no harm.” “Y… you… know this princess?”, said Bumblesweet. “Let’s just say”, I replied with a warm smile, “she’s a friend of the family. Now, what is it you want, your highness.” We each bowed as low as we possibly could. The princess strode over to me and said, oddly quiet for once: “We simply wished to congratulate thee, child. Thy curse is no more, thou has done thy family proud.” I had suddenly found myself in tears. Partly out of joy, but also partly… “But I didn’t! I know you would have wanted me to put an end to the one who betrayed you, but I just couldn’t. He just looked so… pitiful, so sad. I couldn’t… I couldn’t bear to harm him… I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…” “Do not be, child. Thou hast done the right thing, what thou knew in thy heart to be right. And for that, We are proud. I believe we needs have word with Our sister. Methinks our former comrade has served his sentence.” I still wasn’t satisfied. I still felt unworthy. “And I… I’m a failure! Even with the curse broken, I couldn’t manage a single spell! I’ve failed to live up to my ancestor’s Element…” At this, Luna stopped me. Looking deep into my teary eyes, she whispered softly: “We never said thy ancestor’s Element was Magic.” “W-what??” But before I even had time to ponder this thought, the princess had returned to the ship’s centre and begun addressing us all. “Our subjects! We have witnessed thy deeds tonight, AND WE ARE PLEASED!!” Though rocked by the gale-force shout, my friends seemed slightly less afraid now. Lilly Blossom had even returned, though she was hiding behind the captain’s quarters. “After much deliberation, we have decided to… recruit thee into our, ahem, forces as our… personal… assisting…” “Wait, let me get this straight”, said Electric Sky, “you want to hire us?” “Hire? Nay. But if our sister has her own personal taskforce, why not us? The Element Bearers may keep Equestria safe by day, but they must sleep during our time, and cannot be relied upon to respond to all threats.” “That’s true”, said Lilly Blossom, finally mustering her courage, “after all, everypony needs a break sometimes”, she gestured accusingly yet affectionately to her earth pony friend. “INDEED!” “Eeep!” “Ahem, we mean, indeed Lilly Blossom. And as we have only recently resumed our rule, we have need of able-bodied ponies to help us… guard the night.” I was a little confused at the offer, to be honest. Confused, yet intrigued. “What exactly would such a job entail?” “Most likely nothing worse than thy adventures tonight”, was her reply. But it wasn’t like I’d care either way. I already knew my answer. “It would be an honour to serve the friend of my ancestor. And I’d like to know more about him, and you’re pretty much the only pony who can tell me. What I’m trying to say… is you can count me in.” The next voice I did not expect. “And me.” The lemon-coated unicorn stepped forward. “What? Despite the near-death experiences, tonight’s adventure was… kinda fun, if I’ll be honest. And besides, could I ask for a better opportunity to further my research?” Then came another. “You… may as well count me in, dears. I mean, I’m no stranger to working night shifts. I barely need much sleep anyway. And I should be able to fit this into my schedule, even if it does require cutting back on leisure time.” At this, another voice immediately cut in. “Oh no, not if I have anything to say about it. If Bumblesweet’s in, I’m in too. Without me to remind her to take a break she’ll work herself half to death.”, said Lilly Blossom, and giggled. There was silence. All faces were on one green pegasus. Eventually… “What are you looking at me like that for? Of course I’m in! I thought it was obvious, so I didn’t say anything. I couldn’t say no to an adventure like this! Oooh! Maybe her high-and-mighty-ness will like my maps?? Wait, she’s been gone for a thousand years so… actually this is perfect! Hey princess, could you tell me what Equestria looked like a thousand years ago! Oooh this is gonna be great!” Her celebration went on for a while. I admit I was happy too, but there was still somepony missing. I glanced over to the emerald green stallion beside me. Strangely, he hadn’t spoken since Luna arrived. Come to think of it, it even seemed like he was trying to avoid eye contact with her. Of course, it was naturally for ponies to fear her since her stint as Nightmare Moon, but this felt… different somehow. He seemed adamant on avoiding her. A little worried, I turned to him and asked: “Are you alright?” At my acknowledgement he immediately jumped with a start, eying me nervously. “O…of course! Of course! Why would you, uhh, believe… anything was… amiss… uhh…” There was no doubt; something about his behaviour was certainly odd. But before I had time to think, he spoke again. “O great Moon Pony…”, he received several awkward looks at this, so felt the need to explain. “Oh, in the language I was raised in, we only have one word for this princess. It… loses a little something in translation. Ahem, as I was saying, it would be an honour to serve you, O great and powerful Moon Pony.” He knelt low before her, though still avoided eye contact. “Charmed”, she replied, which I presume was a ‘yes’. So that’s how it happened. The night the ancient curse on my family was broken, my life changed forever. Though not in the way I expected. My friends and I had become a part of something bigger than we could have known. We call ourselves the Nightguard. Princess Luna’s personal taskforce. Our job is to guard the night, while Equestria’s more public heroes sleep. History books will hold little record of our names, but we don’t care, so long as we’re making even a small difference. As for me, though I have yet to master my newfound powers, I endeavour to do my best to improve. One day, the world will know the name of my ancestor, Star Swirl the Bearded, once more. Until then, I’ve got many more adventures in store, and the best part: I get to spend them with my new friends. Somewhere in Tartarus: “Star Swirl… Thank you. I’m glad you’re safe. But… I sensed an aura about your friends, one I haven’t felt for a thousand years. It would seem “his” influence is not quite gone. I’m afraid your adventures are only just beginning, Star Swirl. I pray that, when the time comes, you will have the courage to do what’s right.”