//------------------------------// // What has to be done... // Story: Time never stands still // by Dradavar //------------------------------// Chapter 14 The nights in the canterlot palace infirmary were anything else than relaxing. The first day after the changeling attack Luna spoke to her subjects, telling them of the fall of Celestia and that she would take her position. They were shocked. Of course they were. But not because Celestia had fallen. They were shocked that it would be now princess Luna who would watch over them. Their fears retuned, memories of Celestias battle against Nightmare Moon, her returnal and finally her cleansing. These were three big battle in the past. But they still wouldn't trust Luna. The very first night after her speech... The revolution started. Ponies, confused and struck by fear ransack the towns, destroying shops and attacking the guards. Luna knew that they were confused, that they would have to learn to deal with her as leader, that she should give them more time. The next day she stepped out onto the balcony, telling them to stop the unnecessary attacks and raids. She hesitated, to do what has to be done to bring back peace. The next days got worse and worse. More marauders appeared, more guards got attacked, the records wouldn't stop comming in. And now, one week later, Canterlot is forsaken. Ponies had fled in fear of the raids. The only place left with life in it was Canterlot palace. I stand up slowly, walking to the window I look out of it, seeing a newly burning house. It was the fifth or sixth this week, one of the first. But definetly not the last. "Miss Siren!" the nurse behind me calls to me, rushing in, "you're not supposed to walk around! Go back to bed!" I turn around, a intimidating look on my face, the nurse falls to her haunches, fear reflecting in her eyes. I sigh and shake my head. "Don't worry" I walk past her, "I'm completly fine" the bandages slip off my body. The wounds were closed, two fresh scars on my shoulders showing my mistakes. "I have a oath to swear" I whisper to myself as I start to run through the long hallways. 'First stop' I think, taking deep breaths, 'my room, getting Garnjiel' I turn to the east side running down another hallway, seeing a group of guard in the hallway, blocking my path. I slow down, looking at their stern faces. "Halt!" one takes a step forward holding a hoof up, "what do you want here?" he asks. "Going back to my room" I answer, looking at the guards, recognising atleast one of them who tried to pull out Garnjiel before. "No one is allowed to move past this point" he states, stomping with his left hoof. I sigh. "Luna awaits me" I look at him, he shows no reaction, "I have to get something out of my room, but for that" I look at him, a angry glare in my eyes, "you have to move." "No one is allowed to move past this point" he states again, "tell me what you need and we bring it to you." "I doubt you can" I answer facehoofing now. "Tell me what it is and I tell you if I can or not" he answers, still a stern look on his face, almost annoyed now. "It's my claymore" I answer, the eyes of the guard turn into slits, "Garnjiel is the blades name and it's magically enchanted, no one besides me or my brothers can move these weapons" I look at the recruit from the other day, "am I right?" I ask him. The guard turns around to the recruit, the recruit nods, the guard turns around, now really wearing a annoyed look on his face. He growls, rubbing the back of his head. "Fine" he sighs, stepping aside and giving his soldiers a sign to do the same, "but hurry up" I nod and fall into a full gallop, running down the hallway. After another two minutes running through the maze like castle I am finally at my room. I gasp quietly, not exhausted, just not used to run around so much. I open the door. Luna sits in the middle of the room, looking up at me. Tears stream down her cheeks, her coat is messy and her mane had reversed to a short light blue mane, also her tail. She gasps and sobs, looking at me, "they hate me" she cries, "they won't even trust me now, now that Celestia is gone and I'm the only one who can keep them safe" she sobs even more. "I don't know what to do" a dark shimmer appears in her eyes. I rush in, headbutting her into the chest. She falls to the ground gasping and coughing, but not trying to get up. Right now she looks like a hurt little foal. I ignore her, scoffing I turn around and walk into the bathroom, seeing Garnjiel still impaled into the floor. The tiles make crunching noise as I pull Garnjiel slowly out of the floor, hauling it on my back, my armour appears. I walk out of the bathroom, having to tilt my head a little bit so the horns won't hit each side of the doorframe, I walk back to Luna, she managed to sit up again, her hooves covering her eyes. "Sleep" I whisper and pull Garnjiel, swinging it at Luna I hit her head with the flat side of the blade, knocking her out. I whince. But it had to be done. I look down on her, pulling up one of her lids I see the faint, weak, dark shimmer in her eyes. I sigh. I lean Garnjiel against the wall behind Luna, putting Luna on my back as good as possible. I walk to my bed, her hindlegs dragging behind and slowly put her in it, covering her under the soft sheets. "And now, know not of despair" I pull out the clear crystal, the warm feeling sneaking up my leg, and lay it inside of her regalia, the weight of the regalia keeping it pressed against her chest, her tears stop almost instantly, her expression changes into a more pleasant. I turn around, looking at Garnjiel as it's rune gets brighter. "You won't win" I speak to the blade, making it tremble slightly. "Hate" I speak to it, the rune erupts brighter light, turning into a flame engulfing the sword completly. "It has to be done" I whisper. I walk closer and haul Garnjiel back on my back, the flames rushing up my armour and gathering in the back of my head and my neck, making it look like a burning mane, more flames rush over my head and engulf the horns. I see the mirror in the corner of my eyes and look closer at it. I quickly turn away, closing my eyes, regretting to have looked into the mirror. I almost look like Skull did, caught in her nemesis, the only difference is that I still have a normal body and that instead of black, my armour was red. I walk to the door, opening it slowly, I look back at Luna. "You are in no condition to rule right now" I turn away from her and walk out of the room. "For now" the glare in my eyes harden as the door closes itself behind me, "I will take your place." I quickly walk down the hallways, getting through the checkpoints of the guards. The most of them cowered in fear as they hear me approach. After two more minutes of walking through the halls I'm finally there. The throne room. No guards in front of it. I walk to the massive portal, pressing against it. It won't move. I sigh. One loud smash later the one side of the door falls inwards. I hear hoofsteps rushing to my position and walk slowly in, shouts echo through the halls behind me as I walk closer to the throne, the big fluffly cushion on it. I walk closer, now before the stairs before the throne, counting the stairs. One, two, three, four, Only two more to go. I stop and turn around. Guards walk into the throne room looking up at me, some angry, some confused, some scared. "Luna" I shout, getting all their attention, "is in no condition to rule right now" the ears of the guards perk, some even try to unsheath their weapons sneakily. "Until then" I state, still shouting through the room. "I will" my flame mane dispells itself, turning into dust. The dust slowly floats around. Everything touched by the particles changes. The banner of sun and moon erupt in flames, burning their image away, turning it into a eclipse with two wings, one white for Celestia, one midnight blue for Luna. The guards shout and point around, almost in panic, the move away from the particles. Too late. The first guard gets caught by th particles, turning his coat into a dark red, his mane into a lighter red, his armour changes too, the one regal gold or silver turns black and white. The guards panic now, more and more are changing. "Silence!" I shout, all the guards falling suddenly to their knees, bowing deeply. Behind me on the stairs appears a smaller throne, made of artifical Dragnit, it's shimmer brighter than any gold, I sit down onto it. "Listen" I turn down the volume a little bit, "I'm not taking Lunas place forever. And the magic on your body dispappears once I give up the position." "I am not the new princess or queen or whatever you wanna call it." "I am here until Luna returns to a condition to rule again." "I am her vasall." "I am Neylitha" more fire erupts, forging itself into a small crown on my head, showing my authority, the crown is made of artifical dragnit and has one big gem in it, a obisidan. "Go now" I look to the ceiling, seeing the beautiful images of Luna and Celestia and other things. "Go and tell the ponies, that the vasall Neylitha will hold court the next three days" I look down at the guards, still bowing. "And send Lovely Smile to me, give her quill and parchment, I want her as my secretary" one guard nods and rushes out, the others wait a second then they stand up and walk out, I hear their whispers, not able to understand anything though I shrug. "What a nuisance" I facehoof.